Minutes_Housing Commission 9 28 10MINUTES OF HOUSING COMMISSION MEETING
DATE: 28 September 2010
TIME: 4:00 PM
PLACE: Housing and Community Development Department
350 West 6 Street, Suite 312, Dubuque, IA 52001
Vice Chairperson Schwendinger, following staff assurance of compliance with Iowa Open Meeting
Law, called the meeting to order at 4:02 pm.
Commissioners Present:
Commissioners Absent:
Staff Present:
Public Present:
Lynn Sutton Jim Holz (via telephone)
Judie Root Ricardo Woods
Sister Dorothy Schwendinger, OSF
William Helling
Lisa McAllister
David Harris
Janet Walker
David Kapler
Dorothy Culbertson
Cpl. Mike Kane
Jessica Kieffer
Todd Schmidt, staff attorney at Iowa Legal Aid
Introduction: New Commissioner Ricardo Woods
New Commissioner Ricardo Woods was welcomed to the Housing Commission
Review and Certification of Minutes of 24 August 2010 Commission Meeting
Commissioner Root moved to approve the minutes. Commissioner Sutton seconded.
Commissioner Woods abstained. All others present in favor. Motion passed.
Correspondence/Public Input
Todd Schmidt, staff attorney at Iowa Legal Aid, questioned staff if there were plans to make the
Section 8 Administrative Plan available on the City of Dubuque website. Janet explained that it
is a staff goal to make the plan available within the next few months.
Old Business
Vacancies
David reminded the Commissioners that there is still one open seat on the Housing Commission
as well as the open position on the Community Development Commission for a Housing
Commission liaison, Cominissioner Woods stated that he would like to be the liaison for the
Community Development Commission.
City Manager response: Commission request on reducing number of housing vouchers
The Conunissioners received a letter from the City Manager in response to their request not to
further reduce the number of housing vouchers.
City Manager approval to issue new housing vouchers
The City Manager has given approval to issue new housing vouchers. Janet explained that staff
has started the process. Janet also explained that the briefing process has been completely
restructured.
New Business
HUD audit of HPRP homeless assistance program and Department response
David explained that HUD performed an audit of the HPRP homeless assistance program. One
of their findings was that there was inadequate document keeping by Project Concern. Section 8
and CD staff have updated the policies and procedures and will be training Project Concern staff
and monitoring the program. Commissioner Root motioned to approve the policy changes.
Commissioner Holz seconded. All present in favor.
CIRCLES program business plan/CIRLES Coach position
The Commissioners received a copy of the CIRCLES business plan for their information.
David explained that there is a 25 hour per week CIRCLES coach position available. This
position has been funded by Dubuque Works.
Resident Advisory Board
The Commissioners received a copy of the minutes from the 20 September 2010 Resident
Advisory Board (RAB) meeting. Janet discussed that staff is trying to recruit more members, it
can be a struggle to get participants to become involved. Todd Schmidt requested to be notified
of the date of the next meeting.
Revisions of briefing process for new participants
Janet explained that the briefing process has been completely restructured. The Commissioners
received a description of the new procedures which include performing the briefings in small
groups of 3 to 5 applicants or for elderly or disabled, single briefings would be performed.
Cpl Mike Kane: Update on tracking arrests of program participants
Cpl Kane distributed a packet of information regarding arrests that he has been tracking on a
weekly basis since last December. Commissioner Schwendinger questioned if Cpl Kane sees any
trends in the tracking reports. Cpl Kane stated that the percentage of Section 8 participants
arrested has been consistent, in the 5 -6% range. He also stated that many of the charges are
related to fines, alcohol use and driving while under suspension. David discussed that 3 out of
the top 5 arrests are alcohol related; people are abusing a legal drug. David reminded everyone
that a study has commissioned by the Council, to Northern Illinois University, which will provide
more information on the relationships of crime, poverty and the Section 8 program. It will be
completed in November.
Admininistrative Plan revisions:
1. Definition of disability
Janet explained that the revision of the definition adopts HUD's language. The previous
definition of disability in the administrative plan may have been too restrictive. The new
language allows for a person who may not be receiving SSI/SSD to still be eligible for disability
preference points.
2. Ineligibility when receiving other City financial assistance
Janet explained that in order to prevent someone fraududently trying to become eligible for
Section 8 rental assistance preference points, staff is recommending that verifications such as a
lease agreement and utility bill not be accepted as proof of residency if the funding for the rent or
utilities is coming from any agency that has a subrecipient contract with the City of Dubuque.
3. Exception rents /payment standards
Staff is proposing that voucher payment standards are not to be changed until January of each
year. The voucher payment standards are based on a percentage of the fair market rents. New
fair market rents are published October 1 however Housing Authorities generally do not receive
them until December. Waiting to implement any voucher payment standard changes until
January would remove the administrative burden of readjusting calculations made from October
to December.
In addition, staff has received approval from HUD for exception rents which would allow an
exception payment standard that is higher than the basic range for a designated part of the fair
market rent area, in an effort to deconcentrate voucher participants from high poverty areas.
HUD has approved exception rents in Census Tracts 8.01. 8.02, 12.01, 12.02 and 12.03. The
voucher payment standards within the above census tracts will be set at the 110% of the 50`
percentile published fair market rents. Staff is requesting approval of this change in the
administrative policy.
4. Rent Reasonableness
Janet explained that this requested policy change would allow staff to use the average rent of
comparable units when determining rent reasonables.
Commissioner Root motioned to approve all policy changes. Commissioner Sutton seconded.
All present in favor. Motion passed.
Information Sharing
Complaints Received
Commissioners received a summary of the complaints the Housing Department has received
since the last meeting.
TH articles on CIRCLES program
The Commissioners received articles that were printed in the Telegraph Herald regarding the
CIRCLES program.
Adjournment
There being no further business to come before the Commission, the meeting adjourned at
5:01pm.
Minutes taken by:
Jessica Kieffer
Recording Secretary
Respectfully submitted by:
David Harris
Department Director