Community Outreach Partnership Center (COPC)

Working Group on Housing Meeting

 Tuesday, November 13, 2001, 12:00-1:30

2309 Cathedral of Learning

MINUTES

                       I.      Introductions, Announcements, and Minutes

In attendance:

Evelyn Stafford, CART; Steve Paikin, Fair Housing Partnership; Andrew Aurand, Sungsoo Hwang, GSPIA; Michael E. Whitelock, HUD; Eli Shorak, Office of the Vice Chancellor; Kathy Boykowycz, OCC; Joanna Beres, Megan Bursic, Kelly Hoffman, OPDC; Stephanie Schoenberg, Tracy Soska, John Wilds, COPC Staff

                 II.      Oakland Housing Summit

The first focus group of students was held on November 7, 2001 from 7:00 to 8:30pm.  Nine students participated (four males, five females; eight caucasion, one Asian).  Critical issues that came out of the focus group included neighborhood safety and absentee landlords.  A summary of the transcriptions is attached.  For a full report contact Kelly Hoffman at (412) 621-7863.

Upcoming focus groups include:

·        International Students – 6:00pm, November 28, 2001 at OPDC

·        Central Oakland Homeowners – 6:00pm, December 4, 2001 at OPDC

              III.      Fair Housing for International Students

The Fair Housing Partnership of Greater Pittsburgh (FHP) is a nonprofit organization that addresses fair housing issues serving Southwestern Pennsylvania.  The organization seeks to promote fair housing through collaboration on education, monitoring and research, legislative reform, testing and enforcement and community involvement.  Steve Paikin, Executive Director of FHP, discussed opportunities for partnerships with COPC.  Steve asked to be involved with the International Students Focus Group and would like assistance with FHP’s International Advisory Group.  Steve discussed FHP’s commitment to use Oakland as a testing area for fair housing partnerships.  

               IV.      Updates

Ø                  Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference on Lead-Safe Housing and Healthy Homes

Stephanie attended this conference at the end of October. 

Moira Singer, Executive Director of Lead Safe Pittsburgh, David Piposzar, Environmental Health Administrator of ACHD, and Melissa Taylor, Executive Director of PbX, Inc. have all expressed interest in assisting the Working Group with developing healthy homes standards.  They will be invited to a future meeting.

COPC/HRC Community Center

The office is located on 235 Atwood Street, under OBID and OPDC.  Furniture has been donated from University Surplus.  Stephanie will be staffing the office on a part-time basis.  OCC and OPDC will also be using the space.

   Code Enforcement Meeting

The Code Enforcement Meeting was held on Wednesday, October 17, 2001.  There seems to be miscommunication within and between various city departments.  Kathy Boykowycz expressed her frustration with receiving conflicting messages from city staff.  The group will invite the health and building inspectors to a future meeting.

                  V.      Other Business

Ann Sinsheimer, Associate Professor of the School of Law, has two students interested in interning for the Law Clinic.

 The Working Group on Housing will meet the second Tuesday of each month from 12:00 to 1:30pm in 2017C Cathedral of Learning, unless otherwise noted. 

 The meeting scheduled for December 11, 2001 has been cancelled.

 The next meeting will by Tuesday, January 8, 2002.