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Portsmouth Housing Authority
Town of Portsmouth, Rhode Island
Board of Commissioners
Commissioners:
Chair James Seveney
Vice-Chair Terri Cortvriend
Gary Gump
Patricia Chretien
Dr. J. Mark Ryan
Agenda for 3/5/2025
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MEETING MINUTES FOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5th, 2025 AT 1:00 PM
Location: Portsmouth Town Hall/Portsmouth Room
Please note in accordance with Section 42-46-6 (b) The PHA Board may review, discuss and/or
take potential action and/or vote on the following asterisked* items:
1. CALL TO ORDER; ROLL CALL at 1pm
A. Commissioners Present: Seveney, Cortvriend, Gump, Ryan; Chretien was absent
B. Introduction of Guests: Peter Asen, HUD Field Office Director for RI
2. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
A. The Town Council appointed three Councilors as PHA Board liaisons at their 1/13/25
meeting: Carlos Payero, Sondra Blank and Sharlene Patton. We welcome you all
and look forward to continuing close coordination with the Town in pursuit of
improved affordable housing opportunities for our Portsmouth residents in need.
B. The Town Council conducted a new CDBG hearing relating to the CDBG application
from Sabattus Housing and the PHA at their 1/27/25 meeting. After the close of the
hearing the Council reaffirmed their support and approved submission of the
application to the RI State Housing Office for consideration of our $500K request.
C. In other business on 1/27/24 the Town Council appointed Dr. Mark Ryan to the PHA
Board of Commissioners. Congratulations and welcome aboard Dr. Ryan!
D. The PHA Board briefed the Town Council on our 2024 annual report at their
2/10/2025 council meeting.
Motion to move immediately to New Business discussions with Mr. Asen from HUD
made by Gump, second by Cortvriend… passed 4-0.
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES *
A. Minutes for January 16th, 2024: Motion to approved by Cortvriend, second by
Gump. Passed 3-0, with Ryan abstaining.
4. FINANCIALS AND BILLS *
A. NA
5. COMMUNICATIONS *
A. Presented the 2024 annual report to the Town Council at their 2/10/25 regular
meeting.
Town of Portsmouth, Rhode Island
Board of Commissioners
Commissioners:
Chair James Seveney
Vice-Chair Terri Cortvriend
Gary Gump
Patricia Chretien
Dr. J. Mark Ryan
Agenda for 3/5/2025
|Page 2
B. Commissioner Gump discussions with HUD Field Director for RI.
6. OLD BUSINESS*
A. Continue Board dialogue on what our future priorities and activities should look like
now that our HUD issues are resolved and Quaker Manor ownership has transferred
to Sabattus Housing.
7. NEW BUSINESS *
A. Discussion with Peter Asen, Rhode Island Field Office Director, US Department of
Housing and Urban Development
380 Westminster Street, Suite 547
Providence, RI 02903
401-277-8350
[email protected]
www.HUD.gov/RhodeIsland
1) Discussed the following topics, and received a very informative presentation
on HUD programs covering RI:
a. HUD Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program, Section 8 certificates,
project vs. tenant based vouchers, RI law supporting low income housing
b. CDBG and Low Income Federal Tax Credit programs
c. Outlook for the future of federal funding for housing programs
The Board thanked Mr Asen for his time, and expressed appreciation for the
informative presentation and discussion on housing issues and programs
in
the State of RI .
B. Review Senate Bill S-0037 on tax policy for affordable housing. Shall the PHA Board
lend their support for this proposed legislation? After discussion on the merits of
this proposed legislation a motion was made by Cortvriend, seconded by Gump to
direct the Chair to write a letter of support on behalf of the PHA Board. All voted
in favor. Chair will write the letter supporting this bill and its House companion
and submit it to the General Assembly.
Bill synopsis:
1) This act would allow a municipality to set an additional conveyance
tax rate of not more than ten dollars ($10.00) for each five hundred
dollars ($500), or fractional part of that amount, of the consideration
in excess of nine hundred thousand dollars ($900,000). This act would
also require that the excess conveyance taxes collected alternatively
be deposited in a restricted account and distributed within two (2)
Town of Portsmouth, Rhode Island
Board of Commissioners
Commissioners:
Chair James Seveney
Vice-Chair Terri Cortvriend
Gary Gump
Patricia Chretien
Dr. J. Mark Ryan
Agenda for 3/5/2025
|Page 3
years, to be used only for affordable housing for individuals or families
at or below eighty percent (80%) of the area median income or
transferred to state housing agencies for use in the community to
develop affordable housing.
8. REPORTS *
A. None
9. PUBLIC COMMENT/OPEN FORUM
A. Not applicable for this meeting
10. EXECUTIVE SESSION*
The Housing Authority Board of Commissioners may seek to enter Executive Session, for
discussions and/or potential actions pursuant to RIGL $42-46-5(a):
A. Not required for this meeting
11. NEXT MEETING*
A. PHA meeting schedules for 2025 will be quarterly, notionally to be held the first
Wednesday of April, July, and October These projected meeting dates are subject
to change as circumstances may require. All meetings/changes will be duly
published in accordance with RIGL open meetings notification requirements.
Meetings will normally be held at Portsmouth Town Hall.
12. ADJOURNMENT* - Motion to adjourn made at 2:40pm by Gump, second by Ryan. Passed
4-0.