Emotions ran high at a West Tisbury affordable housing committee that saw tears, abrupt departures and a resignation as a dispute over a proposed affordable housing project in the town remains unresolved.
Emotions ran high at a West Tisbury affordable housing committee that saw tears, abrupt departures and a resignation as a dispute over a proposed affordable housing project in the town remains unresolved.
Tuesday’s meeting began with board member Ted Jochsberger announcing that chairman Michael Colaneri would be “stepping back” from the board because of personal issues.
After board member Jefrey Dubard spoke about the mentorship he received from Mr. Colaneri, Mr. Jochsberger said he wished “the kind words had been spoken at a previous time, and not when we were pushing out Michael.”
Reached by phone Wednesday, Mr. Colaneri declined to comment on the proceedings or on how long he would be stepping away from the committee.
Committee members then voted in James Klingensmith to serve as interim chairman during Mr. Colaneri’s absence.
“I certainly hope that Michael will not leave us…I consider him the locomotive of this committee, and he’s just too big an asset to let him walk away,” Mr. Klingensmith said following his election.
Shortly after the vote, Mr. Jochsberger then announced his resignation from the committee.
“I will bid you all a very good night,” he said, before exiting the Zoom meeting.
Rise Terney, a board member who earlier gave a tearful account of Mr. Colaneri’s impact on the committee, also abruptly left the Zoom meeting, though it was unclear if she officially resigned.
In an email sent to town administrator Jen Rand on Tuesday, Mr. Jochsberger expanded on his reasons for resigning, saying that the committee had become factional and that he disagreed with the direction it had taken in recent months.
"I was recently told that the committee should leave the details of projects to “those who know what they’re doing”. The implication being that the Committee (and the Town) should just award the project and just sit back and be quiet," Mr. Jochsberger wrote in part. "I’m afraid that at my age, that’s not acceptable."
He also voiced concern about the treatment of an unnamed member of the committee, saying it was "mean spirited."
"I find the animus shown to a senior member of the committee to be beyond reproach," Mr. Jochsberger wrote. "I understand that the committee has not functioned as well as it could recently. However, there have been extenuating circumstances involved."
The shakeup in the seven-member committee comes amidst an ongoing dispute regarding an affordable housing project proposed for a property located at 401 State Road. Issues came to a head back in September when the architect, South Mountain Company, said in a letter that it had withdrawn from the project because of concerns about the committee’s willingness to “engage collaboratively” with the company.
The project, which aims to develop a wooded lot on the corner of State Road and Lambert’s Cove Road, was approved at a May 2021 town meeting. On Aug. 17, the select board awarded Island Housing Trust the development contract.
The two sides have attempted to come together in recent weeks to discuss how to move forward with the project, holding meetings with the town’s select board and the project developer, Island Housing Trust. But the matter has remained tense, with town officials describing meetings as chaotic, and John Abrams, CEO of South Mountain Company, requesting that the committee address issues in its makeup.
At Tuesday’s meeting, the status of the 401 State Road project remained in limbo after the member resignation and departures, with housing trust project director Keith McGuire saying he didn’t have “concrete steps” for the project moving forward.
“It’s impossible to move forward at this point until we really figure out how we are going to move together with you,” he said. “I’m definitely a little bit shocked right now.”
Mr. McGuire also spoke highly of Mr. Jochsberger and Mr. Colaneri’s previous work on the committee.
“I respect the amount of work they’ve really put forward," he said. "That’s really made West Tisbury the most successful town in terms of active affordable housing efforts.”
Mr. McGuire explained that South Mountain Company had initially approached IHT with plans for them to design the project and for IHT to build it. South Mountain Company’s withdrawal has delayed the process, as IHT didn’t previously have to develop a request for proposals when they were awarded the contract.
Mr. McGuire said he will return to the committee in two weeks with a plan for the project’s next steps. He said the plan would take into account the committee’s previously expressed design concerns with earlier proposals.
Updated to include Mr. Jochsberger's letter of resignation.
Comments
Hopefully this will allow
Tom Ellis EdgartownHopefully this will allow some new faces who care about affordable housing to join the discussion, potentially including younger people who are much more impacted by the housing crisis.
This whole story is the very
Annie CookThis whole story is the very definition of a "political" problem AND a "branding" problem. It seems the legitimacy and purpose of the "affordable housing" concept is neither universally understood or appreciated. In the case of the Vineyard community, a more accurate and potentially appealing way to describe the need would be "essential housing" for "essential" workers (teachers, nurses, police, firefighters - and let's not forget mechanics, electricians, and plumbers!). After all, hasn't that been the rationale driving the affordable housing movement: ensuring essential workers can live where they make a living? Would the IHT consider such a rebranding, and would that be feasible from the State's perspective?
From the local press coverage on this matter in West Tisbury, it sounds like there IS not and HAS not been a sincere consensus among the town's decisionmaking class on making affordable housing actually happen. From my observations over the past few years, the conflicted feelings of residents and town leaders alike on this matter present a serious and valid quandary in rural communities wishing to preserve their open spaces, historic charm, peace and quiet, and manageable traffic. Why not get real about that, as an island?
There may also be genuine fear of voicing skepticism on how affordable housing will "fit" in the communities seeking to accommodate it. Do people have a right to control how much and how fast their neighborhoods are developed? The trend nationwide toward containing growth, for environmental as well as quality-of-life reasons, represents a clear and present obstacle to buy-in for new construction that involves added population pressure on localities.
What is ethically, politically, and/or realistically "correct" in this scenario, for the Vineyard's up-island jurisdictions in particular? And is it safe to discuss these things openly and honestly?
There are also two big "Elephants on the beach" that few people seem willing to address out loud: a) the limits on how many members of the genus Homo sapiens an island environment like the Vineyard's can handle; and b) over-large homes that sit empty for much of the year with NO incentive for their owners to make them available to would-be neighbors who keep our communities safe, our children schooled, and our families' healthcare provided for.
At the very least, there should be some way for more existing housing to be made available during the "school year" time frame - even though that leaves the "summer scramble" for renters to deal with, potentially requiring off-island sublets for mid-June through late August. Could homeowners be offered a way to sponsor an essential worker or family for that purpose?
The term "affordability" is relative depending on the locale. Do individual Vineyard towns have leeway to define what "affordable" means within their town limits? Is the island as a whole at liberty to consider what constitutes the profile of an "essential worker" to support the lifeblood of island life and commerce? Is there any way to avoid choosing "winners and losers," or is that inevitable regardless of how this plays out? Is this about individuals and families who want to live and work on the Vineyard, what's manageable for the Vineyard, and is a balance possible? What makes SENSE, and who does it need to make sense FOR? This story, to me, has no villains or heroes: only people understandably conflicted about the "right" thing to do, and it seems, often paralyzed by the intractability of the issue itself.
What is an over-large home, I
Mark EdgartownWhat is an over-large home, I could not find the square footage defined on google. It’s really tiring that the only solutions that keep circulating are taxing homeowners and restricting what they do with their property. Why not focus on more pragmatic solutions like extended hour fast ferries to help accommodate the work force.
Any contribution to the
Annie CookAny contribution to the discussion is helpful. I don't have answers; just throwing questions out there and challenging the community to address the reality of property ownership/rights in some respects being in "inconvenient conflict," let's say, the aspiration of affordable housing. Property ownership as a fundamental aspect of social and economic status - and standing - in America goes back to our founding. But then everything was different back then, right? The push for broader access to housing generally doesn't seem to include private property owners in the discussion. It might be useful to have that perspective st the table. Thanks for your feedback!
Bravo and Thanks !
George Stein OBBravo and Thanks !
Let's take a look at NYC.
Rational Person Oak BluffsLet's take a look at NYC. The vast majority of firefighters, nurses, teachers, police live within a 50 mile radius and commute an hour or more into the city. These jobs pay well and the workers are willing to make the commute. We have great paying jobs on the island but have very poor public transportation. Our focus needs to turn away from ever increasing development projects to better transportation at more convenient hours. The ferries on Lake Champlain have been offering cheap ( roughly $21 a trip with vehicle) between VT and NY for over a hundred years! Why not subsidized high speed ferries from Falmouth from 6 am to midnight? This isn't rocket science. You don't need to live here in order to work here.
The island community is more
Islander IslandThe island community is more than just workers. Accepting defeat that islanders are being exiled off the island and viewing people who want to live here and be part of the community as mere "workers" reveals a very dark understanding of the island as a mere holder of wealthy people's investment portfolios.
All good comments. Building
harriet West TisburyAll good comments. Building more housing is a short term kick in the bucket to the problem. I agree. More creative thinking outside the box would be helpful. Fast ferry increased runs, subsidized transportation….Let’s keep thinking, but thinking 7 generations forward.
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