Minutes_Housing Commission 1 26 16 HOUSING COMMISSION MEETING
DATE: Tuesday, January 26, 2016
TIME: 4:00 p.m.
PLACE: Housing and Community Development Department
350 W. 6th Street, Suite 312, Dubuque, IA 52001
Chairperson Rick Baumhover called the meeting to order at 4:02 p.m., following staff
assurance of compliance with Iowa Open Meeting Law.
Commissioners Present: Rick Baumhover Amy Eudaley (joined at 4:09)
Anna Fernandes Jill Kedley
Bob McDonnell Sr. Dorothy Schwendinger
Coralita Shumaker David Wall
Commissioners Absent: None
Staff Present: Alvin Nash Teresa Bassler
Brenda Henry Tonya England
Mike Van Milligen Janet Walker
Kris Neyen Erica Haugen
Scott Koch Jerelyn O'Connor
Public Present: Tom Barton, Telegraph Herald
Review and Certification of Minutes of November 24, 2015 Commission Meeting
Commissioner McDonnell moved to approve the minutes as submitted. Commissioner
Schwendinger seconded. Roll call. All present in favor. Motion passed.
Correspondence/Public Input
None
Old Business
None
New Business
1. Proposed Changes to Section 8 Administration Policy
a. Proposed Change to City of Dubuque Administrative Plan for Interim
Reexaminations
Janet Walker, Assisted Housing Supervisor, explained the current process regarding re-
examining income and the proposed changes in the process. If the client's income
changes $200 or more per month the interim re-examination will be processed. This
amount will save in both time and money for staff and benefit the client. All increases
still must be reported but will not be processed unless the amount of the increase is
$200 or more per month.
Commissioner Kedley moved to approve the proposed change to the Administrative
Plan for Interim Reexaminations as submitted. Commissioner Eudaley seconded. Roll
call. All present in favor. Motion passed.
b. Proposed Change to City of Dubuque Administrative Plan for
Minimum Rent
Walker explained the current minimum rent was set at $50 for family share of rent.
Housing Director Alvin Nash has suggested that the minimum rent be set at $0 due to
the amount of concerns and complaints being made and the hardship the $50 was
causing many clients. HUD has a provision that minimum rent must be set between $0
and $50.Commissioner Eudaley asked if we could provide the utility allowance directly
to the utility company versus to the client. It was explained by Walker that it is difficult to
decide which utility provider should receive the payment since the software does not
allow for more than one check to be issued.
Commissioner Eudaley moved to approve the proposed change to the Administrative
Plan for Minimum Rent as submitted. Commissioner Wall seconded. Roll call. All
present in favor. Motion passed.
c. Proposed Change to City of Dubuque Administrative Plan for
Notification and Attendance at Briefing
Walker explained that some clients are having difficulties getting to the Briefing
appointment on time due to problems with locating the building and parking issues. The
current rule is that if a client is one minute late for their appointment, that appointment
must be rescheduled. The proposed change is to allow 15 minutes for the client to get
to the Briefing appointment after the scheduled time. If the tardiness is over 15 minutes,
then the appointment would need to be rescheduled. A client is allowed two
reschedules before they lose their opportunity for a voucher briefing and the opportunity
is moved to the next eligible participant. It was suggested that the change be made on
page 5-2, paragraph 3, under Notification and Attendance to start a new paragraph
after the first full sentences (ending in the middle of line 3). Thus the new paragraph
would begin with "Applicants who fail to attend..." This change allowed the Commission
to vote on the Proposed Change without changing the wording of the original proposed
change.
Commissioner Schwendinger moved to approve the proposed change to the
Administrative Plan for Notification and Attendance at Briefing as submitted.
Commissioner Shumaker seconded. Roll call. All present in favor. Motion passed.
2. Proposed International Property Maintenance Code
Nash explained to the Commission that since 1970 the City has operated under a
General Housing Code for enforcement and inspections. The traditional maintenance
code generally being used is the International Property Maintenance Code. The
purpose of changing the Code being used is to give the City and Inspectors better
opportunity to better enforce violations and improve the quality and workmanship of the
repairs required to be made. City Council will need to approve this since it is a change
in City Code. It will go to City Council in approximately two months. The purpose is to
have more consistency within the City Departments by using the same codes. The
IMPC gets updated every three years.
Commissioner Schwendinger moved to approve the proposed change to the
International Property Maintenance Code as submitted. Commissioner Kedley
seconded. Roll call. All present in favor. Motion passed.
Reports
Crime Reports
City Manager Mike Van Milligen provided information and handouts on Iowa Headlines
and Safe Neighborhoods. Van Milligen discussed in detail some of the statistics for gun
violence in Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Davenport, Sioux City and Des Moines. He talked
about the difference having more cameras being installed and used by the police have
assisted in improving the speed in solving crimes. He also shared that the Police Chief
of Dubuque is meeting with other police chiefs from around the state to discuss ways to
address concerns and find ways for additional legal remedies for the increase in gun
violence.
Corporal Scott Koch provided a brief overview of the reports he had provided to the
Commission.
Nuisance Property Report
Corporal Koch stated we have an enhanced Neighborhood Program. We are up to 78
nuisance properties since 2014. There have been 388 backgrounds completed in 2015
and 27 completed since January 2016.
CDBG Advisory Commission Report
There were no questions or comments to the CDBG report that had previously been
provided by Erica Haugen.
Rehabilitation Reports
Kris Neyen, Rehabilitation Programs Supervisor, presented a Rehabilitation Department
Monthly Report to the Commission. There were no questions or comments from the
Commission. Neyen shared she had a ribbon cutting at 2300 Jackson Street. The sale
of that home will be closing on 1/29/16.
Neighborhood Services Report—
Jerelyn O'Connor, Neighborhood Development Specialist, shared the importance of
neighborhoods working together toward safety. O'Connor shared that the handout
provided by Van Milligen is something she shares when she is out in the community at
meetings. O'Connor provided a newsletter from the Point Neighborhood. That group
received a grant to try to keep in touch with everyone within that neighborhood.
Information Sharing
Alvin Nash, Housing Director, shared information regarding the recent award of
Resiliency Flood Mitigation grant. It was a $31.5 million dollar grant, with City Housing
receiving $8.4 million dollars. This is to assist property owners to maintain and improve
properties damaged by prior years flooding. It enables the houses damaged by past
floods to be more resilient from future flooding. Some of the money will go to the Bee
Branch to help with the flooding. We are looking to try to assist 320-350 units with an
average of approximately $16 —20,000 per house to ensure resiliency. It is a
grant...not a loan. Out of 40 applications, there were only 13 awarded funding. Van
Milligen shared that there was $1 Billion dollars available. To qualify, you had to have
floods in 2011, 2012 or 2013. Originally there were 80 applicants in the first round.
Dubuque received the 4th highest award in the country. Erica Haugen was a key leader
in the application process. He noted that people involved in this application process did
some "great, great work." Commissioner Schwendinger wanted it noted that the
"Commission congratulates all parties involved for the great work done. It was a HUGE
success." Nash mentioned there is a Healthy Homes part of this grant. There is a
Home Advocate included in this to assist with the health and any other issues that a
family may have that stemmed from the flooding as well. This will do more than just
assist with the clean-up of mold and mildew, but help if there are any medical or other
issues.
Commissioner Baumhover reminded the Commission that February 17, 2016 is the
Budget Presentation for City Council. There will be a dinner provided before the
presentation. The dinner will be held in Room 250 of the Federal Building.
Teresa Bassler introduced Tonya England to the Commission. She is the new Assisted
Housing Secretary who will be taking the minutes for the future Housing Commission
meetings.
Adiournment
There being no further business to come before the Commission, Commissioner
McDonnell moved to adjourn the meeting. Commissioner Schwendinger seconded.
Motioned passed by voice vote. Meeting adjourned at 5:17 p.m.
Minutes taken by:
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Brenda Henry
Recording Secretary
Respectfully submitted:
Alvin Nash
Department Director