Houma-Terrebonne Housing Authority
Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting
June 29, 2023
Minutes
The regular meeting for the Houma-Terrebonne Housing Authority was held June 29, 2023at 3:30 p.m. Terrebonne Parish Main Library, 151 Library Drive, Houma, Louisiana.
Vice Chairperson Picou called the regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners to order at 3:30 p.m. followed by the Invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance. Vice Chairperson Picou stated that this is the regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners.
Upon roll call, the following Commissioners were recorded as present:
Commissioners: G. Burke, L. Vauclin, D. Picou, and D. Sherman
Absent: C. Hebert
Also present: Mrs. Nikita Gilton, Executive Director, Ms. Naquada Jefferson, Assistant Executive Director; Mrs. Tiffany Stokes, Housing Supervisor; Ms. Tamara Matthews, Accounting, Mrs. Lisa Stewart, Housing Manager A, Mr. Brandon Decuir, Legal, Mr. Chris Jones, Legal, & Mrs. Kelli Varnado, TPCG.
Continuing with the agenda, Item #4, Order of the Day/ Approval of Agenda; Mrs. Gilton said the agenda should proceed as published.
Continuing with the agenda, Item #5, Public Comment; Vice Chairperson Picou said there are two speaker cards. As he calls their name, stand up and they have three minutes to discuss what they want.
Vice Chairperson Picou called upon Juli Barnes. Mrs. Barnes said they probably know the answer to this but she has not been here for a minute. She said she is just wondering about Bayou Towers building in gaining access to some personal belongings in her apartment.
Vice Chairperson Picou asked Mrs. Gilton if she had an update. He said she probably does not because they do not have an update on that. He asked Mrs. Gilton if she can give an explanation of when they can do it. Mrs. Gilton said after speaking with legal, she want to speak with the Chief afterwards, in regards to it. They are working on something. She just does not want to say and it doesnt go through. She is not sure if its going to be approved or not but she is working on something.
Mrs. Barnes asked if a decision has been made as to what is going to happen to that building. Mrs. Gilton said the Parish did an environmental review because she did a Section 18 application for a demo dispo. It has not been signed off by HUD yet. She has not received anything back but the plan is to demolish Bayou Towers. Vice Chairperson Picou said at a later date, they will be able to give her more information. As they get it, they will get it to them. Mrs. Barnes said the plan is to allow people to get their personal things before the building goes down. Vice Chairperson Picou said yes. They have to clear it with everybody, the insurance company, to get in there. As soon as they get this decision, Nikki will give her a call.
Mrs. Barnes said thank you so much. Vice Chairperson Picou said yes maam. She said she appreciates it.
Vice Chairperson Picou called upon Mrs. Campanella Antoine. Mrs. Antoine said her concern is September, the FEMA trailer, they are pushing for them to be out. They are applying for the Section 8 tomorrow. They are going on a waiting list. What is going to happen if they are not in the list to be housed with the voucher or something before September? Vice Chairperson Picou asked Mrs. Gilton if she can update on the voucher. Mrs. Gilton said after the last board meeting Mrs. Varnado reached out. What she did was, she had preference for any homeless Houma Terrebonne Parish residents. If they do apply for the voucher, they get preference points. Mrs. Varnado said that is correct. Mrs. Gilton said if they dont mind, she can call on Kelli to elaborate exactly how it works because she does not really know the voucher program, so she doesnt want to tell them anything wrong. Mrs. Antoine said yes, please. Mrs. Gilton said Mrs. Kelli can probably answer that question better. Mrs. Varnado said yes, she is absolutely right, everyone that applies will be placed on a waiting list and it is by preference. The parish has a few preferences but they did establish a preference for anyone that was displaced that was in public housing. Again, you will be placed on the waiting list. It is not emergency housing program. She does not have the answer as to what will happen between September and the time the applicant gets the voucher. Mrs. Antoine asked, so they are not guaranteed to get them by September. Mrs. Varnado said no. Mrs. Antoine asked so what are they supposed to do? What are they supposed to do if they are getting on a list? They are waiting. If they have to get out of the FEMA trailers, where are they going to go? What are they going to do? Mrs. Gilton said she does not have that answer. Vice Chairperson Picou said he does not have that answer either. Mrs. Varnado said the only answer she can give is she was verbally told by FEMA that no one would be ruled out to homelessness. Vice Chairperson Picou said he heard that too. Mrs. Varnado said that is her understanding. She does not have anything in writing that states that. Mrs. Antoine said they come in twice a month to check to see if you are doing what you have to do. They told her she was valid until September. They told her they were doing the Section 8. She told them she knew and that she is doing what she has to do to secure her somewhere to go. The point is, you still have to go on a waiting list for Section 8, when they have a voucher that expired already but they still have to go on a new waiting list. They are not guaranteed to get somewhere to stay. Vice Chairperson Picou asked if there were any answers for her. Mrs. Varnado said she recommend that maybe they have a FEMA representative be at the next housing authority meeting. Vice Chairperson Picou said he was going to suggest that. He asked Mrs. Gilton to make a note of that. Vice Chairperson Picou said to Mrs. Antoine that they were going to try to get some answers for her.
Continuing with the agenda, Item #6, Approval of Minutes from May 25, 2023 Regular board Motioned by Commissioner Sherman, seconded by Commissioner Vauclin. Vice Chairperson Picou called for the vote:
UPON ROLL CALL THERE WAS RECORDED
YEAS: G. Burke, L. Vauclin, D. Picou, and D. Sherman
NAYS: None
ABSTAINING: None
ABSENT: C. Hebert Motion carried
Continuing with the agenda, Item #7, Bills and Communications, Item #7A, Approval of Pay Vouchers for the period of May 13, 2023-June 16, 2023; Motioned by Commissioner Sherman, seconded by Commissioner Vauclin. Vice Chairperson Picou called for the vote:
UPON ROLL CALL THERE WAS RECORDED
YEAS: G. Burke, L. Vauclin, D. Picou, and D. Sherman
NAYS: None
ABSTAINING: None
ABSENT: C. Hebert Motion carried
Continuing with the agenda, Item #7B, Monthly Financials-March 2023; Item #7B1, Memo from Fee Accountant to Board of Commissioners; Item #7B2, Balance Sheet for March 2023; Item #7B3, Income and Expense Statements for March 2023; Item #7B4, Public Housing Financial Assessment Score for the month of March 2023; Item#7B5, Bank Reconciliation.
Continuing with the agenda, Item #7C, Monthly Financials-April 2023; Item #7C1, Memo from Fee Accountant to Board of Commissioners; Item #7C2, Balance Sheet for April 2023; Item #7C3, Income and Expense Statements for April 2023; Item #7C4, Public Housing Financial Assessment Score for the month of April2023; Item #7C5, Bank Reconciliation.
Continuing with the agenda, Item #8, Report of Secretary/ Executive Director -Agency Update; Mrs. Gilton said there were a few things she wanted to elaborate on and highlight.
Mrs. Gilton reported they have mediation for SC July 14th with their storm attorney. They are going to New Orleans to see if they can recover the funds for SC from the insurance company. She also wanted to mention that the Chief Travis Theriot is there and Councilman John Amedee is present.
Councilman John Amedee introduced himself. He is a Councilman of Terrebonne Parish. He is currently serving as Vice Chair. He represents the district in the Northern part of the Parish, basically Coteau Road to the Thibodaux line with the exception of the middle part of Gray, which is Carlee Harding. He said he just wanted to thank them and commend them for the work they are doing such difficult time. He can relate because they deal with the federal government on a lot of thing, both with his work and parish government and its just stress. Again, he said he just wanted to come out, hear what was going on, make a relationship so in the future if there is ever anything they can do, please reach out. They want to make sure they are getting their citizens back in the parish and back into their homes.
Chief Travis Theriot introduced himself. He is the new Chief for the Houma Police Department but not new to the agency. He has been there 24 years. He thinks most of them know him. He wants to thank them for serving the board and everything they do. He thanked all of them that came out and attended. He said some things they may see different from the department, not really different but they were trying to push and get back to more community policing. They want to get involved with Senator Circle, the highrise, things like that, whenever restored of course. They want to be very transparent. If they have a problem with the department, come in and talk to him. He is more than happy to meet with them. If they call and he doesnt return their call, its because he is not in that day. He said if there are issues in the housing development, if he can help them out, he will. He enjoys and wants to live in this community and that is the product he wants to give forward from their agency. The police department is their agency and here to serve them. No person is more important than the other. He is very transparent. He loves what he does. He loves his community that is why he wanted the position and he was blessed with it and he want to give back. He said if anyone needs anything from HPD going forward, he would love to sit down and talk to them. Mrs. Gilton said she would like to set up a meeting with him. She needs assistance with two items. She said she was going to reach out to him after the meeting to see if they can set something up. He said next week would be straight or tomorrow morning.
Mrs. Gilton said for the residents that are there she wanted to bring to their attention. When applying for the Section 8 voucher, Section 8 was requiring a letter from the housing authority, if they need that letter, reach out to Tiffany or Lisa and they can get you a copy so they can have it, once you apply you can give it to the Section 8 office, as well, so they can get those preference points for the voucher
Mrs. Precious Shephard said she thought they had already sent something. Mrs. Gilton said they did. They send the resident directory. They said they have to have the letter. Mrs. Gilton said it wont be a problem. Once you call and say hey, Im here. They will send the letter by email or however you want it. At first they were doing the resident directory and they need a letter for each person that applies that is why they are doing the letter. Mrs. Varnado said they do not have the have it in their hand tomorrow. Mrs. Stewart said it was her understanding that Section 8 was going to send a listing of all of the public housing residents in Terrebonne Parish that applied. Once Kandace send them the list, or whoever, then they would fill out the forms and forward them to them. Mrs. Varnado said thats fine. Mrs. Gilton said Kelli just said they do not have to have the letter in hand tomorrow so they can still send it once they let them know, they will send them the letter.
Continuing with the agenda, Item 9, Discussion and possible action and calling a public hearing relative to Resolution No. 1054-23 the Houma Terrebonne Housing Authoritys 2023 Annual Action and 5-Year Plans. Mrs. Gilton said they need a motion for it but she just want the board to know as well, she had to file for a two year extension for CFP 2020, 2019 or 2019, 2021because they are not using any of the capital fund right now to do any repairs or upgrades at Bayou Towers and Senator Circle. With Capital Fund, you have two years to obligate and after the two years you obligate, you have two years to spend. Motioned by Commissioner Vauclin, seconded Commissioner Sherman. Vice Chairperson Picou called for the vote:
UPON ROLL CALL THERE WAS RECORDED
YEAS: G. Burke, L. Vauclin, D. Picou, and D. Sherman
NAYS: None
ABSTAINING: None
ABSENT: C. Hebert Motion carried
Continuing with the agenda, Item 10, Consideration of settlement pursuant to mediation on June 1, 2023 with One Source. Vice Chairperson Picou asked if they had to go into executive session. Mrs. Gilton said yes. Motioned to go into executive session by Commissioner Sherman, seconded by Commissioner Vauclin. Vice Chairperson Picou called for the vote:
UPON ROLL CALL THERE WAS RECORDED
G. Burke: Yes
L. Vauclin: Yes
D. Picou: Yes
D. Sherman: Yes
C. Hebert: Absent Motion carried
Houma Terrebonne Housing Authority Board of Commissioners convened into Executive Session at 3:47 p.m.
Houma Terrebonne Housing Authority Board of Commissioners reconvened into regular session at 3:56 p.m.
Commissioner Sherman motioned to go back into regular business; seconded by Commissioner Vauclin. Vice Chairperson Picou called for the vote:
UPON ROLL CALL THERE WAS RECORDED
YEAS: G. Burke, L. Vauclin, D. Picou, and D. Sherman
NAYS: None
ABSTAINING: None
ABSENT: C. Hebert Motion carried
Vice Chairperson Picou said he needs a motion to give Nikki authority to settle our bill with One Source. Motioned by Commissioner Burke, seconded by Commissioner Sherman. Vice Chairperson Picou called for the vote:
UPON ROLL CALL THERE WAS RECORDED
YEAS: G. Burke, L. Vauclin, D. Picou, and D. Sherman
NAYS: None
ABSTAINING: None
ABSENT: C. Hebert Motion carried
Continuing with the agenda, Item 11, Commissioner Comments; Vice Chairperson Picou said he is going to say a little bit. He thanked Mr. Amadee for coming and introducing himself and being here. What he said means plenty. Mr. Amadee said thank you. Vice Chairperson Picou said people understand what is going on.
Vice Chairperson Picou said he has been knowing Travis for a long time. That is why when he got together with him, he wanted him to come and tell everybody who he was because maybe some people do not know who he is. He knows who he is and he know he can pick of the phone and call him and he is going to answer. Vice Chairperson Picou said so anyway, they are going to get with him with what they talked about. In a few minutes he will get with Nikki to get together with him.
Vice Chairperson Picou asked if there were any comments from the Commissioners.
Commissioner Vauclin said if anybody has anything to say, he would give them his time.
Jessica Domangue apologized for being late. She just walked in.
Commissioner Sherman said he appreciates the presents of the Chief of Police, Mr. Travis; Mr. Amadee, Councilman, Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government, Jessica Domangue, their regular, Kelli Varnado, and all the others, residents of Senator Circle and residents of Bayou Towers, and of the course their regular, the board and management staff. He appreciates have them at the meeting today;
Mr. Sherman said FEMA in Baton Rouge is responsible for TSA for the hurricane itself. That agency in Baton Rouge covers the entire South region of Louisiana. He is surprised himself that they have residents that are displaced or dont have housing.
Mr. Sherman said when the parish gave the mandatory evacuation from Terrebonne Parish. They should have evacuated with the Parish. Some people went to Texas and some went other places. It was recommended by FEMA that you could follow the bus to the evacuation site for Terrebonne Parish. Everyone that was with them in Monroe, Louisiana got help with the TSA program with FEMA. The Red Cross was not in charge there it was the Emergency Preparedness Center Agency. They were responsible for the management of the center. They set up all sorts of facilities for medical, veterans, food stamp, doctors; doctors were staying the facility, in the Monroe Civic Center. They even had an officer that come out to renew their personal ids and drivers license because they did not have any place in Terrebonne Parish. The officer from DOT came up to Monroe. They Mayor of Monroe set appointments with their agency up there to have picture ids made and renewal or change to the drivers license. The cost was picked up by one of these nonprofit agencies. He does not know if it was from Monroe or Terrebonne parish but the cost was picked up by them. The city of Monroe provided transportation to their facility. By time they were transported after 7 days of the 28th of August to the 4th of September they were transferred to Patterson, Louisiana. There the Red Cross was in charge of the assigned facility, the Civic Center, in Patterson. The Red Cross requested the FEMA agency from Baton Rouge to come to them and help the people who were having trouble on the air line, airways or on line, to register with FEMA. The day they came, they stayed all day and registered everyone that was evacuated with them, in Patterson, LA. Some people were displaced to other areas throughout the Morgan City, Amelia, area because they had too many people in that facility for the size. They were in the old Civic Center of Monroe Civic Center. They had other facilities on that site. They have over 300 people at that time. He said the FEMA agency from Baton Rouge recorded everyone that was there in Patterson, Syracuse facility, Amelia, where the fire marshal separated them out because it was too many; it was overcrowded. Commissioner Sherman said they want to stress that the agency, FEMA, helped everybody there to get filed with whatever you lost; if you didnt have housing, most people did get housing. He is appalled at this point that residents have not been helped. They were told that a lot of residents that should have been evacuated with the Parish did not follow through. Some were disobedient. They chose to stay in the facility. He said this needs to be clear too. He said they need to find out because he has the emergency preparedness old copy, he keeps those, when a mandatory evacuation is made, you have to go. You do not have time to be thinking about if you are staying in the building, you are supposed to go. He stayed on the public address system from the night of the 27th, he still has it on his telephone, the notice that came from emergency preparedness as a warning and then about the imminent danger that was headed for them. They were notified 76 hours in advance. He asked the Councilman to check on what does mandatory evacuation mean. He told them if he had to call the police, HPD, he would and go door to door to find out who is still in there. They have to go. He said the building was going to be rocking. Some people were disobedient, from what he is hearing, they decided to stay. He said that is not right. If a mandatory evacuation was ordered, it should be mandatory. That means they have to leave. He was told, as he followed through with a lot of the residents that were displaced with them in Patterson and separated and sent over to those other places that some of the people who were seen by the parish officials, a bus would take them from Houma and take them to Syracuse facility in Morgan City area because it was mandatory. Mandatory means you have to go. No one was allowed to be here in Terrebonne Parish. The Sheriff Office and HPD helped to get those people on the buses. In the beginning they should have known that when a mandatory order is made, that means you have to go. He said they want to stress that they had help, if they had follow through. They had the privilege if they wanted to ride behind the bus to the facility that would have registered with every organization or agency that was available. He said they have everything available to them. They even set up laundry facilities to take care of them there. Food was contracted out. Even in Monroe, Louisiana, they were well taken care of while you were away from home. They Mayor said, he said he got chance to chat with him, they had a tremendous catastrophic situation. He wanted them to feel home. Commissioner Sherman said what is saying is by now, all these people that are displaced; there is no excuse for that. They could have gotten help. He went online. He got online from the say Mrs. Tiffany Stokes told him that it is not likely they will be going back to Bayou Towers. He got on his telephone and called, he said he just got online and went to usa.gov. Usa.gov was picking up every agency in the United States that could help you. He said he went through all the chains. He found housing all the way in Atlanta, Georgia, all over Alabama, Mississippi and Texas. There were Section 8 houses available. He said it did not cause anything to go to another parish.
Three people were talking at one time. Vice Chairperson Picou hit the gavel. Commissioner Sherman said he was finished.
Vice Chairperson Picou asked if there were any more comments.
Continuing with the agenda, Item 12, Next Regular Board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, July 27, 2023 3:30 p.m., Terrebonne Parish Main Library Continuing with the agenda,
Continuing with the agenda, Item #13, Adjournment; Motioned by Commissioner Sherman, seconded by Commissioner Vauclin. Vice Chairperson Picou called for the vote:
UPON ROLL CALL THERE WAS RECORDED
YEAS: G. Burke, L. Vauclin, D. Picou, and D. Sherman
NAYS: None
ABSTAINING: None
ABSENT: C. Hebert Motion carried
Meeting adjourned at 4:09 p.m.
9106763 8/1/23