MINUTES OF THE TENANTS ASSOCIATION MEETING FEBRUARY 26, 2023

 

 MINUTES OF THE TENANTS ASSOCIATION MEETING

FEBRUARY 26, 2023 – 1:00 P.M.

AUDITORIUM

 

The meeting was called to order by President Janet Smith.

Zoom meeting with Senator Hashmi:  The Senator received the study and read it, and indicated she thought it was well researched and well written.  Janet informed her that we needed to refer back to the original DSS Study (HD6.)  We need to: Define Independent Living; regulate it; let DSS administer it; state ombudsman; and higher fines for non-compliance.  This is the minimum the Association would like to see in any new legislation during the next session.  The Senator would like to come speak to our tenants either in March or April.  Jnet is sending her Chief of Staff dates for March and April Association Meetings.  If those don’t work, we’ll get with Whitney to accommodate.  It was a very productive meeting.

Rental Law in the General Assembly:  None of the rental law sponsored by Senator Hashmi or Delegate Price passed.  Most didn’t get out of Committee.

Goals for Board 2023

·        Continue with Food Bank/Raffles.

·        Making Tenants Association a non-profit so we can get grant money. 

·        Train up the Board in Fair Housing law, VRLTA, etc.

·        Do more lobbying with Legislature.

 

The “hunger cliff”:  This will affect more than 470,000 Virginians and is the result of the Omnibus bill passed by Congress that ends extra SNAP allotments in February 2023. On average, each SNAP recipient will lose about $82 monthly, with average benefits falling to just $6 a day. This impending cut will hit all age groups and all parts of Virginia. The steepest cliff will be for many older adults who only qualify for the minimum SNAP benefit – dropping from $281 a month to only $23.  Check out the blog for ways to get free food.  Also check out the food bank on Tuesdays in Camellia around 10:00 a.m.

Janet recognized 5 people for their good works by presenting them with Proclamations.  Recipients were:  Pinky Harrison for her work with the raffle this time.  Paula Thrasher for keeping the books and the President straight.  Others were George Rinick, Stanley Taylor, and Frank Woodson for their work with the food bank.

Janet demonstrated safety gadgets procured by Steve Harrell.  The Association is selling them to tenants.  Building advocates have order sheets; contact them to order.  Tenants must prepay.

Follow up on January 12 meeting with Management:

•      Cockroaches – Appear to be getting better.

•      Bed bugs – apartments next door and above and below infected apartments are being treated as well.

•      Laundry Facilities – Mr. Wilkins is still working on this.

•      Plumbing – Still having broken pipes, floods, etc.

•      Heating/Air Conditioning Filters – Director of maintenance informed Janet they would begin working on this last week.  Not sure if that happened.  Hers was changed because she called.

•      Smoke Alarms – Kenyon had no plans to begin this.

Two slots are going to be open on the Fair Housing Board this year.  Janet will apply and encourages others to do the same.

Restricted Access – last weekend came in Saturday and Sunday around 1:00 – 1:30 p.m.  No one on the gate.  Wide open. It is supposed to be manned from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Assisted living has been put on hold. No further details.

Pesky neighbors:  There are people in all buildings knocking on doors in the wee hours of the night.  Hours range from midnight to 3:00 a.m.  A woman was arrested in Boxwood for allegedly robbing her neighbor.  Her preliminary hearing was Friday, March 3^rd.  The case is going to the Grand Jury for indictment.

Important websites:

The TA Blog:  https://hotelcaliforniarichmond23227.blogspot.com

Lowincomerelief.com - https:/lowincomerelief.com

A Question and Answer period followed.  Not a lot of questions this time.

The association gave away door prizes:  4 Keychain alarms and food.

A motion was made to adjourn the meeting, and seconded. Voting was unanimous to adjourn.

 

**Janet has received several comments about how good and informative the meetings are and has been complimented on the work she and the Board are doing.  She wants to remind all tenants that the Association belongs to them and that she and the Board work for the Tenants.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Mark Childress, Secretary