Chair Johnson.

Here.

There are seven present, zero absent.

And item number one for discussion is resolution twenty-six dash four oh five, approving the commercial corridor program guidelines citywide.

All right.

I want to first just uh take some time to just say huge thank you to um all of the planning and economic development staff and and to Kelly and to John and City Attorney's Office for working with us on all of the next items that you will see regarding the mending the uh mending the guidelines for several different programs.

Um I just also want to thank commissioners as well for your work and for your conversation and for the discussion around these guidelines.

I know that we have had many different uh versions in front of us, and we've had different conversations about what to include, what not to include.

Um, and I just want to say I truly appreciate that ability to be able to do that because I do think this that discussion is warranted, especially over programs that truly do impact the entire city.

So um, up until the very last minute, I just want to share that all of the work that um has gone into getting us to this point, I think is gonna be rewarding as we go through a smooth transition.

So um I am going to uh we had a staff report here uh on this.

We've had more robust discussions, so if you will entertain me, I will be able to move motions to the versions that I know um are up for discussion.

So the first we'll start with this one, and we're actually gonna move version two, and I'll entertain a motion from Commissioner Kim to move a version two that that is in front of you as well.

And just for clarity, because I know a lot of things have been discussed.

This is the um this is keeping the index rec score as well, so as all the corridor inclusions.

Um the only change in this one is that it is changing the um Rice Street Alliance, uh Rice Street Alliance host organization to uh the North End neighborhood organization.

And so that is the difference here, but for folks that are watching in the versions and trying to make sure we are moving a version two.

So I'll take that motion from Commissioner Kim.

Any discussion.

Commissioner Yang.

Thank you, Chair Johnson.

I uh first want to share that I am supportive of V2 version two, and I do echo everything that you shared um from gratitude to the staff to commissioners at the table here, um, to our city attorneys for helping out with language as well.

You all had done a really incredible job.

And just wanted to uplift that.

Um, the the information from our staff was really helpful.

I mean, I know you all mentioned that the uses for the vitality fund are different from the commercial corridor program.

So it's really helpful just getting that distinguished and with that.

I I am very comfortable with this version here.

I also just really want to thank the council members who at the table here have really uplifted questions about how we can use our dollars here more equitably.

That is really important to do.

And I remember seeing here at the table many times that it's so important for us to always start off the questions or start off the process and really conversations with equity rooted at it.

That way, when it, you know, when we get so far along in developing maybe like a program or figuring out what funding is used for, um, we don't have to figure out like where how can we press the reset button or try to like you know um sort of like I would say retrofit things, and so I would say that because this program we've come so far in having conversations um about how we want to utilize it and wanted to spread it across the city.

Um, I'm supportive of it and just always want to welcome more conversations for us to figure out how we can continue using these dollars more equitably.

Thank you, Commissioner Yang.

Any further discussion on the proposed amendment.

All right, I will just simply share with you all that in this discussion we had a lot of matitude about where we can make the best use of our of our dollars.

And Commissioner Yang, I appreciate uh your comments as well.

And I think just the conversation around whether or not to invest in um downtown is one that I don't think is the conversation here.

I know that we've used words like include downtown or exclude downtown, and I think that there are multiple actions that'll be taken today that actually shows that we do prioritize the downtown corridor.

Um, in this case, down co the downtown corridor remained.

Um, and I think in this version it's it's codified that way to invest across the city.

I will share that I is an interest of ours to just continue to make sure that we can add not only to this fund but to the impact that it holds.

You know, it's it's hard when you're having include or exclusion conversations citywide because everywhere in the city needs the investment right now, and especially around our businesses and especially around our corridors.

There isn't a couple corridor listed that most likely can't talk about the impact that they've had, especially over the last several months, but for sure for years now.

This is the reason why we ultimately put this program in place in the first place and why this body was really vocal in 2024 to get in the 2025 budget cycle.

And so it's also the reason we added an additional 400,000 back to the investment for 2026 this year.

And so I don't think it's ever a debate about whether or not we're including uh area of our city that's so vital to the work that we do, but I do think that this version um can accomplish the will of the of the body, and that's what I'm most interested in as the chair.

Commissioner Baker.

Thanks, Chair.

That was a perfect mic drop.

So I'm really sorry to speak after it.

Um, but just wanted to say I agree, I appreciate the thoughtfulness we put into this, and also just to back up for a second and recognize that's I know we've done at this table before that while we've been talking about the specifics of the guidelines here for the last few weeks.

The the big picture, the headline is that we are um for a second year in a row, getting 1.4 million dollars out the door to our commercial corridor citywide, and it's a program that um we we tested last year.

We we tried, and it was wildly successful in terms of those dollars moving out quickly and getting used for all kinds of wonderful things throughout our city.

So um, I'm just really proud of us for doing it last year, committing to continue it this year, and I'm excited to see all the great stuff we're gonna see this year.

Thank you.

And so we'll do the version, we'll do the motion to move a version two with those changes, and the resolution will be adopted as amended.

Uh, all those in favor.

I agree.

All opposed.