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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHousing & Redevelopment Authority Minutes 09-26-2013APPROVED MINUTES PLYMOUTH HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY September 26, 2013 PRESENT: Commissioners Paul Caryotakis, Carl Runck, and Toni Jelinek ABSENT: Chair Kulaszewicz and Commissioner Willis STAFF PRESENT: Housing Program Manager Jim Barnes, HRA Executive Director Steve Juetten, Support Services Manager Denise Whalen, and Office Support Representative Tina Beckfeld 1. CALL TO ORDER Acting Chairman Caryotakis called the Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. 2. CONSENT AGENDA A. Approve July 25, 2013 HRA Meeting Minutes. B. Plymouth Towne Square. Accept Monthly Housing Report. C. Vicksburg Crossing. Accept Monthly Housing/Marketing Report. MOTION by Commissioner Jelinek, seconded by Commissioner Runck, to approve the consent agenda. Vote. 3 Ayes. MOTION approved. 3. PUBLIC HEARING A. Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program. Proposed changes to the Housing Choice Voucher Administrative Plan. Support Services Manager Whalen gave an overview of the staff report. Acting Chairman Caryotakis opened and closed the public hearing. No one was present to speak. MOTION by Commissioner Runck, seconded by Commissioner Jelinek, to approve the proposed changes to the Housing Choice Voucher Administrative Plan to be effective immediately and submission of the 50077 CR to Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2014. Vote. 3 Ayes. MOTION approved. Approved Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority September 26, 2013 Page 2 4. NEW BUSINESS A. HRA Budgets. Review and approve 2014/2015 HRA Budgets. Housing Manager Barnes gave an overview of the proposed CDBG budget. Support Services Manager Whalen gave an overview of the proposed Section 8 budget. Support Services Manager Whalen explained that it is important to try and stay at the number of allocated vouchers to ensure HAP funding at the beginning of the new year. This will assure adequate funding on both the HAP and administrative sides. Commissioner Jelinek asked what would affect the percentage of funding for HAP. Support Services Manager Whalen responded that funding is determined by HUD at the federal level, which staff has no control over. Commissioner Jelinek asked when we will know what the HUD funding will be. Support Services Manager Whalen responded March or April. HRA Executive Director Juetten added we are two to three months into the year before we know what the HUD funding will be. Commissioner Jelinek asked if there would be an adjustment at that time. HRA Executive Director Juetten responded to date we have not had to go into reserves for HAP funding. The reserves have been built up over time and help cover the gap. We will reevaluate if we want to continue the Section 8 program if the reserve goes too low. Housing Manager Barnes added that the reserves are from federal money not HRA General Fund reserves. Support Services Manager Whalen stated the unrestricted net assets come from savings of administrative fees due to many port in clients. Housing Manager Barnes gave an overview HRA General Fund staff report. He stated that the Garland property was added to the budget. He gave a history of the Garland property to the commission as to how the HRA came to acquire the property. Commissioner Runck asked if there was a need for scattered site rental housing in Plymouth. Approved Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority September 26, 2013 Page 3 Housing Manager Barnes stated that other HRAs do scattered site rental housing and that it was one way to provide affordable housing. Additional rentals would require more staff to manage or the HRA could expand its contract with Grace Management to manage them. The tax levy would have to be used on a year-to-year basis or reserves to fund the acquisition. The decision to fund the Garland property was because $70,000 of HRA money was invested and the property went into foreclosure. Housing Manager Barnes stated that more of these opportunities could be brought to the board. Commissioner Jelinek said she liked the idea of bring opportunities to the board, but she didn't necessarily want the staff to seek them out. Housing Manager Barnes responded that staff would bring any future viable opportunities to the board for discussion. Commissioner Jelinek questioned the Revenues (4200.200) in the CDGB budget. Housing Manager Barnes explained that the report may look skewed because the CDBG program has a fiscal year July -June and the city budget is January -December. Commissioner Jelinek asked why the drop in funding for CDGB compared to 2012 and 2013. Housing Manager Barnes replied the CDGB funding levels have been reduced over the years. There were years that we were getting more dollars and they were allocated to affordable housing. Part of the funding in 2012 was from the stimulus money. HRA Executive Director added that in some years we have carry-over funds in the CDBG program. Commissioner Runck as why the tax levy has remained flat. Housing Manager Barnes responded the entire Community Development program has been directed by HRA Executive Director Juetten to maintain budgets as not to raise the levy. The council adopted 2 V2% or less for an increase but would like to be at 2 %. HRA Executive Director Juetten explained the HRA conservative budgeting. Even with the new construction revenue generating funds, the budget remains stable. This allows for building reserves for a time when new construction revenues fall. Housing Manager Barnes stated our buildings are getting older and will require more maintenance so we may need to increase the levy in coming years to account for the increases. MOTION by Commissioner Jelinek, seconded by Commissioner Runck, to approve the 2014 HRA budgets and recommend that the City Council adopt the 2014 HRA preliminary budgets. Approved Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority September 26, 2013 Page 4 Vote. 3 Ayes. MOTION approved. 5. ADJOURNMENT MOTION by Commissioner Runck, seconded by Commissioner Jelinek , to adjourn the meeting at 7:48 p.m.