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November 30, 2000 <br /> Ms. Jan L. Teehan, Chas <br /> Sandwich Board of Selectmen <br /> 130 Main Street <br /> Sandwich, MA 02563 <br /> Dear Ms. Teehan and Members of the Board of Selectmen: <br /> The Sandwich Local Housing has been working very hard over the last 8 months since our initial <br /> meeting. We are pleased to submit this Initial Report to you this evening. <br /> The contents of this report are listed on the page hereunder. We wish this report was more <br /> positive in its assessment of our current and future affordable housing scenarios. However, it is <br /> our conclusion that the situation as it exists in Sandwich is currently in crisis and that the future, <br /> without immediate attention by us all, is forbiddingly dire and grave. Make no mistake about it, <br /> the crisis is real, it is here and it is growing worse each day. <br /> In summary, we are requesting three immediate actions on the part of the Selectmen; (1) a <br /> public recognition that our housing crisis is a top priority of the town, (2) an endorsement of our <br /> mission statement and charge of duties, and(3)your support for placing the Community <br /> Preservation Act (CPA) on the warrant and ballot for the May Town Meeting and elections. The <br /> most critical need this town faces is in the area of rental housing. The burden to increase our <br /> rental housing stock cannot fall exclusively on the Sandwich Housing Authority or Shawme <br /> Heights. And the only solution to this crisis is to build and acquire new rental housing units, <br /> which requires a finding mechanism that the CPA provides. By working together with local <br /> historical groups and conservation groups, we believe the we can successfially educate the <br /> citizens of our community to support adoption of this act at a moderate cost to them as property <br /> tax payers. The cost to do nothing is for more consequential to the Town of Sandwich then a <br /> modest surcharge on real estate tax bills. <br /> We are always available to meet with you or your designee(s)to answer any questions, discuss <br /> any matter or provide additional information to you. We thank the Director of Planning and <br /> Development, Joanne Miller Buntich, for her regular and on-going assistance to this committee. <br /> The committee has enjoyed its work over the last several months. We are all eager to work <br /> together with you and the community to create additional affordable housing stock This is the <br /> single greatest challenge Sandwich faces in the first decade of the 21'century. <br /> Sincerely, <br /> Ateven . Chamnan Donald Dickinson, Vice Chairman <br />