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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-08-20-AHTBT-min.pdf Page 1 of 3 Affordable Housing Trust Meeting Minutes of August 20, 2026, 11:00 am Hybrid meeting on Zoom and attended in-person in the Select Board Meeting Room, Town Office Building Affordable Housing Trust Board Members present: Elaine Tung, Chair; Mark Sandeen, William Erickson, Linda Prosnitz, Tiffany Payne (joined at 11:10 am during item #1) Staff present: Ragi Ramachandran, Administrative Assistant Ms. Tung chaired the hybrid meeting and called the meeting to order at 11:06 am. 1. CPC Application Discussion Tara Mizrahi and Russ Tanner attended from LexHAB. Caileen Foley, Executive Director, attended from Lexington Housing Authority accompanied by Franny Xi Wu, LHA’s consultant from Cambridge Housing Authority. The Trustees reviewed information from LexHAB and Lexington Housing Authority about their funding needs for the next 5years, to start preparing for the CPC application due in the Fall. Mr. Tanner and Ms. Mizrahi presented LexHAB’s 5-year projection spreadsheet showing potential CPA funding requests split between Affordable Housing Trust, and CPC requests. Mr. Tanner and Ms. Mizrahi explained LexHAB’s capacity and funding plans for Accessory Dwelling Units and other projects in the pipeline. Ms. Foley presented Lexington Housing Authority’s financial projection for the next 5 years. Ms. Foley explained their three main projects: North Street predevelopment and construction efforts, Countryside Rehab for repositioning LHA’s 60 units of elderly housing into the project-based voucher program, and Wood Street with potential pre-development and construction requests. The Trustees discussed the Trust’s funding approach and reviewed LexHAB and LHA’s funding requests. Bob Pressman commented that LexHAB should be working on the sites given to them by the Town as there aren’t any other municipal parcels in Town like Lowell and North St, suitable for affordable housing development. 2. Approve Meeting Minutes The meeting minutes approval was postponed to next meeting. 3. Chair, Select Board, Board/Committee Liaison and RHSO/staff report Ms. Prosnitz shared the liaison report from the Housing Partnership Board meeting.The Chair and one member of the HPB met with the two Planning Board Members and two Select Board Members to discuss the areas that HPB should be prioritizing from its presentation to the Select Board in May 2026. The Select Board members indicated to HPB to focus on true 10% affordable housing inventory and Affordable Housing Overlay District. The HPB discussed requests for housing staff, and SRD zoning amendments. The HPB plans to hold a program in the Fall on ADUs in connection with community engagement. There was discussion on the outcome of historic preservation amendments to the SRD that could disproportionately impact multifamily housing development. Page 2 of 3 Ms. Tung stated that MAPC has received the funding for future MAPC MAHT convenings. Ms. Tung requested the Trustees to volunteer to attend upcoming Planning Board meetings and the MAPC MAHT meeting on Oct. 7, 2026, in her absence. Ms. Tung stated that the FY26 Annual Town Report is due on Sept. 14, 2026. Ms. Prosnitz will coordinate the submission of this report. 4. Pilot Rental Assistance Program Update There was discussion on extending the application period timeline for the Pilot Rental Assistance Program and extending the contract with Metrowest until June 2027. The Trustees agreed to extend the Pilot Rental Assistance Program application period until Nov. 1, 2026, or until funds are exhausted, whichever comes first. The Trustees reviewed and proposed changes to the draft Landlord Participation Agreement and draft Tenant Participation Agreement. Ms. Prosnitz will incorporate the agreed-upon changes to the Landlord and Tenant Participation Agreements and coordinate with Metro West. Ms. Tung made a motion that the Affordable Housing Trust approve the Landlord Participation Agreement subject to the changes discussed in the meeting today that Ms. Prosnitz will incorporate with Metrowest. Ms. Prosnitz seconded. The Trustees voted in favor of the motion 5-0-0, by a roll call vote (Erickson – yes, Payne – yes, Prosnitz – yes, Sandeen – yes, Tung – yes). Ms. Tung made a motion that the Affordable Housing Trust approve the Tenant Participation Agreement subject to the changes discussed in the meeting today that Ms. Pronitz will incorporate with Metrowest. Ms. Payne seconded. The Trustees voted in favor of the motion 5-0-0, by a roll call vote (Erickson – yes, Payne – yes, Sandeen – yes, Prosnitz – yes, Tung – yes). 5. AHT Form Application for Funding The Trustees reviewed the draft Preapplication for Funding, draft Application for Funding, draft Unit Matrix Worksheet and draft Budget spreadsheets, and shared their comments. Ms. Prosnitz will incorporate the changes and share the final forms with everyone. The Trustees discussed that the funding forms being approved today as amended will be posted to the Town’s AHT website. Ms. Ramachandran will assist Ms. Prosnitz with formatting the spreadsheet for posting on the AHT website. Mr. Erickson moved that based on the information already provided by Lexington Housing Authority, the Affordable Housing Trust will waive the requirement of Pre-application for Development if Lexington Housing Authority applies to the Trust for pre-development funding of North Street project. Ms. Prosnitz seconded. The Trustees voted in favor of the motion 5-0- 0, by a roll call vote (Erickson – yes, Sandeen – yes, Payne – yes, Prosnitz – yes, Tung – yes). Ms. Tung moved that the Affordable Housing Trust approve the Preapplication for Funding form subject to the changes discussed in the meeting today. Ms. Payne seconded. The Trustees voted in favor of the motion 5-0-0, by a roll call vote (Erickson – yes, Sandeen – yes, Payne – yes, Prosnitz – yes, Tung – yes). Ms. Tung moved that the Affordable Housing Trust approve the Application for Funding form subject to the changes discussed in the meeting today. Mr. Erickson seconded. The Trustees voted in favor of the motion 5-0-0, by a roll call vote (Erickson – yes, Sandeen – yes, Payne – yes, Prosnitz – yes, Tung – yes). Ms. Tung moved that the Affordable Housing Trust approve the Budget Worksheets and Unit Matrix Worksheets subject to the changes discussed in the meeting today. Ms. Prosnitz and Ms. Ramachandran will work on formatting the spreadsheet to be posted to the AHT website. Page 3 of 3 Mr. Erickson seconded. The Trustees voted in favor of the motion 5-0-0, by a roll call vote (Erickson – yes, Sandeen – yes, Payne – yes, Prosnitz – yes, Tung – yes). 6. Finance Report and Budget There was discussion on AHT’s expense allocation into CPA and non-CPA funds, noted in the reports from Finance office. Ms. Tung made a motion that the Affordable Housing Trust approve Metrowest’s administrative expense to be paid out of CPA funds. Ms. Payne seconded. The Trustees voted in favor of the motion 5-0-0, by a roll call vote (Erickson – yes, Sandeen – yes, Payne – yes, Prosnitz – yes, Tung – yes). Mr. Sandeen suggested drafting a note to Town Counsel for their review, outlining the Trust’s reasons for requesting that consultant (Bonz and Co.) fees be allocated to CPA funds. Ms. Tung agreed to draft this note. Mr. Erickson raised concerns about legal fees and legal expenses charged to the Trust. Mr. Sandeen will have a conversation with the Town Manager regarding the process of approving legal fees and other expenditures from Trust funds. The Trustees felt that future legal fees and expenses should be directly related to creating and preserving low- and moderate-income housing in Lexington, and that the Trustees need to approve expenditures in advance. Bob Pressman stated that he was concerned that no action has been taken since Select Board’s authorization to issue an RFP for Vine Street, 16 months back. Executive Session Ms. Tung moved for the Affordable Housing Trust to go into Executive session under Exemption 6 to consider the purchase or lease of real property regarding MBTA Multi-Family Development Buy-downs. The Affordable Housing Trust Chair stated that, in her opinion, an open session would have a detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the Town and Affordable Housing Trust. Ms. Tung stated that the Trust will not reconvene in the open session after the Executive session. Ms. Prosnitz seconded. The Trustees voted in favor of the motion 5-0-0, by a roll call vote (Erickson – yes, Prosnitz – yes, Sandeen – yes, Payne – yes, Tung – yes). The Trust exited the open session at 1:19 pm. List of documents reviewed 1. LexHAB 5-year funding projection 2. LHA’s 5-year funding projection 3. PRAP – Landlord Participation Agreement 4. PRAP – Tenant Participation Agreement 5. AHT Draft Pre Application for Funding 6. AHT Final Draft Application for Funding 7. AHT FINAL Draft Funding App. BUDGETS 8. AHT Funding Memo_7.24.2026 9. AHT_Expenses_FY24-26_8.17.26