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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006 10-17 HCM MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE HOUSING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER 1N THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND STATE OF MINNESOTA REGULAR SESSION OCTOBER 17,2006 SHINGLE CREEK ROOM CALL TO ORDER The Brooklyn Center Housing Commission was called to order by Chairperson Thorbus at 7:00 p.m. ROLL CALL Chairperson Judy Thorbus, Commissioners Kris Lawrence-Anderson, Joshua Xiong and Mark Yelich. Also present were Council Liaison Kathleen Carmody and Community Development Specialist Tom Bublitz. Commission Member Michael Johnson was absent and excused. APPROVAL OF AGENDA There was a motion by Commissioner Lawrence-Anderson and seconded by Commissioner Yelich to approve the agenda as submitted. The motion passed. APPROVAL OF MINUTES September 19, 2006 There was a motion by Commissioner Yelich and seconded by Commissioner Lawrence- Anderson to approve the minutes of the September 19, 2006 Housing Commission meeting. The motion passed. CHAIRPERSONS REPORT Chairperson Thorbus commented on a California city considering passage of a law relative to eminent domain. Commission members briefly discussed the status of eminent domain in Minnesota. Councilmember Carmody referred Commission members to a recent article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune relative to property taxes in the metropolitan area and how they have increased due to the reduction in Local Government Aids among other factors. Chairperson Thorbus commented that in addition to taxes, fees are a factor in city costs including utility fees for water, sewer, street lights, recycling, etc. I CO UNCIL LIAISON REPORT Councilmember Carmody noted the Council had addressed the city budget at the last City Council meeting. She then requested the Community Development Specialist to review the status of the environmental investigation at the 57 and Logan site. The Community Development Specialist explained the City held a public meeting with the residents in the neighborhood surrounding the 57 and Logan site to discuss the environmental status of the site and surrounding neighborhood. He noted that representatives from the Minnesota Pollution 10-17-06 -1- Control Agency and Department of Health were at the meeting along with city staff and the City's environmental consultant for the proj ect. The primary focus of the October 10` public meeting was to discuss the potential ground water and soil vapor issues relative to contamination from the drycleaner site and to ask for volunteers from the neighborhood to have more exploratorywork done to refine the extent of the contamination. He explained the City is involved in conducting a third Phase II investigation of the site and surrounding neighborhood which will provide data to determine what actions must be taken, if any, to remediate the contamination. DISCUSSIONOFRENTAL HOUSINGINCLUDINGBLOOMINGTON'SADMINSITRATIVE PLANFOR HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM Chairperson Thorbus referred this item to Commissioner Yelich since he had brought this to the attention of the Commission. Commissioner Yelich noted that he has heard from residents in the city as he was conducting his campaign that single family rental properties are perceived as properties that experience more problem activity than non rental properties. Commissioner Yelich recalled that several months ago, the Commission invited Karen Youngberg, a local realtor, to a Commission meeting to discuss housing in the city. He noted that Ms. Youngberg at that time noted the increase in single family homes being converted to rental properties and especially with regard to an increasing number of single family homes converted to Section 8 rental properties. He also noted that some cities run their own Section 8 rental programs including the City of Bloomington. He explained this drew him to review Bloomington's plan for addressing Section 8 rental properties. Additionally, he pointed out that what the Commission had learned in their work on the provisional license program is that screening of tenants by rental property owners does pay off. He concluded that he is bringing this item to the Commission because he believes it is worthy of continued discussion. Commission members discussed the city's rental ordinance and rental inspection program including the addition of the provisional license program to the city's ordinance which required background checks for all rental properties. The Community Development Specialist explained that Ordinance 12-914 does require background checks on rental property but that there is no monitoring system currently set up in the existing ordinance. Commissioner Lawrence-Anderson suggested that the burden needs to be placed on the owner of rental property for providing information to the City with regard to background checks. Commission members discussed the City of Bloomington's administrative plan for Section 8 rent assistance and housing choice voucher program. The Community Development Specialist pointed out that funding for the Section 8 program has changed in that HUD no longer provides a blanket reimbursement for Section 8 funding but bases their funding, to housing authorities and other housing providers on a budget basis, which means that housing authorities are granted a fixed payment amount for Section 8 and must decide on how to best use it in their jurisdiction. Chairperson Thorbus stated that she would like to know how much the City of Bloomington is spending on its Section 8 program administration. 10-17-06 -2- Commission Lawrence-Anderson questioned how effective the City can be in revisiting the current ordinance. She stated she is looking at all rental property and not just Section 8, pointing out that this would require additional staff to administer. She again stated that the responsibility should be placed on the rental owner. I� The Commission discussed the current administration of the rental ordinance by the City. The Community Development Specialist pointed out that the City currently has a full time Housing Inspector whose main goal is to administer the city's rental licensing inspection program. He also noted that the city's Community Development Secretary spends a majority of time administering the rental program over any other single activity. Commission members continued their discussion of the city's rental program and Bloomington's program. Councilmember Carmody stated that she would check on Ordinance No. 12-914 as it relates to background checks. The Community Development Specialist stated he would contact the City of Bloomington to obtain information on the cost of administering the Section 8 program in that city and whether HUD covers the costs for administration. Commissioner Yelich suggested that providing background checks is a good practice but only if it leads to enforcement consequences such as extending the provisional license calls for service requirements to single family homes. Councilmember Carmody summarized the Commission's concerns relative to rental housing noting that she would check on the background check requirements of 12-914 and the Community Development Specialist would follow up on the cost of Bloomington's Section 8 program. Additionally, the other issues she noted were extending calls for service to single family homes and how we address the requirement for background checks with smaller owners including single family homes. OTHER B USINESS There was no other business addressed by the Commission. ADJOURNMENT There was a motion by Commissioner Yelich and seconded by Commissioner Lawrence- Anderson to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed. The Brooklyn Center Housing Commission adjourned at 8:45 p.m. Chairman 10-17-06 -3-