Resident Advisory Board

Agenda & Minutes

July 26, 2023

Meeting Date & Time

Date: July 26, 2023

Location: Zoom Video

In Attendance:

Members: Michael Harris (Chair), Kevin Gladstone, Mark Galperin, Edmond Clark, Royce McLemore, Thos Chapman, Lynnette Frary, Sharon Hayes (new from GGVRC)

Guests: MHA Staff – Kathleen Wyatt (Director, Housing Operations), Adrian Chorley (Director, Housing Development/Revitalization), Yashica Simpson-Franklin (Public Housing Property Manager), Susanne Joyce (Manager - HCV), Antoinette Terrell (Director, Asset Management).

Absent: Tanya Rouin (excused), Regina Talton (unexplained)

Upon a call of the roll finding a quorum was present, the Chair brought the Meeting to order at 3:32 p.m.

Attendees introduced themselves.

1. Minutes:  Upon motion duly made (Ms. McLemore) and seconded (Ms. Frary), request was made to accept the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of June 28, 2023.  The Vote in favor of acceptance was unanimous.

Discussion on the following items took place with motions or actions indicated.

2. Reports of Officers, Boards, and Standing Committees:

Budget for the RAB: Ms. Wyatt opened a discussion about the housing authority funding of RAB’s in general pursuant to HUD regulation 24 CFR 903.13. She indicated that the Marin Housing Authority’s obligation for making available “reasonable resources” under that regulation is currently a budget of about $4,500 and gave examples of how MHA and other California Housing Authorities satisfy this requirement. She explained that regulation 24 CFR 964.150 cited by Mr. Clark as applying to the RAB is incorrect, as that is relevant only to the Resident Council in this jurisdiction.

Upon motion duly made (Mr. Galperin) and seconded (Mr. Clark) request was made to consider increasing the amount of the $15.00 per meeting stipend paid for Members participation in RAB Meetings. Members offered opinions both for (Mr. Galperin) and against (Mr. Clark) changing the level of the stipend paid for meeting participants.  Mr. Galperin provided a reference to Guide 9 from the HUD Exchange about Tenant Participation funds.  Upon motion duly made (Ms. McLemore) and seconded (Mr. Gladstone) it was agreed to table further discussion and decision on this budget issue until a future meeting to give members additional time to consider the information they received. 

Ms. Wyatt suggested the Board may wish to revisit the issue of paying for transcription of meeting minutes that was passed at the Regular Meeting on June 28, 2023, for reasons that new information on the cost of the proposed service offered by Margaret Nolan was higher than previously known. After discussion, and upon motion duly made (Mr. Gladstone) and seconded (Mr. Chapman), recommendation was made to have transcription and publication of meeting minutes continue similar to the past few months, with Ms. Wyatt drafting the minutes and Mr. Clark (at no charge) providing assistance as requested. A decision on this proposed motion was intended to supersede the decision of the RAB made at the June Regular Meeting. The motion carried unanimously.

Agency Plan Update: The draft of the 2024 Agency Plan update was previously provided to members. Ms. Wyatt asked members to review and prepare to make comments at the next meeting on the draft plan, since final comments on the plan will be due August 25.

Mr. Clark accepted a request he compile on behalf of the RAB any comments the RAB chooses to enter into the Annual Plan update.

Ms. McLemore raised a concern that the Public Housing applicant ranking provision had been changed in the Admissions and Occupancy Policy without proper review by the RAB. Ms. Wyatt will research how the change occurred and report back to the RAB at the next meeting. Any necessary corrections to the policy will take place independent of the Agency Plan Update process. 

Capital Fund Status and Physical Needs Assessment: Mr. Chorley led a discussion on the Capital Fund budget for the 2023-2027 Five Year Projection and provided the Physical Needs Assessment reports for the AMP2 properties.

Responding to questions, Mr. Chorley explained the restrictions he operates under in having adequate funding available for payment of the actual hands-on work to accomplish both facilities maintenance and improvement. He explained that HUD formulas determine the level of budgeted funds that must be exclusively applied to administrative expenses which restricts the amount of money available for actual construction costs. 

3. Unfinished Business:

Proposed Bylaws – A discussion on the proposed bylaws drafted for consideration by Mr. Clark and distributed prior to the last meeting of the RAB was initiated. Brief comments were made about certain articles (funding availability), and including a question from Ms. Wyatt about the need for an article addressing Members indemnification (Proposed Article XIII). With questions about the role of the RAB still unresolved, the members agreed (without motion or vote) to table the discussion of the proposed bylaws to have additional time to review the lengthy document and to await Ms. Wyatt receiving some sought-after legal advice from MHA counsel.

January minutes follow-up – advocacy letter to sign. Mr. Clark had inquired about whether an advocacy letter that was mentioned in the January minutes regarding support for additional affordable housing in California was ever prepared. Determining no letter had been written, Mr. Harris indicated he will draft a proposed letter for review by the RAB.

February minutes follow-up – Chair meeting with Executive Director Kimberly Carroll.  Mr. Harris related that his meeting on this issue with Ms. Carroll consisted of his intent to institute Robert’s Rules of Order and some form of parliamentary procedure to bring organization, respect, and formality to the RAB meetings.

March minutes follow-up – housing survey results follow-up regarding contact with MHA. Ms. Wyatt reported that after the survey showed some negative responses regarding participants’ contact with MHA, the main office is now open four days a week, the website reflects the correct office hours, there are operators to handle phone calls, and managers review the statistics weekly regarding phone calls answered by the operators.

March minutes follow-up – alleged intimidation by Property Manager. Ms. Wyatt reported that the referenced allegation had been made by an employee. It has been concluded, after an exhaustive independent investigation, that there was no proof to substantiate the allegation. Because the issue is considered a confidential personnel matter, no further comment is appropriate or permissible.

March minutes follow-up – alleged violation by Executive Director Kimberly Carroll of GGVRC MOU. Ms. McLemore, who had raised this issue, declined to make further comment on it at this meeting. She reported that she plans to address this directly with Ms. Carroll at a separate meeting with her this week.

4. Resident Council Update: None provided due to time constraints.

5. Special Orders: There were no further reports or special orders.

6. New Business: There was no new business raised for inclusion on the agenda.

7. Closing Comments: 

Mr. Clark thanked the participants for their time and effort to date spent in reviewing the proposed bylaws.

Mr. Galperin indicated he was communicating with other members on the issue of the tenant participation fund covered in the HUD exchange of information. Chairman Harris advised members that they cannot talk to each other without other members present as this can be considered “forming alliances,” which in his understanding is not allowed under Robert’s Rules. 

8. Adjournment:

With no further business before the Board, the Chair concluded the Meeting at 5:24 p.m.

Note is made the next Regular Meeting of the RAB is scheduled for Wednesday, August 23rd. This will be an in-person meeting at the MHA.

Items for the August agenda will include the RAB proposed comments on the Annual Plan and a continuing of the discussion of the proposed bylaws. Other suggested items are welcome to be submitted at least one week before the meeting.

Secretary Certification: Kathleen Wyatt with assistance of Edmond Clark

Date: 31 July 2023