February 28, 2023 Board Meeting Minutes

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA
REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES
501 Alonzo Watson Drive
South Bend IN 46601
February 28, 2023 @ 9 a.m.

• CALL TO ORDER:
  Commissioner Calvin called the meeting to order 9:00 a.m.
  
  
• ROLL CALL: (All via zoom)
  Commissioner Virginia Calvin, Commissioner Stephen Luecke, Commissioner Daniel, Commissioner McNally.
  
  
• HASB STAFF:
  Dr. Catherine Lamberg Executive Director, Mrs. Deborah Mobley, Director of Public Housing; Ms. Lori Wallace, Director of HCV; Mr. Andy Delaney, CFO; Ms. Pamela Rogers, Administrative Assistant to Executive Director/Board Secretary
  
  
• OTHERS:
  Attorney J. Harris Jr
  
  
• PUBLIC COMMENTS:
  None
  
  
• OLD BUSINESS
  Approval of Minutes from the regular Board Meeting on January 24th, 2023.
  
  Commissioner Luecke moved and Commissioner McNally second the motion to approve the minutes.
  
  
  • Commissioner Calvin AYE
  • Commissioner Daniel AYE
  • Commissioner Luecke AYE
  • Commissioner McNally AYE
    
    

• NEW BUSINESS:
  Commissioner Calvin introduced the new board member, Myrnetta Daniel who gave an introduction of herself and her passion to serve, not only to the homeless community but to all.

  Commissioner Calvin read the statement from the executive session January 31, 2023 stating that no final action was taken during the executive session and only topic discussed by the executive session was those listed and posted and advertised as required 5-14-1.5-6.1 no commissioner wanted to resend the certification.
  
  Commissioner Luecke wanted to report that the board held their annual review of the Executive Director and wanted to commend her on the excellent job that she is doing. The board did a survey and she got excellent marks on the survey, as a result of that he wanted to move that the board authorize the Chair to provide a bonus as is contracted with the Board of Directors.
  
  Commissioner McNally second the motion.
  
  Commissioner Calvin wanted to commend commissioner Luecke and Chamblee on leading the direction and say thank you on behalf of the Board. Roll call.

  • Commissioner Calvin AYE
  • Commissioner Daniel AYE
  • Commissioner Luecke AYE
  • Commissioner McNally AYE
    
    

• EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT:

• RESIDENT INITIATIVES:
  Dr. Lamberg said we have continued our After School programming at the Community Centers at LaSalle Landing and Harbor Homes. We currently have 32 children participating tint he after school programs at both sites. Additionally, the HASB has covered 10% of the tuition for 9 children from Laurel Court to attend after school programming at the KROC Center who provide 90% of the tuition. We have planned events for the Seniors in the upcoming Months from information on services from Walgreen's mini clinics, who will be sponsoring our Bingo Tuesday's. And information services from the Tobacco Education Coordinator from the Community Health and Wellbeing and Tobacco Initiatives

• FSS
  Dr. Lamberg stated that there is current 63 participants enrolled in the FSS program, 49 from the HCV program and 14 from Public Housing. Katherine is continuing to grow the program. Of the 63 enrolled 31 have already been able to establish an escrow. They came in with minimum earned income and that income increased then they established the escrow

• Administration Report
  Pamela mentioned that HASB has completed the open enrollment for benefits for all employees and the last leg was where Aflac and Globe Life was brought in as supplementary insurance companies. We continue to look at ways to enhance benefits and save money. We did pick up supplemental gap insurance through Morgan white, so the employees are paying less money, better benefits, and lower deductible. No new employees, we are still looking for additional staff where we need, especially in maintenance.
  
  Dr. Lamberg said we also have our proposed insurance renewal through HAI where there is an increase in the premium. Since we didn't have any incidences then it could be a general increase. Also, information was provided pertaining the Nspire training that the section 8 department went to in January and February for Public housing. Nspire will replace the standard inspection protocol for public housing UCPS and HQS for HCV. And even though it isn't complete, Nspire will be rolled out to the
  
  Commissioner Luecke said he wanted to compliment the staff on the health insurance in finding a better coverage for our employees at a better rate and questioned if it was network and can go anywhere.
  Pamela said - anthem is country wide, so if there is some restriction there is very little. Commissioner Calvin asked what Walgreens was doing and how will it impact our community.
  
  They are offering actual Doctor and Nurses services in the Walgreens facility as a mini clinic, and the gentleman whom we spoke to is looking to bring those services on site to our residents.

• LOW-INCOME PUBLIC HOUSING (LIPH):
  Mrs. Mobley said nothing is on the section for the waiting list because they are purging the waiting list to an online process, and we will have a better idea of the actual numbers we will have. Our vacancy have a total of 420 (-219) for Monroe circle and Rabbi Shulman = 201
  
  Commissioner Luecke asked of those 201 how many are ready for occupancy and how quickly will those units be ready to be filled.
  
  Mrs. Mobley said we haven't been out to the scattered site units to start redoing those, we worked on the 501 building and the quads.
  
  Commissioner McNally asked of the 201 units do we know how many are able to be lived in? are all of the 201 in such bad conditions that we can't put a person it.
  
  Dr. Lamber said we do know, and it wasn't provided in this report. Because of the lack of the resources HASB had to stop rehabbing because we didn't have the resources to pay contractors. We just got notification of our capital funding so once we look at it we will begin again. Of the 201vacancy, 90 is scattered sites and 40 is in the 501 and because of lack of resources and the continued infrastructure problems with the 501. We will not put a person in a unit that is not secured to be lived in. not all of the 201 is unlivable.
  
  Mrs. Mobley said rough about 10 or 15 that can be leased up.
  
  Dr. Lamberg said probably 20 as we sit. But the condition of the units after long term lack of maintenance and management, we put a person in the unit and today things are go bad the next day then we have to move a tenant that we just moved in.
  
  Commissioner McNalley asked if of the 393 occupied units, are we doing proper maintenance on those, and Dr. Lamberg said yes.
  
  Commissioner McNalley ask then why is that number going down oppose to going up
  
  Dr. Lamberg said not only are we dealing with the poor condition of the vacant units, but the poor conditions of the occupied units.
  
  Commissioner McNally said then even with proper maintenance that the units are in such bad shape that maintenance can't keep them livable.
  
  Dr. Lamberg said yes, but of the 393 all of them have furnaces that is over 20 years old, and we don't have the resources to replace 393 furnaces. There was not good maintenance at the HASB in the past, we have good maintenance now, but all the major systems are in such bad shape that it just a matter oftime when systems will fail. We are now getting to the place where residents will call in work orders.
  
  Commissioner McNally said we had O emergency work orders in December and January, yet he was hearing emergencies are they not considered emergencies?
  
  Dr. Lamberg stated that those are considered emergencies when they tenant calls them in, the ones that are on this report are in reference to a regular work order but has to be addressed within a 24-hour period.
  
  Mrs. Mobley said evictions also cause the number not to stabilize so when we evict a tenant then we have to turn the unit and get someone in it.
  
  Commissioner Calvin said she understand the frustration because she wants to see the community of public housing get the best.
  
  Attorney Harris said the reports generated was intended to show occupancy rate, but it also sheds light on the physical needs on the agency as a whole. And the question will be if we want to include additional data points on this report or have an additional report that will show units that are coming off line because of the physical needs or those that are ready to come back on line because of the improvements. Either add to this report or a subsequent report but seems those two data points are needed.
  
  Commissioner McNally said he understand that the agency has been ran badly and want to going forward we want to do better.
  
  Commissioner Luecke said he understand that we are turning units and part of the problem is we have to move someone from another unit into the new unit, so we are not increasing our occupancy rate but hopefully at some point when we turn a unit it means an additional unit occupied and not just shuffling people around.
  
  Commissioner Calvin stated she wanted to ask is the board of commissioners doing enough to assist the staff and agency. We are excited that we have the staff we have and the opportunities that we have, for example and after school program right at around 100 children. This is exciting but at the same time we want to make sure we do all that we can to help.
  
  Commissioner Daniel asked was there anyway to have a report like Mayor Luecke said, to show how many are moving from one unit to another and then the new tenants on another list
  
  Dr. Lamberg said it's not impossible but will take a bit of time. We will use a different report to get the information.
  
  Commissioner McNally said if he had to summarize what he is thinking. He understands the challenges that we face, but don't know if the current report reflect those challenges and think as an organization we need to report where we are. And he thinks where we are, we all know and don't like where we are. It's more important to know that then to say we are where we are.
  
  
• HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM (HCVP):
  Ms. Wallace stated that the number people serviced under the HCVP is 2217 and on an upward trend. Some of the programs serviced is through the VASH veterans 84, FSS = 44 EHV = 9, port-ins = 9, port-outs = 8 and relocations from Monroe circle and 628 building = 44. We are absorbing all but from St Joseph. We have 173 vouchers on the street and 87 RFTA.
  
  Dr. Lamberg said in April we won't be absorbing, and we will have our own VASH program.
  
  Commissioner Luecke we are finding decent participation by landlords. And these are good units coming in?
  
  Ms. Wallace said yes, word of mouth is good for us. We have been seeing a lot of bulk units added on. Initially the units are not good, but the landlords are making them good. We did
  99 initial inspections, 32 reinspection's, 111 annual inspections and 12 abatement inspections also added this data we had 10% no shows and we are trying to decrease that number.
  
  Commissioner Luecke asked are we still using a 3rd party contractor doing inspections, are you still feeling comfortable with the work they are doing?
  
  Ms. Wallace said yes, they added several new workers and a new thing they are doing is more electronic. Some of the highlights are:
  
  
  • VASH streamlined processing developed with HUD-VASH Region 2 Added Oaklawn as newest referring homelessness service provider.
  • Received all requested relocation vouchers; completed voucher distribution to all who requested from Monroe Circle
  • Waiting List to open March 14-16, 2023; system prepared; materials developed and distributed.
  • Documents coded in preparation for File Vision Electronic Case File implementation.
  • NSPIRE Training Started
    
    Dr. Lamberg said she provided in the report a letter from HUD on the renewal of our voucher. It is an historic increase in the amount of funding that HUD is providing under the voucher program. That means more budget to be able to house more people.
    
    
•  FINANCIAL:
  Mr. Delaney said all amps are formatted the same but is broken down by amps. He went over each amp and noted rental income is higher than budgeted because of Monroe circle did have some tenant in October and November and we didn't budget for this. Also, to not that the budget is based on last year as well. Operating subsidy is higher than the budget subsidy because the subsidy is based on a calendar year January through December, so this is still based on part of last year. Utilities, less tenants then budgeted for. Maintenance is lower than the budget because activity shifted from Amp I & 2 and this year, we are focusing on Amp 3 & 4 so they are higher in the budget. Capital fund has a zero because we haven't drawn down any of those funds yet.
  
  We didn't do a security budget so that's why you see the numbers as they are. Rental income is higher than budgeted; tenant are paying higher rate with income verification (EIV) report ran on tenants. Mr. Delaney continue to read the report for COCC and shortfall. We pay HUD $I,200 monthly for prior years discretions. FSS is slowing down and leveling out, last year we had a big year in FSS, and it is leveling out now.
  
  Commissioner Daniel asked if a landlord reaches out to a tenant and say that their monthly payment will increase, what happens the voucher, and is the increase reflected in the report here?
  Ms. Wallace described the process stating the landlord request a rent increase through the HASB, they give 60-day notice of the projected increase, we then calculate 30% of the tenant income so general we are paying more when they do a rent increase. Our payments standards are caped, and we have to make sure that our rent are comparable compared to the rest of the market in that neighborhood.
  
  Dr Lamberg wanted to comment on the development activities. We continue to move forward for the process In Monroe circle. We will have the utilities disconnected and so forth.
  
  The HASB continues to assess the Monroe Circle site for utility disconnection as we prepare for the demolition of the site.
  
  We anticipate that the RFP will be issued in March for a demolition contractor and demolition to occur in April.
  
  We have partnered with the City of South Bend and the State of Indiana Department of Natural Resources to receive a grant to remove the underground storage tanks at the Rabbi Shulman property.
  
  We are issuing an RFP for a Grant writer for the CNI Grant in advance of the issuance of the NOFO for 2023 with plans to submit a Planning Grant application.
  
  We are also issuing an RFP for Project basing vouchers to expand the opportunities available for voucher holders.
  
  Commissioner McNally stated we have come a long way but recognize we have a long way to go. Keep up the good work.
  
  Commissioner Luecke stated it was a good meeting, good questions, and thanks to staff for the good work.
  
  Commissioner Daniel said she appreciated the patience that has been rendered and explaining thing and answering questions. She is new to the position and appreciate. The population that is being served is not very easy, but all deserve the opportunity for us to be there and to advocated for them. She is and impressed with the after-school program, that is wonderful.
  
  Commissioner Calvin said thank you and the next meeting is March 28, 2023.