CITY OF DANBURY
Danbury Housing Partnership
155 Deer Hill Avenue
Danbury, Connecticut 06810

Minutes of the November 1, 2007 Meeting

Attendance: Nolan, Sistrunk, Schierloh, Zaborowski, Elpern, Lemme, Barrows, Yamin, Scalzo, Sangut, McLachlan, Valeri

Absent: Coelho, Lima, Payton, Pitts, Shepperd

Guest: Mike Finn, John Sullivan, Preston Maynard, Paul Valeri

The meeting of the Danbury Housing Partnership was held in City Hall, conference room #3c, on November 1, 2007. Chairman M. Nolan called the meeting to order at 3:05pm. The review and acceptance of the minutes of October 4, 2007 were waived by Chairman Nolan. Mr. Nolan has shifted the agenda around to meet the time constraints of today’s guest speakers.

There were no public comments. There are two guest speakers presenting before the Housing Partnership: John Sullivan and Preston Maynard of the Veterans Administration. Information was presented to the Partnership regarding:

1. Homeless Team in West Haven, Ct., is the front door for homeless vets to get into the medical and mental health system of the veterans administration.

2. Health Care for Homeless Veterans(HCHV) is a community based out patient clinic operating on Germantown Road. The clinic in now providing mental health services at this facility. Mr. Sullivan is conducting outreach through the local shelters, community agencies, etc., to see if vets are interested in services, are qualified for services and other veteran benefits, etc.

3. Local participation in community Continuum of Care to increase awareness and accessibility to veterans benefits and services.

4. Grant per diem is transitional housing for veterans. The VA would like to establish this program more in Danbury. Presently, Connecticut is a leader in community base health care and housing services for veterans. There are approximately 100-110 transitional housing beds in the State. Shelters have set aside beds for homeless vets and there is other housing availability in the form of apartments where 1-2 vets would share the unit. The Gran per Diem program is unique because everything is funded by the VA. The grant portion is the capital; the per diem is the operating support, daily, for the number of people being provided for. The program has maximum flexibility.

5. VASH Program is VA supportive housing which is permanent housing and ongoing treatment utilizing Housing Authority Section 8 vouchers for the mentally ill veterans and those suffering from substance abuse disorders.

Both speakers provided information on Homes for the Brave which is 45 housing units in downtown Bridgeport for vets who can stay up to 2 years. Program focuses on vocational support in the form of career input, interviewing techniques, job placement, etc.

The VA is looking for permanent supportive housing in Danbury and would like to partner with local entities to provide housing units and additional services. The VA would like to work with local developers, the Housing Partnership, the Housing Authority, Non-Profit Corporations, Social Services, etc. The VA would like to utilize:

  1. Per diem grants –beds in an existing structure that would be set aside for vets and to receive funds for this process.
  2. Capital grants – allows for constructing a facility to meet the needs of the homeless veterans.

For local communities to apply for grant funding, the process and application procedure is highly competitive. The VA is willing to work with those applicants to achieve a higher standing in the select process in grant approval.

The National Coalition for Homeless Vets(NCHV) is the resource and technical assistance center for a national network of community-based service providers and local, state and federal agencies that provide emergency and supportive housing, food, health services, job training, etc. The services provided by this organization should be utilized by local community agencies.

Mike Finn provided information on the City Shelter and the set aside of 5 beds for homeless vets. The VA will assist the shelter in the grant process application to obtain operating expenses in exchange for these 5 set aside beds.

Mr. Valeri indicated that the Non-Profit Development Corporation of Danbury would be willing to partner with any other community based entity and the VA to provide any additional type services needed locally. Mr. Valeri would like to provide supportive housing similar to Homes for the Brave project here in Danbury. The following phone numbers for our speakers are available for further information or discussion:

Preston Maynard: (203) 479-8041

John Sullivan: (203) 843-1428

Mr. Schierloh reported that the work that the VA is doing applies to the 1st and 2nd year work accomplishments as noted in the Mayor’s 10 Year Plan.

Committee reports were provided to Partnership members:

  1. The Partnership co-chairs reported that they met on October 16th with Mr. Stephen Dubroski from the Office of Work Force Competitiveness for the State of Connecticut. Also in attendance at this meeting, was the administrative staff from the Mayor’s Office, Department of Labor, Department Bureau of Rehabilitative Services, Department of Mental Heath and Addictive Services. At this meeting, discussion entailed the collaboration of our Partnership, the Mayor’s 10 year Plan that is now on line, and our efforts to communicate with supportive services and the people we have in the network through Dream Homes and the other resources we have in the community. Discussion was brought to the table, exchanging of business cards and an agreement that we all have a meeting in the first quarter of 2008.

The Non-Profit Development Corporation of Danbury has received a letter from the City of Danbury regarding the request to further discuss the feasibility study. In conversation with the Non-Profit president, Paul Valeri, it was recommended that the mission of the study be articulated in a blue print and that we discuss this further with other participants.

  1. Housing and Community Development Committee report was given by Chairperson P. Scalzo. The committee will have guest speakers to discuss housing needs and strategies within the community. Discussion also entailed senior housing and the feasibility study dealing with the police department structure. The committee would like to request from the Housing Partnership that the study be expanded to a needs assessment as to what the City may actually need. Denis spoke about a study that HVECO conducted regarding housing in the immediate area. We will receive more info on this report. Co-Chair Sistrunk offered a suggestion that this committee should contact HVECO to request to be part of the review or to see the draft form of the report. Chairperson Nolan indicated that the report may be 6 months to finish, but to check the website for further information.

The needs assessment for the community may be what the Partnership should be investigating, or do we want to have the feasibility study to be site specific to 120 Main Street? We need to discuss this, especially if the VA has expressed interest in working directly with the City of Danbury regarding developing support housing, increasing veteran’s benefits, etc. Mr. Nolan indicated that within the next month, the Partnership should try to formulate some community partners to be part of a small taskforce that would develop a draft of what we want the feasibility study to be. Ms. Sistrunk agreed with Mr. Nolan on this proposal. A formal motion was made by Ms. Sistrunk to have a taskforce for the feasibility specification, expanding it from site specific, seconded by Mr. McLachlan. Discussion followed with ideas on both rental and homeownership, senior housing site specific utilizing 120 Main Street, need for VA housing, who should be part of the taskforce, etc. The taskforce needs to address all types of housing needs and assessment.

Motion also to include representatives from the four(4) committee’s and others that the co-chair feels appropriate to develop questions for the feasibility study. Passed unanimously.

  1. Social and Supportive Services Committee will meet next week.
  2. Financial Resources and Fundraising Committee will meet next week.
  3. Public Relations, Marketing and Education Committee report was given by Paul Schierloh. A meeting was held on October 26. The committee has had communication with Wade Anderson, who assisted the committee in reviewing several websites regarding homelessness and Housing Partnerships around the world. The website in Denver was of particular interest. The Partnership members can look at the website called Denversroadhome.org for further information. The rest of the meeting detailed on publicity and marketing for Project Homeless Connect and opening ceremony.

C. Sistrunk provided information on the Housing Authority’s Commitment in the 10 year plan and requested that she be placed on December’s agenda for a more detailed report.

There are two major commitments in the 10 year plan. Both are in the area of restoring units to their affordable inventory and making them available either through rental or homeownership to public housing or public housing eligible persons.

Applications have been submitted to HUD and the State of Connecticut stating the Housing Authority’s intention to sell a total of 36 scattered house sites, with an offer to sell to the existing residents(only 8 are occupied, some off line, some never been on line).

Ms. Sistrunk provided some background information and the need to return the Housing Authority to its former financial feasibility. The HA is presently in its 3rd year of a 5 year plan of action. The Housing Authority is looking for non-profit buyers and/or developers of affordable housing to take units in single or multiple lots, to rehab them and present them for homeownership or rental opportunities to public housing and public housing eligible persons. The usual land restrictions will apply which includes:

  1. Long term affordability, they must stay affordable for 20 years with a 10 year phase down.
  2. The unit is not used for the purpose intended; it will revert back to the Housing Authority.

The next item on the agenda was further discussion on December 5th’s Project Homeless Connect. Approximately 60 providers and 20 volunteers will be participating on that day. There is still work to be completed on the agenda for opening day, parking and press releases.

There was no further business to address. A motion to adjourn was made by C. Sistrunk, seconded by C. Barrows, passed unanimously. The next scheduled meeting will be held on December 6, 2007.