A vacant lot of weeds and wrecked boats is about to become three family homes

For years a vacant lot on Pleasant Street in New Bedford, Massachusetts was nothing but weeds, dumped trash, an abandoned 19-foot boat and a 34-foot trailer. Buzzards Bay Area Habitat for Humanity bought the land last year for $80,000, shepherded it through city permitting, and on Friday broke ground on three new three-bedroom homes. They will sell for about $200,000 each to low-income, first-time buyers — against local market prices of $629,000 to $849,800. Volunteer labor, donated materials and a $150,000 city contribution make the math work; Habitat sells at no profit with low-interest loans. Three families get homes that their neighbors helped build.