Phoenix Economic Development and Housing Subcommittee Meeting - June 12, 2024
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Phoenix Economic Development and Housing Subcommittee Meeting - June 12, 2024
The Economic Development and Housing Subcommittee of the Phoenix City Council met on June 12, 2024, to discuss and vote on items including the city's homelessness strategy, a major biosciences project, a historic firehouse lease, a development agreement in Laveen, and the creation of a Sports and Events Commission. The subcommittee unanimously approved all action items.
Note: The raw transcript repeatedly identifies the meeting date as January 12, 2024, which conflicts with the provided date of June 12, 2024.
Consent Calendar
- The subcommittee approved the minutes from May 8, 2024, unanimously.
- Consent agenda items 2 through 7 were approved unanimously without questions.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Take Back Our Homes campaign speakers (Avalon/Evelyn Castillo, Andrea Luna, and Sebastian del Portillo) urged the subcommittee to fund and implement a right-to-counsel program for renters facing eviction. They cited successful models in Tucson and Cleveland, noting improved outcomes for tenants and cost savings for cities, and requested a cost-benefit analysis for Phoenix. They also called for eviction prevention funding in the next budget cycle.
- Rick Naymark, president of the Hance Park Conservancy, expressed support for the proposed restaurant lease at the former firehouse, saying the city's investment would make the adaptive reuse possible.
- Linda Abeg, chair of the Laveen Village Planning Committee, spoke in favor of the Gila Foothills Development Agreement, highlighting the balance of housing, employment, and infrastructure needs.
Discussion Items
- Homelessness Strategy Update (Item 11): Deputy City Manager Gina Montez, Homeless Solutions Director Rachel Milney, Housing Director Titus Matthew, and Neighborhood Services Director Spencer Self presented progress under the 2020 Strategies to Address Homelessness plan. Key data included: HMIS quarterly data showing 12,472 unduplicated people served (8,854 single adults and 3,618 in family units), and 31,071 people served over the last year. During encampment closures around the Key Campus, 718 people were engaged and 590 (82%) accepted indoor shelter or alternative placement; of those, 17% were in housing by late March. New shelters include the 280-bed navigation center at 71st Avenue and Bamburen, DePaul Manor (100 beds for seniors/disabled), North Mountain Healing Center (100 beds), and CASS Haven (170 senior beds). Housing programs preserved over 5,200 affordable units, received over 43,000 Section 8 waitlist applications, and made over 4,500 landlord incentive payments. Councilmembers asked about hotspot response, shelter safety and oversight, and the navigation center's referral process and safeguards.
- CAMI Biosciences Project (Item 12): Community and Economic Development Director Chris Mackey and Deputy Director Zandon Keating presented the University of Arizona's Center for Advanced Molecular Immunological Therapies (CAMI) on the Phoenix Bioscience Core. The project is a two-phase, approximately 450,000-square-foot research and education hub. Phase one is about 200,000 square feet with an estimated 500 jobs and a $290 million capital investment. The city's proposed contribution includes a 30-year ground lease with rent abatement, $1.5 million from the Downtown Reinvestment Fund at construction completion, and $1.5 million annually for 10 years beginning in FY2029. Councilmembers voiced strong support.
- Former Firehouse at Hance Park (Item 13): Staff presented a proposal to lease the 4,700-square-foot former Fire Station No. 4 at 1130 N. First Street to Pool House Group for a full-service restaurant. The 2022 RFP received one proposal. Lease terms include an annual rent of approximately $129,000 with a 3% annual escalator, and city reimbursement for core building infrastructure. The Parks Board approved the terms on May 23. Councilmembers praised the project's community engagement and historic preservation.
- Gila Foothills Development Agreement (Item 14): Staff presented a development agreement for a 290-acre PUD near South Mountain, including streets, water/wastewater lines, a future fire/police station site, and a trailhead for South Mountain Park. The developer agreed to donate $500,000 from a billboard installation to fund a Laveen park. The city will reimburse infrastructure costs through TPT sales tax and impact fees over a term of not more than 25 years. Councilmember Hodge Washington and the Laveen Village Planning Committee chair praised the collaborative process.
- Phoenix Sports and Events Commission (Item 15): Jerry Harper, Ron Price (Visit Phoenix), and Mike Hopper (Bloomberg Associates) proposed creating a commission under Visit Phoenix to attract youth/amateur sports and major events. They cited $52 billion in direct sports-related travel spending and $128 billion in economic impact nationally, and noted Phoenix is the only major city without such a commission. The city's requested commitment was $80,000 per year for three years ($50,000 from non-general funds and $30,000 from the tourism hospitality fund), with Visit Phoenix contributing $250,000. The commission would hire an executive director and aim to host at least two major events by year three.
Key Outcomes
- The subcommittee unanimously approved the May 8, 2024 minutes and the consent agenda.
- The subcommittee unanimously approved the CAMI IGA modifications, forwarding them to the full city council.
- The subcommittee unanimously approved the Hance Park firehouse lease and infrastructure agreement with Pool House Group.
- The subcommittee unanimously approved the Gila Foothills Development Agreement.
- The subcommittee unanimously approved the Phoenix Sports and Events Commission funding commitment.
- Councilmember Hodge Washington requested continued exploration of a right-to-counsel cost-benefit analysis, including county and legislative involvement and attention to linguistic and cultural accessibility. The chair acknowledged the request for future agenda items.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning, everybody, and welcome to the January 12th, 2024 for economic development and housing subcommittee. And before we actually get started, I notice we have a a lot of young guests in the audience. And what we'll do is we'll ask the camera to kind of pan around and see all of them so they can kind of wave to the audience and you guys be famous and be on TV and you run the city. Here you go. Go ahead and wait. Thank you. You guys thank you very much for being here. And we will go ahead and get started. I'd like to call this meeting to order. Welcome to the January 12th, 2024 Economic Development and Housing Subcommittee. I'll begin with by introducing City Attorney David Lavelle. David, please explain your role if you could, please. Good morning, Mr. Chair, members of the subcommittee. Thank you. During citizen comment, members of the public may address the subcommittee for up to three minutes on issues of interest or concern to them. The Arizona Open Meeting Law permits the subcommittee members to listen to comments, but prohibits members from discussing or acting on the members presented. Members of the public may speak for up to two minutes to comment on agenda items to be discussed. Comments must be related to the agenda item and the action being considered by the subcommittee. The subcommittee and staff cannot discuss or comment on matters related to pending investigations, claims, or litigation. Additionally, any member of the public who appears before the subcommittee in their capacity as a lobbyist must, as required by Phoenix City Code discloses fact before addressing the subcommittee. The code, the city code requires speakers to present their comments in a respectful and courteous manner. Profane language, threats, or personal attacks on members of the public, council members, or staff are not allowed. A person who violates these rules will lose their opportunity to continue to speak. Thank you. Thank you, David. I would now like to introduce our interpreter, Carmen Cota, who will provide a brief announcement. Welcome, Carl Carmen. Uh good morning, thank you. Uh my name is Carmen Cota. I will providing be providing Spanish interpretation for a Spanish speaking audience. Please give me a moment to introduce myself to them. Thank you, uh, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Carmen. Okay, we'll start the subcommittee meeting with a call to the public. And I see we have two speakers or two, three folks now. Um the first one, I believe it's Evelyn Castillo. Evelyn, if you do you hear us okay. Oh, she's here. I'm sorry. Uh good morning, council members, Chairman Robinson. My name is Avalon Castillo and I'm the field organizer with the Take Back Our Homes campaign. I've been organizing here in Phoenix for the past four or five years, and it's extremely heartbreaking to see the lack of protections for people facing evictions and funds going into how housing here in Arizona. We had over 30 members, community members ready to join in person and online to continue fighting for a study for a right to council program and emphasize the impact it would have on our families. But you already know their stories. Most Arizonians today are not that fortunate, and that's why we're here today. We need to find a cost benefit study for a right to counsel program. The city council should be taking the necessary steps now to make sure right to counsel gets passed next year, and it starts by passing a study. Thank you for listening, and we hope y'all receive our feedback.
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