NEXT MEETING: 11:30, 1015 Locust St., 10th Floor
Tuesday, November 1, 2005

Chairperson Donna Jones opened the meeting at 11:55. Other Commissioners present were John Cross, Renato Foronda, Johnnie Mae Jones, Betty Jean Kerr and LaDonna Parker. Staff: Angela Morton Conley, Executive Director, and Loretta Hiner. Guests: Allyce Bullock, Elaine St. Clemmons and Greg Vogelweid (St. Patrick Center), Karen Wallensak (Catholic Charities) and Janet Becker.

Donna expressed appreciation for those who took site visits. She was especially excited about the visit she had with Angela and Loretta at the Bosley Estates. They had just been to the groundbreaking which was very inspirational, with many important developers and the Mayor also there. She was especially pleased that it was in Mr. Bosley’s 3rd Ward. Donna was also pleased to report that she will be speaking at the Blumeyer Renaissance Place project, along with Sen. Kit Bond and other celebrities on the 11th of October. She’s excited about Blumeyer, which the Trust Fund gave over $1.2 million for different phases of the development.

Donna announced a Christmas Party for the Commissioners and staff on Sunday, December 4th at 5:00 at Commissioner Kerr’s home. She then asked for the Executive Director’s Report.

Angela distributed an important book: TEN-YEAR PLAN TO END CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS for the City of St. Louis & St. Louis County, completed in August, ’05. Bill Siedhoff, Department of Human Services, was to join the Commission the previous month and was greatly involved with the hurricane disaster. He promised he would speak at the November meeting. Angela thought it would be good for the Commissioners to have the books ahead of time so they could discuss it when he came. Donna expressed interest in trying out new goals. She suggested different centers for urgent needs, which would cost some of their money. Angela announced the October site visit to Palm Place (family home development in Alderman Boyd’s Ward. Commissioner Foronda will be the Captain of that visit. The homes are about 80% complete, with single-family home development in Alderman Boyd’s Ward. At least one home had been sold already and another had a buyer interested.

Budget: Present amount $5,727,544.31. (If you wish to see it, please let me know).

Great Things, Inc. requested a budget change. They will shift more money into utility bill payments and spend less for rent subsidy, home repairs and admin costs. Staff approved the request.

A letter was sent by the St. Vincent DePaul Criminal Justice Ministries. Sister Colleen Reck asked for an extension. This project is for ex-offenders. They provide counseling and housing placement, rent subsidy on a decreasing scale up to one year. They cannot get all of the participants at once. They must stagger the use of the money ($75,000 in all). They want to find homes in various areas. Staff recommended her request. They only take a certain number of ex-offenders in any particular ward. For instance, they place some people in the Winston Churchill apartments and the landlord loves the project and wrote a letter of support.

LaDonna Parker gave a glowing report on the tour of Doorways, 4385 Maryland Ave. Four others joined her: Angela, Kathleen, John Cross and Phil Fingerhut. Lynn Cooper, the Director, went with them as did three of her staff and all were extremely courteous. The Doorways program has been in an active relationship with the Housing Trust Fund for several years. They focus on the most poor, those with HIV/AIDS. Over 500 people have been helped. They provide public assistance when necessary. They have four programs: the Doorways Supportive Housing Facility, Doorways Old Home Program, a residential program and the jump-start program. There is a new program, Partridge Place, which AHC has approved for financial support. Last year, they requested $400,000 and the Trust Fund gave them $300,000. "We fill in the gaps. They consider us the glue that allows them to leverage funding from other sources." They are very professional- a high-leveraging organization. They provide high quality housing:
Jefferson & Park is another Doorways. They have 500 clients City-wide. Lynn said that over a ten-year period, they have been able to achieve a 7% death rate to a 70% recovery. They saved $2 million for Medicaid and they provide a dignified environment where they can feel good about themselves.

Betty Jean Kerr arrived just then and they had a quorum. Donna requested voting for the minutes, the extension for St. Vincent DuPaul, and the Great Things Neighborhood Assistant Project. Donna then wanted a vote on the "Needs to Work" project from St. Vincent DePaul, requesting a 7-month extension and on the "Great Things Neighborhood Assistance Project." All such votes were agreed upon. The Commissioners then were asked to get approval of the budget for 2005-2006. That also was approved by all.

Donna then brought up a motion that was moved by Commissioner Clay the previous meeting: to approve up to $345,000 for long-term transitional permanent housing assistance and related services for families needing such services as a result of hurricane Katrina and associated flooding, with funding to be administrated through the Housing Resource Center and FEMA, non-profit organizations and contracts for expenditures of this fund, subject to approval by the Executive Director, the Commission Chair and the Mayor’s Office, with respect to the scope of the work and budget. The HRC is to submit a list of proposed expenditures prior to the advance of any Affordable Housing Fund’s. Funds shall not be used for hotel vouchers, shelter cots, or any other short-term item. The Commissioners received a note from Angela on behalf of what Donna is recommending, along with the Mayor’s office for the HRC and with the collaboration of what they all decided about. Furthermore, there was a deficit
notation sent by the HRC.

Donna read a recommendation to be discussed by the Commissioners. "Attached you’ll find excerpts from a proposal submitted by the HRC, providing the housing assistance on a minimum of 100 reallocations. After collaboration with the Administration, Donna established the recommendation of $187,500. Stipulations include the reinvestment of refunded revenue to go back to the HRC and ultimately go back to the Affordable Housing Commission from HRC. This includes the security deposits and utility deposits, if refundable, as well as any expenses that FEMA deems eligible as reimbursement. Donna’s recommendation would also allow security deposits, utility deposits and approximately 3-4 months of utility payments. This would allow approximately $875 per family." Angela reiterated that this money was specifically for permanent housing.

There was an extremely long discussion among the Commissioners- many questions, many issues, many discussions. Finally, the meeting was over and some of the guests made comments. Karen Wallensak (Catholic Charities) said a big thanks to the Commissioners. They had 20-30 families per day coming to them with no resources to prevent homelessness. They were already overtaxed, even with $2,200 from Red Cross. They don’t know how long folks will stay, there are health problems, no transportation, can’t pay rent, FEMA, perhaps could help. They greatly appreciate the Commissioners’ support. Greg thanked the HRC, who also had survivors- 500+ families from the Red Cross; 200 were expected to be housed.

The meeting was adjourned at 12:50.