[ Call to order and roll call]
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WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS, UH, SPECIAL JOINT MEETING, UH, WITH THE HOPEWELL, A CITY COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC HOUSE AUTHORITY TO ORDER, UH, ROLL CALL PLEASE.
AND, UH, BEFORE WE GET INTO THE JOINT BUSINESS,
[ SPECIAL BUSINESS]
BUSINESS IS TO DO THE INTERIM WARD SIX COUNSELOR APPOINTMENT.DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPOINT MR. MALIK WHEAT? UH, TO SERVE AS THE INTERIM WARD SIX CITY COUNSELOR.
SECOND MOTION HAS BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOINER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR ELLIS.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.
UH, THE, THE DIRECTOR IS IN THE, IS IN THE RESTROOM.
AS SOON AS SHE GETS BACK OUT HERE, SHE'LL DO THE ROLL CALL FOR, UH, FOR THE HRHA.
MY APOLOGIES TO HER FOR DRAWING EVERYONE'S ATTENTION IN THE ROOM.
THE FACT THAT SHE'S IN THE RESTROOM,
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YOU[00:10:56]
NEED HELP WITH.AND, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS MAY NOT HAVE THE FUNDING FOR IT.
IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO LIKE, UH, WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, YOU GET WITH US AND, YOU KNOW, LET'S TALK THROUGH, UH, AN ACTION PLAN ON TRY TO GET THINGS FROM PASS THAT DOWN.
UM, IF WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, START ADDRESSING OPERATIONAL ISSUES, YOU KNOW, WITHIN OUR BUDGET, INCORPORATING FUNDS, UM, FOR, YOU KNOW, INCREASED POLICE PRESENCE, UH, IF WE NEED TO INCREASE, YOU KNOW, UM, CRIME PREVENTION TECHNOLOGY, UH, THERE IN THE HOUSING COMMUNITIES, YOU KNOW, WE JUST NEED TO, YOU KNOW, JUST HAVE AN OPEN CONVERSATION.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP THAT WE WANT TO SEE AND WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, WORK AND GROW UPON.
BECAUSE I THINK FOR FAR TOO LONG, THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS JUST OPERATED IN JUST TWO TOTALLY SEPARATE SILOS AT WHICH THE ONLY TIME, UH, THAT WE REALLY HEAR FROM THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IS WHEN THERE'S, YOU KNOW, A REALLY BAD, TRAGIC EVENT THAT HAPPENS.
OR WE'RE INTERVIEWING, UM, YOU GUYS FOR APPOINTMENT OR REAPPOINTMENT.
UM, SO CAN YOU PASS THIS? IT'S FINE.
I'M NEW TO THE BOARD AND, UM, I JUST HEARD YOU SAY THAT, UM, OFFERING, UM, THE CITY, UM, OUR, UM, CITY MANAGER AND ALSO THE ATTORNEY TO ASSIST OUR, UM, CEO, UM, WITH ISSUES AND THINGS.
SO I JUST WANNA GET AN UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE, UM, PER OUR VICE CHAIR, UM, MR. TOTELL, UM, IS LIKE A, WE DON'T WANNA CROSS ANYTHING THAT SHOULDN'T, YOU KNOW, BE GOING ON.
AND I KNOW IN THE MEETING WE WERE TOLD THAT THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE.
WE CAN'T, SO WE DON'T WANNA MESS UP SOMETHING HOOD REGULATIONS BY OFFERING THE CITY TO WORK WITH OUR CEO, UM, ON CERTAIN THINGS.
IS THAT, YOU UNDERSTAND? IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE TELLING US MR. TOTELL? NOT EXACTLY.
WHAT WAS IT THAT YOU WERE SAYING? BECAUSE I DON'T WANT IT TO, I DON'T WANT IT TO INTERFERE WITH WHAT YOU GUYS ARE TRYING TO HELP US DO.
DO YOU WANNA RESPOND? HERE WE GO.
I ONLY EXPLAINED HUD REGULATION.
THAT WAS ALL I, I TRIED TO DO AND THAT'S ALL I'M GONNA SAY.
AND WELL, I'LL JUST OPEN UP AS I'M BRENDA PELHAM AND NEW CHAIR OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AS WELL.
AND, UH, WE ARE WELCOMING THE CHALLENGE TO ALWAYS IMPROVE ANYTHING IN THE CITY.
AND THIS COMMISSION IS NO DIFFERENT.
UM, BEFORE I MAKE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, I WILL MAYBE ASK YOU TO AMEND THE AGENDA AND, UM, AFTER THAT, WE'LL, MS. WILSON WILL PRESENT THE, UH, MOLD REMEDIATION THAT WE INTEND TO DO AS, AS IT, IT'LL FLOW RIGHT INTO THAT, UH, DISCUSSION.
IS THAT OKAY? SO YOU'RE ASKING TO AMEND THE AGENDA YOU'RE ASKING FOR? NO.
YOU, I UNDERSTAND THAT CITIZENS ARE HERE TO SPEAK OUT FOR SOMETHING.
IS THAT TRUE? I JUST WANTED, UM, AND THAT'S TRUE.
YOU HAVE TO MEAN YOUR AGENDA BECAUSE IT'S NOT A PART OF THE AGENDA.
I HAD A PERSON THAT CALL ME TODAY AND WANTED TO KNOW COULD THEY SPEAK? I TOLD 'EM NO BECAUSE IT WAS NOT A PART OF THE AGENDA.
AS APPROPRIATELY IF, IF THAT PERSON IS GOING TO BE ALLOWED TO SAY ANYTHING, IT'S YOUR
[00:15:01]
MEETING.SO YOU'LL BE THE ONE THAT HAS TO AMEND IT.
UM, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, ARE YOU ALL RIGHT WITH AMENDING THE AGENDA? OKAY.
SO IS THERE A MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA, UH, TO INCLUDE A, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY A SB 2.5 PUBLIC COMMENTS.
MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY VICE MAYOR JOINER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILOR DAY.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION I GOT HERE? OKAY.
QUICK CLARIFICATION ON THIS, UH, MR. AMENDMENT? YES.
JUST LIKE COMMUNICATION FROM CITIZENS? YES.
THAT SHEET WE CAN ASK, YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS THAT YOU KNOW ARE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE.
THE CLOSING MEETING BEFORE CLOSING? WELL, IT'S TO DO IT, UH, RIGHT NOW BEFORE WE GET INTO, UH, MOLD REMEDIATION.
UM, THE RFP AND THEN THE CAMERAS AND SECURITY.
WELL, MAYOR, I THINK THE PURPOSE OF THE MEETING THINGS PUT ON.
I MEAN, THEY HAVE THEIR REGULAR MEETING AS WELL, SO MM-HMM
THEY HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT IN THEIR REGULAR MEETING.
THAT I, FOR, CAN I INTERJECT? PERSPECTIVE PARENTS THAT HEAR WITH CHILDREN.
AND THE REASON I SUGGESTED WE DO IT EARLY IS BECAUSE OF THAT REASON.
SO EVERYONE'S OKAY WITH DOING THIS, UH, AS LIKE A 2.5? YES.
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND SPEAK? I THINK IT'S ON.
CAN I START MY MINUTES OVER? THANK YOU.
UM, I'M IN THE THOMAS ROTH LOCATION, WARD TWO.
UM, SO FIRST, UH, THE ISSUES THAT I HAVE GOING ON IS MY CEILING LEAKING FROM THE BATHROOM INTO THE KITCHEN THAT'S STILL GOING.
I HAVE, UH, TWO BIG HOLES IN MY KITCHEN.
UM, ALSO THERE'S ANOTHER WATER LEAK THAT NEEDS TO BE CUT OUT IN MY KITCHEN.
UH, I ALSO HAVE, UH, BATHROOM.
THE BATHROOM CEILING HAS BAD RESIDUE AFTER MOISTURE AND I'M ALLERGIC TO MOLD.
UM, THAT HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED.
SO THESE ARE WORK ORDERS THAT HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED.
MY TOILET IS NOT SECURED AT THE BASE.
MY WINDOW SCREEN, UH, IS MISSING DAMAGE TORN, MULTIPLE CRACK, BROKEN PAINT.
THE BATHROOM, UM, THIS IS IN MY LIVING ROOM.
THE WINDOW WON'T OPEN, STAY OPEN OR IS OTHERWISE AN OPERA ROLL TAPE, SCREW SHUT, BOARDED OVER, ET CETERA.
AND THEN ALSO THE WINDOW IN THE LIVING ROOM IN THE KITCHEN.
AND IS IT, IS IT OKAY TO JUST SHOW PROOF AS WELL? THAT I'M ACTUALLY ALLERGIC TO? THE MODE IS, YEAH.
UM, CAN I PASS THAT DOWN? YEAH, RIGHT THROUGH.
UM, ALSO MY UNIT HAS, UH, FAILED AND INSPECTION.
UM, I'M GONNA PASS THIS DOWN PRIOR, UH, TO ME MOVING IN.
UM, ALSO, UM, THERE'S A WORK ORDER FOR, UH, A MAILBOX KEY THAT WAS NEVER, UH, PROVIDED TO ME.
UM, AND THEN ALSO, UM, THERE HAS BEEN GRIEVANCES THAT I'VE, UM, PUT IN THAT I'VE BEEN, UH, REJECTED.
UM, FROM THE HOUSING BOARD, THERE HAS BEEN, UM, MAINTENANCE COMING INTO MY UNIT SMELLING LIKE MARIJUANA.
UM, I'VE ADDRESSED THAT TO, UH, THE PROPERTY MANAGER OR THE ASSISTANT
[00:20:01]
PROPERTY MANAGER.UM, ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO ADD, UM, WHEN THEY COME IN, THEY'RE CONVERSING WITH ME VERSUS DOING THE WORK.
SO THERE'S WORK ORDERS, THEY'RE SAYING THAT THERE'S WORK ORDERS OR THEY'RE NOT TELLING ME SPECIFIC, UH, UH, THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING WHEN THEY'RE COMING TO COMPLETE THESE WORK ORDERS.
UH, JUST OVERALL THINGS JUST ARE NOT BEING PROPERLY ADDRESSED, DONE.
UM, I'M HAVING ISSUES LIKE, UM, AS WELL WITH MY LEASE.
THEY'RE NOT PROVIDING EVERYTHING IN MY LEASE.
AND THEN AS FAR AS LIKE, UM, COMMUNICATION, I ASKED TO BE TRANSFERRED.
HOWEVER, I'M NOT ABLE TO BE TRANSFERRED FOR WHATEVER REASON.
UM, I'VE ALSO ASKED FOR, UH, INFORMATION ON MY PROJECT BASED VOUCHER.
UM, I'M STILL NOT RECEIVING THAT.
AND IT IS JUST THE OVERALL TREATMENT HAS JUST BEEN POOR AND UNFAIR.
YOU CAN LEAVE IT THERE JUST IN CASE.
DOES ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? YES MA'AM.
Y'ALL ALREADY KNOW WHO I AM AND, UM, I'M HERE TO ADDRESS SOME ISSUES THAT I HAD BACK IN MAY OF LAST YEAR.
CAN YOU STILL STATE YOUR NAME? OH, DO I HAVE THE FLOWERS? I'M SORRY.
THAT'S WAS WHEN I WAS IN OVER THERE.
THAT'S, BUT ANYWAY, I LIVED AT THE FIRST APARTMENT WHEN I FIRST MOVED THERE.
I HAVE PICTURES OF ALL THAT TOO, BUT IT'S IN MY PHONE.
SO I FELL DOWN THE STEPS OVER THERE AND GOT HURT OVER THERE.
MY LEG AND HAND WERE MESSED UP, ALREADY WAS DISABLED.
SO THEY MOVED ME FROM THERE BACK OVER TO THE 15, 20 APARTMENT B BUILDING.
SO AFTER MO WAS IN THERE, MO HAD GOT ALL IN MY FURNITURE AND NOBODY STILL AIN'T SAYING NOTHING ABOUT MY FURNITURE.
AND THEN I HAD TO GO TO HOSPITAL.
I ALREADY GOT CANCER 'CAUSE I GAVE Y'ALL THE THING ON MY, ABOUT MY CANCER.
SO I WENT TO MY DOCTOR THE OTHER DAY.
MY COUNSELOR SPREAD IT AND I WAS SPITTING UP BLOOD, MY NOSE BLEEDING.
SO I'M GONNA HAVE TO GO INTO SURGERY SOON.
AND I SUPPOSED TO DID IT BACK THEN IN AUGUST.
THEY KEPT PROLONGING HOUSING AND KEPT PROLONGING WITH ME.
AND THEY SUPPOSED TO DID MY APARTMENT BACK IN MAY.
THEY DID MY APARTMENT IN NOVEMBER.
IT'S STILL, THE MOLD STILL IN THAT PLACE.
AND I MEAN, I AIN'T TRYING TO HURT NOBODY.
I MEAN, I'M KEEPING THE REALIST GOING GET, I AIN'T TRYING TO PUT NOBODY DOWN, BUT PEOPLE NEED TO RESPECT PEOPLE LIVING THEIR HOUSE AND PEOPLE LIVING IN THAT MOLD.
AND THAT BEEN SINCE 2019 WHEN I FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST
SOME OF MY FRIENDS DONE DIED IN THEM PROPERTIES BEHIND MOLD.
I AIN'T SAYING NOBODY AIN'T DOING THEY JOB, BUT THEY NEED TO DO MORE THAN WHAT THEY DO.
'CAUSE PEOPLE GETTING SICK OFF OF THAT STUFF.
THEN OVER THERE, OUT THE PROPERTIES.
I'VE BEEN IN HOUSING SINCE 1987.
SO ALL THE, ALL OF THEM PROPERTIES ALL OVER THERE.
OH, TOM ROTH, THEY DON'T HAVE NO WASHING MACHINE TO WASH THEIR KIDS CLOTHES.
THE PRICE BUS IS UNDER THE GROUND.
'CAUSE WHEN I LIVED IN 12 D SOUTH EIGHTH AVENUE, THE STOOL WAS COMING UP IN THE BACKYARD OUT OF THE WHITE THING THAT NEVER GOT DONE.
SO I AIN'T TRYING TO HURT NOBODY.
BUT PEOPLE DO REALLY NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
PEOPLE GOT A RIGHT TO LIVE DECENT, NOT LIVE LIKE THEY, THEY, UM, SOMETHING.
THEY DON'T AIN'T THEY, THEY DON'T HAVE NO RIGHTS TO NOTHING LONG AS YOU PAY YOUR RENT.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU, LONG AS I'VE BEEN IN HOUSING SINCE 87, I NEVER MISS NOW PAYMENT WITH MY RENT.
AND I KEPT MY APARTMENTS CLEAN.
I MOVED OUT, UM, DECEMBER, GAVE MY 30 DAY NOTICE.
THEN I CALLED ABOUT MY $200 DEPOSIT.
HOW DO I OWE $500? AND I PAID MY RENT.
I JUST STAY ALL DAY IN JANUARY 1ST IT WAS A THOUSAND AND SOMETHING AND I JUST MOVED THERE.
Y PEOPLE NEED TO LOOK INTO THAT TOO.
HOW YOU GONNA CHARGE SOMEBODY SOME MONEY THEY AIN'T DON'T OWE.
AND I APPRECIATE Y'ALL LOOKING INTO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S NOT RIGHT BECAUSE Y'ALL, THEY MESSING UP.
DON'T PUT OTHER PEOPLE ON THE BURN.
'EM LIKE THEY OWE SOMETHING THAT THEY DONE DID WRONG.
I'M GONNA GO GET A MIC TO Y'ALL.
BUT I'M KEEPING IT REAL THOUGH.
'CAUSE PEOPLE NEED TO STOP DOING THAT TO PEOPLE TO LIVE IN THEIR HOUSE.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK?
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I WOULD.I LIVE IN 2 38 AND THOMAS ROUGH COURT.
SO I HAVE A MULTITUDE OF CODE VIOLATIONS IN MY APARTMENT.
I'VE TRIED TO CONTACT MS. WILSON AS WELL AS THE PROPERTY MANAGER.
THEY'RE CONSTANTLY, CONSTANTLY IN MEETINGS.
I'VE NEVER SEEN PEOPLE IN THIS MANY MEETINGS.
IT'S GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE I HAVE WENT TO LEGAL AID AND NOW I HAVE A LAWYER.
LIKE MS. FLOWERS SAID, NOBODY SHOULD HAVE TO LIVE THIS WAY.
I'M CONSTANTLY TRYING TO DO THIS THE RIGHT WAY.
MY FOOT IS LITERALLY GOING THROUGH MY BATHROOM FLOOR WITH MY GRANDSON IN THE HOME.
MY BATHTUB WATER IS GOING DOWNSTAIRS THROUGH MY LIGHT FIXTURE IN THE KITCHEN.
SO IF NOBODY WANTS TO HELP US, THEN JUST BE DONE WITH THIS.
BUT THEN AGAIN, NOBODY CARES WHEN THEY DON'T LIVE IN HOUSING.
THE ONLY ONE THAT CARES IS THE TENANTS.
NOTHING'S GONNA CHANGE, BUT, OKAY.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? GOOD EVENING.
UM, I HEARD A YOUNG LADY, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF PROBLEMS. SOUNDS LIKE THEY HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS GETTING THE WORK DONE IN PUBLIC HOUSING OR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING IN THERE, THERE TO DOING THE WORK ARE DOING SUBPAR WORK.
PEOPLE, THEY, THEY, I THINK THE, UH, HOUSING AUTHORITIES AND CITY COUNCIL SHOULD START VETTING THESE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE SENDING IN THERE TO, TO GET THESE JOBS DONE.
'CAUSE YOU'RE PAYING TOP DOLLAR 'CAUSE YOU'RE NOT GETTING TOP DOLLAR WORK.
SOMEBODY GOING IN THERE THAT'S JUST GOING, OH, I GOT A HO YOU GOT A HOLE IN YOUR CEILING.
THROW SOME SHEET ROCK UP THERE, THROW SOME MUD OVER AND PAINT IT.
THEY AIN'T LOOKING TO SEE WHY YOU HAVE A PROBLEM UP THERE.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY NEEDS TO DO.
YOU NEED TO GET SOMEBODY TO COME IN THERE TO LOOK AT THESE PROBLEMS, SEE WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE, AND VET THE PEOPLE YOU'RE PUTTING IN THERE TO FIX 'EM.
IF Y'ALL NEED SOME REFERENCES, CALL ME.
I KNOW LOTS OF PEOPLE THAT DO GOOD WORK.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? NO.
UH, SO NOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE MOLD REMEDIATION PIECE.
UM, WE'LL LET, UH, MS. LISA WILSON, UH, PROVIDE A FEW COMMENTS.
MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, UH, BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
UM, SO THIS MEETING FROM MY UNDERSTANDING WAS AN INTRODUCTORY MEETING WHERE COMMISSIONERS WOULD GET TO KNOW CITY COUNCIL.
BUT I SEE WE'VE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS ON CERTAIN THINGS AS IT RELATES TO HRHA.
UM, I DO WANNA THANK, UH, COUNCIL FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND FOR THE CONCERNS FOR THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
AS I'VE SHARED WITH THE COMMISSIONERS, I TOO HAVE THESE CONCERNS AND WE CERTAINLY DO WANNA WORK TO MAKE THINGS BETTER.
AND WE CERTAINLY DO WANNA WORK WITH THE CITY TO WORK ON DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS, UM, AS WELL.
SO DEFINITELY ON BOARD WITH, UM, WORKING TOGETHER TO GET THINGS DONE HERE IN HOPEWELL.
BEFORE I GO INTO, 'CAUSE I DON'T REALLY HAVE LIKE A PRESENTATION PREPARED, I DO HAVE SOME INFORMATION I CAN PASS ON, CERTAINLY CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
BUT BEFORE I GO INTO WHAT I'D LIKE TO SHARE, IF I COULD PLEASE YIELD TO OUR GENERAL COUNSEL JUST TO TOUCH A LITTLE BIT ON WHAT WAS ASKED OR DISCUSSED A FEW MINUTES AGO AS IT RELATES TO WHAT, UH, VICE CHAIR TUNSELL WAS ALLUDING TO AND WHAT COMMISSIONER TAYLOR WAS ASKING ABOUT HOW THE DYNAMICS WORK WITH HRHA, UM, HUD REQUIREMENTS, HUD REGULATIONS, AND HOW ALL OF THAT KINDA WORKS IN SYNC SO THAT WE CAN MEET THE MISSION AS A PHA.
SO IF I COULD, UM, DEFER JUST A FEW MINUTES TO OUR GENERAL COUNSEL.
AND DARIUS, IF YOU COULD PLEASE JUST, JUST TOUCH A LITTLE BIT ON, YOU KNOW, THAT HOW THINGS WORK WITH OUR HUD REGULATIONS.
THERE IS A SLIGHT SEPARATION OF CERTAIN DUTIES AND, UM, AND THAT KIND OF THING.
GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONERS AND MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
UH, TO JUST BRIEFLY ADDRESS, UM, THE ISSUE THAT WAS RAISED EARLIER.
[00:30:01]
YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T WANNA JUMP INTO AND AND ASSUME ANYTHING THAT MR. TUNSELL MAY HAVE SAID OR, OR ANY, UM, POTENTIAL MISCOMMUNICATION, BUT JUST AS FAR AS MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMISSIONERS, THAT WE ARE CLEAR DARIUS DAVENPORT.UM, SO AS, AS FAR AS THE AUTHORITY IS CONCERNED, AND I THINK EVERYONE IN THE ROOM APPRECIATES THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, UNDER TITLE 36 OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITIES ARE ESTABLISHED, THEY'RE VOTED ON AND APPROVED BY THE CITY, UH, THE CITY AS, UM, WHEN AUTHORIZING THE, THE CREATION OF A HOUSING AUTHORITY.
ONCE THAT HAPPENS, THE, YOU KNOW, REMAINING, UM, OVERSIGHT, IF ANY THAT THE CITY HAS FOR ANY HOUSING AUTHORITY IS JUST THE POWER TO APPOINT AND REMOVE COMMISSIONERS.
ONCE THAT AUTHORITY IS CREATED.
THE AUTHORITY IS A TOTALLY SEPARATE AND INDEPENDENT PUBLIC BODY THAT OPERATES WITHIN THAT PARTICULAR, UM, MUNICIPAL JURISDICTION.
HOWEVER, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE AUTHORITY MAY BE SEPARATE, DISTINCT, AND TOTALLY INDEPENDENT, WITH NO OVERSIGHT FROM ANY CITY COUNCIL TOWN COUNCIL, UH, THERE STILL IS COOPERATION BECAUSE TRADITIONALLY, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN THE AUTHORITY, ANY, ANY HOUSING AUTHORITY AND ANY CITY TOWN COUNCIL, UH, THERE ARE COMMON GOALS, COMMON INTERESTS THAT THIS HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS AS WELL AS THAT OTHER MUNICIPAL BODY THAT GOVERNS THAT PARTICULAR, UH, JURISDICTION.
AND SO WITH THAT, I THINK IT WOULD BE FAIR TO SAY THAT JUST LIKE ANY OTHER HOUSING AUTHORITY WITHIN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, I THINK THE AUTHORITY WOULD, WOULD WELCOME, UH, MOUS WITH THE CITY WHEN IT COMES TO THINGS THAT ARE OF, OF MUTUAL INTEREST.
THOSE MOUS WOULD OUTLINE, YOU KNOW, THE SERVICES OR SUPPORT THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED AND THE LIMITATIONS, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH THE SAME.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER CONSTABLE WAS REFERRING TO THE SEPARATE AND INDEPENDENCE OF THE AUTHORITY.
HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT WITHIN ANY MUNICIPALITY, THE AUTHORITY AND THE CITY, THE GOAL IS TO WORK HAND IN HAND IN FURTHERANCE OF, YOU KNOW, THE BETTERMENT OF THE CITIZENS IN WHICH BOTH OF THEM SERVE EQUALLY.
SO I BELIEVE THAT'S, UH, LISA'S THEN WHAT YOU NEED.
ARE ANY ANY, ANY QUESTIONS? I JUST, I THINK THERE'S SOME CONFUSION THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS, THAT ANYONE WAS TRYING TO DESIGNATE POWER AWAY FROM THE DIRECTOR TO THE CITY.
I THINK THAT WE WERE ONLY OFFERING THE SUGGESTION THAT THE CITY BE AVAILABLE TO ANYBODY ON HA OR TO LISA IF SHE HAD ANY QUESTIONS, IF THERE WAS ANYTHING THAT SHE FELT THE CITY COULD HELP WITH.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST A SUGGESTION OF, YOU KNOW, THE CITY'S AVAILABLE IF WE COULD BE ASSISTANCE, NOT WE'RE GONNA TAKE OVER AND DO ANYTHING.
I THINK MAYBE A MISUNDERSTANDING THERE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I THINK, UM, MS HAD ONE.
UM, 'CAUSE THE REASON YOU HAVE THE MIC.
THE REASON YOU HAVE THE MIC IS 'CAUSE THERE ARE FOLKS AT HOME.
UM, SO, AND, AND AS YOU MENTIONED, MR. DAVENPORT, AND, AND THANK YOU FOR, UM, FOR CLARIFYING THIS.
UM, I, I THINK THAT FROM ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'RE HEARING ACROSS THE BOARD, THERE'S JUST NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE.
I THINK WE JUST NEED TO, WE'RE TRYING TO, AS COMMISSIONERS AND AS A NEW COMMISSIONER, WE'RE TRYING TO SEE WHERE WE CAN HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TRANSPARENCY AND A LITTLE BIT MORE SUPPORT BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH COMING OUT OF HOUSING THAT DOES NEED SUPPORT, BUT ALSO THAT ALSO IS IN CERTAIN AREAS ARE DOING GOOD.
BUT WE, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE TRANSPARENCY.
AND IF SOMEONE HAS MORE KNOWLEDGE IN THE AREA THAT I DON'T HAVE, THEN I'M GONNA GO SEEK WISE COUNSEL.
I'M GONNA GO TO SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
SO I THINK AS A COMMISSIONER, MY REQUEST WAS LIKE, HEY, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT MAYBE YOU COULD SIT WITH MR. BASSETT OR YOU COULD SIT WITH MR. ROGERS OR MS. JORDAN AND SEE WHAT THEY MAY KNOW TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF SUPPORT, TO SUPPORT MS. LISA IN THE AREAS THAT MAYBE SHE NEEDS THESE SUPPORTS.
OR MAYBE SHE'S LIKE, HEY, I'VE GOT THIS, BUT THERE'S SOME OTHER AREAS THAT SHE MAY NOT KNOW OR IT WAS NEVER AN ISSUE BEFORE.
SO THAT'S WHERE I'M, WHERE MY QUESTION OF, HEY, COULD YOU POSS COULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO WORK WITH THE CITY ON THESE BEHALFS? BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT COMING OUT OF HRHA AND THERE'S A LOT COMING TOWARDS US.
AND AS SOMEONE NEW, WHEN I SAY NEW, I MEAN AS OF NOVEMBER.
SO HEARING ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS, GETTING TAGGED AND POST ON FACEBOOK AND DIFFERENT THINGS WE'RE LIKE, SOMETHING'S GOTTA
[00:35:01]
BE DONE.AND WE CAN'T KEEP REINVENTING THE WHEEL.
WE GOTTA DO SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'VE DONE BEFORE TO GET WHAT WE'VE NEVER HAD.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE ALL LOOKING FOR COLLECTIVELY.
I BELIEVE EVERYONE, INCLUDING MS. WILSON, WERE ALL LOOKING FOR BETTER.
SO THAT'S WHAT THE REQUEST WAS COMING FROM WAS TO FOR BETTERMENT.
YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THOSE COMMENTS.
AND, AND ONE OF THE THINGS, YOU KNOW, I I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, IN RESPONSE IS JUST RECOGNIZING THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, I WORK WITH SEVERAL HOUSING AUTHORITIES ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.
I'VE BEEN REPRESENTING HOUSING AUTHORITIES FOR, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN 15 YEARS.
AND I'M PRETTY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE INTERNAL OPERATIONS OF NOT JUST HRHA, BUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT HOUSING AUTHORITIES AND THE STRUGGLES THAT THEY HAVE BEEN FACING PRE AND POST COVID.
ALL HOUSING AUTHORITIES ARE OPERATING A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY POST COVID.
AND WE LOOK AT HRHA SPECIFICALLY, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THAT POST COVID TIME PERIOD.
WE HAD A VERY SENIOR HOUSING AUTHORITY PROFESSIONAL WHO RETIRED.
WE HAD ANOTHER HOUSING AUTHORITY PROFESSIONAL THAT TOOK THE HELM FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, HAD A VERY, UH, INTERESTING TENURE.
AND NOW MS. WILSON IS IN THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SEAT.
AND SO THE GOAL OF THE AUTHORITY HAS BEEN TO STABILIZE REBUILD SYSTEMS, BUT THEN ALSO IT ADDITIONALLY BECOMES CHALLENGING WHEN YOU GET A BRAND NEW SLATE OF COMMISSIONERS.
BECAUSE WE HAD A GROUP OF COMMISSIONERS WHO HAD BEEN SOMEWHAT TRAINED ON ALL OF THE VARIOUS THINGS THAT, STARTING WITH JUST THE ROLE OF THE COMMISSIONER AS FAR AS GOVERNANCE AND POLICY VERSUS MANAGEMENT, YOU KNOW, JUST THE TRADITIONAL OPERATING SYSTEMS OF AN AUTHORITY.
BUT THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE ARE THE PROGRAMS, THERE'S PUBLIC HOUSING, THERE'S HCV, THERE'S UH, MIXED DEVELOPMENT, THERE'S LITECH, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT YOUNG AND BRAND NEW COMMISSIONERS NEED TO NEED TO LEARN IN ORDER TO BE EFFECTIVE AT THE JOB.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MS. WILSON HAS SET UP, WE HAVE TRAINING FOR OUR COMMISSIONERS, UH, AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE TRYING TO GET TO YOU GUYS A LITTLE SOONER, BUT, YOU KNOW, SCHEDULING AND WE HAD SOME CONFLICTS THAT INTERVENED AND SO UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE GOAL AND THE MISSION OF THE AUTHORITY HASN'T CHANGED.
BUT OPERATIONALLY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO DO OUR BEST TO GET YOU ALL UP TO SPEED SO THAT YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR ROLE, UNDERSTAND THE PROGRAMS SO THAT WE CAN MOVE OUT SMARTLY TOGETHER AND ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
ALRIGHT, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? CAN I MAKE A NOTE? SURE.
I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT, YEAH, SORRY ABOUT THAT.
I, I WOULD CONCUR WITH, UM, COUNCILOR DAY'S COMMENTS THAT MAYBE THERE'S BEEN SOME CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT THE COUNCIL IS INTERESTED IN.
LET ME JUST SAY THAT THE COUNCIL, BASED UPON WHAT WE'RE HEARING AND WHAT WE'VE HEARD FOR, SOMETHING'S BROKEN.
ALRIGHT? SOMETHING IS JUST BROKEN.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT, UM, THOSE OF US ON COUNCIL, WE SIMPLY WANT TO WORK WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT WE CAN ASSIST THEM.
AND THESE, THESE ARE, THESE PEOPLE PAY TAXES IN OUR CITY.
THEY MAY LIVE IN THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, BUT THEY'RE VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
AND, UM, WE HEAR THESE STORIES OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND NOTHING SEEMS TO CHANGE.
AND THAT IS REALLY, THAT'S REALLY THE, THE CATALYST FOR US HAVING THIS MEETING.
UM, AND YES, YOU HAD SOME SEASONED COMMISSIONERS, BUT THINGS WEREN'T CHANGING.
I I DO THINK THAT YOU, YOU MENTIONED DIFFERENT EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS AND SO THERE HAS BEEN A ROCKY ROAD, I THINK, THROUGH SOME OF THOSE YEARS.
BUT WE, WE JUST WANT TO FIX THE PROBLEM.
AND I THINK WE HAVE TO, I THINK WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH A WAY THAT WE CAN PERHAPS ASSIST IN LOOKING AT EFFICIENCIES AND FIND OUT WHAT IS GOING ON.
CLEARLY SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT.
AND, UH, THAT'S KIND OF, THAT'S REALLY WHERE I'M COMING FROM.
AND I'LL ECHO THE SAME SENTIMENTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE REASON WHY WE ARE HAVING THIS MEETING IS BECAUSE OF CITIZENS CONTINUALLY, UM, COMPLAINING TO US.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, THE ISSUES WERE NOT GETTING RESOLVED, UH, WITH THE, WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, WHETHER IT'S A ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTION, WHETHER IT WAS A POLICY FUNCTION WITH THE BOARD.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE GOTTA TRY SOMETHING NEW BECAUSE CLEARLY WHAT WAS HAPPENING FOR MANY YEARS WAS NOT WORKING.
UM, I MEAN, I JUST, YOU KNOW, DID A BASIC, UH, GOOGLE SEARCH OVER THE WEEKEND FOR ISSUES
[00:40:01]
WITH HRHA 2017 RODENT INFESTATIONS, UH, 2017 COMPLAINTS, UM, OF, UM, OF FAVORITISM.UH, WE'VE GOT STAFF TO RESIDENT COERCION COMPLAINTS.
IN 2017, UH, HUD BEGAN AN INVESTIGATION IN 2017 AUDIT ISSUES DEALING WITH, UH, TENANT RENT AND UTILITY MISCALCULATIONS AND ERRORS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHICH ENDED UP RESULTING IN I THINK LIKE A $220,000 SETTLEMENT, UH, TO THE CITIZENS.
UM, HRHA GOT PUT INTO A TROUBLED STATUS, NOT TOO, YOU KNOW, MANY YEARS AGO, RENDEZVOUS APARTMENTS ARE, YOU KNOW, YEARS BEHIND, YOU KNOW, STILL TO THIS DATE, NO MAINTENANCE PLAN, NO CAPITAL PLAN, NO SECURITY AND SAFETY PLAN.
UM, VERY LIMITED, UH, OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE LEASING PROGRAM.
UH, INDIVIDUALS, UH, SINGLE INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN UNITS, UH, WITH MULTIPLE BEDROOMS, PEOPLE LIVING IN UNITS THAT ARE NOT ON LEASES, COMPLAINTS OF LOCAL, UM, YOU KNOW, GANG MEMBERS THAT ARE LIVING IN, UH, DAVISVILLE AND THOMAS ROTH COURT WHERE CITIZENS DON'T FEEL SAFE.
I MEAN, I MEAN, THESE ARE, THESE ARE REAL ISSUES AND YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT JUST AFFECTING, YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS IN THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, BUT THEY'RE ALSO AFFECTING CITIZENS ALL ACROSS THE CITY.
AND I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE'RE GO AGAIN, WE WE'RE GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE INTO THIS MEETING, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY THIS OPERATIONAL OVERVIEW ASSESSMENT AUDIT IS JUST SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO DO SO YOU GUYS KNOW WHAT ALL YOUR ISSUES ARE FROM A THIRD PARTY OBJECTIVE VIEWPOINT AND CAN CREATE THIS REMEDIATION PLAN TO FIX THESE ISSUES.
UM, BUT I'LL LET YOU GO AHEAD, UM, MS. WILSON AND FINISH TALKING ON THE MOTOR REMEDIATION.
SO IN 2024, THAT IS NOT MY PHONE, BY THE WAY.
I DON'T KNOW WHO, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.
UM, IN 2024, HRHA WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE AWARDED, UH, WHAT'S CALLED A HEALTH, UM, RELATED HAZARD GRANT.
WE WERE THE ONLY HOUSING AUTHORITY IN THE STATE THAT WAS AWARDED, UM, THIS BIT OF FUNDING TO SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH ISSUES IN OUR HOUSING AUTHORITY.
UH, WE WERE AWARDED, UM, IT WAS A $5 MILLION ALLOCATION.
AND WE ARE NOW, UM, IN THE STAGE OF PREPARING FOR, UH, SITE-WIDE INSPECTIONS.
SO WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE INSPECTIONS OF ALL OF OUR UNITS AT THOMAS ROLFE AND DAVISVILLE, AND WE'VE EXPANDED THE SCOPE TO WHERE THEY WILL SAMPLE.
THEY WILL DO EVERY ROOM IN EVERY UNIT, AND WE WILL SEE WHAT THOSE RESULTS ARE, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE FORWARD INTO THE REMEDIATION, ANY RELOCATION, WHATEVER'S REQUIRED FOR THE REMOVAL OF THAT SUBSTANCE.
THEN THEY'LL COME BACK, RETEST, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO CLOSE THAT ISSUE OUT.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME METRICS FOR WHERE WE ARE AS OF RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE WE HAD SOME ADMINISTRATIVE HANGUPS ON HUD SIDE, IT WASN'T SO MUCH ON US.
WE WERE WAITING ON SOME THINGS FROM THE GRANT ADMINISTRATOR.
BUT, UM, AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE'VE BEEN SLOWLY BUT SURELY ADDRESSING AND WORKING ON, UH, UNITS AS WE'VE BEEN MADE AWARE OF THEM WHILE WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING THE CONTRACT, UM, SOLIDIFIED TO DO THE WHOLE SITE.
SO FOR BOTH U FOR BOTH SITES, WE HAVE 256 UNITS.
SO, UM, DAVISVILLE HAS 120, THOMAS ROLFE HAS 136.
SO OF THOSE 256 UNITS, WE HAVE, UH, ACTUALLY ADDRESSED 14 OF THEM.
SO WE ARE 5% INTO, UM, WORKING ON THIS, UM, PROJECT WITH THIS FUNDING.
AND IT'S OUR GOAL TO, OF COURSE HAVE ALL 100% OF THE UNITS ADDRESSED AND REMEDIATED.
UM, AS I WAS TELLING THE BOARD, UM, HUD REQUIRED US TO BREAK DOWN THAT FUNDING, UM, BY ACTIVITY AND BY TIMEFRAME.
SO WE DO HAVE A SPENDING PLAN.
WE DO HAVE A TIMELINE FOR EACH ACTIVITY, AND WE HAVE THE, UH, PERCENTAGE OF THE COST ALLOCATION FOR EACH OF THOSE ACTIVITIES.
BUT OUR KEY OUTCOMES, UM, AND AGAIN, JUST WITH THE SENTIMENTS OF COUNCIL AND OUR COMMISSIONERS, OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE SAFER HOMES, HEALTH PROTECTION, LONG-TERM PREVENTION SO THAT IF WE'RE REMEDIATING THE MOLD THIS YEAR, WE'RE HOPING THAT WORKING WITH THE RESIDENT AND OUR MAINTENANCE, THE MOLD WILL NOT RETURN THE NEXT YEAR.
SO WE'RE HOPING THAT WE'LL HAVE LONG-TERM PREVENTION, DEFINITELY HAVE RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT WHERE THE RESIDENTS ACTUALLY TAKE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY, WIPE DOWN, YOU KNOW, AFTER THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE IN THE SHOWER AND THAT STEAM AND THAT MOISTURE, WIPE IT ALL DOWN, OPEN YOUR WINDOWS,
[00:45:01]
KEEP YOUR AREAS CLEAN.UM, WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN ALL JUST WORK TOGETHER TO KEEP OUR HOMES SAFE.
AND THERE IS A COMPLIANCE COMPONENT AND THERE IS TRANSPARENCY WITH THIS.
AS WITH ALL OF OUR OTHER GRANTS, HUD DOES REQUIRE US TO PROVIDE ALL OF THE DOCUMENTATION OF HOW THE FUNDS ARE SPENT, ALL OF THE PROCUREMENT DOCUMENTS, ANY BUDGET PLANNING, PURCHASE ORDERS, UH, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT TIE INTO THE ACTIVITIES.
THERE IS A CLOSEOUT PROCESS WHERE HUD DOES REVIEW IT.
AND, UM, I'LL CERTAINLY KEEP THE BOARD APPRISED, YOU KNOW, AS WE GO THROUGH EACH PHASE.
SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE IN THE ASSESSMENT TESTING PHASE OF THIS WHOLE EFFORT.
AND WE'RE HOPING ONCE WE GET THAT CONTRACT AND GET EVERYTHING IN PLACE, WE'RE HOPING TO GET IT SCHEDULED, GET IT MOVING, AND DO WHAT WE CAN AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN WITH THAT.
BUT I WILL SAY AT THIS POINT, ANYTIME, AND I'M SAYING THIS FOR EVERYONE TO HEAR ME IN THE ROOM, ANYTIME WE'RE MADE AWARE OF AN ISSUE THAT'S SUSPECTED MOLD, 'CAUSE WE'RE NOT MOLD EXPERTS AT ANY TIME, WE'RE MADE AWARE OF THAT, WE TAKE THE VERY NEXT NECESSARY STEPS.
WE DO INSPECTIONS, WE DO INSPECTIONS, WE DO REMEDIATION, WE DO RELOCATION IF WE HAVE TO.
AND THEN WE COME BACK IN AND WE RETEST THAT, UH, WE HAVE THE DOCUMENTATION FOR THOSE THINGS FOR ALL OF OUR ACTIONS.
AND I DO WANNA MAKE THAT, MAKE THAT A POINT.
UM, WERE THERE ANY, ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT QUESTION? YOU, YOU MENTIONED, I'M CONFUSED BECAUSE YOU, I'M SORRY.
THIS, THIS GRANT WAS AWARDED IN 2024, RIGHT? UM, AND YOU SAID YOU'RE IN PLANNING, THAT KIND OF THING, BUT THEN YOU SAID YOU'VE DONE 15 UNITS THAT, I MEAN, SO ARE YOU IN THE PLANNING PHASE? ARE YOU IN THE ACTIVATION PHASE? WHAT PHASE ARE YOU IN? THE, SOME OF THIS DIDN'T MAKE SENSE.
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW, BECAUSE WE CANNOT, DO YOU, SHE HAS A MIC UP THERE.
CAN THEY TURN THE MIC UP OVER THERE? THERE'S A MIC UP THERE.
I JUST SEE THIS SWANKY STUFF HERE.
SOUND A LITTLE, UH, LITTLE UNCLEAR.
RIGHT? SO WHILE WE ARE WORKING TO RAMP UP FOR THE SITEWIDE EFFORT WHERE WE ARE ACTUALLY, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A CONTRACT IN PLACE TO ADDRESS ALL THE UNITS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL LIVING EVERY DAY.
SO IF SOMEONE MAKES US AWARE OF A UNIT TODAY, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND ADDRESS THAT UNIT.
NOW WHILE WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THE CONTRACT FOR THE LARGER PROJECT.
WHEN DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT CONTRACT BEING? UM, WHEN DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT CONTRACT BEING, UM, YOU KNOW, COMPLETED AND SO, YEAH.
SO HOPEFULLY THIS MONTH IT'S WITH THE ATTORNEY FOR REVIEW, YOU KNOW, JUST TO MAKE SURE THE CONTRACT RIGHT.
FROM A LEGAL, YOU KNOW, RIGHT.
JUST TO FORM, MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S COVERED.
SO WE HOPE TO GET THAT THING EXECUTED THIS MONTH.
LET, LET ME ASK YOU THIS, IN, IN THE INTEREST OF, OF FULL TRANSPARENCY, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR, FOR MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND ALSO YOUR COMMISSIONERS TO SEE THAT WHOLE GRANT APPLICATION AND ALL OF THAT? WOULD THAT BE POSSIBLE FOR US TO VIEW THAT SO I CAN PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION, UH, ABOUT THAT, BUT ANYTHING IT DEPENDS ON WHAT IT IS IT WOULD BE FOR YOU, BUT I CAN PROVIDE IT THROUGH FOIA.
WE TALKED ABOUT TRANSPARENCY THOUGH, AND I JUST THOUGHT THAT THAT WOULD BE USEFUL TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
YEAH, I CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE, I CAN PROVIDE SOME OF THAT.
WHEN WILL YOUR REVIEW MR. DAVENPORT BE COMPLETE? EXCUSE ME? WHEN WILL YOUR REVIEW OF THE, UH, CONTRACT BE COMPLETED SO THAT IT CAN BE LET ON THE MARKET? THE REVIEW WILL BE COMPLETE AS SOON AS I GET BACK TO THE OFFICE AND CHECK MY, SO IF, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING GOES, YOU KNOW, ACCORDING TO PLAN, IT GETS REVIEWED AND YOU KNOW, HE'S BLESSES OFF ON IT AT THE END OF THIS WEEK.
WHAT IS YOUR TIMELINE FOR THE OTHER, WHAT, 95% MM-HMM
OF THE UNITS THAT NEED TO BE DONE? MM-HMM
SO FOR THE TESTING AND THE ASSESSMENT, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS OF COURSE, SPEAK WITH THE CONTRACTOR.
AND ACTUALLY THIS WILL BE WHERE WE HAVE TO SCHEDULE EVERYTHING OUT.
SO IT MAY BE OVER THE NEXT 60 DAYS, 90 DAYS, DEPENDING ON, UM, WHEN WE CAN GET ALL THE UNITS ON THE CONTRACTOR'S CALENDARS.
IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, OVER 200 UNITS.
SO, UM, DEPENDING ON HOW MANY THEY CAN DO
[00:50:01]
IN A DAY OR A WEEK, UM, THAT WOULD DETERMINE, YOU KNOW, THE TIMEFRAME.I DON'T ANTICIPATE IT GOING PAST 90 DAYS.
IF WE HAVE, IF WE HAVE REPUTABLE, DECENT, UM, CONTRACTORS WHO KNOW HOW TO DO THE ASSESSMENTS, IT SHOULD NOT, IT SHOULD NOT GO BEYOND 90 DAYS FROM NOW.
AND THAT'S REALISTICALLY SPEAKING.
BUT $5 MILLION IS A LOT OF, A LOT OF MONEY.
WE, I THINK WE WERE A LITTLE SURPRISED THAT WE GOT THAT MUCH, BUT LIKE I SAID, UM, AT THE TIME WE WERE THE ONLY HOUSING AUTHORITY THAT WAS AWARDED THAT ALLOCATION THAT YEAR.
SO, UM, WE WERE JUST THANKFUL THAT WE HAVE IT.
AND AGAIN, HUD REQUIRED THAT WE PROVIDE A SPENDING PLAN.
THEY ACTUALLY HAD TO APPROVE IT.
SO BEFORE WE COULD EVEN TOUCH ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO WALK THROUGH THAT WHOLE APPROVAL PROCESS.
DOES IT NORMALLY TAKE THIS LONG FROM THE TIME THAT YOU GET THE GRANT TILL THE TIME THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE THOSE FUNDS TO DO YOU KNOW, WHAT THE GRANT WAS FOR? I MEAN, IT JUST SEEMED LIKE A LONG TIME BETWEEN WHEN IT WAS RECEIVED AND WHEN THIS STARTED, YOU KNOW, MOVING.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS IN OUR LAST MEETING ASKED THAT, UM, IT NORMALLY DOES NOT TAKE THIS LONG FOR US TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS MONEY FROM HUD.
UM, BECAUSE THIS WAS A NEW PROGRAM, A NEW GRANT, WHEN I SAY THERE WERE SOME ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS ON THE SIDE OF HUD, UM, THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT HUD HAD TO DO AND IT JUST, I DON'T KNOW WHY IT TOOK SO LONG.
UM, THEY HAD TO, SO OUR FIELD OFFICE HAD TO SPEAK TO THE GRANT ADMINISTRATOR IN DC THE, THE FOLKS WHO ACTUALLY PUT THE PROGRAM TOGETHER.
AND IT WAS A MATTER OF, UH, SCHEDULING AND IT WAS JUST A LOT.
SO I ACTUALLY HAVE A TIMELINE FROM WHEN WE WERE ACTUALLY AWARDED TO WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO SPEND THE MONEY AS SOON AS THE MONEY WAS AVAILABLE.
IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT OUR, OUR TIMELINE OF EVERYTHING, WE STARTED DRAWING THE FUNDS DOWN.
UM, THERE WERE SOME THINGS ON THE HUD SIDE.
UM, IT'S A CERTAIN WAY THAT YOU HAVE TO WORK THEIR SYSTEM.
IT'S A VERY OLD SYSTEM AND IT WAS JUST MESSING UP AND THEY HAD TO FIX IT WAS JUST ON THEIR SIDE.
SORRY, I THOUGHT I SAW SOMEONE OVER HERE THAT MIGHT WANNA SAY SOMETHING.
UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MS. WILSON ON THE MOLD REMEDIATION PLAN? I HAVE A QUESTION, BUT IT ALSO TURNS INTO, UM, SP FIVE.
SO SHOULD I WAIT, SO WE, BECAUSE IT, IT'S A, A DUALITY QUESTION.
OH, YOU CAN ASK, YOU CAN ASK NOW.
UM, SO, AND MS. LISA, PLEASE, UH, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I HEARD YOU CORRECTLY.
SO YOU SAID THAT THERE'S 256 UNITS BETWEEN THOMAS ROLFE AND DAVISVILLE? YES.
BUT THREE OF THEM ARE DOWN, MEANING HUD ALLOWS US, THEY'RE SAYING THEY'RE SO BAD WE CAN'T EVEN OCCUPY THEM.
SO THERE'S THREE THAT'S, SO TECHNICALLY 253 'CAUSE THREE WE DEFINITIVELY KNOW CANNOT BE TOUCHED.
SO FAR, 14 HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
HOW MUCH MONEY IS LEFT FROM THE $5 MILLION? BECAUSE THAT DOES NOT GO VERY FAR.
AND I'M ONLY GOING TO USE THE, THE M WORD BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY BEEN USED BEFORE NOW.
AND I KNOW LAST MEETING WE WERE TOLD WE CAN'T REALLY USE THAT WORD.
IT'S FREELY GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO HOW MUCH MONEY IS LEFT TO ADDRESS THE MOLD REMEDIATION FROM THE $5 MILLION? SO WE HAVE ABOUT, UM, AND I, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL SHARE THIS.
SO WE'VE USED, GIVE OR TAKE 200,000.
IS THERE, IS THERE LIKE A MAPPING SYSTEM THAT CAN BE SHOWN OF WHERE WE, LIKE WHERE WE'RE GOING OR WHERE WE'VE STARTED? LIKE WHERE, LIKE WHAT'S THE PROGRESS GOING SO THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN SHOW, SHOW THE RESIDENTS.
'CAUSE I THINK THE WORD THAT WE'RE ALL, AND THE THING THAT WE'RE ALL STRIVING FOR, AND, AND YOU'VE MENTIONED THIS AS WELL, MS. LISA, IS TRANSPARENCY MM-HMM
YOU KNOW, TO GIVE MORE TRANSPARENCY SO THE RESIDENTS CAN SEE, OKAY, SO SAY WE'RE AT UNIT FIVE MM-HMM
BUT YOU HERE IN THE NEXT MONTH, WE'RE GONNA BE THROUGH UNITS 25 MM-HMM
YOU KNOW, WE CAN KIND OF HAVE A BETTER IDEA.
UM, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT DOES LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SAYING ONE THING, BUT THEN WE'RE NOT, PEOPLE AREN'T SEEING IT.
OR, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY DON'T FEEL IT JUST YET.
SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IF WE CAN GIVE THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE TRANSPARENCY TO THE RESIDENTS AND TO THE, TO THE CITIZENS IN GENERAL.
YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE NICE 'CAUSE WE HAVE WORKED ON SOME RESIDENTS UNITS.
MAYBE I COULD BRING A RESIDENT OR TWO IN HERE, OR, YOU KNOW, IN, IN A SETTING TO SAY YES.
UM, THEY REMEDIATED MY UNIT AND YOU KNOW,
[00:55:01]
FULL REHABBED MOLD FREE OR BLACK SUBSTANCE FREE UNIT.UM, BUT YEAH, I, I, I CERTAINLY, UM, TAKE THAT AS A A GOOD POINT.
UM, AND SO THE NEXT PART OF MY QUESTION IS, UM, AND I AGREE.
I MEAN, I, I LIVE IN A HOME AND I KNOW I WILL, I'LL CUT ON THE VENT FAN IN MY BATHROOM IF I'M TAKING A SHOWER OR SOMEBODY ELSE DOES.
UM, BUT IN THAT THIS PART GOES INTO SB FIVE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SAFETY AND, AND SECURITY.
WE MENTIONED THIS IN THE LAST MEETING, THAT DAVISVILLE HAD THE HIGHEST CRIME RATE OUT OF THESE COMMUNITIES.
HOW CAN WE EXPECT THE RESIDENTS TO OPEN THEIR WINDOWS IF IT'S NOT SAFE? AND IS THAT CONFIRMED? MAYBE I NEED TO, I NEED TO KNOW.
WELL, I, I HAVE MY BOOKLET FROM LAST MONTH'S MEETING, UM, AND I CAN, I CAN TELL YOU THAT IT WAS FOUR, THERE WAS FOUR INCIDENTS LOGGED.
UM, FROM LAST MONTH'S MEETING.
UM, AND WHEN WE DISCUSSED IT, IT WAS MENTIONED THAT 21 OF THE 36 CAMERAS WERE DOWN.
WE WERE EXPECTED THAT THEY SHOULD BE DONE BY JANUARY 31.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOW AT JANUARY, JANUARY 20TH, SO WE'RE 11 DAYS AWAY.
IS THERE ANY PROGRESS OF ANY BEING BACK UP AND RESTORED? UM, YOU KNOW, BUT THAT'S FOUR INCIDENTS.
AND AGAIN, THAT, AND HPD DID CLARIFY, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE TERMINOLOGIES THAT WAS USED, IT KIND OF IS INTERCHANGEABLE WHERE SOMEONE WAS JUST BEING PROHIBITED FROM LEAVING.
SO THE TERM KIDNAPPING WAS USED, GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
BUT THERE WERE FOUR MAJOR INCIDENTS IN DAVISVILLE ALONE, TWO IN KIPPAX HIGH RISE, THREE IN PIPER SQUARE, AND ONE IN THOMAS ROLFE.
YOU KNOW, TO ASK SOMEONE ON THE FIRST FLOOR, SECOND FLOOR POTENTIALLY, THAT SOMEONE COULD WALK UP TO THEIR UNIT AND SAY, HEY, CAN YOU, YOU KNOW, KEEP YOUR WINDOW OPEN FROM YOUR BATHROOM THAT SOMEONE COULD POTENTIALLY CLIMB IN.
I'M JUST GONNA TELL YOU I'M NOT GONNA LEAVE MY WINDOW OPEN AT THAT POINT.
SO THEN THAT OPENS THE DOOR OF THESE THINGS.
SO SAFETY THEN TIES INTO THIS MOLD ISSUE OR MOISTURE ISSUE.
SO HOW CAN WE, THOSE TWO DO PARTNER TOGETHER IN THIS SITUATION THAT CAN ACTUALLY EXACERBATE ANOTHER ISSUE? IS THERE, IS THERE LIKE A REMEDY THAT, SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO ABOUT THAT? BECAUSE I WOULD NOT OPEN MY WINDOW AND I WOULDN'T ASK YOU TO OPEN YOUR WINDOW IF WE HAVE VAS GOING AROUND WITH THAT.
YEAH, I, I DO, UM, I DO SHARE YOUR SENTIMENTS ON THE SAFETY CONCERNS, AND WE ARE HOLDING THE CONTRACTORS TO THAT 1 31 DATE.
UM, I THINK WHAT HAPPENED WAS, AND THIS WAS DISCOVERED AS WE WERE GOING ALONG, WHEN THE LIGHTNING STRUCK THE DAVISVILLE COMMUNITY CENTER, IT CAUSED A FIRE, BUT IT ALSO FRIED OUR NETWORK CABLES.
SO, UH, I DON'T THINK PEOPLE WERE AWARE OF THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE THAT THE LIGHTNING HAD DONE.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE CONTRACTORS SAID, IT MAY HAVE EVEN STRUCK ONE OF THE CAMERAS, BUT SAYING ALL THAT TO SAY, UM, THIS HAS CERTAINLY BEEN, UH, A MARATHON OF AN EFFORT WHERE THERE ARE MULTIPLE CONTRACTORS WHO HAVE DIFFERENT PARTS FOR EACH THING.
SO I HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH EVERYONE THAT'S WORKING ON THIS PROJECT, EVEN TO THE LAST, UH, FIVE 30, UH, SPEAKING TO, UM, OUR IT FOLKS AND THE, UH, THE CAMERA CONTRACTOR.
SO SAYING ALL THAT TO SAY, UM, THERE WAS MORE DAMAGE DONE, THERE WAS MORE ELECTRICAL DAMAGE DONE THAN HAD INITIALLY BEEN.
UM, WHEN THEY LOOKED AT IT, THEY THOUGHT IT JUST, OH, IT, IT'S JUST THE POWER.
NOW, THE, THE CABLES WERE FRIED, SO WE HAD TO REPLACE THE MODEM, HAD TO REPLACE THE FIREWALL, HAD TO REPLACE SOME OF THE ETHERNET CABLES.
AND NOW THERE'S THIS THING CALLED A POWER INJECTOR, WHERE IT'S A BOX THAT CONNECTS TO THE POWER THAT CONNECTS TO THE CABLE FOR THE CAMERAS THAT IS FRIED.
SO I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN STANDING ON THE PHONE, UM, FOR THE MANUFACTURER TO COME AND SWAP OUT.
SO SAYING ALL THAT TO SAY WE'VE ELIMINATED EVERY PART, IT'S NOT THE POWER, IT'S NOT THE CORDS, IT'S NOT THE MODEM, IT'S NOT THE FIREWALL, IT'S NOW THE POWER INJECTOR.
THEY'RE TELLING ME THAT THAT WILL BRING THE CAMERAS BACK ONLINE.
SO, UM, SHORT OF ME TRAVELING UP TO NEW JERSEY AND GETTING THEM FROM THE MANUFACTURER'S WAREHOUSE, UM, THEY SHOULD BE SENDING THEM DOWN AND REPLACING THEM.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHY I SAID I'M HOLDING THEM TO THAT 1 31 DATE TO GET THOSE POWER INJECTORS IN THERE.
SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, THERE HAVE BEEN NO UPDATES TO THE CAMERA SYSTEM.
I WAS GONNA GET ANOTHER GUY TO COME IN AND SAY, HEY, CAN YOU TAKE A LOOK REAL QUICK TO SEE, JUST TO DO A, UH, A SIXTH EYE CHECK ON THIS.
[01:00:07]
UM, AND OUR MS. WILSON, I SEEN YOUR CONCERN.YOU SAID YOU'LL EVEN GET ON THE LINE.
I KNOW THE CAMERAS HAVE BEEN DOWN SINCE AUGUST.
UM, YEAH, THE INCIDENT OCCURRED.
YEAH, THE INCIDENT OCCURRED IN AUGUST.
THE CAMERA'S BEEN DOWN SINCE AUGUST, SOME OF THEM.
SO IF YOU LOOK, IF YOU LOOK AT THE LIKE, 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, IT GIVES YOU LIKE HOW MANY DAYS THEY'VE BEEN DOWN.
SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN DOWN SINCE THAT TIME.
SOME OF THEM, UM, YOU KNOW, HAD NOT.
SO YOU SAID THE JANUARY 31ST, THE JANUARY 31ST DATE IS THE DATE THAT'S PROJECTED FOR THE CAMERAS TO BE UP AND RUNNING.
UM, WITH THIS NEW, UM, CONTRACTOR THAT WE HAD, ARE THEY STILL STICKING TO THAT DATE? UM, FOR, UM, DAYVILLE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE STICKING TO THE DATE.
THEY SEEM TO BE OPTIMISTIC THAT THEY CAN GET IT DONE.
LET AGAIN, UM, NOW IT HAS REQUIRED SOME, YOU KNOW, PUSHING THEM ALONG.
UM, I WENT AND VISITED THE SITE.
I WAS THERE ONE DAY AND I JUST SAW THE GUY STANDING AROUND, WHAT Y'ALL DO, YOU KNOW, AND, YOU KNOW, JUST STAYING ON TOP OF THE WHOLE PROCESS.
SO, SO, UH, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER FROM OUR MEETING, UM, I HAVE 'EM IN MY NOTES.
UM, WHAT ABOUT LIKE PIPER SQUARE AND THOMASVILLE COURT? ARE THEY GONNA ALSO WORK OR ARE, ARE THEY ON A HUNDRED PERCENT CAMERAS ARE WORKING A HUNDRED PERCENT AT THOMAS ROTH COURT AND PIPER, OR WERE THEY JUST, UM, IF NOT, WILL THEY JUST BE HITTING DAYVILLE OR WILL THEY BE HITTING IRV DEVELOPMENT, GETTING THAT UP? YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION TOO.
SO WHEN THE MEN, WHEN THE, WHEN THEY COME DOWN TO LOOK AT DAVISVILLE, I'VE ASKED THEM TO GO AND CHECK THOMAS ROLFE AND PIPER SQUARE.
UM, WE ACTUALLY WANT TWO ADDITIONAL CAMERAS SET UP IN THOMAS ROLFE AND PIPER SQUARE, JUST TO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, VISIBILITY INTO CERTAIN SPOTS, CERTAIN AREAS.
BUT, UM, THEY WILL CHECK ALL THE SITES WHEN THEY COME.
BUT THANKFULLY, PIPER SQUARE, THERE'S ONLY ONE CAMERA THAT'S OUT AND IT'S DEFECTIVE, SO THEY HAVE TO SWAP IT OUT.
AND THOMAS ROLFE, 100% OF THE CAMERAS WERE WORKING THE OTHER DAY.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS BECAUSE WE FOUND OUT THAT WE LOST THE AUDIO.
SO THEY CAN HEAR THESE FOLKS, BUT THEY CAN'T HEAR US ON THIS MIC.
SO AUSTIN IS WORKING ON TRYING TO FIX THAT FOR US.
I, I, I WANT TO RESPOND TO THIS MORE REMEDIATION SITUATION BECAUSE OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, I HAVE RESPONDED TO MANY, MANY COMPLAINTS IN MY WARD ABOUT MOLD.
AND I KNOW TWO OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT CAME TONIGHT, I DON'T KNOW MS. DENISE BECAUSE SHE HASN'T CALLED ME, BUT MS. JONES, TYLER AND MS. FLOWERS HAVE CALLED ME ON MANY OCCASIONS ABOUT MOLD.
AND MS. FLOWERS BEEN LIVED ALL OVER THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
I MEAN, SHE LIVED IN DAVISVILLE, THOMAS ROYAL COURT, PIPER SQUARE, AND EVERYWHERE SHE HAS GONE, THERE'S BEEN SOME EVIDENCE OF MOLD.
AND THEY CALL ME BECAUSE I, I, I'M THEIR COUNSELOR.
THEY, THEY SAID THAT I'M RESPONSIBLE, POSSIBLE.
AND WHAT I DID NOT DO WAS LEAVE THEM HANGING WHEN THEY CALLED ME.
AND I KNOW THEY'LL ATTRIBUTE TO WHAT I'M SAYING.
AND I HAVE ALSO BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY THROUGH OUR CITY MANAGER.
SO HE'S AWARE OF EVERYTHING THAT COMES TO ME IN REGARDS TO THE MOLD.
WHAT, WHAT IT IS THAT I'M SEEING HERE IN REGARDS TO WHAT WAS SAID WAS THAT, UH, WE GOT THREE PEOPLE, ALL OF THEM ARE CONSIDERED TO BE FROM WARD TWO.
AND MY CONCERN IS THAT I PROVIDE OVERSIGHT FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS
[01:05:01]
ALONG WITH EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE CITY IN REGARDS TO MAKING SURE THEY GET WHAT'S SUPPOSED TO COME TO THEM.NOW, WHAT THEY ARE SAYING TONIGHT HERE IS THAT THEY GOT WORK ORDERS THAT'S NOT BEEN COMPLETED.
THEY HAVE BAD MAINTENANCE, AND IT'S SUBPAR WORK BEING DONE.
THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE SAYING TO ME.
AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE SAYING TONIGHT.
SO ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS THAT WE HAVE HERE FOR THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, I'M IN APPROVAL OF EVERY LAST ONE OF 'EM.
I APPROVE EACH ONE OF THESE INDIVIDUALS MYSELF, AND I APPROVE THEM BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WHAT THEY NEED TO ACCOMPLISH, THEY CAN, IF THEY HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING, OKAY, IF THERE'S TRAINING REQUIRED, THEN LET'S DO THAT.
IF THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS THAT THEY NEED, I'M A, I'M IN FAVOR OF THEM HAVING THAT.
BUT WHAT IT IS THAT WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO DO, AND THIS HAS JUST NOT STARTED, THIS ISN'T JUST STARTED, I, I, I'VE BEEN ON THIS COUNCIL FOR THREE YEARS GOING ON FOUR, AND I'VE BEEN LIVING IN THIS CITY RIGHT HERE FOR BETTER OF A HALF A CENTURY.
SO WHAT IT IS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, AND WE HAVE IT ON OUR AGENDA IN REGARDS TO SOMETHING THAT THE MAYOR MENTIONED TO ME EARLIER IN REGARDS TO OPERATIONAL AUDIT, OPERATIONAL AUDIT,
THAT MEANS THAT WE GOT TO GO OVER AND LOOK AT HOW OUR OPERATIONS IS BEING CONDUCTED.
AND WE GOTTA BE SERIOUS ABOUT THAT.
NOW, IN REGARDS TO THE CAMERAS AND SECURITY AND OUR, AND WE, WE, WE, WE WENT RIGHT THROUGH OUR, UH, WHOLE LIST HERE, AND WE DIDN'T REALLY GO IN ANY KIND OF ORDER, BUT IN REGARDS TO SECURITY, I LIVED, I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE IN OAKWELL, LIVED IN DAVISVILLE, STILL LIVED IN DAVISVILLE.
SO, SO I'M JUST SAYING IN REGARDS TO SECURITY, I SEE IT ON A NIGHT TO NIGHT BASIS IN REGARDS TO WHAT IS HAPPENING.
AND I DO KNOW, PHIL, I FEEL LIKE I LIVE AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SOMETIME BECAUSE ALL I SEE IS RED LIGHTS ALL THE TIME.
BUT WHAT IT IS THAT I'M SAYING IS IN REGARDS TO THAT WE NEED TO WORK DILIGENTLY ON HOW WE ARE GOING TO MAINTAIN SECURITY AND WHO'S GONNA BE IN CHARGE OF IT.
WELL, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS SOME IN INDICATIONS RIGHT NOW FROM THE HOUSING AUTHORITY THAT THINGS ARE BEING DONE IN REGARDS TO THE SECURITY, BUT WHAT WE HAVE TO ALSO UNDERSTAND IS THE DOWNFALLS THAT THEY HAVE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT SHOULD NOT BE A SITUATION WHERE INDIVIDUALS SHOULD BE ONGOING TALKING ABOUT WHAT THEY DON'T HAVE, THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE.
AND I'M, I'M, I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN WORK, MR. MAYOR.
I, UM, WELL, THEY CAN HEAR YOU IN YOUR MIC.
I, UM, SAY SOMETHING RELUCTANTLY, BUT I, I JUST CAN'T SIT HERE ON THIS DISCUSSION ANY LONGER AND NOT BRING TO LIGHT SOMETHING THAT MR. HARRIS SAID.
WE'VE TALKING ABOUT MOLE IN AND, AND THESE RESIDENCE APARTMENTS.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE BECAUSE OF MR. HARRIS, I HAVE BEEN PERSONALLY INVOLVED IN WITH MS. UH, TYLER JO, APRIL, TYLER JONES, AND WITH MS. UH, DOROTHY FLOWERS.
IN FACT, I WENT TO MS. FLOWERS HOUSE TO OBSERVE DIRECTLY THE, THE MOLD SITUATION.
WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, LISA, THAT IT WAS BEING TAKEN CARE OF, THE STEPS WERE BEING, BEING TAKEN TO ADDRESS THESE INDIVIDUALS.
AND YET AFTER FOUR MONTHS, WE HAVE THESE RESIDENTS COMING BACK TO COUNCIL SAYING THE SAME THING MM-HMM
THAT THEY'RE NOT GETTING ATTENTION, THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT BEING SOLVED.
SO THAT DOES RAISE A QUESTION OF, UH, OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS AND, AND, AND GETTING THE JOB DONE IN
[01:10:01]
ADDRESSING THESE RESIDENTS CONCERNS.AND I, I THINK THAT, UH, WE AS, UH, PUBLIC OFFICIALS HAVE TO TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THAT.
AND, AND, UH, THE ISSUE IS OUR JOB IS TO UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE AND TRY TO GET THE PROBLEM SOLVED.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE FAILING HERE.
IN TERMS OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY WITH THESE, AT LEAST YOU'VE GOT THREE CASES HERE TONIGHT.
TWO OF 'EM I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH WHERE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT MORE THAN ONE TIME, AND, AND IT HASN'T BEEN, IT HASN'T BEEN RESOLVED YET.
SO THE QUESTION I HAVE, ASIDE FROM THE GRANT FOR RO UH, MOLE REMEDIATION, DO YOU HAVE CONTRACTORS ROLL, UH, MOLE REMEDIATION CONTRACTORS UNDER CONTRACT WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY THAT YOU COULD DISPATCH IN THESE INDIVIDUAL SITUATIONS WHEN, UH, RESIDENTS PRESENT THESE CASES TO YOU? YEAH.
SO, UH, JUST TO KIND OF ADDRESS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF, SOME OF YOUR COMMENTS THERE.
UM, YEAH, SO TO ADDRESS SOME OF YOUR COMMENTS, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I DO HOPE AT SOME POINT THAT THERE IS A PERCEPTION THAT WHEN ISSUES ARE BROUGHT TO MANAGEMENT AND STAFF, WE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES.
THERE ARE TIMES WHERE WHEN THINGS ARE BROUGHT BEFORE OUR COMMISSIONERS AND TO CITY COUNCIL FROM PERSONS WE SERVE, THERE MAY BE SOME THINGS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, SOME DETAILS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE CONVEYED.
AND, YOU KNOW, AS THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE, THERE IS CONFIDENTIALITY AND WE DO, EVEN WHEN THERE ARE TIMES WHERE BEING WE ARE BEING, YOU KNOW, NOT LOOKED AT IN A VERY POSITIVE LIGHT, WE DO STILL ULTIMATELY PROTECT.
AND WE ARE HERE TO HELP THOSE WE SERVE.
AND WITH THE PERSONS THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM TONIGHT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME DETAILS AND SOME CIRCUMSTANCES WITH EACH CASE WHERE IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FULLY DIVULGED OF WHAT THE FULL CIRCUMSTANCE IS.
EVERYONE HAS THEIR PERCEPTION, EVERYONE HAS THEIR VIEWPOINT, EVERYONE HAS THEIR POSITION ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT OCCURS.
UH, THERE ARE SOME SITUATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED AND CLOSED, AND THEN THERE MAY BE SOMETHING ELSE THAT PRESENTS ITSELF AS AN ISSUE THAT IS THEN ADDRESSED AND CLOSED.
THEN SOMETHING ELSE MAY COME ALONG, THEN THAT MAY BE ADDRESSED AND CLOSED AND THEN SOMETHING ELSE.
SO IT MAY BE, YOU KNOW, WE MAY SEE SOME OF THE SAME PERSONS.
THERE MAY BE OTHER ISSUES OR DIFFERENT ISSUES, OR IT MAY BE THERE ARE TIMES WHERE IT DOESN'T SEEM WHERE WE ARE.
WE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO SATISFY AND RESOLVE.
AND THERE ARE TIMES WHERE IT MAY NOT BE TO A RESIDENT SATISFACTION.
WE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO RESOLVE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T ENFORCE, WE CAN'T PRESS UPON SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE DO IF THEY'RE NOT HAPPY WITH IT, WE MAKE EFFORTS TO CONTINUE TO ADDRESS IT CAN'T CONTROL, YOU KNOW, OTHER PERSONS.
BUT I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW, EVEN THOUGH IF YOU SEE THE SAME PERSON OVER AND OVER, IT DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE NOT ADDRESSED AN ISSUE.
THERE ARE DETAILS, LIKE I SAID, THAT ARE NOT SHARED OR DIVULGED BECAUSE WE DO STILL PROTECT THE RESIDENTS WE SERVE.
SO I DON'T SEE IT AS A FAILURE OF COURSE, IN MY VIEW AT ALL WHEN WE SEE PERSONS, MAYBE THEY LIKE US, AND YET WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT THE SAME STORIES THAT WE HEARD IN MAY THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, AND EITHER A PROBLEM IS SOLVED AND IT GOES AWAY, OR IT WASN'T SOLVED.
AND WHAT I'M HEARING FROM MS. TYLER JONES AND, AND MS. FOWLER, THAT THEY STILL HAVE THE SAME ISSUES FROM, FROM, UH, FROM MAY.
SO WE'VE GOTTA, WE'VE GOTTA BRIDGE THAT GAP AND MAKE SURE THAT, UH, UH, IRRESPECTIVE OF THE BACKSTORY AND, AND I UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING HAS A BACKSTORY, BUT THE EMPHASIS SHOULD BE ON TRYING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM FOR THESE RESIDENTS.
AND I WILL ALSO SAY THAT IT IS A COORDINATED EFFORT.
THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, WE SHOULD DO OUR PART.
WE DO HAVE OBLIGATIONS AND WE ARE CERTAINLY GONNA CONTINUE TO ADDRESS 'EM.
AND I DO THANK THE BOARD FOR THEIR SUPPORT IN THIS NEW ERA OF REALLY, REALLY MAKING AN IMPACT TO CHANGE SOME THINGS.
IT ALSO TAKES THE RESIDENT, THE RESIDENT HAS TO
[01:15:01]
DO THEIR PART.THE RESIDENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THEIR UNIT IS CLEAN, ACCEPT DOUBT.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT, NOT TRYING TO GO DOWN A CERTAIN PATH, BUT IT CERTAINLY REQUIRES, UM, COOPERATION AND EVERYONE DOING THEIR PART TO GET THINGS DONE.
I DO TAKE FULL ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THINGS THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS NOT DONE VERY WELL.
I DO, AND I KNOW WE HAVE ROOM TO IMPROVE.
UM, BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT SINCE I'VE SO THANKFULLY BEEN APPOINTED THE POSITION, UM, WE'RE MAKING EVERY EFFORT TO REALLY CHANGE THAT.
UM, THAT'S REALLY ALL I'M GONNA SAY ABOUT THAT.
I'M SORRY, I, I MIGHT HAVE MISSED THE, THE ANSWER, BUT MR. ROGERS, YOU ASKED THE QUESTION IS, ARE THERE, DO YOU CURRENTLY HAVE CONTRACTORS ON STAFF, LIKE READY TO CALL TO ADDRESS A MOLD? AND I WAS DOING MY BEST.
YEAH, WE DO BECAUSE THERE'S, BECAUSE WE HAVE, WE'VE WORKED ON THE 14 UNITS, SO WE DO HAVE CONTRACTORS THAT WE DO, UH, OBTAIN TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES AS THEY, YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE MADE AWARE.
SO YEAH, THE ANSWER TO THAT IS YES.
SO MS. WILSON, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS WHEN, UM, RESIDENTS COME AND REPORT THAT THEY HAVE SIGNS OF MOLD, YOU ARE GETTING SOMEBODY DISPATCHING SOMEBODY OUT TO CHECK ON THE STATUS OF WHAT'S GOING ON, UM, WITH THE MOLD, YOU'RE NOT LIKE HOLDING OFF ON IT, YOU'RE SAYING Y'ALL ARE DISPATCHING OUT BECAUSE IT'S PEOPLE IN, YOU HAVE CONTRACTORS THAT'S GOING TO THESE UNITS TO LOOK INTO WHAT'S GOING ON? THAT'S CORRECT.
BE CONTRACT, BUT I THINK CONTRACT, YEAH.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS BEING MISSED IN THE TRANSLATION HERE IS WHAT MR. ROGERS IS SAYING.
THAT IT, THIS IS WHY, AND I MEAN, AND THIS IS A REALLY GOOD TRANSITION OVER HERE INTO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHY, YOU KNOW, A REVIEW AND AN ASSESSMENT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
THIS OPERATIONAL AUDIT NEEDS TO BE DONE BECAUSE THEY WILL GO THROUGH AND THEY WILL LOOK AT ALL OF YOUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, EVERYTHING, AND THEN THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, DETERMINE, YOU KNOW, OKAY, HERE ARE SOME WEAKNESSES THAT WE'RE DOING.
MAYBE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT DOING THE SPOT CHECKS AFTER THE WORK'S BEING DONE.
I THINK MR. PARSONS MADE A VERY GOOD COMMENT WHERE IF SOMEONE DOES HAS, YOU KNOW, WATER ISSUES, THEY SLAP A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, SHEET ROCK BACK UP, THROW SOME PAINT RIGHT BACK ON TOP OF IT, BUT YOU'RE NOT DEALING WITH THE ACTUAL, YOU KNOW, ISSUE ITSELF.
YOU'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS OVER AGAIN.
I MEAN, IT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN IF SOMEONE SEES MOLD AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH, WELL I'M JUST GONNA, YOU KNOW, WIPE IT DOWN REAL QUICK AND I'M GONNA THROW SOME PAINT RIGHT OVER TOP OF IT.
THAT'S NOT GONNA SOLVE THE ISSUE EITHER.
EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CAN SAY, OH, WELL I TOOK CARE OF THIS.
THAT'S WHERE I THINK THESE, UM, THESE OPERATIONAL, UM, YOU KNOW, ISSUES CAN, CAN BE RESOLVED IN THIS ASSESSMENT AND THAT WE CAN GET A GOOD GET, WELL PLAN THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, YOU KNOW, START EDUCATING THE, THE, THE CITIZENS ON THAT, OKAY, HERE'S OUR NEW POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS, YOU KNOW, STEP BY STEP.
AND I THINK THIS IS GONNA SOLVE A LOT OF ISSUES THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE.
IT CERTAINLY SOLVED A TON OF ISSUES ON THE CITY SIDE WHEN WE WENT THROUGH AND DID IT.
WHEN ALVAREZ AND MARCEL CAME IN FROM THE STATE AND THEY DID OUR TURNAROUND AND STABILIZATION PLAN.
I MEAN, THEY IDENTIFIED THINGS THAT NOBODY KNEW ABOUT ON CITY COUNCIL AND THE ADMINISTRATION, AND THEY GOT THE PLAN.
THE ROBERT BOB GROUP TOOK THE PLAN, YOU KNOW, THEY MADE SOME, UH, MODIFICATIONS TO IT, BUT THEY IMPLEMENTED IT.
AND, YOU KNOW, NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ONLY TWO AUDITS AWAY FROM BEING CAUGHT UP.
WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY SHOWN IMPROVEMENT IN OUR DIAGNOSTIC BOND RATING TESTS.
WE'VE GOTTEN, YOU KNOW, VERY GOOD KUDOS FROM THE STATE ON HOW WELL OUR FINANCES HAVE IMPROVED, HOW WELL OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND CONTROLS HAVE NOT ONLY BEEN ADOPTED, BUT THAT THEY'VE BEEN IMPLEMENTED.
AND IT HELPS US, IT HAS REALLY HELPED US, AND IT'S ADDED MORE CREDIBILITY TO THE CITY IN, YOU KNOW, NOW TRYING TO GET MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND FROM THE STATE TO DO PROJECTS AND, AND HOPE ON TO DO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TRYING TO LIFT EVERYBODY UP.
THAT'S WHAT WE WANNA SEE, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH THIS RFP OR, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GUYS WANNA USE THE CO-OP AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE AND USE ONE OF THEIR PRE-SELECTED AND PRE-VETTED VENDORS, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, I I JUST AN OPPORTUNITY MORE THAN ANYTHING TO SAY, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO CLEAN THE SLATE.
WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GOING TO COME
[01:20:01]
THROUGH AND WE'RE GOING TO REDO EVERYTHING SO WE CAN BECOME AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE.AND THAT'S, THAT'S MY GOAL AS WELL.
AND I THINK I SHARED WITH THE COMMISSIONERS, UM, THE, THE PREVIOUS BOARD, I DO HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
I DO HAVE A TIMELINE AND A PART OF THAT ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN ASSESSMENT DONE MYSELF.
SO IT'S ALREADY A PART OF WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO OPERATIONALLY.
UM, AND THAT IS, UH, A PART OF OPERATIONS, WHICH IS UNDER MY PUR.
THAT'S ALREADY, IT'S ALREADY SLATED TO BE DONE OR TO
WELL, I MEAN, WE, WE, WHEN WE MET, YOU KNOW WHAT, THIS PAST SUMMER MM-HMM
AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT MADE IT SOUND LIKE THAT THIS WAS, YOU KNOW, COMING TO FRUITION.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT, WHEN DID WE MEET? WAS IT AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER? MID SEPTEMBER.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE FAST FORWARD INTO OCTOBER.
UH, WE HAD MEMBERS ON THE COMMISSION THAT WANTED TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS COME UP DECEMBER, SAME THING.
WE HAD COMMISSIONERS SAY THAT THEY WANTED TO SEE THIS OPERATIONAL AUDIT OR A TURNAROUND PLAN DONE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY GOT TOLD IT HAD TO BE PUT ON THE AGENDA THAT THEY, THEY JUST COULDN'T TALK ABOUT IT RIGHT THEN AND THERE.
WELL, THEN WE COME TO, YOU KNOW, THE MEETING HERE IN JANUARY AND THREE MEMBERS REACH OUT TO THE ADMINISTRATION TO, AND TO THE BOARD LEADERSHIP, AND THEY ASK FOR IT, IT DOESN'T GET DONE.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO THE TIMELINE AND TIMEFRAME, HRHA, WE DETERMINE OUR OWN TIMEFRAME FOR, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE PLAN AND HAVE THINGS DONE.
AND I, IT'S, IT'S A PART OF THE PLAN, SO IT WILL BE IN PROGRESS.
IF IT'S PART OF THE PLAN, WHAT'S YOUR PROJECTED KICKOFF? I'LL GET BACK WITH YOU ON THAT.
IF I MAY, I'LL GET BACK WITH YOU ON THAT.
UH, MR. MELLON, IF WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PLAN, CAN WE MAKE A MOTION TONIGHT? SURE.
SO JUST TO, JUST, IF I COULD SAY, IF I COULD, BECAUSE THAT IS UNDER THE OPERATIONAL PURVIEW AND THE WAY IT'S BEING, ONE COULD LOOK AT IT LIKE, IT COULD BE POLITICAL, SOME KIND OF POLITICAL, UH, WHATEVER THE LANGUAGE IS.
SO JUST WANT TO, JUST WANT TO TO SAY THAT BECAUSE IT IS AN OPERATIONAL ACTION.
CAN I, WELL, WHAT ABOUT A MOTION TO APPOINT, UH, TWO MEMBERS, UH, TO LOOK INTO, GET WITH LISA TO BRING BACK TO THE BOARD AND, AND OPERATE, UH, SOME SUGGESTIONS ON HOW WE CAN IMPLEMENT THIS PLAN.
UM, AND I'M, WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE ONE OF THOSE MEMBERS? WOULD YOU, ANY, WOULD THERE, IS THERE A MOTION TO DO THAT? WELL, WHAT I'M GETTING IS MS. LISA SAID THAT, UM, SHE HAS A PLAN ON, UM, MOVING HRHA FORWARD OPERATIONAL.
SO WHAT, WHAT I'M, SHE HAS A PLAN, BUT THIS QUESTION IS, I MEAN, I THINK I, THE, A SUBCOMMITTEE NEEDS TO MEET WITH HER AND SHE PROVIDE, PROVIDE THOSE TWO MEMBERS AN AVENUE WHAT HER PLAN IS, I GUESS INSTEAD OF, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A ONE MEETING A MONTH, UNLESS Y'ALL ONLY HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING, WE ALL CAN TALK ABOUT BEFORE WE GO THAT ROUTE.
SHE, ME MAKING A MOTION AND SHE MENTIONED WE DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO THAT.
CAN WE CONFIRM IF WE CAN MAKE A MOTION BEFORE WE TAKE A DIFFERENT ROUTE? YES.
I MEAN, SO MS. WILSON EXPRESSED SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE MOTION OR MAKE ABOUT THE MOTION WITH NOT TECHNIC YEAH, YOU ARE, BUT THE CHAIR HAS THE RIGHT TO APPOINT ANYONE.
THIS IS A JOINT MEETING BETWEEN THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO, BUT IF IT IS IN MY PURVIEW, THEN I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPOINT COMMITTEE HEAR FROM.
UH, UH, COUNSEL, YOU HAVE A, SO AS, AS FAR AS THE MOTION, AS, AS I HEARD, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THE ISSUE
[01:25:01]
THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING ADDRESSED IS AN OPERATIONAL ISSUE OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.SO THE BOARD OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
I'M SORRY, I'M HAVING A HARD TIME HEARING.
SO THE ISSUE THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING ADDRESSED IS AN ISSUE THAT RELATES TO DIRECT OPERATIONAL ISSUES OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY DOES NOT HAVE ANY AUTHORITY WHEN IT COMES TO OPERATIONAL ISSUES.
GOVERNANCE AND POLICY IS THE ROLE OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FOR THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
SO THESE THINGS THAT ARE BEING DISCUSSED, THOSE ARE, AND THIS IS I THINK WHAT MS. WILSON WAS ADDRESSING.
THOSE ISSUES ARE WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF MS. WILSON AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF A HOUSING AUTHORITY.
THEREFORE, ANY MOTION TO FORM A COMMITTEE TO DEAL WITH DIRECT OPERATIONAL ISSUES, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE A, AN INVALID MOTION AS FAR AS I, I DISAGREE.
I MEAN, THIS IS, I, I UNDERSTAND IF YOU DIS DISAGREE, HOWEVER, BUT THAT'S THIS, THAT'S THE LAW GOVERNANCE ISSUE.
I MEAN, THIS IS, I MEAN, AND I MEAN, IF ANYTHING, I DON'T EVEN TAKE IT SO FAR AS A PERSONNEL ISSUE.
YOU'RE GETTING TO DIRECT MANAGEMENT OF THE AUTHORITY.
NO, I, IT'S A GOVERN, IT'S A GOVERNANCE ISSUE OF MR IF THE COMMISSION ITSELF WANTS TO DO AN ASSESSMENT THAT IS POLICY.
WELL, JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU MENTIONED WE COULDN'T FORM A, A COMMITTEE, CORRECT? CORRECT.
BUT THE MOTION THAT WE WERE GOING, THAT WAS BEING MENTIONED WAS TO DIRECT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO HIRE SERVICES TO AUDIT OPERATIONAL IS, AND I THINK MS, I THINK MS. WILSON HAS ALREADY INDICATED THAT SHE HAS A PLAN TO DO SO.
IF WE'RE IN AGREEMENT, COULD WE GO AHEAD AND MAKE AN A A MOOT A MOTION TONIGHT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT? YEAH, I, I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE ON THE RECORD.
SO I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A FEW DIFFERENT THINGS THERE.
SO I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE ON THE RECORD SO THE CITIZENS CAN SEE, BECAUSE WE GOT TOLD THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN OVER SIX MONTHS AGO.
I DID NOT GIVE A TIMEFRAME RESPECTFULLY, MR. MAYOR, MS. WILSON, SIX MONTHS AGO YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO DO THIS AND YOU STILL HAVE NOTHING TO THIS DAY.
YOUR RECOLLECTION MAY BE DIFFERENT BY, I KNOW FOR CERTAIN.
SO MS. WILSON, I THINK SHE, SHE IS AGREED TO FORMULATE A PLAN AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, AUDIT AND OPERATIONS.
YOU KNOW, ONCE AGAIN, WHERE'S THE MEGAN'S PLAN THAT WE'VE ASKED FOR? WHERE'S THE CAPITAL PLAN? WHERE IS THE, I MEAN, ALL WE'RE GETTING IS I'VE GOT A PLAN, I'VE GOT A PLAN, I'VE GOT A PLAN, SHOW IT TO SOMEONE.
BUT THERE'S NOTHING, THERE'S NO, THERE'S NOTHING IN WRITING FOR ANYBODY.
MR. MAY, MAY, MAY I INTERJECT? YES, SIR.
UM, MR. DAVENPORT, I, I THINK YOU AND I WOULD AGREE THAT IF THIS COMMISSION WERE TO DIRECT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO CARRY OUT HER JOB IN A CERTAIN SPECIFIED WAY, THAT THAT WOULD BE BEYOND THE COMMISSION'S PURVIEW.
BUT I THINK WE CAN AGREE THOUGH THAT THIS COMMISSION COULD DIRECT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO SEEK A THIRD PARTY AUDIT OF OPERATIONS.
IS THAT SOMETHING WE WOULD DISAGREE ON? YEAH, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD NOT DISAGREE ON, BUT MS. WILSON HAS ALREADY SAID THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SHE WOULD DO.
BUT, BUT TO, TO PUT IT, TO PUT IT CANDIDLY THAT THE, THE, THE IDEA ABROAD IN THE ROOM IS THAT THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED WITH ENOUGH ALACRITY.
IT HASN'T HAPPENED QUICKLY ENOUGH.
AND SO I, I THINK, I THINK WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT, THAT THE COMMISSION WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO, TO DIRECT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO PUT THAT INITIATIVE FRONT, FRONT AND CENTER.
AND I THINK THAT IS A DIFFERENT MOTION THAN WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED.
MRS. PELLAND DID SAY SOMETHING SEPARATE.
SO SINCE WE'RE IN AGREEMENT, WE CAN MAKE THAT MOTION.
MRS. WILSON HAS ALREADY STATED SHE SOMETHING SHE WAS GONNA WORK ON.
SO AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
AGAIN, THIS ISN'T TO POINT FINGERS, IT'S JUST TO MOVE US ALL IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
IF WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING, THERE SHOULD BE NO CONCERNS.
SO I MOVED AT THE HRHA DIRECT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO PROCURE AN OPERATIONAL AUDIT OF HRHA, SIMILAR IN SUBSTANCE TO WHAT THE CITY DID WITH, UM, THE FIRM OF ALVAREZ AND MARSHALL, MYSELF, I, SECOND
[01:30:01]
OF SECONDS.MS. WILSON, OF WHO MADE THE MOTION AND WHO SECOND IT AS WELL, WHO MADE, WHO MADE THE MOTION? UH, COMMISSIONER MELLON AND COMMISSIONER FULLER.
UH, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD THAT ALONG WITH THAT, UM, TO SECOND THE MOTION, I'M SORRY, FULLER COMMISSIONER FULLER, IS THERE A, UM, AN AMENDMENT TO ADD, UH, TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOLUNTEER? WHO WOULD LIKE TO WORK ON THAT? WE'RE WE CAN'T CONVERT IT ANY TYPE OF SUBCOMMITTEE, SO WE'LL ALL BE WORKING ON IT.
SO WE'LL HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING, I WOULD IMAGINE.
WHAT? YOU GUYS GOTTA APPROVE IT AT THE VERY END.
SO THINK ABOUT WHEN
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ROLL CALL, UH, MS. WILSON.
CARRIES, I'LL GIVE THIS TO YOU.
SO MOVING INTO OUR LAST ITEM OF BUSINESS, UH, WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE CAMERAS AND THE SECURITY OF, UH, THE HRHA PROPERTIES.
UH, MS. WILSON, I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, ANSWERED SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT MS. FULLER HAD, UM, EARLIER ABOUT THIS.
UM, I KNOW THIS WAS ONE ITEM THAT WAS A BIG CONCERN WITH, UH, COUNSELOR DAY.
DID YOU HAVE, UM, ANY MORE QUESTIONS? COUNSELOR DAY, I'M SORRY, UM, ON THE SECURITY CAMERAS OR, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY OVER THERE IN THE, UH, HOUSING COMMUNITIES? JUST THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS DONE BY THE 31ST, 31ST, LIKE JUST DISCUSSED.
I MEAN, AND AGREE WITH MS. COMMISSIONER FULLER THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T HAVE THESE CAMERAS OUT.
I MEAN, WE'RE HAVING A LARGE AMOUNT OF CRIMES GOING ON IN THESE AREAS, AND I HAVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME FROM PIPER SQUARE, FROM THOMAS WALK, YOU KNOW, AND STORIES OF, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT ARE, ESPECIALLY OLDER ADULTS THAT ARE AFRAID TO EVEN LEAVE THEIR HOUSE PAST THREE O'CLOCK.
MOMS THAT CAN'T LET THEIR KIDS GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY.
SO THIS, IT'S PARAMOUNT, BUT THESE CAMERAS ALWAYS WORK.
YOU KNOW, IF, IF THEY'RE HIT BY LIGHTNING, IF SOMETHING HAPPENS THERE, IT JUST NEEDS TO BE A, A VERY QUICK TURNAROUND.
'CAUSE IN THE MEANTIME, THINGS ARE HAPPENING THAT SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING.
AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE GETTING READY TO COME UP ON THE SUMMER MONTHS WHERE THESE CRIMES PICK UP.
SO IT NEEDS TO BE A HUNDRED PERCENT DONE AND ONLINE AND WORKING BEFORE WEEKS UNTIL THE SPRING AND SUMMER.
JUST, OH, THAT'S WHERE I, I ALWAYS DO REPEAT WHAT, ONE SECOND.
SO, UM, I MEAN, NOW THIS MAY BE A LITTLE IGNORANT, SO I DO APOLOGIZE.
SO THIS IS A QUESTION THAT MS. LISA MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW.
UH, CHIEF TAYLOR MAY, MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ASCERTAIN IF THIS IS SOMETHING WE COULD DO, BUT I COME FROM A BIG CITY, BEING FROM PHILLY, I CAN TELL YOU AFTER I SPENT THE WHOLE WEEKEND IN PHILLY COUNSEL, I'M SORRY, MA'AM.
SO MY QUESTION IS, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT OUR HOUSING AUTHORITY CAN HAVE LIKE, OFFICERS DESIGNATED FOR THIS AREA? LIKE, IS IT POSSIBLE TO HIRE OR SOMETHING? BECAUSE OTHER LOCALITIES DO HAVE PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY, POLICE OFFICERS JUST FOR THAT, JUST PATROL THEIR AREA.
SO I'VE ASKED CHIEF TAYLOR THAT A COUPLE TIMES.
OH, SHE, SHE SAID THAT ACTUALLY WE HAVE A, A CONTRACT.
YOU GOTTA TALKING TO MIKE FOR MS. TIMON ON TV.
UH, MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, UH, CHAIR OF HR HA VICE CHAIR.
UH, WE DO HAVE, IT'S CALLED OFF DATA MANAGEMENT AND WE HAVE WORKED WITH HR HA AND THAT OUR, THAT IS OUR VENDOR AND THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRACT WITH THAT VENDOR TO HAVE OFF-DUTY OFFICERS WORK, HR HA PROPERTY.
AND WE'VE HAD THAT FOR A WHILE NOW.
AND ARE THERE ANY OTHER GRANT OPPORTUNITIES THAT EITHER ONE OF YOU HAVE COME ACROSS? LIKE, YOU KNOW, I'VE
[01:35:01]
BEEN THROUGH THE SYSTEM WHERE THE OFFICERS ACTUALLY LIVED IN HOUSING AND WHERE THEY USED TO HAVE WALK PATROL YES, MA'AM.AND ALL THAT, WE, WE PART ARE ANY OF THAT? YES MA'AM.
AND THAT HAS BEEN, UH, COMMUNICATED WITH THE OFFICERS.
AND AS OF RIGHT NOW, UH, WE HAVE, WE DO, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY OFFICERS THAT ARE WILLING OR DO NOT HAVE ANY INTEREST IN LIVING IN HR HA AND THERE ARE NO, NO STATE OF FEDERAL GRANTS THAT WILL ALLOW, UM, OH, NEVERMIND.
SO THEY DON'T WANNA LIVE THERE.
WITH, WITH REGARD TO THE CAMERAS AND SECURITY, I, I GUESS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SEEMS TO BE A, A RECURRING THEME HERE IS JUST A LACK OF URGENCY, UM, WHEN ADDRESSING, UM, WHETHER IT'S THE CAMERAS OR WHETHER IT'S THE MOLD REMEDIATION.
UM, WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE'S A PLAN AND A STRATEGIC PLAN, BUT I DON'T THINK THE, I KNOW WE HAVE NOT SEEN IT.
AND WE, WE HAD THIS JOINT MEETING AND WE TALKED ABOUT THESE THINGS, BUT YOU'VE NOT SHARED ANYTHING WITH COUNCIL.
SO WE HAD A, A COUNCIL LIAISON, REST IN PEACE.
UM, I WOULD THINK BECAUSE IT WAS PRESENTED WHEN I WAS APPOINTED THE POSITION.
UM, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY REFORWARD THAT TO THE COMMISSIONER.
YEAH, I MEAN, I WOULD THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT IMMEDIATELY YOU WOULDN'T PLAN.
A STRATEGIC PLAN WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE SHARED, PARTICULARLY FOLLOWING OUR MEETING, BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN NOW THAT YOU HAVE NEW COUNSELORS, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD JUST BE PART OF THEIR ORIENTATION PACKAGE THE FIRST MEETING.
IT'S IN THEIR FOLDER, BUT IT'S IN THEIR FOLDER.
SO THEY, SO THEY'VE ALREADY, THEY ALREADY HAVE IT.
THEY RECEIVED A NEW COMMISSIONER'S LIKE ORIENTATION PACKET, AND THAT WAS IN THERE.
THE YELLOW FOLDERS THAT YOU WERE PROVIDED HAD A COPY OF THAT.
I CAN PROVIDE IT THOUGH, BUT I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I JUST WOULD, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE THAT IN A STRATEGIC PLAN.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, IT'S JUST THIS, A LACK OF URGENCY AND THE FACT THAT HERE WE ARE, THE, THE LIGHTNING STRIKE OCCURRED MONTHS AGO AND THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED RIGHT AWAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S KINDA, HERE WE ARE.
SO THAT, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT COMMENT.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT, WITH THE PROCESS, YOU HAVE THE CLAIMS ADJUSTER, THEY HAVE TO SCHEDULE THE COORDINATION OF, UM RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, THE CONTRACTORS PROCURING ALL OF THAT.
I DO, I DO APPRECIATE THE HOOPS YOU HAVE TO JUMP THROUGH TO DO THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
I'M SURE THERE ARE SOME THINGS, BUT I DO THINK JUST GENERALLY SPEAKING, IT SEEMS TO BE JUST A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU COULD PRESS, PRESS THE ACCELERATOR A BIT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, FROM COMMISSIONERS OR MEMBERS ON COUNCIL ON THE CAMERAS AND SECURITY? OKAY.
UH, HEARING NONE, UM, I'LL JUST CLOSE WITH A, A FEW COMMENTS.
I, I'M VERY EXCITED FOR YOU ALL.
I THINK YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO, UH, REALLY ENJOY THIS PROCESS OF GOING THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THIS REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT AND AUDIT.
BECAUSE I THINK WHAT YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO FIND OUT IS THERE ARE JUST SO MANY WAYS THAT YOU CAN IMPROVE EFFICIENCIES AND THE IMPACT THAT IT'S GOING TO HAVE ON PEOPLE'S LIVES.
AND I THINK THAT IT'S GOING TO MAKE YOUR TERMS, YOU KNOW, VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL AND VERY, YEAH.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA END UP HELPING, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE, UH, RESURGENCE, UH, HERE FOR THE CITY.
UM, AND SO YOU'LL ASK, UH, MS. PELLUM, UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY CLOSING REMARKS? WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION AND THE, UH, COMMUNICATION.
LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUALLY WORKING WITH EVERYONE AND I'M SURE THE COMMISSIONERS ARE TOO.
THANK YOU MS. WILSON, FOR YOUR INPUT AS WELL.
UH, FROM CITY COUNCIL, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SECOND.
ALRIGHT, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
SO I HAVE ALSO A MOTION TO ADJOURN COMMISSIONERS SECOND.