What Does Counterproductive Planning Look Like ?
At the Fairhaven Select Board meeting on August 19th, it was made clear to the Chair of the Select Board that a 40B dense development in the waterfront district that is being considered, would provide 60 units. 40R would provide 48 units at that same location. Now remember, this is all being done in the name of providing Safe Affordable Housing, right? We all know we have a housing affordability and shortage crisis, it’s been plain as day for the last few years especially. Soooo evidently clear.
Now do the math. Our Short Term Rental (STR) bylaws started out with a 60 cap amount to be allowed into Fairhaven a few years ago, just when our housing crisis was becoming more noticeable by many residents. Then it moved to 120 cap amount moving into 2023.
It was reported at an SB meeting in 2023 as by public comment over a year ago, that we were over our 120 STR cap amount. It was also strongly suggested at that time that we ban short term rentals in family neighborhoods not zoned for business, because we were in a housing shortage and affordability crisis back then, with no steady building commissioner and staff to oversee the bylaws.
Now fast forward, with nothing done about it, we have created an even wider gap in our housing affordability/shortage.
Do the math…This is easy math.
Planning should always have a clear vision of the future in mind, for all Fairhaven residents concerned. No one should be left out.
To note, at the last Planning Board meeting held on August 7th the Vice Chair said we have lost 1400 residents in the last few years.
Do you know why, I asked. The Vice Chair said no, tell me why?
I said because “we priced them out.” Our family residential homes were replaced by STR vacationers.
I don’t think our Town Officials like or want to do the math. They had the local authority to ban STR’s (mini hotels) and still do, in the reality of an extreme housing shortage, displacement and disparity. Many families and people have suffered from this STR allowance in family neighborhoods not zoned for business.
Our housing equation is unprincipled, which causes shortages and deficits.
All math equations are based on absolute principles For instance 2 + 2 = 4 based on the principle of addition. We have not added into our housing equation in this town, the middle class income earners, who don’t qualify for low income assistance. They were pushed out of the housing market equation completely.
This is only one example of what counterproductive planning looks like in a math equation that doesn’t add up.
Michelle Costen, Fairhaven
PS. I hope all the Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) that are, and will be built, are not being used for Short Term Rentals. But who would know, if we are not following STR Bylaws? FYI: Our bylaw states that ADU’s can not be used as STRs.
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