Five months after Massachusetts enacted the Affordable Homes Act, the state released the list of 25 seasonal communities that face unique housing challenges brought by their status as tourist destinations and havens for second-home owners.
Eight towns in the Berkshires made the list: Alford, Becket, Hancock, Monterey, Mount Washington, Otis, Stockbridge and Tyringham. All but two are small towns with populations between 160 and 1,634 people and are located in South County.
Elsewhere, 17 towns in Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket counties — towns on Cape Cod and the islands — also made the list.
With the seasonal community designation, a town will have access to specialized policies and grants that address specific housing challenges that come with seasonal influxes of visitors.
More communities could join the initial 25. Until they do, some people in the Berkshires, where only eight towns are automatically considered seasonal communities, are worrying the designation doesn’t go far enough in addressing the stress seasonal visitors create for the area’s economy.