July 2023
Live, Work, Thrive
Your Monthly Update
from the Community Development Partnership
A Word from Jay...

In 2017, following a failed attempt to develop 50+ units of affordable housing at the old T-Time Golf Range in Eastham, as an organization we realized that the eight Lower Cape towns lacked the experience and capacity to partner with developers from a position of strength to produce much-needed housing that is affordable to people who live, work and thrive on the Lower Cape.

So, we decided to take a more proactive role to ensure our communities are set up for success by launching the Lower Cape Community Housing Partnership (LCCHP). Over 280 local elected and appointed municipal officials have been trained through this innovative program’s Housing Institute. Additionally, through the LCCHP we’ve helped to organize and support residents in advocating for affordable housing. And, we’ve educated the public through a public media campaign. The LCCHP has produced some impressive results:

  • $48.6 million in local funding has been allocated for affordable housing initiatives
  • 261 pro-housing articles passed at Town Meetings
  • Receipt of a 5-year, $1 million Health Communities Grant to support our work increasing public support for affordable housing from a diverse group of stakeholders within our community
  • All eight Lower Cape Towns have at least one affordable housing project in the development pipeline

Last month, we received a 2023 Housing Hero Award from the Mass Housing Partnership in recognition of our work addressing the housing affordability crisis on the Lower Cape. In addition, the CDP’s Chief Program Officer Andrea Aldana, who led the implementation of the LCCHP, received the 2023 Community Engagement Award from CHAPA (the Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association – a state-wide housing advocacy organization). We are proud to receive these recognitions of our success.

Finally, I am pleased to welcome our new Director of Housing Advocacy, Amanda Bebrin, to lead our innovative efforts going forward. Amanda, as Chair of the Brewster Planning Board, is well immersed in the workings of local government and understands the importance of affordable housing in our efforts to build a stronger and more diverse year-round community of people who can afford to live, work and thrive on the Lower Cape.
Jay Coburn
President & Chief Executive Officer
Supporting Local Business
Helping Local Artists with the Art of Business
“Pam’s help was invaluable. I am not the most technologically savvy and she was there to hold my hand through the whole application process.”
 –Maureen McCarron, Artist, Provincetown
Provincetown is renowned for its art scene. For over a century, talented artists have flocked to the small town on the end of our peninsula, with many settling for good. While most have a passion for their creative medium, many need help turning their art into a business. The Community Development Partnership is dedicated to helping local artists, like Maureen McCarron, improve their business skills.

Maureen has always been an artist. As a child, she recalls visiting her grandmother, a ceramicist, and playing with the clay. In high school and college, her paintings were featured in galleries and won many awards. While painting was not always her primary source of income, it was something she always enjoyed doing for the over thirty years she lived in New York City.
Housing Matters
Meet Amanda Bebrin, the CDP’s Director of Housing Advocacy
"Dealing with our housing crisis can feel isolating, and housing instability can feel like a failure. But we are in this together. As a community, we can tackle this crisis.”
 –Amanda Bebrin, Director of Housing Advocacy, Community Development Partnership
In May 2023, Amanda Bebrin joined the Community Development Partnership as its new Director of Housing Advocacy. In this role, Amanda oversees the program development and implementation of the Lower Cape Community Housing Partnership. The Partnership, which includes the Housing Institute, is a key pillar of the CDP’s strategy to facilitate the creation of affordable housing in the Lower and Outer Cape.
 
Amanda says she has loved the Cape since she was a kid. Growing up in Connecticut, she and her family vacationed in Eastham and Orleans. She relocated to the Cape full-time after college and became a Realtor. Amanda was immediately struck by how different the Cape felt as a year-rounder. "As a tourist, your view can be limited. You tend not to see the full extent of the Cape's challenges," she shared. 
Supporter Spotlight
Lisa Guyon - Making a Difference
“There are many worthwhile causes that need our support. In my personal life and profession, I see how the CDP’s approach aligns well with Lower and Outer
Cape culture.”
 –Lisa Guyon, Executive Director, WE CAN
Born and raised on Cape Cod, the core values of community and caring for others are integral to Lisa Guyon’s upbringing and career. After working in Boston’s commercial real estate and hospitality industry, Lisa moved back to the Cape in 2010 to be closer to family and focus her career in the non-profit sector on housing, healthcare, and human services.
 
Today, she is the Executive Director of WE CAN (Women’s Empowerment through Cape Area Networking), an organization that empowers women facing life-changing transitions on Cape Cod. Fueled by a diverse network of over 250 volunteers, WE CAN offers free professional legal, financial, employment, and mentoring services that inspire and strengthen women’s self-sufficiency, opportunities, and growth. 
Noteworthy News
Remembering Ernie Roger
Ernie Rogers had an infectious smile and a personality to match. He was a helper. He was a problem solver. And, he cared deeply. He cared about our community. One of the ways he showed this is through his time and commitment to many nonprofit organizations on the Lower Cape, including the Community Development Partnership.

Ernie shared his time and talent with the CDP for over two decades. During this period, he served in various capacities – as a member of the Loan Review Committee, Economic Development Committee, and the Board of Directors, including as Chair. He was one of the CDP’s most enthusiastic supporters, with an encouraging word for all.

We are forever grateful for the positive and lasting impact Ernie made on the CDP, and our community.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion,
and Belonging (DEIB) 
The Community Development Partnership (CDP) values diversity because a diverse community is stronger and healthier. 

We embrace opportunities to reflect, serve, and celebrate the rich diversity of the Lower and Outer Cape. 
 
We are responsible for addressing the negative and painful impacts of colonization and racism that took root when the Pilgrims landed on the Outer Cape. We must intentionally address inequity and dismantle barriers to access that were purposefully created to exclude and disempower. 
 
We believe diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging practices must be central to the CDP’s work. 
 
We know that advancing equity is critical to fulfilling the CDP’s mission. 
 
We acknowledge the challenges and barriers to equitable, affordable housing and living wage jobs are considerable and must be addressed to build an inclusive Lower and Outer Cape community where everyone can afford to live, work, and thrive. 
 
Our Commitment  

CDP leadership, staff, and volunteers believe that every Lower and Outer Cape resident must have equal access to solving our community’s problems. We commit to leveraging and deploying all CDP assets to create a more equitable and inclusive Lower and Outer Cape community. 
 
We will: 

  • Seek perspectives and voices reflecting and representing our entire community. 
  • Foster meaningful engagement of historically marginalized identities and communities in our work authentically and responsibly. 
  • Engage in open and honest conversations about our challenges and how we will learn and grow together. 
  • Develop and implement policies, procedures, and practices that advance equity and inclusion across our organization, programs, and community. 
  • Mobilize stakeholders and resources to educate and advocate for more affordable housing and living-wage employment opportunities for all year-round residents. 
  • Cultivate relationships and partnerships with town governments, community groups, and non-profit organizations to increase the reach and multiply the impact of our shared DEIB goals. 
  • Remain steadfast and sincerely committed to intentional action and decision-making as a group to achieve our DEIB goals. 

*Adopted by the Board of Directors, Community Development Partnership on
June 1, 2023
Join us for a casual, fun evening to celebrate the Community Development Partnership (CDP) and our Lower and Outer Cape community at the beautiful Greenhouse by the Sea in Orleans. Meet CDP leadership, staff, supporters, and partners and learn about our future plans.

A SUMMER EVENING on the Farm supports the CDP’s work to create safe, affordable year-round housing and strengthen local businesses through training, technical assistance, and loan capital. Your generosity supports the needs of our neighbors living and working on the Lower and Outer Cape and helps us tackle the barriers and disparities year-round residents face to accessing affordable housing and better-paying, living-wage jobs.
Thank You to Our Generous Sponsors
This spring marked another eventful Town Meeting Season on the Lower and Outer Cape. Each of the eight town warrants contained important housing articles and nearly all passed with little debate. Please click the link below for a breakdown of individual articles by town.
Check out the Lower Cape Housing and ADU Resource Center
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! 
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.
Follow the CDP on Social Media!