FOR THE RECORD. MY NAME IS ENRIQUE PEPEN. DISTRICT FIVE CITY COUNCILOR AND I'M THE CHAIR OF BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON CITY SERVICES AND INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY TODAY JULY 10TH,
2025 AN EXACT TIME IS 11:41 A.M. THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON ARGYLE'S CITY COUNCIL DASH TV AND BROADCAST
ON INFINITI CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 FILES CHANNEL 964 WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT C DARCY
CITY BOSTON THE GOV AND WILL BE MADE A PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS. PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THIS HEARING. INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY
SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING IN PERSON PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SAME SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE CHAMBER. IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO TESTIFY VIRTUALLY PLEASE EMAIL OUR
CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON SHANE PAC AT SHANE DOT PAC AT BOSTON ALCOVE FOR THE LINK IN YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST . TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBER 0314. ORDER FOR A HEARING REGARDING
FIRE EMERGENCIES AND THE CREATION OF A FIRE VICTIMS FUND . THIS MATTER IS SPONSORED BY COUNCILOR GABRIELLE COLETTA SABATO, RUDY LOUIJEUNE AND BRIAN MORRELL AND WAS REFERRED
TO THE COMMITTEE ON JANUARY 29, 2025. TODAY I AM JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL COUNCILOR TO APPEAR LIKE A SUPPORTER WHO IS A SPONSOR AND WE ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER OF ABSENCE FROM THE
COUNCIL PRESIDENT RUDY LOUIJEUNE. ALL RIGHT. MOVING OVER TO OPENING REMARKS ,I WANT TO START BY THANKING THE SPONSORS OF THIS HEARING FOR BRINGING THIS DISCUSSION TO THE CHAMBER.
I THINK EVERYBODY I THINK EVERY BOSTONIAN HAS BEEN HAVE SEEN THE EFFECTS FIRES HAVE ON OUR LIVES AND IN DISTRICT FIVE, THE FALL THOUSAND 24 BROUGHT A FIRE TO EACH OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
THIS PAST OCTOBER A 16 YEAR OLD BOY DIED FROM INJURIES AFTER BEING PULLED OUT OF HIS BURNING HOME IN HYDE PARK. HIS RELATIVES, FIVE ADULTS AND THREE OTHER CHILDREN WERE DISPLACED.
THIS TYPE OF TRAUMATIC EVENT SHATTERS FAMILIES AS THEY JUGGLE TIME IN THE HOSPITAL, EMERGENCY HOUSING AND LOSS OF BELONGINGS. I WAS ACTUALLY AT THE HOSPITAL WITH THAT FAMILY AND I REMEMBER
CALLING MICHAEL AND AND DAVE FROM KATIE'S CLOSET WHO REALLY STEPPED UP TO PROVIDE JUST A LOT OF RESOURCES THERE. I KNOW THAT THE RED CROSS ALSO THERE.
I KNOW THAT OUR BOSTON FIRE VICTIMS UNIT WERE ALSO THERE TO HELP OUT AND THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF MANY THAT WE EXPERIENCE ALMOST EVERY DAY IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WANT TO TURN IT OVER TO THE SPONSOR
AND MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE FOR THEIR OPENING STATEMENTS. COUNCILOR BOYLE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. CHAIR THANK YOU FOR CLEARING YOUR SCHEDULE TO HOLD THIS HEARING. I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE ADVOCATES THAT ARE HERE AND COMMUNITY FOLKS THAT HAVE
JOINED US TO PROVIDE YOUR PERSPECTIVE LIVE AND HIGHLIGHT THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU DO, THE INVALUABLE WORK THAT YOU DO HELPING PEOPLE IN SOME OF THE MOST DIFFICULT OF THEIR LIFE, PROBABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT
MOMENTS OF THEIR LIFE. I WANT TO THANK MEMBERS OF THE ADMINISTRATION WHO ARE HERE AND PRESENT I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION AS WELL. TODAY WE COME TOGETHER TO
CONFRONT A CRISIS THAT TO MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS, ESPECIALLY OUR MOST KNOW TOO WELL THE DEVASTATION OF LOSING EVERYTHING IN A FIRE AND OR IN AN EMERGENCY. WE'VE SEEN SOME BUILDING COLLAPSES IN THE NORTH END AND
ELSEWHERE OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS IS BOSTON HAS WITNESSED MULTIPLE FIRES TEAR THROUGH TRIPLE DECKERS AND MULTI-FAMILY HOMES DISPLACING ENTIRE FAMILIES OVERNIGHT SOMETIMES IN
THE DOZENS DESTROYING PRECIOUS POSSESSIONS AND IN THE WORST CASE SCENARIO POSSIBLE TRAGICALLY CLAIMING LIVES INCLUDING JUST LAST YEAR A NINE YEAR OLD SAID KARINA CORRALES
AND HER NEIGHBOR AND SHATTERING THE SENSE OF SAFETY EVERY RESIDENT DESERVES IN THEIR HOME. THESE TRAGEDIES DON'T JUST END WHEN THE FLAMES GO OUT THEY RIPPLE THROUGH OUR STREETS, OUR SCHOOLS, OUR CHURCHES AND
COMMUNITY SPACES AND WE'VE SEEN INCREDIBLE ACTS OF SOLIDARITY WHERE NEIGHBORS LAUNCH DONATION DRIVES, DELIVER MEALS AND ORGANIZE FUNDRAISERS. AND I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO EAST BOSTON MUTUAL AID AND THE EAST BOSTON SOCIAL CENTER
WHO HAS BEEN THE FISCAL SPONSOR HELPING TO DISBURSE FUNDS TO FOLKS AND AN EQUITABLE WAY. AND THAT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO DISCUSS IN MY IN MY QUESTIONING.
BUT WE ARE HERE TO ASK MORE OF WHAT WE CAN DO TO STAND BY OUR NEIGHBORS IN THE AFTERMATH OR THE DISASTER. OUR DEPARTMENT ESPECIALLY ON US
AND HOUSING STABILITY HAVE DONE INCREDIBLE WORK AND HAVE MADE GREAT STRIDES IN RESPONDING TO THESE CRISES. THE REASON WHY WE ARE HERE IS BECAUSE WE WANT TO SPECIFICALLY
EXPLORE WHAT SORT OF GAPS THERE ARE IN IN TERMS OF FUNDING. WE'VE HAD WE'VE ALREADY HAD A HEARING ABOUT EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND WE'VE WORKED TO STREAMLINE THAT AND MAKE THE
MORE EFFICIENT. I SPECIFICALLY WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CREATION OF A FIRE VICTIM RELIEF FUND MAY MAY WHAT SORT OF IMPACT THAT MAY HAVE ON THE CITY.
WE'RE NOT STARTING FROM SCRATCH ON THIS ISSUE. CITIES LIKE SAN FRANCISCO HAVE ALREADY CREATED A STRUCTURED FIRE RELIEF FUND WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE DOLLARS ADMINISTRATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TRUSTED NONPROFITS.
THEIR MODEL ENSURES FAST FLEXIBLE AID TO FAMILIES BASED ON NEED AND NOT RED TAPE. AND WE BELIEVE THAT BOSTON A CITY THAT PRIDES ITSELF ON TAKING CARE OF ITS OWN, CAN AND SHOULD REPLICATE THIS APPROACH
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. AND SO WITH THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION AND JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR BEING HERE. THANKS.
THANK YOU. OKAY. NOW I'M GOING TO GO ON TO PRESENT TO YOU ALL TODAY'S PANEL AND I'M GOING TO START OFF WITH I WANT TO GO FROM HERE
ON OUT SO IF YOU COULD PLEASE INTRODUCE YOUR YOURSELVES STATING YOUR NAME, YOUR TITLE AND PROVIDE ANY OPENING STATEMENTS. THANK YOU. YEAH. HI EVERYONE. GOOD MORNING. ALMOST AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS FABRICIO PACE. I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF EAST BOSTON AND I ALSO AM THE CO-CHAIR OF THE EAST BOSTON SOCIAL CENTERS OF WHICH I AM AN ALUMNI AND WENT AS A CHILD FOR
ABOUT EIGHT YEARS TO THAT WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION. JUST BRIEFLY WANT TO THANK THE COMMITTEE ON CITY SERVICES AND INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY FOR
HAVING THIS HEARING TODAY. THIS IS A TOPIC THAT HITS VERY CLOSE TO HOME FOR ME. I ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK CITY COUNCILOR COLETTA FOR INVITING MEJIA TO SHARE TODAY AND HER
UNWAVERING SUPPORT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OF EAST BOSTON AND SPECIFICALLY FAMILIES WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY FIRES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
SO ON APRIL 2ND, 2024 I WAS AWOKEN AT 445 IN THE MORNING BY WHAT I THOUGHT WERE LEGOS BEING SPILLED ON THE FLOOR BY MY TWO YOUNG BOYS PLAYING BECAUSE THEY
WOKE UP EARLY. I TURNED AROUND JUST TRY TO GO BACK TO SLEEP BECAUSE THE ALARM HAD NOT GONE OFF YET. A FEW MINUTES LATER MY WIFE JUMPS OUT OF BED AND YELLS
SOMEBODY IS SCREAMING OUTSIDE FIREFIGHTER. THE HOME NEXT DOOR HAD SMOKE BILLOWING OUT FROM THE SECOND FLOOR. WE SAW A MAN STANDING ON THE
MORNING OF THE SECOND FLOOR WINDOW SCREAMING FOR HELP. WE GOT UP AND WE THOUGHT OH BOY, THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR IS ON FIRE. WOKE UP OUR TWO BOYS WHO AT THE
TIME WERE TEN AND SEVEN ACTUALLY NINE AND SIX. YOU KNOW, THEY JUST KIND OF THIS IS APRIL. THEY JUST PUT ON SOME FLIP FLOPS, SWEAT PANTS AND A T
SHIRT YOU KNOW THEY WERE SLEEPING. WE TRIED TO CALM THEM SAY HEY, THERE'S A FIRE NEXT DOOR. WE THINK IT'S SAFE IF WE LEAVE OUR HOME. AT THAT POINT OUR SECOND FLOOR TENANT STARTED RUNNING UP AND
DOWN OUR STAIRS SAYING THERE'S A FIRE. THERE'S A FIRE. MY PARENTS LIVED DOWN THE FIRST FLOOR. THEY OWNED THE BUILDING AT 432 MERIDIAN. THANKFULLY THEY HAD BEEN WOKEN UP BY OUR TENANT SIMILARLY JUST
KIND OF GOT OUT OF BED AND LEFT THE HOUSE WITH WHAT THEY HAD ON AND THAT WAS THE LAST TIME WE WOULD WALK INTO OUR HOUSE AS WE KNEW OUR HOUSE BECAUSE OUR HOUSE WAS ALSO ON FIRE.
WE DIDN'T REALIZE IT AT THE TIME. THAT DAY WE LOST ABOUT 85%
OF WHAT WE HAD IN OUR HOME BUT WE LEFT WITH THAT MORNING AS ALL WE WOULD HAVE FOR A WHILE IF IT WEREN'T FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS, STRANGERS WHO CAME
TOGETHER TO SUPPORT ALL OF OUR FAMILIES EVERYONE IMPACTED BY THIS FIRE. AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE SOME BRIEF THINGS THAT I LEARNED
ABOUT GOING THROUGH A FIRE PERSONALLY AND THEN SOME SOME NOTES ABOUT WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE IN AN ORGANIZATION TRYING HELP PEOPLE GOING THROUGH A FIRE AND I JUST HAPPENED TO BE LIVING IN BOTH SEATS AT THE
SAME TIME. YOU KNOW, IT'S MY ESTIMATION THAT MANY PEOPLE INCLUDING MYSELF NEVER THINK THAT SUCH A TRAGEDY WILL HAPPEN TO THEM AND BECAUSE OF THIS MINDSET WE
DON'T MAKE DECISIONS TO HELP AVOID OR REDUCE LOSS IN EVENTS SUCH AS THESE. AND I THINK A GREAT EXAMPLE IS RENTERS INSURANCE ALTHOUGH MY
PARENTS OWNED THE BUILDING I RENTED FROM THEM SO I WAS A RENTER AND MY WIFE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS HAD INSISTED WE WOULD GET WE SHOULD GET RENTERS
INSURANCE AND I ALWAYS TOLD HER THAT WAS SILLY. WE DIDN'T NEED TO DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT. WHY WOULD WE DO THAT? YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN? WHAT'S THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN? WELL, FAMOUS LAST WORDS.
SHE DID IN FACT GET RENTERS INSURANCE BUT I DID NOT URGE HER TO GET AS MUCH AS WE SHOULD HAVE HAD FOR SUCH AN EVENT WHERE YOU LOSE EVERYTHING AND
EVEN IF YOU HAVE RENTERS INSURANCE IT TAKES TIME FOR A DISBURSEMENT TO HAPPEN OF THAT MONEY YOU MUST ITEMIZE EVERY SINGLE THING YOU LOST IN YOUR
HOME. YOU MUST DATE WHEN YOU PURCHASED IT. YOU MUST LIST HOW MUCH YOU PURCHASED IT FOR AND THEN THEY WILL DO SOME CALCULATIONS TO FIGURE OUT WELL IF IT'S TEN
YEARS OLD AND YOU BOUGHT IT FOR 500 MAYBE TODAY YOU CAN GET 200 AND THERE'S SOME BACK AND FORTH THAT HAPPENED AND THEN EVENTUALLY YOU'LL GET YOUR PAYOUT THAT COULD BE FOR SIX
EIGHT WEEKS AFTER A FIRE HAPPENS IMMEDIATELY YOU'RE UNHOUSED WHICH YOU HAVE NOWHERE TO GO.
THANKFULLY THE RED CROSS IS THERE TO GIVE SOME FUNDS IN THE IMMEDIATE NATURE OF THE SITUATION BUT I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE HERE HAS EVER TRIED TO
BOOK A HOTEL IN BOSTON. I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR YOU THINK THOSE FUNDS ARE GOING TO GO TWO NIGHTS MAYBE THREE STRETCH IT THEN YOU GOT TO EAT.
YOU MIGHT NEED SOCKS, YOU MIGHT NEED CLOTHES, YOU MIGHT NEED TOILETRIES WHICH GOES TO MY NEXT POINT YOUR GLASSES ARE GONE. MAYBE YOUR CONTACTS, YOUR TOOTHBRUSH, YOUR DEODORANT,
EVERYTHING IT'S ALL GONE RIGHT. AND THE RED CROSS DOES STEP IN TO TRY TO ACCOMMODATE PROVIDE THOSE THINGS AND NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS DO THE SAME.
EVERYTHING YOU HAVE EVERY MEMENTO IS LIKELY DESTROYED IN CASE MY BROTHER PASSED AWAY IN A CAR ACCIDENT IN 2006 AND WE HAD KEPT SOME OF HIS ITEMS OVER
THE YEARS WHILE THOSE ITEMS ARE ALL GONE AND THEN THERE'S TRAUMA WHICH CANNOT BE TALKED
ABOUT ENOUGH TO THIS DAY WHEN SIRENS COME BY OUR HOME IN EAST WHERE WE'RE RENTING NOW AND SIRENS ARE KIND OF A DAILY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE'RE JUST
HAPPENED TO BE REALLY CLOSE TO ONE OF THE FIRE STATIONS. OUR EIGHT YEAR OLD GETS WORRIED AND ASKS IS THERE A FIRE NEAR OUR HOUSE? IS OUR HOUSE ON FIRE?
OUR OLDEST WHO'S NOW 11 HAS NIGHTMARES OFTEN TOO OFTEN OF A HOUSE BURNING DOWN AND EVERYONE DYING. THESE BOYS LOST EVERYTHING THEY
KNEW AND THE ONLY HOME THEY EVER LIVED IN AND THEIR BEDROOM WAS MY HIGH SCHOOL BEDROOM. SO I LIVED IN THAT BUILDING FOR 25 YEARS.
THERE ARE TIMES WHERE CAN STILL HEAR THE FIRE SWOOSHING IN THE BACK OF MY MIND MY WIFE WAKES UP PERIODICALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT MAKING MENTAL NOTES OF IF A FIRE HAPPENED
RIGHT NOW WHAT ARE ALL THE THINGS WOULD DO AND WE'RE 1516 MONTHS OUT OF HAVING A FIRE AND THESE ARE STILL REAL THINGS FOR
OUR LIVES AND THANKFULLY WE HAVE THE MEANS TO HAVE MENTAL HEALTH CARE BUT IT DOESN'T JUST GO AWAY.
SO AS WE THINK ABOUT A FUND THERE'S PHYSICAL IMMEDIATE NEEDS BUT THERE'S ALSO EMOTIONAL NEEDS THAT LINGER FOR A LONG TIME.
SO WHAT WOULD HELP WHEN YOU HAVE SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS KIND OF APPROACHING YOU, YOU KNOW YOU'RE STANDING THERE, YOUR HOUSE IS BURNING DOWN SOME CENTRALIZED PLACE THAT YOU CAN
SAY HEY, HERE'S A WEBSITE, HERE'S ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS, HERE'S EVERYTHING THEY CAN DO FOR YOU RIGHT? BEING HANDED LIKE EIGHT DIFFERENT BUSINESS CARDS IN THE MIDDLE OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
YOUR HOUSE IS BURNING DOWN YOU HAVE NOTHING IS CHALLENGING AND THAT'S PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO HELP YOU. THEN YOU HAVE THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE LIKE OH, WE'LL BOARD UP YOUR HOUSE, WILL CLEAN UP YOUR HOUSE. YOU KNOW THERE'S ALL THIS OTHER
STUFF GOING ON TOO. SO IT'S A VERY CHAOTIC TIME FOR A PERSON GOING THROUGH THIS AND ESPECIALLY IF THE IF IT'S OWNER OCCUPIED SITUATION.
RIGHT. BECAUSE YOU YOU'VE GOT TENANTS AND YOU'VE GOT THE PROBLEM OF THE WHOLE HOME THAT YOU OWN . UM THERE'S THE OBVIOUS
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS FOR HOW DO YOU RENT ANOTHER PLACE. IT TAKES A LOT OF MONEY TO RENT ANOTHER PLACE WHEN YOU WEREN'T EXPECTING IT.
GENERALLY YOU HAVE TO PAY FIRST MONTH LAST MONTH SECURITY DEPOSIT BROKER'S FEES WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE GOING AWAY, YOU KNOW YES THEY WENT AWAY BUT
THEY COULD JUST BE PASSED ON. SO REGARDLESS IF YOU WEREN'T EXPECTING TO SPEND LET'S CALL IT AROUND $10,000 OVERNIGHT THAT'S IF YOU CAN FIND A PLACE
REASONABLE $3,000 A MONTH. YOU KNOW, MAYBE MAYBE NOT. THIS FUND CAN POTENTIALLY HELP PEOPLE WHO NEED A LUMP SUM TO
SIMPLY FIND ANOTHER PERMANENT PLACE TO LIVE. THEN THE VICTIMS NEED A PLACE TO BE STAYING IMMEDIATELY. AND LIKE I SHARED, YOU KNOW, A GIFT CARD CAN ONLY TAKE YOU SO
FAR IN A HOTEL. IT'S THANKFULLY IT BUT I'LL SPEAK FOR MY TENANTS IN OUR CASE I HAD A FELLOW BOARD MEMBER OFFER TO LET ME STAY IN
THEIR FURNISHED APARTMENT FOR SIX WEEKS AT NO COST UNTIL I LANDED ON MY FEET. MY PARENTS WERE ABLE TO FIND A
PLACE TO RENT PRETTY QUICKLY AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET THEM AND OUR TENANT ON THE OTHER HAND WENT TO A HOTEL BRIEFLY.
THEY HAD PETS, THEY HAD A CAT, THEY HAD A DOG, THEY HAVE A DOG OLDER DAUGHTER WHO WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND THEY WERE JUST TRYING TO SHARE TWO HOTEL ROOMS WITH FOUR BEDS WITH ALL WHATEVER
STUFF THEY COULD SAVE. THANKFULLY WE HAVE A STRONG GROUP OF FRIENDS AND A STRONG COMMUNITY IN EAST BOSTON AND ONE OF OUR FRIENDS ALSO OFFERED
FOR THEM TO LIVE IN THEIR FURNISHED BASEMENT APARTMENT AS LONG AS THEY NEEDED. BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE FOR OTHER PEOPLE. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO I HEARD WERE SLEEPING ON RESTAURANT
FLOORS BECAUSE THEY HAD NOWHERE TO GO. SOME PEOPLE ALL CRAMMED INTO ONE APARTMENT EIGHT PEOPLE LIVING IN ONE APARTMENT BECAUSE
THEY HAD NOWHERE TO GO. SO WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO HOUSE PEOPLE IN A DIGNIFIED WAY
IDEALLY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE EVEN IF TEMPORARY TO LET THEM TAKE TAKE TIME TO AT LEAST BREATHE, TAKE A SHOWER, YOU
KNOW, AND THEN GO FIND GO FIGURE OUT THE NEXT STEPS I HAVE THE HONOR OF SERVING AS A CO-CHAIR OF THESE BOSTON SOCIAL
CENTERS AND PRIOR TO OUR FIRE AND AFTER SINCE OUR FIRE THE SOCIAL CENTERS HAVE STEPPED UP AND WHAT'S BEEN CALLED THE EAST FIRE FUND AND IT'S BEEN SHARED
ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND THROUGH WORD OF MOUTH AND TEXT MESSAGES, ETC. AND THAT FUND WORKS TO RAISE MONEY FOR ALL
FOLKS IMPACTED FOR A CERTAIN GIVEN EVENT. OUR MOTTO AT THE SOCIAL CENTERS IS WHEN I'LL GIVE ALL AGAIN AND I CAN PERSONALLY ATTEST THAT
DURING THIS FIRE THAT WAS PROVEN AS TRUE AS EVER FOR ME NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS ARE WILLING TO STEP UP AND HELP
NEIGHBORS IN NEED. THIS FUND RAISED OVER $50,000 IN A LITTLE OVER A WEEK AND A VICTIM'S FIRE FUND CAN POTENTIALLY BE SOMETHING THAT
CITY RESIDENTS ARE CONSTANTLY CONTRIBUTING TOWARDS IT DOESN'T JUST HAVE TO BE THE DAY OF OR IMMEDIATELY WHEN A FIRE HAPPENS AND IT WOULD BE INCREDIBLE IF
THE CITY WAS FUNDING PART OF IT AS WELL. BUT I TRULY BELIEVE IN THE MOTTO WHEN I'LL GIVE ALL GAME I THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE
SOME SKIN IN THE GAME IN SERVING OUR OUR NEIGHBORS NOW A CHALLENGE IN THIS IS THAT DUE
TO VICTIM PRIVACY WHICH IS NECESSARY THESE FIREFIGHTERS HAD SIGNIFICANT DELAYS DISPERSING FUNDS BECAUSE WE
DIDN'T QUITE KNOW WHO ALL THE IMPACTED PERSONS WERE IN. UNFORTUNATELY LEGAL STATUS
OF OF SOME VICTIMS CAUSED THEM TO NOT SHARE THEIR INFORMATION AND THEY JUST KIND OF LEAVE THE SCENE AND FIGURE IT OUT WHICH
LEADS TO SLEEPING IN A RESTAURANT FOR SO IF THE CITY WAS IN CHARGE POTENTIALLY OF TAKING THESE FUNDS AND BEING ABLE TO DISPERSE AND HAVING
ACCESS TO THE VICTIM INFORMATION, IT WOULDN'T TAKE TWO, THREE, THREE AND A HALF WEEKS TO DISBURSE A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO PEOPLE WHO
NEED IT RIGHT AWAY. PEOPLE NEED FURNITURE. YOU HAVE NO BED, NO SOFA, NO DINING TABLE, EVEN IF YOU CAN
RENT A PLACE. SO AGAIN A CENTRALIZED PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO POTENTIALLY OBTAIN DONATED FURNITURE OR
USED FURNITURE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE WOULD AGAIN GIVE THEM THAT DIGNITY OF OF HAVING A PLACE SIMPLY TO REST THEIR HEAD
AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES WOULD BE MY LAST THING. THE RED CROSS AGAIN DOES A GREAT JOB OF FOLLOWING UP PUTTING YOU IN TOUCH WITH A
COUNSELOR BUT THAT CAN ONLY GO SO FAR IN TIME AND AS I SHARED EARLIER MY BOYS STILL HAVE TROUBLE WHEN THEY HEAR SIRENS YOU KNOW A YEAR AND A HALF
ALMOST LATER. SO IT'S IT'S IT'S VITAL TO GIVE PEOPLE TOOLS TO DEAL WITH TRAUMA MANY TIMES YOU MAY COMPARTMENTALIZE, TRY TO MOVE
FORWARD TO GET THROUGH THINGS BUT IT'S INEVITABLE THAT IT'LL CREEP BACK UP. SO I WANT TO AGAIN TAKE THE TIME TO THINK FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION FOR CREATING A CITYWIDE FIRE VICTIMS FUND AS YOU BOTH EXPRESSED EARLIER, THESE UNPLANNED EVENTS HAPPEN PERIODICALLY IN OUR CITY TO
TAXPAYING CITIZENS HELPING PEOPLE LAND ON THEIR FEET AND GET BACK TO BEING CONTRIBUTING CITIZENS IN OUR CITY WILL ONLY
BENEFIT EVERYONE IN OUR CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT. WE'RE GOING TO THE NEXT
PANELIST. OKAY. DID YOU WANT TO GO NEXT PHIL, DO YOU WANT ME TO GO? I'LL I'LL GO. IT'S OKAY. SO WOW. THANK YOU AGAIN.
INCREDIBLE TO HEAR. INCREDIBLE. I'VE BEEN ASKED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT NOAH. I'M LINDA FOSTER, ONE OF THE DIRECTORS AT NO NEIGHBORHOOD
OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN EAST BOSTON AND I'VE BEEN ASKED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT IS THAT WE DO IN OUR RENTAL HOUSING SERVICES JUST QUICKLY AND AND ALSO JUST
MENTION IF WE CAN IDENTIFY ANY GAPS IN SERVICES PARTICULARLY FOR FIRE VICTIMS. I'M GOING TO BE VERY BRIEF BUT I'VE GOT LOTS OF INFORMATION IF ANYBODY HAS QUESTIONS AFTERWARDS, PLEASE PLEASE DO
ASK MORE. SO ONE OF THE THINGS I'LL JUST MENTION IS THAT WE SERVE WELL LAST YEAR ABOUT 400 SOMETHING HOUSEHOLDS THROUGH DIFFERENT
PROGRAMS RELATED TO RENTAL HOUSING COUNSELING, CASE MANAGEMENT AND OF THOSE FIRE VICTIMS ARE SMALLER PROPORTION WHAT WE DO WHEN WE FIND OUT
ABOUT A FIRE WE ARE NOTIFIED TYPICALLY IF IT'S DURING THE DAY WE'RE NOTIFIED BY THE CITY OFFICE OF HOUSING STABILITY AND IF IT'S AT NIGHTTIME, IF WE GET
A CALL IN ONE OF OUR NIGHTTIME OR A WEEKEND CASE MANAGERS WILL WILL PLACE THE FAMILIES IF THEY NEED ASSISTANCE GETTING INTO A HOTEL FOR EXAMPLE, BECAUSE
OF THE RED CROSS WE ARE USUALLY NOT DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT THE SAME DAY. YOU KNOW, WE'RE USUALLY ABLE TO WAIT AND DO THAT AT LEAST THE
NEXT DAY OR SOME OTHER DAY. ALL THAT TAKES TIME. I'LL JUST MENTION TIME AND IT'S NOT RED TAPE SO MUCH AS NECESSARY THINGS THAT WE HAVE
TO GO TO. I'M JUST GOING TO INTERJECT A FIRE FUND WITHOUT THAT KIND OF RED TAPE WOULD WOULD GET SOME HELP TO PEOPLE IN NEED
FASTER BUT JUST QUICKLY, WHAT IS IT THAT NO, IT DOES WHEN WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT WE NEED TO HELP FIRST OF ALL, WE JUST DO THE BASICS FOR ANY ANY CASE MANAGEMENT.
WE DO INTAKE, WE DO ASSESSMENTS, WE ASK TO SEE THEIR DOCUMENTATION BUT THEY WERE IN A FIRE. THEY DON'T HAVE ANY DOCUMENTATION. MOST OF THE PEOPLE'S
DOCUMENTATION WHETHER IT'S A FIRE FLOOD THERE'S NOTHING THERE. SO YOU KNOW THINGS CAN BE DELAYED. WE DON'T DELAY SERVICES. WE. WE DON'T DELAY SERVICES. WE JUST TAKE THINGS ON FAITH BUT WE THEN WE DO HAVE TO HELP
PEOPLE REPLACE THEIR THEIR LICENSES, THEIR BIRTH CERTIFICATES, EVERYTHING AFTER THE INTAKE AND ASSESSMENT.
THEN WE WE DETERMINE CAN THEY BE HELPED? WHY MIGHT THEY NOT BE ABLE TO BE HELPED? THEY MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO BE HELPED BECAUSE THEY ARE AN OWNER OF THE PROPERTY OR
BECAUSE THEY ARE IMMEDIATELY RELATED TO THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY. YOU KNOW, IF IF THEY'RE OVER INCOME, IF THEY'RE 80% OR MORE
OF THE AVERAGE MEDIAN INCOME FOR THE AREA, THEN WE CANNOT HELP THEM EITHER. OKAY. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY HAVE THAT $10,000 SET ASIDE
WHICH IS ANOTHER GAP THAT THIS KIND OF A FUND COULD HELP WITH THE AFTER THAT IF SOMEONE NEEDS A PLACE TO STAY WE PLACE THEM
IN A HOTEL, A BOSTON HOTEL TYPICALLY AND THEN USUALLY KEEP THEM THERE A MINIMUM OF 30 DAYS A MINIMUM OF SEVEN DAYS. I SHOULD SAY IF THEY HAVE NO
CHILDREN. THE PROGRAM THAT NO ADMINISTERS IS IS TARGETED FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN. BUT IF IT'S A FAMILY WITHOUT
CHILDREN THEN TYPICALLY A STAY WOULD BE CAPPED AT SEVEN DAYS. AGAIN, PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE CHILDREN ALSO NEED HELP. SO THAT'S ANOTHER POTENTIAL CAP
AREA AND WE PROVIDE GENERAL CASE MANAGEMENT. WE HAVE TRAUMA INFORMED FORMED CASE MANAGERS. ONE OF OUR CASE MANAGERS IS A SOCIAL WORKER WITH A SPECIALTY
IN TRAUMA CERTIFICATION AND WE HELP MANAGE CASES. WE HELP PEOPLE WITH ALL KINDS OF THINGS FROM BUDGETING, YOU
KNOW, TO GETTING RESOURCES THAT THEY MIGHT NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT. SOMETIMES THEY NEED HELP WORKING WITH THEIR INSURANCE COMPANY THAT THAT'S NOT AN EASY PROCESS NECESSARILY TO WORK
WITH AN INSURANCE COMPANY AND TO AND TO GET THE BENEFITS. SO HOW THINGS SEARCH AND SUPPORT. OKAY SO WE WE DON'T
UNFORTUNATELY WE DON'T HAVE HOUSING AND THIS IS ANOTHER GAP AREA EVERYONE KNOWS I DON'T NEED TO TELL YOU ALL THIS BUT EVERYONE KNOWS IT'S GETTING HARDER AND HARDER AND HARDER
AND MORE AND MORE EXPENSIVE TO TRY TO RENT IN BOSTON AND IF YOU HAVE ANY KIND OF ISSUE WITH YOUR CREDIT ISSUE WITH THE PAST
EVICTION, YOU KNOW IT'S JUST DIFFERENT THAT MAKES IT EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO FIND A NEW UNIT AND IT'S TAKING LONGER AND LONGER THESE DAYS TO FIND A NEW
UNIT WHICH CONVERSELY MEANS HAVING TO STAY IN A HOTEL ROOM WHICH IS NOT IDEAL FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
AND YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY THAT MAYBE BETWEEN 20 OR TO 40 IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE FIRE VICTIMS THAT ARE THAT NO ONE SERVES. EACH OF THE HOUSEHOLDS ARE FIRE
VICTIMS. THE REST ARE NOT. THERE ARE OTHER KINDS OF EMERGENCY OR YOU KNOW, FOLKS IN TROUBLE I WOULD SAY.
AND LASTLY, AS EVERYONE KNOWS, THE PEOPLE MOST MOST VULNERABLE ARE THOSE THAT NEED THE MOST HELP. PEOPLE LOWER INCOME HOUSEHOLDS
FOR EXAMPLE, THEY'RE MOST IMPACTED BY THIS KIND OF DISASTER. YOU KNOW, I JUST TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DEFICIENCIES AND GAPS BUT YOU KNOW,
IMMEDIATE FUNDING IMMEDIATE FUNDING, YOU KNOW, TO HELP PEOPLE GET INTO YOU KNOW, GET INTO A NEW PLACE ONCE THEY EVEN IDENTIFY IT ONCE WE CAN HELP
THEM IDENTIFY IT, YOU KNOW, RATHER THAN THAN HAVING TO WAIT EVEN A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, MONEY. SO MANY OF THE THINGS YOU
MENTIONED, SO MANY OF THE THINGS THAT ARE NEEDED THE CLO HAS THE DIAPERS, THE FORMULA, YOU KNOW. YOU KNOW WE CAN CONNECT PEOPLE WITH USED FURNITURE PLACES AND
WE DO BUT THERE'S A LONG WAIT. THEY HAVE TO WAIT TO GET AN APPOINTMENT. THEY HAVE TO BRING THEIR OWN TRUCK. YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO GET HELP
PICKING UP THE USED FURNITURE. LOTS AND LOTS OF GAPS AND I THINK THE CITY PROGRAM IS FABULOUS. I MEAN DON'T GET ME WRONG THE
CITY PROGRAM IS FABULOUS FOR FOR WHAT IT DOES BUT THAT IT'S YOU KNOW, HUMANS ARE GOING THROUGH THIS TRAUMA NEED MORE HELP RIGHT AWAY AND AND NOT AS
NO I CAN'T SPEAK AS KNOW IT BUT AS AN INDIVIDUAL YOU KNOW I THINK THIS KIND OF A FUND WOULD HELP YOU KNOW IN THE WAYS THAT YOU KNOW, A CITY PROGRAM IS NOT
DESIGNED TO DO AND SHOULDN'T BE DOING BUT THAT PEOPLE STILL NEED TO HELP WITH. SO BUT ASK ME ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT STATS IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS WITH STATS.
THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE TO GO AS PART OF THAT OR MAYBE IN WE'LL TRY. LINDA HAS ALL THE CONFIDENCE. I'M SORRY THIS EFFORT FOR YOU.
THANK YOU. I'M SORRY. MY NAME IS PHIL JEFFREY. I'M THE EXECUTIVE WRITER OF NO, I COULD DECIDE LINDA'S PAYCHECK AND THE OTHERS THAT YOU REALLY HAVE TO REALLY FIND WORK THAT UNFORTUNATELY THAT THAT COME
WITH WITH THIS PARTICULAR TERRITORY I'VE BEEN WITH NO A LONG TIME I'VE SEEN TOO MANY FIRES OVER THE MANY YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN THERE AND DECADES
USED TO BE QUITE I WAS STARTLED I USED TO WALK ON THROUGH THAT THAT'S A FIRE AND THEN I SAW I USED TO SEE SO MANY OF THESE I JUST WOULD WALK HOME FROM TIME TO TIME. NOW YOU GET TO KNOW THE YOU'VE HEARD THE FIRST PERSON TRAGIC
CIRCUMSTANCES THEY ACTUALLY ONE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS LIVED IN THE BUILDING I THINK NEXT DOOR TO FABRICIO AND DAVID AND HE HE STAYED THERE FOR A WHILE BUT HE
HAD TO MOVE OUT OF EAST BOSTON BECAUSE HE COULDN'T FIND A PLACE TO LIVE AND THAT'S ANOTHER SUBJECT THAT EVERYBODY IS ATTENTIVE TO AND I KNOW EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM HAS PROBABLY HAD TO DEAL WITH THESE TRAGEDIES AND SITUATIONS AND THEY DO CAUSE TRAUMA OF ALL
SORTS OF WHATNOT ANYWAY. NO, AS A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION I'LL SAY THAT WE WERE FORTUNATE TO HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY'S OFFICE OF HOUSING STABILITY. I THINK OVER THE PAST SIX OR EIGHT YEARS WE'VE PROBABLY BEEN
ALLOCATED ABOUT $29 MILLION AND HELPED OVER 4800 FAMILIES NOT JUST WITH FIRE BUT ALSO A LOT OF EMERGENCY SITUATIONS OF HOMELESSNESS AND THAT KIND OF THING. SO WE DO A LOT OF WORK WITH
RENT RELIEF AND WE DO HAVE REALLY FINE PEOPLE WHO WORK WITH YOU CAN IMAGINE THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT FABRICIO AND HAS DESCRIBED AND LINDA'S TEAM WORKS WITH. IT'S REALLY IT'S REALLY IT'S
HEART RENDING BECAUSE YOU DON'T WALK OUT OF YOUR HOUSE AND LOSE EVERYTHING AND SAY I THINK WHY I CALL THE WORK AND SAY I'M OUT FOR TOMORROW. WE ALL KNOW THIS IS REALLY TOUGH SO YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW MUCH IS NEEDED AS FABRICIO
DESCRIBED AND I DON'T NEED TO GO INTO BUT YOU KNOW IF THERE'S SOMETHING MORE AVAILABLE AND READILY AVAILABLE RIGHT FOR US ON THE SCENE LIKE IMMEDIATELY PEOPLE THE SYSTEM IS DOES
REALLY FIND WORK. I HAVE TO COMPLIMENT THE CITY AND AND PEOPLE WHO ASSEMBLE THESE THINGS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF EAST BOSTON WHICH I'VE AGAIN KNOWN FOR MANY YEARS PEOPLE WERE ON THE SCENE PRETTY QUICKLY IS THE WORK THAT
WAY IT WOULD BE MUCH WORSE FOR PEOPLE IF THEY HAD HOUSING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH WOULD BE BETTER. THAT'S AGAIN THAT'S A DIFFERENT SUBJECT BUT PEOPLE ARE THERE, THEY'RE SUPPORTIVE. THEY'RE VERY HELPFUL. IS THERE'S CASH TO BE LAID OUT,
THERE'S MONEY TO BE DISPERSED BUT EVENTUALLY IT DOES RUN OUT. AND SO IF THERE WERE SOME EXTRA FUNDS IN SOME KIND OF A FUND HOWEVER ADMINISTERED, I KNOW PEOPLE WOULD CERTAINLY BENEFIT FROM THAT KIND OF THING IF WE COULD BE PART OF IT THAT WOULD
BE GREAT AND WE WANT TO COMPLIMENT OUR TEAM FOR DOING THAT. AND I DO WANT TO JUST SAY FOR THE RECORD THAT AS A CDC, YOU KNOW WE DO PROVIDE SERVICES BUT WE ALSO BUILD HOUSING AND THANKS TO GABRIELLE AND ENRIQUE AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
OF HOUSING YOU KNOW, WE'RE FINISHING OFF SEVEN CONDOS PROBABLY THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS ALL AFFORDABLE WE COULD USE MORE OF IT. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN FAST ENOUGH AND THERE ARE WAYS TO DO YOU KNOW MORE KINDS OF HOUSING. SO I WANT TO THANK THE CITY FOR
THAT KIND OF THING. BUT YOU KNOW, WE PROBABLY ALSO DONE, YOU KNOW, WEALTH BUILDING OVER THE YEARS ALMOST $670 MILLION OF OUR OWN INVESTMENTS IN WORK AND THAT KIND OF THING. SO WHEN PEOPLE GET A HOUSE OR
GET A MORTGAGE OR PAY RENT, YOU KNOW, THEY GET ALL THAT SLIGHT DIVERSION. BUT JUST TO SAY THAT WE DO THIS KIND OF WORK, WE'RE VERY PROUD TO DO IT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WORKING WITH THE CDC, THE SOCIAL CENTER IS TERRIFIC. MUTUAL AID IS VERY GOOD.
THERE'S A GREAT TEAM OVER THERE THAT STEPPED UP AND DONE THESE THINGS WHEN THERE'S YOU KNOW, DURING COVID AND YOU KNOW, PROVIDING FOOD AND THAT KIND OF THING, IT'S REALLY IMPRESSIVE. SO I THINK EAST BOSTON IS PROBABLY A VERY GOOD MODEL TO WORK WITH. YOU'RE ON THE SCENE
IMMEDIATELY. SO IS ADRIAN AND LYDIA AND EDUARDO AND PEOPLE LIKE THAT IS REALLY DEPENDABLE. SO IF THERE'S MORE MONEY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE VICTIMIZED BY, YOU KNOW, CIRCUMSTANCE, THEY CAN'T CONTROL THAT.
I'M CERTAINLY I'M SURE THAT WOULD BENEFIT. SO THANKS TO THE SOCIAL CENTER IF YOU STEPPED UP AND PROVIDED A FUND, I'M SURE IT'D BE ADVANTAGEOUS FOR PEOPLE IN NEED BECAUSE IT'S UNIMAGINABLE LOSS SOMETIMES LOSS OF LIFE
OF COURSE AND AND CERTAINLY PROPERTY YOU JUST CAN'T PICK IT UP. GO TO WALMART AND START YOUR DAY THE NEXT YOU KNOW, SORT OF THE NEXT DAY. SO YOU KNOW WITH THAT I'M PROUD TO WORK WITH LINDA AND THE TEAM AND COMPLEMENT THE OTHERS WHO
ARE HERE AND NOT IN THE ROOM BUT WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THEY'RE ON THE SCENE. THEY DO A GREAT JOB. SO YOU KNOW, MONEY IS HELPFUL AND IF PEOPLE ARE THEY DO STEP UP AND IF THERE'S A WAY ANOTHER MECHANISM FOR THAT TO HAPPEN
THEN WE'D BE HAPPY TO BE A PART OF IT OR AT LEAST RECOMMEND CERTAINLY THAT WOULDN'T BE FUNDED AND STARTED. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR CALLING. GREAT. WE'RE GOING TO GET RENTERS INSURANCE AS WELL. WE ACTUALLY REQUIRE THAT OF ALL OUR RESIDENTS SO IT'S VERY WISE TO DO THAT EVEN IN WHATEVER FORM IS DIFFICULT TO SAY.
ADD THAT TO THE LIST AND RECOMMEND PEOPLE LIKE YOU KNOW THREE POINT GREAT GREAT. WELL GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M HOLLY GRANT AND I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF LEADING THE RED CROSS HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS SO
I WANTED TO KIND OF SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT KIND OF THE SCOPE AND SCALE OF OUR WORK WHEN IT COMES TO DISASTER RESPONSE AND SPECIFICALLY KIND OF HERE IN BOSTON. SO AND I WANTED TO JUST THANK
FABRIZIO FOR SHARING YOUR STORY. I THINK IT JUST ILLUSTRATES HOW, YOU KNOW, FIRES TRULY UPEND PEOPLE'S LIVES IN YOU KNOW, WE SEE IT EVERY SINGLE
DAY AND IT REALLY TAKES ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER TO HELP PEOPLE KIND OF MOVE FORWARD AND GET BACK ON THEIR FEET. SO WE'RE ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE BUT I'LL TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW KIND OF HOW WE WORK AND WHAT WE HAVE
TO OFFER. SO RED CROSS NATIONALLY WE RESPOND AROUND 65,000 DISASTERS A YEAR NATIONALLY, MOST OF WHICH ARE HOME FIRES. SO OVER 60,000 THOSE ARE HOME FIRES, RIGHT? THAT'S THAT'S THE DAILY IMPACT
REALLY OF WHAT PEOPLE ARE DEALING WITH AROUND THE COUNTRY HERE IN BOSTON OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS WE RESPONDED TO 105 HOME FIRES WHICH IMPACTED A TOTAL
OF 584 CITY RESIDENTS. SO THIS IS ABOUT EVERY 2 TO 3 DAYS. RED CROSS IS RESPONDING TO A FIRE IN BOSTON AND ON AVERAGE THERE'S ONE LARGE FIRE IN IN
BOSTON IN THE CITY OF BOSTON WHICH TOO WHICH DISPLACES TEN OR MORE PEOPLE EACH MONTH. SO IF YOU LOOK AT KIND OF OUR HOME FIRE RESPONSE KIND OF ACROSS THE STATE APPROXIMATELY EVERY ONE OUT
OF EVERY SIX RESPONSES THAT WE HAVE IS IN OCCURS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. WHAT HAPPENS KIND OF AFTER YOU KNOW WHEN WHEN IF WHEN A FIRE
HAPPENS OR A LOCAL DISASTER THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE BOSTON EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CONTEXT, THE RED CROSS DAY OR NIGHT WE HAVE 24 SEVEN DUTY OFFICERS ON CALL AND OUR LOCAL TRAINED RED CROSSERS VOLUNTEERS
WILL GO AND RESPOND. SO DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE DISASTER WE MAY HAVE CASEWORKERS CAN TAKE ONE ON ONE WITH PEOPLE BUT OUR OUR OUR
ROLE IN THIS RIGHT IS TO BE THERE ON THE SCENE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND HELP PEOPLE IN THOSE MOMENTS RIGHT AFTER RIGHT WHEN THE DISASTER IS HAPPENING AND HELP THEM NAVIGATE KIND OF WHAT'S NEXT.
ALL RIGHT. SO YOU KNOW, FOR THE 584 RESIDENTS IMPACTED BY THE FIRES ,RIGHT. WE IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING CASE MANAGEMENT SUPPORT AND MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT, WE
PROVIDED JUST OVER $154,000 IN CASH FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE THE IMMEDIATE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS REALLY IMPORTANT AS A RECENT STUDY SHOWED THAT 35% OF ADULTS WOULD NEED TO BORROW MONEY OR
SELL PERSONAL ITEMS IN ORDER TO COVER AN UNEXPECTED IT'S EXPENSIVE JUST $400 OR MORE. SO THINK ABOUT WHAT REBECCA WAS SAYING, RIGHT? $10,000 JUST TO KIND OF TRY TO FIND A NEW PLACE TO LIVE.
MANY LOW INCOME FAMILIES CAN'T WAIT FOR INSURANCE TO HELP AND A FEDERAL RESERVE REPORT FROM 2024 FINDS HOMEOWNERS WHO MAY HAVE A HIGHER RISK OF BEING AFFECTED BY A NATURAL DISASTER
OR A HOME FIRE ARE ALSO LESS LIKELY TO HAVE INSURANCE BECAUSE THE COST OF INSURANCE IS SO HIGH BUT THAT MAY NOT BE ENOUGH. YOU KNOW, AS DISASTERS INCREASE IN FREQUENCY AND INTENSITY IN
LARGE PART DUE TO THE CLIMATE CRISIS, SO TOO DOES THE DAMAGE. RIGHT. AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE PREEXISTING VULNERABILITIES THAT ARE FACING ESCALATING BARRIERS TO
RECOVERY DUE TO CHRONIC HOUSING SHORTAGES, HUNGER AND HEALTH ISSUES MAKING IT LESS LIKELY THAT THEY'RE EVER GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET BACK TO THEIR HOME AGAIN. SO WHEN WHEN DISASTERS HAPPEN
WE PROVIDE ON AVERAGE $723 IN FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO EACH TO EACH CLIENT AND THAT'S THANKS TO THE INCREDIBLE GENEROSITY OF OUR PRIVATE DONORS AND CORPORATE PARTNERS WHO MAKE ALL OF OUR WORK POSSIBLE SO THAT
MONEY CAN BE USED. HOWEVER, THE CLIENT NEEDS RIGHT. SO IF THEY WANT TO USE THAT MONEY TO PAY FOR A DEPOSIT, A NEW APARTMENT MIGHT REPLACE LESS CLOTHING OR OTHER BELONGINGS, COVER TRANSPORTATION COSTS OR
ANY OTHER URGENT NEED DIFFERENT FAMILIES FACE DIFFERENT OBSTACLES AS THEY TRY TO GET BACK TO WHAT THEIR NEW NORMAL IS GOING TO BE. AND SO WE PUT THE POWER IN THE
SURVIVORS HANDS TO DETERMINE AND MEET WHAT THEIR GREATEST NEEDS ARE. BUT WE KNOW AND ACKNOWLEDGE AND I THINK IT'S WELL WELL SHARED HERE. RIGHT. MONEY GOES QUICKLY.
THAT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY. AND IF A CLIENT'S UNABLE TO STAY WITH FRIENDS OR RELATIVES OR IF A TEMPORARY SHELTER ISN'T AVAILABLE AND I SHOULD SAY THAT RED CROSS OPENS A CONGREGATE
SHELTER WHEN THEY'RE TEN PEOPLE OR MORE WHO HAVE BEEN DISPLACED BY A LOCAL DISASTER OR WHO DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO GO. RIGHT. SO THAT'S WHEN WE'LL WORK WITH
WITH THE CITY AND WE'LL WORK ON KIND OF SETTING UP A SHELTER. BUT FOR FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPACTED BY A FIRE, NEARLY THAT ENTIRE AMOUNT MAY GO TO A FEW NIGHTS IN A HOTEL OR IT MAY GO
TO JUST ONE OR TWO ONE NIGHT. RIGHT. ACCORDING TO SKYSCANNER, THE AVERAGE PRICE OF A HOTEL IN BOSTON PER NIGHT IN JULY RIGHT NOW IT'S $417. SO THAT'S WHY WE WORK CLOSELY
WITH THE BOSTON FIRE VICTIMS ASSISTANT UNIT, THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES AND OTHER COMMUNITY GROUPS. LIKE I SAID, IT TAKES IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO KIND OF BRIDGE THE GAP AND WE'RE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR THOSE PARTNERSHIPS
BECAUSE NO ONE AGENCY CAN DO THIS ON THEIR OWN. THE NEEDS ARE TOO GREAT. SO I WANTED TO JUST QUICKLY KIND OF WALK THROUGH JUST LIKE BIGGER PICTURE SOME OF THE OTHER SERVICES THAT WE HAVE AND YOU MENTIONED A COUPLE OF THEM FOR.
YEAH. SO FIRST LIKE I SAID SHELTER. SO WE'RE PREPARED TO OPEN CONGREGATE SHELTERS IN IDENTIFIED FACILITIES WITHIN HOURS OF OF A FIRE OR A DISASTER.
AND AGAIN WE WORK WITH THE CITY EMERGENCY MANAGERS ON ON GETTING THAT OPENED IF IF THE NEED ARISE WE ALSO CAN PROVIDE FOOD AND IN DISASTER SHELTERS
AND IN HARD HIT NEIGHBORHOODS WE CAN DELIVER USE OUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE VEHICLES TO DELIVER MEALS AND SNACKS. I THINK ONE OF THE UNIQUE THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN BOSTON WHICH IS A UNIQUE PROGRAM
LITERALLY NO OTHER RED CROSS IN THE COUNTRY THAT HAS ONE OF THESE BUT WE HAVE A FOOD PANTRY THAT'S ON MASS AVE IN BOSTON AND THAT SERVES AROUND
300,000 PEOPLE A YEAR AND WE ALSO IN I HAVE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH WITH IN EAST BOSTON WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH AND WE PROVIDE AROUND 20,000 PEOPLE THROUGH
NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH KIND OF FOOD EVERY YEAR THROUGH OUR FOOD PANTRY. SO THAT'S ANOTHER KIND OF WAY THAT WE CAN KIND OF HELP PEOPLE YOU KNOW, DIRECT PEOPLE TO THE TO OUR FOOD PANTRY SO THAT THEY CAN KIND OF GET SOME FOOD.
THE OTHER THING WE OFFER ARE RELIEF SUPPLIES SO WE HAVE WAREHOUSES STOCKED WITH LOTS OF THEM SO COTS, BLANKETS, CLEANING SUPPLIES IF THOSE ARE NEEDED FOR RETIREMENTS AND KIND OF THE HEALTH CARE SERVICES.
RIGHT. SO IF PEOPLE LOSE THEIR THEIR EYEGLASSES, THEIR PRESCRIPTION, THEIR WALK OR LIKE ALL THOSE THINGS THAT PEOPLE NEED TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD IN LIFE AND LIVE LIFE, WE HAVE TRAINED
HEALTH CARE WORKERS WHO CAN WORK WITH THEM IN PROVIDING HEALTH RELATED SUPPORT TO GET THOSE REPLACEMENTS AGAIN AND ALL OF OUR SERVICES ARE FREE. WE ALSO HAVE, YOU KNOW, A
REALLY GREAT NETWORK OF MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS THAT ARE TRAINED AND THEY WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES. SO AGAIN OUR INITIAL IS THAT EMERGENCY MOMENT AND THEN WE'LL
KIND OF WORK IN TRANSITIONING THAT SUPPORT OVER TO TO TO LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH ONGOING RESOURCES TO PROVIDE THE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT TO DISASTER VICTIMS. AND WE ALSO HAVE A SPIRITUAL
CARE TEAM SO WE HAVE PROFESSIONAL CHAPLAINS, FAITH BASED PARTNERS THAT CAN PROVIDE SUPPORT TO PEOPLE. SO WHETHER THAT'S A SINGLE FAMILY HOME FIRE OR A MASS CASUALTY EVENT, YOU KNOW WE'RE
THERE TO SUPPORT THAT. AND WHEN LARGE SCALE DISASTERS HAPPEN WE ALSO CAN SET UP RESOURCE CENTERS. JUST LAST NIGHT WE WERE IN SOMERVILLE. THERE WAS A BIG FIRE IN
WHEATLAND STREET IN IN SOMERVILLE OVER THE WEEKEND AND WE HAD 28 PEOPLE WHO WERE DISPLACED THROUGH THAT AND SO WE WORK WITH THE CITY AND WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. WE ALL COME TOGETHER SO THAT
THE CLIENTS DON'T HAVE TO GO CALL ALL THE DIFFERENT PLACES WE HAVE IT ALL. IT'S LIKE ONE STOP SHOPPING AND AND WORK WITH THE CLIENTS AND SUPPORT THEM TO HELP THEM KIND OF GET ALL THE SUPPORTS THAT THEY NEED. THE OTHER TWO OTHER THINGS THAT
I JUST WANTED TO MENTION WAS WE HAVE A RE REUNIFICATION PROGRAM AS WELL. SO IF PEOPLE ARE DISPLACED OR PEOPLE LOSE TOUCH WITH THEIR LOVED ONES DUE TO A DISASTER
AND SADLY RIGHT NOW THIS IS A SERVICE THAT IS BEING HEAVILY UTILIZED RIGHT NOW IN TEXAS PEOPLE CAN CALL THE RED CROSS AND WE'LL WORK WITH THEM IN HELPING CONNECT THEM WITH THE
LOVED ONES THAT THAT HAVE THAT THEY'VE LOST TOUCH WITH AND THEN WE HAVE OUR CASEWORK SYSTEM SO WE'LL WORK AND PROVIDE SUPPORT AND HELPING PEOPLE FIGURE OUT WHAT THEIR NEXT STEPS ARE. SO WE'RE THOSE THOSE
CASEWORKERS ARE HIGHLY TRAINED AND HELPING TRANSITION FOLKS FROM WHATEVER THEIR NEXT LIVING SITUATION IS TO TRY TO FIND KIND OF THE MORE PERMANENT OR AT LEAST SHORT TERM MID-TERM HOUSING SITUATION THAT WILL
WORK BEST FOR THEM. WE'RE ALL ABOUT MAKING SURE WE'RE ADDRESSING THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS BECAUSE WE KNOW IT. IT CHANGES FOR EVERYBODY. OUR SERVICES ARE OPEN TO EVERYBODY, RIGHT?
SO WE DON'T IT YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A U.S. CITIZEN WHERE YOU CAN BE DOCUMENTED UNDOCUMENTED. WE DON'T LIMIT ANYBODY WHO KIND OF COMES TO SUPPORT WHO NEEDS
SUPPORT FROM THE RED CROSS AND YOU LIKE I SAID, IT'S JUST DISASTER RECOVERY IS A TEAM EFFORT RIGHT. AND SO WE'RE HERE AND LOVE TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS AND LOOK
FORWARD TO KIND OF WORKING MORE WITH THE CITY OF BOSTON IF ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO PROVIDE MORE SUPPORT WE'D BE OPEN TO HAVING THAT CONVERSATION. SO HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. THANK YOU SO MUCH HOLLY.
BEFORE I MOVE ON, YOU WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE'VE ENJOYED MY COUNCILOR OVERALL. WELL, NOT EVEN YOU ARE NOW BUT HE IS NOT PRESENT. ALL RIGHT, MOVE ON TO MICHAEL. ALL RIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON,
EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS MICHAEL KENNY. I AM THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS FOR CADY'S CLOSET HERE IN BOSTON. WE ARE A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION WHO PROVIDE CLOTHING AND BASIC
NECESSITIES TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN NEED. WE HAVE TWO SIGNATURE PROGRAMS SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW OF THEM AND FOR THOSE OF YOU DO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT
AND ADVOCACY. HAVING YOUR SUPPORT MAKES A A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE TO US IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO HELP THOSE CHILDREN IN NEED. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW US, WE HAVE TWO SIGNATURE
PROGRAMS THERE'S THE IN-SCHOOL CLAUSE A PROGRAM WHERE WE WORK WITH SCHOOLS WHERE THEIR POPULATION 50% OR GREATER OF THAT IS CONSIDERED LOW INCOME. WHAT WE DO IS WE TRANSFORM
SPACE INSIDE THEIR SCHOOL SO IT'S ONSITE PREMISES THAT THEY CAN VISIT ANY TIME DURING THE SCHOOL DAY IN SHOP FREE OF CHARGE WE TRANSFORM THAT SPACE AND SET IT UP LIKE YOU WOULD WALK INTO A REGULAR TJ
MAXX MARSHALLS. EVERYTHING'S BY CATEGORY IN SIZE. WE HAVE CLOTHING IN THERE AND THEN ALL BASIC NECESSITIES HYGIENE PRODUCTS, UNDERWEAR AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
OUR SECOND PROGRAM MORE RELEVANT TO THIS IS OUR S.O.S. URGENT RESPONSE PROGRAM. SO THOSE REQUESTS CAN COME TO US IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS. WE WORK WITH A NUMBER OF VETTED SOCIAL AGENCIES THROUGHOUT THE
STATE. WE ALSO WORK WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS. WE WORK WITH THE SCHOOLS AND OTHER SOCIAL SERVICE AREAS. SO WHAT HAPPENS IN THAT
INSTANCE AND WE HAVE ONE WITH COUNCILOR PEPEN EARLY IN THIS YEAR LATE LAST YEAR WHERE A FIRE HAPPENED AND IT REALLY HIT CLOSE TO HOME FOR US BECAUSE WHEN WE SHOWED TO WORK THAT
MORNING AT OUR DISTRIBUTION CENTER IN HIGH PARK WE COULD SMELL THE SMOKE. WE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING THAT HAPPENED AT THAT POINT BUT WE KNEW SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED IN THE AREA.
LATER THAT DAY COUNCILOR PEPPER REACHED OUT AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION THAT THE FAMILY WAS DEVASTATED BY LOSS AND WAS HE WAS WORKING WITH THEM TO TRY TO
STOP THOSE FIRST STEPS TO RECOVERY. SO FROM OUR END WE WORKED WITH HIS TEAM TO GET THE NAMES AND AGES OF ALL THE INDIVIDUALS THAT NEEDED SUPPORT AND THEN
OUR RAPID RESPONSE TEAM AT THE DISTRIBUTION CENTER WORKED TO PULL ALL THE CLOTHING AND BASIC NECESSITIES HYGIENE ITEMS THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO GET THEM STARTED.
THE GREAT THING ABOUT OUR PROGRAM IS THERE IS NO RED TAPE . YOU CALL US, WE GET THE INFORMATION AND WE VERY TYPICALLY CAN DELIVER THAT EITHER TO THAT SOCIAL SERVICE
AGENT OR THE PERSON REQUESTING IT WITHIN 24 TO 48 HOURS. AGAIN, WE DON'T LOOK FOR DOCUMENTATION OR ANY SORT OF INFORMATION LIKE THAT. WE REALLY JUST NEED THE NAMES
OF THE PEOPLE, THE AGES AND THEN AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE CAN GET IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, STYLISTIC FASHIONS BECAUSE WE REALLY WANT THEM TO HAVE THAT
PERSONAL TOUCH WHEN WE DELIVER THE PRODUCT TO THEM. SO IF THEY HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN YOUNG GIRLS THEY CAN SPECIFY THEY LIKE PINK OR PURPLE OR JUST GIVE ME BLACK OR BROWN WHATEVER IT IS.
SO WE WILL WORK DILIGENTLY. I AM SO PROUD OF OUR TEAM AT THE DISTRIBUTION CENTER. THEY PULL EVERY SINGLE ITEM AS IF THEY WERE PULLING AN ITEM FOR THEIR OWN FAMILY MEMBER. THERE IS A TON OF CARE THAT
GOES INTO CREATING THESE PACKAGES AND THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET EVERYTHING RIGHT. SO THE MORE INFORMATION WE CAN GET THE BETTER IT IS AND THEN LIKE I SAID WE WILL DELIVER IF
NEED BE A LOT OF THE SOCIAL OR SERVICE AGENTS OR PEOPLE WILL REQUEST IT FOR PRIVACY MATTERS COME TO COME TO THE DISTRIBUTION CENTER TO PICK IT UP BUT WHATEVER IS THE BEST
POSSIBLE METHOD WE WILL ACCOMMODATE. THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS AND FOR RESALE THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY. YOU KNOW WE HAVE SEVERAL SCHOOLS IN EAST BOSTON SO WE'RE
VERY FAMILIAR WITH HOW CLOSE AND TIGHT KNIT OF A COMMUNITY THAT IT IS. SO IT'S NO SURPRISE TO HEAR THAT THEY BONDED TOGETHER AND OFFER THEIR SUPPORT SOME OF THE
THINGS THAT REALLY STRUCK A CHORD WITH ME WAS THE SOMETIMES THE WAITING PIECE OF IT AND AGAIN WHERE WE CAN DELIVER IN 24 TO 48 HOURS, I THINK THAT'S
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. THE SECOND THING WAS WHEN YOU MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TRYING TO PROCESS ALL OF THIS STUFF AND YOU'VE GOT ALL THESE THINGS COMING AT YOU.
IT'S GREAT FOR AN ORGANIZATION LIKE OURS WE ALREADY HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE THERE. WE DON'T HAVE TO CREATE ANYTHING. A RAPID RESPONSE TEAM IS READY TO GO AND ALTHOUGH THAT THIS
FUND MAY BE ALLOCATING FUNDS DIRECTLY TO THE VICTIMS, I THINK THAT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. BUT IT WAS TO EVER EVOLVE INTO SOMETHING BIGGER WHERE THERE WAS MORE MONEY AVAILABLE.
I THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS AS WE NORMALLY WOULD AND HAVE MANY MONEY SET ASIDE SO THAT WE CAN REACT TO IT AND TAKE THAT OFF
OF YOUR PLATE BECAUSE HAVING CLOTHING IN BASIC NECESSITIES HONESTLY SHOULDN'T BE SOMETHING YOU'RE WORRYING ABOUT. THE OTHER THING IS JUST THE
AVAILABILITY OF THAT IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT YOU KNOW WE EXIST. SO WHEN YOU SPOKE OF HAVING A WEBSITE OR SOMETHING AVAILABLE WHERE YOU CAN JUST GO IN AND
SAY I NEED X, Y AND Z, YOU CAN SAY CLOTHING AND BASIC NECESSITY IS KATIE'S CLOSET. WHO DO I CONTACT? WHO DO I USE AS A RESOURCE TO GET TO THEM FOR ME? BECAUSE DURING THAT TIME AS
COUNCILOR HAVE BEEN MENTIONED, THE FAMILY THAT SUFFERED THAT DEVASTATING LOSS OF HOUSE AND BELONGINGS WAS WORSENED BY THE FACT THAT THEY LOST A CHILD AND AT THAT TIME THAT CLOTHING AND
BASIC NECESSITIES SHELTER, WHATEVER IT MAY BE SHOULD BE THE LAST THING ON THEIR MINDS. WE SHOULD BE THERE TO STEP IN AND TAKE CARE OF THAT FOR THEM AND DELIVER THOSE PRODUCTS. SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR SHARING
THAT. IT SHED A LITTLE BIT MORE LIGHT ON HOW CRITICAL OUR MISSION CAN BE. WE TREMENDOUSLY SUPPORT THE FIRE VICTIM FUND AND COULD STAND READY TO SUPPORT THAT IN
ANYTHING. SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO MOVE FORWARD AND HELP WHERE WE CAN. AND AGAIN, I KNOW THAT SOME OF THE MONEY RIGHT NOW IS MAYBE DIRECTED DIRECTLY TO THE
FAMILIES BUT IF THAT WAS TO EVER EVOLVE, IT'S VERY, VERY EASY FOR US TO STEP IN BECAUSE IN BOSTON ALONE WE HAVE A 7500 FOOT BUILDING IN HIGH PARK AND
THEN WE HAVE A RAPID RESPONSE TEAM ALL READY TO GO. SO WE'RE READY TO GO AT ANY POINT TO HELP. IT'S JUST LITERALLY A PHONE CALL AWAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OKAY. SO I KNOW WE HAVE A PALACE THAT'S VIRTUAL. DO WE KNOW IF WE STILL HAVE
ABIGAIL WITH US? PATRICK I WANT TO REMIND FOLKS ALSO THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A
LOT OF GREAT WORK HAPPENING HERE BUT IF YOU CAN REFRAIN FROM CLAPPING THERE'S NO CLAPPING IN THE CHAMBER. SO THANK YOU. BUT THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO. GOOD MORNING. HI.
MY NAME'S ABIGAIL BUT I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE LINCOLN COUNCIL ON AGING AND HUMAN SERVICES, THE TOWN OF LINCOLN HAS AN EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE
FUND THAT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. IT WAS STARTED WITH SEED MONEY FROM THE OGDEN CODMAN COMMUNITY
FUND AND SINCE THEN HAS BEEN SUPPORTED WITH MONEY FROM AN ANNUAL POLL THAT WE SEND OUT WITH THE TAX BILLS EVERY YEAR.
THE FUND IS FOR SITUATIONS THAT ARE TRULY AN EMERGENCY SO NOT THINGS THAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY BE ABLE TO BUDGET FOR.
FOR EXAMPLE IF YOU LOST YOUR JOB AND YOUR CAR BREAKS DOWN AT THE SAME TIME WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP WITH THE CAR REPAIR
HELP WITH RENT, THINGS LIKE THAT. IN THINKING ABOUT YOUR FUND
THAT YOU MIGHT SET UP, I HAVE SEVERAL THOUGHTS I'LL BE BRIEF . ONE IS FIRST I THINK IT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA. WHAT WE HAVE FOUND ON OUR END
IS THAT IT OFTEN TAKES ABOUT TWO YEARS FOR A FAMILY TO REALLY DIG OUT OF A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE LIKE FIRE.
WE HAVE SET UP OUR FUND SO THAT THE MAXIMUM BENEFIT ALLOWABLE IS EQUAL TO ABOUT ONE MONTH'S RENT AND WE HAVE SET UP THE
FUND SO THAT THE MAXIMUM IS AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTED EVERY YEAR BY THE SOCIAL SECURITY COST OF LIVING INDEX THAT COMES
OUT AROUND DECEMBER BEFORE WE HAD DONE THAT THE CAP ON THE FUND HAD REALLY STAGNATED.
YOU KNOW, $500 WAS A LOT TEN YEARS AGO BUT IS NOTHING NOW WHEN IT COMES TO HOUSING EXPENSES OR GETTING YOUR CAR FIXED.
THE WAY OUR FUND WORKS IS THAT WE HAVE A BOARD THE MEMBERS ARE APPOINTED BY OUR SELECT BOARD WITH INPUT FROM THE COUNCIL ON
AGING DIRECTOR THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE COMPRISED OF EIGHT MEMBERS INCLUDING TWO EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS. OUR TOWN ADMINISTRATOR AND THE
COUNCIL ON AGING DIRECTOR. THE REST ARE MEMBERS AT LARGE A MEMBER FROM THE COUNCIL ON AGING AND HUMAN SERVICES BOARD AND THEN THREE FROM LOCAL
CHURCHES LINCOLN IS A VERY SMALL COMMUNITY. I IMAGINE THAT IS NOT EXACTLY WHAT BOSTON WOULD WANT TO DO BUT YOU WOULD PROBABLY WANT
SOMEONE FROM THE EAST BOSTON MUTUAL AID FOR EXAMPLE OR THE EAST BOSTON SOCIAL CENTERS ON THAT BOARD AS WELL AS CITY
EMPLOYEES IN THINKING ABOUT THE FUNDS YOU MIGHT SET UP, I WOULD URGE YOU TO CONSIDER WHETHER YOU MIGHT DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN HOMEOWNERS VERSUS RENTERS
BECAUSE HOMEOWNERS OFTEN HAVE INSURANCE THAT MIGHT COVER FIRE ON OUR END, THE GREATEST NEED WE SEE IS RENTERS.
OUR FUND IS BASED OFF 50% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME OR WE CAN USE MEANS BASED PROGRAM APPROVAL AS THE BASIS
OF DISBURSING FUNDS. SO IF YOU RECEIVE SNAP, IF YOU ARE ON FUEL ASSISTANCE THAT WOULD QUALIFY YOU I MIGHT
SUGGEST NOT USING 50% AREA MEDIAN INCOME AND USING 80% INSTEAD AND THEN ALSO PERHAPS USING SOME GUIDELINES LIKE THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT
EXEMPTION THAT IS USED FOR PROPERTY TAXES. WE HAVE FOUND THAT QUITE USEFUL FOR OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE DO THROUGHOUT THE TOWN. THE REASON I SUGGEST THAT IS BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY
PRESERVATION ACT EXEMPTION APPLICATION HAS A SECTION FOR MEDICAL EXPENSES. SO IF YOU ARE, YOU KNOW 90%
AREA MEDIAN INCOME BUT HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MEDICAL EXPENSES AND IT CAN SPEND YOU DOWN TO THAT 80% AREA MEDIAN INCOME I THINK THAT WOULD BE
MORE FAIR. ONE THING I DID WANT TO SAY IS HOWEVER YOU MAKE YOUR FUND WORK ,ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
THINGS IS TO NOT DUPLICATE OTHER EFFORTS. SO OUR FUND DOES NOT PAY FOR FOOD EVEN IN AN EMERGENCY
BECAUSE WE HAVE OUR OWN COMMUNITY SUPPORT SYSTEM OUT THERE MOSTLY OUR SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL FOOD PANTRY WHO WE CAN GET ON THE PHONE IMMEDIATELY SO WE DON'T WANT TO SPEND MONEY ON
SOMETHING THAT ANOTHER AGENCY ALREADY HAS COVERED. LET'S SEE OUR FUND ALSO DOESN'T JUST COVER LINCOLN RESIDENTS IN
ORDER TO ALIGN OUR FUNDS ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA WITH OTHER BENEFITS THROUGHOUT THE TOWN WE OPENED IT UP TO THE METCO
FAMILIES AND TOWN OF LINCOLN IT EMPLOYEES SO I WOULD SUGGEST IN CREATING A FUND THAT YOU CONSIDER WHAT OTHER CRITERIA
BOSTON AGENCIES AND DEPARTMENTS ARE USING AND TRY TO ALIGN THEM SO THAT PEOPLE AREN'T HAVING TO FIGURE OUT WELL I QUALIFIED FOR
THIS BUT I DON'T QUALIFY FOR THAT AND MY LAST POINT IS ONE THING WE HAVE LEARNED IS THAT
IT'S IMPORTANT NOT TO MAKE THESE KIND OF FUNDS BASED ON HOUSEHOLD WHICH IS TO SAY IF YOU SET A CAP AND YOU SAY THE
MAX THAT A HOUSEHOLD CAN RECEIVE IS $2,500, WHAT HAPPENS IF LATER THAT HOUSEHOLD SPLITS UP MAYBE A PARENT AND CHILD
WERE LIVING TOGETHER AND THE YOU KNOW, A YOUNG ADULT AND THEN AT 25 THAT CHILD GETS THEIR OWN APARTMENT AND AND YOU KNOW, AT 30 YEARS OLD NEEDS
HELP FROM YOUR FUND YOU DON'T WANT THE PREVIOUS BENEFITS THAT SUPPORTED THE HOUSEHOLD THEN
STOP ANY HELP THAT THAT NOW 30 YEAR OLD ADULT CHILD IN THEIR OWN HOUSEHOLD COULD RECEIVE SO I WOULD STRONGLY SUGGEST MAKING IT BASED BY INDIVIDUAL AND WE
HAVE DONE IN THOSE INSTANCES IS SAY YOU KNOW IF THE IF ONE PERSON APPLIES AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE PEOPLE IN THE HOUSEHOLD THAT ARE AGED 18 AND OVER YOU JUST ASK MULTIPLE PEOPLE TO APPLY AND AND
DISPERSE THE BENEFIT ACROSS THE BOARD SO THAT THE MAXIMUM IF YOU CHOOSE TO GIVE THEM THE MAXIMUM IS REACHED BUT IT'S
SPREAD AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND I JUST I REALLY THINK THAT WHAT YOU ALL ARE WORKING ON IS EXCELLENT AND
I HOPE I'VE BEEN SOME OF SOME HELP. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT TESTIMONY. OKAY. I WANT ACKNOWLEDGE AS WELL THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNSELOR FLYNN. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE FIRST ROUND OF QUESTIONS AND I'M GOING TO GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THE MAIN SPONSOR OF THIS DOCKET COUNSELOR COLOR
TO ABOUT THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU, CHAIR AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE TESTIMONY. WHAT YOU ALL HAVE DISCUSSED HAS DEMONSTRATED YOUR YOUR WORK BUT THEN ALSO SOME OF THE
CHALLENGES THAT THE CITY AND THAT THIS THE STATE THIS COMMONWEALTH IS IS WORKING ON. I WANT TO THANK OUR FRIEND FROM LINCOLN FROM COMING FOR COMING TO THIS AS I JUST WANT TO SHOUT
OUT OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE ADRIAN MONROE WHO WROTE A LETTER THAT IS IN THE FOLDER FOR MY COLLEAGUES IN THE EVENT THAT THEY WANTED TO READ IT SAYING THAT HE IS IN STRONG SUPPORT OF ESTABLISHING AN
IMAGE AND ADMINISTERING A MUNICIPAL FUND TO ASSIST INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DISPLACED BY AN EMERGENCY INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO A FIRE FLOOD OR A BUILDING COLLAPSE.
HE DOES TALK ABOUT THE SUPPORT THAT IS PROVIDED BY BOTH THE CITY AND THE AMERICAN RED CROSS. BUT AS IT WAS SO POIGNANTLY ARTICULATED BY FABRIZIO, THERE
ARE STILL SO MANY THINGS THAT THAT RESIDENTS NEED TO BUY FIRST, LAST RENT, FURNITURE, FOOD, CLOTHING. THANK YOU TO KATIE'S CLOSET FOR
BEING HERE WHERE A FIREFIGHTER THAT IS VOLUNTARILY PAID FOR BY RESIDENTS OR PHILANTHROPIC PARTNERS OR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT COULD HELP FILL THAT GAP.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY AND YOU JUST WANT TO ALSO SAY THAT WE GOT A LETTER FROM THE CITY OF SALEM TALKING ABOUT THEIR FIRE RELIEF FUND WHERE THE FUND
IS USED TO SUPPORT DISPLACED RESIDENTS THAT ARE PERMANENTLY DISPLACED OR HAVE YET TO FIND HOUSING FOR AN EXTENDED AMOUNT OF TIME. I JUST WANT TO THANK MAYOR
DOMINIC PANGLE NOW I HOPE I SAID THAT RIGHT AS WELL AS POULIOT MOTA WHO IS THE CONSTITUENT SERVICES DIRECTOR OF LATINO AFFAIRS WITHIN THE CITY OF SALEM.
I DO WANT TO GO TO HOLLY FIRST FROM THE AMERICAN RED CROSS. THANK YOU FOR THE WINDOW INTO HOW MANY FOLKS YOU HAVE HELPED
OVER THE LAST YEAR JUST GETTING THIS RIGHT THERE HAVE BEEN 584 RESIDENTS WITHIN THE CITY OF BOSTON THAT HAVE RECEIVED THE CASH ASSISTANCE TOTALING UPWARDS OF $154,000.
DO THEY GET THAT RIGHT? AND THEN THE AVERAGE COST THIS CASH ASSISTANCE PER PERSON HAS BEEN $723. IS THAT CORRECT? WHAT IS THE EQUATION THAT YOU
USE OR THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA THAT FOLKS GET WHETHER THEY HAVE A CHILD THEY GET MORE MONEY IF THEY'RE ONE PERSON LIKE WHAT? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE AND HAS THAT CHANGED OR FLUCTUATED IN THE PAST YEAR?
AND MY REAL QUESTION IS HAS IT GONE DOWN AND IF IT HAS GONE DOWN, WHAT IS THE REASON? NO, IT WENT UP ACTUALLY DID IT GO UP? SO YES. SO WE HAVE A FORMULA IS A NATIONAL FORMULA THAT WE LOOK
AT IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN IMPACTED IN THE HOUSEHOLD AND THAT'S HOW THE THAT'S HOW THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IS COME UP WITH. WE DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY IN
IT TO SAY THAT WHEN PEOPLE ARE DISPLACED WE CAN GIVE THAT MONEY LITERALLY ON THE ON SCENE, RIGHT? SO WE GIVE THE MONEY IN THE FORM OF EITHER AN ELECTRONIC
FUNDS TRANSFER RATE OR A CLAIM ASSISTANCE CARD LIKE A CASH CARD. RIGHT. SO THE CLIENT CAN KIND OF HAVE A CHOICE. RIGHT? WE TRY TO DO THE ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFER BUT BOTH ARE BOTH ARE VIABLE.
BUT WE DID INCREASE THAT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND I'M LOOKING AT SHANNON, DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WE ACTUALLY INCREASED THE THE FORMULA BUT
THERE'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY LIKE IF OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW THIS IS JUST ONE RIGHT OUR OUR NICHE RIGHT IS REALLY HELPING RIGHT IN THAT MOMENT AND TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE IN THAT IMMEDIATE
MOMENT KNOWING THAT IT'S IT'S GOING TO TAKE A VILLAGE REALLY TO HELP KIND OF A THAT FAMILY THAT OR THAT RESIDENT KIND OF GET BACK ON IT ON THEIR FEET BUT THEY ARE THERE IS
ELIGIBILITY FOR SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPORT LATER IF THEY NEED IT SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD OUR CASEWORKER WOULD WORK WITH THE FAMILY ON THAT. THANK YOU. AND HOW WOULD A MUNICIPAL EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND
COMPLEMENT OR STRENGTHEN THE RED CROSS EFFORT? OH, IT WOULD ABSOLUTELY COMPLEMENT RIGHT. SO OUR WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER WE WOULD OBVIOUSLY CONTINUE TO DO
WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE THE WHAT THE CITY OF BOSTON FUND WOULD DO WOULD AUGMENT KIND OF THE RESOURCES THAT THE FAMILY AND THE RESIDENT WOULD HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HELP GET BACK ON THEIR FEET. RIGHT. SO WE KNOW AGAIN OUR OUR PIECE
OF THIS IS THAT IMMEDIATE PIECE AND YOU KNOW, WHEN LARGE SCALE DISASTERS HAPPEN AND WE ARE WE DO FUND WE FUNDRAISE FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE DO RIGHT. SO WE DON'T WE DON'T RECEIVE
PUBLIC FUNDING I SHOULD SAY THERE'S I THINK THE CITY GIVES 20 $500 TO THE FOOD PANTRY OUR BOSTON FOOD PANTRY. BUT THAT'S IT. SO IF BUT IF THERE'S A REALLY LARGE RESPONSE THAT HAPPENED
MEANING LIKE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPACTED WE COULD SET UP A DESIGNATION AND DO DESIGNATED FUNDRAISING AND WE DO THAT WHEN LARGE STUFF HAPPENS LIKE RIGHT NOW, YOU
KNOW, WE YOU KNOW, WE SET UP DESIGNATIONS WITH THE BIG HURRICANES WITH WILDFIRE FIRES, WITH BIG FLOODS AND THEN WHATEVER WE FUNDRAISING GOES TO THAT INTO THAT RELIEF OPERATION
AND PEOPLE GET A LOT MORE MONEY FROM THE RED CROSS DUE TO THAT TARGETED FUNDRAISING THAT WE DO. OTHERWISE IT'S SO FAR IT'S THE FORMULA THAT I WAS MENTIONING THAT'S THAT'S INTERESTING. AND GIVEN THAT AS YOU HAD
MENTIONED HOTELS IN BOSTON ARE NEARING AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT $400 AND THE AVERAGE ASSISTANCE THAT WE'RE GIVING TO FOLKS IS $423. HAS THERE BEEN DISCUSSIONS TO TRY TO INCREASE THE SUPPORT THE
IMMEDIATE SUPPORT THAT IS GIVEN JUST BASED ON SOME OF THE LARGER CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE SEEING WHERE FOLKS ARE LANDLORDS ARE NOT PROVIDING THE ASSISTANCE THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO PEOPLE DON'T HAVE
FRIENDS OR FAMILY TO RELY ON TO STAY ON THEIR COUCHES OR STAY IN THEIR EXTRA SPARE ROOMS. WHAT I HAVE SEEN IN BOSTON IS THAT FOLKS ARE ARE WITHIN THIS CATEGORY WHERE THERE IS NO
OTHER OPTION AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR A HOTEL STAY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN THE IMMEDIACY IS THERE ANY CONVERSATION TO TO TRY TO
INCREASE THAT OR WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE TO COME FROM THE NATIONAL OFFICES AND I GUESS WOULD THERE BE ANY OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CONTINUE
THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE SEPARATE FUND THAT HAPPENS THE ONE THAT YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT BEING A MORE COMMON PRACTICE FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON TO EXPLORE WHEN THESE THINGS
HAPPEN? YEAH, GREAT QUESTION. I MEAN IT'S AN ONGOING CONVERSATION, RIGHT? WE'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT WHAT WE'RE GIVING AND IS THAT ENOUGH? WE ARE JUST IN TERMS OF BIGGER
PICTURE FOR OUR OUR ORGANIZATION WE'RE RESPONDING TO MORE DISASTERS YOU KNOW IN LARGER DISASTERS DUE TO THE CHANGING CLIMATE. RIGHT. SO WE DON'T SEPARATE OUT KIND
OF FIRES SEPARATE FROM FLOODS, HURRICANES, MASS CASUALTY EVENTS. RIGHT. TORNADOES I LIKE ALL OF THAT. SO SO THE DEMAND ON OUR
RESOURCES CONTINUES TO INCREASE IN IN OUR ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO ALL OF THOSE WHEREVER THEY'RE HAPPENING KIND OF AROUND THE COUNTRY.
SO THAT'S KIND OF AN ONGOING GREAT CONVERSATION. RIGHT. AND IN OUR ONGOING FUNDRAISING EFFORT, YOU KNOW, TO TO RAISE ENOUGH FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE
IMPACTED WHATEVER IT IS, WHETHER IT'S A HOME FIRE, FLOOD, EARTHQUAKE, WHATEVER. SO YOU KNOW, THE DEMAND THE DEMAND IS ONLY INCREASING. YOU KNOW, WE'RE SEEING EVERY
LITERALLY KIND OF EVERY 2 TO 3 DAYS. WE'RE STANDING OF A LARGE SCALE DISASTER IN THE UNITED STATES. SO AND THAT'S TYPICALLY NOT FIRES. THOSE ARE FLOODS, TORNADOES, WILDFIRES AND EVERYTHING THAT
WE'RE SEEING DUE TO THE CLIMATE . SO THAT'S THAT'S JUST THE BIGGER PICTURE OF KIND OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE FIRE PIECES IS IS OBVIOUSLY KIND OF A CORE PIECE OF WHAT WE DO
EVERY SINGLE DAY IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. SO IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT. BUT BUT THE DEMANDS ON OUR RESOURCES JUST ARE INTENSE. RIGHT?
BUT WE ARE MEETING THEM BUT THEY'RE INTENSE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AGAIN. AND TO YOUR POINT WE'RE GOING TO START TO SEE MORE DISASTERS HAPPEN TO THE CITY INCLUDING FLOODING, COASTAL FLOODING AND
STORM SURGE. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. I KNOW THAT I AM ON A TIME CRUNCH AND WE HAVE OTHER COLLEAGUES SO I'LL DIRECT MY NEXT SET OF QUESTIONS TO TO NOAH, EITHER PHIL OR LINDA. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
WORK. YOU HAD TALKED ABOUT NOAH BEING THE SUBCONTRACTOR GUESS FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM FOR THE CITY TO TRY TO HELP FOLKS FIND
A HOTEL IN THE DAYS AND WEEKS AFTER THE PROGRAM THAT YOU HAVE IS TARGETED FOR KIDS, A STAY MIGHT BE CAPPED AT SEVEN DAYS OR LONGER DEPENDING ON THE FAMILY SITUATION WHO IS PAYING
FOR THIS AND WHO IS PAYING FOR THE CASE MANAGERS AS WELL AS THAT MONEY THAT COMES FROM NOWHERE IS THAT MONEY THAT COMES FROM THE CITY I WISH IT CAME FROM NOAH BUT WE DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF BUT NO, IT'S IT'S A CITY CONTRACT THAT WE
HAVE WE'VE WE'VE HAD A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY FOR 30 PLUS YEARS ON HELPING PEOPLE FIND HOUSING IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER AND IT GREW TO HELP HOUSING PEOPLE WITH AIDS AND THAT KIND
OF THING AND THEN IT BECAME WOMEN AND CHILDREN AND IT'S GROWN INTO BASICALLY EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE OF OF THE KIND OF CATEGORIES WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT NOW. SO REALLY THE CITY SAID IT IS
JUST ONE CATEGORY. YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SO MANY EMERGENCIES TO RESPOND. SO FORTUNATELY THEY'VE HAD FAITH IN US TO DO TO IMPLEMENT THE CONTRACT AND LINDA HAS BEEN DOING A FABULOUS JOB WITH A GREAT TEAM FOR THESE PAST FIVE
OR SIX YEARS NOW. SO AND YOU MAY WANT TO ADDRESS THAT AS WELL. IF I COULD JUST ALSO ASK YOU YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE THE HOUSING SEARCH AND LINDA, IF YOU'D PLANNED TO RESPOND JUST TO THIS ON TO THE TO YOUR
ANSWER. BUT THERE IS NO HOUSING ANYWHERE. KNOW THIS IN EAST BOSTON AN AVERAGE BEDROOM ONE BEDROOM IS $3,000 AND THESE ARE FOLKS THAT HAVE LOST EVERYTHING.
THEY ARE JUST AT THE AT THE CLIFF AND IT'S DEVASTATING. DISASTER HAPPENS TO THEM AND. THEY REALLY HAVE HAVE NOWHERE TO GO. SOMETIMES WE SEE THAT THEY ARE
WAITING FOR MONTHS TO TRY TO FIND A PLACE TO STAY OR THEY HAVE TO MOVE TO BROCKTON OR FALL RIVER. I WAS CURIOUS TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC DATA OF HOW LONG
THE AVERAGE TIME THAT IT TAKES TO FIND A HOME OR IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU CAN ANECDOTALLY SAY ABOUT WHERE THESE FOLKS ARE ENDING UP AND IF THEY'RE ABLE TO COME BACK TO THE CITY OF BOSTON.
ANECDOTALLY YES, BUT EVERY CASE IS SO DIFFERENT. SO YOU KNOW SOMEBODY IT DEPENDS A LOT ON THEIR INCOME AND AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, IT DEPENDS ON THEIR YOU KNOW, THEIR BACKGROUND. DO THEY HAVE AN EVICTION IN
THEIR RECORD? DO THEY HAVE SOMETHING YOU KNOW, A LOW CREDIT SCORE? DO THEY HAVE SOMETHING THAT WILL, YOU KNOW, REALLY MAKE IT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO FIND A NEW UNIT AND I CAN TELL YOU
THAT OF OF THE FOLKS THAT WE WERE WORKING WITH LAST YEAR OUT OF 184 PERHAPS THAT WE WERE DOING EITHER HOUSING SEARCH OR EVICTION PREVENTION OR SOME OTHER TYPE OF SIMILAR WORK
EMERGENCY SHELTER WORK WE WERE ABLE TO GET 50 HOUSEHOLDS PERMITTED HOUSING AND 81 WERE ABLE TO GO INTO EMERGENCY
SHELTER, FOUR INTO TEMPORARY SHELTER AND 41 WERE EVICTION PREVENTION CASES THAT WERE PREVENTED. NOW OBVIOUSLY THESE ARE NOT FIRE VICTIMS BUT YOU KNOW THE
NUMBERS ARE ABOUT SIMILAR AGAIN, JUST TO STRESS SO VERY HARD TO FIND PEOPLE AN APARTMENT WHO HAVE BEEN IN A FIRE.
THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO AT LEAST RETURN TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD TO THEIR CHILDREN TO GO TO THE SAME SCHOOL. VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO BE ABLE
TO DO THAT. VERY, VERY DIFFICULT. YOU KNOW, JUST THE COSTS ARE SO PROHIBITIVE. THERE'S YOU KNOW YOU KNOW THE VACANCY RATES ARE VERY LOW.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE CITY DOES PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, NOAH, WITH FUNDS SO THAT WE CAN PAY WITH FIRST AND LAST IN SECURITY
DEPOSIT THAT'S FABULOUS. BUT FIRST YOU HAVE TO FIND THE UNIT AND YOU HAVE TO FIND A LANDLORD WHO'S WILLING TO RENT TO YOU. SO BACK TO ONE OF YOUR INITIAL
QUESTIONS HOW MANY HOW MANY RENTERS END UP BACK IN BOSTON AS OPPOSED TO OUTSIDE OF BOSTON? WE'RE SEEING A TRAJECTORY EVERY YEAR IT'S MORE AND MORE AND
MORE AND MORE OUTSIDE OF BOSTON I'M SORRY TO SAY THAT'S THAT THAT'S TOUGH TO HEAR. BUT I KNOW THAT YOUR TEAM WORKS DAY IN AND DAY OUT AND YOU DO TO I'VE BEEN ON THE PHONE WITH
YOU AT MIDNIGHT AND 2 A.M. AT 5 A.M. TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT COMES NEXT FOR THESE FOLKS. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FABRIZIO, YOUR I WAS I WAS
GETTING EMOTIONAL LISTENING TO RECALL THE SECONDS THE DAYS AFTER ALL OF THIS HAS HAPPENED AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR UPLIFTING THE SPECIFIC
CHALLENGES THAT THAT FIRE ILLUMINATED FOR EAST BOSTON FOLKS THAT WERE OF MIXED LEGAL STATUS THAT WERE SCARED TO PRESENT THEIR NAMES TO OWNERS AND BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY
FOLKS THAT WERE DISPLACED, IT REALLY FELL ON THE CITY OF BOSTON AND ONE PERSON TO TRY TO FIND THESE FOLKS TO DO THE OUTREACH, TO DO THE COMMUNICATION, TO DO THE FOLLOW UP AND MAKE SURE THAT THINGS
WERE HAPPENING IN A WAY THAT WAS FOR THOSE FOLKS IN THAT DEVASTATING TIME. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR UPLIFTING RENTERS INSURANCE TOO. I THINK THAT'S A A SUB TOPIC ON
THIS WHERE WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT AS A CITY WHAT WE'RE DOING TO EDUCATE AND INFORM FOLKS THAT THAT IS AN OPTION. I ALSO LOVED YOUR IDEA OF A CENTRAL REPOSITORY OF CONTACT INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE AND
JUST ONE QUESTION FOR YOU IF THIS FUND WERE TO BE CREATED OR ESTABLISHED IN THE CITY OF BOSTON, WE HAVE A SIMILAR THING HAPPENING IN EAST BOSTON THROUGH THE SOCIAL CENTERS AND THANK YOU FOR THAT.
IF THIS WERE TO BE CITYWIDE AND YOU WERE ABLE TO APPLY SAY EXACTLY WHAT YOU WERE GOING TO BE USING IT FOR, WHAT WOULD WHAT WOULD YOUR ANSWERS BE AND BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH
YOUR NEIGHBORS, WHAT DO YOU THINK THEIR ANSWERS WOULD BE? I THINK SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE RED CROSS, EVERY
SITUATION COULD BE SO DIFFERENT RIGHT? DEPENDING ON WHAT THE VALUE IS. I THINK IT CHANGES HOW YOU MAY USE THE MONEY.
SO IF IT'S ENOUGH TO MAYBE RENT OUT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AT A HOTEL THEN YOU HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO GO. MAYBE THAT'S WHAT'S BEST FOR YOUR FAMILY. YOU'RE GOING TO DECIDE TO USE
THE MONEY THAT WAY BECAUSE WE DO HAVE PARTNERS IN THE CITY. YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE EARLIER THERE WAS A PACKAGE FROM KATIE'S CLOSET DROPPED OFF FOR OUR SECOND
FLOOR TENANT WHO SHE WAS A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT AT BOSTON MINE SCHOOL. SO NOAH HELPED OUR SECOND FLOOR APARTMENT WHERE THEY ARE TODAY. THE RED CROSS WAS THERE THAT
FIRST DAY AND HELPED EVERYBODY AROUND US SO I THINK MAYBE A DIFFERENT WAY TO APPROACH IT IS LIKE CAN WE TARGET THE GAPS
THAT THAT THESE GROUPS AREN'T NECESSARILY PROVIDING OR CAN WE HELP SUPPLEMENT THEIR FUNDS SO THEY CAN DO A LITTLE MORE RIGHT? MAYBE A MIX OF THINGS LIKE
THAT. BUT EVERY SITUATION IS SO UNIQUE IN MY CASE WE ARE BLESSED, WE HAVE RESOURCES. I WAS ABLE TO TAKE MY GIFT CARD
AND HAND IT OFF TO SOMEONE ELSE SO I THOUGHT I NEEDED IT MORE BECAUSE I JUST PERSONALLY WASN'T I KNEW I DIDN'T NEED IT SO I TOOK IT AND THEN HAND HANDED IT OFF TO SOMEONE I
THOUGHT WOULD NEED IT MORE. BUT THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT EVEN IN HAVING THESE THERE AREN'T SO MANY UNEXPECTED EXPENSES THAT
COME UP IMMEDIATELY A PHRASE I TOLD PEOPLE ALL THE TIME WHEN THEY'RE LIKE I MUST HAVE TOLD THE FIRE STORY LIKE A THOUSAND TIMES I FEEL LIKE BUT I WOULD ALWAYS SAY IT'S A LOT OF WORK
TO LOSE EVERYTHING YOU HAVE AND I APPRECIATE THAT ALL OF YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IN DIFFERENT WAYS LIKE THERE'S SO MANY THINGS YOU'RE JUGGLING
LOGISTICALLY WHETHER YOU LOST DOCUMENTS OR YOU HAVE TO FILE INSURANCE CLAIMS OR SOMEBODY MAY BE IN THE HOSPITAL SICK AND IT'S LIKE I HAVE SOMEBODY WHO'S IN THE HOSPITAL AND I NEED AND I HAVE NOWHERE TO LIVE ALL AT
THE SAME TIME, RIGHT? THERE'S SO MANY THINGS IT'S SO MUCH WORK AND IT DOESN'T END FOR A LONG TIME. SO YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S FUNDING CASEWORKERS TO HELP TAKE THAT
BURDEN OFF OF PEOPLE SO THAT THE VICTIM ISN'T TRYING TO FIGURE OUT ALL THESE THINGS. THAT'S ONE OF THE I THINK MORE GROUNDING THINGS THAT THE RED CROSS DOES IS THEY THEY YOU
KNOW, THEY'RE INTERVIEWING HERE AND THEY'RE GIVING YOU THESE STEPS OF LIKE OKAY, HERE'S WHAT'S NEXT HERE. WHAT'S NEXT YOU REALLY NEED THAT GROUNDING OF WHAT WHAT'S THE NEXT SMALL STEP I CAN TAKE BECAUSE ALL THE BIG THINGS
GOING ON I HAVE NO HANDLE ON ANY OF THIS. RIGHT. BUT THERE ARE IMMEDIATE LITTLE THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN HELP YOU MOVE FORWARD ON AND THEN THAT STARTS TO SNOWBALL SO YEAH, I
JUST THINK IT'S HARD TO SAY LIKE OH THIS ONE THING IN PARTICULAR IT MIGHT IT MIGHT BE PRUDENT TO HAVE A WIDER NET OF WHAT PEOPLE CAN USE IT
TOWARDS AND TRY TO MAYBE REDUCE OVERLAPPING IF IF AT ALL POSSIBLE WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THESE WE'RE DOING WONDERFUL WORK ALSO PROVIDING SERVICES.
BUT YOU KNOW, IF I'VE GOT TO RUN TO CVS OR I'VE GOT TO GO GET CONTACTS IN AN EMERGENCY BECAUSE I HAVEN'T LIKE I DIDN'T PUT THEM ON I CAN'T SEE AND I'M ALL DISORIENTED.
YOU KNOW, THOSE THINGS WOULD BE IDEAL AND THEN IN AN IMMEDIATE TERM YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR. ALL RIGHT, SO THE WHEN TO
RECOGNIZE THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNSELOR MURPHY AS WELL. SO THE ORDER IS GOING TO BE COUNCILOR WELL, COUNSELOR FLYNN AND COUNSELOR MURPHY COUNCILOR WORLD CLASS YOURS. THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU
FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. SORRY I HAD TO STEP OUT. THERE WAS A FLAG RAISING FOR BAHAMAS INDEPENDENCE DAY AND AS
A DISTRICT COUNCILOR I FROM TIME TO TIME COME ACROSS RESIDENTS THAT ARE DISPLACED BY FIRE. SO I'D DEFINITELY BEEN ON THE
SCENE AND GET THE PHONE CALLS AND UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT GOES INTO HELPING FAMILIES STABILIZE AND IT'S IT'S A LOT IT IS A LOT. SO I DO WANT TO JUST THANK YOU
FOR YOUR WORK, EVERYONE ON THIS PANEL FOR YOUR WORK. MY MY QUESTION STARTS AROUND THE AMOUNT OF DOLLARS THAT YOU ISSUE IN THE EAST.
IS IT EAST FIRE FUND? YEAH. HOW DO YOU DETERMINE THE COST THAT YOU DISPERSE TO EACH
FAMILY OR TO EACH HOUSEHOLD? SO FOR OUR FIRE SITUATION AND FOR FOR LIKE THE THE EVENT THAT HAPPENED WITH OUR HOME IN THE
HOME NEXT DOOR IT'S DISTRIBUTED EQUITABLY AMONGST ADULTS AND KIDS SO ALL ADULTS HAD AN EQUAL SHARE AND THEN CHILDREN HAD AN EQUAL SHARE AS WELL.
SO IT WAS JUST TAKING WHATEVER VALUE THAT WAS RAISED AND THEN FIGURING OUT WHAT WOULD BE A MEANINGFUL AMOUNT AND STARTING
WITH THE ADULTS. BUT THEN UNDERSTANDING THAT KIDS HAVE NEEDS AS WELL AND YOU CAN'T JUST SAY WELL THERE'S THERE'S THERE'S A44 PERSON HOUSEHOLD, TWO ADULTS, TWO
KIDS. SO LIKE WELL JUST ONE ADULT GETS THIS VALUE AND THAT COVERS THE WHOLE HOUSEHOLD. OUR DISCUSSION WAS AROUND ME WHICH I GOT TO PARTICIPATE IN BECAUSE I WAS SITTING IN BOTH OF WHAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE
HELPFUL TO VICTIMS AND THINKING CRITICALLY FROM FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF. OUR ORGANIZATION YOU KNOW, I LOOKED AT IT AS LIKE CAN WE AT
HELP COVER OUR FIRST MONTH'S RENT CAN THIS MONEY AT LEAST HELP GIVE SOMEONE STABILITY IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS KNOWING THAT THERE WAS OTHER
MONEY, YOU KNOW, THAT CAME FROM FROM THE RED CROSS? UM, IT'S STILL NOT ENOUGH. YOU KNOW, $50,000 FOR 30 PEOPLE SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY TILL YOU DIVIDE IT AND EVERYBODY'S
GETTING A CHECK FOR 1500 DOLLARS 2000 THAT IT'S IT'S BEAUTIFUL AND INCREDIBLE THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD COME TOGETHER EVEN HAVE THAT TO GIVE TO PEOPLE BUT IT'S STILL THE
REALITY IS IT ONLY TAKES YOU SO FAR RIGHT YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO GO SO FAR WITH THAT MONEY AND IT REALLY TAKES A VILLAGE LIKE HAS BEEN SHARED YOU KNOW SAY
THANK YOU FOR THAT AND YOU YOU KNOW WE FOUND OUT THE SAME SAME THING WHEN WE SAID A FUND OUT THROUGH THE BOSTON PARK PROJECT MINISTRY AND WE TRY TO FIND A
WAY ON HOW TO DISBURSE THE MONEY EQUITABLY TO EACH HOUSEHOLD. SOME HOUSEHOLDS HAD CHILDREN, SOME DIDN'T AND WE WERE JUST TRYING TO FIND A WAY ON HOW TO MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, THE MONEY
THAT WE DID RAISE WAS BEING ABLE TO BE STRETCHED BUT IT ONLY GOES SO FAR AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN BE MORE SUPPORTIVE.
I'M SORRY, I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE NAME FOR THE RED CROSS. MS.. GRANT, YOU SPOKE ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FROM THE RED CROSS DIVE A LITTLE BIT DEEPER
INTO THAT WHEN YOU KNOW A FIRE HAPPENS I'M OFTEN I JUST TELL PEOPLE ABOUT THE HOUSING THAT THE RED CROSS PROVIDES.
I NEVER REALLY TELL THEM ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT SO I WOULD LOVE TO JUST HEAR MORE SO I COULD TELL THEM ABOUT THE SERVICE. SURE. YEAH. AND WE HAVE TRULY ONE OF THE BEST DISASTER MENTAL HEALTH TEAMS IN THE COUNTRY.
I THINK AFTER THE BOSTON MARATHON BOMBING THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO CAME AND WANTED TO HELP. SO WE HAVE WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE TEAM. SO AFTER A DISASTER THAT'S ONE
OF THE SERVICES THAT WE MAKE AVAILABLE TO FOLKS AND SO OUR DISASTER MENTAL HEALTH WORKERS WILL SPEAK WITH THEM. YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU KNOW, YOU SPEAK ABOUT IT SO WELL. FABRIZIO IT'S SO OVERWHELMING,
RIGHT? AND PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE GET THROUGH THOSE LIKE YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT YOU DO NEXT IS WHAT YOU DO NEXT. BUT THAT'S WHAT OUR DISASTER
MENTAL HEALTH FOLKS WILL TALK WITH THEM IN AND THEN IF THEY FEEL LIKE THEY NEED AND WANT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT BEYOND KIND OF WHAT OUR TEAMS WILL PROVIDE ARE DISASTER MENTAL WORKERS
THEN WILL REFER THEM. SO WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE DATABASE OF ALL THESE AMAZING SOCIAL SERVICE PARTNERS THAT WE HAVE ACROSS THE CITY AND WE'LL
REFER AND WE'LL SET UP WILL WE'LL SET UP THE REFERRAL AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN GET CONNECTED WITH ONGOING SUPPORT SO WE'RE NOT THERE FOR LIKE YEARS, RIGHT? BUT WE'RE THERE TO KIND OF HELP THEM THROUGH THE IMMEDIATE
TRAUMA AND THEN AND THEN IF THEY WANT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT THEN WE WILL WORK IN CONNECTING THEM. AWESOME. THANK YOU FOR THAT. YEAH. AND THEN FOR NOAH, PHIL AND
LINDA, HE SPOKE ABOUT BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE HOUSING. IS THERE LIKE A CERTAIN CARVE OUT OF YOUR HOUSING STOCK THAT'S FOR FIRED DISPLACED
PEOPLE WHO ARE DISPLACED BY FIRES AND I'LL SAY I'LL JUST SAY NO AND OKAY EXPLAIN, EXPLAIN WHY WHY THAT THAT ISN'T
IT'S BEEN MENTIONED FROM TIME TO TIME. BUT NO, WE DON'T. THE UNITS HAVE TO BE RENTED OUT OCCASIONALLY WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PLACE A FAMILY. WE DID PLACE A FAMILY WITH THE COLLABORATION OF THESE BOSTON
CDC IN THAT RADIUS 354 RATIOS FIRE WE DON'T SET ASIDE A NUMBER ALTHOUGH IT HAS BEEN MENTIONED FROM TIME TO TIME LIKE WHY DON'T WE DO THAT? WE CAN DO THAT. BUT THEN YOU'VE GOT A LOT
OF DEBT SERVICE TO PAY ON SOME LOAN YOU'RE PROBABLY TAKEN OUT SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY DIRECTLY ANY UNIT SET ASIDE FOR THAT ALTHOUGH WE DO OCCASIONALLY ARE ABLE TO DEPENDING ON THE CYCLE OF WHO'S COMING, WHO'S GOING,
WHO'S FALLING OFF THE WAITING LIST ARE ABLE TO PLACE PEOPLE IN AN EMERGENCY. IT DOES HAPPEN BUT IT'S SORT OF THE LUCK OF THE DRAW AND THEN CURRENTLY LIKE HOW MANY UNITS DO YOU CURRENTLY HAVE
AVAILABLE? LIKE I SAY AS OF TODAY OR USUALLY THREE THREE. OKAY SO AND BUT YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IS WE HAVE A WAITING LIST.
WE'RE OBLIGATED TO TAKE PEOPLE ON THAT WAITING LIST. YOU KNOW, SO WE JUST CAN'T PUT SOMEONE IN. RIGHT.
SO WELL WE DO YOU KNOW, YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT AND FIND OUT WHO'S THE NEXT PERSON ON THE WAIVERS. HAVE THEY RESPONDED IN A PERIOD OF TIME OR WHATNOT, THAT KIND OF THING. SO LIKE I SAID, OCCASIONALLY THERE MIGHT BE AN OPEN UNIT BUT YOU COULDN'T CALL EXPECTING
ONE. BUT YOU SHOULD CALL AND TRY TO FIND ONE BECAUSE THERE COULD BE SOME PEOPLE CYCLING IN AND OUT. I WOULD SAY RIGHT NOW FOR THE RECORD WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE SELF-SUPPORTING AND WE HAVE A
COUPLE OF UNITS THAT WILL BE OPENING OR ARE OPENING NOW WE HAVE TO POST THEM ON METRO LIST AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE EXCLUSIVE TO METRO LIST. IT MEANS WHO ELSE IS ON THE WAITING LIST THAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE.
BUT WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF OPENINGS LIKE RIGHT NOW AND THEY MAY HAVE SOMEBODY CYCLING IN LIKE I THINK WE DO BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO GET YOU'VE HAD TO PAY DEBT SERVICE AND YOU'VE GOT TO KEEP THE UNITS OCCUPIED SO YOU CAN PAY YOU
WANT. ALL RIGHT. AND MY LAST QUESTION IS AT THE END I THINK YOU MENTIONED THAT
WE KNOW A PRIORITIZE FAMILIES WITH FAMILIES AND THEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE A FAMILY THEN YOU'RE THERE FOR SEVEN DAYS. IS THERE LIKE A WARM HANDOFF TO
HELP THAT INDIVIDUAL FIND HOUSING AFTER THOSE SEVEN DAYS? WE DO OUR VERY BEST AND SO YES, WE DO WORK ON THAT AND OFTENTIMES, YOU KNOW, THE CITY
WILL WE'LL TALK TO THE OFFICE OF HOUSING STABILITY AND DEPENDING ON ON THE NEEDS AND THE SITUATION OF THOSE ADULTS THAT IS EXTENDED IF NEED BE IF
SOMEONE IS HELPING, THEY IF SOMEONE IS SICK, YOU KNOW, DEPENDS ON THEIR SITUATION. OKAY. BUT IF YOU HAVE IF YOU HAVE A
TYPICAL FAMILY, TWO ADULTS BOTH WORKING FOR EXAMPLE AND YOU KNOW IT'S NOT THEY DO NOT NEED THAT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT THEN IT WOULD BE THE SEVEN DAYS IN THE
HOTEL AND YES, WE DO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A WARM HANDOFF. IS IT ALWAYS PERFECT? YOU KNOW, RIGHT. I JUST TO GIVE A COMPANY I MEAN
TO THE CITY YOU KNOW HALF ITS VALUE STABILITY THEY'VE GOT PEOPLE COME AND REFER THEY REFER PEOPLE TO US AND SO THEY DO A LOT OF THE JUGGLING AND
TALKING WITH PEOPLE AS WELL. SO SOMETIMES THEY MIGHT KNOW MORE THAN WE MIGHT KNOW OR WE MIGHT KNOW MORE THAN THEY MIGHT KNOW US BUT I THINK LIKE WHEN THEY SAID YOU'RE YOU'RE TRYING TO SAY YOU KNOW JUST SAY YOU'RE OUT TOMORROW BECAUSE SOME
PEOPLE STRUGGLE. YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT IT BUT AGAIN WITH ALL THE TRAUMA THAT PEOPLE FACE AND THEY'RE THEY'RE INDESCRIBABLE IN AS COUNSELORS YOU KNOW WHAT THEY PEOPLE GO THROUGH SO YOU MIGHT HAVE TO SAY LOOK, CAN YOU TAKE THESE
PEOPLE FOR A FEW MORE DAYS OR EVEN A FEW MORE WEEKS MIGHT NOT BE IN THE BUDGET IMMEDIATELY. BUT THOSE THINGS HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED WHEN YOU FACE THESE REALLY TRAUMATIC SITUATIONS. THANKS. THE RED CROSS DEALS WITH THIS
EVERY MOMENT AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR. SO I GUESS I'LL GO FIRST. I JUST WANNA START BY THANKING
ALL OF YOU BECAUSE I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY SO FOR THESE BOSTON SOCIAL SERVICES OF WORKING WITH EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU BUT GETTING TO KNOW OF THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE AND MICHAEL FOR CASE CLOSET I'M I MEAN I'M
BIASED BECAUSE YOU'RE IN MY DISTRICT AND I GOT TO KNOW OF ALL THE WORK YOU DO AND GET TO ACTUALLY VISIT OUR SITES VERY THANKFUL FOR HOW YOU STEPPED UP NOT ONLY FOR THAT FIRE AND PARTICULARLY JUST EVERYTHING YOU DO IN SCHOOLS IN
MY DISTRICT AND ACROSS THE CITY TO THE RED CROSS THERE'S ONE PERSON IN PARTICULAR THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE THEM IS WOLFIE. HE HE HE SHOWS UP TO FIRES WITH
STUFFED ANIMALS AND HE KIND OF HELPS WITH MENTAL HEALTH DURING THE VERY TOUGH TIMES AND JUST DISTRACTS YOU FROM THAT. SO I WANTED TO START OFF BY
ASKING YOU ALL THE RED CROSS POLICY HOW MANY VOLUNTEERS DO YOU HAVE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON THAT ARE WILLING TO STEP UP? I'M JUST CURIOUS TO KNOW HOW MANY WHARFIES ARE OUT THERE. YEAH, GREAT, GREAT GREAT
QUESTION. AND ACTUALLY IF I MAY, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE SHANNON FITZGERALD . SO SHANNON KIND OF LEADS OUR DISASTER TEAM HERE IN BOSTON IN BOSTON. DO YOU KNOW THE NUMBER SPECIFIC
TO BOSTON? I MEAN WE HAVE A LOT OF RESPONDERS. OH, YOU DO. WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO TALK TO MIKE AND I'LL JUST SAY BIG PICTURE.
SO IN MASSACHUSETTS, YOU KNOW, 90% OF OUR WORKFORCE ARE VOLUNTEERS. WE ARE BLESSED WITH JUST AN INCREDIBLY, INCREDIBLY BIG HEARTED COMPASSION.
IT VOLUNTEERS AND WE TRAIN THEM AND THEY ARE TO JUST HAVE YEARS AND YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND IN RESPONDING TO FIRES AND AND SUPPORTING PEOPLE OF OUR 2500
VOLUNTEERS ACROSS THE STATE OR ON 800 OF THOSE VOLUNTEERS ARE DISASTER VOLUNTEERS AND THOSE ARE THE POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE KIND OF IN OUR DISASTER WORKFORCE RANGE WITH ALL THOSE DIFFERENT SERVICES THAT I MENTIONED. RIGHT.
SO WE HAVE OUR DUTY OFFICERS THAT TAKE THE CALLS RIGHT FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS WE'VE GOT THE DISASTER RESPONDERS THAT RESPOND. WE GET THE CASEWORKERS DISASTER
MEDAL ETC. SO SO THE 800 REALLY WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HOW WE MOBILIZE RIGHT. WE WILL MOBILIZE BASED ON WHO'S WHO SIGNED UP FOR THAT DAY AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN BE THERE
AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO THAT RESPONSE. RIGHT. SO WHETHER WE HAVE ALL THOSE PEOPLE IN ANY SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOOD OF BOSTON, IT DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE THEY'LL COME IN FROM THEY'LL COME COME
IN FROM WHEREVER, YOU KNOW AND YOU KNOW VERY QUICKLY GAS EXPLOSIONS. WE STOOD UP SHELTERS IN 2 HOURS RIGHT 2 HOURS AFTER THE EXPLOSIONS HAPPENED IN THREE DIFFERENT TOWNS UP THERE AND
THAT WAS BECAUSE WE HAVE PRE-POSITIONED SUPPLIES. WE'VE GOT PEOPLE ALL OVER THE PLACE AND WE WILL ACTIVATE, YOU KNOW, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. SO AND I'LL ASK SHANNON IF YOU
HAVE ANY ANY NUMBERS DO YOU KNOW I DON'T HAVE NUMBERS SPECIFICALLY I WOULD SAY FROM THE 800 RESPONDERS THAT WE HAVE ACROSS THE STATE, A LARGE NUMBER OF THOSE ARE IN OUR GREATER BOSTON REGION.
THEY MIGHT NOT LIVE IN BOSTON PROPER BUT THEY DO RESPOND IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO A COUPLE OF HUNDRED I WOULD SAY. WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT. MAKES ME SEE WOLF IS YOURSELF
TOM I SAY THANK YOU. I WILL. YEAH HE'S GOT THE BIGGEST HEART AND THOSE YOU KNOW, THOSE STUFFED ANIMALS ARE ONE OF THOSE LITTLE THINGS, RIGHT. LITTLE THINGS THAT REALLY MAKE
A DIFFERENCE THERE REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO RAISE YOUR POINT. IT'S JUST AND THAT MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT WHERE I MEAN FOR YOU TO GET OVER THE FACT THAT YOU
JUST LOST YOUR HOME AND YOU SAW SOMETHING VERY TRAUMATIC HAPPEN IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME TO RECOVER FROM THAT. SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR NOVA.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO AS WELL BECAUSE I'VE YOU'VE WHEN I WAS DIRECTOR OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES IN MY PREVIOUS ROLE I'VE BEEN ABLE TO REALLY USE YOUR ASSISTANCE NOT ONLY WITH FIRE THIS PLACEMENTS
BUT I REMEMBER EVEN GOING ON A SITE WHERE THERE WAS A MAJOR FLOODING THERE IN A A PIPE BURST THERE IN THE WINTER AND YOU ALL SHOWED UP THERE AND
JUST HELPED OUT WITH THAT. DO YOU HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS OR LANDLORDS ACROSS THE CITY TO KIND OF HAVE LIKE A DATABASE OF WHAT UNITS MAY BE VACANT TO
HELP YOU OUT IDENTIFY POTENTIAL PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO GO? WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT COUNCILOR. I WONDER I HAVE A DIFFERENT ANSWER. I THINK THE ANSWER IS WE HAVE RELATIONSHIPS AND THERE IS A MESSAGE SHOOT AT THE
ASSOCIATION OF CBCS. I'M A CBC. THERE IS A STATEWIDE DATABASE NOW CALLED HOUSING NAVIGATOR WHICH PEOPLE MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH THAT SORT OF IS POST.
SO WE DO A DEVELOPMENT THEN WE POST ON HOUSING NAVIGATOR. NOW THAT'S NOT WHAT'S IN OUR PORTFOLIO PER SAY IT'S LIKE WHAT'S COMING UP THAT'S NEW AGAIN METRO LIST MIGHT BE THE
MORE CURRENT RENTAL SIDE. THAT'S THE BEST WAY I CAN ANSWER IT RIGHT NOW. OKAY AND I'LL JUST THROW IN WE'RE WE'RE BLESSED WE HAVE TWO FULL TIME AMERICORPS VOLUNTEERS
THAT ARE ABLE TO HELP US WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM AND A LOT OF WHAT THEY DO IS HOUSING SEARCH AND COORDINATING WITH OTHER SERVICES AND LANDLORDS
THAT WE KNOW OF THROUGH PAST PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE OPERATED. SO YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE DO WE WORK WITH AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN. SO THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR THE
HELP. I JUST I DO THINK IT'S WORTH AGAIN CALLING THE CDC IN THE DISTRICTS AND YOU KNOW THEM WELL AND AND THEY SHOULD HAVE OUR NUMBER SO THAT THEY'RE JUST MIGHT BE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR
SOMEBODY TO HAVE AN OPENING OR TO OR WHAT'S COMING UP OR HAVE ANOTHER REFERRAL. I'LL ALSO CALL THE CHURCHES THEY SOMETIMES HAVE SOMEBODY LINED UP OR THEY'LL KNOW SOMEBODY IN THE AREA THAT MIGHT
HAVE AN OPENING. I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA JUST BECAUSE THAT OPEN LINE OF COMMUNICATION WITH AN ORGANIZATION LIKE NO DIFFERENT CDC AND EVEN JUST THE THE LANDLORDS I MEAN HAVE A LOT
OF UNITS IN THE CITY IT WOULD BE VERY INFLUENTIAL IN MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A CLEARANCE AND WE MIGHT JUST WANT TO TALK TO EMILY HABER BECAUSE SOME OF US WE MANAGE OUR OWN IN THE
CITY ALTHOUGH LIBERTY PROPERTIES DOES ONE LARGE ONE FOR US BUT YOU KNOW WHEN MOLONEY THEY'RE ALL VERY GOOD AND THEY BUT THE CDC ITSELF MAY NOT KNOW EXACTLY WHAT MIGHT BE
OPEN SO YOU MAY IT MAY BE WORTH MAKING A CONNECTION TO EMILY AND THEN MAKING THAT LARGER CONNECTION TO THE REST OF US TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN AN EMERGENCY. THERE MIGHT BE LOCAL CALLS THAT GO OUT TO PEOPLE IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS I DON'T KNOW BUT
IT PROBABLY DOES HAPPEN WITH MAYBE A MORE FORMAL REQUEST WOULD BE USEFUL TO WRITE. THANK YOU. WELCOME MY SECOND TO ASK QUESTIONS TO MICHAEL FOR
KATIE'S CALLS AND OBVIOUSLY YOU HELPED TREMENDOUSLY WITH THE FIRE IN HYDE PARK THAT HAPPENED JUST DESPITE I THINK IT WAS OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR. HOW MANY FIRES DO YOU THINK
KATIE CAUSES THIS WITH RIGHT NOW? SO WE TRACK EVERYTHING BY SCHOOL YEAR. SO IN THE 2425 SCHOOL YEAR IT LOOKS LIKE WE DEALT WITH ABOUT 12.
SO IT WAS ON AVERAGE ABOUT ONCE A MONTH AND THEN WE HAD SOME OTHER FLOOD AND INSTANCES
OF THINGS OF THAT NATURE. BUT OVERALL LIKE THE TWO THAT URGENT RESPONSE PROGRAM WE RECEIVED ABOUT A THOUSAND REQUESTS DURING THE 2425 SCHOOL YEAR.
SO A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF IT WAS FIRE BUT A THOUSAND IN TOTAL. SO IT IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF AGENCIES WE'RE ANSWERING TO AND FROM A
FUNDING STANDPOINT I KNOW THE ONE IN HIGH PARK IN TYPICALLY IT'S ABOUT 3 TO $500 PER PERSON IN THE HIGH PARK ONE WAS RIGHT ON AVERAGE WITH THAT I THINK WAS AROUND 30 $500 FOR THAT BUT
OUT OF THE THOUSAND I THINK THAT WE GAVE OUT OR INVOICED OUT ABOUT A LITTLE OVER $400,000 WORTH OF PRODUCT THE PROGRAM FOR US IS SEVERELY
UNDERFUNDED. WE PROBABLY HAD BETWEEN 50 AND $70,000 TO SUPPORT THAT FOR TEN. AND THEN IN OUR IN-SCHOOL PROGRAM WE INVOICE OUT CLOSE TO
$2 MILLION IN INVENTORY IN THE 2425 SCHOOL YEAR AND WE RECEIVED PROBABLY $300,000 AND LIKE SCHOOL FEES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO THE WORK THAT MIKI COCKERELL, OUR CEO AND CO-FOUNDER AND ON TO KATIE DOES IS JUST HIRE EASILY EVERY DAY TRYING TO NARROW THAT GAP
OF FUNDING FOR US RIGHT NOW I KNOW I DEFINITELY THROUGH CONVERSATION WITH WITH YOURSELF AND OTHER MEMBERS OF KATIE'S CLOSET JUST KNOWING THE GAPS THAT EXIST THERE TOO. SO THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.
THANK YOU. I THINK JUST HAVING THIS FIRST PANEL GO FIRST WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO SET THE TONE FOR THIS HEARING BECAUSE YOU'RE ON THE GROUND. RC LIVED EXPERIENCES AND YOU
GET TO SEE DAY TO DAY SITUATIONS WHERE FAMILIES NEED HELP AND EVEN MADE ME THINK ABOUT HOW THE COMMUNICATION EVEN BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD HAPPEN A LOT MORE OFTEN
WHERE YOUR SHARING THE TYPE OF RESOURCES THAT YOU MAY ALL HAVE AND I THINK THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THIS TYPE OF FUNDS MOVING FORWARD SO I AM I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE
QUESTIONS FOR THIS SPECIFIC PANEL COUNSELOR CALLERS ABOUT DID YOU HAVE ANY FOLLOW UP? I WILL DEFINITELY BE FOLLOWING UP INDIVIDUALLY WITH ALL OF YOU AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN. I WANT TO THANK OUR FRIENDS
FROM FROM LINCOLN. ABIGAIL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT OPERATIONALLY HOW YOU UTILIZE
YOUR YOUR TAX DOCUMENTS THAT ARE MAILED OUT TO GET FOLKS TO VOLUNTARILY FUND SOMETHING LIKE THIS. BUT I THINK GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR ABOUT TWO ALMOST 2 HOURS NOW AND I
KNOW THAT SOME OF YOU HAD HARD STOPS AND THAT WE'RE PAST THAT I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS WORK AND HAVING IT BE INFORMED BY WHAT YOU ALL
DO EVERY SINGLE DAY MAKING SURE THAT YOU ARE INTEGRATED INTO ULTIMATELY WHATEVER THE NEXT STEPS ARE IN TERMS OF CREATING THIS FIRE OR EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND. SO JUST THANK YOU. THANKS EVERYONE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. WE'RE GOING TO NOW TRANSITION OVER TO OUR ADMINISTRATION PANEL SO I'LL BE EVERYONE BUT THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
YES, WE'LL TAKE BACK EXCUSE ME I OH, THAT'S OKAY. YEAH. SO WE'RE GOING TO DO TESTIMONIES. WE'RE IN THE TESTIMONIES RIGHT AFTER THIS PANEL.
IS THAT OKAY? THANK THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. OKAY, SO AND WE HAVE LINDSEY
SANTANA, ADRIAN JORDAN, PAUL
COMMISSIONER BURKE, DR. JOHNSON
,IS THAT YOUR COME YOU SAID SO
THE PRESIDENT WAS WATCHING ONE YOU KNOW THAT.
YEAH. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. WE'RE GOING TO DO IT AGAIN INTRODUCTIONS YOUR TITLES AND OPENING STATEMENTS.
SO STARTING OFF WE COULD START OFF WITH DIRECTOR JOHNSON STARTING WITH WHAT LOOKS LIKE YOU KNOW, I'M ACTUALLY PREPARED
A STATEMENT FOR ALL OF OUR PANELISTS TODAY IN THE INTEREST OF TIME. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS DANIEL JOHNSON. I'M THE DIRECTOR FOR THE OFFICE OF HOUSING STABILITY HERE WITHIN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING FIRST.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK MY COLLEAGUES FROM THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AWARENESS AND ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO JUST TESTIFIED RESPONDING TO FIRES
AND OTHER EMERGENCIES IS NEVER THE WORK OF JUST ONE DEPARTMENT. IT'S A COLLECTIVE EFFORT THAT STARTS THE MOMENT A FIRE HAPPENS AND CONTINUES FOR WEEKS AND MONTHS AFTERWARDS WHEN A FIRE OCCURS, OUR COORDINATED
RESPONSE BEGINS IMMEDIATELY. THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT ENSURES SAFETY ON SCENE AND PROVIDES VITAL INFORMATION THROUGH THEIR VICTIM ASSISTANCE UNIT THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND THE AMERICAN RED
CROSS HELP ADDRESS IMMEDIATE NEEDS LIKE CLOTHING, FOOD OR SHELTER. THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES WORKS DIRECTLY WITH IMPACTED RESIDENTS AND NEIGHBORHOODS MAKING SURE INFORMATION IS SHARED AND NEEDS ARE ELEVATED QUICKLY AND THE
OFFICE OF HOUSING STABILITY STEPS IN TO ASSESS HOUSEHOLD NEEDS, HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THEIR RIGHTS AND INSURANCE OPTIONS AND CONNECT THEM TO TEMPORARY SHELTER OR HOTELS WHEN THERE'S NOWHERE ELSE TO GO
. BUT OUR WORK DOESN'T STOP THERE. WE STAY CONNECTED TO DISPLACE HOUSEHOLDS THROUGH HOUSING SEARCH WHICH YOU HEARD FROM NOAH EARLIER TODAY REFERRALS TO VARIOUS CITY RESOURCES AND
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE HELPING COVER COSTS LIKE FIRST MONTH'S RENT, LAST MONTH'S RENT AND SECURITY DEPOSITS ALSO WORKERS FEES WHICH ARE GOING TO BE NO LONGER STARTING AUGUST 1ST. BUT WE DO THIS SO FAMILIES CAN
CAN MOVE FORWARD THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS WE COORDINATE CLOSELY WITH ESD TO UNDERSTAND WHETHER UNITS ARE SAFE TO OCCUPY AND WITH THE BOSTON HOME CENTER WHEN HOMEOWNERS NEED SUPPORT FOR REPAIRS.
ALL OF THIS HAPPENS WHILE BALANCING LIMITED RESOURCES AND RESPONDING TO EACH SITUATION'S UNIQUE NEEDS FROM OVERNIGHT OUTREACH TO LONGER TERM SUPPORT TOGETHER OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE
SURE NO ONE IS LEFT WITHOUT OPTIONS AFTER EXPERIENCING A LIFE CHANGING EMERGENCY LIKE A FIRE. WE APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL'S CONTINUED FOCUS ON THIS WORK YOUR PARTNERSHIP IN STRENGTHENING OUR RESPONSE AND YOUR SUPPORT IN HELPING US
SERVE RESIDENTS AS QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER COUNCILOR COLETTA AND PEPEN I APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE MISSION OF THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT VICTIMS
ASSISTANCE UNIT IS TO PROVIDE A QUALITY UNIT WITHIN THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT WITH THE CAPABILITY TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE ON SCENE ASSISTANCE FOR PERSONS DISPLACED FROM THEIR RESIDENCE
AS A RESULT OF FIRE OR OTHER TYPE OF EMERGENCY. THE VICTIMS ASSISTANCE UNIT ASSIST TO SUPPORT DISPLACED PERSONS BY ENSURING SCENE SAFETY DURING THE INCIDENT.
ENSURE ACCESS TO EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE IF NECESSARY AND ASSIST SALVAGE SALVAGING ESSENTIAL BELONGINGS SUCH AS MEDICINE AND LEGAL DOCUMENTS FROM A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS ENVIRONMENT.
ADDITIONALLY, THE VICTIMS ASSISTANT UNIT IS THE INITIAL LIAISON BETWEEN THE DISPLACED PARTIES AND THE MULTIPLE PARTNER AGENCIES THAT PROVIDE ASSISTANCE AND RELIEF AFTER THE
FIRE OR EMERGENCY IS UNDER CONTROL. UPON ARRIVAL AND ON THE SCENE THE VICTIMS ASSISTANCE UNIT WILL IMMEDIATELY CONSULT WITH THE INCIDENT COMMAND TO DETERMINE THE NUMBER AND
DISPOSITION OF DISPLACED VICTIMS IN THE EARLY STAGES OF AN INCIDENT. THE VICTIMS ASSISTANCE UNIT ENSURES THE VICTIMS ARE PROVIDED A SAFE AREA AWAY FROM THE HAZARDOUS ENVIRONMENT WHILE THE INCIDENT IS BROUGHT UNDER
CONTROL. THEY ALSO PROVIDE FOR IMMEDIATE SHELTERING FROM ELEMENTS THROUGH THE USE OF A BUS ARE APPROPRIATE LOCAL FACILITY UNTIL THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES
ARRIVES AND CAN PROVIDE NECESSARY SHELTER TO ASSIST THE DISPLACED. COORDINATION WITH THE INCIDENT COMMAND IS TO ALLOW FOR THE SAFE AND ORDERLY ACCESS TO THE BUILDING FOR THOSE DISPLACED TO
RECOVER THE ESSENTIAL BELONGINGS WHEN SALVAGEABLE AND WHEN BUILDING CONDITIONS PERMIT. THEY ALSO COORDINATE WITH BOSTON EMS ON IMMEDIATE MEDICAL NEEDS OF THE DISPLACED RESIDENTS AND THEY COORDINATE
WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES, THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND RED CROSS AND BUILDING MANAGEMENT TO DETERMINE EMERGENCY SHELTERING OPTIONS.
THEY ALSO PROVIDE OWNERS OEM, RED CROSS AND OTHER APPLICABLE AGENCIES WITH A LIST OF DISPLACED RESIDENTS TO INCLUDE NAME, AGE, SCHOOL IF APPLICABLE AND CONTACT INFORMATION.
THEY ALSO COORDINATE WITH THE INCIDENT COMMANDER AND THE RED CROSS PERSONNEL TO CONDUCT DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS AND COORDINATE WITH OTHER AGENCIES AS NEEDED BY THE INCIDENT COMMAND TO PROVIDE LOGISTICAL SUPPORT FOR EMERGENCY
OPERATIONS WHILE VICTIMS ASSISTANCE UNITS RESPONSE SHALL BE DOCUMENTED AND FORWARDED TO THE APPROPRIATE PERSONNEL AND THE AGENCIES IN A TIMELY MANNER AS NEEDED. THE BOARD BOSTON FIRE VICTIMS
ASSISTANCE UNIT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO FOLLOW UP WITH ANY OF THE PARTNER AGENCIES TO ENSURE ALL INFORMATION AND DETAILS PERTAINING TO THE DISPLACED PARTIES ARE JUST ONE
FACT THAT WE KNOW OF THE VICTIMS. THE ASSISTANT UNIT GOES ON THE SECOND LINE AND HIGHER SO THEY WOULD NOT GO OUT NORMALLY IF JUST A ONE ALARM FIRE. SO THAT'S WHEN THEY GO OUT WHEN
THE FIRE GETS SEVERE AND PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE DISPLACED. SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY AND I WELCOME YOUR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.
GOOD CHIEF JORDAN THIS COUNCIL DEAR AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY AS THE CHIEF OF EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS I'D LIKE TO
EMPHASIZE HOW CRITICAL IT IS THAT OUR RESPONSE TO RESIDENTIAL FIRES EXTENDS BEYOND THE INITIAL EMERGENCY. A FIRE JUST DOESN'T DESTROY PROPERTY, DISPLACES FAMILIES, DISRUPTS LIVES AND OFTEN
EXPOSES DEEP INEQUITIES TOO OFTEN RESIDENTS ARE LEFT WITH LITTLE OR NO SUPPORT IN THE DAYS THAT FOLLOW. MANY ARE RENTERS SENIORS OR FAMILIES WITHOUT INSURANCE FORCED TO NAVIGATE LOSS WITHOUT
RESOURCES. I THINK THE FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE IS FOR ME IS AND BASED ON MY YEAR IN THIS POSITION IS THE
RELIANCE ON CITY SERVICES IS HAS NOW OVERWHELMED OUR CITY SERVICES AND I THINK THAT THIS SHOULD BE A FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT IN THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS. I THINK THAT WE NEED TO
ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO KIND OF SUPPORT THEMSELVES AS BEST THEY CAN AND THE FIRE FUND IDEA I SUPPORTED THE EXPLORATION SHOULD BE INTEGRATED INTO A
BROADER, MORE EQUITABLE RECOVERY STRATEGY AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO ANY QUESTIONS HERE BECAUSE I THINK THAT WE SHOULD HAVE SOME REALLY SPIRITED CONVERSATION AND DEBATE AROUND THIS ISSUE.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHIEF DIRECTOR SANTANA THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN WENDY SANTANA, DIRECTOR OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES SO WE
WORK WITH OUR COLLEAGUES WHEN IT COMES TO FIRE RESPONSE NEIGHBORHOOD LIAISONS CONNECT WITH IMPACTED RESIDENTS ONSITE COLLECTING INITIAL HOUSEHOLD INFORMATION WHICH IS NAMES,
CONTACT DETAILS AND IMMEDIATE NEEDS AND WE PROVIDE BASIC RESOURCE INFORMATION UPDATES TO 311 AN OFFICE OF HOUSING STABILITY WE SERVE AS A COMMUNICATION BRIDGE BETWEEN
RESIDENTS AND CITY HALL DEPARTMENTS TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE GETTING THE RESOURCES THAT WE CAN PROVIDE AND WE WE MAY REMAIN ENGAGED FOR NEIGHBORHOOD FOLLOW UPS OR COMMUNITY MEETINGS THAT COME FROM FIRE DISPLACEMENTS.
I KNOW THAT WE'RE HERE ALSO TO DISCUSS THE FUND ITSELF AND JUST FOR CONTEXT, LAST YEAR WE DID DO SOME RESEARCH TO SEE WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO DO THE FUND TO ASSIST RESIDENTS.
HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THE ANTIETAM AND WENT FROM THE MASSACHUSETTS STATE LAW IT PROHIBITS US FROM FROM USING OPERATING DOLLARS TO ACTUALLY SET UP A FUND IT WOULD HAVE TO COME FROM EXTERNAL PARTNERS OR
LIKE PHILANTHROPY AND STUFF LIKE THAT. SO I'M PRETTY SURE THAT YOU KNOW, BASED ON THIS CONVERSATION OF FUNDING, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WILL COME UP. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
OKAY COUNCILOR, GO TO SUPPORT THE FLOOR IS YOURS FOR A FIRST ROUND OF QUESTIONS. THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND BEING HERE. I KNOW THAT THIS HAS GONE ON A
LITTLE BIT LONG BUT I THINK IT IS A WORTHWHILE DISCUSSION AND CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT I AM INTERESTED IN PUSHING FORWARD AND I'VE GOTTEN A CHANCE TO WORK WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU IN THE MOMENTS AFTER A
FIRE IN THE DAYS AND WEEKS AND SO JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROFESSIONALISM AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAMS DO FOR OWN AS AND DIRECTOR SANTANA OR
DEPUTY DIRECTOR WHICH ARE TITLED DIRECTORS RIGHT I MEAN TO DIRECTOR SANTANA SO ONUS IS REALLY LIKE THE POINT PERSON THE LEAD PERSON IN THE MOMENTS
AFTER A FIRE AND THAT INCLUDES COMMUNICATION AND FOLLOW UP AND ALL OF THAT WORKING WITH VARIOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS AND MY OFFICE TAKES THAT SERIOUSLY WHENEVER THERE IS A FIRE THAT THAT HAPPENS IN EAST BOSTON
TYPICALLY IT IS WHEN WE GET FIRES AND THIS IS NOT THE CASE FOR EVERY SINGLE FIRE BUT WHEN THERE IS A DEVASTATING FIRE OR A FIRE AND YOU SEE IT IS, YOU KNOW, UPWARDS OF 20 TO 30 PEOPLE BEING DISPLACED.
AND SO IT IS A LOT TO PUT ON ONE PARTICULAR PERSON. SOMEBODY HAD TALKED ABOUT HAVING A CENTRAL REPOSITORY OF INFORMATION WHERE IN AND CURRENTLY WHAT I'M SEEING IS
THAT IT IS THE OWNER'S PERSON THAT IS THE ONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HOUSING STABILITY AND HOUSING STABILITY AND NOAH, THEY ARE THE PERSON THAT IS IN DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH THESE
FOLKS. THEY ARE THE CENTRAL REPOSITORY OF INFORMATION AND RESOURCES. BEFORE I GET INTO SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FUND AND POTENTIAL STRUCTURES AND ALL OF THAT AND THE RESEARCH THAT
YOU'VE DONE, HAS THERE BEEN ANY CHANGES AROUND HOW NEST RESPONDS TO A FIRE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THAT YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANY OPERATIONAL
ADVANCES THAT YOU'VE MADE AND SOME MORE IMPORTANTLY SOME OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU SEE FOR OPENNESS IN IN RESPONDING TO FIRES OR EMERGENCIES? THANK YOU. YEAH, THERE'S DEFINITELY BEEN
SOME SHIFTS WHEN IT COMES TO HOW WE RESPOND TO FIRES OR JUST HOW LIAISONS GO. SO WHEN I WAS A LIAISON WE WERE ON CALL FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS 24 SEVEN BUT SOMETHING THAT WE
DID IN THE PAST YEARS IS MAKING SURE THAT THE LIAISONS ARE NOW COVERING ONE MONTH OUT OF THE WEEK ONE ONE WEEK OUT OF THE MONTH TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HELPS WITH BURNOUT.
SO THEY ALL COVER A DIFFERENT ZONE. SO IT'S 5 TO 6 NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEY'RE ON CALL FOR THAT WEEK 24 SEVEN. BUT THE OTHER THING THAT WE'VE IMPLEMENTED NOW THAT WE HAVE DEPUTY DIRECTORS IS MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S ANOTHER LEVEL
OF COVERAGE. SO DEPENDING ON HOW HOW INTENSE THE FIRE IS, IF IT'S TWO FIVE ALARM THE EAST BOSTON ONE THAT YOU'RE REFERENCING IT IT
ESCALATED TO A POINT WHERE THE DIRECTOR ALSO WAS ON SCENE. SO THE LIAISON, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND THE DIRECTOR ITSELF TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING BASED ON THE NUMBERS THAT ARE ACTUALLY THERE BUT IF
IT'S A SMALLER FIRE WHERE WE FEEL LIKE IT'S MORE MANAGEABLE, THE LIAISON WILL GO ON SCENE. BUT IF THEY NEED SUPPORT THE DEPUTY IS ALSO AVAILABLE. WELL THAT'S PHONE CALLS TO HELP KIND OF NAVIGATE THAT. SO OPERATION WE HAD SOMETHING
THAT'S BEEN DIFFERENT THAT WE'RE DOING ANOTHER THING THAT WE HAVE ALSO IMPLEMENTED IS LIKE RIDE SHARE SERVICE. SO BEFORE IT WAS KIND OF UP TO THE LIAISON TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THERE BUT MAKING SURE
THAT WE'RE GIVING THE RESOURCES FOR THE LIAISONS TO FEEL SUPPORTED THERE IS THAT RIGHT? SHARED RIDE SHARE COMPONENT SO JUST MAKING SURE THERE IS MORE I WOULD SAY SUPPORT WITHIN OUR
OFFICE WHEN IT COMES TO FIRES AND IF THERE'S MORE KNOWLEDGE OR LIKE HOW DO WE FIGURE THAT OUT BUT IN TERMS OF OPPORTUNITY I THINK THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR GROWTH RIGHT?
BUT I'M CURIOUS AND IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY IDEAS AND HAPPY TO TALK THOSE THROUGH TOO AND THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND IT DOES SEEM LIKE BASED ON EACH INDIVIDUAL FIRE IT IS
OBVIOUS THAT IT WOULD THERE ARE YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CERTAIN NUANCES AND DIFFERING FACTORS IN EVERY SINGLE FIRE. YOU SEE IT CITYWIDE I ONLY SEE
IT IN EAST BOSTON. HOW DOES OR I GUESS IF YOU CAN EXPLAIN LIKE A SUCCESSFUL MODEL OF WHAT TRUE SUPPORT LOOKS LIKE, LIKE WHAT INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITIES OR NEIGHBORHOODS
HAVE DONE TO REALLY BE THERE FOR FOR RESIDENTS AND BECAUSE YOUR FOLKS ARE DOING THE FOLLOW UP TO THESE INDIVIDUALS
AFTERWARD WHERE THEY'VE YOU KNOW, THEY'RE MAYBE STILL TRYING TO FIND HOUSING OR THEY NEED FOOD OR THEY NEED ASSISTANCE WITH FINDING FURNITURE HOW COULD A FIRE FUND
ULTIMATELY HELP THEM WHERE COMMUNITY OR NEIGHBORHOODS COULDN'T MEET THAT THAT NEED IN THE WAY THAT MAYBE EAST BOSTON DOES? AND I AM BIASED I THINK EAST BOSTON DOES DOES A GREAT JOB
BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER SUCCESSFUL MODELS I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO HEAR ABOUT THEM. I CAN'T NECESSARILY SAY I KNOW A SUCCESSFUL MODEL I WOULD HAVE TO AGREE WITH YOU IS BOSTON IS
A VERY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE. ONE I AM LOOKING AT THE FIRES THAT WE COVER ACROSS THE CITY. I SEE THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF SUPPORT OR LIKE NEIGHBORS REALLY COME TOGETHER
LIKE YOU COME TO FIRES. I'VE SEEN MADERO AT FIRES LIKE I THINK IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE DEPENDING ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD BUT I THINK OF FUND ITSELF AGAIN WE CAN'T
NECESSARILY USE OPERATING DOLLARS BUT ONE THING THAT I'VE SEEN THAT EASY DOES IS JUST LIKE BE ABLE TO PULL THAT MONEY TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE FAMILY NEEDS AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER. SO LIKE THAT'S ALSO ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT I TELL LIKE
ROBERTO OR LIKE OTHER LIAISONS IT'S JUST LIKE IT'S A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE DEPENDING ON WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD ITSELF AND HOW IT ORGANIZES IT JUST FEELS LIKE EAST BOSTON'S A BIT MORE ORGANIZED WHEN IT COMES TO STUFF LIKE THAT. THANK YOU AND ENDURING AND ON
THE PHONE A LITTLE BIT I WAS LOOKING AT VARIOUS LEGAL FRAMEWORKS OF FUNDS ACROSS THE CITY AND THIS IS A MAYBE FOR EVERYBODY NOT JUST FOR FOR LINDSAY BUT THE SAN FRANCISCO
FIRE VICTIM ASSISTANCE FUND. IT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE MOST APPLICABLE HERE IN BOSTON WHERE IT WAS CREATED BY BY ORDINANCE AND BECAUSE WE ARE LIMITED BY STATE LAW WHERE
WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO USE OPERATIONAL FUNDS, I THINK THAT THIS MODEL WOULD MAKE SENSE WHERE THEY'RE ABLE TO RECEIVE APPROPRIATED FUNDS. I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW IF THAT'S
IF THEY'RE ALLOWED TO RECEIVE OPERATIONAL FUNDS OR MAYBE EVEN CAPITAL OR WHATEVER IT IS. BUT CERTAINLY PRIVATE DONATIONS AIMED AT ASSISTING INDIVIDUALS DISPLACED BY RESIDENTIAL FIRES
AND THERE'S CERTAIN ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND MAYBE THIS IS WHERE HHS COMES INTO PLAY WHERE THERE ARE THEY ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE LIKE RENTAL ASSISTANCE
TO THOSE WHO ARE DISPLACED BY A FIRE OR BY ANY EMERGENCY. THIS COULD BE WHERE OEM COMES IN WHO EARN UP TO 100% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME NOW 100% IS KIND OF HIGH. I HAD HEARD 80%, I'VE HEARD 50%
AND THE BENEFIT THE BENEFIT DURATION IS UP TO 24 MONTHS FOR ELIGIBLE RECIPIENTS THAT COULD
BE AMENDED IF YOUR INCOME IS BELOW 70% OF THE ARMY, THE DISPLACED PERSON AND AND THE DISPLACED PERSON HAS NOT RETURNED HOME OR REMAINS WITHOUT PERMANENT HOUSING.
THAT DURATION GOES UP TO 48 MONTHS. AND SO I THINK THAT THERE'S YOU KNOW, THERE'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING TO LOOK AT HERE CURIOUS, YOU KNOW, FOLKS HAVE INITIAL REACTION TO THAT IF
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE ALSO LOOKED INTO. I DON'T WANT US TO BE LIMITED BY WHAT STATE LAW HAS ON THE BOOKS. RIGHT. WE CAN GET CREATIVE.
WE CAN THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND THERE IS A MODEL HERE ANYWAY IN THE CITY OF BOSTON WHERE THERE WAS A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP FUND I FORGET EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS CALLED BUT IT WAS DURING COVID WHERE WE COULD RECEIVE OUTSIDE DONATIONS
FROM FROM PARTNERS. AND SO I DO THINK THAT THIS IS A MODEL THAT WE CAN LOOK TO AND IF ANYBODY HAS AN REACTION TO THAT, NOW'S THE TIME TO TALK
THROUGH WHAT YOU THINK IS GOOD ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR FUND GRANT YOU DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF YOU. WE CAN TALK MORE ABOUT IT BUT ANY IMMEDIATE FLAGS THAT YOU THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE WORKING THROUGH AS WE REVIEW THIS TYPE
OF FUND? SO I'M VERY FIRM. I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE EMERGENCY MANAGER FROM SAN FRANCISCO AND WHILE THE FUND
WORKS WELL THE INTRICACIES ARE HOW THAT FUND GETS DISTRIBUTE IT AND AND WHO MAKES THE CRITERIA AND EVEN THOUGH THE
CRITERIA IS CLEARLY SPELLED OUT, THE ISSUE IS IS WHO THEN FURTHER THE THE ISSUE IS IS THE
LIKE WHO DETERMINES THEN IS PROOF OF HAS IT BEEN 12 MONTHS HAS BEEN 24 MONTHS HAVE YOU BEEN DOING X, Y, Z? SO THEN THE INTRICACIES OF THE PROGRAM THEN BECOME PART OF THE
HARD PART OF THE PROGRAM THE INITIALIZING OF THE PROGRAM WORK WELL, SHE SAID BUT THEN OBVIOUSLY THEN THE INTRICACIES OF WHO GETS IT, HOW PROOF THEN
THOSE THAT WAS A LOT OF DEGREE AREA AND THAT BECAME A STILL A HEADACHE TO THIS POINT SO SHE SHE SHE WARNED THAT WHILE THE
PROGRAM READ WELL THE DAY TO DAY OPERATION OF THE PROGRAM AND FACILITATED AND THE INTRICACIES OF THE PROGRAM WERE VERY VERY ARE STILL VERY VERY
SHE SAID JUST BEAR IN MIND THAT THESE PROGRAMS THERE ARE A LOT OF PIECES TO IT IT GETS TEDIOUS AT TIMES SO JUST JUST IN MIND THAT IF YOU WERE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT JUST MAKE SURE IT'S WELL VETTED AND THAT
AND IN MY THOUGHT PROCESS AND THEN A QUESTION TO YOU WAS LIKE WHO WHO WOULD THEN FACILITATE THIS PROGRAM IF WE IF WE IMPLEMENTED A PROGRAM LIKE THAT THEN WHO RUNS IT?
WHO TAKES IT, WHAT BODY WITHIN THE CITY DOES IT. SO THAT WOULD BE MY MY THOUGHT MY MY QUESTION TO YOU GUYS LIKE WHO WOULD FACILITATE THIS PROGRAM?
AND IT IS A GREAT IT IS A GREAT QUESTION. WE WOULD HAVE TO CREATE SOME SORT OF BOARD I THINK WE HEARD FROM FROM LINCOLN AND GRANTED LINCOLN AND BOSTON NOT APPLES TO APPLES APPLES TO ORANGES FOR SURE BUT SOME SOME THINGS TO
REVIEW. THEY HAD TALKED ABOUT A BOARD THAT YOU COULD SET UP THAT WE THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO CREATE. I'M PRETTY SURE THAT SAN FRANCISCO HAS A BOARD OR I COULD BE WRONG ABOUT THAT I'LL DOUBLE CHECK AND AND GET THE
CORRECT STRUCTURE ON THE RECORD BUT IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW TRYING TO MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THIS IS MONEY THAT NEEDS TO GET INTO THE POCKETS OF FOLKS QUICKLY
AND THE GREAT THING ABOUT THE STRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE CREATED IN EAST BOSTON IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE EAST BOSTON SOCIAL CENTER AS A FISCAL SPONSOR IS THAT THE ONLY ELIGIBILITY THAT YOU REALLY
NEED IS UNFORTUNATELY TO BE THE VICTIM OF THIS EMERGENCY AND SO THE BENEFIT OF THAT WITH SOME ISSUES ASIDE AS RELATES TO LEGAL STATUS AND PRIVACY, THE BEAUTY OF THAT IS THAT YOU CAN
GET IT TO THOSE FOLKS QUICKLY AND SO NO MATTER WHAT THE STRUCTURE OF A FIRE FUND WOULD HAVE TO MOVE EXPEDITIOUSLY. I DID LIKE WHAT ABIGAIL HAD
SAID FROM LINCOLN ABOUT IF YOU RECEIVE SNAP BENEFITS OR IF YOU'RE ON FUEL ASSISTANCE AND THERE'S ALREADY SORT OF THESE THRESHOLDS THAT HAVE BEEN MET AND YOU'VE ALREADY DEMONSTRATED
OR PROVIDED PAPERWORK TO THE COMMONWEALTH OR THE CITY OF BOSTON, YOU'VE RECEIVED RENTAL ASSISTANCE THAT THAT AUTOMATICALLY QUALIFIES YOU FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS. SO I THINK IT'S JUST AN IT WOULD HAVE TO BE AN AMALGAMATION OF VARIOUS
PROGRAMS THAT ARE ALREADY EXISTING THAT WOULD FAST TRACK YOU TO GET THIS MONEY FROM FROM THIS SORT OF FUND. BUT I THINK THERE'S STILL A LOT MORE THAT WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT
BUT THIS IS A PART OF THAT PROCESS AND JUST KIND OF TALKING THROUGH WHAT SOME OF THE OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES MIGHT BE AND I'LL I'LL JUST ADD AS SOMEONE WHO RUNS SORT OF AN
EMERGENCY FUND I ECHO CHIEF JORDAN'S SENTIMENTS IN TERMS OF WHO'S GOING TO MANAGE THIS PROCESS. I LIKE THE IDEA OF A BOARD HAVING THAT DISCRETIONARY AUTHORITY BUT ALSO THINK ABOUT
THE PRIORITIZATION HOW ARE WE GIVING FUNDS TO ONE COMMUNITY AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT'S EQUITABLE? SO I THINK THAT'S ALSO SOMETHING TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN WE HEARD
FROM THE PRIOR PANELISTS AROUND OTHER RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE. SO TO YOUR POINT AROUND MAKING SURE THAT THINGS ARE CENTRALIZED, MAKING SURE THAT THE BOARD OR WHOMEVER IS GOING TO BE TASKED OPERATING THIS
FUND HAS THOSE RESOURCES READILY AVAILABLE SO THAT WHEN SOMEONE REACHES OUT OR ONE OF YOU REACH OUT WE CAN EASILY SAY WE KNOW FOR CERTAIN THAT
THIS ENTITY OR THIS BODY HAS HAS THE INFORMATION NEED IT BUT FULLY SUPPORT IT. BUT DO YOU THINK THERE ARE SOME PIECES TO YOUR POINT COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A PART
OF THAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THANK YOU AND I MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE SOMEBODY FROM TREASURY HERE SO THIS COULD BE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION DO WE KNOW IF THERE'S A SET RESERVE THAT THE CITY ALREADY HAS TO RECEIVE
OUTSIDE DONATIONS? IS THAT FINE TOO THAT WAS CREATED UNDER COVID, THE COVID RECOVERY FUND? I THINK IS WHAT IT WAS CALLED. IS THAT STILL IN EXISTENCE YOU
KNOW THAT I DON'T I THINK THAT'S A TRAGEDY QUESTION FOR SURE. OKAY. WE COULD WE COULD FOLLOW UP WITH THAT TO THE TRIAL. JUST SUBMIT THAT FOR FOR CFO ROBIN BERGER BUT COMMISSIONER
BURKE, WHILE YOU ARE HERE AND YOUR TEAM IS ON SCENE HAS THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THE EQUITY COMPONENT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE IF THIS FUND WERE TO EXIST OR BE ESTABLISHED THAT WE ARE DISTRIBUTING THE
FUNDS I EQUITABLY, ARE THERE ANY PATTERNS OR HOTSPOTS WHERE WE SEE MORE SEVERE IMPACTS FROM RESIDENTIAL FIRES? WOULD IT MAKE SENSE TO HAVE EVEN OR WORK THROUGH INDIVIDUAL
NEIGHBORHOOD EMERGENCY FUNDS WHERE IT IS THE NONPROFITS THAT ARE DOING A LOT OF THE LEGWORK TO SET IT UP AND WE HAVE RESIDENTS OF THAT PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD DONATING INTO THAT
FUND RATHER THAN A CITYWIDE MODEL JUST CURIOUS TO KNOW IF THERE'S ANY HOTSPOTS OR PATTERNS NOT THAT I KNOW OF. I THINK ONE POINT WE'RE MISSING HERE IS EVERYBODY OWNS THESE
BUILDINGS MAYBE NOT THE TENANTS THAT ARE IN THEM. I A FIRST AVENUE SHOULD BE TO GO TO THE INSURANCE COMPANIES OF THE OWNER AND SAY LISTEN, WE'RE NOT WAITING. WE SHOULD HAVE SOME TYPE
OF ENFORCEMENT THAT MAKES THEM PAY THOSE LANDLORDS SHOULD PAY FOR THAT HOUSING IF THESE PEOPLE ARE DISPLACED AND THEY OWN THIS HOME, THEY'RE OFFSITE LANDLORDS. THEY HAVE INSURANCE THAT INSURANCE SHOULD PAY FOR
HOUSING FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DISPLACED. I THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN ENFORCEMENT ARM WHICH WOULDN'T REQUIRE MONEY PER SE BUT JUST SOMEBODY COMING DOWN ON THE
INSURANCE COMPANY IN THE HOMEOWNER TO PROVIDE SAFE HAVEN FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DISPLACED. I MEAN THE FEW EXCEPTIONS MIGHT BE PUBLIC HOUSING THAT THAT WOULD FALL ON THE CITY.
BUT I THINK MOST BUILDINGS ARE OWNED BY SOMEBODY AND THEY HAVE TO EVEN IF IT'S YOUR HOUSE THAT BURNS YOU HAVE INSURANCE. IT'S OUR DUTY TO POLICE THOSE INSURANCE COMPANIES TO BE ON
SITE AND GET THESE PEOPLE HOUSING RIGHT AWAY. THE LANDLORDS ARE THEY'RE ACCOUNTABLE AND THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THESE FIRES. YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND YOU BRING UP A GREAT POINT ONE THAT'S HIDDEN IN MY NOTES
HERE WHICH IS THAT IN SOME INSTANCES WE'VE HAD INCREDIBLE LANDLORDS WHO HAVE SAID I WILL FIND THEM HOUSING. THEY'VE DONE IT. THEY'VE GOTTEN THEIR INSURANCE COMPANIES UP AND RUNNING. I'VE ALSO HAD LANDLORDS THAT
HAVE BEEN ON SITE AND SAID I'LL BE RIGHT BACK AND THEN THEY'RE NOWHERE TO BE FOUND. THEY DON'T ANSWER THEIR CALLS AND I THINK THAT THAT WAS MAYBE A QUESTION TO OWN US OR WHOEVER CAN ANSWER IT WHICH IS WHAT DOES THAT ENFORCEMENT LOOK LIKE
WHEN A LANDLORD DOES NOT SHOW UP? THEY THEY'RE NOT THERE FOR THEIR TENANTS AND WE ARE NOW STUCK DEPENDING ON THE MINIMAL AMOUNT THAT RED CROSS GIVES
WHICH I KNOW THAT IT'S INCREASED BUT IT IS A SMALL AMOUNT AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR IT AND THEN AFTERWARDS WHAT THE CITY PROVIDES FOR HOUSING STABILITY AND NOAH BUT WHAT
DOES THAT ENFORCEMENT LOOK LIKE AND CITYWIDE WHAT IS WHAT IS THE SITUATION AND ARE LANDLORDS BEING RESPONSIVE OR IS IT JUST A UNIQUE EAST BOSTON THING WHERE THEY'RE NOWHERE TO BE FOUND SOME TIME I THINK OUR TEAM DOES THE BEST THAT THEY
CAN WHEN WE'RE ON SCENE RIGHT TO FIGURE THINGS OUT. WHAT I SEE SOMETIMES THAT'S WHERE WE GET INFORMATION OF WHO THE LANDLORD OR THE PROPERTY MANAGER IS. I DON'T THINK IT'S JUST THE EAST BOSTON THING. IT'S LIKE A CITY WIDE THING
OF LIKE IT DEPENDS ON WHO THE PROPERTY MANAGER IS, THE LANDLORD AND LIKE WHAT THEIR RESOURCES YOU KNOW SOME OF THEM ARE OUT OF STATE BUT IN TERMS OF ENFORCEMENT I THINK LEGALLY
THERE'S THINGS THAT THEY'RE REQUIRED TO DO OR NOT DO AND I THINK THAT MIGHT BE MORE OF A MORTGAGE OR A WAGE QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW IF DANIELLE CAN ANSWER THAT ONE. YEAH, THERE ARE A NUMBER
OF THINGS. SO FIRST THERE'S A LAW THAT REQUIRES LANDLORDS TO PROVIDE HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE INFORMATION TO THE TENANTS THAT ARE DISPLACED. FAILURE TO DO SO RESULTS IN THE FINE UP TO $500.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S PER DAY OR OR WHAT THE TIME FRAME IS BUT THAT'S THE FIRST THING. SO THE LANDLORD HAS TO GIVE YOU THERE WITHIN 15 DAYS HAS TO GIVE YOU THE HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE INFORMATION.
THEN THERE IS THE REIMBURSEMENT INFORMATION. SO THERE'S THE $750 OUT OF THE HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE POLICY THAT'S AUTOMATIC. THAT TOO IS ALSO MANDATED BY THE STATUTE STATE LAW AND THAT
REQUIRES UP TO $750 THAT CAN BE FOR WHATEVER THE TENANT WANTS TO USE IT FOR HOTEL MOVING COSTS, WHATEVER. WE KNOW THAT THE COST OF MOVING
$750 DOESN'T COVER A LOT BUT IT'S POLICY, RIGHT? YEAH, SURE. SO JUST MAKING SURE THAT I'M SORRY ABOUT WHAT YOU SAID SO THE LANDLORD HAS TO GIVE THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSURANCE WITHIN 15 DAYS. CORRECT. AND THEN WHEN THAT DOESN'T
HAPPEN OR IF THEY DON'T GET THE SEVEN OR $50 LIKE WHO WAS CHECKING IN ON THAT FROM A CITY PERSPECTIVE IS THAT ABC OR IS THAT YOU SO THAT IS TO BE DETERMINED BECAUSE IT'S A STATE LAW IT WOULD LIKELY BE SOME
STATE ENTITY THAT WOULD HAVE TO YOU'D HAVE PROBABLY HAVE TO FILE SOME SORT OF COMPLAINT TO SAY THAT I DIDN'T GET THIS INFORMATION FROM THE LANDLORD. I'M ENTITLED TO THIS UNDER
CHAPTER 93 OR SOME OTHER STATUTE WITHIN WITHIN THE LAW. SO I WOULD HAVE TO BE ON THE TENANT TO TAKE THEM TO MY RIGHTS COURT. CORRECT. OKAY. BUT THEN THERE IS ALSO THE STATE SANITARY CODE AND THERE
IS A PROVISION WITHIN THE STATE SANITARY CODE THAT SAYS IN SITUATION WHERE THE UNIT IS INHABITABLE OR THE TENANT CANNOT BE IN THE UNIT FOR A CERTAIN TIMEFRAME WHOEVER IS
THE PERSON THAT DOES INSPECTIONS WHICH FOR THE CITY WOULD BE ISTI THEY'D HAVE TO COME IN AND SAY THIS UNIT IS ON INHABITABLE. WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME SORT OF HEARING WHICH I CITY DOES PRETTY FREQUENTLY AND THEN
AFTER THAT THE LANDLORD IS REQUIRED TO PUT THE TENANT IN A TEMPORARY SPACE UNTIL THE REPAIRS ARE MADE OR PAY FOR THEIR MOVING COSTS ETC. WHETHER
THAT HAPPENS FEW AND FAR BETWEEN BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ESD WOULD PROBABLY BE THE ENTITY THAT WOULD ENFORCE THAT PART RELATED TO THE STATE SANITARY CODE. OKAY. I MEAN CLEARLY THERE'S SOME
WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE LEGISLATIVELY TO KIND OF MAKE THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE AIRTIGHT BECAUSE THERE ARE INSTANCES AND MORE FREQUENTLY IN THESE SPOTS AND I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE CITY WHERE THE LANDLORDS REALLY AREN'T SHOWING UP AND THAT'S
WHY IT FEELS LIKE THERE IS NO HELP REALLY COMING IN FROM ANYWHERE AS IT RELATES THE HOMEOWNERS PERSPECTIVE OR THEIR OBLIGATION. SO THANK YOU FOR FOR CLARIFYING
THAT. I WANT TO BE COGNIZANT OF MY CHAIR IF YOU WILL. YOU HAVE MORE TIME FOR QUESTIONS. WHY DON'T I STOP THERE AND GO TO YOU AND THEN GET MY THOUGHTS BACK IN ORDER?
BUT I APPRECIATE THIS QUESTION THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR. OKAY. TO THE DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE SERIOUS AND THANKFUL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO. BEING ABLE WORK WITH
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES VERY CLOSELY WITH YOU ALL THROUGH YOUR DEPARTMENT'S PREVIOUS ROLE JUST I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO JUST SHOW UP TO A FIRE AND TRY
TO HELP A FAMILY IN NEED. MY QUESTION MY FIRST QUESTION IS TO DIRECTOR JOHNSON AND SIMILAR TO THE QUESTION THAT I ASKED NOAH, WHAT TYPE OF RELATIONSHIP DO YOU HAVE
DOES THE OFFICE HAVE WITH DIFFERENT LANDLORDS TO DAKOTA ON THE CORPORATION, THE CDC IN THE CITY TOO? IS THERE A LIST OF PEOPLE THAT YOU COULD REACH OUT TO TO FIGURE OUT IF THERE ARE AVAILABLE UNITS IN THE CITY?
SURE. OBVIOUSLY BEING THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING WE WORK WITH A LOT OF PROPERTY OWNERS, A LOT OF DEVELOPERS. WE HAVE GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE CDC. ALL OF THEM ALSO WORK WITH A
LOT OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANIES THE MAIN ONES BEING SORT OF YOUR LARGE PROPERTY MILL BEACON WIND BALONEY ETC.. SO OFTENTIMES IF FIRES HAPPEN IN THOSE COMMUNITIES WHICH AREN'T VERY OFTEN UNFORTUNATELY
WE'RE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO THEM AND THEY USUALLY RESPOND FAIRLY QUICKLY TO TO DO WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO AS IT RELATES TO HOMEOWNER OR LANDLORD RESPONSIBILITY AS IT RELATES TO
SMALL LANDLORDS, WE DON'T HAVE AS MUCH OF A RELATIONSHIP WHAT WE DO TRY TO DO IS CONNECT AND THIS IS WHAT WE DO EVERY TIME A FIRE HAPPENS IS CONNECT WITH THE LANDLORD ALSO HAVE THE LANDLORD TALK TO OUR HOME
CENTER SO THAT THEY CAN BE AWARE OF WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE. BUT AS IT TO SMALL LANDLORDS WE FOUND THAT A LOT OF THEM DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES OR THE CAPITAL TO REALLY PUT PEOPLE IN HOTELS FOR HOWEVER LONG IT
TAKES TO REPAIR THINGS WHICH IS WHERE THAT FALLS ON THE CITY AND SORT OF WHERE THIS CONVERSATION IS GOING IN RELATION TO THE FUND BUT TO YOUR SORT OF OVERARCHING QUESTION WE HAVE A LOT
OF RELATIONSHIPS AND I THINK LINDA MAYBE FROM FROM THE NOA PANEL HAD RAISED IT EARLIER YOU KNOW THIS IS A COMPETITIVE HOUSING MARKET. PEOPLE ARE COMPETING WITH OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO MOVE
BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD THE RENT SO THERE'S NO REALLY PRIORITIZATION IN TERMS OF IF YOU'VE BEEN IN A FIRE YOU'VE BEEN IMPACTED, LET'S BUMP YOU TO THE TOP OF THIS LIST WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE BUT THAT'S SORT OF THE REALITY THAT WE THAT
WE'RE IN CURRENTLY. SO WHEN A FIRE HAPPENS WE TRY TO REACH OUT TO LARGER OWNERS TO SAY IF ANYTHING COMES UP LET US KNOW. OF COURSE THEIR RESPONSE IS THERE'S A LONG WAIT LIST BUT WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO SO YOU
KNOW THERE'S OFF CHANCES WHERE THERE IS OPPORTUNITY TO PLEASE HOUSEHOLDS WHO ARE IMPACTED BUT IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE MARKET AND WHERE THINGS STAND SO OUR RELATIONSHIPS ARE STRONG.
WE TRY TO UTILIZE THOSE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BUT UNDERSTAND THE OTHER PIECE OF IT THAT THERE ARE MANY CITIES, MANY RESIDENTS WITHIN THE CITY OF BOSTON WHO ARE LOOKING FOR AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AS WELL. RIGHT. I HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS BE ASKED TO WHEN LET'S WHEN THERE'S A FIRE AND THEY'RE ALL
TENANTS NONE OF THEM ARE LIKE HOME. THEY'RE NOT THE LANDLORDS. DO THEY HAVE ANY PROTECTION OR ANY SORT OF SOMETHING? IS THERE SOMETHING IN PLACE THAT THEY SAY ONCE IT'S REDONE
THEY CAN GO BACK AND THE REASON WHY I BRING THIS UP IS THERE WAS A FIRE IN ROSLINDALE BEFORE I GOT INTO OFFICE BUT IT WAS A TRIPLE DECKER AND IT GOT REDONE
AND NONE OF THE FAMILIES GOT PUSHED OUT OR BACK INTO THAT TRIPLE DECKER. I WAS LIKE WHAT? LIKE WHY? WHY WEREN'T THEY THE ONES TO GET THE FIRST DIBS AT THOSE UNITS? YEAH. A LOT OF TIMES SOME HOUSEHOLDS
MAY SAY THIS IS GOING TO TAKE TOO LONG SO I'M GOING TO LOOK FOR OTHER HOUSING AND THEY MOVE INTO OTHER HOUSING. OTHER PEOPLE CAN'T HAVE THAT PRIVILEGE SO THEY HAVE TO WAIT AND THEN IN THOSE INSTANCES
SOMETIMES LANDLORDS DON'T DO WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO WHICH IS OFFER THE UNIT BACK TO THE PERSON THAT WAS DISPLACED. OBVIOUSLY IF THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES INVOLVED SUCH AS THERE
WERE THEY WERE IN EVICTION PROCEEDINGS DESPITE THAT YOU STILL HAVE TO CONTINUE WITH THAT WITH THAT LEGAL ISSUE AND IF THE LANDLORD DOESN'T WANT TO RENT TO THEM ANYMORE AGAIN
THEY'D STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE LEGAL PROCESS SO TO YOUR POINT IT'S A MATTER OF EDUCATING LANDLORDS AS WELL TO SAY YES, THIS HAS HAPPENED TO YOUR UNIT, TO YOUR BUILDING BUT THE TENANTS DO HAVE A RIGHT
TO RETURN AND THAT'S BAKED INTO THE LAW AS WELL. SO MAKING SURE THAT LANDLORDS UNDERSTAND THAT AS WELL. BUT MOST OF THE TIME THE REPAIRS TAKE 6 TO 12 MONTHS AND PEOPLE CAN'T WAIT THAT LONG TO
MOVE BACK INTO THE UNIT. OKAY, THANK YOU FOR THAT. SO THERE IS SOME SORT OF PROTECTION THERE, CORRECT? CORRECT. DEPENDS. OKAY. MY FOLLOW UP QUESTION MY NEXT QUESTION IS FOR NEIGHBORHOOD
SERVICES AND THE PREVIOUS PANEL WE HEARD ABOUT THE WAS IN THE EAST BOSTON SOCIAL SCIENCE SOCIAL CENTER. DO YOU GUYS KEEP TRACK
OF ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THOSE IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS? I FEEL LIKE BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IF THEY EXIST IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A TRACKER
OR LIKE WE TRACK IT IN THAT WAY. THE LIAISON HAS DEVELOPED A RELATIONSHIP. OBVIOUSLY WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP WITH ANY ORGANIZATION WITHIN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DO.
FOSTER BUT IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE KEEPING TRACK OF IT NECESSARILY JUST THINKING THINKING THROUGH THIS LIKE MAYBE I THINK THAT'S WHY THAT'S A CENTRALIZED SYSTEM WOULD MAKE A LOT OF SENSE WHERE
NOT JUST THE CITY DEPARTMENTS ARE INVOLVED BUT ALSO A NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION THAT IS VERY MUCH FOCUSED ON THESE TYPE OF FUNDS WOULD BE WOULD BE GOOD JUST I'M ALREADY THINKING ABOUT LIKE WHAT OTHER GROUPS WE
CAN BRING INTO THE CONVERSATION IF I YES. SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF FORMING WHAT'S CALLED A DISASTER DISASTER SUPPORT NETWORK. WE'VE GOT WE GOT FUNDING
THROUGH ONE OF OUR GRANTS. SO MY REGIONAL CATASTROPHIC GRANT PREPAREDNESS TEAM IS BUILDING OUT DISASTER RESOURCE NETWORK WHERE WE GET INFORMATION FROM WE GO TO
COMMUNITIES AND WE SOLICIT INFORMATION ABOUT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE WILLING TO PROVIDE RESOURCES WHETHER IT BE SHELTER FOR SHORT TERM SHELTER SPACE FOR PEOPLE COMING OUT OF THE ELEMENTS.
SO WE'RE BUILDING OUT A DISASTER NETWORK THAT WE CAN THEN DISTRIBUTE TO THE OTHER FOLKS ON THE PANEL SO THEY HAVE THE INFORMATION THAT WE COMPILE.
SO WHEN THEY GO TO A NEIGHBORHOOD THEY WOULD BE IT'LL BE A LIST OF RESOURCES LIKE THIS ORGANIZATION SAYS HEY, WE CAN WE CAN HELP HERE FOR FOUR FOR TWO DAYS OR ONE
DAY OR WE CAN FEED HERE. SO THAT'S WHAT MY OFFICE IS WORKING ON. SO TO YOUR POINT THAT'S ALREADY IN THE WORKS, THAT'S THAT'S VERY KEY AND I THINK THAT'S KIND OF THAT'S THAT IS WHAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT.
WE'RE HAVING THAT TYPE OF THAT INFORMATION IN HAND IS VERY VALUABLE NOT JUST FOR FIRE DISPLACEMENTS BUT JUST FOR ANY TYPE OF DISASTER. SO THANK YOU FOR WORKING ON THAT. I APPRECIATE THAT.
I'M EXCITED TO SEE THAT WHEN IT'S DONE NOT NECESSARILY A QUESTION BUT WORKING WITH THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT BEFORE AND
KNOWING THERE ARE GRANTS THAT THERE ARE FUNDS THAT EXIST THAT THE CITY CAN GIVE TO RESIDENTS LIKE THE ONE THAT I'M THINKING ABOUT IS IT'S A VERY UNFORTUNATE ONE IF THERE'S A
VICTIM OF A HOMICIDE AND THE CITY DOES PROVIDE MONEY OR RELIEF TO THE COST OF A FUNERAL, ETC. SO THERE'S MECHANISMS TO TO DO IT, WE JUST HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE
RIGHT WAY IS. SO I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A FULL CONVERSATION WITH THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT.
SO THAT'S REALLY IT FOR ME. OKAY, I'M GOING TO PASS IT OVER TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES. THANK YOU. A FOLLOW UP QUESTION FOR DANIELLE AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK
TO TO CHIEF JORDAN. WHAT IS THE AVERAGE AMOUNT OF MONEY PROVIDED DIRECTLY TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS FROM THE CITY LIKE NO ONE AND OTHERS FOR EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE AND BROADLY WHAT IS
YOUR CURRENT BUDGET FOR THAT THIS FISCAL YEAR? SURE. THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. SO THE AVERAGE DEPENDS ON THE SERVICE THAT'S BEING PROVIDED.
SO FOR NOAH FOR INSTANCE, THEIR BUDGET LAST YEAR WAS 1.8 BUT THAT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS AMENDED. WE USUALLY START THE BUDGET LOWER THAN EXPECTED IN THE EVENT THAT WE HAVE EMERGENCIES
OR FIRES WE SORT OF CREATE A BUFFER FOR OURSELVES. SO FOR NOAH IN PARTICULAR THEY'RE FUNDED BY CDBG COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT WHICH ARE FEDERAL DOLLARS
BUT ALSO FUNDED WITH HOUSING 2030 WHICH IS CITY FUNDS AND WE SORT OF DISTRIBUTE THE FUNDS EVENLY BETWEEN LIKE THEIR OWN CALL STAFF, THE CASE MANAGEMENT
SUPPORT. THEY ALSO HAVE CASE MANAGERS THAT DO OUR TENANT STABILIZATION FUND WORK AND THEN THEY HAVE OUR EMERGENCY HOUSING ASSISTANCE WORK AND THEN THEY HAVE A HOTEL LINE
ITEM AS WELL AND THAT'S WHAT WE START OFF LOWER ON THE LOWER END I, I HAVE TO GET THE EXACT FIGURE FROM OUR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT OFFICER BUT IT WAS BETWEEN 500 AND $600,000 FOR
THE YEAR WE WENT WELL OVER THAT JUST UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACTS OF FIRES AND UNDERSTANDING THAT EVEN THOUGH THE STAY AT MINIMUM IS 30 DAYS REALIZING THAT IF
YOU DON'T HAVE A VOUCHER, IF YOU'RE A MIXED HOUSEHOLD WITH CHANGING QUITE FREQUENTLY THAT CAN CAUSE YOUR HOTEL STAY TO BE EXTENDED. SO IT WAS ABOUT 500 TO $600000 FOR JUST THEIR HOTEL LINE ITEM
BUDGET AND THEN I BELIEVE THIS YEAR WE SPENT ABOUT AND THIS IS PROBABLY THROUGH MAY ALMOST $2 MILLION JUST ON HOTEL ASSISTANCE DOLLARS THAT CITY FUNDS THAT'S NOT CDBG OR
ANYTHING THAT I'LL HAVE TO CONFIRM. IT COULD BE A COMBINATION BECAUSE CDBG COMES WITH DIFFERENT ARMY GUIDELINES. SO THAT'S WHY WHEN WHEN LINDA WAS SAYING IT DEPENDS ON YOUR INCOME WHO'S IN THE HOUSEHOLD
WE HAVE TO MAKE THAT ASSESSMENT SO I CAN GET THAT EXACT FIGURE FOR YOU. THAT WOULD BE GREAT. AND OF COURSE MY MY THOUGHT IS LIKE ALL RIGHT, WELL WHAT IS THE COST SAVINGS THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY GIVE THE CITY IF
WE'RE ABLE TO CROWDSOURCE? OBVIOUSLY IT'S NOT GOING TO COVER ALL OF THAT BUT IT WOULD BE ABLE TO ALLOW THE CITY TO THESE FUNDS IN A DIFFERENT WAY IF IT'S IF IT'S COVERED BY BY OUTSIDE SOURCES.
CHIEF, YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT YOU YOU'VE ALREADY TALKED TO SAN FRANCISCO. YOU'VE LIKE THIS IS THIS IS YOUR THIS IS YOUR WORK YOU DO THIS DAY IN AND DAY OUT. WHAT SORT OF CONVERSATIONS HAVE
YOU HAD THAT YOU THINK WOULD BE BENEFICIAL OR PRODUCTIVE TO KNOW ABOUT IN THIS CONVERSATION AND ARE THERE ANY OTHER MODELS THAT YOU HAVE SEEN THAT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN PURSUING FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON?
WELL, INITIALLY WE HAD TALKED TO CAMBRIDGE BECAUSE WHEN I WHEN I GOT APPOINTED A YEAR AGO MY FIRST CONVERSATION FROM HEARING ABOUT THE FUND WAS WE HEARD THAT CAMBRIDGE HAD A
SUSTAINABLE FUND AND THEN WE TALKED TO CAMBRIDGE AND NOBODY TALKS ABOUT THE INTRICACIES OF THE PROGRAM, HOW DIFFICULT THEY ARE TO ACTUALLY FACILITATE. SO ONCE WE STARTED TO TALK ABOUT THAT, WE STARTED TALKING TO THE LAW DEPARTMENT HERE WE
REALIZED IT WAS NOT GOING TO BE SIMPLE BUT FROM MY CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS, OTHER AGENCIES, OTHER CITIES THE OTHER THING
I'VE GLEANED IS THAT THE ONUS ON US THROUGH WHETHER IT BE EDUCATION AND INSURANCE IS WHERE THEY HAVE PUT A LOT
OF THEIR RESOURCES AS WELL. THEY HAVE DOOR TO DOOR CAMPAIGNS WHERE THE FOCUS IS ON EDUCATING THE FOLKS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
RIGHT. ESPECIALLY THE VULNERABLE NEIGHBORHOODS AS TO THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INSURANCE AND INSURANCE COVERAGE. AND I THINK WE NEED TO SHIFT
THE WAY WE'VE THOUGHT ABOUT THE PROCESS WHILE THESE OTHER PROCESSES ARE IN PLACE. COUNCILOR, I THINK OUR FOCUS NEEDS TO BE IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE. I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK
WE CAN DO IS DOOR TO DOOR COMMUNITY WORK JUST EDUCATING PEOPLE ON THE SIMPLE BASICS OF STUFF LIKE HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE, RENTERS INSURANCE TO HELP FACILITATE SOME OF THESE
ISSUES SHORT TERM WHILE WE WORK ON OUR LONG TERM SOLUTIONS. SO FROM MY CONVERSATIONS TO A PERSON IT HAS BEEN ABOUT HERE'S WHAT YOU DO IN THE MEANTIME
WHILE YOU'RE WORKING IN THE BACKGROUND OF THESE OTHER THINGS, MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE DISSEMINATING AS MUCH INFORMATION INSURANCE AS POSSIBLE AND I THINK THAT
THAT'S GOING TO NEED MY OFFICE'S FOCUS ALONG WITH OUR DISASTER RESOURCE NETWORK IS ABOUT GETTING OUT SATURDAYS AND
IN OUR PAMPHLETS IS ANTIQUATED IS IT SEEMS RIGHT THAT'S THE APPROACH THAT WORKS ALL FLIER GIVEN OUT FLIERS ABOUT INSURERS IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES I THINK
THAT'S GRASSROOTS AND THAT'S HOW WE GET IT DONE IN THE SHORT TERM. SOMEBODY WHO CUT THEIR TEETH ON GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGNS I 100% AGREE WITH YOU AND THINK THAT THEY ARE THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY
TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT ABOUT ANYTHING. AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT APPROACH OF BEING MORE PROACTIVE THAN REACTIVE. RIGHT. WE CAN ANTICIPATE A DISASTER AS MUCH AS WE WANT WHEN IT HAPPENS. OF COURSE WE HAVE TO BE THERE
TO SUPPORT FOLKS BUT PLANNING FOR IT AND PREPARING FOR IT AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED BEFOREHAND WOULD HELP CURB SOME OF THE CHAOS THAT WE HAD HEARD FROM FROM FOLKS HERE.
OKAY. I THINK THERE IS OBVIOUSLY MORE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE BASED ON THIS CONVERSATION THAN I DO HAVE ANSWERS. THIS IS GOING TO BE A LONG TERM
INITIATIVE THAT I HOPE TO PUSH FORWARD. I STILL THINK THAT THERE IS VALIDITY IN TRYING TO DEVELOP SOMETHING AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE WE DON'T KNOW. IT'S THE UNKNOWN. IT'S THE QUESTION MARK DEVELOPING SOMETHING THAT FALLS
STATE LAW THAT WE COULD SET UP THAT COULD HELP THE CITY AND ULTIMATELY HELP THE RESIDENTS WHEN AN EMERGENCY HAPPENS OR A FIRE HAPPENS BECAUSE FOLKS ARE
NOT NAMELY HOMEOWNERS AND LANDLORDS THEY ARE NOT STEPPING UP IN THE WAY THAT THEY SHOULD AND THAT'S REALLY WHERE I WANT IT TO ZERO IN THE CONVERSATION HOW DO WE HELP THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR
OF THE RESTAURANTS THAT THEY WORK IN AND HAVE REALLY FALLEN THROUGH THE CRACKS IN THAT WAY ? I THINK FOR FOLLOW UP FOR ME I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU ALL
INDIVIDUALLY AND TRYING TO DEVELOP SOMETHING I THINK THAT WE CAN LOOK TO IN TERMS OF A PIECE OF LEGISLATION OR AN ORDINANCE. I CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO YOU MORE, DANIELLE, ABOUT
THE STATE ASPECT OF IT THAT YOU WERE DISCUSSING WHERE LANDLORDS ARE REQUIRED TO GIVE NOTICE WITHIN 15 DAYS 15 DAYS SEEMS LIKE AN ETERNITY I THINK AFTER SOME OF THIS HOW CAN WE CHANGE
THAT 17 $50 IS NOT ANYTHING IN THE CONTEXT OF TODAY AND TODAY'S COST OF LIVING. SO A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT CONCURRENT EFFORTS THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DISCUSS.
BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR ENERGY AND JUST BEING HERE TODAY. IT MEANS A LOT. SO I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. I HAVE TO SAY ONE THING ABSOLUTELY CHILD BEHIND US.
YES, SHE WAS PASSED OUT A WINDOW AT A FIRE. I MIGHT CORRECT THIS SOPHIE SOPHIE FROM THE FIRE IN HYDE PARK. SO SHE WAS A ONE YEAR OLD INFANT AND SHE THE FIREFIGHTER THAT LIVED IN THE SAME BUILDING
ENTICED HER MOTHER TO DROP HER OUT THE WINDOW AND SHE WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY IF THAT DIDN'T WORK. AND I'M JUST AMAZED BY THAT. WHAT A BLESSING THAT THIS CHILD IS RUNNING AROUND HERE TODAY THAT THERE WAS A VERY INTENSE
FIRE. I WAS THERE AFTER IT WAS OUT. IT WAS VERY INTENSE AND THIS BABY IS HERE BECAUSE HER MOTHER DROPPED HER OUT THE WINDOW INTO THE ARMS OF A FIREFIGHTER AND IT'S JUST A IT'S A BEAUTIFUL A
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING TO SEE SOPHIE, YOU'RE NOT IN TROUBLE. HELLO. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP AND IT'S GOOD TO HAVE WE'RE
GOING TO HAVE PUBLIC TESTIMONY RIGHT NEXT NIGHT AND JUST SHOUT OUT TO THE FIREFIGHTERS TOO FOR ALL THE WORK THAT I DO EVERY SINGLE DAY. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT. OKAY. I JUST VERY THANKFUL FOR THE
WORK THAT YOU ALL DO AND WE ARE BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO TRANSITION OVER TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY. WE WILL NOW MOVE FOR A PUBLIC TESTIMONY WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED. PLEASE COME DOWN TO ONE OF THE
TWO PODIUMS IN STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD OR ORGANIZATION AFFILIATION PLEASE SPEAKING TO THE MICROPHONE AND PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO ABOUT 2 MINUTES AND I HAVE THE LIST HERE.
WE HAVE A LOOSE LOOSE MADISON DINNER FROM WELLINGTON HILL STREET KINDERCARE DO YOU WANT
COUNSELOR TO READ IT OR DO YOU WANT TO TESTIFY? I AM GOING TO SAY SOMETHING AND
YOU'RE GOING TO BE OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS LOUIS MA. THIS IS A VERY EMOTIONAL MOMENT
FOR ME. I AM HERE FOR MY FAMILY FOR ALL THE FIRE VICTIMS THAT CAN SPEAK AND MAKE A VOICE.
I AM HERE TO SUPPORT THEIR RENTAL INSURANCE. MY APOLOGIES IF MY TESTIMONIES
REVEALED TOO MUCH INFORMATION BUT IS TRUE FOR ALL MY PAIN I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERY SINGLE SENTENCE THAT IS WRITTEN IN THE
PAPER AND YOU ARE WELCOME TO ASK ME FOR ANY PROOF OR ANY WITNESS I HAVE IT ALL THIS IS
NOT ABOUT THE MONEY. THIS IS ABOUT THE NECESSARY PAIN. WHEN A SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK
CORRECTLY AND I AM TIRED OF KNOCKING DOORS AND I AM GRATEFUL FOR THIS HEARING.
I AM GRATEFUL FOR YOUR TIME. I AM GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE COMMUNITY.
AND LASTLY I WOULD LIKE US TO PLEASE PLEASE FOLLOW UP WITH THE BIG THINGS A NO MAKE JUST
PAPERS JUST REPORT TALK TO US IF ANY OF US HIDING IN IN PAIN . THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SMART I KNOW THAT MY COLLEAGUE IS GOING TO READ A BIT OF YOUR TESTIMONY SHOULD THANK YOU AND THIS IS A DIRECT
PERSONAL TRUST THAT WAS MADE BY LOSE MY TRUST SO I WILL HONOR THAT REQUEST AND THIS AND IF IT'S OKAY BECAUSE THIS IS A PRETTY LONG LETTER I WILL ENTER INTO THE RECORD AND JUST
GENERALIZE WHAT YOU HAVE SAID. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, MADAM CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE AND STAFF OF THE CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE FROM OUR EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS DEDICATED
COMMUNITY ACTIVIST BEARCATS. YES AND MY FELLOW BOSTONIAN FAMILIES MY NAME IS LUIS MA SON S.A. AND THIS IS MY DAUGHTER SOPHIA. YOU SAID MENDEZ SANTORO WHO WAS
FOUR YEARS OLD. WE CURRENTLY LIVE IN MATTAPAN. I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY NOT JUST AS A FIRE SURVIVOR BUT A TESTAMENT TO THE URGENT NEED FOR A RADICAL SHIFT IN HOW OUR CITY SUPPORTS ITS RESIDENTS AND THE DEVASTATING AFTERMATH OF A
FIRE PARTICULARLY CONCERNING THE ADMINISTRATION OF EMERGENCY SHELTER AND HOUSING FUNDS ON JULY 17, 2021 AT 7 A.M. ON SUNDAY MY FAMILY AND I WERE NARROWLY NARROWLY ESCAPED A
TERRIFYING FIRE AT 22 OUR NAUGHTON STREET AND HYDE PARK WE ALMOST LOST OUR LIVES. I'M HERE TODAY FOR MY MENTAL WELL-BEING AND TO SET A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR MY THREE BEAUTIFUL
CHILDREN ANDERSON FERNANDA AND SOPHIA WHOM I HAD TO PASS FROM A SECOND FLOOR WINDOW INTO THE ARMS OF OUR GUARDIAN ANGEL OUR NEIGHBOR AND RETIRED FIREFIGHTER FIREFIGHTER DANIEL LORING.
THANK YOU ALL GOD'S GRACE AND PRAYERS FOR MY MOM AND CATHOLIC AND CATHOLIC GROUP IN ROSLINDALE SAVED US THE IMMEDIATE PERIOD THAT FOLLOWED REVEALED A BROKEN SYSTEM FROM THE CITY ONE THAT FAILED US
REPEATEDLY WHEN WE WERE AT OUR MOST VULNERABLE. TODAY'S DIFFICULT DAY DIFFICULT WEEK AND A SAD MONTH FOR MY FAMILY. WE STILL ENDURE ONGOING HEALTH
ISSUES PANIC ATTACKS, VARIOUS OTHER HEALTH ISSUES. THESE ARE NOT JUST GOOD IDEAS IN HOW TO DO YOUR JOB. THAT'S MY PERSONAL OPINION AND STORY BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE AND MY FAMILY'S HARDSHIP.
ONE THING THAT SHE HIGHLIGHTS IS INACCESSIBLE AND IMPERSONAL APPLICATION PROCESSES AND HER SOLUTION IS TO IMPLEMENT A COMPASSIONATE TRAUMA INFORMED
INTAKE PROCESS LEVERAGING EXISTING CITY DATABASES, FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTS AND POLICE RECORDS TO VERIFY VICTIM STATUS . THE SECOND ISSUE IS BREAKDOWN IN COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION BETWEEN OFFICIAL
AND PARTNER AGENCIES WITH A SOLUTION TO ESTABLISH CLEAR MANDATORY COMMUNICATION PROTOCOLS AND REGULAR DATA SHARING BETWEEN CITY DEPARTMENTS. THE THIRD WAS A LACK OF TIMELY
AND COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT WITH A SOLUTION TO EXTEND INITIAL TEMPORARY SHELTER DURATIONS BASED ON INDIVIDUAL FAMILY NEEDS WITH CLEAR CONSISTENT COMMUNICATION ABOUT EXTENSIONS AND NEXT STEPS AND MANAGE BY
TRAINED SOCIAL WORKERS CAPABLE OF SOLVING IMMEDIATE CHALLENGES. THE FOURTH INSUFFICIENT LANDLORD ACCOUNTABILITY AND TENANT PROTECTION IMPLEMENT STRICT REGULATIONS AND ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS TO HOLD
LANDLORDS ACCOUNTABLE FOR FIRE SAFETY AND TENANT SUPPORT. NEGLECT OF CHILDREN'S NEED AND LACK OF SCHOOL SYSTEM COORDINATION OF THE SOLUTION TO ESTABLISH A DIRECT MANDATORY
COMMUNICATION CHANNEL BETWEEN EMERGENCY RESPONDERS AND BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS WELL AS THEIR SOCIAL WORKERS AND RELEVANT AUTHORITIES JUST TO INFORM THE
ADULTS ABOUT STUDENTS AFFECTED BY THEIR FIRES AND CHECK IN ON THEIR TRAUMA AND LOSS. AND THEN LAST SHE MENTIONS THAT THE BROKEN SYSTEM IS FAMILIES
LIKE MINE TO NAVIGATE AN IMPOSSIBLE MAZE DURING THEIR DARKEST HOURS. THE CREATION OF A STANDARDIZED STANDARDIZED PROCESS AND A DEDICATED FIRE VICTIM FUND IS CRUCIAL. IT HAS TO BE DESIGNED WITH
THESE FAMILIES IN MIND BASED ON THEIR EXPERIENCES AND ENSURING IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO SHELTER, HOUSING STABILITY, FOOD, EMPATHETIC GUIDANCE THROUGH RECOVERY AND LONG TERM SOLUTIONS. AND SHE THANKS EVERYONE FOR
THEIR TIME AND COMMITMENT TO MAKING THIS ONE TRULY POSSIBLE FOR BOSTONIANS. AND NOT JUST WORDS BUT ACTUALLY HELPING FOR ALL OF US TO TAKE ACTION.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. DO WE HAVE ANY VIRTUAL.
WELL, JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PUBLIC TEST FOR THAT TESTIMONY AND OKAY, WE'RE MOVING ON NOW TO CLOSING REMARKS. I WILL ALLOW MY
COUNCIL COLLEAGUES TO PROVIDE SOME CLOSING REMARKS. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR PREP AND I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT'S THAT HASN'T ALREADY BEEN SAID. I DO JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT I'VE ALSO RECEIVED ANOTHER LETTER FROM AN EAST BOSTON
RESIDENT CLAUDIA WHO LIVES AT CONDOR STREET WHO DIVES INTO THE ISSUES OF MASS LAW REQUIRING LANDLORDS TO PROVIDE SHORT TERM EMERGENCY HOUSING
MANDATED AT 70 $700 PER HOUSEHOLD. THIS IS SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH. THE CURRENT SYSTEM RELIES TOO FAR AND COMMUNITY BASED FUNDRAISING AND CHARITY TO MEET RESIDENTS MOST BASIC NEEDS AFTER THESE DISASTERS.
ESTABLISHING A DEDICATED VICTIMS FUND WOULD ENSURE THAT NO FAMILY IN BOSTON IS LEFT WITHOUT SHELTER, FOOD OR ESSENTIAL RESOURCES IN THE AFTERMATH OF A DESIRE IT WOULD PROVIDE A STANDARDIZED, EQUITABLE PROCESS FOR HELPING
RESIDENTS REBUILD AND REDUCE THE BURDEN ON ALREADY STRETCHED COMMUNITY DEPARTMENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS. SO I THINK THAT SUMS UP EXACTLY WHAT I AM HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE AND JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND
THE WORK THAT YOU DO EVERY SINGLE DAY AND WANT TO THANK YOU. THE CHAIR FOR HOLDING THIS HEARING. THANKS EVERYONE. OF COURSE. TO THE PANELISTS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TODAY'S TESTIMONY. THE PREVIOUS PANEL THANK YOU SO
MUCH AS WELL TO THE TO THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE IN THE ROOM. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND SHARING YOUR STORY TO COUNCILOR TOLD US ABOUT THE COUNCIL ALL OVER TELEVISION. THANK YOU FOR CALLING SPONSORING CO-SPONSORING THIS
VERY IMPORTANT HEARING. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC IN OUR CITY. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE IMPACTED BY FIRES EVERY SINGLE DAY. JUST JUST YESTERDAY I WAS HELPING OUT A COMMUNITY LEADER IN MATTAPAN WHO'S A COACH FOR
THE MATTAPAN PATRIOTS LOST HIS HOME RECENTLY BECAUSE OF A FIRE AND IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE TOPICS THAT WE NEVER GET RIGHT BECAUSE IT'S SOMETIMES DUE TO MOTHER NATURE AND WE AS PEOPLE
NEED TO COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS TO MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE FOR THAT TRANSITION. BUT I THINK THAT WHEN WE COME TOGETHER WE PUT OUR IDEAS WITH THE COMMUNITY, THE RESIDENTS IN OUR KNOWLEDGE, OUR CITY HALL. I THINK WE COULD TRULY BRING SOME GOOD SOLUTIONS TO THE
TABLE. SO I'M JUST GRATEFUL TO BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION. BUT WITH THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY AT THIS HEARING ON DOCKET NUMBER 0314 IS ADJOURNED. OF THOUG