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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-08-21-HPB-min.pdf Lexington Housing Partnership Board (HPB) Meeting Minutes for August 21, 2025 Attendees: Nanette Byrnes, Harriet Cohen (Clerk), Wendy Manz (Chair), Margaret Heitz, Charles Hornig (Planning Board), Paul Linton, Joyce Murphy, Betsey Weiss (Vice-Chair) Absent: Cindy Arens (Sustainable Lexington), Jill Hai (Select Board liaison), Sarah Morrison (LexHAB), Melanie Thompson Guest: Sandra Hackman The Housing Partnership Board (HPB) meeting was chaired by Wendy Manz and minutes were taken by Harriet Cohen. The meeting was held remotely. 1. Call to Order: Housing Partnership Board Meeting Ms. Manz called the meeting to order at 5:01 pm. The roll was called. 2. Distribute housing comments Ms. Manz had summarized the input regarding the request for housing diversification in a Word document. Ms. Weiss provided the document to the members of the HPB. It is attached to this document. 3. Next Meeting Date The next meeting is on August 28 at 7:00 pm in person. The HPB discussed whether to hold a hybrid meeting, but no decision was made. As noted, it is currently in person only. 4. HPB Adjournment Ms. Heitz moved adjournment. Ms. Weiss 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 5:12 pm. Compendium of HPB Priorities and Strategies as of 8/25 For Discussion Only Policies/Priorities A. Prioritize mixed use housing in Lexington Center A. 1 Work with developers, realtors, residents and members of the business community and the Historic District Commission to determine what factors make development of such housing financially viable for private developers, and to set development parameters acceptable to the community. A. 2 Consider designating some center housing for seniors (to be ADA compliant, with elevators). A. 3 Organize campaign, specifically targeting Town Meeting members as well as residents generally, to restore previous by right zoning (52’ height, 4 stories} or to change zoning per conclusions of a.1. A.4 Consider further expediting the permit process for this form of priority development. A.5 Deliverable: mixed use zoning in Lexington Center by 2027. B. Prioritize “missing middle” (in the sense of affordability) housing across town B.1 Consider additional zoning amendments to create smaller individual residential lots and zoning districts permitting denser siting of homes on larger lots (SRDs are a start). B.2 Continue permitting housing units under MBTA Multifamily Zoning as applications are made. B.3 Consider 40R zoning overlays for areas such as Marrett Square, which lend themselves to mixed use B.4 Consider zoning changes which would permit and encourage co-housing B.5 Establish an intergenerational home-share program in collaboration with area towns which would match seniors with spare bedrooms with students who could perform home services in exchange for lower rent B.6 Complete work of bringing Lexington zoning into compliance with state law regarding accessory housing units, and publicize and promote this option among Lexington homeowners; consider further expediting the permitting process for this form of priority development. B.7 Organize campaign, specifically targeting supportive Town Meeting members as well as residents generally around the goal of increasing missing middle housing B.8 Deliverable: 500 additional missing middle homes of diverse types (single family, town house, multifamily, ADU) by 2035. C. Prioritize preservation of existing homes under 2,000 square feet C. 1 Introduce programs to support current owners of smaller homes in maintaining and upgrading their homes, to make demolition and replacement less likely: C.1(a): Low interest loan funds or grants for critical repairs, energy efficiency improvements and accessibility upgrades (AHT?) C.1(b): Tax abatements for homeowners who preserve their homes rather than selling them for teardowns C.1(c)): Partnerships with non-profits or vocational program for lower cost rehab and repair services C.1(d): Voluntary deed restrictions or covenants to keep properties attainable for a set period of time in return for repair assistance. C.2 Encourage owners of smaller homes to test the market for their homes as they are, before selling to developers for demolition (realtors). C.3 Deliverable: Reduce the rate of teardowns by 10% by 2030 D. Prioritize increasing the number of subsidized (deed-restricted) housing units in town by a number that will make a true 10% of Lexington housing affordable (whether or not eligible for inclusion in the Subsidized Housing Inventory D.1 Consider adopting an Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) District focused on transportation corridors, with limited parking requirements D.2 Consider further expediting the permit process for this form of priority development D.3 Work with the Affordable Housing Trust and LexHAB to find ways to subsidize or support affordable home ownership as well as rentals D.4 Deliverable: 10% of Lexington housing units to be affordable by 2035. E. Work on expanded funding sources for subsidized housing E.1 Continue to support robust funding for the Affordable Housing Trust and other housing programs from the Community Preservation Fund, commensurate with the allocations for historical resources and open space/recreation. E.2 Adopt a Select Board policy that takes Lexington’s housing needs into consideration when appointments are made to town boards and committees, particularly the finance committees, so that this issue is adequately represented in their deliberations E.3 Stay abreast of state and federal grants, training programs, and other resources, and make timely applications on behalf of the town when appropriate E.4 Advocate in the state legislature for Lexington’s pending home rule petitions, which would allow surcharges on certain real estate transactions to be earmarked for housing needs E.5 Support other potential state legislation, such as the statewide Real Estate Transfer Fee (RETF) which would supply additional funds for housing. E.6 Deliverable: Continuing reliable funding stream for support of subsidized housing F. Umbrella Priority: Communication, education and engagement of the community regarding Lexington’s continuing housing needs F.1 Create a full-time or part time position of Housing Officer to help plan and manage a multi-pronged campaign over a year to three-year period to listen to the community’s housing goals and concerns, and to engage residents and stakeholders across the community in a long-term housing enterprise they can support F.1(a) Stakeholders needed to be heard from include: the Select Board, the Planning Board, the Community Preservation Committee, the Finance Committees, the Affordable Housing Trust, LexHAB, the Lexington Housing Authority, the Housing Partnership Board, the Regional Housing Services Office, (including staff) and the following: Lexington business leaders, Lexington lending institutions, local realtors, the Coalition on Aging, the Historical Commission and the Conservation Commission. F.1(b) Submit a non-binding resolution to the next Town Meeting acknowledging the existence of a housing crisis and expressing the Town’s support for increasing the housing stock. F.1(c) Carry out ongoing training sessions for housing advocates, including housing needs and data, and also listening and negotiating skills F1(d) Plan and carry out a program of listening meetings, discussions, education programs and planning sessions to acquaint the community with current accurate data on Lexington’s housing stock and housing needs, and to discuss realistic strategies for dealing with housing issues. F.2 Deliverable: A wide community consensus in Lexington on housing needs and goals, and a plan to move forward supported by Town Meeting and the wider community.