The Cape Cod Regional Government Assembly of Delegates Standing Committee on Economic Affairs voted unanimously to present a draft framework to the full assembly recommending a local-option real-estate transfer fee to fund affordable and year‑round housing in October 2025.

The recommendation centers on local control: towns would decide whether to adopt a fee and how to use revenues so long as funds go to housing-related purposes. "The money is collected by the registry of deeds. That money will go directly to the towns," Chair Harter said during the committee discussion.

Why it matters: delegates said a transfer fee could provide a steady, local source of funding for housing needs that cross municipal boundaries and that some projects are difficult for towns to run alone. The draft aims to return the substantial majority of revenue to the town where the sale occurs while allowing a limited county role for administration and regional initiatives.

Key points from the framework and committee discussion

- Collection and distribution: The draft recommends the Registry of Deeds collect the fee and remit most revenues to the municipality where the transaction occurred. Initial language in the draft proposed that up to 10% be retained for county purposes (an early breakdown suggested 3% to the Registry of Deeds and 7% to a county regional housing fund), but the committee revised the draft to say the county would retain "no more than 10%" pending further analysis and discussions with the Registry and county administrators.

- Threshold and rates: The committee agreed on a structure that exempts the first $1 million of a sale from the fee; the fee would apply only to the amount above that threshold. "The first million of the sale price of the home will not be subject to the fee," a delegate explained. Towns would have flexibility to set a rate within the suggested range of 0.5% to 4%.

- Exemptions and payer of the fee: The draft lists standard legal exemptions (for example, certain nonprofit or charitable transfers) and allows towns to adopt additional exemptions. The committee left the question of whether the buyer or seller pays the fee to the towns or to the transaction: towns "may determine whether the fee shall be paid by the buyer or the seller," the draft states.

- Administrative details and next steps: Committee members asked staff to obtain town-by-town sales data and projected revenues and to work with the Registry of Deeds and county administration to estimate administrative costs. Deputy Speaker Gessen put the committee irection this way: the draft should be refined "pending additional information on administrative cost estimates from the registry." The committee agreed to seek those figures before finalizing language on county retention and regional allocations.

- Regional fund governance and priorities: Delegates discussed a county-held regional fund governed by a volunteer board modeled after existing regional boards (such as the HOME Program and the Cape and Islands Water Protection Fund), with one vote per participating town. Possible regional uses mentioned included rental assistance, tenant screening, landlord programs, workforce housing and other cross-border initiatives. Several delegates emphasized a preference for funding attainable and workforce housing.

Vote and immediate outcome: After edits to the draft language that separated analysis of projected revenues from administrative-cost estimates, a motion to present the framework to the full assembly carried unanimously in a roll-call vote. The motion was moved by Deputy Speaker Gessen and seconded by Delegate Ty; Clerk Fletcher recorded the yes votes from Chair Harter, Deputy Speaker Gessen, Delegate Oman, Delegate Ty, Delegate Gallagher and Delegate Green.

What remains unresolved: The committee left several matters for further analysis or policy choice by towns: the final size of any county administrative fee, the precise split (if any) between registry administrative costs and county-held regional funds, the final rate set by each town, and the list and verification process for exemptions. The committee instructed staff to return with town-level sales data and administrative-cost estimates to firm up those details.

The committeeooked further work with the Registry of Deeds and county administration and will forward the revised framework and its recommendation to the full assembly for consideration.