Housing Commission_Safe Community Task Force Enforcement Committee MinutesTHE CITY OF
DUB
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
Dubuque
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To: Mayor Roy D. Buol and the Dubuque City Council
From: The City of Dubuque Housing Commission
Date: 3/10/10
H &CD
Housing and Community
Development Department
350 West 6th Street, Suite 312
Dubuque, Iowa 520014648
Office (563) 5894230
Fax (563) 5894244
TTY (563) 5894230 _a
housing@cityqubuqfPorg
www.city i que.c
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Re: The Enforcement Subcommittee of the Safe Community Task Force Minutes of
its Meeting on January 20, 2010
The City of Dubuque Housing Commission ( "Commission ") is aware of and supportive
of the ongoing activities of the Safe Community Task Force ( "Task Force "). The
Commission believes it is appropriate, however, to highlight a concern that has recently
come to its attention, particularly in light of the City Council's support' of a specific Task
Force recommendation that the Task Force act as a conduit for accurate information to
the public.
The Housing Commission has had several opportunities over the last few weeks to
interact with the Enforcement Subcommittee of the Task Force. The Enforcement
Subcommittee was established to explore several issues including: curfew, code,
enforcement, gang activity, reference checks, police presence, and trespassing. On
January 20, 2010, Commission Chairman David Kapler attended a regularly scheduled
meeting of the Enforcement Subcommittee to answer questions from members of the
Enforcement Subcommittee and to offer the perspective of a Housing Commissioner.
Prior to the monthly Commission meeting on February 23, 2010, the Commission was
presented with the minutes ("Minutes ") from the January 20, 2010 meeting (see attached)
of the Enforcement Subcommittee. Because the Minutes contained statements that some
commissioners, as well as Housing staff, believed were inaccurate, discussion of the
Minutes was included as an agenda item for the Commission meeting on the 23 Terry
Mozena from the Enforcement Subcommittee attended the Commission meeting and was
able to answer questions from the Commission regarding the Minutes, as well as, the
activities of the Enforcement Subcommittee.
At the meeting, Commissioners made several inquiries about the nature of the Minutes.
The Commission believed that a number of statements contained in the minutes were
grievances that could be characterized as either disjointed, anonymous, third -hand,
misconceptions and /or un- actionable. Mr. Mozena did allow that the Minutes could have
Service People Integrity Responsibility Innovation Teamwork
been written in a more accurate fashion, and that the Enforcement Subcommittee would
do better in the future.
The Commission understands that the Task Force and its subcommittees are in their
infancy and many good ideas are likely to come forward from them. However, the
Commission remains concerned that the Enforcement Subcommittee, by its ratification of
the January 20 Minutes, has constructed a public record which can, and has, been seen by
some citizens of Dubuque as containing inflammatory (and in some cases,
unsubstantiated) claims, and has demonstrated a willingness to use such information to
mischaracterizethe effectiveness of City programs.
Respectfully,
CI' A 14,a,
David Kapler
Chairperson, City of Dubuque Housing Commission
'City Council Meeting February 1, 2010
Minutes of the 1/20/2010 Safe Community Task Force Enforcement Sub Committee
Attending: Tom Hiatt, Edie Huss Kuhle, Danielle Leeser, John Mauss, Don Vrotsos, Joe
Noll, Keith Clark, Greg Stover, Ralph Potter, Terry Mozena, Terry Tobin, Dave Kapler,
Phil Brennan
Most of the meeting involved discussion with Dave Kapler, Housing Comtnission chair.
A couple of changes to Section 8 involve proposals to restrict the waiting list and expand
the range of crimes that preclude qualification. The commission seems to primarily
receive input from Housing staff and not much directly from the Landlords or the public.
The question of whether there may be filtering of information came up. The possibility is
to be addressed at the commission level.
One area landlord told of out of control partying, perhaps twenty beds in one property
near the library, fights, drugs and noise. The police do a great job but the landlords and
Housing don't get involved. A Washington neighborhood landlord basically gave up on
trying to get satisfaction because his complaints fell on deaf ears for such a long time.
There is now a purging of the Section 8 waiting list, which has about 880 candidates.
Discussed the voucher process and that it's a Federal program. The voucher is specific to
Dubuque but once on Section 8 the person achieves priority status for the program nation
wide. People come to Dubuque, get on our system, stay the twelve months and `port out'
to another city.
There are two twenty- something males on Section 8 that many seemed to know of,
`laughing at us'. Both able bodied.
This whole issue has the community up in anus as it's a moral, ethical, economic blight.
We talked about limiting the time allowed on Section 8 locally, make holders do a plan of
action to get on their feet and reduce the number of vouchers here.
Mention also of some woman who moves about on Section 8 and continually has panic
attacks, thus a draw on our city and medical resources, some knew of her too. There
doesn't seem to be much eligibility review on these Section 8 voucher holders and that
needs to change.
Terry Mozena will get our list of suggestions, as submitted to the Task Force, to Dave
Kapler. Keith Clark intends to ask David Harris why complaints registered with Housing
don't seem to brought to the Commission level.
A process that seems to be accepted is to fast track voucher usage at the time of year the
Feds audit our program. This ensures that we get our Federal funding maximum for the
Housing program. That should end.
Dave Kapler asked us /the community to stay focused, stay angry.
The Task Force has approved about ten of our suggestions, for short term consideration,
to the City Council. Others have been tabled for further review for the intermediate and
long term objectives.
The quality of life issue kept coming up, especially by the landlords in attendance. They
encounter defiant youths walking in the middle of the street, people walking pit bulls and
so on.
We are to determine how our voucher count compares to other cities.
There is interviewing going on for a Task Force facilitator, to relieve Kelly Larson of the
responsibility. Also the Task Force needs to decide on what a `consensus' is, as there
seems to be a debate on that. Perhaps a majority should be the deterrnining factor.
Ralph Potter will try to line up a judge for our next meeting.
Suggestions from this meeting:
Ensure that complaints to Housing are accurately and without filter logged and
communicated to the Commission, in a procedure to be determined between them.
Landlords who scoff at their responsibilities for upkeep, response to disruptive tenant
behavior and complaints need to be dealt with. It seems that the offenders are generally
known.
Reduce the number of Section 8 vouchers in Dubuque.
Limit the time a voucher holder can maintain the voucher -- reduce the `entitlement'
feature.
Require a plan of action from the candidate to determine when he /she will get on his/her
feet.
Run the Section 8 program as one that helps those in need, not rewarding those acting
irresponsibly and looking for a hand out. Thus relinquish as many vouchers as makes
sense for our community. No more maintaining vouchers to achieve maximum Federal
funding.
Submitted by Phil Brennan