On the Cape and Islands, a new housing fix is gaining traction

"More and more year-round employees, from hospital staff to teachers and restaurant workers, are being priced out of the Cape and Islands, leaving communities scrambling to find ways to keep them housed. Local officials say they've pursued nearly every option available - from state and federal housing grants to zoning reforms to even building out sewers to support more housing - but the problem keeps outpacing the solutions. Now, they say, it comes down to funding."

"Gov. Maura Healey's housing bond bill included a version of the proposal, allowing cities and towns to levy a 0.5% to 2% fee on property sales above $1 million or the county's median home price. According to the administration, the seller would pay the cost, impacting fewer than 14% of residential sales while creating a new revenue stream for local housing projects."

""The bottom line is, we can't solve this problem without money," said Jay Coburn, CEO of the Community Development Partnership, a local housing nonprofit."

Year-round employees — including hospital staff, teachers, and restaurant workers — are increasingly priced out of the Cape and Islands, creating shortages of workforce housing. Local officials have pursued state and federal housing grants, zoning reforms, and sewer expansion to support more housing, but demand continues to outpace solutions. Leaders are seeking state permission to impose real estate transfer fees on high-end home sales to generate local housing funds. Governor Maura Healey's housing bond bill proposed allowing 0.5% to 2% fees on sales above $1 million or the county median price, with sellers paying the cost and fewer than 14% of sales affected. A strong real estate lobby helped block the measure in the state Senate.

Read at Boston.com