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HomeMy Public PortalAboutAffordable Housing Trust -- 2022-01-06 Minutes Brewster Housing Trust January 6, 2022 5 * 00pm Virtual Meeting = _ Housing Trust Members Present : Donna Kalinick, Tim Hackert, Madalyn Hillis- Dineen , Maggie Spade-Aguilar, Ned Chatelain , Paul Ruchinskas Others Present : Jill Scalise - Housing Coordinator, Robert Tobias - Finance Committee liaison , Laura Shufelt- Mass Housing Partnership ( MHP ) , Peter Lombardi -Town Administrator Absent : Vanessa Greene 1 . Call to Order : Chair Hackert called the meeting to order at 5 : OOpm , read the required notice for virtual meetings, and declared a quorum . 2 . Citizen' s Forum : Glenn Casey addressed the Trust . He stated that he took a quick look at the proposal that was in the packet; his druthers would be not to have affordable housing in the forest behind his home . He does support affordable housing but not in forests, on the Bay or on Long Pond . He did find the bid that was submitted to be highly professional . He did see an attempt to consolidate the amount of the land that would be preserved to minimize the ecological effect on the property, about 25 % of the total land used for development . He does believe that through the RFP process, some of the abutters have been listened to . He referred to some of the language in the proposal . principles of site design will be compact development concentrated along a loop lane, a concentrated effort to preserve mature trees and native vegetation , thoughtful layout and preservation of buffers and existing vegetation will minimize perceived impact to the neighbors . Also, in sustainability, the compact layout preserves natural resources and trees . On Page 32, it does talk about the engineering principles, and he appreciates the wastewater management and groundwater effort . He did note that it is a lot of money for the construction , 22 million . j 3 . Request for Proposal ( RFP ) Millstone Community Housing Property : • Explanation of initial proposal submission review for completeness process : Mr . Lombardi is serving as the procurement officer for this solicitation . The Town received 2 bids by the 12/ 16 deadline . Following submission , Mr . Lombardi & Ms . Scalise reviewed the proposals to make sure they met the minimum criteria ; one was fully compliant, and the other did not . The bidder was notified that they did not meet the minimum criteria . Chair Hackert asked what the non - compliant bidder said . Mr . Lombardi said they acknowledged they did not meet the criteria and he does not expect any push back on that . Chair Hackert asked about the email from Mid - Cape Church homes . Mr . Lombardi said there was an email that they were very interested in submitting a bid but from their prospective , they could not meet the financial proforma . • Discussion of Trust member participation in RFP proposal review process : Mr . Lombardi said that because this was discussed at prior meetings and there were three potential members with potential conflicts, administration reached out to town counsel j 1 j i I to review . Town Counsel opined that based on the information that they received ; all three members would have to recuse themselves . There is a provision in the law where the members can ask the appointing authority, the Select Board for disposition . All three members were notified . Mr . Lombardi heard back from Mr . Ruchinskas that he would recuse himself. Ms . Scalise heard from both Ms . Greene and Ms . Spade -Aguilar that they were willing to recuse themselves . Ms . Scalise noted that there was information about the Open Meeting Law from the Town Clerk in the packet; this is informational but also a reminder to Trust members and all committee members to acknowledge and return receipt . Chair Hackert said from a technical standpoint, those members will be put in the waiting room during the RFP proposal discussions and then , be brought back in when that discussion is over for the rest of the meeting items . Ms . Kalinick said that leaves four members which is the minimum quorum to conduct the review and all will need to attend to review the RFP proposal . Maggie Spade -Aguilar asked if what she signed in December was sufficient; it was what the Town Clerk asked people to sign and return . • Discussion of Pro-forma evaluation and possible vote of funds for review : Mr . Lombardi stated that in addition to the RFP , they prepared and distributed a Request for Quotes to review the financial proformas that accompany proposals . They solicited once and did not receive any responses, so it was put back out, and they received a submission from Lynne Sweet who has extensive experience doing this work . The pricing was $ 750 per proposal plus $ 250 an hour to meet with the Trust to review . Ned Chatelain asked if that is an appropriate amount to do this work . Mr . Lombardi said it is and Ms . Shufelt confirmed it was a reasonable price . Ned Chatelain moved that the Trust accept the proposal , Madalyn Hillis - Dineen second . A roll call vote was taken . Ned Chatelain -Yes, Madalyn Hillis - Dineen -Yes, Donna Kalinick-Yes, Chair Hackert -Yes . • Proposal review process with Laura Shufelt, Mass Housing Partnership : Ms . Shufelt said it is a little easier but shouldn ' t be any less complete, having one proposal to look at . She suggests that each member read through the proposals with the criteria i in mind . She suggests having a review score sheet based on the criteria that was laid out and think about it in the highly advantageous, advantageous and not acceptable terms . This would be a paper score that would then be discussed as a group and compile into a i group score . We will have to wait for the financial review to come back to finish the scoring . If the score is advantageous or highly advantageous then a recommendation is drafted and sent to the Select Board . The amount of detail in this recommendation is based on the Select Board and how much information they want . There should be specific examples noted in the proposal that tie back to the criteria and the rating . Chair Hackert said we will need to get feedback from Select Board on the level of detail that they want . Chair Hackert said we have discussed having a presentation and provide them with a list of questions . This would be done at the February meeting . Chair Hackert asked if anyone had any questions . Ms . Kalinick agreed we should have a presentation . Some of the questions that she has are related to the financial proforma review . Chair Hackert suggested those questions go to Mr . Lombardi to give to Ms . Sweet . Ms . 2 3 c Kalinick had the following questions : 1- clarification on the height of some of the buildings 2- confirm that the black dotted line around the perimeter is the proposed buffer 3 - is all the storage in one building- is there potential to put storage in the one larger building as well 4does the community center building have a generator and a kitchen 5 - more information on the management plan and someone to speak to how that concept has worked in their other properties . Ms . Shufelt said she does think there is a kitchen on the left wall . Ms . Kalinick wanted to reserve the right to send any other questions . Ms . Hillis- Dineen wondered if the one larger multi -family building, #2, could be split into two smaller buildings . Chair Hackert said that would be both a site plan and financial proforma issue . She thought the projected rents looked good for this area . Mr . Chatelain commented that it is a good proposal . He did want to know how many units are tax credit and how many are workforce and what the breakdown of 1 -3 bedroom are in each category . Mr . Chatelain asked what our responsibility is to review the proposal in terms of the criteria and what falls into the ZBA area , where is the line . Ms . Shufelt said you are reviewing what is before you . Ms . Hillis- Dineen ' s question probably can ' t be asked . The tweaking usually happens at the negotiation of the Land Disposition agreement and permitting . Mr . Chatelain said would it be scored , hypothetically the larger building, as not advantageous . Ms . Shufelt said you have to go back to the criteria and score based on the criteria that was set forth by the Trust . Mr . Chatelain said it is clearer now to him that this process is us scoring based on the criteria and the proposal . Ms . Kalinick stated that in some cases, we are asking them for clarification based on the criteria . We could ask them to walk us through their design as it relates to the site and the buildings . Ms . Kalinick asked Ms . Shufelt how many projects a developer can submit for in a funding round , knowing that they were just awarded Wellfleet as well . Ms . Shufelt said they can submit two per round . She believes this is a legitimate question . With ARPA money, there may be more funding rounds or more projects funded per round . Ms . Kalinick asked that this question be added to the list; funding and capacity . Chair Hackert thought it was a professional and well - done proposal . He did not have any `i specific questions . Any other questions should be submitted by trust members by 1/20 to send to POAH for their presentation . Laura Shufelt will be away but does not need to t be there for the presentation . Questions should go to Ms . Scalise and Mr . Lombardi ; Ms . Kalinick should only be acting as a Trust member .. Next steps, notify POAH of the presentation date, send questions to Ms . Scalise and she and Mr . Lombardi will send them to POAH by the 24th . Mr . Tobias asked if we should ask the Health Department to weigh in on the proposed IA septic system . Chair Hackert asked if that is for the ZBA or j I here . Ms . Shufelt said it is for ZBA because there will be further plans at that point . We can ask for explanation of the design . Ms . Kalinick said there are 10 units in the 60 to 80 % AMI which Ned had asked about earlier . Ms . Kalinick said it is a game changer to i have this Mass Workforce housing money available . Mr . Chatelain said he wanted to know how many of those 10 are 1 , 2 and 3 bedrooms . Ms . Kalinick said that she and Jill toured Terrapin Ridge in Sandwich and the site design is very similar to the proposal , in I 3 I s i 1 terms of the compact site design . Ms . Shufelt noted that was a different developer . It is more the similarity in compact design principles . Ms . Scalise noted that there was a sample comparative review sheet in the packet that could be used for review . The Trust thanked Ms . Shufelt and Mr . Lombardi for their efforts . 4 . Housing Trust Goals & Priorities Discussion and Possible Vote : Ms . Scalise shared the previously discussed Housing Trust Mission Statement & Goals, there were no questions or changes . The mentioned 2022 Priorities were shown on the screen and included : 5 - year Financial Plan with action group , Trust Guidelines with action group , Trust funding with action group , support and advance development of community housing on the Millstone parcel , revisit rent to own program , evaluate the effectiveness of CDBG program , and Community Housing Fair and Forum ( including a fair housing/diversity component ) . Chair Hackert felt the Trust Guidelines and Trust funding should both be on the list recognizing that they are a more than one year process . Ms . Kalinick stated that in the last discussion , we noted that we need to develop a 5 -year financial plan before we can develop a Trust funding plan . She will engage the help of the Finance Director and the Town Administrator to work on this . This financial forecast is needed before the Trust can determine what funding is needed and where it will come from . Ms . Kalinick asked Mass Housing Partnership if there were any templates for a Housing Trust proforma and there were not . However, other Trusts and agencies are interested in seeing a Trust proforma example . Ms . Kalinick and Mr . Chatelain volunteered to be on the financial plan team . Ms . Kalinick agreed that the Trust Guidelines were a priority as well as supporting Millstone housing . Ms . Spade -Aguilar asked about ARPA funding and if this would be considered in the financial plan . Ms . Kalinick stated that financial plan is the financial needs, expenses, and what our existing revenues are, such as money from CPC, from Short Term Rental allocation , and then developing other possible funding . The Select Board is looking at ARPA funding . Ms . Scalise and Ms . Kalinick have attended a few seminars about housing eligible uses ; there is a need to look at possible ARPA housing uses . This is a discussion that will take place in the Town over the next couple months and the Trust has a role to comment . Mr . Ruchinskas clarified the 5 -year financial plan expenditure side would be programmatic activities . Ms . Kalinick agreed and said the plan will come to the Trust for a full discussion . The development of a Trust financial plan is also in the FY 22 - 23 Select Board ' s Strategic Plan , in part because of the policy for half the Short-term rental revenue going to the Housing Trust . This is showing what we intend to use those monies for . Chair Hackert said that he and Ms . Spade - Aguilar offered to work on the Trust Guidelines . The Trust agreed to remove the trust I funding priority . Ms . Kalinick asked about whether additional action teams or priorities are needed and that the Housing Production Plan ( HPP ) will be a key time emphasis the first half of 2022 . Because of this outreach and workload , a Community Housing Fair would best be scheduled after the work on the HPP . Ms . Hillis - Dineen volunteered to be I part of a Community Housing Fair Action group . Mr . Ruchinskas shared that the rent-to - 4 1 i j own project is a very involved program , that 34 priorities tend to be a big lift, and suggested removing the rent-to - own priority. Chair Hackert agreed . Mr . Chatelain agreed regarding the Trust bandwidth but doesn ' t want to lose sight of the program as it can help preserve the housing stock . Ms . Spade -Aguilar also noted her willingness to work on the Community Housing Fair . Additionally, the Trust should have input in the Local Comprehensive Plan ( LCP ) . Ms . Kalinick will include the timeline for the LCP in the next packets there is a plan to bring the LCP to the November 2022 Town Meeting . There will be opportunities for community input and for the Trust to engage in the process . Mr . Hackert said the Trust could have a discussion about involvement at the next meeting . Mr . Ruchinskas suggested removing the CDBG evaluation because of the current workload . Ms . Scalise noted that the 4 identified priorities ( supporting community housing, 5 -year financial plan , Trust Guidelines, and Community Housing Fair ) are all very Trust specific and strong priorities . Mr . Ruchinskas moved approving the Housing priorities as revised at this meeting and to adopt the items for 2022 . Ms . Hillis- Dineen seconded . A roll call vote was taken . Tim Hackert -Yes, Donna Kalinick-Yes, Maggie Spade -Aguilar- Yes, Madalyn Hillis - Dineen -Yes, Paul Ruchinskas- Yes, Ned Chatelain -Yes . 5 . Housing Coordinator Update, including Preservation of SHI homes : Ms . Scalise thanked the Trust for all the input on the Housing Trust goals and priorities and for the collaborative process demonstrated . The November Coordinator report is in the packet . She shared several December highlights . The Serenity Brewster Local Action unit application was submitted to DHCD . With Ms . Kalinick, the Housing Production Plan Request for Quotes was sent out . Ms . Scalise has also noticed an increase in resident calls for assistance . Mr . Ruchinskas asked about the type of assistance needed . Ms . Scalise has seen an increase in the need for finding rentals and now has a list of 59 people who would like applications for Brewster Woods and/or Serenity Brewster . Covid Fund requests also continue as well as trying to help people remain in their homes . She appreciates how the Health , Police, Fire and Building Departments all work together to support our residents . As for the Rental Assistance Program , over the past three months Housing Assistance Corporation reported that they assisted 12 Brewster households with rent and mortgage assistance of $ 59, 662 . Because of state and federal funds, no Brewster RAP funds were used . This is the third quarter in a row where about $ 60, 000 has been provided for Brewster residents . In the past year, $ 201, 000 was provided to Brewster residents through HAC' s mortgage and rental assistance efforts . Ms . Scalise has also been working on our Subsidized Housing Inventory ( SHI ) homes . Based on the t home inspection of 11 Sean Circle , she has been compiling estimates on the needed work, which appears to be over $ 85 , 000 of work . This estimate will be sent to DHCD . Additionally, Ms . Scalise met with the chair of the CPC regarding the $ 500, 000 Housing Trust Preservation of Affordable Housing grant . The Chair suggests a joint meeting with the CPC and Trust to discuss Trust grants, the Buy- down Program and to encourage communication between the boards . I 5 i i r 6 . Request to Community Preservation Committee ( CPC) on extension of Community Preservation Act ( CPA) funding for Trust . Discussion and possible vote . The Trust received an initial grant of $ 100, 000 in December 2018 for the beginning of the Trust . This grant was supposed to be spent by December 2020 . While the Trust has allocated all of the $ 100, 000, not all has been expended . $ 25 , 000 was allocated for Millstone Community Housing property & preserving SHI homes . $ 75 , 000 was allocated for the rental assistance program and a contract with HAC was signed in August 2020 . Brewster is only charged when funds are used from the rental assistance fund . Even though over $ 200, 000 has gone out this year, only $ 6, 300 have been spent from the funds . The CPC Chair suggested the Trust request an extension of the grant . A memo is included in the packet describing the grant extension request . Mr . Ruchinskas suggested the extension be requested to December 31, 2023 . Ms . Kalinick made a motion to approve the request to the CPC for an extension of the $ 100, 000 grant approved at the November 2018 Town meeting to December 31, 2023 . Mr . Chatelain seconded . A roll call vote was taken . Tim Hackert-Yes, Donna Kalinick-Yes, Maggie Spade -Aguilar- Yes, Madalyn Hillis- Dineen -Yes, Paul Ruchinskas - Yes, Ned Chatelain -Yes . 7 . Discussion , and possible vote, on Brewster CPA funding formula recommendation to the CPC A draft letter by Mr . Chatelain was included in the packet . He shared that flexibility was the key and that it would be in the best interest of the Town to use the state formula . Ms . Kalinick suggested removing the number of communities that don ' t use the state formula . The CPC Coalition said they believed that only Brewster and Bourne did not use the state formula but did not have an actual count . The sentence was changed to almost all Massachusetts communities . Ms . Kalinick moved to approve the Trust letter to the CPC with such changes as may be appropriate by the Chair, with consultation of Mr . Chatelain & Ms . Kalinick, and to authorize the Chair to sign the letter . Ms . Hillis - Dineen second . A roll call vote was taken . Tim Hackert-Yes, Donna Kalinick-Yes, Maggie Spade -Aguilar- Yes, Madalyn Hillis- Dineen -Yes, Paul Ruchinskas- Yes, Ned Chatelain -Yes . 8 . Cape Cod Sea Camps Planning Committees : Ms . Kalinick shared that the Select Board approved the charges and makeup of the planning committees for the Bay and Pond a parcels . The Housing Trust has a seat on the Pond parcel . Any Trust member who is interested in filling that seat should send a letter of interest to Erika Mawn . The deadline for submissions is January 211t . For the Bay parcel , the Trust has been given a liaison role . This discussion will take place at a later meeting . Mr . Chatelain will be a Select Board member on the Bay Committee . Ms . Kalinick will be the administrative lead for the Pond parcel . Neither Ms . Kalinick nor Mr . Chatelain will be submitting for a seat or liaison position . Ms . Spade -Aguilar asked for clarification regarding the voting status of the liaison and committee member . Ms . Kalinick stated that the Pond parcel j committee member will be a voting member, the Bay parcel liaison will not be a voting I member . i i 6 l I 9 . For Your Information : Mr . Hackert noted that the Town does an annual report which includes a Housing Trust report . Ms . Kalinick and Ms . Spade -Aguilar will provide a draft report for the February meeting . 10 . Any other business not anticipated : None 11 . Approval of Minutes from December 2, 2021 : Ned Chatelain moved the minutes of December 2 , 2021, with minor technical comments from Chair Hackert, Maggie Spade - Aguilar second . A roll call vote was taken . Tim Hackert-Yes, Donna Kalinick-Yes, Maggie Spade -Aguilar- Yes, Madalyn Hillis - Dineen -Yes, Paul Ruchinskas - Abstain , Ned Chatelain - Yes . 12 . Next Meeting : February 3, 2022 at 5@00pm virtual . 13 . Adjournment : Madalyn Hillis- Dineen moved adjournment at 6 : 45pm , Paul Ruchinskas second . A roll call vote was taken . Tim Hackert-Yes, Donna Kalinick-Yes, Maggie Spade " Aguilar- Yes, Madalyn Hillis- Dineen -Yes, Paul Ruchinskas-Yes, Ned Chatelain -Yes . Respectfully Submitted , Donna J . Kalinick Assistant Town Administrator Housing Trust public packet : records . brewster- ma . gov/weblink/0/edoc/ 167093/" 1 . 06 . 22 BAHT Complete Packet , with Proposal ( amended 1 . 06 ) . pdf Approved February 3 , 2022 i l i i { I i i 7 t j7 7