Housing Authority

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE NORWICH HOUSING AUTHORITY HELD WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2021 The Board of Commissioners (“Board”) of the Norwich Housing Authority (“Authority”) met in regular session at the Westwood Park Community Room, 10 Westwood Park, Norwich, Connecticut, at 4:30 PM, Wednesday, August 11, 2021. I. Roll Call Chairman Bergren called the meeting to order at 4:30 PM and the following answered present: Benjamin Lathrop Mary Ellen Lunt Frances Patterson Alan Bergren Wilma Sullivan was excused. Also present were Jeffrey S. Arn, Executive Director, and Joanne M. Drag, Deputy Executive Director/Finance Director. Chairman Bergren asked for a moment of silence to remember former Commissioner Marion Garfield Rucker, Jr. who died on July 28, 2021. Commissioner Rucker served on the Board from 2003 through 2020. Ms. Patterson moved and Ms. Lunt seconded the motion to suspend the rules to add two communications and three resolutions to the agenda. Motion carried unanimously. Ms. Lunt moved and Ms. Patterson seconded the motion to add the following items to the regular scheduled agenda: III. Communications E. Letter dated August 10, 2021, from Damoy Porteous, Intern Architect, Capital Studio Architects, regarding the Bid Review for the Floor Replacement at the Dorsey Building. F. Schedule B - FY 2022 HUD Fair Market Rents effective October 1, 2021. VI. New Business C. Resolution R-21-08-1575 to award the Dorsey Building–Flooring Replacement Hallways and Stairwells project. D. Resolution R-21-08-1576 to approve the Housing Choice Voucher Program Payment Standards effective October 1, 2021. E. Resolution R-21-08-1577 to approve the Federal Flat Rent schedule to be effective October 1, 2021. Minutes of the Norwich Housing Authority – August 11, 2021 page 2 Motion carried unanimously. Chairman Bergren resumed the agenda order. II. Minutes A. Ms. Patterson moved and Ms. Lunt seconded the motion to adopt the minutes of the regular meeting held on July 14, 2021. Motion carried unanimously. III. Communications A. Community Comment / Public Comment – Ellen Austin, Rosewood Manor – Apartment 70, 335 Hamilton Avenue, Norwich, addressed the Board regarding the ductless split heating and cooling unit in her apartment, the exterior lighting on the building and the sidewalk / patio area adjacent to her apartment. Chairman Bergren noted that her questions and concerns would be answered by the Executive Director and staff. B. Letter dated July 5, 2021 from David Demchak, President and CEO, CIRMA, regarding CIRMA Members’ Equity Distribution check. Ms. Drag noted that this funding is used to support the Federal Resident Services Program. C. State of Connecticut Department of Housing - Notice: DOH 2022-001; Distribution Date: July 15, 2021; regarding resident participation in the Elderly Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). Mr. Arn noted that currently, when a resident living in a State elderly unit moves out who had been receiving ERAP assistance, the funds could not be allocated to another resident in need. This Notice would now allow the Authority to reallocate the funds to another resident. D. Norwich Housing Authority Policy Addition from Jeffrey Arn, Executive Director, regarding resident participation in the State of Connecticut Department of Housing, Elderly Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). Mr. Arn reviewed the Policy Addition with the Board regarding the ERAP program. A new participant in the ERAP would be selected from among all current residents living in the State elderly complexes who has the greatest financial need. E. Letter dated August 10, 2021, from Damoy Porteous, Intern Architect, Capital Studio Architects, regarding the Bid Review for the Floor Replacement at the Dorsey Building. Mr. Arn reviewed the letter with the Board and noted that B-T Tile & Carpet Company was a local vendor. F. Schedule B - FY 2022 HUD Fair Market Rents effective October 1, 2021. Mr. Arn noted that HUD publishes the Fair Market Rents annually and that those rents are used to set the Federal Flat Rents and Housing Choice Voucher Payment Standards. Minutes of the Norwich Housing Authority – August 11, 2021 page 3 Ms. Patterson moved and Ms. Lunt seconded the motion to receive Communications B. through F. Motion carried unanimously. IV. Report of the Executive Director A. Bills – Mr. Lathrop moved and Ms. Patterson seconded the motion to approve the bills for July 2021. Motion carried unanimously. B. Vacancy Reports – Mr. Arn noted that the Authority had 29 vacancies as of August 3, 2021 and that 10 units were leased in June. C. Modernization Report - John Mainville, Modernization Coordinator, prepared the report. Mr. Arn reviewed the same with the Board. Capital Studio Architects designed the plans and specs for the Dorsey Building Flooring Replacement - Hallways and Laundry Rooms project. There was a pre-bid walk-through on July 15th and a bid opening was held on July 22nd. A resolution is on the agenda to award the project. A future project will be to add cameras in the Dorsey Building hallways and laundry rooms to provide more security. A grant application had been submitted for the Sunset Park renovation project and a reduced scope of work cost estimate has been compiled. Meetings have been held with the State of Connecticut Department of Housing and the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority. The City Council met on June 6th and awarded the Community Development Block Grant Program Year 47 funding for $150,000.00 for the Rosewood Manor Roof/Gutter replacement project - Phase I. D. Housing Choice Voucher Portfolio Reports - As of August 1, 2021, the total portfolio was 485 Housing Choice Vouchers. E. Procurement Log – No items were listed on the August 4, 2021 procurement log. F. Other items – Mr. Arn noted that the 23rd Annual ConnNAHRO Conference will be held at the Mohegan Sun on August 23 – 24, 2021. Ms. Patterson moved and Ms. Lunt seconded the motion to receive items B. through F. above. Motion carried unanimously. V. Unfinished Business None. Minutes of the Norwich Housing Authority – August 11, 2021 page 4 VI. New Business A. Mr. Lathrop moved to adopt Resolution R-21-08-1573 to accept a Members’ Equity Distribution check from CIRMA for the Federal Resident Services Program. Ms. Patterson seconded the motion. Roll call vote: Ayes – Lathrop, Lunt, Patterson, Bergren Nays - None Motion carried unanimously. B. Ms. Patterson moved to adopt Resolution R-21-08-1574 regarding a policy for continued resident participation in the State of Connecticut Department of Housing Elderly Rental Assistant Program (ERAP). Ms. Lunt seconded the motion. Roll call vote: Ayes – Lathrop, Lunt, Patterson, Bergren Nays - None Motion carried unanimously. C. Mr. Lathrop moved to adopt Resolution R-21-08-1575 to award the Dorsey Building – Flooring Replacement Hallways and Stairwells project to B-T Tile & Carpet Company. Ms. Patterson seconded the motion. Roll call vote: Ayes – Lathrop, Lunt, Patterson, Bergren Nays - None Motion carried unanimously. D. Mr. Lathrop moved to adopt Resolution R-21-08-1576 to approve the Housing Choice Voucher Program Payment Standards effective October 1, 2021. Ms. Patterson seconded the motion. Roll call vote: Ayes – Lathrop, Lunt, Patterson, Bergren Nays - None Motion carried unanimously. Minutes of the Norwich Housing Authority – August 11, 2021 page 5 E. Mr. Lathrop moved to adopt Resolution R-21-08-1577 to approve the Federal Flat Rent schedule to be effective October 1, 2021. Ms. Patterson seconded the motion. Roll call vote: Ayes – Lathrop, Lunt, Patterson, Bergren Nays - None Motion carried unanimously. D. Commission Members E. Other VII. Executive Session No executive session was held. VIII. Adjournment There being no further business to discuss, Ms. Patterson moved and Ms. Lunt seconded the motion that the meeting be adjourned. Motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 5:30 PM. Respectfully submitted, Jeffrey S. Arn Executive Director Minutes approved on September 8, 2021 Alan H. Bergren Chairman