Houchen often late or a no-show

Dave Brooks

Absences and late-arrivals are starting to add up for veteran

Councilwoman Pam Julien Houchen, who is entering the final months of

her second term on the dais.

As her involvement in the condo-conversion controversy comes under

greater scrutiny, Houchen’s attendance at the meetings of the

seven-person council has been sparse and could continue to wain as

the condo issue winds itself through City Hall, she said.

Houchen has been absent or late, often by just a few minutes, to

71% of the council meetings in 2004. Council meeting minutes show

that Houchen missed most or all of four special meetings and five

regularly scheduled meetings.

Two of the most recent meetings, July 6 and Aug. 2, included

discussions on how to deal with condos that had been converted from

apartments without permits, creating a financial headache for most of

the homeowners who had bought them.

The FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are investigating the

matter and are looking into whether Houchen converted the condos she

sold, and if it was done improperly.

Houchen missed two of the three meetings where the council took up

a controversial zoning-amendment to help clear up the titles but at

the same time require a special fee that will help replenish the

city’s affordable housing stock. She left another meeting early

before the item was brought to a vote.

City Atty. Jennifer McGrath said Houchen’s potential involvement

in the condo conversion issue didn’t necessarily mark a conflict of

interest, but she advised the councilwoman to consult the California

Fair Political Practices Commission for a definitive ruling.

“Generally speaking, if you participate or influence a vote [that

you have a vested financial interest in] that would be considered a

conflict of interest,” McGrath said. “But specifically, I haven’t

looked at this issue.”

With only five regular council meetings left in Houchen’s term and

the conversion issue still not settled, it remains unclear how many

meetings the councilwoman will attend in the future. The council

still needs to approve the exact figure of the affordable housing

fee, which is slated for sometime in September. The council might

also have to take up any complications that result from the

unprecedented conversion ordinance.

Houchen said she would not vote on the affordable housing fee and

cited a number of personal reasons for her sparse attendance,

including family and medical issues. She also said that there were

times when she needed to be with her husband and their 2-year-old

triplets.

“You just can’t leave the family sometimes,” she said.

Besides her nine absences this year, Houchen was late to eight

council meetings, usually by just five to 10 minutes. In 2003, she

only missed five council meetings, but was late for 14.