30S. I E. GOOD AFTERNOON. THIS IS THE EQUITY, COMMUNITY
[Call to Order]
[00:00:27]
AFFAIRS, HOUSING, HEALTH AND EDUCATION COMMITTEE. I AM THE CHAIR OF BARBARA SHANKLIN. MY[Roll Call]
VICE CHAIR IS COUNCILMAN STUART BENSON, COUNCIL MEMBER TAMMY HAWKINS. I GUESS SHE'LL BE HERE SHORTLY. COUNCIL MEMBER DAN SIME, JUNIOR. COUNCIL MEMBER MARCUS WINKLER, HE'S ON THE BOARD. AND COUNCIL MEMBER JENNY. WARD IS OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER HAWKINS IS HERE NOW. THANK YOU.WE HAVE ONE THING ON THE AGENDA TODAY. WE DON'T HAVE ANY LEGISLATION. WE HAVE A SPEAKER.
[1. ID 25-0043 EVICTION PREVENTION MEDIATION PROGRAM – Shannon Floyd, Restorative Practices]
DO YOU WANT TO COME FORWARD, MA'AM, AND GIVE US YOUR NAME? OKAY. THE DISCUSSION IS ABOUT.WHEN WE STAND UP. CAN SHE GO OVER THERE OR SHE AND SHE BE OVER? SO SHE HAS A PRESENTATION SET UP. SO SHE'S GOING TO SIT RIGHT THERE ON THE. OKAY. OKAY. SHE CAN TURN HER PROGRAM. IT'S EVICTION PREVENTION MEDIATION PROGRAM. AND YOU WANT TO TELL US YOUR NAME? YES. GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M SHANNON FLOYD. OKAY. WE JUST NEED YOU TO SPEAK DIRECTLY INTO THE MIC. OH, OKAY. THANK YOU.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES. GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M SHANNON FLOYD. OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND START YOUR PRESENTATION. OKAY. I'M LOOKING FOR A BUTTON. DO I JUST HIT DOWN OR JUST. JUST HIT ENTER. NO. THE DOWN BUTTON. OH. OH, OKAY. OKAY, OKAY. SO I'LL JUST GET STARTED.
IS THAT OKAY? OKAY. I AM SHANNON FLOYD, THE PRINCIPAL MEDIATOR FOR RESOLVE RESTORATIVE PRACTICES AND THE PURVEYOR OF THE EVICTION PREVENTION MEDIATION PROGRAM. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU FOR THIS RARE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS WHY MANDATING MEDIATION TO PREVENT EVICTION IS INTEGRAL TO MAYOR GREENBERG'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN. GROWING LOUISVILLE TOGETHER. SO I GUESS WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED. THE COVID 19 GLOBAL PANDEMIC DECIMATED MILLIONS AND CREATED A CHASM IN THE HOUSING MARKET THAT WE ARE STILL TRYING TO RECOVER FROM.
ONE SOLUTION WAS MADE TO USE MEDIATION TO PREVENT EVICTIONS WITH FOUR PRIMARY PURPOSES MAINTAIN HOUSING AND FINANCIAL STABILITY FOR BOTH TENANTS AND LANDLORDS. AVOID EVICTION NOTICES ON PUBLIC RECORDS AND REPORTS. RECOVER UNPAID RENT THROUGH LEGALLY A LEGALLY BINDING AGREEMENT, AND TO REINFORCE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN LANDLORDS AND TENANTS IN. OH I'M SORRY, IS THIS BETTER? OKAY. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, EVICTION COURT AND THE LEGAL AID SOCIETY, THE GROUNDBREAKING EVICTION PREVENTION MEDIATION PROGRAM OFFICIALLY OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED IN THE SPRING OF 2023. FROM APRIL 2020 TO MARCH 2024, HERE'S WHAT FOR MEDIATION FROM LANDLORDS, PROPERTY MANAGERS WERE PROCESSED, 531 REQUESTS WERE ELIGIBLE FOR EVICTION PREVENTION MEDIATION, 306 MEDIATION SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS WERE SIGNED BY LANDLORDS AND PROPERTY MANAGERS AND TENANTS. LESS THAN 3% OF THE 306 MSAS RESULTED IN AN EXPEDITED EVICTION, TOTALING ABOUT FOUR, THAT RESULTED IN AN EXPEDITED EVICTION. 92% OF LANDLORD, PROPERTY MANAGER AND TENANT RESPONDENTS RECOMMENDED MEDIATION AS AN APPROPRIATE WAY TO RESOLVE DISPUTES, GRIEVANCES, AND COMPLAINTS. MEDIATION IS COST EFFECTIVE AND A MORE EXPEDITIOUS PROCESS THAN EVICTION. COURT. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROCESS, WE WERE ONLY CHARGED TO PROCESS AT THE MOST 180 REQUESTS FOR MEDIATIONS. YOU SEE THE END RESULT, 531 REQUESTS WERE
[00:05:07]
HONORED. TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD. THE EVICTION PREVENTION MEDIATION PROGRAM EVOLVED INTO EPM 2.0 IN AUGUST OF 2024, WHICH ALLOWED FOR TENANTS TO SUBMIT REQUESTS FOR MEDIATION WITHIN THE GUIDELINES OF YOUR ROUTER AND REMOVING THE LIMITATION OF NONPAYMENT ONLY. SINCE THE DEPLETION OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE IN MAY OF 2024, AND PERMITTED PERMITTING TENANTS TO SUBMIT REQUESTS FOR MEDIATION, THE DEMAND FROM LANDLORDS HAS DECREASED DRAMATICALLY.CURRENTLY, WE ARE BACK TO PRE-PANDEMIC EVICTIONS. IT TOOK SEVERAL QUARTERS FOR THE EVICTION FILING RATES TO RETURN TO PRE-COVID NUMBERS, WHICH CAN BE POTENTIALLY LINKED TO THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LOCAL EVICTION PREVENTION PROGRAMS AND FUNDING THAT PROVIDED LEGAL AND FINANCIAL AID TO SUPPORT STRUGGLING FAMILIES. ACCORDING TO THE 2022 AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY, THE MEAS, THE MEDIAN GROSS RENT NATIONALLY WAS 1268, COMPARED TO 1044 IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, MAKING LOUISVILLE'S RENT APPROXIMATELY 17%, 17% LOWER THAN THE NATIONAL MEDIAN.
HOWEVER, THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS ALSO LOWER THAN THE NATIONAL MEDIAN, WHICH IMPACTS HOUSING AFFORDABILITY IN THE AREA. IN SHORT, LOWER MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME PLUS SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN MORTGAGE AND RENTAL RATES EQUALS HOUSING INSTABILITY. HOUSING RATES ARE RISING FASTER THAN INCOME LEVELS. IN MAKING A COMPARISON TO RENT RATES, THE AVERAGE RENT RATE FOR LOUISVILLE METRO IN 2025 IS A LITTLE OVER 1200, AND THAT'S ACCORDING TO ZILLOW. ACCORDING TO HUD, THE FAIR MARKET RATES FOR ONE AND TWO BEDROOM APARTMENTS IN 2025 START AT 1000 BETWEEN 1000 AND 2500. NOW, LET'S JUST HAVE A QUICK REALITY CHECK. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOUSEHOLD INCOMES FOR BLACK HOUSEHOLDS, HISPANIC AND CAUCASIAN HOUSE HOUSEHOLDS.
SO IF THE GROSSLY OR THE GROSS MONTHLY INCOME FOR A HOUSEHOLD THAT EARNS 41,030% BEING EARMARKED FOR RENT OR MORTGAGE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 1037 FOR MONTHLY RENT OR MORTGAGE, RIGHT? JUST KEEP IN MIND, IN REALITY, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A THOUSAND FOR MONTHLY RENT, WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT AN EFFICIENCY APARTMENT. WE'RE NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT A ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT. PLEASE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT HOUSEHOLDS. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THESE HOUSEHOLDS. THIS IS INFORMATION GATHERED FROM GROWING LOUISVILLE TOGETHER. AS FAR AS THE HOUSEHOLD INCOME RATES. JUST IMAGINE THAT FOR A MINUTE. MARINATE ON THAT FOR A MINUTE. EVEN IF YOUR ANNUAL INCOME IS 51,000, AND 30% OF THAT INCOME GOES TOWARDS MONTHLY RENTAL RATES. AGAIN, WE CAN JUST GO BACK TO THE FIRM MARKET RATES FOR ONE AND TWO BEDROOM APARTMENTS IN 2025. IT'S A STRETCH. AND PLEASE DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE MEDIAN INCOME FOR LOUISVILLE METRO IS 64,000.
ACCORDING TO KIDS COUNT. ECONOMIC INDICATORS OF WELL-BEING ARE IN EMPLOYMENT AND MEDIAN INCOME. LOW SALARY, RISING COSTS IN HOUSING, FOOD, UTILITIES AND HEALTH CARE THREATENS FINANCIAL AND HOUSING STABILITY. IT ALSO GROSSLY LIMITS FULL CONTRIBUTION TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY ACROSS EDUCATION, HOUSING, BUSINESS INVESTMENT AND CONSUMPTION. LET'S TALK ABOUT
[00:10:02]
THE ECONOMIC FALLOUT OF EVICTION FOR TENANTS. YALE DEPARTMENT ECONOMICS ASSERTS THAT EVICTIONS LED TO MULTIPLE AND OFTEN COMPOUNDING NEGATIVE OUTCOMES. EVICTIONS LED TO SHORT RUN INCREASES IN HOMELESSNESS AND RESIDENTIAL MOBILITY. THEY ALSO LED TO DECLINES IN FINANCIAL, HEALTH AND CREDIT SCORES, AS WELL AS INCREASES IN THE NUMBER OF HOSPITAL VISITS. EVICTION ORDERS OFTEN LEAVE TENANTS WITH LITTLE TIME TO FIND NEW HOUSING ARRANGEMENTS AND PRIOR EVICTION ORDERS CAN ALSO MAKE IT HARDER TO FIND NEW HOUSING, SINCE MANY LANDLORDS SCREEN POTENTIAL TENANTS. RENTAL HISTORY. AN EVICTION NOTICE ON PUBLIC RECORDS AND REPORTS IS EQUIVALENT TO A FELONY STATUS IN THE HOUSING WORLD. EVICTIONS IMPACT EMPLOYABILITY AND AGAIN, FINANCIAL AND HOUSING STABILITY AND OVERALL WELL-BEING. THE ECONOMIC FALLOUT OF EVICTION ON LANDLORDS. THERE ARE COURT COST FILINGS, FEES, WARRANTS, ATTORNEY FEES, REPAIR AND CLEANING SERVICE COSTS. ALSO, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE LOOKING AT BETWEEN 30 AND 60 DAYS OF VACANCY, WHICH EQUATES TO LOSS OF INCOME. THE ECONOMIC FALLOUT OF EVICTION FOR LOUISVILLE METRO HIGH EVICTION RATES LEAD TO INCREASED COSTS FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, INCLUDING EMERGENCY HOUSING, HEALTH CARE AND PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. CITIES WITH HIGH EVICTION RATES OFTEN FIND THEMSELVES DIVERTING SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES TO MANAGE HOMELESSNESS, WHICH COULD OTHERWISE BE USED FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. FURTHERMORE, NEIGHBORHOODS WITH FREQUENT EVICTIONS MAY EXPERIENCE DECLINING PROPERTY VALUES, REDUCING THE TAX REVENUE AVAILABLE TO FUND PUBLIC SERVICES. IN LOUISVILLE, METRO DISTRICT FOUR HAS THE HIGHEST EVICTION RATE. NOBODY WINS WITH EVICTIONS. AND JUST A QUICK QUESTION HOW MANY OF YOU LIVE IN DOWNTOWN LOUISVILLE? DOES ANYBODY LIVE IN DOWNTOWN LOUISVILLE? NOBODY. OKAY, I'VE BEEN IN DOWNTOWN LOUISVILLE FOR THE PAST 16 YEARS. I'VE SEEN THE INCREASE OF HOMELESSNESS ON JEFFERSON STREET AND MARKET WITHIN THAT, WITHIN THE FIRST SIX YEARS, MAYBE SEVEN YEARS OF ME LIVING IN DOWNTOWN LOUISVILLE, THERE WAS A GRADUAL INCREASE AND THEN ENCAMPMENTS, AND THEN IT BLED OVER TO WATERFRONT PARK, YOU KNOW, BY 11TH STREET. IT'S BEEN AMAZING TO SEE. NOT AMAZING IN A GOOD WAY. AMAZING IN A SAD WAY. JUST SAYING. THAT'S MY PURVIEW. AS A RESIDENT OF DOWNTOWN LOUISVILLE FOR THE PAST 16 YEARS. GROWING LOUISVILLE TOGETHER. PART OF GROWING LOUISVILLE TOGETHER, THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS TO GROW LOUISVILLE METRO ECONOMICALLY BY TRIPLING POPULATION GROWTH WITHIN THE PRIME AGE WORKFORCE COHORT. BY 2020, BY 2035, TO COMPETE SUCCESSFULLY IN A GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE MARKETPLACE. INCREASED HOUSELESSNESS THREATENS OUR ABILITY TO ATTRACT TALENT, COMMERCE AND INVESTORS. THE BEDROCK PRINCIPLE OF GROWING LOUISVILLE TOGETHER. THE PLAN IS FOR EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD TO TRY TO THRIVE ECONOMICALLY. IN ORDER FOR LOUISVILLE METRO TO PROSPER. OVERALL, HOWEVER, INCREASED HOUSELESSNESS DESTABILIZES COMMUNITIES. IT PROMOTES CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, HEIGHTENED SUSCEPTIBILITY TO CONCENTRATED POVERTY, AND RISES AND RAISES COSTS IN HEALTH CARE AND SOCIAL SERVICES, AND THREATENS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. MA'AM, ARE WE ARE YOU JUST ABOUT FINISHED? I'M SORRY, ARE YOU JUST ABOUT FINISHED? WOULD YOU RATHER ME HURRY TO THE END? WELL, I JUST, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS, AND YOU GET SO FAR, AND THEN THEY'LL FORGET OR[00:15:02]
THEY'LL LOSE THEIR PLACE. SO. OKAY. YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF JUST READING, WE WANT AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS. OKAY. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR? YEAH. SHE. YEAH I KNEW SHE HAD A QUESTION I MEAN IF YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND ACCEPTED THE. SURE. I GOT A QUESTION.WELL I JUST I JUST. WELL I WAS GOING TO LET HER ASK THE QUESTIONS AND THEN, YOU KNOW, SHE DIDN'T GET THE ANSWERS. THEN YOU CAN GO AHEAD. OKAY. SHOULD I PAUSE BETWEEN. YEAH. SLIDES.
YEAH. INSTEAD OF JUST STRAIGHT READING, YOU KNOW. OKAY OKAY. RATHER HAVE LET THEM GET QUESTIONS. OKAY? OKAY. COUNCILWOMAN. OKAY. YEAH. SO I KNOW YOU ASKED THE QUESTION SAYING THAT ANY OF THE DOWNTOWN. THANK YOU. I KNOW YOU ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT DOES ANY IS DOES ANY OF US LIVE DOWNTOWN? I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW THAT WAS RELEVANT TO EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE PRESENTING, BECAUSE THE HOMELESS POPULATION AND PEOPLE GETTING EVICTED IS EVERYWHERE. MY FIRST CONCERN IS, IS THIS A PRIVATE BUSINESS? IS RESTORATIVE PRACTICES. YEAH. IS THIS COMPANY A PRIVATE BUSINESS? I NOTICED YOU SAID IN THERE THAT THAT THIS IS GOING ALONG WITH MAYOR GREENBERG'S INITIATIVES. RIGHT. WELL, I DO KNOW THAT ONE OF HIS INITIATIVES IS, IS TO BUILD DOWNTOWN UP. RIGHT? CORRECT. BUT I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED WANTING TO KNOW IS, IS THIS ENTITY A PRIVATE BUSINESS, OR IS IT BECAUSE WE DON'T PROMOTE PRIVATE BUSINESSES AND WE DON'T WANT TO GET THAT STARTED IN COMMITTEES? SO THAT'S WHY I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED ON WAS THIS A PROGRAM OR SOMETHING THAT THE MAYOR WAS TRYING TO GET BROUGHT IN OR, YOU KNOW, LIKE, LET'S JUST GET STRAIGHT TO THE REAL QUESTION, OKAY? I'M ASKING THE CHAIR, YOU WHOEVER WANTS TO ANSWER THAT, LIKE, BECAUSE WE NORMALLY DON'T. THIS IS LIKE GETTING OUT OF THE REALM OF BUSINESS IS COMING IN.
IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN I'M GONNA COME IN HERE AND PRESENT MY BUSINESS, AND OTHER PEOPLE WILL, TOO. SO I'M JUST TRYING TO SEE IF THIS IS A BUSINESS. OR ARE YOU WANTING TO? SEE MONEY BE PUT IN THE BUDGET FOR THIS? RIGHT NOW? I FEEL LIKE HONESTLY, I ANYBODY WHO HAS THEIR OWN BUSINESS, IT'S NOT EASY. I KNOW I'M A BUSINESS OWNER. KEEP GOING. BUT FOR ME, I'M A LANDLORD. I PROBABLY DONE BEEN EVICTED PROBABLY TEN YEARS AGO BEFORE I DONE BEEN ON BOTH SIDES AND TO HAVE A MEDIATOR FOR ME. AND IT'S JUST MY OPINION. THE PROCESS OVER THERE IS ALREADY SLOW. YOU KNOW, THESE SQUATTERS AND OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE GETTING EVICTED, THEY KNOW THE SYSTEM BETTER THAN WE DO. THEY KNOW HOW LONG THEY CAN STAY IN THERE. THEY STAY IN PEOPLE'S PROPERTIES LONGER THAN US. I DON'T FOR ME, I DON'T SEE HOW A MEDIATOR WOULD WOULD SHORTEN THAT PROCESS. IT'S A PROCESS AND THE PROCESS HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE OVER THERE. NOW, I THINK IF AN INDIVIDUAL PERSON WANTED TO HIRE YOU TO HELP NAVIGATE HOW TO GET THROUGH THAT PROCESS, RIGHT. BUT WE DON'T NORMALLY DO THIS. SO I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, ASK THE CHAIR. LIKE, WAS THIS SOMETHING THAT THE MAYOR ASKED FOR? AND IF YOU'RE ASKING TO BE IN THE BUDGET, I'D RATHER FOR YOU TO JUST CUT TO THE CHASE AND JUST SAY, HEY, I NEED Y'ALL TO PUT ME IN THE BUDGET. YOU KNOW, I'M I'M AN INDEPENDENT NONPROFIT, WHATEVER. AND GIVE US SOME PAMPHLETS. AND WHAT DISTRICT DO YOU LIVE IN? DISTRICT FOUR. DISTRICT FOUR. OKAY, SO YOU LIVE IN KEN HERNDON'S DISTRICT, RIGHT? OKAY. YEAH. SO I WOULD BE ASKING KEN TO PUT ME IN THE EYES TO HELP YOU OUT AND GIVE YOU SOME MONEY OUT OF HIS. OUT OF HIS FUNDS, OR JUST ASK HIM FOR SOMEBODY TO PUT YOU IN THE MAYOR'S BUDGET. OKAY? I'M JUST A STRAIGHT UP PERSON. SO I HEAR YOU RESIGNED.
RESTORATIVE PRACTICES IS A IS A PRIVATE BUSINESS. IT'S AN ENTITY. WE SUBMITTED A BID FOR A CONTRACT IN THE FALL OF 22. GOT THE BID ON THAT CONTRACT. PARTNERED WITH THE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, THE LEGAL AID SOCIETY AND EVICTION COURT.
WE'RE STILL UNDER CONTRACT WITH LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT. THIS PRESENTATION IS NOT TO SECURE FUNDING OR TO EXTEND A CONTRACT FOR RESTORATIVE PRACTICES. I'M PRESENTING ON WHAT WE LEARNED IN DOING OUR IMPLEMENTING THE EVICTION PREVENTION MEDIATION PROGRAM.
AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, ALTHOUGH RESTORATIVE PRACTICES IS MY BUSINESS, I'M THE
[00:20:03]
PROPRIETOR PROPRIETOR OF IT. HOWEVER, I'M A FOOL. I HAVE A FULL TIME JOB. I'M A PSYCHOTHERAPIST BY TRADE, AND THE PEOPLE THAT WORK WITHIN RESOLVE RESTORATIVE PRACTICES ALL HAVE FULL TIME JOBS. I SUBCONTRACT WITH THEM. SO THIS IS NOT TO GET A BID FOR RESOLVE RESTORATIVE PRACTICES BY TRADE. I AM A PSYCHOTHERAPIST. I'M A SOCIOLOGIST. THAT'S MY THE BACKGROUND AS FAR AS EDUCATION. SO I'M LET ME FINISH I'M TALKING ABOUT SYSTEMS HERE. SO WHEN I SEE SYSTEMS AND HOW THEY ARE IMPACTING THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND ALSO PEOPLE WITHIN THAT ENVIRONMENT, THAT'S WHAT I AM REPORTING ON. AND THE NEED FOR. THE NEED FOR THERE TO BE EARMARKED WITHIN LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT. A BUDGET ITEM FOR EVICTION PREVENTION SERVICES, PERIOD. BECAUSE IT TAKES ALL WE ALL KNOW OUR ARE AWARE OF THE POLITICAL CLIMATE, AND IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GROWING LOUISVILLE TOGETHER, REALLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF EVICTIONS. RIGHT. AND I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE A LENGTHY RESUME, AND IT'S ALL OF THIS IS WITHIN THE PRESENTATION. I JUST DIDN'T FINISH. RIGHT. BUT IF YOU ARE UNDER A DEPARTMENT HERE, RIGHT, IF YOU ALREADY WORK UNDER A DEPARTMENT, THEN THAT WOULD BE LIKE, YOU REALLY SHOULDN'T HAVE CAME HERE ON YOUR OWN IF YOU'VE ALREADY CONTRACTED THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT. WE ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE DEPARTMENTS AND WHAT THEY DO, AND IF THOSE DEPARTMENTS NEED, YOU KNOW, IF THEY NEED MORE FUNDING AND IF THOSE DEPARTMENTS NEED MORE BRUSHING UP, THEN THAT DIRECTOR NEEDS TO COME IN FRONT OF US BECAUSE THEY DO DURING BUDGET CYCLE. SO IF I WAS YOU, I WOULD IMPLEMENT ALL THOSE THINGS TO THEM BECAUSE AS IT LOOKS AS OF TODAY IS THAT YOU'RE YOU'RE THIS IS YOURS, RIGHT? AND THAT IS OKAY. I'M NOT TAKING THAT FROM YOU. BUT IF YOU'RE ALREADY CONTRACTED WITH METRO GOVERNMENT DOING THIS WORK, THAT WOULD BE LIKE DOUBLE DIPPING. SO WE DON'T DO THAT IN THESE COMMITTEES. RIGHT. AND SURE, YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. YOU'RE RIGHT. THANK YOU. OKAY. MY CONCERN IS IF THEY GET EVICTED AND THEY CAN'T PAY THEIR RENT, HOW CAN THEY AFFORD TO PAY YOU GUYS? HOW HOW CAN THEY AFFORD TO PAY? YEAH I AM, I'M BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE BECAUSE THIS IS ALL WITHIN THE PRESENTATION. I'M BEFORE THE COMMITTEE TO ASK OUR PROPOSITION. THE COMMITTEE AND METRO COUNCIL IN TOTALITY FOR THE MANDATES ARE THAT MEDIATION BE MANDATED? BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO PAY TO AGAIN, DID IT BE MANDATED TO GIVE TENANTS AN OPPORTUNITY? BECAUSE AGAIN, I'VE JUST GONE OVER THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF EVICTION. AND IT DOESN'T JUST AFFECT THE TENANT, IT AFFECTS THE LANDLORD, AND IT ALSO AFFECTS THE LOCAL ECONOMY. AND WITH THE RISE IN AND INCREASE OF EVICTIONS, I THINK IT'S PRUDENT THAT WE START LOOKING MORE TOWARDS PROGRESSIVE PROGRAMING AND SERVICES, PARTICULARLY IN LIEU OF TODAY'S POLITICAL CLIMATE, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE ALREADY AT PRE-PANDEMIC NUMBERS AS FAR AS EVICTION RATES. THE PROJECTION IS, IS THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO RISE. THEY ALREADY HAVE. BUT AGAIN, IN TODAY'S POLITICAL CLIMATE, THE PROJECTION IS THAT THEY WILL RISE EVEN MORE BECAUSE HUD IS BEING IMPACTED AS WELL. OKAY. ALSO, YOU GUYS DON'T DO THIS FOR FREE. SO AGAIN, I'M SORRY I SAID YOU DON'T DO THIS FOR FREE. YOU GET PAID FOR IT.SO IF THEY ARE ALREADY GETTING EVICTED AND THEY DON'T HAVE FUNDING TO PAY THEIR RENT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ANOTHER HARDSHIP. THEN THEY WOULD TURN AROUND AND HAVE TO PAY YOU GUYS AND TO BE MANDATED TO MAKE THEM PAY YOU. IT'S A IT'S NOT A WIN FOR THE PERSON THAT'S GETTING EVICTED.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE TO ME THAT THEY GOING TO MANDATE ME TO GO SOMEWHERE AND I CAN'T PAY MY RENT. I CAN TAKE THAT MONEY AND PUT IT TOWARDS MY RENT. SO HOWEVER I'M TALKING ABOUT EVICTION PREVENTION SERVICES BEING JUST IN TOTALITY, BEING EARMARKED WITHIN LOUISVILLE METRO'S BUDGET, NOT JUST THE MANDATES, ARE THAT MEDIATION BE
[00:25:01]
MANDATED, BUT THAT THERE BE A BUDGET ITEM FOR JUST EVICTION PREVENTION SERVICES. AND IT DOESN'T JUST ENCOMPASS IT DOESN'T JUST ENCOMPASS MEDIATION THAT WOULD BE RENTAL ASSISTANCE AS WELL, AND THAT WOULD BE OTHER PROGRAMS AND SERVICES AS WELL. OKAY. IT DOESN'T IT DOESN'T JUST IMPACT OKAY. THIS IS NOT JUST FOR MEDIATION. THIS IS FOR EVICTION PREVENTION SERVICES BECAUSE IT TAKES ALL NOT JUST ONE. THIS IS JUST ONE SOLUTION. THERE ARE MANY OTHER SOLUTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PROVEN EFFECTIVE. OKAY. COUNCILMAN SAM, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. DID YOU SAY THAT YOU'RE ADVOCATING FOR EVICTIONS TO BE MANDATED MEDIATION? ALL EVICTIONS? YES. OKAY. I WAS A LANDLORD AND I HAD SOME DRUG ADDICTS IN MY LAST HOME, AND THEY DISMANTLED MY HOME, AND I HAD TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS. IT TOOK 60 DAYS, AND THEY DESTROYED EVERYTHING IN MY HOME. YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU BY MANDATE THAT I HAD TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER HURDLE TO GET THESE TRANSIENTS OUT OF MY HOME AND GO THROUGH ANOTHER BUNCH OF RED TAPE AND WATCH MY HOUSE CONTINUE TO BE DESTROYED. YOU'RE SAYING I NEED TO BE MANDATED FOR MEDIATION? I'M SAYING THAT IT HAS BEEN PROVEN THAT MANDATED MEDIATION PROGRAMS ARE EFFECTIVE NOT JUST FOR TENANTS, BUT FOR LANDLORDS AS WELL. AGAIN, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING INTO A LEGALLY BINDING AGREEMENT, IF THAT WIN, IF AND WHEN THAT AGREEMENT IS VIOLATED, THEN THERE'S AN EXPEDITED EVICTION PROCESS THAT TAKES PLACE WITHIN SEVEN DAYS. WE GO INTO EVICTION AND THEN THAT'S ANOTHER PROCESS. DAZED WAITED FOR MORE FOR I MEAN, IF YOU'VE WAITED THEM 60 DAYS AND THEN YOU ADD ANOTHER 60 DAYS AND I'M STILL WAITING TO GET INCOME ON MY HOME. AND WHAT I'M WORRIED ABOUT IS WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT THE PERSON THAT'S NOT BEING ABLE TO PAY. AND BUT WE'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT THE LANDLORD AND HIS INVESTMENT OR HER INVESTMENT. AND I REMEMBER I USED TO HAVE TO LIVE IN A BOARDING ROOM. WE KEEP CALLING SAY IT AS HOUSELESSNESS. I HAD TO LIVE IN A BOARDING ROOM TO GET STARTED. I DIDN'T LIVE ABOVE MY NEEDS, MY MEANS I COULDN'T.AND THERE'S PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THAT. THERE'S PEOPLE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OUR LANDLORDS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF LEASES, AND I DON'T SEE MUCH PROTECTION FOR THE LANDLORD. I WENT THROUGH A LOT OF GRIEF JUST TO GET, AND I GOT OUT OF LANDLORD BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE I HAD TO DEAL WITH. AND WE'RE IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO PUT MORE ON THE, THE GOOD GUY THAN THE BAD GUY. AND I'M NOT SAYING WE DON'T. WE FALL INTO DESPAIR. PEOPLE. THEY DO GET PRICED OUT OF THEIR THEIR HOMES AND STUFF. BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT THE LANDLORD. THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S GOT THESE DRUG ADDICTS OR WHATEVER DESTROYING THEIR HOMES, WATCHING THEIR INVESTMENT GO DOWN. AND YOU'RE WANTING TO ADD MORE BUREAUCRACY TO THESE PEOPLE TO LET THESE DRUG ADDICTS OR WHOEVER THEY ARE, THAT REFUSE TO PAY OR GOT IN WAY ABOVE THEIR NEEDS TO STAY. AND I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THAT. BUT THANK YOU. I MEAN, THAT'S FAIR, BUT I'M NOT ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF THE TENANT. I'M NOT ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF THE LANDLORD. I'M ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF BOTH.
I'VE SEEN BOTH SIDES TO IT. RIGHT? I'VE SEEN BOTH SIDES TO WHERE YOU HAD SOME TENANTS THAT ABSOLUTELY NEEDED TO BE EVICTED, AND THEN YOU HAD SOME LANDLORDS THAT ABSOLUTELY NEEDED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT WAS LACKING IN THAT BUILDING, IN THAT STRUCTURE. SO IT'S NOT ONE OR THE OTHER. IT'S BOTH. FROM WHERE I'M SITTING. AND AS COUNCILWOMAN HAWKINS SAID, I'VE BEEN I'VE BEEN IN THE EVICTION. I'VE BEEN ON BOTH SIDES OF IT. THAT'S WHY I'M AN ADVOCATE FOR IT. NOT IN WHEN I WAS CLOSE TO BEING EVICTED, THERE WAS NO MEDIATION PROCESS. SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS I'VE BEEN ON BOTH SIDES OF THE TABLE AS WELL. SO THIS IS NOT FOR THE TENANT, IT'S FOR THE TENANT AND IT'S FOR THE LANDLORD, AND IT'S BASED ON WHAT HAS BEEN EXPERIENCED SINCE APRIL OF 2023. IN, IN, IN ADMINISTERING LIKE MEDIATIONS. OKAY. THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING. SO IT'S NOT ONE OR THE OTHER. THIS IS NOT ABOUT TO PROTECT TENANTS. I THINK IT IS. I MEAN I THINK IT LOOKS MORE LIKE SOMETHING TO PROTECT. THE LANDLORD WANTS THEM OUT AND YOU WANT TO MANDATE THEY
[00:30:05]
HAVE MEDIATION AFTER THEY'VE GONE THROUGH THE POINT TO WHERE THEY WANT THEM OUT. THEY'VE DEALT WITH ALL THAT. NOW YOU WANT TO MANDATE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER HOOP, YOU'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER COURT PROCEDURE. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY. YOU KNOW, I, I JUST I DON'T WE'VE GOT BAD ACTORS THAT ARE RENTING AND I'VE EXPERIENCED IT. AND I BOUGH PULLED MY HAIR OUT AS YOU CAN SEE. I MEAN IT'S TERRIBLE AND I, I AM REALLY GETTING I MEAN, I DIDN'T LIVE ABOVE MY MEANS AND PEOPLE DO IT ALL THE TIME AND THEY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, OF THE RENTAL. THEY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE LEASE, THEY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OF THE EVICTIONS. AND I THINK SOMETIMES WE NEED TO LOOK OUT FOR THE GUY THAT'S TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING INSTEAD OF THOSE WHO ARE TRYING TO TAKE, TAKE, TAKE. SO THAT'S HOW I FEEL ABOUT THAT. AND IF YOU GUYS CAN HAVE BETTER SAFEGUARDS AND, AND PROGRAMS FOR THE FOR THE LANDLORD, I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT TOO. BUT I'M NOT SEEING IT IN THIS. SO BUT THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN HAWKINS.SO I FELT LIKE I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT. SO IF WHAT WHAT WOULD BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN. I KNOW YOU SAID THAT WITH THE MEDIATION, BUT WHEN YOU SIT DOWN WITH A PERSON AND WHEN YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, TYPING UP A LEASE, I'M LOOKING AT THAT AS A LEGAL DOCUMENT TO WHAT IT IS. IT IS.
RIGHT. SO WHAT MAKES THE LEGAL BINDING DOCUMENT THAT YOU MADE WITH THIS PERSON THAT YOU GET READY TO RENT TO ANY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU'RE DOING? BECAUSE THE THING OF IT IS, IS, IS IF THEY CANNOT KEEP THEIR WORD WITH WITH THE PERSON WHO'S GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE IN, YOU KNOW, THEIR SPACE, THAT THEY'VE INVESTED ALL THIS MONEY INTO, THEN WHAT MAKES I MEAN, I'M JUST ASKING. I KNOW YOU SAID THAT IT SHOWS A TRACK RECORD, THAT IT WORKS, BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, LIKE MY COLLEAGUE SAID, IT SHOWS A TRACK RECORD TO BAT HIM SOME MORE TIME. THE PROCESS TO EVICT SOMEBODY OUT OF YOUR PROPERTY IS EXTREMELY TOO LONG. AND IF PEOPLE KNOW THAT, THEY KNOW THAT. SO. SO TO STOP THE EVICTION OR KEEP IT GOING OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, AND TO GO TO A MEDIATION, IT'S JUST DRAGGING IT OUT LONGER FOR ME THAN IF YOU WAS TO SAY, WELL, LOOK, OKAY.
AND OR IF YOU WAS AND THIS IS JUST A SUGGESTION, I GOT THIS PROGRAM. AND WHAT THIS IS GOING TO DO IS, IS HELP TENANTS THAT ARE TRYING TO DRAG LANDLORDS OUT TO SELL THEIR PROPERTY AS LONG AS THEY CAN TEAR THEIR PROPERTY UP. THEN THE LANDLORD GOTTA GO PAY ANOTHER A $60 TO HAVE THE SHERIFF COME AND PUT ANOTHER PAPER ON THEIR DOOR AND BUYS THEM ANOTHER 30 TO 60 DAYS. I CAN I CAN SHORTEN THAT PROCESS. ONE I'M GOING TO HELP THEM FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE TO GO, AND I'M GOING TO TRY TO STOP AN EVICTION FROM BEING ON THEIR RECORD. THAT IS A WHOLE NOTHER DIRECTION. BUT WHAT IS IN PROCESS NOW, AND YOU TRYING TO PUT ANOTHER LEVEL OF MEDIATION IN IT TO ME IS DRAGGING IT OUT, AND I WANT TO KNOW WHAT MORE LOYAL TO DO. THEY WILL THEY HAVE TO YOU THAN THEY WOULD THE PERSON THAT PUT THEM IN THE PROPERTY. I CAN ONLY SPEAK TO MY EXPERIENCE AND TO THE EVIDENCE AND THE RESEARCH BASED ON FROM APRIL 2023 UNTIL TO PRESENT TIME, I CAN ONLY SPEAK TO THAT AT OF THE 503 MEDIATION SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS, ONLY FOUR RESULTED IN AN EXPEDITED EVICTION. OTHER THAN THAT, THEY KEPT TWO. ARE THEY HELD UP THEIR END. BOTH TENANT AND LANDLORD HELD UP THEIR END OF THIS LEGALLY BINDING AGREEMENT. THAT'S ALL I CAN SPEAK TO. I'M SORRY FOR YOUR EXPERIENCES. THIS IS NOT TO ADD TO THE BURDEN OF LANDLORDS, SO TO SPEAK, BUT I'VE BEEN ON BOTH SIDES, SO I UNDERSTAND. BUT BUT I KNOW IN MY EXPERIENCE, BASED ON THE PAST ALMOST TWO YEARS NOW OR WHAT HAVE YOU, THAT SOMETHING DIFFERENT TAKES PLACE WHEN YOU HAVE A LANDLORD AND A TENANT SITTING ACROSS THE TABLE FROM EACH OTHER TALKING ABOUT CREATIVELY, HOW CAN THEY RESOLVE THIS ISSUE? THE MEDIATOR HELPS FACILITATE THAT PROCESS. AND IT IT'S REITERATED TIME AND TIME AGAIN ABOUT THAT. THIS IS A LEGALLY BINDING AGREEMENT. SO LIKE WHEN EVERYTHING IS SAID AND DONE AND WE'RE TYPING IT UP, ARE WE PUTTING ALL OF THIS INTO THIS DOCUMENT BASED ON WHAT THEY AGREED ON? THEY HOLD EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE TO THAT. AND WHEN
[00:35:01]
THAT'S BROKEN, IMMEDIATELY EITHER A TENANT'S GOING TO CONTACT US OR A LANDLORD AND IT GOES INTO EVICTION COURT WITHIN SEVEN DAYS. IF THEY DIDN'T PAY. OKAY, COUNCILWOMAN GOODRICH AND THEN COUNCILMAN WINKLER, WE'LL GET YOU AFTER. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO WHAT I GATHER WHEN YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THE NUMBERS, THOSE ARE FROM APPLICATIONS THAT WERE RECEIVED THAT WANTED TO GO THROUGH THE MEDIATION. CORRECT. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THOSE THAT WANT TO DO IT, IT WORKS. SURE.BUT TO MANDATE IT THAT'S MY CONCERN IS THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT DON'T WANT TO DO IT. SO AND THEN IT'S ADDING ADDITIONAL COST AND WHERE THAT COST COME FROM I AGREE WITH WHAT CHAIR CHAIRWOMAN SAID IS WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT COST IS. SO THEY'RE ALREADY STRICKEN FOR YOU KNOW, THEY HAVEN'T THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO PAY AND THEY'RE THEY'RE AT A CONCERN AND A HARDSHIP. AND SO WE'RE ADDING ADDITIONAL COSTS TO THAT. BUT LIKE I SAID, MY BIGGEST CONCERN THERE IS THAT WE HAVE APPLICATIONS BEING RECEIVED. NO DOUBT THIS PROBABLY WORKED FOR THEM. BUT WHEN WE ADD A MANDATE TO IT, YOU HAVE PEOPLE AS AS MY COUNTERPART SAID OVER THERE IS THEY DON'T WANT TO DO IT.
THEY'RE ALREADY FORFEITING THEIR RUINED PROPERTY. SO THAT'S ONE CONCERN. MY SECOND IS THAT I HEAR A REQUEST AND I HEARD A REQUEST THERE FOR A BUDGET, AND THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR A BUDGET TO BE ADDED IN. YES. THAT DOES NOT COME FOR THIS COMMITTEE THAT NEEDS TO GO IN FOR THE BUDGET COMMITTEE AND WHATEVER BOARD OR COMMISSION YOU'RE PART OF NEEDS TO PRESENT THAT. THANK YOU.
COUNCILWOMAN, COUNCILMAN WINKLER. AND THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND I THINK IT'S KIND OF I THINK WE'VE GONE A LITTLE BIT SIDEWAYS. SO I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM A COUPLE OF THINGS. I MEAN, I THINK THIS IS A, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL LEGISLATION. WE PUT MONEY IN THE BUDGET. WE FUNDED AN EVICTION PREVENTION PROGRAM THAT FOCUSES ON MEDIATION. I THINK THE PRESENTATION YOU WERE GOING TO GIVE, AND I DON'T THINK WE GOT SORT OF TO THE MAIN SLIDES, I THINK, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY COULD HAVE FOCUSED ON THOSE A LITTLE BIT MORE. WAS THE RESULTS OF THE PROGRAM. AND WHAT I'VE GATHERED IS THE RESULTS SHOW THAT WHEN YOU HAVE MEDIATION, THE OUTCOMES ARE BETTER BOTH FOR THE TENANT BECAUSE YOU AVOID AN EVICTION ON THEIR RECORD. AND I THINK WE KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT THE DATA SHOWS. BUT IT'S ALSO BETTER FOR THE LANDLORD BECAUSE MAYBE THEY'RE NOT MADE WHOLE, BUT MAYBE THEY THEY DON'T GO THROUGH THE COSTLY EVICTION PROCESS. THEY DO GET SOME SORT OF COMPENSATION. THE TENANT LEAVES ON GOOD TERMS. AND SO IT'S BETTER FOR BOTH PARTIES. AM I CORRECT IN THAT SORT OF THE GIST OF WHAT YOU WERE GOING TO PRESENT? CORRECT. CORRECT. OKAY. I DO THINK COUNCILWOMAN WOOLRICH BRINGS UP AN INTERESTING POINT, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, IT CAN YOU SPEAK TO IS THE DATA SKEWED IN THE SENSE THAT THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO ARE ACCOUNTED FOR ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO MEET TO MEDIATE? CAN YOU TALK? IF YOU HAD AND THERE'S NO PROPOSED LEGISLATION IN FRONT OF US, RIGHT. YOU'RE YOU'RE ASKING US TO POTENTIALLY TACKLE PROPOSING AS A NEXT STEP TO OUR RIGHT TO COUNCIL LAWS. MANDATING MEDIATION AS A STEP IN THE EVICTION PROCESS. CAN YOU SPEAK TO HER CONCERN, WHETHER YOU KNOW, THE YOUR DATA IS SKEWED BECAUSE YOU ONLY HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO MEDIATE TO BEGIN WITH VERSUS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A GOOD FAITH FACTOR INVOLVED IN THE TENANT. WHEN YOU SAY THE DATA IS SKEWED BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE WILLING PARTICIPANTS. YEAH. SO WHAT WHAT I THINK COUNCILWOMAN WOOLRIDGE WAS ARGUING, AND I DON'T THINK SHE'S NECESSARILY WRONG. AND THIS IS WHAT I'M ASKING YOU TO CLARIFY, IS, YOU KNOW, THE DATA SHOWS THAT IF YOU GO THROUGH MEDIATION, IT'S A BETTER OUTCOME FOR THE TENANT, A BETTER OUTCOME FOR THE LANDLORD. BECAUSE BECAUSE YOU ARRIVE AT AN AREA WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH. COLERIDGE'S CONCERN. AND COUNCILWOMAN HAWKINS AS WELL IS YEAH, THAT'S GREAT. IF THE TENANT WANTS TO GO THROUGH THE MEDIATION PROCESS. BUT IF YOU HAVE A BAD ACTOR IN THE TENANT WHO IS SIMPLY TRYING TO FORESTALL THE PROCESS AND ISN'T REALLY ENTERING THE MEDIATION IN GOOD FAITH, YOU KNOW? WERE THOSE PEOPLE NOT HERE BECAUSE IT'S A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM. SO YOU SELF-SELECTED THAT YOU SELF-SELECTED OR THE TENANT SELF-SELECTED, AND IF THEY'RE TRYING TO FIND A GOOD OUTCOME IN ANY WAY, DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I'M NOT SURE. BUT LET ME SPEAK TO THIS. AS FAR AS EVICTION PREVENTION MEDIATION PROGRAM, HOW IT WAS RESTRICTED INITIALLY UP UNTIL AUGUST OF 2024, ONLY LANDLORDS COULD REQUEST MEDIATIONS, NOT TENANTS. THAT'S NUMBER ONE. SO IN AUGUST OF 2024, WHEN TENANTS WERE ALLOWED TO REQUEST MEDIATIONS UNDER STRICT GUIDELINES OF UTA, MEANING THEY HAD TO ACCOMPLISH
[00:40:02]
SO MANY PROCESSES RIGHT AND NOTIFY THE LANDLORD OR WHATEVER, THEN IT WAS OPEN TO THEM AND THEY COULD REQUEST MEDIATION. TENANT THE INCREASE IN TENANTS REQUESTING MEDIATIONS. OF COURSE IT INCREASED, BUT IT DIDN'T COME FROM LANDLORDS. AFTER AUGUST OF 2024. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? IT DOES, BUT IT WASN'T MANDATORY. IT WAS NONE OF IT. NONE OF IT WAS MANDATORY. BUT BUT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING IS TO MAKE IT MANDATORY. CORRECT. BUT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW PERSONALLY I FEEL LIKE IT'S NOT FAIR. BUT SHE WANTED TO SPEAK FIRST. COUNCILWOMAN HAWKINS, I'M SORRY.I'M SORRY I WASN'T. I HAD A FOLLOW UP QUESTION. OH, YOU WEREN'T FINISHED? YES, I WAS FINISHED. I'M SORRY. YOU WEREN'T. I'M SORRY. YOUR YOUR CAMERA CAMERA'S GOING IN AND OUT, SO WE COULDN'T TELL. OKAY, SO BASICALLY. SO LET ME GET THIS RIGHT BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FOR MY FOLLOW UP. THIS IS WENT DOWN A COUPLE DIFFERENT LANES AND IT'S JUST NOT CONSISTENT. SO FIRST IT WAS YOU KNOW I GUESS MARCUS IS SAYING SHE'S NOT ASKING FOR FUNDING.
BUT THEN SHE SAID SHE WAS ASKING FOR FUNDING. LET'S MAKE IT CLEAR IT'S EITHER YOU WANT FUNDING OR YOU DON'T. I DIDN'T ASK HIM, MARCUS SAID, I'M ASKING YOU THAT. DO YOU WANT IT AS A PRIVATE ENTITY, OR ARE YOU TRYING TO GET SOME LEGISLATION ROLLED UP? YOU KNOW, DO YOU NEED TO GET WITH A COUNCIL PERSON? ARE YOU ASKING US TO CHANGE THE LAWS, LIKE DIRECT POWERPOINTS ON WHAT YOU ARE ASKING? RIGHT. BUT BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, WE GET WE JUST DID ALL OF THIS STUFF WITH THESE LANDLORDS. WE'RE PUTTING STIPULATIONS ON THESE LANDLORDS TO DO THIS, TO NOT BE SLUMLORDS. AND THEN HERE WE WANT TO PUT A MEDIATION IN PLACE FOR THE IT'S HARD AS HECK TO GET THESE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE A LANDLORD AND IT GETS DRUG OUT. I'M RICH. MARCUS IS I DON'T GET NO MONEY. WHEN SOMEBODY IN MY IN MY UNIT, I WANT THEM OUT, YOU KNOW. SO HAVING THEM STAY IN THERE FOR A LONG AMOUNT OF TIME AND ALL OF THAT IS THE ABSOLUTE NO. SO FOR ME, I JUST NEED TO KNOW WHAT IS IT? YOU KNOW, EXACTLY THAT YOU ARE WANTING IS THE PRESENTATION FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR US FOR, FOR LEGISLATION TO CHANGE SOME STUFF OR IS IT FOR, FOR, FOR, FOR, FOR YOU TO DO THIS WORK? WELL, IF I AGREE WITH IT OR WHATEVER, YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING? IT'S JUST TOO INCONSISTENT. MARCUS IS SAYING WHAT WHAT HE THINKS IT IS, AND YOU WENT OFF ON THE WRONG. IT'S IS YOU DESIGN THIS, RIGHT? CORRECT. SO WHAT I'M ASKING IS FROM YOU JUST GET TO THE POINT ON WHAT IT IS EXACTLY. IF YOU WANT US TO LOOK INTO CHANGING HOW SOMETHING IS WRITTEN, LET ME KNOW. IF YOU JUST SAID NO, I WANT SOME MONEY, THEN MY DIRECTION WOULD BE IS LOOK DOING BUDGET CYCLE, SENDING SOME REQUESTS. THEN WE NEED TO PUT SOME MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR YOU. OR GO TELL THE MAYOR HE NEEDS TO IMPLEMENT THIS IN HIS BUDGET PLAN. SO I JUST SO IT WON'T BE ALL OVER THE PLACE, YOU KNOW, LIKE COUNCILMAN WINKLER. WINKLER SAID IT KIND OF WENT A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES. I THINK THAT IS WHERE I THINK I'M BEING CONFUSED AND PEOPLE'S PERSONAL VIEWS IS COMING IN. YOU KNOW, MY COLLEAGUE SAID THAT HE ONLY WANT TO BE A LANDLORD NO MORE. I AM A LANDLORD, YOU KNOW, AND MY COLLEAGUE OVER HERE IS SAYING TAKE IT TO BUDGET. SO BUT I THINK IF YOU JUST GET STRAIGHT TO THE POINT ON WHAT IT IS THAT YOU WANT, A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE COME IN HERE WITH THESE LONG POWERPOINTS AND THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS THAT THEY ASKING FOR. FOR ME, I'M JUST A STRAIGHT SHOOTER, RIGHT? IF YOU WANT US TO LOOK INTO CHANGING SOME STUFF, IT'S FINE. WHATEVER THE VERBIAGE IS THAT YOU WANT US TO CHANGE. YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO DUMB DOWN WHAT YOU'RE DOING AT ALL, BUT, YOU KNOW, BUT IT'S FOR THIS COMMITTEE FOR THIS TO BE IN THIS COMMITTEE, YOU KNOW, LIKE, I'M JUST GETTING TO THE POINT. I JUST WANT TO DO THE WORK. RIGHT. THE LONG POWERPOINTS AND ALL OF THAT. YOU ONLY GOT TO DO IT. JUST TELL ME WHAT YOU NEED, AND I'LL WORK WITH MY COLLEAGUES TO TRY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, IF WE CAN GET THEM TO AGREE WITH IT. BUT IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU FEEL LIKE THAT WE ALREADY PUT MONEY IN THIS EVICTION THING. IF IT'S IF THAT NEEDS TO BE TWEAKED, YOU KNOW, THEN IT NEEDS TO BE TWEAKED. YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ON BOTH SIDES. I'VE BEEN EVICTED BEFORE AND I'M A LANDLORD. SO I HAVE EXPERIENCES ON BOTH SIDES. RIGHT. BUT JUST WHATEVER IT IS, JUST TELL US WHAT YOU NEED. I
[00:45:04]
THINK THAT YOU GOT SOME PRETTY CLEAR PEOPLE STRAIGHTFORWARD, LIKE, LOOK, THIS IS WHAT I NEED, Y'ALL. AND EITHER WE GOING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN OR WE AIN'T. EITHER 14 PEOPLE IS GOING TO VOTE FOR IT OR THEY AIN'T. YOU KNOW, BUT IT KIND OF LOOKED AS IF YOU WERE COMING IN LIKE, THIS IS YOUR BABY. THIS IS YOUR, YOU KNOW, AND, AND MOST OF THESE PEOPLE THAT COME IN FRONT OF THE JUDGES, THEY DON'T EVEN RESPECT THE JUDGES NOWADAYS. THE JUDGES TELL THEM TO BE OUT IN SEVEN DAYS AND THEY STILL AIN'T OUT. AND YOU GOT TO GO BACK DOWN THERE AS A LANDLORD, PAY ANOTHER FEE, AND AFTER YOU PAY THAT FEE, THEN YOU PAYING FOR THE SHERIFF TO COME BACK OUT THERE AND SIT THEM OUT. YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? SO IT'S JUST LIKE THE RESPECT LEVEL, LIKE I FOR ME, I JUST WOULD WANT TO KNOW. NOT THAT IT'S A BAD PROGRAM OR ANY OF THAT. ANYTHING THAT WORKS, I'M FOR IT. RIGHT. BUT IT'S JUST THAT WHAT MAKES THIS, THIS PROGRAM ANY STRONGER FROM WHAT THESE JUDGES IS ALREADY TELLING PEOPLE GET OUT AND THEY AIN'T GOING NOWHERE. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? IF YOU CAN, IF YOU CAN TELL ME THAT, THEN YOU CAN TELL ME, YOU KNOW. BUT I JUST WANT TO KNOW, LIKE, JUST STRAIGHT OUT. DO YOU WANT MONEY? DO YOU WANT US TO CHANGE THE LAW? YOU KNOW, LIKE, WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANT? AND I, I PROMISE YOU, I'LL BE YOUR BIGGEST MOUTH TO TRY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. IF IT MAKES SENSE. OKAY? OKAY. BEFORE I GO THERE, LET ME MAKE THIS A THIS POINT HERE. IT IS EFFECTIVE. IT'S NOT BASED ON HOW I FEEL OR WHAT I THINK. I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT THE DATA. BUT WE CAN JUST MOVE ON DOWN THE PRESENTATION OR WHATEVER. AND THESE WERE EXAMPLES OF EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS. I'VE GOT BEFORE YOU START THAT, I'VE GOT COUNCILMAN, COUNCILWOMAN, JUST ONE OTHER QUESTION I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON COUNCILMAN SIMS AND HIS SCENARIO AND JUST ASK IF THIS PROGRAM AND I THINK ONE OF YOUR ASK WAS THE MANDATE TO MANDATE THE EVICTION OR, I'M SORRY, THE MEDIATION PROCESS. SO IF, IF A SCENARIO SUCH AS COUNCILMAN SIMS WERE TO HAPPEN, WHAT WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? REFRESH MY MEMORY. SO HE HAD SOME SOME DRUG PEOPLE IN THERE. HIS HOUSE WAS RUINED. HE HAD ALREADY GONE THROUGH THE EVICTION PROCESS AND THROUGH THAT PROCESS. THEN IF MEDIATION WAS, THEN THE NEXT STEP AND THEY HAD ALREADY RUINED HIS HOUSE, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE FOR THE LANDLORD? OKAY, THIS IS MEDIATION TAKES PLACE PRIOR TO THE FILING OF AN EVICTION. AND HOW LONG DOES THAT PROCESS USUALLY TAKE FOR MEDIATION? YOU MEAN TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE MEDIATION PROCESS? IT JUST HAPPENS WITHIN AT LEAST TWO WEEKS FOR SURE. THE MEDIATION IS SLATED FOR TWO HOURS. IT TYPICALLY TOOK AN HOUR AND 15 HOUR AND 15 MINUTES. THAT WAS IT. SO WHAT ABOUT FROM WHEN APPLICATION GOES IN? SO AN APPLICANT OR THE MANDATED FOR THAT FROM THAT PERIOD. HOW LONG UNTIL IT'S SCHEDULED AND IT TAKES PLACE. YOU SAID TWO WEEKS AT LEAST 1 OR 2 WEEKS. WE WERE SCHEDULED IN BETWEEN 1 AND 2 WEEKS. AND THEN IF IT DEPENDING ON THE FLOW AND THEN IF IT DIDN'T WORK, THEN IT WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE EVICTION PROCESS. IF THE MEDIATION RESULT WAS VIOLATED, IT DEPENDED ON WHEN THE VIOLATION TOOK PLACE. AND WHEN WE WERE CONTACTED, WE COMPLETED A FORM THAT WENT IMMEDIATELY TO EVICTION COURT. AND THEN IT WAS SCHEDULED WITHIN DAYS. SEVEN DAYS LATER. THANK YOU. SHOULD I GO STRAIGHT TO THE ASK? CAN YOU GO STRAIGHT TO WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR? I'M GOING STRAIGHT TO THE ASK. OKAY. THANK YOU. THE ASK IS THAT METRO LOUISVILLE KEEP CHARTERING NEW TERRITORY BY MANDATING MEDIATION PRIOR TO AN EVICTION FILING. IN KEEPING WITH RIGHT TO COUNSEL, MEDIATION CAN BE MANDATED PER REQUEST BY TENANT AS COUNSEL.THE ASK IS THAT WITHIN LMA, A LEASE AGREEMENT MEDIATION BE REQUIRED PRIOR TO AN EVICTION FILING WITH AN INDEPENDENT MEDIATOR? THE ASK IS THAT WITHIN A LEASE AGREEMENT, THAT MEDIATION BE REQUIRED IF A TENANT FALLS TWO MONTHS BEHIND IN MONTHLY RENT PAYMENTS? THE ASK IS THAT RENT AND MORTGAGE RATES FOR QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING BE BASED ON THE MEDIAN INCOME OF THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY IN WHICH HOUSING IS BEING DEVELOPED, AND NOT THE MEDIAN INCOME FOR LOUISVILLE METRO. THE ASK IS THAT EVICTION PREVENTION SERVICES BE EARMARKED
[00:50:03]
WITHIN LOUISVILLE METRO'S ANNUAL BUDGET. AGAIN, TODAY'S POLITICAL CLIMATE DEMAND PROGRESSIVE AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO COMPLEX AND SYSTEMIC SOCIOECONOMIC PROBLEMS. PRE-PANDEMIC HOUSING SOLUTIONS ARE ARE INEFFECTIVE IN A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD. THAT'S THE ASK. CAN I ASK WHAT AGENCY ARE YOU ALREADY UNDER? WHAT AGENCY ARE WE IN CONTRACT WITH? THE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. WHO'S THE WHO? WHO'S THE DIRECTOR? AT THAT TIME IT WAS MARILYN HARRIS.OKAY, SO MERLIN JUST CAME BACK. SO SHE'S BACK NOW. SO HAVE HAVE YOU RAN ANY OF THIS THROUGH THEM? SURE. OKAY. FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, THEY WERE ALWAYS. WE WERE ALWAYS CLEAR ABOUT OUR INTENTIONS AS FAR AS. SO THEY SENT YOU TODAY? NO. OH, SO THEY DIDN'T SEND YOU TODAY? SO YOU CAME TODAY ON YOUR OWN? I DID. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. I'M A CITIZEN OF THE LOUISVILLE METRO.
SO YOU. SO YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT LMA. SO WHAT? WHAT YOU WERE SAYING? YOU WANT US TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE LEASE AGREEMENT? OKAY, BECAUSE ELEMENTARY IS LOUISVILLE METRO HOUSING AUTHORITY. WE DID A LOT OF MEDIATIONS CONCERNING AND SURROUNDING LOUISVILLE METRO HOUSING AUTHORITY. AND IN THAT WE SAW A LOT WE SAW A LOT OF HOLES WITHIN THEIR SYSTEMS. I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS AND MEETINGS WITH THE CURRENT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR LMG AND BEEN VERY, VERY FORWARD WITH WHAT WE SAW IN OUR PROCESS WITH LMA. RIGHT. SO WE CAN TOUCH ON LMA. I'M A PRODUCT OF LMA. I'M A PRODUCT OF SECTION EIGHT, OKAY. AND I'M AND I WENT OUT THROUGH DODDS COMMANDER. I'M PROBABLY THE REASON THE COMMANDERS GET TORE DOWN. SO IT'S YOU KNOW WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT LMA. AND AT THAT IS DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE COME IN FRONT OF US AND TELL US WHAT THEY WANT THAT TO LOOK LIKE? TO ME, THAT'S A WHOLE CONFLICT OF INTEREST, WHICH YOU WORKING UNDER AN ENTITY, THAT ENTITY, IF YOU'VE ALREADY RAN THAT THROUGH THEM, THEY SHOULD HAVE CAME IN HERE WITH YOU. THEY SHOULD HAVE CAME IN HERE WITH YOU. MERLIN HURST, LAURA GRABOWSKY, ALL OF THEM. THEY SHOULD. THEY WAS JUST IN HERE. THEY SHOULD HAVE CAME IN HERE AND DID THIS PRESENTATION. THAT'S WHAT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT AGAIN, LIKE, YOU KNOW, MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN WINKLER WAS SAYING THAT WE DON'T UNDERSTAND, I UNDERSTAND CLEAR BECAUSE I'M A PRODUCT. AND NOT ONLY JUST THAT THIS IS THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO SEPARATELY FROM THE ENTITY THAT YOU WORK FOR, RIGHT? WHICH IS A HUGE. CONFLICT. NO, NO MATTER HOW NOBODY WANTS TO LOOK AT IT, IT'S A HUGE CONFLICT. MERLIN HIRSCH SHOULD BE IN HERE ASKING HER COLLEAGUES TO DO THIS IF THEY BELIEVED IN THIS, NOT YOU AS A PRIVATE ENTITY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. OKAY? I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT. I JUST KNOW, I KNOW THAT'S NORMALLY HOW METRO GOVERNMENT WORKS. NORMALLY, THERE'S NO WAY THAT IF I'M IF I WORK FOR AN ENTITY THAT'S LIKE DANA FROM OVER AT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE COMING OVER HERE WITH HER OWN AGENDAS AND HER AGENDA SHOULD BE EXACTLY WHAT THE MAYOR TELLS HER TO BE, PERIOD. THAT'S HOW METRO GOVERNMENT WORKS. AND IF I AM WRONG, AND IF I'M OUT OF LINE, SURE, YOU LET ME KNOW. BECAUSE THE MINUTE THAT WE CONTINUE TO START TO LET THESE THINGS HAPPEN, THEY IT THAT IT WILL BE A PROBLEM. IF WE START TO LET YOU KNOW IF NONPROFITS THAT ALREADY WORK WITHIN, WHETHER IT'S A NONPROFIT, PEOPLE, WE REALLY NEED TO START VETTING PEOPLE WHEN THEY COME IN. WE REALLY DO. WE HAVE A LONG BUDGET CYCLE. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE COMING IN FRONT OF US TO TALK ABOUT THEIR NEEDS. TAM IS THE ONLY THING YOU DON'T GET TO GIVE BACK. IF DEPARTMENTS WANT TO COME IN HERE AND THEY WANT TO TELL US WHAT THEY NEED, WE LISTEN TO THEM FOR HOURS, RIGHT? WE CANNOT. IF THIS IS SOMETHING SEPARATE, YOU KNOW, SHE COULD HAVE JUST STRAIGHT OFF THE BAT SAID, LOOK, I'M A NONPROFIT, BUT IT'S A CONFLICT BECAUSE SHE WORKS FOR METRO. I DO NOT WORK FOR METRO. YOU'RE CONTRACTED THROUGH METRO, RIGHT? I CONTRACT SAME OFFICE. I JUST SAID THAT WHEN WE HAD THAT OTHER ENTITY ABOUT THE JAIL, CONTRACTED, HIRED, WHATEVER, IT'S STILL THE SAME. YEAH. MYRNA
[00:55:08]
HARRIS WILL BE COMING BEFORE US DURING THE BUDGET CYCLE. SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO TALK WITH HER AND SO SHE CAN EXPLAIN HOW THIS ALL IS PUT TOGETHER. BUT SHE WILL BE HERE. THE BUDGET CYCLE STARTS.WHEN DOES IT START? NEXT MONTH AFTER SPRING BREAK. YEAH. I MEAN, IT'S IF THEY AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THERE, THERE. SHOULD. I PROMISE YOU MERLIN HARRIS HAS A PRETTY GOOD TRACK RECORD OF CREDIBLE. GREAT WITH HOUSING. IF MERLIN HARRIS SUPPORTS THAT, I GUARANTEE YOU THAT IT'LL GET PASSED. IT'LL PASS. BUT SHE WOULD HAVE TO I MEAN, I DON'T I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SPEAK TO THAT. THE ONLY THING I WILL SAY IS THIS RIGHT HERE, WHEN I REQUESTED TO SPEAK BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE, BECAUSE INITIALLY WE PRESENTED AT THE JANUARY 30TH COUNCIL MEETING OR WHAT HAVE YOU. AND THEN I WAS TOLD THAT YOU PROBABLY WANT TO SPEAK WITH THE EQUITY, THIS COMMITTEE HERE. AND I PROCEEDED TO DO SO. SO I MADE IT. WHO ADVISED YOU OF THAT? BUT I, I DID I DO WANT TO SAY ANGELA WEBSTER SENT SOMETHING OUT ASKING YOU WHAT THE CONVERSATION WAS GOING TO BE ABOUT, BUT I DON'T THINK I DID RESPOND. WELL, WE DIDN'T GET IT. YES, I DID RESPOND THAT I WAS PROPOSING THAT MEDIATION BE MANDATED, AND I SENT, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION TO ALL 26 COUNCIL PERSONS IN THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY, CLEARLY OUTLINING WHAT THE REQUEST WAS TO. I REQUESTED TO MEET WITH EACH COUNCIL PERSON INDIVIDUALLY. I GOT VERY LITTLE RESPONSE. WE ENDED UP SPEAKING JUST THREE OF US ON JANUARY 30TH MEETING. WHEN I ASKED FOR TO MEET WITH THIS COMMITTEE, I WAS TOLD, DO NOT BRING UP YOUR BUSINESS. WE DON'T PROMOTE BUSINESSES. I SAID FINE, SO YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOTHING DUPLICITOUS HERE ON MY PART. AND YOU TALK TO ME. WE DON'T PROMOTE BUSINESSES AND I DID NOT. I DON'T THINK I SPOKE TO YOU AT ALL, BUT THAT'S PART OF IT. WE JUST DON'T WE DON'T ALLOW ANY. RIGHT. I WAS TOLD THAT SO. AND I KNEW IT COMING IN. AND AS I SAID THEN, I'M I'M NOT HERE TO PROMOTE A BUSINESS. I'M HERE TO PROMOTE OR TO PROPOSE THAT MEDIATION BE MANDATED. RIGHT. AND THAT'S NOT YOUR ROLE TO DO THAT IN FRONT OF METRO COUNCIL. THAT IS THE DIRECTOR OF THAT HOUSING DEPARTMENT TO DO THAT.
OKAY. THAT'S FINE. OKAY. BUT BUT I WASN'T INFORMED OF. RIGHT. OKAY, I UNDERSTAND THAT, COUNCILMAN SAM. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. JUST ONE MORE OBSERVATION ON THAT. WHEN YOU START MANDATING OUR COURTS ARE FULL, OUR MEDIATORS ARE FULL. YOU'RE GOING TO. YOU SAY IT'S GOING TO BE TWO WEEKS. I SAY IT'S GOING TO BE TWO MONTHS OR LONGER WHEN YOU START MANDATING AND YOU PUT YOU GET YOU GET THE DOCKET FULL. IT'S JUST MORE TIME THAT THE LANDLORD HAS TO LET SOMEBODY RUIN THEIR HOMES. SO I AM TOTALLY AGAINST MANDATING THIS ACTION. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? OUR TIME IS UP. IT'S BEEN. IS THAT IT? I JUST RECOMMEND THAT SHE GET WITH THE DEPARTMENT THAT SHE'S CONTRACTED THROUGH AND GET THEM TO IMPLEMENT THOSE THINGS AND JUST SEE WHERE WHERE IT GOES FROM THERE, OR EITHER LET THEM COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL BECAUSE THEY CAN CALL AND MAKE AN APPOINTMENT OR I CAN CALL. I CAN'T HEAR YOU. I'M SORRY. SO WE CAN LET MARILYN COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL AND SPEAK ON IT OR WHATEVER. AND, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, SHE'S GOT A BOSS AND HER BOSS IS THE MAYOR, SO, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THEM. AND WE CAN HAVE HER COME IN HERE AND TALK ABOUT IT, BECAUSE, LIKE YOU SAID, YOU WORKED FOR HER RIGHT NOW, AM I RIGHT? I CONTRACT WITH LOUISVILLE METRO. WELL, BUT YOU HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S OVER YOU, AND IT'S MARYLAND, SO WE'LL HAVE TO LET MARYLAND COME IN AND SPEAK ON IT AND GET HER BACK ON THE CALENDAR AND GO FROM THERE. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
OKAY. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.