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REGULAR MEETING NOVEMBER 14, 2016 make less than $30,000 a year. It does not look like most of these people can afford to live in the building you're trying to build. I want your project to be built; I think it's beautiful. I just think that there needs to be a broader context in which we consider this. Councilmember Williams - Preston asked Mr. Matthews, Where do those seventy -two percent (72 %) of the people —maybe even eighty -four percent (84 %) of the people that live in that neighborhood now —where do they live? Where do they go? I want you to answer that question. Those people don't have time to volunteer and plan events because they are working. They've got kids. They can't fit in an efficiency. Those people —where will they live? Mr. Matthews responded, Let's start by talking about where they live now. We have a number of low- income apartments. Hoffman Hotel is probably the closest. Robertson's is a little further down. Councilmember Williams- Preston asked Mr. Matthews to talk about the Hoffman Hotel. She asked, Is that low- income forever? Mr. Matthews responded, It's low- income for thirty (30) or so years. Typically, with most HUD housing, the developer has a thirty (30) or forty (40) year time period to get a loan and grant subsidies from Fed, and then typically around year fifteen (15) they have the option to get out of it if the market rate has increased. It is a choice. I don't know of any program that says they'll make low- income housing always and forever for people. Councilmember Williams- Preston stated, And that's my concern. Right now, the United Ways ALICE Report tells us that fifty -three percent (53 %) of the people who live in South Bend right now —the people whose tax money repaired or reconfigured streets that many people felt didn't need to be reconfigured —their tax dollars are being spent to redevelop this area, and it doesn't seem to me like this city has a plan for them to actually live here and enjoy those streets. That is going to continue to be my question. It doesn't mean that this development can't happen, but what I'm challenging you, the rest of this community, the Council, and the Mayor to do is to start bringing plans to us to ensure that the people whose tax money has built this place —who are redeveloping this place right now —have a space to live here when it's redeveloped. That is my challenge to you. Mr. Matthews responded, Hopefully, the people who live in the neighborhood now have a path to get jobs and better employment and move up. I was told a story about a wall that we have across the street from the Emporium. I was talking to one of the graffiti artists, and he was telling me how he has a job at a restaurant in South Bend. When a new restaurant opened, Render —in one of our buildings that is a high -end restaurant that we made bougie and nice—he was offered a job. His employer gave him a dollar -an-hour raise to stay. Now, this is a small, one -off example, but it's an example of bringing new people into the neighborhood; taking these parking lots and vacant buildings and getting people to do business, to create new jobs, and people who are already living and working in the area then have an opportunity. Half of these jobs didn't exist six months ago. When Martin's moves in, that's going to bring in more jobs. When we get more people living downtown and new offices pop up, that creates new entry -level jobs. And if those are in downtown, that's on bus routes and within walking distance of a lot of the poor neighborhoods that need better jobs in our community. The trouble is that for decades, most of the financial investment has happened east of South Bend, in Mishawaka and Granger. If you were living in downtown South Bend, good luck getting there. It took maybe two bus transfers to get there. It's really tough. We need economic development in downtown South Bend that's available to everybody. I grew up on free lunch and reduced lunch. I went to State school on student loans and moved back to South Bend. This is where I'm from. These are issues I care about. This is why we have the volunteer thing. As a private developer, what can we do? This is us making that an effort, because we care. Councilmember Broden made a motion to take a five (5). minute break. Councilmember Davis seconded the motion which carried by a voice vote of nine (9) ayes. The Council adjourned at 9:00 pm. 16