Agenda Item #3.1
For Council Meeting of: August 8, 2023
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: DINA MANIS, CITY CLERK
CITY CLERK’S OFFICE
SUBJECT: INTERVIEWS FOR HOUSING AUTHORITY VACANCIES
AGENDA ACTION: APPOINTMENTS
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended by the City Clerk that the Council interview applicants for the Housing Authority to appoint one Tenant Commissioner At-Large representative and one Tenant Commission Senior representative, each to serve a two-year term expiring two years from the date of appointment.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Council will conduct interviews and consider appointments to fill vacancies on the Housing Authority.
BACKGROUND
The Housing Authority has one Tenant Commissioner At-Large vacancy and one Tenant Commissioner Senior vacancy due to terms that expired on June 30, 2023. These positions are each to serve two-year terms expiring two years from the date of their appointments.
Position
Incumbent
Tenant Commissioner At-Large
Vacant
Tenant Commissioner Senior
Vacant
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW
Not applicable.
ANALYSIS
The Housing Authority Tenant Commissioner positions are appointed by the full Council per Council Policy 000-06. All persons interested in serving on City boards, commissions, and committees must submit an application to the City Clerk’s Office.
Per California Health and Safety Code Section 34270, the Housing and Community Services Department prepared a letter for the Mayor’s signature inviting Section 8 participants to apply for the vacant Housing Authority Tenant Commissioner positions. The letter explains the vacancy and what is required, and invites interested participants to apply online or request a reasonable accommodation for an alternative application format. Applications are reviewed for eligibility by the Housing and Community Services Director and Rental Assistance Manager for compliance in the program.
Additionally, Resolution 1724, Housing Authority Bylaws, outlines the formation of the body and specifies that of the Tenant Commissioners, “one such tenant commissioner shall be over the age of 62 if the authority has tenants of such age.” The following persons have submitted applications for consideration:
Applicants For Tenant Commissioner Senior or At-Large
Doug Shivananda Friedman
Lynne Nourse
Timothy OBrien
Joe Rodriguez
Applicants For Tenant Commissioner At-Large
Betty Banda
Lewis Brown
Shannon Cavanagh
Angela Conte
Raychel Norton
Scott Wimmer
The Council’s Appointment Policy sets out the following voting procedures for appointments made by the full Council:
“Voting:
Members of boards, commissions and committees shall be selected from all applicants by a process of elimination or by motion.
If selection is by process of elimination, each Council member shall vote for a number of applicants equal to the number of vacant positions, plus two. In the event there are an insufficient number of applicants to vote for a number of applicants equal to the number of vacant positions plus two, the Council may vote for a fewer number as recommended by the City Attorney.
Those applicants receiving one vote or less shall be eliminated. d. Subsequent votes shall be taken with each Council member voting for one less applicant than voted for in the previous round. Only applicants not eliminated may be voted upon.”
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of this action does not have a fiscal impact on the General Fund.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a project which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, pursuant to CEQA Guideline section 15378.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable.
NOTIFICATION
Per California Health and Safety Code Section 34270, the Housing and Community Services Department prepared a letter for the Mayor’s signature inviting Section 8 participants to apply for the vacant Housing Authority Tenant Commissioner positions. The letter explains the vacancy and what is required, and invites interested participants to apply online or request a reasonable accommodation for an alternative application format.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 - Notice of Availability of Applications
Attachment 2 - Council Policy 000-06, Appointment to Boards/Commissions/Committees Attachment 3 – Housing Authority Resolution 1724
PRESENTER
Dina Manis, City Clerk
INTERVIEWS AND APPOINTMENTS TO THE HOUSING AUTHORITY
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