SOUTHWEST PARTNERSHIP
HOUSING COMMITTEE MEETING
January 10, 2019
ATTENDEES:
- Diana Geis
- Lou Packett
- Suzanne Welch
- Kitty Perkins
- Dottie Page
- Leila Kohler-Frueh
- Jonathan Law
- George Kleb
- Edith Gilliard
- Daniel Rosenburg
- Nancy McCormick
- Sondra Harris
- Tony Scott
- Nicole Orr
- Matt Benning
- Sonya Eaddy
- Michael Seipp
- Neea Reid
Introductions and Review of December Minutes. After introductions the December minutes were reviewed. Except for the time of the meeting and correcting two names, the minutes were accepted by a due motion. Tony will correct the minutes and minutes are posted on line.
Elections. Tony Scott outlined the rules for voting and list of eligible voters and conducted the election. Diana Geis was nominated as chair. By hand vote, Diana was elected unanimously.
Communication. Diana noted that it is sometimes difficult to promote events. What options seem to work? Next Door may be one app to consider in addition to posting on Facebook. Going door to door is another option or sending information in advance to each organization. Another approach is to deepen the level of involvement in all the communities. Sometimes printed newsletters are critical. SWP published a color newsletter quarterly but distribution in the past may be hit or miss. A couple of neighborhoods have tried to get the word out through block captains who distribute information (Federal Hill and Washington Hill, for example).
Formation of a subcommittee. There are two housing fairs come up and we probably need to form a subcommittee to work on these. There will be more discussion at the next meeting.
Updates.
- Troublesome Landlords. Nancy McCormick updated that Mt. Clare has a particularly problematic landlord. He asked for a meeting with SWP to help clear up concerns about his properties. A meeting will be set up at the office or in Mt. Clare.
- Tax Sale/Receivership Auction. Tony reported that they met with Walter Horton and realized he had the May auction list available not the October list. He explained the vendor lien program. There over 100 properties in the SWP area on the May list. The Real Estate Dept. is vetting that list and will send the list out to the SWP. We are asking them to look at the October list as well. SWP is considering setting up a class/workshop for the properties available on the vender lien program to inform neighborhood residents about how to get the properties and fix them up.
- Poe Homes planning grant update. There is a $1.3 million grant to study the redevelopment of Poe Homes. The study area is Lombard Street to Route 40, and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Carey Street. There are three committees. The Housing Committee works directly with 280-unit Poe Homes residents. The People’s Task Force is focused on social service delivery and what the needs of the residents will be if they are relocated. The Neighborhood Task Force is responsible for looking at the built environment of the study area thought 6 work groups — housing, commercial, green space, trans/infrastructure, community spaces, (i.e. Poppleton Recreation Center), and communications. The goal is to get HUD to award $30 million for the Poe Homes redevelopment. Community involvement and transparency are critical in getting a successful award. City Hall will also have to make certain commitments to projects in the community to be successful. In the long run, one of the issues is how to ensure that as neighborhoods are improved and people aren’t forces out. By law, 280 units of affordable housing must be built in the neighborhood. Additionally, HUD has $950,000 which could be used for a list of projects recommended by the Neighborhood Task Force. The idea is to ask the City to match it and private foundations to match it. These need to be capital projects. They can’t substitute for typical City maintenance. One question was, could La Cite use some of their 50% AMI units as housing for Poe Homes residents during relocation?
- Protecting seniors against fraud workshop Jan. 16 11-1pm at Hollins House. The event is for seniors and caregivers of seniors.
- La Cite update. Sonya reported that the City had been out demolishing the south side of the 1100 block of Saratoga and 100 N. Carlton Street (west side), and 100 block of Carrollton and 900 block of Arlington.
- Habitat for Humanity update. There are homebuyer workshops available Sat. Jan. 19th. Learn more at www.Habitatchesapeake.org/OWN-A-HOME.
- Civic Works Resource Fair March 19 11-1 pm. Some members of the committee may be asked to help with the resource fair.
- SWP Development next steps to qualify to be a receiver. This organization would help with receivership. There are issues with SWP becoming qualified to be a receiver. SWP has a lawyer to help them in formation of this organization.
Old Business. There was a reminder about the SWP Jubilee Sat. January 26th 5:30-9:30.
New Business. Dan Rosenburg mentioned that Carey Street near Pratt, some youth pushed their way in a function house (gang related) to demand a payment from the landlord. Shouldn’t the police respond? We should be vigilant of these issues.
The meeting adjourned at 8:40 pm.
