1988-11-BOS-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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- 4- Chairman Smith opened the meeting to comments. A synopsis of the major concerns voiced follows: I. SPECIAL NEEDS: The Special Needs Committee has targeted a minimum of 44 families in Lexington that have identified Housing needs as a priority for their adult children, The Committee stated that independent housing for special needs residents is a low priority for the Commonwealth's housing agencies, %WW and thus needs to be addressed at the local level. The Committee specifically mentioned a need for: a: 2 Independent Living group homes, one for men and one for women; in Lexington, b: 24 hour staff for these homes, c: Research conducted to locate sources of funding to construct these homes d: informing appropriate state agencies about Lexington's special needs housing study The Lexington Housing Authority (LHA) voiced the need to have rental units for special needs residents, and advocated the inclusion of a requirement setting aside # of units for special needs housing in developments. 11. CHAPTER 689 HOUSING: LHA seeks 2 plots of land on which to build Chapter 689 houses in Lexington. These buildings could house a number of rental or owner occupied units for special needs residents, who could take pride in their ownership or occupancy in independent living space. LHA noted that a Ch.689 house needs space enough for a single family home. Chapter 689 %moo housing fulfills a regional need. III. LEXINGTON HOUSING PARTNERSHIP STATUS: Selectmen Marshall reported on the status of the Town's application to the State for membership in the Massachusetts Housing Partnership, which would make the town eligible for grants and loans to both review large projects proposed in Lexington, and provide developers with incentives to build types of housing that Lexington wants and needs. The Town's application is pending, and a decision is due before the end of the year. Our proposal was controversial because it did not include the creation of a new housing committee to oversee the partnership's activities. Last year, a consultant, ABT Associates conducted a report on Equity Sharing possibilites in Lexington. Equity sharing would use either or both public and private funds to purchase housing units that the owner would by on loan, to be paid back over time. The preliminary assessment by ABT was that this would not be possible in Lexington, but that another meeting was needed to determine whether to take this concept any further.