Where there once was just forest off Meetinghouse Road, there are now new homes that are providing sorely needed affordable housing for members of the Tribe. The 58-acre neighborhood of First Light Wampanoag Homes Development, welcomed its first residents last month. And with additional homes in the neighborhood nearing completion, many other tribal members will soon be coming home.

Now that residents have started to move into the new homes Michelle Tobey, housing department director, is looking for ways to further improve the homes. “We’ve worked closely with our design and construction crews to ensure our native community is represented in the design and layout of the neighborhood,” said Tobey. “In addition to a new community center that we’ve now started on, we are working with Cape Light Compact to find energy efficiencies and with our Tribe’s Community Development Corporation on a solar energy installation at the housing development.”

The housing development is also utilizing $500,000 from Indian Health Services to connect the homes to a wastewater treatment plant. The construction of the treatment plant was funded by a grant from the Obama American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

First Light Wampanoag Homes Development is an affordable housing project that has been in the planning and production for more than a decade.

The 42-unit housing project has been subsidized by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Economic Development.

In December of 2017, the state announced $1 million in funding for the project that would come in the form of state and federal tax credits. Low-income housing tax credits for the project total close to $11 million in equity and support.

When fully built out, the development will consist 16 units across eight duplexes set aside for tribal elders and disabled members, as well as 26 two- and three-bedroom units for families.