Local Housing Partnership

 

Public Meeting

October 17, 2003

9:00 a.m.

 

Members Present: Arturo Alon, Cindy Bowes, Tim Hazel, and Eileen Kennedy. 

 

Members Absent:                                Teri  Nezbeth  and  Scott Campbell  (both excused)

 

Advisors:                          Jon Gilmore and Maxine Notaro

 

Attendees:                      Ted Malone and Michael Bunn

 

Meeting opened at 9:05 a.m.

 

 Meeting Agenda

 

Up-date on Clem/Deb Affordable housing rentals at 83 Shank Painter Road

No info yet – continued again.

 

Community Housing Resource, Inc., 40A Nelson Avenue

Ted Malone gave out copies of a letter sent to Warren Alexander.  Warren deferred the matter to the Local Housing Partnership (LHP) group.  The request came directly from Ted’s permanent lender, Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP).  They want a letter stating “Agreement with Town of Provincetown – The Borower must provide a satisfactory written agreement between the Borrower and the Town of Provincetown stating that relief will be given on the affordability restrictions required pursuant to the local Growth Management By-law in the event of foreclosure, such that only two (2) of the six (6) units at the Project must be rented at rents affordable to households earning fifty percent (50%) of the area median income, while the remaining units may be rented at rents which are affordable to households earning up to sixty-five percent (65%) of the area median income.”

 

The group basically agreed but were concerned about the tenants in the event of a problem arising. Ted thinks “worst case scenario” would be the units would be out of compliance and then they couldn’t be occupied until they entered the queue for the Growth Management Plan.  Ted further elaborated that three of the six units will be Section 8.

 

Michael Bunn says this issue will never come to fruition and the whole thing is bureaucratic posturing. 

Ted also felt the lenders have to protect themselves 8 different ways and then some.

Motion:  Tim Hazel made a motion that – with assistance from the Town Staff – the letter to Massachusetts Housing Partnership be composed incorporating the language of 7(d) (in quotations above).  The chair (AJ) seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.  (Arturo Alon will be called in when the letter is ready and will sign on behalf of the group.)

 

Discussion on Criteria for Evaluating Affordable Housing Proposals

Jon Gilmore told the group that Ken Weiss had spoken to him at the Affordable Housing Task Force meeting which took place on Thursday, October 16th at 5:00 p.m. in the Judge Welsh Hearing Room.  He told Jon that he wants to attend the Board of Selectmen’s meeting on October 27th and wants to be put on the agenda.  Ken has been getting a lot of grief from his market rate tenants and he wants the conflict about his affordable units resolved.

 

The LHP group wondered aloud why they hadn’t been notified of the Task Force meeting.  They feel they just “spin their wheels” and are out of the loop.  AJ said he called the Town Hall on Wednesday, left messages on Mark Latour’s answering machine, and even visited the Town Hall to see if the meeting had been posted (as required by law).  There was no meeting posted.  The group was hurt and unhappy about this oversight or snub.  They requested being informed of any future meetings of the Task Force and – once again – they were promised they would be notified.

 

Returning to the Weiss subject, AJ pulled out a great many progress reports on the Harry Kemp Way project  dating back to 2000, 2001, 2002, and on and on. 

 

At this point in the discussion Eileen left at 9:55 a.m.

 

The discussion continued and regarded the support – or lack thereof – for their group.  Tim Hazel would ideally like to invite Keith Bergman to their next meeting to query him about the support they were promised under the guise of an Affordable Housing Monitor.  The group felt in all fairness to Mark Latour they should discuss their disappointment with him personally; telling him that they know the job should be full time and they realize he has more than plenty on his plate.  They further feel that Mark is wearing three hats and their hat comes last in the priority of things.  Mark is Community Development Director – slash – Town Planner – slash – Affordable Housing Coordinator.  No man can do all this and breathe, too.  The LHP wants ONE person to have the responsibility for coordinating Affordable Housing from the permitting process through to the monitoring.  This, they feel, is a full time job.  Once again, the group has been ignored, and they feel unsupported.

 

Discussion on developing a monitoring program for properties with affordable permits

A couple of years ago an attorney, Judith Barnet, came to the group to help them with ways to permit and monitor, etc.  She spoke at one of their meetings and then sent a big packet to the group detailing monitoring, etc.  AJ gave it to Judith Oset and that was the last he heard of it.  It is thought that it still resides in one of the basement offices. 

The next meeting will be held on Friday, November 21st at 9:00 a,n,

 

The meeting adjourned at 10:30 a.m.

 

Any other business that shall properly come before the board

 

Respectfully submitted,                                            

Evelyn Gaudiano

Evelyn Rogers Gaudiano

 

Approved by

 

_______________________________________on _______________ 2003..

Arturo Alon, Chairman