VPWG Minutes

November 13, 2015

Attendees:DKolke, OBB; ESing, GTECH;ZAhmed, NSLC; RGermany, LCG; LWalls, ACCDC; PLavelle, SHC JPJones, PHDC; TDolan, HA; LGuralnik, MWCDC; DMorris, H4H; ABrose, BGC; ENusser, LC; MLandrum, HCDC; JWingenfeld, UPP; BKossis, OPDC; NNoszka, THC; DHendricks, FCC; JReiland, PLI; AMMalbon, OBB;BDavidson, ABaldwin

The Chair called the meeting to order at 8:40am. Introductions were conducted.

Land Bank

The group reviewed the agenda for the November meeting and discussed participation in the public comment period.

The group agreed to take turns participating in the public comment period to voice the collective priorities:

  • Community Plans
  • Affordable Housing
  • How and when developers and residents can interact in the process
  • Clear disposition policies
  • Accountability/transparency
  • Relationship to URA/City departments/community groups
  • Specific neighborhood examples and priorities
  • Community outreach and representation

Code Enforcement

Julie Reiland, Community Relations Manager for the Department of Permits, Licenses, and Inspections reviewed conditions for condemnation and provided a list of certified inspectors, citing the differences between certified and non-certified. Her direct number is: 412.255.2811

Reiland will attend VPWG regularly in 2016, addressing collective priorities and issues as part of the agenda.

  • Clarity and info on 311 pipeline and changes/response system– how to escalate to action
  • Coordination of saveable (and condemned) structures
  • Regular interaction (attend monthly meetings in community)
  • Stabilization instead of demolition
  • Access to information / understanding the process
  • Including notice/timing / court
  • Ownership info/point of contacts, maps/visualization
  • PLI interaction with other departments
  • Focus of illegal conversion with rental registration & combatting over-occupancy
  • Demolition notifications and what constitutes an unsafe structure per PLI standards

PLI is increasing and supported targeted code ‘sweeps’. If you’d like to conduct one in your neighborhood, coordinate with Julie as main point of contact.

Policy

Source of Income legislation

There will be a post agenda and public hearing on 11/19. To-date most of the comments have focused on the implementation of the legislation, not the language of the legislation itself.

Rental Registry

There was a post agenda on 11/9. The group discussed the proposed ordinance.Fee exempted on affordable units.

OPDC’s landlord roundtable has the concern that the registration is an annual fee but an inspection every three years – why do they have to pay annually, then?

Groups in high-rental areas are concernedabout the conversion of illegal units

Question: Does PLI have the capacity to do the increased inspections?
Concern: Will rental rates increases due to fee the registration fees and the cost of the program / compliance be passed on to the renter? Nationally this has not happened proof.

The greatest value to the ordinance is the contact database for a local point of contact and the ability to ensure basic safety standards for tenants.

Land recycling snapshot:

The group reviewed the Proeprty Reserve and Treasurer’s Sales, noted due out dates and upcoming deadlines, including that the August 2015 Treasurer’s Sale hand money is due next week.

April 2016 sale – The City has changed the application process:

-City will pre-filter the tax delinquency list, which will become the universe of ‘eligible’ parcels for groups to select from

-If properties are for different projects, groups need to submit different applications

-If there are properties that groups think should be eligible, but are not on the list, and groups would like to acquire, please let us know

Adjournment: There was no new business and the meeting adjourned at 9:50am.