Minutes_Housing Commission 10.25.22City of Dubuque
City Council Meeting
Consent Items # 01.
Copyrighted
December 19, 2022
ITEM TITLE: Minutes and Reports Submitted
SUMMARY: Building Code Advisory and Appeals Board of 9/15/22; Civil Service
Commission of 12/5/22; City Council Proceedings of 11/30/22 and
12/5/22; Five Flags Civic Center Advisory Commission of 11/28/22;
Housing Commission of 10/25/22; Zoning Advisory Commission of
12/7/22; Proof of Publication for City Council Proceedings of 11/21/22.
SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
Type
Building Code Advisory and Appeals Board Minutes of Supporting Documentation
9/15/22
Civil Service Commission Minutes of 12/5/22
Supporting Documentation
City Council Proceedings of 11/30/22
Supporting Documentation
City Council Proceedings of 12/5/22
Supporting Documentation
Five Flags Civic Center Advisory Commission Minutes
Supporting Documentation
of 11 /28/22
Housing Commission Minutes of 10/25/22
Supporting Documentation
Zoning Advisory Commission Minutes of 12/7/22
Supporting Documentation
Proof of Publication for City Council Proceedings of
Supporting Documentation
11/21/22
MINUTES FOR HOUSING COMMISSION MEETING
DATE: Tuesday, October 25, 2022
TIME: 4:00 p.m.
PLACE: Housing and Community Development Department
350 West 6` Street; Dubuque, IA 52001
Chairperson Yindra Dix called the meeting to order at 4:05 p.m. following staff assurance of
compliance with Iowa Open Meeting Law.
Commissioners Present: Rick Baumhover
Rick Merfeld
Cathy Dickens
Gail Weitz
Yindra Dixon
Margie White
Amy Eudaley
Sam Wooden
Renee Kehoe
Commissioners Absent: Charlene Turpin
Staff Present: Gina Hodgson Hollie Ohnesorge
Tonya England
Public Present: Ron Axtell Joshua Irvine
Oath of Office — Rick Baumhover
Rick Baumhover read the Oath of Office.
Oath of Office — Rick Merfeld
Rick Merfeld signed the Oath of Office on September 7, 2022; he reread it on October 25, 2022.
Oath of Office — Margie White
Margie White signed the Oath of Office on September 7, 2022; she reread it on October 25, 2022.
Oath of Office — Cathy Dickens
Cathy Dickens read the Oath of Office.
Certification of Minutes — July 26, 2022, Housing Commission Meeting
Commissioner Cathy Dickens moved to approve the Minutes for the July 26, 2022 Housing
Commission Meeting. Commissioner Rick Baumhover seconded. Voice vote. Nine (9) in favor.
Zero (0) not in favor. Zero (0) abstained. Motion passed.
Correspondence/Public Input
None
New Business
a) Project Based Voucher (PBV) Wait List
Gina Hodgson, Assisted Housing Supervisor, explained there was a new software
implemented and the Project Based Voucher (PBV) Waiting List is in the middle of a purge.
Assisted Housing is working to reopen the program's waiting list, which was closed in October
2021. Under this program, the voucher is tied to the unit and the tenant has to meet the
requirements of the contract that is specific to the PBV establishment for which the voucher is
issued.
The Rose of Dubuque is the only establishment that currently has a PBV contract with the City
of Dubuque and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the Project Based Voucher
program. There are two (2) units open at the Rose of Dubuque for the PBV program.
MINUTES FOR HOUSING COMMISSION MEETING
b) Establish Subcommittees
Commissioner Dixon spoke about establishing several subcommittees for the Housing
Commission --Commission Operations, Housing Department Operations, Policy Making, and
Cross -Commission Work.
The Commission Operations Subcommittee will establish a shared calendar, post calendar
invites, and develop a training manual. Commissioner Cathy Dickens volunteered to be the
Chair for the subcommittee. Commissioner Rick Baumhover volunteered to assist with this
subcommittee.
The Housing Department Operations Subcommittee will be familiar with the operations of the
Housing Department and be knowledgable of needed changes. Commissioner Rick Merfeld
volunteered to be the Chair. Commissioner Margie White volunteered to assist with the
Housing Department Operations subcommittee.
The types of policies that may be made that are impacted by the federal, state and/or local
goverment will be reviewed by the Policy Making Subcommittee. There were no volunteers
for this subcommittee; therefore, it was combined with the Commission Operations
Subcommitee.
The Cross -Commission Work Subcommittee will coordinate and have discussions with other
Commissions to determine how housing may be impacted. Commissioner Dixon stated she
would chair this subcommitte and Commissioner Sam Wooden volunteered to assist.
Hodgson indicated that the subcommittees may not meet with six (6) or more Housing
Commissioners, which would be a quorum according to Open Meetings Law.
Commissioner Dixon moved to approve the establishment of subcommittees for the Housing
Commission. Commissioner Merfeld seconded. Voice vote. Nine (9) in favor. Zero (0) not in
favor. Zero (0) abstained. Motion passed.
c) Monthly Meetings
Commissioner Dixon proposed for the Housing Commission to go to monthly meetings.
Hodgson provided the history behind the changing of meetings from monthly to quarterly. A
proposal was taken to City Council to change the ordinance so that the Housing Commission
Meetings could be held quarterly. If there is something pressing, a meeting may be scheduled
prior to the standard quarterly schedule.
There was a suggestion of changing the schedule to meeting every other month. The
discussion was tabled.
d) Additional Data Collection and Reporting
Commissioner Dixon led a discussion on commissioners finding ways to collect data. She
indicated that she would like to see information on landlords (i.e. ethnicity of tenants and
number of properties that offer housing assistance). Commissioner Dixon also wanted to find
out what process is needed to add demographic information to forms in regards to landlords.
Reports
a) Neighborhood Services
No report was available.
b) Community Development Advisory Commission Report
Commissioner Renee Kehoe did not have anything to report.
MINUTES FOR HOUSING COMMISSION MEETING
c) Assisted Housing Waiting List Statistical Summary
Hollie Ohnesorge, Assisted Housing Coordinator, shared information on the Statistics Report
for the quarter. There is no information for preferences on the report for there are no
preference points on housing assistance programs at this time. (Hodgson indicated that HUD
has been contacted for further guidance on preference points.)
d) Housing Choice Voucher Participant Statistical Summary
Ohnesorge reported the City is currently serving 753 households in total for all rental
assistance programs.
Children aging out of foster care of whom are seventeen years old have to be legally
emancipated to apply for a rental assistance program. They may be referred by the
Department of Human Services for the Family Unification Program (FUP). There are twenty-
four (24) FUP vouchers and seventeen (17) are being currently utilized.
A foster care person who is referred may receive a voucher that is good for 36 months. There
is written policy that if clients are good tenants, they may be rolled into the HCV program if
vouchers are available. If they are a family, they may remain on program as long as they
remain eligible. If children are removed from home and not a good tenant or are 18 years old
and leave home, the assistance may be terminated. If the client is a successful tenant and
the children are 18 years old and leave home, the client may be rolled into the Housing
Choice Voucher program.
e) Denial/Termination Meeting Results
Ohnesorge reviewed the Denial/Termination Meeting Results, which showed waitlist denials
for criminal activity over the last quarter. The report also reflected a variety of reasons for
terminations.
Information Sharing
a) The meeting dates/times for the 2023 Point Neighborhood Association Meeting were included
in the packets for the Housing Commission.
b) Information regarding the City's goals and priorities may be found online under Imagine
Dubuque.
Adjournment
There being no further business to come before the Commission, Commissioner Wooden moved to
adjourn the meeting. Commissioner Amy Eudaley seconded. Motion passed by voice vote..
Meeting adjourned at 5:10 p.m.
Minutes taken by:
To ya E gland
Recording Secretary
Respectfully Submitted:
Gina Hodgson
Assisted Housing Supervisor