FY 2004 Affordable Housing Initiatives

Property Tax Exemption for Affordable Year-round Rental Housing goes into effect July 1, 2003. No deed restrictions. Rental Properties Only. Low Income Renters Only.

Apply by July 1, 2003 for a property tax exemption for FY 2004.

By a vote of 629 to 414, May 6, 2003 Annual Town Election voters approved the acceptance of Chapter 408 of the Acts of 2002, which provides for a property tax exemption for affordable year-round rental units in Provincetown. The program goes into effect July 1, 2003. On December 19, 2002, Acting Governor Jane Swift signed into law Chapter 408 of the Acts of 2002, to allow the Town of Provincetown to offer a property tax exemption available to owners of housing units that are rented on a year-round basis to low income households at rents (including utilities) not exceeding HUD limits for low income households. The act requires acceptance by the voters at the May 6, 2003 annual town election in order to take effect. The bill-- Senate Bill No. 2325-- was a home rule petition filed by the April 1, 2002 Special Town Meeting for special state legislation. Following final enactment by both the House and Senate, the bill was placed before the Governor for signature on December 9, 2002 to become law. And we've already identified as many as 40 units which would take advantage of this program once it's approved by our voters at the May 2003 annual town election. Read the program description. Questions? Ask the Assessor.

Land Bank Amendment for Provincetown

Increase Affordable Housing from 10% to 35%, restricted to reuse and renovation. Allow Provincetown Voters to Choose How to Spend their Land Bank's 3% Property Tax Surcharge

On June 2, 2003, the state legislature's Joint Committee on Housing & Community Development reported out favorably House Bill No. 3842, “An Act Relative to Affordable Housing in The Town of Provincetown.” House 3842 is the home rule petition passed by the April 7, 2003 Special Town Meeting to increase from 10% to 35% the share of Land Bank funds that Provincetown could use for affordable housing, with the restriction that these funds be used for “the reuse and renovation of existing structures.” Over the 20-year life of the Land Bank Act, it would mean an increase of from $600,000 to nearly $2-million available for this purpose. From here, the bill next goes to the full House.

Article 11 of the April 7, 2003 Special Town Meeting filed home rule legislation-- filed as House Bill No. 3842-- which would increase from 10% to 35% the amount of Cape Cod Land Bank funds that Provincetown could be used for affordable housing purposes, provided that those uses are restricted to "the reuse and renovation of existing structures." This is consistent with the recognition that redevelopment of existing properties will have the least impact on infrastructure and open space. It also reflects Provincetown's desire to address housing issues within the context of a Community Development Plan under to Executive Order 418, in order to find an appropriate community consensus around housing, open space/resource management, transportation, and economic development.

Board of Selectmen's Housing Goals. The Board of Selectmen's FY 2004 Town-wide policy goals including the following

1. Community Development Plan
1.1. Community Vision: to develop a Community Vision Statement, through the Executive Order 418 planning process, using a facilitator. The Visioning process is designed to support implementation of the Local Comprehensive Plan by building a community consensus around the measures required for its implementation and to identify those measures around which there is the greatest community support.
1.2. Housing Element of the Community Development Plan: to develop a CD plan element which addresses the location, type, and quantity of new housing units including housing for individuals and families across a broad range of incomes.

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2. Affordable Housing
2.1. Increase the Percentage of Subsidized Housing Units in Provincetown. Develop and implement strategies for increasing the percentage of subsidized housing units in Provincetown to at least 10%; establish further housing goals through the Housing element of the Community Development Plan
2.2. Funding and Spending Plan for Affordable Housing Trust Fund: to prepare for review by a Fall 2003 Special Town Meeting a proposed funding and spending plan for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund established under Chapter 230 of the Acts of 2002.
2.3. Affordable Year-round Rental Housing: Develop and implement strategies for increasing the supply of affordable year-round rental housing units in Provincetown, including the property tax exemption under Chapter 408 of the Acts of 2002.
2.4. Affordable Housing Legislative Initiatives: pursue House Bill No. 3842 for increasing the Land Bank share for affordable housing from 10% to 35%, restricted to the reuse and renovation of existing structures; for acceptance at May 2004 Election.

Housing Certification

Affordable Units increase from 3.19% to 6.55%. The State's Department of Housing & Community Development has issued its 2001 report on MGL C.40B subsidized housing which finds that Provincetown's percentage of affordable year-round housing units has increased from 3.19% in 1997 to 6.55% in 2001. The number of affordable units increased from 76 to 135. However, 2000 U.S. Census figures indicate that the total number of year-round housing units in Provincetown declined from 2,385 in 1997 to 2,062 in 2000.

Executive Order 418 was issued by the Governor of Massachusetts "to ensure that all communities are taking steps to increase the supply of housing affordable to
individuals and families across a broad range of incomes." Click for more information. The Town of Provincetown received its FY 2002 certification under Executive Order 418 on September 11, 2001. Click to read Provincetown's 36 Proactive steps to encourage housing production.