Six Month Report - Housing Action Conference
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
MEMORANDUM
September 14, 2000
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Six-Month Report on Housing Committee Activities
Housing Services Manager David Harris is transmitting the Annual Performance
Report of the Housing Services Department from the Housing Action Conference.
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Michael C. Van Milligen
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Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel
Tim Moerman, Assistant City Manager
David Harris, Housing Services Manager
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CD (J1
31 August 00
To: Housing Action Conference participants
From: David Harris, Housing Services Department
SIX MONTH REPORT ON COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES
Six months have passed since the February Action Conference. The work of several committees
has continued during that time; many exciting things are in planning stages. Many Conference
participants and other, newly-recruited individuals have continued to volunteer their time and
energies to develop these ideas into actions.
The chairs of the connnittees have also continued to meet, monthly, to share ideas and to up-date
each of the others on their progress. We agreed that, at a six month anniversary date, we would
compile a progress report on activities and send it to all of you. That anniversary is now, and the
report which follows tells you what's been happening.
National Award
First is news of national recognition of our two-year planning and community participation effort,
beginning with the "Housing Summit" held at Sinsinawa in the Spring of 1999. For those of you
who were with us from the beginning - the planning for the Summit actually started in July 98 -
you'll recall that we originally embarked on a course to improve relations with the "customers" of
the Housing Department. This initiative eventually combined with the Intercongregational
Housing Project- under the direction ofSr Helen Huewe - and the consulting services of Lave me
Webb, and became the basis for an "Affirmative Customer Service" project that produced more
than 200 'appreciative' interviews and a shared community vision at the Summit. The 2000
Action Conference was the second phase, producing action steps to implement the vision.
An application was submitted to the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment
Officials (NAHRO) for recognition of this community-based project. In July, NAHRO announced
that we had received a National Award of Merit, for administrative innovation. Congratulations
to all of you who have contributed and made this effort a resounding success.
Downtown Planning Committee
This committee's mission was to create a comprehensive plan for Dubuque's downtown. The
first objective was to form a partnership with the Long Range Planning Commission (LRPC), in
order to access city staff resources. The process for this included a request to the city manager,
approval by the City Council and action by the LRPC. That has all finally transpired and a sub-
committee of the Planning Commission and Downtown Planning Committee members has now
been officially formed, chaired by Dave Rusk. A report from this group will be presented to the
LRPC in October, proposing a process for this planning effort, including a timeline and budget.
What the committee is discussing at this time includes a process modeled after the successful
Vision 2000 effort done ten years ago. This process would provide an opportunity for all citizens
to participate in creating a vision for housing, employment, transportation, parking and cultural
and recreational opportunities contributing to a healthy and vital downtown. After completion of
the visioning phase, work on the actual comprehensive plan will commence.
Active members include Art Roche (chair of the former* Downtown Planning Committee), Rep
Pam Jochum, Aid Ann Michalski, Jim HoIz, Rich Russell, Jim Giesen, Dan LoBianco, Jim Burke,
Doris Hingtgen, Ruth Nash, John Walsh; and Dave Rusk, Mary Lynn Neumeister and Steve
Cooper from the Planning Commission. Staffing is provided by Laura Carstens and David Harris.
(*The Downtown Planning Committee formed at the Housing Action Conference has been
integrated into the LRPC subcommittee.)
You are welcome to attend the monthly meetings of this committee, which meets the second
Tuesday, at 11 :30 at the City Hall annex, 13th and Main Streets.
Mixed Neighborhoods
The focus ofthis committee's efforts has been to develop and strengthen ways for neighborhood
residents to form associations and represent their interests. Many initiatives have surfaced from
the work of this group.
One was to create a ''formal'' process for neighborhood recognition, including an application and
approval by the City Council. This proposal was submitted to the Community Development
Commission, in August, with an ordinance expanding the Commission's role in assisting
neighborhoods.
Another proposal submitted to the CD Commission was to establish a "neighborhood outreach"
office - downtown - for use by City staff, local service agencies and neighborhood volunteers.
The idea behind this is that some people would be more willing to request city program assistance
outside of City Hall - just a more informal place to meet. Plus city staff from the Housing, CD
and Health Departments - and the COP officers - could use an outreach office to be more
accessible to neighborhood people. The Lead Paint Program staff from Housing want to use it as
a tool lending library for their specialized equipment: a "one-stop lead shop." The CD
Commission expressed support for both these initiatives and asked that staff provide more
research on feasibility and costs.
A major planning effort from this committee has been development of a tenants association -
which was originally part of the workplan of the Improving DowntownlReducing Vacancies
Committee (which went out of business). Several tenant meetings have been held at St Mark's
Community Center. A "Renter's Roundtable" is now scheduled to be held there on 26
September. A brochure, designed by one of the tenant participants - Jeremy Austin - is now being
mass circulated. The agenda for the Roundtable includes introduction ofthe city-wide tenants
association proposal, plus presentations from staff from several city departments and a
representative from the landlords group.
The idea behind forming an association is to create a support group for tenants, to hook up
families with resources such as mentors, to educate tenants about their rights and responsibilities
and to develop a working communications link with the landlords association.
Active members of this active committee include co-chairs Karen McCarthy and Janet Walker;
and Sr Jeanne Wickham. Tenant association steering committee members, in addition to Jeremy,
have included Joe and Melissa Hopkins. Our thanks to Karen, who has recently left her
employment with the CD Department as the neighborhood development specialist. For more
information on the tenants association, call:
JoelMelissa 582-9225
Janet 589-4230
Jeremy 582-4185
Kelly Larson, at the Human Rights Department, is coordinating the Roundtable event.
She can be reached at 589-4190.
Information Clearinghouse
The goal statement for this committee was to "have all services accessible through a clearing-
house to those in need." Members have been busy, designing a campaign to promote this idea.
And, importantly, they have found a natural partner in Project Concern's "Information and
Referral" Program, which provides many similar services currently. Meetings have been held
between Clearinghouse Committee members, I&R staff and the Marketing Committee of Project
Concern's board of directors. Now in development is a power-point presentation, to be
submitted to Project Concern, probably in late-2000.
The idea ofthis campaign is two-fold: to promote citizen use of the services which Information
and Referral provides, to a wider audience, city-wide; and to better educate area agencies - and
businesses - to use I&R as a referral source for their own customers and clients. The marketing
campaign now in design will have a unified theme, including use of a logo, bill boards and media
advertising. What is envisioned is a kind of "one-stop" resource, where people with needs for
information about any kind of service or program - whether it be housing-related or other - can
call and receive a quick referral.
First chaired by Donna Bauerly, and now by Laura Roussell, committee members include Mike
Muir, Bob Klein, Maggie Norby, Barb Moran and Marie Lorenz.
,. .
Livable Neighborhoods
While this committee has not been active, a major goal - to find a "solution" to the problem of
vacant and abandoned buildings in neighborhoods - has remained an active initiative of the
Housing Department. All in the current inventory of these structures - some thirty in total - have
been reinspected this summer, with notices sent to all owners. In one case to-date, demolition
orders have been issued. All owners have been notified that the city is prepared to hire outside
contractors to perform the repairs necessary to restore the exterior appearance of these derelict
houses. This campaign also includes requirements for the removal of boards and repair of all
windows and doors, on the side of the building facing the street. Costs for this work will be
assessed against the property when authorized under city contract.
In a more innovative approach, Kathy Lamb, the senior inspector at Housing, has been working
with Sr Inez at the St Mark's Center and with volunteers at St Joseph the Worker in preparation
for "Servant Day," to be held on 23 September. On that Saturday, volunteers will be assigned
community service projects throughout the community. Kathy is arranging for some of these
volunteers to work with owners of several of the most derelict properties, to perform painting and
light repair work. If you or someone you know is interested, call her, at 589-4231, and sign up.
Affordable Housing
The first goal of this committee was to research the inventory of available housing and
rehabilitation programs, then to compare this with current city efforts and determine ifwe're
taking advantage of all the opportunities. That has been accomplished. Next is to better promote
these programs to all potential users (does this sound like a natural link with the Clearinghouse?)
This committee, with co-chairs Jane Steele and Joleen Patterson, accomplished the first phase of
its work and then took a summer vacation. Members will reconvene in September, including
Kelly Larson, Pat Thies, Tom Goric, Dennis Tressel and Peter Eck.
Youth ParticipationlW orkforce Retention
Chair Pam Myhre reports that planning is in final stages for "Rock Around the Clock," a teen
dance to be held on the Plaza, September 16th. This event is being coordinated through the efforts
ofSr Inez, with help from Michelle Brown and Joe Hopkins. St Mark's teens have actively been
involved in putting this dance together, including soliciting corporate donations - particularly from
DuTrac - and securing assistance from Dan LoBianco at Main Street Ltd. Football players from
area colleges will provide security; live music has been signed up. This will be a ''really big"
event.
Another goal of this committee is developing a concept for a "Youth City Council." As a start,
Pam is meeting with Thorn Determan from Dubuque Community Schools, plus others involved in
the annual Youth in Government Day series of events. It is hoped that the Council idea could
evolve from this, with sponsorship from the School District, City of Dubuque and the County
Board.
. . .
.
Summary
What's your evaluation? Are we making progress, are we still on track to accomplish our vision
and our action steps? Are there ways you might be able to make a contribution to these efforts?
Has the time you've already contributed been justified? How does the 'six month report' measure
up to your expectations?
From this viewpoint, it appears that much of our work is still "on the drawing board" - in the
planning stages. The downtown planning effort, after six months of referrals and considerations,
will be "formally" considered for staffing and funding, by the Long Range Planning Commission,
in October-November. The Community Development Commission has received proposals for a
neighborhood recognition process and an outreach center, and expects to reconsider these, with
staff analysis, also within the next two-three months. The Renters Roundtable will be held next
month; this will give us a good indication whether there is support for a city-wide tenants
association. The Clearinghouse Committee expects to make its presentation, to Project Concern,
for its information campaign, by the end ofthis calendar year. The Housing Department's
campaign to reduce the blighting influence of vacant and abandoned housing is scheduled to have
an impact by the end of this building season. The Affordable Housing Committee will re-gear its
efforts, next month, to promoting available assistance programs to a wider audience. And the
teen-sponsored and -planned "Rock Around the Clock" event will also be held in September,
hopefully a significant first effort in encouraging youth to take more initiative in advocating for
youth interests.
That's an impressive inventory of initiatives and campaigns; by the end ofthe year, we'll know
how successful we will be in their implementation. That will depend on your continued
involvement in this ambitious process of community-based advocacy and participation.
~r Laverne's "law:" where you think you are going is where you end up. The images we
create of our future determine how and if we get there. Keep that vision.