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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07.11.18 Minutes 4h Car Oshkosh RENTAL HOUSING ADVISORY BOARD MINTUES JULY 11, 2018 PRESENT: Cheryl Hentz, Margy Davey, Matt Mugerauer, Timothy Ernst, Linda Jevaltas, Lori Palmeri, Matthew Stenerson 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 Ms. Hentz called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. The minutes of the June 13, 2018 meeting were approved as presented. (Mugerauer/Davey) CITIZEN STATEMENTS There were no citizen statements. REPRESENTATIVE FROM WINNEBAGO APARTMENT ASSOCIATION (10 minutes) Donn Lord, President of the Winnebago Apartment Association,explained the purpose of the association was to aid and educate small business landlords and indicated the average landlord in the State of Wisconsin owned three units. He stated he was concerned that in Oshkosh and the surrounding area, vacancy rates were at an all-time low and the lack of affordable housing would become a bigger issue. He stated he felt there was a lack of communication between the Winnebago Apartment Association and the City of Oshkosh Inspection Services Division and suggested the two entities meet once a year for a round table discussion on common issues and how to resolve them. Robert Wilcox, 1009 Otter Avenue, asked what the vacancy rate was in the City of Oshkosh. Mr. Lord replied the latest statistics he had for the City of Oshkosh regarding the vacancy rate were from the end of 2016 and at that time the vacancy rate was 3.9%. Ms. Davey asked if the Winnebago Apartment Association served just the City of Oshkosh. Mr.Lord answered the Winnebago Apartment Association had members mostly from the City of Oshkosh however there were members from Omro, Winneconne, and other rural areas. /0�� J Car Oshkosh RHAB Minutes Page Two Mr. Ernst noted in order to comply with Act 317, the City was creating neighborhood stabilization and enhancement districts for the rental housing inspection program. He asked what metrics the Winnebago Apartment Association would recommend be used in the mapping of the neighborhood stabilization and enhancement districts. Mr. Lord stated he did not have any recommendations as to what metrics the City used to determine the neighborhood stabilization and enhancement districts, however he wanted a rental housing inspection program that would be manageable for landlords. Ms. Hentz asked what the Winnebago Apartment Association envisioned in partnering with the Rental Housing Advisory Board. Mr. Lord replied he felt a representative from the Winnebago Apartment Association should have a seat on the Rental Housing Advisory Board in order to improve communication. Mr.Wilcox asked if rental property owners in the City of Oshkosh who did not live in the City could attend RHAB meetings. Ms. Hentz responded anyone could attend the RHAB meetings as they were open meetings. Mr. Ernst asked if a representative from the Winnebago Apartment Association had a seat on the Rental Housing Advisory Board, and communication and input were achieved, what could the Winnebago Apartment Association do to assure compliance with the rental housing inspection program. Mr. Lord stated about six percent of the landlords in Oshkosh belonged to the Winnebago Apartment Association and that the association could not guarantee compliance with the rental housing inspection program. However, he stated he felt the Winnebago Apartment Association and the City both had the same goals and that the relationship between the two entities did not have to be adversarial. INSPECTIONS UPDATE Mr. Koelbl reported City staff would complete a couple of final interior re-inspections in the upcoming week and that no more rental housing inspection program inspections would be completed until the new rental housing inspection program was created. Ms. Fredrick stated as a follow up to a question asked at the Residential Rental Program Workshop, out of three thousand three hundred rental housing registration forms that were mailed in December, 2016, approximately 90%were returned. Mr. Davis asked out the three thousand three hundred rental housing registration forms that were mailed in December, 2016,how many landlords provided an email address. /0�� J Car Oshkosh RHAB Minutes Page Three Ms. Fredrick stated out the three thousand three hundred rental housing registration forms that were mailed in December, 2016, she estimated less than half of landlords provided an email address. FARMERS MARKET—FOLLOW UP The Board determined what they would need to man the booth at the Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market. Mr. Ernst would pick up the posters and banner at City Hall on Friday,July 271H SOCIAL MEDIA Ms. Springstroh gave a recap of the communication options available to the RHAB and the Board discussed implementing public service announcements using video and radio. She stated she would email the Board the link to the RHAB Facebook Page along with tips on how to increase awareness and reach more people. ACT 317 WORKSHOP FOLLOW-UP 1. Map Metrics for District(s) 2. Exterior Inspections 3. Public Participation 4. Communication Plan Mr. Davis stated the RHAB would be called upon to make recommendations to the Oshkosh Common Council regarding the changes needed to be made to the Residential Housing Inspection Program in order to comply with Act 317. The Board talked about holding a public workshop prior to the September RHAB Meeting to gather input from citizens and landlords; then discuss the information at the September RHAB Meeting in order to prepare their recommendations to Council by October. Ms. Palmeri suggested members of the board attend the neighborhood association's National Night Out event on the evening of August 71h, stating it would be a great way to gather input from the public concerning their neighborhoods. Mr. Davis stated he would invite city staff to the August RHAB Meeting who could explain the map metrics used in determining the neighborhood stabilization districts. He also stated the RHAB would be asked for recommendations concerning exterior inspections for residential rental dwellings and how much public participation should be included in the rental housing inspection program, i.e., Winnebago Apartment Association, landlord involvement, social media and newspapers. /0�� J Car Oshkosh RHAB Minutes Page Four REVIEW ACTION PLANIDISCUSS ROLE IN ADVISING COUNCIL ON CITY'S STRATEGIC PLAN Mr. Ernst recommended that a RHAB member who was not a member of the Oshkosh Common Council report to the Council the recommendations of the RHAB. Ms. Palmeri stated she would like to report to the Council that the RHAB had its own action plan. She added since the RHAB action plan was closely related to the City's strategic plan with regard to the objective of strengthening of neighborhoods, she would like the RHAB to review the City's strategic plan and submit to her any ideas on how to bridge the RHAB action plan and the City's strategic plan by early morning,July 191H Ms. Hentz stated she felt the rental housing inspection program would take up the majority of the time for the RHAB until year end. Mr. Ernst suggested the Board draft a sixteen month action plan. The Board agreed to have a 2019 Action Plan completed in time to give to the Council at their first meeting in December. The Board had a discussion regarding the importance of educating tenants and landlords about their respective responsibilities regarding property upkeep. GO-HNI REPRESENTATIVE SPEAKER FOR AUGUST MEETING Ms. Palmeri reported Pam Ruder, Executive Director for GO-HNI, would speak at the August 81h RHAB Meeting regarding the healthy neighborhood initiative. DISCUSSION ON WHERE TO HOLD MEETINGS Due to Room 310 in City Hall being too small to accommodate the RHAB, city staff, citizens and guest speakers, it was decided that all future RHAB meetings would be held in the Council Chambers, Room 406, in City Hall. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Action Plan Strategic Plan Update National Night Out Follow-Up 4h Car Oshkosh RHAB Minutes Page Five ACT 317 WORKSHOP FOLLOW-UP 1. Map Metrics for District(s) 2. Exterior Inspections 3. Public Participation 4. Communication Plan Eye on Oshkosh ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 5:12 p.m. (Davey/Ernst) Respectfully submitted, Allen Davis Community Development Director