1/26/2016 AFFORDABLE HOUSING Minutes

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1 Mashpee Affordable Housing Committee Meeting Minutes January 26, 2016 at 6:30 pm Mashpee Town Hall Present: Chairman Walter Abbott, Berkeley Johnson, Allan Isbitz, Marie Stone Absent: Bruce Willard CALL TO ORDER Chairman Abbott opened the meeting at 6:35 p.m. with a quorum and the roll was called. APPROVAL OF MINUTES-December 1, 2015 Mr. Johnson made a motion to accept the minutes as distributed. Mr. Isbitz seconded the motion. All voted unanimously. OLD BUSINESS Mashpee Commons Chairman Abbott had not heard back from Mashpee Commons contact, John Connell, regarding attendance at the meeting to provide an update. The Chair believed that he would be seeing Mr. Connell later in the week and would invite him at that time. The Chair indicated that boxes had been installed on the foundations, and the sidewalk and road had been installed. Initial reports indicated that 50 units were expected but the Chair questioned whether 50 units would be constructed before the end of the year. There was conversation discussing whether the entire number of units would be counted toward Mashpee's affordable housing rate. Mr. Isbitz explained that, as a 40B residential project with 25% affordable housing, DHCD would count all units toward the affordable housing rate. Chairman Abbott will invite Mashpee Commons to attend the next meeting. Feasibility Study 950 Old Falmouth Road The Chair reported that the Board of Selectman review had been canceled because Horsley Witten was not ready with the feasibility study due to necessary revisions. Selectman O'Hara has spoken with the consultants who confirmed that it was not ready to be presented to the Selectmen. Once the final report was released, the Chair felt that an RFP should be issued for either one or both parcels to design, develop and manage the project. There was discussion regarding a potential $260,000 per unit cost as seen at other on-Cape developments, but Mr. Isbitz felt that it would not be viewed as high compared to other locations in the State. It was suggested that once the BOS reviewed the study, the Committee should send a letter of recommendation that the BOS issue an RFP to develop one or both sites. VFW Lot Discussion Chairman Abbott reported that the BOS would be pursuing and considering options for the VFW site. Among the considerations would be affordable housing, a meeting site for the VFW and possibly commercial development. The BOS would share information with the Committee once a decision was made. There was discussion regarding whether or not it was a residential zone, noting also that it was a large amount of land. Selectman O'Hara and Mr. Fudala would be sitting on the Committee to investigate the options. The Chair confirmed that affordable housing would be a component of the project. Concern was expressed about acquiring funds for smaller projects but Mr. Isbitz suggested that more funds were expected in the new State budget, adding that Federal funds for senior housing was drying up. Tribal Housing Update Ms. Stone reported that the roads and utilities were in place, but that the Tribe was seeking funding. Ms. Stone believed that the housing would count towards the Town's affordable housing inventory but she will double check with DHCD. Concern was expressed that it may not be counted toward Mashpce's rate. Mr. Johnson