[Call to Order] [00:00:28] GOOD AFTERNOON. THIS IS THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE LABOR AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE FOR TUESDAY, APRIL 15TH, 2025. IT IS NOW 301 IN 40 SEVEN SECONDS. I'M COMMITTEE CHAIR BEN [Roll Call] WEBBER. THIS MEETING IS BEING HELD PURSUANT TO KRS 61826 AND COUNCIL RULE FIVE A. I AM JOINED TODAY BY COUNCILMAN KEN HERNDON. VIRTUALLY BY COUNCILWOMAN DONNA PURVIS. BY COUNCILMAN ANDREW OWEN. BY COUNCILMAN MEMBER STUART BENSON. AND A SURPRISE GUEST APPEARANCE BY CELEBRITY COUNCILWOMAN TAMMY HAWKINS. WELCOME, COUNCILWOMAN HAWKINS. WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE. I THINK WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO THE LEGISLATION FIRST. SO IF THE CLERK WILL READ THE TITLE OF THE [3. R-034-25     A RESOLUTION RATIFYING AND APPROVING A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT (FROM THE DATE OF ITS APPROVAL THROUGH JUNE 30, 2029) RELATING TO WAGES, HOURS, AND TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT BETWEEN LOUISVILLE/JEFFERSON COUNTY METRO GOVERNMENT AND THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO LOCAL 2629, CONCERNING CERTAIN EMPLOYEES OF THE LOUISVILLE ZOO. Action Required By: September 27, 2025 Sponsors: Ben Reno-Weber (D-8) ] LEGISLATION, THAT'D BE GREAT. A RESOLUTION RATIFYING AND APPROVING A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT FROM THE DATE OF ITS APPROVAL THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2029, RELATING TO WAGES, HOURS AND TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT BETWEEN LOUISVILLE, JEFFERSON COUNTY METRO GOVERNMENT AND THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO LOCAL 2629. CONCERNING CERTAIN EMPLOYEES OF THE LOUISVILLE ZOO, RIGHT IN FULL MOTION TO APPROVE. CAN I GET A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU. APPROVED AND SECONDED. IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK TO IT? WILL YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD? SURE. AARON JACKSON WITH OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET. HERE TO SPEAK TO THE FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF THIS CONTRACT. AND WE ALSO HAVE THE CHIEF LABOR NEGOTIATOR AS WELL AS THE UNION REPRESENTATIVES. IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE CONTRACT, THIS AGREEMENT BEFORE YOU COVERS APPROXIMATELY 95 POSITIONS. THAT WOULD INCLUDE POSITIONS LIKE KEEPER ONE'S, KEEPER TWOS, KEEPER THREES, AUTO MAINTENANCE, MECHANICS, CUSTODIANS, ETC. IT IS A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT COVERING FISCAL YEAR 25 THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 29. IT INCLUDES STEPS, COLAS AND LONGEVITY. MORE SPECIFICALLY, FY 25 CALLS FOR AVERAGE WAGES OF APPROXIMATELY 22%, WHICH WILL BE RETRO TO JULY 1ST OF 2024. FY 26 AND 27 CALLS FOR A 3% WAGE INCREASE. EACH OF THOSE TWO YEARS IN FY 28 AND 29 CALL FOR A 2% WAGE INCREASE EACH YEAR. THE TOTAL COST OF THE CONTRACT IS APPROXIMATELY 23.7 MILLION WITHOUT FRINGES AND 30 MILLION WITH FRINGES, AND IT VOTED 40 IN FAVOR AND 20 AGAINST. AND AT THIS TIME, I'LL BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT. WE HAVE BEEN JOINED BY MY ESTEEMED COLLEAGUE KHALIL BACHON. AND THAT COUNCILWOMAN BAST HAS AN EXCUSED ABSENCE. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN OWEN. THANK YOU, CHAIR WEBER. A LOT OF TIMES I LIKE TO ASK SOME OF THE SIMILAR QUESTIONS ABOUT ABOUT THESE. AND SO ONE THING THAT I LIKE TO ASK IS WHETHER AND I KNOW THIS IS PART OF THE NEGOTIATION, BUT TO KIND OF JUST FOR THE RECORD, WHETHER WE'VE BROUGHT PEOPLE UP TO KIND OF PAR FOR OTHER AS WE LOOK AROUND THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE REGION, PEOPLE THAT DO THIS KIND OF WORK. HAVE WE GOTTEN OUR EMPLOYEES UP TO A LEVEL THAT MAKES THEM KIND OF ON PAR WITH THAT AVERAGE ACROSS THE BOARD? SO I'M RECEIVING A POSITIVE NOD. SO I TAKE THAT TO MEAN YES. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. AND THEN IT'S INTERESTING, GIVEN THAT, AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE ALL SORTS OF COMPLICATIONS IN HOW PEOPLE VOTE ON THESE THINGS, BUT A 4020 SPLIT SEAM FOR A PAY RAISE AND DID. IS THAT IS THAT WHAT I HEARD THAT THERE WERE 40 VOTED, VOTED FOR AND 20 AGAINST? THAT'S RIGHT. SURPRISING. CAN YOU PROVIDE ANY COLOR ON ON THAT ON THAT VOTE FOR US? I WOULD DEFER TO THE UNION AND MAYBE THEY CAN SPEAK TO THAT. SURE. HELLO, MY NAME IS ALEXIS WILLIAMSON. I'M THE CONTRACT REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE LOUISVILLE ZOO. AND THE REASONING FOR THE VOTE BEING SPLIT THE WAY IT WAS IS BECAUSE THE WAY WE HAD TO NEGOTIATE THIS CONTRACT, WE COULDN'T JUST GO IN AND NEGOTIATE FOR A SET PERCENTAGE ACROSS THE BOARD FOR ALL OF THE MEMBERS, BECAUSE WE HAD SEVERAL MEMBERS WHO WERE WELL BELOW MARKET VALUE AND [00:05:02] NEEDED TO BE RAISED UP, WHEREAS OTHERS WERE A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO WHERE THEY NEEDED TO BE. SO BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU HAD WE SEE A LOT OF MEMBERS WHO GOT A DECENT JUMP IN THEIR PAY RAISES. AND THEN THERE'S A SELECT FEW KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE. WE INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STEPS. STEP RAISES THAT WE GET THROUGHOUT THIS CONTRACT. AND SO THE FOLKS WHO ARE AT THE EARLY STAGES OF THEIR STEPS ARE GETTING A SIGNIFICANT BUMP FROM THAT BASE PAY INCREASE. AND THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME WHO HAVEN'T HAD A STEP INCREASE IN YEARS, ARE GETTING A SIGNIFICANT BUMP. TO MAKE UP FOR THAT. BUT THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE KIND OF RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE, WHO'VE BEEN HERE 8 OR 9 YEARS, ARE NOT SEEING QUITE AS BIG A JUMP IN THEIR THEIR HOURLY WAGE. AND THOSE ARE TYPICALLY THE ONES THAT VOTED NO. THAT'S SUPER HELPFUL CONTEXT AND EXACTLY WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR. THANK YOU. WONDERFUL. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NO ONE IN THE QUEUE. THIS IS A RESOLUTION REQUIRING A VOICE VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I. I. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. THIS ITEM WILL BE SENT TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR. BASED ON THE UNANIMOUS APPROVAL OF THE COMMITTEE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. I'M [1. ID 25-0126     THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE JEFFERSON COUNTY SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT – Sarah Beth Sammons; Nathan Lind, Natural Resources Conservation Service] EXCITED TODAY BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE NOT JUST ONE, BUT TWO PRESENTATIONS FROM FOLKS WHO ARE DOING AMAZING WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I'M SUPER EXCITED TO HEAR FROM THEM. SO FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME SARAH BETH SIMMONS, WHO WILL BE SPEAKING TO THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE JEFFERSON COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT. OH, AND LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT WE HAVE BEEN JOINED BY THE ESTEEMED COUNCILWOMAN PAULA MCCRAY. DOCTOR PAULA MCCRANIE. HELLO, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF YOU ALL AND GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF QUARTERS AND APOLOGIES. CAN YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND TITLE FOR THE RECORD? THANK YOU. I MUST SAY APOLOGIES AS WELL FOR TAKING DRINKS. THE TREE ALLERGIES ARE HITTING ME HARD THIS WEEK. MY NAME IS SARAH BETH SAMMONS. I'M THE CHAIR OF THE JEFFERSON COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT. SO I'M JUST HERE TO GIVE A LITTLE QUARTERLY REPORT. FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, THE JEFFERSON COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT WAS STARTED IN 1944. AS A DIRECT FROM THE I'M SORRY, THE DISTRICT ACT OF 1937, WHERE LOCAL DISTRICTS WERE SET UP TO HAVE LOCAL BOOTS ON THE GROUND FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES. TODAY WE DO A LOT OF SOIL TESTING. WE TRY TO DO A LOT TO HELP THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND WITH TREES AND INCREASING THE TREE CANOPY, AND ALSO FLOODED SITUATIONS. BUT WE ALSO TRADITIONALLY BEEN KNOWN FOR A LOT OF OUR WORK IN AGRICULTURE. WE'RE SEVEN ELECTED SUPERVISORS. WE ALL HAVE FOUR YEAR TERMS. DISTRICT STAFF. WE ONLY HAVE AN ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY AND A SOIL TECHNICIAN WHO WE SHARE 8020 WITH NRCS. I WANT TO KIND OF GO FAST BECAUSE I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE A LOT GOING ON. WE DID A LOT OF ACHIEVEMENTS THIS YEAR, OF COURSE. SOME ADDED THINGS THAT WE'VE ADDED. WE'VE WENT FOR MORE GRANTS. WE KIND OF SEE THE WRITING ON THE WALL AS FAR AS FEDERAL FUNDS. A COUPLE OF THE GRANTS THAT WE'VE APPLIED FOR IN THE PAST HAVE GONE AWAY. SO WE'VE KIND OF BEAT THE BUSH LOOKING FOR A DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES. GRANTS. PARTNERSHIPS WITH DIFFERENT THINGS. WE WE'RE ONE OF THE THINGS I'LL TALK ABOUT LATER IS THE 319 GRANT AND THE 319 GRANT IS FROM EPA TO IMPROVE OUR WATERWAYS. AND ON THAT, I'M PRETTY PROUD THAT WE'RE PARTNERING WITH MSD AND THE KENTUCKY WATERWAYS ASSOCIATION ALLIANCE. THIS YEAR WE HIRED A NEW SOIL TECHNICIAN. HIS NAME IS DAVE NECTAR. HE'S A GREAT GUY. HE'S VERY NERDY ABOUT SCIENCE AND OF SOIL. I'VE SEEN HIM AT A COUPLE OF PUBLIC CLASSES OR WORKSHOPS, AND HE. HE TALKS LIKE SOMEONE WHO REALLY LIKES STAR. STAR WARS TALKS ABOUT STAR WARS, LIKE HOW HE TALKS ABOUT SOIL SCIENCE. SO WE'RE REALLY BLESSED TO HAVE GOTTEN HIM. WE ALSO HAD SUPERVISOR ELECTIONS LAST FALL. WE KIND OF SPREAD OUT ACROSS THE COUNTY, WHICH IS GREAT TO SEE. I DON'T WANT ANY COUNTY OR ANY AREA OF THE COUNTY BEING. SORRY REPRESENTED. MYSELF, I'M FROM DISTRICT SIX. DAVID KAITLYN'S PROBABLY OUR MOST AGRICULTURAL AND 11. THIS YEAR. WE'RE DOING THE CAPE PROGRAM, WHICH IS FROM THE KENTUCKY TOBACCO SETTLEMENT MONEY. SO EVERY COUNTY GETS A CERTAIN ALLOTMENT OF MONEY. JEFFERSON COUNTY TRADITIONALLY DOESN'T GET A WHOLE LOT BECAUSE [00:10:02] WE DIDN'T REALLY GROW A LOT OF TOBACCO, BUT WE DO GET $35,000 A YEAR THAT WE PUT BACK INTO OUR AGRICULTURAL. LANDS. I WAS TRYING TO SEE IF ANYBODY'S ON HERE. I THINK STUART BENSON'S GOT 13,850 THAT WAS AWARDED TO SOMEONE IN HIS DISTRICT, AND NINE THAT'S COUNCILMAN OWEN. YEAH. SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET IT ON TO AS MANY DISTRICTS AS WE CAN. WE'RE REALLY GOING TO TARGET A COUPLE OF DISTRICTS THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED IN THE FUTURE. WITH OUR LOW TUNNEL PROGRAM, WHICH IS COMING UP SOON. PANEL BOARDS. WORK GROUPS THAT WE'VE PARTICIPATED ON. AGAIN, THE MSD PARTNERSHIP MEETING HAS BEEN REALLY GREAT, AND WE'RE LOOKING INTO DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN ASSIST PARKS AND REC AS WELL AS METRO TREE. WE'VE PARTICIPATED IN JENNIFER CHAPPELL'S DISTRICT 16 OR 15 BUILDING IN OUR BLOCKS. WE'VE DONE THREE EVENTS WITH THEM, AND WE'VE DISTRIBUTED. JUST THIS LAST NOVEMBER, TEN RAIN BARRELS. BUT OVER THE LIFE OF THE BUILD OUR BLOCKS, WE'VE GOTTEN 30 DIFFERENT RAIN BARRELS INTO OUR COMMUNITY. WE'VE ALSO PROVIDED SOIL TESTING KITS. AGAIN, FOR FREE. EVERY JEFFERSON COUNTY RESIDENT GETS TWO FOR FREE, BUT IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND I SUGGEST THAT IF YOU ARE EVER IN THE WAY THAT YOU CAN DO ONE IN YOUR DISTRICT, THAT YOU DEFINITELY SHOULD. WE'VE ALSO JOINED THE COOPERATIVE WEED MANAGEMENT AREA WITH THE KENTUCKY DIVISION OF FORESTRY. SO WE'RE GOING TO DEVELOP A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN US. AND THEN TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY WITH INVASIVE PLANT REMOVAL. WE'VE DONE THIS IN THE PAST WITH METRO PARKS. AND OLMSTED PARKS. BUT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT MAYBE BRANCHING TO URBAN FORESTRY AND HELPING OUR COMMUNITY TO GET RID OF SOME INVASIVE TREES, SUCH AS THE TREE OF HEAVEN. WE ALSO ADDED TWO MORE OR ONE MORE AG DISTRICT, THE FIRST IN 20 YEARS. WE'VE CERTIFIED FIVE. WE ALSO ATTENDED THE KENTUCKY BLACK FARMERS CONFERENCE. THEY I WISH DAVE WAS HERE. OUR SOIL TECH. HE HAD SUCH A GREAT TIME AT THIS EVENT. MET A LOT OF PEOPLE AND IS GETTING OUR PROGRAM INTO THE HANDS AND THE MINDS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING SOME OF THE REALLY NEAT URBAN AGRICULTURE IN OUR COMMUNITY, TRYING TO HELP OUR FOOD DESERTS AND JUST THE ACCESSIBILITY TO FRESH FOOD. LIKE I WAS SAYING EARLIER, WE'VE STARTED A NEW PROGRAM THAT'S KIND OF BUILT OFF OUR URBAN HIGH TUNNEL. NOT EVERYBODY HAS THE SPACE TO DO A AN URBAN HIGH TUNNEL, WHICH IS THE PICTURE IN THE BOTTOM HERE. BUT EVERYBODY DOES HAVE THE SPACE TO DO SOME LOW TUNNELS. SO WE'VE JUST RENAMED OUR PROGRAM THE SEASON EXPANSION PROGRAM. AND SO FARMERS CAN GET LOW TUNNELS. CAPPED AT $1,500. AND THEN WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT A PROGRAM WHERE IF THE FARMER HAS IS A CONTINUED PRODUCER, BUT DOESN'T HAVE THE FUNDS THAT WE SUBSIDIZE THE WHOLE THE WHOLE TUNNEL. WE'VE ALSO HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL NATIVE PLANT COST SHARE THIS YEAR. WE HAD ENOUGH MONEY FOR 50 GARDENS AND WE HAD 72 APPLICATIONS LAST TIME I CHECKED. WILD ONES DONATED $1,000 SO WE COULD ADD THAT TEN ADDITIONAL VOUCHERS FOR FREE NATIVE PLANTS. SO I DON'T I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE THE POWER OF ONE. WE ALWAYS ENCOURAGE NATIVE PLANTS BECAUSE ONE FEMALE QUEEN BUMBLEBEE WILL COME OUT AND SHE'LL START HER WHOLE COLONY, AND SHE CAN ONLY FLY A HALF MILE TO A MILE. SO IF THERE'S NOT FOOD FOR HER TO GO TO WHEN SHE COMES OUT DURING THE WINTER, HER WHOLE COLONY DIES. PARDON ME. SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO SUPPORT OUR POLLINATORS. THERE'S A I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE REALLY LARGE HONEYBEE DIE OFF THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR UNITED STATES. THEY SENT A LETTER TO THE. AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER AND SAYING THAT THEY THINK THAT IT MIGHT BE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 70 AND 100% LOSS. EXCUSE ME. WE'RE JUST SEEING A LOT OF IMPORTANT DIE OFF FOR POLLINATORS IN GENERAL. SO I TALK ABOUT THE POWER OF ONE. IF YOU JUST HAVE ONE NATIVE PLANT IN YOUR YARD, THAT MIGHT BE ENOUGH TO SUSTAIN A NATIVE BEE OR A NATIVE POLLINATOR TO CONTINUE. WE DID ALSO A LOT OF COMMUNITY SOIL TESTING. THE GREEN IS THE NUTRIENT TESTING. THE RED IS THE LEAD TEST. I WAS AT AN EVENT IN SHELBY PARK AND SOMEONE CAME UP TO ME AND SAID, WE GOT WE USE YOUR VOUCHER TO GET OUR SOIL TESTED. AND I GOT A HANDWRITTEN NOTE BACK FROM THE LAB AND IT SAID, I HOPE TO GOSH THAT YOU'RE NOT USING THIS TO FEED YOURSELF OR YOUR CHILDREN. AND SHE SAID, SO WE'RE DOING RAISED BEDS. WITH [00:15:03] ALL NEW SOIL. AND IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALK ABOUT THE MOST WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOIL TESTING IS IF YOU LIVE IN OLD LOUISVILLE OR AREAS THAT YOUR HOUSE IS OVER. I DON'T WANT TO SAY A MAYBE 70 TO 100 YEARS OLD, THAT IT'S PROBABLY BEEN PAINTED WITH LEAD PAINT, AND THAT STUFF CHIPS OFF AND IT GOES INTO THE SOIL. IT DOESN'T LEAVE THE SOIL, AND SOME PLANTS REALLY TAKE UP THE SOIL. SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FREE TWO SOIL TESTS. EVERY JEFFERSON COUNTY RESIDENT, AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO SEND OUT A LITTLE GRAPHIC. IF YOU ALL WANT TO SHARE ON YOUR NEWSLETTERS. MAYBE TO GET THIS MORE OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY. WE'VE IMPROVED. OR I'M SAYING. WE'VE ADDED TO OUR BUDGET FOR OUR SOIL TESTING BECAUSE THE EXTENSION'S ISSUES WITH THEIR FINANCES. SO WE'RE NOW COVERING THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS. PEOPLE DROP OFF THEIR SOIL TEST, EXTENSION AND EXTENSION, BOXES THEM UP AND SHIPS THEM, BUT THEY HAVEN'T HAD THE MONEY TO SHIP IT. SO WE'VE NOW ADDED MONEY AND PAID THEM TO SHIP IT. AS FAR AS FUNDING GOES. I'M SURE YOU ALL ARE AWARE LAST YEAR THAT WE WERE CUT DOWN TO $30,000 FROM ONE. 100,000? I'M SORRY. $113,000. AND WE HAD A GREAT GROUNDSWELL OF SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY, WHICH WAS GREAT. WE JUST DID A COUPLE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, AND IT SEEMED LIKE, I THINK SOMEONE TOLD ME THAT THEY RECEIVED MORE COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE CONSERVATION DISTRICT THAN THEY DID TARC AND I THINK THAT WAS SAYING SOMETHING. GRANTED, IT MAY ALSO BE SAYING THAT A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T THAT USE TARC DON'T ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO REACH OUT ABOUT ABOUT A WHAT AM I TRYING TO SAY THAT THAT SUBJECT. BUT IN REGARDS OUR REVENUE IS ABOUT 62,000. THIS IS JUST FOR THE LAST TWO QUARTERS. APOLOGIES. $62,000. PART OF THAT IS FROM METRO COUNCIL. YOU ALL ARE OUR BIGGEST FUNDER AND THAT WILL COME UP LATER IN A IN A PIE CHART. A LITTLE EASIER TO SEE. SO LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION IMPACT. THERE'S A LOT OF CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL GRANTS THAT HAVE GONE AWAY BECAUSE OF THEIR MENTION OF CLIMATE CHANGE, OR JUST NOT IN THE SAME LINE OF WHAT THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO PUT THE FUNDS TOWARDS. THE NRCS OFFICE IS CLOSED IN LEXINGTON, AND SO WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE ABOUT THE CONTINUATION OF OUR OFFICE AS WELL. THEY MOVED US INTO THE FEDERAL BUILDING, AND THAT WAS BEEN PUT ON A DISPOSAL LIST. SO WE'RE KIND OF IN A LIMBO. CIRCUMSTANCE AGAIN. WE STILL HAVE OUR OFFICE, BUT WE'RE KIND OF UNSURE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF NRCS AND OUR PARTNERSHIP AND OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM. SO IT'S MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THE OFFICE SPACE THAT THEY CAN COME BACK TO IF THEIR OFFICE IS LET GO, AND THEN THEY HAVE THEIR THEY HAVE NO PLACE TO GO. THAT'S WHAT I'VE HEARD A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS, LIKE THE LEXINGTON OFFICE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE ASKING FOR THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY THIS YEAR. OUR TOTAL BUDGET THAT FOR THE NEXT YEAR IS $402,000. OUR OPERATING EXPENSES IS 58. 58% OF THAT, WHICH I HAVE ANOTHER ONE. AND I ALSO THINK I GAVE YOU ALL A ONE PAGER THAT HAD A PIE CHART BREAKDOWN OF THIS INFORMATION. IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT EASIER. THAT'S THE SAME SLIDE. APOLOGIES. SO I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE GRANTS THAT WE'RE APPLYING FOR. WE DID GET THE ENVIRONMENTAL GRANT. THAT'S AWARDED TO THE CONSERVATION DISTRICTS. FROM THE KENTUCKY ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CABINET. WE HAVE TO HAVE A 1200 AND $5,000 MATCH. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE USING TO HELP PAY FOR THE SOIL TEST SHIPPING COST. WE ALSO APPLIED TO THE RIGHT FOUNDATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND INNOVATION, AND PARTNERED WITH LOUISVILLE GROVES TO EXPAND OUR LOW TUNNEL PROGRAM FOR PRODUCERS. THIS IS THE BIGGEST GRANT THAT WE'VE WRITTEN FOR THIS YEAR. AND IT'S WE'RE REQUESTING $90,000 FROM THE EPA 319, WHICH IS BUILT FROM THE FEDERAL CLEAN WATER ACT TO IMPLEMENT. SOME OF THE BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ARE PRIORITIZED WITHIN THE WATERSHED BASED PLAN FOR THE MIDDLE FORK OF BEARGRASS CREEK. THAT'S THE CREEK THAT RUNS THROUGH CHEROKEE. THAT'S THE CREEK THAT RUNS BY CAVE HILL. THAT'S THE CREEK THAT RUNS BY BUTCHERTOWN GREENWAY. WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME THE BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES THAT ARE OUTLINED WITHIN THE MANAGEMENT PLAN. SOME OF THOSE ARE KIND OF AN EXPANSION OF OUR CURRENT PROGRAMS, WITH THE RAIN GARDEN WORKSHOPS AND THE RAIN BARRELS. WE'RE ALSO GOING TO [00:20:01] TAKE OVER THE DEFUNCT KENTUCKY WATERWAYS AND MSD WEBPAGE AND PROGRAM. EVERY DROP PROGRAM WHERE THEY RESIDENTS COULD CONTACT THE EVERY DROP PROGRAM, AND THEY WOULD GO OUT AND THEY WOULD INSTALL RAIN BARREL. HELP DO A RAIN LANDSCAPE. SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT FOR FREE. LIKE THAT PROGRAM DID. I MEAN, THAT'S WHY THE PROGRAM ENDED, RIGHT? THE MONEY ENDED. WE'LL CONTINUE OUR PROGRAM AS WE DO WITH IT, AT A REDUCED RATE TO THE HOMEOWNER. BUT OUR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IS ALWAYS FREE TO EVERY RESIDENT. SO WE'RE JUST IT'S JUST AN EXPANSION OF THE PROGRAM. THIS IS THE EVERY DROP PROGRAM'S WEB PAGE. THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE OVER. JUST PRETTY MUCH AN OUTREACH AND EDUCATION ABOUT, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW AFTER THE. THE LAST FLOOD EVENTS THAT WE HAD, MSD WAS POSTING A LOT OF SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS THAT SAYS, PLEASE DON'T TAKE, YOU KNOW, WASH CLOTHES. DON'T DO LARGE WATER DUMPS INTO OUR SYSTEM BECAUSE WE'RE AT CAPACITY. AND THE COMMENTS ON A LOT OF SOCIAL MEDIA WERE NOT IN A POSITIVE, COMMUNITY MINDED WAY. PEOPLE WERE SAYING, I PAY THIS MUCH. YOU KNOW, THEY SHOULD JUST TAKE ALL THE WATER. SO THAT TO ME SHOWS THAT WE DO NEED TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE COMMUNITY EDUCATION AROUND THESE. AROUND THESE EVENTS AND AROUND GOOD STEWARDSHIP OF OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR LAND. WE'VE ALSO APPLIED FOR THE KENTUCKY WATERWAYS WATERSHED SEED GRANT, WHICH IS THE SAME THING THAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE 319 GRANT, BUT JUST A LOT SMALLER SCALE. SO IF WE DON'T GET THE 319 GRANT, WE'LL STILL GET THIS, HOPEFULLY THIS FUNDING FOR 3000 TO DO IT ON A SMALLER SCALE. AND THEN THAT'S JUST THIS IS PRETTY MUCH PAYS FOR OUR RAIN GARDEN WORKSHOPS AND OUR RAIN BARREL WORKSHOPS, WHERE WE GIVE EACH ATTENDEE A FREE RAIN BARREL OR RAIN RAIN GARDEN PLANTS AND PARDON ME. AND THEN THIS ALSO THIS FINANCIAL FISCAL YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO ADVERTISE FOR A WATERSHED TECHNICIAN. ANOTHER NRCS 8020. SO WE ALREADY HAVE ONE WHO'S A SOIL TECHNICIAN. AND WE'RE WANTING TO HIRE A WATERSHED TECHNICIAN. THIS PERSON WILL HELP WITH EROSION ISSUES, SINKHOLES AND WATERSHED MANAGEMENT. WE HAVE A LOT OF CALLS. I'M A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT BY TRADE. MY DAY JOB AND I GET A LOT OF CALLS. JUST PEOPLE TELLING ME I'VE GOT DRAINAGE ISSUES AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. AND I'VE CALLED MSD AND THEY SAY, WELL, THERE'S NO DRAIN ON MY PROPERTY, SO I CAN'T HELP YOU. SO THIS IS US PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL THAN WE HAVE BEFORE. WITH A PERSON WHO IS SPECIALIZED IN WATERSHED ISSUES AND MANAGEMENT. PARDON ME. AND THIS WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE FOR EVERY JEFFERSON COUNTY RESIDENT. AND THEN I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE NATHAN LIND, WHO'S OUR NRCS AGENT. TO TALK ABOUT THE NRCS EMERGENCY WATERSHED PROTECTION PROGRAM. THANK YOU. LIKE YOU SAID, I'M NATHAN LYNN. I REPRESENT THE USDA, NRCS, AND PROGRAMS AROUND JEFFERSON COUNTY. I'VE BEEN HERE FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS NOW. I'D LIKE TO REPORT THAT WE'RE ABOUT $1 MILLION WORTH OF COST SHARING. TWO OF OUR FEDERAL PROGRAMS FOR JUST JEFFERSON COUNTY ALONE. WHEN I CAME TO JEFFERSON COUNTY, WE WERE AT ABOUT 90,000. SO THAT JUST A HUGE IMPROVEMENT. JUST HAVING SOMEBODY HERE DAY TO DAY JUST MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE. SO WE REALLY PUSH. AND THOSE TWO PROGRAMS ARE EQUIPPED ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVE PROGRAM, WHERE WE CAN HELP PEOPLE ESTABLISH LIKE HIGH TUNNELS AND IMPROVE THEIR GARDENS. AND THEN CSP, WHICH IS CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM. BUT TODAY I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT OPPORTUNITY. METRO HAS WITH PARTNERING WITH NRCS ON THE EMERGENCY WATERSHED PROGRAM. IT'S A PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY USDA, NRCS, IN WHICH WE RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES CREATED BY NATURAL DISASTERS THAT WE, AS WE HAVE WITNESSED WITH THE FLOODS. IN THE PAST MONTH. IT DOESN'T REQUIRE THERE TO BE A NATIONAL EMERGENCY TO THE AREA TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR ASSISTANCE IN THE PROGRAM. IT IS A PROGRAM THAT AIDS IN THE RECOVERY EFFORT, AIMED AT TAKING CARE OF HAZARDS TO LIFE AND PROPERTY CAUSED BY FLOODS, FIRES, WINDSTORMS AND OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS. JEFFERSON COUNTY LAST USED THE PROGRAM IN 2011 FOR DEBRIS REMOVAL ON HARRODS CREEK. TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, PROJECT COST IN 2011 WAS AROUND $80,000. SO YOU KNOW TODAY'S DOLLAR. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A NICE PROJECT. ALL PROJECTS MUST HAVE A LOCAL [00:25:01] SPONSOR, WHICH IS USUALLY TYPICAL LOCALLY LOCAL GOVERNMENT, BUT IT CAN BE LEGAL SUBDIVISION OF THE STATE, CITY, COUNTY, GENERAL DISTRICTS. CONSERVATION DISTRICTS. BASICALLY ANY GROUP THAT HAS THE MONEY AND THE IN-KIND WORK. WITH THOSE FUNDS, WITH THE SPONSOR NRCS BEAR 75% OF THE PROJECT AND THE SPONSOR COVERS THAT 25. THE REMAINING 25% CAN BE IN THE FORM OF CASH OR IN-KIND SERVICES. SO YOU CAN DO THE WORK AND HAVE THAT IN-KIND. SERVICES SPONSORS WILL PROVIDE LAND RIGHTS TO IMPLEMENT REPAIR WORK, SECURE PERMITS, FURNISH LOCAL COST SHARE, ACCOMPLISH THE WORK, AND PERFORM ANY OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE SITE. THE TYPE OF WORK THAT CAN BE AUTHORIZED IN AWP IS DEBRIS CLOGGED WATERWAYS, ESPECIALLY AROUND BRIDGES OR ABUTMENTS. UNSTABLE STREAM BANKS OR SEVERE EROSION, JEOPARDIZING PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE. ITEMS NOT ELIGIBLE ARE LIKE GENERAL DRIVEWAYS OR AG LAND. IT HAS TO BE DAMAGE RELATED TO THE STORM EVENT AS WELL. IT CAN'T BE LIKE YEARLY BUILD UP ON AN AREA OR YOU KNOW IF IT HAS 15 YEAR OLD TREES THAT'S EASILY RECOGNIZED AS NOT ELIGIBLE TO APPLY. JUST CONTACT YOUR LOCAL NRCS OFFICE AND WHICH IS ME FOR JEFFERSON COUNTY, AND I'LL GET IN TOUCH WITH THE ENGINEER AT SHELBYVILLE, AND WE'LL DO A DAMAGE SURVEY REPORT OF THE AREA. AND WITH THAT, THAT TELLS US WHICH SITE IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE AWP. IN IN OUR CSS WILL ONLY COVER APPLICABLE THREATS WITH THE PROGRAM. IF A SPONSOR WISHES TO FIX A SITE ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT IS NECESSARY, THEN THE SPONSOR WILL HAVE TO COVER THAT ASSOCIATED COST, AND NRCS AND THE SPONSOR MUST HAVE A SIGNED AND AUTHORIZED AGREEMENT BEFORE ANY WORK CAN BE COMPLETED. WITH THAT, ANY QUESTIONS? GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU GUYS ARE MY FAVORITE KIND OF PROGRAM, WHICH IS WHERE A LITTLE BIT OF INVESTMENT FROM METRO GETS A LOT OF MATCHING OUTSIDE FUNDING AND A LOT OF MOMENTUM. SO THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING. COLLEAGUES, ANY QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS. THANK YOU GUYS. THIS WAS REALLY INFORMATIVE. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. AND I FEEL LIKE I LEARNED A LOT. THERE'S ALSO GOING TO FOLLOW UP ON SOME OF THE LOW TUNNEL AND RAIN BARREL STUFF, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT A LOT OF THE FOLKS IN OUR DISTRICT IN PARTICULAR, ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN HOW DO THEY GROW SOME OF THEIR OWN FOOD. HOW DO THEY GET ENGAGED IN THIS? AND JUST KNOWING THAT THESE RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE FOR THEM, I THINK WILL BE REALLY HELPFUL. SO THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU ALL. HELLO HOUSING PEOPLE. THIS IS LIKE A AN ALL STAR LIST OF FOLKS. I CAN SEE SOMEBODY FLEW IN. WOW. ALL [2. ID 25-0209     HOUSING AND JOBS:  BUILDING OUR WORKFORCE – Tiffany Marthaler, Kentucky Affordable Housing Coalition; Kevin Dunlap, REBOUND, Inc.; Josh Williams and Liz McQuillen, Metro United Way] RIGHT. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA. HOUSING AND JOBS. BUILDING OUR WORKFORCE. CAN OUR SPEAKERS JOIN US HERE? AND I'M EXCITED. HELLO. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. SO I, I'M TRYING TO FIND THE POWERPOINT ON HERE. IT'S UP THERE. OH, I IS TRYING TO TAKE OVER. OKAY. SO HOW DO I JUST CANCEL OUT THAT YOU HIT THE X THERE? HIT THE X, OKAY. I GO AWAY, HIT THE SPACEBAR. EXCELLENT. I WAS LIKE, I DIDN'T PUT THAT IN THERE, SO I WASN'T SURE WHAT THAT WAS, SO. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. GREAT. Y'ALL CAN INTRODUCE YOURSELVES FOR THE RECORD. THAT'D BE GREAT. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS KEVIN DUNLAP, AND I AM THE PRESIDENT OF REBOUND, INC. WE ARE A LOCAL NONPROFIT HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION HERE IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY. WE ARE ONE OF THREE HUD APPROVED TOTALS HERE IN THE CITY. REBOUND OPERATES AND DEVELOP HOUSING ALL ACROSS THE CITY, PRIMARILY IN WEST LOUISVILLE. BUT WE HAVE OPERATED IN SEVERAL NEIGHBORHOODS AND COUNCIL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE LOUISVILLE METRO AREA. WHAT I WANT TO START OUT DOING IS I KNOW WE ARE HERE AT THE LABOR AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, BUT PAINT THE PICTURE THAT HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND I THINK OFTENTIMES AS COMMUNITIES AND CITIES, WE ACTUALLY COMPARTMENTALIZE THESE THINGS SEPARATELY. AND I CONTEND THAT THEY BOTH SHOULD BE LOOKED AT TOGETHER. WHY DO I SAY THAT? HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CREATES [00:30:05] JOBS. IT CREATES JOBS ACROSS ALL THE SPECTRUMS, FROM ARCHITECT TO CONSTRUCTION. AND THESE ARE JOBS THAT ARE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IN OUR COMMUNITY. IT ALSO SPURS INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT. IF YOU'RE GOING TO BUILD A NEW SUBDIVISION, YOU HAVE TO HAVE ROADS. YOU HAVE TO HAVE STREETS. IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT FURTHER SPURS THE POSSIBILITY OF NEW SCHOOLS. AROUND THAT PARTICULAR HOUSING. BUT MORE NOTABLY, IT ALSO INCREASES TAX REVENUES. FOR EVERY UNIT THAT IS BUILT, NEW TAX REVENUES ARE CREATED. THAT FURTHER GOES TO HELP OUR CITY. SO WITH THIS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WOULD JUST JUST THOSE EXAMPLES, IF YOU WOULD LAY THAT ON TOP OF ANY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT THAT IS NOT HOUSING. YOU SEE TH IT CLEARLY LINES UP EXACTLY WITH HOUSING. AND FOR SO LONG IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND I'VE BEEN WORKING IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING R ROHLY0 YEARS IN THIS COMMUNITY. AND OFTENTIMES WE GET TO SETS,NDPL A ARTOOKING AT THEM TOGETHER AND LOOKING AT HOUSING AS TRULY BEING AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DRIVER HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY. SO WITH THIS, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE TIFFANY, WHO WILL TAKE US THROUGH THE NEXT. MY NAME IS TIFFANY MARTHALER. I AM THE CHIEF IMPACT OFFICER AT NEW DIRECTIONS HOUSING CORPORATION. AND BEFORE THAT, I WORKED FOR THE KENTUCKY AFFORDABLE HOUSING COALITION. WE WORKED ON STATE LEGISLATION SUCH AS THE STATE TAX CREDIT, AND BEFORE THAT I WAS WORKED. I WORKED AT THE KENTUCKY HOUSING CORPORATION. SO VERY SIMILAR NAMES. SO. SO. I JUST WANT TO CONTINUE ON THE THEME ABOUT HOW HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HOW IMPORTANT HOUSING IS FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOUSING FOR OUR WORKFORCE, AND I'M TALKING ABOUT THE CURRENT WORKFORCE OR NEW WORKFORCE THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT, OR EVEN THOSE THOSE WORKERS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF SCHOOL AND LOOKING FOR A JOB, THERE'S THREE MAIN FACTORS THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MEETING THE HOUSING NEEDS OF OUR WORKFORCE. ONE IS AVAILABILITY. IS THE HOUSING AVAILABLE THAT MEETS THE INCOME LEVELS OF OUR WORKFORCE? TWO AFFORDABILITY. IT MAY BE AVAILABLE, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S AFFORDABLE. AND THREE PROXIMITY. HOW CLOSE ARE OUR JOBS LOCATED TO AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTION. AND THAT'S REALLY CRITICAL, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOLKS THAT ARE ON THE LOWER WAGE EARNING JOBS, THAT PROXIMITY TO YOUR JOB AND TO YOUR HOME IS VERY CRITICAL. SO FIRST, LET'S TALK ABOUT AVAILABILITY. LAST YEAR, KENTUCKY HOUSING CORPORATION COMPLETED WHAT THEY CALLED AS A GAP ANALYSIS OF HOW MANY NEW HOMES WERE NEEDED ACROSS THE STATE OF KENTUCKY. AND THEY CAME UP WITH THERE WAS ABOUT 206,000 NEW HOMES THAT WE WOULD NEED TO MEET THE CURRENT DEMAND OF OUR POPULATION. THEN THAT WAS BROKEN DOWN INTO TWO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES. THE FIRST ONE WAS HOW MANY NEW RENTAL HOMES DO WE NEED VERSUS HOW MANY HOMEBUYER HOMES DO WE NEED? AND YOU CAN SEE THOSE NUMBERS THERE. THEN THEY TOOK THOSE NUMBERS AND THEY PUT THEM IN REGARDS TO HOUSEHOLD INCOME. SO FOR EXAMPLE IF YOU MAKE 30% OR LESS THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME, THE WHOLE STATE OF KENTUCKY NEEDS AN ADDITIONAL 60,000 RENTAL UNITS TO MEET THAT CURRENT DEMAND. AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE HOMEOWNERSHIP UNITS THAT ARE NEEDED, IT'S PRETTY WELL DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE WHOLE INCOME CONTINUUM THERE. BUT THE HIGHEST NEED RIGHT NOW IS FOR FOLKS THAT ARE MAKING OVER 151,000% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME, OR 151% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME. 1000 WOULD BE A LOT. SO FROM THIS HOUSING STUDY FROM THE STATE, THEY HAVE DATA AND THEY BROKE IT DOWN INTO EVERY COUNTY. SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT JEFFERSON COUNTY. SO THE ESTIMATED CURRENT HOUSING NEED FOR JEFFERSON COUNTY IS APPROXIMATELY 40,000. THAT IS BROKEN INTO RENTAL UNITS NEEDED, WHICH IS AROUND 21,000 UNITS. AND THEN HOMEOWNER UNITS THAT ARE NEEDED, WHICH ARE AROUND 18,000 UNITS. AND AGAIN, THEY BROKE OUT THAT NEED IN REGARDS TO THE INCOME LEVEL OF THE FAMILY. AND IT'S NOT SURPRISING THAT YOU'LL SEE THAT WHERE THE RENTAL GAP IS, LOUISVILLE NEEDS AROUND 13,000 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR FAMILIES, MAKING AT 30% OR BELOW AREA MEDIAN INCOME. AND JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A REFERENCE POINT, THAT'S ABOUT $20,000 A YEAR. THEN IF YOU LOOK FOR THE IT, LOOK AT THEEEDED, AGAIN, [00:35:05] EQUAL DISTRIBUTION ACROSS THE BOARD. SO THAT'S REALLY SHOWING A NEED FOR NEW HOUSING AS WELL. SO HOW DOES A HOUSING GAP IMPACT YOUR COMMUNITY AND HOW DOES IT IMPACT YOUR WORKFORCE. AGAIN NEW AND EXISTING THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT TO KENTUCKY. AND SO TO UNDERSTAND THAT I WANT TO TALK TO YOU JUST A FEW MINUTES ABOUT A CONCEPT CALLED THE HOUSING CONTINUUM. EACH SEGMENT ON THIS CONTINUUM REPRESENTS A CURRENT HOUSING SITUATION OF A RESIDENT WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. SO EVERY JEFFERSON COUNTY RESIDENT IS LIVING SOMEWHERE AMONG THIS CONTINUUM. AND AS, AS AS AS A FAMILY'S HOUSING NEEDS CHANGE, THEY IN A HEALTHY CONTINUUM, SHOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE ALONG THIS CONTINUUM FROM ONE SITUATION TO ANOTHER. FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOMEONE IS IN AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING RIGHT NOW AND HAS BEEN THERE FOR MAYBE 5 OR 6 YEARS, HAS BEEN ABLE TO SAVE UP ENOUGH MONEY FOR A DOWN PAYMENT WITH A HEALTHY HOUSING MARKET CONTINUUM, THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE FROM AFFORDABLE HOUSING INTO FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER. SAME IS SAID FOR SOMEONE WHO MIGHT BE IN SUPPORTIVE HOUSING RIGHT NOW. THEY'RE READY TO MOVE UP THE CONTINUUM AND INTO A PERMANENT RENTAL HOUSING. SO IN A HEALTHY CONTINUUM, THAT FLUIDITY BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT SEGMENTS HAPPENS. SO ON THE CONTINUUM, THERE'S TWO FORMS OF MOVEMENT. THERE'S FORWARD MOVEMENT. AND THEN THERE'S WHAT I CALL BACKWARDS MOVEMENT. AND FORWARD MOVEMENT CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME IN A PERSON'S LIFE WHEN A LIFE CHANGING SITUATION HAPPENS. THAT COULD BE SOMEONE FINDS STABLE HOUSING, THEY'VE COMPLETED EDUCATION. THEY WERE ABLE TO ACCESS HEALTH CARE. THEY GOT A NEW JOB THAT MAY PAY MORE MONEY. THEY'RE BUILDING SAVINGS AND THEY'RE BUILDING EQUITY. SO CERTAIN ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE ACHIEVED WHERE IF YOU HAVE A HEALTHY HOUSING MARKET, YOU'RE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THESE NEEDS. AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE MOVE BACK ON THE CONTINUUM. AND THAT COULD BE JUST PERSONAL CHOICE. YOU COULD BE DOWNSIZING, LOOKING FOR SOMETHING SMALLER. IT COULD BE AS A RESULT OF A JOB LOSS, A LOSS OF A PARTNER, A HEALTH ISSUE, AN ADDICTION, OR ULTIMATELY LIKE AN EVICTION. SO WHEN THE HOUSING SUPPLY DOESN'T MEET THE HOUSING DEMAND, THIS CONTINUUM STOPS WORKING. IT GETS CLOGGED AND PEOPLE CAN'T MOVE FROM ONE SECTOR TO THE OTHER. AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE A FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER, A RENTER WHO HAS, LIKE WE USED EARLIER. SORRY, A RENTER WHO SAVED UP THATEY TO GO BUY THEIR FIRST TIME HOUSE AND THEY CAN'T BUY IT BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING AVAILABLE FOR THEM TO BUY. THERE'S NOTHING ON THE MARKET THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR THEM. SO THAT RENTER ENDS UP STAYING IN THAT RENTAL HOUSING SITUATION. AND WHAT THAT DOES IS IT CLOGS THE CONTINUUM. SO THAT PERSON WHO WANTS TO MOVE FROM SUPPORTIVE HOUSING INTO A RENTAL UNIT THAT'S AFFORDABLE FOR THEM CAN'T MOVE. THEY'RE STUCK. SO WHEN THERE'S A CLOG IN ANY SECTOR OF THIS CONTINUUM, FAMILIES ARE NOT ABLE TO MOVE TO ADJUST TO THEIR LIFE SITUATIONS. THE SAME COULD BE SAID FOR SOMEONE WHO, AGAIN, IS DOWNSIZING. THEY HAVE A HOUSE THAT'S GOT FOUR BEDROOMS. THEY DON'T NEED THAT ANYMORE. THEY WANT TO MOVE INTO A CONDO. THEY WANT TO KIND OF DOWNSIZE INTO SOMETHING THAT MIGHT MEET THEIR NEW INCOME. THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING, SO THEY STAY IN THAT HOME. THEREFORE, THAT PERSON WHO'S BEEN IN THEIR FIRST TIME HOME FOR TEN YEARS HAS BUILT EQUITY, IS READY TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT STEP. THERE'S NO HOUSE FOR THEM TO MOVE INTO. SO IF YOUR HOUSING CONTINUUM IS NOT FLUID, PEOPLE CAN'T MOVE. PEOPLE GET STUCK. AND WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU WILL SEE AN INCREASE OF HOMELESSNESS. YOU WILL SEE HOUSEHOLDS LIVING IN OVER INCOME SITUATIONS WHERE THEY CAN'T REPAIR THE ROOF OR THEY CAN'T REPAIR THE HOUSE ANYMORE, AND IT FALLS INTO DISARRAY. THERE'S A MISMATCH BETWEEN THE HOMES THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND THE DEMAND THAT IS OUT THERE. AND EVENTUALLY YOU WILL SEE PEOPLE JUST MOVE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FIND THEIR AFFORDABLE HOUSING CHOICE IN THE COMMUNITY THEY LIVE IN. SO. WHY DOES THIS MATTER? BECAUSE HOUSING YOUR HOUSING NEEDS SHOULD MEET YOUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT NEEDS. BECAUSE HOMES ARE WHERE JOBS GO TO SLEEP AT NIGHT. SO IF YOU IF YOU HAVE A HEALTHY HOUSING MARKET, A HEALTHY CONTINUUM, AND YOU HAVE MOVEMENT ON THAT CONTINUUM, IT SUPPORTS OUR WORKFORCE. IT ATTRACTS WORKFORCE TO OUR TO OUR CITY, AND IT HELPS CREATE A STRONG ECONOMY. BUT ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS WHEN UNDERSTANDING OUR OUR WORKFORCE HOUSING NEEDS, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHERE DO THESE JOBS RESIDE. AND YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS CHART THAT ABOUT 269,000 OF OUR RESIDENTS LIVE [00:40:07] AND WORK IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. BUT WHAT I FIND INTERESTING IS THERE'S 190,000 THAT ARE COMMUTING TO JEFFERSON COUNTY EVERY DAY. AND THE QUESTION WE NEED TO ASK IS IF THERE WAS MORE HOUSING THAT WAS AFFORDABLE TO THEIR INCOME LEVEL, WOULD THEY RELOCATE HERE? WOULD THEY GET CLOSER TO THEIR JOB? SO UNDERSTANDING THE DISTANCE THAT PEOPLE ARE TRAVELING BACK AND FORTH TO THEIR JOB IS ALSO CRITICAL IN TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR CURRENT WORKFORCE. SO THIS GOES TO. OH, SORRY, THIS IS MY LAST ONE. I'M SORRY. SO I GOT OUT OF ORDER HERE. SO THE IMPACT HOUSING HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS CRITICAL. SO HOUSING IS CRUCIAL FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE IT DIRECTLY IMPACTS OUR WORKFORCE, OUR LOCAL ECONOMIES. AND IT CREATES COMMUNITY STABILITY. AFFORDABLE HOUSING ENABLES BUSINESSES TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN A RELIABLE WORKFORCE, REDUCES COMMUTING BURDENS AND BOOSTS LOCAL SPENDING AND HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. JUST THAT CREATION OF HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ALSO CREATES JOBS, INCREASES PROPERTY VALUES, GENERATES TAX REVENUES WHICH CAN THEN BE REINVESTED INTO THE COMMUNITIES, INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES. SO NOW THAT WE'VE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT AVAILABILITY, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT AFFORDABILITY, RIGHT. SO. OH THAT WAS YOU KNOW YOU CAN KEEP GOING. OKAY. SO. AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS DEFINED THAT BY AN OCCUPANT IS PAYING NO MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR GROSS INCOME FOR HOUSING COSTS AND UTILITIES. SO A HOUSE IS CONSIDERED AFFORDABLE IF YOU ARE NOT PAYING MORE THAN 30%. AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL INCOME LEVELS ACROSS THE BOARD. WHETHER YOU CHOOSE TO PAY MORE AS YOU, AS UP TO YOU. BUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS THAT 30%. SO IN LOUISVILLE-JEFFERSON COUNTY MSA, THE TWO MARK OR THE TWO BEDROOM FAIR MARKET RENT IS APPROXIMATELY $1,300. THE MEDIAN LIST PRICE IS AROUND 300,000. AND SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS NEXT IS I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU A CHART. AND IN RED, IT'S ALL THE LOWER WAGE EARNING OCCUPATIONS THAT CANNOT REASONABLY AFFORD HOUSING IN THEIR MARKET. SO HERE'S A LIST OF THE TOP 35 OCCUPATIONS. IN LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU CAN SEE THEIR ANNUAL WAGES. AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THAT THIS WHOLE CHART LIGHTS UP IN RED BECAUSE OUR TWO BEDROOM MARKET RATE PRICE, OUR 300,000 MEDIAN PRICE FOR A HOUSE IS NOT AFFORDABLE TO THESE FOLKS. AND THESE ARE THE TYPE OF JOBS THAT I CONSIDER ARE ESSENTIAL TO OUR ECONOMY. THEY SUPPORT OUR LOCAL ECONOMY, AND IF THESE JOBS AREN'T FILLED, IT'S GOING TO REALLY IMPACT OUR LOCAL ECONOMY. AND AGAIN, HERE'S THE LIST THAT'S CONTINUED. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE IS A BIG MISMATCH THAT'S GOING ON BETWEEN WAGE AND AFFORDABILITY. YES. AND I WANTED YOU ALL TO, TO SEE ALL THE RED. AND AS YOU CAN SEE THERE IS A, A HUGE NEED IN TERMS OF HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN EVERY SPECTRUM, ALL ACROSS THE BOARD FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE WORKING IN OUR COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW, THERE IS A HUGE SHORTAGE FROM A DEVELOPER STANDPOINT. THE AFFORDABILITY, BEING ABLE TO DEVELOP THIS TYPE OF HOUSING ALL ACROSS, ACROSS THE BOARD IS BECOMING TOUGH AND IT'S GETTING EVEN TOUGHER. TO HAVE TO GET THIS TYPE OF HOUSING DEVELOPER. OFTENTIMES WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PARTICULARLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR WORKFORCE HOUSING DEVELOPERS SUCH AS MYSELF, I LOOK TO HOW CAN YOU LOWER COST? HOW CAN YOU LOWER COST? HOW CAN YOU MAKE IT LOWER? THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, IS WE CAN'T MAKE IT ANY LOWER. WE CAN'T GET IT ANY LOWER. WE HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN, BUT THE COST OF DEVELOPING HOUSING IS TRULY OUTPACING WHAT PEOPLE ARE MAKING AND CAN AFFORD TO, TO, TO, TO DEVELOP. AND SO WITH THAT, WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND TRANSITION TO OUR NEXT SPEAKER. OH, WAIT, THERE'S ONE MORE THING. I'M SORRY. NO YOU'RE FINE. SO BEFORE WE HAD TWO MORE SLIDES, I THINK THREE MORE SLIDES THAT WE WANTED TO SHOW YOU. AND THAT WRAPS UP WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IN REGARDS TO PROXIMITY. AND AGAIN, THAT'S WHY WE'RE REALLY STRESSING THAT THAT HOUSING, YOUR HOUSING MARKET HAS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF YOUR WORKFORCE IN ORDER TO CREATE, SUSTAIN AND MAINTAIN A HEALTHY WORKFORCE. SO ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING ALLOWS BUSINESSES TO HAVE A RELIABLE WORKFORCE. LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING CAN PUT PRESSURE ON EMPLOYEES WITH LONG COMMUTES. FINANCIAL PRESSURE FROM UNAFFORDABLE RENTS AND [00:45:02] MORTGAGE PAYMENTS. AND WHAT THIS WHAT HAPPENS IS WHAT I CALL THE COMMUTING DISTANCE DILEMMA. AND THAT IS WHEN YOUR JOB IS OVER 20, 30, 40 MILES AWAY FROM WHERE YOUR JOB AND YOUR HOUSE ARE ABOUT 50 MILES APART. AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS YOUR JOB IS HERE, BUT YOU HAVE TO MOVE FURTHER AND FURTHER AWAY FROM YOUR JOB TO ENABLE TO FIND A PLACE THAT'S AFFORDABLE FOR YOU. AND THAT PUTS A LOT OF STRESS ON THE EMPLOYEE. BUT IT WHAT IT REALLY DOES IS THE FURTHER THAT DISTANCE, THAT FURTHER MISMATCH, THE DISTANCE BETWEEN YOUR JOB AND YOUR HOUSE, FOR THE EMPLOYEE, IT JUST INCREASES GAS AND TRAVEL. OR WHETHER YOU'RE TAKING A BUS THAT'S A LONG BUS RIDE AND A LOT OF CHANGES THAT YOU NEED TO MAKE. THAT INCREASES CHILDCARE WHEN THAT DISTANCE CONTINUES TO GROW, THAT'S LESS DISPOSABLE INCOME THAT THAT FAMILY NOW CAN SPEND IN YOUR COMMUNITY. IT INCREASES HEALTH ISSUES. IT INCREASES STRESS. PEOPLE START LOOKING FOR JOBS NEAR THEIR HOMES, SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE LEAVING COMMUNITIES THAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY RESIDING IN. AND THOSE ARE THE CRITICAL JOBS, AGAIN, THAT SUPPORT OUR ECONOMY. THEY MAY NOT BE THE HIGHEST PAYING JOBS. THEY'RE LOW TO MODERATE INCOME, WAGE PAYING JOBS, BUT THEY SUPPORT OUR LOCAL ECONOMY AND WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE THOSE JOBS. AND I DO WANT TO JUMP IN. JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT. IN WEST LOUISVILLE RECENTLY, WE'VE HAD SOME MAJOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO TAKE PLACE WITH THE CREATION OF THE OPPORTUNITY CAMPUS BY GOODWILL, AS WELL AS NEW NORTON HOSPITAL, AND AS A RESULT, REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE. THERE ARE EMPLOYEES WHO ARE NOW WORKING AT THE HOSPITAL WHO ACTUALLY MAKE A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH TO QUALIFY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT'S BEING DEVELOPED, BUT NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO AFFORD ANYTHING ELSE, PARTICULARLY ON THE RENTAL MARKET. AND HAVE EXPRESSED WE'VE LOOKED ALL OVER WEST LOUISVILLE FOR, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT I CAN RENT. SO AGAIN, IT GOES TO THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING NOT ONLY THE CREATION OF HOUSING, BUT DIFFERENT HOUSING CHOICES THAT PEOPLE CAN HAVE ACROSS THE INCOME SPECTRUM IN ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS. THAT'S RIGHT. AND FROM AN EMPLOYEE STANDPOINT, THE FURTHER AN EMPLOYEE EMPLOYEE HAS TO TRAVEL BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THEIR HOME AND THEIR JOB, IT REALLY IMPACTS EMPLOYEE RETENTION. IT DROPS. THERE'S AN UNSTABLE WORKFORCE THAT CAN BE CREATED. MORALE ISSUES CAN DROP. IT REALLY INCREASES RECRUITMENT COSTS AS PEOPLE QUIT THEIR JOB, GO SOMEPLACE ELSE THAT'S CLOSER TO THEIR HOME. THAT'S AN EXTREME COST THAT THAT EMPLOYER NOW HAS TO, TO BURDEN. AND IT'S ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT ON SMALL BUSINESSES WHEN THEY'RE RELYING ON 4 OR 5 PEOPLE TO MAINTAIN THEIR BUSINESS, AND THEY'RE REALLY FAR AWAY FROM THEIR JOB. THERE'S HIGH TURNOVER AND IT EVENTUALLY CAN LEAD TO BUSINESS RELOCATION. AND SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO STRESS A LOT TODAY IS THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING REALLY IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT HOUSING IS A HUGE PART OF EVERYONE'S EVERY RESIDENT'S BUDGET. AND PROVIDING AN ENVIRONMENT WHICH RESIDENTS CAN AFFORD THEIR HOUSING MEANS MORE RELIABLE, LESS STRESSED WORKFORCE, MORE MONEY TO BE INVESTED IN LOCAL BUSINESSES AND A STRONGER TAX BASE. A RELIABLE WORKFORCE IS CRITICAL TO THE FINANCIAL SUCCESS OF ANY BUSINESS OF ANY SIZE. ADDITIONALLY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT ALL INCOME LEVELS CAN ATTRACT FUTURE JOBS. AND SO WE JUST ENCOURAGE YOU, AND WE WANT TO JUST STRESS THAT WE REALLY FEEL LIKE IT JUST MAKES SENSE TO CONSIDER AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS ANY PART OF A COMMUNITY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE HAVE ONE MORE. OKAY. YEAH. GOOD AFTERNOON. JOHN PAUL IS THE DIRECTOR OF STRONG HOUSEHOLDS AT METRO, AND I JUST I DO WANT TO WRAP UP THIS PRESENTATION REAL QUICK. WE'VE WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB, I THINK, OF THREADING A NEEDLE BETWEEN AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THE IMPACT THAT IT HAS ON BOTH OUR WORKFORCE AND OUR ECONOMY. BUT LET'S BE REAL, FOLKS. THIS IS A REALLY COMPLICATED PROBLEM, AND IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE AN EQUALLY SOPHISTICATED RESPONSE THAT REQUIRES CLOSE COLLABORATION ON ALL FRONTS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS AND TO DO THIS WELL. SO TODAY, I WANT TO CLOSE THIS OUT WITH TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HOUSING ALLIANCE OF LOUISVILLE. YOU ALL MAY HAVE RECOGNIZED THIS AS FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE EVICTION PREVENTION WORK GROUP. THIS ORIGINATED DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC. AND SPECIFICALLY IN RECOGNITION OF ERAP DOLLARS THAT CAME INTO THIS COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT HOUSING STABILIZATION DURING A VERY UNCERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME. THIS GROUP CAME TOGETHER TO EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY DISPERSE THOSE FUNDS WHERE THEY'RE NEEDED THE MOST AND THE QUICKEST WAY POSSIBLE. AS THOSE FUNDS, SUNSET WITH THIS WORK HAS ACTUALLY EVOLVED INTO THIS POST PANDEMIC, INTO THE HOUSING ALLIANCE OF LOUISVILLE TO TACKLE SOME OF THESE BROADER SYSTEMIC BARRIERS THAT ARE ADDRESSING NOT ONLY OR ALL ASPECTS OF THIS HOUSING CONTINUUM. METRO AND I, WE PROVIDE THE BACKBONE SUPPORT TO THIS GROUP, AND IT'S A GREAT [00:50:01] ORGANIZATION THAT'S COMPOSED OF NEARLY 50 PUBLIC, PRIVATE, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS COLLABORATING ACROSS SECTORS TO ADDRESS THIS CRISIS THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING TODAY. WITH THIS, OUR FOCUS IN OUR OBJECTIVE, SIMPLY PUT, IS WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER IN LOCKSTEP TO ENSURE THAT EVERY LITTLE VILLAGE HAS A SAFE AND STABLE PLACE TO CALL HOME. STRUCTURALLY SPEAKING, WE HAVE A STEERING COMMITTEE. SEVERAL OF THEM ARE BEHIND ME TODAY. WE ALSO HAVE THREE STRATEGIC WORKING GROUPS, INCLUSIVE OF POLICY AND ADVOCACY, WORKING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE POLICY LEVERS THAT CAN AND SHOULD BE PULLED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MITIGATE THIS ISSUE. THE SECOND PIECE HERE IS WORKING WITH OUR DIRECT SERVICE PROVIDERS TO ENSURE COHESIVE ACTION AND UNDERSTANDING. WHAT ARE THE INTERVENTIONS THAT ARE NEEDED AT ALL LEVELS IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL. AND THIRD AND LAST IS ALTERNATIVE FUNDING. WHERE WHAT ARE THE OTHER FINANCING MODELS IN A RESOURCE SCARCE ENVIRONMENT THAT ENABLES THIS WORK TO HAPPEN MOVING FORWARD? WE MEET MONTHLY. YOU GUYS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME TO JOIN THOSE MEETINGS IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN JUMPING ON A ZOOM CALL. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT, OR THAT'S A DERIVATIVE OF THIS WORK, IS SPECIFICALLY OUR SAFE AND STABLE HOUSING FOR ALL CAMPAIGN. YOU'VE SEEN SOME OF THE BUTTONS BEHIND US, BUT THIS REALLY IS IN ORDER FOR US TO DO THIS WORK AND TO DO IT WELL, IT DOES REQUIRE FINANCIAL RESOURCES IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. AND THIS IS A COLLECTIVE SYSTEMS INVESTMENT BUDGET REQUEST THAT'S REALLY FOCUSED ON GETTING SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT THAT'S FOCUSED SPECIFICALLY ON THE THREE PILLARS OF HOUSING STABILITY THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HERE. SO WITH THAT, I DO THINK THAT AT THIS POINT TO JUST OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS. THANK YOU. GREAT. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH. AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE DEPTH OF PARTICIPATION IN THIS PROCESS. I THINK YOU GUYS ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND ALSO FOR THE CLARITY OF THE EXPLANATION OF WHERE THE GAPS ARE AND WHY THEY ARE. I MEAN, I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF OUTLINING THAT THIS IS NOT JUST AN ISSUE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THIS IS AN ISSUE OF HOUSING ACROSS THE ENTIRE SPECTRUM OF OUR COMMUNITY. BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE GET STUCK ALONG THAT CONTINUUM, IT MEANS THAT THEY PREVENT MOVEMENT IN THE DIRECTIONS THAT PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO AND NEED TO GO. SO THANK YOU, GUYS. YOU MADE THAT SUPER CLEAR. AND I BEING A GIANT NERD IN THIS, I'M CONTINUALLY LEARNING. SO THANK YOU GUYS. COUNCILWOMAN TAMMY HAWKINS. THANKS FOR BEING HERE TODAY. I THINK I'VE BEEN ASKING SINCE I GOT ON METRO COUNCIL FOR BEEN THREE YEARS NOW, IF SOMEBODY WOULD GIVE ME A DEFINITION OF WHAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING LOOKS LIKE. AFTER THREE YEARS TODAY, YOU DID THAT. SO TO ME, THAT SPEAKS VOLUME. I'VE BEEN ASKING, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE PEOPLE SAY ALL THE TIME THAT, OH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND YOU SAID ONE THING THAT STUCK WITH ME AND THAT WAS THAT PEOPLE SAY IT'S AFFORDABLE, BUT IT'S REALLY NOT. AND THAT'S THE TRUTH. YOU ALSO TOOK IN CONSIDERATION BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW. PEOPLE NEED TO SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT IF THEY DON'T LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. SO IT ALLOWS ME TO KNOW THAT YOU'VE TOUCHED BASE OR AND YOU YOU SPOKE REALLY PASSIONATE AND YOU KNEW WHAT YOU WAS TALKING ABOUT. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, BECAUSE AFTER THREE YEARS OF BEING HERE, NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO GIVE ME THAT DEFINITION BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S NOT AFFORDABLE. IT'S JUST A TERM. RIGHT? BUT YOU DEFINED IT PERFECTLY ON WHAT IT IS. SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN NOLAN. THANK YOU. CHAIR. I WANT TO SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS AGAIN, BECAUSE I, I'M I'M A PARROT, AND I SAY THINGS OVER AND OVER BECAUSE I THINK IT'S VERY I THINK IT IT I THINK IT CAN HELP. AND MAKING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, THOSE TWO THINGS CANNOT BE SEPARATED. THAT IF AND YOU TALKED A LOT ABOUT PROXIMITY TO THOSE JOBS AND HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS. BUT A LOT OF THE DECISIONS THAT WE'VE MADE HERE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY HAVE SAID, IF WE CREATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WE DON'T WANT THAT HOUSING DEVELOPMENT HERE, NIMBY NOT IN MY BACKYARD. WE WANT THAT HOUSING DEVELOPMENT TO GO TO BULLITT COUNTY, TO GO TO OLDHAM COUNTY, TO GO TO SHELBY COUNTY. TO ME, IT'S NOT THAT THAT'S NECESSARILY BAD, BUT THAT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE WORLD THAT I LIVE IN. SO ANYBODY WHO IS PRO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT CANNOT BE ALSO NIMBY, RIGHT? YOU CANNOT SAY WE DON'T WANT IT TO OCCUR NEAR ME. WE DON'T WANT IT TO OCCUR IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. IF YOU'RE IF YOU'RE IF YOU'RE SUPPORTIVE OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, THEN YOU ALSO HAVE TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF ADDITIONAL DENSITY IN THE OLD PARTS OF THE CITY. YOU HAVE TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF NEW DEVELOPMENT, EVEN IF IT OR OR ADAPTIVE REUSE OF OLD [00:55:07] BUILDINGS. YOU HAVE TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF THOSE THINGS. YOU CAN'T HAVE ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER. WHEN YOU SAY JOBS, HOUSING IS WHERE JOBS GO TO SLEEP AT NIGHT. HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IS WHERE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GOES TO SLEEP AT NIGHT. THOSE TWO THINGS CANNOT BE SEPARATED. SO I WANTED TO SAY THAT AGAIN BECAUSE IT IS SO TRUE AND DOES GET LOST. AND THEN THE THING I WANTED TO REINFORCE, AND I'VE SAID THIS SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO FOCUS ON THE LOW LOWER END OF THE SPECTRUM, BOTH IN FOR SALE HOUSING AND IN FOR RENT HOUSING. WE SAW THOSE NUMBERS VERY CLEARLY. BUT THIS WHOLE IDEA OF THE CONTINUUM, AS COUNCILMAN WEBER WAS SAYING, AND AS YOU ALL WERE SAYING, THE IDEA OF THIS CONTINUUM, WE NEED TO KEEP IN FRONT OF MIND AS WELL, BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE UNIT OF HOUSING THAT WE BRING ONLINE ALLOWS SOMEONE TO MOVE UP THE CHAIN, OPENING UP A UNIT SOMEWHERE ELSE. IT IS SUPER IMPORTANT TO A HEALTHY, HEALTHY HOUSING MARKET. SO WHEN WE SAY, WELL, WE DON'T NEED TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE IT'S, YOU KNOW, EITHER MAYBE IT'S HIGH END OR MAYBE IT'S MARKET OR MAYBE IT'S THAT'S NOT TRUE. WE NEED A HEALTHY HOUSING MARKET ACROSS THE CONTINUUM. SO WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO FOCUS ON THE LOW END. BUT EVERY UNIT WE BRING ONLINE IS IMPORTANT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? I WILL JUST NOTE ONE MORE THING. THIS IS THE LABOR AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE. AND BECAUSE OF THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON LABOR AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. BUT WE SHOULD NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF THE PURPOSE OF LABOR AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS HUMAN THRIVING. RIGHT? WE DON'T GROW OUR ECONOMY BECAUSE WE CARE ABOUT THE ECONOMY. WE GROW OUR ECONOMY BECAUSE IT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO LIVE THE SORT OF LIVES THAT THEY ARE CAPABLE OF LIVING. AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT ACTUALLY MAKES PEOPLE HAPPY, ONE OF THE BIGGEST DRIVERS OF THAT IS, ODDLY, COMMUTE TIME, RIGHT? IT IS. IT IS ONE OF THE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE BEST DOLLARS YOU CAN SPEND, THERE'S ALL SORTS OF LITERATURE ON THIS. THE LONGER YOUR COMMUTE TIME, THE LESS HAPPY YOU ARE. AND THAT IS A PART OF HUMAN THRIVING. IF WE WANT TO CREATE THE SORT OF CITY THAT WE WANT TO LIVE IN, NOT BECAUSE IT'S THE RICHEST CITY, BUT BECAUSE IT IS THE CITY IN WHICH PEOPLE CAN REACH THEIR HUMAN POTENTIAL. WHAT YOU GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT IS AT THE CORE OF THAT. AND SO I JUST DON'T WANT TO LOSE SIGHT OF THAT. I DON'T WANT TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE PASSION OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM FOR THIS WORK. AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING WHEREVER YOU FIT INTO THAT CONTINUUM, FROM HOMELESSNESS AND SUPPORTIVE HOUSING ALL THE WAY TO THE END OF, HEY, YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE MAKE IT, THEY WANT TO HAVE A HOUSE. THEY WANT TO MOVE ON UP, TO QUOTE THE JEFFERSONS. SO THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS CLEAR. AS COUNCILWOMAN HAWKINS * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.