To the Editor:
We’ve conserved land. Now we need to conserve community.
Pretty much everyone knows affordable housing for year-round residents is the No. 1 problem on the Vineyard. It is estimated there are approximately 500 families who have to do the “Vineyard shuffle” every year.
At the same time, it is estimated that approximately 5,000 seasonal workers show up each summer to work on the Vineyard. The average cost for a bed (with several other roommates) is about $200 per week. So for 10 weeks, the total cost per season (for a bed) is $2,000. Sometimes there are as many as 20 people in one home (which is both illegal and seriously dangerous).
Five thousand seasonal workers spending $ 2,000 per season = $10 MILLION PER YEAR!
This money needs to be collected by the towns, not landlords. Please support the following warrant article being proposed at this year’s town meeting on April 9 :
Proposal for town meeting:
Warrant article presented by Paul Lazes.
To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate $50,000 to:
Design a Town Park to be used for Seasonal Housing Camp Grounds three months per year
1) Identify an appropriate parcel of Town-Owned Property (2-10 acres)
2) Design a town park including walking trails, cooking facilities and picnic tables, and bath facilities.
3) To be used three months per year as campgrounds — rented to seasonal workers only (heavily supervised and highly regulated).
4) The revenues of which will be used for affordable housing in Tisbury.
(100 Tenants = $200,000 per season)
Please support this warrant article by attending this year’s town meeting, April 9.
Paul Lazes
Tisbury
Paul There are several problems with your Warrant Article. First I’m not sure that seasonal workers want to spend ten weeks living in a tent. If that was the case they would be staying at the only campground on the Island which happens to be in Tisbury. As far as Tisbury starting their own Campground That probably would not go over big with the Health Dept as far as sanitary facilities ,cooking facilities and supervision. Another problem would be what to do with all those Campers if God forbid a hurricane shows up and the Town has to shut down the campground. Good thought though
Why do the tax payers have any burden of housing anyone? This is a responsibility for the employers. If there is not enough housing, to bad, live somewhere else. Most of these workers are just building mega mansions anyway which is not benefiting the Island.