Sharon Housing Partnership

May 12, 2009 Minutes – Approved June 9,2009

In attendance: Susan Saunders,  Mary Tobin, Jane Desberg, and Lou Modestino.

Jane Desberg left the meeting at 7:50 PM.

Also in attendance Katherine Roth, Community Preservation Coalition

Voted to approve Meeting Minutes of March 10th, 2009 (Saunders, Desberg, and Tobin)

Sacred Heart Reuse

Jane Desberg reported that B’nai B’rith was interested in building a 65 unit mixed or all affordable over- 55 development on the site. Pictures of an affordable development this group had built in Brighton were viewed.  On May 20^th Susan Gettleman will present before the Sacred Heart Reuse Committee. It is important that the SHP is represented at this meeting.

Glenview Road

Some work on the interior has been done.  Presently work has stopped until July so that that the person doing the work can apply the hours worked toward his elder tax work off. The leaks have been fixed and the locks re-keyed. Jane Desberg explained that the $5000.00 in the SHP account will be used to fix up the unit and that this money will be reimbursed when the home is sold.

Community Preservation – Affordable Housing

Katherine Roth from the Community Preservation Coalition (CPC) spoke to those present.  She explained that the CPC was a non-profit alliance made up of other non-profits including CHAPA, MAHA, the Trust for Public Lands, member towns, MA Audubon, and other historic and affordable housing groups. The Department of Revenue oversees the CPA as it is utilized by municipalities. DOR has not issued regulations.

Sharon voted for the CPA in 2004. A property surtax of from 1-3% is what is allowed by statute. Sharon voted for a1% surtax.  The amount raised was met by a state match for the first several years. In the last two years the state match has been lowered as more towns adopt the CPA.  The CPC is working to guarantee that the state match is 75%. The CPA requires that 10% of the funds collected yearly go toward affordable housing; 10% toward historic preservation; and 10% toward open space.

The group asked Ms. Roth if she would provide the group with information on what other towns had done in the use of CPA funding toward affordable housing particularly in the areas of home ownership, down payment assistance, and aging in place (deed restriction) programs.

Johnson Drive

Susan Saunders informed the group of a meeting she attended regarding this site. Ben Puritz, Peter O’Cain, the Chitvannis, Eric Hooper, and Jane Desberg also attended. In summary, the county will not sign off on abandoning the paper road unless all the abutters agree. One abutter, Sidhak (sp?) has not agreed as of yet. The town cannot proceed until this landowner agrees.

Wilber School

Work is proceeding.

New Business

DHCD has approved the 40R designation of the Residences at Sharon Commons.

A meeting with the neighbors at the Hunters Ridge Clubhouse will be held on May 13^th.  Michael Intoccia will present his plans for this site. Susan Saunders will inform the group of the time of this meeting.

Meeting adjourned at 9 PM.