1 1 HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF NEWARK 2 NEWARK, NEW JERSEY 3 THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 2021 4 x--------------------------------x 5 IN THE MATTER OF: * 6 THE REGULAR MEETING * TRANSCRIPT 7 OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY * OF 8 OF THE CITY OF NEWARK * PROCEEDINGS 9 Commencing at 5:00 p.m. via Zoom * 10 x--------------------------------x 11 HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF NEWARK 12 500 BROAD STREET 13 NEWARK, NEW JERSEY 14 B E F O R E: 15 HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF NEWARK 16 EDDIE OSBORNE, President 17 MARTINIQUE COSTA, Commissioner 18 FAUSTO BAEZ, Commissioner 19 NORMA GONZALEZ, Commissioner (Absent) 20 BRIAN LOGAN, Commissioner (Absent) 21 ALIF MUHAMMAD, Commissioner 22 23 24 ANTHONY HOFMANN, C.C.R. 25 LICENSE NO. XIO1854 2 1 PROFESSIONAL STAFF: 2 3 VICTOR CIRILO, Executive Director 4 KATIA OLIVEIRA, Executive Assistant 5 ELIO MENA, Counsel 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 3 1 I N D E X 2 PAGE 3 Opening Statement 4 4 Public Participation 5 By: Jacqueline Peoples 5/30 6 By: Darnella Lee 6 7 By: Felicia Alston Singleton 13 8 By: Kim Barnes 18 9 By: Joann Sims 20 10 By: Myrna Brown 22 11 By: Munirah Bomani 27 12 By: Anna Bell 33 13 14 Items for Approval 36 15 16 RESOLUTIONS PAGE 17 H-1 through H-6 39 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 4 1 MR. CIRILO: Good evening, everybody, 2 good afternoon. 3 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: It is now 4 5:00 o'clock. The meeting is now called to order. 5 Can we get a reading of the Open 6 Public Meetings Act. 7 MR. CIRILO: As required by N.J.S.A. 8 10:4-6 known as the Open Public Meetings Act, notice 9 of this meeting was provided in the following 10 manner. On December 30, 2020 notice of this meeting 11 specifying the date, time and location was 12 transmitted to the Star Ledger, El Nuevo Coqui and 13 to the Clerk of the City of Newark. 14 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: I will now have a 15 roll call. 16 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Brian Logan. 17 Commissioner Fausto Baez. 18 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Present. 19 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Martinique 20 Costa. 21 COMMISSIONER COSTA: Here. 22 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Norma 23 Gonzalez. 24 Vice Chairperson Alif Muhammad. 25 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Present. 5 1 MR. CIRILO: Chairman Eddie Osborne. 2 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Present. 3 MR. CIRILO: Mr. Chairman, we have a 4 quorum. 5 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Now, we will go for 6 the public speakers. 7 MR. CIRILO: Mr. Chairman, our first 8 speaker of the day we have Anna Bell, 839 9 Frelinghuysen Avenue. Ms. Bell, are you on? So 10 Ms. Bell is not on. 11 We are going to move onto 12 Ms. Jacqueline Peoples, 51-B Mount Pleasant Avenue. 13 Ms. Peoples. She may be on. We need you to unmute, 14 Ms. Peoples. Please see if you can unmute yourself 15 and then we will come back. 16 Ms. Rosemary Horsley, 9 Riverview 17 Court, Rosemary. 18 Ms. Peoples. 19 MS. PEOPLES: I'll go last because I'm 20 not the first on the list. I want to know why can 21 you give my e-mail out to Ms. Bomani. I don't know 22 her. What gave you the right? How did you do that, 23 that is unprofessional. 24 MR. CIRILO: I'm sorry, this is the 25 public participation portion. 6 1 MS. PEOPLES: I know what this is. 2 I'm not retarded. 3 MR. CIRILO: Mr. Chairman, would you 4 like to address her remark. 5 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: If she's prepared 6 to speak, let her speak and let's get this on. 7 Ms. Peoples. 8 MS. PEOPLES: I don't want to talk. 9 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Let's move on to 10 the next speaker then. 11 MS. PEOPLES: I'm not the first on the 12 list anyway. 13 MR. CIRILO: We are going to go back 14 to Rosemary Horsley. Rosemary, are you on? 15 We are going to move onto Darnella 16 Lee, 516 Bergen Street. 17 MS. LEE: Yes, hi, good evening, 18 everybody. 19 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Good evening. 20 MS. LEE: Let me start off by just 21 saying good evening to every one and that it saddens 22 me to have to come up here to even address this 23 issue, but I have to because I feel like my civil 24 rights was violated by Victor Cirilo. When he came 25 up on Facebook to let you all know that the progress 7 1 he had done on cleaning up the senior building here 2 at 516 Bergen Street, in that moment you were all 3 showing a picture up on Newark Housing Authority 4 site that had me in it without my consent or my 5 approval to be displayed for everyone to see as I'm 6 in support of him and what he's claiming he was 7 doing at the senior buildings. To be honest, if it 8 wasn't for me collecting information and pictures on 9 how dirty this building has been which in the last 10 couple years he wouldn't have even been concerned 11 about it. If I had awareness -- had I not had 12 awareness to Mr. Vincent Rouse the fact that many 13 lives were lost in this building because of lack of 14 safety measures and with COVID-19 and still now. 15 I would like to address that when 16 Mr. Rouse came to the building we were supposed to 17 have -- I was supposed to speak. Y'all had a 18 Commissioner meeting, it was cancelled. The 19 following day Mr. Rouse along with a few of his 20 staff, names I can remember right off I believe 21 Ms. -- not I believe, Ms. Ali and a few other people 22 were there. I was requested by the vice-president 23 Ms. Cynthia Hardaway to attend this meeting as well 24 as the president George in reference to them coming 25 to the building so when they came to the building 8 1 this is how everybody got to get here. For Mr. 2 Cirilo to take credit for something that wasn't even 3 done and we are displeased and I wanted to tell you. 4 So when they came to the building, Mr. Rouse sits 5 down and he has a pad and we are out on a balcony, 6 the pad outside because he was coming to address the 7 issues that we had already addressed last year and 8 the year before. So in the midst of him sitting 9 down to address, I asked him I said you got to be 10 kidding me. I was going to tell you all I was 11 alarmed because our building was one of the 12 buildings that didn't have not one case of anybody 13 passing. Our building was shut down April 3 because 14 of a high risk and our building was tested April 28 15 with outside people coming from infected areas and 16 they were supposed to fumigate and clean our 17 building which was never done. In the midst, me and 18 a group of other people we had concerns, great 19 concerns and we were concerned this building anybody 20 can walk in. We done had the Councilwoman walk in 21 here. We done had Commissioners walk in here. We 22 had our building used as a housing site for other 23 housing to clock in and clock out, but this is a 24 senior building. We never had where you can go into 25 like how we are going to the City Hall or the health 9 1 department, we never had thermometer checks. We 2 never had temperature. It was never sanitized. So 3 I addressed this that how do you lock our building 4 down. The bells weren't working, the strings 5 weren't working. Four years ago my mother had a 6 stroke. I went to pull the string in the bathroom, 7 it wasn't working. I went to pull the string for my 8 nephew to know. Once this building was shut down 9 four years later, still same thing. 10 So I addressed the concerns on how our 11 rights has been violated. We have petitions. I had 12 petitions brought down there delivered hand. I had 13 petitions that we signed October 23 of 2019 when 14 they got rid of our supervisor, our super that was 15 cleaning the building. We had another petition 16 after that. On that petition we had a hundred and 17 eleven signatures. Then on the second petition 18 December 10, 2020 we had thirty-three signatures 19 concerned about the building being closed down. 20 Then now we have a team so once I addressed my 21 concerns of January we had our managers, one was 22 removed from here and another one we had them 23 brought back here. In the midst of all that we had 24 about seven different supers. Nobody cleans while I 25 am addressing this. I work for the Newark Board of 10 1 Education. I was a custodian there. For three and 2 a half years I stripped, I cleaned. I am telling 3 you how I know what I am saying that this building 4 hasn't been cleaned in years. In the midst of this 5 they said, okay, tell Darnella Lee called the 6 managers to get four residents to clean the 7 building. We said okay, we get the people. I 8 didn't get a chance. I am getting myself. The next 9 day they come and get a team. Thanks to Mr. Tucker 10 doing the best he can that what he have knowledge of 11 and what he don't have knowledge of you can't hold 12 him to it. They have a team, he comes here. He had 13 a group of twenty something people. We are not even 14 on the floor getting our materials together before 15 pictures taken of me. It is put up on Newark 16 Housing that same night, not even. So you say okay 17 it was continued. We have nine floors. In the 18 midst of me going through the floors, we have three 19 lanes. Two that was done, one wasn't, hit and miss. 20 Then I am walking through the floors 21 and they say, okay, they tell Mr. Tucker Ms. Ali 22 calls the manager and say, okay, they are going to 23 use our people, they can get ahead. We only had two 24 maintenance guys and us four seniors. They are 25 older than me. So this is for us now. We got to do 11 1 this when they are here. I said why don't they show 2 him how to strip that so when they go they will know 3 how. 4 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Ms. Lee, your five 5 minutes is up. You want to have the Director 6 respond in writing to your concerns? 7 MS. LEE: Yes. 8 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Mr. Chairman. 9 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Yes. 10 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Ms. Lee, is 11 the strings working because I know Marvin Bowman 12 complained about that last year about the emergency 13 strings. Are they working? 14 MS. LEE: No, it hasn't been, but it 15 was brought to my attention personally by 16 Ms. Nakirah Sykes when she came here that you are 17 all aware of it, not you Mr. Chairman, that they 18 were aware of it for the last ten years. They said 19 since she's been at -- she used to work at the site 20 down at Dayton and they have been broke for about 21 ten years so all of this with me complaining about 22 it everybody knew. This is what she was persistent 23 to Victor Cirilo when she came to the building that 24 is what she said. 25 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I know Marvin 12 1 sent an e-mail and we need to get that fixed. I say 2 myself that is a life saver. 3 MS. LEE: My concern also, Mr. 4 Muhammad, is that it was an incident here at the 5 building where we had an outsider that was brought 6 in the buildings that is not a cleaner that said he 7 was a cleaner. I come out of my apartment, I am 8 smelling smoke because you can't smoke in the 9 building. All of what I am saying is on the camera. 10 He had a stripper, a bucket, another bucket. I 11 asked him what you doing in this building. This guy 12 said he was one of the workers. Your workers left 13 off, they left the building, no one was here. Once 14 us four tenants, Mr. Muhammad, your super and other 15 workers everybody started calling out sick. We only 16 do four hours. We get ten dollars an hour. 17 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: They are going 18 to answer you in writing and stuff, but I want to 19 make sure the strings because I know it's a life 20 saving, but thank you for your information. 21 Chairman, I'm sorry. 22 MS. LEE: Nothing is working. 23 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Mr. Director, you 24 want to move on to the next speaker. 25 MR. CIRILO: Yes, thank you, Mr. 13 1 Chairman. 2 I am going to move on to Felicia 3 Alston Singleton, 152 12th Avenue. 4 MS. LEE: So he's not going to address 5 the issues? 6 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: He's going to give 7 it to you in writing. 8 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: He is going to 9 give it to you in writing, we promise. 10 MS. LEE: Thank you. You have a good 11 evening. 12 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: You have a good 13 evening also. 14 MS. LEE: Bye. 15 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Ms. Alston. 16 MS. SINGLETON: Hi, Commissioners. 17 Hello, everyone. Good to see you guys. 18 COMMISSIONER COSTA: Good afternoon, 19 Ms. Singleton. 20 MS. SINGLETON: It's been a long year. 21 Good to see everybody is amongst the living. My 22 name is Felicia Alston Singleton. I am sitting 23 outside Jose Rosario, 152 12th Avenue and I just 24 wanted to show you guys the front of my house that 25 we have exterminators come and treat the yard, 14 1 however, if you can see we have rat holes. You see 2 the borrows right here, holes right at the bottom of 3 the steps. They are coming to our house. If you 4 could look we keep our property pretty much clean. 5 Up at the top you might see we have the side of the 6 building is coming off there. I have to say I'm 7 pretty much kind of pleased with Housing Authority 8 and their proactiveness has coming towards the 9 residents. However, let me go inside because the 10 ice cream truck and cars coming by. 11 We have a lot of issues that need to 12 be done and to be taken care of our property right 13 here that was going to be taken away from us from a 14 contract that you guys had put on the table. Two 15 Commissioners, Logan and Muhammad, that was taken 16 away from the Shauger Group. We got the Shauger 17 Group back, but no commissioner whatsoever none 18 should have been able to put anything on the table 19 to be taken off by a vendor without a bid. Any job 20 positions that supposed to be bided on best believe 21 I don't care if they are coming from DPW or where 22 they are coming from, they have to be bided on. 23 That got to be done by the book. We have a policy 24 and procedure that the Commissioners are supposed to 25 follow. This is not Alif Muhammad's meeting. He is 15 1 the vice chair. We have a chair that is Eddie 2 Osborne. He controls the meeting. 3 Commissioner Muhammad, we need you to 4 back down and be the vice chair. If the chair is 5 not there, Robert Rules of Order then you step in. 6 But we have Commissioners that I don't even see. 7 Where is Ms. Gonzalez at? Where is Ms. Gonzalez? I 8 want to see our Commissioners, all of our 9 Commissioners. It is good to see you. The Housing 10 Authority has issues, but we came a long way from 11 Keith Kinard. We came a long way with Mr. Kinard, 12 but at the end of the day it is a lot of work that 13 needs to be done. My manager was so nice to me 14 today because I don't like to go outside. I like to 15 stay in my house. I'm not with this COVID stuff. 16 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: She froze. 17 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Looks like the 18 screen is frozen. 19 MS. SINGLETON: I can hear you now. 20 We have Commissioners that supposed to get our best 21 interest at heart, however, our best interest is not 22 taking contracts off the table that's going to help 23 our environment that we are supposed to live in. 24 Not taking contracts off the table for no Xerox 25 machines. We had all this in plan and order. It's 16 1 a process and a plan and I will watch every 2 Commissioners' meeting to make sure it is right. 3 Felicia is back. COVID is almost 4 over. I am coming back for you, okay. Get it 5 right. We have a house next-door to us right here 6 on 12th Avenue. They decided to clean the house out 7 after it sat there for three years. Now, we have 8 mice running in our house, roaches running in our 9 house and they want to send the exterminator here 10 Tuesday at 9:00 o'clock coming to exterminate. No 11 you didn't, not when you didn't let me know that you 12 were coming so I could pack my stuff up. I think we 13 came a tremendous way, trust me, but we have a lot 14 to do, but we are not going to fall back. Everybody 15 can't be happy. We got to come to a medium ground 16 where we can represent for everyone and everything 17 will go nice and smooth, but at the end of the day 18 if our Board of Commissioners are not looking out 19 for our best interest, resign. Because I know you 20 wasn't put there correctly, okay. The man put y'all 21 there and that is now how it go. The governor gets 22 one, the Council gets five and we have one resident. 23 Now, we are going to have two residents ones because 24 that's the new law. I'm here, I'm back, get it 25 right. Do what you are supposed to do. Don't make 17 1 no contract deals, bids, nothing without doing it by 2 the book because I will pull the ACOP out on you, I 3 will pull any bylaws out on you. You are not going 4 to run a housing authority of what we have to live 5 our home, our place. 6 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Thank you, 7 Ms. Alston, your five minutes is up. 8 MS. SINGLETON: I'm sorry. 9 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Thank you very 10 much. 11 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Mr. Chairman. 12 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Yes. 13 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Ms. Singleton, 14 thank you. I'd just like to ask where is the exact 15 location where those holes are at with the rats is 16 going through? 17 MS. SINGLETON: It's my house, 152 18 12th Avenue. 19 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: 152 12th Avenue, 20 excellent. I will make sure I am going to have a 21 little tour down there to look at it. I am going to 22 have another Commissioner come look at it, thank 23 you. 24 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Mr. Director, you 25 want to call the next speaker. 18 1 MR. CIRILO: Yes, thank you, Mr. 2 Chairman. The next speaker is Kim Barnes, 147 3 Riverside Court, Ms. Barnes. 4 MS. BARNES: Good afternoon. Everyone 5 can hear me? 6 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Yes, we hear you. 7 MS. BARNES: First and foremost I am 8 totally, totally upset and angry and my issues and 9 concerns are the following. Y'all never answered my 10 questions. Y'all never sent me a written statement 11 request of what I asked and I am going to ask you 12 again. What is the role and responsibility of the 13 Commissioners. Who appoints the Commissioners. How 14 are y'all going to answer these questions and 15 respond. Y'all always say y'all going to do it in 16 writing, but we never get it in writing. Stop 17 saying you promise because that is a lie. Be for 18 real. 19 Now, since the seniors are going to 20 get wifi, why can't the TAs get wifi also since we 21 are on a budget and our budget consists that we only 22 have wifi for six months. I addressed this with 23 Carter. First of all, we were supposed to get 24 phones. That went out the window when we had the 25 COVID. 19 1 Now, the next thing is summer is 2 approaching and these complexes are off the hook 3 with security. As far as security here at Riverside 4 Villa we done had two break-ins already. We had one 5 person that did that, threatened the TA here, all of 6 my staff and we only have security for the afternoon 7 for the 4:00 to 7:00 shift. We need to beef it up. 8 We still have cars in here with tags in it. They 9 are running around here with mopeds, motorcycles and 10 it is just crazy. 11 Second, like I said, I am coming to 12 y'all once again for my three thousand two hundred 13 dollars that I have to pay out of my pocket from 14 last year for my grass that I fell because of the 15 grass that was here. We are beginning to get this 16 crowd again so since my rent went up four hundred 17 sixty dollars, I promise you that I am going to take 18 that four hundred sixty dollars towards -- to be 19 paid towards my education because I only have three 20 classes that's due before I have my Ph.D. We need 21 y'all to do something and I am having a meeting with 22 Victor and Vincent on Tuesday. We have to come to 23 some type of agreement and get this place back on 24 track. 25 Thank you and have a good evening. 20 1 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Thank you, Ms. 2 Barnes. 3 Mr. Director, next speaker. 4 MR. CIRILO: Thank you, Chairman. The 5 next speaker we have is Ms. JoAnn Sims, 438 Holiday 6 Court, Ms. Sims. Ms. Sims, we can't hear you. 7 MS. SIMS: Hello. 8 MR. CIRILO: We can hear you now. 9 MS. SIMS: How is everybody doing? I 10 hope everyone is well. It's been a long time since 11 I seen and heard from you, but my concerns for the 12 Housing Authority, my first question goes to how 13 many Commissioners have read the 2021 annual plan, 14 especially the capital fund program, the five-year 15 capital fund program? We need somebody to explain 16 this large document because it seems like it is 17 maybe over three hundred pages of all the sites and 18 so can somebody explain that? 19 Also, at the RAB meeting Mr. Rouse 20 mentioned that for the next five years the RAD 21 properties will not be getting capital funding 22 money. Can you explain that? 23 I suggest we get -- there should be 24 two Commissioners, resident Commissioners on the 25 Board. One for public housing who happens to be Mr. 21 1 Baez and the other one should be a tenant Section 8 2 resident and I'm suggesting Myrna Brown for that. I 3 think that's about all. 4 Okay, who is our representative for 5 Newark HUD? Who is representing the Newark HUD? 6 They tell me it's Cecil Ward, but how do we reach 7 out to him. Is anybody going to speak? 8 MR. CIRILO: Ms. Sims as Mr. Chairman 9 has explained, we are taking a list of your 10 questions and we will extend to you an answer in 11 writing. It will be sent to you in writing. 12 MS. SIMS: Okay, do you have a 13 stenographer here tonight? 14 MR. CIRILO: Yes, we do. 15 MS. SIMS: Okay, so he's taking it. 16 What is the time to notify a tenant if they wanted 17 to speak at your Commissioners meeting? What is the 18 time limit because I just received -- I never did 19 receive the phone number and the information on how 20 to get on this call. Luckily, Myrna Brown called me 21 ten minutes before the meeting started and gave me 22 the phone number so your secretary is sending -- she 23 doesn't have my proper e-mail address or something. 24 I don't know where she is sending my e-mails to. 25 Can you write down my e-mail address for her. 22 1 MR. CIRILO: We will contact you 2 personally to get that information. 3 MS. SIMS: Do you have my e-mail 4 address? 5 MR. CIRILO: We have an e-mail 6 address, we just don't know if it is the right one 7 if you didn't receive it. If you didn't receive 8 today's information, but we will call you, Ms. Sims. 9 I have your personal cellphone number to get the 10 right e-mail address. 11 MS. SIMS: Okay, thank you. 12 MR. CIRILO: Thank you. 13 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Next speaker, Mr. 14 Director. 15 MR. CIRILO: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 16 Thank you, Ms. Sims. 17 The next speaker is Ms. Myrna Brown, 18 824 South 17th Street. Ms. Brown. 19 MS. BROWN: Hello. 20 MR. CIRILO: Yes, we can hear you. 21 COMMISSIONER COSTA: Good evening, 22 Ms. Brown. 23 MS. BROWN: Good evening. My 24 questions I have ten questions and I am going to 25 read them off to you. The first one is I want to 23 1 know why did you Commissioners, why did you all want 2 to be a Commissioner for the NHA? Just going to the 3 Commissioners and what is your purpose as a 4 Commissioner for the tenants and what special 5 project is Woodlawn and who is your partner which 6 was asked over a month ago. I never got no 7 response. How many of the eleven schools have NHA 8 sold and how much money has NHA received? 9 The sixth question would be do NHA 10 have their own job database for tenants for jobs and 11 why don't the Commissioners respond back when being 12 called. When is each Commissioner's term up and 13 what is their role as a tenant Commissioner, Mr. 14 Baez, and how can the tenants contact you? 15 My last question because I still have 16 something else to say before my five minutes. Do 17 the Commissioners have e-mail addresses so tenants 18 can e-mail you? 19 I'd like to say thank you to Mr. 20 Cirilo and Mr. Rouse for coming out to a public 21 housing site that the tenants were living in 22 deplorable and I don't know if she's moved yet 23 situation. I reached out to you Commissioners. You 24 never respond and that is unacceptable. Mr. Baez, I 25 talked to you. You said your mom's birthday and I 24 1 understood that, but you never got back to see if 2 the matter was taken care of. You as Commissioners 3 are supposed to respond and help the tenants out. 4 Nobody never called me back and said anything and I 5 guess y'all ignoring the tenants. Mr. Muhammad, 6 your said no, y'all not. Listen to tenants not 7 responding, you aren't. And we need numbers and 8 e-mails to call y'all. We are not going to say it 9 is the director because y'all supposed to be working 10 as a team up there, but I have to commend Mr. 11 Cirilo. He will respond back if it is no, yay and 12 he will come to a meeting. I have to say thank you 13 Mr. Cirilo and I am looking forward to making sure 14 that tenants should be in the process of being 15 removed out of that apartment and if not y'all going 16 to have news reporters and it is going to blow up 17 every other site that y'all have problems with that 18 these managers is not doing what they are supposed 19 to do. Your maintenance and I don't know how you 20 get a consultant that is for your managers is 21 helping you with your business with your managers 22 that is doing their job. If they are doing their 23 job. That is not how it is supposed to be. If 24 she's a consultant, she is a consultant. If she is 25 going to there with the managers, then put her back 25 1 in the manager position. Y'all taking our money and 2 putting it where y'all want to put it and it is not 3 putting it with the tenants. Now, these salaries, 4 don't give no increase, they ain't done nothing. 5 They don't need an increase. Let me see what good 6 work you did on your site before I give you a raise. 7 You can't double dipping in housing. 8 You can't have one job and another. You can't get 9 two pays. Please give her stuff in writing. 10 Please, it will be very appreciative and appropriate 11 to do that. Let's respect one another and have some 12 consideration and communication back. 13 Thank you once again and I will be 14 getting with you and Mr. Cirilo and Mr. Rouse about 15 that apartment matter. 16 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Mr. Chairman, 17 Ms. Brown, Mr. Cirilo, please give her my cell 18 number and my e-mail number. I thought we talked on 19 the phone before. I thought we talked on the phone 20 so get my cell number from the E.D. He will give 21 you my cell number and e-mail, okay? 22 MS. BROWN: Okay, thank you. That 23 goes for the others to. Mr. Muhammad isn't the only 24 one we can reach out to the other Commissioners too. 25 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: My number is still 26 1 the same. You have my number. 2 MS. BROWN: You never respond back 3 though. 4 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Mr. Chairman, 5 Ms. Brown I will definitely call you personally. I 6 will call you personally to speak up, okay. 7 MS. BROWN: I answer my phone no 8 problem. It can be 6:00, 7:00, 8:00, 9:00 o'clock I 9 answer my phone. 10 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: I will definitely 11 call you to have a discussion. 12 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Let's move on to 13 the next speaker. 14 MR. CIRILO: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 15 Just for clarification, Ms. Brown, you speak of the 16 unit off 7th Avenue, right? 17 MS. BROWN: No, that is North 13th 18 Street. 19 MR. CIRILO: Okay, got it, thank you. 20 We are going to move on to the last 21 speaker, Mr. Chairman, I have on the list. 22 Ms. Munirah Bomani, 175 First Street. 23 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: You forgot 24 about Ms. Peoples. 25 MS. PEOPLES: I'm going. I just ain't 27 1 going first. 2 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: You forgot 3 Ms. Peoples. 4 MR. CIRILO: Okay, let's go to 5 Ms. Bomani, Mr. Chairman, and then we can return. 6 MS. BOMANI: Good evening, Munirah 7 Bomani, life-long advocate of Newark, New Jersey. 8 First, I want to say the reason for that response in 9 that e-mail is because I replied back and everybody 10 who is on this list I assume you got the reply too 11 that I was going to come to the meeting. That is 12 how Ms. Peoples who said she don't know me her name 13 is. Ms. Peoples, my name is Ms. Bomani because I am 14 almost sixty years old. How old are you? 15 MS. PEOPLES: I'm not too far behind 16 you. We in the same place. 17 MS. BOMANI: So all due respect, I am 18 responding to that. So that is why your name was in 19 that e-mail because I responded back to whoever 20 e-mailed me had your name, but I know you're one of 21 the twins, right? 22 MS. PEOPLES: Anybody ever tell you I 23 was a twin? 24 MS. BOMANI: Anyway, I am going to go 25 on with what I have to say. The reason why is 28 1 because Rutgers, Newark Housing, David Trout, he 2 gave a disparaging report and I want to ask this 3 Board along with Victor Cirilo did you receive a 4 copy of his recommendations. If you didn't, you 5 should get a copy of it because it is extensive and 6 I don't want to go over it because it is going to 7 take up a lot of time. 8 Another thing also the Newark 9 Low-Income Housing Coalition meet every Monday 10 proposing a housing plan and it's quite obvious that 11 Newark is in a housing crisis particularly for 12 low-income residents. 13 Also, I want to say that the Biden 14 administration, Biden/Harris administration is 15 earmarking billions of dollars to preserve, rehab 16 and build housing for local residents. It behooves 17 you all to go meet if you haven't met with them, the 18 HUD secretary, to talk about what Newark needs 19 because there is a great need here. If you get the 20 recommendations from David's office you will see the 21 need that we need in the City and that is what you 22 should be preserving, rehabbing and building public 23 housing and low-income housing that meets the needs 24 of the residents. 25 Okay, Baxter Terrace. I keep riding 29 1 past. I worked on those two buildings as a local 2 contract. I'm one of the founding members of Local 3 55 who you all partnered with to do rehab and do 4 these public housing. I'm one of the founding 5 members just to let y'all now. Baxter Terrace is 6 being used right now. Why are you using land that 7 needs to be rehabbed and you need to build housing 8 on there. Why are you using that land for other 9 corporations to stockpile their material there and 10 we need housing here. It is just a shame. What are 11 you doing about the other public housing that we 12 have in the City, little bricks, Seth Boyden. We 13 need to rethink with one for one replacement because 14 if you get the report from David Trout, we need to 15 build housing for the income of the residents of 16 this City. I want to see Millard Terrell, the plan 17 is keep going up and down flip-flop, you know, 18 Terrell Homes. I just hope that you all will be 19 assisting those individuals and making sure that you 20 don't displace those life-long residents in that 21 complex. 22 Okay, for the construction that is 23 going on Newark Housing Authority has to adhere to 24 Section 3 federal law. You have to adhere to that 25 and I told the Commissioner Eddie Osborne, Wayne 30 1 Richardson who is over Local 55 a handful of Newark 2 residents on these job sites is just not enough and 3 it just won't do. Okay, you all need to do better 4 and adhering to the Section 3 Federal laws of every 5 construction that is going up in this City be it 6 housing or whatever. You need to do better 7 representing the City to make sure you get these 8 people, our residents on these jobs because there is 9 a lot of. 10 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Your time is up. 11 Thank you. 12 MS. BOMANI: I want you to respond to 13 what I am saying. 14 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: You will get a 15 response in writing from the Director. 16 MS. BOMANI: Increase the Union 17 membership, increase the jobs and meet the Section 3 18 hiring laws. 19 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Thank you. Mr. 20 Director, next speaker. 21 MR. CIRILO: Sure. We are going to go 22 back to Ms. Jacqueline Peoples, 51B Mount Pleasant 23 Avenue. 24 MS. PEOPLES: Ms. Bomani, I apologize 25 for interrupting you. If you want you can have a 31 1 minimum of my time because these people up here make 2 me repulsive. Criminal activity at the top really 3 balls my spirit. Ball me over and I'm only here 4 tonight -- we were living like scum of the earth. 5 Black on black crime. This man is my age, 6 Mr. Osborne. He ought to be ashamed of himself and 7 I don't even know him, Muhammad, but I do know Mr. 8 Mena. He ought -- he needs to go, period, and take 9 his cronies with him. He's a crook and this 10 Ironbound dude with his trucks, they need to park 11 them things in their neighborhood. All because you 12 are black. This is black on black crime and you 13 people at the top are abusing us. It is mental 14 abuse. You can be sued for rats, you can be sued 15 for bugs and all kinds of stuff. But see it is not 16 in your community so you don't care. You don't 17 care. 18 My prayer is that God removes you 19 people and the curse returns to your own houses and 20 families because you are wicked, you are wicked. 21 Then you have nerve to get the tenants. You want us 22 to clean up outside for ten dollars an hour. I bet 23 y'all people ain't making no ten dollars an hour 24 Mr. Ironbound supervisor and Mr. Mena, please don't 25 even speak. I'm sick of all you guys. You make me 32 1 just disgusted. It is disgusting how you are. I 2 can't do this in no Italian community. You can't do 3 this in the Jewish community and you are not 4 educating when you are not giving no scholarships 5 out. You are not doing anything. You are lining 6 your own pockets. I don't understand it, but I do 7 know of God that can bring you down. That I do 8 know. I know you don't believe so I'm going to 9 apologize to you again, Ms. Bomani, for interrupting 10 you and I'm not a twin and if I was a twin, it 11 doesn't matter. We don't come to these meetings 12 unless we have a beef. These people want black 13 people on the streets sleeping under the carpet, 14 under on the dirt or something. I don't understand 15 it. It is mental abuse, physical abuse. 16 I don't destroy nothing. I never 17 destroyed anything in Newark, but I can tell you the 18 run down. They want you on drugs, no education, 19 can't think for yourself, what else, what else? 20 Doing all kind of stuff that is illegal, that is 21 what they want. But you are going to be exposed 22 Mr. Osborne. You are going to be exposed Mr. 23 Muhammad and Mr. Cirilo, I'm going to ask you please 24 just don't say nothing because they are not giving 25 the Latinos in this country a holiday. I don't have 33 1 nothing else to say. Ms. Bomani want the last 2 minute, let her have it. 3 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: If you're done, Mr. 4 Director, you want to call the next speaker. 5 MR. CIRILO: That concludes our list 6 for today, Mr. Chairman. 7 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Next we are going 8 to move onto items for approval. 9 MS. BELL: Hello, this is Ms. Bell, 10 2-21F Seth Boyden elderly. My name should have been 11 on that list. 12 MR. CIRILO: Yes, Mr. Chairman, 13 Ms. Anna Bell is a speaker for today. Her name was 14 called, but she wasn't available I guess at that 15 time. Ms. Bell, Mr. Chairman, with your permission 16 if you would extend to her the right to say her 17 remarks. 18 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Absolutely. Give 19 her five minutes. 20 MS. BELL: Thank you, Mr. Osborne. 21 Good evening, everybody. I don't even know how to 22 express this. We are so upset with this site. 23 First off, let me tell you what the manager did 24 Tuesday. Now, I know in my lease it says in order 25 for you guys to come into our apartment we have to 34 1 be notified, what is it, forty-two or seventy-two 2 hours before they come into the place. Somewhere in 3 there they are supposed to notify us before they 4 come in our apartment, am I right? 5 MR. CIRILO: Yes. 6 MS. BELL: Well, our manager, super 7 and one of her custodians was up here with the keys 8 going in peoples' apartments. They were not 9 knocking. People wasn't dressed, people wasn't 10 expecting them. They were giving no notice and I 11 feel like they violated our landlord/tenants rights. 12 She got 839 on Tuesday and today she did 46 13 Evergreen. I have several tenants that is willing 14 to send you an affidavit that they did not knock, 15 they didn't get no notice and they came in their 16 house with the key and that is a violation we cannot 17 have. 18 I don't know what kind of training 19 y'all giving Ms. Pam, but she said she don't even 20 have a financial budget for our site. How could 21 this be? I know the lady is new, but shouldn't 22 y'all give her some financial budget plan for this 23 site and where is our monies going. Y'all talking 24 about our money from the rent goes to running this 25 site. The lady is walking, she's telling me she is 35 1 walking around blind. She said she don't have a 2 financial plan for this site. I don't understand. 3 We need our armed guards back here. I have sent and 4 I have talked to Mr. Rouse about an illegal person 5 being on our site. He's going around checking the 6 doors to see if somebody's door is unlocked and 7 stuff like that there. He's somebody's son at 46 8 Evergreen. I have talked to Mr. Rouse. I have sent 9 him memos, I have sent him pictures. This man is 10 still walking on your site. If we don't feel safe, 11 we need our armed guards back. 12 Thank you. 13 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: You're welcome, 14 Ms. Bell. 15 Mr. Director. 16 MR. CIRILO: Yes. 17 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: At this time I just 18 want to say that we can have a special meeting in 19 regards to operations and safety concerns that is 20 going on. Let's set a meeting up for that. 21 MR. CIRILO: We certainly can do that. 22 Ms. Bell, what site are you 23 referencing? It wasn't mentioned. 24 MS. BELL: 2-21F Seth Boyden elderly. 25 Our manager we have here now, her name is Ms. Pam. 36 1 MR. CIRILO: Thank you very much. 2 MS. BELL: Mr. Cirilo, you have to 3 talk to them. They can't violate us like that. It 4 is not right. I know my landlord/tenancy rights and 5 they have to give us notice before coming into our 6 apartments and that didn't happen this week. We are 7 not happy. 8 MR. CIRILO: Thank you. 9 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Thank you, Ms. 10 Bell. 11 MS. BELL: Thank y'all. 12 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: So that is it for 13 the speakers, right? 14 MR. CIRILO: That is all we have for 15 the speakers, Mr. Chairman. We are going to go back 16 to items for approval. 17 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: I need a motion and 18 second to approve the Board monthly activities for 19 April and May. 20 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I will move 21 them for you, chairman. 22 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: I make a motion, 23 second. 24 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Mr. Muhammad and 25 Mr. Baez. Next, I need a Board monthly activities 37 1 report, I need a motion and second. 2 MR. CIRILO: We are going to take a 3 vote on the Board transcripts. 4 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Okay, all right. 5 MR. CIRILO: Thank you. Commissioner 6 Logan. 7 Commissioner Baez. 8 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 9 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Costa. 10 COMMISSIONER COSTA: Yes. 11 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 12 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 13 MR. CIRILO: Chairman Osborne. 14 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Yes. 15 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 16 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Now, I need a 17 motion and second to approve of Board monthly 18 activities report. 19 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I will move it 20 for you, Chairman. 21 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Commissioner 22 Muhammad. I need a second. 23 COMMISSIONER COSTA: I will second, 24 Chairman. 25 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Commissioner Costa. 38 1 MR. CIRILO: On the motion, 2 Commissioner Baez. 3 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 4 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Costa. 5 COMMISSIONER COSTA: Yes. 6 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 7 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 8 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Osborne. 9 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Yes. 10 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 11 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Mr. Chairman. 12 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Yes. 13 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Before we go 14 to the resolutions, I have some questions I want to 15 ask if possible. 16 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Can we do this -- 17 can we do that under new business after we do the 18 resolutions? 19 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: No problem. 20 Can I ask that the resolutions be read out for 21 transparency. 22 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Yes. Mr. Director. 23 MR. CIRILO: Yes, Mr. Chairman. 24 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: We are going to 25 move on to the resolutions. We are going to have 39 1 the resolutions read individually. 2 MR. CIRILO: Okay, Resolution 06-01 3 that the Newark Housing Authority Board of 4 Commissioners authorize the execution of an 5 indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity, ID/IQ, 6 contracts for agency wide plumbing supplies on an 7 as-needed basis for an initial term for two years at 8 an annual cost of three hundred thousand dollars 9 with an option to renew at the discretion of the 10 Housing Authority for a one-year period in an 11 aggregate amount not to exceed three years or nine 12 hundred thousand dollars. 13 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I will move 14 it, Chairman. 15 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Moved by 16 Commissioner Muhammad. I need a second. 17 COMMISSIONER COSTA: I will second, 18 Chairman. 19 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Seconded by 20 Commissioner Costa. 21 MR. CIRILO: On the motion, 22 Commissioner Baez. 23 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 24 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Costa. 25 COMMISSIONER COSTA: Yes. 40 1 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 2 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 3 MR. CIRILO: Chairman Osborne. 4 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Yes. 5 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 6 Resolution 06-02 that the NHA Board of 7 Commissioners authorizes a contract with Aegis 8 Energy Services, L.L.C. for the service and repair 9 of co-generation Thermo Power CHP Module units at 10 five NHA elderly buildings for a period of five 11 years in an amount not to exceed four hundred 12 seventy-six thousand two hundred fifty dollars. 13 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Can I get a motion 14 and second? 15 COMMISSIONER COSTA: I will move, 16 Chairman. 17 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Second. 18 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Seconded by 19 Commissioner Baez. 20 MR. CIRILO: On the motion, 21 Commissioner Baez. 22 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 23 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Costa. 24 COMMISSIONER COSTA: Yes. 25 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 41 1 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 2 MR. CIRILO: Chairman Osborne. 3 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Yes. 4 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 5 Resolution 06-03, that the NHA Board 6 of Commissioners authorize the amendment of 7 Resolution H-19-28-03-02 authorizing a contract 8 extension with Livra Two Investment Group, L.L.C. 9 for the purchase of 83-87 Milford Avenue, Newark 10 consisting of an existing twenty-four unit apartment 11 building, for a purchase price of three hundred 12 thousand dollars. Said purchase of this property is 13 on an as-is basis. 14 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Mr. Chairman. 15 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Yes. 16 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: How long is 17 this extension for, E.D.? 18 MR. CIRILO: Let me check the 19 resolution, Mr. Muhammad, Commissioner Muhammad, one 20 second. 21 MR. MENA: It will be twelve months. 22 MR. CIRILO: We have representatives 23 that can answer that question. 24 MR. MENA: Twelve months. 25 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad, it 42 1 is twelve months. My apologies, I didn't have that. 2 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Who answered 3 that, Elio? 4 MR. MENA: Yes, I just looked at the 5 resolution. 6 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: So it is 7 twelve months? 8 MR. MENA: Yes. 9 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Remember this 10 is a long deal so we should kind of be firm on this 11 twelve months because, like I said, this property 12 went for a lot more money now, but there were some 13 issues so can we kind of firm it up to make sure it 14 is only twelve months, just saying. 15 Thank you, Chairman. 16 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Can I get a mover 17 and second? 18 COMMISSIONER COSTA: I will move it. 19 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Who wants the 20 second? 21 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Second. 22 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Commission Baez 23 second. 24 MR. CIRILO: On the motion, 25 Commissioner Baez. 43 1 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 2 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Costa. 3 COMMISSIONER COSTA: Yes. 4 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Gonzalez. 5 Sorry, my apologies. 6 Commissioner Muhammad. 7 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 8 MR. CIRILO: Chairman Osborne. 9 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Yes. 10 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 11 The next resolution has been slightly 12 modified from the work session. As you recall both 13 leases were being amended. So I am going to read 14 the new heading. It reads that the Newark Housing 15 Authority NHA Board of Commissioners amend 16 resolution H-21-25-03-03 authorizing an amended 17 agreement with Newark Moonlight Cinema, L.L.C. for 18 utilizing 6.03 vacant acres of land at the former 19 Baxter Terrace for outdoor entertainment venue for 20 twelve months at the rate of five thousand dollars 21 per month with the option to renew at the discretion 22 of the Newark Housing Authority for an aggregate 23 term ending no later than December 1, 2023 and that 24 the Newark Housing Authority NHA Board of 25 Commissioners authorize an amendment to resolution 44 1 H-21-25-03-02 authorizing the Executive Director to 2 dissolve the agreement with Construction Pros 3 International, L.L.C. and execute an agreement with 4 new licensee Barzel Construction for utilizing 5 two acres of vacant land at the former Baxter 6 Terrace for the storage of trucks and trailers for 7 twelve months at the rate of six thousand dollars 8 per month. 9 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: I make a motion. 10 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: We have a motion by 11 Baez. Can I get a second? 12 COMMISSIONER COSTA: I'll second. 13 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Seconded by 14 Commissioner Costa. 15 MR. CIRILO: On the motion, 16 Commissioner Baez. 17 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 18 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Costa. 19 COMMISSIONER COSTA: Yes. 20 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 21 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 22 MR. CIRILO: Chairman Osborne. 23 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Yes. 24 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 25 The next resolution, Commissioners, is 45 1 a consenting resolution which we approved via 2 e-mail. It reads 06-05 that the NHA Board of 3 Commissioners authorize the Newark Housing Authority 4 to file an application with the Local Finance Board 5 for proposed issuance of housing revenue bonds in an 6 amount not to exceed thirty-three million dollars. 7 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: I need a mover. 8 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I will move 9 it. 10 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Second. 11 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Commissioner Baez 12 second. 13 MR. CIRILO: On the motion, 14 Commissioner Baez. 15 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 16 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Costa. 17 COMMISSIONER COSTA: Yes. 18 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 19 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 20 MR. CIRILO: Chairman Osborne. 21 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Yes. 22 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 23 I am going to move to 06-06 which is 24 the final resolution. That the NHA Board of 25 Commissioners authorize a contract with Falak 46 1 Construction, Incorporated for the removal of 2 existing boilers, asbestos abatement and 3 installation of two new boilers at 500 Broad Street, 4 Newark, New Jersey 07102 in the amount of one 5 million two hundred eighty-nine thousand two hundred 6 fifty dollars. 7 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Can I get a mover 8 and second? 9 COMMISSIONER COSTA: I will move. 10 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Moved by 11 Commissioner Costa. Can I get a second? 12 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I will second. 13 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Seconded by 14 Commissioner Muhammad. 15 MR. CIRILO: On the motion, 16 Commissioner Baez. 17 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 18 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Costa. 19 COMMISSIONER COSTA: Yes. 20 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 21 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 22 MR. CIRILO: Chairman Osborne. 23 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Yes. 24 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 25 That concludes the agenda items, Mr. 47 1 Chairman. 2 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: At this time we are 3 going to move into new business. 4 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Mr. Chairman. 5 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Yes, Commissioner 6 Muhammad. 7 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Is Ms. Rodgers 8 here from the occupancy department? 9 MR. CIRILO: Yes, she is on. 10 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I just want to 11 ask her the first question. Being that we didn't 12 get a report for the last couple months, I seen one 13 for April. I am just trying to figure out the two 14 hundred thirty-seven move-ins that we had on this 15 report that says May and a hundred and eighty-six 16 move-outs. Does this reference one month or three 17 months since the last meeting? 18 MS. RODGERS: I'm sorry, good 19 afternoon, Commissioners. This is Sekina Rodgers. 20 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Good afternoon. 21 MS. RODGERS: My number for the total 22 number of move-outs is from January to June and 23 that's two hundred seventy-six move-ins and two 24 hundred twenty move-outs. 25 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: So that is 48 1 like for five months? 2 MS. RODGERS: Yes. 3 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Are we slow? 4 I thought we were rocking a couple months ago. Back 5 in March we were rocking. Is there a reason why we 6 slowed up? 7 MR. CIRILO: We will get, Commissioner 8 Muhammad, we will get to Richard. Maybe he can talk 9 a little bit about his Force Account program to see 10 if there is any changes to that flow. 11 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: It was like 12 last time we had a meeting I think April it was like 13 a hundred, averaging a hundred move-ins and now it 14 is like really dropped. She can't answer that? Ms. 15 Rodgers can't answer that because I know she was 16 working very hard. I just want to know why the drop 17 in the numbers. 18 MS. RODGERS: The numbers is more of 19 an operations issue. 20 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Okay, no 21 problem. 22 MS. RODGERS: Director Rouse might be 23 able to answer that. I just know -- I assign the 24 apartments when they are available. 25 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: All right. 49 1 Thank you. 2 Number two, what is going on, we have 3 twelve vacancies in Betty Shabazz and Oscar Miles we 4 have twelve vacancies. That is like the same 5 manager, right, they are combined. So it is like 6 twenty-four apartments. 7 MS. RODGERS: Yes, you are talking 8 about Oscar Miles and Betty Shabazz, yes. That's 9 community 3004, yes. 10 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Do you 11 understand why it has slowed up there? Are they 12 ready? It says vacancies. Are they ready or not 13 ready? 14 MS. RODGERS: I don't have anything 15 ready. 16 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: So none of 17 them are ready? 18 MS. RODGERS: Correct. 19 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Stephen Crane 20 buildings, the two elderlies has a combined 21 thirty-three. So that is the same situation that 22 would be operations also? 23 MS. RODGERS: Yes. 24 MR. CIRILO: I can answer that. 25 MR. ROUSE: Yes. 50 1 MR. CIRILO: So Ms. Rodgers' team is 2 in charge of placement. So she gets a report on 3 what is available once the unit has been turned over 4 so she can give us numerics or numerical or 5 statistics on ins and outs, but as it relates to why 6 the units are vacant for a certain period of time or 7 why there's a trend, that is more the operations 8 department. 9 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Okay, that's 10 no problem. I have no problem. I asked them that 11 question. 12 Can you tell me I see at Kretchmer you 13 did very well. There is a lot of less vacancies 14 there. Am I right, Ms. Rodgers, because I know that 15 was a big number at one time. 16 MS. RODGERS: Yes, we still have quite 17 a ways to go. 18 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Could you tell 19 me at Woodlawn Avenue how many apartments have -- 20 townhouses have you rented there, are you there? 21 MS. RODGERS: Yes, I'm sorry. I don't 22 remember off the top of my head. I believe it was 23 nine from the last time. 24 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: So only nine 25 apartments are rented there out of forty-seven 51 1 because I know the rest are not ready. 2 MS. RODGERS: Yes. 3 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Operations, 4 thank you, Ms. Rodgers. In operations I want to 5 know how did the rent drop to 83.6 percent. We were 6 doing like high nineties for the last three months. 7 Then I want to know is this the last three months or 8 just this one month? Is this the May report? I 9 don't know who is going to answer that. 10 MR. CIRILO: Mr. Rouse, are you on? 11 MR. ROUSE: Yes, I am on. That 12 question was actually sent to Sam to answer, but he 13 can't chime in on that. The eighty-six percent was 14 an overall number that included the deficient rent. 15 That was from our tenants prior to those three 16 months. We were in the high nineties and then when 17 they added in those who were deficient in their rent 18 for months, that brought that number down. 19 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: This is for 20 three months? 21 MR. ROUSE: Yes. 22 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: E.D., maybe 23 you can help answer this too. We know that the 24 federal government and state is giving out money for 25 people who are in arrears. Are we participating in 52 1 that landlords helping some of our tenants to get 2 some of this federal and state money that they could 3 bring their rent up-to-date so E.D. you might have 4 to answer that also. What is your thoughts on that? 5 MR. CIRILO: Unfortunately, our 6 clients have not been eligible for emergency 7 assistance because our clients have the right to get 8 a certification if there is a significant drop or 9 change in income. Our residents, our clients have 10 ten days to report it to us and their rent goes down 11 to either the minimum or zero and so in some 12 instances that is why when the emergency programs 13 come out, our residents are not eligible most of the 14 time. 15 We are hopeful that with the new 16 budget -- I'm sorry, with the new law being crafted 17 in Congress we can have access to some of those 18 funds because we are starting to have concerns. 19 Even though as I mentioned, Commissioner, that our 20 clients have the right to get the certification, we 21 are still seeing a drop in nonpayment of rents. I'm 22 sorry, an increase in nonpayment of rents. So we 23 recently met with the courts to figure out if 24 perhaps a repayment agreement is an option instead 25 of going to the courts and this way we can try to 53 1 lower the volume that the courts will be expecting 2 from the Housing Authority, but going back to your 3 original question none of the programs have been 4 accessible to our residents because of that clause 5 that they can always get their rent lowered to the 6 bare minimum in cases of losses in income. 7 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: So say 8 somebody at Century 21 is paying market rent. If 9 they lost their job or they have some kind of 10 difficulty, they can still recertify also, right? 11 MR. CIRILO: Yes, they have ten days 12 to let us know so that we can do it that next month 13 immediately of loss of income. 14 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Thank you. 15 I want to say to the tenants that is 16 listening, please listen what the E.D. just said. 17 If you have a problem, please see your manager and 18 recertify. Don't let yourself get behind. I just 19 wanted to say that. 20 Also, Pastor Rouse, I wanted to ask 21 you about the Betty Shabazz and the twelve at Betty 22 Shabazz and twelve at Oscar Miles. She said it 23 would be better off to ask you. 24 MR. ROUSE: Yes, in your report, 25 Commissioners, you see a report. They are reports 54 1 that may read vacant, but those units have been 2 assigned, but they have not completed the lease up 3 process yet. So you will probably see a lot of that 4 because we do have on my report that I have here we 5 do have a lot of units that have been assigned, but 6 the lease up process has not been completed. So in 7 the report it is going to still read vacant. 8 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: So whose fault 9 is that? Don't answer that question. How about -- 10 don't answer that question. 11 How about James C. White because I 12 know we are dealing with that. We have so many 13 deaths up there, but we still have fourteen. 14 MR. ROUSE: Yes, there is right now 15 there are six people who have been assigned already 16 so they are coming up. They have been assigned. 17 They have not completed lease up and a lot of times 18 it has to do with people getting their deposit in in 19 time and people finishing the paperwork. So that 20 has a lot to do with that lag in time for the 21 leasing up. 22 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: At Woodlawn 23 for instance, Woodlawn I think I heard the E.D. say 24 at the HUD secretary ceremony that we have nineteen 25 available, but we only have nine people living 55 1 there. Matter of fact, I know people personally 2 that is on that list so I am talking about what is 3 happening with the other ten apartments. If he said 4 we have nineteen and we only got nine people there, 5 what is going on there, can you tell me what is 6 going on? 7 MR. CIRILO: We can yield that to 8 Mr. Rouse. 9 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: What was that? 10 MR. ROUSE: Richard will probably have 11 to answer that. 12 MR. GODDIN: Good evening, everybody, 13 Rich Goddin here. The original plan was to use 14 COVID funding for those nineteen units at the very 15 beginning. The units were in very, very bad 16 disrepair so with the limited staffing that we could 17 have in each unit which was limited to two people, 18 it has slowed progress. However, we were spread out 19 amongst almost all, but five of those total 20 forty-seven units. Now that the restrictions have 21 lifted, we are actually less spread out and focused 22 more on more Local 55 folks working in individual 23 units to turn those units around now that we don't 24 have those spacing limitations. 25 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Rich, how many 56 1 do you have now available? How many do you have now 2 because when I came up to visit you guys back about 3 three or four months ago, it was nine available, but 4 the E.D. said it is nineteen. There is ten that 5 have to be vacant or something. I am trying to 6 figure out what is going on. 7 MR. GODDIN: Well, we have nine 8 occupied units currently. We have two units that 9 are going to be occupied or turned over to 10 management for occupancy by this coming Monday. And 11 the other units we are in any different level of 12 percentage of completion. So there is a spreadsheet 13 that was attached to the questionnaire that gives 14 unit by unit. 15 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I didn't get 16 it, Rich. I'm sorry, I don't have that. How many 17 are you close to closing out because I know you like 18 to say eighty-five percent, ninety percent because I 19 didn't get the spreadsheet. 20 MR. GODDIN: Okay, I will make sure I 21 send the spreadsheet to you first thing in the 22 morning so that way you have it to review the 23 numbers to put it in a little bit better 24 perspective. 25 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Make sure all the 57 1 Commissioners get a copy of that. 2 MR. GODDIN: Absolutely. Everybody 3 will have it first thing in the morning. 4 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Rich, don't go 5 anywhere. Tell me about the 55 where they are at 6 now, where are your main focus at now. 7 MR. GODDIN: Okay, well, there is not 8 actually a main focus with Local 55. 9 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I didn't mean 10 to cut you. My understanding you are almost out of 11 Stephen Crane, you are almost finishing out of 12 there, right? 13 MR. GODDIN: We were going to be 14 almost out of Stephen Crane and then we were 15 requested by the superintendent to come in and do 16 two units of flooring. So we will be hanging back 17 in that Stephen Crane. I'm sorry, did you say 18 Stephen Crane or James C. White? 19 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Stephen Crane. 20 MR. GODDIN: Yes, we made a huge 21 amount of progress, however, according to the Mod 22 list that we have, the one that was approved by HUD, 23 we were tackling the units that had been vacant for 24 the longer periods of time and then chipping away so 25 there are still units here that are on the Mod list, 58 1 they just haven't been vacant for these extreme 2 periods of time. 3 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: So where is 4 55, what buildings are you in James C. White? 5 MR. GODDIN: We are with our foreman 6 Roberto we are in Kretchmer Homes, Seth Boyden 7 elderly in all three high-rise. With Bob Yangleman 8 he is handling Woodlawn Village, Wynona Lipman 9 Gardens and then graffiti removal at vacant sites as 10 needed. Mike Nash our foreman is in charge of 11 Stephen Crane Village, Stephen Crane elderly, all 12 six high-rise buildings and also Claremont Townhomes 13 and our fourth foreman Jamal Muhammad is at Hyatt 14 Court and James C. White. 15 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Thank you. 16 MR. GODDIN: We have a total of 17 ironically right now a total of fifty-five Local 55 18 members working at Newark Housing. 19 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: So that is a 20 huge drop when you used to have seventy so it's 21 dropped. 22 MR. GODDIN: Yes, that is correct and 23 the reasons are mostly due to COVID collateral 24 issues. Whether it is the person or their family 25 member has had issues that they've had to deal with. 59 1 We have a couple of people that are out due to 2 Workers' Comp and some people opted to find other 3 employment or whatever their reasons were. So we 4 are at that point right now that is a roll of this 5 past -- 6 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: When we had 7 the past snow you were my hero so how about them 8 bills coming in, Chairman, I need -- we need all 9 need to see how much the bills. I heard we hit a 10 million dollars. 11 MR. GODDIN: In snow removal? 12 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. I think 13 we all need to see. We asked the E.D. to show us 14 the bills because I heard we hit a million dollars. 15 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Maybe we can have 16 that made available to us for the special meeting. 17 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Appreciate 18 that. Thanks, Rich, I appreciate you, man. 19 MR. GODDIN: You are very welcome, 20 sir. 21 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Section 8. 22 MR. CIRILO: Yes, sir, we have to Mr. 23 Knight available. 24 MR. KNIGHT: Good afternoon, 25 Commissioners. 60 1 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Mr. Duane, my 2 brother, how are you? 3 MR. KNIGHT: I am well, sir. 4 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Let me ask you 5 a question. You know I can't read the report and 6 tell what you did so could you tell me what you did 7 in the last thirty days, how many vouchers have you 8 given out? 9 MR. KNIGHT: Yes, sir. So for the 10 last thirty days for the month of June we issued a 11 hundred and seventy-eight vouchers to new applicants 12 from our wait list. So, yes, what happened is we 13 mailed out about five hundred applications to 14 applicants off of the wait list and then as we get 15 those in, we process them. So what happens 16 sometimes the applicants submit documentation and 17 they have to get additional documentation and all 18 that. So that is why there's a slight difference in 19 the actual number of applications we get back and 20 the number of vouchers we may issue right at that 21 time, but we did issue a hundred and seventy-eight 22 vouchers in the month of June. 23 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Being I 24 haven't seen you in public in ninety days, how many 25 have you issued, can you give me a ninety days? 61 1 MR. KNIGHT: Over the last ninety days 2 we issued about four hundred and six vouchers and 3 that's strictly from our wait list. 4 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: What is going 5 on with the status with the two hundred for the deal 6 we made, the resolution with the City of Newark for 7 the homeless? 8 MR. KNIGHT: I haven't had a very 9 recent update on that, but my understanding is they 10 had been working to get developers up and moving to 11 kind of get the sites prepared and developed and all 12 of that. They were looking at a completion date of 13 early 2022. 14 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Okay, that's 15 good. Now, tell me about project vouchers. That 16 don't generally come in front of us. Say I have a 17 building hypothetically with two hundred units and 18 who do I come to if I want seventy-five project 19 vouchers, how do I do that? 20 MR. KNIGHT: Typically, how project 21 based vouchers have been awarded by the NHA is they 22 are done through a competitive process where a 23 request for proposal is -- request for proposal are 24 issued to invite proposals from developers. 25 Similarly, like the development side does it and so 62 1 what developers submit, developers or owners of 2 existing projects because they could either be new 3 construction or units that they are proposing that 4 they are going to bring in through rehabilitation 5 and existing units that they are asking to 6 projectize. 7 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I don't mean 8 to cut you. So E.D. don't go nowhere. E.D., we 9 don't vote on that, do we? 10 MR. CIRILO: Yes, it is approved, yes. 11 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: What did you 12 say? 13 MR. CIRILO: The answer is yes, that 14 needs to be approved by the Board. Every project 15 based voucher contract needs Board approval by 16 regulation. 17 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: We haven't 18 seen none in two years. I haven't. 19 MR. CIRILO: Yeah, because we haven't 20 really extended any new approvals. I know that 21 there were some that were approved prior to my 22 tenure that are still now being housed. 23 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Is that the 24 ones over there by Somerset and all that. 25 MR. CIRILO: Yes, correct, that was -- 63 1 MR. KNIGHT: Yes. 2 MR. CIRILO: That was 2015 so I asked 3 Mr. Night to make sure that he performed an 4 assessment of any new vouchers -- of any capacity 5 issues that might arise since we have all these 6 vouchers that were approved by the previous 7 administration out there that we are committed to, 8 but we have to make sure we keep track of them as 9 the units are not yet ready. 10 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Back to Duane. 11 Like, for instance, what's the one on Clinton 12 Avenue. 13 MR. KNIGHT: Shalom Towers. 14 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: There is a lot 15 of apartments available there. What happens when 16 the landlord is not performing at the level that we 17 think they should be performing at, how do we know, 18 are we checking behind that, are we inspecting that? 19 MR. KNIGHT: Like the regular Section 20 8 program all those sites and those projects get 21 inspected on an annual basis and are subject to 22 quality control inspections and all of that or 23 tenant complaint inspections, you know, if filed by 24 the tenant. It is just the thing that particular 25 site it is just one that is hard to fill. It is not 64 1 that they -- it's not that applicants aren't 2 selected for it, but it is just not highly desirable 3 by a lot of our applicants so we get people turning 4 it down. 5 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: It used to be 6 a nice building. I remember when it opened in the 7 early seventies it used to be a nice building. Do 8 you have any idea maybe you can come up with ideas 9 maybe we have to put a little more pressure on them 10 or something like that. 11 MR. KNIGHT: I think there's -- that's 12 definitely I think, you know, Mr. Cirilo has 13 expressed interest in looking at a good -- to just 14 make sure our project based operators are up to 15 mark. 16 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: The other one 17 is Lincoln Towers, but that is all senior citizen, 18 right? 19 MR. KNIGHT: Yes, Lincoln Towers is a 20 hundred percent senior, all two hundred and six, but 21 that site has had a lot of attrition because -- 22 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 23 MR. KNIGHT: Without getting into 24 details. 25 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Any news on 65 1 the American Care the E.D. was talking about. They 2 were going to give out a lot of vouchers. Have you 3 heard anything about American Care? They were 4 talking about giving out fifty thousand new 5 vouchers. 6 MR. KNIGHT: I think the agency was 7 awarded a small amount of vouchers. I mean I think 8 about a hundred and one emergency vouchers, but they 9 came with a fair amount of -- strings may not be the 10 right word, but the idea was that those vouchers are 11 to be targeted to the hard to house homeless and it 12 is about -- so the agency partners with the homeless 13 provider and in this case the office of homeless 14 services, the City's office of homeless to ensure 15 that those vouchers are targeted to helping people 16 that are homeless. 17 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Because I 18 remember the language was I was talking to the E.D. 19 homeless or almost homeless. That was the language, 20 right, Victor? 21 MR. KNIGHT: Right, but it ties 22 services to -- the idea is that your service people 23 that -- yeah, almost homeless, exactly, because it 24 also had people that, you know, people fleeing like 25 domestic violence situation and all that. I prefer 66 1 the word kind of vulnerable. Some of the clients 2 that are vulnerable. 3 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I was praying 4 for five thousand, I'm not lying, you know. 5 MR. KNIGHT: Indeed we do need it. 6 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I was really 7 praying for five thousand to bring that list down. 8 Okay, thank you Section 8. 9 My next question is to our general 10 counsel. 11 MR. KNIGHT: You're welcome, sir. 12 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Are you there? 13 MR. MENA: Yes, I'm here. 14 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: We cancelled 15 two meetings. What is the rule because I am reading 16 the HUD rules and the HUD rules say we have to have 17 a meeting every thirty days to hear the reports 18 because I remember it was like we cancelled a 19 meeting because of a resolution, but if I am reading 20 it right maybe I am reading it wrong, it's more 21 about making sure we read the reports that we get 22 the reports. 23 MR. MENA: I did my research and there 24 is no requirement of a monthly public meeting. 25 That's because the Housing Authority is created 67 1 through City Ordinance by State Statute and then the 2 founding documents. The bylaws address the Board 3 meetings and then they have to be done pursuant to 4 the Open Public Meetings Act. 5 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I know that, 6 but with HUD every thirty days we have to make 7 public, a Board of Commissioners have to make public 8 the report, not so much the resolution, but the 9 report that you give us so you are saying I'm wrong? 10 MR. MENA: I couldn't find anything 11 about a HUD requiring monthly open public meetings, 12 no, that I couldn't find. 13 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I will send it 14 to you. 15 MR. MENA: All right. 16 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I'm good, 17 Chairman, thank you so much. 18 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Is there any other 19 questions or concerns amongst the Commissioners? 20 Mr. Director, you want to make a 21 motion to adjourn the meeting? 22 MR. CIRILO: Yes, Mr. Chairman. 23 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Can I get a motion 24 to adjourn? 25 COMMISSIONER COSTA: I will make a 68 1 motion to adjourn the meeting. 2 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Commissioner Costa. 3 Can I get a second. 4 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I will give 5 you a second, Chairman. 6 CHAIRMAN OSBORNE: Commissioner 7 Muhammad. 8 I want to thank everyone for coming 9 out this evening. 10 MR. MENA: All in favor? None 11 opposed. 12 (Whereupon, everyone had voted in 13 favor.) 14 MR. MENA: Thank you. 15 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. Thank 16 you, Mr. Chairman. 17 18 (Whereupon, the proceedings were 19 concluded at 6:25 p.m.) 20 21 22 23 24 25 69 1 C E R T I F I C A T E 2 3 I, ANTHONY HOFMANN, a Certified Court 4 Reporter, and Notary Public within and for the State 5 of New Jersey, certify that the foregoing is a true 6 and accurate transcript of the stenographic notes of 7 said witness(es)who were first duly sworn by me, on 8 the date and place hereinbefore set forth. 9 10 11 12 ___________________________ ANTHONY HOFMANN, C.C.R. 13 LICENSE NO. XIO1854 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25