New Members Join Ferndale Housing Commission, Search for New Director Begins

New Members Join Ferndale Housing Commission, Search for New Director Begins
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Oct. 19, 2015)
 
The next phase of the recovery journey begins for the Ferndale Housing Commission as two new Commissioners step up to serve, and the Executive Director Search Committee gets under way.
Jennifer Bentley and Melissa DaSilva each applied for the FHC after reading about the various problems in the administration of the housing program. The FHC serves seniors, disabled and low income people through 168 units of low-rent Public Housing and 975 units of Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers. This includes two apartment buildings and homes scattered through the city. The previous Director for the program is now in jail for using her position to go into residents’ homes and steal their prescription painkillers. And since her departure in Nov. 2014, there has been a major HUD review of the organization and a long list of things that needed to be fixed.
Bentley and DaSilva are replacing two commissioners who have recently resigned. Dan Martin, who also serves on City Council as Mayor Pro Tem, had been appointed after the FHC’s issues became public. He and Ann Heler were new appointments with dedication to cleaning up the problems. Martin was pushed into resigning by HUD because they say having an elected official on the Commission is a conflict of interest. The City Attorney disagreed with HUD’s position, but rather than put the FHC at risk of losing HUD funding Martin resigned at the end of September.
Ryan Hertz also recently resigned because he is moving out of the city and will no longer meet residency requirements.
Mayor Coulter gave shining recommendations for both the new appointees. “Jennifer Bentley works for the City of Detroit Office of the Inspector General. She has extensive experience in law in both fraud investigation as well as representing individuals seeking Social Security disability benefits. Jennifer has also been serving on the Civil Service Board since January 2015,” Coulter said in his recommendation to City Council. “I also bring forward another candidate Melissa DaSilva, she is Director of Operations for Advantage Health Centers. She has worked in health and social services for over 25 years. She has extensive experience working with HUD Programming and was the program manager for a HUD Program, Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS in Tennessee.”
City Council unanimously approved their appointments. They join Board President Ann Heler, resident member Carole Morency, and longtime Commissioner Paul Stuart. The FHC commissioners are appointed by the City, but oversight falls in the hands of HUD.
The problems being tackled by the FHC stem from years of commissioners failing to provide appropriate oversight and an administration that did not follow the rules. After former Director Deb Wilson’s arrest, commissioners at the time voted to give her a $130,000 severance package which was later deemed by HUD to be inappropriate. HUD also found a long list of instances where Wilson was inappropriately using HUD funds, which now must be repaid. During the turmoil the FHC was compelled to follow the Open Meetings Act and the Freedom of Information Act, they were compelled to work with residents who had problems instead of dismissing them without response, they were compelled to allow residents to have meetings and to reopen closed common spaces, and to address many policies and procedures that came to light through reporting by the oc115 and through a detailed review by HUD.
Over the past several months, Heler and Martin led the way in creating order and accountability. The Commission tackled the HUD report, responding to each item cited as best they could. The response to HUD was due the same day that Martin was expected to resign by, making Bentley and DaSilva’s appointments timely.
Implementing new policies and addressing problems not covered HUD’s report is the next phase, according to Heler. “We’ve done a lot of work in a very short time,” she said. “But there is so much more to do. And I think these new board members are just what we need. They know their stuff, they ask good questions. They are just what this commission needs.”
One of the tasks the FHC is tackling is an Executive Director search. After Wilson’s arrest, the commissioners at the time appointed Emily Vickey to serve as interim Director. Vickey had worked under Wilson for 12 years.
A search committee was approved Wednesday that makes it possible to leverage the City of Ferndale’s resources and experience. Though unable to serve as a Commissioner, Martin is able to serve on the search committee which also includes Morency representing both the Commission and within that the tenants, City Manager April Lynch and City of Ferndale Human Resources Director Jennifer Compas. A timeline is expected to be presented at the FHC’s Oct. 21 meeting.
Mayor Coulter expressed gratitude for Bentley and DaSilva’s stepping up. “A lot of us put our heads together to figure out how to make this [changes in the FHC] happen. Both of these women came to us and… filled out an application online,” he said “So glad that you applied. I’m so impressed with the talent pool we don’t even realize exists within our community. Literally it does work to fill out an application and have us look at that.”
The City has several boards and commissions that residents can get involved in. And those who are interested in serving on the FHC may also apply to be considered if any seats become vacant. Learn more about applying at http://www.ferndalemi.gov/Government/Boards_Commissions.
To read more about the history of challenges at the FHC, see the oc115 timeline of stories at https://oaklandcounty115.com/2015/07/17/timeline-of-ferndale-housing-commissions-struggles-and-progress-2/.

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