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06/21/2016 MINUTESHOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PARIS REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING 100 GEORGE WRIGHT HOMES MINUTES OF June 21, 2016 Present at the Meeting: Gary Savage — Chairman of the Board of Commissioners Brenda Cherry — Vice Chairman of the Board of Commissioners Dewayne Dangerfield — Commissioner of the Board of Commissioners Cassandra Hearn — Commissioner of the Board of Commissioners Sally Ruthart — Executive Director Shaquanda Cotton — Guest Sharon Reynerson — Guest — Lone Star Legal Aid Attorney 1. Meeting Called to order at 12:33 pm on Tuesday, June 21, 2016 by Chairman of the Board of Commissioners, Gary Savage. 2. Having three Board Members present, a quorum, Mr. Savage thanked and welcomed everyone to the meeting. Ms. Hearn came in at 12:40 pm. 3. Citizens' Forum Opened — Floor was opened to Shaquanda Cotton — Ms. Cotton read a letter that was addressed to Sally Ruthart and the Board of Commissioners which a copy was given to Sally Ruthart. After Ms. Cotton was given her time to talk (5 minutes), Mr. Savage explained that this could not be acted on at this meeting but her concerns would be taken into consideration for the next meeting. Sally Ruthart asked Ms. Cotton if moving in with her Mother was an option because she needed to get out of that house. Ms. Cotton said her mother can't add her back on the lease. Sally Ruthart told her she was looking at the policies and just wanted to know if that was an option or not. Ms. Cotton said she would find out and Sally Ruthart told her to give her a call. Citizens' Forum closed. Ms. Cotton left the meeting. 4. Minutes from the May 17, 2016 were approved with a motion made by Dewayne Dangerfield and seconded by Cassandra Hearn. Passed 4 -0. 5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: A. Mold Report from Commissioner Cherry — Ms. Cherry: I'm really not understanding this because, in October we had a meeting and I was to go out and speak to everybody about the mold, I didn't get finished and Ms. Ruthart sent out letters to everybody informing them that I would be probably coming. But then in March, we had a meeting and I was trying to discuss the mold problem, Ms. Hearn told me that I was just spinning my wheels and yall said that people had to come to yall and I tried to get placed on the agenda again cuz yall said I had to go through the chain of command. I sent the emails out on the chain of command and so it was not resolved. You told me, Mr. Savage, that you would not put me back on the agenda, it's done and we are done talking about it. And so, here we are and it says the mold report. I'm not understanding what I'm supposed to do. Ms. Ruthart: I just put that on there because you told me you weren't through. Ms. Cherry: But I'm so... I have the emails that I couldn't talk about it anymore. Mr. Savage: Not me. I didn't tell you that. I addressed a specific question. I can't remember, I don't have the emails in front of me. Ms. Cherry: I do. Mr. Savage: You can read what I said, I addressed a specific question that you... Ms. Cherry: Let me read the emails. Mr. Savage: OK. Go ahead. Ms. Cherry: (Read Mr. Savage's email) "Mrs. Cherry, Mrs. Hearn's comments, to my understanding, was in reference to tenants foLLowing the chain of command, not Commissioners, and not coming straight to the Board of Commissioners. They have to fiLe a work order and wiLL receive a work order number as proof that they reported the issue. We have went over this numerous times in the past. That is the process. If they don't receive an adequate response in a timeLy fashion, they can file a complaint with the Executive Director. I did not co -sign on anything. I agreed to what Mrs. Hearn was saying and she was absoLuteLy correct in what she said. The request was in reference to the proper way to complain about mold, not the Lack of proper inspection. And it was for tenants, not board members. The items did not require action because they were Listed as discussion only and aLL members had time for discussion and given time for further discussion. I will not approve placing your request on the next meeting agenda because I have given you the process for reporting mold issues in this emaiL as you requested. Again, the item was posted as discussion only. It is not the duty of the board to make complaints for tenants, it is a tenants right. As a Board Member, that is familiar with the tenants rights, you should feeL free to convey this process to any tenant that doesn't know their rights, it's your prerogative. Thanks" Mr. Savage: That was in response to a question that you asked. Ms. Cherry: My question was can I be placed on the agenda... Mr. Savage: For? It wasn't just to be placed on the agenda; it was for a specific reason. And I responded to it. Ms. Cherry: I requested to be placed on the agenda as Ms. Ruthart knows because I didn't feel that the mold situation was finished. Mr. Savage: Why don't you just read what you said since you have the emails? What was your request? Ms. Cherry: (Read her request email) "Thank you for your reply. I am requesting to be placed on next meeting's agenda because there has been no resolution to this agenda item. There was no decision made by the board as a whole. I was toLd by Ms. Hearn to stop spinning my wheels concerning the mold and that I must go through the chain of command to have it addressed. Chairman Savage agreed so it is Left in the air. I need for someone to teLL me who that chain of command is if that is what I must do. I just assumed that you would know who the chain of command was concerning complaints about housing authority property. If Ms. Hearn is the one who has that information, I'm sure she wiLL share it at the next meeting." Ms. Hearn: That was at the last meeting. And I didn't bring my file with me. Mr. Savage: That's the end of that one? Ms. Cherry: Yes. Ms. Hearn: That was the last meeting when you took care of all that stuff. The last meeting we had, she had all the people's names and all the apartments listed and Ms. Ruthart had corrected it. The list that she had done, we were given a report. Did you get it in the mail? K Ms. Cherry: I got the package in the mail. Ms. Hearn: Ok. She went through everything you gave her and went from apartment to apartment trying to correct that. And we had a specific letter from where a lady had specifically said she didn't want to move out of her apartment or whatever and that was on there but Sally did go from each apartment where you gave her that list, however they did it made a complaint, or wrote out a statement, or turned in a work order; and it was taken care of, correct? Ms. Ruthart: Yes. Ms. Cherry: Well actually, it has not been taken care of. As far as that letter is concerned, you cannot have a situation like that and the tenant say I don't want you to fix it, in my opinion. And I didn't get to go to half the units because at that meeting in March, yall said stop spinning my wheels. If the tenants didn't complain themselves, you said that I couldn't do it. Ms. Hearn: I understand specifically what you are saying. Ms. Ruthart: This is my fault, I thought that you weren't through going to the units so that why I put it back on the agenda. I shouldn't have put that on there. My bad. Ms. Cherry: That day, we didn't even go over my list because Ms. Hearn stopped it and said stop spinning your wheels. She said did any of the tenants cosign on that? And I said no, they didn't sign anything. She said well the Housing Authority's hands are tied and can't do nothing cuz I can't complain, they have to. That's what was said. Ms. Hearn: That's right. You know when we went to that meeting and we get a big thick envelope. They have to come to her, they do an inspection, they come to her and make out a work order. That's the only way Sally is gonna know. Once they make a work order then they ... they could have mold in there forever, but if they don't make a work order, even if you do do it and go through there and then if they don't sign that work order and have to come up here and do it their self ... And let me clarify that, me saying that you are spinning your wheels, you can go from apartment to apartment, bring it in to her, and she did correct it. But, if they didn't come their self to do it and sign a work order, she really can't just go in there unless she get an agreement. Ms. Cherry: That is not true, you know, we have inspectors... Ms. Hearn: What is it you want us to do Brenda? Ms. Cherry: Fix the mold. Ms. Hearn: Ok then, that's what she is trying to do. Ms. Cherry: That's what my point was from the beginning. Ms. Hearn: Because, it don't make no sense just being repetitive and repetitious. You know every time we have a meeting, it's the same thing. And Sally is trying to fix the mold. What other list do you have so we can... Ms. Cherry: You know the last meeting that I was at yall were saying don't do it, so I didn't go do anymore. That's what.... Mr. Savage: We did not tell you, how can we tell you what not to do? Ms. Cherry: Well, I said I can do what I wanna do. That's what I said at the time. Mr. Savage: Yeh, but that's not what she was saying. Ms. Cherry: I know you can't stop me ... yes she did. She can play the tape, it's all on tape, so ... the point of my going, the point of this letter was because Ms. Ruthart said that she didn't know where any of the mold was... What would be the point of me going out in the hot sun, going from door to door, that takes a lot of ....that's why I didn't get it finished, for one reason cause it takes so much time and effort, people aren't home, you gotta go back and all that, so what would be the point if the housing authority can't do anything about it. C Mr. Savage: Let me say this, we gave Sally the directive to send out a letter to all the people about the same thing that you would tell them. To come in if you have a problem with mold or whatever and the procedures and everything. I mean, you can come in and say that anybody has mold in their house, but until they come in and verify that, I mean, how can she substantiate that? Ms. Cherry: I'll tell you how she can do that. You have inspectors, you have maintenance men, they can go to the place... you did and you claimed you did that letter. Mr. Savage: Exactly. Ms. Cherry: So what are you saying? Mr. Savage: I'm asking what are you saying. Ms. Cherry: I'm saing that when I tried to talk about it that yall shut it down and now yall are saying I'm supposed to have some kind of mold report. Mr. Savage: So you're not talking about a complaint right now, you're talking about what we talked about at that meeting 3 or 4 months ago, is that what you're talking about? It's not that she didn't act on it; you say that we told you to be quiet about it? Mr. Cherry: I'm complaining about that and I'm complaining that the mold has not been fixed. You took a list that I made which had only a few of them on it and then you went to those places; one of those places on the list you didn't go to cuz the person said nobody ever came. I don't know, there's toxic mold ... I'm tired of spinning my wheels as she said here. I tried, it's toxic mold, it's dangerous, you breathe it in it is unhealthy and so I was trying to get the housing authority to fix the situation that's their responsibility to fix. Mr. Savage: I got you. One question if you don't mind, can you verify that you went to every house on that list? Ms. Ruthart: Yes. Mr. Savage: Can you verify, you said that lady or whoever, the tenant, that they didn't go there. I'm asking you a question because we don't like passing it around the table, what suggestions do you have? Ms. Cherry: My suggestion is to repair the mold in all, to find out where all the mold is which I think the Housing Authority already knows because they go paint over it and they gave bleach out at the time, so I think the housing authority already knows... Mr. Savage: We've already moved passed that. Ms. Cherry: But, I haven't moved past that. Mr. Savage: No I meant they have moved past that as far as handing the bleach out. Ms. Cherry: Yeh, I know they are not gonna give any bleach anymore. But, the mold is still in a lot of these apartments. I'm willing to go but if yall say you going, what's the point? Mr. Savage: It's my understanding where I'm losing you is you're saying the mold is still in these apartments and everybody knows it right? Even the Housing Authority administration knows it, if everybody knows it and you know it, then why don't we have a list of it? I mean, you're telling us that, and you're saying it's here but where is the list of.. if you've seen it then how hard is it to write down that number? Ms. Cherry: I mean, I did ... the reports, the list that I have... Mr. Savage: That's what we are saying. Ms. Cherry: What I'm saying is according to at least one person actually two, nobody actually came by they showed me their mold the other day. So there's still mold, and.. Mr. Savage: So somebody showed you some mold the other day? You actually saw it? Can you write that house number down and leave that with her today? Ms. Cherry: Not if it's not gonna be repaired ... I'm not .... 4 Mr. Savage: She's repaired everything else that you have put on the list. She's went into every... Ms. Cherry: What did I just say? The mold that I saw was on the list. You know. Mr. Savage: You are saying the mold that you saw was on the list? Ms. Cherry: Yes. On one of those that was supposed to be repaired. Mr. Savage: Ok. Can you give her that number then? I mean, we have gotta be proactive and you want to get it solved so let's get it solved. Ms. Cherry: I want to get it solved but I don't want anybody going out and spraying something and saying ok now we have repaired it when it's gonna come back several months later. That ridiculous. This mold is not new mold. This is not something new that I'm talking about. There's some over in Booker T too. This is nothing new. I'm not saying it's in every apartment in Booker T but it's a very big problem. Yall have inspectors and yall have maintenance men cause they painted over it. I don't know what yall ... I've reported the mold. Mr. Savage: So, what we need to do is, you need to give her that number, the house that you are talking about that we have already supposedly went and taken care of, she doesn't go herself and take care of it but she's accountable for the people that do go take care of it. So if it's a house that they reported back to her that they treated and it wasn't treated then we need to take care of that. She needs to come back to us with some type of report that the people that handle that, it needs to be taken care of. But, I mean, there's got to be an answer. We can't just keep talking about it. There's got to be a solution, there's got to be something... we've got to shoot toward something to hit that target we just keep shooting around the target. Ms. Cherry: When yall told me to stop, I with the emails was done with it, but I don't.... here's what I think, yall go down to people's houses and do some little something that's not getting rid of the mold and now you want them to sign papers saying that now you, now the housing authority have gotten rid of my mold and now I'm happy. Mr. Savage: I don't want them to sign nothing that's not correct. We did not say that. We don't want anyone to sign anything that has not been accomplished. Ms. Cherry: In this report that yall said yall want people to sign letters and sign off that it was repaired. Mr. Savage: That it's repaired. Mr. Dangerfield: The number that they had given out, it's a process that they had taken care of it. They given a number out there. Ms. Cherry: Ok, I understand that. But what I'm saying is like there's 2 people on the list that I know did not get their mold repaired although it's on the list that it was repaired and somewhere in here I don't even know if I'm looking for it .... they must have let them in if they are claiming that it was repaired. Mr. Dangerfield: What's the apartment number? Ms. Cherry: I don't take pictures. I'm not gonna... ((Many people talking at once)) Ms. Ruthart: I will take the list and go from house to house myself and find out which apartment it is. Ms. Cherry: She has the list... Ms. Hearn: You won't give her the apartment number? I mean why can't we have the apartment number? Ms. Cherry: I'm not even going there cuz yall told me that last meeting to... Mr. Savage: You're grown and we don't have to go back through what yall told me. You know the answer and if you want an answer to it then you would give up the number. 5 ((Many people talking at once.)) Ms. Hearn: She's trying to ... when we came to that last meeting she had that list and gave us the report and everything. Mr. Dangerfield: And everything was taken care of on the report. Ms. Cherry: Ok then it's all over. Mr. Dangerfield: I'm just saying come on now we just talking. Ms. Hearn: Let me clarify something. I heard you say something "spinning your wheels "; "spinning your wheels ", let me clarify that, to me "spinning your wheels" is that you are not the tenant, they are the tenant and if you read that book it will specifically tell you that they have to come up here, go up to the front, fill out a work order, then it's given to different people — maintenance- then maintenance take care of it and then sign off of it or however they go and then she follow up/back up on that. That's her job specifically. You got that book when that lady came... Ms. Cherry: ...book... Ms. Hearn: It is in the book. Ms. Cherry: What is it in the book that says... Ms. Hearn: It's the policy and procedure... Ms. Cherry: I have that. Ms. Hearn: You have to read that book and it goes through there telling you steps. Ms. Cherry: I've read the policy and procedure Ms. Hearn: Right. Ms. Cherry: What I'm saying is it does not state in the policy and procedure that if somebody else points out the mold you can't do anything about it. It does not say that. Mr. Savage: It does not say that. If you point out the mold, if those people show you the mold, and I mentioned this the last meeting you were at, then why would you not tell them why don't we go up here and file a report on that, we need to complain about that? Ms. Cherry: OK when we discussed it, here's the letter, yall told me to go from door to door, well I said I would, because and the reason I said that is because Ms. Ruthart didn't know where the mold was and so tell us where the mold is Ms. Cherry, so I said I tell you what I would do, I will go door to door and talk to them and ask them if they have some mold in their apartment and I will make a report and turn it in. So that would be pointless if only the tenants can come and discuss it and I can't, you know. Which was what was stated you know. You've got the recording and you know what was said and ... Mr. Dangerfield: You can get the tenant and you both can come up here and have a one on one meeting and they can say what they say ... Ms. Cherry: Do you know how difficult that would... some of them don't want to complain and some of them are scared to complain, Mr. Dangerfield: Why? Ms. Cherry: I already discussed that in one of the meetings. Mr. Dangerfield: How are they gonna know about it? Ms. Hearn: That man is not here anymore, we have a new director. Ms. Cherry: How do you know who retaliates against who if you're not that person and you're not there and you're scared. You can't say what somebody won't do and it might not even be real but if somebody has a fear of it, it's real to them. Mr. Dangerfield: If they are scared of whatchacallit, he's no longer on the staff. Ms. Cherry: OK, But at the time, he was doing no wrong. At the time... Mr. Dangerfield: I didn't say he was doing no wrong... Ms. Cherry: I made several complaints about him. Mr. Dangerfield: Well then it was taken care of. Ms. Cherry: OK 0 Mr. Savage: So do we have anymore comments on the mold report? Chairman Gary Savage noted this discussion should be with #5 Unfinished Business - even though the discussion took place after we started on #6 New Business. Discussion began with question from Ms. Hearn as to where the mold was coming from. Ms. Sharon Reynerson from Lone Star Legal Aid spoke up and told about a report that she had done on 413 George Wright Homes showed that the problem was the condensation on the single pane windows along with gas heat. She stated that the inspector said until the problem was fixed it would continue to produce condensation and mold. She went on to talk about retaliation from 2010. Mr. Savage stated that the PHA may need to have our own study done. Ms. Reynerson put the Housing Authority on notice about the mold problem. Ms. Ruthart notified Ms. Reynerson that we have actually moved two tenants due to extreme mold in their units. Ms. Hearn suggested that we write a letter to the Mayor stating what we are doing regarding the mold situation. Ms. Reynerson mentioned another Housing Authority that was sued and lost due to the mold problem. She also stated that the City of Paris would be liable also because they appoint our Board. 6. NEW BUSINESS: a. Information Sheet on Mold given to new tenants and annual recertification (was not listed on agenda, just wanted to inform the Board that we are trying to inform the tenants as we discussed in our last meeting). b. Occupancy Report — PHA was down to 3 vacancies in May and now are back up to 7. It is a constant struggle. Section 8 vouchers are at 283 with 10 vouchers outstanding. Waiting List — 53 on Section 8 Waiting List and will probably be opening it up in a couple of months; Public Housing Waiting List — 1 bedroom = 44, 2 bedroom = 23, and 3 bedroom = 4. Demographics were provided for the waiting lists. c. Financial report — Section 8 and Public Housing Bank statements were given to the Board as well as Section 8 and Public Housing financial reports from the accountant. 7. RESOLUTIONS: 2015 -018. FYE 6/30/2017 Budget - Motion made by Mr. Dangerfield and seconded by Ms. Cherry. Passed 4 -0. 2015 -019. Write Offs for FYE 6/30/2016 — Motion made by Mr. Dangerfield and seconded by Ms. Cherry. Passed 4 -0. 8. Board Questions or comments: Mr. Dangerfield brought up the subject of charging tenants for multiple treatments of bedbugs. Mr. Savage suggested putting this on the next agenda as an item to act on for possible options for payment. Ms. Cherry had a question regarding flat rents and utility allowances which was addressed by Ms. Ruthart. Ms. Cherry asked if Shaquanda Cotton's request would be placed on the next agenda. Copies were made of Ms. Cotton's letter for all Board Members. Ms. Cherry also asked about the landlord list being up to date. Ms. Ruthart told her it is updated as the landlord updates their phone numbers with the PHA. 7 9. No further business or questions, a motion for adjournment from Gary Savage and seconded by Dewayne Dangerfield. Motion passed 4 -0. The meeting was adjourned at 1:44 pm. APPROVED THIS day of Chairman Sally Ruthart, Secretary 2016.