Harwich Housing Committee Meeting

Housing Committee Meeting- Minutes

June 1, 2015

Quorum:  Purdy, Williams, Maule, Secola.  Absent: John McGillen

Guests:  John Stewart; Linda Cebula, Bob MacCready, David Spitz, Jeffrey Hadley.

Minutes of May 11 meeting approved

Old Business:

A.  Re-Purpose of MiddleSchool:  Motion: The Housing Committee to send a letter to the Board of Selectmen indicating that HHC voted at its meeting on June 1, 2015 to support the use of the old Middle School building for Senior Housing. The letter should include: the continued need for Sr Housing in the Town; the probable considerable cost to the Town of rehab and maintenance of the building for municipal purposes, and the support of both the School Committee and the Council on Aging for Sr. Housing. (Purdy will compose such a letter)   Unanimously approved.

C.  Willow Street: Motion: That HHC send a letter to the Town Administrator encouraging the Town to work with more resolve to settle the boundary issues re. Town owned property on Willow St which has been designated for Affordable Housing (by vote of Town Meeting) for 15 years. – Mayla to pull template to work from…

D.  American Dream: Motion: That HHC send a letter to the Town Administrator encouraging the Town to settle the boundary dispute issues on the property (ask David Spitz for the exact plot #) on Depot St (W.Harwich) which is designated for Affordable Housing and upon which an “American Dream” house was to be built and for which a purchaser had been qualified and was waiting for its construction.

- Mayla to pull template to work from

E.  Community Forum: Housing entities to be invited to plan and be involved in a public forum sometime in the fall: Housing Committee, Housing Authority, Community Development Partnership, Housing Assistance Corp., Cape Cod Homeless Prevention Council (located in Orleans). Mayla to send an email to this group to see about interest.

New Business:

A.

  2)  Someone on the HHC ought to be in touch from time to time with John Pena re. Land which he might own or know about for sale with would be for affordable housing purposes.  Also, HHC initiate a meeting with RE/OS re. A joint venture on available land for both preservation of open space and affordable housing. $50,000 is still available from CPC funding to look into property for such purposes.

C.

    3)  Mayla - from HHC is to contact John McGillen to find out whether he is still interested in serving on the Committee since he has missed the last 3 meetings, and because of the thin line between the Committee membership and a quorum. Also, with HHC's plans, there needs to be a full and active membership.  Cindi – has a candidate in mind to fill David’s spot and will contact them to see if they are interested.  Claudia – volunteered to be the Secretary at this point, existing positions will need to be voted in at next meeting. 

Future dates discussed for HHC meetings:

8/3, 9/14, 10/5, 11/2 and 12/7… and Claudia to contact Ann Steidel at Town Hall to reserve the room.

Posting officer:  Claudia D. Williams HHC