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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHousing & Redevelopment Authority Minutes 10-25-2012APPROVED MINUTES PLYMOUTH HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY October 25, 2012 PRESENT: Chairman Jeff Kulaszewicz, Commissioners Bob Stein, Paul Caryotakis, and Jim Willis ABSENT: Commissioner Carl Runck STAFF PRESENT: Housing Program Manager Jim Barnes, HRA Executive Director Steve Juetten, Support Services Manager Denise Whalen, and Office Support Representative Janice Bergstrom OTHERS PRESENT: Grace Management Representative Jody Boedigheimer 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Kulaszewicz called the Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Housing Program Manager Barnes said there is a revised resolution for Item 3.A. 2. CONSENT AGENDA A. Approve HRA Meeting Minutes July 26, 2012. A.1 Approve HRA Meeting Minutes September 27, 2012. B. Plymouth Towne Square. Accept Monthly Housing Reports. C. Vicksburg Crossing. Accept Monthly Housing/Marketing Reports. MOTION by Commissioner Willis, seconded by Commissioner Stein, to approve the consent agenda. Vote. 4 Ayes. MOTION approved. 3. NEW BUSINESS A. Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program. Chairman Kulaszewicz introduced the request for proposed changes to the Housing Choice Voucher Administration Plan. Support Services Manager Whalen gave an overview of the staff report. Approved Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority October 25, 2012 Page 2 Chairman Kulaszewicz opened and closed the public hearing as there was no one present to speak on the item. MOTION by Commissioner Stein, seconded by Commissioner Caryotakis, to approve the request for proposed changes to the Housing Choice Voucher Administration Plan. Vote. 4 Ayes. MOTION approved. 4. NEW BUSINESS A. HRA BUDGETS Chairman Kulaszewicz introduced the request to review and approve the 2013 HRA Budgets. Housing Manager Barnes gave an overview of the staff report. Housing Program Manager Barnes said there are no significant changes in the CDBG budget, but will not know the final funding amount until the second quarter of 2013. Chairman Kulaszewicz asked if the $23,000 property tax levy is for program administration fees. Housing Program Manager Barnes said the money from the property tax levy is used for general overhead costs such as phones, IT support, computers, and our portion of space in the building. Support Services Manager Whalen reviewed the Section 8 portion of the staff report and said we won't know what we will get for funding until the end of March, 2013. Support Services Manager Whalen explained we are over -spent on HAP money because HUD withheld $184,000 that we had to spend down in our unrestricted net assets. She said we won't get enough money in 2013 to cover our costs for administrative fees. Support Services Manager Whalen referenced Executive Director Juetten's Section 8 Study Report which estimated $27,000 being transferred from the reserves to cover that. Chairman Kulaszewicz asked about the concept and the amended HRA Section 8 expense budget. Support Services Manager Whalen said when the concept budget was done for 2012 and 2013, the "transfer in" line item was $7,600. She said we now know administrative fees will drop and anticipate the amended $26,000. Commissioner Willis said staff has prepared a good, sound budget. MOTION by Commissioner Willis to approve the 2013 HRA Budgets. Commissioner Stein discussed fund balances, and asked where the money comes from for the TIF district balances. Approved Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority October 25, 2012 Page 3 Housing Manager Barnes said properties within a tax increment district pay the county their taxes; the county identifies that the property is in a TIF district and sends the money to the City. He stated that money is to be disbursed on an obligation such as a pay-as-you-go note or bonds. Housing Program Manager Barnes said some balances may be larger due to a timing issue such as when a bond payment is due. Commissioner Stein asked why two districts have debt service. Housing Manager Barnes said there are bonds outstanding on those two districts, whereas the others have pay-as-you-go notes. MOTION seconded by Commissioner Stein. Vote. 4 Ayes. MOTION approved. B. PLYMOUTH TOWNE SQUARE Chairman Kulaszewicz introduced the request to review and approve the 2013 HRA Budget for Plymouth Towne Square. Housing Manager Barnes gave an overview of the staff report. Chairman Kulaszewicz asked about overall expenditures decreasing by 16%, excluding capital items. Housing Program Manager Barnes explained that if we remove the capital expenditure line, we are increasing expenditures by 10%. The overall decrease of 16% is a result of capital expenditures being significantly less than the previous year. Housing Program Manager Barnes said the reason the levy doesn't go up or rents don't raise so high is because of the crossover refunding completed in 2012. Chairman Kulaszewicz asked about the $8,000 upgrade to the cable or antenna. Housing Manager Barnes said currently there are antenna, cable, and satellite systems in the building. Chairman Kulaszewicz asked why we are providing over -the -air if these companies are selling the service. Housing Program Manager Barnes said our equipment is 20 years old and is not keeping up with technology and the way that broadcast signal is distributed. Housing Manager Barnes said we provide the over -the -air option for those who don't want or can't afford cable or satellite. Grace Management Representative Boedigheimer estimated that affects 10-15 % of the residents. Chairman Kulaszewicz questioned spending $8,000 for ten people. Approved Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority October 25, 2012 Page 4 Discussion followed regarding options for service, resident needs and the cost to hook everyone up to cable. Grace Management Representative Boedigheimer said you could purchase a basic package and commit to Comcast for ten years for all 99 units for $15 - $20. Executive Director Juetten said that would cost $24,000 a year. Grace Management Representative Bodigheimer said we could act as the cable company and charge back to the residents who choose to hook up to that cable. She also stated that we would still pay whether they hook up or not. Commissioner Stein suggested raising rents $30 and that would include cable. Housing Program Manager Barnes said there could be opposition to that because residents now have the choice of cable, satellite or over -the -air service. Chairman Kulaszewicz questioned if it is within our scope to maintain three separate systems to provide choice for everybody. Housing Manager Barnes asked if staff should conduct more research and hold off replacing the over -the -air antenna. Chairman Kulaszewicz said he would like more research done on the subject. Commissioner Caryotakis asked if the broadcast we are supplying is now functional. Grace Management Representative Boedigheimer said service is marginal. Commissioner Stein asked if there is cable TV in the common room. Housing Program Manager Barnes answered affirmatively, and said we pay for a subscription to a basic package. Chairman Kulaszewicz said he supports approving the proposed budget, but wants to review the 8,000 antenna issue further before approving that. MOTION by Commissioner Willis, seconded by Chairman Kulaszewicz, to approve the 2013 HRA Budget for Plymouth Towne Square with further research and discussion on the antenna issue. Commissioner Stein said there may be other alternatives regarding the $8,000 antenna issue. Vote. 4 Ayes. MOTION approved. C. VICKSBURG CROSSING Chairman Kulaszewicz introduced the request to review and approve the 2013 HRA Budget for Vicksburg Crossing. Housing Program Manager Barnes gave an overview of the staff report. Approved Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority October 25, 2012 Page 5 Commissioner Stein questioned the amount to upgrade the website. Grace Management Representative Boedigheimer said most of the bids have been $10,000. Housing Manager Barnes said the marketing and advertising line item shows a $6,500 increase. He added this building competes in a different market than Plymouth Towne Square and competition for senior housing is on the horizon as there is building in Wayzata and Maple Grove. Housing Program Manager Barnes reiterated the funds for the website are to make it more user friendly, and said more people are finding us on the internet. Commissioner Stein asked what landscaping is planned. Housing Manager Barnes said additional landscaping is proposed for the front of the building to make it more welcoming. Commissioner Stein said with added landscaping there is added landscaping maintenance expense. Grace Management Representative Boedigheimer said the proposed landscaping would be irrigated and low maintenance. Commissioner Willis said the landscaping maintenance could be an opportunity for gardener volunteers. Chairman Kulaszewicz asked what the cost per resident would be. Community Development Director Juetten said the one-time cost would be $40. Chairman Kulaszewicz asked why proposed rent increases at Plymouth Towne Square would be 2% across the board, and at Vicksburg Crossing rent increases would be $10 or $15. Housing Manager Barnes said Vicksburg Crossing has a set rent for a set unit, and at Plymouth Towne Square rent is based on the resident's income. He said by increasing a percentage it makes the increase fair across the board to everyone at Plymouth Towne Square. Chairman Kulaszewicz recalled our minimum rents were very low, and it was upsetting to some residents when we raised the rents to a realistic level. Housing Manager Barnes said the HRA Board felt a standardized rent system gives more control over revenues. He said income projections fluctuate more when the budget is based on a person's income. Housing Manager Barnes added even minimum rents will go up 2% so it's fair to everyone. Commissioner Stein asked if the rent increase and rents are still in line with the market. Approved Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority October 25, 2012 Page 6 Grace Management Representative Boedigheimer said we are on the high end of the market. Executive Director Juetten said we are below market rate at Plymouth Towne Square. MOTION by Commissioner Willis, seconded by Commissioner Caryotakis, to approve the 2013 HRA Budget for Vicksburg Crossing. Vote. 4 Ayes. MOTION approved. 5. ADJOURNMENT b MOTION by Chair Kulaszewicz, without objection, to adjourn the meeting at 7:39 p.m.