HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-RHAC-2013-11-20RENTAL HOUSING ADVISORY COMMISSION MINUTES
November 20, 2013
Present: Graham Kerslick, Julie Paige, Denise Thompson, Sean Hillson, Ashley Popp,
Monica Moll, Larry Beck, Richard Cowan, Nikki Sayward
RIIMMORY•
1. Pride of Ownership Awards: Next up is deciding
a) qualifications /categories and
b)how often. RHAC considering partnership with civic organization for nominations and
public recognition.
2. Increasing membership: RHAC needs 3 more renters, whom need to be city
residents as well. Various persons have taken on responsibility for reaching out to
neighborhood community resources for suggestions (see below for more).
3. Community Outreach /Public Education: We have a good foundation of information
available to public, such as pamplets and websites, but this information could be made
more easily accessible (especially considering many people, even if they do receive
landlord /tenant relations information, may not remember or know where to look when
something unusual does actually happen). Possible new approach of being more direct
and in -face of public.
4. New Business: Building Department is backed up several months on housing
inspections and needs to hire another inspector.
Minutes by Nikki Sayward
November 22, 2013
DETAILS:
1. Pride of Ownership Awards:
LB: Concerns about quality. Some organizations giving awards, such as Rotary. How
selected? What are qualifications? Once or twice a year. GK: City Pride of Ownership
organized by Rotary Club & Susan Blumenthal. Nominations start in beginning of Oct.
CF: Nominated by tenant? Can't win if violations within last 12 months. MM:
Nominations processed by Clerk's office. GK: Base our guideline on current by Rotary.
NS: Bi- annually or more =more profile, press, public education. SH: Possible investment
in green energy, groundskeeping? LB: Customer service is a key, too. RC: Have abt 5
categories to rate LLs on. CF: Possible future issue - rating apts on energy efficiency.
2. Increasing membership:
Sean and Ashley are both interested in participating. GK: Need 3 more renters, need to
be city residents. MM: Reach out to South Hill Civic Assc? John Graves - chair. GK will
reach out. RC: Geared towards students but also IHA & BHNS. NS: Get in touch with
Vicky. RC: Need to make sure we have quorum in summer as well.
3. Community Outreach /Public Education:
LB: "How To Be A Good Tenant" CF: Has done workshops geared towards LL /tenant
relations, tons of pamphlets. Have link of city website now, as well. LB: How can we get
info out outside of Coop Ext? CF: Community racks of info around area. GK: Is easy to
search city website for specific info. Let's point to multiple points of interest and
Facebook pages. SH: Craigslist, too. MM: Can add to ithacarents.com, too -the
Landlord's Assc. website.JP: Getting the info out is major roadblack. MM: Many people
don't think abt it until problem exists. DT: OC Housing is encouraging Greeks to follow
them on Facebook. Students prefer important info via email. AP: Try quarter- carding.
Info needs to be really in- your -face. Ex. Collegetown Neighborhood Fair, geared
towards freshman, encourages parents to come as well. MM: Do Housing Fair in Oct
instead of Jan? NS: Do more than once a year, perhaps? RC: Knowing Housing Fair is
coming up will reduce pressure on LLs. MM /CF: Good esp as opposed to scams on
Craigslist. JP: Am working with Eric to bring student and city citizens together. Gave out
USBs with info about housing city ordinances. DT: Res Life & OCH work
complementarily and cooperatively. GK: Perhaps make an app? AP /DT: Making info
available in notebooks was very useful. LB: 211 would like our info as well. CF: Attorney
General comes twice a year and CCE has DVD on tenant /LL issues.
4. New business:
MM: Inspector mentioned they are losing support staff (not true). City is hiring new
building inspector. 2 people are doing inspections now, so are completely backed -up.
People have been out of compliance since 90's. Send letter to Common Council to hire
another inspector? DT: Is responsibility of LL to schedule inspection. 6 months before
LLs often get inspection. MM: Unsafe housing issues. 77% of city is rental housing.
More break -ins, too, which speaks to more police. GK" Invite Mike, Director of Code
Enforcement, to come to meeting and discuss this. LB: every 3 years for multiples, 5
years for duplexes.