The ad-hoc Housing Diversity Study Committee held a second community forum on Monday, December 5, 2022 within the Council Chambers at Town Hall.  The forum was streamed on CETV Live and is available for viewing on CETV On Demand. Following the forum, a regular committee meeting was held and is also available on CETV On Demand.

Chair Kevin Justh explained that the purpose of the forum was to discuss the housing creation goals which were proposed in the Housing Diversity Study. Justh emphasized that the committee has, “Not discussed, recommended, or established any goals.” The objective is to, “Bring this report to life, to really delve in, understand it, get the communities feedback, and be able to discuss it ourselves,” he said.

Kristina Musante, one of the two consultants hired for the committee, began with a presentation reviewing the goals and strategies taken directly from the study.  The groups identified as benefiting from creating diversity in housing are: cost-burdened seniors; cost-burdened workforce residents; in-community workers; adult children living with parents; new moderate-income residents 24 to 44 years old; and new workforce households.  Cost-burdened is defined as someone who pays more than 30% of their adjusted income for housing costs.  

Potential housing diversity objectives for the identified groups include the following: 

A. Reduce cost-burdened households by gross rents that are no more than $1,250 per month; by creating multi-family apartments for this price point; by providing 1, 2, and 3 bedroom units to suit singles, couples, families, and seniors; by having a homeownership price point between $100,000 to $300,000; and by creating 100 units over ten years.

B. Offer smaller, affordable options for seniors with gross rents that are no more than $1,250 per month; viewing multi-family apartments as best suited to meet this price point; by providing 1, 2, and 3-bedroom units to suit singles, couples, families, and seniors; by having a homeownership price point between $100,000 to $300,000; by creating 100 units over the next ten years; and by considering subsidies for seniors to age in place or allow affordable dwelling units (ADUs).

C.  Create housing for public and private workers where the median annual earnings for town jobs is $41,400, by offering rentals that are no more than $1,000 per month or no more than $625 per month for lower income workers; by having homes priced no more than $140,000; by offering studios and four-bedroom homes to singles, couples, roommates, and families with children.

D.  Create housing for 24 to 44 year olds by offering 50 units over the next ten years for adult children (ages 18-34); by offering rental apartments and town homes with 1 to 2 bedrooms for households for adults in their 20’s and 30’s; by offering homes in the $500,000 and below range for households in their mid 30’s to 40’s; and by offering both single and family homes and multi-family units for sale.

Musante pointed out that housing diversity within Cape Elizabeth over the past fifty years has decreased over time.  The committee will have to determine what the number of housing options and types should be by 2032: 450 new units would be ambitious; 200 new units would be moderate; and 5 new units would maintain the status quo.  

Committee member Stephanie Anderson added that the ambitious number of 450 units, as proposed in the Housing Diversity Study,  is based on the premise that 10 percent of housing stock should be affordable housing. Justh agreed and said, "For better or worse, 10 percent is the standard that many states and towns in New England use."  When the committee delivers their final report to the Town Council, Justh said, “Every possible number is going to have a time component with it too; we may decide we want a 12 year period." 

Prior to breaking into three groups, the committee discussed the importance of boosting engagement with the community in order to determine which groups should be prioritized.  Neighborhood meetings; surveys, and more public forums were suggested.  During the breakout session, the three groups were asked to answer the following questions with regards to creating housing diversity and affordability:

1. Who do you want to serve?

2. Where do you want to see this?

3. Which types of housing do you want to see?

4. How do you overcome opposition?

Each of the three groups consisted of approximately five to seven people, plus one facilitator and roughly one hour was allotted for the groups to converse.  The facilitator of each group took turns reporting on their group's feedback.  Feedback from the three groups included:

Group One:  Discussed the importance of garden apartments, ADUs, and the creation of smaller communities. Impediments mentioned were the shortage of available land, transportation, and a reluctance to relinquish open land for development.  Suggestions included looking at town-owned land and zoning changes.  Groups prioritized were workforce, seniors, and people who had to move away because of cost of living, but would like to return.

Group Two:  Discussed the importance of building multi-family homes and changing zoning ordinances in order to allow this; increase density and decrease lot size. Without changes to zoning, builders will not consider Cape Elizabeth.  ADUs were suggested, but there was concern that they remain attractive and that the process for permitting ADUs be expedited.  The group said that parking was a concern; they didn't want to see parking on streets or huge housing towers.  A suggestion was made to read, The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America, by Richard Rothstein.

Group Three:  Discussed a range of perspectives when looking to improve housing diveristy; is it best to only focus on Cape Elizabeth, the broader community, and/or a balance of these perspectives.  A suggestion was made to not limit housing types to one specific group; to create goals for both rentals, ownership, and ADUs.  In addition, the group felt that workforce within the community should be able to qualify for housing in town. The group suggested getting comprehensive feedback from the community and mentioned that despite affordable housing goals being a recommendation in all of the past four comprehensive plans, it has not happened; as decades progressed, building ordinances became more restrictive to reaching that goal.

Following the forum, the committee met and began discussing the need to create a framework for including and utilizing citizens' correspondence and ideas.  The committee voted unanimously in favor of holding their next meeting via Zoom on Monday, January 9, 2023 and a workshop on Monday, January 23.