Community Development Advisory Committee

MINUTES OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE PUBLIC HEARING November 5, 2008 3:00 P.M. Members Present: Chairperson⅔Annette⅔D’Antuono,⅔Demo⅔Angelopoulos,⅔John⅔ Mathieu, Les King, Lynn Norris, Michelle Dunlap Others Present: Jennifer Gottlieb, Susan Goldman, Linda Lee Smith Call to Order Chairperson⅔Annette⅔D’Antuono⅔called⅔the⅔CDAC⅔Public⅔Hearing⅔to⅔order⅔at⅔3:02⅔ p.m. Public Hearing Norwich Housing Authority - $100,000 Charles Whitty introduced Hector Baillargeon, chairman and Joanne Drag, Deputy Executive Director/Finance Director to the committee. He presented his request for $100,000 from the recapture monies. He explained that these are for the State moderate properties, which there are 686 units of housing, 509 are State of which 286 are the state moderates. They are family units with low, very low⅔and⅔very⅔few⅔moderate⅔incomes.⅔⅔These⅔286⅔units⅔were⅔built⅔in⅔the⅔1950’s⅔ with no insulation. These funds would include insulating the attics, roof, and basement under the first floor and around the foundations. This request is for an ongoing program already started at the Housing Authority. Already completed are JFK I (64 units) and Sunset Park (53 units) for a total of 117 units already done. The $100,000 in CDBG money already allocated for PY 34 will not complete Hillside. It is estimated that it will do 60% - ⅔ of Hillside and the remaining amount would be necessary in order to cover Melrose. This request for $100,000 in reallocated funds would enable them to finish Hillside and complete Melrose. This work and money would be expended by end of May 2008. There has been a noticeable change for the tenants who live in the units that have already been done. These tenants are totally responsible for paying their own utility bills. In the case with Hillside and Melrose Parks they have natural gas and they work with the NDPU to have budget plans and matching dollars etc. Charles Whitty handed out a letter from John Bilda from NDPU which indicates that it is his estimated there would be a 30% savings in the heating costs in the State Moderates as a result of this insulation. This would be a payback to the tenants because some of these tenants are paying heat bills exceeding their rent, which is $300 - $400. . John Mathieu asked how many total numbers of units the Housing Authority oversees. Charles Whitty said that they have 686 public housing units, 509 are State⅔and⅔177⅔Federal.⅔⅔Charles⅔Whitty⅔said⅔that⅔they⅔couldn’t⅔co-mingle⅔any⅔ funds. John Mathieu stated that over the past 11 years they have received about $1.3 million from CDBG funds. Charles Whitty handed out and explained that in the last 10-11 years the NHA made payments in excess of $3.0 million, which was given back to the City in that same time period which assists the City with their operating expenditures with the City budget. Demo Angelopoulos questioned that $10,000 per project was a lot of money for engineering costs, advertising and clerk of the works. Mr. Whitty stated that advertising costs run about $4,000 and is a HUD requirement. They design the specs and if they have to break the project into 2-3 projects there are additional costs. Annette⅔D’Antuono⅔asked⅔if⅔the⅔NHA⅔pays⅔for⅔their⅔own⅔architectural⅔costs,⅔ advertising and clerk of the works. Mr. Whitty said that the NHA pays for all of those fees. The money that they do receive from CDBG goes entirely for projects. Lynn⅔Norris⅔said⅔that⅔it⅔is⅔unfortunate⅔that⅔they⅔can’t⅔get⅔local⅔contractors⅔to⅔do⅔ the work. Mr. Whitty said that quite a bit of it is architectural/engineering work and the little local contractors are not interested because of all the red tape involved. They have previously used two local firms on multiple projects. They do notify the local contractors. Charles Whitty handed out a list of projects and categories with what needs to be done in the future at their properties. Some of the projects cannot be done with CDBG funds as they would be too costly and they would have to be done at one time. Reliance House - $6,634 Sue Caplet from Reliance House explained to the Committee that they had been approved $9,366 from PY 34 to replace windows at 16 Penobscot Street. Since then she had talked to Jennifer Gottlieb and Wayne Sharkey about lead environmental hazards and they had a lead study done which showed significant lead hazard at the property which needs to be treated according to federal law. They need more money to do the windows but they need to do lead hazard reduction work first. Their maintenance man will be trained in the procedures to do some lead stabilization over the winter and then they can come before the committee again to request more funds to replace the windows. Wayne Sharkey and Ms. Craig of Boston Lead Company thought the estimate to do the window work only would be around $20,000. Reliance House will be responsible for doing lead stabilization work and the window project is not feasible until Reliance House does at least a good part of this work. Annette⅔D’Antuono⅔said⅔that⅔when⅔you⅔do⅔a⅔window⅔replacement⅔you⅔remove⅔the⅔ entire frame and window comes with the metal mounting and it sets right in place. She also asked if there is lead beyond that frame such as in the walls. Jennifer Gottlieb said that there is lead throughout the building, including the exterior, that produces dust in the interior. . They were talking about not remediation but stabilization and wiping down dust. There are no children housed⅔at⅔the⅔property.⅔⅔It’s⅔an⅔8⅔bed⅔homeless⅔shelter.⅔⅔The⅔two⅔upper⅔floors⅔ have adults and the first floor is a day program for support groups. They are also doing the required code work. They changed the zoning to do some accessibility upgrades. Jennifer Gottlieb outlined the agreement the CD Office has in place which has been formulated in meetings with Boston Lead, Reliance House and the CD Office. The CD Office does not consider the window project feasible until Reliance House does the work they committed to do in eth area of lead stabilization. The CD Office commits to keep the allocation already made to their windows for an additional year and provide technical assistance with the lead stabilization work. Les King asked if the work that is being done on the windows is it going to be redundant⅔when⅔they⅔go⅔in⅔to⅔do⅔code⅔work.⅔⅔Sue⅔Caplet⅔said⅔no⅔it⅔shouldn’t⅔be⅔ redundant. He also asked is it okay to keep the building as a shelter without the code work being done? Ms. Caplet said yes that they are trying to get plans. Les King asked if the Fire Dept. said it was okay to continue to let people stay there. Ms Caplet said yes. John Mathieu asked in PY 34 they were given $9366. They came in looking for an additional amount of $6,634. When they came in they were looking at just doing⅔the⅔windows.⅔⅔But⅔they⅔can’t⅔just⅔do⅔the⅔windows⅔and⅔be⅔compliant⅔with⅔the⅔ Lead Safe Rule because there is so much lead hazard in the building. They didn’t⅔take⅔into⅔account⅔the⅔leaded⅔windows⅔are⅔more⅔expensive⅔and⅔the⅔ prevailing wage rates. Jennifer Gottlieb told the committee that the CDBG application will be changed for next year improving the application process so that the applicant construction projects are better informed about with regards to prevailing wage and lead hazard issues. 26 Shipping Street Roof - $50,000 Jennifer Gottlieb told the committee that this request is made in connection with a larger project for the rehabilitation and cleanup of City owned property at 26 Shipping Street, which is a blighted and contaminated property. The RDA recently voted to define boundaries for the redevelopment area. The City has completed all environmental assessments and is currently doing environmental cleanup activities at the building. The cleanup is funded with a $200,000 EPA Cleanup Grant. The consensus (plan) represented to EPA was that the brick building would be rehabilitated and used, and the wooden structure would be demolished and the area would be put to use as green space or parking for the brick building. Because the building was neglected for so long and wide open to the elements at certain points, it is not just a repair job. There will be large portions of the roof that will have to be taken away and a certain amount of rebuilding. Recommendation made by the CLA Engineer included some reinforcement even into the masonry structure. A cost estimate would be in the range of $125,000. Architectural fees would be necessary, making the project cost $133,000. Then from the Sachem Fund committed $40,000 to this project. The roof is currently tarped to prevent further damage. If this $50,000 was awarded it would make $90,000 available, and the City Manager would sponsor a resolution to the Demolition Fund for the balance of $35,000. Jim Troeger spoke on behalf of the Board of Review Dangerous Buildings spoke on the blighted vacant structure to see if they could be involved and bringing it back to a 0 value. It has a negative value right now because of the contamination and rehab issues that make it unattractive to developers. This needs to be done before the cost involved getting it back to neutral before they can put development dollars into the property. Their goal is to find funds and get the property so it would be attractive. It is very important ASAP to address the roof issue so that it would be stabilized. The Board wanted Jim Troeger to voice their support for this project. General Comments Jennifer Gottlieb told the committee that the Fire Chief was at a training seminar and⅔couldn’t⅔present⅔his⅔request.⅔⅔ Demo Angelopoulos made a motion to table the Reliance House request until they get further information on what the actual total cost requirements of the project would be not just the windows. John Mathieu seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. Demo Angelopoulos asked that the discussion would be that a letter be sent to Reliance House stating if they want to pursue this funding to please get all the facts and figures on the total required costs. Les King made a motion to approve the $50,000 for the roof replacement at 26 Shipping Street. Lynn Norris seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. Lynn⅔Norris⅔made⅔a⅔motion⅔to⅔approve⅔$22,000⅔for⅔5”⅔hose;⅔and⅔$3,000⅔for⅔3”⅔ hose⅔totaling⅔$25,000⅔for⅔the⅔Central⅔Fire⅔Station,⅔and⅔$3,000⅔for⅔5”⅔hose⅔for⅔the⅔ Occum Fire Station. John Mathieu seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. John⅔Mathieu⅔made⅔a⅔motion⅔to⅔deny⅔TODAP’s⅔request⅔for⅔$30,000.⅔⅔Lynn⅔Norris⅔ seconded the motion. The discussion from the committee was for TODAP to get more information. The motion carried unanimously. Les King made a motion to approve giving the Norwich Housing Authority $74,000 today and if Susan Goldman is able to come up with the differential up to a maximum of $100,000 balancing the books by the end of the week. John Mathieu seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. Adjournment John Mathieu made a motion to adjourn. Demo Angelopoulos seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. The CDAC meeting ended at 4:23 p.m.