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Falmouth task force outlines housing and childcare steps to retain local workers
Summary
The town's Task Force on Workers and Families presented an annual report recommending stronger housing governance, centralized town communications, municipal childcare assistance pilots, and workforce housing for municipal employees.
The Task Force on Workers and Families presented its annual report March 9, summarizing community roundtables and research into policies to keep workers and families in Falmouth.
The task force said its outreach captured a wide range of residents — including younger adults, fixed‑income households and workers who said housing availability determined whether they could remain employed in town. The group recommended clearer housing governance and permitting, adopting design standards to speed multifamily approvals, and creating a task force that brings zoning, planning and business stakeholders together early to build consensus.
On childcare, the task force reported that infant care can cost an average of about $26,000 per year and that state subsidies have long waiting lists. The panel urged the town to explore municipal childcare assistance pilots funded through regional community development block grants and to review models used by neighboring Cape towns.
The task force also recommended centralized town communications — one website hub for resources — and exploration of municipal workforce housing for town employees.
The Select Board thanked the task force and asked staff to coordinate follow‑up, including assessing financing options and coordinating with regional partners on childcare grants.
