Access to Public Housing for Formerly Incarcerated People (The Housing Authority Of Baltimore City)
| Multi Request | Access to Public Housing for Formerly Incarcerated People |
| Submitted | Oct. 20, 2018 |
| Est. Completion | None |
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Communications
From: Sarika Ram
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Maryland Public Information Act, I hereby request the following records:
-Currently valid policies/procedures relating to public housing and Section 8 housing assistance eligibility for applicants on the basis of arrest/conviction record
-Currently valid eviction policies/procedures for tenants in public housing and Section 8 housing units
-Currently valid policies/procedures regarding obtaining criminal conviction records from law enforcement agencies and sex offender registration information from the appropriate state/local agency responsible for the maintenance of sex offender registration program
-Any reports compiling the data of applicants to public housing and Section 8 housing assistance from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017
-Any reports compiling the data of public housing and Section 8 housing assistance denials and the basis of those denials between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017
-Any logs of police reports related to activity in public housing and Section 8-subsidized units between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017
-Any grievances/complaints of discrimination submitted between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017 including any of the following words/phrases:
-crime
-crimes
-criminal
-convict
-convicted
-sex offense
-sex offender
-jail
-prison
-correctional facility
-probation
-parole
-conviction record
-arrest record
Please provide materials on a rolling basis, as they become available.
If you have any questions, please feel free to clarify via phone at 610-637-7745.
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 calendar days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Sarika Ram
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Maryland Public Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Oct. 20, 2018. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From:
Dear Ms. Ram:
Attached please find the Housing Authority of Baltimore City's response to your request for document made under the Maryland Public Information Act.
If you have any questions, kindly contact me.
Sincerely,
Gregory Rothwell
Senior Counsel
Office of Legal Affairs
417 E. Fayette Street, Suite 1210
Baltimore MD 21202
(443) 9841019
Gregory.Rothwell@habc.org
[cid:image001.jpg@01D47106.3C288D20]<http://habc.baltimorehousing.org/>
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From: Sarika Ram
Hello,
I’d like to clarify the language of parts of my request in response to the questions you posed in your letter.
In regards to Query #4, I’m interested in the DEMOGRAPHIC data of public housing/Section 8 housing applicants that submitted their applications between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017.
In regards to Query #5, I’m interested in understanding the reasons public housing and Section 8 housing assistance applicants were denied, so I’d like any reports that compile the basis for denials between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017.
In regards to Query #6, I'm interested in any compiled logs providing information about the cases of police intervention in public and Section 8 housing developments between January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017. For example, another PHA provided me with a log indicating the number of polices cases related to domestic violence, armed robbery, etc. throughout 2017.
In regards to Query #7, I’m interested in complaints submitted by tenants through this form: http://www.baltimorehousing.org/ps_ig_fraudreport.asp that include the words/phrases indicated in my original request.
Please let me know if I can provide any further clarification.
Best,
Sarika
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Maryland Public Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Oct. 20, 2018. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: The Housing Authority Of Baltimore City
Good morning-
Mr. Rothwell will respond to you today. Thank you
Jan Goslee, General Counsel
Sent from my iPhone
Please excuse typos and grammatical errors.
From: The Housing Authority Of Baltimore City
Dear Ms. Ram:
I have reviewed my letter to you dated October 31, 2018 and your recent email dated December 21, 2018 in which you responded to my letter. You are now focused on four of your original requests as HABC did send you documents pertaining to your other requests for information.
Query #4 asks for “DEMOGRAPHIC” of applicants for public housing and the Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8 in your emails). Again, I must ask exactly what information you are requesting, are you looking for the age of the applicant, size of family, income or other information? Until you tell me exactly what “demographic” information you are seeking, I cannot begin to search or even determine if this is information that HABC has.
Query #5 asks for reports listing the basis for denials for applicants for public housing and HCVP for 2017. I will search to determine if HABC has a report with this information.
Query #6 asks for logs “providing information about the cases of police intervention in public and Section 8 housing developments” for 2017. As I stated to you in my letter dated October 31,2018, HABC does not receive any type of police logs for HVCP properties. HABC did receive some police logs for public housing properties for 2017. These logs list the number and type of crimes committed on public housing property. These logs do not indicate if the victim or suspect was a public housing resident or if someone was arrested for the crime. If this is the type of log you are seeking, I will collect the available reports. Since these reports came from the Baltimore Police Department (BPD), I would suggest you direct this request to BPD as there are gaps in the time periods of the reports that BPD sent to HABC.
Query #7 renewed your request for complaints by residents using the HABC Inspector General Complaint Form containing words as listed in your email. Are you seeking the actual complaint or just the number of complaints filed?
HABC will charge for the collection and processing of this information. Once I receive your response, I will work up a fee estimate and email it to you.
No information will be released without payment.
This is not a denial of your request.
Sincerely,
Gregory Rothwell
Senior Counsel
Office of Legal Affairs
417 E. Fayette Street, Suite 1210
Baltimore MD 21202
(443) 9841019
Gregory.Rothwell@habc.org
[cid:image001.jpg@01D4A67A.C82F48F0]<http://habc.baltimorehousing.org/>
[cid:image002.png@01D4A67A.C82F48F0] <https://twitter.com/bmorehabc> [cid:image003.png@01D4A67A.C82F48F0] <https://www.facebook.com/bmorehabc/> [cid:image004.png@01D4A67A.C82F48F0] <https://www.youtube.com/bmorehabc>
Disclaimer: The content of this e-mail is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received this communication in error,
be aware that forwarding it, copying it, or in any way disclosing its content to any other person, is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error,
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From: Sarika Ram
Mr. Rothwell,
To clarify Query #4, I am specifically interested in the income and race/ethnicity of families applying for public housing/Section 8 assistance.
In regards to Query #6, I would be very interested in the 2017 reports you mentioned.
In regards to Query #7, I am interested in the complaints themselves.
Thank you for your patience.
Best,
Sarika
From: The Housing Authority Of Baltimore City
Dear Sarika:
I am continuing to work on your MPIA request for documents and this is to update you on the progress of your request.
Query #4 was for the income and race/ethnicity of families applying for public housing and Section 8 assistance. Thus far, I have located 1 report detailing race/ethnicity of families applying for public housing in the mixed population developments. HABC does not have a report that breaks down income levels, only an average income which is listed for applicants for the mixed population developments. There are about 27,000 persons on the public housing waiting list, the mixed population report only covers about 7,000 persons who applied for those specific developments. Since HABC does not have a report breaking down income levels for applicants, HABC is unable to provide that information due to very large number of persons on the waiting list. Each individual application would have to be researched to collect the information. Under the MPIA, HABC does not have to create documents to respond to your request. Time spent thus far is 1 hour at $36.00 per hour.
Query #6 was for a log of police reports of criminal activity on HABC property. These logs do not include criminal activity on Section 8. My estimate of time is that it will take 3 hours to collect the reports and process the reports to be able to email the reports to you. HABC charges $36.00 per hour. $36.00 x 3 = $108.00.
Query #7 was for complaints made by residents using the HABC Inspector General Complaint Form which contained a list of about 15 words such as crime, convicted jail and other words as listed in your original email in the complaint to the Inspector General. You provided a copy of the Inspector General Complaint that you were seeking. You wanted the actual complaint that a resident filed with the Inspector General. HABC disbanded the Inspector General Office in October 2015. After careful research, I could find no record of that complaint form being used after October 2015. So, there are no Inspector General Complaint records for 2017.
I have treated your follow-up request for documents as a new request. HABC is charging for your request. The first 2 hours of time spent to gather and process documents is free. Thus far, HABC has spent over 2 hours in gathering and processing your request.
So far, there are 4 billable hours at $36.00 per hour. $36.00 x 4 = $144.00. This is for Query #4 and Query #6. If I continue to gather and process information, there will be additional billable hours.
Please inform me if you intend to pay the fee as you requested in your original email that you wished to be informed in advance of the fee.
This is not a denial of your request.
If you have any questions, kindly contact me.
Sincerely,
Greg
Gregory Rothwell
Senior Counsel
Office of Legal Affairs
417 E. Fayette Street, Suite 1210
Baltimore MD 21202
(443) 9841019
Gregory.Rothwell@habc.org
[cid:image001.jpg@01D4B3FB.01131CE0]<http://habc.baltimorehousing.org/>
[cid:image002.png@01D4B3FB.01131CE0] <https://twitter.com/bmorehabc> [cid:image003.png@01D4B3FB.01131CE0] <https://www.facebook.com/bmorehabc/> [cid:image004.png@01D4B3FB.01131CE0] <https://www.youtube.com/bmorehabc>
Disclaimer: The content of this e-mail is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received this communication in error,
be aware that forwarding it, copying it, or in any way disclosing its content to any other person, is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error,
please notify the author by replying to this e-mail immediately.
Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.
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