HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993-12-08-FHHR-min.pdf ( Fair Housing and Human Relations Committee Minutes, 12/8/93
Present Gerri Weathers, Chairman; Florence Baturin;
Marion D de B Kilson; Oscar Liu; Leona
Martin; Stephen Baran, Fair Housing and Human
Relations Director (recorder) ;
Absent James R Brannon; Peter G Brown; Nicole T Herrmann;
Robert Pressman
Minutes of 11/10
The Minutes of 11/10 were accepted
Katandin Woods
Gerri and Steve had interviewed Deborah Semeraro, Property
Manager, at Katandin Woods She is an employee of the Boston Land
Company which manages 13 sites and has a waiting list of 1, 000
for low income apartments Katandin Woods was formerly under the
management of Coastal Property
Katandin Woods has 128 units of which 26 are set aside for
affordable housing (i e , "moderate" = low; "low" = very low)
Ms Semeraro alluded to difficulties in renting low income
apartments--there are currently three vacancies--due to its
partial inaccessibility to public transportation Although,
Lexpress is available, other public transportation is not
Low income applications are not accepted without a certificate
for which one can apply through a housing authority Welfare
recipients are eligible The Lexington Housing Authority conducts
an annual income check of low income households When a tenant's
income exceeds the income limit, that tenant is not asked to
leave Rather, the unit is taken off the low income list to be
replaced by another market rate unit which is converted to the
low income category
Referrals are through the Lexington Housing Authority, and
advertising is through El Mundo, Sampan and other publications
Ms S has never having evicted anyone and ascribes this to
careful screening including clearing through a "landlord
reference bureau" No previously evicted applicant is accepted
Market rates are 1 bedroom, $945 per month; 2 bedroom, $1, 185; 3
bedroom, $1, 625 3% of the households are occupied by elderly
persons; 11% - 12% of households are occupied by minority persons
and there are 5 disabled households To qualify for market rate
housing, a family seeking a 1 bedroom apartment must have an
annual minimum income of $38 , 000; 2 bedroom, $44 , 000; and 3
bedroom, $60, 000 (based on 30% of income for housing)
Ms S mentioned Ken Rothenberg (489-4812) and Rona Fishman (776-
Fair Housing/Human Relations Committee Minutes, 12/8/93 Page 2
8304) as brokers specializing in handicapped and special needs
housing
Ms S networks extensively with the managers of other Lexington
housing developments Lexington Ridge is similar to Katandin
Woods in the way it rents
to certificate holders whereas at Franklin School the unit goes
with the certificate
Gerri Weathers suggested that Cecilia Alders be put in touch with
the Boston Land Company since they have 1, 000 on their waiting
list
Cultural Awareness Committee meetina
A forthcoming meeting of the Cultural Awareness Committee was
announced Marcia Butman talked about opportunities to recruit
members from various groups including the METCO parents
Fair Housing Plan
Members volunteered to take responsibility for various aspects of
the Fair Housing Plan
Leona Martin Black History Month event
Marion Kilson Human Relations Forum and Focus Group (for
next fall)
Oscar Liu, Leona Martin and Florence Baturin Multicultural
event
There was some discussion of the need for additional support to
carry out the Fair Housing Plan--interns (Lesley intercultural
program, U/Mass School of Public Policy and Horace Seldin,
Community Change and Race Relations, 14 Beacon St ) and/or a
grant (Community Development Block Grant, Mass Small Cities
Program or HUD Community Housing Resource Board--to expedite the
plan
Member List
Steve was requested to send a member list with telephone numbers
Next meeting
The next meeting will take place at Lexington Ridge
L