Select Board approves filming permit for The Real Housewives of New York after questions about disruption

The Oak Bluffs Select Board voted 4–1 on May 26 to approve a film permit for The Real Housewives of New York to film in town on May 27–29, 2026, after members pressed the production for details about crew size, parking and neighborhood impact.

Gina D'Angelo, the applicant, told the board the production would operate with a “very small crew, ten people” including the cast and would rely on legal street parking and shuttle vans from hotels. "They do not have any famous people involved and the interruption would be kept to a minimum," D'Angelo said.

Select Person DeBettencourt told the board he was concerned about disruption to residents and visitors, asking whether the announced crew size included actors and how parking and pedestrian flow would be managed. Other board members said they had checked with local shop owners who gave permission for on‑site scenes and noted the production had location release forms.

Select Person Leonard moved to approve the permit with specified hours (10 a.m.–8 p.m. Wed–Thu; 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Fri). The motion carried with votes Alley, Cleary, Leonard and Green‑Beach in favor and DeBettencourt opposed.

The board did not authorize any road closures or reserved parking; the production agreed not to request street shutdowns and said it would limit its footprint. The permit includes the listed locations and daily end times approved by the board.

The permit is effective for the listed dates only; the production and the town will monitor any disruption and the town's film permit office will field complaints during filming.

The Select Board’s decision followed a short review and conditions intended to limit impacts to downtown businesses and weekend visitors.