HomeMy Public PortalAboutAffordable Housing Trust -- 2020-07-02 Minutes Brewster Housing Trust
July 2, 2020 5 : 30pm Virtual Meeting
Present : Ben deRuyter, Paul Ruchinskas, Donna Kalinick, Tim Hackert, Maggie Spade -Aguilar, Jill Scalise ,
Madalyn Hillis- Dineen , Sarah Robinson
Absent : None
Citizen Comments : None
1 . Call to Order : Chair deRuyter called the meeting to order at 5 ; 30pm and read the required
notice for virtual meetings .
2 . Financial Report : Ms . Kalinick included the latest expense report for the Trust and noted that
$ 300, 000 of the $ 500, 000 CPC funding, approved at the November 2019 town meeting has been
transferred to the Trust, but does not appear in the report . Ms . Kalinick included a breakdown
of the CPC restricted versus non -CPC funds and the expected uses . There is currently $ 86, 291 in
CPC funds and $ 183 , 914 . 87 in non - restricted funds .
3 . Housing Trust Appointments and Reorganization of Housing Trust : Chair deRuyter turned the
discussion over to Ms . Kalinick . Everyone has been re-appointed and sworn in . Ms . Robinson still
needs to confer with the Housing Partnership as they will not be meeting until the end of July .
Ms . Kalinick said that she feels that this group has come a long way together and that we are
almost at the finish line for many goals and for that reason , she recommends that we continue
with the same chair . She did note that the Vice Chair position should be held by someone who
is interested in becoming Chair as Ben deRuyter' s appointment to the Trust will end next year .
Chair deRuyter said he would be willing to Chair for another year . Mr . Hackert said he would be
willing to serve as vice -chair . Ms . Kalinick moved to appoint Ben deRuyter as Chair, Mr . Hackert
second . A roll call vote was taken . Madalyn Hillis- Dineen -Yes, Maggie Spade-Aguilar-Yes, Paul
Ruchinskas -Yes, Tim Hackert-Yes, Sarah Robinson -Yes, Donna Kalinick-Yes, Chair deRuyter-Yes .
Ms . Kalinick moved to appoint Tim Hackert as Vice Chair, Madalyn Hillis- Dineen second . A roll
call vote was taken . Madalyn Hillis - Dineen -Yes, Maggie Spade -Aguilar-Yes, Paul Ruchinskas-Yes,
Tim Hackert-Yes, Sarah Robinson -Yes, Donna Kalinick-Yes, Chair deRuyter-Yes . Ms . Kalinick
moved to approve Madalyn Hillis- Dineen as clerk, Tim Hackert second . A roll call vote was taken .
Madalyn Hillis- Dineen -Yes, Maggie Spade -Aguilar-Yes, Paul Ruchinskas-Yes, Tim Hackert-Yes,
Sarah Robinson -Yes, Donna Kalinick-Yes, Chair deRuyter-Yes .
4 . Millstone Community Housing Property : Guidance for Bohler Engineering Concept Plan
Paul Ruchinskas presented the recommendation of the working sub -group of Paul , Jill , Donna &
Ben . Mr . Ruchinskas said that Concept Two was recommended by the sub-group for the
following reasons ; It received a slight edge in voting; the Housing Production Plan stresses the
need for rentals; the multi building approach was favored as being in character with the
neighborhood and the length of issuing two RFP' s and subdividing the property would have too
much of a negative effect on the abutters . Mr . Ruchinskas did note that the cost of construction
will be higher due to there being multiple buildings . Jill Scalise went through the next steps after
tonight . The sub -group will meet with Bohler Engineering to develop a master plan that will be
brought back to the Trust for their September meeting and then an RFP would be issued in the
fall with the assistance of Laura Shufelt from Mass Housing Partnership , Madalyn Hillis- Dineen
appreciated the comments that came with the survey respondents and said the comments
swung her to concept 2 . Ms . Robinson stated that our response is congruent with what people
want; we had robust input from the community . She would have liked to see a few single family
homes, but she supports concept 2 . Mr. Hackert supports concept 2 because it achieves rental
housing and responds to the concerns of the community and is easier to execute . Ms . Spade-
Aguilar supports concept two, but asked about the guidance document. Ms . Scalise said we had
already worked on the guidance document but will request that the 15ft and 25ft undisturbed
buffers be increased if possible, particularly on the northside . This will be a mix of one and two
story units, like Melpet Farms, which the most highly ranked in the design survey. We can
request with a higher rating that the two stories be one unit not stacked units, but you can only
be so prescriptive in an RFP . Tim Hackert moved that the Trust accept the recommendation of
the working group to advance concept 2 and ask Bohler Engineering to see if the undisturbed
and buffers to buildings can be increased , Madalyn Hillis- Dineen second . A roll call vote was
taken . Madalyn Hiiils- Dineen -Yes, Maggie Spade-Aguilar-Yes, Paul Ruch inskas-Yes, Tim Hackert-
Yes, Sarah Robinson-Yes, Donna Kalinick-Yes, Chair deRuyter-Yes .
S . Potential rental assistance and/or emergency rental assistance program, discussion and
possible vote-
Ms . Scalise gave an overview on behalf of the working group of Tim , Maggie and Jill . They
wanted to provide a program that allowed maximum flexibility and follows the regional
guidelines . They are recommending a rental assistance program with a COVID 19 emergency
rental component . The Lower Cape working group proposed a 1 year program , maximum
benefit per household up to $ 6, 000, up to 100% AMI which is $ 96, 000 for a family of 4 for the
emergency component . It is important to have consistency across the towns . The next step will
be for a Request for Quotes to be put out for a program administrator and case management .
There is $ 75, 000 total available . We expect to put in a request for more funds to the CPC in
December for the May 2021 town meeting . Ms . Spade-Aguilar said the program will be available
on a first come, first serve basis but prioritization will be given to applicants with COVID 19
related issues . It is not restricted to $ 500 . 00 a month , but $ 6, 000 annually . Mr . Hackert added
that it will serve Brewster residents, employees or people with a child in Brewster schools . They
asking for approval for $ 75, 000 and authorization to prepare the RFQ which Ms . Kalinick will do .
The proposals will come back to the Trust to review at their next meeting . Mr . Hackert moved
that the Trust accept the proposal for a rental assistance program with emergency COVID 19
component as described on page 24 of the packet, Ms . Spade -Aguilar second . A roll call vote
was taken . Madalyn Hillis- Dineen -Yes, Maggie Spade -Aguilar-Yes, Paul Ruchinskas-Yes, Tim
Hackert-Yes, Sarah Robinson -Yes, Donna Kalinick-Yes, Chair deRuyter-Yes .
6 . Housing Coordinator update : Ms . Scalise had 30 requests from citizens around housing, either
assistance or questions . She has been attending many virtual meetings and trainings with
CHAPA, Lower Cape housing, rental assistance work group and MHP . Many of these are related
to various types of rental assistance programs and assessing need . She has also been working
with the COA on the town Covid19 relief fund . Brewster Woods has not received word from the
State on funding yet, but was awarded $ 250, 000 from the Barnstable Home Consortium . She is
still doing work around homes on the SHI that are in need of rehabilitation and resale , including
a home on Sean Circle and now that the CPC funds have been transferred , work can begin on
the Yankee Drive home .
7 . Any other business not anticipated : Mr . Ruchinskas said that Mr. Lombardi had sent around a
request for input on the Select Board strategic plan update . Mr . deRuyter stated that his main
goal is to make sure the Trust receives stable , annual funding . Ms . Scalise will send members the
email . If anyone has any comments about the housing goals, please send them to Chair
deRuyter . Any comments would be included in the next packet .
8 . Next Meeting : The next meeting has been scheduled for August 13 , 2020 at 5 : 30pm .
9 . Approval of Minutes from June 4, 2020 : The minutes were not included with the packet so we
will have to take them up at the next meeting .
10 . Adjournment : Tim Hackert moved adjournment at 6 : 51pm , Sarah Robinson second . A roll call
vote was taken as amended . Madalyn Hillis- Dineen -Yes, Maggie Spade -Aguilar-Yes, Paul
Ruchinskas -Yes, Tim Hackert-Yes, Sarah Robinson -Yes, Donna Kalinick-Yes, Chair deRuyter-Yes .
Respectfully Submitted ,
Donna J . Kalinick
Assistant Town Administrator
Housing Trust public packet : httr) : // records . brewster- ma . gov/weblink/0/doc/ 128396/ Pagel . ast)x
Approved August 13 , 2020