Three Young Couples Win Three Homesites in Lottery

By MAX HART

In the instant when their names were called, the young couple with two small children wriggling in their laps froze.

A moment of silence followed. Then, the realization of what happened hit.

With their children in their arms, Noah Richards and Michelle Aluia wiped away tears of joy after they won purchasing rights to an acre of town-owned land during an emotional West Tisbury housing committee lottery drawing on Wednesday. The couple was one of three Island families that were awarded small parcels off Deep Bottom Road that have been designated for affordable housing.

The ceremony took place at the start of the selectmen's meeting, held upstairs at the Howes House. An overflow crowd jammed the room. Many of the 24 candidates who were eligible for the three lots attended, hoping their names would be selected.

John David and Jessica Miller and Joe and Heather Capece were the other lottery winners, both young couples with children. The Capeces won the largest parcel available, a 2.5-acre lot. The other two lots are one acre each.

The three plots of land are contiguous, and are located off of Deep Bottom Road. Each has a price tag of $25,000.

All three families must secure financing to build a home on the property. Each signed a memorandum of understanding with the town that imposes a time limit on when construction must begin. If anyone is unable to finance construction, an alternate will be chosen from the list of remaining qualified candidates.

Mr. and Mrs. Miller were the first names called, and the audience broke into applause at the selection of a native daughter. Mrs. Miller, known around town as Jessica Burt, grew up on Music street and was educated at the West Tisbury School. She graduated third in her class from the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School and has a young daughter, Marissa.

Mr. Capece, a volunteer firefighter who works for Vineyard Gardens and The Trustees of Reservations, and Mrs. Capece, a teacher at the Martha's Vineyard Public Charter School, were the recipients of the last lot. Their infant daughter, Lucia, slept as their names were called.

"Oh my God," Mrs. Capece whispered, looking to her stunned husband, who cradled Lucia in his arms. "Should I call my parents first or do you want to call yours first?"

The two took turns ducking outside with their cell phone.

"I can't believe it," Mrs. Capece said later.

Mr. Richards and Ms. Aluia struggled to contain their emotions as they sat with their tow-headed children. Ms. Aluia alternated between burying her face in Mr. Richards's arm and sobbing and kissing him on the cheek.

"I think I am going to cry, too," said Jennifer Rand, the town executive secretary who was selecting the names from a hat, as Ms. Aluia embraced her four-year-old daughter.

Talking to Terri Keech of the Dukes County Regional Housing Authority, the 26-year-old father struggled to put his future in perspective.

"This is going to change our whole lives," he said, and then smiled.