Affordable Housing Trust Fund

Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board Approved Meeting Minutes May 5, 2020 A meeting of the Salem Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board was held on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 at a Remote Zoom meeting at 6:00 p.m. Members present: Mayor Kim Driscoll, Councilor Robert McCarthy, Councilor Ty Hapworth, Councilor Patricia Morsillo, Ben Anderson, Mickey Northcutt. Chair Mayor Kim Driscoll called the meeting to order at 6:06 p.m. 1. UNFINISHED BUSINESS A. Update on the Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance and the Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance Ms. Chiancola informs the Board that the Joint Public Hearing for the Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance and Inclusionary Zoning were both closed and referred to the Planning Board. The Planning Board will be discussing their recommendation at the Planning Board meeting this coming Thursday. There was one provision with the ADUs that Councillor Turiel suggested and that is requiring a special permit for new construction, Ms. Chiancola says she drafted language for the City Solicitor to review and will forward that over to the Planning Board. Ben Anderson says that the language should state exterior construction, that is what he thinks Councilor Turiel was referring to because “new construction” also includes interior construction. B. Discussion of 2020 Priorities. Mayor Driscoll recommended spending more time trying to rank the list offline, noting we may have a clearer picture by the next meeting on the status of the proposals being reviewed by City Council and the outlook of the public health crisis. Councillor Hapworth says he would like the City to take action on the Condo Conversion ordinance, particularly given the impacts this health crisis has had on hourly employees and people who may typically rent. It would be a good thing to start down as our next goal after ADUs and IZ pass. The Mayor concurs that the Condo Conversion ordinance would be a good one work on too. Mayor Driscoll says senior housing is something we should keep on the list as a high level, the Mayor recommends having Cathy Hoog at the next meeting to provide an update on the work at LeeFort Terrace, as a potential to support additional affordable senior housing, they are in the very early planning stages. Councillor McCarthy notes he would want to make sure that people with a disability who are living there will not be displaced. Councillor Morsillo says she has been looking into a 40R and wonders if Jefferson Ave would meet the criteria. The Mayor responds that being close to transit is a requirement so it could be a potential location. Mayor Driscoll recommends that each AHTF Board member rank the priorities 1,2, 3 before the next meeting and send them to Amanda. Mayor Driscoll also recommends having Cathy Hoog  provide an update on the Housing Authority work and Mickey provide an update on the NSCDC projects. Councillor Morsillo asks how many condo conversions have occurred. Ms. Chiancola responds that it is in the range of 45-60 a year. Since June of 2015 there have been 305 rental units that were converted to condos. The Mayor also asks for an update on the status of housing development projects (in permitting, in construction, etc). 2. NEW BUSINESS Summary of housing relief efforts in response to COVID-19. Amanda Chiancola provides an overview of the local COVID relief effort to date that has been packaged in the Salem Together Assistance and Recovery Toolkit (START) for residents. The toolkit includes mortgage deferrals that are available for Salem homeowners and income-eligible residential renters during the current crisis. 3. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES A. Councillor McCarthy makes a motion to approve the April 7, 2020 Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board meeting minutes, seconded by Mickey Northcutt and the motion carries unanimously by a roll call vote. 4. PUBLIC COMMENTS ADJOURNMENT Motion to adjourn by Robert McCarthy, seconded by Ty Hapworth—passes unanimously by roll call vote. Meeting adjourned at 6:31 p.m. Approved by the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board on 6/2/2020 Know your rights under the Open Meeting Law M.G.L. c. 30A § 18-25 and City Ordinance § 2-2028 through § 2-2033.