HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-10-22 Housing & Human Services PACKET
Ashland Housing and Human
Services Commission
Regular Meeting Agenda
October 22,2020:4:00–5:30pm
Siskiyou Room of the Community Development Building
51 Winburn Way
1.(4:00)Approval of Minutes (5 min)
September 24, 2020
2.(4:05)Public Forum (5 min)
3.(4:10)Affordable Housing Trust Fund and CDBG Award Update(5min)
Linda Reid, Housing Program Specialist
4.(4:15)Homeless Covid Response Update(10min)
Linda Reid, Housing Program Specialist
5.(4:25)Cohoots Program Progress Updateand Discussion(20min)
Rich Rohde, Commission Chair
6. (4:35)November and December Meeting Schedule Discussion(20 min)
Linda Reid, Housing Program Specialist
7.(4:55)Discussion about Council’s Social Equity Resolution (20 min)
8. (5:15)General Announcements and Updates (15min)
9.(5:30)Upcoming Eventsand Meetings
Next Housing Commission Reglar Meeting
TBD
10.(5:30)Adjournment
Written testimony from the public will be accepted via email tolinda.reid@ashland.or.us
for both general public forum items and agenda items. Written testimonies submitted by
th
the public by 10:00a.m. on Wednesday May 27will be available to the Housing and
Human Services Commission before the meeting and will be included in the meetings
minutes.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting,
please contact the Community Development office at 541-488-5305 (TTY phone is 1-800-735-2900). Notification 48
hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to the
Ashland Housing and Human Services Commission
DraftMinutes
September 24, 2020
Audio
Call to Order
Commission ChairRohdecalledtheZoom meetingtoorderat4:00pm in Ashland, Oregon, 97520.
Commissioners Present:Council Liaison
Rich RohdeDennis Slattery-ABS
Echo Fields
Gina DuquenneSOU Liaison
Linda ReppondNone appointed at this time
Tom Gunderson
Heidi ParkerStaff Present:
Chris MahanLinda Reid, Housing Program Specialist
Jackie BachmanLiz Hamilton, Permit Technician
Brandon Goldman, Senior Planner
Bill Molnar, Community Development
Director
Commissioners Not In Attendance:
Erin Crowley
Approval of Minutes
CommissionersGina Duquenne /Jackie Bachmanm/s to approve the minutes ofJuly
23, 2020.HandVote: Allraised as yes. Motion passed
Public Forum
Commission discusses an email from Molly Silver
Affordable Housing Trust Fund Review and Recommendation
Linda Reid,Housing Program Specialistindicates that a re-review for recommendations is neededdue toCOVID
andadditional CDBG funding. Commission discusses how to go about recommendations.
Michelle Arellano/ OHRA(requesting $179,983)speaks about the fundsOHRAwould like to have from the
Housing Trust fund for aWinter Shelterthat can accept the social distancing.Commissioners ask some general
questions about the program and Michelle answered questions.
Mary Farrow / MaslowProject(requesting $30,000) speaks about the funds Maslow would like to have from the
Housing Trust fund for their program to help house familieswith children.Commissioners ask some general
questions about the program and Maryanswered questions.
NeighborWorksUmpqua(requesting $43,500) was not represented,and their application remains the same as
in March.
Jackie Bachman states she has no financialgain from anydecisionsof theserecommendations and can
vote ina fair and just manner.
CommissionersJackie Bachman /Tom Gundersonm/s therecommendationto fully
fund each of the applicant programs at the requested amounts with the provision that
Staff develops a plan that flexibly funds each proposal. Linda Reppondrecusesdue to
possible conflict of interestIndividual Voice Vote: All Ayes,.
Motion passed
Affordable Housing ProgramRevisions Review and Recommendation
B randon Goldman,Senior Planner gavehistory of how the Ordinancecame about. Lind Reidand Brandon
Goldmangivean overview of the outline on the Ordinance.Commissioners asked questions and made
comments.
CommissionersEcho Fields /Chris Mahanm/s torecommendtheAmendmentsto the
Land Use Ordinance, regarding conversion of Multi-family rental housing into for
purchase, Affordable Housing Standards, and Approval standards for Zone changes
and Annexationchanges.,Voice Vote: All Ayes. Motion passed
Cahoots Program Update
Rich Rohde, Commission Chairgives update of forming an emergency mental health responseteam for
homelessin the Rogue Valley.
Utility Assistance Recommendation Updates
Linda Reid, HousingProgram Specialistgave update as to what programs are currently in place for Utility
Assistance.
General Announcements and Updates
Hardesy property / Gina –walk thru with many organizations that help homeless. City owned property but County
has zoning rights, property is also outside of our urban growth boundary.
Staff update by Linda Reidgave update on monies given for COVID relief and monies available for further options
upcoming.
Upcoming Eventsand Meetings
Next Housing Commission RegularMeeting
October 22, 2020
Adjournment:Rich Rohdeadjourned the meeting at 6:20p.m.
Respectfully submitted by Liz Hamilton
Memo
DATE:October 22, 2020
TO:Housingand Human ServicesCommission
FROM:Linda Reid, Housing Program Specialist
RE:AHTF and CDBG Award updates
th
At their regular meeting on October 6, the City Council heard presentations from AHTF and CDBG
applicants and City staff. The City Council’s award was consistent with the Commission’s
recommendation with the exception of the addition of $30,000 in Affordable Housing Trust funds to
Maslow Project.
DEPT. OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Tel: 541-488-5305
20 E. Main Street Fax: 541-488-6006
Ashland, Oregon 97520 TTY: 800-735-2900
www.ashland.or.us
Memo
DATE:October 22, 2020
TO:Housingand Human ServicesCommission
FROM:Linda Reid, Housing Program Specialist
RE:Covid Homeless Response Update
Available Fundingand Financial Incentives
The City of Ashland Housing Program administers three sources of funding: The Affordable Housing Trust
Fund, The Social Service Grant Fund and Community Development Block Grant funds. Together and
individually, these funding sources provide resources to assist area non-profit agencies and affordable
housing providers in providing a range of services and housing activities to support the continuum of housing
needs, from emergency shelter, case management and navigation services, to funding to support the
development of affordable rental housing and permanent supportive housing. Below is a brief overview of
the fund types and purpose as well as a brief description of the activities which can benefit from them.
Affordable Housing Trust Fund
The City established the AffordableHousing Trust Fund (AHTF) in 2008,(Ordinance 2966andResolution
2008-34)to address housing needs within the community.The City offers AHTF grants on a biennial basis.
AHTF are general fund moneys that receive up to $100,000 each year in Marijuana tax revenue.The City of
Ashland Affordable Housing Trust Fund was created to keep the Ashland community diverse by facilitating the
production and preservation of affordable housing throughout Ashland. The primary purpose of the AHTF is to
encourage the creation of housing for homeownership or rent, at a cost that will enable low-and moderate-
income families to afford quality housing while paying no more than thirtypercent of gross household income
on housing. To promote the rehabilitation, preservation and production of quality, well designed rental and
ownership housing the AHTF prioritizes fundingto community development partners that are furthering the
AHTF mission. The AHTF also allows the City to offer funding to support capacity building and
predevelopment costs, two development activities which are not able to be funded with CDBG funding, as well
as to address emergency shelter needs. In the regular funding cycle, the AHTF requires applicants to provide a
50% match.
Social Service Grant Funds
The City of Ashland established the Social Service Grant program in 1986 due to a reduction in Federal
Revenue Sharing funds which had, in prior years, provided funding to the City to support the activities
of non-profit and social service agencies that provided services to vulnerable Ashland Citizens.
Resolution 86-35 was adopted in recognition that: “the funding of health care and social service needs is
DEPT. OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Tel: 541-488-5305
20 E. Main Street Fax: 541-488-6006
Ashland, Oregon 97520 TTY: 800-735-2900
www.ashland.or.us
an important City function which contributes to the health and wellbeing of the citizens of Ashland.”
The Council at that time opted to maintain funding for social services with an emphasis on health care in
recognition that the Council fostered policies that promoted a tourism based service sector economy, and
felt that it was “appropriate for the City to address the problems created by this type of economy”. Since
that time the City of Ashland has committed a portion of the general fund in support of activities that
address the health and social service needs of the Ashland community.In 2013 the Council requested
that the Housing and Human Services Commission evaluate the Social Service Grant program and make
recommendations for the most efficient and effective use of those funds. The Housing and Human
Services Commission developed a Strategic Plan for the Use of Social Service grant funds which was
adopted by the Council in 2014. The Strategic Plan sets forth goals and priorities for the use of Social
Service Grant funds each funding cycle which are based on community needs and resource gaps
identified by the Housing and Human Service Commission through a community outreach process. The
Social Service Grant funds are offered on a bi-annual basis providing approximately $135,000 in
funding to support social service activities each year.
CARES Act COVID-19 CDBG Funding
In response to combating the effects of COVID-19, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) allocated special Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds for
Entitlement Entities.The City of Ashland has been allocated$293,820in Community Development
Block Grant (CDBG) Entitlement funds to be used to prevent, prepare and respond to COVID-19. This
allocation was authorized in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act by
President Trump on March 27, in response to the growing effects of this historic public health crisis.
The CDBG-CV funds allocated under the CARES Act may be used for a range of eligible activities that
prevent and respond to the spread of infectious diseases such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-
19). The proposed activities must meet one of the three National Objectives as required by CDBG
regulation:
Benefit low-and moderate-income persons
Aid in the prevention or elimination of slums or blight, and
Meet an urgent need
In addition, and for the purpose of an expedited use of the CDBG-CV funding, the bill eliminatedthe
cap on the amount of funds a grantee can spend on public services, removes the requirement to hold in-
person public hearings in order to comply with national and local social gather requirements, and allows
grantees to be reimbursed for COVID-19 response activities regardless of the date the costs were
incurred. The bill also allowedgrantees to apply the waiver of statutory regulations to 2019 and 2020
CDBG allocations.
th
Since March 17the City has funded several activities to prevent, prepare and respond to COVID-19with
CDBG-CV funds. Similarly, the City has utilized Affordable Housing trust funds to address some of the urgent
needs arising from both the pandemic and the issues arising from the recent wildfire event. Social Service grant
funds also provided services to support many of the agencies address the needs of the pandemic and wildfire,
though these activities were funded prior to the onset of both disasters. These activities are detailed in the
attached table.
DEPT. OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Tel: 541-488-5305
20 E. Main Street Fax: 541-488-6006
Ashland, Oregon 97520 TTY: 800-735-2900
www.ashland.or.us
Covid-19 and Homeless Services Funding Breakdown
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and CDBG-CVFunding
YearAllocation Admin- A portion of Funds Committed Outcomes:
City Staff’s time # of people
working on homeless served
related activities
2019-ends $178,562$35,712 $10,850-Maslow Project117-Maslow
June 2020 $15,463-SVDP-Rent, Security Deposit, Utility 26-SVDP
payments
$18,000-Food Angels-Meals and Food for 981-AFA
homeless
$103,808-OHRA-hotels/meals-emergency 55 -OHRA
shelter for the homeless
2020-$176,926$35,385 $13,291-Maslow ProjectEst. 99-Maslow
begins July $5,525-Food Angels Est. 1000-AFA
2020 $50,000-OHRA-Rent Assistance for homeless TBD
and at risk of households
$20,704.78-Peace House Meals for 5,840-meals
Homeless Est. 960-
$19,968-OHRA Shower Program showers
CDBG-CV $104,079$20,815 $32,000-Peace House Meals for homelessEst. 8,000 meals
CDBG-CV3 $189,741$37,941 $125,483-OHRA Winter Shelter Est. 40
Pre 2019 $165,702.55Not Available $6,446.72 –OHRA Shower ProgramEst. 240-
1
carryover showers
Total $815,010.55 $129,853 $421,539.50
Affordable Housing Trust Funds(AHTF)
Outcomes:
Year Total Funds Committed
# of people
Amount
served
Available
2020-2021 $216,986 $3,500-OHRA Emergency Shelter for the homeless 10
$1,500-JxCo Greenway MealsTBD
$60,000-Maslow Project-Emergency Shelter Program Est. 12+
$48,500-OHRA Non-Congregate Shelter Program Est. 5+
$43,500-NWU-Pre-development and Capacity Building Est. 30+
Remaining Balance $59,986 $157,000-Total of all projects
Social Service Grant(SSG)Funds2019-2020
Addictions Recovery Center-Crisis/transportation $4,000
Community Works-Dunn House Shelter $6,500
Food Angels $4,500
La Clinica Mobile Health Unit-Uncle Food’s $5,000
Maslow-Case Management of Homeless Youth$8,500
OHRA-Winter Shelter $26,500
1
Unexpended funds prior to 2019 are not eligible for the CDBG waiver-no public service cap waiver or public comment
period suspensions.
DEPT. OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Tel: 541-488-5305
20 E. Main Street Fax: 541-488-6006
Ashland, Oregon 97520 TTY: 800-735-2900
www.ashland.or.us
Peace House-Uncle Food’s Diner $7,000
Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice-Peace Meal $13,000
St. Vincent De Paul- $25,00
Total-Annually for two years $75,000
Outcome reporting not available for all funded projects as this time.
All Funding Sources
$421,539.50
CDBG 2019-2020
AHTF 2020-2021 $157,000
SSG-2019-2020 $150,000
Total $728,539.50
DEPT. OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Tel: 541-488-5305
20 E. Main Street Fax: 541-488-6006
Ashland, Oregon 97520 TTY: 800-735-2900
www.ashland.or.us
Memo
DATE:October 22, 2020
TO:Housingand Human ServicesCommission
FROM:Linda Reid, Housing Program Specialist
RE:Cahoots ProgramUpdate
Commission Chair Rich Rohde has an update regarding the Cahoots Mobile Mental Health Crisis
Program based in Eugene, Oregon.
DEPT. OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Tel: 541-488-5305
20 E. Main Street Fax: 541-488-6006
Ashland, Oregon 97520 TTY: 800-735-2900
www.ashland.or.us
Memo
DATE:10/22/2020
TO:Housingand Human ServicesCommission
FROM:Linda Reid, Housing Program Specialist
RE:Holiday Meeting Schedule
Every year the Housing and Human Services Commission members decide upon an alternatemeeting
schedule for the months of November and December as the Commission’s regular meeting schedule
conflicts with major holidays. The commission has several options:
Schedule alternate meeting dates for both month’smeetings
Schedule an alternate meeting date for onemonth and skip meeting the other month
(commissions are allowed to skip one meeting a year)
Skip one month’s meeting and schedule a longer meeting for the other month (possibly a retreat)
DEPT. OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Tel: 541-488-5305
20 E. Main Street Fax: 541-488-6006
Ashland, Oregon 97520 TTY: 800-735-2900
www.ashland.or.us
Memo
DATE:October 22, 2020
TO:Housingand Human ServicesCommission
FROM:Linda Reid, Housing Program Specialist
RE:Discussion about Council’s Social Equity Resolution
Commission Chair Rich Rohde would like the Commission to review and discuss the Council’s Social
Equity Resolution.Attached to this memo is Resolution 2020-15
DEPT. OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Tel: 541-488-5305
20 E. Main Street Fax: 541-488-6006
Ashland, Oregon 97520 TTY: 800-735-2900
www.ashland.or.us
1
2
RESOLUTION NO. 2020-15
3 A RESOLUTION DECLARING
4 EQUITY AND RACIAL JUSTICE
5
RECITALS:
6 A. The Ashland City Council recognizes shameful history of slavery and
7 over 150 years of systemic racism post-slavery has created a legacy of unequal opportunities and
8 higher risk of violence for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in the United States.
9 The mere presence of this reality should be a concern and top priority for all Americans who
10 value the goal of equality for all people; and
11 B. The Ashland City Council recognizes that intrinsic bias is the foundation on which systemic,
12 institutionalized racism is built and that the work to unwrap and disassemble that bias is work
13 that we must do both as individuals and as a community; and
14 C. The Ashland City Council recognizes that, in spite of the values of equality held by the
15 majority of City of Ashland residents, Ashland has not yet reached the point where it is a
16 comfortable place for people of color to live, work, own a business, and raise their children; and
17 D. The Ashland City Council recognizes that local leaders who have been advocating for racial
18 justice and social equity on behalf of their families and communities cannot and should not be
19 asked to shoulder this work alone. There is work to be done by all Ashland residents, including
20 this Council; and
21 E. We find ourselves in a moment in time similar to, but in many ways distinct from, previous
22 incidents of police brutality that have happened in various locations across our country. What we
23 know from the past is that too often outrage tapers off over time, and there is strong momentum
24 to go back to business as usual. We must use this historic moment to commit to doing the
25 sustained work over time necessary to create a different future for Ashland a future that is more
26 diverse and authentically welcoming to all who live and visit here; and
27 F. he
28 following efforts which are ongoing:
29 1. The Ashland Police Department (APD) is committed to engaging all members of the
30 community in an equitable, professional, and compassionate manner. For years the
RESOLUTION NO. 2020-15 Page 1 of 4
1 officers of APD have trained in implicit bias, procedural justice, de-escalation and on
2 other best practices. APD knows, however, that these are not boxes to be checked and
3 never re-visited, but rather that this work is never-ending and that it needs constant
4 attention and updating. To that end APD is dedicated to continuing its work with
5 community members and groups to move forward in collaboration, while strengthening
6 relationships and fostering mutual understanding.
7 2. The City of Ashland has also begun adapting its employment recruitment and hiring
8 processes and recognizes that more needs to be done to eliminate bias in this area.
9 3. Mayor John
10 , and Ashland Police Chief Tighe mpleted a review
11 and revision process related to that commitment; and
12 G. While the City of Ashland has made progress, our community, values, and constitutional
13 ideals call us to be more than we have been and to move forward with purpose in order to
14 provide immediate support for advocacy efforts while putting in place the elements necessary for
15 long-term, systemic change.
16
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ASHLAND, OREGON,
17
RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
18 SECTION 1. The Ashland City Council commits to the following:
19 A. Designate Social Equity and Racial Justice as a Value Service in the City of
20
21 .
22 B. Proclaim Juneteenth as an annual day of municipal commemoration and partner with
23 communities of color and other local organizations to celebrate African American/Black
24 culture on this day annually.
25 C. Advocate at the state and federal levels for policy reform that includes: a searchable
26 database of officers sanctioned for excessive use of force and other misconduct; a
27 national data collection program to determine the number of people killed or injured by
28 police officers tracked by race, gender, age, and other demographic characteristics;
29 limiting the transfer of military equipment to local jurisdictions; providing more
30 extensive training for police officers regarding de-escalation, intrinsic bias, and
RESOLUTION NO. 2020-15 Page 2 of 4
1 procedural justice; and assisting people with mental health or addiction issues who have
2 interactions with law enforcement.
3 D.
4 by assigning tasks outlined in this resolution to individual staff and councilors and
5 reporting back to Council on a regular basis while a more formal process and timeline is
6 developed that includes regular progress reports to Council.
7 SECTION 2. Moving forward, the City of Ashland will:
8 A. Support the Ashland Police Department in taking a more active role in on-campus
9 conversations about racial justice at Southern Oregon University and in developing
10 engagement events to help local residents understand APD
11 force and other relevant issues.
12 B. Strengthen our cultural competency and intrinsic bias training program for members
13 of the City Council and City Staff.
14 C. Display Black Lives Matter signs at City-owned locations to offer visible and
15 immediate support for racial justice advocates in our community.
16 D. Continue and enhance our support of the annual celebration of Dr. Martin Luther
17 .
18 E. Connect with Southern Oregon University and its students to better understand the
19 experience of all college students, but particularly students of color, in the City of
20 Ashland as a first step toward improving that experience. Through this process, the City
21 will help all local college students understand the City
22 regarding respect for all people.
23 F. Work with community partners to develop training, incident response, and
24 community acknowledgement programs that help residents and business owners address
25 the long-term, systemic root causes of inequality and racial injustice and celebrate
26 progress.
27 G. Work with Jackson County and neighboring communities to develop a program that
28 will provide trained mental health professionals for instances where the Ashland Police
29 Department is called upon to serve the needs of people who are suffering from mental
30 health issues and/or addiction.
RESOLUTION NO. 2020-15 Page 3 of 4
1 H. Determine the feasibility of a mural project to provide a mode of artistic expression of
2
3 issues of social equity and racial justice.
4 I. Request a proactive review of the policies that pertain to the standard process of
5 investigating incidents where deadly force is used in Jackson County.
6 J. Review recruiting/hiring practices to address implicit bias with input from leaders of
7 local diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
8 K. Renew the effort with indigenous leaders in the community to find a solution to the
9 renaming of Dead Indian Memorial Road.
10 SECTION 3. This resolution is effective upon adoption.
11 ADOPTED by the City Council this day of , 2020.
12 ATTEST:
13
14
15
_____________________________
16
Melissa Huhtala, City Recorder
17
SIGNED and APPROVED this ______ day of _______________, 2020.
18
19
20
_____________________________
21
John Stromberg, Mayor
22
Reviewed as to form:
23
24
25
___________________________
26
David H. Lohman, City Attorney
27
28
29
30
RESOLUTION NO. 2020-15 Page 4 of 4