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Select Board pauses decision on Dennis Housing Authority CPC grant language, seeks CPC amendment to avoid unused funds reverting
Summary
The board discussed a Dennis Housing Authority request that Community Preservation Act (CPC) grant language be amended so remaining funds (about $84,000) can be used for rolling rental assistance enrollment; the board asked CPC to draft language and agreed to continue the matter for CPC review.
The Dennis Select Board heard from Regina White of the Dennis Housing Authority and from members of the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) about a requested change to the Housing Authority's CPC grant. The Housing Authority asked to avoid a hard December 31, 2028 end date that would force an estimated $84,000 to revert unused to the CPC while people remain on a waiting list for rental assistance.
Regina White said the program stopped enrolling new participants as of Jan. 1, 2026 and currently has nine people on a waiting list. She told the board the available funds would serve additional households if the grant end language allowed the Housing Authority to identify when the program is fully subscribed rather than revert funds automatically: "We have 9 people on a waiting list right now that we can't enroll because of that December 2028 date," White said, adding that enrolling five additional people would use about $72,000 of the remaining funds.
A CPC member who helped write the original grant said the committee can draft practical language (for example, extending the final payment period into 2029) and noted the committee's tradition against open‑ended grants. The Select Board and CPC discussed options, including rewording payments so a final payment is made "at the grantee's request when program enrollments have reached capacity" or setting a new calendar deadline such as December 2029.
Board members asked the CPC to return with amended language and invited the Housing Authority and CPC to the board's April 28 meeting for final action. The Select Board left the matter open so CPC can prepare suggested contract language or to consider a short calendar extension; the board emphasized it is not being asked for new money, only flexibility to spend existing grant funds on intended rental assistance.
Next steps: CPC will review the proposed language and provide draft amendment options to the Select Board for consideration at its April 28 meeting; no new funds were requested at this meeting.
