Press Release  Governor Healey Announces $2 Million to Expand Year-Round Housing in 24 Seasonal Communities

BOSTON — Governor Healey today announced nearly $2 million in Seasonal Communities Grant Program awards to help all 24 eligible Seasonal Communities across Massachusetts create more year-round housing, strengthen local infrastructure, support local workers and families and support the unique needs of municipalities that experience significant seasonal swings in housing demand and employment.

The funding will help communities advance housing projects with the potential to support 594 year-round homes, including affordable housing developments, infrastructure improvements and planning efforts that will help unlock future housing opportunities.

“From the Berkshires to Cape Cod and the Islands, our seasonal communities are an important part of what makes Massachusetts special,” said Governor Maura Healey. “But we know these communities face unique challenges, especially when it comes to housing for the people who live and work there year-round. That's why we created the Seasonal Communities designation and are backing it up with funding to help local leaders build more homes, support their workforce and keep their communities strong for generations to come.”

“Our seasonal communities are home to families, small businesses and workers who keep them running all year long,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “We know that every community has different needs, and there's no one-size-fits-all solution to the housing challenges they're facing. These grants give local leaders the resources and flexibility to move important projects forward, create more year-round housing opportunities and support the long-term success of their communities.”

“Our seasonal communities need more housing that supports a year-round workforce and a strong local economy,” said Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Juana Matias. “These grants will help municipalities tackle the practical challenges that delay housing development and move projects forward, building on the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s commitment to lowering housing costs across Massachusetts.”

This year's awards will support a wide range of local housing priorities, including developing affordable homes on town-owned land, building supportive housing for veterans, converting existing buildings into housing, updating zoning requirements and making critical infrastructure improvements. The grants will also help communities complete housing needs assessments and feasibility studies to identify additional opportunities for housing production.

Projects include supporting construction of 46 affordable homes in Falmouth, advancing a 12-unit supportive housing development for veterans in Oak Bluffs, preparing infrastructure for a proposed 160-unit development in Truro and assessing the potential for 250 affordable and workforce homes at Maurice's Campground in Wellfleet. In the Berkshires, grants will support affordable housing development, infrastructure improvements and local planning efforts in communities including Egremont, Williamstown and West Stockbridge.

The Seasonal Communities Grant Program was established as part of the $5.16 billion Affordable Homes Act signed by Governor Healey in 2024, the largest housing bond bill in Massachusetts history. Earlier this year, the administration finalized regulations that give designated communities new tools to create and preserve year-round housing, including zoning reforms and options to support local workers and residents.

Grant funding can be used for housing planning and zoning, local actions that support new housing development, and infrastructure improvements that help move projects forward. All awards are part of the Fiscal Year 2027 grant round, with funds to be spent by June 30, 2027.

Fiscal 2027 Seasonal Communities Grant Program awards

• Aquinnah — $56,820 to support site work, infrastructure and construction of four housing units in Phase II of Carl Widdiss Way, as well as pre-development activities related to extending Maisie’s Way (4 units).
• Brewster — $97,772 to advance engineering and construction, including an Innovative Alternative Septic System, for the Westcott House (2 units).
• Chatham — $82,335 to support pre-development activities for affordable housing on town-owned land and develop an economic strategic plan (14 units).
• Chilmark — $60,024 to support site preparation and pre-development work for the Peaked Hill Pastures development and rehabilitation of an affordable home (15 units).
• Dennis — $115,829 to construct and upgrade multi-modal transportation infrastructure on town-owned land to support a proposed park.
• Eastham — $78,844 to complete a housing needs assessment, update the town’s Housing Production Plan and support pre-development activities to convert the Beach Plum Motel into affordable housing (4 units).
• Edgartown — $76,423 to support infrastructure for new housing at 294 Chappaquiddick Road, including septic, well, leaching field, driveway and electrical work (5 units).
• Egremont — $60,687 to support septic and well construction for Phase II of Town Hall Housing, adding affordable housing units (20 units).
• Falmouth — $150,000 to support construction of Locustfield Woods, a development adding 46 new affordable housing units (46 units).
• Gosnold — $55,290 to upgrade and construct a sidewalk connecting the ferry dock to Town Hall.
• Great Barrington — $84,731 to conduct a housing needs study, develop a Housing Production Plan and support the design and engineering of roadway and streetscape improvements near Reed Street and Main Street.
• Monterey — $59,539 to advance site preparation and pre-development activities for future housing development on town-owned land (6 units).
• Nantucket — $114,092 to evaluate an existing building and assess the feasibility of adding year-round housing at 5 Somerset Road, as well as develop a feasibility study and conceptual design to renovate an existing property on Okorwaw Avenue (11 units).
• Oak Bluffs — $77,140 to support construction of Bellevue Veterans Community, a 12-unit supportive housing development for veterans (12 units).
• Orleans — $81,145 to conduct a feasibility study for housing development on several town-owned properties (12 units).
• Provincetown — $70,189 to support the conversion of upper-floor firehouse space into up to five new housing units (5 units).
• Rockport — $83,984 to install booster station upgrades to improve water pressure as part of a larger water main replacement project.
• Sheffield — $68,792 to establish an ADU Pilot Program offering a 0% deferred-payment, forgivable loan to encourage accessory dwelling unit development.
• Tisbury — $74,960 to support site preparation and infrastructure construction for six affordable housing units at the Cat Hollow project, including site preparation, grading, utility work, foundation installation and on-site infrastructure (6 units).
• Truro — $65,173 to advance pre-construction activities, including design and permitting, for a wastewater treatment facility at the Walsh Property (160 units).
• Wellfleet — $69,782 to conduct a feasibility analysis of converting Maurice’s Campground into affordable and workforce housing (250 units).
• West Stockbridge — $60,567 to develop zoning bylaw revisions, support the Affordable Housing Trust, implement Housing Production Plan strategies and advance pre-development activities for housing on town-owned land (10 units).
• West Tisbury — $69,737 to support construction of housing at 401 State Road, adding eight affordable units (8 units).
• Williamstown — $86,144 to support Habitat for Humanity’s construction of affordable housing at Summer Street and assist the town’s Affordable Housing Trust with Housing Production Plan strategies (4 units).

These efforts are part of Governor Healey’s broader commitment to building more housing and lowering costs for Massachusetts residents. In 2024 Governor Healey signed the $5.16 billion Affordable Homes Act, the largest housing bond bill in state history. The law, together with the administration’s other initiatives such as converting vacant state-owned land into housing, commercial to housing conversions, the MBTA Communities Law, creation of the Momentum Fund, and sizable increases in housing tax credits and subsidies are already delivering results for the people of Massachusetts. Massachusetts added more than 34,500 new homes in 2025, and the administration continues to advance new housing through investments in affordable and public housing, commercial conversions, transit-oriented development and other tools to help communities build more homes. 

Statements of Support

State Senator Julian Cyr (Cape and Islands District)

“These grants represent a milestone investment in the future of Cape Cod and the Islands, where the astronomical cost of housing continues to threaten the stability of year-round residents, workers, and local businesses. From advancing affordable housing developments to improving local infrastructure, these awards will help our communities make meaningful progress toward addressing their unique needs. I’m grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration for its continued commitment to supporting Seasonal Communities and helping ensure that the people who call the Cape & Islands home can afford to live and work here year-round.”

State Senator Dylan Fernandes (Plymouth and Barnstable District)

"Creating more housing is essential to keeping Cape communities vibrant and ensuring that the people who work here can afford to live here too. The Seasonal Communities Grant Program helps towns like Falmouth move forward with projects that meet local needs, and I'm grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration, the Executive Office of Housing & Livable Communities, and other partners for this $150,000 investment supporting 46 new affordable housing units."

State Representative John Barrett III (1st Berkshire District)

“Congratulations to the Williamstown Affordable Housing Trust on receiving $86,144 to advance the town’s affordable housing initiatives. I commend the Healey administration for creating this innovative program and my colleagues in the Legislature for approving the funding that makes it possible. By giving communities the resources to turn local housing plans into reality, this partnership is helping Williamstown and communities across Massachusetts expand access to affordable homes.”

State Representative Leigh Davis (3rd Berkshire District)

"The Berkshires are a special place to call home, but too many young people and working families are being priced out. We need to make sure the people who grow up here, raise families here, and keep our towns running can afford to stay. These grants will help our communities do just that. I'm grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration for recognizing the unique housing challenges facing our seasonal communities and helping make year-round living more affordable."

State Representative David T. Vieira (Third Barnstable District)

“I was proud to support the Affordable Homes Act which contained the Seasonal Communities designation program.  Falmouth accepted the Seasonal Communities designation, and today we announce the first $150,000 grant for the Locustfield Woods project bringing 46 new affordable housing units to Falmouth.”

State Representative Hadley Luddy (4th Barnstable District)

"Access to affordable housing is one of the biggest challenges facing Cape Cod, and these grants are an important step toward creating more opportunities for people to live and work here year-round. I’m grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration for this investment and pleased to see these six towns receive funding to advance local projects that will help our communities take meaningful steps toward addressing our housing challenges and preserving the vitality of our region."

Richard Stanley, Chair of the Egremont Municipal Housing Trust

“The Town of Egremont is very pleased with the announcement from Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities that they have awarded the Town over $60,000.00 to continue to improve the infrastructure for additional workforce and affordable housing on the land being developed by Impact of South Berkshire behind Town Hall.  We are ecstatic at the State support for our community.”

Kim Newman, Orleans Town Manager

“In Orleans, the people who keep our town running year-round are finding it harder and harder to live here. A feasibility study will help us identify where and how new year-round and municipal workforce housing can realistically happen, so we can move forward with a clear plan. We’re grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration for recognizing the housing pressures facing seasonal communities like ours.”

Peter Lombardi, Brewster Town Manager

“As a newly accepted Seasonal Community, the Town of Brewster appreciates these state grant funds to advance our workforce housing efforts.  They will help us to make necessary upgrades to septic infrastructure for two new units of year-round housing for Town employees planned at the Sea Camps Bay Property. The Town is grateful for the state’s partnership in recognizing the unique challenges that towns on the Cape face and providing us with funding to assist in making meaningful progress on these critical issues.”

Jill R. Goldsmith, Chatham Town Manager

“This grant award not only allows us to advance the development of an affordable home-ownership project which includes up to six units reserved for municipal and school district employees but it also will be used to develop an economic development strategic plan with a focus on leveraging the creative economy.”

Edgartown Affordable Housing Committee & Trust

“The Seasonal Communities Grant Program (SCGP) has been instrumental in helping the Town of Edgartown advance its affordable housing projects. This funding supports essential infrastructure improvements, helps leverage local resources, and brings us closer to turning town-owned properties into housing opportunities for our community. We are grateful to the Commonwealth for this valuable investment in addressing the housing needs of seasonal communities.”

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