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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes f Oshkosh RENTAL HOUSING ADVISORY BOARD MINTUES MAY 9, 2018 PRESENT: Margy Davey, Cheryl Hentz, Linda Jevaltas, Lori Palmeri, Matthew Stenerson EXCUSED: Matt Mugerauer, Timothy Ernst UNEXCUSED: Sherri Devereau STAFF: Allen Davis, Community Development Director, John Zarate, Chief Building Official,Andrew Prickett, Building Systems Inspector,Kathy Fredrick,Weights and Measures/Code Enforcement Clerk CALL TO ORDER Ms. Davey called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. The minutes of the April 11, 2018 meeting were approved as presented. (Jevaltas/Davey) REFUGEE ADVOCACY Mr. Allen reported that Kathy Propp was a conduit for refugee advocacy, however James Rashid, a representative from World Relief, was the contact person to speak on behalf of refugee advocacy. He stated Mr. Rashid would speak at the June 13th RHAB meeting regarding what their program included and the help they needed help with recruiting landlords and educating tenants on how the rental process worked in the United States. SOCIAL MEDIA Ms. Hentz reported she felt the RHAB Facebook page was progressing well. She stated there was an individual who commented on and shared several posts and although this person seemed to be promoting the Winnebago Apartment Association, the comments were positive and she would continue to monitor them. NOTE: Lori Palmeri joined the meeting at 3:37 p.m. STATE LEGISLATION UPDATE-ACT 317 Mr. Davis reported that ACT 317 was being reviewed and interpreted by City staff to determine what changes would be required for compliance not only to the Rental Housing and Inspection Program,but to service fees in general. He stated the process was complicated and would be lengthy. f Oshkosh RHAB Minutes Page Two Ms. Hentz asked if Act 317 changed the legislation to reflect what the City originally envisioned for the Residential Rental Contact Registration and Inspection Program. Mr. Davis replied from a geographical prospective the new legislation was exactly what City staff had intended for the Residential Rental Contact Registration and Inspection Program. He stated the goal for City staff was to have the analysis of Act 317 completed by the end of May and to have a workshop with the Rental Housing Advisory Board and the Common Council prior to reintroducing the Residential Rental Contact Registration and Inspection Program. He stated the most urgent item for the City to act upon from Act 317 was the change in how the City can charge service fees for long grass,junk and debris, and parking on the grass. The new legislation required the City to send a warning notice prior to charging a service fee. Ms. Hentz asked if the service fees for snow and ice removal were included in Act 317. Mr.Zarate stated that snow and ice removal were exempt from the new legislation as they were considered a health/safety hazard. RENT ABATEMENT Mr. Prickett stated the new legislation disallowed municipalities to set their own rent abatement withholding tables. Ms. Hentz stated she felt tenants, especially students, needed education regarding the topic of rent abatement. Council Member Palmeri felt the Board should research State information regarding rent abatement and offer the information as educational material to tenants who ask. NEIGHBORHOOD STABALIZATION DISTRICTS Mr. Davis shared the maps prepared by City GIS staff detailing eight categories that affect the quality of life of citizens of Oshkosh. He stated the criteria of some of the maps could help City staff determine what areas in the city would be included in the revised Residential Rental Contact Registration and Inspection Program. SHOULDER NEIGHBORHOOD MAP Mr. Davis explained the shoulder neighborhood was considered the residential area surrounding the downtown areas of the City. He referred to the Imagine Oshkosh consultant study which made recommendations to address the quality of housing in the shoulder neighborhoods. f Oshkosh RHAB Minutes Page Three The Board held a lengthy discussion regarding neighborhood associations versus areas in the city without neighborhood associations and came to the understanding the City needed to find a way to better identify methods to successfully measure neighborhood needs and to formally recognize underachieving neighborhoods in order to advocate revitalization dollars. FARMERS MARKET Ms. Davey reported the RHAB was scheduled for a booth at the Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market on July 28th, August 25th and September 291h. She stated the booth should be manned with a minimum of two RHAB volunteers on each date and asked the Board to review their schedules for sign up at the June 13th meeting. POLICY FOR BOARD MEMBER ATTENDANCE-FOLLOW UP The Board decided to create a policy for board member attendance. If a citizen member of the board did not notify City staff prior to a RHAB meeting regarding not attending, the absence would be unexcused. Two unexcused absences in a year beginning June 1 and ending May 31 would result in a recommendation for dismissal from the Rental Housing Advisory Board. MOTION: IF A CITIZEN MEMBER OF THE RENTAL HOUSING ADVISORY BOARD ACCRUES TWO UNEXCUSED ABSENCES WITHIN IN A YEAR, FROM JUNE 1 THROUGH MAY 31, THE BOARD WILL RECOMMEND DISMISSAL FROM THE RENTAL HOUSING ADVISORY BOARD TO THE MAYOR. (Rentz/Stenerson) CARRIED: UNAMINOUS VOICE VOTE ADD CITIZEN STATEMENT TO AGENDA The Board decided to add to the agenda the opportunity for citizens to speak before the board once the meeting was called to order and roll call was taken. Citizens would be allowed to speak for up to three minutes on topics not included on the agenda. INSPECTIONS UPDATE Mr. Prickett recapped the rental inspection results for 2018: Interior Inspections- 12 Code Violations Found-79 25 Follow Up Inspections-2 units did not correct any violations that were found 12 units corrected 1 or more violations but not all that were found 11 units corrected all violations and the cases were closed. f Oshkosh RHAB Minutes Page Four No exterior inspections had been completed in 2018, however there were follow up exterior inspections from 2017: 42 Follow up Exterior Inspections from 2017- 13 units did not correct any violations that were found 12 units corrected 1 or more violations but not all that were found 17 units corrected all violations and the cases were closed. Mr. Davis stated no rental housing program inspections would be completed until City staff had thoroughly examined and interpreted Act 317. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Refugee Advocacy-James Rashid Shoulder Neighborhood Discussion 2018 RHAB Organization Go HNI Representative to speak at July 11th Meeting ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 5:12 p.m. (Rentz/Stenerson) Respectfully submitted, Allen Davis Community Development Director