Loading...
HomeMy Public PortalAboutCommunity Preservation Committee -- 2018-02-01 Minutes \\\\\\\\1U IIIJS / Approved : 2/ 14/ 18 2198 Main Street Vote ; 3 -04 p4 few ° � R o9 t 'Q Brewster, Massachusetts 02631 - 1898 v� Q = (508 ) 896-3701 FAX (508 ) 896 - 8089 ,co P,� oR PORASO,�° E, P, fsW', TER i i if! CLERY. Meeting Minutes of CPC Housing Subcommittee Thursday, February 1 , 2018 @ 7 : 00 pm Present : Chair Paul Ruchinskas , Barbara Burgo , F@he Ellis, Ralph Marotti and Diane Pansire Also present : Brewster Housing Authority Executive Director Leila Botsford, Consultant Adrienne Danner, President of the Board of Directors for the Community Development Partnership Ben DeRuyter, Chief Program Officer for the CDP Ann Robinson, and Assistant Town Administrator Donna Kalinick . The Chair called the meeting to order at 7 : 00 pm Barbara Burgo recused herself from the Brewster Housing Authority Huckleberry Lane discussion and left the room . 1 . Discussion and possible votes on recommendations to the CPC of funding requests , conditions , and liaisons for the following : a . Brewster Housing Authority- Huckleberry Lane Replacement of Roofs , Gutters , and Downspouts - $ 130 , 000 : Brewster Housing Authority Executive Director Leila Botsford reviewed the Brewster Housing Authority ' s application for Huckleberry Lane . Community Preservation funds are not eligible to be used for rehabilitation of affordable housing units unless they were originally purchased with CPA funds . However, CPA funds can be used for preservation of affordable housing units even if they were not purchased with CPA funds . Adrienne Danner, the Housing Authority consultant was introduced . Huckleberry Lane has 24 affordable housing units for people of low income and is the only family public housing in the Town of Brewster . Unfortunately, the roofs at this property are failing due to their age and there is a gap in state funds available to fix them . The last two years most of the Capital Funds have been spent on a failed septic system that was considered a health issue . The septic system at the elderly housing has also failed . There are three units that cannot be rented, partially due to the roof and also due to their structural condition . The roof replacement will cost a total of $ 161 , 000 and the other $ 30 , 000 will come from the capital budget . The gutters will be covered . Concern expressed about the amount of work that is required on these units and if there was any sense that there will be catch up . The goal is to have the major capital projects completed and then once these are under control, can maintain the units going forward . These units were built in 1988 and there was a question about the warranty . Concern expressed about the amount of work required and being able to manage it financially . The annual capital budget from the State is about $ 30 , 000 per year . There is a program called "Vacant Unit Initiative" will help to repair the three un-rentable units . There was a review of the bidding process and how work will be approved for payment . DHCD may help if bids come in higher CPC Housing Subcommittee Meeting of February 1, 2018 Page 1 of 3 I than expected . It was suggested that the CPA money be put in the project last. If this money is not approved, the project will need to be broken into smaller projects . Motion made by Ralph Marotti to recommend to the CPC to fund the $ 130 ,000 funding request to the Brewster Housing Authority with CPA money going into the project last and Diane Pansire assigned as the liaison . Faythe Ellis seconded. VOTE : 4 -0-0 Barbara Burgo rejoined the meeting . Paul Ruchinskas recused himself from the Community Development Partnership — Cape Housing Institute discussion and left the room . b . Community Development Partnership- Cape Housing Institute- $ 15 , 000 : President of the Board of Directors for the Community Development Partnership Ben DeRuyter and Chief Program Officer for the CDP Ann Robinson reviewed the application of the Community Development Partnership — Cape Housing Institute . This program is a regional approach where 6 -week workshops were held in Wellfleet and Harwich with a large turnout of 12 people attending from Brewster . They are hoping to offer a second year of the program and to add shorter more in-depth workshops this year about affordable housing and why there is a need in addition to the workshops that were held last year . LMI stands for Low and Moderate Income . Each town was contacted to provide the names of either staff or elected or appointed officials that could benefit from this training . It is felt that there are still a number of people who could benefit from the workshops . Eighty-five percent of those who attended found the information valuable or very valuable and a hundred percent felt that they would recommend the workshops to their colleagues . It is hoped that eventually that there will be zoning regulation changes in towns to provide affordable housing . Towns are looking to hire affordable housing staff but this may prove challenging and the CDP plans to hire consultants on various issues that the towns could contact . This is a one-year request. These funds are to be used for training the municipal officials . Motion made by Barbara Burgo to recommend to the CPC to fund the $ 15 ,000 Housing request for the Cape Housing Institute and that the monies come from the Affordable Housing Fund with Faythe Ellis the liaison to the project. Ralph Marotti seconded . VOTE : 4-0-0 Paul Ruchinskas rejoined the meeting . c . Brewster Town Administrator- Housing Coordinator- $ 36 , 000 : Assistant Town Administrator Donna Kalinick reviewed the request for funding the Brewster Housing Coordinator. She reviewed some of the work that the current Housing Coordinator has been able to accomplish such as setting up files on each affordable housing property the town owns and she has visited area Town Housing Authorities , The Housing Production Plan has been put in a format outlining who is responsible for each task on the plan and was approved in 2017 . She has revised the Buy Down application . She does hold public hours for people to come in and talk with her . This request is for this position for another year while the town assesses how it wants to proceed . There is some talk of regionalizing some if not all of the tasks . It was expressed that this person is a bargain and this is a necessary position and it was urged that this application be approved . It was noted that the use of CPA funds to get this position started was great and that it has been such a good experience, but that it was good that eventually the town will reassess this position and move it away from being funded with CPA funds . Concern expressed about CPC Housing Subcommittee Meeting of Februmy 1, 2018 Page 2 of 3 regionalizing some of the duties of the position in that some things could be lost and concern about bureaucracy bogging down the process . It was expressed that the regional type office may be beneficial but that the Town may still want to keep their Housing Coordinator. The current Housing Coordinator is keeping the CPC and Housing Partnership involved . There were some scenarios that were explored about how this position may be set up . CPC funding of the Municipal Housing Trust will be brought to the CPC at a later date and perhaps this position should be funded there . The number of hours that this position should be will be explored going forward . The Housing Coordinator reports to the Town Planner currently and whether that should be amended was discussed . Motion made by Ralph Marotti to recommend to the CPC that the Housing Coordinator be funded for $36,000 from the Community Housing Reserve with the condition of quarterly reports with Paul Ruchinskas as the liaison. Barbara Burgo seconded. VOTE : 5-0-0 2 . Items that the chair could not reasonably anticipate . There were no other topics discussed . 3 . Vote to adjourn . Motion made by Ralph Marotti to adjourn the meeting at 8 : 04 pm . Faythe Ellis seconded. VOTE : 5-0-0 Respectfully submitted, Donna J . Moberg, Recording Secretary Items used at the meeting . • Brewster Housing Authority Application • Community Development Partnership Application • Brewster Town Administrator Application for Housing Coordinator CPC Housing Subcommittee Meeting of February 1, 2018 Page 3 of 3