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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-11-21-HPB-min Lexington Housing Partnership Board (HPB) Meeting Minutes for November 21, 2024 Attendees: Wendy Manz (Chair), Nanette Byrnes, Harriet Cohen (Clerk) Charles Hornig (Planning Board), Margaret Heitz, Bob Pressman, Melanie Thompson, Betsey Weiss (Vice-Chair), Absent: Harriet Cohen (Clerk), Sarah Morrison, Bob Pressman, John Zhao (COA) Guest: Carol Kowalski (Assistant Town Manager for Development), Elizabeth Rust (RHSO) 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 7:00 pm. The roll was called. 2. Welcome other Housing Groups and call to Order for other Housing No other housing groups are present. 3. Introduce Ms. Rust Ms. Manz introduced Ms. Rust and Ms. Kowalski. 4. Provide feedback on Consortium 5 Year Housing Needs Assessment to Ms. Rust Ms. Rust provided background for this meeting saying that it is a required meeting as part of the process for the HOME Consortium Consolidated Plan. The West Metro HOME Consortium receives funds annually from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). These funds are used for creating affordable housing opportunities for low income persons. Lexington is one of the thirteen communities in the West Metro HOME Consortium and participates in the work to produce documentation required by HUD. One of these documents is a 5-Year Consolidated Plan documenting housing needs, strategies to address the needs, and identifies program uses for the funds. This is followed by annual action plans to implement the Consolidated Plan. Ms. Rust described several other documents required by HUD. HOME funds are best suited for rental properties for those with income under 60% of the Annual Median Income (AMI). Lexington has previously used HOME funds. In FY25, Lexington will receive $36,570 in HOME funds. Lexington has a year to use the funds. If they are not used in a year, they are rolled into a Consolidated Pool. Any of the HOME member communities may apply to use funds in the Consolidated Pool. The Consolidated Plan requires a public meeting in each member community to ask for input from the community. This meeting is that meeting. Information from these meetings and other sources are the basis for the Consolidated Plan. There will be a public hearing later on the entire Consolidated Plan. Ms. Rust then proceeded to ask the questions she had previously provided. The first question is: what are the most common housing problems in your community? The HPB noted the cost burden of housing, the lack of availability of moderate and affordable housing, the lack of diversity in Lexington housing, and the lack of senior housing to which residents can downsize. In addition, there is a need for more disability-friendly units. Ms. Rust then recapped the answers to this question from the other HOME member communities. Question2: What population or populations or household types are most affected by these problems? Ms. Kowalski noted low, lower, and moderate income households are greatly affected; Lexington does not have that much of a strata of income levels. Needs of seniors and the disabled were also identified. Young families also have difficulty finding housing in Lexington. In addition to low and moderate income households that cannot afford housing in Lexington, people who are reasonably well off cannot afford housing here. Municipal workers and those who work in Lexington also cannot afford housing. Ms. Rust then recapped the answers to this question from the other HOME member communities Question 3 asks about the community TBRA (Tenant Based Rental Assistance) program. Lexington does not have a TBRA program. Question 4: What housing characteristics have been linked with instability and an increased risk of homelessness in your community? The HPB identified the high price of housing and the associated high property taxes as main factors in housing instability. In addition, there is a utilities burden which is significant and rising. Question 5: Is in-home access to broadband service an issue for low and moderate income households in our community? The consensus of the HPB is that broadband access is essential, that it is available throughout Lexington, and that prices are consistent with those in the rest of the region. Ms. Rust reported that this was a common response from other HOME member communities. Question 6: What are the housing and supportive services needed of non-homeless populations in your community? Ms. Manz recapped the input provided by LexHAB and Ms. Rust recapped the input from other HOME member communities. Question 7: There is insufficient housing for lower income households in the West Metro home consortium. What type of housing by income level (30% of AMI, 50% of AMI, 80% of AMI) is needed in your community? Mr. Pressman noted that the need for housing is greatest for those at 30% of AMI. He also reported that some of the LexHAB units rented by households at 30% of AMI will be provided to those at a higher AMI after the current renters leave. This is because LexHAB has adopted a set of minimum rents that require an income higher than 30% of AMI. The minimum rents have been raised because, post-COVID, costs have increased. Ms. Rust showed a table of SHI units by member community and noted that Lexington has a very low percentage of ownership units. The decision to have a low percentage of ownership units was a decision by the Town; Ms. Rust asked whether it was appropriate to reconsider that decision. Mr. Hornig pointed out there is no inventory for people at 90% of AMI. Housing prices in Lexington start at approximately 160% of AMI. Question 8: If your community has a rehabilitation program, describe the need for owner and rental rehabilitation based on the condition of the municipality’s housing. LexHAB has been able to obtain and expend some funds in capital repairs. The Lexington Housing Authority has had fewer funds available for capital repairs. Based on observation, it appears that some homeowners are having trouble keeping up with the maintenance of their houses. Often, deferred maintenance leads to a house being a teardown. The next question was about special needs, facilities, and services. Ms. Byrnes supplied information from the draft Housing Needs Assessment report that state-supported group homes for individuals with developmental mental health disabilities have decreased over the past decade and that Lexington also has limited emergency shelters. This impacts the Town’s capacity to accommodate vulnerable populations. Final question: Describe any negative effects of public policies or on affordable housing and residential investment. One major barrier is resident opposition to change. Any change whatsoever to a neighborhood sparks intense opposition. This is not just with respect to affordable housing. The opposition is exacerbated by the plan to build a new high school. Traffic is also another issue for residents. Ms. Kowalski noted that, in the past, the opposition to developments has faded after they have been built and are occupied. She also noted that past dire predictions about the impact of the developments on Lexington have generally not been experienced. At the conclusion of this discussion, Ms. Rust thanked the HPB and Ms. Kowalski for a very rich conversation that supplied the information she needed. 5. Housing Groups adjourn, if necessary No other housing groups attended, so no adjournment for them was necessary. 6. Next meeting date Dec. 12th Ms. Manz reminded the HPB that the next meeting is on Dec. 12. 7. HPB 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 8:11 pm.