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Committee Member Karl Nichols echoed this model is called the "housing first" <br />initiative, which believes the first step to ending homelessness and creating stability for <br />homeless population must provide housing first and subsequently address any potential <br />mental health or addiction concerns. <br />Councilmember Jo Broden expressed the importance of lobbying at a state level to secure <br />funding for mental health services. <br />The next stop on the tour was the Pepsi Distribution Center where Pastor Taylor <br />expressed that the Pepsi Cola Co. and Zikers Cleaners were leaving the neighborhood. <br />Zikers is relocating to Mishawaka. <br />Long -time resident, Nancy Scales, shared that she welcomed the departure of Pepsi from <br />the neighborhood since large trucks often drive through the neighborhood serve as a <br />safety concern for small children. Her son was a struck was by a Pepsi driver years ago. <br />Pastor Taylor reiterated the importance of proactively addressing community concerns <br />like homelessness and crime, among other things, as these challenges work as a <br />deterrence to business development in the neighborhood. <br />The Council shared that a LangLab extension would be ideal in the Pepsi space that will <br />become vacant soon. <br />Nancy Scales also shared that the neighborhood lacks a community center, so the location <br />could be prime for that purpose as well. <br />The next stop of the tour was at Dubail Street and Marietta Street near Studebaker <br />School. At the corner, residents pointed out the lots surrounding Marietta have been <br />vacant for decades. <br />Pastor Taylor also shared that Studebaker School would make a great space for the <br />community /youth center given the infrastructure is already there. <br />The tour continued onto Fellows Street where Pastor Taylor pointed out the crumbling <br />sidewalks to Councilmembers as a safety concern for Riley High School students walking <br />to school. He also recalled that sidewalks and the entry-ways to High School were <br />included in the budget last year and that construction was planned to commence this year. <br />466Works Board Member and Councilmember White confirmed Pastor Taylor's <br />recollection and Council agreed to follow up with Public Works on this topic. <br />The tour stopped at Riley High School where a discussion was held on the connection <br />between the SBCSC Master Plan for Riley School and the City's Smart Street initiative. <br />The plans call for a widening of the boulevard from Michigan Street to Riley High <br />School as a means to control traffic patterns and flow surrounding the school. Council <br />also agreed to follow -up with the respective department and commissions regarding this <br />issue. <br />3 <br />