ACK Now Calls "Lease to Locals" Transition To Public-Private partnership A Success

To the editor: ACK Now Community Initiatives is pleased to announce that the Lease to Locals program’s transition from a privately-funded program into a public-private partnership has proved successful. In the fall, Lease to Locals was relaunched as a partnership between the Affordable Housing Trust, a Town of Nantucket Public Agency, and Housing Nantucket, a nonprofit housing organization.

The Lease to Locals program offers financial incentives to property owners who convert their properties from short-term rentals or which are largely vacant into year-round rentals. The initial pilot project, launched by ACK Now Community Initiatives in September 2023, unlocked 22 year-round rentals for local workers and their families. The funding for this program came entirely from the private sector, including a major gift from The McCausland Foundation.

Working with Housing Nantucket, ACK Now Community Initiatives helped raise the funds needed to grow the program and unlock more critical year-round housing for local Nantucket workers.

Since the relaunch in September 2024, the program has a total of 33 units housing 78 year-round workers and their families. There are currently eight additional property owners who are interested in participating this spring. This relaunch was made possible due to generous support from the Affordable Housing Trust and Town of Nantucket, Remain Nantucket and several private foundations and donors.

Housing Nantucket Executive Director Anne Kuszpa says, “We are incredibly grateful for all of ACKNow Community Initiatives' hard work to help housing on the Island and feel very fortunate to have been entrusted to continue with your critical work to ensure the Lease to Locals program remains a sustainable source of year-round housing for Nantucket’s workers.”

With the help of Placemate, partner and founder of the Lease to Locals program, Housing Nantucket continues to grow the program and help on-Island businesses and essential services by opening up year-round housing. Since the program's inception, over 230 workers and their families have expressed a need for housing to Lease to Locals. Despite the program's huge success to date, there is still a lot of work to be done.

“On behalf of ACKNow Community Initiatives, I’d like to thank all the donors who made this program possible,” said Carl Jelleme, Chairman of ACKNow Community Initiatives. “I’d also like to thank the Affordable Housing Trust and Housing Nantucket for their generous support and for ensuring the success of this program going forward.”

Property owners and renters interested in learning more are encouraged to visit Placement.com/Nantucket.

Donors interested in supporting Lease to Locals are invited to make a gift to Housing Nantucket.

Julia Lindner