Town of Eastham Launches “Lease to Locals” Pilot Program to Incentivize Year-Round Rentals
EASTHAM, MA — The Town of Eastham is proud to announce the launch of its new “Lease to Locals” program, a collaborative and forward-looking initiative aimed at increasing the availability of year-round housing. In partnership with the Town of Orleans, Eastham will jointly fund and administer the program to provide meaningful incentives to property owners who convert short-term rentals or underutilized units into long-term housing for local workers and residents.
Eligible property owners in either Eastham or Orleans may qualify for one-time incentive payment of up to $15,000 per unit. To participate, property owners must lease their units to individuals who are employed by a business located in either town or who are already residents of Eastham or Orleans.
“The critical need for year-round housing is the reason we are looking to offer as many tools as possible to residents,” said Jamie Demetri member of the Eastham Select Board. “Cultivating multiple options with regard to housing is our goal, and the Lease to Locals program is one of many solutions we are unlocking and developing.”
The program is being implemented in collaboration with Placemate, Inc., a housing solutions organization with a proven track record of helping vacation communities repurpose existing housing stock into year-round rentals. The Town of Eastham has committed $300,000 in funding for the first year of the program, which will support incentive payments, outreach, and administration.
“This program reflects our commitment to addressing the housing challenges facing our community,” said Rich Bienvenue, Eastham Assistant Town Manager and Finance Director. “By partnering with Orleans, we are taking a proactive step to create more stable, year-round housing options for our residents and local workforce. It’s a smart investment in the long-term health and sustainability of our town.”
This pilot program represents an important step toward ensuring Eastham and Orleans remain vibrant, livable communities for the people who work and live there year-round.
Program Details:
To qualify, properties must be located in Eastham or Orleans, cannot have had full-time tenants in the unit for more than a year, and cannot currently be rented on a 12 month lease.
In order to receive an incentive payment through the Lease to Locals program, owners must rent their property to at least one qualified tenant for a minimum 12-month period. Property owners making the switch to long term renting are eligible for a one-time financial incentive ranging from $5,000 to $15,000, based on the size of their property and the number of qualified tenants they rent to.
A qualified household must have at least one qualified tenant, defined as a renter who works at least 30 hours per week for an employer located or serving customers in Eastham or Orleans. Existing residents of Eastham or Orleans and dependent children of adults in a qualified household are also considered qualified tenants. No tenants in a qualified household may be of blood relation to the property owner.
Eastham tenants and property owners can learn more about the program and get started by creating their tenant and property owner profiles by visiting http://www.placemate.com/Eastham, calling Placemate at (508) 290-7979, or emailing them at hello@placemate.com.
About Placemate
Placemate has deep experience and operational capacity to help solve the housing crisis in tourist towns by unlocking new housing opportunities for local employees. They run similar Lease to Locals incentive programs across the country in resort communities in California, Idaho, Colorado, and Massachusetts. Through their trusted online platform, they connect local tenants with homeowners who have underutilized properties available for rent. To bolster this effort, they partner with local governments and nonprofits to incentivize property owners who convert and preserve their units into seasonal and long-term rentals for locals.