MEETING AGENDA & MINUTES, CUMBERLAND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION

MEETING AGENDA
THURSDAY JANUARY 27, 2010
5 PM

I. Call to Order

II. Minutes pg. 2-3
III. Reports

Committee Reports
„Ï Analysis of Impediments Implementation Committee Reports
Impediment 1 Shortage Accessible Rental Housing (Bernard)
Impediment 2-3 Citizens unaware Fair Housing Law & Modification Resources (Joe & Kim)
Impediment 4 Lack of affordable rental units (Russ & Courtney)
Impediment 7 Limited land develop housing (Russ)
Impediment 8 Lack housing knowledge/responsibility landlords (Penny C)

Staff Reports
„Ï Analysis of Impediments Implementation Staff Report
(Government Agency Meeting; Non-Profit Organization Meeting; Resource Guides; Mayor &
Council Meeting; Transportation; NAC; Brochure Distribution) Handout
„Ï Landlord Survey Mailed Handout

IV. Old Business
„Ï April 2011 Fair Housing Month Program (What should be addressed?)

V. New Business
„Ï 2nd Quarter Report Handout
„Ï FY 2011-12 CDBG Application/Budget Request Handout
„Ï HRC meeting with Mayor & City Council

VI. Community Comments

VII. Adjournment: Next Meeting Thursday, February 24, 2010 at 5 pm

City of Cumberland
Human Relations Commission
13 CANAL St., Suite 304
Cumberland, Maryland 21502
Phone# 301-759-6659
Email: fairhousingspecialist@allconet.org

MEETING MINUTES NOVEMBER 18, 2010

Chairman Joe Darr called the Thursday, November 18, 2010, meeting of the Cumberland Human Relations Commission to order at 5:28 pm. Commissioners attending the meeting were Vic Chair Kim Marker, Commissioners Courtney Thomas, and Penny Copman. Also in attendance were Jay Oliver Manager of the Cumberland Department of Community Development and Darrell Lee Powell Administrator of Cumberland Human Relations Commission/Fair Housing Specialist Cumberland Department of Community Development.

Minutes:
The Commissioners approved the October, 2010 meeting minutes.

Committee Reports:

Analysis of Impediments Implementation Committee Reports
Impediment 1 Shortage Accessible Rental Housing (Bernard) No Report
Impediment 2-3 Citizens unaware of fair housing law & some tenants with disabilities lack the financial resources to pay for modifications. (Joe & Kim): Commissioners Joe Darr and Kim Marker reported that the Impediment 2-3 Implementation Committee hosted a successful meeting with disabled agency representatives. Both Commissioners said the group had a good conversation and that the disabled advocate’s acknowledged accessibility obstacles identified in the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice. Staff compiled a list of concerns expressed by the agency representatives and presented the document to the Commissioners. The agency concerns include the lack of available, affordable, livable housing stock; too few new construction set-asides; transportation; lack of landlord co-operation with modification needs; client income levels, client personal/criminal background; HUD, and general housing needs. Commissioners Darr and Marker said the agency representatives were enthused and are interested in collaborating with the Commission to address the fair housing choice issue. A second meeting between the Commission and agency representatives will be scheduled. It was suggested that a list of landlords who work with the disabled needs to be developed. It was stated that SSI recipients need assistance with housing.
Impediment 4 Lack of affordable rental units (Russ & Courtney): Commissioner Penny Copman said there appears to be open and available rental units on the market. Copman went on to say the issue appears to be no one knows the landlords who have the available apartments. There was conversation about some project Cumberland Housing authority has underway. Staff was asked to check Maryland website for local housing rental locator.
Impediment 7 Limited land develop housing (Russ): No report
Impediment 8 Lack housing knowledge/responsibility landlords (Penny C): No report

Staff Report:
Landlord Survey Mailer: Staff told the Commissioners that the Landlord Survey has been updated with an additional question while two questions were removed from the questionnaire. According to staff, a question asking landlords if they know of landlords that would be interested in offering accessible housing to the disabled if funding were available to assist with the project. In addition staff said that two survey questions were removed from the questionnaire because they were leading and could indicate unfair practices by landlords. The questions asked if landlords charge more for accessible rental units verses non-accessible ready units.

Landlord Letter: Staff presented the Commissioners an edited letter introducing landlords to the survey.
Education Outreach: The Commissioners were updated on two outreach efforts hosted by staff and the Commission. According staff, a Fair Housing Education Outreach Training was provided to Section 8 voucher holders during Section 8 Voucher training at HRDC. The residents received basic Fair Housing rights and responsibility information as well as training on the 10-impediments to Fair Housing Choice impacting Cumberland residents. In addition, staff updated the Commissioners on the Impediments 2-3 agency meeting hosted by the Commission’s Impediment #2-3 Committee. See additional information in Committee report above.
Commissioner Training: Staff provided an update on the Maryland Association of Human Rights Agencies (MAHRA), Commissioner Training hosted Thursday Nov 4, 2010. Staff said 20-HRC Commissioners from across the state attended the training. The body was presented a copy of the U.S. Department of Justice, Community Relations Service’s Guidelines for Effective Human Relations Commissions.
Financing Accessibility Modifications AI #2-3 Documents: Staff presented the Commissioners the edited Copy of the document. Staff was asked to edit the document to include only resources available to the Cumberland community. Staff was asked to further edit the document to specific topics. Staff said they could edit the document into three separate documents.

Old Business:
Office move: Staff advised the Commissioners that their November meeting would be the last meeting in the body’s Canal Place Office Suite. The HRC Office will move into City Hall Friday, November 19, 2010 and all future HRC meetings will be held in the Community Development Conference room located in the Lower Level of City Hall. The Commissioners were told to enter Community Development from the Frederick Street side of City Hall.

New Business
December Meeting: The Commissioners opted to host their December meeting on Thursday,
April 2011 Fair Housing Month Program: The Commissioners were asked to think of a conference theme for Fair Housing Month.

Meeting adjourned at 6:20 pm.