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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-01-11-HPB-min Lexington Housing Partnership Board (HPB) Meeting Minutes for January 11, 2024 Attendees: Cindy Arens (Sustainable Lexington liaison), Nanette Byrnes, Harriet Cohen (Clerk), Margaret Heitz, Charles Hornig (Planning Board), Paul Linton, Samita Mandelia, Wendy Manz (Chair), Bob Pressman, Melanie Thompson, Betsey Weiss (Vice Chair), John Zhao (COA). Absent: Jill Hai (Select Board Liaison), Sarah Morrison (LexHAB) Guests: Barbara Katzenberg, Carol Kowalski (Assistant Town Manager), Linda Prosnitz (AHT) The Housing Partnership Board (HPB) meeting was chaired by Wendy Manz and minutes were taken by Harriet Cohen. The meeting was held remotely via Zoom teleconference. 1. Call to Order: Housing Partnership Board Meeting Ms. Manz called the meeting to order at 7:01 pm. The roll was called. 2. Support for AHT CPC pre-funding request and for LexHAB CPC funding request: letter sent Per the HPB’s request, Ms. Manz sent a letter of support for the Affordable Housing Trust (AHT) Community Preservation Committee (CPC) pre-funding request and the LexHAB CPC funding request to the Select Board and the CPC. 3. AHT neighborhood meeting on Lowell St. project, January 16, 6:30 pm, Community Center This will be an opportunity to hear the presentation and how the neighbors respond. This is primarily a listening session to get input and feedback from the neighbors. The AHT will take all concerns into serious consideration. This is the start of the process regarding the Lowell Street project. A warrant article will be presented at Town Meeting to give the Select Board permission to dispose of the land on Lowell Street for affordable housing. The Request for Proposal for developers will be based on and developed after Town Meeting approval. Ms. Prosnitz requested a letter of support for the warrant article prior to Town Meeting. 4. Report on December 4, 2023 presentation to SB meeting on proposed Property Working Policy Recommendation and continued work Ms. Weiss presented the proposed property working group policy at the Select Board. Mr. Pato said that he thought it was helpful and inclusive but may not be appropriate in some circumstances. Mr. Sandeen said he was excited with the multiple interests collaborating. He thought the AHT should be incorporated into the discussion. Ms. Barrie had concerns. She thought it should be a town committee meeting (rather than a working group) and should meet in executive session. She also thought that the committee should have a Select Board member. Mr. Lucente thought we were already doing following this process. He also said he thought the proposed policy was not the best way to go about this. Ms. Hai had a favorable comment on the process. Ms. Walker, Ms. Manz, and Mr. Wyman spoke in support. Ms. Weiss also noted that the Town hadn’t purchased land for affordable housing since 2009. This is an opportunity for the relevant interests to collaborate on land acquisitions. Given that no land has been purchased for affordable housing since 2009, it is the HPB’s view that, contrary to Mr. Lucente’s understanding that the process is in place, that the process is not being used. More work needs to be done to address the Select Board concerns. 5. Site visit to Widnall property on Summit Road with representatives of the Conservation Commission and the Historical Commission Mr. Wyman from the Conservation Commission contacted the HPB to note that there is a site visit to the Widnall property and asked for representatives of the HPB and the Historical Commission to join. This would be an informal proof of concept of the process discussed in the previous agenda item. Ms. Weiss and Ms. Manz will be going on the site visit. 6. Review of Globe editorial on CPA funding for housing, and possible HPB response Barbara Katzenberg called attention to a Boston Globe editorial regarding the lack of CPA funding for housing generally in Massachusetts. The Boston Globe suggested various means of increasing CPA funding for housing. The HPB noted its support of the editorial and will continue to press for additional CPA funding for housing within Lexington. The editorial is another point in favor of continuing to support CPA funding of affordable housing within Lexington. 7. Summary of the Jan. 10th Hancock Church at 7pm GBIO meeting with Senator Barrett, and Representatives Stanley, Gentile, and Cataldo to support housing measures Ms. Cohen summarized the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO) In District Meeting. There were presentations on various matters related to affordable housing. Each of the legislators was asked whether he supported various bills related to housing. All of the legislators were very supportive. The key concern was whether there was enough money to fund all of the initiatives. The state is collecting less revenue than anticipated and has already made cuts to the proposed state budget. GBIO will continue to press for support for the housing issues and the legislators will continue to work with GBIO. Ms. Heitz: There is a hearing on the bond bill and on the Real Estate Transfer Fee (RETF) at the State House at 11:00 am on January 18. The Local Option for Housing Affordability coalition is assembling a panel to speak in favor of the RETF, noting that municipalities will need to have significant flexibility in applying the RETF, for municipalities that choose to implement the RETF. It is important to stay engaged on these housing issues. Mr. Linton reminded the HPB that GBIO held a similar meeting in December with State Senator Friedman and Representative Michelle Ciccolo, with a similar response to the GBIO asks. Ms. Heitz volunteered to, on her own initiative, ask Representative Ciccolo to forward the Select Board letter in support of the RETF to the committee holding the hearing. 8. Liaison Updates Liaison reports were sent to the HPB prior to the meeting for ▪ Affordable Housing Trust (Ms. Heitz) ▪ CPC (Mr. Pressman) ▪ Planning Board (Mr. Hornig) ▪ Select Board (Ms. Hai) ▪ Sustainable Lexington Committee (Ms. Arens) The reports are in an attachment below. Planning Board: please see the attached report. Mr. Hornig provided a summary of the report. The Planning Board met on January 10. The report had stated that the floor area definition would be updated, but the Planning Board decided on January 10 not to change the floor area definition. Housing related items: ▪ Update to short-term rentals to impose a few new restrictions to reflect neighbors’ concerns. Also paves the way for short-term rentals in multi-family housing. ▪ There are two changes to the village overlays created for the MBTA Communities Act. One changes the inclusionary housing requirement to reflect feedback from the state. The other change will be to clarify the calculation of the height bonus for mixed use to be more appropriate. The Planning Board is seeking input as to how to calculate the height bonus. ▪ Two landowner petitions asking for their properties to be included in the MFO district have been filed. The Planning Board has scheduled a public hearing on Feb. 7 (as for all changes). The Planning Board encourages all interested parties to come to the hearing. LexHAB: no report. Council on Aging (COA): no report Sustainable Lexington Committee: please see the attached report. Affordable Housing Trust (AHT): please see the attached report. Community Preservation Committee (CPC): please see the attached report. At the meeting, Mr. Pressman added at the meeting that there will be many competing CPC requests and that it will be difficult to ensure that housing will be funding adequately. The HPB will need to continue to press for CPC funding for affordable housing. Ms. Manz complimented Mr. Pressman and Ms. Walker for their ongoing work in support of CPC funding for housing. Ms. Prosnitz and Ms. Tung will be going to the Capital Expenditures and the Appropriations committees to present on the Lowell Street project. 9. New Business Ms. Cohen shared the information she received regarding the Fair Housing webinars. Ms. Thompson shared information about an unrelated presentation also on Fair Housing (6:00 pm on January 16). Ms. Manz asked Ms. Thompson to provide an update at the next meeting. Mr. Hornig recommended that anyone who has not had formal Fair Housing training attend one of these presentations. Ms. Manz had sent mail saying that the Select Board was considering uses for the property at 173 Bedford Street. Mr. Sandeen asked the AHT for its opinion as to the suitability of the property for housing. The Select Board did not ask the HPB for input. Ms. Manz asked Ms. Byrnes to attend the Select Board meeting which would consider uses for the property at 173 Bedford Street. Ms. Byrnes reported that playing fields are being put in where the school district central office building is currently located, so those offices must be relocated. One suggestion is that the offices be relocated to 173 Bedford Street, which is temporarily in use for the police department while the new police building is being built. However, 173 Bedford Street is one of three parcels that are part of the LDA feasibility study, which has just been finalized. Ms. Byrnes also noted that the property is also being considered as swing space for other building projects and the building could be in use as swing space for the next 10 years. In that case, affordable housing on that site is likely 17 years out. At the meeting, the Select Board did not approve the $6M that was requested for upgrades so that the building would be suitable for the school offices. The Select Board will investigate the cost of leasing space for the school offices and choose the less expensive option between leasing and improving the 173 Bedford Street building. The Select Board did consider and are talking about the importance of affordable housing. The preliminary report from LDA indicates that affordable housing might be the best use of the property. A decision must be made by fall Town Meeting in order for the school offices to be moved according to the current schedule. Ms. Byrnes requested that the HPB be a participant in the process of deciding usage of the building for affordable housing. Mr. Pressman said that at the beginning of the meeting it was Mark Sandeen who raised the matter of renting space for the school administration and then housing would be an option at that location. Mr. Pato raised the possibility that if school population increased that the building might be used for school space. Ms. Arens said that the preliminary report is posted at the Town website. The HPB should review this report. Ms. Kowalski has been working with LDA on the draft full report and it will be available in the Select Board packet for January 12. Ms. Manz asked that everyone on the HPB read the report and be prepared for a discussion at the next meeting. 10. Approve Minutes of November 30, 2023 Ms. Weiss moved approval of the minutes of November 30. Mr. Zhao seconded the motion. In favor: Ms. Weiss, Ms. Cohen, Mr. Pressman, Ms. Heitz, Ms. Byrnes, Mr. Hornig, Ms. Thompson, Mr. Zhao, Ms. Manz Against: <none> Abstaining: Mr. Litton, Ms. Mandelia 11. Next Meeting Date The next meeting will be on Feb. 1 at 7:00 pm on Zoom. 12. Adjournment Ms. Weiss moved adjournment; Ms. Cohen seconded the motion. Upon a motion duly made and seconded, the HPB voted by roll call of 11-0-0 to approve the motion. The meeting adjourned at 8:35 pm. Attachments: Liaison Reports Affordable Housing Trust (Margaret Heitz) The Affordable Housing Trust is holding a public information session intended for homeowners and residents who live near the Lowell Street site that is proposed for an affordable housing development. Notices of the meeting are being sent to those households. Members of the Housing Partnership Board are encouraged to attend and listen to the discussion with the project neighbors. Details: Lowell Street Neighborhood meeting, 6:30pm, Tues., 1/16, Lexington Community Center. (Currently, the meeting is in-person only.) The AHT is also preparing a presentation for a warrant article on the topic. Community Preservation Committee (Bob Pressman) In final votes, the CPC approved the following projects for submission to the Annual Town Meeting in March and April 2024. The Community Preservation Act authorizes the Town Meeting to approve, reduce in amount, or reject a proposal received from the CPC. It may not increase the amount. Amounts approved may be drawn upon as of July 1, 2024. ▪ Cary Memorial Library Renovation $2,300,000 ▪ Archives and Records Management $20,000 ▪ Park Improvements Athletic Fields Bowman School $545,000 ▪ Lincoln Park Fitness Station Equipment $160,000 ▪ Park Improvements – Hard Court Surfaces- Valley Rd. $492,000 ▪ Lincoln Park Field Improvements $1,145,000 ▪ LexHAB Support, Restoration, Preservation, and Decarbonization $482,365 ▪ Lex. Housing Authority 561/563 Mass. Ave. Preservation Project $$100,00 ▪ Affordable Housing Trust Pre-funding $3,200,000 ▪ Debt Service $681,000 To – ▪ Administrative Budget $150,000 Notes ▪ [1] additional funding for Library project by levy-side debt $1,700,000 ▪ [2] $40,000 of Fitness Station project may be paid for from Trust Funds ▪ [3] the cost of the artificial turf of the Lincoln Field project is not eligible for CPA funding; it will be covered by levy side funding The Town Manager presented to CPC a proposal for purchasing 2 plus acres of land bordering on LexFarm. While there were negotiations with the owner regarding a price, the Select Board decided against moving forward with a purchase. Important Assuming Town Meeting approval of the community housing amounts, the total in the community housing account in the FY 26 cycle will be about $5,194 carryover balance and $810,000 new cycle funds, $815,194. Given likely Town requests, securing a meaningful amount for housing of the pool of new cycle funds available for all four CPA categories will involve “a battle royal.” In particular, recreation projects are likely to seek a very substantial amount. Select Board (Jill Hai) 1) Select Board approved a letter to legislative delegation supporting the real estate transfer fee. 2) Warrant will include an article asking for approval for Select Board to dispose of property at North/Lowell Street pursuant to request from AHT to seek development of affordable housing. (If approved, it would give the Select Board the authority to enter into sale or lease agreement with an affordable housing developer. AHT would be managing the RFP process, which they want to commence as soon as possible, in order to allow bidders to file for state affordable housing funding with a November application deadline.) Planning Board (Charles Hornig) The Planning Board has been preparing several zoning changes for the spring Town Meeting. The housing-related ones are: ▪ § 7.5.5.10.a Maximum Building Height in Village Overlay ▪ § 10.0 Definitions for Floor Area (Gross & Net Floor Area) ▪ § 6.10 Short Term Rentals ▪ § 7.5.12 Inclusionary Housing in Village & Multi-Family Overlay Districts ▪ Land owner petitions received from the owners of 507 & 509 Bedford St. to be added to the Bedford Street North MFO (Multi-Family Overlay) zoning district Non-housing-related changes include: ▪ § 3.4 Table 1 Permitted Uses and Development Standards and §10.0 Definitions ▪ § 5.2 Signs ▪ Technical Corrections to various sections of the zoning to correct any errors The changes were discussed at the Board’s 01-10 meeting. The drafts going into that meeting are in the meeting packet at https://lexington.novusagenda.com/agendapublic/MeetingView.aspx?MeetingID=962&Minut esMeetingID=-1&doctype=Agenda. Sustainable Lexington Committee (Cindy Arens) In addition to helping LexHAB get more MassSave incentives for insulation and heat pumps at a new single family property, we have been looking into getting assistance for applying for federal tax credits for new solar systems that have been installed on two properties. LexHAB is eligible to receive 50% of the installation cost in federal tax credits because the solar will benefit low- income housing.