[Year-Round Housing Committee] YRHC Oct. 10, 2007 Minutes

[Mlongreene2 at aol.com]

Town of Long  Island 
Year-Round Housing  Committee 
Minutes, 10/10/2007 
Meeting called to order, 7:07 p.m. 
Present: Mark Greene (chair); Newell Stewart, selectman; John Billings;  Mary 
Nanos; Mike Maloney; Amy Tierney; Katie Norton; Jonathan Norton; Lorinda  
Valls; Tammy Hohn. 
Minutes from previous meeting approved unanimously. 
Old  business: 
Available parcels:  Mark Greene has been working on finding  available 
parcels for the ground-lease program.  Gilbert Gordon, abutter to the two  parcels 
by the transfer station (255 & 256), is interested in discussing lot  
reconfiguration with the town.  Mark  is also in discussion with the library committee 
regarding the former Carol  Bounds lot (344) on the corner of Beach Ave.  The 
lot next to the Barter property  (361) remains a possibility, although it is 
partially a depression and may be  wet.   
Year-Round Housing Corporation:  The board of directors held a meeting  
earlier in the Fall to satisfy its legal requirements, adopt by-laws and elect  
officers. 
Application and Selection Committee:  The Selectmen have appointed five  
committee members: Brenda Singo; Newell Stewart; Sandy Scheurman; Judy Paolini;  
and John Billings.  Mark said the  YRHC will be glad to brief the committee on 
its activities to date but otherwise  would not get involved with the 
selection process except as requested by that  Committee.  The Committee’s charge  is 
to make this process an impartial one. 
New  business: 
Housing situations:  All committee members reported that  their housing 
situations are stable for the immediate future.  However, the long-term future of 
all  those rentals remains uncertain which makes the forward motion of the YRHC 
 important.   
Housing market:  Mark Greene suggested the committee keep  an eye on housing 
listings on the island and spend some time researching those  that might be 
more affordable than they appear at first.    He said that even listings that  
seem high may not be unreachable as asking prices and actual sales prices often 
 are far apart.   The Genesis  Fund can provide matching $25,000 “bridge” 
loans, and can broker financing for  both organizations and private individuals. 
 Both Chebeague and Peaks are moving  forward with rental properties.   The 
YRHC can certainly explore other housing options as we move forward  with our 
current lease program. 
Maine  Affordable Housing Conference:  The Maine State Housing Authority will 
be hosting its annual conference  in Portland on  October 30th.  Mark said  
that most of the workshops didn’t look terribly useful to the committee, except 
 for a session on island affordable housing strategies.  Mark plans to attend 
that session and  requested ideas for topics to raise with the legislators 
and other housing  specialists at the session.  The  committee discussed the 
cost-of-living differential on the island and suggested  that down payment and 
monthly payments might be the biggest impediment to buying  an island home.   
Other ideas:  The committee discussed the possibility of a meeting with 
people from  Camden National Bank (_www.camdennational.com_ 
(http://www.camdennational.com/) ) or the Consumer Credit Counseling Service’s First-time  Homebuyer 
specialists.  The  committee also discussed its ability to accept cash 
donations towards buying  houses: with 501(c)(3) status it will be able to offer a 
tax deduction.  Mark said one island has already  expressed a willingness to 
make a donation.    
Next meeting: 
The committee agreed to meet on the second Wednesday of each month, with  an 
additional meeting on the fourth Wednesday if necessary.  Next meeting will be 
on November  14th at 7 p.m. at the Learning Center. 
Meeting adjourned, 8 p.m.  



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