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HomeMy Public PortalAbout2020-06-22 Housing MeetingWatertown Town Council Committee on Human Services Councilor Palomba, Chair, Councilor Bays, Vice Chair, Councilor Gannon, Secretary Committee Report —Monday, June 22, 2020 at 7:00 PM The meeting agenda was duly posted, and noted that the meeting would take place remotely via Zoom. The agenda also noted that Watertown Community Access Television would televise the meeting. In addition, the agenda provided the public with notice on how to access the meeting online and by telephone, and that comments were invited via email All Committee members were present. Others present included: Town Council President Mark Sideris, District C Councilor Vincent Piccirilli, Assistant Town Manager Steve Magoon, Transportation Planner Laura Wiener, Director of Senior Services Anne -Marie Gagnon, Senior Services Case Worker Jenya Kruglyansky, Fred Reynolds, David Leon, and Cliff Cook from the Watertown Housing Partnership, Leo Martin, Chair of the Conservation Commission, Elodia Thomas, Chair of the Community Preservation Committee, Jenna Willis, Watertown's Social Services Resource Specialists, Sophia Suarez -Friedman, Wayside Multi -Service Center, Jennifer Van Campen, Executive Director, Metro West Community Collaborative, Jan Singer, Director, Watertown Community Foundation, Carole Katz, President, Marshall Home Fund, Charlyn Bethell and Will Twombly from the Helen Robinson Wright Charitable Fund at First Parish of Watertown, and Watertown resident Sibylle DeCarlo. 1. Call to Order Committee chair Palomba called the meeting to order at 7:35 pm. He noted that the purpose of the meeting was to continue the discussion regarding affordable housing with emphasis on a tenant -based Rental Assistance Program (RAP) and to consider an Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). 2. Continue the Discussion Regarding Affordable Housing with Emphasis on the Town Council's Directive to the Administration to Draft a RAP and to Consider an ERAP Chair Palomba stated that on September 17, 2019, the Town Council by an 8-0 vote requested that the Department of Community Planning draft a RAP. The objective of such a program is to provide financial assistance toward the prohibitively high financial barriers (first month/last month/security deposit) to apartments people could otherwise afford. Chair Palomba stated that the Committee meeting's order of business is to lay a foundation for the need for an ERAP, to hear from the Watertown Housing Partnership (WHP) about such a program, and to discuss the need for a long-term RAP. Watertown's Social Services Resource Specialist Jenna Wills stated that there are 400 residents served in some manner by existing Town social assistance programs. The present pandemic and the resulting economic uncertainty have resulted in a number of residents suffering economic losses of jobs and their businesses. Many families that have not needed services previously are in danger of losing their homes. The Watertown Community Foundation has obtained a $25,000 grant to assist at least 28 families identified by Ms. Willis with their critical short-term housing needs. There are at least 50 families needing such assistance. Ms. Willis and others are working to connect such families with existing state and federal programs and with local programs such as the Helen Robinson Wright Fund and the Marshall Home Fund. Many community partners described the specific assistance that their groups have provided to families in need. Ms. Willis noted that a state eviction moratorium is set to expire in August (as a side note, that moratorium was recently extended to October 17) and she anticipates an increase in the number of families facing eviction. Jennifer Van Campen noted that the state Department of Unemployment Assistance numbers showed that Watertown had an 11.9 percent unemployment rate for the month of October, representing 2,400 Watertown residents who have lost their jobs. The Committee's discussion next addressed an ERAP developed by the WHP. Town Planner Laura Wiener, filling in for a vacant housing planner position, noted that WHP voted recently to allocate $175,000 from available affordable housing funds for an ERAP that will offer up to three months rental subsidy to persons living at or below 80 percent of median income. Metro West Collaborative Development will administer the program. Fred Reynolds, Chair of the WHP, stated that these grants would be made to qualifying individuals with a goal of providing the funds in an expeditious manner. Jennifer Van Campen of Metro West Collaborative Development stated she has created guidelines for an emergency rental assistance program that are being used by other cities and towns. The emphasis will be to address needs of individuals who are not currently receiving state or federal assistance and to award the grants as soon as feasible. Eventually, it is hoped that funds from the Community Preservation Act may supplement the existing funds allocated by the WHP. The team is formulating an outreach program to alert individuals about the ERAP, and the goal is to be distributing checks to families as early as September. Steve Magoon suggested that outreach efforts for the ERAP would be enhanced by having the full Town Council vote to endorse the emergence rental assistance program. Action Item: Councilor Palomba made a motion that the Committee recommends that the full Town Council vote to endorse the Watertown Housing Partnership's decision to allocate $175,000 of its available affordable housing funds to support an Emergency Rental Assistance Program. Councilor Gannon seconded the motion and it passed 3 -0. In a further discussion of additional funding for the rental assistance program, Steve Magoon stated that the administration would review whether additional Town funds might be available. In addition, Councilor Bays cited the possibility that a portion of Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds may be used as well. Future meetings of the Committee on Human Services should be held to obtain updates on the emergency rental assistance program as well as the status of additional funding. Chair Palomba made a motion that the Committee on Human Services reconvene in August or September for these purposes. Councilor Bays seconded the motion and it passed 3-0. 3. Discussion of Creating a Permanent Housing Assistance Program During the final part of the meeting, Chair Palomba initiated a discussion about the Town's progress on creating a permanent tenant -based RAP per the Town Council's request. He noted that a study found that $650,000 would be needed to make whole the families who are in need of rental assistance occasioned by the pandemic. Steve Magoon said that there was limited progress on this request at this time. However, given that fact that there are two strong candidates to fill the vacant housing planner position he anticipates a draft of a RAP may be completed in the near future. Mr. Magoon also expressed his appreciation to Ms. Wiener for filling two planning roles during the absence of a housing planner. Will Twombly asked whether a permanent rental assistance program would be able to address housing needs of non-residents. Councilor Gannon asked Steve Magoon if the Town has considered adopting an Affordable Housing Trust Fund, under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 44, section 55C. He explained that the creation of such a fund would allow housing monies from the Massachusetts Housing Partnership to be combined with affordable housing funds from the CPA, creating a larger funding source. Steve Magoon stated that there are definite advantages to creating such an Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Councilor Bays noted that the creation of an Affordable Housing Trust was a Committee recommendation to the Town Council last term and should be discussed again at a future meeting of the Committee. Chair Palomba stated that a future Human Services Committee meeting would continue the discussion of a permanent RAP. He thanked the community members and town partners for their efforts in addressing emergency rental assistance. Chair Palomba made a motion to adjourn. Councilor Gannon seconded the motion. All were in favor. The meeting was adjourned at 9:23pm. Minutes Prepared by Councilor Gannon Page 2 of 2