Pine Oaks Village Celebrates 50th Anniversary

 HARWICH – The town’s largest provider of affordable housing celebrates half a century last week.

“In 1975, Reverend Al Ronander, known as Parson Al, at the First Congregational Church of Harwich took a group of church leaders aside and disclosed to them a strong need for low-income housing for seniors and handicapped in the town of Harwich,” according to historical references to the founding of Pine Oaks Village Homes.  

A social action subcommittee was started by president John Nelson and vice president Paul Doane, charged with developing plans and seeking financing to create affordable housing in town. In 1975, Mid-Cape Church Homes, Inc. (MCCH) was formally incorporated, separate from the First Congregational Church, and established and adopted its own formal bylaws.

The purpose was to provide low-income housing for qualified seniors and handicapped persons. Finding the land was just the beginning. This would be the first multi-family development in the town. The committee then had to go in front of the planning board and town meeting to get the project endorsed, according to the history.

Today, as the non-profit celebrates its 50th anniversary, there are three Pine Oaks Village developments in town providing 163 units serving the needs of seniors and individuals with disabilities. The organization is the town’s largest provider of affordable housing in the community.

On Oct. 19, residents, members of the board of directors and management staff from Hallkeen Management Company joined with elected town officials to celebrate the anniversary.

Board of directors president Greg Winston served as master of ceremonies as approximately 75 attendees enjoyed a catered lunch under the tent at the community center in Pine Oaks Village 1.

Doane, a former state senator, spoke about the trials and tribulations of finding land and building phase one, 60 units on a 30-acre site off Bank Street. The organization began renting the apartments in 1980. The second phase was put in place a decade later, and the third phase, 60 units off Oak Street, was available in 2003.

There were a number of citations presented during the celebration, State Representative Hadley Luddy, D-Orleans, presented a citation from Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll. A state senate citation was presented through Cape and Island Senator Julian Cyr’s office, and Luddy presented one from the House of Representatives.

During the event, Luddy praised the contributions Pine Oak Village Homes has made in creating and providing affordable housing to seniors and disabled individuals.   

Select Board Chair Donald Howell also recognized the affordable housing contributions the three phases of Pine Oaks Village have made to the community, pointing out that the developments account for nearly half of the affordable housing units in the town.

While the developments are owned by Mid-Cape Church Homes and run by an all-volunteer board of directors, the day-to-day operations are managed by Hallkeen Management Company of Braintree.   

Pine Oaks Village Homes is presently pursuing a comprehensive permit before the appeals board to construct 242 units of affordable and workforce housing on 24 acres in North Harwich.