Redevelopment Authority

MALDEN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY REGULAR MEETING FEBRUARY 16, 2021 The members of the Malden Redevelopment Authority met in Regular Meeting on February 16, 2021. The Chairman called the meeting to order, and on a roll call the following answered present: Mr. Robert Rotondi, Mr. Michael Williams, Mr. Albert Spadafora, and Ms. Sharon Santillo. Mr. Robert Foley was absent. The Chairman reported that this Regular Meeting was convened pursuant to a duly dated and signed NOTICE OF REGULAR MEETING which was mailed to each member in due time, form and manner as required by law. The Chairman read the original of the “Notice and Certificate” set forth below and the same was ordered spread upon the Minutes as follows: NOTICE OF REGULAR MEETING Notice is hereby given in accordance with Section 23A, Chapter 39 of the General Laws, that a Meeting of the Malden Redevelopment Authority will be held at 5:30 P.M., on Tuesday, February 16, 2021. In accordance with Governor Baker’s 3/12/20 Order Suspending Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c.30A, §18, and the Governor’s 3/23/20 Revised Guidance on Order by the Governor Prohibiting Assemblage of More than Ten People, this meeting will be conducted via remote participation (Zoom). In person attendance by members of the public is prohibited, and all effort will be made to permit public attendance of this meeting, in the manner specified below, via remote access by internet and telephone. Dated this 10th day of February, 2021. s/ Deborah A. Burke Secretary CERTIFICATE AS TO SERVICE OF NOTICE OF REGULAR MEETING I, Deborah A. Burke, the duly appointed, qualified and acting Secretary of the Malden Redevelopment Authority, do hereby certify that on the 10th day of February, 2021: 1. I served a true copy of the foregoing NOTICE OF REGULAR MEETING on each and every member of the Malden Redevelopment Authority in the following manner: U.S. Mail; 2. I filed in the manner provided in Section 23A, Chapter 39 of the General Laws, with the Clerk of the City of Malden, Massachusetts, a NOTICE OF REGULAR MEETING of which the foregoing is a true and correct copy. IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of February, 2021. s/ Deborah A. Burke Secretary  MINUTES REGULAR MEETING FEBRUARY 16, 2021 Meeting was called to order at 5:32 p.m. On a roll call vote, the following members answered present: Mr. Robert Rotondi, Mr. Albert Spadafora, Mr. Michael Williams, and Ms. Sharon Santillo. Mr. Robert Foley was absent. Upon a motion made by Mr. Spadafora, seconded by Ms. Santillo, the minutes of the Regular Meeting of the January 19, 2021 were approved on a 4-0 vote. There were no Bills and Communications. Under the Report of the Executive Director, the Executive Director and Board reviewed a debriefing memorandum from CD Director Alex Pratt and HOME Director Alexis Turgeon regarding the National Community Development Association (NCDA) 2021 Winter Conference held virtually from January 27 – January 29, 2021. The memorandum outlined some of the take-aways from the conference including the following: (1) The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) which monitors participating jurisdictions on an annual basis for compliance with federal rules and regulations will be doing so this year but remotely because of the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) New risk assessment factors are being implemented for Fiscal Year 2022 to include CARES Act-funded programs; and (3) HUD released several blanket waivers to the HOME Program in April 2020 because of COVID-19 including an extension until September 30, 2021 to complete the regular, physical inspection of the HOME portfolio of units. Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME allocations are expected to be released in late February for Program Year 2021, which begins July 2021. During the upcoming budget debate for CDBG and HOME funding it is expected that these programs will be level funded or may be increased. Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, was the deadline for persons/entities to submit proposals requesting CDBG funds for the next program year beginning July 1, 2021. The Malden Redevelopment Authority administers the CDBG program for and on behalf of the City of Malden. MRA staff will review the responses with Mayor Christenson and submit the Mayor’s proposed budget to the Malden City Council for its action. The Executive Director distributed the Parking Program Update from operator SP Plus dated January 2021 to the Board members. The Off-street Parking Program has sustained significant financial losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Executive Director informed the Board if they have any questions regarding the report they should contact her and she will obtain additional information from the operator. The Executive Director distributed to the Board articles from the Malden Advocate regarding the Public Hearing for the Roosevelt Park CDBG Section 108 Loan, Housing Families opening a 22- bed shelter for homeless individuals at the OYO Hotel in Malden, and a Banker & Tradesman article written by Mayor Christenson explaining the City’s business friendly strategies to help businesses avoid obstacles and hurdles when opening a business in the City. Under Old Business, the Executive Director and Board reviewed the Invitation to Bid, CBD Garage, 170 Centre St. for 2021 Concrete Repairs and Waterproofing. Proposals must be received at the MRA on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021 by 2:00 PM. Sub-bids will be opened virtually via Zoom at 2:00 PM on Feb. 18 and General Bids are due by 2:00 PM on Thursday, March 4, 2021 and will be opened virtually via Zoom at 2:00 PM on March 4. The Executive Director informed the Board that a Public Hearing for the Roosevelt Park 108 Loan was held on Tuesday, Feb. 9 at 6:00 PM via Zoom. Executive Director Deborah Burke, CDBG Director Alex Pratt, and engineering consultant Stephen O’Neill moderated the hearing. There were 33 attendees, all of whom were allowed the opportunity to speak for two minutes by raising their hand and giving their name and address for the record. Eleven people spoke against the project, one spoke in favor, and one had issues connecting to the Zoom call. All attendees were informed that they can also submit written comments on the Roosevelt Park Project by emailing Executive Director Burke at dburke@maldenredevelopment.com. All public comments received at the Feb. 9, 2021 public hearing and via email during the 30-day public comment period from Jan. 25-Feb. 25, 2021 will be incorporated into the HUD Section 108 loan application. The Executive Director and Board reviewed correspondence that Mayor Christenson sent to the Malden City Council updating them on the COVID-19 Small Business and Rental Assistance Programs. On behalf of the City, the MRA has partnered with Housing Families, Inc. and Just-A- Start Corporation to provide every Malden resident facing eviction with court-based mediation, legal aid, and rental assistance in both District Court and Housing Court. This $500,000 program was funded with Community Development Block Grant Cares Act funds. The City, MRA, and Housing Families, Inc. secured tenant protection for public health and safety reasons. The Mayor implemented an eviction moratorium, which protects tenants from eviction during the pandemic. The Rental Assistance Program stabilized approximately 350 Malden households. Plans are being made to utilize CDBG-CV funds to provide a total of $200,000 in Small Business Assistance grants to eligible microenterprise businesses owned by low-or-moderate-income persons with five or fewer employees was also established. The Executive Director and Board reviewed correspondence from Mayor Christenson sent to the Malden City Council updating them on strategies to address the community’s affordable housing crisis. The City established the Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF) and began developing an Action Plan. In partnership with the MRA, the City ran a Rental Assistance program and an Eviction Prevention program in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our community. Inclusionary Zoning will require a percentage of housing units in new developments to be set aside as below-market affordable housing. An Inclusionary Zoning Financial Feasibility Study has been completed. Over the next few weeks, the AHTF will develop a formal proposal for the City Council to consider. The Executive Director and Board reviewed correspondence from Mayor Christenson sent to the Malden City Council introducing a proposal to add a Malden River Site Plan Review process to the City zoning ordinance. This process will guide improvements for properties that abut the Malden River, and establish requirements for public pedestrian access and walkways, landscaped buffers or native, non-invasive species and yard setbacks. The process will apply to approximately seventeen properties. The “Placemaking as a Catalyst for Change on the Malden River” report, prepared by the Massachusetts Area Planning Council (MAPC), was also included for the Board’s review. The Executive Director updated the Board on the MRA consolidation plan. Ms. Burke has been meeting weekly with Ron Hogan on steps necessary to have the MRA become a City of Malden Department. They are working on mapping MRA positions into City ordinances in order to become City employees. They have also been meeting with attorneys to formulate a Cooperation Agreement between the MRA and City of Malden. The consolidation plan, supported by the Mayor and members of the MRA Board of Directors, requires the approval of the Malden City Council. The Executive Director will continue to update the Board as the plan progresses. MRA Board Chair Robert Rotondi asked the Executive Director to research the next filing deadline for applications for a new round of Lead Paint Abatement Grant funding through the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:12 p.m. The next regularly scheduled Board Meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 16, 2021 at 5:30 p.m.