Land Bank Buys Staff Housing Unit For $2.9 Million

The Land Bank on Thursday acquired a duplex on Bartlett Road for $2.9 million that it intends to utilize as staff housing for its Miacomet Golf Course employees.

The .15-acre property at 69 Bartlett Road is located across the street from the golf course - which is owned by the Land Bank - and includes a duplex built in 2019 with a total of eight bedrooms, each with its own bathroom.

"Like many other year-round businesses, the golf course and restaurant have found it challenging to attract and retain employees due to lack of housing, and therefore this purchase will ensure a high level of service now and into the future," the Land Bank stated in its announcement of the acquisition.

The seller, Foray Bartlett LLC, is a limited liability company registered to Matthew Dwyer, of Boston, and Adam Brinch, of Hingham. 

Under its enabling legislation, the Nantucket Land Bank is allowed to utilize its revenue from the 2 percent transfer tax on island real estate sales to acquire properties for open space, agriculture, and recreation. A debate over how the Land Bank's funding could be utilized to alleviate the island's housing crisis has simmered for the past three years. While Town Meeting voters in 2021 rejected a proposal to reallocate a portion of its revenues for affordable housing initiatives, the Land Bank has been urged to get more involved and be more creative in Nantucket's housing arena.

Given that commissioners have long emphasized that they are not permitted to utilize Land Bank funds for housing initiatives, we asked executive director Jesse Bell how the enabling legislation allowed it to acquire the Bartlett Road property for employee housing for the Miacomet Golf staff.

"Having a stable workforce is critical to the operation and maintenance of this recreational facility which is owned by the Land Bank and serves the public year-round," Bell said. "Attracting and retaining employees requires having some housing. The acquisition is germane to the recreational component of our mission and necessary for our operations. Section 4 of our enabling legislation allows the Land Bank to purchase and acquire properties with improvements thereon, and as referenced on the face of the deed, we also have independent statutory authority (the Golf Act) to operate and maintain an 18-hole public golf course. Unfortunately this has become a cost of doing business on Nantucket, and it holds true for the Land Bank as well. This additional housing will enable us to maintain a workforce that helps the operation run successfully now and into the future."