February 16, 2023 Board Meeting Minutes

REGULAR BOARD MEETING
Elkhart Housing Authority
February 16, 2023

The Board of Commissioners for the Housing Authority, City of Elkhart met in regular attendance at 4:30 p.m.; on Thursday, February 16, 2023.

Board Members Present: Dan Boecher, Kristen Smole, Helenia Robinson

Board Members Present Via Dial-In: Margaret Owens, Synthia Billings

Staff Members Present: Angelia Washington, Jessica Brittain, Amy Gonzalez, Clarence Jones, Erik Mathavan, Todd Fielder, Tasha Andrews, Equilla Smith, Tamika Jones, Teri Ivory, and Morgan Gibson

Harris Law Firm Attorney Present: Tramel Raggs

Audience Members Present: Brian Moore, Adrian Riley, and Shanita Ackerson

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• Audience Concerns:
  Waterfall resident Shanita Ackerson asked how long she must wait to reapply for HCV if her situation changes. Angelia informed Ms. Ackerson that she can reapply as often as needed.
  
  
• Approval of Minutes
  
  
  • Exhibit A - Approval of Meeting Minutes - December 15, 2022, & January 19, 2023, Regular Meeting
    Commissioners Boecher, Smole, Robinson, Billings, and Owens unanimously voted to approve the December 15, 2022, and January 19, 2023, board minutes.
    
    
• Approval of Vouchers
  
  
  • Exhibit B - Approval of Vouchers - December 15, 2022, & January 19, 2023
    Commissioners Boecher, Smole, Robinson, Billings, and Owens unanimously voted to approve the December 15, 2022, and January 19, 2023, vouchers.
    
    
• Executive Director's Report
  
  
  • Exhibit C - Executive Director's Report
    
    
    • Human Resources:
      Angelia reported no new hires, and 1 end of employment, Katherina Jackson.
      
      
    • Comprehensive Improvements:
      
      
      • Scattered Sites:
        Brown & Brown, working with Griffen, installed the new utility doors needed to complete the HVAC Phase II project.
        
        
      • Riverside Terrace:
        No work during this time.
        
        
      • Washington Gardens:
        The housing authority commenced the RFP bid submission process for 334 Chapman Ave A. burn unit.
        
        
      • Waterfall High-Rise:
        No work during this time
        
        
      • Rosedale High-Rise:
        No work during this time.
        
        
      • COCC:
        No work during this time.
        
        
    • Housing Choice Voucher Program:
      Angelia reported for the month of January, 60 Annual Certifications were completed, 54 Interim Certifications Completed, 3 Unit transfers, 10 New Admissions and Absorbed Incoming Portabilities, 8 End of Participations, 81 Applications Remaining in Process, 684 Lease Ups on the last day of January and 92% Lease-Up Percentage.
      
      
    • Family Self Sufficiency Programs:
      Angelia reported the Family Self Sufficiency program is currently serving 56 participants of which 32 participants are currently employed, 2 participants are enrolled in GED/HSE education programs, 9 participants are attending college, 6 participants are enrolled in job training programs, 9 participants are disabled or unable to work. 14 participants are currently earning escrow, $5,395 earned in escrow funds in January, and $115,106.60 total current escrow balance.
      
      
    • Public Housing:
      Angelia reported Rosedale's Occupancy rate for the month of January is 97.03%, Washington Gardens Occupancy rate for the month of January is 94.85%, Waterfall Occupancy rate for the month of January is 96.03%, Scattered-Sites Occupancy rate for the month of January is 96.94% and Riverside's Occupancy rate for the month of January is 98.00%. Angelia went on to say Public Housing's overall Occupancy rate for the month of January is 96.56%. She also stated that public housing received 168 applications, mailed 75 orientation letters, were processing 63 applications, approved 18 applications, denied 2 applications, and 40 applications were withdrawn. We received 6 homeless applications, and 0 application(s) were approved and waiting for an available unit. Angelia reported there were 17 new admissions and 13 move-outs in January.
      
      
    • Maintenance:
      Angelia reported that 13 move-outs were received and 6 were completed, 6 emergency requests received and completed, 356 tenant requests received and 346 completed; and there were 44 annual inspections received and 18 completed, totaling 376 completed work orders.
      
      
    • Financials and Write-Offs:
      Jessica Brittain reported for the month of January, Rosedale high-rise earned $26,995.00 in Revenue and $24,606.00 in Operating Subsidy Revenue. Jessica went on to say Rosedale high-rise had $63,092.00 in Expense without depreciation. Jessica reported Rosedale high-rise had a loss for the month of January in the amount of $11,491.00. The previous past due rent was $3,819.00, and the current past due rent is $469.44. The decrease in past due rent is $4,288.44.
      
      Jessica reported for the month of January, Washington Gardens earned $24,277.00 in Revenue and $109,272.00 in Operating Subsidy Revenue. Jessica went on to say Washington Gardens had $87,011.00 in Expense without depreciation. Jessica reported Washington Gardens had a profit for the month of January in the amount of $46,538.00. The previous past due rent is $28,922.00 and the current past due rent is 39,532.00. The increase in past due rent is $10,610.00.
      
      Jessica reported for the month of January, Waterfall high-rise earned $32,046.00 in Revenue and $30,829.00 in Operating Subsidy Revenue. Jessica went on to say Waterfall high-rise had $65,770.00 in Expense without depreciation. Jessica reported Waterfall high-rise had a loss for the month of January in the amount of $12,459.00. The previous past due rent is $5,810.00 and the current past due rent is $5,915.00. The increase in past due rent is $105.00.
      
      Jessica reported for the month of January, Scattered Sites earned $20,253.00 in Revenue and $51,951.00 in Operating Subsidy Revenue. Jessica went on to say Scattered Sites had $78,765.00 in Expense without depreciation. Jessica reported Scattered Sites had a loss for the month of January in the amount of $6,561.00. The previous past due rent was $13,477.00 and the current past due rent is $12,639.00. The decrease in past due rent is $838.00.
      
      Jessica reported for the month of January, Riverside high-rise earned $36,052.00 in Revenue and $30,613.00 in Operating Subsidy Revenue. Jessica went on to say Riverside high-rise had $63,343.00 in Expense without depreciation. Jessica reported Riverside high-rise had a profit for the month of January in the amount of $3,322.00. The previous past due rent is $1,097.00, and the current past due rent is $849.54. The decrease in past due rent is $1,946.54.
      
      Jessica reported for the month of January, COCC earned $139,235.00 in Revenue. Jessica went on to say the COCC had $139,992.00 in Expense without depreciation. Jessica reported the COCC had a profit for the month of January in the amount of $32,726.00.
      
      Jessica reported HCV had a loss for the month of January, in the amount of $49,136.00. The net position YTD is $64,155.00.
      
      
• Old Business:
  
  
  • Resolution 22:20
    Angelia withdrew Resolution 22:20 stating that she agreed with board members that the verbiage may have presented undue barriers to people in need of public housing.
    
    
• New Business:
  
  
  • Annual Audits - Fiscal Years Ending 2020 and 2021
    Angelia presented a letter to the commissioners from the Indianapolis HUD Field Office which stated that the EHA had no audit findings for fiscal years ending 2020 and 2021 and that no further action was needed.
    
    
  • Resolution 23:01 - A Resolution to Revise HCV termination due to Repayment Default Policy
    Amy stated that if a participant defaults on a repayment agreement, they receive a 30- day notice for termination of their assistance. She said HCV would like to add to the policy, if the participant pays their balance in full within 30 days of the default notice, they can remain on the program.
    
    Commissioners Boecher, Smole, Robinson, Owens, and Billings unanimously voted to approve resolution 23:01.
    
    
  • Resolution 23:02 - A Resolution to Revise HCV Application Residency Preference Policy ID Requirement
    Amy stated that when someone applies for the voucher program, they can receive a preference if they live in our jurisdiction. She stated that our jurisdiction was increased to the outer areas of Elkhart County, excluding Goshen and HCV wants to change the policy to cover the entire Jurisdiction which would include Middlebury, Nappanee, and Bristol.
    
    Commissioners Boecher, Smole, Robinson, Owens, and Billings unanimously voted to approve resolution 23:02.
    
    
  • Resolution 23:03 - A Resolution Adopting Operating Budget for Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2024
    Jessica stated that this year they added a 6% inflation to the budget. She said some of the expenses in the line items are calculated based on specific requests from each department such as miscellaneous sundry, training, telephone expense, memberships, printing advertising, new equipment, repairs, and outside contracts. Commissioner Smole asked to have a meeting next year ahead of the board meeting to discuss the budget and compare last year's budget to this year's budget so that the commissioners will understand what the budget responsibilities are. Angelia stated that we can set aside time next year to discuss the budget.
    
    Commissioners Boecher, Smole, Robinson, Owens, and Billings unanimously voted to approve resolution 23:03.
    
    
  • Resolution 23:04 - A Resolution Amending the Low-Income Public Housing Utility Allowance
    Angelia informed the board that program participants' rents are offset by the estimated amount that they would pay for utilities. Clarence stated that each year we do a cost survey and this year the cost of utilities has increased and this resolution requests that our utility allowances also increase. Angelia further stated that HUD requires housing authorities to review its utility allowance schedule annually and revise its allowance for a utility category if there has been a change of 10 percent or more in the utility rates since the last schedule revision. She also informed the board that the Indianapolis HUD Field Office allows Indiana housing authorities to use Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority's (IHCDA) utility allowance schedule, which the EHA plans to implement in June 2023. Commissioners Boecher, Smole, Robinson, Owens, and Billings unanimously voted to approve resolution 23:04.
    
    
  • Attorney Statements
    Attorney Raggs informed the Elkhart Housing Authority that Elkhart County is realigning their court system. He said that we have been processing our evictions through court 6, however, court 6 will no longer handle evictions after this year. He further stated that evictions are taking longer now since the court system started making changes on January 12. Commissioner Smole asked Attorney Raggs if he oversees every eviction. Attorney Raggs stated no and that the Elkhart Housing Authority may not want to file every eviction by attorney. Angelia informed the board that she has directed staff to start filing evictions in small claims court when permissible to save on attorney fees.
    
    
• Handouts:
  None.
  
  
• Adjournment
  Commissioner Dan Boecher without any objections declared the February 16, 2023, Board of Commissioners' meeting adjourned at 5:02 P.M.

Signed March 16, 2023
Dan Boecher, Commissioner
Angelia Washington, Executive Director