Your Monthly Update
from the Community Development Partnership
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A Word from Jay...
Since 2017, we have been tracking actions taken at Lower Cape Annual Town Meetings to evaluate progress on addressing the lack of housing that is affordable to people who live and work year-round in our region. I think it is fair to say that our Housing Institute, trainings, technical assistance, and media campaigns have all helped to support unprecedented progress. Over the past six years, Lower Cape Annual Town Meetings have considered 261 pro-housing measures and approved over $48.6 million in local funding for housing projects and programs in our eight towns.
This spring’s Town Meeting season continues to build on this momentum. Both Provincetown and Orleans brought forth a collection of articles to voters pitched as a Housing Agenda. Town leaders in both communities led a consensus-building process among committees and advocates to propose this package of measures.
Last month, Provincetown voters approved significant funding for 65 units of affordable housing on Jerome Smith Road. They also contributed $75,000 for our Residences at Lawrence Hill Project in Wellfleet. Orleans will consider several funding initiatives, expand the range of their Affordable Housing Trust and ease the development of two-family homes with changes to local zoning. And, Wellfleet and Truro both approved funds for housing coordinators, while also transferring funds into their Affordable Housing Trusts.
Over the next several weeks, Brewster, Chatham, Orleans, Eastham, and Harwich voters will consider articles that fund specific housing-related projects, transfer community preservation funds to Housing Trusts, and ease the creation of Accessory Dwelling Units. You can read more about these five town meetings below.
While I am proud of the leadership the CDP has provided and encouraged by the commitment of municipal officials to take action, we need to be doing so much more. Every day I hear the stories of longtime residents – vital members of our community – who don’t know where they will live this summer. And hundreds of positions in our region’s small businesses go unfilled because employees can’t afford to live on the Lower Cape.
Please take the time to attend your Annual Town Meeting. Support these important Articles and thank municipal leaders for proposing action. At the same time, we must also demand more progress. The existence of our year-round community and what makes our communities so special is at stake.
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Jay Coburn
President & Chief Executive Officer
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Supporting Local Business |
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The Community Development Partnership
Offers Workshops for Local Artists
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“As I am just starting out in the business world, the business basics panel was a great start to learn all about starting my business.”
–Business Basics for Creatives workshop attendee
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The Lower and Outer Cape is home to many talented artists. While they all have a passion for their creative practice, some may need help managing the business aspects of their artistic venture. The CDP offers one-on-one business technical assistance. And, we also work with local experts to offer workshops that provide a more in-depth learning experience on specific art-related topics. This year, the CDP offered two series' of workshops targeting artists, one in partnership with Provincetown Commons and the other in partnership with The 204 Cultural Arts Municipal Building in Harwich.
The workshops at The Commons were first planned for the spring of 2020 but were canceled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the CDP resumed Regional Office Hours (in-person one-on-one meetings) at The Commons this year, it was also decided to reignite the Artist Workshop Series.
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Stand up for Housing at Town Meeting |
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Town meeting season is in full swing on the Lower and Outer Cape. Provincetown, Truro, and Wellfleet held their meetings in April. Each passed significant measures to support housing in their towns. The five remaining towns in our region will host their meetings in May, and each has important housing articles for voters to consider. We encourage you to attend your town’s meeting and make your voice heard! |
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Brewster
May 1, 2023 - 6:00 PM
Stony Brook Elementary
384 Underpass Road
Harwich
May 1, 2023 - 7:00 PM
Harwich Community Center
100 Oak Street
Eastham
May 6, 2023 - 10:00 AM
Nauset Regional HS Athletic Field
100 Cable Road
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Chatham
May 6, 2023 - 9:30 AM
Monomoy Middle School
425 Crowell Road
Orleans
May 8, 2023 - 6 PM
Nauset Middle School Gym
70 MA-28
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Supporter Spotlight: Dorothy Savarese |
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“Cape Cod 5 is committed to supporting vibrant and sustainable communities, so it’s a natural alignment with the CDP. They understand the interdependence of housing and economic development to a healthy economy and a healthy community.”
–Dorothy Savarese, Executive Chair, Cape Cod 5
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Dorothy Savarese’s first job was with an environmental organization and then she began her career in economic and community development, working for two cities in the Midwest. During those formative years, it became clear to her how critical economic development and housing were to a healthy community; something that would resonate throughout her career.
She remained on her career path, shifting to work with a national non-profit organization on economic development and housing efforts around the country. Her next step was with a community bank on Cape Cod. Dorothy had been a regular visitor to the Cape with her family over many years and had developed a strong appreciation for the area. With a young son, the time to make this move seemed right.
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Twenty Summers from Today, Climate, Community
& Queer Futures
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Next month Community Development Partnership CEO Jay Coburn will participate in a panel discussion hosted by Twenty Summers, a non-profit arts organization in Provincetown.
For the past twenty years, Provincetown's unique queer and artistic enclave has been threatened by climate change, gentrification, a lack of affordable housing, and the homogenization of culture. Join Marc Norman, Dr. Mika Tosca & Jay Coburn in imagining a more equitable and sustainable future for Provincetown, and beyond; one that preserves the people and this place for generations to come.
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Sunday, June 4, 2023 - 6:00 - 7:30 PM
Twenty Summers
29 Miller Hill Road, Provincetown
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31st Annual Meeting Recap |
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Last month we gathered with supporters and community members to celebrate our 31st Annual Meeting at the Wellfleet Preservation Hall. CDP staff shared accomplishments you helped make possible over the past year. We presented our new Community Investment Plan. And, new members of the Board of Directors, as well as Board officers were elected
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Aaron Polhemus’ principal business focus is as the Owner and CEO of Polhemus Savery DaSilva (PSD), a fully integrated architecture and construction firm based on Cape Cod. Aaron joined PSD full-time after graduating from the University of Vermont and has led the firm for over 10 years. A long-term resident of Cape Cod, Aaron is dedicated to supporting the local community. He has served on Cape non-profit boards, including most recently at WE CAN. Under Aaron’s direction, PSD also maintains its PSD Fund for Working Families, which provides support to those facing challenges living and working on Cape Cod. |
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Mary Kay Leonard is a seasoned leader with more than 30 years of experience in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. She has served as an executive, board member, advisor, coach, and consultant to dozens of organizations, gaining expertise in a wide variety of fields, including child, family, and elder services, economic and community development, education, housing, health care, and workforce development. She graduated from Colgate University and received her J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law. |
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We also presented our two annual community awards, our first-ever Employee of the Year Award, and honored Matt Cole for his years of service on the board. This year the Gwen Pelletier Award for Excellence in Community Service was awarded to Elaine McIlroy of Wellfleet and the Norm Edinburg Award for Excellence in Community Service to Jess Georges, owner and founder of Green Road Refill.
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Elaine McIlroy (center)
Chair of the Wellfleet Housing Authority
Gwen Pelletier Award Recipient
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Jess Georges
Owner and Founder, Green Road Refill
Norm Edinberg Award Recipient
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Pam Andersen
Director of Business & Credit Programs
Employee of the Year Award Recipient
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Matt Cole
CDP Board of Directors 2016-2023
Chair 2020-2022
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Save the Date for our 9th Annual
Summer Evening on the Farm
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Mark your calendars! The Community Development Partnership is excited to announce our annual Summer Evening on the Farm will be held on Thursday, August 24th at Greenhouse by the Sea in Orleans.
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Check out the Lower Cape Housing and ADU Resource Center |
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Free Small Business Assistance
The CDP's Business & Credit program team is available for one-on-one technical assistance. Get the resources you need to help your business succeed!
Small Business Technical Assistance is available:
- Remotely via phone or video conference
- In-person at the Provincetown Commons, The 204 (Harwich Cultural Center), and Chatham Works
Click the link below to schedule a 30 or 60-minute appointment!
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Host a J-1 Worker this Summer |
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Follow the CDP on Social Media |
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Additional Resources for Businesses |
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If you or someone you know is interested in receiving monthly updates from our Business and Credit Program, please sign up for our Inside Scoop. We'll send you useful tips targeted to small businesses.
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