Barnstable Land Trust illustration of mid to low density housing and a hotel on the Twin Brooks Golf Course site in Barnstable.
HYANNIS – Over $11 million in ARPA funds could soon go towards expanding affordable housing in the region after receiving the go-ahead by The Assembly of Delegates Standing Committee on Economic Affairs.
At their recent meeting, Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Paul Niedzwiecki said that short-term rentals have made a significant dent in available housing for year-round workforce, but there are tools that communities have to help alleviate the issue.
“One of them would be if we can get something like Vail, Colorado’s Indeed Program, where we are buying residential deed restrictions,” said Niedzwiecki.
“The other one would be if we were building more congregate housing, it would then have to be subject to some kind of homeowners association. So that development could have a deed restriction on it also that required it to be for year-round residential activity only.”
Niedzwiecki added that towns including Barnstable are building units, but many of them are in industrial areas away from residential and commercial centers, hurting long-term community growth.
“If you look at the Village Green development and the New England development, it’s all in the industrial park. You look at the Twin Brooks development and it’s under siege. That’s not a great growth path, right?” said Niedzwiecki.
“Like, it’s okay to put people next to a gravel port and an airport because you have very broad zoning sewers and no neighbors, but god forbid you should locate that kind of density in a residential area that’s proximate to Main Street, Hyannis. There’s a difficult road to hoe there.”
Niedzwiecki applauded the town for building more housing, but stressed the importance of long-term planning in centralized areas.
The ordinance next moves to the Assembly’s Finance Committee for approval.
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