Good afternoon.

Welcome to the Community and Economic Development Committee.

I am the Chairman Alderman Russell Stanford, the second to my right.

Furthest right is Alderman Chambers.

To his left is older woman Dimitrievich to the furthest left is Alderman Jackson to his right is older woman more and we have our trusted staff assistant assistance, Miss Carmen here.

Thank you for coming down and uh we look forward to a productive money day.

So it's a money day.

Let's get started.

Number one, two six zero two zero nine reappointment of Jose Fernando Marino to the business improvement number four.

Jose, are you available?

Yes, perfect attendance, so he does not have to attend all the woman Dimitrivich moves for his confirmation here in no objection.

So order number two, two six zero two one zero reappointment of Russell Rosettle to the business improvement district number four by the mayor, Mr.

Russell Rosetto.

Are you available?

Does he have perfect attendance?

He also has perfect attendance, so he does not have to attend.

Olderman Chambers moves for confirmation here in no objections to order.

Number three, two six zero two one one, appointment of Kurt Benzel to the business approval district number 41.

Mr.

Kurt Benzel, are you available?

I am excellent.

Excellent.

Let's see here.

This is an appointment for you.

What would you like to serve on this bid, Mr.

Benzel?

Uh just uh have uh an affection for uh the area that I live in, uh the upper east side of Milwaukee.

I moved here in 1987 and fell in love with the city, and uh I'm honored to have the opportunity to help improve uh the the business improvement district.

Awesome, awesome.

What's the name of your business?

I work for Shore West Realtors.

I'm a realtor.

Okay, all right, and how much is a three-bedroom two-bed right now in the third automatic district.

Anyway, thank you for thank you.

Hey, give me a call.

I'm happy to help anybody there.

Thank you for your willingness to serve.

Let me see if we have any questions by the committee.

No questions, all the woman more moves for your confirmation here and no objections, so order.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Number four, two six zero one seven two communication from the Department of City Development, Milwaukee Fire Department, and the Milwaukee Arts Board relating to the public artist in residence program.

Good afternoon.

How are you guys?

Good afternoon.

Uh Chair Samper and committee members.

My name is Sally Svetek.

I am a neighborhood business development specialist with the Department of City Development.

Yes.

And I also serve as staff of the Milwaukee Arts Board.

Um, I'm here representing DCD Arts Board and um not representing, but I'll be the the voice of the fire department as well, reading some information from Chief Lipski.

Um so I'll start with an introduction to the pair program and this specific iteration of the pair program.

Um the public artist and residence program is funded through the Milwaukee Arts Board public art funding and through uh grant from the Greater Mocky Foundation.

This is going to be the second uh iteration, but we're still considering it a pilot program as we figure out uh kind of best practices and really work towards um solidifying the future of the program.

Okay.

So the program brings uh a local artist and an artist liaison uh to work directly with a city department on a pressing civic issue.

And this year, the fire department was selected by the arts board uh from a pool of very, very interested and excited city departments, which was um very thrilling for me to see a growing um really pool of excitement from from the departments.

Um and so the fire department proposed an artist um to work on safe housing, which is a foundational issue impacting all Milwaukeeans and all city departments.

Um, and again, I'll read some of Chief Lipskey's uh very insightful words.

Um he was and continues to be very um passionate about the fire department serving as the host department.

So an incredible opportunity awaits the public artist in residence in alignment with Mayor Johnson's priority focus on housing for 2026 and utilizing the visibility of the Milwaukee Fire Department and its stations and vehicles.

A creatively conceived and exhibited work of art would provide an additional lens by highlighting the very human right to not only have affordable housing but to enjoy safe and survivable housing as well.

Indeed, the fire department is uniformly positioned as anchors in every neighborhood and essentially immersed in every one of the many diverse communities in Milwaukee.

Because the fire department resides on the very margin of success and failure over and over again.

They are uniquely positioned to draw attention to the issue of safe and survivable housing.

Aside from saving lives, many of the fire department members and staff have training and experience in areas that will be key to the success of this mission, including but not limited to media production, strategic planning, and putting pulling together multiple departments or agencies for a common mission, as well as a variety of technical and craft related skills.

So the program will officially begin July first, and um we're excited to introduce to you uh the pair team.

So I will uh let Sarah start by introducing herself.

Okay, I'm Sarah Luther.

I have been working in Milwaukee as an artist for about 17 years.

My work primarily is civic and um community focused.

So I'm I currently also work at New Line Cafe, which is attached to a Square Verde High School.

Um so I am excited to continue.

Um for the last bunch of years, all of my work is really focused around our neighborhood in Silver City, and I'm excited for this opportunity to kind of expand my reach and go back out into the city and work with different neighborhoods, and I really appreciated the peer um structure of both learning about different departments, um, working really closely with the fire department, and then thinking about those fire department buildings as hubs in different neighborhoods.

So I'm excited to use that as a way to collaborate with different neighbors, community organizations, other artists in those neighborhoods, and really kind of leverage all of those really cool resources and build some interesting projects for our city.

Excellent.

And I should have mentioned Sarah is the public artist uh in residence for this iteration.

Great.

Paul?

Hello, my name is Paul Druka.

I am the liaison for this iteration.

I had the honor of writing the evaluation report for the first iteration, uh, and it really kind of brought me in uh to be a supporter and interested in the potential of the pair program for the city of Milwaukee.

It's an honor to be working with Sally and Sarah, who I know who bring a lot of expertise and passion, so this is going to be a great iteration.

Um in the liaison role, I'll be working essentially to support uh Sarah's effort as the artist and Sally in administration.

Uh, one additional component is as an advocate for the pair program now and looking to the future.

Uh and I just want to say on that behalf, we really want additional engagement from everybody.

If you, everybody in this room, anybody in this room or listening is interested in Milwaukee housing or has a story about the fire department.

We are gonna have plenty of opportunities to kind of join in with us to share stories and to kind of build this project.

Um, and so that's part of my role is extending this invitation, and I'm happy to follow up with anybody here, or please feel free to reach out to me, I think at this point through Sally.

Um, yes, and I'll just mention um again anyone in the room, um, committee members and anyone watching at home.

Um, you can always reach out to Arts Board at Milwaukee.gov, and we will get you um in connection with the program.

Mr.

Chair.

Absolutely, all one more.

Um, thank you so much.

Thank you all.

Um this is such a great opportunity.

If um and so the invitation to be able to share, I mean, we re we have residents all the time that are coming to us with things, and it'll be great opportunity if it makes sense to make those connections.

If there could be like a communication um to the council, it can be sent to um the city clerk just so that we know who to reach out to, and you know, just the form, just a memo to us would be awesome, just so that we can um really share this really great experience and have folks participate.

Thank you.

Yeah, thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Of course.

So it sounds like the peer program is a component of the Milwaukee Arts Board's mission.

It is, okay.

Yeah, exactly.

All right, so do we have any questions by the committee?

This is excellent, great presentation.

Look forward to July 1st and beyond.

Thank you guys for coming down.

This is a place on file.

Um Alderman Chambers moves a place with some file.

You know, no objections of order.

Thank you so much.

So, Sally.

Thank you.

Y'all have a good one, alright?

Thank you.

Number five, two six zero one nine two.

Resolution relating to a youth council anti-nicotine scholarship contest.

Who's putting this together?

We're going to hold it.

Okay.

Jackson.

Jackson.

Alterman Jackson would like to hold this at the call of the chair will bring us up next cycle hearing no objection so order.

Number six, two six zero one nine three resolution relating to an acceptance and funding of a talking book and braille library grant.

Please come on up.

Here we are, Mr.

Chairman.

Hey, how are you?

Good, how are you?

Excellent.

Excellent.

All right.

Uh this is pretty standard.

How much is the grant this year?

So it'll be just over 1.2 million to run the whitable program for the next year starting July 1st.

Okay.

Questions by the committee?

Hearing none, Alderwoman Dimitrivich moves for adoption.

Hearing no objections or order.

Thank you.

Thanks.

Alright, number seven, two six zero one nine four resolution relating to an acceptance and funding of the interlibrary loan services grant.

So that's why you're still here.

All right, how much is this one?

Uh so this one is about two hundred and seventy one thousand.

And it'll also fund the program for the next year starting July first.

All right, all right, intervenor.

Okay, all right.

Any questions by the committee?

Hearing none, Alderman Jackson moves for adoption, hearing no objections so order.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Number eight, two six zero two zero five substitute resolution relating to the use and allocation of community development block grant two thousand and twenty-six reprogramming funds.

I am the sponsor and looking forward to this conversation.

Director Higgins, thank you for coming up.

Uh let's see here.

How's everybody?

I'm good.

Uh good afternoon, uh Mr.

Chair.

Uh, committee members.

Um as you know, um this is uh that time of year uh to do our community development block grant um uh reprogramming awards uh so we have several um programs that uh apply for interest in the project.

Okay, and so we can depend on how you want to do this.

I can sort of go through go through them all and um and then ask questions afterwards or individually how you want me to choose to do that.

Yeah, um you can do a brief overview, then we'll hear uh executive summary or uh yeah uh so reprogramming on the organizations.

Yeah, so reprogramming is obviously that process of reconciliation of prior year awards.

Um and as we close out uh during the year, we make those these funds available again after we've uh compl uh completed that closeout process.

Yes, sir.

Um so what we have uh on first on attachment aid for C D BG reprogramming.

Uh is youth council reserve.

The youth council that uh funding is set aside by ordinance for them uh at eighty thousand dollars.

They currently have their RFP out already.

Um and that those RFPs are actually due back to them on the 15th, I believe.

Okay.

So they'll they're already soliciting for to for uh programs uh to fund uh with that with that 80,000.

Okay, that was uh youth council.

Okay, yeah, that's um who got the bulk of the money last year from them?

Uh they had four who was it for you know who they were?

They have four awards.

They had um Hamong American Friendship Academy, okay.

Silver Spring Neighborhood Center, Walker's Point Youth and Family, and one other Pathfinders.

Okay, they are twenty twenty thousand.

No, it was uh they had two years of funding, so they got about 35 each and plus and plus the youth council keeps some for them, uses some for themselves for a trip that they do to DC every year.

And they read the proposals and picked them correctly.

They read scored everything.

All right, good.

Excellent.

That's good.

That's good leadership.

All right, keep going, Mario.

Alright, so under the housing category, we have a Milwaukee Community Crossroads.

That's the former Milwaukee Christian Center.

Yes.

Uh for the youth bills program, the request for two hundred thousand dollars.

We're a recommending uh one one hundred and seventy five thousand dollars.

Uh revitalized Milwaukee for accessibility approvements.

This is a program they currently uh work with us on as well.

Um, requested fifty thousand dollars and we are recommending fifty thousand dollars.

Sure.

Is Milwaukee Community Crosshalls available?

I didn't see anybody, but I thought they were all right.

I thought they were gonna be showing up.

It's a long standing program, and we've yeah, no, I know.

I just want to see I wanted them to announce how many youth they were working with.

See, part of my request for everybody here today, and so you understand what everybody else is doing with young people throughout this summer.

Uh I spoke to a lot of you individually, and you are promoting your program, saying great things.

I don't but but I want you to say it in conjunction with what other people are doing versus saying it in a way that you may be better than another organization.

So in order to do that, you all listen to each other and see how you can support and help each other and working together for our youth this summer because it's a together thing.

I know it's a money, so it automatically makes you want to compete, but we don't have to compete.

Uh we can spread it out, we could work together, and then the organizations that need more money, those organizations will see that reason why they need more money, because that's what we're doing.

So my goal here today and in the future is y'all call each other's and refer each other to each other for the help of our young people.

All right.

Alright, uh, so youth builds is a program training young people in the art of trades.

And uh, if uh extra youth doesn't receive an application or doesn't enter your program, why don't you refer them to that one?

That kind of thing, all right?

You get good.

But I am happy to see everybody, huh?

You're getting good at this.

Well, I've been doing it longer than you, my brother.

All right, so let's see here.

Uh so congratulations to them.

Revitalizing Milwaukee, y'all all aware of them.

Program that helps build up neighborhoods mostly for elderly people in the community.

So y'all refer people for revitalized Milwaukee.

Thank you very much.

Uh please proceed.

Uh, wait for any questions by the committee.

Hearing none, yes, all the women.

Okay.

Let's go.

Let's go.

Large impact development fund.

Large impact development fund uh for special economic development.

Um, as you all are aware, we used uh we we had depleted this fund to fund uh the grocery store initiatives and fresh food initiatives um a couple months ago um and Alderman Stamper's leadership.

He wants to continue to make sure there's something something available here in order to be able to answer those types of requests in the future.

Uh so we have this here um to make this available and whether we sent it out for an RP or uh partner with another city department or someone in the future to to utilize these funds for uh for special ed.

So economic development.

Housing, of course, is at the forefront, but if you get a small business or you got something to build up a corridor in the neighborhood, this money's available.

All right, next.

Alright, under public service, um, we have our so you'll see a common theme here, a lot of youth um activity um obviously can considering uh all the things that's been uh happening within within the city.

So we're gonna be very youth focused.

Um, uh unploy Milwaukee for Camp Rise.

Yes.

Um and employ Milwaukee for Earn and Learn.

I believe there are um someone here for Camp Rise and Earn and Learn if you want to do that now.

Uh so yeah, let's do this.

Um Camp Rise, Earn and Learn, Milwaukee build safe zones, financial empowerment center, job training and placement, safe summer sites, job training and placement, and job placement, and then youth services, um, emerging youth advisory council.

Council, uh committee, please bear with me.

I think this is important that we get this get this together while we got this amount of money.

This let me let me let me tell you something.

This is about a large allocation that we've had in years.

Okay, we got three million dollars.

We're gonna spend it on y'all.

Okay.

So I want y'all to come up and do a brief explanation of your program and how others can uh join and help you and then what you're doing for the community.

All right.

So let's come up with Camp Rise.

Please come up.

Camp Rise, are you available?

There he is.

Uh so committee members, let's get ready to ask our questions.

Uh this is the time.

Thanks for coming down.

Thank you.

Thank you for the invitation.

Yeah.

Uh my name is Romel Greer.

I am the I work for Employment Milwaukee.

I am the director of the Camp Rise program.

Uh Camp Rise is a program that goes for 10 to 13 year olds through the summer months of June 22nd of August 7th this year.

Uh we take 300 uh participants that attend MPS schools and send them to North Division.

We're at North Division where we will be doing different things throughout the summer.

So we'll do job readiness training.

We will be doing um a pre-apprentip program where we are working with trying to teach our 12 and 13-year-olds in healthcare fields in manufacturing and also in um health care manufacturing.

Also into um STEM.

So they'll do a lot of STEM training as well, too, with MSOE, UWM, things of the sort.

Um some of the things that we could benefit from other organizations are definitely always referrals and also participation as well, too.

The program is attempting to grow.

Um each year we are working with MPS and looking to grow more and more.

Um the biggest thing of what we're looking to do is also put our fielders out there and start to work together.

Uh a lot of things throughout the community, which we need is that to come out of those silos would help with being able to go to those or different organizations and coming to support us as well, too.

Being able to bring our kids over to certain organizations to be able to hang out to learn what's in the community and how they can be a part of that growing and how they can improve the community as well and working together.

So excellent, excellent.

Any questions for Daryl?

Mr.

Chair.

Yes.

Um, thank you so much.

Of course.

Romel, really quick, can you share?

Um, I know that there's 300 um capacity for Camp Rise.

Can you um share what the how many applicants you all received?

Because I know it's definitely more than that.

Right.

We we received uh six hundred and fifty applicants this year.

So it was almost it was uh yeah, it was it was very difficult to uh kind of cipher through all of those applications.

Uh we did refer those individuals who were not accepted into camp to different organizations and things like that.

Boys and girls clubs, um, summer.

You know, we you know, we all in summer and everything like that, so we've always kind of pushed it out into other organizations throughout uh Pearls for Girls, things of the sort.

So we tried to make sure that we push those out and give them something.

Yeah, so give them some direction.

I really appreciate that because you know there's so many great programs that we have, and I know this one has been very popular.

Uh and just the work that it's a testament to the work that you all have been doing.

Um, but I'm really glad to hear that you all provided opportunities to say, you know, we're so sorry because of capacity.

Yes.

You know, we won't be able to serve you, however, here's some options.

So I'm and and that should be just you know, reflective, Mr.

Chair, of what you shared before.

You know, we all should be doing that.

It's not just the no, but you know, we can't support you, but here they because we have a plethora of youth opportunities here in the city.

So thank you and your staff so much for supporting this program.

Thank you, thank you.

All right, congratulations.

Thank you guys.

And then we have the general earner learn.

Yeah, but you're being awarded 250,000.

How would you like to spend that money?

Uh I'm Cody from Employee Milwaukee.

Um, oversee the day-to-day operations of the Earn and Learn Community Work Experience Program.

Um, it's a work based learning program where we match uh youth participants age 14 to 24 with a work experience in the city of Milwaukee.

Um, where we subsidize the wages 100% for 20 hours a week for seven weeks beginning on June 29th through August.

Um we work with almost every community organization present here at some point we have.

Um, but um we have over 140 physical work site locations throughout the city.

This year we're serving over 800 kids in the program.

Um we had over 3,000 applicants this year.

Um, unfortunately, there's a pretty big discrepancy there with uh with the amount of funding we have.

Um and you know, we're always looking for more work sites so that we can offer uh more physical locations for those kids to work because transportation is the biggest issue for participants that we have, so being able to offer a work experience that's within walking distance from their house is kind of an ideal scenario.

So we're always looking for new work experiences.

Um and I will also say that um the work that we do is to support the community organizations in the city.

We're helping subsidize all the work that those organizations are doing in the city.

Um we're just providing that pay as an incentive to bring kids in, keep kids there.

Um so we're partners with everyone we work with.

Um we don't consider it a competition.

How does one become a site?

Give us a quick process on that, and then let us know how.

Um yeah, everybody please provide your information on how we can get a hold of them as well.

Yeah, really, you can call the employment Milwaukee Mainline and they'll they'll get you to the right person.

Okay.

Um but um sorry, what what was the other part of the question there?

He was asking how many fo um how do you become a site?

Oh, that's right.

Um we basically start the process every year in December for the pre-so this for 2026.

We started the process in December 2025.

We do require that even returning work sites fill out a new application every single year.

Um that's just to make sure that we're having that high standard every single year.

Okay.

And it's a little bit of a competition there for to make sure that that standard is high every single year.

Um but there is an application process, they have to tell us how many participants they can support, um, what type of work-based learning experiencing experience they're offering.

Um, they have to submit a job description.

Um, there is a work site agreement, there's a contract they have to sign with us as we act as the employer of record, they act as a physical work site.

There's insurance limits, we have to physically visit the work site, things like that.

That's a very general overview.

Excellent.

Questions by the committee, Mr.

Chair, all of them and more.

Um, really quick, Cody.

Uh, the um the the dollars that you all would be getting, is it already incorporated into um and you said 800 something, but do you have a more of a um exact number?

I for this additional funding.

I mean, the ex no, because uh we've we've extended the offers, but we won't know the actual number of participants until everyone shows up basically and seeing how many we have, but um, but just even based on funding, so um, I know that you all had some dedicated funding already, yeah, um, and I think that was uh that number was already set, but these additional dollars would support X number more, right?

That's what I'm assuming.

Yeah, it would be about a hundred additional youth, and yeah.

So, but it it it would be incorporate it would be so I can add that to my 800, or is that inclusive of the 800 plus?

That's inclusive of the 800, but this would likely carry over in the next year.

It's so our orientations for this program are right now, correct?

Um like going on as we speak.

Um so uh we wouldn't be able to we would use this funding for next next summer, basically.

Okay.

So that's what I wanted to sort of.

Okay, so it's not dollars.

Yeah, exactly.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Of course.

Any other questions?

Cody, thank you very much.

Thanks.

All right, all right.

Northcutt Neighborhood House Incorporated.

Mr.

Kearney, I see you in the building.

You are being awarded for the Milwaukee Builds and Safe Zones for a total of 300,000.

How are you doing today, tongue?

Thank you very much, Mr.

Chairman.

Of course.

Okay, coming out.

Oh, North Cotton Neighborhood House, as you know, has been around 66 years.

Yes, uh, providing services to youth and adults.

Yes.

Our Milwaukee Bills program is a construction training program.

Tony, I know I introduced you, but I still want you to introduce yourself in your title.

Well, your uh director.

I'm Tony Kearney, I'm executive director of Northcott Neighborhood House.

Yes, sir.

Uh, the young man to my right is Ken Lowry, project Director, North Cotton Neighborhood.

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir.

Thank you guys.

So um we've been doing Milwaukee Bills for 23 years.

We started out building a single house per year.

Um, thanks to this committee that grew to us doing a block.

While we were doing that block, a developer happened to see us developer with Gorman and Company.

So we've done 19 projects with Gorman and Company and are having discussions with them about Project 20.

So our individuals who are trained receive a state license for both lead and asbestos and a home builders institute certification in construction with a specialty in one area or another related to construction.

We also work with Milwaukee Area Technical College to get them the basics of electronics and plumbing.

So they take that class during the time that they have.

So we take a semester class and break it down into every day.

Yes.

So that's we get it done in eight weeks as opposed to 16 weeks.

Those individuals then work on the actual projects with those developers.

So our work with Gorman and Company, Green Fire and Marriage Development, we've helped produce over a thousand affordable housing units and hope to go on.

We train about 50 people per year.

Okay.

So when they're working on those projects, they are receiving RPP wages.

So that's the that's the goal of being there because we are then a contractor like everyone else, and we use those dollars to pay them.

Till that we get them ready.

We're using the dollars you provide to help train them, get their licenses, and make it work.

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir, yes, sir.

We'll provide uh Northcott's information.

Also, 78% of the people we've trained over the last decade have been former felons.

Our entire construction team is our former felons.

So individuals who used to do things in this community they did they shouldn't do have been rebuilding this community for 23 years.

Excellent.

Now you can reach us at Northcott at 2460 North 6th Street or call 414-372-3770.

We are constantly in recruitment mode.

We want to get two classes going every year.

And if we can do a third one, we will.

So we will continue to take people in.

We have not yet in our 23 year history had to turn anyone away.

Excellent.

Kenny wanted to add?

Uh no.

Um doing a lot of good things, trying to help a lot of people.

That's our goal.

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir.

Any comments or questions by the committee?

Mr.

Chair.

Yes, all the woman more.

I just want to say thank you all for the work that um that you're doing, and I'm always very peculiar when it comes to, you know, language, and so you know, identifying, you know, the folks that have been system involved, um, formerly impacted, but you know, let's you know, be careful how we um share, you know, out back to our community about the people that you're working with.

Well, we actually want our we we actually want to want people to know that those people are legitimate.

No, no, that's not it.

Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

It's just the term, right?

So, yeah.

Now they're they're rebuilding your community.

Absolutely, absolutely, all the time.

Um, all the time.

Yeah, thank you all so much.

Yeah.

There's not a single person that we wouldn't put up against any supervisor out there with any construction company.

Yeah, yeah.

It's just humanizing language, that's all.

Yes, ma'am.

Yeah, thank you so much.

I appreciate that.

Yeah, thank you.

All right, thank you.

Thank you.

And uh Alderman Chambers alluded to it.

Did you want to announce the big celebration?

Yes.

Uh, we're about to have the 55th annual Juneteenth Day celebration on June 19th.

Yeah.

Uh we just had our Miss Juneteenth pageant.

Uh so there's there is a Mr.

Juneteenth these days over the past five years.

We have a Mr.

Juneteenth.

Okay.

Uh they were just crowned on Saturday and will be introduced to the community this Friday.

Okay.

And they will also be on the stage.

Yeah.

And opening ceremonies at Summerfest.

Okay.

That's what Ms.

June.

So wow.

Congratulations, man.

55 years is excellent.

Yes, and we appreciate the 23 years that you guys have supported this mission.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

And we wait a minute.

We're missing a lot of years.

You said 55 minus 23.

No, you supported us for Milwaukee Bills 23 years.

Oh, you're talking about that.

I thought you were talking about June.

Okay.

All right.

Juneteenth.

Thank you, Tony Man.

Appreciate y'all coming down.

Congratulations.

Next, we have River Works Development Corporation for Financial Empowerment Center.

You are being awarded 250,000.

Mr.

Daryl, how are you doing today?

Alright, tell us about the financial program.

Daryl Johnson, executive director of Real Works Development Corporation.

Thank you.

Committee members.

Mr.

Chair.

Of course.

We've been in partnership with the City of Milwaukee for almost two years with the financial empowerment center.

It actually started through Cities for Financial Department, which is a program that was started by Bloomberg in New York.

And they have about 30 something sites throughout the United States.

So we were fortunate to team up with the city of Milwaukee.

And the city of Milwaukee offers this service to anybody who lives in the city of Milwaukee as a free public service to get financial counseling.

Excellent.

And so we have about five certified counselors, and what we also do is provide wraparound services.

We are one of the largest vital sites now within the city of Milwaukee.

We also oversee the anti-displacement program within the city of Milwaukee.

So we have a number of programs within the financial clinic.

Sure.

How would one connect with you, Mr.

Jones?

We're located at 52, well, 518 East Concordia, right down the corner of Concordia and Houghton Street, where the former Cold Store used to be.

Yes.

And so we have a parking lot right there.

And like I said, we have meeting room space.

One of the things I also want to mention, we've been nominated by for Manny Awards for our legacy planning.

Working with older adults.

She just recently passed away, but her family was well prepared on how to handle her legacy.

Wow.

All right, man.

That's that's good.

Do we have any questions by the committee?

All right, hearing none.

Thank you for coming down.

Appreciate it.

Congratulations.

It's just an open door.

We have a soft side site.

We at Hunger Task Force.

So we're working with Hunger Task Force.

I thought you were tired, man.

I'm waiting for you.

Hey, but there's an open process.

It's just call you and get signed up.

A phone number is 414-906-9650, and we can help you out.

Or you can just stop in the office, or you can do it online.

We're also on the city website.

Okay, so you guys are gonna put the other database and just pass it out to everybody.

So we you have a face today, but then you'll have a database of information that you guys can refer to.

Okay.

Thanks, Darrell.

Appreciate you.

You're welcome.

All right, next we have Rebirth Milwaukee for job training and placement for 45,000.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon, Mr.

Chair.

How are you?

I am well.

Tell us about rebirth.

My name is Shirita Lane.

I am the president and CEO of Rebirth Milwaukee, which is a local nonprofit new to Milwaukee.

We offer wraparound services to the underserved population seeking um resources and services and navigation to sustainable life.

We also offer training and pre-apprenticeship construction, which is nationally and state certified by the Department of Workforce Development.

Our individuals receive a host of credentials once they complete our program.

Uh we have been in this space for um the organization itself has been around since February.

However, we've offered these services through um the Social Development Commission previously prior to closing.

So this program is a replica of the absolute advantage program, which is was highly recognized in the city of Milwaukee for the work that we've done, the individuals that we placed and trained.

We work with uh reputable employers, contractors, and made a huge impact for the city of Milwaukee.

Awesome.

Also, and how would one get a hold of you?

Or connect with you.

Sure.

We are located at 2979 North 30th Street.

Okay.

Our phone number is 414 698 8904.

Thank you so much.

We have any questions by committee.

Alderman Jackson.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I want to thank Mario for uh following up on this.

I didn't I made the connection, but you never told me that you got it done.

So thank you.

Thank you both.

Awesome.

All right, thank you for coming down.

Congratulations.

Next, we have Safe and Sound and the Public Services Safe Summer Sites.

You guys are being awarded $500,000.

So Safe and Sound is in conjunction with Devin.

Hey, uh Directory coming up, MPS and Milwaukee County.

Aziz you represent?

Yes, sir.

All right, all right, all right.

All right, so I introduce yourselves.

Let's talk about these summer sites and five hundred thousand dollars being awarded to you.

Director, we'll start.

Hello.

Hi, Karen.

Good afternoon, everyone.

My name is Aziz Abdullah.

I'm one of the co-founders at InPower.

We're a market getting an engagement company based in Milwaukee area in the Rombe neighborhood.

David Mohammed, uh Deputy Director, Department of Health and Human Services, Milwaukee County.

Yes, sir.

Bridget Whitaker, Executive Director of Safe and Sound.

All right.

We'd like to start about these sites and how you're gonna contribute to the youth development this summer.

So chair and committee members, we have a brief presentation.

It won't take more than five minutes.

Take your time.

But this is a collaborative effort with uh Milwaukee County, City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Public Schools, Safe and Sound, Children's Hospital, and the Greater Milwaukee Urban League within Power and a host of different uh collaborative partners.

This project is in response to uh the need to activate neighborhood-based uh sites, serve young people in extended hours, and respond to uh the social and cultural needs of youth in our community, and it does include an economic uh uh in economic development uh angle with about 900 youth served and 150 people employed.

So Aziz Abdullah will take us through the presentation.

Yes, sir.

Again, thank you for the opportunity.

So, um, really last summer this work started as as a continued response to what we've been working on alongside the county for the last three years through an initiative called Healing for Our Youth.

And one of the things that we identify with a lot of our young people during the summertime is there's a there's a ton of programming happening during the day, but once we hit about six o'clock and into the evening, you know, just by nature of our ecosystem and infrastructure, there's not a lot of places to go in the evening as well as on Saturdays, and then we want to be able to push on Sundays uh connecting the you know, whether it's faith or just family time and really trying to reinstitute the culture of the way Sundays used to be when I used to go to Big Mama's house.

Yeah, and so um the problem that we're really trying to solve is is really that at hand.

And so, in addition to that, one of the things that we also did over the last year is we surveyed 597 young people.

And again, you all have access to this on the record, but the two things I really want to call out one is that 69% of the people that we surveyed said they don't feel safe in the neighborhood.

And yesterday I had an opportunity to drive around 24th in Burleigh and also had a conversation with the institution there because we want to stand up.

That is one of the locations, and you can identify within the tapestry of the area why young people may not feel comfortable going outside based on the activities that are taking place.

And so when we think about this, along with the fact that nearly half of our young people we surveyed talked about the normalization and the culture of gun violence, it we need to create spaces to be able to go and feel seen, um feel comfortable, and to be able to express joy in way in ways that are culturally relevant.

Right, so uh a safe summer site, the way to think about it is, you know, place-based locations and high impact neighborhoods across the city of Milwaukee that create an opportunity for young people to come in and participate really up until that point of curfew, which uh in the city of Milwaukee is 11 o'clock.

So these are gonna operate from 5 30 to uh 10 30 p.m.

Monday through Friday, as well as on Saturday.

And so the opportunity here is really um just reinforcing some of the points that were brought up earlier, not only creating those spaces, but also addressing the opportunity for connection to basic needs.

Once you establish a relationship with a young person or the family that's engaging with you, then we can start to uncover some of the other opportunities and program necessities that exist where some of our people may be slipping through the cracks who might not be getting the information that's being published, you know, through these bodies and through some of the other efforts that exist.

And so, aside from it being a safe space for young people, we also see this as a 10-week initiative to better connect families throughout the city of Milwaukee as well.

Um, I just had a few case studies, you know, because folks, you know, a lot of times see work that gets published in the community and don't know the collaboration that went behind it.

Um, but for eviction-free MKE art institution, collaborated with legal aid society.

We ran the field campaign branding and built that out.

Last uh two years ago, we ran the neighbor to neighbor initiative.

We employed 50 people and did a 50,000 door knock campaign, really elevating um the needs around high housing and the digital divide.

We also, you know, are looking at this through the lens of a public health response, which was some of the work that we carried via healthy MKE.

And then this model is really a 10x to what we did last summer through an initiative called Grinding the Glory that we ran out of the King Center, where we were able to have and host 150 people at you know, one time.

And so what we're really excited about in and kind of what was called out earlier is the collaboration that you see existing here.

Um, not only from a human resource capacity, I'll speak to some of the existing investment that's already been made, but I also think when we look at our public school spaces and the MPS rec and the twilight centers, you know, they've made the commitment to extend 90 minutes uh as a as a result of some of this.

And to me, that is a catalyst in this opportunity.

One of the um downfalls and one of the gaps that we're filling, though, is that those centers close on August 6th.

So for that last four summers or last four weeks in the summer, we're gonna be activating other locations to kind of fill the gap that young people, you know, would traditionally see during that time period.

What time?

What time?

What are those times?

Everything throughout the summers, Monday through Saturday, 5 30 to 10 30.

Okay.

Um, we've also published the locations, uh, some of the sites that we've already had conversations around.

So these include those Twilight uh center locations, but they also include some of our partners who were even here today via UNCOM.

Um, and we also have some other partners that we want to be able to have conversations with as we activate locations.

Feel free to cut me off at any point.

Yeah, I got a question.

Um, so we got 14 sites.

Is that 14?

That's 14 currently listed.

So I I I I hear and I I appreciate the the presentation, and I'm looking at the times, right?

But one thing that's popping out to me is like, and correct me if I'm wrong.

NPS already hosts the Twilight Center.

Stay over at what about 8 o'clock or something like that that goes on.

We're adding additional two to three hours, um, in addition to that with this funding.

Um, but there are other projects, there are other programs, and the reason why I'm asking, because I see one of them as Brother Braun Von Mays here with uh con for us, and he got the we locked in and what I can attest to because I went to go see one myself last year, and maybe Von need to come up here and talk a little bit more about his project or his program that people don't know.

Um I think last year it was at Missing Peace.

Like I think it was the day before my back to school festival, and I went and just sat there and just watching our delivered some backpacks for the kids that were there.

It was about 70 kids there after midnight.

Like where they got like food, they got sleeping necessities and like these cats, these kids were just, they were safe.

They were secure.

They were just like full of energy and doing that.

Okay.

Um I guess the question I have for you is these is: are you working with them?

If they're one of the partners that's working in far as making sure they do it because I think he's trying to do something with Juneteenth as well and also seeing that he's asking for funding and stuff and I feel like this fits right into that model with other locations because not all kids are gonna be comfortable going to an MPS school.

Not all other kids are going to be comfortable going to an oncom location.

They're gonna go to where it's safe at and who can bring something that will catch their attention.

I mean they had PlayStation 5 and Xbox there, big Frank, you know and they doing it you know saying far they doing it you know out of the kindness of their heart and also with the connections that he had I don't see MPS Rec bringing those people there.

And I'm not diminishing it.

I don't see the county of us even bringing those people there as far as doing that, just be honest we're just the the funders.

You know so um I I guess what I'm looking for is I feel like they should be just as intrical involved and I look at UC show like all the partners and I don't see them on there and that's a that that hurts me.

Um because the work that this brother does and his people you know is just as important as you just as important as Mr Mohammed, Bridget, myself, Karen, or anybody else in this and I think we all need to just to the cherished point um of the reason why he bring everyone together is to see what other people are doing and let's not reinvent the wheel but let's work together.

Right.

And I think that this is a perfect opportunity far as doing that.

So I guess what I'm looking for from you is a commitment to ensuring that they are brought in as a community partner.

They are brought in as someone that is a artery you know with the summer sites because if we're gonna talk about safe summer sites he can drive the kids here or anybody.

I'm not even just focusing on him but like find other organizations um you know I just brought him up because I seen it firsthand for myself more than once.

Yeah.

Um so I know I said a lot so yeah if I can have an opportunity to respond so um for the sake of time I've been driving a little bit fast yeah the the commentary underneath those logos is a representation of over 50 partners involved in the work.

So I and I don't want to speak for the brother but I will say the laptops provided for that evening for that event that came from us.

And we've been in communication and supporting everything that that that Vaughn Mays does so I I just in addition to this and I'll maybe jump to this one of the other strategies that we have is called community piece pop up and adaptive the adaptive is exactly the lock in model which we wouldn't ever implement without Vaughn Mays at the table.

So just to specifically call him out but I also have brothers and sisters from the turners.

Absolutely all of those organizations really become the vehicle that that are implemented as a so the way to look at this is we have anchor institution locations that we we do want to institute some culture around.

So recognizing that what you just said from the MPS standpoint while that is a reality we need to address that reality where this enrichment line item is coming from is we need music studios inside of those places.

We need PS3 and PS5 setups with TVs and monitors we need to be able to show you know movies and and and culturally uh responsive activities in all of the spaces that have been institutions and really have the in um the sustainability that's gonna exist beyond you know kind of this summer and hopefully we have a way to be able to continue to do some of these pieces but exactly to your point that adaptive and reactive approach is really to address exactly what you're talking about with this lock in model and for example when we think about the meadows and you know in in the hundreds area there's not really anything out there.

And so when we think about those locations those are where we need to be adaptive reactive think about how we activate parks and other you know responsive strategies.

So um I just wanted to acknowledge that that consideration is definitely forefront.

Yeah.

What is our furthest northern community based organization?

Probably Madison to his point.

You talk about organization or are you're talking about locations far as this program.

Well, both really.

I mean Madison is the further that's in my district off of 80 person floors, but the organization um far as the North West side.

I mean, you got African American round table.

Round table.

Okay.

Probably, yeah.

African American round table, safe and sound, go out the district four.

Well, how far how far do you go north?

To go through the full.

Uh to the district, Milwaukee Police District Four.

And so we have Silver Spring Neighborhood Center.

Yeah.

Um, but it there's a desert.

There's a lack of youth programmer.

Okay.

I'm currently looking for um some NSPs to activate over there.

Um that's the area that's always we struggle with, right?

We struggle with that in the neighborhood area for a community-based organization.

Yeah.

And and I and I'll put a button on this, um, Mr.

Chair, and I'll thank you for the brevity.

Um, you know, the reason why I I again, you know, as I said, you know, far as doing that, because you know, to your point during your presentation, you know, you're saying like we've got the gap going to like 10 30, but like after to like midnight and to everything like that, I think that's where he come in.

So when I look at the use of funds and you know, so far as I feel like that need to be shifted a little bit, and I know like the fund, this is not necessarily set in stone, but like it could be like this.

I feel like that need to be shifted a little bit far as to um help maybe the turners will open up turn off of, you know, a lock-in.

I know.

So, so um, you know, but you know, I'm just thinking like if we're going to put you know our money where our mouth is, you know, we gotta continue to deliver and be willing to, you know, adapt.

Like, you know, I I know the work you do.

I'm very appreciative of the work you do.

Um, you know, but I think, you know, we can't, you know, leave out, you know, Bond or Miss Farina Brooks, you know, for what she does, you know, with her organization, and you know, I know Travis got Travis Hope out there on the south side and and you know, Raquel Alman over there, like they do a lot of like the integral work, and I think that we need to be real intentional when we activate them because they are the I look at them, they are the micro where we are the macro.

I don't know.

You know, we've seen things from a you know, we're seeing things from bird eye view, they've seen it from the ground level.

And I feel that you know, when we do this, it can't just be so cookie cutter slash commercialized.

And I'm not accusing you of doing that or anything like that.

So I just think that you know, when I look at this and I know the work that you know, um Natalia Renteria is doing that missing peace, like I would want her location to be one of those locations that is being activated.

For all the folks you name, just text them and say the disease talk you know.

Oh, I know you know.

I know you did, but I'm gonna I'm not seeing this right now.

So when I so when when I see the presentation, I'm looking at this as like this is already set, this is everything like this.

And I know there's some wiggle room, but like how much wiggle room?

Because it's like, you know, if we're gonna approve this, I'm like, well, you already approved, this is what we presented to you, and this is how we're gonna move, and it's like, okay, well, this person getting shorted for doing this when they're doing a lot of the work, and I don't want that to happen.

I got you.

Um so it it's just, you know, let's be real intentional and and just make sure that, you know, if we are adding some more, I definitely would like to see, you know, like missing peace and like you know, five star.

I'm just thinking of the location that he had those locked in, lock in stuff.

I think for Juneteenth is somewhere near some Clark or something by you.

Yeah, so you know, so I I just want, you know, those places being supported to the fullest potential to ensure that these babies are being safe.

You know, we got you know, Earn Learn and Camp Rise and everything of that nature, but for those who ain't doing that, for those who are accustomed to a certain way and we can get the you know, the ears to the I don't want Sherman Park being another war zone.

I don't want Carmen Park, I don't want to see in my district a 15 year old dancing on top of a police car getting chased by police.

That just happened two weeks ago.

You know, I don't want that.

So I just want us to ensure that you know we're doing what we can to tap into those ground level um people that are touching the ground level from you know while we are up at the bird's eye view, I want us to be real intentional as far as this, and I think this is the way doing it.

I just think we need to tweak this a little bit.

That's just for me.

I think it's for myself.

So thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I really appreciate it.

Thank you.

I appreciate that.

Uh older woman Dimitrevich.

Thank you so much, Mr.

Chairman.

Um, could you go back a slide that had the map of the locations?

Okay.

So um, okay, not every one of those is a current MPS Twilight, correct?

Correct.

Okay, but m almost every one of the schools is correct.

Okay.

So where I'm going with that is everyone from one to fourteen, is every one of those going to be open every day till eleven p.m.

No, maybe.

Okay.

So for the first through August 6th, Monday through Friday, we're leveraging the existing infrastructure with Twilight.

Okay.

So those are all gonna be open from 5 30 to 10 30 Monday through Friday through August 6th.

And that's six of the Twilight Centers and then three midnight basketballs.

I feel like that part was already announced, right?

Like because I feel like I heard about that.

Okay.

But the the I think the differentiator is they're open later than they originally were.

Cause currently they close at the way it was like in sections, right?

So now because like for the one that's in my district, the Bayview High School, that'll be Monday through Friday to 11 PM.

10 30.

We need to translate.

So 10 30, Monday through Friday, but you're still trying to work out the weekend situation.

So Saturdays is where that adaptive model in rotating location is gonna be.

Okay, okay.

And I did see that some select twilight areas will also have laundry services.

Yep.

Which I thought was excellent.

That's awesome.

Um just fantastic meeting people where they're at.

Um before we go on, I just wanna say I think this is exceptional.

Um, also, I've been meaning to talk to you about your um work on literacy, and I think there maybe next year we can do additional work on that.

Um that's a passion I have.

I've been talking to leadership.

We gotta get people in the doors.

Then as you were stating, once we have people, um, our neighbors um in the doors we can work neighbor by neighbor to see um what people need, right?

I'd love to do more work on that, and I'd love to see there's a few libraries in here as you know that have Sunday hours, um, which are also like they could fill in some, like when I'm looking at the map, there's a just a few.

I wish it was everyone, but we'll we'll leave that.

I don't want my colleagues yelling at me yet.

But like there's a couple in there that could fill in some of the geographical um deserts as well and on a Sunday, because they're open from one to five now.

Okay.

So I I would like you to look at that as well.

Absolutely.

I mean, to me, this is a lot like I think it was called the old school model was called like lights on, where we don't have to reinvent new spaces.

We just need to program and utilize what we got.

Um Superintendent Casellius sent this committee a letter of support, which means a lot to me, and I really appreciate the partnership.

And the chairman um was talking earlier on, and I I want to add on to that, you were just you to me you were talking about collaboration.

And when we collaborate, we have collective impact.

Um, it's not really anybody's one responsibility, it's all of our responsibility.

And I think this is lovely.

I think that we are seeing um I just want to speak this into the record real quick, uh, massive divestment from our city, and we have left young people with like no options.

It's just I just want to be the one that says it is that, and I have young people that I'm trying to raise, like, um, if you want to do something with your family or not, even on your own, all we see are signs that are no youth included.

You can't go to a mall, you can't go to a movie theater, you can't go anywhere.

You know, and now even these entertainment facilities are like banning people.

So at a time when there's massive divestment, I like that we're stepping up and showing that we're worth it, that our neighbors, our children are worth it, and that this is a this is really a historic investment.

Yeah.

Um, and so I just I think it's I think it's wonderful.

I wish it was every day.

I wish it was every day till 11 o'clock, you know, in midnight, and I guess what will it look like when when we're at that level?

Even even outside honestly, even outside of summer.

You know, I mean, this is a step in that direction, but I think that those spaces kind of what we call the third space, right?

We talked about that when we talked about libraries.

What does that look like when we really invest in it?

So I I thank all of you for your work, and I do want to talk to you about some literacy stuff.

Mr.

Chair.

Yeah, sure.

Oh, more.

Yeah.

Um I just wanted to thank my colleague for um for just some of her words, and I and Aziz, I know that you're not finished with the presentation.

Um, but I just want to remind folks that you know, you know, we want to add all this stuff on, and everything costs money.

So when you talk about this, you know, massive divestment in young people, we have to understand that we have to have this is uh I and I was ecstatic about this plan.

You know, I was a little bit, you know, hurt when some of my funding didn't go through for, you know, like earn and learn and some of the things that we wanted for the summer, but when this came through, I was just like, Yes, this is an opportunity and a moment as far as crawl this is what collaboration looks like.

What you all have brought to the table and and and let me just say this is a drop in the bucket, right?

Of the work that is being done, but what needs to be done.

So when the all you know, so as the alderman talks about investment, we can easily double triple this to make sure that in every neighborhood there are support services so that you know, young people don't have to go far, right?

But it cost money, right?

To have those libraries open, it cost money.

We're really trying to impact young people, especially the hard to reach young people that are isn't going to go into a library or a school, but there's the alternatives and there's the options, right?

That's the start of this.

This is going to be a training ground for this sort of collaboration to say, you know what, we tried it this summer.

We need more partners, we need more money, we need to have more of a bigger impact for next year.

Because summer is just one of those times where yeah it we just the young people they just have time.

And and what are we when are we encouraging them to do with that time?

There should be an array and a plethora of sync things, especially that off peak hours.

That's the part that I'm more so interested in.

Because you're right, Marina, that th the bowling alleys, the the skating ranks, that like, you know, the the malls, right?

There they're not attracting our young people because they have so many restrictions on them.

What are we doing as a city?

So I just wanna say, and again, Aziz, I know you weren't finished with it.

I just wanna remind people that you know, we wanna do more, but it also's gonna cost money for us to do more.

So this is an opportunity for us to look at how we center young people and what it is that we talk about, you know, we let's start having these conversations now for next year, and how the city, you know, as I'm sitting here at the table, what are the investments that we're going to make to say we care about the young people that we're serving in this city?

We're going to prioritize them, and we do that by putting our dollars where it's most impactful.

So I'm really excited about this opportunity and hope that we can double it for next year.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you.

All right.

Um, how does one become a a partner with you all or collaborator?

So right now the vehicle for convening has been the VR fast, which is that collective infrastructure, the violence response public health and safety team, which is a ecosystem of of partners, which I think was really the foundation for bringing a lot of these relationships together.

So those meetings are every other Thursday, um hosted virtually and then at Thrive On.

Um additionally, th the the other piece I want to bring up is the advertising campaign tied to this is not gonna be exclusive to safe summer sites.

So while that is a vehicle that we want to promote, every program who's sat up here at the table that has capacity for more, we want young people to be a part of amplifying storytelling, developing the content to talk about what is you hear the word apprenticeship, but not everybody maybe understands what that means.

You hear, you know, some of the other programs that exist and so we want to create context around that.

So we'll be promoting and and on Tuesday when we announce kind of you know, the host for this, um tap in MKE will kind of be the platform where folks can submit information about programs that they have, talk about ways that they want to get involved, and then that's what we'll be using to amplify this with our young people.

That's good.

Uh Carmen, you got all that.

Yes, sir.

The contact.

Yep.

Peace.

Yep.

Thank you guys so much.

Congratulations on this five hundred thousand.

We expect great things and great collaboration.

Uh yes.

Um I will ask that um prior to Council, um that you know, we have a conversation and add a couple locations to this list and organizations.

Um, um, far as, you know, before moving forward that's uh we can we can link up um in office or anything like that.

So, Mr.

Chair.

Should he reach out to you, Aziz?

Are we saying that he won he wants them to be added?

I mean, we're again our commitment is you know um the five hundred thousand, which again, I mean, I know you all have a comprehensive model of connecting with other partners that is just every single partner wasn't initially listed um in here.

So I just want to be careful about the you know what the request is because I know that um in the plan itself, there is some, you know, there the folks that weren't you know missing people like they're they're incorporated into the plan.

So I just want to be careful of making that request without making sure this get this gets moved forward.

I think I'm I am being careful, but I'm I'm making a specific request.

I think y'all make it the same point, but what did you say?

I am making it I am making a specific request for the specific thing that I specifically said.

So if one person, if uh if a colleague, you know, feel uh a different way, that's fine.

But I'm asking for a specific thing that I made clear during my commentary.

Okay.

You guys have an issue with the can I understand what the what the request is a little bit more.

Audible church, please recruit your repeat your request.

Um I'm uh I'm specifically asking that the uh I'm specifically asking that the um locked in uh MKE be incorporated um as an integral part, not just uh one of 50.

Um and I'm asking that locations that um locked in have been incorporated, be one of the uh if we need to increase it from 14 to 16 locations, that's fine.

Um I'm acting I'm asking specifically for those to be incorporated.

If we add Turner a hall for that too and they willn't do it, that's fine as well, but I'm asking that specifically for that to be incorporated.

Thank you, Arnold Chambers.

Um Director.

Yeah, we we are that's that's amenable to us.

Gotcha to have comp force, missing piece, and you know, many of those when we have been in communication with uh just to ensure that it's formalized into the the game plan.

Sure, but those conversations have happened and we don't have a problem with that.

Sounds good to me.

You satisfied with that, Oliver Chambers.

Absolutely.

Thank you, Director Mahmi.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Congratulations, you guys.

Thank you so much.

Appreciate y'all coming down.

I'm excited.

All right, alright.

Next we have the Silver Spring Neighborhood Center, and they are being awarded for job training and placement for a total of 100,000.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

How are you today?

Wonderful.

How are you?

Good.

Thank you for coming down to join this important discussion.

Thank you.

Please introduce yourself for the record.

Sure, Devin Hudson, Silver Spring Neighborhood Center.

Ashley Campbell, Silver Spring Neighborhood Center.

Awesome.

So what you guys do?

I know what you do, but tell us what you do.

Over in the city of Westland, you know what we do about it.

Oh yeah, I see.

Yeah, the center is um always busy as you know.

It's a full service center.

We're comprehensive wrap around services with an early childhood center, um, with a food pantry that expands, continues to expand and grow.

We're really trying to incorporate more.

You know the food desert that's over there.

So we're working to incorporate more of the healthy food options and working with the gardens and some healthy cooking and bringing in different um people that way.

Um and then we have our youth program.

Yeah, I which is Silver Springs always been known for it to youth programming.

So we do do have to have representation on that part.

And then of course our workforce development program.

So that's what we're here for today is to talk about that and the it deepening of that.

We have had we've ran for about the last 15 years a pretty traditional workforce program that kind of it was a numbers, it's a numbers game.

You put people in and out, you get them some soft skills training, you get them some case management, but there's no longevity in that in terms of them getting secure jobs.

It's kind of the partners will use the the labor at that time and then the people who are right back into the cycle.

So over the last 18 months, we've had an opportunity with the focus on Energy board to move into the green space, the clean energy space.

And right now we're creating a roadmap for other nonprofits that we present to the Focus on Energy Board in August.

That if other nonprofits come into this clean energy space, how do they work with those vendors?

How do they work with places like the Focus on Energy?

And so we've now created this model.

So what does that mean for us?

We now want to do more of the trade awareness training.

And so we've moved into that space and we're working with the TTAP program.

Um we work for uh building principles.

We're doing currently we're doing BPI training or well, certification.

I gotta get this terms right.

We're doing VPI certification that will allow people to have that skill and they'll be able to go into these jobs at least at an entry level.

So the and then we continue to sign on employer partners, but what we're finding the need for is one, we do have to develop in full transparency and more recruitment, a robust recruitment model.

So we're working to develop that.

That's where the youth are kind of coming in.

How can we reach into the high schools?

For kids that are not thinking about higher ed, how do we get them into these training programs?

Right.

We'll continue to work in the manufacturing and in health care as we traditionally do.

We're strong in those areas, and so we'll continue to do that, and then we want to add more case management because we're finding people in workforce.

It's a lot of intensive um support that's needed.

Yeah.

From case management to the training to the retention, and then the conversation of working with the employer partners.

That's a whole nother language in getting employer partners to sign on.

Our program offers stipends not only to the participants to the employer partners as well to add to the salaries of the people as well.

So we want to keep that model going.

Excellent.

Excellent.

Uh have you guys applied for block grant before?

Or what?

For block grant?

Uh yeah, we've we have.

We've had we've had a NSP and yeah, historically, Silver Spring has been uh part of our black brand funding more on the youth side of it.

You know, workforce is the first time for us.

Sure.

Yeah.

All right, hello.

Hi.

Did you want to say something about the your leadership with the youth program?

Um, I've been in at the Silver Spring Neighborhood Center for six years.

Okay.

I typically serve 11 through 18 year olds.

Okay.

Um, for our youth social development program.

So we are starting summer camp June 22nd.

Um we've had a lot of walk-ins with orientations and tours come up, so a lot of people are coming in.

Um we do a lot of fun stuff, so we advise for a lot of people to sign their kids up.

Um we go camping, we take the kids out of town, we do zip lining, a little bit of everything.

We do um job trainings for the kids.

We actually hire a lot of kids on who complete our dry up training program.

So some of them get the opportunity to work for me from six, I mean eighth grade, no, yeah, eighth grade to twelfth grade.

Um so we are able to retain a lot of our kids too, um, while also building that rapport with their parents to give them additional services they need throughout the day.

Um we also have a really amazing basketball program.

So that starts at six year olds all the way to 18-year-olds as well who are interested in that AAU and going to college in basketball.

So we tie a lot of programming into that as well.

And you got a brand new basketball gym, don't you?

Yes, yeah, yeah.

I'm telling you, all right.

Any questions by the committee?

Alderman Chambers.

Okay.

Of course.

Uh uh a product of the Cemetery Neighborhood Center.

Um, I just want to, you know, thank um Director Hudson and her staff for an amazing partnership, um, an amazing commitment, not only to uh the Westline uh garden residents, but also to um the Avon Woods and the nearby um Northwest Side and also in Milwaukee because a lot of people have benefited.

Um as the young lady stated, you know, NBA players uh, you know, brands came from the Spartan AAU program.

I can name Dwight Bikes, you got DeAJ Garrett, I can name a couple more that you know started from the Spartan AAU program and made it all the way to the NBA and college and everything above.

So I just want to, you know, continue to thank you know, continue to thank them for their their uh leadership and uh their continued partnership and and uh benefit and you know just I'm just elated to help them in any way I can and uh they are uh uh a true pillar in the second district.

So thank you.

Excellent, excellent.

That's a good.

Yes, older woman more.

Thank you.

Of course.

Um Devin, I know that we were only able to provide you half the request um for each of the program areas that you applied for.

Um, will you all still be able to have the capacity to support, um, to provide the support that had already been planned, or does this uh diminish um or um sort of diminish uh the number of people that you'd be able to serve with um the support that we've provided.

It doesn't diminish the number, no, not at all.

Um in fact it's it's it's manageable, you know, you don't I'm one that's cautious, I don't like to overcommit.

Sure.

I think this keeps us in a comfortable space.

We do have other funding sources that will allow us to continue and not reduce our numbers.

Awesome.

Thank you.

We don't have to reduce our numbers.

Excellent.

Mr.

Chair.

Um, just to speak to that all the one uh one uh other one more very good question.

I mean, we'll be having our RP cycle in this uh shop training placement is one of those eligible activities.

And we've we've lost some um some um groups in this area over the last couple years so um this should be a good opportunity for them.

Excellent.

Thank you.

It's a tough space.

Yeah.

I ain't gonna say it's the tendency, is what I hear.

Well that's it, the attendance and getting people the you know the commitment.

And it has to be an individual thing.

You can have the best program set up and in place for individuals, but if they don't have that commitment within themselves, that's what becomes a challenge.

And so that's why I say there's that intensive coaching and training, and then you you have to talk to the employers.

It's a lot of convincing the employers.

Absolutely.

Yeah, absolutely.

Like it's it's a cycle.

It's a vicious cycle, so and you want to keep integrity into the program, you know, making sure that you have that you're delivering what you say.

That's it.

And that the people are being supported in the way that you say that you're gonna support them.

But the employer, that's that's the tricky piece.

As we know, they you know, yeah, you know, yeah.

You have to kind of pivot their thinking, so good stuff.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh thank you both so much.

Oh, yeah.

Thank you, Ms.

Chair.

Um, I have attended the TAP program, the graduation and uh that was a great song.

Okay, yeah, the same here.

As I as I push the trades and I'm a tradesman myself, I'm a medaller just by trade.

So I do apply I do appreciate the graduation I was there and uh looking forward to the next cycle.

Yeah, thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you guys, all right.

And last but definitely not least, we have two hundred thousand dollars awarded to our emerging youth advisory council.

I have the pleasure of being on that council, but I am also joined by the chairman of that council, Alderman and President Perez Perez.

Um thank you, uh Mr.

Chair and committee members.

Um I have to just congratulate um y'all coalescing with uh Mario and his shop around these tough decisions to make.

Yeah.

But when you think about the amount of reprogramming dollars that are made available, and um I think you couldn't have a better demonstration or commitment to young people than all the funds that have been allocated and letting them know we care about them and that we want to see it moving in the right direction and um I didn't say m much on the safe summer sites, but as my kids were younger, we always went to you know, all the high schools figuring out where to roller skate and have fun at them, and so we're we're looking forward to the enhancement of those services with extra hours and and to be more deliberate about that.

And with the emerging youth advisory council, um we've been very strategic about creating opportunities for youth serving agencies and being innovative about it that aren't right now, you know, connected to the block rent, that are smaller shops that are doing innovative things, working with young people has been a clearinghouse for that and traditionally prior to reconstituting this, uh the blackmail achievement would annually get three hundred thousand dollars for funding for those creative ways.

Right.

And I think that um with with creating those opportunities that for organizations that aren't currently connected and the use of reprogramming to do exactly that through the youth achievement advisory council is great, and uh we're covering STEM through Bikerfest.

When you look at boat works, you're looking at uh an introduction of potential trades, building boats, and with the kinship um that we're doing, they're actually with our one hundred and fifty dollar match there.

They're matching that with uh or they're matching the one fifty with another hundred, and they're looking at um the goal is to to really they're committed to do to connecting with two hundred and fifty youth this summer, and we're kicking that off this Friday and including um so you have STEM, you have kind of the trades, uh, but now with with the project kinship, now you have an opportunity for civil engagement and they get our young people excited about serving in any type of leadership role.

So we're just super excited about doing that this summer.

I invite everyone on on Saturday to come out to Cosley Park for the kickoff, uh, because it's about uh the Milwaukee love and showing your love for Milwaukee.

And I'm really proud that we've been talking about data, data collection, and and this entire all these projects are talking about how do we collect data with young people and do it in a way that we can use it to make better decisions and influence our policy moving forward.

So just looking forward to that.

And there are some representatives here, yeah from Kinship couldn't make it, she's out of town.

Right.

But we have other folks here.

Sure.

You wanna give us the information for Kosyosko Park on Saturday?

Yes, it is uh the Milwaukee love summer kickback and um it starts it's from eleven to three at the center.

So we want to make sure that people are there.

There's uh not only are we documenting everyone that comes through, talking about those needs and assessments.

We got health and wellness resources, resources and program signups, active play, creative art activities.

We got skill building workshops and we have several partners um from navigators to folks like educators credit union and that the summer program has a very robust list of partners they're working with from true school and um so many other folks.

So that's what we're looking forward to on Saturday to kick off the summer program.

Excellent, excellent, man.

It's great news.

It's a great event for this Saturday.

So this uh what organizations are here?

You said um Biker Fest is here for sure.

Okay, co uh where is she come on up?

Oh, she's going to board.

Okay, okay.

The engineers here from Biker Fest.

Oh yeah, oh yeah.

What's up, how you doing?

Thanks for coming.

And then we have one or you said um project which one is here.

I think Boltworks is either on the board, I think.

All right, man, you please introduce yourself.

You have the floor.

I apologize for the work attire.

But my name is uh Label Mabato.

I'm the program facilitator for uh Biker Fest MKE.

So we run two programs.

Our Smart Tech program, which deals specifically with Steam, um and uh teaching kids how to build motorcycles, and then our sliders program which actually teaches kids how to take the motorcycles they build and race them.

Um so uh with the funding here we're looking to expand um our reach from eight kids to sixteen kids.

Um it is very time and uh and uh uh very costly to keep the bikes going racing, um, and to facilitate this.

So we are looking for uh help with um you know other programs um along with you know space um because we are doing something different than the traditional sport of you know, basketball, football, things like that.

This is something that's not available in Milwaukee.

Um these kids do not have a racetrack to just go and practice, so um we do uh, you know, we we do our best to make this happen.

Hey, uh Bris, um what did what do we have the city do partner with Barker Fest.

Oh yeah, they are we got innovative with the toll lot.

You mean with the toll lot and then the bikes, yeah.

So um the toll lot sees a lot of motorcycles that are either scrapped or potentially sold and uh we partner with DPW and uh Peter Knox was very helpful with us.

We've got to give him a shout out to to them.

Streamline Peter the minimal cost of the bikes to biker fest.

So um the best we could do is just the title, paying for the title transfer.

So it's one thing for a sale, it's another title for a scrap, but uh we help get them some funds to get them started and then they could use the bikes to rebuild them.

So it's part of the STEM the steam training for all the young people and then potentially race them and then we we also cleared through the resolution that um at some point in time they could potentially sell some of those bikes to then create revenue for the program.

Yeah.

I'll get more.

It's going well.

It's going well.

Yeah, we're excited to take on more kids.

Okay, at uh Juneteenth, so uh we'll be doing a showcase.

We'll be doing a showcase there.

Um, and you know, we're working with uh a bunch of partners, MA uh M S O E right now.

Uh we're looking to expand uh hopefully get MATC and other uh colleges on board uh on the Steam side um and uh yeah.

Thank you.

Can you give me the age range?

So seven to sixteen right now.

Oh, seven, seven.

Yeah, that's awesome.

We we teach kids that uh don't even some kids don't even know how to ride bicycles.

Yeah, I not right and they get in.

That's awesome.

And hold on, Mr.

Chair.

Hold on, wait, and then really quick, um, how many young people with this support?

How many young people will you be able to serve?

So, we'd be doubling, so it'd be we we'd be going from eight to sixteen.

Okay, that's awesome.

And then um for this particular program for the summer, um, can you give me like, oh, it's Monday through Friday, or it's four days, it's three days from this time to this time.

So it's kind of divided into two separate programs.

So right now we're taking in uh applications are open for for new uh new kids.

We do have a wait list.

So we'll be choosing from the wait list and then uh, you know, people will drop out, okay.

Sure.

Uh so most of that will be uh outdoors since we have you know great weather.

Um and I believe we work with uh um the boys and girls club to then expand that.

Um so the kids uh not all the kids jump on the dirt bikes right away.

Of course.

It's a small uh it's a step-up program, so they start on e-bikes.

So we work with uh Stasics to uh basically teach them how to the basics of riding, throttle, maneuvering the the motorcyc uh the bicycles at this point until they switch over to motorcycles, and then from then on we uh we have a practice facility that we do practices on Sundays in Random Lake, and then uh the uh some of the kids are racing uh usually Saturdays would be race day for them.

Got it.

So it's just awesome.

So yeah, so the e-bikes, we uh it gives us more opportunity to practice on the e-bikes.

The dirt bikes, not so much as uh it's pretty frowned upon to be racing uh in city limits.

So it's we that's that's kind of where we struggle, where we need to get more space or maybe even get a space here.

Yeah, so that we could offer this as uh an everyday thing.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Of course.

Thank you.

Um appreciate you coming down.

Program is excellent.

We're here to support.

Right.

Alright.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And the other representatives on the board uh boat works.

Are you there?

Yes, we're here.

Good afternoon, Mr.

Chairman.

Good afternoon to you.

Thank you for showing up.

Let us know how your program is going to help you this summer.

I think you couldn't be here.

Well, uh I'm Bill Nimke, executive director at All Hands Boatworks.

I'm also on the call with Crystal, uh Meisel, our community partnerships manager.

And uh, you know, we're you know, we've been uh around now doing our work for more than 13 years, uh serving young people in the Milwaukee area from age 10 through uh young adulthood, 22, 23 years old.

And we're excited that this block grant funding would enable us to fuel expanded participation for approximately 60 or more youth across four different program areas of ours.

So this would be above and beyond what we currently serve.

That's right.

Excellent, excellent.

This is all great news.

Uh congratulations on your award.

We look forward to great things in the community.

So uh thank you for coming.

So you all that concludes our allocation of three million dollars.

Um we spent every dollar on the youth this this cycle, and we are hopeful of progress.

So thank you to all the organizations like you all for coming down.

Thank you for to your department, Mario, for helping us put this together strategically and best fit.

We have from seven year olds all the way up to uh grown adults that have an opportunity to work this summer, get some skills this summer, and be productive this summer.

So, Mr.

Chair.

Can always use more, but this is what we have all the women more.

Yeah, I just you know want to say um that we understand that the need is really great.

Mario will probably received more applications than he can fund.

Um, and this says a lot, especially when we think about support services, really, really focusing on summer for young people.

And this is where you know our philanthropic partners are businesses.

Um, you know, these are ways for us to really engage and come together to be able to have a strategic approach to be able to support young people.

We know that the dollars are limited.

We get it, we understand that.

Um, but I love that in some of these things um where partners came together to collaboratively, you know, do something that was that's going to be an even greater impact.

And so um I know that um, you know, again, dollars are limited, but for those organizations that are, you know, doing summer work.

Um we want to continue to encourage you, support you, um, because at this moment we need all hands on leck.

We need every single, every single last one of our young people should be doing something this summer.

There's no reason why that they should not be engaged in the sum engaged in something this summer.

So it's going to be our responsibility, you know, whether as government, as community partners, as parents to share out information.

There's so much great work um that's going on.

Let's make sure that all of our young people um are engaged.

But man, thank you, partners, for all the work that you all continue to do.

I know it's definitely out of love.

All right, thank you, older woman.

And uh thank you, thank you, Mario, and your staff.

You guys do good work.

It definitely felt like a youth day.

So I'm making sure I'm brought my grandson.

Uh, he's visiting me from the he's visiting me from Atlanta.

Yes, welcome.

His name is Carter Carter.

Yes, it's yes, he's a granddaddy.

Welcome to Milwaukee.

Welcome to the community economic development committee.

Yes, welcome, welcome.

All right, let's uh thank you guys with that.

Let me see.

Do we need another uh oh Mr.

Chair?

Can I co can I co-sponsor um item number eight with you, please?

Sure, sure.

All the woman more is requesting co-sponsorship.

And with that, all the woman more moves for confirmation, hearing no objections, so ordered.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Excellent, excellent.

Okay, we are on to our next agenda item.

Number nine.

This is uh substitute resolution relating to the use and allocation of the home investment partnership 2026 reprogramming funds.

Director Higgins.

Uh good afternoon, Chairman.

Uh similar to the community development grants.

Um, sorry, uh community black grant uh allocation.

Uh this is the home uh reprogramming file.

Yes and home is uh exclusively used for housing uh uh projects.

Um so we generally are looking at anything from owner-occupied housing to uh home buyer and or and or um large rental projects.

So today we have um about one, about six allocations that we're looking at uh for um affordable rental.

First one is KG Development Group.

This is a thirty-one unit project on 50th off of Lisbon.

Yes.

Um it's a supportive uh housing project, and uh the request was five hundred thousand dollars, they have a pretty big shortfall in their in their project, and uh the county has um has secured some of that um shortfall and then they were requesting from us as well.

So we have a uh three hundred thousand dollar recommendation for that for that project.

All right, we do we do have a representative from uh KG development, the actual KG.

Not AK.

I think I'll know what you want to do.

Uh people say okay, okay.

Uh Anthony Kenzie, thank you for coming down.

Thank you for continuing to help build the city of Milwaukee.

Uh, how will this funding help you?

Uh yes, no, uh, thank you.

Uh again, uh common council.

Uh yeah, we're uh set to complete uh 24 36 North 50th Street.

Uh actually July 24th.

Uh 31 uh affordable units with eight set aside as permanent supporter of housing.

Uh by the you know, by the project being an adaptive reuse, there was a lot of uh additional offering conditions that we didn't expect, like uh we found some additional asbestos, you know, on the third floor that wasn't discovered doing uh testing.

Uh some other things with uh the elevator with the new building code updates.

We had to do some other uh upgrades that we I guess at the time of the permitting process we wasn't aware of.

So just some offering conditions with the uh inspectors that we had to upgrade some of the uh say the elevator stuff, some uh some shafts for the historical society.

So we just had some unexpected costs that wasn't uh expected during uh pre-development, pre-uh design, pre-construction when we met with these different departments and it just kind of led to some cost overruns.

Uh we have the contractor catalyst construction have ate some of the costs as well.

Uh we uh ate some of the costs also before reaching out, you know, to the city and the county to see if they can help with uh any of the remaining funds.

So we want to make sure that we were a part of that uh, you know, trying to fill that kind of you know, cost overrun.

So uh excited to you know get this uh project completed.

Uh it's the first one in Wisconsin to combine, you know, permanent houses with crisis units with affordable units.

So uh really excited about that and uh hopefully you know we can move forward with uh you know closing this gap.

Awesome.

Excellent any questions for uh KG.

Alright, thank you, man.

Congratulations.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

All right, um Director.

Uh next project uh with uh Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity for Affordable Housing Production Home Buyer.

Uh so pretty straightforward with the uh type of project and product we get from um uh from habitat.

Um speak to your program.

Yes.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

Hey, thanks for coming down.

Thanks for having me.

So you were awarded uh five hundred thousand dollars.

Please let us know how you were on the wrong wrong right.

Oh my god.

I turned and looking at it.

So that number was too high for you.

So then you recognize that 500,000.

All right, well, uh, sorry about that.

Uh are you from Milwaukee?

Yes, you are.

So why do you lay them set up when I see like that?

You didn't even say nothing.

All right, so thanks for coming down.

Thank you.

And uh you guys are doing great things building houses all over the city.

So let us know how this will assist you in your development.

Can I have your name?

Sure.

Uh Beth Van Gorf.

I'm the director of advocacy and government relations at Milwaukee Habitat.

A few years ago we made a bold goal to double our production to 40 homes a year.

And so that was supposed to happen in by 2028, and this year we will build 40 homes.

So this will help us to reach that, you know, very bold goal.

Um, and right now we're playing for 10 homes.

Uh, two in your district.

Uh, in Stamper, and then um the remainder in Harambe and Amani.

The Amani homes are in Albany McCoggs district.

So we're very, you know, appreciative and excited to be able to continue to build stability in Milwaukee.

Excellent.

So 40 homes is 40 new homeowners.

Yes.

Awesome.

Yes.

Thank you so much.

You guys keep continuing the great work.

Yeah, thank you so much.

It's so good to see y'all.

Thanks for coming down.

Congratulations on your award.

Alright, next we have uh, let's see, we have Milwaukee Community Crossroads.

I don't know if they're here.

We spoke about them earlier.

Are they available?

No.

Well, tell them we said thank you.

We know all the great work they're doing on the South Side and the North Side.

Please give them our regard and tell them our congratulations.

Uh, North Star Companies is being awarded 500,000 North Star Companies.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

Around a ride.

This is for the Austin Commons.

You are being awarded $500,000.

Please let us know how this will help your development.

Yeah.

Um this is proposing a hundred.

I'm sorry.

Uh Brandon Mathew with Northern Star Companies.

Uh Tyler Sharon with Commonwealth Companies.

Yeah, um, so this is uh redevelopment of three long vacant homes into a hundred affordable housing units.

Uh the money will s close a significant uh gap that we've experienced.

Um the site is a dirty site.

There are some constraints with fitting a hundred units uh on that parcel, and this goes uh a ton of distance in bringing the ends together for our project budget.

What's the total budget?

Total budget is roughly I think currently 33.3 million okay uh in in that vicinity.

So um it's up there.

Um it's uh it's a moving target in some some instances with uh you know geopolitical issues and things of that nature uh but we are very close and we plan to have a shovel in the ground uh at the end of this uh july okay does this get you there this this along with uh another resource that we are hopeful uh to receive uh uh tax agreement to financing it will it'll bring us home okay okay you have some comments uh no I I would just say I mean I kudos to Brennan for putting this deal together um he had just approached Commonwealth to really kind of help him and provide additional capacity so um that that's the role that I'm serving and and our team is serving awesome thank you guys so much uh do we have any comments about committee yeah I'll just say one thing all the woman thank you so much to see you all again thank you for all the meetings we've had um we'll be having a third neighborhood meeting um on this as we you know work to to find the best um plan for the neighborhood so for anyone listening um and then the TIFF proposal that's in front of us that TIFF proposal has been introduced into the system legislatively um it won't be available in time for zoning this cycle because we're gonna have the third meeting but it would be up for public debate at zoning likely in July so just for anyone who's watching and who continues to come to the meetings and continues to have questions this is one step um in that direction I mean it's clear that doing affordable housing needing this type of assistance you know that that makes sense right I get that um but the larger TIFF question and neighborhood involvement we're still working on so I just for anybody listening to understand this can be kind of an overwhelming process with timing and different funding sources um you know and there's been some changes along the way but there'll be a third meeting and um the TIFF will be considered likely at zoning in July so all right uh any other questions about or comments by committee?

All right Brennan congratulations man thank you for coming up here.

All right next we have rural enterprises for affordable housing rental the kin they are being awarded 400 thousand dollars we have representative I thought Brendan was supposed to be available but I know he had some later on commitments so I don't know if he uh had to leave just because of the timing of everything all right uh I believe the president spoke well okay we're good all right we'll support tell him congratulations and last but definitely not least we have Leighton we have Leighton Boulevard West Neighbors affordable housing production home buyer program are they available Mario I thought they would be too were they here?

I didn't see Joanna today.

Alright well um please let Via know we uh appreciate their support their uh progress and support in the community thank them for their home ownership programs please give them a regard and so on congratulations and with that that is a 2.7 million dollars allocated for affordable housing and home ownership alderman Jackson moves for adoption hearing no objections so ordered thank you now we are moving on to item number 10 260207 substitute resolution relative to the allocation of funding from the home art funds to the fund the housing affordable well I've said that one already.

Oh no I didn't did I do this one you didn't no yet no no I didn't do that one okay then no number 10 yeah yeah yeah thank you so substitute resolution relative to the allocation of the funding from the home art funds to fund affordable housing.

Martin uh thank you um Mr Chair so the home ARP allocation we received those funds um and well the council approved that approved that plan uh back in 2024 and we've made some allocations uh from home art to some supportive housing uh projects so far.

Uh right now, we've our biggest concentration as of late has been trying to get the non-congregate shelter um a part of our plan uh together.

When we first started this, we really did think that we're gonna do a larger sixty unit building uh for non-congregate shelter, maybe uh old hotel or something like that.

Um I think once we started down the process of looking for, you know, having working with a realtor to try to get that done.

It just wasn't feasible to try to find the building type that really worked.

Um hotels that already started back operating um outside of COVID outside of the pandemic because we were we were renting out hotels during the pandemic to house people.

Um so we sort of missed the opportunity to use one of those facilities if they would have wanted to sell.

Um and just the sheer concentration, we also went through the sort of process where a lot of permanent, fully permanent supportive housing uh projects failed.

Um, you know, we had a failure by a l uh developer from Chicago that had four or five properties here, Heartland Housing, if you probably recall them.

And we also realized that having that type of density in permanent supportive housing in one building, if it goes bad, we lose 60 units of housing.

Um or whatever shelter or permanent supportive housing.

So we went back to the drawing board and we looked at my team looked at um doing this in smaller projects.

Things that were easily more sustainable, and then even if they did go bad, you don't have to lose 60 units at one time.

And um if they fit better into neighborhoods and to other spaces, having them small um things like that.

So we have a non-congregate shelter application that we've sent out in RFP uh back earlier this year, and we have respondents from about nine different um projects.

Three of the projects we want to move forward with um Milwaukee County as the Hillview project they uh they own a building on the south side.

They're already were operating that building for um um some permanent supportive stuff.

Yeah, we use we used it during warming for a couple years, for warming, and now they're rehabbing that to do some permanent supportive housing on the third floor and looking to do the second floor as a uh non-congregate shelter.

So people where is the uh Hillview is oh man, why didn't I have it on here?

Twenty tell me.

Where?

Yes.

So she said south 21st area.

So 12th.

So 12th.

Oh, okay.

Yeah, and I've spoken with them.

Probably by what though, like name some.

It's sort of in the middle of a block.

It's off is off Mitchell, right?

Yeah, yeah, it's off Mitchell.

Okay.

Um so yeah, enough and they've been using this building for this type of service, but it hasn't been a rehab.

So the non-congregate shelter really does demand that they, you know, basically four walls and uh and at least a bathroom.

So very different than congregate shelter where people are uh sleeping next to each other.

Um some of our most vulnerable and hard to place uh uh citizens that are on our streets or living on the street.

They um they don't they won't go into those shelter spaces like that until like unless it's like sometimes extreme cold or something like that.

That's the only time you can get them into a congregate shelter.

So these spaces help us deal with some of those populations, help us deal with um um domestic violence, people who maybe being unhoused because of domestic violence issues um and things like that.

Um so Hillview is one of those where it'll be 11 units plus some supportive space.

Uh the county was requesting the two million.

Um we talked to them and told them we probably wouldn't get there, uh, but uh one point four million to help build out the units um and to uh help build out some of that supportive services space.

So that one would have t uh 24 hour supportive services there.

Sure.

That's great.

That was great.

That's amazing.

Yep.

Wisconsin community services, uh Capuchin Apartments and have two projects we're working with them on.

Now staff from um Wisconsin Community Services couldn't be here today.

They have a employee recognition day that they're doing, so pretty much all their staff was was dealing with that.

I think I do have developers here though that are working with them on the project, so we want them to speak to it.

But same type of scenario.

Capuchin apartments used to be operated by Heartland Housing.

Um they they left the uh another developer sort of took over the space temporarily, and now WCS is gonna be taking that space.

Uh six eight of the units in that particular building will also be um non-congregate shelter.

The rest of the building will be still permanent supportive housing, um, and it'll be the clientele that um WCS works with.

Excellent.

Who's the developer?

On the Capuchin, is that the Anthony Casey?

So she's way, way in the back.

But I see uh this Ariam, the developer.

Uh good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

Thanks for coming down.

Thank you for having us.

I'm a fan of WCS.

You want to tell us what you uh development?

Yeah, hi everybody.

Ariam Cassette, owner and operator of AK developments, and we collaborated closely with WCS from a service perspective.

As Mario reiterated, housing our most vulnerable population is not always a box filler set type of situation.

So along with the city a Mario's department, we got really creative with what housing looks like and then being intentional about having other income producing residents in the same environment so that we're creating the flexibility.

Um so we got two sites, um, one in Atkison, and then as well as Tamrak.

So we have two different aldermatic districts that we're also working closely with to address the homelessness, but also to really intentionally be um making sure that everybody has income producing opportunities along their journey of healing.

Excellent.

Any questions for Aaron?

Mr.

Chairman, all the one more.

No, I just I just wanna just specifically say, especially when we're working with our unhoused population, that it's not just providing them a place to stay.

That's right.

It's a part, a big part of it, um, but the supportive services, so those partnerships are so critically important.

And I just want to thank you, you know, for the work that you're doing and that you continue to do, and let's hope that we can continue to expand on models um such as this that you know provides um leverage to really support um our unhoused population.

So thank you.

Of course, and it addresses a lot of other economic mechanisms that we get to tackle as well.

So we appreciate all the opportunity and working closely with Mario and his team has been amazing, to say the least.

Thank you.

Kudos.

Like an awkward moment.

He knows I don't do that very well.

He doesn't take compliments very well, I think.

Congratulations, man.

Keep up the good work.

Arian, thank you so much.

Of course.

We look forward to more of you guys.

Good work in the community, all right.

Thank you for coming down.

Uh next we have Milwaukee Development Corporation, they're being awarded 1.1 million, another housing affordable housing production.

Your turn.

And this and just so we're clear, this is uh permanent supportive house.

Oh, it's permanent, okay.

Yeah, so uh primarily seniors with uh with all of the work that we do around homelessness right now, uh senior the senior population has been a growing population of people that we're starting to see on the streets.

Yeah, they were in our uh warming uh shelters uh over the over the winter, so we're trying to make sure we uh check that particular population as well.

Thank you for coming down.

Hi, thanks for having me back up here.

I'm Pat O'Brien, uh, president of the Milwaukee Development Corps and Milwaukee Urban Strategic Investment Corps.

We've been a nonprofit uh city catalytic community-based developer for 51 years in the city, do a number of things, have moved into the housing in the last five, seven, ten years.

That's where the need is, that's where the market is.

And we're working on this uh project 2711 West Well Street, which is the old uh county campus buildings.

So we're taking two of the three buildings, turning them into uh 124 one and two bedroom senior housing units for low-income and disadvantaged population.

So we're able to dedicate eleven units to the uh unhoused population, and if we get another grant, we may be able to more than double that and also work on some people that are with uh permanent disabilities, both mental and physical.

Um and it's senior housing, so we're we're taking a building that's been vacant for over ten years, and uh trying to reproduce it into something that's activate the building into something that uh is a as we all know is a huge community need.

And we have supportive services internally, Jewish Family Services is providing those internally.

Excellent.

We have some space on the first floor of one of the buildings to provide outward facing community services if we could find somebody that would be interested in that we can offer that to them at below market rents and pay for twenty five or fifty percent of their capital costs to move in but we have to do that while we're constructing the building tax credits.

Yeah and Pat I missed it how many how many units will be available on this one?

124 total units.

One and two family one and two bedroom excellent I see question on that question.

Is of the hundred and twenty four how many are affordable?

They're all all affordable different scale though of course and permanent supportive of our below thirty percent AMI.

Yeah, thank you.

Awesome all right well keep up the great work yeah thank you for coming down appreciate your support and work in the community your name over there Pat O'Brien thank you.

Pat thanks for coming out.

You have a good day.

Thank you all right Mario good work uh we have all the allocations out with that did you have a did you have any closing comments or we're gonna move on move next move to the next subject.

Yeah I'm I'm actually done but you done I appreciate you many you've been working hard these last couple months you and your staff thank you all so much and we just want to show our appreciation.

Yeah thank you um get those last adoption what do you say it's a big thunderstorm on here so we might want to see yes we're not in here.

So with that all the woman more moves for adoption here appreciates you bro.

All right number 11 2602 resolution declaring Beat Street Fall Festival to be an official city event and authorizing acceptance and exponential of contributions for this purpose sponsored by Alder Woman Dimitrovic what we got going on Alder Woman.

Thank you well I know you already know um so I'll just move um adoption but if you haven't heard of Beat Street it's put on by Cactus Club um plus organization and there's groups from African American round table diverse and resilient lit the library queer zine archive project I mean there's a whole list here um and it's just a really amazing one day street festival that includes worldwide music and just a really inclusive inviting space for everybody.

So I did need to move in this direction to continue to unlock support um and they did make a proposal which I'll be presenting but I had to take care of this step first.

For sure so and thanks for the prior support but it's a really cool um festival mostly on Wentworth Avenue in the Bayview neighborhood.

Thank you.

You're great things I gotta get them oh yeah this year.

Yes let's see all right well excellent thank you all the women more moves for adoption hearing objections so or thank you so much number 12 260 230 resolution relating to the declaring the Grandville MKE pop up kid fund day as an official city event Taylor are you there?

Talk to her I'm just in there the link all right all the driver's holds this at the call of the chair and no objection so order number thirteen two six zero two three one and ordinance relating to the membership of the sister city committee sponsored by me.

Tony please come up this is all about you and visit Milwaukee today.

I've been chairing this committee for eight to ten years we're also also always looking for innovative ideas partnerships and way to expand ourselves globally Tony has been at the last year meeting or less but we welcomed him there he's provided great insight and updates for visit and the city as a whole and this is a perfect partnership to help us grow the sister cities committee.

Tony please let us know why we need to have busy Milwaukee and um what kind of partnership we look forward to yeah Tony Snow Rodriguez uh I'm the director of community engagement and inclusion at Visit Milwaukee.

Yes.

Uh Chairman Stamper members of the committee uh it's a pleasure to be here today.

I'm I'm here on behalf of visit Milwaukee to express our support for having a representative serve on the sister cities committee.

Yes.

Visit Milwaukee works all already aligns closely with the committee's mission.

We promote Milwaukee's uh ethnic and international and cultural festivals.

We host international delegations that come and visit here.

We participate in global partnerships like Great Lakes USA and help showcase Milwaukee visitor uh to visitors from around the world so we have uh those connections.

Uh I I've had the opportunity to regular regularly attend the committee meetings and have um seen firsthand uh the value of the relationship and cultural connections um fostered through your work as sister with Sister Cities.

Um so formal representation of Visit Milwaukee would strengthen the collaboration and help connect Sister Cities efforts with tourism, cultural exchange, and international engagement opportunities.

Before I finish, I you know, and it's interesting how we just had that session on community block grants, which included many events like Biker Fest, which we are actually s supporting and helping promote uh and working with Venetia Simpson there.

And I hear about the Beat Festival, uh the Cactus Club.

You know, these are these are all entities that we work with, but I I just want to remind the committee that we have an events calendar that's designed for the community.

And it's called it and you can link to it at Visit Milwaukee.org slash community.

So we have our leisure travel calendar that people from maybe 50 miles plus tune into to look for things to do, and locals tune into it as well.

But you know there are events right here in our community that I think are so important to our community, whether it's a business event, so if a business is hosting something, like a networking event or or uh there are galas, there are sessions, they can put it in this calendar.

Also, when they're planning, they can look out and see what's happening.

So maybe they don't, although we can host, you know, Milwaukee's huge.

We can host several events, but if you want to be a little strategic, take a look at the calendar.

Visit Milwaukee.org forward slash community.

So I was hearing several events, including um President Perez and his event coming up, so I need to get a copy of his flyers to make sure that we're putting it out there.

And then once it's in the calendar, then we're able to see it and then able to promote it through our networks uh and our our socialization of all of this.

So I I'm just looking forward to the continued collaboration.

Uh I can't thank uh Common Council enough and in the city and our partnership um and our engagement, and of course, uh uh Chair uh your your role on um Visit Milwaukee's Board of Directors and we appreciate that service as well and look forward to.

We welcome you wholeheartedly and you guys continue to group work promoting our beautiful city, yeah.

All the woman more.

No, I just wanted to amplify Tony what you just shared about the community calendar because I keep forgetting that that is such a beautiful space for um when we're looking for something to do or even our neighborhoods, you know, those that are doing the the concerts.

I'm you know, I have concert on the green at Indress Park and Washington Park Wednesdays, you know, that are coming up, and so it is an uh absolutely amazing place where folks can just dump information to see what's going on and pick and choose, you know what I mean.

There's so much to do, particularly in summer here in the city of Milwaukee and visit Milwaukee is that place.

So it qu the other ass that I have for you, Tony.

If you can um if you can send the council just a reminder to say, hey, please share this with your neighborhood groups that when they're having you know their concert series or you know, these you know their events that this is a place for them to place the information or look when they're planning something, right?

So um if you can just remember to just send us a memo so that we're aware of it and that we can just share it back out to um our neighborhood partners.

But thank you for that reminder because I keep forgetting, but I won't anymore.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And you know there's nothing too big or too small that we can't.

We have 191 neighborhoods, is it weekly or monthly?

So the calendar is living and live.

Oh, the newsletter, you get an events newsletter weekly, yeah.

Yes, it's and it's packed, yeah.

Yeah, Peggy's insights, our CEO's insights every Friday is packed with information.

We also have our leisure travel newsletter that goes out, several newsletters, but uh importantly it's something that people can access 24 7.

You can upload 24 7.

Yep, nothing's too small, nothing's too big.

Everything is important in Milwaukee.

So thank you for the amazing work you all do, Tony.

Thank you.

Thank you for the amazing work you do.

Thank you.

You know, it's a collaboration, it's centered.

That's it.

That's it.

So I welcome you aboard.

I can't.

I'll see you at the next Sister Cities meeting on the this side.

Absolutely.

And are you our representative?

He's a chair.

Of the sister cities.

Okay, you can't do it.

You can go.

So yeah, we're just putting some together for the dialogue and expansion.

For the uh auction for the uh national conference, which is in DC this year.

So we're putting a Milwaukee fund pack together for Al, who's a member.

And uh so we'll be sharing that information, and that's another way we can help promote Milwaukee.

Yeah, through our sister cities peers.

Yes.

All right, glad to have you.

Alder Woman Moore moves for your passage.

Hearing no objections, so order.

Congratulations, Tony.

Appreciate you all.

Welcome aboard.

All right, next, we have 14260-234 resolution rescinding coming council file number two five zero eight five five and designating certain city of Milwaukee events and initiatives as eligible for contributions.

What we're doing is just open it up for more aldermen to have more opportunity for city events and receive funding for it.

Um when you first got elected.

Now we're this is kind of like doing that.

Um a lot of people want to support us.

We want to make sure we ethical so we'll have to go through the right channels.

So thank you for that idea.

Uh Alderman Jackson moves for adoption, hearing no objections so ordered.

Last but definitely not least, have we found all the woman tailor?

Did we?

All right, this is in one of her programs.

You guys know about it?

Mobile program.

That concludes the item 12, right?

That is item 12, yeah.

Sorry about that.

Alderman Jackson moves for adoption.

Approval, no objections, so ordered Jackson.

Jackson, Jackson, Jackson.

I said Jackson, you did.

Okay, thank you.

Okay.

Um the following file may be placed on file as no longer needed.

Number 15241501.

Communication related to 2005 activities of Sister Cities Committee.

Hearing no objections.

So order, you guys, thank you for today.

I enjoyed the conversation.

Good.

I enjoyed the allocation of funds.

Okay.

Uh, with that, meeting is adjourned.

Have an excellent day.

Absolutely.

That's rid