CITY OF DANBURY
Committee on Housing and Community Development
Danbury Housing Partnership
155 Deer Hill Avenue
Danbury, Connecticut 06810

Minutes of the September 6, 2007 Meeting

Present: Scalzo, Barrows, Lemme, Zaborowski

Absent: Elpern

The meeting of the Committee on Housing and Community Development of the Danbury Housing Partnership was held in Danbury City Hall, Planning and Zoning Department conference room, 1st floor on September 6, 2007. Chairperson Paul Scalzo called the meeting to order at 210PM.

All present members reviewed the minutes of August 2, 2007. A motion to accept the minutes was made by C. Barrows, seconded by P. Scalzo and passed unanimously.

Chairperson Paul Scalzo addressed the agenda. Staff reported that the names requested to be submitted to Mayor Boughton for consideration in being appointed to the Danbury Housing Partnership were placed before the Mayor, but no response has been noted from the office. Staff recommended additional names be submitted to the Mayor for consideration:

  1. Bob Botello
  2. Jackie Hogan

Ms. Barrows indicated that she was going to contact Marnie Esposito, the Municipal Agent for the Danbury Senior Center requesting her approval/participation on the Danbury Housing Partnership and then, hopefully, being appointed for the Housing and Community Development Committee. Mr. Scalzo indicated that there are many local boards that may have members wanting to donate their time and expertise in serving on the Partnership. Question was asked if members of the Partnership had to be Danbury residents. Staff indicated that there are no mandatory residency requirements.

At 2:15PM, Mr. Gary Lemme arrived for the meeting and was updated on the agenda.

Other recommendations to the additional members to the Partnership, and then specifically to this Committee, were possible names of those individuals affiliated with real estate, housing/commercial development, industry and banking, Avalon Housing, the Barden’s Corporation, RSVP organization, etc. The Committee also recommended that Andrea Rynn from the Danbury Hospital be contacted for advice and a possible guest appearance at one of the committee’s monthly meetings.

Staff recommended to all committee members to revisit the Ten-year Plan to End Homelessness Progress Report offered by the Mayor’s Taskforce. The following recommendations were made by the Committee as a whole and would be presented to the Housing Partnership at this afternoons meeting:

  1. Page 10 of Year One “develop strategies to identify and engage those at risk of becoming homeless” switch to Social and Support Services and secondary to Public Relations/Marketing/Education.
  2. Page 12 of Year Two “The community and discharging institutions need to adopt a zero tolerance for discharge into homeless shelters and homelessness” switch to Social and Supportive Services.
  3. Page 12 of Year Two “Fund, increase and ensure continued cash resources for those prevention activities such as back rent, security deposit, housing mediation, temporary monthly rental subsidies and short-term rental and mortgage assistance” switch to Financial Resource and Fundraising and Social and Supportive Services.
  4. Page 18 of Year One “Engage philanthropic, governmental entities (state and local) and other funding sources to craft a flexible grant program tied to the development of permanent supportive housing units” switch to Financial Resource and Fundraising.
  5. Page 18 of Year One “ Advocate for increased state and federal subsidies for low and moderate-income housing” switch to Executive Committee and Public Relations, Marketing and Education.
  6. Page 20 of Year One “Improve outreach and linkages to existing training, education and literacy programs” switch to Social and Supportive Services.
  7. Page 21 of Year Two “Explore and encourage expansion of existing partnerships between non-profit agencies and private developers through workshops to increase awareness of financial incentives and funding availability for permanent housing” switch Public Relations, Marketing and Education.
  8. Page 21 of Year Two “Explore partnerships with educational institutions to offer classes on services and management of supportive housing” switch to Public Relations, Marketing and Education.
  9. Page 21 of Year Two “ Explore models of Urban/Suburban Collaborative for Social Services” switch to Social and Supportive Services.

Other discussion involved the taskforce requesting that the “Common Council consider providing property tax credits to owners of residential property who place long-term binding affordable housing restrictions on such residential property”, and to “Develop Tax Abatement programs for landlords who deed restrict affordable units”. The committee inquired if these requests are actually legal? The Committee also stated that if the Taskforce wants the creation of educational programs used to remove barriers to affordable housing, and then our committee needs to:

  1. Identify any barriers within the local community.
  2. Assist the Committee on Public Relations, Marketing and Education to develop programs for land use officials.

Chairperson Scalzo continued with the agenda topics to discuss supportive housing. Mr. Scalzo indicated to the members that he believed supportive housing to be deed restricted units, special funding for developers to produce housing, affordable housing targeting the working class/force with the City of Danbury. Mr. Scalzo provided information on Habitat for Humanity application and building process for committee members. The Chairperson also indicated that this Committee should secure a definition and meaning regarding “supportive housing”. The Committee, as a whole, needs to focus on the term after a complete and approved meaning is approved.

Gary Lemme stated that the city needs to change zoning laws and become more creative to attract development within the City of Danbury. Members indicated that senior housing, veteran housing, emergency shelters, and etc. need to be included in the production of housing stock for the City. First, the committee should investigate the actual numbers of veterans and seniors that need supportive housing. This committee to produce numbers/statistical data to support the need for senior, veteran, transitional housing, and emergency shelters should generate a survey.

Mr. Scalzo requested that staff invite Joan Carty, Executive Director of the Housing Development Fund to the next scheduled meeting of October 4, 2007. Staff will contact Mr. Scalzo to develop an agenda for that meeting.

A motion to adjourn was made by C. Barrows, seconded by G. Lemme and passed unanimously.