Housing 8/12/26

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Town of Richmond Housing Committee Meeting Minutes

Date: August 12, 2026

Time Started: 12:05p

Time Ended: 1:07p

Present: Virginia Clarke, Mairead O’Reilly, Connie van Eeghen

Guest: (none)

Absent: (none)

Committee is approved at 5 members, 2 alternates (5/16/22); quorum is 3

AI Summary: The meeting focused on the establishment and management of a housing trust fund for Richmond. Mairead presented a draft ordinance based on models from Williston and Burlington, highlighting the need for Selectboard approval for disbursements. The committee discussed potential revenue sources, including an annual assessment on property values and local option tax. They also considered the role of an administrative agent and the need for a transparent process. The meeting concluded with plans to review the draft and additional materials, including a white paper from Williston and a PowerPoint presentation on Borden Street properties. The next meeting is scheduled for September 8.

1. Welcome and troubleshooting (0:06:24)
2. Adjustments to Agenda – none (0:06:36)
3. Approval of the July 13, 2026 meeting minutes (0:06:52)
   1. Mairead requested that “Next Steps: State Reps involved with CHT” be struck from record; this was part of the SB meeting
4. Committee Chair and recruitment (0:08:19)
   1. Mairead: nominated and voted unanimously as Chair of committee; approved
   2. Recruitment: development of a new program funding source: Mairead will post in August; Connie in September
   3. Farmers’ Market: needs some preparation: what we are working on; Mairead will email the Market
5. Housing Trust Fund – Mairead (0:15:30)
   1. Mairead shared a draft ordinance, based on the Williston trust fund ordinance.
   2. Committee reviewed “Draft Richmond Housing Trust Fund Ordinance” drafted by Mairead
   3. Establishment of Housing Trust Fund key points:
      1. Set up by Richmond Selectboard
      2. Options for creating the fund
         1. Annual assessment on property grand list, e.g., 1 cent on every $1K home value
         2. General fund appropriation
         3. Impact fees from Development bylaws
         4. Bequests and donations
         5. Anything else agreed to by the Selectboard
   4. Management of Housing Trust Fund
      1. Establishment of a Housing Trust Find Advisory Board (HTFAB) to make recommendations to Selectboard
      2. Development of a policy to operationalize the program
      3. Meet at least 2x yearly to do much of what the Housing Committee already does
      4. Oversight: Town staff time to make sure the program is conducted appropriately
      5. Financial management: Town manager administers; approved by Selectboard (like the Conservation Committee Fund) – this may need more exploration
      6. Administrative management:  BTV and Williston have a town staff person who has some FTE dedicated to administrative management of the fund.  In Williston, it’s Melinda Scott (Williston Energy and Community Planner; deputy zoning administrator).  Questions that arose for committee: what kind of projects, what funds they have collected, what reactions from the community, sources of funding, how spent
         1. Mairead sent the Committee a white paper that answers many of the above questions:
         2. https://www.town.williston.vt.us/vertical/sites/%7BF506B13C-605B-4878-8062-87E5927E49F0%7D/uploads/Sustainably_Funding_Willistons_Housing_Trust_Fund.pdf
         3. Burlington’s former trust fund administrator Todd Rawling, can also respond to questions
   5. Distribution and use of Housing Trust Fund Assets
   6. Next steps: review documents and respond to Mairead individually before next meeting so that new draft can be provided.  Let Mairead know if we want to invite Melinda or Todd to our next meeting.
6. Selectboard update (0:53:06)
   1. Overview of the projects that could help a strategic plan for more housing in Richmond – Connie
   2. Properties owned by Town of Richmond: Virginia has a list she will send the Committee
   3. Connie to notify Josh when the Committee is ready to report to the Selectboard
7. Housing Assessment Update – Connie, tabled for future meeting
8. Plan for updating Selectboard re: Borden Street – pending first meeting schedule (0:55:46)
   1. Connie recently pinged Josh for an update
   2. Mairead shared CHT PowerPoint slide set summarizing key points about affordable housing/Borden street. This was created in 2021 and shared with the Richmond Housing Committee in 2021.
   3. Committee will review PPT before next meeting
9. Other business, correspondence, and adjournment (1:05:58)
   1. Future guests to consider inviting to Committee: Miranda Lescaze (works for Cathedral Square as an affordable housing developer), Melinda Scott (Williston Energy and Community Planner; deputy zoning administrator), and/or Todd Rawling (Burlington’s former trust fund administrator)
   2. Next meeting: September 8 at noon
   3. Proposed agenda to include: Review of documents re: Housing Trust Fund (Mairead), Borden Street update (Connie), Overview for Selectboard (Connie)
10. Adjournment: Agreed to adjourn at 1:07p (1:08:24)

Recorded by Connie van Eeghen