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Housing Commission (View All)

Minutes

Agenda
Thursday, March 25, 2010

ASHLAND HOUSING COMMISSION

MINUTES

March 25, 2010

 

 

CALL TO ORDER – Chair Steve Hauck called the meeting to order at 4:35 p.m. at the Community Development and Engineering Services Building, 51 Winburn Way, Ashland, OR.

 

Commissioners Present:

Council Liaison

Graham Lewis

Eric Navickas, absent

Regina Ayars

 

Aaron Benjamin

Staff Present

Steve Hauck

Linda Reid, Housing Specialist

Richard Billin

Carolyn Schwendener, Account Clerk

 

 

Commissioners Absent:

 

Nick Frost

 

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Minutes from the January 28, 2010 meeting were approved as presented. 

 

PUBLIC FORUM

No one present

 

SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS     

Sub-committee Reports

Finance – No report

Education – No report

            Land Use - No report 

 

Liaison Reports

            Council – No report

            Parks - No report

            School Board - No report

            Planning Commission - Benjamin reported that on April 6, 2010 the City Council will be making the final decision on the Croman project.

 

            Staff - Reid explained that she reissued the RFP for the remaining CDBG funds, and received an application whose representatives are present at this meeting.  Reid did a mailing for the recovery act, which has been renamed the Energy Efficiency Program. Out of the fifty-two mailings she has received fifteen replies from home owners who are interested in taking advantage of the $3,000 grant that was approved with the Recovery Act funds.  Because of the great response Reid suggested that the Commission might be interested in allocating some of the regular CDBG program funds to help fill the gap.  Initially the City Council allocated $30,000 to the Conservation Program and $16,500 to the Public Works department for repairs of handicapped accessible wheelchair ramps.  The Public Works department was able to use other monies to do the handicapped accessible wheelchair ramp repairs.  We now need to ask the council to re-allocate the $16,500 to the conservation program giving them a total of about $50,000 to do the activity, stated Reid.  The request will go before the Council as a Consent Agenda item on April 20th.  Reid will also need to amend the Action Plan to reflect the change.

 

Transportation Growth Management (TGM) Grant Application

The Planning Department has applied for a grant from TGM to create a Land Use and Transportation Plan for the Normal Avenue area.  It is an approximately ninety-four acre developable parcel located in the Urban Growth Boundary.  The City is asking for a grant to develop a plan to see how the space could be used.  Two of the components of this project would be to update the Buildable Lands Inventory and create a new Housing Needs Analysis which would be of interest to the Housing Commission.

 

Graham/Ayars m/s motion for Hauck to sign a letter of support for this Grant Application. 

Voice Vote: all AYES. Motion passed

 

CDBG Program Public Hearing and Award Recommendation

Reid explained that for the 2010 Community Development Block Grant year the City of Ashland is expecting a total allocation of approximately $207,000, $30,000 of which is available for public service projects.  The City received one application for public services from St. Vincent De Paul.  Their goal is to provide emergency housing and utility assistance to qualified low income households within the City of Ashland.  Last year St. Vincent De Paul helped 587 low income households with $65,000. This year the goal is to help 620 household with the help of the $30,000 grant money. St. Vincent De Paul will be providing matching funds in the amount of $37,000.  Staffs recommendation is to fully fund this activity.

 

Applicant Presentation - Rich Hansen, Foundation Liaison and volunteer Charlotte Dorsey were present to represent St. Vincent De Paul.  Mr. Hansen explained they have no paid employees and depend on over 250 volunteers to supply all staffing and services.  Because there is no paid staff they can guarantee that 100% of the money they receive will go to help the poor in their moment of crisis.  With today’s economy the needs have increased and the $30,000 would go a long way to help, stated Mr. Hansen. Their objective is to avoid homelessness. 

 

Question and Answer Discussion -

What’s the typical profile of your clients?

            The majority of people they deal with in Ashland and Talent are low income families or individuals struggling with the economy due to the job situations.  Most clients are families or         single parents who have no job and rent becomes an issue. 

 

What percentage would you say are families with children?

            50%

 

What percentage are single parents? 

            Not sure at this time but they are the minority rather then the majority.

 

What kind of paperwork is required?

            Reid explained that she is required to report on the use of the money and show that it is being used         to serve people who are 80% or below AMI.  Currently St. Vincent De Paul does not require     income verification and prides themselves in being blind to race, religion, color, age and creed.             HUD wants to see the trends and asks for demographics, race, and female head of household,       seniors, disabilities and income categories.  St. Vincent De Paul will now need to record these          demographics.

 

Do you have any statistic showing a focus on chronology age groups?

            Age 0 to 17 is 28%,

            Age 24 to 44 25%

            Age 55 to 69 6%

 

Is any focus being placed on homeless youth or the elderly?

            The elderly have a lot more places to be referred to for housing, thanks to the government and the Community Action Agency, ACCESS, Inc. 

 

Typically what’s the period of time you work with a client and how many visits do you make.

            In past years one visit was typically made to do an initial screening to find out the medical           and other immediate need.  Now with the changes in the economy and with the increase in    joblessness and homelessness they are returning more often.

 

Graham thanked Mr. Hansen and said that as a staff of the United Methodist Church he really appreciates St. Vincent De Paul’s promptness and what they have been able to do for folks. 

 

Billin/Ayars m/s to approve the recommendation made by City staff to “Recommend funding St. Vincent De Paul – Home Visitation Program $30,000 to fund emergency rent and utility assistance for people to prevent homelessness.” Roll Call Vote: Commissioners Billin, Ayars, Graham and Benjamin, Yes.  Motion passed.

 

New application for Capital Funds from Ashland Supportive Housing

Reid stated this is an eligible activity as a rehabilitation of a home that will be serving, low income populations, since peoples with disabilities are presumed benefit by HUD. Though Reid has not had the sufficient time to evaluate this application it is her belief that staff will recommend to fund this project.

 

Applicant Presentation - Sue Crader, Executive Director of ASH and Judy Beyer Assistant Director were present to discuss their application.  They are requesting $110,861.00 CDBG funds to renovate an existing structure.  The organizational match is $30,994 funds and $2,700 from United Way.  The total project cost is $143, 755. 

 

ASH owns a home located on the corner of Walker and Clark Street that they previously used as a group home for developmentally disabled adults from the early 1990’s until 2004.  Having no money to put towards the renovation of the house they moved their clients into two other homes.  ASH put the home on the market. Unfortunately the market fell apart and the house sat for a year and a half until it was leased by some folks who turned it into a kindergarten.  Their business failed and ASH received the property back in January of this year. 

 

ASH would like to create a respite home, a place where people with disabilities can spend time out of their own homes for one, two, three nights even up to 60 days.  This gives caregivers a break as well as the person who needs care a break.  It offers a temporary placement within their community.  ASH would like the grant money so they can fix up the property to meet this need.  ASH has been in business since 1982 with 26 full time employees paid at a living wage with full medically and dental benefits.  This project would create 9 full time positions.

 

Funding will be provided primarily through creative supports and the state of Oregon. They will also be opening up beds for private pay.  Their goal is to have the project completed by the end of the year and then hire a staff and open the doors by March 15th of 2011. 

 

Discussion and questions -

If you don’t get the funds will this project not go forward? 

            It would not be easy but they will still try to make it happen. They would need to find other        places to get the funds.

 

Graham/Billin m/s that we approve (this presentation) with the caveat that if another proposal comes in before the deadline we will reconvene with a public hearing to hear that proposal but if we don’t get another one in forget it.  Roll Call Vote:  Billin, Ayars, Graham and Benjamin, Yes.  Motion passed

 

Public Hearing-Draft Consolidated Plan Review

The Consolidated plan is a document that needs to be drafted every five years for the City to continue to receive Community Development Block Grant Funds.  The Consolidated plan has to encompass all activities that CDBG could undertake although the City does not intend to undertake all the activities that are eligible for CDBG funding. 

 

Reid reviewed how the City did with the goals previously and what the new goals are.  Out of the focus group meeting there were three priority goals. 

1.      Affordable and Workforce Housing

2.      Homeless, At-Risk and Special Needs Populations

3.      Economic and Community Development

 

Reid commented that a one item she found to be quite interesting was that the percentage of families and individuals in poverty is greater in Ashland then it is in Jackson County, in the State of Oregon as well as the United States as a whole.  The percentage is higher here then the national average. Our community has a lot more needs then people realize, stated Reid.

 

The Commissioners congratulated Reid on a job well done with the Consolidated Plan.

 

Billin/Graham m/s to recommend approval of the 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan. Roll Call Vote:  Billin, Ayars, Graham and Benjamin, Yes.  Motion passed

 

Hunger and Homelessness Forum Report

Hauck thanked Regina for stepping in for him as he had other obligations and was not able to attend the forum. Ayars reported that approximately forty people attended mostly students, homeless people and stake holders in the community.  They had a panel consisting of the woman who started the food bank, the man who started the Ashland food project, Jody Waters a professor at SOU who teaches homeless and hunger class, Ayars, the Mayor and a man living at the Gospel Mission. 

 

Regina shared that the Housing Commission’s role is prevention of homelessness by promoting affordable housing.  Two communities of homeless people were present, those who choose homelessness as a life style and those who do not choose homelessness.  The students who organized this did a really good job said Ayars though she was not sure what is going to happen with the information.  Oregon has the highest concentration of homeless population of all states, one in every 250 stated Reid. 

 

Subcommittee Discussion

This discussion was moved to next month’s meeting. Regina will not be present at next month’s meeting and will turn in a written report. 

 

April 22nd 2010 Meeting Agenda Items and Quorum Check

Regina will not be present.

 

Upcoming Events and Meetings

April 20th 2010 7PM City Council Meeting-CDBG Program Award

April 20th 2010 7PM City Council Meeting-Consolidated Plan Public Hearing

April 22nd 2010 4:30-6:30 PM Thursday Regular Housing Meeting

 

ADJOURNMENT - The meeting was adjourned at 6:35 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted by,

Carolyn Schwendener

 

 

 

ASHLAND HOUSING COMMISSION

MINUTES

March 25, 2010

 

 

CALL TO ORDER – Chair Steve Hauck called the meeting to order at 4:35 p.m. at the Community Development and Engineering Services Building, 51 Winburn Way, Ashland, OR.

 

Commissioners Present:

Council Liaison

Graham Lewis

Eric Navickas, absent

Regina Ayars

 

Aaron Benjamin

Staff Present

Steve Hauck

Linda Reid, Housing Specialist

Richard Billin

Carolyn Schwendener, Account Clerk

 

 

Commissioners Absent:

 

Nick Frost

 

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Minutes from the January 28, 2010 meeting were approved as presented. 

 

PUBLIC FORUM

No one present

 

SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS     

Sub-committee Reports

Finance – No report

Education – No report

            Land Use - No report 

 

Liaison Reports

            Council – No report

            Parks - No report

            School Board - No report

            Planning Commission - Benjamin reported that on April 6, 2010 the City Council will be making the final decision on the Croman project.

 

            Staff - Reid explained that she reissued the RFP for the remaining CDBG funds, and received an application whose representatives are present at this meeting.  Reid did a mailing for the recovery act, which has been renamed the Energy Efficiency Program. Out of the fifty-two mailings she has received fifteen replies from home owners who are interested in taking advantage of the $3,000 grant that was approved with the Recovery Act funds.  Because of the great response Reid suggested that the Commission might be interested in allocating some of the regular CDBG program funds to help fill the gap.  Initially the City Council allocated $30,000 to the Conservation Program and $16,500 to the Public Works department for repairs of handicapped accessible wheelchair ramps.  The Public Works department was able to use other monies to do the handicapped accessible wheelchair ramp repairs.  We now need to ask the council to re-allocate the $16,500 to the conservation program giving them a total of about $50,000 to do the activity, stated Reid.  The request will go before the Council as a Consent Agenda item on April 20th.  Reid will also need to amend the Action Plan to reflect the change.

 

Transportation Growth Management (TGM) Grant Application

The Planning Department has applied for a grant from TGM to create a Land Use and Transportation Plan for the Normal Avenue area.  It is an approximately ninety-four acre developable parcel located in the Urban Growth Boundary.  The City is asking for a grant to develop a plan to see how the space could be used.  Two of the components of this project would be to update the Buildable Lands Inventory and create a new Housing Needs Analysis which would be of interest to the Housing Commission.

 

Graham/Ayars m/s motion for Hauck to sign a letter of support for this Grant Application. 

Voice Vote: all AYES. Motion passed

 

CDBG Program Public Hearing and Award Recommendation

Reid explained that for the 2010 Community Development Block Grant year the City of Ashland is expecting a total allocation of approximately $207,000, $30,000 of which is available for public service projects.  The City received one application for public services from St. Vincent De Paul.  Their goal is to provide emergency housing and utility assistance to qualified low income households within the City of Ashland.  Last year St. Vincent De Paul helped 587 low income households with $65,000. This year the goal is to help 620 household with the help of the $30,000 grant money. St. Vincent De Paul will be providing matching funds in the amount of $37,000.  Staffs recommendation is to fully fund this activity.

 

Applicant Presentation - Rich Hansen, Foundation Liaison and volunteer Charlotte Dorsey were present to represent St. Vincent De Paul.  Mr. Hansen explained they have no paid employees and depend on over 250 volunteers to supply all staffing and services.  Because there is no paid staff they can guarantee that 100% of the money they receive will go to help the poor in their moment of crisis.  With today’s economy the needs have increased and the $30,000 would go a long way to help, stated Mr. Hansen. Their objective is to avoid homelessness. 

 

Question and Answer Discussion -

What’s the typical profile of your clients?

            The majority of people they deal with in Ashland and Talent are low income families or individuals struggling with the economy due to the job situations.  Most clients are families or         single parents who have no job and rent becomes an issue. 

 

What percentage would you say are families with children?

            50%

 

What percentage are single parents? 

            Not sure at this time but they are the minority rather then the majority.

 

What kind of paperwork is required?

            Reid explained that she is required to report on the use of the money and show that it is being used         to serve people who are 80% or below AMI.  Currently St. Vincent De Paul does not require     income verification and prides themselves in being blind to race, religion, color, age and creed.             HUD wants to see the trends and asks for demographics, race, and female head of household,       seniors, disabilities and income categories.  St. Vincent De Paul will now need to record these          demographics.

 

Do you have any statistic showing a focus on chronology age groups?

            Age 0 to 17 is 28%,

            Age 24 to 44 25%

            Age 55 to 69 6%

 

Is any focus being placed on homeless youth or the elderly?

            The elderly have a lot more places to be referred to for housing, thanks to the government and the Community Action Agency, ACCESS, Inc. 

 

Typically what’s the period of time you work with a client and how many visits do you make.

            In past years one visit was typically made to do an initial screening to find out the medical           and other immediate need.  Now with the changes in the economy and with the increase in    joblessness and homelessness they are returning more often.

 

Graham thanked Mr. Hansen and said that as a staff of the United Methodist Church he really appreciates St. Vincent De Paul’s promptness and what they have been able to do for folks. 

 

Billin/Ayars m/s to approve the recommendation made by City staff to “Recommend funding St. Vincent De Paul – Home Visitation Program $30,000 to fund emergency rent and utility assistance for people to prevent homelessness.” Roll Call Vote: Commissioners Billin, Ayars, Graham and Benjamin, Yes.  Motion passed.

 

New application for Capital Funds from Ashland Supportive Housing

Reid stated this is an eligible activity as a rehabilitation of a home that will be serving, low income populations, since peoples with disabilities are presumed benefit by HUD. Though Reid has not had the sufficient time to evaluate this application it is her belief that staff will recommend to fund this project.

 

Applicant Presentation - Sue Crader, Executive Director of ASH and Judy Beyer Assistant Director were present to discuss their application.  They are requesting $110,861.00 CDBG funds to renovate an existing structure.  The organizational match is $30,994 funds and $2,700 from United Way.  The total project cost is $143, 755. 

 

ASH owns a home located on the corner of Walker and Clark Street that they previously used as a group home for developmentally disabled adults from the early 1990’s until 2004.  Having no money to put towards the renovation of the house they moved their clients into two other homes.  ASH put the home on the market. Unfortunately the market fell apart and the house sat for a year and a half until it was leased by some folks who turned it into a kindergarten.  Their business failed and ASH received the property back in January of this year. 

 

ASH would like to create a respite home, a place where people with disabilities can spend time out of their own homes for one, two, three nights even up to 60 days.  This gives caregivers a break as well as the person who needs care a break.  It offers a temporary placement within their community.  ASH would like the grant money so they can fix up the property to meet this need.  ASH has been in business since 1982 with 26 full time employees paid at a living wage with full medically and dental benefits.  This project would create 9 full time positions.

 

Funding will be provided primarily through creative supports and the state of Oregon. They will also be opening up beds for private pay.  Their goal is to have the project completed by the end of the year and then hire a staff and open the doors by March 15th of 2011. 

 

Discussion and questions -

If you don’t get the funds will this project not go forward? 

            It would not be easy but they will still try to make it happen. They would need to find other        places to get the funds.

 

Graham/Billin m/s that we approve (this presentation) with the caveat that if another proposal comes in before the deadline we will reconvene with a public hearing to hear that proposal but if we don’t get another one in forget it.  Roll Call Vote:  Billin, Ayars, Graham and Benjamin, Yes.  Motion passed

 

Public Hearing-Draft Consolidated Plan Review

The Consolidated plan is a document that needs to be drafted every five years for the City to continue to receive Community Development Block Grant Funds.  The Consolidated plan has to encompass all activities that CDBG could undertake although the City does not intend to undertake all the activities that are eligible for CDBG funding. 

 

Reid reviewed how the City did with the goals previously and what the new goals are.  Out of the focus group meeting there were three priority goals. 

1.      Affordable and Workforce Housing

2.      Homeless, At-Risk and Special Needs Populations

3.      Economic and Community Development

 

Reid commented that a one item she found to be quite interesting was that the percentage of families and individuals in poverty is greater in Ashland then it is in Jackson County, in the State of Oregon as well as the United States as a whole.  The percentage is higher here then the national average. Our community has a lot more needs then people realize, stated Reid.

 

The Commissioners congratulated Reid on a job well done with the Consolidated Plan.

 

Billin/Graham m/s to recommend approval of the 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan. Roll Call Vote:  Billin, Ayars, Graham and Benjamin, Yes.  Motion passed

 

Hunger and Homelessness Forum Report

Hauck thanked Regina for stepping in for him as he had other obligations and was not able to attend the forum. Ayars reported that approximately forty people attended mostly students, homeless people and stake holders in the community.  They had a panel consisting of the woman who started the food bank, the man who started the Ashland food project, Jody Waters a professor at SOU who teaches homeless and hunger class, Ayars, the Mayor and a man living at the Gospel Mission. 

 

Regina shared that the Housing Commission’s role is prevention of homelessness by promoting affordable housing.  Two communities of homeless people were present, those who choose homelessness as a life style and those who do not choose homelessness.  The students who organized this did a really good job said Ayars though she was not sure what is going to happen with the information.  Oregon has the highest concentration of homeless population of all states, one in every 250 stated Reid. 

 

Subcommittee Discussion

This discussion was moved to next month’s meeting. Regina will not be present at next month’s meeting and will turn in a written report. 

 

April 22nd 2010 Meeting Agenda Items and Quorum Check

Regina will not be present.

 

Upcoming Events and Meetings

April 20th 2010 7PM City Council Meeting-CDBG Program Award

April 20th 2010 7PM City Council Meeting-Consolidated Plan Public Hearing

April 22nd 2010 4:30-6:30 PM Thursday Regular Housing Meeting

 

ADJOURNMENT - The meeting was adjourned at 6:35 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted by,

Carolyn Schwendener

 

 

 

 

ASHLAND HOUSING COMMISSION

MINUTES

March 25, 2010

 

 

CALL TO ORDER – Chair Steve Hauck called the meeting to order at 4:35 p.m. at the Community Development and Engineering Services Building, 51 Winburn Way, Ashland, OR.

 

Commissioners Present:

Council Liaison

Graham Lewis

Eric Navickas, absent

Regina Ayars

 

Aaron Benjamin

Staff Present

Steve Hauck

Linda Reid, Housing Specialist

Richard Billin

Carolyn Schwendener, Account Clerk

 

 

Commissioners Absent:

 

Nick Frost

 

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Minutes from the January 28, 2010 meeting were approved as presented. 

 

PUBLIC FORUM

No one present

 

SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS     

Sub-committee Reports

Finance – No report

Education – No report

            Land Use - No report 

 

Liaison Reports

            Council – No report

            Parks - No report

            School Board - No report

            Planning Commission - Benjamin reported that on April 6, 2010 the City Council will be making the final decision on the Croman project.

 

            Staff - Reid explained that she reissued the RFP for the remaining CDBG funds, and received an application whose representatives are present at this meeting.  Reid did a mailing for the recovery act, which has been renamed the Energy Efficiency Program. Out of the fifty-two mailings she has received fifteen replies from home owners who are interested in taking advantage of the $3,000 grant that was approved with the Recovery Act funds.  Because of the great response Reid suggested that the Commission might be interested in allocating some of the regular CDBG program funds to help fill the gap.  Initially the City Council allocated $30,000 to the Conservation Program and $16,500 to the Public Works department for repairs of handicapped accessible wheelchair ramps.  The Public Works department was able to use other monies to do the handicapped accessible wheelchair ramp repairs.  We now need to ask the council to re-allocate the $16,500 to the conservation program giving them a total of about $50,000 to do the activity, stated Reid.  The request will go before the Council as a Consent Agenda item on April 20th.  Reid will also need to amend the Action Plan to reflect the change.

 

Transportation Growth Management (TGM) Grant Application

The Planning Department has applied for a grant from TGM to create a Land Use and Transportation Plan for the Normal Avenue area.  It is an approximately ninety-four acre developable parcel located in the Urban Growth Boundary.  The City is asking for a grant to develop a plan to see how the space could be used.  Two of the components of this project would be to update the Buildable Lands Inventory and create a new Housing Needs Analysis which would be of interest to the Housing Commission.

 

Graham/Ayars m/s motion for Hauck to sign a letter of support for this Grant Application. 

Voice Vote: all AYES. Motion passed

 

CDBG Program Public Hearing and Award Recommendation

Reid explained that for the 2010 Community Development Block Grant year the City of Ashland is expecting a total allocation of approximately $207,000, $30,000 of which is available for public service projects.  The City received one application for public services from St. Vincent De Paul.  Their goal is to provide emergency housing and utility assistance to qualified low income households within the City of Ashland.  Last year St. Vincent De Paul helped 587 low income households with $65,000. This year the goal is to help 620 household with the help of the $30,000 grant money. St. Vincent De Paul will be providing matching funds in the amount of $37,000.  Staffs recommendation is to fully fund this activity.

 

Applicant Presentation - Rich Hansen, Foundation Liaison and volunteer Charlotte Dorsey were present to represent St. Vincent De Paul.  Mr. Hansen explained they have no paid employees and depend on over 250 volunteers to supply all staffing and services.  Because there is no paid staff they can guarantee that 100% of the money they receive will go to help the poor in their moment of crisis.  With today’s economy the needs have increased and the $30,000 would go a long way to help, stated Mr. Hansen. Their objective is to avoid homelessness. 

 

Question and Answer Discussion -

What’s the typical profile of your clients?

            The majority of people they deal with in Ashland and Talent are low income families or individuals struggling with the economy due to the job situations.  Most clients are families or         single parents who have no job and rent becomes an issue. 

 

What percentage would you say are families with children?

            50%

 

What percentage are single parents? 

            Not sure at this time but they are the minority rather then the majority.

 

What kind of paperwork is required?

            Reid explained that she is required to report on the use of the money and show that it is being used         to serve people who are 80% or below AMI.  Currently St. Vincent De Paul does not require     income verification and prides themselves in being blind to race, religion, color, age and creed.             HUD wants to see the trends and asks for demographics, race, and female head of household,       seniors, disabilities and income categories.  St. Vincent De Paul will now need to record these          demographics.

 

Do you have any statistic showing a focus on chronology age groups?

            Age 0 to 17 is 28%,

            Age 24 to 44 25%

            Age 55 to 69 6%

 

Is any focus being placed on homeless youth or the elderly?

            The elderly have a lot more places to be referred to for housing, thanks to the government and the Community Action Agency, ACCESS, Inc. 

 

Typically what’s the period of time you work with a client and how many visits do you make.

            In past years one visit was typically made to do an initial screening to find out the medical           and other immediate need.  Now with the changes in the economy and with the increase in    joblessness and homelessness they are returning more often.

 

Graham thanked Mr. Hansen and said that as a staff of the United Methodist Church he really appreciates St. Vincent De Paul’s promptness and what they have been able to do for folks. 

 

Billin/Ayars m/s to approve the recommendation made by City staff to “Recommend funding St. Vincent De Paul – Home Visitation Program $30,000 to fund emergency rent and utility assistance for people to prevent homelessness.” Roll Call Vote: Commissioners Billin, Ayars, Graham and Benjamin, Yes.  Motion passed.

 

New application for Capital Funds from Ashland Supportive Housing

Reid stated this is an eligible activity as a rehabilitation of a home that will be serving, low income populations, since peoples with disabilities are presumed benefit by HUD. Though Reid has not had the sufficient time to evaluate this application it is her belief that staff will recommend to fund this project.

 

Applicant Presentation - Sue Crader, Executive Director of ASH and Judy Beyer Assistant Director were present to discuss their application.  They are requesting $110,861.00 CDBG funds to renovate an existing structure.  The organizational match is $30,994 funds and $2,700 from United Way.  The total project cost is $143, 755. 

 

ASH owns a home located on the corner of Walker and Clark Street that they previously used as a group home for developmentally disabled adults from the early 1990’s until 2004.  Having no money to put towards the renovation of the house they moved their clients into two other homes.  ASH put the home on the market. Unfortunately the market fell apart and the house sat for a year and a half until it was leased by some folks who turned it into a kindergarten.  Their business failed and ASH received the property back in January of this year. 

 

ASH would like to create a respite home, a place where people with disabilities can spend time out of their own homes for one, two, three nights even up to 60 days.  This gives caregivers a break as well as the person who needs care a break.  It offers a temporary placement within their community.  ASH would like the grant money so they can fix up the property to meet this need.  ASH has been in business since 1982 with 26 full time employees paid at a living wage with full medically and dental benefits.  This project would create 9 full time positions.

 

Funding will be provided primarily through creative supports and the state of Oregon. They will also be opening up beds for private pay.  Their goal is to have the project completed by the end of the year and then hire a staff and open the doors by March 15th of 2011. 

 

Discussion and questions -

If you don’t get the funds will this project not go forward? 

            It would not be easy but they will still try to make it happen. They would need to find other        places to get the funds.

 

Graham/Billin m/s that we approve (this presentation) with the caveat that if another proposal comes in before the deadline we will reconvene with a public hearing to hear that proposal but if we don’t get another one in forget it.  Roll Call Vote:  Billin, Ayars, Graham and Benjamin, Yes.  Motion passed

 

Public Hearing-Draft Consolidated Plan Review

The Consolidated plan is a document that needs to be drafted every five years for the City to continue to receive Community Development Block Grant Funds.  The Consolidated plan has to encompass all activities that CDBG could undertake although the City does not intend to undertake all the activities that are eligible for CDBG funding. 

 

Reid reviewed how the City did with the goals previously and what the new goals are.  Out of the focus group meeting there were three priority goals. 

1.      Affordable and Workforce Housing

2.      Homeless, At-Risk and Special Needs Populations

3.      Economic and Community Development

 

Reid commented that a one item she found to be quite interesting was that the percentage of families and individuals in poverty is greater in Ashland then it is in Jackson County, in the State of Oregon as well as the United States as a whole.  The percentage is higher here then the national average. Our community has a lot more needs then people realize, stated Reid.

 

The Commissioners congratulated Reid on a job well done with the Consolidated Plan.

 

Billin/Graham m/s to recommend approval of the 2010-2014 Consolidated Plan. Roll Call Vote:  Billin, Ayars, Graham and Benjamin, Yes.  Motion passed

 

Hunger and Homelessness Forum Report

Hauck thanked Regina for stepping in for him as he had other obligations and was not able to attend the forum. Ayars reported that approximately forty people attended mostly students, homeless people and stake holders in the community.  They had a panel consisting of the woman who started the food bank, the man who started the Ashland food project, Jody Waters a professor at SOU who teaches homeless and hunger class, Ayars, the Mayor and a man living at the Gospel Mission. 

 

Regina shared that the Housing Commission’s role is prevention of homelessness by promoting affordable housing.  Two communities of homeless people were present, those who choose homelessness as a life style and those who do not choose homelessness.  The students who organized this did a really good job said Ayars though she was not sure what is going to happen with the information.  Oregon has the highest concentration of homeless population of all states, one in every 250 stated Reid. 

 

Subcommittee Discussion

This discussion was moved to next month’s meeting. Regina will not be present at next month’s meeting and will turn in a written report. 

 

April 22nd 2010 Meeting Agenda Items and Quorum Check

Regina will not be present.

 

Upcoming Events and Meetings

April 20th 2010 7PM City Council Meeting-CDBG Program Award

April 20th 2010 7PM City Council Meeting-Consolidated Plan Public Hearing

April 22nd 2010 4:30-6:30 PM Thursday Regular Housing Meeting

 

ADJOURNMENT - The meeting was adjourned at 6:35 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted by,

Carolyn Schwendener

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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