Trust pauses paid communications on transfer‑fee campaign; approves town‑meeting outreach plan and $15,000 communications allocation

The Affordable Housing Trust received an update on the real‑estate transfer fee campaign and approved a town‑meeting communications plan and a $15,000 budget for outreach.

Transfer‑fee and legislative update Tucker Holland reported on recent state‑level activity around a proposed transfer fee that would direct revenue to local housing. Holland said work with regional partners (including Martha’s Vineyard) had focused on lobbying and communications; the governor at one point included a transfer‑fee provision in an omnibus package but it did not survive the final bill. Holland said Senator Susan Moran Cyr (as reported in the meeting) expressed optimism about moving the measure in the current two‑year legislative session and that several key senators may visit the region to see the local housing need firsthand.

Holland said prior communications work with a consultant (Jeremy Crock at 7 Letter) had been effective but Crock advised pausing regular paid communications now and resuming a more intensive paid campaign closer to the second year of the two‑year legislative cycle (early 2026). Holland reported the trust has only spent about $2,500 of a previously authorized engagement amount; the balance remains available for later use.

Town meeting outreach and communications budget A communications subcommittee presented a short flyer summarizing the trust’s work, the number of deed‑restricted units and the programs the trust funds. Trustees discussed distribution plans (town meeting handouts, town website, listservs, local media and the Community Foundation’s networks). Tom Dixon suggested adding short footnotes and links explaining the subsidized housing inventory (SHI) and area median income (AMI) for readers.

The trust voted to approve the flyer and its distribution prior to town meeting and then approved a motion to allocate up to $15,000 for marketing and outreach that could be used over the course of the year to amplify housing information. The roll call vote for the $15,000 allocation was unanimous.

Town meeting housing articles (overview) Trust staff also reviewed the housing‑related articles that will appear at the upcoming annual town meeting and noted recommendations from the finance committee: Article 8 (town operating budget, which includes the trust’s $6.5 million override), Article 11 (design and construct municipal employee housing on Waite Drive, up to $14 million), Article 28 ($5 million CPC borrowing authorization for housing projects), Article 29 (a citizen‑sponsored article seeking to rescind or reduce the trust override), Article 82 (opt‑in to the state’s seasonal communities designation) and Article 86 (a local real‑estate transfer fee initiative). Finance committee recommendations for the operating override and the transfer fee were reported as positive; the citizen article to rescind the override had a negative finance committee recommendation as of the meeting. Staff emphasized the difference between the trust’s annual operating funds and CPC borrowing authority and that the CPC authorization provides flexibility for future project requests.

Next steps The trust asked staff to finalize the flyer with the suggested links/footnotes, circulate the slide packet and to proceed with the approved distribution and outreach plan. Staff will also track the remaining consultant budget authorized for legislative communications and report back if circumstances change.