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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Minutes - City Council - Meeting Date: 9/28/2009 MINUTES HOUSING ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING CITY OF GLENDALE,ARIZONA 5850 WEST GLENDALE AVENUE ROOM B-3 MONDAY,SEPTEMBER 28,2009 6:00 p.m. Members Present Philip Reina,Chairperson Thomas Castaldo, Vice-Chairperson Jeffery Hyvarinen, Commissioner Michael Buettner,Commissioner Donna Duggins,Commissioner Staff Members Present Erik Strunk, Director Cathy Gorham, Interim Deputy City Manager Elaine Adamczyk, Acting Housing Administrator Diana Whittle, Senior Management Assistant Erin O'Neil, Senior Management Assistant Lois Brooks, Senior Secretary I. CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Philip Reina called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. II. ROLL CALL III. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE MARCH 23,2009 COMMISSION MEETING A motion was made to approve the minutes by Vice-Chairperson Thomas Castaldo and seconded by Commissioner Jeffery Hyvarinen. The motion carried unanimously. IV. BUSINESS FROM THE FLOOR None V. INTRODUCTIONS AND OVERVIEW Staff member Erik Strunk presented this item. In addition to adding a new member to the Housing Advisory Commission, Commissioner Donna Duggins, several other changes were made within the city organization and the Community Housing Division. Earlier in the year,Deputy City Manager Gloria Santiago-Espino retired, and the new, Interim Deputy City Manager is Cathy Gorham. Cathy has 15 years of experience within several departments in the city. The former Housing Administrator also retired, and Elaine Adamczyk has stepped in as the Acting Housing Administrator. Her senior management position has been temporarily filled by Erin O'Neil,who comes from the city's Planning Department. No action taken. 1 VI. REVIEW OF REQUIRED COMMUNITY HOUSING REPORTS Staff member Elaine Adamczyk presented this item. At the close of each fiscal year,the US Department of Housing and Urban Development(HUD)requires all housing authorities to electronically submit a report that summarizes program activities for each housing program. The "Section 8 Management Assessment Program"(SEMAP)reports Section 8 program activities,while the"Public Housing Assessment System"(PHAS)reports on Public Housing activities. SEMAP assesses housing authorities based on 15 indicators to measure performance and program management,while PHAS provides a tool for measuring the performance by assessing 6 indicators. Glendale Housing has consistently earned high program scores on these reports for the past 15 years and has earned the high performer designation from HUD again for fiscal year end June 2009. No action taken. VII. SECTION 8 PROGRAM CHANGES Staff member Elaine Adamczyk provided an overview of program changes that have been implemented to maximize resources in the current economic condition. These changes include: restricting a participant families' portability moves to different units or areas that are more costly; requesting that landlords defer any Section 8 rent increases; any increase in reported income is processed and goes into effect the first day of the following month, as opposed to waiting until the tenant's next recertification; the payment standard used to calculate housing subsidy amounts will be lowered; and temporarily stopping the addition of new families to the program. No action taken. VIII. COMMUNITY HOUSING GRANT AWARDS AND APPLICATIONS Staff member Elaine Adamcyzk presented this item. Community Housing annually receives funding from HUD for capital improvements to the public housing units. Funding has been received from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act(ARRA) in the amount of$319,325 to modernize kitchens at Lamar Homes, from Community Development Block Grant/Recovery funds(CDBG-R)for $135,000 to continue modernization projects in the units and to paint the exteriors, and from CDBG in the amount of$204,409,to continue modernization projects. Community Housing has applied for additional ARRA funding in the amount of$465,000, and for$200,000 in CDBG funds for the upcoming grant cycle. Staff will provide an update at the next meeting. No action taken. IX. HOMELESS PREVENTION AND RAPID RE-HOUSING PROGRAM(HPRP) Staff member Diana Whittle gave an overview of the federally funded HPRP program that the city recently received approval to administer, and will be granted a total of$914,122. The program is designed to provide homeless prevention assistance to households that would otherwise become homeless via temporary rental assistance, security deposits, moving costs, storage fees, or utility assistance, and to"rapidly re-house"persons who are homeless. The intent of this program is to provide assistance to those who will be able to sustain housing after assistance is received. However, no monies will be used for mortgage payments to prevent homelessness. The city has partnered with The Salvation Army, St. Vincent de Paul, and Homeward Bound to deliver services. Those who previously owned homes must have completed the foreclosure process and be classified as homeless. Staff will provide program updates at the next meeting. No action taken. 2 X. QUARTERLY CAPITAL FUND UPDATE Staff member Elaine Adamczyk provided an update on the new five-year public housing capital improvement plan. Monies have been spent to replace 46 aging HVAC units with energy efficient, Energy Star systems. All HVAC units will be replaced as funding becomes available. As previously mentioned, the remodeling of 50 kitchens at Lamar Homes was completed with capital fund stimulus funds. The renovation included new wood cabinets, countertops, sinks, faucets, and porcelain tile flooring. No action taken. XI. STAFF PRODUCTIVITY REPORT Staff member Elaine Adamczyk provided a year-end comparison of various Section 8 and Public Housing program activities for fiscal years 2008 and 2009, including the number of Section 8 inspections, Section 8 payments to landlords,Public Housing rehabilitations completed, and Public Housing work orders completed. No action taken. XII. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS The commission provided staff members with suggestions for upcoming meetings, and was pleased to hear that meetings will be held every other month. Commissioner Michael Buettner noted that Agenda Item VI., Review of Required Community Housing Reports,was recommended for review, discussion, and approval by the commission. Staff member Elaine Adamczyk explained that no approval was necessary. No action taken. XIII. ADJOURNMENT A motion was made by Commissioner Michael Buettner, and seconded by Vice-Chairperson Thomas Castaldo,to adjourn. The motion carried unanimously, and the meeting was adjourned at 7:55 p.m. ATTEST: • 9Z3//.._ Chairperson Secretary 3