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November 14, 2024 Meeting

Minutes of Meeting

The Regular Meeting of the Norwalk Housing Authority Board of Commissioners convened at 5:31 pm November 14, 2024.

LOCATION: Zoom Video Conference

PRESENT: Brenda Penn-Williams, Chair
John Church, Treasurer
Isaac Walcott, Commissioner                                               Teneshia Jacobs, Commissioner

ABSENT: Liza Bermúdez-Montgomery, Vice Chair


STAFF ATTENDING: Adam Bovilsky, Executive Director
Kras Carlucci, Deputy Director
Alison Mukhtar, Director of Operations Charmaine Davis-Ford, Director of Finance Lisa Endo, VP of Development
Linda Rolle, Director of Grants
Leroy Fender, Director of Maintenance
Greg Lickwola, Director of Modernization
Anna Keegan, Director of Policy and MTW
Wendy Gerbier, Director of Learning Centers

Nicole Ruffin, Director of Human Resources

Sherreida Reid, Partnership Manager
Donna Lattarulo, General Council
Leala Marlin, Sound Communities Development

PUBLIC ATTENDING: Keanna McClemons

ROLL CALL:

At 5:31 pm, Chair Penn-Williams opened the meeting. Chair Penn-Williams recognized Treasurer John Church, Commissioner Isaac Walcott, and Commissioner Teneshia Jacobs as present acknowledging the presence of a quorum. Ms. Penn-Williams noted Vice Chair Liza Bermúdez-Montgomery was not expected at tonight's meeting.

Report of the Secretary:

Mr. Bovilsky presented updates:

a. Grant funding recently received includes:

- $46,000 from the City of Norwalk's ARPA Community Recovery Funds. These funds will be used to support the Student Success tutoring program and the Summer 2025 Learning Center field trips.

- $10,000 scholarship donation from the Goodnow Foundation.

- Mr. Bovislky reported on the outcome of meeting with Robert King of King Industries which may result in a partnership with both the NHA Learning Centers and the Norwalk Housing scholarship program.

b. Alison Mukhtar took the floor to describe the USDA Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) which provides essential food items such as juice, vegetables, milk, cheese, grains, and protein to low-income seniors at least 60 years of age. Currently Sixty-Five (65) seniors living in NHA Public Housing and Section 8 housing participate in this program. The food is distributed at Leroy Downs on the second Tuesday of the month.

c. Direct Rental Assistance (DRA) is concept currently being explored by HUD. HUD is encouraging private philanthropies to fund local pilot programs that provide aid directly to tenants instead of landlords. This approach aims to reduce administrative costs, expand housing options, and empower tenants with more control over their assistance. Norwalk Housing has been approached by the Connecticut Project (private philanthropy) and the Melville Charitable Trust to participate in a pilot along with New Haven's housing authority and the State of Connecticut Department of Housing. Adam Bovilsky and Kras Carlucci have participated in meetings on the subject and Mr. Bovilsky attended a two-day conference on the subject along with other housing authorities across the country. If implemented by Norwalk Housing, we would receive private funding to expand who is being served (possibly to people further down our own waitlist) so as not to negatively impact our section 8 families. This method of assistance could potentially increase housing options and reduce costs for the Housing Authority. The pilot would assist 5-15 families for 3 years, after which the program's effectiveness would be evaluated.

d. Major projects in progress include:
- Closing on and moving to a new office
- Demolition of Meadow Gardens scheduled 11/ 2024
- New software installation transitioning to PHA Web starting 11/2024
- Opening Oak Grove - 3/2025
- Strategic planning 2025 & Decentralization

e. Upcoming events and Board meetings include:
- December 1 at 1:00pm, the local Delta Sorority is sponsoring a Chapterversary celebration at Norwalk Inn to mark its 45th Anniversary. This sorority sponsors a volunteer STEM program for middle school students living in Norwalk public housing.

New Business:
Mr. Bovilsky introduced two proposed changes to the Section 8 Administrative policy. The first would lift the current restriction on the adding of any parents of the Head of Household. The second proposed change would add a requirement of approval by the Director of Housing Operations for any rent increase exceeding 15% of the current rent, or proposed rents that are above the NHA payment standard.

30-71 Commissioner Walcott moved to approve:
a. 1) Addition of parents of the Head of Household to the Section 8 lease.
Treasurer Church seconded the motion.

AYES 
Chair Penn-Williams
Treasurer Church
Commissioner Walcott
Commissioner Jacobs

All in favor. Motion was carried.

30-72 Commissioner Jacobs moved to approve:

a. 2) Proposed rent increase exceeding 15% of the current rent, or rents above the NHA payment standard, must be approved by the Director of Housing.

Commissioner Walcott seconded the motion.

Further discussion of the current and proposed procedures followed.

AYES 
Chair Penn-Williams
Treasurer Church
Commissioner Walcott
Commissioner Jacobs

All in favor. Motion was carried.

Mr. Bovilsky introduced changes to the 2023 eviction moratorium policy, stating under that policy enacted last year, residents could not be evicted from November through the end of March. He explained that between the COVID moratorium, UniteCT and then the 5-month NHA moratorium last year, that tenants who did not pay rent did not have any immediate consequences for their non-payment, it was in effect encouraging non-payment. The cost to the housing authority is substantial, and many of those on the waitlist would be rule abiding, but have substantial delays to their receipt of a voucher while those who do not pay their share get to keep theirs. Therefore, staff oppose renewing this policy. We would encourage the Commissioners at least consider narrowing the scope of the moratorium so that it is only 3.5 months (12/1 to 3/15) and to clarify the policy so that evictions can proceed, just the executions delayed, pending the moratorium.

30-73 Treasurer Church moved to approve:

b. Changing Eviction Moratorium dates to December 1, 2024, through March 15, 2025, during that time the eviction process would proceed, the final act of physically evicting the tenants taking place after March 15 ,2025.

Commissioner Walcott seconded the motion.

AYES 
Chair Penn-Williams
Treasurer Church
Commissioner Walcott
Commissioner Jacobs

All in favor. Motion was carried.

Mr. Bovilsky introduced the next item on the agenda which is a request for a one-year contract extension with Brooks Jeffreys, the company that currently hosts and manages the Norwalk Housing Website.

30-74 Treasurer Church moved to approve:

c. A one-year contract extension with Brooks Jeffrey.
Treasurer Church seconded the motion.

AYES 
Chair Penn-Williams
Treasurer Church
Commissioner Walcott
Commissioner Jacobs

All in favor. Motion was carried.

30-75 Treasurer Church moved to approve:

d. Wendy Gerbier and Tianna Brown to attend the National Afterschool Association (NAA) Convention March 9-12 at the Gaylord Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee at a cost of $4246.

Commissioner Walcott seconded the motion.

AYES 
Chair Penn-Williams
Treasurer Church
Commissioner Walcott
Commissioner Jacobs

All in favor. Motion was carried.

Ms. Endo presented the Oak Grove Affordability Restrictions Declaration, which meets the City of Norwalk's affordability requirements. These regulations stipulate that for Oak Grove to maintain its affordability status, 10% of units must be restricted to households earning up to 80% of State Median Income (SMI) in perpetuity. At Oak Grove this will translate into seven units. Oak Grove has more than seven units that meet the affordability definition, but this is just an administrative requirement related to the City's affordable housing obligations. This resolution will also be voted on by Sound Communities Oak Grove and its financial partners. Once approved, it will be recorded in the City of Norwalk land records as a deed restriction.

30-75 Treasurer Church moved to approve:

e. Declaration of affordability restrictions for Oak Grove

Commissioner Walcott seconded the motion.

AYES 
Chair Penn-Williams
Treasurer Church
Commissioner Walcott
Commissioner Jacobs

All in favor. Motion was carried.

30-76 Commissioner Walcott moved to approve:

f. Minutes for the October 10, 2024, meeting.

Treasurer Church seconded the motion.

AYES 
Chair Penn-Williams
Treasurer Church
Commissioner Walcott
Commissioner Jacobs

All in favor. Motion was carried.

Mr. Bovilsky introduced Charmaine Davis Ford to present the Finance Departmental Report. Ms. Davis-Ford provided an update on accounts receivable and outstanding balances, mentioning that fifty-one families are currently under repayment agreements. She also reviewed the bills and operating statements, noting that the increased maintenance expenses were due to preparation for the recent NSPIRE inspections.

Treasurer Church asked whether it would be beneficial to budget for year-round maintenance instead of increasing expenditures specifically for HUD inspections. In response to Treasurer Church, Kras Carlucci explained that she is working on a maintenance initiative aimed at increasing the allocation of resources for the ongoing upkeep of Norwalk Housing's older properties.

Mr. Bovilsky introduced Wendy Gerbier to present the Learning Center report. Ms. Gerbier described October Learning Center activities which included:
• Celebration of Hispanic Heritage month - all activities literacy, art, and STEM centered around Hispanic Heritage culminating in an event hosted at 20 W. Learning Center.
• Trick of Treat at the central offices. This annual event allows learning center students and office staff to interact. Students and staffed dressed in costumes and treats were provided at every door.
• On the evening of October 23rd, NHA parents gathered at the Roodner Court Learning Center for a hands-on computer basics workshop.
• Ms. Gerbier noted the variety of academic support, both individual and group, provided by the learning center.

30-77 Treasurer Church moved to approve:

g. Department Reports

Commissioner Walcott seconded the motion.

AYES 
Chair Penn-Williams
Treasurer Church
Commissioner Walcott
Commissioner Jacobs

All in favor. Motion was carried.

Mr. Bovilsky turned the meeting over to Kras Carlucci to present the addendum. Ms. Carlucci asked the board to approve a one-year contract extension with the Human Services Council.
She stated the staff and residents of Ludlow Common were satisfied with the services provided by the Human services Council.

30-78 Chair Penn-Williams moved to approve:

h. One year extension of the Ludlow Commons Management Contract with the Human Services Council.

Treasurer Church seconded the motion.

AYES 
Chair Penn-Williams
Treasurer Church
Commissioner Walcott
Commissioner Jacobs

All in favor. Motion was carried.

30-79 Treasurer Church moved to adjourn the meeting.
Commissioner Jacobs seconded the motion. All in favor.

The regular meeting adjourned at 7:27pm.

Respectfully Submitted,

______________________________
Adam Bovilsky, Executive Director