2008 Annual Report of the SANDWICH HOUSING AUTHORITY The Sandwich Housing Authority is an independent governmental entity administered by a Board of Commissioners consisting of four members elected by the voters of Sandwich and a fifth member appointed by the Governor of the Commonwealth. The mission of the Sandwich Housing Authority is to provide safe and affordable housing for low and moderate income persons, encourage self-sufficiency, and continuously pursue opportunities for the expansion of affordable housing units whenever financial or regulatory opportunities may exist. The Authority currently provides housing for families, senior citizens and people with special needs at properties located on George Fernandes Way and at Hansen Village on Tom's Way. These properties include: · 28 units of state-funded Section 667 elderly housing · 8 units of state-funded Section 667 congregate housing · 13 units state-funded Section 705 family housing · 12 units of state-funded Section 689 special needs housing · 1 unit of CPC-funded rental housing The Authority also administers State and Federal rental vouchers which can be utilized at non-SHA rental properties throughout the area including: · 13 state-funded MRVP vouchers for low-income families and individuals · 20 state-funded AHVP vouchers for low-income & disabled individuals · 28 HUD Section 8 vouchers for low-income families and individuals. 2008 was both a challenging and an exciting year for the Sandwich Housing Authority. The Board of Commissioners was very pleased to welcome Paula Schnepp as the new Executive Director of the Authority. Paula was the former Executive Director of the Community Health Center of Cape Cod, and is also an elected Commissioner in the Barnstable Housing Authority and a member of the Barnstable Community Preservation Committee. Paula is responsible for overseeing the operation of the Authoritys existing housing units, administration of rental vouchers, coordination of all staff activities as well as being an integral part of the SHAs expansion efforts. We wish her well in her efforts! As with housing agencies across the Commonwealth, the SHA continued to see a growing demand which far exceeded its supply of available housing. The Authority also saw escalating utility and operating costs compounded by stagnant or shrinking rental income. There were many bright spots, however, over the past year and the SHA is very appreciative to the Community Preservation Committee and the members of Town Meeting for their continued confidence and support on two new affordable housing initiatives. Sandwich RAP Program The Authority is very pleased to announce that a Sandwich family is now occupying a home which was acquired and renovated using a portion of the $235,000 in RAP funds which were approved by the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) and Town Meeting in 2006 and 2007. Under the RAP program, CPC funds are used by the SHA as a down payment to acquire and renovate an existing housing unit for a qualified family. The income generated through the rental of the unit is then used to fund the monthly mortgage payment to a local bank. The SHA continues to review available properties and expects to acquire additional units in the very near future. Expansion of George Fernandes Way -- The Authority is also very pleased to announce CPC approval of $1.8 million in funding for the development of 24 additional affordable, elderly & handicapped housing units on SHA-owned land adjacent to George Fernandes Way. Once this funding is approved by Town Meeting, the SHA will begin to work with county, state and federal agencies, as well as local banks in order to procure the remaining financing. Once completed, this project will be funded entirely through rental income. The SHA is very enthusiastic about the opportunity of bringing additional affordable housing opportunities to the Town of Sandwich and would like to thank Marc Slotnick of New England Communities LLC and attorney Jonathan Fitch for their tremendous technical assistance with this project. Other Expansion Efforts - In a further effort to increase acquisition opportunities, the SHA has been designated as an approved buyer for future Mass Housing Partnership and Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) funded affordable units. This will allow the SHA to acquire affordable housing units which may be included within a planned 40(b) subdivision. The SHA has also been recommended by both the Sandwich Planning Board and the Sandwich Board of Appeals as the recommended monitoring agent for affordable housing in the Town of Sandwich. This will allow the Authority to monitor planned affordable developments to ensure that they remain in compliance with local and state policies. Fees earned from these services will be utilized to further expand SHA services. The Board of Commissioners would like to thank our Executive Director and Staff for all of their efforts during the year and their constant ability to keep the ship going in the right direction regardless of the number of icebergs in the water! The Authority would also like to thank Town Manager Bud Dunham, the Board of Selectmen, the Police & Fire Departments, the Department of Public Works, the Council on Aging, the Board of Health, and all the other town agencies for their continued assistance, cooperation and support throughout the year. Regular public meetings of the Board of Commissioners are scheduled for the first Thursday of each month at 6:00 PM in the Community Room at Hansen Village, 20 Tom's Way. To confirm meeting times, or for more information on eligibility or unit availability, please contact the Sandwich Housing Authority at (508) 833-4979. For more information, please visit our website at www.sandwichhousing.org Respectfully submitted, The Sandwich Housing Authority Board of Commissioners Robert F. Simmons, Jr., Chairman Daniel DiGiandomenico, Vice Chairman H. Earl Lantery, Treasurer Richard Johnson, Assistant Treasurer And the Staff of the Sandwich Housing Authority: Paula K. Schnepp, Executive Director Cynthia Roberts, Office Manager Sue Murphy, Office Assistant Phil Egan, Maintenance | 