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February 16, 2022 Annual/Regular Board Meeting Minutes

I. Annual Meeting
Chairman James Cloar called the annual meeting of the Tampa Housing Authority Board of Commissioners to order
at 8:36 a.m. Other Board members physically present were Bemetra Salter Liggins, Lorena Hardwick, Sul Hemani,
Parker Homans, and legal counsel Ricardo Gilmore; Commissioners Ben Dachepalli and Billi Johnson-Griffin also
participated online.

II. New Business

  • Election of Officers
    • Attorney Ricardo Gilmore opened the floor for nominations for the position of Chairperson for the Tampa Housing
    • Authority of the Board of Commissioners.
    • Commissioner Cloar was nominated by Commissioner Salter Liggins for Chair, seconded by Commissioner Homans.
    • Nominations were closed by one name and Commissioner Cloar became Chair by acclamation.
    • Attorney Gilmore opened the floor for nominations for the positions of Vice Chair for the Tampa Housing Authority of the Board of Commissioners.
    • Commissioner Salter Liggins was nominated by Chairman Cloar for Vice Chair.

Nominations were closed by one name and Commissioner Salter Liggins became Vice Chair by acclamation.

III. Adjournment
There being no further business to come before this Board, the Chair declared the annual meeting of the THA Board
of Commissioners adjourned at 8:39 a.m.


I. Regular Meeting
Chairman James Cloar called the regular meeting of the Tampa Housing Authority Board of Commissioners to order at 8:39 a.m. Other Board members present were Bemetra Salter Liggins, Lorena Hardwick, Sul Hemani, Parker Homans, and legal counsel Ricardo Gilmore; Commissioners Ben Dachepalli and Billi Johnson-Griffin also participated online.

The Chair began by asking everyone for a moment of silent prayer and/or personal meditation; those in attendance were also asked to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance; recital of the agency's mission statement followed. 

II. Minutes
A motion to approve the Minutes of the regular Board Meeting of November 17, 2021 was made by Commissioner Hardwick and seconded by Commissioner Hemani:

Commissioner Hardwick - Yes
Commissioner Dachepalli - Present
Commissioner Homans - Yes
Commissioner Salter Liggins - Present
Commissioner Hemani - Yes
Commissioner Johnson-Griffin - Yes
Commissioner Cloar - Yes

III. Public Forum (3 minutes limit allotted per speaker)

  • None to come before this forum.

IV. Presentation
The Director of Real Estate Development, Mr. David Iloanya presented the Public Housing Agency (PHA) Plan; the
presentation can be made available upon request. Chairman Cloar opened the floor for a Final Public Hearing for
the PHA Plan. 


I. Final Public Hearing for the PHA Plan

II. Public Forum

  • None to come before this forum.

III. Adjournment
There being no further business to come before this forum, the Chair declared the public hearing for the PHA Plan
adjourned at 9:06 a.m.

Next, Chairman Cloar continued with the regular meeting.


V. Employees of the Month

  • Administration (December) - Marc Diaz
  • Properties (December) - Jose Guzman
  • Properties (January) - Jessica McDaniels

VI. Special Recognition (Geraldine Barnes Award)

  • Recipient - Desiree Jenkins

VII. Resolutions
The Director of Real Estate Development Mr. David Iloanya presented resolution 2022-4212.

  • 2023-4212: A resolution authorizing the President/CEO to submit the FY2022 Public Housing Agency Plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

A motion was made by Commissioner Hemani and seconded by Commissioner Homans:

Commissioner Hardwick - Yes
Commissioner Dachepalli - Yes
Commissioner Homans - Yes
Commissioner Salter Liggins - Yes
Commissioner Hemani - Yes
Commissioner Johnson-Griffin - Yes
Commissioner Cloar - Yes

The Director of Assisted Housing Ms. Margaret Jones presented resolutions 2022-4213 and 2022-4214.

  • 2022-4213: A resolution approving the revision of the payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher Program.

A motion was made by Commissioner Salter Liggins and seconded by Commissioner Hardwick:

Commissioner Hardwick - Yes
Commissioner Dachepalli - Yes
Commissioner Homans - Yes
Commissioner Salter Liggins - Yes
Commissioner Hemani - Yes
Commissioner Johnson-Griffin - Yes
Commissioner Cloar - Yes

  • 2022-4214 Margaret Jones: A resolution approving the revision of the Administrative Plan to include the Emergency Housing Voucher Program operational policy.

A motion was made by Commissioner Johnson-Griffin and seconded by Commissioner Hemani:

Commissioner Hardwick - Yes
Commissioner Dachepalli - Yes
Commissioner Homans - Yes
Commissioner Salter Liggins - Yes
Commissioner Hemani - Yes
Commissioner Johnson-Griffin - Yes
Commissioner Cloar - Yes

VIII. President/CEO's Report

Finance and Related Entities
The Sr. VP/CFO, Ms. Susi Begazo-McGourty introduced Mr. Brian Nemeroff of the agency's independent audit firm Berman Hopkins, CPAs & Associates to present the agencywide audit for the Tampa Housing Authority Fiscal Year 2021; audit period from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021. In according with protocol, the executive team and the auditors met with the Chair of the Audit Committee, Ms. Bemetra Salter Liggins also the Vice Chair of the agency's Board of Commissioners to go over the audit with more detail.  

The audit firm was also requested to do an agreed upon procedures for the Oaks of Riverview, a Hope VI property. The CFO added, since the Oaks have completed its 15 years compliance period, THA has the first right of refusal to purchase this property. 

The CFO proceeded with her department's financial update.

Operations and Real Estate Development 
The Sr. VP/COO, Mr. Leroy Moore began his report with the Oaks at Riverview, one of the agency's major redevelopments, hopefully bringing it to the Board for approval in February to possibly closing in March 2022. Belmont Heights closing was in December, THA was currently the owner of phases 1 and 2, 559 units. Renovations will begin this month of January for approximately $30 million in rehab for that community. Phase 3 of Belmont Heights, 266 units, will likely be ready to close in late fall of 2022.

Currently the Bel-Mar Presbyterian Church on Manhattan will be called Bel-Mar Apartments, THA has a non-binding letter of interest with developer Archway Partners and SPS. Mr. Moore will bring to the Board in February an authorization to proceed in a partnership with named developer. THA will have the option of being either a general partner long-term by offering 58 Section 8 units or closing the construction/development gap, $3 million, thereby THA taking a much stronger ownership role, with a proposal for 100 units of affordable housing. 

Regarding Encore, lot 8 was under contract with Millcreek, hoping to close in the next few months. Lot 10 had a two-phase deal, hoping to bring to the Board in February for a hotel and multi-family building.

A letter of intent was about to be executed for Lots 5 and 12 with another developer that was committing to do the development that THA had originally proposed for lot 12, which was a grocery store on the ground floor with residential above. The developer is proposing 120 micro-units in an ownership structure over the grocer and a large retail component on lot 5 along with another 100 units of condo ownership. If the LOI is executed, a purchasing sale agreement will be brought to the Board in February, as well.

The Job Training Center's operator is the Hillsborough County Public School District, they will let THA know when they will be ready for a grand opening, sometime in the next 30-60 days.

Lots 11 and 9 are in lease up, great product to have opening at Encore, said Mr. Moore.

At West River, the Manor at the T5 north parcel which were the Related market rate units may be closing in March, as well as the Canopy Towers 1 and 2 on the T4 parcel, 196 units also closing in March. 

Robles Park Village had been going through solicitation partners with a committee of seven (2 residents and 5 staff) proposals have been evaluated over the last 60 days. 

The results of the committee's evaluations indicated the top ranked firm for master developer partner was the Property Market Group (PMG) Bank of America team, as second ranked the Related Urban Group was selected for vertical opportunities at Robles Park. Mr. Moore hoped to bring partnership agreements to the Board for action in the next 60 days. Relocation of the Robles Park community will be around April or May 2022.

The COO introduced the Interim Director of Asset Management, Mr. Luis Blondin to update Board members regarding River Pines.

The Director of Human Resources, Mr. Kenneth Christie's report included pandemic updates and the agency's challenges in that regard. 

IX. Legal Matters
Attorney Gilmore complemented THA's HR Dept, and its executive staff for providing a safe environment as much as possible. He added that it was a continuing challenge to meet the requirements of what nationally would like to be implemented for everyone's safety in what is required by House Bill 1-B now Section 112.0441 Florida Statutes. We will have to pivot, said attorney Gilmore, our policy met most of the requirements of this new law. Given the
types of penalties that can be assessed per violation, the policy will need to be tweaked, this will need to be done with many governmental agencies. The attorney had been in contact with the General Council for the Florida League of Cities, as THA was considered more of a governmental entity rather than a private employer; he wanted to make sure that whatever those entities were entertaining in policies that THA may have the benefit of that information moving forward. It was unfortunate that we cannot be as fully protected of our environment as we would like to, said the attorney. Nationally, these issues will be continued to be litigated as seen last week. Unfortunately, we must react as the pandemic continues to expand; hopefully soon there will be clarity than there is at this time.

A motion to accept the audit presented earlier, was made by Commissioner Salter Liggins and seconded by Commissioner Johnson-Griffin: 

Commissioner Hardwick - Yes
Commissioner Dachepalli - Yes
Commissioner Homans - Yes
Commissioner Salter Liggins - Yes
Commissioner Hemani - Yes
Commissioner Johnson-Griffin - Yes
Commissioner Cloar - Yes

X. Unfinished Business
Chairman Cloar thanked Commissioners for their attention in filling out Mr. Ryans' evaluation form. The next step
was for Mr. Ryans and the Chair to meet, and for Mr. Ryans to develop goals for the coming year that will be
presented to the Board. 

XI. Notices and Updates
The Director of Community Affairs, Ms. Lillian Stringer thanked Board members for their participation in public
events, which had made each event more special. 

XII. New Business

  • None to come before this forum.

XIII. Adjournment
There being no further business to come before this Board, the Chair declared this meeting of the THA Board of Commissioners adjourned at 10:41 a.m.

Approved this 16th day of February 2022.