TOWN OF EAST HARTFORD
740 MAIN STREET
TOWN COUNCIL CHAMBERS
AUGUST 14, 2012
SPECIAL JOINT MEETING – EAST HARTFORD HOUSING AUTHORITY
PRESENT Vice Chair William P. Horan, Jr., Majority Leader Barbara-Ann Rossi, Minority Leader Eric A. Thompson, Councillors Marc I. Weinberg, Linda A. Russo, Ram Aberasturia, Patricia Harmon and Esther B. Clarke
ABSENT Chair Richard F. Kehoe
ALSO Peter Hance, Deputy Executive Director, Bridgeport Housing Authority
PRESENT East Hartford Housing Authority Commissioners: James Kate,
James Patterson, Hazelann Cook, and Prescille Yamamoto
Ralph Alexander, Attorney, East Hartford Housing Authority
Debra Bouchard, Executive Director, East Hartford Housing Authority
Joseph Regan, Finance Director, East Hartford Housing Authority
Kelly McDermott, East Hartford Housing Authority staff member
CALL TO ORDER
Bill Horan, Town Council Vice Chair, called the meeting to order at 6:40 p.m. He announced the exit locations from the Chamber in
accordance with Connecticut General Statutes §29-381, after which the Council joined him in the pledge of allegiance.
The Vice Chair indicated that the East Hartford Housing Authority (EHHA) would first present their proposed payback plan to the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and then public comment would follow.
Debra Bouchard, Executive Director for EHHA, stated that the proposed plan would satisfy HUD’s requirement that EHHA repay funds to the federal housing programs as well as address East Hartford’s need for affordable housing. The EHHA reached out to the Bridgeport Housing Authority (BHA) to review the EHHA’s housing portfolio which eventually led to the interagency agreement between EHHA and BHA in June 2012. While BHA can recommend and make suggestions to the EHHA, the final decisions are the responsibility of the EHHA and its Board of Commissioners.
Peter Hance, Deputy Executive Director of the BHA, presented the plan in PowerPoint to the Councillors and the public. The plan will be used as a guide and may not be implemented exactly as presented. Modifications can, and probably will, be made along the way. Mr. Hance reiterated that the EHHA will be solely responsible for the decision making process.
A copy of this plan is attached to these minutes.
The presentation over, the Vice Chair allowed the Councillors to ask questions regarding the proposed payback plan:
Majority Leader Barbara Rossi (1) inquired when the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the disposition of King Court will be ready; (2) asked if the proposed units at the Burnside Avenue property will be owner-occupied or rentals; (3) thanked the EHHA for installing the bulletin board at King Court; (4) asked if there are tax credits associated with the energy grants, and if so, will those credits be carried forward to the developers; and (5) inquired on what would happen if the RFP’s come back without meeting the financial projections.
Councillor Linda Russo (1) asked for a clarification on where HUD stands with this proposed payback plan, since the plan does not coincide with the recovery agreement that calls for the repayment to HUD by January 2013; (2) inquired if the EHHA will present this proposed plan on August 16th as per the recovery agreement; (3) asked for the timeline that the EHHA is requesting of HUD for the repayment of funds; and (4) wanted to reiterate that, under this repayment plan, the 80 units at King Court to be sold will be held as affordable, based on a median income bracket noted in the repayment plan, for the next forty years.
Councillor Marc Weinberg feels that there may be a need for even more affordable units in the future, based on today’s poor economic conditions.
Councillor Esther Clarke asked Ms. Bouchard what differences there were, if any, in the report presented tonight and the report presented at the July 25, 2012 EHHA meeting. Additionally, Councillor Clarke asked Mr. Hance (1) if there has been a market study on rentals in the Mayberry area and on Burnside Avenue; (2) how long a period of time between now and the time it takes to know whether or not investors are interested in giving tax credits for the Burnside Avenue renovation; and (3) to allay her concerns regarding expanding the EHHA’s responsibilities which would be likely if the proposed payback plan is followed.
Councillor Ram Aberasturia (1) asked if the 40-year affordability plan contains an inflation rate on the record of maximum income for eligibility purposes or remains fixed; (2) inquired if the median income drops, will the rents decrease as well; (3) wanted to know if there is a plan in place regarding Veterans’ Terrace, if federal funds are cut in 2013; (4) regarding King Court, asked when in the past did EHHA file for funding and why did they get denied; (5) inquired on what will happen to the existing employees of the EHHA if management becomes privatized; (6) inquired on the resident’s participation plan and how it works with the payback plan; (7) strongly urged the EHHA to change the time of the monthly meetings from mid-day to late afternoon or early evenings to accommodate residents; and (8) wants to make sure that
the EHHA’s payback plan adequately addresses the concerns of the residents.
Minority Leader Eric Thompson (1) asked what Mr. Hance is receiving for compensation for working with the EHHA; (2) is not sure that the hourly rate for local jobs that are displayed in the payback plan are accurate; (3) asked Mr. Hance if he is confident that there is $8M from the state of Connecticut to fund these individual projects; and (4) asked for the number of times that the Recovery Agreement with HUD has been amended and asked when the Recovery Agreement becomes a finalized document.
Vice Chair Horan (1) agreed with Councillors Aberasturia and Thompson that the residents should be involved in this process; (2) inquired on how the Councillors, and especially the public, could comment on the proposed payback plan when it was received only ten minutes prior to this meeting; (3) asked if there is documentation from HUD which verifies that they are willing to wait 3 ½ to 4 years for the completion of the various projects and for the repayment of the money owed them. Vice Chair Horan requested written confirmation from HUD that they have accepted this plan; (4) commented on the confusing format of the proposed repayment plan and asked if something else was going to be submitted to HUD that would be more definitive and easier to understand; (5) is not optimistic about the construction of the new projects,
given the past history of new construction projects in East Hartford; (6) noted that the residents will probably want another meeting, given the short time they had to review the proposed payback plan; (7) asked why the actual income of the residents at King Court, instead of the median income, isn’t being used as a guideline; and (8) stated that communication to the residents is of the utmost importance.
At this point, Vice Chair Horan opened the meeting up to public comment.
The following citizens came forward:
Carolyn Brooks, 13 King Court, (1) took exception to the median income figures that are listed in the payback plan; (2) emphatically stated that the residents of King Court are committed to staying in their homes; and (3) has been told that the reason there is a lack of maintenance at King Court is due to budgetary issues. Ms. Brooks finds this hard to believe since both the EHHA’s Executive Director and Attorney received pay increases.
Suzette Wright, 16 King Court, (1) believes that the residents of King Court are paying the penalty for the mistakes made by the EHHA administration; (2) wants to know what the Resident Commissioner’s responsibilities are to the residents; (3) stated that when she arrived about five minutes late at the July 25th meeting, they were turned away; (4) has received mixed messages from the EHHA regarding the disposition of King Court; (5) wants to know who is being held responsible for the mishandling of the EHHA funds; and (6) wants the East Hartford Housing Authority to respect the residents.
Mary Hill, 53 King Court, president of the King Court Tenants’ Association, (1) thanked the Council for their questions to Mr. Hance; (2) listed the progress of the residents at King Court, including the formation of their RPP – Residents’ Participation Plan – with the help of the EHHA; (3) asked who is going to be held accountable for the mishandling of funds at the East Hartford Housing Authority; and (4) noted that, as stated in the EHHA’s minutes, King Court’s rent receipts are at 100%.
Susan Kniep, 50 Olde Roberts Street, (1) commended the Town Council for their proactive stance this evening by asking the hard questions; (2) commented on the recent raid by the FBI at the West Haven Housing Authority and at CRT; (3) asked if the co-mingling of State and Federal funds at EHHA was innocent or intentional; (4) inquired on the resignation of Stan deMello as Executive Director in April 2011 and read from a letter sent by Mr. de Mello in November 2011 regarding the EHHA administration; (5) reflected on the past history of the EHHA and feels that the EHHA administration and Board of Commissioners should be referred to the Town Council’s Investigation and Audit Committee; (6) will challenge with Freedom of Information the legitimacy for the various EHHA projects being held in Executive Session meetings; (7) believes
that the Council should contact HUD to discuss the past mishandling of funds at the EHHA; and (8) suggested that prior to signing any future EHHA documents or agreements, Councillors should ask what their liability or
responsibility might be.
Public comment being over, the Vice Chair asked if the Councillors had any additional comments.
Ram Aberasturia recognized the presence of EHHA Commissioners Kate and Patterson for staying throughout the entire meeting. And again, Councillor Aberasturia stressed the importance of changing the time of the EHHA monthly meetings to accommodate residents.
Bill Horan thanked Mr. Hance for attending tonight’s meeting and for his efforts in preparing the payback plan. Additionally, Vice Chair Horan stated that Attorney Alexander does a wonderful job representing the EHHA.
ADJOURNMENT
MOTION By Marc Weinberg
seconded by Eric Thompson
to adjourn (9:42 p.m.)
Motion carried 8/0.
Attest____________________________
Angela M. Attenello
Town Council Clerk
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