The historic Chaloner House/Cleaves Tavern in Lubec has been vacant and awaiting its fate for three years and running, and its state of well being is causing alarm in the community. Roger Quirk, a Lubec resident and member of the Lubec Historical Society who descends from a family that settled in Lubec in 1845, has been keeping an eye on it ever since the previous owner, Norma Harrop, moved to a nursing home and then passed away. He has been working with U.S. Senator Angus King's office in regards to the property, but two weeks ago, angry at the state of disrepair, he wrote a letter to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) with numerous photos to illustrate that in no way was the building's exterior being maintained by the company contracted by HUD to do so.
      Quirk is not alone in his quest to see the building survive court procedures to settle the title and find a new owner. A number of the town's residents have been volunteering their time to mow, prune trees threatening the walls and roof and had begun to talk about fixing broken window glass when Quirk decided he'd had enough. It was so wrong, he explains, because HUD had contracted with a servicing company, NOVAD, to maintain the exterior by mowing, keeping the driveway plowed and entrance shoveled of snow during the winter and more. The only maintenance he has seen over three years was a new lock put on the front door and a sign in the window indicating who to contact with questions. "I got pushy," he says.
      The Chaloner House at 3 Pleasant Street is loved by Lubec residents and is possibly the oldest standing residence in the community. It is on Maine Preservation's most endangered list. The house, built around 1818, was built as a long saltbox near the Lubec waterfront. Its timber-frame structure is unusual for a floor plan that features two primary entrances and three formal front rooms on each floor. The Chaloner House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. It represents a regionally rare property type.
      HUD took possession of the building in 2018. At about that time the building's contents were sold. Quirk remembers being told by some who had gone to the sale that interior water damage was present from roof leaks. While the roof doesn't appear to be in imminent disrepair, even small leaks can take their toll over a few years, he notes. In addition, broken window glass now allows for the elements and wildlife to get into the building and do additional damage.
      Marguerite Stockford, a long time seasonal resident with family ties to the town, says, "Here's this old house, probably the oldest one in Lubec, and it's deteriorating and just neglected." Weeds, shrubs and trees were beginning to take over the small yard. "The house needed air," she points out, and so she started pruning and weeding. "But what really got me was the knotweed." At 78, getting rid of the knotweed may take longer than she may be around for, she says with a laugh, but she's digging out the roots so that the area can be mowed "for the next five years probably," to help with its eradication.
      A chainsaw wielding friend came with Stockford, and together they uncovered a magnificent old lilac. Three "huge" willows have been shedding, as is their nature, she notes, and so that too has been cleaned up. She hopes that by keeping the property as neat as possible, others too will be inspired to care about the house and lend their voice and interest to its survival.
      In its response to Quirk, HUD Acting Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Single Family Housing Julie Shaffer writes that at this time HUD is limited to maintaining the exterior grounds of the property and securing access to the house. Maintenance does not include major renovations or repairs to the dwelling."
      HUD, Quirk explains, holds the mortgage but must go through the foreclosure process to gain the title and put the building up for sale. Shaffer explains, "The foreclosure must be completed judicially by the U.S. Department of Justice. HUD's maintenance of the exterior of property will continue while HUD obtains title through the foreclosure and will continue during the property marketing and sales process." When HUD obtains title, the property will be listed for sale on the HUD Home Store website at www.HUDHomestore.com. HUD has no timeframe for when the process will be completed.
      Quirk says that HUD and NOVAD have assured him that they will keep him apprised of any developments. "I know at least 12 parties who are interested in buying the building," he adds. He also intends to pass by the building every day to make sure that NOVAD is keeping to its caretaking duties.