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Housing Authority's purpose questioned
Friday, November 14, 2008 9:49 AM EST
By Don Koralewski
I-M Editor
During what normally might have been a quite meeting, the City of Emporia Redevelopment and Housing Authority, on Wednesday night, drew criticism and demands for change from members of the public and from sitting board members as well.
The tone of the meeting began to become demanding of board purpose and action following the introduction of a draft resolution that sought to change the board's meeting schedule from four times a year to once a year.
City Manager and Redevelopment and Housing Authority Executive Director Brian Thrower explained that the purpose of the change was to allow the board more flexibility in meeting. By scheduling one meeting on a specific date, the board would be required to meet on one date rather than four currently specified. In the history of the authority, the board has had trouble keeping meeting dates, as not enough board members are regularly present to hold a quorum.
Besides the one regularly scheduled meeting, Thrower told the board, board members could call meetings as needed throughout the year.
“This gives the board more flexibility,” said Thrower, “when you know you can get a quorum.”
The Emporia Redevelopment and Housing Authority has been in existence since the 1970s. In some cities, housing authorities are very active and dynamic boards. Under their purview are public housing, blight abatement, neighborhood redevelopment, home upgrades and rehabilitation, and abatement of homelessness.
In Emporia, the housing authority has been a party to federal community block grant applications and rehabilitation projects, but the board hasn't been that active or pro-active according to members of the public who addressed the board during the public comment period of the meeting.
“I believe the ERHA needs to be more active in addressing the affordable housing and community development needs of Emporia,” said Sharon Jadrnak. “That is what it was chartered to do over 30 years ago.”
Jadrnak went on to say that there was “plenty of work for the ERHA to do in Emporia.”
Her sentiments were echoed by Debra Brown, who challenged the board to get serious. Board members “need to be there to work, not just to hold a position,” she said, referring to an impression that the board's inactivity may be due to the board members who are not really involved in the board's mission.
“This housing authority is important to this community,” Brown said.
Ella Seaborn took the board to task for not acting on people's needs.
She said the board should be actively involved in securing grants to help homeowners with plumbing, home repairs and insulation, among other things. These are some of the issues addressed by many housing authorities across the state and the nation.
“The people living here make minimum wage, and can't afford to live here,” Seaborn said in pointing out that rental prices were higher than most could afford, and that the city lacks public housing to assist those in need.
“I want to believe that our city managers [city government as well as city administration] have enough decency to care about the citizens of our community,” she said.
Thrower told the board and the audience that the Emporia Redevelopment and Housing Authority is involved in grant applications. Most recently, the board, in partnership with the city, applied for a grant in excess of $1 million for upgrades and rehabilitation to homes on West Atlantic Street. The grant, however, he reported on Wednesday, was turned down.
Additionally, Thrower pointed out that the authority was limited in what it could accomplish because of its resources. Unless the board had a dedicated source of funding the authority might not be as active as other authorities. He pointed out that the authority in Franklin had 14 employees, while the Emporia authority had only city staff who couldn't dedicate their time, full-time, to the authority.
The Authority voted to keep their meetings to four times a year, and consider additional means of development in the course of their duties as authority board members.
“We are asking the community to work with those of us who are here now,” said board member Marva Dunn. “We are going to try to enlighten ourselves as to what's available [with regard to funding, grants, programs, projects, training and professional development].
Dunn added that some of the board is committed to meeting the housing needs of the community, and asked that the public give them time. “If we don't produce,” she added, the public could go to city council and seek board members' removal. |
Marty wrote on Nov 17, 2008 8:06 AM: