Knight Affordable Housing Solutions – Create an Affordable Housing Development of 400-600 sq ft Houses in Cheshire County
Campaign Introduction:
Our project is build a community of smaller, more affordable houses in Cheshire County to help with the housing crisis and provide more options for people that can’t afford or don’t want the larger mortgage that comes with the larger houses that are currently on the market. Our goal is to build 1 to 2 bedroom 400-600 sq ft houses (not condos) for $100,000-$150,000 (under $1,000 monthly mortgage payment-including all taxes and insurance), each with their own yard, parking, privacy, rights to modify, etc. Besides a lower mortgage payment, living in a smaller house provides many benefits, including less cleaning and maintenance, more money to spend on fun stuff like traveling or freedom to work less, more time outside and with family/friends, less environmental impact/more sustainable, etc.
- Our Story
- Contributors
- Updates
- Discussion
Campaign Story
I think everyone can agree that we're in a housing crisis. There are more people in need of housing than the housing available on the market, driving up rents and prices on home sales. We need more housing of all kinds. There are plenty of organizations building normal-size housing (2000 sq ft), large-size housing, apartments, condos, etc., but not many are building new tiny and small houses. But why?
Well, lots of reasons. First, the larger houses are more profitable for the builder and most of these organizations are focused mostly on profit. But we are not. Our main focus is to provide the houses people want and need at an affordable price. We're not quite a non-profit, but that's basically how we run the business. We keep our overhead very low so we can get by with a smaller profit.
Second, bigger houses are cheaper per square foot than smaller houses (for the consumer) because a lot of the cost to build a house is not dependent on the size, such as septic, well, land, etc. So a 2000 sq ft house might be $400k (200 per sq ft), a 500 sq ft house might be $150k (300 per sq ft). But what's more important, we think, and what most builders fail to discuss with the consumer, is that a mortgage on a $400k house is around $2,500 per month vs. $1,000 per month on a $150k house.
Third, our society has taught us that bigger is better, and we've gotten used to living in bigger places and accumulating lots of material possessions to fill that space - the so called "American Dream". But the reality is that "bigger" and "more" isn't necessarily better, because it requires a lot of work to get and then to maintain. While living in a smaller house does take a bit of getting used to, it offers lots of benefits beyond the lower monthly mortgage payment, such as:
- Less house maintenance cleaning (sweeping, vacuuming, etc.) and fixing items that wear over the years (a smaller roof or floor cost much less to replace or upgrade).
- Less space means less items to buy, clean, repair, store, etc.
- Less mortgage payment means more disposable income to spend on travel, fun, upgrades to the house finishings (nicer wood floors or voice-activated smart home features), etc., or less time you need to work, so maybe you can just work part-time, or one person in the relationship can stay home.
- A smaller space encourages more family time within the house as there isn't as much space to escape each other (which can be a pro and a con, right?), but it also encourages more time outside and trips to visit family.
Many people could benefit from smaller homes on the market: low-income, homeless, disabled, empty nesters, retired folks on a fixed income, young people just entering the workforce, etc. By building housing for these folks more in line with what they want and need, it frees up the more conventional housing for everyone else.
Our goal is to purchase land and build a community of smaller homes (400-600 sq ft) in Cheshire County, each with their own yards, parking, etc. and sell each for between $100,000-$150,000. All money raised during this campaign will help us put a deposit on a piece of land. We are currently seeking private investors, partners, and bank loans and will also be preselling properties to raise additional funds to complete the project.
There are lots of cool rewards to choose from below, please review and pick one or more of your favorites. Let me know if you have other ideas you would like to see for rewards and I will add them.
Learn more at Knight Affordable Housing Solutions.
Campaign Contributions
Name | Location | Date |
---|---|---|
Annamarie Pluhar | East Dummerston, VT | December 13, 2022 |
Julie Jussif | Bedford, NH | December 13, 2022 |
Connie Lester | PETERBOROUGH, NH | December 13, 2022 |
Anonymous | Keene, NH | December 12, 2022 |
Catherine Koning | Keene, NH | December 12, 2022 |
Anonymous | Keene, NH | December 12, 2022 |
Miriam Hart | Keene, NH | December 12, 2022 |
Tricia Mills | BRISTOL, NH | December 11, 2022 |
Jodi Newell | Keene, NH | December 11, 2022 |
Jodi Newell | Keene, NH | December 11, 2022 |
Kathleen West | Washington, NH | December 09, 2022 |
Karen Hope | Marlborough, NH | December 09, 2022 |
Robin Lowry | Fitzwilliam, NH | December 08, 2022 |
Robin Lowry | Fitzwilliam, NH | December 08, 2022 |
Nancy and David Kyle | Surry, NH | December 06, 2022 |
Johnathan Ericson | Peterborough, NH | December 06, 2022 |
Anonymous | Harrisville, NH | December 05, 2022 |
Paige McLaughlin | Fairbanks, AK | December 05, 2022 |
Eleanor Briggs | Hancock, NH | December 05, 2022 |
Robert Shalit | Keene, NH | December 05, 2022 |
Michele Chalice | Keene, NH | December 05, 2022 |
Lisa Sieverts | Nelson, NH | December 05, 2022 |
Sharon Tweedie | North Monmouth, ME | November 27, 2022 |
Christine McDermitt | Keene, NH | November 20, 2022 |
JACKSON KNIGHT | SULLIVAN, NH | November 19, 2022 |
Matt Keenan | Dublin, NH | November 19, 2022 |
josephine russell | surry, NH | November 17, 2022 |
josephine russell | surry, NH | November 17, 2022 |
Emma Armstrong | Walpole, NH | November 11, 2022 |
Matt Keenan | Dublin, NH | November 11, 2022 |
Danise Kimball | Westminster, VT | November 08, 2022 |
Jodi Newell | Keene, NH | November 07, 2022 |
Albert Diemand | Spofford, NH | November 03, 2022 |
Albert Diemand | Spofford, NH | November 03, 2022 |
Jen Wyman | North Swanzey, NH | November 02, 2022 |
Lazaros Xanthopoulos | Bellows falls, VT | November 02, 2022 |
Boss Jenkins | Rippey, IA | November 02, 2022 |
Richard Adler | Berlin, VT | November 01, 2022 |
Ricky Small | Phoenix, AZ | October 27, 2022 |
Anonymous | Sullivan, NH | October 27, 2022 |
Liza Wyman | Sullivan, NH | October 23, 2022 |
Jen Risley | Keene, NH | October 22, 2022 |
Campaign Updates
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Match
Hi Everyone. First, thank you to everyone who has donated so far. We’re over 20% of our goal now!!!
Also, we received a $500 match from the Local Crowd Monadnock – that means for every donation we receive it will be matched up to $500, so if you haven’t already, please check out all the cool rewards and consider donating again, some would make really Christmas presents.
As always, if you questions, comments, or concerns, angel investor contacts, leads on land to develop for small houses, ideas on new rewards you’d like to purchase, please feel free to reach out.
Thanks everyone.
Ben Knight
603-313-1504
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Black Friday Weekend Special
Black Friday Weekend Special going on from now until Sunday 11/27 at midnight. All rewards on this campaign have been discounted to half price or buy one get one free. Thank you everyone for your support. Ben
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Drawing for free day of Handyman/Construction labor
If you donate or purchase a reward between now and the end of the campaign (in 3 days), you’ll be entered into a drawing to win a free day of my Handyman/Construction labor. I can help with whatever projects you need help with, such as insulation, windows and doors, flooring, siding, painting, light plumbing and electric, yard work, etc. Thanks everyone for your support.
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Goal Met//Results of Drawing//Next Steps
We did it…we met our goal. Thank you so much everyone, I really appreciate it. A special thanks to Julie who came through with a big last minute contribution to put us over the top. I promise the money will go towards bringing more affordable housing to the Keene area.
Now the real work starts, currently looking at a 17 acre horse farm in Marlborough NH (www.monadnockpastures.com) that’s setup as a condo association, and already approved for 6 units to be built with shared access to pastures and barns. I’m in conversations with an investor that may be interested in funding this project or something similar…currently looking at what makes the most sense.
Always looking for additional ideas on land to develop and partners/investors to help with funding, so please forward any ideas my way if you hear of any.
I did the drawing for the free day of handyman/construction services…Congratulations to Connie, she was our winner.
If you purchased a reward, I’ll be in touch soon to make sure you get those.
There is a video on our Youtube channel that outlines all of this, I hope you check it out.
Thanks again everyone, Merry Christmas!!
Campaign Discussion
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Match Alert: Double Your Impact! 1:1
All donations will be matched dollar for dollar up to $1000! Let\'s bring more affordable housing solutions to the Monadnock Region.
$1000 matched of $1000
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Match Alert: Double Your Impact! 1:1All donations will be matched dollar for dollar up to $1000! Let\'s bring more affordable housing solutions to the Monadnock Region.$1000 matched of $1000
Rewards
$20
$25 Gift Certificate at Pizza Palace in Bellows Falls VT.
$25 Gift Certificate at Pizza Palace in Bellows Falls VT, good for anything on their menu including pizzas, calzones, wings, grinders, sandwiches, salads, drinks, etc.

$25
Grandma's homemade goodies
For your $25 donation, you'll get the best homemade goodies around, grandma's favorite recipes. Choose from either peanut butter balls (milk, dark or white), frosted sugar cookies, or chunky applesauce. Or choose mix of all.

$25
Grandma's Favorite Recipes
For your $25 donation, I'll open up the vault and share the long-guarded family recipes of all the cool things both my grandmothers used to make. Recipes for things like Peanut butter balls, sugar cookies, zucchini bread, fudge, bolgogi (Korean beef stir fry), applesauce, and more.

$50
Introductory Lesson on How to build a house
One on One Introductory Lesson on How to Build a House. Can spend time on an overview of the process, or a specific topic such as planning/design, site prep, framing, sheathing, rough plumbing/electrical, insulation, flooring, sheetrock, roofing, windows/doors, etc. Method: can be verbal, but ideally hands on with an actual project. Length 1 hour.

$50
Introductory Lesson: MMA / Wrestling / Judo / Kickboxing
One on one Introductory Lesson in either Wrestling/Judo/Kickboxing/MMA (Mixed Martial Arts). Instructor: Ben Knight. Instructor Bio: High School Wrestling State Champ; Judo Brown Belt, State Championships in Several New England States; Keene's First Professional MMA Fighter. Length: 1 hour

$50
One night stay in rustic micro cabin on peaceful brook
Experience small living first-hand in this unique rustic micro cabin on a peaceful brook in Sullivan. All details and pics can be found on AIRBNB at the link below:
airbnb.com/h/rusticbrookcabin

$50
Excel Training from an Excel Expert
One on one Excel Training - beginner, intermediate, and advanced available. Learn how to use all the cool features of Excel to save time and get the most out of it. Learn basics, or advanced formulas, pivot tables, graphs, etc. - Length 1 hour.

$50
Homemade Bolgolgi (Korean Stir Fry) or Chili and Cornbread
For your $50 donation, I'll make you a big batch of our family favorite Bolgogi (Korean Stir Fry with vegetables and white rice) or Chili and Corn bread. Feeds 6-8.

$50
Semi-Private Fishing Trip/Sightseeing Tour out of Hampton NH
I'll take up to 4 people at a time ($50 each) out on my boat. We'll leave out of Hampton NH and spend the day looking for dolphins and whales, checking out the Isles of Shoals, and fishing. Ever wanted to try driving a boat out on the ocean yourself, here's your chance.

$100
Hand Made Board Game - "Get your Goat"
Donate $100 and get a hand-made wooden board game called "Get your Goat" (similar to Trouble or Sorry but with marbles and regular playing cards). Comes with a deck of playing cards, marbles, and instructions.

$200
Custom Basket Dresser
I can build you a custom basket dresser, for up to 6 baskets, made from wood (painted or stained), to help you keep your clothes organized. If you’re not familiar with basket dressers, it’s a simple but elegant alternative to a traditional dresser/bureau that uses standard laundry baskets that slide in and out of the dresser. The benefits to a basket dresser are that it’s much lighter and easier to move around and you can pull out the baskets easier to look through or move around.

$200
Custom drawings of floorplan and 3D exterior views of your dream house, plus estimate on cost to build
We'll spend an hour or two getting an idea of how big of house you're looking to build, what it should include, how it should be laid out, what it should look like, etc. Then I'll draw up a 3D floor plan and 3D exterior views of the house. I'll then provide an estimate of what the house will cost to build, what that estimate includes, what it doesn't, etc...

$500
Custom Closet/Pantry Shelving
I’ll turn that messy and disorganized closet or pantry into something all your friends will be jealous of. I can install your choice of metal wire or wood shelving (painted or stained) to help keep all your stuff neat and organized.

$750
Backyard Zipline
For your $750 donation, I'll come out to your property and help you pick out a good spot for a zipline, up to 200 feet long. I'll then buy all the materials and install the zipline, including a safety brake, and teach you how to use it. Includes pulley, rope and harness. Great fun for all ages.

$1,000
Contract/Deposit on presale of a 400-600 sq ft home in small development
Reserve your small home in this private community of up to 10 homes. Each home will have a private yard and parking on a minimum of 5,000 sq ft (1/8 acre) . Estimated final home price will be $100,000-$150,000 for a 400-600 sq ft home. Estimated time frame for signed and executed contract is March 2023 with additional deposit(s) due over the coming months to fund construction. Estimated time frame for builds to be completed is March 2024 to October 2024.

2 reviews for Knight Affordable Housing Solutions – Create an Affordable Housing Development of 400-600 sq ft Houses in Cheshire County
Nancy Hawk –
I’d like to be in the loop as you progress. I am considering similar project at the NC coast.
Miriam Hart (verified owner) –
12/15/22 Congratulations Ben! This has been a tremendous effort on your part, and I wish you the best with this greatly needed option of a “tiny homes” community in our local region. I hope to be conscious of continuing to spread this important project information to as many as possible. Miriam Hart