Jul 23, 2025 Equity, Community Affairs, Housing, Health and Education

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WE WON'T BE STARTING RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE A QUORUM YET. I DON'T HAVE A QUORUM. I

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[Call to Order]

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I AM THE CHAIR, COUNCILWOMAN BARBARA SHANKLIN. WITH ME IS THE VICE CHAIR, COUNCILMAN STUART BENSON. COUNCIL MEMBER TAMMY HAWKINS. I CAN HEAR HER IN THE HALLWAY. COUNCILMAN. DAN SIMON IS HERE. COUNCILMAN. AND MARCUS WINKLER AND COUNCIL MEMBER JENNY WOOLRIDGE WILL NOT BE HERE TODAY. SHE TOOK OUT EXCUSED ABSENCE. OKAY. TODAY WE HAVE TWO SPECIAL DISCUSSIONS, AND I'M GOING TO CHANGE THE TO. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE NUMBER TWO FIRST BECAUSE NEW DIRECTIONS HAS A LARGE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE. SO IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER. SO I'M GOING TO GO WITH THE NUMBER TWO FIRST. CAN YOU READ THE. THIS MEETING IS BEING HELD PURSUANT TO CLAUSE 61.826

[2. ID 25-0365     LOUISVILLE WATER LEAD REPLACEMENT PROGRAM:  Vince Guenthner, Louisville Water Company]

AY. WE HE A MOTIOHANK OK. W H I , AVEGISTION OKAY.

ANKOU. YOU WANTO INTRODUCE URSELF? THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MY NAME IS VINCE GUNTHER. I'M WITH THE LOUISVILLE WATER COMPANY, AND WITH ME IS ED MARIN. ED AND I, ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER FOLKS AT THE LOUISVILLE WATER COMPANY, ARE GOING TO BE DOING A LOT OF STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH RELATED TO THE LOUISVILLE WATER COMPANIES LEAD REPLACEMENT PROGRAM. AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO TALK WITH YOU GUYS THIS THIS AFTERNOON ABOUT. OKAY, SO FIRST OF ALL, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT LEAD IS NOT PRESENT IN THE DRINKING WATER WHEN IT LEAVES THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT. IN FACT, LOUISVILLE WATER MEETS ALL WATER QUALITY STANDARDS. IN FACT, WE ARE ARE RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE BEST WATER UTILITIES IN THE UNITED STATES. LEAD ONLY GETS INTO DRINKING WATER WHEN IT COMES IN CONTACT WITH LEAD PLUMBING, LIKE EITHER SERVICE LINES OR FIXTURES, AND THE MOST COMMON WAY THAT THAT FOLKS GET EXPOSED TO LEAD IS PRIMARILY THROUGH PAINT OR DIRT. IT'S VERY, VERY RARE IN LOUISVILLE THAT ANYONE IS EXPOSED TO LEAD BECAUSE OF THEIR DRINKING WATER. THE OTHER PART ABOUT THAT, WHAT WE DO TO

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WE ARE CONTROLLING THE PH. PH SO THAT IT'S LESS CORROSIVE AND MUCH LESS LIKELY TO CREATE A PROBLEM. WITH THAT SAID, WE KNOW THAT NO AMOUNT OF LEAD IS SAFE. AND SO WE HAVE A PROGRAM THAT I'M GOING TO GO INTO GREAT DETAIL ABOUT, ABOUT MAKING SURE WE REPLACE THOSE LEAD LINES. SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR HISTORY BETWEEN 1869 AND THE 1940S, IT WAS A VERY COMMON PRACTICE THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES OF USING LEAD AS PART OF THE SERVICE LINE. WHAT YOU SEE THERE IN FRONT OF YOU IS A LARGE PIPE. THERE IS A TRANSMISSION MAIN, AND THEN THOSE SMALLER LINES THAT ARE GOING OVER THE TOP ARE LEAD SERVICE LINES. THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WAS COMMON AT THE TIME TO INSTALL. AND WE HAD ABOUT 76,000 OF THEM THAT WERE IN OUR SERVICE TERRITORY. THIS MAP SHOWS YOU A LITTLE BIT OF PROGRESS. SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT A SERVICE LINE, THINK ABOUT IT IN TWO SECTIONS. THERE'S THE PUBLIC SIDE SERVICE LINE. THAT'S THE LINE THAT LOUISVILLE WATER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR. THAT WOULD BE FROM THE WATER MAIN THAT'S TYPICALLY OUT IN THE STREET OR IN A RIGHT OF WAY IN FRONT OF YOUR YOUR HOME. THE LINE THAT CONNECTS FROM THERE TO YOUR METER IS LOUISVILLE WATER'S RESPONSIBILITY. AND THEN THE LINE THAT'S ON THE PRIVATE PROPERTY GOING FROM THE METER INTO A CUSTOMER'S HOME IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PROPERTY OWNER. LOUISVILLE WATER HAS REMOVED ALL OF OUR KNOWN PUBLIC SIDE LEAD LINES. LIKE I SAID, WE STARTED OUT WITH 76,000. OVER THE YEARS, WE'VE MADE PROGRESS AND REDUCED THE NUMBER OF THOSE TO WHERE YOU ADVANCE TO 2020. ALL OF THOSE KNOWN LINES HAVE HAVE HAVE BEEN REMOVED. NOW, OCCASIONALLY WE DO COME ACROSS ONE THAT WE FIND THAT WASN'T PART OF OUR INVENTORY. AND WHEN WE DO THAT, WE IMMEDIATELY REPLACE THEM. SO NOW THAT WE'VE TAKEN CARE OF THE PUBLIC SIDE, WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON THE PRIVATE SIDE. AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP CUSTOMERS ELIMINATE PROT OF THAT IS UPDATING OUR SERVICE LINE RECORDS. SO RIGHT NOW UNDER THE LEAD AND COPPER RULE THAT WAS INTRODUCED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCIES, UTILITIES HAVE TO GO OUT AND NOT ONLY IDENTIFY THEIR SERVICE LINE THAT PUBLIC SIDE, BUT WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY WHAT TYPE OF MATERIAL IS ON THE PRIVATE SIDE. AND THAT FALLS INTO FOUR CATEGORIES EITHER LEAD OR GALVANIZED, WHICH CAN BE PROBLEMATIC OR UNKNOWN. OR NON-LEAD, MEANING IT WOULD LIKELY BE COPPER OR PEX OR PVC. SO THE UNKNOWN WE ONLY KNOW OF ABOUT, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE 600 OR SO KNOWN LEAD LINES AND WE'VE ALREADY CONTACTED THOSE CUSTOMERS AND LET THEM KNOW THAT WE HAVE A PROGRAM TO REPLACE THEM. THE UNKNOWN, HOWEVER, WE HAVE ABOUT 47,000, AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF WAYS THAT FOLKS CAN FIND OUT IF THEY HAVE A LEAD LINE. THE EASIEST WAY IS TO GO TO OUR WEB PAGE, AND THERE IS A PUBLIC PRIVATE INVENTORY LOOKUP TOOL WHERE THEY CAN PUT IN THEIR ACCOUNT NUMBER AND DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE LINE ON THEIR SIDE IS LEAD OR NON-LEAD OR UNKNOWN. AND SO FOR A LOT OF THESE CUSTOMERS, IT'S GOING TO BE UNKNOWN BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT'S ON THE PRIVATE SIDE IN A LOT OF CASES. SO WHAT WE'RE DOING ABOUT THAT, FIRST OF ALL, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH AND INVENTORY. SO CHECKING ALL OF OUR RECORDS, WE ALSO WE KNOW THROUGH OUR WORK THAT WE'VE NEVER FOUND A LEAD LINE ON A HOME THAT WAS BUILT AFTER 1950. SO BY USING DATABASES AND SOME MODELING, WE WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT ANY HOME BUILT AFTER 1950 WE CAN CLASSIFY AS NON-LEAD. SO THOSE AREN'T PROBLEMATIC. IT'S THOSE PRE 1950 HOMES THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON. SO OF COURSE IT'S THE OLDER AREAS OF LOUISVILLE. SO THINK ABOUT HOW LOUISVILLE WAS WAS BUILT. YOU KNOW IT'S WEST LOUISVILLE SOUTH LOUISVILLE HIGHLANDS CRESCENT HILL ESSENTIALLY THAT RING INSIDE THE

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WE'LL BE GOING SYSTEMATICALLY TO NEIGHBORHOODS AND REACHING OUT TO CUSTOMERS ONE ON ONE TO TRY TO DETERMINE WHAT THEIR, THEIR SERVICE LINE MATERIAL IS. SO WE'LL START OUT WITH MAILING A POSTCARD LIKE THIS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. WILL THEN SHOW UP, AND IT'S GOING TO BE A LOUISVILLE WATER COMPANY CONTRACTOR. THEY THE FIRST THING THEY'LL DO IS THEY'LL KNOCK ON THE CUSTOMER'S DOOR. AND THIS IS KIND OF AN IMPORTANT POINT TO MAKE, BECAUSE UP UNTIL THIS POINT, WE ALWAYS TOLD OUR CUSTOMERS THERE WAS NEVER ANY REASON FOR A LOUISVILLE WATER COMPANY EMPLOYEE OR CONTRACTOR TO GO INSIDE THE HOME. BUT FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, THE EASIEST WAY TO IDENTIFY WHAT THEIR SERVICE LINE IS TO BE ABLE TO GET ACCESS TO THEIR HOME, GO EITHER TO THE BASEMENT OR THE CRAWL SPACE OR UTILITY CLOSET. WHEREVER THE LINE IS COMING INTO YOUR HOME WHERE THE SHUT OFF VALVE IS, THAT WILL TELL US WHAT THE EXTERNAL MATERIAL IS COMING INTO THE HOME, AND THAT'S THE EASIEST WAY TO IDENTIFY IT. SO IF A CUSTOMER IS COMFORTABLE WITH LETTING OUR CONTRACTOR COME INTO THE HOME, THAT'S WHAT THEY'LL DO. THEY'LL GO IN AND THEY'LL IDENTIFY IT THEMSELVES. IF THEY DON'T WANT US GOING IN THE HOME, THAT'S FINE. WHAT WE'LL DO AT THAT POINT IS WE'LL MAKE A SMALL HAND DIG OUT NEAR THE PROPERTY LINE, NOT TOO FAR FROM THE METER, AND BY AFTER WE EXPOSE THE LINE, THEN WE'LL DETERMINE IF IT'S LEAD GALVANIZED NON-LEAD OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER IT IS, IF IT'S LEAD OR GALVANIZED. LOUISVILLE WATER WILL REPLACE THAT LINE FOR FREE. NO COST TO THE CUSTOMER. AND THAT'S FROM THE METER ALL THE WAY TO THEIR WATER SHUT OFF VALVE. YOU KNOW, WHEREVER THAT POINT IS INSIDE THE HOME. SO. IN ORDER TO DO THAT THOUGH, WE WANT WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO REALLY BRAND THIS PROGRAM. AND IF BY THE WAY, IF SOMEBODY'S NOT HOME, WE'LL LEAVE A BROCHURE, A DOOR HANGER ON THEIR DOOR LETTING THEM KNOW THAT WE WERE THERE. HERE'S WHAT WE FOUND. IF IT'S LEAD, CONTACT US. IF WE DON'T HEAR FROM YOU, WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW BACK UP. WE ALSO HAVE SOME BRANDED SHIRTS. WE PUT A WHOLE KIND OF BRAND AROUND THIS SO THAT IT WOULD BE A RECOGNIZED PROGRAM. WE HAVE CAR MAGNETS THAT ARE GOING ON THE TRUCKS. WE HAVE A SPECIALLY MADE ID BADGE THAT HAS THE LOGO OF THE PROGRAM. SO THESE FOLKS ARE GOING TO ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY BE BRANDED AS LOUISVILLE WATER CONTRACTORS TO KIND OF MINIMIZE ANY CONCERN THAT THE PUBLIC MIGHT HAVE ABOUT WHY ARE WE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHY ARE WE ASKING TO MAYBE GO IN AND INSPECT YOUR PLUMBING? THIS IS A DIAGRAM THAT KIND OF DEMONSTRATES WHAT THAT PUBLIC VERSUS PRIVATE SIDE IS. SO EVERYTHING IN BLUE THERE IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF LOUISVILLE WATER THAT AS I MENTIONED, THAT'S THE LINE THAT RUNS FROM THE WATER MAIN TO THE METER. AND THEN JUST SLIGHTLY BEYOND THE METER WHERE WE TIE IN TO THE PRIVATE SIDE. AND THEN THAT THAT COLOR THAT'S THERE IN PURPLE IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PROPERTY OWNER. THE FINAL THING THAT WE HAVE TO DO WHEN WE IDENTIFY THAT IT'S LEAD OR GALVANIZED, WE HAVE TO GET PERMISSION FROM THE CUSTOMER BEFORE WE CAN DO THE WORK ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. RIGHT. SO WE'LL BE ASKING THEM TO SIGN A CONSENT FORM AND ALL THIS WILL BE DONE. YOU KNOW, WHEN THAT CONTRACTOR SHOWS UP IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE POSTCARD GOES OUT, THEY KNOCK ON THE DOOR. IF YOU'RE THERE, THEY'LL ATTEMPT TO GAIN ENTRY. THEY'LL THEY'LL LET YOU KNOW WHAT THE MATERIAL IS.

IF IT'S LEAD OR GALVANIZED, THEY'LL ASK YOU TO SIGN THE CONSENT FORM. THEN THEY'LL SCHEDULE THE REPLACEMENT. THEY'RE NOT HOME. WE'LL LEAVE THE MATERIAL ON THEIR DOOR INDICATING WHAT WE FOUND, IF IT'S LEAD OR GALVANIZED. IF THEY DON'T REACH OUT TO US, WE'LL FOLLOW BACK UP WITH THEM, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE ABLE TO GET TO FOLKS AND LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND GET THESE LINES REPLACED. WE'RE IN ADDITION TO COMMUNICATING THIS TO THE METRO COUNCIL. AND BY THE WAY, FOR ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE'RE STARTING OUT. AND YOU MAY ASK HOW WE PRIORITIZE HOW WE'RE STARTING. WE HAVE A WHOLE CRITERIA. IT'S BASED ON THE ANY TYPE OF POSITIVE LEAD BLOOD LEVELS IN A COMMUNITY. IT IS AGE

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WHAT IF THE HOUSES ARE RENTAL PROPERTY. WE WILL ALSO REPLACE ON RENTAL PROPERTY. OBVIOUSLY THE RENTER IS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GIVE US PERMISSION. WE WILL WE WILL BE MAILING THIS POSTCARD TO THE PREMISE ADDRESS AND ALSO THE WE'RE DOING PVA RESEARCH TO FIND OUT WHO OWNS THE PROPERTY AND IF THAT'S A DIFFERENT ADDRESS FOR LIKE WHERE THEY WANT MAILING TO GO TO, WE'LL MAIL IT THERE. SO LANDLORDS, EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT AT THE PREMISE OF A RENTAL PROPERTY THAT THEY OWN, WE'LL GET THIS NOTIFICATION. WE WILL ASK THE RENTER TO REACH OUT TO THEIR LANDLORD, ENCOURAGE THEM TO REACH OUT TO US. SO IT DOES APPLY TO RENTAL PROPERTY, BUT THAT'S AN EXTRA HOOP THAT WE'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH. EXCUSE ME. THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE, LIKE SOME PLACES IN NEWBURGH. YEAH, THOSE THE ONES THAT OWN THE HOUSES LIVE OUT OF STATE. WE HAVE PROBLEMS RIGHT NOW GETTING THEM TO RESPOND WHEN IT'S A COLD OR SOMETHING. SO AND JUST RECENTLY WE WERE ACROSS THE STREET AT THE OLD JAIL AND WE GOT PETITIONS 300 FOR TO KEEP A BUSINESS IN THE OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THEY TOLD US THAT YOU COULDN'T SIGN. THEY DIDN'T COUNT THE 300 PEOPLE THAT WE HAD BECAUSE THEY WERE RENTAL PROPERTY. AND SO THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT WE HAVE IN THAT AREA. AND A LOT OF THESE HOMEOWNERS, THEY JUST THEY LIVE IN VIRGINIA, THEY LIVE EVERYWHERE. WE CAN'T EVEN GET COLDS. SO I FEEL LIKE THIS IS GOING TO BE A PROBLEM OR IT'S GOING TO CAUSE A LONG TIME BEING ABLE TO GET THIS DONE. YEAH. SO IT'S DEFINITELY THAT'S CERTAINLY AN ISSUE. ABSOLUTELY. LIKE YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE THIS, WE'VE ALREADY STARTED SOME OF THIS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, KIND OF ONE ONE OFFS. AND YOU KNOW WE'LL WE'LL CALL PROPERTY OWNERS OR PROPERTY MANAGERS OUT OF STATE, TALK TO THEM AND EXPLAIN TO THEM THAT THIS IS A BENEFIT FOR THEM. RIGHT. YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO NO MONEY OUT OF THEIR POCKET AND THERE'S AN INCENTIVE FOR THEM TO GET THIS DONE, BOTH FOR PUBLIC HEALTH AND JUST FOR THEIR BOTTOM LINE. RIGHT? THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET A NEW SERVICE LINE OUT OF THIS. AND IT'S GOOD FOR EVERYONE. SO ABSOLUTELY AGREE THAT IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO GET THEM. BUT WE'RE HOPING THAT ONCE THEY HEAR THE MESSAGE, ONCE THEY SEE THE MESSAGE THAT WE'RE GOING TO, WE'RE SENDING THESE OUT OF STATE. WE KNOW THERE'S OUT OF STATE MAILING ADDRESSES. ONCE THEY SEE THAT, ONCE WE TALK TO THEM, WE'LL WE'LL GET THEM ON BOARD. AND WE DON'T NEED THEM IN PERSON. RIGHT? WE JUST NEED THEIR SIGNATURE. WE CAN SEND THEM AN EMAIL, GET A VIRTUAL SIGNATURE, AND THEN THEY'LL LET US DO THE WORK. OKAY. AS WE'RE LOOKING AT CHANGES, I WAS TALKING TO ATTORNEY CHANGING THE LAW. WHEREAS IF A PERSON LIVES IN THAT RESIDENCE, THEN THEY'RE GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT RESIDENT INSTEAD OF THE HOMEOWNER. THEN THAT'S WHERE PETITIONS WAS. THEY'RE TRYING TO CHANGE THE. ZONING FROM RESIDENTIAL TO RIGHT. SO WE TRYING TO CHANGE ALL OF THAT. RIGHT. AND WE'LL DEFINITELY KEEP YOU INFORMED ON HOW THE PROGRESS IS GOING. IF THAT BECOMES A GROWING PROBLEM AND IT'S PROBLEMATIC, WE CAN DEFINITELY KEEP KEEP YOU AND THE REST OF THE COUNCIL INFORMED ON THAT AND THEN DETERMINE WHATEVER KIND OF NEXT STEPS MIGHT HAVE TO BE TAKEN IF THEY DO NOT RESPOND BECAUSE THEY THINK THERE'S SOME KIND OF MONEY THAT THEY HAVE TO PAY OUT. SO THEY'RE NOT RESPONDING TO A CODE, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO RESPOND TO YOU SIGNING BECAUSE THEY THINK THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY OUT. SO DO WE HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? OKAY. COUNCILMAN VINCE. TO ME, IT'S REALLY HARD TO BELIEVE THAT YOU'D HAVE ANY SERVICE LINES THAT ARE 75 YEARS OLD OR OLDER.

I MEAN, AND BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN A COPPER. I MEAN, NEVER SEEN A LEAD PIPE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T

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THANKS FOR BEING HERE TODAY. I GOT A COUPLE QUESTIONS JUST AS FAR AS HOW ARE YOU COMMUNICATING THIS TO THE CITY AND HOW ARE YOU MARKETING. YOU KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF SENIORS AND PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST NOT COMPETENT. YOU KNOW, I SERVE A VERY UNDERSERVED AREA AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, HOW ARE YOU GETTING THIS INFORMATION TO THEM? RIGHT. HOW ARE YOU BEING A VESSEL FOR THEM TO GET THE UNDERSTANDING? BECAUSE I HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANYTHING FROM YOUR OFFICE THAT I CAN GIVE TO MY CONSTITUENTS. SO JUST HOW ARE YOU EDUCATING THEM? WELL, THIS THIS IS REALLY THE FIRST STEP IN THAT. SO OBVIOUSLY WE ARE GOING TO BE PROVIDING INFORMATION TO ALL THE METRO COUNCIL MEMBERS SO THAT THEY CAN INCLUDE THE INFORMATION IN THEIR NEWSLETTER. AND I KNOW THAT'S THAT'S JUST ONE STEP. RIGHT. BUT THAT'S THAT'S THE ONE THING WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING. I HAD MENTIONED THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE MAILING THESE POSTCARDS, BUT THEN WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE DOING THAT NEIGHBORHOOD BLITZ, RIGHT? SO WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING INTO NEIGHBORHOODS, KNOCKING ON DOORS, LETTING FOLKS KNOW AT THAT SORT OF THING. WE ALSO DO A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY EVENTS, RIGHT? I MEAN, WE ARE OUT HANDING OUT PURE TAP THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, TABLING AT VARIOUS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, AND WE WILL HAVE INFORMATION ON THE LEAD PROGRAM THERE. WE WILL WE'LL MEET WITH ANY GROUP, ANY ANY ENTITY INSTITUTION THAT FEELS LIKE THEY CAN BE HELPFUL IN HELPING GETTING THIS INFORMATION OUT. SO, I MEAN, IF YOU HAVE A GROUP THAT YOU THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, BY THE WAY, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT LED SAFE LOUISVILLE, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, ALL OF THOSE ENTITIES, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT LED SAFE LOUISVILLE ARE AWARE OF THE PROGRAM THAT WE'RE GETTING READY TO LAUNCH. THE BOARD OF WATERWORKS, INCLUDING THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, WAS JUST BRIEFED ON THIS YESTERDAY. SO. YEAH, WELL, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, YOU KNOW, WE FIND OUT STUFF THE SAME DAY, SO WE'RE GOING TO SELL THE I KNOW I'M GOING TO SOLELY RELY ON YOU TO SHOW UP IN MY COMMUNITY MEETINGS. I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO BE A VESSEL FOR TO EDUCATE MYSELF AND THE PEOPLE THAT I SERVE. THANK YOU. YEAH.

AND WHAT I'LL DO IS I'LL SET UP A MEETING WITH YOU ONE ON ONE, AND WE CAN GO THROUGH THE PROGRAM THAT WAY, AND WE CAN TAKE DOWN THOUGHTS AND SUGGESTIONS ON WHERE TO GO NEXT.

THANK YOU. YEP. AND I TO HAVE MY REGULAR COMMUNITY MEETING. HAVE SOMEBODY COME OUT. YES. TALK TO THEM. OKAY. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY MORE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? I CAN'T SEE IF MARCUS IS ON THE UPPER. OH. OVER HERE. MARCUS, ARE YOU OKAY? OKAY. HE MUST BE OKAY. OH, HE MUST BE. HE'S NOT EVEN LOOKING. OKAY, SO IF YOU'RE FINISHED, THEN WE'RE FINISHED WITH YOU. YES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND WE WILL GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU ABOUT OUR MEETING AND OUR MEETINGS. OKAY? OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NUMBER TWO. NUMBER ONE. ITEM ONE. NEW DIRECTIONS PROGRESS SINCE 2022,

[1. ID 25-0267     NEW DIRECTIONS PROGRESS SINCE 2022:  Bridgette Johnson, Max Monahan, Kitty McKune, and Tiffany Marthaler of New Directions]

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WE ARE SO THRILLED TO BE HERE. MY NAME IS BRIDGET JOHNSON. I AM THE NEWLY APPOINTED PRESIDENT AND CEO FOR NEW DIRECTIONS, BUT I'VE BEEN WITH NEW DIRECTIONS FOR OVER 21 YEARS. AND A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SHANKLIN, BECAUSE I GREW UP IN THE NEWBURG NEIGHBORHOOD, AND I AM ABSOLUTELY A PRODUCT OF THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT CONTINUOUS SUPPORT.

I CAN REMEMBER YOU AS A LITTLE BITTY GIRL. SO YES, ABSOLUTELY. SO TODAY I AM HERE. WE ARE HERE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT NEW DIRECTIONS. WE'RE GOING TO UPDATE YOU ON OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, OUR CURRENT PROJECTS, AND WHERE WE PLAN TO GO IN THE FUTURE. OKAY, OKAY. I WILL BEGIN WITH A VERY BRIEF SNAPSHOT OF WHO WE ARE. SO FIRST WE ARE A PARTNER. IF YOU ALL LOOK AT THIS EXTENSIVE LIST AND THERE ARE SO MANY MORE PARTNERSHIPS THAT NEW DIRECTIONS SEEKS IN ORDER TO DO THE WORK, BECAUSE WE KNOW TOGETHER WE CAN BE MORE IMPACTFUL. SO THAT'S A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO METRO COUNCIL AS WELL FOR BEING A PARTNER WITH NEW DIRECTIONS.

NEXT SLIDE TO. SO OUR MISSION AT NEW DIRECTIONS IS ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS. WE FULFILL THIS MISSION BY PROVIDING 913 UNITS, PREDOMINANTLY, MORE THAN 50% OF THESE UNITS ARE FEDERALLY SUBSIDIZED. AND I LIKE TO SAY A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS START THEIR JOURNEY WITH NEW DIRECTIONS. WITH LESS THAN $10,000 IN YEARLY INCOME. RIGHT? SO I SAY START THEIR JOURNEY WITH NEW DIRECTIONS. NEXT SLIDE. SORRY. IT'S OKAY. THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF OUR 900 APARTMENTS. AND WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 800 RESIDENTS THAT WE DO SERVE. SO THIS IS THE LOCATION. IF YOU CAN TELL, MORE THAN 60% OF WHO WE SERVE ARE IN THE WEST END OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY. NEXT SLIDE. WHAT PART? I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S IN THE WEST END, BUT WHAT IS IT, 38TH OR 40TH OR WHERE WHEREABOUTS? WHERE ARE WE CAN GIVE YOU AN EXTENSIVE LIST OF THE ADDRESS OF OUR PROPERTIES BECAUSE IT'S VERY WE GO FROM WE HAVE SOME ON 45TH AND BROADWAY. WE ALSO HAVE SOME ON GRAND. WE HAVE UNITS THAT ARE ON CHESTNUT. WE HAVE WHAT MUHAMMAD ALI. SO IT'S WE HAVE A LOT OF ADDRESSES. WE HAVE OVER 110 DIFFERENT BUILDINGS. OKAY. SO WE ARE A SCATTERED SITES MANAGEMENT OKAY. OWNER AND MANAGEMENT. SO WE'LL MAKE SURE YOU GET THAT LIST OKAY. THAT SHOWS THE ADDRESS. WOULD YOU LIKE THAT LIST BY DISTRICTS. YEAH I THINK SO BECAUSE I THINK SO. YEAH OKAY. WE'LL MAKE SURE YOU ALL GET THAT LIST. ANOTHER WAY THAT WE FULFILL OUR MISSION IS OUR WONDERFUL RESIDENT SERVICES PROGRAM. AS I SPOKE EARLIER, WE TALKED ABOUT THEIR JOURNEY BEGINS WITH US. WELL, ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER IS CALLED I RISE, AND IT'S A FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAM. RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE 260 ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS THAT HAVE EARNED OVER $400,000 IN ESCROW. SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THIS PROGRAM AND OUR RESIDENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT. NEXT SLIDE. NEXT, I WOULD LOVE TO TALK ABOUT OUR SENIOR HOME REPAIR, WHICH IS ANOTHER ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL THING THAT WE'VE DONE AT NEW DIRECTIONS WE HAVE THIS YEAR.

WELL AS OF DATE HAVE 326 FREE HOME REPAIR PROJECTS, OVER $3 MILLION SPENT, WITH 71% OF THAT BEING WITH MINORITY CONTRACTORS. OUR SENIOR DIRECTOR OF SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING, MAX MONAHAN, WILL GO INTO MORE DETAIL NEXT SLIDE. AND TO MAKE YOU ALL AWARE THAT WE ARE ALSO THE OWNERS OF SAINT BENEDICT. SAINT BENEDICT IS IN THE CALIFORNIA NEIGHBORHOOD. IT IS OFFICIAL HEAD START CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER. WHO'S WHO HAS ALSO WHO. WE HAVE ALSO EARNED A FIVE STAR RATING, THE HIGHEST RATING YOU CAN GET. WE HAVE IT AT SAINT BENEDICT. THANKS TO OUR TEAM AND STAFF THAT WORK THERE. NEXT SLIDE. NEXT I WOULD LOVE TO TRANSITION IT TO MAX MONAHAN TO

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BECAUSE THESE ARE THE MATRIARCHS. THESE ARE THE PATRIARCHS OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS. THESE ARE IN SOME OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS. DESPITE ALL OF THE BLATANTLY RACIST PRACTICES AND LENDING BACK IN THE 60S, 70S AND 80S, THESE PEOPLE GOT INTO HOMEOWNERSHIP.

AND WE NEED TO PROTECT THAT HOMEOWNERSHIP BECAUSE, AS WE ALL KNOW, HOUSING IS VERY EXPENSIVE NOWADAYS AND IT'S HARD TO BUY HOMES. SO WE WANT TO HELP THESE ELDERLY HOMEOWNERS WITH HOME, WITH HOME REPAIR, AND THEN ALSO TRY TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR END OF LIFE DOCUMENTS SO THAT HOME CAN STAY IN THEIR FAMILY. IT CAN BE A REAL WEALTH BUILDING ASSET FOR THEM AND THEIR FUTURE GENERATIONS IN THEIR FAMILY. SO HERE'S SOME JUST RANDOM STATS FROM THIS YEAR. OUR FISCAL YEAR JUST ENDED AT THE END OF JUNE, SO IT'S JULY TO JUNE FISCAL YEAR. WE DID 309 UNIQUE HOMEOWNERS. WE SPENT $3.5 MILLION. OUR FUNDING COMES FROM A VARIETY OF LEVELS. OF COURSE, THERE'S LOCAL MONEY, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT. WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THE BACKLOG OF THAT, AS WELL AS OUR FRIENDS AT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY WHO ARE HERE TODAY, WHO ALSO DO THIS GREAT WORK. SO WE'VE DONE PROJECT WITH THAT FUNDING, STATE FUNDING. WE HAVE A $1.2 MILLION GRANT WITH HUD RIGHT NOW TO HELP HOMEOWNERS STRICTLY WITH FALL PREVENTION REPAIRS IN THEIR HOMES SO THEY CAN STAY SAFE IN THEIR HOME AND THEY CAN AGE IN PLACE. AND THEN WE ALSO GET PRIVATE MONEY, FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK SYSTEM.

WE HAVE SOME GREAT CORPORATE SPONSORS LIKE CHURCHILL DOWNS, WALSH CONSTRUCTION, FIFTH THIRD BANK, PNC BANK THAT GIVE US THAT MONEY THAT WE CAN USE TO PAY CONTRACTORS TO DO REPAIRS, AND ALSO TO BUY BUILDING MATERIALS FOR VOLUNTEERS WHO CAN COMPLETE REPAIRS, BECAUSE WE DO IT ALL.

SO WE'LL HAVE VOLUNTEERS, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE A YOUTH GROUP, A BOY SCOUT TROOP THAT WILL DO NOTHING BUT CLEAN GUTTERS AND DO YARD WORK ALL THE WAY UP TO CONTRACTORS THAT WILL DO ROOFS, WINDOWS, FURNACES, HVAC, THOSE BIG TICKET ITEMS THAT CAN REALLY CHANGE THE LIFE OF A HOMEOWNER AND KEEP THEM IN THAT HOME THAT THEY'VE WORKED THEIR ENTIRE LIVES TO OWN OUTRIGHT. WE'RE ALSO VERY PROUD THAT 47% OF OUR PROJECTS WERE WORKED ON BY MINORITY OWNED CONTRACTORS.

WE'RE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT THAT, AND WE TRACK THAT NUMBER EVERY SINGLE YEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING VERY INCLUSIVE WITH HOW THESE DOLLARS ARE SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE A PART OF. YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. SO THIS IS A VERY COOL MAP, IF I DO SAY SO MYSELF. SO SINCE THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE IN 2022, HERE ARE ALL THE HOMEOWNERS THAT WE'VE ASSISTED IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. SO YOU SEE 731 HOMEOWNERS ASSISTED. WE AT NEW DIRECTIONS FREE HOME REPAIR IS ONE OF OUR CORE LINES OF BUSINESS, AND WE DO MORE THAN ANY OTHER NONPROFIT OR CITY GOVERNMENT IN THE AREA. SO 731, THAT'S AN AMAZING NUMBER. BUT EACH YEAR WE GET 600 APPLICATIONS FOR FREE HOME REPAIR. AND WE LIKE I SAID, LAST YEAR WE DID 309. SO WE'RE BARELY DOING HALF OF THE PEOPLE THAT APPLY FOR THESE SERVICES BECAUSE THE NEED IS SO GREAT, IT MAKES SENSE. THE BABY BOOMER GENERATION IS AGING. THEY'RE STAYING IN THEIR HOMES. THEY'RE NOT MOVING TO LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES, SO THEIR ONLY OPTION IS TO STAY IN THEIR HOME AND AGE IN PLACE. AND THAT'S WHERE WE COME IN. WE TRY TO MAKE IT SAFE AND MAKE IT SO THEY CAN STAY IN THAT HOME AND THEN TRANSITION THAT HOME INTO STAYING IN THEIR FAMILY TO THAT NEXT GENERATION. SO THESE ARE AS YOU CAN SEE, WE DO EVERYWHERE. IT'S NOT JUST THE NINE WEST LOUISVILLE NEIGHBORHOODS, ALTHOUGH IT IS CONCENTRATED THERE BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE NEED IS. BUT IT'S ALSO IN NEWBURGH AREA. IT'S IN THE SOUTH END, JACOBS, WYANDOTTE, IROQUOIS, ALL THOSE TYPES OF AREAS, BECAUSE THE NEED REALLY IS SPREAD THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY. I KNOW BACK IN JUNE, KAREN BLACK WAS HERE TO PRESENT TO YOU GUYS. SHE WAS A CONSULTANT HIRED BY THE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO A STUDY OF THE FREE HOME REPAIR NEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITY. IT'S 29,000 UNITS ARE NEEDED. 29,000 UNITS ARE IN NEED OF SOME FORM OF HOME REPAIR. WHETHER THAT'S FREE HOME REPAIR FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BELOW 50%, AMI, WHICH IS WHAT WE DO ALL THE WAY UP TO LOW INTEREST OR ZERO INTEREST LOANS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE MORE AT THAT 80% AMI LEVEL. SO IF THE NEED IS 29,000 AS A WHOLE, HOME REPAIR, YOU KNOW, FREE HOME REPAIR NETWORK COMMUNITY, WHICH INCLUDES NEW DIRECTIONS, HABITAT, RIVER CITY HOUSING, LGA, PROJECT WARM, ALL THESE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. WE'RE ONLY DOING ABOUT 1000 HOMES A YEAR COMBINED, BUT THE NEED IS 29,000. SO IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE WE ALWAYS WERE WORKING ON THESE EVERY DAY. BUT, YOU KNOW, FOR EVERY HOMEOWNER THAT WE GET TO CALL AND SAY,

[01:00:04]

SO SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION OF THIS REHABILITATION WAS COMPLETED IN SPRING, ACTUALLY 2025. IT TOTALS 224 APARTMENT UNITS. AND IF YOU DO THE MATH, THAT MEANS THAT WE'VE ALREADY COMPLETED 25% RENOVATION OF OUR EXISTING PORTFOLIO. SO WE'RE WELL ON OUR WAY TO GETTING THINGS DONE. WE'RE REALLY STARTING TO MAKE AN IMPACT. AND YOU CAN GO THROUGH SOME OF THESE. AGAIN, THESE ARE JUST MORE DESCRIPTIONS OF SORT OF WHAT'S INVOLVED IN THESE DIFFERENT PHASES. SO CAMERON, LET'S JUST FLIP THROUGH TO THE NEXT ONE. THAT'S PHASE TWO.

OKAY. SO PHASE TWO THIS IS THIS IS WHAT WE'RE PLANNING TO DO NOW. AND THESE ARE TWO PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR PIPELINE AND ARE ON THE VERGE OF CLOSING THE FINANCING ON THE FIRST ONE IS ROOSEVELT SENIOR APARTMENTS. THAT'S AGAIN IN THE PORTLAND NEIGHBORHOOD. IT'S LITERALLY RIGHT ACROSS THE PARKING LOT OR WILL BE RIGHT ACROSS THE PARKING LOT FROM ROOSEVELT APARTMENTS THAT WE'VE JUST FINISHED. THIS IS NEW CONSTRUCTION, NEW DIRECTIONS HASN'T DONE NEW CONSTRUCTION IN 20 YEARS. SO THIS IS 36 NEW ONE BEDROOM UNITS FOR SENIORS. IT'S THROUGH THE HUD SECTION 202 PROGRAM. IT'S A $9 MILLION INVESTMENT. EACH TENANT WILL RECEIVE A FEDERAL RENT SUBSIDY AS PART OF THE 202 PROJECT. AND WE EXPECT TO CLOSE ON THIS. AND I'VE BEEN SAYING THIS FOR FIVE YEARS NOW, BUT WE REALLY ARE EXPECTING TO CLOSE WITH HUD NEXT WEEK, WHICH MEANS THE CONSTRUCTION WILL COMMENCE PROBABLY IN IN AUGUST, AND WE EXPECT TO BE FULLY COMPLETED ON THAT PROJECT IN FALL OF 2026. AND I ASKED WHAT AREA IN PORTLAND IT IS LITERALLY WHERE ROOSEVELT SCHOOL IS, WHICH IS. SO IT'S BETWEEN 17TH AND 18TH STREET. IT'S LITERALLY RIGHT ACROSS FROM HABITAT'S CAMPUS. OKAY. SO AND THE NEW ADDRESS FOR THAT IS GOING TO BE 225 NORTH 18TH STREET. OKAY. SO AND THEN THE SECOND ELEMENT IS OUR DIRECTIONS APARTMENTS. THIS IS 106 SCATTERED SITES VERY SIMILAR TO OUR SHAWNEE SCATTERED SITE PROJECT. IT'S A $15 MILLION SUBSTANTIAL REHAB. IT WE EXPECT IT TO TAKE 13 TO 15 MONTHS. WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF CLOSING THAT WITH A MAJOR GRANT THROUGH HUD. THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY IT'S BEEN DELAYED BECAUSE OF THE FUNDING FREEZE. BUT WE EXPECT TO CLOSE ON THAT PROBABLY IN JANUARY OF 2026, WITH FULL COMPLETION IN SPRING OF 2027. SO THAT'S THAT'S PHASE TWO. PHASE THREE IS REALLY WHAT WE PLAN TO

[01:05:04]

[01:10:07]

TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM THE APARTMENTS, YOU KNOW, GETTING GENERATIONAL WEALTH. IT'S NO SECRET THAT THE WEST END IS LOOKING TO ASSUME. RIGHT. YOU KNOW, MY COLLEAGUES. SAY IT'S PRETTY OUTFIT, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THAT YOU HAVE 913 UNITS, RIGHT? CORRECT. OKAY. SO MY QUESTION IS, IS THIS ONE OF THE MAYOR'S INITIATIVES IS, YOU KNOW, HE'S BIG ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND FOR ME, I ALWAYS SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT SOME PEOPLE DEFINE AS AFFORDABLE. IT REALLY AIN'T AFFORDABLE FOR PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE ME. CORRECT. OKAY. BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING. YOU KNOW, I JUST I'M, I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING ARE CATERING TO A LITTLE MORE OF THE SENIORS BECAUSE THAT'S WHO I WORRY ABOUT. YES. IS THE SENIORS. YES. SO. AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT THEY HAVE LEFT FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION. BUT WHAT I REALLY WANT TO KNOW IS, IS FOR THESE 913 UNITS, YOU KNOW, AND I JUST SEE THESE DEVELOPERS, YOU KNOW, THEY COME IN FRONT OF HOUSING, THEY COME IN FRONT OF ZONING PRETTY REGULARLY TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO BUILD THIS NEW CONSTRUCTION. YOU KNOW, I'M JUST CONCERNED ON WHY THE CITY HAS NOT INVESTED PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT MORE INTO YOU ALL IN THE PROPERTIES THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE, YOU KNOW, MAKING INVESTMENTS TO MAKE THE PROPERTIES THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE BETTER THAN WHAT THEY ARE. YEAH. SO HAVE THAT. HAVE YOU BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT? BECAUSE I ALSO KNOW THAT ONE OF THE MAYOR'S INITIATIVES IS EARLY CHILDHOOD. AND I'M ALWAYS ACCESSIBLE IN OUR SIDE. RIGHT. AND SAINT BENEDICT, YOU KNOW, THAT IS SOMETHING I LEARNED NEW TODAY THAT YOU ARE ARE THAT THAT IS YOU ALL'S AND THAT SPEAKS VOLUME AS WELL. SO IT LOOKS LIKE THAT YOU ALL SET. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE RIGHT IN THE GUIDELINES OF THIS EARLY CHILDHOOD OF THIS OF WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS CALLING AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THE ONLY PIECE THAT CONCERNS ME BECAUSE I SUPPORT NEW DIRECTION. LET ME MAKE IT CLEAR. THANK YOU SO MUCH SUPPORT. BUT THE ONLY THING THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS, IS THE UNITS THAT YOU ALL HAVE AND THE MAINTENANCE, HOW MANY YOU KNOW, HOW MANY. YOU CAN HAVE A LOT OF PROPERTY, RIGHT? BUT CAN YOU MAINTAIN THOSE PROPERTIES WITH HAVING ENOUGH MAINTENANCE, WITH WORK ORDERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT? I UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE CAN BE OVERWHELMING. SO I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW CAN I KNOW MARKUS WINKLER SIT ON THE BOARD? I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S ONLINE TODAY. HE IS. OKAY. HEY, MARCUS. BUT, YOU KNOW, HE SAID ON THE BOARD TODAY AND HIM AND I, YOU KNOW, WE TALK PRETTY FREQUENTLY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT ABOUT NEW DIRECTIONS BECAUSE I'M, I'M YOU'RE ON THE GROUND. RIGHT. AND I'M, I'M IN THAT AREA WHERE MOST OF THE APARTMENTS IS AT. BUT IS THERE JUST HOW CAN WE BE A VESSEL TO HELP YOU ALL WITH SOME OF THE SITES THAT YOU ALL DO HAVE AND

[01:15:07]

AND WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, WELL, LET ME SPEAK FOR MYSELF ON THIS PART. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY THAT I SERVE, YOU KNOW, THAT THEIR HOUSES IS SAFE. YES.

RIGHT. SO WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE AND HOWEVER I CAN BE A VESSEL OR WHATEVER YOU ALL ARE DOING TO GO IN THAT DIRECTION, YOU KNOW, AND IF YOU COULD JUST SPEAK ON THE MAINTENANCE, OKAY, I'LL SPEAK ON THE MAINTENANCE. BUT FIRST, DO KNOW THAT WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT. OUR 913 UNITS ABSOLUTELY IS A JOURNEY FOR OUR RESIDENTS. WE BELIEVE IN HOME OWNERSHIP AS WELL, WHICH IS WHY OUR RESIDENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT TRULY TRIES PARTNERS WITH PARTNERS WITH OTHER INSTITUTIONS TO DO HOME OWNERSHIP CLASSES, TO EDUCATE, TO DO CREDIT REPAIR. WE DO ALL OF THAT WITHIN NEW DIRECTIONS FOR OUR RESIDENTS. WHEN WE SPEAK ABOUT MAINTENANCE. IT'S A VERY VULNERABLE TOPIC, RIGHT? NEW DIRECTIONS AGAIN, I TALKED HAS OVER 110 BUILDINGS ALL THE WAY FROM 82 UNITS TO TWO UNITS IN A BUILDING, MAINTENANCE ON SCATTERED SITES HAS ITS OPPORTUNITIES. OPPORTUNITIES? ARE THERE CHALLENGES? I CALL THEM OPPORTUNITIES. WE HAVE A VERY GREAT DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE, DERRICK TURNER, WHO HAS BEEN WITH OUR ORGANIZATION FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS, KNOWS A LOT OF OUR BUILDINGS AND IS ABLE TO HELP US MAINTAIN THOSE WITH HIS STAFF, BUT ALSO BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF OUR PORTFOLIO IS WHY WE HAVE PHASE ONE, TWO AND THREE, RIGHT? PHASE ONE WE HAVE REHABBED OVER 200 OF OUR UNITS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. ONCE THEY'RE REHABBED, THEN GUESS WHAT? THE MAINTENANCE IS NOT AS CRITICAL IN THOSE UNITS. SO WE'RE GOING THROUGH PHASE TWO WILL BE DIRECTIONS APARTMENTS AS WELL AS ROOSEVELT SENIOR WHICH WILL BE 36 NEW UNITS, WHICH WE ARE HAVING A GROUNDBREAKING. AND WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT YOU GUYS ARE INVITED TO THAT GROUNDBREAKING FOR OUR ROOSEVELT SENIOR. THEN OUR PHASE THREE WILL BE RUSSELL APARTMENTS, WHICH IS CURRENTLY 183 UNITS. SO THESE PHASES COVER 60% OF OUR PORTFOLIO. AND AFTER THAT 60% HAS WENT THROUGH REHABILITATION. THEN WE WILL START LOOKING AT OTHER PROPERTIES IN ORDER TO DO THAT AS WELL. BUT WE HEAR YOU ALL LOUD AND CLEAR, AND WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT MAINTENANCE IS. I AM ALWAYS REACHABLE AND I THINK I'VE TALKED TO I KNOW I'VE TALKED TO COUNCILWOMAN SHANKLIN A COUPLE OF TIMES, AND I'M ALWAYS OPEN TO LUNCH, TO TALKING, TO DISCUSSING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR THE RESIDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY WE SERVE. YOU OKAY? COUNCILMAN SAM. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS, AM I WHERE ARE YOU GETTING YOUR AM I HUD? YES. YES, SIR. SO YOU'RE STARTING AT 30% OF WHATEVER NUMBER HUD COMES UP WITH, RIGHT? AS FAR AS WHO QUALIFIES. YES. OKAY. SO AND THEY'RE LUMPING THESE NUMBERS, THEY'RE TAKING NUMBERS THAT ARE COMING FROM CRESTWOOD SHELBYVILLE THAT ARE AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE SAYING THAT THE AVERAGE AMI IN THE AREAS THAT YOU'RE SERVING ARE, LET'S SAY 60, 70, $80,000. AND WE ONLY GET TO START HELPING THESE PEOPLE IF THEY CAN, ONLY IF THEY'RE AT 30% OF THAT. SO THE AMI HAS GOT TO CHANGE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE BEING UNDERSERVED IN THAT AREA. THEY'RE THEY'RE BEING CHEATED BECAUSE THEY'RE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO ATTAIN THAT. THEY JUST CAN'T THAT AMI NUMBER, THEY'RE JUST NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO. ANOTHER THING I WANT TO KNOW IS WHO FUNDS THIS ORGANIZATION. SO WE HAVE MANY DIFFERENT FUNDERS. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR MULTIFAMILY UNITS PREDOMINANTLY MOST OF OUR MULTIFAMILY UNITS ARE FEDERALLY FUNDED, WHICH MEANS WE HAVE PROJECT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANT CONTRACTS. AND WE ALSO HAVE TAX

[01:20:06]

SO A POOR WHITE GUY IN FAIRDALE IS NOT GOING TO GET NO HELP THERE. WELL, NO, THAT'S ON THE CONTRACTORS WHO GET TO WORK. WE HAVE WE ALSO HAVE WHITE CONTRACTORS AS WELL. BUT BUT 71% ARE MINORITIES. YES. AND WE'RE FUNDING THAT, NOT 100% OF THAT. SOME OF THAT YOU'RE FUNDING, SOME OF IT IS CDBG FUNDING BILLS. I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THAT. THAT'S ONE ISSUE I HAVE.

AND WHO DETERMINES THE NEED? WHO DETERMINES WHERE, WHO'S GOING TO GET HELP AND WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE THE HELP TO ON THE HOME REPAIR. YEAH. SO IT BASICALLY IT'S ALL ABOUT FIRST COME FIRST COMPLETE APPLICATIONS. SO PEOPLE SIGN UP, FILL OUT PAPER APPLICATION COPY OF THEIR INCOME, COPY OF THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE. WE CHECK THEIR DEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DO OWN THE PROPERTY. AND THEN THEY GO INTO OUR SALESFORCE DATABASE AND WE START WORKING THROUGH. SO SOMEONE WHO SIGNED UP, YOU KNOW, IN JANUARY WILL GET HELP BEFORE SOMEONE WHO'S SIGNED UP IN MAY, GEOGRAPHICALLY IT DEPENDS. OCCASIONALLY WE'LL HAVE LIKE OUR CHURCHILL DOWNS FUNDING IS ONLY FOR HOME REPAIRS AROUND DERBY CITY GAMING AND THE TRACK. SO IF YOU ARE AN ELDERLY HOMEOWNER WHO LIVES AROUND THE TRACK AND YOU SIGN UP, YOU MIGHT GET HELP BEFORE SOMEBODY, LET'S SAY IN FAIRDALE BECAUSE THE MONEY THAT CHURCHILL DOWNS HAS GIVEN IS TO HELP HOMEOWNERS AROUND THAT AREA. IN TERMS OF THE GOVERNMENT MONEY, IT'S ALL FIRST COME, FIRST COMPLETE APPLICATION, AND THEN WE WORK THROUGH THE LIST. WHY THE DISPARITIES OF AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN BEEN ADDRESSED? I MEAN, I SEE THERE WAS NONE IN FAIRDALE, NONE SOUTH OF THE GENE SNYDER. AND THAT THAT'S WHY WE I GOT ELECTED BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN FORGOTTEN OUT THERE. AND I KNOW THERE'S NEED IN THESE AREAS THAT YOU'RE TALKING, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. BUT WHEN I SEE THIS, I THINK THERE'S NO ROOM IN HERE FOR US. YEAH. WELL THAT'S WHAT YOU KNOW. PART OF IT IS I WOULD SAY WE DON'T DO A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF OUTREACH BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN DOING FREE HOME REPAIRS SINCE 1993. SO WE KIND OF ARE KNOWN IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT MAYBE NOT IN CERTAIN POCKETS OF THE COMMUNITY. AND THAT'S WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN WORK WITH YOU AND, YOU KNOW, YOUR LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANTS TO GET THE WORD OUT OF THE FUNDING THAT WE DO HAVE, BECAUSE IT IS OPEN TO ANYONE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. WELL, WE'VE TRIED AND IT DIDN'T WORK. SO I HOPE THAT THAT YOU'LL CONCENTRATE A LITTLE MORE OUTSIDE OF THE URBAN SERVICE DISTRICT. AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE POOR WHITE GUY IN THE SOUTH END. IT'S NOT GETTING IN ON ON SOME OF THESE MINORITY CONTRACTS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. IT'S 71%. SO THANK YOU. YEAH. AND I WILL I'LL MAKE A COMMITMENT. I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND YOUR AIDES AND GET YOU ALL KINDS OF INFORMATION AND HELP YOU GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT OUR FREE HOME REPAIR SERVICES. THANK YOU. COOL. I JUST WANTED TO PIGGYBACK OFF MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMAN SAMS. I MEAN, SAYING. SAM'S. BUT I'M JUST GOING TO PROBABLY SAY IT A LITTLE IN DIFFERENT TERMS THAN WHAT HE DID. YOU KNOW, HE. THERE'S A LOT OF IT'S NOT JUST A LOT OF UNDERPRIVILEGED, UNDERSERVED. PEOPLE IN THE WEST END. THAT'S WHAT HE'S SAYING.

HE'S SAYING THAT THEY INFER THEM TO HE'S SAYING THAT THEY IN PRP, TOO. SO, YOU KNOW, HE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THOSE NEEDS AND ACCESS TO THINGS LIKE NEW DIRECTIONS OFFERS IN HIS DISTRICT. RIGHT.

SO TARC, DON'T, YOU KNOW, SORRY TO SAY IT, BUT THEY DON'T EVEN COME TO HIS DISTRICT, RIGHT? SO IT'S REALLY HARD FOR HIM TO LEAN TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTING THINGS THAT AIN'T EVEN IN HIS DISTRICT WON'T EVEN COME TO HIS DISTRICT BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE THAT HIS DISTRICT DON'T HAVE A NEED. BUT THEY DO. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST THE WEST END. I UNDERSTAND IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE OVER THERE. AND, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE COME FROM THE SAME, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE SAME BACKGROUND, RIGHT? YOU JUST SERVE ONE AREA AND I JUST SERVE ANOTHER. AND I'M VERY COMPASSIONATE AND HAVE A LOT OF EMPATHY FOR IT'S JUST NOT BLACK PEOPLE THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, NEED HOUSING. YOU KNOW, IT'S WHITE PEOPLE THAT NEED HOUSING AND THEY NEED AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND WHAT, YOU KNOW, I SAY IT PRETTY OFTEN, PEOPLE THAT LOOK

[01:25:04]

YOU KNOW, 16, $1,700 FOR ONE BEDROOM IS NOT AFFORDABLE. IT'S ONLY AFFORDABLE IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT. IF YOU GOING TO GO GET 2 OR 3 JOBS TO AFFORD IT. SO IT'S THE PHRASE AND IT'S THE MISCONCEPTION, RIGHT? SO I JUST WANTED TO JUST BREAK IT DOWN A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN YOU. WELL THANK YOU. WE HEAR YOU, SIR, LOUD AND CLEAR. AND WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE TOUCH BASE. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN HAWKINS, FOR EXPLAINING THAT IN A LITTLE BETTER WAY. I AM A LITTLE PASSIONATE ABOUT MY DISTRICT, AND I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE PASSIONATE WITH MY DISTRICT. AND I, I, I'M I'M WITH TAMMY. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU ALL. TIMES.

HE'S A LOT LIKE ME. ANY GROUP THAT I ANY SETTING. I'M ALWAYS WORRIED ABOUT NEWBURGH. AND I ALWAYS MAKE SURE NEWBURGH IS OUT THERE. AND HE'S THE SAME WAY WHEN IT'S FERNDALE. BUT I DO KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT NEW DIRECTION THAT WHEN PEOPLE IN NEWBURGH CALL ME ABOUT NEEDING HELP, I ALWAYS REFER THEM TO YOU GUYS, AND THEY DO CALL BACK AND SAY THAT THEY HAD GOTTEN HELP, AND I ALWAYS LET THEM KNOW. IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE YOU. IT'S FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE. SO IF YOU WAIT TILL THE LAST MINUTE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE THE LAST ONE. BUT THEY DO ALWAYS CALL BACK AND SAY, YOU KNOW, THEY FIXED THIS AND FIX MY SINK. THEY DID THIS. SO I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING, BUT I HAVE TO ALWAYS HOLLER, WHAT ABOUT NEWBURGH? BECAUSE SEE, TAMMY AND THEM AND ALL OF THEM, THEY THINK ABOUT THAT. WE ALL THINK ABOUT OUR OWN AREA. I'M LIKE, FOR MINE. YEAH.

WE ALL FIGHT OVER THE LITTLE MONEY THAT COMES THROUGH. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL THE SAME. BUT AND HE ALWAYS MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S NOT LEFT OUT. AND I ALWAYS MAKE SURE THAT NEWBURGH IS NOT LEFT OUT. SO AND IF YOU'LL LET ME JUST ADD TO THIS REALLY QUICK, COUNCILWOMAN, I SO MISS BRIDGET, I WANT TO COMMEND YOU AND YOUR STAFF. I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN WITH NEW, NEW DIRECTORS FOR QUITE SOME TIME, AND SO FOR THEM TO GIVE YOU THAT LEADERSHIP ROLE THAT THEY DID AND NOT OVERLOOK YOU. THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. SO CONTINUE THE WORK. I APPRECIATE IT AS WELL. I STARTED AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT AT NEW DIRECTIONS 21 YEARS AGO. OKAY. AND I AM SO PROUD OF YOU TO SEE YOU GROWN UP AND ACTUALLY RUNNING THE WHOLE DEPARTMENT. SO RUNNING AN ENTIRE DEPARTMENT, AN ENTIRE ORGANIZATION, RIGHT? RIGHT. AND GEORGE UNSELD WOULD BE SO PROUD OF ME. OH, YEAH, WE ALL ARE.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ANYTIME THEY COME FROM NEWBURGH AND WE JUST SUPPORT EACH OTHER AND ANY KIND OF WAY WE CAN. SO THANK YOU FOR COMING AND THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING US. AND I, I REALLY DID ENJOY THE PRESENTATION BECAUSE I KNEW QUITE A BIT ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, JUST FROM MY CONSTITUENTS, MY CONSTITUENTS UPLIFTED ME ON DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU COULD GET FROM NEW DIRECTION. AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT. I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS COMING IN AND TELLING US THE THINGS THAT YOU DO. AND I AM A LOT LIKE TAMMY WHEN IT COMES TO HOUSING. I JUST WANT TO SEE FIRST TIME HOMEOWNERS, JUST A PERSON HAVE THEIR OWN HOME. SO WE HAVE GENERATIONAL WEALTH WHERE WE CAN LEAVE SOMETHING TO OUR CHILDREN AND OUR GRANDCHILDREN. BECAUSE ANYTIME YOU LIVE IN APARTMENTS, MOST OF THE TIME I SAY THIS, THAT WE'RE GIVING THE MONEY TO SOMEBODY ELSE. WHEN WE HAVE FAMILIES THAT ARE IN NEED, REALLY IN NEED. BUT THEN I HAVE TO ALSO SAY THAT ALL OF OUR ELDERLY CANNOT. THEY CAN'T STAY IN THESE HOUSES BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING TO FIX IT UP OR DO THE THINGS. AND IF NEW DIRECTION WASN'T THERE HELPING THEM, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE THAT ROOF ON THEIR HOUSE. THEY WOULDN'T HAVE THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED. I HAVE PEOPLE RIGHT NOW SAYING MY CONCRETE STEPS ARE GOING AWAY. WHAT CAN I DO? AND I, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE A LOT OF OLD PEOPLE, OLDER PEOPLE, SENIORS, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL THEM, THEY CAN'T KEEP UP THE HOUSE ONCE THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY THEY'RE BY THEMSELVES. SO. WELL, WE ARE HERE TO HELP. ALWAYS FUNDING. I GUESS I'LL TAKE A PLUG WITH FACTS. FUNDING IS ALWAYS NEEDED, BUT WE ARE HERE TO HELP AND KEEP YOU KNOW, AGING IN PLACE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US. ONE THING I ALWAYS SAY IT NEW DIRECTIONS, RIGHT? I WE INVEST IN BUILDINGS, BUT WE ALSO INVEST IN PEOPLE. YEAH. AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE DO BOTH OF THOSE SIMULTANEOUSLY AND DO THEM WELL. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND I

[01:30:05]

[Adjournment Note: Agendas are followed at the discretion of the Chair. While an item may be listed, it does not mean all items will be heard and/or acted upon by the Committee.]