Loading...
Minutes_Housing Commission 3 23 10DATE: TIME: PLACE: Chairperson Kapler, following staff assurance of compliance with Iowa Open Meeting Law, called the meeting to order at 4:00 pm. Commissioners Present: Correspondence/Public Input None Old Business None MINUTES OF HOUSING COMMISSION MEETING 23 March 2010 4:00 PM Housing and Community Development Department 350 West 6 Street, Suite 312, Dubuque, IA 52001 Linda Frommelt Char Eddy Dorothy Culbertson Jim Holz Commissioners Absent: William Helling Staff Present: David Harris Jessica Kieffer Public Present: Lisa McAllister Lynn Sutton Judie Root David Kapler Sister Dorothy Schwendinger, OSF Janet Walker Cpl. Mike Kane Review and Certification of Minutes of 23 February 2010 Commission Meeting Janet explained that the Housing Commissioners approved the closing of the waiting list to all applicants except those that qualify for local preference points for the City of Dubuque however at this time HUD is not allowing for the change in administrative policy. Legal council is researching and staff will keep the commissioners up to date on the implementation of the policy change. Commissioner Schwendinger moved to approve the minutes. Commissioner Root seconded. Commissioners Holz and Kapler abstained. All others present in favor. Motion passed. New Business Public Hearing: To Receive Public Comment Regarding the PHA Five Year Plan for Fiscal Years 2010 — 2014 and the Annual Plan for Fiscal Year 2010 Commissioner Holz motioned to open the public hearing. Commissioner Eddy seconded. All present in favor. Motion approved. Commissioner Kapler thanked staff for all of their hard work and efforts. Commissioner Schwendinger asked staff if there were any changes to the PHA Plan from previous years. Janet responded that the information was taken from the Consolidated Plan and that the significant changes were the administrative policy changes. Janet also shared that the notes from the Resident Advisory Board (RAB) meeting held on Monday, 8 March 2010 were included with the PHA Plan. She explained that the board members who were present provided a lot of feedback and the group will meet quarterly. Ms. McAllister commented that the board members were listened to well and were able to state their concerns. Some of their concerns included the RAB members feeling that some landlords are charging higher rents to Section 8 participants than the open market rents. Ms. McAllister suggested that the briefing appointment for applicants be redesigned and presented in a different manner. Currently the one and a half hour long presentation in a crowded room was not effective. More emphasis on explaining the Family Self- Sufficiency program and how a participant can better themselves was discussed as well. Janet explained that staff does have a follow -up in place and will begin to implement the changes recommended by the RAB members. Commissioner Holz moved to close the public hearing. Commissioner Eddy seconded. All present in favor. Motion approved. Approval of PHA Five Year Plan for Fiscal Years 2010 -2014 and approval of the Annual Plan for Fiscal Year 2010 Commissioner Schwendinger motioned to approve the PHA Five Year plan and the Annual Plan. Commissioner Holz seconded. All present in favor. Motion approved. Discussion: Exception Rents Janet explained that a request for approval of exception rents to deconcentrate lower income households and Section 8 occupancies in the downtown was approved. Janet also explained that implementing the new rents will require reaching out to landlords with properties outside of the downtown area. Commissioner Eddy suggested that to assist in educating landlords and the public about the Section 8 program, staff could include a "myth a month" or short educational piece in the City's Focus Magazine. Commissioner Frommelt suggested that staff could try to come up with an incentive for the Landlords to upkeep their properties. Commissioner Eddy suggested the agenda for next month include ideas for landlord incentives, public relations /educational ideas for housing and an update on the Resident Advisory Board (RAB). Commissioner Kapler added that perhaps landlords could be invited to meet with the RAB members. Commissioner Frommelt feels that 2 or 3 landlords should be invited to attend the Housing Commission meetings each month to discuss issues and get feedback from the landlords. Information Sharing Complaints Received Commissioners received a summary of the number of complaints the Housing Department has received since the last meeting, the outcomes of the complaints and the information pertaining to the complaints. Letter to Mayor Buol and City Council The Commissioners received a copy of the letter submitted by the Housing Commission to Mayor Buol and the City Council regarding the Enforcement Subcommittee of the Safe Community Task Force minutes of its meeting on January 20, 2010. Adjournment There being no further business to come before the Commission, the meeting adjourned at 5:1 1pm. All present in favor. Minutes taken by: Jessica Kieffer Recording Secretary Respectfully submitted by: David Hams Department Director