SNA Housing Task Force

October 28th, 2015

Location:Campbell County Fiscal Court Chambers

Attendance:Brandy Medaugh- Catholic Charities, Sarah Collins-Campbell County Housing, Peter Contreras-Cincinnati VA., Shelley Werner-Erlanger Schools, Mike Delaney-Safety Net Web Committee, Marcia Jennings-HONK,Joshua Tunning-Brighton Center,Rick Thies- Center for Accessible Living, Steve Bradford- The Housing Authority of Covington, Pete Neinaber-Legal Aid of the Bluegrass,Jill Brown-SNA VISTA

Networking/ Welcome

Reviewing and discussion of last month’s minutes

  • The Main goal of the SNA Housing Task Force is to build better communities joining together with other Housing Task Force in the area to collaborate efforts. Re-Newport; the Center for Great Neighborhoods; Welcome House; St. Maria Community.
  • Sarah Collins-Campbell County Housing, as well as others at the table believes the Super Saturday events are historically unsuccessful.
  • Marcia Jennings-Honk has a media resource, most at the table feel as though that may be a better avenue to use as opposed to the Super Saturday event; Media coverage goal is set for spring 2016.
  • Media coverage should be a closed forum reviewing a housing task force meeting of all area housing task force; invite all area landlords and property managers to the meeting to dispel myths and fears of renting to persons on Section 8; the goal of the media coverage would be to shed light on the homelessness problem in the Northern Kentucky Area.

Goals:

  • Master Housing list – Brandy / Peter Contreras
  • Finalize and send out survey and recruitment letter; reword some questions on the survey with the intention of recruiting new landlords.
  • Bring new property owners to the table via letter and survey.
  • Go Section 8 approved as housing tool
  • Talk to other Housing Task Force groups in the area to discuss collaboration of efforts and invite them to our next meeting- Maggie
  • Reach out to CILO – Maggie
  • Reach out to Santa Maria Community to obtain more information about “ Building Better Communities”- Maggie
  • Draft a creative letter to send out as an invitation to the next meeting – Maggie
  • Send out a survey to Landlords to obtain feedback regarding various topics.
  • Shelley Werner- Erlanger Schools resource advocate has volunteered to gather information regarding landlords in the Erlanger area and distribute flyers to them for the purpose of recruitment into becoming Section 8 landlords.

Barriers:

  • Not enough properties accepting section 8; case workers running into roadblocks.
  • Transportation concerns – Housing needs to be within the scope of public transportation
  • Transfers are using valuable resources and time of local housing authorities.
  • HUD regulations are too strict; restrictions vary by federal, state, county and city housing authorities; private landlords and property management companies also have rules and restrictions they adhere to which causes further barricades in the search for housing.
  • Customers looking for housing often times have evictions/ legal issues and credit difficulties.
  • Customers are having a difficult time finding properties that will pass and continue to pass HUD inspections.
  • Some landlords seem unwilling to make accommodations for persons with disabilities.

Next Meeting:

Wednesday, November 18th, from 2:00 - 4:00 pm

(After the SNA General Meeting in the Choir Room)

St. John’s UCC

415 Park Avenue

Newport, KY. 41071