HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-01-17-AHTBT-min
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Affordable Housing Trust
Meeting Minutes of January 17, 2024 9:00 am
Hybrid meeting on Zoom and attended in-person in the Hudson Toom, Cary Hall
Affordable Housing Trust Board Members present: Elaine Tung, Chair; Linda Prosnitz, William
Erickson, Tiffany Payne, Mark Sandeen
Staff present: Carol Kowalski, Assistant Town Manager for Development; Liz Rust, RHSO
Director; Ragi Ramachandran, Administrative Assistant
Other attendees: Bob Pressman, Caileen Foley, Kathryn Roy, Margaret Heitz, Denisia G
Ms. Tung chaired the hybrid meeting and called the meeting to order at 9:08 am.
1. Chair, Select Board, Board/Committee Liaison and RHSO/staff report
Mr. Sandeen recapped the information session from the night before, in which Ms. Tung
presented the slides, the location, and physical characteristics, and expressed the goal of doing
100% affordable housing, and up to 50 units. The neighbors were concerned about scale,
environmental impact, flooding, wetlands, wildlife, traffic, impact on resale value of their
houses, impact on schools, and who would live there. Ms. Rust noted that the T rust has the
information on what the site can support physically and the Trust has been clear that the
development would be 100% affordable.
Mr. Pressman noted that one point not made at the meeting was that there are developers
who specialize in affordable housing. Mr. Pressmen also reported that during his weekly
8:15am trips to and from Market Basket on Lowell Street, there are no more than three cars
waiting at the light.
Ms. Tung noted that a traffic study will be required by the Town or the Zoning Board of
Appeals.
Ms. Roy commented that it would be beneficial to point out that this affordable housing
development could help with the declining trend in Lexington’s 10.9% Subsidized Housing
Inventory.
2. Lowell Street status and planning
Ms. Tung reviewed and recited the draft slide presentation for the Town Meeting Article 33
presentation. The Trustees and other attendees commented on edits to the slides.
3. CPC Article
Ms. Tung reviewed and recited the draft slide presentation for Article 10i for CPA pre-funding.
Members provided edits.
Mr. Sandeen moved to approve the two slide presentations, as discussed. Ms. Payne
seconded. Roll call vote: Ms. Payne: yes; Ms. Prosnitz, yes; Mr. Sandeen, yes; Mr. Erickson,
yes; Ms. Tung, Yes.
Ms. Tung reviewed upcoming meetings and asked Ms. Kowalski, Ms. Payne and Ms. Prosnitz to
work on the Frequently Asked Questions for the Town Meeting webpage. Ms. Tung asked Ms.
Kowalski to start thinking about the RFP.
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4. New Business:
Ms. Payne provided an update on the Mel King Institute training, Introduction to Affordable
Housing Development.
Ms. Tung moved, Mr. Erickson seconded having Ms. Payne attend the training. Roll call: Ms.
Payne: yes; Ms. Prosnitz, yes; Mr. Sandeen, yes; Mr. Erickson, yes; Ms. Tung, Yes.
Mr. Sandeen said that the Housing Feasibility Study on the three Town center parcels would be
presented later that night to the Select Board.
5. Adjourn
Mr. Sandeen moved to adjourn, which was seconded by Mr. Erickson, and on a roll call vote:
Ms. Payne, yes; Ms. Prosnitz, yes; Mr. Erickson, yes; Mr. Sandeen, yes; Ms. Tung, yes, adjourned
the meeting at 10:59am.
List of documents reviewed:
Draft slide presentation Article 33
Draft slide presentation CPC presentation