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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-01-23-HPB-min Lexington Housing Partnership Board (HPB) Meeting Minutes for January 23, 2025 Attendees: Cindy Arens (Sustainable Lexington) Harriet Cohen (clerk), Paul Linton, Wendy Manz (chair), John Zhao, Betsey Weiss, Bob Pressman, Charles Hornig (Planning Board), Joyce Murphy, Melanie Thompson, Nanette Byrnes, Sarah Morrison (LexHAB) Absent: none Guests: Carol Marine, Dawn McKenna, Linda Prosnitz, Elizabeth Rust (RHSO), Carol Sacerdote 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. Review LIP Application for 93 Bedford Street Mr. Linton asked for clarification on the Unit Composition table. Ms. Rust clarified the contents of the table. Ms. Rust noted that there is no local preference in the application. Mr. Pressman thought that the sale price was too high to be effective. Ms. Weiss moved that the HPB endorse the LIP Application for 93 Bedford Street. Mr. Linton seconded the motion. Approved unanimously. Mr. Pressman then noted his opinion is that the cost of the affordable units is very positive. The projected rents for the market rate units are not. Those rents at those rates are not going to keep people from moving from Massachusetts. 3. Update on Planning Board MBTA Multifamily proposals Mr. Hornig presented a chart of the projects submitted in the VO districts. No new projects have been filed in the last month. The only project in progress (“shovels in the ground”) is 93 Bedford Street. There will be 3 hearings on January 30 with others to follow. The February meetings will be used to review zoning issues prior to Town meeting. The Planning Board is modifying the bylaw for Inclusionary Housing for Special Residential Developments so that developers do not have to build to the maximum number of units allowed in the proposed development. The other zoning articles are about bicycle parking, flood plains, a fix for the ZBA definition for accessory uses, as well as for technical corrections. 4. Presentation and questions on Citizen Petitions re: MBTA Zoning submitted for a Special Town Meeting Carol Sacerdote presented as the sponsor of the citizen petition. The petition will comply with the MBTA Communities Act and meet Lexington’s need to implement long-term planning regarding impacts on finances, infrastructure services, residents, and businesses. Ms. Sacerdote has been working with Dawn McKenna, Alan Levine, and John Bartenstein. The group has consulted with Abby McCabe (Planning Director), Town Counsel, and the Planning Board and has made adjustments accordingly. Ms. Sacerdote noted that there is a housing affordability issue and housing shortage in Lexington and in the general Boston area. Ms. Sacerdote reviewed the MBTA Communities Act provisions. Lexington is required to have a capacity of 1231 units, 10% of current housing stock, and to zone 50 acres of multifamily housing with a density of 15 dwelling units per acre. Town Meeting voted for a bylaw to zone 228 acres for multifamily housing. Town Meeting was told to expect 400 to 800 units over the next four to ten years. Subsequently, EOHLC certified that Lexington had complied with the MBTA Communities Act with a capacity of up to 12,546 new multifamily units. Currently, approximately 1,100 units have been proposed. This nearly reaches the requirement specified in the MBTA Communities Act. 161 of the units in the pipeline are affordable at or below 80% of Area Median Income. This level of growth seems to mean that many additional Town services will be needed, for example, police, fire, roads, traffic lights, and so on. This rapid rate of development makes it difficult for the Town to do long-term planning, given the uncertainty in growth of the units. The most recent version of the citizens petition is available at the Town Planning Department website. The petition has two parts. The first part is to pare down the districts to 77 acres instead of 228 acres. All projects in the pipeline are grandfathered. Also, the petition specifies a limit of 15 units per acre. The total number of units that can be permitted is 1775. The second part of the motion calls for the Select Board to create a committee to study the impact of current and future development under the MBTA Communities Act. In addition, the petition asks the Planning Board to consider appropriate means to manage prudent and responsible growth in housing. A goal of the petition is to determine how much growth can be absorbed and to determine a process for managing it over an extended period. Lexington Center is being removed from the MBTA Zoning. Mr. Linton noted that the Lexington Center Committee was in favor of having Lexington Center included in the zoning. Regarding timeframes, Ms. Sacerdote said that the first study would be done by the Town Manager after the current developments are built. and the next part of the study would be a couple of years down the road. Ms. Sacerdote did not have a timeframe for completing the studies. Mr. Hornig noted that, if the Town is required to wait until the completion of the studies to begin work on multifamily zoning then that work would like begin in 2030. In general, the HPB expressed concern that there was no timeline for a restart of zoning. Ms. Sacerdote said that the Town could do a restart any time. Ms. Sacerdote said that Ms. McCabe would be providing a zoning map to show visually where the village overlay districts are located. This concluded Ms. Sacerdote’s presentation. Ms. Weiss noted that many community meetings had been held about MBTA zoning at the time of its initial implementation. Ms. McKenna said that after consultations with Town Counsel and staff, the best path to accomplishing what they are trying to accomplish is to reduce the areas now. There is no other way to accomplish the goal. She also said that the group added back the East Lexington district at the request of the Planning Board. It is important that the Town determine at what speed the Town can absorb new housing units. Ms. Sacerdote then responded to questions and comments from the HPB members. Ms. McKenna made 3 points: (1) after consultation with town counsel, the best approach is to reduce the village overlay districts. They can be brought back at any time. (2) The map that Abby McCabe showed with districts crossed out is misleading because each of the crossed-out districts has projects in the pipeline. Also, the East Lexington district was added back in its entirety. (3) While there were many community meetings, many people do not understand the impact until the work is in progress. Ms. McKenna asserted that operating overrides due to the developments are likely. The goal is to understand where and at what speed the Town can absorb new developments. 5. Liaison Reports The only liaison reports were from Ms. Heitz regarding the Affordable Housing Trust and Mr. Pressman regarding the Community Preservation Commission. Mr. Pressman added that the Capital Expenditures Committee (CEC) said at their meeting this morning that they would introduce a motion at Town Meeting to reduce the amount provided to the Affordable Housing Trust. The CEC does not allow public comments. Mr. Pressman noted that Melissa Battite, Lexington Director of Recreation and Community Programs, provided information about recreation funds coming back into the CPA. This may allow the CEC to reconsider the idea of a motion to reduce funding. 6. Reports from Working Groups 1-4 Working Group 1: Advocating for creation of housing units so seniors can age in place Mr. Zhao noted that the working group met with the Council on Aging and representatives from Lexington Human Services and Senior Services. The working group is working in partnership with those groups. Mr. Zhao referenced a 2019 Town report: An Examination of Residential Property Tax Exemptions: https://www.lexingtonma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2045/Committee-Final- Report-PDF Mr. Pressman offered his opinion that the need for affordable housing for people of very low income is higher priority than the need for senior housing, given the number of housing units in 55+ housing communities in Massachusetts. Mr. Pressman said that LexHAB is reducing the number of units available to people with very low incomes. Ms. Morrison responded that LexHAB is still serving an extremely low-income population. 27 tenants are paying well below the minimum rent, many of those tenants paying $200 a month for rent. LexHAB is in the process of strategic planning to determine the population they want to serve and can do so in a financially stable way. LexHAB and the Lexington Housing Authority are the only two entities that are serving a very low income population. Ms. Morrison reaffirmed that LexHAB is committed to serving a very low income population. The key question is how to do it sustainably, given the lack of state and federal subsidies. 7. Update on dissolution of the Lexington Housing Foundation Given the lack of activity by the Lexington Housing Foundation (LHF) over the 8 years, the plan is to dissolve the LHF. Ms. Cohen reviewed the history of the LHF noting that, in 2015, the LHF donated $10,000 to LexHAB. To dissolve the LHF without assets, the assets must be dispersed in a manner consistent with the foundation’s purpose and consistent with previous donation practices. Assuming the lawyers at the Attorney General’s Office approve, the LHF can disburse its remaining assets to LexHAB and then dissolve. 8. Review and approve minutes for December 12, 2024 Ms. Heitz moved approval of the minutes. Mr. Zhao seconded the motion. In favor: Ms. Weiss, Ms. Cohen, Mr. Zhao, Ms. Murphy, Ms. Heitz, Mr. Hornig, Ms. Thompson, Mr. Pressman, Ms. Manz. Against: <none> Abstain: Mr. Linton, Ms. Morrison 9. Next steps for TM Articles related to Housing Mr. Hornig noted that the public comment period for the articles is Feb. 12 and requested input prior to that meeting. Mr. Hornig asked if the HPB could take a position on the SPRD article. The article implements a technical change that allows more modest development than currently allowed. Ms. Cohen moved that the HPB support the article as currently proposed. Ms. Weiss seconded the motion. In favor: Ms. Weiss, Ms. Cohen, Mr. Zhao, Ms. Murphy, Ms. Heitz, Mr. Hornig, Ms. Thompson, Mr. Pressman, Ms. Manz, Mr. Linton, Ms. Morrison. Against: <none> Abstain: <none> 10. Set Next Meeting Date The following meeting will be on February 20 at 7:00 pm on Zoom. The next meeting will be on Wednesday, January 29 at 7:00 pm on Zoom to discuss Town Meeting articles related to Housing. 11. New Business Ms. Heitz mentioned that she and Ms. Weiss met with the Human Rights Committee. They are interested in collaborating together for fair housing month in April. Mr. Zhao said that on May 6 Human Services and the COA would have an Aging in Place Resource Fair. 12. HPB Adjournment Ms. Weiss moved adjournment. Ms. Heitz seconded the motion. Upon a motion duly made and seconded, the HPB voted by roll call of X-0-0 to approve the motion. The meeting adjourned at 8:38 pm.