Housing Commission

12/8/2022 - Minutes I. Call to Order Members Present: Anna Wageling, Robert Millar, Jack Commo, Leslie Black-Plummeau, Jessica Bridge City Staff Present: Elaine Wang, Bruce Palmer, Jim Duncan, John Audy Meeting Start Time: 6:35 PM Minutes Recorded by: Anna Wageling II. Agenda Review III. Public Comment None IV. Approve Previous Meeting Minutes Decision: Approved Motion by: Robert Second: Anna, Jessica Notes: Two minor typos V. City Council Updates l budget meeting on Monday, lots of pressure from various sources l Next week is community services, then public work, public safety, etc. l Proposed cuts: housing director hours cut by ten hours, some shifting in council VI. City Updates Included in agenda VII. Executive Session: Review of Application 002 for Down Payment Assistance Program (DPA) l Leslie motion, Anna second at 6:41 PM entered into ES l Robert motion, Jessica, Leslie, 6:48 PM left ES VIII. Recommendation to City Council Regarding DPA Application 002 Leslie moves that we recommend to approve the application in the amount requested of $5000. Jack seconds IX. Housing Trust Fund Guideline Updates  Leslie moves that we recommend to approve the application in the amount requested of $5000. Jack seconds IX. Housing Trust Fund Guideline Updates Elaine had meeting with loan manager and CEO of Opportunities. Their point was that many programs are helping with down payments and ours is not a high amount. Their suggestion is to consider interest rate buy down. Their suggestion is $5000 would make a difference ($1000 would not). Jessica: would like to hear directly from Opportunities. Would like to see how that translates into the mortgage calculation and it would be best explained by a lender. Leslie: looking at the data, there were only 28 homes sold in Winooski in the first 6 months, and some people would not qualify for this program, so the numbers are not too bad X. Timeline for Other Activities l Just Cause Evictions: legal language that fits the charter l Specific data around Winooski: hard to extract some of the specific data l Additional information around city’s responsibilities are and worker/hour (finances) l Can review the petition next meeting l requirements for rental deposits be held in interest-bearing accounts l relatively easy for us to recommend l exploring putting limits on security deposits l Brattleboro tried last year and it did not go through l try to establish a housing board of review l concern: it would be a lot of staff time that we do not have l could be an opportunity to collaborate with Burlington? l might not be made up of Burlington residents XI. Public Building Registry (Housing Quality Ordinance): Overview of Chapter 17 Public Building Registry in the City Ordinances; Review of Staff-Recommended Changes First, recognition to WFD staff for hard work this weekend with two fires. 1. Staffed on a 4-year cycle currently Could recommend to council to increase staff numbers to accommodate 2. Exclusion on inspections: do city staff have to be HUD certified? What is the easier leap and how do we close that gap? Discussions have been out there Cross training might solve more issues, level playing field, etc. 3. Owner-occupied: also protecting tenant Owner might feel it is punitive, but overall improves level of safety Consideration: not a life safety issue and in owner portion, some leniency? 4. Issuance of Certificates: l determining what is minor is putting a lot of liability on staff l Winooski complaint form: important to spread the link so more people are using it when there is an issue  4. Issuance of Certificates: l determining what is minor is putting a lot of liability on staff l Winooski complaint form: important to spread the link so more people are using it when there is an issue l conditional certificate of fitness: another liability for staff l fee: don’t want the fee to be the easy way out of it is low—double each time? Look at noise complaints/city ordinances for fee guidance. OR no shows, shows up with no keys, etc. XII. Housing Initiative Director Update l the extra ten hours would be difficult with how the budget is looking l 30 hours is considered FT l difference: ~$27,000 l total is $109,000- maybe benefits are scaled? XIII. Discussion of Next Meeting Dates One three-hour meeting in January on Tuesday or Thursday. XIV. Adjourn Motion by: Robert Second: Jessica, Jack Meeting End Time: 8:33 PM