Silver and green shovels struck the ground Thursday marking the beginning of construction for Meshacket Commons, an affordable housing complex off Meshacket Road in Edgartown.

The development will include 36 rentals units and 4 ownership homes, and have the capacity to house 100 Island residents.

“This could not have come any sooner,” said Philippe Jordi, CEO of Island Housing Trust. “We’re seeing the negative impacts of the housing crisis on our Island community and economy. Today, more than ever, more and more of our essential workers have no place to live and are forced to commute from off Island.”

Philippe Jordi, executive director of Island Housing Trust. — Ray Ewing

The project has been in the works for over a decade and is scheduled to be ready for occupancy in early 2026. Island Housing Trust, in partnership with Affirmative Investments, was selected to lead the construction.

The development will house residents with incomes between 30 to 100 per cent of the Dukes County area median income for rentals and between 90 to 120 per cent for home ownership.

Mr. Jordi reported that over $22 million was provided by state and federal tax credits and state bond funding. Edgartown contributed $1.48 million for the project.

Mr. Jordi said that last spring Rockland Trust and Stratford Capital Group closed on a total of $17 million in tax credits and $20 million in construction financing for the development.

Mark Hess, the Edgartown affordable housing committee chair, commended the town for its persistence in seeing the project through.

Mark Hess, affordable housing committee chair for Edgartown. — Ray Ewing

“In the past two or three years, so many solid advancements have been made in design efforts, in terms of energy efficiencies and practical building and materials, that this has really come at a good time,” Mr. Hess said.

The homes are being designed by Union Studio and will be built behind a thicket of trees along the Meshacket roadside. The neighborhood will have a community building with mail kiosks and management offices, a trash collection and storage area, solar panels and an electric vehicle charging station.

Newly-elected state representative Thomas Moakley attended the groundbreaking. He said he is proud that Meshacket Commons will be an example of the community’s resilience.

“Affordable housing is up there with climate change as the most critical issue facing our community,” Mr. Moakley said. “This project takes both of those things into mind and also represents the collaborative spirit in which we need to tackle these issues… Hopefully with future projects we will be able to make it happen a little quicker.”