The Louisville Metro Government Labor and Economic Development Committee met on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at 3:04 p.m. in Council Chambers and via video teleconference. Chair Ben Reno-Weber (D-8) presided, and a quorum was present. The committee heard a special presentation from NAMI Louisville and took action on three pending items. The meeting adjourned at 3:58 p.m.
Rental costs will go down, but in an environment where we had don't have the supply that we need, we need more units. And this is where you need to talk to the state individuals, uh, your elected officials, because if you uh don't do something about the cost of a rent going up, then they will truly be forced to a nursing home if you want to shoot your budget, shoot yourself in the foot with about the budget, try to hundred thousand dollars a year. I mean, you know, the federal government pays a lot of that, but still can take pays a lot. So you better take a long look at the long long haul picture of that because it could be very, very much more negatively uh impactful to your budget than trying to actually increase. And I understand landlords have to make a living, and I don't begrudge that, but to what extent is, you know, fair for those individuals. So uh it's something they really need to take a look at because if they don't have a roof over the head, they're gonna be going oh state custody or something like that. So it can be a lot more costly. For so long we've looked at this as like what can we afford to do? How much section eight can we afford? How many low-income housing tax credits can we afford? How much design change can we afford? And at some point the conversation has to be what can we afford not to do? Like what like what are we giving up if we don't do these things? And it's increased nursing homes, increased emergency room visits, increased homelessness, um, stagnating economies. The city of Austin took a different approach, and they built, built, built. And their rents are going down, down, down because they increased their supply. So that's something that we we all have to keep in mind. And that means not only do we need the funding streams and all of that, but people need to welcome housing into their neighborhood. We want people to experience our libraries, and one way to do that is through the library summer reading program. Last year, more than twenty-seven thousand kids and teens completed the program the most in nearly a decade. It's been around since nineteen twenty-nine. It's free, it's fun, it's interesting, and it gets kids so ready for the next chapter in their life indeed. Summer eating is the most exciting time in the library because we really get to stop and celebrate the sheer joy of reading. Kids get to read for no other reason than it's fun, right? Twenty-two years ago, Louisville's four largest institutions came together to form the partnership for a green city. Today, that partnership represents thirty thousand employees and reaches a hundred thirty-five thousand students each year. I'm sure some of those students were you. That's okay. As long as I got a quorum, I don't care. Metro TV, we'll get going in 37 seconds. I'm here. Let me go get my glasses. Hold on. Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. It is 303 Apple Time. This is the regular meeting of the Labor and Economic Development Committee for Tuesday, July 21st. I am Chair Councilman Ben Reno Weber. This meeting is being held pursuant to KRS six one dot eight two six in Council Rule 5A. I am joined today by Councilwoman Crystal Bast, uh Councilman Ken Herndon, Councilman JP Leninger, Councilman Khalil Batshawn, Councilman Hudson, Councilman Kramer, and online by the bespectacled Councilwoman Donna Purvis. Because of some uh scheduling needs, we are going to do this in uh slightly different order. So if we can start with item number three, Madam Clerk, will you read the title of the item? Um can I read the did you say that we were being conducted virtually? I did. I don't know. I can't remember. I did. Okay, here we go. A resolution approving the granting of local incentives to RC Bigelow, Inc. and any subsequent assignees or others uh approved affiliates, they are pursuant to KRS chapter 154 sub chapter 32, right in bull. Do I have a motion and a second?