September 26, 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
September 26th, 2023 @ 9 a.m.

• CALL TO ORDER:
  Commissioner Calvin called the meeting to order 9:00 a.m.
  
  
• ROLL CALL:
  Commissioner Virginia Calvin, Commissioner Chamblee, Commissioner McNally, Commissioner Daniel.
  
  
• HASBSTAFF:
  Andy Delaney, Executive Director; Mrs. Deborah Mobley, Director of Public Housing; Ms. Lori Wallace, Director ofHCV; Ms. Katherine Bailey, Family Self Sufficiency Coordinator: Ms. Pamela Rogers, Administrative Assistant to Executive Director/Board Secretary
  
  
• OTHERS:
  Attorney J. Harris, Jr.
  
  
• OLD BUSINESS:
  Commissioner Calvin read a statement for the approval of the executive sessions that was held in September 2023.
  
  Commissioner McNally moved to approval of Minutes from the August 2023, board of commission meetings along with the minutes for the September 2023 executive sessions. Commissioner Chamblee second the motion. The vote was as follows.
  
  
  • Commissioner Chamblee AYE
  • Commissioner McNally AYE
  • Commissioner Daniel AYE
  • Commissioner Calvin AYE
    
    
• PUBLIC COMMENTS:
  None.
  
  
• NEW BUSINESS:
  
  
  • Resolution No 23-4408
    A RESOLUTION BY THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA AUTHORIZION THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TOHOLD THE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM PAYMENT STANDARDS HARMLESS FROM THE 2024 FAIR MARKET RENTS PUBLISHED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT ON AUGUST 315T, 2023.
    
    WHEREAS, the Department of Housing and Urban Development published the 2024 Fair Market Rents on August 3151,2023, and;
    
    WHEREAS, the St. Joseph County Fair Market Rents decreased from the St. Joseph County 2023 Fair Market Rents, and;
    
    WHEREAS, the Housing Authority of the City of South Bend has available HAP funding to continue 2023 Per Unit Costs; and;
    
    WHEREAS, the Housing Authority of the City of South Bend has a 93% utilization rate and is in need of affordable housing units for its Housing Choice Voucher Program applicants and participants;
    
    NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority of the City of South Bend Indiana to hold the HASB harmless from the 2024 Fair Market Rent Update and to retain the 2023 Fair Market Rents at least and until the 2025 Fair Market Rents are released in 2024.
    
    Commissioner McNally motion to accept resolution 23-4408, Commissioner Daniel seconded the motion. Commissioner McNally asked was the HASB going to change the parameters.
    
    Ms. Wallace said that the HASB will hold itself harmless from updating the 2024 and keeping the 2023.
    
    The vote went as follows:
    
    Commissioner Chamblee AYE
    Commissioner McNally AYE
    Commissioner Daniel AYE
    Commissioner Calvin AYE
    
    Commissioner McNally asked was there a reason why Fair Market rent went down.
    
    Ms. Wallace said we were the only county in the state of Indiana that rents went down. Our 2023 rates are comparable to the other counties in the neighboring area. It looks like they gave us too much in 2023 and 2024 is on par.
    
    Commissioner Calvin said the motion has passed.
    
    
  • Resolution No. 23-4409
    A RESOLUTION BY THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA AUTHORIZING THE APPROVAL OF THE ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024
    
    WHEREAS, the Housing Authority of the City of South Bend (HASB) has prepared its Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 budget: and
    
    WHEREAS, the HASB finds the proposed total expenditures necessary for an efficient and economical operation, the provision of resident services, and the continuation of modernization and development activities; and
    
    WHEREAS, the projected total revenue provides sufficient funds to support the HASB's activities as follows:
    
    2024 Total Budget Sources $30,504,100
    2024 Total Budget Uses $29,895,718
    2024 Net Surplus $608,382 (before depreciation)
    
    

    NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority of the City of South Bend:
    
    Section l. The Fiscal Year Budget in the amount of $30,504.100 is hereby approved: and
    
    Section 2. The Interim Executive Director of his Designee is hereby authorized and shall take such measures as may be necessary to place the FY 2024 Budget into effect.
    
    Commissioner McNally motion to accept resolution 23-4409, Commissioner Chamblee seconded the motion.
    
    The vote went as follows:
    
    Commissioner Chamblee AYE
    Commissioner McNally AYE
    Commissioner Daniel AYE
    Commissioner Calvin AYE
    
    

• EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT:
  
  
• FSS:
  Katherine went over the report for FSS for the month of August stating there are 63 participants enrolled in the FSS program. 53 in the HCV program, 10 in Public Housing, and 34 Participants with escrow accounts, with $66,531.00 for the total amount in escrow. Kay Farlow, Owner of IM Power was the guest speaker at the FSS August Monthly meeting. Her topic was "Having a Winning Mindset." She discussed entrepreneurship, budging and credit repair. FSS attended FSS Office Hours training on August 22, 2023. We eventually will be audited by ourselves, so they are preparing us to take a test and showing us what will be expected of us. FSS terminated 4 HCV participants. 1 graduated with home ownership and the amount paid in escrow was $8,029.56. 2 terminated for noncompliance 2/FSS contract of participation and 1 left voluntarily. FSS terminated 3 public housing participants all 3 were for noncompliance with the FSS contract of Participation $2965.00 Escrow Rescinded.
  
  Commissioner Chamblee asked can we say for the ones graduated can we say graduated vs termination.
  
  Katherine said we will work on it.
  
  Commissioner Daniel asked has anyone asked what the barriers are why people don't take advantage and stay on the program. ls it depression, do they share this with you?
  
  Katherine said they are not interested in moving forward on the program, they are not interested in raising their credit score, not interested in doing the financial literacy program, they are not interested in finding a job and working. Once they get one or two checks then the salaries are required to be turned in, they lose interest in the program. we give them 30-day notice before we can raise their rent. They will work up until that time, but once they have to pay higher rent, they seem to lose their job or no longer want to participate in the program. I have put together an FSS goal worksheet so I can meet with individuals on a more consistent basis and review how I can help. We have resources and we try to work closer with them to help them meet their goals with a lot of specific information to help them succeed.
  
  Commissioner Calvin asked for more information on the audit and who will be doing it Katherine said it will be done by HUD, they will come out and see how we are working our program. They will make sure that we are keeping contact with participants, how many are terminated, and if all efforts were done to keep them on the program. It's to see the process. They will send a report back
  
  

• LOW-INCOME PUBLIC HOUSING (LIPH):
  Mrs. Mobley started her report stating that we have 1053 on the waiting list and we are working on the vacancies. Monroe Circle is totally down, and we have a total of 224 units that are vacant. Under work orders, we did 425 in the month of August. Rent taken in, we charged out $105,611.43 and took in $109,396.83. We leased up 2 units in the month of August. Transferred 1 and closed intake file for no response or request to be removed (78) with 16 ready to go. We also will be opening the wait list in November.
  
  Commissioner Chamblee asked why will you open up the waitlist, are you adding to it?
  
  Mrs. Mobley said yes.

• HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM (HCVP):
  Ms. Wallace stated in August we served 2,305 households. 2,060 under the mainstream program, 84 under VASH, 51 under FSS, 35 Emergency Housing Vouchers, 12 Foster Youth programs, no port-ins, and 30 port-outs. At the end of August, our waitlist is at 1574. We had 117 vouchers on the street and 64 requests for tenancy approval and we ended 34 participants. We had 387 inspections. The highlights for August was we had HUD-NSPIRE training, we met with Real America regarding Diamon View Apartments PBVs. We responded to two HRC complaints and had VAWA training completed by one employee and repayment agreement and Fraud recovery training by another employee. upcoming for September, we will have more certification training, Income, and rent calculation training.
  
  Attorney Harris said it may be a good idea if the Board agrees to have an executive session in October to discuss those two human rights issues. If they are dismissed or resolved, then naturally there will not be a need for an executive session. If there is a need for an executive session, then we can go over and explain the issues at hand along with federal litigation that is going on.
  
  
• FINANCIAL REPORT:
  Mr. Delaney went over each AMP, starting with AMP I, he stated that other tenant income is 147% of the budget and audit expenses was 150% of the budget and they did help us with other items. Utilities expenses are down because we no longer pay the utilities of Monroe Circle. Amp 2 operating Subsidy is 152% of the budget, total utility is down as well in this Amp. Employee benefits is the same because of the shift. AMP 3, other income was 484% of the budget because of a grant from South Bend, the grant was $54,000.00, office expenses were 154% of the budget, and legal expenses were higher than projected in the budget. In AMP 4, other tenant income was 173% of the budget, audit expenses were the same as in the other 3 AMPS, 252% of budget was maintenance wages and maintenance material was lower because we stopped buying in advance but buy as we needed the material. HCV HAP fraud income is 194% of the budget because more of our participants are paying for non-reported income. Under HCV ADMIN other income was when we received income from Michigan City Housing Authority. Under COCC Capital Fund Management fee is 283% of the budget.
  
  Commissioner Chamblee asked are we still in need of contractors, and is the short money something we can use for this?
  
  Mr. Delaney said yes.
  
  

• DEVELOPMENT AND PROCUREMENT:
  The city of South Bend has procured a contract for the demolition of Monroe Circle. The winner of the bid is Green Demolition. The demolition began on July 31st, the last building is slated for August 29th• The Ground will be leveled by September 30th. Hartland Environment will remove two underground tanks from rabbi Shulman. They will coordinate the time with green demolition. This hasn't commenced.

  Commissioner Daniel asked if we had a date when Hartland will remove the tanks.
  
  Mrs. Mobley said no we do not. They had a grant and offered to remove the tanks at no charge to the HASB.

  Commissioner Calvin asked for closing comments.

  Attorney Harris said at the last meeting there was a gentleman that had questions, the firm did reach out to him and responded to him in writing. (Mr. Gadson)

  Pamela said the next meeting will be October 24th, 2023.