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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-05-22-HPB-min Lexington Housing Partnership Meeting Minutes for May 22, 2008 Attendees: Art Katz, Martha Wood, Winifred McGowan, Melinda Walker, Bob Bicknell, Tom Harden, Julie Duncan, Harriet Cohen, Bill Carlson, Florence Baturin, Betsey Weiss. Bob Bicknell chaired the meeting; Harriet Cohen took the minutes. The meeting was called to order at 7:08 pm. 1. Open Meeting The minutes for the meetings in November 2007 and January and February 2008 were approved unanimously. 2. Sub-Committee Reports Community Preservation Committee (CPC) Proposals – Betsey Weiss The “Survey and Define Project” was approved for $25,000 to pay a consultant to survey other towns and then define an affordable housing plan for Lexington. An amendment to postpone the Parker Manor 3-condo purchase by LexHab was defeated ($652,800 was approved to complete the purchase of 3 units). $158,686 was approved to replace the windows at VyneBrook Village. Accessory Apt. Committee – Arthur and Julie Preliminary research indicates that accessory apartments will not provide a major source of affordable housing for the community. We might consider an educational campaign to let people know that the zoning bylaws have been changed to make it easier to set up accessory apartments, but it is not worth much effort beyond that. Mr. Katz volunteered to write an article about accessory apartments and submit it to either the Lexington Minuteman or the Colonial Times. Lexington First-Time Homebuyer Program: Status of Survey and Define Project – Bob in coordination with the CPC and the Lexington Procurement Office, has issued an invitation to prepare a Scope of Services for the Survey and Define Project, approved by Town Meeting for $25,000 of CPA funds. It was sent to four consultants. Their responses were requested within 30 days of receipt of the invitation letter. This will be in mid-June. LexHab and the Lexington Housing Partnership in coordination with the CPC and Town will then select the consultant to perform the work and issue a purchase order. We see the project having two parts. Part I is the survey and summary and Part II consist of a list of important program parameters plus material to help us inform the community and gain local support for the program. 3. Report of the Chair (Bob Bicknell) Housing Specialist Discussion – Tuesday, May 27 ? The Lexington Housing Foundation supported the development of a report on the viability of hiring a housing specialist with CPA funds. Ms. Karen Sunnarborg has provided this report. Mr. Bicknell and Ms. Weiss will follow up with the Town Director, the Town Planning Manager and others to pursue this issue. Lexington Housing Partnership Meeting with Consortium of Local Towns to Prepare Joint Grant – Tues May 27 ? A follow-up meeting is scheduled to discuss the status of our joint proposal and a second grant proposal. Lexington met with Waltham, Watertown, Lincoln and Belmont and participated in preparing a proposal to the Massachusetts Housing Partnership for funds under the Production Support Program. These funds would support a housing production specialist who would participate with the towns to help them develop specific projects. The project identified for Lexington is conversion of the St. Brigid’s house on Mass Ave. The Partnership discussed possible alternatives to the conversion of St. Brigid’s house, but was unable to come up with an additional or alternative project. The follow-up meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 27 at 3:00 pm at the WATCH headquarters in Waltham. Discussion of Today’s Housing Challenges – Thurs. May 29 ? This meeting is sponsored by Lexington’s Planning Department and the Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership. This will be an opportunity to learn about our Planning Department’s initiatives, to discuss housing concerns and to obtain information about MBHP’s Housing Consumer Education Center. 4. Report from Lexington Housing Foundation – Florence Baturin Cambridge Savings Bank provided a grant of $3,000. A thank you letter has been sent. 5. New Business 1. Site Analysis Ms. Weiss, Walker, Baturin, Duncan, Wood (in the fall) and Mr. Katz volunteered to work with Mr. Bicknell to review site analysis materials from prior work by Dodson Associates. 2. The Town Planning Office communications The Town Planning Office provided Mr. Bicknell with a list of items on their agenda. Mr. Bicknell reviewed them with the Partnership. Continuing work on the housing strategy and then doing education and ? outreach. Working with LexHab with affirmative fair marketing (how to get units on the ? subsidized housing inventory). HOME program: monitoring visit to review the Douglas House is scheduled. ? Katahdin Woods: Ensure that the Town is in a position to purchase condos that ? would be available for purchase to the Town. Ownership Lotteries: a lottery administrator has been selected for the 3 ? affordable units at the new Battle Green condos. Parker Manor legal: analysis of possible impediments to buying property in ? Lexington St. Brigid’s ? Lexington Housing Partnership 3. Benefits of Rental and Ownership of Affordable Units Ms. Weiss discussed with Henry Aaron the idea of having a forum on the pros and cons of town rental affordable housing and supporting home ownership of affordable units. 4. DHCD-sponsored affordable housing conference Ms. Wood attended this conference on draft guidelines for the implementation of 40B affordable housing. Mr. Henry and Ms. McCall-Taylor also attended. 5. CHAPA letter Mr. Bicknell received a letter from CHAPA saying that they are mobilizing an effort to provide more affordable housing and offering to make funds available for same. They are soliciting a proposal for the funds. After substantial discussion, the Partnership agreed that we should put forward a proposal asking for assistance. Mr. Bicknell said that he would create a response to the request for proposal. Next meeting: the next meeting of the Lexington Housing Partnership will be on Thursday th June 26 7-9pm in room G-15 Town Office building.