Community Breaks Ground on Neighborhood Where More Families Can Grow.
Aug 22, 2025
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Havana.
MOUNT DESERT—Even on a mid-Friday morning in late August, right in the middle of the work week, someone walking into the Ripples Road area can see that it’s a community.
A woman sweeps her front walk.
A dog barks a bit inside a house.
A trampoline waits for some jumps.
Another woman on a front lawn drives a hammer into something she’s building.
Soon, there will be more homes here—nine more actually, as the final phase of the Ripples Hill neighborhood in the Town of Mount Desert commences with an official groundbreaking, August 22.
“I’d like to thank our residents of the neighborhood. We had a vision. We had plans, but it’s the residents who took the chance to buy a house here with covenants which was pretty unusual when we started and have shown us just what a warm and welcoming and close-knit community they could create with us,” Marla O’Byrne, Island Housing Trust’s (IHT) executive director said at the event.
She also thanked the town which donated the 10 acres in 2006 and financial support through infrastructure needs.
“The event recognized the collective effort that has brought the project to this point and expressed gratitude to Ripples Hill residents, the Town of Mount Desert, community partners, donors, Harold MacQuinn Inc., Showcase Homes, and the broader MDI community for their partnership and support,” the organization’s press release read.
The homes are three-bedroom, 1.5 baths that will be modular, energy-efficient, two-story homes (1312 sq. ft.). Buyers can select approved colors and finishes. The lot price is $750; the home list price is $321,000 (lot included), and eligible household income is capped at 130% of the state median ($128,570).
“Island Housing Trust is a marvelous organization, but they can’t do it alone,” Town of Mount Desert Town Manager Durlin Lunt said Friday, calling for expansions of public and private partnerships. “It’s important and we’re going to do it.”
The town had committed to funding infrastructure, building a road to support the neighborhood.
These homes are meant for the year-round workforce. The goal is to help families have stable homes in the communities where they work.
According to the Island Housing Trust, “An anonymous donor has pledged $350,000 in a 1:1 matching challenge, meaning every dollar donated will be doubled.”
The project’s total cost is estimated to be approximately $3 million. More than $2 million is in property development; another $765,000 is for the homes’ infrastructure, and $143,000 is for planning and permitting. Approximately 87% of the funding has been raised.
The development has been in three phases, begun in 2008. Because of the homes, 28 children are in local schools, so far, and 57 people can live in the area.
“This event is not an end but a beginning, one focused on strengthening community with the goal of welcoming new year-round homeowners by the end of 2026,” the IHT said.
“Ripples Hill Phase 3 stands for more than construction, it is about connecting community,” the release reads. “With the extension of Sydneys Way to meet Farnhams Way, the project literally brings neighbors together, creating a stronger, more resilient year-round community on MDI.”
“This is an important moment for MDI,” said Natalie Osborne, IHT’s programs director. “Ripples Hill Phase 3 is about more than building homes. By expanding opportunities for homeownership, we’re ensuring that families can put down roots and sustain island life for generations to come.”
The Town of Mount Desert committed $470,000 toward road and sewer development Phase 3 of the project.
“The town recognizes how critical housing is to the future of our community. We are proud to support Ripples Hill Phase 3 as a meaningful step toward sustaining the workforce and families who are the backbone of MDI,” Lunt said.
“The project also reflects the generosity of our broader community, including donors and supporters who have championed this vision,” said O’Byrne. “This launch is a moment to thank the many partners who have helped us reach this point, and to inspire others to join us. We are close to the finish line to fully fund the final phase of Ripples Hill.”
The Ripples Hill neighborhood is on land initially donated by the town in 2006 for the intention of cluster development. It is located off the Beech Hill Road.
There nine homes currently there were built between 2008 and 2016. Homeowners are employed throughout MDI.
Increasing the number of homes—be they houses or apartments—in the region is considered a need by both state, local, and regional governments and groups.
“There is a huge need” for housing, Erik Woyciesjes, a market analyst with RKG Associates said. He added that as things change that number could also change. Housing constraints could stymie the population increase, Woyciesjes said in 2023.
Costs to build homes, costs of supplies for contractors, lack of workers to build those homes, homes being used for short-term, seasonal, or summer rentals, homes that are not meant for winter stays, and aging housing stock are also factors.
There is also limited land on Mount Desert Island where people can build. People cannot build in Acadia National Park, which comprises a significant portion of the island. A lack of available and affordable houses makes it hard to attract employees and keep many younger employees and families.
Currently, there are three organizations who are leading the way in the creation of affordable homes: Island Housing Trust, Mount Desert 365, and MDI Housing Solutions Initiative, which is a collaboration between the Musson Group and Island Housing Trust. Friends of Acadia has been working to provide housing for Acadia National Park’s seasonal employees. The town governments of Mount Desert and Bar Harbor are part of those private-public partnerships that have occurred or are occurring.
Mount Desert 365’s goal is to improve the economy of Mount Desert so it thrives on a year-round basis. A major component is housing because the organization believes that people need to be in a town, living, in order for that town to thrive year-round.
Mount Desert 365’s Nolan Way Homes, which recently broke ground in Northeast Harbor, are meant to be for median-income year-round residents, who are able to secure bank financing.
Jennifer Calderone, IHT’s director of advancement, added on Friday, “This milestone underscores the importance of working together to support those we all rely on, the people who sustain island life year-round. Ripples Hill Phase 3 is not just about homes; it’s about creating opportunities, fostering connection, and strengthening the foundation of community on Mount Desert Island.”
Island Housing Trust is now accepting homeowner applications for Ripples Hill Phase 3. Interested individuals and families are encouraged to apply online at islandhousingtrust.org or by contacting Natalie Osborne at nosborne@islandhousingtrust.org for assistance with the process.
SOME DEMOGRAPHICS
The following demographics were part of the Town of Bar Harbor’s work on its 2035 Comprehensive Plan.
ISLAND HOUSING TRUST
Island Housing Trust (IHT) promotes viable, year-round island communities by advancing permanent workforce housing on Mount Desert Island, Maine. Since 2004, IHT has collaborated with donors, community partners, and towns to ensure that year-round families and essential workers can continue to call the island home. Learn more at islandhousingtrust.org.
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Rick Osann Art.
LINKS TO LEARN MORE
Ways to donate to the Ripples project.
To make a gift, please visit islandhousingtrust.org or contact Jennifer Calderone at jcalderone@islandhousingtrust.org.
To read the housing report commissioned by Bar Harbor in full, go here.
It Takes a Region To Deal With Housing Issues
New Nolan Way Homes Aim to Bring Year-Round Residents Back to Mount Desert
Follow us on Facebook or BlueSky or Instagram. And as a reminder, you can easily view all our past stories and press releases here.
Bar Harbor Story is a mostly reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Thanks for being here with us and being part of our community, too!
Thanks for reading Bar Harbor Story! This post is public so feel free to share it.
If you’d like to donate to help support us, you can, but no pressure! Just click here (about how you can give) or here (a direct link), which is the same as the button below.
If you’d like to sponsor the Bar Harbor Story, you can! Learn more here.
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR COMMITMENT TO YOUR COMMUNITY
You can help the Bar Harbor Story keep bringing you local and daily news.
Make a monthly donation
Make a yearly donation
Choose an amount
Or enter a custom amount
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearlyDiscover more from Bar Harbor Story
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.