Opinion/Letters: Working on affordable housing in Truro

I was born and raised in Truro and have witnessed the morphing landscape of our beloved town over the years. A vital concern that has emerged is the attrition of essential workers from our local milieu due to the lack of affordable housing.

Growing up here, neighborhoods included folks from all different professions who often built and owned their own homes, including police, EMTs, DPW workers, carpenters, fishermen, servers, teachers and health care workers.

Today, the narrative has shifted. I am a speech-language pathologist and I have two colleagues who are anxiously searching for year-round, stable housing so that they can maintain their careers on the Outer Cape. My family lives in a home that my father, a carpenter, built and it is the only way we could possibly have a foothold in Truro despite our advanced degrees.

Essential workers with crucial skills, such as nursing, find it nearly impossible to secure housing within Truro. It's not just about physical proximity; it's about weaving those threads of connection back into the social fabric of daily life. When those who work in our community can live here, engagement and understanding of our community’s unique needs will be better served.

The Walsh Property Proposal shines a light on this urgent need by earmarking a tract of land for affordable housing. The proposal is pragmatic and long overdue. It's not merely about brick and mortar, but about rejuvenating the human essence of Truro. It beckons us to act judiciously to restore the warmth and camaraderie that once defined our town.

If you support reinvigorating Truro’s communal harmony and want to ensure the retention of essential workers, please vote Yes to support the Walsh Property Proposal.

Kait Blehm, North Truro

I am writing to endorse the pragmatic and forward-thinking recommendations outlined by the Walsh Committee. The Outer Cape has been a sanctuary for my family and we have blossomed collectively in the arms of the open, artistic, and queer-friendly community. Yet, the base of affordability that once harmonized with our diverse and vibrant body politic seems to be growing faint.

The Walsh Committee's report offers a well-paved path toward stable housing affordability. As someone who has been part of the Outer Cape community for over three decades, raising three daughters who are now of service as a teacher, a community leader and a nurse, this report resonates with the core values that anchor our family and is indeed the reason we moved here in the late 1980s. My dream of stable housing, a modest dwelling near my grandchildren, seems a tad closer with the vision inked in this report.

At 65, every day I spend contributing to the community underscores my commitment to a society where the veil of housing insecurity is lifted. The recommendations in the report echo a pragmatic approach to preserving affordability. It’s a stride toward ensuring that the unique and inclusive character of our community isn’t eroded by the sands of unaffordability and exclusivism.

Kathe Izzo, Truro

Truro Walsh Property plan 'a beacon of hope'

The future and vibrancy of Truro hinges on its ability to be a welcoming home for all its residents, young and old, year-round and seasonal. The Walsh Property proposal represents a beacon of hope for individuals like me, who see the promise of our town and yearn for its continued growth.

The staffing challenges at Truro Central School offer a snapshot of a broader issue we face. If the school could secure after-school care staff, I'd have the chance to step into a full-time role, directly contributing to our community's welfare and progress.

Take the example of Savory and the Sweet Escape, which is owned by my in-laws. Once a year-round hub, they’ve had to limit their operations to just the seasonal months due to challenges such as staffing. They thrived here being open year-round for over a decade, providing not just delightful treats but also a place for the community to come together. Remember the joy of having such a gathering spot open during the cozy weekends of March or the festive days of Thanksgiving? A place where moms can chat, where our hardworking first responders can take a breather, and where part-time residents can feel the warmth of our community?

This was the place where we got to know first responders and teachers and other town employees — because a lot of them haven’t been able to afford to live here for a while, either.

The Walsh Property Proposal holds the potential to reinvigorate such communal spaces by addressing the heart of the issue — housing affordability. Let's rally behind this initiative for a brighter, more inclusive Truro.

Amy Smith, Truro

Cashes Ledge should be a permanently protected marine ecosystem

The ocean is the heart of Cape Cod. Millions of tourists come to the Cape each summer to experience the natural beauty and bounty of the Atlantic Ocean, but it’s under threat. Overfishing, climate disaster, offshore drilling and dredging threaten all varieties of local species. This hurts our way of life and all of our vital local marine animals.

Cashes Ledge is one of the most important ecosystems in the Northern Atlantic. It is a vast underwater mountain range 90 miles off the coast of Massachusetts, home to humpback whales, endangered North Atlantic cod, and a vast kelp forest. It currently has some federal protections, but they’re not permanent. It is under threat from exploitative human behavior, and the only way to preserve this ocean gem is to protect it permanently.

Protecting Cashes Ledge is incredibly important to keep our corner of the Atlantic healthy and thriving. What’s a summer on the Cape without a whale watch? How will our fishing industry survive if we run out of fish to catch?

Our ocean must be allowed to recover from overfishing and exploitation, and the best practice for this is preserving important marine ecosystems just like Cashes Ledge. MASSPIRG students at Massachusetts universities are calling on President Biden to make Cashes Ledge a permanently protected marine ecosystem. Our government must take action now to protect the Atlantic. We need to raise awareness to keep our local ocean safe for future generations.

Emily O’Brien, East Falmouth

'We are running out of time' to address climate change

A number of offshore wind companies are having to terminate their contracts because of financial problems. They are not alone. Barnstable Town Council paused Avangrid offshore wind projects after the offshore wind developer backed out of previously negotiated power purchase agreements.

The DPU recently allowed Eversource, National Grid and Unitil to increase costs to ratepayers for some of the same reasons. Offshore wind companies plan to be rebid, but in the meantime, how can we keep moving forward while they regroup? We can sound the alarm to our legislators to pass powerful climate bills and hope that Congress can get back to business soon:

— Pass the Carbon Fee and Dividend Act. (Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act), a boon to low-income households and a healthier climate.

— Demand permitting reform. It takes 4.5 years on average to complete environmental impact studies for major projects. It often takes 10 years from proposal to completion. What’s the hurry? Carbon and methane (which trap heat) accumulate in the atmosphere; they don’t readily dissipate. We are running out of time.

Jan Kubiac, Hyannis

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Cape Cod Times Letters to the Editor