Housing Commission Minutes
October 25, 2005
Present: Rayna Caplan, Michael Farny, BJ Scheff, and Bryce Wolf
Minutes: The minutes of October 11 were approved with minor corrections.
Resignation: Michael Farny informed the Commission of his resignation.
Assistance: Scheff reported that we may soon receive some assistance with minutes, filing and other routine paperwork from a volunteer.
Sunnyside: Surveying will be done on the second lot so that plans can be drawn for the accessory apartment. Sam Rappaport is initiating the design. The contract for the first Sunnyside project has been put out to bid a second time. As before, Georges and Whitehead will review the technical side; Kalisky and the Town’s financial officer will review the financial side.
Establishing Income Eligibility: Caplan will obtain a copy of Waltham’s “disclosure of non-income” form used to estimate financial status.
Accessory Apartment Task Force: Scheff stated that the committee has met and discussed various ideas. It seems accessory apartments are actually detrimental to the Town unless they affordable because they simply increase the Town’s overall housing stock otherwise. It was suggested that the Town might want to cap the total number allowed unless they are affordable.
DHCD & Accessory Apartments: So far we have been unable to obtain guidelines from DHCD to qualify apartments as affordable. Additional efforts will be made.
Minuteman Commons: DHCD still has not completed its review of the project’s marketing plan for the affordable units. It is believed the market rate units are already being marketed.
CPC Discussion: Caplan and Scheff reported that the meeting with the CPC discussed a number of priorities for the coming year. These included funds toward development of housing units at the Mall; buydowns of possible units on Ridge Rd.; buydowns of additional units at Minuteman Commons; and “honorariums” for landlords of affordable accessory apartments.
The meeting adjourned at 8:15 a.m.
The next meetings are November 8 and November 22 at 7:30 a.m.
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