Lenox Affordable Housing Committee and Trustees Joint Meeting
August 6, 2012
Minutes
Committee Members present: Dave Klausemeyer (DK), Chair, Debbie Burke (DB), Kate McNulty-Vaughan (KMV), Jo Anne Magee (JAM), and Ellen Jacobson (EJ). Trustees present: Dave Klausemeyer (DK), Chair, Debbie Burke (DB), Kate McNulty-Vaughan (KMV), Ellen Jacobson (EJ), Jo Anne Magee (JAM), and Jackie McNinch (JM).
Absent: Olga Weiss and Theresa Ahrens.
Also in attendance: Mary Albertson (MA), Town Planner.
DK opened the meeting at 3:05 PM.
JAM made a motion to approve the July 9, 2012 minutes of the joint meeting of the Housing Committee and the Housing Trustees. EJ seconded the motion and the Committee and Trustees voted 5-0 to approve.
Peer-to-Peer Recommendations and FY’13 Work Program
DB conducted a workshop session to identify priority recommendations and a work program. DB asked members to rank the recommendations based on impact and difficulty. Post-it notes and a flip chart were used to capture member input. Based on the exercise DB suggested that many of the recommendations could be listed as communication tasks or administration tasks. The recommendations that do not fit under communication or administration are program initiatives. The two program initiatives that received the highest rankings were the mortgage assistance program and the Sawmill Brook project. The housing rehabilitation, home purchase/resell, ADU deed restriction and employer sponsored housing programs ranked much lower.
EJ suggested that members form sub-committees. The following sub-committees were formed:
1. Public Relations – EJ and KMV. KMV will follow-up with TA.
2. Mortgage Program - JAM and JM.
3. Sawmill Brook – KMV and DB.
Members thanked DB for conducting the workshop.
Home Ownership Program
JM and JAM offered an update on their work to develop a home-ownership mortgage program. Their proposal includes participation by banks and other quasi-public public housing agencies such as Mass Housing. They suggested that the Trust contribute $10,000 per unit. The Trust would require a deed restriction and a 5 year recapture provision. The homeowner would be required to repay the $10,000 if he/she sells in 5 years. After 5 years there is no repayment required.
Discussion ensued regarding the proposed program. Members debated if $10,000 is enough to encourage homeowners to accept a deed restriction. KMV asked about the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) requirements for listing units on the Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI). JAM will forward a final proposal to MA. MA will share the proposal with DHCD to determine if the program qualifies units to be counted on the SHI.
Old Business
DK said he talked to Frederick Keator regarding the decision to decline the land donation. DK thanked Mr. Keator for working with the Affordable Housing Trustees.
DK said the Berkshire Taconic Housing Symposium will be September 19, 2012. Overall, members are disappointed that the Symposium seems to be a Housing US event. The emphasis is no longer Berkshire County.
The next meeting will be September 10, 2012 @ 3:00 PM. MA will organize the agenda by sub-committee categories.
Meeting adjourned at 4:25 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Mary Albertson, Town Planner
Approved: September 10, 2012
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