Housing Commission

MINUTES HOUSING COMMISSION PURPOSE OF MEETING: The five-member Commission is appointed by the City Council for three- year terms. The Housing Commission maintains awareness of housing needs and opportunities, including affordable housing; proposes housing policy initiatives and changes; investigates fair housing complaints and conciliates these complaints; mediates conflicts relating to the Virginia Residential Landlord & Tenant Act and offers reconciliatory services in conflicts relating to other housing laws. DATE OF MEETING: June 14th, 2016 PLACE OF MEETING: Winter Hill Apartments MEETING CALLED TO ORDER BY: Chairman Idrobo at 6:25 p.m. THOSE PRESENT: Commission Members Staff Julio Idrobo, Chair ___X__ Dana Lewis __X_ Tori McKinney Vice Chair __X__ Roxana Kazemi __X__ M.T. Gutmanis __X___ Council Liaison Tommy Goodwin __X___ Mary Beth Connelly – Council Liaison _ _ Don Brobst _____ Letty Hardi – Council ___X__ Phil Duncan - Council___ __ FCHC Liaison _ Planning Commission Liaison Thom Vaccaro___X___ Lindy Hockenberry ______X___ Emily Crow ___X____ Commission Meeting Approval of Minutes: Minutes of June 14, 2016 were approved. Old Business • Miller House - Lincoln Tour & Update Overview - Staff Lewis → Letty talked about the visit • Community Forum Preparation – Chair Idrobo and Staff Lewis New Business • Summer schedule and Northgate ADU Lottery for July– Chair Idrobo • New Intern Roxana Kazemi (HHS) and Emily Crow (FCHC) – Introductions were made • ADU lottery will be on July 19th at 7PM. We will skip August meeting, meet July 19th at 6PM, before the lottery. • Mulling of eminent domain for the comprehensive plan → to be discussed more in debt at the next meeting. Councilman Hardi shared that this is probably not going to happen. The News press was incorrect. Commissioner Goodwin wants to discuss at a later date and is concerned. Commission will make a statement regarding the plan. • M.T.: Miller house, pool open air is on, still having problems with elevator • Letty: 6/18 the City incites community members to come out and participate in a Visioning plan at the Falls Church • We want more participation from the community → what do they think? What do they need? How do they envision the city in the next ten years? • What questions would everyone like to see on the housing survey? → will email Dana their ideas, then HHS will send everyone the final draft before it goes out Community Housing Forum Comprehensive Plan – Housing Chapter – Facilitated by Staff Lewis Attendance: 13 people • Housing Progress Against Goals developed in 2005 • Where Are We headed – Trends in Regional and City Demographic and Housing  • Community Feedback on Housing Priorities - *add how many affordable housing units we had in 2005, what we have now, what we hope to have down the line to presentation* • A senior resident said that Winter Hill is well designed but that City rents are too expensive • A mother of a disabled adult concerned about affordable housing, assisted living available for her child Discussion: • Falls Church is not inclusive. The people who are the backbone of this city can’t live here. • Data proves we aren’t inclusive. But what do you all think we can do? • What happens if we ask developers to set aside more ADU units? Will they still develop in Falls Church? I’m worried for our disabled population- people like my child. Will she have to live with me forever? What if I can’t take care of her anyone? Will I have to ship her off somewhere? I want more nonprofit development! • Woman who is a social worker: What if you’re too “rich” to qualify for social services, but too poor to keep living here? What do people like me do? Can’t we do something? I want to be able to live where I want- not where there are just ADUs or tax credit properties. Maybe we need to review applications more on a case by case basis. • Consensus of room: it isn’t fair that people who work here can’t afford to live here. It isn’t fair that people can’t afford to live here if they aren’t of a certain socioeconomic status- that’s not inclusive. • Falls Church is convenient for seniors. We cannot sacrifice public transportation. We can always use more. Public transportation = more convenient for people, especially seniors. I want this to feel like a “hometown”. • None of these units in Winter Hill are upgraded where someone with any disability, or who needs any kind of day to day help, (no matter what degree of help), can live in any unit. Right now, at most, maybe they can live on the first floor. But what if that isn’t available? They can’t live here then. What do they do? Names of Attendees, all City of Falls Church residents 1. Thong Do, 5714265258 2. Gduyen Nguyen, 7035311487 3. Rosila Espirila, 5714353816 4. Ok Mi Pak, 7032375069 5. Julie Quach, 5716208578 6. Kathleen Luisa, 7035365706 7. Irvin and Alice Coleman, 7038615960 8. Brenda Joan Buchly, 7035324260 9. Javier Guevara, 5714054988 SIGNATURE OF RECORDER: ___Roxana Kazemi __ ______ City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. 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