Municipal housing director outlines recent gains, new programs and RFP awards

Municipal Housing Director Christy Frantella told the Nantucket Planning and Economic Development Commission on Aug. 25 that the town has added three subsidized housing units so far in 2025 and is now “at 6.55% towards our 10% goal.”

Frantella said the Affordable Housing Trust and the town have used a mix of tools this year, including closing‑cost assistance, a covenant formation assistance grant, short‑term loans and buy‑downs that convert market units to deed‑restricted units. “The Affordable Housing Trust has provided closing cost assistance to six families and a covenant formation assistance grant to one family,” she said, and described loan structures designed to return capital to the trust for reuse.

Why it matters: Nantucket is under state Chapter 40B expectations to have 10% of year‑round housing restricted to affordable levels. Frantella said the town’s long‑term strategy shifts toward the “missing middle” by expanding deed restrictions and incentives to preserve and convert existing housing as well as funding new units.

Major items Frantella outlined - Funding and votes: Voters approved a $5 million Community Preservation Committee bond and a $6.5 million override this year. Frantella said CPC funding is used for homeownership and rental opportunities for households earning up to 100% of area median income (AMI) and that the town clarified “affordable” (up to 100% AMI) and “attainable” (up to 240% AMI) definitions in local bylaws. - Projects in delivery: Frantella described completed and near‑completion projects — Habitat for Humanity’s six homes on Waite Drive, Richmond Development’s Meadows phases (where the trust subsidized seven of 28 units to 80% AMI), Gooseberry Place, Wiggles Way and a planned 64‑unit project at 6 Fairgrounds (“Tacoma Drain” in the presentation) that was expected to break ground Dec. 1 and serve a range from 30% AMI up to market rate. - RFPs and vacant parcels: An RFP review committee recommended awarding bids for three town‑owned vacant parcels (Orange Street, West Berlin and Bartlett Road) to Affirmative Investments; Frantella emphasized those are concept plans pending financing, HDC and planning board review and are not approved for construction yet. - Deed restrictions and pilots: The trust is piloting a year‑round deed‑restriction program (initially linked to affordability but intended to expand under the state’s seasonal communities law to allow strictly year‑round restrictions) and expects to issue an RFP for a deed‑restriction pilot in early September. She said the trust launched a “lease to local” program in partnership with Housing Nantucket and Placemate to convert underused units to year‑round rentals and an effort to reward existing year‑round landlords through a Rooted Renters style incentive. - Revolving capital strategy: Frantella described mixed financing tools — grants that permanently buy down affordability and short‑term loans that are repaid to create a future revolving resource for the trust.

Discussion and community context Commissioners asked about specifics such as whether Surfside Crossing units are on the SHI list; Frantella explained that units are placed on the SHI when approvals progress and that building permits or certificates of occupancy affect listing. Commissioners and members of the public pressed on related topics during the update: house moves, demo‑delay changes, coordination for historic preservation funding and how overhead utilities and telephone poles can block moves. Commissioner comments ranged from urging more streamlined HDC review to reduce development cost to discussion of timing and storage challenges when moving houses.

Frantella said the trust is coordinating with the land bank on conservation‑plus‑housing projects and noted a high level of local demand: one completed development drew 175 applicants, of whom 173 already lived on the island.

Next steps Frantella said the covenant formation assistance RFP and the deed‑restriction pilot were expected to move to procurement in September and that she would return to the commission for future status updates. She also said the trust is analyzing updated build‑out and sewer plan data to inform site selection and program targeting.

Ending Frantella asked the commission to expect follow‑up presentations as the RFPs, pilots and financing terms are finalized; commissioners requested future return visits and additional public outreach when specific parcels or programs reach design and permitting stages.