Minutes Housing Comm 9 28 04
MINUTES OF HOUSING COMMISSION MEETING
DATE:
TIME:
PLACE:
28 September 2004
4p.m.
Housing and Community Development Department Office
Chairperson Kapler called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. following staff assurance of compliance with
Iowa Open Meeting Law.
Staff Present:
Danita Grant Jim Holz Bill Helling
Dave Kapler Harry Neustadt John Plein
Dorothy Culbertson Char Eddy Dorothy Schwendinger, OSF
None
David Harris Tusdee Blus Janet Walker
Commissioners Present:
Commissioners Absent:
Public Present:
Ethel Cripe
Diane DiPietro Wilson, Iowa Legal Aid
Review and certification of Minutes of 24 Auaust 2004 Commission Meetina
Commissioner Eddy moved to approve the 24 August 2004 Commission meeting minutes.
Commissioner Culbertson seconded. Roll call. Commissioner Grant abstained. All others present in
favor. Motion passed.
Correspondence I Public Input
None
Old Business
Application Policy for Single, Non-Disabled, Non Elderly Section 8 Participants
Janet Walker has spoken with Kelly Larson of the City of Dubuque Human Rights Department regarding
this policy, who referred us to our City Attorney. Janet did speak with him, and his advice was to check
with our HUD office, which in turn referred her back to the Human Rights Department. As of this date,
Janet has no definitive answer for the Commission.
Appointments to Housing Trust Fund Committee
Commissioner Neustadt motioned to reappoint Commissioners Eddy and Holz to the Housing Trust Fund
Committee for another term. Commissioner Schwendinger seconded. All present in favor. Motion
passed.
Housing Trust Fund Report (added to agenda at the request of David Harris)
Commissioner Eddy provided an update of the Housing Trust Fund Committee's activities. Their last
meeting was held on September 24th, at which they reviewed the IFA Housing Trust Fund application.
New Business
Request from Ethel Cripe
Diane DiPietro Wilson spoke on behalf of Ethel Cripe, a Section 8 tenant. She was requesting an
informal hearing for her client. She gave a brief overview of Ms. Cripe's situation, in which she noted that
Ms. Cripe is disabled, and believes that she should have the option of reasonable accommodation to
extend the appeal timeframe. In Ms. Cripe's case, her time to appeal expired. At this time, her Section 8
assistance has been terminated.
Chairperson Kapler noted a letter in Ms. Cripe's file that gave her deadline to appeal as a National
Holiday (9/6/04). Janet stated that as a courtesy to the client, staff would have automatically given her
an additional day to appeal since our offices were closed due to the holiday, which would have then
given her until 9/7/04. However, Ms. Cripe did not file her appeal until 9/10/04. Diane noted that in Ms.
Cripe's defense, it was because of delays at the Iowa Legal Aid offices that she was unable to appeal in
a timely fashion.
Ms. Cripe is also in the midst of attempting to establish a payment plan with her previous landlord, for a
repayment which was court ordered, as the landlord received a judgment against her. Per Janet, we are
bound to honor the court judgment. However, according to Diane, the landlord has been unwilling to
work with Ms. Cripe in establishing this repayment schedule. She also stated that it is within David's
power to reinstate Ms. Cripe's housing assistance, if her appeal were to be heard by him.
Commissioner Helling motioned to allow Ms. Cripe's appeal to be heard by David Harris. Commissioner
Plein seconded. Roll call. Commissioner Grant and Commissioner Holz - Nay. All others present in
favor. Motion passed.
Commissioner Culbertson suggested that a stipulation be attached in the event that Ms. Cripe's
assistance is reinstated by David. She asked that Ms. Cripe agree to repay her debt to the previous
landlord, or her assistance would again be terminated for failure to fulfill her repayment schedule.
Commission Vacancy
David noted that Commissioner Eddy has recruited Angela Mozena as our newest member. Angela is a
realtor and also a landlord. She will begin her term at the next Housing Commission Meeting in October,
pending Council appointment.
FY 2006 - 2010 Consolidated Plan: Housing I Community Development Needs and Objectives
David stated that we are re-writing the Consolidated Plan. The minutes and summary were provided to
the Commission. He asked the Commission if they would be interested in giving their insight on needs
and priorities. They stated that they would like to have an overview today, and that they would like to
request Aggie Tauke's presence at the next Commission meeting in October so that she may provide
additional information.
CAPER I Annual Performance Report
David noted the report and provided an update for the past year.
Information Sharing
Appeals Hearings
Commissioner Culbertson asked Staff if we have begun to use the investigator option with the Iowa
Department of Appeals to research fraud cases. Janet stated that we have not had the appropriate case
as yet to utilize this option.
David handed out a request for appeal from Krista Anderson. Her Section 8 assistance has been
terminated for moving without notice. She will be off of the program for one year. This will be placed on
the next meeting agenda so that Krista can be notified and have the opportunity to be present when her
case is discussed.
Faith Summit
The Mississippi Valley America's Promise Summit will be held on 23 October, which is a summit of
Dubuque's downtown churches. The objective is to gain their support, commitment and participation in
an outreach program to newcomer downtown families. The emphasis will be on children and their
integration into the community.
Section 8 Information
The per unit cost appeal we had filed has been denied. We also appealed the annual adjustment factor,
which was approved, resulting in an additional $72,000. Staff will provide a notice to landlords so they
are aware of these changes.
4:55 pm - Commissioner Neustadt left the meeting.
David provided an update of the Angela Stewart case. The hearing date has been set for the end of
October at the City Hall Annex. An independent hearing officer, Anne McDonough, will hear the case.
David is excluded from hearing the case again. Per a judge's order, the case had to be re-heard, from
the beginning, and therefore a third party hearing officer had to be secured.
Adjournment
There being no further business to come before the Commission, Chairperson Eddy moved to adjourn.
Commissioner Helling seconded. Motion passed by a voice vote. Meeting was adjourned at 5:06 p.m.
Minutes taken by:
g Uð du fïJluð
Tusdee Blus
Assisted Housing Secretary
~e. sP~'f{~IIY submitted by:
\ ~N~'~
Da Harri~
Department Director
'c.