[00:22:57] WE WILL BE STARTING IN ABOUT 30S. [00:23:26] GOOD AFTERNOON. THIS IS THE EQUITY, COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, HOUSING, HEALTH AND EDUCATION [00:23:34] COMMITTEE. IT'S A PRETTY BIG COMMITTEE. I AM I AM COUNCILWOMAN BARBARA SHANKLIN [00:23:41] WITH THE CHAIR. WITH ME IS MY VICE CHAIR, COUNCILMAN STUART BENSON. WE ALSO HAVE [00:23:49] COUNCILWOMAN. I FORGOT YOUR NAME. I ALWAYS I KNOW BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS GET CONFUSED WITH MARY. YEAH. SO IF I CALL YOU MARY, WOULD YOU? I'M SORRY. COUNCILWOMAN JENNY WOOLRIDGE, COUNCILMAN DAN SIMS, COUNCILWOMAN TAMMY HAWKINS, AND WITH US ALSO COUNCILMAN MARCUS WINKLER AND COUNCILWOMAN BETSY RUDY. YEP. WE HAVE FOUR THINGS ON THE AGENDA TODAY. WE HAVE TWO SPECIAL DISCUSSIONS AND TWO PENDING LEGISLATION. SO WE'RE GOING TO DO NUMBER FOUR FIRST. I KNOW PAULA WOULD LIKE THAT WE GET HER DONE FIRST. RIGHT. AND WITH US WE ALSO HAVE COUNCILWOMAN PAULA MCCRANEY. SHE'S A FORMER BOARD. OKAY. CAN YOU READ IT? THIS MEETING IS BEING HELD PURSUANT TO CLAUSE 61.826 AND COUNCIL FIVE, A READ IN FULL. ITEM FOUR A RESOLUTION [00:25:01] ON THE REVEREND DOCTOR FRANK M SMITH JUNIOR BY DEDICATING THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF KERR PARK DRIVE AND PRESTON HIGHWAY AS DOCTOR FRANK M SMITH DRIVE IN HIS HONOR, READ IN FULL MOTION. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN MCCRANEY. ARE YOU FROZEN? CAN YOU HEAR ME, COUNCILWOMAN? YEAH, WE'RE WAITING ON YOU. OKAY, I HEAR YOU NOW. THANK YOU. THIS IS A RESOLUTION IN RECOGNITION AND HONOR OF DOCTOR FRANK M SMITH JUNIOR. WE'RE DEDICATING THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF KRUPP PARK DRIVE AND PRESTON HIGHWAY AS DOCTOR FRANK M SMITH JUNIOR DRIVE. AND IT IS AN HONOR FOR ME TO BE A PART OF THIS WITH DISTRICT 21. I WAS INVITED BECAUSE I KNOW DOCTOR SMITH PERSONALLY. HE IS NOT ONLY A CO-LABORER IN THE MINISTRY WITH ME, BUT HE IS ALSO A FORMER COLLEAGUE OF MINE. AND MORE THAN THAT, HE HAS LABORED IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, CHAMPIONING THE EDUCATION OF THE DISENFRANCHIZE, MOSTLY FOR MOST OF HIS CAREER. HE IS A SENIOR EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AT SIMMONS COLLEGE OF KENTUCKY, AND HIS WORK THERE IS INCOMPARABLE. HE HAS RECRUITED STUDENTS, HE HAS MENTORED STUDENTS, AND HE HAS RALLIED FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THEIR EDUCATION AND BEYOND BECAUSE HE CONTINUES TO MENTOR THEM. BUT I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT HE WAS PRESIDENT OF THE MINISTERIAL COALITION OF MINISTERS FOR MANY YEARS, AND WITH THAT, HE WAS A COMMUNITY SERVANT AND BRINGING FORTH A LOT OF ISSUES PERTAINING TO THE COMMUNITY, RESIDENTS TO THE FOREFRONT OF ELECTED OFFICIALS AND DIFFERENT ENTITIES THAT WOULD HELP ADVANCE THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH HE SERVES. AND SO I AM HONORED TO ASK FOR MY COLLEAGUES SUPPORT IN APPROVING THIS HONOR FOR HIM AND HIS NAME, TO DEDICATE THAT CORNER IN HIS HONOR AS DOCTOR SMITH WAY. AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON HIS BEHALF. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN MCCRANEY. I WOULD LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LET COUNCILWOMAN RUIZ SPEAK, BECAUSE THAT IS HER RESOLUTION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I CAN SAY BEYOND WHAT DOCTOR MCCRANEY JUST SAID. SHE KNOWS THE GENTLEMAN. AND WE ARE HONORED TO HONOR HIM. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT HIM. HE'S BEEN IN MY DISTRICT FOR YEARS, AND JUST SO HAPPENED THAT BETSY HAS HIM BECAUSE THEY REDISTRICT. BUT I'VE WORKED WITH DOCTOR SMITH FOR. I MEAN, I CAN'T EVEN TELL YOU HOW MANY YEARS. SO ANYWAY, HE'S A WONDERFUL MAN TO WORK WITH. AND EVERYTHING YOU SAID WAS FITTING FOR HIM. THANK YOU. OKAY, SO NOW WE'RE READY TO VOTE. ALL IN. THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR? I KNOW KNOWS, SO IT WILL GO TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR. OKAY. THANK YOU. IF I'M TALKING TOO LOW, TELL ME, BECAUSE I JUST SPEAK LOW. I'M SORRY. THE NEXT PIECE OF LEGISLATION. WE HAVE A RESOLUTION. OKAY. YOU WANT TO HEAR A RESOLUTION? ITEM THREE, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ACCEPT $8,500 OF THE FUNDING FROM THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION DUE TO RETAIL EFFECTS. FLEXIBLE FUNDING MODEL GRANT PROGRAM TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS IN FULL. THANK YOU, MISS CLARK. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? OKAY. DO WE HAVE SOMEONE TO SPEAK ON? SHE'S ON, SHE'S ON. YES. MY NAME IS BRIANNA, AND I'M JOINING VIRTUALLY. CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? YES. OKAY. WELL, HELLO. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M AN EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATOR AT THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS, AND I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK TO THE $8,500 GRANT WE RECEIVED FROM THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION. THAT ASSOCIATION, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, STARTED A GRANT PROGRAM TO HELP FUND WORK AROUND FDA'S RETAIL PROGRAM STANDARDS, WHICH ARE THE GOLD STANDARDS FOR RETAIL FOOD REGULATORY AGENCIES LIKE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS. SO WITH THIS FUNDING, WE'LL BE WORKING TOWARDS MEETING SOME DIFFERENT STANDARDS, AND IT'S MOSTLY GOING TO BE GOING TOWARDS HELPING STAFF ACHIEVE SOME NEW TRAINING OBJECTIVES. SO I'M [00:30:02] HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF ANYBODY HAS ANY. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS. NO. OKAY. SO WE'RE READY TO VOTE. AND ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. NO NO'S. WE WILL SEND THIS TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CAN YOU HEAR US? YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. I HAVE TWO SPEAKERS NOW. LET ME SEE. THE FIRST ONE IS. LIZ MCCOURT. IS THAT RIGHT? YEAH, THAT'S THE ONE. OKAY. THANK YOU. YEAH. OKAY. GOOD. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON. COMMITTEE MEMBERS. THANK YOU. DOCTOR SHANKLIN AND VICE CHAIR BENSON FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK TODAY. I'M LIZ MCQUILLAN. I'M THE CHIEF POLICY OFFICER FOR METRO UNITED WAY, AND I'M JOINED BY MY FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE, JOHN. YEAH. MY NAME IS GEORGE ECKLUND. I WORK FOR THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS AS THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION ADVOCACY. AND WE WANTED TO TALK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT SOME EFFORTS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IN COALITION WITH A LOT OF PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. WE'VE MET WITH MANY OF YOU OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, AND JUST WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS CAMPAIGN THAT WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER, CALLED SAFE AND STABLE HOUSING FOR ALL. IT'S REALLY AN OUTGROWTH OF WHAT WAS THE EVICTION PREVENTION WORKGROUP, WHICH WAS A GROUP OF DIRECT SERVICE PROVIDERS ALSO WORKING WITH THE CITY, TRYING TO GET A LOT OF THOSE PANDEMIC ERA DOLLARS THAT WERE THERE TO HELP STOP EVICTIONS DURING THAT TIME OF CRISIS. AND THAT GROUP HAS EVOLVED INTO ANOTHER COALITION THAT WE'RE CALLING THE HOUSING ALLIANCE OF LOUISVILLE. AND SO RATHER THAN BEING REACTIONARY, WHICH IS THE WAY IT WAS FORMED, TRYING TO BE FORWARD THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN REALLY WORK WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, WORK WITH METRO COUNCIL ON SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE OUR OUTCOMES AROUND HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND SO THE SAFE AND STABLE HOUSING FOR ALL CAMPAIGN, WE KICKED IT OFF THIS YEAR. AND WE'RE REALLY, YOU KNOW, WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR BUDGET PRIORITIZES THOSE CRITICAL INVESTMENTS THAT THE METRO COUNCIL HAS INVESTED IN AND SUPPORTED IN THE PAST, AND THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS SUPPORTED AS WELL, PARTICULARLY AROUND HOMELESS SERVICES, HOMELESS PREVENTION, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS. AND IF YOU'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. SO YEAH, SO THESE ARE THE THREE PILLARS OF WHAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON. AND WE REALLY THINK THAT THESE THIS INVESTMENT IN THESE PILLARS AND THIS PROGRAMING CAN REALLY HELP MOVE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY FROM, FROM WHEREVER THEIR LEVEL OF VULNERABILITY IS, WHETHER THAT'S ACTUALLY UNSHELTERED OR ON THE STREET OR UNHOUSED, BUT IN SHELTERS OR JUST HOUSING INSTABILITY INTO SAFE AND STABLE HOUSING, WHICH IS REALLY FOUNDATIONAL FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS TO BE ABLE TO THRIVE AND SUCCEED IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND WE'RE REALLY PROUD THAT WE HAVE SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE SIGNED ON AND THAT ARE WORKING WITH US TO ADVANCE THESE PRIORITIES TO OUR KNOWLEDGE AND, AND EVERYBODY WE'VE TALKED TO. WE THINK THIS IS REALLY THE FIRST TIME THAT AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, WE HAVE HAD A COALITION THAT'S REALLY FOCUSED ON ON A BUDGET REQUEST OR BUDGET INVESTMENT, A SYSTEMS LEVEL INVESTMENT RATHER THAN INDIVIDUAL LINE ITEMS FOR YOUR OWN ORGANIZATION, WHICH ARE IMPORTANT FOR A LOT OF THESE COALITION MEMBERS AS WELL. BUT REALLY SAYING WE KNOW THAT WE NEED MORE RESOURCES IN THE SYSTEM OVERALL TO MOVE THE NEEDLE. AND SO THEY'VE SIGNED ON TO THIS. SO I'M GOING TO LET GEORGE I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO GEORGE. NOW WHO'S GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THESE PRIORITIES. YEAH. SO I'M GOING TO JUST GO OVER SOME MACRO LIKE HOUSING THINGS TO BE THINKING ABOUT AS WELL AS SOME, SOME STRATEGIES THAT I WANT TO UPLIFT THAT LOUISVILLE NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO LOOKING AT. SO FOR ME, I USUALLY DESCRIBE OUR HOUSING AS AN ECOSYSTEM, LIKE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ANYTHING FROM MARKET RATE HOUSING ALL THE WAY DOWN TO SOMEBODY WHO'S EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. IT IS ALL PART OF A CONTINUUM WHERE IF THERE IS A FRICTION POINT OR A BLOCKAGE AT ONE POINT IN THE CONTINUUM, THEN IT AFFECTS BOTH UPSTREAM AND IT AFFECTS DOWNSTREAM PEOPLE'S JOURNEYS THROUGH HOUSING. SO FOR US, WE ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW CAN WE MAINTAIN FLUIDITY AMONG AN UP AND DOWN THE CONTINUUM AND PREVENT PEOPLE FROM BACKSLIDING AGAINST THEIR CHOICE? SO THINGS LIKE AN [00:35:06] EVICTION CAN MOVE PEOPLE FROM MARKET RATE RENTAL DOWN INTO HOMELESSNESS. SOMETHING LIKE, YOU KNOW, A, A, A PERSON HAS A STROKE AND THEY NEED TO MOVE INTO ASSISTED LIVING. THAT IS, AGAIN, LIKE PEOPLE MOVING UP AND DOWN THE CONTINUUM. FOR US RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE SPECIFIC FRICTION POINTS IN THE CONTINUUM. SO ONE IS PEOPLE MOVING OUT OF RENTAL INTO HOME OWNERSHIP. AND THAT IS LARGELY LIKE A MACROECONOMIC ISSUE OF INTEREST RATES ARE UNAFFORDABLE. THEREFORE PEOPLE CANNOT GET INTO HOMEOWNERSHIP OR WE HAVE LIMITED INVENTORY OF FIRST TIME HOME BUYER OPTIONS. SO THAT PREVENTS PEOPLE FROM MOVING UP INTO THE INTO THAT. AND THE SAME GOES FOR VERY LOW INCOME RENTAL OPTIONS LIKE PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, WHO HAVE VOUCHERS, HAVE TO WORK DOUBLY HARD TO TRY AND FIND A UNIT THAT MEETS THEIR NEEDS AND THEIR PRICE POINT TO GET OFF THE STREET OR OUT OF SHELTER. THIS IS THE HOUSING GAPS ANALYSIS ON THE STATE LEVEL. WE HAVE ONE FOR LOUISVILLE AS WELL, THAT IT SAYS THAT WE NEED ABOUT 36,000 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE RENTAL FOR THOSE THAT ARE EARNING VERY LOW WAGES. SO SOMEBODY A FAMILY OF FOUR, MAKING LESS THAN $24,000 A YEAR. I LIKE THE STATE NUMBER BECAUSE IT ALSO SHOWS LIKE THE AMOUNT THAT WE NEED FOR THE HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY. I HAVE COME UP WITH A NEW ANALOGY THAT I'VE BEEN REALLY WORKING IN IS OUR HOUSING MARKET IS A LOT LIKE RESTAURANT MENUS. THERE ARE PRICE POINTS FOR EVERYONE ON OUR MENU, BUT UNFORTUNATELY RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A LOT OF $110 TOMAHAWK STEAKS. WE HAVE A LOT OF $40 LOBSTER RISOTTOS. WHAT WE DON'T HAVE IS A LOT OF BURGERS AND APPETIZERS THAT PEOPLE CAN AFFORD. WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE BACK WAITING FOR ANY KIND OF LEFTOVERS THAT MIGHT BE THAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE. FOR US. WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO ADDRESS THREE PROBLEMS IN HOUSING AND HOMELESS SERVICES RIGHT NOW. WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH HOUSING FOR SPECIFIC INCOME BRACKETS, INCOME LEVELS. WE HAVE A GROWING NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE STREET, AND WHILE OUR SHELTERS ARE FULL, AND WE ALSO HAVE A GROWING NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ALWAYS AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS, YOU KNOW, SIX OUT OF TEN VERY LOW INCOME KENTUCKIANS ARE SPENDING MORE THAN 50% OF THEIR WAGES ON HOUSING. THAT MEANS THEY CAN'T SAVE. IT MEANS THAT THEY ARE ALWAYS A CRISIS AWAY, A SHIFT AWAY FROM BEING BEHIND ON RENT. SO THERE ARE TWO STRATEGIES THAT I WANT TO REALLY LIFT UP THAT I THINK LOUISVILLE NEEDS TO REALLY INVESTIGATE FURTHER. ONE IS THIS IDEA OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. SO THIS IS A WELL PROVEN, LIKE EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE THAT HAS THAT IS CHANGED THE LIVES OF THOUSANDS OF KENTUCKIANS. YOU KNOW, IT IS A SERVICE RICH ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE ARE TRYING TO MOVE PEOPLE OFF THE STREET AND INTO A PLACE WHERE THEY ARE HOUSED, AND WE CAN SURGE RESOURCES SO THAT THEY STAY HOUSED. LOUISVILLE'S PROVIDERS HAVE ABOUT A 98% SUCCESS RATE OF KEEPING PEOPLE HOUSED FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS WHEN THEY ARE IN A PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROJECT, AND IT IS. IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE ALWAYS ENCOURAGING OUR PROVIDERS TO INCREASE THESE OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE HOMELESS RIGHT NOW. SO WHEN I TALK ABOUT PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, THESE ARE THIS IS HOUSING THAT IS TARGETED FOR THOSE THAT ARE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS. THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN HOMELESS FOR YEARS. THEY ARE PERMANENTLY DISABLED. THEY ARE SUFFERING FROM MULTIPLE THINGS. THEY HAVE DEEP TRAUMA. THEY HAVE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER. THEY HAVE SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS. THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON OUR STREETS DAILY. LIKE I SAID, THIS IS A NATIONAL BEST PRACTICE. AND WHEN WE DO GET THEM INTO HOUSING, WE DO HAVE THAT 98% SUCCESS RATE. AND THIS IS A PRACTICE THAT GOT, YOU KNOW, 1700 PEOPLE OFF THE STREET IN 2024. AND IT'S ALSO A STRATEGY THAT THE COUNCIL HAS ALREADY FUNDED. SO THROUGH THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN DOLLARS, YOU ALL HAVE PAVED THE WAY FOR OVER 300 UNITS OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING TO BE DEVELOPED. SO, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE TWO GREAT EXAMPLES. SHEEAN LANDING, WHICH IS OVER, I THINK, IN YOUR DISTRICT, COUNCILMAN SHANKLIN AND THEN WELLSPRINGS DOUGLAS BOULEVARD IS A PROJECT THAT IS FOR PEOPLE WITH SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS AND THAT IS THAT JUST OPENED THIS YEAR AS WELL. SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE HAD MOMENTUM ON. AND I REALLY ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO CONTINUE LEARNING ABOUT THIS PRACTICE. AND I INVITE YOU TO COME AND LOOK AT SOME OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS AND TOUR THEM. SHEEHAN LANDING SPECIFICALLY IS A HUGE NATIONAL MODEL THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT. IT HAS SERVICES ON THE FIRST FLOOR, AS WELL AS 80 UNITS OF SINGLE FAMILY OR SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCIES ON THE SECOND AND THE THIRD FLOOR THERE. THE OTHER INTERVENTION IS THIS THING THAT REALLY DID COME OUT OF THE EVICTION PREVENTION WORKING GROUP. THIS IS A THING THAT IS CALLED THE NEIGHBOR NETWORK AND [00:40:04] IT IT IS REALLY TRYING TO LIKE TAKE WHAT WE LEARNED DURING THE PANDEMIC AND THROUGH EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MAKING OUR DOLLARS GO THE FURTHEST TO DO THE MOST GOOD. AND FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING THROUGH EVICTION, IT IS A CASCADING SERIES OF EVENTS WHERE YOU KNOW THEY HAVE A FINANCIAL HARDSHIP. THEY'RE ALREADY LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK. THEY HAVE NO SAVINGS. YOU KNOW, THEY CAN'T ABSORB THAT SUDDEN SHOCK AND QUICKLY, WHAT CAN BECOME A $500 CAR REPAIR CAN SPIRAL AND SNOWBALL INTO A MUCH LARGER, LIKE PIECE OF DEBT THAT THEY CAN'T DIG OUT OF. AND MANY OF OUR SYSTEMS ARE REALLY DESIGNED TO TREAT THE SYMPTOMS, NOT REALLY THE ROOT CAUSES OR UPSTREAM LIKE INTERVENTION POINTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE. SO THAT IS REALLY WHAT THIS THIS IDEA OF A NEIGHBOR NETWORK, A NETWORK OF SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT ARE ALL USING ONE SYSTEM AND WORKING TOGETHER TO TRIAGE RESOURCES AND MARSHAL THE RIGHT RESOURCES TO HELP FAMILIES AVOID HOMELESSNESS. IT IS THE MODES THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON. AND THIS IS THEIR THEIR THEIR ETHOS THAT THEY'RE OPERATING ON IS LIKE, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE DO TARGETED UPSTREAM INTERVENTIONS BEFORE AN EVICTION IS EVEN FILED AND AVOIDING JUST THROWING MONEY AT PROBLEMS, BUT REALLY TACTICALLY DEPLOYING FUNDS SO THAT THEY HAVE THE BEST RETURN ON THEIR INVESTMENT. AND THIS IS THIS IS WHAT THE NEIGHBOR NETWORK IS WORKING TOWARDS. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ABOUT 17,000 EVICTIONS THAT ARE FILED EACH YEAR. AND LARGELY THESE OVER HALF OF THESE ARE DISMISSED. THEY ARE JUST A WAY FOR PEOPLE TO COLLECT PAST DEBT. SO IS THERE A WAY FOR US TO GET TO THOSE FOLKS EVEN BEFORE THE EVICTION IS FILED? AND THAT HAS LIKE EFFECTS? IT REDUCES STRESS ON A FAMILY. IT REDUCES STRESS ON OUR COURTS. IT REDUCES STRESS ON OUR SERVICE PROVIDERS, AND IT JUST REMOVES SOME OF THE CHAOTIC TRAUMA THAT COMES WITH EVICTION. I THINK THE REALLY REVOLUTIONARY THING THAT I, THAT THE NEIGHBOR NETWORK IS, IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS HOW DO WE SEGMENT OUR AUDIENCE RATHER THAN TREAT EVERYTHING, BE, YOU KNOW, TREAT EVERYTHING LIKE A NAIL WHEN WE HAVE A HAMMER, LET'S FIGURE OUT HOW WE DO VERY SPECIFIC INTERVENTIONS FOR SPECIFIC POPULATIONS. SO THIS IS YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE TEMPORARILY IN CRISIS. THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE CHRONICALLY IN CRISIS, AND THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST VULNERABLE. BUT THEN THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE URGENT. SO, YOU KNOW, EACH OF THESE CATEGORIES OF FOLKS NEED A DIFFERENT KIND OF INTERVENTION. SO SOME OF IT MIGHT BE A ONE TIME LOAN THAT CAN BE PAID BACK OVER EIGHT MONTHS OF A SMALL AMOUNT WITH NO INTEREST. SOME OF IT MIGHT BE A RIGHTSIZING OF THE UNIT, LIKE YOU'RE ALWAYS RUNNING BEHIND ON RENT BECAUSE YOU'RE JUST IN A PLACE THAT YOU CAN'T AFFORD. HOW CAN WE MOVE YOU INTO A PLACE THAT YOU CAN'T AFFORD, SO THAT YOU ARE IN A MUCH MORE SUSTAINABLE PLACE? AND SO THIS IS THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK. THE NEIGHBOR NETWORK IS OUT RAISING PRIVATE DOLLARS. BUT I THINK IN THE FUTURE THIS IS A IS AN INTERVENTION THAT THE COUNCIL SHOULD LOOK AT IS LIKE, HOW CAN WE USE THIS TO AUGMENT WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLACES DO AS WELL AS SUPPORT LIKE OUR COMMUNITIES HERE IN TOWN? YEAH. SO JUST TO WRAP UP, AND I ALSO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THOSE THINGS THAT GEORGE WALKED YOU THROUGH, THE HOMELESS SERVICES, THE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, THE HOUSING STABILITY PROGRAMING LIKE THE NEIGHBOR NETWORK AND SOME OTHER THINGS LIKE THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL PROGRAM. AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND, THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT THAT THE METRO COUNCIL HAS BEEN REALLY SUPPORTIVE OF IN THE PAST. THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE HAVE REALLY PROVEN RESULTS FOR TO THEY'RE DATA DRIVEN AND THEY'RE ALSO THINGS THAT WE'RE NOT ASKING EVERYTHING FROM THE CITY FOR. RIGHT. THESE ARE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS WHERE WE DRAW DOWN DOLLARS FROM FEDERAL FUNDING OR PRIVATE PHILANTHROPY AS WELL. AND SO AS WE CONTINUE THESE CONVERSATIONS, WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT A LOT OF THE INVESTMENTS THAT ARE IN THE MAYOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET AND HAVE HAD A LOT OF GOOD CONVERSATIONS, GREAT FEEDBACK FROM YOU ALL ABOUT YOUR PRIORITIES IN THIS BUDGET. SO WE ARE HOPEFUL AND GENERALLY SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW WHEN IT COMES TO HOUSING. BUT, YOU KNOW, AS WE CONTINUE THESE CONVERSATIONS, IT TOOK US A LONG TIME TO GET WHERE WE ARE, AND WE KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF COLLABORATION AND HARD WORK FOR US TO REALLY MOVE THE NEEDLE. AND SO, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE WANT TO CONTINUE TALKING TO YOU ALL ABOUT ARE, YOU KNOW, DEDICATED FUNDING FOR THAT PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR MORE DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE UNITS THAT GEORGE TALKED ABOUT, INVESTING IN THOSE HOUSING STABILITY PROGRAMS LIKE THE NEIGHBOR NETWORK, WHERE WE'RE BEING [00:45:03] REALLY TARGETED ABOUT THOSE UPSTREAM INTERVENTIONS AND PREVENTING PEOPLE FROM FALLING INTO CRISIS. AND THEN WE KNOW THAT THESE THINGS AREN'T GOING TO SOLVE THE HOUSING CRISIS, EITHER. YOU KNOW, THERE ARE OTHER GAPS IN THIS HOUSING CONTINUUM AND OTHER PROGRAMS THAT THAT WE HAVE ALREADY IDENTIFIED IN SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU. AND WE'LL NEED TO CONTINUE WORKING ON HOW TO BUILD SOLUTIONS FOR THOSE. SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TODAY AND CAN CERTAINLY TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU ALL HAVE. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? COUNCILMAN WINKLER THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND LIZ AND GEORGE, THANKS FOR BEING HERE. I'VE GOT A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR YOU. SO GEORGE, YOU MENTIONED OR YOU CITED BASICALLY 36,000 UNITS AT 30% AMI SHORTFALL. AS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THAT PROBLEM, IS IT SAFE TO ASSUME THAT THAT SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION REQUIRES PERMANENT SUPPORT IN TERMS OF LIKE, THERE'S NO THERE'S NO RUN LIKE RUNWAY TO THAT. LIKE THAT REQUIRES A IF YOU'RE AT THAT LEVEL OF INCOME, YOU REQUIRE PERMANENT SUBSIDY TO YOUR HOUSING. IS THAT. YEAH. GENERALLY THAT SEGMENTEEDS LIKE KIND OF AN ONGOING STRATEGY FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE OR SUBSIDY. YEAH. AND PER UNIT LIKE HOW MUCH SHOULD WE THINK ABOUT. BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO LIKE WHAT'S THE 36,000 UNIT PROBLEM IN TERMS OF ABSOLUTE NUMBER. LIKE AN ABSOLUTE NUMBER. THAT IS THE NUMBER I WOULD HAVE TO ACTUALLY LIKE GO AND FIGURE OUT LIKE WHAT IS THE SUBSIDY PER YEAR FOR LPFUL TO KNOW AND TO'D BE UNDERSTAND BECAUSE AS WE'RE MAKING BUDGETING DECISIONS AROUND THE TRUST FUND, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE PUTTING 15 TO 20 TO $25 MILLION INTO THE TRUST FUND, YOU KNOW, 30% OF IT IS EARMARKED FOR 30% AMI OR 50% FOR 30% AMI. IF IT'S A $3 BILLION PROBLEM, LIKE, IT'S NOT HELPFUL. YEAH. I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING IS HELPFUL, RIGHT? BUT LIKE WE NEED TO HAVE A DIFFERENT STRATEGY. YEAH, I THINK I THINK UNDERSTANDING THAT WOULD BE USEFUL. YEAH. NO THAT'S THAT'S HELPFUL TO THINK ABOUT AND LIKE PUT IT INTO A GRANDER CONTEXT OF WHAT DO WE WHAT IS THE GAP LIKE, HOW DO WE ACTUALLY GET THERE. YEAH. SO THANK YOU. AND JUST TO ADD ON TO THAT TOO, WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE SOME MOVEMENT IN BILLS IN FRANKFORT THIS PAST SESSION THAT COULD POTENTIALLY OPEN UP SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO PRODUCE SOME OF THOSE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS. I KNOW WE'VE HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS. COUNCILMAN WINKLER, AND GOING INTO FRANKFORT FOR THE NEXT BUDGET SESSION IN 26. WE ARE CERTAINLY TALKING WITH PARTNERS ACROSS THE STATE ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER SOLUTIONS THAT THE STATE CAN OFFER TO HELP ADDRESS THIS ISSUE LOCALLY AS WELL. PERFECT. THE. SO I'M A BIG SUPPORTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORK. I THINK THAT THAT MODEL IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD. I MEAN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I TALK ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EVICTION ASSISTANCE IS THAT A LOT OF TIMES WE USE EVICTION ASSISTANCE MONEY NOT AS EVICTION PREVENTION, BUT EVICTION DELAY. RIGHT? AND I THINK THE NEIGHBORHOOD MODEL GETS RIGHT AT THAT. RIGHT. BECAUSE IF YOU ARE IN A PERMANENTLY UNSUSTAINABLE SITUATION, NO AMOUNT OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE OR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE CAN HELP YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE FUNDAMENTALLY IN AN UNSTABLE SITUATION, RIGHT? IN A SITUATION THAT DOESN'T WORK MATHEMATICALLY. AND SO A MODEL THAT SAYS, OKAY, DO YOU HAVE AA1 TIME BLIP, RIGHT WHERE TRULY YOU NEED ASSISTANCE BECAUSE YOU HAD YOUR CAR BROKE DOWN AND YOU HAD A $700 REPAIR BILL, BUT OTHERWISE YOU'RE FINE, RIGHT? LIKE THAT'S THE PERFECT USE FOR EVICTION PREVENTION MONEY, RIGHT? OR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE MONEY. BUT IF YOU'RE IN A PERMANENTLY UNSUSTAINABLE MODEL, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MOVE YOU INTO HOUSING THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY AFFORD. MY QUESTION IS, HOW MUCH OF OUR CURRENT THE MONEY THAT WE ALLOCATE THROUGH COMMUNITY MINISTRIES, THROUGH NEIGHBORHOOD PLACES FOR EVICTION ASSISTANCE USES THE NEIGHBORHOOD MODEL, THE NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORK MODEL? I WOULDN'T HAVE LIKE A HARD NUMBER, BUT I KNOW THAT LIKE RCS AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLACE NETWORK AND THE NEIGHBOR NETWORK ARE IN COORDINATING ALL OF THEIR EFFORTS RIGHT NOW. IT IS A TRUE COLLABORATION OF, LIKE THE NONPROFIT, THE SERVICE PROVIDERS AND THE CITY'S INSTITUTIONS. SO THEY'VE DONE LITTLE THINGS LIKE TRYING TO GET THE SAME APPLICATION AND HAVING SEAMLESS LIKE HANDOFFS AND NOT JUST LIKE A YOU NEED TO LL T NEIGHBORHOOD PLACE. IT IS YOU NEED TO GO TALK TO THIS PERSON. T ME CALL THEM RIGH NOW AND TELL THEM THAT YOU'RE ONOUR WAY. SO IT'S MUCH MORE OF A WAR HANDF A A COLLABOTIVE EFFOBUT A WYO IN TH, LEN HLL USEDO PREVENTISPLACEMENT DUES TO COVID. LATER IT QUICKLY BECAME EVIDENT OF IT. IS IT USING IT AS A HOUSING SUBSIDY. AND YOU LOOK AT THE DATA OF LIKE HOW OFTEN PEOPLE ARE FILED ON, LIKE YOU'LL SEE ONE FAMILY MIGHT [00:50:03] BE FILED ON ONCE AND THEN YOU NEVER SEE THEM AGAIN. BUT YOU LOOK AT OTHER FAMILIES THAT THEY GOT FILED ON IN APRIL, IN MAY, IN JUNE, AND THEN IN AUGUST AND THEN IN NOVEMBER. LIKE, IT IS A CHRONIC THING THAT THEY'RE ALWA TG TO DIG OUT OF. SO YEAH, I AGREE WITH YOU ON ON THAT PART. IF I COULD ASK TWO MORE QUESTIONS, I'LL MAKE THEM QUICK. THANK YOU. THE FIRST ONE AND GEORGE, MAYBE THIS PULLS IN SOME OF YOUR HOMELESS EXPERIENCE. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT IN THE CONTINUUM OF CARE, WHERE DO YOU SEE A SAFE OUTDOOR SPACE FITTING IN THAT CONTINUUM? DO YOU THINK THAT THAT IS A GOOD INVESTMENT, BAD INVESTMENT, INVESTMENT THAT SHOULD BE EXPANDED? SO THE CONTINUUM IS MOSTLY FOCUSED ON HOUSING. IT IS THE FUNDING STRUCTURE THAT CAME OUT OF LIKE THE GEORGE W ADMINISTRATION, WHICH WHICH WAS THE LIKE IT REALLY WAS FOCUSING ON GETTING PEOPLE OFF THE STREET AND INTO HOUSING FOR A PERMANENT SOLUTION. I THINK HAVING A MENU OF OPTIONS THAT FIT LOUISVILLE IS GOOD FOR THAT TEMPORARY SETTING. BUT REALLY LIKE THE KIOSK, THE MAJORITY OF THE $23, $23 MILLION GRANT WE HAVE IS EITHER FOR SERVICES PAIRED WITH HOUSING OR HOUSING ITSELF. SO THE LAST QUESTION I'VE GOT, I KNOW THIS IS NOT A BUDGET HEARING, BUT I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE FOLLOWED THE BUDGET VERY CLOSELY. SO YOU'VE LOOKED AT THE BUDGET. WHAT IS THE ONE, YOUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY THAT YOU WOULD SEE CHANGED IN THE BUDGET RELATIVE TO THIS WORK? SO I YOU KNOW, AS I SAID, I THINK WE'RE REALLY PLEASED WITH A LOT OF THE INVESTMENTS THAT ARE IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, PROPOSED BUDGET, PARTICULARLY AROUND THE INCREASE IN HOMELESS SERVICES. YOU KNOW, I THINK WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME ADDITIONAL DOLLARS DEDICATED TO PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE UNITS. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE REALLY REACHING FOR THE MOON HERE, WE WOULD ALSO LOVE TO SEE SOME ADDITIONAL DOLLARS TO SUPPORT THAT NEIGHBOR NETWORK. WE UNDERSTAND THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS IN THE BUDGET, ESPECIALLY AT THIS TIME. SO WE'LL CERTAINLY CONTINUE THAT CONVERSATION WITH YOU ALL THROUGH THIS BUDGET CYCLE. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE I'M SORRY. OKAY. I'M SORRY, COUNCILMAN SAM. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS. WHAT KIND OF HOUSING ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THAT YOU WANT TO GET FOR PERMANENT? WHAT? WE'VE. WE'VE SWITCHED FROM HOMELESS TO HOUSELESS. DOES THAT MEAN WE WANT TO BUILD EACH ONE? A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE? I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS HAVING TO START OVER IN LIFE. I HAD TO GET A BOARDING ROOM AND 30 BUCKS A WEEK AND WALK TO WORK. WHAT ARE WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT HERE? IS IT I MEAN, I COULD SEE US MAYBE DOING A ROW OF ROOMS TO HELP, BUT WHAT KIND OF HOUSING ARE WE LOOKING AT? YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO GENERALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOUSING VOUCHERS, VOUCHERS THAT ARE USED FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTING THERE, THERE ARE TWO MODELS. ONE IS LIKE SINGLE SITE. SO DON'T THINK OF THAT AS A SINGLE HOME. BUT THINK OF THAT AS INDIVIDUAL ADDRESSES THAT ARE DISPERSED AROUND THE COMMUNITY. AND THAT IS LARGELY USING THE PRIVATE MARKET. SO WE GO AND WE WORK WITH LANDLORDS TO SIGN A LEASE WITH THEM, AND THEN WE ARE PAYING THEIR LEASE DIRECTLY TO THE LANDLORD. AND THEN IF SO, THAT IS ONE MODEL. THE SECOND MODEL IS HAVING LIKE A CONGREGATE LIKE SPACE THAT IS MORE LIKE A SERVICE PROVIDER HAS SITE CONTROL. SO THAT WOULD BE WHAT SHE AND LANDING IS OR WHAT WELLSPRING'S PROJECT WAS WHERE WELLSPRING OWNS THAT PROJECT. SAINT JOHN CENTER OWNS SHEEHAN LANDING AND PROVIDER AND THE LANDLORD. SO THOSE ARE THE TWO THINGS THAT IT IS. BUT IT'S GENERALLY LIKE IF YOU HAVE A VOUCHER, YOU'RE GOING ON THE PRIVATE MARKET TRYING TO FIND A PLACE ANYWHERE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU CAN AFFORD WITH THE VOUCHER AND THAT MEETS YOUR NEEDS VERSUS LIKE THE SINGLE SITE STUFF. I THINK WE NEED A MIX OF BOTH. I THINK SOME PEOPLE CAN LIVE ON THEIR OWN WITH WITH A BASE LEVEL OF CASE MANAGEMENT, BUT THERE ARE SOME FOLKS THAT ARE GOING TO NEED A MUCH HIGHER LEVEL AND THRESHOLD OF CASE MANAGEMENT. AND THOSE ARE THAT IS WHERE LIKE THE SINGLE SITE. THAT A SERVICE PROVIDER IS THERE MORE OFTEN TO, TO HELP. ARE WE IDENTIFYING PROPERTIES NOW THAT WOULD WORK THAT WE COULD CONVERT THAT WAREHOUSES OR PROPERTIES THAT WE COULD I MEAN, I SEE THEM BUILD A DOLLAR GENERAL IN FOUR WEEKS. CAN WE NOT ARE WE NOT IDENTIFYING PROPERTIES THAT WE CAN ACCOMMODATE? YEAH, I THINK WE ARE. ONE THING THAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW MANY MORE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING UNITS WE NEED. WE PROBABLY NEED IN AROUND, IN A ROUNDABOUT WAY, 12,000 1200 MORE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING UNITS IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO WITH THAT INFORMATION, WE CAN NOW GO AND START PUTTING MORE PROJECTS IN [00:55:02] THE PIPELINE. THE THING THAT WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT IS ONE, THE SITE CONTROL. SO THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE TALKING, LIKE WHERE ARE THESE PLACES GOING TO GO? THE SECOND PIECE IS THE REDEVELOPMENT MONEY. LIKE HOW ARE WE GOING TO BUILD IT UP? AND THEN THE THIRD PIECE OF THE PUZZLE AND THAT'S WHERE THE COCC GRANT COMES IN, IS HOW DO WE HAVE THE VOUCHERS ATTACHED TO IT. LIKE FOR SHEEHAN LANDING TO CASH FLOW, IT IS PAIRED WITH SOME TAX CREDITS, SOME SOME ARP MONEY THAT YOU ALL ALLOCATED. AND THEN WE HAVE VOUCHERS THAT ARE ATTACHED TO THOSE TO THOSE UNITS SO THAT IT'S ALWAYS AFFORDABLE AND IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE A VIABLE PROJECT. AND I'LL ALSO ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A WHILE TO PUT THOSE FINANCIAL, FINANCIAL PACKAGES TOGETHER AND TO ACTUALLY GET THOSE BUILT. SO SHE AND LANDING YOU ALL APPROVED THE FINANCING OR THE, YOU KNOW, THAT FUNDING THREE AND A HALF YEARS AGO AND IT JUST OPENED WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. SO IT TAKES A LONG TIME FOR THESE PROJECTS TO COME ON BOARD. I KNOW IT TAKES A LONG TIME FOR THE PROJECTS, AND I'M WONDERING HOW MANY PROJECTS ARE AVAILABLE TO BE ON BOARD. ARE WE LOOKING FOR THESE PROJECTS ARE. I MEAN, I COME UP SEVENTH STREET AND SEE PLACES, SEE ABANDONED WAREHOUSES AND I'M WONDERING, ARE WE LOOKING FOR THESE ANSWERS BECAUSE I KNOW WE WANT TO SUPPORT IT. YEAH. AND I, I KNOW THAT THE DEMAND IS THERE AND I KNOW THAT PROVIDERS ARE LOOKING AT THIS. I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE HAVING THE CONVERSATION AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN BRING COUNCIL, THE ADMINISTRATION AND PROVIDERS IN THE GREATER COMMUNITY TOGETHER TO PUT TOGETHER A PLAN SO THAT WE ARE GETTING THE NUMBER OF UNITS THAT WE AND I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST TO USE FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS, SOUTHEAST CHURCHES. I MEAN, THERE'S SOME BIG CHURCHES WITH BIG MONEY AND BUT THANK YOU, GEORGE. AND FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING. I APPRECIATE YOUR HEART TO HELP THOSE THAT ARE THAT ARE HELPLESS. THANK YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU. YEAH. WE HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND I JUST WANTED TO PIGGYBACK OFF COUNCILMAN TIMES, BECAUSE THIS IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT I GET FROM CONSTITUENTS FROM TIME TO TIME. AND I THINK, GEORGE, YOU SORT OF ANSWERED IT, BUT YOU USED A LOT OF TECHNICAL LANGUAGE. SO I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY FOR EVERYBODY, I DON'T THINK ANY CERTAINLY NONE OF THE CITY'S PROGRAMS. AND I DON'T THINK ANY OF THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU'RE SORT OF HIGHLIGHTING, LIKE BUILD HOUSES AND GIVE THEM AWAY TO PEOPLE. RIGHT? I MEAN, LIKE, THAT'S NOT THE IT'S NOT BUILD 36,000 UNITS AND GIVE THEM TO PEOPLE IN EVERY ONE OF OUR SUPPORT MODELS, PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED TO PAY 30% OF THEIR INCOME. AND IT IS A SUBSIDY, USUALLY IN RENTAL UNITS, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG PROBLEMS, RIGHT, IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE EQUITY BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE IN THESE INCOME LEVELS THROUGH FEDERAL PROGRAMS, STATE PROGRAMS, OR LOCAL PROGRAMS, REGARDLESS OF WHAT KIND OF VOUCHER PEOPLE HAVE, LIKE YOU'RE ALWAYS EXPECTED TO SPEND PAY ONE THIRD OF YOUR OF YOUR GROSS MONTHLY INCOME TOWARDS YOUR RENT. AND SO IF IT'S IF YOU'RE MAKING $800 A MONTH, YOU'RE SPENDING ONE THIRD OF THAT. IF YOU'RE MAKING $0 A MONTH, THAT IS WHAT YOU'RE SPENDING. YOU'RE SPENDING ZERO. SO YOU'RE ALWAYS ON THE HOOK FOR SOME LEVEL OF THAT. AND IT FLUCTUATES BASED ON WHAT YOU'RE BRINGING IN. AND SO IT IS IT IS ALWAYS EXPECTED THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT JUST GETTING SOMETHING FOR FREE, LIKE THEY'RE EXPECTED TO CHIP IN THEIR FAIR SHARE, THEIR FAIR SHARE. AND IT'S ALWAYS WHEN WE'RE TALKING PERMANENT SUPPORTING, SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, IT IS ALWAYS PAIRED WITH THOSE WRAPAROUND SERVICES SO THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT JUST PUTTING SOMEBODY IN A PLACE FOR TWO MONTHS AND THEN THEY LEAVE, BUT WE WANT THEM TO STAY THERE FOR, FOR, FOR YEARS AND, AND OFF THE STREET AND NOT TAKING RESOURCES AND, AND HOPEFULLY GETTING THEM TO A STATE SPACE WHERE THEY'RE MUCH MORE LIKE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY. YEAH. AND SO LIKE THE PEOPLE AT SHEEHAN LANDING, FOR EXAMPLE. RIGHT. THESE ARE FOLKS THAT REQUIRE PERMANENT CARE, RIGHT? THEY HAVE CONDITIONS LIKE SCHIZOPHRENIA. RIGHT? THEY THESE AREN'T JUST PEOPLE THAT CHOOSE NOT TO PAY THEIR RENT, RIGHT? I MEAN, THEY HAVE MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS THAT REQUIRE ON SITE 24 OVER SEVEN CARE SO THAT IF THEY HAVE AN EPISODE, SOMEBODY THERE THAT CAN INTERVENE, THAT REALLY IS THE PERMANENT, SUPPORTIVE PART OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING. YEAH. IN A PLACE LIKE SHEEHAN IS LIKE DESIGNED FOR THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN HOMELESS FOR LIKE THERE ARE PROBABLY FOLKS IN THERE THAT HOMELESS FOR DECADES. LIKE, THIS IS THE HARDEST TO HOUSE THAT ARE THAT NEED THE MOST SUPPORTS CONSTANTLY. OKAY, WELL, WE HAVE ANOTHER SPEAKER. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WRAP THIS ONE UP. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. LIKE I DON'T WANT TO START WITH QUESTIONS. FIRST I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING. WE HAVE WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER OR TWO. WE HAVE ONE. YOU DIDN'T TELL US IN ADVANCE. I'M JUST I WOULD JUST LIKE TO GIVE A [01:00:03] SHORT INTRODUCTION. IT'S JUST ONE SPEAKER. OKAY. BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES. BUT. OKAY. YEAH, YEAH. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M LAURA, LAURA GRABOWSKI WITH THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR AND CO-CHAIR, FOR ALLOWING US TO COME TODAY. WE I JUST WANT TO INTRODUCE OUR A CONSULTANT THAT WE HAVE KAREN BLACK WITH MAY 8TH CONSULTING VERY QUICKLY AS AN INTRO. WE HAVE BEEN RUNNING A HOMEOWNER REPAIR PROGRAM OUT OF METRO GOVERNMENT, EITHER THROUGH FUNDING NONPROFIT PARTNERS OR DIRECTLY FOR A VERY LONG TIME. AND WE DECIDED THAT IT WAS TIME TO LOOK AT TO HAVE A CONSULTANT LOOK AT THE NEEDS OF THOSE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. WHAT IS THE NEED FOR HOMEOWNER REPAIR AND HELP US COME UP WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS? SO I KNOW THE COUNCIL HAS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE IN THE PAST WITH HOMEOWNER REPAIR, BUT IT'S ALSO A PRETTY DIFFICULT PROGRAM TO RUN, AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF NEED OUT THERE. SO WE'RE GOING TO SWITCH FROM TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT RENTAL AND HOUSELESSNESS TO HOMEOWNERS AND HOW TO KEEP THEM IN THEIR HOUSE. SO WITH THAT, WE'LL STOP TALKING AND TURN IT OVER TO KAREN. THANK YOU. LET ME ASK YOU, IS THIS GOING TO BE A NEW PROGRAM, OR IS IT GOING TO BE THE ONE THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, OR IT IS THE ONE THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, THE ONE THAT COUNCIL HAS BEEN FUNDING FOR A WHILE, WHICH IS REALLY NOT JUST ONE PROGRAM, IT'S MULTIPLE PROGRAMS. AND THESE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO HOW TO MAKE THAT BETTER OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF. MY NAME IS KAREN BLACK I FLEW IN TODAY FROM PHILADELPHIA. I'VE BEEN TEACHING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA FOR OVER 15 YEARS AT THIS POINT. AND I HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT HOUSING PRESERVATIONS IN CITIES LIKE LOUISVILLE THAT HAVE THIS GREAT RESILIENT HOUSING STOCK. AND HOMEOWNERSHIP IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. AND MANY OF THESE ARE FAMILY HOMES THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED DOWN AND PEOPLE ARE AT RISK OF LOSING THEM BECAUSE, QUITE FRANKLY, THEY'RE FALLING APART FASTER THAN THEY CAN AFFORD TO FIX THEM. AND SO MY MANDATE WAS TO FIGURE OUT WHO WE ARE SERVING WITH HOME REPAIR ASSISTANCE, WHO WE'RE UNDERSERVING, WHO ISN'T GETTING HELP, AND THEN ARE THERE RECOMMENDATIONS TO REACH MORE HOUSEHOLDS AND HOMES BECAUSE WE JUST HAD A CONVERSATION. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE LOSE THEIR HOME AND SINGLE FAMILY? HOUSING AND REPAIRING SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING IS ONE OF THE LEAST EXPENSIVE AND MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS TO KEEP PEOPLE SHELTERED, NOT ONLY FOR THIS GENERATION BUT THE NEXT GENERATION. THE MOST AFFORDABLE HOME IS THE ONE A FAMILY IS LIVING IN NOW. AND SO FOR THE PAST SIX MONTHS I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH LAURA AND HER TEAM. I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH ALL OF THE HOME REPAIR PROVIDERS IN THE CITY, INCLUDING HABITAT THAT'S SITTING RIGHT THERE, AND WE'VE GOT THESE AMAZINGLY COMMITTED PROVIDERS, THIS GREAT HOUSING STOCK. BUT THERE ARE ISSUES WITH HOW LOUISVILLE'S BEEN DOING HOME REPAIR, RIGHT? EACH PROVIDER PROVIDES A SILOED PROGRAM. THEY AREN'T COORDINATED. SO WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE DATA, A LOT OF PEOPLE, 20% OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING SERVICE WERE GETTING SERVICE TWICE. SO THEY APPLIED TO EVERY PROGRAM. AND WHEN THEY CAME UP TO THE TOP OF THE LIST FOR HABITAT, THEY ALSO CAME ON THE TOP OF THE LIST FOR NEW DIRECTIONS. AND SO THAT MEANS A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE GOT NO SERVICES. RIGHT? WE NEED TO COORDINATE BETTER. THEY SERVE SENIORS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. FOR THE MOST PART, FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING HOME REPAIR HELP. THEY'RE VERY LONG WAIT TIMES AND THERE ARE SOME CRITICAL SERVICE GAPS. SO WHAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT JUST QUICKLY IS WHAT WE FOUND AND THEN WHAT WE RECOMMEND. SO FIRST OF ALL, WHAT WE FOUND IS THIS IS A CRITICAL MOMENT. IF YOU LOOK AT THE CENSUS DATA. AND THIS IS NOT NEW TO YOU, LOUISVILLE'S HOUSING IS AGING. IF YOU LOOK AT THE HOMES THAT WERE BUILT BEFORE 1960, BETWEEN 2000 AND 2023, 19,000 OF THOSE FELL OUT OF THE HOUSING SUPPLY AND BECAME VACANT AND ABANDONED. OUR OLDER HOUSING CAN'T REMAIN RESILIENT WITHOUT SOME INVESTMENT. AND SO THERE'S THIS HUGE RISK OF LOSING AFFORDABLE UNITS AND LOSING LOW INCOME HOMEOWNERSHIP. THE HOMEOWNERS ARE NOT JUST SITTING ON THEIR HANDS. THEY'RE TRYING TO GET LOANS. THEY'RE TRYING VERY HARD. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THIS GRAPH, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS THE LOANS THAT ARE GOING TO MIDDLE AND UPPER INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH IS THAT BLUE LINE ON TOP AND THE LINE THAT ARE GOING TO LOW AND MODERATE INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS. AND OUR PRIVATE MARKET LENDERS ARE JUST NOT PROVIDING MANY HOME IMPROVEMENT LOANS TO LOW AND MODERATE INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS. [01:05:01] WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT FROM A RACE POINT OF VIEW, FOR ALL APPLICANTS, 37% ARE BEING DENIED HOME IMPROVEMENT LOANS. BUT IF YOU LOOK THAT BLUE LINE IS WHITE, FAMILIES AND FAMILIES OF COLOR ARE SO CLOSE TO THE ZERO MARK THAT IT'S ALMOST HARD TO TELL THAT ANY LOANS ARE BEING GIVEN. I SAID I WORKED AT UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, I AND PEOPLE, ACADEMICS AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE IMPACTS OF HOME REPAIR ARE, AND THEY'RE ASTOUNDING. THEY DO STOP VACANCY ABANDONMENT. THEY PREVENT DISPLACEMENT. UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA. WE JUST DID A STUDY. YOU CAN REDUCE CRIME ON A BLOCK BY 21% WITH HOME REPAIRS. THEY ALLOW SENIORS TO AGE IN PLACE. THEY REVITALIZE NEIGHBORHOODS. SO THE INVESTMENT ITSELF DOES A GREAT DEAL. SO LET ME TALK ABOUT WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW. WE ARE CURRENTLY SERVING ABOUT 1000 HOMES A YEAR. AND BY WE BECAUSE I'M NOT SERVING ANYBODY. RIGHT. I CAN'T PICK UP A HAMMER OR OR DO ANYTHING IN A HOME. I MEAN, METRO GOVERNMENT AND ALL THE NONPROFIT PROVIDERS LIKE HABITAT, LIKE NEW DIRECTIONS, LIKE RIVER CITY. WE ESTIMATE THERE ARE ABOUT 29,000 HOMES RIGHT NOW THAT HAVE CRITICAL REPAIR NEEDS THAT THE OWNERS CAN'T MEET. RIGHT. SO THESE ARE AT RISK HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. IT WOULD TAKE 30 YEARS TO SERVE THEM. AND THAT'S ASSUMING THAT NO OTHER HOMES ARE GOING TO BE ADDED TO THAT LIST OF HOMES THAT NEED REPAIRS, WHICH ISN'T REALISTIC. THIS MAP SHOWS TWO THINGS. SO THE BLUE ON THIS MAP SHOWS THE NEIGHBORHOODS, THE CENSUS TRACTS THAT ARE RECEIVING REPAIRS. SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THE DARK BLUE AREAS ARE ON THE WEST END. NEIGHBORHOODS, HIDDEN VALLEY, THOSE REPRESENT THE PLACES THAT ARE RECEIVING A GREAT DEAL OF SERVICE FROM EITHER METRO GOVERNMENT OR THE NONPROFIT SERVICE PROVIDERS. BUT I WANT TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO THE GOLD AREAS. SO IN THOSE CENSUS TRACTS, THE SAME CONDITIONS EXIST. SO THEY HAVE HOUSES THAT ARE JUST AS OLD, THAT ARE LOW VALUE, WHERE THE POPULATION OF HOMEOWNERS ARE LOW INCOME, BUT THEY'RE RECEIVING VERY FEW HOME REPAIRS. SO WE BELIEVE THAT THERE'S UNMET DEMAND THERE, AND WE NEED TO EXPAND TO MEET THAT DEMAND, OR WE'RE GOING TO KEEP LOSING HOMES. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? VERY QUICKLY? THERE ARE NINE RECOMMENDATIONS. I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH A FEW OF THEM HERE, BUT I WANT TO BE VERY CAREFUL WITH YOUR TIME. WE NEED TO COORDINATE BETTER SO WE KNOW WHAT ALL THE DIFFERENT PROVIDERS ARE DOING AND CAN IMPROVE THE SYSTEM. WE NEED TO FUND STRONGER. WE NEED TO DESIGN THE PROGRAM SMARTER. AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT. AND WE NEED TO MEASURE WHAT MATTERS. SO LET ME JUST GO THROUGH A FEW. AND THIS ONE'S REALLY CRITICAL. METRO GOVERNMENT HAS DONE HAS MADE THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO HOME REPAIR IN TWO WAYS. ONE, THEY HAVE PROVIDED DIRECT SERVICES. THEY CONTRACT WITH CONTRACTORS TO GO FIX HOMES. THE OTHER IS THEY CONTRACT WITH NONPROFIT PROVIDERS LIKE NEW DIRECTIONS OR HABITAT AND HAVE THE NONPROFITS FIX THOSE HOMES. WE HAVE DONE AN ANALYSIS, AND WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IS THAT THE NONPROFITS ARE FIXING THE HOME AT A HIGHER QUALITY LEVEL AND LESS EXPENSIVELY THAN GOVERNMENT IS ABLE TO. AND THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF REASONS FOR THAT IN THE REPORT, AND I'M HAPPY TO DISCUSS IT. BUT AS A RESULT, WE WANT TO RECOMMEND THAT GOVERNMENT MOVES AWAY FROM PROVIDING DIRECT SERVICE AND INSTEAD FUNDS MANAGES CHEERLEADES, THE NONPROFITS WHO ARE DOING THIS BETTER. AND WHEN I SAY BETTER, WE HELD A BUNCH OF FOCUS GROUPS WITH HOMEOWNERS. I INTERVIEWED HOMEOWNERS. THE EXPERIENCE WITH METRO GOVERNMENT WAS NOT POSITIVE. AND AGAIN, I CAN GIVE YOU MORE DETAILS. WHAT I DO THINK IS THAT METRO GOVERNMENT SHOULD CONTINUE TO MANAGE THE PROGRAMS THAT REQUIRE INTER-DEPARTMENTAL COORDINATION. SO ICAP WORKS WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT, LEAD WORKS WITH PUBLIC HEALTH, BUT IT WOULD PLAY A DIFFERENT ROLE. WE NEED MORE FUNDING. METRO GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN VERY GENEROUS WITH CDBG DOLLARS, BUT CDBG DOLLARS ARE SHRINKING AND THE COST OF DOING REPAIRS IS GOING UP ABOUT 15 TO 20% AROUND THE COUNTRY. SO WE NEED MORE MONEY. WE NEED TO GET THE FOUNDATION AND PRIVATE DOLLARS IN OPERATING BUDGET DOLLARS. AND WHAT PLACES HAVE BEEN DOING ALL THE WAY FROM AUSTIN, TEXAS TO PHILADELPHIA, [01:10:01] PENNSYLVANIA, IS GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS BECAUSE THIS IS A CRITICAL TIME TO KEEP LOW INCOME HOMEOWNERSHIP, TO ALLOW GENERATIONAL WEALTH, AND TO STOP ABANDONMENT. WHEN WE TALK TO THE HOMEOWNERS ABOUT WHAT THEY NEED, WHAT THEY NEED IS EMERGENCY REPAIR. SOMETHING HAPPENED WITHIN 48 HOURS OR 72 HOURS, AND THEY DON'T HAVE HEAT AND WINTER. THEIR ROOF IS LEAKING. BUT IF YOU GET IN QUICKLY, FIX THAT ONE THING. IT'S MUCH CHEAPER, IT'S FASTER. YOU REDUCE LONG TERM DAMAGE TO THE HOME. METRO GOVERNMENT DOESN'T HAVE A PERMANENT EMERGENCY REPAIR PROGRAM AT THIS TIME, BUT WE THINK THERE WOULD BE HUGE BENEFIT IF IT LAUNCHED A PILOT. AND THEN BACK TO THAT WHOLE IDEA OF SILOED PROGRAMS, HOMEOWNERS. AND REMEMBER, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SENIORS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE BEING ASKED TO APPLY TO MULTIPLE PROGRAMS AND TRACK MULTIPLE PROGRAMS. AND HOPE AND THAT THEY'LL GET SOME HELP. IF WE HAD ONE PLACE WHERE THEY COULD APPLY. AND THEN THOSE PROVIDERS ALL TALK TO EACH OTHER. IT WOULD, IN FACT, ALLOW US TO MUCH MORE EFFECTIVELY SERVE FOLKS. AND THE PROVIDERS HAVE BEEN WORKING TOWARDS THIS. WE ACTUALLY, IN THIS HAVE A LOUISVILLE WHAT IS IT, LOUISVILLE HOME REPAIR NETWORK. OF ALL THE PROVIDERS TALKING AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO COORDINATE INTENTIONALLY. AND THEN FINALLY AND LAST SLIDE, THE BANKS HAVE TO DO BETTER. WE HAVE TO GET THEM IN A ROOM AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD TO PAY BACK A HOME IMPROVEMENT LOAN CAN GET ONE. AND IN PHILADELPHIA, THAT MEANT THAT THEY STARTED THEIR OWN LOAN FUND IN CLEVELAND, IT MEANS THAT THEY BASICALLY SAID TO THE BANKS, WE WILL COVER 40% OF THE RISK IN CASE OF DEFAULT. AND THEY DID THAT BY JUST PUTTING A CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT INTO THAT BANK AND SAYING, SO BE MORE GENEROUS. WE BELIEVE THEY WILL PAY BACK THAT LOAN. LET'S TRY IT. AND THE DEFAULT RATES HAVE BEEN SO TINY. THAT WE'VE GOTTEN HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE LOANS AND INVESTMENT. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IT TODAY WITH YOU FIRST. AND LAURA CAN TELL YOU WHO WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IN THE THREE DAYS I'M HERE. BUT I THINK IT'S A REAL EXCITING OPPORTUNITY. AND I THINK. THE TIME IS NOW BECAUSE I WOULD HATE FOR ALL OF US TO LOOK BACK AND SAY, LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS CAN'T AFFORD TO BE HOMEOWNERS IN THIS METRO, BUT THEY NEED A LITTLE HELP. LAURA, IS THIS A PROGRAM THAT WOULD BE RAN THROUGH YOUR OFFICE OR WHAT? ABSOLUTELY, YES. SO THE HOME REPAIR PROGRAM, I MEAN, WE AT METRO, WE CALL IT ONE THING. IT IS NOT ONE THING. IT IS BEEN FUNDED TO KAREN'S POINT BY METRO COUNCIL FOR, I THINK, DECADES AT THIS POINT, MOSTLY USING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT DOLLARS. THERE ARE ALSO OTHER NONPROFITS IN TOWN THAT HAVE THEIR OWN REPAIR PROGRAMS, AND SOME OF THOSE SAME NONPROFITS, METRO OR OUR OFFICE HAS CONTRACTED WITH. SO THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT'S COMING OUT OF THIS REPORT WERE MEANT SOME WERE MEANT FOR THE ACTUAL PROGRAM THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THIS HOME REPAIR PROGRAM. AND SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE FOR THE COMMUNITY IN GENERAL, LIKE THE ONE THAT TALKS ABOUT NEEDING TO EXPAND FUNDING. THAT IS NOT A CALL FOR METRO GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE MORE FUNDING NECESSARILY. IT IS THAT IF WE ARE TRYING TO SERVE 29,000 HOMEOWNERS OR SOMEWHERE NEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED OTHER PARTNERS. METRO CAN'T BE THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN FOR THAT. SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS THAT QUESTION. ALL RIGHT. I KNOW I HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE IN MY IT'S NOT SHOWING UP ON MY COMPUTER. YEAH. COUNCILMAN SAM OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. HAVE A WELCOME TO LOUISVILLE. THANK YOU. THIS RENTAL, I MEAN, THIS REPAIR ASSISTANCE, IT'S A IT'S NOT A PILOT PROGRAM. IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE. AND WHO QUALIFIES FOR THAT? AND IS THERE A IS THERE A CERTAIN AREA THAT'S THAT'S BENEFITED FROM THIS PROGRAM. WHERE ARE YOU SERVING? SURE. YOU CAN ACTUALLY LOOK AT THIS MAP HERE. SO THE PROGRAM HAS I MEAN IT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR AT LEAST TWO DECADES. IT'S A VERY POPULAR PROGRAM. EVEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY. A LOT OF CITIES USE THE [01:15:01] SAME FEDERAL DOLLARS. SO YOU CAN SEE IN THERE THE, THE DARK BLUE OR THE BLUE AREAS ARE THE AREAS THAT HAVE RECEIVED THE MOST SERVICE, CERTAINLY NOT FOR TWO DECADES, BUT IN, IN THE RECENT, YOU KNOW, 4 OR 5 YEARS TO QUALIFY. NORMALLY A HOUSEHOLD HAS TO MEET ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS OF 80% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME. BUT I KNOW WHEN WE'VE LOOKED AT OUR DATA IN THE PAST, IT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE APPLYING ARE UNDER 30%. SO THEY ARE SENIORS ON FIXED INCOME OR PEOPLE WHO ARE RECEIVING DISABILITY. WE HAVE ALWAYS WITH THE FUNDING THAT COUNCIL HAS APPROPRIATED, RUN A METRO WIDE PROGRAM AS WELL, WHICH IS WHY YOU DO SEE SOME BLUE SCATTERED ABOUT, BECAUSE OF COURSE, IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WOULD QUALIFY, BUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD QUALIFY HAVE BEEN IN IN THE WESTERN AND SOUTHERN NEIGHBORHOODS. I HOPE THAT HELPS. AND I WOULD, I CAN'T I CAN POINT TO A SPECIFIC ISSUE THAT WE HAD IN MY DISTRICT, WHICH IS WHICH IS IN FAIRDALE FOR 0118, WHICH IS NO BLUE. AND I'M WONDERING IF WE EXPAND THIS, IF WE WORK THIS, ARE WE GOING TO WE GOING TO SEE ANY HELP IN THIS AREA BECAUSE WE NEW DIRECTIONS IS ONE THAT WE REACHED OUT. THEY HAD NO THEY HAD NO FUNDING. IT WAS SPENT OTHER PLACES. AND I'M WONDERING IS THIS DIVIDED OUT EVENLY. ARE WE GETTING A FAIR SHARE IN IN MY DISTRICT, AS THEY ARE IN THE BIG BLUE AREA AND WHICH WE HAVE SEEN THROUGHOUT HISTORY. RIGHT. WELL, AND THAT IS WHERE I THINK THAT'S AN INTERESTING THAT IS ONE OF THE INTERESTING PIECES THAT CAME OUT OF THIS. AND ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE ENGAGED WITH MAY 8TH CONSULTING, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID WITH THE HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ONLY ABLE TO GAUGE THE NEED BASED ON WHEN WE WOULD OPEN UP OUR APPLICATIONS AND WE WOULD WHEN WE WOULD OPEN THEM UP IN SEVEN HOURS, WE WOULD GET A THOUSAND APPLICATIONS, AND WE WOULD HAVE FUNDING FOR MAYBE 200. SO, YOU KNOW, AND THEY CAME FROM FAIRDALE FROM THE WEST, YOU KNOW, SOME FROM THE EAST. SO I DO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THE, AGAIN, THE WHOLE ECOSYSTEM OF HOME REPAIR FUNDING IS HITTING ALL OF THE AREAS OF NEED. NOW, DOES THAT MEAN METRO GOVERNMENT HAS TO, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE FUNDING FOR ALL OF IT? NO, THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE POSSIBLE. BUT, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE NONPROFIT PARTNERS THAT ARE IN THE AREA THAT CAN TAKE ON SOME OF THIS, SOME OF THE NEED IN SOME OF THE DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHY OR EVEN SOME OF THE DIFFERENT ELIGIBLE ELIGIBLE POPULATIONS? I THINK THAT THAT IS WE WE'RE COMING TODAY MAINLY BECAUSE THIS REPORT IS FINAL WITH RECOMMENDATIONS WE WANTED TO SHARE WITH WITH THE COMMITTEE. THERE WILL BE ONGOING UPDATES FROM, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAME OUT OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO BRING. THANK YOU. YEAH, I FEEL LIKE THAT ALL OF OUR DISTRICTS FEEL THE SAME WAY AS YOU DO, BECAUSE I KNOW FOR A FACT THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE IN NEW BERN AREA THAT APPLY IN ALL THE SPOTS ARE FILLED IN LESS THAN A MONTH. YEAH. AND SO IT'S LIKE I HAVE A LITTLE LADY THAT CALLS ME EVERY TWO DAYS, SHE'S GOT SOMETHING WRONG WITH HER SINK, AND SHE KEEPS CALLING. WHAT IS IT, THE WHICH AGENCY IS IT? NEW DIRECTION. THAT'S WHO SHE KEEPS CALLING. AND THE LIST IS FOR. SHE CAN'T GET IN THERE. BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY THINK THAT THEY CAN JUST CALL AND GET IMMEDIATE HELP, BUT THEY CAN'T. SO. OKAY, WELL, WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE. YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? WHATEVER. MR. OKAY. SO IF WE HAVE NO MORE CONCERNS OR WHATEVER, I CAN ALWAYS GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU. LAURA. SO, YEAH. SO WELL, WE WILL, YOU KNOW, AND YOU'LL BE COMING BACK. WHAT'S THE DATE? BECAUSE CALEB'S OUT OF TOWN. I THINK IT'S IN TWO WEEKS. I THINK IT'S THE NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING. IT'S THE NEXT ONE. I THINK IT'S THE NINTH, NINTH, 18TH OR 19TH. YES, I'LL BE HERE. SO. AND I'LL BE TALKING ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT OUR OFFICE DOES. BUT IF ANYONE HAS QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS ABOUT HOME REPAIR, WE CAN ALSO TALK ABOUT IT AT THAT POINT. I HATE TO IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR COMING. NOW WE ARE ADJOURNED AND WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING ALL THE WAY FROM PHILADELPHIA. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL. ALL RIGHT. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.