Minutes_Housing Commmission 07.26.22v: k
DATE: Tuesday, July 26, 2022
TIME: 4:00 p.m.
PLACE: Housing and Community Development Department
350 West 6t" Street; Dubuque, IA 52001
Chairperson Rick Baumhover called the meeting to order at 4:11 p.m. following staff assurance of
compliance with Iowa Open Meeting Law.
Commissioners Present: Rick Baumhover
Cathy Dickens
Yindra Dixon
Commissioners Absent: Charlene Turpin
Gail Weitz
Staff Present: Hollie Ohnesorge
Tonya England
Public Present: Ashley Noonan, ECIA
Oath of Office — Yindra Dixon
Yindra Dixon read the Oath of Office.
Cathy Dickens read the Oath of Office.
Renee Kehoe
Amy Eudaley
Margie White
Sam Wooden
Karla Escobar
Temwa Phiri
Ron Axtell, HACAP
Anderson Sainci
Certification of Minutes —April 12, 2022, Housing Com ission Meeting
Commissioner Amy Eudaley moved to approve the Minutes for the April 12, 2022 Housing
Commission Meeting. Commissioner Yindra Dixon seconded. Roll call. Six (6) in favor. Motion
passed.
Correspondence/Public Input
None
New Business
a. Election of Housing Commission Chairperson — effective 8/17/22
Commissioner Eudaley moved to elect Yindra Dixon as the Housing Commission Chairperson-
-effective August 17, 2022. Commissioner Cathy Dickens seconded. Roll call. Six (6) in favor.
Motion passed.
b. Election of Housing Commission Vice Chairperson — effective 8/17/22
Commissioner Eudaley moved to elect Cathy Dickens as the Housing Commission Vice
Chairperson --effective August 17, 2022. Commissioner Dixon seconded. Roll call. Six (6) in
favor. Motion passed.
c. Appointment of Liaison to Housing Trust Fund Advisory Committee — Rick has requested to be
re -appointed as liaison to HTF Advisory Committee pending his re -appointment to the Housing
Commission
Commissioner Dixon moved to appoint Rick Baumhover as the Liaison to the Housing Trust
Fund Advisory Committee, pending re -appointment to the Housing Commission --effective
August 17, 2022. Commissioner Eudaley seconded. Roll call. Six (6) in favor. Motion
passed.
d. Appointment of alternate Liaison to HTF Advisory Committee in the case that Rick is not re-
appointed to the Housing Commission
Commissioner Eudaley moved to appoint Renee Kehoe as the alternate Liaison to the Housing
Trust Fund Advisory Committee in case Rick Baumhover is not re -appointed to the Housing
Commission --effective August 17, 2022. Commissioner Dickens seconded. Roll call. Six (6)
in favor. Motion passed.
e. Appointment of Liaison to Community Development Advisory Commission
Commissioner Dixon moved to appoint Renee Kehoe as the Liaison to the Community
Development Advisory Commission. Commissioner Eudaley seconded. Roll call. Six (6) in
favor. Motion passed.
f. Family Self -Sufficiency (FSS) Action Plan — Discussion & Review
Hollie Ohnesorge, Assisted Housing Coordinator, stated the U.S. Department of Housing &
Urban Development (HUD) adopted a Final Rule on June 16, 2022 for the Family Self -
Sufficiency (FSS) program. A template will be provided by HUD to use in revising the current
FSS Action Plan, which provides policies and procedures for operating the program. LaMetra
Murdock, Family Self -Sufficiency Coordinator, is working to adopt and interpret the Final Rule.
Ohnesorge added that a public hearing will not be needed; changes to the FSS Action Plan will
be relayed to the Housing Commission via email. The revised Action Plan must be submitted
to HUD by September 1, 2022.
Re orts
a. Community Development Advisory Commission Report
Commissioner Eudaley stated the Community Development Advisory Commission went over
the long range planning goals for the City at the last meeting. Karla Escobar, Financial
Specialist, mentioned the election of officers was held at the last meeting. Kelly Fox is new
chairperson and Michelle Hinke is the new Vice Chairperson.
b. Rehab Report
Escobar spoke about the properties that are currently being rehabilitated. She highlighted
several properties:
® 2407 Queen Street is still pending a sale date.
® 2601 Jackson Street is still being utilized as a lead project relocation unit.
® 514 Angella is in the process of being rehabilitated.
® The appraisal has been completed for 2414 Windsor; the for sale date has not been
determined.
® Rehab has partnered with a housing authority in Idaho for a Home Workshop. A
homebuyer 68-hour course (Finally Home) may be completed online. Five
participants have completed the online course.
Action Item: Escobar will email a link to the online home workshop.
c. Assisted Housing Waiting List Statistical Summary
Hollie Ohnesorge, Assisted Housing Coordinator, provided data for the opening of the Housing
Choice Voucher Waiting List on July 12, 2022—Six hundred four (604) pre -applications were
received. Five hundred sixty-four (564) of the pre -applications were submitted using online
application. The waiting list will be reopening on Tuesday, August 9, 2022. There are forty
(40) vouchers for Non -elderly Disabled; six (6) of the vouchers are currently available.
d. Housing Choice Voucher Participant Statistical Summary
No Report
e. Denial/Termination Meeting Results
Ohnesorge reported there were two (2) applicant denials based on criminal backgrounds and
two (2) clients were terminated from the program --one due to failing to provide information and
the other due to moving without giving proper notice.
f. Neighborhood Services
Anderson Sainci, Director of Office of Shared Prosperity & Neighborhood Support, explained
his new department is tasked with addressing, preventing, and reducing poverty. He stated
throughout the community there are issues with affordable and quality housing. Currently,
there are approximately four (4) active neighborhood associations. There are small grants
available for up to $750 for neighborhood associations to enhance and strengthen their
respective neighborhoods. The information regarding when the associations meet is available
on the City's website.
Information Sharing
a. Housing Commission Work Session Goals
Commissioner Baumhover spoke about the Board and Commission Successes and Initiatives.
He emphasized striving for 100% attendance at least 90% of the time for the regular meetings
for the Housing Commission.
b. Updates (Software Implementation, WL Opening Monthly, etc.)
Ohnesorge explained a new feature was added to the online portal that will allow owners,
applicants and tenants to interact with staff online.
c. Continuum of Care Special Needs Assistance Program (CoC SNAP) — program ended
6/30/22.
Ashley Noonan, Regional Homeless Coordinator with East Central Intergovernmental
Association (ECIA), announced a notification was received on March 15, 2022 that stated the
Continuum of Care Special Needs Assistance Program (CoC SNAP), a permanent supportive
housing program for the chronically homeless with a disability, was being discontinued as of
June 30, 2022. The City of Dubuque subcontracted with ECIA to handle the case
management services for the program.
Of the current fourteen (14) households, five (5) households self -resolved, seven (7) are being
served by Rapid Rehousing, one (1) was terminated unrelated to the funding, and one (1) was
evicted and will be moving into a home with family/friends.
d. Friends of Fair Housing Grant Project
Lynn Sutton, Chair of Friends of Fair Housing, explained how Friends of Fair Housing started
as a subcommittee of the local chapter NAACP. They found there was a greater need than
what the subcommittee could address; therefore, Friends of Fair Housing was created.
Friends of Fair Housing worked with Inspectors and other City Staff to address concerns by
changing processes and procedures. They recently applied for (and was awarded) a
purchase of service grant for $20,000. Friends of Fair Housing are working on transitional
housing, addressing affordable housing, helping to increase home ownership, and partnering
with Iowa Legal Aid in fair housing testing.
Sutton suggested that the housing complaint process be changed and the complaint forms be
made available in places other than in the Housing Department.
Action Item: The Housing Commissioners suggested that the complaint forms be translated
into multiple languages and made available for distribution in public libraries, on bus lines, and
in grocery stores.
e. National Night Out
Sainci spoke about the National Night Out —which is hosted by the Police Department and
Fire Department. The event will be held on next Tuesday (August 2, 2022) from 6 p.m. to 6
p.m. in Jackson Park.
Adjournment
There being no further business to come before the Commission, Commissioner Dixon moved to
adjourn the meeting. Commissioner Eudaley seconded. Motion passed by voice vote. Meeting
adjourned at 5:32 p.m.
Minutes taken by:
T ya En land
Recording Secretary
Respectfully Submitted:
Rollie Ohnesor e
g
Assisted Housing Coordinator