A Word from Jay...

Late last month, Doug Fraser of the Cape Cod Times reported on opposition by the Harwich Select Board to a proposal for ninety-six rental apartments – 24 of which would be deed-restricted affordable units for residents earning less than 80% of AMI (Area Median Income) or less than $62,000 for a two-person household. The primary concern was the density of the proposed development with one Select Board Member stating a preference for scattering affordable units across town in smaller developments or single-family homes.

The reality is, we don’t have time to solve our affordable housing crisis a few units at a time. In a best-case scenario, it takes 3 to 5 years to build an affordable housing development. Based on our experience creating and managing affordable housing on the Lower Cape, there is no other way to meet the housing needs of our year-round community other than to build communities that can house 40 to 70 families. Building at a smaller scale is not economically viable and fails to confront the magnitude and the urgency of the housing affordability crisis on Cape Cod.

Fortunately, leaders in other Lower Cape towns recognize the need to act boldly to address this crisis. The Truro Zoning Board of Appeals approved a 39 unit project at the Cloverleaf on Route 6. Sadly, abutters have appealed the decision which only delays providing much-needed relief to working people in Truro. Brewster, Eastham, Orleans, Provincetown, and Wellfleet have all embraced the reality that bigger can be better having recently completed projects or have exciting projects in the development pipeline.

Larger projects are also the best way to protect our fragile environment by building the most energy-efficient housing possible. Combining high-density housing with sewers and other effective wastewater treatment means lowered development costs, less impact on the Cape’s fragile ecosystem, and the preservation of open space by using less land.

We need public support for preserving the character of Cape Cod by supporting more density and variety in housing. Building a more diverse year-round community of people who can afford to live, work and thrive here requires that we address the lack of affordable housing with boldness and urgency – and we need to do it now!

Open since 2014, Laura & Tony’s Kitchen has been a successful breakfast and lunch buffet restaurant in Eastham. Open year-round, owners Laura Hopper-Fish and her husband, Tony Hopper, had built a loyal customer base built on the reputation of their outstanding homemade food.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March of 2020, the new restaurant restrictions made their buffet option no longer possible. Laura knew she needed to pivot her business model in order to sustain their enterprise.

Laura had developed a concept to continue to offer all of their famous homemade foods, but to transition from a traditional restaurant to a gourmet market and café. Laura heard about a workshop run by the CDP and SCORE, a business mentoring program entitled “Plan B” to provide businesses a foundation for change. She immediately signed up to attend.

The housing affordability crisis on the Lower and Outer Cape is a complicated and multi-faceted issue that has been exacerbated by the hot real estate market. One of the key issues is that there are simply not enough rental housing units that are affordable to the people who live and work here. Even for those who are able to pay a market rent, there are few options available due to the profitability of seasonal/short-term rentals.

For the past four years, the CDP’s Lower Cape Housing Partnership has been working to build the capacity of the eight lower cape towns to support affordable housing development projects. Currently, every Lower Cape town has at least one project site in the development pipeline.

The night couldn’t have been better… the weather was perfect, the faire was fabulous, the music was mesmerizing and best of all, it was the first time, in a long time, that our community gathered together.

On August 25, 2021 the Community Development Partnership held its 7^th outdoor annual Summer Evening on the Farm event at Halcyon Farm in Brewster. Friends, supporters, and local businesses gathered together to show support for CDP’s work in the community. It was quite the celebration!

Over 180 people came together in support of CDP’s mission to lead the Lower Cape in building a diverse year-round community of people who can afford to live, work and thrive here.

Dan Wolf, former senator and founder and CEO of Cape Air, was the guest auctioneer for the Fund-A-Need Auction which raised over $275,000 in support of CDP’s programs.

The CDP wishes to thank the local businesses who sponsored this event: Farm Sponsor: Cape Associates; Harvest Sponsors: Eastham Ace Hardware and Truro Vineyards; Garden Sponsors: Kathleen Nagle, Realtor, Kinlin Grover, Nauset Disposal, Tidal Marketing, and J. Vernon Whitely Plumbing & Heating; and Seedling Sponsors: Cape Cod Five, Cove Road Real Estate, Cregg Sweeney LLC Artisan Builder, E2 Solar Cape Cod, Kerry Insurance Agency, La Tanzi, Spaulding & Landreth, Mid-Cape Home Centers, Monomoy Real Estate & Construction, Seaman’s Bank, and

Studio G Architects.

Don't like to bike? You can walk, run, or row to reach your goal. The goal is for participants to get outside, get moving, and have fun! If you are interested in joining Team CDP, donating, or learning more about the event contact Nina@capecdp.org.

Our Housing Rehabilitation Program is available to income-qualified residents of Eastham, Truro, and Provincetown. Qualified residents can receive up to $40,000 per household to pay for critical home repairs (like roofing and siding, electrical, heating, and plumbing work), lead paint abatement, and energy efficiency upgrades to keep their properties in good condition for the long term. And with local contractors doing the work, this means money flowing back into our economy.

The program is designed to preserve existing homes for year-round residents at or below 80% of the median area income. These are no-interest no-payment loans that are 100% forgiven after the loan term.

This spring we launched Phase II of our public media campaign on the housing crisis. To learn more about how housing affects residents here on the Lower and Outer Cape, check out the campaign!

Click the link below to schedule a 30 or 60-minute appointment, or reach out to pam directly at pam@capecdp.org or 508-240-7873 x18.

The CDP continues to offer all trainings, workshops, technical assistance sessions, and appointments virtually. To stay up to date with our programs, sign up for the INSIDE SCOOP monthly business newsletter.

We remain committed to serving our business clients and our community. Staff is working both remotely and from the office. While we are not taking in-person meetings at this time, we will continue to meet with clients via phone or