Editor's note: This story has been corrected. The Monroe Housing Authority's assistant executive director is Pat Brandenburg.
MONROE - After more than a year of consideration, including meetings with the Monroe Housing Authority and members of the Redevelopment Authority, Monroe Common Council members came to a consensus Wednesday that a Community Development Authority is currently unnecessary.
Aldermen heard public comment from Cindy Landsberg, executive director of Monroe Housing Authority, and assistant Pat Brandenburg, as well as a presentation from Dan Lindstrom, planning and community development manager with planning company Vierbicher Associates Inc.
Landsberg, who has criticized the development of an umbrella authority overseeing both the current housing authority and the redevelopment authority, pointed to a history of other municipal mergers between authorities not working and high costs if the name of the housing authority required changes.
Lindstrom said a survey from 2016-17 identified an action plan was needed and that Monroe's non-active RDA has left the community underutilizing its potential. If a CDA was created, he noted the housing authority could remain unaffected, though as a subcommittee of the CDA, which Landsberg and Brandenburg have pushed against. Lindstrom said because the HA does positive work, planners wanted to ensure it was left operating as usual.
"It's a great thing they're doing," Lindstrom said.
But what the HA does and what it is allowed to do per law are separate, he noted, which is why the CDA could help bolster a variety of city-wide development. Currently, the HA maintains the sole responsibility of running Churchill Woods Apartments through funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Landsberg noted the 90-unit facility continually has a waiting list and provides apartments to people with limited income.
Alderman Michael Boyce said the switch to a CDA was unnecessary because the city has the RDA, which does not meet or exercise its authority regularly, to oversee these matters.
"We're playing a shell game here," Boyce said. "Let's focus on the powers we already have in place."
Fellow council member Chris Beer said while the impact the HA has on Monroe is positive, there are areas that need to be addressed throughout the city, like eliminating blight and providing more affordable housing options.
"Yeah, leave the housing authority alone," Beer said. "They're doing a great job, but we need to help the rest of the city too."
Lindstrom indicated CDAs can be successful if the group focuses on both housing and redevelopment by actively pursuing grants and installing a dedicated director to oversee operations. Subcommittees would address particular areas of need rather than the CDA "trying to have a hand in everything," he said, which has been a factor in the failure of other CDAs referenced by Landsberg.
Boyce recommended the city identify and recruit community leaders who can create change through the RDA and remove current members. Council member Tom Miller agreed that the RDA needed to be examined. Alderman Jeff Newcomer proposed action be taken rather than maintaining the status quo.
"We have to do something," Newcomer said. "Try to do something in this town rather than sit back and just say there's no housing."
MONROE - After more than a year of consideration, including meetings with the Monroe Housing Authority and members of the Redevelopment Authority, Monroe Common Council members came to a consensus Wednesday that a Community Development Authority is currently unnecessary.
Aldermen heard public comment from Cindy Landsberg, executive director of Monroe Housing Authority, and assistant Pat Brandenburg, as well as a presentation from Dan Lindstrom, planning and community development manager with planning company Vierbicher Associates Inc.
Landsberg, who has criticized the development of an umbrella authority overseeing both the current housing authority and the redevelopment authority, pointed to a history of other municipal mergers between authorities not working and high costs if the name of the housing authority required changes.
Lindstrom said a survey from 2016-17 identified an action plan was needed and that Monroe's non-active RDA has left the community underutilizing its potential. If a CDA was created, he noted the housing authority could remain unaffected, though as a subcommittee of the CDA, which Landsberg and Brandenburg have pushed against. Lindstrom said because the HA does positive work, planners wanted to ensure it was left operating as usual.
"It's a great thing they're doing," Lindstrom said.
But what the HA does and what it is allowed to do per law are separate, he noted, which is why the CDA could help bolster a variety of city-wide development. Currently, the HA maintains the sole responsibility of running Churchill Woods Apartments through funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Landsberg noted the 90-unit facility continually has a waiting list and provides apartments to people with limited income.
Alderman Michael Boyce said the switch to a CDA was unnecessary because the city has the RDA, which does not meet or exercise its authority regularly, to oversee these matters.
"We're playing a shell game here," Boyce said. "Let's focus on the powers we already have in place."
Fellow council member Chris Beer said while the impact the HA has on Monroe is positive, there are areas that need to be addressed throughout the city, like eliminating blight and providing more affordable housing options.
"Yeah, leave the housing authority alone," Beer said. "They're doing a great job, but we need to help the rest of the city too."
Lindstrom indicated CDAs can be successful if the group focuses on both housing and redevelopment by actively pursuing grants and installing a dedicated director to oversee operations. Subcommittees would address particular areas of need rather than the CDA "trying to have a hand in everything," he said, which has been a factor in the failure of other CDAs referenced by Landsberg.
Boyce recommended the city identify and recruit community leaders who can create change through the RDA and remove current members. Council member Tom Miller agreed that the RDA needed to be examined. Alderman Jeff Newcomer proposed action be taken rather than maintaining the status quo.
"We have to do something," Newcomer said. "Try to do something in this town rather than sit back and just say there's no housing."