Nov 13, 2024 Equity, Community Affairs, Housing, Health and Education (trimmed)

[00:00:01]

AND YOU CAN JUST RELAY. OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON. THIS IS THE EQUITY COMMUNITY AFFAIRS,

[Call to Order]

[Roll Call]

[1. R-128-24     A RESOLUTION PURSUANT TO THE CAPITAL AND OPERATING BUDGET ORDINANCES APPROVING THE APPROPRIATION TO FUND THE FOLLOWING NONCOMPETITIVELY NEGOTIATED PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONTRACT FOR LOUISVILLE METRO PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS CONCERNING AN OVERDOSE QUICK RESPONSE TEAM – (LOUISVILLE RECOVERY COMMUNITY CONNECTION, INC. – $65,175.00). Action Required By: May 7, 2025 Sponsors: Barbara Shanklin (D-2) ]

THANK YOU. OKAY. NUMBER TWO PLEASE. A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ACCEPT $1,040,000

[2. R-133-24     A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ACCEPT $1,040,000 FROM DELTA DENTAL OF KENTUCKY TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND THE OFFICE OF RESILIENCE AND COMMUNITY SERVICES. Action Required By: May 7, 2025 Sponsors: Jecorey Arthur (I-4) ]

DESPITE THE ZIP CODE THAT THEY LIVE IN. THROUGH VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON VISITS, HEALTHY START STAFF OF COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, NURSES AND SOCIAL WORKERS CONNECT PARTICIPANTS TO A VARIETY OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES, INCLUDING PRENATAL CARE, DOULAS, FOOD ASSISTANCE, EMERGENCY SUPPLIES, HOUSING, NAVIGATION AND MORE. THE PROGRAM ALSO EDUCATES FAMILIES ON LABOR AND DELIVERY, BREASTFEEDING, CAR SEAT SAFETY, SAFE SLEEP PRACTICES, PARENTING STYLES, AND MUCH MORE. ANOTHER INTERESTING FACET OF THE PROGRAM IS OUR 502 FATHERS, WHICH IS A SUBSET OF HEALTHY START, AND IT PROVIDES A FORUM WHERE FATHERS CAN SPEAK CONFIDENTIALLY ABOUT ISSUES THAT THEY ARE FACING. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT TO JEFFERSON COUNTY. BECAUSE BLACK INFANTS HAVE THE HIGHEST INFANT MORTALITY RATE IN THE COUNTY. THEY ARE 1.8 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO DIE BEFORE THEIR FIRST BIRTHDAY THAN WHITE BABIE. AND BLACK WOMEN ARE NEARLY THREE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO DIE FROM PREGNANCY RELATED CAUSES THAN THEIR WHITE PEERS. THERE ARE SEVERAL ROOT CAUSES THAT SHOW THESE HEALTH OUTCOMES, AND STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT HOUSING INSECURITY CAN LEAD TO STRESS AND HAVE NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH AND PHYSICAL HEALTH. SO WE ARE

[00:05:03]

THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, AS WAS JUST MENTIONED, AND ALSO WARMING CENTERS TO HELP OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS THIS WINTER. WITH THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. IT IS GOING TO SERVE HEALTHY START FAMILIES WHO ARE LOOKING TO PURCHASE THEIR FIRST HOME, PROVIDING A BOOST OF DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE TO HELP WITH THE DOWN PAYMENT AND CLOSING COSTS AND OTHER ASSOCIATED FEES. THIS WILL. THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS RESILIENCE AND COMMUNITY SERVICES AND OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THIS WAS A NEED THAT WAS RECOGNIZED BY PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS. AND THEY ARE WORKING WITH THEIR FAMILIES TO REFER TO THE PROGRAM. RESILIENCE. COMMUNITY SERVICES HAS AN OFFICE OF FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT, SO EVERY PARTICIPANT WILL GO THROUGH EXTENSIVE COACHING AND EDUCATION ON FINANCIAL WELL-BEING AND ALSO FIRST TIME HOME PURCHASE. AND THEN THE PAYMENTS AND PROCESS WILL BE ADMINISTERED BY HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. SO IT'S A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS WITH THE THREE DEPARTMENTS HERE AT METRO. THE IT WILL PROVIDE UP TO $25,000 TOWARDS DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE FOR FIRST TIME HOMEBUYERS. AND WILL SERVE FAMILIES WITH 100% OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME. ALL WHO ARE EITHER IN HEALTHY START OR ELIGIBLE FOR HEALTHY START. THE OTHER PIECE OF THE DONATION FROM DELTA DENTAL IS WARMING CENTERS. OH, AND I FORGOT TO MENTION THESE. BOTH OF THESE ARE OVER FOUR YEARS, SO IT'S $1 MILLION OVER FOUR YEARS FOR DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE AND THEN $40,000 OVER FOUR YEARS FOR WARMING CENTERS. SO STARTING THIS WINTER, WILL BE PARTNERING WITH ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE TEMPORARY WARMING CENTERS DURING THE VERY COLDEST DAYS THIS WINTER. SO THAT OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS WILL HAVE A PLACE TO GO TO PRIMARILY GET WARM, BUT ALSO RECEIVE BASIC RESOURCES AND SERVICES. AND SO WE WILL BE PARTNERING WITH LOCAL CHURCHES, FAITH ORGANIZATIONS TO EXECUTE THAT THROUGH OUR HOMELESS SERVICES DIVISION. YOUR QUESTION OR CONCERNS? COUNCILMAN COREY, PLEASE, WHEN THEY DONATED, DID THEY SPECIFY PROGRAMING THEY WANTED TO SUPPORT, OR DID YOU ALL MAKE THE DECISION AFTERWARDS? HOW DID THAT WORK FOR BOTH OR FOR THE FOR THE WARMING CENTERS? EITHER ONE. WAS THIS A NEED THAT YOU ALL DECIDED TO USE THE FUNDING FOR, OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT THEY SPECIFICALLY WANTED THE FUNDING TO GO TOWARDS? YOU KNOW, MY AND THIS WAS ORIGINALLY LED BY DEPUTY MAYOR GEORGE AND WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS AT DELTA DENTAL. SO IT WAS A NEED THAT WE IDENTIFIED COMING OUT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS. AND OF COURSE, HOMELESS SERVICES DIVISION. WE KNOW EVERY WINTER WE NEED MORE RESOURCES TO KEEP KEEP CITIZENS WARM. SO THEY DID NOT RECOMMEND WITH WARMING CENTERS WHO WE WOULD BE WORKING WITH. BUT THEY DID RECOGNIZE THE NEED FOR THAT. AND THEN FOR THE NEED FOR ASSISTANCE IN HOME BUYING WAS SPURRED BY OUR STAFF JUST LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN BETTER SERVE THE COMMUNITY. BUT THEN DELTA DENTAL WAS A WELCOME PARTNER IN THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. COUNCILMEMBER JOSH, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THAT WOULD COME TO THE WARMING CENTER OR WAS THERE ANY NUMBERS THAT YOU KNOW, IT WILL DEPEND ON THE CAPACITY OF THE PARTNER. AND SO WE DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC IDENTIFIED NUMBER. IT'LL BE BASED ON THE CAPACITY. I MEAN, I BELIEVE IN THE PAST YEAR WHEN WE'VE DONE THIS BEFORE, YOU COULD HAVE ANYWHERE FROM, YOU KNOW, A SMALL NUMBER IN THE SINGLE DIGITS TO 20 TO 30 PEOPLE JUST DEPENDING ON THE WEATHER, TEMPERATURE AND CAPACITY. SO, YOU KNOW, THEY OUR PARTNERS WOULD TEND TO OPEN THEIR DOORS AND TAKE ANYONE WHO NEEDED SERVICES AS LONG AS THEY HAD THE ROOM AND CAPACITY. YEAH. WELL, SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO PLAN IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU'RE DEALING WITH AND I WAS JUST WONDERING. THANK YOU. WELL, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE. WHERE ARE YOU POINTING, ANDREW? NO, I WAS I GIVE ME A CHANCE TO LOOK AND I WANT TO RECOGNIZE COUNCILMAN OWEN AND COUNCILWOMA. AND COUNCILWOMAN HAWKINS. SHE'S NO LONGER ON THE HOPKINS. CAN

[00:10:07]

SO FAR, AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE 12 FAMILIES THAT ARE WORKING THROUGH THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW WHO'VE SHOWN INTEREST. BUT THERE WAS AN INITIAL JUST KIND OF EXPLORATION OF WHO WAS INTERESTED. AND BASED ON THAT, THEY'VE BEEN REFERRED ON FOR THE PROGRAM. AND THEN THEY BEGIN THE PROCESS OF THE FINANCIAL COUNSELING, WHICH CAN TAKE, YOU KNOW, ANYWHERE FROM, SAY, 6 TO 12 MONTHS, JUST DEPENDING ON WHERE THEY ARE KIND OF IN THEIR READINESS TO PURCHASE A HOME.

BUT WE WOULD ON A ROLLING BASIS, BE RECRUITING FAMILIES FROM THE HEALTHY START CASELOADS. OKAY.

FROM THE HEALTHY START CASELOADS. YES. AND THAT COULD TAKE A YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOU SAID THAT YOU HAVE 12, BUT YOU GUYS ARE WAITING TO SEE LIKE, WHO'S KIND OF INTERESTED. SO ARE YOU GUYS MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE AT? YOU KNOW, BECAUSE FOR ME, I'M MORE ABOUT GENERATIONAL WEALTH. AND I JUST KIND OF WANT TO MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE BEING HOMELESS AND, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN'T AFFORD THEIR RENT. AND I'M NOTICING A LOT OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE ADDING IN THAT THEY ARE THEY ADDING IN THAT THEY'RE DOING ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS. AND FOR ME, IT'S JUST NOT BEGINNING TO BE ENOUGH RESULT. THE DATA DOESN'T SHOW THAT A LOT OF THINGS ARE ACTUALLY GETTING DONE. SO I JUST WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL MEET PEOPLE EXACTLY WHERE THEY'RE AT. AND HAVE A TIMELINE ON GETTING THEM THROUGH THE PROGRAM. YOU KNOW, FOR HOME OWNERSHIP. SURE. BUT BUT BUT IF WE JUST, YOU KNOW, WAITING TO, YOU KNOW, TO SEE WHO WANTS TO WE HAVE TO MARKET THIS. WE HAVE TO PUT THIS OUT THERE SO PEOPLE KNOW. I THINK KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. AND I THINK KNOWLEDGE WILL HELP A LOT OF PEOPLE. AND PEOPLE DON'T LIKE TO GIVE KNOWLEDGE, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T SPREAD IT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW TO EMAIL AND RESEARCH AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE YOU ALL MARKET MARKET THIS OUT TO THE PEOPLE AND TARGET THE AREAS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BE IN NEED OF THIS AND MEET THEM WHERE THEY'RE AT. SURE. AND THE, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY WOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS JUST ONE VERY SMALL PIECE OF MEETING THE HOUSING NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY. BECAUSE IT IS GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, RELATIVELY SMALL NUMBER OF FAMILIES. BUT WE HOPE THAT FOR THOSE FAMILIES, IT'S CERTAINLY LIFE CHANGING TO BE ABLE TO BUY THEIR FIRST HOME.

RIGHT. WELL, WELL, WELL. AND I GET THAT. BUT AGAIN, I'M GOING TO SAY THAT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE

[00:15:04]

EVERYBODY THAT COMES IN FRONT OF METRO COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, IS SAYING, OH, I GOT THIS HOUSING PROGRAM. AND WE JUST PUTTING MONEY AND INVESTING TAXPAYER DOLLARS. AND FOR ME IT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH RESULTS. SO FOR ME MOVING FORWARD, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO START TO SEE RESULTS FOR THE TAXPAYER DOLLARS AND WHAT WE'RE INVESTING OUR MONEY IN. I JUST WOULD LIKE TO JUST SEE THAT. SO LIKE AGAIN, YOU SAID THE DATA WAS THERE. I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO SEND THAT TO ME ABOUT THE ABOUT WHAT YOU ALL SAID, WHAT YOU WENT OFF OF. AND THEN I'LL DEFINITELY FOLLOW UP WITH YOU GUYS. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I ALSO WANTED TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE WARMING PLACES.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHICH CHURCHES ARE WHERE THESE WARMING PLACES ARE? BECAUSE ON MY WAY HERE TODAY, I SAW A MAN LAYING ON THE STREET WITH A BLANKET OVER HIM, AND IT'S COLD OUT THERE. SO IT'S THESE WARMING PLACES OPEN AT NIGHT OR IN THE DAYTIME OR WHAT? SO THIS IS GOING TO TARGET SPECIFICALLY THE COLDEST DAYS OF THE YEAR WHEN WE, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD THE TERM WHITE FLAG. YEAH. I MEAN, THERE ARE CERTAIN CRITERIA FOR WHITE FLAG. AND AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, OUR LOCAL SHELTERS OPEN UP THEIR DOORS FOR WHITE FLAG AND GO BEYOND THEIR NORMAL CAPACITY.

AND SO THIS IS IT'S LIMITED FUNDING FOR A VERY SPECIFIC PURPOSE TO KEEP PEOPLE WARM DURING THOSE COLDEST TIMES. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE EXODUS MINISTRIES AND HOPE INTERNATIONAL CHURCH OF GOD AS OUR PARTNERS. I'M SORRY, EXODUS MINISTRIES AND THEN HOPE INTERNATIONAL CHURCH OF GOD ARE THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE'RE EXPLORING. AND WE WILL BE FORMING OUR SUB SUB AWARDS OUR AGREEMENTS WITH THEM. TO OPEN UP THEIR DOORS DURING DURING THE COLDEST DAYS AND THEN AT NIGHT. THESE ARE NOT OVERNIGHT SHELTERS, BUT THEY WOULD WORKING WITH OUR HOMELESS SERVICES DIVISION WORK TO MOVE THEM INTO SHELTER DURING THOSE WHITE FLAG DAYS, WHICH WE KNOW THOSE SHELTERS WOULD BE OPEN. SO THEY WOULD BE HOUSED AND OFF THE STREET AT NIGHTTIME AS WELL. OKAY. NOW THE EXODUS PROGRAM. COUNCILMAN SAM, IS THAT IN YOUR DISTRICT? RIGHT. I KNOW THE DISTRICT THAT WE'RE WORKING WIT, SHARING A LOT OF THINGS. YEAH, I REMEMBER YOU TALKING ABOUT IT. THAT'S WHAT I'VE SAID. SO WHAT PART OF TOWN IS THAT? YEAH.

FERNDALE ROAD AREA. TURN YOUR MIC ON. I THINK IT'S ON. NO, IT'S IN MY DISTRICT. IT'S IN YOUR DISTRICT? YEAH, IT'S IN MY DISTRICT. BUT THEY FOUND A NEW LOCATION. BUT EXODUS ALWAYS COMES THROUGH METRO COUNCIL TO GET MONEY. WE FUND THEM A LOT. THEY COME TO MY OFFICE TO GET MONEY. SO WE KIND OF ALREADY WORK WITH THEM. AND THEY DO GREAT WORK. SO, YOU KNOW, JUST IF THEY'RE GOING TO PARTNER WITH YOU ALL, IT'LL KIND OF BE HARD FOR THEM TO COME TO METRO MONEY METRO COUNCIL AND GET MONEY AS WELL. WE DEFINITELY FULLY FUND A LOT OF EVERYTHING THAT THEY HAVE ASKED FOR. MYSELF, DAN, PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY SOUTHWEST. WE KIND OF PULL TOGETHER FOR EXODUS. SO I WAS ASKING ABOUT THAT. I WAS ASKING ABOUT LOCATIONS BECAUSE I WAS DOWNTOWN AND I SAW PEOPLE LAYING ON THE STREET DOWNTOWN. RIGHT. NO, NO, NO, I KNOW, I KNOW THAT THAT WAS GOOD, COUNCILWOMAN. I WAS JUST SAYING THAT WE ALREADY WORK WITH EXODUS. I DON'T KNOW IF HE WAS JUST SAYING THEIR NAME OR WHAT THAT WAS, BUT WE. EVERY TIME THAT THEY COME IN FRONT OF COUNCIL OR CONTACT MY OFFICE DURING MY DISTRICT, WE MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED. SO IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE PARTNERING WITH THEM, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. YEAH, I MEAN, BUT AGAIN, I'M ASKING THE LOCATIONS DOWNTOWN WHERE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE ARE LAYING OUT ON THE STREET. SO WHERE DO THEY GO? THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING. WHERE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT I JUST SAW LAYING OUT THERE WITH A BLANKET ON THEM AND A PILLOW ON THE SIDEWALK? SO EXODUS GOES AND GETS THEM. HE GOES AND GETS THEM AND TAKES THEM OFF THE STREET, AND HE BRINGS THEM TO THEIR FACILITY, WASHES THEIR CLOTHES, LET THEM SHOWER, LET THEM EAT. SO THEY G.

THEY DRIVE ALL OVER AND GET DIFFERENT PEOPLE. OKAY. AND I'M GUESSING AGAIN, I'M ASKING, HOW DO THEY KNOW WHERE THEY ARE? WHO'S OUT THERE OR WHATEVER? AND I KNOW THE PROGRAM IS OKAY. IT'S GOOD. I'VE HEARD HEARD THEM. THEY CAME BEFORE US. BUT MY CONCERN IS ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOWN HERE ON FIRST STREET, ON JEFFERSON STREET AND ALL OF THAT. HOW DO THEY KNOW TO GO AND GET SOMEBODY? AND I CAN SPEAK TO THAT, COUNCILWOMAN SHANKLIN. SO ONE OF ONE OF THE IDEAS WITH THESE WARMING CENTERS IS TO HAVE OPTIONS FOR EMERGENCY WARMING OUTSIDE OF THE CORE BUSINESS DISTRICT, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THERE AREN'T SHELTERS IN THOSE AREAS. AND THERE'S FEWER

[00:20:05]

FAR SOUTH. SO, SO WITH THE WARMING CENTERS, WE'RE HOPING TO PROVIDE JUST MORE COVERAGE TO INCREASE SAFETY FOR OUR CITIZENS WHO ARE IN THOSE AREAS. BUT AS FAR AS AND YOU SPOKE ABOUT THE PERSON THAT YOU SAW ON YOUR WAY. WE HAVE AND THERE'S A COORDINATED RESPONSE AMONG THOSE WHO SERVE THE UNHOUSED. BUT SPEAKING FOR HOMELESS SERVICE DIVISION THROUGH METRO. WE HAVE A TEAM OF OUTREACH WORKERS WHO GO OUT EVERY DAY AND CONNECT BOTH. THEY RESPOND TO 311 REPORTS. THEY ALSO COVER CERTAIN GEOGRAPHIC. EACH TEAM COVERS CERTAIN GEOGRAPHIC AREAS. AND THEN WHEN THEY SEE PEOPLE LIKE THAT ON THE STREET, THEY WILL JUST STOP AND TRY TO OFFER AID.

WITH THE MAIN GOAL OF TRYING TO GET THEM INTO SHELTER. IF THEY DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO GO FOR THE NIGHT. SO WE DO HAVE WE DO HAVE A TEAM THAT'S RESPONDING DAILY TO THOSE NEEDS. YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY THERE AREN'T ALWAYS SHELTER BEDS, ALTHOUGH WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO GET THEM TO EITHER LOW BARRIER SHELTER OR CONTACT SHELTERS TO SEE WHO HAS OPENINGS. BUT WE DO TRY TO CONNECT THEM WITH ANY RESOURCES WE CAN. THANK YOU. THEN AGAIN, WHAT COUNCILWOMAN HAWKINS SAID.

WHAT? WHAT ABOUT THE MARKETING? SAY, FOR INSTANCE, I'M A BRAND NEW PERSON THAT JUST GOT ON THE STREET, DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. JUST OUT THERE COLD. HOW WOULD I KNOW THAT SOMEBODY'S GOING TO COME THROUGH? THIS IS WHAT I'M WANTING TO KNOW. SO FOR. SORRY, COUNCILMAN ARTHUR. OKAY, SO THERE'S A FEW WAYS THAT INFORMATION IS COMMUNICATED. THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS COORDINATES A LOT OF COMMUNICATION IN THE COMMUNITY. THEY DO HAVE A SYSTEM FOR THOSE WHO ARE REGISTERED WITH THE SYSTEM, WHICH A LOT OF A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WE WORK WITH DO HAVE CELL PHONES. SO THEY SIGN UP TO GET TEXT MESSAGES THROUGH THIS RAVE ALERT SYSTEM THAT WILL GIVE EVERYDAY INFORMATION ABOUT WHICH SHELTERS HAVE AVAILABLE BEDS AND WHICH DON'T. OR OTHER INFORMATION LIKE CRISIS RESOURCES. BUT OF COURSE, IF SOMEONE ISN'T REGISTERED OR MAYBE THEY'RE NEWLY HOMELESS, THEN A LOT OF THAT COMMUNICATION IS WORD OF MOUTH, WHICH AND A LOT OF THAT IS THROUGH OUTREACH. AND SO WE DO AND WE WORK WITH OTHER PARTNERS AS WELL IN THE COMMUNITY. TO PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, OUR CARDS, INFORMATION, FLIERS AND JUST A LOT OF MAINLY A LOT OF PERSON TO PERSON COMMUNICATION TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN EVERY DAY TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT'S OUT THERE. SO THEY CAN CONNECT. SO I'M I'M SURE WE DON'T GET TO CONNECT WITH EVERYBODY JUST BECAUSE OF THE SCOPE. BUT BUT A LOT OF THAT WORK IS JUST IN PERSON WITH OUR TEAM TO, TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE. OKAY. YEAH. I WAS REALLY CONCERNED WHEN I SAW THAT TODAY.

ABSOLUTELY. COUNCILMAN. COREY, I JUST WANTED TO ADD THERE ARE SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS. SOME ARE IN GOVERNMENT, SOME ARE NONPROFITS, SOME AREN'T NONPROFITS. THEY'RE JUST GRASSROOTS. SOME ARE CHURCH BASED. SOME ARE VOLUNTEERS THAT WORK ALL OVER THE WEEK. THE DAYS OF THE WEEK, DIFFERENT TIMES.

SOME OF THEM ARE CONNECTED TO THE HOMELESS SERVICES DIVISION AND THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO.

SOME ARE CONNECTED TO THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS AND SOME ARE NOT. SO AS NEW ORGANIZATIONS POP UP, WHETHER THEY HAVE PAID OR UNPAID STAFF, I HOPE THAT THE HOMELESS SERVICES DIVISION, RCS HAS AN EXPECTATION THAT IF YOU WANT FUNDING, WE EXPECT YOU TO WORK WITH OTHER GROUPS BECAUSE TO THE COUNCILWOMAN'S POINT, IF WE GO TO AN ENCAMPMENT AND JEFF GIL FROM HIP HOP CARES JUST CAME TO DO OUTREACH, BUT SOMEBODY WALKS UP TO THE ENCAMPMENT, I SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOOK AT SOME SORT OF MENU OF SERVICES TO TELL THEM EXODUS IS GOING TO COME AT THE TOP OF THE HOUR, OR THE DOWNTOWN AMBASSADORS ARE GOING TO COME THROUGH AND DO X, Y, AND Z. SO I'M HOPING THERE'S BETTER COLLABORATION. AND IF YOU CAN'T GET PEOPLE TO COMMIT TO THAT, USE THE FUNDING AS A AS A WAY TO DO SO BECAUSE THEY ALWAYS NEED FUNDING. AND IF YOU CAN JUST SET THE EXPECTATION THAT YOU WANT THEM TO COLLABORATE WITH OTHER GROUPS, PLEASE DO. AND I KNOW SOME ALREADY COLLABORATE, BUT FOR THE ONES THAT ARE RELUCTANT TO, IF YOU CAN USE THAT AS A CARROT, I THINK IT MIGHT HELP. WELL, I THINK THAT'S A WONDERFUL IDEA. AND, YOU KNOW, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT NOT REINVENTING THE WHEEL, BUT, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE HERE FOR THE SAME REASON. WE'RE HERE TO HELP PEOPLE. AND PARTICULARLY TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE AND TRY TO GET THEM TO HOUSING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. SO ONE OF THE THINGS I'LL JUST MENTION THAT I THINK

[00:25:04]

I'M SURE WITH STAFF TURNOVER, THERE'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION LOSS. BUT TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, I THINK MORE COLLABORATION IS ALWAYS BETTER. ABSOLUTELY. I'D LIKE TO SEE HIM ALSO COME IN OUT IN THE NEW BERN AREA, BECAUSE WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE PARK AND THEY THEY'RE SAME FAMILIES LIVE UNDER THE GAZEBO. THEY'RE THERE AT ALL TIMES. IF I GO THROUGH THERE IN THE MORNING, THEY'RE THERE. I'VE ACTUALLY GONE OVER THERE AND WOKE THEM UP AND THEY A LOT OF TIMES THEY STAY IN THE BATHROOM. BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYBODY OUT THERE WITH THEM. THEY LIVE IN MY PARK. YOU DON'T SEE THEM IN THE DAYTIME, BUT THEY'RE THERE IF YOU GET THERE EARLY IN THE MORNING. AND OF COURSE, METRO PARKS KNOWS. EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THEY LIVE IN THAT PARK AND THEY THEY'RE YOU KNOW, EVERY MORNING SAME FAMILY, HUSBAND, WIFE, KIDS, THEY SLEEPING ON THE UP ON THE, THE STAGE AND THEY GOT BLANKETS AND ALL OF THAT. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THEY KNOW ABOUT THESE DIFFERENT MORMON PLACES, BUT IT'S GOING TO GET COLD. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION. WE'LL MAKE SURE WE GET A TEAM MEMBER OUT THERE AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN TO SPEAK WITH THEM, AND THEN WE CAN TALK AFTER ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL THAT YOU SAW ON THE STREET. AND WE WILL GET SOMEONE THERE TOO, OR AT LEAST GO LOOK AND SEE IF WE CAN MAKE SURE HE'S STILL LIVING THERE, BECAUSE HE WAS THERE WHEN I CAME DOWN HERE. SO I'M SURE HE'S STILL THERE. HE'S GOT A BLANKET AND A PILLOW AND HE JUST WASN'T MOVING ANYTHING, JUST LAYING THERE. SO. OKAY. THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE IT. DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY INFORMATION? IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU, COUNCILWOMAN RUBY, BUT NO OTHER INFORMATION OR QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS. THEN WE'RE READY TO VOTE. SO ALL IN FAVOR? AYE, AYE. HEARING NO NO'S, WE'LL SEND IT TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. THE NEXT ONE IS A RESOLUTION PURSUANT TO THE CAPITAL AND OPERATING BUDGET

[3. R-134-24     A RESOLUTION PURSUANT TO THE CAPITAL AND OPERATING BUDGET ORDINANCES APPROVING THE APPROPRIATION TO FUND THE FOLLOWING NONCOMPETITIVELY NEGOTIATED PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONTRACT FOR LOUISVILLE METRO PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS CONCERNING WASTEWATER MONITORING - (UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC. - $301,100.00). Action Required By: May 7, 2025 Sponsors: Phillip T. Baker (D-6) ]