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0CITY OF SOUTH BEND I OFFICE OF THE CLERK <br />Caleb Bauer, Acting Executive Director of Community Investment, offices on the 14th floor of <br />the County City Building stated there were five (5) areas that the report focused on, economic <br />development, affordable housing, youth engagement & employment, neighborhood infrastructure <br />and public safety & wellness. Caleb Bauer continued that the small emergency assistance grants <br />were administered early in 2020 with the economic shutdown to assist businesses from closing. <br />The Department of Investment is planning to announce a new grant program that will look at <br />exterior activation for businesses. There are a lot of vacancies, and the department is looking to <br />assist people to advance their careers by making changes and to continue the Pathways Programs. <br />The city is participating in the Cities for Financial Empowerment City Start Initiative that provides <br />a planning grant and technical assistance in the amount of seventy-five thousand dollars <br />($75,000.00). The Department of Community Investment has shared a list of the five (5) year <br />housing highlights with the Council and will continue to work on solicitation for single and <br />multifamily housing. With the Housing financing line item, the department is planning to release <br />the solicitation in the third (3d) quarter of this year. <br />Dan Parker, City Controller, offices located on the 12' floor of the County City Building, stated <br />he was an observer of the 2019 Resident Neighborhood meetings; the meetings served as <br />foundation for budgeting. Parker stated the 2020 budget established the new position of Manager <br />of Youth Employment to have more intentionality behind the city's approach to employing youth <br />and paid work -based learning programs. The city had an increase on at -risk youth employment <br />through incentivizing, recruitment, and new youth positions. Dan Parker stated the city will have <br />employed over a hundred and three (103) youth by the end of 2022. The city has invested in <br />community centers: Southeast Neighborhood Center, Pinhook Community Center and the <br />renovation of centers Martin Luther King Junior Community Center and a Far Northwest <br />Neighborhood. <br />Caleb Bauer stated the neighborhood infrastructure consists of the following plans: Rebuilding <br />Our Streets (a 3 -year plan), AEP Streetlight Conversion and additional improvements and repairs <br />(curbs, sidewalks, traffic calming, lighting). The infrastructure also pertained to creating an <br />addition Redevelopment Commission resulting in several improved business corridors and <br />important intersections. <br />Dan Parker stated the city has increased shot spotters to add to the investment in public safety; <br />Parker states the coverage of spotters are expanded from four (4) square miles to five (5) square <br />miles. Parker continues that the Council appropriated one million and a half dollars ($1,500,000) <br />from the American Rescue Plan to public safety technology upgrades such as: license plate readers, <br />business cameras, and virtual reality simulations implemented around escalation and firearm <br />training for the police department. Dan Parker stated that five million eight hundred thousand <br />dollars ($5,800,000) also was appropriated from the American Rescue Plan for partnerships within <br />the county on homelessness and mental health. The feedback suggests incentivizing officers to live <br />in the community that they are patrolling as well as city employees living in the city. <br />Committee Chair White stated the importance of continuing the intentional discussions/questions <br />with the committee and producing next steps. Committee Chair White requested the presenters <br />share their presentations with the Council and Clerk's office for citizen review. <br />EXCELLENCE I ACCOUNTABILITY I INNOVATION 1 INCLUSION I EMPOWERMENT <br />455 County -City Building 227 W. Jefferson BvId'I South Bend, Indiana 466011 P 574.235.9221.`574.235.9173 TTD574.235.5567 v ..southbendingov <br />