MINUTES

Neighborhood Revitalization Board

St. Etienne Conference Room – Armory Building

June 4, 2003

Present: Bob King, Betty Volm, Paul Sadler, Nadine Hogate, Joann Muldoon, Kimberly Hansen, Martha Walden, Dolph Pulliam, Jean Minahan, Carol Bower, Claudia Hawkins

Absent: Willa Mae Allen

Staff: Kathy Kahoun (CD), Mindy Miller (CD), Carol Gathright (HSD) Bridget Montgomery (CD), Bert Drost (CD), Kenneth Brown (PD)

Guests: Gary Dodge, Sheri Kyras, Trish Harlow, Jim McWeeny

The meeting convened at 5:03. Dodge said Lumley would be resigning from the Board and the NFC would appoint another member. Hogate moved to approve the agenda, seconded by Muldoon, carried by unanimous vote. Volm moved to approve the minutes of the May 7 meeting; seconded by Muldoon, carried by unanimous vote.

OFFICER'S REPORT/CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION. Kahoun distributed copies of the Manager's recommendations for the budget shortfall and the schedule for the Council hearings. Minahan said she had attended that morning's session and the recommendations for cutting the planners would be on the agenda for the next day. Muldoon and Dodge encouraged Board members to attend and speak to the Council, and to call their Council members individually. Muldoon requested staff to provide the Board with the Council's phone numbers and emails.

Hogate said she could see the cuts to the planners having a ripple effect on housing nonprofits, especially NFC, and on the Board's ability to designate new neighborhoods. Dodge said when NFC applied to take over the Neighborhood Housing Services program, the inspectors really liked the model and how the agency interacted with the City and the citizen board, and he believed they would have major concerns if that process changed or dissolved. Hogate said it seemed to her that those City employees who serve the residents directly got cut, but those who serve only other staff were safe. She felt this was especially true for the community centers. Bower, speaking as the head of Community Housing Development Corporation and the Neighborhood Development Corporation, said they did not know how they would replace the assistance and direction they got from the professional planning staff if those people were to be gone.

Kahoun said the Council had approved the Board's recommendations on reprogramming with one addition - they added an extra $20,000 for the Des Moines leadership model presented by Becky Morelock at the Board's last meeting.

RECOMMENDATION ON TROUBLED YOUTH NOFA. Gathright said only one agency had responded to the NOFA - Iowa Homeless Youth. Trish Harlow, Jim McWeeny, and Officer Kenneth Brown were present to answer the Board's questions. Harlow said plans include providing a coffeehouse, shower and laundry facilities, and personnel to assist youth in finding various services. The agency will continue its housing, outreach van and meal programs, and will work closely with Des Moines police operating the HANDS program.

Hogate moved to approve the proposal; seconded by Volm.

Allen	out	Minahan	y
Bower	y	Muldoon	y
Hansen	y	Pulliam	y
Hawkins	c	Sadler	y
Hogate	y	Volm	y
King	y	Walden	y
Result:	10/0	w/1 conflict -	carried

MTA SURVEY RESULTS. Sheri Kyras of the MTA presented results of a survey of users of the Opportunities Thru Transit program. She said 85% of the riders are going to work, training, and shopping. 82% of the trips begin and end within Des Moines. 82% of the rides are taken by Des Moines residents and 77% of the cost comes from Des Moines.

UPDATE ON KING IRVING. Montgomery and Drost gave the Board an update on the King Irving neighborhood plan. The planning committee and planners have been working on it for several months and Kahoun said despite staff cutbacks, staff is committed to completing the plan. They hope to have it ready for approval in the fall.

The neighborhood's major concerns are the large number of vacant buildings and vacant lots (approximately 260), contract sales, absentee landlords, and junk. The NIRP program has been working on the infrastructure and the neighborhood will be in that program for two years instead of one. There will be a project area, probably near the branch library. The neighborhood is an urban renewal area so the powers of eminent domain apply. That means problem properties can be acquired and demolished.

Montgomery said there are approximately 120 lots that are suitable for new housing construction, and an infill housing strategy will be developed. Kahoun said staff and the Manager's Office were aware that this neighborhood plan will take a lot of money to implement, and it will probably require several phases. Kahoun said staff is looking at a pilot infill project area. She said a great deal of investment in the neighborhood has already taken place with the new senior center, the library, renovation of King School and the new CCI building, but it will not have the impact it should have unless the housing stock is also dramatically improved. The area has predominantly very low income residents, and housing stock will not get repaired without substantial subsidies.

Hogate said that it was apparent that all the people involved in the Neighborhood Redevelopment Program - staff, board and nonprofits - were getting much better at the process. Kahoun agreed, and said it was going better now that the nonprofits get involved at a much earlier time. Volm asked for a total amount invested in the area. Dodge estimated it at $17 million. Volm said this told her two things - first, this kind of investment level doesn't happen with professional planning staff involved, and secondly, the neighborhood needed to increase its density so the tax base would repay that kind of investment. Bower agreed, saying it was a perfect example of how the planners were important to her nonprofit. They provided CHDC with considerable research on the locations of vacant lots and contact information. CHDC has got plans going for 17 infill homes already.

Hogate said the neighborhood had few places for social gathering, like coffee shops and restaurants. She asked the planners to see if they could change that. Kahoun said there was a proposal to place a convenience store on the old Mustard's site on Forest, but the neighborhood is opposing it. They would prefer senior housing on the site. Hogate said a study was needed to see what needed to change before social gathering places would be supported. Pulliam said there were so few because of probems with people hanging out in the parking lots and trouble breaking out.

Volm asked how many planners were laid off; Kahoun said they lost one planner, the graphic technician and a word processor. Another planner was reassigned. Volm said that amounted to one-third of the planning staff.

NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT. Kahoun distributed a brochure on contract sales and the Neighborhood Update. She said Michael Kinter would not be appointed to the Board because his Council member would prefer to appoint a resident.

Kahoun said in January the Board postponed elections to June, so elections would take place at the next meeting. She asked the Board member nominating committee to reconvene and work up another slate of prospective members. The Chair appointed Bower to that committee.

COMMITTEE/REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS. Dodge said there would be a party on June 20 to celebrate NFC getting the charter to take over Neighborhood Housing Services programs, and the Board would receive invitations.

OTHER BUSINESS. Volm reported that Jayne Jochem would be leaving the Polk County Housing Trust Fund at the end of 2003. Bower said the Neighborhood Development Corporation was working on a corridor plan for E. 14th to E. 18th along E. Grand, and would be holding a charrette at St. Peters Church on June 19.

Pulliam invited the Board to help clean up watersheds on Saturday from 8:00-10:00. He said Des Moines was competing in the "Keep America Beautiful" contest and there would be information in the paper regarding things people can do to help Des Moines win.

Muldoon asked that someone be brought to the Board to discuss the proposed property tax legislation.

The meeting adjourned at 6:50 p.m.

Betty Volm, Secretary