02-26-18 Informal - Laserfiche WebLink

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Lisa DeBerry, 505 S. Kenmore Street, was asked by Council President Scott why she would like to serve as one (1) of the Council appointees to the Redevelopment Commission. Ms. DeBerry stated, I would like to be on the Redevelopment Commission because I love South Bend. I have been here for fifteen(15) years and I really like the projects that have been happening in the City in terms of Redevelopment and I would like to be a part of that. I have a strong interest in the people in the City and I just would like to be a part of what is happening. Council President Scott then opened the floor to questions from Councilmembers. Councilmember White asked, What is your philosophy on how and on what TIF Funds should be spent? Ms. DeBerry replied,Last y I attended the City workshops so I learned a lot about CBG Funds, TIF Funds and how the money is distributed throughout the City. I actually like what is happening right now with the TIF Funds and how it has been distributed amongst the developers that plan to improve our City. Councilmember Williams-Preston stated, There has been a lot of conversation around equity and equitable development. The Council has a focus on neighborhoods and stuff going on in the main corridors. How can we be more equitable in the distribution of redevelopment? Ms. DeBerry replied, I have been meeting with local residents. I am a community advocate and work closely with the neighborhood resource development initiatives. I am mainly an advocate for seniors with disabilities. I've worked on projects with the South Bend Heritage Foundation to get small housing repairs and other developments. There is a lot of racial diversity in those neighborhoods I've worked in and I've talked with residents to see what we can do to improve their homes and lives. I think in terms of small steps. We need to bring people together to identify the assets in the community. Council President Scott dismissed Ms. DeBerry from the interview. Lori Hamann, 2658 Tomahawk Trail, was asked by Council President Scott why she would like to serve as one (1) of the Council appointees to the Redevelopment Commission. Ms. Hamann stated, Economic development is my love. I've studied economics through all of my college experience. I teach econ, I've owned businesses, I am very politically active and interested in the potential that exists with the City. There has been a great deal achieved already and I just want to be a part of it. Council President Scott then opened the floor to questions from Councilmembers. Councilmember White asked, What is your philosophy on how and on what TIF Funds should be spent? Ms. Hamann replied, I think TIF can be a very useful tool but, as with any tool, overuse is going to cause damage to other tax bases. We need to be sure we are able to fund the things in a general 7