A Message of Thanks

To hear that families earning $175,000 per year qualify for affordable housing shocks those unfamiliar with Nantucket’s housing situation. But those who have been coming to the island for years have noticed how things have changed. They recognize the increasing difficulty that working families have in finding suitable housing. They realize without these families, Nantucket cannot function.

Viable solutions

Housing Nantucket is the island’s only nonprofit dedicated to creating affordable rental and homeownership opportunities for year-round residents. Our housing includes over 100 covenant ownership homes and 38 year-round rental units, scattered in neighborhoods throughout the island. We appreciate the community’s support, and we are grateful to our year-round workforce for the sacrifices they must make to live year-round on Nantucket.

Community Makes it Happen

This year, we give special thanks to Nantucket voters and officials for the $3.6-million grant and $6.75-million loan to Housing Nantucket from the Nantucket Affordable Housing Trust for our development of the Wiggles Way project. Wiggles Way will add 22 new units of affordable year-round rental units on Fairgrounds Road, right next to the Faregrounds Restaurant. After relocating and repurposing the existing structures from the property purchased from the family of Joan and Wiggles Coffin, we worked with the Historic District Commission to design eight attractive multi-family structures. These will begin to arrive on-island this January. We hope to be able to welcome residents of Wiggles Way as early as July 2022.

Reliable Funding Source Needed

For the future, we know that a real estate transfer fee to fund local affordable housing trusts will help Nantucket and communities across the Commonwealth to better meet the needs of our citizens. We urge the Massachusetts Legislature and Governor Baker to promptly pass such legislation so we can do even more projects like Wiggles Way.

Grateful to our supporters

Thank you to all of our supporters and donors, including The Community Foundation for Nantucket, ReMain Nantucket, and Tupancy-Harris Foundation, as well as the summer and year-round residents who enable our work of providing affordable homes for island families. Please visit housingnantucket.org/donate to learn how you can help.

Covenant Program builds dreams

Through their company Dreamline Modular Homes, business partners Doug and Kris had built hundreds of homes for others, but neither one of them had owned a home of their own. Could the Covenant Program help them obtain their dream of moving to Nantucket, as well as create two new homeownership opportunities for year-round families?

Doors open with house recycling

Summer residents Jamie and Elyse Leventhal made a positive, lasting community impact with the donation of their three-bedroom home. Follow along as the dwelling makes the journey to its new home. 

New Census count will impact affordable housing requirements

Newly released Census data will change affordable housing requirements. According to 2020 U.S. Census data released yesterday, Nantucket’s official year-round population is 14,255. This new figure represents a 40 percent increase over the 2010 Census count of 10,172.

100th Covenant property

The 100th Covenant property has closed, almost 18 years after the first Covenant home was created in 2003. We are tickled pink by the success of this scattered-site homeownership program, which currently houses 267 year-round Nantucket residents including 87 island children.

Have land, need a dwelling?

An important part of our business model, Housing Nantucket is frequently offered homes slated for demolition by private property owners who’d like to see these structures reused. Find out how you can donate a home to our nonprofit, or buy one to move yourself.

Housing Production Plan updated

The Select Board approved an updated Housing Production Plan (HPP) today, which covers the 2021-2026 timeframe. The primary stated goal is to maintain Safe Harbor status, which requires the creation at least 24 new affordable housing units per year.

Wiggles Way, Then and Now

Every corner of the 31 Fairgrounds Road property, owned by the Coffin family since 1963, has memories and stories. This month, as we watched the existing structures move over-the-road, we acknowledged and appreciated the Coffin family’s value on community, as we strive to maintain this tradition throughout this project.

Gimme Shelter tee

We believe decent housing is a human right. Look cool and support our cause with this new slogan tee. Designed by local Nantucket artists.

Project Update: Wiggles Way

May 19, 2021- A lot has happened these past few weeks at 31 Fairgrounds Road, as the future of Wiggles Way apartments begins to materialize.