Based on June & Kate’s poor record, please vote them out:

Their legacy includes:

Developers have targeted Barrington for “Affordable housing”, and June and Kate seem oblivious.

The Barrington Housing Board of Trustees have ignored their “duties”. June and Kate are the town council “liaisons”.

Link to the Barrington Housing Board of Trustees rules:

http://www.ci.barrington.ri.us/housingcomm.php

Also:

Tax revaluations without legally required standards resulted in the BET litigation. There are still no tax standards (just a standards committee, that seems to have stalled out).

Remember that fiasco involving an attempt to install a giant wind turbine in Town, where there was no wind?

Don’t overlook June’s behind-the-scenes role in the EBEC nonsense.

And, recall how they appointed crony BCWA directors year-after-year, ignoring evidence of all the documented problems,

Don’t forget how they let the Zion property deal fell apart, and now there is ominous uncertainty as to the future there.

The Town’s infrastructure is falling apart while taxes have skyrocketed during the years of June’s reign. Just look at the poor condition of town roads, schools, etc.

Are there going to be any debates, or other public forum where June and Kate can be held accountable?

This problem boils down to a few insiders who believe they have been granted authority to interpret a rats nest of conflicting statutory language to the disadvantage of each community.

The insiders start with RI Housing itself. RI Housing does not see their role to create the most housing that taxpayer money can buy. Instead they only wish to press absurd goals against the communities with a hammer. If they were in charge of food stamps, the poor would starve.

RI Housing is more about money, and control over the communities right to self determination.

Low income housing in Rumstick? I rest my case on the best use of taxpayer funds.

Second is a majority town council (Councilors Speakman and Weymouth) who refuse to challenge anything shoveled at us by the fiefdom called RI Housing, even when the outcome is totally absurd.

It appears Councilors Speakman and Weymouth are quite happy with these absurd results.

The biggest problem is how to count affordable homes that already exist. The statutes make clear that there are two RI Laws that MUST be followed when creating the Comprehensive Community Plan. Let me repeat, two laws that MUST be followed to be compliant with RI law.

So why is Barrington only looking at one of the laws, the one that says affordable homes are only homes with deed restrictions?

These issues can only be corrected when personal ideology is removed from town council decisions, and Barrington pushes back against the state.

Election issues? Yes.

The Trustees do have formal authority & fiduciary duties - related to a housing trust fund.

See duties:

http://www.ci.barrington.ri.us/housingcomm.php

These Trustees did not do their duty.

Now we're told, “The Housing Board is charged with keeping an eye on all housing projects in Barrington that involve affordable units. At this time, that’s just about all of them.” … “We have no formal authority,” said Martin, “but we relay our concerns to Seth Milman, the liaison from the Planning Board.”

When & how did the Trustees become “charged with keeping an eye on” all proposed developments in Barrington? What does it mean & how do they do it given that they “have no formal authority” to do it?

How much is in the trust fund? What are the spending guidelines?

Will all the proposed "affordable” units get funding from the trust fund?

Are the Trustees partners with “affordable” developers? Or do they just "ok" the payments?

Do any lawyers advise the Trustees?

What is the relationship among the Planner, the Planning Board & the Trustees, including the import of Mr. Martin’s “relay” of concerns to a Planning Board member.

Matthew Amaral got his liquor license, hung his shingle on his "adopted" spot, then resigned as Trustee & held a “fine wine” tasting for the Democrats.

June Speakman & Kate Weymouth are “Town Council Liaisons” to the Trustees. Their role?

Time for a change.

Why is counting only deed restricted homes absurd? Lets take the obvious. The deed restriction is only good for 30 years, so what happens with the deed restrictions 30 years from now? They will be removed and we start the 10% build out cycle all over again.

Second is the 10% mandate itself that the our own Housing Board agrees can never be met in Barrington. Well almost.

Councilors Speakman and Weymouth have created special ordinances in the "comprehensive permit" process where as long as we don't meet the 10% mandate, developers will be granted special waivers so long as a project contains affordable houses. This means that forever, developers control Barrington's right to decide what is best for residents in the tax base, schools, architectural diversity, traffic, etc..

This is about the special interests of developers, lawyers, and personal ideology. It is not what is best for residents.

Gary Morse

30 years is only one piece of it. If a home is foreclosed on the deed restrictions cannot be enforced on the bank foreclosing. No bank will make a loan unless deed restrictions are lifted in the case of foreclosure on an affordable home. This can happen at ANY time. Once deed restrictions are lifted it is no longer 'counts'.

This absolutely is an election issue! Implementation of the current Town affordable housing program will have a irrevocable negative impact on Barrington.
All three Republican Town Council Candidates believe that Barrington is already in compliance based on the mathematical formulas used to determine affordability. They have pledged to work to remove the deed restrictions and tax subsidies granted by the current Town Council.
If you care about your property values, schools, and Town finances you will support candidates that understand the role of local government, and will work to keep Barrington a great palce to live and raise a family.

I recall that one of Gov Chafee's platforms when he was running for office was to work to reduce property taxes.

It has also been stated that Barrington's 41% vote for Mr Chafee in the prior "three person race" might have been a significant factor that carried him into office.

If this affordable housing mandate will hike our property taxes, shouldn't our local reps have been working with the Gov to remind him of his campaign promise to lower property taxes?

What has Joy Hearn and Jan Malik been doing on this? They have been silent on a solution. This is a disaster for the town.

Due to time constraints the Committee did not interview all the races on the ballot. It is also important to note that the committee’s common practice is to extend invitations to all candidates in any race the committee is considering making an endorsement in. Interviews are often with each candidate alone, but sometimes they are conducted in a “forum” style.
http://speedyloansearch.com/

I considered moving to a property on Orchard but knowing this is going on, I am not sure I want to live next door to this. JD

Typical Joe Barringtons, They dont want the scum of the earth to move next door. There are plenty of good people that cant afford the absurd prices of homes in Barrington. The sweet briar neighborhood has been quiet and for the most part and houses quality people. A majority of the crime that occurs in Barrington happens else where. Also bringing in more people to the town will more then likely have a possitive impact. As a former member of the volunteer fire department here in town 13 out of the 15 active members come from East Providence and seekonk. The people here in town have no desire to sign up and the weight has fell apon outside residents that would love to do the job because there city isnt volunteer. All im saying is do not down the people who would love to live in barrington but just cant buy a regular house. A majority of them are great people and hard workers that would love to live in this great city. As far as money and taxes goes i agree 100% it needs to be fair to some degree.

I do already live in town on New Meadow road. But what im trying to get at is that there are alot of people who fear that the introduction of more affordable housing is going to bring in nothing but rift raft. I agree with all your views, it should not be forced down are throats and instead be rehabbed like you said. I am just against the people who believe that it shunned out all togther.

John,
It's not about the "kinds of people" that will live in affordable housing. There are all kinds, just as there are everywhere. But don't be so sure the housing is such a bargain and that every one who qualifies wants a "certified" affordable home. The Walker Farm Homes are way over priced for what they are, with the deed restrictions, which are effective for 99 years there, by the way. One family that moved in there ended up homeless after it flooded! Much better to restore existing homes and sell them, without deed restrictions, at an affordable price. The 10% mandate can NEVER be achieved as long as they only count houses with deed restrictions, because deed restrictions expire and change. If a bank forecloses on one of these homes, the deed restrictions on the property are lifted. People are so concerned with the environment then RECYCLE HOUSES...sorry, I keep repeating myself...

Every one is talking about deed restrictions, but what happens if a young family moves in and then their income increases to above the mandate? New job, raise, inheritance, partner goes to work, etc. Does someone keep track of all these people every year ? Barbara Donovan

Just searched the Coleman Realtors' web site for properties in Barrington....

Six listed at under 200K....
Ten listed between 200K+ and 225K
Eleven listed between 225K+ and 250K

Don't say that "affordable" housing does not exist in Barrington... It is already there.

Barbara,

Last night you said that you would be embarrassed to sell a deed restricted property because of, among other things, the lack of potential appreciation. Presumably a family with the wherewithal to do so would seek out a property without a deed restriction. Why assume that the buyer of an affordable home wouldn't act as logically as everyone else?

Barbara,
Once someone buys an affordable home it is theirs. As long as they meet the income guidelines at the time of purchase they can buy. It really isn't anyone's business what their income is after that. They are not subject to being monitored any more than any other homeowner.

Affordable housing is an election issue.
Why does a goverment think they can create laws that force 30 year mandates?
Why does a goverment create a law to enforce a 10% mandate for low to medium income housing and does nothing to evaluate or measure the effectiveness of bringing people out of poverty?

Questions,
The whole idea of affordable housing came about because children who grew up in nice towns found themselves unable to continue living in those towns when they became adults. Many young adults wanted to be near their families in their hometowns and simply couldn't afford it. It wasn't meant to be a "way out of poverty". People buying affordable homes are hardly impoverished.

Its not about the people moving there, I currently live in Barrington and I am not sure I want to see a housing complex one street over, and how it will affect the value of my potential home. I think the rif raf is a concern where ever you look.