Houma-Terrebonne Housing Authority
Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting
The regular meeting for the Houma-Terrebonne Housing Authority was held January 28, 2025
at 3:00 p.m. in Senator Circle at 124 K Senator Circle, Houma, Louisiana.
Vice Chairperson Picou called the regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners to order at 3:00 p.m. followed by the Invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance. Vice Chairperson Picou stated that this is the regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners.
Upon roll call, the following Commissioners were recorded as present:
Commissioners: D. Picou, G. Burke, and D. Sherman
Absent: C. Hebert
Also present: Mrs. Nikita Gilton, Executive Director, Ms. Naquada Jefferson, Assistant
Director, Mr. Jamie McDaniels, Sulzer Group, Mr. Brandon Decuir, Legal, Mr. Hunter Duplantier, Broadmoor Design Group, and Tamara Matthews, Procurement
Continuing with the agenda, Item #4, Order of the Day/ Approval of Agenda; Mrs. Gilton said the agenda should proceed as published.
Continuing with the agenda, Item #5, Public Comment; There were no speaker cards.
Mr. Decuir said he wanted to let the record reflect that Mr. Boykin is present. He is waiting on his certificate but he is here, present, for the meeting. Vice Chairperson Picou welcomed Mr. Boykin. He said he was sorry that happened. There are rules and regulations. Mr. Boykin said he was in the process of getting it. Mr. Decuir said he wanted to make sure that he was acknowledged on the record that he was present.
Continuing with the agenda, Item #6, Approval of Minutes from November 21, 2024 regular board meeting; Motioned to approve by Commissioner Sherman, seconded by Commissioner Burke. Vice Chairperson Picou called for the vote:
UPON ROLL CALL THERE WAS RECORDED
YEAS: D. Sherman, G. Burke, and D. Picou
NAYS: None
ABSTAINING: None
ABSENT: C. Hebert Motion carried
Continuing with the agenda, Item #7, Bills and Communications, Item #7A, Approval of Pay
Vouchers for the period of November 8, 2024-January 10, 2025; Motioned to approve by Commissioner Sherman, seconded by Commissioner Burke. Vice Chairperson Picou called for the vote:
UPON ROLL CALL THERE WAS RECORDED
YEAS: D. Sherman, G. Burke, and D. Picou
NAYS: None
ABSTAINING: None
ABSENT: C. Hebert Motion carried
Continuing with the agenda, Item #7B, Monthly Financials-August 2024; Item #7B1, Memo from Fee Accountant to Board of Commissioners; Item #7B2, Balance Sheet for August 2024; Item #7B3,Income and Expense Statements for August 2024; Item #7B4,Public Housing Financial Assessment Score for the month of August 2024; Item #7B5,Bank Reconciliation.
Continuing with the agenda, Item #7C, Monthly Financials-September 2024; Item #7C1, Memo from Fee Accountant to Board of Commissioners; Item #7C2, Balance Sheet for September 2024; Item #7C3,Income and Expense Statements for September 2024; Item #7C4,Public Housing Financial Assessment Score for the month of September 2024; Item #7C5,Bank Reconciliation.
Continuing with the agenda, Item #7D, Monthly Financials-October 2024; Item #7D1, Memo from Fee Accountant to Board of Commissioners; Item #7D2, Balance Sheet for October 2024; Item #7D3,Income and Expense Statements for October 2024; Item #7D4,Public Housing Financial Assessment Score for the month of October 2024; Item #7D5,Bank Reconciliation.
Continuing with the agenda, Item #8, Report of Secretary/ Executive Director—Mrs. Gilton reported that information was in their packet.
Mrs. Gilton reported that in December, she had a meeting with Broadmoor Design Group, the Housing Authority’s A&E firm. Mr. Hunter Duplantier will be called up so he can give an update regarding the property across from Bayou Towers. She has been having conversation with the board to put fourplex or duplex there. She will be asking for approval for them to move forward to do a task order.
At that meeting, they discussed when Bayou Towers is torn down that property can be used and put separate units, not another Highrise. It is on 3 acres.
Regarding the demo plan, the Housing Authority will remove Bayou Towers but before it can be torn down, the parish has to move their emergency equipment. They are working on a demo plan but that demo plan will be contingent on the parish removing their emergency equipment. The parish attorney reached out last year, to HTHA attorney, asking for an extension to remove those items. It is not that HTHA is not doing what they are supposed to do, they cannot just go tear down a building with Terrebonne Parish emergency equipment on top of it.
At the end of February, HTHA has a virtual inspection with GOHSEP, in regards to pass grants. It is the last week of February.
HTHA had their audit January 6th, 7th and 8th. While the auditors were here, HUD did a visit, Elvettra Gibbs form the New Orleans field office and Dr. Gaither from Washington for a meeting. Councilman Brien Pledger and Councilman Carle Harding did attend the meeting as well. She invited them to attend the meeting because she wanted them to meet the A&E firm, for them to see what they would like to see come back in their districts.
Regarding the storage containers that HTHA is selling, she extended the bids to March 5th.
LHC conference is in May in Baton Rouge.
Mr. McDaniels with Sulzer Group reported Bayou Towers is at the Consolidated Resource Center. They are reviewing it. They should have some guidance back at the end of January. That is the point where they know if it meets the 50% criteria. At that point they determine how much money they are going to have to rebuild.
Mr. McDaniels reported that they are still looking for land, anticipating that being a total relocation for Bayou Towers in Gray or Schriever. They have been working with the tribal relocation. He can’t remember the name of who has control of the property. When they get to the final stages of it, they will look at it to see if it is something HTHA could work with for the development of the Senior Center there. In the meantime, they are trying to get quotes and some housing. That is where Broadmoor Development has been flexible with working with them. Broadmoor has ideas put together for potential opportunity. They do not want to exclude any options. They want to try to move as quick as possible. Mrs. Gilton has been pressing them to get quotes and housing as quick as possible. This is one of those potential solutions, use land that the housing authority has already.
Mr. McDaniels said Nikita mentioned to him earlier that the grant funding is held off right now with President Trump Executive Order. It stopped all grants for right now. That does include FEMA funds. There is nothing being held up as far as the process goes. It depends how far this goes. It could potentially have an effect down the road. He does not anticipate it will. The nation made it a priority to get federal funding out for emergency management and it seems like it is going to be a big priority. He asked them to keep in mind that grant money is frozen all across the nation, in all different agencies.
Mr. Duplantier, Broadmoor Design Group, reported that the plan is to develop a set of single bedroom studio, two-bedroom efficiency floor plans and start to figure out how we can assemble those, in scale, both Bayou Towers parcel of land to be demolished. And then what can we do immediately. The two parcels across the street, across Park Avenue, that are owned by one with our own housing authority that they could readily move on now to, to begin developing some additional units.
Mr. Duplantier reported that they began our task to do a detailed analysis of Bayou towers and understanding the exact program of the bedroom circulation for 1 to 1 replacement as they get to that point online. But as of right now, what they see on the handout is just a, a broad stroke. If they were to go back with what they understood, the desire for single level, single floor, one-bedroom units, they would be able to fit about 40 plus units, given vehicle parking inside that, He does think that there’s some efficiencies that they can push out of there. And then, of course, they always have the opportunity to go vertical and create more density over and going vertical. They need to include ramps, stairs, possibly elevators. He said this is just a representation of their last meeting that we had. And just to continue on the conversation of where they will hopefully be going. Mrs. Gilton said those units would be Bayou Towers units, for the elderly. And then they would just do phases. This phase bring back, like Mr. Duplantier said, about 40 units and then continue to do that, until they find some land to actually build more units. Bayou Towers was 300 units. Senator Circle was 219. They already have HUD approval for demolition of Bayou Towers.
Mr. Duplantier said they already did step one, the detailed analysis. How do they get 300, 400 units and what kind of land area would that take to fit that many people or that much parking. He said let’s try and address what they have now using the opportunities and how they can get things moving as quickly as possible. That parcel land seems like it would be relative available. Obviously, the communication towers, the only thing that they see potentially, creating a delay and, setting forth the demolition of the building, but we’ve already begun the process of, developing the demolition package, the specifications of that building.
Vice Chairperson Picou asked regarding demolition plan, what he was talking about time wise, to give them an idea. Mr. Duplantier asked to present a completed package? Vice Chairperson Picou said yes. Mr. Duplantier said for demolition he would say probably a month or two. He thinks there’s still some environmental things that they want to make sure they are crystal clear on. Mr. McDaniels said the other part of it, a big part of it is the communication. The parish has to provide what they are going to do with that communication equipment before they can demo it. They cannot demo it until then. Mr. McDaniels said that’s a big part of what they need. Vice Chairperson Picou said that was his next question. He understands that they are waiting on Terrebonne Parish to let them know when they’re going to get it off. He thinks they have communicated with them for the last year or two. Mrs. Gilton said she believes last May was the last communication. Vice Chairperson Picou said that they asked for time so they could get it off. They needed a place to put it and they have not heard anything yet. So that’s one of the big deals right now. He said he hopes that does not stop it. Mr. Duplantier said it will not delay them from continuing. He wanted to put that out there. They understand that might take some time.
Mrs. Gilton introduced Mr. Joe Lewis and Mr. Rod Washington, who works with HTHA. Mr. Lewis introduced himself. They do the communications and consults with the agency as well. They handle the social media and board meetings. Mr. Washington works with the company as well. He is excited to hear about the progress, so he can communicate that to the residents. This company also handles HTHA’s social media.
Continuing with the agenda, Item 9, Discussion and consideration of authorizing Broadmoor Design Group to complete a task order to evaluate the land located at 7490 Park Ave; Houma, LA 70364 and 7510 Park Ave; Houma, LA 70364; Motioned to approve by Commissioner Sherman. Commissioner Burke said he move that they discuss it. Mrs. Gilton said that was what they just discussed. Mr. Decuir said what was one of the projects Mr. Duplantier presented. Vice Chairperson Picou asked if Commissioner Burke if he heard what he has to say about the projects. Mrs. Gilton said the update from Mr. Duplantier. Vice Chairperson Picou asked Mrs. Gilton if she wanted to give more information or have Mr. McDaniels or Mr. Duplantier give some information. Mr. Duplantier said how can they move fast. They know Houma Terrebonne Housing Authority owns the parcel land on Park Avenue. Morgan separates the two parcels. Those lots are vacant. To get the ball moving, they believe that consolidating or developing either a duplex or whatever they are able to fit including parking. It is the quickest way to establish some new housing. Commissioner Burke said there is a lot of stuff buried on the side of the bayou. They have stuff on the last 30 feet of the property going to the bayou, all kind of concrete buried. Mrs. Gilton said that is why the A&E firm is going to survey the land before they proceed. Vice Chairperson Picou said when they survey the land, they will have a report on that. Mr. Duplantier said what they see is a rough interpolation off of Google images. They understand where the set backs are. Commissioner Burke seconded Commissioner Sherman motion. Vice Chairperson Picou called for the vote:
UPON ROLL CALL THERE WAS RECORDED
YEAS: D. Sherman, G. Burke, and D. Picou
NAYS: None
ABSTAINING: None
ABSENT: C. Hebert Motion carried
Continuing with the agenda, Item 10, Discussion and consideration of Broadmoor Design Group preparing a demolition plan for Bayou Towers. Vice Chairperson Picou said that is the plan they need to tear the building down and they will give a report on it. Motioned to approve by Commissioner Sherman, seconded by Commissioner Burke. Vice Chairperson Picou called for the vote:
UPON ROLL CALL THERE WAS RECORDED
YEAS: D. Sherman, G. Burke, and D. Picou
NAYS: None
ABSTAINING: None
ABSENT: C. Hebert Motion carried
Commissioner Burke said they need a plan for that? Mrs. Gilton said yes.
Continuing with the agenda, Item 11, Commissioner Comments; Commissioner Sherman thank the Design Group and the Project Manager team, Mr. Joe Lewis and Mr. Washington for coming to the meeting and updating them. He said they are thankful for a fine job that Mrs. Gilton is doing and the staff and the management, legal and of course the board of commissioners. He thanked Mr. Boykin for being present.
Vice Chairperson Picou said his dream is to see this done. He loves what they say and what they are doing. They give reports every time they have a meeting. He understands more about it. The people of Terrebonne Parish are starting to understand right now what the concept is to put things together. Terrebonne Parish, itself, has been waiting on FEMA for four years to do projects in Terrebonne Parish. They finally got some of them started as they are speaking right now. One is the Airbase that he was in charge of. He was in charge of that project at the Airbase through Hercules Carnival Club. They had that leased, the agricultural part of it. He said they just received the word that have a stop on it. From what was said a little while ago, everything is frozen right now. FEMA took four years to get to them. Four years to get to HTHA. Now they have FEMA and they are at a halt. He said government needs to step up and help out these people. If they had the final say so, it would all be done already but they do not have the final say so. They have to go by the laws of the land and they are going to follow the laws of the land.
Continuing with the agenda, Item 12, Next Regular Board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 27, 2025; 3:00 p.m., 124 K Senator Circle; Houma, LA 70363
Continuing with the agenda, Item #13, Adjournment; Motioned to approve by Commissioner Burke, seconded by Commissioner Sherman. Vice Chairperson Picou called for the vote:
UPON ROLL CALL THERE WAS RECORDED
YEAS: D. Sherman, G. Burke, and D. Picou
NAYS: None
ABSTAINING: None
ABSENT: C. Hebert Motion carried
Meeting adjourned at 3:26 p.m.