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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