HomeMy Public PortalAboutAffordable Housing Trust -- 2022-04-07 MinutesBrewster Housing Trust
April 7, 2022 5:00pm Virtual Meeting
Housing Trust Members Present: Donna Kalinick, Tim Hackert, Ned Chatelain, Vanessa Greene,
Paul Ruchinskas, Maggie Spade -Aguilar
Others Present: Robert Tobias -Finance Committee liaison, Jill Scalise, Housing Coordinator
Absent: Madalyn Hillis -Dineen
1. Call to Order: Chair Hackert called the meeting to order at 5:00pm, read the required
notice for virtual meetings, and declared a quorum.
2. Citizen's Forum: Chair Hackert read the rules for citizen's forum with citizens having up
to three minutes to speak. Glenn Casey followed up on his previously expressed
concerns about the actual cost of the proposed Millstone project which he described as
a black check project. He also asked why one proposal for the Millstone property was
disqualified in the procurement process. Chair Hackert noted that Mr. Casey had been
requested at the last meeting to submit the procurement question in writing.
3. POAH & HAC proposal for Millstone Community Housing (Recusal of members with
potential conflicts of interest) Update on 04.04.22 Joint Meeting with Select Board
Rejoining of Recused Members- Mr. Ruchinskas, Ms. Green and Ms. Spade -Aguilar
recused. Ms. Kalinick updated the Trust that she, Ned Chatelain, and Chair Hackert met
with the Select Board on Monday April 4th. They provided a memo detailing the process,
the full response from Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) and Housing
Assistance Corporation (HAC), the Proforma Review from LDS Consulting and developer
responses, and the aggregate proposal scoring sheet. Additional materials were
provided in the previous Select Board Meeting. The Select Board accepted the
recommendation to award the Request for Proposal for development and management
of the Millstone Road Community Housing property to Housing Assistance Corporation
and Preservation of Affordable Housing. The next steps are for the Board, with the
assistance of the Town Administrator, to send an award letter to POAH & HAC, then to
negotiate and enter a long-term lease and land development agreement with POAH &
HAC. After that is complete, design would be furthered, and the next step would be the
application for a comprehensive permit through the Zoning Board of Appeals. Chair
Hackert responded to Mr. Casey's comments about Millstone being a blank check. In the
affordable housing development process, the RFP is awarded and then the developer
needs to obtain funding. There is a lag between the proposal acceptance and the
funding of the construction costs. The Town has no obligation to fund anything unless
the Town decides to do so. This is not a blank check. Recused members rejoined the
meeting.
4. Discussion on Housing Trust Goals and Next Steps — Chair Hackert explained that there
were small working groups that were formed to work on the priority goals. For the
financial planning goal, Ms. Kalinick said that she, Ned Chatelain, Peter Lombardi and
Mimi Bernardo, Finance Director will be meeting to develop the long-term financial plan
and forecast for the Trust. Chair Hackert said he, Maggie and Jill need to schedule a
meeting to work on the Trust Guidelines. Ms. Spade -Aguilar is also on the community
forum work group with Ms. Hillis -Dineen, they have not met yet, but are looking to hold
an event in the fall. This event will be informed by the completed Housing Production
Plan .
S. Housing Production Plan Update- Community Meeting April 28th at 6pm: Ms. Scalise
said that we received over 800 responses to the survey. The Housing Partnership is
working with Barrett Planning on the format for the forum on the 28th of April. There is
also an opportunity for Community Conversations that the Trust or Trust members
could host. Ms. Greene noted that a Community Conversation could focus on a few
questions in the material. Ms. Kalinick added that support is available for these
conversations. A Community Housing Forum for the Housing Plan will be held on April
28th at 6PM.
6. Housing Coordinator Update- Ms. Scalise thanked Ms. Kalinick for her coverage of
housing program over the past two weeks. There has been great interest in both
Serenity Brewster and Brewster Woods. The Regulatory Agreement for Serenity
Brewster will be going before the Select Board later this month. Affordable lotteries for
both Serenity Brewster and Brewster Woods are expected to take place in the next few
months. We are also working on preservation of homes on our SHI, particularly Yankee
Drive and Sean Circle. There is an article on the May Town Meeting, Article 15, to
transfer oversight of 212 Yankee Drive to the Trust to rehabilitate the home and sell it to
a qualified affordable buyer. This property is in currently in tax foreclosure. We are
working with tax title counsel to have the home officially in the Town's name before
town meeting. Mr. Ruchinskas asked about the rehabilitation process. Ms. Kalinick
noted that the Trust did have a previous evaluation of the property, with an estimate of
work needed. Rehabilitation would need to follow construction procurement
requirements. The Town also had a meeting with the Department of Housing and
Community Development (DHCD) and legal counsel regarding 11 Sean Circle. The Town
has provided a list of needed repairs, and estimated costs, for the home to be resold to
an eligible buyer. The next step is for DHCD to communicate with the mortgage holder.
7. For Your Information: Chair Hackert thanked Ben deRuyter and Laura Shufelt for all of
their efforts helping the Trust get through the Millstone RFP (Request for Proposal)
process. Ben's leadership and support led the Trust to the point that it could be finished
this past year. Additionally, Laura's professional and very good advice was appreciated
and essential in completing the RFP process.
8. Any other business not anticipated: None
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9. Approval of Minutes from March 3, 2022, and March 24, 2022: Mr. Ruchinskas asked
about any changes. Ms. Kalinick noted the changes were technical, except for one
change on March 241h there was a clarification that the recommendation for the
Millstone Proposal was to the Select Board. Ned Chatelain moved to approve the
minutes of March 3, 2022, with minor technical comments, Donna Kalinick second. A
roll call vote was taken. Ned Chatelain-Yes, Donna Kalinick-Yes, Paul Ruchinskas-Yes,
Vanessa Greene -Yes, Maggie Spade -Aguilar -Yes, Chair Hackert-Yes.
10. Ned Chatelain moved to approve the minutes of March 24, 2022, as revised and
resubmitted, Donna Kalinick second. A roll call vote was taken. Ned Chatelain-Yes,
Donna Kalinick-Yes, Vanessa Greene -Yes, Maggie Spade -Aguilar -Abstain, Paul
Ruchinskas-Abstain, Chair Hackert-Yes.
11. Next Meeting: May 5, 2022, at 5:00pm virtual.
12. Adjournment: Ned Chatelain moved adjournment at 5:46pm, Paul Ruchinskas second.
A roll call vote was taken. Ned Chatelain-Yes, Donna Kalinick-Yes, Maggie Spade -Aguilar
- Yes, Paul Ruchinskas - Yes, Chair Hackert-Yes.
Respectfully Submitted,
Donna J. Kalinick
Assistant Town Administrator
Packet Materials: packet 04.07.2022 laserfiche.com
Approved: May 5, 2022