Housing Authority - Regular Meeting

Hi. I'm gonna start the meeting. If if everyone's able to stand and not sit.

For all.

So the first order of business is the board of commissioners reorganization. We have an election. And I'd like to welcome Sarah Person to the board. So we need a vote.

We need to

vote for chair.

I would like to nominate the chairman of the chair.

I second. Okay. I know I'm supposed to say something.

Yeah. Any other? I second.

Not hearing none.

All in favor.

All in

favor? I

think it has to be by name.

Oh, by name vote. Oh, by roll call? Yeah. Okay.

Make a motion for Thomas Leishman.

I'll make a motion for Second. Tom White. Second.

Do Harris, second. Great. Any further motions for Leishman? Hearing none all. He goes by voice vote. I forgot. Sarah?

Sarah Pearson. I.

Tom. Tom White. I. Maureen.

Maureen Nicholson. I.

And the chair votes. Yeah. So she naps. And then for for treasurer, do you wanna remain this treasurer in my home?

Yes. You bet. Sure. I'm with okay. Sure. Yes. Alright. Second question

from our can I a motion a motion from our end of the treasurer?

Second. Anyone else wish to be nominated for treasurer? Didn't think so. With that, Sarah? Sarah Pearson, I. Tom. Tom, white, I. Maureen.

Maureen. I.

And share both sides. She knows. Thank you very much, everybody.

Thank you.

That's our reorganization phase. I should note that we do wanna thank Nancy for her years of service on this board, and we appreciate all the work that she did. So thank you to Nancy. Mhmm. Next up is public comment. Does anyone wish to comment on anything not on tonight's agenda? Thank you, everybody.

The the board needs to vote on the 10 tower appointed board member requirement in favor.

Well, I thought we'd do that one and get to doing business.

Oh, yeah.

Okay. Yeah. No. I have that one. That's correct. Minutes. Chair, I understand a motion to approve the minutes of two eighteen.

So moved.

Do I hear a second? Sorry. Any discussion? Hearing none, all those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Abstain? It's unanimous. Thank you. I don't have anything currently for chair updates, so I'll move to the financials.

So we have we are presenting January and February financials. Know. Several check registers as well. We've been very busy. Of course, it's two months' worth with that.

You've got your MHA investment totals February and March. And we had one rent adjustment for April.

What does that residential down? There are is it up, down?

It was prorated. Yeah. It was prorated that amount that you see there. The $55, the last one. Yeah. If someone doesn't move in to Frost, that would be.

Any questions at all about the financials? Just so everyone knows and and establishes for you more than anything, all the checks that are derived in financials, most of the checks are signed by Julie, but then to be signed by one of the three of us. So

You are the treasurer on put on the bank.

Oh, yeah. Yeah. So the two of us are on the bank account. Yep. But yeah. No. I think this guy had it before, but he was treasurer. So so you come over Morgan and I come over and sign.

So should would I be out

of the others? Or should No. It's just that we just use the two. That's You don't have to show up in the bank. You don't have to change the signing, which is makes our life easier. Yeah. So we physically have to go to the bank and do all that kind of stuff. Any questions about the financials? Then I'll move on to the executive directors report.

Okay. We currently have no we have no vacant at any of our sites. Resulting or no? None. No vacant. Yep.

That's good.

Section eight, we had a reduction of four vouchers in one month in April. Brings us down to a 140 lease vouchers. Is that because of the reduction in the We lost lost two passed, and two came off the program. Oh. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. It's just unusual for us to lose that many vouchers in one month. Okay. So it was kind of yeah.

It was a lot. So the White House released its f y twenty seven budget and has a 12.7 reduction. Recommendations include language for work requirements for people ages 18 to 62 with some exclusions and a five year term limit for certain households. Additional budget language prohibits agencies from issuing new vouchers. That's the one that's difficult.

I did receive an email from Massanaro. I wrote back to him letting him know how unhappy we are that we are not able to lease these available 17 vouchers. He asked for us to fill out a survey. And I did that. And he said, you can also, you know, message me if you'd like. So I did. I took the opportunity to let him know. And I think that that's a lot of us. When I went to the conference, there was ED in the room for the the HUD meeting that we went to. And he he's got a large program.

So he's looking at, like, a reduction of a 100 vouchers. And it's a lot of people that could be being helped, but as things are right now, they're reducing our programs.

So the reduction of the four that you lost through natural attrition, those can't

be leased, we're under shortfall. I do have a bit of an update on shortfall. So I had a meeting with HUD of DC on March 10, and it looks looks like we are at the end of shortfall. I haven't received any official notification. They tell us to continue to run the program conservatively, and our housing housing assistance payments have dropped significantly due to less vouchers.

So it all kind of makes sense. So our HAP is affordable. We've been given out increases increases individually as they come off. We look at them individually and, you know, make a decision. We work with the landlords that are requesting them, and it's worked out really well for us. So so that's kind of a good thing.

The section eight changes that go into effect in this budget, would they go into effect September 1 when the federal budget goes into effect?

I would I would say so.

Okay. And so my assumption is and I don't know, but the the your term limits, the prohibit prohibitions work requirements probably mirror what they've done with SNAP and Medicaid, Medicare, which are recent pieces pieces that they've put they've established similar pieces in place in all those

other Okay. You're in that training model. Yeah. Work requirements. Oh. Okay. Yeah. I see.

So it's a in some cases, for different people, it'll be a multiple win because it will be the same pieces that they have for section eight fall into their SNAP requirements and will fall into the med well

Yeah.

Depending on the depending on the age, it's it's probably more MassHealth than

Yeah.

Medicaid and Medicare. Yeah. But this the same requirements will have to go into place Mhmm. Based on what the feds are doing.

Yeah. A lot of changes coming our way for

sure. Yeah.

And when you said a 12.7 reduction, you mean percent? Or Percent. Okay.

Yeah. Yeah. Let's see. That's section eight. The twenty twenty six budget was approved on March 10.

Mass housing received notification regarding Riverview. Our housing assistance payment subsidy is going up $94 per month per unit, and that brings it to $2,058 effective May 1. Had our unpublished year EOHLC's performance management review. It was a perfect desk audit with one exception. Only one board member completed the training. As of all as of right now, all members need to complete the training.

Got it.

So it's up for it needs to be done. And it is every two years, so I wasn't sure if I would wait until I need to do it? Yes. Because yours is two years ago.

Yep. So

That's what effort? No. No.

Alright.

Send you folks the the NARO past president scholarship competition info via email. Yep. Yep. I so I did attended the spring conference. One thing that stuck out to me was the comment that Congress needs to be educated on housing programs. So that was one thing that that was one of my takeaways from that the sessions that I went to. There's a lot more, obviously, but just kinda wanted to mention that. 40b affordable housing update. 12 Station Street. I'm waiting for the final final approval on the marketing plan.

I think we're right at the end for a final approval to begin the lottery process. One bedrooms are $19.57, and the two bedroom rents will be $21.71. And then folks will have to pay the utilities as well. Found two more eligible applicants for Lex Court. There are six units remaining, and I did get an update from the property manager that they are under construction.

So it'll be it'll be some a few months after the next building is ready for occupancy. The two and three bedroom rental units at Middleborough Station Street will fit into our section eight payment standards. The two and three bedrooms, not the ones. So the two bedroom rent is $23.45 at Middleborough Station Street for an affordable I believe they already had that lottery. And then the three bedroom rents, $26.00 5, will fit into our payment standards. So that opens up more opportunity for our participants for sure.

Next up is the maintenance report.

You have the maintenance reports for the months of February and March. We are getting to a very long to do list, which is good. As I said, we just leased up a unit not long ago, so of course we are expecting

Any questions about the maintenance report? And then I will move to old business. First up, there's capital projects up there.

So the Article heat pumps met with the contractors and HLC construction advisor on April 6, and we expect that project to be complete somewhere around mid May. They're on the last building now. They're going back to, you know, they cut the holes in the walls, so they're going back to mud and put the sheetrock up and, you know, fix whatever needs to be completed there. And then what we'll do is we'll have our meeting there, and we will all review a punch list of items that need to be completed before they leave the project. From Riverview, we had one bid on the HVAC and generator project.

It was not signed, which means it's automatically rejected. And just to to let you know, it did come in a $100,000, a $105,000 over what we put it out for. How come there's only

one bid?

There were six bids for subs. So the lead on this project is the electrician, and then the subs are the HVAC. And so the there were six sub bids. And then just the one the woman called me and said, hey, what's going on? And I said, well, you didn't sign it. And so it was really, I guess, kind of an office error type thing. So she was not happy with herself that she didn't sign it. And so so it'll be going back out to bid soon.

I think I read it. Right?

Oh, definitely. Yeah. Yeah. Definitely. But like I said, it was a 105,000 over what we put it out for.

So that was kind of alarming number. Let's see. Met with the architect and the civil engineer to finalize the design and scope of our maintenance storage shed, the additional parking spaces, and the dedicated stair open relocation. The engineer just filed the notice of intent with the town for the May 7 meeting. On that, we're still waiting for the town tour project, Still waiting to hear from town on a date that they're gonna be doing that work.

So we're not gonna be able to do anything until that. Until we know more when will happen, then we can kind of plan to go forward with our process of you know, I was hoping it would be before, you know, winter set in, but we we don't have any control

projects? Any other old business? No. Then I'm gonna move on to new business. First up is the town appointed tenant board member waiver.

EOHLC requires it's all online, so there's nothing on paper I'm gonna can show you. But we have to submit a waiver because we no longer have a tentative board

member. Okay.

And we have to do

it annually.

Yeah.

So annually, there'll be a a board vote put on the agenda, and then and then I will fill up the waiver, send that in in their portal.

So can I have a motion to approve the waiver so we can have discussion?

I'll make a

motion to approve the waiver.

Do I have a second? Sir? So for the purpose of the discussion, the state has in the past defined how can maintain that piece of a board member. My assumption is this is all before I came on the board. The town didn't make changes because at the time, we had two board members serve.

What is supposed to happen is one of the members' seats are supposed to be up to the selectmen to have to appoint a board member to make sure that the board members appoint. So I started that discussion with the old town manager, and we will continue to that discussion to make that change, to make it make sense. In the meantime, we will put in for the waiver. I I have to look at who's up next and have conversations about how that plays out of the election process because, again, this piece is supposed to be appointed for people to apply and how that's done. But, ultimately, it will be a select and appointed piece for the to allow it.

I've that's the way it's supposed to be set up. So Julie and I will work with the town to move to that piece, but this is just to allow us to submit the process for the time being. Any

say that I don't believe either one of the members that were tenants actually I think they both I may be mistaken. They both said they didn't want to be because they didn't want to cause So so I don't believe we've had officially a tenant member that wanted that position. They happen to be members that were tenants, but they didn't want to be the AE representatives.

Right. Memory serves. It's just how the it's just how the language sets up. We have to do

the waiver.

Right. And so we're gonna make sure that that changes so that it affects and goes forward with the way it's supposed to go through the process. So we'll have those conversations with the town and figure out how to do that piece.

Sounds good.

Any other discussion? Hearing none, all those in favor, say aye.

Aye. Aye.

Opposed? The only thing I'll say too is since we don't have a board member who's a tenant, what I'm what I wanna do is to be able to set some times here to meet with tenants. So if tenants want outside of the scope of the meeting, they're more than happy to. So I will set some, lack of better terms, office time for people to come, and I would encourage other members to do that if they want. We just can't do that as a so we'll work that out amongst ourselves, but I would just wanna make sure tenants are heard. Please.

What do you mean by tenants? What do do mean mean by by the the tenant thing?

So the first thing I've met her who's a tenant, and that tenant can be a member of any of our housing units or in programs associated with Middleborough housing. So if they were section eight, if they were involved in any of those programs, they're supposed to be board representation. So we're gonna move to do that. What Send a notice to every single What?

We have to send notice to every tenant.

Yeah. So what'll happen is we're gonna work with the town to change the parameters to make sure that that's we can come into compliance. It hasn't been set up because of the way election was. And like I said, it was probably not set up that way because previously, tenants were members based on election. Mhmm. So we're gonna change that.

I've heard

of that.

Yeah. Yeah. They they instituted that several years ago so that every board should have a tenant board member representative. Mhmm. Just just made sense, you know, that someone on the board.

It's one of us would be a tenant, but we don't have a tenant on the board now. It's a state

So you're saying then that instead of people the two previous people were done during the election just like anybody else. And so that would no longer be the process. That position or positions would be appointed by the select board and not go through public election?

Well, so yes. And so the reason I say it that way is this. There would be a piece that would be selected selected by by the the selectman that would have to be a tenant. Okay? But that does not mean a tenant could run for a position outside of that. So they do have that opportunity. In theory, the housing board can be completely made up of tenants if if they were all elected and one was appointed. This is to ensure one is appointed. We're over and make the corrections to make sure that they're all set. Mister chair? Yes. In my

tenure before and after my return, I have yet to know somebody that wanted the position, unfortunately. But hopefully, that'll change.

Well, but I would say this, though, you know, part of what when that position is set up correctly in the way, then we will broadcast it to all the tenants and let them know how they would apply for that position and what they would do. And then, hopefully, someone will come forward. If no one comes forward, that position would be open and continue until we find someone.

I actually have a question. But does that happen when a board member leaves, or would they add another board member?

I don't believe they've had a board member because that that

Would make sense.

If this is the discussion we have to have with Taproot. Okay. Problem is the TAP sort of strayed away from even numbers on board member on boards.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

And it really got into odd for a variety of reasons. Yeah. I will say this, though. I was on a school committee for a long time with six members. Didn't really have any problems with that particular piece. So it could potentially happen. And so that's the conversation we'll have to have with the town side and and figure out from there.

And, mister chair Yeah. That being said, and I thank everybody here, but from the tenants that are not here that may be watching, we're totally accessible. And even though if you're not on the board as a tenant member, please, if you have an issue, reach out to us, please.

All all members' emails are on our website. Right.

And like I said, the other piece we'll try to do is set up office hours here for to meet with people if people wanna meet outside.

Here? Or would you go to Namaskan also?

Oh, I think it's open to whatever works for people. Oh, okay. That's my own personal opinion.

I don't know that this is specifically related to that. But for example, here at Riverview, we've had difficulty reinstating having just a tenants association. And so for one, is

that a

requirement? Okay. It's not a requirement that we have a tenants association. However, that means when we did have one, we, as your board operates, we had officers and we paid dues and we money that then was able to be utilized for specific Riverview facility things that were not part of housing housing authority authority required required infrastructure and things of that sort. And so that's all kind of come to a standstill.

And I'm not exactly sure, are there any guidelines or any protocol for how to perhaps make that get that conversation going again and somehow get that association happening.

Yeah. Five people come up and knock on the door, and I'll come right down and talk to all of you. Yeah. You just need the folks that are willing to volunteer their time. Only part. Safe in a basket. It's the same thing. I know. Yeah. Yeah. Post COVID. Yeah. A lot a lot of this is happening, I'm told. Folks stayed home, didn't want to be out in public for obvious reasons, and things kind of fell apart.

So I would say that there are there will be more opportunities for tennis to come involved, and we hope they

do. So

I think that if if you do post make make office hours, so to speak, available and you do post that, I think that is really a very, very positive step to make the

board Accessible.

Accessible, not seem like such a big official you know, you do all that official roles, but not make that process seem so distant and And

it's just so we're all just members of the community volunteering. We're here to help.

So Yep.

I I don't know how to say it any clearer. Please, if if somebody's got an issue, we may not be able to solve it, but we can listen and try. So

Well, I appreciate it. I think that will go a long way.

Thank you. And just for everybody, after the meeting's over, if people wanna talk a little about that afterwards, I'm more than happy to talk about what days make sense for everybody and try to work that out and work that out in the schedule.

A reminder that day to day operations, folks need to come to the office

Yeah.

For those types of things

instead of the board. That's no problem. But, yeah, we'll we'll set that up and work it and go from there and see what what makes sense for everybody to have different pieces of it. Okay? Thank you, everybody. Any other questions or comments about that? Then I'll move on to the auction court change order.

There is a change order for $6,457.09 And what they discovered is they have to install new pipe hangers down in the basements. The existing piping, it's resting resting on other piping, and so it became a problem. They identified it. The engineers have reviewed it, and this is the his work is in this change order and what they have to do in the cost.

Do we have to move on on the to change change order? Order? Yes. Motion to accept the change order for Archer Court.

So moved.

Do I have a second? Second. Any discussion? Hearing none, all those in favor, say aye. Aye. Opposed? She nays. Payment in lieu of taxes.

Yep. This is the pilot every year that we pay to the town. This year, it's been calculated at $1,861 and 6¢.

Can I have a motion to approve that pilot to protect?

So moved.

Do I have a second? Anyone has on your new business? With that, I'll look at our next meeting. Our next meeting would be the twentieth. It does not matter to me, but I will not be here the twentieth. I'm out of town. So my question is, do people want it earlier? Or, Tom, do you wanna run

the meeting? I I have no problem running the meeting.

I'm fine with whatever is easier for the rest of you. The I have

Scooby. The thirteenth, I have counsel. We both have counsel on

the agenda. Okay. Got it. So Well, I would just keep it the twentieth then. Okay.

Everyone gets to buy that. So next meeting will be the twentieth. Anything else before I move to adjourn? Yep. Yes, ma'am.

What what She has some

interest you.

Yeah. No. No. That's me. Go ahead.

Why? No.

You go for me. That's all.

Oh, well, because it came from her.

I understand.

I knew parking lot. We were waiting for the spring. Did that still come?

It is. 80% of the state projects are stuck in the design phase because they have had a hiring freeze, and folks left or retired. Oh, okay.

So they're we're Yes. It really hasn't

been It's still in the design phase. I'm hoping,

you know, it'll move

forward. Forward, but isn't that the engineers filing the motion? No. That's right here.

Oh, that's right here. Oh, you're talking the mask. The mask. Sorry.

Okay. Not a problem. So everything's on hold because of when we went to the conference and had a discussion discussion with Mass Housing, they were pretty clear that everything was gonna be on hold for a little while. Yeah. It would

make everything's on hold every

bit. But

I will say this, though. The good part, as much as this is a problem about waiting on hold, the good part is the money is there. That's not the case in the rest of the state government. So the money is there. And when it's approved, it'll be set. They're not taking money from these projects. So the money is there, and it's not it's not being affected like the government state program. Yeah. Else, anybody? With that, I'll accept the motion to adjourn. So moved. Very second. Second. All in favor, say aye. Aye. Closed. Genamis. Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you.