Chatham Town Meeting To Face Several Housing Articles

CHATHAM – Several articles aimed at expanding housing opportunities for residents will go before voters at the May 11 annual town meeting.

 The select board voted March 10 to recommend that voters approve three housing-related articles and deferred action on a fourth measure, acceptance of a property donated to the town for affordable housing purposes.

 The property at 63 George Ryder Rd. was bequeathed to the town by the late Priscilla “Pat” Ford, a longtime town committee member and affordable housing advocate. Ms. Ford’s will did not include any restrictions on what the town can do with the 10,800-square-foot property, which contains a 1,536-square-foot house built in 1924. The town could retain the property and use it as an affordable rental, sell the property to an entity such as Habitat for Humanity for development as affordable housing, or sell the property and place the proceeds into the affordable housing trust fund, said housing and sustainability director Gloria McPherson.

 Board member Cory Metters said the town has been approached to sell the property at market value; the parcel is valued at $555,200 by the assessing department. Board members, however, wanted to keep all options open, and asked Town Counsel Jay Talerman to clarify language for the town meeting article regarding the alternatives. The board agreed to defer a vote on the article to accept the property.

 Under the seasonal communities designation accepted by town meeting last year, the town can acquire deed restrictions that limit occupancy of a home to year-round residents. But those restrictions are, by state law, limited to 30 years. A home-rule petition article backed by the select board would, if approved by the legislature, allow the restrictions to be in perpetuity. The legislation would also apply to attainable housing restrictions.

 Voters will also be asked to appropriate $2.1 million from the attainable housing fund to subsidize the construction of 14 housing units on town-owned land on Stepping Stones Road. Housing Assistance Corporation was chosen by officials earlier this year to develop the homeownership project. One percent of the town’s short-term rental revenue goes into the attainable housing fund, which contained more than $3 million as of Dec. 31.

 “This is a good investment for our community,” said Metters, and would not impact the tax rate. The board voted unanimously to support the expenditure.

 The town last week received a $175,000 state grant toward the design, engineering and permitting for the Stepping Stones Road development. The funds come through the Seasonal Communities Grant Program, which is designed to support local efforts to advance year-round housing and address the pressures facing seasonal communities, according to a press release.

 Finally, voters will be asked to appropriate $312,500 from the attainable housing fund to cover the cost of a Lease to Locals program, which provides a finance incentive for property owners to rent to income-qualified year-round residents. The goal is to try to close the gap between what a property owner could earn from a short-term rental and rent from a year-round tenant. 

 McPherson said the amount will cover administrative and start-up costs for the program as well as subsidize up to 20 rentals for the first year. Other Lower Cape towns that have adopted the program began with just a few rentals the first year, she added. “I don’t think we’ll hit 20 units the first year,” she said.

Funds for the program must be appropriated annually, she added.

The select board voted unanimously to recommend approval of the article.