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Minutes_Housing Commission 7 27 10MINUTES OF HOUSING COMMISSION MEETING DATE: 27 July 2010 TIME: 4:00 PM PLACE: Housing and Community Development Department 350 West 6 Street, Suite 312, Dubuque, IA 52001 Chairperson Kapler, following staff assurance of compliance with Iowa Open Meeting Law, called the meeting to order at 4:00 pm. Commissioners Present: Lynn Sutton Judie Root Dorothy Culbertson David Kapler Sister Dorothy Schwendinger, OSF Commissioners Absent: William Helling Linda Frommelt Lisa McAllister Jim Holz Staff Present: David Harris Cpl. Mike Kane Janet Walker Jessica Kieffer Public Present: Carol Copeland from Executive Management Margie White from Genesis Two Management Review and Certification of Minutes of 25 May 2010 Commission Meeting Commissioner Schwendinger moved to approve the minutes. Commissioner Culbertson seconded. Commissioner Root abstained. All others present in favor. Motion passed. Correspondence/Public Input Carol Copeland from Executive Management and Margie White from Genesis Two Management attended the meeting to discuss the Section 8 Administrative Plan change allowing participants in good standing the right to request portability to lease a unit outside of the PHA jurisdiction within the initial lease term (the family must receive a mutual rescission agreement from the landlord). Carol stated that she feels allowing a Section 8 participant to break their lease is unfair and a poor policy. She feels all tenants, regardless of if they are Section 8 participants or not should be required to fulfill the lease agreement that was signed. Margie and Carol stated that the landlords go through the process of getting a tenant approved and ready to move into a unit with the expectation that the tenant will live there for at least a year. To perform all of that work and have the tenant move before the lease expired would be a waste of their time. Commissioner Root stated that unless the landlord agrees to allow the move, the participant may not move from the unit. After a lengthy conversation, it was discussed that the policy may change in the future. Old Business Finance Report The commissioners received a spreadsheet showing unaudited HAP expenses for the fiscal year. Janet explained that the HAP reserve is an estimate until year -end paperwork is completed. David discussed that at the May Commission meeting there were several issues discussed, including HUD's recommendations that a termination policy for participants be adopted in the event funds would run out; implementing a minimum rent policy; and to consider adjusting the participant family's rent payment anytime during the year, in the event of an income increase. David told the commissioners that there will some recommendations on the next month's agenda. Section 8 Management Plan Included in the May agenda meeting was the Section 8 Visioning Project which has now morphed into the Section 8 Program Management Plan. This plan was distributed to the commissioners. David explained that goal #4 is to increase public advocacy role for Housing Commission. He told the commissioners that this relates to another agenda item regarding Housing Commission training New Business Amendment to Section 8 Administrative Plan Adding "on the premises" and "immediate vicinity" as locations where illegal participant activities will result in termination of benefits Adding calls for service and civil charges (municipal citations) as documentation of participant activities causing termination of benefits David explained that the proposed changes are in response to the general statement that we must hold participant households more accountable for behaviors. Corporal Kane discussed that sometimes there are calls for service for behaviors like disturbance of the peace, disorderly conduct and creating a public nuisance and the police often deal with these offenses by issuing municipal citations which is a civil infraction. Corporal Kane stated that just because charges were not filed, shouldn't mean that the persons aren't held accountable. Commissioner Root motioned to approve the policy changes. Commissioner Schwendinger seconded. All present in favor. Commissioner Root and Corporal Kane left the meeting at 4:53pm. Housing Commission Training David suggested that the Commission consider opportunities for training, with a particular emphasis on raising the Commissions visibility as an advocate for the Section 8 program. The commissioners received an outline on training workshops from Paige Community Coordinators, LLC. The commissioners felt that the training that was outlined would be redundant as most have already had workshops that cover that information. Commissioner Kapler suggested that the information be reviewed more and discussed again later. Commissioner Kapler left the meeting at 5:17pm Safe Community Task Force Recommendations The commissioners received a list of the recommendations from the Safe Community Task Force. David shared that the Enforcement Sub - Committee's report contains a number of the goals and measurable that have been developed in the Management Plan. Liaison to Community Development Commission David reminded the Commission that there is still an open position on the Community Development Commission for a Housing Commission liaison. Information Sharing Complaints Received Commissioners received a summary of the complaints the Housing Department has received since the last meeting. Project Concern fmancial assistance programs The commissioners received a memo from Jenny Manders, Information and Referral Director for Project Concern, explaining their homeless assistance programs. Adjournment There being no further business to come before the Commission, the meeting adjourned at 5:30pm. Minutes taken by: (,,C)) (ta j Jessica Kieffer Recording Secretary Respectfully submitted by: MACH D vid Harris Department Director