BEAT Staying Connected Initiative Coordinator Mikael Cejtin, left, and Executive Director Jane Winn show off their locally-made stewardship awards, presented by Patricia Cramer, director of the Wildlife Connectivity Institute.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Environmental Action Team received a stewardship award for its work protecting and re-connecting wildlife habitats in the Berkshire Wildlife Linkage area.
The award was presented June at the International Conference on Ecology and Transportation.
The local environmental organization's habitat effort is part of a larger Staying Connected Initiative: a partnership of many conservation organizations that work together to maintain landscape connectivity across the Northern Appalachians in the Acadian Region of the United States and Canada.
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Habitat for Humanity Selling Pittsfield Condos for $1,700/Month
By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
The homes are being offered as condominiums with a homeowners association fee.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity is selling two homes to income-eligible families who can afford about $1,700 per month.
On Friday, an open house was held for the newly built condominiums at 21 and 23 Murphy Place, and another will be held on Saturday, Feb. 14, from 10 to noon. The each of the homes offers three bedrooms and one bathroom over 1,200 square feet.
Homebuyers services representative Chris LaPatin reported that there have been "quite a few" applications that are being reviewed.
The condos will be sold to families earning between 50 percent and 65 percent of the area median income, which ranges between $49,150 and $63,895 for a family of two and $66,350 and $86,255 for a family of five. A monthly payment of $1,673 will cover the principal and interest, property taxes, and home insurance. There's a monthly HOA fee on top of that.
Murphy Place is a dead-end street off Upper North Street, and the homes have yard space, parking, laundry, and a crawl space for storage. The washer and dryer are Whirlpool Energy Star, and the homes have energy-saving mini-split heat pumps for cooling and heating.
LaPatin pointed out that one way Habitat connects people to homeownership is through partnership hours. This program provides $2,000 toward a home purchase and an affordable mortgage from a third-party lender for completing financial and homeownership training and build site hours.
For one person, 275 hours are required, and 425 for a couple. Friends and family can help with partnership hours, according to Habitat's website.
Current income eligibility for families earning between 50 percent and 65 percent of the AMI:
As the district prepares to restructure its middle schools in the fall, administrators are considering transition activities that will best meet the needs of Pittsfield students. click for more
The Teacher of the Month series, in collaboration with Berkshire Community College, will feature distinguished teachers nominated by community members. You can nominate a teacher here.
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Although late in the season, the rink will be open with posted hours from dawn to dusk, but may be closed at times for maintenance of the ice.
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