Commission on Aging

WHEATON HOUSING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES REGULAR MEETING December 10, 2015 The regular meeting of the Wheaton Housing Commission was held in the Gamon Room, Wheaton City Hall, at 303 W. Wesley Street, Wheaton, Illinois. The meeting was called to order at 7:07 p.m. on Thursday, December 10, 2015 by Housing Commission Chair, Thomas Hudock. Present: Absent: Stuart Johnson Thomas Hudock Jeannie Iseman Jan Kay Mike Rybinski Robert Willock William Gilbertson Chris Ellerman Nancy Harding Andrea Petti Raj Salgia Joe Kreidl - City of Wheaton Special Guests: none Public Comment: none. Approval of Minutes: Commissioner Willock moved and Commissioner Gilbertson seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the November 12, 2015 meeting. Motion carried unanimously. Communications: ● 2015/2016 Housing Assistance Summary - updated of 12/2015 ● Copy of Regular Meeting Agenda for December 10, 2015 ● Copy of Wheaton Housing Commission Meeting Minutes Regular Meeting - November 12, 2015 ● 2016-2017 Wheaton Housing Assistance Application (DRAFT) Old Business: Commissioner Hudock wanted to follow up on updates from the city’s response to any collaborative efforts with the DuPage Habitat for Humanity. Representative Kreidl does not have an update as of yet. The organization sent additional brochures for the “Brush with kindness” program electronically, which are available for all commissioners to use to support their clients. 1 New Business: Commissioner Hudock would like to submit the current 2015/2016 Housing Assistance Summary (particularly the waiting list) to the city council. Commissioner Hudock will ask Lindsay to submit this for their next council meeting in their communications. City Executive Assistant Qualkenbush submitted the 2016-2017 housing application for review and comment. The commission has stated the following: 1. Commissioner Ellerman mentioned that one of the changes includes an “applicant signature” on page 3 of the Wheaton Housing Assistance Interview Form. This should be removed from the assessment, because the commissioners would not like this section shown to the applicants. 2. Commissioner Rybinski would like more detail on the “overall appraisal of the applicants need”: reasonably comfortable; could use assistance; needy; very needy. Commissioner Ellerman recommends the boxes to be eliminated, and more objective identifiers should be used. Commissioner Petti recommends more categorization, perhaps state of dwelling, overall well-being, overall cleanliness. 3. Commissioner Harding does not like the wording of “FINAL REVIEW”. She recommends “additional comments”. 4. Commissioner Salgia recommends that everything should remain in regular font (not bold) for Section 2 - applicant income verification. 5. In FINAL REVIEW, Commissioner Ellerman recommends that Instead of “Actions to be taken by the city”, should be two points - “Recommendations for financial assistance, Other Recommendations”. 6. Commissioner Ellerman mentioned that the application should ask whether the applicant receives any DHA, Section 8, or other federal housing assistance, in order that the commission can eliminate that applicant. Regarding the budget letter sent to Don Rose, Commissioner Kay expressed concern and caution with the current budget constraints in the city and the state. The current budget letter expressed a request for a 9% increase, or $9,000 in the current housing commission budget to expand the support for the current waiting list applicants. Commissioner Hudock mentioned that if the city manager will consider an increase, the Commission Chair will be invited to attend a fiscal budget meeting. Commissioner Ellerman wanted clarification on the current 2015/2016 Housing Assistance Waiting List and Interested Applicants. Commissioner Hudock clarified that those individuals that did not make the cut off for the late application timeframe this summer would be provided applications for the 2016/2017 year. Commissioner Hudock reviewed the 2016 meeting schedule, being the second Thursday of the month through May, and October through December. When asked if the commission would like any additional meetings, the commission unanimously agreed to keeping the same schedule. Special Recognition: none. Discussion of Next Meeting Agenda: The Commission will meet next on January 14, 2016. 2 Adjournment: Commissioner Rybinski motioned to adjourn the meeting at 8:15 p.m.; Commissioner Willock seconded the motion and it carried unanimously. 3