Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutJanuary 21, 2004HOUSING & REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES OF JANUARY 21, 2004 CALL TO ORDER - The Regular Meeting of the Columbia Heights Housing & Redevelopment Authority (HRA) was called to order by Chair, Tammera Ericson at 7:04 p.m., Wednesday, January 21, 2004, in the Parkview Villa Community Room B, 965 40th Avenue NE, Columbia Heights, Minnesota. ROLL CALL Commission Members Present: Commission Members Absent: Patricia Jindra, Bobby Williams, Dennis Ecklund Jr., Tammera Ericson, and Bruce Kelzenberg Bruce Nawrocki PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Ericson stated Bruce Nawrocki was unable to attend the meeting as he had a meeting at the Suburban Rate Authority and was disappointed the HRA meeting wasn't switched as he previously requested. Election of Officers Motion by Williams, second by Kelzenberg, to nominate and appoint Tammera Ericson for Chair. All ayes. Motion Carried. Motion by Williams, second by Ecklund, to nominate and appoint Bruce Kelzenberg for Vice Chair. All ayes. Motion Carried. Motion by Williams, second by Ecklund, to nominate and appoint Patricia Jindra for Secretary/Treasurer. All ayes. Motion Carried. CONSENT AGENDA Approval of Minutes MOTION by Williams, second by Kelzenberg, to approve the minutes from November 18, 2003, special meeting as presented in writing. All ayes. Motion Carried. REPORT OF MANAGEMENT COMPANY Karen Fantle stated last September at 4607 Tyler there was a leak in the basement. A resident stated she had items damaged by the water coming in. Bill Gault discovered a drain spout fell down and replaced it. The resident sent a letter to the City requesting replacement of her items. Fantle stated she checked into the matter and could see where the downspout had come down is where the water came through the building. Ericson recommended turning in the claim to the City's insurance company for reimbursement to the resident. Staff received bids for the south building carpet replacement, with St. Paul Linoleum being the low bidder for the first floor hallway and common area. With the help of Cher Bakken, Community Development Secretary she has been working on organizing and updating documents to make the transfer to Walker go as smoothly as possible. Housing & Redevelopment Authority Minutes January 21, 2004 Page 2 of 4 She has filled apartments 217 and 611 since the management report was written. Williams ask if the south unit was rented for the new amount. Fantle stated it was. Williams stated he heard there are residents on Section 8 in the North building and ask if this was true. Fantle stated it wasn't true. Shirley Barnes, Crest View CEO stated there is also a HUD project 202 program that could be confused with Section 8, but as long as the HRA has specified the building is only for Seniors and Handicap/Disabled adults, that criteria for filling the units has been used. Ericson asked how many residents of the north building are on the list for the south building and how many south residents are on the north list. Fantle said there was some on each list, but did not remember the exact amount, but could provide the board that information. Williams asked what the board could do to assure residents in the north building they are safe in their apartments. Barnes stated HUD requires the same guidelines be followed for aH residents, which requires background and criminal checks done on all prospective residents. Fantle stated she has been documenting aH of the incidents that are reported since she started managing Parkview Villa, receives a monthly report from the police department, but, if the incident isn't documented by the police, the three strike rule for eviction would not apply. Williams also stated when he contact the police department to discuss this matter the police chief stated most of the calls were health related. Ericson stated on behalf of the HRA, she would like to thank Karen for her hard work and invited her and the residents to an Appreciation Party for Crest View to be held on Friday, January 30th from 3 to 4pm in the Parkview Villa Community Room B. Ecklund thanked Karen on behalf of the residents for the fantastic job she has done in the short period of time she has been at Parkview and stated she will be missed. Citizens Forum Priscilla Cross, Unit 303 stated a couple of weeks ago she called the police to report there was some non-residents fighting by the elevators, the police came and took one of the parties to jail and ask the rest of the six people to leave the building, which they did. She did contact Fantle on Monday morning about the incident. As a handicap adult, under 65, she felt that most of the residents of Parkview also put the blame towards her and wanted to let everyone know that she is one of the responsible younger residents of the building that would not allow her friends to act this way and suggested, a Mediation Committee to go over these types of issues. Ericson asked if Cross, was willing to organize a committee of residents to work on the committee. Cross agreed. Ericson and Jindra volunteered to be on the committee also. Fehst stated the City has a mediation service that he would contact to see if they could possibly help the committee with issues. Betty Sheldon, Unit 321, stated she came home in a cab about a week ago and the cab driver said he picks up a lot of drunks for the police department here. Ericson stated he probably meant at the Star Bar behind Parkview Villa. Housing & Redevelopment Authority Minutes January 21, 2004 Page 3 of 4 Joe Goodman, Unit 119, stated some residents have police scanners. When a resident calls in an incident they can hear the call and move to another apartment. doe Kroska, Unit 225, stated the Police used to park on the street when they came to investigate an incident, but they currently park by the door and then they can be seen from the building. Could someone talk to the Police Department to get this changed back to the way it used to be. Fehst stated he would talk to the Chief of Police. Priscilla Cross, Unit 303, stated she has called the police and told them people in the building have scanners and the police put the call out on the computers instead of over the intercom. Helen Smith, Unit 708, stated she called 911 at 1:20 am because there was a man that kept calling her to let him in and by calling right away, the police were able to ketch the man and he went to jail. So residents shouldn't wait to call 911. ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION Revenue Adiustment Plan for Parkview Villa South Streetar stated this item is to present a proposal to adjust the rent. This item came up a year ago and prior to that always has been recognized that expenses were exceeding revenues due to the fact that since 1991 the rents have not increased. In 2002 Capital Improvements were identified over the next seven years, which are expected to exceed revenues by an average of $50, O00 per year. At the last board meeting, it was suggested we wait until Walker comes on board to make adjustments for current renters. However, as the Community Development director and because of his experience as property and asset manager for the senior building owned by Dominium, he decided to make up a plan. The direction from the board was ftrst to prepare a proposal were the rents and revenues covered the expenses and the second thing was to make sure current residents would be a phased into the increases. In 1991, it was $250 to $425 per month for a 1 bedroom unit and $325 to $500 per month for a 2 bedroom. At the last HIM meeting the board made a motion stating effective December 2003, all new residents would pay $502 for a 1 bedroom and $674 for a 2 bedroom, with no income cap. Staff is proposing beginning March 2004, whatever rent current residents are paying would go up the lesser of 7. 6% or$5OO for a 1 bedroom and $636 for a 2 bedroom and would increase again on January 1, 2005 the lesser of 7.6% or $514 for a 1 bedroom and $655 for a 2 bedroom, and would increase again on January 1, 2006 the lesser of 7.6% or $529 for a 1 bedroom and $675 for a 2 bedroom, then on January 1, 2007 the rent for a one bedroom will be $545 and a 2 bedroom will be $695. In addition, anyone renting garage space will have an increase March 1, 2004 to $2 7 and increase each year on January 1st 3%. Air Conditioning, Head-bolt Heaters, and 2nd freezers will increase on March 1, 2004 to $5.15 and 3% January 1st of each year thereafter. Staff called Maxfield Research, which is a market research company that provides market rents for both public and private clients. We asked them to give us 10 or more buildings in the area of a similar market, which showed for 1 bedroom it was $ .82/sq.ft and $ .87/sq.fi for a 2 bedroom. Staff multiplied it by the number of square feet in the units. As a result of these gradual increases, there will be adequate revenues to manage and maintain the building. Housing & Redevelopment Authority Minutes January 21, 2004 Page 4 of 4 Ericson read a memo Nawrocki requested be read at the meeting in regards to the agenda item, which stated his disapproval of the increase in rents for the South building. Fantle suggested moving the date of the first increase to April Ist as under the lease agreement, renters are required to receive a 30 day notice, which would only give staff six days to get the letters out. Streetar stated, he would provide increase amounts for residents in the south building to Fantle to prepare the letters and get them out tomorrow. Motion by Kelzenberg, second by Ericson, to implement the revenue adjustment plan with the exception of the start date to be April 1st, 2004. All ayes. Motion Carried. Ecklund felt the $400 apartment change fee should be waived. Fantle stated the $400 fee is required for painting, shampooing carpets and other things to prepare the unit for the new resident. Fehst recommended the board could look into actual costs for preparing an apartment for a new renter. Williams asked if new residents would pay the same amount as current renters. Streetar stated new residents will be paying market rate rents, with the additional 3% increases for the garage, head-bolt heater, air conditioning and freezers. Motion by Williams, second by Kelzenberg, to direct staff to find out: 1) actual cost of moving from one apartment to another and 2) scale of residents moving from the south to the north building. All ayes. Motion Carried. Parkview Villa North Apartment Modernization Nagel stated the 2002 and 2003 Capital Fund Program budgets include funds for the first of eight phases of remodeling Parkview Villa North apartments on a floor-to-floor basis. Walker has agreed to use their buying powers to assist in purchasing new appliances. The remodeling project will start on the top floor and work down. Steve Erickson with BWBR stated the remodeling would include new doors, cabinets, appliances, plumbing, lighting, and patchwork on tiles and walls, which he displayed with pictures and samples. A total anticipated cost per floor or 12 apartments will be$87,600. If the board approves the plan tonight, the bidding process will start immediately. Irene Sufika, Unit 804, asked how long it would take to do the whole building. Nagel stated it would be a long time. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Jindra, second by Ecklund, to adjourn thc meeting at 8:51 pm. All ayes. Motion Carried. Respectfully submitted Ch~Recording Secretary H:XI-IRAMinutes 2004\1-21-2004