The board of the Revere Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF) held its regular monthly meeting last Wednesday evening, February 8, in the City Council Chambers.
On hand for the session were chair Joe Gravellese and members Laila Pietri
and Anayo Osueke.
Osueke, who is the treasurer and the chair of the AHTF’s Fundraising Subcommittee, reported that he has been delving into the mechanics of public and private fundraising, as well as understanding what his role as treasurer entails.
The board heard from Lor Holmes of the Revere Housing Coalition (RHC). Holmes presented a slide deck and told the board that the goal of the RHC, which came together just before the start of the pandemic and has open membership for Revere residents, is to have a “neighborhood conversation” about affordable housing.
“Housing affordability and shared community benefits should be at the center of community development,” according to a slide that Holmes presented.
“The highest benefits should be spread around to the most,” she said. “Housing is a complicated issue, but our group focused on a single issue — we want more affordable housing. We want to be a positive presence in the process of developing housing policy and community strategies,” Holmes said.
Another slide noted that “displacement is an urgent crisis” and that at least 700+ units of affordable housing are needed for Revere to meet the state-mandated threshold of 10 percent of affordable housing in every city and town.
“When you look at priorities to focus on, what is top of mind for you?” asked Gravallese.
“We need to fight for folks in the community, to fight against the losses — we have to focus on a resident’s right to remain in this community,” replied Holmes. “It makes me sad when youngsters graduate and are unable to afford a condo or an apartment. And as for our seniors, there is not enough affordable housing. Let’s embrace some strategies in order to keep our residents that we’ve got. We need to develop more affordable housing even if it means slowing down on the high-end development, because there is no affordable housing that is being developed now.”
The board heard an update from Tom Skwierawski, the city’s Chief of Planning and Community Development, who told the board of the need for a “housing production plan” for which he will be seeking funding from the AHTF and from the city’s ARPA funds.
He also discussed, in response to a question from Gravallese, the issue of hiring a consultant who would be able to take the AHTF’s goals and turn them into reality by accessing available local, state, and federal funds.
“I’d be interested in getting some help for when the rubber meets the road,” said Gravallese.
Skwierawski also briefly discussed the action plan recently submitted by the city relative to the new state law that requires every city and town to comply with a housing production plan.
He also noted the potential for funding from the state for new affordable housing buildings and infrastructure to support new development.
The board also briefly discussed adopting a statement of its goals, which Gravallese enumerated as possibly including the following: Provide support for low-income, elderly, and disabled renters in Revere to avoid the displacement of Revere residents who rent; encourage and support first-time buyers who wish to stay in the city; support low-income and elderly homeowners with the rising cost of home ownership, and encourage the development of deed-restricted affordable housing.
