MVC launches action task force to combat housing crisis

The Martha’s Vineyard Commission has officially announced the upcoming launch of its Housing Action Task Force, which is focused on finding solutions to the Island’s housing crisis. 

Through collaborative efforts among members of the towns’ affordable housing committees, planning boards, Island stakeholders, and housing advocates, the Housing Action Task Force (HATF) plans to build upon, and expand, the work of the commission’s Joint Affordable Housing Group.

Backed by the MVC, which has at its disposal a wide range of resources, along with the ability to work directly with local, state, and federal entities, the task force will be working toward developing and implementing policies that could help pave the way toward more sustainable housing situations for year-round Islanders.

“We’ve been hearing from all sectors of the Island as our community struggles to contend with the housing crisis,” MVC Island Housing Planner, Laura Silber, said in a statement to The Times. That includes emergency services, the business community, schools, senior services, transportation, conservation, and municipal services. “We have been receiving requests from many town boards and committees for support as they pursue avenues to address it,” Silber said.

“The MVC is really looking forward to structuring a community-wide conversation on sustainable housing solutions,” Silber added.

HATF is modeled after the commission’s Climate Action Task Force, responsible for spearheading the Island’s Climate Action Plan, called The Vineyard Way. 

The 85-page climate plan, unveiled last year, involves the implementation of upwards of 180 actions designed to mitigate the impacts of climate change, and enhancing the Island’s resilience toward things like sea-level rise, shore erosion, and increasingly powerful storms. 

The newly created Housing Task Force is expected to work similarly, by bringing together all Island towns to develop a clear path forward. 

Per a notification issued by Silber and MVC Executive Assistant Lucy Morrison this week, the regional planning agency is “committed to using the [agency’s] resources and our mandate as a state regional planning agency to support the six towns, and the Island community as a whole, in developing thoughtful, viable, and sustainable long-term solutions to our housing crisis.”

At their upcoming meeting on May 11, which is open to the public, the Housing Action Task Force will discuss the groups’ areas of focus and priorities. 

Those include:

• Engaging stakeholders to set goals.
• Developing a roadmap for communication and public education.
• Stabilizing existing year-round residents and preserving year-round housing inventory.
• Exploring and pursuing sustainable seasonal workforce housing solutions.
• Zoning inventory/analysis; strategies for zoning updates to support stable housing.
• Understanding the carrying capacity of our infrastructure and natural environment.
• Wastewater and solid waste solutions.
• Economic impacts of year-round housing vs the cost of doing nothing.
• Opportunities for public-private partnership.
• State legislative landscape re: housing; how to engage at state level as a community.
• Impacts of market demand on housing costs.
• Explore/developing financial products and programs for housing accessibility: closing cost assistance, down payment assistance, ADU incentive programs, rental assistance, etc.

The first meeting of the task force will take place via zoom on Thursday, May 11 at 6:30 pm. Information to join the virtual meetings will be posted on the commission’s calendar.