Housing Greenfield Meeting Notes – 06/09/2025

Present: Susan Worgaftik, Nikki Garrett, Peg Hall,  Mary McClintock, Pamela Goodwin, Lexi Turner, Wisty Rorabacher, Judy Draper, Nancy Hazard, Carol Letson, Mike Penn-Strah, Dorothy McIver, Bob Williford, Jen Hale, Amy Cahillane, Edie Heinemann

DISCUSSIONS

Preventing Foreclosure–Susan Worgaftik
Because we believe that there might be a recession coming, Susan suggested that a group might come together to discuss whether there is anything that can be done here in Greenfield to prevent foreclosures.  Amy Cahillane (City of Greenfield), Anna Oltman (City of Greenfield), Gina Govoni (Franklin County Regional Housing Authority), Jack Redman (Greenfield Housing Authority), Jessa McCormack (Housing Greenfield), Lexi Turner (Housing Greenfield) and Emmalynn Hicks (Franklin County Regional Housing Authority) will be the starting group to talk about what we know and what we don’t.  Jessa has been talking with Springfield No One Leaves which has an extensive program.

The group met in May and determined that they needed to better understand what banks and what legal services.  Susan is meeting with Greenfield Savings Bank staff on June 10th and will report back to the group about what she has learned.  She checked with Community Legal Aid and they do not work on foreclosures.

Once we have information, we should distribute it to a variety of resources including the Franklin County Resource Network.

Latest Federal and State News–Susan Worgaftik
Anything noted below is subject to change and things are very volatile.  The following information was presented as a snapshot of what is being considered for the Federal FY 26 budget which begins October 1, 2025.  Please take this information as advisory and as an indication of what we MIGHT have to consider in the coming months.

• $43 billion decrease in HUD funds—programs may be consolidated and given to the states as block grants
• Communities of Concern (CoCs) which provide links between various services in the community and unhoused residents will have no access to mainstream housing programs (e.g. section 8)
• Homelessness assistance will be cut including homelessness prevention and rental assistance and will be folded into block grants
• Massachusetts Medicaid cuts are projected to be 11% and there will be restrictions on how states can fund the cut services from their own funds
• Cuts in mental health and substance abuse programs
• In the fall there is likely to be a statement about regulatory reform of housing, but we have no idea what that will include
• The Trump administration will use all the tools they can to move undocumented people out of publicly supported housing, including section 8. This is likely to go to the Supreme Court.
• The projected voucher cuts in supported housing in Massachusetts could involve the elimination of 43,000 families from federally funded housing
• There are also threats to cut CDBG
• Fair Housing Centers are in limbo and waiting for a circuit ruling.  What is fairly certain is that there will be no federal funding after the FY26 year.
• The vote to pass the budget in the Senate is 60 votes, not a simple majority, so there is a possibility that these cuts will not pass and there will be a Continuing Resolution (CR) which would allow funding at the present levels.  In that case, the CR could be 3 months or 6 months so there will be constant uncertainty.  Also, the White House has maintained that it really does not matter what funding Congress votes because the administration maintains that it can impound the funds and not spend them.  This will eventually go before the Supreme Court.

On the local level, the cuts noted above could severely impede local services.  For instance, both the Community and Economic Development Department of the City and services provided by the Franklin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority are dependent on Community Development Block Grant funding.

But on the positive side, Housing Greenfield is active in learning about these issues and will be able to alert members to what is happening and advocacy opportunities.

REPORTS

Summer Get Together—Susan Worgaftik
     Our summer get together will be on Monday, August 11th.  It will start at 5 or 5:30 (basically, when folks get there).  It will be at Susan’s house, 45 Forest Avenue in Greenfield.  And we will do a free form potluck….and expect that the meal will work out.  We will send out reminders in the summer.

Rental Housing Survey—Susan Worgaftik
     Sara has completed the rental home survey.  She is now working on a report which we will get to folks before the July meeting.

City Council Unhoused Task Force—Pamela Goodwin
     The Task Force has been meeting. They have been hearing from the Library, Interfaith Council, Amy Cahillane , Wisty Rorabacher, and others about a variety of issues.  The limits of the Open Meeting Law make it difficult for the Task Force to hear from many folks who have lived experience.  It was agreed in the discussion that hearing from folks with lived experience is essential.  Housing Greenfield might be able to help by holding a “cookies and lemonade” event over the summer where a few members of the Task Force might attend (fewer than a meeting quorum) and survey unhoused community residents about their needs and concerns.

Amy Cahillane noted that the city is looking into the purchase and installation of lockers that would be publicly available to unhoused residents.

There Task Force is exploring options where unhoused residents might be able to stay that are not close to the rivers that periodically flood.  The issues confronting them are questions of sanitation and availability of potable water.  There may need to be new city ordinances.

The Days Inn is becoming a Marriott.  This could mean that it would no longer be affordable for overflow during the winter.

Places are needed for unhoused folks to make their community connections.  Once the new shelter is completed, there will be a courtyard which could be such a site.  But that will not be available until the spring.  This could be a place not just to hang out but where trust can be built and services can be offered by key organizations.

Massachusetts Housing Partnership Conference and the Award to the City—Amy Cahillane
     The Mayor received a “Housing Hero” award from MHP which recognized the efforts Greenfield has made in supporting the development of affordable housing, the new ordinances to improve housing development in the city, and the ability of the community to work together to move all of this forward.  Mayor Desorgher spoke briefly in appreciation of this award on behalf of the city.  Councilor John Garrett spoke at more length about what has been happening in Greenfield that merited this award.  Housing Greenfield was mentioned several times as a key element in this process.

Planning Board Review of the Oak Hill Road Development—Nancy Hazard
     Forest Products on Oak Hill Road owns a significant amount of property in the northern part of Greenfield and is planning to develop an “over 55 community” there which will include up to 10 duplexes which will be all single level and accessible.  It is unclear at this point whether they will be rental, condos or a mix, but they will be designed for people who are interested in downsizing.  The housing will eventually be part of a complex including a fitness center, pottery studios, a woodworking school and other amenities.  It is expected that this will be market rate….and likely at the higher end of market rate.  The property has city water but not sewer.  The Planning Board is interested and is looking forward to more information as this proceeds.  There was no vote.

One question that was brought up in our meeting was the availability of transportation.

Nancy mentioned that there is a great video about what the FRTA is doing.  You can find it at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMLMa-aZE2nQ_z-kacRCmdQ.  This was not discussed at the Planning Board meeting.

June 2nd RDI Presentation on 176 Main Street—Jen Hale
     The discussion was positive and although there is no video, the slides will be posted on the RDI website.  The questions were constructive and overall the program was well done.  You can find the slides HERE.

Warming Center—Amy Cahillane
     The city will have an internal meeting on June 23rd to discuss capacity and roles of city departments.  It is expected that the warming center will operate in a manner similar to last year.

There will be another meeting which will involve Warming Center guests and volunteers.  This year there will be orientations and training for volunteers.  Funding for this project for the coming winter is still uncertain.

Cooling sites are available in the daytime at the library, the senior center and the community room at Elm Terrace.  The library is exploring the possibility of opening the lobby of the library as an evening cooling center which will be staffed by the Medical Reserve Corps.  Weekend cooling centers are still uncertain.

Next meeting:  July 14th 6:30 on Zoom