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Affordable Housing Committee
The Town of Orleans Affordable Housing Committee is composed of seven (7) members appointed by the Orleans Select Board. The purpose of the AHC is to enable the Town to create and preserve affordable housing for low- and moderate-income households. AHC works to create housing opportunities for a diverse population, including all age and income levels, with particular emphasis on lower income households with the highest housing needs and persons needed to meet the workforce demands of the local economy.
For general information about affordable housing, refer to the Affordable/Attainable webpage, with information on initiatives, resources, committees, FAQs and Topics of Interest. See Summary of Affordable Housing Projects Underway.
For information and documents related to the Update of Housing Needs, go to Topics of Interest, Update of Housing Needs in Orleans.
Members
| Name | Title | Term Expires |
|---|---|---|
| Nancy Renn | Chair | June 30, 2024 |
| Bill Stoeckert | Vice Chair | June 30, 2025 |
| Elizabeth Paine | Member | June 30, 2025 |
| Susan Carlson | Clerk | June 30, 2024 |
| Fran McClennen | Member | June 30, 2025 |
| Scott Flood | Member | June 30, 2025 |
| Maria Smith | Member | June 30, 2026 |
| Andrea Shaw Reed | Select Board Liaison |
Town Staff Contacts: Within Town government, responsibility for affordable housing lies with the Department of Planning and Community Development. George Meservey is the Director of Planning and Community Development. Marsha Allgeier is the Affordable Housing Coordinator.
The Affordable Housing Committee’s objectives for 2023 are:
- Complete an update of housing needs to inform future planning. (For more information, see Topics of Interest, Update of Housing Needs in Orleans.)
- Advocate for changes in zoning and related regulations to encourage creation of ADU's.
- Expand the housing information on the Town website to provide a useful overview of topics, including the creation of a new housing landing page (see the Affordable/Attainable Housing landing page).
- Develop communication strategies to broaden opportunities for support of Orleans housing goals.
Orleans Community Housing Study (2017): completed in 2017, this study provided a comprehensive look at the demographic, housing, and economic characteristics of Orleans and formed the basis of much of the action taken between 2017 and the present time.
Presentation to Orleans Advisory Bodies: On February 1, 2022, Orleans boards, commissions, and committees were invited to a presentation to learn about the affordable housing problem and what Orleans’ advisory and regulatory bodies can do the assist with solutions. The Community Development Partnership’s Andrea Aldana presented Housing 101 to provide background on the nature and causes of the affordable housing problem on the Cape. Marsha Allgeier, Orleans Affordable Housing Coordinator, presented the status in Orleans –what Orleans has done, strategies for the future and what the advisory bodies can do.
Eight Housing-Related Warrant Articles were approved at the May 8, 2023, Town Meeting as part of the long-term effort to address the need for affordable housing. These articles represent additional tools that can be used in that effort. A flyer and video explaining the articles are available here.