BAHT Meeting Minutes 17-05-09_DraftBeverly Affordable Housing Trust Fund
Regular Meeting
May 9, 2017
CITY OF BEVERLY
PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
Board: Beverly Affordable Housing Trust
Date: May 9, 2017
Location: Beverly City Hall, Conference Room "B"
Members Present Chair Aaron Clausen, Treasurer Bryant Ayles, Clerk Sue Gabriel,
Mayor Michael Cahill, Richard Dinkin
Members Absent: None
Others Present: Assistant Planning Director Darlene Wynne, Assistant City
Solicitor Eitan Goldberg, City Solicitor Stephanie Williams, Shelly
Goehring, Massachusetts Housing Partnership,
Recorder: Darlene Wynne
Adjournment
The meeting was called to order at 1: l Opm.
Introductions
Members of the Board introduced themselves to each other, as well as the guest presenter.
Presentation on Municipal Affordable Housing Trusts
Shelly Goehring of the Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP) gave a presentation detailing:
the agency's work related to supporting Affordable Housing Trust Funds; statewide housing
trends; statutory regulations and recent changes regarding affordable housing trusts; legal
considerations for a municipal entity; and eligible activities for an affordable housing trust.
Questions were posed to Goehring by the members and discussion ensued on the types of
programs that the City could undertake, generally.
Discussion on Next Steps
Goehring offered to come back to another meeting to help brainstorm around the AHTF's role
and operational procedures. Wynne mentions that she was holding May 30 [SIC — date is May
31S for the Board to discuss the operational guidelines and budget.
Appointment of Officers (Chair, Clerk, Treasurer)
Motion: Mayor Cahill moves to elect the following Aaron Clausen as Chair, Bryant Ayles
as Treasurer, and Sue Gabriel as Clerk of the Beverly Affordable Housing Trust.
Dinkin second the motion. The motion passes unanimously (5 -0).
Clausen mentions staff will circulate the draft Housing Plan and the draft Guidelines and Budget
for review by the board and discussion at the next meeting.
Wynne notes the Declaration of Trust has been signed and notarized and will be recorded.
Beverly Affordable Housing Trust Fund
Regular Meeting
May 9, 2017
Gabriel asks about the balance of funds. Ayles indicates he will report back on the funds at the
next meeting. Wynne indicates that all payments have been provided from the fee -in -lieu of
affordable housing, in the amount of $104,000 and $550,000, approximately.
Cahill inquires about Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds being designated to the BAHT,
and whether that is automatic or requires annual approval. Goehring clarifies that there is
currently a difference in opinion from the Department of Revenue (DOR) and the Department of
Housing and Community Development (DHCD) about use of CPA funds. She notes that
originally "preservation" referred to expiring uses, but that there have been units that would
qualify under community housing, such as Housing Authority uses, that could qualify under
"preservation" where the action makes a unit habitable that might not have without such
maintenance. She notes DHCD supports this stance; however, DOR has taken a stance that any
work to existing units is not allowable. She adds that the City's legal department should weigh in
on the path forward.
Clausen notes that on May 18, 2017 the Community Preservation Commission (CPC) is meeting
and discussing a funding request for affordable housing by Habitat for Humanity. He adds that
he will be attending the meeting to advocate the CPC not do approve that request and instead
consider transferring the funds to the Trust, either this round or the next round. Goehring notes
that the CPC can give more than 10% to affordable housing. She notes that Cambridge allocates
80% of its funds to housing and Somerville allocates 30 %. Ayles provides that 10% is $90,000.
Adjournment
Dinkin: Motion to adjourn. Gabriel seconds the motion. The motion passes unanimously
(5 -0).