Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Detroit - MI Documenters Team

Note-taking by Patricia Quaglia

DHC board approved a contract extension and funding increase for ongoing environmental services at their properties, approved a contract with MHT Housing for property management at Gardenview Estates, and reestablished the Parkside Development Company board

Live reporting by Nathaniel Eichenhorn

DHC board approved a contract extension and funding increase for ongoing environmental services at their properties, approved a contract with MHT Housing for property management at Gardenview Estates, and reestablished the Parkside Development Company board.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit
Hello #Detroit ! I will be live tweeting the DHC Board of Directors meeting today at 10am for #DetroitDocumenters @DetDocumenters media partners: @BridgeDet313 @chalkbeatDET @freep @media_outlier @metrotimes @MichiganRadio @PlanetDetroit @wdet @wxyzdetroit

08:05 AM Sep 26, 2024 CDT

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 2/36
Aaaand they're off! The meeting was called to order at 9:59 and roll was taken Unfortunately, I couldn't catch the roll because they're wired so poorly for sound. The agenda and minutes were approved one small, non-critical correction.
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 3/36
There's going to be 2 periods of public comment; they're moving on to the first one now.
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 4/36
Turns out, no public commenters right now. First off they are considering a change order for a contract. The house in question was found to have termite damage and blight tickets. They want $44,000 and change for it.
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 5/36
It passed without discussion. Moving on to Resolution 3261.
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 6/36
Here’s the action items for this meeting.
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 7/36
3261 is basically just an extension of a contract with Michigan Consulting & Environmental michenv.com
michenv.com
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 8/36
Board says they're a good firm that works well with the City and is very strong in the science side of environmental remediation.
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 9/36
Sorry guys, having trouble hearing the person who's speaking. I know I've said this before, but wiring a conference room for sound isn't a new concept since the lockdown. There are people who can do it.
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 10/36
Ok now there is a presentation going on about resolution 3262. Unfortunately, the presentation is faced AWAY from the camera. So I'll catch what I can.
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 11/36
Company is buying a 130 section 8 homes.
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 12/36
The presenter's got jokes and patter, they're really selling.
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 13/36
This is fun: the agenda for this meeting is actually cross-referenced to the board packet (not provided).
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 14/36
Presenter pointed at a board member, saying "I've worked with this thunder cat (or Thundercat?) and keeps emphasizing he wants to move fast "like NASCAR".
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 15/36
Theyre going to buy the houses and sell them at cost in partnership with DHC (it's their land at the moment) and they say they have agreements in place to get people into the homes with assistance from DHC
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 16/36
The project will be funded by section 18 funds. That refers to Section 18 of the Housing Act of 1937. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Housing_A…
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Housing_A…
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 17/36
Section 18 of that act (also known as the Wagner–Steagall Act: hud.gov/sites/document…
hud.gov/sites/document…
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 18/36
The motion passed without discussion and the board is moving on to Resolution 3262, which officially appoints the members of the Parkside Development Corporation Board
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 19/36
Some background on the Parkside development outliermedia.org/villages-parks…
outliermedia.org/villages-parks…
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 20/36
I noticed on the agenda they only set aside 5 minutes for each public comment period, which speaks to their expectations vis-a-vis public awareness/participation.
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 21/36
The motion was approved unanimously
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 22/36
Next up is a three-year contract with MHT housing. mhthousing.net
mhthousing.net
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 23/36
The agenda says "for the properties stated below" and there's nothing.
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 24/36
They're going to use non-union labor for the contract, but a board member said that it's just to "supplement" existing labor. Which 🙄
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 25/36
One board member is expressing real annoyance with the DHC staff, saying that they are not serving residents and that performance in terms of recertification, resident communication, etc is terrible.
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 26/36
The board is moving on to discussing Choice Neighborhood Initiative detroitmi.gov/departments/ho…
detroitmi.gov/departments/ho…
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 27/36
It's difficult to hear the update because the speaker is pretty muffled.
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 28/36
The next update is about the transfer of properties between the Detroit Land Bank Authority and the DHC. The Land Bank wants to get reasonable prices for the properties they are transferring for DHC use
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 29/36
Now moving on to monthly departmental reports, the Executive Office reports that they are working on utilizing social media to publicize Commission matters.
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 30/36
We are five short months out from the resignation of Sandra Henriquez: outliermedia.org/sandra-henriqu…
outliermedia.org/sandra-henriqu…
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 31/36
The board is going to move on to general public comments
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 32/36
Friends of Parkside has called in and reports that they have been short of funds and had to cut some of their programs, but are still providing resident meetings, sending residents info by text, taking senior residents shopping, and other things.
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 33/36
The meeting was adjourned at 1:23am
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 34/36
Well folks, this closes my coverage of the DHC Board of Directors meeting for September 26. Learn more about our coverage of local meetings at documenters.org
documenters.org
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 35/36
‼️IMPORTANT: If you believe anything in the coverage today is inaccurate, please email us at documenters@outliermedia.org with "Correction Request" in the subject line
Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 36/36
Sorry, that was supposed to be 11:23am when the meeting adjourned

Agency Information

Detroit Housing Commission

www.dhcmi.org

(313) 877-8000

See Documenters reporting

In 1933, the City of Detroit established the Detroit Housing Commission (“DHC”) under the Michigan Housing Facilities Act. Throughout the DHC’s 75 year history, our mission has been to provide safe, decent, and affordable housing for the low and moderate-income people that we serve. DHC is the largest owner of rental housing in the City of Detroit (“City”), providing approximately 4,000 housing units for seniors and families.

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