2008 CPC Rpt - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

Project: Vynebrook Village Window Replacement CPA Category: Affordable Housing Amount Requested: $158,686 Amount Recommended: $158,686 CPC Vote: Approval (9 -0) Project Description: The Lexington Housing Authority (LHA) is requesting $158,686 for replacement windows at Vynebrook Village. Vynebrook Village is an elderly /handicapped low rent apartment complex with 48 units that was first occupied in 1973. It is governed by the State Department of Housing and Community Development and owned by the Lexington Housing Authority. Average gross income of residents at Vynebrook is $13,536 per year and the average rent per unit is $299 per month, including all utilities. Annual income for the LHA is $172,224 and annual utility costs — electricity, heat and hot water are approximately $92,351. Utilities, on average, cost $160 per month, per unit. This leaves the Housing Authority with approximately $79,873 or $139 per month, per unit to run and maintain the development. With this $139 portion of the monthly rent, the LHA pays all administrative expenses and provides all routine maintenance for Vynebrook Village. For instance, with this limited income, the LHA makes all general repairs to plumbing, electric, kitchen cabinets, bathroom fixtures and floors. They also provide for pest control and do all their own painting, snow removal, grass cutting and landscaping. To be as economical as possible, the LHA staff does the majority of needed repairs and maintenance work, leaving little remaining for larger capital costs. Project Goals and Objectives: New windows will eliminate the difficulty residents have opening and closing aging windows, which results in a huge energy loss. The development is heated with baseboard electric heat, which does not provide the kind of heat that hot water or steam with oil or gas does, making the units more difficult to hear and keep warm. Replacement of these windows will reduce energy loss and cut utility costs by 10 -30 %. Project Benefit: This development is a valuable asset to the Town for seniors and handicapped residents who need affordable housing. Funding Request: The project is estimated to cost $173,686, of which LHA will pay $15,000. The $158,686 requested of CPA funds will allow Vynebrook Village to successfully replace all original windows and reduce escalating utility costs. It should also be noted that the LHA had previously requested funding from the State Department of Housing and Community Development when allowed in 2002 but did not receive grant money due to the fact that budgeting at DHCH allows for only those developments that are in dire need of repair or uninhabitable to receive funding. 11