Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout01.10.18 Minutes f Oshkosh RENTAL HOUSING ADVISORY BOARD MINTUES JANUARY 10, 2018 PRESENT: Matt Mugerauer, Margy Davey, Cheryl Hentz, Timothy Ernst, Linda Jevaltas, Matthew Stenerson EXCUSED: Sherri Devereau, Lori Palmeri STAFF: Allen Davis, Community Development Director, John Zarate, Chief Building Official, Andrew Prickett, Building Systems Inspector, Casey Koelbl, Housing Inspector, Kathy Fredrick, Weights and Measures/Code Enforcement Clerk OTHER: Emily Springstroh, Communications Coordinator CALL TO ORDER Mr. Mugerauer called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. The minutes of the December 13, 2017 meeting and January 2, 2018 Special meeting were approved as presented. (Rentz/Davey) ERIKA SANDERS,FAIR HOUSING COUNCIL Erika Sanders, Director of Program Services for the Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council, gave an overview of the Fair Housing Council as it pertained to the State of Wisconsin. She explained the Fair Housing Council was a private, non-profit organization although they contracted their services to government entities. She stated their sole area of focus was in fair housing including all the civil rights laws that pertained to prohibiting discrimination in the housing market such as rental, sales, mortgage lending, and homeowners insurance. She stated the Fair Housing Council did not contend with landlord/tenant issues. She stated one of the goals of the Fair Housing Council was to create and maintain racially and economically integrated neighborhoods noting the single most contributing factor to racial segregation in housing was illegal housing discrimination. She indicated there were several programs offered by the Fair Housing Council, highlighting the Outreach and Education Program and the Enforcement Program. She stated the most popular types of complaints received by the Fair Housing Council were based on disability, race, and familial status. Ms. Hentz noted Sexual Orientation was a protected class under the State of Wisconsin Open Housing Law, however it was not a protected class under the Federal Fair Housing Act. She asked if there was pending legislation to make Sexual Orientation a protected class under the Federal Fair Housing Act. f Oshkosh RHAB Minutes Page Two Ms. Sanders acknowledged that Sexual Orientation was not a protected class under the Federal Fair Housing Act although members of congress had introduced legislation to make Sexual Orientation a protected class to no avail. Ms. Sanders gave several examples of illegal housing discrimination involving repairs and maintenance, lease renewals, sexual harassment, marital status and familial status. Mr. Mugerauer asked how complaints to the Fair Housing Council were resolved. Ms. Sanders stated many municipalities had fair housing ordinances with no internal enforcement mechanism in place. She indicated the vast majority of complainants ended up filing their complaints with the Equal Rights Division through the State or federally through the U.S.Department of Housing and Urban Development, as those channels yielded a better outcome for the complainant. She specified she was the main contact for technical assistance for housing providers, and that the Fair Housing Council offered free seminars throughout the year to educate landlords on how to comply with fair housing laws in all aspects from advertising to terminating tenancies. She stressed that the Fair Housing Council was an advocate for both tenants and landlords and since it was an agency that engaged in litigation, the Fair Housing Council could sometimes be objective fact finders for both parties. SOCIAL MEDIA Emily Springstroh, Communications Coordinator,reported she and Chery Hentz had met to create a plan for the Oshkosh Rental Housing Advisory Board Facebook Page. She provided an outline for the Facebook page which was scheduled to launch on February 1, 2018. STATE LEGISLATION UPDATE- SB 639/AB 771 Mr. Davis reported that City Manager Rohloff, Mayor Cummings, and Council Member Palmeri each testified before the State Housing and Real Estate Committee regarding Assembly Bill 771. He stated proposed amendments were being considered to the bill but a date for which the bill would be voted on had not yet been determined. Mr. Mugerauer stated he would provide the board with the video link for the assembly hearing. 2018 WORK PLAN Mr. Mugerauer provided the Board with a working draft of the RHAB 2018 Strategic Plan based on the suggestions given by Mr. Ernst at the December 13th meeting. The Board discussed additional items to include in the plan which Mr. Mugerauer would add to his spreadsheet and provide to the Board at the next meeting. f Oshkosh RHAB Minutes Page Three The Board discussed whether there was a need to incorporate a mission statement for the RHAB in addition to the purpose set forth by the Oshkosh Common Council. MISSION STATEMENT The Board decided on the following mission statement: The purpose of the Rental Housing Advisory Board is to advise staff on the creation of rental housing educational materials and residential rental training programs for landlords and tenants, to review and make recommendations regarding City policy or changes to the municipal code pertaining to rental housing. This includes all matters related to health, safety, and general welfare of the renting public. EDUCATIONAL BROCHURE FOREIGN LANGUAGE UPDATE Ms. Davey reported she was communicating with the foreign language interpreter to finalize the conversion of the educational brochure into French and Spanish. INSPECTIONS UPDATE Mr.Koelbl reported the exterior inspections of the properties on Cherry Street that did not receive interior inspections had been completed and inspectors were now focusing on follow up inspections. He noted most landlords were responding and making the necessary repairs in a timely fashion. Mr.Davis stated he would delay mailing the next group of voluntary inspection notices until the outcome of SB 639/AB 771 was determined. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Mr. Davis stated he had contacted the city attorney to request a training session on how to conduct the Rental Housing Advisory Board meetings. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:50 p.m. Hentz/Davey) Respectfully submitted, Allen Davis Community Development Director