Assembly committee recommends resolution declaring a housing crisis and convening county working group; committee adds support for regional housing office

The Cape Cod Regional Government Assembly standing committee on economic affairs unanimously recommended to the full assembly a resolution declaring a housing crisis on Cape Cod and requesting the county administrator convene a cross-sector housing working group.

Deputy Speaker Delegate Gessen introduced proposed Resolution 2025-06 on April 14. The resolution cites a 62% increase in median single-family home price on Cape Cod (from $449,000 in 2019 to $730,000 in 2023, as stated in the text read into the record) and asserts that a working family must earn 245% of area median income to afford the median home, then declares "there to be a housing crisis on Cape Cod." The text requests that the county administrator convene a housing working group "comprised of housing, environmental, and municipal stakeholders from across Barnstable County to develop actionable recommendations on how the county can best address housing challenges using the powers and tools provided under the Home Rule Charter." The resolution also empowers the standing committee on economic affairs and other committees to hold hearings and propose ordinances based on the working group's recommendations.

County Administrator Dutton said he supports the resolution and intends to assemble a broad cross section of housing advocates, town planners and municipal representatives so recommendations to commissioners and the assembly can be advanced with broad support. At the committee's request, Dutton proposed adding a fourth clause to the resolution to "support the Cape Cod regional government administrator's efforts to develop an intermunicipal agreement for the continuation of shared regional housing office services sponsored by Barnstable County Regional Government." The committee accepted that amendment.

Delegate Gessen moved that the committee recommend the resolution to the full assembly with the administrator's amendment; the motion was seconded (second not identified in the record). The clerk conducted a roll-call recommendation vote, and the committee returned a 5-0 vote in favor to recommend the resolution to the full assembly. The clerk recorded affirmative votes and announced, "That's 5, madam chair." The committee chair then closed public comment and adjourned.

Ending: The committee's favorable recommendation refers the resolution to the full assembly and asked the county administrator to convene the working group and advance a possible intermunicipal agreement to continue the shared regional housing office. The resolution and amendment now move to the full assembly and, separately, to the county commissioners for consideration.