The Island Housing Trust works closely with the community and prospective homeowners and tenants as we design and develop our homes.  Our goals are to acquire property that is close to workplaces, accessible by public transportation, within areas that have already been developed, and to use existing housing stock through renovations and house moves whenever possible. We try to minimize impact on the land, fit our house designs into existing neighborhoods, as well as model our scattered site developments on existing neighborhoods.  While achieving affordability is a primary concern, we are also committed to Green and High Performance Building Practices that lead to low maintenance and energy costs.  A Home Energy Analysis documents the energy savings realized by the Trust's homeowners in 2009. Partnerships between leading land conservation organization and the Trust have also realized the benefits of Conservation Based Affordable Housing .

By the end of 2010 the Trust hopes to have built, moved, and/ or renovated over 40 homes on ground leased land, in the five towns across Martha's Vineyard (see Island Housing Trust Homeowner Profile ).