HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-09-20-LEXHAB-minMinutes of Meeting on September 20, 2013
The meeting opened at 7:08 A.M. The Chairman presided.
I. Minutes.
The minutes for the meeting of the Board on August 22" a were unanimously approved
as submitted.
H. Financials.
Gerry reported that Karen Iverson had helped bring the statements up through the and
as of of August; he said that the new year-to-date reports can be compared to the reports
for the same period in 2012 and that the comparisons are useful. They show for example
how repairs and redeem ration ofvacated units have increased in 2013. He noted that the
renovations at 1001 -1003 Mass. Avenue, though nearly finished, are not fiiily reflected
on the statements through the end of last month.
It was moved, seconded and unanimously voted to accept the statements as presented.
' Gerry also presented a summary of LeHAC's outlays for emergencies. He noted that
the balance remaining in LeHAC's account is now under $3,000. It was moved, seconded
and unanimously voted to restore the account to the original fimdmg balance which was
$10,000.
III. Busa Farm_
A., .Meeting with Neighbors.
Bob Burbige reported that invitations for the meeting at the Depot at 7 P.M next
Monday have gone out to abutters and abutters to abutters within 300 fed of our parcel.
Bob will arrange for the on- screen presentation of the key plans. He and Bill K. will
review the list of persons we hope will attend plus Panes Kean representing the Farm
Group. Re&eshnwats will be delivered by Nehos at 6:30, Bill IC and Dave will be on
hand before 6:30 to open the building.
B. The "`Parcel".
Bob Pressman noted that the Town Manager has rqueSW from the Engineering
Department a plan setting off our parcel, to be recorded with the Registry of Deeds later
on. He indicated that the parcel is likely to be 190 Feet (frontage) by 121 feet.
IV. CPC Request for the Busa Project.
A. The deadline for grant applications to come before Town Meeting next Sprig is
October I 4 ' if we want to request additional CPA funds for the Busa project, we need to
complete our application by this date.
B. Bob Pressman noted that the Housing Authority will likely submit an application
for about $300,000, He also warned the Board that demands for non - housing grants will
be heavy so we need to make a convincing case for Busa fimding.
C. It was the consensus that an application be filed and also that we should seek
audience with the Board of Selectmen in October, before our grant application is
finalized. Bill K will speak to Norman Cohen, our hason, and see if October 21" will
work. It was noted on this subject that it is important that funding for the Buse project be
settled soon, as shortly LexHAB will submit its 40-b application to DHCD (assuming
Board of Selectman endorsement) and it would not reflect favorably on the Town's
affordable housing program were the project to pass before and through DHCD only to
fail by reason of the Town's commitment of available CFA funds to ether projects.
D. The Chair noted that the Housing Partnership will take up at its meeting on
September 26 a draft letter to the Board of Selectmen endorsing our proposal for 6 units.
The Chair voiced the thanks of the Board for this strong support.
E. As respects our prospects before Town Meeting, it was noted that LexHAB failed
this past Spring by only 4 votes and almost entirely because LexHAB at that time had no
specific plans for housing on the Busa parcel. But it was observed by members that this
time around we have plans showing the appearance, location and size of the proposed
units. We will also shortly (see above) have a plan -for- record defining the housing parcel.
And depending on the outcome of the meeting with the Selectmen in October, we may
have stronger buy -in for the size of the project on the part of the BOS.
F. Thm was discussion as to what steps, if any, may be needed to secure our hold on
the $450,000 which last year was committed by the Town Meeting for affordable housing
in general (and possibly also to the left -over from Wilson Road from the year before).
No definitive plan of action was forthcoming; it was resolved that Bill and Bill should
look Anther into this question. It was suggested that it might be sufficient for us to
request this time around whatever we believe will be necessary to build -out the project
over and above the $450,000 and the Wilson Rd. leftover, thereby, by inference, laying
claim to same.
V. Fairview Project.
A Aaron Henry's Comments.
1. The on -site meeting with the DHCD team took place in September, Aaron
characterized the meeting as "Very Positive ".
2. Aaron summarized the understanding that has underscored our planning to
date. We have assumed that one of the four Fairview units would be fully regulated but
that DHCD would permit us to treat the other three, not as market units which any
developer would be permitted to do in a 40-B project but instead for affordable housing
as LexHAB has traditionally defined the term (meaning award of apartments on the basis
of need).
3. Aaron then said that the visiting team from DHCD seemed to be shifting
toward a different arrangement that would give us most of what we deem critical but
would do so under a scheme treating all four units as - regulated" in a generic sense but
with distinguishing sub parts. One of the units would come under sub -part I and would
be what we have understood to be a regulated unit, in the end awarded on a lottery basis.
The remaining three units under sub -part 2 world be a differ kind of regulated unit,
awarded on the basis of need, involving an interview, with some local preference and
with our traditional 5 year sunset condition.
4. Aaron further noted that even though a private developer might have the right
to offer 3 of every 4 units at market rates, since LexHAB isn't a private developer and
offers ail of its units on an affordable basis of some kind, DHCD whose business it is to
oversee affordable housing, may be eked to look at the teams under which we would
propose to offer the 3 unregulated Fairview units and as well at all of our inventory of
non CPA funded apartments. The shift noted in 3. above reflects this watchdog role on
DHCD's part but also gives us a way out..
5. Aaron then went on to point out that what we do with the 3 non regulated units
at Fairview is not only of interest to DHCD but of major importance when it comes to
compliance with the Fair Housing Act. Aaron said that thus far, LedIAB's non- standard
rental terms do not seem to have resulted in a tenant mix that departs significantly from
FHA's norms. But there are aspects of our traditional rental plan that definitely are at
odds with FHA requirements, namely:
(a) Interviews cannot be determinative but only informational
(plus they can give an applicant an opportunity to back out)
(b) The criteria for need must be made objective. This will not be
a problem for financial need but we are going to have to give a lot of thought how to
objectify our non financial needs factor.
(c) Local preference cannot include " child of resident" or " grew
up in Lexington .
6. Aaron pointed out that if we go along with the DHCD shift (see 3 above), we
would then have a way to bring the half of our non -CPA funded inventory that is not on
the SSI list onto the list. This could be important as the pressure on us to bring all of our
units onto the SSI list could be great once Kathadin Woods becomes a condominium. The
shift would give us a lighted pathway to bring these units onto the list.
7. According to Aaron, the shift is not yet in place, it is merely a possible
solution to our problems and DHCD's. We could say no to the proposal which would
bring all of us, DHCD included, back onto our original bail field.
B. Peter Kelly Appearance
Peter Kelly joined the meeting. He outlined to the Board his reasons for opposing the
Selectmen's recent decision to approve a total of 4 units on the Fairview property. He
said that density concerned him.
He then noted the other concern of the neighbors, namely pass - through traffic. He
said that the Traffic Advisory Committee would shortly be meeting and that he would
support a decision by the Committee to erect signs barring right hand turns off Woad
Street and left hand turns offMass. Avenue. It was the consensus ofthe Board that this
proposal should be supported by LexHAB. The Chairman will write the letter of support.
VI. Next Meeting.
The next meeting will be on October 17 at 7A .M, at the offices of LexHAB at 4
Militia Drive in Lexington. Dave Eagle agreed to bring the coffee.
VII. Executive Session;
The Chairman then proposed that the Board go into Executive Session to consider
tenant selection issues without return to open session, stating that consideration of same
in open meeting could have a detrimental effect on the negotiating position of a public
body, namely LexIMB, and might also affect the privacy rights of potential tenants.
The members of the Board were individually polled, each member then voted in favor
of the motion. The time was 8:20 A.M.
Respectfully submitted:
William C. Hays
Secretary pro tem