Annual Reports
Mission:
Nurturing and sustaining a vibrant island community by providing year-round housing opportunities for working families.
Vision for the future:
The Cranberry Isles is a bustling community of about 160 year-round residents of all ages, with a thriving school, a strong summer community, and a robust economy.
Overview:
CIRT provides five rental homes on Great Cranberry Island and currently three on Little Cranberry Island (Islesford); however, it will add two more rental home units on Islesford in 2026.
In addition, CIRT has helped two families on Islesford purchase their own homes; these homes are protected in perpetuity as year-round, affordable homes. Also, CIRT has protected one home on GCI as a permanent year-round only residence. CIRT provides financial assistance to eligible families to purchase their own homes on the islands – see the Cranberry Homes Assistance Program (CHAP) information.
CIRT was founded in 1996, with support and encouragement from the Town of Cranberry Isles, to provide affordable year-round housing for those who could not otherwise afford it. The Board of Directors has always included both year-round and seasonal residents of both islands.
After establishing the organization and receiving federal charitable status in May 1998, CIRT’s principal goal was to provide rental homes for working families on both Great and Little Cranberry Islands. The Rice House on Great Cranberry was purchased around 1999, and CIRT had the Maple Avenue house on Islesford built in 2000 on land leased from the Town. CIRT later obtained a second home on Great Cranberry and in June 2014 built two new rental homes on Great Cranberry.
In 2023, CIRT took advantage of an assistance program by Maine’s housing authority to launch a 3-year initiative to build two new rental homes on Great Cranberry and four homes on Islesford. The initiative was financed with state assistance, donations from the community and CIRT’s own contribution from the sale of the Rice House and the Preble Cove House, which had been bequeathed to CIRT by Bruce Komusin.
In addition to providing rental homes, CIRT has also provided financial support to two families on Islesford, allowing them to acquire their own island homes. CIRT’s covenants on these homes ensure permanent year-round residency and affordability. CIRT continues to grow in response to generous donations and volunteer commitments by community members on both islands.
CIRT has made available the following properties:
On Great Cranberry:
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Kane House, 5 Elwood Spurling Lane – Year-round, three-bedroom rental house on 5 Elwood Spurling Lane. Has been occupied by the same family for more than ten years. The 50-year old house had been donated to CIRT by Cap Kane.
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Woodland House, 21 Komusin Lane – Year-round, three-bedroom rental house. Built in 2014 on land donated by Bruce Komusin with state assistance and contributions from CIRT and the community.
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Pondview House, 15 Komusin Lane – Year-round, three-bedroom rental house. Built in 2014 on land donated by Bruce Komusin with state assistance and contributions from CIRT and the community.
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25 Komusin Lane – Year-round, three-bedroom rental house. Built in 2023 on land donated by Bruce Komusin with state assistance, and contributions from CIRT and the community.
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27 Komusin Lane – Year-round, three-bedroom rental house built in 2023 on land donated by Bruce Komusin. The house was built with state assistance and contributions from CIRT and the community.
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The Rice House, 88 Cranberry Road – A privately owned two-bedroom home with CIRT covenants ensuring its permanent affordability and year-round occupancy. The house had been owned by CIRT since about 1999; it was sold in August 2022. Built in the mid-1800s.
On Islesford:
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24 Maple Avenue – A year-round, three-bedroom rental home, which has been occupied by the same family since 2017. The house was built in 2000 with state assistance and contributions from CIRT and the community.
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122 Main Street – A privately owned two-bedroom home with CIRT covenants ensuring its permanent affordability and year-round occupancy. CIRT provided financial support in 2009 for an island family to buy the house.
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51 Cross Street – A privately owned two-bedroom home with CIRT covenants ensuring its permanent affordability and year-round occupancy. CIRT provided financial support in early 2020 to assist the family to purchase the house.
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17 Maple Ave. – A year-round one-bedroom rental home occupied since 2025, one of four homes developed on property acquired from Peyton and Elaine Eggleston. The home was bought and renovated with state assistance and contributions from CIRT and the community.
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9 Cross Road. – A year-round three-bedroom rental home occupied since 2025, one of four homes developed on property acquired from Peyton and Elaine Eggleston. The home was bought and renovated with state assistance and contributions from CIRT and the community
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Two More Rental Units Coming for Islesford – Two more rental units are being developed on Eggleston properties, and are expected to be occupied by mid 2026.
Board of Directors:
Ken Schmidt, President, GCI
Judith Timyan, Vice President, LCI
Janet Hook, Secretary, GCI
Jim Kehoe, Treasurer, GCI
Peter Buchsbaum, GCI
Kelly Sheets Dickson, LCI
Lindsay Eysnogle, LCI
Jeri Spurling, LCI
Alice Dunn, GCI
Sam Reece, LCI
Adrei Pogany, Islesford
Jim Gertmenian, GCI
Malcolm Fernald, Islesford
Hollie Stanley, GCI
Hannah Folsom, LCI
Staff:
William Dowling, General Manager
Ben Sumner, Bookkeeper
Ric Gaither, Caretaker, GCI
