Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-09-12-HPB-min Lexington Housing Partnership Board (HPB) Meeting Minutes for September 12, 2024 Attendees: Harriet Cohen (Clerk), Margaret Heitz, Charles Hornig (Planning Board), Paul Linton, Wendy Manz (Chair), Bob Pressman, Betsey Weiss (Vice-Chair), John Zhao Absent: Cindy Arens (Sustainable Lexington liaison), Nanette Byrnes, Rodney Cole (Capital Expenditures Committee liaison), Jill Hai (Select Board liaison), Sarah Morrison (LexHAB), Melanie Thompson Guest: Ben Finnegan (28 Meriam Street developer), Jamie Osborne (28 Meriam Street developer), Linda Prosnitz (Affordable Housing Trust) 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. Report on LIP Application for 28 Meriam Street – 32 Edgewood Road Ms. Manz introduced Ben Finnegan. Mr. Finnegan is the builder developer on the Meriam Street project with partner Jason Brickman. Liz Rust is the lottery agent. Ms. Rust prepared the LIP application. The HPB has not yet received the LIP application. The project consists of 4 buildings at the corner of Meriam Street and Edgewood Road. The historic house at 28 Meriam Street will be restored within the 10-unit project and there will an inclusionary dwelling unit affordable in perpetuity and available to households earning no more than 80% of the AMI (Adjusted Median Income). The unit is eligible for the SHI (Subsidized Housing Inventory). The unit will have a gross floor area of 3,217 square feet and includes 4 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. There is parking in the garage for 1 car and a dedicated driveway space. The unit will not have a local preference. The project has completed the Planning Board process. The application must be reviewed by the HPB and by the Select Board. The HPB must sign off on the LIP application. Ms. Manz will contact Ms. Rust to verify that the HPB signs off on the LIP application. Ms. Weiss moved that the HPB support the Meriam Street project and that the HPB is prepared to support the LIP application as soon as the HPB has had the opportunity to view it. Ms. Heitz seconded the motion. Upon a motion duly made and seconded, the HPB voted by roll call of 7-0-0 to approve the motion. Mr. Hornig joined the meeting after the roll call vote. Mr. Finnegan requested sign-off on the LIP application prior to the Select Board meeting on Sept. 23. 3. Review and approve proposed letter in support of Lexington home rule petitions Elaine Tung of the Affordable Housing Trust (AHT) informed Ms. Manz that she had written a letter on behalf of the AHT to Speaker Mariano requesting that they act promptly to approve the two home rule petitions regarding residential and commercial surcharges to support affordable housing. Ms. Tung was requesting passage because this would be a source of funding for the AHT. Ms. Manz has drafted a letter of support to send to Speaker Mariano. As a Select Board Advisory Committee, the HPB would need approval from the Select Board prior to sending the letter. The HPB discussed whether it should send the letter of support, should it receive approval from the Select Board. After discussion, the HPB agreed that it should send a letter of support. Ms. Weiss moved that Ms. Manz submit the draft letter of support for the home rule petitions to the Select Board for their approval. Ms. Heitz seconded the motion. In favor: Ms. Weiss, Ms. Cohen, Mr. Linton, Ms. Heitz, Mr. Hornig, Mr. Pressman, Ms. Manz Against: <none> Abstain: Mr. Zhou 4. Report On Planning Board MBTA Multifamily Proposals and General PB Updates Mr. Hornig reported as follows. There have been 6 formal applications under the MBTA Zoning. 5 to 7 Piper Road: 46 units have been proposed. The proposal is in the process of Planning Board hearings, with the next hearing on September 25. 89-91 Bedford Street: 32 units. Finished at the Planning Board as of August 14. Now in the permitting process. 231 Bedford Street: 7 units have been proposed. The next hearing is on November 6. The Planning Board asked the proposers to start the Conservation Commission process before the next Planning Board hearing, as there are significant wetland issues that need to be addressed. 329 to 331 Concord Avenue: 200 units have been proposed. This project is also in the process of Planning Board hearings with the next hearing scheduled for October 9. 17 Hartwell Avenue: 312 units have been proposed. Also in the process of hearings, with the next hearing scheduled for October 23. 217 Massachusetts Avenue: 46 units have been proposed. The first Planning Board hearing will be on September 25. In total, 6 projects with a total of 463 units. The projects range in size from 7 units to 312 units, and they are scattered all over Lexington. Mr. Hornig has sent a table of the projects to Ms. Manz. Ms. Manz will distribute that table to the HPB. Mr. Hornig confirmed that the 5 Piper Road developers submitted new materials on September 9. In response to a question, Mr. Hornig said he was unaware of the proposal pipeline in other municipalities. Also in response to a question, Mr. Hornig said that there would be a public presentation of the traffic study of Bedford Street, Hartwell Avenue, and Wood Street. 5. Liaison Reports Council on Aging: On September 4, the AARP State Director for livable communities presented a certificate designating Lexington as an age-friendly community. 8 areas are designated as important for livability and aging-friendly communities: housing, outdoor spaces and buildings, transportation, civic participation and employment, communication and information, respect and social inclusion, social participation, and health services and community support. Mr. Zhao volunteered to send a paper addressing the suitable or recommend living arrangement housing options for older adults. The following liaison reports are attached in the Appendix below: ▪ LexHAB ▪ Affordable Housing Trust ▪ Sustainable Lexington Ms. Heitz gave a brief summary of the most recent Affordable Housing Trust meeting. She noted that 7 proposals were received for the Lowell Street project. Ms. Prosnitz said that there is a committee to review the proposals. The committee includes 2 members of the AHT, Ms. Prosnitz and Mark Sandeen, and Mr. Pressman. The committee rated the proposals and narrowed the list to 4 of the proposals. The AHT will be interviewing the proposal submitters on Monday. The committee will then further narrow the list and send the updated list to the AHT. Ms. Prosnitz invited the HPB and all interested citizens to attend the interview meeting. The goal is to make a recommendation to the Select Board by September 30. The Select Board will make the final decision and award the contract during the week of October 14. This will provide the developer with sufficient time to apply for financial credits. Ms. Heitz also said that she had discussed with Ms. Arens the idea of having a program similar to the Medicare SHINE program for connecting people in Lexington with energy saving opportunities. Ms. Arens indicated that such a program is being considered. Finally, Ms. Heitz said that, at a previous AHT meeting, Tiffany Payne and Liz Rust reported that there have been Section 8 housing violations. One specific point is that some landlords have a limit on the number of units that they will rent to people with Section 8 vouchers. This is unlawful. 6. HPB Annual Goals Ms. Manz said that she had reached out to Jill Hai, the HPB Select Board liaison, to ask when committees would be asked to submit goals. Ms. Hai replied that the Select Board is in the second year of a 2-year goal cycle, so they wouldn’t be reaching out soon. Nonetheless, the HPB should formulate its goals. Given that only 5 minutes of meeting time remained, the HPB did not discuss this item at this meeting. 7. New Business Ms. Mandelia has submitted her letter of resignation to the Select Board. 8. Review minutes for the August 15, 2024 HPB meeting Due to a late comment on the minutes, the August minutes are not ready for review. 9. Next Meeting Date The next meeting will be on Friday, September 20 at 5:00 pm on Zoom. The only agenda item will be a vote on whether to approve the LIP Application for 28 Meriam Street – 32 Edgewood Road. A meeting will be held on Thursday, September 26 at 7:00 pm on Zoom. 10. Adjournment Ms. Weiss moved adjournment; Ms. Cohen seconded the motion. Upon a motion duly made and seconded, the HPB voted by roll call of 8-0-0 to approve the motion. The meeting adjourned at 8:37 pm. Appendix LexHab Liaison Report (Sarah Morrison) • LexHAB separated from the Town: 9/4/24 when Governor Healey signed legislation authorizing. LexHAB is working with attorney to establish a 501c3, it has been a nonprofit corporation at the state level since its founding. • Upcoming Fundraiser ‘Raise the Roof!’: to celebrate and support affordable housing with live music, drinks and food at the Depot on October 18 . Tickets are $75 and invitations will be available at lexhab.org next week. Please help spread the word! And please join us! • An incredibly generous former Lexington Resident donated a 3-bedroom home to LexHAB, LexHAB’s 85th affordable unit. • LexHAB has transitioned the majority of its units from oil to electric with heat pumps. Ongoing decarbonization efforts are focused on transitioning remaining gas buildings to electric where possible and integrating long-term decarbonization efforts into capital plan including renewable energy. Affordable Housing Trust Report (Margaret Heitz) Provided in PDF format and will be sent separately. Sustainable Lexington Report (Cindy Arens) 1. Assisting LexHAB with re-engaging MassSave LMI program for weatherization/heating/cooling improvements on properties. 2. Working with Sustainability and Resilience Officer (SRO) to engage LHA on MassSave LMI program for weatherization/heating/cooling improvements for their single-family properties. 3. Meeting with SRO and town consultant for our Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program regarding new state CCA rules that can allow the town to add community solar projects to our CCA for the exclusive additional benefit to LMI residents (at no cost to the town).