Hornik Ends Term As Chair Of Affordable Housing Trust

Report On The Meeting Of The Amherst Municipal Affordable Housing Trust, June 9,2022.

This meeting was held on Zoom and was recorded. That recording can be viewed here.

Present
All committee members were present along with staff liaison Nate Malloy (Senior Planner).

John Hornik, longtime chair of the Amherst Municipal Affordable Housing Trust announced at the trust’s May 12 meeting his plan to resign from the trust at the end of his term on June 30, 2022. This was his last meeting as chair. Members of the trust praised Hornik for his service since the trust was established in 2015. They were joined by State Representative Mindy Domb, who said he was “an amazing spokesperson for the town in affordable housing who has really moved the needle” for creating housing in town. She described Hornik as talented and caring, and said she and State Senator Jo Comerford would be presenting him with a citation for his excellent service.

Nate Malloy read a statement from the first chair of the Housing Trust, Tom Kegelman, who praised Hornik for epitomizing “the leadership that is needed to advance the mission of providing very badly needed affordable housing to our community. He has shown an amazing ability to articulate those needs clearly and emphatically to enlist the support of important stakeholders in the community and change the conversation from one of ambivalent tolerance to emphatic and urgent support. Amherst is a much better place for having someone like John Hornik leading the Affordable Housing Trust.

Town Manager Paul Bockelman said that, before he started working in Amherst in 2016, he attended a forum on homelessness organized by Hornik. He said the forum was packed with engaged people who shared their feelings and experiences with homelessness, and showed him what a caring community Amherst is, which is epitomized by Hornik. Bockelman added that then acting Town Manager Dave Ziomek created a committee on homelessness shortly after the forum.

Trust advisor Rita Farrell said she was drawn by Hornik’s leadership to advise the trust after her retirement from the Massachusetts Housing Authority three years ago. She noted that she has worked with communities throughout the Commonwealth, and Hornik is a “rare bird” who does not rest on his laurels but is always ready to move on to the next challenge.

Erica Piedade and Carol Lewis were elected to succeed Hornik as co-chairs of the trust. Piedade said she wants to build on his vision and plans for the future. Lewis said she was impressed how Hornik ran meetings, always being open to hearing other people’s opinions, but mostly ending meetings on time.

Hornik stated that it would be good for the trust to have new leadership but he will “not be disappearing into the sunset.” He will be available to answer questions from Piedade and Lewis, though he has not formulated any definite plans for his involvement in housing in the future.