11/17/2015 MINUTES - Laserfiche WebLink

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Public Housing Waiting List. Mr. Savage questioned if someone can come up to the PHA to see if they are eligible before filling out an application. Mrs. Ruthart explained that we can tell them if they are income eligible but they need to fill out the application to get a definite answer. The PHA could be set up for a lawsuit if they tell a person they qualify before running all the background screenings, etc. PHA does not accept Section 8 applications until the Section 8 Waiting List is open. PHA keeps it closed so that applicants won't sit on the waiting list for years. Ms. Cherry asked why is George Wright and Booker T. almost all black? White people don't want housing? I know that can't be true. Mrs. Ruthart explained that units are filled by date and time of application. When a unit becomes ready for occupancy, the next applicant on the waiting list is offered that unit. Ms. Cherry said it looks like only black people apply. There are probably more white people than black on housing considering the population of Paris since its only 22% black and there are just as many poor white people as black people. It's segregated in a way, Booker T and George Wright, to a certain extent. Mrs. Pridemore explained that a lot of the people that do apply, the younger people, are the 1 and 2 bedroom people and are usually the younger black people, and I don't know why. We can show you on the waiting list their race. Ms. Cherry asked on the Voucher List too? Is the voucher list mostly black? Mrs. Pridemore responded no, it's a mixture of both. I would say more black people than white people do apply for public housing. I'm the one that processes them and I have no idea why. Ms. Cherry asked do ya'11 keep a record of the racial makeup of both Public housing and Section 8. Mrs. Pridemore responded yes, when they are put into the system we put what race they are and you can pull a report off of our system. Mr. Savage said you can pull off national averages if there's a way to do that. Mrs. Pridemore said we can pull reports but as far as picking who goes where, we don't do that. Mr. Savage asked can we get demographic reports. Ms. Cherry said of the Section 8 and the Public Housing. Mrs. Ruthart said we can do that. Mr. Savage said when people apply for housing can they specify where they want to live? Mrs. Ruthart explained no, but when they are offered a unit and they don't like where that one is, they can refuse that offer and go to the bottom of the waiting list and hope for one that is where they want to live. Ms. Cherry said that people need housing badly and will take what they can get. Mrs. Pridemore said you would be surprised how many people do that. They get to deny 2 offers and once they do that they have to reapply, because every time they do that it's more vacancy time. Ms. Cherry asked if they do that they are subject to wait a year? Mrs. Pridemore explained that is only on the one bedroom waiting list because the PHA only has a few 1 bedroom units. Mrs. Ruthart explained that all the "new sites" are 3 and 4 bedrooms. Just like 1839 Jackson Court has been offered 4 or 5 times and is not filled yet. Mrs. Pridemore explained that at the new sites the tenant pays for their own electric and gas and some people can't get their utilities on so they deny the offer or just don't show up. Ms. Cherry asked about Price Circle and Park Garden North. Mrs. Pridemore explained that Price Circle (6 units) is the PHA's but Park Garden North is not PHA's. b. Financial: PH Account: $738,030.79 Sec 8 Acct: $402,888.09 Maintenance expenses are over due to repairs to long -term tenants of cabinets, carpets, flooring, and keeping them updated. Mr. Savage asked about why the administrative costs were up in October. Mrs. Ruthart explained that those costs were up in October 2