Staff proposes using public-housing sale proceeds to buy wait-list software

A housing department staff member said the Davenport City Housing Commission is considering a new software system to make it easier for participants to turn in documents and apply for the wait list.

"We would be looking at utilizing funds from, the proceeds from the sale of the public housing units to, support the, the cost and the initial software," the staff member said, explaining the recommended funding source for the purchase.

Staff acknowledged the commission's shrinking funding in general but said the software is a priority to help participants access services. The staff member added that some money remains from the sale proceeds and promised to bring a full cost estimate to the Housing Commission so members could see how the expense would appear in office supplies or professional services accounts.

Commission members did not debate alternative funding sources during the discussion. The staff member said, in part, "So when I have that total cost, I'll provide that to the housing commission so that you all are aware of the extra cost that you'll see in the office supplies or the professional services account, which would be that money that we would need to offset the cost for the software system."

Next steps: staff will calculate total costs and present the budget impact to the commission at an upcoming meeting; no formal vote on the software purchase was recorded in the transcript.

The meeting adjourned after the commission scheduled its next meetings.