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Nantucket housing director outlines department mission, staffing and partnerships
Summary
In a Town of Nantucket Government 101 video, Housing Director Christie Ferrantello described the department's role supporting year‑round housing needs, partnerships with nonprofits, coordination with state housing agencies and the goal of meeting the Commonwealth's 10% affordability target under Chapter 40B.
Christie Ferrantello, the housing director for the Town of Nantucket, introduced the town’s Housing Department in a Government 101 video and described the office’s staff, routine duties and partnerships.
"I'm Christie Ferrantello, the housing director for the town of Nantucket," Ferrantello said, noting she joined the department in December 2023 and has worked on affordable housing in the community since 2018. She said the department focuses on strategies to meet year‑round housing needs, maintain progress toward the Commonwealth's 10% affordability requirement under Chapter 40B, and provide resources for funding, information and programs that support housing for town employees and homeownership opportunities.
Ferrantello named members of the department’s team, including Dylan Vetch (staff member); Powell, the deputy director; Rachel Fields, the rental property manager; and Caroline Ferguson, the administrative specialist. She said typical work includes preparing materials for the Select Board, the Affordable Housing Trust and the Finance Committee; coordinating with the statewide Affordable Housing Coalition and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities on new initiatives; and collaborating with other municipalities and island organizations.
"Since the housing department was established in 2016, we've helped to secure tens of millions of dollars in funding to expand affordable and attainable housing on Nantucket," Ferrantello said. She described the department’s work through the Affordable Housing Trust as supporting new construction of year‑round affordable rental units, strategic property acquisitions to create future housing opportunities and partnerships with nonprofit organizations to expand homeownership and rental options.
Ferrantello identified Habitat for Humanity and Housing Nantucket as local nonprofit partners. She emphasized that collaboration and community engagement are central to the department’s work and said the town seeks to keep residents informed about initiatives and progress.
"Thank you for taking the time to watch this video, Introduction to the Town's Housing Department, as part of the Town's Government 101 video series," Ferrantello concluded.
The presentation is informational; no formal votes or motions were recorded in the transcript. The department’s work, as described, involves coordination with state agencies and local bodies and relies on grants and other funding sources; the transcript characterizes the funding total as "tens of millions of dollars," an approximate figure.
