Karleen and Kevin are proud members of Nantucket’s essential workforce. Karleen has spent the past six years at Nantucket Cottage Hospital sterilizing surgical instruments and supporting lifesaving care behind the scenes. Kevin is part of the facilities team at Nantucket Memorial Airport, helping keep the island’s travel hub safe and running smoothly for locals and visitors alike.

“We’re both proud of the work we do here,” Karleen said. “We’ve built our lives around serving the people of Nantucket.”

Karleen and Kevin lived in a guest cottage on Cliff Road on the property of seasonal residents—a family they had known and worked with for years. Like so many hardworking islanders, they dreamed of owning a place of their own—but the soaring Nantucket housing market kept that dream just out of reach. When the homeowners informed them they were selling the property, Karleen & Kevin were devastated. Despite the family’s assurance that they would help them find suitable housing, Karleen & Kevin faced the real possibility of having to leave the island and the life they had fought so hard to build.

Desperate to stay, they turned over every stone, partnering with a real estate agent who tirelessly helped them search for a solution. Each lead brought hope—and each disappointment brought new heartbreak. Homeownership felt farther away than ever.

Eventually, they learned of a new opportunity available through Housing Nantucket’s Covenant Program. Another year-round family had carved off a portion of their land as a Covenant lot, retaining the market-rate lot for themselves. They agreed to sell the Covenant lot to Karleen and Kevin, using the proceeds from the sale to stay on Nantucket themselves—creatively using the Covenant Program to secure a future for two island families at once.

Now Karleen and Kevin had land—but what about a dwelling? With construction costs so high, it was infeasible for them to purchase the land and build a new home while staying within the Maximum Sales Price for Covenant homes.

Then, just when options seemed to run out, something remarkable happened. Moved by Karleen and Kevin’s perseverance—and by how much they meant to the island community—and delivering on their promise of helping Karleen & Kevin land on their feet, the seasonal resident family stepped forward with an extraordinary offer: they would give Karleen and Kevin the very cottage they had made their home and assist them in moving it across the island to the Covenant lot.

With the cottage offered and a Covenant lot secured, Karleen and Kevin’s dream of homeownership was finally within reach—but turning that dream into reality would take the strength of a community rallying behind them.

Karleen and Kevin embraced the idea of house recycling, working to move the cottage over-the-road to its new home. It took the talents and dedication of many: the house movers who expertly transported the structure, the utility workers who lifted wires along the way, the bankers who funded the construction loan, and the real estate agent who stood by them, advocating at every step.

“Seeing our cottage come down the road was surreal,” Karleen said. “It wasn’t just a house on the move—it was everything we’d worked for, everything we hoped for. It showed us what’s possible when people come together with heart and determination.”

Today, the same cottage that once sheltered Karleen and Kevin on Cliff Road sits proudly on their Covenant lot at Equator Drive, awaiting placement onto its permanent foundation. It’s more than a home—it’s a testament to resilience, creativity, and the deep partnerships that keep Nantucket strong.

“Housing Nantucket’s programs are incredible,” Karleen said. “Without them—and without the generosity of our former landlords and everyone who rallied around us—this never could have happened. It breaks my heart to see so many homes sitting empty while families work so hard to stay. This home means everything to us.”

Karleen and Kevin’s story is a powerful reminder: keeping Nantucket livable for its year-round community takes more than policy. It takes perseverance, partnership, and a shared belief that the people who serve the island every day deserve a place to call home.

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