NANTUCKET – The Nantucket select board recently held a special meeting on the progress the community has made in tackling the affordable housing crisis on the island.
Projects like Richmond Meadows II are making more affordable rental units available, but Municipal Housing Director Tucker Holland said the town needs to invest in diverse housing opportunities for the community to be sustainable.
“If we want to have things like a police department, fire department or school we need to have home ownership opportunities for year-rounders at a variety of income levels,” said Holland.
Municipal Housing Director Tucker Holland said 250 homeownership opportunities for year-round islanders are expected to become available within the next 5 years, but the town’s work doesn’t stop there.
“Maybe that’s not the right number ultimately—maybe it’s greater—but we’re at a juncture where we have to start to make some big headway,” said Holland.
With a waitlist of about 500 qualified households for 103 Richmond project units, Holland says more needs to be done to ensure the community is sustainable year-round.