Affordable Housing Trust Fund

Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board August 23, 2022 Draft Meeting Minutes Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board Meeting Meeting Minutes August 23, 2022 A meeting of the Salem Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board was held on Tuesday, August 23, 2022, at a Remote Zoom meeting at 6:03 p.m. Members present: James Willis, Rebecca Curran, Lynda Fairbanks-Atkins Vice Chair Filipe Zamborlini, Councilor Caroline Watson-Felt, Chris Malstrom, Mickey Northcutt. Members joining late: none Members leaving early: Councilor Jeff Cohen at 8:17 p.m. Members absent: John Boris, Mayor Kim Driscoll, Councilor Patti Morsillo Staff present: Senior Planner Cassie Moskos and DPCD Deputy Director Amanda Chiancola Vice-Chair Filipe Zamborlini called the meeting to order with a roll call at 6:03 p.m. NEW BUSINESS A. FY2023 Board Priorities Discussion Utilizing the items from the draft version of the Salem Housing Roadmap, the trust initiated a discussion around the next set of priorities they wished to pursue. Ms. Moskos explained how the items were laid out on the screen. Items highlighted in green were items identified in the roadmap as items to start in FY23. Discussion occurred among the members, placing items in the different quadrants of the matrix. Once the board had items in all four quadrants, they elected to pause the discussion to take some time to review the items and their surrounding context at their next meeting. The draft version of the matrix as was left at their meeting is below. Page 1 of 6 Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board August 23, 2022 Draft Meeting Minutes Urgency Higher Lower Impact Quad I Quad II Lower Urgent and has the highest impact/DO Not as urgent will have high impacts/PLAN TO DO Higher NOW IT NEXT (Already Doing) -Consider rezoning options in transitional areas - Adopt an Urban Center Housing Tax with accompanying considerations for transit to Increment Financing (UCH-TIF) or support denser development another tax incentive program to -Adopt zoning amendments to promote small promote affordable and mixed-income efficiency units including Single Room Occupancy housing development. (SRO) housing to provide permanent supportive -Consider purchasing right of first housing particularly for formerly unhoused or refusal from current owners. those vulnerable to housing instability •Support Condominium Conversion -- ordinance in process* -Investigate programs for displacement (Do Now) compensation for renters and homeowners. -Consider rent stabilization or anti- -Investigate metrics to create Salem-specific gauging programs for renters* capping of rent increases for local action units. *a study, look at what Boston is doing -Incentivize property owners to keep rents affordable by offering property tax abatements to owners who rent to low- and moderate-income households. -Enact stronger tenant protections. Quadrant III Quadrant IV urgent but has a lower impact not as urgent and has a lower impact /DELEGATE /RECONSIDER AT LATER DATE -Study residential parking minimums. -Consider creating a permanent Housing -Study potential benefits of revising Stabilization Office residential dimensional standards to -Consider issuing municipal bonds and/or match historical and existing bonding Community Preservation Act funds for development patterns more closely. affordable housing production. Mr. Malstrom motioned to table the discussion until September 13, 2022. Seconded by Councilor Watson- Felt. Passed unanimously by roll call vote 8-0. Page 2 of 6 Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board August 23, 2022 Draft Meeting Minutes B. Fiscal Year 2020-2021 Report Receive and File Ms. Moskos informed the board that this report was for their information and encompassed two fiscal years. No action was needed or taken on this item. C. Community Preservation Committee Annual Report Ms. Moskos informs the Board that the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) has issued their draft report for review by Boards and Commissions of the City of Salem. Any comments the Board would like to issue need to be put into a cohesive letter and approved by the Board by their October meeting. Last year the Board issued comments on an individual level. The year prior the Board issued comments as a whole. Mr. Zamborlini stated that the report was not linked in the memo. Ms. Moskos responded that the draft report could be found in the Board’s SharePoint. Mr. Zamborlini asked if there were any questions or comments from the Board. Councilor Watson-Felt asked that the previous letters submitted be recirculated to the Board for reference. Councilor Watson-Felt added that CPC has their own guidelines for making decisions. No action was needed or taken on this item. D. Future Items. This is a time for members to bring up items for future agendas. Councilor Watson-Felt was interested in knowing if we had public development pipeline (including property sales) so the Board could be proactive in sending letters to developments with housing components to include affordable housing, and for in general additional opportunities for the Board to make more public position statements. Mr. Zamborlini added that BuildingSalem.com includes more public infrastructure projects than development projects. He was also interested in inviting Shetland Park and Salem State to speak to the Board about their projects’ affordability components. Ms. Chiancola and Ms. responded with places on the City’s website where information could be found, such as the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, and Studies & Reports pages. Ms. Watson-Felt asked who was receiving the surveys regarding Shetland. Ms. Moskos stated that those are all going to Sasaki to be collated to draft frameworks for additional public feedback. UNFINISHED BUSINESS A. Status of the condominium conversion ordinance Ms. Chiancola gave an overview and presentation on the ordinance, feedback from the survey, and feedback from the working group. She informed the Board that an ARPA funded position to manage the ordinance has been posted. Councilor Cohen clarifies that once the home rule petition is approved by the State it would be for 2+ units. The first item discussed was the waiting period. The proposed change was to regarding the waiting period. Page 3 of 6 Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board August 23, 2022 Draft Meeting Minutes State Law Previously Discussed AHTF Board Discussion 1 year prior to intent 2 years 2 years 2 years for protected classes, 4 years for protected classes + up to 2 Protected Classes up to 2- up to 2 more if unable to years extension if unable to find housing year extension if unable to find housing in same in Salem find housing in Salem city/town Notices to the tenants must Notices to the tenants must be translated into the tenant’s primary be translated into the language tenant’s primary language The concern from the survey and working group was that the increased waiting period for protected classes would inadvertently cause discrimination. Mr. Zamborlini stated that the in an attempt to provide protection, the ordinance may cause harm and that since it goes above and beyond already working group was satisfied with keeping the waiting period at 2 years, with the additional extension for protected classes. There was no additional discussion on this area. The next item discussed was the relocation fee. Staff had received feedback that even $2,500 was not enough. State Law Previously Discussed AHTF Board Discussion Relocation payment: $750 $2,500 per tenant; $3,500 Relocation payment: $2,500 per tenant; $1,000 for for protected classes, paid per tenant, paid within 10 days protected classes within 10 days after vacating of vacating Councilor Cohen states that he believe $2,500 is not enough and would be pushing for council to increase it when it came forward he believed that it should be whatever amount is decided or one month’s rent whichever is more. Mr. Zamborlini agreed with Councilor Cohen and that a flat schematic is the correct path forward. The Board goes on to discuss when and to whom the payment should be issued as issues with a reimbursement for the tenant could prevent finding a new place to live, payment ahead of time could disincentivize a tenant to move out. After discussion the Board lands on $5,000 with half paid 15 days ahead and the remaining half paid 10 days after. There is a brief discussion around what is a tenant, is it each individual in the unit or the occupants as a whole. The Board agrees that it is the occupants as whole. Councilor Cohen suggests capitalizing Landlord and Tenant throughout the ordinance, and defining tenant in the ordinance. There was a brief discussion around owner occupied units, but the Board ultimately decided not to amend the language around this topic. The last item discussed in relation to the Condo Conversion Ordinance was the Permitting Review Process. Ms. Chiancola went over the review permitting process. The process has no subjective Page 4 of 6 Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board August 23, 2022 Draft Meeting Minutes elements, and suggested revising the process to be a staff administered process with the Condo Review Board being in place for appeals and challenges. State Law Previously Discussed AHTF Board Discussion Condominium Review Board (CRB) Administrative Permit by Neighborhood Stability Manager 5 members: • If at any point a tenant or an • 2 renters owner believes the other has not Silent on permitting body • 2 homeowners complied with their • 1 member of protect class obligations under the Ordinance • AHTF Board member must they may request a hearing before be 1 of 5 the Condo Review Board • 1 year notice to CRB for • 1 year notice to housing stability vacant units staff for vacant units • 2 year notice to CRB for • 2 year notice to housing stability Silent occupied units staff for occupied units on permitting procedure • Conditional permit • Conditional permit • Final conversion permit • Final conversion permit The Board would meet on a as needed basis. The Board had concerns around the appointees being elected officials and Mayoral appointees. Ms. Chiancola directed the conversation to first being about the permitting process and whether that should be more administrative in nature. No members expressed concern with the administrative process. Mr. Zamborlini asked for suggestions on the makeup of the Condo Review Board; Ms. Chiancola stated that the City Charter dictates how people should be appointed to the Board. The Charter states that appointments are made by the Mayor and approved by City Council. The ordinance will have to follow the City Charter, which mimics State Law. No changes were recommended by the Board. Ms. Chiancola went over next steps: she would make edits, those changes would come back for review by the AHTF, then it could be sent for legal review. If the special act from the state legislature was not completed after the legal review, it could be submitted to either a Committee of the Whole or subcommittee of the City Council for their review. B. Disposition Ordinance Ms. Chiancola states that the ordinance has been scheduled for discussion at the September 15, 2022 City Council meeting. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Mr. Malstrom motioned to approve the minutes from June 29, 2022, seconded by Ms. Fairbanks-Atkins. A roll call vote was taken with the following responses: Mickey Northcutt Yes Page 5 of 6 Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board August 23, 2022 Draft Meeting Minutes Councilor Caroline Watson-Felt Yes Lynda Fairbanks-Atkins Yes Rebecca Curran Present James Willis Yes Chris Malstrom Yes Filipe Zamborlini Yes The motion passes 6-1. PUBLIC COMMENT No comments were received. ADJOURNMENT Motion to adjourn by Councilor Watson-Felt, seconded by Ms. Fairbanks-Atkins. A roll call vote was taken with the following responses: Mickey Northcutt Yes Councilor Caroline Watson-Felt Yes Lynda Fairbanks-Atkins Yes Rebecca Curran Present James Willis Yes Chris Malstrom Yes Filipe Zamborlini Yes The motion passes 6-1. Meeting adjourned at 8:29 p.m. Approved by the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board on 10/4/2022. Respectively submitted, Cassie Moskos, AICP Senior Planner Page 6 of 6