Housing and Human Welfare Committee - Regular Meeting

Awesome. We will call to order the housing human welfare committee meeting. It is 06:31. The roll call, I'll start with myself, Alderman Gay. Alderman Huntley.

Present.

And Alderman Schandelmeier is working his day job, and there's a conflict due to the budget. So

Apparently, it's his night job too.

Yeah. Now it's his night job. And so, he is, not here, but, he will submit any questions to staff that he has to. That, commissioner roll call, is there a motion for the approval agenda?

So moved.

Second. All those in favor? Aye. Aye. First item on the agenda is 08/25 Chesapeake Children's Museum lease renewal through 06/30/2030. Mister Flemings, I'll allow you to start, with any background or I'm sorry. I said Flemings. Mister Fliner, I'll allow you to start with any background as it relates to the project, and then, if there are any questions, we can, proceed with that.

Excellent. Well, thank you all for having me. Good evening. I'm Matt Flinner, director of central services. Basically, this is a standard lease.

Ashley Leonard, our contract attorney, would say no major changes in this current lease, based on what we'd had agreed with the Children's Museum in the past. One of the big new items is there is a termination clause for convenience if we need to. And then another item as we had in the past, the Children's Museum will not pay any rent to the city, and in return, they will be responsible for making all facility maintenance repairs, to keep it up to code and operational. Other than that, that's about it. Yeah. Happy to answer any questions that you have about specifics.

Yeah. I'm, curious about you were talking about those updates to I've it already went on my head how you put it, but you're basically saying updates to infrastructure. I know that was kind of the sticking point as I remember on this lease that there was some work that needed to get done by the children's museum. It was kind of a dispute who's gonna do it, how much money are we gonna put into it, are we going to put money? Can you just walk us through what that controversy is too big of a word, but for lack of a better word, was and how it got resolved?

Sure. I to make a long story short, in the previous agreement and the new one that, is before the council today, The Children's Museum is always responsible for making those repairs. However, based on what I've heard in the past, they weren't bringing in, super high revenues that allowed them to move their operating budget to some of that preventative maintenance stuff, like, honestly, all organizations struggle with. So I think over time, some items had fallen into disrepair. They had been called into question.

And as a result, the city, our facility management team, actually went and resolved all of those repairs, made them ourselves. We're actually adding new security lighting out there right now and doing a number of other smaller projects that they lack the resources or the expertise to complete on their own. So, how I've been kind of phrasing it is moving forward, yes, the Children's Museum is responsible for making those repairs, but the city is always here, you know, if they need a hand, if they need our expertise, if they need some funding help, because we wanna keep that facility operational and open for everybody who enjoys it.

Gotcha. And then, along those lines, I remember we have a capital improvement project for the Children's Museum. Well, actually, let me back up and just say big kudos on the lighting. I know that's something I've heard from quite a few folks about, so appreciate you guys working on that in particular. But I was gonna ask the, capital improvement project that's related to the children's museum. That, I think, it would be more or less separate from what you're describing. Right? That is not about maintenance. That's about we're trying to provide them with some new infrastructure until the city is putting that money in. Is that correct?

Absolutely. I mean, just like, all of our lessor lessee relationships. As the lessor in this case, we're responsible for capital facility improvements. The lessee is responsible for making wear and tear repairs to those facilities. So, we are, working on one, maybe even more, CIP projects in the future, and that's our responsibility as the landowner. And the Children's Museum is just a tenant on our land.

Got it. Cool. Okay. That makes sense to me. Thank you guys for working through that. I know that's honestly, it was, like, one of the first issues I heard about when I came on the council. So, and I know there was a little while of back and forth there. So this is just speaks to why it's so important to have this department of central services and have dedicated folks on that sort of beat of managing our leases. Really happy to have that.

Thank you. For your awareness, both of you, Alderman Schenelmeier flagged for me in a previous committee meeting that the trail behind the children's museum has some dark areas. And so, the public works department, the recreation and parks department, and I are starting to talk about that and how maybe we make improvements to that space as well. So just tying together all of the improvements at that property, that's something else we're looking at.

Alderman Schandelmeier and I have a slight disagreement on that in that I kind of love how dark it is back there, and it's like you can actually be in the woods at night and watch bats. But, yeah, we probably should fix that up for safety reasons. I Alderman Schettlemeyer and I are probably a little less concerned about safety than the average person walking back there. So Well Good to get it.

That's noted. We might be able to compromise on a lighting solution then that that works for all.

Who knows? Think making sure people are safe is a priority. That's all my questions, Alderman Gay.

No. Thank you very much, Alderman Huntley. You've actually, answered some of the questions that I've had. I just wanted to follow-up on the, CIP, request. Are there has one currently, been passed in the previous budget cycle?

You mentioned that there are maybe one or two in the pipe. Just curious if there's anything ongoing. In addition for what I'll call for lack of better words right now, petty maintenance inside, Has the city already dispersed funding for that for the facility to be approved, or is that something that we're, at this point, looking at as a supplemental appropriation? And I think that's the reason I brought it to this committee. I was just concerned about just a timeline as it relates to getting those things signed.

So far, none of the repairs we've had to make to that facility rise to the level that we need to request more funding. You know, we have several vendors on contract that that we can call in an emergency to come in and repair an item that, you know, that needs urgent attention. So nothing major, nothing that the facility's operating budget hasn't absorbed like we would in any facility where where the lessor. So, yeah, that's all pretty standard. If it does, reach that critical level, it's always possible we could come back.

And one thing that will help answer those questions for us is we're getting ready to undertake, a facility condition assessment that, a vendor is gonna come in and look at every structure that we, the city, own, and they're gonna help us identify what are those items lurking behind the walls that we're not very confident of or or we don't know where the priority is, where we invest now versus where we invest later on our preventative maintenance timeline. So, the Children's Museum, like all of our other own structures, are gonna fall within that assessment. And then I hope to present to the council an itemized, based on when we think critical infrastructure will fail. Here is the budget and the the facilities facility needs we'll have over time to, repair those items.

And if I do you mind if I just add on to that, Alderman Gay?

Please do.

Yeah. So I think not to dispute anything, mister Flanagan just said, but I think the the capital improvement project that was funded in the f y I believe it's f y twenty five capital budget is, it was $52,500 to start design on some improvements to the parking lot. Right? So that this is the kind of capital improvement that, mister Foner was saying is different from our maintenance work. So this is really about making it so that they have, I don't think it's quite parking.

As I understand, it's more about having an ability for buses to turn around, buses to come there. It's not just sort of, like, general adding more parking there. And that was 52,500 funded previously. At one point, it was discussed that, additional funds would come in f y twenty six and f y twenty seven. But in the capital improvement program that we passed, those additional funds got pushed out to f y twenty eight and '29. And that was a we could talk some more about why that happened. But

Just quickly, Oliver Huntley, I'm curious if it says on the other sheet that you're looking at whether it is hardtop or are they using the same surface that they are, which is like a like almost wood chips?

I don't remember off the top of head. I have to go talk to public works about it.

Okay. No problem. I appreciate that. Then quickly on this, and and then if there are no other questions, we'll close out. We also own the bridge connecting to, the middle school. Correct?

That I actually do not know, but I can find out for you.

Okay. Fantastic. And two points as you've mentioned to the you mentioned, I think it was the convenience cost. If there is needed development at said site, and I know that, obviously, this, city council passed a resolution expressing interest that, you know, the the site, there be included for affordable housing projects, and that's been discussed with the Choice Neighborhood Initiative. And so, even down to the lighting at that park, I I could imagine that there could be funding there, obviously, for, improvements to both the facility and, the the park at in the long term. So just wanna make that point to close.

Thank you. I really appreciate that. I'm in talks right now with Public Works in Recken Park. We have an interesting intersection there of of Recken Park trails and facilities that we manage in Public Works horizontal infrastructure, but we'll circle back with y'all and and find a way where we can each take our piece of all of these different projects at that site and and build it out in the way that the council of the city want.

Fantastic. Awesome. Alderman Huntley, do you wanna make a favorable recommendation about OA 25? Fantastic. I'll second that. All those in favor, aye. Aye. Opposed, none. Awesome. Thank you very much, Mr. Flunar. Appreciate your time.

Thank you.

The next item on the agenda is r 3025, the five year consolidated housing community development strategic plan. I will turn it over to planning and zoning. And I see we have a guest as well. Yes. Okay. Fantastic. Awesome. Thank you.

Great. Thank you, Alderman Gay. My name is Alexis Robinson, from the Department of Planning and Zoning. With me today is John Hagland of Urban Design Ventures who is the consultant working with us in putting together this five year consolidated plan for, so I'm I'm not gonna, like, actually pull up my slides, but I'll be prepared to, you know, pull them up if needed. So this, five year consolidated plan for the federal fiscal year of twenty twenty five to 2029, which aligns with our local fiscal year of twenty twenty six to 2030.

And it'll it's technically two plans. It's the consolidated plan as well as the annual action plan. So this is the fiscal year 2026 annual action plan. These plans are required by us as an entitlement community, from the the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, for the community development block grant program. This block grant program provides annual funds for providing capital improvements, to low and moderate income communities within the city of Annapolis.

We are required to do this consolidated plan every five years, and we've been doing it since 2009. And, every year, we also produce a annual action plan as well as a the evaluation report, which is called the CAPER. I'm losing what the CAPER actually stands for. So

I think they're those nice little things. They're nice and briny. They're really delicious. Sometimes people put them in martinis.

I'm a fan. I'm a fan. So this, so the consolidated plan consists of six strategies to help address priority needs throughout the city. Those priority needs are housing strategies, homelessness strategies, other special needs, community development strategies, economic development, and, administrative planning and management strategies. These strategies come with objectives and outcomes based on projects that we anticipate to happen in the next five years within the city, that could be funded by the funds that we received from HUD.

Oh, yeah. So it's called the consolidated annual performance evaluation report. That is what the CAPER stands for. As of our last CAPER, we, that was submitted and approved by HUD. We have expended a 100% of our CDBG funds for low and moderate income persons within the city.

Those funds, you know, it helps for us to spend those funds so that we can continue to receive them, and we're doing a pretty good job of it. For this process, we have there is a bit of citizen participation that takes place as well. We held a needs public hearing on April 24 this year with the housing, the affordable housing and community equity development commission, for to to gather input from the community as well as, help a comment period for people to, provide their input. We also, reached out to stakeholders within the city of Annapolis as well as Anne Arundel County to understand what needs priorities should be for this five year consolidated plan. There was also, three online surveys that the public were allowed to fill out, and the public is residents as well as people who, interact with the city of Annapolis.

And so now we have a draft consolidated plan that is published, on our city website under the planning and zoning website, and this will be on public display for thirty days. The thirty days started in June 12 and will end on July 14. The public is allowed to submit comment and questions about the plan to me by email or phone to mail them to the actual office, for planning and zoning. And then we also have a comment form on the website that they can fill out with their questions and comments. If they would like to view a copy of the plan, they can do that in our offices at the HACA office, or online.

So there's there's always a copy online. We held a second public hearing for the, consolidated plan, was to go over this draft plan with the housing commission, last week, June 26. Their people were invited to give testimony as well. And these announcements were put into the capital gazette, with the fifteen day notice of the public hearings. And so our next steps include being here with you all to answer any questions or gather any comments about the plan.

Again, the plan will be on display and open for public comment until July 14, which is also so when I believe it goes back to the city council for a vote for on the resolution. And, yeah, that's pretty much my summary of everything. John, is there anything that you think I glossed over you might wanna add?

No. I think you did excellent job. I think, really, all to include with this is the city receives about 270 to $300,000 per year in CDBG funds. So this plan is specific for the next five years is to basically lay out what our goals are, what our priorities are of where the CDBG funds will be spent. To relate it back to the the caper, That's kinda how it will be measured.

People will state what the goals are in the consolidated plan, and then each caper will proceed to, measure the performance of of what the funds were used for. So, basically, just the plan is specific to the CDBG funds, which are specific to the low and moderate income population of the the city of, Annapolis. You know, kinda roughly speaking, you're you're taking a look at, a family of four with an income below, you know, about a 100,000, with that, and then obviously adjusted depending on family household size. But now that was really all to add. So any questions that, anyone has, we'd be happy to answer.

Yeah. Thank you, John. I think one more thing I'll add to that is that, we have the it's about $2.78 for the fiscal year for 2026. The following years are kind of up in the hands of the the the federal budget. But in this, fiscal year 2026, we have four applicants that have applied for funding, and those are HACA, of course, the housing authority of Annapolis, city of Annapolis, Homes for America, Boys and Girls Club, and Arundel Lodge.

And so now now I will take questions.

Elder Matteline, do you have any questions?

No. Nothing off the top of my head. I thought this was going to be, like, a very, very big plan when I first read the payment, and it's it's pretty narrowly tailored to making sure we use these CDBG funds correctly. So, no, it seems pretty darn straightforward. I appreciate the work you guys have put into it, but no questions for me. Awesome.

Thank you very much. I just have a few questions slash can or, you know, yeah, statements. I would add on you have, partners. I think it's on page 10. I would add the Office of Community Services. That's their missing partner that deals heavily with the populations involved. Let me see. Where is that? Yeah. Page 10.

I would just add them. On that list is provide a concise summary of jurisdictions, coordination between public assistance, providers, and private government health, mental health, and, service agencies. And so, it's we have us listed as overseeing the CBDG grant, HACA social services, and other things, but I don't know if if if they should be included in that. I missing that or reading that incorrectly?

No. That can be added. Not a problem. Okay. Thank you. Yeah. Appreciate the suggestion. No problem.

And then, also, I just really appreciate the detail on in the housing needs list. Looking at some of the feedback, how is this how is this the survey conducted? Is this live feedback, or is this just based off of maybe information shared with the city over the over the last few years?

We we did, three SurveyMonkeys that we put together. Two of them were resident surveys. One was in Spanish, you know, just a copy, translated to Spanish. And then the other one was a stakeholder survey. The resident survey actually mirrors what, the Department of Planning and Zoning has been doing consistently, you know, going back some time period.

So it was, just used as to what previous language was, with that, that had been promoted to the website, through meetings, you know, and any other opportunities for engagement, you know, while we were, conducting our our CDBG contact list, you know, letting them know that those surveys were out there. I'm just kind of asking a number of different pieces of, you know, what were public facility needs, what recreation needs, you know, what is the status of housing, what does everyone feel the the greatest priorities are, things along those lines. But it it, you know, followed previous surveys and and utilize SurveyMonkey that, you know, the company I work with, Urban Design Ventures, had put together to for that information.

Thank you for that feedback. And, also, mister Hagland, as we you started to speak, I remember you more and more vividly working, very, very closely with miss Wellman. Yes. Yeah. Fantastic. And you're based out of Pittsburgh. Correct?

That that is correct. That is an excellent memory, and and it's, it's funny you say that. And and Alderman Huntley, when you were talking about because I I remember when I met you, Alderman Gay, that you were the youngest Alderman

in house. And that hair yeah. Yeah. That's fantastic. And and and full circle there. Mhmm. I I'd also just wanna point out on page 20

Okay.

With the under the housing problems table, that stat is just crazy to me. There's a list that says has housing problems, household with one or more severe housing problems, lacks kitchen or complete plumbing, severe overcrowding, severe cost burden, 2,025 residents. Is that correct? Or is or or or or is that households?

So those those are, actually, let me just pull that up just to make sure. I'm pretty sure those are households, but give me one second. Yeah. That's said page 20, that was?

Yeah. Page 20.

Alright. Give me one more second. Yeah. Those are households. Households.

So this data is from the US census department, and, this is, their AC twenty twenty three five year, American Community Survey, data is what comes with that. There's, like, kind of an overlay that HUD puts a little bit of information in, with the census data. But this information comes from the census and the surveys that are sent out, and and those responses that come back. So these are estimates, but, you know, I I would say with with anything of that scale, you know, couple of percentage points is is as good as that's going to get, and that's what they're stating when when they're using their estimates with that.

And then just my last point, we would this qualify our program? We have an emergency housing fund where if families are if they need, to be moved out of a house for, you know, issues with, you know, remediation, domestic violence, etcetera

Okay.

You know, they have to be approved by the city manager and the director of office community services, but they can be, moved to a shelter. And right now, because we just don't have the funds, you can only qualify for that if a shelter has, an open bed in, like, the coming week, but, you know, the shelters are backed up. Would this fund qualify to subsidize a program like that? You know, not the entire $279,000, but something on a smaller scale.

So with with your CDBG funds, that would be an eligible activity. The city is mainly covered by the county when it comes to, homeless, and that basically is the the c o c, who's the governing body, which is a collection of of other organizations that are providers. So I I think kinda given the limited amount of funding, that responsibility has moved on to the county, and that's mainly where that resides. But from a regulatory standpoint, yes, if you wanted to use CDBG funds specific for that activity that could be used with that for that.

Awesome. Thank you very much. And this starts tomorrow, new fiscal year, so writing time, but it will be passed at a later date. Any other questions, Alderman Huntley?

Any questions for me. Thanks so much for explaining this to us, guys.

Any other, comments or concerns from, the staff and, Mr. Aglin?

No. No other items.

Okay. Fantastic. Very, very much appreciate the work that you all have put into this. And, again, this is publicly available for anyone that is listening down or listening later on the city of Annapolis' planning and zoning website. You could pick it up in person at planning and zoning or go to, the hacker headquarters. I think it's 1217 Madison. And so, with that, if there's a recommendation to move o I mean, I'm sorry, r 3025, forward to the full council.

So moved.

I'll second that. All those in favor, aye.

Aye.

None opposed. Thank you very much.

Thank you all.

Thank you.

Have a good night.

You too.

Alderman Huntley, do you have anything else to add to the agenda?

I don't believe so.

Fantastic. And, I've got everybody here with fourteen minutes to spare. Please be safe getting back home or wherever you are. And so, I guess, oh, what I really wanted to add, we will have several emergency meetings, as we get things back from planning commission because I looked we only have two scheduled housing and welfare meetings. I left, I believe, the July 21. We're off in August and then one in September. And so as we get legislation back, six pieces, I think, get

You know, I had at least two, and then I think Alderman Schadenweiger has one also.

So And I and I have one.

Gotcha. Yeah. Quite a few.

One. All of those to come to your committee, Alderman Gay?

No. No. I think some of them are directly associated to the Housekeeping and Welfare Committee, in particular, the one that, Alderman Huntley and I have introduced. And I'm not saying that we'll belabor anything. We wanna get it in and out, but, we'll just have to do that as those come.

Gotcha. Alright. Anything else? Is there a motion to adjourn?

So moved.

Second. All those in favor, aye.

Aye.

Alright. Everybody, have a good night.