BANGOR – City councilors Monday unanimously agreed to donate city-owned land to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Bangor.

The 2.11-acre site, bordered by Third, Fifth, Carroll and Vine streets, will house the local Habitat chapter’s 11th and 12th homes, according to Vinal Applebee, the group’s treasurer.

He said Wednesday two families have been selected for the houses, and construction on the first house should begin around June 1.

“We’re very happy that the council has made the decision to donate this land to Habitat, but we’re also very happy to put closure on the matter, which has been going on for over a year now,” said Applebee, a vice president with Ames A/E, a Bangor architectural and engineering firm.

Habitat initially asked for the land more than a year ago, but the city wanted to work with neighbors first to make sure all concerns were addressed before making a decision.

Much of that work was handled by City Engineer Jim Ring, who was recognized by councilors Monday for having “masterminded” an approach that allowed the plan to move forward while minimizing issues raised by neighbors.

“The key is that this is done right,” Councilor Dan Tremble said during the meeting. “The end result, I think, was worth the wait.”

Though the parcel is large enough to accommodate five single-family homes – the original number Habitat volunteers had hoped to build there – residents at a neighborhood meeting more than a year ago voiced concern that the proposed new homes might hurt their property values, among other things.

City staff noted the plan would require tens of thousands of dollars in new infrastructure.

Last May, Habitat returned with a scaled-back plan calling for one or two houses with access from Fifth Street.

Habitat for Humanity’s mission is to build homes for families that cannot afford a loan from a bank. Since it was founded in 1988, the Greater Bangor chapter has built 10 homes, eight of them in Bangor and two in Brewer.

Six of the Bangor homes were built on land donated by the city. This week’s donation will bring the total to seven.

Habitat participants, known as “partnering families,” must demonstrate need, the ability to repay an interest-free loan on the house and a willingness to provide “sweat equity” or in-kind labor.