HomeMy Public PortalAboutAffordable Housing Trust -- 2019-01-03 Minutes Iq
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Brewster Housing Trust
January 3, 2019 5 : 30pm Room C, Brewster Town Hall I RF!J ; TEk T0141P
Present : Ben deRuyter, Paul Ruchinskas, Madalyn Hillis- Dineen , Donna Kalinick
Maggie Spade -Aguilar, Tim Hackert, Sarah Robinson , Jill Scalise
Call to Order : Chair deRuyter called the meeting to order at 5 :30pm .
1 . Citizen ' s Forum : No citizens present
2 . Mission Statement & Goal setting : Chair deRuyter took all of the information and feedback
from our last session and incorporated it into a draft Mission Statement , Mr . Hackert read the
draft statement . Chair deRuyter noted that once the Trust has settled on a final mission
statement, the goals will be incorporated soon after . Mr . Ruchinskas said the mission statement
should be concise and aspirational . He liked Mr . Hackert' s statement about incorporating the
vision plan language . Mr . Ruchinskas read his proposed revision . It was noted that some of the
language in the current proposed statement is from Manchester by the Sea and Hingham .
Members of the Trust discussed the flow of the paragraphs and whether to keep environmental
concerns, education and advocacy in . It was discussed whether some of these items should be
in the goals , instead of the mission statement . Mr . Hackert said that he believes that core
values are what people want to see in a mission statement . Chair deRuyter will take the
proposed revisions from members and rewrite the mission statement . There was discussion
about whether people understand median income versus low, low and moderate income . Ms .
Spade -Aguilar is concerned that if we leave out very low income , we are missing issues that are
specific to seniors and those with disabilities . Ms . Kalinick said that she thought it might be
helpful to read the current draft goals and their bullets . Ms . Scalise noted that the current draft
goals were developed from the Housing Production Plan . More discussion ensued about the
meaning of short term and long term goals, what should be in the mission statement and what j
should be in the goals . Mr . Ruchinskas said there should be a mission statement, a short set of
goals then a work plan for goals . Ms . Scalise suggested we go back to the draft mission
statement and see what we pulled out and make sure those items are in the goals . Items should
include develop and preserve housing; advocate and engage, education . Members noted
continued support of the housing coordinator position is critical . Ms . Hillis- Dineen proposed
revised language for the second paragraph . Ms . Scalise said the mission statement should be
broader, plan for local capacity . She is working on updating the Housing Production Plan ( HPP )
into the HPP table and to include the Trust . Chair deRuyter will rework the mission statement
and rework high level goals and send out to the Trust .
3 . Community Housing Forum Update : Ms . Scalise said they have talked to all the other
groups and they all want to participate : Brewster Housing Authority, Community Preservation ,
Housing Partnership and Council on Aging . They will have a planning meeting in January . Mr .
Hackert and Chair deRuyter as well as Ms . Scalise will continue to participate in planning .
4 . Millstone Road Parcel Update : Chair deRuyter said that the Select Board voted on 12/ 17 to
turn over control of the Millstone project to this group . The Technical Assistance grant with
Mass Housing Partnership has been signed . We are planning on having Laura Shufelt from MHP
in to the February or March meeting to go over the steps from here . One of the items that we
need to decide is when and how do to fit in community engagement . Ms . Scalise said that
predevelopment includes site feasibility and land capacity . There would be some preliminary
financial information then the issuance of a Request for Proposals . In our initial conversations,
community engagement would be part of the pre-feasibility process . Ms . Spade-Aguilar asked if
we want to wait until we determine it is a feasible property . Ms . Kalinick said let' s have Ms .
Shufelt in and then make decisions from there . Mr . Ruchinskas said that once the land is
cleared as viable then we should have the community in with a realistic framework .
5 . Brewster Housing update : Ms . Scalise provided her update . There are two upcoming
housing events ; the Lower Cape Post institute wrap up session on 1/8 and the Housing
Assistance presentation on "The High Cost of Doing Nothing" at the Brewster Housing
Partnership on 1/ 10 at 6pm . Applications are open for the second phase of the Habitat project
on Paul Hush Way for 8 more homes . There will be two information sessions at the Ladies
Library . Ms . Scalise has been looking into subsidized housing inventory ( SHI ) concerns and
oversight . She recently found out that a unit that was on the SHI was lost in 1998, on Sean
Circle . She has been able to confirm that no other homes in that area have been lost; Sean
Circle is part of Belmont Park . Chair deRuyter asked how that happens . Ms . Scalise said that the
Department of Housing was not able to say exactly what happened . The deed restrictions were
older and not as well written and did not survive . Ms . Scalise noted that the buy down program
was created to keep those homes on the SHI . Ms . Scalise said we do have a new buy down
request and it is one that is a new creation , but will not count on the SHI , but we might be able
to get it on at a later date . We had a buy down late last year to preserve a unit . Ms . Kalinick
noted that the Buy Downs are very labor intensive and we may need to evaluate and examine if
this is a program we should outsource in the future . Ms . Scalise also told the Trust that we are
waiting on the Attorney General to approve the new Accessory Dwelling Unit bylaw; they have
90 days . The Planning Department is working on materials to implement the new bylaw .
6 . Any other business not anticipated : None
7. Approval of Minutes from December 6, 2018 : Mr . Hackert moved to approve the minutes
of December 6, 2018, Ms . Robinson second . Ms . Hillis- Dineen noted that her name was spelled
incorrectly . The minutes we approved with the correction of the name, 4-Yes, 0- No, 2-Abstain ,
8 . Adjournment : Mr . Hackert motioned to adjourn at 6 : 45pm , Mr . Ruchinskas second . The
vote was unanimous in favor .
9 . Next meeting date : February 7, 2019 at 5 : 30pm .
Respectfully Submitted ,
Donna I Kalinick
Assistant Town Administrator
Approved 03 . 07 . 19