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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-06-12-AHTBT-minAffordable Housing Trust Meeting Minutes of June 12, 2025 10:00 am Hybrid meeting on Zoom and attended in-person in the Ellen Stone Room, Cary Memorial Building Affordable Housing Trust Board Members present: Elaine Tung, Chair; William Erickson, Mark Sandeen, Linda Prosnitz Absent: Tiffany Payne Staff present: Elizabeth Rust, RHSO Director; Ragi Ramachandran, Administrative Assistant Ms. Tung chaired the hybrid meeting and called the meeting to order at 10:02 am. 1. Chair, Select Board, Board/Committee Liaison and RHSO/staff report Mr. Sandeen reported that the Select Board had passed guidelines on Conduct and Decorum for Public Meetings. Ms. Tung reported that the HousingWorks Infrastructure Program Grant application was submitted by the Town on June 3rd. Ms. Tung stated that over the summer the Trust will need to work on entering into an agreement with the developer regarding what the funds will be used for if the Town is awarded the grant. The grant awards are anticipated to be announced by the State around September/October. Ms. Payne and Ms. Tung met with the Town Manager, Carolyn Kosnoff and Carol Kowalski on May 22nd to discuss the Rental Assistance programs. Carolyn Kosnoff, Assistant Town Manager for Finance indicated the Finance department will be willing to write checks for rental assistance, with RHSO potentially involved in monitoring the programs. Ms. Payne, Ms. Prosnitz and Ms. Rust will work further on Rental Assistance programs to bring back to the Trust for consideration. Ms. Tung and Ms. Prosnitz attended the Massachusetts Municipal Association's regional MAGIC MAHT meeting on MAY 29, 2025 In Concord. Ms. Tung reported that the MAGIC region comprises of 13 towns and there were discussions on rental assistance, homeowner assistance programs for repairs, and funding such programs at regional level. Ms. Tung has volunteered for the September meeting to be held in Lexington. Ms. Tung shared insights from attending the Massachusetts Housing Partnership's Housing Institute on June 4t" and June 5t". Ms. Tung referred to the Attorney General's keynote speech, opportunities with Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU), and modular homes. Ms. Tung congratulated Ms. Rust on receiving the Housing Hero award at the event. Ms. Tung shared the update from attending the Lexington Green Network meeting on June 11. 2. Lowell Street Parcel 68-44 Update Dave Traggorth from Causeway Development provided an update on the Lowell Street Affordable Housing Development. Mr. Traggorth shared the status on ongoing stormwater work, groundwater monitoring wells, and test pits. Causeway Development has submitted the Project Eligibility Letter application to the State. Mr. Traggorth's team plans to share stormwater findings with the community once they are ready and hold another community meeting. He also discussed the archaeological study required by the Massachusetts Historical Commission. Page 1 of 3 Mr. Erickson inquired about updating Causeway's schedule to reflect current progress and delays, particularly in stormwater work. Mr. Traggorth acknowledged the delays but assured commitment to completing the project on a timely basis. There was discussion on the importance of receiving the project eligibility letter to move forward with the ZBA process. Mr. Erickson asked if modular construction was a potential consideration for the project and Mr. Traggorth responded that modular construction is not currently under consideration. Ms. Rust explained the 90 -day timeline to receive feedback on the project eligibility letter and next steps. Bob Pressman expressed concerns about the proposed parking increase and discussed implementing a sidewalk along North Street, suggesting a collaborative approach with Lexington and Burlington for a more feasible solution. Mr. Traggorth clarified that the project does not propose a sidewalk along their side of Lowell Street due to existing infrastructure. 3. Housing Needs Assessment Ms. Rust reported that the housing needs assessment is being finalized, with minor comments being addressed and the final report set to be endorsed for distribution in the following week. The group discussed the timeline for creating a housing production plan. Ms. Rust noted that previous plans took around 6-9 months to complete and it also depends on the extent of community engagement. Ms. Rust felt a more complex process may be needed for Lexington. 4. SRD Zoning Amendment The Trustees reviewed the SRD zoning amendment where the Planning Board proposed increasing the developer's payments in lieu to the Affordable Housing Trust for developments of 6 units or fewer from $325 to $375 per square foot. The Trustees felt they needed to consult with developers or experts to better understand how the number was derived. The Trustees suggested tying future adjustments to a specific index, such as the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for building costs, to automatically update the fee annually. This approach would eliminate the need for periodic reviews and ensure the fee remains aligned with market realities. The Trust agreed that the Chair should send the Affordable Housing Trust's recommendation to the Planning Board that there should be an annual adjustment mechanism for the developer's payment in lieu based on an appropriate CPI. 5. FY2026 Goals The Trustees reviewed the Trust's adopted Values from August 2023. Each of the Trustees presented their individual draft goals and strategies. The Trustees discussed consolidating their housing goals and strategies with a focus on setting measurable goals based on budget and unmet housing needs. Mr. Erickson agreed to consolidate and organize the proposed goals from all trustees. Mr. Erickson will share the consolidated goals document with the Trustees a week before the June 26 AHT meeting. The Trustees will review and provide feedback on the consolidated goals at the June 26 meeting. 6. Approve Meeting Minutes Ms. Tung requested a motion to approve the minutes of 4/10/25 Executive session, 4/24/25 Executive session, 5/5/25, and 5/21/25 AHT meetings. Mr. Sandeen moved. Mr. Erickson seconded. The Trustees voted in favor of the motion 4-0-0 (Erickson —yes, Prosnitz—yes, Sandeen — yes, Tung — yes). Meeting minutes approved. 7. Adjourn Page 2 of 3 Mr. Sandeen moved to adjourn the Affordable Housing Trust Meeting. Mr. Erickson seconded. The Trustees voted in favor of the motion 4-0-0, by roll call vote (Sandeen-yes, Prosnitz- yes, Erickson- yes, Tung- yes) The meeting adjourned at 11:49 am. List of documents reviewed: 1. Holyoke Housing Authority's Modular Housing project 2. Planning Board —Zoning Regulations Amendments 3. Current Affordable Housing Trust Values from August 2023 4. Draft Goals and Strategies for FY26, from all trustees Page 3 of 3