2024-01-12-AHTBT-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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Page 1 of 2 Affordable Housing Trust Meeting Minutes of January 12, 2024 10:00 am Hybrid meeting on Zoom and attended in-person in the Parker room, Town Office Building Affordable Housing Trust Board Members present: Elaine Tung, Chair; William Erickson, Tiffany Payne, Linda Prosnitz Staff present: Carol Kowalski, Assistant Town Manager for Development; Liz Rust, RHSO Director; Ragi Ramachandran, Administrative Assistant Other attendees: Kathryn Roy, Margaret Heitz Ms. Tung chaired the hybrid meeting and called the meeting to order at 10:05 am. 1. Chair, Select Board, Board/Committee Liaison and RHSO/staff report Ms. Tung reported on attending the Select Board meeting, which included d iscussion of whether to use 173 Bedford St as swing space or to lease space. Ms. Tung made a statement at the Select Board meeting urging the Select Board members to not delay using 173 Bedford Street for affordable housing. The Select Board voted unanimously to tear down the old Harrington School which currently houses the School Administration to create playing fields in anticipation of the loss of fields due to construction of the new high school . The Select Board put off the decision pending more information requested. Mr. Erickson: LexHAB voted unanimously to support Article 33. They also discussed the legislation to allow LexHAB’s transition to an independent nonprofit organization. Ms. Prosnitz: The Housing Partnership Board met the previous night and the vote to support Article 33 would come up at the following meeting. The Housing Partnership Board discussed the proposed Land Acquisition Policy Group which was discussed by the Select Board. Ms. Prosnitz said some members of the Housing Partnership Board thought the Affordable Housing Trust should be included in the group. Ms. Payne will follow up with Lexington Housing Authority for a letter of support. Ms. Tung asked Ms. Prosnitz and Mr. Erickson if they would attend a Lexington Housing Authority meeting with Ms. Payne if the Lexington Housing Authority requested it. 2. Lowell Street status and planning Ms. Tung and Ms. Kowalski explained that the upcoming neighbor informational meeting was not posted as a Housing Trust meeting so less than a quorum of members may attend. Trust members discussed the ways to present the goals for the site and the Article. The purpose of the informational session is to let the neighbors know what the goals for the parcel are, to explain the process, that subsequent meetings will occur, to hear their concerns, and to explain that it’s all preliminary. Mr. Erickson urged emphasizing the process slide. 3. CPC Article The members of the Trust Board discussed the warrant article slide presentation for the meeting with neighbors and the presentation for the CPC funding request.