Wayne County approves five housing commission appointments after questions about ordinance, staffing and funding

Wayne County commissioners voted to approve five appointments to a reconstituted Wayne County Housing Commission on an item that drew extended questions about conflicts of interest, staffing, procurement authority and the commission’s budget.

The appointment list included Hassan Sheikh; commissioners approved the slate by roll call with four yes votes and two abstentions. Commissioner Baker McCormick publicly recorded an abstention; the meeting record lists two total abstentions and the motion carried.

Why it matters: commissioners said the housing commission could expand housing services to communities in Wayne County that currently lack local housing authorities, help recover housing choice vouchers and pursue projects that may require county funding or federal funds such as CDBG or HOME. But commissioners and counsel flagged multiple unresolved issues staff must address before the new commission becomes fully operational.

What commissioners asked for: commissioners asked staff and counsel to confirm whether the existing 1994 housing commission ordinance should be amended, to provide a list of which local communities already operate housing commissions, to identify potential budget impacts and to clarify conflict-of-interest rules — including whether family members of commissioners are covered. Alicia, a county legal adviser, confirmed the 1994 ordinance exists and noted it covers certain conflicts for commission members but does not expressly require disclosures about family members.

Staffing and funding: county staff said the new housing commission would be staffed initially by the county’s economic development department (the same approach used previously for bodies such as the EDC and BRA) and that the commission would assess staffing needs as it develops. Mary Carr, deputy director, told the commission that fiscal analyses are not typically prepared for appointments themselves; a fiscal analysis would be done when an ordinance or specific funding request comes forward.

Procurement and legal structure: county counsel said that because the housing commission would be a separate legal entity — as similar entities created by the county have been — it may not be required to follow the county’s procurement process. Counsel advised that the commission’s structure, any needed ordinance amendments and funding implications remain under discussion and must be returned to the commission for review.

Next steps: commissioners requested a public list of which communities in Wayne County have housing commissions and asked staff to return with ordinance revisions and fiscal details. Commissioners said they expect the newly appointed housing commission to meet and begin the work of assessing vouchers and funding possibilities, and that any projects requiring county funding would come back to the full commission for approval.

Ending: the appointments were approved; staff and counsel were directed to provide clarifications on conflicts of interest, staffing, procurement rules and the fiscal impacts of standing up the commission.