HomeMy WebLinkAboutBarnstable_HPP_Draft_2025 UPDATE CLEAN
TOWN OF BARNSTABLE
HOUSING PRODUCTION PLAN
FY2025-2030
DRAFT FOR REVIEW
05/12/2025
**DRAFT **
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025 2
This page intentionally left blank
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025 3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents 3
Acknowledgments 4
Data Sources 5
Report Organization 6
Chapter 1: Introduction 7
Chapter 2: Housing Goals and Strategies 20
Chapter 3: Demographic Profile 38
Chapter 4: Housing Conditions 61
Chapter 5: Development Constraints 79
Chapter 6: Implementation Capacity and Resources 107
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
4
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Town Councilors
• Precinct 1: Gordon Starr
• Precinct 2: Kristin E. Terkelsen
• Precinct 3: Betty Ludtke
• Precinct 4: Craig A. Tamash
• Precinct 5: John R. Crow
• Precinct 6: Paul C. Neary
• Precinct 7: Seth W. Burdick
• Precinct 8: Jeffrey Mendes
• Precinct 9: Charles R. Bloom
• Precinct: 10: Matthew P. Levesque
• Precinct 11: Kristine Clark
• Precinct 12: Paula K. Schnepp
• Precinct 13: Felicia R. Penn
Planning Board
• Mary Barry
• Matthew Teague
• Michael Mecenas
• Tim O’Neill, Clerk
• Stephen Robichaud, Chair
• Raymond Sexton
• Robert Twiss, Vice Chair
Affordable Housing Growth and
Development Trust Fund Board
• Andrew Clyburn
• Mark Ells, Chair
• Mark Milne
• Laura Shufelt
Barnstable Housing Committee
• Paula Breagy
• Emily Cornett
• Evan Gaudette
• Hilda Haye
• Donald Lynde
• Meaghan Mort
Town Staff
• James Kupfer, Director of Planning &
Development
• Kyle Pedicini, Assistant Director of
Planning & Development
• Kate Maldonado, Senior Planner
With the assistance of planning
consultants:
• Jennifer M. Goldson, AICP, JM
Goldson
• Laura Smead, AICP, JM Goldson
• Elana Zabar, JM Goldson
Barnstable Town Hall Photo Credit: (Courtesy of Barrett
Planning Group LLC)
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025 5
DATA SOURCES
The project team conducted data analysis of multiple sources including the Cape Cod
Commission, the Decennial Census, the 2020 American Community Survey (ACS) and
2022 American Community Survey (ACS), U.S. Census Annual Building Permit Survey, the
Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC), Comprehensive Housing
Affordability Data (CHAS), CoStar Market Reports, Banker & Tradesman data, Local MLS
data, Barnstable Housing Authority, MA Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education (DESE), US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD),
MassHousing Partnership’s DataTown, as well as committee and staff knowledge and
data.
The U.S. Census counts every resident in the United States by asking ten questions,
whereas the ACS provides estimates based on a sample of the population for more
detailed information. It is important to be aware that there are margins of error (MOE)
attached to the ACS estimates, because the estimates are based on samples and not on
complete counts.
Throughout this report, the text states the source of the data as well as the margin of
error where applicable. We also incorporated local data (GIS, zoning, plans, and short-term
rental) and state data for GIS and the Department of Housing and Community
Development (subsidized housing inventory). Community engagement was used to
validate the findings from the data and the project team relied on the information
gathered from the engagement process more than the data at times.
Data collection and analysis was performed during Summer of 2022 and updated in
Winter 2024, and Chapters 3 and 4 (Demographics and Housing Conditions) reflect the
latest data available at that time, including the full 2020 Decennial Census information
and updates using 2022 ACS data where applicable.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
6
REPORT ORGANIZATION
• Chapter 1 provides an overview of the purpose of the plan, a community overview,
description of the planning process, and summary of the town’s housing needs, goals,
and strategies and may serve as an executive summary for this report.
• Chapter 2 describes the Town’s five-year housing goals, strategies, and action plan as
identified through the planning process associated with development of this plan.
• Chapter 3 provides a demographic profile of the community’s residents.
• Chapter 4 provides an analysis of local housing conditions including housing supply,
residential market indicators, and affordable housing characteristics.
• Chapter 5 describes the Town’s development constraints and limitations including
environmental constraints, infrastructure capacity, and regulatory barriers and
considerations.
• Chapter 6 describes local and regional capacity and resources to create and preserve
affordable and mixed-income housing in the community.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
7
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
OVERVIEW
A Housing Production Plan (HPP), defined in regulations at 760 CMR 56.03 and
administered by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities,
is a proactive strategy for planning and developing affordable housing. The HPP identifies
the housing needs of a community and the goals and strategies it will use to identify and
achieve or maintain the 10 percent threshold mandated by M.G.L. (Massachusetts General
Law) Chapter 40B. The Town’s status relating to this 10 percent threshold is documented
on the Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI), also administered by EOHLC.
This HPP Program enables a municipality to develop a strategy to meet its affordable
housing needs in a manner consistent with the MGL Chapter 40B statute, produce
housing units in accordance with that plan, and demonstrate progress towards affordable
housing production. By taking a proactive approach in the adoption of a HPP, cities and
towns are much more likely to achieve both their affordable housing and community
planning goals. HPPs give communities under the 10 percent threshold of Chapter 40B,
who are making steady progress in producing affordable housing on an annual basis, more
control over comprehensive permit applications for a specified period. HPPs give
communities over the 10 percent threshold a framework to maintain the statutory minima
in accordance with local needs and community goals.
The Town of Barnstable places great importance on planning for affordable housing
through the HPP process. HPPs are updated and renewed every five years per the
regulations, and Barnstable had a Housing Production Plan approved in 2018.
Housing Production Plans can create a ‘safe harbor’ for a community. When a
municipality has a certified plan and housing production has been achieved, decisions on
comprehensive permit applications by the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) to deny or
approve with conditions will be deemed “consistent with local needs” under MGL Chapter
40B. This distinction is very important. “Safe Harbor” is not achieved with simply a
approved Plan. Plan approval refers to EOHLC’s action of reviewing a HPP and
determining that it is complete and contains all the elements required by regulation and
accompanying Guidelines. HPP Certification of compliance, is the next tier and refers to
EOHLC’s determination that an approved plan is in place and the community has
produced units that are affordable to low- or moderate-income households totaling at
least 0.5% of year-round housing units in one calendar year and in accordance with the
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
8
approved plan. 0.5% may result in a one year safe harbor. Whereas 1% or greater may in
fact result in a two year safe harbor.
Barnstable has chosen to prepare a Housing Production Plan for three reasons:
• The 2018 Housing Production Plan expired 2023, and this update is being undertaken
to retain approval status per state regulations.
• Barnstable remained below its 10 percent goal under Chapter 40B when 2020 Census
data was released in the spring of 2023. Barnstable has 21,915 total housing units
(2020 Census) and 1,485 subsidized housing units, totaling an overall 6.78 percent on
the Subsidized Housing Inventory1.
• Only some of the strategies defined in the 2018 Housing Production Plan have been
implemented, and the community is currently updating its Local Comprehensive Plan,
so it is time to reassess those strategies and set future strategic goals and objectives
with broad community input.
This Housing Production Plan was prepared by JM Goldson LLC and the Barnstable
Planning & Development Department, with assistance from Barrett Planning Group, LLC
and was funded with Barnstable Community Preservation Act funds.
The Town has made some significant strides on several housing goals identified in the
2018 Housing Production Plan. These include developing and implementing a form-based
zoning code for the Downtown Hyannis area, and a restructured Community
Development Block Grant program process. The Town has also recently allowed market
rate Accessory Dwelling Units as of right, while simultaneously exploring property tax
abatement for those with existing affordable accessory apartments. Finally, the Town is
pursuing opportunities to use municipal properties for affordable housing. It is normal to
have made some progress on some strategies and not on others. A summary of progress
on all former strategies can be found in the Appendix.
1 Department of Housing and Community Development Subsidized Housing Inventory, April 22, 2022,
https://www.mass.gov/doc/subsidized-housing-inventory-2/download
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
9
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
The project started with compilation of available information, and creating the Housing
Needs Assessment, Development Constraint, and Implementation Capacity chapters. In
August 2022, JM Goldson conducted nine focus groups with Barnstable stakeholders on
the topic of housing issues, challenges, and opportunities in the town. Each focus group
was made up of up to eight people, each one with an involvement or investment in the
town’s housing needs (total 51 participants). An online survey was offered to residents
and advertised in local media starting in early September and ending in early November
(315 people responded). The project team held two community workshops on September
21 (34 participants) and November 30, 2022 (36 participants).
The Plan was then updated when the 2020 Census was released in the Fall of 2023. In
April 2025 the Town sought additional public input on the Plan by hosting two public
meetings, one on April 7th at Town Hall and another on April 10th at the COMM Fire
District Building. During this period the Town also solicited additional written comments
over a 30-day comment period.
The Housing Production Plan was reviewed and adopted by the Planning Board on x date
and the Town Council on x date.
FOCUS GROUPS
The project team held nine virtual focus groups. Groups consisted of business owners,
older adults, young adults, young families, and Town officials. The groups had up to eight
people with one consultant team member facilitating the conversation. For a full summary
of all focus groups, please see the Appendix.
Throughout the various focus groups, several key themes were identified. The following
list represents topics and opinions that were brought up by participants in multiple focus
groups.
Focus Group Main Themes
• Moderately priced and deed-restricted affordable housing are hard to find—
Participants noted the need for increased housing stock of both naturally occurring
and deed-restricted affordable housing.
• Seasonal workers, young adults, and seniors are most in need of housing — Nearly
every focus group identified these three populations as key targets for this Housing
Production Plan.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
10
• Wastewater constraints and zoning restrictions are systemic barriers to denser housing
— While Barnstable is currently working to expand sewer down Route 28, wastewater
capacity and zoning restrictions continue to limit developing a more diverse housing
stock.
• Public-private partnerships are an opportunity to bring more housing to town —
Throughout the focus groups, participants continued to name businesses and non-
profits as potential collaborators. Participants voiced support for working with the
economic sector to provide more workforce housing in town.
• There is a desire for the Town to streamline development processes and consider
more programmatic approaches — Several groups mentioned the "red tape" and
bureaucracy involved in developing housing, sharing that the Town could work to
expedite these processes and provide technical assistance for developers. Participants
voiced support for finding creative ways to levy and leverage tax dollars to support
housing initiatives.
• Properties across town are underutilized and would better serve the community if
converted to housing — Properties addressed in multiple groups included the Marstons
Mills Elementary School and old strip malls as potential to redevelop for housing.
• The rise of short-term rentals and vacation homes in Barnstable limits year-round
housing options — Participants expressed frustration with the influx of short-term
vacation rentals and seasonal housing limiting opportunities for year-round residents.
Different suggestions for restricting these markets were raised through several focus
groups.
• "NIMBY-ism" has blocked prior efforts to implement changes — Several focus groups
addressed that "NIMBY-ism", or the "Not in my Backyard" sentiment is widespread in
Barnstable and discourages development.
COMMUNITY FORUM 1
On September 21, 2022, JM Goldson and the Town of Barnstable hosted the first
Community Forum for the Barnstable Housing Production Plan process (34
participants). This hybrid forum focused on sharing preliminary findings from
interviews and focus groups, hearing perspectives about housing needs, concerns, and
opportunities, and sharing how participants can continue to participate in the process.
Barnstable community members were invited to register for a Zoom webinar version
or join the project team in person at the Barnstable Adult Community Center in
Hyannis. This forum was comprised of a presentation by Laura Smead and Elana Zabar
interspersed with several polling activities for participants, as well as opportunities for
participants to speak about their experiences and views.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
11
Main Themes
• The need for workforce and senior housing.
• Seek more recent data and amend with qualitative sources that reflect community
experience.
• Acknowledge the impact of short-term rentals and vacation/second homes in
town.
• Speed up the process to affect change as quickly as possible.
COMMUNITY FORUM 2
JM Goldson and the Town of Barnstable hosted the second community forum in their
process of developing a Housing Production Plan on November 30, 2022. This hybrid
forum welcomed members of the public to join in person at Barnstable Town Hall or
through Zoom to weigh in on select draft goals and strategies. In total, 36 people
participated in this event over Zoom and in-person. Hyannis was the most represented
village at this forum, tying with non-residents. Cotuit was the only village not
represented.
Main Themes
• The most supported goal was to “Assist in stabilizing housing and provide housing
assistance programs and services for Barnstable’s most vulnerable residents –
especially those living in inadequate housing conditions, homeless, or at risk of
homelessness.” 56 percent of participants who answered this question were in full
support of it.
• The most supported strategy was to “pursue the conversion of available Town
properties to housing, for example, Marstons Mills School, the vacant land next to
the police station, and 164 Route 149, Marstons Mills.” Over 60 percent of
participants were in full agreement with this strategy.
• Common themes that arose during this forum included: More specific goals in the
next draft of the HPP, emphasize redevelopment/reuse of existing buildings into
more housing, and the urgent need for more housing stock.
TOWN COUNCIL MEETING (FEBRUARY 22, 2025)
Director Kupfer presented a draft Housing Production Plan to the Barnstable Town
Council on February 22, 2025. Town Council directed town staff to hold additional
community outreach meetings on the draft plan and recommend edits based on
community feedback.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
12
APRIL 2025 COMMUNITY FORUMS
On April 7, 2025, the Town of Barnstable hosted a community meeting on the draft
Housing Production Plan. 12 people attended the meeting and provided public
comment on the draft.
Main Themes
• Support for the goals in the plan that focus on increasing the number of affordable
housing units, such as revising the inclusionary ordinance.
• Concern over inclusion of goals in this plan that do not relate to deed-restricted
affordable housing.
• Disagreement with the goal of amending zoning to create mixed-use development
in village centers because it is not related to deed-restricted affordable housing.
• Support for pursuing stricter short-term rental regulations.
TOWN COUNCIL COMMITTEE TO ASSESS AND RECOMMNED STRATEGIES FOR
HOUSING CREATION WITHIN THE TOWN
On March 21, 2024, Town Council established a Committee to Assess and
Recommend Strategies for Housing Creation Within the Town. The purpose of this
committee was to recommend strategies for the creation of housing that serves year-
round residents and seasonal workers. The four following recommendations were
made by this committee:
1. Submit a home rule petition to create a transfer fee of an amount to be
determined for houses sold above a certain amount. Revenue from the fees
shall be deposited in the Affordable Housing Growth & Development Trust.
➢ This is reflected in Strategy #17 in this document
2. Use Town assets for affordable housing.
➢ This is reflected in Strategy #8 of this document
3. Prioritize funding and hiring of a housing staff person.
➢ This is reflected in Strategy #16 of this document
4. Create a regulatory structure for short-term rentals.
➢ This is reflected in Strategy #4 of this document
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
13
COMMUNITY OVERVIEW
At 60.17 square miles, Barnstable is geographically the largest town on Cape Cod and the
third largest in the Commonwealth. The Town also is the most populous community on
Cape Cod, with its 48,922 residents accounting for approximately 21 percent of
Barnstable County’s year-round population2.
The Town of Barnstable includes seven villages: Hyannis, Centerville, Osterville, Cotuit,
Marstons Mills, West Barnstable, and Barnstable Village. Each has a dynamic history of
development and a unique village character. The Village of Hyannis has the largest
population and most intense commercial development of the seven villages and serves as
the commercial, transportation, cultural, social service, and health care center of Cape
Cod. Barnstable also has significant populations with special socioeconomic needs that
should be considered in setting priorities and allocating resources for housing and housing
programs. Water and wastewater management are issues at the core of growth
management in Barnstable.
Barnstable is a “Mid-Cape” town, located 20 miles from the Cape Cod Canal and
approximately 50 miles from Provincetown. Barnstable is bounded by the towns of
Mashpee and Sandwich to the west, Yarmouth to the east, Cape Cod Bay to the north
and Nantucket Sound to the south. Barnstable’s extensive shoreline, diverse natural
resources, and location near the center of Cape Cod are among the factors that
contributed to its development as a major tourism and second home destination, a popular
location for residential and commercial development, and the commercial and service hub
of the Cape.
2 U.S. Bureau of the Census, Census 2020 T002 “Total Population [3]” Social Explorer Table,
https://www.socialexplorer.com/tables/CENSUS2020/R13270840
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
14
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
HOUSING GOALS
1. Achieve and maintain the state’s goal under Chapter 40B that 10 percent of
Barnstable’s year-round housing units are countable on its Subsidized Housing
Inventory, while also addressing documented local and regional needs. This includes,
but is not limited to, affordable year-round senior and intergenerational housing
opportunities, affordable year-round rental and ownership housing, and housing for
residents with special needs.
2. Assist in stabilizing housing and provide housing assistance programs and services for
Barnstable’s most vulnerable residents – especially those living in inadequate housing
conditions, homeless, or at risk of homelessness.
3. Enhance local capacity to implement deed-restricted affordable housing initiatives and
strengthen working partnerships with local and regional organizations focused on
addressing housing needs in Barnstable and the region.
4. Partner to promote greater public awareness and understanding of Barnstable’s
housing needs through continued research, outreach, and public education.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
15
HOUSING STRATEGIES
Planning, Policy, and Zoning Strategies
1. Pursue the extension of Barnstable’s residential property tax exemption to
Barnstable property owners that provide affordable year-round rentals to income-
eligible tenants.
i. Consider opportunities to use this incentive to strengthen the Accessory
Affordable Apartment Program.
2. Amend zoning to incentivize development and redevelopment of existing parcels to
create affordable assisted or independent living units for low-income seniors, such
as expedited permitting, zoning relief, and density bonuses.
3. Revise the inclusionary affordable housing ordinance by making it a zoning
ordinance, requiring a higher percentage of affordable units at a variety of income
levels, and making the required percentage proportionate to the size of the
development.
i. Establish an in-lieu of fee that is comparable to the housing market and can
be utilized to support local housing initiatives.
4. Consider regulations and other policies focused on short-term rentals to the extent
they impact year-round affordable housing.
5. Pursue the creation of affordable year-round housing on vacant and/or
underutilized land.
6. Plan and partner with entities to produce permanent supportive housing for
unhoused people.
Local Initiative & Programmatic Strategies
7. Seek opportunities to increase the number of affordable units in future privately
developed projects or create more deeply affordable SHI units in existing
moderate-income deed restricted units by coordinating permit processes with
incentive programs through the Affordable Housing Trust.
8. Explore community-supported opportunities to add affordable housing on Town
properties, especially the Marstons Mills School (2095 Main Street), 164 Route
149, Marstons Mills, land around the Barnstable Adult Community Center, and
other opportunities as may be identified as appropriate.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
16
9. Strengthen the coordination, funding, and integration of available rent assistance,
foreclosure prevention and housing stabilization programs for income-qualified
residents, especially those who are in danger of foreclosure or homelessness.
10. Seek to establish a housing rehabilitation program to help low-income homeowners
preserve their existing housing to live independently and fund repairs to homes for
health and safety.
11. Continue to seek ways to defray costs related to predevelopment, either through
utilizing Affordable Housing Growth & Development Trust funds or examining
water and sewer connection costs to foster creation of affordable units.
Capacity, Coordination, Research, and Education
12. Continue to promote and educate the public on housing initiatives, such as the
Town's Local Initiative Program (LIP) guidelines for 40B Comprehensive Permits,
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) guidance, and Affordable Housing Growth and
Development Trust Fund Notice of Funding Availability.
13. Partner with neighboring communities to create a regional housing services office
(RHSO) to expand resource capacity and support monitoring compliance of existing
affordable units.
14. Clarify roles and responsibilities of the Housing Trust, other boards/committees,
and Town staff; engage the Trust on housing developments early in the permitting
stage for potential funding support.
15. Build partnerships with local organizations and continue affirmative outreach to
target populations, such as low-income residents, seniors, and BIPOC (black,
indigenous, people of color) communities.
16. Recruit, develop, and sustain dedicated and experienced Town staff to continue
coordination of the Town’s affordable housing efforts and entities.
17. Support the Barnstable Affordable Housing Trust by continuing to provide funding
through the Community Preservation Act, HOME/CDBG, and by seeking state
authorization for a real estate transfer fee and building permit surcharge to create
additional funding programs administered by the Trust other funding sources that
may become available. Consider increasing the allocation of CPA funds towards
housing or exercising borrowing and lending powers to support local housing
initiatives.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
17
HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Demographic Profile
• Population growth: Between 2010 and 2020, the number of households decreased by
three percent, while the total population increased by eight percent. Hyannis is a
growing share of the overall population. Future growth or decline is uncertain.
• Aging: The proportion of older adults (60 years or older) has increased over the past 20
years, reaching over 30 percent of the population. Residents over 60 are expected to
comprise 37 percent of the population by 2040.
• Diversity: Barnstable Town and Hyannis have much higher than average diversity of
residents compared to Barnstable County (92 percent white alone3). Roughly one out
of five Barnstable residents identifies as Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color
(BIPOC). The BIPOC population in Hyannis has grown from 25 percent in 2010 to
46.6 percent of the Hyannis population in 2020.
• Language: Many Barnstable residents were born outside of the United States (17
percent), and for even more, English is not the primary language spoken at home (20
percent).
• Special needs: More than one in ten Barnstable residents have some form of disability,
especially among older adults.
• Household size: Most Barnstable residents live in one- or two-person households (69
percent).
• School enrollment: School enrollment has declined steadily since 2002. Enrollment was
at 4,817 students for the 2023-24 school year.
• Labor Force: Most residents (60 percent) over 25 do not hold a bachelor’s degree. An
estimated 10 percent of Barnstable’s labor force works from home. Barnstable
residents are more likely to have lower-paying jobs, exacerbating the need for
affordable housing. The unemployment rate in Hyannis is almost double that of
Barnstable.
Housing Profile
• Housing types: Most of Barnstable's housing stock is detached single-family homes
(84.8 percent of residential properties). In Hyannis, the proportion of single-family
homes is 59 percent, and the village holds one-fifth of all housing units. Barnstable has
more rental housing than most surrounding towns (24 percent). In Hyannis, most units
are renter-occupied (56.6 percent).4
3 Quick Facts Barnstable County, Massachusetts, July 1, 2022,
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/barnstablecountymassachusetts.
4 ACS 2022 (5-Year Estimates), Social Explorer; U.S. Census Bureau
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
18
• Housing size mismatch: Nearly 70 percent of households are one or two people;
however, most Barnstable homes have three bedrooms. This mismatch between
household size and the number of bedrooms suggests a need for more studio, one,
and two-bedroom options in Barnstable. Hyannis homes are more evenly balanced
between the number of bedrooms and people per household.
• Seasonal housing: At least a quarter of Barnstable’s housing units are second homes (at
least 23 percent) and at any one time, the percentage of units registered for short-
term rental varies between approximately 2.3% - 3.4%. There were 844 registered
short-term rentals (less than 30 days) in Barnstable in the 2024 calendar year. The
number of units that are active range from 25 to 32 percent (have hosted tenants in
the last year). More data is needed to better understand this segment of the housing
stock and its overall impact.
Housing Affordability
• Housing cost: Housing prices are on the rise. Between 2021-2022 the median sales
price for a home in Barnstable rose by 62 percent5. The median sales price for a
single-family home in 2023 was $799,000. In 2018, the median sales price for a
condominium was $377,0006 and it can be expected that those prices rose
proportionally per unit as well. Exacerbating the issue is the limited availability of
homes for sale; there were 52 single-family home sales in Barnstable in 2023
compared with 114 in 2020.7 Rental costs have also increased and are anticipated to
continue to rise. In 2023, rental units averaged $1,924 and the vacancy rate remained
very low at around 1.7%.8
• Housing Cost-Burden: Thirty-seven percent of all households are cost-burdened
(spending more than 30 percent of monthly income on housing costs); 72 percent of
low-and-moderate income households are cost-burdened. 58 percent of renter
households are spending more than 30% or more of their income on housing costs.
• Subsidized Housing Inventory: Barnstable currently has 1,485 units on the Subsidized
Housing Inventory, accounting for 6.73 percent of their 2020 Census Year-Round
Housing Units.
5 Banker & Tradesman Median Sale Prices
7 Banker & Tradesman Median Sale Prices and Housing Sales
8 CoStar Annual Maret Report; Barnstable Multi-Family
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
19
DEVELOPMENT CONSTRAINTS
• Environmental constraints: Water quality, local wetlands regulations, sensitive
ecosystems, and culturally/historically significant resources.
• Infrastructure constraints: Limited availability of wastewater treatment and public need
sewer.
• Zoning constraints: Multi-family and mixed-use developments are permitted by-right on
just two percent of the town’s total net land area; though, Accessory Dwelling Units
were recently approved right by-right in all zoning districts.
IMPLEMENTATION CAPACITY
• Staff: Barnstable’s Housing and Community Development Program within its Planning
and Development Department focuses on affordable housing preservation and
production.
• Housing Authority: There are currently over 2,000 people on the state-wide waiting list
for elderly/disabled units. This number more than triples for the family housing waiting
list, with 4084 families waiting for two-bedroom homes, 2,077 families waiting for
three-bedroom homes, and 501 families waiting for four-bedroom homes.
• Housing Trust: The Trust currently has $576,823 available and is applying for
$2,500,000 from the Barnstable Community Preservation Act Fund. The Trust
anticipates revising its Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) to invite developers
interested in leveraging additional funds to create affordable housing and is evaluating
opportunities for more direct support to residents.
• Financial support: Since 2006, Barnstable has supported 30 community housing
projects, appropriating $8.9M.
• Capacity can be a strength: Several other local and regional organizations and
committees support affordable housing initiatives financially and through regulatory
guidance, including the Housing Authority, Affordable Housing Growth &
Development Trust, Community Preservation Committee, the Cape Cod Commission,
Housing Assistance Corporation, and more.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
20
CHAPTER 2: HOUSING GOALS AND STRATEGIES
The housing goals and strategies detailed in this report are based on the findings of the
demographic and housing analysis incorporated herein, as well as observations and
preferences of community participants that were gathered through a variety of
engagement methods. The Town solicited community input through focus groups in
August 2022, two public forums on September 21 and November 30th, 2022, a public
survey between September and November 2022, two public forums on April 7 and April
10th, 2025, as well as offering the public the opportunity to submit written comments.
The goals of this plan are consistent with the Comprehensive Permit Regulations (760
CMR 56) as required by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities for
Housing Production Plans:
a) a mix of housing types, consistent with local and regional needs and feasible within the
housing market in which they will be situated. This includes rental, homeownership,
and other occupancy arrangements (if any) for families, individuals, persons with
special needs, and the elderly.
b) a numerical goal for annual housing production pursuant to which there is an increase
in the municipality’s number of SHI Eligible Housing units. This represents at least 0.50
percent of its total units [in accordance with 760 CMR 56.03(3)(a)], during every
calendar year included in the HPP, until the overall percentage exceeds the Statutory
Minimum of 10 percent of its total year-round housing units, pursuant to M.G.L. c.
40B, and as set forth in 760 CMR 56.03(3)(a). Based on Barnstable’s 2020 US Census
figure of 21,915 year-round housing units, Barnstable’s 10 percent goal would be met
with 2,192 countable units on the SHI.
KEY FINDINGS
Please see the Executive Summary for a list of all goals and strategies.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
21
FIVE-YEAR GOALS
A Housing Production Plan approved by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable
Communities expires after five years. If the Executive Office of Housing and Livable
Communities approves this HPP in 2025, it would be in effect through 2030,
encompassing Fiscal Years 2026 through 2030. The goals of this five-year plan are
intended to provide guidance for local housing policies and initiatives but do not bind
future actions or decisions of local officials or the Town Council. The four goals, which are
intended to accommodate Barnstable's housing needs, include one that is a specific
quantitative production goal and three qualitative goals. The goals listed are in no
particular or priority order.
Note: The EOHLC 10 percent goal under Chapter 40B is a minimum target. Barnstable’s
overall affordable housing goals seek to create a variety of housing opportunities that will
foster Barnstable’s vibrancy and meet the needs of the community.
1. ACHIEVE AND MAINTAIN THE STATE’S GOAL UNDER CHAPTER 40B THAT 10
PERCENT OF BARNSTABLE’S YEAR-ROUND HOUSING UNITS ARE COUNTABLE
ON ITS SUBSIDIZED HOUSING INVENTORY, WHILE ALSO ADDRESSING
DOCUMENTED LOCAL AND REGIONAL NEEDS. THIS INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT
LIMITED TO, AFFORDABLE YEAR-ROUND SENIOR AND INTERGENERATIONAL
HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES, AFFORDABLE YEAR-ROUND RENTAL AND
OWNERSHIP HOUSING, AND HOUSING FOR RESIDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
In 2023, Barnstable has 7.15 percent of its year-round housing units on the SHI, which
is based on 2020 US Census data and the EOHLC’s Chapter 40B Subsidized Housing
Inventory update released on June 29, 2023. That 7.15 percent is calculated by
dividing 1,566 countable SHI units by year-round housing units per the 2020 US
Census. Barnstable has gained 194 units on the SHI since the last HPP was approved
in 2018, from 1,372 units to now 1,566 units. Based on the 2020 US Census, and
with an approved Housing Production Plan is place by 2025, Barnstable could obtain
“Safe Harbor” certification for a period of one year by creating 109 new SHI units; or
for a period of two years by creating 219 new SHI units. Note, per the 2020 year-
round housing units of 21,915, the Town would need 2,192 units listed on the SHI to
meet the State’s 10 percent goal. The Town has 1,566 units listed on the SHI,
requiring production of at least 626 units to surpass the 10 percent goal. It will require
coordinated and consistent funding and staff time on the Town’s part to achieve such
housing production goals during the life of this HPP.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
22
2. ASSIST IN STABILIZING HOUSING AND PROVIDE HOUSING ASSISTANCE
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR BARNSTABLE’S MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS
– ESPECIALLY THOSE LIVING IN INADEQUATE HOUSING CONDITIONS,
HOMELESS, OR AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS.
Many low-income residents struggle with housing costs. Barnstable will work to
support the housing needs of vulnerable residents, especially those who are living in
inadequate housing conditions, those who are homeless, or are in danger of
homelessness. Barnstable will seek out new ways to expand local assistance and
maximize such support by leveraging state and other public or private programs.
3. ENHANCE LOCAL CAPACITY TO IMPLEMENT DEED-RESTRICTED AFFORDABLE
HOUSING INITIATIVES AND STRENGTHEN WORKING PARTNERSHIPS WITH
LOCAL AND REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS FOCUSED ON ADDRESSING HOUSING
NEEDS IN BARNSTABLE AND THE REGION.
Barnstable is fortunate to have staff, local Boards, an Affordable Housing Trust, and
organizations helping to address housing needs in the community. These organizations
provide affordable housing, financially support affordable housing development, and
provide housing assistance or other related support, such as community education and
advocacy. To further address local housing needs, the Town intends to continue to
support its local capacity and expand the initiatives in partnership with these
organizations.
4. PARTNER TO PROMOTE GREATER PUBLIC AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING
OF BARNSTABLE’S HOUSING NEEDS THROUGH CONTINUED RESEARCH,
OUTREACH, AND PUBLIC EDUCATION.
Understanding and being responsive to local residents’ housing needs in light of
changing economic and market conditions is an effort that requires ongoing
investment by the Town and community partners. The Town intends to develop
research-based tools, communication strategies, and benchmarks to keep residents
and policy makers informed of ongoing need and progress towards the goals of this
plan.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
23
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIES
Achieving the community’s five-year goals will require a variety of regulatory,
programmatic, and policy strategies. This section includes descriptions of local regulatory
strategies, local initiatives, and strategies that deal with implementation capacity,
education, and outreach. The intent is not to suggest that Barnstable will implement all
these strategies over five years, but rather to offer multiple ways the community can work
to achieve its goals. Many of these strategies are contingent on factors beyond the
municipality’s control, including market opportunities and funding availability. All strategies
will require local approvals in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
This plan’s strategies comply with the requirements of the Comprehensive Permit
Regulations (760 CMR56), which are summarized as follows:
The HPP shall address the matters set out in the Executive Office’s guidelines, including
an explanation of the specific strategies by which the municipality will achieve its housing
production goal, and a schedule for implementation of the goals and strategies for
production of units, including all the following strategies, to the extent applicable:
a) The identification of zoning districts or geographic areas in which the municipality
proposes to modify current regulations for the purposes of creating SHI-Eligible
Housing developments to meet its housing production goal.
b) The identification of specific sites for which the municipality will encourage the filing
of Comprehensive Permit applications.
c) Characteristics of proposed residential or mixed-use developments that would be
preferred by the municipality (examples might include cluster developments, adaptive
reuse, transit-oriented housing, mixed-use development, inclusionary housing, etc.).
d) Municipally owned parcels for which the municipality commits to issue requests for
proposals to develop SHI Eligible Housing; and/or
e) Participation in regional collaborations that address housing development.
The strategies are organized into three categories and are in no specific order:
A. Planning, Policies, and Zoning Strategies
B. Local Initiatives and Programmatic Strategies
C. Capacity, Coordination, and Education
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
24
PLANNING, POLICIES, AND ZONING STRATEGIES9
The Town’s authority to update zoning regulations can have powerful effects on
encouraging private responses to address local housing needs with minimal local
expenditure. The following strategies incorporate recommendations for both local
planning initiatives and zoning amendments.
1. PURSUE THE EXTENSION OF BARNSTABLE'S RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY TAX
EXEMPTION TO PROPERTY OWNERS THAT PROVIDE AFFORDABLE YEAR-
ROUND RENTALS TO INCOME-ELIGIBLE TENANTS.
The Town Council has the option of enacting a residential exemption of up to 35
percent of the average total residential value in Barnstable every year for those
property owners who maintain their primary residence in the Town of Barnstable (the
current exemption is set at 25%). On October 4, 2023, Governor Healey signed a tax
relief bill that created a local-option property tax exemption for residential properties
that are rented to households earning no more than 200% of area median income, and
allow municipalities to determine the amount of the exemption and adopt ordinances
implementing these provisions. Barnstable’s residential exemption could be extended
to property owners who may have an investment property that they rent. If the
resident rents that property as a year-round rental (as opposed to a short-term or
vacation rental) the Town could consider offering a residential property tax exemption
in that case, provided that the property is not already under a Tax Increment
Exemption (TIE) or Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Agreement.
• The Town could consider a higher percentage of residential exemption to
property owners who maintain their primary residence in the Town of
Barnstable.
• The Town could also consider a higher percentage of residential exemption for
property owners that participate in the Accessory Affordable Apartment
program. This program is a local comprehensive permit program which allows
property owners to create an accessory dwelling unit for year-round rental to
tenants making at or below 80% of the area median income. If the Accessory
Affordable Apartment program is going to be incentivized and marketed, the
Town should consider updating and clarifying the ordinance.
9 More information: Room Occupancy Excise Tax: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/room-occupancy-excise-tax
Data Analytics and Resource Bureau Local Tax Options:
https://dlsgateway.dor.state.ma.us/reports/rdPage.aspx?rdReport=LocalOptions.Room_Tax_Impact_Fee
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
25
2. AMEND ZONING TO INCENTIVIZE DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT OF
EXISTING PARCELS TO CREATE AFFORDABLE ASSISTED OR INDEPENDENT
LIVING UNITS FOR LOW-INCOME SENIORS, SUCH AS EXPEDITED PERMITTING,
ZONING RELIEF, AND DENSITY BONUSES.
Zoning amendments could incentivize development of affordable senior housing units
– both independent living and affordable assisted living units. For example, for
developments that include a substantial portion of affordable units the minimum lot
sizes could be reduced, allowed density could be increased, and dimensional
requirements including parking, could be reduced. The proportion of older adults has
increased over the past 20 years, reaching over 30 percent of the population.
Residents over 60 are expected to comprise 37 percent of the population by 2040.
3. REVISE THE INCLUSIONARY AFFORDABLE HOUSING ORDINANCE BY MAKING IT
A ZONING ORDINANCE, REQUIRING A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF AFFORDABLE
UNITS AT A VARIETY OF INCOME LEVELS AND MAKING THE REQUIRED
PERCENTAGE PROPORTIONATE TO THE SIZE OF THE DEVELOPMENT.
Inclusionary housing strategies help ensure that the benefits of new investment and
development are shared more equitably among households of different income levels.
Barnstable adopted an inclusionary affordable housing ordinance in 1999, which has
remained largely unchanged in the intervening twenty-five years. While the Barnstable
ordinance has resulted in the creation of dozens of units of affordable housing, the
Town recognizes that the Cape Cod housing market has changed dramatically and that
newer approaches to creating affordable housing have been tested and adopted.
The ordinance only allows the option for a developer to pay a fee in lieu of creating
on-site units through a “development agreement” process. There is no formula or
guidance established for calculating an appropriate fee.
The Town should evaluate the local housing market and consider modifications to its
ordinance that are informed through an economic feasibility analysis and that create
meaningful and quality affordable housing opportunities.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
26
4. CONSIDER REGULATIONS OR OTHER POLICIES FOCUSED ON SHORT-TERM
RENTALS TO THE EXTENT THEY IMPACT YEAR-ROUND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
The Town should continue to evaluate the impact of short-term rentals on the
community’s housing stock and their impact on neighborhoods and year-round
residents. There are several regulations on short-term rentals Barnstable could
consider that would support affordable housing. For example, Barnstable could
reallocate a portion of the transient occupancy rooms tax, including short-term rental
income, which may require Special State Legislation, to support revenue for affordable
and community housing.
Barnstable should continue to monitor and research other communities with pressure
from increasing short-term rental units for examples of ordinances and regulations,
such as an added 3 percent community impact fee for professionally managed short-
term rentals. The Town should continue to monitor and report on approaches other
communities are taking to evaluate and regulate short-term rentals and consider what
process and information may best contribute to local discussions.
5. PURSUE THE CREATION OF AFFORDABLE YEAR-ROUND HOUSING ON VACANT
AND/OR UNDERUTILIZED LAND OR PROPERTIES.
The Town could incentivize the creation of affordable year-round housing on vacant
or underutilized properties using a combination of Town staff capacity, regulatory
process, and funding. For example, the 2021 Economic Development Bill authorizes
$40M for the Underutilized Properties Program10, administered by MassDevelopment,
to fund “projects that will improve, rehabilitate or redevelop blighted, abandoned,
vacant or underutilized properties to achieve the public purposes of eliminating blight,
increasing housing production, supporting economic development projects, increasing
the number of commercial buildings accessible to persons with disabilities.” The
program focuses on funding capital improvements and code compliance projects, along
with the design of these improvements. The term underutilized is not defined within
the Program’s establishing legislation.
, Barnstable could enact other permitting or zoning incentives for these properties.
10 Underutilized Properties Program, Mass Development, Updated January 2023, https://www.massdevelopment.com/what-we-
offer/real-estate-services/underutilized-properties-program
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
27
6. PLAN AND PARTNER WITH ENTITIES TO PRODUCE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING FOR UNHOUSED PEOPLE.11
People need a stable, decent, permanent place to live first as a foundation for
wellbeing. Historically, Single-Room Occupancies (SROs) were a common form of
housing that provided an important and affordable option for people at many life
stages and situations. SRO housing is a residential property that includes multiple
single room dwelling units. Each unit is for occupancy by a single eligible individual.
There are a variety of types of SROs. The unit need not, but may, contain food
preparation or sanitary facilities, or both. SROs are an essential housing type to
permanent housing for formerly unhoused individuals or those at risk of becoming
unhoused. Enriched SROs is a type of SRO where social services are available onsite or
by referral through a supportive services program. One example is Lifebridge, which
currently has 22 units of SROs in Salem that is combined with supportive programs
and training.
While not a traditional SRO, but similar in many ways is the concept of a tiny house
village and micro units. A public – private partnership in Worcester is resulting in a tiny
house village and a state partnership with their Housing Authority is resulting in
studios that will provide permanent housing for people who have been chronically
unhoused. Each home will be less than 500 sq.ft. and contain a bedroom, bathroom,
and combination living/kitchen area. Both models will include on-site housing
specialists.
Plan for the creation of SROs through development regulations and partner with
entities that recognize the economics of creating SROs.
LOCAL INITIATIVE AND PROGRAMMATIC STRATEGIES
Local initiative strategies refer to recommendations that the Town can undertake to foster
the creation of more housing options, especially affordable housing. These initiatives are
not regulatory in nature; rather, they deal with allocation of Town resources, including
staff time, funding, and property.
7. SEEK OPPORTUNITIES TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF AFFORDABLE UNITS IN
FUTURE PRIVATELY DEVELOPED PROJECTS OR CREATE MORE DEEPLY
11 More information:
• EDGE PD&R, Considering SRO Housing in New York City and Beyond, June 2018:
https://www.huduser.gov/portal/pdredge/pdr-edge-trending-062518.html
• Bedford, Tori, GBH News: Village of Tiny Homes Will Offer Permanent Housing for Some of Worcester’s Homeless:
https://www.wgbh.org/news/local-news/2021/07/18/a-village-of-tiny-homes-will-offer-permanent-housing-for-
worcesters-homeless-population
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
28
AFFORDABLE SHI UNITS IN EXISTING MODERATE-INCOME DEED RESTRICTED
UNITS BY COORDINATING PERMIT PROCESSES WITH INCENTIVE PROGRAMS
THROUGH THE AFFRODABLE HOUSING TRUST.
The Barnstable Affordable Housing Growth and Development Trust will continue to
pursue the creation of additional affordable units through issuing RFPs indicating its
desire to fund increased affordability in private developments, work with the Planning
Board to negotiate increased affordability into future developments or buy down
moderate-income units to SHI-eligible levels on resale. This could include utilizing CPA
and Housing Trust funds to cover gaps in funding through grants or loans, and to
demonstrate local commitment to secure competitive funding from other state,
federal, and/or private sources as available. It may also include enhancing the existing
inclusionary affordable housing ordinance to include density bonuses for increased
affordable unit percentages.
The Trust has more than $2.65 million in grants available and is working to market a
Notice of Funding Availability to developers who are interested in creating affordable
housing.
8. EXPLORE COMMUNITY-SUPPORTED OPPORTUNITIES TO ADD AFFORDABLE
HOUSING ON TOWN PROPERTIES, ESPECIALLY THE MARSTONS MILLS SCHOOL
(2095 MAIN STREET), 164 ROUTE 149, MARSTONS MILLS, LAND AROUND THE
BARNSTABLE ADULT COMMUNITY CENTER, AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AS
MAY BE IDENTIFIED AS APPROPRIATE.
To help address Barnstable’s most critical housing needs, as documented in the Town’s
Housing Needs Assessment, the Town could explore offering available Town-owned
properties for development of units affordable to households at or below 50 percent
AMI and 30 percent AMI. This could be 100 percent affordable units or a mix of
income-restricted units and market rate units. As the property owner, offering public
land for affordable housing development provides the Town with a high level of
control over how a property ultimately gets developed. To implement this strategy, the
Town would issue a Request for Proposals that specifies a minimum number (or
percentage) of units that should be affordable. This minimum should be established by
testing the feasibility – estimate how the affordable unit minimum may impact project
feasibility and the need for public subsidies. Funding programs typically have a
maximum award per unit, and this will affect the feasibility of the project. Funding
programs could include local Community Preservation Act/Affordable Housing Growth
& Development Trust funds and CDBG funds. Projects could be permitted under a
Comprehensive Permit (friendly 40B), EOHLC’s 40R or 40Y programs, or through
other zoning changes.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
29
Potential locations suggested in the focus groups and interviews include the former
Marstons Mills Elementary School (2095 Main Street), and 164 Route 149, Marstons
Mills. The Town also conducted a master planning process for the Barnstable Adult
Community Center, which evaluated the potential for affordable senior housing.
9. STRENGTHEN THE COORDINATION, FUNDING, AND INTEGRATION OF
AVAILABLE RENT ASSISTANCE, FORECLOSURE PREVENTION AND HOUSING
STABILIZATION PROGRAMS FOR INCOME-QUALIFIED RESIDENTS, ESPCIALLY
THOSE WHO ARE IN DANGER OF FORECLOSURE OR HOMELESSNESS.
The Town should continue to collaborate with local service providers to address
homelessness through the efforts of the Human Services Committee, Affordable
Housing Trust, Housing Committee and/or other groups as necessary. There are
numerous state and public funding programs available to assist in the creation and
rehabilitation of housing. There are also a number of programs, administered federally,
state-wide, and regionally that fund direct assistance to residents struggling with
housing stability and being housing cost-burdened. These funding streams and others
have the potential to rehabilitate and increase Barnstable’s overall housing stock and
specifically its deed-restricted affordable housing stock. They also have the
opportunity to make the housing stock that we currently have more affordable, stable,
and accessible to residents.
10. SEEK TO ESTABLISH A REHABILITATION PROGRAM TO HELP LOW-INCOME
HOMEOWNERS PRESERVE THEIR EXISTING HOUSING TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY
AND FUND REPAIRS TO HOMES FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY.
As the community ages, there will be more need for home rehabilitation to
accommodate aging in place. For those with mobility challenges, existing housing
would have to be made more accessible through rehabilitation initiatives to provide
handicapped access and safety improvements. Establishing a housing rehabilitation
program to provide low-income homeowners with assistance to rehabilitate their
homes could help both young and old alike with needed health and safety
improvements.
A variety of Massachusetts’ towns have established Home Repair Programs and
Housing Rehabilitation programs for low-income homeowners utilizing federal funds
and local non-CPA sources. Funds provided through this type of program would be
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
30
intended to improve home functionality or occupant health and safety, and to allow
older residents to age in place. Applicants would be required to meet income eligibility
requirements (not more than 80 percent of the area median income) and the homes
undergoing repair could also be required to meet assessed value requirements (at or
below the Town’s median assessed value). In addition, it is best practice for such a
program to require a dischargeable lien that requires the funds to be repaid if the
home is sold within a specified period. It may be possible to require a permanent
affordability restriction in return for the rehab funding, but the funding would need to
be substantial enough to justify this requirement because it would substantially
decrease resale potential.
For improved units to be counted on the state’s SHI under a housing rehabilitation
program, the program must require a minimum 15-year affordability restriction12. Such
a program creates affordable housing through this restriction requirement. The Town
should further investigate best practices and legal considerations for such a program.
Note that if the program is structured to create affordable or community housing
units, per the CPA statute (MGL c.44B) then such a program may also qualify for CPA
funds.
Case Studies:
• Amesbury, MA
• Pioneer Valley Planning Commission
• Adams, MA
Locally, the Town has successfully partnered with the Barnstable Housing Authority to
use Community Development Block Grant entitlement funds to make repairs and
upgrades to its housing stock. Projects have improved the quality of existing units or
supported necessary repairs to existing units to make them habitable. The Town
should continue this, and other collaborations with the Barnstable Housing Authority
to continue to improve the quality and livability of the public housing in Barnstable.
11. CONTINUE TO SEEK WAYS TO DEFRAY COSTS RELATED TO PREDEVELOPMENT,
EITHER THROUGH UTILIZING AFFORDABLE HOUSING GROWTH &
DEVELOPMENT TRUST FUNDS OR EXAMINING WATER AND SEWER
CONNECTION COSTS TO FOSTER CREATION OF AFFORDABLE UNITS.
12 Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development. Comprehensive Permit Guidelines, Updated December
2014, https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2017/10/10/guidecomprehensivepermit.pdf.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
31
Infrastructure connection costs can be a barrier to development of multi-family, mixed-
use, and affordable housing. The Town already uses Housing Trust funds to defray
costs related to pre-development. The Trust provides for the preservation and
creation of affordable housing in the Town of Barnstable for the benefit of low- and
moderate-income households. Funds are available for pre-development work to
determine the viability of residential development on a vacant or developed
site. Maximum funding per project is $50,000, according to the current Trust Notice of
Funding Availability.
The Town could also explore predevelopment programs to incentivize the creation of
the most desirable forms of housing development, including top-of-the-shop
development in appropriate areas. Incentives for upper-story, or top-of-the-shop
housing might include the use of Tax Increment Financing or the Housing
Development Incentive Program to help defray costs of infill development. Some
grant programs may help owners pay for architectural or engineering costs necessary
to convert upper story space to housing. Education, capacity building and guidebooks,
such as this one from the Preservation League of New York, could also be developed
to help guide property owners through the process of developing upper floor housing.
CAPACITY, COORDINATION, AND EDUCATION
The following strategies are recommended for expanding the Town’s capacity to
implement housing initiatives through staffing and infrastructure, coordination with other
local or regional entities, and education.
12. CONTINUE TO PROMOTE AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON HOUSING
INITIATIVES, SUCH AS THE TOWN'S LOCAL INITIATIVE PROGRAM (LIP)
GUIDELINES FOR 40B COMPREHENSIVE PERMITS, ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT
(ADU) GUIDANCE, AND THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING GROWTH AND
DEVELOPMENT TRUST FUND NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY.
The Town continues to add housing tools to support housing needs. The Local
Initiative Program (LIP) is a state housing program, established by Massachusetts
General Law Chapter 40B, sections 20-23 (also known the Comprehensive Permit
Law) and administered by EOHLC. The program was established to give cities and
towns greater flexibility in their efforts to provide low and moderate-income housing.
The Town of Barnstable developed a procedure for evaluating LIP proposals that has
been adopted into the Zoning Board of Appeals Comprehensive Permit Rules and
Regulations.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
32
On July 15, 2021, the Town Council affirmatively voted to approve Item No. 2021-
174, a zoning amendment allowing Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). The Council
voted a modification to the rental requirements (§240-47.2(C)(11)) to state that “Either
the principal dwelling or ADU, but not both, may be rented at any given time.” The
ADU zoning ordinance became effective on Sunday August 15th, 2021. Staff has
developed a permit checklist which will guide applicants through the process of
permitting and constructing an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), and information is
readily available the Town’s website.
In February of 2023, Town Council adopted the new Downtown Hyannis zoning. The
rezoning of Downtown Hyannis is an evolution of the zoning code for the Town of
Barnstable. This Gateway City took on a three-year planning process that sought to
consolidate and better define the zoning districts, updated their dimensional standards,
and incorporate form-based zoning techniques that would foster a more predictable
built outcome and produce a high-quality public realm and lively main street.
The provisions defined for each district address the relationship between building
facades and the public realm as well as the size, shape, and scale of buildings in
relation to one another, while regulating land uses through broader, more permissive
categories as compared to conventional zoning techniques supporting a more
pedestrian focused Main Street. Marketing the opportunities for infill and
redevelopment within the district to property owners under the new zoning, and
communicating expectations regarding high quality design, will support the intent of
the zoning amendments going forward.
13. PARTNER WITH NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES TO CREATE A REGIONAL
HOUSING SERVICES OFFICE (RHSO) TO EXPAND RESOURCE CAPACITY AND
SUPPORT MONITORING COMPLIANCE OF EXISTING AFFORDABLE UNITS.
A Regional Housing Services Office (RHSO) is a collaboration between neighboring
towns to expand resource capacity and monitoring compliance of existing affordable
units. RHSOs use an Inter-Municipal Agreement. The RHSO serves its member towns
by assisting with the municipal function of affordable housing, including proactive
monitoring, program administration, project development, and resident assistance.
Because of the RHSO staff’s expertise and the intermittent nature of affordable
housing work, the monitoring, administration, development, and assistance is delivered
more efficiently and effectively. The Town of Barnstable could become the Lead
Community and hosts the RHSO at its office and employ RHSO staff or work with the
County to lead for each of the communities on Cape Cod.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
33
Case Study: Regional Housing Services Office (Boston Metro North)
https://www.rhsohousing.org/
14. CLARIFY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE HOUSING TRUST, OTHER
BOARDS/COMMITTEES, AND TOWN STAFF; ENGAGE TRUST ON HOUSING
DEVELOPMENTS EARLY IN THE PERMITTING STAGE FOR POTENTIAL FUNDING
SUPPORT.
The Barnstable Housing Authority, Housing Committee, Community Preservation
Committee, and Housing Trust could convene quarterly to discuss local housing issues
and to build solutions. The groups included should clarify the roles and responsibilities
for Housing Production Plan implementation, including what level of staffing and
professional support is required to implement the plan.
15. BUILD PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND CONTINUE
AFFIRMATIVE OUTREACH TO TARGET POPULATIONS, SUCH AS LOW -INCOME
RESIDENTS, SENIORS, AND BIPOC (BLACK, INDIGENOUS, PEOPLE OF COLOR)
COMMUNITIES.
The Town should undertake concerted efforts to provide ongoing outreach to target
populations to increase awareness of existing affordable housing programs and
assistance at local and state levels. Some possible methods for consideration include13:
• Translate information on affordable housing programs and assistance in multiple
languages.
• Identify networks and nearby organizations serving people of color, immigrant
groups, low-income families, veterans, and other protected classes; they may
share information with their members, and/or provide language assistance or
volunteers.
• Faith-based organizations in Barnstable can provide leads on specific outreach
and service programs they offer.
• Advertise through local and regional social media and newspapers (Kidon Media
lists national and statewide ethnic newspapers).
• Connect with the local hospital to distribute outreach materials.
• Include educational institutions on the outreach list. School social workers and
parent-teacher organizations are good sources for spreading information among
parents.
13 MAPC Affirmative Marketing, Metropolitan Area Planning Committee, February 1, 2018, https://www.mapc.org/resource-
library/affirmative-marketing/
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
34
16. RECRUIT, DEVELOP, AND SUSTAIN DEDICATED AND EXPERIENCED TOWN
STAFF TO CONTINUE COORDINATION OF THE TOWN’S HOUSING EFFORTS
AND ENTITIES.
Barnstable has demonstrated a continued ability to implement local initiatives.
However, maintaining and increasing local capacity will benefit the Town so it can
successfully reach local housing goals. Ongoing professional housing staff support,
predictable revenue for the Affordable Housing Trust, and coordination among local
entities will strengthen the Town’s ability to continue its strong track record.
Staff in Barnstable’s Planning & Development Department support the Housing and
Community Development program. The objective of this program is to renew and
strengthen neighborhoods by encouraging livability and diversity and by encouraging
affordable and work force housing opportunities throughout the Town. Town staff
coordinates and manages the resale of existing affordable housing units, including
running any required lotteries and ensuring that all state and federal requirements are
met, and works directly with the Housing Trust to develop new affordable units
throughout the community. The staff also provides information on existing affordable
housing options on the Town’s website and updates the information as needed.
17. SUPPORT THE BARNSTABLE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST BY CONTINUING TO
PROVIDE FUNDING THROUGH THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT,
HOME/CDBG, AND BY SEEKING STATE AUTHORIZATION FOR A REAL ESTATE
TRANSFER FEE AND BUILDING PERMIT SURCHARGE TO CREATE ADDITIONAL
FUNDING PROGRAMS ADMINISTERED BY THE TRUST OTHER FUNDING
SOURCES THAT MAY BECOME AVAILABLE. CONSIDER INCREASING THE
ALLOCATION OF CPA FUNDS TOWARDS HOUSING OR EXERCISING
BORROWING AND LENDING POWERS TO SUPPORT LOCAL HOUSING
INITIATIVES.
Barnstable needs predictable, sustainable revenue sources so that funds are readily
available when affordable home opportunities arise. Much of the development of
affordable homes is opportunistic, occurring when a suitable property becomes
available. Without the necessary funds to act quickly, valuable opportunities could be
missed. To accomplish this, Town Council could approve an annual appropriation for
the Trust. Additionally, the Town could file home rule petitions or a real estate transfer
fee for the 2022-2023 legislation session. Both Community Preservation funding and
affordable housing mitigation funds, including proceeds from the inclusionary zoning
ordinance, have helped capitalize the Fund and help also leverage CDBG funds.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
35
Currently, the Fund has $2.6M available in grants toward pre-development work and
subsidizing affordable housing developments. Given the extent of Barnstable’s housing
crisis, the Town should consider increasing the allocation of CPA funds towards
housing, or exercising borrowing powers, to support local housing initiatives.
Several Cape Cod towns, including Truro, Provincetown, and
Chatham, have filed home-rule petitions to establish a real
estate transfer tax to support local affordable housing
initiatives. The Local Option for Housing Affordability (LOHA)
Coalition is working to create and support affordable housing
with a real estate transfer fee. The LOHA Coalition is
composed of the following cities and towns: Boston, Concord,
Somerville, Nantucket, Brookline, Provincetown, Chatham,
Cambridge, and Arlington. It also includes about one hundred
organizational members. Both bills, still pending in state
legislature, reported out favorably by committee in 2022. Barnstable could join this
coalition and file a home rule petition for the transfer fee and the permit surcharge.
This has the potential to provide substantial long-term and reliable funding to the
Barnstable Housing Growth and Development Trust Fund.
More information: www.realestatetransferfee.org.
Source: Local
Options for
Housing
Affordability
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
36
ACTION PLAN
The matrix below provides more specific assignment of the responsible entity, supporting
entity, and timeframe to implement each housing strategies.
Housing Strategies FY2026 FY2027 FY2028 FY2029 FY2030 Responsible Entity Supporting Entities 1
Property tax
exemption for local
owners of year-round
rentals
0 0 0 0 5
TC HC
2
Zoning to incentivize
affordable assisted or
independent living
units
0 0 0 15 15
TC PB
3 Revise inclusionary
ordinance
60 60 30 20 20 TC PB, HC
4 Short-term rental
regulation review
00 0
0
0 0 0 TC PB
5
Create housing on
underutilized
properties
0 0 0 0 0
TC PB
6
Create supportive
housing for unhoused
people
0 0 0 0 20
TC PB
7
Increased number of
affordable units in
privately developed
projects
0 0 0 10 10
PB TC,
HC, HT
8 Addition of housing to
Town properties
0 0 0
0
0 40 TC PB,
HC, HT
9
Programs for residents
in danger of
homelessness
0 0 0 0 0
HT HC, TC
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
37
Housing Strategies Action Plan TC = Town Council HC= Housing Committee HT = Housing Trust PB = Planning Board CPC =
Community Preservation Committee
Note: Strategies colored across all years indicates strategies that are ongoing and/or should be implemented as
opportunities arise, rather than a specific schedule.
10 Rehabilitation program 0 0 0
0
0
0
3 TC HC, HT
11
Defray costs related to
predevelopment or
infrastructure
0 0 5 5 5
HT PB
12
Educate the public on
the Town's LIP and
ADU guidance
0 0 0 0 0
HC PB
13 Create a regional
housing services office
0 0
0
10 10 10 TC PB,
HC, HT
14
Clarify roles and
responsibilities of Trust/
boards/committees/staff
0 0
0
0
0
0 0
0 HC TC, HT
15
Partnership and
outreach to target
populations
0 0 0 0 0
HC TC, HT
16
Recruit, develop, and
sustain dedicated and
experienced Town
staff
0 0 5 10 10
TC
17
Support the Barnstable
Affordable Housing
Trust by continuing to
provide funding
0 0 18 20 20
TC CPC,
HT
Additional units
through anticipated
40B projects
4 35 35 20 0
TOTAL 64 95 103 110 158
AH % .3% .43% .47% .5% .72%
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
38
CHAPTER 3: DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE
An analysis of local demographic data and housing stock reveals key characteristics and trends in
Barnstable that help explain housing needs and demand. The characteristics of a town’s residents
— such as their life stage, wealth, race and ethnicity, and household size — are closely linked to
the characteristics of a town’s housing stock. To understand the broader context of Barnstable’s
housing needs, we compare the demographics of Barnstable Town to Barnstable County and to
Massachusetts at times, as well as to surrounding communities: Bourne, Dennis, Falmouth,
Mashpee, Sandwich, and Yarmouth. Hyannis is also presented independently where necessary to
showcase how this one village skews Barnstable’s total statistics.14 This chapter will provide the
framework for housing production goals and strategies that were covered earlier in this
document.
SUMMARY
In the last ten years, Barnstable has seen a 3 percent decrease in the total number of households,
but an overall increase of 8 percent in its total population. Barnstable’s full-time population has
fluctuated since 1980. Most Barnstable residents are over the age of 35, and the population is
predicted to grow increasingly older with the aging of these residents. The town is also becoming
more diverse, with Black, Indigenous, and other people of color accounting for over one-fifth of
the population. Hyannis's BIPOC proportion is even higher, accounting for nearly half of the
village's overall population. Both Barnstable Town and Hyannis have significantly higher-than-
average resident diversity compared with Barnstable County, which is 92 percent white15.
Almost two-thirds of Barnstable’s households are family households, and 69 percent of total
households are individuals living alone or with only one other person. The average household
size in Barnstable is slightly lower than both the County and the state.
Most resident occupations are in education, health care, and social assistance professions, and
this may account for the lower median household income as compared to the Area Median
Income (AMI) set by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Non-family
and renter-occupied households earn roughly $40,000 less than the AMI, which means increased
14 For the purposes of this study, Hyannis is generally composed of 2020 Census block groups where data is available at that level: Tract 125.02
groups 2, 3, and 4; Tract 126.02 groups 2, 3, and 4; and Tract 153 groups 2 and 3. Where block group-level data is not available, this study uses
Census tracts 125.02, 126.02, and 153. Census geography is specific throughout the report. Further note that margins of error for the block
group level, being a smaller sample size, are typically greater than at the census tract level; therefore, findings may be more accurate at the census
tract level despite encompassing areas larger than the immediate bounds of Hyannis village. Tract and block group boundaries fluctuate between
each census and make historical comparisons and trends impossible to define on this level.
15 Quick Facts Barnstable County, Massachusetts, https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/barnstablecountymassachusetts
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
39
difficulty for these households to afford housing costs. In Barnstable, 37 percent of households
are spending more than 30 percent of their monthly income on housing costs – and for low- and
moderate-income earners, this number jumps to 72 percent. More information on housing
affordability is included in the next chapter.
DEMOGRAPHICS
This Housing Production Plan is grounded in a thorough examination of Barnstable’s
demographic makeup. An analysis of the current population, household composition, race and
ethnicity, and educational attainment provides insight into existing housing needs and demand.
Projects of Barnstable’s future residential composition help inform housing planning efforts.
POPULATION
According to the 2020 Census, Barnstable’s total population is 48,916, though the number of
people living in Barnstable on any given day is likely much higher. The US Census collects
information on where people live for most of the year, which can negatively skew population
data in communities with large tourism rates and high amounts of seasonal housing and short-
term rentals. Barnstable saw significant growth between 1980 and 2020, climbing more than 58
percent. This growth mainly took place between 1980 and 2000, when the population grew 55
percent. Between 2000 and 2010 Barnstable’s population shrunk by about 5.5 percent, but it
recovered and grew another 8 percent between 2010 and 2020.
MassDOT and the UMass Donahue Institute both predict that Barnstable’s population will
significantly decline by 2040, with each estimating a population of 34,277. Yet these agencies
also predicted that Barnstable’s population would continue to shrink after 2010 – and that did
not happen. In contrast with their predictions, the Cape Cod Commission predicts that
Barnstable’s population will continue to rise through 2025.16 (Historic population data and future
projections are shown in the graph below.)
Barnstable’s population has growth recently, but future growth or decline is uncertain.
16 Barnstable County Population by Town 1990-2025, Cape Cod Commission, ACS Data EPR/Crane Forecast,
https://ww2.capecodcommission.org/housingdata/.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
40
Barnstable Population Data 1980–2040. Source: US Census (T1), ACS (A00001), MassDOT, and the UMass Donahue Institute.
Hyannis
While Barnstable has seven villages, it is worth noting that Hyannis is significantly more densely
populated than the Town of Barnstable. Hyannis is home to 13,334 residents, which is higher
than the 8,577 reported in 2010.17 At the time of the 2010 Census, Hyannis residents comprised
19 percent of the Town’s total population, compared with today when 27 percent live in
Hyannis. The population of Hyannis has increased by 55 percent in the last decade compared
with Barnstable’s 8 percent increase.
Population Trends in Barnstable and Hyannis, 1990–2020. Source: US Census (T1) and ACS (A00001).
17 Town of Barnstable, Housing Production Plan, November 9, 2016,
https://www.townofbarnstable.us/Departments/CommunityDevelopment/Plans_and_Reports/Barnstable-Housing-Production-
Plan.pdf?tm=9/8/2022%209:59:03%20PM.
40,949 47,821 45,193 48,916
6,278 7,241 8,577 13,334
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
1990 2000 2010 2020
HYANNIS RESIDENTS ARE A GROWING SHARE OF BARNSTABLE'S
POPULATION
Barnstable Hyannis
30,000
32,000
34,000
36,000
38,000
40,000
42,000
44,000
46,000
48,000
50,000
1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030
projected
2040
projected
BARNSTABLE'S FULL-TIME POPULATION PROJECTIONS ARE UNCERTAIN
Census MassDOT UMass Donahue
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
41
POPULATION AGE
Currently, the bulk of Barnstable’s
residents (41 percent) fall between the
ages of 35 and 64, with 47.3 being the
median age. Those aged 17 and
younger comprised 18 percent of the Town,
which is slightly higher than County levels
but below state levels. About 18 percent
of Barnstable’s residents are between 18 and
34, which, again, is higher than the County
but lower than the state’s shares. At about
23 percent, older adults (those aged 65 and
older) are the second largest age bracket
in Barnstable.
Between 2010 and 2020, the
proportion of Barnstable’s population that is
aged 60 years or older increased 10 percentage points, from 21 to 31 percent; by 2025, the
population is predicted to become increasingly older. Predicted age distribution is displayed in
the graph below on the right, with the left side referencing the last two decades.
The proportion of older adults has increased over the past 20 years, reaching over 30 percent of the
overall population.
18%15%20%
18%16%
24%
41%39%
39%
23%30%17%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Barnstable Barnstable
County
Massachusetts
BARNSTABLE RESIDENTS ARE YOUNGER
THAN COUNTY AVERAGE
0-17 18-34 35-64 65+
Barnstable Population Age Distribution with Comparison, 2020.
Source: US Census (T11) and ACS (B01001).
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
42
Historical and Predicted Age Distribution of Barnstable Residents. Sources: US Census (T11), ACS (B01001), UMass Donahue Institute.
Hyannis
Comparatively, Hyannis residents are younger; just
15 percent are 65+. Within this village, the
population of residents aged 0–17 has
increased 19 percent, while Barnstable
experienced a 3 percent decrease. The bulk of
Hyannis residents (38 percent) fall between 35
and 64 years old, which is a 10 percent
decrease from 2010 and is on par with
Barnstable as a whole.
5%5%
20%19%
19%16%
16%14%
14%14%
11%10%
42%44%22%
21%
20%21%
31%37%
2000 2010 2020 2040
NEARLY TWO IN FIVE BARNSTABLE RESIDENTS ARE OLDER THAN 60
60+
45-59
35-44
20-34
0-19
21%18%
26%
18%
38%
41%
15%23%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Hyannis Barnstable
Hyannis has a younger
population
0-17 18-34 35-64 65+
Age Distribution of Population for Hyannis and Barnstable,
2020. Source: US Census (T11) and ACS (B01001).
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
43
Population by Age in Hyannis and Barnstable, 2020 (left) and Change in Population by Age for Hyannis and Barnstable between 2010
and 2020 (right). Source: US Census (T11) and ACS (B01001).
RACIAL COMPOSITION OF THE
POPULATION
While Barnstable has seen significant
growth in their Black, Indigenous, and
people of color (BIPOC) populations (105
percent increase between 2010 and 2020),
the community remains predominantly
white, with 79.1 percent of residents
identifying as such. This growth is rapidly
outpacing both the County and state whose
BIPOC communities have increased 86
percent and 46 percent, respectively.
BIPOC populations now account for over
one-fifth of the entire population.
Black, Indigenous, and People of color
now account for over one-fifth of the
entire population.
19%
4%
-10%
7%
-3%
6%
-9%
9%
-20%
-10%
0%
10%
20%
0-17 18-34 35-64 65+
Hyannis saw the most growth in children aged 0-17
Hyannis Barnstable
ABOUT ONE IN FOUR BARNSTABLE RESIDENTS IDENTIFY AS
BIPOC
43,443 39,512 37,296
3,896
5,681 11,620
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
2000 2010 2020
White Alone All BIPOC
Barnstable Majority vs. Minority Population Distribution 2000–
2020. Source: US Census (T15, T55, T003).
ABOUT ONE IN FOUR BARNSTABLE RESIDENTS IDENTIFY
AS BIPOC
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
44
Barnstable saw a decrease of white residents by 6 percent between 2010 and 2020. This
number is larger than the County but is similar to the state. Barnstable’s non-white population is
largely composed of those identifying as Two or More Races (8.9 percent) and Non-White
Hispanic (5.4 percent).
BIPOC Population Growth in Barnstable, 2000–2020. Source: US Census (T15, T55, T003).
Hyannis
Most non-white residents in Barnstable are living in Hyannis. The ‘White Alone’ population is
76.2 percent in Barnstable, compared to 53.4 percent in Hyannis. Similarly, the percentage of
BIPOC residents living in Hyannis nearly doubles for Black/African American, Asian, Two or More
Races, and Hispanic residents.
The BIPOC population in Hyannis has grown from 25 percent in 2010 to 46.6 percent of the
Hyannis population in 2020. This is much higher than Town or County averages.
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
2000 2010 2020
Multi-Racial and Hispanic American populations have grown
the most between 2000 and 2020
Black or African American
American Indian and Alaska Native Alone
Asian Alone
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Alone
Some Other Race Alone
Two or More Races
Hispanic or Latino
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
45
BIPOC Population Distribution by Hyannis and Barnstable, 2020. Source: US Census (T15, T55, T003).
FOREIGN-BORN POPULATION AND LANGUAGE
In 2020, an estimated 17 percent of Barnstable’s population were born outside the United
States. Of this population, 74 percent were born in Central and South American countries,
primarily Brazil (2,502 people) and Jamaica (996 people). Barnstable Town has a higher
proportion of Central and South American-born residents than the County (52 percent) and state
(40 percent). Subsequently, Barnstable’s European immigration share, at 16 percent, is lower than
the County (28 percent) and the state (20 percent). Small percentages of Barnstable residents
were born in Asian, African, and Oceanic nations as well.
In Barnstable, roughly 80 percent of residents speak English at home, which is lower than the
County (90 percent) but higher than the state (76 percent). Other than English, Spanish is the
main primary household language in Barnstable, with an estimated 5 percent of residents
speaking Spanish at home. Portuguese, Slavic and other Indo-European Languages are also
represented in small percentages.
Many Barnstable residents were born outside of the United States (17 percent) and for even more,
English is not the primary language spoken at home (20 percent).
10.1%
4.4%
0.8%
0.5%
2.3%
1.7%
0.1%
0.0%
6.2%
2.8%
15.9%
8.9%
11.2%
5.4%
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
40.0%
45.0%
50.0%
Hyannis Barnstable
BIPOC populations are more likely to live in Hyannis
Black or African American
American Indian and Alaska Native Alone
Asian Alone
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Alone
Some Other Race Alone
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
46
Hyannis
Neither Place of Birth of Foreign-Born Populations nor Language Spoken at Home for the
Population 5 Years and Older are collected at the Block Group or Census Tract Level. Given the
racial distribution of Barnstable’s population, it is likely that Hyannis is similarly home to a higher
proportion of immigrants and those whose primary language is something other than English, as
compared with the other villages.
DISABILITY
The US Census Bureau defines a disability
as a long-lasting physical, mental, or
emotional condition. The agency breaks
these conditions down into six
classifications and defines them as shown
at right.
Residents with one or more disabilities are
more vulnerable to housing challenges in
communities with a shortage of affordable,
physically accessible housing or housing
with supportive services tailored to
individual needs. The 2020 Census states
that 6.8 percent of Barnstable residents
under 65 have a disability, and 30 percent
of those 65 years or older have one or
more disabilities.
More than one in ten Barnstable residents
have some form of disability, especially
among older adults.
Hyannis
Disability statistics are not collected at the Block Group or Census Tract Level in Barnstable, so
no conclusions can be drawn regarding the distribution of people with disabilities.
Hearing Difficulty: Deaf or having serious
difficulty hearing.
Vision Difficulty: Blind or having serious
difficulty seeing, even when wearing glasses.
Cognitive Difficulty: Because of a physical,
mental, or emotional problem, having
difficulty remembering, concentrating, or
making decisions.
Ambulatory Difficulty: Having serious
difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Self-care Difficulty: Having difficulty bathing
or dressing.
Independent living difficulty: Because of a
physical, mental, or emotional problem,
having difficulty doing errands alone such as
visiting a doctor’s office or shopping.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
47
Percentage of Age Groups with Disabilities in Barnstable with County and State Comparison, 2020. Source: ACS (B18101).
HOMELESS
The Cape and Islands Regional Network on Homelessness has released its 2024 findings from
the Annual Point in Time Count (PIT)18, which took place on January 23, 2024, on Cape Cod,
Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket. On the Cape and Islands, the total number of homeless
persons (adults and children, sheltered and unsheltered) counted on the night of January 23 was
568, an increase of 141 from last year, and the highest number of homeless persons counted in
the past eight years.
18 Point in Time Count, Barnstable County Cape Cod Regional Government, Updated January 2024,
https://www.capecod.gov/departments/human-services/initiatives/housing-homelessness/continuum-of-care/point-in-time-count/
4%4%5%
8%9%9%
30%25%
31%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Barnstable Barnstable County Massachusetts
Those with disabiltiies are more likely to be older adults
Under 18 Years 18-64 Years 65 Years and Over
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
48
HOUSEHOLDS
HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITION
The number and type of households within a
community, along with household spending
power, correlate with the housing unit demand.
Each household resides in one housing unit,
regardless of the number of household
members. The 2020 Census reported that
Barnstable has 19,748 households.
Roughly 65 percent of households in Barnstable
are family households, which is only slightly
higher than County and state levels. Family
households can be broken down further to
describe married couples with children, married
couples without children, single-parent
households, and households composed of other
family members. Married couples without
children made up 52 percent of all family
households, lower than the County (60 percent)
but higher than the state (43 percent).
ONE IN FIVE BARNSTABLE HOUSEHOLDS HAVE MEMBERS AGED 18 OR YOUNGER
Percentage of households with youth (18 or younger), 2020. Source: US Census (T89, T59, PCT18) and ACS (A1008, A10009,
A10026).
Barnstable saw a 15 percent decrease in households with youth between 2000 (40
percent) and 2010 (25 percent). In the last decade, this percentage has remained steady
with just over 25 percent of households (one in five) containing a member aged 18 or
younger.
Non-family households, including those with residents living alone or with non-family
roommates, make up the other 35 percent of total households. In Barnstable, 79 percent
Household: A household
includes all the persons who
occupy a housing unit as their
usual place of residence. A
household includes the related
family members and all the
unrelated people.
Family Household: A family
household is a household
maintained by a householder
and one or more people related
by birth, marriage, or adoption.
Non-family Household: A
nonfamily household consists of
a householder living alone or
where the householder shares
the home exclusively with
people to whom they are not
related.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
49
of non-family households (5,316) are made up of those who live alone, with 2,753
householders aged 65 or older living alone.
BARNSTABLE RESIDENTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO LIVE WITH FAMILY MEMBERS. THOSE WHO DO NOT ARE MORE LIKELY
TO LIVE ALONE THAN WITH ROOMMATES.
Barnstable Household Composition (left), with Breakdown of Non -Family Households (right), 2020. Source: US Census (T58,
T59, PCT18) and ACS (A10008, A100009, A10025).
Hyannis
Hyannis had 3,598 households in 2020, which represented about 19 percent of all
households in Barnstable. In Hyannis, households are more evenly split, with 51 percent
family households and 49 percent non-family households. In alignment with Hyannis’s
larger population of residents aged 17 and younger, 29 percent of family households have
youth under age 18, which is slightly higher than Barnstable’s 25 percent.
Information about non-family households is not recorded at the Block Group or Census
Tract Level in Hyannis, so no further conclusions can be drawn about household
composition as compared with Barnstable.
Total
Family
Households
65%
Total Non-
Family
Household
s
35%
Householder
under 65
Living Alone
41%Househol
der 65+
Living
Alone
38%
Roommates
or Other
Non-Family
21%
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
50
HOUSEHOLD SIZE
The average household size in Barnstable was
2.43 persons per household (pph) in 2020. This
is slightly larger than Barnstable County (2.30
pph), but smaller than Massachusetts as a whole
(2.48 pph)..
Most households in Barnstable (41 percent) are
two-person households, with single-person
households the second most popular at 28
percent. These numbers are comparable to
County and state estimates.
SEVEN OUT OF TEN BARNSTABLE RESIDENTS LIVE ALONE OR WITH ONLY ONE OTHER PERSON.
Household Size in Barnstable, 2020. Source: US Census (H13) and ACS (A10024).
1 person
28%
2 people
41%
3 people
14%
4 people
9%
5+
8%
1 person 2 people 3 people 4 people 5+
MOST BARNSTABLE RESIDENTS LIVE IN
ONE- OR TWO-PERSON HOUSEHOLDS
People per Household in Barnstable, 2020. Source: US Census
(H13) and ACS (A10024).
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
51
Hyannis
Hyannis sees a slightly larger household
size at 2.45 pph. This is closer to the
Commonwealth average, although 42
percent of Hyannis households are
reportedly single-person households. The
average household size is likely elevated by
the rental household size, which is 2.65
compared with the ownership household
size of 2.04. Hyannis has a larger
percentage of rental households than
Barnstable; therefore, rental households
are more heavily weighted.
28%
41%
14%
9%
8%
42%
26%
12%
10%
10%
1 person 2 people 3 people 4 people 5+
People per Household in Hyannis (outer ring) and Barnstable (inner
ring), 2020. Source: US Census (H13) and ACS (10024). HYANNIS RESIDENTS (OUTER RING) ARE
MORE LIKELY TO LIVE ALONE OR IN
LARGER HOUSEHOLDS
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
52
EDUCATION
ENROLLMENT
Barnstable’s school enrollment peaked in 2002, with 7,913 students enrolled in
schools. Since then, enrollment has declined steadily. By 2020 school enrollment had
dropped to 5,542 students, with a large majority (81 percent) enrolled in local public
schools. Vocational and technical schools account for almost 9 percent of Barnstable
students.
School Enrollment Trends, 2000–2020 (top) & 2020 Enrollment Distribution by Schooling Type (bottom). Source: MHP
DataTown via Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
81.11%
0.29%
8.81%
5.90%3.90%
Public school is the most
popular school option
Public Private Vocational
Charter Home School
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
SCHOOL ENROLLMENT IS DECLINING
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
53
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
Barnstable’s population over age 25 has achieved slightly less educational attainment
compared with the County and state. Among Barnstable residents, 6 percent do not have
a high school degree which is a larger percentage than Barnstable County at 4 percent.
Those with a bachelor’s degree or higher account for 40 percent of Barnstable residents
compared with 45 percent in the County and in the state. Although most Barnstable
residents over age 25 do not hold a bachelor’s degree, 29 percent have an associate
degree or have completed some college.
Educational Attainment in Barnstable with County and State Comparison, 2020. Source: ACS (A12001).
6%4%9%
25%23%
24%
29%28%23%
41%45%44%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Barnstable Barnstable County Massachusetts
Less than High School High School Degree Some College/Associate's Degree Bachelor's Degree or Higher
MOST RESIDENTS 25+ DO NOT HOLD A BACHELOR'S DEGREE
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
54
Hyannis
Hyannis appears to have lower
educational attainment than
Barnstable as a whole, with 54
percent of Hyannis residents age 25+
having a high school degree or lower
compared with 36 percent in
Barnstable Town. Subsequently,
Hyannis has a lower concentration of
residents with a bachelor’s or post-
secondary degree. In terms of
residents with some college credits or
an associate degree, this applies to 24
percent in Hyannis and 29 percent in
Barnstable.
6%, 6%
25%, 25%
29%, 29%
41%, 40%
13%, 13%
41%, 41%24%, 24%
21%, 22%
HYANNIS RESIDENTS (OUTER RING)
ARE LIKELY TO HAVE LOWER
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
Less than High School
High School Degree
Some College/Associate's
Degree
Educational Attainment Distribution for Hyannis (outer
ring) and Barnstable (inner ring), 2020. Source: ACS
(A12001).
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
55
ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS
LABOR FORCE
According to the 2022 ACS survey, 28,060 residents are in the Barnstable labor force and
1,240 are unemployed, which represents a 3.3 percent unemployment rate.
Massachusetts Department of Economic Research data reports that in January 2024,
Barnstable's total labor force was 23,452 persons with a 4.7 percent unemployment rate,
which is lower than the rate for Barnstable County (5.5 percent), but higher than the
Massachusetts rate reported of 3.5 percent.19 The Barnstable County unemployment rate
shows a predictable variation by season, with rates in January, February and March being
consistently higher, with notable declines in April that hold during the summer months.
Excluding the context of the pandemic, Barnstable's labor force has remained relatively
stable since 2010 (24,631 residents employed), and the unemployment rate has increased
only slightly from the 4 percent it was in 2010. It is somewhat concerning, though, that
demographic shifts to an older population have led to an increased number of individuals
at or approaching retirement age.20
OCCUPATIONS AND INDUSTRIES
The largest share of jobs in Barnstable (36 percent) are in management, business, science,
and arts occupations, followed by 24 percent in education, health care, and social
assistance, which tend to be lower-paying jobs. Other prominent industries in Barnstable
include “Professional, Scientific, Management, Administrative, Waste Management,”
“Construction,” and “Arts, Entertainment, Recreation, Accommodation, [and] Food
Service."
19 Massachusetts Department of Economic Research, Massachusetts Regional Labor Market Information City/Town Map. (14
March 2024). Massachusetts Regional Labor Market Information | Tableau Public
20 Cape & Islands Work Force Development Board, The Cape & Islands Regional Workforce Blueprint (2016).
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
56
Percent of Jobs in Barnstable by Industry, 2020. Source: ACS (C24050).
Barnstable residents are more likely to have lower-paying jobs, which may exacerbate
the need for affordable housing. The table below showcases how the 2021 Average
Annual OES Wages21 compared with the JM Goldson calculated income required
($132,169/year) to afford the 2021 Median Single-Family Home Price.22
21 2021 Average Annual OES Wage taken from the Massachusetts Department of Economic Research (31 August 2022) Long-
Term Occupational Projects Table for the Cape and Islands Region. This data may differ slightly for Barnstable.
22 For more information on this calculation, see Affordability Gap section of Chapter Four.
0%10%20%30%
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, Hunting, Mining
Wholesale Trade
Information
Transportation, Warehousing, Utilities
Manufacturing
Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, Rental, Leasing
Other Services, Except Public Administration
Public Administration
Retail Trade
Arts, Entertainment, Recreation,…
Construction
Professional, Scientific, Management,…
Education, Health Care, Social Assistance
ONE-QUARTER OF RESIDENTS WORK IN EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE, AND
SOCIAL ASSISTANCE
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
57
Gap between Median Wages and Home Costs in Barnstable, 2021. Source: Massachusetts Department of Economic
Research, JM Goldson calculations using FY22 Barnstable tax rate, assumes 30-year fixed mortgage, 10 percent down
payment, and 5.22 percent interest rate.
Hyannis
Most employment-based economic characteristics are not reported at the Block Group
or Tract level. An estimated 8,734 Hyannis residents were in the labor force according
to the 2022 ACS and 236 were unemployed, for a 2.2 percent unemployment rate.
HOUSEHOLD INCOME
The estimated median household income in the Town of Barnstable was $94,387 in
2022; in 2023, the HUD Area Median Income (AMI) for a two-person household in
Barnstable County was $92,100. Between 2000 and 2010, Barnstable median
household income rose 6 percent compared with the County AMI’s 13 percent.
Similarly, between 2010 and 2020, the Town of Barnstable saw a 4 percent increase,
while the area’s median income grew by 8 percent. The median household income
increased dramatically between 2020 and 2022, rising from an estimated $82,816 in
26%
28%
29%
31%
44%
46%
52%
64%
71%
84%
0%20%40%60%80%100%
Home Health Aid
Retail Sales
Waitstaff
Teaching Assistant
Carpenter
Landscaper
Health Care and Social Work
Secondary School Teacher
Registered Nurse
Operations Manager
Single Earner Households with Common Jobs do not pay
enough to afford the 2021 median single family home in
Barnstable
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
58
2020 to $94,387. There was a corresponding jump in HUD Area Median Income data
during this time.
Barnstable Household Income Distribution with County and State Comparison, 2020. Source: ACS (A14001).
Percent of Families Below Poverty Threshold in Barnstable with Regional Comparison, 2020. Source: ACS (A13002).
13%13%16%
16%19%15%
20%17%14%
11%13%12%
20%18%
18%
20%20%25%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Barnstable Barnstable County Massachusetts
Barnstable's income distribution skews slightly toward middle-
income earners
Less than $25,000 $25,000 - $49,999 $50,000 - $74,999
$75,000 - $99,999 $100,000 - $149,000 $150,000 or More
0%
1%
2%
3%
4%
5%
6%
7%
8%
Sandwich Bourne Mashpee Falmouth Dennis Barnstable
Barnstable has a higher percentage of families below the
poverty threshold
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
59
Seven percent of Barnstable’s families live below the
poverty threshold, which is higher than surrounding
communities.
Households whose total income is 80 percent or less of
the AMI are considered low- or moderate-income.
This accounts for an estimated 7,370 households that could potentially qualify for
affordable housing. Of those, 12 percent are extremely low income (below 30 percent
AMI), 12 percent are very low income (between 30 and 50 percent AMI), and 15 percent
are moderate income (between 50 and 80 percent AMI).
It is important to note that median household income combines both family and non-
family households as well as owner-occupied and renter-occupied households. Family and
owner-occupied households often significantly skew median household income metrics. In
Barnstable, for instance, the median family income ($100,075) is almost twice that of the
median non-family income ($53,660). Similarly, owner-occupied median income is
$94,154, compared with renter-occupied median income of $50,410. Non-family
households and renter households make nearly $40,000 less than the AMI compared with
family households and owner households, which are much more aligned with the AMI.
Poverty Threshold: Poverty
threshold is set by the US
Census Bureau annually and
varies by household size and
number of children under
18.
About 39 percent of
Barnstable households earn
what is considered low or
moderate income.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
60
Families and owner-occupied households earn about twice as much annual income as
renter and non-family households.
BARNSTABLE’S MEDIAN INCOME DIFFERS GREATLY BY HOUSEHOLD TYPE
Median Income by Household Type, 2000–2020. Source: US Census (T93, T95, T100), ACS (A10410, A14012,
A14015), and HUD.
Hyannis
At $52,003, the median household income
for Hyannis is about $25,000 less than that of
Barnstable. This means Hyannis residents, on
average, earn about $45,000 less than HUD’s
estimated AMI. As with Barnstable, the
median household income combines both
family and non-family households. The
Median Family Income (representing 51
percent of Hyannis households) is $66,262,
whereas the Median Non-Family Income (49
percent of Hyannis households) is $29,013.
Cost burden information is not available at
this level.
$-
$20,000.00
$40,000.00
$60,000.00
$80,000.00
$100,000.00
$120,000.00
2000 2010 2020
Median Family Income
Median Household Income
Median Non-Family Income
Area Median Income
$-
$20,000.00
$40,000.00
$60,000.00
$80,000.00
$100,000.00
$120,000.00
2000 2010 2020
Median Owner-Occupied Income
Median Household Income
Median Renter-Occupied Income
Area Median Income
13%
16%
20%11%
20%
20%
27%
21%22%
6%
13%
10%
HYANNIS RESIDENTS (OUTER RING) ARE
MORE LIKELY TO BE LOW-AND MIDDLE-
INCOME EARNERS
Less than $25,000 $25,000 - $49,999
$50,000 - $74,999 $75,000 - $99,999
$100,000 - $149,000 $150,000 or More
Income Distribution of Hyannis (outer ring) and Barnstable
(inner ring) Residents, 2020. Source: US Census (T93, T95,
T98, T100) and ACS (A14006, A14012, A14015).
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
61
CHAPTER 4: HOUSING CONDITIONS
The following section examines Barnstable’s current housing supply and how it has
changed over time. Identifying housing type, age, tenure, vacancy, and recent
development will contribute to an understanding of current needs and demand in
Barnstable, and thereby help inform future housing production planning.
SUMMARY
Barnstable's population has grown 8 percent in the last ten years. Hyannis is one of its
seven villages but holds about one-fifth of Barnstable’s housing units, which suggests that
housing is not equitably distributed throughout the town.
Roughly 85 percent of Barnstable's housing stock is single-family housing, and 84.8
percent of that is single-family detached units. Hyannis, on the other hand, has a much
more even split, with 59 percent of units being single-family and 41 percent being multi-
family. The number of multi-family units in Hyannis is higher than the overall Town's
multi-family housing stock, with the remaining six villages having significantly fewer multi-
unit housing options.
Of Barnstable’s overall housing stock, at any one time, the percentage of units registered
for short-term rental varies between approximately 2.3% - 3.4% of the total housing
stock.23 Short-term rentals in Barnstable typically rent for $200–$599 per night. The total
number of short-term rentals in the town can vary based on season and the economy;
Barnstable had 759 registered short-term rental units in August of 2022 and 513 in
February 2024. The number of units that are active range from 25 to 32 percent (have
hosted tenants in the last year).12 At least 23 percent of homes in town are second homes,
which may or may not be seasonally rented.24
Vacancy rates in Barnstable indicate that the town has a 1.8 percent vacancy of
ownership units and 6.9 percent vacancy of rental units. In 2020, an estimated 80 percent
of seasonal and recreational housing units were vacant. It is safe to assume the COVID-19
23 Local Town data on short-term rentals from the month of August 2022 (to get a snapshot of a peak tourist time) through February
2024. Counted only short-term rentals across all available short-term rental platforms (Airbnb, VRBO, etc.) that actively rented in the
past year (these short-term rentals may or may not be registered with the state).
24 Cape Code Commission housing market analysis, 2017 – projected for 2022. 6,319 second homes and 21,348 year-round homes
reported for the mid-Cape in 2022. This totals 27,667 homes, of which 23 percent are second homes.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
62
pandemic impacted these numbers, as seasonal rental vacancy rates for nearby
communities were closer to 35 percent in 2018.25
Rental opportunities for Barnstable residents are on the rise as the town saw a 4 percent
increase in renter-occupied housing between 2010 and 2020. Barnstable has
comparatively more rental housing than most surrounding towns at 76 percent owner-
occupied and 24 percent renter occupied. Hyannis shows much closer tenure parity with
43.4 percent owner-occupied units and 56.6 percent renter-occupied units.
Barnstable experiences a mismatch between the number of people living in a home and
the number of bedrooms in that home. While most Barnstable households are one or two
people, most of its homes have three bedrooms, suggesting a need for more studio, one-,
and two-bedroom housing options.
Housing prices are on the rise. Between 2021-2022 the median sales price for a home in
Barnstable rose by 62 percent26. The median sales price for a single-family home in 2023
was $799,000. In 2018, the median sales price for a condominium was $377,00027 and it
can be expected that those prices rose proportionally per unit as well. Exacerbating the
issue is the limited availability of homes for sale; there were 52 single-family home sales in
Barnstable in 2023 compared with 114 in 2020.28 Rental costs have also increased and
are anticipated to continue to rise. In 2023, rental units averaged $1,924 and the vacancy
rate remained very low at around 1.7%.29
In Barnstable, 37 percent of households are spending more than 30 percent of their
monthly income on housing costs. For low- and moderate-income earners, this number
jumps to 72 percent. One in three Barnstable homeowners is cost-burdened while 58
percent of renters are cost-burdened.30
25 Housing Assistance Corporation, “Housing on Cape Cod: The High Cost of Doing Nothing,” page 11, https://haconcapecod.org/wp-
content/uploads/2019/06/HAC-Housing-on-Cape-Cod.pdf.
26 Banker & Tradesman Median Sale Prices
28 Banker & Tradesman Median Sale Prices and Housing ales
29 CoStar Annual Maret Report; Barnstable Multi-Family
30 ACS 2022 (5-Year Estimates), Social Explorer; U.S. Census Bureau
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
63
HOUSING SUPPLY AND TRENDS
Percent Change in Barnstable Population and Housing Units, 1990–2020. Source: US Census (T1, T72, T55, T68).
According to the 2020 Census, there were 27,452 total housing units in Barnstable, which
means an additional 4,075 housing units were added between 1990 and 2020. This
represents a 17 percent increase in housing units compared with a 19 percent population
increase over the same period (although if population growth slows or declines, this
difference will become much closer).
Hyannis
The 2020 Census found that Hyannis is home to 4,906 (18 percent) of Barnstable’s total
housing units. Just one of the Town’s seven villages, Hyannis’s share of housing units is
four percentage points higher than if housing was distributed evenly throughout all seven
villages.
TYPE AND AGE
Housing choices are limited in Barnstable. In 2022, 84.8 percent of its housing units were
single-family homes. County-wide, the percentage of single-family homes is 82%; across
the Commonwealth the percentage of single-family homes is 52%. Only 2.3 percent of
housing units in Barnstable Town are duplexes; 12.8 percent of units in multiple-unit
properties and 2.4 percent are in other forms (mixed-use or cottage colony).
Most Barnstable’s housing units were built between 1960 and 1999, a time when the
community was experiencing rapid population growth.
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
1990 2000 2010 2020
Barnstable's population and housing units grew between
2010 and 2020.
Population Growth Housing Unit Growth
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
64
Massachusetts communities often have a higher percentage of older housing stock as
towns and cities were incorporated during early colonization periods. Homes in Barnstable
are relatively newer than state averages, with only 27 percent of homes built before 1960
compared with 49 percent statewide.
Barnstable Housing Units by Type with County and State Comparison, 2020 (top); Barnstable Housing Units by Type,
2020 (bottom). Source: ACS (B25024).
HOUSES IN BARNSTABLE ARE RELATIVELY NEWER THAN THOSE IN THE COUNTY AND STATE
Age of Housing Units in Barnstable, 2020 (left). Age Distribution of Housing Units with County and State Comparison,
2020. Source: ACS (B25034).
Hyannis
Hyannis hosts a large proportion of the Town’s multi-unit housing options. The chart at
right showcases the stark differences between multi-unit and single-unit home stock in
Hyannis and Barnstable. While single-unit homes make up nearly 85 percent of
Barnstable’s housing stock, that number falls to 59 percent in Hyannis. Hyannis also sees
7%
14%
0%10%20%30%40%
1
Pre-1939 1940-1959 1960-1979
1980-1999 2000-2013 2014 or later
14%12%
32%
13%14%
17%29%32%
22%
36%31%
19%
7%9%9%
1.3%1%2%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Barnstable Barnstable
County
Massachusetts
Pre-1939 1940-1959 1960-1979
1980-1999 2000-2013 2014 or later
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
65
a greater number of homes that are
two to four units and ten to 49 units
than the Town. Additionally, all the
Barnstable Housing Authority
properties which are multi-unit are
located within Hyannis.
The age of houses in Hyannis mirrors
that of Barnstable with a slight skew
toward houses built between 1980
and 1999.
VACANCY
A low vacancy rate often indicates
that demand exceeds current
supply, placing pressure on
housing prices. According to the
2021 Greater Boston Housing Report Card, a 2 percent vacancy rate for ownership and 6
percent vacancy rate for rental units are considered natural vacancy rates in a healthy
market.
The 2022 ACS estimates that Barnstable currently has a 2.2 percent vacancy rate for
ownership units (down from 4 percent in 2012). Current market data reveals a 1.7
percent vacancy rate for rental units.
The rental market in Barnstable has grown in the last five years, although ownership
opportunities have not progressed at the same rate.
The 2023 ACS estimates suggest that 5,840 housing units (85 percent of total vacant units)
identified as seasonal or recreational are vacant.
81%
4%
6%
4%
4%
2%
52%
7%
18%
5%
15%
3%
MULTI-UNIT HOUSING OPTIONS ARE
CONCENTRATED IN HYANNIS (OUTER RING)
1 Unit Detached 1 Unit Attached 2-4 Units
5-9 Units 10-49 Units 50+ Units
Building Type Distribution in Hyannis (outer ring) and Barnstable
(inner ring), 2020. Source: ACS(B25024).
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
66
TENURE
The Harvard University Joint Center for Housing Studies “America’s Rental Housing 2022”
report develops the concept of a “rental desert" as one with 20 percent or less housing
available for rent.31 Even with the increase in rental availability in Barnstable, almost 85
percent of housing units in town are owner-occupied.
Between 2010 and 2020, Barnstable saw a 4 percent increase in renter-occupied housing
and a 2.5 percent decrease in owner-occupied housing, which could indicate that at least
a portion of owner-occupied units were converted to rental housing. These growth rates,
along with how they compare to the County and state, are shown in the graph on the
following page.
Growth in Barnstable Housing Units by Tenure, 2010–2020. Sources: US Census (T11) and ACS (B01001).
There are about 100,000 year-round occupied housing units in the region; of these, 84%
are owner-occupied and 16% are renter-occupied. Thus, Barnstable’s tenure profile is
similar to that of the overall region.32
Rental units in Barnstable exist across all housing types, with almost half of all rental units
being in single-unit structures (35.6 percent detached, 10.4 percent attached). Renters are
more highly concentrated in multi-unit buildings than owners, and this is consistent across
the nation.
31 “America’s Rental Housing 2022” Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University Harvard Graduate School and Harvard
School of Design, 2022,
https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/reports/files/Harvard_JCHS_Americas_Rental_Housing_2022.pdf .
32 ACS 2022 (5-Year Estimates), Social Explorer; U.S. Census Bureau
-2%
3%4%4%
-10%
3%
-12%
-10%
-8%
-6%
-4%
-2%
0%
2%
4%
6%
Barnstable Barnstable County Massachusetts
Owner-Occupied Renter-Occupied
BARNSTABLE HAS A 4 PERCENT INCREASE IN RENTER-OCCUPIED HOUSING
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
67
There is more tenure parity in Hyannis than in the Town of Barnstable overall. In Hyannis, 45
percent of homes are owner-occupied while 55 percent of homes are renter-occupied.
HOUSING STOCK BY NUMBER OF BEDROOMS
About 7.8 percent of housing units in Barnstable are studio or one-bedroom units. Two-
bedroom units make up 24.1 percent of the housing stock, three-bedroom units are
46.9% and units with four or more bedrooms comprise 21.2 percent.
One- and two-person households make up 69 percent of the total population, but one- and
two-bedroom units make up only 32 percent of the overall housing stock.
THERE IS A MISMATCH BETWEEN NUMBER OF PEOPLE LIVING IN A HOUSING UNIT AND THE NUMBER OF BEDROOMS
IN EACH UNIT
People per Household in Barnstable (top) vs. Bedrooms per Household in Barnstable (bottom), 2020. Source: ACS
(B25041).
Although smaller households may live in units with more bedrooms, this mismatch exhibits
a need for more small housing options for residents in smaller households who may not be
able to afford extra bedrooms or might prefer smaller units. Smaller households also
generally incur less energy and maintenance costs than larger households.
This mismatch between household size and number of bedrooms suggests a need for more
studio, one-, and two-bedroom options in Barnstable.
1 person
28%
2 people
41%
3 people
14%
4+
people
17%
1 person 2 people 3 people 4+ people
Studio/1
bedroom
10%
2 bedrooms
22%
3 bedrooms
47%
4+ bedrooms
21%
Studio/1 bedroom 2 bedrooms
3 bedrooms 4+ bedrooms
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
68
Hyannis
Homes in Hyannis are more evenly distributed between studio/one-bedroom (29
percent), two-bedrooms (36 percent), and three-bedrooms (26 percent), with just 9
percent of housing stock in Hyannis having four or more bedrooms.
HYANNIS HOMES ARE MORE EVENLY BALANCED BETWEEN NUMBER OF BEDROOMS AND PEOPLE PER
HOUSEHOLD
People per Household in Hyannis (left) and Bedrooms per Household in Hyannis (right), 2020. Source: ACS (B25041).
YEAR-ROUND HOUSING MARKET
Housing costs within a community reflect numerous factors, including supply and demand.
If the former exceeds the latter, prices and rents tend to rise. Depending on the income
levels of the population, these factors can significantly reduce affordability for both
existing residents and those seeking to move in. Mortgage interest rates also play a
significant role in ownership affordability. While these interest rates have generally been
declining since 1980, economic conditions have recently reversed this trend. As of March
14, 2024, the mortgage rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was 6.75 percent; the peak
over the last 52 weeks was 7.79 percent.33
In Barnstable, the median household income (adjusted for inflation) rose 4 percent
between 2010 and 2020. In just the last four years of that timeframe, the Massachusetts
Association of Realtors reported a 29 percent increase in the median sales price of a
single-family home in Barnstable and 24 percent increase for a condominium. Those
prices have continued to escalate, with a 48 percent increase from 2020 to 2023.
33 Primary Mortgage Market Survey, Freddie Mac. Accessed March 14, 2024. [Rates cited as of accessed date]
https://www.freddiemac.com/pmms
1 person
42%
2 people
26%
3 people
12%
4+
people
20%
Studio/1
bedroom
29%
2 bedrooms
36%
3 bedrooms
26%
4+
bedrooms
9%
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
69
In 2023, the median sales price for a single-family home in Barnstable was $799,000. For
all home sales, it was $794,500. In 2018, the median sales price for a condominium was
$377,500.34
The median sales price for a single-family home in Barnstable rose 22 percent between 2020
and 2021, while the median sales price for a condominium only rose 3 percent in that same
period.
34 Banker & Tradesman Median Sale Prices, data accessed 2024.
$0
$100,000
$200,000
$300,000
$400,000
$500,000
$600,000
$700,000
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
The cost of housing in Barnstable is on the rise
Single-Family Condo
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
70
Median Sales Price in Barnstable, 2016–2021 (top) and Average Monthly Sales Prices, 2022 (bottom). Source: Massachusetts
Association of Realtors Town Data.35
The 2021 ACS estimated that the median gross rent for a year-round rental unit in 2020
was $1,569, which was roughly a 9 percent increase from 2020 and a 39 percent increase
from 2010. While American Community Survey data regarding rents provide an overall
picture of the year-round rental market, there is a large margin of error given the small
sample size and self-reporting nature of the survey. Additionally, this information
represents units that were leased any time prior to the survey response, so it may not
paint an accurate picture of the current market.
An annual market report from Co-Star shows a market asking rent per unit of $1,925, an
increase of 12 percent since 2020.
35 Condo Median Sales Prices intentionally begin in March, as there were no condo sales in January or February.
$0
$100,000
$200,000
$300,000
$400,000
$500,000
$600,000
$700,000
$800,000
$900,000
January February March April May June July
The 2022 housing market has been unpredictable
Single Family Condo
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
71
Median Gross Rent in Barnstable, 2010-2020. Source: ACS (A18009).
Short-Term Rentals (STRs)
Conversion of homes to seasonally-occupied units or to short-term (Airbnb, VRBO, etc.)
can have a significant impact on housing affordability due to units being removed from the
long-term stock.
The number of active short-term rentals in Barnstable can vary; There were 844
registered short-term rentals (less than 30 days) in Barnstable in the 2024 calendar year.
In 2024, there was a peak of 895 unique short-term rentals being advertised in
Barnstable, although not every unit being advertised is being actively rented. (To be
considered active, a unit must be advertised and meet the definition of a short-term
rental.)
Of those rental properties listed in 2023, 37 percent were in Hyannis, 24 percent were in
Centerville, 12 percent were in Osterville, 9 percent were in Barnstable Village, 8 percent
were in Cotuit, about 6 percent were in Marstons Mills, and about 3 percent were in West
Barnstable. The most popular listing agencies for short-term rentals in Barnstable are
Airbnb (38 percent), VRBO (27.5 percent), and HomeAway (20 percent). It is also worth
noting that despite all 680 units meeting the short-term rental definition of being actively
advertised, roughly 76 percent of these units last reported stays more than one year ago.
36 Out of 573 total
$800.00
$900.00
$1,000.00
$1,100.00
$1,200.00
$1,300.00
$1,400.00
$1,500.00
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Year-Round Rent costs in Barnstable rose 28 percent between
2010-2020
Nightly Rate (USD) Number of STRs Percentage of STRs36
$0–$99 2 0.35 percent
$100–$199 33 5.76 percent
$200–$299 105 18.32 percent
$300–$399 116 20.24 percent
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
72
Nightly Rate of Short-Term Rentals, August 2022. Source: Host Compliance.
HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
HOUSEHOLDS ELIGIBLE FOR HOUSING ASSISTANCE
One measure of affordable housing needs is the number of households that may be
eligible for housing assistance based on estimated household income. Federal and state
programs use Area Median Income (AMI), along with household size to identify
qualification status. The table below shows the HUD 2023 income limits for extremely
low (below 30 percent AMI), very low (30–50 percent AMI), and low income (50–80
percent AMI) households by household size for the Barnstable Town Metropolitan
Statistical Area (MSA).
2025 AFFORDABLE HOUSING INCOME LIMITS BARNSTABLE TOWN, MA MSA
Income Category Persons in Family
2 3 4 5 6
Extremely Low
Income 32,800 36,900 41,000 44,300 47,600
Very Low
Income 54,700 61,550 68,350 73,850 79,300
Low Income 85,450 96,150 106,800 115,350 123,900
Barnstable Town, MA MSA FY 25 Income Limits. Source: HUD.
CURRENT M.G.L. CHAPTER 40B SUBSIDIZED HOUSING INVENTORY
Under M.G.L. Chapter 40B, affordable housing units are defined as housing that is
developed or operated by a public or private entity and reserved by deed restriction for
income-eligible households earning at or below 80 percent of the AMI. In addition, all
marketing and placement efforts follow Affirmative Fair Housing marketing guidelines per
the EOHLC.37 These units are also deed-restricted units.
37 See appendices for the full affirmative fair housing market guidelines
$400–$499 83 14.49 percent
$500–$599 78 13.61 percent
$600–$699 43 7.50 percent
$700–$799 27 4.71 percent
$800–$899 15 2.62 percent
$900–$999 10 1.75 percent
$1000–$1999 50 8.73 percent
$2000–$2999 7 1.22 percent
$3000–$4999 4 0.70 percent
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
73
Housing that meets these requirements, if approved by the EOHLC, is added to the
subsidized housing inventory (SHI). Chapter 40B allows developers of low- to moderate-
income housing to obtain a comprehensive permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals to
override local zoning and other restrictions.
A municipality’s SHI fluctuates with new development of both affordable and market-rate
housing. The percentage is determined by dividing the number of affordable units by the
total number of year-round housing units according to the decennial Census. As the
denominator increases (or if affordable units are lost), more affordable units must be
produced to reach, maintain, or exceed the 10 percent threshold.
As of June 2023, Barnstable had 1,485 affordable housing units, totaling 6.78 percent of
its Census 2020 Year-Round Housing Units.38
HOUSING COST BURDEN
Evaluating household ability to pay housing costs
compared with reported gross household income is one
method to determine how affordable housing is in a
certain community. HUD sets specific guidelines for
which households qualify as cost-burdened (defined at
right). Landlords and banks enforce these standards and
will generally not sign a lease or qualify someone for a
mortgage if they will be using more than 30 percent of
their gross income for housing costs.
• Thirty-seven percent of all households are cost-
burdened (spending more than 30 percent of
monthly income on housing costs); 72 percent of
low-and-moderate income households are cost-
burdened. 58 percent of renter households are
spending more than 30% or more of their income on
housing costs.
38 The Department of Housing and Community Development has yet to release its official determination of compliance with the 10
percent minimum for the 2020 Census. The SHI will continue to be based on 2010 Census Year-Round Housing unit figures until the
Census Bureau releases such data from the 2020 Census. These future data sets are predicted to be released in May 2023.
Cost Burdened: A household is
considered cost burdened if they
are spending more than 30
percent of their income on
housing costs.
Moderately Cost Burdened: A
household is considered
moderately cost burdened if they
are spending between 30 and 50
percent of their income on
housing costs.
Severely Cost Burdened: A
household is considered severely
cost burdened if they are
spending more than 50 percent of
their income on housing costs.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
74
Number of Households in Barnstable by Cost Burden, 2014–2018. Source: HUD CHAS.
AFFORDABILITY GAP
An affordability gap refers to the difference between what households can afford for
housing and the actual costs of renting or purchasing a home. The Massachusetts’ EOHLC
provides a calculator to determine the income needed to afford the median sales price of
a single-family home or condominium. Rental affordability levels are based on median
renter household income assuming households spend 30 percent of income on rent.
Ownership
A Barnstable household earning the 2020 median household income of $77,227 would
need to earn roughly $54,942 more to afford a single-family house at the 2020 median
sales price of $479,000. However, a household earning 80 percent of the AMI would be
$69,569 short of the amount they would need to buy a home at the median single-family
home price. Median and 80 percent AMI income earners would need to make nearly
double their 2020 income to achieve homeownership in Barnstable. Households making
below these thresholds would have even more difficulty achieving homeownership, which
suggests a need for subsidized homeownership opportunities for lower-income residents
and to promote greater socio-economic population diversity.
350
685
1,200
1,610
1,480
990
380
360
0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500
Extremely Low Income (below 30% AMI)
Very Low Income (30-50% AMI)
Moderate Income (50-80% AMI)
> 80% AMI
Moderately Cost-Burdened Severely Cost-Burdened
THE LOWEST-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS IN BARNSTABLE BEAR THE HIGHEST DEGREE OF COST BURDEN, WITH
ABOUT 1,480 EXTREMELY LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS SPENDING MORE THAN 50 PERCENT OF THEIR INCOME
ON HOUSING COSTS
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
75
Sales Price Affordability based on Household Income in Barnstable, 2020. Sources: EOHLC Sales Price Calculator, JM Goldson
calculations using FY22 Barnstable tax rate, assumes 30-year fixed mortgage, 10 percent down payment, 5.22 percent interest
rate, condo fees of $175/month.
Rental
There is also a significant affordability gap between what renters can afford and the
median gross rent in Barnstable. Housing affordability assumes that households are
spending not more than 30 percent of their household income on housing costs.
Extremely low-income households in Barnstable can, on average, afford to pay
$691/month for a two-person household, $777/month for a three-person household, and
$863/month for a four-person household, according to 2023 HUD figures. According to
market data, typical rent in Barnstable in 2024 was $1,924, with an expectation of that to
rise by up to 4.7% in the coming years.
$77,227 $69,600 $74,854
$132,169
$279,800
$227,000
$252,000
$479,000
$-
$100,000
$200,000
$300,000
$400,000
$500,000
$600,000
Barnstable 2020 Median
Household Income
80% AMI Household of 2 Income Needed to Afford
Median Condo Sales Price
2020
Income Needed to Afford
Median SF Sales Price 2020
Household Income Sales Price
BARNSTABLE HOUSEHOLDS NEEDED TO MAKE $54,942 MORE ON AVERAGE IN 2020 TO AFFORD THE
MEDIAN SINGLE-FAMILY SALES PRICE
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
76
CURRENT AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT
For the purposes of this analysis, affordable housing is housing that is restricted to
individuals and families with qualifying incomes and asset levels and receives some
manner of assistance to bring down the cost of owning or renting the unit, usually in the
form of a government subsidy, or results from zoning relief to a housing developer in
exchange for the income-restricted unit(s). Affordable housing can be public or private.
Public housing is managed by a public housing authority, established by state law to
provide affordable housing for low-income households.
Private income-restricted housing is owned and operated by for-profit and non-profit
owners who receive subsidies in exchange for renting to low- and moderate-income
households. The Massachusetts’ EOHLC maintains a Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI)
that lists all affordable housing units that are reserved for households with incomes at or
below eighty percent of the area median income (AMI) under long-term legally binding
agreements and are subject to affirmative marketing requirements. The SHI also includes
group homes, which are residences licensed by or operated by the Department of Mental
Health or the Department of Developmental Services for persons with disabilities or
mental health issues.
The SHI is the state’s official list for tracking a municipality’s percentage of affordable
housing under M.G.L. Chapter 40B. This state law enables developers to request waivers
to local regulations, including the zoning bylaw, from the local Zoning Board of Appeals
for affordable housing developments if less than ten percent of year-round housing units
in the municipality is counted on the SHI. It was enacted in 1969 to address the shortage
of affordable housing statewide by reducing barriers created by local building permit
approval processes, local zoning, and other restrictions.
BARNSTABLE AFFORDABLE UNITS
As of May 2025, there were 1,566 units in Barnstable listed on the SHI.
AFFORDABLE UNITS BY TYPE
SHI
Rental 1,361
Ownership 183
Other (Mix) 22
Total 1,566
Barnstable Subsidized Housing Inventory, June 2023.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
77
PIPELINE
The Planning and Development Department tracks multi-family residential and affordable
housing development regularly. Future units in the pipeline can be seen in the table
below.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
78
Recent and Proposed Multifamily Developments. Source: Barnstable Planning and Development Department
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
79
CHAPTER 5: DEVELOPMENT CONSTRAINTS
Many factors can influence the feasibility of housing production, from physical limitations
to regulations that shape development and land use. Note that this analysis relied heavily
on the Town of Barnstable 2018 Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP) and the 2010
Barnstable Local Comprehensive Plan. The description of development constraints to
follow includes direct excerpts from the OSRP and Comprehensive Plan. Other sources
included the Cape Cod Regional Policy Plan (2018), Barnstable’s Comprehensive Water
Management Plan (2019), the Cape Cod Area Wide Water Quality Management Plan
(2015), the Cape Cod Climate Action Plan (2021), the Downtown Hyannis Growth
Incentive Zone Application (2018), the Housing Production Plan (2016), and the most
recent Zoning Bylaws (2021).
KEY FINDINGS
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS
Barnstable is primarily constrained by the critical need to protect water quality, the area's
sensitive ecosystems, and culturally/historically significant resources. The Town's zoning
regulations, local wetlands regulations, and local historic districts reflect the Town's
concern to protect these resources. Many of the zoning overlay districts aim to provide
additional protection for natural resources including the Resource Protection Overlay
District, Open Space Residential Design Subdivision, Floodplain District, and Groundwater
Protection Overlay districts.
INFRASTRUCTURE CAPACITY
The Town also encourages growth in locations that are less environmentally sensitive and
have greater infrastructure capacity, particularly in the Hyannis Growth Incentive Zone.
Additionally, the Town encourages the development of affordable housing through the
Growth Incentive Zone, Downtown Hyannis Form Based Zoning and other village
districts, Private-Initiated Affordable Housing Development overlay district, Multi-family
Affordable Housing (MAH) Residential District, Residence Affordable Housing (RAH)
district, lnclusionary Affordable Housing Ordinance, and the Accessory Affordable
Apartment Program. The Town’s plans for wastewater treatment, including sewer
expansion, are detailed in the recently updated Comprehensive Water Management Plan
(CWMP).
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
80
REGULATORY CONSIDERATIONS AND BARRIERS
The zoning provisions provide for multi-family and/or mixed-use development in nine
districts by-right, consisting of roughly 990 acres or about 2 percent of the Town's total
net land area (excluding water bodies). Roughly half of this land is in the Hyannis Growth
Incentive Zone. In 2021, the Town allowed attached Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) as
a right in all districts, with certain requirements. Barnstable's Accessory Apartment
program has been very successful since its beginning, despite challenges of administration
and monitoring; however, it is now seeing a loss of units in this program since allowing
ADUs as a right in all districts. Plans are underway to provide additional Incentives to
homeowners to continue to participate in the Accessory Affordable Apartment Program.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS
Specific environmental elements that impact housing development include landscape
character, geology, soils, topography, groundwater, freshwater ponds and lakes, coastal
and estuarine resources, plant and wildlife communities and wetlands, Areas of Critical
Environmental Concern (ACEC) designation, rare and endangered species, critical habitat,
scenic views, and hazardous waste sites, as further described below. The following are
excerpted from the 2018 Open Space and Recreation Plan, unless otherwise noted.
LANDSCAPE CHARACTER
Barnstable's landscapes vary from wooded upland areas covered by oaks and pines to
seashore habitats of salt marshes, beach grasses, and dunes, to highly developed commercial
and residential areas.
There are numerous wetlands throughout the Town because of low elevations and high
groundwater levels. A significant amount of this land has been preserved in a natural state
by purchase for open space or by conservation restrictions. To the south, the land levels
off in topography and the fresh watercourses connect to the bays and inlets that lead to
the Sound. Several of the older village centers are characterized by small commercial strip
development and dense single-family residential development.
Land north of the moraine and Route 6 slopes more abruptly toward Cape Cod Bay. This
area is protected by the Old King's Highway Regional Historic District. The Old King’s
Highway Commission is charged with protecting the visual and historic character of the
land north of Route 6 and is responsible for maintaining much of the visual colonial era
character along Route 6A (also known as Old King’s Highway). Farther to the north are the
Great Marshes and the barrier beach. Sandy Neck has been designated as the Sandy
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
81
Neck/Barnstable Harbor Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). More detail is
covered in later sections.
GEOLOGY, SOILS, AND TOPOGRAPHY
The geologic formations of the Town have been a determinant of land use patterns.
The difficult topography of the “knob and kettle” landscape of the moraine, along with
problems accessing groundwater and poor soils characterized by sand mixed with clays,
cobbles, and boulders, have caused it to be developed slowly compared with the rest of
the Town. Relatively large areas of the moraine, including the West Barnstable
Conservation Area and Old Jail Lane Conservation Area, remain undeveloped. The
comparatively level topography of the outwash plain, combined with readily available
groundwater and the ease of on-site sewage disposal in the sandy soils, resulted in
extensive development from the nineteenth century onward. This growth centered along
the south shore and in the villages, but spread in recent decades to include Centerville,
Hyannis, and Marstons Mills. Elevations within the Town of Barnstable range from sea
level along the shores to approximately 230 feet above sea level near the Sandwich Town
line.
Coastal landforms are under threat due to encroachment by development, growth in the
number of hard engineered coastal structures, increased storm activity, and relative sea level
rise. As more coastal land is developed, it becomes more difficult for landforms to migrate
inland in response to erosion.
GROUNDWATER
Barnstable’s public drinking water supply is its underground sole source aquifer. Public
wells draw water from wide surface areas known as Zones of Contribution to Public
Water Supply wells that occupy approximately 30 percent of the town’s area. Barnstable
has three groundwater protection zones, which together cover 100 percent of the town:
Wellhead Protection Overlay District, Groundwater Protection Overlay District, and
Aquifer Protection Overlay District.
The Town’s groundwater system, like the whole of Cape Cod, is replenished entirely by
precipitation. The level of the water table fluctuates seasonally due to evaporation,
precipitation, and water withdrawals. The major threat to the aquifer is from contamination
due to land use impacts.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
82
FRESHWATER LAKES AND PONDS
Freshwater lakes and ponds in the Town of Barnstable are significant scenic, recreational,
and wildlife habitat resources. The town has 26 Great Ponds, as well as 61 ponds of at
least two acres. Finally, Barnstable has ponds identified as having characteristics of
Coastal Plain Ponds, a habitat community of global significance, supporting significant
populations of very rare plant and animal species.
COASTAL AND ESTUARINE RESOURCES
Barnstable’s vast and varied coastal resources include expanses of exposed shoreline
along Nantucket Sound, extensive tidal flats on Cape Cod Bay, and more protected
estuarine areas in its numerous bays. The Town actively supports preserving the health
and vitality of its coastal waters through focused management and planning.
The Town recognizes that the future health of its estuaries is tied to its ability to address
nutrient loading in its estuaries. Watershed sources of nitrogen include septic systems, road
runoff, and use of fertilizer.
While not the only contributors of nitrogen in estuaries— sediment regeneration and
atmospheric deposition are two other sources—they are sources that can be effectively
controlled by local action.
WETLANDS AND VERNAL POOLS
Wetlands in the town include extensive areas of salt marsh. Barrier beaches, coastal
beaches, dunes, and bluffs are among the coastal landforms that make up the town’s 170
miles of coastal shoreline. Freshwater wetlands are also a large-scale resource. Open
water surface area totals over 1,800 acres, or 17 percent of the town’s surface area. In
addition, there are associated bordering vegetated wetlands, swales, creeks, and bogs.
These vast and varied wetland resource areas provide several important ecosystem services.
The provide habitat for terrestrial and aquatic plants and animals, they filter pollutants
before they enter water bodies or groundwater, and in many cases, they provide a buffer
against storm damage.
Vernal pools are a particularly vulnerable wetland resource, as they are often overlooked.
According to the NHESP there are 31 certified vernal pools in the Town of Barnstable,
one more than reported in the 2010 OSRP and 14 more than were reported in the 2005
OSRP. The locations of the wetlands and certified vernal pools in Barnstable are shown on
the Water Resources map (next page).
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
83
FLOODING AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Barnstable’s Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Report finds that the Town of
Barnstable has the potential to be impacted by a wide range of natural hazards, with each
presenting certain risks to life and property. With its 170 miles of shoreline and natural
resource areas, Barnstable’s most notable risks are increased flooding due to rising sea
levels, more intense coastal storms, and more extreme precipitation events. The MVP
process identified Routes 6A and 28, Ocean Street, Squaw Island, Main Street Cotuit,
Bridge Street, and Duck Pond as being particularly vulnerable. Many homes and
businesses located within the floodplain, as well as harbors (Hyannis and Millway), are
vulnerable to storm-related and sea level rise flooding.
FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps and Hurricane Inundation Areas, also known as Sea
Lake Overland Surge from Hurricanes (SLOSH) zones, are shown on the Water Resources
map (next page). While few developed parcels in Barnstable reside in coastal velocity
zones, many homes and businesses are still within the floodplain. Long Beach and
Craigville Beach have benefited from the placement of sediment from dredging of East
Bay, Centerville River, and an offshore borrow site, which has helped absorb storm surge.
Long Beach Road is a low-lying, barrier beach residential area subject to still water
flooding. The Craigville Beach area, along with the Centerville Village Center, is designated
as a District of Critical Planning Concern (DCPC).
According to the Cape Cod Climate Action Plan (2021), the Center for Coastal Studies has
been working to identify storm tide pathways, which are low-lying locations determined
by GIS analysis and fieldwork to be the path of least resistance for the flow of elevated
water levels during coastal storm events into developed and vulnerable areas. In
partnership with the Cape Cod Commission and the Cape Cod Cooperative Extension, the
Center has identified pathways in the coastal villages along the entire Cape Cod Bay
shoreline and is now working to map the storm tide pathways along sections of Nantucket
Sound, including those located in the Towns of Barnstable, Yarmouth, Dennis, Harwich,
and Chatham. These analyses are critical to future planning.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
84
Map of Barnstable Water Resources Source: MassGIS, MassDEP, MAPC Trailmap
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
85
RARE AND ENDANGERED SPECIES
Vegetation
The Town of Barnstable contains several diverse vegetative communities which are
ecologically significant, and which help to define the visual character of the town. Trees,
shrubs, and groundcover have aesthetic value, and are a major component of Barnstable’s
visual quality. NHESP maintains a list of all MESA-listed species observed and
documented in each town. These specifies are listed because they are threatened (T),
Endangered (E), or of Special Concern (SC).
In total, Barnstable has 26 MESA-listed plant species, eight of which are threatened species
and seven that are endangered.
Wildlife
The spread of roadways and subdivisions has reduced and greatly fragmented the habitat
of many native wildlife species. Cape Cod is considered a birder’s paradise because of its
location along the Atlantic Flyway, one of the most important corridors for migratory
birds. As a coastal community, Fisheries are an element of Barnstable’s local economy and
community way of life. A variety of commercially and recreationally significant shellfish
resources are also abundantly located in the town. There are more than 6,000 acres of
shell fishing area within the Town, as reported in the 2018 Open Space and Recreation
Plan.
There are 29 MESA-listed animal species in Barnstable, ten of which are threatened species
and four that are endangered.
CRITICAL HABITATS
Critical habitats in Barnstable have been identified by the NHESP Core Biomap and Cape
Cod Wildlife Conservation Project. The NHESP developed a Biomap to identify the areas
most in need of protection to protect the native biodiversity of the Commonwealth. The
resource combines information on rare and endangered species from NHESP with spatial
data on wildlife species and habitats from the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, and an
assessment of intact landscapes and ecosystems generated by The Nature Conservancy.
Core Habitats represent habitat for the most viable rare plant and animal populations and
include exemplary natural communities and aquatic habitats. The BioMap2 produced for
Barnstable indicates 81 Core Habitat areas, including seven exemplary or Priority Natural
Community Cores, four Wetland Cores, 29 Aquatic Cores, and 41 Species of Special
Concern Cores. These areas encompass 10,149 acres of which 75 percent, or 7,585
acres, are protected (see Water Resource map on the previous page).
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
86
Three major NHESP Core Habitat areas that include and surround the Town’s three
largest conservation areas are West Barnstable Conservation Area, Sandy Neck Barrier
Beach, and the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife Land.
SCENIC AND HISTORIC RESOURCES
The variety and depth of the Town’s historic and cultural resources are compelling.
Historic resources include 16 National Register of Historic Places districts, one local
historic district, one regional historic district, and numerous historic structures and scenic
roadways located in villages throughout Barnstable. Community stewardship of
Barnstable’s historic resources is addressed in the Town’s Historic Preservation Plan.
Barnstable’s cultural resources encompass a vibrant arts scene and numerous activities
and festivals that celebrate and enhance the Town’s maritime and historic traditions.
Scenic Landscapes and Roads
Barnstable offers beautiful views of several landscape types including marsh, woodland,
beach, dune, open water, and sky. The Massachusetts Landscape Inventory identifies
Barnstable’s Sandy Neck as a notable area with the seaward sections of the barrier beach
designated as Distinctive and the more inland section shown as Noteworthy. Most of the
interior of Barnstable is considered by the inventory as a common scenic landscape.
Scenic views are enhanced by the cultural landscape, which includes views of shell
fishermen, fishing and sailboats, beachgoers, people walking the shore, and wharves
punctuating the horizon. These cultural landscapes add to the visual experience of those
who visit Barnstable. The combination of natural and cultural scenery is the sort of beauty
people want to experience when they come to Cape Cod, and the sort of beauty this
open space plan seeks to preserve.
Scenic roadways are listed by village in the table below. The resources are distributed
throughout town and are clustered around coastal areas and water bodies.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
87
SCENIC ROADS BY VILLAGE
Village District
Barnstable Aunt Hatch’s Lane, Mill Way, Pine Lane, Bone Hill Rd., Old Neck Rd., Hyannis Rd.
Commerce Rd., Freezer Rd., Scudder Lane, Rendezvous Lane, Keveney Lane, Phinney’s
Lane, Route 6A/Old King’s Highway
Centerville Bay Lane, Old Post Rd., Main St., Bumps River Rd., Old Stage Rd., Pine St., Craigville Beach
Rd., Shootflying Hill Rd., Fuller Rd., Great Marsh Rd., South Main St.
Cotuit Main St., Putnam Ave., Old Kings Rd., Santuit/Newtown Rd., Old Shore Rd., School St.
West
Barnstable
Cedar St., Parker Rd., Church St., Pine St., Maple St., Plum St., High St., Service Rd., Oak St.,
Meetinghouse Way/Route 149, Willow St., Route 6A/Old King’s Highway
Hyannis Craigville Beach Rd., Lewis Bay Rd., Sea St., Mary Dunn Rd., Pine St., Scudder Ave.
Marstons
Mills
Farmersville Rd., Race La, Barnstable Rd., Old Barnstable–Falmouth Rd., River Rd., Old Mill
Rd, Route 149 Old Post Rd., School St.
Osterville Bridge St., Old Mill Rd., Bumps River Rd., Seaview Ave., East Bay Rd., South County Rd., Eel
River Rd., Wianno Ave., Main St., West Bay Rd., Osterville–West Barnstable Rd.
Scenic Roads by Village Source: Source: 2010 Historic Preservation Plan Update
Historic Resources
Formally established in 1639, Barnstable has a rich colonial heritage that is extant in many
buildings, cemeteries, homesteads, and neighborhoods throughout the town. Every village
has unique historical assets that reflect its history and development. Some of the most
notable are the Town’s historic cemeteries, the Hyannis Main Street/Waterfront Historic
District, National Register Historic Districts, and the Old King’s Highway Regional Historic
District. Other historic sites in town include:
• Barnstable, Centerville, Hyannis, Santuit and Cotuit, Marstons Mills, Osterville, and
West Barnstable all have historical societies and, except for West Barnstable and
Marstons Mills, have historical museums. The museums maintain collections of
maritime artifacts, textiles, period decorative arts, and regional artifacts, reflective of
each village’s unique history.
• The Olde Colonial Courthouse, which was built sometime between 1763 and 1772
and renovated in 1974, serves as a meeting place and cultural and historical
repository. It also serves as home to Tales of Cape Cod, an organization dedicated to
recording the Cape’s oral history.
• The Sturgis Library, established in 1867, is of special interest to those seeking
genealogical information. The oldest part of the library, built in 1644 by Rev. John
Lothrop, contains his Bible. The second oldest part houses a room named for local
historian Henry Kittredge and holds his maritime collection and other memorabilia.
• The United States Custom House was constructed in 1856 as a U.S. Customs House
and is now home to the Coast Guard Heritage Museum. The Old Jail (c.1690), which is
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
88
also located on the Trayser Museum grounds, is the oldest wooden jail in the United
States.
• The 2010 Historic Preservation Plan Update for the Town of Barnstable provides a
comprehensive inventory of the Town’s historic resources as well as an assessment of
threats and management issues and an action plan for safeguarding historic resources.
The tables below list National Register districts and local historic districts by village.
NATIONAL REGISTER DISTRICTS
Village District
Barnstable • Old King’s Highway Historic District (Route 6A)
• Mill Way National Register District
• Hyannis Road National Register District
• Sandy Neck National Register Historic District
• Yarmouth Camp Ground Historic District (Regional district with Yarmouth)
Centerville • Centerville National Register Historic District
• Craigville National Register Historic District
Cotuit • Cotuit National Register Historic District, Main St.
• Santuit Historic National Register District, Route 28
West
Barnstable
• Meetinghouse Way Historic District on Route 149
• West Barnstable Village Historic District
Hyannis • Hyannis Port National Register Historic District
• Kennedy Compound National Register District
• Municipal Group National Register Historic District
• Pleasant/School Street National Register Historic District
Osterville • Wianno National Register Historic District
National Register Districts Source: 2010 Historic Preservation Plan Update
Local & Regional Historic Districts
Barnstable has one local historic district and one regional historic district.
In a local historic district, before any exterior architectural feature that is visible from a
public way is altered, the plans to carry out that alteration must first be approved by a
local historic district commission. In Barnstable, the two historic districts are the Hyannis
Main Street/Waterfront Local Historic District and the Old King's Highway Regional
Historic District, as described in more detail below.
Hyannis Main Street/Waterfront Local Historic District
The Hyannis Main Street Waterfront Historic District (HHDC) was created in 1996 as part
of ongoing efforts to address revitalization and historic preservation in downtown
Hyannis. The HHDC promotes the preservation of the unique historic character of
downtown Hyannis and Hyannis Inner Harbor. The Commission strives to create a
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
89
desirable place to live, work and enjoy through the preservation, maintenance, and
improvement of historic vernacular.
Old King's Highway Regional Local Historic District
Established in 1973, the Old King's Highway Regional Historic District is the largest
historic district in the nation. The district is designated as the area north of Route 6 (the
Mid Cape Highway) from Sandwich to Orleans. Each town has its own Historic District
Committee. The Town of Barnstable's Old King's Highway Historic District Committee
reviews applications for any change in the exterior of buildings and structures, fences, and
signs, as well as applications for new construction or demolition. The Town of Barnstable
OKH Committee considers the historical value and significance of existing buildings, and
all applications are reviewed for general design, proportion of building elements, texture,
materials, and color. Settings, site design, layout, and relative size of buildings are also
taken into consideration.
HAZARDOUS WASTE SITES
According to monitoring data from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental
Protection (MassDEP), the Town of Barnstable has 24 confirmed active sites that handle
hazardous materials. Additionally, there are 30 sites or release locations that continue to
be monitored or investigated by the MassDEP. There are 194 sites (Response Action
Outcome sites) where a hazardous material release may have occurred, but response
actions were sufficient to establish that no significant risk of hazardous materials rele ase is
present or no substantial hazard exists. The Town’s three groundwater protection overlay
districts restrict the establishment or expansion of uses connected with the generation,
treatment, or storage of hazardous materials. See the Groundwater Section for a
discussion of the overlay districts. The Town has adopted two additional ordinances
regulating hazardous materials: Chapter 108: Hazardous Materials and Chapter 326: Fuel
and Chemical Storage Tanks. The ordinances’ function is to educate private sector
employees and business owners about proper storing, handling, and disposal methods for
hazardous materials where permitted. The Health Department conducts unannounced site
inspections at businesses that handle hazardous materials at least once per year with
follow-up inspections to ensure that any violations of these ordinances are corrected.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
90
Map of Barnstable Historic Resources Source: MassGIS, MassDEP, MAPC Trail Map
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
91
INFRASTRUCTURE CAPACITY
This section reviews the Town’s infrastructure capacity including drinking water,
wastewater and storm water, transportation, and schools. Unless otherwise noted, the
information included here is based on excerpts from the 2010 Comprehensive Plan. The
Town is currently in the process of updating its comprehensive plan, but at the time of
this report it was not yet completed.
WATER AND SEWER
Drinking Water
In Barnstable, four water companies provide water to approximately 49,571 customers via
localized distribution systems. The providers are:
• Centerville-Osterville-Marstons Mills Fire District (COMM): serves the villages of
Centerville, Osterville, and Marstons Mills.
• Cotuit Fire District (CT): serves the village of Cotuit.
• Barnstable Fire District (BFD): serves the village of Barnstable.
• Hyannis Water System: Town department, which has 12 wells.
Collectively, the water suppliers own and maintain 443 miles of mains, 16
interconnections with water suppliers in Barnstable and abutting towns, 41 wells, and 10
storage tanks. They pump more than 2 billion gallons of water per year and own
approximately 1,233 acres of watershed property.
Water suppliers maintain their own infrastructure and plan their own capital expenditures
to improve the supply and distribution system, increase pumping capacity, and respond to
other supply or quality control issues.
One-third of the town is within a Zone II area of contribution, and some of these areas
overlap with intense development.
Incidences of contamination have occurred in the wells on the eastern portions of the
Town, which are more susceptible to contamination from nearby industrial and
commercial land uses. Wells particularly vulnerable to potential sources of contamination
are in the following areas:
• Independence Park and the Hyannis Ponds Complex, where there are industrial uses
within the Zone II;
• Wells located to the east of Yarmouth Road, close to the airport, industrial uses, and
gas stations along Route 28;
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
92
• Wells to the south of downtown area, which are down gradient of the most densely,
developed areas of the Town, in Hyannis and the adjacent village of Centerville.
The Town has identified a need for an evaluation of the hydrologic impacts of potential
wells on the property’s ponds and other resources. The US Geological Survey has been
identified as a partner in providing this evaluation. The Town will continue to coordinate
with the Water and Fire districts on the purchase and management of open space for
water supply protection.
Stormwater
Another threat to water quality is posed by stormwater runoff. Stormwater carries
bacteria and petrochemicals that can degrade water quality and aquatic habitat; bacterial
pollution has resulted in the closure of some shellfish areas. The Town has an aggressive
Coastal Discharge Mitigation Program that seeks an annual appropriation for the
installation and maintenance of stormwater management improvements. Despite the
progress resulting from this program, it is believed that not all stormwater management
problems have been identified and annual funding is not able to address the number of
new and maintenance projects.
Wastewater
Most of Barnstable’s residential and commercial areas depend on on-site Title V septic
systems for wastewater disposal. There is municipal sewer service available in a small area
of Barnstable Village, portions of Hyannis, and Independence Park. The service area in
Barnstable Village includes the County complex and areas near the harbor basin. This
system is a force main with a low capacity, which is difficult to tap into for system
expansion. The Town’s existing wastewater infrastructure includes the Barnstable Water
Pollution Control Facility (BWPCF) located in Hyannis, a smaller wastewater plant in
Marstons Mills referred to as the Marstons Mills Wastewater Treatment Plant
(MMWWTP), the Red Lily Pond cluster septic system, and their associated collection
systems.
The Town’s plans for wastewater treatment, including sewering (wastewater treatment),
are detailed in the Comprehensive Water Management Plan (CWMP). The CWMP
identifies how the Town’s wastewater management needs can be addressed through
centralized treatment and identifies the phases of infrastructure development that would
occur over a 30-year planning horizon. Phase one of the sewer expansion plan is
occurring between Fiscal Year 2019 and Fiscal Year 2032.
Managing the effects of nutrients from land uses is a major priority of the Town. To
analyze and quantify the extent of nutrient loading in its estuaries, which was a first step
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
93
in the subsequent development of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for Total
Nitrogen, the Town participated in the Massachusetts Estuaries Project. TMDLs have
been approved by MassDEP and the US EPA for Three Bays, Popponesset Bay,
Centerville River, and Lewis Bay. The TMDLs represent the maximum amount of nutrients
the estuarine waters can receive and remain healthy, and they provide the target for
reducing nitrogen loading from watershed sources through sewering and non-structural
nutrient management alternatives.
TRANSPORTATION
Roads
Historically, the harbors at Barnstable, Cotuit, Osterville, Centerville, and Hyannis, along
with Route 6A on the northside and Route 28 on the southside, had much to do with the
settlement patterns of the town. As with many historic New England towns, many
roadways developed along historic routes, the oldest and best known of which is Route
6A, the Old Kings Highway. Many of these historic routes now function as major roads
but were not laid out or designed for the purposes they now serve. Routes 6A and 28
continue to serve as major east-west connectors along a network of north-south
roadways. Route 6, the Mid-Cape Highway, has two interchanges in Barnstable: Exit 68 in
West Barnstable and Exit 6 at Route 132. Exit 72 at Willow Street in Yarmouth connects
to Yarmouth Road, a major connector into Hyannis. The Town’s continuing challenge is to
improve the capacity of the major roadways while also improving the streetscape of these
roadways and the character of development along them.
Barnstable has experienced an increase in traffic volumes resulting from decades of
development. However, the Town’s ability to expand the roadway network has been limited.
As a result, many major roadways operate at poor levels of service.
Public Transit
The Town’s transportation infrastructure also includes the following regional facilities:
• Barnstable Municipal Airport, which provides scheduled air service to the islands,
Boston, and other locations.
• Hyannis Harbor, which is the terminus for the Hyannis and Nantucket Steamship
Authority and other regional boat lines connecting Cape Cod and the Islands.
• Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority Hyannis Transportation Center, which provides
bus and regional transit services and connecting.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
94
REGULATORY BARRIERS AND CONSIDERATIONS
Local zoning and permitting processes are the two primary regulatory tools that can affect
housing production. This section describes the land use and environmental regulations
that impact residential development including the local zoning ordinance, Inclusionary
Affordable Housing provisions, Accessory Apartment provisions, state and local wetlands
regulations, and local historic district designations.
SELECTED CHANGES IN ZONING ORDINANCES SINCE 2016 INCLUDE:
• Multifamily dwellings for active adults or assisted living were allowed in the Industrial
District under specific conditions (2016);
• MAH dimensional standards were amended; the total number of residential units
allowable within a Multifamily Affordable Housing Development (MAHD) shall not
exceed 16 per acre of upland; and affordable unit requirements were amended to at
least 18 percent of dwelling units (2018–2021).
• The Town Council affirmatively voted to allow Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) for
town-wide, with the stipulation that either the principal dwelling or ADU, but not both,
may be rented at any given time. These are allowed by-right up to 900 square feet,
and relief can be sought for ADUs greater than that size (2021);
• The Town Council allowed a mixed-use subzone of the Medical Services Overlay
District to permit the development and relocation of medical and health care services,
together with commercial, retail, and residential uses, on a site with convenient
regional access. Multifamily dwelling units are allowed by right, with 90 percent leased
for not less than 12 months, and the remaining 10 percent a minimum of 6 months.
Senior living facilities are also allowed. Affordable housing is required for 13 percent of
multi-family dwelling units (2021–2022).
• The Shopping Center Redevelopment Overlay District (SCROD) was amended to allow
multi-family dwellings, hotel and office uses as of right. Multi-family development was
required to comply with the Town of Barnstable Code, Chapter 9, Inclusionary
Housing Requirements in effect at the time multi-family development is proposed or
provide 10% of the units restricted to individuals or families at 65% of AMI and an
additional 3% restricted to individuals or families at 80% AMI, whichever calculation
method results in more restricted units. (2022)
• The Downtown Hyannis Zoning was adopted in February 2023. The provisions
defined for each district address the relationship between building facades and the
public realm as well as the size, shape, and scale of buildings in relation to one another,
while regulating land uses through broader, more permissive categories as compared
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
95
to conventional zoning techniques supporting a more pedestrian focused Main Street.
(2023)
OTHER NOTABLE PLANNING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT PROJECTS INCLUDE:
• Barnstable Local Comprehensive Plan update (in progress)
• Complete Streets Policy (2021) and Complete Streets Prioritization Plan creation
• Downtown Hyannis Wayfinding Plan
• Downtown Hyannis Unified Design Regulations and Guidelines
• Hyannis Harbor Master Plan
• Town of Barnstable Digital Equity Plan (in-progress)
• Barnstable Open Space and Recreation Plan update (in-progress)
ZONING REGULATIONS
Zoning regulates which uses are permitted on the parcel, where a structure can be placed
on a parcel, how tall a structure can be, how much parking is required, how much open
space or must be provided, and signage. These regulations shape the built environment
and the mixture of uses across the community.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
96
Residential Districts
• RB Residence B District
• RC Residence C District
• RC-1 Residence C-1 District
• RC-2 Residence C-2 District
• RC-2C Residence 2-C (Pond Village District)
• RD Residence D District
• RD-1 Residence D-1 District
• RF Residence F District
• RF-1 Residence F-1 District
• RF-2 Residence F-2 District
• RG Residence G District
• RAH Residence AH District
• MAH Multi-Family Affordable Housing MAH
District
Office Districts
• HO Highway Office District
Commercial Districts
• Business District
• BA Business A District
• MB-A1 Marine Business A1 District
• MB-A2 Marine Business A2 District
• MB-B Marine Business B District
• VB-A Village Business A District
• HB Highway Business District
• UB Urban Business District
• S&D Service and Distribution District
• SD-1 Service and Distribution District
• MMV Marston Mills Village District
• WBVBD West Barnstable Village Business
District
Downtown Hyannis Zoning Districts
• DMS Downtown Main Street
• DV Downtown Village
• DN Downtown Neighborhood
• HH Hyannis Harbor
• TC Transportation Center
• DH Downtown Hospital
• HC Highway Commercial
Industrial Districts
• IND LIMITED Industrial Limited District
• IND Industrial District
Overlay Districts
• WP Wellhead Protection Overlay District
• GP Groundwater Protection Overlay
District
• AP Aquifer Protection Overlay District
• RPOD Resource Protection Overlay
District
• DOD Dock and Pier Overlay District
• Adult Use Overly District
• Medical Services Overlay District
• Mixed-Use Subzone of the Medical
Services Overlay District
• Former Grade 5 School Planned Unit
Development Overlay District
• Shopping Center Redevelopment Overlay
District
• Senior Continuing Care Retirement
Community (SCCRCOD)
• Recreational Shellfish Area and Shellfish
Relay Area Dock & Pier Overlay District
• Medical Marijuana Overlay District
• Registered Recreational Marijuana
Cultivators, Research Facilities, and
Testing Laboratories Overlay District
Additional Overlay Districts on Zoning Map
• Drive Through Restaurant Sub Zone of
the Shopping Center Redevelopment
Overlay District
• Ground-Mounted Solar Photovoltaic
Overlay District
• Craigville Village Neighborhood Overlay
• Long/Short Beach Neighborhood Overlay
• Craigville Beach Neighborhood Overlay
• Centerville River North Bank
Neighborhood Overlay
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
97
RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS
Single-Family on Two-Acre Lots
The Town adopted two-acre zoning in 2001 for single-family uses in the Town’s Resource
Protection Overlay District (RPOD) which encompasses 31,294 total acres or 26,817
acres excluding surface and marine water bodies. The result is a build-out capacity of at
least 3,432 single-family houses.
The Pond Village (Barnstable) District of Critical Planning Concern, also referred to as the
R-2C district, permits single-family houses by-right with two-acre minimum lot area. In
addition, the district permits the renting of rooms in a single-family home for not more
than three non-family members, as well as family apartments as accessory uses.
Single-Family on One-and-a-Half Acre Lots
The RG District permits single-family houses by-right with one-and-a-half-acre minimum
lot area.
Single-Family on One-Acre Lots
The following Districts permit single-family houses by right with one-acre minimum lot
area and permit the renting of rooms for not more than three nonfamily members by the
family residing in a single-family dwelling as an accessory use: RB, RC-1, RD-1, RF, and
RF-2. A minimum lot area of two acres is required for parcels located within the Resource
Protection Overlay District (RPOD).
The following Districts also permit single-family houses by-right with one-acre minimum
lot area but do not permit renting of rooms: RC, RD, RC-2 and RF-1. A minimum lot area
of two acres is required for parcels located within the Resource Protection Overlay
District (RPOD).
Single-Family & Affordable on One-Acre or 10,000-Square-Foot Lots
The RAH District permits single-family houses by-right with one-acre minimum lot area or
10,000 square-foot minimum area if connected to municipal sewer if the site is located in
a Groundwater Protection Overlay District. The district also permits affordable single-
family houses that must be sold or leased to a nonprofit corporation or governmental
agency to provide housing to eligible tenants or buyers. The district also permits more
than one single-family dwelling constructed on a lot if the area of the lot is no less than
10,000 square feet per unit.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
98
Multi-Family Affordable Housing District (MAH)
The purpose of the Multi-Family Affordable Housing District is to authorize by special
permit privately initiated affordable housing by for-profit or not-for-profit organizations.
The District permits single-family houses by-right on two-acre minimum lots. By special
permit, the District permits multifamily affordable housing developments that are
connected to the municipal sewer system. The District allows multifamily affordable
housing development of up to 16 units per acre of upland. At least 18% of the dwelling
units shall be affordable units at 50% of the area median income.
DOWNTOWN HYANNIS ZONING DISTRICTS
Downtown Main Street District (DMS)
The Downtown Main Street District allows multi-family dwellings as of right. The
maximum number of dwelling units permitted for any multi-unit dwelling residential use is
determined by the permitted dimensions of the building and by providing the minimum
required parking spaces.
Downtown Village District (DV)
The Downtown Village District allows multi-family dwellings as of right. The maximum
number of dwelling units permitted for any multi-unit dwelling residential use is
determined by the permitted dimensions of the building and by providing the minimum
required parking spaces.
Downtown Neighborhood District (DN)
The Downtown Neighborhood District allows multi-family dwellings as of right with a
maximum of four dwelling units permitted in one building per lot. Multi-unit dwellings are
prohibited for lots fronting on Brookshire Road and King's Way.
Hyannis Harbor District (HH)
The Hyannis Harbor District allows multi-family dwellings as of right. The maximum
number of dwelling units permitted for any multi-unit dwelling residential use is
determined by the permitted dimensions of the building and by providing the minimum
required parking spaces.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
99
Transportation Center District (TC)
The Transportation Center District allows multi-family dwellings as of right. The maximum
number of dwelling units permitted for any multi-unit dwelling residential use is
determined by the permitted dimensions of the building and by providing the minimum
required parking spaces.
VILLAGE DISTRICTS
West Barnstable Village Business District (WBVBD)
The West Barnstable Village Business District permits single-family houses on minimum
one-acre lots. The dwelling unit can be attached to nonresidential building.
Marston Mills Village District (MMV)
The Marston Mills Village District permits mixed-use development by-right where the
building footprint does not exceed 5,000 square feet and total gross floor area does not
exceed 10,000 square feet, with retail or office use on the first floor and residential
apartment units above not to exceed four apartment units. The District also permits up to
seven apartment units in a mixed-use building as well as artist lofts by special permit. In
addition, an apartment incidental to a nonresidential use is permitted as an accessory use.
BUSINESS DISTRICTS
B, BA, UB, and VB-A Business Districts
The B and UB Business Districts allow multifamily dwellings as of right with minimum lot
area of 5,000 square feet per unit. Single-family residential structures (detached) are
allowed as of right strictly within the BA and UB Districts. The VB-A Business District
permits single-family houses (detached) by right and apartments (multifamily dwellings)
located above the first floor as an accessory use t.
Highway Business District (HB)
The Highway Business District allows for artists' lofts, single-, two-, and multi-family
dwellings, and mixed use development as of right.
MB-A1, MB-A2, and MB-B Business Districts
The MB-A1, MB-A2 and MB-B Business Districts permit not more than one apartment for
occupancy by the marina owner or by staff employed at the marina as an accessory use to
commercial marina.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
100
INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS
The Industrial District (IND) allows any use that is permitted within the B District and
therefore allows multi-family dwellings as of right with minimum lot area of 5,000 square
feet per unit. Additionally, the Industrial District allows multifamily dwellings (apartments)
for active adults or assisted living as of right when the project includes a total land area of
24 acres or more and is subject to a Senior Continuing Care Retirement Community
Overlay District. Each dwelling unit must provide a minimum lot area of 3,000 square feet.
To the extent a project is also subject to the Groundwater Protection Overlay District
regulations, the lot coverage and site clearing requirements shall be calculated using the
entire project land area as described in this section. All allowed impervious area may be
located on an individual lot within the project land area, provided the impervious area
requirements are met over the entire project land area.
OVERLAY DISTRICTS
The Town has undertaken measures to protect natural resources and significant habitats,
including adopting the Resource Protection Overlay District with a minimum lot size of
two acres in most areas of Town; promoting Open Space Residential Design subdivisions;
and mapping sensitive habitat areas to use as a guide for permitting development.
Resource Protection Overlay District (RPOD)
The Resource Protection Overlay District includes the recharge areas to the Centerville
River, Popponessett and Shoestring Bays, and Three Bays area of Cotuit and Osterville,
and provides greater resource protection than underlying zoning with a minimum two-
acre lot area. The RPOD encompasses 31,294 total acres or 26,817 acres excluding
surface and marine water bodies which results is a build-out capacity of at least 3,432
single-family houses.
Open Space Residential Development
The purpose of the Open Space Residential Development is to permit a variation in
development styles with efficient provision of roads and utilities; and to provide for the
public interest by the preservation of open space in perpetuity, for protection of both
natural resources and visual character of the land. An Open Space Residential
Development is permitted in all residential districts by special permit from the Planning
Board. The Open Space Residential Design provisions allow clustering of single-family
houses.
The Planning Board may grant a reduction of the bulk regulations, provided that in no
instance shall any lot contain less 15,000 square feet. The minimum lot size may be
further decreased by the Planning Board for a development which is 100% affordable.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
101
Private-Initiated Affordable Housing Development (PI-AHD)
The Private-Initiated Affordable Housing Development provisions permit privately
initiated affordable housing by special permit from the Planning Board. The site shall be
located entirely within the RC-1 Zoning District and shall contain at least seven
contiguous upland acres. At least 20 percent of the dwelling units must be affordable and
eligible for inclusion on the Subsidized Housing Inventory. The minimum lot area
requirement is 10,000 square feet. An affordable unit is defined as being reserved in
perpetuity for ownership by a household earning less than 80% of the area median family
income.
Senior Continuing Care Retirement Community Overlay District (SCCRCOD)
The purpose of the Senior Continuing Care Retirement Community Overlay District is to
encourage the development of residential communities designed to offer shelter,
convenience, services, and personal medical care, including nursing facility services, to
senior persons. This District allows independent living, assisted living, and nursing home
care by special permit from the Planning Board on a parcel of five acres or more of
contiguous upland.
Floodplain District
The Floodplain District includes all special flood hazard areas within the Town of
Barnstable designated as Zone A, AE, AO, or VE on the Barnstable County Flood
Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) as defined by the 100-year base flood elevations. New
construction or substantial improvements of residential structures must have lowest floor
elevation not less than the base flood elevations, among other requirements to protect
properties in the floodplain.
Groundwater Protection Overlay Districts
The purpose of the Groundwater Protection Overlay Districts is to protect the public
health, safety, and welfare by encouraging nonhazardous, compatible land uses within
groundwater recharge areas. The overlay districts consist of three districts, which together
cover all the town: Aquifer Protection Overlay District (AP); Groundwater Protection
Overlay District (GP), and Well Protection Overlay District (WP).
The GP and WP districts restrict lot coverage to no more than 15 percent or 2,500 square
feet of impervious surface. If all recharge is disposed of on-site, then up to 50 percent of
total upland is permitted to be impervious. In addition, a minimum of 30 percent of the
total upland area shall be retained in its natural state.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
102
Shopping Center Redevelopment Overlay District (SCROD)
The Shopping Center Redevelopment Overlay District allows multifamily dwellings as of
right. Ten percent of the multifamily dwelling units shall be deed restricted as affordable
units for individuals and families earning up to 65% of the area median income and an
additional 3% of the multifamily dwelling units shall be deed restricted as affordable
housing units for individuals and families earning up to 80% of the median income for the
Town of Barnstable, as determined annually by the Department of Housing and Urban
Development. However, the provisions of the Town of Barnstable Code, Chapter 9,
Inclusionary Affordable Housing Requirements, as amended, shall apply if they require a
greater number of restricted units.
Former Grade 5 School Planned Unit Development Overlay District
The purpose of the Former Grade 5 School Planned Unit Development Overlay District is
to promote flexibility in the design and development of land within the district. Permitted
uses include garden apartments, townhouses, multifamily housing, assisted living
developments, and mixed-use developments by special permit from the Planning Board on
a parcel of five or more acres.
Barnstable District of Critical Planning Concern for Growth Management
In 2001, the Town of Barnstable became the first town on Cape Cod to nominate a
town-wide District of Critical Planning Concern (DCPC), per the Cape Cod Commission
Act, to address issues arising from rapid growth in the community. This designation was
upheld by the Supreme Judicial Court, and the resulting town-wide growth cap limited the
number of residential building permits issued per year. Beginning in 2005, residential
building permits were limited to 96 market rate permits and 36 affordable permits per
year. In 2005, the Town nominated the Pond Village DCPC, which consisted of 125 acres
in Barnstable Village, to adopt two-acre zoning. The Town estimated that single-family
residential development potential was reduced from 30 lots to 13 lots.
Inclusionary Affordable Housing Ordinance
The Town adopted an lnclusionary Affordable Housing ordinance in 1999 to ensure that
“an appropriate share of the remaining undeveloped land in the town is used to meet the
town’s critical need for affordable housing, and to promote inclusion of a fair share of the
costs of construction of affordable housing in all residential and nonresidential land
development activity within the town.” The ordinance requires that developments of 10
or more units include at least 10 percent deed restricted affordable units. A developer
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
103
may apply to the Town for an alternative development agreement if it provides at least as
much benefit as the lnclusionary Ordinance provisions.
Shared Elderly Housing
The Zoning Board of Appeals may grant special permits to allow for the use of structures
as shared housing to provide care and shelter for persons with special needs due to age or
disability. Said special permits shall be issued only with respect to owner-occupied single-
family residences to be occupied by not more than six persons 65 years of age or older
(and in approved instances, persons of lesser age) in need of special care, in addition to
the family residents in the dwelling, and shall be conditioned upon the maintenance of
proper licensed status as a shared residence under the laws of the Commonwealth, and
upon such other requirements as the Zoning Board of Appeals deems appropriate with
respect to safety, parking, screening and other amenities designed to mitigate the impact
of the use upon the neighborhood, and may be conditioned as to time and ownership in
the discretion of the Board.
GROWTH INCENTIVE ZONE
Barnstable created the Downtown Hyannis Growth Incentive Zone in 2006, and it was
reauthorized in 2018. The Town applied to the Cape Cod Commission for this designation
to allow more local control by raising the Development of Regional Impact thresholds.
This streamlines the regulatory approach to provide an incentive for investment in
Downtown Hyannis. The GIZ includes multiple zoning districts (the Downtown Hyannis
Zoning Districts) as described in this report.
ACCESSORY AFFORDABLE APARTMENT PROGRAM
The Accessory Affordable Apartment Program (Section 9, Article II of the Code of the
Town of Barnstable) implements part of Barnstable's Affordable Housing Plan. Since its
beginning in 2000, the program's main objective has been to provide affordable housing
using existing housing stock. The program allows creation of new accessory affordable
units for single-family properties and multi-family properties.
Single-Family Properties
The single-family property must be owner-occupied on a year-round basis and either:
1. Contain a pre-existing un-permitted apartment unit; or
2. Create a new apartment unit within a new or existing attached structure; or
3. Create a new apartment unit within an existing detached structure.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
104
Multi-Family Properties
The property must be legally permitted as a multi-family dwelling, but one or more units
are currently unpermitted.
Permitting and Funding
These affordable apartment units are subject to a Comprehensive Permit issued by the
Zoning Board of Appeals Hearing Officer. Planning & Development staff assists the
property owner throughout the permitting process by:
• Working with the property owner to determine if their property is eligible for the
program; and
• Assisting property owners, if they are eligible, with funding application for eligible costs
associated with creating an accessory affordable department.
DEMOLITION DELAY ORDINANCE
The Historical Commission has the authority to issue applications for demolitions and
partial demolitions of properties more than 75 years old. These properties must be located
outside the town's two historic districts, the Old King's Highway Historic District, and the
Hyannis Main Street Waterfront Historic District. When the Commission finds that a
building is significant, demolition can be postponed for 18 months. This process allows the
property owner time to incorporate the present building into new plans or find other
individuals who would be interested in purchasing the building and preserving it. Through
the years, significant buildings have been preserved through the joint efforts of the
Commission and the property owners.
WETLAND REGULATIONS
State Laws
Barnstable's wetlands are protected through Massachusetts General Laws (MGL) c.131
s.40, the Wetlands Protection Act, and MGL c.258, the Rivers Protection Act. The
Wetlands Protection Act regulates many types of work in resource areas, including
vegetation removal, re-grading, construction of houses, additions, decks, driveways, and
commercial or industrial buildings in a wetland and in the buffer zone (within 100 feet of a
wetland).
The Rivers Protection Act, which is a 1996 amendment to the Wetland Protection Act,
protects rivers by regulating activities within 200 feet of the mean annual high-water line
on each side of a river.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
105
The MA Department of Environmental Protection has permanent restriction orders on
selected wetlands in more than 50 communities under the Inland and Coastal Wetlands
Restriction Acts, which provided added protection for selected wetlands. DEP registered
some of Barnstable’s wetlands in 1981.
Local Ordinance
Barnstable's local wetlands ordinance provides additional protection per Chapter 237 of
the Barnstable Town Code. The local ordinance states that no person shall “remove, fill,
dredge, or alter in or within 100 feet of the following resource areas: surface water body;
vegetated wetland or un-vegetated wetland; any land under said waters; any land subject
to flooding or inundation by groundwater, surface water, tidal action or coastal storm
flowage” except as permitted by the Conservation Commission.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
106
Map of Zoning in Barnstable Source: Town of Barnstable
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
107
CHAPTER 6: IMPLEMENTATION CAPACITY AND RESOURCES
This section describes Barnstable's capacity and resources for implementation of affordable
housing initiatives including Barnstable Growth Management Department, Barnstable Housing
Authority, Barnstable Council on Aging, and multiple nonprofit organizations. Barnstable has
access to a wide range of affordable housing advocates and experts working with the homeless,
seniors, victims of domestic abuse, and the disabled, as well as families and other individuals in
need of affordable housing.
KEY FINDINGS
• Barnstable has a specific Housing and Community Development program within its Planning
and Development Department that focuses mainly on affordable housing preservation and
production.
• Currently, the waiting list for elderly/disabled Housing Authority units includes more than
2,000 people. The family wait list has 4,084 families waiting for two-bedroom homes, 2,077
families waiting for three-bedroom homes, and 501 families waiting for four-bedroom homes.
In addition to Local Action Unit work, the Housing Committee is currently exploring a tax
exemption for those who participate in the Affordable Accessory Apartment program.
• The Trust has more than $4.68 million in grants available and is working to update its Notice
of Funding Availability to developers interested in creating affordable housing and explore
options for direct assistance to reidents.
• Since 2006, Barnstable has supported 30 community housing projects (19 percent of total),
appropriating a total of $8.9 million (33 percent of total funds).
• The Cape Cod Commission facilitates the advancement of regional efforts to create
affordable housing and support housing where appropriate by drafting model zoning. The
commission has assisted Barnstable with the Hyannis Growth Incentive Zoning, Local
Comprehensive Planning support, and homeowner surveys.
• The Housing Assistance Corporation remains one of the largest developers of affordable
housing in the region, serving more than 5,000 households each year in three main areas:
homeless prevention, housing stabilization, and empowerment.
LOCAL CAPACITY AND RESOURCES
BARNSTABLE PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
The Planning & Development Department is composed of six programs: Comprehensive
Planning, Conservation, Economic Development, Housing & Community Development, Parking
Management, and Regulatory Planning. The programs work together, as well as with community
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
108
partners and other Town departments, to promote comprehensive, sustainable land use and
economic development strategies to preserve the character of the Barnstable's seven villages
and improve residents' quality of life.
Housing and Community Development program: The goal of the Housing and Community
Development program is to renew and strengthen neighborhoods by facilitating livability and
diversity and by encouraging affordable and workforce housing opportunities throughout the
Town.
Specific initiatives of the Housing & Community Development program include affordable housing
preservation and production, Community Development Block Grant Administration, promoting
home ownership opportunities, and the Housing Development Incentive Program in the Growth
Incentive Zone.
Accessory Affordable Apartment program: Since its inception in 2000, the Accessory Affordable
Apartment Program's main objective has been to use existing housing stock to provide affordable
housing. The program allows the creation of new accessory affordable units, either in the
dwelling or within an existing detached structure on owner-occupied properties. These
affordable apartment units are subject to a Comprehensive Permit issued by a Zoning Board of
Appeals Hearing Officer. Planning and Development staff assists property owners throughout
the permitting process by working with them to determine if their property is eligible for the
program; if so, they assist property owners with funding applications for eligible costs associated
with creating an accessory affordable department. Now that the Town allows ADUs by-right, this
has led to a drop in apartments in this program, and the Town is working on incentives to
improve that and entice owners to participate.
BARNSTABLE HOUSING AUTHORITY
Established in 1948, the Barnstable Housing Authority produces and manages low-income
subsidized housing in Barnstable. The Housing Authority is an important partner not only in
developing new units of affordable housing for individuals and families (including special needs
individuals), but also managing such units and administering important rental subsidies that
enable lower-income families and individuals to remain in the community by renting units in the
private housing stock.
The Housing Authority currently manages public housing units as well as subsidy programs as
follows:
• Owns a total of 376 units:
o 103 affordable family units, ranging from single-room occupancy to four bedrooms
o 221 affordable elderly/young disabled units, ranging from studios to two bedrooms
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
109
o 52 units of special needs housing in five locations throughout town (but these are
populated by service providers)
• Manages nine affordable family units for Cape Ministry (on Winter Street)
• Holds 650 to 700 housing subsidies for various state and federal programs
Currently, more than 2,000 people are on the waiting list for elderly/disabled Housing Authority
units. The family wait list contains 4,084 families waiting for two-bedroom homes, 2,077
families waiting for three-bedroom homes, and 501 families waiting for four-bedroom homes.
Due to the state's centralized waiting list, there isn't a way to determine exactly how many
people on the waiting lists are current residents of the Cape or the Town of Barnstable or how
long they may have to wait.
BARNSTABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE
The Housing Committee's purpose is to promote the production and preservation of balanced
housing resources that address the unmet needs of the Town of Barnstable. The Committee
facilitates the development of, and equal access to, affordable housing and serves as the Town's
Local Housing Partnership. In this role, and in conjunction with the Town Manager, the
Committee reviews and makes recommendations on housing proposals that are seeking local
support under the Department of Housing and Community Development’s Local Initiative
Program. The Committee advises the Town Manager and Town Council regarding policies and
programs aimed at reaching the Town's goal of making a minimum of 10 percent of its housing
stock affordable in perpetuity.
In addition to Local Action Unit work, the Housing Committee is currently working on an
Inclusionary Zoning Feasibility Analysis, partnering on updating the Housing Production Plan, and
exploring a tax exemption for those who participate in the Affordable Accessory Apartment
program.
BARNSTABLE AFFORDABLE HOUSING GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT TRUST FUND
The Trust provides for the preservation and creation of affordable housing in the Town of
Barnstable for the benefit of low- and moderate-income households. Trust fund projects are in
the following categories:
• Predevelopment Activities. Funds are available for pre-development work to determine the
viability residential development on a vacant or developed site. Maximum funding per project
is $50,000.
• Development Funds are available to provide for gap funding to support the development of
affordable/community housing rental or homeownership units. Development activities
include redevelopment of existing structures or buildings, land acquisition, new construction,
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
110
or conversion of market units to affordable housing units. Potential funding per affordable
unit is up to $100,000 and up to $50,000 per community housing unit. Total potential
maximum funding for an affordable housing project is $1M and $260,000 for a community
housing project.
The Trust has more than $4.68million in grants available and is working to market a Notice of
Funding Availability to developers who are interested in creating affordable housing.
The Trust also puts out Requests for Proposals for the development of affordable housing on
available land and may consider acquisition of properties for affordable housing purposes. The
Trust is contemplating pursuing local option legislation for a high-value real estate transfer tax to
fund affordable housing.
COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE
The Community Preservation Committee (CPC) is charged with recommending the expenditure
of funds generated from the Community Preservation Act that was approved by the residents of
the Town of Barnstable in 2005. This Act is a tool to help communities acquire and preserve
open space; rehabilitate, restore, and preserve historic resources, structures, and landscapes; and
create and support community housing, all of which address core community concerns. A
minimum of 10 percent of the fund’s annual revenues must be allocated for each of the three
categories: Historic, Housing, and Open Space. The remaining 70 percent can be allocated for
any combination of the allowed uses, or for the acquisition of land for recreational use. The CPC
recommend potential projects to the Town Manager and Town Council for funding based on
eligible criteria.
Priorities for the CPC include:
• Affordable rental projects in areas outside of Hyannis.
• Rental units that are affordable to households at or below 50 percent Area Median Income
(AMI).
• Projects that propose the creation of affordable and community housing homeownership
units in Hyannis.
• Projects that provide housing to vulnerable populations and offer supportive services.
• Projects that are on public land.
• Projects that convert existing buildings and structures into new affordable/community
housing units.
BARNSTABLE COUNCIL ON AGING
The Barnstable Council on Aging is a Town department that supports the quality of life of the
community's elderly through a wide variety of services. These activities include an information
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
111
and referral service on a wide range of issues, community-based services to promote
independent living such as a free shuttle van to local stores and services, and in-home support
services. The Council relies heavily on local volunteers to support its activities and operates a
senior center.
The Council on Aging also works with the Town on a program that abates taxes for qualifying
seniors in exchange for services to the Town. In addition to this work program, the Town also
operates a variety of tax exemption programs for income-eligible seniors, veterans, surviving
spouses, etc., that reduce property tax bills.
REGIONAL CAPACITY AND RESOURCES
CAPE COD COMMISSION
The Cape Cod Commission supports the 15 towns of Barnstable County, regional and sub-
regional housing agencies, and other partners seeking to improve the availability and diversity of
affordable housing in the community. This role includes the development of information to
support local decision making, including presentations, coordination with state and other regional
agencies, meeting facilitation, zoning analysis and support, and specific project development
upon request of the community.
The Commission also supports the advancement of regional efforts to create affordable housing and
support housing where appropriate by drafting model zoning (such as the model bylaw for ADUs,
the facilitation of the Regional Housing Market Analysis, and drafting a framework for Form-Based
Code.
The Commission is near completion of Regional Housing Strategy to “address the housing supply,
affordability, and availability issues facing the region by identifying appropriate areas for housing
development and crafting policies and strategies to further its goals.” Components of the
strategy include data and baseline information; strategies and recommendations based on
research on what works in similar regions across the country; and tools and resources for
implementation. The draft Regional Housing Strategy can be accessed here:
https://capecodcommission.org/our-work/regional-housing-strategy
Previously, Commission staff maintained the HOME Consortium, a block grant program designed
to create affordable housing for low-income households. This program is now managed by
Barnstable County.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
112
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP
The Community Development Partnership builds a diverse year-round community of people who
can afford to live, work, and thrive on Cape Cod. The Community Development Partnership
promotes, develops, and manages affordable housing, nurtures the launch and growth of small
businesses, and facilitates collaboration with business, nonprofit, and government partners. While
the Community Development Partnership focuses its efforts on the Lower Cape, they provide
opportunities across Cape Cod.
BARNSTABLE COUNTY HOME CONSORTIUM
The Barnstable County HOME Consortium is composed of the 15 communities on Cape Cod
and was formed to be a Participating Jurisdiction to receive and disburse federal HOME funds,
which are federal formula grant funds provided to state and local governments exclusively for the
creation and preservation of affordable housing for low-income households. The Program Year
2022 allocation from HUD is $450,000 plus $170,000 in repurposed program income. 39
BARNSTABLE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
The mission of the Barnstable County Department of Human Services is to plan, develop, and
implement programs that enhance the overall delivery of human services in Barnstable County,
to promote the health and social well-being of County residents through regional efforts
designed to improve coordination and efficiency of human services, and to strengthen the fabric
of community care available to all. The group coordinates regional work on homelessness and
administers grant-funded programs of regional impact.
This County Department has recently taken over administration and oversight of the HOME
Program funds on behalf of the Barnstable County HOME Consortium. Funds are available to
any of the 15 Cape Cod towns for a variety of affordable housing programs, on a competitive
basis.
The Barnstable County Department of Human Services has been working to establish a Shared
Regional Housing Services Program. Established by County Ordinance 23-03 and funded with an
appropriation from the Barnstable County American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) award, the Shared
Regional Housing Services Program will be organized by a contracted consultant. Program
Development work during year one is anticipated to include tasks such as updating and
enhancing the County’s existing municipal and affordable housing stakeholders contact list;
establishing a Regional Affordable Housing database; develop or adopt universal templates for
affordable housing documents such as deed restrictions, monitoring checklist, local preference
39 Barnstable County Department of Human Services. “HOME Investment Partnership Program.”
https://www.bchumanservices.net/initiatives/home-program/
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
113
documentation checklist, eligible purchaser certificates, etc. During year two, it is anticipated
the County will expand programming by engaging in municipal support activities by providing
experienced technical assistance on a broad range of affordable housing tasks that align with
each community’s unique needs.
HOUSING ASSISTANCE CORPORATION
Headquartered in Hyannis, the Housing Assistance Corporation (HAC) was founded in 1974 to
provide rental vouchers to year-round workers on Cape Cod; it expanded over the years, and
now assists more than 175,000 low- and middle-income households on the Cape, Nantucket,
and Martha’s Vineyard. Today, the HAC is one of the largest developers of affordable housing in
the region.
HAC serves more than 5,000 households each year in three main areas: homeless prevention,
housing stabilization, and empowerment.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF CAPE COD
Habitat for Humanity is an ecumenical, nonprofit Christian ministry dedicated to building simple,
decent homes in partnership with families in need. The organization has grown over the past two
decades into one of the largest private homebuilders in the world. Habitat has a Cape affiliate
that has been able to build more than 155 new homes across 15 towns on the Cape since 1988,
including four homes in Barnstable, most recently Marstons Mills (Dickinson Drive in 2018).
CAPE AND ISLANDS REGIONAL NETWORK ON HOMELESSNESS
The Regional Network is a collaborative effort of State, County, and local government, social
service providers, housing agencies, faith-based organizations, the business community, and
individuals working together to prevent and end homelessness. The Regional Network is the
entity that carries out the responsibilities of the HUD Continuum of Care Program.
COMMUNITY ACTION COMMITTEE OF CAPE COD AND THE ISLANDS, INC.
Founded in 1965 as one of the state's Community Action Agencies, the Community Action
Committee of Cape Cod and the Islands, Inc. (CACCI), is a private, nonprofit organization that
helps low- and moderate-income people improve their quality of life through a wide range of
programs and services. The agency's efforts are focused primarily in the areas of access to health
Insurance and care, immigration resources, coordinating subsidized food (SNAP) assistance,
income tax preparation, emergency assistance, seasonal assistance, and an emergency shelter for
women and children. In FY20, CACCI served nearly 9,000 individuals through state, federal, and
private foundation contracts.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
114
HOMELESS PREVENTION COUNCIL
The mission of the Homeless Prevention Council (HPC) is to provide personalized case
management solutions to promote stability for all those who live in our community. Since its
founding in 1991, the HPC has been a critical resource for our neighbors in need, helping more
than 42,000 Lower Cape residents throughout its 30-year history.
LIFE, INC.
Since 1993, Living Independently Forever (LIFE), Inc. has served adults with learning disabilities
through a model program created within its condominium communities on Cape Cod. Located in
Hyannis, LIFE, Inc. is a private, nonprofit organization that provides support and resources in the
areas of vocation, education, social and community involvement, and daily living, encouraging
each resident's aspirations, strengths, and abilities. The organization has built several projects and
residential homes in the Town of Barnstable, and in 2018, a new group home was established in
Centerville.
CAPEABILITIES
CapeAbilities (formerly Nauset, Inc.) is a nonprofit organization that has provided housing, jobs,
and therapeutic services for individuals with developmental disabilities on Cape Cod for more
than 35 years. The organization's mission is to “serve individuals with disabilities by educating,
counseling, and providing residential therapeutic, social, and employment supports so as to
empower them to achieve meaningful and valued roles in society.” CapeAbilities has sponsored
housing in Barnstable using CDBG funds to purchase a group home.
CHIPS HOUSE
The Cape Head Injured Persons' (CHIP) Housing and Education Group is a private, nonprofit
organization that was established in 1992 to provide support and assistance for head-injured
residents of Cape Cod and has been committed to providing community-based housing for these
individuals. The housing includes support services so the disabled residents can maximize their
functional potential and achieve their highest level of independence in the community. The
organization has developed CHIP's House and CHIP's House II in Barnstable, each with ten units.
CHAMP HOMES
Champ Homes provides multi-generational housing for individuals who are physically disabled, in
recovery from drug or alcohol abuse, mentally ill, or have other assorted needs. A major
component of Champ Homes' community-based housing program is to form a close-knit family in
the housing based on mutual love and spirituality.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
115
OTHERS
In addition to the above nonprofit organizations and agencies, the Town of Barnstable has
worked cooperatively with private developers including McShane Construction, Chatham Real
Properties, and Williams Construction, among others.
LOCAL & REGIONAL HOUSING FUNDS & INCENTIVES
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS
Barnstable is an entitlement community that receives Community Development Block Grant
Funds on an annual basis from the US. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The
Town's program prioritizes affordable housing projects and projects that provides low- and
moderate-income persons with access to job training and opportunities. The Town of Barnstable
expects to receive $338,282 for the 2023–24 funding year.
COMMUNITY PRESERVATION FUNDS
The Committee works collaboratively with the Affordable Housing Growth and Development
Trust Fund Board to contribute to the goal of 10 percent affordability of the Town's housing
stock. In FY2021, Community Preservation Act revenue was $5 million, of which $2M was spent;
$300,000 (15 percent) was allocated toward community housing (CapeBuilt Development at 255
Main Street, Hyannis). In FY21, FY22 and again in FY24, the Community Preservation
Committee voted to allocate $2.5 million dollars in Community Preservation Funds to the
Affordable Housing Growth and Development Trust.
Since 2006, Barnstable has supported 30 community housing projects (19 percent of total),
appropriating $8.9 million (33 percent of total funds).
AFFORDABLE HOUSING GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT TRUST FUND
Barnstable's Affordable Housing and Economic Development Trust Fund was established in
2007 to help preserve the affordability of existing housing units that would otherwise be lost
because the resale formula in the existing deed rider would make them unaffordable. Therefore,
the Fund would also help preserve the character of the Town and its socioeconomically diverse
population. Both Community Preservation funding and affordable housing mitigation funds,
including proceeds from the inclusionary zoning ordinance, have helped capitalize the Fund and
help also leverage CDBG funds. Currently, the Fund has $4.68M available in grants toward pre-
development work and subsidizing affordable housing developments, or programs for direct
assistance.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
116
HOME FUNDS
The Barnstable County HOME Consortium includes all municipalities in Barnstable County and
provides federal HOME Program funding to support the financing of a wide variety of housing
activities. These funds are available to all towns participating in the Consortium, including
Barnstable, and are administered by the Barnstable County Human Services Department. HOME
funds awarded to local projects have resulted in the creation of more than 1,200 affordable
housing units in Barnstable County. In program year 2020, 15 HOME units were completed with
the developments of Cape Code Village and Little Pond Place in Falmouth. Additionally, three
affordable rental developments consisting of a total of 33 HOME units are under construction,
and two additional projects have filed applications for HOME funds and are under project
review40. The Barnstable County HOME Consortium Five Year Consolidated Plan 2020-2024 can
be viewed on their website41.
SENIOR CITIZEN AND VETERANS TAX WORK-OFF ABATEMENT PROGRAMS
To be eligible for the Town of Barnstable Senior Citizen Tax Work-Off Abatement, a property
owner must meet the following criteria:
• Has reached 60 years of age by July 1st of the fiscal tax year in which the tax credit will be
given, is a veteran, or is a spouse or surviving spouse of a veteran with a service-connected
disability or who is deceased.
• Own and occupy a residential property in the town in the immediate fiscal year preceding the
fiscal year applying to volunteer services.
• Cannot be a compensated employee of the Town during the fiscal year in which the tax credit
is sought.
• There are no income limitations. The programs were amended in 2023 to remove the income
limitations that were originally in place.
DISTRICT LOCAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (DLTA) PROGRAM GRANTS
The Cape Cod Commission provides grant funding for Cape communities to access technical
assistance in promoting affordable housing. Since 2018, DLTA grants received include:
• Design & Infrastructure Plan for Hyannis GIZ (2019): The Town requested assistance with an
update to its Design and Infrastructure Plan for the Downtown Hyannis Growth Incentive
Zone. This zone is a fundamental component of the Town's housing and economic
development strategy.
• Local Comprehensive Planning (2020): The Town requested technical assistance in support
of its efforts to update the Town's Local Comprehensive Plan and address its pressing need
40 “Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report Program Year 2020 (July 202-June 30, 2921)”, Barnstable County Program,
https://www.capecod.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/FINAL-CAPER-PY2020.pdf.
41 “Five Year Consolidated Plan 2020-2024”, Barnstable Home Consortium, April 10, 2020, https://www.capecod.gov/wp-
content/uploads/2022/03/2020-2024-CONSOLIDATE-PLAN-AS-AMENDED-12-20201.pdf.
Barnstable Housing Production Plan DRAFT June 2025
117
to increase housing supply, diversity, affordability, and economic and climate resiliency. The
Commission worked with the Town to develop local comprehensive maps and an online web
map viewer.
• Second Homeowner Survey (2021): The Town of Barnstable requested funding to support
two surveys, one for new homeowners and another for second homeowners, to better
understand how the region's population is changing due to the effects of COVID-19.
• LCP Support/Data Dashboard (2021): The Town of Barnstable requested assistance with
data collection, analysis, presentations, maps, dashboards, and other graphics to support its
Local Comprehensive Plan development. The Town intends to use the LCP process as an
opportunity to educate and engage in conversations on the economic, housing, and
environmental processes occurring in town.
HOUSING DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM
The Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP), which was established by M.G.L., Chapter
40V, provides Gateway Cities with a tool to develop market rate housing while increasing
residential growth, expanding diversity of housing stock, supporting economic development, and
promoting neighborhood stabilization in designated areas. Eligible development costs include
both hard and soft construction costs associated with the development of the market rate units.
Acquisition costs are ineligible expenses.