Lenox Affordable Housing Committee
April 11, 2011
Minutes
Members present: Dave Klausemeyer (DK), Ellen Jacobson (EJ), Debbie Burke (DB), Kate McNulty-Vaughan (KMV), Jo Anne Magee (JM) and Olga Weiss (OW).
Absent: Roscoe Sandlin.
Also in attendance: Mary Albertson (MA), Town Planner.
DK opened the meeting at 3:04 PM.
OW made a motion to approve the April 4, 2011 – Minutes. Seconded by DB and unanimously approved.
Discussion ensued regarding the TRIAD presentation. Members thanked EJ for her efforts to organize the presentation. The presentation would not have come to fruition if it were not for EJ’s initiative and hard-work. The consensus was that the presentation was an opportunity to network. Members discussed other opportunities to network with community and business organizations. DB suggested that the committee encourage lawyers, realtors and contractors to participate in committee meetings.
JM suggested that the committee needs do prepare a “concept design”. She asked if the Peer-to-Peer program would be an appropriate funding source for this activity. MA said she would contact the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) regarding the status of the Peer-to-Peer program. JM suggested that banks in Berkshire County could help the committee create mortgage programs for low and moderate income homebuyers.
Discussion ensued regarding the expansion of the General Dynamics facility in Pittsfield, and the influx of people who will be looking for housing. OW said she talked to a local realtor who is working with General Dynamics and that the preference is for rental housing. OW suggested that the market has changed since the town prepared the Housing Production Plan. She suggested that the committee re-visit the plan. The consensus of the committee was to get additional input from other realtors regarding the need for both rental and ownership units.
There was additional discussion regarding potential committee work products. OW suggested that the committee narrow its focus so it can achieve realistic goals. JM suggested that the committee should focus on programs that will leverage the greatest returns. DB said the committee has a good sense of the big-picture and must work at the tactical level. OW suggested that the committee might do well by thinking in terms of scenarios. DB suggested that the committee have a work session. DK concluded the discussion by reviewing tasks. 1) MA will contact DHCD regarding the Peer-to-Peer program. 2) DK and OW will contact realtors including the Berkshire Board of Realtors. 3) DB will contact General Dynamics. 4) JM will research housing programs. Future
tasks might include: 1) conference calls with communities that have housing administrators on staff. 2) Outreach to local landlords.
There was additional discussion regarding the TRIAD presentation. EJ suggested that future presentations be more polished. She thought that the people who attended the presentation were very interested in the topic. OW suggested that the TRIAD presentation was intended to raise awareness the committee achieved this goal.
MA suggested that the affordable housing is a broad topic. There are some activities that create units for the state subsidized housing inventory (SHI) and some activities that are good for the community but do not result in SHI units. Lenox does not meet the state requirement that 10 % of its housing be on the SHI. She suggested that the committee concentrate on activities the will create SHI units. The committee discussed the need to create units for the SHI. DB suggested that the policy of the Committee should be to focus on activities that will fulfill the town’s 10% SHI requirements. The consensus of the Committee was to support this policy.
The Committee briefly discussed the proposed Community Preservation Committee (CPC) recommendations. The consensus of the members was to meet again before the Annual Town Meeting to discuss a formal Committee position on the projects. The next meeting will be May 2nd at 3:00 PM.
OW made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 4:20 PM. DB seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved.
Respectfully Submitted,
Mary Albertson, Town Planner
Approved: 5/2/2011
| 
