Village Grove, located in the Village of Trumansburg, New York and completed in December 2024, has set a new standard for sustainable and inclusive living as one of the first affordable housing communities in New York State to achieve both Passive House and NetZero certifications while utilizing ground-source geothermal heat pumps and off-site community solar to minimize its environmental footprint.

This vibrant, mixed-use, mixed-income neighborhood includes:

• 46 total rental apartments: 40 units in a two-story elevator building and six units in two townhome buildings

• Ten affordable for-sale townhomes to be sold to moderate-income households

• A newly constructed, stand-alone facility for the long-running local Trumansburg Community Nursery School (TCNS)
• A new public road that connects Village Grove to the community

The property on which Village Grove was developed was purchased by INHS from a local architect, who retained nine lots scattered throughout the site on which new market-rate homes will be built, further contributing to the neighborhood’s diversity and growth.

The multi-family rental building includes a community lounge, laundry facilities, and dedicated management, maintenance, and service provider offices. All apartments are affordable to households with incomes ranging from less than 30% to 90% of the area median income. INHS partnered with the Salvation Army to provide services to residents of seven units that are set aside for vulnerable community members exiting homelessness, ensuring that those in greatest need have a safe, stable place to live.

The ten for-sale townhomes are part of INHS’s Community Housing Trust, a shared equity model in which a low-to-moderate-income homebuyer purchases the home while the Trust owns the land, ensuring the home remains permanently affordable for generations to come.

Village Grove also includes a newly constructed facility for the Trumansburg Community Nursery School that further enriches the neighborhood and supports local families. Identified as a critical community need in local planning documents and through community engagement sessions, the new facility enabled the nursery school to nearly double its enrollment, extend hours to better support working families, and expand its programming. TCNS rents the new facility from INHS at a below-market rate, enabling affordable enrollment fees and scholarships for low-income families.

As INHS’s greenest project to date, Village Grove was a recipient of a round one NYSERDA Buildings of Excellence award and is certified by both Passive House Institute US (PHIUS) and Enterprise Green Communities. These prestigious designations reflect the project’s commitment to energy efficiency, healthy living environments, and long-term sustainability.

Building features include high-performance windows, balanced ventilation systems, and climate-specific moisture control strategies. The use of energy-efficient lighting, appliances, and mechanical systems further reduces energy consumption. While PHIUS does not require renewable energy, Village Grove goes a step further by utilizing off-site community solar to minimize its carbon footprint. Electric vehicle charging stations are also included to support the transition to cleaner transportation.

Enterprise Green Communities certification recognizes the integration of sustainability goals throughout the design and construction process. Village Grove reduces construction waste, uses non-toxic materials, and promotes water and energy efficiency. The development is strategically located to minimize infrastructure expansion and maximize access to pedestrian and bicycle networks. Residents are actively engaged in the operation and stewardship of the community.

Within this community that is walking distance to schools, shopping, and a thriving downtown community, residents enjoy the perks of quiet living in a vibrant and welcoming community, enriching their quality of life far beyond the project’s sustainability features.

See below to view photos and to hear directly from residents and community members on the development’s impact!