Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-03-07; Housing Commission; MinutesMinutes of: Time of Meeting: Date of Meeting: Place of Meeting: CALL TO ORDER HOUSING COMMISSION SPECIAL HOUSING COMMISSION 6:00 P.M. MARCH 7, 2019 COUNCIL CHAMBERS Chairperson Newman ca lled the Meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Commissioner Williams led w ith the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL Present: Commissioners: Joy Evans Absent: Staff Present: Alan Newman Kristy Randall Shaunee Williams Arline Carrillo (resigned) Community & Economic Director: Debbie Fountain Community Services Manager: Marie Jones-Kirk Housing Program Manager: Bobbi Nunn APPROVAL OF MINUTES Minutes of January 10, 2019, were approved as written. ITEM NOT ON AGENDA There were no comments on non-agenda items. NEW BUSINESS Chairperson Newman brought the meeting to order. Ms. Bobbi Nunn, Housing Program Manager, gave her presentation on the Ca rlsbad Public Housing Agency Annual Plan. Commissioner Evans asked if t here are any new projects coming up for affordable housing. Ms. Nunn said she cannot answer that question but Debbie can. SPECIAL HOUSING COMMISSION MINUTES March 7, 2019 PAGE 2 of 5 Ms. Fountain answered there are a few projects on the horizon right now. One is Marja Acres on El Camino Real. It will be a SO-unit senior affordable housing apartment for low income. The Pacific Wind project on Carol Place and Harding that we brought to you a while ago made it through for approval with the City Council. There was a lawsuit with that project and it was settled last year. We already approved funding for this project so they will not be coming back asking for more funding. That one ended up being 87 units for family for rent. It is a great location as it is across from a school. We are still waiting for the Veteran's project. That one is a 50 unit apartment across from the Senior Center on Harding and also on Oak behind the Smart and Final. That will have 50% of the units for homeless veterans and the other 50% for veterans and their families. Chairperson Newman asked if there was a new one, Aviara Apartments. Ms. Fountain answered yes. On Aviara south of Palomar Airport Road there will be a luxury apartment. They are working on the Environmental Impact Report. Commissioner Evans asked, so they have not broken ground yet. How long will it be? Are we talking months or years? Ms. Fountain said it will depend on their financing. They will need approvals for their financing before they can move forward. Projects typically can take anywhere from five to seven years from the time they start their planning. Regarding their financing, some go through several applications before they are funded. Commissioner Evans asked where does staff tell people to go if they are moving here. Ms. Fountain commented that it is difficult in Carlsbad because we have a very low occupancy· rate. The section 8 staff have a hard time with their clients; so sometimes they have to port out into other cities. We provide the information and it is up to them to find the housing. They can always go to the affordable apartments, but they do have waiting lists. There are some of the affordable apartments that have stopped even taking names because their lists are already so long. We are piloting a new shared housing program where we look for a person who needs to rent maybe a room and match them up with someone willing to rent a room. This is through Elder Help. If this program works, we will expand it to others, not just seniors. Commissioner Evans asked if that program is open if people need it. Ms. Fountain said yes~ We currently have a space at the Senior Center with a case worker there on Mondays and Fridays for interviews. We can get you that information. Another program that we are trying to figure out a solution to is with the second-dwelling units. There are several in Carlsbad that are vacant. We would like to encourage them to make that housing available. We would like to come up with a program to help with the interviews, background checks, credit checks and lease agreements. Most of the second-dwelling units are studios or one bedroom units so they would be for smaller households. Our department sends out surveys to those who have second-dwelling units and usually we only receive back about one-third of the ones we send out. They can receive a good income if they rent them out. SPECIAL HOUSING COMMISSION MINUTES March 7, 2019 PAGE 3 of S Chairperson Evans agreed most people could use the help with renting out a second-dwelling unit. Ms. Fountain said that staff has sent out letters to those individuals. Chairperson Newman commented that most of the people who have a second-dwelling unit probably purchased the property without any intent to rent the unit out. They may have thought they could use it for a relative or their own college student. Commissioner Evans said she would like to volunteer for the shared housing program. Commissioner Newman asked what the Section 8 amounts are for renting a unit. Ms. Nunn said she believes it is $1562 for a studio, $1749 for a one-bedroom, $2166 for a two-bedroom and $3256 for a three-bedroom. Our payment standards increased last year. We were given higher payment standards but not any additional funding. Because of this, we are not able to assist as many people as before. Chairperson Newman commented that it is still below market rate for this area. Ms. Nunn said if you look at the unit count, we received 23 units of mainstream funding for five years of non-elderly disabled households. We are probably only able to assist 83 percent of that. Commissioner Evans asked what area do you send people out to, Oceanside? Ms. Nunn answered that she does not know how to respond to that. We do try and keep them in Carlsbad, but if they are having a difficult time locating housing, we do refer them to Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos or Escondido. As you go east, rents tend to decrease. The County of San Diego includes Vista, San Marcos, Escondido, Valley Center and further south El Cajon, La Mesa and Spring Valley. We do not try to send them anywhere ifwe do not have to. Commissioner Evans said she did not mean lesser rents. When I am out in the community, I am told that other city's lists are closed or the wait is five years. Ms. Nunn said the wait list is ten to twelve years. Carlsbad is the only one that has their list closed. Ms. Evans commented that is a long waiting list. Shared housing is really a good idea. Ms. Nunn said the Elder Help shared housing is being promoted to people in our office. A lot of people would like their own place, but financially that is not always possible. SPECIAL HOUSING COMMISSION MINUTES March 7, 2019 PAGE 4 of 5 Ms. Fountain said that a good thing with the Section 8 Program it is not limited to the affordable housing complexes. A person with a voucher can look for a market rate unit if it meets the payment standards and the owner is willing to accept it. In the past people wanted their own place, but they are realizing it ·is more difficult. With low vacancy rates, there isn't a lot of incentive for owners because they can get higher rents. There are challenges but there are also opportunities. The rental assistance is helping some of our homeless clients to get into housing. If we have a homeless family and they qualify and they can find a suitable unit, staff will assist them. The staff does a great job trying to match up people. Not everyone can live in Carlsbad. Chairperson Newman made a motion to accept the resolution of the Housing Commission of the City of Carlsbad, California, recommending approval of the Carlsbad Annual Public Housing Agency (PHA) Plan for fiscal year 2019 and authorization to submit to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Commissioner Williams seconded the· motion. VOTE: AYES: NOES: ABSTAIN: ABSENT: 4-0 Evans, Newman, Randall and Williams None None Carrillo Marie Jones-Kirk, Community Services Manager, gave a presentation on the Homeless Response Plan. Some of the key points are: • We have been working in collaboration with the Housing Department in identifying those on the waiting list that are currently homeless. • The city's Rehousing Program has helped us house five previously homeless individuals at Tyler Court. • We have referred some individuals to Elder Help for the shared housing program. • We have added a new social worker, Brenda Preston. We now have Brenda as well as Josh and Holly is the supervisor. • There has also been changes with the Homeless Outreach Team with the addition of Officer Chris Collier. They continue to encourage the Housing Commission to contact them for a ride along if you are interested. • The point in time count happened on Friday, January 25th• We conducted observational or street surveys where homeless were interviewed and some completed the surveys. There was a total of 92 surveys completed. Debbie, Bobbi and Kerry Jezisek were part of this team as well as three of the council members. • Because of Bobbi's help, we were able to identify an individual who was in a wheelchair that needed help. He is currently in a skilled rehabilitation facility. One of the Homeless Outreach Officers worked to get him into a hospital. SPECIAL HOUSING COMMISSION MINUTES March 7, 2019 PAGE 5 of 5 Ms. Fountain announced that Ms. Courtney Pene, Management Analyst, will be moving to San Luis Obispo as she will be working for the county. It is a huge loss for us, but a good journey for her. Our next regular scheduled meeting is next week so we will cancel that. Arlene Carrillo did resign from the Housing Commission primarily because she had a change in her life situation. There will be some changes to the boards and commissions directed from the City Council. Some feel the Housing Commission should have seven members, but we want to make sure there is a work plan that is appropriate. Chairperson Newman adjourned the Special Housing Commission Meeting at 6:45 p.m. Deborah Fountain Community & Economic Director PATRICIA CRESCENTI, Minutes Clerk MINUTES ARE ALSO RECORDED AND KEPT ON FILE UNTIL THE WRITTEN MINUTES ARE APPROVED.