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LAKEWOOD HOUSING AUTHORITY
REGULAR MEETING
Monday June 27, 2005
5:30 p.m.
480 S Allison Parkway
Housing and Family Services Conference Room
Members Present: Bob Sandridge, Chair
Minoo Poorteymoor, Resident Commissioner
Sandra Maben, Commissioner
Absent: Joan Smith, Vice-Chair
Gari Westkott, Commissioner
Staff Present: Tami Fischer, Executive Deputy Director
Bill Lunsford, Housing Development Manager
Carl Musso, Housing Accountant
Sabrina Pierre, Louis-Assistant Deputy Director
Garnette Hardesty, Administrative Assistant
CALL TO ORDER
The Chair, Bob Sandridge called the regular meeting to order at 5:35 p.m. with roll being called by the Administrative Assistant. The Chair stated a quorum was present.
CHANGES AND MODIFICATIONS TO AGENDA
Carl Musso requested that the letter from the state auditor be tabled under the Financial Report until all board members are present for discussion.
Sabrina Pierre-Louis is requesting a resolution on a Micro Loan Program under the Housing Manager Report.
Tami Fischer requested to add discussion under the Executive Director Report on the NAHRO conference and the Public Relations Firm.
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
A motion was made by Sandra Maben, seconded by Minoo Poorteymoor to approve the minutes of the May 23, 2005 meeting as corrected. A vote of the Commissioners was as follows:
Bob Sandridge: aye
Sandra Maben: aye
Minoo Poorteymoor: aye
The motion carried.
Financial Reports
Carl pointed out some generalities of the financial report. The month of May maintenance was high but the YTD was at 104%, which is tracking close to YTD.
Sandra Maben questioned the cost of utilities. Carl stated that the utilities line item in Public Housing and HAP payments under vouchers would have budget adjustments later this year.
Bob Sandridge asked about tenant services. An example of these services may be for Family Self-Sufficiency clients.
Carl discussed the budget with staff and board and questions were answered to the satisfaction of the board members.
Housing Manager Report
Derek Kuykendall presented an update on the Self-Sufficiency Program to the board and staff. A continuum of services and programs so the families can enter at any point depending on their needs. A number of the programs on-going throughout the year are Case Management, Lakewood Savings Plus, Financial Fitness Program and Youth Activities.
Currently the FSS program has 15 current escrow accounts. The escrow accounts of attached to some of the Case Management families. Within the last year there have been 18 families become homeowners.
The Lakewood Savings Plus is the IDA program. This program is a four-dollar to one-dollar match. Every one-dollar the family puts into the account; four dollars are match towards home ownership. The program was launched in September 2004 and there are currently eight participants. This is a two and a half year program.
The Financial Fitness Program is an educational class that the Housing Authority has partnered with City of Lakewood Rec Centers, Mile High United Way, US Bank, Head Start and Rocky Mountain Mutual Housing. The classes are held four consecutive Mondays at the LINK Rec Center. Families are served dinner and activities are available for the kids. This is a family-friendly event. Ninety percent of the participants have increased their financial literacy, eighty percent have began a savings account and seventy-five percent are more confident in avoiding the pitfalls of debt through the class. Participants have the opportunity to open up a free checking and savings account with US Bank.
Youth Activities really keep the FSS program busy. When a housing family comes in to meet with the case manager to talk about their needs the family is told about the youth activities. The FSS program pays for the children to participate in youth activities through the City of Lakewood. They can receive 100% scholarship for enrollment in the recreation programs or 50% off class registration. There are twenty-one children receiving full or partial scholarships for full-time summer camp. This allows the kids to stay busy while parents are going to school or get on their feet with their first job. This is an opportunity to help the whole family not just an individual.
Some of the special projects include the holiday donations program in December that fed over 150 Housing and Head Start families. This project was in partnership with the Lakewood Police Department. The police would deliver the gifts to the families in their patrol cars and in uniform. When the Police arrived at the door it was to deliver a bag full of goodies instead of a summons.
The voter registration drive was a success last year. Gari Westkott really helped through her connections with the League of Woman Voters.
The Tax Outreach Campaign was to increase the awareness about the Earned-Income Tax Credit and to let folks in Lakewood know about the free tax assistance available to them through the partnerships with AARP and the IRS. Early outcomes have shown an 11% increase in EITC return. This is equivalent to $2.1 million into the pockets of Lakewood working class families that haven't been claiming before.
A partnership for Dental Outreach was done with University Health Sciences dental students to provide low and no cost services to LHA and Head Start families earlier this spring.
One on-going project is the HFS newsletter that has been a great resource for families.
The Family Self-Sufficiency Program has received a $150,000 Federal HUD Grant for ROSS Resident Opportunity for Self-Sufficiency. Another $5,000 grant was awarded from a local foundation that was earmarked for the Financial Fitness Program.
Future plans include a partnership with Red Rocks Community College Building Trades Department. Another program that Derek is looking at is an individual savings account program and leverage-housing residents earned income disregard.
Sandy asked if transportation to the recreation centers were an issue for the families. Derek stated that the LINK is the most used center and a greater population of the families lives in that area.
Sabrina thanked Derek and Nikki for providing the services they do to the families.
Derek Kuykendall requested a resolution to approve the Micro-Loan Program in the amount of $2500 to cover the costs of implementing loan programs for LHA families. A motion was made by Minoo Poorteymoor seconded by Sandra Maben to approve the resolution as requested. A vote of the commissioners was as follows:
Robert Sandridge: aye
Sandra Maben: aye
Minoo Poorteymoor: aye
The resolution carried.
Executive Director Report
Tami asked that any board member wanting to attend the NAHRO conference in Chicago in October or the Housing NOW! Conference to please let Garnette know as soon as possible. Sandy and Minoo would like to attend the NAHRO Conference.
Tami discussed the City and Department budget issues for 2006 and 2007. Tami mentioned the two public meetings on June 28 at 2:00 p.m. and Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. Mike Rock will facilitate, give a brief presentation and open the meeting up to the audience for questions and comments. Council members will be in the audience.
There will be no meeting in July. The board will not have a quorum.
Burks Communications has been hired as the LHA's public relations firm. They have done work with Denver's Housing Authority, they understand the jargon and they understand affordable housing.
Development Manager Report
Bill Lunsford gave an update on the Pierce Street Project. At this point in time, all the sources of funding are committed. First Bank has committed to do the construction and permanent financing and MMA has committed to do the tax credit financing. Architectural plans are proceeding at pace and working closely with Calcon Construction to keep within budget. The design is proceeding. A site review process is almost completed and ready to present to the city.
Several questions were asked regarding the project financing in which Bill answered in open discussion with the board.
Bill requested a resolution to approve the project plan for Pierce Senior Housing and enter into the necessary contracts. A motion was made by Minoo Poorteymoor seconded by Sandra Maben to approve the resolution as requested. A vote of the commissioners was as follows:
Robert Sandridge: aye
Sandra Maben: aye
Minoo Poorteymoor: aye
The resolution carried.
Other Business
There was some open discussion on Willow Glen II and Mountain Side. There was no other business of the Lakewood Housing Authority.
Adjournment
Meeting adjourned at 6:57 p.m.
Robert Sandridge - Chair
Lakewood Housing Authority
Sabrina Pierre-Louis
Deputy Executive Director
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