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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Minutes - Housing Advisory Commission - Meeting Date: 2/27/2006 MINUTES HOUSING ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING CITY OF GLENDALE,ARIZONA 5850 WEST GLENDALE AVENUE ROOM B-3 MONDAY,FEBRUARY 27,2006 5:30 p.m. Members Present Donnell Gentry, Chairperson Madelin Page,Vice-Chairperson Larry Bonner, Commissioner Roslyn Abramowitz, Commissioner Carole Marx, Commissioner Staff Members Present Erik Strunk,Director, Community Partnerships Jim Witkowski,Housing Maintenance Manager Diana Whittle, Senior Management Assistant Elaine Adamczyk, Management Assistant Lois Brooks, Senior Secretary Guest Maura Halpern, Reporter, The Arizona Republic 1. CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Donnell Gentry called the meeting to order at 5:32 p.m. He then introduced staff member Diana Whittle, Senior Management Assistant, Community Partnerships, and Maura Halpern, a reporter for The Arizona Republic. 2. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE OCTOBER 24, 2005 COMMISSION MEETING A motion was made by Commissioner Carole Marx to approve the minutes, and seconded by Commissioner Larry Bonner. The motion carried unanimously. 3. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS None 1 4. BUSINESS FROM THE FLOOR None 5. AGENDA ITEMS A. QUARTERLY CAPITAL FUND PROGRAM UPDATE Staff member Jim Witkowski presented this item. The office remodeling and security improvements are nearly complete with the recent installation of the carport lighting. The addition of cabinets and countertops for the copy room is the final item to be completed. CDBG funding for the installation of ceiling and bath fans at Lamar and Glendale Homes has been received, and work will begin in mid-March. The initial approval for funding by the Community Development Advisory Commission has been received for the utility upgrades at Glendale Homes. The design phase will begin once final notification of funding has been received. No further action was required. B. QUARTERLY CRIME STATISTICS Staff member Elaine Adamczyk presented the crime statistics for the three public housing communities through December 2005. No further action was required. C. REVIEW OF AGENCY PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 2006-07 Staff member Elaine Adamczyk presented this item. Section 511 of the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 (QHWRA) created the Public Housing Agency Plans -- a 5-year plan and an Annual plan. The 5-year plan describes the mission of the Agency and the Agency's long-range goals and objectives for achieving its mission over the subsequent 5 years. The Annual plan provides details about the Agency's immediate operations,program participants, and programs and services, and the Agency's strategy for addressing the needs of the community in the upcoming fiscal year. The following is a summary of major changes to the Agency Plan for this fiscal year. Enterprise Income Verification (EIV) In an effort to reduce over- and under-payments of rental subsidies, HUD is implementing a web-based household income verification system. This change modifies the process in place to verify household income. At every annual recertification, CHD is required to verify all household income through the HUD EIV system. This will allow for a deeper level of research into all income coming into each household. Aid To Victims of Hurricane Katrina/Rita In September 2005, CHD began assisting victims Of Hurricane Katrina. In February 2006, HUD issued new guidance ending the FEMA-funded Katrina Disaster Housing Assistance program(KDHAP). In its place, funding became available through the 2 Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2006 (the Supplemental)to create the Disaster Voucher Program(DVP)for families displaced by both Hurricane Katrina and Rita. The program retains many features of KDHAP in order to provide the same delivery of services to the greatest extent possible. However, DVP funding is authorized under the Section 8 voucher program, where KDHAP, a FEMA-funded program,had slightly different program rules. Under DVP, all Section 8 program rules apply to the KDHAP families except where expressing waived. The Supplemental provides that HUD may waive the requirements for income eligibility and tenant contribution for up to 18 months, which HUD did, in order to remain consistent with KDHAP. Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Only Full Time Student Eligibility For purposes of eligibility, no assistance shall be provided through the Section 8 program to any individual who: • Is enrolled as a student at an institution of higher education, as defined under section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002); • Is under 24 years of age; • Is not a veteran of the United States military; • Is unmarried; • Does not have a dependent child; and • Is not otherwise individually eligible, or has parents who, individually or jointly, are not eligible on the basis of income to receive assistance under section 8 of the 1937 Act." For persons already assisted through the Section 8 program, any financial assistance received in excess of amounts received for tuition, from private sources or from an institution of higher education, shall be considered income. For the purposes of this item, financial assistance does not mean loan proceeds. Due to the restrictions on assisting full time students,the full time student local preference is removed. PUBLIC HOUSING ONLY Restrictions on Assistance for Full Time Student This program change was issued June 15, 2005 and addresses college students obtaining federal housing assistance. The portion of athletic scholarships available specifically for housing must be considered as income. If this amount is over$5,000,the student is not eligible for public housing 3 .1 assistance as head of household. Financial assistance from federal and state grants and/or loans, academic scholarships and work study program wages paid directly to the student or educational institution is not included in the determination of annual or adjusted income. The student must be able to be declared independent: Must have had a residence separate from parents or guardian for at least the previous 12 months before receiving assistance, and must not be claimed as a dependent on the parent's or guardian's tax return. Due to the restrictions on assisting full time students,the full time student local preference is removed. Flat Rent Determination Housing authorities are required to periodically review the amounts charged for flat rents to ensure they are based on the market rent charged for comparable units in the private unassisted rental market. A flat rent is an option to paying an income-based rent. It is an incentive for a family who is working to remain working. Under the flat rent method,the family rent would not increase as it would under the income-based calculation method. CHD flat rents were reviewed in May 2005 and a public notice was posted for 60 days as required by regulation. As the Agency Plan is submitted to HUD no later than April 17 of each year,the flat rent update could not be included in the fiscal year 2005 document. This inclusion places this change formally into the policy document. There is no additional policy change. Capital Fund Program Five-Year Action Plan The Capital Fund Program Five-Year Action Plan sets out the plan for public housing capital improvement expenditures for the next five years. The list is of planned Capital Fund projects along with the funding amounts allocated to each project. 6. AGENCY PLAN PUBLIC HEARING Chairperson Donnell Gentry opened the meeting for public hearing of the plan. There were Comments and the meeting was closed for public hearing. A motion to approve the plan was called for by Chairperson Roslyn Abramowitz, and seconded by Chairperson Larry Bonner. The motion carried unanimously. 7. COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP DIRECTOR'S UPDATE Director Erik Strunk provided an update of recent and upcoming events for Community Partnerships, including Glendale University, Homeowner's Association training,the EITC program for low-income families, and the CDBG Annual Action Plan. He discussed the March 25, 2006 Mega Events open house at the Glendale Civic Center, where residents will have the opportunity to learn more about upcoming events. Mr. Strunk went over the key points of the newly adopted strategic goals for the City Council's vision of"One Community." 4 7. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS There were no written communications to discuss. No action was required. 8. MISCELLANEOUS The next Housing Advisory meeting is tentatively scheduled for Monday, April 24, 2006. No action was required. 9. ADJOURNMENT A motion was made by Commissioner Carole Marx, and seconded by Commissioner Roslyn Abramowitz, to adjourn. The motion carried unanimously, and the meeting was adjourned at 6:25 p.m. ATTEST: III/ / 7a.l <Cei Chairperson .ecretary • 5