HomeMy Public PortalAboutAffordable Housing Trust -- 2019-06-06 Minutes Brewster Housing Trust
June 6, 2019 5 :30pm Room A, Brewster Town Hall
Present: Sarah Robinson, Paul Ruchinskas, Madalyn Hillis- Dineen, Donna Kalinick
Maggie Spade -Aguilar, Tim Hackert, Sarah Robinson, Ann Robinson & Terri Baron- Community
Development Partnership
Call to Order: Vice-Chair Robinson called the meeting to order at 5 ;30pm .
1 . Citizen's Forum - None
2 . Housing Rehabilitation Program Overview by Community Development Partnership : Ann
Robinson - Chief Program Officer & Terri Baron- Director of Housing Rehab , Ms . A Robinson
provided an overview of the rehabilitation programs they are currently running which are all
funded with Community Development Block Grants (CDBG ) . Because they are federally funded,
there are federal requirements through Housing & Urban Development ( HUD) as well as the
Department of Housing & Community Development ( DHCD) . There are a lot of restrictions .
Because we would be using unrestricted funds from the town, the Trust will be able to set the
restrictions and guidelines . The towns which currently have funding through CDBG are
Provincetown, Truro, Eastham and Harwich . Wellfleet used to be eligible, but they are no longer
and CDBG grant funding is based on poverty rates . The program serves applicants at or below
80% income according to the HUD guidelines. Applicants submit a pre-application to see what
their homes need, then the full application . A housing rehabilitation specialist is then sent to
look at the home . They provide for critical and structural improvements only such as roofs and
boilers . There is then a walk through for contractors, usually the low bidder is awarded, but the
home owner does have to approve the contractor. CDP acts as the project manager, receives
the invoices and records closing documents . Mr. Ruchinskas asked what the terms of the loan
are . It is a 15 year forgivable loan . If they sell, they have to pay the balance at that point; if they
die and the home goes to relative and they live there, they can assume the loan . It is zero
interest, zero payment loans . The maximum awards are 35K , or40K for a major project . Ms . S
Robinson asked if they can come back again in another year. It is not typical . The program is
meant to serve moderate rehab needs. Ms . Spade -Aguilar asked if the awards are ties to 80%
AMI or poverty levels or HUD levels of AMI . Since the Trust would be the awarding entity, it
would be up to the Trust to set the guidelines within their charge . Some energy upgrades can
be covered through Cape Light Compact's programs. Ms . S Robinson asked what the typical
duration of a project is; 4 to 8 weeks . Ms . Spade -Aguilar asked what the most typical issues are ,
roofs, siding and windows. Mr. Ruchinskas asked if the current program is available to renters
and for accessory dwelling units. They are if the owners applies . Mr. Hackert asked what the
cost for administration of the program is . Ms . A Robinson explained that CDBG grant fees are
not enough so CDP kicks in about 30%. The total grant is $ BOOK and $ 639 is used for actual
rehabilitation . Ms . Kalinick said that the Trust would have to discuss the parameters of the
program ; how much of an award , what income limits and it the administrative services would
have to put out for Request for Proposals ( RFP ) . This discussion should be on a future agenda .
Mr . Hackert asked if it is a one-time qualification . Ms . A Robinson said most pf the clients are
elderly widows on fixed incomes and are dealing with deferred maintenance . Ms . S Robinson
asked about the cost of running the program . Ms . A Robinson said the most cumbersome
component is in qualifying them . They do get calls for Brewster. Ms . Kalinick said they had 22
applicants in the short time they tried to run a rehab program a few years ago and that Ms .
Scalise regularly gets calls asking if the town of Brewster has this program .
3 . Discussion of Draft Housing Trust Goals & comments- Ms . Robinson said that we will wait until
the next meeting to vote on the goals but we can discuss them . Ms . Spade-Aguilar said she
wanted to delineate between the rental voucher program and the rent to own program . She
thinks they should be separate . She has done some research into other towns such as Grafton,
Amherst & Martha ' s Vineyard about town run rental voucher programs . Ms . Kalinick said that
she and Ms . Scalise have met with the Brewster Housing Authority about a town rental voucher
program . Ms . Botsford who is the Housing Authority directory already runs a program in
Mashpee and seemed interested in a partnership . This is a CPA eligible program for funds . Mr.
Ruchinskas said that both programs are examples of creating non - building options; these are
potentials programs and we can make decisions about the importance of each . Ms . Spade-
Aguilar said there are very few vouchers on the Lower Cape and people are desperate for this .
They are moving around a lot; people here are struggling to rent . Ms . Hillis- Dineen suggested
they just change the wording . Ms . Spade -Aguilar stated that there has been a lot of talk about
rehabilitation, but this is important too . It was agreed to add explore and potentially create a
rehab program, a rental voucher and rent to own program . Ms . Spade -Aguilar said she would
like to add something to the goals about creating a group to work on diversity . This idea came
from feedback out of the forum . Ms . Robinson said this is a new idea and the mission statement
does say to have a welcoming environment for a diverse population . The Trust discussed where
this item would go and it was decided it would go under Communication . Ms . Spade -Aguilar will
send the language for it . The Trust will seek feedback from the Housing Partnership at their joint
meeting in July .
4 . Millstone Road Property Pre-feasibility Study & Community Engagement RFQ- Ms . Kalinick said
they are still waiting for the final report from Bohler Engineering, but expect it before the next
meeting . Ms . Kalinick informed the Trust that they had received a proposal from Barrett
Planning Group for the Community Engagement work for Millstone Road . The proposal met the
criteria and Ms . Barrett has done work in Brewster, assisting with the Housing Production Plan
and consulting on Brewster Woods . She is familiar with Brewster. The proposal was for $ 12 , 500 .
Ms . Kalinick will prepare a contract and will arrange to have Ms . Barrett in for a planning
meeting with the Trust in August or September.
5 . Brewster housing update, including Community Housing Forum evaluation - Ms . Kalinick is
giving the report for Ms . Scalise . The housing forum was a success and especially, the non-
profits who had tables appreciated the chance to be included and talk to each other. Mr.
Hackert said there was not a lot of questionnaires that were filled out, but read the responses .
Mr. Ruchinskas complimented the presentation that Ms . Scalise and Ms . Kalinick gave . All
agreed that the Forum was a success, but next time we want to attract more young families and
residents who need the services . The other items Ms . Scalise worked on in May include 25
requests for information or assistance ; support of town meeting housing articles which all
passed ; work with Ms . Kalinick on Brewster Woods and a potential Massworks application to
support that project; work with the Housing Partnership on a potential 40B and support of the
White Rock Commons lottery for a single family home and Habitat Phase II , both received an
overwhelming amount of applications, demonstrating the need in Brewster .
6 . SHI home 212 Yankee Drive : Potential appraisal and administrative fees- Ms . Kalinick also said
that Ms . Scalise had been working with DHCD and the conservator of the home to figure out
how to keep it in the Town' s SHI . The house is vacant and there waswater damage to the
property. Ms . Scalise and Ms . Kalinick have been in the home with the building inspector to
assess what needs to be done . This is exactly the type of issue that the Trust was created for.
There is another home on the SHI which has been empty that the Trust could work on next if
they are successful with the first home . At this time, we are asking that the Trust authorize the
cost of an appraisal and legal fees to move forward . It is not clear yet exactly how the process
will play out but the Trust would rehab the house and then find an eligible buyer for the home
which would get a new deed restriction . Mr. Hackert moved to authorize the expenditure of
$ 2 ,000 for appraisal and legal fees, Mr. Ruchinskas second . The Trust voted 6-Yes, 0-No .
7 . Funding of Trust- CPA application & reporting of funds- Ms . Kalinick said that she and Ms .
Scalise will be working on an application for this fall for $ 500, 000 to assist the Trust in the
preservation of the two homes discussed above on the SHI . The money would allow them to
potentially buy the two homes, perform the required rehabilitation and then find new eligible
buyers through a fair marketing process . The Trust would re-coop the funds once the houses
were sold and would discuss with the CPC if the money would remain with the Trust for
potential future similar needs . The Trust is required to report to the CPC annually on its'
expenditures with CPC funds .
8 . Next Meeting July 11th with Brewster Housing Partnership
9 . Any other business not anticipated - None
10 . Approval of minutes from May 9, 2019- Mr. Hackert moved to approve the minutes of May 9,
2019, Mr. Ruchinskas second . The Trust voted unanimously in favor.
11 . Adjournment- Mr. Hackert moved to adjourn at 6 : 47pm , Ms . Hillis- Dineen second . The Trust
voted unanimously in favor.
Respectfully Submitted,
Donna J . Kalinick
Assistant Town Administrator
Approved July 11, 2019