And welcome to the Planning and Economic Development Standing Committee on today, Thursday, January 15th, 2026.

Good morning, Madam Clerk.

Will you please call the road?

Good morning.

Present.

Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero.

Right.

Council President Pro Tum Call Me Young the second.

Here.

I'm sure you have a quorum present.

Thank you.

Having a quorum present.

We are now in session.

And with that is colleagues.

Is there a motion on the minutes?

Motion.

There's a motion to approve the minutes.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

And I just want to encourage everyone.

If you can stay at home, stay at home.

The roads are still a little rough and tough this morning.

Glad my colleagues and I were able to make it here safely.

Just encouraging you all to be safe.

Join us virtually as we continue to have Zoom available for anyone to join us and public comment as well.

And with that, we will go to public comment.

If there is anyone joining us in person who would like to make a public comment, please raise your hand.

If you are joining us virtually as well, please raise your hand.

Public comment will be cut off in two minutes at 1005.

We are going to get started with the two individuals we have here in the committee of the whole with two minutes on the clock.

And we have the clock set.

Once you are comfortable and ready, please press the base of the microphone.

And please introduce yourself for the record and proceed with your public comment.

Good morning.

My name is Marla Prince.

And I've been living in Detroit all my life.

I'm 73 years old.

I've been catching the bus as long as I can remember.

Okay.

And Mr.

Cunningham here.

I don't I don't know where he comes from, but you must come from heaven because he's out there.

I see him every day because I catch the bus every day but Sundays, okay?

They be late.

They the attitudes with some of the drivers is terrible.

I mean, you say good morning, they look at you like you cussed them out.

You know, I I I thought to say good morning.

And you know, it's just it's not all of the majority of them.

And I just couldn't understand there's no say it like the day I was out there.

And here comes Mr.

Cunningham.

I call him my angel.

And I'm out there on six mile and woodwork.

Nowhere to sit shit, nowhere to stand.

I'm standing behind the pole with this.

The wind blowing.

And he pulls up and and it just tears came to my eyes.

It was such a blessing to me because I didn't see that in a long time.

But I seize it periodically with Mr.

Cunningham here.

I don't know where all other angels at, but I found him.

And he he always circling around all the areas.

I see him on six mile, I see him on downtown, I see him on what would I he's he's around and about, and I really appreciate his coming around and I sometimes I don't have fear to pay him.

I'm just gonna be truthful about it.

If I have a few dollars, yeah, yeah, take it, but sometimes I don't have no dollars, you know, and he still takes me.

So a person have a big heart like that.

I really appreciate him.

And that bus stations and these oh they pass you up.

I'm a senior citizen, and they can see me.

Thank you so much.

Uh your two minutes have expired, but um, we all agree that Mr.

Cunningham is sent from heaven, uh, and we appreciate the work that he does in the community and that he's been able to connect with you and to um invite you down to come and share public comment.

We will certainly I have put it on my list um as it relates to a bus shelter on Six Mile and Woodward, so we can talk to the Department of Transportation about that, and we'll continue to have conversations with them about the buses being on time uh as well as just being pleasant.

Being pleasant goes a long way.

So thank you so much for coming down.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Have a great day.

You too.

Good job, everybody.

Goodbye, everybody.

Good morning, Mr.

Cunningham.

313-444-9114.

313-444-9114.

313, 44.

9114.

That number was made so you can remember it.

And on Facebook, not enemy Detroit.

Click people.

That's my Facebook page and my Cash App is also 313-444-9114.

I give our hand warmers, gloves, bus tickets at the bus stops.

And I advocate.

Everybody should probably know about DIY meeting tonight on Zoom.

Me and Mr.

Renard are doing a ghetto hybrid, I guess.

We're doing out of the office.

We're gonna have pizza, a raffle, bus tickets.

And uh just if it's five new faces, I'm happy with that.

I'm just everybody's tired of hearing the same people on that.

Uh I went to um, I think it was a people mover event.

There was like writing stuff on boards and stuff.

I don't know what it's called, but I went and um gave my feedback.

And then when I was there, I seen the old deputy mayor.

She said, I got something for you.

We've been trying to chase you down.

And they wrote a beautiful letter.

Um, well, I'm gonna put it on my social media to scan it and put it in.

And then I don't know what it means, but it's a proclamation.

It ain't a spirit award, but it's a I appreciate it.

Um Michael Brother Cunningham.

And it's really, really touching what he said because I didn't I know he would show me love, but I you know, and E B give me them pistons tickets and the Red Wings tickets and the uh suite and stuff.

I don't know if I'm gonna get that under the new administration, but I don't know, but God is good.

Maybe you know, fingers crossed uh good morning, and y'all be blessed.

Thank you.

You be blessed and safe out there um as well.

And Mr.

Cunningham, that is just proof that we hear you.

We hear you when you come down for public comment.

We appreciate you.

Appreciate you as well.

Mr.

Foster.

And just for the record, public comment was cut off at 10.05.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Um the chair.

Couple things, you know, going in a new direction.

Can't keep continue to do the same thing over and over.

Today is a reminder of it.

The snow coming is not nothing new, it's predictable.

Okay.

Detroit um ironically has one of the largest salt supplies in the world.

It's right underneath Detroit.

And Detroit don't own a piece of no mining, not producing no jobs, and not and darn sure not keeping these highways and sidewalks salted.

Um so when we talk about resources outside of just the water, Lake Erie, you have a lot of other natural resources here, particularly in Detroit, that's not being utilized.

Um I don't think they're being utilized because it's the same people being recycled.

They don't have the aptitude to think outside of whatever's been going on the last 10, 20 years.

You know, you don't have to have um, I'm not sure how rehiring some people is going to change um these road conditions, right?

Whether it's county, city, or any other level.

And so you have to do better and just really wanting to do better for the people here.

Um, it could be quite lucrative getting jobs for people here in the instead of offering Mortons in our local stores, you could be offering Detroit brand salt in your local stores.

Instead of getting all these other things to start our roads, you'd be offering Detroit brand salt to do these things that could bring income into um these budgets and things that we're talking about.

And this applies to those down at the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, all the people that decide to buy up our waterfronts and the places where a lot of these minings go on that have been going on since the early 1900s.

So let's just focus on innovative thinking and um hearing every resident that come down.

Thank you, Mr.

Foster.

We appreciate you as well.

And appreciate you for coming down, getting making it through all of this.

All right.

We have um taking care of everyone here in the committee of the whole.

How many callers do we have joining us virtually?

Good morning, madam chair.

We have eight hands raised for virtual public comment.

Okay.

The first caller, the first caller is owner Papa.

Owner Papa, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Oh, good morning then through the chairman, Mabby Hurt.

Good morning, yes.

I'm glad you did make it safely.

Um, Mr.

Cunningham, you're you are an angel for a lot of people in this city.

And I wish the city council would be as well.

Um Mr.

Foster makes very good points.

And now we're going to hire Julie Schneider all over again, even though we have seen that our homeless issue has gotten worse, even though we've had more money.

So I think it's the people managing the money.

And yes, Mr.

Foster, they do not utilize our resources.

At least not for the legacy people in the city of Detroit.

That's the reason why I keep seeing Corktown.

Um all the time.

Nobody else has any other NEZs or any other business other than Corktown.

And now we know why from the meeting yesterday, it's because it's a sweetheart deal.

All of the taxes and all of the burden is put on the legacy detraiters while you welcome new people.

No one asked Miss Winston to stay while you welcome new people in and then give them huge discounts on their property taxes while you beat up on the people in the city of Detroit, you know.

I heard uh Mr.

Um Benson yesterday.

Everything is about people's accountability.

But when you had Mr.

Bettis at that table, no one asked him, not one person asked him about the woman that the police officer shot at 10 times over a lie that he told to the chief.

Um we'll we had more settlements, more indemnifications, more that we can't continue in this manner.

And if you keep renewing people like Julie Schneider and Conrad Mallet, if you keep recycling these people through our system, we're gonna keep getting the same thing.

We are looking for something different.

I don't want to see Cork Town on the agenda every day, and the questions that are on the on this agenda, I expect answers about how much district six has gotten.

Thank you.

The next caller.

The next caller is Rochella Stewart.

Rochella Stewart, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Good morning, uh everyone on council.

I'm just calling to congratulate everybody.

I have been kind of down over the holiday in the hospital and everything.

Didn't get a chance to at least congratulate everybody at the first month.

I did make it to the inaugural ball.

It was lovely.

And everybody swearing in at the opera house.

I congratulate every last one of y'all and the ones that's new that came in.

And I will be fighting the double D not again this year, and housing issues, etc.

Uh we do need some good affordable housing, and I'm talking about single dwelling homes, not studios, one bedroom, two bedrooms.

And we need a lot at that affordable AMI of 30% AMI because most of the residents in this city are making under 38,000 dollars a year.

Uh that's all really I have to say today.

I want to congratulate all y'all for being able to get out in this weather because I'm not able to do that with my breather.

But you all stay safe, and you have a blessed day and a blessed weekend.

Thank you so much.

You do the same.

Be well.

The next caller.

The next caller is Betty A.

Verner.

Betty A.

Verner, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Uh good morning to all within the sound of my voice.

I'm Betty A.

Verner, president of DeSoda Ellsworth Black Association.

And I'm glad that uh you all got in uh safely and as you leave and go through your day.

Be safe out there driving.

I'm gonna uh give some information today that I get I gave yesterday.

Uh there's a program, the Franklin Wright Settlement Organization has a program called the Senior Tour Services.

Uh you must be age a senior age 60 plus.

Their telephone number is 313 579 1000.

Extension 301 again, 313 579-1000.

They're often these services to the seniors to assist them in their home.

They are free, and they will replace faucet washers, replace fuses and light bulbs, they replace door locks and window catches, they install screen doors, uh storm doors and weather strips around doors and window.

They install screen doors, storm doors and weather strips around doors and windows.

They do window caulking.

They clean appliances.

They do carpet cleaning.

They install window shades and curtain rods.

They wash walls, uh and windows.

They scrub floors.

Seasonal, they do the uh cutting grass and raking leaves.

They uh clear walkways of ice and snow.

They do trimming of overhanging uh tree branches.

Also, uh the soda else World Block Association is still in need of help for our Fink A corridor and for our project of our Diva Community Park.

Thank you for this time.

Thank you.

Thank you for the information.

The next caller.

The next caller is caller inning in 039.

Caller ending in 039.

You have two minutes for general public comment.

Let's just say that.

Fact it up with facts, proof.

Then she didn't shoot herself.

But two over in District 4.

What I'm witnessing going over in District 4 is reprehensible.

As well as District 3.

You city wide.

At large.

And y'all got James E.

Tate Jr.

as the president of the city council.

Do we look retarded in Detroit?

I see the game.

I've got gang.

So now I'm getting ready to play my game to all of y'all.

Now Scott Benson.

It's a whole fraud.

A liar.

He said our physically threatened him with threatening him with physical virus.

That's the MSMI.

That's another MFMI.

You still ain't took any steps to find out what happened with 1443 Spring Garden.

Hello, everything.

I have much respect for your dad, but you a whole fraud, Joker.

Hello, Mr.

Rue.

All right.

We have talked to you about Spring Garden.

I'm not sure what additional information you are looking for.

Um, but I'm sure you will let us know.

The next caller.

The next caller is William M.

Davis.

William M.

Davis, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Uh good morning.

Can I be heard?

Good morning, yes.

Okay, I like to start off by saying, I appreciate the fact that y'all all made it today.

I'm glad that I am retired.

Uh also I'm just pleased about the fact that the former mayor is talking about all these great things he did, but he allowed over 4,000 City Detroit General Fund retirees to pass without doing anything to help to do anything.

And he had monies that came in that he couldn't use.

You know, look like he only helped certain people.

You know, during the course of the last 12 years, Detroit went from the 18th largest city to the 26th largest city.

You know, property is one of it.

And of course, probably was gonna go up with the fact that the city of Detroit retirees, general fund retirees who frequently would be helping their kids and grandkids was robbed and continue to be robbed every month.

You know so more needs to be done to help City Detroit retirees.

Y'all need to come up with some innovative ways because y'all over 1.5 billion dollars is diverted would be normally going into our pension fund.

Also on a liner note if y'all haven't y'all should all go to to view the salt mine.

Of course I've been around forever in a day but it's like a huge city down and it's huge.

More can be done with what's going on in the city if you have some institutional history.

Thank you.

Thank you.

The next caller the next caller is Jadante Smith.

Jedante Smith, you have two minutes for general public comment I'm gonna be like Miss Betty Varner and I'm gonna say uh I'm gonna finish the ruins I owe them that Nini what one she won't but I was gonna say uh I'm the vice president of the Helen Street Block Club I'm gonna have to start saying that.

So I I reached out to Cole Me Young on uh Instagram yesterday and I finally got a response to the email I sent three months ago November 14 three days after my birthday um about Kronos concrete so I'm gonna read this excerpt that I couldn't read yesterday because I couldn't find it it says about meetings during the first year this initial term and this agreement between Crown Enterprise and the city of Detroit uh all parties show me every 120 days so Conrad Mallet on corporation corporation council on our Dom is meeting along with two representatives from the city of Betroy BC and along with Crown Enterprises lawyer um in-house counsel to talk about how to protect Cronos concrete uh located 3405 Daylor so I'm gonna make sure I send this this memo that I had my memo this property maintenance agreement that's complete BS for a thousand twenty-three parcels uh all under one property maintenance agreement that goes until January first twenty twenty seven that only cost it 50 thousand dollars to wipe away all the black tickets all across the city of Detroit for Crown Enterprises aka the Maroon family we'll talk about that also uh there's a wonderful there's a wonderful uh thing in the agenda today from councilwoman waters talking about the land bank uh authority and talking about the intergovernmental agreement between the state the state of Michigan and that helped to create the Detroit land bank I love the work that you and your team are doing uh around the land bank around housing it was very very sad to hear about the retirees yesterday and uh how that was done and how city council a past city council literally usurped the money from the retirees and put it in their own pockets and gave it to their friends and committed crimes um because they're not financial experts think that's very sad I I don't think I'll ever work for the city but if I work for city council I may be a retiree I I plan to work for city council I'm coming for uh Renata Miller seat in four years but I love to have my pension happen the right way and so I I'm gonna really really hone in on these retirement benefits.

Thank you.

Thank you.

The next caller the next caller is caller ending in one six nine caller ending in one six nine you have two minutes for general public comment hello can you guys hear me yes okay great I just want to say uh thank you for praying for brother Cunningham um I know Cunningham's wig got split yesterday um bloody creatures on Facebook bloody bloody bloody thank god the prayers kept his injuries minimal Cunningham is on blood thinner a lot of blood but minimal injury um he didn't need stitches or staples thank god Cunningham did not harm him by chasing him down in the vanny um could have damaged his vehicle and hurt him severely it's a shame Cunnyham was giving him five dollars in birth tickets and was assaulted as a result some of y'all may not like him but he is needed in the community for the small things and I need him to play with me on the regular character cannot be developed in ease and quiet only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened ambition inspired and success achieved that quote was made by Helen Keller thank you for my time thank you the next caller madam chair that was the last caller noting that Mr Ruben Crowley's hand was raised twice.

All right thank you that now concludes our general public comment and we are going to move back to the agenda with new business beginning with line item 6.1 line item 6.1 is a request for a public hearing on the establishment of a neighborhood enterprise zone as requested by Corktown Development Properties LLC in the area of 1728 Michigan Avenue Detroit Michigan in accordance with public act 147 of 1992 colleagues this is um essentially just a request prior to the actual public hearing but would like to open things up to you all if you have any questions or comments is there a motion to discuss motion discussion member Santiago Romero.

Colleagues, this is um essentially just a request prior to the actual public hearing, but would like to open things up to you all if you have any questions or comments.

Is there a motion to discuss?

Motion.

Discussion, Member Santiago Romero.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Um do you have questions for the developers once they are in front of us if we decide to hold this public hearing?

Um quite frankly, there's just a lot of questions around parking in Corktown.

There is a lot of development and it is putting a strain on a lot of residents that already live there.

Um so have questions around parking.

Uh, this project is something that is being supported by the Corktown Business Association and others.

Um, but just like with a lot of the new bills that we're seeing, it's still rather pricey.

I still am not seeing um the deep affordability that we need, but again, this is why we are also working with the administration and HRD to make sure that we're also developing deep, deeply affordable um housing for folks that are at the 30% AMI, making 35,000 or less.

Um this is going to be in fill along Michigan Avenue.

Um, if you drive right now, there's a massive space.

Infill housing is good.

Um and I say all this and still yet um 15 to 27 is about um what rents are costing right now in Corktown.

Um so just some thoughts, uh, have a lot of questions.

There are there is some supports, um, but again, I think we should always be talking about um how we are building housing in the city.

Uh, but those are my thoughts, madam chair.

Thank you, Member Santiago Romero.

And I do know that um there are representatives from HRD and DEGC that are listening.

Um, and so I would certainly encourage you to have a conversation with them about your desires as we are having as well, so that they are aware of the type of development we're looking for in the city of Detroit as we move forward.

Uh, thank you for that.

Pro Tim Young.

Thank you, madam chair.

Uh, are is HRD or those people who are listening, are they available?

They should be online.

To answer uh Member Romero's uh questions.

Um Madam Chair.

Member Santiago Romero.

Through you two Pro Tem.

They might be, yes, I see Mr.

Washington on, and what they're gonna tell us is that we are doing that.

We've got clear um Kerman Gardens that's being built that has deeper affordability.

I just think it's always important because we you we hear public comments all the time, and they are seeing what they're seeing.

I think to keep the conversation very real around how these projects are coming before us, and we do need to make sure that we're investing in other projects like Clerman Gardens.

Um, but HRD can talk on that.

Um, thank you.

Mr.

Washington.

Yes, good morning, um, honorable body.

We do have Justice Cook from HRD online.

Thank you.

If we can promote Mr.

Cook, Madam Chair, I'm not seeing Mr.

Cook online.

Uh Mr.

Washington.

Um, Madam Chair, if you could bring this back to the end, and I'll reach out to HRD.

All right, thank you.

Colleagues, is there a motion to bring line item 6.1 back to the end of the agenda?

Motion.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 6.2 is a request to accept an amendment and transfer funds between the home repair home swap phase one and phase two grant.

Colleagues, is there a motion to discuss?

Motion.

Discussion, thank you.

Um, I believe we have Mr.

Rico Razo and Amy Amador that are joining us from HRD.

I do have a couple of questions.

Madam Chair, they've both been promoted to panelists.

Thank you.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Please introduce yourself for the record.

Hello, Rico Razo, uh, Chief of Home Repair and Neighborhood Services, HRD.

Thank you.

Can you just please share what the home repair home swap program is?

Sure.

And I'm sorry if I missed the question before as I was getting transferred over.

Uh, but basically, um, this is a pilot project in the Midwest Hireman Joe Lewis Greenway neighborhood.

Um, bridging neighborhoods was tapped a few years ago to take on the full renovation of three land bank homes funded by the Rocket Community Fund.

Um, and we were able to assist families that were part of the Detroit Home Repair Fund, also funded um by Gilbert Family Foundation.

Um, and these were homes that were uh that needed extensive home repair that was outside of the budget that the Detroit Home Repair Fund uh could contribute to that.

So what we did is is come in, renovate houses, offer the opportunity for these families to move into a fully renovated house, and then take on those houses that had extensive home repair, fully renovate those and continue to do uh a home swap within that community near the Joe Lewis Greenway Midwest Tirement neighborhood.

So we've uh completed phase one.

We've had three families move into fully renovated houses, and this phase two is now uh taking on the three that three houses they've moved from, where we're fully renovating those, and then we will have other families that are in the similar situation.

Uh they will end up moving into those houses.

So essentially, that phase one grant fund had a $26,000 balance left on it, and this amendment is to move those dollars to our phase two uh fund, which which we had additional dollars from Rocket uh to to renovate the the next three set of houses.

Got it, and can you just um explain so that I'm clear on who has the ability to access the properties that are renovated through this program?

Yes, through uh to the chair.

Uh these these homes are uh families who have already signed up for the Detroit Home Repair Fund with uh the Gilbert Family Foundation uh run by enterprise community partners.

So there's a coalition of uh partners on this project in this pilot area, United Community Housing Coalition is part of it.

Uh Renaissance of Hope is also part of it as they're um they are a uh CDO that works with enterprise community partners.

So we work hand in hand with those groups who are already working with families that may be in a situation where you know they they understand the living conditions of these households that have applied for home repair assistance, and again, because the home repairs are so extensive, it makes more sense to move them into one of the home swap homes and then fully renovate the house that they move from.

And the we're talking about owner occupants, so their home they applied for the home repair program.

They are being moved into a home that's completely renovated, and then the home that they left is being renovated with additional home repair dollars as a part of the program.

That is correct.

Okay, all right, thank you.

Colleagues, any additional questions, comments?

All right, seeing none.

Is there a motion on line item 6.2?

Motion to approve.

There's a motion to approve line item 6.2 and sent a formal with a recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Thank you all so much.

Thank you.

Line item 6.3, Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero.

Submitting memorandum relative to tax abatement.

Tax abatements in District 6.

There is a request for is there a motion to refer line item 6.3 to LPD and bring back in two weeks?

Motion.

There's a motion to refer line item 6.3 to LPD and bring it back in two weeks.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 6.4, Councilmember Mary Waters submitting a memorandum request for resolution to the Michigan Land Bank Authority to alter the intergovernmental agreement.

Is there a motion to discuss?

Discussion.

Discussion.

Thank you so much.

Um colleagues.

When we looked into this line item, I believe we voted on this exact line item on October 29th of 2025, shortly before uh the body went on recess.

Um we have anyone who's here from LPD.

Just to verify that has actually taken place.

Attorney Hurt.

Marshall Hurt Legislative Policy Division.

That is correct back in October.

It was approved by City Council back in October.

I'm not sure if uh Councilmember Waters uh recalls that or if she wants to because there's a new administration wants to resubmit.

I'm not sure.

Uh Attorney Hurt, do you believe it's necessary to resubmit?

At this point, the body has approved of it.

And my thought would be that we would start to have conversations and negotiations on what an amended intergovernmental agreement looks like.

Do I believe that it's necessary to uh have a resubmit it?

Although the resolution that council approved is still uh the body's will, and you can move forward with reaching out to the uh new administration as well as the uh Michigan Land Bank to engage in those negotiations.

Okay, but we can remove this particular item because the body has already approved of it, and the conversations can begin.

Yes, but it was submitted by councilmember waters, so I'm not sure what her uh tunes on that will be though.

All right, okay, thank you.

Um so I did have a conversation with member waters um just indicating that we did approve of the item in October of 2025.

But um just to be clear, we will bring this item back.

Colleagues, is there a motion to bring line item 6.4 back in one week?

Motion.

There's a motion to bring line item 6.4 back in one week.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

All right, thank you, colleagues.

Um we are going back to line item 6.1, and I do see Mr.

Washington.

Yes, through the chair, um, we do have Justice Cook as well as Rebecca Lab that have joined us.

Thank you.

Motion to discuss 6.1.

Uh discussion, and again, this is the request for a public hearing on the establishment of an NEZ as requested by Corktown Development Properties LLC in the area of 1728 Michigan Avenue.

Mr.

Cook, Miss Lebeau.

Ms.

Jackson, do you see them?

Yes, madam chair.

Mr.

Cook has been promoted to panelists, and I am now promoting Ms.

LeBo.

Thank you.

Please introduce yourself for the record.

Good afternoon, Justice Cook, Housing and Revitalization Department, Deputy Director of Tax Incentives.

Morning.

Good morning.

Rebecca Labove, HRD Chief of Development and Investment.

Good morning.

Thank you for joining us.

Member Santiago Romero.

Thank you.

Um, Madam Chair, I believe Member Young called for HRD just to help share.

Um, what more developments are coming to Corktown that would be more affordable than what we're seeing in front of us and and what regularly comes in front of us for new builds.

Um, I know that we do have some projects, um, but even during public comments, there are folks that are concerned of due to new developments that might be pricing folks out.

So wanted to provide the opportunity uh for the administration to share of other projects coming to the neighborhood um that are at a deeper a deeper affordability.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um I I can start um uh through Council Member Romero to the chair.

We are in the process of um implementing a really large-scale affordable housing program in Greater Corktown, which includes both historic and North Corktown as part of our choice neighborhoods grant that we received from HUD in 2021.

Um in total, we are bringing approximately 600 new affordable units as well as some that our workforce and market rate because the HUD grant asks us to develop a mixed income housing program related to the redevelopment of climate current gardens.

A large portion of the units are subsidized, meaning the residents who will move into those units are only paying 30% of their income through project-based rental assistance.

I'm happy to share after this committee the specific numbers on those programs, but most of the units that are being built at Clement Kern Gardens are at 60% AMI or below, and a vast majority of those that are 60% or below are actually subsidized for residents earning 30% or below, including residents with zero income.

We also have an in total at Climate Kern, we have about 30 and 50 units that are planned.

We have recently completed 69 new units at Preserve on Ash 1 that are opened, preserve on Ash 2 is beginning as well, and preserve on Ash 3 later this year.

The HUD grant managers are actually encouraging us to do more market rate activity because they want to make sure we're not building only subsidized affordable.

And so the projects that we fund are really mainly extremely low income and very low income units, but we do point to the fact that there's other development that's happening at 80% AMI and even market rate in the neighborhood to demonstrate to HUD that this is truly going to be a mixed income community and that we're not oversaturating it with those deeply affordable units because we have several hundred under construction now and several hundred more that are planned both in historic Corktown and North Corktown, including those near the former Tiger Stadium site.

I'm happy to answer any additional questions on that program.

Thank you.

And just I believe it's my job to still talk about what we're hearing, um, but also share what we're building, what we're doing.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you.

And I just want to share, I believe it's important for us to make sure that we are looking at data as we look at all development projects throughout the city to ensure that we are providing for the needs of the residents in the city.

It's it's fine to be um to think futuristically on how we like to grow the city uh as it relates to housing and the affordability of housing, so that we are accommodating workforce housing as well as market rate housing, but it's it's a full package.

It is um what are the needs that we are addressing, making sure that everything that comes before us and to us is not for 80% AMI or 100% AMI or 120% AMI, even because now those qualify as affordable housing.

So I think it's important to look at data.

And so I have always been asking for data uh to help us make decisions on how we support development projects and making sure that we're utilizing the tools that we have to get the housing that we need.

Uh, and so I will continue to ask for that and would love to get more into the weeds of um the details around um climate gardens and the the projects that you just spoke about um because I know we talk a lot about AMI and just want to make sure we break that down into the actual cost to residents so that we have a full understanding of what the rental rates are and will be moving forward so that there's a diversity of um rental opportunities, as well as I always talk about homeownership opportunities uh in moving forward.

So thank you for that additional information.

Pro Tim Young.

Thank you, manager.

Oh, hello, good to see you.

Um you're obviously on the road right now, right?

That's not like your new office, is it?

Right.

Yes, correct.

I was in transit.

Okay.

Um, but happy to speak to you on this committee.

Yeah, okay.

And you got a code because it's like too cold, and you look you don't look like you're properly worn.

I don't want you freezing on the job.

I do.

All right, all right.

All right, as well make sure.

All right.

Um I wanted to ask you about a question, just in terms of in general, towards the neighborhood enterprise zones.

I just want to know is there a way which we give a tracker or a counter of how many of these we issue um and how much people save from these monthly and yearly, and maybe what the average income is of the people that receive these NES.

Um, I know that might take some time to kind of build and put together, but I think it'd be really important for me as well as well as well as the citizens to understand, you know, what these NEZs do and how this is going to affect neighborhood and how much neighborhood development does this spur, particularly when it comes to the issue of affordable housing, whether it's low income or whether it's extreme low income.

And so, you know, whether it's um the $50,000 range, it's more like working families range or whether it's a $30,000 range.

Because the average income to see Troy is like $36, $37,000 somewhere near some S say it's 40, but you know, it depends on which one you look at.

Is there is there something that is in the works of putting that together, or could you do that?

And do you or and do you have a basic understanding of what the time frame would be of putting all that together?

The chair, we we certainly have data.

Um, and DEGC has data as well on those abatements that have been approved and the number of units and the AMI thresholds associated with them.

Um I believe I heard your question was uh related to the uh maybe the incomes of those who are benefiting from those units.

May I clarify?

Okay.

Yeah.

So we we do have a compliance team now who is monitoring those units to ensure that they are um providing the affordability that was committed by the owners and developers for our rental units.

Um there's a bit more information I could get into about how that compliance works.

Um in some cases, it does include income verification, uh, but not in all cases, and it depends on the year that it was approved and the details that were within the agreement about what the developer needed to provide.

So where we do have uh income data, we would have to work with our compliance agent who is monitoring those to try to get some summaries of uh the actual verified incomes of folks who are living in those units.

It's not impossible, but that would probably take us um a few weeks to work with that compliance agent to summarize those and also let you know you know what sample of those total rental units that are affordable under the NEZ also have income data.

Moving forward, we are certainly collecting that data.

Um, but I'm I'm answering um, I think in the spirit of your question is looking backwards, um, just so you understand.

Uh we do know where the units are rent compliant, meaning the rents are uh are set at that at the level they agreed to.

Um, but the income data uh it it won't cover every unit ever approved with an NEZ.

Um and going forward, we are certainly tracking that.

So I um I will start pulling together some data with my team, but um a formal memo request may also be helpful just so we can know the specific details of um you know the type of data that you're looking for and make sure that we're answering um those questions.

No, uh no, thank you.

I appreciate that.

And once you get that information and once you get that for me, is it possible over time that we could have that as sort of maybe a single page document that we could post online in a transparent way so that the citizens can actually see that too?

I don't know if you could do that monthly or if you could do that yearly, but is there so sort of like you know, simple, you know, bare bones document that you could point to just for people to be able to show, you know, the things I asked you about in terms of NEZs, just so people understand what these taxes are going for, how this spurs development, you know, particularly in our local neighborhoods.

Yeah, through the chair, I think the um the income data is something I would just want to confirm with the law department what we are able to share.

I don't think that a summary would be problematic, but um, I don't want to commit to publicly posting any income data before I agree uh had that discussion, but I think certainly you know, whatever we are able to summarize and and share publicly, we are happy to do.

You know, these are all approved on the public record and and the documents are um uh you know our our affordability agreements are um are available when when when requested so um we will work together um with DEGC as well to make sure that we we can summarize that data in the ways that you're looking for as best we can.

Excellent.

Thank you.

I appreciate that.

Thank you, manager on my questions.

Thank you.

And Miss LeBove, I couldn't tell if you were driving or in the passenger seat, but I would certainly encourage you in the future if you are driving to pull over, uh, especially in this weather, um, just to make sure that you are being safe.

So thank you for joining us.

Uh we appreciate the information and be safe on the road.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

We'll do it.

Take care.

Thank you.

All right, colleagues.

That brings us now to uh line item 6.1.

Is there a motion to receive and file?

So moved.

There is a motion to receive and file line item 6.1.

Uh, and we will work to uh schedule the public hearing for this particular project and um make sure that we have it noticed properly before it comes before this committee.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

That now brings us to member reports.

Pro Tim Young.

Negative report.

All right, thank you.

Member Santiago Romero.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Just want to share that our team actually is going to visit the salt mines.

Uh we are going to go, I believe, in two weeks or so for our team outing that we do uh twice a year.

Uh so yes, I think it's important that we get to know the city.

Um, everything about the city that's going on here.

Want to remind people that on Monday we will have no public health and safety standing committee.

It is going to be dark Dr.

Martin Luther King's uh junior birthday celebration that day, um MLK Day, so we will not have uh committee.

Uh but today is actually uh Dr.

MLK's birthday.

Um, and just want to share a brief quote from his 1963 letter from a Birmingham jail.

We must use time creatively in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right.

Thank you, madam chair.

Thank you, and thank you for that quote.

Um I just want to remind everyone that we are still hosting our coffee hour tomorrow.

Um, we do know that there may be some additional snow that comes down.

Uh we will have future coffee hours if you are not close to us in vicinity.

Um and perhaps might have some challenges getting to the location tomorrow.

Uh so we will be around, so please do not overextend yourself trying to make it to coffee hour tomorrow.

But we will be there Friday, January 16th at 8 a.m.

at the Commons located at 7900 Mack Avenue, which is Mack and Van Dyke.

Um, so we look forward to having conversations with those who are able to join us, but please, please, please be safe as you are traversing through this snow, uh, and as we are expecting additional stuff snow, uh stay home if you can.

All right, thank you, colleagues.

That concludes my memory ports.

If there is nothing else to come before us, we shall stand adjourned.