Amesbury Housing Trust Meeting
Trust authorized a $97,106.30 appropriation from Housing Trust funds to cover CDBG audit-identified deficits, supported development of a down-payment assistance proposal for first-time buyers, and OCED recommended expedited disposition of the Ordway School and Orlando-Bagley properties to return them to the tax rolls.
The Amesbury Housing Trust meeting reviewed the Trust account balance and received detailed updates from OCED on Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) matters. OCED reported FY2020 audit results showing multiple findings (11 findings and 3 issues of concern), identified a program operational deficit stemming from state-disallowed items and misallocated administrative costs, and explained grant-timing and eligibility implications for the upcoming FY2025 CDBG application. The Chair cited the Declaration of Trust regarding trustees' powers to use Trust funds for housing purposes and to compensate city staff for authorized services.
Following discussion, the Trust voted to authorize an appropriation of $97,106.30 from Trust funds to cover the FY2020–FY2021 CDBG deficits identified by OCED (motion passed 5-0-1). The board also heard disposition recommendations from OCED (with mayoral concurrence) to pursue expedited sale of the Ordway School parcel and the Orlando-Bagley property to return them to the tax rolls; no vote was taken on disposition at this meeting. Trustees supported further research and preparation of a down payment assistance proposal for first-time homebuyers (motion passed 6-0). The Chair also noted an existing ordinance (2021-107) enabling a means-tested senior rental assistance program as an available Trust program option. Public comment time had no speakers.