##VIDEO ID:idZY7kGopWc## good evening uh welcome to the September 202024 meeting of the city of R affordable housing trust fund board U my name is Joe Graal I serve as chair of the board um as the appointee of Mayor Keith um and before we begin the meeting um you know in recognition of the anniversary today of September 11th I'd ask that we all just take a brief moment of silence thank you so we'll begin uh by taking attendance so Joe grai chairarm present um Claire and zerillo I had seen on zoom and I think dropped off so we'll see if we get her back but I'm not here for now um anio present okay Lori Manzo is not here hope you're feeling better Lori uh Dean Harris present Matt wolfer Pres um Leila Petri present and Deb Frank present right and then um from the city uh Tom scasi and Lena es escalero send their regards they weren't able to make it today uh so we have some updates and information from them um but certainly continue to appreciate their work with us uh so moving ahead to the next items on the agenda um some of our standing items so first is ratification of the minutes for August which have been uploaded from the previous meeting um mostly kind of informative items not so many you know major action items but does anyone have any objection to ratification of the previous meeting's minutes seeing none um ratified so next is the um treasurers update so an update on current funds so I'll send that to an I sure good evening everyone uh this is a current balance for the affordable housing trust Community revie it's $652,400 of $544 73 from the previous uh uh statement this is coming from Su Newton the assistant director budget director of city of Rivier the auditor's office thank you great thank you very much um so the next item is um and I don't see anyone from Jam Goldson on the call so we may have to relay back but I know that we wanted to make sure to give everyone an opportunity uh to take an additional month some time to review and look at the draft strategic plan that we'd all worked on um I feel really strongly that it's in a really good spot I'm I have no you know proposed changes to it I looked through it everything looks tidy I didn't see typos I thought it was great um and I think it's really reflective of a great iterative process by the entire board uh that said if anyone did have comments or questions I think if they're questions we're going to have to take them down and pass them along but um if their comments or feedback or anything wanted to open open it up for that terrific and I think we're probably one meeting Max away from actually having that drafted which is really exciting uh and that'll help kind of guide our work moving forward so thank you for that and uh thank you everyone for your work on that um so next we have a few updates on some ongoing programs uh first is the Veterans Lottery um for 133 Salem Street so and the lottery in general so as some of you know well some if you participated you all know um and many people know who are watching a lottery was conducted last month uh for the affordable uh Condominiums the deed restricted affordable Condominiums as part of the Northern Strand project at 133 Salem Street um the affordable housing trust fund was instrumental in growing the amount of affordable units as part of that project so it was an honor for us to be part of it and to help support uh you did a wonderful job Matt of facilit the lottery and hoping kind of pull the the different codes and it was a learning process for all of us you know I had um despite being involved in this kind of work I'd never actually been physically present at one of the lotteries so seeing how they work and the codes that go with them and how they come up with the codes and things like that was um interesting um but now everyone's been given in a priority order um from the rever preference units as well as the General Pool units um and from that now it's going through the process process of those that were picked in order you know are they going to a take up the offer of you know being one of the people whose numbers were called B qualify for a mortgage um have be able to make the down payment which may include applying for down payment assistance which we can get to um so for the folks um and I know we had some questions and I think most people that had questions have had those questions answered in the last couple weeks but for people that were like a few numbers below or even 10 or 15 numbers below the line uh for number you know for numbers picked for the lottery um there's certainly still an opportunity that eventually you know it would come to you depending on how many people either don't choose to uh purchase the unit or you know may not qualify or may change their mind or something like that so uh that process continues to move forward um before we get to the veterans piece does anyone have any questions or thoughts or feedback on the general lottery um the pieces of feedback that I received which I think we all agree with and are going to um one is serious one is a slight joke um Implement if we were to you know help facilitate another Lottery uh one is I think once the codes are all pulled there should be a spreadsheet on the back end that links those codes to names immediately um that was sent out to everyone who entered but I think it would be helpful for sort of the viewing audience for people that are watching to see the names that are associated with the codes as soon as the lottery is complete um I think you were there so I think that seemed to be consistent feedback back and that seems doable so I think that's something that we're going to be able to do moving forward uh the other piece of feedback which is true but you thought the humorous is that wheel they used to spin it made a lot of noise I think we got to get like a new uh a new a new wheel to put the numbers in um but we appreciate everyone's participation in that it was certainly an honor to be a part of it um and an honor for us as a board to help contribute to that project so the next phase of that is the um Veterans Preference lottery so there are two units um as part of this development that have been set aside as Veterans Preference um and while those that are in the General Pool will be eligible um to be pulled for these two units you so people that were already in the pool could be pulled for this Lottery uh a special period was opened up you know specifically for veterans to apply because we had not had we had a veteran that applied and was picked um for the um initial Lottery which was great uh but it was for one of the two-bedroom units um so it was a one-bedroom and a studio that were held us aside for this Veterans Preference Lottery um and we did not have any veteran applicants at the time so a decision was made to extend the window for applications and do some more marketing and just make sure that we make every effort and every attempt right to find any veteran that might be interested in this opportunity and might qualify for it um so I've worked with the mayor's office and you've probably all seen you know the press release that went out about it there was some social media posting about it I've been in touch with the veteran services office and you know urging them to kind of get that word out to different events or things where veterans may be uh certainly for anyone that's watching on TV as well as all of us here continue to spread the word the deadline for these applications is Friday uh the end of the day Friday um people can apply online um and there's a link on our page for the affordable housing trust to get to that application uh you can also um have an application emailed to you uh you can print it out at home uh or you can come to City Hall mayor's office veteran services office they can print it for you you can have a paper copy of it uh and have that submitted for you and I'm um available to answer questions for folks we've had a few questions come in about you know what determines eligibility and how people can apply and things like that uh so for those questions feel free to reach out to me um it's j graval g r a v l l s e at r.org and um working to answer those questions as quickly as they come in so as of this morning we had two applicants um two veteran applicants for this Lottery um for the two units right so we don't know if they're eligible that process still needs to be determined um if they're eligible and they qualify we would certainly love to have additional veteran applicants you know make sure that these two units that are set aside as Veterans Preference go to veterans that would be everyone's goal uh if we don't have two qualified veteran app applicants then someone from the initial pool of applicants would get the other unit or possibly both if we don't have any so that's where that stands um does anyone have any questions about that process or where it's at or eligibility or anything like that good you've all been on top of it from the beginning so I think you all know you know how it works but please keep spreading the word you know so there's a press release uh that the mayor's office put out share it on Facebook share it on Instagram LinkedIn print it out send it to your friends send it to your relatives we we'd love to get a few more veteran applicants this information they Shing on the Rivia TV too yes uhhuh um and I will they're hearing me now so I'll say it again but I'll also swing in and remind them if they can put it on make sure it's on that bulletin board you know and if it is if it doesn't say the deadline being Friday um let's add that so I'll reach out thank you for that and uh we'll make sure that that's included on the information that's going through on R TV um so we continue to move forward with that and we'd love to see a few more applications come in uh the next update I have is on the firsttime home buyer down payment assistance program um so this is another thing that you know we've put in months of kind of groundwork to this and now it's happening which is exciting uh the application went out after the last meeting so we had our meeting last month um the application went live I think the following Monday um on online as well as physically um in the planning and Community Development Office um I believe it's a total of seven applications that have come in so far um and a process is underway so myself and Lena um are the ones reviewing and verifying the documentation that comes in ensuring that people have meet met the residency rules the income rules the asset rules Etc um once five people the first five people who ations are complete and they demonstrate their eligibility those would be the ones that receive um the assistance um and if someone applies in their application is incomplete which I can say and some of you who applied you'll be getting responses from us you know most of the applications are missing something you know which is not anyone's fault it's just confusing there's a lot of information to include um you know they'll be given a listing of the things that they need to reply with to show their eligibility um and every item that comes in uh for an application gets a time stamp either at the online Tim stamp for people that submit online which is everyone so far or if anyone does submit it on paper there's a physical stamp that'll be stamped with the exact time uh the documents were received in the planning and Community Development Office and that timeline right which will be totally transparent anyone can see exactly what time any applications came in that'll determine the the order of the the first five eligible folks that fully completed the application and and demonstrated their eligibility um so as a reminder uh so that is a combination of support we received from a state earmark um by our legislative delegation which was originally going to be 5,000 and we per five um applicants and then we voted to match that so that'll end up being 10,000 um and that taxs on to other programs that people might be eligible for right so that should hopefully open up some windows for people um that are looking to buy their first home in the city so that's exciting so these grants have been um are being reviewed without a purchase and sale agreement correct um so part of part of the process is the is qual is qualifying right but then the actual purchase and sale may not may not be complete yet um okay so is there is there a period of time between qualification and a purchase and sale is there some so there is and I'm going to um I don't remember it off the top of my head so but let me pull up that application and I'll send it to you and have you you know take a look at it um but we will get that totally clarified to make sure there's no confusion on that piece um but thank you for bringing that up other questions on this where things are at with this program really grateful um both for the state delegation and also for the city's support in making this happen uh this is another one too you know because there's still time to apply even though we had more than five applicants we don't know that they'd all be eligible so we urge people to apply um so it keep spreading the word spread it around we'd love to get more applications in okay um any other questions on this piece so the other update that I have is on the disposition of um city-owned and tax title properties so I think as you all know um there's a number of properties that um through the tax title process or like Surplus property um are under control of the city um and there's going to be an RFP process for the Redevelopment of these properties ideally as affordable housing or potentially as a way to bring in Revenue to the trust if it's not affordable housing itself it may be sold at market rate and come in um Tom and Lena are working on sort of developing that RFP process to create the most advantageous proposals possible um to allow us either maximize affordable housing on these um Lots or maximize Revenue that can come in to support affordable housing um the first piece of it is there was also a selection of a um broker to help us with sort of the marketing um and listing um of these properties and City staff is going to begin meeting with this person to kind of begin the process of getting these properties moving getting them fixed up if they need to be fixed up and moving towards um getting things built on them so that's a process that's ongoing as well I think like I said we're kind of in an in between state right now because that RFP isn't out there yet but things are moving we're getting closer to it and I would say that unless anyone has any other major thoughts you know that's going to be our next big project right like we kind of spent a number of months digging into doing an ownership opportunity which ended up being 133 Salem Street we spent a number of months on the strategic planning process um and I think the next and the down payment assistance program the next thing that's going to require leg work from all of us uh in between meetings and you know kind kind of continuing ongoing in um notice is um this disposition of tax title properties right and how they're going to be utilized and how they can be redeveloped in a way to bring some affordable housing into the community so stay tuned um you all should have been sent around some information from Tom about those properties but if not I'll resend it and they'll all be uploaded as part of the minutes as well any questions about that aspect this is the same uh that I is in included on the housing plan that we have working now always and different way we're going to work this the city owning property tax yeah so these are just some properties that are either that City owned or like came in through the tax title process um so this isn't I'm not talking about like the master plan planning process this is just for specific properties that are going to be essentially declared Surplus and given to the trust um for us to utilize for sort of disposition as either development of affordable housing um or like I said market rate right I mean there may be Revenue opportunities to utilize for affordable housing um the city had an anal a zoning analysis done of the properties to help kind of give a sense of what is legally allowable as well as what is reasonably conceivable you know for use of the property so that'll help craft what's there and I think you all should have seen that but like I said I'll I'll send that around to everyone if you haven't seen it yet okay other questions on that one is there a time frame for this particular project uh not yet um so I think there's a few moving pieces that need to be pinned down the first one is done so that's getting the marketing and brokerage piece of it and getting a person in to do that and that's um Nick Dar broad sound real estate um was the winner of the RFP for that um next step is going to be actually developing the RFP for the properties themselves and then there'll be a window for people to apply there'll be an evaluation period for the rfps which I think that this whole board is going to have some input in that process both of kind of looking at the RFP before it goes out and thinking through you know how they're going to be evaluated those that apply for proposals um and then if there's other things that we want to do in conjunction with these to help guide them along right if there's ways that we want to try to bring in Grant support or fund things in a way that might increase the number of affordable units or do a certain type of project that we're more interested in like we'll have opportunities to kind of weigh in on that so um it's not going to be immediate it's going to be you know it's going to take some time to to work through it um but it'll be the gears are moving on it you know we're under the first piece is done and now we're kind of getting ready for that next piece of it um so hopefully that answers your question yeah other questions comments like I said this is more of was more of an update meeting um so hopefully it was helpful kind of a snapshot on where things are I know that I think last month or the month before we had like an hour and a half meeting yeah yeah and sometimes that happens and sometimes we get one of these so um does anyone else have any other items late items for the agenda things that you feel like we missed or you want to just bring up for discussion for moving forward if not then today is one of the short ones so I guess we'll balance off that long one from last month but the short one today um appreciate everyone's time everyone's continued commitment what that oh we do always you know have the opportunity for public comment you know for folks that are in the audience if you wish to um are you speaking to me yes what you want to know uh well you just you have the opportunity to ask questions or make any comments on anything as hear you to tell you the truth okay um well do you do you wish to do you wish to provide any questions or comments or feedback on I don't have any question I don't know what you do okay um I really don't know what you do that but why I came here to find out I'm I'm scanning all of these commissions to find out what they do sure okay what what was your name by the way just for the record even hear second I don't know what you do I know you're involved with housing okay to build housing you have a certain budget that you had to use to to produce housing for the need affordable housing because anybody could see that housing today is not affordable sure not for the Working Man anyway okay and to go out buy a house that somebody built for $116,000 and bought the land for $200 okay and now they have to spend a half a million do for the same house that's 60 years old or 70 years old I mean I can understand building housing for affordable people sure but you see they're not doing that mhm they're not doing that because I see housing being built on uh in Malden and that and they're all empty and they want $4,000 for bread so I I don't see the the uh the meaning more or less okay they're building plenty of housing okay and they'll build you a house for a million a million 500,000 but they're not going to build you a house for 40,000 50,000 but at the same time in Boston uh Corporation just bought a building because they can't sell it and they bought it cheap did you see that today I that this was today I missed it if there was in today yeah bought they bought a complex a building an indust a new building and real building who knows how much they spend because they're building buildings in Boston I come from Boston prior to they when they ripped out my neighborhood the West you understand and they build all kinds of but not for me you understand and today I see the same thing they're building all kinds of housing but not for me you know why I'm 93 years old I don't know of anybody that can go out and purchase a working individual sure all his life that can go out and buy a home at these prices today sure and I don't see that oh they have cheap interest rates to build the economy but where is the the the housing to build the economy for these people that they want to work sure yeah I really appreciate that you know thank you for the for the comment for the comment uh would you mind just for the stating your name and address for the record uh my name is Anthony cantino and I live at 240 re Massachusetts thank you so much and really really appreciate I come from the north okay then I went to the West End when we when they took me to siis and I came back prior to the LA beginning I lived in the West End most of my life yeah my young life sure my life 22 and on is been in R and I really never participated in any of these meetings or what you have because I've been working my business yeah yeah you understand yeah we we in more or less so many ways we Collide sure uh last uh uh what was it August 29th I believe I was at the uh that huge building that those people live in that building that a disaster total disaster yeah I'm unable for seven years the health department I was at the health department the month before on video and I explained to the help people what the city of Rivier was doing to me okay and then I see the following month what the city of Ria and the corporation is doing to these people the city is trying they want things fixed they want things done but these corporations these con don't want to do anything for that's the problem yeah no they want the cheap they want the cheap interest rates right right for themselves not for the people who need housing sure yeah I really appreciate that and thank you for yeah of course no I mean that's that's know I such an influ of course well no we really really appreciate it you know I think we're all here to do a small our small part right like it's such a huge problem um we're here to do our small piece of it it's a sad problem it is it is people have to sleep and they yeah yeah I I remember they they would let let let you on the parking lot let you sleep in your car yeah yeah no it it is a significant problem all over the state without a doubt it is yes sir microphone it's just I can't really pick you up with you're that far you're making yeah you if you have any further to well if if you're going to the okay no worries what I had to well I appreciate oh well you still technically have the opportunity I do so Anthony I definitely encourage you to um come to Future meetings so it's the second Wednesday of every month so it's the um second Wednesday of every month at 6:30 is when we host these meetings well I I get all the information fantastic so come on come on yeah yep I watch channel 9 and I get all the information the the scheduling and so forth if not I I go on Google or or YouTube and I get everything anyway so terrific most people don't know that you people are on YouTube yeah we are La last week if I don't if I recall last week uh Channel 9 was off they they didn't sh they didn't have any power to run the station for uh Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday six days they they couldn't Show you people on Channel 9 and there was a very important uh session regarding uh the the uh the that huge apartment building there and I wanted the public to see it see what's going on look at what's going on to these people housing and the city is uh trying to fix all the regulations and the uh the owner of the property hey I don't want to do anything you and they're then they're in court you know they've been in court for seven seven years I mean and and these people are living under those conditions for 7 years and the the city and the uh conglomerate the owners of that building and the lawyers and you know everybody's making money you know they mean except the people who are living there they're having a huge problem with previous fires fire alarms that don't work mold filth people living in garages That Homeless people living in garages starting fires and so on and nobody has been able to get get so finally they they went before the health department and guess what the judge hey what are you people doing that's awful they've been in her courtroom for seven years yeah yeah it's it's it really is sad I appreciate the the you know the fact that you care yeah thank you well thank you for your passion thank you for being here and come back anytime um well I think that leaves us with a lot to think about um and a reminder of why we're here so thank you for that um with that any further questions comments thoughts okay on that note um motion to adjourn toj second second okay any objection so order all right e