The Housing Authority needs to fill one vacant tenant position on its Board of Commissioners. Housing Commissioners should have the following characteristics for the effective functioning of the Board of Commissioners:
1. Must have an earnest interest in the affordable housing needs of low-income families throughout Contra Costa County.
2. Must be dedicated to the mission of the Housing Authority, which is to provide high-quality affordable housing solutions and promote self-sufficiency for low-income persons of Contra Costa County
3. Must be willing and able to attend and participate in the following key activities:
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Affordable housing solutions
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Monthly Board of Commissioner meetings
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Periodic commissioner training seminars as needed to assist the commissioners in performing their oversight duties.
4. Must be willing to become knowledgeable about the activities, policies, and practices of the Housing Authority and be able to effectively deliberate on matters brought before the Board of Commissioners.
5. Must be able to work cooperatively with other Board members, the Executive Director, and Housing Authority staff.
In early 2014, the Housing Authority solicited applicants from its Resident Advisory Board, active resident councils, Section 8 Family Self-sufficiency clients and at its senior properties to fill two vacancies on the Board of Commissioners. A total of 23 applications were received. A first round of screening removed any persons in bad standing with the Housing Authority or any applicants who had moved from the Housing Authority's jurisdiction. Pursuant to then-Chair Mitchoff’s instructions, a panel was convened in March 2014 to interview all remaining applicants. The panel was composed of Joseph Villarreal, the Housing Authority’s Executive Director, Keiko Kobayashi, the Housing Authority’s primary Counsel, and Julie DiMaggio Enea, a Senior Deputy with the County Administrator's Office.
A number of applicants either did not schedule an interview or did not appear for their scheduled appointment. Those that did were asked a series of questions concerning their application and any relevant experience that would help them serve on the Housing Authority’s Board of Commissioners. Each interview lasted approximately one-half hour. Of those interviewed, the Board of Supervisors, on May 13, 2014, appointed Fay Nathaniel to fill the Housing Authority’s 62 or older seat and Aqueela Bowie to the other Tenant seat. Ms. Bowie has successfully transitioned out of the Housing Authority program and is now ineligible to serve on the Board of Commissioners.
From the 2014 recruitment, the Housing Authority Executive Director is nominating Jannel George-Oden of San Pablo (formerly of Antioch) for appointment to the Tenant seat that was vacated by Ms. Bowie.
Disapproval of the nomination would prolong the vacancy in a Tenant seat and not provide representation of Housing Authority clients on the Board of Commissioners as required by law.