Lenox Affordable Housing Committee
February 7, 2012
Minutes
Members present: Dave Klausemeyer (DK), Chair, Jo Anne Magee (JM), Ellen Jacobson (EJ), Debbie Burke (DB), Kate McNulty-Vaughan (KMV), Olga Weiss (OW) and Theresa Ahrens (TA).
Also in attendance: Mary Albertson (MA), Town Planner.
DK opened the meeting at 3:04 PM.
Minutes:
JM made a motion to approve the minutes of January 17, 2012. ~DB seconded the motion and the Board voted 7-0 to approve.
Peer-to-Peer Consultant
DK offered an overview. The Town received a Peer-to-Peer Technical Assistance grant from the Department of Housing and Community Development. The grant will pay for Ms. Kruger to review the Town’s affordable housing efforts to date; and to offer strategies to increase the Town’s Subsidized Housing Inventory. DK informed Ms. Kruger that the Town has $130,000 in its Affordable Housing Trust. The Affordable Housing Trust has applied for $30,000 in CPA funds for FY’13. He also noted that there is potential for a land donation.
Ms. Kruger offered information regarding her professional qualifications. She served as the Amherst Housing Planner for sixteen years. She also worked for the Mass. Housing Partnership from 2002 until her retirement last year. Currently, she is a member of the Amherst Planning Board and Amherst Housing Authority. She is eligible to serve as a Peer Consultant because of her membership on the Planning Board and the Housing Authority. She owns a Bed and Breakfast and has a Housing Consulting business.
Ms. Kruger discussed the Housing Production Plan (HPP). She praised the Town for its forwarding thinking regarding the Sawmill Brook project. She discussed the importance of pursuing Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds for housing initiatives.
Members offered input to Ms. Kruger as follows:
- OW said she is interested in developing rental housing opportunities. She believes the HPP should be updated. Discussion ensued regarding existing rental opportunities.
- TA said she served on the Committee when the HPP was written. She just recently rejoined the Committee.
- JM would like to revisit the HPP. The housing market has changed and that should be reflected in the HPP. She would like the Committee to maximize the Town’s limited resources. She wants to identify opportunities and be open to new strategies and ideas.
- EJ would like results. She wants to see people in units. She is interested in communication and would like to develop a website.
- KMV is interested in community outreach and communication. She has been working with EJ to develop communication strategies. Town residents want to see tangible results.
- DB sees this as an opportunity to update the HPP with 2010 census data. She would like to review rental and ownership needs.
- DK suggested that the Committee adopt a regional approach. He discussed the Berkshire Bank – Berkshire/Taconic Foundation commitment to sponsor a regional housing symposium.
Ms. Kruger thanked the Committee for their input.
Ms. Kruger offered information regarding the history of the CPA. The Committee discussed the role of CPA funding in Lenox. OW said she has served on the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) since the Town adopted the CPA in 2007. She noted that many CPA supporters want to see the Town purchase open space. She is concerned about future CPA funds for affordable housing.
Ms. Kruger said she is impressed with the level of support for affordable housing in Lenox. She noted that the Town has accomplished a great deal and referenced the inclusionary housing bylaw and the establishment of the Trust as performance measures. She said that $130,000 is a respectable sum of money but cautioned that it will not create very many units. Pursuing real units is expensive and complicated and the Committee could easily spend the entire $130,000 on one household. She suggested that the Committee increase staff capacity. She discussed the potential for the Town to combine resources with neighboring communities to hire a housing planner and establish a shared housing program.
Ms. Kruger discussed the CHAPA planning grant program and encouraged the Committee to apply.
TA said she would like to see the Committee be creative. JM asked Ms. Kruger to give examples of innovative housing projects. Ms. Kruger offered the Tree House Housing project in Easthampton, MA. She said it was developed by a for-profit developer and is a unique mix of unit 40 senior units and 10 family units.
DK concluded by highlighting the following points:
- Improve communication. The Committee has a wonderful message to share and needs to improve communication.
- Review and update the HPP.
- Investigate Town owned and tax lien properties.
- Research the CHAPA planning grant program.
- Build staff capacity. Determine if there are other Berkshire communities that would like to share resources.
- Develop a website.
Members agreed to review the HPP and offer comment by February 21. Comments should be submitted to MA.
Meeting adjourned at 4:55 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Mary Albertson, Town Planner
Approved: 3/5/2012
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