Title
Executive Director Report September 16, 2015
Memorandum
I. FEDERAL
A. FY 16 Budget: Has not yet been ratified by Congress yet.
B. Section 3: HUD’s Section 3 system has been off-line for 2 years and is reactivated. The AAHC will have to report on the last 2 years worth of Section 3 Activity. Section 3 requires recipients of HUD funds that are used for construction to encourage work opportunities of public housing residents, low-income residents, and low-income business owners. The AAHC has about 20 tenants that are currently doing work for the AAHC ranging from landscaping to recycling to cleaning out units when people move out.
II. RAD REDEVELOPMENT
A. River Run & Maple Tower Renovations: The 1st through 5th floor of Baker and the 2nd through 7th floor of Miller are completely renovated and tenants have moved in. The common area of Baker and the 1st floor of Miller are currently being renovated. Due to numerous sewer back-ups at Miller during construction, the entire first floor sewer stacks will be replaced during renovations of the first floor. The first two buildings at Hikone are complete and renovations are continuing at the remaining 3 buildings. Renovations are continuing at the first building at S. Maple and renovations will begin at the 2nd building at Green-Baxter Court in a couple weeks. All renovations must be completed by December 1, 2015 so that all units will be occupied by December 31, 2015.
B. West Arbor (N. Maple): The project closed on August 28th. Tenants are starting to move out under relocation with both vouchers and into renovated units at Hikone. The goal is to have everyone relocated by October so that demolition can begin immediately.
C. Swift Lane (White/State/Henry & Lower Platt): The site plan public hearing and final approval for W/S/H is on the September 21st City Council meeting. An application for Low Income Housing Tax Credits will be submitted to MSHDA in their October 2015 funding round in the Permanent Supportive Housing category. Community Support and Treatment Services (CSTS) and Avalon Housing will be providing the support services.
D. Colonial Oaks (Main, Penn, Seventh, Colonial Platt): Staff are continuing to work with tenants on relocation. Lance is developing a scope of work to be bid out to a general contractor.
III. CITY/COUNTY/OTHER RELATIONS
A. City Council: The Joint AAHC/City policy committee met in August. Ron Woods, Tim Colenbeck and Jennifer Hall attended from the AAHC. The group discussed the Commission’s current and future budget challenges and options. The agenda for the next meeting in September is to start making recommendations to City Council.
B. Colonial Square Cooperative: No update. Our attorney has been on vacation and will be talking to Colonial Square when he returns.
C. Duet Development for Library Lane RFP: The City selected its final two candidates and Duet was not selected.
D. Avalon Miller Manor: Avalon is providing a range of services such as distributing food from Food Gatherers every Friday, guest sign-in and picture ID to get in and out of building, coordinating mental health services, responding to emergencies, dealing with tenants on behavioral problems, helping with resident council elections, doing community activities such as bingo, assisting tenants with pet spading, helping tenants with health care problems, advocating for folks to get social security benefits and jobs, and assisting tenants with getting compliance paperwork for LIHTC purposes. A weekly hot lunch program will begin soon. Several Ann Arbor police officers have commented to our staff that they are noticing a big difference in call outs and problems at our public housing sites, particularly at Miller Manor.
IV. FINANCIAL REPORT AND UPDATE
To be sent in separate communication (not complete at this time)
V. PROCUREMENT ACTIVITIES BEYOND SMALL PURCHASES ($25,000+)
Nothing to report
VI. PERSONNEL
A. Training: Staff were offered the opportunity for unlimited training with Fred Pryor for $100 for 1 year and about ½ the staff have signed up for the trainings - both on-line and in-person.
B. Bonuses: I made a request to HR and the City Administrator to authorize bonuses for AAHC staff this year while we are waiting for the joint committee to make a recommendation about future city financial support. The request was denied due to the impact on the entire organization, if an exception was made for our department to negotiate benefits outside of the union negotiation process.
VII. OPERATIONS
A. Nothing to report
Staff
Prepared and Approved by Jennifer Hall, Executive Director