HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-01-27 Housing & Human Services MIN
Ashland Housing and Human Services Commission
Minutes
January 27, 2022
Call to Order
Commission Co-Chair Linda Reppond called the Zoom meeting to order at 4:02pm.
Commissioners Council Liaison
Rich Rohde Gina Duquenne
Echo Fields
Leda Shapiro Absent SOU Liaison
Linda Reppond Reese Rosenburg
Joy Fate Absent
Kathy Kali Staff Present:
Heidi Parker Linda Reid, Housing Program Specialist
Chris Mahan Liz Hamilton, Permit Technician
Jackie Bachman
Approval of Minutes
Commissioners Jackie Bachman / Echo Fields m/s to approve the minutes of November
18, 2021. Voice Vote: All Ayes. Motion passed
Public Forum - None
CDBG and AHTF Grants Schedule Update
Linda Reid gives a brief overview of this schedule.
Severe Weather Shelter Debrief
rd
Linda Reid update: Emergency shelter opened from December 13 – 20 and again December 23 – January 3
for inclement weather. The lowest amount of people housed was 12 and the maximum was 35 people. It took 8-
10 volunteers each day. The largest issue was the amount of donations left that needed to be removed when the
shelter closed.
Echo Fields update: need more organization on volunteers. Need policy for pets.
Rich Rohde updated that 116 people died in Oregon due to this weather event and Ashland had 0.
Severe Weather Shelter Recommendations Finalization
Linda Reid, presents the Policy recommendations that HHSC wants to present to the City council.
Commissioners discuss what temperature numbers should be used as a threshold for Emergency shelter to be
opened.
Commissioners Jackie Bachman / Rich Rohde m/s to approve the Severe Climate Event
Policy Recommendations with changes discussed in this meeting January 27, 2022.
Voice Vote: All Ayes. Motion passed
Strategic Goal Review and Discussion
2022 Goals for Housing and Human Services Commission
Emergency Shelter,
o Move the Severe Weather Shelter recommendations/resolution forward to adoption
o Establish a location for emergency shelter,
o Establish a coordinator for the shelter-dedicated funding
o Build Cooperation and systems of communication at both the executive and operational levels.
Workforce Housing:
o Ask Brandon to educate the Commission on the UBG expansion process
o Promote capacity building and encourage new workforce housing partnerships
o Work with SOU on potential housing opportunities on identified surplus properties
o Increase capacity for more mobile home parks
o Barrier Removal/to promote infill housing and group housing options
Food Resources: (lower priority)
o Address the need for a commercial kitchen in Ashland
The Commission discusses what items to add to goal setting for 2022.
Linda Reid summarizes the additions as:
Under Work Force Housing, Environmental challenges, changing from Natural Gas to Electric, exploring
incentives and looking at the environmental impact on housing such as thru a Triple Bottom line review,
and finally looking at the impact of water resources of new developments. Moving the HPS process thru
to council
Under a new heading doing a better job of PR around the work that the city and commission are working
on and what has been accomplished. CDBG and AHTF allocations.
Listening and tabling sessions around rent burden events
Commissioners Echo Fields / Chris Mahan m/s to accept the Priorities and Goals of the
Housing and Human Services Commission as discussed in this meeting January 27,
2022. Voice Vote: All Ayes. Motion passed
Committee to Protect Ashland’s Mobile Home Parks Letter Review and Discussion
Cynthia Dettman out lined who is on this committee and what challenges mobile homeowners face. Work Group
of Rich Rohde and Kathy Kali to work with Committee to Protect Ashland’s Mobile Home parks.
Liaison Reports
Council / Gina Duquenne – A survey by Ashland regarding the general fund and how to spend funds will be
going out soon.
SOU Liaison / Reese Rosenburg – Gives feedback that college age students struggle to find affordable and
available rentable units. Disproportional amount of retirement age in Ashland. College age not accounted for in
many housing surveys. Would like the SOU Farm food to be used for shelters. Incentivizing SOU volunteers with
practicum and other things other than cash.
SOU Program Report / Chris Mahan – reports new SOU President Rick Bailey.
Staff Liaison / Linda Reid – this week is the point in time count of the homeless for HUD requirements.
Echo Fields reports on Rent Burden event from Medford. Content very similar to what Ashland does.
Upcoming Regular Meeting for Housing Commission
February 24, 2022
Adjournment: adjourned the meeting at 6:10p.m.
Respectfully submitted by Liz Hamilton