Affordable Housing Trust - Regular Meeting

All right. So, it is uh 7:34 and I will call the uh February 12th, 2026 meeting of the Grafton Affordable Housing Trust to order. Uh we have a member on Zoom, so we'll do a quick roll call. Um Matt, I am present. Uh Dan here, Brian here, Nicole here, and Colleen here. Cool. All right. Uh we get All right. So, uh first thing on the agenda is uh public comment if we have a Well, you're you're here for So, I'm from the Griffin 1727 Upton.

Yes. Okay. Yeah. I I thought you look familiar. Okay. Uh yes. So, uh I think it's not on our agenda. Yeah. So, yeah. Coming up. So, I'll introduce myself. I'm uh Brendan Giblin, one of the sponsors and principles um and general partners. So, here to discuss I spoke with Fiona and both um attorney O'Donnell, I believe.

Yeah. um had kind of a fairly urgent request for three small modifications to the agreement. I'd say minor modifications, minor in nature, but major in in um in necessity. Um and they really have to do with kind of clear to close. So, just by way of a quick update, we're looking to close acquire the property and get started immediately. um trying to close this quarter sometime beginning middle but certainly before the end of March and in doing that we've assembled not only our final team I think the initial agreement is written to GSX um John Grant is still a partner but the overall ownership entity of general partners and limited partners has been changed so we just need to assign the agreement to the new ownership entity. Um, one other thing need to make the our request to make the term of the agreement kind of co-terminous with the loan agreement which is consistent with the construction for the the property. So I think that requires an extension and then the one other modification the agreement is specific to a um housing authority coordinator. I think it was referenced as Bell Partners and we work with a group um called MCO Housing Services. So they'll be our lottery agent for the affordable component. So the request came a little bit late to to make the notice. Um but in speaking with Fiona and maybe Fiona might be able to help me out. thought it just made sense at least to get in kind of present what the nature of the changes were and then whatever the the board is bound by as far as regulations, you know, might be able to to execute on those.

Uh yeah. So, um the uh so this not being on our agenda tonight, I don't think we could vote on it tonight, but we are meeting in uh March. Um actually, I think we need to uh talk about the date for that. Um Fiona's got her hand. Oh, yeah. Go ahead, Fiona. Thanks.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. So, I was going to recommend that um you know, Brendan wanted to just present this evening in full transparency, but perhaps given the time-sensitive nature of the request, the the trust could consider um doing a special meeting to uh evaluate the documentation and some of the changes and give Kathleen a chance to draft and then also give Brendan an opportunity to just talk a little bit um more about, you know, what the extension mention the final date and kind of how that the remaining um money will be spent and like the roll out of the project. Obviously, as as stated tonight correctly, um this isn't on the agenda and it can't be discussed or voted on or or anything at at length. So, um, if this, you know, considering, um, that this does need to move forward, um, faster than probably the March meeting would would allow, I would ask the trust to maybe consider scheduling a time to meet before the typical March meeting to address some of these more immediate

That makes sense. Modifications. Uh, Colleen, go ahead. Do we um through you, Mr. Sure. Fiona, do we have all this in writing to submit to Kathleen or just trying to be timesensitive? What how fast can we get something to Kathleen so we can potentially set up a meeting to make sure she has enough time? I think I I could prepare even like a red line to the document with the suggested or the necess, you know, necessary changes. Um, we could do that super quick. I could have that off to her tomorrow.

Um, all right. So, do we do we want to schedule something for like Thursday next week or do you think maybe is one week enough? Is that going to work? Yeah, maybe the 26. Yep, that would work. Yeah, I know you got we just want to check with Kathleen to see how much time she needs. That's what I was thinking too. I mean, probably not a lot, right? But um

m do through you, Mr. Chair. Kathleen is aware um have spoken to to Brendan and myself about this and is aware of the changes and doesn't have any major concerns about what's being proposed but just wants to have um you know we want to make sure we're doing everything correctly and posted accordingly etc. So, y yeah, ZBA's got meetings in the next two Thursdays. Um, and I know we usually prefer later, but if we were just going to do a meeting just for this, you know, if we considered like an all Zoom, I don't know if people had more flexibility for like a six o'clock or something like that. Um, that'd be great. Sold. Yeah. Um, or

if I have to miss it, I have to miss it. Um, would like a 5:30 Zoom work for people? Yep. I just have to do like a a pick kid pickup, you know, at uh 6:30. So 6 o'clock might cut it close for me. Sure. No, that's not going to work for me. But again, I don't need to be there. So if you can get four to commit, then go for it. Yeah. I mean, I can Thursday I can't do that time. All right. Um, Thursday I couldn't do that time either, but Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday next week, I could. Uh, I mean, Monday would work for me, but I want to Monday's holiday. Monday's a holiday. Oh, yeah. I mean,

or the the following Monday. Um, uh, the 23rd. Um, I wouldn't work for me. Um, if we go back to back back to next Thursday at 7:30, does that work for enough of us? Yep. Works for me. Yeah, works for you for them. That works for me. Okay. All right. Well, all right. Guess that that works. Uh, so the February the 19th, uh, 7:30 on Zoom, 6:30 before the ZBA meeting or 7:30? Well, 6:30 would be tight for Dan and it's more important that Dan's there than me. Um, I just want to make sure I was following.

So, so yeah, I think if if you guys want to do 7:30, but sounds good. All right, cool. Uh, so yeah, we'll uh just a single item agenda for that and uh Yeah, great. Well, thank you. I appreciate the flexibility and you know, thought it would be good to come when I wanted to introduce myself. We're excited to get the project going and also happy to answer any questions if anybody has any. We are excited for you to get going with the project, too. Been a lot of lot of wrangling, but yeah, we got there. Yeah, we're just about there. Yeah. Uh very exciting. Great. Anything else or?

Uh no. No. Great. Well, thanks again for your flexibility and appreciate you having me tonight. Thanks. Thanks so much. Thanks for coming in. All right. Uh and that is all the attendees. So, we're done with public comment. Uh all right. Next on the agenda, uh updates on uh 516 and 95 High Point Drive. Uh Fiona, you want to take it away?

Yes. So, I have been speaking to MHP um about the progress of the project and moving along. We do have a um a pre construction uh due diligence report that was done and added to the meeting materials. Um that is subject to um some some modifications and there's a couple of comments um that need uh that I had relayed to MHP. Um there was a um some language in there about not being on town water, which High Point subdivision, all those lots are, and a couple of other um specific procedural things we wanted to make sure were clarified in terms of um the requirements for the permitting and process. and just we just want to make sure that the report is reflecting accurately uh as as much as we can tell upfront so that developers who are responding to the eventual RFP will be well aware of of everything that's entailed. So this is the draft that we have. Um we did also receive concept plans um for uh three duplexes on um a duplex per lot. Uh I did push back a little bit about wetland delineation and some septic um specifics that I would have liked to see. They said that um it's probably not appropriate to delve that deep at this stage and it's probably not going to be an issue because it appears to be outside any um jurisdictional wetland areas. and that the analysis that was done for the soil testing that's in the report should be satisfactory enough that a developer can take that and run with it and do additional perk tests and follow up. Um they did tell me, sorry, just pulling up my notes here. They will be formalizing um the concept plans though with they did um you know

agree to go back to Bowler who's the engineer and just ask them to provide a little bit more specifics on potential location of the septic and visualize that in the concept plan so that it's it's just a little bit more um telling. So we're waiting for that information. Um I also but I did want to basically you know knowing that I did want to get the trust kind of initial feedback on the deliverables and just relay any additional comments from this evening to them so that we can do one you know another iteration of changes and then from there hopefully we'll be able to go and they can start drafting the RFP. MA um MHP has relayed to me that they'll be able to start working on the RFP once we get the once they have the green light for that and that we should be able to get an RFP out on the street by spring. So, you know, a lot of good work was done in there. just a couple of things that need to be updated and some of the procedural things that um I had been mentioning was just how the comp permit will need to be modified to accommodate duplex development on these lots because the original comp permit is for single family dwellings. So just, you know, being aware that it'll involve a modification process um and then a public hearing with the ZBA and some of those things which will will have um some additional costs that will be required in terms of you know what's typically required during hearings or peer review and such. So, um, so yeah, I think it's just it's right now it's just a matter of just, you know, getting any trust members additional feedback if there's anything that needs to be changed or updated or something that um we we should be evaluating further. Um, I'm I'm I'm going to uh compile all the comments and then um share them. So, let me know if there's any any thoughts or if you have any questions for me that I can clarify in this point.

Um, Mr. Chair, um, Fiona, just tagging on to, um, one of your your more recent comments, um, reading through and maybe I was just reading more into it than it was there. I got the impression that it was written up as expecting that this would need to be a new 40B application, but the way you just described it aligned with what I was expecting that it would be a modification of the existing comprehensive permit. Um, so is that one of the things that you're looking to them to to clarify in the in what they've got documented?

Yes. And I and Brian, you're right. I think I had incorrectly stated a few months ago that this might be a brand new 40B filing, but I think because of the existing comp permit and some of the conditions, etc. that are associated with that and waiverss that were granted and what have you, the modification route will be what needs to be pursued. But I am following up with the town's 40B council to confirm that um I have that correct and then I can correctly relay that information to MHP. Would a modification be with the simple majority or Yeah, all of our votes are are simple majority. Planning board has has some tighter requirements, but yeah.

Cool. Um, and then the only other thing kind of related to zoning was, um, I saw that there was a concern that one of the elements of relief that they they thought would need to be sought would be for building height, which kind of struck me as as a bit odd. Um. Mhm. Because, you know, with these duplexes, I'd be surprised if they needed to exceed our our typical zoning for um for residential, but I didn't know if you had any more color on what they were thinking heightwise. I don't Okay. I don't um I also thought that was

strange and I will flag that. I think the only other kind of administrative item I had reading through it was they had that the site is currently owned by Adams Road Company LLC and I think that's probably because there's a lag in the information getting updated through the assessor's office. Um, but I believe we have title to all three properties at this point. So that should probably reference either us or the town.

Correct. Okay, perfect. Thank you, Ryan. Good catch. Yeah, I think that they were looking a lot at some of the prior um documents that this has been obviously so so a lot of changes have been made over time and I think they were looking at the original comp permit.

Anybody else? Cool. All right. Uh, in that case, we can move on to the treasures report. Yeah. So, um, not a ton to update numbers wise. Um, I think I mentioned last meeting that we're probably going to be on about a full month plus lag. Um, close. Okay. Uh, I think Fiona, you mentioned that you had to hop off uh, at 8. Is that Yeah, I I can hang for um I can hang till late. Okay. So, do you want to have her go now? Yeah. Do you want to do town planner report now then? If you have anything else to report, I guess.

Yes. Yes, that would be great. Thank you for for accommodating that request. Um so, uh we are getting a lot of interest and the Fiserville site for the RFP that was um pushed out for the feasibility study. So been about 20 different firms that have requested the bid documents. We do have a mandatory sitewalk coming up um for on the 23rd. Uh so I would encourage members of the trust if you can attend and if we can get a quorum to po post that. It's in the middle of the day so it might be a little tough for people to make but just so you're aware um that is coming up. Um and then once the we have the mandatory sitewalk um there'll be a Q&A you know questions we'll compile questions from interested uh respondents and then issue a formal um response to those questions and then the committee will um once we receive all of the proposals which are due on um the 9th of March we will then meet internally the um review team and choose the preferred applicant based on the responses and how they meet the criteria the criteria um outlined in in the documents. Um and I I apologize I should have submitted that information into the um meeting materials for this evening, but they are posted on the town website under the bid posting page. Um if anybody is interested in that information and um if anyone wants to request it, I'm happy to provide. Colleen,

um, I can make the sitewalk if if that helps for posting purposes. Is that information going to be up on this town website, too? Like what time and everything like that? Yes. Yes, that's all on there. Yep. That's That's February 23rd. February 23rd at 10:30. Yeah. Okay. My birthday. Oh, happy birthday. Woo. Sidewalk at Fisherville. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. we're and and we're really like it's a lot of really qualified and great folks that are asking for this information and we're just extremely excited about it. So, um looking forward to to what's to come. Um in addition to that, I don't have anything too pressing other than kind of what has been covered. Um I haven't spoken to um anybody at 25 Worcester Street, but I think that was to be expected based on the last update. So nothing um nothing on that front. Um no um no kind of like major projects that have uh coming online that um have that been formalized in any way. But I'll um that would be pending, you know, planning board review. So nothing too much, but I'm happy to answer any um questions that anybody has for me specifically about anything that's going on in the planning department. All right. Any sounds good. Well, thanks Fiona.

No problem. Thank you all very much. Thanks for accommodating the my schedule. Appreciate it. Thanks Fiona. All right. So, treasur support.

Yeah. So, um so I saying we're going to be working on kind of a full month plus lag or so with the the numbers. Um Mary's asked that um I ping her around the the third full week of the month to get data through the prior full month. So I'll be pinging her in about a week or so for for January numbers. Um the only update to what we had previously seen for December was the um the investment income number got finalized. Um and so um Amber has posted to the website on the the financial reporting um I think that's what it's called. uh the financial reports um tab of our web page. Um I kind of cut up in PDFs um various fiscal years. I think the first three or so fiscal years that we had there was minimal activity. So those were all chunked together. And then after that it'll be fiscal year by fiscal year um uploaded to the site. And as we work through the year, um, we can keep updating the the current year, um, to to tack on additional months and replace what's there with the the current, um, as we go through. So, that's all up on the website. The one main um item that I wanted to to get some feedback on and and potentially take a vote on is that we um I forgot to to push or or ask for a vote um at the last meeting where the draft reports to CPC. So the the grant agreement that was entered into last year with CPC calls for semiannual reporting. Um, so I've drafted um a report for the first 6 months of the year, which um is only administrative costs. Um as well as one that would cover the full year for um for fiscal 25. Um I don't know. So I think we should at least um vote to send

over, you know, with any feedback anybody might have the report for covering the first half of this year. Um the report for 25 I think you know it's available if if they would like it but um it obviously would be far you know it's it's very late um so it's past all of their reporting windows and things like that so I don't know if they might prefer to to not get it um since that you know book is already closed from their perspective. Um but I said we should at least send over the the report for the first half of 26. Um, and then like I said, it's only administrative expenses because the first um, GSX payment we had for this year wasn't voted on until till January. So that'll get captured in the second half of the year. So that was it.

Cool. And the the forms are a little clunky. Um, it's an MHP forum and I reached out to actually Shelley who was the one of the reps from MHP that was at the the forum. Um, because it seemed like she was um one of the authors uh because it's it's protected so you can't really do a whole lot with it other than fill it out. Um, and so the one for the half of the year it the standard form has two projects. You can't shorten it to one. So, right now it's got the administrative cost as project one and the project two is blank. Um, because you can't really edit the form. Um, and she do more, I guess.

Yeah, she didn't want to release the the permissions to to be able to edit the form, which I could I can appreciate. Um, you know, it's got their name all over it and stuff like that. So, um, you know, I fig worst case scenario, if we only have one project, we just leave the second one blank. If we ever have more than two, then we just submit multiple forms. So, All right. Um, just a quick one. Can you talk about the first six months? Where are you starting from? So, first six months of the fiscal year. So, July through December. When he emailed about I was confused, too. But yeah, it's it's the talking fiscal year. So, we're halfway through a little over halfway through the fiscal year now.

Like the beginning of July. Yeah. Okay. Got it. All right. All right. Makes sense. I mean, it doesn't, but whole fiscal year concept, but that's what we have to do. So, yeah. Uh yeah. So, uh, you're recommended that we take a vote tonight on the, uh, that first half of the current fiscal year and maybe on the previous fiscal year.

Yeah, I think you obviously um, not that she's our representative, but Colleen happens to wear both hats. Um, Colleen, if you'd like to to let Ken know that this, you know, the report exists for 25 and and ask him if he would if he or the the CPC would would like it. Yeah, I think we're more than happy to send it over, but um I don't want to cause more headaches by giving them something on a on a period that's already closed from from their perspective. Oh, I'm sure he would love it. Fair enough.

That was going to be my impression, too. So, that makes sense. So, I I can open it up to if anybody has any more discussion. I'll I'll move um that the trust uh vote to approve and transmit to the CPC um the um uh the affordable housing trust CPC reporting uh for both um full fiscal 2025 as well as the first half of fiscal year 2026. Second.

All right, motion and a second. Uh any further discussion? The only um other item that I'll point out um if we're sending over 25, I did make find a small error. Um I had done the report for 26 first and there was a um a blurb at the it actually goes on to the top of the second page um in 25 where it talks about the total project costs. And so that one we had um there are some admin expenses under that first project for 25 that um were borne by the um WCPA funds for at least as far as our allocation goes. Um until we met our 10% cap and then the rest of the admin expenses were paid by other trust funds. um the in the version of the reports that's in the packet um it that blurb just has the language carried over from the 26 report. So I've updated that to have the total project cost be um uh $17,70045 which is just the total of what was paid out from um CPA funds for admin expenses and what the the trust kicked in from other funds. Um, that's the only edit I've made to either of these from what's in the packet.

Cool. That's the That's the version we'll be sending over to CPC is the updated edited version. Yes. Awesome. All right. Any uh further discussion? All right. Hearing none, we'll uh vote by roll call. Matt. Matt. I Dan I. Brian I. Nicole I. Colleen, great. And thank you, Brian. No problem, Brian. All right. Motion carries. So, uh, any other treasures report items?

No. So, I'll send uh Colleen, do you think I should send them to um to Ken and John or the whole CPC? Okay. And I'll I'll copy. So, I would I would maybe even just have Amber send it to Beth and John and then that way, you know, if if Amber's okay with that. Sure. Sure. Okay. I'll send you the updated forms. Cool. And uh select my report.

Uh I don't have much except um just the three documents that I had talked about in uh my last update were actually executed on the town side. So I think the modified grant agreement that uh Brendan talked about tonight is the last thing that we need to uh convey the property, which is great. So, we're in good shape. Cool. All righty. Uh, and that brings us to adjourning. Uh, oh, do I just declare declare us a journ? Is that how we do it here? All right. I uh declare the uh meeting adjourned.