Resident Advisory Board

Agenda & Minutes

July 24, 2024

Meeting Date & Time

Date: July 24, 2024

Time: 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM

Place of Meeting: Zoom

Board Members:

Michael Harris

Royce McLemore

June Farmer

Kevin Gladstone

Tanya Rouin

Mark Galperin

Lynnette Frary

Thos Chapman

Regina Talton

Agenda

• Call to Order – Attendance - Opening
• Approve Minutes: June 26, 2024
• Matters for Discussion 
• County of Marin/MHA budget
• Funds for energy efficiency upgrades - AT
• Annual Plan revised update – KW
• Unfinished Business
•  letterhead
• RC Updates
• Meeting close
•  Items for next meeting agenda

Adjourn

Next meeting: August 28, 2024

Meeting Minutes

Regular Meeting: July 24, 2024

Location: Zoom

In Attendance:

Members: Michael Harris (Chair), Royce McLemore, Mark Galperin, Thos Chapman, Regina Talton, Tanya Rouin

Guests: MHA Staff – Kathleen Wyatt (Director, Housing Operations), Susanne Joyce (Program Manager, HCV Program), Yashica Simpson-Franklin (PH Program Manager, GGV), Antoinette Terrell (Director, Asset Management) and Samantha Guzowski (Director, Supportive Housing and Services)

Absent: Sharon Hayes (sick), Kevin Gladstone, June Farmer Left early: Lynnette Frary (zoom issues)

Mr. Harris brought the meeting to order at 3:38 p.m.

Attendance was taken, and introductions made.

1. Minutes: Motion by Thos Chapman to approve. Seconded by Royce McLemore. All approved June 26, 2024 minutes.

2. Discussion on the following items took place.

County Budget and MHA funding: Mark Galperin reported on an initiative coming up that, if passed, would have funds for nine Bay Area counties to submit funding requests to BAHFA (Bay Area Housing Finance Administration) for low-income housing projects. He suggested that MHA Administration cooperate with the County on planning a project to get a portion of the allocated funds. Mr. Harris spoke to a couple of supervisors and they are not willing to take a position on the matter until the initiative passes. The project could be development of lowincome housing or, as Regina Talton suggested, support for first-time homebuyers. Royce McLemore suggested a pilot program to address disparity of homeownership for African Americans in Marin County.

Regina Talton made a motion that the RAB (1) ask MHA to request funds, if the initiative passes and (2) base the request on realistic plans for housing for low- and moderate-income people, with input from MHA Administration (Kimberly Carroll). Tanya Rouin seconded the motion. All approved. The RAB agreed that discussion will take place at the September meeting. 

Energy Efficiency: Royce McLemore had requested information on the status of the energy efficiency plans for the public housing properties. AT will talk about that at the next meeting as part of the Capital Fund Budget discussion.

Annual Plan update: Ms. Wyatt provided the updated version of the Annual Plan Update to the RAB members. She requested official comments from the RAB, as written by Royce McLemore, by August 15.

3. Unfinished Business

Letterhead: Thos Chapman will provide letterhead samples by next week.

4. Resident Council Update:

Ms. McLemore reported that there will be a meeting with Burbank on July 27 to ask residents what repairs are needed in GGV. Another meeting will take place on August 17 to discuss landscaping. They reviewed playground plans this week and will select the preferred plans next month. Kimberly Carroll mentioned to them that she is thinking of putting sayings on the perimeter of the pickle ball courts. Ms. McLemore wants a thorough accounting of revenue from pickle ball because she does not believe the RC is getting enough. Ms. Guzowski will get that. Then Ms. Guzowski requested that the RC make a decision on an outstanding item regarding garbage cans.

5. Special Orders: There were no further reports or special orders.

6. New Business: In relation to the discussion on difficulties of finding affordable housing in Marin County, Ms. McLemore asked about the outreach and demographics of the BMR program. She stated that African Americans are a protected class in Marin County due to past and current practices in the housing market that cause there to be fewer African American homeowners. She suggested the next 5-year plan include a provision for extra outreach for the BMR program, and possibly a preference for the voucher program – to allow for access to Homeownership program. Samantha Guzowski reported that there is already a preference for FSS graduates to get on the voucher waiting list.

Regina Talton asked Kathleen Wyatt for training on how to be the Secretary and take minutes. Ms. Wyatt will meet with her.

7. Next Meeting: August 28, 2024

Ms. McLemore wants demographics of BMR owners at the August meeting

Ms. Talton wants to know how many people are certified for the Homeownership voucher, but haven’t used it RAB will vote on letterhead samples.

Discussion on the Capital Fund Budget will take place.

8. Adjournment: The Chair concluded the Meeting at 4:42 p.m.

Certification: Kathleen Wyatt

Date: July 25, 2024