2017-04-26 VHC Minutes (special)MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL VERNON HOUSING COMMISSION
MEETING HELD WEDNESDAY APRIL 26, 2017, IN THE COUNCIL
CHAMBER OF THE CITY HALL LOCATED AT 4305 SANTA FE
AVENUE, VERNON, CALIFORNIA
MEMBERS PRESENT: Melissa Ybarra, Kyle Cooper, John Kriste, and Steven Froberg, and
Frank Gavina
MEMBERS ABSENT: Hector Garcia and Steven Florman
The meeting was called to order by Chair Ybarra at 6:00 p.m. and also led the flag salute.
CHANGES TO THE AGENDA
City Clerk Maria Ayala announced that there were no changes to the agenda.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Chair Ybarra announced this was the time allotted for public comment and inquired whether anyone in the audience wished to address the Commission. The public will also be given a chance
to comment on matters which are on the posted agenda during Commission deliberation on those
specific matters.
No comment provided.
NEW BUSINESS
1. Summary of Annual Maintenance Inspection Results for City of Vernon-Owned Housing Units Recommendation:
A. Receive and file a summary report of the 2017 Annual Maintenance Inspection Results for City-owned housing units.
Administrative Secretary Anthony Zarate reported on the proposed.
A dialogue ensued between staff and the Commission about notification and the inspection process.
It was moved by Kristie and seconded by Gavina to receive and file a summary report of the 2017
Annual Maintenance Inspection Results for City-owned housing units. Motion carried, 5-0
Ybarra: Yes Garcia: Absent
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April 26, 2017
Page 2 of 5
Kriste: Yes Froberg: Yes
Cooper: Yes
Florman: Absent
Gavina: Yes
2. Establish a Priority List and Procedures for Tenants under Disability Priority for City-owned Property Designed in Compliance with Americans with Disability Act (“ADA”) Specifications
Recommendation: A. Find that the actions recommended in this staff report do not constitute a “project”
pursuant to Section 15378(b)(2) of the Guidelines to the California Environmental
Quality Act (“CEQA”), because such recommendations constitute an
administrative activity; and even if the adoption of the proposed items did constitute a project, it would be exempt from CEQA in accordance with Section 15061(b)(3),
the general rule that CEQA only applies to projects that may have an effect on the
environment; and
B. Approve the establishment of a Priority List for prospective tenants with a qualifying disability; and
C. Authorize staff to proceed with offering prospective disabled tenants from the
Priority List the opportunity to reside in the accessible City-owned housing unit
located at 4323 Furlong Place, a property designed to be fully compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) code specifications; and
D. Adopt the Vernon Housing Commission Procedures for Tenants under Disability
Priority which proposes to establish and implement a priority on the City housing
waiting list for individuals who have a qualifying disability.
Administrative Secretary Zarate reported on the proposed.
City Administrator Carlos Fandino clarified that the current individual on the unit-to-unit transfer
list would not go to someone with a disability, he sought Commission guidance on how to proceed.
A lengthy dialogue ensued between staff and the Commission about vacancy length of an ADA
accessible unit, rental considerations, leasing options to non-ADA tenants in an ADA accessible
unit, and outreach efforts.
It was moved by Froberg and seconded by Cooper to approve the establishment of a Priority List,
authorize staff to proceed with offering prospective disabled tenants from the Priority List the
opportunity to reside in the accessible City-owned housing unit located at 4323 Furlong Place, and
adopt the Vernon Housing Commission Procedures for Tenants under Disability Priority. Motion
carried, 5-0.
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April 26, 2017
Page 3 of 5
Ybarra: Yes
Garcia: Absent
Kriste: Yes
Froberg: Yes
Cooper: Yes Florman: Absent
Gavina: Yes
The Commission came to a consensus to hold the ADA accessible property until the June lottery
determined a priority list and proceed with outreach to find appropriate tenants.
3. Recommendations from the Vernon Housing Commission Sub-Committee to Proceed with a Regular Remodel Design for the Remaining Non-Remodeled Housing Units
Located on Furlong Place; and to Consider Potential Location of Next Americans
with Disability Act (“ADA”) Compliant Remodel Recommendation:
A. Find that the approval of the proposed action is exempt from California
Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) review, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines sections 15301 (i.e., maintenance, repair or minor alteration of an existing
structure, involving negligible or no expansion of existing use) and 15302 (i.e.,
replacement or reconstruction of existing structures and facilities where new
structure will be located on the same site as the structure replaced and will have
substantially the same purpose and capacity as the structure replaced); and
B. Approve the recommendation from the Vernon Housing Commission Sub-
Committee to proceed with a regular remodel design for the remaining non-
remodeled housing units located on Furlong Place without requiring that the
renovations be fully compliant with the Americans with Disability Act (“ADA”) standards; and
C. Approve the recommendation from the Vernon Housing Commission Sub-
Committee to designate Fruitland Avenue as the next location for an ADA
compliant unit for the City, if the Vernon Housing Commission should determine at a future date to proceed with another ADA remodel.
Assistant Engineer Felix Velasco reported on the proposed.
It was moved by Froberg and seconded by Gavina to approve the recommendation from the Vernon Housing Commission Sub-Committee to proceed with a regular remodel design for the
remaining non-remodeled housing units located on Furlong Place without requiring that the
renovations be fully compliant with the Americans with Disability Act (“ADA”) standards; and,
Approve the recommendation from the Vernon Housing Commission Sub-Committee to designate
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April 26, 2017
Page 4 of 5
Fruitland Avenue as the next location for an ADA compliant unit for the City. Motion carried, 5-0.
Ybarra: Yes
Garcia: Absent
Kriste: Yes Froberg: Yes
Cooper: Yes
Florman: Absent
Gavina: Yes
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE DIRECTIVES TO STAFF 4. Discussion and Possible Direction to Staff Regarding Procedures to Collect Damages
from Tenants
Recommendation: A. Find that consideration of the staff update regarding Lessee fiscal responsibility for
damages caused by a Lessee and discovered during inspections is exempt from
California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) review, because the activity, which is purely administrative in nature, does not constitute a “project” as that term
is defined under CEQA Guidelines Section 15378, and even if it were a project, it
would be categorically exempt from CEQA review in accordance with CEQA
Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), the general rule that CEQA only applies to projects
that may have a significant effect on the environment; and
B. Receive and file this staff update regarding Lessee fiscal responsibility for damages
caused by a Lessee discovered during routine City inspections; and
C. Provide staff with direction on the Vernon Housing Commission’s preferred method to recover costs related to tenant caused damages for all City-owned
housing.
Administrative Secretary Zarate reported on the proposed.
A lengthy dialogue ensued between staff and the Commission regarding notification, damage
assessment and payment, inspection procedures, and the possibility of additional deposits for
future damages. The dialogue transitioned to how to monitor and mitigate damages to the units
and the timing of when the City should take additional action.
Staff announced it would draft a policy on recovering costs related to tenant caused damages for
all City-owned housing. The Commission came to a consensus and agreed to a draft policy from
staff.
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April 26, 2017
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ORAL REPORTS & COMMENTS FROM STAFF AND COMMISSION MEMBERS
5. Brief reports, announcements, or directives to staff from the Commissioners and
Commission Officers.
City Administrator Fandino reported on the anticipated sale of City-owned Huntington Park homes and the replacement of grass with artificial turf. A dialogue ensued between staff and the
Commission about the pros and cons as well as the details of replacing grass with artificial turf.
Chair Ybarra and Member Lopez voiced their approval of keeping grass and not replacing it with
artificial turf.
City Administrator Fandino said the direction to staff would be to re-sod the lawns.
6. Upcoming Meetings:
A. Next regular meeting: June 14, 2017 at 6:00 p.m.
SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT
No comment provided.
With no further business, at 6:59 p.m., Chair Ybarra adjourned the meeting.
________________________ Melissa Ybarra
Chair
ATTEST:
_________________________
Maria E. Ayala, CMC
Secretary