A Word from Jay...

In this issue of our E-news you will read about the important work we have been doing to increase the supply of housing through the Lower Cape Community Housing Partnership. Creating more housing that is affordable to people who live and work year-round on the Lower Cape is a critical part of the CDP’s mission. And the current boom in home sales only makes our work more important if we are to build a diverse year-round community of people who can afford to live, work and thrive here.

We believe that new rental housing should be managed locally – not by large for-profit management firms based off Cape. One of our strategic priorities is to grow our Property Management Department and position the CDP to create well-paying year-round jobs managing affordable and community housing on the Lower Cape.

Last month, I asked Rob Doane our Chief Fiscal and Operations Officer (CFOO) to lead our efforts to expand our Property Management Department. Rob has proven himself to be an effective and entrepreneurial manager as well as a key member of our leadership team. We are both excited about his taking on this new role as Chief Property Management Officer.

Ronnie Edwards will be joining us as our new CFOO after a 24-year career in the US Foreign Service with the Agency for International Development. Ronnie has worked in posts all over the world managing USAID’s fiscal relationships with non-governmental agencies in Moscow, Indonesia, Uganda and Central America. He and his family are now living in Yarmouth Port and I am pleased to welcome him to our team.

Thanks for your interest and support in the important work we do and enjoy these last weeks of summer!

CDP loan client Mary DeBartolo had a dream of opening an ice cream shop in her hometown of Orleans. She worked with CDP and launched the Local Scoop in 2012 with a focus on making all their frozen treats using locally sourced ingredients from Cape Cod farms and food artisans.

Mary spent the next eight years experimenting with flavors and building her business which includes homemade ice cream, frozen yogurt and artisan popsicles, with a motto of “delivering joy with a dash of incredible (local) tastes.” The Local Scoop actually incorporates ingredients from other CDP clients such as Chequessett Chocolate and Snowy Owl Coffee Roasters. Unfortunately, this all came grinding to a halt this spring with the outbreak of the coronavirus.

Like many other seasonal businesses across the Cape, Mary was unsure about whether The Local Scoop would even be able to open this summer. “We usually open in February, but this year we pushed that back, and we were unsure of when we

For twenty-eight years the Community Development Partnership has been at the forefront of housing advocacy on the Lower and Outer Cape. Through our Lower Cape Community Housing Partnership, we work with town elected and appointed officials, and community members to provide the knowledge, skills and resources they need to support the creation of housing that is affordable in their communities.

Alison Alessi

Architect and founder, A3 Architects and CDP Supporter

When architect Alison Alessi and construction manager Jason Stoots met in Steamboat, Colorado to work on a development project, little did they know it would be just the first of many collaborations.

For the past twelve years this husband and wife team has designed numerous net-energy zero residences, commercial and municipal projects in towns across the Cape. Jason, who first worked as a scuba instructor and waterfront coordinator for a marine resource center in the Caribbean, moved on to energy efficient construction and construction management before founding SunPower by E2 Solar in 2008. Alison is a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accredited professional and founded the architectural firm A3 Architects, Inc. in 2012. “I have always wanted to be an architect, even as a kid,” says Alison. “I love the combination of math and science, art and design…and we both have a passion for environmental issues. Focusing both our companies on energy efficiency and net zero design seems like a good fit for Cape Cod.” 

This year, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, we agreed that to keep everyone safe we would take a break. We cannot however, take a break from raising needed funds to support our programs that help to nurture and strengthen our Lower Cape community.

Rather than attempt to hold a virtual, Summer Evening Off the Farm, we are asking that you consider a donation to support the important work we do at the CDP. Could you help us out with a gift of $75.00, the cost of a ticket to the event? If you are feeling generous, please give more if you can.

Urging us to “put our money where our heart is” the campaign will be reinforced by the state’s 16 Regional Tourism Councils, including the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce. You can learn more about the initiative by going online to https://www.findmylocalma.com/

In response to the evolving impacts of the Coronavirus, the CDP has shifted all trainings, workshops, technical assistance sessions, and appointments to a virtual platform until further notice. The status of in-person events may be changed in accordance with guidance from state and local officials.

We remain committed to serving our business clients and our community. Staff is now working remotely and will continue our existing programs and services while also responding to the evolving challenges that this pandemic presents.

Attorney Melanie O'Keefe from the law firm La Tanzi, Spaulding and Landreth will be hosting free 30-minute consultations to answer questions related to small business law including:

Dates: September 8 and October 13

Time: 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Where: Via phone call

To book your FREE 30-minute consultation call or email Marina at WE CAN - 508-430-8111 or marina@wecancenter.org

To register for a FREE info sessions call or email Marina at WE CAN - 508-430-8111 or marina@wecancenter.org

If you or someone you know is interested in receiving weekly updates from our Business and Credit Program that are targeted to small businesses, please sign up for our Inside Scoop.

Thank you for supporting our efforts to support the Lower Cape community during this crisis.