A preliminary proposal for a new housing complex in Aquinnah kicked off debate among town officials about the tax implications of increased development.

The Aquinnah housing committee came to the select board last week and raised the potential of a new affordable housing project on six acres of land next to the recently opened Carl Widdiss Way duplexes near town hall. The committee asked the board on Dec. 9 for approval on a request for proposals for a project, prompting concerns from a select board member about the town’s ability to sustain more affordable housing when taxes continue to climb.

“We are carrying a disproportionately large percentage of affordable units in our town, and the question is whether or not the town can afford to have any more affordable units,” said select board member Tom Murphy.

Aquinnah has more than 15 per cent of it’s total housing stock classified as affordable, far exceeding any of the other five Island towns according to the Martha’s Vineyard Commission’s statistical profile published in 2023.

Housing committee chair Rudy Sanfilippo and committee member Mitzi Pratt said the second development would be for municipal workers and include two duplexes identical to the Carl Widdiss Way apartments completed in May 2024. The project would be paid for through community preservation funds, they said. 

Mr. Sanfilippo said percolation tests are underway and the site has been preliminary cleared. 

“We want to get a jump start on this so that we can start figuring out funding,” Mr. Sanfillippo said.

Mr. Murphy said preliminary discussions with the select board should have occurred prior to scheduling tests. He expressed concern for the development’s financial impact as the town faces challenges. 

“If we build more affordable housing, and there’s more people, and those people have to be educated, and the cost of education is substantial, it affects the taxpayers that are in this room,” he said.

Earlier in the meeting, the town approved a $6.87 tax rate for fiscal year 2026, a $0.11 increase from last year. Harald Scheid, CEO of Regional Resource Group Inc. which the town contracts with for assessing services, said the average tax bill for Aquinnah property owners will be $12,677, which is a $216 increase from last year.

Select board chair Juli Vanderhoop disagreed with Mr. Murphy’s concern for the Carl Widdiss Way apartments. She applauded creating the space to host more municipal workers and said building more housing in the location wouldn’t be burdensome. 

“We’re not taking any more space,” Ms. Vanderhoop said. “We’re just using the space that we already have and have designated.”

Mr. Murphy said he supported the first Carl Widdiss Way project and the two new units that opened in September at the Community Baptist Church of Gay Head parsonage, but added that while he’s not opposed to affordable housing, more discussion is needed about the financial impact of additional development. 

He added that many Aquinnah residents, some of whom live in affordable housing, work in other towns.

Aquinnah resident Berta Welch acknowledged that taxes are a concern she shares, but disagreed with Mr. Murphy’s hesitancy to explore more opportunities for affordable housing. She said over the years her taxes have increased considerably as people in her neighborhood have torn down existing homes to build “McMansions.”

“Nobody’s saying don’t build that expensive house in my neighborhood,” Ms. Welch said. 

About 90 per cent of Aquinnah’s tax revenue is generated from seasonal residents that are building these homes, according to Mr. Murphy.

“There’s two sides with every coin,” Mr. Murphy said. “We’re unhappy with people building big houses that cause our taxes to go up, but their taxes are going to our town and they’re not using our school systems or our other systems.”

Newly elected Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) chair Kevin Devine sat in on the meeting and said affordable housing needs to be prioritized. He said tribal members that live in the town’s affordable housing are being pushed out because their rates are going up in the new year.

Following the discussion, the select board ended up approving a draft request for proposals to find out if developers would be interested in the project.

“This is not by any means a commitment to anything yet,” Mr. Sanfilippo said. “It is simply making sure that the property is eligible.”

Also at the meeting, the town agreed to start discussions about releasing its ownership of Circle North, two parcels of land past the lighthouse where the Manning’s Snack Bar-Gift Shop used to be.

The proposal came at the request of NaDaizja Bolling, who is the executive director of the Aquinnah Cultural Center but was speaking independently.

Ms. Vanderhoop said the town has been trying to figure out next steps for the property and hopes to sell it to another entity. 

“We’ll bring this back to the table as soon as we can because it would just be nice to see it alive and to fill that space with something great,” Ms. Vanderhoop said.