A new organization formed to help address Little Compton’s housing crisis brought an update to residents recently — and while there is a long way to go, the news was encouraging, members of The Commons Foundation said.

Members of the organization held an open forum on Saturday, Oct. 5, alongside members of the Little Compton Housing Trust and the Agricultural Conservancy Trust, announcing that while they are still seeking 501(c)3 designation, they have already been promised approximately $2 million in pledges. 

“It would be nice if (Little Compton) didn’t become just another geriatric holding pen for very affluent older people,” Peter Aldrich of the Commons Foundation said.

Rebecca Twitchell took to the stage to moderate the forum, held in the Little Compton Community Center. First came David Beauchemin of the Little Compton Planning Board, who discussed the zoning laws, which require two acres of land, and the exemptions that were already made in these laws involving “attainable” housing. He said the attainable housing exemption, meant to make it easier for folks who might not quality for affordable housing to find ‘attainable’ housing, has stipulations in it and that it would likely be better for the town than other options.

Ty Howe, secretary for The Commons Foundation, came up as well, and discussed the ordinance, mentioning it was for small subdivisions and dispelling rumors that it would be “large for large projects.” The attainable housing ordinance applies to people who make less than $150,000 in household income.

“I look at that and I say to myself, wow, that’s a lot of money. But if you make $150,000 in this town, you probably still can’t buy a house.” Howe said.

He said that the goal of the ordinance is to give upper middle-class people who can’t afford to live in Little Compton an opportunity to buy a home in the town.

Isabel Mattia, secretary of the Little Compton Housing Trust, also spoke. She announced that the group has just closed on their second property, giving them ownership of two separate parcels — one off Westport’s Old Harbor Road, one on Colebrook Road, and that they hope to develop five housing units between the two.

Amanda Nickerson-Toste, a member of the housing trust and a real estate broker, shared housing price statistics and asked a rhetorical question:

“So why is it that we limit affordable housing when this is what our current market looks like? The most affordable home on the market right now in Little Compton is $699,000.”

Many others came up and discussed their concerns as well. Among them, most had issues with the fact that there are not many young people in the town anymore. One man said that one of his favorite pastimes used to be going around town and seeing everyone, but that is no longer an option. In addition, some pointed out that they don’t want to become a town that is only known for having upper-class, rich citizens.

In the end, people are hoping that new attainable housing can be a way to bring in a younger demographic, helping keep Little Compton youthful. Perhaps the greatest summary of the issue came from Beverly Edwards, the former minister of the United Congregational Church:

“When I came to town as the minister of the church, I used to smile at all the bumper stickers around that said ‘Keep Little Compton Little.’”

She said that while keeping Little Compton little is fair, there are very few young families coming into the town.