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Home My WebLink About2008-04-07 Reading Housing Authority MinutesREADING HOUSING AUTHORITY MINUTES OF THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING, April 7.2008 A regular business meeting of the Reading Housing Authority was held on Monday, April 7, 2008 at 7:00 P.M at the office of the Reading Housing Authority the town of Reading, Mass. The meeting was called to order at 7:09 P.M. with the Chair, Timothy J. Kelley, presiding. now members present and forming a quorum were John Coote and Karen L. Flammia as well as the Secretary/Executive Director, Lyn Whyte. Minutes Move Karen Second John Vote 3 -0 08-047 VOTED: To accept for the record the Minutes of the Regular Business Meeting of March 3, 2008, as presented. Finances Move John Second Karen Vote 3-0 08-048 VOTED: To approve and sign the checkrollfbilholl for the period for Accounts Payable Check #1487- 1552. Payroll Summary as presented for March, 2008. Section 8 Voucher Program, #2420 -2509 as presented. Finances Move John Second Karen Vote 3 -0 08-049 VOTED: To certify receipt of monthly operating statements for all RHA programs for the month end February, 2008 of the current fiscal year. Rent Reasonableness Policy Move John Second Karen Vote 3 -0 08-050 VOTED: To approve an updated Rent Reasonableness Policies and Procedures policy as part of RHA Administrative Plan. ' HUD Annual Agency Plan Update Move Karen Second John Vote 3 -0 08 -051 VOTED: To approve the RHA Streamlined Annual Agency Plan Update as presented for submission to HUD. Rent Reasonableness Policv Move John Second Karen Vote 3-0 08 -051 VOTED: To approve an updated Rent Reasonableness Policies and Procedures policy as part of RHA Administrative Plan. DLI Rate Chanee Move Karen Second John Vote 3 -0 08-052 VOTED: To accept and approve the minimum base wage rates as presented by Comm. Of MA, DLI effective 04/01/08 for General Maintenance @ $ 21.47 base rate and Maintenance Man 11 @ $20.09 base rate. Pet Waiver- 667 Development Move Karen Second Tim Vote 2-0-1 08.053 VOTED: To approve and authorize the tenant at 432 -6 to have a cat in accordance with the rules for Pet Ownership promulgated by DHCD and the Reading Housing Authority Pet Policy after assurance that all conditions for pet ownership are in place Termination of Pleasant Street Project Move John Second Karen Vote 3-0 08-054 VOTED: To authorize the Executive Director to inform the Town of Reading and DHCD that it is the intent of the Reading Housing Authority not to move forward with the construction of four new units on Pleasant Street, Reading, MA and to sell the existing property known as 75 Pleasant Street Personnel Matters: - None Report of Programs: ' - Vacancy Report- Reports were submitted by Michelle Hudzik. There has been a turnover of five elderly units in the month of March. All the vacant units will be leased with current wait list applicants. A three- bedroom unit at Oakland/Waverly vacated January 31, 2008. At this time, we expect to lease this unit mid April to a Reading resident with a medical emergency placement status. - Sec 8 Report- At this time, RHA is ready to submit its Annual Agency Plan to HUD. RHA also updated its Rent Reasonableness Policy and presented it to the Board for approval. In addition, efforts have been made to issue Section 8 vouchers in order to be fully leased. We are also absorbing two vouchers from Brookline Housing Authority. RHA's plan is to be fully leased by May 2008. - Resident Service Coordinator- Current Tannerville Newsletter provided. New Business: - Per Section 8 report, RHA will electronically submit its annual plan to HUD. The entire report was presented to the Board for comment and board vote. - An updated policy on Rent Reasonableness was presented to the Board for their review, comments and vote. This policy will become part of RHA Section 8 Administrative Plan. - A letter from the Comm. Of Mass, Division of Occupational Safety regarding an increase in wage rates for maintenance staff effective April 1, 2008. General Maintenance positions will earn a base rate of $21.49 per hour and our Maintenance Man II position will earn a base rate of $20.09 per hour. A motion was presented for board approval. - A copy of a revised DHCD Capital Improvement Plan was provided to the Board for review. It is to be used as a tool in assessing detailed capital needs for state developments within each housing authority. This plan does support our efforts to continue, on an annual basis, to address any deficiencies in our ' properties. The Executive Director presented a request for a pet waiver for an elderly tenant located in our Tannerville development. All necessary paperwork is in place and a payment agreement has been set up with the tenant to acquire the required $ I60.00 pet deposit. Real Estate Matter: - Update 75 Pleasant Street: After March board meeting and upon the suggestion of Mr. Marc Slomick, an email was sent to DHCD Ray Frieden requesting DHCD assistance with carrying costs on the existing project in order to continue with the construction process. We also asked if The architects contract could be amended at this time to do stick built construction. We asked that DHCD start funding now for such drawings so that we might have the option to go right back out to bid after the first try. RUA Executive Director did receive a call back from Mr. Frieden and the project was discussed in detail. He knew of no funding to cover any carrying costs and the only help that might be available would be if RHA made the proposed units public housing units which would result in DHCD ownership. He also told me that he would make some calls on our behalf so that MHP or other affordable housing organizations might contact us with their suggestions. A conversation did take place with Rita Farrell from Mass. Housing Partnership. Again, upon review of our circumstances, she felt that the only way her organization might be able to assist us was if we redesigned our plans and built six units. There was no funding available for units under six. If we should decide to make that change, it would take, most up to an additional eighteen months of planning before getting that project ready. Ms. Farrell concurred that the costs to ' construct only four units would most likely exceed our intended budget and the best case scenario for the authority might actually be to withdraw from this project, sell the existing property and sit on the market. At a later date, RHA most likely would be able to purchase a multi - family unit at an affordable price. On April 2, 2008, RHA received an email from our architect that he was delayed in preparing the first draft set of the Bid Documents and would not have them ready until the 120 of April. Further delays in the process. The only positive step in the last month was to complete the required flow ' test at the property site. Based on all the information gathered from various sources in the past two months, the Board decided that our best efforts had been made to build a new development but the delays have impacted the financial stability of the overall housing authority. Therefore a motion was presented and supported to not move forward with the project. The Executive Director is to inform the necessary parties and contact our legal counsel, Brad Latham to assist us in the preparation of a Request for Proposal to sell the existing property owned by the housing authority and known as 75 Pleasant Street. The process to sell is to begin as soon as possible with a potential draft of an RFP available for board vote at our May meeting. Board Schedule May 5, 2008 BOARD MEETING: 01/07/2008 @ 7 PM 08 -055 TO ADJOURN: 9:05 PM. Move Karen Second John Vote 3 -0 Res c ully submitted, Lyn E. Whyte, Secretary & Executive Director I I�