HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-25-2022 Residential Neighborhoods (Signed) StandingOFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK
Dz�w M. JOvES, CITY CLERK
Residential Neighborhoods Committee May 25,2022,4:00 P.M.
Committee Members Present: Sheila Niezgodski, Karen White, Canneth Lee,
Henry Davis Jr., Rachel Tomas Morgan, Lori
Hamman
Committee Members Absent:
Other Council Present: Eli Wax, Troy Warner
Other Council Absent: Sharon L. McBride
Others Present: Dawn Jones, Victoria Trujillo, Bob Palmer
Presenters: Caleb Bauer, Dan Parker
Agenda: 1. Report to the Community the results of the 2019
Neighborhood Meetings. 2. The Collective power of
Engagement & Intentional Collaboration.
Committee Chair Karen White called to order the Residential Neighborhood Committee
meeting at 4:00 p.m.; Committee Chair White stated a quorum is present.
Full audio dialogue of the meeting is available upon request from the City Clerk's Office.
Committee Chair White stated the background information on the Residential Neighborhood
Committee meetings and the collaboration between the second (2"d) and sixth (6d') district;
meetings also consisted of other districts leaders. These committee meetings were to create a
healthier neighborhood through organizing and collaboration. White stated the committee
identified five (5) areas of concern by councilmembers, citizens, and stakeholders. It is critical to
intentionally collaborate and report back to the community the outcomes while providing `good'
information. Today is to hear to from the administration and to get feedback from the 2019 report.
The committee will continue to have neighborhood meetings.
Committee Member Sheila Niezgodski stated that she is looking forward to the presentation and
supports the collaboration of neighborhoods. Committee Member Niezgodski stated the committee
gave perspective from various residents in the neighborhoods and their view of a successful
neighborhood.
Council Member Canneth Lee stated he remembers the beginning of the committee and agrees the
improvement developed by the issues that were addressed. He is looking forward to the report and
next steps.
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Caleb Bauer, Acting Executive Director of Community Investment, offices on the 14th floor of
the County City Building stated there were five (5) areas that the report focused on, economic
development, affordable housing, youth engagement & employment, neighborhood infrastructure
and public safety & wellness. Caleb Bauer continued that the small emergency assistance grants
were administered early in 2020 with the economic shutdown to assist businesses from closing.
The Department of Investment is planning to announce a new grant program that will look at
exterior activation for businesses. There are a lot of vacancies, and the department is looking to
assist people to advance their careers by making changes and to continue the Pathways Programs.
The city is participating in the Cities for Financial Empowerment City Start Initiative that provides
a planning grant and technical assistance in the amount of seventy-five thousand dollars
($75,000.00). The Department of Community Investment has shared a list of the five (5) year
housing highlights with the Council and will continue to work on solicitation for single and
multifamily housing. With the Housing financing line item, the department is planning to release
the solicitation in the third (3d) quarter of this year.
Dan Parker, City Controller, offices located on the 12' floor of the County City Building, stated
he was an observer of the 2019 Resident Neighborhood meetings; the meetings served as
foundation for budgeting. Parker stated the 2020 budget established the new position of Manager
of Youth Employment to have more intentionality behind the city's approach to employing youth
and paid work -based learning programs. The city had an increase on at -risk youth employment
through incentivizing, recruitment, and new youth positions. Dan Parker stated the city will have
employed over a hundred and three (103) youth by the end of 2022. The city has invested in
community centers: Southeast Neighborhood Center, Pinhook Community Center and the
renovation of centers Martin Luther King Junior Community Center and a Far Northwest
Neighborhood.
Caleb Bauer stated the neighborhood infrastructure consists of the following plans: Rebuilding
Our Streets (a 3 -year plan), AEP Streetlight Conversion and additional improvements and repairs
(curbs, sidewalks, traffic calming, lighting). The infrastructure also pertained to creating an
addition Redevelopment Commission resulting in several improved business corridors and
important intersections.
Dan Parker stated the city has increased shot spotters to add to the investment in public safety;
Parker states the coverage of spotters are expanded from four (4) square miles to five (5) square
miles. Parker continues that the Council appropriated one million and a half dollars ($1,500,000)
from the American Rescue Plan to public safety technology upgrades such as: license plate readers,
business cameras, and virtual reality simulations implemented around escalation and firearm
training for the police department. Dan Parker stated that five million eight hundred thousand
dollars ($5,800,000) also was appropriated from the American Rescue Plan for partnerships within
the county on homelessness and mental health. The feedback suggests incentivizing officers to live
in the community that they are patrolling as well as city employees living in the city.
Committee Chair White stated the importance of continuing the intentional discussions/questions
with the committee and producing next steps. Committee Chair White requested the presenters
share their presentations with the Council and Clerk's office for citizen review.
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•CITY OF SOUTH BEND I OFFICE OF THE CLERK
Committee Member Niezgodski requested clarification on neighborhood infrastructure funding
and what is included in the budget.
Dan Parker responded that the two million five hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000) is ARP
funding and two million five hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000) of structural funding from
last year's budget which is broken down for city improvements. A sizable portion will be allocated
towards traffic calming.
Councilmember Lee inquired of the seven million seven hundred thousand dollar ($7,500,000)
recovery fund and how to apply. Lee also requests how many minority businesses have applied for
the funding and the date for expiration of the loan program.
Dan Parker responded that businesses could apply by reaching out to the RLF team through the
city website. He stated he will follow up with the amount of minority businesses that have applied.
Dan Parker stated nineteen (19) loans have been awarded to businesses and four (4) of those have
went to minority businesses. If loans are not initially loaned out by July 27th° then the remainder
of the funds would revert to EDA as part of the agreement however if the loans are loaned out
before July, the loans will continue to revolve over years as they are paid back. Dan Parker stated
that if loans are not awarded, the city will not be able to attain them for the future.
Dan Parker stated that CDFI Friendly is working separately to attract CDFI's to provide financing
in South Bend.
Committee Member Niezgodski inquired about the one million five hundred thousand dollars
($1,500,000) towards installing business cameras.
Dan Parker responded that the one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) was for a
public safety technology upgrade. It is not an actual program that has been rolled but has a lot of
interest due to increasing residential safety and deferring costs.
Committee Chair White inquired on how to best utilize the funding programs with access to
information and dollars.
Caleb Bauer responded that industrial funding was created and controlled since the 1970's by the
federal government until the last few years. The city is looking to review rules since
defederalization.
Committee Chair White inquired on the report from the Home Repair Program.
Caleb Bauer responded that he would follow up with the numbers and overview of the program.
Committee Chair White requested for anyone from the public wishing to speak in favor or in
opposition.
Jordan Geiger, 424 S. Michigan St. unit 660, South Bend, IN, 46601 inquired if the city can make
data on spending available by census tracts of where the money is going in terms of specific
communities or census tracts that are receiving funding. He also inquired on how the city uses the
ten (10) essential questions for policy development as a framework to help ensure equitable
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•CITY OF SOUTH BEND I OFFICE OF THE CLERK
economic development outcomes and how the city and the Council utilize this framework moving
forward. Jordan Geiger requested information on how the city can start to incorporate the equity
focused benchmarks or indicators. The Home Repair Program is critical to look at census tracts
that receive funding regarding the four (4) impact areas that expanded in 2020; How many homes
were impacted in those four
(4) impact areas and how to make sure the city has impacted those communities.
Dan Parker responded the funding for roads were based on the lowest rated streets in the city. The
presentation included breakdown of the investment by street level as well as census tract level.
The investment serves the entire city, and it may be difficult to pin down investments based on the
census tract.
Committee Chair White responded that looking at the Home Repair Programs, the homes were
targeted and expanded. The information is now available, and the city is responding based on that
data. It is important for citizens to know where their dollars are going.
Dan Parker responded that he can follow-up with information on the census tracts.
Committee Member Niezgodski inquired if applications were closed at the end of April for input.
Dan Parker responded it was closed in early May and the city has gotten feedback in person and
online with three (3) in person sessions. The Department of Investment is looking at the
information and developing a program designed for the first round.
Committee Chair White stated that the citizens gave time and energy for this initiative with the
committee.
Adjourned.
Respectful Submitted,
Kare4 White, Committee Chair
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