2020-07-16-HPB-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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:: :: MAP Lexington Housing Partnership Board There is no timeframe at this point, given all of the uncertainties around COVID. 4. 40R&40S and Select Board The HPB had arranged to have a 40R and 40S presentation to the Select Board. Mr. Sandeen said his impression was that the Select Board would look favorably on a 40R proposal. Mr. Peters said that he was also favorable to 40R. Some parcels at Hartwell have been noted as potential 40R sites. Mr. Peters said he thought it would make sense to look at 40R overlay districts in Lexington. 40R is in the to-do list of the Planning Board, but is not highest priority. It does dovetail with the Housing Product Plan work. S. Housing Trusts/Corporations Ms. Weiss. At the SPRD meeting, the issue of public bidding came up. Someone at the SPRD mentioned that housing trusts and housing corporations are not bound by the requirement to do public bidding. Ms. Weiss will be doing some further investigation. Mr. Sandeen noted that the $111,000 will not build even a single unit of housing and that it might be possible to raise additional funds, for example with a housing transfer tax(as Brookline has done). Mr. Peters suggested that the town could leverage the money in a variety of ways to produce affordable housing, not just purchasing units. Ms. Walker pointed out that a housing corporation might be able to bring together a variety of funds from a combination of sources such as (but not limited to) loans, CPA funding, or grants. 6. Exclusionary Zoning This discussion was tabled. 7. Housing Choice Bill Ms. Walker said that at several of the governor's briefings the Housing Choice Bill has been mentioned as a potential engine of economic development. Ms. Walked asked whether anyone on the HPB has done any advocacy for the Housing Choice Bill. Ms. Walker suggested that we contact friends in other districts to ask them to ask their representatives to support the Housing Choice Bill. (The Lexington representatives are already in support of the Housing Choice Bill.) 8. Vine Street Ms. Walker reminded the HPB that Mr. Pressman had previously suggested ways the HPB could assist LexHAB with the discussions with the neighbors regarding the housing work on Vine Street. He also suggested that the HPB discuss how we could help LexHAB with discussions during the neighborhood meetings. Mr. Burbridge said the plan had been to meet with the Vine Street neighbors in person in September or October. It's not clear that the meetings will happen in that timeframe (or happen in person), given the COVID situation. He thought that Mr. Pressman's idea are spot on. Once LexHAB meets with the neighbors and gets their feedback, the design process will begin.