More Housing Options Needed

Cape Cod Chronicle Letters To The Editor: Feb. 20, 2025

Editor:

The Cape Cod Chronicle has dedicated much space to the discussion of housing issues as of late, one of which is the notion of over-building in our region. The fact remains that the Cape still has a severe shortage of year-round units, making it harder for our families and workforce to live locally while contributing to our economy.

Households making less than $200,000 a year still struggle to find a place to live on the Cape. A greater supply of properly scaled and well-designed housing options would help meet the needs of year-round residents who are paying nearly 70 percent more for rental housing than the national average.

Last week’s housing production report from the Healey-Driscoll Administration set a target of 222,000 new homes statewide over the next decade to ease our housing shortage. While the Cape was identified as having a lower need for housing units overall, the situation has been exacerbated by the conversion of existing units into vacation homes for non-year-round residents.

What we need in communities across the Cape are more housing options, especially the “missing middle” inventory for the people who make our economy hum. New developments help meet this need by adding both affordable and market-rate housing. Persistent job vacancies, declines in school enrollment, and the region’s relatively high median age (57 compared to about 40 for the entire state) make clear the enduring need for housing production.

Community by community, the Cape is beginning to make progress on the housing crisis. But let’s not get complacent and forget about what we need to succeed.

Alisa Magnotta, CEO
Housing Assistance