Committee on Housing - October 7, 2013 - Meeting Minutes

Minutes from 10-7-13 Justice & Courage Domestic Violence & Housing Committee Meeting

DOSW, 25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 240, San Francisco, CA  94102

Present: Lindsay Sweetnam, La Casa; Carolina Alaniz, from Riley Center; Dion Roberts, MEI, Karlo Ng, NHLP, Maria Bee, Victim Witness, Minouche Kandel

Dion reviewed meeting with Barbara Smith.

VAWA 2013 requirements:

Definition of Domestic Violence

Some can't be implemented without federal implementation - like emergency transfer policy;

Emergency Transfer - could improve on standard - improve on language;

HUD Notice - given to all applicants - at 3 different junctures - HUD has to come up with the notice - HUD will come out with interim guidance before February;

Tenant Protection Vouchers - not all housing authorities have them.  Need to check if SFHA has them

Next meeting with SFHA - ask about protection vouchers;

Reminder letter to Barbara Smith at SFHA.

Lindsay - will look for MOU that La Casa drafted on D.V. advocate at SFHA.

Role of d.v. advocate - work with dv survivors in public housing;

Trying to get city funding for this position?  (Does city give $$ to SFHA?)

Goal of advocate:  - make SFHA take some ownership

Philadelphia Housing Authority - the d.v. liaison is very involved - they have a vote on transfer; Philadelphia has a panel who makes a decision;

• Staff position at SFHA, from CBO with grant, or internal, who would be a point person for residents in public housing - knows system and well connected in system; and this person would meet with CBO's;
• Similar model to advocates at CalWORKS - a client advocate;
• This is the dream;

What can we address:

Each agency has to have internal conversation about what they could do - in terms of capacity;

What about once a week staffing that rotated among different agencies - that provided information;

How to get SFHA see that this is in their best interest?

Property managers don't have good people skills - good to have this liaison to deal with tenants that managers are not good at handling; fewer complaints

Perhaps suggest training all the property managers - how we can help you to do your job better; why we make your job easier

Start to build a relationship before we can provide staffing

Bring up to Barbara Smith listing agencies on back of transfer

Maybe involve a property manager in training - Talk to Twima Early about this;

Solidify relationship by starting a training;

Goals for next year:  

Public education campaign?

-- needs funding, but we could probably find an intern who could do the work of the campaign

--Locating funding for dv liaison for SFHA

--finding subsidized housing opportunities outside of public housing

--increasing self-sufficiency for survivors

--what is the structure of committee?

Next meeting - discuss this.  11/18/13 - at DOSW; 25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 240, San Franicsoc, 9:30-11:00 am.