Livable Neighborhoods and Housing Brochure Copyrighted
April 16, 2018
City of Dubuque Consent Items # 5.
ITEM TITLE: Livable Neighborhoods and Housing Brochure
SUMMARY: City Manager transmitting the Livable Neighborhoods and
Housing brochure
SUGGESTED DISPOSITION: Suggested Disposition: Receive and File
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
Livable Neighborhoods and Housing Brochure Supporting Documentation
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The City of Dubuque uses a coordinated, interdepartmental approach to implement and
pursue policies set forth by the Dubuque City Council to promote and maintain its five-
year goal of livable neighborhoods and housing. Quality, affordable housing for renters and
homeowners is critical to the success of the community because it has direct and significant
effects on public health, economic vitality, and equity.
EXPECTATIONS FOR SAFETY AND EQUITY
The City of Dubuque has established clear expectations and The City of Dubuque's approach to enhanced neighborhood
responsibilities for homeowners and housing providers and support seeks to address common neighborhood problems
their tenants with the expectation that, whenever possible, City such as crime, nuisances, and problem properties. The City's
staff will hold responsible parties accountable for violations. Intemal Working Group, coordinated by the Police Department,
When homeowners, housing providers, and their tenants accept meets monthly to problem-solve neighborhood issues across 12
responsibility and are accountable, they make better neighbors and departments. Small work groups coordinate joint inspections and
contribute to the quality of life in their neighborhoods and community. enforcement actions.
City staff collaborate across departments using technology to The City of Dubuque has delivered successful outcomes related to
coordinate efforts, record inspections, respond to citizen complaints, livable, equitable, and safe neighborhoods by collaborating and
and gather data. gathering information from partners including:
• Quarterly meetings with representatives of all neighborhood
Residents and stakeholders can conveniently associations and City staff attendance at neighborhood
report concems online or submit non-emergency association meetings
service requests through the Citizen Support ^ . City staff ineeting monthly with Dubuque Area Landlords
Center on the City website (www.cityofdubuque. �� ��> Association representatives
org/citizensupport) or through MyDB4, � h�"°O`
the City's free mobile device app, available � • Monthly meetings between City staff and the Dubuque
in the App Store and Google Play or www. Renters' Union
cityofdubuque.org/MyDBQ. Each request is • The Dubuque Police DepartmenYs Community Oriented
routed to the appropriate City department -- Policing division's (the primary department contact for any
through citizen-response management landlord/tenant issues) utilization of partnerships and long-
software, allowing staff to share inspection , ,f�`s�y y term problem solving to resolve issues around neighborhood
reports, photos, and other information to �' ' `V` livability.
coordinate code enforcement. Residents . Housing and Community Development Department staff's
may also submit requests for service or monthly meetings with the Housing Choice Voucher Program's
report concems in person, by phone, mail, �—
or email. Resident Advisory Board
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EXPECTATIONS FOR SAFETY AND EQUITY (CONTJ ,_.�<��"'�� ', m�" ,!.
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The Fair Housing Act protects people from � T A��
discrimination in renting, buying, or financing ��TT Av
housing. Discrimination is prohibited based on EQUALHOUSING � 1\�
OPPORTUNITV
membership in the following protected classes: race, �
color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, and the presence
of children (familial status). The Fair HousingAct also imposes �,�oe.���" �
a duty on local govemments to affirmatively further fair housing ,�uz�`�"��
(AFFH).The AFFH rule requires the City to take meaningful actions �,.�� '"
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to overcome historic pattems of segregation, promote fair housing
choice, and foster inclusive communities free from discrimination.
www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp
The goal of the City of Dubuque's Housing Choice Voucher Program
is to assure decent, safe, and sanitary housing at an affordable
Every rental unit in the City of Dubuque is required to be licensed. cost to low-income families and individuals.To accomplish this,
Licenses are issued upon application following an inspection and program regulations set forth basic housing quality standards,
intemal review to verify that the property is in compliance with consistent with the locally adopted property maintenance code,
housing, building, fire, and zoning regulations. Rental Licenses are Which all units must meet before assistance can be paid.The City
renewed annually and fees are charged to cover the cost of rental of Dubuque conducts three types of inspection for the Housing
licensing and inspection service delivery. Choice Voucher Program, including:
Rental properties operating without a license will be cited with : Initial inspections (prior to occupancy or assistance)
Biennial inspections (required to be completed every two years
a municipal infraction, which includes penalties of up to $750. after the initiaq
Non-licensed rental units are often found to have significant code . Special inspections (includes complaint and quality control
violations, including unsafe conditions for the occupants and inspections)
nuisance related violations,which detract from the neighborhood. N,N,N,.cityofdubuque.org/hcv
www.cityofdubuque.org/rentallicensing
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Rental property owners are required �
Through increased enforcement and higher standards for to attend the Successful Rental
safety and maintenance as defined in the International Property Property Management training
Maintenance Code adopted in 2016, the City is working with program one time within one year of
property owners to improve the quality of housing stock in applying for a rental license. The
Dubuque.The property maintenance code applies to all property training is offered at Northeast
types and is primarily used by the City's Housing and Community lowa Community College twice a rental property management
Development Department for rental licensing inspections and year. Sessions help to ensure that housing providers are informed
housing complaint inspections.The City's Building Services regarding legal, technical, and equitable property management
Department also utilizes the code for vacant and abandoned and promote successful business practices and good tenant,
property inspections.The code provides a standard for property landlord, and neighbor relations. More than 1,800 property
maintenance and establishes minimum requirements for light, owners have participated in the class since 2012.
ventilation, and occupancy limitations; plumbing facilities and www.cityofdubuque.org/srpm
fixture requirements; mechanical and electrical requirements; and
fire safety requirements in existing structures and properties.
www.cityofdubuque.or�pmc
Since luly 2012, all rental property owners are required to conduct
a background check on prospective tenants before renting to them.
The Dubuque Police Department has averaged 6,206 background
In 2018, the Housing and Community Development Department will checks per year at an average cost of$40,493 per year to provide
implement a new three-tiered inspection policy based on categories this service at no cost to housing providers. Through this mandatory
of operation or management of rental properties.The new policy process, the City is assisting rental property owners in making
will allow inspection staff to increase resources focused on problem informed decisions on prospective tenants. (To date, the City has
and nuisance properties. An additional Rental Housing Inspector paid nearly$243,000 to provide this service and over 37,000
position will be added to City staff in fiscal year 2019 to support background checks have been conducted.)
these efforts. www.cityofdubuque.org/rentallicensing NrNrNr.cityofdubuque.org/tenantscreening
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The City of Dubuque's approach to code enforcement, nuisance properties, and resident complaints is to address the issue and
improve the quality of life in our community. Enforcement activities can range from informal discussions with property owners
and/or tenants up to municipal infractions with fines being issued through the court system.
Inspection Reports Fire Escape Inspections
Housing inspectors generate inspection reports that document Fire escapes on existing buildings must be inspected to ensure
any code violations found to exist at the time of a scheduled the safety of occupants and firefighters.The 2015 Intemational
inspection. The inspection reports include orders to correct the Fire Code requires fire escapes be inspected by an approved,
violations and a reinspection date/time. Inspectors are able registered, design professional every five years. All inspection
to work with property owners and may grant extensions to the service providers who inspect or test fire escapes within the
deadlines for repairs in some instances when violations do not Dubuque Fire DepartmenYs jurisdiction are required to register
directly impact life safety. and submit all test, inspection, and service reports to the Fire
Department. The City's Economic Development Downtown
PoGCe NotlflCatlons to Housing Pfovldefs Rehabilitation Facade Grant may be utilized to offset the cost
Since December 2009, the Dubuque Police Department has sent of restoring fire escape deficiencies.
informational letters to rental property owners after a police call
to the property. Since the program began, the department has Petition Properties
sent nearly 22,000 letters to rental property owners.This includes The City of Dubuque uses multiple tools to identiTy and
2,160 letters sent in 2017, or over 40 letters each week.This tracWmonitor vacant and abandoned properties and,where
process allows police to keep property owners informed about appropriate, the City petitions for titles to abandoned
events on their properties that they may otherwise not be aware properties. Since 2014, 10 properties have been awarded to the
of, and take proper corrective actions on issues. City.The reuse of these properties has included rehabilitation,
deconstruction, and creation of a park.
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The City of Dubuque wants housing providers to be successful in their efforts to provide safe
and quality housing. In addition to housing providers, the City works with a variety of partners
in the private sector, neighborhood organizations, not-for-profits, and social and human service
organizations to build a stronger and more resilient Dubuque.
The City offers several programs to assist rental property owners • Rental Rehabilitation Loan Program:This program is
in maintaining and improving their properties: currently under development.
• Lead and Healthy Homes Program: Forgivable loans provide . pccessibility Rehabilitation Program: Loans are available
financial assistance to remove lead hazards and limited for the purpose of accommodating tenants/renters with
health and safety deficiencies. physical disabilities.
• Bee Branch Healthy Homes Resiliency Program: Forgivable . Emergency Repair Program:The focus of this program
loans can be utilized by rental property owners to help is to encourage quick repair of rental properties to avoid
recover from a significant rain event and be more resilient in displaced tenants.
potential future weather disasters.
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The CHANGE Initiative is a campaign of neighborhood
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revitalization and an extension of sustainability to specifically
address marginal properties, affordable housing, and
homeownership. Intended outcomes of the program include: �
increased flood protection; increased home ownership;
deconcentration of low-income housing; reduction in number of I � I
households in poverty; reduction in number of blighted properties;
stabilization and increase of property values; increase in quality, . � . ' � � � � � �
affordable housing stock; reduction in lead hazards; greater ', 1� � 1 � �
landlord and tenant responsibility; and an increase in first-time
homeowners. www.cityofdubuque.org/dbqchange � , , ; , �
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• Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque � . . � �
• Community Housing Initiatives, Inc. , . , �
• Dubuque Community School District
• Dubuque Dream Center '�: � �
• Dubuque Initiatives
• Dubuque Main Street
• Dubuque Racing Association ' ' � � • ' • ' � ' � � '
• Dubuque's True North Corporation �, � � ��
• East Central Intergovernmental Association
• Fountain of Youth
• Four Mounds HEART Program
• Greater Dubuque Development Corporation I � I i .
• Habitat for Humanity, Inc. ', � � � � . . , , . . � �
• Heritage Works Dubuque
• lowa Department of Transportation � � � ' � ' � � � � �
• Multicultural Family Center � �
• Northeast lowa Community College (NICC) -
• Opportunity Dubuque
• Private developers & general contractors
• Steeple Square
• St. Mark Youth Enrichment
• True North Development Corporation �
• Visiting Nurses Association _ t,;
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For additional information on City of Dubuque resources for housing providers� .�ECITYOF
call the City of Dubuque Housing & Community Development Department at DUB E
563-589-4231 or visit www.cityofdubuque.org/landlords. M�te ieceon theMississi �
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