The Town Council is in the process of setting up a community forum to discuss affordable housing on Block Island. It has been well-documented that there is a shortage of year-round housing that is affordable and attainable for working island residents. Many people whorent engage in the seasonal housing “shuffle,” as winter accommodations become weekly summer rentals fetching a much higher rate for the owner. It is a diverse group of transient year-round residents, with small business owners, town employees, construction workers, teachers, and numerous other professions represented, all with a need for permanent year-round housing.Island resident Chris Warfel wrote a letter to the Town Council in December, and finally got onto the agenda on January 4. In his letter, Warfel suggests identifying town-owned or non-profit organization-owned land that could be used to build affordable rental units for Block Island residents. Warfel identifies the town, the power company, water company, sewer company, Block Island Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, Block Island Conservancy, and the airport as potential partners with land that could be used for this purpose.He spoke to the council on Jan. 4 and said the town needed to be “aggressive” in addressing this issue.First Warden André
