The Monhegan Island Sustainable Community Association (MISCA) was organized in 2002 by residents concerned with decreasing year-round population. At the time property costs were skyrocketing and many young people with families were moving off the island.

Many people would move a few times per year, changing housing with the seasons. Often people lived in homes that were not winterized, did not have running water, and were hard to heat. After living under these circumstances for several years, people would give up and move off the island.

The concern was heightened in 2000 when the building that housed the primary grocery store went on the market. This building was symbolic to many as a hub for community gathering, access to food, and it provided jobs for island residents. Residents acted quickly and were able to organize MISCA as a 501 (c)(3) in less than a year.

MISCA bought the store building late 2002 and it now houses two businesses, the post office, the town office and two residences. Since then MISCA has purchased two other properties, providing homes for three families. MISCA has also secured two lots that have been cleared and a well drilled in order for two new homes to be built either by MISCA or by an individual who meets MISCA eligibility.  

These lots were given through generous donations from the Monhegan Plantation and Monhegan Associates, Inc. The state Land Use Protection Commission (LUPC), formerly LURC, was instrumental working with MISCA to create policy for affordable homes to be built on smaller lot sizes of 20,000 square feet compared to 40,000 or one acre.

Late last fall concerns were heightened again when news that the current grocery store was losing its lease fall 2013. Community members began to rally and discuss possible solutions to the problem and eventually approached MISCA for their help. MISCA agreed that the island needs a grocery store and got on board right away.

The consensus was to purchase a property that was in the center of town and included both a house and a store. Due to generous donations from Tom and Kate Chappell, The Wyeth Foundation, an anonymous donor, and MISCA’s savings from donors over the past several years, they were able to purchase the property outright and the closing is scheduled to take place mid-May.

At the last MISCA meeting on May 2 at the Monhegan School House, a committee to plan and organize the store portion of the property was formed. The current building is in poor shape and may need to be torn down and rebuilt. The committee has been charged with designing the space to meet the use of a grocery. Although MISCA was able to purchase the property, more fundraising will need to take place to fund this portion of the project.  If MISCA is able to raise the money through fundraising, they will be in a better position to charge an affordable rent to the occupant of the space.

The house portion of the property will either be sold to a MISCA eligible resident at below market value or MISCA will need to raise the necessary funds to improve the house to rent to a year-round resident. A lot of work still needs to be done to make these properties a success.

MISCA has had many successes over the years but there is still a lot of work to do. The informal count of residents last year came in around 45 down from 65 just a few years earlier. Monhegan is a culture that year-round and summer residents believe should be preserved and they are willing to work hard to do just that.

For more information about how you can become a MISCA member or make a donation please visit www.misca.info