Introducing … HAND’s Cumberland Cottages

HAND Inc. is proposing to develop almost 2 acres of vacant land at the southwest corner of 141st Street and Cumberland Road in Fishers, where it would build 11 rental homes oriented around shared green space.

The Fishers City Council held the first reading of a proposed Planned Unit Development ordinance governing the site on Dec. 21. The city Plan Commission is expected to review the plans Feb. 3.

HAND hosted open houses on Dec. 14 and Dec. 15 to share details of the proposed workforce housing development with neighbors and gather their feedback. Early responses were generally favorable.

Before HAND can develop the property, it needs to be rezoned. Once that happens, the Noblesville-based nonprofit will apply to the Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority for project funding.

If approved as proposed, the development—called Cumberland Cottages—would include 11 two- and three-bedroom cottages, each with a porch. Planned site amenities include an accessible community garden.

“We are excited about the opportunity to put this vacant land to use and benefit the community by building homes that single parents and others will be able to afford,” said HAND Executive Director Andrea Davis.

The 2018 Hamilton County Housing Needs Assessment showed single-earner households that need more than one bedroom have a hard time finding rentals to fit their budgets.

Founded in 2003 as Hamilton County Area Neighborhood Development Inc., HAND owns eight rental properties with a total of 137 units in Hamilton and Boone counties.

Its most recent development was Home Place Gardens, a 10-unit, $2.5 million community along 106th Street in Carmel.

Cumberland Cottages would be HAND’s first property in Fishers.