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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03.13.19 Minutes 4h Car Oshkosh RENTAL HOUSING ADVISORY BOARD MINUTES MARCH 13, 2019 PRESENT: Timothy Ernst, Linda Jevaltas, Lori Palmeri, Matthew Stenerson, Margy Davey, Cheryl Hentz EXCUSED: Matt Mugerauer 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 CALL TO ORDER Ms. Hentz called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. GUEST SPEAKERS — Winnebago County Health Department —Stephanie Gyldevaand/Lynnsey Erickson;Housing Concerns as it Relates to Health and Social Connectedness Stephanie Gyldevaand, and Lynnsey Erickson, Health Strategists with the Winnebago County Health Department, spoke to the Board about how healthy homes correlated with physical and mental health. Ms. Erickson explained the Winnebago County Health Department currently focused on lead levels found in drinking water and paint; and access to clean air (no second hand smoke). She stated these health hazards were found in rental dwellings and owner occupied dwellings. Ms. Gyldevaand stated her focus was in social connectedness in housing, for example were the rental housing needs met for large families; was there adequate access to public transportation, grocery stores, and schools; was it safe to walk down the street? She explained every five years, the health department conducted a community health needs assessment where they surveyed citizens in order to prepare a community health improvement plan. She stated one of the priorities identified in the current community health improvement plan was social connectedness, specifically in Oshkosh. She stated the Winnebago County Health Department was currently working with the Sacred Heart Neighborhood Association to help foster relationships in their neighborhood. She stated the main drivers of social connectedness in housing were to identify methods for tenants to connect with the community and to address poverty. CITIZEN STATEMENTS There were no citizen statements APPROVAL OF MINUTES—February 13,2019 The minutes of the February 13, 2019 meeting were approved as presented. (Davey/Jevaltas) 4h Car Oshkosh RHAB Minutes Page Two INSPECTION PROGRAM UPDATE UWO Student Association Assembly—Zarate Mr. Zarate reported that he and Mayor Cummings met with the University of Wisconsin — Oshkosh Student Assembly and Senate regarding the City of Oshkosh rental housing inspection program. He stated both groups were receptive to a rental housing inspection program and asked great questions. Mayor Cummings noted students specifically stated they were concerned about landlord retaliation if they allowed their rental dwellings to be inspected. Mr. Davis reported the Inspection Services Department mailed one hundred eleven tenant notices to tenants in Districts A, B, and D. Mr. Koelbl reported to date he had completed two inspections and both had violations that needed to be corrected. CO DETECTOR/SMOKE DETECTOR UPDATE Mr. Zarate stated he had not heard back from the City Attorney's Office regarding whether the City could mandate stricter requirements than state statute. VACANT BUILDING REGISTRY AND INSPECTIONS PROGRAM - How the Program Relates to Residential Rental Property Mr. Davis reported that staff had a follow-up meeting with representatives from the police and fire departments to discuss creating a vacant building registry ordinance. He stated staff was ready to begin drafting the vacant building registry ordinance and asked for input from the Rental Housing Advisory Board. Mr.Ernst stated he was fine with modeling the vacant building registry ordinance after existing ordinances from other cities in Wisconsin and listening to the suggestions of the police and fire departments. LANDLORD PROGRAM FOR VOLUNTARY INSPECTIONS—Violation Correction Inspections after the Prior Tenant Moves Out Mr. Davis reported he had not heard from Mr. Mugerauer or the Winnebago Apartment Association regarding the topic of a landlord sponsored program for rental housing inspections. /0�� J Car Oshkosh RHAB Minutes Page Three LONG RANGE FINANCE COMMITTEE SUGGESTION TO CREATE DEVELOPMENT AREA UNITS AND ADD $4 TO UTILITY BILL— Stenerson Mr. Davis read an email response from Mr. Mugerauer stating he was unable to provide an update from the Long Range Finance Committee regarding the suggested transportation utility fee to replace special assessments due to the committee not meeting in March. He asked that the item be placed on the RHAB meeting agenda for April 101h. The Board discussed whether the topic of the transportation utility fee was something they wanted to make a recommendation to Council on. A vote was taken to decide if the Board would ask the Council to table their discussion on the topic of the transportation utility fee until the Rental Housing Advisory Board could review the report from the Long Range Finance Committee. Motion by Davey to NOT make a Recommendation to the Council regarding the Transportation Utility Fee /seconded by Hentz Motion Carried 4-2 (Ayes—Ernst, Palmeri, Davey,Hentz) (Noes—Jevaltas, Stenerson) Mr. Stenerson noted for the record that the topic of the transportation utility fee from the tenant perspective was discussed in the presence of Mr.Mugerauer and Ms.Palmeri who were Council Members. Ms. Hentz asked Ms. Palmeri to keep the Board updated regarding the transportation utility fee. ACTION PLAN UPDATE Ms. Davey and Mr. Stenerson asked for feedback from the Board regarding the action plan they brought forward at the previous meeting. Ms. Hentz stated she would like the creation of a tenant association removed from the strategic plan and the action plan. She stated she would rather go through the process of creating a tenant association as a private citizen than as chair of the Rental Housing Advisory Board. Ms. Palmeri stated she thought the Board was going to facilitate a workshop for the creation of a tenant association,but not be involved in the actual formation. Ms. Jevaltas stated she understood the Board was going to research the interest in creating a tenant association by placing a questionnaire at the State of the City and the Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market. The Board decided to table the tenant association discussion until the next meeting. 4h Car Oshkosh RHAB Minutes Page Four STATE OF THE CITY The Board went over the items they wanted from staff for their table at the State of the City. SOCIAL MEDIA UPDATE Ms. Fredrick reported on the items that were posted to the Facebook page. TENANT ASSOCIATION SPEAKER Ms. Palmeri reported she had contacted several entities who were willing to share resources and input for the creation of a tenant association. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 1. CO Detector/Smoke Detector Update — Clarification whether the City can mandate stricter requirements than state statute 2. Vacant Building Registry and Inspections Program 3. Landlord Program for Voluntary Inspections-Violation Correction Inspections after the Prior Tenant Moves Out 4. Action Plan Update 5. State of the City Recap 6. Social Media 7. Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market 8. Televised Meetings 9. Expiring Board Members 10. Inspection Update ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 5:04 p.m. (Davey/Ernst) Respectfully submitted, Allen Davis Community Development Director