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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-03-10; Housing Commission; MinutesMinutes of: HOUSING COMMISSION Time of Meeting: 6:00 P.M. Date of Meeting: MARCH 10, 2011 Place of Meeting: COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Smith called the Meeting to order at 6:01 p.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. ROLL CALL Present: Commissioners: Emelda Bradwell Susan Igoe Bobbie Smith Absent: Craig Kirk Hope Wrisley Staff Present: Housing Program Manager: Bobbi Nunn APPROVAL OF MINUTES Minutes of June 17, 2010, meeting were approved as written. VOTE: 3-0 AYES: Bradwell, Igoe, and Smith NOES: None ABSTAIN: Kirk and Wrisley ABSENT: None ITEM NOT ON AGENDA There were no items not on the agenda. NEW BUSINESS Bobbi Nunn, Housing Program Manager, gave a presentation of the City of Carlsbad's Annual Public Housing Agency Plan. It is time to submit the Annual Public Agency Plan, pursuant to Code of Federal regulations 24 part 903, Housing Authority is required to submit a five-year and annual Public Housing Agency Plan. The purpose of the plan is to provide a basic guide to the agency's policies and rules, the agency's programs and services that they provide, how they are operated and most importantly, the agency's mission and strategies on how they are going to address the needs for extremely low, very low and low income households within the community. The Annual Plan must be adopted by the Housing and Redevelopment Commission and a copy submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The five-year plan was adopted on April 13, 2010. We are bringing to the Housing Commission the fiscal year 2011 Annual Plan. The Annual Plan does require public participation and the public review and comment period will end on April 5, 2011. A public hearing is tentatively scheduled on April 5, 2011. Public comments that are made during this meeting, as well as the public hearing, will be addressed in the final Public Housing Agency Plan. Comments and any items that need to be addressed will be submitted to HUD with the final plan. At the annual reporting period, the only areas that have to be addressed are areas that have been changed since the prior year; the only things that have changed since the fiscal year 2010 Annual Plan are: • Financial resources; SPECIAL HOUSING COMMISSION MINUTES MARCH 10,2011 PAGE 2 of 4 • Rent determinations (our payment standards); « The fiscal year audit; and • Address the Violence Against Women's Act. As far as the financial resources for calendar year 2010, the annual contributions for the rental assistance program were 6.6 million; that amount does include both housing assistance payments and administration fees to cover the administration of the program. In calendar year 2009, the annual budget was 4.9 million, so there was a 1.7 million increase from calendar year 2009. Even though the housing agency is on a fiscal year, our actual funds from HUD are determined based on a calendar year. Right now we are in the middle of a continuing resolution, and I received notice today that the Senate did reject both the bills. Right now we are on a continuing resolution until April 8, 2011. At this point, we don't know what our calendar year 2011 funds will be, and we are hoping that by the end of April we will know what amount of funding we will receive for calendar year 2011. On rent determinations, we did revise our payment standards effective October 1, 2010, and that was in accordance with the new fair market rents issued by HUD. Basically, those payment standards did not change. As far as the fiscal year audit, the year ending June 30, 2010, there were no audit findings. For the Violence Against Women's Act, we continue to make sure staff is aware of any outside resources that are available for children or adult victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking. We have brochures that are available in the lobby that are titled "Violence Against Women's Act: What Applicants, Tenants, Owners and Landlords Need to Know." Any briefings that we hold for new applicants receiving vouchers also receive this information in their briefing packets. In the near future, the City of Carlsbad and the City of Oceanside and probably the City of Encinitas are looking at doing an owner's workshop. At that time, we will also discuss VAWA with owners so they know what their responsibilities are under this act. I will be sure to let the Housing Commission know when the owner workshop is scheduled. For the fiscal year 2009-2010 progress report, one of our Public Housing Agency goals is to expand housing, and we did add 11 affordable for-sale units, which has resulted in a total unit count of 316 units of affordable housing. The 11 units were a result of Roosevelt Gardens, which was a partnership with Habitat for Humanity. As far as improving the quality of assisted housing, the agency has continued to have a 98% reporting rate, and again in 2010 we were ranked as a high performer from HUD. For the last three fiscal years, 2008, 2009, 2010, the Carlsbad Housing Agency has ranked as a high performer. The agency has maintained and utilized HAP, housing assistance payments cost, within the HUD funding allocations that we received. Chairperson Smith asked Ms. Nunn what she said about Congress. Ms. Nunn said at this point, Congress has not approved the fiscal year 2012 budget. What they have done is draft another continuing resolution until April 8th. The funding that we have been receiving since January 1, 2011, is based on the calendar year 2010 funding allocation. The uncomfortable thing is that they are talking about funding cuts and we don't know how it may impact our agency. We need to continue spending all the money that we receive, but we don't want to get into a situation either where we are overextended in case there is a cut in funding. This is a concern because if we don't utilize our funding, then it reflects negatively on the housing agency and it also reflects negatively when we are assessed for future funding. But we can't overspend either because we receive "X" amount of dollars and that is all the money that we will receive to pay assistance payments. Chairperson Smith asked how long we have before the money has to be spent. Ms. Nunn said it is an ongoing process. Currently, HUD is allocating funds based on last year's allocation. For each month we are receiving the same amount of money, but we don't know if that amount will change once the budget for the federal government's fiscal year is approved. If we are SPECIAL HOUSING COMMISSION MINUTES MARCH 10,2011 PAGE 3 of 4 allocated less money, that could impact us. At this point, we are trying to stay status. The continuing resolution will last until April 8, 2011. Right now the House and Senate are in the process of drafting new legislation so hopefully they can agree on a budget. Once they do, then we will know what our funds are. We are hoping, at least, by the end of April that we'll know what our calendar year 2011 funds are because the funding allocation will be effective January 1st. Commissioner Igoe made a motion that the Housing Commission adopt Resolution Number 2011-001, recommending that the Housing and Redevelopment Commission approve the Carlsbad Public Housing Agency PHA Plan for fiscal year 2011 for submission to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Commissioner Bradwell seconded the motion. VOTE: 3-0 AYES: Bradwell, Igoe, and Smith NOES: None ABSTAIN: None ABSENT: Kirk and Wrisley DIRECTOR'S REPORT On behalf of Ms. Fountain, since she was not able to be here this evening, she wanted to let the Housing Commission know that she thanks you for being here. Also that Habitat for Humanity has finished their final units and they have all families identified now. This project was the 11 units that was referred to in our Public Housing Agency Plan. They did have their grand opening. Chairperson Smith asked when they had their grand opening. Ms. Nunn said she was not sure when it was. However, I will be sure to let you know when we have scheduled the owner's workshop if you are interested in attending. Commissioner Igoe asked what that workshop was. Could you explain it a little bit more? Are there new rules about domestic violence that the owners need to know about? Is it educational? Ms. Nunn said it is an educational workshop that we try to organize every year. However, I don't think we had one last year. It is an opportunity for housing agencies to explain the section 8 program to new and potential owners, as well as any new managers. It is also to refresh information for owners and managers that we are currently doing business with. We explain how the Section 8 program works. We usually have a couple of guest speakers. We try to get someone from the San Diego Apartment Association so they can inform the owners how the San Diego Apartment Association can benefit them, and discuss some of the issues that owners are facing. We have someone from either Legal Aid or another law firm that will talk to owners about the laws and any new laws coming. They also discuss the legalities regarding being an owner and renting to tenants. They talk about Fair Housing so the owners are fully aware of what the laws are. Once in a while we will have someone from SDG&E come out and will talk about what owners can do to their properties to save electricity or save water. We just try to make it an informational, educational half-day workshop. We invite all the owners and property management companies in the north county coastal area. Commissioner Bradwell asked if Section 8 tenants or participants are invited. Ms. Nunn said we normally don't do outreach to the tenants, but if someone happens to find out about the workshop, they are more than welcome to attend. For our clients that receive rental assistance, we have an annual Fair Housing meeting. For that meeting, we send out flyers to let people know when and where it is scheduled. SPECIAL HOUSING COMMISSION MINUTES MARCH 10,2011 PAGE 4 of 4 ADJOURNMENT By proper motion, the meeting of March 10, 2011, was adjourned at 6:17 p.m. Respectfully submitted, r '-, Deborah Fountain Housing & Neighborhood Services Director PATRICIA CRESCENT! Minutes Clerk MINUTES ARE ALSO TAPED AND KEPT ON FILE UNTIL THE WRITTEN MINUTES ARE APPROVED.