HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-06-25 Housing & Human Services MIN
Ashland Housing and Human Services Commission
Minutes June 25,2015
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Boettigercalled the meeting to order at 4:30 pmin the Siskiyou Room at the Community Development and
Engineering Offices located at 51 Winburn Way, Ashland OR 97520.
Commissioners Present:
Council Liaison
Joshua Boettiger Pam Marsh
Rich Rohde
SOU Liaison
Heidi Parker
Vacant
Sue Crader
Regina Ayars
Staff Present:
CommissionersAbsent:
Linda Reid, Housing Specialist
Carolyn Schwendener, Admin
Gina DuQuenne
Assistant
Coriann Matthews
Connie Saldana
Approval of Minutes
Rohde/Parkerm/sapproval of minutes of the May 28,2015Housing and Human Services Commission meeting
with one adjustment.Voice Vote: motion passed unanimously; minutes were approved as presented.
Public Forum
HuelzGutchen,who lives at Ashland Wellsprings, introduced himself. He handed out his prospectus to the
Commissioners. See Exhibit A at the end of the minutes. Huelzshared he would like to have Bill Molnar the
Community Development Director’s job. Huelz read to the Commissioners a portion of his prospectus explaining
the importance of understanding the transportation safety index.
Evan Peck introduced himself and is interested in the vacancy on the Housing & Human Services Commission.He
was present to observe the meeting.
th
July 20Housing Trust Fund Study Session Discussion
Reid included in the packet a memo with information the subcommittee had put together regarding the Housing
Trust Fund. The Commissioners made a few changes to the document and Reid will forward it on to the City
Administrator who is putting together the Study Session Communication. The City Council meeting is scheduled
for July 20, 2015 and Boettiger confirmed he is available to speak to the Council at that meeting. Some of the other
Commissioners will also be able to attend. Reid will make the changes and email it out to the Commissioners
along with the original Housing Trust Fund Ordinance.
Rental Registry Discussion
Ayars explained that after receiving the solicitation from the City to register her rental units she went into the City
Business office to do so. It appeared to her that the staff was not familiar with the form and the form itself did not
speakto people that have Single Family homes as rentals. The form seems designed more for property owners
with apartments, stated Ayars. Consequently she had trouble filling it out.
Ayars proposed a few questions to the Commissioners; “Where is the information we are collecting? Where is it
going and what are we going to do with the information?” Reid explained that the regular business license stays
with the utility billing department. The supplemental piece gets scanned along with the business license and is
given to Reid. Reid enters the information into the spreadsheet she included in the Commissioners packet. The
information provided gives us an idea of how many units, how many bedrooms and contact information, said Reid.
This gives the City the ability to do a mail merge with any educational information we might have to offer. Reid
made the observation that most of the forms she received were renewals very few were new people with two to
four units.
Ayars asked “How do we raise visibility of this process being it’s new to the City? It’s not touching the new people“.
(GIS)
Reid commented that the Finance Departmentis working with the City’s Geographical Information Systems
department to do a targetedmailing to those property owners who have more than one unit. This is a little
challenging since this does not guarantee their units are rentals. It was suggested to get a mailing out to the
rental property mangers informing them of the change with the registry to include two to four units.
Election of New Officers
The Commissioners expressed their desire to keep the current leadership of the Commission for the coming year.
Rohde/Crader m/s to nominate our current officers for another one year term. Voice Vote: All ayes motion
passed.
Social Services Grant Debrief and Next Steps
Reid thanked Marsh for her kind words about the Commission and their grant evaluation process at the City
Council meeting. Marsh reviewed the Council’s decision for the disbursement of funds for the Social Service
Grant Money. The Council made a motion to take $3,000 from the Resource Center and put it towards the Rose
Circle. This motion passed.Another motion was made to take $12,000 from the Resource Center and St. Vincent
DePaul and put towards the Health Center. This motion failed.
Marsh thought the Commission did a great job focusing on the priority areas in which they had designated. Marsh
recognized the Commissions accomplishments over the last year commenting they have laid a great foundationfor
the coming year.
The Commissioners briefly discussed the Social Service Grant process and expressed their satisfaction in how it
all turned out. They did acknowledge that changes could take placein the coming years and would like to put this
topic on their retreat or at the August meeting. It was suggested to have sub committees to work on four key
elements and bring a report back to thefull Commission. Those key elements are;timeline, application,
questions,and reporting requirements.
One of the concerns surroundingthe process was the possibility that some of the Commissioners would have to
recuesthemselvesdue to a conflict of interestand there wouldn’t be enough voting members. Reid offered to
speak with City Recorder Barbara Christensen and invite her to the next meeting. Ms. Christensen would be able
to explainthe City’s MunicipalCode of Ethics. This would help the Commission be clear on when and who must
recuesthemselves when a motion is being made.
Student Fair Housing Issue Next Steps
This agenda item was moved to the August meeting. Reid will be meeting with Megan, the potential student
liaison, and invite her to attend a futuremeeting.
Liaison Reports
Marsh reported on the property located at 321 Clay Street. The application was for the removal of a Cottonwood
Tree in order for an affordable housing complex to be built by the Housing Authority of Jackson County. Both the
Tree Commission and the Planning Commission recommended denial to the Council. This application will be on
the August Council Agenda. The Commissioners expressed their concern that with all the publicity surrounding
the tree no one approached the Housing Commission inquiring about theirthoughts on the need for affordable
housing within our City. The Commissioners recognized this shows whatlittle visibility they have in the
Community. Put this topic on next month’smeeting to discuss drafting a potential statementin support of
affordable housing that highlight the communities housing needs.Also discuss ways on how to educate and offer
outreach to the Community.
July 23, 2015 Meeting Agenda Items
Boettiger received a call from Lee Madsen, Director of the Ashland Community Resource Center,he is concerned
about the police issuing citations around overnight car camping.Parker remarked that the Homeless Steering
Committee has discussed the need for an area for car camping as many people sleep in their car. Put on next
month’s agenda and Reid will invite someone from the Police Departmentto attend next month’s meetingto
discuss this issue.
Quorum Check:
Next Housing Commission Meeting –4:30-6:30 PM; July 23,2015
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 6:15p.m.
Respectfully submitted by Carolyn Schwendener