The colloquial ‘doughnut hole’ property-swap legislation passed through the House of Representatives Wednesday, paving the way for much-needed affordable housing in the town of Oak Bluffs.
The landmark deal between the Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank and Oak Bluffs, initially agreed upon in 2004, swaps two 24-acre parcels in the Southern Woodlands. Under the deal, O.B. offers up the doughnut-hole-shaped, landlocked parcel to be enveloped by surrounding conservation land. The deal remained stagnant, as the property title was waiting to be cleared.
In exchange, Oak Bluffs will receive a parcel that allows road access to existing town property on Edgartown–Vineyard Haven Road, next to the YMCA. That property has been targeted for an affordable housing development.
The House vote was announced in a Wednesday press release from state Rep. Dylan Fernandes, D-Falmouth. “As the housing crisis on Martha’s Vineyard continues to push families off the Island, it’s essential that we do everything we can to facilitate more affordable housing development,” Fernandes said in the release. “This legislation not only gives Oak Bluffs the ability to build new units, but also ensures that state-protected conservation land remains safeguarded.”
“It’s exciting,” Oak Bluffs select board member Brian Packish told The Times in a phone call. “It’s been a long run, but it’s done.” He said the land swap positions the town well in moving forward with developing affordable housing units.
“Single homes are wonderful, but when you have waitlists with 200, 300, 400 people on them, one house at a time isn’t going to get us there,” he said.
Regarding the housing crisis, Packish said that he believes the finalized deal “can put a real dent in it,” and hopefully offer some much-needed relief to Islanders.
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank Commission executive director, James Lengyel, expressed satisfaction with the finalization of the agreement, as he was quoted in the release: “This swap is another advance for conservation and affordable housing.”
As with any state legislation, it will require approval by the Senate, and then the signature of the governor.
