Joint Resident Council Inc

04/04/2026

Currently, several of HUD's proposed regulatory changes that have harmful impacts on HUD tenants are open for public comment. The proposed rules could leave households with mixed immigration statuses, households who rely on public housing, housing choice vouchers, project-based vouchers, and PBRA, at risk of losing their rental assitance.

Learn more on how you can :

By NLIHC Policy Team Since February, HUD has published several proposed regulatory changes that would have harmful impacts on HUD tenants. Each of these proposals is currently open for public comment:

03/23/2026

President First 90-Day Stabilization Plan

DAYS 1–30

Stabilize Operations & Establish Authority

Establish Physical & Procedural Control

*Secure office keys and mailbox access ✓
*Clean and organize office space {In process}
*Archive or discard outdated records per retention guidance {In process}

Secure Governance Control

*Obtain certified election certification ✓
*Gather and secure bylaws ✓
*Articles of Incorporation ????
*EIN confirmation ✓
*Complete IRS Responsible Party update (Form 8822-B) ✓
*Verify Registered Agent and officer listings with Virginia SCC ✓
*Establish centralized governance binder + digital archive {in process}

Financial Reset Groundwork

*Verify status of all legacy accounts
*Begin framework for new account structure and financial controls
*Open new council accounts
*Establish dual-signature or financial safeguard policies
*Adopt basic financial controls procedure

Relationship Stabilization

*Meet with RRHA Resident Liaison ✓
*Introduce leadership transition to RRHA administration ✓
*Establish introductory contact with legal advisor ✓
*Introduce yourself to all Property Managers as current JRC President
*Establish primary contact method for site coordination {In Process}
*Clarify expectations for election communication and council updates

Outcome Goal:
Support channels exist before conflict or crisis emerges. Property management recognizes leadership transition and understands direct communication pathway.

Tone Setting & Public Narrative

Leadership messaging focus:
Structure. Transparency. Training. Collaboration.

Outcome Goal:
Define expectations and leadership identity early.

*Bylaw Modernization Preparation ✓
*Identify governance gaps ✓
*Review director roles and conduct expectations ✓
*Evaluate election timelines and financial procedures {In process}

Outcome Goal:
Lay foundation for formal governance modernization.

DAYS 31–60

*Training Rollout
*Coordinate officer orientation training {4-29-26}
*Invite neighborhood association or civic leadership partners
*Initiate cross-council knowledge sharing sessions

Outcome Goal:
Shift leadership culture toward competency and skill development.

Governance Reform Launch

*Present draft bylaw updates {4-29-26}
*Begin SCC officer update filings ✓

Outcome Goal:
Create lasting structural reform beyond the current leadership term.

Meeting Structure Reform

*Establish consistent monthly JRC meeting calendar
*Implement standardized council reporting format
*Introduce structured agenda templates

Outcome Goal:
Predictable governance rhythm improves accountability and participation.

DAYS 61–90

Establish Culture, Visibility & Legacy

External Partnerships

*Strengthen relationships with city and civic organizations
*Explore grant opportunities and program collaborations
*Increase public awareness of JRC role

Outcome Goal:
Position JRC as an active civic stakeholder.

Council Development
*Support formation of new property councils
*Mentor developing councils
*Encourage independent leadership identity

Outcome Goal:
Create distributed leadership strength across the system.

Transparency Systems
*Standardize Treasurer reporting
*Formalize meeting minutes distribution
*Expand communication channels

Outcome Goal:
Residents feel informed, represented, and engaged.

03/23/2026

03/22/2026

Mission Statement

The Joint Resident Council Inc (JRC) is a resident-led nonprofit organization that represents residents of RRHA public housing communities and participants in the Housing Choice Voucher program.

JRC serves as a liaison between residents and housing leadership, advocates for resident concerns, and promotes civic engagement to support resident participation in decisions affecting their communities at the local, state, and federal levels.

Vision Statement

JRC envisions communities where residents are heard, treated with dignity, and actively engaged in shaping the future of their homes and neighborhoods.

Guiding Principles

Resident Council Project Philosophy
Whenever possible, Resident Council funding and initiatives should prioritize improvements that provide lasting benefit to residents and visibly enhance the community environment.

Core Values

Resident Voice
Residents deserve meaningful representation in decisions affecting their homes and communities.

Advocacy
The Council works to elevate resident concerns and support solutions that improve quality of life.

Communication
Open and respectful dialogue between residents, housing leadership, and community partners strengthens communities.

Civic Engagement
Residents are encouraged to participate in the democratic process and engage with leaders at the local, state, and federal levels.

Respect and Dignity
All residents shall be treated with fairness, inclusion, and mutual respect.

Resident Leadership
Resident leaders play a vital role in strengthening community stability, participation, and shared responsibility.

03/02/2026

Joint Resident Council Officer Elections – Friday

Per our bylaws, voting is conducted by current Resident Council members.

Beginning with this election cycle, all candidates submitted a formal Nomination Submission Form including a brief statement of intent.

This format will be used for future JRC and property-level elections to ensure transparency and consistency.

Below are the certified candidates by position and their submitted statements.

PRESIDENT
_____________
Duane Smith - Melrose Towers

About Me:
From 2004 to 2026 I have led the JRC along with the Councils within each community to strive and improve life for the people whom we serve.
Led a successful Denture and Eyeglass program three years in a row which served poor people throughout Roanoke City through grants and other funding streams
Provided ongoing training and support Council Members.
Planned and coordinated events to promote resident Councils
Created partnership opportunities with businesses and other non-profit organizations
Served as a Commissioner on RRHA Board of Commissioners from 2008-2024
Served several terms as Chairman Of the Board for RRHA Board of Commissioners

Mission & Goals:

_________
Frank Broughman - Morningside Manor

About Me:
Well I have been president at Morning Side Manor for several year work close with counsel member at all sites

My Mission & Goals:
Well my first goal would be to train all counsel on their position as a council member
than work toward seeking grant to improve our community and network for the council and community, partner with other organization to join forces with our community.

_______________
Debra Carter - Melrose Towers

About me:
My name is Deb Carter, and I am a resident leader who believes the Joint Resident Council should be visible, active, and understood both within our housing communities and throughout the City of Roanoke.

I am running for President because too many residents do not know what the JRC is, what it does, or how it can support them. At the same time, opportunities for collaboration with city and community partners are often missed because resident leadership is not consistently engaged or organized as a functioning entity.

Mission & Goals:
If elected, my primary goals are to increase resident engagement, strengthen communication across housing communities, and build meaningful relationships with city departments and local organizations. I also intend to help transition the JRC into a fully functioning nonprofit structure, allowing us to raise funds responsibly and support resident-led programs, events, and activities that improve quality of life.

I believe the JRC should be more than a title or a meeting. It should be a working organization that residents recognize, trust, and benefit from directly.

Relevant Experience
I currently serve as Vice President of both the Joint Resident Council and the Melrose Towers Resident Council, and I was appointed Director of Outreach for the JRC in 2023. In these roles, I have focused on resident communication, public engagement, and external advocacy.

I have represented residents publicly by speaking before Roanoke City Council when issues affecting Melrose Towers involved city departments, including the Police and Fire Departments. I also co-organized and emceed a community Town Hall at Melrose Towers that included RRHA leadership, the Mayor, State Delegate, and a U.S. Senator, facilitating direct dialogue between citizens and elected officials at multiple levels of government.

As part of my outreach work, I created and manage the official pages and logos for the Joint Resident Council, Melrose Towers, and Villages at Lincoln. These platforms were developed to increase public awareness, improve communication with residents, and provide a consistent, accessible way for residents and the broader community to receive information about meetings, events, and resident concerns.

Prior to this, there was no centralized or public-facing communication platform for these councils.

These efforts reflect my commitment to building sustainable systems that improve transparency, engagement, and long-term impact for residents.

Furthermore, I currently serve as a Resident Commissioner with the Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority, which has given me firsthand experience in public-sector governance, legal process, and the importance of maintaining clear boundaries between resident advocacy and agency oversight.

______________________________
VICE PRESIDENT
Ann (Mildred) Sullivan - Bluestone

About Me:
I represent the vice president and the Bluestone council

My Mission & Goals:
improving community quality of life for current and future generations. identifying areas of need, connect people with programs
_______________________________
SECRETARY
Lo**ta Smith - Bluestone

About Me:
I am the Secretary at Bluestone Park and I keep records and make calls to Assist the President

My Mission & Goals:
I feel I will be a good person because I will assist the President and Vice President on task with important information. I will make sure that All Councils are informed in a timely manner.

_____________
Stacey Maxwell- Morningside Manor
About Me:
Mission & Goals:
_____________________________
TREASURER
Crystal Mumford- Bluestone

About Me:

Mission & Goals:
My mission is to ensure our council’s funds are handled responsibly, reported clearly, and used in ways that directly benefit residents. My goal is to help create engaging programs, support meaningful activities, and build a stronger sense of community by making every dollar count.
__________________________
SERGEANT AT ARMS
Georgia Hamlett - Melrose Towers

About Me:
Over the years I have worked hard to serve with dignity and a great desire Open and close meetings
Make sure meeting area is set up and secure
Control flow of meetings
I have also served in other capacities within the JRC and Melrose Towers Council.

Mission & Goals:

_________________
Roy Witherspoon - Melrose Towers
About Me:
Mission & Goals:

02/27/2026

Public Letter to Federal Representatives
Email

Subject
Please Review HUD Immigration Verification Proposal (FR-6524-P-01)

Dear [Senator/Congressman Last Name],

I am writing as a concerned constituent regarding HUD’s proposed rule, Docket No. FR-6524-P-01, and the related January 2026 EIV-SAVE directive.

The proposed rule would require U.S. citizens receiving housing assistance to sign consent forms allowing their information to be run through the SAVE immigration database. If that confirmation is unsuccessful, citizens could be required to provide additional documentation such as a passport.

I am concerned that this expands verification requirements beyond current standards and may create unnecessary barriers for eligible households. Reports indicate that properly documented U.S. citizens have already been flagged through the SAVE matching process. Many Americans do not readily have access to passports or other citizenship documents.

Additionally, housing authorities are being required to comply within aggressive timelines that may function as an unfunded mandate on already under-resourced agencies.

I respectfully ask that you review:
• Whether this proposal aligns with existing law
• Whether appropriate privacy and due process protections are in place
• Whether expanded data matching between HUD and DHS is being implemented lawfully
• Whether the financial and administrative burden on local housing authorities has been fully considered

This is not a request to weaken eligibility standards. It is a request to ensure that federal rules are clear, lawful, and do not create unintended harm to eligible families or administrative instability.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Address]
[City, State, ZIP]
_____________________________
Public Letter to Virginia State Delegates & Senators

Subject
Request for Review of HUD SAVE Verification Expansion

Dear Delegate/Senator [Last Name],

I am writing as a Virginia resident regarding HUD’s proposed rule (FR-6524-P-01) and recent guidance expanding the use of cross-agency SAVE database verification for households receiving federal housing assistance.

The proposal would require U.S. citizens to sign consent forms allowing their information to be run through a federal immigration database. If confirmation is unsuccessful, additional documentation could be required.

Because this involves expanded data matching and potential re-verification of tenant information, I am concerned about:
• Privacy protections
• Data accuracy
• Administrative burden on housing authorities
• Potential conflict with Virginia’s tenant confidentiality and data protection laws

I respectfully request that your office seek clarification regarding whether implementation of this federal proposal fully aligns with Virginia law and privacy safeguards.

Virginia residents deserve transparency and assurance that personal information is being handled lawfully and responsibly.

Thank you for your service.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Address]
[City, State,

02/24/2026

📢 To submit a comment:
Go to Regulations.gov
Search: Docket No. FR-6524-P-01
Click “Submit a Public Comment”

https://www.regulations.gov/document/HUD-2026-0199-0001

Public Comment – For Residents & Community Members

My name is _______. I am a resident of public housing / a community member concerned about housing stability.

I am submitting this comment regarding the proposed changes to how HUD verifies immigration status and how mixed-status families are treated.

Right now, if a family includes both U.S. citizens and a non-citizen member, the non-citizen does not receive housing assistance. The family’s rent is prorated, meaning assistance is only provided for the eligible members. The non-citizen member pays their full portion of the rent.

This system has worked for decades to balance the law with family stability.

If this proposed rule eliminates or severely restricts proration, families could be forced to either:
• Remove a family member from the household
• Or lose housing assistance entirely
In many families, the non-citizen member may be the primary or sole income earner. Removing that person does not make the family stronger. It makes them more likely to lose their housing.

This would not just affect one individual. It would affect:
• U.S. citizen children
• Elderly family members
• Disabled household members
• Entire family units

Displacing families does not reduce costs. It shifts costs. It can increase:
• Homelessness
• Emergency shelter use
• Child welfare involvement
• Public health and local service strain

HUD is already underfunded. Housing Authorities are already stretched thin. Creating more instability will not solve funding problems.

Before making changes that could separate families or increase homelessness, HUD should:
• Fully evaluate the human impact
• Protect due process and prevent wrongful terminations
• Ensure data systems are accurate
• Consider long-term taxpayer costs

Housing policy should not create instability for families who are currently stably housed under existing law.

Stable housing protects children, protects communities, and protects taxpayers.

I urge HUD to reconsider or revise this proposed rule to prevent unnecessary displacement and harm.

Signed _______

02/24/2026

A few weeks ago I shared general information for resident awareness regarding the HUD/DHS data matching directive.

Today, during the RRHA Board meeting, I spoke as JRC Vice President.

For transparency, I am sharing the statement I read into the record.
______________________________________

Good afternoon. My name is Debra Carter, and I am speaking today as Joint Resident Council Vice President.

I am here because resident housing records have been included in a HUD-directed, DHS-linked data matching process without residents receiving advance written notice.

The Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988 requires federal agencies to provide advance written notice to individuals whose records are subject to cross-agency matching. Residents did not receive that notice.

Regardless of intent, the inclusion of U.S. citizen tenant data in Department of Homeland Security systems raises serious civil rights and privacy concerns.

I did not learn about this process from RRHA. I learned about it from the news.

When federal directives impact resident records, the Housing Authority has a duty of care to provide written notice and clear explanation. If HUD failed to notify residents directly, RRHA should have filled that communication gap.

Residents should not learn about federal data-sharing requirements affecting their records through media reports or informal channels.

Written notice should come from the agency that houses us.

My concern is not bureaucracy. It is whether resident information is being shared beyond traditional housing oversight, and whether that sharing meets basic standards of notice, transparency, and due process.

Virginia law recognizes tenant records as confidential. Under Virginia Code §55.1-1209, tenant information is not disclosed absent clear legal authority. Virginia Code §2.2-3803 further requires that personal information be handled with safeguards, purpose limitations, and transparency.

Even if HUD required compliance tied to funding threats, the absence of tenant-wide written notice raises concerns about confidentiality, consent, and procedural trust.

Given the scope of the data involved and the agency receiving it, this rises beyond an internal administrative matter.

As a resident leader, I am requesting a tenant-wide written explanation of this process and a designated resident point of contact for any future federal data-sharing directives that affect tenants.

Silence does not protect trust. Clarity does.

Thank you.

01/30/2026

IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR U.S. CITIZEN HUD RESIDENTS

WHAT MATTERS

U.S. citizen data has been included in a HUD–DHS data matching process.

This is confirmed in HUD materials and national housing briefings.

This process is not limited to non-citizens.
That is the key fact U.S. citizens need to know in order to ask questions and demand answers.

WHAT THIS MEANS
U.S. citizens’ housing records have been reviewed or matched using DHS systems.

This raises privacy, authority, and due-process questions that residents have a right to ask.
Inclusion in a data match does not mean wrongdoing.
A database flag is not proof of ineligibility.

IMPORTANT PROTECTIONS THAT HAVE NOT CHANGED
No one can lose housing without written notice.
Residents have the right to:
an explanation
time to respond
a process to correct errors
Housing assistance cannot be terminated solely because of a database mismatch.

QUESTIONS U.S. CITIZENS SHOULD ASK (COPY / PASTE)

Why was U.S. citizen data included in this HUD–DHS matching process?

What specific data elements were shared (SSN, citizenship status, identifiers)?

What law authorizes HUD to share or match citizen data with DHS?

How long is this data retained, and by which agency?

Is any of this data accessible to immigration enforcement?

What notice will residents receive if their record is flagged?

How can residents correct errors in the data?

What due-process protections apply before any adverse action?

WHO TO CONTACT
Virginia Attorney General – privacy, data-sharing authority

U.S. Senators & U.S. House Representative – HUD/DHS oversight

Legal Aid / Housing Advocates – resident rights and due process

HUD Office of Public & Indian Housing (PIH) – written clarification

BOTTOM LINE
This is about U.S. citizens’ data being swept into a federal matching process.
Residents are entitled to transparency, limits, and due process.

This notice is shared for resident awareness and does not represent an official action or position of the Housing Authority.