OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

NCSPHS Committee Meeting – August 31, 2026: Housing Authority Update, Firearms Code Compliance, and Multiple Ordinance Approvals

City Council — Monday, August 31, 2026
BodyJacksonville, Florida
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, August 31, 2026
StatusNEW · FILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:15:49

Transcript — Verbatim
0:01

All right, welcome everyone to the August 31st Neighborhoods Community Services Public Health and Safety Committee meeting.

0:10

We'll start off with introductions.

0:12

We'll start uh with Mr.

0:13

Delaney, please.

0:16

Good afternoon.

0:18

Bill Delaney with the administration.

0:20

Brandon Russell, Council Research.

0:22

Mary Stepopoulos, Office of General Counsel.

0:25

Heather Reber, Council Auditor's Office.

0:39

Monet Holder at large group one.

0:45

Matt Carlucci sitting next to Monet Holder at large group four.

0:51

Good afternoon, Tyrone Clark Murray, District 9.

0:55

Good afternoon, Chris Miller at large group five, and and a special welcome to Councilwoman Holder.

1:02

We we appreciate you.

1:04

Thank you for being on the on the committee.

1:07

Next.

1:08

Ron Salem Group Two at large.

1:10

Good afternoon, Jimmy Pelusa, City Council District 7.

1:13

Joe Carlucci, District 5, just visiting.

1:17

All right.

1:18

Thank you, everyone.

1:20

We're gonna get started with public comments.

1:22

I know I saw a few cards here.

1:25

We have two.

1:26

Well, so not a few.

1:28

Uh we have first Carnell Oliver, followed by Wells Todd.

1:33

So Mr.

1:34

Oliver, if you would uh you come down.

1:37

You have three minutes, sir.

1:39

Your name and address for the record, please.

1:42

Oh yes, my name is Carnegie Oliver.

1:44

Address is on file.

1:45

Um today I received a letter from the Middle District of Florida.

1:53

We're flirting to a case I filed against the city dealing with the 1866 Civil Rice Act.

2:00

And this is in reference to the 2026 06 0624.

2:10

I want to freeze all this money, especially the east side money.

2:15

Let's put a stop to all this spending until I get certain pieces moving with my case.

2:25

Because I read the judge's opinion, and I really do appreciate Judge Pratt and Lambert.

2:38

Because the thing about it is that what y'all have done and how this administration is trying to get me to stop my case so I can refile it on my own.

2:50

No, no, no.

2:53

You pushed it to the federal level.

2:56

It's gonna stay there.

2:58

You gonna learn to respect the people who own the land.

3:04

Every last one of you crooked politicians.

3:07

Done broke every furniture in the house.

3:13

And by you doing that, you're gonna find find me striking it up every time.

3:23

And you're gonna find yourself in a situation you don't want to be in.

3:27

A lot of you care about your name, your credibility in the community.

3:32

I'll throw you right underneath the bus in the heartbeat.

3:36

And you understand that.

3:38

And I yield my time.

3:50

I would appreciate it.

3:51

Thank you.

3:52

Okay, we'll go next to Mr.

3:54

Wells Todd.

4:01

Good afternoon.

4:01

My name is Wells Todd.

4:02

We'll take them down, Jackson I don't want to take up any of your time.

4:06

Um I didn't realize that I could only speak on items in the agenda here.

4:10

Well, uh Mr.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████████33%
Affordable Housing██████████████████████████26%
Municipal Code Compliance███████████11%
Public Works███████7%
Public Comment██████6%
Public Safety█████5%
Homelessness███3%
Pending Litigation███3%
Budget██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Neighborhoods, Community Services, Public Health and Safety Committee Meeting – August 31, 2026

The Neighborhoods, Community Services, Public Health and Safety (NCSPHS) Committee convened at 1:00 PM on Monday, August 31, 2026, in the Council Chamber. Chair Chris Miller presided. The committee heard public comments, a presentation from the Jacksonville Housing Authority, and voted on 17 agenda items, including one emergency ordinance. Most bills were approved unanimously; a controversial firearms code compliance bill passed 5‑1.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Carnell Oliver (address on file) referenced a federal lawsuit he filed against the city under the 1866 Civil Rights Act and urged the committee to freeze all spending, particularly “east side money,” until his case progresses. He criticized the administration and warned of reputational consequences for council members.
  • Wells Todd (address on file) raised concerns about a proposed concrete batch plant, questioning whether health, safety, and environmental precautions had been taken. He linked the issue to historic redlining and its impacts on property values and community health.

Presentation – Jacksonville Housing Authority (JHA)

Cheron Corbett, CEO of JHA, presented a one‑year agency overview:

  • JHA’s public housing portfolio includes over 2,300 units with an average household income of $15,208 per year. Occupancy rate is 95%.
  • The Housing Choice Voucher program serves over 8,000 units at 98% occupancy; average household size is 2.5 individuals (more family‑oriented).
  • Economic impact: Over $100 million in subsidies provided to Jacksonville. From October 2025 to present, JHA spent over $5 million on veteran/tenant protection vouchers and $1.6 million on family unification programs.
  • New policy tiers: Local Jacksonville/Duval County residents receive top priority for waitlists, followed by surrounding Florida counties, then out‑of‑state port‑ins.
  • Franklin Arms redevelopment (now called Downtown East, 888 Franklin Street): 98 vacant units built in the 1970s will be replaced by 130 new senior (55+) affordable housing units (110 one‑bedroom, 20 two‑bedroom) at 30‑70% Area Median Income. Total development cost ~$50 million. JHA will apply for 4% tax credits.
  • Daisy Homes: Using $1 million in city Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) funds, JHA built five single‑family rental homes in 98 days (historic Durkeeville). All homes are occupied; a video testimonial highlighted a formerly unhoused single mother’s path to stability.
  • JHA is also modernizing existing assets (e.g., Brentwood senior site) and partnering with organizations for food drives, back‑to‑school events, and job training.
  • Councilmember Peluso inquired about budget sources; Corbett noted over 80% of JHA’s $154 million budget comes from HUD, and she is working to reduce federal dependency through public‑private partnerships.

Discussion Items

  • 2026‑0590 (Firearms Code Compliance): This ordinance repeals or amends several city code sections on firearms to comply with state preemption (F.S. 790.33). Councilmember Peluso opposed, stating he could not support reducing gun regulations given ongoing gun violence. Councilmember Carlucci provided historical context on the Uniform Firearms Act (originally sponsored by his father). Deputy General Counsel Sean Granite explained that a third‑party organization had warned the city of severe penalties (including removal from office) for non‑compliance. The administration confirmed its intent to follow state law. The bill passed 5‑1.
  • 2026‑0628 (Dinsmore Area Sidewalks Grant): Appropriates a $500,000 grant from the Florida Department of Health, Duval County, for at least 12 health‑education signs along new sidewalks on Old Kings Road and Dunn Avenue. Councilmember Peluso questioned the cost; Public Works’ Nina Sickler confirmed the entire grant covers sign fabrication/installation, with remaining funds used for the sidewalk project. Signs damaged must be replaced by the city for 10 years. Councilmember Carlucci criticized the expense as excessive compared to state criticism of local spending. The amendment (clarifying this is an existing CIP project) and the bill as amended passed 6‑0.
  • 2026‑0635 (Honorary Street Designation – Preston H. Haskell III): Renames Museum Circle in Council District 5 to “Haskell Way” and installs two honorary markers. Waives requirements that honoree be deceased for five years and reside within five miles for ten years. Amendment corrected district number and number of affected properties (5). Passed 6‑0.
  • 2026‑0636 (CDBG Budget Transfer): Amended to reduce total appropriation to $44,436.47 (from $48,203.11) based on available funds, with $41,851.45 from CDBG administration and $2,585.02 from fair housing. Passed 6‑0.
  • 2026‑0671 (Emergency – Florida Black Excellence Festival Extension): Extends the grant agreement with The Pollock Group, LLC to December 31, 2026 (from September 30, 2026). Emergency declared to avoid expiration. The festival is scheduled for June 4‑5, 2027. Councilmember Salem inquired about funding; Mincy Pollock confirmed $100,000 was appropriated in the prior year’s budget. Passed 6‑0.
  • 2026‑0633 (Traffic Calming – District 5): Appropriates $100,000 for traffic calming/safety improvements in Council District 5. Passed 6‑0.
  • 2026‑0638 (Opioid Settlement Funds – UF Program): Appropriates $499,576 from the Opioid Settlement Special Revenue Fund for the University of Florida’s “Thrive Together” recovery program (medication‑assisted treatment, health education, care navigation; target: enroll 40 patients in FY 26‑27). Passed 6‑0.
  • Several other second‑read ordinances (items 24–30, 32–37) were placed on second read without action, as their public hearings are scheduled for later dates.

Key Outcomes

  • 2026‑0590 (Firearms Code Compliance) – APPROVED 5‑1 (Peluso opposed).
  • 2026‑0628 (Dinsmore Sidewalks Grant) – APPROVED 6‑0 as amended.
  • 2026‑0635 (Haskell Way Honorary Street) – APPROVED 6‑0 as amended.
  • 2026‑0636 (CDBG Budget Transfer) – APPROVED 6‑0 as amended.
  • 2026‑0671 (Florida Black Excellence Festival Extension) – APPROVED 6‑0 as emergency.
  • 2026‑0625, 2026‑0626, 2026‑0629, 2026‑0633, 2026‑0637, 2026‑0638 – APPROVED 6‑0 each.
  • 2026‑0645 (James Weldon Johnson Park Management Contract) – APPROVED 6‑0 as amended (rules amendment added waivers and revised contract terms).
  • Items 1–8, 10, 16, 21–22 were deferred at the request of sponsors or agencies.
  • Councilmember Carlucci announced a special meeting on Friday, September 4, 2026 at 1:30 PM (tentative) to discuss a budget amendment to restore the mayor’s affordable housing proposal (~$4 million, estimated to help 800–1,000 families). Councilmember Holder expressed support for partnering on the initiative.
  • Chair Miller reminded members to provide 24‑hour written notice for absences; Councilmember Carrico’s absence was noted as potentially unexcused.

Meeting Transcript

All right, welcome everyone to the August 31st Neighborhoods Community Services Public Health and Safety Committee meeting. We'll start off with introductions. We'll start uh with Mr. Delaney, please. Good afternoon. Bill Delaney with the administration. Brandon Russell, Council Research. Mary Stepopoulos, Office of General Counsel. Heather Reber, Council Auditor's Office. Monet Holder at large group one. Matt Carlucci sitting next to Monet Holder at large group four. Good afternoon, Tyrone Clark Murray, District 9. Good afternoon, Chris Miller at large group five, and and a special welcome to Councilwoman Holder. We we appreciate you. Thank you for being on the on the committee. Next. Ron Salem Group Two at large. Good afternoon, Jimmy Pelusa, City Council District 7. Joe Carlucci, District 5, just visiting. All right. Thank you, everyone. We're gonna get started with public comments. I know I saw a few cards here. We have two. Well, so not a few. Uh we have first Carnell Oliver, followed by Wells Todd. So Mr. Oliver, if you would uh you come down. You have three minutes, sir. Your name and address for the record, please. Oh yes, my name is Carnegie Oliver. Address is on file. Um today I received a letter from the Middle District of Florida. We're flirting to a case I filed against the city dealing with the 1866 Civil Rice Act. And this is in reference to the 2026 06 0624. I want to freeze all this money, especially the east side money. Let's put a stop to all this spending until I get certain pieces moving with my case. Because I read the judge's opinion, and I really do appreciate Judge Pratt and Lambert. Because the thing about it is that what y'all have done and how this administration is trying to get me to stop my case so I can refile it on my own. No, no, no. You pushed it to the federal level. It's gonna stay there. You gonna learn to respect the people who own the land. Every last one of you crooked politicians. Done broke every furniture in the house. And by you doing that, you're gonna find find me striking it up every time. And you're gonna find yourself in a situation you don't want to be in. A lot of you care about your name, your credibility in the community. I'll throw you right underneath the bus in the heartbeat. And you understand that.

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