HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-01-26 Housing & Human Services MIN
Ashland Housing and Human Services Commission
Minutes
January 26, 2023
Call to Order
Chair Linda Reppond called the meeting to order at 4:00 pm.
Commissioners Council Liaison
Rich Rohde Gina Duquenne ABSENT
Echo Fields / Vice-Chair Bob Kaplan
#3 vacant SOU Liaison
Linda Reppond / Chair Reese Rosenburg ABSENT
Joy Fate
Kathy Kali Staff Present:
Heidi Parker Linda Reid, Housing Program Specialist
#9 vacant Brandon Goldman, Planning Manager
Joe Lessard, City Manager
Approval of Minutes
Committee members Echo Fields and Joy Fate m/s to approve the minutes of October 27, 2022.
Voice Vote: All Ayes. Motion passed.
Public Forum - None
Severe Weather Shelter Update and Discussion 4:13p-5:05pm
Joy Fate provided a correction to staff and the Committee regarding the address for the emergency shelter that was
posted on the City’s website. Fate clarified that the address for the church building where the shelter is located,
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(which is the parsonage) is located at 48 Fifth Street, rather than the Church itself, whose address is 599 E. Main.
City staff clarified that the shelter will be operated on an as needed basis by Options for Helping Residents of
Ashland from now through the end of March.
Joe Lessard gave a presentation on the current situation of our city’s emergency shelter plans for the rest of the
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year. After March 31 no services or locations are contracted to be used for emergency shelter.15 locations are
being considered along the transit line with personal services that are nearby. He will present at least 3 options to the
City council on February 7, 2023.
Rich Rohde discussed the OHRA contract and his concerns. OHRA is getting $1900/night. Would like updates from
Avram in regard to their experiences and the demands on staff (whether paid or not).
Linda Reppond discussed the topic of Transitional housing and her concerns of devoting all $1 million to emergency
shelter.
Kathy Kali voiced her concerns with utilizing all the City’s available funding for short term solutions to homelessness
rather than for workforce/affordable housing for which there is also a great need.
Joe Lessard responded to LR and KK concerns by stating that from his point of view the City’s main responsibility is
to address the issue of a location for holding emergency shelter as the provision of emergency shelter during severe
weather events is a “life or death situation, so the emergency shelter is priority”. This topic will be the focus at the
council meeting on February 7th. (4:48)
Joe Lessard and Joy Fate will coordinate on Monday January 30 to conduct a walk through together at the
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emergency shelter located at 48 Fifth Street.
Strategic Goal Review and Discussion
Linda Reid discussed a partnership with SERJAC on trainings that correspond to the City’s annual goals identified in
the 2020 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice. The Committee would like to hold an additional
educational event that addresses one of the identified strategic goals.
Linda Reid also pointed out that several of the goals identified by the Committee for the current year correspond with
action steps identified in the Housing Production Strategy Document. Reid will send out the draft of Housing
Production Strategy that does not yet have an executive summary so that the Committee will have more time to look
it over before next month’s meeting when they will be asked for any final feedback and a recommendation from the
commission.
Echo Fields moved to adopt the goals for the year from the 2022 December goal setting retreat and Rich Rhode
seconded it. (5:14pm)
Brandon Goldman announced that Committee appointments are scheduled for Feb 7, the committee currently has
three open positions to fill, and four applicants who have submitted applications.
Bob Kaplan has expressed and interest in becoming the new Council Liaison to the Committee. Kaplan expressed
an interest in one of the Committee’s strategic goals related to education for landlords and rental property owners.
Kaplan and other committee members agreed that they would like to add this as an agenda item to a future meeting.
Reid stated that there would be time for such a discussion in April.
Linda Reppond- “Motion to adopt the goals as listed.” Motion was passed unanimously.
City Council Presentation Review and Updates
Reid let the Committee members know that a new date has been set for the Committee’s annual
presentation to the Council which usually takes place in November, but which was removed from the
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November agenda. The presentation is scheduled for the City Council Study Session on February 6.
Echo and Linda Reid will create a PowerPoint next week to be used by the presenters. Fields, who had originally
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agreed to present, will not be able to present to the Council on February 6. Rohde, volunteered to present along
with Committee Chair Reppond.
Brandon Goldman informed the committee of the climate friendly event coming up on Feb.2 (5:43pm)
Liaison Reports
Council (Gina Duquenne)-Absent
SOU (Reese Rosenburg)-Absent
Staff (Linda Reid)-This week is the annual HUD Point in Time Count which started on Monday. The Committee
discussed street counts and surveys. Joy Fate would like to volunteer and take surveys for future counts. The
Governor has passed a couple Executive Orders that address Affordable Housing and Homelessness, one of the
Orders identifies local Continuums of Care as the method for distributing funding. Reid provided a brief explanation
of the Jackson County Continuum of Care. (5:31pm)
Next Housing Commission Regular Meeting
February 23, 2023, Joy will not be available to attend February’s meeting. The Committee is scheduled to hear a
presentation on the Draft Housing Production Strategy. Reid will create a memo that provides an overview of the
draft document, and a breakdown of the proposed action steps.
Adjournment: Linda Reppond adjourned the meeting at 5:48p.m.
Respectfully submitted by Kendall Escuin