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Minutes_Community Development Advisory Commission 8 20 14COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING UNAPPROVED MINUTES DATE: Wednesday, August 20, 2014 TIME: 5:30 p.m. PLACE: Housing and Community Development Department 350 W. 6th Street, Suite 312, Dubuque IA 52001 Commissioner Theresa Caldwell called the meeting to order at approximately 5:32 p.m., following staff assurance of compliance with Iowa Open Meeting Law. Commissioners Present: Paula Maloy, SVM Tom Wainwright Ricardo Woods Rob Blok Theresa Caldwell Commissioners Absent: Janice Craddieth, Angela Kelley Staff Present: Brenda Henry Kris Neyen Public Present: Terri Lehnhardt Erica Haugen Alvin Nash Jerelyn O'Conner Certification of Minutes: August 20, 2014 Commissioner Maloy moved to approve the July 16, 2014 Commission meeting minutes with one amendment. It was noted to amend the date on the minutes were incorrect. The correct date on the minutes should have been July 16, 2014. Commissioner Maloy motioned for the approval of the minutes with the change. Commissioner Blok seconded. Roll call. All present in favor. Motion passed. Correspondence / Public Input None Old Business Focus Group Results — Homeless Advisory Commission They meet bi-monthly. They organize the Dubuque Continuum of Care. Meeting was attended by many people, 20 programs represented. Erica shared information with the Commission about CDBG, why she needs information and why the FOCUS group would be helpful. Four Oaks offered to share the survey with their clients. The survey has information on what can be done with CDBG. Three surveys have been returned. The survey has been shared online also. Needs that have been identified are emergency shelter spaces, affordable housing, financial assistance for deposits, shelter for couples and shelter for fathers with children. Hope House and Mission have also reported an increase in need for single men. Project Concern has done the homeless count in preparation for the GAPS analysis. Collecting information on the services that provide services to the homeless, the shelters, different housing options, and that is compared with the need in the community. Commissioner Maloy commented on how Unapproved Minutes of Community Development Advisory Commission August 21, 2014 Page 2 the organizations that provide these services are consistently reporting as being full. Commissioner Caldwell explained about the Three Sisters Association which is starting an emergency shelter for people coming out of incarceration or at risk of incarceration. Erica will continue to report on the results of the surveys as they come in. New Business Public Hearing — Annual Action Plan Amendment 1 Commissioner Wainwright moved to open the session up to a public hearing. Commissioner Maloy seconded. Motion passed. Meeting opened to Public hearing on Annual Action Plan Amendment 1. Erica explained the Exhibits to the Action Plan. The Exhibit A was the clean version of the Plan. It shows the plan approved by HUD for Fiscal Year 15 and the proposed Amendment 1. The Amendment will amend the fiscal year 14 and 15 plan and carry over committed funds. Most funds were carryover funds. There was a small difference in projected income. Exhibit B is a breakdown of how the numbers were calculated. The balance of the program income was about $57,914. Approximately $19,000 was put back into the rental rehabilitation program. Would like to use this money to help with higher quality housing or assisted housing. Commissioner Woods moved to close the session up to a public hearing. Commissioner Blok seconded. Motion passed. Meeting closed to Public hearing on Annual Action Plan Amendment 1. Commissioner Maloy moved to make a recommendation to the City Council to adopt the Annual Action Plan Amendment. Commissioner Blok seconded. Motion passed 4 -1. Commissioner Caldwell voted nay. Fiscal Year 2014 CAPER a. Set Date for Public Hearing — September 3 Commissioner Wainwright moved to set September 3 as the meeting date. Commissioner Woods seconded. Motion passed. Consolidated Plan a. Voluntary Compliance Agreement HUD is expecting us to do a better job in combining efforts of Section 8 and taking the needs of that program in consideration when determining how to spend money. We are going to include a section entitled Section 8 Housing Assistance in the Consolidated Plan. Erica suggested that a review of the map she provided showing the subsidized units be looked at when making recommendations for the affordable housing needs. Barriers to affordable housing will include more information about our need for affordable housing throughout Dubuque. In the last few years there has been a downward trend in affording units in the City. Fair Housing Action Plan will have specific steps that are identified to do the Analysis of Impediments. What activities is the City going to help make housing available...what steps is the City going to take to create this housing. Unapproved Minutes of Community Development Advisory Commission August 21, 2014 Page 3 b. Create Focus Group Sub -Committee — Schedule Meeting a. Review Survey and Consolidated Plan Process Set up a committee for the focus group. Commissioner Blok and Commissioner Caldwell volunteered to participate in the committee. A meeting was set up for Wednesday, August 27 at 5:15 pm in the Housing Conference Room. Review of Survey — individual feedback to assist in getting information from people who may not otherwise speak up. Would be able to track who we get responses from (statistically). Jerelyn O'Conner suggested having the survey included in the Northend Newsletter. Reports Housing Commission Report — Commission met. There was a discussion on having veterans as a guest presenter and the need for veteran services. They reappointed the commissioners. Commissioner Blok was reappointed to his current position. The crime reports were reviewed at the meeting also. Neighborhood Development — Jerelyn handed out information on the Make A Difference Day scheduled in October. She mentioned that last year they had to turn volunteers away because they didn't have enough people signed up. She provided a copy of the August edition of the Washington Neighborhood Business News and a handout on CityLife. CityLife is a new program started last year to learn about City Departments, how citizens can get involved with City Departments. CityLife begins on September 6. Downtown Neighborhood Association has been pretty active particularly in the last year about some activities and concerns in the neighborhoods (Bluff, West Locust, Jackson Park neighborhoods). Neighbors are community policing and have a very active presences in the areas of concerns. A historic sign project is in process for Jackson Park. Housing & Community Development Reports Voluntary Compliance Agreement (VCA) — The trainings are currently being held. There has been mixed reviews on the VCA training. Commissioner Wainwright shared his comments on the training. He stated that the federal laws supersede all state and city laws. He was trying to find out from the training, what the City did wrong. There was great focus on the day of Commissioner Wainwright's training for the police department to improve their skills. The basic principles of fair housing and civil rights are the purpose for the VCA trainings. Rehabilitation/Housing Programs — Working on year end carryovers. Since July, we have approved about $100,000 in CDBG funds for 4 properties. Working on one more property for a $25,000 loan. Currently working on the IFA application as well. Applying for approximately $190,000 for that grant. Wells Fargo has donated 767 University Avenue plus $20,000 to give to someone for homeownership. DB&T has 396 W. Locust that is being worked on to have that property given to the City also. CDBG Unapproved Minutes of Community Development Advisory Commission August 21, 2014 Page 4 Additional Information - Mary Bridget Corken will no longer be on the commission due to accepting a position with Americorps. Ann Michalski — Commissioner Caldwell discussed Ann's death and asked to have a system designed for notifying other commissioners if one commissioner passes away. Commissioner Wainwright asked everyone to keep their fingers crossed that the Democratic Committee will have an award every year to induct people into the Democratic Hall of Fame. It will be called the Ann Michalski Award for people who are involved in their community. Commissioner Caldwell suggested we do something in honor of Commissioner Michalski. It was suggested taking a couple of weeks to think about things that we might be able to do to memorialize Commissioner Michalski. Alvin Nash suggested that maybe the City Council might be planning to do something to honor Ann. Adjournment There being no further business to come before the Commission, Commissioner Wainwright moved to adjourn. Next meeting is scheduled for September 3, 2014. Commissioner Caldwell seconded. Meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:00 p.m. Brenda Henry Rehabilitation Programs Secretary Respectfully submitted by: Erica Haugen Community Development Specialist