Minutes_Housing Commission 10 27 2020 Copyrighted
November 2, 2020
City of Dubuque Consent Items # 1.
City Council Meeting
ITEM TITLE: Minutes and Reports Submitted
SUM MARY: Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission Minutes of 7/21, 8/25,
9/22 and Master Plan Task Force and Group Minutes of 9/22; City
Council Proceedings of 9/28, 10/19; Community DevelopmentAdvisory
Commission of 10/21; Housing Commission of 9/22,
Housing Commission of 10/27; Zoning Board of Adjustment of 9/24;
Library Board of Trustees Council Update #203 of 10/22.
SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission Minutes Supporting Documentation
of 7/21/20
Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission Minutes Supporting Documentation
of 8/25/20
Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commisison Minutes Supporting Documentation
of 9/22/20
Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission Master Supporting Documentation
Plan Task Force/ Work Group Minutes of 9/22/20
City Council Proceedings of 9/28/20 Supporting Documentation
City Council Proceedings of 10/19/20 Supporting Documentation
Community Development Advisory Commission Minutes Supporting Documentation
of 10/21/20
Housing Commission Minutes of 9/22/20 Supporting Documentation
Housing Commission Minutes of 10/27/20 Supporting Documentation
Library Board of Trustees Council Update#203 of Supporting Documentation
10/22/20
Zoning Board of Adjustment Minutes of 9/24/20 Supporting Documentation
MINUTES FOR HOUSING COMMISSION MEETING
DATE: Tuesday, October 27, 2020
TIME: 4:00 p.m.
PLACE: Housing and Community Development Department
350 West 6`h Street, Room 250; Dubuque, IA 52001
Chairperson Rick Baumhover called the meeting to order at 4:05 p.m. following staff assurance of
compliance with lowa Open Meeting Law.
Commissioners Present: Rick Baumhover Janice Craddieth (arrival4:15 p.m.)
Michelle Becwar Suzanne Stroud (arrival4.•15 p.m.
Amy Eudaley Sam Wooden (departure 4:44 p.m.)
Gail Weitz
Commissioners Absent: Hiliary Dalton Coralita Shumaker David Wall
Staff Present: Alexis Steger Tonya England Kris Neyen
Gina Hodgson Cate Richter
Public Present: Lynn Sutton
Oath of Office —Janice Craddieth
Janice Craddieth read the Oath of Office.
Certification of Minutes — September 22, 2020 Housinq Commission Meetinq
Commissioner Amy Eudaley moved to approve the Minutes for the September 22, 2020 Housing
Commission Meeting. Commissioner Sam Wooden seconded. Roll call. Six (6) in favor; one (1)
abstain. Motion passed.
Commissioner Suzanne Stroud abstained for she was not at the meeting held on September 22, 2020. �
Correspondence/Public Input
None
New Business
a. Hotline for Eviction Prevention
Alexis Steger, Department Director, summarized plans for a hotline for eviction prevention.
Under this plan, the City would fund a position to feld telephone calls from landlords and tenants
regarding evictions. The position would provide data on questions about the eviction process,
type of evictions, illegal evictions, and the number of landlords needing assistance the eviction
process. It is not intended for the position to provide legal assistance.
b. Fair Housing Testing
Steger presented the idea of funding a program for staff who work for the City Dubuque who
would be trained to administer fair housing testing. Initially, the City would pay for the training of
City employees on testing and continually train additional staff, as needed, when staff leave
employment with the City.
There was discussion about hiring an independent group to conduct the fair housing testing for
an unbiased opinion or possibly having a mixture of staff and an independent group perform the
testing.
c. Landlord Incentive Program for Housing Choice Voucher
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MINUTES FOR HOUSING COMMISSION MEETING
Steger presented an option offered by a Minneapolis program—Housing & Community
Development would choose units in different areas within Dubuque to serve different types of
housing situations. The landlords would hold a unit for a voucher holder and, if the unit was
vacant, funding would be provided to pay for rent for the time period the unit is held.
Action: Alexis will send a copy of the ordinance or policy for the Minneapolis program to the
Housing Commissioners.
d. Review Changes to Background Check Process for Housing Choice Voucher
Steger stated Illinois was becoming challenging with processing background checks in a timely
manner for the Housing Choice Voucher program; if a person has a similar name as someone
else, fingerprinting must be completed. It costs $10, $20, or, sometimes, more if fingerprints are
neededforthe background check.
The Department was considering contracting with RSI, the vendor who currently completes
background checks for landlords. The background checks would be run before clients were
considered eligible for the program and the background checks would be run again at clients'
first annual exam. RSI charges $5 per background check.
As of October 22, 2020, arrest records will no longer be provided to landlords with the
background checks to prevent confusion between arrests and charges going through the courts.
Reports
a. Community Development Advisory Commission Report
Steger reported the Community Development Advisory Commission had a presentation on Fair
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openings. The window replacement program will be for homeowners with a low to moderate
income and landlords who rent units to tenants with a low to moderate income.
b. Rehab Report
The Rehabilitation Programs Supervisor, Kris Neyen, reported 2320 Jackson Street; will be
closing soon. The closing on 445 Loras Boulevard was delayed due to it being next door to
where the explosion occurred.
c. Neighborhood Services
Steger announced Jerelyn O'Connor, Neighborhood Development Specialist, will be retiring as of
November 4, 2020.
Action: Commissioner Baumhover asked for a letter of appreciation be written on behalf of the
Housing Commission.
d. Assisted Housing Waiting List Statistical Summary
Cate Richter, Assisted Housing Coordinator, stated one hundred (100) applicants are continuing
to be pulled from the Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List. There are applicants on the Waiting
List from the Family Unification Program.
e. Housing Choice Voucher Participant Statistical Summary �
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MINUTES FOR HOUSING COMMISSION MEETING
Richter explained the Housing Choice Voucher Participant Statistical Summary refiects the total
number of participants was down to 774. Assisted Housing is concentrating on issuing vouchers
issued and getting units leased up for the participants.
f. Denial/Termination Meeting Results
No additional information was reported.
Information Sharinq
a. Gina Hodgson, Assisted Housing Supervisor, reported Housing Commissioner Coralita
Shumaker submitted her resignation from the Housing Commission to the City Clerk's Office.
b. lowa Concern provide free legal assistance; they may be contacted at (800) 447-1985.
c. Salvation Army sign up is available online for food and/or toys for Christmas.
d. Dubuque Food Pantry on Jackson Street will be offering 500 baskets on November 23 and 24,
2020 for Thanksgiving. Information may be picked up and turned in to the Dubuque Food Pantry
now.
e. Commissioner Baumhover wished Kevin Firnstahl, City Clerk, a happy retirement.
f. Steger provided an update on properties surrounding the unit on Loras Boulevard, which
exploded a few weeks ago. The 2 properties located next to it remain vacant. The gas utility has
been restored to the nearby homes. Most of the tenants have been moved back into their units.
Temporary measures are being taken in regards to windows that may not be boarded up
because they are located in sleeping rooms.
Adiournment
There being no further business to come before the Commission, Commissioner Eudaley moved to
adjourn the meeting. Commissioner Janice Craddieth seconded. Motion passed by voice vote.
Meeting adjourned at 4:56 p.m.
fv9inUiES taken by:
�anya E land
Recording Secretary
Respectfully Submitted:
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�ina Hodgson
Assisted Housing Supervisor
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