Stop move to prevent Chappy affordable housing 

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To the Editor:

My wife and I are full-time residents of Edgartown, living on Chappaquiddick, and local business owners in the town of Edgartown.

We recently received an email about a proposed warrant for the upcoming town vote, aimed at preventing an affordable housing project on Chappaquiddick. The proposal argues that developing affordable housing on this specific parcel may conflict with environmental, economic, and community priorities. Instead, it promotes a dual-purpose solution: conserving the land while redirecting the proceeds from its sale to support affordable housing initiatives in more suitable locations.

It’s important to clarify that affordable housing is not synonymous with low-income housing; in fact, individuals who qualify for these opportunities can earn up to 120 percent of the area median income (AMI) of Dukes County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income in Dukes County is approximately $102,348. This means that households earning up to $122,818 could qualify for affordable housing. To put this into perspective, a family earning well above the median income still struggles to find housing on Chappaquiddick, where the median value of owner-occupied housing units is more than $1.1 million. Seriously, how much money do you have to make to afford a home on this island?

Island taxpayers have already demonstrated a robust commitment to conservation on Chappy, most recently through the Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank’s $8 million acquisition of 86.8 acres of the Pimpneymouse Farm property for preservation. With approximately one-third of Chappaquiddick Island already designated as conservation land, this community has gone above and beyond in protecting open space. Proposing to conserve yet another parcel, especially one so well-suited for affordable housing, is both unnecessary and shortsighted.

Chappaquiddick is increasingly being steered toward becoming an exclusive enclave, where decisions are disproportionately shaped by the interests of affluent individuals, often to the detriment of the broader community. This increasing elitism is reflected in efforts to prioritize personal preferences — such as excessive land conservation and concerns about ferry traffic — over urgent community needs like affordable housing. Wealthy property owners, leveraging their resources and proximity to proposed developments, often frame their opposition as environmental or historical preservation, masking self-serving motives to protect their own property values and lifestyles. As a result, essential workers, young families, and long-term residents — the backbone of Chappaquiddick’s community — are being systematically excluded from living and thriving on the island. This trend undermines the values of inclusivity and shared responsibility that should guide decisions impacting the entire community.

I respectfully urge the residents of the town of Edgartown to vote against the proposed warrant regarding the parcel at 294 Chappaquiddick Road.

 

Peter Sliwkowski

Edgartown