This article is a part of 12-piece series for The Times’ 2025 “Year in Review.” Click here for the print version.
Housing on Martha’s Vineyard has endured some significant ebbs and flows this year. From new affordable developments to cleared unhoused campsites, from overcrowded living conditions to new state tools for addressing the low housing supply and affordability, the stakes have been high.
The year began with ballooning homeowners insurance premiums. Some Vineyard residents cited over 300 percent increases in yearly home insurance rates after multiple companies refused to continue covering homes in a place they deemed susceptible to storms.
The only winter shelter for unhoused Islanders moved from its location at Martha’s Vineyard Community Services due to a planned demolition of the campus, and continues to struggle to find a permanent residence. Meanwhile, the number of unhoused Islanders has only increased. The nonprofit Harbor Homes reported that 341 people on the Island, that they know of, don’t have a home.
Some hopeful action came in the form of housing initiatives by state and local governments. The Island received a seasonal communities designation, which opened up multiple paths that weren’t available before, such as residential tax exemption increases for year-rounders.
Housing production plans, which each town drafted throughout the year, along with community input, are being finalized. The reports contain actionable five-year plans for town representatives to work toward a better housing landscape for their residents.
Housing bank efforts are underway again as well, with representatives from schools, healthcare, nonprofits, and government advocating for the creation of a funding source for future housing initiatives — one that would operate similarly to the Land Bank.
And another effort to bolster supply came from the state. The right to build accessory dwelling units, also known as ADUs, was passed as by-right legislation by Gov. Maura Healey’s administration, and then by each town in meetings last spring. While not a silver bullet, the ability to build accessory units has worked well to add stock in housing-strained communities across the country.
Sheryl and Ron Dagostino and Sheryl’s parents walk separately into the shared sitting room between their own house and the accessory unit. —Dena PorterBut the reality of housing on the Vineyard is that high costs, seasonality, and short-term rentals have created barriers to progress for low- to middle-income families. Some have found themselves living in overcrowded conditions because there’s been nowhere else to stay. Others live in tents and yurts in the summer due to year-round rentals being so few.
Island residents have raised their voices all year about their housing needs. Some described the “Island shuffle,” a term that describes frequent seasonal moves. Others navigated outdoor living with their families, and the fear of tick-borne illness. Creative solutions were constant, and many locals had to think outside of the box in order to find shelter. But across dozens of interviews, Islanders described a love for the land, the community that resides on it, and a pervading desire to lift each other up through difficult times.
Other headlines:
What’s next for the Island’s unhoused population?
Finding solutions for turbulent insurance market
Island towns redouble housing planning effort
Accessory dwelling units: An intergenerational tool for housing challenges
A blueprint for Island’s housing crisis
Overcrowded housing raises alarms across the Island
Unhoused campsite dispersed by Tisbury Police
Islanders plead with lawmakers to pass housing legislation
New housing program rolls out for first Vineyard family
West Tisbury boosts tax exemption to preserve homeownership
