[Call to Order]
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          AFTERNOON. THIS IS THE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, HOUSING, HEALTH AND EDUCATION COMMITTEE, 
          [Roll Call]
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AND I'M THE CHAIR. COUNCILWOMAN BARBARA SHANKLIN. AND WITH ME, I HAVE MY VICE CHAIR, STUART 
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BENSON. COUNCILWOMAN TAMMY HAWKINS IS EXCUSED. ABSENT. COUNCILMAN DAN SIMONS IS HERE. 
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COUNCILWOMAN. I MEAN, COUNCILMAN MARCUS WINKLER HAS EXCUSED. COUNCILWOMAN JENNY WARRICK IS HERE. THANK YOU. WE ONLY HAVE TWO THINGS ON THE AGENDA TODAY AND SHOULD BE A REALLY QUICK MEETING. THE FIRST ONE. OH, I'VE GOT TO READ THE RULE. IT'S NOT OKAY. I FORGET THAT EVERY TIME. AND ON TOP OF THAT, IT'S TWO RESOLUTION. CAN YOU READ THE SECOND WINDOW? 
          [2.
 R-108-25     A RESOLUTION COMMEMORATING AND RECOGNIZING OCTOBER 2, 2025, AS WRONGFUL CONVICTION DAY AND URGING STATE SUPPORT FOR WRONGFUL CONVICTION COMPENSATION.
Action Required By March 11, 2026
Sponsors: Shameka Parrish-Wright (D-3) ]
ITEM TWO. RESOLUTION COMMEMORATING AND RECOGNIZING OCTOBER 2ND, 2025 IS WRONGFUL CONVICTION DAY AND URGING STATE SUPPORT FOR WRONGFUL CONVICTION COMPENSATION. READ IN FULL. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE TO SPEAK ON. DO YOU WANT TO TELL US WHO YOU ARE? YES, MA'AM. BEN HARLAN, LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT COUNCILWOMAN, SHAMIKA PARISH. 
          RIGHT. LOUISVILLE METRO COUNCIL, DISTRICT THREE. SHE IS NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT HERE IN PERSON TODAY, BUT SHE DID WANT ME TO COME AND SPEAK TO IT. IT HAS RECEIVED BROAD SUPPORT LAST YEAR, AND SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE ASKED TO BE CO-SPONSORS THIS YEAR. THAT I WILL FORWARD ON TO THE CLERK. WE WANTED WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE KENTUCKY INNOCENCE PROJECT TO ESPECIALLY HONOR THE SEVEN LOUISVILLE EXONEREES, INCLUDING JEANETTA CARR, EDWIN CHANDLER, PAUL HURT, WILLIAM GREGORY, CARRIE PORTER, KEITH WEST, AND MICHAEL VON ALLMAN. AND AGAIN, IT DOES ASK 
          [00:20:06]
THAT THE KENTUCKY STATE LEGISLATURE ALLOCATE COMPENSATION TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN EXONERATED AND WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIFE, LIBERTY AND PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS DUE TO THOSE WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS. AND WE ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT. AND IF IT DOES PASS UNANIMOUSLY, WE WOULD LIKE IT TO BE ON OLD BUSINESS SO IT CAN BE RECOGNIZED, ESPECIALLY AT THE COUNCIL MEETING. THANK YOU. OKAY. AND I WOULD LIKE TO, WITH HER PERMISSION, I KNOW YOU'RE STANDING IN FOR HER TO BE A CO-SPONSOR. WE WOULD APPRECIATE THAT SUPPORT. THANK YOU. I HAVE ONE OF THE. OTHER GUYS WERE ON LIVE IN THE NEWBURGH AREA. IT WAS A KERRY PORTER. YES, MA'AM. 
          YEAH. AND HE WENT THROUGH THAT. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS HE WENT TO PRISON, BUT HE STAYED IN PRISON FOR A LONG TIME. AND HE DID GET A BIG, NICE LUMP OF MONEY, BUT THAT, YOU KNOW, ALREADY TOOK AWAY YOUR LIFE, SO. RIGHT. AND IT'S NOT MANDATED NOW. SO IT JUST HAPPENS IN A COURT CASE. SO THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE URGING THE KENTUCKY STATE LEGISLATURE TO DO. THANK YOU. 
          SO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS. HEARING NONE STAMP WAS DEBUNKED. ALL IN FAVOR? OKAY. WE'LL GO TO GOING ON OLD BUSINESS, RIGHT? YES, PLEASE. OKAY. SEND IT TO OLD BUSINESS. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. OKAY. IT MAKES IT ALL GOOD. EVERYBODY GETS THAT WAY IF YOU PUT TOO MUCH IN. OKAY. NUMBER THREE, ITEM THREE. A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ACCEPT 
          [3.
 R-113-25     A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ACCEPT $768,250 FROM THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS THROUGH THE DAY 1 FAMILIES FUND TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF SOCIAL SERVICES.
Action Required By March 11, 2026
Sponsors: Ginny Mulvey-Woolridge (R-24) ]
$768,250 FROM THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS THROUGH THE DAY ONE FAMILIES FUND, TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF SOCIAL SERVICES. READ IN FULL. OKAY. SECOND. OKAY. SPEAKING ON IT, CAN YOU GIVE US YOUR NAME AND. YES, MA'AM. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M JOSH SWETNAM. I'M A CO-DIRECTOR WITH THE OFFICE OF SOCIAL SERVICES HERE AT METRO, AND WE HAVE BEEN AWARDED A BEZOS DAY ONE FAMILY FUND GRANT THROUGH THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS. LOCAL COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS DID RECEIVE 5 MILLION FROM THE BEZOS FOUNDATION SPECIFICALLY TO ADDRESS FAMILY HOMELESSNESS IN LOUISVILLE. AND SO EARLIER THIS YEAR, THEY PUT OUT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. OUR DEPARTMENT WITH METRO APPLIED, AND WE WERE AWARDED $768,000 OVER FOUR YEARS TO PROVIDE RAPID REHOUSING AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO HOMELESS FAMILIES. 
          AND SO WE ARE REQUESTING THE COUNCIL APPROVE RECEIPT OF THOSE FUNDS. AND CAN TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OUR PROGRAM, IF YOU'D LIKE. OKAY. SO THIS IS WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS GRANT, BECAUSE AND JOE HAMILTON, WHO'S MANAGING OUR HOUSING AND SUPPORT TEAM, WAS THE PRIMARY AUTHOR OF THIS APPLICATION. WE HAVE WITHIN OSSE, A HOUSING SUPPORT TEAM THAT SERVES ABOUT 300 HOUSEHOLDS THROUGH HUD FUNDING AND HOUSES THOSE WHO ARE FORMERLY HOMELESS. IN ADDITION, WE HAVE OUR HEART TEAM, WHICH PROVIDES SERVICES TO THE HOMELESS COMMUNITY AND OUR FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT TEAM, WHICH PROVIDES FINANCIAL COUNSELING AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO THE COMMUNITY. THIS GRANT WAS WRITTEN SO THAT ALL THREE OF THOSE BRANCHES WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT COULD COME TOGETHER AND PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE WRAPAROUND SERVICES TO TO HOMELESS FAMILIES. BEFORE COMING INTO HOUSING, THE HEART TEAM WOULD HELP IDENTIFY ELIGIBLE APARTMENTS AND HELP WITH HOUSING NAVIGATION SO THAT FAMILIES COULD VERY QUICKLY FIND AND APPLY FOR APARTMENTS AND QUALIFY AT THAT POINT, BECOMING HOUSED. OUR HOUSING AND SUPPORT TEAM WOULD TAKE OVER CASE MANAGEMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE RECEIVING ALL THE SERVICES THEY NEED AND SUPPORT SO THAT THEY COULD ACCOMPLISH THEIR GOALS. AND THEN OUR FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT TEAM IS GOING TO PROVIDE THEIR FINANCIAL COUNSELING THROUGHOUT THE FAMILY'S TIME IN OUR PROGRAM TO HELP THEM WITH GREATER FINANCIAL STABILITY. ANOTHER PIECE OF THIS IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO PROVIDE 12 MONTHS OF RENTAL SUPPORT FOR THESE FAMILIES, AND IT IS STRUCTURED SO THAT WE WOULD PAY RENT IN FULL FOR THE FIRST SIX MONTHS. BUT DURING THAT FIRST SIX MONTHS, OUR TEAM WILL BE WORKING WITH THEM TO ACHIEVE THEIR FINANCIAL GOALS, INCREASING THEIR INCOME, FINDING STABLE. EMPLOYMENT, INCREASING THEIR BENEFITS, HELPING THE FAMILIES FIND APPROPRIATE CHILD CHILDCARE AND EDUCATION FOR THEIR CHILDREN. 
          AND THE GOAL WOULD BE AFTER SIX MONTHS THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO PAY A PORTION OF THEIR RENT. 
          WE WOULD CONTINUE TO PAY A PORTION AS WELL, AND THEN BY MONTH 13, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO FULLY SUSTAIN THAT APARTMENT AND REMAIN HOUSED AND THEREFORE AVOID GOING BACK OUT INTO HOMELESSNESS. SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY. WE BELIEVE THAT WE WILL SERVE 7 
          [00:25:03]
TO 8 FAMILIES PER YEAR OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS IN THIS COMPREHENSIVE MANNER, AND IT WILL BE JUST A GREAT FIT WITH WHAT WE DO AT OSSE WITH OUR MISSION OF PROVIDING SERVICES TO THOSE IN CRISIS AND HELPING REDUCE HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. 
          COUNCILWOMAN. DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS SINCE YOU SPONSORED IT? NO. I THINK THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET THOSE OFF THE STREET, BUT GET THEM BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY. SO AS JOSH SAID THAT IT'S THE IT'S NOT JUST THE HOUSING OPPORTUNITY, BUT IT'S TO THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES. SO TO GET THEM BACK INTO A STABLE LIFE, GET THEM HEALTHY AGAIN IF THAT'S NEEDED, BUT ALSO TO GET THEM FINANCIALLY STABLE. SO TEACH THEM WHAT THEY MAY NEED TO KNOW TO GET THEM TO BE ABLE TO PAY THEIR OWN RENT AFTER THAT, THAT 12 MONTHS. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? COUNCILMAN BENSON? THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. DO YOU SAY JEFF BEZOS DID THIS? IT'S THE BEZOS FOUNDATION. YES. WELL, I MEAN, IT'S HIM, MAN. IT'S. IT'S PRETTY NICE, YOU SAY. AND AND YOU, YOU'VE FILED THE THE. THE GRANT. MR. HAMILTON. AND I IMAGINE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE DOING THAT. THE AND I I'M GOING TO ADMIT I DON'T I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON THE BEZOS FOUNDATION, BUT I KNOW THAT THEY'RE THEY'RE A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION. AND SO THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS WAS ONE OF MANY APPLICANTS FOR THAT ASSISTANCE. AND WHEN THEY RECEIVED THE AWARD, THEN 90% OF THE FUNDING THEY RECEIVED WAS GOING TO GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, TO PARTNERS LIKE US TO TO ACTUALLY ENGAGE IN THE SERVICES THAT WOULD REDUCE FAMILY HOMELESSNESS. DID YOU SAY IT WAS $5 MILLION? THE WHOLE THING WAS ORIGINALLY TO THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS. 
          YES. OR. WELL, 4.5 OVER. I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO APPLIED FOR THIS. AND, YOU KNOW, YOU DID A GREAT JOB. GREAT. I MEAN, THE THE BETTY. OH, GOSH. CAN'T THINK. YOU USUALLY WORK FOR HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO USE THE GRANTS. I MEAN, SHE SAVED US SO MUCH MONEY BY WRITING GRANTS. AND IF YOU'RE A GIFTED MAN AT WE NEED, THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY OUT THERE TO BE TO THAT'S AVAILABLE. IF SOMEBODY KNOWS HOW TO WRITE THE GRANT, TO LET SOMEBODY KNOW THAT, HEY, WE COULD USE IT AND BE ACCEPTED, RIGHT? I COULDN'T AGREE MORE AND TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE KUDOS TO JOE AND HIS TEAM. AND WE'VE GOT SOME OTHER REALLY TALENTED FOLKS AT OFFICE OF SOCIAL SERVICES. BUT WE KNOW, ESPECIALLY IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, THAT WE DO HAVE TO LOOK FOR DIVERSIFIED FUNDING. SO TRYING TO SECURE NEW GRANTS IS ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES TO TRY TO STABILIZE OUR FUNDING. IT'S A GIFT. THANKS A LOT. AND THIS IS GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. LEAVE YOU OUT. DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? OKAY. SO HERE NOT NO MORE COMMENTS AND WE WILL VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? NO, NO I ALWAYS WANT TO SEND IT TO CONSENT RESOLUTION. SO WE'LL SEND THE CONSENT CALENDAR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN SAID THERE'S NOTHING ELSE ON THE AGENDA. SO WE ARE ADJOURNED. THEY CANCELED. OH, OKAY. THEY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.