GEORGETOWN, Del. — A nonprofit seeking to expand affordable cottage-style housing in Georgetown says its proposed homes would be open to anyone noting the units do not require residents to have a fixed income level.
Little Living, a nonprofit developer, hopes to build about 20 additional small homes in town. If Georgetown Town Council approves the proposal, the organization says their next step is Sussex County Planning & Zoning review.
“This is not a political issue. This is about human beings and housing,” said Little Living president George Meringolo.
Meringolo said the project is designed not only for people facing homelessness, but also for working residents already living in Georgetown.
“This is for the people you see every day people working at Domino’s, the gas stations, convenience stores, the courthouse,” he said.
Little Living says rents vary depending on the size of the cottage. The nonprofit lists monthly prices at:
$950 for a one-bedroom
$1,100 for a two-bedroom
$1,200 for a three-bedroom
The rent includes all utilities, internet, and other services in a single payment.
But the prices and project are not winning over everyone in town. One woman who spoke off-camera said she has opposed the plan from the start, arguing it would bring more problems than benefits to Georgetown.
Meringolo said he remains confident the council will approve the project. “It’s going to pass probably 3 to 4 to 1,” he said. “There will be a lot of people in favor of it. I think as many people in favor of it as are against it.”
He emphasized that Little Living’s cottages are not the same as pallet shelters, and says similar cottage-style communities have succeeded in 35 states. The model homes currently displayed in Georgetown range from 450 to 800 square feet.
The Georgetown Town Council approved a land-use change paving the way for Little Living to build cottages in town. The proposal still requires further approvals from Georgetown before it can be considered by Sussex County Planning and Zoning.
