The Appointments Committee was charged by the Town Council to draft a charge for an ad hoc affordable housing committee on March 14, 2022.  The Appointments Committee, made up of councilors Nicole Boucher, Susan Gillis, and Timothy Reiniger, met on April 21 to develop a charge.  

The approved charge for the Housing Diversity Study Committee is as follows:

• Familiarizing themselves with the 2019 Comprehensive Plan and the 2020 US Census results to understand current population and housing trends in the region, the change in demographics over the last decade in Cape Elizabeth, and potential barriers to housing opportunities for a variety of demographics, including but not limited to: seniors, workforce, young adults, families, and renters.
• Conduct a thorough review, facilitate discussion and information sharing, and gather public feedback on the results of the recently commissioned Housing Diversity Study.
• Explore the pros and cons and general public appetite for a variety of housing solutions that may be employed to meet the projected needs of the community.  Some areas to consider include, but are not limited to:

• Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
• Non-conforming lots and minimum lot sizes
• Duplexes and multiplex housing, including the conversion of large single-family homes
• Taxpayer subsidies or incentive programs for construction or providing affordable housing
• The donation of municipal land for affordable housing projects, including potential locations

• The Committee will provide status reports and executive summaries of their work to the Town Council by the following dates:

• October 31, 2022 or after their third meeting, whichever is later
• March 31, 2023
• June 30, 2023

• The Committee will complete its work with a final report to the Town Council by September 30, 2023.

Recommendations provided to the Town Council are expected to be financially and practically viable with demonstrated success and/or application in other communities.  As such, experts in the field of housing, housing development, construction, planning, and others, are expected and encouraged to be consulted.

The Housing Diversity Study Committee will consist of seven (7) citizen members, appointed by the Town Council following a recommendation from the Appointments Committee.  The Town Manager will designate a staff member to assist the committee.  An announcement inviting residents interested in applying for the committee will be forthcoming.