Committee Report - Housing - 5-4-16 — File 201429

Housing and Community Development Committee Page 1 of 3 Printed 5/11/2016 May 4, 2016 REPORT OF THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Attendee Name Title Status Arrived Mark Niedergang Chair Present Tony Lafuente Vice Chair Present Katjana Ballantyne Ward Seven Alderman Present Others present: Michael Glavin - OSPCD, Kelly Donato - OSPCD, Michael Feloney - OSPCD, Charles Sillari - Clerk of Committees The meeting took place in the Committee Room and was called to order at 6:00 PM by Alderman Niedergang. Document List: • SNWG Recommendations (with 200852) • SNWG List (with 200852) Approval of the March 28, 2016 Minutes RESULT: TABLED 201171: Requesting approval of the 2016-2017 HUD One Year Action Plan, for CDBG, HOME, and ESG programming. The upcoming year will be year 4 of the action plan. This One-Year Action Plan’s total budget under the city's mandated program year 201 6-2017 is estimated at $2,865,657 in new entitlement and represents a 0.2% one year increase of $4,265 in Community Development Block Grant funds, a 6% reduction of $24,265 in Home Investment Partnership funds and a 4% decrease of $8,103 in Emergency Solutions Grant programs. Public hearings were held in January and March of this year. RESULT: APPROVED 200700: That the Director of SPCD report to this Board on the plan and timeline for implementing the recommendations in the recent report of the Sustainable Neighborhoods

Housing and Community Development Committee Page 2 of 3 Printed 5/11/2016 Working Group. See discussion of 200852 RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 200852: Housing Director conveying the Sustainable Neighborhoods Working Group Recommendations Report. Mr. Feloney distributed and reviewed 2 documents and spoke about the meetings of the Sustainable Neighborhoods Committee. The working group discussed 3 controversial issues: • transfer fees, • right to purchase program and • an increase to 9,000 units. Mr. Glavin stated that he wants to get practical advice from others to fill in the blind spots and to generate ideas. Chairman Niedergang expressed his impatience regarding the affordable housing crisis and feels that a decision needs to be made. He doesn’t think that a decision of a committee is needed to go ahead. Mr. Feloney said that the condo conversion ordinance is a short term item to be dealt with. He said that next week’s meeting would focus on the “right to offer”. Mr. Feloney also discussed linkage, the condo conversion ordinance, the zoning overhaul, inclusionary housing and the 100 homes initiative. The SCC has acquired 3 properties, so far, to help preserve tenancies. Renovation costs were budgeted at $15,000 per unit and Mr. Feloney anticipates that renovation funding will need to be increased. There was a discussion about the impact of students on the private housing market and what schools may be able to do to house their students, thereby taking some of the pressure off the housing market. Mr. Glavin spoke about transfer fees and the related concerns of small property owners, as this could have negative impacts during a downturn in the market. Chairman Niedergang suggested speaking with state legislators on how to proceed. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 196188: That the Administration work with this Board to revise the Somervision Plan to provide more detailed goals with regard to affordable housing and the creation of a mix of housing units, especially those with more than 2 bedrooms, for long-term residents of all ages. See discussion of 200852 RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE

Housing and Community Development Committee Page 3 of 3 Printed 5/11/2016 196366: That the Director of SPCD submit a plan to create “Middle Class” housing. See discussion of 200852 RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 200521: That the City Solicitor brief Housing Department staff and Condominium Review Board members to ensure they are implementing the Condominium Conversion Ordinance to the fullest extent possible, and report back to this Board. Ms. Donato said that a policy recommendation was presented to the Condominium Review Board (CRB) and Mr. Glavin said that gaps in the current ordinance would be addressed at the next meeting of the CRB, however he offered no prediction of the outcome. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 200771: That the Administration provide this Board with an opinion relating to housing compliance, following the review of each University Spring Accountability Report, as recently submitted. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 200840: Tufts University submitting its Spring 2016 University Accountability report. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE 201086: Harvard University submitting its Spring 2016 University Accountability report. RESULT: KEPT IN COMMITTEE