[00:00:01]
[CALL TO ORDER]
WELCOME TO THE COUNCIL CHAMBER OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH ON THE APP OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL AND MAYOR, PRESIDENT SHARON, WESTERN BROOM.WE WELCOME YOU TO OUR BROADCAST WHEREVER YOU'RE WATCHING.
WE ARE ON METRO 21 WE'RE ON AT AND T UVERSE CHANNEL 99.
WE'RE STREAMING ON OUR WEBSITE.
IT VR LA.GOV, AND WE ARE LIVE ON FACEBOOK LIVE AND THAT'S IN HIGH DEFINITION, 37 DIFFERENT ANGLES THAT YOU CAN SEE THE COUNCIL MEETING.
SO WELCOME TO THE MEET AGAIN TODAY, WE'RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DISTRICT FULL OF THESE BATON ROUGE PARISH COUNCIL NEED YOU SEE THE MAP OF OUR PARISH WIDE, UH, DISTRICTS RIGHT THERE, ONE THROUGH 12 AND UP TO THE RIGHT HAND CORNER AND DOWN UNDER NUMBER ONE IS NUMBER FOUR AND THAT'S FROM DENIM ROAD SOUTH.
THAT'S REPRESENTED BY COUNCILMAN AARON MOKE, AND THAT RUNS DENIM SOUTH.
AND YOU HAVE HEARD OF THE AMY RIVER, OF COURSE THAT'S TO HIS EAST AND THAT'S THE EASTERN BOUNDARY.
HE GOES OUT TO BLACKWATER AND YOU'VE HEARD NAMES IN CENTRAL LIKE SULLIVAN HOOPER ROAD, WAX JOR, UH, THE EAST SIDE OF SHERWOOD FOREST ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THERE.
AND OF COURSE IN CENTRAL THRUWAY PRINCETOWN ROAD IN MANY OTHERS, AND IT'S REPRESENTED BY A COUNCILMAN ERIN MOKE, COUNCILMAN MOAK IS A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF CENTRAL AND OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
HE IS THE FATHER OF TWO SONS, TRAVIS SMOKE AND CARSON MOKE.
HE HAS SERVED OUR COMMUNITY FOR OVER 35 YEARS.
AND AT THE AGE OF 13, COUNCILMAN MOAT BEGAN SERVING AS A VOLUNTEER JUNIOR FIREFIGHTER.
WE HEARD ABOUT THE LOTTERY OR TODAY, AND HE'S BECOMING A, FULL-TIME PAID FIREFIGHTER FOR THE CENTRAL FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND HE GOT HIS INFLUENCE FROM HIS DAD BECAUSE HIS DAD IS KNOWN FOR FIREFIGHTING LEADERSHIP ALL OVER LOUISIANA AND NATIONWIDE JOHN BOAK AND COUNCILMAN, I KNOW YOU'RE PROUD OF YOUR DAD SHORTLY AFTER GRADUATING FROM CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL, HE BECAME A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER AND A SUCCESSFUL OWNER AND OPERATING, UH, OF EVOLUTIONS FOR 27 YEARS.
AND FOR 27 YEARS AGO, COUNCILMAN MOKE EXPANDED HIS VENTURE IN PUBLIC SERVICE.
AS A MEMBER OF THE CENTRAL AREA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, THE CENTRAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
HE SERVED ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND LATER AS PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CITY OF CENTRAL AND THROUGH EXPERIENCES, COUNCILMAN AARON, MOE LEARNED A PASSION.
AS WE ALL KNOW FOR SERVING PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WAS ELECTED AS A MEMBER OF THE FIRST CITY COUNCIL OF CENTRAL, THE CITY OF CENTRAL, THAT WAS IN NOVEMBER OF 2006, COUNCILMAN MOAT SERVED ON THE COUNCIL FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE TERMS FROM 2006 TO 13 AND 14 TO 18.
AND THEN, UH, NOVEMBER OF 2018, HE DECIDED AGAIN TO RUN FOR THE CITY COUNCIL OF CENTRAL AND AS USUAL HE WON.
AND THEN THIS IS OUR MOMENT IN 2020, BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN HE DECIDED TO RUN FOR THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH REPRESENTING DISTRICT FOUR.
AND WE ALL KNOW THAT HE WAS SUCCESSFUL THERE.
AND, UH, COUNCILMAN, WE ALL ARE GLAD THAT YOU'RE HERE.
AND COUNCILMAN MOKE IS ALSO ON THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM.
AND HE SERVES ON THE CRPC AS OUR COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE.
HE'S ON THE SCREEN NOW, COUNCILMAN COUNCILMAN MOAT, DISTRICT FOUR ON THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL.
AND AT THIS TIME TO MY RIGHT IS THE MAYOR PRESIDENT PROTEST OF EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH, COUNCILMAN LAMONT COLE.
LET'S GIVE DENNIS A ROUND OF APPLAUSE, GREAT JOB COUNCIL MEMBER MOKE.
AND NOW WE WILL GO TO, UH, ASHLEY, DO WE HAVE A QUORUM? I LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
WE HAVE A QUORUM AND NOW WE'LL GO TO REVEREND CALVIN KLEIN.
WE'LL START YOUR BAPTIST CHURCH WITHOUT INVOCATION AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, WHEREVER CHOIR.
OKAY, LET US BOW OUR HEADS, HEAVENLY FATHER.
IT'S NOTHING THAT WE'VE DONE TO DESERVE IT, BUT IT'S YOUR MERCY AND GRACE AND YOUR LOVE.
WE THANK YOU FOR THIS WONDERFUL CITY OF BATON ROUGE FATHER.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE RESIDENTS, THE INSTITUTIONS, AND, UH, THOSE THAT SERVE AND THOSE WHO ARE IN LEADERSHIP FATHER, WE ASK TODAY THAT YOU WOULD GRANT THEIR HEADS WITH KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM FROM YOU, GIVE THEM HEARTS LIKE YOU SO THAT THEY CAN SERVE, UH, IN WAYS THAT PLEASE SHOOT FATHER.
WE JUST THANK YOU FOR OUR CITY.
AND WE ASK THAT YOU BLESS AND KEEP US SAFE.
THERE'S ANOTHER, THE BEST THAT WE ASK IN JESUS' NAME, WE PRAY AMEN.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS
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ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.THANK YOU, ROBERT CLARK GRADUATIONS.
AGAIN, WE SINCERELY APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK, DEDICATION AND EFFORTS HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING IN TODAY AND THANK ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE AT HOME TUNING IN ITEM
[ADOPTION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
ONE ADOPTION APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES APPROVED THE ADOPTED THE MINUTES OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEETING OF JUNE 22ND, 2022, THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL'S ONLY MEETING OF JULY 20TH, 2022 IN THE GREATER BATON ROUGE AIRPORT COMMISSION OF JULY 12TH, 2022 BY THE COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR AND TREASURER.IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM ONE? WE'RE NOT GO TO COUNCIL MOTION TO APPROVE OUR COUNCIL MEMBER DONE SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
[INTRODUCTIONS]
PASSENGERS.YOU PLEASE READ THE INTRODUCTIONS.
NUMBER TWO, GRANTING A SALES TAX REBATE ESTIMATED AT, BUT NO MORE THAN $51,300 TO ASSOCIATE ASSOCIATED GROCERS INC.
LOCATED AT EIGHTY SIX HUNDRED AND EIGHTY SIX EIGHTY SIX AND SELMA LANE.
THIS PROJECT WILL CREATE 12 NEW FULL-TIME JOBS BY PLANNING DIRECTOR, NUMBER THREE, A RESOLUTION APPROVING CALLING AN ELECTION AND THE ST.
GEORGE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NUMBER TWO PAIR SHOULD BE SPENT IN RATIO TO LOUISIANA ON DECEMBER 10TH, 2022, FOR THE PURPOSE OF AUTHORIZING THE LEVY AND COLLECTION OF A FOUR MILS AD VALOREM TAX FOR DEVELOPMENT, OPERATION, AND MAINTENANCE OF THE FIRE PROTECTION FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT PERSONNEL OF THE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS BY ST.
GEORGE FIRE PROTECTION, DISTRICT NUMBER FOUR, A RESOLUTION APPROVING AN EXCEPTION TO LOUISVILLE, LOUISIANA REVISED STATUTE 33, COLON 24 76, AND PROVIDING THAT THE TWO MEMBERS ELECTED BY THE MUNICIPAL FIRE AND POLICE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD BY THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED TO BE RESIDENTS OR QUALIFIED VOTERS OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE BY COUNCILWOMAN ROCCA, NUMBER FIVE, AUTHORIZING THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO INSTITUTE EXPROPRIATION PROCEEDINGS AND OR TO TAKE SUCH OTHER ACTIONS AS MAY BE REQUIRED IN CONNECTION WITH THE ACQUISITION OF LAND NECESSARY NECESSARY FOR THE MOVE BR CAPACITY PROJECT HOOPER ROAD JOR ROAD TO BLACKWATER ROAD BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY NUMBER SIX, AUTHORIZING THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO INSTITUTE EXPROPRIATION PROCEEDINGS AND TO TAKE SUCH ACTION AS MAY BE REQUIRED IN CONNECTION WITH THE ACQUISITION OF LAND NECESSARY FOR THE MOVIE ART CAPACITY PROJECT BLUEBONNET BOULEVARD, PERKINS ROAD TO BACARDI AVENUE BY PARISH, ATTORNEY NUMBER SEVEN, AUTHORIZING THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO INSTITUTE EXPROPRIATION PROCEEDINGS AND OR TO TAKE SUCH OTHER ACTIONS AS MAY BE REQUIRED IN CONNECTION WITH THE ACQUISITION OF LAND NECESSARY FOR THE MAPR CAPACITY PROJECT LEAD DRIVE HOLLAND ROAD TO PARKINS RIDE OF THE PARISH ATTORNEY NUMBER EIGHT, AUTHORIZING THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO ENTER THE EXPROPRIATION PROCEEDINGS AND WHERE TO TAKE SUCH OTHER ACTION AS MAY BE REQUIRED IN CONNECTION WITH THE ACQUISITION OF LAND NECESSARY FOR THE MOVIE ARC CAPACITY PROJECT JONES CREEK ROAD TIGER.
THEN TO JEFFERSON NUMBER NINE, AUTHORIZING THE PARISH ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO INSTITUTE EXPROPRIATION PROCEEDINGS AND OR TAKE SUCH OTHER ACTIONS MAY BE REQUIRED IN CONNECTION WITH THE ACQUISITION OF LAND NECESSARY FOR THE MOVE BR CAPACITY PROJECT HENNESSY BOULEVARD, PERKINS CONNECTOR BY PARISH ATTORNEY NUMBER 10, I'M IN THE 2022 ALLOTMENT OF POSITIONS FOR THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE PARISH SHOULD BE SPENT IN ROUGE.
SO IT'S TO CHANGE THE ALLOTMENT OF THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT BATON ROUGE, ADVANCING HEALTH LITERACY GRANT AS FOLLOWS EFFECTIVE 11 AUGUST 11TH, 2022 MAYOR PRESIDENT THAT MERGE ADVANCING HEALTH LITERACY GRANT DELETE THREE COMMUNITY OUTREACH COORDINATOR AND ONE ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALISTS AND ADD ONE PROGRAM ANALYST BY THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER, URBAN DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR AND HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR.
NUMBER 11, AUTHORIZED IN THE SETTLEMENT OF THE MATTER ENTITLED TIANA STERLING VERSUS THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE PARISH SHOULD BE BATON ROUGE IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 75,000, I'M SORRY, IN AN AMOUNT OF $75,000 PLUS COURT COSTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $280 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $75,280 AND APPROPRIATING THAT SUM FOR SUCH PURPOSE BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY NUMBER 12, AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE MATTER ENTITLED ERIC WILLIAMS VERSUS ETHAN MORE AT AL IN THE AMOUNT OF $71,000 PLUS COURT COSTS THE AMOUNT OF $264 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $71,264 AND APPROPRIATING THAT SUM FOR SUCH PURPOSE BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY NUMBER 13, AUTHORIZING SETTLEMENT OF THE MATTER ENTITLED TIMOTHY JONES VERSUS THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS SET OUT IN THE AMOUNT OF $452 AND 50 CENTS FOR A I'M SORRY, IN, UH, AN AMOUNT OF $65,000 PLUS COURT COSTS THE AMOUNT OF $452 AND 50 CENTS FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $65,452 AND 50 CENTS.
AND APPROPRIATING THAT SUM FOR SUCH PURPOSE BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY NUMBER 14, AUTHORIZED AND SETTLEMENT OF THE MATTER ENTITLED HEAVIER DONE VERSUS THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $56,500 PLUS COURT COSTS THE AMOUNT OF $398 AND 12 CENTS FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $56,398 AND 12 CENTS.
AND APPROPRIATING THAT SUM FOR SUCH PURPOSE BY THE PARISH ATTORNEY NUMBER 15, AMENDING THE 2022 OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET.
SO IT WAS TO APPROPRIATE 7 MILLION, $72,000 FROM GENERAL FUND FUND BALANCE ON ASCEND TO BE USED FOR DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT, GRANT MATCH FACILITY, INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, PUBLIC SAFETY EQUIPMENT, GRANT ADMINISTRATION, COMMUNICATION ENHANCEMENTS, AND UPDATES OF THE FUTURE BR PLAN AND
[00:10:01]
FUNDING ASSISTANCE TO COMPANION ANIMAL ALLIANCE BY THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT NUMBER 16, ADMITTING THE 2022 ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET JEWISH PROPRIATE $48,397,775 OF THE PROCEEDS FROM THE LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUND THROUGH THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT AND TO PROVIDE FUNDING AS DESCRIBED IN THE REQUEST FOR BUDGET SUPPLEMENT BY THE MAYOR, PRESIDENT NUMBER 17, AMENDING THE 2022 PAY PLAN FOR THE CLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED NON-CLASSIFIED CONTRACT FOREIGN POLICE EMPLOYEES, THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE.SO AS TO MAKE THE FOLLOWING CHANGES EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 10TH, 2022, REGULAR CLASSIFIED AND UNCLASSIFIED CIVIL SERVICE PAY PLAN INCREASED 5% ALL CLASSIFIED AND UNCLASSIFIED CIVIL SERVICE CLASSIFICATIONS, 5% ACROSS THE BOARD INCREASE FOR ALL CLASSIFIED AND UNCLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES PAY PLAN ATTACHED, MUNICIPAL FIRE PAY PLAN INCREASE 5% ALL MUNICIPAL FIRE CLASSIFICATIONS, 5% ACROSS THE BOARD INCREASE FOR THE ENTIRE TIRE MUNICIPAL FIRE PAY PLAN.
MUNICIPAL POLICE PAY PLAN INCREASED 7% ALL MUNICIPAL FIRE POLICE CLASSIFICATION, 7% ACROSS THE BOARD INCREASE FOR THE ENTIRE MUNICIPAL POLICE PAY PLAN, PAY GRADE TRUNCATION, MUNICIPAL FIRE MUNICIPAL POLICE PAY PLAN POLICE OFFICER FROM STEP TWO TO STEP FIVE, 7% INCREASED BY MAYOR PRESIDENT AND THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR.
A NUMBER 18 AMENDING TITLE 11 TRAFFIC CODE CHAPTER SIX, DRIVING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROADWAY, OVERTAKING AND PASSING USE OF ROADWAY.
SECTION 11, COLON 73, DRAG RACING AND RACING ON PUBLIC ROADS.
SO AS TO PROHIBIT AND ADD DEFINITIONS FOR STUNT ACTIVITY TO PREVENT SPECTATORS, TO PROHIBIT SPECTATORS, TO PROHIBIT ORGANIZING THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, TO INCREASE PENALTY PROVISIONS AND TO ADD A PROVISION RELATED TO PRIVATE ROADS AND PARKING AREAS BY COUNCILMAN ROWDY, GO DAY AND THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT CONDEMNATION INTRODUCTIONS NUMBER 19, MATTHEW J CANON 5 2 2 6, DANI STREET, COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE, NO NUMBER 20 RICKY GLENN REYNOLDS AT AL 7 7 77 CHROMATE DRIVE COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS NUMBER 21, WANDA, MAURICE MORMON 9 0 2 5 REDBUD STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT SIX DUNN JR.
NUMBER 22 FCU FEDERAL CREDIT UNION 9 1 7 NORTH 29TH STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN, COLD NUMBER 23 AMERICAN SERVICE ENTERPRISE INC 7 1 2 0 POINT AVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT NINE, HUDSON NUMBER 24, EUGENE BORDEN AND GOLDA GORDON, 2 0 3 5 PLANK ROAD COUNSEL, DISTRICT 10, HOMAN NUMBER 25, COLLIS B TEMPLE JUNIOR AND SANDRA JOHNSON.
1 8, 2 6 AND ONE EIGHT TO SIX AND A HALF NORTH 15TH STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 26, GERALD INGRAM 1, 2, 4, 5 CONVENTION STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 27, DARYL INGRAM 1, 2, 4, 1 CONVINCE CITRATE COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 28, CEDAR CREST SOUTHMORE RECREATION ASSOCIATION 1 0 2, 2 5 PATRICIA STREET COUNCIL DISTRICT 11 ADAMS DEDICATED A PROPERTY INTRODUCTIONS.
NUMBER 29 THAT 11 SQUARE ONE SUBDIVISION NORTH BATON ROUGE, METRO COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS.
NUMBER 30 LOT 16 SUBDIVISION, MONSANTO HIGHLAND FARMS, COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 31 LOT 13 SUBDIVISION EPPERSON COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS.
NUMBER 32 LOT 27TH SUBDIVISION SHADOW OAKS TO STATES.
COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 33 LOT 1 28 SUBDIVISION HOLIDAY ACRES COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS.
NUMBER 34 LOT SEVENTEENS WHERE A SUBDIVISION BROWN COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS.
NUMBER 35, LOTS 16 SUBDIVISION BROWN COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS.
NUMBER 36, J R TUCKER PROPERTY COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE KNOW NUMBER 37 LOT ONE A PLUS FOREST SQUARE COUNCIL DISTRICT SIX DUNN JR.
NUMBER 38 LOT 2 81 SUBDIVISION EAST DAYTON COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE NUMBER 39 LOT 19 SQUARE ONE GREENVILLE ADDITION, COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLD NUMBER 40 LOT 43 SQUARE SIX SUBDIVISION BANKS, COUNCIL DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN NUMBER 41 LOT.
ONE A SUBDIVISION TD BROUSSARD TRACK COUNTS OF DISTRICT ONE KNOLL NUMBER 42 LOT ONE PART SQUARE 35 MONSANTO HIGHLAND FARMS, COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE HEARST NUMBER 43 LOT FOUR SUBDIVISION MADDEN COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS.
FIVE SUBDIVISION MADDEN COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO BANKS.
NUMBER 45, 11 SQUARE 47 SUBDIVISION GREENVILLE INDENTION EDITION COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN COLE NUMBER 46, LOT 45 AND 46 SQUARE 27 SUBDIVISION FORTUNE COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE HEARST NUMBER 47, LOT 25 AND 26 SQUARE 40 SUBDIVISION FORTUNE COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE HEARST NUMBER 48, LOT 35 SUBDIVISION SHADE OF PLACE.
COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE HEARST NUMBER 49 BOUGHT ONE SQUARE, THREE SUBDIVISION.
SCOTT COUNCIL, DISTRICT 10 COLEMAN, ALL ITEMS THAT REQUIRE READING HAVE BEEN READ AND EMOTION TO DELETE ITEM 25 AT THE REQUEST OF THE COUNCIL WOMAN AND INTRODUCED TO ALL OTHER ITEMS IS IN ORDER.
WAS THERE A MOTION TO INTRODUCE ALL
[00:15:01]
ITEMS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM TWENTY-FIVE AT THE REQUEST OF THE COUNCIL WOMAN? I HAVE A QUESTION.I WANT YOU TO KNOW IF I COULD PUT A DELETE 33 THROUGH 35 SUNDAY, A CONDEMNATION.
UNDER THE INTRODUCTION ON PAGE SIX AND SEVEN.
I LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO DELETE 33 34 AND 35.
AND INTRODUCE ALL ITEMS. THERE WAS A MOTION TO DELETE ITEMS. 25 33 34 35 36.
MY NUMBERS ARE 33 34 AND 35 CONSECUTIVELY, 33 34 35 AND 25.
AND INTRODUCE ALL IT ITEMS BY COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS A SECOND.
IF BILLY WOULD COME UP ON THESE ADJUDICATED PROPERTIES, WHEN THEY ARE WE GOING TO REFUND THESE PEOPLE THAT THEIR BEDS, OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? YOU JUST ASKED ME SINCE WE'VE ALLOWED THEM TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO PULL THEM BACK.
I MEAN, DO WE REFUND THOSE PEOPLE THEIR MONEY OR HOW DOES THAT PROCESS WORK? THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE DONE IN.
THERE IS A MOTION TO, UH, INTRODUCE AND DELETE THOSE ITEMS. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN BEY, SECONDED BY HERS.
I THOUGHT WITH THAT, I JUST WANT THAT INFORMATION AT SOME POINT.
THIS HAS BEEN PROPERLY MOTIONED AND SECOND.
ANY OBJECTIONS? ALL OF THE INTRODUCTIONS HAVE BEEN APPROVED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THOSE FOUR.
I WANT TO WELCOME EVERYBODY BACK.
WE'VE BEEN GONE ON A SHORT VACATION ON I THANK ALL OF OUR CITY PARENTS, EMPLOYEES WHO ARE WITH US.
I WANT TO THANK THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE VISITING WITH US TODAY.
I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A SPECIAL MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE OUR FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER REPRESENTING DISTRICT SIX.
DONNA CARLOS LEWIS IS STANDING BACK IN THE CORNER.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.
AND ALSO I WANT TO RECOGNIZE OUR SENATOR FROM THE GREAT DISTRICT OF 15 SENATOR REGINA ASKED YOU ABOUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND APPRECIATE, UH, COUNCIL
[CONDEMNATIONS]
MEMBERS.IF YOU WOULD PLEASE REFER TO YOUR SEPARATE SHEET FOR CONDEMNATIONS.
I'M GOING TO READ THEM AS IT IS STATED.
THEY ARE TO PROCEED WITH ITEMS NINETY SIX, NINETY SEVEN, NINETY EIGHT NINETY NINE, ONE HUNDRED ONE OH ONE ONE OH TWO ONE ZERO FIVE ONE ZERO SEVEN ONE ZERO EIGHT ONE NINE ONE TEN ONE ELEVEN ONE TWELVE ONE THIRTEEN ONE FOURTEEN, ONE FIFTEEN ONE SIXTEEN ONE EIGHTEEN ONE TWENTY DELETE ITEMS 1 0 3, 1 17 1 19 AND DEFER FOR 90 DAYS ITEMS 1 0 4 AND 1 0 6.
DELL BERENGER IS HERE FOR ITEM 98.
I REPRESENT AD KNOX AT KNOX IS THE OWNER OF THIS PROPERTY.
THE PROPERTY IS TIED UP IN LITIGATION.
I WAS HERE IN APRIL WHEN THE MATTER CAME UP AND WE ASKED YOU TO BE DEFERRED.
THE MATTER IS STILL IN LITIGATION, WE HAVE A JUDGMENT, A PARTIAL JUDGMENT THAT SAYS THAT WHOLES, THAT RIDDICK INVESTMENTS DOES NOT OWN THIS PROPERTY IS NOT A FINAL JUDGMENT YET.
IT'S SUBJECT TO A MOTION FOR NEW TRIAL AND AN APPEAL.
THAT PROCESS IS GOING TO TAKE 18 MONTHS.
MY CLIENT, AFTER THE APRIL MEETING ATTEMPTED TO GO OUT AND CLEAN UP THIS PROPERTY.
AND MR. RIDDICK RE REFUSE TO ALLOW HIM TO DO IT, GOT THE POLICE INVOLVED AND THEY ORDERED HIM OFF THE PROPERTY.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF OBTAINING A PERMIT FOR THE WORK AND WORKING WITH THE COURT TO TRY TO GET APPROVAL FOR MY CLIENT TO GO AHEAD AND CLEAN UP THE PROPERTY.
WE'RE ASKING THAT IT'D BE DEFERRED.
THE LITIGATION'S NOT GOING TO BE OVER FOR AT LEAST 18 MONTHS.
AS LONG AS YOU CAN DEFER IT, WE'RE ASKING IT TO BE DEFERRED.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER COLTON WAS SHE PLEASURE NINE YEARS.
SO I'M GONNA DEFER THAT FOR 90 DAYS.
SHINE, T D FOSTER IS HERE ON ITEMS, 96, 97, 98, 99.
SHE IS IN FAVOR, BUT DOES NOT WISH TO SPEAK.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON CONDEMNATIONS.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON CONDEMNATIONS? WE'RE GOING TO GO NOW TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBERS, ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS, TWO WEEKS ON ITEM ONE 16, PLEASE.
[00:20:01]
DAYS ON ITEM ONE 20, PLEASE.OH, YOU WERE RAISING YOUR HANDS.
WE'RE ASKING FOR A 60 DAY EXTENSION ON THAT ITEM.
I JUST DIDN'T SEE ANYONE ELSE.
ANYONE ELSE? MA'AM COME ON DOWN.
ARE YOU COMING DOWN? ARE YOU JUST AT SOMEBODY ELSE? OH, OKAY.
ANYONE ELSE? ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT.
WHO WAS THAT? WHO SPOKE LAST COUNCIL MEMBER.
ANYBODY ELSE? RIGHT? LET ME READ THIS, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CHANGES.
WHAT ITEMS? 96 98 99 1 0 1 1 0 5 1 0 7 1 0 8 1 0 9 1 11 1 14 1 18.
THEY OUGHT TO DELETE ITEMS. 97, 1 0 3, 1 17 AND ONE 19 TO DEFER FOR TWO WEEKS.
ITEM ONE 16 TO THE FIRST FOR ONE 30 DAYS, ONE 20 TO VERVE FOR 60 DAYS.
ONE 10 TO DEFER FOR 90 DAYS, ONE ZERO FOUR, ONE ZERO SIX, ONE HUNDRED ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY ONE TWELVE, ONE THIRTEEN AND ONE 15.
ALL ITEMS HAVE BEEN RED HOT, BUT 98, UH, LESS THAN 998 IS 90 DAYS.
ANYONE ELSE, MAN? I'M REALLY, I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO LET ANYBODY SPEAK, BUT YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW THE PROCESS OF WHAT YOU GOT.
NUMBER 97 IS IN OUR 2016, UH, DISASTER FLOOD PROGRAM TO BE REHABBED WITH THE DEVELOPER.
ANYONE ELSE? ANYONE ELSE? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE CONDEMNATION AND CHANGES? IS THERE A MOTION MOTION BY US IN SECOND HAND, MOROSA CONDEMNATIONS HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
WE WILL NOW GO TO THE PUBLIC AREA.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE FOR ITEM 1 22.
I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW WE'RE GOING TO DELETE.
I MEAN, EXCUSE ME, WE'RE GOING TO DEFER THAT ITEM.
THERE HAS BEEN A REQUEST BY THE AUTHORS TO DEFER THAT ITEM.
WE'RE GOING TO DEFER THAT ITEM.
I AM GOING TO 1 21 FIRST, BUT I JUST WANT THOSE OF YOU ARE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 22 TO KNOW AHEAD OF TIME THAT WE'RE GOING FOR
[121. 22-00718]
THAT ITEM.ITEM 1 21, AMENDING TITLE 12 NUISANCES CHAPTER SIX.
SO AS TO ASK SECTION 12.409 IN MICHIGAN, UH, OLDER NUISANCES AND ODORS AIR CONTAMINANTS BY COUNCIL MEMBER, DARRYL HERTZ.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 21? SENATOR REGINA BARREL COME ON DOWN.
MADAM MR. PROTIUM AND TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE METRO COUNCIL.
UH, I AM HERE TO SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE BY COUNCILMAN HERS.
I HAD A COMMUNITY MEETING ON JULY 5TH WHERE, UH, IT WAS RE-EMPHASIZE RE-EMPHASIZE TO ME ABOUT THIS BEING AN NUISANCE IN OUR COMMUNITY CAUSES PEOPLE TO BE SICK.
AND SO I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS CERTAINLY MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
UH, CERTAINLY I THINK THERE'S BEEN MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, BUT WE'RE STILL HAVING A PROBLEM AND I BELIEVE THIS WILL BEGIN TO ADDRESS IT.
UH, SO I AM IN FAVOR OF IT AND WOULD ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 21, ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 21.
YOU HAD ONE EMAIL COMMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ITEM 1 21 COUNCIL MEMBER HERTZ.
SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MURMUR IS THEIR SECOND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MOCHA, DO THEIR OPPOSITION ITEM.
COUNCIL MEMBERS NEED TO FRAME IT, PUT IT ON THE WALL AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.
[122. 22-00761]
ITEM 1 22, UH, AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE, PARIS OF EAST, BETTER TITLE 13 CRIMINAL LAWS.SO AS TO, AS SECTION 13, COLON 1 0 7, CAMPING IN THE PUBLIC AREA, PROHIBITED BY COUNCIL WOMAN, LORI ADAMS AND COUNCIL MEMBER.
THE WHITE HUSSON ITEM WAS DEFERRED FROM THE JUNE 22ND, 2022 MEETING.
AGAIN, THOSE OF YOU WILL HEAR WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
WE ARE GOING TO DEFER THIS ITEM TODAY.
YOU WILL MORE THAN WELCOME TO SPEAK.
YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO SPEAK, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO VOTE ON THIS ITEM TODAY.
AND I TELL FOLKS WHO ASKED ME ABOUT COMING TO THE COUNCIL TO SPEAK AT IS FAR BETTER THAN HAVING A GREAT IMPACT.
WHEN YOU SPEAK ON AN ITEM THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO VOTE ON ON THAT DAY, DOESN'T HURT TO SPEAK ON IT TODAY.
WE'RE GOING TO BE HERE TILL EIGHT 30 ANYWAY, HOWEVER, HOWEVER, IT IS A GREATER IMPACT TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM ON THE DATE.
SO IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK ON IT TODAY AND THEN COME BACK IN A FEW WEEKS, WHEN WE, WHEN WE ARE ACTUALLY GONNA VOTE
[00:25:01]
ON ITEM, WE WELCOME YOU TO DO SO.WE APPRECIATE THE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, IS THERE ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 1 22, COME ON DOWN AND LINE UP RIGHT HERE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, JENNIFER CAR WHILE 1855 OLD CARRIAGE LANE.
UM, I WANT TO SPEAK TO THE FACT THAT IT IS BEING DEFERRED AGAIN.
I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL, UH, UH, AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH Y'ALL, UM, ABOUT, UH, SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM.
UH, SO I'M ASSUMING THAT YOU ARE WAITING UNTIL YOU FIND A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM BEFORE ACTUALLY TRYING TO VOTE ON THIS ISSUE.
UH, WHAT I WOULD ASK IS THAT Y'ALL TELL US ABOUT WHAT KIND OF SOLUTIONS YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT BEFORE THIS GOES TO A VOTE BECAUSE, UH, I THINK FOLKS WHO ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE HOMELESS AND, AND ALSO FOLKS THAT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR PROPERTIES WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE ACTUAL SOLUTIONS ARE BEFORE WE MAKE SOMETHING ILLEGAL.
THANK YOU THIS CAR WHILE I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A VERY, VERY ROBUST CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS ITEM.
WHEN IT'S TIME TO VOTE, COME ON DOWN, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
CHARLOTTE CLAYBORNE, THE EXEC DIRECTOR FOR THE BIRTH CENTER FOR HOPE IT'S DIFFERENT TO BE HERE FOR SOMETHING ELSE OTHER THAN THE BRIDGE CENTER.
SO I JUST KIND OF WANT TO GIVE A LITTLE SPEECH AND BASICALLY JUST TO TALK ABOUT OUR POSITION, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL COALITION OF HOMELESS, IT IS ESTIMATED AT 20 TO 25% OF HOMELESS PEOPLE COMPARE WITH 6% OF THE NON-HOMELESS HALF FOR SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS IN ANOTHER STUDY BY COALITION DOLL AND JUDY'S HOMELESS.
PEOPLE HAVE A HIGHER PREVALENCE OF MENTAL ILLNESS WHEN COMPARED TO THE GENERAL POPULATION AND ARE MORE LIKELY TO SUFFER FROM ALCOHOLISM AND DRUG DEPENDENCY.
THE BRIDGE CENTER FOR HOPE WAS CREATED TO FEEL THE VOID OF QUALITY CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS IN CRISIS AND TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A MODEL FOR CRISIS SERVICES IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, THE BIRTH CENTER SERVES AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE CROWDED EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS AND ACTS AS A DIVERSION TO PARISH PRISON, BUT ALSO KEEPING IN MIND THAT WE ARE NOT A HOMELESS SHELTER BECAUSE THE BRIDGE CENTER DOESN'T DISCRIMINATE.
WE PROVIDE QUALITY CARE TO INDIVIDUALS WITH ALL TYPES OF MENTAL ILLNESS AND SUBSTANCE USE CHALLENGES, INCLUDING THE HOMELESS POPULATION.
HOWEVER, THERE ARE TIMES WHEREBY WE HAVE TO DISCHARGE A GUEST TO THE HOMELESS SHELTERS DUE TO THE LACK OF RESOURCES WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
MY PERSONAL BELIEF IS THAT NO ONE INTENTIONALLY CHOOSES TO BE HOMELESS, BUT IT'S OFTEN THE RESULT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING FINANCIALLY, EMOTIONALLY, PHYSICALLY, AND MENTALLY.
THE RESOURCES ARE FOR HOUSE AND HERE AND ABROAD ARE INSUFFICIENT AND ARE OFTENTIMES DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON.
THE JOURNEY TO REHABILITATION IS DIFFICULT AND BY ADDING A CRIMINAL COMPONENT SUCH AS JAIL TIME AND FEES ONLY EXACERBATES THE SITUATION FOR SOMEONE WHO'S ALREADY STRUGGLING.
THE BRUCE AND OUR HOMELESS POPULATION FOR THOSE THAT WE DISCHARGED IN 2021 WAS 7% AT 159 INDIVIDUALS.
SO FAR FOR 20 21, 20 22 IS AT 9% WITH 106.
AND WE HAVEN'T MADE IT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE YEAR.
NEXT, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD PLEASE.
I'M JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES, FLAREUP HOTTER AND MARIAM GUTMAN OR ATTORNEYS WITH THE SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER LOCATED IN NEW ORLEANS.
OUR COMMENT IS SUBMITTED IN OPPOSITION TO THIS ORDINANCE 22 0 0 7 6 1, WHICH CRIMINALIZES CAMPING BY HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS IN THE CITY PARISH.
UM, WE URGE THE CITY TO INVEST IN EMERGENCY AND LONG-TERM HOUSING SOLUTIONS TO END HOMELESSNESS IN BATON ROUGE.
THE SIMPLE FACT IS THAT THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH SHELTER BEDS AVAILABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THE RISING NUMBER OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS IN BATON ROUGE ON ANY GIVEN NIGHT.
AS OF THE LAST IT FOUND BATON ROUGE HAD ABOUT 200 UNSHELTERED UNHOUSED PEOPLE A NIGHT FOR WHOM THERE WAS NO EMERGENCY SHELTER BED AVAILABLE.
AS A RESULT, PEOPLE WILL BE ARRESTED OR FIND UNDER THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE FOR DOING WHAT WE ALL NEED TO DO TO SURVIVE, FINDING A PLACE TO SLEEP.
THIS IS BAD PUBLIC POLICY, BUT WORSE.
THE ORDINANCES SWEEPING MEASURES LIKELY VIOLATE THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION.
FIRST, THE ORDINANCE LIKELY VIOLATES THE EIGHTH AND 14TH AMENDMENTS BECAUSE IT BANS PEOPLE FROM SLEEPING IN PUBLIC.
WHEN THE NUMBER OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS IN BATON ROUGE IS GREATER THAN THE NUMBER OF AVAILABLE SHELTER BEDS.
BATON RUSES SHELTERS ARE ROUTINELY FULL AND SOME HAVE ENTRY LIMITATIONS AND TIME CONDITIONS.
AS A RESULT, HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS ARE ROUTINELY DENIED SHELTER AND FORCED TO SLEEP OUTSIDE THE ORDINANCES MERE REQUIREMENT THAT A POLICE OFFICER MAKE A REASONABLE EFFORT TO ADVISE HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS OF AVAILABLE SHELTER.
UM, TO THE BEST OF THEIR KNOWLEDGE IS INSUFFICIENT.
IF NO INQUIRY INTO THE AVAILABILITY OF SHELTER, BEDS IS MADE PRIOR TO ARREST OR CITATION THE ORDINANCE UNLAWFULLY PUNISHES AN INDIVIDUAL
[00:30:01]
BASED ON THEIR HOMELESS STATUS.SECOND, THE ORDINANCE LIKELY VIOLATES THE 14TH AMENDMENT'S GUARANTEE OF PROCEDURAL DUE PROCESS BECAUSE IT'S VAGUE.
FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S UNCLEAR WHETHER UNDER SECTION C OF THE ORDINANCE SHELTER BEDS MUST ACTUALLY BE AVAILABLE BEFORE AN OFFICER CAN SITE OR ARREST SOMEONE, OR WHETHER AN OFFICER MUST PROVIDE NOTICE ABOUT AVAILABLE SHELTER BEDS FIRST, AND THEN GIVING PEOPLE A CHANCE TO FIND SHELTER AND COME INTO COMPLIANCE.
IT'S ALSO UNCLEAR WHAT CONSTITUTES AN IMMINENT HEALTH OR SAFETY THREAT THAT WOULD EXEMPT OFFICERS FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF SECTION C ALTOGETHER.
THIS VAGUE LANGUAGE COULD LEAD TO CONFUSION AND TO ARBITRARY ENFORCEMENT OF THE ORDINANCE.
ALRIGHT, THIRD COURTS HAVE FOUND THAT IT VIOLATES THE FOUR FOURTH AND 14TH AMENDMENTS OF PROPERTY IS SEIZED WITHOUT ADEQUATE NOTICE AND DESTROYED.
THE ANDREWS HAS NOT ANNOUNCED ANY PUBLIC PLAN FOR WHAT IT WILL DO WITH PERSONAL PROPERTY.
IF PEOPLE ARE ARRESTED AND WE URGE THE CITY TO TAKE THE FOURTH AMENDMENT'S LIMITATIONS UNDER ADVISEMENT, WE ALL SHARE THE SAME GOAL TO END HOMELESSNESS IN BATON ROUGE.
AND WE HOPE THE CITY WILL PRIORITIZE HOUSING OVER HANDCUFFED.
I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK TO ME, MAN.
STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
I AM A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 10.
SO, UM, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU A STORY TODAY ABOUT SOMEONE THAT I ENCOUNTERED.
UM, SOMEONE ONCE SAID THAT WE ALL NEED A HOME TO THRIVE TODAY.
I ENCOUNTERED AN UNHOUSED AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN IN A WELL-TO-DO NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE I STOPPED TO GRAB A BITE TO EAT AND UNHOUSED AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN CAME AND SAID ON A SHADED BENCH NEAR ME.
I SPOKE TO HER AND ASK HER TO COME OVER.
I MADE EYE CONTACT AND WE EXCHANGE NAMES.
WHEN I OFFERED TO BUY HER FOOD, SHE ACCEPTED, BUT DID NOT WANT TO ENTER THE STORE WITH ME.
I DID NOT MINCE WORDS AND ASK IF SHE WAS HOMELESS.
SHE SADA, BUT LOOKING FOR AN APARTMENT, WHERE COULD I TELL HER TO GO? WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE? I BEGAN TO TELL HER ABOUT THE ORDINANCE AND TRY TO SPEAK, TRY TO BREAK IT DOWN TO HER.
AND AFTER I FINISHED SPEAKING AND I QUOTE HER, SHE SAID, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN TO ME.
AND SHE WALKED AWAY AND WENT TO ANOTHER SHADED BENCH.
I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT COULD BE ME.
SO BEING UNHOUSED CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE.
FOR WHATEVER REASON, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE METRO COUNCIL CONSIDER THE, HOW WE KNOW THE WHY WE NEED THE HOW OF THIS PARAPROS LEGISLATION.
I DO HAVE SOME OTHER QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER AS YOU DELIBERATE WITH SERVICE PROVIDERS AND OTHERS ADVOCATES.
HOW DOES THIS ORDINANCE HEALTHY ON THE HOUSE? LONG-TERM HOW DOES IT FIX HOMELESSNESS? BUT THIS LEGISLATION IS LIKELY TO BE UNSUCCESSFUL WITHOUT ENOUGH AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH WE ALL NEED TO AGREE ON WHAT THAT DEFINITION IS.
IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO GO BACK TO THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSE.
ONE MUST ALL WORK TOGETHER TO DO MORE, TO CONVINCE THE PUBLIC OF THE NEED FOR HOUSING AND SHELTER.
ALMOST DONE MY WORK WITH THE LOCAL SERVICE PROVIDERS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO PRODUCE CONCRETE SOLUTIONS FOR THE ON HOUSE OF THIS CITY.
STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
GOOD EVENING, MICHELLE CHARLES 1 0 3, 4 9, FIRE LIGHT AVENUE, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA.
I, AND IT'S BEEN MIDLAND, BUT ALREADY IN
[00:35:01]
REGARDS TO THE DISINGENUOUSNESS OF THIS ORDINANCE.UM, BUT ALSO I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S A DISINGENUOUS OF THE COUNCIL IN REGARDS TO, I'VE BEEN HERE TWICE ON THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE AND IT IS BECOMING AN INCONVENIENCE TO KEEP COMING HERE, TO DISCUSS THIS MATTER AND IT KEEPS GETTING DEFERRED.
SO I WOULD JUST ASK THAT THE COUNCIL BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONSIDERATE OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS IN REGARDS TO THE FURRING AGENDA ITEMS. THANK YOU.
IT WOULDN'T BE A GOOD COUNCIL MEETING WITHOUT REVEREND ANDERSON NOW.
SO ROBIN NANCY, YOU WANT TO SPEAK LAST AND LET THESE OTHER FOLKS SPEAK BEFORE YOU BRIAN'S ASLEEP.
I MEAN, YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD 13 MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, SO WE'LL LET YOU SPEAK LATER.
ALL RIGHT, ROBIN ANSWER DROP THE MIC.
AS THEY SAY, GOOD AFTERNOON, I CAME HERE IS I DO MOST WEDNESDAYS DIRECTLY FROM COURT.
AND ONCE AGAIN, WE ARE USING THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND ONE OF THE DEADLIEST JAILS IN THE COUNTRY AS THE DE FACTO HOUSING SHELTER, I'VE SAID THAT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, BUT I NEED TO SHARE THREE THINGS WITH THE COUNCIL TONIGHT.
ONE AGAIN, I WANNA THANK COUNCIL WOMAN ADAMS, BECAUSE I BELIEVE WITH ALL MY HEART AND THE SMALL D DEMOCRACY.
AND SO FOR HER TO HAVE TAKEN TIME TO TALK TO THE ADVOCATES INTO HERE, I THINK IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
I THINK IT IS A NOBLE ENTERPRISE SOMETIMES TO PRETEND THAT SOME OF THIS LEGISLATION COMES FROM THE BEST OF PLACES, BUT KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.
AND I THINK THERE ARE THREE PIECES OF KNOWLEDGE WE NEED TO ADD TO THESE CONVERSATIONS BEFORE WE CONTINUE THEM.
WHAT IS THE NUMBER? WHAT IS THE NUMBER OF HOMELESS? HOMELESSNESS IS DEFINED MULTIPLE WAYS IN BOTH THE FEDERAL STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL REGULATIONS.
WE NEED TO ALL BE ON ONE ACCORD ABOUT WHO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THE SECOND THING IS WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT, THE CRIMINALIZATION, THE MINUTE YOU PUT SOMEBODY IN A JAIL, YOU WILL LITERALLY LOCK THEM OFF OF MOST OF THE SYSTEMS THAT COULD ASSIST THEM.
AND SO THE IDEAL THAT WE CONTINUALLY KEEP PUTTING EITHER FINES, FEES, OR CRIMINALIZATION INTO ALL THE THINGS THAT USED TO BE ABOUT NEIGHBORHOODS AND NEIGHBORLY NESS.
AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, WHEN A HOMELESS PERSON IS IN JAIL, THEY CAN'T GET OUT BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GET OUT BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE AN ADDRESS.
SO IT'S NOT A SHORT STAY AND IT'S NOT UNTIL SOMEBODY FINDS A WAY TO HELP THEM.
AND THEN THE THIRD PIECE IS WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT IF WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE THIS ROAD OF CRIMINALIZING PEOPLE FOR POVERTY, THEN WE SHOULD AT LEAST CONSIDER FUNDING THE LEGAL COUNSEL THAT NEEDS TO BE AVAILABLE TO UNDO THE HARM THAT WE ARE DOING BY NOT CONSIDERING THE COSTS BEFORE WE BUILT THIS BUILDING.
THANK YOU, ROBYN ASKING ANYONE ELSE FISHING TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM.
IS THERE A MOTION TO DEFER COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED SIX COMMENTS IN OPPOSITION TO ITEM 1 22.
THERE HAS BEEN A MOTION TO DEFERRED ITEM FOR 30 DAYS BY COUNCIL MEMBER, HUDSON SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ADAMS. IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION TO DEFER AN ITEM FOR 30 DAYS, COUNCIL, NUMBER MORE? UH, I APOLOGIZE.
I KNOW WE'RE DEFERRING IT, BUT, UH, WE STILL HAVE TO HAVE DISCUSSION ON IT.
AND I JUST GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE KINDA, I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF WE COULD.
IS THERE ANY, IS THERE ANY REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE SHELTERS HERE? HELLO, COUNCILMAN I'M MICHAEL CALDO AND I'M WITH ST.
VINCENT DEPAUL AND DEBORAH BLEACHER.
VINCENT DEPAUL, AND WE RUN A VARIETY OF SHELTERS HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, PROVIDE FAMILY SHELTER, A SINGLE ADULT SHELTER, UM, APPROXIMATELY 82 BEDS FOR FAMILIES, UH, UH, AND, UH, OVER 54 MEN.
DO YOU HAVE A SET BUDGET? UH, WE, WE RUN THOSE SHELTERS, UM, AND THEY BUDGET FOR
[00:40:01]
IT'S APPROXIMATELY ABOUT $1.2 MILLION WITHIN KIND DOLLARS.SO THAT'S IN KIND, YOU DON'T GET ANY ASSISTANCE, FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, UH, FUNDING AND, UM, UH, THREE, THE CITY PARISH, AS WELL AS THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.
SO WHAT WITH THAT ASSISTANCE AND THE IN KIND DONATIONS AND EVERYTHING IS ABOUT 1.1.
UM, BUT WITHOUT HAVING MY FINANCIALS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, UH, THE PANDEMIC HAS BEEN A LONG SEASON FOR US IN THE SHELTER AND HOMELESS SERVICES, UH, INDUSTRY.
UH, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, SAYING THAT'S A, DEPAUL DOES A VARIETY OF WONDERFUL WORK IN THE COMMUNITY WE'RE LEADERS IN PROVIDING HOT MEALS, UH, PROVIDING, UH, UH, HOME VISITATION AND ASSISTANCE THROUGH, UH, VOLUNTEERS THAT GO OUT AND MAKE HOME VISITS.
UM, WE'RE ABOUT A $10 MILLION A YEAR BUDGET OVERALL DOING A LOT OF GOOD ABOUT 90% OF OUR FUNDING OVERALL IS PRIVATE FUNDING, PRIVATE INCOME KIND.
UM, EVERY DOLLAR IS CRITICAL, WHETHER IT COMES THROUGH THE WONDERFUL OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND TASHA BACK THERE, UH, OR IT COMES THROUGH THE STATE AND THE LOUISIANA HOUSING CORPORATION, EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE RECEIVE, UH, HELPS US TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT WE ARE TRYING TO PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY IN A WAY THAT, UH, REALLY, UH, OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE A HOMELESSNESS, BRIEF, RARE, AND A ONE-TIME OCCURRENCE.
PHILOSOPHY OF GIVING A HAND UP, NOT HAND OUT.
AND I, I APPRECIATE THAT TIME'S TICKING DOWN.
UH, SO YOU BET ROUGHLY GOT ABOUT A $10 MILLION BUDGET OR WHATEVER, HOW MUCH OF THAT $10 MILLION BUDGET WOULD YOU SAY? AND I, AND I LOOK, Y'ALL DO AMAZING JOB.
I'VE SENT PEOPLE SHOPPING AT YOUR PLACES, UH, THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT OF THAT $10 MILLION BUDGET, HOW MUCH IS, IS DEDICATED OR BUDGETED FOR SHELTERING? UM, AGAIN, OF THE OVERALL BUDGET.
UM, I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT MY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
I WASN'T PREPARED FOR THAT QUESTION.
I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT, BUT IT'S, IT'S, UH, IN THAT 1.2 TO 1.5 RANGE, UH, BUT AGAIN, I'D HAVE TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.
YOU SAID THAT'S ABOUT 80 BEDS, 75 TO 80 BEDS, YOU SAID, OH, UM, NO, IT'S, UH, ACTUALLY, UH, OVERALL TOTAL BED CAPACITY IS, UH, RIGHT ABOUT 200, BUT WE HAVE BEDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR FREES NIGHTS, HURRICANES.
SO LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT FOR 1.2 TO 1.5 MILLION DEDICATED TO SHELTERING.
UH, THAT'S ABOUT 200 BEDS, CORRECT? AN EVERY NIGHT BED CAPACITY, OUR EVERY NIGHT BED CAPACITY, ABOUT 112 HUNDRED AND 12 RIGHT NOW.
AND DOWN TIMES, I'M TRYING TO GET THE NUMBERS TOGETHER AND FIND OUT WHAT WE HAVE HERE.
AND I WOULD SUGGEST IF THERE'S ANY OTHER, I KNOW WE HAVE SOME OTHER SHELTERING PLACES.
THESE ARE THE QUESTIONS I'M GOING TO GO FOR.
PLEASE BRING YOUR NUMBERS, RIGHT? BECAUSE I WANT TO KNOW WHERE THIS FUNDING IS GOING FROM.
WE KNOW WE HAVE A HOMELESS PROBLEM.
WE KNOW WE NEED SHELTERED BEDS AND I GET IT.
THERE'S OTHERS OUT THERE THAT DO THE SHELTERING AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
IT $10 MILLION BUDGET, 1.2 TO 1.5 ST.
THE LADY MENTIONED EARLIER AS A 200 BED SHORTAGE PER NIGHT.
AS FAR AS HOMELESS PEOPLE, WE'VE GOT 112 UP TO 200, 1.2, 1.5.
I'D LIKE TO SEE WHERE WE ARE ON THE OTHER ONES.
I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE TO ME, IT'S ABOUT RESOURCES AND FUNDING TO HAVE THESE PLACE FOR THE SH TO ADD MORE SHELTERING AS FAR AS THAT GOES.
SO I JUST, I WANTED TO JUST KIND OF GET AN IDEA.
I WAS HOPING THERE WOULD BE SOME OTHERS HERE, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, SINCE THERE'S NOT, WE CAN START WITH THESE NUMBERS.
AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, ANYBODY LISTENING AS FAR AS OTHER SHELTER PROVIDERS.
I, UM, I WANT TO KNOW SOME NUMBERS.
I'LL EMAIL YOU THOSE NUMBERS AND THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS, MICHAEL MICHAEL, HOW YOU DOING? COME ON.
DEBORAH IS THE REMARKABLE HUMAN BEING.
THAT IS THE ONE THAT PROVIDES ALL THE SHELTER OVER 20,000 GUESTS NIGHTS LAST YEAR MARKETABLE.
ARE YOU ALL MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE TO YOUR, UH, WE ARE VERY MUCH, UM, EMBRACE THEIR PHILOSOPHIES, UH, THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE, UH, FOR HOMELESSNESS.
SO WE, UH, WE, WE ARE MORE CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOUISIANA BALANCE OF STATE, UH, UH, UH, BOS COC CONTINUUM OF CARE.
AND OF COURSE WE WORK LOCALLY VERY CLOSELY WITH THE OFFICE COMMUNITY DEVELOPERS.
[00:45:01]
OKAY.UH, IS SOMEONE HERE FROM THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT? TOSH, TASHA GOT A NEW LOOK, GONE, GIRL.
DO YOU ALL, UM, ARE YOU ALL PART OF THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE TO END HOMELESSNESS? DO YOU ALL WORK? OKAY.
BECAUSE WHAT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WITH THE ALLOWANCE, THE ALLIANCE, THE ONLY SOLUTION TO HOUSING IS A HOUSE.
AND IT ALSO, AND ONCE YOU, UH, YOU KNOW, HOUSING FIRST IS THEIR MODEL, BUT THEN THAT'S WHEN YOU ADD ALL THE ADDITIONAL SERVICES.
SO IS THERE A PARTICULAR PROGRAM UNDER OCD THAT ACTUALLY, UH, UM, EITHER FOLLOW ONE OF THE TWO MODELS WITH THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF HOMELESS AND WHETHER IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE ALWAYS, THEY FIRST PUT, GET YOU IN THE HOUSE, THEN THAT'S WHEN THEY DEAL WITH WHETHER IT'S, UH, FINDING A JOB BUDGETING OR THE OTHER MODEL HAS TO DO WITH MENTAL HEALTH, DISABILITY, WHATEVER.
SO HOW DO, HOW DOES THAT WORK? BECAUSE THERE ISN'T AN END, BUT HOW, WHERE DO WE DO? I DON'T, I JUST DIDN'T WORK.
SO I THINK THE PREVIOUS APPROACH TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO CREATE THESE INDIVIDUAL SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES THROUGHOUT DIFFERENT AREAS.
AND SO NOW WE'RE MOVING TO THIS APPROACH WHERE WE'RE CREATING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES.
AND SO NOT ONLY ARE WE INTRODUCING AFFORDABLE HOUSING INTO THERE, WE'RE ALSO INTRODUCING NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENTS, LIKE WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR MENTAL HEALTH, UM, FOOD STAMPS, GET PEOPLE ON SOCIAL SECURITY, DISABILITY, GETTING VETERANS BENEFITS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO THAT SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT, BUT ARE THEY FIRST FINDING, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS ANOTHER THING CURRENTLY.
ARDEN IS AT A TIME WHERE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, THERE'S A HOUSING SHORTAGE AND IT HAS BEEN, UM, TOTALLY INCREASED AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC.
BUT ALSO WHAT WE ALSO LEARNED NATIONWIDE THAT THE, THE AMOUNT OF RENT IS ASTRONOMICAL.
SO YOU HAVE TWO BARRIERS THAT HAVE EXISTED IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, WHICH IS WHY THOUGH WE'VE ALWAYS HAD A HOMELESS, UM, UH, HOMELESSNESS PROBLEM.
FOR THE MOST PART, IT WAS SITUATED IN THE, I'LL SAY THE, I CALL IT THE ENTERTAINMENT PART, BUT AGAIN, IN DOWNTOWN BATON ROUGE AND THEY KIND OF MIGRATED AROUND THE INNER UNDER THE INTERSTATE, BUT HOMELESSNESS HAD NEVER REALLY BEEN A PROPERTY, A PROBLEM, UM, THAT WE SAW AS A PUBLIC NUISANCE PROBLEM IN THE COMMUNITY OF SKYLAND DEAL.
SO FOR ME, THAT IS A DIRECT CORRELATION TO THE FACT THAT THERE IS A LACK OF HOUSING AND THAT, UM, RENT IS SKY SKY HIGH.
SO FOR ME, I WOULD REALLY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT THIS BE DEFERRED, BECAUSE I KNOW ARE YOU LOOKING LIKE THAT? I KNOW I WANT TO MAKE A SUBSTITUTE, IS THAT TO DO IT ONLY? AND I MIGHT NOT GET A SECOND, BUT TO ME, AND I AGREE WITH THE YOUNG LADY WHO SAID, JUST DO YOU MEAN DELETE? CAUSE THERE'S ALREADY A POSTED DO I'M SO SORRY, DEFEAT DELETE.
AND I DID TALK TO TWO COUNSELING MEN, UM, HUDSON ABOUT THIS, BUT I REALLY DO BELIEVE THIS IS NOT A POPPY FINGER KIND OF PROBLEM.
SOMEONE DOESN'T JUST WAKE UP ONE DAY AND PUT A 10 OUT IN THE MIDDLE EDIT THAT IS AS A RESULT OF DESPERATION, THAT IS A RESULT OF BEING MOVED.
BUT OUR CITY, LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, WE HAVE IT.
BUT I THINK ALL OF THE PERSONS WHO ARE INVOLVED WITH HOMELESSNESS AND WHATEVER PROGRAM THAT COUNCILMAN HUDSON, HOWEVER THEY ARE WORKING.
BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PLAN THAT LEADS TO SUSTAINABILITY IN HOUSING, THAT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THIS, GETTING PEOPLE IN HOUSES, GETTING THE SERVICE IS YES, IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN, UM, WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE CAMPING OUT SOMEWHERE BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE LAWS WHERE IF IT'S PRIVATE PROPERTY, THEY GOT A MOVE THAT'S NORMAL.
SO WHY ARE WE, WHY IS OUR FOCUS ON THIS VERSUS HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE INTO SUSTAINABLE HOUSING? THAT SHOULD BE THE FOCUS.
AND ONCE THOSE THAT IS A FRAMEWORK THAT WE ALL CAN AGREE IS SOMETHING THAT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND PEOPLE ARE NEGLECTING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
THEN WE MIGHT HAVE TO MOVE TO THIS, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FOR PEOPLE.
[00:50:01]
LEFT A CONFERENCE IN NASHVILLE.EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT HOMELESSNESS.
EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT THE LACK OF A SUSTAINABLE HOMES FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE IN.
IF IT IS A NATIONAL CRISIS, CAMPING IN PUBLIC AREAS IS NOT A NATIONAL CRISIS.
PEOPLE LIVING ON THE STREETS IS A NATIONAL CRISIS AND WE SHOULD, THAT IS, SHOULD BE OUR FOCUS.
SO YES, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE DELETE THIS ITEM THAT WE, AND IF ANYTHING, COME BACK WITH WHAT IS A MODEL PLAN, UM, THAT OCD AND THE DIFFERENT PERSONS THAT COULD SUPPORT THIS KIND OF WORK CAN MOVE US FORWARD.
SO, UM, MOTION TO DELETE THE ITEM.
THERE IS A MOTION TO DELETE THE I THERE'S A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO DELETE THE ITEM AND DO A SECOND SECONDARY ABOUT COUNCIL MEMBER HERTZ.
WE'RE NOW GOING TO COUNCIL MEMBER HOUSE TO SPEAK.
HEY, I JUST WANT TO ASK, UM, MR. UH, MICHAEL, A QUICK QUESTION.
CAUSE HE GAVE LIKE, I'M VERY INTERESTED IN HOMICIDE.
I THINK Y'ALL HEARD MY SPEECH LAST TIME, UM, ABOUT MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES IN MY FIGHT TO ERADICATE HOMELESSNESS.
BUT MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS YOU HAVE ATTEMPTED $2 MILLION BUDGET.
VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY DOES A LOT OF VARIOUS CHARITABLE ACTIVITY.
UH, SO THAT'S HOW MUCH IT DID ALL THE HOMELESSNESS.
UM, YOU KNOW, UM, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I THINK IT'S IN THAT 1.5 TO $2 MILLION NUMBER, UH, I, I REALLY DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, UM, BECAUSE I'M THE CEO, NOT THE CFO SAID, UH, AND I WASN'T REALLY PREPARED.
I WAS MORE PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT THE NUMBER OF BEDS, HOW WE RESPOND TO FREEZES HURRICANES AND THAT THING.
AND BY THE WAY, I WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE THE LAST METRO COUNCIL MEETING, BUT I, YOU KNOW, W W YOUR COMMITMENT, COMPASSION TO PEOPLE WHO FIND THEMSELVES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IS A SIGN THAT WE SHARE.
MY LAST QUESTION IS SO MANY PEOPLE, UH, NOT, NOT, UH, REPEAT, UH, CUSTOMERS, BUT REPEAT, UM, CLIENTS.
DO YOU HAVE, HOW MANY ORGANIC CLIENTS DO YOU HAVE EVERY YEAR? YOU HAD TO SAY? YEAH, WELL, THERE'S A, I'M IN MY 33RD YEAR AT ST.
SO YOU SAY THE LAST TWO, THREE YEARS, LAST TWO, THREE YEARS, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DUPLICATES, UH, JUST BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT, UH, HOUSING IS VERY HARD TO FIND.
AND, UH, THE PANDEMIC HAS CHANGED THE LANDSCAPE A LITTLE BIT RELATIVE TO THAT ISSUE.
SO WITH THE FAMILIES, WE HAVE A MUCH BETTER TRACK RECORD THAN WE DO WITH A SINGLE ADULTS, UM, IN GETTING IN FINDING HOUSING.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW, THERE'S A COORDINATED ENTRY PRIORITIZATION LIST, AND IF YOU'RE IN A SHELTER VERSUS BEING ON THE STREET, YOU HAVE A LOWER PRIORITY.
SO FINDING SOMEONE HOUSING THAT'S AN, A SHELTER SOMETIMES CAN BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CHALLENGING, BUT WE DO OUR BEST TO WORK WITH A, A L A B O S C O C AND OTHER LAC, UH, EFFORT TO REALLY COME TOGETHER AS A CONTINUUM OF CARE.
SO THE NUMBER OF GAIN WHEN THE PEOPLE YOU SERVICE FOR YOU, OH, OKAY.
20,000 GUESTS NIGHTS LAST YEAR OF THOSE 20,000 GUESTS NIGHTS, UH, WE SERVED, UH, APPROXIMATELY ABOUT 750 DIFFERENT SINGLE ADULTS, PARENTS WITH CHILDREN.
SO DOES THAT SEVEN 50 INCLUDE THE KIDS TOO? YES, SIR.
AND AGAIN, I'LL ENCOURAGE YOU TO DEFER THIS ITEM SO THAT WE CAN ADD SOME CLARITY.
UM, FIRST, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL OF THE ADVOCATES THAT HAVE ENGAGED WITH US ON THIS.
UM, THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT I THINK THAT WE'VE TAKEN FROM THE DIFFERENT ADVOCACY GROUPS THAT THEY BROUGHT TO US, AND WE'RE WORKING TO CLARIFY THOSE AND ADD THOSE TO THE LANGUAGE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT, UH, THE IMPETUS FOR, FOR THIS ITEM FOR ME, UH, IS AN ISSUE ON, ON ODO LANE AND ON CDN, UH, WHERE ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, WE'VE HAD THE GOOD FOLKS AT ST.
VINCENT DEPAUL OUT THERE TO OFFER SERVICES WHERE BEDS WERE AVAILABLE AND WERE TURNED DOWN, RIGHT? SO THIS IS PEOPLE MAKING A CONSCIOUS DECISION TO LIVE IN OUR RIGHT OF WAY, WHICH IS NOT THE SAFE PLACE FOR THEM TO BE.
NOW, WE'VE HAD FIRES SET IN THESE AREAS RIGHT NEXT TO ROADWAYS.
UH, WE'VE HAD ISSUES WITH TRAFFIC IN THE AREA OF CERTAINLY CRIME AND THAT KIND OF THING THAT COMES WITH IT AS WELL.
UH, THE IDEA BEHIND THIS ORDINANCE IS NOT, AND I, I JUST, I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYBODY, UH, TO AVOID THIS TYPE OF LANGUAGE.
THE IDEA BEHIND THIS ORDINANCE IS NOT TO CRIMINALIZE HOMELESSNESS.
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CAMPING AND THE RIGHT OF WAY, AND THE RIGHT OF WAY IS NOT A SAFE PLACE, UH, TO BE HOUSING FOLKS.THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO ON, UH, ON THE HOMELESSNESS ISSUE.
UH, AND WE NEED TO CLARIFY THIS ORDINANCE AND BE ABLE TO USE IT AS A TOOL FOR GETTING PEOPLE TO THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED.
AND THAT'S THE GOAL THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS.
SO THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER DONE.
SOMEONE ASKS FOR SHELTERS TO COME UP OR PEOPLE REPRESENT SHELTERS.
I KNOW MS. RILEY JACKSON WAS STANDING.
COULD YOU TELL US THE NAME OF THE SHELTER? WHAT'S YOUR CURRENT CAPACITY? OKAY.
VERNA BERLIN JACKSON IS MY NAME AT ONE TOUCH MINISTRIES TO SHELTER, AND IT'S A TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, BUT THE THING ABOUT IT, IT'S FOR A RING ENTRY, MEANING COMING OUT OF INCARCERATION.
SO IF YOU GOT TO CHARGE SOMEBODY TO GO, YOU'RE GONNA CHARGE THEM $200 A CAMPAIGN THEY'LL PUT ME IN.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO PAY $55 A NIGHT FOR THEM TO BE THERE.
SO THERE NEEDS TO BE A BETTER PLAN FOR THIS.
HOW MANY BEDS MS. MS. BRENDA JACKSON? 42.
ARE YOU CURRENTLY GETTING ANY FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF PARIS? NO, SIR.
LET'S MAKE SURE YOU GET WITH TASHA OVER HERE SO YOU CAN MAKE SURE YOU GUYS GET SOME FUNDING.
ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE HEARD TONIGHT FROM ADVOCATES WAS ABOUT THE BEDS AND THE CAPACITY FROM A STANDPOINT, DO WE HAVE ENOUGH OF THEM IN OTHER CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES? THEY MAKE SURE THAT WE DO HAVE, THEY DO HAVE ENOUGH BEFORE THEY BRING A PARDON.
AND EVEN SOMEBODY TALKED ABOUT FROM THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSPECTIVE WHERE EITHER STATE OR LOCAL LAW PROHIBITS LAW ENFORCEMENT FROM, UH, ARRESTING, UH, GIVING US SOME LISTS, ALL FINE.
IF THE BED CAPACITY IS NOT THERE, UM, I WOULD HOPE, UH, COUNCILWOMAN ADAMS AND EVERYBODY THAT'S ADVOCATING FOR THIS ODD, IT'S MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS THIS ISSUE OF BED CAPACITY BEFORE YOU PURSUE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS.
SO MAKE SURE YOU GET WITH TASHA SONJA'S OVER HERE WITH OCD AND THE CITY PASS AND MAKE SURE Y'ALL GET SOME FUNDING SO WE CAN INCREASE OUR VA CAPACITY.
THANK YOU, TOM, FROM THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING FORWARD, UH, WITH THAT INFORMATION.
IT'S JUST SOMETHING YOU DO ON YOUR OWN.
I MEAN, DOING IT FOR 25 YEARS.
AND YOU HAVE NO ASSISTANCE FUNDING OR NOTHING.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE AND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO, UM, THAT I'M DOING WITH IT AND NOT TRYING TO PROVIDING THE SHELTER.
I APOLOGIZE IF I SAID IT THE WRONG WAY.
UM, I DISAGREE WITH DELETING THIS ITEM, HAVING THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WHETHER WE DEFER IT OR NOT, OR WHATEVER IS WHAT'S CAUSING THIS DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW, UM, IT'S CAUSING US TO LOOK AT IT'S CAUSING US TO EVALUATE IS CAUSING US TO, UH, SEE WHAT WE HAVE OUT THERE.
OPEN OUR EYES, NOT ONLY FOR THE PUBLIC SAKE, BUT FOR OUR SAKE ITSELF.
UM, SO DELETING THE ITEM IS NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING BUT QUIET, THE WHOLE THING DOWN, MOVING ON THE BACK BURNER.
AND IT, IT JUST SITS THERE AND GOES NOWHERE.
SO PLEASE DO NOT VOTE TO DELETE THIS OFF THE ITEM, UM, TO SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE NOW, BUT WITH THE RESOURCES AND EVERYTHING THAT'S AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THERE'S A COUPLE OTHER PLACES.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR BUDGETS ARE.
THING LIKE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THERE'S, THERE'S MONEY OUT THERE TO GROW THESE SHELTERS.
AND I UNDERSTAND YOU NOT GOING TO IMMEDIATELY FIND HOMES FOR THEM.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FIND AN APARTMENT AND I'LL GO FIND A HOUSE FOR THEM TO MOVE INTO IMMEDIATELY.
BUT A SHELTER IS A PLACE TO GET THEM OFF THE STREET, NOT IN A TENT SITTING ON SIDE OF THE ROAD.
I, ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT I DID, IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING TRIPS THAT I TOOK WAS TO SAN FRANCISCO, UM, LAST MONTH.