Room For Us?: The Cost of Community

“Room For Us?” is a powerful new documentary that shines a light on a crisis many of us take for granted, the lack of affordable housing. Directed by Jasper Craven and Patrick Kennedy, the film dives deep into the real stories of people living in Nantucket, MA. A place where the average home price is roughly $4.5 million, and the cheapest standalone house still sells for over $1.8 million. 

But this isn’t just a film about numbers - it’s about people. The documentary follows the teachers, workers, and longtime residents who keep the island running but can’t afford to live there anymore. Their stories are raw and honest, revealing what it looks like when a community becomes too expensive for the very people who hold it together. 

Through intimate interviews and striking visuals, “Room For Us?” turns Nantucket into a mirror, reflecting a growing national problem. As housing costs skyrocket, stability, opportunity, and belonging slip out of reach for everyday families. The film asks a simple but urgent question, what happens to a community when ordinary people can no longer afford a place in it? 

“Room For Us?” isn’t just eye-opening, it’s a wake up call. It encourages viewers to rethink what “home” means, who gets access to it, and what’s at stake when housing becomes a luxury instead of a human need. If you care about community, fairness, or the future of where we live, this is a documentary you don’t want to miss. 

This crisis on screen isn’t isolated to just Nantucket. In Fairfield County, an area that includes urban, suburban, and rural communities. Many of the same pressures are already harsh daily realities: 

• More than half of renter households in Fairfield County are “cost-burdened”. That means they spend over 30% of their income on housing. 

• From 2020 to 2022, rents in Fairfield County rose by about 22%, while home prices increased by roughly 32%. 

• Many working class families, seniors, and essential workers, people who perform everyday community services, cannot afford to live where they work.

• The shortage of affordable housing is severe: estimates suggest the county needs about 25,000 additional affordable housing units just to meet current demand. 

Rent the movie here: https://www.patrickrobertkennedy.com/roomforus