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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuman Rights and Diversity - 05/12/2016 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIVERSITY COMMISSION THURSDAY, MAY 12, 2016 7:00 P.M., 125 EDEN PRAIRIE CENTER Office of Housing and Human Services COMMISSION MEMBERS: PG Narayanan (Chair), Sana Elassar(Vice Chair), Greg Leeper, Leslie Philmon, Shahran Missaghi, Ann Martinka, Joan Howe-Pullis STAFF: Patricia Fenrick, Staff Heidi Wojahn, Recording Secretary STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES: Tanvi Mehta, Tala Alfoqaha, Sarah Mason, Adrienne Retzlaff, Turner Gunderson I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Following an icebreaker activity, Chair Narayanan called the meeting to order at 7:21 p.m. Elassar, Leeper, and Student Representative Retzlaff were absent. II. INTRODUCTIONS III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Martinka moved, seconded by Philmon, to approve the agenda. Motion carried 5-0. IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION: Missaghi moved, seconded by Martinka, to approve the April 14, 2016 minutes. Motion carried 4-0-1 with Howe-Pullis abstaining. V. COMMISSIONER OATH OF OFFICE Fenrick administered an oath of office to Howe-Pullis. VI. REPORTS OF STAFF - Fenrick A. RENTAL HOUSING Fenrick reported her office is working on rental housing issues. The housing market is tight. Eden Prairie is a popular destination and finding places to rent is hard. Because the vacancy rate is low, landlords are able to charge what they want. Rising rent costs make it difficult for people to find affordable housing. There are housing choice vouchers, formerly the housing subsidy known as HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIVERSITY COMMISSION MINUTES May 12, 2016 Page 2 Section 8,but people must income-qualify, there are not enough vouchers to meet the need, and the waiting list for Hennepin County is eight to ten years. Eden Prairie currently has two section 8 properties it invested money in when they were built. Rent,based on a percentage of one's income, is low,but both properties are always full. Howe-Pullis asked what the proposed housing plan looks like. Fenrick said they are in the preliminary stages of working on it. It is due in 2017. The MET Council has affordable housing goals that they give to each community. The City has TIF funds to invest in the typically high-density rental properties to help keep them affordable. Fenrick will ask Molly Koivumaki from her office to do a brief presentation on affordable housing for the Commission. Eden Prairie's housing strategy is a mixed-income approach rather than concentrating low- income properties together. Developers do not always want to offer mixed- income housing because there are people who don't want to live together and there is a bigger risk for the developer,plus there are a not a lot of places left to build in Eden Prairie. The lack of affordable housing has long been an issue in Minnesota. Howe-Pullis asked if there has been any discussion of building affordable housing close to the proposed Light Rail Transit. Fenrick said there have been a lot of community conversations and input already about livable communities and what transit-oriented development should look like. B. UPCOMING PRESENTATION A People Reaching Out to Other People case worker will attend the June 16 meetings to talk about trends in the community in terms of people seeking assistance. C. BEST BUY GRANT $5.10 remaining. VII. OLD AND NEW BUSINESS A. HUMAN RIGHTS AWARDS PRESENTATION The Human Rights Awards presentation will take place Tuesday, May 24, 7-8 p.m. Retzlaff will present the individual award, and Leeper and Gunderson will present the business awards. All Commissioners are invited to attend. A joint reception with the Heritage Preservation Commission will follow as the HPC is presenting an award in May as well. B. 5K VOLUNTEER REMINDER The following people have volunteered to assist with packet pick-up: Friday, June 10, 2:00-5:15 p.m. HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIVERSITY COMMISSION MINUTES May 12, 2016 Page 3 Narayanan, Connie Iacovelli, Mehta, Missaghi Friday, June 10, 5:15-7:45 p.m. Jenny Buckland, Philmon, Martinka, Elassar C. STUDENT BAND FUNDRAISER Mason indicated there have been some setbacks in terms of coordinating the student band fundraiser. There has not been a strong commitment from bands to play at the event. Martinka suggested it may be too difficult to pull the event together in two weeks,particularly given the Memorial Day weekend. Narayanan recommended the event be postponed. Gunderson said he would like to keep the idea moving forward with a fall date in mind. That gives them the summer to plan and work on publicity which will likely result in a more successful event. Mehta agreed she didn't feel it would come together yet this month. Fenrick said she would work on connecting new student Commissioners with the current ones for planning purposes. Mason said if not for the hurdle in procuring bands, the rest could have fallen into place. Fenrick said they might want to consider joining forces with Battle of the Bands for a bigger event. Mehta said she will connect with Immanuel Lutheran Church to cancel the reserved date. D. TRANSPORTATION CONCERNS Martinka said it has been brought to her attention there are groups of people with disabilities in Eden Prairie employed outside the community who have issues getting home from work because available public transportation to Eden Prairie stops running after a certain time. They are encouraged to work but are forced to rely on taxis, coworkers, friends, or family members for rides. It is a big problem. She has been invited to attend an upcoming meeting with those affected to learn more about it. Howe-Pullis asked if there was a way for Eden Prairie to create a bridge between the metro area and the outlying suburbs. Martinka said she envisions an Uber-type system to accommodate those needing rides,possibly on a volunteer basis. Missaghi said another option is to subsidize such a program. Fenrick said she will try to find out why Metro Mobility doesn't make runs to Eden Prairie and other outlying suburbs after a certain hour. Narayanan asked if there was a non-profit disability group we can partner with? Martinka said Hammer Residences, homes for those with disabilities, is currently trying to work with Metro Mobility. Vulnerable adults can't be left waiting for rides at 10 p.m. and volunteers are not always reliable. Howe-Pullis said there are also insurance issues with drivers. Fenrick stated Eden Prairie has Dial-a-Ride but it doesn't run all the hours needed, and there are not enough people riding during those times for Southwest Transit to justify offering transportation then. HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIVERSITY COMMISSION MINUTES May 12, 2016 Page 4 Martinka said she will let HRDC know the meeting time details. Fenrick reiterated she would follow up with Metro Mobility and offered to compile a list of available options as well as find out if a subsidy would solve the problem, and then the Commission can do further brainstorming next month. E. PEOPLE OF EDEN PRAIRIE PROJECT Retzlaff said she has been in touch with the digital imaging class at the high school about the possibility of working on the People of Eden Prairie Project next year, and the teacher is very interested. Fenrick stated HRDC needs to discuss the focus. Leftover grant funds should be spent by the end of 2016. Narayanan said the Commission should take a strategic approach about what to cover. Martinka suggested the City use this as a promotional tool to highlight the diversity in Eden Prairie. Howe-Pullis said diversity can include age, experience, and people with disabilities, not just the kinds of diversity with which people typically identify. Missaghi said people could talk about why they love Eden Prairie. Martinka and Howe-Pullis spoke about a video business in Eden Prairie called Storytelling. Martinka said she envisions a partnership between them and the students enrolled in the high school film class. Fenrick suggested Commissioners draft a list of people to feature to include names and reasons why they would be good candidates. Student representatives are encouraged to consider youth. Martinka and Howe-Pullis said they will connect with Storytelling. Fenrick will create a Google Doc for names. Narayanan requested it include a list of diverse categories to cover. Fenrick replied she will make a chart and then Commissioners can check boxes of the categories applicable to each nominee. Brainstorming of categories ensued. Howe-Pullis said people should talk about themselves and why Eden Prairie is good from their unique perspective of the category under which they fall. Fenrick said pursuing additional funding sources is a possibility. VIII. FUTURE MEETINGS/EVENTS The next HRDC meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 16, 2016, 7 p.m. at Eden Prairie Center, Room 125. IX. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Howe-Pullis moved, seconded by Philmon, to adjourn. Motion carried 5-0. Chair Narayanan adjourned the meeting at 8:24 p.m.