HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-08-24 Metro North Regional Housing Advisory Committee Minutes Town of Reading
$ R Meeting Minutes `` 'T L E R
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Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
2/11 OCT —9 PM 6: 39
Metro North Regional Housing Services
Committee
Date: 2017-08-24 Time: 9:00 AM
Building: Reading Town Hall Location: Berger Room
Address: 16 Lowell Street Session:
Purpose: Bi-Monthly Meeting Version:
Attendees: Members - Present:
Julie Mercier, Laurie Stanton, Danielle McKnight, Valerie Gingrich, Krista
Leahy
Members - Not Present:
Others Present:
Liz Rust
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Laurie Stanton
Topics of Discussion:
The meeting was called to order at 9:00 AM.
Minutes
The minutes for 6-22-17 were corrected and approved.
Status Update
CHAPA monitoring—They have a staff of 1-2 people monitoring 6,000+units.They simply identify
compliance or non-compliance.They got out of monitoring in 2006,but still have old units to monitor,
which gets harder and harder overtime.
Reading:
20-24 Gould Street—LIHTC requires more than 25%affordable units. If you apply for the funding round
in November,you invited to apply for the round in February,and then be awarded in August for
February 2019.you apply once to tap into all funding sources.Applicant is anticipating being denied the
first try, but they still want their permit in October.
Residence at Pearl—The 1995 MOU is not the correct document for the basis of affordability. Use all the
documents mentioned in Lynne Sweet's letter as proof of restriction. 20%is important.
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North Reading:
The HPP forum was not well attended.The survey for the HPP was very detailed and long, and
anticipated that people know about housing. What is the best way for the Town to distribute the.
survey?Adding it to the tax bill will not include renters.
Saugus:
Ms.Stanton is reviewing all subsidized housing in Saugus.
Essex Landing and Avalon Bay—It is the developers responsibility to file paperwork with the state to get
LAUs on the SHI. If the 10%is not counted by the state(because there are no 3 bedroom units),then
zoning may require that the inclusionary units be regulated at the local level. It will be interesting to see
what DHCD says. Ms. Rust will help Ms. Leahy figure out a way to regulate/monitor if needed. Ms. Rust
advised Ms. Leahy to write a letter with justification for an exception and include it in the LIP application
with the local preference.
There is an assisted living project coming to town. Depending on the services provided, it may or may
not be counted on the SHI.Ms. Leahy should work with the developer up front if the town wants this
counted on the SHI.
Wilmington:
Local preference document for Spruce Farms—Ms. Stanton will send to Ms.Rust.
101 Pouliot Place—This unit was on sale at market rate. Ms.Stanton spoke to the owner,and this unit
has to come off the market and be sold as affordable.
Other Business
Ms. Rust has five hours a month allocated and needs projects.She offered to look at assessments of the
affordable units in each town, comparing the assessed value versus the resale value. People are
sometimes paying more taxes than they should be.
Affordable units in multi-family ownership buildings rondo fees and special assessments are set forth
in the master deed.The percentage is either based on the square footage(since 2012)or the value of
the unit,so now R is more likely that affordable units could pay the same or close to the same
percentage condo fees and special assessments as market rate units.The affordable units are ultimately
capped by 30%of 80%AMI,so the percentage has to be balanced with the mortgage payment.
Ms.Stanton's hours In other towns—Ms. McKnight and Ms. Leahy will consider the office hours idea.
Other towns joining the MNRHSO—Ms. McKnight put a blurb in the NSPC newsletter.Stoneham may be
interested. Lynnfield has no planner but may want monitoring since they are over 10%.
Ms. Mercier will send the Donahue 2020 report to Ms. Rust, also the SHI,Certification and 24 Gould
Street Application.
Next meeting October le @ 9:00 AM
Adjourned at 10:35 AM
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