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Blue Hill Peninsula Housing Toolkit: Share your feedback

On the Blue Hill Peninsula, unaffordability, high demand, and construction challenges have contributed to a housing market that is not financially accessible for most households. Housing Opportunities On the Peninsula (HOOP) is a 10-town collaboration to create a toolkit for municpalities, developers, and community members to increase and diversify local housing supply to meet our needs, including homes for seniors, families, and the workforce. See the data and learn more at hoopmaine.org.

The Blue Hill Peninsula Housing Toolkit will have strategies for municipalities to encourage more diverse and affordable housing in their town, along with case study designs for cost-effective new housing construction. We want your feedback on what to prioritize and what tools and designs are the best fit for your community.

design

Single-story living

Single-story living
Single-story living

These 1 bedroom/1 bath homes are fully accessible, with a mix of shared and private outdoor space. They are sized for modular construction and can be adapted to use different roof styles.

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design

Family-sized units

Family-sized units
Family-sized units

3-bedroom/2 bath homes designed for families and multigenerational living, with a first floor bedroom that allows for single-story living and privacy from upstairs bedrooms. The gable roof design evokes common housing types in Maine, and is suited for snowy winters. These homes are sized for modular construction.

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design

Compact 3-bedroom

Compact 3-bedroom
Compact 3-bedroom

This 3 bedroom/2 bath home has a small footprint, suitable for smaller parcels or infill development. The first floor bedroom is ideal for extended family or aging in place. The south-facing room optimizes space for photovoltaics or rainwater cachment.

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design

Living in common

Living in common
Living in common

This design could be used for seasonal workers or other uses where dormitory-style housing is appropriate. It can be new construction, or adapted to re-use existing buildings. Doors between common use rooms simplify the logistics of living in common.

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design

Mixed-unit house

Mixed-unit house
Mixed-unit house

This design combines the family-style and single-story designs to create a home where different household sizes can live together and benefit from being neighbors. It is sized for modular construction, and the long roof provides ample area for installing solar panels. Varied household sizes can live together and benefit from being neighbors

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ranking

In the big picture, what type of strategies are you most interested in seeing your town pursue?

Rank the options from most interested (1) to least interested (3).

  1. Create local sources of funding for affordable housing development
  2. Use town-owned land for new housing development
  3. Make ordinance changes to support housing development

Drag or use the arrows to rank. The order shown is included when you submit below.

matrix vote

Now, tell us what you think about each of these specific strategies:

Top priority Good idea Bad idea Not sure
Affordable housing trust fund: Your town sets up a dedicated fund, supported through municipal budgeting, to help pay for affordable housing development.
Tax increment financing: Your town works with a developer to use a portion of the new property tax revenue generated by a development to help pay for development costs.
Municipal housing bond: Voters approve borrowing money through a long-term municipal bond to help fund housing development or related costs.
Town-owned land: Your town identifies publicly owned land that could be sold at a reduced cost or provided to a developer for affordable housing.
Rental registry: A local ordinance requires owners of rental propertiesβ€”or short-term rentalsβ€”to register their units annually, typically for a small fee. The program can help the town better understand and monitor the local rental housing supply.
Land use changes: Update zoning, subdivision, or other land use ordinances to allow more housing types, smaller lots, or greater housing density, within the limits of available infrastructure such as utilities, wells, and septic systems.
Historic districts: Designate historic properties or districts locally to help preserve historic buildings and support their reuse, including by making some projects eligible for historic tax credits.

Results appear once you submit your answers below.

short answer

What town do you live in?

single choice

How old are you?

single choice

How long have you lived on the Blue Hill Peninsula?

single choice

What kind of home do you live in?

single choice

Do you want to receive email updates about this project?

Submit your feedback

Your email and survey answers are private to CommunityScale staff. Your name appears with any public comments.