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Home My WebLink About1997-08-11 97-351 RESOLVEItem No,97-351._ Daft: 8-11-97 Item/Subject RESOLVE, Opposing the Provision of H.R.2. Which Would Allow Dogs in Public Housing Responsible Depmimeut: City Council Commentary: Thepmposedhousiagact,HR.2.,i ludesaprovWonwWchwoWdaOowdogsinpublichuusing. Enic �oBey, the ExecutiveDh=Wr ofthe Housing Authority, has requested a Resolve from the Council opposing this provision. Acopyofber letter aswellasalederwhichhasbeensentbyhertoom Congressional Delegation is attached. The Municipal Operations Committee has reviewed this request and recommends Council approval. Departineut Head Manager's Commenta: S^/y7/��/�'{,'��.��/�/�� In:YAI/Ir+�' Iyf ay City Manager Associated INarmatioo: Resolve, Letters Budget APprovW: Finance Director Legal Approval: In red for ^_Passage First Reading — Refteral Pine—of— 97-351 Assigned to Councilor Aube August 11, 1997 CITY OF BANGOR (TI1LEJCSDIUBt..._..........4pp.Psing the PlOhalorlOPN.R 2. Which Would Al loco..._........ .. Dogs in Public Housing. By No City Canoed ofW City ofBanpor. ABSOLVED. WHEREAS, aprovision ofKR.2., which has been approved by the House of Representatives and is waiting action by the Secure, would allow dogs in public housing; and WHEREAS, approximately twenty-five years ago, the Bangor Housing Authority did permit dogs; and VIREREAS, the experience at that time indicated an income to the frequency of dog bites and in the number of animals which were abandoned by their owners; and WHEREAS, the density of our nonjor public housing complex is such that dog ownership will inevitably lead to problems between neighbors, potential sardtation problems, and increased exp®ses for the Housing Authority as well as the City of Bangor; and WHEREAS, policies involving pet ownership in public housing are best addressed by local housing authorities who are famihar with the needs and problems associated with the housing they own and the citizens they serve; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COHNCK OF THE CITY OF BANGOR, THAT: we opposed the provision of H.M. which would permit dogs in public housing and call upon the members of our Congressional Delegation to undertake their best efforts to remove it prior m final action. IN CITY COUNCIL August ll, 1997 Passed CLEAN 4 97-351 RES0LYE Opposing the Provisions of H.8.2 Whieb Would Allow Dogs in Public Housing 110M, YA MEW �o � CITY of INE cm counar FaMdo A Blanchette. Moyor MmUNA W. lube Joseph M. Boomed MUI S. ramhmn came J. leen oenw o. assay Chanes M. SuMvan James M. nier VmMhyC Waoewck The Honorable Olympia I. Snowe United States Senate One Cumberland Place Suite 306 Bangor, ME 04401 Dear Olympia: GO 9'7-3SI mxMwwslmr enlace, rauxe w.a� nem�nus..m rxmrroacu« August 12, 1997 Enclosed please fmd m attested copy of Council Resolve 97-351 "Opposing the Provision ofH.R.2. Which Would Allow Dogs in Public Housing." This Order was passed and approved by the Bangor City Council its meeting of August 11, 1997. By passage of this Council Resolve, the Bangor City Council is urging members of am Congressional Delegation to vote against passage of H.R.2. Sincerely yours, Q N EV Patricia A. Blanchette Mayor PB/j Enclosures W.Pal CINq�OF rA^eMAINE moo== CITY CWNCII ;� Po A BlanchN . Mayor Mltlwel W. Aube bsaph M. Baltlacd Nlchl S. FmMam Wvlat ben Dennis D. Soucv Chares M. SUYIva, - mm« M. Tyler August 12, 1997 Timothy C. Waomooa The Honorable Susan M. Collins United States Senate Federal Building 202 Harlow Street Bangor, ME 04401 Dear Senator Collins: Enclosed please find an attested copy of Council Resolve 97-351 "Opposing the Provision ofH.R.2. Which Would Allow Dogs in Public Housing." This Order was passed and approved by the Bangor City COUTWO at its meeting of August 11, 1997. By passage of this Council Resolve, the Bangor City Council is urging members of our Congressional Delegation to vote against passage of H.R.2. Sinc yours, i Patricia A. Blanchette Mayor PB/j Enclosures h2gar �cijfV."INEEAND)W Cor c NOL sumi""ws.°10°ws hAded A. Blan<M1NIe, Mayor MIcesel W. Aube JOmpin M. IOIExcI Nlcbi S. iOMMM David J. teen August 12, 1997 Dennis D. saucy cranes M. suivan James M. me, nmomy C. woodcock The Honorable John E. Baldacci United States House of Representatives P.O. Box 858 Bangor, ME 04402-0858 RS1'oMM Enclosed please find an attested copy of Council Resolve 97-351 "Opposing the Provision of H.R.2. Which Would Allow Dogs in Public Housing." This Order was passed and approved by the Bangor City Council at its meeting of August 11, 1997. By passage of this Council Resolve, the Bangor City Council is urging members of our Congressional Delegation re vote against passage ofH.R.2. S `J yours, Patricia A. Blanchette Mayor PB/j Enclosures M1rlA4 CITU OF MA INE Cov COUNCIL raC�iryisws PoliMia A noneinene. Mayor Mahael W. Aube Joseph M. Bddoccl N1MI S. Fambam Daval J. Wen Dennis D. Soucy August 12, 1997 CMdes M SUDHan Ames M. Tyler - inwlM1yC. Wmdc"k The Honorable Thomas Allen United States House of Representatives 234 Oxford Street Portland, ME 04101 Dear Representative Allen: Enclosed please find an attested copy of Council Resolve 97-351 "Opposing the Provision ofHR2. Which Would Allow Dogs in Public Housing." This Order was passed and approved by the Bangor City Council at its meeting of August 11, 1997. By passage of this Council Order, the Bangor City Council is urging members of our Congressional Delegation to vote against passage of HR2. SV Yours sin A. Blanchette Mayor PB/j Enclosure nn.ysr 9]-351 Assigned to Councilor Aube August 11, 1997 _ CITY OF BANGOR ]TITLE,) P50I11Cr........ ....... .CVS!i9A9m Prgvisi992f H.R2. Which Would Allow Dogs in Public Housing ......................................................................... ....... _....... . ..................................... . ................ By the City Commit of the City of Bolster. RESOLVED, WHEREAS, a provision ofH8.2., which has been approved by the House of Representatives and is waiting action by the Senate, would allow dogs in public housing; and WHEREAS, approximately twenty-five years ago, the Bangor Housing Authority did permit dogs; and WHEREAS, the experience at that time indicated an increase in the frequency of dog bites and in the number of animals which were abandoned by their owners; and WHEREAS, the density of our major public housing complex is such that dog ownership will inevitably lead to problems between neighbors, potential sanitation problems, and increased expenses for the Housing Authority as well as the City of Bangor; and WHEREAS, policies involving pet ownership in public housing are beet addressed by local - housing authorities who are familiar with the needs and problems associated with the housing they own and the citizens they serve; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BANGOR, THAT: we apposed the provision of H.R.2. which would permit dogs in public housing and call upon the members of our Congressional Delegation to undertake their beat efforts to remove it prior to final action. IN CITY COUNCIL August 11, 1997 Passed A True Copes Attest CITY—CLPfs. 161 Dave Road- Bangor, Mame 04401 9I-351 Housing Authority City of Bangor 15 Tekpum Fa[ W260Ji TJ. Marcid C1uin1w1 EISIEC.mFFel aiyy emidila-viw4nniapaenk Emwi�x Dimer WillitniLEnoland Dennis Stubbs Fueloiciimon BE Mention July 28, 1997 Mr. Edward Barren City Manager City of Bangor 73 Harlow Street Bangor, Maine 04401 Dear Ed I called you recently to discuss the problem of animals here in the low income housing area and the fact that the proposed housing act HR2, included a provision that would allow dogs in public housing. At that time you suggested i send you a copy of my letter to our Congressional Delegation addressing this issue. If HR -2 passes with cuts provision included it would be a horror show; therefore I m sending you a copy of my Inver to Washington in the hopes that the City will support our efforts. I realize it is well -intended; however, the results have not been looked at. I would appreciate anydilne you may be We W do in this respect. Sincerely, 5 C. COFREy Executive Director Among the issues being discussed in HR -2 is one of pas, including dogs, in family housing_. I carrot begin to tell you what the result would be if this does happen. Approximately twenty-five years ago dogs were allowed in our public housine and a small child was attacked by a doe tied in &am ofan apartment. That child needed thirty-two stitches in her face. At that time, ownership of pets was cancelled. Several years ago, after a particularly brmal winter, cats was found frozen in the snow and while these statements lean to the dramatic, the fact remains that these small and cuddly, little animals grow and in the process lose their Cuteness, become a nuisance and are turned out In'January 1995, a pet policy was adopted allowing specific animals, dogs excluded, in our family housing. This action was the result of a request from the Resident Council and came with promises of help @oto the Council in enforcine the proposed policy. As soon as the policy was adopted the promise ofhelp was fueled and shortly thereafter the Council dissolved. Now we again have cats and kittens wandermer through the area and I apologize for the following crude description but there is no other way to explain it.. we receive calls from neighbors about urine smells from adjoining apartments because the resident doem t take care of the cat and while we allow only one (I) cat per family,a unit was recently impacted where the resident had eight (8) cats and every room in the apartment was covered with cat feces. 97-351 I I Housing Ail City of Bangor _ r _ 161 Devalued- Selena Maine 0"01 E=x-nc 9e''0" COV>16SIOVE35 TI summit -Chaimnn Map':YNe ehuirk vittAlwiryerexn ESIEC coi wllieni L. EngIand E.a<wi.<Oinw MkIan<iould" Danis Sluhbs frtl Divklnson July 9, 1997 E&Mvmwl Senator Olympia 1. Snowe 250 Russell Senate Building Washington, D.0 20510-1903 Dear Senator Stowe, Among the issues being discussed in HR -2 is one of pas, including dogs, in family housing_. I carrot begin to tell you what the result would be if this does happen. Approximately twenty-five years ago dogs were allowed in our public housine and a small child was attacked by a doe tied in &am ofan apartment. That child needed thirty-two stitches in her face. At that time, ownership of pets was cancelled. Several years ago, after a particularly brmal winter, cats was found frozen in the snow and while these statements lean to the dramatic, the fact remains that these small and cuddly, little animals grow and in the process lose their Cuteness, become a nuisance and are turned out In'January 1995, a pet policy was adopted allowing specific animals, dogs excluded, in our family housing. This action was the result of a request from the Resident Council and came with promises of help @oto the Council in enforcine the proposed policy. As soon as the policy was adopted the promise ofhelp was fueled and shortly thereafter the Council dissolved. Now we again have cats and kittens wandermer through the area and I apologize for the following crude description but there is no other way to explain it.. we receive calls from neighbors about urine smells from adjoining apartments because the resident doem t take care of the cat and while we allow only one (I) cat per family,a unit was recently impacted where the resident had eight (8) cats and every room in the apartment was covered with cat feces. 9I-351 O — July 9. 1997 Paget There are 443 units in one of our developments with each building comprised of four and six townhouse type apartments and the possibility of dogs tied up to even half of them is disturbing. There is a policy in place whereby the resident must necessarily be held responsible. These policies, however. are not always adhered to by the residents and are trilled into play when the Housing Authority is forced to take action after the damage is done or someone has been hurt. Due to the density of housing such as ours and the number of children in the area it mould be devastating from the standpoint of bah the children in the area and the pet itself when it is no longer wanted. We are a relatively small Housing Authority and I know what our pet problems are. I cannot begin to imagine those problems multiplied to the sire of many of our large Housing Authorities. Your consideration of the above will be greatly appreciated. Sincerely, ELS ecutiF. Exve Director ECC/dl