Um file of the word in here.

Anything over the back for that only.

I wouldn't I like the truck's gonna stay here.

Let me read the error method.

I mean, it's only on this one.

I'm gonna go off to it.

Oh, and it's triple.

I hate when it does that.

How come up for them in the bottom?

And then we'll go on.

Oh, yeah.

Oh yeah.

I don't know if it's like two days.

Like the microphone.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I don't know what you're doing.

Oh yeah.

Okay, gotcha.

Yeah.

I call to order the housing and community development and public health committee meeting for today, Thursday, March twenty-sixth at three thirty.

Please call the board.

Jones here.

Gatus.

Martinez.

McPherson.

Melvin.

Williams.

Two present.

Thank you.

So today we have gathered to hear about Scott, an organization dedicated to sickle cell awareness, six cell disease, six cell trait.

Um this was definitely uh a personal thing for me and and definitely a way in order to get more awareness considering that I have sickle cell trait and also I know a plenty of other people that have that as well, and just the work that you do definitely needs to be highlighted considering you are the only one that does this type of work here in Toledo and also you said Michigan when we had first met as well.

Um so we will definitely hear more about your organization and what you do about sickle sale, and then following that we will um get into the lead has a reduction grant through the housing department to hear a little bit more about their plans um when it comes to the grant as well as the lab program.

So, other than that, please take it away, Dr.

Scott.

Okay, so you're able to hear me now.

Okay, thanks for having me.

And today we are going to talk about just some facts about sickle cell.

Um, I just want to give the disclaimer, I am not a medical professional.

However, seek count, you know, seek out services if that's what you need to do.

And before I can start with sickle cell, I'd have to talk about my why, like how I got to this point.

So I am a mother of four amazing boys, two of which have sickle cell disease, and two have sickle cell trait.

Um, with that being said, everything that I do is with purpose, and I am very intentional on making sure that our community is very aware of what sickle cell is and how it impacts our community.

Um, I know a lot of people think that it only impacts African Americans, but that is a myth.

Um, any person of color at this point, and we'll dive into that a little bit, but I just want to make sure that we understand that this impacts our entire community.

So, Scott Scott stands for Scott Center for Observation Treatment and Transition.

We were established in 2022 as a 501c3, and our purpose is basically to eliminate health disparities and undeserved communities, and we act as a liaison between medical professionals while we're reducing the stigmas within mental health, sickle cell, and then we also focus on infant mortality.

So our goal is to make sure that we are empowering our families and our patients to have better health outcomes.

We service 11 counties of Northwest Ohio, and Lucas is our biggest population, of course.

Um, we we do a lot of uh transition programs, which makes us the first and only nonprofit in the state of Ohio to do that for sickle cell patients while combating mental health.

So there's a lot of stigmas that are associated with sickle cell disease and people of color being able to tolerate more pain, and we're trying to make sure that we're not creating more mortality or morbidity rates here in Lucas County or Northwest Ohio in general.

We have our support groups.

I'm also the newborn screening coordinator, so um, as of March of 1990, it's been mandated in the state of Ohio to test every baby at birth, and my job is to make sure that I educate those families on their diagnosis.

So there's over 250 different types of hemoglobinopathies, and I am well versed in trained in those areas, and I'm the one that's educating those families.

So, what is sickle cell disease?

If you are new to the area, you don't know what that is, it is an inherited red blood uh excuse me, an inherited red blood cell disorder that affects all of the hemoglobin in one's body.

This is not contagious.

You are born with this disease, so that means both of your parents carry the trait.

That is the only way.

You are you don't catch it later in life, you are diagnosed at birth, um, which causes your blood cells to uh cause your vessels to block be blocked, as well as severe anemia.

Um it also can cause extreme pain to one's body, and as well as organ damage.

So there's a lot that goes on with that.

Who are impacted individuals from Saudi Arabia, India, Spanish speaking organizations, so Turkey, Greece, um, Italy, all those places, along with African Americans are impacted.

So one in 365 African Americans, one in 16, uh 300 Hispanic Americans, which we know here in Toledo is very diverse.

So this is why my work is very important to make sure that we know if one plus one equals two, if we have two people who have the trait, there is a 25% chance in every pregnancy to have a baby with sickle cell disease, and there's a 50% chance of having a child with sickle cell traits.

So if we can start educating, even in the schools, that's something that we we typically do.

We are educating school districts and students so that they understand the impacts if they decide to have children.

Some of the uh myths or stigmas that are related that uh this is due to racism.

It's perceived a lot that um patients don't live past 30 years of age.

That is not true.

Um, in the past, yes, in the 70s, patients weren't living as long as they're living today, but we have patients that are well into their 80s now, so that's that's a blessing.

Um, drug seekers, when they go to the emergency rooms, they are considered drug seeking, especially an adult.

So I don't know where it goes from being a child and being innocent to now my black son is now seen as a threat and he's drug seeking.

That is not true.

Many of these patients have this medication at home.

They have lots of opiates at home.

They come to the hospital because they've already been in pain five to seven days.

They can no longer tolerate the pain.

They don't want to overtake the medications that are prescribed to them.

So they go to the emergency department.

But when they go, they have to dress up professionally.

They can't dress just in regular clothing because they are perceived as drug seeking.

They're considered liars.

So they are very fatigued, they're tired.

Their body is pumping and working harder than a person that does not have a chronic condition.

Another myth is that only people affected by this disease is of color.

And as I explained that to you earlier.

So I try to educate our community and our patients as well.

I talked to you about the statistics already.

So 25% chance of having no child with sickle cell disease.

If you if both parents have trait, 50% chance with trait, and a 25% chance of disease, and that's in each pregnancy.

I'm gonna skip these things because we already talked about the mandation of that.

So if you are playing sports, if you are athletic in any way, there's a thing called sickle cell traiting the athlete.

With that being said, if there's over exertion and dehydration, these patients could potentially die.

Their blood could sickle.

We've know that um NCAA is requiring patients to or all individuals who plan to participate in sports to provide their newborn screening result because Wright University was sued back in 2008 because a uh football player died on the field.

So that's where that came from.

So if you are flying high altitudes with the trait, you are at risk.

If you go to Colorado, you are at risk because the the air is very, very thin.

Um it could cause your blood to sickle, it can make you feel like you're having an asthma attack, but in reality, you are losing oxygen.

My friend, you skydive, you could have had a complication.

So we just have to make sure that we are reaching out to our medical professionals to make sure that those are things that we can do.

So scuba diving, no.

Yep.

So the question is can sickle cell disease be cured?

There are there is no universal cure for sickle cell disease.

However, there are gene therapies that do exist, so um it's promising.

The only cure that there is is bone marrow transplant, and not everybody qualifies for that.

Not everybody qualifies for uh gene therapy.

That's a 2.2 million dollar process, and then and that's per patient.

And then with that being said, um, there's also uh a whole eligibility criteria that you have to go through.

So it's a age base, it's how many crises have you had, are you able to withstand this transplant?

I mean, excuse me, this gene therapy because they literally make you go through chemo.

So then now the family is impacted because you can't work, they can't work, it's all this traveling.

We are um I know nationwide children's is getting ready to open up a hub here to do some of those gene therapies, but right now a lot of our clients um that are going through the process here in Toledo have to go all the way to Cleveland, so then that is a travel expense, so it's very expensive um to do so, and it's a two it's almost a two-year process.

So just to kind of put that out there.

Um, how can you get involved?

You can connect with our organization.

Um, you can work with our local support group, which is also tied to our organization as well.

You can volunteer in a hospital unit unit for sickle cell patients.

I mean, a lot of times they just want someone to be there to talk to because some individuals don't have the support systems, they don't have family to help them navigate through this.

Um, and then our partner, Red Cross is here today as well.

You can sign up to be a donor because patients are in chronic transfusion, so that may be weekly, bi weekly, monthly.

It just depends.

It's patient by patient, and there is a lack of minority blood donation.

So being able to be a part of that um or to support our patients in that way will be greatly appreciated.

And then we have upcoming events.

I have flyers here.

Um, minority health month is next month.

So we have our sickle cell warrior and siblings day.

We have our sickle cell uh mind-body mental health education, as well as bridging the gap between sickle cell uh wellness and housing access.

That's for April, and then we always host our 5K in September, which is the third Saturday, uh September 19th.

So you can get involved in that as well.

So there's plenty of opportunities to join us on this cause on this mission.

So before we, if before any questions, I would love for my son, who's also the sickle cell child ambassador for the state of Ohio, Emory, to give his small testimony.

Good afternoon, members of Toledo City Council and everyone here today.

My name is Emory Scott.

I am 11 years old, a sickle cell child ambassador and a warrior.

Today I am not just here to speak.

I am here to help you understand what it really means to live with sickle cell.

Single cell is not something you can always see, but it's something I feel.

There are days when I wake up and my body is already in pain.

Pain that starts in my back, moves to my leg, and settles deep into my stomach.

Pain that can stop me from walking, pain that can keep me in bed, pain that children like me should never have to feel.

Sometimes I miss out on other things kids get to do without thinking.

Sometimes I have to slow down when I don't want to.

Sometimes I have to be stronger than my age.

But even with all that, I am still standing.

Support system.

Making sure I have what I need.

My parents remind me that I am not my disease.

They remind me that I am strong, that I am capable, that I still have a purpose.

And because of that, I don't just endure, I thrive.

I play flag football.

I make the honor.

I laugh with my friends, and I dream big.

One day I want to become a civil engineer.

I want to build bridges, roads, and strong communities.

And just like the structures I want to build, I am learning how to be strong even under the pressure.

And I want you to hear me clearly today.

Sickle cell will not stop my dream.

But I also know that not every child has the same support that I do.

That's why I use my voice as a sickle cell child ambassador to speak for their children who are hurting in silence to stand for families who need support.

And to remind leaders like you that this is real.

Children in our shit city are living with us every day.

They need access to care.

They need people who understand their fight.

And they need leaders who will stand with them.

Because when you support organizations, education and awareness, you can help children like me, not just survive, but truly thrive.

And to everyone listening, you can be a part of that change.

You can mentor, you can advocate, you can learn, you can give.org slash donate.

Thank you for hearing my story.

Thank you for seeing me.

Thank you just so much for sharing your story, sharing your experience, really sharing just what you do in this community and with your sons.

It really has that exposure, and I love it coming from him.

Because it really gives that the relatability and also just seeing how this disease can affect as you age as well.

And then we can go with public comment.

We will go with council member Gaddis.

Thank you, and thank you for your testimony.

This is this is incredible.

I'm so proud of you.

This it takes a lot at your age to stand up and do this, and you should be really proud of yourself, and you are as strong as the the communities and the buildings you're gonna bridges you're gonna be building when you're an adult.

Um I am particularly interested in the the programming that you're doing, the um one of them you mentioned sickle cell and housing access.

Um this being our housing community uh uh committee group, could you explain more of the challenges that people with sickle cell face with housing access?

Yes, so with the chronic um when they're hospitalized, a lot of times they're not able to keep a job.

Um, so some of them are on disability, some never get approved for disability because that that's a whole process or a barrier.

Um, but with that being said, if they are renting a lot of people are not understanding of the condition.

I mean, it's a business at the end of the day, right?

So if they're constantly in and out of the hospital, how are they able to work?

How are they able to pay the bills?

Um, but we know with housing, if they are owning the home, then there's a little bit more flexibility to make sure that they're not displaced.

That's great.

Thank you.

Thank you, Chair.

We would go with councilwoman Clay.

Thank you, Chair.

And Emory, thank you so much for sharing your story.

I really, really appreciate your willingness to come here today, and I appreciate you being a warrior and you being an ambassador for other kids like you.

I think it's so important.

And I have a question about school.

Um, are schools in this area um pretty docile in time in terms of working with kids that are suffering from sickle cell because I know um, you know, there's a lot of laws in place in terms of truancy, and you know, I I wouldn't want kids to be punished for missing school when they're in so much pain.

So I I do have partnerships with a lot of schools in the area.

Um I have provided training, especially before school starts.

I go in and I do a lot of um, I guess they call them like service trainings for teachers or staff.

Um, but I go in and I'm making sure that they understand what these students are dealing with, but then we also ensure that they're on 504 plans, um, working with the social workers in the office or administration.

Um, just so that families and teachers, everybody kind of understands the the nature of today.

It may happen.

I mean, Emma Remiss school today, he's not feeling well.

We went to state capital yesterday and he's exhausted, right?

So his body, um, he shared a story, his body some days he wakes up in pain.

So it's just being able to communicate.

But my experience has been long as we've put that on paper or in place, it has been successful.

But I do have kiddos that are not on 504 plants, and I highly suggest that parents do that because of that reason.

Yeah, well, thank you for all of your advocacy.

I'm sure all those families really appreciate your support.

I actually have a question in regards to just um Toledo data.

I know that we've talked about this before, but do you have like any preliminary numbers of just what's happening in Toledo when it comes to the disease and trade?

And I know that you've recently done a study regarding food access and sickle cell.

Can you just elaborate more on the the data that you're gathering?

Uh-huh.

Excuse me.

So as far as trait babies, I get about 300 trait babies a year that I am counseling on.

Um, and I told you I had to get that full number to break it down, but I get roughly 300 babies every year that are diagnosed with some form of trait.

As far as the disease, it's roughly between 10 and maybe 15 um each year.

So it's not a high number, but it's still high, you know.

I think one is high, right?

So um, so it's a little relatively low compared to like a Columbus or a Cincinnati.

Um, as far as the house, I mean, excuse me, as far as the food desert that you were asking me about, that uh was just a survey of less than a hundred families, and they live in food desert areas.

So the higher the um hospitalization was due to pain crisis.

But if you're not getting the proper nutritional foods to keep your blood from being sticky so that it is flowy and all those things, that's typically what happens.

So yeah, I know that we have discussed, you know, probably expanding upon that a little bit, doing some more studies, because I just find that very fascinating, just how everything is connected, especially with the event that you're talking about with housing.

You know, people don't really think about that, of course, unless you're in it or personally know somebody who is going through it, but that just shows the interconnectivity of just how life is and how health and housing and food and even just infrastructure, urban planning, just how the city is planned, really affects people every day.

And I'm like I said, with just this advocacy, this awareness.

You taught me something when we first met, you know, when you had mentioned the skydiving.

I said, uh, I really could have just had issues when I was, you know, going down and the scuba diving that was on my bucket list, but now that's not.

So it's just stuff that just keeps coming up and learning.

There's something to learn all the time, and I'm pretty sure my parents didn't know that.

I told my parents that what you had told me, they were like, what?

What are you talking about?

I I did not even know that.

So this is something what you're doing is phenomenal, it is needed, it is vital, and especially since those numbers are pretty high when it comes to who has to trade who has the disease within an area.

I think that we definitely need to dig deeper in here and really bring that awareness.

So thank you for all your work.

Um and please let us know how we can help.

Just to get the name out there, anything that you would need, definitely promotion of events, but we would really like to just offer ourselves for the help in spreading that.

And I'm glad to hear that you said it was a hub coming through children's uh neighborhoods.

Yeah, they're working on it.

They're working, okay.

Okay.

So that's that's an advancement.

So we we getting it, we're getting there, you know.

So but definitely appreciate that.

Um at this time, just wanna open up for anyone in the audience who has public comment or wanted to say something, come on up, come on up.

Yep, right there.

Greetings.

My name is Sheree Barhe.

I am the grandmother to both of these sickle cell warriors.

I I'm a trait, I have the trait, and um I know that it can be very hard because as me having a trait, I was always constantly tired, having pain in my arms and stuff, and I never knew where it came from until my daughter-in-law.

I never knew that by me being a trait, a lot of my tiredness, fatigue, um, pains and stuff, I never knew that where it came from until she started going to school and everything and started talking to me about it.

So, with that being said, um, I know my other grandson over here, he has books that he's selling today, and um grandmother already bought her book, so I just would like for everyone else to support and buying his books, they're just a small donation fee of ten dollars.

Thank you, and um thank you.

No, thank you.

Thank you.

Did he want to say anything about his book?

You you can talk about your book if you want.

You can buy the book for $10.

I just want the money, that's what it is.

Go ahead, ma'am.

My name is Joyce Doublefil, and for many years I worked with the Sickle Cell Support Group, and I would like to speak a little bit on uh children missing school because of sickle cell.

When you look at school attendance, you not only have to look at the child who's missing school because of their illness, you have to look at other family members.

For example, I am from a family of 13 siblings.

Two of us had sickle cell anemia.

The whole family suffered from the effects of sickle cell anemia.

Sometimes both my siblings were in the hospital, my mother and father worked, so that put pressure on, I shouldn't say pressure, but responsibility on the older ones to take care of the younger siblings.

So a lot of times we were missing school because we had to take on the responsibility of taking care of the younger children.

So you have to look at the whole family as far as the school system is concerned in attendance.

Another problem is that during those days, before you could receive a pint of blood, you had to replace a pint of blood.

So therefore, my parents spent a lot of times begging their family, uh co-workers and associates to give blood so that my siblings could live.

Thank God for the when the Red Cross came into play because everybody had access to blood.

But my main thing here is that look at the whole family when it comes to school attendance.

Thank you.

Thank you for that.

And you did mention that you work with the schools.

Yeah.

Um you identify our family.

Okay.

Okay.

Hi, my name is Taquila Smith, and I do have sickle cell anemia.

And I have a daughter that has the sickle cell trait.

And I'm gonna piggyback off what she just said about missing school.

My daughter is missing school because of me.

I have to go to the hospital.

My husband misses work because of me because I'm in the hospital, or I have transfusions that I have to drive an hour or two hours away.

They don't allow for his FMLA to kick in anymore to help me out no more.

So I'm there by myself, or sometimes I can't get treated because I don't have someone there with me.

And then with her missing school because of me, sometimes twice a week, the teachers won't allow her to make up her work, even though she has a note from my doctor stating that she has to be with me or is with me while I'm uh getting treated for sickle sale.

He bluntly threw her work in the trash and told her that she couldn't make it up, and that's a problem that we have that people don't understand.

My husband's job, Amazon did not allow for him to take off and say that I never even heard of sickle cell before and thought he was lying, and that's another problem that we have.

And then and then being treated in the emergency room.

I can't even get treated here, I have to go all the way to Cleveland now.

And that's a and that's a problem that I have too.

But I just want everybody to know that sickle cell is out here, like we are being overlooked, and we need to be hurt, and it's about time that we start to get hurt.

Thank you.

No, thank you.

Now, you've identified a lot of things that we need to take care of, especially workplace with the schools, like that's shocking.

That's very shocking.

But again, just the understanding understanding of that, how everything is connected and everybody is affected.

That is the issue.

So I know that we have a lot more to talk about and a lot more to see how we can really spread this awareness.

But again, we are here.

You can definitely sell your books, so don't worry about that.

You know, we got another commenter.

Yes, go ahead.

My name is Kelly Mofield.

I'm the executive director of the Kidney Foundation of Northwest Ohio, and we uh sublet space and share space with uh the Scott Center.

And you might wonder what kidney disease and sickle cell have to do with one another, but we have a lot of commonalities.

First of all, if you have sickle cell disease or trait, your kidneys are at rest because the kidneys are very vascular organs that pump a lot of blood and clean uh waste out of the blood.

So if the blood's not good and not and has the sickles, then your kidneys are affected, as are almost every other organ in your body.

So that's something to keep in mind.

Um, you know, the other thing is is that uh we share a lot of health disparities among the populations that we serve.

We know that if you are a person of color, you're three times more likely to end up on dialysis than people in the white community.

So we both have a lot of of joint um work that we're doing to address those health disparities and provide the resources to people that they need to be successful.

Thanks.

Okay, thank you for that.

Hello everyone, I'm Chelsea Benton uh with the American Red Cross, and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention um we work really closely with Dr.

Scott and we love working with her.

Uh we are going to have um a link on her website soon where if you want to donate, um, it'll take you directly to our our Red Crossblood.org uh website.

We are participating in events with Dr.

Scott to build awareness in the community, and um also if you um just want to donate, just go to Red Crossblood.org um or call 1800 Red Cross, and uh someone will assist you in terms of scheduling.

Also, a last thing I'll say is um the events that um Dr.

Scott has on her website.

We will be participating at a majority of those events.

Scott has on her website we will be participating at a majority of those events um so uh if you have any questions you can always reach out to Dr.

Scott and she can get you into communication with me or with someone um from the Red Cross.

Thanks so much.

Thank you for that.

So my name is Emily Mills and I'm the special education coordinator at the school where Evan and Emory go.

And I have worked very closely with Dr.

Scott and we kind of co-wrote their 504 plans so I just want you all to know that if you're having trouble with schools you should not be in just I would you know I think there needs to be more education around parents' rights in special education um because there's a lot that schools can do to support students and their families with Sickle South.

So we allow them extended time and we send home Chromebooks um if they like miss a certain amount of days of school they their teachers too of their teachers are right there and they let them make up assignments and we can we have COTS and they are allowed to sleep if they get too tired or they get excused from gym like there's like an endless list of things that we can do to support them.

So and we have snacks with the snacks we gotta have snacks now there's just a lot that schools um are legally obligated to do and can do so I just want to encourage um parents to research what their rights are in Ohio.

And now that you bring that up with the services for parents in schools what are certain legislation or policies that you're kind of battling against or trying to expand on there's so there's so many and there's it there's if you go on Ohio Department of education's website and you look up it's called the Parents Rights Guide in special education it will have um it's a whole like booklet of um information okay to look up because I want to definitely look more into that to make this easier.

I think that would help a lot of parents yeah and even if that can expand something into the businesses because you had mentioned um Amazon and well no she had mentioned Amazon and really missing work and them not understanding like what kind of question is that that's what's really startling me right now.

So um yeah I'm gonna look more into that and like I say we're gonna talk we're definitely gonna figure out something any other public comment okay well thank you thank you for having so so much and uh do is there uh an event tomorrow oh yes the luncheon the luncheon okay so we'll talk about gene therapy but yes okay are you coming I'm I thought I had a registration I didn't see a registration for that can I just pop up you can come okay thank you because it's already in my calendar so but thank you so much I I'm very just honored to have met you and apparently my son is as well um but just the work that you do I really really we really want to support that and so we'll figure out what we have to do especially when it comes to these obstacles and just that awareness but thank you and thank you too and thank you especially warrior just for what you're going through and and really just stepping up and and bringing that awareness and telling telling your story your story but other than that did you have anything else I do not but thank you for having us.

No problem and you're welcome back anytime so you know just let us know.

Sounds good thank you thank you thank you.

Okay next up we will hear from deputy director Ali about a lead resource grant that was presented earlier today good afternoon good afternoon everyone thank you for allowing me to speak I am deputy director Colina Ali with the Department of Housing and community development and with me is Jerry Kukowski who is going to be the program manager for this grant that we are getting ready to talk about so once again thank you for allowing us to have further conversation on this I do understand um this past Tuesday there was quite a bit of conversation some questions and even perhaps some concerns and so I just asked one favor of city council on this particular setting right here can I not go after such a cute family because we're not that cute.

And so I just asked one favor of city council on this particular setting right here.

Can I not go after such a cute family?

Because we're not that cute.

I'm sorry, you know.

We're gonna keep that in mind.

But now and I'm also gonna give you a trivia question or a trivia note.

Okay.

So the very first nurse or coordinator that we had in the Department of Housing Community Development started last year, which was in fact the husband, Eric Scott of Dr.

Scott, he was part of our department, and he is now uh working in Detroit.

But he this is part of our family, so to speak, too.

Yeah, so a little trivia for you.

But um, we wanted to come today and talk a little bit further about this lead grant.

First of all, we're very excited that we received this is highly competitive.

You know, we had to compete, and I don't know what the final number would be, but I would imagine um hundreds of other municipalities throughout the country wanting the same amount of money because there are so many old cities, you know, we're considered a Rust Bell City, so that means we have older homes.

Majority of our homes were built before 1978, um, and they need help.

They need lots of help for a lot of reasons.

Whether you are a homeowner, whether it's rental property, these homes are old and they need help.

And so, how do we do it?

A grant like this gives us that opportunity that we can make a difference, that we can work on some doors, we can work on uh some windows in different areas of the home to bring them in compliance so that these children are safe.

And one of the things that wasn't talked about today when they were talking about sickle cell, you talked about food, you talked about housing.

But what is there an intersection between lead poisoning and sickle cell?

Something to think about.

So this may be an answer unknowingly to those families that do have sickle cell involved with them.

And so that might be one of those those long-term longitudin type of studies that need to go on.

But this can help those families that are getting exposed to lead because we do know lead uh poisoning does negatively affect children, particularly those that are under six years of age.

They affect them neurological, they affect them health, they affect them in a lot of different areas.

And so to have this grant means we can make a difference.

This particular grant over four years, we'll be able to make a difference for 141 homes.

May not be a lot, but that's still 141 families that can make a difference.

And by hitting those 141 homes, doing our program well, the next round of funding in four years, we'll be able to also compete again.

We used our money well, we use our money responsibly, we did what we needed to do, and we made an impact so that in four years we can go after this grant again and maybe hit another 141, or maybe this time it's 200.

Who knows in four years what that is really going to look like?

And so that all of that being said, and I'm sure I'm sure there's so much more that can be said.

Um, I'm gonna kind of leave it there and open up to any particular questions or concerns related to this.

Um, both myself, Jerry and I will hopefully be able to answer those.

I do know there were some questions about our lead resource center, and behind me I have Candice Buckley, who is the executive director, the new executive director of our lead resource center.

She is also here if there are any particular questions.

So I'm gonna leave that there and um open it to you.

Thank you for that.

Do we have any?

Oh, I see something.

I don't know who came from.

I was trying to remember.

Thank you for being here today.

Sorry, I just jumped right in.

Um and thank you, Chair.

Uh I was trying to remember the conversation.

It seems like it was a long time ago, even though it wasn't.

Um, but I think there was some question.

Was there marketing dollars built in?

What is that used for?

Could you speak to that a little bit?

Yes.

And so in this particular program, we have allocated $55,000 over four years.

$55,000 over four years, which equates to $13,000 and something per year.

Sounds like a lot, but it's not.

Here's an opportunity.

We will use this money to do outreach to families and individuals to make sure that they are aware of this program.

And you say they should know anyway.

Well, it's not that easy.

And it wasn't even easy on the previous grant that we received that we did well enough to get a new grant, but we want to make sure because every year or every cycle, it becomes more and more competitive.

We did well enough to get a new grant, but we want to make sure because every year or every cycle, it becomes more and more competitive.

So we want to make sure that we hit that 141 and even potentially have another pipeline so that when we go again, we can say, hey hey, not only did we hit 141, we have another 141 in the pipeline because of this outreach and the marketing that we've been able to do.

Marketing helps us stay in compliance with the grant.

It helps us to do the outreach, you know, two individuals and families about this program so that they are aware that it exists.

So does that in terms of the marketing material that's used, is it postcards that are sent out?

Is it social media?

Is it what does that look like?

It's going to be all the above.

Okay.

And Jerry can add some more to this, a very specific uh marketing plan which we will be working on.

And do you want to add anything to that, Jerry?

Or certainly we'll uh we'll incorporate things that we've used before in the past.

Um the way that the grant is structured.

Um there's 41 high-risk census tracks in the city of Toledo that will be targeted.

So in those areas, we'll be doing things like we'll be putting up billboards that are providing information at least where to apply for the grant.

Um obviously uh brochures leave behinds.

We do um once we get uh once we get the grant rolling and you know off the ground, uh we attend um health fairs.

Uh I think I mentioned on Tuesday, uh part of uh what the program does is we meet with the um uh uh rental property investors networks.

Um so uh we always you know um we need things for leave behinds for presentations, um we set up table tables at the um uh when they do vendor type things.

Um so all of that, you know, brochure development, billboards, et cetera, et cetera, that type of stuff is what's going to be coming out of that marketing budget.

Um I think it's important to say too is that um so we put together a four-year budget um to make sure that all the costs were eligible for HUD and get it approved by HUD.

Um this is by no means like everything is set in stone.

By the end of year two, um, and certainly by the end of year one, but we are constantly looking at our budget to say, hey, where do we spend?

Can we move this into this area, et cetera, et cetera.

Um we certainly hope to um, you know, we say 141 um units uh that we're gonna try to get done.

Um that's what HUD has agreed with us that should be our target.

Ummatically, that's the minimum we want to do.

We want to exceed that.

So our budget is designed uh uh as as far as cost is to um uh meet that 141 units.

However, if we start to exceed it, if our units are uh becoming more expensive, then we go back into our budget and we say, okay, gee, we might have $20,000 left in the marketing line.

We're gonna move that into you know, into this item for construction or whatever it might be.

Um I think it's important to note is that in the overall budget, um 82 percent of the entire budget is direct cost.

Um direct cost in this uh uh with this program means you can tie an address to that cost.

So that means um uh you know, one two three main streets, um uh our staff that goes out and does the assessment on that.

That's a direct cost because it ties directly to an address.

Um when we do uh uh part of the assessment and the clearance, we have to send those uh samples to a lab, a direct cost tied to that unit.

We provide relocation when uh when the work is being um uh when the contractor actually starts work, um the unit has to be empty because if you replace a window, you're creating more dust.

Um you're creating, let's say a potentially a greater hazard.

Obviously, there's containment procedures and all that.

That's why all of our contractors have to be lead licensed, their workers have to be licensed because that's all part of the uh training and the procedure.

But um uh the occupants can't be in the unit while the work is being done.

So we provide relocation in the grant as well.

It's a direct cost, et cetera.

So our direct cost in this grant is a little over 80 percent.

We've got another um a little over 16 percent that HUD terms as other direct, which excuse me.

Um that basically refers to you can't tie an address to it, but it's a it's a needed expense to continue to have the program run.

So the example would that um we have uh in the program we have two uh they're called XRF instruments, um, x-ray fluorescent instruments.

Um they look like a Star Trek phaser, quite honestly, but um they're also very expensive, and they send out low-level x-rays.

So we test every surf, every painted surface in a unit, sends out that X-ray, it bounces back when it hits the lead surface, and then it tells us where the um it tells us the paint history of the house.

Those things need uh maintenance um uh and uh resourcing.

Again, it's not a direct cost because we can't say, well, we use it on all of our units, but it's an other direct cost.

So um it's things like that training.

Um our rehab staff have to be um uh trained as lead licensed contractors in order to write work specifications.

They also have to be uh lead licensed risk assessors in order to do the um initial risk assessment on the unit.

Um those training costs, so uh there's initial training and then there's recertification training every two years.

Again, that's another direct cost.

It affects every unit that we do.

So um uh when you talk about overhead, um, which I think that term was brought up on Tuesday, um I more or less see overhead as more like administrative costs.

Um this grant right now, um, as written and as approved by the budget, only 1.8% of the budget is considered an um an administrative cost.

So that's pretty significant.

Um I can talk all night.

So I'm gonna stop there and wait for the next question.

No, I thank you.

I appreciate that.

That was very helpful.

Thank you.

Councilmember Gaddis.

Thank you.

I'm super excited about this.

This is gonna change lives.

Um a lot of the conversations I've had with colleagues are um the concern about the different percentages of the budget, which you kind of spoke on.

This uh maybe you could clarify this was okayed by HUD, right?

So this is within what they expect.

Yes.

Yes.

Okay.

And then um, is there a current list of people that uh would like to apply for this, or is that do we have to build the pipeline?

Well, so when we ended um uh when we ended our last grant, um we did have uh let's say a certain number of units in the pipeline.

Um they were mostly rental units.

Um so what we what we plan on doing is uh obviously once once we have an approved ordinance and we can get an SAP budget, um, we will build a um uh an electronic application process uh uh system portal um if you will um uh and we will roll that out so that we can have folks um uh apply online.

Uh we also have uh we're fed um referrals from the health department.

So when the health department goes out and writes orders um uh uh on properties, um typically they're writing orders because um in the history of that property there's been a lead poison child under the age of six.

So when they write those orders, they actually will send those to us as a referral.

Um so over the last um I'm gonna say uh probably three months.

Um in fact uh within the last week we've uh confirmed what addresses that we have.

So that there will have a pipeline of those at least that have orders on as well so that we can reach out to them.

We've actually started to reach out to a few of them to um uh you know let them know about the grant, how to apply for the grant, et cetera.

So we have a um certain amount of uh a certain number of units as a pipeline to start with, um, but we'll also you know, again, be putting the application out.

Uh typically when we put the application out and there's um uh we do the media releases and all that.

We're flooded with calls for the first two or three weeks.

Um uh some of them eligible, some of them not.

Uh we're also hoping that because we're putting it online, people won't necessarily have to call.

We used to do it as a paper application, so folks would call us first.

We'd kind of go, we'd have a little spiel, like sort of uh, you know, okay.

Well, you know, what's your income level, etc., etc., etc.

etc.

etc.

And then we mail the application out.

Um what we're hoping is to alleviate folks to have to call and take that extra time for that as well because they can just apply online.

So all of our stuff will have the website where to go to uh do the application, and it'll be both for um our owner occupied um uh owner occupied owners, sounds redundant.

Um and then also for the rental property um for the landlords and then their tenants will have access to uh that process as well.

Yeah.

I do want to emphasize, you know, to your question was this a uh HUD approved budget?

Absolutely.

And so first um from the application process uh process, providing our application to HUD, it met the the threshold that opening threshold, so to speak.

So that allowed us to get there get to the point say, yes, we want to work with you, Toledo.

Um and then there's negotiation period, which I think you guys had some discussion on last uh this past Tuesday, and that's where it's kind of refining.

Are you sure this is right?

Or maybe have you looked at this and we want to break this down a little bit further as what you know they may require or this all goes together.

But at the end of the day, both um from a threshold perspective and the final budget was reviewed and approved by HUD and met their guidelines.

Okay, thank you for that clearly.

Um I'm just have a request that you should any marketing if you could share with council, I'd be happy to make sure that I can get that out into networks as well.

I think this is gonna change so many lives.

Uh my district's an old district and it's really in need.

Um so I I would like to help encourage as many people as possible to utilize this.

And then as far as I think one of the things that I I also heard from council is that um we would like to hear how things are going as the process is going along, so that we have information to share with our residents.

Will we be getting updates regularly, annually?

How how are we gonna get the information that this is going?

Awesome.

And we can certainly do any type of report uh to you and whatever type of cadence.

Um I would say coming out the gate, you know, if you say quarterly, that's fine, but I would also say coming out the gate, maybe wait two quarters before that because as usually the setup period, getting it really launched and such, but after we have it fully implemented, then we can say, well, maybe we want something monthly, you know, twice a year, um, but we can most certainly report back to you just like our lead ordinance um individual who's also here today, she does an annual report.

We can also include it there or do it separately.

Okay, that's great.

Thank you, Chair.

And we're uh I'll just add this too.

So um, even once um uh I'll say even once this passes next week, I'll be positive.

Um there's still some things that we have to do through the startup process to submit to HUD and all of that.

Um the funds have been approved, they've been released, all of that good stuff.

Um we need that obviously the ordinance to set up the SAP budget, but there's still um benchmarks that we're submitting to HUD policy and procedures, um uh action plans.

Uh it's fortunate that this is not um this is not our first rodeo, so a lot of it is going to be um revisions um that we can um turn around fairly quickly, uh, but even a HUD doesn't really expect to see a whole lot of production within the first um uh one or two quarters.

Thank you.

Just one more comment.

At a time when um the federal government is being so stingy with the tax dollars and have rolled things back.

Um this is this is uh really important to the citizens.

So I thank you for your hard work.

Thank you for the lead resource center and all their hard work.

Um and thank you, Chair.

And when and I will add this too, um, so we talked about the roll out and the application process.

Um so as uh um even though we're a seasoned grantee um because we've received these grants before, um, we're still considered a new grantee because this is a new award.

Um our uh orientation is uh near the end of next month.

HUD has gone through some changes the new federal administration has made some changes to different things.

Um so there are a few things that we still have to find out to make sure that when we put that application online um and we are looking at eligibility, that we are um let's say not putting the city of Toledo in the program at risk, and that we're also not providing false hope to potential applicants.

Um specifically we haven't been able to get a determination on uh whether they're gonna require citizenship and what that's gonna look like.

Um yeah, uh there's there's a lot of things that um let's say will not be a rubber stamp from the last time we ran this program.

Um so um hopefully we will get all these questions answered and everything resolved um uh at this uh at the training conference next month, and then that will ensure that when once we put an application out, we're collecting everything that we need that HUD is gonna require uh that's gonna allow us to do the um uh appropriate eligibility reviews and all of that.

So going back to the citizenship, they are they're asking you to ask for citizenship when these up with these applications?

So um we don't know yet.

But it's simply so I I forget the name of the federal act that was passed um, and I apologize for that.

Um basically what um uh what I've been able to understand is that with many of these federal programs, um our HUD uh our led program, potentially our CDBG um entitlement and our home uh entitlement dollars may be requiring um proof of citizenship.

I don't know what that's gonna look like.

Um it to me it asks let's say it generates more questions because certainly if you're looking it specific to my program uh because I I don't work with blinders on, but it I had that they have that tendency for an owner-occupied unit is pretty straightforward if that's what the requirement is.

We just have to figure out is it documentation, is there uh a website that us as the uh grantee um have to access.

But when you look at a um uh let's say a rental property, now typically with uh a rental uh eligibility, we don't have to look at the income from the owner.

We there are some things we do have to collect from the owner, but eligibility is driven by the occupant, so the tenant.

So it's the tenants income that we have to collect and all of that.

So if in fact we have to do something with regards to citizenship, does it affect both the landlord or the owner of the rental property and the tenant, or one or the other?

Um again, these are just things that um we want to roll the program out as soon as possible, but we also be have to be very careful because we don't want to put the program or the city at risk if we are doing things, let's say um not the correct way in in the eyes of the federal government.

Interesting.

Oh, yeah.

So we'll we'll we'll put a pen on that and definitely update us whenever you figure that out.

Yeah, we certainly will.

Because yeah, the will be just did.

So that's going to be interesting.

Um my question actually um coincides with Councilmember Gaddis's as far as the applicants, the population that you're targeting with the homes.

Is this are you overlapping this as far as like priority addresses?

Are you overlapping this with the other landlord ordinance where they had um the if you're in different areas you had to abide by making sure that your home was led free by certain dates?

Is that kind of overlapping as far as your target areas and target addresses, or is more if they're in the NERSA area?

And then you'll just have those addresses within that radius per se.

Well, the first, the highest priority, which Jerry um briefly mentioned, are those that we had the lead orders from the health department, regardless of the zip code or a census track.

Because if you have a uh a child who has elevated blood levels and they're being poisoned, then that is a home that we need to go in and make some changes to it.

So that is like the first level that we go to.

But other than that, in terms of the application process, it is open, and Jerry can speak to that more.

Sure, I can give you a little bit more detail.

So um the 41 targeted census tracts, those are actually um uh so the funds come from the Office of LUD Hazard Control and Healthy Homes.

Um that's the HUD office.

The 41 census tracts are actually um they are the designated high impact neighborhoods that um that that this HUD office has um let's say um uh well designated.

Um so it was a matter of uh they provided um uh they provided a website to go through to see what what their high impact areas are.

Um and it's based on um uh uh uh income levels, um uh uh instances of uh EBL elevated blood levels, um, et cetera, et cetera.

So that's the that's the 41 targeted um uh areas.

And in fact, if you look at um uh we don't have the the PowerPoint today, but um the that's the um uh the highlighted areas on this map.

Um now it's important to say as um uh uh Colina had mentioned is that that's just that's our target.

So that's where our marketing and stuff is gonna be.

But any eligible unit in the city of Toledo um uh has the potential to receive assistance.

And then we break it down in terms of um uh children with um you know units with orders, children with EBLs, um children with high EBLs, and then um so a child can have an EBL when once the child's blood level is 10 or above, that's considered an action level.

That's when the health department goes out and actually does um the lead investigation with the follow-up orders, etc.

etc.

Um children can be um obviously you can have an EBL that's under uh 10, and they're provided uh case management as well.

So basically any child any unit that has a child in is gonna be a um uh a priority for us.

Uh children uh units that have uh uh significant um EBL levels, uh orders from the health department, that's gonna be our priority, and then it kind of backs off like that.

Um we're actually even able to do vacant units, um uh vacant rental units, um, which is good because sometimes you've got uh if uh if a landlord is actually following what the orders that they get, um they're not allowed to rent their unit until they get things addressed.

So we're um uh uh we can't um we can't have the majority of our our units be vacant um when once we do the work, but we can even do vacant units as well.

Those obviously are gonna be our lowest priority.

Right.

Um we talked a lot about the rental um again owner occupied the same type of thing.

We get a lot of the referrals that we get from the health department, our owner occupied homes too.

So um we look at all of them with the same kind of priority levels.

Um with regards to your question about um the uh uh the lead safe ordinance, um the way I like to explain it is two ways.

Um first off, um our lead program was here before the ordinance uh and our program will certainly help rental property owners, but we're kind of like a Venn diagram.

You've got the ordinance units over here, and then you've got our lead units over here, and then there is a there is a uh intersection that some of those units that we do will help the owner comply with the um uh with the ordinance.

Our grant isn't targeted for the owner uh for the ordinance because it's you know we're we cover anything and we do again we'll do it as a priority, we'll do it as as we get units in.

We may have to bump applications if we get you know, hey, we've got we've got our pipeline built, but now we get a referral from the health department, and there's a uh child that's living in the unit still, that's gonna supersede somebody else who maybe it's a rental unit without a child.

Um so yeah, and that the the reason for my question was um just curious if you already had like a list already of just different addresses, but you already said the health department and their referrals take top priority, and I'm just curious if there was like overlap with the other led initiatives and anything like that.

And and I'll say this too.

So we're we're finishing up a couple of our other um uh led programs as well.

So um uh back in 2024, we received money from the Ohio Department of Development.

Um so we've got units with that one.

So those units, if we're not able to get them uh completed through that program, will be merged into our HUD program as well.

Um we uh we receive uh settlement dollars from uh the health department through well, they used to be BP, but now they're Cenovus.

Um, you know, the refineries over there.

Um so they got fined by EPA um, which provided money for um uh to do lead work um in uh a certain radius around the refinery.

Um so we we work with those monies too.

As um uh as those funds get used and end, if there's units that are still let's say would were potentially eligible, but we would just weren't able to address them.

from uh the health department through well they used to be BP but now they're CNOVIS um you know the refineries over there um so they got fined by EPA um which provided money for um uh to do lead work um in a certain radius around the refinery um so we we work with those monies too as um uh as those funds get used and end if there's units that are still let's say would we're potentially eligible but we would just weren't able to address them those that part of my job is to say okay what what other funds are these uh are these units going to qualify for so we're always moving a unit from one uh one funding's uh pool to the next as those pools dry up and we've got you know the next pool opens up so we're looking forward um to this program um because you know we've got uh uh we're just starting out we've got you know four years to work with these funds um I will say that um uh right now as far as staffing we probably have um uh the best led I I probably have the best led staff to work with uh who's has the experience of been doing this enough um works very well with um uh all of the applicants whether they're landlords tenants or owner occupied um we have a um I'll say a relatively new uh well not really new anymore but um our finance staff um has been uh working with me very closely on the budget how we need to um monitor the budget et cetera et cetera so I'm actually looking really looking forward for this grant to uh uh let's say we had a this is to get going as much needed especially what's happening federal wise we need to act on it as fast as possible and um I know that there was a another question regarding the um the center um is that still gonna be in Swainfield or like what is the timeline with Swainfield how is this I know the center is mostly doing the training portion of this grant but how as far as just like future development I think that was a question as well from one of the council members.

And and when you say future development you mean in terms of their work activities work activity location all that okay and so the location um the plan because plan changes um is to have it at Swain Field and if you've gone past Wayne Field and looked at especially at night is gorgeous with the the new lighting the new facade the parking lot and such so there's still some things to be out uh added to that uh particular uh property over there and we think that's a great opportunity to have the uh lead resource center there um it's in the Inglewood area it's in one of our nursery areas is also uh not only in a nurse but adjacent to another nurser and these are all areas that have some very old housing and so to have it there to be part of the community so to speak and also to be in a new beautiful location I think that'll be great.

So as it stands right now I will say yes that is the plan.

Plans can change but we're trying to make sure the plans don't change because that's where I think everybody would like it.

And so going back to uh their work plan as it relates to this going to be that out uh supplemental outreach to the marketing plan that we have being able to work more and have conversations one-on-one with families but also to uh supplement those events the tabling events um and different things of that nature and I had supplied and hopefully that you receive it there is a handout that was uh yes yes okay that was written by the executive director Candice Buckley for this to kind of answer the questions of what they'll be doing as it relates to this grant I think it's it's great that they can be a partner with us on this for a number of reasons.

Number one, the city um when they started really looking at lead and they started looking at the lead ordinances and really having some deep serious conversations about the impact of lead we said we're gonna stand we're gonna create a lead resource center.

And so we did that part of it and we then we put some C money in it we got it started we were able to bring on a very dynamic executive director who has some uh deep relationships with a number of organizations and individuals out there and I think her ability to tap into that is going to be so great in this case um and I I think about from the moment she started to now the conversations that she has about lead first of all it's like how do you learn all that this quick because she has done some serious deep dive reading she's here she's there she's everywhere so I uh first of all I have to give her kudos to something like that and you could tell there's a genuine interest in heart for this and I think now that she's deepened her knowledge of it I mean she is like rah rah we got to make sure our children are not poisoned and our babies this and that and that heart that mindset her experience her knowledge she's such a system thinker that that part will be built into what we're doing and while she has a very or the lead resource center has a very particular role in this I think she'll also help in our conversations when we create these systems.

And while she has a very, or the lead resource center has a very particular role in this, I think she'll also help in our conversations when we create these systems.

So we we we have it down on pack.

I mean, Jerry's been doing this for a number of years, he does it well, um, and and we appreciate that.

But as things evolve as we learn new things, or we try to come up with some new ways of doing things.

I think Candace will be able to contribute to that conversation in ways that we had not had.

We're not having that expert or you know, to talk about it.

And I think we when we talk about lead, we become I don't know if it's complete, but I'll say this.

We have our lead ordinance that is now stood the test of how many court cases it is now active, and we have you know, our lead coordinator Monica Smith that is running that, she's been following up with them, um, making sure those who are in compliance, so we have that piece of it.

And then we have the piece of what uh Jerry leads not only this grant, but as he mentioned, the BP grant, and as he mentioned the Ohio Department of Development Grant, and then we have our lead resource center.

And so those three components that we didn't have, I think we're so much stronger for for it today than if you would have looked at us two years ago.

So a lot of conversation, a lot of things have happened for that.

Um so I don't know if I answered your question, but yeah, no, no, you did because I was just wondering like we gotta get her in a space, you know, just to do what she needs to do.

But um, I mean, even speaking of just what the center would do, I know that uh it was highlighting the training.

Where will the training take place?

Or is there um particular partnerships that will be tied to that?

How does that look for this training?

Yes, and so that's why we need to find a location and why Swain Field is a good location because not only would it be an administrative office, but it'd also be a location so that training could occur there.

Right, and so it'll be working with some third-party entities that do the training, and eventually I know we want to be able to have the in-house train the trainer so that we locally would be able to increase those led workers, the led um risk assessors and such that type of training.

So if you would like Candace is here, if you have some questions for her, um, we can certainly allow her to speak and I'll leave that up to you.

Thank you very much.

I don't think there's any questions from council.

Ms.

Candace, do you want to say something more just about your role in this grant and how the center's doing?

Let's see.

Let me start out with saying um, you know, I was sitting in my seat and I'm listening to the conversation.

Um, and I always listen to the heart behind the words because that's just how my brain works.

Um, and I just want to first start by saying thank you.

Um I think deputy director uh Colleen Alley uh said it very well.

I am very passionate about what can happen between now and a year, what can happen between now and two years, what can happen between now and my retirement.

Um dealing firsthand and interacting with some of these families in our community, um, it breaks my heart when a mom comes up to a resource table and she's like, I don't know what to do.

My kid just got tested, um, and you know, then comes the tears.

And the professional side of me is trying to hold it together in that moment, but there's there's um a part of me where in my heart I hurt along with them because I'm a Toledoan.

I raise my kids in Toledo, I raised my kids in a home built before 1978.

So when I stand up and I'm talking to the various groups, and I'll let you in uh hot off the press on two uh opportunities that we got to are gonna speak at.

Um it's personal for me because I believe in Toledo.

I believe in you all and the decisions that's being made.

I believe in the administration, um, and I believe together, we can truly make a difference.

Um I don't have many more words to say, but if you have any questions about the resource center, um, I'll talk tuck my passion back into my pocket and please ask me um if you have any questions in regards to our efforts.

So I don't have any further questions.

I'll defer to Councilwoman Cramer.

Thank you.

I just wanted to thank you for being here today.

And I can attest that you are everywhere because I see you all over the place.

And I I think everyone in the community appreciates what you're doing and the passion that you have for this subject and for keeping our babies safe.

And I I just wanted to thank you.

So I don't have any questions.

I just wanted to thank you for being here today.

Thank you.

We would like to open the floor to the public.

If there's any comments, questions concerning the lead hazard reduction grant.

I am.

Oh go ahead.

Oh, I have one final tidbit that I'm really excited about.

Just because I've been in this space for short such a short time.

I just want to let council know that the work that we're doing is gaining traction.

I've been invited to the Ohio Housing Network to do a presentation representing our community.

Um with our LED Safe Coordinator here at the City of Toledo, Monica Smith.

So those are just two things that I want to put out there to let you all know that you know people are watching Toledo and they want to know about our commitment to change, and they want to utilize some of the strategies in order to improve their community one step at a time.

And again, as I said, we're all better together.

So I'm excited to get out there, represent Toledo, and share this information.

Well, congratulations for all of that, and definitely good luck with those presentations.

Looking forward to a lot more.

No, we had a comment from public.

Come on up.

Good afternoon.

My name is Blair Johnson.

So I want to publicly say I hope you guys do approve this because we do need it.

Um approximately 90% of the housing stock was built pre-1978.

And so with this order doing single family, duplexes, triplexes, and quads, and then in addition, I don't know how much will help daycares, but we got a lot of property that falls into that that disrespect spare point.

So I wanted to say that first.

So please vote yes, vote no would be a bad idea.

Um because like they said, getting funding to actually do something we need to do.

Um but speaking on the other side, uh, I'm a maintenance contractor.

So one of the things I want to ask about the outreach process, because I know um, you know, being clear and transparent, I'm a licensed abatement contractor and licensed risk assessor.

I went through the program partially between the city and the state to get my initial licensing.

I had a little bit of a busy last year, so I wasn't able to get us fully active, but I am now using my risk assessor license.

With that, I know we got a lot of clearance tax and risk assessors, so that can identify the problem, but it doesn't abate it, which still leaves us in another issue.

I've had issues trying to get uh lead workers, people who want to sign up as lead workers to help because you know, one contractor, some of these projects are not one-man jobs.

Um, but one of the biggest things I want to know is what's going to be the outreach process to not only reach out to licensed contractors, license uh abatement abatement contract resistors who are already licensed in the system, at least the ones based in the Toledo area.

Um, you know, I would like to see something of a monthly check.

You know, first of every month we just pop on, see if any new names have been added, you know, all the information, you're usually a mailing address, phone number, at least for me, that's how it's set up.

You know, you have some form of contact that's on there and it's public record, so it's easily accessible, making sure we're reaching out to these people.

I know people have to want to do the work, but if we have some, because you know, I have access to a lot of stuff because I look for it, I find it.

But you got other guys who may have got licensed people who went season who also can help with the training and a different foundational thing and get more people involved.

Um I think that's a big huge deal because we got a lot of stuff on the other side, but if we're not working on the abatement side, none of this really matters if we're not working to push making sure the removal part is involved.

So I would like to hopefully see between the city and the lead resource center that's going to be activated that we we make a big push to figure this out, even if there's uh like with the lead workers, the the minimal requirements are very, very it's not the same as the contractor and the risk assessors as far as your resume requirement to be able to go through that process.

So I would like to say um how can we work with some of the schools, some of the trade schools to possibly see about getting some of these things early because we need lead workers.

Like that's one of the biggest things.

You can have a contractor on site, but you can only do so much.