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Senior Citizen 2021/11/18MINUTES SENIOR CITIZEN COMMISSION November 18, 2021 COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: STAFF PRESENT: Janet Brown, Chair Wendy Hernandez, Community Services Supervisor Shirley McCracken, Vice -Chair Beth Lapkowski, Administrative Assistant Victor "Vic" Real Ray Shah Paul Vicknair COMMISSIONERS ABSENT Nicholas Yagar AGENDA ACTION TAKEN 1. CALL TO ORDER: Chair Brown called the meeting to order at 2:02 p.m. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Chair Brown led the Commission in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. 3. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES: Chair Brown presented the minutes of the September 16, 2021 meeting. Motion by Vice -Chair McCracken, second by Commissioner Vicknair; minutes were approved unanimously. 4. PUBLIC COMMENTS: None. NEW BUSINESS: A. Update on Affordable Housing Programs for Seniors — Wendy Hernandez noted that some questions had arisen regarding affordable housing programs for seniors, so she invited Andy Nogal, Community Investment Manager from the Community Development Department, to come and provide additional information to the Commission. Andy Nogal distributed a handout to each commissioner and provided an overview of the services they provide for all residents, including homeless, seniors and special needs. He reviewed both preservation projects and new construction projects that they have been involved with. He also reviewed the process for filling vacancies from the interest list for seniors, when units become available. He explained the live/work preference, which means residents and seniors who work in the city get priority before non-residents who work in the city. Commissioner Shah asked how many seniors are in the city; Andy stated that 11.1 percent of Anaheim's population is 65 or older. Andy referred the commissioners to the website address to apply for Affordable Housing and also provided an application for interest list enrollment for those who don't have internet access. He noted there is an income requirement to qualify. Commissioner Shah asked if there was a referral list for luxury housing; Andy noted that they only have lists for affordable housing. Commissioner Shah suggested there should be a list of housing available regardless of whether it is considered affordable or not as their living situations can change. Andy stated they will look into that, and Wendy Hernandez explained some of the services provided by the City of Anaheim Active Older Adult Program. Commissioner Real asked whether any of these properties were rent -to -own; Andy stated they are not, but he noted there are no age restrictions to homeownership. Commissioner Real asked if there are any programs available to help seniors purchase homes; Andy stated there are rental assistance programs, but Senior Citizen Commission November 18, 2021 Page 2 AGENDA ACTION TAKEN not for purchasing. He explained the programs that were available through federal funding to assist during COVID. Commissioner Real also inquired about any preference for seniors who are also veterans. Andy explained that there is some preference under Section 8, and in some cases they try to prioritize them in developments. Chair Brown asked if the Senior Commissioners could be invited to any opening of housing projects in the future; Andy stated that and he will bring development plans to them so they can see what is in progress as well as invite them to the grand opening events. Commissioner Real asked if Andy would be willing to come and speak to the veterans at the American Legion; Andy stated he would be happy to do so. Chair Brown thanked Andy for his presentation. 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: A. Update on Scam Stopper Seminars — Wendy Hernandez reported that seminars have been scheduled at the Downtown Anaheim Community Center on Wednesday, December 8 at 10:00 a.m. and at Brookhurst Community Center on Thursday, December 14 at 10:00 a.m. They are finalizing the flyer and will place it in the Utilities newsletter, it will be included on the City's social media sites and she will send it to the commissioners for them to share as well. Both Anaheim Public Utilities and the Police Department will be presenting at the seminar and they have reserved the Assembly Hall here at the Community Center. Chair Brown asked to have the Senior Citizen Commission listed as co-sponsors of the seminar. Chair Brown asked if they could distribute the flyers at the grab-& go food giveaways; Wendy stated so long as they don't have a quorum they can do so. Chair Brown also inquired about putting an announcement in the Anaheim Bulletin. 7. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION ACTION ITEMS: None. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS: Commissioner Vicknair reported that he attended the Ribbon Cutting of the Korean War Memorial on Veterans' Day and he brought the brochure to share with the Commissioners. Chair Brown reported that she has been attending the Anaheim Public Library Speaker Seminars, and last night it was about the remnants of Anaheim's Chinatown, which was very interesting. She announced a free holiday sing -a -long at the Pearson Park Amphitheatre on December 11. Lastly, she announced that Vice -Chair McCracken had a tree planted in honor of her service to the City of Anaheim at Eucalyptus Park on Saturday, November 13. Commissioner Real noted that the information contained in the Utilities insert is not received in time. He also believes the Senior Commission should have better representation in the City magazine. Wendy Hernandez noted that the Community Services publications come out quarterly and they do their best to include timely information. Also for Public Utilities, their inserts are published every two months, so sometimes the information may have passed when it's received by residents. Commissioner Real also stated that the Anaheim.net site does not have information regarding the work of the Senior Citizen Commission. Wendy noted that city staff are working on cleaning up the webpage. Vice -Chair McCracken stated that they do not receive copies of the Anaheim magazine at residential facilities where utilities are paid along with the rent and not paid directly to the city. Chair Brown added that the AUSD has an AIM Mentoring Program with students working in the City and they do a fabulous job. Commissioner Real noted that Laguna Woods had a Woodstock festival with music and he would like to see something of that sort here. Wendy Hernandez reported that the Anaheim Community Services Winter 2022 Activity Guide will be coming in the mail, and that in 2022 the Department will be resuming their in -person Volunteer Recognition Luncheon. Senior Citizen Commission November 18, 2021 Page 3 AGENDA ACTION TAKEN 9. ADJOURNMENT: Chair Brown adjourned the meeting at 3:29 p.m. NEXT MEETING: The next meeting will be held on Thursday, January 20, 2022, at 2:00 p.m.