Minutes_Housing Commission 4 26 11DATE: 26 April 2011
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:
Commissioners Absent: Lisa McCallister
Staff Present: David Harris Janet Walker Aggie Tauke
Ericka Lessears Cpl. Scott Koch
Public Present: Jerry Maro, Carroll Copeland, Anthony Allen, Amanda Hohmann,
Nancy Lewis; Mayor Ann Campbell and Vanessa Baker - Latimer
via phone from Ames, IA.
Welcome New Commissioners
Amy Eudaley, Regine Ronek, and Patricia Rogaskie were sworn by Commission Chair David
Kapler.
Review and Certification of Minutes of 29 March 2011 Commission Meeting
Commissioner Root moved to approve the minutes. Commissioner Holz seconded.
Commissioners Eudaley, Rogaskie, and Ronek abstained. All others present in favor. Motion
passed.
Correspondence/Public Input
None
MINUTES OF HOUSING COMMISSION MEETING
Dorothy Schwendinger, OSF Dorothy Culbertson
Ricardo Woods Jim Holz (via phone) Amy Eudaley
Judie Root David Kapler Regine Ronek
Patricia Rogaskie
Old Business
Fair Housing Survey/Forum
Anthony Allen, from the Human Rights Commission was present to talk about the Fair Housing
Survey. Anthony Allen wants to bring the two commissions together for a meeting sometime in
June. Goals for this joint meeting include improving fair housing practices and establishing a
tenant association. The Human Rights Commission and Transit Advisory Board have planned an
event at Comiskey Park in August and would like the Housing Commission to participate also.
Conversation with City of Ames
The City of Ames, Iowa rental assistance program has been turned over to a Regional Housing
Authority due to a shortage of administrative funding. Mayor Ann Campbell and Vanessa Baker -
Latimer, Housing Coordinator for Ames joined via telephone to talk about their decision and the
process they went through to come to that decision.
FSS Recruiting Update
As of April 1, 2011 the total was 55 participants and as of today, April 26, the total number on
FSS 67. The goal is to have 75 by June 8, 2011 for the FSS Coordinator Grant application.
Commissioners asked if there is anything they can do to help increase enrollment.
New Business
HUD Civil Rights Compliance Review
The City has received notice from the HUD Omaha Regional Office of a compliance review.
This will review the City's Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and CDBG programs. David
asked HUD if they were going to interview the commissioners and if so he would like the City
Attorney to prepare commissioners. The Compliance Review is scheduled for June 20 -23.
Report on Homelessness Prevention (HPRP) Program: Project Concern
Amanda Hohmann and Nancy Lewis from Project Concern proposed changes to the HPRP
Program Policy and Procedures. Nancy explained that they are using state funds, which are
meant for people outside the city limits, for people who live in the City because people don't
qualify for the City funds based on our policies. They are finding with these restrictions that they
are not having people apply for the program and feel that it could be contributing to
homelessness. HPRP is a stimulus funded program that was awarded to the City of Dubuque and
is sub contracted to Project Concern for a 36 -month term. Nancy feels the need is there in the
community but the restrictions are keeping people away and the criminal background check
requirement is holding people back. Sister Dorothy would like to see the minutes of previous
Commission meetings and how the Commission voted on these policies before. Jim Holtz wants
to see the changes that Project Concern is proposing compared to our current admin policies.
Commissioner Schwendinger motioned to discuss at next months meeting. Commissioner Root
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.
City Manager response to Dubuque Area Landlord's Association letter
Jerry Maro, President of the Dubuque Area Landlord's Association and Carroll Copeland from
Executive Management were present. Jerry said that they had discussion about the letter at a
meeting and the letter was written by a committee. Carroll thinks that the Commission is
misinterpreting the letter. She said that they are defending Section 8 and the landlords are getting
blamed for everything. She said that with a change in a city population and demographics comes
crime and that we are going to grow like any other city. She feels that the City went to war with
Section 8 and the landlords. She resented the fact that Section 8 and landlords were being
blamed for changes in the community and she feels like it had racial overtones. They think that
the Commissioners misinterpreted the letter. Carroll wanted to make sure that it was not meant
to be against the Commission nor staff.
Adjournment
There being no further business to come before the Commission, the meeting adjourned at
5:53pm.
Minutes taker.
,by:
Ericka Lessears
Recording Secretary
vid Harris
Department Director
r \ Respectfully submitted by: