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Home My WebLink About2020-07-21 CorrespondenceItem Number: 6.a. J uly 21, 2020 AT TAC HM E NT S: D escription J ay Honohan: T hanks Item Number: 6.b. J uly 21, 2020 AT TAC HM E NT S: D escription Erin I rish: Weapons-f ree council meetings Kellie Fruehling From: Sent: To: Cc: Subject: Dear Council members: Pat bowen <patjbowen@gmail.com> Monday, July 20, 2020 2:18 PM Council City of Iowa City; Eleanor M. Dilkes Gun safety anyone? --it �'6 Late. Handouts Distributed 7-20- 2-,0 (Date) Please consider reversing your decision to repeal an ordinance, passed in 2011 which prohibits guns in city buildings and city buses. Iowans are demanding our leaders support stronger gun laws by a 3 to 1 margin. (From a recent survey by Everytown for Gun Safety) The bill the governor signed, HF 2502, is a dangerous bill, with no regard to what Iowans want. I am saddened that we are unable to govern ourselves at a local level. It is crazy our local leaders cannot keep their citizens safe. It is my understanding the Iowa State Sheriffs and deputies association registered public opposition. I am writing my state representative, state senator and the county Board of supervisors as well. Please do what you can. Scared for our safety, Patricia Bowen 1210 Village Rd Iowa City 52240 This email is from an external source. -:g6,b Kellie Fruehling From: anne silander <nn.silander@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2020 12:13 AM To: Council Subject: Please reverse your decision to repeal the 2011 ordinance prohibiting guns on city property Late, Handouts Distributed 7-2—(- 2D RISK (Date) Respectfully to our City Councilwomen and Councilmen, I support prohibiting firearms in all City owned facilities. I would ask you to reverse your decision to repeal the ordinance passed in 2011, which prohibited guns in city buildings and on city buses. It is time to stand up to the Governor and those that would limit local control. The majority of Iowans, and Iowans living in Iowa City support stronger gun laws. Rather than hearing us and serving the people, the Governor has signed HF2502, a bill that would penalize local officials for acting on gun safety in our own community. I, along with the majority of Iowans, overwhelmingly oppose HF2502. Again, I support prohibiting firearms in all City owned facilities, so that employees, our families and children can feel safe on City property without the intimidation of weapons. I favor suing the Governor and the state for overreach, and for impeding local control. Sincerely, Aaron Silander 319-321-6503 741 Grant St Iowa City, IA 52240 Kellie Fruehling From: Lisa Schlesinger <1iseana3@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2020 9:21 AM To: Council Subject: Please reverse your decision to repeal the 2011 ordinance prohibiting guns on city property Late. Handouts Distributed Afi RISK Respectfully to our City Councilwomen and Councilmen, (Date) 7- 2-1 - 2_CD I support prohibiting firearms in all City owned facilities. I would ask you to reverse your decision to repeal the ordinance passed in 2011, which prohibited guns in city buildings and on city buses. It is time to stand up to the Governor and those that would limit local control. The majority of Iowans, and Iowans living in Iowa City support stronger gun laws. Rather than hearing us and serving the people, the Governor has signed HF2502, a bill that would penalize local officials for acting on gun safety in our own community. I, along with the majority of Iowans, overwhelmingly oppose HF2502. Again, I support prohibiting firearms in all City owned facilities, so that employees, our families and children can feel safe on City property without the intimidation of weapons. I favor suing the Governor and the state for overreach, and for impeding local control. Sincerely, Lisa Schlesinger Iowa City Resident -�ft LP. b Kellie Fruehling From: Elizabeth W <elizabethbwillis@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2020 11:26 AM To: Council Subject: Please reverse your decision to repeal the 2011 gun ordinance Late, Handouts Distributed ARI�SK -7-2 Dear members of the Iowa City Council: (Date) deeply appreciate the support that so many members of local government have given to gun control. am writing to you because I strongly support prohibiting firearms in all City owned facilities. I would ask you to reverse your decision to repeal the ordinance passed in 2011, which prohibited guns in city buildings and on city buses. It is time to stand up to the Governor and those that would limit local control. The majority of Iowans, and Iowans living in Iowa City support stronger gun laws. Rather than hearing us and serving the people, the Governor has signed HF2502, a bill that would penalize local officials for acting on gun safety in our own community. I, along with the majority of Iowans, overwhelmingly oppose HF2502. Again, I support prohibiting firearms in all City owned facilities, so that employees, our families and children can feel safe on City property without the intimidation of weapons. I favor suing the Governor and the state for overreach, and for impeding local control. Sincerely, Elizabeth Willis 1164 E. Court St. Kellie Fruehling From: Sent: To: Subject: Tricia Stiles <triciastiles57@gmail.com> Tuesday, July 21, 2020 3:20 PM _j*6,b Late. Handouts Distributed Council —7—:2-1-2-0 Please reverse your decision to repeal the 2011 ordinance prohibiting guns on city property (Date) Respectfully to our City Councilwomen and Councilmen, I support prohibiting firearms in all City owned facilities. I would ask you to reverse your decision to repeal the ordinance passed in 2011, which prohibited guns in city buildings and on city buses. It is time to stand up to the Governor and those that would limit local control. The majority of Iowans, and Iowans living in Iowa City support stronger gun laws. Rather than hearing us and serving the people, the Governor has signed HF2502, a bill that would penalize local officials for acting on gun safety in our own community. I, along with the majority of Iowans, overwhelmingly oppose HF2502. Again, I support prohibiting firearms in all City owned facilities, so that employees, our families and children can feel safe on City property without the intimidation of weapons. I favor suing the Governor and the state for overreach, and for impeding local control. Sincerely, Tricia Stiles 722 Oakland Avenue Iowa City, IA 52240 This email is from an external source. Item Number: 6.c. J uly 21, 2020 AT TAC HM E NT S: D escription L iz O'Hara: T hank you, an apology and a comment Item Number: 6.d. J uly 21, 2020 AT TAC HM E NT S: D escription Trish Nelson: No citations issued by I C P D f or f ireworks over the holiday despite record number of complaints Item Number: 6.e. J uly 21, 2020 AT TAC HM E NT S: D escription Eric Cochran: parking Eric Cochran - issues Eric Cochran - issues x2 Item Number : 6.f. J uly 21, 2020 AT TAC HM E NT S: D escription L aura S tern: C oncerns Item Number: 6.g. J uly 21, 2020 AT TAC HM E NT S: D escription Bob Welsh - 6 Ways Governments Can P revent P ost-C O V I D Vacany Paul Meintel - Call f or Of f icial Ordinance - Mandatory Mask Melanie Alberts - Mask Mandate Kellie Fruehling From: Dina Bishara <iowadina@yahoo.com> Sent: Friday, July 17, 2020 8:26 AM Late Handouts Distributed To: Council Subject: Leadership: Coronavirus -7 - 2-Q - (Date) �tsl� Hello, We had 45 cases reported in Johnson County yesterday. School is online only - an unmitigated disaster for many families and one that could have been avoided if Johnson County had its act together. Yet aside from Johnson County PH posting various memes encouraging mask wearing, I don't see any local action or leadership on this issue. https://www. press-citizen.com/storv/news/2020/07/l 6/iowa-covid-cases-deaths-testing-coronavirus- u pd ate-io h nson-co u nty/5450409002/ I enourage you to take stronger measures, to lead the charge in Johnson County, to chastise and shame as necessary, to celebrate and shine a light on those businesses requiring mask wearing. Be well, Dina Bishara Iowa City 319-621-7201 Kellie Fruehling From: Sent: To: Subject: ARI Dear Bruce and Council, amy.charles <amy.charles@proton mail.com> Saturday, July 18, 2020 11:28 AM Bruce Teague; Council Suing Kim over the masks and schools Late Handouts Distributed -l_—z-0 (Date) Kim's pre-emptions pose an active danger to the people of Iowa City. If we were to issue a mask ordinance and enforce it, and she were to try to stop it, could we sue her for endangering the public health? Since much of the fight over whether or not anyone is endangered seems to come down to those blasted tests, do we have a way of stocking hospitals and other testing sites with non-Testlowa kits so that they go directly to the state database (and are presumably more accurate)? If we cannot sue on public-health grounds, can we sue on civil-rights grounds, given the disproportionality in covid spread and deaths? Thank you, Amy Maria Padron Iowa City, IA 52240 City Council Iowa City, IA 52240 July 20'h, 2020 RE: COVID-19 Assistance Program Honorable Members of the City Council, Late Handouts Distributed 7-2-0-2-0 (Date) On behalf of the Housing and Community Development Commission, we would like to recommend the following: 1. Extend and expand the COVID-19 Assistance Program to help residents with both rent and utilities. Extension and expansion are necessary to match the scope of the present crisis and its ongoing nature. 2. Continue using local funds in this program. Local funds are needed to help residents who are not eligible to receive State or Federal assistance. 3. Make the program accessible to undocumented residents by removing unnecessary restrictions and requirements. Many undocumented residents do not have a way to prove loss of income due to COVID-19 since they are not paid legally. The best way to make the program accessible is to stop asking residents for proof of COVID-19 impact in order to receive assistance. This is a health, human, economic, and social crisis that is affecting all of us. Thank you for your consideration, Maria Padron Chair Housing and Community Development Commission Matt Drabek Vice Chair Housing and Community Development Commission CC: Peggy Aguilar Megan Alter Lyn Dee Hook Kealey Theresa Lewis Nasr Mohammed Peter Nkumu Kyle Vogel Kellie Fruehlina From: sara@jcaffordablehousing.org Sent: Monday, July 20, 2020 10:18 AM To: Council; John Thomas; Pauline Taylor, Mazahir Salih; Bruce Teague; Laura Bergus; Janice Weiner, Susan Mims; Geoff Fruin; Tracy Hightshoe Subject: COVID-19 Housing Needs and Solutions Late Handouts Distributed Attachments: COVID19 Housing Needs and Solutions.pdf 7—�-�- ARIK(Date) Hi, all. Attached, please find a report compiled by the Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition about Johnson County housing needs and solutions. The COVID-19 pandemic has deepened economic and housing insecurity. We look to you for the policy and funding that will lead us through this crisis, and we hope this information can guide your decision-making process. Thanks, Sara JOHNSON COUNTY Affordable Housing Coalition Sara Barron I she/her/hers Executive Director www.icaffordablehousing.ore www.facebook.com/icaffordablehousine JCAHC is currently following workplace recommendations for mitigating transmission of COVID-19. Learn more at https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/guidance documents/risk-informed-decision-making-workplaces-businesses-covid-l9-pandemic html COVID-19 HOUSING NEEDS AND SOLUTIONS Contents INTRODUCTION........................................................o KEYFINDINGS...........................................................2 POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS..................................3 ABOUT OUR SURVEYS..............................................5 SURVEY DATA/ RESULTS ........................................ 6 From LOCAL to NATIONAL TRENDS ........................ 10 COMMENTS FROM RESIDENTS ............................... 11 JOHNSON COUNTY HOUSING/SHELTER SERVICES provided by nonprofit survey respondents ................13 NONPROFIT STAFFING AND FUNDING NEEDS, COVID-1g IMPACTS.................................................14 ANTICIPATED COMMUNITY NEEDS identified by nonprofits................................................................16 COVID-1g RENT/MORTGAGE/UTILITIES ASSISTANCE currently available to Johnson County residents ........18 ■ JOHNSON COUNTY AFFORDABLE HOUSING COALITION July 17, 2020 INTRODUCTION The nationwide March zozo emergence of COVID-ig caused cascading instability in household economies. Johnson County unemployment shot from 3.1% in February to io.8% in April. Underemployed workers, gig workers, small business owners and others also experienced a sudden and dramatic loss of income and resources. While the scale and scope of the problem has changed, this crisis is not new. Rather, the pandemic is deepening existing social and economic inequality while increasing the number of households affected by poverty and instability. Even before COVID, 51% of Johnson County renters and :L6% of homeowners were overextended by their housing payments. 8,000 Johnson County households were already paying more than half of their income just to keep a roof over their heads.' In zozg, an estimated 5oo- i000 residents were without any permanent home at al 1.2 At the onset of the crisis, households looked to one-time and short term interventions to make it through. Federal stimulus dollars, an eviction and foreclosure moratorium, expanded access to unemployment benefits and a rapid crisis response from nonprofits and their supporters offered temporary relief. Four months later, however, with COVID-ig infection still spreading and short-term protections expiring, more households are making difficult decisions about unpaid bills. Across the nation, an eviction and foreclosure "tsunami" looms, and nonprofits, landlords and governments must act to prevent a large-scale and protracted housing crisis. "Any help with rent and utilities would help keep us afloat. We're drowning right now." —SURVEY RESPONDENT In an attempt to better understand the local impact of COVID-sg on housing, the Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition surveyed residents and nonprofit housing agencies about their current needs and perspectives, as well as their predictions for the months ahead. The resulting snapshot of Johnson County housing offers a detailed look into the widespread and urgent need for sustained housing interventions. Funding decisions and program implementation at the community level must address these ongoing needs and center on the experiences of struggling households. The scope of housing challenges we will face in the months to come cannot be addressed through one -size -fits -all solutions. Among all the difficult news, one hopeful theme emerged from our survey responses: Johnson County is a community that cares deeply about the wellbeing of our neighbors. We have the resources, determination, and vision to make it through this together. ' https://www.huduser.gov ortal datasets/c .htrnl ' htts: icalliances.ora/demographic-bos-zoig KEY FINDINGS i. Households that are behind on rent, mortgage, and/or utilities cannot be easily defined by location, employment status, household type, or monthly housing cost. At the same time, some groups have been excluded from some or all forms of assistance and have more housing insecurity as a result. Regardless of income level or housing type, sudden loss of income/employment can quickly put households behind in their housing/utility payments. z. For many households, housing worries extend beyond "unpaid rent" to issues such as having adequate space for social distancing or quarantining due to COVID; growing unexpected expenses that compete with rent, such as childcare; debt accumulation; or loss of savings. 3, Short-term interventions such as the federal stimulus payment or additional unemployment benefits did not prevent housing insecurity. Over half of the households who remain behind on their housing bills used, at least in part, the federal stimulus to pay for housing. Households who are current with all housing payments were much more likelyto report a sustained, regular income from work and/or monthly housing assistance through Section 8. "I've applied for L IHEAP to assist with my MidAmerican bill, but what immediate assistance is therefor rent? "Section 8 requires a waiting list. General assistance won't help anyone who receives SSI. Unemployment doesn't help a self-employed person who lost work unless myself orsomeone in my household had Covid-1_9. "I'm desperate and feeling at the end of my rope." —SURVEY RESPONDENT 4. An uncommonly high percentage of households are using personal loans and credit cards to pay monthly housing costs, and many remain behind in their rent despite these measures. In the initial three months of the pandemic, nonprofits saw an increase in the level of need per household and are anticipating a steep increase in the number of households requesting service. 6. Households are vigorously seeking assistance despite multiple barriers, and nonprofits are prepared to strengthen interagency collaborations and expand existing resources to meet the need—but these programs can only exist if funding is available. POLICY RECOMMENDAT'ONS 2.. Currently, there are no federal plans to provide another round of financial support for households or eviction/foreclosure moratoriums, and cities and the county should not depend on future federal rent or mortgage relief in their planning. 2. The State of Iowa's $zo million rent and mortgage assistance program will be helpful to some households in addressing past -due rent, and it has significant limitations that will prevent it from being a resource for many others. We can and should continue to advocate for an easing of these barriers. Special COVID-ig federal pass-through funds allocated through Community Development Block Grant and Emergency Solutions Grant, FEMA, and other housing programs are also being mobilized in Johnson County. The application of these funds ranges from one-time eviction prevention (payment of past -due rent) to up to two years of rent support through the Rapid Rehousing process. The Johnson County Affordable Housing Coalition, Center for Worker Justice, Iowa City Federation of Labor, and UI Undergraduate and Graduate Student Governments have called for utility relief for residents experiencing economic hardship, with special consideration given to creating a low -barrier application process. 5. National housing experts such as the National Low Income Housing Coalition, Urban Institute, and Joint Center for Housing Studies all call for a longer-term, temporary tenant -based rental assistance program, i.e., a time-limited Section 8 -style opportunity. For a predetermined period of months, participating households pay a set amount based on what they can afford, and the remaining amount is supplemented by local funds. Some communities, such as Sioux Falls, SD, have funded such a program through individual and corporate philanthropy.3 Other communities have chosen to fund tenant -based rental assistance with federal stimulus money, emergency assistance funds,4 fee -in -lieu revenue sources,5 and reserve funds.6 3 https:/Iwww.siouxfalls.orcl/news/2020/03/17/relief-fund. City of Sioux Falls, SD website. "COVID-ig Relief Fund Established" a httU:Nwww.baltimorecou md. qov NewltimoreConNo/baltimore-conty_annonces-ovid-ig-eviction-prevention-pro3_ram.aw u Baltimore County, MD website. "Baltimore County Announces COVID-3.9 Eviction Prevention Program" 5!ittps://www.howai:dco md.�oy�NewsjArticlelDh, o Howaid�County-Allocates-Food-and-Rental-Relief-Funding. Howard County, MD website. "Howard County Allocates Food and Rental Relief Funding" e his://www.ksat.cominews/local/zozo/o4/i7/city-working-onz; 85 in-covid-i4-emergency-housing-assistance-program/. KSAT News website. "Cityworking on $15.8M COVID-ig Emergency Housing Assistance Program" The benefits of temporary tenant -based rental assistance program are significant— preventing a household from a recurring cycle of precarious, pre -eviction, past -due crisis; renewing a sense of self-sufficiency and economic recovery; and promoting stability without tenants incurring unsecured debt (credit cards, etc.). Expanding "Coordinated Entry"—a process wherein all housing nonprofits and funders collaborate to screen and register households and award the appropriate housing assistance, combined with a comprehensive marketing program for Johnson County residents about the assistance available and how to access it, can dramatically improve our efficiency, reach, effectiveness, and ease of obtaining needed assistance. This process can also be expanded to include foreclosure prevention, whether that be administering mortgage assistance for low-income homeowners or working with homeowners to request assistance or loan restructuring from their mortgage servicers. 7. Allocating additional funding to local nonprofits, which, in addition to the increase in need for their services, have weathered a variety of staffing and funding disruptions, such as a reduced number of volunteers, canceled fundraisers, increased costs to provide needed services, and interruptions to revenue -generating services. /- Fc C ABOUT OUR SURVEYS HOUSEHOLD SURVEY Our household surveywas available in English, Arabic, and French. Respondents were asked about housing type (including whether they own or rent), city, household size, and number of adults in the household as well as total number of household members. Respondents were then asked to share information about the sources used to pay for housing since March, and whether they were current on all housing payments or whether they were behind on rent/mortgage, utilities, or both. Surveys were released through email and social media. 7o households responded from throughout Johnson County. Although this collection of responses should not be seen as a representative cross-section of residents, the data can be interpreted for trends within subgroups. For example, clear differences emerged between the survey respondents who are current with their housing payments and those who are not. Furthermore, the survey results reflect the findings of state and national research conducted by polling professionals and housing experts. HOUSING/SHEL I ER SERVICES SURVEYS Survey answers were collected online from the leaders of it Johnson County housing nonprofits. Nonprofit respondents were asked to limit their answers to housing -specific programming (e.g., Comm Unity provides a range of services for low-income residents but was asked to focus survey responses on only their housing programs). Organizations were asked to list each housing/shelter service provided. For each service, they were asked to compare the period before COVID with the period after the onset of COVID to determine changes in requests for services, the ways in which services are provided, and the level of need per household, In anticipation of the need for a comprehensive COVID response, nonprofits were also asked about the factors that have helped to establish effective collaborations among providers and to share anticipated funding/resource gaps. Landlords were also offered an opportunityto share information aboutthe impact of COVID-i.9 on their business. Two landlords representing approximately 700 units responded. Although this sample is not large enough to draw many conclusions, these responses along with informal conversations with other area landlords do suggest that property management companies are willing to partner with government and nonprofits in order to ensure that housing bills are paid and residents can stay stably housed as the community recovers. These conversations and survey responses also reveal some mixed opinions among landlords about whether the strategies to address COVID-related housing impact have been effective. =C 5 SURVEY DATA / RE - The following charts highlight data collected from survey respondents. In the sections that follow, the narrative responses to survey questions have been compiled. While the data offers some significant insights, the first-hand responses from community members and nonprofits are imperative to understanding the scope and magnitude of worries, challenges, and opportunities facing Johnson County. Those responses begin on page:Li. AC: 6 Figure 3. shows the percentage of household respondents who used the listed sources of income to pay for housing costs during the period March -June 202o. Respondents could select all sources of income that applied. In other words, for example, 77% of households who are up-to-date on housing payments (represented by the orange bars) used income from employment, SSDI, etc. to pay for at least part of their housing costs. They may also appear in the data for other sources. One respondent, not included in the data shown here, had not paid any housing cost since March. FIGURE s: SOURCES OF HOUSING PAYMENT FOR HOUSEHOLDS, BEHIND AND UP-TO-DATE 77% 64% 59% 37% 18% 9% 14% 14% ■= ■.% ■ Income from One-time federal stimulus Loans/gifts from employment, SSDI, etc. payment family/friends Areas of interest in this chart include: Credit cards, payday loans Negotiated payment plans with landlord/utilities ■Behind &Up-to-date 9% 9% 7% 5% 5% Unemployment benefits Section 8 Other because of COVID • The number of households represented in the sample who use Section 8 to pay for housing costs is relatively small, but all (n=4) of the households were current with all housing costs as of June. • Households up-to-date with housing payments were more likely to have "regular" income and less likely to have used the federal stimulus to pay for housing, although 37% did rely on that one-time stimulus to cover their housing costs between March and June. • A very small percentage of respondents were using COVID unemployment benefits to pay for housing. Some possible explanations of this maybe: z) the 9% of respondents using unemployment closely mirrors the overall Johnson County unemployment rate of -io%for April and May; 2) a number of people who experienced a loss of income were not eligible for unemployment benefits or had not yet received them. • Only one person included in this data was receiving unemployment benefits before the pandemic (included in "other"). • A recurring theme in the responses was the troubling use of loans and credit cards to pay for rent and, to a lesser extent, utilities. One concern is the ballooning financial instability that can resultfrom acquiring unsecured debt to pay for basic needs such as housing. Another concern is that, up to now, state and local housing funds targeted to rent/mortgage relief require that the applicant be in arrears before being eligible for help. If households are worried about falling behind, and so are taking emergency measures to pay rent—payments they cannot afford without borrowing—they are also inadvertently using a strategy that will make them ineligible for available housing assistance. LA Figures z and 3 illustrate some differences in household decision-making about paying for housing costs. Although both charts show similar data, households behind on rent/mortgage demonstrate a greater reliance on loans, credit card debt, and negotiated payments than those behind on utilities. FIGURE z: SOURCES OF PAYMENT FOR HOUSEHOLDS BEHIND ON RENT/MORTGAGE 75% 58% 33% 17% 17% Regular income from Federal stimulus check Loans/gifts from Negotiated payment Credit cards or payday Monthly rent support employment, social friends or family plan veith landlord loans through a security, etc, and/or utilities nonprofit/agency provider FIGURE 3: SOURCES OF PAYMENT FOR HOUSEHOLDS BEHIND ON UTILITIES 77% 69% 8% Negotiated payment plan with landlord and/or utilities provider 1■ 15% 15% Regular income from Federal stimulus check Unemployment Credit cards or payday Loans/gifts from employment, social benefits received loans friends or family security, etc. because of COVIN -19 8% Negotiated payment plan with landlord and/or utilities provider Figure 4 examines the distribution of up-to-date and late/behind payments across different levels of housing affordability. The chart shows that the cost of housing is not necessarily predictive of a household's ability to pay. As one survey respondent noted, "We're doing OK, but both members of the household are at risk of layoff at work- That would be a big risk. We're near the top of the income bracket for renters in Iowa City. If we have risks, I'd wager a guess olmost every renter does." According to survey data, households with the lowest housing costs have been more able to stay current with their monthly rent, mortgage and utility payments than those with costs over $600. FIGURE 4: HOUSING PAYMENT STATUS, BY MONTHLY RENT/MORTGAGE EXPENSE Housing Payment Status, by Monthly Rent/Mortgage Expense 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% $0-599 $600-899 $900-1199 $1200+ ■ Behind ■ Up-to-date Figure 5 summarizes the distribution of respondents on-time/behind in each Johnson County city. Because this is not a representative sample, these exact percentages are likely inaccurate. Nevertheless, the chart shows a clear distribution of need across all of Johnson County. FIGURE 5: HOUSING PAYMENT STATUS, BY CITY Housing Payment Status by City 100% 904'0 8 W 70% 609% 5045 40% 309% 20% 10% 0% lova City coralviile North Liberty other Joco ■ Behind 0 Up-to-date AC 9 From LOCA t- NATIO \'!'l TRENDS What do these findings mean? Johnson County should prepare for a widespread, sustained crisis of households unable to pay their housing costs. Even among those households who are currently up-to-date, an unusually large number have depended on one-time, short-term, or borrowed funds to pay basic housing costs thus far. How does this compare to national trends? A poll conducted on behalf of the National Low -Income Housing Coalition revealed that 39% Of renters planned to use their one-time stimulus check to pay rent. The poll also revealed racial disparities. Among renters and owners combined, one-third of African-American respondents planned to use the stimulus payment, compared to only 1 in 5 white respondents. Zego.com, a technology company that serves property managers and tenants, report a disturbing nationwide trend in credit card transactions for housing costs: April data showed a 31% increase in month -over -month credit card transactions, and May showed an additional zo% spike. (gozego.com) The National Low Income Housing Coalition published a research note summarizing six housing proposals and the cost of implementing these proposals nationwide. The brief estimates that 13313,547 households will require temporary rent intervention in orderto stabilize housing for low-income households. The brief also notes that the greatest job losses have been in sectors that employ a high number of low-wage workers—disproportionately Black and Latinx, and workers who are less likely to have emergency savings and were already struggling before the pandemic. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that the industries most affected by the outbreak are low- wage industries. They found that 54% of jobs in the most exposed industries (restaurants and bars, personal care, travel and transportation, entertainment, select retail, and select manufacturing) had wages ranking in the bottom zo% of wages across the country (BLS, 2o2ob). [...] This unemployment crisis is having a disproportionate impact on people of color, partly because historic and ongoing discrimination results in people of color being overrepresented in affected low-wage occupations. Because the United States and Iowa have not successfully stopped the spread of coronavirus, and because workers in these sectors will likely suffer sustained losses of income, longer-term assistance will be needed to help many households and to prevent a disparate impact on people of color in particular. We encourage you to read the full research note, which is appended at the end of the report and is available online at https://nlihc.ora/sites/default/files/Emeraencv Rental-Assistance-Needs-for-Workers-Struacilin -due-to-COVID-19.pdf COMMENTS FROM RESIDENTS Household survey respondents shared the following comments with us, reprinted as they were received. • I am concerned that far too many households were already on the edge off inancia I viability and are being pushed over the edge into eviction or foreclosure • Up to date currently. That will change in about 3o days. Currently making 3800/month. • My girlfriend and I are looking to move because I have an autoimmune disease and we only have one bathroom and one bedroom, even though this is a two bedroom mobile home it is older and very small we use the extra bedroom for storage. Scared we have no room to self quarantine now that she is back to work • 1 need help getting a new place I lost mine due to covid-1g • My lease is up in aug and after that I will be homeless I have no money after July rent • Daycare Expenses are more than I make. • Just financial help • Currentlyjob is stable for both of us and we can work from home; no assistance needed at this time. • Any help with rent and utilities would help keep us afloat. We're drowning right now. • We are blessed to not have issues. Very concerned for those who do • Currently because of assistance from unemployment money due to Covid-19 I am caught up on rent, but I worry about coming months, September onward. It is possible I will need to seek financial assistance in the fall and/or discuss the matter with my landlord, which I think they would be open to. I appreciate your reaching out to real people in the community to see what is needed. <3 • A national, state, or local rent freeze! • help with food. Had to order a new food stamp card. • It's impossible to find something that suits my needs in my budget in the area I want to live in. I feel like I'm being pushed out of my childhood home and it's heartbreaking. • (Translated from Spanish) I would like to know if you can help me with the gas and electric bills • Need help with more stamps • What donwe do if spouse doesn't qualify for unemployment? • Thankyou • We're fortunate to be doing well. Worried about the un/underemployed though. • We are very lucky with our situation not to require any assistance, and we know that is not the case for many. We actively give to organizations that provide assistance to those who need it. • none ■ We are OK for now. Thank you for your work. It's hard because the landlord raises the rent each year. • Job • Nothing • It is draining my savings. I'm losing all chance of buying a house some day. • I'm ok for now, but my savings are starting to run low. Waiting to hear back from the unemployment office. Applied for unemployment two weeks ago, been unemployed for about 2-3 months due to slow business caused by the pandemic. • My hours have been reduced due to covid and finances are getting tighter and tighter... U • New house because of my health I've been sick since I move back into this apartment I was in a better place where I t have to give help it was suppose be 30 percent of your in come so stayed there because my least was up I had to move I was not on section 81 was paying regular rent and the rent was55o dollars lost my part timejob been on section 8 list for three years still not call my number mmm I need help asap please help me • 1 am unable to afford my medications plus play my rent and utilities so paying rent comes first. • Help with utility payments • Utility • I've applied for LIHEAP to assist with my Midamerican bill, but what immediate assitance is there for rent? Section -8 requires a waiting list. General assistance won't help anyone who receives SS1. Unemployment doesn't help a self employed person who lost work unless myself or someone in my household had Covid--1g. I'm desperate and feeling at the end of my rope. • Even though my roommate and I split the rent in half, I still had to work multiple jobs just to make enough money for my half of the rent and utilities. I am student myself, and it's unnecessary for me to work multiplejobs and top of school to pay for rent. My apartment complex did not send out any emails regarding providing any support for any of us that lost ourjobs due to Black lives matters movement or covid--19. although I do understand it is our responsibilities to mention something, it will be nice to get it from somebody in the head of aministration of the apartment. Ijust wonder if this is something that needs to be addressed in the housing coalition or something along that line. • Please suspend rent so we can all catch up • I am able to cover monthly costs but it is difficult to afford maintenance. • None at this time, but I have a private landlord so he's very understanding and doesn't charge late fees. • (translated from Arabic) I need help with payment because the only appointed family works outside the country and was presented on vacation in March and until now he is here because of the airports stops and the owner of the housing refuses to postpone the payment • (translated from Arabic) Help with the rental amount • Section 8 • (translated from Arabic) Until now, the -1200 check has not reached us, and we have no unemployment assistance, knowing that my husband and I were working • (translated from French) Pay half for me FV I--IOUSING/SHEC: J' )j,d�"Xofit surrey resp®nc` n • Emergency Shelter • Revolving Loan Fund • Representative Payee Services • New home development/financing • Youth Emergency Shelter ■ Rent assistance, providing persons with housing options and helping them apply for and access it • Housing and Utility Assistance program • Emergency Shelter • Transitional Living Program • Permanent Habilitation Housing - permanent housing for chronically mentally ill adults • Housing Funding for Domestic Violence Victim/Survivors ■ Owner -Occupied Rehabilitation • Housing and Urban Development Housing Counseling Services • Foreclosure prevention • Integrated Health Homes • Iowa City Security Deposit Assistance program • Housing Services - Rapid Rehousing • Transitional Habilitation Housing - 2 -year temp housing for chronically mentally ill adults. Generally lesser level of care/staffing due to increased independence of residents. • Housing Advocacy • Homeowner/Financial Education • Family Safety Riskand Permanency • Iowa City eviction prevention fund/Community Development Block Grant -Coronavirus • Housing Services - Permanent Supportive Housing - Cross Park Place (24 units) • Outreach Supportive Community Living services - Works i:i with clients in daily living skills, transportation, financials, meds, appointment setting/attending, etc. This is not a housing program, rather a support which can assist clients seek, attain and maintain housing. • Homeowner Repairs • Housing Services - Permanent Supportive Housing - Fairweather Lodge (23. units) NONPROFIT STAFFING AND FUNDING NEEDS, COVID-Zg IMPACTS Nonprofit survey respondents shared the following comments with us, reprinted as they were received. ■ To the best of my knowledge, we are maintaining our funding and staff at this time. • With the pandemic, we tabled fundraising efforts that were designed to help recoup decreases in support from the Iowa Finance Authority. April was not the time to be introducing the Housing Trust Fund to potential donors. I anticipate that support from private corporations and donors will decrease as they may have less income to donate and/or they will choose to support programs responding to the crisis needs created by the pandemic. • For our youth emergency shelter, we have incurred higher costs due to school not being in session -needing additional staff for safety -and needing to purchase cleaning supplies, PPE, and pay for professional cleaning and sterilizing services. In addition, we do have many staff who are also students at U of I. Since the U of I was not in session since mid- March, those staff did not stay in IC and we experienced staffing shortages, which then resulted in higher costs through over -time. • There been no staffing shortfalls in our Dept., there is a bit of an uptick with persons needing placement due to lost housing, and with COVID-related issues with accessing housing in the usual manner. • Our services are generally volunteer -run, but with the move to phone assessments and interviews, we have had to use our paid staff to provide assistance. The regular duties of these staff positions are then being put on hold, which has slowed down our ability to respond to needs in other ways, including our planning for returning to in-person services. • We had to increase pay for essential workers to stay competitive and to incentivize work during an incredibly challenging and anxiety provoking time for all. We have remained constant in our staffing levels and increased the workloads for all. It's been very challenging. • Our program is secure in its funding. The Federal grant that funds the program provided supplemental funding to help with extra costs associated to the pandemic. ■ Funding - East Central Region is reviewing case notes every z weeks, which doesn't allow for monthly averaging to occur - this as resulted in some paybacks to ECR. Also, gradual resident attrition has caused a significant decrease in revenue. Intakes of new clients nearly impossible due to COVID-i9 safety concerns, so very few replacements, though housing demand went from a pre- COVID wait list of zo clients to a current housing wait list of 5o -6o clients. • Staffing - virtual hiring freeze and staff attrition have promoted gaps in coverage, significant overtime increases. Stay -in-place started mid-March for our housing program and both residents and staff are wearing thin as time goes on. • With so many of our clients unemployed, housing each client is requiring more financial assistance to try and give enough time for them to gain employment. There are situations where there is no good outcome. I'm hoping there will be additional funding available in the nearfuture for homelessness prevention. What we know is if we can keep a client in their current housing, it is much easierto helpthem stabilize then if they were to be evicted. • The level of State and Federal funding for housing assistancelshelter challenges has not been defined. Therefore, it is not possible to know how much local funding will be needed and what assistance will look like as a result of the funding made available. • Funding to fulfill increased housing counseling needs to stabilize housing would benefit greatly. Funding to increase payee service presence in Johnson County would allow more clients the opportunity to access service and increase financial stability. • 1 predict mortgage payments received bythe organization will be reduced by sio,000 per month. We need a combination funding and forbearance from our investors. • For our youth emergency shelter, we would benefit from increased funding to assist with ongoing cleaning, sanitation, and food needs for our residents. • As we expect higher census when the moratorium ends, funding to cover additional staff costs and resources for ouryouth (games, puzzles, DVDs, and other recreational items) would be extremely beneficial. For our community services, we would request additional funding to those agencies in the community who currently provide rent subsidies, assistance with utilities, and food pantries. • I believe the greatest assistance would be if some type of emergency rent program could be set up or if housing vouchers of an emergency nature could be provided. • We will need increased funding overthe next 12-i8 months for rental assistance for households and eviction prevention supportive services. This will include salaries and benefits forfull-time work, which averages S933Jweekfora full-time case manager. We will also need supportto meet the shortfall in fundraising that is anticipated as otherarea incomes drop and we cannot hold in-person fundraising events. • We do not foresee any costs needed to support our housing program. • So long as funders continue to pay out consistently, we should be relatively ok. The concern is getting a safe intake process in place which protects current staff and residents, which currently requires a recent negative COVID-ig test. 15 ANTICIPATED COMMUMTY NEEDS identified by ,-C, r r, -of its Nonprofit survey respondents shared the following comments with us, reprinted as they were received ■ We expect there to be an increase in requests for emergency shelter and housing resources. • 1 anticipate a tremendous increase in the need for direct housing assistance and indirect assistance (food, etc.) for many months to come. • More clients facing evictions and increased level of need . Y 1 foresee a higher volume of requests for mortgage forbearance. ■ We anticipate greater challenges for our families who may be struggling already with housing, utilities, as well as working to meet the goals DHS has outlined forthem to achieve reunification (substance abuse treatment, stable housing, employment). We anticipate additional calls to the DHS hotline for struggling families, therefore increased caseloads, as they get notices for eviction and area assistance gets further stretched to meet the increased needs. • I am expecting lots of calls regarding both foreclosure and eviction. • We expect that demand forthe services we currently provide, and for services that are in the works, will increase substantially. We have the financial capacity to assist with more requests, but it will stretch our staff even further. • We have education materials out to all tenants and case managers and are working with folks to increase awareness. We are also anticipating increased eviction -related homelessness. Those who are housed currently we are working to make sure they are stably housed and remain so during the crisis by connecting them with services and programsthat can offer assistance. • We will see more families request help finding funds to helpthem paytheir rent. • If rent isn't covered then alternate housing will be sought. • 1 believe the biggest need will be homelessness (life generated and batter generated) and lack of affordable housing. Even if through monies coming in to specifically help with these areas, the challenge is placing a client in housing that ultimatelyyou know they may not be able to maintain. With issues of employment, childcare, transportation etc. • The greatest unmet needs might be related to people who have lost income and are not able to secure unemployment benefits. That is coupled with the emerging needs which may come from those who cannot get a job to replace the one(s) they lost and/or those who are not brought back to full employment as consumer appetite may not recover foryears. • Housing access and stability. ■ Our clients require more financial planning in orderto prepare for situations such asthis. • Prioritize funding to organizations who assist families with rent, utilities, food and those which advocate fortrue affordable housing. While Four Oaks would benefit greatlyfrom additional funding as our resources are stretched, we realize we have a greater impact for ourfamilies when the community is rich in resources that can stabilize and meet a family's basic needs. In addition, Four Oaks would request communication regarding funding and available options as a result of this surveyto assure our high risk families are benefiting from all resources in the community. ■ Currently homeless individuals at greatest risk of contracting COVID, prioritized by age and physical condition/preexisting conditions that may affect vulnerability. • This is not specific to our organization; while Low Income Housing Energy Assistance Program has been extended and HACAP indicates they foresee additional crisis funding for energy assistance, and there are multiple grants for eviction and foreclosure prevention, we are unaware of a relief program for water bills. Additionally, City of Iowa City will be providing funding for COVID- related housing assistance, but we are not aware of programs for the other municipalities in Johnson County. • Priority should be on funding that is "priority" based and easily accessible - but also trackable and collaborative with other providers so that it is supportive service oriented and not simply financial assistance without the support needed to ensure it will be helpful in the longterm. �&c i6 • Rental support and utilities support will be the most needed resource. • Iftelehealth is totally removed at some point, a safety concern will be notably increased and it will be, in certain cases, very challenging to revert to back to all in-person services. Habilitation rates have not increased in well over a decade - if there ever was a real burning need forthis to change, it would certainly be now. 1AC COVID-sg RENT/MORTGAGE/UTILITIES ASSISTANCE for Johnson County residents Area of Income Maximum Can late Includes Program name g availability eligibility amount of ? Utilities. fees be Duration manufactured Documentation Other Eligibility Criteria g ty assistance covered? a assistance homes? required q Must be a legal resident of Onetime, th to four months. Paapproy stub other Iowa (SSN or ITIN required for each adult in household) Rent: Will pay past- Includes lot appropriate appropriate due (up to two documentation $3,zoo months)and rent and priorto and after Must not have received - Mortgage: future rent or manufactured home loss of income unemployment stimulus COVID-ig Iowa Eviction Soh MFI or mortgage rent demonstrating loss g (S600Jwk) payment and Foreclosure State of Iowa lowerattime $3 00o No Yes of income due to Prevention Program ofapplication Applications Forthe months Doesnot COVID-19. Must have at least one of April orafter. include household member who is not are approved first-come, Applicants can manufactured home loan Latest mortgage a full-time student first-served request assistance Payments statement Landlord must verify through (foreclosure assistance only) information within io days of December application submittal or ap lication is denied Rentor Late fees Must be ineligible for COVID- Cit of Iowa Ci Y City mortgage: to be Onetime, up to Includes lot Pay stub or ig Iowa Eviction and emergency rental 8o°h AM[ or $3,zoo negotiated two months' rent and employer Foreclosure Prevention assistance, Iowa Cit Y lowerattime Yes with rent, mortgage manufactured verification Program administered by Shelter ofapplication Applications landlords and/or utilities, homerent or demonstrating loss g House are approved time atyment for the months mortgage of income due to Must be in arrears first-come, pay ofA ril or after P COVID-i 9 (rent/mortgage/utilities first-served ispast-due) Self -referral. As From My Home to municipalities Yours, administered by Johnson Demonstrated One-timecan contribute tothe Requires a brief application Centerfor Worker County need $600 Yes Yes reapply Yes fund, they may that is reviewed by a CWJ Justice add additional committee requirements for documentation Rentor City of Iowa City mortgage: Late fees be Onetime, upto Pay stub or Emergency Rental Soh AMlor $3'zO° to negotiated three months' Includes lot rent and employer verification Assistance, Iowa City lowerattime Applications Yes with rent, mortgage manufactured demonstrating loss Will begin in late July administered b y of application PP are approved landlords and/or utilities, for the home rent or of income due to CommUnit Y first-come, at time of months of April or after mortgage COVID-ig. Federal first-served payment requirements. Utility bill deferral, Iowa City, Late fees and The full amount due will be offered by the cities of Iowa City, Coralville, Coralville, and None shut -offs are Yes Yes Undetermined Yes None owed. Residents may contact and North Liberty North Liberty waived the city's utilitydivision to arrange a payment schedule COVID-j.9 REi,\ 1T/MORTGAGE/UTIL7ES ASSISTANCE for R'�.,�J1,-� i'ess LTi; s r�sor� Co The chart on page 18 lists the COVID-specific housing resources that have been deployed for Johnson County residents. In addition to these services, federal funds through FEMA and Public Housing Assistance and local funds from Community Foundation of Johnson County and United Way of Johnson and Washington Counties were available to individuals and organizations. FEMA funds were used to depopulate congregate shelters, Public Housing dollars were allocated to provide "backfill" for increased subsidies for Section 8 recipients, Community Foundation donations were allocated to help nonprofits address shortfalls and new COVID-related needs, and United Way provided funding to individual households for basic needs. Additionally, Emergency Solutions Grant funding from the federal government and CARES Act state dollars will be available to invest locally. Decisions have not yet been made about how to deploy all of these federal pass-through dollars. In reviewing the summary provided in the chart, some notable funding gaps appear: The State of Iowa program levies several restrictions on applicants, excluding full-time students, residents without documentation, households composed of unrelated adult roommates, and individuals receiving the $600/wk unemployment stimulus. Iowa City is the only Johnson County entity to receive federal Community Development Block Grant funding directly from the federal government because of its status as an "entitlement" city (determined by population metrics). Of the approximately $410,000 in initial allocation, the City of Iowa City has determined that 6o% will be used to fund rental assistance for Iowa City residents, with the remaining 4o% available to nonprofits for COVID-related needs. The cities of Coralville and North Liberty were eligible to apply for a piece of Iowa's Community Development Block Grant allocation, but neither applied for housing -specific funding. This means that non -Iowa City residents have fewer options for receiving rent or mortgage assistance among the current programs. • Iowa City's eviction prevention dollars were expanded in July to include mortgage payments. Previously, homeowners were not eligible for assistance under these programs. • Iowa City's eviction prevention programs are available to people excluded from the State of Iowa program, but no companion program currently exists for non -Iowa City residents. • With the exception of the State of Iowa program and CWJ's My Home to Yours program, residents must already be behind in their rent, mortgage, or utilities to receive assistance. This requirement means an additional level of vulnerability/instability and an increased threat of eviction orforeclosure for economically -insecure residents. • Although utility bills and shutoffs are being deferred, households will still owe the full amount. It's uncertain how municipalities will proceed with repayment or for how long this period of deferral will last. NLIHC RESEARCH NOTE: EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE NEEDS FOR KERS STRUGGLING DUE TO COVID-19 05/08/2020 NATIONAL LOW INCOME HOUSING COALITION ANDREW AURAND, PH.D., MSW Vice President for Research DAN EMMANUEL, MSW Senior Research Analyst DANIEL THREET, PH.D. Research Analyst DISASTER HOUSING RECOVERY COALITION, C/O NATIONAL LOW INCOME HOUSING COALITION NLIHC RESEARCH NOTE: EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE NEEDS FOR WORKERS STRUGGLING DUE TO COVID-19 INTRODUCTION he COVID-19 outbreak and related shutdowns continue to have a devastating impact on the job market, and evidence suggests that lower -wage workers are the most likely to be suffering a loss of income. By some estimates, more than 13 million low-income renter households have already been affected. Before the crisis, many of these renters were already struggling: 18.7 million low-income renters were housing cost -burdened, spending more than they can afford for their housing, including 7.7 million extremely low-income renters who spent more than half their incomes on housing. While federal rental assistance reached only a fourth of eligible low-income renters before the pandemic, coronavirus -caused layoffs and pay reductions greatly exacerbate the need for such assistance. The cost of assisting low-income renters who are currently suffering an employment-related loss of income would be $9.9 billion per month. The cost would decline as the economy improves, but CBO projections suggest a slow recovery. By June 2021, the monthly cost of emergency rental assistance for employment -affected low-income renters could still be $7.1 billion with a total cost from now until June 2021 of $116 billion. The speed and severity of the current unemployment crisis is without precedent. Between March 15 and May 2, more than 30 million workers filed for unemployment insurance (UI) as each week has brought a record - shattering number of job losses. The unemployment rate rose from 3.4% in February to 4.3% in March to 14.7% in April (BLS -202 -Ga). The official numbers likely underestimate the problem, as many individuals were prevented from filing by problems with overwhelmed UI systems (7innerer and Go ld,2020). The official total does not include many who are eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance including independent contractors and the self-employed—and not all states have set up systems for accepting such claims. Beyond those who have filed for unemployment, many more are suffering economic hardship. Some who have lost jobs, such as undocumented workers, are ineligible for unemployment benefits. And millions of workers have suffered a loss of income—through reductions in hours, pay cuts, or other loss of earnings. FIGURE 1: SHARE OF EMPLOYMENT DECLINES BY INDUSTRY, MARCH 2020 TO APRIL 2020 Other ■Accommodation and Food Services Retail Trade ■Administrative and Waste Services ■Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation ■Health Care and Social Assistance Manufacturing ■ Other Services Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Situation Summary, May 8, 2020 — 1 — This employment crisis harms the entire economy, but some industries have been especially hard hit. Over 50% of the decline in jobs in April came from three broad industries: accommodation and food services, retail trade, and health care and social assistance (Figure 1). These are sectors with many low-wage jobs—accommodation and food services include waitstaff, cooks, and housekeepers. The retail trade sector includes salesclerks, cashiers, and stockers, many of whom work for minimum wages. The health care and social assistance sector includes home health care aides and childcare workers. Other heavily impacted industries also have a significant number of low-wage jobs: administrative and waste services include building cleaners, administrative assistants, and temporary -employment subcontractors, and "other services" includes hairdressers, laundry workers, and a range of other personal -care providers. Low-wage workers in all these industries are feeling the impact of this crisis. In a survey the Pew Research Center conducted between April 7 and 12, 43% of respondents said they or someone in their household had lost a job or suffered a Nearly 60% of extremely low-income renter households in the labor force work in particularly exposed industries. pay cut (Parker, Horowitz, & Brown, 2020.)Lower-income households were even more likely to report job losses and pay cuts -52% of lower-income households reported being affected. Other studies come to similar conclusions. In an Urban Institute survey, 41.5% of nonelderly adults reported their families had lost jobs, work hours, or work-related income because of the coronavirus outbreak (Karpman et al., 2020). The Urban Institute survey also found that the outbreak was disproportionately affecting low-wage workers: among families at or below the federal poverty level, 51.1% reported a loss of employment or income. FIGURE 2: INDUSTRIES EMPLOYING THE LARGEST SHARE OF EXTREMELY LOW-INCOME RENTERS Accommodation and Food Services 15.9°/0 Health Care and Social Assistance 15.7% Retail 14.6% Administrative and Support Services 9.3% Other Services 7,9%0 Construction 7.4% Education 7.1% Manufacturing 6.7% Transportation — 5.0% Source: US Census Bureau, ACS PUMS 201 B. Because households can be employed in multiple industries, these categories are not mutually exclusive. Industries where fewer than 5% of ELI workforce are employed omitted. FIGURE 3: SHARE OF WORKERS IN KEY FOOD SERVICES AND RETAIL POSITIONS WHO ARE BLACK OR HISPANIC 17.6% 12.3% • " i All employed persons 36.7% 18.1% Cooks 28.9% 24.1% 16.1% 17.9% ■ Dishwashers Cashiers Black Hispanic Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Population Survey, 2020. —2— The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that the industries most affected by the outbreak are low-wage industries. They found that 54% of jobs in the most exposed industries (restaurants and bars, personal care, travel and transportation, entertainment, select retail, and select manufacturing) had wages ranking in the bottom 20% of wages across the country (BLS 242Qb). NLIHC`s tabulations of the American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample show that nearly 60% of extremely low-income renter households in the labor force work in these particularly exposed industries. 15.9% in accommodation and food services, 14.6% in retail, 7.9% in other services (including personal care), 6.7% in manufacturing, and 5.0% in transportation (Figure 2). This unemployment crisis is having a disproportionate impact on people of color, partly because historic and ongoing discrimination results in people of color being overrepresented in affected low- wage occupations. People of color are disproportionately represented in retail and restaurant jobs (Figure 3). Black and Hispanic workers account for 12.3% and 17.6% of workers overall, but they account for 18.1% and 36.7% of cooks, 16.1% and 28.9% of dishwashers, and 17.9% and 24.1% of cashiers, respectively (BLS, 2020c). The Pew survey found that 38% of white households reported job or income loss, compared to 44% of Black households and 61% of Hispanic households (Parker, Horowitz., & Brown, 2020). Looking just at layoffs and furloughs, the Washington Post and Ipsos found a similar discrepancy: 11 % of white households reported being laid off or furloughed, compared to 16% of Black households and 20% of Hispanic households (Jan& Clement ' ment, 2020). According to the BLS, the white employed civilian labor force fell by 13.7% between March and April, the Black employed civilian labor force fell by 14.6%, and the Hispanic employed civilian labor force fell by 17.8% (SLS, 0 Oa). OVER $100 BILLION IN EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE NEEDED Low-income households facing a loss of employment or income are likely to need rental assistance to remain stably housed, especially once the temporary boost to unemployment insurance payments ends in July. To estimate the need for rental assistance in response to these unemployment shocks, we drew from the Pew Research Center's survey. Pew reports that 52% of low-income and 42% of middle-income households have suffered a job or income The cost of loss. Projecting those percentages to approximate income categories defined by area median income, we estimate 13.3 million low-income, providing rental very low-income, and extremely low-income renter households have assistance to been negatively impacted., affected low- Some of those affected households already receive HUD assistance, which generally pays the difference between 30% of the household's income renter income and the rent. While income losses could mean these households households will require more housing assistance due to their lowered contribution toward rental costs, we included only those additional would be $9.9 households likely to need new rental assistance. From the estimated 13.3 million affected low-income renter households, we subtracted billion per approximately 600,000 who likely already receive HUD assistance, month. assuming the 1.2 million HUD -assisted households in the labor force are affected by job disruption at the same rates as unassisted households. We calculated the cost of rental assistance using the average cost of a rental voucher in each household's state. The cost of providing rental assistance to those households would be $9.9 billion per month. CURRENT RENTAL ASSISTANCE NEEDS FOR EMPLOYMENT -AFFECTED RENTFRS Extremely Low and Very Low 9,205,718 578,212 8,627,506 Income (50% AMI or below) $6.8 billion Law Income (51-80% AMI) 4,107,829 26,807 4,081,022 $3.2 billion Total estimate 13,313,547 605,019 12,708,528 $9.9 billion 1 The Pew survey has a set of income categories unique to that survey, so we have translated them into approximate equivalents in area median income categories. Pew defines "lower-income" as two-thirds or below of the median income of the survey; we project "lower-income" responses onto households at or below 60% AMI. Pew defines "middle-income" as ranging from two-thirds the median to 200% the median income, so we apply "middle-income" answers to households between 61% and 80% of AM I. We do not address households with higher incomes here. —3— We estimate that $9.9 billion in rental assistance per month is needed to protect the rental homes of low- income renters likely affected by job or income loss. This estimate does not include the significant pre- existing need for rental assistance prior to the COVID-19-driven economic downturn. Millions of extremely low-income renters not in the labor force—seniors, people with disabilities, and others—are in need of rental assistance to ensure their housing stability and their and the public's health. Extremely low-income renters in the labor force who have been fortunate not to suffer a loss of job or income still earn such low wages that they need rental assistance as well. Some affected renters will likely receive unemployment insurance and other benefits that reduce their need for rental assistance, but many will not be adequately served by those systems. States are overwhelmed with historic numbers of claims for unemployment benefits, and many benefits are being held up by considerable delays. For every 10 successful applicants, an additional three to four have tried and failed to submit a claim, and another two did not even bother to file because of the difficulty of the process (7innerer and o uld,20201. When the CARES Act supplement to unemployment insurance payments ends in July, the standard benefits will not be sufficient to keep many low-income renters stably housed. Given all these issues, significant rental assistance is clearly needed for low-income renters affected by the loss of employment or income. The timeline to a full economic recovery is uncertain. After the Great Recession, it took approximately 5 years for the economy to recover the 8.7 million jobs that had been lost (CBPP, 019). Employment recovered more quickly, however, after recessions in the 1980s and 1990s. The unique aspects of this economic crisis --an imposed shutdown of many businesses and record -shattering weekly unemployment insurance filings --make recovery difficult to project. We do not know yet how the crisis will affect consumer demand or state and local budgets, how rapidly industries can resume activity, nor whether there will be subsequent virus outbreaks. As the job market recovers and industries gradually resume production, the need for rental assistance specifically targeted to those affected by the coronavirus will gradually decline, but the rate at which the need declines depends on a number of contingencies. The CBO recently projected that the unemployment rate will increase to an average of 15% during the second and third quarters of 2020, before falling to 11.7% in the fourth quarter. Looking ahead to 2021, the CBO projects that the unemployment rate will only fall 2.2 percentage points over the course of the entire year, to 9.5% (Swagel, 2020). That level of unemployment would still be near the peak of unemployment during the Great Recession. The CBO We estimated how the need for rental assistance among employment - projects that affected low-income renters over the next year might decline by the number extrapolating from Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projections. The CBO projects that the number of employed people will decline by 27 of employed million during the second and third quarters of 2020. Combined with the people will nearly three million people who lost employment in the first part of March, the total number of employed people in the labor force will have declined decline by 27 by nearly 30 million people by August due to the current economic crisis. The CBO projects eight million people will drop out of the labor market million during altogether, with slightly more than five million returning by the end of the second and 2021. For the unemployment rate to decline by 4.3 percentage points in fourth the quarter of 2020, the total number of people employed in the third quarters civilian labor force would have to increase by 6.7 million, which amounts of 2020. to a return of 22% of the previous loss of employed people.2 We assumed that the need for emergency rental assistance will decline at a similar rate. Subsequent declines in unemployment are much smaller based on CBO's projection of a 9.5% unemployment rate for the last quarter of 2021. We extrapolated a .55 percentage -point drop in the unemployment rate during each quarter of 2021. 2 We also assumed a return to the labor force of slightly more than 5 million people from fourth quarter 2020 to the end of 2021 at a consistent pace of slightly more than one million people per quarter. -4- The table below shows what would be needed monthly in rental assistance for employment -affected low- income renters. Between now and September, $9.9 billion per month would be needed in assistance. As employment rises, the need would taper: $7.7 billion per month would be needed between October and December, $7.4 billion per month in the first quarter of 2021, and $7.1 billion in the second quarter of 2021. Under this scenario, the cost of emergency rental assistance through next June 2021 is $116 billion. Rental assistance needs will be higher if the recovery is slower than CBO projects or the economy continues to worsen. The state of the economy over the coming months is highly uncertain. PROJECTION OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE NEEDS May-September202O 15.0% 12.7 million $9.9 billion October -December 2020 11.7% 9.9 million $7.7 billion January -March 2021 11.15% 9.5 million $7.4 billion April -June 2021 10.6% 9.1 million $7.1 billion Another significant difference is in the policy goals of rental assistance. The policy goals represented by the various estimates differ in that they: (1) maintain current housing cost -to -income ratios for renters who experience an employment-related loss of income, thereby not eliminating housing cost burdens for renters; (2) eliminate housing cost burdens for all low-income renters or only for those with employment-related income loss; or (3) cover the rent of employment -affected renters. Maintaining current housing cost burdens is the least costly, while covering the rent for all affected renters is the most expensive. NLIHC's estimates are based on the core of our mission: to ensure the housing stability of the lowest -income renters. Housing stability is especially important during this public health and economic crisis. For our current estimate, we calculated the cost of rental assistance that would eliminate housing cost burdens among low-income renters likely affected by employment-related job loss. -5— ANALYZING THE NEED FOR EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE Within the last month, multiple reports have called for rental assistance that responds to the current economic crisis, and they have estimated the cost of such assistance. Those estimates differ from one another based on a variety of factors: the population that would be served, the policy goals of such assistance, whether to address pre -crisis needs, and the size of job and income -loss projections. They agree on the most important point: the scale of need is tremendous. Most cost THE COST OF estimates range from $5.1 billion to $16 billion per month. EMERGENCY The table below summarizes the key components of recent rental assistance cost RENTAL estimates by the Urban Institute, the Joint Center for Housing Studies, NLIHC, ASSISTANCE and Amherst Capital Management. One significant difference is the population on which the estimate is based: (1) only low-income renters with pre -crisis THROUGH housing cost burdens, (2) only low-income renters affected by an employment - NEXT JUNE related loss of income, (3) low-income renters with either pre -crisis or new 202111S$116 employment-related housing cost burdens, or (4) all renters with an employment - BILLION. related loss. Obviously, the most expansive target population results in the highest costs. NLIHC's current estimate targets rental assistance to low-income renters affected by employment-related income loss. Another significant difference is in the policy goals of rental assistance. The policy goals represented by the various estimates differ in that they: (1) maintain current housing cost -to -income ratios for renters who experience an employment-related loss of income, thereby not eliminating housing cost burdens for renters; (2) eliminate housing cost burdens for all low-income renters or only for those with employment-related income loss; or (3) cover the rent of employment -affected renters. Maintaining current housing cost burdens is the least costly, while covering the rent for all affected renters is the most expensive. NLIHC's estimates are based on the core of our mission: to ensure the housing stability of the lowest -income renters. Housing stability is especially important during this public health and economic crisis. For our current estimate, we calculated the cost of rental assistance that would eliminate housing cost burdens among low-income renters likely affected by employment-related job loss. -5— Additional resources are needed to protect the housing stability of extremely low-income renters not in the labor force like seniors, people with disabilities, and adult caregivers. Emergency rental assistance enables people who have lost jobs to shelter in place and avoid housing instability during and after the pandemic. The Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act introduced by Senator Sherrod Brown (D -OH), Congressman Denny Heck (D -WA), and Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D -CA) would provide $100 billion in such assistance and is urgently needed. The proposal provides states, localities, territories, and tribes with flexible resources to provide households in need with short- and medium-term rental assistance or to cover up to 6 months of back rent and late fees for renters who have already fallen behind and are dangerously close to losing their homes. Congress must include this legislation in the next coronavirus spending package to ensure renters have a home during and after this crisis. COST ESTIMATES OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE Publication Date April 3, 2020 ay 7, 2020 April 7, 2020 April 27, 2020 March 27, 2020 March 2020 Estimated Monthly $8.3 billion $9.9 billion, $5.1 billion $274 million to $8 billion to $16 $7 billion to $12 Cost ($99.5 billion for declining to $7.1 ($62 billion per $7.5 billion billion billion 12 months) billion year) Target Population Housing cost- All low-income Current renters with Renters at -risk Renters with job Renters likely to burdened ELI renters likely to incomes below of income orjob loss lose job or income and VLI* renters losejob or income 50% of area median loss and housing during crisis during recession during crisis income (VLI). cost -burdened as a (current needs plus result projected additional needs due tojob or income loss) Policy Goal Elimination of Elimination of Elimination of Maintain pre -crisis Cover rent Cover rent housing cost housing cost housing cost housing costs -to - burdens burdens burdens through income ratio or universal voucher 30% ratio program Number of renters 10.3 million 12.7 million 8.2 million Up to 9.3 million Up to 17.6 million Up to 11.4 million assisted Estimate Based on Pre -crisis and Economic crisis- Pre -crisis need Economic crisis- Economic crisis- Economic crisis - economic crisis- related need related need related need related need related need Cost Basis Average Housing Average Housing Costs of Housing Amount needed by Median monthly Median monthly Choice Voucher Choice Voucher Choice Voucher renters to achieve rent rent costs and success costs program pre -crisis housing rates by state costs -to -income ratio Available at: https:#bit.ly/2YvCM18 https:llurbn.is/3b3LgQp https:libit.ly/2Wpll3x https://urbn.is/2xvMnUl https://bit.ly/3fgaNlz *ELI = extremely low income - household income at or below 30% of area median income or the federal poverty rate, whichever is greater. VLI = very low income - household income between 30% and 50% of area median income. —6— REFERENCES Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (2019). Chart Book- The Legacy of the GreatRecessenn. Washington, DC: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Jan, T., & Clement, S. (2020, May 6). Hispanics are almost wi as likely as whites to have los h irjDibs- amid Pandemic, ool� I finds. The Washington Post. Karpman, M., Zuckerman, S., Gonzalez, D., & Kenney, G. M. (2020). The COVID-19 Pandemic is Straining Fameh .s' Abili i .s to Afford Ba,.;*r Npeds. Washington, DC: Urban Institute. Parker, K., Horowitz, J. M., & Brown, A. (2020, April 21). About half of lower-income Americans report household job or wage loss due to COVID-19. Washington, DC: Pew Research Center. Swagel, P. (2020). CBO's current projections of output, employment, and interest rates and a preliminary look at federal deficits for 2020 and 2021. Washington, DC: U.S. Congressional Budget Office. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2020a). Employment Situation Summary, Apri_T020. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2020b). How many workers are employed in sectors drertly affe d by- COVID-19 shutdowns, where do they work, and how much do they earn? Monthly Labor Review. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2020c). Labor Force S a istics from the Current Population Sur e�, U.S. Census Bureau. (2020). American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample [Data file]. Zipperer, B., & Gould, E. (2020). Unemployment filing failures* New survey confirms that millions of jobless were inabl o file an unemployment insurance laim. Working Economics Blog. April 28. Washington, DC: Economic Policy Institute. DISASTER HOUSING RECOVERY COALITION, C/O NATIONAL LOW INCOME HOUSING COALITION 1000 Vermont Avenue, NW I Suite 500 1 Washington, DC 20005 1 202-662-1530 1 www.nlihc.org —7— 05/08/2020 Kellie Fruehling From: Sent: To: Kasie Dodd <kasied@gmail.com> Tuesday, July 21, 2020 10:07 AM Council Subject: Bravo for mask mandate A Good morning, city council members. Late Handouts Distributed (Date) 7-2-1 - 2-0 I'm taking time this morning to express gratitude and thanks for making the decision to mandate masks in our community. Given the lack of leadership at the federal and state level, it is vital that these decisions are made locally, for the physical and economic health of our community. Kasie Dodd Tower Ct, Iowa City resident Kellie Fruehlin From: Irish, Erin E <erin-irish@uiowa.edu> Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2020 1:26 PM Late, Handouts Distributed To: Council Subject: face masks (Date) AR11 Thank you, thank you, thank you! Erin Irish Kellie Fruehling From: amy.charles <amy.charles@protonmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2020 3:01 PM To: Bruce Teague; Council Subject: Mask order: GOOD Dear Bruce, Late, Handouts Distributed -2i—ZD (Date) Thank you, thank you, thank you. My 17 -year-old, who has more sense than Kim does, says "Thank god." I told her no, thank Bruce for having had the stones to do the right thing. Perhaps you can do a workshop for university admin. Behind you 100%. I'm already thinking ahead to the crimes -against -humanity trials after all this is over. Sincerely, Amy Kellie Fruehli From: Terri J. Macey <tjm1895@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2020 4:12 PM To: Council Subject: Thank you for the mask mandate! Late On -(- 21 2-A�-) (Date) I understand this was a difficult decision considering Kim Reynold's commitment to blocking public health efforts and overriding local government control. Thank you for your decision to protect the citizens of Iowa City. You have my support and my gratitude. Terri Macey 1366 Oxford Place Iowa City This email is from an external source. Item Number: 6.h. J uly 21, 2020 AT TAC HM E NT S: D escription R ussell Haught - B L M C arol deP rosse - Precisely what's wrong with the current situation C arol deP rosse - F ood f or Thought C arol deP rosse - F ood f or Thought C arol deP rosse - L ess L ethal Weaponry C arol deP rosse - F O I A #2 4 C k Kellie Fruehling From: Carol deProsse <lonetreefox@mac.com> Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2020 2:39 PM To: Council; Geoff Fruin; Lonny Pulkrabek; Community Police Review Board; Bill Campbell Subject: Black Lives Matter Late; Handouts Distributed A7--2-0 -- 2Z) The police just don't get it ... (Date) https://www.cnn.com/2020/O7/l6/us/blue-lives-matter-mural-nvc-trnd/index.htmi -w � ,tiJ Kellie Fruehling From: Carol deProsse <lonetreefox@mac.com> Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2020 6:41 PM Late, Handouts Distributed To: Council; Community Police Review Board; Geoff Fruin Subject: Reparations `7-22� -2-D (Date) AR11K And as Americans debate how far the country should go to make amends for racial injustices, Asheville, N.C., has taken the first step — it approved reparations for Black residents, in the form of funding to promote homeownership and business opportunities. Kellie Fruehling From: Carol deProsse <lonetreefox@mac.com> Sent: Saturday, July 18, 2020 9:06 AM To: Community Police Review Board; Geoff Fruin; Bill Campbell; Council Subject: NYTimes: I'm a Black Police Officer. Here's How to Change the System. I'm a Black Police Officer. Here's How to Change the System https: //protect -us. mimecast. com/s/RoIdCZ6gQEiKiMXlzmpbm?domain= nytimes. com This email is from an external source. Late. Handouts Distributed 7-2-0-2-0 (Date) Kellie Fruehling From: Carol deProsse <lonetreefox@mac.com> Sent: Saturday, July 18, 2020 9:11 AM To: Council; Geoff Fruin; Community Police Review Board Subject: John Lewis 'loved this country so much that he risked his life and his blood ...' https: //protect-us.mimecast.com/s/niRMCgJY4WCEv1LSNnfZT?domain=dailykos.com This email is from an external source. Late Handouts Distributed -]--2 (Date) -Jt�,k Kellie Fruehling From: Saba Ali <sabarali@gmail.com> Late Handouts Distributed Sent: To: Cc: Subject: Dear Council members, Monday, July 20, 2020 7:06 PM Bruce Teague; Council lowafreedomriders@gmail.com; Raneemhamad@gmail.com; Smith.akia.nyrie@gmail.com; moekarar@live.com; David D�tartu Working with IFR and city council 7-2f-2-0 My name is Saba Ali and I have been working with IFR as a mentor and collaborator.l am a community member who has lived in IC for over 20 years. We look forward to finding a meeting time soon to discuss the work we've been doing around policing issues in Iowa City. One of our leaders, Keki, has been in touch with the Mayor to find a time to meet with you, and since this will have to wait until after this week's Council meeting, we wanted to update you on what we have compiled for our meeting with you. We have prepared the following: i) Per the concern of the Mayor and other Council members around whose interests are represented by IFR, a robust list of individuals and organizations in our community that support IFR demands and are willing to work with us in structuring future policy; 2) a revised set of demands that should increase clarity, including the outline of a Community Wellness & Accountability model that provides safety and security to our community outside of the police force; and 3) a collection of educational materials from University and community experts to help answer questions and explain why IFR demands for the community are aligned with expert knowledge and social science research. Thank you for your time and dedication towards the work we have ahead of us. We look forward to meeting with you soon and providing detail to the above points. Saba Ali This email is from an external source. Kellie Fruehling From: Sent: To: I RISK Dear Iowa City City Council, Allison Jaynes <allisonjaynes@gmail.com> Monday, July 20, 2020 10:55 PM Late, Handouts Distributed Council 7-2_I-2-0 (Date) After viewing several of the recent meetings, I'm left with a sense that nothing of substance will be accomplished regarding policing and the quality of life for people of color here in Iowa City. Yes, you have agreed to the demands of the IFR (every one of them spot on and long past due) but in your work sessions and special meetings, you appear to make only vague pronouncements and are not able to agree on concrete actions to address the systemic changes that are required. I'd like to draw your attention to this recent article in the NY Times, written by a white former mayor of Minneapolis. (Link below but you can also find it by searching for "white liberals block change.") This opinion piece describes how well-meaning, left-leaning democrats hold back real progress on issues such as policing and institutional racism, likely without even knowing they are doing so. The following observation is especially damning: "Whether we know it or not, white liberal people in blue cities implicitly ask police officers to politely stand guard in predominantly white parts of town (where the downside of bad policing is usually inconvenience) and to aggressively patrol the parts of town where people of color live — where the consequences of bad policing are fear, violent abuse, mass incarceration and, far too often, death." As you move forward through this process, I urge you to truly examine both the intentions and actions of your Council and make sure they are self -consistent. No doubt there is hard work ahead: you must dismantle certain systems that people believe keep them safe and convince the citizens of this city to shift their perspective (although, encouragingly, so many are already arriving there on their own). Because "the status quo in cities, created by white liberals, invites brutal policing", you must go against that status quo. This is a moment in history that will be discussed generations from now, and you have the opportunity to be on the just and moral side of that history. https://www.n34imes. com/2020/07/09/opinion/minneoolis-hodges-racism.html Sincerely, Allison Jaynes Resident of Iowa City Item Number: 6.i. J uly 21, 2020 AT TAC HM E NT S: D escription Sylvia J ones - Renting in I owa City Item Number: 6.j. J uly 21, 2020 AT TAC HM E NT S: D escription D avid Cuong Tiet - F ollow Up to the Request Change to I owa City Code of Ordinances Item Number: 6.k. J uly 21, 2020 AT TAC HM E NT S: D escription Mary Kirkpatrick - P lease approve the solar project Item Number: 6.l. J uly 21, 2020 AT TAC HM E NT S: D escription C ompetitive Quotation Memo rVt Kellie Fruehlina From: Geoff Fruin Sent: Monday, July 20, 2020 12:24 PM To: Kellie Fruehling Late. Handouts Distributed Subject: FW: No flags at half mast- response follow up. 7-2-,0—ZO Original Message----- (Date) From: Kumi Morris Sent: Monday, July 20, 2020 10:45 AM To: 'norm. cate @gmail.com' <norm. cate @gmail.com > Subject: RE: No flags at half mast- response Hi Norm, Thanks for bringing this to our attention. I checked with my City Hall maintenance team and regrettably, we did not lower the flag at City Hall this weekend. It was an unfortunate oversight due to recent staff changes in my facilities team. With COVID and staff on leave and building closures, we have had to shift our maintenance personnel. The maintenance staff that received the Iowa Governor's flag notifications and had monitored the flag position is no longer at City Hall. We have rectified the receipt of the notifications to the appropriate staff. Please feel free to call me, if you have any questions. Kumi Kumi Morris FACILITIES MANAGER CITY OF IOWA CITY 220 S. Gilbert Street I Iowa Cityl IA 52240 319.356.5o82 I kumi-morris@iowa-city.org A UNESCO CITY OF LITERATURE -----Original Message ----- From: Norm Cate <norm.cate@gmail.com> Sent: Sunday, July 19, 2020 4:02 PM To: Council <Council@iowa-city.org> Subject: No flags at half mast I would like to know why our flags on our government buildings were not at half mast this weekend in respect for a true American hero, John Lewis. I look forward to a response. Norm Cate Sent from my Whone This email is from an external source.