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HousingPartnershipMinutes2016NORTHAMPTON HOUSING PARTNERSHIP Action Plan 2016 Community Education •4 op-eds or Guest Columns/ pertinent topics •Fair Housing Workshops •Landlord support (census letter, workshop topics, op eds) •Affordable Energy Efficiency Needs Assessment •Compile, Update and Analyze ConPlan Data and Housing Plan Information •Identify inventory Gaps/ "little a affordable"; work force housing options New Unit Creation •Advocate for projects underway (support letters, testimony) •Consider creating an RFP for identified inventory gap/ work with CPC •Tax incentive research/ Amherst Program •Monitor available municipal land and tax takings Preservation •Leeds Village Strategy (expires 2018) •Housing Rehabilitation Program RFP / Vendor Selection Fair Housing •Understand Municipal responsibilities •February Landlord Workshop •Update Impediments Analysis using HUD's new format Zoning •Agora Report/ identify items to pursue. Establish working relationship and timeline with Office of Planning and Planning Board Further Community Collaborations •Valley CDC, Northampton Housing Authority, HAPHousing, Habitat NORTHAMPTON HOUSING PARTNERSHIP Minutes January 4, 2016 Members Present: Gordon Shaw, Chair; Peter Frothingham, Vice-Chair; Jim Reis, Richard Abuza, Michael Roy, Rev. Todd Weir, Alan Verson, Lynne Wallace. Also present, Joanne Campbell, Executive Director Valley CDC and Peg Keller, staff. Call to Order: Chair Shaw called the meeting to order at 5:31 p.m. Ms. Campbell was welcomed. Valley Community Development Corporation Update Lumberyard Project Ms. Campbell gave an update on the redevelopment of the Northampton Lumberyard parcel located at 256 Pleasant Street. The proposed project is for a 5 story building that will accommodate 55 units of affordable housing and commercial space. 20% of the units will be available for households earning 30% or less of the area median income and 80% for those earning 60% or less of ami. There will be 5,000 sq. ft. of first floor commercial space, which will include office space for Valley CDC on the Holyoke St. side of the development. Both the Central Business Architecture and Planning Board Site Plan permits had been appealed by abutters. The CBAC permit was upheld by the Planning Board and no further appeals were made. The Planning Board appeal was settled with the other abutter in late October. No trial was needed. The settlement will not affect the proposed design of the redevelopment. Applications for State funding are being submitted for the second time. The pre-application for the first (and probably only) round of 2016 went in in December. She expects to hear in early January if they will be invited to submit a full application. Funding announcements would be made in August/September. If the project receives funding, it would take 6-9 months to close, which would be around May of 2017; to be followed by 12 months of construction. Occupancy is projected for spring of 2018. Funding from Smith College and City MassWorks applications are needed to assist with the relocation of the storm-water conduit that traverses the parcel. Project architects are working on 25% drawings to get accurate cost estimates. If funding is not received in 2016, another year would be added to the time table. 1 Community Investment Tax Credit Program Ms. Campbell then updated NHP members on Valley's participation in the CITC Program. The MA Association of CDC's put forth legislation that was adopted by the State to increase the local impact of CDC's. Valley just completed the first year (2014-15) of the program. They had been awarded $100,000 for a $200,000 credit and as of 12/31/15, $207,000 had been raised! $95,000 was from local banks and the rest was from individual investors and businesses. Valley has 4.5 employees and had fundraised maybe $50-60,000 in prior years so they are very excited about this accomplishment. It is hoped that a housing project manager position can now be (re)created. Jim Levy was very involved in this successful outcome. The banks get the tax credit too. Local strategic planning is required for participation. The 2014 submission is acceptable for three years but a joint meeting with the Amherst, Easthampton and Northampton housing partnerships had been previously discussed. It was decided to hold such an event in the spring, as a session like this would address our Housing Partnership strategic plan goals for community education and collaboration, in addition to meeting VCDC' s goals for the CITC Program. Further discussion will be held regarding this. Mr. Roy asked Ms. Campbell about the size of projects they would prefer to develop. She said she �ould not go smaller than 30 units. Due to operational costs such as funding source(s) oversight, lack of rental income when people don't pay regularly, snow removal, etc. combine to make smaller projects difficult to operate. She concluded her remarks by saying there are no other projects currently in the pipeline for Northampton. If they are able to hire a housing project manager in the spring, it would be part of that persons' responsibility to find new projects. She was thanked for her attendance and she departed the meeting at 6:25 p.m. Minutes/ from the December meeting were approved as submitted. Strategic Planning Update Peg reviewed the annual action plan. She noted that a task implementation update would be a monthly item on the agenda to insure forward progress. Ms. Wallace gave an update on the Northampton Lodging project, which is starting to focus on tenant relocation planning while they await funding awards. •Community Education/ need to get information on website on various topics(historical accomplishments, need for members, landlord workshop, landlordresources, shelter info. Etc.2 •Op-eds/ the first one of the year can be about the fair housing workshop and thesupport for landlords/ featuring the NHP and John Fisher/ will discuss on 1/19;could also include rebate information for energy efficiency improvements/ timesensitive■ Needs Assessment/ staff responsibility, on-going data collection and analysis■New unit creation/ pursuing the tax abatement program ( M. Roy, Chair Shawand staff meeting with Amherst Finance Director 1/6; need to move on NHAparcels■Preservation/ staff in communication with Leeds Village owner/ 2018 expirationdate ■ Housing Rehab/ staff needs to do RFP with Partnership input (Feb.meeting)■Fair Housing/ new HUD format not due until 2019 but still have annual activityand reporting responsibilities•Zoning/ Committee will create a memo for the Planning Dept. with comments onthe recently completed Agora Report■ Community Collaborations: will plan spring session with area housingpartnerships and housing authorities to discuss regional issues/ work withValley CDC on this eventMembers expressed satisfaction with the action plan components. Ad hoc committees can be formed as necessary moving forward. Election of Officers Chair Shaw was re-elected and Peter Frot�gham agreed to serve as Vice-chair for another year. They were thanked for their willingness. Housing Authority Report Ms. Wallace said the new Executive Director has significant tenant support and things are moving forward. They are having discussions about the Burts Pit project and all agreed to invite her to the regional meeting in the spring, then maybe a session with just her, later in the year. Adjourn/ the meeting concluded at 7:05 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Peg Keller 3 NORTHAMPTON HOUSING PARTNERSHIP Minutes February 1, 2016 Members Present: Gordon Shaw, Chair, Jim Reis, Alan Verson, Rev. Todd Weir, Michael Roy. Absent, Peter Frothingham, Richard Abuza, Lynne Wallace and Alyx Akers. Also present, Peg Keller, staff, Rick Hart, President of Friends of Hampshire County Homeless Individuals, Rebecca Muller, Friends of the Homeless Board member and Lisa Goldsmith, Director of Programs at Dial/Self in Greenfield. Call to Order: Chair Shaw called the meeting to order at 5:41 p.m. He acknowledged the guests and all present introduced themselves. Friends of the Homeless/ Request for Letter of Support Chair Shaw described the process which brought the guests before the Partnership. Applicants proposing housing related projects come to the Housing Partnership for endorsement, prior to submitting requests to the Community Preservation Committee. Rick Hart opened the presentation by saying: •Friends of the Homeless -all volunteer organization, formed 20 years ago, incorporated as a 501C3 in 2002. •Originally a support group to administer the winter emergency shelter •Programs have expanded to include boot distribution, Happy Frog collections for lunchtime meal, rental assistance fund for first, last and security deposits. •FOH has purchased 2 houses utilizing CPA funds and other monies •Yvonne's House on Straw Ave. for chronically homeless mentally ill/ 6 units •Gandara Friends House/ Maple Ave. 6 units for formerly homeless in recovery •Process, due to successful fundraising over the years/ give amount to ServiceNet annually to operate the winter shelter at 43 Center Street, then purchase a house when funds allow, refurbish it, furnish it and deed it to another agency to operate. (ServiceNet for Yvonne's House and Gandara Center for Maple Ave.) •Successful fundraising has made it possible to purchase a third house •Through conducting research on community needs it has been determined that the population to be served in the new house will be unaccompanied youth aged 18-24. •This age phase is a critical transition period that may lead to adult chronic homelessness or healthy independent living Rebecca Muller, former Director of Shelter and Housing for ServiceNet for 14 years and now independent grant writer offered additional comments. 1 •FOH goal is to be aligned with other local, regional and national planning processes; HUD is very focused on preventing and ending youth homelessness. 18-24 yr. olds are identified as a high risk population segment•60% of kids connected with the foster care system will become homeless within 18-36 months.•If we are ever to reach our goal of ending homelessness ( for adults) we need to stem the flow•FOH favors simple projects; save money, leverage money and purchase sound buildings that don't require a lot of rehab, then gift the buildings to the experts to run the programs for 99 years•FOH very excited to work with Dial-Self, the western MA experts on serving homeless youth and administering affordable housing programs with support services for youth•A number of funding applications are in the mix to secure operating funds•Past FOH projects have been in the 400,000 dollar range. Due to the number of units envisioned with this project, (8-10) coupled with the price of properties in Northampton, this will be a $700,000+ undertaking.•They are looking to secure funding by the end of the calendar year. Members reviewed the handout submitted that contained additional information. In answer to a question about program operating costs and sustainability, Lisa Goldsmith said they want to explore subsidies to provide rental income and Dial Self has some available through a program they currently operate that serves LGBT youth. They have also just completed a response to a request for proposals issued by the stat� ( earlier today!) that would also provide resources. Ms. Muller said programs do have movement despite the fact that the units are p-etmanent housing, because youth obtain skills for independent living and self select to move on. They "grow up" and transition out, making room for new residents. In answer to a question from Mr. Roy, they have not yet selected a property. They have developed specifications for a physical design/wish list, selected a realtor and began a preliminary search last fall. They may consider a bridge loan. Mr. Verson asked if such properties with 8-10 bedrooms exist. Mr. Hart responded that yes, they do and a mix of one and 2 bedroom units with a common room, on a bus line, close to downtown with a small office space, in good condition is what they ideally envision. They do not anticipate any zoning issues, as they plan to purchase a property that currently operates in this manner. Discussion followed about whether it is a multi-family structure composed of unrelated family members. Ms. Muller said they would be purchasing an existing rental property. Chair Shaw noted that they may also inherit existing tenants. Ms. Goldsmith said each resident would sign a lease, part of the learning of life skills. 2 She said support services will be provided to residents through other contracts the agency has. The agency also has experience with and funds for property management and facilities coordination. They have decades of experience with engaging youth, assisting with housing search and providing support while in housing through case management. She explained the 60's reference to the agency's name. Mr. Verson asked Lisa about the number of youth they serve. She said an overall number would be hard to determine because they do outreach in the schools, have multiple connections to the community, have 2 drop in centers (Greenfield and Orange) where youth have access to computers, job and educational information, computer usage in addition to their residential programs. Ms. Goldsmith said they work closely with Community Action and have been strategizing on an expansion into Hampshire County for several years. They secured funding in their most recent EOHHS Runaway and Homeless Youth grant to hire a street outreach worker for Amherst and Northampton, to begin soon. Mr. Reis noted that program budgets can get stretched when staff travel geographies expand. Discussion followed about how to define "ties to Northampton" to prioritize who is served by this program. In response to a needs assessment question, Ms. Muller said the Interfaith Winter shelter at 43 Center Street saw 25 youth aged 18-24 last year and Amherst (Craig's Door) served 33. Berkshire Community College and Greenfield Com. College both estimate 35-50 of their students are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The program is not able to serve those younger than 18 because they are not yet emancipated and are legally unable to sign a lease. Additional discussion followed regarding anticipated resources: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human resources Homeless Runaway Youth 3 year award is in hand, the MHSA Home and Healthy For Good Program with an LGBT focus is in hand; the State EOHHS 2 million dollar RFR has just been applied for through the Three County Continuum of Care. There was not a quorum present to vote on the support letter, but members present did endorse the project and a formal vote with a quorum present will be taken next month. The guests were thanked for their attendance and presentation. Project Updates 155 Pleasant Street/ Northampton Lodging -Peg distributed a summary of recent activity that HAP submitted to the Community Preservation Committee. The CPC 3 requires annual updates so it was submitted for that purpose. They are still awaiting funding news. Landlord Session/ Ending Veterans Homelessness -Peg reported that Steve Connor held a session January 26th for landlords in Northampton. The purpose of the meeting was to encourage property owners to rent to Veterans utilizing the HUD V ASH voucher program. He is holding another session Feb. 3rd. Peg will attend and make an announcement about the NHP session scheduled for Feb. 11th. Housing Resource Advocate -Peg distributed a job ad for a position very similar to our Community Housing Support Services Coordinator. Her concern is that the work be coordinated, rather than duplicated. The Community Action position is funded by the Emergency Solutions Grant program through HUD and also has a court presence and case management components. CDBG Ad Hoc Committee -Peg is assembling members for the public services review committee that will hold interviews with agencies requesting CDBG funding. She is looking for new members. Rev. Todd Weir has served and is willing to serve again, and can be the liaison to the Partnership. Action Plan Update •Community Education/ a Gazette interview is being set up to get the word out about the landlord workshop. Peg has been in touch with the Gazette and is now trying to coordinate times with John Fisher and Gordon. The room is booked and paid for, and Mr. Roy will bring his screen for the session on the 11th. Mr. Reis reported on the meeting held with Mr. Fisher at which revisions of the service provider presentation to a landlord focus were discussed. This event addresses community education, op eds/guest columns, landlord support and fair housing goals and objectives. •New Unit Creation/ advocate for projects, i.e. support letters Did that this evening: presentation by Friends of the Homeless for 8-10 new units •Amherst Tax Abatement Program Mr. Roy reported on a meeting held with Sandy Pooler, the Finance Director in Amherst who gave us background on their efforts ( also attended by Chair Shaw and Peg Keller). More discussion will take place on this at the March meeting, to develop a strategy for moving forward. •Expiring Use Properties Peg contacted Herb Berizen, the owner of Leeds Village who said it is still too early to engage in specific discussions. (2018 expiration). Peg will be working on the Subsidized Housing Inventory to update.Adjourn/ the meeting concluded at 7:10 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Peg Keller 4 NORTHAMPTON HOUSING PARTNERSHIP Minutes March 7, 2016 Members Present: Gordon Shaw, Chair, Peter Frothingham, Vice-Chair, Richard Abuza, Mich�el Roy, Jim Reis. Absent: Lynne Wallace, Alan Verson. Also present, City Councilor Ryan O'Donnell and Peg Keller, staff. Call To Order: Chair Shaw called the meeting to order at 5:35 p.m. Announcements Peg noted that Alyx Akers has resigned due to time constraints but remains interested in the Affordable Housing Trust, should that be re-activated. Peg also noted the Mass. Fair Housing Center's Annual conference scheduled for April 7-8; the Friends of the Homeless Public comment session before the Community Preservation Committee on March 16th at 7:00 p.m. and reported on the legislative update event for the Western Mass. Network to End Homelessness that was held March 4th. Councilor O'Donnell was welcomed and introductions made. He was invited by Peg due to his interest in the Amherst Tax Abatement program and the continuing discussion about inclusionary zoning. Amherst Tax Abatement Program Mr. Roy described the Amherst option and another program he discovered from Provincetown . Highlights of each were summarized as follows: Amherst: New tax incentive to entice developers to include affordable units in new projects. (home rule petition approved by State legislature) •Option for projects 10 units or larger•Minimum number of affordable units = 10% of total•10 year max on the tax break•Purpose is to make the developer "whole" for lost rent at the 10 year mark•Units remain affordable in perpetuity•Contains an "offset" unit option when such units are able to be created (tax breakwould not be needed in these cases)•Rent is capped to % of area median incomeProvincetown: Program to address lack of affordable year round units / using 60% of CPA funds for affordable housing •Created new tax incentive to entice property owners to lease units annually ataffordable levels for any type of housing•Property taxes are waived in their entirety for the % of building utilized for theprogram•Single family house = no property tax•One year lease required, LMI tenant income verified by municipal staff, rent keptat affordable rate•Trying to increase owner/unit participation rates•CPA and other funds offset rent abatement•Town is supportiveMember discussion followed-wondered if 80% of AMI is low enough. Peg will follow up with Amherst about participation in their program to date. A survey of smaller developers was suggested to test the water regarding the incentives. Members agreed these were creative home rule solutions that have resulted from "thinking outside the box". For implementation, political ground work will need to be laid. Mr. Frothingham asked about incentives for older landlords to continue to rent at lower rates. Chair Shaw noted that rents usually jump the most when there is an ownership change. Mr. Abuza said "little a" affordable units don't usually get advertised, but are passed on through word of mouth. Chair Shaw wondered if these concepts could be applied to homeownership, as home ownership development seems to be more active in this area. With regard to next steps, Mr. Abuza wondered if we could do our own consultant study to explore the full range of options. The mechanics of abatements can be complicated and involve the tax collector's office. Mr. Roy suggested that we invite David Murphy, City Councilor/Realtor/ Assessor to the next meeting to get his thoughts on implementation. Members agreed to read Amnerst's-eonsultant report before the next meeting. Councilor O'Donnell said he is interested in pursuing this further. Friends of the Homeless-FOH board members had come to last month's meeting asking for a letter of support for their CPA application. A presentation was made but a quorum was not present. Mr. Abuza made a motion that the Northampton Housing Partnership submit a letter of strong support to the Community Preservation Committee, and other funding sources if necessary, endorsing the Friends of Hampshire County Homeless Individuals project to create additional multi-family units in the city to serve unaccompanied homeless youth. Mr. Reis seconded the motion; the vote in favor was unanimous. Peg will send the letter. Adjourn: following additional project updates, the meeting concluded at 7:00 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Peg Keller MEMORANDUM Date: March 7, 2016 To: Northampton Housing Partnership From: Michael Roy & Peg Keller Issue: Ideas to generate development of, or conversion to, Affordable Housing in Hamp Amherst Option •lnclusionary zoning not creating new affordable units (resi development {1 O+ units} requiring special permit to include affordable housing) •Worked with consultant to generate ideas Desire to get affordable units in-town •Created new tax incentive to entice developers to include affordable units in new projects 1.10 units or more 2.10% affordable 3.10 year max tax break 4.Make property owner whole for lost rent at 10 year mark 5.Units stay affordable for life 6.Works when offset units are not available as offset units can make-up lost rent 7.Special act with legislature via Home Rule Bill 8.Rent capped to % of Area Median Income •Another idea is using CPA or other funds for direct buy-downs of unit costs . P-town Option •Losing affordable year-round housing (to seasonal and now to weekly rentals •CPA 60% of funds to affordable housing •Not much space for new development of affordable housing Desire for more year-round affordable units •Created new tax incentive to entice homeowners to keep units affordable and for annual leases 1.Any type of housing 2.Property taxes waived for the % of building the program ♦Single family house = no property tax 1)One year lease required 2)LMI tenant-income verified 3)Rent kept at affordable rate 3.Trying to get more properties into the program 4.Working on a 50 unit project 5.CPA and other funds help offset rent abatement 6.Town is very supportive NORTHAMPTON HOUSING PARTNERSHIP Minutes April 7, 2016 Joint Meeting with Amherst Housing Committee And Valley Community Development Corporation DRAFT Northampton Members Present: Gordon Shaw, Peter Frothingham, Jim Reis, Lynne Wallace, Mich_ael Roy, Richard Abuza. Joanne Campbell, Executive Director of Valley CDC and several members of the Amherst Housing and Homelessness Committee. Summary Valley CDC/ Joanne opened the meeting with an update of VCDC activities. This was followed by presentations by Northampton and Amherst on goals, objectives and projects. Discussion followed on such topics as: •Affordable housing projects occurring in the area•Roles of Housing partnerships vs. housing trusts•Tax abatement program/ expected impact•Strategies to create preserve "little a" affordabilityAll present agreed the exchange was worthwhile. Having follow up·meetings once or twice a year would be beneficial. Representatives from Easthampton had been invited, but no one attended. Bringing the three communities together will assist the VCDC with its annual strategic planning, as well as inform the individual towns about regional activity. NORTHAMPTON HOUSING PARTNERSHIP Minutes May 2, 2016 Members Present: Gordon Shaw, Chair; Peter Frothingham, Vice-Chair; Jim Reis, Rev. Todd Weir, Michael Roy. Members absent, Richard Abuza, Lynne Wallace, Alan Verson. Also present, City Councilor/Realtor/ Assessor David Murphy and Peg Keller, staff. Call to Order: Chair Shaw called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. Members reviewed minutes from the March and April meetings. Mr. Murphy arrived and introductions were made. Tax Abatement Program Mr. Roy had invited Mr. Murphy to the meeting to help analyze how a program similar to the one that Amherst adopted could be beneficial for Northampton. Mr. Murphy had read the materials, so discussion ensued. Highlights are as follows: •He asked about our percentage of subsidized units/ Peg said 11.3, but the loss ofthe Hathaway Farms 207 units on the inventory makes the zero sum gain on thenew production occurring in town.•He said adoption of a program like this requires home rule, so there is a processthere involving City Council and the Mayor.•Support for programs that are built around reducing taxes would begin with theMayor. The property tax is the solid financial base from which municipal activitystems/ this year contracts for Police, Fire and Schools are up for renewal, soclimate will be difficult.•Development costs are so high -land, permitting fees and requirements/ VillageHill lots were more affordable because the State did the infrastructure (still anissue with other area developers). Sprinkler systems are now required forresidences built outside the water district boundaries.•A house, with land cannot be built for less than $300,000 in Northampton, soproducing affordable homeownership is not feasible. Efforts should be oncreating rental options.1 •Density bonuses in urban centers translate into additional stories. Adding stories is not always financially feasible, so the density bonus may not create new units. •In the Amherst report, he liked the concept of funding the Affordable Housing Trust to provide subsidies for people to live in existing units. •He said in an abatement program, the property would have a lower value anyway because the cash flow is limited, so if there is already a value reduction, the tax burden is already less. (Restricted condo units at Pines Edge are assessed less, have lower tax rate). This would not be the case for landlords taking Section 8 vouchers for subsidy because they are made whole between the tenant rent and subsidy amount. •He raised the question: does every community have to supply all housing types for all income levels? •Politically speaking/ his opinion is that this program would be difficult to support economically if Northampton is in excess of 10% (State threshold for subsidized units/market units). •It takes the value of a $500,000 home to support one student in the school system. Often families with lower incomes have children requiring additional services/ it can be a harder population to serve, so difficult to justify lowering taxes if want to meet that responsibility •Prop 2 ½ has forced cities to use CPA for "a la carte" expenses for historic preservation, open space acquisition/protection, affordable housing and recreation projects. Fuel and health care costs were not anticipated to the extent they should have been when Prop 2 ½ was enacted limiting municipalities. •Cities/towns have to go outside of the levy limits / 2.5% of the full value of the City/ not too many places for revenue besides the property taxes. Overrides are ok with the State as the "State" says, if you want to tax yourselves for what you need, go right ahead. Stressed cities can't do overrides because the levy ceiling has lowered to meet the tax levels. Mr. Frothingham asked about the worker base for the hospitality industry-would it make sense to go to the employers that aren't paying living wages and charge them a fee? Mr. Murphy said he knew of no mechanism to collect or enforce something like that. The State needs to give us back more of what we collect through the hotel/motel taxes. That advocacy has not yielded results to date. 2 •Mr. Murphy said Chatham has a residential tax exemption on the first $50,000 ofthe property value. Lower income residents get a tax break that way, but youneed property values at the extremes to make a program like that work andachieve the balance required to pay for services.•Dept. of Revenue allows little flexibility at the local level.•Given the property values, affordable rental housing is easier to create, andpossibly condo units; difficult to do with single family homes. To make an"investment" in the Trust, do public education around what kinds of projectswill be undertaken. Build more market rate units and contribute to the fund.Projects like Deep Woods and Meadowland create movement in the existinginventory. The only existing inventory under $200,000 are the old ranch housesand some condos. Clark school rentals are in the $3,000-5,000 per month range(!) He thinks a potentially successful model is the 2 bedroom 800 sq.ft.townhouse with basic amenities, within the water and sewer district supportedon a project by project level/ rather than macro policies dictating development.•Zoning plays a role; there are anomalies in our existing ordinance. B zones havedensity caps ( example, Shea's property on Elm St. could be 5 units, capped at 3).Northampton Nursing Home is also capped; would have been sold if it haddensity allowed in C.Conclusion/ Mr. Murphy was thanked for his attendance and his thoughts. Members agreed he raised many issues that require further analysis. Project Updates Peg gave brief updates on the two Pleasant St. housing projects. Both are moving forward. Membership Update It was reported that Mr. Frothingham and Ms. Wallace will not seek reappointment. Mr. Frothingham will attend one more meeting. Peg has some thoughts on recruitment, but members were encouraged to spread the word. Minutes/ The minutes from the March meeting were approved. The minutes from the joint housing partnership meeting with Amherst need additional work. Adjourn/ The meeting concluded at 7:05 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Peg Keller 3 NORTHAMPTON HOUSING PARTNERSHIP Minutes June 6, 2016 Members Present: Gordon Shaw, Chair, Peter Frothingham, Michael Roy, Richard Abuza, Rev. Todd Weir, Alan Verson. Also present, Patrick Boughan, Greta Hagen, with membership pending, Mark Goggins and Kate Wall, interested citizens observing and Peg Keller, staff. Call to Order: Chair Shaw called the meeting to order at 5:35 p.m. Rev. Weir made a motion to approve the minutes from May, seconded by Mr. Verson; the vote in favor was unanimous. Project Updates Tax Abatement Program Peg gave some background for new attendees. Mr. Roy had done extensive research into a program that Amherst created and implemented. Essentially, private developers are granted tax relief for a period of time in exchange for the creation of affordable housing units in their projects. Discussion ensured. The following points were made: •Could it work for rehab vs. new construction•Could CPC cover the tax loss if the City didn't want to lose the taxes•Where are the incentives? This would be a hard push to accomplish•Education is needed prior to the effort to adopt it•For community education campaign, locations and scenarios would help•Need to know the universe of impact/ look at existing multi-family properties or areas for development/ to be able to quantify the gain•There is still a zoning disconnect between dimensional requirements and creating multi-family properties•If the developer breaks even in the end, what is the incentive/ why bother?•Is there a role for the Affordable Housing Trust here?•It may not create a lot of new units, but an additional tool in the tool box. Amherst has accomplished designing their program and getting it approved via a home rule petition by the State, but it has not been utilized as of yet. Members concluded that work on the zoning (here) should be a priority and that the Amherst program would be monitored to gauge its' success. Having concluded that the time may not be right in 1 Northampton and it could be a lot of effort for no real gain (if no one participates), it could be revisited at a later date. Housing Rehabilitation Program Peg reported the City is ready to enter into a contract with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission to administer the program. It will be launched with existing year CDBG funds. When the HUD approval comes for the new funds available after July 1, the contract will be amended -$160,000 now, $200,000+ in the new year. She recommended that the initial target population be income eligible single family owner occupied units. Outreach would yield information about the numbers of households with low incomes unable to maintain the physical condition of their homes. Later, the program could expand to owner occupied multi-family housing. The program gets more complicated with tenants. Members expressed support for this phasing. The proposed parameters are 0% deferred payment loans that are forgiven after 15 years. Up to $45,000 will be available per unit to address remediation of code violations and possible lead paint abatement. The average cost predicted by PVPC is in the $25,000 to $30,000 range. Peg said due to the age of the housing stock, the potential for the presence of lead paint is great, so she wants the program to be able to accomplish abatement. There are no geographic target areas established at this time, but as the program evolves it could be tied to specific neighborhood revitalization strategic planning efforts. Affordable Housing Production Update 155 Live (formerly Northampton Lodging) -HAP has started moving tenants off-site. Funding sources have been secured and demolition is slated to begin in September. Peg sponsored a session with area rental agents and housing providers to identify potential apartments for relocation. Trish Smith has been hired as the Relocation Specialist. HAP will be using the City's CDBG funding (150,000) for relocation costs. 256 Pleasant Street/ The LumberYard Project -has not yet heard about the State funding. The City is moving on the environmental reviews and has amended the Action Plan to allow Valley CDC to draw the CDBG funding ($150,000 + $50,000) for pre­ development costs (rather than for acquisition). Zoning Mr. Frothingham, Zoning Sub-Committee member is stepping away from the Partnership. Unfortunately, this is his last meeting. Peg will try to move the zoning 2 work forward. She will meet with Carolyn Misch in the Planning Department to get an update on the recommendations made in the Agora Study. Mr. Verson can keep us updated on the Planning Board's efforts in this realm. Annual Action Plan Update This will be moved to next month's meeting. Adjourn/ The July meeting date will need to be rescheduled due to the conflict with the holiday. The meeting concluded at 7:10 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Peg Keller 3 NORTHAMPTON HOUSING PARTNERSHIP Minutes July 19, 2016 Members Present: Gordon Shaw, Chair; Jim Reis, Michael Roy, Alan Verson, Richard Abuza, Greta Hagen, Rev. Todd Weir, Mark Goggins. Also present, Peg Keller, staff. Call to Order: Chair Shaw called the meeting to order at 5:37 p.m. Mr. Abuza made a motion to approve last month's minutes are presented. Motion was seconded by Rev. Weir; the vote in favor was unanimous. All members introduced themselves and their affiliations. Announcements 1.) Peg noted that Amherst will have its first project to utilize their Tax Abatement Program. She will watch the progress of the Beacon Communities project proposed for N.Amherst on the former Cowl Lumberyard parcel. 2.) Peg asked Chair Shaw and Mr. Roy if a Housing Partnership presence at the Northampton Area Young Professionals Volunteer Fair was worth the effort. Chair Shaw said only a handful of folks asked about the NHP and all but one were not Northampton residents. Mr. Roy said there was value to being there in that it gives the NHP some public exposure. Affordable Housing Production Updates Peg gave updates on the following projects: 1.) Soldier On: has finished construction on two projects, a 44 unit permanent supportive housing development for older male Veterans/ limited equity homeownership units, just dedicated and opened in the last few months. The 16 unit development, just down the hill on the Leeds Campus from the other project, newly opened for women Veteran's and their children. Both projects being lauded nationally as innovative additions to the housing and support services continuum of care Soldier On has created regionally. 2.) Friends of the Homeless/Dial-Self: has completed the majority of their fundraising ($750,000) and are actively searching for a property to house 8-10 homeless youth. They 1 are in search of a building with individual rooms with private kitchens and baths, rather than a congregate setting with shared facilities. Dial-Self also has a youth street outreach program getting launched for Northampton and Amherst. 3.) 256 Pleasant Street/ Valley CDC LumberYard Project-still awaiting word on the DHCD funding round. Storm drain channel relocation costs will be included in a MassWorks application going in in early fall. Both pieces are needed to the project to move forward. 55 affordable housing units with first floor commercial. 4.) 155 Live/ formerly Northampton Lodging: all the funding has been secured and residents are being moved off-site. Demolition is scheduled for September. CDBG funds will be utilized for relocation costs. 70 units of housing; 48 affordable with first floor commercial. 5.) Laurel Street/ Burts Pit: Legislation has been moving through the budget session to transfer ownership of those two parcels to the City. The Housing Authority has not moved on them in years and has no interest in developing them. The NHA gave permission for them to be transferred. The City will embark on an RFP process to identify a new affordable housing developer once the legislation has passed. 6.) Glendale Road: Wayne Feiden has been securing funding sources to purchase a parcel of land near Glendale Rd. It is an old subdivision that never got built. CDBG funds will be used for acquisition and 4 house lots will be developed for affordable homeownership. 7.) Shaws Motel: The current development proposal is for 12 townhouse units to be constructed on the hotel site. The multi-family building on the corner will be rehabbed. The units will be market rate. 8.) St. John Cantius Church: The developer for the Church site is moving through the permitting process. The rectory and hall will be demolished but the sanctuary retained to accommodate high end senior housing. All the units will be market rate. 9.) Housing Rehabilitation Program: is getting under way with Pioneer Valley Planning Commission administering the program. The initial target population will be owner occupied income eligible single family homeowners. Code remediation, lead paint abatement will be the focus. Goal is to address work in 8-10 units annually. 2 Other Updates Zoning Sub-Committee: has not met and is in need of new members. There is still work to be done to respond to the Agora Zoning Analysis and develop a list of recommendations for eliminating barriers to affordable housing to pursue with the Planning Department. CDBG Program Year Peg reviewed the upcoming activities for the year beginning July 1, 2016 and running through June 30, 2017. Toint Housing Partnership Meetings Members agreed that the one we held with the Amherst Housing Committee in conjunction with Valley CDC was beneficial and should be followed up with another session in the fall. Annual Action Plan Task Update This will be reviewed at the next meeting. Welcome Home Refugee Resettlement Effort Peg is involved via the Mayor's Office with the Steering Committee for this effort to bring 51 refugees to Northampton. Catholic Charities asked Northampton to participate and a local committee has formed to guide the program. House parties to promote community education are underway. Housing, both temporary and permanent will be a challenging component of this work as well as employment. Adjourn/ after deciding on Sept. 12th as the next meeting date, the meeting was concluded at 7:07 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Peg Keller 3 NORTHAMPTON HOUSING PARTNERSHIP Minutes September 12, 2016 Members Present: Gordon Shaw, Chair; Jim Reis, Greta Hagen, Michael Roy, Mark Goggins, Rev. Todd Weir and Ali Brauner (appointment pending). Also present, Laura Baker, Valley CDC and Peg Keller, staff. Guest Presentation -Laura Baker , Valley CDC Laura Baker, Real Estate Project Manager for Valley CDC presented a project proposal they are working on. She said she is not here with a formal request, but wanted to inform the Partnership of their plans. Valley has owned a 15 room Single Room Occupancy building at 82 Bridge Street since 1990. They are proposing a complete renovation of the existing building and new construction of an addition which would add 13-17 new units. Highlights of her presentation included: •The building is historic, dating back to 1820. It also served as the original Jessie'sHouse homeless shelter in the 1980' s.■ Since Valley's purchase, the building has not received any major rehabilitation.Some of the rooms are very small, and the kitchen and bathrooms are shared.■ The rehab plan will convert the existing units to enhanced SRO' s with privatekitchens and baths.■ The project addresses stated goals in the Housing Needs Assessment andStrategic Housing plan by increasing units for singles and residents with specialneeds.■ The surrounding neighborhood can accommodate the increased density. Shaw'sMotel had 21 units, now gone.Chair Shaw asked about the current rent structure. She said the range is $400-700 per month. Mr. Reis asked about the total project cost. She responded that it breaks down to $200,000 per unit with a total project cost of approximately 5 million dollars. They are proposing mixed incomes for the tenant composition. There are 7 market rate units there now and 8 project based Section 8 subsidies. Mr. Reis asked about on-site management. She said there is none now, but this scale of redevelopment will permit creation of an office on site for part time management and provision of support services. Their plan is to apply to the Community Preservation Committee for funding in the first round of 2017. Mr. Roy asked about capital reserves for ongoing maintenance. She said the property has been refinanced in the past and funders require that capital reserve accounts are set 1 up. Currently, the $325 per unit set aside is inadequate. With this new undertaking, that amount will be increased. Members agreed that it was a little early to produce a letter of support for the CPC, so Ms. Baker will come back either in December or January and report on additional details as they become fleshed out. The Bridge Street SRO project will go in to DHCD in 2018 after the zoning permits and design work have been completed. She reported that Valley's other Northampton project, the LumberYard Project is dependent on the current MassWorks application now pending at the State. There may be another One Stop application next spring for that development. Ms. Baker was thanked for her attendance. Peg expressed enthusiasm for the project which not only improves the quality of the existing units, but introduces additional SRO units to the inventory in a prime downtown location. Peg told Partnership members they would also need to weigh in when Valley requests CDBG funding for the project as well. Minutes Mr. Reis made a motion to approve the minutes from the last meeting, seconded by Rev. Weir. The vote in favor was unanimous by those in attendance in July. Action Plan Tasks Chair Shaw said the tasks that can be accomplished by the Housing Partnership are due in large part to the commitment of the members. There is a higher degree of success when members identify a few tasks that can actually be completed. Mr. Reis circulated an outline he created depicting his thoughts on the current Action Plan. His essential points were: 1.) Separate Partnership responsibilities from staff responsibilities 2.) Develop more specifics to the goal statements and assign responsibility 3.) Explore the formation of Committees after goals are established. Peg reported that in a meeting she had with Chair Shaw, they identified Community Education (op-eds, workshops); Fair Housing, Zoning and CPC project renewal (Community Housing Support Services Project) & creation of new projects as the primary areas on which to focus in the upcoming year. It was agreed that Peg would flesh out each of these areas with specifics for presentation to members at the October meeting. Rev. Weir offered to write 2 op-ed pieces. Ms. Hagen asked that the 2 Community Housing Support Services Project information be sent, as well as the Impediments to Fair Housing Analysis. Misc. Updates CPC Allocations To follow up on a request from last month, Peg reported on the overall breakdown of CPC funding allocations per category over the entire program. Sarah La Valley provided the following: Historic Preservation $3,868,759 24% Affordable Housing $2,808,296 17.40% Open Space $4,845,345 30% Recreation $4L606J64 28.6% Total $16,128,564 100% The notation was made that the Committee has approved every housing request that has come before them. Therefore, the funding imbalance is due to not having more projects proposed. Tax Relief Incentives for Creation of Affordable Housing Mr. Reis asked about the Provincetown Tax Abatement program and if that was something we were no longer pursuing. Mr. Roy said there could be additional discussion and Peg said it should be added as a goal. The Amherst model will also be observed as the Beacon Communities project in N. Amherst moves forward. Northampton Nursing Home Zoning Peg reported on a meeting she had with Councilor Murphy/ realtor and Carolyn Misch (OPD) about the current zoning of the Northampton Nursing Home. He had come to an earlier NHP meeting positing that the current zoning was a barrier to reusing the property. After further discussion, it was determined that if and when an end user was identified, the zoning could be revised then. The two possible paths are changing the district from URB to URC to permit multi-family zoning, or to a designation that would allow office/industrial. Currently, skilled nursing, assisted living, treatment facility uses are allowed. Mr. Murphy said he would check with his agent to see if outreach had recently been done to companies that operate those types of businesses. To change the zoning in one direction or another at this juncture, could limit the pool of potential purchasers. 3 Fair Housing Work A Housing Partnership application to the Community Preservation Committee for funding a Fair Housing Plan update was discussed. Peg will delineate the tasks involved in putting forward a submission to the CPC in the first round of 2017. She will re-circulate the newly adopted Federal Fair Housing legislation that John Fisher of HAP presented to us last year. Mr. Roy asked for an update on the Northampton Refugee Resettlement Effort. Peg noted that she is on the Steering Committee and the Housing Work Group. Mr. Roy said he thought that is something the Housing Partnership should be involved in. Peg noted there will be an informational session to identify housing opportunities that the Partnership members could attend. Locating housing placements will be difficult, so any thoughts or participation is welcome (by Peg and the Steering Committee). (DATE has now been set for October 24th at 7:00 p.m.) Mr. Roy said he thinks more information needs to be disseminated to the public about the availability of homes for sale in Northampton for under $200,000. Peg responded that this would be a great op-ed topic to dispel the myth that Northampton is completely unaffordable. Adjourn/ There being no further business to discuss, the meeting concluded at 7:10 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Peg Keller 4 NORTHAMPTON HOUSING PARTNERSHIP Minutes November 7, 2016 Members Present: Gordon Shaw, Chair, Richard Abuza, Greta Hagen, Michael Roy, Rev. Todd Weir, Mark Goggins, Patrick Boughan. Also present, Peg Keller, staff. Call to Order: Chair Shaw called the meeting to order at 5:35 p.m. The minutes from the October meeting were approved as submitted. Review of Landlord Letter -Annual Census Peg distributed a copy of the letter that went out last year. It had invited landlords to a fair housing law workshop, thanked them for their contribution to offering housing opportunities in Northampton and listed helpful resources. Members reviewed it and made comments. Peg had reached out to Community Legal Aid and the Mass Fair Housing Center to get ideas on "hot topics" for this year's workshop (see below). Members agreed that a lawyer understanding landlord's issues and concerns might draw attendees to a session. If it was billed as "Tips for Safe Landlord Practices" and people could bring their own questions, it could be informative. Mr. Boughan suggested an actual "box" where questions could be submitted anonymously and answered on the spot. Chair Shaw offered to contact Attorney Jonathon Kane to see if he was willing/available. The resource list was tweaked. Jen Dieringer from Community Legal Aid suggested the following: •Buildings going smoke free •Domestic violence interfering with tenancies •RAFT and Community Action funds to pay off rental arrearages •Marijuana in light of outcome of Question 4 Meris Bergquist, Director of the Mass Fair Housing Center suggested the following: •Housing Rights of domestic violence victims•Communication/access laws for public housing providers •Discrimination based on lead paint •Tenant Rights regarding service animal rights Peg distributed a copy of the activities the Mass Fair Housing Center had undertaken in Northampton recently, which included one workshop, material distribution to 10 agencies and settlement of two discrimination cases involved Delap Real Estate. 1 Members agreed to include a direct invitation to a workshop (presenter and topics to be determined) and to send the letter under the Mayor's signature again this year. Action Plan Update Community Education Op-eds / Peg will circulate a copy of the most recent one the Partnership submitted to the Gazette. Rev. Weir will approach Jeff Good, the City Editor about doing a series. Topics suggested included: the challenge of preserving/creating affordable housing in an affluent community, lead paint abatement resources, the new housing rehab program and the upcoming landlord workshop. Landlord Support/ letter will be sent in the Annual Census, workshop held City Website -Mr. Boughan did contact the Mayor's Office about addihg content to the City site; the problem is the content needs to be created. Peg will help, Ms. Hagen offered to send Safe Passage resource lists that can be used immediately. Fair Housing Partnership agreed to submit a Community Preservation Committee application in January to update the Analysis of Impediments. Chair Shaw, Ms. Hagen, and Mr. Reis agreed to work on the application. Peg described the process, number of meetings, etc. Members discussed distributing fair housing information to the general public via the city's annual household census. Peg will ask the City Clerk if the NEF and COA are the only inserts allowed. Zoning Mr. Boughan and Mr. Reis will work with Peg on digesting the Agora Report and formatting a memo to the Planning Department/Board. Community Housing Support Services Project Renewal The Coordinator, Linda Driscoll-Sbar will attend the December Partnership meeting to update members on the project's progress. The plan is to submit the renewal in the August 2017 CPC round. Project Updates Affordable Housing Production Peg provided updates on Live 155 (formerly Northampton Lodging) which is currently being demolished, the LumberYard Project (256 Pleasant Street, the former Northampton Lumberyard property) which is awaiting word on a MassWorks application for the infrastructure improvements needed to move the project forward, 2 and the Friends of the Homeless, in partnership with Dial -Self, who are still in search of a building containing 8-10 individual apartments to house unaccompanied homeless youth. Housing Rehabilitation Program Peg reported that 4 applications are moving forward. There are no more in the pipeline, so additional outreach is needed. Mr. Reis did ascertain that the Get The Lead Out Program at the State level does have funding available, as does the Home Loan Modification Program. This information should be made available to potential housing rehab clients. 3 out of the 4 current applicant dwellings will require lead paint testing. Refugee Resettlement Effort Peg reported that several hundred residents have come forward for the Circles of Care, but no solid housing placements have been identified to date. The families are not expected until after the first of the year, but it is possible they could arrive at any time. Mass. Housing Partnership Housing Institute Report Mr. Roy attended this annual conference in June and noted the following: •Term "affordable housing" carries a stigma/ now using "work force" housing•Communities need to be pro-active in their approaches•Important to understand true community needs•Misnomer that increasing the number of students increases school costs•When overall population numbers decline, needs for housing units often increases -due to remaining population being composed of smaller households and singles•Data is needed to plan for future housing requirements•Impact of retirees leaving the work force•Seniors and millennial are looking for the same housing types and locations/ urban with amenities in diverse communities•Suburban growth has addressed demand; people want to be downtown now•One third of all working households have low to moderate incomes•Economic development impact / no housing = no job growth•Programs/ there are resources for seniors that reduce property taxes•CDBG funds are being used for rental subsidies•Communities are looking to re-use State owned lands for aff. Housing development•DHCD is allowing waivers from Title 5 Septic System regulations to permit some development in sensitive areas 3 •The IRS immigration information data base can yield information on net­ migration •"Stickiness Factor" names why people stay in communities: social environment, openness and inclusivity, aesthetics, rather than schools or cost factors •Data on tax comparisons was provided •Needham presentation on mixed use development was given •Power points are on the MHP website and Mr. Roy requested the one on taxesAdjourn There being no additional business to discuss, the meeting concluded at 7:05 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Peg Keller 4 NORTHAMPTON HOUSING PARTNERSHIP Minutes December 5, 2016 Members Present: Gordon Shaw, Chair, Richard Abuza, Mark Goggins, Ali Brauner, Patrick Boughan, Jim Reis, Greta Hagen, Michael Roy, Rev. Todd Weir. Guest, Laura Baker, Real Estate Project Manager/ Valley CDC; Linda Driscoll-Sbar, Center for Human Development CHSSP and Peg Keller, staff. Call to Order: Chair Shaw called the meeting to order at 5:35 p.m. Introductions were made to Ms. Baker. The minutes from the November meeting were approved as submitted. Valley CDC/ Request for Letter of Support Laura Baker was present to formally request a letter of support from the Partnership for VCDC's Community Preservation Act funding proposal. Their plan is to apply in January. She came before the NHP in September to present the proposal and said she would return to present more information and request a formal letter. She presented renderings of the site and planned addition. A summary of the project is as follows: •82 Bridge Street/ existing 15 room single room occupancy building owned byValley CDC since 1990/ building was constructed in 1820 and needs upgrading•Project plans are to rehab the existing building, install an elevator and constructan addition to accommodate 16 additional units, for a total of 31.•Valley is conducting environmental due diligence now. Plan to request $500,000from the CPC either under the affordable housing category or historicpreservation.Discussion followed. Mr. Roy asked if the abutters had been contacted and if historic review was required. Ms. Baker said she has contacted the property owners on either side and heard from neither, but she would continue to reach out. She noted that a comprehensive permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals will be required so all abutters will be notified as part of that process. She also has reached out to the Ward 3 Neighborhood Association. She stated that the property is not in a local historic district but she has been to the Historic Commission as it is next to the Historic Northampton properties and she will go back as the plans evolve. Mr. Reis asked about the targeted population for the affordable and market rate units. She said 25% will be set aside for homeless. The building is full and VCDC properties have a waiting list. The current tenants will need to be relocated for 6-12 months. The expected start date is fall of 2018, 1 which is when the Northampton Lodging tenants will be invited back to Pleasant Street. She said she has met with the tenants who are excited to see the planned improvements. Mr. Reis wondered if there is enough demand to fill these new units, in addition to the ones on Pleasant Street. She replied that the LumberYard units are 2 and 3 bedroom units which are for families and the Lodging project is creating 48 units where previously there were 58, so there is a net loss there. Additionally, the SRO inventory has continued to decrease, with the 21 lost units at Shaws Motel and the ones at Augies on Hawley St. Chair Shaw asked about subsidies. She said there are 8 Section 8 vouchers being utilized there now, and they will ask for more. All units will be affordable but not all will have subsidies. The "market rate" units will be approximately 600-650$ a month. Mr. Roy asked about on -site support services. She said those tenants that are Department of Mental Health case managed will have their own workers. They are hoping to have a Resident Services Coordinator that will make referrals to other resources but there would not be trainings or workshops on site. Linda Driscoll-Sbar added that services from the Center for Human Development's SRO Outreach Program would be available, as they are now. In answer to an inquiry about job training/ employment Ms. Baker replied that the SRO population is aging so there is not a strong need for those types of support services. HAP will be managing the Lumber Yard project, so it will either be HAP or Valley's current property manager overseeing this property. With regard to funding, Valley will also be looking to secure CDBG funding (which will involve a recommendation from the Partnership) and apply to the State for the remaining funds. Total project cost is expected to be around 6 million dollars. There were no further questions. Mr. Abuza made the following motion: "The Northampton Housing Partnership has long-reGGg-nized that single room occupancy units are a critical component in the housing inventory to serve formerly homeless and those with very low and low incomes and our community has a compelling need for housing of this type; it is for this reason the Housing Partnership wholeheartedly endorses this project to address that need". The motion was seconded by Mr. Boughan and the vote in favor was unanimous. Peg will get the support letter to Ms. Baker to accompany their CPC application. Community Housing Support Services Project Update Ms. Driscoll-Sbar was welcomed and introductions made. She distributed a handout of her program statistics to date and reviewed them. She said most referrals are coming directly from the Housing Authority Attorney and Meadowbrook. Out of a total caseload of 40 households, 16 are from the NHA and 15 from Meadowbrook. These are 2 all people in danger of being evicted due to non-payment issues. Discussion followed about the Partnership going back to the Community Preservation Committee next fall to get the funding renewed. Peg mentioned the need to identify additional funding sources for longevity and competitiveness. Chair Shaw noted the need to provide information about successes with resolving underlying housing stabilization issues, as opposed to just a stat on the number of evictions prevented. He quoted a recent Boston study that indicated two thirds of those being seen in Boston Housing Court facing eviction are households with rental subsidies. Discussion followed about the need for the longevity of the CHSSP for the value Linda has in staying in regular and long term contact with the families. Mr. Roy said he thought the Committee would want to see evidence of financial literacy training. Mr. Reis noted HAP used to do this work in Hampshire County and no longer does; they may have some funding available. Mr. Boughan noted that breaking down barriers and accessing resources is information the Partnership can disseminate and Ms. Brauner noted that compelling success stories, particularly from those with addiction issues once they are housed, are powerful. Peg will be in touch with the sub-committee willing to work on this and check in with the CHD Program Supervisors about identifying other funding sources. Linda was thanked for her attendance. Action Plan Update Community Education/ Landlord letter signed by the Mayor, going out in the annual census later this month was reviewed. Peg noted that Steve Connor, the City's Veterans Agent asked for a few minutes at the February session to ask landlords to consider housing homeless Veterans. Op-eds/ Rev. Weir confirmed the willingness of the Gazette to run a series. Topics were discussed. Ms. Hagen offered to create a first draft and circulate it. The focus will be context, where we are, description of need and how to get involved. Fair Housing/ Ms. Hagen, Mr. Reis and Chair Shaw will help Peg with the January CPC application to have the Impediments to Fair Housing Analysis updated. A meeting will be held. Peg will send out HUD' s plan requirements, the CPC application and the CPC schedule. Zoning/ a meeting will be held with Peg, Mr. Boughan and Mr. Reis to review the Agora report and draft the memo to the Planning Department. 3 Project Updates Affordable Housing Production •LumberYard Project/ The MassWorks application to fund Pleasant Street Infrastructure and the underground storm drain channel on the lumberyard parcel has been awarded! 2.5 million will be forthcoming. DHCD had said they would fund the housing portion of the project if the Mass Works award was secured, so that project should be moving forward.(!!!!!) •155 Live/ demolition has occurred, CDBG funds will start to be drawn for relocation expenses/ all seems to be on track.•Friends of the Homeless/ continuing their search for an 8-10 unit building to purchase for unaccompanied homeless youthHousing Rehab Program/ the initial 4 applications are moving forward; rehab scopes were circulated to give members a sense of work being undertaken Refugee Resettlement -no permanent housing units identified yet as Steering Committee assesses what the future may hold post Presidential election results Community Legal Aid Needs Assessment Sessions Chair Shaw described the community listening sessions being held to inform CLA' s work in the future. Peg will attend and asked members if they had anything they wanted her to relay relative to legal issues they have observed being experienced in the community. Adjourn/ The meeting concluded at 7:10 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Peg Keller Follow Up Tasks Person Completion Date Fair Housing Plan/ Peg to Gordon, Greta, Jim 12/6 done CPC application Send CPC application form, schedule, plan requirements from HUD Op Ed #1 Greta do draft, circulate By 12/28 to review 1/2/17 Zoning/ schedule meeting Peg to Patrick, Jim ? 82 Bridge St. Support Letter Peg 1/2/17 CHSSP funding ideas Peg to Yoshi, Jane/ CHD 12/7 done 4