HomeMy Public PortalAboutAffordable Housing Trust -- 2020-01-02 Minutes BREWS T Ek T F441 CLERK
Brewster Housing Trust
' 2L t° EX112 9 : :1. A11
January 2, 2020 5 : 30pm Room B, Brewster Town Hall
Present ; Ben deRuyter, Paul Ruchinskas, Donna Kallnick, Tim Hackert, Maggie Spade-Aguilar, Jill Scalise
Absent : Madalyn Hillis- Dineen
Also Present : Peter Lombardi, Leila Botsford
1 . Cali to order : Chair deRuyter called the meeting to order at 5 : 30pm .
2 . Citizen' s Forum : None
3 . Financial Report : Ms . Kallnick said the balance at the end of the year was $ 277, 458 . 87 , Next
month , she will include an excel spreadsheet with the expenses broken down between the CPC
and non- CPC funds , Mr. Ruchinskas asked for a spreadsheet that explains where the funds/what
programs the funds are allocated to ,
4 . Rental Assistance Program description by Leila Botsford, Director Brewster & Mashpee
Housing Authorities : Housing Assistance program for 8 years, updated program guide and
plan . Ms . Botsford runs a rental voucher program for the town of Mashpee which is CPC funded ,
It has evolved over the years and some Selectmen are not supportive . The term for rental
assistance she sees as the minimum is 2 years , They meet with clients every 6 months with a
first meeting to go over their budget to determine the amount of assistance and to set 3 goals to
work towards . The program has been very successful; they have helped about 100 people .
Preference is for Mashpee residents, who work and live in town and preference to Veterans;
there was a substantial waiting list initially , They have assisted everyone on the initial waitlist .
They also offer loans; 15t last security, rent or mortgage assistance and first time homebuyers
down payment . Chair deRuyter asked about the funding and budget . Ms . Spade -Aguilar asked
about the administrative costs, which is 8 % . Mr . Ruchinskas asked how many hours are spent by
the Housing Authority Staff, Ms . Botsford stated that they currently have 15 people on the
program . Mr , Ruchinskas asked what AMI most of the applicants are at; they are at 50 to 80%
AMI . Ms . Kallnick asked if there was a maximum rent allowed ; there is , Ms . Kallnick said she did
some research into other Towns and the Chatham/Harwich housing authority runs a program
for Harwich . They pay $ 300 per month of rent for up to 3 years , Ms . Robinson asked if there is a
transition goal to get into market housing or homeownership . Ms . Botsford said her goal is to
help people to save money or move to something more affordable . Ms . Spade Aguilar asked if
there is a relationship with the landlords, like perhaps an incentive for a guarantee not to raise
rents , Ms . Botsford said the landlords sign an agreement not to raise rent or terminate the
lease . There are not housing inspections , Mr . Ruchinskas thought that 24 months is too short a
time frame for assistance . Mr. Hackert asked if there is a waiting period if you term out . Ms .
Botsford said you can go back on the waiting list . Ms , Spade-Aguilar asked if there was a method
of scoring , Ms . Botsford said there is preference given if they are on the state mobile voucher
list as well . The Housing Authority administers 13 state vouchers for Brewster. Ms . Spade-
Aguilar said that Housing Assistance administers about 28 state mobile vouchers as well and
there is a 5 year waiting list . Ms . Botsford said there is an online waiting list of 250- 800 for the
56 total units between family and elderly in Brewster . There is a great need for affordable rental
housing . Ms . Scalise and Ms . Kalinicl< have done some budget calculations and think we could
help 5 people with $ 400 per month in rental voucher if we use the $ 100, 000 In CPC that the
Trust initially received . Mr. Ruchinskas thinks we will need more and would like to put credit
counseling services In the RFP , The rental voucher program can be discussed with the CPC at the
joint meeting . Ms . Scalise noted that this program is helping landlords and renters with CPC
funds . Ms . Spade -Aguilar offered to be on the sub -committee . Ms . Botsford said this is a
program which really helps people .
5 , Millstone Property discussion and guidance for Bohler Engineering's pre-feasibility conceptual
sketch plans , 3rd Community Engagement Session is Tuesday March 3rd at 6PM ,
Ms . Scalise compiled some guidelines that incorporated the set of instructions Mr. Hackert
prepared and input from Laura Shufelt from MHP . We can discuss tonight and then finalize at
the February meeting , Ms . Scalise stressed that it is good that we get 3 conceptual sketches . Mr .
Ruchinskas suggested the following : Sketch 1, 45 units in 2 or 3 buildings on northern side ,
leaving the southern side as open space , Sketch 2 , 45 units similar in design to the Thankful
Chase model with 3 to 4 units in multiple buildings; Sketch 3 , 40 rental units and 5 single family
homes above the water easement line . Mr . Ruchinskas noted that you have to keep 40 units for
rental to be financially feasible . Mr . Hackert noted that we would have to split the parcel for
single family . Ms . Scalise said we would need to do two RFPs . Chair deRuyter asked If
strategically, we want to develop a plan that includes homeownership or not . Mr, Hackert
stated that the priority need is rental housing . It was noted that single family would have to be
an organization like Habitat . Chair deRuyter wondered if we leave the southerly strip open , does
It buy us more rental . Ms . Robinson asked how many homes realistically we could put on the
southern strip; 10 to 12 , Ms , Scalise noted that the assumption is 90 bedrooms for the whole
property . Ms . Spade-Aguilar asked about the number of bedrooms and whether it would be for
families or seniors . Ms . Scalise said we would not get into that level of detail at this point . Right
now, we have up to 3 sketches, we need to listen to feedback and we could still consider
congregate housing . Mr . Ruchinskas said that congregate housing would have to be a separate
RFP as well . The Trust decided on 2 plans just rental and 1 plan that is rental and single family as
follows :
Unit count 50
1 - 3 buildings northern end
2 -50 rental apartments with 4- 6 units in each building in northern bleeding into southern
345 rentals, 5 single family homes
Jill said she thought it was a good mix reflecting the Lego activity . Ms . Spade -Aguilar said we
need to explain clearly why we are not using the southern portion due to the infrastructure
costs . Ms . Scalise will compile a document summarizing the discussion for the next meeting and
check with MHP to see if we need anything further .
• Including an update on the Millstone Road Project by Town Administrator, Peter
Lombardi : Mr . Lombardi explained that the road bond was approved in 2015 and
Millstone Road was on the list to be redone . VHB was selected as the engineer and the
Town has had two outreach sessions and a presentation to the Select Board . The policy
direction was to include sidewalks and bike lanes in the finalize design . There has been a
lot of communication with individual residents along Millstone . There will be a 2 foot
shoulder on either side and a paved ADA compliant sidewalk with at least one crossing .
They are working on getting easements and final design . There will be another
community meeting next summer with work to start in spring 2021 . Initially, they had a
crossing just before Fern Lane in order to avoid a long process with the State to get an
easement into Nickerson State Park, but they want to provide the new housing with
access to the Park and sidewalks . They could continue the sidewalk to just after Joe Long
Rd . then cross near Lund Farm Way with a pedestrian crossing in southeast corner of the
access parcel , or have crosswalks on both sides of the road . It would be a small stretch
of the road with sidewalks on both sides . They are working on a design trying to take out
a portion of the curve . Ms . Spade -Aguilar asked if there would be lights at both cross
walks . There will be new streetlights where the crosswalks are . Chair deRuyter asked if
we can deal with the curb cut if we are far enough along in the Trust process . Mr .
Hackert noted that based on site lines, as close to southern edge as possible of the
access parcel is most optimum for best site lines . The trust agreed that two sidewalks
for a short portion of the road and two crossings were optimal and thanked Mr .
Lombardi for considering the new housing in their process .
6 . Housing Rehabilitation Program update and discussion - Ms . Kalinick said that she just received
the revised documents from legal . At this point and in the interest of time , she would like to
begin working on the RFQ for the administrative piece to keep the process moving . The Trust
agreed that this would be good and they can review the revised legal documents and RFQ at
their next meeting .
7 . Trust Funding Update-The Trust is waiting for the grant agreement from the CPC for the Fall
Town meeting award . Ms . Kalinick and Ms . Scalise have also been in front of Capital Planning to
discuss ongoing free cash funding for the Trust . This will also be a policy discussion on the Select
Board level , particularly around the Short Term Rental Revenue .
8 , Draft Trust General Information discussion and possible vote - Ms . Scalise did not receive any
comments from Trust members . She will finalize the draft and bring it back to the Trust to vote
on in February .
9 . Housing Coordinator update - Ms . Scalise gave a verbal update on her work in December . She
had 51 requests for housing assistance and information this month . She has been busy on the
resale of 275 Yankee Drive .
10 . Any other business not anticipated - Future meetings was left off. Right now, they are scheduled
for 2/6, Joint meeting with CPC 2/ 12 and Third Community Engagement session 3/3 . Ms . Kalinick
said she has spoken with Shelly Goehring of MHP and she can come to do a Trust session in
February or May . It was decided to have her at the May meeting .
11 . Approval of minutes from November 25 & December 9- Mr. Hackert moved approval of the
minutes with a few clerical changes, Mr. Ruchinskas second . The Trust unanimously approved
both sets of minutes .
12 . Adjournment
Mr. Hackert moved adjournment at7 : 34pm, Mr. Ruchinskas second , The Trust voted unanimously In
favor.
Respectfully Submitted ,
Donna J . Kalinick
Assistant Town Administrator
Approved February 6, 2020