[00:00:05]
IN GENERAL, WOULD YOU PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEATS?
[CALL TO ORDER]
I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME ALL OF YOU TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING ON THIS WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22ND AT 2022 AT 4:00 PM.AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO PASS IT TO THE HONORABLE COUNCIL NUMBER FROM DISTRICT FOUR.
UH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN COUNCIL.
UM, TODAY I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE SOME, UH, A VERY GOOD FRIEND OF MINE.
UM, THE REVEREND TOMMY DYLAN, WHO WILL BE LEADING US IN THE PLEDGE TODAY, HE IS WITH, UH, ST.
MARGARET'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, AND HE'S A DEAN OF THE BATON ROUGE EPISCOPAL SYSTEM DEANERY.
I WASN'T SURE IF YOU WERE JOKING WITH ME OR IF THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT IT WAS CALLED THE DEANERY.
SO, UH, AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO, UH, CALL UP MR. TOMMY, DYLAN, REVEREND TOMMY DYLAN.
ONE OF THE THINGS I USUALLY DO IS TO INVITE PEOPLE INTO A TIME OF SILENCE TO ASK THE SPIRIT OF GOD, TO BE WITH US.
AND SO LET US INVITE THE SPIRIT TO BE WITH US IN THIS CHAMBER TODAY, WE PRAY FOR THIS CITY AND FOR YOUR SERVANTS WHO ELABORATE THE WORK OF THIS CITY PARISH, ESPECIALLY IN THIS TIME OF DIVISION IN OUR COUNTRY, WE ASK YOU TO BRING US PEACE.
SO GOD, AND THE PRAYER I'D LIKE TO SHARE TODAY IS THE PRAYER ATTRIBUTED TO BLESS IT.
FRANCIS OF ASSISI, LORD MAKE US INSTRUMENTS OF YOUR PEACE, WHERE THERE'S HATRED.
LET US SO LOVE WHERE THERE'S INJURY.
PARDON, WHERE THERE IS DISCORD UNION, WHERE THERE IS DOUBT FAITH, WHERE THERE IS DESPAIR HOPE, WHERE THERE IS DARKNESS LIGHT, WHERE THERE IS SADNESS, JOY GRANT THAT WE MAY NOT SO MUCH SEEK TO BE CONSOLED AS TO CONSOLE TO BE UNDERSTOOD AS TO UNDERSTAND, TO BE LOVED AS TO LOVE.
WHAT IS IT GIVING THAT WE RECEIVE? IT IS IN PARDONING THAT WE ARE PARDONED AND THERE'S AN IN DYING THAT WE ARE BORN TO ETERNAL LIFE.
AND AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO CALL UP MR. WRISTON ZIMMERMAN.
MARGARET'S AND UPCOMING SECOND GRADER.
WELL, THIS IS AN ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
I LIKE TO NOW CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER ASHLEY, DO WE HAVE A CROWN? WE HAVE A QUORUM ITEM.
ONE OF THE ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES OF THE
[ADOPTION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING OF JUNE 8TH, 2022 IN THE METROPOLITAN COUNCILS ONLY MEETING IN JUNE 15TH, 2022 BY COUNCIL ADMINISTRATIVE TREASURER.IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK OF ITEM ONE, COUNCIL MEMBERS DO A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM ONE.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROSSA, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, HERS ITEM ONE HAS BEEN APPROVED.
PASTOR, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE INTRODUCTIONS
[INTRODUCTIONS]
SECTION 2.12 INTRODUCTIONS.NUMBER TWO, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR PRESIDENT TO APPLY AND ACCEPT GRANT FUNDS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO PROVIDE A COMMUNITY-BASED TRANSDISCIPLINARY RESOURCE AND SERVICE CENTER FOR TRAUMA HEALING AND HE'S BATON ROUGE PARISH, AND THE AMOUNT OF $1 MILLION AND AUTHORIZED THE EXECUTION OF ALL DOCUMENTS IN CONNECTION OR WITH BY MAYOR PRECEDENT.
NUMBER THREE, OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, MID-YEAR BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS BY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, DIRECTOR, NUMBER FOUR, AUTHORIZE AND SETTLEMENT OF THE MATTER ENTITLED LAWRENCE BAJWA VS CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND THE AMOUNT OF $125,000 PLUS COURT COSTS AND THE AMOUNT OF $1,177 AND 12 CENTS FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $126,177 AND 12 CENTS INAPPROPRIATE IN THAT SUMMER.
SUCH PURPOSE BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY CONDEMNATION INTRODUCTIONS, NUMBER FIVE, HORACE, GREELEY, WHITE JUNIOR AND GERALDINE, L Y REVOCABLE LIVING TRUST 1-817-HARDING BOULEVARD, COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS, NUMBER SIX, ELVIN STERLING AND NORMA STERLING, UH, 5 3, 5 8 CADILLAC STREET, COUNCIL DISTRICT FAB HEARST NUMBER SEVEN, CHASTITY PAUSEY 803 NORTH THE KATIE AND THREE-WAY COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN, COLE NUMBER EIGHT, TIMOTHY MCCOY, 4 0 1 8
[00:05:01]
CHIPPEWAS STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN, COLE, NUMBER NINE, JIM ROACH AND PRISCILLA ROCHE 1 6 9 2 NORTH 48TH STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN, COLD NUMBER 10, PHILLIP BUSH AND ADA BUSH 3 75, 4 MAIN STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN, COLD NUMBER 11, GENE THOMAS LEWIS AND LYNN LEWIS, 1 5 8, 7 7 ANTIETAM AVENUE, COUNCIL DISTRICT NINE, HUDSON NUMBER 12, RONALD DWAYNE STEVENSON AND ANNETTA STEVENSON, 5 46 SOUTH 17TH STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 13, MINNIE MAY GREEN 1 7 0 6 TARA STREET, COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 14, EDWARD BEAU CHAMP 1 7 4 4 WISTERIA STREET, COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 15, REGIONAL WEB 1 5 0 1 SCENIC HIGHWAY COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN ADJUDICATED PROPERTY INTRODUCTIONS NUMBER 16, LOT 13 PLUS SQUARE 16 SUBDIVISION FORTUNE COUNCIL, DISTRICT FAB HURST NUMBER 17, LOT 230 SUBDIVISION SOUTH FOREST HEIGHTS PARK, METRO COUNCIL, DISTRICT FAB HURST NUMBER 18 LOT 17 SQUARE RUN SQUARE ONE SUBDIVISION PITCHFORD ORSOW COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE NUMBER 19 LOT EIGHT SQUARE FIVE SUBDIVISION SHORTENED PLACE.COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE HEARST NUMBER 20 LOT 59 SUBDIVISION SOUTHERN HEIGHTS COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS NUMBER 21 BUT 10 SQUARE NINE SUBDIVISION ROOSEVELT PLACE COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS NUMBER 22, LOT 48, WHERE SIX SUBDIVISION SOUTH BATON ROUGE, COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 POHLMAN NUMBER 23 LOT 26 SUBDIVISION AIRLINE TERRORISTS COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 24, LOTS THREE AND FOUR SUBDIVISION PATTERSON PLACE.
NUMBER 25 LOT EAST BY 51 AND SOUTH BY 13 SUBDIVISION LOOCH COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE, KNOLL NUMBER 26 27 SUBDIVISION RIVERLAND COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE, GERDA NUMBER 27, LOT THREE SQUARE 90 SUBDIVISION SQUARE 97 SUBDIVISION NORTH BATON ROUGE, COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS NUMBER 28, LOT ONE SQUARE 97 SUBDIVISION NORTH BATON ROUGE, COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS NUMBER 29, LOT FOUR SQUARE 97 SUBDIVISION NORTH BATON ROUGE, COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS.
NUMBER 30, LOT 11 A SUBDIVISION FRENCHTOWN ACRES COUNCIL DISTRICT FOUR, MOKE NUMBER 31 LOT D SQUARE 18 SUBDIVISION UNIVERSITY PLACE COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS.
NUMBER 32 LOT SEVEN PARTS SUBDIVISION.
METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE HEARST NUMBER 33 LOT 20 PART SUBDIVISION, ELM GROVE GARDEN FARMS, METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS, NUMBER 34 LOT FIVE PARTS SQUARE, THREE SUBDIVISION BLUR LORET TOWN COUNCIL, DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN, ALL ITEMS REQUIRED.
READING HAVE BEEN READ AND EMOTION TO INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS AS AN ORDER, RIGHT? IT WAS UP IN RED.
IS THERE A MOTION TO INTRODUCE SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS, SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR MAMMAL, ROSA, ALL ITEMS REQUIRING READING FOR INTRODUCTION.
I'VE BEEN INTRODUCED COUNCIL MEMBERS.
[CONDEMNATIONS]
SEPARATE SHEET FOR CONDEMNATION, I'M GOING TO READ THE CURRENT RECOMMENDATION BY DPW.THEY ARE TO PROCEED WITH ITEM 64 65 66 67 68 69, 71 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80 81 82 AND 83.
THERE ARE TO DELETE ITEM 70 AND 72.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON A CONDEMNATION? ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON A CONDEMNATION? WE NOW GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS COUNCIL THE MOST, UH, 77.
SO WHAT, HOW MUCH TIME WOULD THAT BE? OKAY, GIVE ME 30 DAYS AND 73, 73, EVERYONE ELSE.
LET ME READ THE RECOMMENDATION.
THE STUDY CHAIN AS THEY ARE TO PROCEED.
WHAT ITEMS? 67 71 75, 76, 78, 79, 81 82 AND 83.
THEY ARE TO DEFER FOR 30 DAYS ITEMS, 16 69, 73 AND 74 FOR 90 DAYS.
USE ITEMS 64, 65, 66 AND 80 AND DELETE ITEMS, 70 72 AND 77.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE CONDEMNATION? SO MOVED BY COUNCIL IN THE ROCK OF SEVEN COUNCIL MEMBER HOST, ALL CONDEMNATIONS HAVE BEEN APPROVED AT THIS TIME.
[Additional Item]
GO TO COUNCIL AND REHEARSED.SO I WON'T ASK THEM TO COME TO THE FRONT MAN, BUT, UH, THE MAYOR HAS AN AMAZING PROGRAM THAT SOMEONE THROUGH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, UH, AND A PARTNERSHIP WITH BIG BUDDY.
AND, UH, WE HAVE SOME AMAZING PARTNERSHIPS WITH EMPLOY BEYOND THAT.
I BELIEVE BY SOME OF THE BEST UNTAPPED RESOURCES IN OUR CITY.
AND SO I HAVE ALMOST HALF OF MY CREWS.
[00:10:01]
SIGNED UP FOR SIX YOUTH SUMMER WORKERS AND WE ENDED UP WITH A WHOLE CLASS FROM A 14, BUT WHAT Y'ALL STAND TODAY? I TOLD YOU IT WAS GOING TO MAKE YOU STAY IN.SO THESE AMAZING YOUTH HAVE BEEN UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE A COUNCIL PERSON.
THEY DID, THEY, THEY, THEY WEAR THOSE BECAUSE THEY CANVAS IN THEM.
RIGHT? SO LET THEM KNOW THAT IT'S FULL DISTRICT VIBE TRY TO BE A UNIFORM.
SO PEOPLE ACTUALLY OPEN THE DOOR, BUT THEY DO OUTBOUND 3, 1, 1 CALLS FOR A CLOSED ITEMS, NOT THE OPEN ONES.
UM, THEY DO CONSTITUENT CALLS.
THEY DO COMMUNITY CANVASSING, KNOCKING ON DOORS, GETTING FEEDBACK FROM CONSTITUENTS TO KNOW WHAT WE NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE US HAVE A BEST PLACE TO LIVE WORKING PLACE.
SO HAVE Y'ALL COULD JUST GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THEY'RE DOING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
[87. 22-00761]
IF YOU WOULD REFER TO, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO ITEM 87 FIRST, UH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AUDIENCE AT HOME ITEM 87 HAS BEEN REQUESTED TO BE DEFERRED.SO I JUST WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT MAY BE HERE FOR HI TO MADDIE SEVEN.
IT'S GOING TO BE DEFERRED ITEM, MAYBE SEVEN A MINUTE.
NICOLE, THE ORDINANCES OF THE 30 DAYS, NICOLA GORDON, SINCE WITH THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AND THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE IS TITLED PROTEIN.
SO AS TO ADD SECTION 13, COLON 1 0 7, CAMPING AND PUBLIC AREA PROHIBITED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, LORI ADAMS AND COUNSELING, THE WHITE HUSSON.
IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 87? ANYONE WE SHOULDN'T SPEAK OF ITEM 87.
WE DO HAVE SOME EMAIL COMMENTS.
YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED EIGHT EMAIL COMMENTS.
AND I'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IS THERE A MOTION TO DEFER CONSTANT NUMBER? OH, WELL WE DON'T PEOPLE TO SPEAK.
IF YOU ARE DEFERRING THIS FOR 30 DAYS, IS THERE GOING TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY 30 DAYS FROM NOW TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS? OR DO I NEED TO SPEAK NOW? AND WE SPEAK NOW AND YOU CAN SPEAK IN 30 DAYS, IT'S UP TO YOU, BUT THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
IN 30 DAYS I SENT Y'ALL SOMETHING TO LOOK AT.
I GOT RESPONSES FROM SOME OF Y'ALL.
IT WAS A LONG THING THAT I GAVE Y'ALL.
UM, I THINK IT'S WORTH READING.
THE DEFINITION OF INSANITY IS DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN, EXPECTING A DIFFERENT RESULT.
THIS ORDINANCE THAT Y'ALL ARE PROPOSING CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO A PERSON WHO'S LIVING ON THE STREET.
I JUST WANT IT TO CLARIFY IF SHE SPEAKS NOW, DOES SHE ALSO SPEAK, OKAY.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE FACT THAT THIS ORDINANCE IS BEING DISCUSSED AT GAY SHOWS THAT THESE RECOGNIZED GROUPS THAT ARE OUT THERE, WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS NOT WORKING.
THERE ARE HOMELESS PEOPLE OUT THERE AND THEY'RE STREET PEOPLE.
HOW MUCH PEOPLE WANT TO BE OFF THE STREET.
AND THEY WORK HARD TO GET OFF THE STREET.
STRAIGHT PEOPLE CHOOSE TO BE ON THE STREET.
TREAT PEOPLE GENERALLY HAVE A SUBSTANCE ABUSE OR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE.
STRAIGHT PEOPLE ARE ASSISTED TO BE ON THE STREET WITH A LOT OF THE FREE THINGS THAT THEY ARE GETTING OUT THERE THAT THEY'RE NEVER REQUIRED TO SIGN UP FOR SERVICES.
I LEARNED THAT PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS ARE ALLOWED TO MAKE BAD DECISIONS FOR THEMSELVES NOT TO GET TREATMENT AND TO LIVE ON THE STREET.
THEY CAN TURN DOWN ASSISTANCE BROWDY AND I HAVE BEEN OUT DOING POINT IN TIME, COUNT WHERE THE PEOPLE REFUSE THE SERVICES TO HELP THEM GET OFF THE STREET.
THAT'S WHY THIS ORDINANCE IS NEEDED.
I'M NOT ANTI HELPING PEOPLE ON THE STREET.
I HAVE HELPED USING MY TIME, MY MONEY AND GETTING PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS OF BATON ROUGE.
IF ANYONE OBJECTS TO THIS ORDINANCE, ASK THEM WHY, ASK THEM WHY THEY OPPOSE IT, ASK THEM WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO GET ANYBODY OFF THE STREET, ASK HOW MANY PEOPLE THEY HAVE GOTTEN OFF THE STREETS AND ASK ABOUT THEIR FUNDING TO SEE HOW MUCH MONEY THEY'RE GETTING VERSUS WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO GET PEOPLE OFF THE STREET.
THIS IS A STORY FROM YESTERDAY THREE MONTHS AGO, A WOMAN WAS BROUGHT HERE BY A CALC, A SHOE OAKS, PRIVATE MENTAL HEALTH HOSPITAL.
SHE WAS BROUGHT IN A WHITE BAND AND SHE WAS BROUGHT TO ST.
SHE'S NEVER BEEN HOMELESS BEFORE WHEN SHE GOT HERE, SHE GOT DROPPED OFF, BUT DIDN'T HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE.
SHE GOES TO THE ONE, STOP LOOKING FOR A BUS TICKET, GO TO HER FAMILY AND ALEXANDRIA WHO WANTS HER BACK YESTERDAY, UH, BATON ROUGE, POLICE OFFICER INTERACTED WITH HER, WHERE THEY MADE A PHONE CALL TO HER FAMILY.
THE FAMILY SAID SHE'D BEEN MISSING.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHERE SHE WAS.
[00:15:01]
THEY WANTED HER AND A BUS TICKET WAS PROVIDED TO HER.SHE HAD ASKED THE ONE-STOP FOR A BUS TICKET, THE SAME PROGRAM THAT'S LISTED ON THE MAYOR'S FORM FOR ASSISTANCE.
WHEN THEY SAID THERE WAS NO BUS TICKET AVAILABLE.
WE DON'T KNOW WHY SHE WAS ON THE STREET, BUT THIS IS THE PEOPLE THAT Y'ALL ARE DEALING WITH.
I'D BE EXTRA, BUT THAT'S YOUR TIME.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM ITEM 87? YES.
UM, WESTERN SHIELD, UH, DIRECTOR FOR CAPITAL AIRLINES FOR THE HOMELESS.
WE OPERATE AT 1 5, 3 NORTH 17TH STREET.
AND I'M BRINGING INFORMATION IN RELATION TO THIS ITEM.
UH, NOT AN OPPOSITION OR EXCEPT, UH, YOU MAY KNOW IS FOR MANAGING THE ONE-STOP ALMOST SERVICES CENTER WHERE WE SERVE APPROXIMATELY A HUNDRED PEOPLE A DAY AND A 5,500 PEOPLE PER YEAR.
AT THIS TIME, ALL OF THOSE TO MARY JANE, I AM AWARE OF THAT SITUATION.
AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE WITHOUT AIR CONDITIONING IN OUR BUILDING.
IT IS A VERY PAINFUL EXPERIENCE.
UH, GOING OUT TO ALL THE CLIENTS WE SERVE EVERY DAY.
LET ME GO BACK TO MY COMMENTS HERE.
THE ONE STEP ALSO CARRIES OUT THE MAJORITY OF INTAKES INTO BATON ROUGE IS HOUSING SYSTEM FOR PERSONS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN SHORT, THE ONE-STOP IS A HUB FOR PERSONS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WITH DEDICATED ORGANIZATIONS AND RESOURCES GEARED TOWARDS THOSE LIVING ON THE STREETS.
AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, THIS IS NO EASY TASK, MANY PUBLIC AND PRIVATE RESOURCES.
LOOK TO US TO CARE FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.
MOST VALUE VULNERABLE, SOMETIMES ILL AND LACKING CRITICAL ACCESS TO COMMUNICATION TOOLS.
IF THOSE COMPLICATIONS WERE NOT ENOUGH, JUST ABOUT ALL BATON ROUGE, HOUSING PROGRAMS ARE FEDERALLY FUNDED AND REQUIRED.
DOCUMENTATION FOR ADMISSION CAN BE DETERMINED.
THIS OFTEN MEANS EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME SPENT WORKING WITH A CLIENT TO GATHER THOSE MATERIALS.
THERE IS NO HOUSING IN ONE OR EVEN A COUPLE OF MEETINGS.
ADDITIONALLY, CURRENT SHELTER SERVICES ARE WORKING AT MAXIMUM CAPACITY.
YOU CAN APPRECIATE WITH COVID FUNDING IS NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FOR 24 7 INTAKES.
IF THERE WAS ADEQUATE SHELTER CAPACITY, AS A RESULT, WE ARE OFTEN SETTING UP ROUTINES WITH OUR CLIENTS BECAUSE HOUSING IS NOT A SHORT ROAD AND COMMUNICATION IS OFTEN SPOTTY AT BEST.
TO THIS END, WE CREATE SPECIFIC PLANS WITH OUR CLIENTS TO MEET AT THE ONE-STOP WHEREVER THEY MAY BE LIVING ON THE STREET OR THE SHELTER.
IF THEY'RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET A SPOT THERE, THIS MEANS DISPLACING PEOPLE FROM ENCAMPMENTS, DISRUPTS EXISTING SERVICES.
IT MAKES IT HARDER FOR HOUSING RESOLUTIONS ALREADY IN PROGRESS TO BE COMPLETED.
OFTEN THAT TWO STREET OUTREACH THAT WORK OUT OF THE ONE-STOP ARE FACED WITH THIS EXACT DILEMMA.
HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES ARE ALSO LOST BY OUR CLIENTS WHEN THEY ARE INCARCERATED, WE CANNOT HOLD HOUSING SPOTS OPEN FOR LONG.
WHEN WE CANNOT LOCATE SOMEONE, THIS CAN MEAN THAT YOUR HIGHEST NEEDS INDIVIDUALS FIND THEMSELVES IN A TREADMILL BETWEEN JAIL AND A HOUSING OPPORTUNITY.
WHEN A HOUSING OPPORTUNITY WOULD OFFER STABILITY IN THEIR LIVES OVERALL CRIMINALIZATION, IT MAKES IT HARDER TO HOUSE PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AS EVERY ARREST MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR SOMEONE TO PASS A PRE TENANCY BACKGROUND, CHECK FROM A LANDLORD OR FOR US TO KEEP TABS ON THEIR PROGRESS ON THE PATHWAY TOWARDS HOUSING, THE SOLUTION TO HOMELESSNESS, EXPANDING THE SUPPLY OF SAFE AND AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING THAT CAN BE ACCESSED BY PEOPLE EXITING HOMELESS WITHOUT ENOUGH RESOURCES TO HELP PEOPLE RECONNECTING TO HOUSING, NOT TO OUR JOBS.
THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH RESOURCES TO HELP PEOPLE EXIT HOMELESSNESS, BINKLEY AS A RESULT OF LOW HOUSING STOCK IS THAT PEOPLE STAY HOMELESS LONGER.
I APPRECIATE YOU ALL GOT A BIT MORE TIME, BUT YOUR TIME IS UP HERE.
WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 87, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
SERGEANT RAMPING NICHE IN BATON ROUGE, POLICE, I'M HERE TO RELATE CHIEF MURPHY PAUL'S POSITION RELATIVE TO THIS, UH, ORDINANCE.
UM, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE ENCOUNTER, UM, HOMELESS, IF A CRIME HAS OCCURRED, OF COURSE WE WOULD ADDRESS THE ISSUE.
UM, BUT WE UNDERSTAND THAT MOST OF THE, UM, A LOT OF THE HOMELESS ISSUES OR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES OR, OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES, AND IT WAS OUR POLICY TO, TO REFER THEM TO THE SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM THROUGH.
UM, BUT IT'S THE BRIDGE CENTER.
MAYOR'S OFFICE HAS SOME SERVICES AND ALSO SOME OF THE VOLUNTEER AGENCIES.
UM, AND, AND IF THIS ORDINANCE WAS PASSED, YOU KNOW, THIS WOULD BE, UH, CONSIDERED A MISDEMEANOR AND A MISDEMEANOR.
WE ISSUE A TICKET IN LIEU ARRESTING OR TAKING
[00:20:01]
THEM TO JAIL.UM, SO, UH, SUMMONS IS, IS, IS A PROMISE TO APPEAR IN COURT.
BUT ONE OF THE, THE ISSUES WITH THAT IS, UM, WHEN YOU ISSUE IN A HOMELESS PERSON, UH, ASSIGNMENTS, YOU HAVE TO PUT AN ADDRESS AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THEY DON'T HAVE AN ADDRESS.
SO THERE'S NO WAY TO CONTACT THEM IF THEY DON'T SHOW UP IN COURT, UH, SECOND, YOU KNOW, THEY WON'T ACTUALLY HAVE THE MONEY TO, TO PAY THE FINES.
UM, ALSO, UM, IN ADDITION, UH, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WON'T TAKE, UM, NON VIOLENT OFFENSES.
SO THEREFORE THEY WON'T TAKE THEM IN A PARISH PRISON BECAUSE IT'S NOT, IT'S A MISDEMEANOR.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, UM, THE DA'S SPEAKING WITH OTHER OFFICERS THAT HAVE ISSUED MISDEMEANOR ASSIGNMENTS TO HOMELESS FOLKS FOR, FOR LIKE, UH, UM, SOLICITING ON, ON A PUBLIC ROADWAY FOR, FOR MONEY.
UM, IT GOES THROUGH 19TH JDC COURT.
AND WHEN THE DA'S LOOK, LOOK, AND SEE IT'S HOMELESS, THEY SOMETIMES DON'T LEAVE BAIL, THE, UM, THE, THE CHARGE THAT THEY WERE GIVEN.
SO IT'S NICE TO MEET NEW POINT IT'S AT TIMES TO ISSUE A SUMMONS TO A HOMELESS PERSON.
ONE ELSE HERE, WISHING TO SPEAK AND WRITE AND MAYBE SEVEN.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CHRISTIAN OUTREACH CENTER OF BATON ROUGE.
AND I WANTED TO OFFER A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
UM, I AM SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN HOMELESS IN THE BATON ROUGE AREA, UM, BACK IN 2009, UM, IN OUR CIRCLES, UM, THE KIND OF HOMELESS THAT I WAS, WE CALL DIVERSION.
I WAS ABLE TO STAY WITH RELATIVES, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT IF I DIDN'T HAVE THAT AS AN OPTION.
AND, UM, AND I'M PROOF THAT HOMELESSNESS CAN HAPPEN TO ANYBODY.
I WENT TO A PEST COUPLE HIGH SCHOOL, GRADUATED FROM LSU, UM, WAS SUCCESSFUL.
UM, AT THAT AT THE TIME I WAS HOMELESS, I HAD A MASTER'S AND A DOCTORATE, AND IT'S JUST, IT IS, AND IT IS POSSIBLE FOR SO MANY PEOPLE FOR THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF CIRCUMSTANCES TO LINE UP TO WHERE YOU CAN FIND YOURSELF IN THAT SITUATION.
I, UM, WAS AGAIN, VERY BLESSED TO HAVE RELATIVES TO GO TO.
UM, BUT IF I DIDN'T HAVE THAT OPTION, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD I HAVE DONE? I MEAN, BEING HOMELESS REDUCES ANY OF US, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TO A STATE OF TRAUMA AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE LEVELS THAT, THAT ADRENALINE, THAT NEVER STOPS THE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW ALL OF THE TECHNICAL TERMS, BUT I'VE LIVED THROUGH IT.
AND I BASICALLY KIND OF CONSIDER MYSELF AS RECOVERING WITH, UH, PTSD, UM, STILL HAVE ONGOING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES THAT I TAKE MEDICATION FOR, UM, WHICH CAME ABOUT AS A RESULT OF THAT TIME.
UM, AND SO I'M HAPPY TO BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT THAT.
AND, UM, IT'S JUST VERY IMPORTANT THAT AS WE TACKLE THIS ISSUE, THAT WE LOOK AT IT AND THAT WE COME TOGETHER TO REALLY DIG DEEPLY INTO THIS AND TO COME UP WITH POSITIVE SOLUTIONS, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH YOU ALL TALKING WITH US AS PRACTITIONERS, UM, WE ARE SO HAPPY TO SIT DOWN AND DO THAT SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE, UM, REALLY DIG INTO WHAT, WHAT CAN WE DO? HOW COULD WE GET MORE HOUSING? HOW CAN WE GET, UM, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEONE'S IN AN ENCAMPMENT, UH, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE, UM, GET THEM TRANSPORTED TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE AT, UH, TO HAVE SERVICES? AND SO THAT'S MY INVITATION, MY PERSPECTIVE, AND MY IMITATION IS THAT WE CAN ALL SIT DOWN, UM, AND I'M HAPPY TO HANG AROUND AFTERWARDS AND LET'S GET A TIME ON THE CALENDAR WHERE WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS.
AND MY FELLOW COLLEAGUES ARE HAPPY TO DO THAT AS WELL.
SO I, I, MORE THAN ANYTHING, I THINK THIS IS GREAT THAT WE CAN START TALKING AND REALLY DIG DEEP AND GET SOME GREAT SOLUTIONS FOR THE BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 87, GOOD AFTERNOON, ALFREDO CREWS WITH A HOUSING LOUISIANA.
UM, AND I COME AT THIS FROM A COST PERSPECTIVE, UH, ORDINANCES LIKE THIS, AND A LOT OF RESEARCH SHOWS ENDS UP COSTING MUNICIPALITIES, A LOT OF MONEY, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF IT, THE ENFORCEMENT OF IT.
AND AS YOU HEARD FROM A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, UM, THEIR SYSTEMS TO BE CREATED IN ORDER TO FULLY IMPLEMENT THESE KINDS OF ORDINANCES, UM, TO SPEND THAT KIND OF, TO MAKE THAT KIND OF INVESTMENT ON A POLICY THAT PUTS PEOPLE IN JAIL, ULTIMATELY, WOULDN'T IT MAKE MORE SENSE TO JUST INVEST IN HOUSING SOLUTIONS.
UM, AND THERE'S A FEDERAL PLAN TO END HOMELESSNESS THAT I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO LOOK AT.
[00:25:01]
MEETING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS THIS MORNING, AND I SHARED WITH ALL OF YOU THE FOLLOWUP LETTER THAT I SENT HER WITH A LOT OF THE RESOURCES, BUT THE ONE I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH IS THIS FEDERAL PLAN.UM, BECAUSE HOMELESSNESS IS A VERY COMPLEX ISSUE.
AND WE SHOULDN'T THINK OF LIKE ONE INDIVIDUAL AS THE EXAMPLE THAT APPLIES TO EVERYONE ELSE.
AND THEREFORE THE APPROACH HAS TO BE VERY SPECIFIC AND VERY INDIVIDUAL AS WELL.
SO WE DO NEED TO DIG DEEP AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY BECAUSE IT SHOWS THAT IT COULD HAPPEN TO ANYONE AND THAT EVERY PERSON WHO EXPERIENCES HOMELESSNESS IS VERY DIFFERENT.
AND SO AN APPROACH THAT INCARCERATES THEM DEFINES THEM.
UM, IT'S NOT SUITABLE FOR EVERYONE.
AND, UH, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT DOING THIS IN A MORE HUMANE WAY.
UM, WE MAY DIFFER ABOUT THIS, UM, BUT ULTIMATELY BUILDING OUR COMMUNITY AND BUILDING THE FABRIC OF THE COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT.
AND I BELIEVE THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU HAVE THAT TASK TO LEAD US IN BUILDING A STRONGER COMMUNITY THAT UNITE US AND POLICIES THAT INCARCERATE PEOPLE AND OTHER STEM IS NOT ONE THAT UNITES US, BUT ALSO IT HELPS TO SEPARATE US AND MAKE US VERY DIFFERENT AND APART.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION FOR SHADING.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK OF MAYBE SEVEN GOOD AFTERNOON.
I WANTED TO THANK COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS AGAIN FOR MAKING TIME TO HAVE A VERY THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS TOPIC.
AND ALL I REALLY WANTED TO REMIND COUNCIL OF IS THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO FULLY VET THESE TOPICS.
THERE IS NO ONE SIZE FITS ALL AS A VETERAN AND AS A FAMILY MEMBER OF A VETERAN, I PARTICULARLY AM SENSITIVE TO THE ISSUES OF VETERANS HOMELESSNESS, BUT ALSO AS A PERSON THAT WORKS WITH LOW AND NO WEALTH COMMUNITIES, MOST OF OUR SOCIAL EELS ARE NOT GOING TO BE FALL ABOUT POLICING.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THE HARD WORK OF ACTUALLY DISCUSSING THEM, THE LAYERS, THE COMPLEXITIES, THE FINANCIAL ISSUES.
AND SO AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO THANK COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS AND NUMEROUS PEOPLE ON THIS COUNCIL FOR BEING WILLING TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND NOT MAKE THESE SHORT TERM DECISIONS.
THIS IS A PARISH THAT PAYS A LOT OUT AND LAWSUITS, AS I'VE TOLD YOU ALL BEFORE, IF YOU GOOGLE THIS PARISH, THE PRISON COMES UP.
AND SO I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING RESPONSIBLE ENOUGH TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND KNOW THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND BETTER.
AND I THINK IT'LL BE WORTH IT TO ALL OF US.
I GET REVENUE AS SOON AS ANYONE ELSE HERE, WISHING TO SPEAK MORE ITEM 87.
NOW GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, I'M ACTUALLY WITH EMPOWER TWO TO FIVE I'M ON THE STREET OUTREACH SUPERVISOR.
UM, AND SO I KNOW WE SERVE THE YOUNGER ADULTS, WHICH IS BETWEEN LIKE 13 AND 23.
UM, SOME OF THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE SEE IS IT'S VERY GENERATIONAL.
IT BECOMES WHERE THEY HAVE NO PARENTS IT'S ABUSE OR, UM, THEY ARE AGING OUT OF FOSTER CARE.
AND SO THERE'S NO ONE TO HELP THEM.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SEE THAT IS IMPACTING THE YOUTH IS GIVING THEM RESOURCES AND GIVING THEM THE SUPPORT THEY NEED, CONNECTING THEM WITH COUNSELORS, MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, UM, HAVING A RIGHT PLAN TO MAKE AN IMPACT FOR THEM.
UM, FOR SURE, I BELIEVE THAT IF THIS IS PASSED, IT WOULD, IT WOULD, UM, REALLY FEEL OUR GELS WHERE THERE'S NOT ANY PLACE TO BRING THEM AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO PAY.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IS OUR COMMUNITY BEING ABLE TO GIVE THEM WORK, GIVE THEM PURPOSE.
LIKE IT COULD BE SIMPLE THINGS, UM, BEING ABLE TO CLEAN THE SHELTERS OR HELP FIXING IN THE FOOD, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT WOULD GIVE THEM A PURPOSE.
UM, AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S KINDA MY VIEWPOINT ON IT.
UM, AND I DO BELIEVE THAT IF WE WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM, AS A COMMUNITY, WE COULD COME UP WITH THE RIGHT, UM, THE RIGHT IDEA AND THE PLACE TO PLACE THEM.
[00:30:03]
YEAH.MA'AM ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK RIGHT ON MAYBE SEVEN.
I'M NOT SURE IF I HAVE A LOT OF AUTHORITY TO COME SPEAK HERE.
MY NAME IS SAKI SHEFFIELD, AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UM, A FEW THINGS.
ONE USE KINDS OF ORDINANCES HAVE BEEN PASSED BEFORE IN MANY OTHER CITIES FROM 2006 TO 2019, THE NATIONAL HOMELESSNESS LAW CENTER ACTUALLY TRACKED THESE TYPE OF POLICIES IN 187 CITIES AND FOUND THAT THESE BANDS ON CAMPING HAVE ACTUALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, INCREASED SITTING IN LINE OF HOMELESS PERSONS BY 78% ORDERING BY 103% AND HANDLING BY 103% AND LIVING IN VEHICLES BY 213%.
SO OBVIOUSLY THE ADJUSTMENT OF ENCAMPMENTS IS EXCELLENT.
I'M GLAD THAT THE COUNCIL HAS DECIDED TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.
HOWEVER, IT DOESN'T SEEM THAT THESE TYPES OF BANDS, UH, ARE EFFECTIVE.
SO I IMPLORE YOU TO CONSIDER THE FACT THAT THESE PEOPLE, WHEN WE HAVEN'T KITTENS IN OUR CITY, IT'S BECAUSE WE AS A CITY HAVE FAILED TO GIVEN THEM AN ALTERNATIVE HOUSING.
THEY'RE NOT PEOPLE WHO JUST WANT TO LIVE ON THE STREETS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
THESE ARE OUR SEVERELY MENTALLY ILL.
YOU STARTED THE MOST VULNERABLE MEMBERS OF OUR POPULATION.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU OPEN YOUR HEARTS AND REALIZE THAT THESE PEOPLE COULD BE ANYONE LIKE WAS SAID BEFORE.
THESE ARE OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR FAMILY, OUR FRIENDS, AND I HOPE THAT YOU CAN INSTEAD FIND ALTERNATIVE METHODS TO PROVIDE THEM HOUSING RATHER THAN CRIMINALIZING THE ONLY HOME THEY WERE ABLE TO FIND IN THE CITY.
ANYONE ELSE COMING ANYWHERE ELSE WE TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM NOW I GO TO COUNCIL COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS.
I DEFINITELY CONCUR WITH, UM, WITH ALL THE SPEAKERS THAT HAVE SPOKEN WOULD CAUTION AS IT RELATES TO THIS ITEM.
IT BASICALLY HAS THE SAME SENTIMENTS TO ME WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UM, WHEN I, WHEN I ADDRESSED NOT ONLY CRIME, BUT ALSO, UM, ANYTHING THAT DEALS WITH ADJUDICATED YOUTH AND THE LAST SPEAKER W YOU KNOW, W WHERE THE LAW, ALL THE SPEAKERS THAT TALK ABOUT AS HAVING COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS, AS IT RELATES TO POPULAR POPULATIONS THAT ARE MOST DIFFICULT.
I, UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT WE AREN'T, WE HAVEN'T, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS OUT OF ORDER, BUT WE HAVE INTRODUCTORY ITEMS WHERE WE ARE DOUBLING THE BUDGET FOR A NONPROFIT THAT YES, DOES GOOD WORK, BUT IT DOES NOT DEAL WITH THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH TODAY, BECAUSE I ALWAYS HAVE A PERSPECTIVE AS IT RELATES TO TEENAGERS.
UM, HAVING WORKED, BECAUSE I WORKED FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF HOMELESS YOUTH THAT WILL NEVER APPLY, UM, PROBABLY FOR ONE OR OUR, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR'S YOUTH PROGRAM, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE STABILITY TO SUPPORT.
AND UNTIL WE BEGIN TO BE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT DEALING WITH YOUTH THAT HAVE BEEN ADJUDICATED YOUTH THAT ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH WHAT I CALL THE ABCS, UM, ATTENDANCE, BEHAVIOR, AND COURSEWORK, UNTIL WE START DEALING WITH OUR HOMELESS TEENS, INSTEAD OF JUST WITH A WIDE BRUSH, JUST SAYING, OH, WE HAVE A YOUTH PROGRAM.
WE HAVE A YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
UM, IT'S NOTHING IS GONNA CHANGE.
WE COULD TALK DATA ALL DAY ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE COME TO MANY OF THE PROGRAMS, UM, THAT WE HAVE, INCLUDING THE YOUTH WORKFORCE.
IT DOES HAVE ITS PLACE, BUT WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO JUST DUMP ALL MONEY INTO THESE PROGRAMS THAT WE, THAT NEVER HIT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE, WHO MOST NEEDED THOSE THAT WE COULDN'T TRACK FROM K TO 12, 12, THAT ARE FILLING UP OUR PRISON SYSTEMS. WE JUST, WE'RE DOING A DISSERVICE, WE'RE FOOLING OURSELVES.
AND WE HAVE TO BE HONEST THAT IT'S NOT WORKING.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE ON THIS, UM, PROGRAM I WORK WITH, AND IT'S, IT'S LIKE ADULT SUMMER SCHOOL, AND IT'S NOT GOING TO HELP THE KIDS GET OFF THE STREET.
IT'S NOT GOING TO HELP THE FOUNDER'S NOT GOING TO HELP.
UM, THE DOUBLE HOUSE KIDS THAT WOULD HAVE NOT GOING TO HELP THE ONES THAT ARE YOUTH OASIS, NOT GOING TO HELP THE ONES THAT ARE JUVENILE DETENTION.
[00:35:01]
GETTING GIVEN AWAY MONEY TO THE EASY TAKERS THAT WANT TO JUST HIRE A BUNCH OF, YOU KNOW, UM, PROGRAM ADVISERS AND TWO TIMES SESSIONS AND CERTIFIED THEM AND SUCCESS PROGRAM THAT DOES NOT DO A DOGGONE THING.THAT'S, THAT'S THE REALITY OF IT.
EVERYBODY COULD GET MAD, THAT'S JUST DIPPING OUT MONEY FOR NOTHING.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, WE'RE, THIS ADMINISTRATION IS GETTING LIKE OUR LAST, WHERE WE CAPITALIZING ON GRANTS THAT CATER TO FAILURE.
THE MORE, THE WORST WE LOOK IN YOUTH VIOLENCE, CRIME ON THE STREET, TRAUMA RESILIENT, THE MORE GRANT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE UNPROVEN, THAT IS NOT HOW YOU CHANGE THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND I'M JUST, I'M QUITE FRANKLY, I'M SICK OF IT.
IT'S BEEN HAPPENING EIGHT YEARS AND WE NEED TO STOP DOING THE SAME THINGS.
CAUSE IT'S GETTING WORSE EVERY YEAR.
AND THAT'S OUR FAULT BECAUSE WE WANT TO LOOK, LOOK, WE WANT TO ACT LIKE WE'RE DOING SOMETHING AND TAUGHT THIS PROGRAM A GOOD FANCY NAMES TO, UH, SUMMER PROGRAMS. AND IT AIN'T ABOUT NOTHING.
I'LL HAVE MY OTHER COMMENTS NEXT WEEK, TWO WEEKS.
COUNCILOR BANKS, ANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS DID THEIR MOTION TO COUNCIL NUMBER HUDSON.
I JUST REALLY BRIEFLY WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY THAT CAME OUT AND SPOKE ON THE ITEM.
UH, I'M GLAD THAT THIS ITEM HAS BEEN A CATALYST FOR US TO START TALKING ABOUT THIS AS A COMMUNITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'LL TELL YOU ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I WAS INTERESTED IN SPONSORING THIS, UH, IS BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THERE WAS A DISPARITY OF TREATMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN A HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT HAPPENS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, UH, WHAT HAPPENS FOR US AS A MUNICIPALITY IS THAT WE WILL CITE THAT PROPERTY OWNER.
UH, AND UNTIL WE GETS CLEANED UP, WE'LL EVEN GO TAKE THEM THROUGH THE RIGHT PROCESS AND FIND THEM AND, AND, YOU KNOW, DO ALL SORTS OF STUFF.
UH, BUT WE DON'T TREAT OURSELVES TO THE SAME STANDARD, WHATEVER, UH, ENCAMPMENT AND ULTIMATELY BRIGHT HAPPENS IN OUR OWN.
RIGHT-OF-WAY, UH, YOU KNOW, THE RIGHT OF WAY EXISTS.
UH, FOR MANY THINGS, IT SERVES MANY FUNCTIONS, UM, UTILITY SERVICES, UH, ROAD EXPANSIONS, THAT SORT OF THING.
UH, BUT IT IS REALLY AN UNSAFE PLACE, UH, TO HAVE ENCAMPMENTS.
UM, AND SO THIS IS A QUALITY OF PLACE ITEM.
UH, IT'S A SAFETY ITEM, UM, UH, BUT IT'S ALSO MEANT TO BE AN ITEM THAT CAN HELP DRIVE PEOPLE TO THE SERVICES.
NOW I REALIZED I MAY GET SOME CHUCKLES IF I SAY THAT THIS IS AN ITEM THAT IS MEANT TO BE COMPASSIONATE AND THAT WE ARE TRYING TO DRIVE PEOPLE TO SEEK THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED TO IMPROVE THEIR SITUATION.
I DO THINK THERE WAS SOME LANGUAGE CLEANUP THAT WE NEED TO DO.
WE CERTAINLY LOOKING AT CHANGING SOME OF THE PENALTY PROVISIONS, UH, AND CLARIFYING SOME OF THAT LANGUAGE THAT WILL HELP DRIVE PEOPLE TO SERVICES.
UM, BUT ULTIMATELY I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS NEEDED.
UM, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION AS MUNICIPALITY TO PRESENT OUR RIGHT OF WAY IN A SAFE AND CLEAN MANNER.
AND SO, UH, I HOPE THAT EVERYBODY ON THE COUNCIL WILL WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS THAT GOAL.
A MOTION TO DEFER FOR 30 DAYS.
MOST OF THE DIFFER FOR 30 DAYS, SEVEN OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBER HERTZ, IS THERE A COUNCIL IN MOROCCO? UM, I'M SO COMPLETELY TORN THIS ITEM.
AND I DO, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A LEGAL OPINION ON IT.
SO IF THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE COULD COME UP, BUT WHILE THEY'RE COMING UP HERE, I, I AGREE WITH SO MUCH THAT WAS SAID, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT SOME POINT PEOPLE HAVE TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS AND THE THINGS AROUND THEM.
UM, IF, IF SOMEBODY NEEDS A PURPOSE, THEN THEY NEED TO GO AND FIND THEIR PURPOSE IF SOME MONEY.
AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S EASY FOR ME TO SAY SITTING UP HERE WITH MY HOUSE, MY HOME AND ALL THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
BUT THE REALITY OF IT IS, IS THE GOVERNMENT CAN'T DO THAT FOR YOU.
UM, WE HAVE PROGRAMS IN PLACE.
WE HAVE THINGS IN PLACE AND THERE HAS TO BE SOME SELF ACCOUNTABILITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT INFRINGES ON THE RIGHTS OF OTHER CITIZENS.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE PUBLIC WRITEAWAYS WAS SEVERAL CLEANUP COMPANIES THAT VOLUNTEERS THAT VOLUNTEERED TO GO OUT AND CLEAN UP.
THESE WRITEAWAYS THERE, THEY HAVE HEROIN NEEDLES OR NE NEEDLES STREWN ABOUT IN THESE AREAS THAT KIDS GET ON AT BUS STOPS, OR THEY GET OFF THE BUS STOPS.
UM, THE TRASH IS THROWN EVERYWHERE.
THAT IS A PUBLIC SAFETY HAZARD FOR A CHILD TO GO AND PICK UP A HEROIN NEEDLE OR WHATEVER KIND OF NEEDLE IT IS FOR WHATEVER KIND OF DRUG THAT'S ALARMING TO ME, IT BOTHERS ME AND EVERYONE DESERVES A RIGHT TO BE SAFE IN THEIR
[00:40:01]
CITY.UM, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHY WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT CRIMINALIZATION AND WHAT THIS ARTICLE DOES.
AND IT'S ALSO ALARMING TO ME THAT BRP ESSENTIALLY SAYS, PASS YOUR ORDINANCE, BUT THERE'S NO WAY TO ENFORCE IT.
UM, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I GOT FROM THAT REPRESENTATIVE.
SO COURTNEY, CAN YOU PLEASE TELL ME, UM, WITH REGARDS TO CONSTITUTIONALITY, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? ARE SOMEONE MENTIONED AT THE MICROPHONE, UM, POTENTIAL LAWSUIT, POTENTIAL LITIGATION.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE FOR THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE OR WITH ANY PARTICULAR AMENDMENTS THAT COULD BE MADE? HOW DOES THAT, WHAT'S THE IMPACT OF THAT AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE PLEASE? SO GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE NINTH CIRCUIT HAS ALREADY RULED THAT, UM, ORDINANCES THAT, UH, ATTEMPT TO, UM, BAN PUBLIC CAMPING IS UNCONSCIOUS OR UNCONSTITUTIONAL, AND IT'S A VIOLATION OF CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS UNDER THE EIGHTH AMENDMENT AND THE FOURTH AMENDS.
AND SO FOR THE LAY PERSON IN THIS ROOM, CAN YOU TELL US WHAT IS THE NICE CIRCUIT AND HOW DOES THAT APPLY HERE IN THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA? CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT TO THE NINTH CIRCUIT IS A FEDERAL COURT IS THE CIRCUIT RIGHT BELOW THE SUPREME COURT, OUR CIRCUIT AND THE NINTH CIRCUIT, UM, IS, ARE THE, IS THE FEDERAL COURT THAT, UM, THE JURISDICTION OF THOSE STATES.
SO THE STATES THAT ARE UNDER THAT JURISDICTION IS GOING TO BE ALASKA, ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA, HAWAII, AND GUAM.
AND SO UNDER THE LOUISIANA IS UNDER THE FIFTH CIRCUIT.
SO THE FIFTH CIRCUIT OR THE STATES THAT WE'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH, WHICH IS TEXAS, LOUISIANA, ALABAMA, GEORGIA, AND FLORIDA.
UM, HOWEVER, BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO FEDERAL CIRCUITS, THE NINTH AND THE FIFTH, YOU CAN KIND OF CONSIDER THOSE AS YOU KNOW, THEY'RE BROTHERS.
SO THOSE CIRCUITS ON THAT FEDERAL LEVEL, THEY LOOK TO EACH OTHER TO SEE WHAT EACH OTHER IS RULING ON ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, THE FIFTH CIRCUIT.
UM, WE JUST DON'T HAVE NOT HAD A CASE YET, YOU KNOW, UH, NOT TO SAY THAT IT WON'T HAPPEN, BUT WE JUST HAVEN'T HAD ONE YET, UH, OF THIS TYPE.
NOW THERE IS, UH, THERE IS, UH, A CASE THAT COMES OUT OF SLIDE DELL, UM, THAT ATTEMPTED TO BAN PANHANDLING AND PANHANDLING IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
AND SO THAT'S SLIDE BELT ORDINANCE, UM, ENDED UP GETTING OVERTURNED AND, AND DEEMED INVALID.
UM, THIS IS OF THAT SAME NATURE.
UH, THIS IS NOT A PANHANDLING ORDINANCE, UH, BUT IT'S AN ORDINANCE THAT TRIES TO, UH, CURB BEHAVIOR, WHICH IS BASICALLY WHAT THE COURT DEEMS A HUMAN CONDITION.
A HUMAN CONDITION IS WHEN A HUMAN WANTS TO SIT DOWN, LIE DOWN, YOU KNOW, OR TAKE A REST.
AND SO THE COURTS HAVE BASICALLY STATED THAT'S WHAT HUMANS WANT TO DO.
AND THE FACT THAT, UH, MUNICIPALITIES SEEK TO CRIMINALIZE THAT IS AGAINST THE LAW.
SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT I'M GATHERING IS THERE'S NO PRECEDENT OTHER THAN IN THE NINTH CIRCUIT CURRENTLY.
NOW THERE HEAD IS THE PRECEDENT AND THAT'S WHAT OTHER STATES HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT.
BUT NONE HERE AND IN THE FIFTH CIRCUIT, OTHER THAN THAT, TEXAS HAS TEXAS, HAS THEY HAVE, AT ONE POINT AUSTIN, TEXAS DID WHEN MARTIN V BOISE IS THE CASE THAT'S PRESIDING.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT KIND OF LIKE WOULD STATES AROUND THE ENTIRE COUNTRY HAS LOOKED AT MARTIN V BOYS AND THEN SAID, OKAY, WE DON'T WANT TO END UP LIKE THAT.
THEY ENDED UP IN LITIGATION FOR 12 YEARS.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE WANT TO TAKE THAT ON EITHER.
AND THEN AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY ENDED UP ENTERING INTO A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR SETTLEMENT.
UM, AND SO OTHER STATES HAVE LOOKED AT THAT AND SAID, WELL, WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
LET'S TRY TO FIND ANOTHER WAY.
UM, TEXAS IS A STATE THAT ACTUALLY ENDED UP LOOKING AT MARTIN DE BOISE AS WELL, AUSTIN IN PARTICULAR.
AND SO THEY ENDED UP REPEALING THEIR ORDINANCE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, AND THEN THEY JUST RECENTLY LAST SUMMER REENACTED THE PUBLIC CAMPING THING.
SO IN, IN YOUR LEGAL RESEARCH GOING THROUGH, AND I KNOW LOOKING THROUGH ALL THESE CASES, SEARCHING ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES, IT GETS PRETTY HEAVY.
DID YOU, DID YOU FIND ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE A BETTER FIT WITHOUT THE EXPOSURE? UM, LEGALLY SPEAKING FOR THE CITY ORDINANCE WISE ORDINANCE WISE? NO, BECAUSE WHAT LAWS SEEK TO DO IS TO BASICALLY PUNISH THAT'S THE POINT OF A LAW.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FIND MANY LAWS, IF ANY, THAT, YOU KNOW, STATE THAT THEY DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO DO SOMETHING, AND THERE'S NO PUNISHMENT TO IT BECAUSE THE POINT IS, IS TO PUNISH.
AND SO WHERE THESE LAWS ARE CONCERNED, UM, THAT'S THE PROBLEM IS THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO PUNISH SOMEBODY'S BODY FOR BEING POOR.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE COURTS WERE SAYING.
[00:45:01]
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T DO THAT.YOU SH YOU SHOULD NOT BE DOING THAT.
NOW, HAVING SAID THAT STATES THERE ARE STATES THAT ARE DOING IT.
UM, AND SO COUNSEL WOMAN, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, IF THERE IS ANYTHING BETTER, THAT'S NOT REALLY THE ROUND THAT YOU'RE WORKING IN BECAUSE A LAW SHOULDN'T BE PUNISHING SOMEBODY FOR BEING INDIGENT.
SO WHAT, WHAT THE, WELL, WE HAVE SOUGHT TO DO WHAT I THINK, WHICH IS WHAT IS CURRENTLY BEING PUT IN PRACTICE RIGHT NOW THROUGH THE MAYOR'S HOT TEAM IS TO TRY TO FIND ANOTHER AVENUE THAT DOES NOT INVOLVE PUNISHING SOMEONE.
AND SO I, SO PUNISHMENT IS THE NAME OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, BUT THE REALITY OF HAVING A PUNISHMENT IS TO DETER THE BEHAVIOR OR ACTIVITY THAT'S OCCURRING.
SO PERHAPS THE BETTER QUESTION IS WHAT IS THE ACTUAL DETERRENT, BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY HEARD FROM BR PD THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO, THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR, THEY DON'T INTEND TO, OR THEY DON'T THINK THAT THE PRISON OR THE COURT HAD THE ABILITY TO ENFORCE THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE.
UM, AND IT DOESN'T SEEM AS THOUGH THEY WANT TO ENFORCE IT.
SO BASED UPON THEIR STATEMENTS, THE DETERRENT FACTOR IS NOW GONE, WHICH VITIATE THE ENTIRE REASON FOR HAVING THIS ORDINANCE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
SO I THINK WE GET BACK TO SQUARE.
ONE OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO, HOW TO DETER THE BEHAVIOR AND KEEP THE BEHAVIOR FROM A PUBLIC SAFETY STANDPOINT.
BUT WE, WE DON'T HAVE AN ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM FOR THE DETERRENCE.
SO I, I AGREE WITH THE DEFERRAL.
I THINK A LOT OF, A LOT OF INFORMATION AND RESEARCH NEEDS TO BE DONE.
THERE NEEDS TO BE DETERRENCE FOR A PUBLIC SAFETY PERSPECTIVE.
AND WHETHER THAT COMES IN THE FORM OF MORE SHELTERS, UM, OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
BUT ALARMING TO ME WAS THE REALITY.
WHENEVER I TURNED ON THE NEWS AND I SAW A COUPLE SAY, HEY, WE'RE COMING TO LOUISIANA, WE'RE COMING TO BATON ROUGE BECAUSE WE HERE IS REALLY GOOD PLACE FOR HOMELESS PEOPLE TO BAY.
AND THAT'S WONDERFUL THAT WE HAVE THOSE PROGRAMS, BUT IF THERE ISN'T A FACTOR THAT DETERS, OR THERE ISN'T SOMETHING THAT'S HELPFUL, THEN WHAT DO WE LOOK LIKE IN FIVE TO 10 YEARS? YEAH.
AND I THINK THAT THE PROGRAM THAT'S IN PLACE NOW BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICES IS HELPFUL.
IT'S NOT A DETERRENT BECAUSE AGAIN, DETERRING SOMEONE FROM HOMELESS IS TO HELP THEM.
BUT YEAH, IT'S NOT, I'M NOT TRYING TO DETER SOMEONE FROM BEING HOMELESS.
I WOULD, IT, THE AIM OF THIS ORDINANCE, I THINK HAS BEEN, HAS BEEN WASHED OUT BY THE HOMELESS ELEMENT, WHICH I AGREE IS AN ELEMENT OF THIS.
BUT THE REALITY OF IT IS YOU CAN BE HOMELESS ALL YOU WANT, BUT YOU CAN'T PITCH A TENT NEXT TO A BUS STOP AND THROW YOUR HEROIN NEEDLES OUT THE SIDE.
AND THE TENT IN THE PUBLIC PUBLIC AREAS IS WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE FOCUS HAS, HAS BEEN AN ISSUE.
IT'S, IT'S PLACING, IT'S HAVING THESE ENCAMPMENTS IN AREAS LIKE ON, OUT ON COLLEGE DRIVE BEHIND ALBERTSON.
UM, AND THEN YOU HAVE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE CHILDREN ARE WALKING UP AND DOWN THE SIDEWALKS, AND THEY HAVE BUGGIES FULL OF HOMELESS MATERIAL WITH DRUGS AND OTHER PARAPHERNALIA BEING THROWN ABOUT.
SO THAT, THAT'S MY IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE HOMELESS, AND I KNOW THAT THEY GO HAND IN HAND, BUT IT'S THE ENCAMPMENTS, THE, AND THE LITTER AND THE STUFF THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT, THAT'S CREATING THE ISSUES IN MY OPINION.
I THINK THAT IF THERE IS A CONCERN ABOUT DRUG PARAPHERNALIA, AS, YOU KNOW, BEING A FORMER PROSECUTOR, THERE'S A LAW AGAINST THAT AGAINST DRUG PARAPHERNALIA.
AND SO I THINK THAT THAT THAT'S A SEPARATE ISSUE FROM BEING HOMELESS.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S A CASE BY CASE THING.
I JUST DON'T WANT THERE TO BE A, I DON'T WANT THERE TO BE, UH, THIS IDEA THAT IF YOU'RE HOMELESS, YOU'RE ON DRUGS, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S TWO DIFFERENT ISSUES HAPPENING.
AND I THINK THAT WHEN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, UH, DUSTIN, DPS DPW OUT THERE TO CLEAN UP THAT, THAT, I THINK THAT GOES TO THE HEART OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT IT BEING A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE, BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PUBLIC SPACE SPACES ARE CLEAN.
UM, AND SO WHEN THEY GO OUT THERE TO DO THOSE, UH, THOSE CLEANUPS, THEY DO TAKE CARE OF, DO YOU KNOW, WATCH OUT FOR DRUG PARAPHERNALIA.
I THINK THAT THEY ARE ACCOMPANIED BY THE RPD, UM, REPRESENTATIVE.
SO THAT OFFICERS RATHER SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THOSE KINDS OF ISSUES ARE, ARE ADDRESSED.
THANK YOU, COURTNEY, UH, COUNSELING BARS.
[00:50:01]
CO-HEAD ON NAVY.UH, SO YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT IF YOU DON'T, UH, I DON'T KNOW.
YOU CAN GO, YOU CAN GO HAVE A SEAT IF YOU CHOOSE TO.
WHEN I SEE A HOME, YOU CAN CALL, WE CAN CALL IT WHAT WE WANT.
IT'S ESSENTIALLY A HOME ORDINANCE, RIGHT? PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO USE THE WORD AND THEY WANT TO CALL IT OTHER THINGS, BUT IT'S BASICALLY HOMELESS ORDINANCE, RIGHT? I CAN'T STOP IT FROM BEING HAMLIN.
I CAN'T STOP YOU FROM CAMPING OUT SOMEWHERE.
AND SO I DO THIS BECAUSE NONE OF US REALLY WANT TO SEE HOMELESS PEOPLE, HOMELESS.
NUMBER ONE, NUMBER TWO, NONE OF US WANT TO BE BOOKED BY A PANHANDLER AT A RED LIGHT.
NONE OF US WANT TO SEE TRUE TENTS ON THE SIDE OF THE ROADS.
I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF TENTS ON SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY ON THE RIGHT OF WAY OR IN THE BACKYARD OR WHEREVER, RIGHT? AND I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF FINDING PRIVATE CITIZENS FOR HOMELESS PEOPLE CAMPING OUT ON THEIR PROPERTY EITHER.
SO LET ME MAKE THAT CLEAR, BUT I AM IN FAVOR FOR, IS FINDING A SOLUTION.
AND SO THAT SOLUTION HAS VERY DIFFERENT APPEALS DEPENDING ON THAT INDIVIDUAL.
WE TALKED ABOUT YOUTH, WE TALKED ABOUT VETERANS PTSD.
UH, WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, PEOPLE WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES AND MENTAL HEALTH.
SO I WILL TELL YOU ALL A PERSONAL STORY.
SO MY WIFE'S MOTHER PASSED IN 2018.
I LIVED OFF MY LIFE SAVINGS FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE THE MONEY TO BE ABLE TO DO IT, BUT I WAS MENTALLY INCAPACITATED FROM WORKING DAY TO DAY, WATCHING HER GO DOWN FROM THE TRAUMA THAT WE DON'T.
RIGHT, BUT HAD I NOT BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE IN A SITUATION I WAS IN, I TALKED TO LORI ABOUT IT.
I RUN THROUGH ALL OF MY MONEY THAT I SAVED, AND I WAS PROBABLY A MONTH AWAY FROM BEING WHERE THEY ARE.
SO WHEN I TELL YOU THIS STORY, I'M SPEAKING FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, NONE OF MY BUSINESS WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO REBOUND VERY FAST AND BE AN ENTREPRENEUR, GET MYSELF BACK ON MY FEET, BUT HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN LIVE TWO AND A HALF YEARS WHERE I WORKED AT NOT MANY.
AND I'LL TELL YOU MORE RECENT STORY.
LAST WEEK, LAST MONDAY, BRIAN IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH MY STORY.
SO I GO WHEN WE MEET THIS KID, SO I GO TO TOOL TIME AT LRC.
AND WHILE WE'RE AT TOOL TIME AT LRC, WITH THESE AMAZING KIDS THAT I GOT FROM THE MAYOR'S YOUTH WORKFORCE AND THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, THAT PROGRAM IS WORKING BECAUSE THOSE KIDS ARE SITTING RIGHT THERE INSTEAD OF BEING IN THE STREETS.
BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT THERE WAS A KID THAT WALKED UP, THEY SAID, HEY, I'M LOOKING FOR A WELDING CLASS.
IT WAS LIKE A WELDING CLASS, MAN.
SEE HOW OLD ARE YOU? HE SAID, I'M 18, 19, 18 AND 19.
I SAID, WELL, MAYBE HE FITS INTO THIS, BUT I DIDN'T REALIZE WE WERE DOING WELDING THROUGH THE MANAGEMENT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
AND, UM, HE SAID, NO, MAN, I'M LOOKING FOR, CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE PROGRAM.
I SAID, MAN, YOU ARE AT, UH, LRC, E LAUTERDALE WALKING IS PROBABLY 30 MINUTES, 45 MINUTES AWAY.
SO I DROPPED MY SON OFF AND DID CAUSE HE'S A PART OF THAT PROGRAM AS WELL.
UM, AND I TOOK THE KID TO BRCC AT ARRENDALE CAUSE I FIGURED I SAID IT HAS TO BE HARD.
AND DALE NEVER TOLD ME ANYTHING ABOUT HIM.
SO BY THE END OF THE DAY, FOUND OUT HE WAS HOMELESS AT 18 YEARS OLD BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN ABUSED IN HIS OWN, FOUND OUT THAT, UM, HE WAS LOVED SOME NIGHTS STAYING WITH HIS AUNT, SOME NIGHTS, SLEEPING ON THE STREET IN A TENT AND PUBLIC SPACE, BY THE WAY, BECAUSE MY WIFE TOOK HIM TO THE TENT TO GET THE REST OF HIS CLOTHES OUT OF HIS TENT BECAUSE HE WAS, IF IT WAS UP TO US, HE WOULD SPEND NO MORE NIGHTS ON THIS TRIP.
SO WHAT WE DID WAS FOUND ONE OF THE PROGRAMS AS BROKEN AND NOT WORKING.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET HIM A PLACE TO SLEEP THAT NIGHT AT HIS CHOICE, WE WERE ABLE TO GO TO THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE NOT WORKING AND FIND HIM A JOB.
BY THE END OF THE DAY THROUGH A BOARD YARD, WE'RE ABLE TO GO TO A PROGRAM AT BRCC.
THAT'S NOT WORKING AND GET HIM A ROLE IN SCHOOLS IN THE WELDING PROGRAMS. CAN I BE ONE MOTHER FIVE MINUTES? AND UM, SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOMELESS, WE TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART.
AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT CRIMINALIZING AN 18 YEAR OLD FOR BEING ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, AND BY THE WAY, I DID CALL CHRISTIAN OUTREACH WITH BRIAN.
WE GOT HIM SERVICES THROUGH THE CHRISTIAN OUTREACH PROGRAM THAT GETS FUNNY.
AND WE WENT TO THE PURPLE COW AND GOT HIM FREE CLOTHES TO MAKE SURE THAT HE APPLIED WHEN HE WENT TO THAT JOB.
SO CAN YOU TALK ABOUT CHALLENGES IN THE COMMUNITY? WE ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES THROUGH SOLUTIONS BECAUSE WE HAD RESOURCES THAT I WAS ABLE TO GO TO, TO ADDRESS THESE HOMELESS NEEDS.
AND, UM, THAT SAME KID WHO, BY THURSDAY,
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I TAKE THEM TO CLINICAL TASK SCHOOL THREE TIMES FOR HIS WELDING PROGRAM WHERE HE CALLED ME TO PICK HIM UP IN THE MORNING.THIS IS NOT A BRAG AND IT'S NOT ABOUT ME.
IT LITERALLY JUST HIT ME SITTING HERE RIGHT NOW.
BUT I JUST HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE LAST WEEK FOR A KID IN THE TENT AND A RIGHT OF WAY.
AND BRIAN AND HIS GROUP HELPED ME GET HIM OUT OF THERE RIGHT AWAY.
BUT GUESS WHAT? COUPLE DAYS LATER I WENT THROUGH A COUPLE OF CELL PHONE NUMBERS.
THINGS DIDN'T HAPPEN, RIGHT? UH, TOUCH BASE WITH HIM ON FRIDAY.
DIDN'T TOUCH BASE WITH THEM ON THURSDAY.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET HIM BACK IN THERE, BUT I STILL WOULDN'T PICK HIS MOM UP AND TOOK HIS MOM SOMEWHERE WHO DOESN'T ALLOW THEM TO COME SLEEP IN THE HOUSE WITH HER.
SO THERE ARE SITUATIONS GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE A FATHOM BECAUSE OF OUR GREAT, AMAZING HOME LIVES THAT WE HAVE.
AND WE CAN'T ALWAYS FEEL WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT FACED THOSE ISSUES PERSONALLY.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE ONE-STOP, I'M ACTUALLY TAKING THAT SAME MODEL AND TRYING TO USE IT FOR, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ALL BEDROOMS, BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN BRINGING ALL THE RESOURCES UNDER ONE ROOF, RIGHT? FOR EVERYBODY WHO HAS SOMETHING BAD TO SAY ABOUT THIS, AND WHAT'S NOT WORKING, I WANT THEM TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION THAT DOES WORK, NOT JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT'S NOT WORKING BECAUSE HERE'S ONE THING TO BE A PART OF THE PROBLEM.
CAUSE ANOTHER THING TO BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION AND COMPLAINANT IS BEING A PART OF THE PROBLEM.
THAT'S SUSTAINABLE AS BEING A PART OF THE SOLUTION.
SO NOBODY I'M OPEN TO TALK TO ANYONE THAT WOULD WANT TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND THE FINAL THING THAT I WILL SAY IS THAT CRIMINALIZING HOMELESSNESS, CAUSE WE WOULD CALL IT WHAT YOU SAY.
IT CAN'T MEET WHATEVER IS CRIMINALIZED.
SOMEBODY WHO HAS LACK OF RESOURCES, HIS ASS IN HIGH.
AND THE WHOLE PART OF THE ORDINANCE, BECAUSE WE TALKED LAURA AND I TALKED ALL DAY LONG.
I DON'T WANT TENTS IN MY CITY IF I DON'T HAVE THEM.
I WANT EVERYBODY WITH A HOME, BUT HOW WE, HOW DO WE CRIMINALIZE SOMEBODY FOR DOING THAT? AND FIRST OF ALL, HOW DO WE SEND THEM TO THIS RAGGEDY PRISON WITH MILDEW MOLD? AND AS BEST AS THAT, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VIEW THAT I'VE SHOWED PICTURES TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR MY FIRST WEEK IN OFFICE.
THE ONLY REASON I HAVEN'T BUMPED IT IS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHERE THESE PEOPLE WOULD GO.
DO WE NEED MORE RESOURCES IN THERE FOR REENTRY AND NOT NECESSARILY FOR, FOR JAIL TIME? ABSOLUTELY.
SO WHY WOULD I SEND A HOMELESS PERSON WHO HAS GREAT FRESH AIR ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO GO BREATHE IN AS BEST AS NO DUDE IN MOLD, I'M NOT GOING TO DO AN ASK.
AND MY COLLEAGUES DON'T DO IT EITHER BEFORE THEY SIGN OFF ON THIS TO HAVE ANY TYPE OF CRIMINALIZATION, GO WALK THE EBR PRISON AND SEE IF YOU WANT YOUR DOG SLEEPING THERE AT NIGHTTIME.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT A COUNCILMAN, UM, PER SE IT IS EXACTLY WHY I'M COMPLAINING THE KIDS THAT WE SEE EVERY DAY.