Havana Villa Neighborhood Association

HVNA Stakeholders Meeting Notes

These meeting notes reflect Darla Stuart's personal notes from this meeting. Attendees have not had an opportunity to review.

ATTENDING

Ven Armour – Aurora Housing Authority (AHA)
Tony Carasco – Vice President-Havana Villa Neighborhood Association HVNA
Barb Cleland – City Council
Jim Close – Neighborhood Watch/HVNA
Tanya Ferencak -- Neighborhood Liaison City of Aurora (CoA)
Nancy Freed – Deputy City Manager for Ingrid Lindemann (City Council Person for HVNA)
Wye Hale-Rowe – Secretary-HVNA
Officer Rick Schablitsky – Aurora Police Department APD-PAR
Darla Stuart – President-HVNA
Sgt. Paul Swanson – APD-PAR
Judi Uhrich – Treasurer-HVNA
Barton Wong – Neighborhood Liaison (CoA)
Officer J.D. Wykstra – APD-PAR

COMMUNITY SECURITY
HVNA called an emergency meeting of community stakeholders to discuss and resolve neighborhood concerns. A generalized discussion of crime and crime related activity issues were held. Discussion encompassed drugs, gang activity, break-ins, assaults (verbal and physical), property crimes, thefts, domestic issues and traffic problems. Some specific incidents were identified for the purpose of giving detail to a topic area.

Reporting and tracking methodologies were discussed. PAR Officer Schablistsky offered to provide HVNA with detailed process by which incidents should be reported and additionally who those incidents should be reported to and why. Darla Stuart from HVNA offered HVNA’s support in customizing the information to include other relevant numbers for the HVNA community. Ven Armour from AHA offered to provide relevant names and numbers for Buckingham Gardens community to the flyer. No discussion occurred on how to offset the cost of this publication.

Discussed solutions included:

Neighborhood Watch Walking – HVNA
As previously discussed at the last HVNA meeting a neighborhood watch-walking program will be initiated. PAR, AHA and Neighborhood Watch have committed time and support. Training on this valuable neighborhood program will be provided at the next neighborhood association meeting. Jim Close our Neighborhood Watch Coordinator has committed to helping us out with this program.

Increased Police Presence – PAR
HVNA community will see an increased presence from the policing community. PAR Officer Schablitsky has requested increased police patrolling at night and on weekends. Additionally, increased scrutiny of drivers will occur on Kentucky and tickets can be anticipated for speeding and loud music. PAR Officer Scablitsky has notified High Hollows HOA President of the issues in HVNA. PAR Officer J.D. Wykstra discussed training’s he has provided to the senior community at Buckingham Gardens on crimes and the elderly.

Buckingham Gardens – AHA
Ven Amour described admission and screening criteria for AHA. AHA has been working with APD on issuing trespassing summons. Additionally, AHA stated that enforcement of leasing requirements is not a problem.

A Citizen’s Panel of Buckingham Gardens residents was discussed to provide an internal process for problem solving inclusive to AHA only. Ven suggested that there is a Residents Panel in place with elected members from Buckingham Gardens, although she did not believe the panel’s charter provided for a resolution process. The CoA offered mediation services to AHA. AHA had used this service previously and found it to be positive. Ven would investigate the suggested internal mechanism for resolving issues through a citizen’s panel or the resident’s panel.

Neighborhood Physical and Landscaping
Open spaces, inviting cruising routes and privacy issues were discussed. AHA has applied for some special use funds from HUD to place fencing on the Ironton side of Buckingham Gardens. Tanya Ferencak CoA offered support in researching solutions and money donations to resolve additional open space issues at Buckingham Gardens. HVNA offered sweat equity in helping out, and strongly suggested that privacy fencing be considered for family housing. CoA offered the mini-grant program to be used on any public property, including the city easements on all private property.

Children and Teen community space issues were discussed. CoA spoke of a particular program that has been offered through Aurora Parks and Recreation at two APS Middle Schools. The programs are grant funded and are provided to meet the unique needs of the teeners attending. HVNA agreed to investigate the possibility of duplicating this program at CCS Prairie Middle School. Discussion of a playground resulted in a consensus of no.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

HVNA
HVNA provides four quarterly meetings and coordinates and staff’s the annual block party. HVNA will commit to coordinating and running a Neighborhood Watch Walking. HVNA will develop its’ free neighborhood association web site to include relevant neighborhood information. Additionally, HVNA will provide association members with a customized summary of numbers and who to call when. HVNA is committed to resolving our community issues.

PAR
PAR is committed to the short and the long-term plan in making the neighborhood a safer place. PAR will commit to communicating with our Neighborhood Watch Coordinator Jim Close and to participating in meetings of HVNA. PAR will continue its’ cooperative work with AHA. Additionally, PAR and APD will increase its visibility and outreach to the community.

AHA
AHA outreach encompasses a variety of routes. From internal outreach to residents of Buckingham Gardens to a Board of Directors appointed by the Mayor, AHA is committed to community involvement. Ven Armour has committed to participating in the Neighborhood Watch Walkers and additionally would welcome HVNA’s surveillance of Buckingham Gardens activities through this program. Darla Stuart HVNA committed to contacting Mayor Tauer about the possibility of creating a sub-committee of either the city or AHA that would be comprised of representatives of neighborhood associations impacted by AHA’s multi-unit dwellings. Ven Armour stated that to her knowledge no such sub-committee of the AHA BoD existed. Such a committee would allow impacted communities to provide input to the city and AHA and to brainstorm about similar neighborhood impact issues.

Ven Armour stated she would try to provide HVNA and PAR a copy of the Buckingham Gardens newsletter, but she was concerned about offsetting the cost. HVNA and PAR offered to help out with offsetting the cost of mailing.

TRAFFIC ISSUES
PAR committed to increasing outreach to traffic violators. Darla Stuart will write a letter to Dick Hoverkemp of CoA regarding an additional stop sign at Kentucky and South Jamaica for west and east bound traffic. Barton Wong of CoA will investigate the process of getting “Children at Play” signs.

HVNA and CoA will schedule another meeting in approximately three months to discuss outcome of plans.