[Year-Round Housing] New mailing list; Aug. 10 Grant followup info

Mlongreene2 at aol.com Mlongreene2 at aol.com
Mon Aug 16 13:46:09 EDT 2010


Good Day All;
 
1.    I have added the one YRHASC member to this  mailing list who was not 
on it (plus several others who have requested to  be on it).  This will 
eliminate the need for duplicate Housing Committee  and YRHASC mailings to many 
of you.  I will not longer send stuff to  YRHASC  (until and when that 
committee needs to something specific).
 
2.    Anyone receiving this "Housing Committee" mail  who does not wish to 
receive it any longer,  please let me know. (at _mlongreene2 at aol.com_ 
(mailto:mlongreene2 at aol.com) )
 
3.     As we continue to crank up on the grant  work,  much of the working 
details and other prep stuff may not be of  interest to some of the 30 folks 
on our Housing Committee  Listserve.   We may re-use the yrhcworking for 
day to day paperwork if needed.
 
4.   Attached please find the budget workup that Mary Terry  did for us 
following last Tuesdays meeting.  As suspected, some of the  numbers that were 
on the budget worksheet we started with were for  two  houses not one which 
had a drastic effect on the projected  monthly costs/rents.  There are 4 
tabs for budget(high); budget (low), 15  year potential operating costs to 
study.  
 
5.    We had many questions about some of the costs  that were estimated.  
Mary submitted them to Liza Fleming Ives at Genesis  and the thread of those 
questions and responses are just below and opened  from the several 
e-mails:  (Read all the way thru as some questions are  answered in each e-mail)
 
Mary and Mark,

Good to see you both yesterday. Below are some  responses to your questions:


2.  Why are the legal fees  high?  Liza said her experience with MSHA 
closings indicate the 11,500  is a fair number.  There tends to be much 
legal work involved that  might not be required for a conventional closing.

Closing on a grant/loan  with MaineHousing will involve legal work. The 
$11,500 would be typical of a  small project in which MaineHousing is 
making a loan. Since we haven't yet  closed a performance grant, I don't 
know how different this will be. I know  MaineHousing is committed to 
keeping these kinds of costs down, especially  for the island program. I 
just haven't seen what that will look like yet and  it's always awful to 
get to closing and have the legal expenses be higher  than you anticipated.



3.  Is the Survey/Soils line necessary  since the property has been 
formally surveyed and soils tested?

Yes.  It is important to keep this in the development budget because it 
is a  relevant expense. At the same time, since it has already been paid 
for and  you are not seeking reimbursement for it, then you should use 
the actual  cost and then add the same amount under sources as a 
contribution by the  YRHCorp.



4.  What does the Insurance item ($2,000) under  Profession Services cover?

MaineHousing will require that you pay a full  year of insurance upfront 
and provide evidence at closing on the grant.  Since this is an expense 
incurred before or at closing, it is typically  listed in the development 
budget.



5.  Why is there a  Reserves Section in the Development Budget and then 
again in the Operating  Pro-forma?

MaineHousing will require that the reserves be funded upfront  at the 
time of closing on the grant and then will require that contributions  be 
made to the reserves every year (or more frequently as appropriate). The  
replacement reserve is typically funded at 1% of the cost of structures  
upfront and then a set annual contribution (like $300 per unit). The  
operating reserve (which will actually be a tax and insurance reserve  
for this program) will be funded to cover the next tax and insurance  
payments and then regular contributions will be  required.


6.  If the group uses a design/build team, do they  need a line item for 
Engineer/Architect?

This should be a major part  of our conversation with MaineHousing when 
we meet with them. They are being  very flexible about not having an 
architect, but may want to have you use an  engineer. I would include at 
least $10,000 for an engineer (for now) in the  development budget.

I'll take a look at the pro forma early next week and  follow up with 
both of you. Please be in touch with any questions about the  information 
above.

Best regards,
Liza

Mary Terry  wrote:
> Good afternoon,
>
> Last evening a the Long YRHCorp  met to review the pro-forma you sent 
> and brainstorm the costs they  envision to build 2 homes.
>
> There were several questions for you,  Liza.  You addressed some of 
> them in our brief conversation of  this morning.  Here is the list, 
> with the answers when  applicable:
>
> 1.  Are the budget numbers for 1 or 2  homes?  Liza said 2 homes.
>
> 2.  Why are the legal fees  high?  Liza said her experience with MSHA 
> closings indicate the  11,500 is a fair number.  There tends to be much 
> legal work  involved that might not be required for a conventional 
closing.
>
>  3.  Is the Survey/Soils line necessary since the property has been 
>  formally surveyed and soils tested?
>
> 4.  What does the  Insurance item ($2,000) under Profession Services 
cover?
>
>  5.  Why is there a Reserves Section in the Development Budget and then  
> again in the Operating Pro-forma?
>
> 6.  If the group  uses a design/build team, do they need a line item 
> for  Engineer/Architect?
>
> The group looked at a stick built quote and  the Peaks modular quote to 
> create the numbers.  Using their own  on-island experience they 
> projected the costs for a well, septic,  driveway, and land clearing.  
> The YRHCorp numbers are in blue on  the spread sheet and I made 
> comments to help clarify.  I did a  high cost sheet and a low cost 
> sheet - you will see the tabs along the  bottom.
>
> I know the final numbers gave the group pause.  
>
> In looking at all of this, I wonder if there is other grant  money, 
> community assets, community donations etc that could be put  toward 
> this project to bring the build costs down.  My immediate  thoughts for 
> grant money are:  Key Bank, Maine Bank and Trust,  Maine Community 
> Foundation (specifically Cumberland County),  Hannaford's, Lowe's, 
> HomeDepot.
>
> Just some  thoughts.
>
> Mary
>
> -- 
> Mary K. Terry
>  Island Institute
> Casco Bay Affordable Housing Fellow
>  marykterry at gmail.com <mailto:marykterry at gmail.com>
>  207-221-2507

-- 
Liza Fleming-Ives
Associate Director
Genesis  Community Loan Fund
3 Chapman Street
P.O. Box 609
Damariscotta, ME  04543-0609

Tel: 207.563.6073
Fax:  207.563.6055
liza at genesisfund.org
www.genesisfund.org

"providing  innovative financing and expert assistance to Maine nonprofits 
since 1992"  




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