I mean everything would have to go back.

Thank you.

We're going to always start off with our guests, and I believe we have two guests from Economic Development if they could join us at the table.

And her guest.

Thank you.

All right, this is ordinance number thirteen sixty two dash twenty twenty five as amended by council members Starr Harrison and Griffin by departmental request.

An emergency ordinance authorizing the director of economic development to enter into a forgivable loan agreement with Penrose Holding LLC or is designed to provide economic development assistance to partially finance the construction, pre-development, and renovation costs associated with converting two buildings located in Ward Five service area into affordable apartments for seniors and families and other associated costs necessary to redevelop the properties.

And the amendment states the amendment is actually on your pads.

Good afternoon.

Thank you.

Chair, I have with me Mr.

Edward Peppers, who's the Vice President of Economic Economic Development at Midtown.

This project, the Warner Swayze project.

And I've also with me Afoma Zepwe, who is the project manager with our department.

Warner Swayze has been a long-standing project.

It is in my opinion a an incredible example of an adaptive reuse project.

And I think we're really getting close to the finish line, and it's really exciting.

I know that my colleagues in community development have done a ton of work on this.

This project has over 20 um funding sources.

And I will let Mr.

Peppers kind of take it from here.

Thank you, Council President and Committee.

Right now, the project where we stand.

We're at a little over 64 million dollars in total project cost.

We're looking for a mid-December 2025 close, and that would put us with a 24-month construction period, a 1227 completion date.

This project would have 112 units of affordable housing, and that would be up to 60 percent AMI.

56 units of family, 56 units of senior.

In the future, we would have another phase that would have 28 workforce units as well as over 20,000 square feet of commercial space.

For now, we're just focused on the 112 of LITTEC units that I just mentioned, though.

Okay.

That's really the overview of where we stand now, and we were seeking these numbers because the loan we do need to draw on at closing to help us with pre-development costs.

We've been spending money on this for about 10 years now.

And looking into the future, the actual uh TIFF is really necessary as we don't want to get to year 15 when the light tech period expires and come back because of the tax clip that's gonna hit.

We want to be ahead of the game when the funds expire, when the CRA expires.

So we want to have the tax the TIFF in place, so we're ready for when the everything expires.

Um we did find out some really good news today.

We found out that we do have a CBA with the city as of today.

So that was signed, which was a huge step on behalf of uh Penrose, the development team, and the city of Cleveland.

So we're happy to see.

I see that that did happen.

It was a lot of work on everybody's party, and I think that was a huge step in moving this deal forward and showing the magnitude of what it means to the city of Cleveland.

Thank you.

Director Mitchell, did you want to give any um feedback about the uh community benefits agreement?

Yeah, give me an I haven't been here in a while.

How are y'all doing?

All right, all right.

Uh the chair, we were excited about this project as was uh mentioned.

This adaptive reuse.

We uh negotiated a community benefits agreement that is fairly standard.

Um just to give you some high-level overview.

We have a total of 12 million, 12 basically 13 million dollars of minority female and small business spend.

This is a 64 million dollar project.

Of course, we have our Fannie Lewis 20 percent and our 4% low-income worker requirement, two men or proteges, six registered apprentices or pre-apprentices, four Cleveland interns, resident interns, which will be paid, played $20 an hour on this project, three community stakeholder meetings, quarterly reports.

Um the other things that are exciting about this project, they're gonna be use people try to use people from the community.

One of the things we got, you have the city mission fair uh right near there.

So we're gonna try to see how we can incorporate some of those residents into this into this project.

We're also gonna have the unbundling, of course, the lead principals in this in this project.

They're gonna do a lot of um infrastructure stuff, uh, bike lanes, uh, repair and replace deteriorated curbs.

As you all know, that that area requires a lot of work.

So we have a list of like 20 things going on, wayfinding, um, using um tree replacing the tree canopy canopies that are there, making it look real nice, using LED bubs, partnering with law enforcement to connect the cameras that are in the neighborhood to uh be a part of that, to do an RTA um coordinate with our RTA to provide residents with existing transit stops and shelters, um, and of course the affordable housing that was mentioned, or the what we call the workforce housing from 30 percent to 60 percent AMI that will be there.

And see working with Cleveland Public Power to uh enter an agreement and to do also um uh utility assistance.

They're gonna try to help with that on on the front end, charging stations.

So this is a and last but not least, uh pre-apprentice and uh union apprenticeship program where we will try to get new apprentices into the fold, uh particularly from the community.

So this is a robust community benefits agreement that we are particularly uh proud of.

Thank you.

Appreciate it.

Uh anything else, Director, before we move to any questions from council?

Okay.

Uh Councilman Harrison, did you have any questions or comments?

I know this came through uh DPS.

Yes, thank you, Mr.

Chair.

As we've heard, uh, we've seen Warren Swayze come before us on uh several uh different occasions fully supportive.

Councilman Star is fully supportive as well.

One of the things that I really liked about the uh span of CBA was that they're going to unbundle some of the work and so that way it's not all tied up with one big contractor who then um may or may not, you know, uh trickle that down to smaller MBEs and FBEs and CSBs, and so it's one thing that really stood out to me um when they approached me about um hearing this uh through DPS, and so fully supported, Mr.

Chair, thank you.

Thank you.

Uh Councilman Michael Palency.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman, honorable colleagues.

Umce the main building is renovated, is there any other structures left that need to be renovated?

It's all it's all one building, councilman, but there's a second phase that will be renovated.

We call it the wedge building on Carnegie, and that will be the 28 units of workforce as well as the 20,000 for the same building.

It's the same, it's all one building.

Okay.

The reason I'm saying um some might not believe it, but since I've been in council.

I've been dealing with that site.

Think about that now.

From the time of George Voynovich, we've I've been dealing as a member of this body, I've been dealing with that Warner and Swayze site.

So it's amazing um what we've been through from a standpoint of the city with the potential or promises from previous developers and operators.

I I've lost count of how many people have stepped up or said they were gonna do something here or there.

So what we're hearing at the table today in 2025, after 40 plus years, that file the last building of the Warner and Swayze Complex will be renovated.

Is that what we're hearing today?

We are very confident the financing gap will happen, and we are working towards close by mid-December of 2025.

Had an excellent call this morning with economic development, community development, and Chief McNair.

So we are all working towards that data.

I'm glad to hear that because the great pyramids of Egypt were built with quicker.

Okay.

The Gaza Pyramids are built quicker than the Warner Swayze site.

So again, I'm glad to hear that, Mr.

Chairman, that things are finally happening after all these years.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman Brian Casey.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman, Mr.

Chairman to the director.

You indicated utility assistance, and this is gonna be a Cleveland Public Power project.

And what did you mean by utility assistance?

Well, look through the chair to the council person.

Let's see, this is listed in here.

Explore subsidy programs or discounts for low-income household household.

So they're gonna try to explore that, see what potentials exist for that.

Mr.

Chairman to the commissioner, commissioner.

Commissioner?

Director.

Director, I'm sorry.

Um is that just gonna be for residents of the Warner Swayze building?

Doesn't Cleveland Public Power offer that anyways?

I'm sorry, we're not gonna be able to do Cleveland Public Power offers that anyways.

So is there something unique about the the residents of the Warner Swayze building that we're gonna offer something different than we offer anybody else?

Through the chair to the council person, I think it's the opportunity to help help them do that if it if if needed.

That's what that's how I read that.

Okay.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

All right, thank you.

Councilman Charles Slife.

Thank you.

I had a question in a follow-up, but the first question was answered that it's affordability is defined as up to 60 percent, which if I do my algebra's say about a thousand dollars, you know, that's for a unit.

Uh it's crazy that's what we define as affordable, but that's a different uh conversation.

Um my question then for us is I do and please correct me if I'm wrong and I'm just missing it somewhere.

I don't see in the legislation or any of the legislative file where it does define what afford it just says that there will be affordable units, but it doesn't say affordable units at the 60 percent.

Is that something we typically include within the legislation?

Is that within the city contract?

Uh I would are we held to it regardless because of OFA.

Can someone just walk me through what the assurance is moving forward that that that level of affordability would maintain itself over the duration of the period?

Um the chair to the councilman.

Um it is my understanding that yes, um, we are partnering with uh CD on this project.

This is a collaborative work and our community development department actually um monitors for that affordability component.

There is a piece of legislation that is now in place that actually um penalizes them if they don't meet that particular requirement.

And so they are committed to it, but there's also steps in the law to hold them accountable and they're asked uh uh specific penalties if they don't.

Okay, and and by this next question, I'm not assuming there's anything unfortunate.

I'm just trying to make sure I understand.

If we're currently saying affordable is 60 percent, at some point down the road could affordability be redefined at 80 percent and it still meets the letter of the law because we didn't define affordability on the forefront, or would that be in the contract, or is there I guess I'm trying to understand if there's a volatility to that 60 percent or if uh this is structured to have that maintained through the period.

Actually, uh Councilman, um, through OPA, then there's two nine percent tax credit awards, and it went through per the guidelines ideas went up to 60 percent.

So at a bare minimum for the 15 year first affordable period, it is locked at that.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thinking in lifetime.

All right, any other questions?

Councilman uh I was uh um Mr.

Um Mr.

Peppers, I was gonna give the example just as he gave.

When you apply for certain products like through OFA, you nine percent four percent.

There is there is uh limits that you can go up to.

There there is thresholds, there are ceilings, there's all types of parameters set around when you're applying for certain types of funding in because of the percentage that they are applying for restricts them and allows them only to go up to a certain point.

That's why it's important with these light takes deal when you have so many other um uh you know streams of uh support for the project that makes it work to pencil out because if if it's simply based on uh two or three pieces of fund it, it'll never work, right?

Because it's so so tight.

And so just wanted to add in with Mr.

Peppers uh explain.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any other questions regarding any of these companion pieces 1362 or 1369?

All right, seeing no other questions, ordinance number 1362 and 1369 uh dash 2025 stand approved, please sign on.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right, next up is ordinance number 1073-2025 by council members Bishop and Harrison and Griffin by departmental request and emergency ordinance authorizing the mayor and the commissioner uh purchases and supplies the sale of certain city owned property no longer needed for the city's public use located at the terminus of Bern Avenue to Greg Kenned because I don't know what how to say that.

C Z N A D E L Cause NAD Canado, uh, for the purpose of consolidating with existing land to be used for green space and garden development.

Director and commissioner.

Suzanne if she will give me a information about this request.

Good afternoon.

This legislation would authorize the director of the mayor's office of capital projects to sell a remnant piece of land that's left over from uh the development of the Jennings Freeway.

It's located in Old Brooklyn, um, north of Spring Road, west of Jennings.

Um it's a very small sliver of land.

It's about 26 feet wide by about 95 feet.

It's unbuildable.

Um, and it's located in between um two lots that are owned by Mr.

Snadel.

He is interested in purchasing uh this little sliver to connect the rest of his land.

We're going to require him to consolidate all of his parcels, um, and he wishes to use this the land for green space and gardens.

He does have gardens on his his existing parcels, which are actually quite nice.

Um, and he intends to pay uh to purchase the property for fair market value of 500.

Okay.

All right, thank you.

Uh Councilman Harrison, this is relieved by DPS.

Uh yes, Mr.

Chair.

We also heard just MSP this morning, uh, with Councilman Bishop's committee um unanimously supported.

Um we did have questions around um you know market rate versus you know when we have somebody who's taking care of the property, what that looks like, and so we had a very robust discussion earlier, and so we we expect to have some information back, but the committee was fully supportive of this piece as it is.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh Councilman Bishop, did you have any remarks?

Uh yes, Mr.

Chairman.

We uh vetted this at MSP this morning, and we fully supported for pasture.

Thank you.

Seeing uh and uh what area is this in again?

Oh, Brooklyn.

Oh, Brooklyn.

Is uh Councilman 12?

Is 12?

Is Councilwoman Marv hadn't supported this?

Yes, Mr.

Chairman.

Yes, Mr.

President.

Okay.

Yes, uh Councilwoman Mars uh fully support this piece passed for past.

Okay, thank you.

All right, seeing other questions, ordinance number 1073-2025 stands approved, please sign on.

Next we have public works, and we have ordinance number 1350-2025 by council members.

1310.

Are you doing that under 1310?

Inez, do you know where 1310 is at?

I don't have it in my box.

Oh, 1310 is actually under community development.

So that's coming up next with 13.

That's because uh uh MoCap handled it earlier for CD.

Say it again.

MoCap handled it earlier and um in our attorney uh Jennifer O'Leary handled that piece this morning for CD.

Okay, so both of them at the table you'll call.

All right, all parties with 1310 can come up here, and I'll just do public works after that.

All right.

So are these companion pieces the 1250, 1225 and 1310?

To the chair now.

All right.

So then 1310.

Uh ordinance number 1310-2025 by Councilmember Spencer.

An emergency ordinance requiring a director of the department of community development and or director of finance upon receipt of any voluntary payment in lieu by heirloom company to deposit such payments for the sole purpose of Herman Park renovation and site improvements.

Uh, who would like to take first crack at this?

I will through the chair to the committee.

Uh this is Councilwoman Spencer's piece.

And um, it is it is in preparation for a Herman Park renovation and site improvement uh in the future.

Um she's already set aside 200,000 of her NEF funds for the Herman Park renovation.

And this is directing community development or finance to direct funds from a PIL payment from a tax abatement into a fund solely for the purpose of renovating Herman Park.

Okay.

So capital projects is involved in the future development of Herman Park, and there will be future legislation coming back for a public improvement project for that.

Um they have a preliminary estimate of 585,000 for that.

Um, but that's subject to change.

And then meanwhile, community development granted a tax abatement to a project right by the Hermit Park.

Um and they were are going to be paying $660,000 in payment in lieu of affordable housing requirements.

So really what this piece does is just direct that PIL payment towards a Herman Park fund.

Okay.

That's the overview.

Assistant director, did you have anything uh you wanted to add to this?

No, I have nothing to add.

Okay.

Director.

All right.

This uh is uh was relieved by the uh DPS.

Councilman Harrison, did you have any remarks?

Uh yes, Mr.

Chair, we did relieve it and for the sake of time.

Uh I was asked by my colleague to consider, so we granted that request.

Um, as I said earlier, the intent of uh of the payment in lieu was not to have individuals simply build that a part of their pro forma in their their um their their project costs was really to drive affordability to particular areas of the city that that was experiencing a very low uh uh affordable unit count.

Um in um unfortunately this developer decided uh that they would make the payment in lieu for the reasons that councilman spens stated earlier.

Uh heard it loud and clear, and you know, this will be our first our first payment in lieu of affordable affordability as it leads to the tax abatement side uh for uh since not for but since we made the changes to the over the tax abatement overall.

We just to keep in mind to the committee, I won't be here.

But as you all look, you know, the next few years we'll have to come back around and review the tax abatement policy again, whether you're gonna make addition subtractions um, you know, regarding you know uh the way we set it up, you know, a couple years ago.

So uh that's all for me, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilman Bishop, did you have any remarks?

Uh yes, Ms.

Chairman.

Uh we fully better disaminable services this morning.

Uh we had quite a bit of questions as in regards to um this payment and lie.

Um we were satisfied with with um with the goal of councilwoman Spencer, uh, what she's trying to get accomplished here.

And we're really supportive of the question.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

And uh Councilwoman Spencer, I know this is in your ward and your project.

Did you want to make um remarks now?

Because I do have one person, or did you want to close our remarks?

Um I can close out that slide.

Okay, Councilman Brian Casey.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Mr.

Chairman to the director, one of the questions that we had this morning uh in regards to this that we couldn't get answered was um these payment and loos that will be coming into the city from developers.

Are those dollars that will be allocated for that neighborhood wherever the wherever it's wherever the development is going?

Is it something that can be used citywide?

I know that each payment and payment and lieu will have to come before the council, but uh does it stay within that councilperson's ward?

I mean, what if you're the we just were pow wow one about that this morning uh and I think people were deferring to you, so now that you're here, uh if we could just have you comment on that.

Yes, so um as uh thank you, uh Councilman uh through the chair.

Um as councilman Harrison stated, this will be our first ever.

Um so we have not we we haven't done this before, right?

Um per the legislation that was passed for tax abatement.

I do believe that it gives us the ability to do it citywide.

Um what I would say is that it would come to to this table as a negotiation as we are getting those payment and loues as they come through this table.

I think it would make sense to see where um where those payments are best.

Um so for example, if we are um doing this in a in uh in a high pressure area where we really want to drive affordability, we want to be able to get these dollars to go towards um where we need affordability the most, um, which may be in the project's ward, it may not be in the projects ward.

Um, and so this gives us the this uh original legislation gives us flexibility to to do that um for this agreement.

Um I think it it makes complete sense um that this is being directed by the uh by the councilwoman and she's in support of it and uh and we are supportive of it as well.

No, and and I get that.

And and Mr.

Chairman, to again I'm I'm not against the project.

I just because this is our first one, but here we have you know, somebody who's not building affordable housing and then reinvesting back into the neighborhood so you won't have affordable housing and now you're gonna have an up an upgraded project in that neighborhood that the individuals who are not paying affordable are gonna benefit from it.

Do you do you see what I'm saying?

I mean I I get I get the whole thing, but I think that there needs to be further discussion on on these payment and loss going forward as to how we how we spend the uh spend the dollars because from a bird's eye view, it just looks like a big developer doesn't want to put affordable housing in and he's just gonna pay pay his payment and lieu, and now oh, by the way, I'm gonna upgrade this this park that has been there for years and has benefited everybody else in the neighborhood.

But now that we're bringing in different people or more people for who don't who aren't paying affordable housing prices, that they can afford a little bit more.

Now we're upgrading the neighborhood for them as well.

I just I think it's a slippery slope that we need to just keep uh an eye on going forward, if that makes sense.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Councilwoman Spencer.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I completely concur with Councilman Casey's comments and with Chairman Hirston's comments on this.

I think the original intent of the tax abatement law was to promote affordability in high pressure areas.

That said, the current law does allow the developer to make this lump sum payment in lieu instead of creating those affordable units.

So this council will have an interesting opportunity, I believe, that our current law has a sunset clause, and that tax abatement will need to come forward again in 2027.

So this council could choose to further reform the law and add-on restrictions um or or add additional uh requirements based on what we've seen.

But this is truly is the first project citywide, so it's an interesting experiment.

Um I would just also want to say that this piece is meant to be a companion piece, which I was grateful very grateful to have my colleagues support for.

Um last week, or maybe it was even two weeks ago.

We passed 1307 2025, which would rename Herman Park as Judge Raymond L Pianca Park at the time of the completion of park improvements.

So these really there's some interplay here between these two pieces because Herman Park is not actually in the city's capital improvement plan, and nor is it in uh the current parks and recreation master plan.

It is not slated for investment.

And so this is a uh an effort to um this is a legacy park in Judge Pianca's neighborhood, and this is an effort to bring investment to this park.

However, we're probably two years out at least from getting this payment in lieu because it's at the time of certificate of occupancy.

So this is really just trying to look ahead and have resources in place to fund park improvements, which are badly needed when that time comes.

But I I really do agree with the spirit of my colleagues' comments.

I think that every single project and payment in lieu should be negotiated separately, and absolutely there could be a citywide application of those funds.

There is nothing that requires us to keep those funds in the certain ward.

In this case, I'm I'm asking colleagues for their support and consideration to make these park improvements, and then at that time rename.

We've already approved a renaming of the park for for Judge Pianca.

Uh, one other comment, if I may, Mr.

Chair, uh, to address well, Councilman Casey said this developer actually had no input on this piece of legislation and where their PIL would be directed.

This is different from a community benefits agreement.

Council directs where the PILs go.

Developers do not.

Um, and so I would anticipate that this park improvement is not to benefit the developer, it is not to benefit his future tenants, it is to benefit the community to have a deserved park improvement.

So um just wanting to clarify that the developer by our own laws has no input on where a PIL will be directed, if that's helpful.

And thank you for everyone for your consideration and support today.

Thank you.

Seeing no other questions, ordinance number 1310-2025 stands approved, please sign on.

Next is ordinance number 1225-2025 as amended by Council Members Harrison and Griffin by departmental request and emergency ordinance to amend the title of ordinance number 858-2025 passed July 9, 2025, relating to budget allocations received from HUD for the 2025 community development block grant, home investment partnerships at grant, emergency solutions grant, and the housing opportunities for persons with AIDS grant to supplement the ordinance by adding new sections three to ten relating to the grants and to renumber existing section three to new section eleven.

And the amendment is as follows.

Well, actually, there's several amendments on here.

Please look at your tablets for the amendments.

There are approximately seven amendments.

Um I'll try to spin through them real quick.

There's no legal objection to this legislation if amended as follows.

One in the first whereas clause, line two, after community insert development.

Two section three at new section three entitled 2025 programs at the end between ordinance and the period insert with the entries listed as described in file number 1225-2025-A.

Number three, in section three, at new section four at CDBG funding in the first column at systemic poverty, youth violence, poverty, and accessibility among elderly other public services, strike systemic and insert systemic.

Strike systematic and insert systemic.

And also in the first column at neighborhood development grants, insert activities after development.

Number four.

In the second paragraph, following division B, line one, insert C, B before that.

Number five, in section three, at new section eight, at division B, line two, strike 14 SF050, and insert 14 SF 051.

Number six, in section three, at new section eight, at Division C, Line 2, strike 15 SF 374, and insert 15 SF 471.

Number seven, in section three, at new section eight.

At Division D, Line 2, strike 15 SF 375 and insert 15 SF 470.

Date 1023 25 signed George Peters, Assistant Director of Law.

All right.

Thank you.

And I I will not uh read out my full statement uh that I read uh at at committee last time, but I do want to first say, Council President, thank you and good afternoon.

Um to member members of diversity um finance and diversity.

So thank you for the opportunity to present um the Department of Community Development's 2025 HUD entitlement budget.

Our goal today is to receive your approval to extend to expend the nearly 28 million dollars in community development block grant or CDBG funds uh by the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development and get these much needed dollars where they're supposed to be, which is out in the community to benefit our Cleveland residents and neighborhoods.

Um the vast majority of our funding comes from a single federal source, the community development block grant program through HUD for more than 50 years.

Um CDBG has provided these foundational local investments in housing, neighborhood revitalization, and essential community services.

So again, uninterrupt in uninterrupted for nearly 50 years or over 50 years.

But over the past year, we faced prolonged federal uncertainty, shutdown threats, and actual shutdown, continuing resolutions and potential cuts that directly affect our operations and more importantly the residents that we serve.

We spent much of the first uh half of this year not knowing if or how much funding we would receive, and that uncertainty surely makes it difficult to hire and retain staff and certainly takes a toll on morale.

I want to take this moment to recognize the incredible women and men of the Department of Community Development who continue to show up every single day with professionalism and compassion and resolve, even in this tough year where we have experienced loss.

Despite these challenges, our department continues to make meaningful progress towards our mission, creating quality housing in vibrant neighborhoods that serve as a foundation for generational wealth and community prosperity.

For program year 2025-26, we anticip uh uh we have received 19.46 million in CDBG funds, 4.25 million in home funds, 1.76 million in ESG or emergency solutions grant funds, and 2.37 million in HOPA funds, totaling just under 28 million in HUD formula grants.

Every dollar of this budget is targeted to sustain the programs that matter to us most, um, both on on my side of the of the uh of 601 as well as yours.

Um, home repair and lead hazard mitigation that allows residents to remain safely in their homes, investments to our housing trust fund to make affordable housing viable, neighborhood development activities and citywide assistance grants that keep our CDCs and other nonprofit partners strong and able to support the communities, and public service programs that provide food shelter and essential support for Clevelanders in need.

Um our federal federal resources this year has remained uh relatively flat.

Um we have refused to stand still uh even in that uh regard.

Under Mayor Bibbs' leadership, we are pursuing bold and forward thinking uh vision for equitable development and thriving neighborhoods in every corner of the city.

Um we have launched many projects, which we talked about uh in the committee, which I don't want to get into now, but I'm happy to talk more about them.

Um but in closing, I I just want to remark that uh even in this year where we've been marked by some significant challenges.

I remain hopeful because the strength of our people, the leadership of this administration and this council, and the shared determination across the city uh make Cleveland a place where every resident can thrive.

Um so with that, I just want to uh again reorient us.

The goal of uh the goal of passing this legislation is to receive expend authority.

Um this is on top of the uh the authority that this council already granted in the summertime that was to apply and accept for funding from HUD.

We have now received those funds, um, and this is so that we can get these dollars out the door uh to our community members.

Um you all have had our our budget book um and I'm happy to entertain any questions that you might have.

President as the director indicated you know we had a a slight uh reduction not from anything on our part but just whatever I don't everything that's going on in Washington we just glad that we got uh we we were able to um receive this allocation this year you know we all know how much uncertainty uh will center around these dollars and the funding that we receive from the federal government so I'm just glad that we're able to receive uh these dollars this year allow us a little bit more time to plan uh forward for the uh into the future um uh just to note a few a few points we did hear this last Thursday uh you I wanted to make sure that we got this in get it heard now so that way it can be heard and potentially passed today on Monday and not being able to uh not pushing this back another week or two weeks uh but really wanted to be able to support the CDCs and the work that they do make sure that senior transportation senior transportation connection can get their dollars that the community gardens will be uh funded and contracted hopefully well ahead of time uh so that you know projects like that can continue our uh HOPA dollars that are very important to a particular population that we support and include our ESG dollars that we that we support organizations as well again understanding all of those things uh we made sure that we we we heard and got through uh this funding um the expend ordinance uh for for CDs so if anybody comes and calls and says that city council is holding up hoppa dollars community garden dollars you tell them that's a that's a bold face lie because we we are working uh collaboratively with the administration to to get these funds out the door and so with that being said Mr.

Chair the percentages are the same as they were from previous year so there's there hasn't been a reduction as relates to the amount of the percentage per category including our NDA dollars that we get to support CDCs it's a lower dollar amount not because of a change in the percentage that is allocated for that but more so there was a a reduction almost three million dollar reduction that came from the HUD side itself with the dollars and so very note too important as we as we look at the numbers administration stays the same NDA dollars stays the same across the board uh where you do see a change is the uh activity grants that the department provides uh for the different CDCs that was that two million dollars that we end up supporting the CDCs with with using general fund dollars versus uh black grand dollars that is that additional um support that the department gives to the CDC for administrative uh allocation so that's the only big change that you see and that has been redistributed across other areas across the um the CBG budget so uh with that being said Mr.

Chair nothing further than that however uh to the director uh you know Mr.

Titran did make I believe uh a few requests that he sent over to the department after meeting Thursday information uh this okay informational request that we sent over so can you please make sure that we get a response to those uh answers um you know as we move forward thank you Mr.

Chair thank you councilman Michael Pillensei thank you thank you thank you Mr.

Chairman colleagues and uh to the administration I appreciate my colleague Councilman Harrison for his explanation as to what we've experienced um to the director the um as a result of the ongoing reduction in the block grant uh how many vacancies do you have upstairs now we are uh through our last reorganization we um we have a hundred and eleven total is is what we would um what would be our ideal is 111 fully um we have never gotten to that amount so I just want to be really I know really really clear on that um so right now um okay so and and this answers one of the questions that that came through so I can address that now through this question uh uh council president um so for the 2024 budget book the head count um for last year was at was 82 um currently we have 78 full-time employees we also have two fuse fellows um one Cleveland Foundation fellow one student intern from St.

Martin DuPours um so so that's that's where that's where we are we've had um and this is um uh through the chair uh this is in spite of um having having a bit of turmoil this year and and and um and we spent a good bit of the year where I I put us on a hiring freeze um not being sure uh what our funding would look like so again as of this point in 2025 right now in November you have 78 staff people correct correct okay and where where is your greatest efficiency in staff at this point um through the chair uh it it really is all throughout the department I would say um it our at our highest level just given some of the most recent um departures it's really at the leadership level okay um and and that that is um that's where we are hardest hit um at the moment um and so uh for example um last year I

Okay.

And where is your greatest efficiency in staff at this point?

Um through the chair, uh it it really is all throughout the department.

I would say um our at our highest level, just given some of the most recent um departures, it's really at the leadership level.

Okay.

Um and and that that is um that's where we are hardest hit um at the moment.

Um and so uh for example, um last year I I had two assistant directors.

Um right now I I I do not have any assistant directors.

Um we have uh we're down our our bureau chief level, so that's that next level um on our leadership team.

So uh Tony Bango just recently left us.

Yes, I'm um and so that that is um you know, we're we're certainly feeling the impact of that.

We're certainly happy um that that he was able to forward his career and are very supportive.

Um and he still answers our calls.

But um, but we've had at the leadership level, yes.

But Mr.

Chairman to the director, but you obviously know where the concerns are as council, especially as it pertains to processing.

Um the critical uh operations and projects and programs that we fund through Black Grant in the wards.

So what I want to I'm trying to understand as we go into this um new budget round, obviously it's before us right now, but as we go into next year, can you give us any ray of hope that you're gonna be able to move things quicker in light of you you had budget 111 staff.

You're at 78.

Can you give us some uh snapshot in time as to what you think you'll be doing because you know how long it takes to get stuff through the through through the chair uh fully fully acknowledge that um we I I I talked a little bit more in in depth um at our at our past hearing.

Um it has been a tough year to to hire folks, right?

It is not attractive to hire um uh high talented quality folks into this system where we know that there's a lot of uncertainty that that that is just a reality.

Um I would love to sit here um uh you know, councilman, and and tell you that that there's a rosier picture on the horizon.

Um I do not know that to be true.

Um I can be certainly hopeful.

Um I can try to read the political tea leaves, but I cannot tell you um that that we are going to have a much different scenario in terms of being able to recruit and keep good folks here.

But we do this work very quickly.

Um what I am I'm proud of is that we have um onboarded in the past I don't even know a few weeks now, um, and maybe about the past month or two, uh we've had like a dozen new people to come in.

Um and that was after we raised the the the hiring freeze at some point in the midsummer.

So we have people I had two new people start today, every single day we have new folks um started and the folks that are here remain dedicated.

So Mr.

Chairman, I won't believe it points.

The 78, does that reflect the two new people, or that's what we are prior to that?

Probably prior to that, through the through the chair.

So you will leave, and I guess to um to um Chief McNair.

Um do you think that the administration um what I want to make sure that critical positions are being filled?

That's what whether it be in community development or wherever in each department division, critical departments and divisions as it pertains to delivery of services, getting programs through the process.

Um because you know, we allocate funds for various groups, nonprofits, you name it.

Um, and it's been man, it's like trying to part Lake Erie, trying to get stuff through the process here.

We got to improve upon that.

Time is money.

And so at the end of the day, I just want to have us somehow want to have insurance as we go into the budget round, Mr.

Chairman.

These are some of the issues that I'm gonna be asking more frequently as it pertains to critical departments and divisions.

What are we doing to make sure we ramp up critical sections in CD so we can move programming and get get funds out into the neighborhood, groups, organizations, et cetera, capital projects, whatever it may be.

We have to be able to be able to do that.

And my frustration level is growing because it takes so doggone long to get stuff done around here.

It's that's where I'm at, Mr.

Chairman.

So I I guess I I want to I'm looking for assurances, but again, um I guess it's trust but verify at some point here.

So thank you.

Council President to Councilman Plantic, uh trust me, I I understand your frustration.

Uh I wanted to say one first and foremost, uh very grateful for Director Hernandez and our team who I think have been through an awful lot this year and have worked very hard to get things forward.

I think that we're all in the position that we are in today because of the federal government and how far behind they are on this.

Um but I also want you all to know that this work is critically important, you know that it's also critically important to me.

Uh you know, I have been in this role for about all of five or six weeks uh at this point.

I have spent an exceptional amount of time with Director Hernandez and trying to better understand where the pain points and pinch points in her department is.

I believe it is a core port of my job, uh if not the most important part of my job to help our department uh reach their maximum level of efficiency, and I am committed to working with the Department of Community Development and the other departments in this cluster to get where they need to be.

Okay, thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Thank you.

Councilman uh Kevin Conwill.

You know, um what you're saying, um and it's just a culture to the chair to the um director, even before you got there of that department.

You know, and you you know this also when you um when money come in late, super late for um our CDCs or for a project, sometime uh the department will kill a project.

Or you will create time constraints to um to a program or project, and it hurts the community.

And you're there to help the community to the chairman to the director, but it's the culture of not executing this in your department, and you inherited that culture as well to the chair to the um director.

But how can we make it more efficiency so that they could um and get it out on time?

Uh through the chair, um, we have been driving towards efficiency over the past three and a half years um uh since since I have been there.

That's that is what I can speak to.

Um the reality is our funding is complicated, right?

CdBG funding has a lot of different levels for every uh for every contract that we have, we have environmental reviews, we have you know three or four additional layers on these dollars, and that is the reality of the funds.

Um I I have not witnessed um any staff or or culture of of uh you know intentionally stopping projects from going forward.

Um it's been quite the opposite.

We have worked really, really hard to get um dollars out the door.

Um, for example, um we answered the need and earlier this year when we asked for general funding.

Um, I came to this council um to get general funding to our CDCs because we knew that it was absolutely critical.

We were able to get those dollars out the door, right?

Quickly in partnership with our folks.

So a few things are happening.

One, yes, it's very complicated.

Um but two, we have been improving those processes, and every new hire that we have, um, they are embedded with this goal of how do we free things up.

Um, there are a few key hires that I'd like to highlight um that are helping to ease this process.

The first is we've hired a compliance manager.

Compliance is good.

Um, and that is you know, his goal is to help move projects through, so he is helping work with our team.

Right now we have two environmental um uh environmental review folks on the team.

We are hiring more, right?

Um, but there is a lot of work for those two folks to do.

Um, additionally, we have hired more grant managers this year, um, and we have two more budget folks um than we than we have previously had.

So while I don't currently have a budget manager, I have two more budget um budget folks that are working to make sure that the transactions go through.

Um I can tell you program by program um that we have done what we need to do to help make the process much smoother.

Um we are not exactly where we want to be.

Um as you mentioned, we we are coming in at quite a deficit, but we have made a lot of headway.

Yeah.

So with this compliance manager, do the um chair, you have one or do are we looking at three or four?

You have a compliance manager, and he is managing how many people and how do you have a system to evaluate the compliance manager to make sure that we are hitting our benchmarks to the chair through the chair and the compliance manager manages a team of um I'm gonna say five.

Um, and so that is our URA.

Um there's a half uh there's a part-time person in there as well.

So um it's probably 5.5 um that uh that are that are under that that compliance um manager.

Um we have evaluations uh even when we did not, even when we did not have evaluations citywide um since uh 2022, since my first year here, we did end of the year evaluations.

We have done that through the entire department every year since I have been here.

So that helps with that accountability piece of it.

The other piece is is in who we're hiring and how we're trying to recruit folks, and when they get here, what we're doing when they get here to help get them in the right direction.

And we are we are working uh on on all of that and have really found some successes through some of those new hires and and our folks that have been here who have been dedicated to the department for a long time.

So with your evaluation to the chair, um, do they bring it to you?

Do you monitor over the compliance to make sure that they're hitting their goals and objectives?

Because um, I think if you like in your evaluation process, um yeah, certain dependencies that they gotta hit to make sure that Famicos received their funding because Famico's foundation had close to a million dollars, they were behind, and uh and it really really hurt our um the Glenville, Collinwood, and even Ward One community by uh that not being evaluated through the um chair to the director.

Um through the chair, uh it is certainly more than compliance to get any of these projects done.

Um each project touches probably a dozen people in my department uh through you know, through the different accounting, you know, we've got our grant managers, we have compliance, we've got different people in compliance um that may need to touch a project.

So this is these are high touch projects.

I do I do want to note that certainly more uh more than just our compliance folks, but I do meet weekly.

Um and compliance being one of the pinch points, um, even throughout our uh uh you know losing some of our key staff, um, I have actually taken over compliance, so compliance manager reports directly to me.

I was hoping that I have and I meet on a on a weekly basis um with our compliance manager and um and our environmental review teams.

Um we are also working across many of our programs with urban AI to get those uh those key uh indicators um for each of our programs.

As you know, um uh councilman, we have a lot of different programs with a lot of different uh KPIs and and a lot of information.

So it's taking some time to make sure that each and every one of our programs have that, but we are working diligently towards that.

So to the chair on the programs, that was my next um question to you.

How many programs are allowed when I first got here now when Mike Balency first got here 50 years ago?

Thank you.

Um you had so many programs.

Many programs, meaning 70 to 72 programs, whatever the case may be.

Now I think we only have five or six, or I mean that's my assumption to the chair.

Um through the chair, so we still have many, many programs.

Um I often uh describe uh the Department of Community Development as being both deep and wide, wide being that there are many different different programs.

Um we we have at least two dozen what I would call programs.

So we we have I mean everything from you know um some of the financial literacy um uh all the way to tax abatement, um land bank right now, there's there's a lot of programs, as well as um you know casino funds sometimes come through, many of our other programs come through uh the department.

So there are many, many programs.

Um I believe what you are talking about, councilman, is um the the activity, the the it's it's like an activity code.

And of the many things, but I'm trying to get into it.

I got you, councilman, um, through the chair, um, of those many activity codes.

When I first came on, there were several dozen um activity codes, um, and we did work to reduce those for um for some of our partners.

Um so the most notably with our CDCs, um, and that is because we were not meeting um the CDCs and other partners were not meeting the goals of each of those.

And so the goal was to consolidate focus in and and to narrow um so that so that um we could focus in on some core activities um so that we weren't doing everything for everybody and and doing not enough of it good enough.

Okay, you took it and you broke it down.

Can you when you had um a meeting with the chairperson Anthony Harrison?

Did you bring in those cores so that the um committee through the chair to the committee would be able to see it because you broke them down?

It was 12.

Now we I think it's five activities or six where it used to be 20 to 30, and I think that hurt our neighborhood.

Did the chair you want to answer?

You want the chairman to answer?

Um I I can uh chairman.

Thank you.

So when we when we went through the process and last cycle, the cycle before last, when director was assistant director whackers was here, uh there is still uh a number of allowable uses of the uh allowable uh categories, rather, for C D BG.

However, as the department went through their uh restructuring and their consolidation and all the changes that they went through, uh they asked to reduce uh the number of allowable uses that CDCs can apply for with the hope that it yields uh uh more results, right?

Greater efficiency out of the development corporations so that way they can receive reimbursement so they can be able to provide services to the community.

Now it's gonna be on this council to review the progress of the CDC since the changes that have been made after 2026.

I'll be gone.

Um to determine whether the the reducing the number of allowable categories uh to what is it three plus one, three categories, and the one additional, I believe it is.

Am I right, Joe?

Three plus one?

Yes.

Yes, three point one, yes, that's correct.

So 3.1 and the one being additional one that was not a part of the three buckets because it's centered on housing, it's centered on other aspects that has been the key uh issues for us throughout the neighborhoods, and so um again, this body's gonna have to review those uh coming up next year to see whether they're going to work with the department to uh uh add additional um boxes or categories for CDCs to be able to apply for and uh uh receive reimbursements uh for the works we're doing in the neighborhood.

So, yes, they brought the action plan to us.

Council as a whole, not only through committee, but through finance and also through the the the body as a whole had to approve the action plan that was submitted to the uh to HUD for approval.

Yes, uh, through the chair, yes.

Every uh each year we we come through with an action plan, and every five years there's a consolidated um action plan that that that comes through.

Yes, you know, through the chair, things change.

For example, what do you use what do you use to the chair to evaluate um the buckets that you might need?

For example, Glenville maybe different than Tremont, you know what we need, and sometimes you can look at 311 because they can evaluate also when we call in or even 211 because it's in real-time movement, and and you can look at that as an indicators to do our buckets.

Do you think I don't know, I'm you, but I I mean I'm trying to figure it out because you need something to evaluate.

You said, Director, that you have a uh development, not a development office, a compliance officer, so they're looking at evaluation processes through the chair to the director.

Uh through the chair, we undergo many evaluations throughout the year.

We are probably one of the most evaluated departments because we have oversight at several levels.

Um, and so on on an annual basis, um, we we will have a HUD monitoring or um uh or or a site visit, and so we are we are constantly under that uh evaluation process, and that is in addition to um the self-evaluation that we do as we are trying to improve our processes every day.

Yeah, I want to say this and I'm gonna end pretty soon, but I do want to ask you about the payroll savings and the cost of attrition.

Um, through the chair to the um director, when people as council member Mike Polincick, and you know it because you are in the neighborhood, um, when they don't receive their funding on time, or people need to call them time, tell them, uh let them get them progressive views what's going on with funding, it hurts.

It hurts the community.

You talking about community development, it's community undeveloped because they hurt, and it's a lot of abject poverty out there, and when they can't get their money, uh they come to the Cleveland City Council member, and it's our fault.

And even in the community meetings, they blame it on us, on the council member, because they they don't know you, you could walk right in the meeting and see and see us get tore up.

We're in the meeting getting tore up, and they blame it on us constantly, and it really hurt us because it's hurting our residents.

When they don't get it out the door, it hurts, and it costs even some of the CDCs more money.

When that money doesn't hit them, they have to go into their reserves and spend money, but they could have used it to spend on doing whatever to benefit the people in our community.

But when it doesn't get out there to places like Famico's or the other CDCs, you're hurting them, man.

You're really hurting them big time.

So even when you do your strategy reviews, Tom, you gotta look at that and see.

For me, goes nowhere in the world.

I'm Councilmember Mike Pelisi that it should have got to almost a million dollars that we owe them.

Nowhere in the world that it should have gotten there.

And we should have known, we should have had indicators to tell us that they have not gotten paid.

That they have not gotten paid.

That pulls money from them, and then they have to say no to the community, and then the community blames Councilmember Anthony Harrison, Councilmember Kevin Cowwell, and the rest of my colleagues, because we're not getting it out on time.

And that's what Councilmember Mike Belinsik was narrating to us.

We gotta get it out on time.

That's our goal.

Um through the chair, uh what I can say anecdotally is that um I've certainly heard uh a major reduction in the amount of complaints from the beginning of my time here on those payments coming out um on time to where we are now.

It's because we have better processes than we did when I first began.

Um through those better processes.

Um I I can't speak for I don't have any partners with me at the table.

But um, as I meet with folks, had a meeting with Habitat for Humanity Today, um, met with CHM last week, um, was uh meeting with the CDC executive directors.

I am not hearing the same amount of complaints nor the same complaints that I was when I first got here.

So I I can I can confidently stand that we are in a much better place um with processing than we than we uh than we have been in a generation.

Now I don't have any Google reviews, um, but uh but I would I would ask for for you to talk to folks in the community and see how things have changed over the past few years in getting these payments out.

Um are there snags when there are complicated issues?

Certainly.

We deal with those all the time.

But those things are now more of the exception than the rule.

And and I and I really really uh need to be able to defend my folks and and say that we have improved significantly over the past.

You know what director to the chair.

I'm not beating up on your folks, but technically I am, because when I'm at True Vine Baptist Church, and when John and Alifo tell me he can't execute because he haven't gotten money out of your office, then guess who get beat up?

That's how I evaluate.

I evaluate because I get my back taken out.

And I evaluate even when I hear my other colleagues talking about the same thing, issues and concerns.

You could talk with them.

Some of them are afraid to tell you uh what's going on, but they tell us, and when they tell us and our residents tell us, and they cannot get their money, then that's frustrating.

And then I got a guy here that tells them we don't hire people, we don't fire people, and we don't train people to get them off our back.

And that's what Councilmember Mike Palency says, and that's why he said earlier, it's coming out of your office.

They're afraid to tell you.

But we feel it, we feel everything.

So I'm not trying to beat you up.

I go see this guy on an house to tell him stuff.

Isn't that true, Tom?

Yes, sir.

Uh through the chair to Councilman Conwell.

I I I do just want to add, and I I think Councilwoman uh Spencer's likely been in the same situation.

I I I know what it's like to sit on the other end of this uh in one of those neighborhood organizations, uh, waiting on funds that have been delayed for a variety of reasons, uh, knowing that you have very little cash reserve trying to continue to do work, and it's not a very fun position.

Right.

Uh I also have been in this system long enough to know that w the way that we administer funds here in the city of Cleveland, it's not just a square peg and around hole.

It's kind of like trying to hit a four by four through a pinhole.

Uh, right.

This is not the most ideal way to utilize these funds, and it doesn't change the fact that people are doing critically important work in our community that is good work that needs to happen.

And I think this has been an ongoing conversation uh for a number of years around the way that we fund this important work in the system.

Uh, and I know that it's challenging, right?

Um, but again, all I can tell you right now is that this is uh this is a very important part of my work is working with Director Hernandez and others and trying to find a way to optimize this as much as humanly possible.

Uh, but I think she is also right.

I I have always found this is not necessarily a person X inside the city of Cleveland is bad at their job, and this is why this happens.

Oftentimes there's really good people doing this work, right?

Um, but it is really complicated the way that we administer these funds here.

So uh again, that's been a conversation since long before I got into city.

Yeah, we're gonna do it.

It's one that's ongoing and it's one that we're aware of, and we are working very hard to try to fix and make uh work as good as it can possibly work.

And and the last thing I'll say is again, I think this is a situation.

You have people outside of this building that we use that are contracted ours that are doing great work.

They're doing impactful work inside uh outside and in in our neighborhoods, and we want to make sure that we're able to continue to get them funds.

Um but again, we are working very hard to kind of work within the rules of the the game that we're given, right?

Yeah, and through the chair, that is why we're here today, right?

We're here to get the money that is uh been allocated uh from the federal government out onto the streets, and that's why um you know, hopefully we're able to pass this today so we can get that money out.

My folks are ready to go um with with contracts, as are our partners in the community, um, so that we can uh move quickly um to to make sure that we're getting dollars out the door.

Right, but director don't take it personal.

I also visit your boss as well, and sometimes I visit him on an hour, see lookup, you see me looking right at him because of money I can't get from my neighborhood.

He'd tell you that.

So I'm not just um talking with you about it.

It's frustrating because you're you're the directors.

And it hurt us.

And it even helped it even hurt me doing our campaigning.

You know, your your opponent takes because you guys don't execute, and guess what happens?

That's me, can't get that out, but I could get it out.

But I'm trying to get it out.

Through through the chair councilman, I also don't want to bury the lead here.

We're having this conversation on November 10th instead of February or March because the federal government withheld these funds for what, six, seven months?

Right.

We didn't even know if we were receiving funds until the end of August.

We weren't even able to kind of get this in position until towards the end of the director.

I understand that.

It's not just this time, it's a constant.

When you see things go over and over and over and over again, it's not one time.

It's is it's a constant thing that's happening.

So we don't want it to continue to keep happening.

You see you see what I'm saying?

Yes, sir, I do, and and I will only reiterate that for the first two years of this administration when I was not a part of the administration, I was one of those entities.

You were one of them.

I was, and and I I do believe that it has gotten better, right?

Is it where it needs to be yet?

No.

But I do believe that it has gotten better.

Uh and we are spending an awful lot of time, energy, and effort trying to find a way to optimize this.

Um, because again, I think we are all on the same page.

Uh that this is quality work and we need to fund it, right?

Uh we're all on the same team.

Uh, and so again, this is now part of my job is trying to work with Director Hernandez and others to figure out the best way to move this forward.

Councilman uh wrap up CP.

With payroll through the chair, you mentioned payroll, some people left.

Um, are you gonna did you were you able to save to the chair to the director any dollars when you uh do attrition?

Were you able to save any dollars and would you be able to do a fund transfer?

Uh through the chair, uh essentially no.

Um we have uh a cap of 20 percent of the funds, and that's what we use to to fund our folks um from year to year.

We're also at a net zero from from not just about a net zero from where we were before.

Um and as we bring in folks, um for those of you uh in in the listening audience who are hiring folks now.

Um you were hiring the same folks two years earlier um at a much lower level than you were today.

Um so everybody that is coming in new is commanding a higher salary.

That is just the nature of the workforce um nowadays, um, which isn't so bad uh when when you're also getting a higher quality um of person coming in.

You could hire quality person, you have to keep training them, and you know that you can't you gotta change that culture because it fitted the culture.

But I'm I'm not beating up, I'm not beating you up.

I'm just not taking it personal, thank you, councilman.

Thank you, CP for the role.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Spencer.

Thank you, Council President.

I appreciate the discussion today.

I uh unfortunately was not able to attend the DPS committee.

I apologize to our chairman Hirsten, who held a full vetting of this legislation last Thursday.

I did listen to most of it on YouTube.

So I was trying to get up to speed for today.

Um I did have a couple of just questions that that jumped out as I listened to that hearing.

Uh the first is through the chair uh to the director.

I was really curious to learn more about the implementation vendor for home repair that was discussed at many points, and that that has really improved the system vis-a-vis getting dollars out to contractors.

Uh was just wanting to be reminded through the chair of who the implementation vendor is.

Through the chair, we we did a uh a process about two years ago now, and we selected NextGen, which is led by uh Shikuri, yep, Shrey Davis, and um, and we have been working with his team it was a complicated um uh contracting because this is a new thing for for all of us, but we are working and um we have several meetings a week um between the two teams to ensure that there's a good handoff.

I do want to um I do want to note that this is not a full handoff of our of our programs.

We are doing the the front end um as far as intake is concerned.

Um there is uh a robust middle part, which is hammer and nails, um, you know, recruiting and uh getting construction workers in the trades and um working with folks uh to actually get hammer and nails, going through the permitting process.

They are doing that.

They're doing the majority of that process.

Um there are several points where we um come in and check the work that it is uh ensuring that there's compliance there, um, and then we reimburse them uh on the back end um uh to close out the activity uh both financially with them uh as well as with HUD and getting it uh recorded correctly.

Um and so they are doing the majority, they are um I describe them as general contractor plus, um, but they are also helping us to to do some some some other things that you might not know, like environmental reviews.

I mentioned earlier that we have two folks that are doing our environmental reviews for um really for the whole city for these federal funds, and uh and and now they have hired um at last count there were four vendors that they were working with that are also doing those environmental reviews.

Now we have to do the final sign-off, um, but but the majority of that work can happen through them.

And so um that is one of the ways that uh we are helping to gain efficiencies through this process.

Um and we have had a major increase in the number of um actual uh contractors that we are working with.

Um and one of the reasons why is because they can pay them at different segments throughout the process rather rather than waiting till a project is fully completed, vetted, compliant, and off to HUD before they get paid.

Um so this is helping our um our our smaller contractors to get more sophisticated and and to be able to participate on jobs or more jobs than they were able to before.

Thank you.

That was a great explanation and just a follow-up question.

If there are other small contractors who are interested in city business, what would there be, what steps would they take to connect with the implementation vendor or get involved with the chair?

Uh they can contact our office through the chair, and they can contact our office.

Um we are we are always taking in new folks.

Um they can also speak to the folks at next gen, but um, but why don't the folks can can can come through our office and we'll get them sorted out.

Thank you.

Okay, uh another question has to do with the pause in the intake for home repair applications through the chair wanting to ask about where we are in that and when those applications might reopen.

Yeah.

Um through the chair.

So this is a this is a complicated process.

Um what we talked about at the committee table last week was that um we have over 2,000 uh applications that the team has had to go through and figure out where in the various stages over five years, many of them within the last two years, but um we do have some that are dating back as far as 2020.

We are going through every single one of those applications, getting an updated status.

Um we are also working with both Urban AI as well as the Bloomberg I team.

Um I stands for innovation.

Um they are helping us to to better process.

We're getting um an upgraded technology to help um ensure that that there's visibility on all sides.

Um, and we have not had that to date.

Um so that's the process that's happening now.

So uh we have to see how many we can do in a year and how many we have, and we're gonna have to we're gonna have to really look at um, you know, are we gonna have to be more targeted with what kinds of applications we're we're accepting, you know, if it's a senior or if it's um and these are complicated things.

I can't um speak about that until we get that work done.

That is what I call a uh the level zero work, right?

Um, and that is we have to know what we have before I can make a call on you know a data-based decision call.

Um, and I'm not ready to make that call yet.

I have to analyze right now each and every one of our applications, ensure that everybody in the pipeline um is good.

Where we can, we are um getting folks to work with partners where that makes sense.

Um, but we first have to get a handle on each and every one of our our applicants.

Uh and we have to get around, we have to get our arms around um having over 2,000 applications and being only able to do a few hundred a year.

And that is just our reality.

We are oversubscribed for these projects.

Thank you.

So through the uh chair, so in terms of so we're uh as we're in this current phase of uh assessing status of over 2,000 applications.

What is the role of the community engagement specialists?

Yeah.

Um through the chair, um, thank you for that question.

They are playing a tremendous role.

Um we had our uh our weekly meeting uh this morning and was meeting with um uh Brett from uh Brett who leads our our community engagement folks and um they are being deployed to uh you know they're already out in the field oftentimes, um, but how can we get them to strategically do uh like drive-by?

So we need a certain number of lead applications, um, or we wanna we want to make sure so uh I'll give you a clear example.

Um right now we have a bunch of applications that are not completed, right?

There's documentation that's missing.

So we have called, we have emailed, um, and we are sent a letter and we are doing a drive-by.

We are hitting in four different ways so that we can um you know give opportunities before we close anything out administratively.

We want to make sure that folks know that they have they can have access to these services, especially when it's so critical, like like lead.

So our community engagement specialists are being deployed out in the field.

Um the great thing about having a nimble group of folks is that they can pivot as we need them to.

So I may need lead applications at this time, then they're gonna be going out and deploying into the neighborhood, getting lead applications.

Um I may need to review those applications, right?

I may need to to do some some other type of work.

They um are able to adapt um to to meet that need.

Okay, thank you.

And then I think my last question is staffing was talked uh about earlier this afternoon, but um looking at your your presentation from last week.

I know that these newer roles were created, which were these bureau chief functions.

The org chart also seemed to indicate there are assistant directors, and I was curious for clarity on who you're it seems like there were two assistant directors.

Who are your two assistant directors to the chair?

Uh right now they are Bert and Ernie.

I'm just kidding.

We I don't have two assistant directors right now.

Um I have no assistant directors right now.

I have a team of amazing women uh who are uh who are who are standing by me and they're my bureau chiefs, um, and they were here at the table with me last time.

Uh and and as as my as my mother said, um, you did a great job, you and all these beautiful women and Tom.

Uh we're here at the table.

I would I would I would love, I would love a man, but there was not a man here at the table.

Right now, my leadership team is is all women, and uh and and we are rocking it.

All right, please thank everybody for their work.

Thank you, Director.

All right, thank you.

Seeing no other questions, ordinance number 1225-2025 as amended.

Stands approved.

Thank you.

Please sign on.

Thank you, Council.

Thank you.

All right, next up is ordinance number 1350-2025 by Council members Bishop and Griffin by departmental request, an emergency ordinance ought to author authorizing the purchase by one or more standard or requirement contracts for the purchase lease or lease with option to purchase of various on-road vehicles, apparatus, and off-road equipment, cabs, bodies, and accessories, equipment and other aftermarket items necessary to equip the vehicles authorized for their intended purposes, including vehicle rehabilitation training and inspection as needed by the Department of Public Works.

Director and Commissioners.

All right.

Thank you.

Thank you, Chair.

We have um piece here.

Uh this is uh piece to request the purchase of equipment that's gonna be related all to our resurfacing and pothole program.

Specifically, there are three pieces a pothole roller, an asphalt roller.

And the trailer related to that I have with me, Commissioner Jeff Brown as well as Commissioner Randy Scott to be able to answer any questions you may have about this piece.

Thank you.

Commissioner Director.

Have any so this uh this equipment is uh uh primarily primarily to replace old and outdated uh rollers that we have in the fleet right now.

It'll be majority used on uh in pothole end uh in some resurfacing.

Okay.

All right.

Do you want to add anything, Commissioner?

No, Mr.

Chairman, we just asked for your passage of support on this uh so we can update our equipment.

Uh some of our pieces are uh obsolete and trying to get parts is becoming a challenge.

Thank you.

Uh Councilman Bishop, do you uh have any comments on this piece?

Uh yes, Mr.

Chairman.

We uh fully voted this uh for passage and we recommend it for passage.

Thank you.

I do not see any questions.

Therefore, ordinance number 1350-2025 stands approved.

Please sign on.

Thank you.

The next ordinance is ordinance number 1351-2025 by council members Bishop and Griffin by departmental request and emergency ordinance authorizing the procurement by one or more requirement contracts of the rental of large capacity trucks with operators for the division of streets, department of public works for a period of one year with two one-year options to renew.

Exercisable by the director of public works.

Director.

Thank you, Chair.

Uh, this piece again is another one of our regular pieces that we do annually.

This is to request uh of the three things that we do for resurfacing where we contract out.

This is one of those pieces.

This is for trucking for removing uh for our hauling away our grinding.

So I have here uh Commissioner Scott with me to answer any questions, but specifically, this is a country that we use for resurfacing, basically.

Commissioner, did you have any comments?

No, once again, we asked for your support and passage of this legislation to help us continue our very successful resurfacing program.

Thank you.

Councilman Bishop, did you have any comments?

Uh yes, Mr.

Chairman.

We uh vetted this this morning fully recommended for pasture.

Thank you.

Councilman Palency.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman, Honorable Council.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman, honorable colleagues to the director.

The grindings, where do they go?

Uh Commissioner.

Uh the portion of the grindings will come back to us for recycling and our three asphalt recycling machines.

Uh once we you don't get enough inventory, then it will go back to the asphalt plant and be recycled again.

Okay.

Could someone drop jumped three large piles of asphalt grindings along um Waterloo Road?

Okay.

Between 140th and 152nd.

I mean three big piles.

Okay.

Just uh I'm looking what is this?

I don't know where they came from.

So uh these are grindings.

These are asphalt grindings.

We will we'll have our staff look good too.

We'll make sure it's taken care of.

Okay.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

All right.

Uh Councilman, do we have anybody else?

All right.

Seeing no other questions, ordinance number 1351-2025 stands approved.

Please sign up.

Thank you.

Oh, I thought it was go ahead.

You did it.

Thank you.

City planning.

Wait a minute.

Is city planning here?

This is for lamb.

Yeah, okay.

So this is ordinance number 13 54-2025 by council members.

Welsh, Harrison, and Griffin by departmental request and emergency ordinance to amend Section One of Ordinance No.

711-12 passed June 4, 2012, relating to designating the East Ohio Gas Company building and garage as a Cleveland landmark.

Um please proceed.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Uh and tell everybody who you are, Mr.

We know about the listening public.

Carl Brundes, Cleveland Landmark staff.

Uh, as part of our ongoing quality assurance and looking at our old files, we have found uh a number of our old ordinances that contain some typographical errors, and we are going through and making sure that they are correct.

And this one is one of them, and this is all it is is making sure that we have the correct information on there.

Okay.

Thank you.

Uh this is relieved by Chairman Harrison.

Chairman Harrison, did you guys relieve this?

Uh yes, we did, Mr.

Chair.

Fully supported.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Do we have any questions regarding ordinance number 1354-2025?

Seeing no other questions, ordinance number 1354-2025 stands approved.

Next up is ordinance number 1357-2025 by Councilmembers Conwill, Hairston, and Griffin by Departmental Request and Emergency Ordinance to amend Section 1 of Ordinance Number 1861-84 passed December 10th, 1984, relating to designating the St.

Aloyish Church as a Cleveland landmark.

Director.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Same in this case.

There was, I believe, a permanent parcel number that was incorrect, and then we had to add a legal description to this particular piece of information.

Thank you.

Chairman Harrison.

Do you have any remarks regarding this?

No.

Mr.

Chair, same fully support.

Thank you.

Seeing no other questions, ordinance number 1357-2025 stands approved.

Please sign on.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Human resources.

All of these will be uh heard for consideration this evening.

These are contracts uh, I believe uh contractuals or contract settlements.

Uh first is ordinance number 1405-2025 by Councilmember Griffin by Departmental Request and Emergency Ordinance approving the collective bargaining agreement with Service Employees International Union, Local One, and to amend Section 7 of Ordinance Number 194-2021 passed March 29th, 2021, as amended, relating to salaries for various classifications.

Director Uh Thank you, Chair and uh committee.

Yes, this is to ratify the collective bargaining agreement uh between the City of Cleveland and the Service Employees International Union Local One.

Um this bargaining unit is comprised of approximately 140 employees.

Um and I'm certainly uh happy to answer any questions.

Thank you.

Uh does anyone have any questions regarding this uh ordinance?

I just have a councilman Palency.

I don't have a Mr.

Chairman as of this point to the director.

How many bargaining units have we settled with?

Uh this will will be 22 of the 33.

Okay.

Assuming ratification today.

So we're over the hump.

We are.

You're telling me okay.

That is correct.

All right, thank you.

Seeing no other questions, ordinance number 1405-2025 will be heard for consideration by the full body.

Ordinance number 1409-2025 by Councilmember Griffin by Departmental Request.

An emergency ordinance approving the collective bargaining agreement with laborers, international union, local 860, non-supervisory unit, and amend section 26 of ordinance number 124, means ordinance number 194-2021, passed March 29, 2021, as amended relating to salaries for various classifications.

Thank you again, Chair.

Uh that is correct.

This is to ratify the contract between uh Layuna, uh local 860, the non-supervisory collective bargaining unit in the city of Cleveland.

Um this collective bargaining unit excuse me.

This collective bargaining unit, here we go, uh is comprised of approximately um 400 employees, uh, but that's uh actually combined with the supervisors unit as well.

So between the the 860 supervisors unit and non-supervisors unit, it's uh 400 employees.

Certainly happy to answer any questions.

I had a question.

Councilman Palency.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Mr.

Chairman to the director, my little colleagues.

On the mac the minimum and maximum, um is the maximum after years so many years of employment.

How do they get to the maximum?

Uh through through the chair to uh to councilman Palencick.

So that's correct.

So they they go up uh in steps.

Um there's a six-month step.

Um there are six month steps all the way up through uh four years.

Four years.

That's correct.

So after four years, they would reach the maximum.

That's correct.

And keep in mind too that the maximum is also through the contract term.

So that's uh the the end of the contract uh term, which would be uh March 31st of 2028.

And I should ask earlier, these are all retroactive though.

They are so going back to when.

Uh through the chair to the councilman, it would go back to 33125.

33125.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Correct.

All right.

Seeing no other questions, ordinance number 1409-2025 will be heard by the full council tonight for consideration.

Ordinance number 1410-2025 by Councilmember Griffin by Departmental Request and Emergency Ordinance approving the collective bargaining agreement with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 507, full-time drivers and maintenance, and to amend section 16 of ordinance number 194-2021, passed March 29, 2021, as amended relating to salaries for various classifications.

I'm sorry, the first of four.

Yeah.

Excuse me.

This is the first of four of the 507 contracts.

This one specifically is through or with excuse me the full-time drivers and maintenance in the city of Cleveland for local 507.

This particular unit excuse me.

This particular unit is uh comprised of approximately 244 employees.

Um certainly uh happy to answer any questions.

Are there any questions regarding 1410-2025?

Seeing no questions, ordinance 1410-2025 will be consider heard for consideration by the full council this evening.

Ordinance number 1412-2025 by Councilmember Griffin by Departmental Request and Emergency Ordinance approving the collective bargaining agreement with International Brotherhood of Teamsters, 507 guards, and to amend Section 9 of ordinance number 194-2021, passed March 29, 2021, as amended relating to salaries for a single classification.

Director.

Thank you, Chairman.

This is the second of the uh 507 contracts for consideration uh today.

Uh this particular unit is comprised of uh approximately 22 employees, 22 guards uh in the city.

Uh certainly happy to answer any questions.

Thank you.

Seeing no questions regarding ordinance number 1412-2025 stands approved, and we'll be heard by the uh entire council this evening for consideration.

Ordinance number 1413-2025 by Councilmember Griffin by Departmental Request and Emergency Ordinance approving the collective bargaining agreement with the laborers international union, local 860 supervisory unit, and to amend Section 27 of ordinance number 194-2021, passed March 29, 2021, as amended relating to salaries for various classifications.

Thank you, Chair.

This is the second of the two 860 contracts.

Uh this is for the specifically for the supervisory unit uh of local 860 Lyuna in the City of Cleveland.

Uh there are, as I mentioned earlier, approximately 400 uh employees split between this this bargaining unit and the non-supervisory bargain unit.

Happy to answer any questions.

Thank you.

Uh I don't see any questions.

Therefore, ordinance number 1413-2025 stands approved and will be heard for consideration by the entire body this evening.

Ordinance number 1414-2025 by Councilmember Griffin by Departmental Request and Emergency Ordinance approving the collective bargaining agreement with International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 507, seasonal drivers and maintenance, and enact new section 16A of ordinance number 194-2021 passed March 29, 2021, as amended relating to salaries for various classifications.

Director.

Thank you again, Chairman.

Uh this is the third of the of the four uh collective bargaining grievance with the uh the teamsters local 507.

Uh this particular unit is the seasonal drivers.

Um the seasonal uh group consists of approximately 105 uh uh employees at this time.

Um note um in the original um uh council summary provided uh had put a new section 60 instead of 16A, but upon review it made more sense to to put into 16A as the seasonal group was removed from 16, which is all uh permanent uh employees.

So just one quick note, but certainly happy to answer any questions.

Thank you.

Do we have any questions regarding ordinance number 1414-2025?

Seeing no other questions, ordinance number 1414-2025 stands approved.

An emergency ordinance approving the collective bargaining agreement with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 507, Utility Supervisors, and to amend Section 11 of ordinance number 194 2021 passed March 29, 2021, as amended, relating to salaries for various classifications.

Thank you.

Seeing no other questions, ordinance number 1415-2025 stands approved.