Select Board Endorses Seasonal Communities Designation For Nantucket

The Select Board has endorsed a letter urging support for the creation of a seasonal communities designation in the Affordable Homes Act currently under consideration by the Massachusetts state legislature. The item, which would create new funding and guidance opportunities for designated communities including Nantucket, is present in the Senate’s version of the bill but is absent from the House’s version, meaning the two chambers will have to reach an agreement on whether to include the provision as part of the compromise bill that will emerge from their joint negotiations next week.

“[The seasonal communities designation] would automatically designate the Islands as Seasonal Communities, and provide the toolkit we need to capture, preserve and produce year-round housing at a wide range of income levels to stabilize housing in our geographically isolated communities,” according to the letter, which will be sent jointly by Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. “Our island municipal governments, public safety agencies, school districts, business communities, real estate professionals, healthcare professionals and ordinary citizens, along with our colleagues and fellow community members on Cape Cod have provided testimony in hearing after hearing this session on the desperate and growing need in this region. We implore you to maintain the Seasonal Communities provision…in the final version of the Affordable Homes Act.”

The provision would establish a $50 million fund for attainable and affordable housing in seasonal communities and create a Seasonal Communities Advisory Council to assist seasonal communities, among other provisions. It would also define year-round housing as housing that is occupied for at least ten months a year, allow for year-round housing occupancy restrictions, permit federal low-income tax credit money to be used to fund public employee housing in seasonal communities and establish a year-round housing trust.

“This will give us new tools and a possible new source of funding to address affordable and attainable housing,” Housing Director Kristie Ferrentella said, urging residents to send letters of support to the representatives on the joint committee, who will begin debates to create the compromise bill next week.

“I think it’s terrific,” Select Board member Tom Dixon said.