HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-09-08 Affordable Housing Trust Minutes
North Andover Affordable Housing Trust
Meeting Minutes
September 8, 2020
Present: Laurie Burzlaff, Roger Lawson, Richard Vaillancourt, Christopher Jee, Joan Fitzgibbons, George Koehler,
Robert Bernardin, Jean Enright
Meeting was called to order at 5:30 p.m
Chairman Burzlaff read the following:
c. 30A, §18, and the Gover
gather in one place, this meeting of the North Andover Affordable Housing Trust will be conducted via remote
participation. No in-person attendance of members of the public will be permitted but every effort will be made to
ensure that the public can adequately access the proceedings as provided for in the Order. Persons who would like
to listen to the meeting while in progress may do so by tuning in on their televisions to Comcast Channel 8 or
Verizon Channel 26 or online at www.northandovercam.org. If you have public comments, please email
lburzlaff@northandoverma.gov.
Approval of Minutes from June 30, 2020
Motion made by George Koehler, seconded by Robert Bernardin to approve the meeting minutes of June 30,
2020. Roll call vote: Vaillancourt-yes; Koehler-yes; Jee-yes; Bernardin- yes; Fitzgibbons-yes; Lawson-yes; Burzlaff-
yes. Motion approved 7-0.
Update on Emergency Rental Assistance Program
Laurie Burzlaff updated the Board on the current amount expended which was approximately $118,000.
Christopher Jee inquired about extending the program. Ms. Burzlaff indicated that according to guidance from
Mass Housing Partnership, the assistance should not be longer than 6 months because it may then not be
Motion made by Richard Vaillancourt, seconded by Joan Fitzgibbons to extend the deadline of the Emergency
Rental Assistance Program from September 30, 2020 until the time that all funds are exhausted, provided it is
legal to do so. Roll call vote: Vaillancourt-yes; Koehler-yes; Jee-yes; Bernardin- yes; Fitzgibbons-yes; Lawson-yes;
Burzlaff-yes. Motion approved 7-0.
Long Term Rental Assistance Program
Ms. Burzlaff stated that at the last meeting, they agreed to establish the Long Term Rental Assistance Program to
be administered by Greater Lawrence Community Action Council, but they did not establish the administration fee.
Guidance from MHP states administration fees range from 10%-20%.
Motion made by Joan Fitzgibbons seconded by Richard Vaillancourt to pay 10% administration fee to Greater
Lawrence Community Action Council for administering the long term rental assistance program. Roll call vote:
Vaillancourt-yes; Koehler-yes; Jee-yes; Bernardin- yes; Fitzgibbons-yes; Lawson-yes; Burzlaff-yes. Motion
approved 7-0.
The Trustees reviewed the draft agreement prepared by Mr. Jee. The terms of the agreement are the same
agreement the Town currently has with GLCAC and North Shore Home Consortium.
Motion made by Richard Vaillancourt seconded by Roger Lawson to approve the agreement as distributed with
revisions to paragraph 7 and deletion of Attachment D and to allow Laurie Burzlaff and Chris Jee to review the
final agreement and made non-substantive corrections. Roll call vote: Vaillancourt-yes; Koehler-yes; Jee-yes;
Bernardin- yes; Fitzgibbons-yes; Lawson-yes; Burzlaff-yes. Motion approved 7-0.
Ms. Burzlaff asked the Board if they would agree to hire outside counsel to review the legality of the Affordable
Housing Trust running a Rental Assistance Program. Ms. Burzlaff explained that Town Counsel is extremely busy
with the school negotiations and may not be able to get to this in a timely fashion. The Board did not want to hire
outside counsel and asked for Town Counsel to provide the opinion.
ADJOURNMENT
Joan Fitzgibbons made a motion seconded by George Koehler to adjourn the meeting at 6:20PM. Roll call vote:
Lawson-yes, Vaillancourt-yes; Fitzgibbons-yes; Jee-yes; Burzlaff-yes. Motion approved 5-0
MEETING MATERIALS: Agenda; Meeting minutes of June 30, 2020; Long Term Rental Assistance Agreement.