The Vineyard Shuffle and the Need for Affordable Housing

As the middle of May nears,  you can almost hear the boxes getting packed as the the "Vineyard Shuffle" begins. All across the Island those with winter rentals are pulling up the storage bins from the basement, filling them with their worldly belongings and heading out to whatever summer living options they've lined up this year. For some it's moving in with friends or family, others head to campgrounds or boats, others leave the Island altogether.

The difference in price between a winter rental and a year round rental is substantial enough that many Islanders find it to be their only option, but the hassle of packing up and moving twice a year is a strain not to be overlooked.

Even with all of the efforts of the different affordable housing organizations on the island, finding affordable housing is still a major struggle for many.

So once again we open it up to you, Island folks. We know you've got good ideas, good questions and probably some really good answers. Do you feel there are affordable housing options out there that are not being explored? Have you searched and searched for affordable housing only to end up back where you began? How do you feel about the topic in general? What more do you think Island government should do? The community as a whole?