HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION COMMITTEE

AUGUST 8, 2006

COUNCIL CHAMBER

Convened: 6:06 p.m.

Adjourned: 6:55 p.m.

 

Present were:      Chairperson Councilor Barbara G. Haller

                             Councilor Gary Rosen

                             Councilor Michael C. Perotto

                             Councilor Kathleen M. Toomey

 

Also:                    Acting Code Director Richard M. Trifero

                             Health Director James Gardiner

                             Housing Director Scott Hayman

                             City Clerk David J. Rushford, clerk

 

COMMUNICATION OF THE CITY MANAGER

 

1.       Relative to a plan submitted by the Southern Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC) to the City detailing their intentions to meet the needs of the region’s Homelessness Population.

#22A CM February 28, 2006

         In Committee March 22, 2006 – Held

         In Committee April 5, 2006 – Held

Recommend File

 

2.       Relative to a report on homelessness.

          #22A CM March 7, 2006

Recommend File

 

3.       Relative to location of Social Service Agencies.

          #96 CC April 11, 2006

Recommend File

 

4.       Relative to Social Service Agency Locations-Prior Opinions.

     #97 CC April 11, 2006

Recommend File

 

5.      Relative to buildings occupied by the South Middlesex Opportunity Council.

         #18B CM April 25, 2006

Recommend File

 

6.      Relative to the South Middlesex Non-Profit Housing Corporation’s (SMOC) purchase of five taxable properties in the City.

     #28A CM April 25, 2006

Recommend File

 

7.       Relative to the South Middlesex Opportunity Council’s formal withdrawal for tax exemption status at #26-28 Dayton Street and #14 Duxbury Road.

#28A CM May 2, 2006

Recommend File

 

Chairman’s Orders:

1.     Request the City Manager to update the City Council concerning the plans of South Middlesex Opportunity Council to meet the needs of the City’s homeless population, specifically how their change of plans in other local communities might affect their intentions in Worcester; what their revised plans are for Worcester and when they plan to meet in the neighborhoods to discuss their future plans.

2.     Request the City Manager, when reporting to the City Council concerning plans of the South Middlesex Opportunity Council, to delineate whether he is conveying information concerning the siting of social service agencies or the issues surrounding homelessness in the City.

3.     Request the City Manager to request representatives of the South Middlesex Opportunity Council to provide the City Council with their guidelines how they envision the community responding to problems that arise from their proposed Worcester facilities.

4.     Request the City Manager report to the City Council any progress made over the past ten years towards decreasing/eliminating the use of non-housing designated areas, such as parks and railroad sidings as areas where homeless congregate overnight.

5.     Request the City Manager that, if and when he convenes a future Committee on Homelessness, he consider including neighborhood leadership and also people who have been homeless at one time.

6.     Request the City Manager consider including local and state political leadership as he considers developing future plans to counteract homelessness.

7.     Request the City Manager to routinely update the City Council concerning properties owned by the South Middlesex Opportunity Council.

8.     Request the City Manager to report to the City Council whether the City determines through routine and periodic on-site inspections the enforcement of occupancy levels at licensed buildings owned and operated by the South Middlesex Opportunity Council as well as other similarly occupied facilities/programs throughout the City.