Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board of Trustees - Regular Meeting

So, welcome everyone. Today is Wednesday, March 19th, and it is 6:00 p.m. and we have an early start to this evening's affordable housing trust meeting. Um, we do have a quorum this evening with um Bartlett, Sue, Matthew, Maryanne, and myself. And um we do have a couple of items that um Amy is here to um or one item to to brief us on from Amy. And then we will have um town administrator Dugen um talking with us um about a project and then right after that I'm going to put Bartlett's items in so that he can scoot off to the CPC meeting. So, if I get off that trail, let me know and we'll come back. Um, all right. So, our first action item on our agenda is for the homeowner mini grants. And Amy, as I understand, we have no applications at this moment, but they are in process. Yes. Um I was mentioning earlier that sort of to update everybody as there's at least four active um households that are in the process of working on their application. I've been in communication with them. Um three of which most recently today um just trying to get updates from them to see where they're at in the process. Um one of the applicants had to go back to the contractors to get some revised quotes because the the initial quote came in a little too high for him. um he wouldn't be able to afford the remaining amount um after the help of the program. So um a little bit of a setback for him, but we'll we're getting there. So I I hope that by the next time we meet, he will I'll have a couple for you to review. Great. Great. Looking forward to that. Um and then for the second um item on

the agenda, which is strategy 4.4 around um LRAP applications. Yes. So, we do have a new LRAP applicant. This will be LRAP 38. Um, this is a household size of two. They're in a two-bedroom apartment. Um, their rent is 2,000 a month. The household income annually 75,920 monthly is 6,327 gross. Um so they are the one of the individuals was unemployed for a very long amount of time and has recently gained part-time employment. Um averaging around 20 to 25 um hours a week. So um she's hoping to be full-time soon, but at at this point that's where they're at. So, they're hoping for um help through the LRAP to um allow them a little bit of relief and and be able to get caught up um with some other bills that they're behind on um and maintain their their rent payments. Um they come in just under 60% AMI um with that being their income. They are exploring all public benefits and assistance that they're eligible for. Um so, that's this household. This was a nice one actually cuz the landlord was the one that came to me about them. Um, which is a new scenario for me. Uh, it was nice to have a landlord care. She's been working with them as much as she can and helping them as much as she can. So, it was it was great to have her come to me about the program um for this household. Okay. Thank you for that information. Um, I wanted to welcome Mark and Angus as well to um to the meeting this evening. So with that said, um thank you Amy and any discussion on this or questions?

Yeah, one question is is the thought that when the part-time person gets a full-time job that that they won't need the LRAP anymore. I believe that's their hope. Okay. minutes. So, what's the duration that we're proposing, Amy? It would be for uh they would be coming on for a year. Um I'd be maintaining communication with them. I move we accept LRAP number 38. I'll second that. All right. moved and seconded um by Sue and Bartlett. Can I ask a question before we do this for Amy? We talked about lining them all up so they expire at the same time. So, should it be for a year or should it be for 15 months? Uh so, oh, good point, Mark. Um I actually can provide an update on that. I actually just sent out the reertification applications to our current participants um for if they wish to renew for the next year. So, um they have a deadline to get their applications into me for the 30th to renew for the coming year. Um if they don't get it into me by the 30th, then they they run the risk of having an interruption in payments um until they can get their application and supporting documents into me. Um this was explained to them in a letter and sent with their applications. I also followed up with an email to all of them today just reminding them to watch for it. It should have already been received. So our our current um applicants or participants in the program will have received their reertifications for the upcoming year. But yes, you're right. So this would put this this applicant would become LREP 38 would be coming in and staying on until June of 20 26.

Yes. 26. Yep. So it's a 15-month program, not a 12. So for this one, yes, I wouldn't make them resubmit in a month or two. So, with that added information, um um let's go ahead and and vote then. Uh Bartlett Bartlett, yes. Sue to Yes. Matthew. Matthew's yes. Maryanne, yes. Mark, yes. And Angus, yes. and Anna is a yes. All right. Well, we hope that um all goes well with LRAP number 38 and um that they're able to get the employment they're seeking. Thank you. And I hope to be back uh with some grant applications in a couple weeks. Okay, that sounds great. Thank you so much for um for all this work, Amy. Have a good one. No problem. Anytime. Thank you. Thank you. So, I have a um agenda question for you. Um Mr. Dugan and Jenny Merrill are both here for a discussion. Do you want them now or were you um Yes. I think Bartlett you have until 7. Is that correct? Yep, I do. Yeah. So, let's do Doug Doug now. Okay. So, promote them to panelists. Looks like it's working now. Evening all. Hi. Good evening. Hi. Um Jim and Jenny. Thank you so much for being here tonight um as part of our affordable housing trust meeting. Um I

know that um you know some of our folks um but I wanted to have everybody just introduce themselves and and share where their appointment is from. Um Bartlett Bartlett Harvey um I'm not sure where my appointment is from. It might be the housing authority but I don't remember or this community preservation committee. Maryanne, Maryannne here, appointed by the select board. Um, Mark, you know, Matthew, you know, uh, Sue, uh, Sumander, I'm the COA rep. And Angus, uh, yes, I'm, uh, Angus. I'm appointed, uh, by the select board, uh, member of the community. Thank you. All right. So, um this evening, um we have um some information that um our town administrator would like to share with us. And so, I yield the floor. Thank you very much, Madam Chair, and thank you for the opportunity to uh to speak to speak to all of you on the agenda. um the uh the issue before you in uh making it uh as simplified as as possible. We are uh having discussions with various boards and commissions and uh we are we would be requesting um support through the affordable housing trust to uh to declare the property surplus. Here we have at 37 shadic street on here. So uh we are doing that at this at this at this juncture in this timing uh because of when it is due to become developed uh for the deeply affordable senior uh rental housing. When I say deeply affordable you're all

very familiar with the AMIs and this would be eligible for 30 to 60% AMI. 70% of the units would be declared that uh for Littleton uh residents would be eligible for it. Uh which would bring it to approximately 28 uh 28 of the 40 units. Um but any any any development of this parcel uh to the magnitude of 40 units and a minimum of 40 units would require uh lowincome housing tax credits. And uh in order to do that would be a a process that would be in place to uh move that forward. But right now before you and because that process is lengthy at uh right now it is uh normally a couple years uh in the process to be able to from beginning to end. there's a number of different things uh to get in the queue but uh unfortunately we have learned that uh it's 18 months behind so that two years now has pushed out to three and a half and potentially longer. uh we feel to be able to help uh the goal of the creation of the senior affordable housing. Uh we would uh like to be more aggressive on on the schedule and the very first thing that has to occur is the property needs to be declared surplus. And the one last thing that I will say and any questions is um the main uh issue for any developer submitting for lowincome housing tax credits uh would require site control. So uh it would be easier through our uh process that uh the town has declared it surplus uh at the very at the very

initial uh opportunity that we can do that and that is this town meeting. All right. Um so this is um up for discussion and so please if you have any questions, comments, now is the time to raise them. Um yeah, Mr. Dugen, if we vote to support making the Shadic Street building surplus, um what does that do in terms of um or what happens what happens when you get when you find somebody who's willing to to be the developer and to do that that long process of getting tax credits? Um that's that's a long time. Um, and that person has to have a a purchase and sale agreement at that point to to apply for tax credits. They have to have control of the property and what and I can I can defer to uh uh uh to attorney Merrill or uh or Tamarin in regards to the actual specifics, but site control and I would assume that it would whether if it's not even a purchase of sale, whether it's actual transaction, I'm not sure. Yeah, it is our understanding they probably need to own the property at that point. Um, but we're set, you know, without getting into sort of the nitty-gritty of exactly how the process we envision will roll out. Um the first step in all of this is to give the select board the authority to actually embark on um the sale of 37 Shadic Street for this purpose. Uh which

would then you know proceed to an RFP that they would put out laying out the terms of which the you know the agree the development agreement and the sale would you know occur. Um, so we're looking at lots of possibilities there for, you know, what we would do with town hall while we're waiting for those um for the funding to come in for them to actually break ground and whatnot. Um, but step one very baby baby step is just getting town meeting to authorize the select board to to get going. So how does how does vacating the town office building work in this scenario? When do when do the officers have to go someplace else? It it would be at a point that uh uh they have uh secured funding through the low-inccome housing tax credit. So there will be a partnership throughout the process and in having that communication and we will know well in advance uh when we would have to plan accordingly. But at this point right now we are looking at we would be we would continue to stay here and upon conveyance we would obviously negotiate uh uh you know to be able to stay here at a at a it would be my goal at a very deep discount discounted rate uh to stay here in the meantime so we could be here for three and a half four years continue to stay. So this vote of ours is just to allow the select board to consider selling that the building of declaring it surplus to be declaring it surplus so that it's continue to the next steps. That's it, sir. All right. Is this is the select board going to work with the other boards in town to uh you know are the other boards you know

affordable housing's planning are those boards going to be involved in the um request for proposal and other steps? Um I the the the select board is uh I will I'll ac to the to the chairman and and the clerk that are uh that are here and uh we will have uh a process in place of um uh different areas of involvement from different uh input from different committees and uh across the board. I can't imagine we wouldn't, especially the affordable housing trust, uh, because that would be a main partnership in the success of securing those housing tax credits when when when that time comes. Um, Maryanne, yeah, just a comment, you know, on as an affordable housing trust, right? I struggle with how we would say no to this, right? I think our our goal is to maximize the affordable housing in Littleton, right? And what we've heard from, you know, Mass Housing Partnership is that these projects, you know, beyond the 3 years, they they can take six to seven years, right? When it when you look at all the steps that are required for permitting, for the tax credits, and then just the construction project. So, you know, for me, the the sooner the better. Um, you know, I did listen to some of the planning board meeting and I think the only um additional comment I'd make is that I wouldn't want this instead of other affordable housing, right? Hopefully this is incremental to other planned affordable housing that's happening in Littleton, but I would um I would support um bring this to town meeting. So So Angus, I know you have your hand up, but I could I respond to those two those two points very quickly.

Sure. Go ahead. So to your first point, um I am also in favor of this, but I think the reason why we wouldn't do it is there isn't yet a clear path to getting the town offices someplace else. And that that hasn't yet, you know, we haven't seen a plan. It it's a long we're a long way away from seeing a plan. I think there has to be space studies and all sorts of um considerations and bids and money allocated. So, um you know, I would the only the reservation that I have is getting into a position where we put ourselves in, we don't have a town hall and we're renting from S, let's say, um indefinitely and we can't find a way to pay for it, especially the Shaker Lane coming. Um, and that's that's a really fair point, Matthew. And I guess I was um maybe making too much of an assumption that there are other folks that are looking at that aspect of it, right? No, I think that will happen. Like Jim has said, that will happen. It just hasn't happened yet and it's just it's too early. To your second point, I do believe and Maren, I think you would know. I think this is replacing some of the affordable units that S was planning to build in phase 1 at 550 King Street. it is this replacing some or is this in addition to the the 10% that he was already committed to? So the planning board's approval for 550 King Street, the 804 units includes uh the requirement for 40 uh deeply affordable senior units and allows for them to be either on-site or offsite. in addition to 80 units of of regular 60% AMI affordable and that's part of the 81 units of affordable that are

required. Okay. So this 40 would count towards that 81 if if that developer ends up Yeah. Yes. Okay. So, it would in fact replace 40 of the units that S would otherwise put at 550 King Street. Well, we'll end up with 81 either way, but but it it wouldn't be we wouldn't be in addition to the 81 units that S is committed to. Well, if Sal is is doing this, there's another issue, which is that he's required once he crosses 30% of the total units of the 800, he's required to have 10% of the units on at 550 King Street is my understanding. So there's there's um um an issue with you know what happens in the first two phases. If if the town hall project takes eight years then we're you know probably talking phase three or four or five with with cell and the housing trust is not going to wait until phase five to get the right number of units. Well, the zoning enforcement is not going to wait to to, you know, to get the proper number of units, but um I believe the town is looking for the option of doing having the deeply affordable senior units here at this site um somewhere in the first few phases of this development. [Music] One of the things that um so now planning board hat on one of the things

that um was put into the decision last June was that the senior units are expected to be completed no later than phase 3. The sentence in the decision reads, "Senior affordable units will be constructed no later than phase three, which is 2027 to 2029." So any change to that planning board decision would need to be go back to the planning board for consideration. Right. So I would like to go back to Angus. He has had his hand up patiently. Thank you, Anna. So um my question derives from some of the knowledge I gained from the ARHT meeting last uh Tuesday I believe it was. uh most of what we do here derives from the CPC and uh we were uh admonished to make sure that we carry them along and I'm just wondering how um getting into this affects our finances and how um um we incorporate it into the role of the CPC in whatever it is we do so that um we're not uh breaching anything and uh we are also servicing all our other needs. So that right. So the current request is not a funding request. It's a vote um to whether or not the trust supports a town meeting article coming up at Maytown meeting. Um should there be a funding request um in the future um for from the affordable housing trust um you would take that up at at that time um and consider just those very questions. Okay, thank you. Supported if I so uh I'm sorry just to add on to what Anna

was saying I or Maren was saying um my understanding is there will be a request from the affordable housing trust in sometime in the future right to help um breeze the grease the skids if you will of the of the tax credits and that that process. Um but we don't know what that request is at this time to say whether we would support that going forward. Yeah. Um and I would suggest that we have that conversation when the time comes. Um but also consider that the town's action of making this parcel available um for redevelopment that might just be enough for the LITC um application process for HLC to see that the town does have quote skin in the game um to move this uh that part of the development forward. All right. Uh Sue, um thank you. I have watched the select board meeting and the and the planning committee uh planning board meeting and this meeting and I am totally frustrated that every single board that Jim comes to to talk about just asking for a support of an article at town meeting gets into the weeds. Every single board has gone off the rails for their not their own. I don't mean it selfishly. I I mean they they go into whatifs, what ifs, what ifs, what abouts, yahab butts. And I I have gotten very frustrated at those watching those meetings and I'm frustrated now, too. All Jim wants, all they're asking for is a support at a town meeting article to

declare the building at 37 Shadic Street surplus so then the process can start. There's nothing else tied into the process at this point. Yes, hopefully there's an RFP that that covers lots of things. Hopefully, we will be involved with the with the RFP, but that isn't what the question is and that isn't what he's asking for now. Thank you. So Sue, I would like to make a comment about your comment and that is that um similar to Maryanne, I feel um conflicted in that being the chair of the affordable housing trust. Absolutely. I would say let's go for this because that is the role of the affordable housing trust is to create housing for Little Tonians and and others in need. wearing my other hat from the planning board and I will share my my my concern right is that um you know once this property is um surplus then then it is no longer in the hands of the town residents it is in the hands of um the select board to make decisions about its um about its future. So, as the chair of the affordable housing trust, I do support this and I would want us to be able to try to try to affect this change. So, I did want to ask if um Jenny, I I believe you were the one who at the planning board meeting drew the process for everybody so that we could we could understand um you know, starting with the surplusing of of the property and then the RFP. A lot of folks haven't necessarily gone through that whole process before, but if you could just quickly share that for

us, that would be really helpful. Sure. I mean uh so under chapter 30B which is the uniform procurement act um the select board who is in the care custody and control of the of the town hall cannot issue an RFP to dispose of it until it is duly authorized. And so who authorizes them is town meeting. Um so then the next step would be for them to actually develop an RFP with which outlines the you know the parameters under which they are willing to dispose of it. Um and they'll set forth criteria um to um to examine the proposals and decide which one is most advantageous and then they'll pick that. And then I I anticipate what we would probably end up with here is a um purchase and sale and develop land development agreement which is a little more complicated than just a straight purchase and sale. But because there is a specific public purpose that the town would like um the developer to use this for, we need to make sure that they've committed to using the building in that way. Um but that you know in a nutshell that's the process. Okay. Great. Thank you, Madam Chair. If I can just um I'm sorry if no one else has their hand up. I just just want to just uh quickly comment on something that in terms of the timing that yourself and uh Mr. Harvey um had expressed by by by the by the schedule um when we when we when we learned internally that the the process for the lowincome housing tax credits has been even delayed even further which that would jeopardize the project for being

outside of those of those deadlines that you had uh that you had discussed. And we want to make sure that this project or this need for the community does not get into the rearview mirror and then so far back in the rearview mirror that it it it just becomes something that uh uh we would um not have a um have a have a good control over. So we just want to basically control our destiny for the for the need and do this now. But thank you. All right. Do we have any other questions um right now that can be addressed? Because we have our two subject matter experts here, three with Maren. All right. So, um, would you like to, uh, make the request and then we can see if there's a motion for this? Um, I respectfully request that the affordable housing trust uh uh support, you know, through a vote of the of the affordable housing trust support the uh the surplusing of the of the of the property at 37 Shadic Street for deeply senior affordable rental housing. I move that we accept Jim's request for support. Angus.

All right. So, we have a motion um brought forward um um with Sue and then with Angus as a second. Any further discussion? All right. Um with that, let's go ahead and and take a vote on this motion. Um, Bartlett. Bartlett. Yes. Mark. Mark's. Yes. Angus. Yes. Matthew. Matthews. Yes. Maryanne. Oh, you're muted. Sorry. Maryanne is yes. Sue. Sue is yes. And Anna is a yes. Standing. Thank you so very very much everybody. Thank you very very very much. Appreciate this. And then um real quick before you leave I just wanted to mention that we are slated to come before the select board to provide an update and we cannot do it as we had previously planned members on next Monday the 24th. They have a very busy agenda. So would folks be available on Monday April 7th? I will be available [Music] then. I think I'm going to be there anyway. So, yeah, I may be available. We'll be coming home from Maryland that day. So, okay. Depending on traffic, I can make I'm sorry, Maryann, what did you say? I can be there. You can be there. Okay. I just wanted to make sure that a majority of our members would be able to be

there. And so, thank you very much, um, Jim and Jenny for being here. And I'll make that arrangement with Lisa, so we'll switch that over. Thank you all. Have a nice evening. Good evening. Thanks, John. Okay. So, now Bartlett, [Music] um, let's go ahead and get your items up. So, it's item E on the agenda, status of funding request to the community preservation committee for LRAP. Um, I've made a presentation to the committee and the way I remember it, they voted to approve the um what was it? $106,000, which was the 120 that we thought um less the 14,000 that was left over. So, I think that is in the works. It's going to happen. All right. And I recall there was I I had heard some comment about installments. Um did it pertain to this? No, there there was no discussion of installments. Um um well there was um there was a little discussion of installments. Um it's not really it depends. It it depends on um basically it depends on on um community preservation cash flow that since we don't need all of it at once, they thought that they might have to at some point um put it make the the payments in installments because it would just help their cash flow. Okay. But we don't have to be concerned about that. That that's not going to happen. I don't think so. know I'll ask them tonight.

All right. Well, good to know and thank you so much for that work with CPC. Barla, just for clarification, even if they made it in installments, it doesn't affect us anyway because we're voting town meeting would be voting the whole amount. We're just never see our bank balance go up and then down, right? Okay. Thank you. Um so then the other item for us to talk about is around Derky farmhouse. So let's um let's talk about the two different items. The first one is to discuss our p our public outreach. Um Laura had mentioned it um and so I wanted to get everybody's input so that we could be sure to discuss that with Laura at the next meeting. but at the same time wondering when is the appropriate time to start to bring in uh members of the community um to have the discussion about what we'd like to do there. Um is it at our next meeting which is on April 2nd um or is it at some other point? So what are your thoughts? When are we planning on issuing the R approving and issuing the RFP? So I think she was going Laura's from MHP is planning to bring us the first draft on April 2nd. And so I was thinking that that might be a good opportunity for anybody who's interested to get in on on that ground floor to to hear the discussion and to ask questions so that if there are uh pertinent uh comments that we can go ahead and adjust accordingly.

I'll jump in. Um looking forward a little bit. Um, we would want to make sure that when if and when there are responses to the RFP that include any pictures or designs um that we at that point u make sure that we share those widely um because um in my experience uh it's very difficult for us to understand what a development will look like until we have a schematic or um sketch plans of what basically what what it could look like. So, no, go ahead. Sorry. I I was just um wanted to clarify. So, you were suggesting potentially inviting a broader um audience to participate with Laura in the next meeting, right? Or to be in the audience and then if they have questions to raise them at that time. Okay. And I think early is good, right? to get more exposure. But I I just feel like people coming in cold, like not knowing anything, might be difficult for them to to kind of follow the the nuances that we'll go through with the RFP. Um maybe just some or plan for some background in addition to just going through the RFP if possible if if that's the plan. So, and if I I remember correctly, this April 2nd meeting, we were only discussing the RFP. That is correct. So, maybe we should post it as a public hearing so that it'll get if you want to do this as a more of a public forum, post it as a public hearing and then it'll get more notice, right? And then and then the public can feel that they have more of a right to talk. Yep. Okay.

So, I would suggest that since there's no statutory framework for the affordable housing trust to hold a public hearing that you format it more like to a public workshop and you're seeking input um something wording to that effect um on on the agenda. All right. Thank you. Okay, so I have a question. So for anybody who asks the the question about um the status of their their comments, there is nothing else that we have to take to town meeting for this project, right? Um the trust has the ability to um once you declare the Derky farm surplus, the property surplus, then you can the the trust has the ability to hold property and sell by um without further town meeting vote required. It's the way the um town adopted um the legis local legislation for affordable housing trust. Okay. All right. So, and and uh that was just for for clarity in case anybody were to ask, you know, when is this coming to town meeting? If we were to declare it surplus, there is no further need for it to go to town meeting. Okay. And then looking forward again, I would suggest that any permitting process for approval of whatever development comes forward is likely either planning board public hearing or zoning board of appeals public hearing depending on the

process that a developer would choose. So there at once there is a solid proposal um public would be invited to that meeting um through the written notice and and newspaper publication. Okay, great. Thank you. And so I think that makes sense if we make it a public workshop. Is everybody good with that? Okay. All right. And then in terms of of promotion, um Barllet and I were were just chatting about it a little bit and and we were thinking about putting something in the town newsletter, but I at this point I don't recall when the deadline is for that. Probably if you said if you get it in in the next couple days, you can get it in. Okay. And then And then for purposes of um getting the word out uh something in um action unlimited that comes to a lot of people's mailboxes. So I think we could run I mean if if they'll do it I would like to I think running it in action unlimited is a good idea. Okay. So, um, Barllet, um, if you and I want to work on something quick to put together, we can there. Okay. Can do that. Barllet, did you go and measure the distance between the house and the barn? No, I have not done that yet. So, that was information to get back to Laura, right?

Yeah. Okay. All right. So, I make sure about that. All right. So, I can get that distance. I'll measure that tomorrow. Thank you. And then actually the house and the barn are both shown on the sketch plan from um Ted Ducet. Yeah. Okay. So can double check it with that I guess. Okay. Yeah, that would be a good check. If you're still going to go out there, that would be a good check. I think you just want to get out in the sunshine and the ticks, right? No, there's none of those here. Um, of course not. So, any other places that folks can think of that when we create something of information that we would want to get it out to folks? Give it to LCTV, of course. LCTV, social media. We don't really have a official town like presence on social media. Um, we could post it on the town website. So, Anna, if you and Bartlett have the flyer, the information for Monday, you know, Matthew or I can read it at the select board meeting during our members updates, too. Okay, great. Thank you. Okay. Great. Well, so we've gone through the discussion of um where we are in the process for for

Derky that we are working with um Mass Housing Partnership, MHP, um to be able to um draft an RFP. And so one of the requests that MHP made last time was to make sure that we had a vote to make the Derky property available for disposition. And so I've asked Mr. Harvey to uh address that and make that motion. Yeah. Basically, it's the same argument that Mr. Dugen made that um that declaring it surplus isn't the first step to um allowing it to be sold. it it doesn't mean that it's going to be sold right this minute, but it just if we put it in the RFP or in other documentation that um it's surplus, then people will know that they, you know, biders will know that they just have to that they're going to they are they will be able to to purchase the property. So, I um will make a motion that we vote, this committee vote to declare that the Derky uh farm property is surplus at 26. Yes. So, just a point of clarification cuz um when we talked with MHP before, it sounded like we were going to have to subdivide it. Do we have to have a motion for the entire property or for the two pieces? Well, I I think subdividing it is is a complicated process that is going to involve, you know, much more surveying and engineering and that it's it may not be necessary. So I would um suggest that we not include that that we just say here the property as is and we'll you

know allow for you know some kind of subdivision if necessary but that could be in the in the RFP. I agree. So, I I'm just what I got out of that MHP meeting was subdivision was going to be required because because it was going to be virtually impossible to redevelop the existing house as affordable housing because of the cost and that we because we bought the house using CPC funds, it we either could sell it or we had to make it affordable. We couldn't sell it as a market rate unit. So we would have to or we couldn't redevelop it as a marketing rate. So we would have to subdivide. Is that not what other people heard? That's not what I heard. I heard that that was the economic argument, but not that we were required to do anything at this point. I think that's a that's a developer um issue and problem. I heard that that was the likely outcome. I think that um she didn't want to tell us what to do. I think she wanted to guide us to the answer instead of being direct. But I got the sense that that's what she expected the outcome would be. I think I think my impression was she said essentially if you don't do this, you won't get anyone to bid on it. Yeah. So to go back to what Bartlett said, what this does is it surpluses the property and then it is in our authority to be able to separate or do anything else that that is necessary to move the project forward. So Mark, were you suggesting we need to be more explicit about that? I didn't know if we needed to in the to have a

motion to for this potential subdivision. Yes. Or if we could say we're surplusing the entire property and then we can choose to do different things with different pieces of the property. Bartlett, are you frozen? I can't tell. Yeah. No, I'm I'm not I'm just thinking but I mean my my thought is that we if we declare it surplus then that does not in any way limit our action um with whatever we do next whether it's unload the whole thing or or split it up and um into into different parts. I think that um just just declaring it surplus means that um other people, you know, can submit proposals, but it means we can't declare it surplus for the purposes of building affordable housing because we're not potentially building affordable housing on the entire property. If you if you don't mind, I'll jump in. Um, so the use of the parcel um to support affordable housing is what the trust has to do, especially now that um you use CPC funds uh to purchase the property. That doesn't change whether you declare it surplus or not. That doesn't change when you com declare it surplus. So I I'm back to if the house can't be affordable, what state are we in? If we've declared the entire property to be surplus for the purpose of affordable

housing now, does that mean that that house has to be affordable housing? I've always into the state. I thought since we I thought we could sell No, I don't think that's true because I think we can sell that property and then take the proceeds and use that for affordable housing. But if we declare that the property is surplus for the purposes affordable housing, then we would have to re resend that basically to make the house not affordable anymore to sell it for a market rate house. Yep. And I think that's a very good point that any vote that the trust takes, it has the uh ability to re vote at a future date if it turns out to you turn out to need a different vote. It's a simple um action by the committee. Doesn't need to go to town meeting. Um it would get you started down the road. Marin, you're saying if we vote to make the whole thing for surplus tonight, we can go back at some future time and subdivide it and say this part is split off and not necessarily affordable. Um, and we can reach out to town council and ask if you would need to go back reach back to this vote and and resend this vote and revote it with different words. Okay. All right. So, can we just So, can we make the motion just to declare it surplus and not surplus for affordable housing? and then we're fine because we could still even if it's surplus we can issue an RFP for affordable housing but we're not necessarily required to versus if it's poor affordable housing we've restricted ourselves and we have to go revote and remember to do it or

well Mark I don't I don't understand um why you think that it all has to be affordable when we my understanding when we bought the place um was that it was for affordable housing and that there was no allowance for half of it to be market. So why why is our declaring it surplus different from when we actually bought it? because we can sell it or market rate and take the proceeds and use it for what I'm hearing from the discussion is not that Mark has an issue with declaring it surplus but declaring it surplus for the purpose of affordable housing. Okay. Well, I'm perfectly happy to just declare it. Well, so I Okay, so then I'm going to jump in and say the intended purpose of that property from when it was donated was for affordable housing. So if we deviate from that, I do have concerns that it could go astray and then what? So I think it's clearer if we declare it such and then if we do need to go back and change the motion later we can do that. I think it's a safer route rather than leaving it openended. Or you do have additional time if you would like us to circle back with town council. We certainly have the time and we could add this to another agenda sometime before the RFP is issued and we could also get more insight from Laura when we talk to her as well. You know, when she comes back with the RFP is I like Mark, I thought that she was

strongly guiding us in the direction of subdividing and selling the house with proceeds to go to affordable housing. Right. The issue with subdividing the property is you don't want to set the lot line until you have the development proposal. So it's can the design can be an iterative process. Um yeah I saw it as being further down the road that were to happen. Yeah. We do have a question from Angus. Go ahead Angus. Uh yes, I I'm trying to understand uh Mark's stance here. Uh correct me if I'm wrong. Uh it is one that will divide the property and then use proceeds to uh build affordable housing. Now um how excuse me, how um uh are we intending to proceed with the division? Is it divi dividing the lot into two equal halves or uh a certain uh proportion of the lots or is it dividing the house or the barn? And my my assumption is that we're sub taking the house and moving it into its own parcel and then taking more or less the rest of the land as something that we would build affordable apartments on. Okay. Okay, that makes sense. Um, now now it's possible that the barn goes with the house, but I'm assuming that they're far enough apart and it doesn't have to for any zoning or other regulation, but assuming for the moment it's just the house is one parcel and then everything else is the rest. I I think that this is a reasonable compromise to generate funds and develop that property because it looks like it's going to be very expensive with all the things that have been going on with it since it was bought.

Mr. Harvey, you had a motion started. We didn't have a chance to get that approved. So, would you like to restate the motion? Yeah. Make a motion that we declare the property surplus. I second. Okay. So, surplus, not surplus or affordable housing. Well, I'm not I'm not really sure what how much that's going to tie us down. I mean, maybe maybe I I'm I No, if that's going to if that's going to screw us up, I think we should get a get a get town council to look at it and tell us what we should do. Okay. I think we should delay it. I'll withdraw my motion and withdraw it until we can talk to town council. Okay. So, how would you like that done? Would you like um to have a conversation with town council and Maren? How how would you like to do that? Um yeah, that would be fine. I um is that something you want to do offline with Marin then? Sure. Okay. Everybody good with that? I'm good with that. If you want me there, Bartlett, I can participate to to voice my concerns. So, if you want to do it without me, that's fine, too. No, I think your voice is useful and well informed. So, I'll see if I can invite you. We'll go with one of those two. Yeah, sounds good. Lauren, that sound good? Yep. Thank you. Thank you all. All right. And Mr. Harvey, so anything

else before you head out for the evening? Um, no. I think I'm I'm done. and I will we'll we'll talk about um writing that u information about Derky for the publications. Sounds good. All right. All right. Enjoy your CPC meeting. Thank you. All right, everyone. So, we just got done with item F on our agenda. I'm going to um quickly go back to item D, strategy 5.3. So, we have our meeting with the select board now on Monday, April 7th, and items were sent to you that included one page for update draft, the table of where we are on the different financials, which so I'd like to open up for any questions or comments on the um documents and whether anything needs to be changed in advance of that meeting on April 7 So, and I haven't sat through one of these meetings before. Typically, what level of detail um will we go to in front of the select board? Because it it seems like a lot. I imagine we'll just hit the highlights. Yes, exactly. So this is for the um what I would say is

that the three documents, the financials, the spreadsheet or the table and then the two-pager would all go into the select board packet. And then when we go to speak, I wanted to ask if there would be three there's four different goals. If each of the members who attended wanted to take one and speak about that for about a minute, I think that would be good. That's what what I would propose. If you have other thoughts, please let me know. So all in all, it would be about a you know 5 to 6 minute presentation discussion and then or excuse me presentation and then we can move on to any Q&A. I think it's a good approach. Mark and Matthew, since you guys are the ones that usually hear these, um, what are your thoughts? Is this the format that that you like to see things presented? Honestly, it's kind of all over the map when people bring things to us, but um I'm sure this will be this is this is Yes, this is fine. It's brief. Yeah, that's mostly what I'm after. Yeah. Thanks. As long as Matthew gets out by 8:00, he's happy. My bedtime. Uh but I agree that putting the financials and things in the packet and then having a few slides to talk to the goals would be a very reasonable approach. Okay. You actually want slides. I don't care if they're slides,

but Okay. Yeah. Good. All right. So, um of the goals, there's goal one, two, four, and five. Does anybody feel like you want to get up and and speak to one of those goals? I hate to commit to anyone cuz I'm not sure that I can be there. So, if if I'm going to be there, I wouldn't mind speaking to goal four, which is supporting the affordable housing programs, LRAP and the small rent program. Okay, that sounds great. And Matthew and Mark, it's it's, you know, um, up to you guys if you want to speak to this or if you just want to be be on the listening side. I don't have any desire. I don't have any strong desire to present. Okay. So then if nobody else is um up for for uh taking on a goal, I'll talk with Bartlett and I'll ask him to take one and then I will take the remaining two and we will try to make this um brief and be as efficient with our time as we can. Sound good? I was going to nominate Bartlett to do two of them. So if you're willing to take Yeah, even better. Bartlett can do two and I can do one. It's not my fault that he left early. Uh one you you would do number one. I'll just give me something to do and I'll do it. Okay. Any specific number? All righty. So Angus, I will have you take on

one after I talk with Bartlett if he has any preference and I'll be in touch. Sound good? Sure. Okay. Thank you. All right. So, now we're on to the uh strategy 2.4. Mark, where are we on our negotiations um with 119 to road? So, uh it's a slow process, but I believe um we have resolved all of the comments between Habitat and Town Council. Um they um I think um Anna shared the latest documents recently and I think we're ready to uh sign the contract. So, um I will confirm with uh town council that everything's set to go and that we can sign um and that Habitat's ready to sign, but my understanding is that we should be good to go. Um there has been I don't think there have been any substantial changes since the last time the trust reviewed them and they basically gave me negotiating and signing authority. though. I think probably Anna, you probably actually have to sign it being the chair. All right. Yep. So, I will confirm with uh town council and Habitat that we're ready to go and hopefully we can sign this and get the get it moving. So, sounds good. Thank you so much, Mark. Appreciate your time on that. Okay. So, I think that is our action plan

items. Um, moving into board business, um, do any of our trustees have an update that you would like to share about affordable housing? Uh, yes. Uh, I, uh, would like to give a report on the, um, ARHC meeting on the 3 of this month. I believe we uh Littleton was well represented. I think uh Lucia there Marianne Mark and Miss Melinda. Uh so it was a the the the the talk from uh Shelley Goring which we all who we all know and uh she talked about um she talked about quite a lot of things but uh you know the things that um uh stood up for me was that uh the trusts uh should all have uh clear goals and guidelines. Um we should be adept at uh project monitoring and reporting. Um we should ensure uh collaboration with the CPC so that community needs and reports are uh being reported to them and to always include the CPC in any dealings that we have regarding housing needs. And um she mentioned that this was important because it helps smooth out um uh operations and difficulties with the CPC because most CPCs do not like to pay um for administrative costs and such. And so when they see what we're doing, it makes things easier for them. So um those is those are the main things I

got out of that. But it was a good talk. Good. I don't know if any members have uh something else to report on that. Well, it sounds like it was um informative. So, that's great. Always want to be learning something new. And thank you so much for sharing your report, Angus. All right. So, anybody else? Sue. Um, I echo what um Angus just said. I felt it was a very good meeting and and um I felt good about us um afterwards because most of the things that were mentioned um we're doing. So, I did feel that it was it was good. And I do have one thing to announce which really has nothing to do with affordable housing. But as a representative of COA, I will announce that we are having a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new center at Shadic Street on May 16th at 1:00 and everyone is invited. There will be the regular ceremony and then afterwards food and music and tours of the building. And the building is absolutely gorgeous. It's very exciting. That's great to hear. All right. Um I'll just the planning board uh will be I believe after town meeting sometime, right? Uh they're going to be taking up the accessory drilling unit bylaw revisions. So the affordable housing should probably be paying attention to what's going on there.

uh the state changed the regulations and the rules um so we have to update that. So uh we should pay attention and weigh in. Thank you, Mark. All right. So, um Bartlett and I will work to um get something into the newsletter um about Derky. And if there is anything else that you think we should try to squeeze in there, let me know. Is there anything else that we should be talking about? Mention the grants again. [Music] Thank you. And then our minutes um from February 18th need to be approved. Um I don't yet have the minutes from our last meeting in March, but we do have the ones from February 18th. Did folks have a chance to take a look at those? Right. Any comments, questions? If not. Do we have a motion for that? I move we approve the minutes for February 18th. Second. So um Sue made the motion to approve. Maryanne seconded. And um so all those in favor of approving the February 18th, 2025 minutes, Sue. Yes. Maryanne. Yes, Matthew. Mark. Yes, Angus. Abstain. Ah, yes. Understandable. Okay. And Ann

is a yes. So, we have 1 2 3 4 5. Yes. When abstain. And we're good to go there. Um, we have our next meeting on April 2nd. It is April 2nd, isn't it? Did you say second of 15? No, the next meeting. So, Angus, um I I know that you missed a couple meetings. Um we as a as a um group decided that to keep advancing the Derky property project that we would try to meet as often as we could. And so when Laura from MHP was with us last, we scheduled another meeting with her on Wednesday, April 2nd. And that meeting would be only to discuss the Derky project. And so that meeting will be on Wednesday, April 2nd at 6:30 p.m. So then we would still need a regularly scheduled meeting to discuss other business. And it's typically the third Tuesday of the month, which in this case is early. It would be on Tuesday, February 15. April. April. Sorry, April. I'm looking right at it and I say February. Um, yes. Tuesday, April 15th. Works for me. Okay. Yay. And you don't have a work meeting that night. So, thank you for um confirming that then on April 15. And is there any other business that

we should address this evening? If not, we've got an early early let out so everybody enjoy their evening. Um a motion to adjurnn. Second. All right, everyone say I. I. Thanks everyone for your time. Thank you. Thank you.