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Selectmen’s Meeting - December 3, 2012 The goal for completion of the HPP is June-July 2013. Mr. Sandy, North Emerson Road, asked about the affordable units that are owned where can stay for life even if their income and assets go up. Mr. Henry answered that for the Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI) units that are owned that is the case but when they sell the new owner has to meet the guidelines. There are only 12 ownership arrangements in Lexington of the 1000 affordable units. HOME Project Ms. Rust and Mr. Golin, from the Regional Housing Services Office and Dan Golin, provided an update of the HOME program. Lexington is one of 14 communities that is part of the HOME Program Consortium and the Town signed a Mutual Cooperation Agreement to join in 2006. The Federal government provides funds and allocates them to the communities annually. HOME Funds were used for the Douglas House project in 2009 and the Town has been accumulating funds since then. Mr. Golin and Mr. Keane, Lexington Housing Authority Executive Director, reviewed a potential HOME project. HOME funds can be used to help maintain and renovate existing rentals in public housing. The property that the Housing Authority owns at 561-563 Massachusetts Avenue was the best candidate for the use of HOME funds. The property is a Duplex; one side is leased to the Cooperative for Human Services and is used by handicap tenants and the other side is leased to two handicap boys who grew up in Lexington. The project will include a new roof, replacement of the furnace and air condition systems, replacing the two existing kitchens and upgrading the bathrooms. It also includes replacement of one of the handicap ramps, pruning bushes and trees and landscaping. The project will use three years worth of HOME funds (approximately $170,000). HOME Consortium Program Changes Ms. Rust explained that since funds are difficult to commit and also take a number of years to use, the HOME Consortium is proposing changes to how the program is administered. The reason for the changes is because funds have decreased, towns have been stockpiling a number of years before using and the Mutual Cooperation Agreement (MCA) is due for renewal next year. Ms. Rust is looking for the Selectmen’s comments to bring to the Consortium so the Agreement can be finalized before it takes effect in July. Major funding changes include giving one year for funds to be used before they are swept into a pool of funds that communities can apply for. The funds will still expire after two years if not used. Proposals would be reviewed by a 5-member Project Review Committee. Each community in the Consortium would have a vote on how funds are awarded. Lexington and Lincoln are important to the Consortium because they are connectors for Bedford, Sudbury, Wayland, Natick and Framingham. The Regional Housing Services Office (RHSO) would