1:31 Welcome to the Public Facilities Commission.
1:33 Before us today is the mayor's office of housing.
1:36 Uh Sebastian, please take your vote.
1:40 This meeting is being recorded and broadcast live.
1:43 I will now ask Colleen Daly, the PFC secretary, to please conduct the roll call of the meeting participants.
1:49 Thank you, Sebastian.
1:50 Participants, please unmute your device and confirm your presence.
1:53 Want to call your name?
1:54 Beginning roll call with the commission.
1:55 Larry Mamoli, Commissioner.
1:58 Donald Wright, Commissioner.
2:01 Sebastian Darian, Assistant Corp Counsel.
2:05 Catherine Pendleton, Audacle Clerk.
2:12 Next with the mayor's Office of Housing.
2:14 Paola Pelletier Uzana, Director of Operations.
2:20 President Minnuen, Project Manager, Real Estate Management and Sales Division.
2:27 Teresa Strich Strachilla, Development Officer, Grow Boston Division.
2:34 Sylvia Odono, Senior Project Manager, Boston Home Center Division.
2:40 I'll read for the record the remainder of the individuals who are in attendance but will not be presenting in today's meeting.
2:46 Attendees, you don't have to unmute your device.
2:48 Lauren Forbes, Assistant Corps of Council, Law Department, Lily Bullet, Assistant Corps Council, Law Department.
2:57 Rosemary Chang Dell, Director, Real Estate Management and Sales, Shawnee Fletcher, Director of Grow Boston.
3:04 Christine McCreary, Assistant Director of Boston Home Center, Ben Daly Administration and Finance Operations Manager.
3:11 And this concludes roll call.
3:16 The first order of business before the Commission this morning concerns draft meeting minutes for April 29th, 2026 for the public facilities department.
3:24 Is there a motion to take a vote via roll call for the PFD meeting minutes?
3:31 Commissioners want to call your name, please cast your vote, Commissioner Mamoli.
3:36 Commissioner Wright.
3:40 The meeting minutes for April 29th, 2026 for PFD are hereby approved.
3:46 And today for the Mayor's Office of Housing, we have Paola Pelletier Ozuna, Director of Operations for MOH.
3:53 MOH has three votes on the agenda for today.
4:01 At the conclusion of each vote presentation, the commission may make a motion to take a vote via roll call.
4:06 If such motion is approved, Colleen will conduct a roll call for each commissioner's vote for the record.
4:33 The purchase price is recommended at $55,000.
4:37 Min, if you would please present vote number one.
4:40 Hello, my name is Minnu Yen.
4:40 I am a project manager in the real estate and management sales division of the Mayor's Office housing.
4:49 I am here requesting PFC approval for the tentative developer designation to 8789 Mountain LLC for the parcel identified in the vote package, Dorchester neighborhood of Boston.
5:03 Mayor's Office of Housing conducted a public process that resulted in the developer designation and this tensitive designation vote request.
5:12 Community notification letters were mailed in January 23, 2026 to inform of Mayor's Office of Housing's intent to issue an RRFP for the parcel.
5:24 MOH has also attended the November 20th, 2025 Woodrow Avenue Neighborhood Association meeting to discuss the RFP guidelines for the parcel.
5:35 A request for proposal was issued on February 23rd, 2026 and advertised in the state central register on February 13, 2026.
5:56 And March 2nd, 2026.
6:01 Proposal was received by March 2026 and was determined to meet the eligibility criteria.
6:09 The offer was appraised and value.
6:12 The vote package includes a comprehensive memo about the project and PFC vote request.
6:18 I have also provided handouts related to this vote requests, which are displayed on the screen.
6:24 The first being a site map and the second image of the current site.
6:31 87 and 89 Mountain Ave LLC will utilize the site and maintain it in its current condition, preserving it as open space.
6:46 If PFC approves this forward, it will result in the following public benefits.
6:51 Return a vacant property in LH's inventory for 34 years back to productive use, back on the tax rolls.
7:03 In initial revenues from the sale.
7:05 I am here to answer any questions you may have.
7:20 Uh motion to approve VO call.
7:23 Commissioner Wright.
7:26 Commissioner Mamoli.
7:30 Vote number one is approved.
7:33 Vote two is being presented by Teresa Stracella, Development Officer with the Grove Boston Division of MOH.
7:40 This is a request for conveyance to Urban Edge Housing Corporation for vacant land located at 7 Waldron Road in Roxbury.
7:48 The purchase price is $100.
7:50 Teresa, if you would please present vote two.
7:53 Thank you, Sebastian, and good morning, Commissioners.
7:56 I'm here requesting PFC approval for the conveyance to Urban Edge Housing Corporation, hereafter referred to as Urban Edge for the parcel identified in the vote package in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston.
8:09 This matter was last before you in May of 2025 when PFC voted to approve the time extension of the tentative developer designation of Urban Edge.
8:20 To refresh the commission's memory, MOH conducted a public process that led to that vote and this subsequent request.
8:27 MLH held a community meeting in July 2023 to discuss with community members the preservation of this parcel as open space.
8:35 Support by the community was strong.
8:48 One development team applied to the RFP and was determined to meet the eligibility criteria.
8:54 PFC approved the tentative developer designation of Urban Edge Housing Corporation on May 22nd, 2024, and the designation was advertised in the city record on June 24th and July 1st of 2024.
9:11 Since their initial designation, Urban Edge has finalized the site design and development budget with community input.
9:18 They phase the site design into two phases to allow for initial site accessibility and safety improvements while fundraising continues for phase two of the project.
9:29 They've also completed fundraising for phase one of the project, including a $125,000 award of grassroots funding.
9:37 The vote package includes a comprehensive memo about the project and PFC vote request.
9:43 I've also provided four slides related to this vote request, which will be displayed on the screen.
9:51 The first is an aerial map of the parcel.
9:55 The second is a satellite view of the parcel.
10:02 The third is the design for phase one of the project, which includes the removal of existing knee high fence posts that are scattered amongst the site and currently present as safety hazard.
10:17 It also includes a new shade structure with wheelchair accessible picnic tables, and the resurfacing of pathways with stone dust to restore accessibility.
10:35 And the fourth slide shows the design from phase two of the site, which includes the additional plantings of shaved trees, the restoration of decorative permeable pavers into an accessible uh format, the addition of benches and seating areas, and overall site landscaping improvements.
11:14 The project has the support of residents of the nearby building, affordable housing buildings, also owned by Urban Edge, as well as other neighbors and neighborhood associations.
11:27 In summary, if PFC approves the vote request, it will result in the following public benefits that will preserve approximately 4,095 square feet of land as protected open space after more than 34 years in MOH's inventory.
11:43 It will improve a gathering in green space in a densely populated neighborhood, and increase the tree canopy with the addition of new shape trees.
11:52 I'm here to answer any questions you may have.
11:57 No questions, great project.
11:59 Uh, just as you say protected open space, that's the deed restriction I assume that says they can only use it.
12:06 Yes, this will have a D distriction.
12:08 Uh Commissioner Wright.
12:10 No questions, great project.
12:14 Motion to approve the roll call.
12:17 Commissioners, when I call your name, please note you vote for the record.
12:19 Commissioner Moley.
12:22 Commissioner Wright.
12:25 Vote number two is approved.
12:28 Vote three is being presented by Sylvia Adorno, senior program manager with the Boston Home Center.
12:35 This is a request to accept and expend a grant from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts division of banks to implement foreclosure prevention counseling services.
12:44 The grant amount is 127,442.
12:49 Sylvia, if you would please present vote number three.
12:52 Yes, thank you so much.
12:54 Uh thank you everyone for your time.
12:56 My name is Sylvia Adorno, and I have the privilege of overseeing the foreclosure prevention and intervention counseling program, which assists homeowners throughout the city of Boston who are facing foreclosure and provides intervention counseling to help them avoid losing their homes.
13:14 The mayor's office of housing, MOH, has been awarded a grant totaling 127,442 to support foreclosure prevention and intervention counseling services for Boston homeowners.
13:31 Well, this year's award reflects a reduction from prior years due to statewide budget cuts, MOH remains committed to ensuring these funds are utilized effectively and responsibly to support homeowners in need.
13:47 Statewide funding decreased from 3.5 million last year to 2.1 million this year.
13:54 This marks the 19th consecutive year that MOH has received this grant award.
14:01 The funding will support services throughout calendar year 2026.
14:07 Grant funds will be used to provide technical assistance to MOH, MOH's nonprofit partner agencies, which are contracted to deliver free foreclosure prevention and intervention services to the public.
14:24 MOH selects its nonprofit partners through a publicly advertised request for proposals process.
14:33 Current partners, partner agencies include Urban Edge, ABCD Matapan Family Center Service Center, and ESAC.
14:44 Due to inflation and rising interest rates, demand for our services has remained consistently high.
14:52 These funds will provide greater flexibility to increase support for our nonprofit partners as needed, enabling us to better assist Boston homeowners who may be at risk of foreclosure because of rising non-housing expenses associated with inflation.
15:12 Funding will also support expanding marketing and outreach efforts to reach more households across the city.
15:23 You may have noticed our marketing efforts are enhanced outreach campaigns, including more than 35 bus shelter advertisements placed throughout Boston neighborhoods.
15:38 Additionally, resources will enable MOH to expand home preservation services for homeowners facing housing cost burdens amid ongoing economic challenges.
15:52 To date, MOH has assisted 48 homeowners through these services during the current fiscal year, the majority of whom are elderly.
16:04 Additionally, MOH has completed 90 94 new client intakes this fiscal year.
16:11 During the same period, 98 homeowners received assistance that helped them avoid foreclosure, including 44% of who obtained loan modifications, and 4% who received home preservation services.
16:28 Among new clients completing intake assessments, 44% were delinquent on their mortgages, 40% were identified as at risk, and 60%, 16% had already been petitioned.
16:46 MOH's foreclosure prevention and intervention services remain critical in helping homeowners address financial challenges early in the process before their homes are petitioned for foreclosure or lost entirely.
17:02 Many homeowners continue to face financial hardship due to inflation-driven increases in non-housing expenses and stagnant incomes, which impact their ability to meet mortgage obligations.
17:18 Our services play a vital role in helping homeowners navigate these challenges, negotiate with lenders, and pursue loan modifications and other solutions that can prevent foreclosure and preserve homeownership.
17:35 I am now open for questions or comments.
17:41 Congratulations on another year of funding.
17:47 Commissioner Wright.
18:07 Commissioners, when I call your name, please note you vote for the record, Commissioner Mamole.
18:12 Commissioner Wright.
18:16 Vote number three is approved.
18:18 This concludes PFC's meeting.
18:20 Is there a motion to adjourn the meeting?
18:27 Thank you, Commissioner.
18:29 Thank you all for the