There is hereby created a Municipal Housing Board of Vinton, Iowa, hereinafter referred to as the Board, which shall consist of five members appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of Council.
1. Appointments. One of such appointments shall be a member of the City Council who shall serve as Chairperson of the Housing Board. Other appointments shall represent the diverse interests in the community knowledgeable of housing issues as much as possible. A Vice Chairperson shall also be appointed by the Mayor.
2. Membership. Members shall reside in the area of operation of the Board, which area shall be coterminous with the area of operation of the City. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting business and exercising powers of the Board.
3. Term of Office. The term of office for three of the members originally appointed, including the Chairperson, shall be two years and the term of office for two of the members originally appointed shall be one year. Thereafter the term of office for each member shall be two years. Each member shall hold office until a successor has been appointed. A member shall receive no compensation for services, but shall be entitled to the necessary expenses, including travel expenses, incurred in the discharge of a duty, paid from funds appropriated to the Board.
4. Special Meetings. Special meetings may be held at the call of the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson or any three members of the Board by giving at least 48 hours’ notice (written or oral) to every member of the Board. The call for a special meeting shall include an agenda and only matters included in that agenda may be discussed at the meeting. If all members of the Board agree in writing, prior notice of 48 hours to a special meeting may be waived.
5. Removal From Office. For inefficiency, or neglect of duty, or misconduct in office, a member may be removed by a majority vote of the City Council.
6. Exercise of Powers. The City Council in its discretion may exercise its municipal housing project powers through this Board or through such officers of the municipality as the Council may by resolution determine.
The purposes of the Housing Board are as follows:
1. Establish a comprehensive housing plan.
2. Update or cause to be updated the Housing Needs Assessment and Action Plan every five years.
3. Expand the supply of available, safe, and affordable housing.
4. Address unsound structures in the community.
5. Endeavor to leverage local or private matching funds or financial assistance or other State or federal financial assistance.
6. Serve as the City civil rights agency regarding unfair or discriminatory housing practices.
(Code of Iowa, Sec. 216.19)
The provisions of Chapter 216 of the Code of Iowa pertaining to Unfair or Discriminatory Housing Practices are hereby adopted by reference. The Board shall have the following powers and duties pertaining to it:
1. To receive, investigate, and pass upon charges or complaints alleging unfair or discriminatory practices.
2. To investigate and study the existence, character, causes and extent of discrimination in housing in the City and to attempt the elimination of such discrimination by education and conciliation.
3. To issue such publications and reports of investigation and research as in the judgment of the Board shall tend to promote good will among the various racial, religious, and ethnic groups of the City and which shall tend to minimize or eliminate discrimination in housing because of race, color, creed, sex, religion, national origin, religion, disability, or familial status.
4. To prepare and transmit to the Mayor and Council from time to time, but not less often than once a year, reports describing its proceedings, investigations, hearings conducted and the outcome thereof, decisions rendered, and the other work performed by the Board.
5. To make recommendations to the Mayor and Council for such further legislation concerning discrimination because of race, color, creed, sex, religion, national origin, disability or familial status as it may deem necessary and desirable.
6. To cooperate, within the limits of any appropriations made for its operation, with other agencies or organizations, both public and private, whose purposes are not inconsistent with those of this chapter, and in the planning and conducting of programs designed to eliminate racial, religious, cultural and inter-group tensions in housing.
7. To utilize such employment of the City as required to effectuate its purposes and programs but only after request to and approval of appropriate City department heads. Further, the Board may compensate City employees for services performed during non-regular working hours and employ such outside assistance as its budget permits.