DUXBURY LOCAL HOUSING PARTNERSHIP
COMMITTEE
Minutes of 3/20/08
Senior Center
Members Present: Diane Bartlett Denece Clinton Charlie Rourke
Bruce Bygate Brian Murphy Matt Walsh
Also Present: Phil Mayfield, Housing Consultant, Bill Campbell, George Wadsworth and Christine Stickney, Planning Director
Meeting convened at 7:55PM
Affordable Housing Purchase Assistance Program:
Diane Bartlett recapped the recent Town Meeting and turned it over to Phil Mayfield, Housing Consultant. Phil began outlining the steps needed with a tentative time table the LHP should consider to begin to get the program underway by the new fiscal year. In brief, the activities involve advertising, determination of eligibility and screening, counseling and training, pre-qualification by a bank, locating a house, and the legal work of the deed restriction & second mortgage. As he described each activity, members asked questions relative to the activity.
Public relations and information to the general public, realtors and the lending institutions are critical to the success of the program. Phil suggested having a forum for realtors and the banks inviting them to come in and learn about the program.
Phil went into detail about the education process that is needed for these homeowners from counseling as to credit, banking etc. to understanding the responsibility of being a homeowner. This component led to a discussion on putting a Request for Proposal (RFP) out seeking services from an organization or individual that would handle all of the administrative responsibilities. Diane noted that she has received information from Laura Schaffer of the Plymouth Redevelopment Authority who are already doing the same program. Members agreed it should be put out in an RFP for anyone who might be interested giving those interested a fair opportunity. Phil suggested the RFP include such items as national certification, how they will process and to whom they will be counseled and
trained.
Matt Walsh questioned if future trustees of the Trust would be doing all this work and Phil replied that they would not – a separate entity resulting from responses to your RFP would be awarded the work. The Trust is merely the “bank” but the administrative process works though others. Matt suggested that there may be attorneys that would help “pro bono” with closings to help lessen the monetary burden on the homebuyer. He also suggested that realtors should be asked to defer a portion of their commission in these kinds of circumstances.
Discussions on what the actual cost to a potential applicant would be were asked. Phil expressed his opinion that RFP responders could either submit proposals for just the process of buyer’s eligibility or just the public education and counseling component .It was agreed that the RFP should allow the responders to answer for one, two or a combination of services and provide a fee for each.
Bill Campbell said it would be helpful to him and maybe others if someone could put together a flow chart (step by step) that shows how this process will occur for someone interested in the program. Charlie asked about the guidelines and getting approval from the Board of Selectmen first before we do any of this because he feels the Board of Selectmen will be interested in the details. Phil felt the RFP should answer a lot of the questions the Board of Selectmen may have on the administration of the program.
Diane asked members to take on different tasks of the steps Phil had explained and return to the whole committee with work products and explanations for how to implement the program. Bruce Bygate agreed to look at the application package. Matt Walsh felt he could get together a list of lenders and realtors – Denece agreed to help out on this as well. Matt and Bruce also noted they would try and work on the legal documents – Phil will forward to Diane some sample mortgages he has from other communities.
Discussion turned to the deed rider and who should develop that given it is a legal document. Diane felt the Local Initiative Program sample deed rider should be able to be used. The question of having the units counted toward the 10% was asked. Charlie noted that he had spoken with the two legislative delegates for Duxbury and urged them to talk with the Department of Housing and Community Development to accept the units under the program towards the count. Diane also added she received comments before Town Meeting back from DHCD as to their issues with the design of the program – it was agreed this needs to be pursued.
Charlie Rourke MOTION to develop a Request for Proposal (RFP) pursuant to the discussion of the three alternatives; just qualifying applicants, just the counseling and training or a combination of all three for the next meeting, seconded by Matt Walsh – unanimously voted. Phil said he would try and draft a RFP for the committee.
Diane questioned for the next meeting (4/10) if we should invite Betsy and Jon to try and reach a resolution to the guideline issues. It was agreed to possibly start the meeting earlier at 7PM if the speaker from Mass Housing were available.
Administrative Matters:
Charlie Rourke MOTION to accept the minutes of 2/7/08, seconded by Matt Walsh – vote (5:0:1 – D. Bartlett abstained)
Charlie Rourke MOTION to accept the minutes of 1/24/08, seconded by Brian Murphy – unanimously voted.
Charlie Rourke MOTION to accept the minutes of the executive session of 1/10/07 as amended – unanimously voted.
Bruce Bygate MOTION to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Brian Murphy – unanimously voted.
Respectfully submitted,
Christine Stickney, Planning Director
APPROVED BY THE LHP ON 05/22/08
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