Town Project Committee
PO Box 254
Boylston, MA 01505
CANDIDATE SEARCH: AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY
Dear Friends and Colleagues:
Habitat for Humanity—MetroWest/Greater Worcester will soon begin building a duplex at 1 Mill Road Circle in Boylston. We will shortly begin the process to select two deserving families for these homes. We are looking for two low-income families to partner with us as Habitat homeowners. Enclosed is a flyer with information about the family selection criteria, income guidelines for selection, and the listing of informational meetings we will be holding in June 2010. Anyone interested in applying for homeownership with Habitat MUST attend one of the listed meetings, as this is the only place that applications will be distributed.
We would appreciate your assistance spreading the word about this homeownership opportunity, whether printed in your organizations newsletter, posted on your community bulletin board or website, or any other means to let families know about this opportunity. The notification can start immediately, and should continue through June 30, 2010. Additional information is available on our website: www.gwhfh.org.
Habitat for Humanity—MetroWest/Greater Worcester’s mission is to build simple, decent, affordable homes in good communities by working in continuing partnership with God’s people in need who are committed and able to become homeowners. We believe the greatest means to assist families is providing a homeownership opportunity. Simple, affordable housing can have a profound impact on stabilizing a family and providing long-term security. The Habitat program is one of self-empowerment: we offer families A Hand Up, Not a Handout.
We are grateful for your assistance in spreading the word about this opportunity.
With much appreciation,
Josh Rose
Family Selection Chairperson
Board of Directors
joshrose@gmail.com
111 Park Avenue. Worcester, MA 01609
phone: 508-799-9259. fax: 508-791-7511
SEE ATTACHED FLYER FOR MORE INFORMATION
Outreach:
- We have made 13 presentations on Habitat Boylston and if you know, anyone group that might be interested in hearing about Habitat please get in touch with us. No group is too small for us to make a presentation. Call Linda at 869-3117, Brenda at 869-6295, Judy at 869-6477 and Rich at 869-2982.
- We are also working on distributing flyers on the “Family Selection” for our homes that will have four meetings in June. Anyone interested in applying for homeownership MUST attend one of these meetings, as this is the only place that applications will be distributed. We distributed flyer in the Northborough Library, Senior Center, Town House and their Access Channel and to the two Catholic Churches. We are planning to do the same in Shrewsbury, West Boylston and our town this coming week.
- We still need two more volunteers to serve on the “Family Selection” Committee. As of today, we only have Howard, Janet and Rich. We are planning to select the lottery winners on September 9, 2010 at the Town House.
- Howard and Rich agreed that we need to send a monthly e-mail messages, notes, and general info and blog updates are required.
Meeting notes May 24, 2010 by Howard Drobner
Attendees: Hank Rauch, Harriet Lebow, Howard Drobner, Linda Farmer, Rich Reardon
- We had a small turn out for this meeting mainly due that we did not send out any reminder e-mails. Howard and Rich talked about communications before we started the meeting and agreed that we should have a monthly newsletter/meeting notes/general info sent by via e-mail “e-mail message and blog updates are needed.
- Construction — No updates
- Permitting Process
Board of Health was meeting tonight [Monday 24 May] our septic system plans on the agenda.
Update from Tuesday AM — Board voted to approve with a minor engineering change just before approval.
Status
- Conservation Committee – Done – approval granted – order of conditions recorded at Registry of Deeds.
- Board of Health – Septic system plans approved
- LIP – Local Initiative Project [DHCD] Department of Housing and Community
- Development approved granted [following up with a couple of questions from [DHCD]
- ZBA – filing for Chapter 40B – Comprehensive Permit – we have engaged an attorney that has done Comprehensive permits in the past and currently serves on the board for Worcester Habitat. Time line – filing to take place first week of June – initial public hearing before end of June, possible continued public hearing meeting needed [early July] I hope that that will be what is needed for the ZBA to make a finding, and grantthe Comprehensive Permit during. Note after the permit is granted – 60-day appeal period runs.
- Timeline – Comprehensive Permit granted – mid to late July – We will do a groundbreaking shortly after the permit is granted – while the 60-day appeal period runs we can do work on the site like clearing, engineering work to set up hale bales for conservation control measures
Fund Raising:
- Memorial Day on the common Gerry and his wife Pat will have a fundraising table, and would appreciate some help. Please stop by and give them a hand for an hour or two. This is the largest event in Boylston and a great time to promote Habitat Boylston.
- Spaghetti- No update other than planned for the “fall time frame”.
- We have received a grant of $1500 for this project from the Worcester Regional Association of Realtors. Thanks to Sue for her work in grant writing and claiming another feather in her cap in this area.
- Harriet indicated that Lowe’s has grants available to projects – but they need to know who the “high priority” person is that is associated with this project. The expectations is that this “high priority” person will show up during a build day for Lowe’s employees.
Comments from the meeting were that we do not know any “high priority” individuals [that have name recognition] in Boylston or the area. —*Your suggestions here of individuals is requested - Hockey – Softball game – Peter Shank has been doing some initial contacts on this. Hank and Harriet indicated that this is not something that any of the previous LPC has done, and that the Worcester office does not have any experience with this. Also doing this event would require a significant amount of time and effort to make it a success. The feeling here was that we should concentrate on the existing fund raising events that have been used before.
- Just a note – In Sudbury they did a raffle for a car– but did not sell enough tickets to do the raffle for the car, and then had to do a 50/50 split with the winner. Therefore, the expectation of how much dollars they would get was a lot less.
- Other Items: We need to start to look at a “Ground Breaking Ceremony – late July or early August timeframe. Some Planning will be needed for this.
- Need to ask Butler/Dearden about placing a sign – fundraising status on the corner of this property.
Print this entire post here.
Howard Drobner, Chairman, Town Project Committee
Suzanne Olsen, Interface, Worcester Habitat Board
Sub-Committee Chairmen:
Gerry Quam-Fund Raising, Rich Reardon-Outreach, Chris Jones-Construction
