HomeMy Public PortalAboutAffordable Housing Trust -- 2019-08-15 Minutes Brewster Housing Trust <<, €
August 15, 2019 5 :30pm Room A, Brewster Town Hall
Present : Ben deRuyter, Sarah Robinson , Paul Ruchinskas, Madalyn Hillis- Dineen, Donna Kalinick
Tim Hackert
Absent : Maggie Spade -Aguilar
1 . Call to Order: Chair deRuyter called the meeting to order at 5 : 33pm .
2 . Citizen's Forum- None
3 . Discussion and possible vote on Housing Trust Goals : Chair deRuyter said that over the course
of the last several months, we have talked about our goals and priority initiatives, to be
reviewed on an annual basis . He is hoping we can officially adopt them this evening . All agreed
they looked good and reflected all the work the Trust has done on them . Ms . Robinson moved
the Housing Trust goals with priority initiatives, Mr. Hackert second . The Trust voted &Yes, 0-
No .
4 . Housing Rehabilitation Program Update and Discussion : Ms . Kalinick said that since day one,
establishing a rehab program has been a priority . There are a few decision points that need to
be discussed and made . Ms . Kalinick sent around examples of other town' s programs as well as
an overview memo . The Trust has $ 100, 000 for this program . Chair deRuyter asked if 20K was
sufficient with the cost of upgrades today . Mr . Hackert stated that there is a tradeoff between
helping more people and there may have to be some prioritizing of the items that need to be
done . Ms . Kalinick said it is important that we demonstrate the need so that when we talk to
public, we show the need then seek additional funding . Ms . Robinson wondered if Cape Light
Compact would provide some funding as well for energy updates . The Trust discussed what
income limits would be used . Ms . Hillis- Dineen said that she was inclined to stay at 80% of the
AMI ; this is what most of the programs do . Mr. Ruchinskas agreed .
Mr. Hackert had some concerns about generational transfers . Ms . Kalinick noted that both the
Community Development Block Grant ( CDBG ) and Chatham ' s application had language for
transfers as examples . Chair deRuyter pointed out that in both cases, direct heirs can assume
the home if they are income eligible . Trust members debated the transfer language, the payback
terms if any and it was decided to bring this back to the next meeting for final decisions . Ms .
Kalinick will work on a Request for Quotes for the administration of the program and we would
hope to start in January 2020 .
5 . Discussion of Housing Trust Guidelines : Ms . Scalise, Housing Coordinator, said as we develop
goals and our mission statement, we need to look at guidelines for the Trust . She included the
Chatham guidelines as an example . Chair deRuyter asked where we go with this; it was decided
to establish a working group of Ms . Scalise, Ms . Kalinick and Mr. Ruchinskas , The Trust will
review the example guidelines in the meantime to provide feedback at the September meeting .
Mr. Hackert asked what we are trying to accomplish with this . Ms . Scalise said that we need to
determine what it looks like to take our goals and initiatives and put them in to guidelines that
determines how the Trust functions . Chair deRuyter said these are like bylaws or rules and
regulations for how we make decisions and how the public can engage us .
6 . Funding of Trust- CPA application update : Ms . Scalise & Ms . Kalinick submitted an application
for 500K for preservation of SHI housing, acquisition and rehabilitation . There are two
properties that are not in compliance with their deeds . The Community Preservation Committee
( CPC) accepted the application , it will go to the Housing sub- committee, then to the full CPC to
vote to move it forward to Fall town meeting .
7 . Brewster housing update-Housing update : Ms . Scalise and Ms . Kalinick are working with Diane
Pansire of the Housing Partnership and Leila Botsford of the Housing Authority to have a Fall
Community work day at Huckleberry Lane which is our Housing Authority family housing . It will
be on Saturday September 28th . The Housing Authority has received funding for upgrades from
the State and the CPC . This will be an initial landscaping effort then after the work is done, we
hope to come back for a larger effort in the spring . Ms . Kalinick said it will mainly be landscaping
& cleanup of common areas .
Brewster Woods did not receive funding in first round ; they did file a notice of project change
with ZBA that was considered insubstantial changes . The town submitted a Massworks
application for infrastructure work . The town is working in tandem with POAH to address
concerns about the cost . We will find out about the Massworks grant in the fall and hopefully,
Brewster Woods will get funding in the February 2020 funding round . Ms . Scalise has also been
working on the Habitat Phase II . She received 33 requests for assistance this month as well .
8 . Discussion of Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI ) home preservation and possible vote on SHI
homeowner assistance : Ms . Scalise provided two memos; one with an SHI assistance specific
request and the other to outline the creation of an emergency assistance fund . The request for
assistance is in regards to a first time homebuyer of an SHI unit . The home was assessed at
market rate as of Jan 1St. The house was later sold with a deed restriction . By the time it was
discovered , it was too late for the abatement period . The homeowner is facing a $ 1600
discrepancy in tax escrow between the market value and deed restricted value of the home . The
town has worked to get the rate adjusted moving forward , but the homeowner is left with a
large deficit . Mr. Hackert said we are righting a wrong . Ms . Hillis- Dineen asked if we can restrict
emergency assistance to our SHI homes . Ms . Kalinick reached out to Legal Counsel and the
request does qualify because it is an SHI home . They could use CPA funds . Ms . Kalinick
suggested that they set up an emergency fund that could be approved administratively and
signed by the Chair for up to $ 1, 500 . The Trust acknowledged that this was a difficult situation
as they wanted to help the homeowner, but there is a need for guidelines . 5, 000 designated
from non-CPA restricted funds to create an Emergency Assistance Administrative Fund which
will provide direct assistance that supports low and moderate income SHI residents, with
affordable housing problems caused by unintended administrative processes, to access and
sustain affordable housing . (The phrasing to be reviewed and if needed, adjusted, by legal
counsel . ) Funding of up to $ 1500 may be approved by the Trust chair. Moved by Mr. Hackert .
Second by Ms . Hillis Dineen . Approved unanimously .
9 . Millstone Road Community Engagement Discussion with Judi Barrett, Community Housing
Consultant and Laura Shufelt, Mass Housing Partnership (expected after 6PM ) .
Ms . Shufelt went over the Bohler report and summarized that the land is very developable ; the
top section of the land that is widest is the most easily developable next to access parcel , the
lower edge might be a phase II because of the narrow nature of the land . It was determined that
there could be up to 90 bedrooms in the first area without a package plant . Some further
investigation of some low areas that are not designated wetlands will need to be done by an
environmental scientist . The other area of consideration is the access point; the site lines need
to be increased while we are re-doing the road which could be accomplished by trimming back
vegetation or softening the curb to enhance site distances . Ms . Shufelt said that overall it was a
very positive report with very little constraints . Mr. Ruchinskas asked about subdividing the land
and if you could you get additional bedrooms . Ms . Shufelt said that DEP would not give a
definitive answer and tend to be stricter on the Cape, but it is a possibility . Chair deRuyter asked
when that would need to be decided . Ms . Shufelt said at permitting .
Ms . Barrett went over the how their process for Community Engagement works . They try to plan
ahead for these meeting . They try to gather information about the community, including photos
with different design types in the community to orient people to the area , GIS data , interviews
with community members as a form of risk assessment . They are trying to determine what the
community would like to see for the site and what they are willing to tolerate . The first session
will start with an explanation of the Bohler report, introduction and sense of what they want for
community housing needs; the second session will consider financial realities with a few
different scenarios of conceptual site plans from Bohler. The third meeting would be to present
the preferred plan and get some sense of opposition and advocates . Mr. Hackert asked if they
provide information showing multi-family and single family with site constraints . Chair deRuyter
said he prefers participatory feedback . Options for design surveys were discussed . The goal is to
determine what are your biggest hopes and your biggest fears . Mr. Ruchinskas asked if there
were opportunities for outside input like an online survey . Ms . Barrett said that she just did this
in Littleton which is a town of 12,000 . There were 3 surveys; it is difficult to determine how
much information you need to give people in order to get thoughtful answers .
Chair deRuyter asked what the first session looks like . Ms . Shufelt or Bohler will give a
presentation about the Bohler due diligence report . Ms . Barrett will compile a virtual drive tour.
The Trust will give an overview of the history of the parcel and the steps to date . Ms . Barrett
said we could have a big board with timeline and map and maybe a smaller timeline sheet to
hand out . Chair deRuyter asked how we manage the community discussion, large group or
smaller groups . Ms . Barrett suggested breaking people up in 8 to 10 with facilitators as active
listeners . Ms . Hillis- Dineen said this is how the Vision forums were done . Ms . Barrett suggested
they try a tactile map exercise with legos where participants have to figure out how to get the
90 bedrooms on the parcel . Mr. Ruchinskas asked if they would work in groups; they would as
teams . Ms . Scalise said she thinks it is important that we explain why we are choosing the 90
number, as a wastewater indicator not a decided amount, and that it is bedrooms, not units .
Ms . Scalise also thought that it is important to talk about the Housing Production Plan and the
Vision Plan as guiding documents at the start of the session . A schedule of the first Thursday in
October, November and December was chosen . There will be a need for project planning
meetings in between . Chair deRuyter, Mr. Ruchinskas, Ms . Scalise and Ms . Kalinick will continue
as the working group for this project . Discussion about publicity and advertising will be
discussed at the September meeting . Ms . Barrett will be working on gathering information and
the agenda in the meantime . It was a good , productive discussion about Community
Engagement which was always stated as being essential to the Millstone Community Housing
process .
d he next meeting date will be September 16, 2019 . This is a
10 . Any other business not anticipateds T g p
Monday night and off schedule . The Trust will also have decide about when to meet when
Community Engagement is going from October to December.
11 . Approval of minutes from July 11, 2019, Mr. Ruchinskas moved the July 11, 2019 minutes, Ms .
Hillis- Dineen second . The Board voted &Yes, 0- No .
12 . Adjournment : Mr Ruchinskas moved adjournment at 7 : 45pm . Mr Hackert second . The Trust
voted unanimously in favor.
Respectfully Submitted ,
Donna J . Kalinick
Assistant Town Administrator
Approved September 16, 2019