HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995-04-05 Reading Housing Authority MinutesREADING HOUSING AUTHORITY
Minutes of the Meeting of April 5.1995
A regular business meeting of the members of the Reading Housing Authority was held on
Wednesday, April 5, 1995 at 7:30 P.M. at the office of the Authority, 22 Frank D. Tanner Dri
in the Town of Reading, Massachusetts. The meeting was called to order at 8:30 P.M. with d
Chairman, Mr.McIsaac, presiding. Those members present and forming a quorum were:
Mr. Reynolds, and Mr. Allen. The Executive Director, Ms. Plansky, was also in attendance.
Upon a motion duly made by Mr. Allen and seconded by Mr. Reynolds, it was unanimously
VOTED: To approve and accept for the record the Minutes of the regular session of Meeting
March 22, 1995 as presented, and to approve and accept for the record the Minutes of the
executive session of Meeting of March 22, 1995 as presented.
The Chairman then declared said motion carried and said vote in effect.
Upon a motion duly made by Mr. Allen and seconded by Mr. Reynolds, it was unanimously
To approve and sign the checkroll/billroll for the period from check #2092 -2136 for
payable; and check #641 for OT payroll, as presented.
The Chairman then declared said motion carried and said vote in effect.
Upon a motion duly made by Mr. Allen and seconded by Mr. Reynolds, it was unanimously
VOTED: To approve the HUD new Income Limits for low and very-low income households,
effective March 1, 1995, as follows:
1 person
$ 18,600
2 persons
21,250
3 persons
23,900
4 persons
26,550
5 persons
28,650
6 persons
30,800
7 persons
32,900
8 persons
35,050
Over 8 persons
Add 8% to the 4 person income limit for every additional perso
rounded to the nearest $50.
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Minutes - 4/5/95
The Chairman then declared said motion carried and said vote in effect.
Section 8 Administrative Plan - Amendment to Conform to 7/94 Final Rule
Upon a motion duly made by Mr. Allen and seconded by Mr. Reynolds, it was unanimously
To amend the Administrative Plan and Equal Housing Opportunity Plan of the Section 8
ExistingNoucher Housing Program as follows and to delete the existing "Selection" criteria:
Selection of Families and Priorities
1. Priority shall be given to applicants who, in accordance with 24 CFR Part 982 of the F
Regulations, and the United States Housing Act of 1937 (43 U.S.C. 1437), and the
Department of Housing and Urban Development Act (43 U.S.C. 3535), qualify for adr.
and a Federal preference and meet any one of the following three preferences:
a) The applicant has been involuntarily displaced and is not living in standard, permanen
replacement housing, or within no more than six months from the date of certification
verification as required the applicant will be involuntarily displaced.
1) The applicant has vacated his/her unit as a result of actual or threatened physical
violence directed against applicant or one or more members of the applicant's fami
by a spouse or other member of the applicant's household; or the applicant lives in
housing unit with such an individual who engages in such violence.
2) Displacement to avoid reprisals if family members provided information on
activities to a law enforcement agency and the law enforcement agency recc
re- housing the family to avoid risk of violence against any family members.
3) Displacement by hate crimes if one or more members of the applicant's family hav
been the victim of hate crimes, and the applicant has vacated a housing unit because
of such crimes or the fear associated with such crimes.
4) Displacement by inaccessibility of a unit because a member of the family has a
mobility or other impairment that makes the person unable to use the critical elem nts
of the unit, and the owner is not legally obligated to make changes to the unit that
would make critical elements accessible to the disabled person as a reasonable
accommodation.
5) Displacement because of HUD disposition of multi - family projects.
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Minutes- 4/5/95
b) The applicant is living in substandard housing (a homeless family is considered to be
living in substandard housing).
c) The applicant is paying more than 50% of gross monthly income for rent and utilities
at least 90 days.
2. Selection shall be made among said priority applicants, as well as other standard
applicants, in the following order of preference:
a) First preference to applicants who are Reading residents and are displaced by
documented governmental action through no fault of their own.
b) Second preference to applicants who are Reading residents and are displaced by
or federally declared and recognized natural disaster.
c) Third preference to applicants who are Reading residents and meet one of the
preference requirements under Paragraph 1 a, 1 b, or 1 c.
d) All other eligible applicants by date of application, and in accordance with
HUD regulations as they may exist from time to time.
The Chairman then declared said motion carried and said vote in effect.
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Upon a motion duly made by Mr. Allen and seconded by Mr. Reynolds, it was
VOTED: To approve and authorize the Chairman to sign the new "Agreement and
Memorandum of Understanding" between the Reading Housing Authority, Board of
Selectmen and Longwood Senior Living, Inc. to use the rental subsidy program of the
Reading Housing Authority if Longwood is not able to provide a minimum of 10% of lo,
income units to Reading residents through the GAFC program in a form substantially sin
to that presented to the Board at their 4/5/95 meeting and to include language which will
clarify "requirements of MHFA" in Section 5.
The Chairman then declared said motion carried and said vote in effect.
Upon a motion duly made by Mr. Allen and seconded by Mr. Reynolds, it was
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Minutes - 4/5/9:
VOTED: To add the following language at the end of Section 5 in the "Agreement and
Memorandum of Understanding" between the Reading Housing Authority, Board of
Selectmen and Longwood Senior Living, Inc, as follows:
"It is understood and agreed that the "requirements of the Massachusetts Housing Finance
Agency shall not include the prohibition on using any Reading Housing Authority rent
resources in place of one or more program units or allocations as it is agreed that said
available subsidy resources should be used to insure that at least half of the low income ur
are rented to Reading residents."
The Chairman then declared said motion carried and said vote in effect.
Upon a motion duly made by Mr. Allen and seconded by Mr. Reynolds, it was
VOTED: To authorize the preparation of an appeal for cause from the Reading Zoning
Board of Decision of 3/20/95 regarding Longwood Senior Living, Inc.'s proposed reuse of
the Pearl Street School under the Town of Reading Municipal Building Reuse Zoning By.
law. This appeal is to be filed if the "Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding"
between the Reading Housing Authority, Board of Selectmen and Longwood Senior Livir
Inc with respect to the 10% of units at said facility being set aside in a manner acceptable
the Reading Housing Authority has not been signed before 11 AM on Monday, April 10,
1995.
The Chairman then declared said motion carried and said vote in effect.
The Board reviewed the current status of the Bear Hill negotiations and requested that th
Executive Director work with the Authority's attorney, to finalize language and include tl
selection criteria for both the rental and sales phase. Reading Housing Partnership shoul
review the language for any input they might have as it is hoped that the selection procw
can be done in conjunction with them.
Tanner Drive development (667) - Need to enlarge parking areas. Have requested assis
of Reading DPW to develop plans and specs and to piggy -back on their asphalt bidding
contract.
Waverly Oaks (705 -1) - Need to replace the current wooden screen doors. Not sturdy enough
for the wear and tear. Looking at a Harvey door.
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Minutes4/5/9;
Parker Place (705 -2) - Planting of back yard needed.
Summer Avenue and Main Street - Rear porch on Summer Avenue needs repairs. When
walk on it, it is mushy and it leaks in the rain. We will also be looking to install new pla
and/or replace the winterkilled plants.
Schoolhouse Condominiums - We have paid the special assessment of $3456. Awaiting
written decision of Judge in this case. Hope for an out of court settlement.
Mr. Reynolds will check his schedule as he might be interested in one of the Saturday
courses.
The Executive Director informed the Board that the proposed fair market rent schedule fc
the Section 8 program will be reduced from the 45 percentile to the 40th percentile of
available rental housing within the area. This will force everyone out of the Reading ren
market and back into the city markets. Also, there has been indication that HUD through
various means is trying to do away with resident preference. Communities not able to sel
their residents first will not be anxious to participate further in the programs.
There being no further business before the Board, it was unanimously voted to adjourn
11:00 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
7( �:� .
Margare ky , Secretary
and Executive Director