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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-02-21-HPB-min Ɏ Lexington Housing Partnership Board Meeting Minutes for February 21, 2019 Attendees: Harriet Cohen, Nancy Corcoran-Ronchetti, Jeri Foutter, Mary Haskell, Paul Linton, Wendy Manz, Rich McDonough, Bob Pressman (by telephone), Melanie Thompson, Melinda Walker, Betsey Weiss Absent: (none) Attendees: Chris Kluchman, Leonard Morse-Fortier Action Items: Ms. Walker to discuss comments on the Jefferson Drive flyer with Ms. Foutter and then work with Liz Rust of the Regional Housing Services Office (RHSO) regarding those comments. Mr. Linton to post a statement to the HPB website to indicate that the HPB Meeting Minutes Archives section. HPB members: review the material on the Lexington website regarding the 186 Bedford Street development (list documents). HPB members: review the material at the links provided by Jeri Foutter regarding the 40R and 40S legislation and please read about the Massachusetts starter home initiative (see this article for a summary of the starter home initiative). o 40R https://www.mass.gov/service-details/chapter-40r https://www.chapa.org/sites/default/files/TheUseofCh40R_2018.pdf o 40S https://www.mass.gov/service-details/chapter-40-s http://www.concordsqdev.com/pdfs/050522_CHTF_School_Funding.pdf o Housing Production Plan Section VI - Goals and Objectives, p. 43-p. 53 - info for HPB and goals we can work on. p. 42 2.6 talks about modifying overlay districts Ms. Weiss will ask Mr. Pato as to where the funds from Brookhaven will go. (The clarification is requested as these funds are specifically for building new affordable units.) \[completed\] Mr. Linton to post handouts at HPB meetings on the website to make them available for review by HPB members and other interested parties. The Housing Partnership Board (HPB) meeting was chaired by Betsey Weiss and minutes were taken by Harriet Cohen. The meeting was called to order at 7:03 pm. 1. Approve Prior Minutes Ms. Thompson moved approval of the minutes of January 22, 2019. Ms. Walkder seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Ɏ Lexington Housing Partnership Board 2. Housing Choice Initiative (Chris Kluchman) The Housing Choice Initiative is being undertaken by the Baker-Polito administration to increase its housing stock to support a growing economy with a growing population. In the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s new housing production was about half of that of the three previous decades. Currently, there is not enough housing to address the need. This shortage is particularly an issue with housing for seniors and for the lower income population. The Housing Choice initiative designates communities that meet a certain threshold and then rewarding the communities with funding. Specifically, the designation is applied to communities that have produced more than 500 units or had greater than 5% housing growth over the last five years; or have produced more than 300 units or had great than a 3% increase and implemented 5 of 11 housing best practices, including at least one affordable housing best practice. The Housing Choice initiative provides multiple benefits to designated communities: Priority scoring for Commonwealth Grant Programs. Exclusive access to a capital grant program for Housing Choice Communities. New and better coordinated technical assistance to maintain housing production. Continued support for sustainable development to maintain designation and compete for Housing Choice Grants. The goal is to produce 135,000 new housing units over the next 3 years. Further information on the program may be found at https://www.mass.gov/orgs/housing-choice-initiative. The Baker-Politio administration has also filed legislation that changed the requirement for a two thirds majority to a simple majority for zoning amendments. The Joint Housing Committee issued a modified version of the legislation as House Bill 4390. The bill remained in the Ways and Means committee and was not referred to the legislature for further action. The administration plans to resubmit the bill. According to the best data available, Lexington issued only 3.7% net new housing permits in the past 5 years. This number incorrectly does not remove teardowns from the housing permits, so the number is overstated. There were fewer than 3.7% net new housing permits in the 5 year period. Units that do not have 24 hour nursing care count towards the Housing Choice Initiative goals: if the residents are living independently, then the units count towards the HCI goal. 3. Comprehensive Plan Leonard Morse-Fortier, of the Lexington Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee (CPAC) joined towards them. He stated that CPAC is currently in the process of collecting data about community preferences regarding houses. Mr. Morse-Fortier is an advocate of clustered housing around the center and in multi-story housing. Current CPAC status: each CPAC member is still on a learning curve. They have gathered information on multiple topics community forums for further input. Ɏ Lexington Housing Partnership Board 4. LIP Application Ms. Walker had several comments on the flyer associated with the LIP application. She will discuss her comments on the flyer with Ms. Foutter and then Ms. Walker will work directly with Ms. Rust to address those comments. Ms. Weiss moved that HPB support the LIP application for Jefferson Drive. Ms. Corcoran- Ronchetti seconded the motion. The motion passed with the following members voting members voting aye: Ms. Thompson, Mr. Linton, Ms. Corcoran-Ronchetti, Ms. Foutter, Ms. Cohen, Ms. Walker, Mr. Pressman, and Ms. Cohen. Mr. McDonough recused himself from the vote as his company has a business interest in the Jefferson Drive project. The LIP application will be presented for approval at the Board of Selectmen meeting on March 5. 5. 186 Bedford Street The proposed development for 186 Bedford Street will be going before the Planning Board on February 27. Please plan to attend or watch the recorded video. The project contains affordable units. Mr.Pressman reported on a Planning Board hearing on the 186 Bedford Street project, subsequent to the last LHP meeting. It was on the proponent's third concept (13 units, 3 affordable; use of portion of historic house with an additional structure added; mixed use). Town Meeting member Fred Johnson spoke in support; Town Meeting member Riesenberg spoke in opposition to this version; several area residents spoke in opposition; Mr. Pressman spoke. All Board members indicated willingness to support a project on the site, The Board continued the hearing, with resumption to be on February 27. The developer appeared before the Historic Commission on February 20. 6. 40R and 40S, Starter Home Initiative, and Housing Production Plan. Ms. Foutter email Nancy and Joe Pato about the production plan and a meeting on 40R and 40S. Both are planning for a presentation to their respective Boards after town meeting. 7. New Business Ms. Foutter thanked Mr. Linton for posting HPB handouts on the website. Ms. Foutter informed the HPB that she emailed the 40R/40S presentation and links and the proposed timeline for a joint session of the Board of Selectmen and Planning Board to Joe Pato & Nancy Corcoran-Ronchetti on January 25, 2019. Both have confirmed receipt and are discussing with their respective Chairs and Board members. Mr. Pato and Ms. Corcoran- Ronchetti will get back to me on the feasibility of the proposed timeline. 8. Set Next Meeting Date The next meeting will be held on Thursday, March 21 at the Lexington Community Center. Ɏ Lexington Housing Partnership Board 9. Adjournment Ms. Weiss moved adjournment of the meeting and Ms. Corcoran-Ronchetti seconded the motion. The motion was passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 8:52 pm.