Housing Committee Meeting Minutes 06/10/2026

Meeting date:

Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Meeting Information

Date: Jun 10, 2026 7-9pm
Location: Monterey Town Hall
Participants: Jen, Steve, Cara, Tom and Ben

Approval of prior minutes was postponed because Ken was not present.
Committee expects to review and approve multiple sets of minutes at the next meeting.

Discussed the proposed structure and membership of the Municipal Housing Trust.
Members generally favored retaining strong Housing Committee representation on the Trust to maintain project momentum.
Discussed whether additional community members with relevant expertise should be considered.
Potential names mentioned for future outreach included Tim Lovett, Christopher, Mary, and others.
Committee agreed to revisit the Trust structure and membership discussion at a future meeting.

Discussed guidance received regarding committee involvement in supporting the CPA ballot question.
Committee members noted that factual public education is allowed, but advocacy or campaigning by the committee should be restricted.
Members may advocate as private individuals, separate from official committee activity.
Further guidance may be sought from the Office of Campaign and Political Finance.
Steve agreed to explore whether there is interest in forming a separate campaign committee closer to the ballot timeline.

Discussed current access to the Deckard short-term rental platform.
Some members still need login access; Ben will follow up with login information.
June 19 was noted as an upcoming Deckard milestone/training date.
Committee discussed the need to define the scope of STR data review before using the platform extensively.
Members agreed that the committee should identify what questions it wants the data to answer before developing recommendations.

Discussed possible STR bylaw considerations, including:
- Registration requirements
- Limits on number of STRs per owner
- Residency requirements
- Safety rules
- Garbage, parking, and renter information requirements
- Enforcement practicality
Members discussed balancing regulation with the need to avoid overly burdensome or difficult-to-enforce rules.
Cara agreed to prepare a simplified list of STR bylaw options used by other towns for future discussion.
Committee emphasized that STR policy should connect back to the committee’s core housing mission.

Discussed upcoming committee vacancies and expiring appointments.
Steve, Cara, and Trevor are expected to continue their two-year terms.
Ben, Jen, and Tom confirmed continued interest in serving their three-year terms.
Ken’s upcoming vacancy will need to be filled.
Committee concluded that an advertisement for the the vacancy should be put in the Monterey News along side the posting for the open roles for Housing Trust volunteers.
- Final process for recommending or selecting a replacement will be clarified with the Select Board.

Discussed the need to clarify the committee’s priorities and intended beneficiaries.
Members emphasized focusing on practical housing outcomes for people who live or work in Monterey.
- Discussed examples of housing models in nearby towns and concerns about whether some projects truly serve the intended populations.
Committee agreed that future planning should include deeper discussion of who the committee is trying to help and what types of housing interventions would be most effective.

Discussed the importance of avoiding deliberation by email.
Members noted that agenda suggestions may be sent to the chair or secretary, but substantive discussion should occur in public meetings.
Discussed use of the committee Google Group as a shared record and knowledge archive.
Ben clarified the difference between the public-facing committee Gmail account and the internal Google Group.

Ben: Send Deckard login information to members who need access.
Ben / Trevor: Prepare thoughts on Deckard usage, data questions, and possible reporting needs.
Cara: Prepare a simplified list of STR bylaw options from other towns.
Steve: Explore interest in a possible CPA campaign committee.
Jen: Respond to Justin regarding committee members’ continued service terms.
Committee: Revisit Trust membership, Deckard scope, STR policy options, and vacancy posting at the next meeting.