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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHousing & Redevelopment Authority Minutes 09-24-2009APPROVED MINUTES PLYMOUTH HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY SEPTEMBER 24, 2009 PRESENT: Chairman Jeff Kulaszewicz, Commissioners Steve Ludovissie, Paul Caryotakis, Bob Stein and David Miller ABSENT: None 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: 1. CALL TO ORDER Chairman Kulaszewicz called the Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. 2. CONSENT AGENDA A. Approve HRA Meeting Minutes from July 23, 2009. B. Plymouth Towne Square. Accept monthly housing reports for July and August, 2009. C. Vicksburg Crossing. Accept monthly housing reports for July and August, 2009. MOTION by Chairman Ludovissie , seconded by Chairman Kulaszewicz, to approve the consent agenda. Vote. 5 Ayes. MOTION approved unanimously. 3. PUBLIC HEARING A. Section 8 Program. Proposed changes to the PGA Administrative Plan. Support Services Manager Whalen gave an overview of the staff report. Support Services Manager Whalen noted two changes to the report. Wording was modified on Page 2-6 and the resolution and 5077 CR Form has been changed to reflect the correct chairman. Chairman Kulaszewicz asked if the language regarding eligible immigration status is required federal language or language we have included. Support Services Manager Whalen said typically the language is taken from the federal regulations or from the notice that comes out. She added we do not refer to the published notices Approved Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority September 24, 2009 Page 2 because the administration plan would need to be changed as notices expire annually and a new number is issued. Commissioner Caryotakis asked if assistance is pro -rated for eligible and ineligible family members. Support Services Manager Whalen answered affirmatively. She explained a head of household could be considered a citizen, but that portion is then pro -rated for assistance for a spouse or other family member who is not eligible. Commissioner Ludovissie asked how many members are on the advisory board. Support Services Manager Whalen said there are eight members and their terms rotate such that there is a new member every year. Chairman Kulaszewicz opened and closed the public hearing as there was no one present to speak on the item. MOTION by Commissioner Caryotakis, seconded by Chairman Kulaszewicz, to adopt the attached resolution approving the PHA 5 -Year Plan for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2010. Vote. 5 Ayes. MOTION approved unanimously. 4. NEW BUSINESS A. HRA Budgets. Review and approve 2010/2011 HRA Budgets. Housing Manager Barnes gave an overview of the staff report for the HRA General Fund and CDBG budget. Support Services Manager Whalen reviewed the Section 8 budget. Commissioner Stein asked if the Section 8 voucher issued in Plymouth is the same amount as a voucher issued in another city. Support Services Manager Whalen said much of the metropolitan area is the same. The vouchers are based on the HUD issued fair market rents. Plymouth usually is 110% of the fair market rents because Plymouth has higher rents. She said there is an increase in the FMR published for October, 2009, but payment standards will remain the same because things are so tight. Support Services Manager Whalen explained we have to pay the rate for the jurisdiction the Section 8 client moves to, which may be higher in areas such as California, or lower in areas such as Iowa. Commissioner Stein asked how long the voucher remains in effect if a Section 8 client moved to California. Support Services Manager Whalen said for as long as they are on the program, or unless that agency absorbs the client and issues their own voucher. Approved Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority September 24, 2009 Page 3 Chairman Kulaszewicz asked how often port outs occur. Support Services Manager Whalen said we have many port outs that are mostly within the metro area; she said some clients are in Arizona and Texas. She added we have a lot of port ins from those areas also. Commissioner Stein asked if HUD looks at our costs and funds accordingly. Support Services Manager Whalen said HUD reviews monthly housing assistance payment expenditures, and that is how they base the funding allocation for the next year. Support Services Manager Whalen said another issue driving up the housing assistance payments are people who have lost jobs. HUD recognizes the fact that when client income is down, we pay more. Chairman Kulaszewicz asked about administration costs for port ins and port outs. Support Services Manager Whalen said we administer the Section 8 clients who come here and receive an administrative fee from another housing authority to administer that voucher. She said Plymouth has approximately 180 ports ins and 20 port outs at this time. Chairman Kulaszewicz asked if the administrative fee is a set fee. Support Services Manager Whalen answered affirmatively. She said for a port out we keep 20% of the fee and the other administering agency would keep 80% of the fee, and vice versa for a port in. Support Services Manager Whalen said for example, a monthly check is sent to Metro HRA for the amount of rent they paid on our behalf, plus the administrative fee. Chairman Kulaszewicz said in February there was discussion to use funds from the overall budget in a different allocation from one program to another. He asked about using less money in the rehab program and more money in the First Time Homebuyer program. Housing Manager Barnes affirmed that the Annual Action Plan was incorporated into the CDBG component in February. He reiterated that CDBG is on a July to June fiscal year, and we are now able to access those dollars approved in February even though it is not 2010. Housing Manager Barnes said he is not sure how much will be spent, and will look at cost history, and what is going on with industry and markets to determine the appropriate amount for each program. He said internally we monitor much differently knowing exactly what is in our federal account and what we have made commitments to. Housing Manager Barnes said there are a number of checks and balances so we don't overspend. Commissioner Ludovissie asked where we are in the process of transitioning the role the city would play using more of their resources and staff. He asked if the city is comfortable with how the HRA is allocating funds for overhead expenses or if adjustments would be necessary. Approved Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority September 24, 2009 Page 4 Housing Manager Barnes said there is a new management team in finance and administration working with new software and looking at allocations city-wide to ensure they are fairly and accurately allocated. He said this will continue to be reviewed and will have minor revisions in upcoming years. Housing Manager Barnes said we are close to paying our fair share, which is much less than what was proposed three to four years ago. HRA Executive Director Juetten said one position that was not being allocated to Section 8 was the inspector, which was paid for by the city. The proposed budget does include the Section 8 inspector. He said the office support representative who was not replaced, had 75% of her time picked up by HRA or Section 8. He said now we have the ability to put some of the inspector's time in Section 8. HRA Executive Director Juetten said he is comfortable the HRA, CDBG, and Section 8 allocations are being covered by the appropriate budgets. MOTION by Commissioner Caryotakis, seconded by Commissioner Ludovissie, to adopt the 2010-2011 HRA budgets and recommend that the City Council do the same. Vote. 5 Ayes. MOTION approved unanimously. B. Tax Increment Financing. Request the City Council call for a public hearing relating to the modification to Redevelopment Plan for the Redevelopment Project Area number 1 and the modification to TIF District number 1-1. Housing Manager Barnes said the resolution for this item has been added. Housing Manager Barnes gave an overview of the staff report. Chairman Kulaszewicz asked if the removal of the Vicksburg Crossing parcel from the TIF district has anything to do with Vicksburg Crossing requirement to pay the tax. Housing Manager Barnes said that is a different issue. Commissioner Ludovissie asked if TIF modifications can be done at a later time. Housing Manager Barnes answered affirmatively, and said the life of the district cannot go past 26 years. Housing Manager Barnes said under certain circumstances parcels can be added within a certain time period. He said certain thresholds have not been met yet so you could bring in parcels. He said there is no limit on removing a parcel, but that would be a rare situation. Housing Manager Barnes said when creating the financial numbers for the district and what it would generate, the value of the senior building was not included. Commissioner Ludovissie said there is no downside to redesign it; modifying it would be more advantageous. HRA Executive Director Juetten stated that is exactly the purpose of this and we hope to not use much of it, but it is nice to have if we do need some help financially. Approved Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority September 24, 2009 Page 5 MOTION by Commissioner Miller, seconded by Commissioner Caryotakis, to approve the request that the City Council call for a public hearing relating to consider modifications to Redevelopment Project Area No. 1 and Tax Increment Financing Redevelopment District 1-1. Vote. 5 Ayes. MOTION approved unanimously. C. Vicksburg Crossing. Market Reports for July and August, 2009. Housing Manager Barnes gave an overview on the Vicksburg Crossing market reports. Chairman Kulaszewicz asked if there are programs and activities established for the fall season and holidays, such as open houses. Housing Manager Barnes said he and Grace Management Representative Jody Boedigheimer have discussed four major events around holiday themes, such as Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day, to draw in people who have expressed interest. He said Grace Management Representative Boedigheimer will give an update at the next HRA meeting. Chairman Ludovissie said it is good to have events before we go into the dormant time in the early part of the year. He added that Grace Management is doing a good job marketing the building. Housing Manager Barnes said last year there was a function around Thanksgiving which is good because families typically come together at this time of the year and it is a good time for parents and their adult children to have an opportunity to visit the building. Chairman Kulaszewicz said the vacant units at Vicksburg Crossing are predominantly the E -style units. He asked if existing residents have been surveyed to see why they do not like that style. He said he would like to see this survey done on an informal basis. Chairman Kulaszewicz asked if there are 96 or 94 units at Vicksburg Crossing. Housing Manager Barnes explained there are 96 units and that the caretaker lives in one, and the other is considered the overnight guest suite. Commissioner Stein discussed the E -style unit and said a difference between this and the other units is the second bathroom is attached to the bedroom. Chairman Ludovissie said we could modify one or two units to see if it makes a difference. Housing Manager Barnes and Commissioner Stein discussed the option of modifying the E -style unit by removing the second bedroom wall and convert the living room into a great room. Housing Manager Barnes said the unit would have to be re -priced because it would become a one bedroom. He said there is only one E -style unit leased at this time, and said we have always had other units available so we haven't really tested the market. If this were the only unit available we might see a different result in its lease -up. Approved Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority September 24, 2009 Page 6 Housing Manager Barnes said a draftsman or design firm could be contacted to get two or three options to reconfigure the unit without going through any major costs. These plans could be discussed with residents to see if any of these options would make the E -style unit more enticing. Housing Manager Barnes said residents could be asked what it was about the units that they do not like. Commissioner Ludovissie asked if it might be a location issue. Housing Manager Barnes said he was unsure and this is a question they could pose to the residents. He said the units are toward the center of the building, and one stack looks west toward a wetland and Lowes and the parking lot. He said the other stack does not have a good view looking east. Housing Manager Barnes said he would try to have the resident feedback by the next meeting. Commissioner Miller asked if there would be a flu shot clinic offered at the building. Housing Manager Barnes said flu clinics would occur at Plymouth Towne Square and Vicksburg Crossing in October. 4. ADJOURNMENT MOTION by Chair Kulaszewicz to adjourn the meeting at 8:09 p.m. without exception. Vote. 5 Ayes. MOTION approved unanimously.