State Awards Community Investment Tax Credits

The Island Housing Trust is thrilled to have been awarded $110,000 in state Community Investment Tax Credits. Governor Patrick and the Commonwealth’s Department of Housing and Community Development recently announced the award of $3 million in tax credits to 38 community development nonprofits in Massachusetts.

The Community Investment Tax Credit will provide a 50% refundable state tax credit and a federal tax deduction to donors who invest in the Island Housing Trust, through this allocation of tax credits. As a result of these tax credit investments, a total of $220,000 will be available this year to the Island Housing Trust to help implement its Community Investment Plan. The Island Housing Trust may also qualify for future allocations of tax credits.

The three-year Plan developed by the Island Housing Trust is centered around the following goals: 1) Increase public awareness and support for affordable housing efforts and initiatives island-wide; 2) Increase the number of affordable homes from 60 to 100; and 3) Ensure the on-going stewardship of all its current and future homes.

“The Community Investment Tax Credit will leverage private dollars so that we can undertake high-impact, affordable housing development, both ownership and rental, for low and moderate income island residents” said Richard Leonard, President of the Island Housing Trust. “What is particularly exciting about this program is the way it brings together state resources, with the island’s business community, individual donors, and local governments to forge creative, bottom-up solutions that yield real results. This program will help to ensure that our island community, and working families and individuals have a better opportunity to fully participate in our local economy. We are grateful for the support of many Islanders who helped to formulate this Plan, and look forward to collaborating on its implementation.”

If you are interested in making a donation of $1,000 or more to the Island Housing Trust and realizing a 50% Massachusetts  tax credit and a federal tax deduction, please contact Philippe Jordi, Executive Director at 508-693-1117 and complete this Tax Credit Form and mail it to the Island Housing Trust along with your donation.  State Department of Revenue regulation (830 CMR 62.6M.1) explains the calculation of the community investment tax credit for qualified investments to the Island Housing Trust. 

 

Island Housing Advocates Recipients of State CPA Award

Philippe Jordi, Representative Tim Madden, Derrill Bazzy

The Community Preservation Coalition is pleased to announce Philippe Jordi and Derrill Bazzy as recipients of this year’s Kuehn Community Preservation Award. Philippe and Derrill are being recognized for their significant contributions to the success of the Community Preservation Act (CPA). Their dedication, enthusiasm, leadership, and tireless commitment to community preservation on Martha’s Vineyard have marked them as true heroes of CPA, whose work best exemplifies the spirit of Robert H. Kuehn, Jr. 

The Third Annual Kuehn Community Preservation Awards were held in the Great Hall at the Massachusetts State House.   For more information on the event and how to attend visit the Community Preservation Act Coalition.  The event also provided an opportunity for CPA advocates to show the value of CPA to state legislators and the need for continued support to the statewide CPA Trust Fund.

6 Water Street – Design Input

The Island Housing Trust engaged several architects to develop conceptual designs for a donated property in downtown Vineyard Haven on Water Street.   This past spring neighboring property owners and interested town residents were invited to share their thoughts regarding concerns, opportunities, and possible design/ program ideas for the property.

Dudley Cannada of Cannada Design Architects and James Weisman of Terrain Associates submitted two different conceptual designs in response to the Island Housing Trust’s request for proposal. Both proposals involve the removal of the existing house. The goal is to design a building or buildings that compliment the existing neighborhood and provides livable, energy efficient, affordable in-town rental housing with the possibility of street level commercial space.

Please email Philippe Jordi, Executive Director at pjordi@ihtmv.org to tell us:

1)  What specifically do you like about either or both of these conceptual designs, and

2)  What do you think can be done to improve either or both of these conceptual designs.

or

3)  Ask us any specific question(s) you have and we’ll try to answer them.

Your ideas and suggestions are greatly appreciated.  Thank you for your input in advance.

 

 

 

 

 

Community Investment Tax Credit grant award

Several months ago, the Island Housing Trust received certification from the state as a Community Development Corporation (CDC).    The state Department of Housing and Community Development announced today $750,000 in grants to CDC’s throughout the state, including a $25,000 grant to the Island Housing Trust at Community Investment Tax Credit  announcement.

These grant funds will be used by the Island Housing Trust to develop a community investment plan in preparation for an application for new Community Investment Tax Credits later this year.  A community investment plan is a strategic plan that looks at the local environment and its needs for affordable housing and community development activities and proposes ways to work collaboratively in the community to meet those needs.

The Island Housing Trust’s sees this as a wonderful opportunity to work with island towns, housing organizations, and the broader community to develop an implementation plan based on findings and recommendations of the recently released Martha’s Vineyard Housing Needs Assessment. We look forward to reaching out across the community to gather ideas and discuss ways that we can work together. With a community investment plan, we will be able to apply for additional state resources and to potentially attract a larger number of donors and investors to addressing the Island’s affordable housing needs.

Water Street – Design Meeting

All those interested in creating affordable rental opportunities in Vineyard Haven are invite to attend a meeting at 5:00 on Monday, May 13th at the Vineyard Housing Office located at 346 State Road in Vineyard Haven (behind the Tisbury Farm Market).


The purpose of the meeting to discuss design ideas for a property recently donated to the Island Housing Trust at 6 Water Street (between Stop and Shop and AA Island Auto Rental). We value your input as neighbors and members of our community.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Philippe Jordi at 508-693-1117 or at pjordi@ihtmv.org