meetings, 2023 to 2027, pursuant to the Chicago city
council Rules of Order and procedure rule, 49, the Sergeant
at Arms sets forth. The following rules of conduct to be
followed during the public comment period and the duration
of all committee and City Council, meetings, profane
vulgar, threatening abusive or disruptive language is not
permitted. Demeaning discriminatory or harassing behavior
and speech directed towards others is not permitted
disruptive behavior, including disruptive or disrespectful
content. During others presentations is not permitted,
banners buyers or signage are not permitted backpacks,
large bags, and sharp objects are not permitted, clear
bags, not tinted in color that do not exceed 12 by 12 by 6,
In will be permitted in our subject to search health food
and beverages including in metal canisters are not
permitted.
Cell phones must be placed on silent prior to entering the
meeting room. Individuals must remain seated, public
comment speakers are permitted to stand only when providing
public comment, small handheld devices may be used only
while seated and the user must refrain from interfering
with the view or hearing of other individuals, individuals
or groups failing to adhere to. These rules will be asked
to see such disruptive conduct and failure to comply. Will
result in there being subject to removal from the meeting
by the sergeant-at-arms.
City of Chicago city, council rules of conduct for public
meetings. 2023 to 20227 pursuant to the Chicago city
council Rules of Order and procedure rule, 49. The Sergeant
at Arms sets forth, the following rules of conduct to be
followed during the public comment period and the duration
of all committee and City Council, meetings, profane
vulgar, threatening abusive or disruptive language is not
permitted. Demeaning discriminatory or harassing behavior
and speech directed towards. Others is not permitted
disruptive behavior including disruptive or
Disrespectful content. During others presentations is not
permitted, banners Liars or signage are not permitted
backpacks, large bags, and sharp objects are not permitted.
Clear bags, not tinted in color that do not exceed 12 by 12
by 6. In will be permitted in our subject to search all
food and beverages including in metal canisters are not
permitted cell phones. Must be placed on silent prior to
entering the meeting room. Individuals must remain seated.
Public comments are permitted to stand only when providing
public comment, small handheld devices may be used only
while seated and the user must refrain from interfering
with the view or hearing of other individuals, individuals
or groups failing to adhere to. These rules will be asked
to see such disruptive conduct and failure to comply. Will
result in there being subject to removal from the meeting
by the sergeant-at-arms.
City of Chicago city, council rules of conduct for public
meetings, 2023 to 2027, pursuant to the Chicago city
council Rules of Order and procedure rule, 49, the Sergeant
at Arms sets forth, the following rules of conduct to be
followed during the public comment period and the duration
of all committee and City Council, meetings, profane
vulgar, threatening abusive or disruptive language is not
permitted.
Demeaning discriminatory or harassing behavior and speech
directed towards. Others is not permitted. Disruptive
behavior, including disruptive or disrespectful conduct
during others presentations is not permitted, banners Liars
or signage are not permitted backpacks, large bags, and
sharp objects are not permitted. Clear bags, not tinted in
color that do not exceed 12 by 12 by 6. In will be
permitted in our subject to search health food and
beverages including in metal canisters are not permitted
cell phones. Must be placed on silent prior to entering the
meeting room. Individuals must remain seated, public
comments speakers, are permitted to stand only when
providing public comment, small handheld devices may be
used only while seated and the user must refrain from
interfering with the view or hearing of other individuals,
individuals or groups failing to adhere to. These rules
will be asked to see such disruptive conduct and failure to
comply. Will result in there being subject.
To removal from the meeting by the sergeant-at-arms.
City of Chicago city council rules of conduct for public
meetings, 2023 to 2027, pursuant to the Chicago city
council Rules of Order and procedure rule, 49, the
sergeant-at-arms sets forth, the following rules of conduct
to be followed during the public comment period and the
duration of all committee and City Council meetings Pro,
Vulgar threatening abusive or disruptive language is not
permitted. Demeaning discriminatory or harassing behavior
and speech directed towards. Others is not permitted
disruptive behavior, including disruptive or disrespectful
conduct during others presentations is not permitted,
banners flyers, or signage are not permitted backpacks,
large bags, and sharp objects are not permitted. Clear
bags, not tinted in color that do not exceed 12 by 12 by 6.
In will be permitted in our subject to search health food
and beverages including in metal canisters are not
permitted cell phones. Must be placed on silent prior to
entering the meeting room. Individuals must remain seated,
public comments speakers, are permitted to stand only when
providing public comment, small handheld devices may be
used only while seated and the user must refrain from
interfering with the view or hearing of other individuals,
individuals or groups failing to adhere to these rules.
Will be asked to see such disruptive conduct and failure to
comply. Will result in their being subject to removal from
the meeting by the sergeant-at-arms.
City of Chicago city council rules of conduct for public
meetings, 2023 to 2027, pursuant to the Chicago city
council Rules of Order and procedure rule, 49, the Sergeant
at Arms sets forth, the following rules of conduct to be
followed during the public comment period and the duration
of all committee and City Council, meetings, profane
vulgar, threatening abusive or disruptive language is not
permitted.
Demeaning discriminatory or harassing behavior and speech
directed towards others is not permitted. Disruptive
behavior, including disruptive or disrespectful contacting.
Others presentations is not permitted, banners flyers, or
signage are not permitted backpacks, large bags, and sharp
objects are not permitted. Clear bags, not tinted in color
that do not exceed 12 by 12 by 6. In will be permitted in
our subject to search health food and beverages including
in metal canisters are not permitted cell phones. Must be
placed on silent prior to entering the meeting room.
Individuals must remain seated, public comments speakers,
are permitted to stand only when providing public comment,
small handheld devices may be used only while seated and
the user must refrain from interfering with the view or
hearing of other individuals, individuals or groups failing
to adhere to. These rules will be asked to see such
disruptive conduct and failure to comply. Will result in
their being subject.
To removal from the meeting by the sergeant-at-arms.
City of Chicago city council rules of conduct for public
meetings, 2023 to 2027, pursuant to the Chicago city
council Rules of Order and procedure rule, 49, the
sergeant-at-arms sets forth, the following rules of conduct
to be followed during the public comment period and the
duration of all committee and City Council, meetings,
profane vulgar, threatening abusive or disruptive language
is not permitted. Demeaning discriminatory or harassing
behavior and speech directed towards others is not
permitted disruptive behavior, including disruptive or
disrespectful content. During others presentations is not
permitted, banners Liars or signage are not permitted
backpacks, large bags, and sharp objects are not permitted.
Clear bags, not tinted in color that do not exceed 12 by 12
by 6. In will be permitted in our subject to search all
food and beverages including in metal canisters are not
permitted.
Cell phones must be placed on silent prior to entering the
meeting room. Individuals must remain seated, public
comment speakers are permitted to stand only when providing
public comment, small handheld devices may be used only
while seated and the user must refrain from interfering
with the view or hearing of other individuals, individuals
or groups failing to adhere to. These rules will be asked
to see such disruptive conduct and failure to comply. Will
result in there being sub.
Good morning. Welcome to the committee on buzzing
government operations.
We will begin today's meeting.
With public comment. Um,
we had a slips, you get slips.
Mr. Blakemore, you first?
My name is George Blake Moore.
And I'm a concerned citizen.
And I was outraged.
To uh, with this budget.
The money that's being spent.
On illegal immigrants.
Everything, sir, you have a title, you are the chairman of
the budget and you're black.
And you're black. Now that's a title that you got when you
came out of your mother's womb you're black and and I see
how you all have voted
For Sanctuary millions of dollars and I'm watching those 2
Men. Now while I'm talking talking to each other,
you have the power sir to hit on that.
Come up and speak. You know what you're telling me to do,
look at both of them. Now I I've addressed go outside and
talk.
tell your a outside and talk now, it's time for the public
to speak. And we must always be respectful to the public
because this is a public agency. This is you get your money
from the public. So, whatever you think about you supposed
to be public servant,
We don't serve you.
We spoke to serve us and you're doing a myth service. When
you have this budget and spend a billion dollars on illegal
immigrants.
a billion also, uh, reading it and what what went on down
with the subway, you have cameras there, these cameras do
not work,
you will give the, the public, the impression that whatever
goes on, it could be seen and people, could you, people do
not drive when you ride the subway, you at your own risk?
And you putting the city up for a lawsuit.
A lawsuit, just these kind of you say, we looked at the
comma 2 or 3 days later. And come uhh, when those cameras
are all the technology is here, that's what happened to our
people. Mr. Irvin, we did not embrace the new technology.
The white man came with the gun and the gun pattern.
And we've been a victim.
Of a great Holocaust Injustice.
enslaved in America because the black man during that time,
his greatness had faded away,
From the Nile River, the great Nile and the great, uh uh,
back people.
At that time, it was a dark age, is a Dark Age here.
You're not embracing the new technology.
So, it's very important.
okay, I
thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Blakemore, uh, next up we're gonna have
Doris Lewis
Miss Lewis.
Pay attention as I'm speaking. And as others are speaking,
I have been coming down here for quite a while.
To exercise my civic responsibility.
Chicago's budget is 16 billion dollars. Now, we have a
Over a billion dollar deficit. How are you going to fix it?
I know how you're going to fix it. I know 1 way you're
going to fix it, you're going to be taxing, these people,
black people hating on immigrants. This is a flyer that was
put out in my neighborhood over the weekend over the
weekend. I have been very upset like people are very angry
angry about it. No, 1 yesterday had the nerves of the
decency to say Miss Lewis. I'm sorry that that happened in
your community. Even you Yancey,
You did not have the decency to say. I am sorry that it
happened because people are traumatized. People are upset
but I have come to this conclusion.
Unfortunately.
most of you the majority of you down here black white,
whether you're from Mexico or wherever you're from,
Uh, representing your constituents. Most of you have.
Absolute disdain for black people.
This thing.
You're going to take care of everybody else, and you're not
taking care of the citizens of Chicago, particularly your
most vulnerable.
I also have come to the conclusion that if you most of you,
Could take the ropes and put them around our necks. You
would hang us.
Because I think that most of you are behaved down here. You
act like the people that I grew up under in Mississippi the
Klu Klux Klan, most of you down, here are like the Klu Klux
Klan in Mississippi and in Alabama. And in Georgia, this is
how you all behave down here towards us.
You have no respect. You don't want to validate us.
I can't, we can't stand. I can't come down here and get a
chair and sit down because I don't want. I don't feel like
standing. You do not want to validate us, but we will be
validated. I will validate my people when I'm here, you
will respect me, you will respect my people. And if you
can't do right by black people, then you need to get the
hell out of this city council. You cannot, you cannot take
from us so that your communities can have what they
deserve. You cannot do that. You have to be fair to the
citizens of the city of Chicago. You all are a disgrace.
I taught some of your children.
I didn't teach these children to behave this way. You all
have. No I mean you're arrogant.
You're nasty.
Thank you, Miss Lewis. Uh, next we'll have Jessica Jackson.
Good morning, you know? Um,
In public speaking classes, they teach you about verbal
communication, as well as nonverbal communication and the
importance and the impact of body language, right? So as
Doris was speaking, I'm looking at the body language of the
people in this room. So I'm seeing the squirming over here
in the Box. Uh, oh boy, in the yellow tie, he's squinching
up like what she talking about, you know, and they looking
like they taking back and all and seeing that's a black
person. We get it. We understand because we understand what
what this really is in. America, America is always gonna be
about the relationship between black and white. You
understand that it's gonna always be
About black and white. And what White America will do and
no harm to the white Alderman here. Y'all know what it is.
We all right? As long as, you know,
But what White America does to ease his conscience with
black people, they reached to other immigrants, they
reached the other countries.
They, they want to look like they do good.
Because they take care of these people over here. They take
care of these people over there. But then when you start
talking to them about black, they can't even look up in our
face. They got to look around. They got to get on their
tent key. They got to squirm, they got to turn around
because they can't handle the smoke but that's okay.
Because we here, we going to do what we got to do. Like we
always have the immigrants need to take note of how it's
done. Stop hating and take note of how it's done. Okay now
I'm glad that uh Brandon Riley officer
Alderman, rally is here. Thank you. Thank you.
2 things number 1, this 18 million. I mean this uh billion
dollar shortage
out of all the alderman here, when this money was getting
spent like crazy.
The first person that says something about the money impact
was, uh, Alderman Lopez.
making warning at what if the administration changed
federally then what the impact of that's going to look
like, with all the money that got messed up then, uh,
Alderman. Reilly he said after that, 70 million vote, and
that money that came after that, he said my concern after
being in here for 17 years, it said, I ain't never seen no
budget be done like the way it's done now and that the
impact is going to hit us in the crazy way. Come 202526 and
27 and say it and we can't blame the Republicans for that
Brandon Riley. Yes, you did say it just like you said it
though piece. And now here we are today and we in this Vine
And all them here today to beg for some more money.
And y'all going to give it to them and you going to run
this city in the dirt, in the ground, for a bunch of
people, who ain't never paid to Dime, and going to look
and black people face and tell us as homeowners to pay for
it. And won't even give us the decency of dealing with the
issues that we bring down here. But we got y'all. We got
y'all at election time and we know who's who we know who
the real ones want.
And that.
Thank you. Uh, thank you. Miss Jackson. Next up. We'll have
Zoe.
Miss Lee.
You may begin.
Miss Lee. You can begin. Yeah. All right.
A billion dollars and then 2.2 billion dollars, spent just
on the illegal immigration scam.
So that's 3 billion dollars but that's a whole another
story.
Um, I want to know.
What are y'all going to do when um, my judge?
Pushes my lawsuit through.
Because my mother is suing for 3 billion dollars because
y'all literally un illegally eminent the unlawfully
demolished. My family's property on top of that.
Yeah, I have a save a lot. That's a whole another lawsuit on
on my family's land. That y'all are now going to try to put
a federally run government grocery store on the yellow
banana which is a nonprofit which doesn't make sense. What
y'all just gave 26 million dollars to all the yellow
bananas that get to have the worst Food on Earth and you'll
put it in our neighborhoods.
You know, so that's a whole another situation. Okay, so
that's a whole another. I I technically own the city of
Chicago, so that's just number 1. Number 2, is the justice
department is coming because the issue is y'all don't want
to do no audits.
Y'all need to do audits in every department and for some
reason y'all run on these promises that y'all going to do
these Audits and y'all don't ever do it. But you know why?
Because you got to get these people up out of here, like
Walter Bernett, he got to go to jail, Michelle Harris, she
got to go to jail, you know, in the midst, probably, oh no,
I don't know, but I just know that there's a lot of, it's a
lot of Old Chicago Alderman. It's a lot of people that's in
the daily daily Administration, Jesse White, he was playing
with them, Deeds back in the day. So it's just a lot of Old
Chicago stuff that just got to just it got to go. So and
people got to go down so the audits have to happen. Ron
manual messed up a lot of stuff Lori Lightfoot. I don't
know what the f*** she was doing. So my thing is though,
that's just what happened and so it has to. Hold on, hold
on, hold on, hold on. This lead this lead mislead Miss Lee.
Miss Lee, stop the time. Stop. Stop. Stop the time.
Stopped. It's okay. Hold on, hold on, hold on, Miss leave.
The only thing that I ask is that you not use profane
language. That's all
You can, you can have 57 seconds, its okay, its okay, its
57 seconds or so you go on to jail. You go on to jail, you
and Jesse White, you and Jesse White, going to jail little
little lovers. Could you continue to clock, sir, Stars you
and Jesse White going to jail. You messed up, Cabrini Green
going to jail. 200,000 campaigns just missing.
Oh, but yeah. On now you know, you and your wife, what
y'all do, y'all go and give hams out for for, for, for um,
signatures you. So, you wrong too. You got you have drug
houses Just Like Walter brunette, got drug houses. Like
what do y'all think this is, y'all are going to jail. So
you might as well take you and them them them. Terrible
suits that you be wearing and get on. It's over, it's over.
Y'all are terrible. Y'all have ruined in Chicago. Y'all are
an embarrassment to Chicago and y'all not going to do this.
All right, very well. Uh, next up we have Teresa Hughes
Go ahead, Miss Hughes.
Um, good morning. Um, I'm here.
Not on that. I'm here because my question is in regards to
procurement
and this new,
um, Chief procurement officer that you guys are bringing in
that has
Thousands of dollars of debt to the city.
I worked in the city for over 30, something years and I
couldn't get in for a hundred dollars.
Talking tickets, I had to pay up.
That hundred dollars before, and I had to have a receipt.
Before they would, let me come to work in the mayor's
office.
so now here you have a person that owes
Close to $10,000 9,227, plus some scents.
And you're going to make her your chief.
Procurement officer.
And then she wants to bring in a first, Deputy, who is a
criminal?
Who has gone to jail?
And got a mug shot.
And he was making he was a first day and he was making
134,000. He went to jail for like
What? 500 stealing some cologne from Macy's. I mean, come
this is all public record. I have given it out to pretty
much most of you.
But this is who you're going to have representing you of
billions of dollars of contract. We already had a problem
with Eileen, we got her out. Thank you, everybody that
voted her out, which was all 50.
But you need to do your due diligence, you need to check on
who is not doing their due diligence bringing people to the
mayor like John Robinson.
Because he's got his own and he got his own issues too. You
know, he went to he was uh, under
Um uh scrutiny from the IG for wiretap. I mean being a
Wireman
Um so you all better be careful to all these people that
y'all think are your friends. And the mayor needs to
definitely be careful about who he has in his inner circle.
Because as far as I'm concerned, it's like they're setting
him up, most of them are still from Lori, lightfoot's era.
And, you know, I don't understand it. You want to have this
person that has been not even confirmed by any of you so
disrespectful, I cannot believe it.
That they have her out saying she is going to be the, the,
um, CFO. And and today, I understand that John rosin made
that very public at the procurement Symposium this morning,
that she would definitely be confirmed. I mean, who the
hell is that? Just, I mean, I'm sorry about that. Who the
heck is that? To, uh, say that they're going to let this
criminal? I mean, not criminal, but let this person that
owes all this money come in and run, billions of dollars
worth of contracts. You got good people in procurement
that, you should have kept their, the lady that was acting
is good. The the manager for, um, equity and compliance is
good from what I understand. So you bring in somebody that
has no procurement.
Experience.
Thank you. Miss Hughes our final speaker will be Mr. Taiwan
Sims.
The smallest piece.
Says on 16 points, what? 1600 16 billion 640, 16.
Bill 647 million, I suppose that's the annual budget.
However, now we're going to after months of
The Biden.
Considering and giving to a new initiative. We see the
drawbacks of that.
We see now that the elderly the pension is going to take a
hit.
Also um city services going to take a hit but this was the
the 1 that got me. So I like this. Um, it says, Democrats
must fix debt crisis in Chicago. This was from prominent
businessman, Willie Wilson, um, increased funding for
violence reduction because instead of um,
Fixing the issue, y'all.
Pour into it. Y'all just keep pouring more and more gas on
it, more and more black people, die every weekend.
Okay, but this was a elected leaders have given priority to
migrants over the citizens who elected them.
To the tune of what 400 million that was out of this
office, but more a little bit more. But it says mayor.
Brandon. John's recently informed Chicago Ones of a 900 and
82 million dollar budget Gap.
The think tank y'all here? We all here today?
The control ain't here this morning.
where the money where the money man at
Okay, that's good. Hey, that's what's up?
We get to hear about how y'all gonna fix this or how we dug
ourselves into this. Because, as we said, I said in here
through these meetings and March May, as y'all consider 70
million and then another 70 million and then they came in
with the 1.5 billion dollar bond that they spoke about, but
then we find ourselves in a billion dollar debt.
Or a shortfall.
But we talking money, right?
So when y'all said that there will be no, what property
taxes all, wait for it.
Let us wait for it. When we talk about more expenditure
taxes, let us wait even more.
But y'all the ones going to cut those tax, we're going to
have more meetings about how y'all going to tax the
Chicago.
How we going to keep paying into an initiative? That has
not given anything to us, how we going to keep contributing
our lifeblood to the immigrants. We immigrants, right
seagull.
Byron.
But the citizens here in Chicago, not gonna gain anything.
We only gonna keep taking hit after hit after hit and y'all
gonna keep trying to explain it off for what as Charity
generosity. I suppose what the city council doing for
people who came from way over there versus the people who
bend over here and y'all act like black people shouldn't be
speaking up on these issues. Like we not the ones, taking
the hit.
Y'all tell violence y'all talk education. Oh no we ain't
even talk about the CTU what they um asking.
So, let us oh.
Thank you, Mr. Sams
all right, um,
Good morning, everybody. And welcome back.
With us today. Uh, on the road, we have, uh, Alderman,
Ervin, Lee laspada, Janie, Mitchell Quinn, Lopez Moore oay
Mosley, Stow Lopez brunette to the Pharaoh Spa Newton,
Vasquez, Riley, Martin and Hatton. Did I miss anyone? That
is in the, in the room?
Okay, also entertain a motion to allow for Alderman. Dow
Robinson, Harris Ramirez. Scott can Newton and silver team
Silverstein to uh come in remotely under the provision of
the rule. 59 is there a motion?
So, move all the mid to all in favor. Signify by saying, I
Chair. The eyes have it. All the down Robinson Harris
Ramirez. Scott can and Silverstein will be recognized for
the purposes of forum. All right, the committee will now
vote to approve. The rule 45 report for the month of July,
which was transmitted electronically to everyone. Can you
get a motion to accept the rule 59? All right, so moved by
vice mayor, Bernette all in favor signify by saying I
Append, the chairs, the eyes have it? Uh, next, we will
moved to here. The overview of the August 2012, ARA road to
recovery report, followed by the 2024 opera road to
recovery plan performance report.
Mr. Smith. All right, the floor is yours.
Good morning. My name is Matthew Smith with the managing
Deputy budget director for the city of Chicago. Uh, I'm
here to present the latest progress report on the city's
road to recovery plan. Um, as of August 5th, the city is
now, uh, happy to report. We are 92% obligated, um, for our
arpa funding and we are 83%, spent, um, the obligations are
6% increase since the beginning of the year, since January,
and the expenditures are at 2% increase since the beginning
of the year. Um, that's for the total program for the
community initiative. Specifically we are currently 74%
obligated and 45% spent. Um, the obligations are at 27%
increase from January and the expenditures are at 16%
increase from January. Um,
I am happy to take any questions about our progress at this
time.
Thank you. Uh, deputy director Schmidt. Any questions?
Vice mayor.
So, so what are the plans? Um, and and what what is the
timeline that we have to, uh,
finish spending all of this money and and and what are the
plans to do it?
So, the obligation um, deadline at the federal level is uh,
uh, the end of this year. So, 1231 24. The expenditure
deadline is December, 31st 2026. Uh, we are currently on
track to hit 100% obligation by the end of this year. Um,
the treasury has released additional guidance. That gives
the city flexibility to reach obligation thresholds in
different ways. So we don't necessarily have to reach an
obligation in the traditional encumbrance sense that that
we're used to. So, um, the city has plans a b and c, um, to
make sure all this money is 100% obligated by the deadline
and then we have, uh, an apparatus within our office. That
works with different departments, to monitor, spend
progress, um, to make sure that we don't give any money
back at the uh, 2 years from now at the end of the 2026
deadline. So you so you said we had to expend that end of
this year.
I mean, we had to obligate that end of this year. Correct?
And we expend by the end of 2026. Correct. So we can make
plans right now for what we're going to spend money on up
until 2026 correct. Okay?
Plans at this point.
um, at this point, um, all of the money that, um, you know,
we went through a process in the spring, um, and then did
an arpa subject matter hearing with this body to, to go
through how this Administration has analyzed and
reallocated, um, money to arpa community initiatives. So,
of now, all the money is earmarked to those same
initiatives that we brought uh, before you in April. Um, as
as part of the budget process, both this year, and next
year, uh, we're working to again, analyze, the progress
that those initiatives are making in terms of obligation
and expenditures and we are prepared um, in in certain
cases to uh, make to make decisions to reallocate funding
as necessary. But right now there's no intention to, uh,
based off the current progress that these programs are
making
Thank you.
Thank you Mr. Chair. Thank you. Vice mayor, almond. The
spot of follow up almond Lopez.
Thank you, thank you very much cheer. Um, thank you for the
update. Thank you for the report. I wanted to.
I asked most specifically, I'm looking at the slide.
Title the city of Chicago's progress. I'm looking
specifically at the 151 million that is allocated and
unencumbered I'm wondering if there's a page of the report
that elaborates on the allocated but unencumbered and our
our plans on making sure we get those dollars out the door.
I, uh, all it's, so there's a page that says about arpa in
the city of Chicago. It's about page number 5. If you're
going by double spaced,
Yeah, so um, thank you for your question Alderman.
Allocated and unencumbered essentially means, um, the money
was earmarked for a specific program through that budget
reallocation exercise. We did in Spring um but the the
money is not necessarily encumbered by the the most narrow
definition on our books. Meaning, um, you have a purchase
order, uh, in hand to spend those funds. Um, we, I don't
know if this report I'll have to take a look specifically
provides, um, the, the Delta between each programs, uh,
allocation and encumbrance, but we can get that to you
through the chair. Um, the 1 thing, I will note, uh, as I
mentioned to Alderman brunette, is that because of, uh,
updated treasury guidelines. Um, we have flexibility in how
we how we hit that obligation Mark, um, and we don't
necessarily have to strictly encumber funds with a purchase
order to make them obligated in the
Size of the treasury. And so we do have strategies in place
for programs that, um, currently have allocations that
maybe are, you know, as we get into Q4 of this fiscal year
gonna gonna be a little too close to that deadline. We have
strategies in place to make sure that they're obligated by
the federal definition so that we don't have to return any
funds. Do you?
I appreciate that. Do you know?
The programs or categories that have the greatest gap
between allocated amount and obligated amount.
Not offhand. But that's something that we can get to you
through the chair. Thank you very much. I appreciate it.
Thank you, chair.
Thank you. Uh on the spot almond, Lopez follow almond nut
Thank you, chairman and good morning to you and to members
of the committee, um, a few questions I have.
So,
For everyone's edification is it says that we have 1.887
billion dollars since 2021, correct.
Correct. That is the total award tomorrow. I received from
the federal government and we have until
midnight of this year. Is that what I heard basically, um,
to until 12:31 to 244 to obligate that those any remaining
on obligated balance? Okay.
And there are 5 pillars. If I'm to 6 pillars, excuse me, 6
pillars.
As the basis for where funds go, correct?
Yes, based off the administration's uh priorities. So they
are housing and homelessness supports at 70 million mental
health and wellness at 82 million human rights arts and
culture at 31 million Community safety at 114 million Youth
and economy at 240 million and effective, governments at
306 million. That's what we have.
Yet to be spent.
Correct.
That would be I believe those are those are not necessarily
what's yet to be spent. Those are just the total
allocations. That, that's what we have left to go for the
the those are so the Delta between 100 but not spent. Yes,
that will get us there. Correct. Okay.
so,
as we look at these 6 pillars,
How many full-time jobs were created.
In the, in our government.
Using this money.
Would you want the current full-time position count or what
was created at the Inception of the program? I would like
to know
for the totality of this money.
when I look at Youth and economy, for example, and I see 1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8, 9 different categories
Excuse me, 10 11 12 13 14, different categories, for Youth
and economy totaling 200.
And 40 million dollars, how many?
Full-time and part-time positions were created in our in
our bureaucracy for this pillar.
So just to clarify, you want City positions, not
necessarily.
Jobs. We've created what the program funds. Correct. How
many City positions we get that through you through the
chair? So then I would like through the chair for all 6
pillars.
All the city positions created by this.
Because all 6 spend a lot of money.
and as we heard in our briefings last week, There's an
emphasis on trying to retain jobs as this Federal money
disappears,
so, I'd like to know
What exactly we're on?
The hook for if we continue down this path.
1 of the items that caught my attention was effective
governance.
Where 1.3 billion?
Was spent.
Of which 1.3?
10 3, 310.
Uh, went to essential city services.
What is the breakdown of this expenditure?
Is this entirely police reimbursements from 2020 or what?
What exactly does this equate to?
uh, we can get you the exact breakdown um uh at a high
level at my understanding is that the majority of the uh
essential city services, or otherwise, what we call Revenue
replacement, um, went to uh, covering shortfalls in the
city's operating, uh, budgets uh over the last few years
for Public Safety payroll.
So, then what?
Is management and administration.
Management Administration is a separate category under the
grant that allows for certain eligible expenditures to be
um used to actually help administer the community
initiatives. So uh various departments receive an
allocation essentially um you know to hire either staff or
contractors to help implement the community programs.
And is that separate from whatever the Staffing upgrades
are from the other 6 other 5 pillars?
Yes. Yes each pillar would would would have uh positions
assigned to it? I will say the majority of the positions um
outside of Public Health which has a lot of positions here
marked for 9111 response. Um and uh youth services within
the dfss space would be uh more m&a positions, Okay? Then
if you could provide through the chair, a complete
breakdown of what, exactly these 2 4, 5, different
Subsections of effective governance are.
I would appreciate it. Um,
Lastly, I don't want to take up.
Everyone else's time.
Oh, trust me, I will.
But a an uh, an area of concern, for many of us.
Uh, particularly on the South and West sides are the vacant
Lots.
and this says that we had,
In under the housing and homelessness supports.
Section.
2 areas that are of eminent concern. To many of us 1, the
vacant lot reduction strategy which had 4.6 million dollars
allocated to it of which 232395 remain. Um, what exactly
was expended?
In the 3.1 million.
Um, and where was it? Spent by Ward, if you could provide
that through the chair,
and then we
Up, and we have heard.
For years, requests coming from our communities to rehab
houses in our neighborhoods.
32.3 million was allocated under the same pillar for Rapid
re. Uh no wait, hold on.
Correction.
Which 1 of these. That's what my question was which 1 of
these dealt with?
The.
Rehab of housing, which 1 of these pillars.
The uh, it would likely be the housing and homelessness
support pillar. Um, if you recall other men, this money
under the prior Administration was also combined with Bond
proceeds, under the Chicago recovery plan. Um, in terms of
actual, uh, hard costs of of Housing Development, most of
those, uh, if not all of them are on the bond portion of
these funds, not the federal portion. So, none of the
federal dollars went towards rehabbing the any of the
vacant homes in in buildings, that we've seen in our
communities.
Not in any of these programs before you here. Okay, so
then, if you could kindly share,
Especially when it comes to the rehousing and the re-enter,
and both the rehousing, the re-entry and the navigation
breakdowns of these spending by Ward. Um,
And with whom I would appreciate that. Lastly I actually
want to go back to
Uh, the effective governance because the that is 1 of the
few buckets that actually is zeroed out.
The the not for-profit and capacity building.
can you provide us also with a list of who all the, who all
of the
Recipients were of that money.
As well.
Yes, we'll get all that. Thank you. And, and to address um,
Alderman laspada, I actually on slide um 12. Um is actually
actually a breakdown of that question. You had about the
difference between what's been allocated and what's been
obligated by by pillar. Um we can get you uh break down by
program underneath each pillar as well. Thank you, thank
you, thank you.
Thank you, chairman.
Thank you. Uh, ottoman Lopez ottoman Newton, follow almond
Moore.
Thank you chairman. Um,
I want to make sure I understand this.
Uh, so we have 92% of these funds currently obligated with
8% that still haven't been obligated, right? Correct. So
I'm not great at math but it looks like it's about 140
million that's out there on obligated right now.
Is that accurate? Uh, yeah roughly yes, 1444 million. So
theoretically if we're looking at
the programming pillars that we can use money, the arpa
funds for and we look at our
Really dire budget deficit numbers right now. Could we focus
that unobligated 8% on programming that we could
theoretically not use?
Our budget for to try to help us out.
So that our deficit is less.
Um, for example, right? For example, could we
I I guess maybe I don't, I shouldn't ask that question. I
want to make a declarative sentence. I think I'd like folks
to look at the unencumbered.
144 million dollars and really focus on programs that could
help relieve. The budget numbers that we're having as a
city right now because
we're gonna have a real hard time um coming to terms with
our budget and I would ask that that be a focus uh as we
continue here and the other thing I'd like to just bring up
is
on the housing and homelessness. Um,
we're to accelerated moving events fit into any of the
the things listed on page 22.
I I'm sorry. I'm on a familiar with so I think uh chairman
I think dfss has Folks up there, I don't know if they could
address that.
Oh yeah, sorry. Um I don't uh I I can let um give us that
speak more to it but I was just informed there within the
rapid rehousing bucket.
What what's, what's your question again now? So, uh,
chairman I see, um,
I'm not trying to call somebody up but I do see more back
there from dfss. And uh dfss has been very helpful with
with me trying to find housing and wraparound services for
people experiencing homelessness. And so I want to
understand if accelerated moving events fit in any of the
buckets listed on page, 22 under housing and homelessness
supports. I believe that's actually rapid rehousing which
is the 1 to 4 item on that list.
That's correct. Tomorrow. My colleague managing Deputy
Commissioner dfss. It's under rapid rehousing. Okay. Um,
so, for example,
I'm wondering if with 8% unobligated of this arpa funds.
I'm being told we don't have capacity um, to help me do
rapid rehousing and accelerated moving events in my ward
and I'm wondering if it's possible to look at this
outstanding 8% and perhaps put more into that bucket to
help in our Ward. Is that a possibility?
And not just for my word, everybody else who's experiencing
this across the city.
um, so I, you know, the administration went through a a
process in the spring um to to allocate reallocate money uh
uh to certain programs based off of need that was
identified at the time. Um, our office in working with you
and the administration, um, well obviously entertain any
ideas for reallocations as part of this budget process.
sure, well I I respectfully request uh additional funds to
be put in the um, the rapid rehousing bucket because we
have significant need, um, in my ward and across the city.
Um, to help get housing for these folks and and services.
So I think that's really important. I'd actually like, um,
I'd be grateful for a follow-up on that and what the steps
are, uh, the other thing, um,
Have you guys?
It's my understanding that we we look into grantees that
have received arpa funding with respect to monitoring them
but we don't look into subcontractors or sub-grantees. Is
that true?
Um, according to uh, Federal Regulations, the city is
required to monitor sub-recipients. Um, we are not required
to monitor contractors or subcontractors with the same, uh,
degree of scrutiny.
Okay.
This is a lot of money um, that we're looking to get out.
It's really hard to spend money.
I know that everybody wants money but it's very hard to to
keep up with the accounting of it.
Have we, when are we going to do a sweep to ensure that
people are spending money? Because my guess is that, while
8% is currently an obligated, I think the numbers will be
higher if we do a sweep to determine the folks that can't
spend their money. And then we have an opportunity uh to re
obligate in buckets that are really necessary. Is there a
plan in place to to do that type of sweep to check?
So we uh, we are currently doing uh, an analysis of
expenditure progress, um, as part of the 2025 budget
process. Um, there, uh, we are going to look at what that
analysis, uh, reveals and that, um, our office, you know,
in concert with you, in the administration, um, can make a
decision about, you know, how to re utilize those funds.
Can you, will you be coming to this committee to share what
that sweep shows? And so that we could work with you, to
determine how to spend some of that money?
uh,
let me consult with the budget director and get back to you
on that.
Thank you. Chairman. I I think there's an opportunity. If
they find additional funds in the suite for us to work with
them uh on how we can help with supporting programs that
help alleviate. Uh, some of the requests we're going to be
made during our budget.
Thank you. That's fair quick question. Uh, as we look at
these, um, charts, you've got the total allocation, the
total expended to Total available and the FY 2526 Reserve.
So just for our own notifications, the total amount is ale.
The expended is matches up to the expended component. The
uh, available is the, what's been allocated Andor
encumbered? And then what is left is, what is unallocated,
is that, because the numbers are approximately, is that
approximately correct?
Approximately, there's a portion of the 2024 funds that
have yet to be obligated. So that's part of the progress
that we need to make um, ahead of the deadline. Um, but
generally speaking, yes money, uh, in Co in the last column
uh FY 2526 Reserve is earmarked for a program but because
it's not going to projected to be spent until next fiscal
year. It's technically available, it's not it locked up in
a contract right now, got it? No, this is. So, so when you
look at it and this is to your question on Autumn. So when
you look at the areas in which you think additional
resources should be allocated to, um, if you're looking at
that last column, you'll see what the game plan is for next
year. And if you think additional
Fars need to be allocated out of this bucket. Then that's
fair. Uh, Fair conversation. But understand that for every
dollar you take from this point you're going to take it
from another program. So but again that's all the more
priorities that we, as Council may lay out. So just just so
you can see everything, it's all. All right there for you.
So, okay.
Uh, thank you, chairman. I appreciate that. I just um,
It is inevitable that when we sweep people will not be able
to spend all this money. And I just think we have to be
ready to to fill oh, what our question. I, I agree with
that 100% so in that that that has to be done as part of
the 25th process and uh I think we will have those
conversations as we get closer to seeing what's being
expended. What's been encumbered and what will move forward
with that in respect to that. So thank you. Thank you. All
right, uh, almond Moore.
Alderman Moore is next followed by Alderman. Uh, I'm sorry.
Alderman more follow up. Bye, the vice chair, Lee.
Thank you. Um,
Chairman and thank you so much Alderman Lopez for your, um,
line of questioning. Um, and I'm, I was concerned and I'm
glad we having this conversation because it's ultimate
Lopez asked for things through the chair and information.
Um, I was going through this about maybe over a month ago,
if not almost 2 months ago and as I was requesting
information from the budget office and as I dug more and
more, unfortunately, chairman I was it to me
disrespectfully told that this is on the portal.
I need to go pull this stuff off the portal. You've been
over, you've gone through this. We've gone through this
stuff with you. It's on the portal.
Let me say it publicly. I ain't got time to go through some
portal to dig something. You can't even tell me. And so I
appreciate you having this and and and as my other
colleagues are asking for that information, I hope they're
not told to go to the portal but the information is given
to them. Now from that standpoint, 1 of the things that I
asked about was that housing and homeless support. And so I
wanted to know, what was it by Ward because I got a senior
when we talking about housing and, and, and and, and, and
ports programs, and all of that stuff, I know we put 10
million dollars in do claim that they sent the letter out
because that we weren't supposed to use that for the
lottery. It was supposed to be a special case of how we can
get that out. I never got an email on how we were going to
get that out. Well, we sent it out to
Are more similar email that you all said, you all sent out
to the ottoman. Never got it. And so I got a senior who has
been struggling with a porch and concrete that it never
happened. So I'm looking at this thing of 70 million
thousand for housing and homelessness. I said, okay, maybe
there's about um, 70 million dollars there that we we can
use from this. So I'm like
Tell me about that, 70 million dollars and break that by
Ward. For me, they did that for me and they sent it to me
by War. And so, as I looked at it by Ward,
On the housing side. Um,
Um, in the just, for example, for the, for the fourth ward
and not picking on the fourth ward, I'm just giving an
example. 2,732 thousand was encumbered 109,000 was
expended, so my question was okay, why not in the 17th War?
Because the 17th Ward is some other wars were skipped. I
was told then that it's not by Ward, it's by organizations.
and all of that. Who serve these Wards? My next question
is, who are these organizations? And who did they serve?
Who did they serve then? I was told, well, those are
salaries. It's not we can tell you by word or by ZIP code,
what happened? But those are salaries, okay? There's got to
be something that was done. So my question is,
Whether it's by ZIP code, or whether it's by Ward, who are
what services were done, where did this money go? Because
I'm, I'm all I'm saying is housing and homeless support.
I'm seeing a Dollar by Ward, but it's not being broken down
to who it went to. And I also asked for it by ethnicity to
sort of understand.
Where this money is going and I'm not getting that
information. So can that information be provided? Yes or
no.
So, um, 2 different pieces of information can be provided
so we can we can uh, there's limitations to at what levels
we can break down our expenditures. So most of our
expenditures are subgrant to to delegate agencies that we
work with regular to deliver a lot of these Services. Um,
at this point, there is no systematic, uh, way that the
city tracks, how the delegate agency is allocating dollars,
uh, to specific, uh, individuals or to specific, uh,
geographies. A lot of the services that they do provide are
Citywide. I just want to hold them up there because I want
want to that was explained to me. I get that part that the
city does not track where I got lost at is that is the city
is not holding the delegate.
agencies for reporting back, the numbers to you all, I get
that, we don't have a system, but I'm lost when I'm asking
these questions that this the delegate agencies are not
saying okay. Uh um 70 million thousands on this port. This
much went to zip code 60620, and of that much, that went to
60620 this amount went to this organization. This
organization to help Joe small or whoever
I cannot get down to that point. Can you get it down to
that point for me?
So we can certainly look into it all. I mean, it it really
so, delegate agencies are required to provide certain
support documentation to be reimbursed by the city. Um,
what their, what their required to provide our negotiated
uh on an individual basis between departments and the
delegate agencies. And those terms are uh can change from
agreement to agreement, depending on the needs of the
program. So certain programs might uh collect certain types
of data whereas other programs because of the nature of the
design of the program might collect different levels of
data. Unfortunately, right now, I can't say for certainty,
if there's a systemic blanket coverage to say, that every
agency must require it by, uh, ZIP code or Ward. Now, I'm
not saying that there are agreements that do require that
data and that's where we can look. Um, if you're, uh,
especially if you have specific agencies, um, from the
list, we provided that you want. More detail. Breakdown on.
We can work with departments to see what information
exists.
And provide that to you. Um, it's just Again difficult to do
that at a city scale. We're hoping that with our future Erp
system developments that we could get better at tracking um
um, expenditures down to those levels of details. It's not
that we don't want to be able to do that. It's just very
manually, uh, arduous for us to produce that information,
right? So how do I tell my constituents? They asked me how
much is that? 70 million dollars, hit the 17th or
community?
How do I answer that? So a lot of programs do track um uh,
the areas where people are served. So we can we could tell
you uh uh on a program by program basis. In most cases that
people from this community were served. Um, it's just hard
to connect again, that's why I started with the 2 sets of
data. It's hard to necessarily say this amount of specific
money went to serve these people, um, because it's again,
the how we're tracking the data. Yeah. And that, and that's
somehow a problem. We figure that out. Chairman, we may
have to discuss that offline because again, as a as a, a, a
Account who worked in Corporate America, I even with water.
Working at Walton Pina. I had to know with variance though.
How much water was used in dog? Child, how much use water
was used in milk biscuits, you know, Milk Bone, biscuits. I
had to know that. And so I have to be able to drive down to
say, yes you got we got some of these services but what was
the impact financially? What was the impact of people? Was
it the same 10 people because we going off of sign in
sheets or would it were people really helped? And that's
what that's what I'm not getting and I cannot convey that
to my constituents on that housing part. And if we got any
more money in housing part, we're going to by hook or
crook. We going to help Miss Jones whose house has been
waiting to get done because they screwed us over on the
1000, which I advocated for and fought for in that budget.
And now we got 70 million that I can't, I can't tell this
senior whose house is about the cave in. Why she not
getting any of that? Somebody's got to figure this out as
before we go through budget. Thank you, chairman. All
right. Thank you. Uh, alderman.
More.
Alderman, Terrell.
When Alderman Moore asked a question about providing
information, um, are they planning on providing
information? The information that Alderman Moore? Yeah.
What's, what's the committee? Gets the information, we send
it out so we'll send it out to all the members of the
committee. Okay, is is, is that list going to include, um,
all of the, uh, the delegates that are receiving funds from
our
Whatever.
So whatever items that has been requested through the
chair, we'll make those items available to all the members
of the committee. If you have a specific request that
you're looking for uh we you can give us on what was being
provided, okay?
What we have is Ward ethnic ethnicity and recipients. So uh
uh that whatever information we get from the department
will be provided to members of the committee. Thank you,
Mr. Chairman. Okay, very well. Um next up we have the
ultimate Mitchell followed by Alderman Lee.
All right, thank you chairman. Uh, first, let me let me
make some through the chair request, particularly on the
housing and homelessness and support. Uh, pillar
All the we I I want to see I too, like David spent a little
time in corporate on the Finance and Accounting side. So I
want to see the backup for all of this information
particularly expended
To expended to date. Um, I I and, and get his granular as
possible uh, because you using 1 example Community wealth
building. Which I think my next question is going to be to
add some context around what that really means, but what
that 61200612000 was
Uh, was actually spent on and break it down as granular as
possible.
Um,
Do that for.
Do it. I would I actually would request for everything to
tell you the truth because everybody knew he needs to know
what we're dealing with. So, so respected for everything.
But all the pillars and all the the the categories under
each pillar break that down.
Break it down as green as possible. And guys you you are
already know, people are going to ask for by Ward. So
absolutely. You you guys, we we've been doing this a long
time. So go ahead and do that. All right. Uh in the
community wealth building.
Please conf.
Give me. Tell me what that means.
Because you have housing. So, Community, wealth building.
Housing, tell me what that means.
Unfortunately, Alderman, I I'm not an expert in the
community wealth building program. Um, we currently don't
have a representative from the Department of Planning and
Development here to speak specifically to the development,
but um, we can get you a description of what that progress
through the chair.
Okay, ladies and Gentlemen, please, please go down to the
outburst.
So, I'm sorry.
Ottoman League. You said we are going to or we going to we
should. Yeah. So okay. Um,
I'm assuming you would need that. Your response would be
the same for the rest of them as well.
Okay. Yeah and just to clarify to what uh Point almond war
made. Um, it's it's not that we're not collecting uh data
we're actually federally required to report uh the outputs
and outcomes of how we spend this money. It it's just that
in all cases, it's not necessarily easy for us to click a
button and say this happened in this specific war. That
doesn't mean we won't work to get you that information.
Okay. All right. I I, I I'll Trust you on that. Um, I want
to
as we go into budget season, you know, I I need you guys to
understand that the pressure
And the, and the state of of Chicago right now.
You you you hear what we hear?
In our words down here.
About the inequities.
Prior to the migrant situation.
and now,
We are seeing millions of dollars going into the streets.
And you know, we know some is federally funded but some you
you know, knowing that no 1 kehrs about that. The fact that
it's happening. So when we down here as the alderman,
Who take me as an example, have an issue with vacant
properties?
Not just vacant Lots, but vacant houses.
Which have been vacant for 10 and 20 years. So now those to
me aren't classified as vacant. They're abandoned now
we don't have a mechanism in place to go after those
properties.
Sift through the title.
If you, if you are not, you know, if you've been in court
for 1020 years. If you haven't paid tax well taxes has a,
you have recourse with that. But you you you you in our
system for 1020 years we need to classify that as something
else. Basically what I'm getting at that takes work.
If we have we're we're sitting here and I'll just use the
vacant reduction, uh, the vacant lot reduction strategy.
We?
4.6 million was allocated. 3.17 is expended today.
Funds available 200,000 and then 1.2 for reserved.
I with the issues that I know I have in my ward with the
issues that I know other aldermen have in their Awards.
That is that money? Should this category should be expanded
past vacant, lots to vacant houses.
In a, a whole plan, a strategic plan should be built
around. How do we find title? These properties go after
these owners and if not City takes responsibility for them.
So now we control those property, we control those
properties in our neighborhoods. We build our
neighborhoods, back up.
so with this with this kind of money, those are the, those
are the more thoughtful approaches that that I I think we
need to take and I know this was sent out to all of us but
but those are the more thoughtful which is why it's it's
it's definitely and I know you said you will work on it.
That's why we didn't know what what really is behind the
programs because going back to community wealth building
when you say housing
That it that that means something in the Seventh Ward, I
changed my housing situation. I get I get these 202. 2,000
plus vacant properties back in the, in the hands of people,
where they can work with the city that can work with the
10, with Tim on initiatives. The we I'm building back up my
seventh floor.
I can't and to see this kind of money sitting here in that
in that in strategically, it's not being placed in that, in
that regard. That's a problem.
Understood Alderman and I would like to to add. So just a a
couple because you bring up some good points. Um, a couple
reactions 1. Um uh as you mentioned this, this allocation
allocation, um, it was actually really continued from the
prior Administration and it was focused on um, specifically
addressing vacant Lots. So uh, most of this money went to
CBR which is a real estate Forum that works with um, dbd to
to do. Um, large scale assessments of vacant. Lots on the
southwest side, uh in the event to um uh have appraisals
ready to go, um so that they can offload the properties
back to useful life more quickly. A portion of it also went
to supplement. Um, some of the staffing needs in dbd to do
the work to look up those titles and stuff like that. Um,
we are our office is working with, uh, the housing
department right now, uh, through will Edwards, um, uh,
specifically we have a pipeline of funds, uh, 20 million
right now, coming from the state of Illinois.
Um, and then, uh, hopefully additional funds through the
city's, uh, housing Bond. Um, to to, uh, rehab those those
those properties, you're talking about 1 of the key
challenges that you bring up, are the, um, uh, issues with
the administration of, of the encumbrances and what the
deal with cleaning these properties before you could bring
them back to useful life or even rehab them. So,
Um, uh I spoke with the other day, we're we're working with
him, the controller and the Law Department, um, to look at,
um, internal staffing needs in those areas to work as a
team, um, to essentially, you know, clean for lack of a
better word, um, encumbrances off of X amount of properties
annually, so that we could tee them up for redevelopment
because we do have all this money sitting there for
redevelopment, but to your point, um, we need to get past
that initial hurdle to make sure that they're ready to go.
So, while I may not be reflected in in the road to recovery
plan. Um, there are talks being held right now, about how
to how to address that issue because it is very important.
Okay. And this is our, does that also include commercial
Commercial commercial properties, as well. That I will have
to check with him on. I know it definitely includes
housing. Um, we'll check with commercial because we have 2,
in my, we have 2 types. You got commercial that is all 100%
commercial then commercial with residential, so mixed use.
So both of those categorized in there. Okay, thank you,
man, when you have those kind of conversations.
15 minutes. All right. All right, all right. Well, look,
can we have some side conversation about this? Okay. All
right.
Thank you sir. I did have another but if we can but if you
can ask me that 1 off line, you got 3, other colleagues
that are okay, fair enough asking those as well. So Vice
chair, Lee,
Thank you, chairman.
um,
I'm gonna yeah, hold up. Hold up, hold up.
Continue with the outburst and you'll be outside having
them. So, uh, again. All right.
Very well. Ultimately. Thank you chairman. Um
Just a few follow-up questions just to make sure I'm I'm
tracking with everything here. Uh anything that is listed.
I'm looking at the the sort of breakdowns uh later in the
deck around page. Um 202122 um,
The FY, 2526 budget Reserve. Does that total to be the?
Does that equal the 8%? Basically that is left unallocated
at this point, it would make up a vast majority of the 8%
there. There, there could be some funds this year that
we're still aiming to get obligated. Um, but uh, you are
correct. It's safe to assume that it would make up the
majority of that 8%, okay? And then once we've obligated
all the funds, what sort of flexibility do we have at some
point? Let's say.
Uh, an agency is no longer able to fulfill on their
commitment. Now, the the funds that were allocated to them,
just call it a million bucks, what happens to that million
dollars. Uh, so uh again with the treasury releasing new
guidance, where, where are excited to say that? They
provide a lot of flexibility in terms of if we make that
obligation, um for a certain purpose between now and the
end of the year, which is our deadline. Um, we do have the
ability to go back and, and, and reuse those funds for
another eligible Grant use under a different obligation,
uh, past the deadline. So so before 2020
6, so that's good news. Then then we do have a little bit of
flexibility. Can you tell me? Um,
What corporate fund items could be covered using arpa funds
at this point? I mean, I think we're all very concerned
about the the budget gap for between on the end of the
year. And this looks like a pretty nice big plug if that
were possible.
Sure. So there's a vast list of of enumerated categories
that are eligible expenditures. Um, I will say, broadly
speaking because of the city's ability to declare uh arpa
funds as a revenue loss to replace essential city services
um, to answer your question, the broadest that's possible
almost any corporate fund could expense, could be
considered algebra within certain, um, specific
restrictions based off federal guidelines around lobbying
and and certain ineligible activities for federal funds.
Um, but there is a lot of flexibility there, uh, as well.
And, and to double back on uh a question from Alderman nen.
Um, you know about looking at uh, areas around our
corporate fund where we have costs that maybe we could
redirect some of those funding to. So that was, um, uh, a
key component of the analysis, we did in April. Um, and um,
what we what we learned, as we went through this exercise,
was that a lot of these programs that you see, before you
actually exist,
Listed before these arpa funding and uh we use the term
braided funding. We actually used arpa funds that braided
them in with existing corporate funds to expand the scope
of the work not necessarily do unique new work. And so
that's not a blanket statement. There are some programs
within the road to recovery, that are brand new to the
city. A lot of the programs, especially in the Health and
Human Services spaces are expansions of what the city, um,
was able to do before we had this money. Um, and uh, right
now we are in the process of conducting a sustainability
analysis to understand the impacts um on city services as
this funding does go away. So as we think about how to use
this money strategically, um, our office is factoring in,
kind of the relationship to these funds and existing City.
Operating expenses on our corporate fund know, and thank
you for that and that's that's good news. That was actually
you're rolling right into my next question. Um which is you
know how are we tracking the metrics of success?
For these arpa funded programs. And again, as you said,
of these are existing programs that were expanded
eventually, we're going to lose the additional funding. Um,
you know, what, what's again, what are we using? What are
we doing to sort of track the impact? Um, because a lot of
these, I mean, there's 1 specifically for capacity
building. What, what, what have we seen from that? I think
that's going to be really important for every single
category of this. Um, I think we need to be able to provide
that level of
That, that level of information and feedback uh, to
constituents about how these funds were spent. Um,
And in addition, um, in addition to that, how do we wind
things down? Um, because that that's something we haven't
talked about at all yet. And I know that's the next
elephant in the room. We've got a lot of looming, budget
issues, but also you know, when we, when we lose all of the
the arpa funding period, we should be able to, to lead up
to that. So can you speak to, to any of the those
conversations that are going on? Now at the budget level,
Sure, so to ask about, uh, performance measurement. Um, so
1 of the, uh, agenda items was the actual the release of
the annual performance report that we're required to
produce, um, for federal guidelines. So, I, I do recommend
again. It's the information that the, that we report back
to the feds is a necessarily at the ward level. Um, and
that's something we can, we can work to get. Um, but it's a
very robust document that actually, uh, provides a very
detailed breakdown of what each of these programs are
doing, what the model is, what the policy issue, they're
addressing and how we're measuring whether or not that it
is addressing the 1. Good thing about the release of this
money uh from the federal government is there was a special
emphasis on program evaluation and um, putting uh,
infrastructure in place to collect better data. So while
the data we're collecting is not perfect, it's I will go
out and live and say better than some of the, uh, our
historical Grant data that we've collected, uh, because of
the emphasis on this. So you asked a question about
capacity building? I think it's a great question. I think
there's as
Administration. We're trying to get to a point where, how do
we pivot from output to outcome reporting? Um, and we're
not quite there yet, but in terms of output we can tell
you, okay? We served x amount of nonprofit organizations or
small businesses. Um, but a more interesting question is,
uh, how long did that business stay in business, or how
many more clients were was, the nonprofit able to serve
exactly? And so again, we're not quite there, but we are
starting to, uh, you know, grow those areas of discussion.
Um, so I do recommend looking at this at this report. Um,
could you, uh, for your second question, about the ramp
down? Um, so, uh, just kind of a disclaimer. So I know
there's the rightfully so interested in this body to look
at these fiscal 25, 26 Reserve funds as a potential area to
close other budget holes. Um, but I think chairman Ervin,
you know, um, apply mentioned that. You know when we did
this exercise in April we strategically allocated.
Money in future out years to sustain programs at certain
levels. So while we absolutely can reallocate These funds.
We're not necessarily taking money from a program. That's
not going to use it and giving it to another need where,
you know, for lack of a robbing Peter to pay Paul. So we we
have strategically, used the reallocation process to give
us a longer runway for these ramp down discussions. Um,
most of these programs are seeing now Clips in 26 because
of the work we did in April not Cliffs this upcoming fiscal
year. So, um,
Again, these reallocation discussions, absolutely could
happen as part of this budget process, um, but that we need
to have maybe some additional ramp down discussions
depending on what programs we're talking about. I just
think we were, we had a different kind of budget Outlook in
April than we do today. Sure. Um and we've all said it
right in the mayor said it there there's going to be very
tough decisions that have to be made and I think we have to
look at it holistically and I know that we're going to do
that. Um but my last question just on the and you know you
mentioned a couple of times um
efforts to uh improve your ability to report on certain
things. Um can you talk about? Do we have have we directed
arpa funds towards like building Erp systems? Or, you know,
better systems within the budget Department that can also
be used by contractors and delegate agencies to track that
information. Because we have, we always have more questions
than we have information. And, and we have to address that.
So,
I'm wondering how much if any of the arpdau dollars that we
have because it seems like a great use 1 Time 1 time
payment sort of thing can you talk about any efforts and uh
in that Realm
uh, to my knowledge, um, on the federal side of what was
originally, the Chicago recovery plan, um, no federal
dollars were specifically earmarked to it development,
because it development is an eligible capital expenditure a
lot of the bond proceeds that were issued on the Chicago
recovery. Plan were earmarked for such improvements. Um, I
don't know specifically around you know it you know certain
databases or or certain applications. Um but I know as part
of the larger Erp project um we are completely looking at
looking at overhauling our entire grants, um, systems. Um,
and so so we can get that better data. Um, and you know,
again it's uh, it's
I i i i all, I'm a mortgage refer to the portal, um, it's
it's not necessarily something that we just want to point
you to just to say, you know, leave us alone. It's it's
something that we're actually proud of to say, like, you
know, we're actually trying to be more transparent with the
data we have. And we'll admit that the data is, is, is not
great and can improve, but with the data we have at the
level, we have it, we are trying to put it out there for
more public consumption and we've done that. Uh, we we'll
be doing that with our but I believe we're launching our
new dashboard. Uh, in October, I think is the 10th of the
schedule. And we've done that with the migrant, um, Mission
so far with expenditures around that and now we'll continue
to do that. Um, again, and work out,
Improving the data, but make it available as we have it in
its current state. Thank you, that's all I've got here and
thank you. Thank you, Vice chair Alderman. Reilly
Um, thank you, chairman and a lot of my it's refreshing. A
lot of my colleagues are actually made comments that that I
plan to make and
It's um, refreshing to hear.
A call for more scrutiny, you know related to the outcome
of the spending.
And you know that's something a number of us have been
calling on, um, previous administrations to do.
You know, I think Alderman Lopez and Nugent to a degree
Alderman, more all in different ways, hit on the same
point, which is wherever possible, we need to prioritize
dedicating every unobligated arpa dollar that we can to
that massive billion dollar problem that we have. And, you
know, each of us had different opinions on last year's
budget appropriation. And I certainly had some criticism
for it and predicted that we might end up in a place like
this.
um, and you're right when you say in your comments, that
Um, we didn't necessarily create tons and tons of brand new
programs out of thin air to, you know, solve all the
world's problems. But you did admit that we have seen, you
know, pretty substantial scope expansion and given the
nature of the pandemic and all of the the the different
crises that the city was confronting at that time.
1 could argue that a lot of folks need help and this money
need to be spent.
Um, but now, here we are.
Staring down a 1 billion dollar plus budget Abyss.
And it's quite clear that while I would love to see certain
programs scope expanded and, and frankly preserved over the
Long Haul. Um, we have this fiscal reality.
And and frankly uh taxpayers who feel put upon and
stretched thin after you know the last several years of
untenable inflation and and soaring cost of living costs.
And and and so you know
We should even look at some of the monies that we think
we'd like to allocate to preserve some of the program
expansion to pull that money back.
um, I know that won't be popular with a lot of folks, you
know, all these programs
Provide good services and help people. And um, you know,
that's 1 of the missions of our government.
Um, but again, it has to be affordable. The, the other thing
that is also refreshing. And I look forward to working
with, um, the the, the budget office and also with chairman
Ervin, um, after this hearing is to
Really get a better handle on what you described as the
need for better data.
Um, I agree. It is virtually impossible to conduct a
responsible return on investment analysis, unless you have
really good data.
and I know that the nature of Grant programs is that the
focus is typically external, it's to be providing services
to
To your client base. Um, if you're a nonprofit um and a lot
lot of the data collection is perun, um, it's secondary to
the mission, right? And I get that, you know, nonprofits
have to make every dollar count.
Um, but
For us as an appropriating body.
Without that good data.
We don't know whether we're making meaningful Investments
on behalf of taxpayers.
Um, and so this isn't a critique of the department. Um,
you're the folks who are here, now you're the ones who are
in charge now and I know that the first year, um, of the
administration frankly, had to be an all hands on deck to
get your arms around that budget. But you've been here a
bit now. Um, and you are in charge and so that's something
that I really want to, um, male down with you.
Sooner than later. Because certainly we have the upcoming
budget to deal with in the in the next 2 months. Um, but
budgets aren't a problem. They're going to go away anytime
soon. This is an annual exercise, right? Um, and so, you
know more than anyone. I I want to see better data and
useful data. That helps us make these big important
decisions about how we're spending people's money.
Um and so I'm I'm not going to make any requests
specifically of you right now. Um but certainly 1 to
understand more about uh better clarifying what our
performance measurements are. Uh and obviously based on the
department or the bucket of money or the service provided
you know those metrics are going to be very different
but I think if we can develop some that are consistent and
that we can track annually.
Um, that's going to do us a lot of good. And not just this
Administration and the folks sitting in this room here
today
Um, but folks, 10 and 20 years down the road and we're not
here working for the city government. So,
Um those are my my big ticket requests um but in the short
term, I really do hope that we can work together to focus
on.
Shifting. Some of these arpa funds to to help uh mitigate
immediate budget pressures. Um, in lie of preserving
program scope expansion that perhaps we can't sustain the
local dollars over the Long Haul. Um, so really chairman,
thank you. It wasn't questions, but I wanted to make that
statement as we're kind of heading into this very important
season. Uh, but thanks for your Indulgence chairman Urban,
chairman Urban, no problem. Your statements are
given the nature of what we're looking at. So, uh, that was
all I had on this, uh, I think, uh, Alderman Lopez, you had
a follow-up in Alderman, Mitchell had a follow-up and then
we'll go into the items on the agenda. Go ahead. Almond
Lopez. Thank you. I'll make it quick. Um, we keep hearing
about supplementing departments, um, that basically refers
to reimbursing for all.
Costs covered under the final rule, correct?
I'm sorry. I let me clarify. What you mean by
supplementing?
well, when you say some of these expenditures and buckets
supplement departments or programs,
Oh correct. So referring to
Whatever's.
Reimbursable basically for the federal government's
requirements. Correct.
Yes. So um essentially uh, there was an exercise done to
align way back on the prior Administration to align. Um,
some of the work that departments were already doing with
those, uh, aforementioned, enumerated categories, uh, for
eligible expenditures and we still do that. Correct.
Correct. We we generally always look for for grant funding
to help us supplement local. So, the question that I have
chairman is when the city of Chicago's budget is passed and
we're issuing property tax levies for the corporate fund or
what have you to pay for various city services, for
example, police and fire.
And we use the federal money to reimburse ourselves for
what we consider coid related or or pandemic related
expenses.
Where does that money go?
That's your question.
It's it's I'm I'm I'm, I would like to hear
where that money goes because we've seen
That.
If we are, for example, budgeting 1.3 billion dollars for
police, and we're able to reimburse ourselves.
250 million with Federal money. That $50
isn't given as a rebate to taxpayers.
It's actually put aside in a surplus account somewhere.
Um, so I I'd like to know
How much of?
This document has created Surplus level reimbursements.
uh, since this money was accepted and where those
Surplus monies, have gone to because I will remind the
committee that in December 29th 2023.
This Administration unilaterally allocated 95 million
without any type of vote towards migrant housing. And that
was based on the fact that it received a reimbursement of
federal dollars.
And use that extra excess already.
Pre-tax dollars from the taxpayers on things that were not
listed in the budget.
So that Mr. Chairman is what I'd like to know and we can
have that provided to us from either, uh, this individual
or from the appropriate agency to let us know how much of
what has been reimbursed has been Surplus, and has been
redirected to things not originally included. Thank you.
Okay. Very well, all the Mitchell you had anything else.
Follow up on
You don't have to create anything. I mean. No. I I I just
want clarification. Um,
Um, when Alderman Reilly spoke, did he make a request for
the metrics? So I think, ultimately mentioned the same
thing. No, Riley made no request of any information. Okay.
Um,
Specifically under the Community safety for Community,
violence intervention. And in the like those, I'm I'm not
so on outcomes of these particular programs and this is a
lot of money and I get. So, can you? I I need, I need to
what what, what the outcomes have been, um, because again,
I, I, I I'm just not sold and we're spending a lot of
money.
On violence intervention, violence, Interruption and things
like that.
So just through the Twitter check, can you get you know,
and I could provide again I think the most comprehensive
comprehensive report we have is the 1 we produce for the
for the treasury. Um, so it lists out the uh, metrics for
every single program in this report. Okay? All right, I'll
be looking at it looking for it. Thank you, Jim. Okay. All
right. Autumn Vasquez.
Thank you very much, chairman first, um, for attendance. But
also um when we had conversations about the arpa funds and
allocations um part of what a number of us raised up is
wanting to see. Kind of like, some of this information is
being discussed whether it's metrics or what not in a
portal. And so I was wondering what the status of of that
was as far as seeing a portal or dashboard to be able to
get some of this data because I appreciate that. There's a
book being printed but something that's been frustrating.
For for I'll say our office and some folks is a
year-over-year. When we talk about budget, we get ebooks or
PDFs. There's nothing where it's data that we can input and
actually break down calculate ourselves and 1 year. Uh I
think 2020, we actually had a we wrote Our Own budget and
had to literally have interns pull line by line off of PDF
to create spreadsheets because we don't get this stuff in
data format. So I wanted to know first, the status of the
portal and then for any of the data that we're talking
about, can we get that in spreadsheet format?
Uh, sure. So we, uh, the status of the portal is, it's
currently on track to launch, uh, this October so that that
should be up soon. Um, as for the, uh, data that went into
the road recovery report, um, we could absolutely get that
to you in a in a more usable format in Excel. Um, as for
the actual Appropriations themselves, I believe they're on
the data portal. Um, and so you you should be able to
download those into a CSV or Excel file. Um, and so that
you can, you know, analyze the more easily. Yeah.
That'd be great. Like if there's stuff that we're requesting
that isn't on those portals, like I'd prefer getting them
getting them in like different formats to be able to work
with the numbers. Um you know we get 700 page documents
when it's budget time that just makes it hard. Um I guess
the other question 1 I appreciate
the thoughtfulness in trying to get programs that we think
are going to be helpful and yield return in the long run on
the other. Um,
The other side of that equation which we're hearing from
colleagues. And I think I also share is if you create a
program that you then don't have the revenue to keep
sustained over time.
Are you in some instances, setting up? People for failure,
because you're not going to get the money coming in later
and are their calculations as far as that meaning like.
because of the whole we're looking at the limited amount of
ways that we can get Revenue right now, like the state's
not meeting until January, for example, and the
relationship with the state could be
there's room for improvement, right?
Are their calculations as to like, even in the best of
circumstances, we may not even get the money to send these
programs. So we have to re look at all of that. Um, have
those conversations happen and what does that look like?
Yeah. So we're currently in the process of finalizing, a
sustainability report that will will look at uh, the
sustainability of each 1 of these arpa programs beyond the
the projected funding Cliffs. Uh, that's sustainability
report primarily looks at, uh, for metrics for each
program. Uh, it looks at how fiscally sustainable the
program. Is it looks at, uh, from a performance standpoint?
What are we getting out of the program? Uh, it looks at how
well, it aligns with, uh, the current administration's
policies. And it looks at, uh, how much Equity, um, uh, was
a part of the design of the program and delivery of the
program. So, um, that, um, I believe is going to be a, a
public report that we can make available, um, to you all
that will hopefully kind of better inform a program to
program kind of what we're seeing and what we're thinking,
um, in terms of what to expect over the next few years.
Either in, here's other Revenue sources, we should be
looking at to sustain certain levels. Here's why. Maybe
we're thinking, we shouldn't sustained at these levels and
why? Um,
What that impact might be. Um and so you know we're happy
you know along with that analysis uh as a tool to continue
to have these discussions with this body. Sure. Yeah.
Although that would be helpful as well as I kind of just um
the fiscal solvency of it because you know, we we have had
hearings where we hear from organizations that with the
best of intent have built up something that helps support a
a certain system and then find out a couple years down the
line at the funds just aren't even there. And so
ultimately, they got to close up shop anyway, in a way that
As much as we would hope it works out. Doesn't help. I
think we all a lot of us here. Have hopes, we want to see
Improvement, but hope just isn't a strategy. We, we need to
make sure that we're not
putting ourselves in worse position. If these deficits keep
getting larger and we're not seeing the revenue coming in,
so, um, thank you for that. Like I said, anything that you
guys can send us that's in data. We'd appreciate, and thank
you very much chairman.
Thank you. Uh, thank you, almond Vasquez. Uh, before I move
forward, want to add Alderman, Rodriguez to the to the role
and also entertain a motion to allow for all the men
Ramirez roster to participate virtually on the provisions
room, 59.
Um, we also add all Bernett all Lopez through. I think I
that. But nonetheless, uh, so move, uh, by Alderman, Lee
all in favor signify by saying, I
Any oppose any opinion of chairs eyes, have it? And all the
men Ramirez will also be added as well as CEO Lopez Bernett
and Rodriguez. All right now, item number 1. Okay.
Item number 1, we have a substance roles and been sitting
around all of all of. Yes, ma'am, I have my hand up, my
apologies, my apologies chair, go ahead, uh, chair down.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman first I want to uh thank you for
having this uh um report given to us. I want to go on. I
just wanted to go on the record to say that I support the
points. Uh, made up made by specifically, uh, Alderman,
Moore Riley, uh, lee nen and Mitchell regarding all the
things that they're asking for. I have 1 question, uh,
which relates to the coid 19. Uh, I noticed that there's
not a lot of money in Mark, for emergencies and back
vaccinations. And I'm seeing reports of increased, uh, coid
rates in hospitalizations.
And I'm wondering, if any thoughts have been given to
moving more money into those categories. Uh, just says
they, uh,
Uh, precaution.
Uh, at at this time again, our our office is is committed
to to seeing through the funding, uh, as it was allocated,
uh, in April, uh, for these programs. However, as part of
the budget process, we are working with departments, um, to
identify different needs and, uh, in parallel identify, uh,
maybe potential
Salvage based on underspend um, uh, in these current
programs that could be reallocated to address to address
those needs. I will say, um, the health department does
have a significant amount of arpa funding. That's outside
of this portfolio from the CDC, um, and uh, those funds
have uh, uh, bigger balances, and and longer, uh, runways
in terms of expenditure deadlines. So, I think we would, we
would definitely want to work with them to identify the
best possible use, uh, of funds for, for to address those
vaccine needs. Okay? Because, uh, you know, we're starting
with the uh, vaccination clinics for flu vaccinations and I
I just want to make sure that we also have enough. Uh, for
the addition of perhaps, um,
Some coid, 19 vaccinations if we need them.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman
Thank you on the dial.
Um, anybody else virtually?
All right. Uh, item number 1. Uh, is there a motion to
accept the substitute or item number 1?
So, moved by Alderman, Lopez all in favor. Signify by
saying, I
Any opposed any appear in the chats? The eyes have the
substitute is now before us um,
You've been doing pretty good. So keep rolling managing
Deputy Schmidt. I appreciate it. Thank you. Um, I am here
to request uh this body to amend the fy24, 925 Ordnance to
appropriate an additional 36.7 million in federal state uh
Grant Awards. Um itemized as follows for different city
departments and programs. The Chicago Department of Public
Health has been awarded an additional 575,000 um in state
funds from the Illinois Department of Human Services for
their family connects program.
the ill, uh, Chicago Department of Public Health has also
been awarded an additional 55,000
um in uh Illinois Department of Human Service funds for the
women infant and children nutrition program.
The Chicago Department of Public Health has been awarded an
additional uh 1.2 million. Um from the US Department of
Health and Human Services for the ending HIV epidemic, Ryan
White program.
the Chicago Department of Public Health has been awarded um
an additional 595,000 from the US Department of Health and
and Human Services, um, for a newly created, uh, high
impact, HIV prevention and surveillance program for health
departments. Um, as part of that request, they are
transferring the existing appropriation balance.
Of 8 and a half million dollars to that new program.
The, uh, last but not least the Chicago Department of
Public Health, uh, has received an additional $600,000 from
the US Department of Health and Human Services for the
support and scallop of HIV prevention program.
The Department of Family and support services has received
an additional million dollars from the Department of
Homeland Security for their shelter Services Program.
the Chicago Department of Transportation has received an
additional 1 million for the Illinois, Department of
Transportation for their Bridge investment program to begin
Phase. 1 engineering work for the 106th Street bridge over
the kalat river.
Uh, the Chicago Department of Transportation has received
additional 12.8 million dollars for the congestion
mitigation and air quality program. Uh that money will be
partially used for um Transit signal priority improvements
on Ashland Avenue and also Phase 1, engineering work for
various traffic, signal upgrades around the city.
um, and last the Chicago Department of Transportation has
been awarded 3.8 million from the US uh Environmental
Protection Agency, um to uh under the diesel emission
reduction act program to upgrade um bucket trucks. And we
have members here from each department who can answer, uh,
further questions at this time. If there are any thank you.
Thank you. Uh, I'm going to start 1 uh in relation to the uh
HIV age related funding. Um a previously asked about plan
coordination and we're dealing with um blacled HIV
organizations, want to know what the department is as it
relates to that.
Um, someone from the health department.
Good afternoon, Patrick Stonehouse.
Patrick, John director of program operations, uh, pardon
me. Patrick Sonos, um,
So yes, through the funds that are listed in these
documents, there's small amount that is allocated towards
building up capacity of black lead. Federally qualified
Health Centers to be able to provide clinical care
Beyond that there, in addition through other funding
sources. We've been allocating, uh, a bit over a million
dollars in supporting, uh, organ organizations that are
focusing on the experiences of and led by black gay men.
Uh, infrastructure further, infrastructure support for, uh,
black and other non-white population. Le federally
qualified Health Centers to provide work,
Long-term, tailored capacity, building for uh, bipac Le
organizations, as well as adjusting our whole RFP
structure, uh, to be focusing more on equitable
distribution of resources.
Sorry again, Patrick Stone has Chicago Department of Public
Health.
so the uh, of this, uh, approximate
15 million increase in HIV AIDS related uh, dollars and
services how much of these dollars are going to Black lid
organizations.
Well, to it'll depend to an extent. So uh, there's a
minimum of 150,000 that's going toward this coming from us
contribute to other sources that are contributing towards
the build-up of federal qualified health centers that are
black LED. There's roughly half of a significant portion of
these funds is going to be doled out to primarily black
primarily black lead organizations that are not clinically
based and do not have existing contracts with us to
support, uh, to support their work. In this field, these
are mostly organizations that have stated in previous
engagements that to be perfectly candid. They can't afford
to be delegate agencies of the city of Chicago because of
the reimbursement process that they have to experience. And
so these are non-contractual dollars that go out to support
support those organizations who are again. These are black,
Hispanic Latina individuals of transgender experience LED
organizations that are working with those populations.
Of the amount of new infections, HIV infections, what is the
rate amongst the African-American community?
I would have to get the exact number back to you, uh, but
it's approximately
I guess about for all African-Americans, for newick
diagnosis.
I'm gonna guess 30 some odd. But again that's an 52.
I'm sorry.
So my point is this, um,
Black community.
Experiencing.
Higher rates of incidence of HIV and AIDS in the city. Um,
I'm sorry, but I don't see how brown, or, or AIDS
Foundation on the west side and on the south side of
Chicago. I do, see a smaller organizations, trying to work
with our young people and and uh, groups of organizations
to deal with men having sex with men. Um, and those folks
look like me, but they don't see the funding that the AIDS
Foundation. How Browns? And the other community other
organizations are seeing uh, we continue to harp on this
particular point, but we're not we're not seeing much
progress in in in this respect. But again,
Where where where people are, picking up the trans, get the
virus and the like, you know, our our a lot of our our
young people on the southwest side of Chicago. So the only
thing I'm asking for is how are we going to make sure that
those organizations that are
In the trenches, with these individuals who have been
impacted get the dollars that are necessary for them to get
out and help. You know, we have the uh the HIV zero
strategy 2030 or what whatever date that is. But how is
that going to be possible if we're not, uh, laying the
groundwork with the organizations and people on the ground,
uh, dealing with this situation with our community?
Agreed again, Patrick Stone of Chicago Department of Public
Public Health. We'll give it an example. Um, and 100%
agreed, a significant amount of the funding that's going
out from these dollars that we're receiving is to basically
like end previously existing contracts like we're seeing
them through to their end and then we will be establishing
new contracts with new organizations but potentially with
new organizations but certainly with an increased focus on
these dollars should be going to organizations that are
able to do the work that needs to be done. And in some
instances of that is clinical care and it's the building up
up of blacled Fairly qualified Health Centers to do, HIV
Primary Care with individuals with HIV of which there is,
there is not a sufficient number. So we're building up the
capacities for those organizations, those federally
qualified Health Centers to become contractor.
delegate agencies with us to get access to these dollars to
do this work, furthermore of the 4 specific for the ending,
the HIV epidemic funding of the 1.16 million.
Roughly half of that is specifically set aside for
organizations that are not currently contracted. So Howard
Brown, can't get it, it's Foundation of Chicago, can't get
half those dollars. Those dollars are specifically set
aside for organizations that do not have contracts with us
to do delegate agency, work to do, smaller more focused,
more population specific or Community areas specific work.
Those organizations that will get be at will have access to
those dollars are are to be determined because we have to
have these available and then we we've already been priming
folks and organizations letting them know that it's going
it's going to be coming. And we started having
conversations about what that could look like for them to
be doing Innovative linkage to care. Work linkage to, uh,
Primary Health Care. Not just HIV related care in the
communities outside of those organizations that are already
funded.
All right, well let me just say this uh that is a a focus
of members of of the black caucus. Uh this issue is a very
prevalent and concerned issue in our community and we
definitely want to make sure that uh our our folks are
getting Service uh in relation to this. And again while
we're you may have some, I will call intervening words. We
do want to stop people from Contracting, the virus period.
So I do think that to the extent we can
And have that focus in that in that respect, um for for for
these funding, for this funding, as it relates to HIV
Alderman Lopez. Go ahead.
thank you again chairman and
Good afternoon members of the committee.
Um, I believe chairman these are 1 of the many issues where
you and I are in full agreement.
because as my colleagues will will call, I am constantly
Grilling.
The Department of Public Health.
About.
HIV.
And AIDS.
and,
Cdph is own, Webb City website.
It says that since 2001 a thousand new HIV, 98s diagnosis
are made every year.
22,000 people live in the city of Chicago with HIV or Aids.
And incidentally.
African-Americans and Latinos make up 70% of those
individuals.
to sit here and listen about
Where this funding is going and and and trying to
articulate what we're doing with it. Blows my mind Mr.
Chairman
Because even the most basic of things.
A condom.
Is something that cdph.
From this direction.
To the previous 1 still does not take seriously as the most
easily.
Rectifiable.
Solution to help us get to zero. Which, by the way,
Is a?
State goal by 2030.
when I look at,
Where this is going.
What we are saying that we're doing.
You might as well throw this money in the garbage.
Because cdph fails.
Year over year.
Especially since Co to take this seriously.
I see more work.
On things like prep.
which encourages people to have unprotected sex while
taking a pill,
Then I do sex, education, testing and kind of free condom
distribution.
Things that we all used to do.
When those letters scared the hell out of us.
Those days are gone, Mr. Chairman
and I,
Cannot admire this department enough.
Based on what you said and what I know and have seen.
Representing communities from Back of the Yards to West
Anglewood.
Where you don't see that outward, support engagement and
focus.
On keeping people.
Safe from HIV.
This Administration has heard from me twice during Pride.
The last Administration heard it from me every year.
I would love to know when we're going to take this
seriously.
Because there once was a time as you are correct. Chairman
That it was all the same white LGBT organizations, focusing
on all the same, same White.
Gays and lesbians that was their crowd.
You had to go to boytown to get an HIV test 20 years ago.
It's no easier except for maybe 1, Howard Brown Center and 1
other African-American uh, organization on the south side.
Despite having our first LGBT mayor and despite having
someone from the west side, we still are not getting the
most basic resources out there.
and I,
Think that?
It probably would be worthy of a hearing of this committee
with strictly Public Health.
To say what we are, what are we doing to keep our
communities? Our communities safe from HIV,
Chairman, I want to just switch gears for 1 second.
With regards to 1 of these grants.
And it was the grant.
To family and support services.
with regards to the
16 million dollars for shelter and services, which is for
migrants
Is this a reimbursement or is this for future costs?
Sorry, uh, Matthew Smith's manager, Deputy about director.
Um, this is a reimbursement.
And what is this reimbursing? Where is this going for
reimbursement?
Uh, currently we have the money earmarked for, uh, shelter,
uh, costs and services.
and is this in reimbursement to the
600 million stack that we put together earlier this year.
Or part of that stack or is this new money to be added to
that?
No, this was part of the original model. Unfortunately, it
wasn't, um, the total amount we we applied for. Um, and so
um, it won't, uh, it'll actually leave a little more, uh,
cost that will have to be covered by our local funds. Thank
you. That's all for me. Chairman
Thank you. Adam Lopez. Any other questions on the 9255?
Seeing none, is there a motion?
So moved by Alderman, Mitchell, all in favor. Signify by
saying I
in your post, any opinion of the chairs eyes, have it in
this matter will be reported out at our next uh, city
council meeting. Um, thank you all.
Uh, next we'll have item number 2. Um,
Also, on item number 2. That's been a substitute proposed
and sent around all members of the committee. We have a
motion to accept the sub substitute
So, mobile Vice chair, Lee all in favor. Signify by saying I
any oppose any opinion chairs eyes having to substitute is
now before us, uh, from the
Department of planning.
Tim Jeff.
And I do, oh, I'm sorry.
We got you guys stay over there, schools.
No go go. Go back that way.
Go back that way. Go see the
There you go, box.
Oh, go ahead.
okay, if you can give us, uh, any abbreviated version of the
uh enhancements that you all are looking to do the nof
small,
go ahead, but the abbreviated version,
Um, Mr. Chairman yes.
uh, first of all, um,
Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee,
could you speaking to the mic? So we can uh get you on the
record.
Is that better? Yes, sir. Okay.
Well, good afternoon, Mr. Chairman, and members of the
committee for the record. My name is Jim Harbin. The Deputy
Commissioner for the Department of planning and development
and the substitute ordinance before you today, limited
Municipal Code section 16-14 regarding the neighborhood
opportunity fund.
Small grant program, the department proposes to do 4
things. 1 raise the group amount, the group, 1 grand amount
from 250,000 to 300,000 increased the group 1 Grant
coverage from 50% to 75% expand, the coverage of costs for
administration reporting monitoring and training from 5% to
up to 15% and develop a loan loss Reserve fund.
That will provide applicants with more accessibility to
Capital.
Um, I'm not sure how much of an abbreviation you need Mr.
Chairman.
But we do have a full deck here. Go ahead. Okay.
Uh, these program enhancements will provide program award
ease with more access to strategic resources, and technical
support that will produce, not only more completed
projects, but also impacted Department's ability to
connect, entrepreneurs to City resources.
To date, the city has invested over 18.7 million uh and
neighborhood development, on the south and west, and
southwest side of the city attracting over 52 million in
private neighborhood. Support the program is attracted
nearly 3,000 applicants and subsequently selected 342
businesses into the program. But here's what we found.
Our grantees need help.
We have found that 50 56% of the selected awardees were
removed due to the inability to complete their projects.
Not surprisingly over 22% were removed because of
insufficient financing to complete the project.
Another 29% of awardees were unable to provide the required
documentation to start the construction process and the
inability to secure site, control impacted another 16% of
the program's finalists to even have a project to complete.
Also resulting in them being removed.
Some almost 13% simply gave up out of frustration and self
with you from the program.
The Daily clearly impacts the daily clearly highlights the
impact of loss. When these Investments don't come to
fruition,
13.7 million becomes lost due to lack of financing. Another
12.5 is lost due to applicants not being able to hurdle
Scofflaw debt. 10 million is lost due to finalists. Not
being able to secure site Control. 18 million is lost due
to finalists not being able to properly complete the
required documentation and 8 million is lost to finalist
simply giving up on the process overall. We calculate a
total of 62 million dollars in Lost investment due to
removals
It is the role of the Small Business Development Bureau to
ensure that all Chicago, small businesses have Equitable
access to Capital markets and resources.
The bureau also takes on the responsibility of looking for
opportunities and areas for processes can be improved to
help Chicago businesses succeed.
Today we propose 4.
1. Raising the grand amount from 250,000 to 300 will allow
and encourage more professional real estate and
Construction Consultants to support the program. Awardees
with the construction with the construction and renovation
process.
Raising the grant coverage from 50% to 75%, will allow for
more Capital to support. Hard costs and leverage more
financial capital for projects that wouldn't receive it.
Otherwise
Removing the current compensation cap from 5% to up. To 15%
for administrative work. And training support allows the
department to match, today's competitive market and helps
us attract quality vendors to support the program. And then
finally, creating a loan loss, Reserve fund would enable
community development financial institutions or cdfis to
provide an efficient and and Equitable credit enhancement
tool that addresses challenges to accessing Capital, it
should be noted. That ordinance changes that ordinance
changes will be complemented by additional program
enhancements that will include streamlining and enhancing
the application process. For example, to we need to meet
small businesses where they are.
Beginning with our next roll out applications will be
grouped into 3 tiers. The good applications or those
demonstrating project Readiness or site control costs Gap.
Financing are secured. Those applicants will begin the full
review process immediately. The fair applications, those
signaling a need for a stronger application because site
control costs or Gap. Financing remain unclear, those
applicants will work with our program. Administrator to
develop a stronger application, creating a pipeline of
projects that are addressing concerns before being
reconsidered, then the eligible applications. Are those not
signaling Readiness will not be just turned away.
Business training support will be offered and referred to
non selected app, uh, applicants as an option to address
efficiencies. Even here, we can still support our small
businesses
the program, administrator will support and manage the
programs training partners and options, ensuring that we
meet entrepreneurs where they are. Our administrator has
already identified quality, I'm sorry qualified, Support
options to start for startups, as well as our seasoned
entrepreneurs. In fact, this year we are asking our
administrator to take on even more responsibility from
administering. The loan loss, Reserve initiative to
developing, the professional support program, my small
businesses need. Our Focus will continue to lean into our
ability to support our grantees and our applicants.
The support.
Our applicants and grantees need will require a seasoned
professionals to provide it. It's important to note that
since 2017. The current administrators compensation has
been tied to project construction milestones and the
resulting jaw dispersement that are now capped at 5% is
also worth noting that the hours and resources used on
reviewing and managing projects that ultimately go removed.
Go currently on compensated to provide the type of support
our small businesses. Need meeting them where they are, we
need to retain and attract,
Seasoned professionals to the table.
Our loan loss Reserve, our loan loss Reserve initiative is
designed to induce Community lenders to finance more inof
projects. This initiative would enhance the credit capacity
of borrowers, which also encourage high level underwriting
much earlier. In the grant process, the initiative will be
managed by the program, administrator who will be charged
with a releasing uh, RFP to be cured up to 5 participating
CFI cdfi lenders until the lli until the loan loss Reserve
initiative. Once the lenders are secured, the city will
deposit. The first 250,000 of the loan loss Reserve funds
into an escrow account for each of the selected cdfis. When
a cdfi certifies that it is Lent, at least a million
dollars leveraged by the 250,000 dollars provided by the
city, then the city will add another 250,000 dollars to
that city of fees escrow
This process will continue until the cdfi has lent $4
million leveraged by the city's million dollar reserve, the
resulting City investment will lead to 4 times, the capital
becoming available for Chicago entrepreneurs.
The department of planning is prepared to launch. A series
of new enhancements to the next month. Setting the stage
for the first round of funding for 2025. The new policy is
also designed to align with the proposed amendment to
further bolster the offerings. Offerings will include
streamlining and simplifying the application process
reducing the number of questions on the applications,
introducing a rolling application with quarterly award
announcements and losing and launching trainings and
strategic areas like marketing bookkeeping and business
planning. We also intend to tap into our Resource Partners
on coaching on the latest best practices.
With your approval. Today, we plan to open an application
period next month. In October, begin securing cdfi into the
program in the fourth quarter, and provide a new court, and
announced a new cohort of reward ease in January, or the
first quarter of next year.
So to summarize, the department seeks to amend section 16-14
of the municipal code to increase the grant 1, Grant amount
from 250,000 to $300,000 increased to Grant 1, Grant
coverage from 50% to 75% of eligible costs. Increase the
coverage of cost for administration reporting monitoring
and training from 5% up to up to 15% and authorized the
establishment of a loan loss Reserve fund.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, your approval here today and this
committee's approval here today, will start this process
that will have an impact in this city is why we
respectfully request your support for the passage of the
proposed enhancements to the NF program. Both today, and
that the upcoming city council meeting. Thank you again,
Mr. Chairman members of the committee for your time and
consideration on this matter.
Thank you, Mr. Herban, does anybody have any questions?
Sure.
Alderman, Mitchell, and Alderman more. And I I I know I
could just call you with this question. I I I I I had to
take care of some, so I might have missed the beginning, so
if I apologize, if you already addressed this, um, the
the uh,
how what, what is the the other than notify? What is the
Ottomans involvement in this process?
And you already know you already know, you know me, yeah.
So, like, I've never heard that question before. No, we,
we, we have a process there. There are 4 time periods,
notify Alderman. A once we make the announcement that we
that we have an open application period and we begin to
applications. We let your offices know, we send out a list
a list of the applicants that come in. Particularly, when
we close out a particular period, you have a list of all
the applicants that are being that are applying for the
grants program. In your award in your ward, we also make an
announcement. We also send you guys out an announcement.
When we're ready to make recommendations after there's been
a review process and we have applicants that, we want to
to refer to the program. We also send you guys out a
notification in in that, in that time period. And then once
we make announcements, uh, particularly in the awards,
where awardees are going to be announced, all of the all
the men in those Wars get announced in terms of where those
projects are going to be. And we certainly invite you out
to those ceremonies. And then lastly, when we have
completions and ribbon cutting, you guys are also
announced. You guys also made aware that those projects are
coming to fruition, okay?
Thanks for that. Um,
the piece in there, that
the decision making of these businesses, that that, that is
And that that's important. Um,
For a couple of reasons.
We?
And I I David and I talk because some of us talk, we want
to be very deliberate.
Certain businesses.
Even though they may apply.
Don't necessarily mean that they're the best businesses for
our Corridor or for that particular. That's, that's 1 and
you from you, you from the neighborhood. Um, so that that
and then 2, and I guess this is probably just something I
have an exercise, but the identification from us of
possible businesses that we would like to see in
neighborhood, um, and I won't put that on you. I guess I'm
gonna just take responsibility for that. I guess that's
something we could initiate on our own. Um, so that, that,
that's the biggest concern. I I'm, I had some conversations
with commissioner. I want to be extremely deliberate,
On on, on my, in my corridors. Um,
just because
Just because someone wants to open up, a business does not
always mean that's a good fit for that community.
And the other part that I was concerned about and I'm glad
we're adding more assistance.
Um, so businesses, like Southshore Brewing into some hard
times, they no longer exist anymore. And that was a
travesty. I mean, prior to Coe these guys was making 30, 35
thousand a month. Yeah. And then and then they just it.
That's that's disheartening. So, I'm glad to see that. Um,
but
Being more deliberate and focused on those businesses and
build on. In our corridors, I want to see not just in this
program but us and I have confidence in in the commissioner
of new that will will that Focus would be there. But to, to
there. But to, to focus on building out things,
holistically and, and, and play that chess board the right
way. I don't want a bunch of pond businesses in the world
just to have, you know,
you know, a a a a person said to me, you know,
You don't have anything on your court. It's not shouldn't
you. Take what you can get.
I don't, I absolutely not.
And I think a few other my, uh, the colleagues think the
same way, but we want to be very deliberate, um, about
building it and you, you, you a partner, you got your
department of planning and it's arguably 1 of the more
important departments in our communities. Um, so, um,
Thank you for the the responses. You obviously you know,
I'm going to continue to work with you. Um but uh yeah,
that deliberate Focus, that delivered focus on building the
neighborhoods, over these, corridors the right way and not
just allow any and everything. Oh, and before I finish the
other piece of that is
Outside of the, the, the, the money piece or the finance
piece for the, the the business. Um,
We've had situations. I've experienced situations where
someone just applied for a grant for a business because it
fit into because it fit not because they were good at it.
It was something they had to experience doing but because I
wanted to do a daycare, this daycare wouldn't be
supportive. So let me switch to this.
That's concerning to me, not saying it could be successful
but that that's a little concerning because restaurants and
and and and and certain other businesses like grocery
stores and things like that those those a little Nuance to
them. Yeah. You got to know what you're doing. Everybody
can't be a peach produce, you know. It's so that's those
are the things I want to get us to keep in mind as we
produce progress because I need to see some more progress
growth in my community know, make sense and, um, Point well
taken. Yeah, thank you.
and I know David was shaking his head, so he agrees with me
Thank you.
No problem, automate more.
Thank you, chairman and um as out of Mitchell said, it's
something we talked about. So he already knew I was going
to ask the question and I'm going, just give an example and
I think it was pretty, um, your tenure here. Um, uh, nof
was given to a u Salon that I know for a fact was uh a
front for um, you know, whether laundering I just say, um,
drug money because I had um historical um, information and
factual information from just years.
Prior and that if they would have gotten that money or not,
um, they would have still built because they had enough
money to do what they needed to do, but they of course,
wanted to use the city money. So I'm getting to the point
that there are things that we know not only from
standpoints like that, but from talking to our
constituents, not that something is important for me for
this Corridor. But it's through the conversations with our
constituents that these are the things that they want to
see on the corridor. So I think we got to get back to
number 1 letter of support.
we got to get to um, when when, um, you all have the people
I used to sit with us under the manual Administration,
bring us the list down and say what are your top priorities
because there's only so much funding that go around, right?
So they said what are your top priorities and we rated them
them 1 through 7. If my number 1 didn't get it, they gave
reason why they didn't come prepared, David. They didn't
didn't have this. They didn't have that, that, no, that's
your number 1, but this is why. And then they go to number
2, the stuff like that. It's not. Because again, that
I like this but we want businesses in our community but it's
it's the impact where and who? And so um I I think we have
have to get back to that. Um, we you, you guys got to not
just email this stuff and then, you know, it's really
sitting down with us and say, hey, he's out of the ones in
your world, apply, which are your priority, and then get us
giving that letter of support. Um, for that no and that
makes an incredible amount of sense Alderman. And just you
want to Signal, um, through the committee that that option
is on the table.
when we do, send out the list of applicants to come into
the program, 1 of your options, are you know what, listen
down and talk about it and you know you can reach us, you
can reach my team you know, you can reach me, we're more
than happy to sit down with you and walk through with those
applicants are maybe even at a point in time when we make
our recommendations, even what we found strong or what, we
found weak on these applicants and give you some sense in
terms of why we're making our recommendations. And then
we're also really listening that if you've got flags like
the 1, you just alluded to we need to hear that. That is
going to impact decision-making is not only with our team
but also with our advisory committee, they need to know
that information as well. If there's some illegal activity
going on with 1 of the applicants, we really are a
Relying on that type of information coming from the
automatic office.
So yeah, we're more than happy to do that. Yeah. So let's
just let's just clearly get back to that. As soon as that
list come out, hey, what are your priorities? Give a letter
of support because some of these people have gotten stuff
and they I had never even met them. They haven't come to my
office and presented so that I can present to the
community. All some something is up the community said, oh
man, why don't you why didn't you tell us? This was, I
didn't know.
So that's important. Thank you. Uh, chairman Mitchell for
bringing that point up.
Okay, thank you. Okay, I very well. Ultimately,
Chairman, um, just a few questions and I apologize. I
missed the briefing myself, but I did get, I did get the
notes in the rundown, um and it was really disappointing to
see and I know that this is part of what the
The amendment is trying to address, but the 29% of people
that had to drop off because they couldn't complete. The
paperwork was just kind of a stunning number to me. Um, and
then the ones that just voluntarily dropped out that makes
up 42% of the applicants. Um, so along this line, um what
did you glean from that? Then then if you can dig into a
little bit more of the detail um you know I saw the extra
coaching I saw the extra administrative support. Um, let's
talk a little bit more in detail about that form.
Absolutely, what we're finding is that the small businesses
that are applying for our program are really good at what
they do in terms of their business but they don't, they
have
Little to no experience in doing a construction process. And
as you all know, in this room that construction process can
be a detailed laborious, documentation field process that,
you know, needs to get be right in order for you to
successfully, particularly connect to City resources. And
so, part of our support, is really leaning into that fact,
that applicants need support in terms of, we're providing a
financial resource and there was a moment in time where we
thought we really hit the nail on the head, by having the
finances to do a program like this. But we found is that
they need additional support. They need handholding,
walking them through the documentation certainly that the
city requires in order to participate in this program. But
also to make sure that there's a cash flow particularly to
their contractors and to the other necessary bodies that
are involved in that process.
Those applicants need to understand what that process is
like and and quite frankly they need somebody to help
support them as they go through a construction process and
I need to have 1 more thing almond.
These projects take on average of about 2 years, some
longer. And most people we found that tap into this
resource are not aware of that and they are anticipating
something that's going to happen pretty quickly. And become
frustrated when they're not clearly uh uh informed that you
are embarking on a process that could take to 2 plus years
of your life to get to complete. Do we?
have anything that is, um,
sort of like a a prep session or like a workshop that
people can like, I'm interested in applying for a city
Grant and to to take on a project like this, what sort of
what sort of, uh, information sessions and resources just
to your point. People don't realize kind of what they're
taking on and it seems to me like
Like my colleague Alvin Mitchell was saying, someone might
apply for something really, not understanding what the what
the requirements are going to be and what it's going to
take.
Elderly um Josh son here uh projects administrator for the
nof small uh program for dpd. So to your point we are
looking at as part of the uh enhancements to have like a
quarterly webinar that will be offered in different
languages um mostly uh English Spanish and simplified
Chinese. I believe we're doing Mandarin for the spoken or
um, thank you. You've already addressed 1 of my future
questions, but thank you. And, um, so what we're going to
do is have them where we have, uh, I believe we go out into
the community and we do 2, in-person ones and, um, we'll
have a few that are, that will be recorded. And also, we'll
have, uh, webinars that are going to be online. Um, every
quarter, so, uh, that's sort of the ways that we're going
to engage with communities, especially those that maybe we
haven't seen applicants from,
Okay.
Great. Um, and then what does it look like to apply today?
Is there like an online portal? Where all of this is being
tracked? And how are we interfacing with the delegate
agencies that are administering the program?
So, I'm going to take your last question first.
We do have support with the delicate agencies, across the
city, particularly mbdc, and be with bacp. But we also
found that they need to better understand the construction
processes as well. Many of those agencies are there to
support small businesses but our grant program is focused
on a capital improvement process and that process takes uh,
a more uh, focused professional support in order to help
people understand that. So our, our shift is going to be
not only not not shifting away from delegate agencies
supporting our program. But making sure we're bringing
professionals to the table to help inform them on how this
process works. So they can take better care of their
constituents but also have that same professional support
for our uh, grantees and our applicants. So what does that
look like in practice?
well, our program administrator is going to be managing that
process so they're already tapping into resources that are
available in this city right now. So we're tapping into
Women Business Development Center, the Chicago, Urban
League, uh, allies for community. Business has has a
wonderful program for both startups and seasoned
businesses, and they all have training programs. Some are
where there's just very high level, uh, support for, for,
uh, startups. But you know, Chicago Urban League and Women
Business Development Center, they have 12 and and and and
and, and uh, 10-week programs where you really go into a
process of not only about your business, but about Capital
Improvements to improve your business. And even in Chicago,
Urban has a year-long program for cohorts. Really looking
to take that next step. I think. As a matter of fact, I
call it the the, the next level. So, yeah, we want to, we,
we don't think there's a 1 size, fits all we want to make
sure that again, we're we're, we're meeting small
businesses where they are and whether you are a startup or
whether you're
Really are looking to uh seriously improve a project. We
want to make sure you've got that specific support to to to
make that happen.
and then, in terms of the application process that we
currently have, um, they go through an online site that
takes them, which is a universal application, which we've
have experienced as pretty difficult for them to
understand, because it allows them to apply for multiple
different ones when they really just meant for uh, meant to
apply for our program. And we also that happens like every
6 months, as part of this new Improvement,
we're actually going to do it every 4 months, it's going to
be a rolling application so they can actually submit it and
we review every 3 months so that will allow someone to
either, you know, leave and come back when they have a
stronger application. So then they can be um, you know they
wouldn't fall through the cracks. Um and it'll also be a
designated specific nof small application. That'll be
online.
Seems to me that there's, there's something to be gained
potentially buy a technology enhancement, right? If you had
the ability to have applicants have an account come back
and like, whatever I applied for before, there's going to
be some essential records that I don't need to reapply for
later. Maybe I can pull things off and have is that does
that exist today? So that's something that we've actually
been looking at. Um, and we're sort of in the final stages
of looking at what, uh, opportunities were able to do if
it's not if we're not able to do that, that's where the
rolling application comes into play. So again that, you
know, ideally they would have this information already and
then in 3 months it would just come and apply.
And then we would be able to re notify them again of
upcoming. Yep, of course. Yep. And then I ideally, when
this is more um, concrete we would have just, you know, you
you would know when um, every quarter, the deadlines would
be and how much does the application, does the application
then roll into sort of like the the tracking, like you
you've been accepted now you know you the per your accepted
into the program. You you've been awarded a grant. There's
probably requirements on the back end is their continuity
in the tracking from application to dispersement of uh of
funds.
So our program administrator will be doing most of the
tracking for that. Um, the difference with the the
difference between how it's currently done and this new uh
Improvement will be vetting, so making sure that all
applicants have, you know, a site control or um uh money
like financing and things like that. So hopefully we're
looking to get stronger applications through the door so
that way we actually we see better um or higher, completion
rates. And then for those that do not have the right
resources, we can direct them to resources. So that way
they can come back and apply.
Okay. Um,
And I I may want to spend some more time with you guys on
the side or we don't have to deliver the point here, but
um, I appreciate that. You you've acknowledged and sort of
recognized where the deficiencies are. My last question is
on the funds that were missed out on? Essentially was in 1
of those slides. It was like, what was it? 94 million or
something like that? 62. Yeah. 62. Okay, had the numbers
reversed sorry was upside down. What happens to those
funds.
Yeah, well those are the distinction. The the 62 million
was representing. What didn't happen? Okay. The projects
didn't get to fruition. But to your point, yes, we removed
applicants and those dollars that were committed to
initially those dollars. Come back into the program.
So and I and and this is probably your follow-up question.
So you know in terms of even looking at the long-lost
reserve, we weren't really want to reallocate those
dollars. We have the dollars within the program based on
those removals in order to go ahead and rethink if more
efficiently, use those dollars in order to attract more
quality applications got it. So it's not a good guy
because, you know, we've been talking about budget stuff
all day today. I just want to just want to clarify, if that
was like a good guy on the table that we could grab for
something else, but it sounds like it's not, it's good.
Look, if the money's reinvested in the business, I think
that's the right thing to do. I just wanted to be clear on
like, what happens to those funds when they're not? Because
I had at least 1 1 or 2 in my word that were awarded grants
but ended up not you know, following through on them. So um
good to know that the funds get recycled if you will back
into the program. That's all I've got chairman. Thank you.
Thank you. Uh, Vice chair. Any other questions?
all right, with that being said, uh,
Bye. So you have a motion.
So move all the member Bernette all in favor. Signify by
saying I
Any oppose any appended chairs eyes having this matter will
be reported out at our next city council meeting on
septembar. 18th 2024. Uh, item number 3 is a adoption of a
of a Redevelopment agreement. With plant Chicago in a to
provide neighborhood opportunity to funds for the
renovation of form of firehouse at 4459, South Marshfield.
uh, Tim is that when you as I apologize,
Oh, I'm way you just hanging out with us today.
Okay. All right. Very well.
Please proceed.
Good afternoon, chairman, Ervin and members of the budget
committee.
For the record. My name is William Grahams financial
planning analyst in the department of planning and
development.
I'm here today to request your Authority for the city to
enter into a neighborhood op opportunity fund Redevelopment
agreement with plant Chicago NFP that will authorize the
use of up to 82500 in nof funding.
Consisting of a base construction Grant of 750,000 and an
additional 75,000 for local hiring and training.
To develop a center for circular economy, programming.
The project is located at 4459, South Marshfield Avenue and
is within the new City community area. The Southwest
planning area and the 15th. Ward
The order is Raymond Lopez, who has provided a letter of
support for the project.
The subject property highlighted in red is located at the
northeast corner of West 45th Street in South Marshfield
Avenue and is a cross the street from Davis Square Park.
Shown here is the building which was formerly the engine 33
Firehouse from 1908 until 1978.
The building was subsequently used for industrial purposes.
And then sat vacant for several years.
Lance Chicago acquired, the firehouse in 2022 and has been
operating there in a limited capacity.
These pictures show, the interior condition of the
building, which is reasonably good condition, but is in
need of improvements to bring it into a state of good
repair and to modernize the property.
the developer for this project is planned Chicago NFP which
was founded in 2011 and was the anchor, tenant of the
plant, a community of food businesses, working to revalue
and reuse waste products.
As part of that endeavor plant, Chicago built an aquaponics
farm and indoor, mushroom farm. They also developed and
managed, the marketing education volunteering research and
Outreach components of the project.
For this project plan Chicago intends to repurpose the
former Firehouse into a center for circular economy,
programming.
Features include shared use indoor growing spaces for
plants and fungi.
Indoor and outdoor classrooms make or spaces a teaching
kitchen and community meeting event space.
When complete the project will have the only shared use
indoor Farm in the city where residents are provided
equipment, indoor plots and knowledge Community for growing
food year round.
Rehabilitation work will include exterior masonry work, new
windows and doors. Heat pumps, rather than gas fired
equipment, and numerous other energy efficient
improvements.
The estimated cost of construction for this project is
1,821. 329 up to 750,000 of that budget or 41.2% is
proposed to come from NOS.
The remaining funds come from a loan and other grants that
developer has obtained.
If approved the Redevelopment agreement will reimburse, the
developer for up to 750,000 dollars in nof eligible.
Construction costs with the potential for an additional
75,000 for local hiring and training, post completion for a
total of 8255000 in total City support.
The construction reimbursement will be provided as 3
progress payments during construction and the final payment
upon the issuance of the certificate of completion.
The city's investment will be protected by Provisions in
the RDA that require the project to operate for no less
than 3 years.
If these conditions are not met, then the city has a right
to recapture previously dispersed and of funds.
Additionally, the developer must achieve, the typical
construction compliance requirements for prevailing wage
mwbe and City residency.
Here is a rendering of a classroom that will be available.
Once the project is complete.
And here's a rendering of an indoor growing space.
Overall dpd is highly supportive of this project and
believes that it will create a number of benefits for the
community.
It will renovate, a former Community Asset into an
environmentally efficient building that will be 90%.
Decarbonized
Create or retain 10, permanent jobs, and 25 temporary
construction jobs.
And most impactfully provide Community benefits including
on an annual basis. Providing Hands-On stem education
programming for over 3,000 K through 12 students.
Engaging up to 10 users of the indoor victory garden.
Distributing at least 10,000 pounds of locally and
sustainably produced food.
And providing additional Revenue. Generating opportunities
for over 30, local small businesses through markets swaps
and other special events.
I'd like to take thank the committee for your favorable
consideration of this of this request. I'm joined today by
Jonathan Pereira from the development team and we are happy
to answer any questions that you might have at this time.
Thank you. Um,
any questions?
Members of the committee. I, I 1 question. Uh is there a
letter of support from almond Lopez on this?
Yes, sir is. Okay, any questions for
For the Department.
Okay. Is there a motion?
Alderman, uh, Quinn moves to pass all in favor. Signify by
saying I
I,
Was a question.
Okay, in your post, any opinion of the chairs I have in
this matter will be reported out at our next city council
meeting on septembar. 18th 2024
Uh, the last, uh, 3 items.
Just get heard it in with the rest of the sheet. Don't
worry about it.
uh, items number, uh, 4 5, and 6 are proposed transfers uh
within the committees or Ward offices. Uh, to entertain a
motion to accept items, 4 5, and 6 is 1.
Alderman Quinn.
So, uh, items, uh, 45 and 6 for committee transfers
between, uh, Workforce Development.
uh, the 30th Ward and the
40th, Ward.
All in favor. Signify by saying, I
Any oppose any any opinion of the chairs, the eyes, having
this matter too will be reported out our next city council
meeting on septembar. 18th there being no further business
before the committee committee. Can I get a motion to
adjourn?
So, move bald Memorial all in favor. Signify by saying, I
All oppose.
Any opinion of chairs eyes have it. The uh meeting is
adjourned.