Committee on budgeting government operations will come to
order.
We'll begin this morning with public comment.
starting at ours
Mabel
are we you gave me these, uh pink slips or or folks?
Where are they?
Okay. All right. All right George, Blakemore.
Yes, subject matter hearing.
Mr. Blakemore
Your first for public comment you have 3 minutes.
Are you here now? So go ahead. All right.
all day
All right.
Then the reason I wasn't allowed to be here these twin
thieves out there prevented me from and have the people out
there. You can figure out what P I'm talking about.
when peace
and then I just had to walk around come on in this blade
more. He's calling you for Budget. Anyway, let me be
specific.
But budget dealing with money.
Dealing with public money.
and
you're not.
Looking in the interest of the public the black public.
Spending all this money on these illegal immigrants and you
black faces.
Sitting up here allowing that to happen.
Millions and millions of dollars billions of dollars. So
you you gonna be in the red in the red that mean whatever
but but city is not happening to black community.
Now I'm out here waiting and the young man said come on in.
They call your name why you have us out here?
Why did you do it?
If the meeting supposed to start at 9:30 We were supposed
to be seated here at 9:30. I would have had a different
demeanor in speaking.
In speaking. I didn't know.
So again, it's very important.
To have do you have a call in here today?
Do you I ask you is there a call in here 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 of
of and then some of them are going virtual. That was that
was for Co 19?
You getting paid you supposed to be here.
Something is evil here.
incompetent on the professional unethical
SoCal black leadership. I'm not focusing.
on you
and each 1 of you
To look at what happened?
You shut the hell up.
with your crazy a
you shut the a up. I'm focusing on black so
at 9 minutes to up
It's something evil here.
Thank you, Mr. Blake Moore. Uh next we'll have Zoe.
followed by Tuan Sims
I gotta tell I got all right, we're gonna start with the
second part of this uh voicemail.
From the law from the city of the Law Department.
Okay.
And this happened rather recently call Anya.
Delgado
her direct line is 3127445650. She will send out the
paperwork for you you to apply to the claims division,
which is like an insurance division that within the city.
Um, which will consider the matter.
so
Uh, the first thing I said, like my alderman she he failed
to do what he was supposed to do when it came to my
property. So the second part was that for my mother to fill
out the claims of forms so we can get paid from the city of
Chicago which is self-insured. She did all of that as well.
But you guys have a guy who still works here by the name of
Dennis Rafael.
who um said that the statue of limitations was uh,
not uh, they were expired and they did not expire the
statute of limitations in Illinois is 2 years. So that's
insurance fraud. So on top of the federal lawsuit for the
violation of the Fifth Amendment the city of Chicago also
by also did uh Insurance claim, uh insurance fraud. Uh,
this is Chicago. So I just came back from DC last week. I
spoke to the Department of Justice actually had a meeting
with Department of Justice now, I'm supposed to get I'm I'm
I was told by 2 all the men here 1 the uh, 1 guys been
helping me out all been talifero.
Brian citro Lopez finally sat down with us. They said
they're gonna give us 2 weeks to have a meeting with uh,
Mary Richardson Lowry to see if they can sell this case
now. I don't mind going to the city to DC every other week
if I have to and I have to get on that senate senate floor
and talk about the corruption that's happening in the city
of Chicago when it comes to Black property ownership. I am
not the 1 the 2 or the 3 and this is getting ridiculous.
Uh, it's been a year. It's going to be a year June 10th,
And this is pride year. I'm gay and it's June 10th. So June
10th is coming up too. So gay and black so I know that
there could be some type of help on top of it. I I fit all
the blocks block all the boxes when it comes to the
Democratic situation that y'all keep making money on gays
and
black, so I need you to help me and that's just what it is
just like
How your your your your wife does what she has to do when
it comes to giving out hams and taking out, uh and and have
making sure they sign petitions just like that at the
senior buildings. I need help. Thank you.
Next is tan Sims.
Taiwan my apologies
followed by Gregory Cooper Jr.
I know you probably got a problem with me Mr. Irving. I got
a problem with the way he treated Miss Emma mitts, sir.
However, I'm not I'm here to speak to my elected officials.
Not just the black 1s.
All of you all because the the constituents elected you all
in from each War.
legal, man
Excuse me, legal legal, man. Can you listen in catch up? So
here de Williamson works for the
Domestic Relations, I have a she has a order protection 24
op 07366. She obtained this how I don't know.
But I've been dealing with the fact that I haven't seen my
child in over a year now his birthday just passed May 28th
and haven't seen him. I've been fighting with the courts.
This is part of the government city government. Um, also I
have a charge with the EEOC 440202209007.
Seth Brown is the investigator. I've been waiting to hear
back from him. I've been waiting for anything.
But this is also government.
That's our they go our illustrious. Um older woman.
Maria Haden
I've been homeless since now 2021.
The HMI number is 3555061. I'm still homeless, even though
I might not show at you all. I'm still homeless. I'm still
living in the the greatest state.
My elected official Miss Dow said they had housing for it.
That wasn't housing. I was sent to a dilapidated Church in
the north side of Chicago with at least 13 to 14 men 1
stall 1 toilet 3 shower stalls with black mold in them.
These all these amenities for all the men in the in the
so
instead of attacking the black alderman
I'm going to address all of the elected officials who I'm
hoping or was hoping or have been hoping for the last few
months as I stand in this at this microphone and speak to
you all and say hey my situation my circumstance.
all the lady all
the person
Maria Haden
Whose word I live in been living in for 30 years until they
tried to chase me down and murder me in my own Ward.
Father but still my argument is not with the black.
Representation here. It's with the representation that is
not helping this constituent this individual 1 individual
who consistently comes and speaks.
Unless you all know about it circumstances situation. Yes.
I haven't seen my children. So this man thinks it's a a a
point of information to give out but it's not it's an issue
that I'm dealing with and hoping that you all might have in
for me I come and speak.
And I asked you all this I come and give you all the
information.
And I'm still pushed against the wall and I'm still up
against the wall with no regard. Why.
Thank you Mr. Sims. Uh next we'll have Gregory Cooper Jr.
followed by Gabrielle Lyon
Good morning. My name is Gregory Cooper Junior. I am a
participant in year-round Youth Employment Program is that
it has helped me think differently about life.
I was on the wrong path, but now I make money in a safe and
legal Way by learning and growing with mentors who really
care about me. They teach us life skills help us
academically and expose us to educational and professional
opportunities today. I will graduate from high school at
Roto Clemente Academy and have chosen to go to college down
south. They helped me to see my ability to be good a
successful person. I'm grateful for this experience. Thank
you.
Yeah.
Next we'll have a Gabrielle Lyon.
followed by Gabby girkin
Good morning Council. Thank you for having me. My name is
Gabrielle Lyon. I'm the executive director of Illinois
Humanities. I'm an artist a writer I've
Taught social impact and I'm the founder of a stem or
organization called project exploration. But the reason I'm
here today is just to share a little bit about the dcase
use of arpa funds through the karp initiative and I'm so
pleased to share a few things Illinois Humanities does a
lot of work in the city of Chicago, uh through grants
through free public programs particularly for communities
of color individuals living on low incomes, but also small
Arts and Cultural organizations and communities highly
impacted by mass incarceration. We're
of hundreds hundreds of arts and culture organizations in
the city
and um later today, you'll hear about arpa you'll hear
about what DK is doing, but I wanted to take my public
comment time to just remind folks what our community did
during Co 19
delivered on our missions created places of Welcome
mitigated a lot of social isolation, but we also served as
First Responders sharing food information PPE and these are
the things our city needs. I know that you know this I know
that you've supported these things, but if we care about a
city that is livable with communities that are livable we
have to be investing in these kinds of organizations. So
the the karp program it's 1 of the ways DK case
administered arpa dollars.
Reached 77 organizations. Um, we're the organizations that
are the roots of the recovery that the city needs and that
we always need not just in the wake of the pandemic. So
there's dwindling Revenue there's increased costs. There's
shrinking budgets and um private donations aren't keeping
Pace, but the cart program did something very special that
a lot of people are talking about not just in Chicago and
in our state but around the country it is a model. Um,
because not only did they do Grant making they also are
doing learning. So Illinois Humanities is
Basically designing and leading a series of cohorts to
ensure marketing strategic planning facilities and HR are
strengthened for each of these organizations. It's a very
important model where grantmaking again is bolstered by
Community Building technical assistance.
And DK is really working at its best in this mode. Yes, it
does events. Yes, it does Grant making but the best thing
it's doing is this it's ensuring the entire social fabric
of cultural organizations is strengthened. And basically
you have a fiscal responsibility 1 way to make sure these
Grant dollars get the biggest bang for the buck is that
organizations make the most of its grants, but the other
thing is that we're the rocket fuel for inclusive community
development. Thank you very much.
Next we'll have Gabby girkin.
followed by Shelby Parchman
Um, hello. My name is Gabby girkin and I am the director of
Community Development at the West Town Chamber of Commerce
whose service areas division the hubard and hostad deci.
Um, the West Town chamber is 1 of 15 participants in bacp
storefront activation grant program, which works with small
business owners and landlords to provide rapid relief to
small businesses by activating vacant storefronts and
drawing foot traffic to commercial corridors throughout the
city.
Throughout this program. We have funded an expanded our
Westtown pop-up project.
Started in 2021. The pop-up project is a commercial
development asset that encourages retail business
development along commercial corridors throughout the
neighborhood the project offers short-term leases to small
businesses.
Interested in testing out their retail Concepts in a
physical space and through this program business owners can
experience operating that storefront while receiving
business support technical assistance and marketing
benefits.
Over the years we've hosted 14 small businesses at our
original location next to our office on Chicago Avenue 6 of
which have moved into their own brick-and-mortar space in
West Town and Beyond thanks to additional funding from the
storefront activation Grant in 2024. We have been able to
activate 2 additional vacant storefronts with the second
location on Chicago Avenue and a third 1 on Grand Avenue.
We'll host 12 businesses in total this year all of which
receive a rent-free storefront for 3 months. We are
currently working with a sliding scale yoga studio a
gallery and community space for black creatives and an
interactive retail shop for 2 shoe designers.
Earlier this year. We worked with another Gallery a women's
Boutique and a vintage shop that moved straight from our
pop-up into a studio space in neighboring worker Park.
All are interested in pursuing their own storefront and are
grateful that the storefront activation Grant allowed them
the opportunity to test their business without Financial
burdens.
Providing access to short-term retail spaces vital for any
small business that is contemplating a brick-and-mortar
storefront. It allows entrepreneurs the ability to meet
their current customers and gain new ones Explorer retail
Concepts and Partnerships and determine if the
neighborhood's a right fit for their products and services
moving from online sales to 1 day markets can be a
challenge and pop-up storefronts give the opportunity to
learn to operate a physical space while simultaneously
building a brand
in West Town the storefront activation program has also
allowed us to develop relationships with 2 new landlords
and at the conclusion of the program. We're excited to
assist them with finding a long-term tenant. Hopefully 2 of
our program grantees will be interested in securing those
leases and staying in the neighborhood.
Overall, the West Town Papa project has been an enormous
success for the chamber in our neighborhood. We continually
hear from our tenants that they wish that every
neighborhood had a program like ours and through the
storefront activation program that dream has come close to
reality from our chamber and all the small businesses we
assist. Thank you to Mayor Johnson and the council for your
support of the program.
Thank you. Uh next Shelby Parchman.
All right. No Shelby.
and our final uh speaker in public comment Gerald Williams
All right. Well that uh concludes our period of uh public
comment, uh for this morning.
as we stated earlier, uh, this is over our arpa, um funding
which is um,
We have a presentation from both the department of 32. Who
is that?
um
and next we're going to have um chairman. Um, I have my
hand raised at Host. I like to be counted towards corn.
Alderman we got you will give us a second and we'll we'll
get that squared away for you.
Next we're going to have uh, a series of additional
Witnesses, uh on behalf of the department, uh, starting
with uh Rose griller from Community organizing and family
issues.
rosala
Good morning, everyone.
Thank you so much for having y'all. Don't say good morning.
Good morning. Good morning. All right. Um, thank you so
much for this opportunity. My name is Rosalia Greer, but
everybody refers to me as Miss Rose or Mama Rose. Uh, I
wear many hats but 1 of the things I'm most proud of is
that I am actually a survivor of stage 4 cancer and many
other serious illnesses. So I am
more than Overjoyed to be able to be seen by you all today
and not viewed. Um, I wanted to address the program
formerly known as the resilient Community pilot.
uh, it was most impactful to me because it helped me to
feel human again.
In the sense that I was able to pay my bills without
robbing Peter to pay Paul.
And jack up John I was able to rebuild my credit.
I was able to do things that people should normally be able
to do in their lives. Um, it allowed me to live outside of
the extreme poverty that I was experiencing before the
pilot.
And to help my community in ways that I never imagined.
I paid off my credit.
And have now a a respectable credit score.
Uh, so going forward. I just wanted to say that under the
new name Chicago empowerment fund which is so appropriate
because it will do exactly what it said. It will Empower
people to live as human.
uh to meet their basic needs
and it is the perfect name because it will be if it's
implemented properly. It will save so many lives.
Thank you, Miss Rose.
Um next uh, and again you all will be seated, uh in the in
the Box here, uh Cliff Nellis followed by Richard.
Duke cantalier
Adam Alonso and neidra Sims fears
Good. Good morning city council. Uh, thank you for having
us here. Uh, my name is Cliff Nellis. I'm the president and
CEO of the Londo Christian legal center. I'm here this
morning to discuss the spring forward initiative, uh, and
thank the city council and the mayor for uh, making an
unprecedented investment in Justice involved people in our
city, uh by way of about a 10 million dollar, uh investment
in both housing and Workforce Development, uh at the
the Lawndale Christian legal center. We are the housing
provider of about 5 million of these Services 3 and a half
million goes to uh, housing 200 Justice involved
individuals and their families and um, I want to just say
initially that this is uh, a game-changing investment.
We've been doing this work for 15 years on the west side in
North Lawndale, and we've never had a budget anywhere near
3 and a half million to house Justice involved people. And
so I just want to say thank you, uh at first um, as far as
some of the
Impact that it's had. I'm very proud of these numbers and I
believe the city council should be as well. Uh, we are
currently enrolled with 151 people 131 of those have
already been placed into housing which is 86% Uh, if you
include family members that's 180 individuals 92% of them
are connected with housing within 60 days.
days, uh, the average is actually less than 30 days and as
of um, this last month 97% of those who have been stably
housed have not caught a new case, which I don't think is a
surprise to anyone in this room who understands, uh poverty
and the difficulty of getting through the criminal justice
system without a safe place to lay your head at night. Um
about 72% are single person 71% are men and 73% are black
African-American.
uh
so the the other provider in this is the Care Collective
and they are providing the Workforce Development supports
in partnership with the housing supports and I believe
they'll speak to that after I'm done. So thank you. Thank
you, uh before we move forward number 1 I want to uh,
recognize all's um,
Irvin Lee. Laspata, Dao Mitchell when Mosley Rodriguez
Scott Sonja Ferrell Conway mitts Nugent Martin Manhattan
for our Quorum and also will entertain a motion to allow
for Alders Robinson Harris.
more
brunette Ramirez Rosa viegas Vasquez and Silverstein
Napolitano
and Rodriguez Sanchez
to join, uh virtually
so moved by ottoman Rodriguez all in favor signify by
saying I any oppose any chairs the eyes have it.
I see you y'all. Got you Cardona. Thank you. Thank you.
and Alderman Cardona
Richard
members of the city council, uh, my name is Richard ducat
and sailor. I'm the CEO at the Boulevard of Chicago. Our
mission is to provide high quality cost-effective medical
respect here holistic support and Housing Services to help
ill and injured homeless adults break the cycle of
homelessness restored their health and rebuild their lives,
uh, each year the boulevard serves over 500 individuals who
are currently or were experiencing homelessness and helps
them gain stability. They need to restore their lives and
rebuild their lives. We currently operate a 64 bed medical
respect here program, where ill and injured individuals
receive Compassionate Care and support the program serves
close to 200 residents each year.
The boulevard also provides services to approximately 350
individuals through its housing and health programs for the
most vulnerable people. It appears housing with case
management and support of services and these services are
designed to build independent living and tendency skills
and connect people with community-based Healthcare
treatment and employment services. I'm here to talk to you
today about the importance of rapid rehousing and the
benefit that it provides our residents and Chicago
Community the boulevard currently operates a 120 unit rapid
rehousing program in partnership with all Chicago and the
Department of Family and support services rapid rehousing
it is intervention informed by a housing first approach
that is a critical part of an effective homeless crisis
response system. These programs rapidly connect families
veterans and individuals experiencing homelessness to
permanent housing through a tailored package of assistance
that may include the use of 1-time limited financial
assistance and targeted Supportive Services rapid.
Rehousing programs help individuals living on streets or in
an emergency shelter solve their practical and immediately
immediate challenges to obtaining permanent housing while
reducing the amount of time the experience homelessness a
fundamental goal of Rapid rehousing is to reduce the amount
of time a person is homeless, and as research has conducted
by the Department of Housing and Urban Development has
shown that prolonged exposure to homelessness has a
significant negative effect on adults and children. Thank
you.
Thank you. Uh next we'll have Adam Alonzo from Bill.
All right.
Guess you're not here. All right, uh
Nidra Sims fears
Good morning, um council members. I'm Nidra Sims spheres.
I'm the executive director of the greater chadam
initiative. Um, I want to thank U mayor Johnson's for his
leadership and support for our um, Corridor ambassador
program and our media Jackson pop programs. It was through
his leadership and financial support that he made those
programs possible. Um, we have the corridor ambassador
program. Um, the corridor ambassadors are on 79th Street.
It's a 1 mile area between Cottage Grove and State Street.
Um, and that and that corridors is is is important because
it is the spine of the chattam neighborhood 60% of chattam
residents live there. Um, there's a 79th Street Bus Route 1
of the business.
Is bus routes in Chicago the CTA red line and Dan Rin
Expressway is also there and it is a walkable Mi many of
our residents employees and visitors live and work and play
their
Um since the corridor ambassador program open a year ago,
um crime trended down by 6% We've gained um, 9 new
storefronts, um for mini Marts for takeout restaurants 1
Social Security Administration office. Um, we're pleased to
announce that we have uh new um, Southside Market, um, that
offers healthy food, um that starts um this summer and we
also had a major investment, um by um, 2 organizations that
will occupy. Um, um, 1 building at 79th and Cottage Chicago
State University will have a satellite office there and we
also will have the gift of Hope there. Um, so the corridor
ambassador program has allowed us to have really deep
engagement with our residents, um, and that um, and we have
laid that program with our uh, Mahalia Jackson Court HOP
program, which started in september
2022 it's a 8005 8500 square foot Court.
Um that um, we placed a vacant lot and it has been um
welcomed by um, residents and visitors alike. Um, the
number of people who have visited the court has doubled, um
to now has increased 20% So now about 9,000 people visit
the court every year, um, and we plan to have many more
activities at the court this summer we will now have a
farmers market which um, Community residents have really um
Wanted we'll have a gospel series. We'll have um walking
tours Trolley Tours. Um,
and
Um, and that has allowed us to um be 1 of the First new
state cultural districts. Um called mayela's Mao that again
is on 79th Street that goes from State and Cottage Grove
Avenue. Um this summer we will install a long 79th Street 8
mural 98 banners 20 Planters decorate 3, crosswalks and 5
Corners. So we are um on the upward trajectory and very
pleased that um through the corridor ambassador program and
the um, mahelia Park program. That's 79 street is on an
upward Trend. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Sims Spears. Uh next we'll have uh Bernice
Mendes.
Morning, my name is Bernice and I am a mom to 2 boys with
autism.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be here today
and Advocate not only for my children, but for every single
diverse learner and parents.
A little background about myself. I was a Teen Mom.
a baby having a baby like most would say
at 14 years old. I like a lot of knowledge resources and
because of my age so that my firstborn son.
I remember taking my son to the doctor at 3 years old and
explaining to him my baby wouldn't talk.
His response was simple.
The kid will talk when he wants to and he left us in the
room.
Even now with 4 Kids, I Like resources and help within our
communities and schools.
It's very hard having to do everything alone and figuring
things out yourself as a single parent to make ends meet.
When Co 19 Struck, it was a complete nightmare.
And I know many others can relate.
I had to basically be the teacher the parents The Cook the
nurse and on top of that keep my sanity to do my everyday
tasks.
My boys were not fluent with computers let alone able to
sit still in front of a screen for 8 hours.
and follow instructions
We had a lot of Tantrums breakdowns, but we never gave up.
I remember asking myself. Why would they do this to them?
How are they going to manage?
I can't do this anymore.
But they did it we did it.
Our struggle is daily.
The 500 dollars my child received helped me buy a week's
worth of groceries for our household.
But it was hard having to choose between other things that
I needed to pay for as well.
My voice needs shoes clothes extracurricular activities
after school care.
Tutoring sensory equipment and now the summer vacations are
approaching.
I can't even afford a daycare program for them.
I understand. We are all fighting a battle and trying to
make it work.
But with a system that we have it feels like we can never
win.
Me being able to speak on my experience. Today is a
blessing and I thank you for listening to me.
Giving us some hope and being a little Beacon of life
through our storm.
I will always be grateful for this type of program and hope
this is the beginning of something great.
Thank you. Miss Mendes next we'll have Brad McConnell.
So you're back.
Good morning chairman. I'm happy to be back. My name is
Brad McConnell. I'm the CEO of allies for community
business. We are a nonprofit community development
financial institution. That is based on the west side in
the 27th Ward right across Kenzie from the 28th Ward.
Our purpose is to provide the capital and the coaching and
the connections that entrepreneurs need to grow great
businesses to create wealth and jobs in our communities.
And so we do that from the Hatchery which we co-own and
co-operate with our joint venture partner icnc and through
that work with the food and beverage industry. Although we
serve businesses in all Industries. We've drawn a
particular interest in trying to help that particular
collection of entrepreneurs and so we are serving as a
program administrator of the good food fund and I'm here
today to just say thank you to Mayor to the council to the
Department of Business fairs and consumer protection in
partnering with us in order to help those entrepreneurs to
be able to thrive. So we're providing 5 million dollars in
Grants.
Low interest loans for as many dollars as any any
entrepreneur wants to apply for and free coaching all year
and that's all done through the really smart tactical
strategic use of arpa funds and so encourage all of the
altars to continue to think about the entrepreneurs who are
in the food and beverage industry in your Wards and think
through how we might be able to help them through the work
that you've already done and providing these funds so that
all is for community business and our role as program
administrator can then in turn provide those dollars and
that free coaching to entrepreneurs. So thank you for the
support that you've given us that this program and many
many others and using our dollars really smartly.
Thank you, Brad.
Next we'll have Tena Johnson. I'm sorry Emily roeske.
Good morning. My name is Emily Sousa Rakowski. I am vice
president of public sector investment strategy at World
business Chicago. The city's public private Economic
Development agency.
Chicago small businesses and tourism industry suffered as a
result of the pandemic
decays tourism and Hospitality arpa Grant has allowed World
business Chicago to address the pandemic's impact through
nearly 150 events and programs.
Through these events we've contracted with 363 unique
Chicago based small businesses with over 51% of them women
and minority owned located throughout Chicago's 77 distinct
and diverse neighborhoods.
Special emphasis went toward providing rapid relief to
hospitality focused businesses who are unable to operate
throughout the pandemic.
Additionally these events provide opportunities for vendors
to Showcase their brand and scale their businesses and we
have success stories to this effect.
Additional programming we've supported includes the shy
Capital accelerator a program that helps entrepreneurs of
color expand their businesses.
Our South and West Side commercial site tours, which have
led to Investments by national retailers such as Starbucks
and Culver's resulting in a new retail and job
opportunities.
And think Chicago a stem Talent program that connects
students of with local Tech career opportunities. The
majority of the over 500 participants have been students of
color.
moving forward and through close collaboration with OBM DC
and the mayor's office planned future programming places an
increased emphasis on youth Workforce Development support
for mwbe businesses and residents and disinvested
communities including work youth Workforce Development site
tours, which will provide career awareness opportunities
and key Chicago sectors such as manufacturing tourism and
Tech.
A new cohort of shy Capital accelerator reading bipac owned
local businesses for expansion success and Manufacturing
month which connects youth in their families to internship
apprenticeship and first job opportunities.
Thank you for the opportunity to help Drive inclusive
economic development for all of Chicago's residents, and we
look forward to expanding our Partnerships with all of you
and across the city. Thank you.
Thank you. Uh next we'll have a Tena Johnson.
No 1 2 okay
Uh, hi, my name is Tonica Johnson. And I stand before you
as a proud artist lifelong Chicago and and an advocate
deeply committed to dismantling the systemic segregation
that has plagued our city for Generations. Um, some of you
might know my work through the folded map project which
brought to light the Stark disparities between North and
South sides of Chicago. This project also allowed residents
to visualize the profound impact of segregation in our
neighborhoods and inspire
Conversations and connections between those residents, uh
across the racial and economic divides called map twins.
Uh, but today I am here to share with you the evolution of
that work a project called unblocked Englewood unblocked
Englewood is more than just an art project. It is a
participatory initiative that seeks to restore Justice to
residents of Inglewood who have been disproportionately
impacted by the city's historical inequities. Um, this
project would not have been possible without the critical
support of the American Rescue plan Act and the department
of cultural Affairs and special events. Their belief that
the power of art to drive social change has been
instrumental in to Bringing unblocked Englewood to life.
Unblocked Englewood Builds on the foundation laid by my
folded map project by not only highlighting disparities,
but actively working to address them through this project.
I am transforming vacant Lots, but more importantly
residents on a Target Block in Englewood is receiving
actual home repairs, uh under the premise that beautifying
homes is public art. Uh, the impact has been profound to
date. We have provided free critical home repairs from roof
repairs plumbing repairs to 12 Englewood homeowners. These
repairs are more than just fixing how it is. They are
restoring dignity and more importantly, uh, the financial
Equity denied to them from racist mid-century housing
practices. We have 12 more homes.
in the pipeline
And this summer I am partnering with ingua Arts Collective
to beautify 2 of the 20 vacant Lots on 65th in Aberdine
creating spaces where these residents who are older can
gather connect and Thrive the work we are doing in
Englewood is a testament to the power of art to heal and to
bring about Justice.
Most importantly we are showing that when we come together
as artists policy makers community members we can begin to
heal the wounds of segregation and build more Equitable
future for us all so I urge you to continue supporting
decays initiatives through arpa that make art like
unblocked Englewood possible, and I hope that we keep
investing in Creative collaborations that have the power to
transform this city restore Justice to its most impacted
residents. So thank you for your time and believing in the
power of art to drive meaningful change. Thank you. Thank
you Mr. Johnson, uh before I move to Daniel Mala malavi.
Um, do we have Mariela Negron or Jenny Fusz on virtually? I
see we have 2 attendees. Um, just want to make sure that
those individuals are um,
If they are on to have the motivated to panelists.
No.
Okay, uh Daniel.
Hope you don't mind if I stand.
Uh, good morning counseling, uh City elect officials. My
name is Daniel Malave. I'm a lead, uh Outreach professional
at Swap Southwest organizing project. Who is a or excuse me
a
Or we are and in contact with us cp4p communities
partnering for peace. And um, basically, you know, I've
been doing this work for about 8 years, uh, initially
started as a violence interrupter and I Outreach worker
after that after that did 2 years of case management. And
right now I'm a CVI, which is a community violence
Interruption and what we focus on specifically is violence
prevention, uh on a good day. We help save lives on a bad
day we deal with death
Um, you know, it's difficult work for sure.
But I mean, that's why we're here today. I'm advocating
just so that the work that we doing is not going without
being seen. Um, we work out about 28 different communities
throughout Chicago.
Um providing resources. We do everything from gang tattoo
removal services for part, um participants to uh,
Food pantries to any type of resources that we're actually
able to provide to the communities. Um, we we're a strong
Believers of restorative justice, um, you know, we try to
more or less like provide things, you know alternatives for
participants as opposed to like punitive measures, um,
trying to think of other things that I can share.
um
As far as that, like I said, I just wanted to bring to the
attention that you know, the the work that's being done
throughout the city and I thank you for your time.
Thank you, uh, Daniel.
Um, do we have a Jenny or Mara Leah on virtually?
Okay. All right with that we will conclude the uh
departmental, uh
Speakers. Um
So we will have uh from the agenda today. We have a series
of departments that will be presenting with us. Uh first
we're going to start off with the Office of Management a
budget of management management in the mayor's office
followed by cdph. Um, we have a scheduled kind of loose.
Uh, however, we're going to try to stick to it as best we
can um, we are destined to take a break around 1 oclock and
uh follow up the afternoon.
We may do dfss before that depending upon how things go and
follow up with uh planning and then uh, mopd bacp, uh
consumer protection and decays. So, um, put your seat belt
on and uh,
Buckle in so we can uh begin
Madam director, welcome back
and um our coo Mr. Robenson from the mayor's office.
With us, uh today, so good morning chair.
Well, I may begin.
Oh before we do that my apologies. I need to recognize
ottoman pisado, uh for the purposes of Quorum as well as
um,
For virtual participation ottoman Ramirez Rosa Alderman the
politano. Um Alderman Mitch. You have a motion for that.
uh, it's been moved, uh all in favor signify by saying I
Any oppose paying the chairs of eyes have it and Alderman
Ramirez Rosa and the poly tunnel will be added to the role
and allow for virtual participation.
Madam director
Welcome back. Please proceed. Thank you and and good
morning, um city council, uh budget committee members. I'm
actually going to defer to my illustrious, uh,
co-presenter, uh first uh, John Roberson, uh Chief
Operating Officer for the city to get us started.
Thank you Annette. Uh, thank you chair members of the
council. Thank you for uh allowing us to be here this
morning.
Um today we are here to uh, present to you, uh an overview
of our Arbor program, uh, as many of you already know, um
arpa funding which was provided by the Biden
Administration, uh, really presented a once in a generation
opportunity, uh for us to invest in our communities
following 1 of the most, um, Dynamic, um, historical events
that have happened in our time, which was the pandemic
and so uh with the um funds that were provided by the
federal government, um while we were not here, uh, when the
city first formed its program, uh, Annette and I were uh
Partners as we worked on the same program at the county and
so as the Johnson Administration came in, um, we focused
Um intently on making sure that we got our arms wrapped
around very early on uh around the arbor program, uh,
because we realize how important this program is. Um, we
wanted to make sure um that everything was being done, uh
to maximize and optimize the opportunities that we have
with these dollars, uh, and really our approach, uh was
really focused on uh, a number of things. It was based upon
best practices and Lessons Learned it was based on uh, and
making decisions that our data informed and we wanted to
also make sure that we had meaningful Equitable impact. Uh,
and so as we began to do this work, um, we began intently
taking a look at all of the programs and positions that
were being funded by arpa. Uh, and so this is just another
example of Mayor Johnson's governing approach similar to
cut the tape of really making sure that we're doing
everything possible to maximize the um scarce resources
that we have.
So, how do we go about this? What was our first goal?
Our first goal is that we wanted to ensure um that we
mitigated the risk of returning Monies to the treasury, uh
that was being used to maximize, uh in our Chicago
communities. Uh, and the way that we went about that was we
went through a very methodical and rigorous, uh, obligation
risk analysis. Uh, we also used an equity analysis because
we realized that all communities are impacted differently,
uh, and they need different levels of investment. We wanted
to make
make sure that the Opera program aligned with mayor
Johnson's values and that it aligned with his policy
framework, and we wanted to make sure um because as you
heard from many of the uh stakeholders that have benefited
from this program earlier and I want to thank them uh for
presenting this morning, um, those same constituencies that
you represent. Uh, we wanted to make sure that we got
impact or input, uh from members of the city council
because at the end of the day you represent those residents
and you represent those constituencies, so we wanted to
make sure that uh, everything that we are doing as it
relates to this Opera initiative is informed through that
feedback.
the second is that we wanted to make sure that um, we
aligned all of the sources of funding and so we wanted to
look to align program funding, uh to the most suitable
funding sources. Um, there are some programs that you will
hear about uh later on, uh, that originally may have been
uh funded through arpa, uh, but through our analysis we
found that there were more sustainable, uh resources and
more sustainable sources of revenue, uh to carry forth some
of these programs that were more appropriately funded
through our Capital bonds or bonds programs. Uh, and so we
uh examined that um through our risk analysis and really
take a look at our sustainability analysis to see that for
the programs that we know that we want to continue forward.
What is the best funding in order to ensure that
Um, we also wanted to support funding deployment. You're
going to hear uh during a next presentation 2 really key
things.
Encumbrance and expenditures those 2 things are the most
critical aspects of this program. We have to have the
ability to encumber the money within a specific amount of
time and we have to spend the money within a certain amount
of time and so as we take a look at the funding that is
used to support these programs. We realize that we needed
to revamp our internal processes and our protocols so that
we could remove the obstacles, uh from our ability to
contract and to pay. Um, this is was a very, um, early
incubator of the cut the tape initiative where we had to
take a look at everything that the city was doing and we
had to figure out how do we get out of our own way? How do
we make sure that we are Expediting, uh, the ability for us
to spend these monies, uh, and so 1 of the things that we
did was we formed an internal steering committee. There was
made up of all of the key stakeholders that impact our
ability to get money out the door. And so we put together
the steering committee which included law which included
procurement which
included Finance, um the budget office the mayor's office.
And we use this committee, uh as the mechanism for us to do
the type of due diligence and to do the Deep dive there was
necessary in order for us to really understand each and
every single program how it was funded what the performance
metrics were needed to be and how we were going to measure
the impact long after this program is gone. Um, and so we
decided that 1 of the things that we needed to Institute
was a project management office, uh, and I want to take
this opportunity really to thank the budget team and the
finance team and all of the folks, uh from our consultant
who work in the pmo's office. They are the ones that really
did the heavy lifting, uh to make sure that as we were
taking a look at these programs that we not just be able to
talk about the impact of these programs, but we're actually
able to measure them and to be able to report back to you
which really leads to the last point. We want to make sure
that we are being absolutely transparent about how the
dollars are being spent, um to receive monies of of this
scale and scope uh is
Unprecedented and so we wanted to make sure that as we are
spending these dollars we want to make sure that you as the
city council. We want to make sure that the public
understands 1. What are we spending the money on?
How did we come to those decisions? How are we going to
measure success and with this program if we find that there
are points where we need to Pivot because we do not believe
that we are going to be able to encumber the funds in
enough time. If we are not going to be able to spend the
funds in enough time. Then we have to make very different
decisions and we have to have a rigorous framework for how
we go about making those decisions and we want to make sure
that everyone the public and the city council are
absolutely clear about how those decisions have been made
in our going to be made going forward. So, um part of what
we will be doing, uh is we will be instituting a new
website, uh that will provide a public facing, um way of
public and constituents being able to see exactly how the
money is being spent by program. Uh, and we will be
supplying on a regular basis. Um, I believe it's monthly,
uh, we will be supplying reports to the city council. We
want you to see exactly what we see how the money is being
spent where
It is being spent who is spending it. Uh, and what monies
are left to be expended. Uh, so I am I have to tell you
that. I'm I'm very excited about this program. I really
think that arpa in general, uh creates a fantastic
framework for how we should be thinking about. Um, really
the expenditures and the grant making uh throughout our
Enterprise. Uh, it is rigorous. It is structured. It gives
us the data that we need to make informed decisions and
we're able to do it in a very Equitable way, uh, and it
shows the sustained impact that we are able to have that
really touches each and every single resident and each and
every single community and so with that I thank you for the
opportunity to speak to you this morning. I'm going to turn
it over to our budget director. Thank you, John.
um, and I'm going to go through this rather quickly because
I know I will
Uh some of this some of you have already seen, um in the
monthly briefings that we've had with with you some of this
might be new to others who were not able to make those
briefings. So I'm going to go a little bit quickly. Uh,
some of this will be uh, uh material that some of you have
seen already. So just as a reminder arpa, what is it? Uh,
it was just speaking to the mic Shure. Sorry.
Thank you. I appreciate that. Um, so what is arpa so this is
um allocation that was made under the American Rescue plan
act that was uh signed into law by President Biden in 2021
in response to the co 19 pandemic you all remember, uh, in
the midst of the the pandemic, um under the Trump
Administration the cares act came out that was really about
relief during the pandemic Co is really about arpa is
really about um recovery from the pandemic and there were
all these uh stipulations that were put into the law by the
Biden Administration and carried out through the treasury
to really get at the Equitable recovery from the pandemic
the city of Chicago received 1.9 billion dollars in 2021
and under the previous, uh city council the first budget
our budget was passed in uh for FY fiscal year 2022.
The actual Grant is called the state and local fiscal
Recovery Fund but that is an a mouthful. So you'll just
hear me say arpa throughout this entire presentation.
Um just really quickly this, uh, Grant is unlike other
grants that we receive, um as a city and it has um required
a lot of intentional, um, uh analysis, uh to make sure that
we're a complete compliance with the grant that we are
providing, uh, regular reports back to the treasury, uh, so
arpa unlike
Make our entitlement grants and the discretionary grants
that we apply for. Um, the treasury didn't have to
pre-approve our our budgets. Uh, we put that in place, um
under city council each year, um and unlike other grants.
There is a 2-year, uh closeout period so we have to tell
the treasury 2 years before this grant is even over how we
plan to spend those dollars that that creates a lot of
difficulties for jurisdictions like us who Budget on an
annual basis, um, most importantly, um, unlike other grants
that has guidance, uh that comes out before the the grant
actually is awarded this grant didn't have any guidance
until 6 months after we received the first um allocation
from the treasury in 2022 and then technical assistance has
been very limited unlike other grants that we receive as a
city. So the city really has had to um to continually adapt
adopt and and adjust as guidance has come out from the
treasury
Um, which has caused a lot of kind of start and stops along
the way.
Uh, John mentioned 2 critical dates, uh that I think a lot
of you now have embedded in your head. So it's just
important to always remember that uh, we have to have all
of our uh dollars the 1.9 billion dollars obligated by the
end of this year and all dollars spent by December 31st,
2026 and what I mean by spent meaning that any Services any
um Goods that we purchase with
These dollars all have to have been invoiced by December
31st 2026. If we have an obligated 100% of our funds by the
end of this year any funds that remain unobligated or is
like what we like to say in city Parliament unencumbered,
uh, we will not be able to spend any of the dollars that
remain unencumbered and likewise any funds that are um
unspent by December 31st, 2026 will all have to be returned
to the treasury, um during closeout
So we've been um in the briefings that we gave in March and
April been giving you updates on how we have been
progressing. So out of the 109 billion dollars that we
received 1.3 billion was uh reserved and set aside, uh for
essential city services, which was divided up between the
20, uh, 222 2 0 2
Since we uh came before you in April, uh, we have um,
increased our expended uh amount by 3% to 82% expendit,
which is a great uh, uh fact and then we have 89%
obligated. So we're talking about needing to obligate just
11% more of our allocation to ensure that we return no
money back to the treasury and are able to spend out those
dollars through the rest of the term of the grant, um by
the end of 2026.
So this is the breakdown, um between our essential city
services and our community initiatives as you can see here
3303370 million dollars of the 5776 has been obligated and
we are working right now to obligate the rest of the 206.
Um, as you know, we're not only concerned about obligating
all of our dollars but spending so of the 575 roughly
345 million remains to be spent through the end of 2026 and
based on our budgets that we have set up with all of our
departments. We have a very solid plan to ensure that all
of those dollars are spent by the end of 2026.
So when we came before you both in March and then again in
April, we laid out our vision for how we were uh, analyzing
each of the community initiatives that were allocated arpa
dollars and this included. Um,
No, no, no, no. No, no, just wait just wait till she's
finished. Um included the very, um,
qualitative and quantitative obligation risk analysis. Um,
we also um came to you and asked you to help us prioritize
funding, um, if it was identified to be reallocated to to
programs that already existed we looked at the mayor's
policy platform, um in how the programs were delivering
services to ensure that those were aligned with um his
policy platform, but also his vision of Service delivery
and then we also ran each of the programs through an
equity, um analysis to understand how that program would
um, really impact Equitable recovery within our
communities.
We took all of that information and um, each of the
programs, uh was assigned both a risk score and Equity
score and then we're ranked and prioritized based on uh,
city council survey results as well as the mayor's
priorities.
And based on that, um over 80 million dollars in spending
plan adjustments were made. Um, and it's probably no
surprise that um, the adjustments were mainly made to
increase the amounts to what we consider to be low risk
programs those programs that had a history of um spend, um
at low risk, um of getting dollars out into the community,
um, just Minor Adjustments in medium risk programs, and
those are those are programs that um,
Had low or inconsistent spin, um, but really showed uh, or
reflected that with a lot of resources and support would be
able to both get to their obligation goals as well as their
spin goals and then um a little bigger adjustment down of
high-risk programs. Um, those are programs that had zero
spend had really high barriers to um, obligating their
dollars by the end of this year.
And so this is just a sample of the um, kind of final
allocation. Um, this list is not exhaustive some of these
programs you've begun to hear about um, as they are rolled
out by departments and the mayor's office. Um, but we're
making really critical investments in some key areas that
align with a lot of the same policy priorities, um as
those, uh, who sit on city council based on the survey
results that we received including a huge investment in
youth opportunities programs, which are really about youth
employment and engagement, um, another round of funding to
the guaranteed basic income, uh program, which is has been
renamed Chicago empowerment fund. Um, you've heard uh
today, um, um 1 of the beneficiaries of that program the
first round um, and we plan to roll the second round out
later this year. Um, small business supports rapid
rehousing you heard a validator talk about the importance
of that within their communities, um, as well as family
connects program, which really provides support, uh,
fraternal health
Care, uh for lower income families.
Um Community violence intervention, uh supports as well as
mental health equity which um was incorporated into the
report that was released last week on the mental health, um
expansion, um work working group report. Um, you heard a
number of people talk about our artists relief program, uh
this morning, um emergency fund for gbb survivors as well
as Broadband connectivity as we look to uh, bring
accessibility, um and affordability for Broadband into
neighborhoods with the lowest connectivity, um in the city,
So just a sample does not necessarily, uh reflect all 50
programs.
So, uh John talked about the governance structures that
we've been put that we put in place because it's 1 thing to
allocate dollars to programs. It's another thing to make
sure that they actually are successful in program
Administration and so 1 of the things that we noticed when
we first came in, um, was that the department who were
responsible for getting dollars out the door signed getting
contract signed, um, getting payments actually, uh, uh
done. Um, really weren't as engaged in arpa as we had
wanted them to be so we brought all of them together and
we're talking about the heads of these departments because
buying at the top means that there's Buy in um, all the way
through the organization. So you have myself John the head
of policy in the mayor's office, um, our head of Finance
our head of law, um DTI, um, and so forth who all sit on
the steering committee, um, and
provide Direction, um when it comes to policies procedures,
um to help mitigate any risk of not obligating and not
spending the dollars they in turn have um instituted a
program management office, which is the day-to-day, um
staffers within their offices that really will help move us
towards both obligation, um 100% obligation by the end of
this year, but also, um, uh will help escalate any issues
with Contracting any issues with hiring um, and so forth,
uh payments and and and the like, um, and that's really
helping us, um ensure that we'll get um and meet those
deadlines that I mentioned before and so this just shows
you um, kind of how we keep our departments, um up to date
how we um continue to make sure that communication is
getting out across. Um, all the Departments who have um
received funding for arpa. Um, and how we will continue to
Monitor and ensure that their uh, programs are being
administered in compliance with the treasury guidelines,
but also,
That they're spinning the dollars down. Um, you'll see here
that in August of this year, uh will be another uh chance
for us to do a spending analysis and make adjustments as
part of the 2025 budget season, which will come before you
um in uh, september when the I'm sorry October when the
mayor uh releases his budget and we'll do that each year.
And so this will always be a part of the budget process and
by the end of the year, we'll be heading that obligation
deadline.
We're not only thinking about now John mentioned before
that. We're thinking about sustainability for programs. Not
every program needs to be sustained because uh some of our
programs really were for the moment of of recovering from
the pandemic but there are a lot of good programs that have
either been enhanced through arpa dollars or our new
programs that have been made possible through arpa dollars,
and we really want to understand the impact of those
programs and if we need to continue them to help further
recovery within our communities, not only from the co
pandemic but also to continue to read address inequities
that have um, really were exacerbated through the pandemic
and so we have actually launched a program sustainability
analysis, uh to all of our departments that have received
um HUD funding as well as arpa dollars to really get at uh,
the impact of those programs and what dollars are
available, um to sustain those programs going forward that
analysis isn't only just looking at fiscal, uh,
sustainability, but also program evaluation policy.
alignment, um who are the stakeholders that are impacted by
these programs and how are those programs really, um
engaging with our community and uh furthering equity and
inclusion, uh through the work that they do and based on
that. We'll be able to come back before um, as part of the
budget season each year, um and make decisions about which
programs will receive sustained funding.
John mentioned, um our commitment to transparency. Um, so
this was uh, not only the the briefings that we've held
over the last several months, but also this hit hearing,
um, we heard you I heard you um in my budget hearing last
year. I've heard you in 1 1 on 1 conversations where I've
been told I want to know more about these programs. I want
to understand these programs. I don't know about these
programs which ones are in my community. Um, so those
briefings this hearing is just the beginning of of of our
commitment to helping not only city council, um, get their
questions answered but also for the public to understand
the programs that are funded through, uh, this grant. Um,
we also made a commitment, um, not through an ordinance,
because we believe in transparency to um provide monthly
city city council reports to um through the budget
committee, but ostensibly to the entire city council to
help you understand the financial progress the obligation,
uh progress, but also the impact of our programs, uh,
within our communities and then finally,
The the public dashboard that will be launched in the fall
in connection with the mayor's uh budget address.
So, um, the first monthly report was sent um, uh out last
week, I believe. Um, you all should have received it. Um, I
welcome feedback, but essentially the report includes both
Grant level summaries, you can see from the beginning of
the allocation that we received in 2021 to present. Um, how
we have fared how have how
Be spent out the dollars. Um, you'll also get an update on
how we progressing in achieving 100% obligation by the end
of this year. This will be broken down by policy pillars.
So you can understand that in the the framework of policy
alignment but also by Department, you'll understand how our
a specific departments progressing towards getting their
contracts signed getting their personnel hired. Um, we're
also uh committing to you to help you understand what
grants are we going after right now? Um, we understand that
there are funding gaps. We funding fiscal cliffs that we're
going to be hitting not only next year. But in the future
as these dollars run out, we want you to see we're not
sitting on our Laurels we're going after dollars right now.
And so we want to give you a sense of what dollars are we
going after and what dollars have we been awarded? And then
finally you'll get a breakdown for every single program.
Um, that'll provide you an update on spend this year. Um,
uh spend over the course of the entire Grant and then what
dollars are reserved for future year budgets.
Public data dashboard, um the overarching objectives for
us. There are to contextualize the financial dashboards and
program impact within a broader Citywide policy Vision. How
does arpa fit into the overall, uh vision of our policy
goals as a city program impact. Um, how do we ensure that
the website tells a clear story about how programs are
impacting the communities that you all represent and then
finally, um, how are we ensuring the data on our website is
active.
Trustworthy and usable for all users no matter what level
that they're at. We we've invited in stakeholders
externally to help give us feedback on what this website.
Uh, uh should provide in order that we are, you know, um
providing the type of information that the public wants to
see and so we're being very collaborative in this process
to make sure that um, the dashboard is used
So in summary as John mentioned at the at the top, you
know, when we set out to start to analyze this grant when
we came in, you know, we had 4 goals maximize the award. We
wanted to make sure that no dollars go back to treasury
because dollars that go back to treasury or dollars that
are not used within our communities. We wanted to make sure
that our funding sources were aligned this actually helps
us maximize this award when we look across all of our
funding sources, um is arpa the best funding source for
some of our programs given the the strict, uh, or the
restrictions on the Grant and the strict adherence that is
required. And then um, we wanted to support our
departments, um, by having a more centralized mechanism for
um them to ensure that their program Administration was
successful. Um, this is a kind of version of cut the tape
but in the grants World, um, we've heard from a lot of you
talk about that, uh, repeatedly, how do we make sure that
we're getting streamline processes in place to to sign
contracts? How do we make sure that um, I don't have
the 1
they're administering on behalf of the city and
And then finally we want to make sure that we're being
transparent. Um, and that'll be through the city council
reports and the public dashboard that will be launched
later this year.
Um, and so with that I do want to thank you know my team
who's here as well. They have done a lion share of the work
that uh has come before you today. Um, I want to thank all
of our departments who have hung in there with us as we've
done this analysis. So you'll be hearing from later, uh
throughout today actually and you know, there's over 50
programs that are still active within the arpa framework
and that's 50 programs that they are actively um,
administering that takes a lot of work. Um, and a lot of
dedication and when you when you hear from them today, you
hear the passion that they have for each 1 of these
programs and I also want to thank um, the program teams
within each of our departments who do that work each and
every day so with that I'll turn it back.
Thank you, uh budget director and a COO. Uh, we are going
to have uh questions. Uh today. I think we we're going to
have to Institute some level of a time constraint on the
questions again. We do have all of these departments we're
going to go through today. So I'm going to ask that we uh
limited on the front end to 5 minutes. And if we need to
come back in around 2 on stuff we can do such after uh
members have had an opportunity to be heard also want to
add the alderman OSHA
To our Quorum call as well as ottoman Mana Hopper work.
non member joining us on today. Uh first we had ottoman La
spota followed by ottoman nent.
Thank you very much, sir. Thank you very much for the
presentation very much. Um 2 quick questions 1 that was
more.
it was relevant in the first couple slides, but sometimes
This is true from the past different administrations even
within the administration we can use different words to say
the same thing to date. We were talking about incumbents
and expenditure in other places. We're talking about
obligation or appropriation. Can we can we roll back to a
definition of terms to I want to make sure that we're
speaking the same language that you are absolutely so I use
obligation and encumbrance interchangeably obligation is
the definition that the treasury uses. So we we have that
in our mind all the time because we are constantly
reporting back to the treasury, but essentially an
obligation is um, you know, or an encumbrance is an
obligation to pay right, um an obligation to um, uh pay
over time or to pay out, you know, uh, um based on a
contract and so um in if you're looking at our AER, if
you're looking at our budget documents, if you're looking
at anything other than treasury documents, it's the term
encumbrance or unencumbered
That you probably are more used to but it's synonymous with
obligation or something that hasn't been obligated yet as
opposed to even allocated where we're saying. Here's an
issue or program. We would like to put this towards that's
even a step before obligation or Encompass a budget. Yeah.
And so that's a really really great distinction that you're
making because the treasury does not uh, recognize budgets.
So that is not a form in which we can go to them and say,
oh it's obligated because it's in our budget. It's have you
reduced it to a contract have you? Um, have you made an
outlay to hire Personnel have you entered into a contract
for a sub Award with the delegate agency? Those are that's
how the treasury um, um, understands obligation or
encumbrance. I appreciate it. I just want to take a quick
score of House Rock moment. Um quote he gets it. Um
question number 2 really quick and then I'll see you at my
time. We were if we can go back to low risk moderate risk.
High risk programs when we talk about high risk is that
specifically within the framework of being at high risk of
not having dollars obligated slash, uh expended by those
deadlines. Yeah. So that is the Parliament that we use from
the obligation risk analysis obligation meaning
Are you going to obligate the dollars in accordance with
treasury guidelines? Um, so this is really reflecting a
couple of things not only obligation risk, but also spend
risk so we can we can look at program budgets. We can look
at program contracts to get a sense of and forecasts out
based on your budget and based on how quickly these um,
agencies are spending are they likely to spend? Um, the
full amount that has been budgeted or allocated to them?
Um, and so based on that analysis that we were able to do
and then also the number of contracts that have to be
signed number of people that have to be hired the number of
rfps that have to go out we can get a sense of like what is
the risk of not getting these dollars obligated, um by the
end of this year and then what's the risk of not having all
of those dollars spent because if you don't have a contract
signed
yeah, high risk that you're not going to get the dollars
because you can't give out money without a contract so
very high risk love the conversation. Wish we were having
this kind of conversation before y'all came to work for the
city. Uh, and I love that. We're thinking critically about
funding deployment. It's not sexy, but it's
That's the difference between whether the program is
actually work and I'm sure we'll dig into that even more
with the various departments coming up here. But thank you
very much for the presentation. Thank you chair. Thank you
ottoman, uh president pro Tim nit.
Good morning chairman. Thanks. Thanks guys for the
presentation. Um, I just have a question on so for example
under arpa when
we give a grantee there are recipient and they get a large
sum of money and then there's Subs under that.
How do we monitor the grantees paying the subs in a timely
way because I we're hearing some concerns with that is is
there a me mechanism that you're using to monitor that and
how do we ensure that? Those subs are getting paid quickly
and in a transparent way?
So, you know.
Our payments from the cam controller's office to the prime
recipient of of the dollars is what we can track.
Very easily within our financial system. We don't track sub
awardees of um of a primary recipient in our financial
system. So it's a little bit harder to know exactly when a
sub. Um, I'm sorry a prime has paid a sub. Um, I do believe
that we hear those same um concerns and when we do hear
them, we do follow up with this is on Department level. We
do follow up with our um delegate agencies to ensure that
they are paying but as far as the budget office because we
we don't have that not that low, um at a that low level
within our financial system. We can't track whether or not
that's happening and neither can the contract
controller but um, I believe that that's something that the
Departments are doing, um as they hear about it, um with
their Prime recipients,
Okay, is that that is something that we're for the smaller
folks? Um.
those checks
You know could be they could put them out of the business
if they're not getting those checks and we're starting to
get some frantic calls. I don't.
I don't perhaps we can work together or have some
conversations offline just to make sure that they're
they're getting paid or we can add something to the prime.
Um.
The paperwork that says you have to show that you pay out
within and I don't know what the if it's 60 90. I I don't
know what the time frame is that that we deem appropriate
but it is something that we're starting to hear about and I
would just um, it's a great program. I know that you guys
are trying to get the money. Um, obviously obligated spent
out the door. We have 2 years and change but I do have some
concerns about the little guys, uh in the equation.
Um 1 thing I can say I think 2 things I'll say 1. Um, I
think that's a great conversation to have um, and we can
definitely do that with the cummer because 1 of the things
that we do look at is um, the riskiness of a particular,
um, um delegate agency or or vendor, um, and whether or not
we should you know, uh conduct business with that person.
Um, the other thing is in order most of our um, delegate
agencies are currently set up on a reimbursement basis from
us, and so before we
Um spend or we send out their reimbursement. They have to
show that they have paid, you know, whether it's a deli a
sub or a contractor or their own Personnel. They have to
they have to give us actual proofs of payment that they've
made those proof that they've made those payments. Okay. I
appreciate that. Thank you. Thank you. That's all Mr.
Chairman. Thank you. Thank you, uh entrepreneur, uh to the
point that she made um, isn't there a similar style of a
system that we use on construction where we have to report
or what the prime has to report payments to a sub? Uh, I
think we have like a 7-Day rule if I'm not mistaken and so
they have to make that report in some system, uh that we
are able to see that that payment has been made is it?
but we don't have something similar for that for our grants
so we don't have um
So we like I said, we we have a requirement that you know
individual departments when they received the vouchers for
reimbursement, they go through them to make sure that
they've all the necessary paperwork in place including that
they've actually made the payments, uh, whether it's to
another agency or what not but in our system it's you know,
we're paying that that Prime recipient. So we're just
seeing the payment that's been made to that Prime
recipient. So it's not like you can go on the site and see
who all of their their sub awardees are but we have that
paperwork within our records, uh for that particular
program. Well are those okay and now let's go back to
construction a lot of times that money.
Is not paid out to the sub until the prime is paid are you
saying that the money is theoretically paid to the sub
prior to the prime being paid? So we we pay the prime you
pay the prime and the prime pays the sub. All right to I
guess toddman Newton's point. I do think that um, we need
to have some method or or or some methodology to understand
that the subs are being paid because we do hear that Subs
aren't paid in in the various instances and I think for the
city as far from a risk perspective may need to uh, look at
an investment something that will allow us to know when
Subs are being paid as relates to these, uh grants be the
grants or construction or whatever so that there's some
clarity and understanding of that so, you know at the risk
of bringing up any it related things, um, you know, we're
in the midst of uh, completely revamping our Erp system
part of that would be um, a new grants management portal.
Um, and those are some of the things that we'll be looking
um to include but then that grants management report.
That'll be the subject of another
Another hearing that's what the risk of bringing it up that
we're hearing so much about so, uh Alderman Conway followed
by Alderman Martin.
Thank you. Um, is it noting that we still have 206 million
on obligated?
Is it too late to turn that into Revenue replacement
dollars or ones like the last time we can do that?
Um, so I would say that um, you know, we have made the
allocations to the community programs. Um, and those are uh
allocations that are multi-year. So, um, you know, the
Departments are in the midst of signing up those contracts
right now and it's over 50 programs. So, um at the moment
we're not looking to reallocate those as part of uh Revenue
replacement for City Services. They're going into Community
programs, perhaps I can rephrase my question was would the
Department of Treasury still allow that to be done to
change to revenue replacement.
um
Maybe you could expound on your your question. Do you mean
like can we do it right now? Yeah, I mean so, you know,
of these can be allocated to programs but some of them as
as previously that we use the migrant money for that was
Revenue replacement dollars that were used as as you've
explained to me. Um, is it is it still possible to if we
can't obligate all of the money? Is it still possible to
change it to revenue replacement?
Um, so the city of Chicago had the ability to claim every
single penny as Revenue replacement. Um, there are
downsides to doing that. Um, when you categorize dollars as
Revenue replacement you have zero, um, uh performance
metric reporting that you due to the treasury and that's
super critical, um to helping make uh arguments to the
federal government as to why programs like this, um, uh,
which were not the only ones implementing them. There's
just jurisdictions across the country who have implemented
very similar programs to the city of Chicago and the data
that is coming out of those programs is very valuable and
it's the reason why the the Biden Administration put those
requirements in this grant to begin with is to get that
type of data, um, and it helps us, uh, join others across
the country and and you know, making the arguments as to
why these uh should be continually federally funded
programs. I think the other downside um of that but that's
a yes, right? I mean we still could we still could
in be allocated 1.3 billion of our dollars to um to that
cause and so, um, we wanted to make sure that you know,
this money wasn't just coming into the city, but that we
were getting these dollars out into the communities to
recover. Well, I I I would say and and and uh, Mr.
Robertson and budget director Guzman, I think you are 2 of
the finest public servants that we have uh in this city,
but I I also do think that we could have done
a better job instead of Simply having our goals be not send
the money back and send it to community groups for a few
years before we I fear we pull the uh rug out from other
from under them in 3 years and perhaps been a bit more
aspirational in terms of um,
broadly improving the city long term as well as uh, putting
ourselves in a bit of better fiscal.
Fiscal standing, for example, um, I I think it's a great
what you're doing in terms of expanding the resiliency
program now called the empowerment program. I think that
fits those goals, but I also think we could have
cleaned the CTA thoroughly and I think over time that would
have paid for itself through increased ridership. I think
we could have offset some of our migrant spending with some
of these more restrictive dollars. Uh, I think we could
have indirectly augmented our our pension payments and uh,
well, I do certainly want to thank you for for your
transparency. Um, I hope that some of those I hope that our
precarious fiscal standing will perhaps get more
consideration as we look at the rest of the um, 206 million
dollars. Uh 1 other thing I'd ask is I I know in our
meeting
Um in March, I did ask for a list of the actual programs.
This is going to go to if we could perhaps get that through
the chair. I'm sure I'm not going to be the only 1 to ask
for that. I'll do you 1 better it's in the report that was
sent to you. Uh by the tear. Oh, well, my my my apologies
unhappy I didn't I didn't see that. I did see this but I I
do appreciate the transparency. Noting that you are not
with regard to ordinance. So I do appreciate um, and if I
could just respond it to to items that you mentioned so the
CTA received their own arpa dollars, they received a lot of
our dollars. Um, and you know, they've used it in in the
way that they've used it, uh arpa funding cannot and is
prohibited to go into pension, so we would not have been
able to use it on pensions. If even if we wanted to um,
what we did use it for that 1.3 billion dollars that went
to government services, um did allow us to offset, um our
expenditures during a time when our Revenue uh was
recovering from the pandemic in the Years.
2022 and 2023 and 2021 we did experience um surpluses
within our budget that actually allowed us to put funding
in the year starting in 2023 every year we were able to
make supplemental pension payments from our own funding, uh
to each of the 4 Pension funds. Um, and that was the ramp
up period that we needed before the funding from the
permanent Casino would provide that more sustainable source
of uh, supplemental pension payments. So, um, I do think
that the plan that was put in place and the funding that was
set aside for Revenue replacement did allow us to shore up
the city's Financial, uh reserves in a very meaningful way
good and I hope that continues I um, I mean with regard to
the pension funding obviously the last group of Migrant,
uh, spending came out of the authorized fund balance of
which it could have come out of here and then we could have
augmented our pension payment from the authorized funding
balance when I say indirect that's you know, that's what I
mean and um,
uh appreciate
Your not about the concerns about the way the CTA is
spending its money and with that I yield my time. Thank
you.
That was interesting. Okay. All right, very well.
uh Alderman Martin
followed by Alderman Manor
Thank you cheer, good morning director. Um
wanted to ask for some clarification on the fact that we
don't need approval or you don't need city council approval
through in 925 budget amendment in order to um modify this
spending plan. Will there be aspects that nevertheless make
their way into the proposed budget that we'll see this fall
and if you can provide some uh, kind of high-level guidance
in terms of it might be these programs not these other
programs just so we can have that in mind as as budget
season starts to ramp up sure. So, um,
We're constantly, um running analysis on each budget. Um
constantly be forecasting out spend we'll do a very formal,
uh, spending reanalysis in August ahead of the budget
season. And so, um as part of the mayor's uh budget address
in October, we'll do a supplemental, um 2 city council that
will reflect any, uh, proposed spending adjustments based
on that that you'll be able to
weigh in on based on your budget vote. Um, but that like I
said, we are now aligning this with each budget budget
season, um in order for that, um to be a part of the kind
of discussion with city council understood, so would it be
fair to say that what you've presented today and what
you'll be providing on an ongoing basis are um kind of
plans and expectations that nevertheless could change even
if it's in a Marginal Way as we head into the budget season
season, whether it's say, uh additional Council priorities
or maybe through the regular analysis, you see you see that
um, there are are some programs that maybe there was
hypothetically speaking a nonprofit that would have been
the intended recipient that no longer can spend the funds
in the ways that we're in envisioned and so that like
outside of city council asks could be part of a a change to
the plan. Is it currently exists? Yeah. I don't I don't
anticipate changes happening outside.
The budget process going forward. Um, I think that that's
the natural time in which these conversations occur. Um,
and it would be disruptive continually change, um and
adjust budgets, um, you know on a quarterly basis, uh, or
or some because a lot of these are locked into contracts,
right? So you got to give the um intended recipient a
chance to staff up to administer a program and so forth.
So, you know, we think it's a natural, uh, kind of point in
time at the budget season to have those Readjustment
conversations understood.
When it comes to the arpa cliff that's coming and knowing
that it seems point in time unlikely that will ourselves
and maybe in conjunction with the state and federal
government get enough Revenue coming in to sustain the work
that we're doing right now. How how does that Cliff House
that factored into the administration's analysis with the
current plan specifically the idea that they're going to be
at least some organizations who might say we want to
continue seeing uh, sustained funding from the city after
2026 and in some of those situations, we're just not going
to be able to say yes.
Yeah, so I'm gonna have John start, um because he has really
good way of talking about sustainability and I'll talk more
talk more technically about how we're analyzing it. Um, but
I I think you know, we had the same thing confronted to us
and we were in the county. Um, and we have to think about
this really level-headed so
So I I appreciate the question Alderman and you know 1 of
the things that I've um, really tried to emphasize both
with our departments and with grantees is the funding is
going to come to an end.
That's a fact, uh, and so the obligation analysis that we
have done, uh is really to take a look at each and every
single program in a very methodical way to understand how
they were going to be able to
obligate and how they were going to be able to spend it.
Um, but it is also taking a look through the equity lens of
what of what are the programs that have shown themselves to
be the most impactful. Uh, and we understand that uh, not
all communities are created equal. Uh, but what we want to
make sure that we're aligned with are again the policies
and the values that Mayor Johnson has put forth and how we
use, um, these limited and scarce resources that we have to
do that. Now, there will be some analysis that will be done
between now and when the grant expires where we will be
making some um, some decisions about programs that we do
want to continue. Uh, and that is why as Annette said we
are listing in the report grants that we are going after uh
to help sustain.
Some of those programs. Um, but as you well know, you know,
sometimes when you're taking a look at um, these types of
investment decisions as much as you think about the things
that you should do, um, there are also things that you have
to stop doing uh, and when we find that there are programs
that add greater value or have greater impact we want to
continue to sustain those. Um, but it does mean that we are
going to have to make um, some critical decisions about
pivoting from uh, some of those programs that currently
exist in are currently being funded.
Understood. Oh just in the interest of time. I'll just have
1 just quick comment. Not a question, which is with all of
that in mind to the extent there continues to be some some
Flex in a Marginal Way with funds, uh, would appreciate the
continued exploration in terms of debt relief, whether it's
medical debt relief for otherwise, I know that there have
been some initial conversations, uh, including with the
controller but knowing, uh, what I think both of you did
successfully, uh at the county level, uh with that program
and with a consideration towards, uh, a lot of these Cliff
related, um concerns, I think that that merits continued
attention and I appreciate that. Um, it's a probably 1 of
my favorite programs that we did at the county. Um, I I
remember the day that um,
That it was uh conceived um, and just thinking this is going
to be transformative and I think that it would be a
transformative program if the city of Chicago could do it
as well, um having and it doesn't take a lot of capital.
Um, that's 1 thing that we saw we've done fines and fees
work. So it's not as if this is untethered to what's
already been done. But in terms of our, you know, our
balance sheets if you will moving forward, um in the work
with the um, you know, the 31 million dollars in re-upping,
um, the direct payment of program. I I think it's, you
know, 2 sides of the same point, but in any case I'm at
time. Thank you chair.
Hey.
Thank you share. Thank you for the presentation. I um, I
was just perusing the additional um documents and I I
believe that my questions will probably be um answered
later but I I um first I want to say, uh, thank you to my
colleagues for asking the questions about, you know,
reimbursements and um and how the money is going to be
spent and I appreciate that you're going to be putting it
on a website where it can be seen people can understand uh,
where
They're where the dollars are going. I also wanted to say
um, I'm very excited about the Chicago empowerment program
and the the guaranteed income. I hope that you um also find
ways on the website to
Show off all these fantastic initiatives because um, I don't
want that to get lost.
um
Uh also as a small business owner 1 1 of the things that
I'm interested in and I know we've been talking a lot about
um nonprofits. Um, so I I just want to understand at the
end of the day, how is it going to help small businesses
recover because every day, um, we're looking at small
businesses closing, um all over the city. Um, and and so I
I will uh, look to later on in the um presentations from
bacp and um,
The department of development, but if there's anything that
you could share at this time, that would be great too.
Absolutely. Um, so you know when you think about
When the Biden Administration was putting this particular
Grant together, um, not only helping jurisdictions at the
state county and City level recover within their own
Revenue sources to support their operations.
Um, they really thought a lot about businesses, right? They
really thought a lot about communities, um, and in uh,
coming up with the eligibility categories, uh, um, that uh,
this funding could support and so bacp will be up. I think
late they'll be 1 of the last ones. I hope you can stay
until the end but uh 1 of the things that we did was we
collapsed, uh 2 of their programs into 1 to
To really focus on small businesses. It's a $30 million. Um,
Um, uh program that will be uh, half of it will be direct
grants out to small businesses and then half of it will be
um,
uh supporting capacity building for both small businesses
as well as nonprofits. And so, um, we want to make sure
that we are tapping into that ecosystem to make sure that
they're also recovering. Um, and this is uh, 1 really large
pot of money that will go towards that so I I there in the
midst of finalizing the program design with a program
launched, uh later this year.
Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you.
Thank you, uh any others for uh budget director and our Co
yeah, Alderman Moore?
Okay, go ahead alderman.
Thank you chairman. Um.
First of all, thanks for the uh presentation. I know we got
5 minutes left how many 5 minutes for this round and I
appreciate that chairman on the front end. Um, but I
appreciate the presentation. Um, what what are you calling
the monthly report? Is that the Opera updated?
Um special budget committee meeting June 3rd. Is that the
report you're talking about that you sent.
Um, it is a report that how many pages
Should know it off the top of my head but I don't which 1
the 1 that you just had up on your screen. That's this 1
know the monthly report. You said you sent the report about
a week ago the the um, Chairman's office sent out the decks
for today as well as the monthly report, uh believe the
monthly report was the title of it.
Front page. It's like 23 Pages. It's a PDF. It has um
monthly arpa, um update to City Council on the cover.
Okay. All right. I'll I'll look forward again. Um the other
part what do you know what date that was sent out chairman?
There are some this 1 this 1 specifically was sent out on
Thursday the 30th.
Okay.
All right, so I haven't had an opportunity, um to to look
at it. Um
But along the lines of the transparency, which I totally
appreciate thank you so much CEO, um for stating that in
your um comments, um, I'm I'm just reminded of Mr. Tenika
Johnson was speaking from the Arts, uh program and when we
talk about transparency, um,
In terms of the dollars. Can we get that breakdown of how
that's hitting? Um each ward in terms of
Hello. Oh.
How that's hitting each ward in terms of um, the spending.
Um, I appreciate her program in terms of what she's doing
in an Englewood as we know Englewood is vast. Um, so
I would like to see, you know, not only for her program,
but all these programs in terms of these spending dollars
it's how it's being spent and each Ward not organization
that is that is housed in the ward or anything like that.
But really the impact in the ward, can we have that?
Um, so I think that's definitely a question. Um, if you have
that for a particular programs to ask the Departments, I I
will say that just generally that's a difficult, um metric
to uh, evaluate because you know, our financial systems, uh
are tracking where the organization that we spend money or
that we pay where they're located not necessarily where
their impact is always felt. Um, and so while departments
while departments might have a a general or anecdotal, uh
way of providing you that information, we're not able to do
it financially outside of
You know, where's the check going? Right? Um, and and it's
usually the the headquartered Office of the organization
that is providing that service. Um, but I think that's
definitely a good question to ask departments. If they have
a good way of um, evaluating or calculating impact across
Wards, um, because it's just not something that we can do
from a from our financial system.
Um, so we're going to have to really look at that because
that's very critical. I appreciate your um, the best answer
you're trying to give um director but um just not just
individually Department that is really going to be
critical, um, because it it in terms of spending these
dollars and it's a lot of dollars.
I'm just seeing I I can't touch and feel it in in terms of
um the community and so it is is is we're going to have to
figure that out. Um, not just saying as each department,
but it's going to have to be a collective strategy where we
have to figure that out. So, uh, whatever I need to do with
you all. Um Co to work on that. I think I think it's
imperative because um, it's good to say. Yeah this
organization got this money and did this work, but without
me knowing where in that impact it it it's it's it's not
it's not beneficial to me or my constituents.
Absolutely. I'm willing to work with you on that Alderman.
Thank you so much. Uh, the next question I have is of these
programs if you can provide through the chair.
Um of all these um delegate agencies. Can you the delegate
agencies that are we consider the primes? Can you?
Um, tell me the number Delta agencies that we're dealing
with and um by ethnicity whose running those agencies.
You mean if they're um, minority owned businesses or women
owned businesses?
Yes, okay. So we have hundreds of delegate agencies that
are supported by arpa dollars. We can definitely get you
the list of the primes on that's what I'm that's what I'm
talking about the Primes.
I know I know people from a sub standpoint is going to get
money. I'm talking about the primes. And then also I think
you mentioned this in a briefing. I can't remember but
please provide it again the percentage of the dollars that
um supposed to just go towards administrative, um versus
directly hitting the community.
so, uh to the extent that the dollars are going to a
contractor, um, we will be able to provide you the me weeb
percentages, but to the extent that the uh, the
organization that is getting the the the funding is a
nonprofit We do not currently capture. Um, maybe we be
statistics, um on those, uh those a organization
We don't or we can't.
We currently don't.
Okay, but we can I identify we don't the thing is ottoman.
We don't currently certify not for profits.
All right, so
Nidra fears organization. I that's not ran by
African-American.
It it might be that doesn't necessarily mean that they're
certified.
Okay, I don't care if they're certified or not. But Kent
are we able to at least find out?
The organizations and who by ethnicity who runs them. Are
we saying that can't that can't be done.
So I guess what I'm trying to understand Alderman, so if
there's an African-American who runs the organization but
the majority of the organization are Latinos, would that be
considered an organization ran by someone black? Is that
what you're looking for?
I would I would still like to know that yes.
To Leah with our procurement office and our Legal Office to
to understand if we are able to collect that type of
information outside of a certification process.
Okay.
I think that's the oh the last question I have chairman.
Hold on. Hold on you over you over your time. Um
or for this if it's a quick 1, uh, you can go because you
only have 1 more person behind you and then we have to move
on to the cdph.
yeah, um, it's it's it's it's it's leading to what um,
I think our CEO was talking about in terms of um, um, or I
forget or maybe it was the 1 of my colleagues who answered
the question in terms of the dollars and how far they going
and Ico talk about we want to make those sure that we use
in those things that are stabilized and I and I want to say
I agree with him on that. So when you talk about like a
Tena Johnson's um project when she's talking about arts and
fixing up homes be it Plumbing or roofs and stuff like
that. Although the money is going to run out. Guess what
that that plumbing and that roof going to last forever.
So I want us to look at um Co of doing more projects like
that that because we know like you said the money is going
to run out but at least I can be able to see it over time
versus an ambassador program and not knocking the
ambassador program is going to stop right and and and then
I'm not going to be able to see that anymore. And so I just
want to make sure that those type of dollars are going
towards those things like Tenika and Johnson and maybe
others are doing that that that that those sustainability
projects that we're going to see and say hey because of
arpa that's still standing because of arpa that's you know,
that's still having an impact.
Okay, thank you for the point point point point well taken
and I I agree with you 100% on that. So, um almond Vasquez.
I see you have your hand up. Thank you chairman. Yeah, and
part of my questions are a little bit of a a continuation
of aldermen Moore's questions. Um, but I think it's
something that might be better answered through the chair
as to figuring out how to determine who would get impacted
right? So I know that you know through the past, uh year,
there's been a lot of contention in the council in the city
as to where dollars are going as it relates to migrants and
different communities. And so just wanted to know if there
is um thought behind
How it would be tracked and shared as to where the dollars
go to show our communities are being impacted and
supported. Um, and again if if that if that's something
that's better answered due to the chair that completely
makes sense, uh to me as well.
So that'll actually be part of what we're going to be
showing on the the new website that'll be launched in. Um
the fall of this year. Um, as I said before it's it's not
perfect because we're largely going to be showing it based
on the location of the Prime recipient. Yeah, um and not
necessarily where they're all of their impact as well
through the city of Chicago but uh, we do plan to have a
um, a segment of our website that will look at um impact
across the city and you'll have heat maps and stuff like
that on there. Okay, and then yeah, I did hear that answer
to the question about Alderman Moore and kind of was
curious as to when you talk to the groups that are
receiving kind of the the support in the grants how goals
are determined to figure out like where they're going to
spend the dollars and what the return is and what that
would look like to us to see what results you're measurable
what the goal was to begin with and that kind of compare
that
yeah, so, um at least for arpa and this is the same for
some of our other entitlement grants, um, but for arpa in
particular the goals or I should say the metrics are um
large part set by the treasury depending upon what
eligibility category your program fits within and then on
top of those treasury based metrics, uh departments also
put in place additional goals and
And targets that they want to see um, you know the outcomes
for within each of their programs. So, um when we talk
about that sustainability analysis 1 of the prongs that
we're looking at is impact that impact is based on those
metrics that have been set for each of the programs.
And then it's you know as far as the transparency because I
really do appreciate all the work and the transparency you
provided thus far. I mean it it's
It's already intact has to take all this stuff.
Reconfigure it and figure it out on the time allotted. But
if you could provide or the Departments can provide with
those, um goals and kind of requirements to look like per
program, uh through documentation, that would be greatly
appreciated and I a last question I've got is related to
the low barrier shelter, um program that you know, uh, and
we had a you mentioned this in the meeting we had in March
and the briefing that nobody really kind of
Um applied for those funds and so ultimately they weren't
able to go towards uh that and I guess the the 2 questions
that I've related to that are as we move forward. Are we
looking at what we're doing to get Outreach to get more
people who would be interested in applying uh, and or are
we looking at how we can do it internally without having to
go through a vendor as a way of achieving the same goal for
providing housing for anyone who needs it with low barrier.
So just a point of clarification, um the low barrier shelter
never launched. I think the 1 that you're thinking about is
the sobering center which uh, luckily gdph is next. So
they'll be able to talk a little bit more about the the RFP
process that they uh went through that um, you know, based
on timing of the grant, um, you know, be decided to shift
those dollars to another program based on, you know,
obligation risk, but um, the low barrier shelter the it
hadn't launched and it hadn't launched because uh, we
didn't have a building, um, in order to uh, provide those
those Services. Um, what usually is the best uh way to
attract a um,
an organization to supply services within a low barrier
shelter is if uh, there is a building for them to do that
work in um that we already have or they bring the building
with them. Uh, since we did not have a building already
lined up for that. Um, based on again the timing of this
grant. Uh, this was an that was an incredibly high-risk
program for us to continue to have funding within. Um, the
funding was only for um about a half a year or a Year's
worth of of the organization providing those Services if we
were able to locate and identify a building. Um, so just
given the timing of the grant given the need for a building
that we did not have um, uh, the decision was made to shift
those dollars to um a use that we knew could get those
dollars out the door.
Got it. I I appreciate that. I think everything that you all
have done here and the information you'll be providing. It
helps us to restructure certain things that government that
we might find we could do better based on learning of what
worked and what didn't so I really do appreciate that and I
think the more we learn kind of what the benefit of these
grants are the more we'll see how it actually does impact
our economy Citywide and lifts up the whole city in ways
that I think will all be appreciative of so, thank you so
much for your work and thank you chairman.
Thank you, man. Um and again, uh, thank you to the uh, both
our budget director and CEO for the introduction and I'm I
had a 2 comments, uh, 1, uh, as it relates to the uh,
Chicago empowerment. I am um,
I don't know what the right word is. Uh, I'm challenged
with um,
And and I I don't know if I've expressed this but my
question ultimately is going to be around. What do we do in
month 13? Um as we have um help people, um, and then we we
reach the end of that. Uh, what do we do on month 13 this
question number 1 and what I didn't see and what I'm hoping
to see as part of the uh, new initiative is more of a
strategy of investment around uh individuals in the
empowerment program and I use a a very very perfect case
and this is around our violence, um Pro,
Mentioned the intervention strategies. Um, if I had to make
a choice between uh, giving an individual, um,
an additional amount of money versus
helping an individual through a period where they're doing
something that's going at the end create a better
alternative or a better, uh life or uh training or
something that's going to lead to a a higher wage or
something else that was going along with it, um that to me
is an investment.
What I'm seeing is in the empowerment program today is more
like an expense totally agree. And um, I I'm I'm concerned
about that because again, what do we do in month 13 in the
13th month with the gentleman or the person that we're
investing in who has a new skill a new trade and has an
opportunity to uh better his or her life with increased
wages or something. Um, that's something once we make that
investment. It's going to pay off dividends down the road.
However, if we're making this expenditure expense, I should
say not expenditure and expense, uh, every month again.
What do we do and uh month 13 behind that?
Can I just thank you chairman for that question. Thank you.
And um, I definitely think this is uh, uh something that
dfss will definitely spend a lot of time on during their
hearings, but I think it's a both and strategy, right? So
people, uh, we meet people where they are. Um, based on
what their needs are. We have Workforce Development
programs in place, um, in addition to and and and we have
Workforce Development programs that are very specific that
are not broad. They are specific to the the demographic
that we're trying to reach or the the Gap in services that
we see other Workforce Development programs are not
providing. Um, we have um, you know programs that provide
housing as well as wraparound services to people so the the
DBI doesn't stand alone as a program as the only thing that
the city of Chicago is doing and this is and this is just
arpa funding right? There's other programs that the city
does beyond arpa that are I think hitting some of those um
concerns that you have so I think we think of it as a both
and and not an either or
and I think well and I think chair that's part of the
reason why collecting the data is so important. Um, and why
this operator framework is really critical because as we
are collecting the data it helps to inform the
decision-making about what programs and how we design those
programs. Uh, and I think that as we gain more information
to your point about is, uh providing someone an income for
a period of time the answer for that person or is it other
sustainable wraparound services that may
Lead to training that made me to employment or or other
things, um that that helps to inform how we create the
programs and how we sustain them.
Well, I I I understand the the thinking there the challenge
that that I faced, uh, and I I'll use a live example. I was
in the 400 block of Willcox a week ago and the gentleman
that are doing uh, violence Interruption and others, uh,
use the phrase change the bag which means that um, it's
difficult to get a young a young person to move in a
different direction because they still have to live they
still have to feed their family. They still have to
they still have to exist and the challenges that while
they're in these transitional periods. Uh, we we have a
we have an obligation to help them through that because
what they're doing in many cases is we have people that are
out doing the training but they're still back on the Block,
you know serving and that's that's not the the the way we
want to see we want to make people make that break let them
make that break and and move on in in their lives and we
have to support that that to me is an investment because if
we get that young person on a different trajectory doing
something else that's 1 less person that I have to worry
about getting shot or killed in West Garfield Park. So that
is you know, those are the the real real keys. And and when
we look at these types of dollars because there aren't they
they are not infinite, you know, we've got a finite period
if we can make these Investments I
I think we can make those changes in uh in communities in my
final point and and I don't know um where this is and I and
I think the doctor you get will address this as we talked
about in the last hearing before, uh health and human
relations about the life expectancy Gap around
particularly, uh opioid use amongst our our senior
population, especially, um in the African-American
Community among black men. Um, I was reading an article
this morning in the New York Times that it talked about the
crisis in Baltimore. Um, and we see pieces of that here in
the city of Chicago and what I did not see, uh in the in
the arpa, uh framework is issues around addiction and uh
around opioids specifically specifically around our seniors
and specifically, uh around black males in that predicament
because as she demonstrated in the last hearing that
existed before a health and human relations, it's having a
very negative impact on life expectancy.
In certain communities throughout our city. So I'm hopeful
that do these conversations that we can see the necessary
resources moving those directions because those are real
challenges that are having significant impact on some of
our marginalized communities and just to that point. Um,
I'll just you know refocus us on 1 of the goals that we had
at the outset of this which was to ensure that programs
were aligned to the right funding source, the best way to
maximize a grant is to make sure that you know, there's
No, no other funding sources out there that that can support
that. Um, you know, the work that the grant is supporting.
Um and Dr. E. Although this will be about arpa can
definitely talk about the funding that the city receives
for opioid and other types of of addiction, um services
that are provided um, and so arpa really what we wanted to
focus on was what programs out there have no other funding
source other than arpa um or our programs that can be
that can be enhanced, uh that exist already with arpa
dollars. So, um, we do have, you know other funding sources
that are supporting the work that you're talking.
You sure.
Okay. All right. Well, just just wanted to uh make that uh
make that point for the record, but also we could look at
jumpstarting some things and and you know while we level
set some stuff we got to we got to put those that initial
chunk of resources into the into the into these particular
programs. Uh again, uh, I I understand the philosophy. I
understand the uh, the thinking um, but I do know that we
we have to do something to curb the number 1 the
significant public health issues 1 being opioid addiction
and uh violence. So those are probably the 2
Things that are way in the most uh on the city and
especially in some of our communities on the South and West
sides of Chicago. So but again, I I know we this is not a
uh, you know, we're not trying to be a sum zero game here
and want to do uh both but again, we must make sure we
allocate resources as as needed. So but uh, thank you you
guys have anything any other comments that you want to make
No, just want to take this opportunity, uh chairman to
thank you thank members of the council. Um, we're at this
point because we've all been able to work together really
appreciate all of your input, um, and appreciate the
collaboration and I think that the collaboration um gets us
to a better product at the end of the day and you asked him
really direct and tough questions and asked why can't we do
this and why are you doing this? And so we appreciate that
because at the end of the day, um, it makes for a more
effective and efficient way that we deliver services to the
to our citizens. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Oh row
and budget director Gooseman will be in recess for a few
seconds while we transition to cdph.
Okay, um.
Back up with uh cdph. Um
We have uh, Dr. E gay and uh first Deputy wagal, uh with us
now, they also have people in the boxes, uh, Dr. Gay if you
can introduce your team that's with us today and uh proceed
with your presentation.
Chairman, I have here with us. Uh
Our Deputy for Behavioral Health M Richards and our Deputy
for merinel infant Child and Adolescent Health Jen vitus.
Good morning. It is still morning and thank you chairman
and the council for this opportunity to just share with you
a little snippet about how we have chosen to incorporate
upper dollars in addressing the public health concerns in
the city of Chicago.
Um cdph as you all know is heavily Grant funded.
Um, so we have a bit of experience in terms of how do we
plan for 1 time funding in a way that does the most good in
the short term?
And does not do harm.
above all Do no harm
So this is sort of like our organizing framework.
And so you will hear us talk about programs that have
certain characteristics.
Uh, they either programs that we have been doing and that
upper dollars has allowed us to expand.
Uh where we have invested in new initiatives. We have
termed them as Pilots because we want to show a proof of
concept on short-term funding where we are not certain that
we will have continuity.
You will also see that the programs that we have chosen to
invest in are programs that have the potential for
short-term impact. These are programs that in the very
short term can reverse premature mortality in the short
period that we have
they are also programs that are not solely dependent on
upper for sustainability.
Um, so what this funding has enabled is the ability to
expand our Public Health capacity.
To address problems that have been exacerbated by Co 19 that
that again are amenable for short-term intervention.
I will pass it on to our first Deputy to give you some
examples of those of the investment and what the upper
dollars has enabled in terms of expanding capacity. And
then we will highlight a few of those programs showing you
a mix of models of programs that we scaled up with upper
funding and then programs that we started newly and how
we're thinking about sustainability.
in all of our programs sustainability was a first
consideration when I said do you know harm it is we have to
our beneficial think about what this will enable in the
community. Who would we work with in a way that will not
upend their operations or lead to catastrophic? Um impact
if the funding were to be withdrawn?
And also what can we do with this dollars within the
timeline that we have so that we can spend the money
effectively and make the most impact. So these are the
organizing frames. There are many programs that we could
have done that we chose not to do because of this
consideration and there are
Some things that we have learned in this process that I will
highlight as we go. So I will pass it on to First Deputy
Deputy fardal to talk about how we have structured and how
we are looking at impact of our
Regarding thank you Dr. Eay for kurdi wagal first Deputy
Commissioner at the Chicago Department of Public Health.
I'd like to start Maybe by providing some context because
Co was a public health emergency. We as many other health
departments across the country got an influx of 1-time Co
dollars part of it is this arpa funding but for context the
sarpa funding is about 18% or about a fifth of all of our
1-time coid funds. So all of the things that we're talking
about thinking here, we are across many other funding
sources as well.
We chose to use our arpa investments in 3 ways Dr. Eay
touched on this a little bit 1 is to expand our Workforce
at the Department of Public Health.
We added 89 positions about half of which are positions for
The CARE program that were added this year.
The second thing we did is Dr. I mentioned is really think
about what programs that we currently had could benefit
either by expanding or being enhanced.
An example of that is family connects our Universal nurse
home visiting program before the arpa funds we were in for
birthing hospitals today. We're in 10 B hospitals and we
anticipate being at 14 of the 1 5 b
an example of expansion and enhancement of a program with
these dollars and then the third thing is starting brand
new programs that we didn't have at the health department
or in the city of Chicago. So 1 example of that is The CARE
program the uh, alternate sometimes called alternate
response public health or Behavioral Health Le response in
the community for people who are in Mental Health crisis.
This program did not exist before arpa. Uh, it was born,
uh, all the pilot program and work out of arpa and we are
continuing to invest and grow that program. So those are
examples of our expansion enhancement new programs and our
Workforce, uh growth
and I will turn it back to you Dr. Yugay to talk through
the programs.
So I will be highlighting 4 of the programs that we've been
investing in.
And I will start with family connects.
Um, this is a program that directly addresses increasing
maternal mortality.
And increasing infant mortality, especially in communities
of color. We see up to 6 times as much mortality in these
spaces, especially on the south side and the West Side
location. So this program targeted the south and west side.
It is a program that builds on an existing program that we
had before.
arpa before arpa we were able to offer support to birthing
families when their discharge from the hospital. So that
public health nurses can continue to visit them at home and
ensure that if their issues they identify immediately and
they are connected to treatment immediately upper enabled
us to grow from 4 birthing hospitals to 10 and by the end
of arpa we will be at 14 burthe in hospitals.
This program also allowed us to expand partnership with
communities to help us ensure that we are tailoring our
programs to the needs of the community.
Through this initiative. There are 17 Public Health nurses
that have been added trained and are able to deliver
homebased Services. We chose Public Health nurses so that
this visit can be a 1-stop shop. It's not just identifying
problems. But being able to remedy those problems. These
are people that can do blood pressure. They can screen for
depression. They can do lead inspection several things in
that 1 home visit and can also help people connect to the
services that they need. So to date over 7,500 visits have
been conducted as at februari a 54% of the families have
been connected to the services that they needed and 84% of
those who work connected to the services got those
services.
We are looking to expand, um the opportunity to more um,
families depression the intersection of physical and mental
needs is also a crucial, um impact that we have through
this initiative and safe sleep practices. So this program
is multi-solvent infant mortality maternal mortality
healthy homes.
Screening for depression and uh connecting people to
services. So it is an effective program for that reason. We
also want to um assess satisfaction with our clients and
also explore how this program can be sustained. So this
program is not funded only on APA but also has the
potential to qualify for Medicaid reimbursement going
forward. So the impact that we are documenting is allowing
us to present it to the state for Medicaid reimbursement
because now we have data to show that this makes an impact
on maternal infant mortality and a 1 Stop effective
solution, um to public health issues.
The next stop here is a mental health equity koide.
wrecked havoc on people's Mental Health
In the short term, how do we connect people to Services? We
know that most people who need mental health services
needed for about 18 to 24 months. This is not like coid
where you can do treatment 3 weeks and it's gone. It
requires some sustained support for about 1 to 2 years. So
we thought it was still um eligible for short-term
intervention. Again, this is an innovation that even in the
short term can make a difference between life and death for
many people.
But we also wanted it to be in a way that will again not
tip organizations into catastrophic, uh conditions should
the dollars be pulled out. So we layer this on to existing
services and those who had the potential to be able to
demonstrate impact and again tap into Medicaid because
Medicaid is the only sustainable Federal source of funding
for public health initiative. So we try to incorporate all
of those into who we funded how we funded and the duration
of the funding making the most impact and this is what we
have been able to achieve outpatient individual therapy.
There are over 200 medical mental health disorders.
Many of them are eligible for outpatient intervention. So
you will see that the bulk of the services here have
enabled additional 1, uh therapies or 2 therapist to be
layered on to our partners so that people who are coming to
have their blood pressure checked can be screened for
depression and they can be immediately connected to
outpatient. Um, therapeutic sessions case management is
vital. You cannot have a mental health issue and a physical
health issue and not have social needs. So the case
management is the second bar there enables not just
physical but mental but also social needs to be identified
and people followed through for the period of the services
that they need.
So these are some of the ways in which we have spent this
dollars adults young adults youth have all been eligible
for services.
And so we call it the Mental Health Service expansion.
These allowed us to again increase from 43 Community areas
to all 77 Community areas. It builds on a program that we
had before. It is sustainable and it has impact in the
short term.
Part of the new ways. We are tweaking this program based on
the Lessons Learned is a partnership with Chicago public
schools and cdph Mental Health Resources, um, because it's
not enough to have mental health services. Some people are
still not able to get appointments. So because 50% of
mental health issues start before the age of 14. We wanted
to facilitate a fast track for young people to get
connected to services. So through this initiative. We now
have resource Navigator embedded in CPS school that can
help get people immediate appointments. So they are not
just thrown into the long line of waiting list and finally
our long-term plan is to explore sustainability with the
county the state.
and federal Partners, we know that upper acknowledges that
local municipal government cannot support coid recovery on
their own and so the sustainability of this program cannot
just be dependent on corporate dollars. We have to braid it
with what's happening with the city what is happening with
the county and what is happening at the feds? So this is
where we are looking and through this initiative over
74,000 people have received services in every community
area in the city of Chicago. So again, another Moe model of
expanding Services short-term impact and sustainable in
investment
now this is a different model. This is a new initiative
that we started just on upper dollars.
It is a pilot of integrating Mental Health Service
Providers into the 911 system.
We have done a successful pilot over the last 2 years.
over 8,300 individuals have received this alternate
response including opioid response, um in our communities
we started in only 6 police districts there have been also
follow-up encounters with those who received these services
and our success story here is the zero arrests that we have
proven that those in crisis can be supported linked to
services without needing to arrest them and would um rely
on very minimally on the use of force.
Now the next phase of this work is we have tried this
braided model coreresponse model is what we call it cdph
staff plus, uh, um, um, um an EMS from the fire department
now in this last 2 years, we want to try a different model
where everything is inside cdph cdph EMTs cdph mental
health provider now, this is a pilot.
This requires us thinking about sustainability again from
here. And what we are looking at is what has the fire
department required to build up an EMS. That is Citywide if
If we're going to replicate this outside of upper it is
going to require serious consideration of what investment
will be necessary for cdph to expand Citywide and maintain
a similar infrastructure to the Chicago Fire Department for
EMS. So this is work in progress, but we are going to be
piloting a CDP at Le crisis response model and then also
explore how do we coordinate this in the long term with
other crisis intervention services at federal state and
local levels? So this is an example of something new.
totally dependent on upper but sustainability will continue
to be um
work in progress
Finally, I am highlighting the community violence
intervention. I heard a chairman Irving talking about why
violence is so important again another model of a program
that in the short term we can make a life or death
intervention and prevent many of the premature mortality on
necessary deaths in our communities. This Builds on a
program that existed before upper. It allowed us to scale
up and it is an area that we will continue to invest in.
post upper it is, um an area where we have seen remarkable
changes and impacts over 1,400 mediations have been
conducted so we know that we can effectively interrupt
violence, even when things are heated and this is the the
approach here and even after the violence has been
interrupted connecting people to services for the long term
like chairman was describing. This program will continue
post upper and we are already exploring collaboration with
the Justice advisory Council to submit a grant to continue
this program. We had it before upper upper has allowed us
to expand and we hope that we will continue to work on it.
And right now we are working on an RFP to expand our
services in hotspot deployment area in those 15 areas. Um
that has been identified by The People's plan as priority.
So these are the models that we have been exploring. Um,
sustainability is part of our consideration from day 1 what
happens in month to 13 because of the trauma informed
approach that we must use in our communities too. Many of
our communities have had fits and stop, uh, you know,
Programs that have not been sustainable and we didn't want
to replicate that cycle of trauma by initiating programs
that we could not sustain. We also want to focus on
programs that we had done before we know are effective and
can make an impact in the short term. So I will stop here.
I know you have questions. Uh, but CVI 1 of the milestones
for us is the reduction by 31% in homicides and not fatal
shootings in the areas where we have worked. So this is
good investment. It has an impact and it is sustainable.
Thank you Doctor any questions.
Particularly, my hand is up chairman. I got you. I got you.
Thank you chairman. Uh and thank you Dr. E um, my my
questions, um are mostly concerning the allocated versus
expended and how we're going to get to making sure that we
spend every dollar and I appreciate that you highlighted
these 4 programs. So just looking at the Mental Health
Equity initiative. Um, I'm sorry, let's start here actually
family connections Chicago, um, total allocation 24.3
basically million dollars. Um, we haven't had any change to
that allocation, but expended to date is uh, 4.8 million.
So that's about another 20 million dollars that we have
either to allocate to or to spend. So can you talk about
how we're going to get there and make sure that we're using
all these dollars. Yes, and I invite um, Jen to talk about
how we have um allocated
the funding and the contracts
Hi, good morning. Good morning. Am I live here? Yeah. Yes,
we can hear you great. Um Jen Vitus. I'm Deputy
Commissioner for maternal infant child adolescent Health.
Thank you for the question. Um, we actually have mapped out
our budget for the next 2 and a half years now, so the
remainder of this year and then uh, the next 2 years
through the funding period um and fully allocated to all
the funds most of which um are allocated to existing
contracts. Um, so I think what you're you're not seeing in
the expended expenditure to date is the time that it is
taken to get us a lot of these contracts in place, um, most
of which are um, including contracts with our hospitals, uh
with the exception of UI Health, but that's a contract that
we're working on now and and anticipate having um executed
well before the end of this period and then there are a
couple of other
Outstanding items, um that are part of the program plan
where similarly we've laid all the foundation, uh to have
the contracts put in place and we're working with the OBM
project management office as well as our senior recovery
managers to make sure that um, the dollars are uh locked up
and the plans to spend are solid.
uh through the remaining period
all right. And do you foresee like what are what do you
foresee will be sort of the biggest obstacles and making
sure that all that's spent. Um, I don't know if there's
A positions that are involved in this that you know, you
need people you need to be able to hire people and as
hiring people a challenge. I'm just trying to anticipate,
you know, just want to hear about what you all have
anticipated might be challenges that we'll need to keep an
eye on as we get closer to, you know, the the end of the
funding. Yeah, um, absolutely for this program and in
particular because uh, it does rely on having nurses
registered nurses who are delivering the service in the
home. Um, we have seen we had seen some challenges in the
early days of uh, our arpa spending, um with hospitals and
even our own team getting staffed up. Um, but uh, we're
seeing that pick up and there actually is a lot of
interest, um among nurses in this community health
opportunity. Um, and so with the the early Staffing
challenges that we saw, um our easing up and uh, we
anticipate that um, that'll be 1 thing. We're watching very
carefully just because of the prior trend
Um, but pretty optimistic that um, we'll be able to spend
those dollars allocated for that purpose. Great. Thank you.
Um, I'm going to use the rest of my time just briefly to
ask about the uh, The CARE program. Um, I see on the the
appendix here that uh, the original allocation was 15
million dollars, but there was a reduction and now we're at
about like half of that at 7.9. Can we talk about why there
was a reduction
Yes, so this program is only dependent on Staffing hiring.
That's all the dollars and as you know, there's a national
shortage of healthcare Workforce. Uh, so it's taking us
some time to be able to attract the people. Uh, we're right
sizing based on what we anticipate will be, uh ability to
hire up to 50 500. Uh, so this is work in progress. But um,
I also have a deputy here to say more. Um, because this is
a pilot that is only dependent on upper funding. Uh, we
also wanted to be sure that we could spend the money in the
time that we had. Um, especially if we're not able to
control the hiring rate, uh for the staff. Um,
Yeah, uh Matt Richards Deputy Commissioner for beaverville
health. So, uh when this program started, uh under the
prior Administration, there was a minimum amount number of
Staff supporting the pilot none of their salaries run arpa,
but it was imagined at the time that the expansion of the
program would be supported by arpa and obviously the new
Administration needed to make a policy decision about what
they wanted to do. So with the mayor announced last week
with the release of the report is 2 things that I think are
relevant to your question 1 is that all the Staffing would
come under the health department, um, and that the program
would expand so we would be expanding into new communities,
uh, expanding time of length and field and all of that new
Personnel will be billed to arpa
and then I think uh beyond the period of the pilot is Dr. E
said there's a policy question that needs to get asked
about. How do we sustain funding for this type of Staffing
this type of Staffing is similar to police and fire
Services. It's not really something you can recoup through
Medicaid reimbursement. Um, there's minimal sort of Grant
external grants that can that can fund it.
again, and so just I mean to round out this last question
or this last comment, um
And I don't know the answer to this question. I don't know
that any of you do maybe it's a question for the budget
director, but could any of those funds that were reduced
out have been used for scholarships to pay for people to
encourage people to go be em EMTs or nurses or clinicians
or anything like that. Um, just to the the Chairman's Point
earlier like how we how we leverage These funds to build
capacity for these programs. I think is you know, something
that I love this program. Let me just say on the record.
Um, I I think we need more of this and I'm all for
supporting which is why I was you know surprised to see the
reduction, but I completely understand the challenge and I
just wonder how we're creatively
Addressing that challenge of not having enough clinicians
and providers to do this. I think we have to start
encouraging people and like paying for their school to go
do this. Yes. Um, so the
the layers in in the workforce shortage, it starts with
even be the ability to retain the workforce that we have.
So with coid we saw a mass exit of Health Care Workforce.
So even those who were their ability to retain them many of
our clinical positions, we only hold them for starting at a
deficit with so that that's 1 factor that we're looking
into. How do we retain our staff in public health and in
healthcare then the second layer is the pipeline and people
choosing so almost 20 30% of those who start in healthcare
related drop out. So there is a certain culture in those
work settings and those that not attracting and retaining
especially people of color and then the financial
implications. So there is loan forgiveness. There are
scholarship programs. We're working with uh City, uh
colleges to explore different ways and then many of those
who work in
Cdph there's a master's required. There are all kinds of
certification required. Are there other ways of looking at
the qualifications you need to be able to participate so
it's it's a multi-layered um approach but it is entirely
through the pipeline and the Continuum where we are seeing
leakage in in our staffing that requires a in-depth
analysis and it's a national Trend so it's not just um
local uh, but it is a significant challenge. Yeah.
It's Deputy Commissioner for uh Behavioral Health. I had 2
things so 1 um, you know, we worked closely, uh with
Malcolm X College which has an EMT program with the
blackfyre Brigade, um, uh to amplify our EMT posting which
just came down and we we're interviewing. We got a lot of
response to that posting. So it's a very strong candidate
pool a lot of Prior experience diverse. Um, so we're
interviewing almost 40 candidates this month and and the
interview process should close out by the end of the month.
So, um, there might there's probably going to be additional
opportunities to to do recruitment, but we're really
satisfied with the first round. The second thing. I I just
wanted to make clear too was that in the initial round of
this pilot?
It's important to remember that the police department and
the fire department effectively detailed staff who are on
their respective budgets. So even though it doesn't show up
as cost as actual spend the police department committed a
group of officers the fire department committed a group of
paramedics. And this was their whole job to support the
pilot, but that was never going to be a permanent
arrangement. We all know the need for officers on the
street that we don't have enough paramedics Etc. So that's
another part of this context here is trying to hire staff
who are specifically earmarked to this program. Thank you.
Thank you chairman.
Thank you Vice chair, uh Alderman Moore followed by mitts.
Thank you chairman, uh real quick from the last time and we
can I'm going to tie it to this. I appreciate the point
that you um raised um from the um Workforce standpoint and
I I and that was what I was leading to um, and my
questioning and so I hope we can um stay on top of that
from that long term, um piece. Um, just you gave some good
examples and um a young man came up to me who has a union
card.
and we used to be in the streets, but he hasn't been
getting called back, um chairman as he stated and it put me
in a position to have to call different private companies
and and say hey put this guy on I and I think we need to
stay on top of that because he's just 1 of many examples
that you given and and I just gave and so I I think you
know, that's a line. We got to stay on but I want to tie
that into um,
Well, Dr. Um engae is that is that I pronounce it, right?
Yes. Eay. Eay. I'm I apologize Dr. Eay, um, I I want to tie
that into what you said, which I agree with you using your
resources to make sure not only just for arpa funding but
you're leveraging your resources to do um, long-term
sustainability, um activities be it as you stated, um
hiring new people, um expand
Ing enhancing and then I think your last 1 which it is
create, which is good because as you say if you create too
much, it won't the last after ARP is spinning and I think
just like we do with um mwb it's not just whether this um
department is doing it or that department is doing it. I
just want to make sure to let the administration know this
this type of thing or what Dr. Um eay is doing should be
tied in to all the Departments and making sure we leverage
that um long-term piece now, I want to give an example and
you tell me something like this can um work Dr. Eay 1 is
um, you talked about um, the infant mortality and some
other things and and that requires getting information out
and I want to make sure that we're leveraging and would you
agree that we could leverage like our ambassadors to help
get that information out?
Through either passing out flyers or setting up pop-ups to
help get your information out with that be beneficial.
Yes, yes. Yes any opportunity we have to get the word out
and let people know that resources are available and
support is available. We will appreciate it. Um folks are
inundated. We just surviving they don't have time to go to
the website and get information. They don't you know, so
whatever we can do to bring information closer to people I
think will work. Uh, we have some of the Community Partners
that are helping us, uh, people coming to your food pantry.
Can you give them information there? Are they coming to
churches can we give them information there? So going
Beyond just doing webinars and expecting people to come to
us or get information on the website. It is taking
information to those who need it in the way that it's um
accessible to them. Those are some of the ways we want to
strengthen and we need partnership. We need the elders to
just help us get the word out. Um, some of these programs
we have resources for them, but we need more people to
participate and and it's just because they don't know
they're not aware.
Right, and I just want to make sure we're leveraging our
different departments where we're doing things like with
those ambassadors. I know, you know some walk up and just
down the street, but I want to make sure we're
communicating effectively so we can utilize them to do
things such as that the other part and this is where for me
long term. Um, and I believe in Social programs. I always
tell people I'm I'm I'm that background helped me, but we
don't have to stay there. Um,
I was went to my daughter's. Um, my niece's graduation over
the weekend and um a young lady was there and she grows a a
garden and I'm sure we have other people that grow gardens
here and stuff like that, but she brought all her
vegetables in and as much as we want to think a carrot is
just straight and skinny. It's not you know, and so my
thing is from a health standpoint, um when she fed me made
certain teas and things like that it it over the weekend
how much better I felt you understand what I'm saying? And
I said in my mind, I'mma come back and try to sustain this,
but guess what I went got here and went back to my Coke and
my reesei cup because that was the closest thing to me. I
didn't have access to you know, that vegetable juice that
she did from scratch and all of that. And so I want to make
sure that we're using this money and I want to know your
ideas on it from a health standpoint how we can
Um show up businesses that are whether it's places like go
go go green on Racine, um, um, healthy store expanding
those but also, um, standing up new new, um businesses, um
from a health standpoint using these resources that really
change not only even eating habits, but also help with
health and mental health because when we're eating these
Foods, there's a direct. Um,
Correlation between what we eat and and and how we feel and
do things mentally. So I want you to if you can elaborate
on that if you will.
Thank you so much older and and I have here a invites who
also oversees our women infant and child, uh nutrition
clinics. Um,
yes, thanks. Okay. Sorry about that.
um
Could you could you speak up a little bit, please? Sure.
Yes, um what doctor you get was referring to is the wick
program women infant and children supplemental nutrition
services. And uh, this is a long-standing program that has
excellent evidence for improving the health outcomes of
pregnant people and their babies. Um, and we are the
largest provider of those services in the city of Chicago.
We have 8 clinics that we run in communities across the
city. Um, and then we partner with several. Um Community
Based organizations to have them deliver these Services as
well.
Um part of what we're looking at doing with our Wick
program is finding ways to take the program out of the
brick and mortar settings that it's in and into
communities. Um, so that we can meet people where they're
at and make it easier for them to take advantage of the
nutrition counseling that's available in this program. Um
the coupons or
Actually EBT cards now that give them access to healthy
foods, um in a variety of locations. Um, so mobilizing Wick
is part of our plans and lots of other thinking we're doing
around Innovation and welcome your thoughts.
Yeah, and I appreciate that but in addition to that and
this is my last point on that. I just want you to grasp
what I'm saying because I appreciate the wick part because
we have a a a a, you know, a base of constituents that need
that but when we talk about sustainability after arpa,
which I'm talking about, um
really standing up places where now David Moore is going
someone else is going they're spending money there and then
and after the arpa that stuff can it can hold up itself,
but yet we have those places and place that's
producing those uh nutritional whether it's um,
uh the juices or whatever you call them smoothies or
whatever or whether it's another store like go green on
Racine, um helping expand it from a health standpoint. But
yet after ARP is gone David Moore is still spending money
there because now it's closer in my neighborhood.
yes, I I agree older man that this is
An area of growth for us in in cdph when when I was in New
York part of the initiative. I oversaw was the shop healthy
initiative in New York. The corner stores called the
bodegas and they only sell you know, easy meals and part of
the support that the Department of Health did there was to
help those stores incorporate fresh produce. Bring them
refrigerators. Bring them to play stands teach them how to
make smoothies and also advocate for for SNAP benefits to
cover those kinds of meals because snap will only cover um
raw food and not cooked so many were hesitant to stock up
on Fresh Produce because they they say people will not buy
it and it's going to spoil and I'm going to lose money so
they mostly will want to invest in packaged food, but we
help them to diversify their inventory increase fresh
produce teach them how to preserve the produce.
And then help them increase the demand. So there are
opportunities here to leverage some of those learnings from
other Urban food deserts for how we can incorporate like
the go green on racing I went there. So what they were
doing, uh, so we have some opportunities there. Um, we
upper funding right now was not allocated to to that
component, but we are exploring. We've already applied for
um funding from the office of
minority Health to see how we can start some of those food
related food Equity related initiatives, um in the
communities that don't have as many choices. So not just
the counseling but not just choices made but choices
available just make it easier for people to have access to
healthy meals, um at an affordable cost.
Absolutely. Thank you chairman.
Thank you ottoman, um automates
Mr. Chairman
um
I didn't hear of anything that may be plan or in your plan
for the use of funding for seniors.
How are we going to?
Help the seniors even those who are in nursing homes.
um, mentally
Or independent type what service are being provided?
Right. Well, I think
this thank you older meets. Um, the senior services mostly
fall under DSS, uh dfss, I'm sorry. Um, so what we've done
mostly is collaborate with them and bring services to
senior centers.
um services like
the physical activity programs food programs vaccination
initiatives, um to seniors mental health support, um to
seniors is also part of the work we're doing um, we
recognize that during Co the loneliness component was a
huge Factor. Yeah, and just so just supporting encouraging
seniors to come back out and and be in that community space
and then go in there and bring in programs to them is 1 of
the ways we're exploring. I had some meetings with um, some
of our colleagues at dfss to see how else can we support
senior. Is there any information surrounding the seniors
who don't have loved ones to uh assist them?
Not at the moment not at the moment that will be an area of
growth for us. Okay, some of our community resource
Navigators do Outreach Services to do that. Just so you
know, so you're dealing with senior students.
Yeah, we can do more in that space. The the other 1 I want
to ask you about is.
Are we using any defines?
To bring the awareness toward that phenol.
That's the opioid crisis. Yes. Wow, we have part of the
funding for care that's supposed to opioid response team.
So there is a team that does um Outreach just on the
website. So there is a component of the upper dollars that
support that walk me through what they're supposed to be
doing. So, what do you want to talk about the opioid
response team?
Yes, uh, thank you Dr. Eay Matt Richards Deputy
Commissioner for Behavioral Health alderwoman mids. Um, the
opioid response team is our team. It's a partnership
between the Chicago fire department and the University of
Illinois Chicago. Um, it has focused on uh, the 5 West Side
neighborhoods. And what they do is basically, um any person
that the Chicago Fire Department transports to an emergency
department for a drug overdose this team tries to follow up
with them 1 to 3 days after the overdose and both make sure
they have no locks on the medication that would reverse a
future drug overdose if they had 1 and start them on
medication assisted treatment either buprenorphine or
methadone, which would reduce their risk of a future. Um,
drug overdose. We're trying to make some changes to that
program right now.
Because the biggest challenge we've had and it's what other
cities have seen is locating people after the fact once
people walk out of the Ed the emergency department. You
have to try to locate them in the community based on the
best information. We have about their residents but a lot
of folks might be unstable housed. They might even be
living on the street. So 1 of the things we're exploring
right now is piloting actually engaging people in the
emergency department before they leave
Uh, so that that is just a very small component that is on
upper the rest of our opioid, uh, related activities are
aren't supported by the opioid settlement. So we are very
fortunate in Chicago that we got the opioid settlement
dollars. Uh, and so that is the funding that support most
of our work right now. So some of the that amount open and
Sell Your settlement Matt the dollar amount, uh,
Matt Richards Deputy Commissioner for Babel Health, we've
um, I was trained by alderwoman Dow so I always say my
name, um, uh We've have 16 million that we've gotten uh
from the state so far alderwoman and 13 million of it has
been obligated so far so we have a little bit that we have
not yet awarded but we get additional funds, uh, every year
from the state. We haven't gotten our third deposit yet,
but we will get money from the state every year for the
next 15 years or so. So the there are a lot of um education
around in Nikon
so
if if the public are having to revise and using that do you
you don't have no record of that, correct?
Um, if if the public is using it, yeah, the public is
administering it to a patient.
Um, we have someone to help to yes advise them. You have no
record of that information. Not the universe. We have some
record from our vending machine where we are able to ask
people, um, why they they, you know, collected the knocking
from the vending machine and we found that many of the
people who are getting the knock-in from the vending
machine are those who have either had um, a previous
overdose or know someone who has
but our ability to track if they actually use so when you
go to the vending machine you don't use
you have to use information to get
put in a code. Oh, okay. Okay. Well, I'm just asking I
didn't know.
Yeah, okay. So we have information on how much you know, can
we've distributed. Okay, we don't always have information
on if it has been used but this is 1 of the saturation
plans. We want every home especially in the 5 West Side
areas to have napkin. So we're doing door-to-door
distribution. We want people to have it. It is not
dangerous. Even if you don't have opioid overdose and you
use it, it will not harm you so we just want people to have
it. Um, so we are you mostly using the metric of
distribution and then tracking how many overdoses we're
seeing and we there is a ratio how much nacken needs to be
in a community before we start seeing a reduction in
overdoses. So for instance, we're very fortunate we came
indeed the presentation to you on what we saw over Mother's
Day weekend, which was staggering but over Memorial Day
weekend. We were trying to rally and make sure that we
don't see
a repeat over the Memorial Day weekend and we were very
excited that over Memorial Day weekend. We did not see the
same Spike. So we believe we're going in the right
direction. And again just pumping neck and into the
community making sure everybody every home has it everybody
knows how to do it and go door to door if necessary, um if
we can shift the numbers and then get people connected to
treatment immediately from Ed because those who are likely
to overdose at those who have overdosed.
4
So if we get them at the Ed get them connected to long-term
acting reversal medication then maybe we can change this
trend and then we can start to scale up across the city.
But this is 1 area where we actually have resources. We're
just struggling with how do we get people connected to the
services? So those are the areas where we need some
creative thinking but this is at least 1 area where we have
some funding and resources outside of upper.
I just wanted to get back to that finale. Um.
And I I didn't hear anything about the youth and what are
we doing to try and prevent that area but my Buzzard ring
on me, and I didn't ask you about where we at with Co now
because I here's the spike and see if you could give me
some answers somewhere in there. Thank you. Thank you, Mr.
Chairman.
Thank you Alderman Mitch. Um.
Any other questions for cdph?
Um, it's got a couple items, uh, vending machine expansion.
Um, you know, we've talked about these vending machines and
their uh, Effectiveness and information and the like, um,
are we using any arpa dollars to expand from a capital
perspective to expand the number of machines that we own uh
to provide throughout the uh throughout the city,
Thank you, Mr. Chairman Matt Richards Deputy Commissioner
for Behavioral Health. We don't have a specific allocation
of our funds for the vending machine machines. But they are
we we are allowed to use settlement funds, uh, which we do
have to to pay for scaling up, uh the vending machine
program and we also have a federal um, uh request for
funding that we've submitted to scale it as well.
What what what do you want 1 of 1 of those machines calls?
Between 10 and 20000 in machine. I think it's about 15,000
dollars in machine if I remember correctly.
and it's uh inclusive of
is that everything is it just software software and
everything else? Yes sir goes with it. Okay, and how many
of those do we have today? And what is our expansion plan
for 20 the balance of 24 and and FY 255
So we have 5 our Pilot We we've piloted 5 machines. Um, and
you know Dr. E gay has and and dri I don't want to speak
for you. But as we've discussed the goal is ultimately the
idea of having 1 in every ward in the city and and really
making it a Citywide program.
It's my goal to get.
every vending machine
Okay.
You wait, uh, I need more than 1 that's that's my
challenge. That's all but but nonetheless know I I I'm not
I'm not not not against that. Uh, the second point was
regarding the uh, crisis response model now, uh, we're
currently in 6 police districts. If I recall, uh, what is
our anticipated cost to expand that Citywide, uh, given,
uh, I know it sounds like there's going to be it's going to
take a time to wrap up based on the resources that are
needed to from a human resource, uh perspective. But what
what would that look like fully staffed fully funded uh
across our city
There there is some thinking still going on. Um
My Hope Is that we can really study what the fires
department has for their EMS infrastructure and that is
really what we will need for now is about 7 million for
this pilot, um, that's your 6 police districts to expand to
16 we have a gap of
How much so Citywide is uh significant investment is, you
know several Millions, but we don't have that number right
now.
Okay.
Um, I I it was so essentially you you all are still
studying the impact or are we sure of the impact or is this
the direction that we need to go in because I know there
were several models along this line that were piloted. And
are we at a point now where we know which model we're going
to use?
Oh, we have data that it works. Um the data we have is for
the correspondence model where we have fire service and
cdph staff responding. Now, we want to try if cdph alone
can do this. Now this requires we're going to have to build
a dispatch system. We're going to have to coordinate all of
that. So this is New Territory for us as cdph. So this is
why we are seeing that this is a new model. It is not an
expansion of what we had before because that we were
piggybacking on the fire departments infrastructure. If we
were to build this from scratch and then roll it out as
just Public Health. That is the new piece. We're trying
out. Oh, okay. That's that is your that is your pilot. That
is the new pilot over the next 2 years. Can we run this
alone as the Department of Health and if we can what
infrastructure are we going to need to scale it to
city-wide and it will just be Health. Okay healthy Mt.
Healthy.
Um mental health. Let me ask you this. If if you have if you
you all are finding success with the corresponder model,
why more or less reinvent the wheel?
That is um a challenging question Matt. Do you want to
Yes, uh, thank you chairman, uh Matt Richards Deputy
Commissioner for Behavioral Health. So 1 thing I want to
say is when we normally when we say call response. We mean
a response that includes a police officer. So we we had 2 2
models 1 was the fire department the police department the
health department and the police involved model is being
phased out. That's a decision that the mayor made. Um, the
model that were exploring moving forward on is there's an
EMT and a clinician at the health department. And and so to
answer your question. I think the the focus has been on,
uh, the police department has limited resources. And so the
idea is that this frees up those officers to go back to
primary purpose work that focuses on Public Safety.
Similarly. The fire department has a limited number of
paramedics. So the decision was made this frees up those
paramedics to go back to supporting our EMS system. And
then the health department would take over the
Program so it was really about capacity of those other 2
departments, but it's not a small thing for the health
department to you know, operate these programs in this
space that has historically been done by other departments.
The person that you would need uh for lack of a better term
from a emerging from a paramedic perspective. Is this more
of an EMT or a paramedic are you looking for in this
response model that you're contemplating or you're
piloting?
so 1 of the findings of the evaluation, um
Uh, was that a paramedic level of practice was not needed.
Um, okay and I was I I was thinking that might be the case.
Um, it's kind of like the the ALS versus BLS, uh, ambulance
conversation that continues to go on so which which I
understand it makes sense and and it and do you necessarily
need to tie up a paramedic, uh in this particular case. Uh,
and and I I understand you're thinking there. But again,
you generally find in the marketplace a lot more EMTs
because the training to become an EMT is not the same or
it's less than becoming a paramedic. So, um, hopefully
these are opportunities that uh, young people can feel
especially if you're partnering with the blackfyre Brigade
and other uh entities in the city, so hopefully you're able
to meet your human resource need on that particular line
and the follow-up on 1 point that
Am I freezing was the system freezing?
Hello.
Ain't the system is freezing. I think I see movement, but I
can't hear anything.
Hi Alderman, they're working on it.
Thank you.
Do they hold the meeting until they get it fixed?
Uh, yes, sir. They're going to recess.
Them. Um, so these are some of the refinements we're trying
to do with some of our partners who have like on the Ground
Intelligence and what are the drivers that we are seeing
many people started on on medication for other issues and
To became dependent on it and now um, you know, the problem
has escalated. So even without provider Community also
working with them. How can we better identify folks? How do
we get information to them? How do we better support them?
them? So these are some of the refinements we're trying to
do to just better understand how to connect with the
demographic that is most impacted m
Uh, thank you Dr. Gate. I think there are near middle and
long term strategies. So I think the the near-term strategy
is that this is really an emergency and and and you know,
it was referenced earlier, you know, not just in Chicago,
but around the country 6,000 people dying in Baltimore in 6
years, which is a much smaller City that this is
increasingly a primary driver of the racial life expectancy
Gap in Chicago more people dying every year than homicide
and vehicle accidents combined and it's getting that
message out there that people understand it's an emergency
Dr. E has had a stand up and emergency response structure
this summer which we've never done before we're getting the
lock zone out to every neighborhood. Um 1 of the things the
federal government is talking about is no locks on
saturation which Dr. EIG referenced when you bring up the
amount of noon in a community the amount of over fatal
overdose goes down. So particularly in parts of the city
that have the highest levels. It's getting those noxon
levels High
um
Uh midterm strategy. It's getting people connected to
treatment treatment is I think in substance use often a
little bit of a long game, you know, some people get better
the first time a lot of people it's repeat and so 1 of the
focus is is getting people on medications like
buprenorphine that lower the risk of drug overdose 40 to
60% making it really easy to get in treatment. I think 1 of
the things that we say at the health department is in a lot
of parts of the United States. It is much easier to acquire
substances than to acquire treatment, right? That's a big
problem. And if you look at countries that do this well,
all you have to do is raise your hand and ask for treatment
and you get it. So we have 1 phone number that our
residents can call to get treatment. It's it you will not
be turned away if you can't afford it. Um, and the last
thing Mr. Chairman is prevention Health departments, we
talk about prevention and 1 of the things around the United
States. You see whether it's in cities whether it's
In Rural America, whatever racial or ethnic group its parts
of the country where people have not been invested in where
there's High rates of unemployment High rates of poverty
drug overdose follows. Um, and it's because people uh may
not feel hopeful about the future that lies before them.
Um, and and that puts people at risk of substance use and
so that's where us working with our department of urban
planning and development to make investments in housing and
infrastructure that
Is part of a prevention strategy? It is a longer game, but
we can't take our eyes off of that.
Thank you. Um
Yeah, this is uh, this is definitely a challenge that if we
do not deal with it will have a a crazy impact on many
communities. I I know many families that are dealing I
personally have dealt with this. So I understand uh, you
know, losing loved ones to this, uh disease is is a
challenge and um, many of us have done that and um, we must
figure out a way to stem the tide on this, uh particular
issue, especially in our uh on the south and west side of
Chicago. So, uh, as always Dr. Thank you for uh, uh your
information. Uh, I call it straight no chaser, uh, and you
are very, uh effective in the delivering, uh that for us,
uh, continue to positive work and uh, hopefully we'll
you'll be back to talk about some of the pilots that you've
done and some of the successes that we see and where we can
allocate, uh, future dollars for cdph. Uh, thank you and
the committee will stand at ease to allow dfss to come in.
Thank you. Thank you doctor.
Good morning. I'm sorry. Good afternoon.
Buds in the government operations come back to order, uh,
next up. We have the department of family support services
led by commissioner Brandy. Kanazi, welcome commissioner,
uh, please introduce the staff that is with us here and
those that are in the box and you may proceed.
Good afternoon.
chairman Irving
Good afternoon, Vice chair Lee.
Council I am Brandy kanazi here to present our arpa update
for 2024 with me today. I have some my right more Maui
managing Deputy Commissioner Frankie ammo Shipman managing
Deputy Commissioner behind me first Deputy Commissioner
Jonathan erns and then in the box, we have Andrea Chapman
Deputy Commissioner for homeless and gender-based violence
next to her. We have Mark Sanders Deputy Commissioner for
Human Services and Workforce Development.
next we have John Weber managing manager of family and
support services for Youth Services Raymond Barrett for our
Financial finance department Deputy Commissioner. We have
Sylvia sonaki who is our director of impact equity and
outcomes. And then last we have prey Verma for our um Opera
recovery team so this afternoon
We just want to share an update about where we are with our
arpa programs. And so just to re uh ground everyone. It's
important to know that currently we are in 20 of the 53
lines for arpa funded programs that the city currently has
through mayor Johnson's road to recovery.
Our total allocation now is 276 million which includes a 43
million, uh additional allocation from our original
allocation when we came before you and 2021 additionally.
Um, we're going to talk about the various support to be
providing. We've got a couple updates on 5 Key Programs
around Community safety housing and homelessness, um human
rights in arts and culture as well as our wellness policy
pillars.
So, uh, these are the programs we're going to talk about we
do a lot more but we wanted to really condense and just
Zone your eye in on the 5 programs that are listed uh on
this slide. So when you think about the work that we do
around homelessness, we have 3 strategies around prevention
crisis response and housing supports. We're going to go
over today the work we've been doing around housing
specifically rapid rehousing when you think about uh, where
we started prior to uh, October 2020 the city only received
2 million dollars that supported about 300 households for
rapid rehousing and so this is an intervention that
supports individuals for 12 to 24 months who are either
living on the street.
Or in shelters and so with our Opera investment since
October 2022 we've been able to keep 750 households that
were housed through our cares program housed and we've held
53 accelerated moving events. And these are the events
where we bring people together to uh, go over their
documentation fill out an application for housing allow
them to select their um furniture and their Apartments.
So the good news is that with our additional our for
dollars. We've been able to support 1,000 new households
housed and 68% of recipients that have received. This
intervention are still housed. Uh, the national average is
70% So we are on target when you factor in the 35 million
that we've received from cares plus our corporate dollars.
Um, the number is a little bit higher, I believe it's about
72% So doing good work there was also um,
A report from the expector general that talked about the
work that we're doing and says that we know that the
intervention is working and that we are keeping people
housed.
The next program that I want to call your attention to is
the re-entry navigation pilot. This is really coming out of
our Workforce Services Division and it is uh spring
forward. So it is selectively pre-enrollment and intensive
navigation going forward and it really focuses on returning
residents getting to them, uh pre-release for the Illinois
Department of Corrections and Cook County Jail up to 18
months after release and instead of just pairing our
traditional Workforce intervention. We're also hearing
housing support. So, uh the goal for this program to date
68% or 65% of participants, uh were placed in housing
between 1 and 30 days and 73% of participants remained
housed 30 days past move in date. Um, good news about this
is so far. We've been able to take 212 individuals and
employ them are goal with these this funding is to employ
400 people. So we're halfway there and then 139 individuals
have been
in house as of May 20th our goal with that funding is to
support 200 individuals.
The emergency fund for gender-based, uh violence survivors.
So this is a fund that was set up to really support, uh,
gender-based violence survivors with 1-time cash assistance
of 1 thousand dollars what we learned, you know during the
pandemic is a lot of survivors were uh at home with their
perpetrators and really had a hard time leaving and so
having cash assistance to
Either find a new apartment or get their car fixed or just
having a little extra income really has helped people
leave, uh, abusive situations. And so 5,483 survivors have
so far received a thousand 1-time payment and then through
our monthly application that will be open through December.
We expect to serve another uh, total of 7,000 payments will
go out.
79% of recipients, uh live on the South and West sides of
Chicago and 63% identify as black and 28% of latinx and 68%
say that they experienced improved safety as a result of
this program. And so I think just to highlight 65% of
people are saying that they use this 1 time funding to you
know, apply for rent, uh food utilities and transportation
and so, uh, we're going to continue to do this and this
application is open monthly approximately 350, uh, Awards
will go out every month through the end of the year.
The next program is our my shine my future program and this
is just really a program that supports young people with
place-based strategies across the city of Chicago. And so
their several programs that is wrapped up into this
component. Um, 1 is our safe spaces program where we employ
young people to really create and provide events, uh that
they want to see for themselves and their families. And so
we employ about 225 young people, uh throughout the year
and they're able to you know, create programs. And so, you
know, the goal is
That they will do a hold 150 programs a year to date last
year. They did 180. We're on track to do. Um, approximately
80 programs just for this summer. So um up until March
2024. We had employed actually 325 young people. Um, and
that's really exciting. The second thing is we are on the
verge of launching tomorrow our um,
Our micro grant program through SGA and that's where we're
providing micro grants to uh, small minority, uh programs
or the city on the South and West slides and all across the
city. And so 6000 will go out with grants up to 10,000 and
this is really to support organizations who are not really
ready or equipped to handle a city contract and go through
the paperwork and the RFP process but have you know stated
that they want to do really Innovative things in community.
And so we are having an actual launch on that tomorrow.
In terms of Youth planned community events. Like I said
last year we held over 182 programs and then young people
who were in our programs are saying that they you know,
they feel more connected than this is helping them
strengthen their relationships with the community and the
people, um that are working with them with the curing
adult.
And then lastly is our youth Justice diversion program which
serves young people ages 10 to 17 with low level offenses.
This program was really modeled to support and help prevent
young people from going deeper into the justice system. And
so, um good news is that we've been working with CPD to
this out Citywide. So right now we have trained all of the
youth detectives in CPD and so they are all trained as of
March and then our next Milestone, um is we're working with
the Illinois criminal justice information authority to
create, uh, an evaluation of the program and that will go
through December 2025. So right now we have 84% of young
now we have 84% of young people who have enrolled in the
program have completed their service plan and 100% have
developed a youth-driven plan once they've enrolled
and I will stop sharing.
Thank you commissioner. Are there any questions from
committee members?
sure all
It is hi commissioner. I I noticed on the community
strategy, uh areas that grin Boulevard is is never listed
anywhere and so I'm just curious if you can give me a
rationale for for why that is or
Because Grand Boulevard is a community of need. It's a
marginalized Community. Um, it probably meets a lot of the
uh
poverty indices
and I'm just curious as to I noticed. I mean, it's not just
you.
Um, it's
I think systemic and I'm trying to understand.
Why and I'm just asking your opinion on that. Yeah, so we
work with the communities that are listed with the mayor's
office of community safety and the Chicago vulnerability
index. And so that's how the 15 regions are developed of
like what are the communities that are most impacted by
violence and safety. I think a question we can have this
conversation with Deputy Mayor Gary and Gatewood to talk
about how you know the research that we're doing with our
partners and how this expansion looks.
Yes, and it's not just scram Boulevard. I'm thinking of
communities like full of Park. Um, Washington Park. I never
see them North Londale.
Wentworth I've never I don't see
Them in the lineup and these are communities that uh seem
to be ignored. Um, the other thing on the youth diversion
program. How are those young people identified?
Those young people receive uh referrals from CPD. So we're
going from where we were in the previous version. It was
only 6 districts right now. We're in 11 districts, uh with
CPD by July we will be in all 22 districts and they will be
they make referrals into us and then we connect them with
our Service Partners. Um our second.
Phase of the strategy will be with deflection where we
prevent young people from coming into the justice system
altogether. And so that's going to be a later strategy for
the program and we'll have multiple referral points. Okay,
so you're going to be going districtwide. I mean by all 22
or 25 districts. However many there are uh by July and
what's the
Maximum what's the program capacity? I believe the program
capacity is.
900 John Weber
John Weber manager of family support services for Youth
Services the maximum capacity of 800 youth to be served per
year by our delegate agencies across all AP providers and
where are you now?
We are at 286 have been referred to the program and then of
the 2866 that have been referred, uh, 90 have been
connected to Services. Sometimes when we refer some parents
don't actually take up because it's not don't take up or
young people don't come back but 90 people have of the
referrals 90 were connected to Services. Okay, and on the
homeless.
program
Uh, can you come back and hit this program more than once?
And you get rental assistance more than once so for rapid
rehousing and I'll let MOA jump in you know, the goal is
that once a person is in we help them with the
intervention. We've seen that it takes a little longer
which is why we go up to 24 months.
Good portion of people are self-sufficient. And once
they've had that breathing room that they've been able to
get a job take care of themselves. But we do have a portion
of people that need longer term support and then they move
into permanent Supportive Housing.
Is there anything you want to add more?
Yeah more on my colleague managing Deputy Commissioner. Um,
right I think that's that's all correct. And if for some
reason somebody became almost again, they would be eligible
again. Okay. Thank you very much commissioner.
Thank you chairwoman. Uh Alderman Moore you're next.
Alderman Moore
If you're there, you're on mute. I see your hand raised.
I was trying to unmute. I'm sorry. That's okay. Go ahead.
Yes, um first of all, uh, thank you commissioner Kazi. Uh,
I think you're doing it, um outstanding job and um, your
response and follow up and keeping us informed.
Is um Second To None and I I I truly appreciate that. Um,
it's 2 points. I just want to hit on and I just start out
the 1 with what ottoman Dow talked about because I think we
get comfortable with, you know, certain neighborhoods. Um,
and then we hear like Englewood. Um, and then we think we
hit Englewood and we did something that happens a lot but
West Englewood is 1 of the 77 neighborhoods and and
sometimes you know those get left out. So I just want to
make sure when we're doing that engagement or those those
youth pop ups or um youth activities that West Englewood
and specifically, um, a good Park is Murray Park is um, you
know included in that because I understand what ultimate
Dallas is saying, sometimes we think
Alderman Moore do we lose you you're on mute again? Okay.
No.
we we we've done Bronzeville and then we think we done
something but yet we forget full apart or we do Englewood
and we say okay, we hit Englewood. But yet you've missed a
whole lot of people in West Englewood a community that
hasn't had any investment, uh in 23 years. And so I I just
want to make sure that we you know is is is not a
necessarily knock I think sometimes it's across the board
as chairman down said that these certain communities. Um,
I've forgotten about and then we continue to have
Those issues so I just want to you know, uh, raise what she
was saying on that point. Um, the other 1 is what I was
talking about in terms of what Dr. E gay was doing in
leveraging and I and I think you do a good job of that, but
I want to make sure that even our relationships. Um, I know
Usually good at engagement. I haven't heard a report from
Chicago Cook Workforce in a while. And I know in the past
that um your department did some work with them and terms
of the workforce piece. So as we spend this apple money is
is just getting back to I don't want the money to be gone
sort of like with the ambassador program. Give a good
example. I guess a a young man has been in a um, the
ambassador program since Co or since we started it, I think
it was during Co and I guess some money was cut and then he
came to me the other day saying, oh, I'm serious. I got to
get a job, but they they they cut this and I am I thinking
where's all this money? He's made we gave him a fish but we
didn't teach him how to fish during that process so he
could be self-sufficient and I want to make sure um that we
doing this I'm stressing that to all the Departments and
and making sure we leverage this these upper Resources with
other things. We have to make sure that we are um having
not only
uh people sustained but even
Um, um projects. Um, like I was talking about with Dr. E in
terms of the expanding food stores and better um, um Health
opportunities in terms of eating making sure all that is
there after the money is gone because then those things can
self-sustain itself. So I just want to make I gotta beat
that. I gotta beat that because I want people to get that
those some common sense things. I think some of us are
missing. So I just want to make sure we do that and if you
have any thoughts on that please share
Thank you Alderman Moore. I do have a correction to the
question that alderwoman Dow raised so we were able to
leverage with our scan program Service Coordination and
navigation for young people at the highest risk of
violence. We were able to leverage the communities we
served and go into more communities including West
Englewood East Garfield Park, Washington Park and Graham
Boulevard with our Opera dollars. So just want to say that
I think where we can leverage we have tried but I
understand on the safe spaces you'd like to see more
expansion.
And then Alderman Moore regarding the young person that uh
is not no longer employed. I think let's have a
conversation. I know the ones I'm your application is
closed. But if there are other partners, we may be able to
see how we know he's not that young. He's he was in part of
the ambassador program probably in his late 30s or 40s. You
understand what I'm saying? Um who was part of
The ambassador program but I'm saying a lot of that money
was used. I would rather have given him that money or use
it doing something else instead of him. Just walking up
down the street with his hands in his pocket. Got you, you
know what I'm saying? I just I saw that and that was real,
you know understood so that I think better to serve, you
know with our Workforce programming that Mark leads. We've
got a couple things so you have career growth Chicago where
we're partnering with about 4.5 million dollars with city
colleges to train, uh individuals on specifically the South
and West sides, uh with you know, stackable credentials and
skills, either, uh, allowing them to take certificates
where they can go out and within several weeks start, uh
applying for jobs or for young people and older adults like
it's open 18 and over, uh, who want more of adult education
and you know are considering going back and getting you
know a college degree who may or may not I think we're
trying to meet people where they are and say let us help
you get to however many credits or certificates you want to
get.
Back to work. So that's 1 um, and then our regular
Workforce programming through transitional jobs employment
preparation. I'll connect you after this meeting with Mark
and he can talk about some of the work force opportunities.
We have at dfss and it and an example is that career
growth? Is that a with this Opera funding do we pay them do
this career growth to get them ready then to go to up to a
jobs and by 6 weeks or whatever. Yep, we do. I'm just on
that number Mark. Do you want to talk about career group?
Chicago
yes, uh Mark Sanders Deputy Commissioner Workforce and
Human Services. So career growth Chicago participants
receive a stipend, uh, upon completion of different program
components. Uh, they also received support with their job
search. Uh, and if there's additional resources, they can
work with their success coach to ensure that they uh, both
enroll and complete the training in a reasonable time frame
and then connected get connected to their uh, career path
that they've selected.
And how many jobs if you can provide to the champion or
know so far that this has led to us getting people hired.
Right. So right now to date since we started in August
2022, we have taken 1,734 people through the program and we
can get you metrics on the uh, how many have been connected
to employment?
Thank you.
Thank you chairman. I appreciate it. You're welcome
Alderman Moore. Um, so a couple things for me. Um, I think
overall uh for through the chair request if we can and I
apologize ahead of time for whoever's going to have to do
this work. Uh, but 1 of the things that we're always going
to be interested in is the the impact by Wards. So if you
can give us a breakdown of these programs with uh, the
impact by Ward, I think that would be really helpful. Um,
yeah, so I know that came up earlier with the budget
director so we can say here is the organization and here's
the award where it's funded. I think it's sometimes
difficult to say here's exactly how much investment
happened because participants come from all over the city
and our delegates don't have the capability to be that
micro to break it down on such a micro level. So I
understand that and I think so that was Alderman Moore's
question earlier and I think it's something worth exploring
for future, um for future Data Tracking because obviously
it matters. Um, I was also just thinking about that the
level with which we have in the aggregate if we know where
somebody lives and they are a a recipient or a participant
in the program that to me is where I would be interested in
tracking to see how many young people in my ward have been
touched by this. Um, so that's and I think we we should
probably have a separate conversation maybe a working group
or something to talk about how we um, how we standardize
some of this.
Because I think you know we're we're asking the questions
enough that it just behooves us to to track the data
differently, but I appreciate the the the point being made
on that. It's a difference between the uh organization
that's running the program versus, you know, the the impact
at the participant of the client level. Um, okay great. So
on the I'm interested in gender-based the the gender-based
violence, uh grants and you know when you provide that
information on a um,
I don't know sort of word basis. I am interested in knowing
in an understanding kind of where asian-americans fit into
that. Um, you know, we know that this is an issue, um from
a domestic violence perspective as well. I'm just
interested in in kind of you know, where uh where some of
the uh,
Where where some of the weak points might be and where we
can uh, provide additional support. So um, and then the
last question that I have um is regarding the youth Justice
diversion program. How are we um working with uh CPS
Or does this include CPS at all right. Now, this is just
with Justice diversion. It's we're working closely with
Chief oreti for CPD and her team the deflection piece when
we when CP do moves to that in the fall that's going to be
later on that will be many more Partners including CPS.
Okay. Got it.
Thank you. Um, that's all I've got. I don't see any other
questions or hands raised so
I think we're I think we're done.
Thank you very much commissioner and all of you for being
here today. Um and at this time, um, we're gonna we're
gonna stand at ease for an hour so that we can take a break
for lunch. Let's have everybody returned to the room at
2:10.
Thank you.
Good afternoon, uh the committee on budget and government
operations, uh will come back to order. Uh, we will begin
this afternoon session with the Department of planning, uh
with commissioner Boatright. So commissioner welcome, uh,
please introduce yourself as well as the staff that is with
you, uh this afternoon sure. Good afternoon everyone. I'm
pleased to be with you to discuss dpd's arpa funded project
and initiative. Um with me today is Deputy Commissioner
Mario Connor who actually oversees several of the programs
that we're going to discuss today and joining us in the box
is managing Deputy Tim Jeffries.
Uh Deputy Commissioner Kathy diket recovery team manager
Hannah Jones and assistant commissioner.
Kyle Bartlett, and so if any questions come to mind my
entire team will be present to answer any specific details
about the programs that will go over today.
All right, please proceed.
Awesome. So it goes without saying that the coid 19
pandemic brought about unprecedented uncertainty to our
communities, but traffic dwindled visitor counts drop
businesses closed and development slowed immensely.
However, the co 19 pandemic also brought about an
unprecedented source of funding arpa.
Arpa gave dpd a once-in-a-lifetime funding opportunity
giving us the financial means to really think outside of
the box and strategically develop Innovative programs that
have a comprehensive impact for our communities most
affected by the pandemic today. I'll walk you through 4 of
those programs.
I'll start by providing a brief overview of the 4 are for
funded programs that are strategically designed to support
Urban placemaking economic development jobs and wealth
building and neighborhood vitality.
Collectively they represent approximately 34.5 million
dollars in arpa funding over the last 3 years.
These funds have been fully allocated and administrators are
working through the dispersement phase to ensure. That
funds are spent by 2026.
Each is administered by dpd or through community-based
partners that were selected through request for proposals
or other competitive processes next slide.
the first is our Corridor ambassadors program which funds
neighborhood organizations that hire and train community
members as customer service providers across 13 commercial
districts Citywide. You can find our Corridor Ambassador as
in West Garfield Park chadam Alum Gresham greater Grand
Crossing Humble Park the loop Armour Square Douglas Belmont
Reagan new city, Austin Uptown and West Englewood.
Ambassadors provide in-person Hospitality services for 5 to
12 hours per day for 5 to 7 days per week. Depending on
local needs about 200 people have been hired and trained to
date through the program with typical days spent on walking
corridors and greeting Shoppers providing Direction and
wayfinding building relationships with businesses and
residents in the community and serving as an extra set of
eyes on the street. Sometimes resulting in 311 costs for
City Services or 911 calls for Public Safety assistance.
Supporting other activities and events such as festivals
job fairs holiday and health and wellness events.
Since the program start in 2022 ambassadors have assisted
more than a quarter million people through daily
interactions, and we know from local business surveys that
their presence is very visible useful and well-received.
In terms of program funding dpd has allocated about 12.3
million in arpa funds today, which we disperse upon receipt
of monthly vouchers from participating organizations.
The Department's 4.9 million dollar balance as of spring
2024 will be fully spent by the end of 2024 when the
programs are arpa funding will end next slide.
Next I'll turn to our public outdoor Plaza initiative,
is part of our arpa funded community development program.
This initiative is also locally known as Pop a
well-deserved exclamation point due to the Tactical
urbanism. It represents for local neighborhoods.
instead of vacant underutilized land pop provides a
welcoming place for neighborhoods through creative
placemaking vacant lots are transformed into safe beautiful
outdoor spaces that reflect the unique identities of their
neighborhood.
by utilizing elements like Furniture pavement treatments
plantings and lighting these spaces not only enhance public
enjoyment but also Foster economic growth making them
intrical to the Vitality of Chicago neighborhoods by
creating spaces for recreation relaxation communal
Gatherings and design excellence.
As you heard earlier this morning from Nidra Sams.
Of the greater chadam initiative the impact of Mahalia
Jackson Corps opening has been profound since its
Inception. We've observed a remarkable 6% decrease in crime
rates coupled with an impressive 225% surge in foot traffic
Additionally the Mahal mahelia mile, which is 79 Street
between State and Cottage Grove has earned the
distinguished title of a Cultural District joining just 1
other in the state after a competitive selection process.
Thanks to the pop program initiative investment is flowing
into that area leading to forthcoming unveiling of 8
murals.
88 banners 20 Planters Inn, 3 decorative crosswalks these
enhancements hold the potential not only to enhance the
areas aesthetic appeal but also to nurture a thriving
cultural and economic ecosystem.
7 arpa funded pop sites have been completed to date with 4
more to open midsummer.
including 1 in Englewood 1 in West Humble Park and 2 in
Gran Boulevard
the community partner for each location holds 16 or more
community events.
That usually appeal to residents of all ages in terms of
funding dpd has allocated about 6.2 million in arpa
revenues to date for this program, which is largely used
for construction costs, but also maintenance and
programming.
Our 4988000 balance as of spring 2024 will be fully spent
with the 4 open this summer at which point arpa funding
will be exhausted.
next slide
next is our community wealth building program that funds 16
diver agencies that provide Legal Financial and Technical
Services to organizations that otherwise could not afford
their assistance.
This program recognizes the Decades of wealth extraction
that has systemically and disproportionately occurred
across the South and West eyes due to discriminatory
private and public policies. So it provides valuable
financial support for agencies that help to establish and
Implement business plans higher contractors and service
providers manage debt and Investments and pursue other
wealth building Endeavors. I like to take a moment to
highlight 1 of our ecosystem partners.
Central de tribal heart is
is a workers Co-op organizing organization, excuse me,
providing Cooperative incubation services and customizable
tool kits and drive and guides. They're currently
incubating several startup Cooperative such as Trucking
cooperative and a cleaning Cooperative both of which were
excited to see grow.
Our community wealth building program also funds
pre-development expenses for 25 organizations decreasing
Financial burdens that smaller organizations face as they
begin to conceptualize and construct brick and mortar
establishments. These grantees receive reimbursement for
expenses related to feasibility studies schematic design
site acquisition and community outreach.
Another success story we like to share is 1 from New Era
Windows when the former ownership at new era was looking to
close the manufacturing business. Its employees formed a
worker cooperative and purchased it from the owner. Our
pre-development grant is helping them to expand their
footprint in a new location and we're excited to be a part
of that important Journey.
In terms of funding dpd has allocated about 9.04 million in
arpa revenues to date for this program. All funds have been
awarded and will be dispersed ahead of the 2026 deadline.
next slide
I'll conclude with a quick overview of the shy block
Builder land sale platform that enabled dpd to streamline
all of its land sale programs through a single online
portal where the city Surplus land is identified for
potential public purchase. Shylock Builder is a key tool to
reduce the nearly 10,000 vacant lots that are managed by
dpd and marketed through the website.
With at least 350 Lots made available at least twice a
year.
Thanks in part to arpa funding each slot has a known market
value and environmental condition that has reduced the
average time. It takes to sell a given lot to a handful of
months.
We are continuing to refine the land sale process to make it
easier for homeowners and developers to take more ownership
of their communities for funding dpd has allocated 4.6
million for shy block Builder related land sale
improvements that include professional assistance involving
marketing title reviews back taxes and closings. The
remainder of the funding will be spent by the close of 2024
with future financial needs provided by other sources.
That concludes the brief presentation and we're happy to
respond to any comments or questions. You may have
regarding regarding our our our funded programs.
Thank you commissioner. Um
Got a lot going on over there any questions questions?
Vice chair Lee
thank you chairman full of commissioner. How are you? Hi,
Mary. Um
I came in sort of in the middle. So I apologize that I was
a little bit late here but regarding um, I'm just looking
at some of the numbers for the programs that you
highlighted. First of all the ambassador program. I'm a big
fan of we we have them in Chinatown. They've been amazing,
um contributions just to the
Just to the whole Community. Um from the fact that Chinatown
is a rather touristy destination. So they've been able to
help a lot of folks find their way around um find public
restrooms where those are, you know, the little things that
you take for granted but also they're extra eyes on the
street so, you know for services and for um safety, I think
safety, I think they're they've become a really um, a
really nice addition, um to the to the streetscape if you
will, um,
And would love to see that program continue. Uh, if that's
at all possible. I know that all of this funding is um is
temporary
What are we what are we thinking about? Um, in terms of
just long-term sustainability of a program like this. I
mean, I know we have money that's going to take us out
through 2026. Um, but what sort of work is going on now to
sort of prepare ourselves for you know, that chairman was
calling it earlier month 13, right when we get to the last
year of this program, we get to the 13th month where where
there's not arpa funding for it. Um, is there are there
plans to try to keep some form of this program continuing
Beyond 26. Yeah. That's a great question and I can start
off and then Mary could could could tackle on so the arpa
funding will actually be exhausted for us at the end of
this year. So it's 12:31 2024 and like you we recognize the
impact and I think our corridors also recognize the impact
There's an opportunity for us many of those corridors have
ssas and just in terms of best practices we've recognized
that this has been a really powerful program so some of the
best practices
Is that we've implemented through this program can certainly
be implemented through the SSA and there's conversations
around that Beyond just the additional eyes on the street
wayfinding and support of those local businesses. Also, it
was an opportunity to hire 200 individuals. And so that we
won't I want to just kind of state that as an important
component in community benefit from that program. Um, and
Mary can share um, some of the opportunities for more
permanent hiring through some of our partners, um within
those respective corridors,
Thank you. Hi Alderman. Um, so is the commissioner stated
that um, this program does our funds our um, exhausted at
the end of this year. We are we have been speaking with our
SSA to find a way to incorporate partial of this but
they're also looking at other funding sources through their
Chambers or organizations that will continue this program.
I don't know if we'll be able to um,
Have the same presence. It depends on the uh, the strength
of those chambers, but we've started that conversation last
year and we are finding we are looking at it. We're also
looking at other funding out there when you look at like
lisc and the state funding where we've been uh exploring
other funding opportunities, but when you look at um areas
such I'll look at organizations like St. Sabina and Uptown.
Um, they stab has other programs and they they believe so
strongly in this program that they they will fundraise or
find other ways to support these programs. So these
conversations are ongoing and if I could just
Uh, just in terms of complimentary initiatives while the
arpa funding does expire at the end of this year, you know,
this was in response to the vacancies and the like the lack
of foot traffic that we experienced postco. I think there's
a different funding streams that we're supporting that's
going to help to activate some of the vacant land that will
create more opportunities for eyes on the street right that
will help to address foot traffic, which is what some of
our Corridor ambassadors are really focused on. So, I think
they're complimentary efforts that dpd is focused on that
will help to kind of offset the lack of arpa funding for
this particular program. Oh, I appreciate the the pilot has
I think proved itself. Um,
Valuable for and and really contributing to the economic
Vitality of a corridor wherever these are it certainly has
in my ward. Um, and I think it makes it a lot easier to
make the case for the the community investment in it. So I
look forward to the conversation in our SSA about it. Um
looking at I'm looking at the appendices that you've got
back here with the just you know, breakdown on the numbers
for the community development program. I see there was a
reduction of um, the original allocation was 27.5 million
dollars and it was reduced by 21. Can you talk a little bit
about what?
Why the big reduction and you know how I'm just curious as
to why that number is so big.
Yeah, I think that you know, given our New Economic
Development Bond. We have an hour more sustainable funding
source that we're able to use um to fund some of these key
initiatives and so there are certain programs that we're
not able to fund our Economic Development Bond and their
programs that we are able to fund with our Economic
Development Bond given the time intensity for some of these
programs to really roll out to hire folks to get Key
Community Partners. We recognize that the economic
development Bond will be a more sustainable tool over the
long term so that we can have the impact across the
communities that we need. Do you have an idea how that
reduction was redistributed because obviously the money
still has to be spent. Um, do you have any idea of any of
that was redistributed within dpd, um know was it? No not
within okay. Sorry, that was should have been a question
for Annette then I'll ask her next time. Thank you. That's
all I've got chairman. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you Vice chair Lee any other questions ottoman man,
hop, hop hop hop hop hop hop hop hop hop hop hop hop hop
hop hop hop and worth.
Thank you chair. A lot of hops. Is that a remix? Uh, my
hand is out, by the way.
Thank you commissioner for your presentation. I I also want
to Second what Alder uh, lee was saying about the
ambassadors and I hope that um your
findings are also going to be shared with the caps and epd,
uh CPD because it it really does make a difference and um,
you know, the 48th word also includes Asia on Argyle which
is right by the train station, which is undergoing a lot of
construction right now. So, um, the vacancies that are
being felt in those storefronts are real with the decrease
in pedestrian traffic and the ambassadors when they're on
the ground. It makes a difference. Um, I guess 1 of the
things that I have a concern about is when you're talking
about Uptown, it's huge. The SSA is very huge in comparison
to for instance the SSA that is right in my neighborhood
where I live in Anderson build which is very tight and also
a couple of blocks long. So I just wonder and maybe you
don't have the answers today. Like, how can we uh, figure
out ways where the ambassadors feel ownership of you know,
a a manageable, um part of the SSA when it's a huge. Um,
to say like the Uptown
1 do you know what I mean? Yeah. No, that's I think that's
a fair question. I think from an SSA perspective well
separate and apart from the arpa discussions and and Mary
manages the team that focuses on the SSA. I think that a
lot of the ssas have prioritized some of the activity
that's important for them. So for example, in some ssas,
their priority is really placemaking other ssas. The focus
is really safety security and cleanup and so while at the
SSA don't take a 1 size fits all approach. I think what
we've learned through this 4-door ambassador program can um
provide an opportunity, um through just sharing of
information for some of the essays to kind of ssas to
rethink some of the services that they provide or maybe
think about additions to the service that they provide to
address more. Um,
um of the issues around wayfinding and the additional eyes
on the street, which we've seen to find invaluable right
for some of these key corridors and help to support more
foot traffic which then pays off when it comes to spending
in our local small businesses Etc. And so I don't know if
you want to chime in on any component of that Mary so I so
for Uptown, um United you have a very strong organization
as to say in chamber Sarah Wilson who is very good at um
ident identifying like the corridors of need and and the
timing and is the commissioner mentioned too that they have
the flexibility of Shifting them at high like at a special
events or other high priorities that are taking place
during um, you know at times in your community, but
I we work very closely with our delegate agencies to
identify these areas and finding solutions to continuing
these Services. Yeah, and we I really appreciate that. Um,
the corridor ambassador program is going to continue in the
Uptown area. It's it's really necessary and I ALS
appreciate that you're looking local to hire because those
um,
Those opportunities are absolutely needed especially if we
can extend them to uh, young people.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you cheer. Thank
you.
alderman
opin worth
I got it any other questions, uh dpd any other questions
Alderman Moore? Yes.
Uh, go ahead alderman.
Thank you so much chairman. Um
On your report with the popups. If you don't have it in
front of you, can you provide to the chair where in
Englewood and West Englewood the popups were done?
and
with some on 63rd Street at Racine and I believe it's 63rd
in Ashland.
okay, and so I I say that and and I say that because
when we talk about resources for and that's why we asked
for it by Ward. We have to make sure that um, these
communities are not left behind because when you say you
hit Englewood and then you get down to 71st 74th or 75th
Street at the vaak. They would tell you we haven't seen
nothing in our Englewood Community. Do you understand what
I'm saying? Englewood goes beyond 63rd Street, and so it
Alderman can I um just for awareness?
Oh, sorry. I'm sorry I know is is yeah, I'm sorry. That's my
mama trying to call me. Uh, it's imperative that we you
know, just keep that um in mind because it and then you can
go through every Department.
And I don't want us like getting into this thing of um,
like the ultimate competing but it's just like automate pad
down says she may be getting something in Bronzeville, but
full of Park is a totally different neighborhood. And so I
just want to make sure we are getting Beyond, um, the usual
places in Englewood and we expand out and make sure these
other areas in Englewood. I touched is critical because
those are the ones that being continually be left behind
Okay, so I just and so every department is doing that I for
the most part and and there's got to be some um,
some
Collaboration between the department so you know, okay, um
dfss, what are you all doing in Englewood? What are you
doing? What are you doing in our are you hitting parts of
the 18th ward in our progression or are you hitting parts
of the 17th ward in our progression or the 6th Ward or the
order 21st Ward and I just say ah progress because they
spray it and that way these areas get hit because people
don't travel like you all probably think in certain
neighborhoods certain neighborhoods Uptown and all that.
That's a box more or less where when we are we're really
spread out so 73rd Street and especially 74th and 75th not
because of Any gang activity, but because that's not that's
not the way people travel and go and so they're not going
to go all the way to 63rd in hostage. So it's important
that we just look and collaborate and talk so that
Even within the Departments. Um, everybody's not hitting
the same area and they can be spread around and everybody
can benefit from something. Okay.
Um, the the other part is the uh again about coming back to
the um, Corridor ambassador program, um, love what
ultimately said because they have those different and not
only her area but other areas that have high traffic High
foot traffic all those businesses. Yeah, all that works and
looks good, and I'm happy for them and it should
but in communities like um, whether it's Auburn Gresham OR
in some cases Englewood where you have that just to have
people walking up and down the street all day, uh with
their hands in their pocket is not what we need to be
doing. We have to find out, you know, like I said, whether
we they're passing out information for the Department of
Health, whether they're because pass because when you all
asked us to get things out, right we try to get it out
through the best way that we can through social media
through our emails and everything but to utilize them to
help get out additional City information and how
We coordinate that is very critical in certain parts of the
community that may not work in areas like Chinatown. It may
not be even needed but it's needed in our community to to
utilize our ambassadors in a way that is impactful, um for
the community, so I I need the department to be talking to
1 another and not just saying okay. We got the ambassadors
and but yet community in certain communities, they're not
being used. Um, effectively, okay.
So I need that. I need that collaboration. You can please
chime in on anything you want to add to that? Sure. Sure.
No, I I do appreciate that. And I think your your spot on
in terms of collaboration and working both within our
department and all of dpd's Bureau to ensure that we're
bringing the services that each Ward really needs and it's
not taking a 1 size fits all approach, um in terms of just
in response to the popcorn and I don't mean to cut you off
and not just your viewers, but the other departments as
well. That's right.
That's right. Yes agree. Okay, um to respond to the
popcorns and kind of how we determine where the popcorns uh
are developed we issue rfps, um for those pop chords, uh,
so that we're we want to be as collaborative and
coordinated as possible to make sure that we're not just
throwing up a popcorn where it's not um, most desired and
where it won't be the most impactful, um in regards to your
comment around the ambassadors. I also agree. We cannot
take a 1 size fits all approach to the services within
those corridors. And so
For example in some areas, you're right. The distribution of
key City materials are an absolute priority to make sure
people understand where grant opportunities are where
there's services available that they wouldn't otherwise
have access to and so since 20122 ambassadors have
distributed City information and resources to 1,800 and
Excuse me, 180,000 people, uh, we provided, you know,
wayfinding and other social service assistance to 39,000
people. We're talking about providing available resources
to unhoused folks 20,000 times over the last 2 years and
we've submitted over 9,000, uh requests to 311. And so I
just wanted to use that as an example to show we're not
really talking about a 1 size fits all approach in some
areas. The focus may be wayfinding. It may be eyes on the
street and other corridors. It really is ensuring that the
community and stakeholders nonprofit partners and
businesses are aware of the city's resources so they can
truly take advantage of them.
Yeah, and then the last part is the and this is just
Citywide working with the mayor's office and in the
government Affairs. So like when you said the RFP coming
out not just we get inundated with email. Sometimes we got
to be pulled in for some type of quick briefing or you
know, or somebody from intergovernmental be said hey this
RFP about to go out and it's going out specifically for
Inglewood or it's going about 6 to Auburn Gresham. Do you
have any people that we probably haven't touched that needs
to be applying for this. Do you understand what I'm saying?
And if we and so not just sending it through Ward 17 or
some email where things like but uh, and this and this more
not targeted at you but more targeted at in the government
Affairs, but yet you all communicating with them and saying
hey let them know now and and so we'll know and then if if
nothing happens on our end then you know, what? Hey, at
least we at least we know about it, you know because
somebody will say hey I didn't see it.
P I didn't know how about an RFP and if you send it it just
directly to my staff yeah, they getting it out in the
newsletter they're inundated with some some so many things
but those things got to come um, um from um, I think in a
office of um, the LGA LGA office so they can just let us
know. Hey, this is coming down the pipe. Do you have guys
have anybody what have we hit last year in the past 2 years
or the past 6 months. Do we need to be hitting somewhere
different and that's where?
Everybody is you know, um getting some type of benefit and
it's not just your department. It's this is for all the
Departments that using this Opera funding.
Understood I can make sure that uh during the briefings
we're stating it. I can also make sure that my team is
available to meet with some of your key ssas and uh your
Chambers to make sure that we're getting the word out
broadly, but we're here to be you know support and get the
word out. We don't want these opportunities to be the best
kept secret by no means and so we can continue to to do the
Outreach and meet with your community groups when and where
appropriate
All right. All right.
All right. Thank you all them and more.
Thank you chairman. All right.
Why do I feel outnumbered?
Wow, that is that is true. But uh
Alderman Coleman, yes. Thank you. An I mean chairman
Irving?
Um, uh commissioner, it's always a pleasure to have you. Um,
I would like to just ask a couple of questions and this was
predated to you in regards to the pop courts because it
really did not make sense for there to be a pop court on
63rd and Justine and at 63 in Racine again predated to you
because I didn't even know that the pop court was coming on
63rd and Racine which is across the street from my office
which then had to we had to reroute CTA and that has
deterred crime to now, you know, it's kind of pushed some
of that outdoor activities. So I'm sure we'll do better. I
am curious. What was the the amount of that Grant of
popcorn grants?
On average a popcorn just total development cost is about
550,000 dollars per popcorn. Yeah, they're
that includes, um the construction as well as um, the
maintenance and programming that's for all it for how many
years uh 3 for 3 years. So come 2020, so we opened up 63rd
in Justine last year. So 2026
Will we come back for know we're hoping that they'll be
sustainable that they'll find other ways to work with
organizations. Like DK's has a lot of programming list
offers things. So we we're working with them and
identifying other funding sources, okay.
Um and all the vacant lot Reduction Program. I'm very very
interested in this, uh, commissioner Boatright was just
with us on last week and she saw uh that myself and
alderwoman Scott Ward are identical. We just have street
names and numbers and in 24 as all street names, but our
our our blocks our neighborhoods are the same.
And uh have we Quantified in West Englewood in Inglewood
and Garfield Park? How many vacant Lots we're looking to um
reduce.
So not specific for the 2 W that you just highlighted. Um,
however, we have a target of about 350 to 400 lives for
each round in terms of the um, marketing the Lots. Um, I've
got Kathy diket here who can answer some additional
questions any specific questions, but what I want to say is
as we think about marketing these Lots we want to work
really closely with the aldermen and here's why some of
your lots are more troubled. Some of them there's a larger
plan some of them there's complimentary efforts to recent
like Corridor Investments or large rfps, and we want to
make sure that we're being as responsive as possible. So
you may see in some Wards there's more
More Lots marketing marketed than in other words and that's
no coincidence. Um, that's strategic. We want to make sure
that we're putting a lot back in productive. Use. I'd also
like to say there's an opportunity for us to really think
strategically in certain words and really take a block by
block approach so you can really see the impact of
development in those lots in some cases.
Gardens make sense and other cases actual developments make
more sense. And so we want to be really responsive to that
and I know some others prefer to have no more gardens in
their rewards and that's fine too. But I think it just
speaks to us really taking a um more tailored approach to
how we activate the land and so next round as with prior
rounds. We work closely with you to identify how many Lots
make sense.
Potential in uses for those lots so that it really is
complimentary and is addressing your more holistic approach
to real estate development. Yeah Kathy. I know you like
trees and Parkways and nature spaces, but I don't like rats
and possums and I don't like Gardens and wrap homes because
uh, I think they talk back and they should be registered
voters over in Englewood. I don't know if it's like that
over in Lawndale or in Austin but uh, yeah, they they're
bold. These are some new new characters these fellas and
ladies and they have lots of babies. Okay, so no, no
Gardens other than the nature trail. I don't want to hear
it's your choice. I just want to
said that's as as um
The commissioner said we're working closely with the
elders. What programs how do you want to sell your land?
And that's how we will Market it.
Thank you commissioner. You're welcome.
Thank you. All right any other questions?
Um, let me just say this, uh, 2 things 1 on the community
wealth building initiative. Can you talk a little bit about
how uh how that's working and uh resources going to that
and uh, what what the sustainable uh future of that looks
like yeah.
outside of the 2 examples I'm going to actually have Hannah
um chime in because she's done a phenomenal job of engaging
Partners, um on the pre-development side of engaging
stakeholders and finding support through technical
assistance for those, um partners that were mentioned in so
I'm going to actually pass it over to Hannah to do a deeper
dive to the community. Well,
Is this thing on? Can you hear me? Okay. Yes. Um, hi
everyone, it's great to see you all. Um, so Community
wealth building is is I think probably in my opinion our 1
of our most Innovative programs, right because we're really
trying to put um, the control of neighborhood assets, uh
back into the hands of those folks who live in those
neighborhoods. So, um right now we have a 3-fold approach
to our community wealth building we have what we call our
Phase 1 which is also known as our ecosystem. So we've
contracted with 16, um delegate agencies to provide
Technical Services. Um, I know you're probably thinking why
16, but um across our 4 pillars of community wealth
building which is uh limited Equity housing cooperatives
workers.
Cooperatives Community investment vehicles and Community
Land trusts there's a lot going on. So there we want to
make sure that we are providing comprehensive, um services
not just to our pre-development grantees, but also to
anyone who is interested in this sort of model of
ownership. So I think Community wealth building is just
sort of a little um difficult to comprehend when you first
experienced it but um, we want to make sure that our
communities are educated on uh, the possibilities of asset
control. Um, and we also want to make sure that we are
seeing feeding a pipeline of development. So, um, we are
second phase we call our pre-development phase. So as the
commissioner mentioned and are talking points earlier, the
pre-development phase is really where we're trying to get
folks, um, uh from an ideation, um phase of their concept
into a development phase. So, um, pre-development, uh
grants cover, um, everything from um, setting up legal
entities to um, doing feasibility studies in a community
outreach. We're also um working with them on land and site
acquisition and then helping them. Um,
Um with their architectural designs construction bidding to
really to get them into the development phase. So the first
2 phases are funded by arpa our third phase. Um, it was our
development, um phase which um will be paying for um
Capital Improvements to either new construction or
Rehabilitation of brick and mortar locations. So that way
we can um assist with uh, getting getting these Concepts
into um into actual developed entities. So, um that um
phase 3 is is going to be launching soon. Um,
We are um working on our um RFP currently and we're happy to
to keep you all in the loop of when that opens if you know
anyone in your um in your Wards who may be interested in
this sort of unique ownership model.
Thank you. Um
We also with the vacant lot reduction. I know previously
and this I think this predates you, uh, there was
conversation around the uh, what we call zombie loss. You
zombie lots are lots that are essentially, uh, we are
essentially landlords for even though we're not the ones
that are on title as as the city. However, we have lands on
these properties primarily demolition lands that we have
yet to foreclose on um, what?
What is the strategy around us perfecting those liens so
that we can take this property in? Um, it's sitting out
there kind of limits some of our ability on what we can do
with the property and when we're you know ready for them to
be developed. We still we got to go through a year-long
process of foreclosing on the lane. Uh, why aren't we
looking at that in in this, you know, these lots are finite
right? And you know when this money is finite and you know,
why not try to slide down that path of acquiring these
properties now while we have the additional resources to do
that. Yeah Kathy you want to chime in and talk about our
acquisition strategy our partnership with other entities,
um, sure kind of comprehensive path forward on the vacant
land. So to that other, um alterative. I think you're
talking about both demo lines and then tax delinquency. So
we we
Monthly with a click on no. No, no, not the not the tax. We
have a I mean the land bank's doing a pretty good job of
going after those, uh properties even if the property does
have a tax lean the demo lean still exists, which does not
uh go away with the tax deed. So what we have the probably
the ultimate lean to go after folks on, uh, why aren't we
doing that in in such a way to acquire these properties?
Um,
To redevelop them. So we have had we have been meeting with
uh Law Department about the demo link and I think actually,
um, as a commissioner said we have to be most strategic
because sometimes those Lanes will take you know, a year or
more with law, um taking the actions they need to so as
soon as we can do more planning on where you want to
assemble or prioritize these Lots then we can start that
process and we would look at uh in an area anything so we
would only look at the demo lines. We look at the tax
delinquency and what the city owns so we have to because
they're scattered all over just going after them, uh in a
random fashion isn't really going to be the approach. We're
going to have to really look at where you want to Target
those and if you have potential, uh projects that our
clients let us know and we can start that process with law.
Well, the the real issue is areas that we should be looking
at our areas that potentially are on the verge of
gentrification. I'll give you ecar for the park is 1 uh,
that is an area that we should be trying to acquire
everything because when we did the land survey we found
that I think it was 65 or 30% of the vacant land was owned
by was privately held it wasn't held by unit of government.
So these are areas where the land that is probably held is
still probably held but nonetheless some of these some of
this land has demolition Lanes on it and this is an area
that's
Pretty much gentrifying these are areas that we need to be
focusing our efforts on getting city property so that we
can control and create some level of affordability in those
particular areas. And and this is you know Community by
Community. I think we can look at that strategy. However, I
mean we I I know that we've got to do something and it
seems like this acquisition strategy has been stalled for
The Last 5 Years and here's a perfect opportunity for us to
capitalize on that and it doesn't seem like we're taking
advantage of it. Yeah. I I'll chime in I think that we
absolutely want to take advantage of all, um land
acquisition strategies, um overall and I'll I'll explain
why right? There's not a lot of places in the city except
for a couple where you have contiguous vacant Lots right
when you have access to contiguous vacant Lots, you have an
opportunity to really think about development at scale
Right? No way that addresses affordability in a way.
really focuses on holistic.
that's what we
disposition of um of those parcels. And so I would I would
I would tell you that we won't uh will be strategic we'll
continue to be strategic and we won't leave opportunities
on the table for the acquisition so that we can have robots
Development Across all of our 77 community.
Thank you Vice. May I need to sit up here with me Manny the
ganging up on me man.
Thank you, sir. I appreciate that. Uh, I don't have any
more questions, uh for for DPN any any other questions from
uh members.
Okay.
Well, uh, it looks like I know you your money is running
out this year. So, um, you'll be back for be back for more
I guess so.
But again, I I think that we're all I mean, we're we're all
very, you know concerned as relates to uh, making sure that
the the activities especially in our business corridors. I
want to uh, uh, thank uh almond OK Conor for the work that
she's doing uh with the business Community with the spiff
and all of that stuff. I mean, very great, uh success
stories that we continue to see and so we want to continue
to good work over there. And again, just thank you all and
uh, oh, I'm sorry. Go ahead. Go ahead vice mayor. I know
you all been here all day. I'm sorry. No, they just got
here, man. We we all just got here. Okay, so you've been
here all day but
We always say the best for last that's why I'm here. Right?
But anyway.
um
tell us about the uh
The program that they just voted in in Springfield business
improvement district. Yes.
So the business improvement district, um was uh voted and
approved in the house. And now we're just waiting for the
governor to um, sign the bill and then we will be working
with the department and now we can bring it to um, Chicago
and we because it was uh State enabling a legislation and
so now we will be working with do and how to implement that
here um in Chicago, so you'll be hearing from us probably
in mid or I'd say late June early July. So the business
Improvement program is going to take sort of take the place
of would be similar to special service districts know so
been uh business improvement district is an additional
Financial tool so ssas will continue to be uh, a financial
tool because many neighborhoods that may be a better
preference but for areas like Fulton Market, um, the mag
mile high density areas. Um, um bid is a better model for
them.
So I'm guessing we'll we'll see maybe 3 or 4 bids, um in
the year of 25, um move forward.
So we just waiting on the governor or the we need we need
the gun. No, it's it's the governor now to sign and then
we'll bring We'll be bringing it here and meeting with the
author is talking about this. So how does it affect the
state at all? It's not they don't have to spend any money
on it anything. No, this is self-funded per uh a specific
Geography. Okay. All right. Fantastic. Good job on doing
that. Thank you. Thank you.
Okay. All right very well. Well, thank you commissioner.
And uh, we look forward to continued success from what you
all are doing. And uh, we appreciate you joining with us
today. So committee will be at ease off until we get our
next Department in. Thank you.
Okay.
you couldn't let the commissioner get 1 Word and
Good afternoon.
Committee on budgeting government operations will come back
to order. Uh, we will uh, conclude our session today, uh
with 3 departments the department of
Special Affairs and cultural ah cultural Affairs and special
events, uh department bacp and then mayor's office of
people with disability. So we're going to start with mopd
mopd followed by dcase followed by bacp. So, uh
commissioner Arthur if you could introduce yourself and
members of your team that are present with you here today.
Yeah, thank you to other members and be budget committee.
Um, they keep having the commissioner of the M's office for
people with Disabilities Act today. If I may start my
senator who is a better customer, you know working with me
and I hope program as well. There's 2 members of our
America sennik which interpret the team.
Like you may proceed.
People I teach money to let you know I'd be more than I am
profoundly tap here and I went to 180 as some speech
therapy to learn how to talk in. Sometimes. I know that
it's hard for people to understand me. Please feel free to
ask me to repeat myself. It is not hurt my feelings.
All right. So I um today to be here today to present our um
our program which is a 5 million dollar cash assistance
program called the first donors, uh recovery program, which
gives 500 dollars to students with disabilities increase
critical to 12 green.
Who live in Chicago you have a disability?
The good news is that we've already touched the program. So
I have some green update to share about how is going
to be dodged a program about 6 weeks ago and we have a
incredible number of applications already as of today this
morning. We have received 8,000. I mean sign 6,855
application from 6,322 households. The Visa Vie. The number
on households is than if you have um up to 2 children in
your household with the disability and apply if they will
each get 500 dollars and you could go to any type of school
whether it's Chicago public school private school or
charter schools in the city his super we have application.
covering 50 Brewers zip codes
and we already have a high number of applications from
Tyger Community areas which are um, so the applications
with the highest number of ready is just 5 weeks, uh open
question per month and so d
is he would receive it already which is then that the
largest number of applications of uh him him come from
student critical which I find very interesting because
it's this money will make an impact in any green.
That we so many families who um have a child with a
disability.
So just a reminder in another criteria, which is that we
are providing a runtime 500,000 payment to City and Chicago
household to have a student including.
rude bum Queen who have a disability
and then uh, we have 3 lottery drawings. We were very
intentional and how we designed this program, which was
that we did not run it a favor people who fight out of
other program first. We wanted to give everybody a fair
chance at being selected. So we have 3 that we draw at the
first 1 will Stone and should I first 2021 so we have with
the 5 million others. We have a total of 8 thousand SPS.
Who could potentially get their dose?
Next slide so, um, I'm going to talk now about how you can
apply, um the points with either as me who is able to
delicately to see either selected through the RFP process
here. They have been a really terrific partner. In fact,
I've been meaning for them every week up to the time that
we launched the program in every week. We made such
significant project progress, which helped us to get here.
You have to pay for the time you go to the website
www.ad.com and you can apply for that the application if we
have um support Outreach closure those you can help with
any questions.
Um either we also have another Outreach stage at the next
slide. I will show where C. It could be either virtual. So
people don't need to go really well in person. But also
happy to partner with you to share about our programs or
the people that we could do a community could get the word
out to please. Let me know but what we would love to
partner with you for now, we have Fires available in
English Spanish polish the Chinese it will be happy to make
the players available in any other language, um that you
think is needed and the several of our um Outreach session
have a miracle signing which interpreter team
as well
Um that the other criteria then I wanted to make sure to
mention was not the family must have a household income at
below 300% of the federal property level.
um, so she goes um in my Outreach calendar
Um, if that could lose the internet.
Thank you, uh commissioner.
Uh next we're going to have uh, commissioner hedsouth from
the uh Department of cultural Affairs and special events. I
thank you chairman Ervin and committee members for this
opportunity to discuss the department of cultural Affairs
and special events known as DK and the mayor Johnson's road
to recovery plan.
Um, you know, just a reminder the department supports
artists and cultural organizations invest in Creative
economy and expands access and participation in the Arts
throughout Chicago's 77 neighborhoods or communities.
um as a collaborative cultural presenter in arts funder and
advocate for Creative workers our programs and events serve
Chicago and and visitors of all ages and backgrounds
downtown and throughout the city.
Uh, just so we know the you know, as a reminder the
American Rescue, um plan act or arpa funding total 34
million has allowed this department to invest in ongoing
recovery of the critically important Chicago and arts
sector and primarily Mo 3 main areas tourism and
hospitality.
Together we heal creative place, um Place program artists
relief and works fund including the Chicago Arts recovery
plan our city arts program in Healing Arts Chicago, which
was formerly known as arts and health pilot for Creative
workers. It's a little it's important for me to discuss how
these um areas, but they are their purpose and a little bit
of the deliverables, um, tourism and Hospitality the
department has invested a total of 16 million in tourism
Hospitality efforts through a grant to choose Chicago, uh
for a tourism marketing campaign that highlights the
uniqueness of Chicago neighborhoods, including small
businesses and through a grant to World business Chicago
for industry focused events that showcase Chicago's
businesses, especially those harmed by Co 19
to Chicago's tourism and marketing campaign aims to get
more visitors both residents and Out of Towners to visit
Chicago in our neighborhoods by elevating promoting the
unique assets and exciting events happening to our in our
communities across the city to date nearly half of the arpa
funds allocated to this program have been spent with 52% of
the pro of this happening on the South and West sides
specific initiatives have happened with you know, for
example, um, uh influencing networks having cohorts of
people to come together to talk about how to enrich
neighbor neighborhoods. Um and Technical Support World
business Chicago has used its arpa funds to host almost 150
business focused convenience.
Throughout the city and I'm we're very proud to say 51% of
which are W, uh, mwbe, uh businesses additionally World
business Chicago launched, um, 4 cultural showcases 1
industry showcase and vacant spaces on the Magnificent Mile
including Nordic house.
Um to date well over 2/3 of the arpa funds allocated to
this program have been spent with remaining funds earmarked
for more more initiatives benefiting neighborhoods small
businesses as well as business focus convenience and
neighborhoods outside of downtown.
The next uh, you know major Place, uh is together. We heal
creative Place program. This program is a joint initiative
of the mayor's office of equity and racial Justice.
This initiative 7 million programmed funded by arpa
supports artists and organizations to design and Implement
Arts programs that promote healing and transformation in
Chicago's neighborhoods. 47 Grant finalists were awarded a
total of 5.2 million with additional 500,000 to support
technical supports for grantees. And as most of us knows
that technical support makes a big difference in how people
are able to fill out grants and navigate these oftentimes
very difficult, um online applications and interviews.
Together we heal creative plays positions artists Community
leaders and residents as active agents with the ability to
identify solutions to the challenges caused by systemic
inequalities in their communities. The program is set is a
central component of the city of Chicago's together. We
heal initiative which aims to build racial healing and
transform many of often forgotten spaces.
The next 1 is artists relief and workers fund. This is very
very important and very exciting artists relief and works
fine total in 11.2 million in arpa funding offers
multi-tiered support to individual artists creative workers
and cultural organizations as a heavily impacted industry
still struggling to recover from Co 19 Arts organizations
were some of the last businesses to reopen and have had a
drastically rethink audience engagement capacity staging
and more multiple relief efforts are targeting different
support to artists and cultural organizations not eligible
for other Federal relief funds.
77 nonprofit organizations were awarded Chicago Arts
recovery program grants providing funding to Aid local Arts
organizations still recovering.
These grants build Upon Our ongoing commitment to
revitalizing and strengthening the city's diverse Arts
communities.
Carp, which you heard earlier from testimony, um support
specific projects with resources to examine and address
ongoing challenges in marketing and audience development.
33 organizations were awarded arpa funds through the 2023
the 24th city arts program cycle.
City arts grantees are Chicago based nonprofits of all
sizes and artistic disciplines including arts service
organizations. Arts education groups Heritage centers and
entities that directly present or produce performing visual
or media arts and grantees receiving these funds
demonstrated to decrease in Revenue since the pandemic
lastly Healing Art Chicago formerly known as arts and
health pilot for Creative workers is an Innovative paid job
training program that seeks to build the Realms of Arts
Health healing and wellness. The program pays artists to
Apprentice in community clinics and become certified
community health workers to amplify The Proven benefits of
Arts engagement and fostering holistic recovery well-being
and social cohesion and communities. The program is a
collaborative effort between the department and the
Department of Public Health city colleges of Chicago and
other National partner 1 Nationwide project from september
2023.
The December 2024 10 selected artists are being trained as
community health workers to creative Wellness strategies to
clients and communities served in the city's 5 mental
health clinics.
sites for placement include North River Clinic
greater Grande clinic vondell clinic and greater lawn
clinic and Englewood Clinic which are all targeted
communities and C cdph is trauma-informed Care Network.
Um, you know, I could go on and on but what I will say is
that these programs have literally changed the landscape
for so many different organizations and so many of our
communities. Um, and when we talk about sustainability, we
will be coming back up here to figure out as my team as we
are working creatively to find ways to ensure that we're
sustaining, um the support that this um, this fund has been
able to do but also recognizing that some were created and
presented in order just to get them through the pandemic.
So, um, thank you, um for letting me speak
Thank you commissioner. Uh, my apologies. Uh, do you have
any other members with you today? I do. I'm so sorry. I
have Jennifer, um, Washington first deputy.
Um made a mcneel. She is our senior recovery strategist.
Um Melanie Wong Melanie what exactly I you have a very long
title and I get to always kind of confused.
Yes, so she's on the ground with the cultural grants and
then to hear about the Deputy Commissioner for um financing
budget.
All right. Thank you much commissioner mayor.
Good afternoon. Chairman Jason Ervin Vice chair, Nicole Lee
and members of the Chicago city council. Good afternoon. My
name is Ken Meyer, and I'm the commissioner for the Chicago
Department of Business Affairs and consumer protection also
known as bacp.
I'm joined by members of my team, uh load a cup pie.
managing Deputy Commissioner and chief small business
officer for bacp
I have in Kappa Phi first Deputy Commissioner.
Maurice Phillips acting recovery team program director
Miguel compost director of The Office of labor standards
AJ Lee assistant commissioner for finance Administration
for those of you who don't know him Chris Jessup right
behind me.
and
uh
Alisa slavenska who does all of our Outreach and
Communications. I want to thank Mayor Johnson for his
leadership and strategy to maximize the impact of the
American Rescue plan act funding. I also want to thank all
of you for your efforts in passing legislation that
benefits the well-being of all Chicago businesses workers
and consumers under the Johnson Administration.
The the department implemented economic recovery
initiatives to address the challenges posed by the coid 19
pandemic.
The programs managed by the department were designed to
drive transformational change by investing in Chicago's
neighborhoods and communities hardest hit by the pandemic.
The program is not only stimulate immediate economic
activity, but also Foster long-term growth. I will
Spotlight 3 programs managed by the department first the
small business and nonprofit grant program will provide
relief dollars to potentially over 2,000 entities in a
targeted manner.
On the next slide is the second the capacity building
program will assist small businesses and nonprofits and
enhance enhancing operational efficiency sustainability.
and growth
and third the good food fund program aims to support food
businesses by providing them with the capital and technical
assistance to start and expand their small businesses.
These 3 programs I mentioned will support businesses and
nonprofits and stabilizing operations retraining retaining
employees and adapting to evolving market conditions. I
want to thank the Chicago city council for your continued
collaboration with bacp to make sure Chicago safer more
Equitable for City businesses consumers and workers. Thank
you for your time and my staff and I are happy to answer
questions.
Thank you. Uh, thank you commissioner. Um, I know this is
uh reminisces of budget hearings where we had some uh
departments up even though these 3 don't have a whole lot
in common. However, uh, given the uh amount of each of them
and uh General ease of uh, what they've been working on. I
think it was appropriate for us to bring them all here
together. So, um any questions for any of them, uh, not in
any specific order, but please feel free ottoman Conway.
Uh, the the um, uh, my first question is for for
commissioner hedsouth. Noting that um, uh,
World business Chicago has gone. Um
Had some had some significant turnover. Uh, I didn't know
if you had figures on I see they were Grant they
Were you all invested 10.5 million in World business
Chicago? I didn't know if you had any idea how much of that
is left or how much of that has been spent. Um, yes, 3.4 is
left.
Um, and um, I think here is that's all allocated right and
that we are actually waiting to receive additional
invoices, but as I understand it, I think 3.4 is is is that
correct?
Okay, um.
What were you saying? How much was left? Yeah. Yeah 3.4 3 3
so that 3.4 is is that is that unobligated or unspent? It's
it's it's already allocated. Okay, so so that's the yeah.
and um, that's and and then uh commissioner Myer, um,
I guess in as Ballpark and how much um
in total did you receive of of
Arpa funds and about how much is and and where does that
sit today? I know you highlight these 3 programs I and do
they and do these 3 programs all sit.
Totally under your departments approximately about 52
million. Okay. You were allocated about 52.
That's correct and and idea rough idea of how I'm going to
watch you that is on Spence or any or even on obligated.
Um, well we we've kind of re strategized with the budget
office and we're kind of breaking into broader buckets. So
we'll have the um, small business support grants, um, which
will be about approximately 215 some of this could change a
little bit. Um, we're going to have a small business
support. That's our capacity building that's going to be
approximately 7 million.
Followed by um the good food fund, uh, which is another 5
million.
That's and and idea. I guess of the big number of the 52
how much is not yet spent directionally.
uh
I'm going to turn that over to Lo, do you know that number
if it really is just a directional number. I'm seeing just
where we are in a relative to other programs.
So we
thank you. Alderman called me for that question. We have
about 32 million which is unobligated which we will get
obligated by end of this year. And in terms of the other
programs that are still open the good food fund. Uh, we are
I would say, uh going to distribute about 2.5 million in
Grants in June and for the other programs this uh, the
storefront activation program.
2.7 million. It's been fully obligated the program wraps up
in May of next year. And uh the other big chunk that is
left which is the urban Growers program that had a little
bit of delay because of dpd's chai block Builder, which
needs to be, you know, the land access needs to be approved
and approved by city council. So that has had a delay but
that program was extended to December 2026. And that while
the program is 2 million dollars, uh about 1.6 million
dollars is left to be spent.
That's great. Okay, that's Mr. Chairman. That's all I have.
Thank you. Thank you both. Thank you all thank you, man, uh
any other questions ultimately
Thank you chairman. Um and thank you all for being here
today and rounding us out and it's not 5 oclock when we're
starting this so I'm very happy about that. Thank you. Um,
I'll start with you commissioner Myer. Can you talk a
little bit more about the small business support grants.
Can you give I read the overview but can you just give me
like a real life example of what a small business who
qualifies for this grant might use funding for yeah, so
there'll be any existing licensed business, uh that can
apply uh to show they've had some hardship and that's going
to be a lot of our small businesses all across the city
since the co um pandemic a couple years ago. Um, and just
like similarly what we did in 2021 and 2022, uh, then we
will give a small business grants. We're still working out
that dollar amount like in the past we've done I think
7510 thousand dollar grants, um, but really to kind of help
out our small, uh businesses and we'll we'll work with your
offices your local mbdc, you know, our cbc's to really kind
of get that word out once that's ready to go.
So it can be used for any number of purposes. I'm assuming
that I mean lots of things have changed through the course
of coid and how we're we are today would that include
things like, you know, we've we've gotten new uh policies
for paid time off sure coming up so that might mean
software acquisition or training for employees on how to
use new systems.
That's all right. And the second program just interrupted
us for a second. So it's the small business support that's
kind of that back of the office support gotcha and that um,
I think it also provided further technical assistance on
payroll. So if if the payroll, um, because we now have paid
time off as well as paid sick leave. It's always kind of
back office supports. Maybe he has nothing to do with
payroll. Maybe it's you want a better accounting right or a
better whatever whatever or even maybe website development,
right?
No, that's great. And um has the program already started or
are you working on that from a timing perspective? I'm just
wondering like we will get the uh, the program will come
out this this year for sure, uh with the um allocations
done before the end of the year. Great. Well, I can't wait
to tell all of our small businesses about it. Um, and then
on the uh, the good food fund
um
what sort of the program provides coaching grants and
assistance to accessing low interest loans? So this is more
um, just probably like technical assistance then technical
assistance and this is for particularly folks in the
neighborhoods. Um, you could be a corner grocery store. It
could be a restaurant could be any of our uh, smaller
businesses in the uh food area, uh that just wants some
further additional assistance so it could be like if it's a
little Bodega for instance now, but they want to like take
over another storefront to expand it to have more
groceries. This is that's a perfect example. Yeah. Okay
great. Great. Thank you. Um, we'll just move down the down
the road here commissioner on the on the decays grants. Um,
how are you feeling about being on track to to spend all
the money? Um by 2026. I just we're feeling really good.
You're feeling good. Yeah, we're feeling good. I want to
help you spend some of that money. Yeah, we we we we I mean
if anything we're nervous about how you know, like
sustainability. Yeah, um know we're we're things are
allocated. We're finding ways to um, we're reaching out to
other funders and things like that. So we feel very
confident about um spending on this money, um, and the
commitments that we've made in writing and to people
already. Um, if anything we are ensuring and encouraging
vendors and artists to make sure that they're getting
invoices to us so we can so we can pay them in a timely
fashion.
Feeling very confident. Um, and this is a little bit in the
weeds. But because my words been doing purchase pittore
budgeting and this is our first go around at it. We've been
talking a lot about public art and murals um, and making
sure that people are building into the cost the cost to
maintain these as well. So, um, can you talk a little bit
about just like the the sort of uh, the sort of resources
or like advice and Council we're providing to artists it's
they're building their budgets just to make sure that
they've got everything built into it. I I understand about
1 to get bills in on time. But as a as a in a prior life
being a corporate funer, you know 1 of the things that I
was always doing was just making sure that people were
asking for enough right to cover, you know, the the full
uh, the full project and then the life beyond just
finishing the program itself. Um, how do you maintain that?
Yeah, so I mean great excellent example you brought up as
murals a lot of times we think of just paying for the
artists and the initial supplies versus actually
maintaining the murals so finding best products things like
that. So my team
team luckily is pulling together resources to ensure that
when we are talking and providing the technical support
that they are given resources even if that's a sheet of
paper that if it's a if it's if it's means a change of
using a certain type of Mosaic when putting up and I'm this
is in the weeds just as of a mural which 1 will allow you
to not have to go for, you know, maintenance within 5 years
versus 15 years. So we are creating a database that has
very practical things where people feel that they are
comfortable.
Able to say yes, we want to get this pool of money and we're
deserving of it and we want to Grant it. And then this is
how we can then come back and say you did all the right
steps to to ensure that this the long longevity of your
your work that you're doing. And this is the best way to do
to do it. So there's this educational piece that goes to
it. I'm gonna ask 1 last question of you and then before I
move on to commissioner rpha, um,
With the with the maintenance piece of the the artwork. Um,
I'm wondering are there are their economies of scale that
can be leveraged. I mean, we're doing public art all over
the city is every single artist sort of um, you know, if
there are things that every artist needs or every mural
project is going to need if it is the the glaze that goes
over a finished. Uh mural is there some is there some
savings that can happen by the city sort of leveraging the
economies of scale of what we're going to need. I don't
know 500 gallons of this between, you know, all of these
mural projects and rather than everybody individually going
to buy like, you know, you know 10 quarts of something um,
is that something that the case is doing today? Or is that
something that we can look into that? We're looking into
again going back to the idea just because of public art and
our teams very much aware of that. Um, but the answer is
yes and no each creative is different each project is
different and I think each neighborhood wants something a
little different but when it comes to the idea of just
something that's kind of large scale. Absolutely and that
is our job to do that and to provide
look, we're
murals we're going to have um public, um, you know crafts
where artists are coming in. Um, and and it's kind of a
pop-up experience where they're the community is coming out
to watch artists create. Absolutely. So there is we can
forecast for things but long long and short you know, it it
it big picture. Yes smaller know.
Gotcha. So talk about it again at budget. Um commissioner
rpha. Hi.
Um, just 1 basic question for you. I think this is a great
program, um that we're doing with these grants for the um,
families of children, um diverse Learners, uh,
the $500 1 time Grant. Can you give me an example of just
sort of what the grant funds are are meant to support at
the end of the day?
Um, thank you. Um
So, um be by need to um, acknowledge the um difficulties in
townships that families and students with disabilities
experience during uh, I'm Co 19 through our example, but if
your child has, um, specific disability, it may be more
difficult to find baby students who have more specific, um
between experience with that disability. Um, um to um, even
this morning, uh, be happy on these coming share her
experience and she talked about how to to something and
have capito
Still at the world of the virtual pedals, you need a time to
learn how to use computers that was um more customized
through them and maybe that would you know to the week so
we um also purpose the technical restriction and have this
medical be spread because we believe that families know
best where they need in order to um, support their children
if their families so this money could go to us, um by
ecosystem technology and conditional to read um, even the
summer enrichment activities, but we really needed them and
um, I know that it is good to make a bigger pack. So how
are we um, I I love it and I I don't think we're giving
people enough. I I think $500 doesn't go very far and I can
appreciate that, you know at with the small amount of money
that we have in 5 million dollar. I don't is it 5 million
in Grants? Yes that it's 5 million.
For this pilot what sort of uh data are you hoping to
gather to help potentially make a case for additional
funding in the future for these families?
um, but first, um, I think it's this is such a productive
way that we can support these families between um,
Agreed to help support them, but also to build that sense of
trust so that they could learn about all the other services
that Nano my department provides but many other departments
that they may not have known about until we launched this
pilot in a dictating but also help us to get the sense of
what the needs are in front different neighborhoods. So I
really look forward to uh, reviewing the data and um as we
look to do deal those questions great. Thank you. That's
all I've got chairman. Thank you.
Thank you Vice chair Lee any other questions for members?
Uh, I got you. Um after all Alderman Manor
hey chair.
Thank you for being.
I want to say thank you bacp.
for all your help
um and uh to the questions that Alder Lee asked I also am
interested in in digging in deeper to that because we have
a lot of economic corridors that have struggled. So, um,
thank you. Um, I wanted to also say hello to commissioner
hands with and um, I want to thank you for all of your work
around arts and healing and mental health. I think it's so
important. I would like to know, you know how we're going
to sustain those programs because I think it's essential.
Um, I hope to talk to you more about that.
Um, I'm as an artist myself. I know that it's um, it truly
does change lives and it it has changed my life. So thank
you for your work and like Alder Lee says I would like to
help you spend your money as well. So we like to work
together with you on that.
And then um to commissioner rpha. I am also interested in
the diverse Learners recovery program. It kind of uh
reminds me of the um, Chicago empowerment program with the
guaranteed income.
um to give people um money so that they can do what they
need to do and a lot of young people and families of um
kids with neuro Divergent learning experiences. They they
want to know what the city is doing. Um,
And I so I just wanted to thank you for your work on that.
Um, also I'm curious to know because it is a lottery system
after.
People are chosen those that don't get chosen. I'm curious
if there are programs available to them if they are not um
included. Um, and and uh, so that that is something that
I'm interested in as well.
um, so we have be that we so, um after the first that we try
and um, should I first if somebody um, he applies it did
not know about the program. It decides to reply who have
they had already applied. But but the church should I drive
people have to opportunities to be selected in October?
Yeah, the November he has 1 of the Eagles and the
appropriate Mr. Hump. Um, she was with family. So I really
believe that this political closure connection to to to
Thank you. Um
I'm interested in learning more about how we can continue
programs like this Beyond, um, our limited funds that we
have from um our program Grant and I just again wanted to
thank you for all of your work you all together. This is a
very interesting mix of folks before us, but um, it truly
shows that we need to work together to make Chicago work.
So thank you. Thank you chair.
Thank you almond hoping worth.
Um next we have ottoman Moore.
Um, thank you so much. Um, thank you all for appearing. Um
before us and going over. It was a great detail
commissioner offer if you can help me
We got to sign them up for that new broadband.
Department or not? Um
Alderman Moore
I apologize. No.
Someone's calling me. I apologize. Um, I had a situation
where a senior or 1 of us. Can you back up about 30
seconds? Uh, we lost you for about 30 seconds there.
Okay, I'm sorry. Yeah, I was saying uh to commissioner
offer I I
didn't I don't know if you um with this be in partnership
with the Department of Housing and not and making sure
again how we um,
Being Synergy in terms of how we collaborate and using
funding throughout across departments, but I'm I was faced
with a situation where 1 of the seniors in 1 of my senior
buildings who we use, um city funding years ago to get it
developed way before I was Alderman and
another apartment so that she can now use her bathtub
because her bathtub from when she first moved in when she
was probably like 60 or 70 if you will, um, and she's now
close to 90, uh, she can't get into her bathtub, but they
don't have an apartment ready and got on the list for the
next available. How can any of this arpa money if between
your department of Department of Housing be used?
And reconfigure a um bathroom so that a single would would
not have to move out of her unit.
Um, thank you. Um, this is Commissioner of um, thank you
the question. Um should be to have a home modification
program will be helped to make homes for um people with
disabilities as seen as Citizens accessible typically buy
at because they have to continue to the home but we cut out
so make bathrooms accessible such as by taking out the
bathtub he put it again he ruled in the shower. Um, we are
making a kitchen accessible it matter if I could here, um
City close your husband to that, um to Uber for a million
dollars, he be to have through this program.
Okay. I'm YouTube Partner with the Department of Housing
already through the Suns program to make that a breathable
and accessible for senior citizen and I'm just so proud of
the work that we do with the Department of Housing to help
meet these critical need.
Yeah, I know I know about the science program. But I Know
It Go that in depth. I know we like put um bars up and
things like that and we've done some other things with that
but to uh, tear out a whole new tub, and then install what
she can just walk it walk in because she cannot step over
into the tub that same program would do something like that
in a senior building.
um, yes, um, the program is to be the in um,
Through a people with disabilities. He had seen a citizen
excluding senior citizens that me receive chaos. Um, we
have an upper. I'm serious that her make up the program,
but he has to be up so they need to serve senior citizen.
So that is a beautiful now.
Maybe it's me.
more
I can hear I don't know what happened. I heard her when she
said the funds when I asked her the question. She said the
funds are available. I got I don't know if it's something
froze. I don't know if it was on my end.
Yes on your end. Uh, could you uh, uh commissioner. Could
you repeat your answer?
Could you repeat your answer?
Be provide this program code.
Okay. I just I just connect with you later in the week so
we can try um to to help her out and uh, I'm glad we we do
that. I know about the sauce programs, but I didn't know
it. Um got that um,
Deep into totally reconfiguring the bathroom like that. So
I I connect with you so
Your name happy to you think about.
All the more you have any other questions?
Well, if you you have something else we'll come back to
him.
uh Alderman Martin
Thank you chair. Good afternoon everybody. What's up? Yeah,
I can't hear me.
Alderman, uh, yes, so we're we're uh, I guess uh, you're
you're having some difficulties on your end. We we uh,
in
no, that's okay. All right. Do you have any other
questions? Yeah, I did. So I was done. Okay, go ahead. No,
no go ahead should commit to our for thank you and I would
just letting her know that I connect with her, um later
this week and so we can help this senior.
Okay. Do you have anything else?
So, do you have anything else Alderman Moore?
So commission Moore anything else?
Okay, um.
See I can hear you Jason, but you can't hear me. So I don't
know what's going on. Okay, I can hear you. Now. I had to
ask if you had any more questions. Yeah, I went to
commissioner. Um head Spath I was um, can she hear me? Yes.
She can we can hear you. Go ahead. Okay? No, that's you all
system. They better fix that stuff. Um, so uh, first of all
commissioner, I want to thank you for um, making yourself
accessible being proactive to you know, educating and
informing um, you know us in terms of what you do and I
think you've hit the ground running and is doing and you're
doing a marvelous job. Um, I just want to follow up on the
conversation that we had about the mirror and with the um,
Save A Lot what do you you and jgdc ever ever to connect
around the yellow banana?
Um, I we had a conversation reminded me again about the
yellow banana. Yeah, um about um as they're coming and and
finishing up, um, putting murals, um on the front and on
the inside,
um
You know what? I I don't recall.
That but I'm happy to to connect with you right after this.
Hello.
Hope it's not on the same line.
Oh Save A Lot and that to to fit what the community looks
like and I don't know if you all had a chance to speak yet.
I I okay. I remember the Save A Lot. No, I have not I will
double check with my team because I did send that on um,
and we do report out so I will connect with you right after
this to follow up.
Okay, I appreciate that. And I appreciate everything um
that you do now, uh commissioner my I don't know if you
heard me. Um,
Earlier when I was talking about uh with the health
department, um the uh, so we can you know, use Health to
expand um stores, so I want to make sure you all are
collaborating but also talking with us because from what
you're saying you have funding for and then what the health
department saying they have funding for I can see a place
like green
Go green on Racine being expanded and if they're ready, I
don't know if they're ready or not, but those some
conversations that needs to take place and helping gers,
like small gers like that, um expand and and making sure we
get that input from an automatic standpoint. They may or
may not want to expand. I don't know but given the fact
that everything that I've been hearing here. It seems like
there's a great opportunity so that we can create those.
Um, not only health stores but Health Options be it
smoothies or anything else so that people will have options
that's closer to them to eat healthier. So I want to make
sure that you know, we're connect at least connect all of
us connect and I just send in the RFP think of somebody see
it but connecting with the alderman to making sure see if
we got room for expansion in places like Englewood for a
place like go green on Racine so they can like expand to
another area, you know, whether it be further south in
single wood or somewhere else
Oh, I think thank you for that. And that's a great idea when
the um grants are ready to be released. We will absolutely
uh work with all 50 members of the Chicago city council to
make sure that they're helping us get that word out to make
those connections just as you described.
Yeah, and again, it's back on LGA because I know you guys
are dealing with a lot as well. But really pulling us in
and I just sent an email saying this is going because I'm
and and our staff. Like I said, they do a good job, they'll
put that out but that's not that's for most of us. That's
not the best way is is letting us know and saying hey, do
you have anybody?
So that we can pull those people in and that would be
greatly appreciated.
I hear you. I appreciate them a little follow up.
All right. Thank you all thank you chairman.
Thank you, Alderman Moore.
uh Alderman Martin
Thank you. Chairman. Good afternoon. Everybody. I have a a
few questions, uh for commissioner Myer and your team, um
about the small business support program was taking a look
at the documents in advance and thank you chairman for
sharing that um, and before I share my questions, I'll just
uh say to you Commissioners. I undoubtedly sure, you know,
you have a wonderful team. So thank you. Um, uh for the
work that you all do. Um,
I I see in some of the documents that OBM had shared that
you initially as a department were allocated 2 buckets of
funding for 1 non-profits. Like the administration is
proposing that that be combined um into a single fund that
I think would have a little over 34,000 or 34 million.
Excuse me. Um, if if my rough math is right and that in
some of the department specific PowerPoints that there were
2 spotlights that were provided 1 for Grants and then 1 for
capacity building. I was um, hoping you could share at a
high level maybe approximately how much money right now the
administration is envisioning going towards grants and how
much would go towards capacity building? Yeah sure. I
appreciate that. So right now and this could change a
little bit. Um, right now we're looking at approximately 21
million for direct grants to small businesses, and this is
constant.
to what we did in 21 and 22, you know my department I think
gave out over 80 million dollars back then this is that
right after Co when really all the small businesses across
the state of Chicago were really hurting so I think we have
a good track record. Once we get the RFP out to see which
agencies going to help us get the money out. And then for
that for that agency then to take the uh applications or
direct grants into uh, various small businesses across the
city in terms of the small business, um capacity building
That's more or less kind of for your back office type stuff.
So, you know, we have um additional os office labor
standards laws going in the books for Life first some small
businesses may want some assistance with that other small
businesses may want something uh, helping maybe develop and
design a website right so that they can have both maybe a
storefront presence as well as some online presence, um,
maybe some accounting whatever they're going to need in
terms of that back of the office support and that's
approximately 7 million.
Got it. And so if we're talking about 21 for Grants 7
million for capacity building the remainder of that I think
whatever the differences between them the 3334 million
that's in um, OBM slide. Would that go if if you know, and
if you don't off the top of your head through the chair is
fine. Would that go towards bacp for like internal? Well,
we also have the good food fund. Um,
So I'm not sure if you're looking at the total. Oh good
food total. Yeah. Yeah. Got it. Okay. I I wasn't sure if
that was a separate 1 since it is was in kind of 3 buckets.
Okay all in that like 34 million. Yeah, I think the
difference is
I think initially we might have been looking at um,
nonprofit capacity being kind of 1 bucket and the small
business support being 1 bucket, but kind of working in
collaboration with OBM and others. I think it just kind of
makes more sense a small nonprofit and small business are
very much similar. And so so we can get the dollars out the
door. Um, we're just we're combining that into 1 major
bucket. Got it.
um, and then my last question just about the grants kind of
King in on that because I know a lot of businesses that I'm
sure all of my colleagues and Dish myself are hearing from
saying hey, what what more might be left out of these arpa
funds that we can expect by way of director and direct um
assistance, um for the 21st for that bucket is all of that
unspent and also if you can share a little bit more about
where things stand with the RFP and approximately when if
things go, well those grants might start to come out. I
think I and I deal World we'd be looking at uh, the fall of
the share, um, getting the RFP out the door, uh with
certainly, you know dollars going out in 2025.
Perfect. Um, and then 1 thing that I would share with you,
but also I think goes for all of our departments, um in
this process, especially with rfps if there anything if
there's anything you're seeing that might Merit broader
review and ultimate, um changes in terms of how we do rfps.
Generally, please don't hesitate to let us know because I
know that we're really feeling in this pinch that we got to
get that money out the door, but obviously, um, our the
issues will very much Outlast arpa. So as we and I know
this has already been happening at bacp and elsewhere with
the pandemic causing us to rethink things and adapting in a
successful way want to make sure that as we are finalizing
this final round of our
Piece that we're still relying on you and your colleagues to
identify where there are some broader Global changes to be
made. So we just ask you all to be mindful of that and
share that up as you see that as appropriate. So appreciate
that's all I have for now. Thank you commissioner. Thank
you chair. Thank you Alderman Martin any other questions
from members?
Um
quickly, uh diverse Learners, uh, what can those dollars be
used for with diverse learners?
So, um be uh 5 foot to others to each family that is
selected through the that we then they can uh be empowered
them to use the money. However, but they feel best
so there aren't any specific items. They have to spend the
money on it's it's ultimately a free decision as to how
they utilize those funds.
Um, correct. We we we've heard from families about some of
the expenses they have who are the things that they need
financial done. So, uh, maybe there is better than an
assisted technology or practitioner to do it some
investment programs, but we really need money to run a
power them to make the best decision for a video household
if we know that that will make an impact.
And then for those that are not selected they go to a
second group grouping you stated. What is the second
grouping do?
Um, so we have 3 to the database for first the second in
October the final um, November 3, and that's the last thing
that I they have an opportunity to be selected in October
and if they're not selecting in October they have they will
be able to think up to able to apply.
so this is um
The 5 million dollars being distributed in 3 Rounds. Um or
is are we Distributing 5 million 3 times how how are the
rounds? Um, I guess approximately funded.
Um, so the total fund is 5 million dollars year being
distributed evenly over 3 Rounds.
Okay.
And then this is uh, is it 8 8000 children?
So, um beast and I have a couple of the issues we estimate
this will um help 8,22 to the families in the class 7 City.
Okay, thank you commissioner commissioner Myer, um as it
relates to the uh, small business, uh grants, uh, is that
similar as to how these funds can be spent or are we
designating? Um specific categories for the spending of the
of the money.
Are you saying they're going to be categories on how they
spend the money, correct? No, I think it'll just be a
general, you know, there'll be an application. They'll
review it. Uh, just to make sure the business is in the the
business is currently licensed and in business and for them
to so some sort of um,
difficulty, they've had since Co which I think probably a
lot of businesses can can share
Is it well, maybe this is a better question is is a
reimbursable or is it just a it's a grant not straight
straight? Yeah, Grant. Okay. Um.
And are we?
Encouraging spending in certain areas or are we?
What are we doing? Exactly? I guess maybe it's a better
question. You know, I think that's something we'll we'll
look at as we're developing the uh requests, um for
proposal from the various businesses. Um, but we've heard
we've heard from a lot of your colleagues all across the
city about just how small businesses are still having a
hard time part of that hard time is just the fact that
consumer behavior is also changing right? Like if you're if
you own a small business like every day is a little bit
different there's like no reliability like there was pre
pandemic
I just I I am concerned I will say this uh about the
the how and you know
How the how the funds being allocated we talked about. I
mean you spoke of earlier, maybe a back office support, uh,
payroll supports given the um,
The newness of our uh pay time off and other ways to
support businesses. Um,
and I'm
wondering are we are we going to put some guard rails up
for a lack of a better term we can look into that. I
appreciate that.
Okay.
um
As it relates to the uh to the not for profits. I saw you
had 3 buckets in your in your statement. Uh, is it are we
are you looking at those all the same or would just 1's a
business 1's a not for profit 1 something else or are we
targeting specifically how we support these uh various
entities. Yeah, so we had a nonprofit, um capacity
building, um that we've used in terms of this kind of
training nonprofits really kind of on how to apply for
Grants how to apply for additional dollars. Um, and then in
that bucket, um, let me just grab it real quick. Um,
We intend to um, oops.
We intend to really kind of again give grants to nonprofits
as well as back back off support so they can really help
help the nonprofits and how they can apply for additional,
uh grants really for for the remainder of their existence.
Okay.
Um, I think um overall, I mean to the extent that we can
help.
Help people stay in business. Um, yeah, that's
That's good. Um.
sometimes uh
You don't want to necessarily put good money after bad. I
know it's hard for us to identify that specifically, uh,
but to the extent that we can uh, it goes back to the old
adage of uh, teaching someone how to fish versus giving
them a fish. Um, and and I am concerned that we're not
At the end of these conversations, um, what are what are we
as taxpayers? And what are the businesses? Um left with and
this is not just for bacp but in a larger a larger scale,
um, as to how we can help seeed I said invest versus uh
expense in into businesses and I and I think overall, uh,
if we we take that, uh that approach that these dollars can
be invested in in generate benefit over the long.
Call and I'm I'm hopeful that um, we can do more programming
along those lines so that we can help sustain the
businesses into the future by providing them the tools that
will help uh scale and grow their businesses. Um, I know
that some businesses do have challenges and have struggles.
Uh, but unfortunately some of those challenges and the
struggles will exist after these funds are gone. And uh, I
know it may be a little more difficult for us to identify
situations where the investment is is necessary and also
where it won't won't solve anything. So, um, I'm just
hopeful that we will go through some deliberative process
as we uh pass as we as we uh, give out these grants to uh
to our businesses so that we can help sustain and create
more jobs more because again the goal of uh, it is a
reinvestment act. It's not uh, a it is a grant but we do
want to reinvest because we want to see additional benefit
from those particular items. So, um commissioner heads Beth
I I would have uh join
Joined, uh yesterday but uh, my body doesn't Jack like it
used to so, uh, I didn't go to the house music fest. Uh, I
did go to church yesterday though. Uh, so I I got my taste
the gospel in so but uh, we appreciate the work that all of
you all are doing and uh to help, uh, help our communities
throughout the city, uh, and if we don't have any
additional questions, uh, entertain a motion for
adjournment,
so moved by Vice chair Lee all in favor signify by saying I
any oppose any opinion that says eyes have it in this
meeting is adjourned.