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FAIR HOUSING
ADVISORY COMMISSION MINUTES
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JUNE 19, 2006
ATTENDANCE: Jeffrey Ingraham, Chairman; Cesar Ramirez; Nancy Burke;
Barbara Hudgins; Bernadette Tatum (7:57 p.m.)
STAFF: Margaret Suib, Fair Housing Officer
OTHER:
CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Ingraham called the meeting to order at 7:40 p.m. Ms. Suib presented Ms. Nancy Burke, the newest member of the Commission, and said she is an attorney by profession, is currently a mediator, and she represents Connecticut Legal Services. Ms. Burke said she has had her own practice through the Connecticut Legal Services for the past six years. Ms. Hudgins said that she is attending her second meeting, and is relatively new as well. She said that she is a representative of the NAACP and said she is a 30 year Norwalk resident. She is retired from the Norwalk Public Library.
APPROVAL OF JANUARY 30, 2006 MINUTES
The corrections to the minutes of January 30, 2006 are as follows:
The date is January 30, not January 31.
On page 1, under ATTENDANCE, and throughout the minutes, it should read Mr. Dupervil.
Throughout the minutes, it should read Mr. Ramirez, not Officer Ramirez.
On page 3, 1st sentence, it should read:
Ms. Suib said that as far as the proposed testing program is concerned, it would not be complaint driven, but rather would be a systemic testing program.
** MR. RAMIREZ MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF JANUARY 30, 2006 AS AMENDED.
** MS. BURKE SECONDED.
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
Ms. Tatum arrived at 7:47 p.m.
COMMISSION COMMENTS ON FAIR HOUSING OFFICER’S ANNUAL REPORT DATED OCTOBER 17, 2005
Chairman Ingraham said that the previous report had not been approved, and some commissioners felt the report should have only dealt with the FY 2003-04. Some months ago, he had submitted a memo which offered his input into the report. He hoped that it would be entered into the record and the report would be accepted.
Ms. Suib said she included his memo in the package. She said she had corrected the year from 2005 to 2006, on page 3. On page 6, a reference to 60% was corrected to 80%. Some discussion followed regarding the information in the report and the corrections that Ms. Suib made.
** MR. RAMIREZ MOVED TO ACCEPT THE FAIR HOUSING OFFICER’S ANNUAL REPORT DATED OCTOBER 17, 2005 AS PRESENTED.
** MS. HUDGINS SECONDED.
** MOTION PASSED WITH ONE (1) ABSTENTION (TATUM).
FAIR HOUSING OFFICER’S REPORT BACK TO FAIR HOUSING ADVISORY COMMISSION ON FAIR
HOUSING ADVISORY COMMISSION’S PROPOSED WORK PLAN FOR FY 2005-06
Ms. Suib reviewed her written report. She mentioned condominium developments that allow for a certain percentage of affordable housing.
She mentioned that she continues to do a good amount of outreach. She said that she had spoken last month for Ms. Hudgins’ Food, Fuel and Shelter Committee.
She said that brochures about the Commission have been printed in dual languages.
Ms. Suib then discussed Predatory Lending. She said she has been working on
this for a long time. Some time ago, there were 4,000 flyers printed and distributed.
It is huge growth industry in the country. She said it will continue to be monitored.
DISCUSSION OF COMMISSION’S FY 2005-06 WORK PLAN
Ms. Suib said that for the reason of staffing and money, two things couldn’t be done, and they are the lending study, and the testing program. The lending study had been done in 1998 and 2000, and they reviewed 8 banks and related information. They would now have to review 35,000 banks. Testing is part of the requirements of the Fair Housing Advisory Commission, and Ms. Suib explained this in the report, but pages were omitted. She will resend them to the Commissioners.
DISCUSSION OF “BORROW-WISE” PROGRAM
Chairman Ingraham said that he and Ms. Hudgins were in attendance. It was a great program, and it was presented in a clear and concise way. They did their part in partnering with other agencies and putting forth that particular program. It received significant coverage in the newspaper.
Ms. Suib added that “Outgrowth Borrow Wise” is an anti-predatory lending educational
campaign created by the State of Connecticut. They go around the State to have
different communities partner and present it. Three groups had signed up for
a similar but slightly different presentation. The three agencies in Norwalk
that signed up to have a follow-up program are the Senior Center, NEON, and
the Norwalk Housing Authority.
OLD BUSINESS
There was no old business.
NEW BUSINESS
Chairman Ingraham said that after reading the 2nd Amended Consent Decree several times, he suggested that the Commission review it in order to clarify what the Fair Housing Officer and the Commission should be doing. He asked that the Commissioners give it some review between now and the next meeting. Ms. Suib will resend, or mail, the document again to the Commission members.
ADJOURNMENT
** MS. TATUM MOVED TO ADJOURN.
** MR. RAMIREZ SECONDED.
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Carolyn Marr
Telesco Secretarial Services
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