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Affordable Housing Trust endorses letter to Select Board supporting new Nantucket Land Trust
Summary
The Trust voted to endorse a letter recommending the Select Board sign in support of a community land trust initiative. Staff recommended endorsement, and the vote passed after trustees considered structure and conflict-of-interest disclosures.
The Affordable Housing Trust voted June 17 to endorse a letter in support of the formation of the Nantucket Land Trust and to recommend that the Select Board sign the same letter.
Staff presentation explained that the Nantucket Land Trust would use a community land trust (CLT) model in which the trust owns land while homeowners own structures, a structure intended to improve long-term affordability for year‑round residents. Dylan Mech Ampel said the organization is positioning itself to serve the full year-round population and cited the Island Housing Trust on Martha’s Vineyard as a comparable model.
Tucker Holland, identified in the discussion as the operational lead for the nascent Nantucket Land Trust, described the organization’s structure and noted that it has received operational seed-capital commitments to support early operations. Holland also stated that the letter to the Select Board is part of the organization’s pending application for 501(c)(3) status with the IRS and said he would recuse from any Trust vote because he serves on the Land Trust board.
Members asked questions about how ownership would be held under the CLT model. Vicky Marsh explained that in the described model the house can be treated as personal property with a bill of sale and a long renewable leasehold on the land; trustees and staff also described the model as a leasehold structure that can be financed under certain conditions.
Staff recommended endorsement of the letter for Select Board consideration. Forrest Bell moved to endorse the letter and Brooke Moore seconded. On roll-call vote, trustees voted to endorse the letter; recorded votes included Brooke Moore and Forrest Bell voting "aye," and others voting similarly. The motion carried.
Trust members noted that the Land Trust’s proposed approach is intended to complement existing local housing efforts and that staff would continue to coordinate with the Land Trust and other housing organizations on operational details.
