AMHERST — A $20.5 million development in North Amherst featuring 30 affordable homes, each of which will be owned by families, is getting another influx of money from the town, a commitment that should ensure ground can be broken next spring.

The Amherst Affordable Housing Trust Fund voted unanimously Thursday to provide an additional $350,000 to Northampton nonprofit Valley Community Development for what is being called Amherst Community Homes: 15 duplexes to be constructed over 9 acres, situated between Ball Lane and Pulpit Hill Road and just off Montague Road/Route 63.

Jessica Allan, real estate project manager for Valley CDC, said that the commitment from the town, now totaling $1.48 million, is the “final funding push to get shovels in the ground.”

With all permitting at the local and state level complete, Allan said the hope is to have families begin moving in to their new homes in February 2027.

Previously, the town pledged $750,000 from the Community Preservation Act account and $375,000 from the housing trust. Numerous other funding sources are also covering costs of the development, with the largest being $7.5 million from the CommonWealth Builder program.

That initiative of the quasi-public MassHousing agency aims to make single-family homes and condominiums affordable for communities of color. The CommonWealth Builder program provides a subsidy for first-time homebuyers, looking to increase homeownership for Black, Indigenous and people of color communities and enhance generational wealth.

Laura Baker, real estate development director for Valley CDC, said the housing trust’s pledge of additional money will speed up the development and save money in the long run. “Time is of the essence with all of our work, because the sooner we’re ready to go, the sooner we can contain those construction costs,” Baker said.

Allan said the Ball Lane homes are moving full-speed ahead, with Valley CDC working with general contractor Keiter Corp. of Florence to reduce costs through so-called value engineering.

This fall, much of the infrastructure work should be done, including having water and sewer lines connected from the state highway to the site, Allan said. Already, there have been improvements to sidewalks along Montague Road. Getting this work done before winter should speed up the timeline for building the actual homes next spring, she said.

In addition, marketing is underway. Twonnisha Winbush is handling the fair housing marketing plan for Valley CDC and will help applicants through the lottery process and bank. Winbush told the housing trust in July that this process will extend through September 2025.

While members of the trust supported the extra money, they understand that other developments in town are looming that may also need assistance, such as the 78 mixed income apartments at 31 South East St., the former East Street School, and 70 Belchertown Road. That WayFinders project will be coming before the Zoning Bopard of Appeals to begin the comprehensive permitting process under the state’s Chapter 40 B law on Aug. 29. That evening is likely to provide an overview of the project and a vote on the town’s status in safe harbor, meaning the town has at least 10% of its housing stock in the subsidized housing inventory.

Town Manager Paul Bockelman, who is a voting member of the housing trust, said the Ball Lane development is one of the best and most important projects for the town since it’s a homeownership opportunity. “This is really generational change,” Bockelman said.

But Bockelman said his concern is that the trust is looking at projects haphazardly rather than in a comprehensive manner.

Senior Planner Nate Malloy said there aren’t other projects currently in line for funding, and there is more CPA and other trust money to fall back on. That town contribution is also less than $50,000 per housing unit, a relatively low cost.

Affordable Housing Trust members looked favorably on the spending. Carol Lewis said Ball Lane is an incredibly important project, while Erica Piedade said it’s an opportunity to promote positive cultural change for the larger community.

One of the cosat-saving aspects of the project is to defer having solar panels on the roofs of the duplexes at the start, instead depending on a $500,000 earmark in the state’s recently adopted housing bond bill to install them later.

Allan said the hope is for full panel installation on each home before residents move in, as it will reduce energy costs for the owners

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.