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South Bend Redevelopment Commission <br />Regular Meeting November 10, 2014 <br />6. NEW BUSINESS (CONT.) <br />A. Public Hearings <br />(5) continued... <br />Mr. Relos: We'll do some research on that and have a better answer. <br />Ms. Kathy Jones: I live along Western Avenue. Couple of questions. I thought I saw in the <br />paper ... you talk about improving the quality of life for everyone. I thought I saw in the <br />paper where they are going to build an Hispanic cultural center. For decades that area was <br />predominantly African American and Polish. My question is how did you come about that <br />decision to target a specific ethnic group and was there an opportunity for residents in that <br />area to come to a meeting to make suggestions as to what they would like to see out there? <br />First, I'd like you to address that issue. Secondly, again, you talk about improving the <br />quality of life, and along the lines of one of the other residents, will there be any type of <br />grant to improve personal property. You can have all this new stuff around... houses that are <br />fifty, sixty, seventy years old, will there be grants available for people to apply for to <br />improve their personal property? Thirdly, the jobs you talked about that's going to be <br />created, who will they be hiring? Will they be hiring people from within that area and if so, <br />I hope you're going to use E- Verify. Also, I did see a bullet on the screen about acquiring <br />property. Will there be any acquisition in that particular area. If so, when will people <br />know? <br />Mr. Ford: Those are great questions. First of all, to the housing grant question, there <br />already exist a number of grants, including the South Bend Housing Improvement Program <br />and Rebuilding Together. The city launched three new curb and sidewalk programs in 2015. <br />Those will be available for home owners to apply for as well. In terms of the cultural plaza, <br />there's nothing ethnic specific. I think that was misconstrued in the media. There was a <br />comment made that they were discussing the strength, particularly of the west side, its <br />diversity of different cultures. They highlighted at that moment the Hispanic culture. But <br />there is nothing ethnic specific to it at all. It's an opportunity... look at the rendering, this is <br />an area that's meant to serve everyone. If anything, the goal is for Western to be much more <br />of a seam than a boundary and to help bring people together. <br />Ms. Jones: But I read it was an Hispanic Cultural Center. <br />Mr. Ford: Definitely not. In terms of jobs, that's absolutely why Lippert moved here from <br />Elkhart. They couldn't get the workforce in Elkhart. For example, Lippert is doing hiring <br />on site there. Like I said, 1,100 new jobs on the west side. They came there specifically for <br />the workforce. <br />Ms. Jones: And they are using E- Verify? <br />Mr. Ford: I believe so. <br />18 <br />