MY NAME IS BEN WEBER. I'M THE DISTRICT SIX CITY COUNCILOR AND THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS. TODAY IS MAY 12TH, 2026 AND THE EXACT TIME IS 10:09 A.M..
UH, I HAVE A FEW PRELIMINARIES TO GET THROUGH HERE. UH, SO THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT'S ALSO BEING LIVE STREAMED@BOSTON.GOV. CITY COUNCIL TV AND BROADCAST
ON XFINITY CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 AND FILE CHANNEL 964. THE COUNCIL'S BUDGET REVIEW PROCESS WILL ENCOMPASS A SERIES OF PUBLIC HEARINGS BEGINNING IN APRIL AND RUNNING THROUGH JUNE.
WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ENGAGE IN THIS PROCESS BY GIVING TESTIMONY ON THE RECORD. YOU CAN DO SO IN SEVERAL WAYS. UH ONE YOU CAN ATTEND UH, ONE
OF OUR HEARINGS AND GIVE PUBLIC TESTIMONY. YOU CAN DO SO BY SPEAKING, UH, COMING TO THE HEARING IN PERSON OR BY TESTIFYING VIRTUALLY ONLINE. UM, A FULL HEARING SCHEDULE IS
ON OUR WEBSITE AT BOSTON DARK GOV SLASH COUNCIL DASH BUDGET. UH WE ALSO UM IN ADDITION YOU CAN COME TO THE FORCE OF FOUR PUBLIC LISTENING SESSIONS WE'RE HAVING.
THE LAST ONE WILL BE ON THURSDAY MAY 26TH AT 6 P.M. RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER. UH, YOU CAN GIVE TESTIMONY IN PERSON AGAIN HERE IN THE CHAMBER BY ZOOM FOR IN-PERSON
TESTIMONY. PLEASE COME TO THE CHAMBER AND SIGN UP ON THE SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE FOR VIRTUAL TESTIMONY. YOU CAN SIGN UP USING OUR ONLINE FORM. UM UH, ON OUR UH,
COUNCIL BUDGET REVIEW WEBSITE OR BY EMAILING THE COMMITTEE AT SQUIRM@BOSTON.GOV OR BY EMAILING CHRIS MACMILLAN AT CAR
ISH MACO YOU AND@BOSTON.GOV. UH WHEN YOU'RE CALLED TO TESTIFY PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND UH WHERE YOU LIVE IN YOUR AFFILIATION WITH ANY ORGANIZATIONS AND UH PLEASE
LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO TWO MINUTES UH, IN LIEU OF UH ATTENDING ONE OF OUR HEARINGS AND GIVING PUBLIC TESTIMONY AGAIN, IF YOU'RE HERE TO GIVE PUBLIC TESTIMONY, THERE'S A SIGN IN SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE. UM, YOU CAN ALSO TESTIFY
VIRTUALLY. UM, UH OR YOU KNOW, OR YOU CAN SUBMIT WRITTEN TESTIMONY, EMAIL YOUR WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO THE COMMITTEE AT SEEK DWM IN BOSTON.GOV.
LASTLY, YOU CAN SUBMIT A TWO MINUTE VIDEO OF YOUR TESTIMONY THROUGH THE FORM ON OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGET PROCESS AND HOW TO TESTIFY, PLEASE VISIT THE CITY COUNCIL'S BUDGET
WEBSITE AT BOSTON GOV. CITY COUNCIL DASH BUDGET IN PERSON PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN FOLLOWING THE FIRST ROUND OF COUNSELOR QUESTIONS. INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY'VE
SIGNED UP. UH, AND WE'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO TESTIFY IF YOU WISH TO SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY. HAVEN'T DONE SO. AND YOU UH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN THE SIGN IN SHEET IS BY THE ENTRANCE OR YOU CAN EMAIL OUR
DIRECTOR OF LEGISLATIVE BUDGET ANALYSIS KARISHMA AT CHARISMA DOT SHOW YOU AN@BOSTON.COM FOR THE ZOOM LINK IN YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST.
THIS MORNING'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBERS 073320740. AN OVERVIEW OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 OPERATING BUDGETS FOR THE OFFICE OF EQUITY, OFFICE
OF BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT, FAIR HOUSING AND EQUITY AND OFFICE OF WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT. THIS IS ONE IN A SERIES OF HEARINGS TO REVIEW THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET. THESE MATTERS WERE SPONSORED BY
MAYOR MICHELLE WU AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON APRIL 8TH, 2026. UH, TODAY OR THIS MORNING I'M JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL. WE HAVE COUNCILOR FLYNN AND
COUNCILOR SANTANA. UM WE UH WE WERE WAVING OPENING STATEMENTS AT OUR, UH, BUDGET HEARINGS SO THE COUNCILORS WILL HAVE AMPLE CHANCE, UH, TO TO
SPEAK AFTER WE HEAR FROM THE PANELS. UM, SO THIS MORNING WE'RE JOINED BY, UH, THE CHIEF OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION MAYOR UM, MARIANGELA SOLIS RIVERA.
UH, WE'RE JOINED BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF AND LANCEMENT FRANK FARROW. WE'RE JOINED BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENTS DEPUTY DIRECTOR HALLEY SMITH AND THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR
OF OPERATIONS FOR THE EQUITY AND INCLUSION CABINET MAYA GELLER. UM, SO WITH THAT SAID, UH, I'M GOING TO HAND THINGS OVER TO THE PANEL IF YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION THAT LOOKS LIKE YOU DO.
UH, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. GOOD MORNING COUNSELOR, AND THANK YOU FOR, UM, YOUR PATIENCE. I NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD SOME WARM WATER AND SNACKS. UM, AS WE ARE HERE ALL DAY AND
THE HEARINGS. UM, UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT KNOW ME, MY NAME IS MARIA ANGELITO LIZAVETA AND I'M THE CHIEF OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION AND I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF LEADING A CABINET
OF EIGHT DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WITH SEVERAL, UH, PRIORITIES THAT I'LL GO INTO IN JUST A SECOND. UH, BUT BEFORE I START AND I'M GOING TO SAY THIS AGAIN AT A 2 P.M. BECAUSE I IT'S IMPORTANT
FOR ME TO SORT OF JUST. >> LIKE. NAME THE MOMENT AND ARTICULATE WHAT WHAT SOME OF US UM, MAYBE FEELING IS THAT FOR THE LAST
FOUR YEARS I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD A CABINET THAT WHEN I FIRST JOINED IN FY 22 DURING THE FY 22 BUDGET UM HAD LESS THAN 30 STAFF MEMBERS
AND TODAY I GET TO SHARE THAT WE ARE 80 PLUS STRONG AS A CABINET AND I KNOW I HAVE COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO DO NOT HAVE THAT RESOURCE.
UM AND SO I JUST WANT TO SORT OF SET A LITTLE BIT OF OF THE FACTS AT THE TABLE THAT WHILE WE ARE EXPERIENCING CUTS IN THE FORM OF THE GRANT MAKING THAT WE DO UH, THAT IS VERY
IMPACTFUL AND YOU WILL HEAR TESTIMONY ABOUT THIS DIRECTLY FROM OUR STAFF AND ALSO FROM THE RESIDENTS. UM, WE ARE NOT CUTTING PERSONNEL OR PROGRAMING AND THAT WORK WILL CONTINUE IN THE
FY 27. SO WITH THAT I'D LIKE TO BEGIN IF I CAN GET THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE OR IS IT A CLICKER FOR US? LOOKING FOR IT. I YEAH I THINK THEY CAN JUST UM THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF IT ALSO
FOR THE PANELISTS. UH YOU DON'T HAVE TO PRESS THE BUTTONS ON YOUR MIKES DO NOT. CENTRAL WILL TAKE CARE OF TURNING THOSE OFF AND ON. UM, SO THERE. >> YOU GO. GREAT.
UM, SO JUST A LITTLE BIT OF OUR MISSION OUR FOCUS IS IMPROVING LIVE OUTCOMES BY TARGETING THE DIFFERENT SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH AS IN THE PROGRAMS, PRACTICES, POLICIES THAT THE
LARGER CITY OF BOSTON IS RESPONSIBLE FOR. UM, SO WE ARE LESS FOCUSED ON UH, DOING DIRECT PROGRAMING ALTHOUGH THERE ARE AND YOU WILL
HEAR EXAMPLES OF THAT AND MORE FOCUS ON CHANGING THE SYSTEMS INTERNALLY. AND WE HAVE THREE WAYS IN WHICH WE DO THAT. WE HAVE DIRECT EQUITY INCLUSION SERVICES IN THE FORM
OF WORKSHOPS WITH STAFF SO THAT THEY CAN CHANGE BEHAVIORS AS WELL IN THEIR WORK UH AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. WE ALSO HAVE TARGETED PROGRAMING WHICH IS WHAT OUR DEPARTMENTS HAVE DONE INCREDIBLE WORK AROUND AND
WE'VE DONE SOME WORK AROUND COALITION BUILDING. WE'VE SPENT THE LAST FOUR YEARS FOCUSED ON BUILDING COALITIONS WITHIN EACH OF OUR ENTITIES. SO YOU'LL HEAR AGAIN FROM
WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT SPECIFIC GROUPINGS OF WOMEN THAT THEY'VE ORGANIZED AND BUILT THEIR AGENDAS AROUND. WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS IS THAT WE DO
SOME CROSS-DEPARTMENTAL WORK. UM, AS THERE ARE LIMITED RESOURCES WE NEED TO BE MORE UH, EFFECTIVE AND STRATEGIC WITH WHAT WE DO. >> SO YOU'LL SEE YOU'LL SEE SOME CHANGES IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS. UM NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
JUST A REMINDER OF THE DEPARTMENTS ARE UNDER US. YOU'LL HEAR SOME FROM US TODAY . UH, SOME RIGHT NOW AND UH, 10 A.M. AND THEN THE REST AT 2 P.M.. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST WHEN IT
COMES TO THE OFFICE OF EQUITY WHICH IS OFTEN GETS CONFUSED THERE'S A CABINET THAT ENCOMPASSES EIGHT DEPARTMENTS, MULTIPLE PRIORITIES AND ON TOP OF THAT THERE IS A SPECIFIC OFFICE THAT HAS SOME OTHER WORK
SUCH AS CULTURAL AFFAIRS. UM, THE WORK OF OPERATIONALIZING EQUITY AND INCLUSION THROUGHOUT THE CITY, THE WORK OF REPARATIONS TASK FORCE AND SOMETHING THAT WE DO THAT IS OFTEN BEHIND THE.
SCENES THAT WE DON'T TALK. ABOUT DURING HEARINGS. IS JUST CABINET. WIDE OPERATIONS. AND SUPPORTING THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE THAT HAVE BEEN RESOURCED. IN DIFFERENT WAYS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
UM COUNCILORS HAVE GIVEN US AMENDMENTS ETC. UM AND NOT BUT NOT ALL DEPARTMENTS. >> HAVE HAD THE SAME AMOUNT OF RESOURCES AND SO THAT'S WHERE THE EQUITY OFFICE STEPS IN AND PROVIDES THOSE OPERATIONAL NEEDS.
OKAY SO. >> JUST SOME PROGRESS ON FY 26 . UM RELATED TO DOLLARS UH CULTURAL AFFAIRS IS WRAPPING UP THEIR SELECTION OF WHO. >> WILL BE RECEIVING. GRANTS FOR THIS SUMMER MINI GRANTS.
>> AND THAT WILL BE THE LAST TIME THAT WE DO THIS. I WANT TO COME. >> TO CULTURAL AFFAIRS. WE HAVE. UM. >> SOME WORK THEN WE'RE HAPPY TO SHARE SOME REPORTS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE FOR YOU ON THE ACADEMY ON TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. UM.
>> AND OUR NATIVE GOVERNANCE CENTER WHICH IS PREPARING TO DO A TRAINING WITH DEPARTMENTS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE. UM. >> APPLYING A LENS. THAT IT'S. >> UM THAT HAS BEEN FORMALIZED BY NATIVE NATIONS AND AND WE
ARE LOOKING INTO THAT AS WELL WHEN IT COMES TO THE WORK OF REPARATIONS. WE ARE. THE DOLLARS HAS BEEN SPENT ON FINALIZING THE PHASE ONE REPORT WHEN IT COMES. >> TO FY 26. A SEMINAR THAT WE HELD AT THE
ROXBURY COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND UM, SOME WORK THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW WITH THE. ARCHEOLOGY DEPARTMENT AND IN. THE SECOND. >> I'LL GET. >> INTO FY 27. UM, AND THEN SOME OF THE CABINET WIDE OPERATIONS JUST FOR TRANSPARENCY, WE ARE.
LOOKING AT CENTRALIZING ADMIN AND FINANCE AND SOME DEPARTMENTS HAVE ACCESS TO. THIS AND OTHERS DO NOT. UH FY 27 I'M GOING TO GO BRIEFLY ON WHAT OUR SPENDING GOALS WILL BE FOR EACH OF THE
INITIATIVES. >> AND THEN I'LL PASS THE MIC. TO MY. COLLEAGUES TO TALK. >> ABOUT THEIR SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS. UM, WE'LL CONTINUE OUR DIRECT PROGRAMING JUST BECAUSE GRANTS AND THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT OUR PROGRAMING ENDS. WE CONTINUE TO DO EDUCATIONAL
WORKSHOPS AND TARGET LANGUAGES TO ENSURE THAT RESIDENTS RECEIVE AND KNOW HOW TO ACCESS SERVICES FROM THE CITY. AND WE'RE LOOKING AT BUILDING CROSS-CULTURAL POLICY AGENDAS. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE OUR CARIBBEAN LIAISON THANKS.
>> TO THE ADVOCACY OF MEMBERS OF THIS. >> OF THIS PANEL, UM, AND CITY. COUNCIL AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL KNOW BIANCA BUT SHE'S ALREADY DEVELOPING A POLICY AGENDA. WITH WITH MEMBERS OF THE CARIBBEAN. COMMUNITY AND WE'RE GOING TO BE
DOING THAT WITH OTHERS AS WELL. WHEN IT COMES TO THE WORK OF EMBEDDING EQUITY AND INCLUSION INTERNALLY. WE ARE LOOKING TO DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS. UM. >> WE HAVE ALREADY REACHED OVER 40 DEPARTMENTS JUST THROUGH THE
WORK OF THE UM ACADEMY AND AS I SAID EARLIER, WE'RE GOING TO REENGAGE WITH THE WORK OF SUPPORTING. INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES. WHO. >> NOW FOR THE REPARATIONS TASK FORCE. UM. >> WHICH I HOPE TO BE GETTING
QUESTIONS ABOUT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE UH, CLARIFYING SOME OF THE CONFUSION AT THIS POINT. UH, WE RECOGNIZE FIRST THAT THERE HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT DELAY. SINCE THE ORDINANCE WAS SIGNED IN FY 22.
UM, THE. BUT OUR HOPE FOR 27 IS THAT WE DELIVER ON. THE TASK. WHICH ENDS AFTER PHASE THREE WITH A SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS
INFORMED BY RESEARCH INFORMED BY THE PUBLIC DIRECTLY FROM THE TASK FORCE. TO THE CITY OF BOSTON. AND THAT IS THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL MEET BY THE END OF 2027.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, SOME. >> OF THE CABINET. WIDE OPERATIONS THAT. >> I'M HAPPY TO GO INTO IF NEEDED. UM, OF HOW WE PLAN TO SUPPORT OUR DEPARTMENTS, ESPECIALLY. THOSE THAT ARE LOSING SIGNIFICANT DOLLARS IN. THE GRANT PROGRAMS.
UM BUT AGAIN PROGRAMING IS NOT. SORRY A GRANT GRANT PROGRAM BUT NOT THE DIRECT PROGRAMING THAT OUR PERSONNEL. IS IN CHARGE OF. OKAY. >> AND NOW I'M GOING TO PASS OFF THE MIC TO I BELIEVE A
BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT LED BY OUR DIRECTOR OF EGG BURROW WHO. UM HIM AND MANY OTHERS UH HERE REPRESENTED TODAY HAVE HAD VERY LITTLE TIME TO TAKE IN ALL THE
INFORMATION ABOUT THE BUDGET AND HAD TO RETHINK THEIR STRATEGY WHETHER THAT'S THROUGH THEIR COMMISSIONS OR ADVISORY BOARDS LISTENING SESSIONS THAT WE'VE HOSTED. AND MY. >> HOPE IS THAT TODAY WE REMAIN FOCUSED. >> ON WHAT IS POSSIBLE. >> AND HEAR DIRECT FEEDBACK
FROM THE PUBLIC. ABOUT HOW WE CAN MAKE THIS. WORK BETTER FOR EVERYBODY. SO WITHOUT. FURTHER ADO AM I RIGHT? YES BME. THANK YOU CHIEF.
UH GOOD MORNING CHAIR. GOOD MORNING COUNCILORS. UM, THIS FY 27 BUDGET PROPOSAL UH, FOR THE OFFICE OF BLACK
WOMEN AND ME OUTLINES OUR IMPACT PRIORITIES AND THE VISION FOR DEEPENING OUR INVESTMENT, UM, IN THE LIVES OF BLACK MEN AND BOYS ACROSS THE CITY. BMA CONTINUES TO BUILD ON OUR
PROGRESS EXPANDING OPPORTUNITY ,FATHERHOOD ENGAGEMENT, YOUTH PATHWAYS, WORKFORCE EMPOWERMENT, AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP, MENTAL HEALTH AND MORE. THIS YEAR WE WILL CONTINUE OUR
EFFORTS TO INCREASE ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY THROUGH POLICY PROGRAMS PARTNERSHIPS. WE CONTINUE TO BUILD OUT OUR ECOSYSTEM AND ULTIMATELY A CITY A CITY WHERE EVERY BLACK MAN
AND BOY CAN THRIVE. UH THE MISSION OF THE OFFICE IS TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES, REDUCE SYSTEMIC BARRIERS TO ADVANCEMENT FOR BLACK MEN AND BOYS UH, AND ENSURE THEY HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY, ACCESS OF RESOURCES AND SUPPORT ACROSS THE CITY. UM OUR CORE PRIORITIES ARE EQUITY AND RACIAL JUSTICE, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND WORK WORK AS A PARAMOUNT.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING. PATHWAYS TO HOMEOWNERSHIP. EDUCATION AND YOUTH ADVANCEMENT. PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS AND FATHERHOOD AND FAMILIES. COMMUNITY SAFETY IN RETURNING
CITIZENS. SOME OF OUR CORE PROGRAMS INCLUDE MY BROTHER'S KEEPER BOSTON UH MY BROTHER'S KEEPER BOSTON, UM IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OBAMA FOUNDATION.
WE ARE THE BOSTON CHAPTER CONNECTED TO THE NATIONAL NETWORK. UM AND WE WORK TO BREAK DOWN SOCIETAL, ECONOMIC AND EDUCATIONAL BARRIERS FOR BLACK BOYS AND YOUNG MEN WHO TARGETED
EFFORTS AND EDUCATION, CAREER PATHWAYS, MENTORSHIP, OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME SUPPORT IN OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP NETWORK AND THEN FY 26.
MBK HAS SERVED OVER 2000 UH YOUNG BLACK MALES THROUGH OUR INITIATIVES UH LIKE THE MBK FELLOWS, MBK AMBASSADORS UH OPPORTUNITY LAB REACHED 1000
COLLEGE TOURS UM IN THE SUMMER. UH PROJECT OPPORTUNITY FOCUS ON THE OLDER POPULATION UH 25 AND ABOVE AND THAT WORKS TO ESTABLISH SUCCESSFUL PATHWAYS
TO PROSPERITY UH FOR BOSTON RESIDENTS THROUGH CONCENTRATION OF OFFERING ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT, CAREER TRAINING, HEALTH AND HOUSING RESOURCES UH
,FREE LEGAL SUPPORT FOR RECORD SEALING AND EXPUNGEMENT UM AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. UM IN FY 26 SO FAR UH PROJECT OPPORTUNITY HAS PROVIDED UH RESOURCES AND SUPPORTS TO OVER
FOUR. 400 INDIVIDUALS UH THROUGH CAREER FAIRS, RESOURCE FAIRS, UM AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.
UM WE PASSED THREE BUDGET CYCLES, OPERATED A COMMUNITY GRANT UH, WHERE WE FUND COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO SCALE UP THEIR WORK, DEEPEN THEIR IMPACT OF RESTRICTIVE
COMMUNITY OUTCOMES. UM, IN FY 26 WE SUPPORTED 40 BASED COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS UH TO SUPPORT IN ADVANCE OF THE WORK UH TARGETED FOCUS ON
MENTORING OUT OF SCHOOL TIME YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT PATHWAYS ,HOUSING MOBILITY, ECONOMIC INCLUSION AND WEALTH BUILDING AND WORKFORCE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT, FATHERHOOD ENGAGEMENT AND MENTAL HEALTH.
UM SINCE THE START OF THE OFFICE UM THROUGH THESE GRANTS WE HAVE PROVIDED OVER $2 MILLION TO COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND SUPPORTED OVER 240 UH COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. AS A RESULT OF OUR GRANT PROCESS, UM IN WORKING WITH COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS
WE IDENTIFIED SOME AREAS UM IN NEED OF ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE. UM AND IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS, UH, WE ESTABLISHED A COMMUNITY BUILDING CAPACITY BUILDING
INSTITUTE, UH, WORK TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, UH, TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. UM, AND THIS YEAR NOT ONLY WE'RE PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ORGANIZATIONS
THAT WE ARE FUNDING, WE ARE PROVIDING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ANY ORGANIZATION THAT APPLIED. UH, THROUGH OUR GRANT PROCESS. UM, AND THAT IS AN INITIATIVE THAT WE WILL CONTINUE IN FY 27
UH, THROUGH THE COREY HEALING PROJECT. UH, WE PROVIDE FREE LEGAL SUPPORT, UH, TO HELP RESIDENTS SELL THEIR CRIMINAL RECORDS, REMOVE BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING OPPORTUNITY.
UH, WE DO THAT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UH UH WITH LEGAL LEGAL ADVISORS, UH, COMMUNITY PARTNERS. UM AND THAT'S SOMETHING IN FY 26 WE PROVIDED SUPPORT TO OVER
81 TO INDIVIDUALS. UH, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF LAUNCHING OUR DATA DASHBOARD, UH, WHICH WILL BE A CENTRALIZED REAL TIME PLATFORM FEATURING ROLLING DATA, UH,
FROM CITY DEPARTMENTS, ORGANIZATIONS AND AGENCIES. UM, LOOKING AT OUTCOMES PROGRESS TO BETTER INFORM POLICY AND DRIVE IMPACT.
UH, THIS DATA DASHBOARD WILL BE PUBLICIZED IN THE COMING WEEKS. UM, AND IT WILL HAVE DATA SETS FROM OVER SEVEN UH, CITY DEPARTMENTS. UH, WHOEVER HAS THE CLICKER OR. UH.
>> ETHAN BACK THERE I THINK WE'RE A COUPLE SLIDES BEHIND. YEAH. GREAT. UM, IN THE NEXT IS THE EQUITY STUDY THAT, UH, WAS MADE POSSIBLE TO DO SUPPORT OF THE
COUNCIL. UM, WE RECENTLY ANNOUNCED UH, THE BRIEF FOR PHASE ONE OF THE EQUITY STUDY, WHICH IS A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF DATA RELATED TO BLACK MEN AND BOYS AND HOW THEY ARE
SERVED BY THE CITY OF BOSTON THROUGH POLICIES, PROGRAMS, SERVICES. UM, IN FY 26, UM WE ENGAGED WITH OVER 2000 BLACK MALES IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.
UM THROUGH EQUITY SURVEYS, FOCUS GROUPS, ONE ON ONE INTERVIEWS, COMMUNITY OUTREACH . UM WE ARE CURRENTLY UH THE RFP FOR PHASE TWO WAS CURRENTLY
LIVE AND CLOSING UM IN A FEW WEEKS AND THAT FOCUS WILL BE ON A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT TO IDENTIFY AND EVALUATE EXISTING PROGRAMS TO DETERMINE WHERE BLACK MEN AND BOYS ARE
BENEFITING FROM PROGRAMS IN THE CITY, IDENTIFY GAPS IN SERVICES AND ULTIMATELY PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO REMEDY ANY DISPARITIES. UM IF FOUND IN UM IN ALL OF THE
WORK THROUGH THE OFFICE OF BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT. UM, IT'S FOCUSED THROUGH KIND OF THE PRIORITIES AND ROLES NAMED THROUGH OUR ORDINANCE,
UM, AS AN OFFICE AND THROUGH OUR COMMISSION, UH, WE ARE TASKED WITH ADVISING THE MAYOR ON ISSUES PERTAINING TO BLACK MEN AND BOYS. UM, ASSISTING, UH, THE MAYOR TO
DETERMINE BUDGET AND POLICY PRIORITIES, MONITORING AND ADVISING CITY AGENCIES AND DEPARTMENTS ON ISSUES PERTAINING TO BLACK MEN AND BOYS PERFORMING OUTREACH,
COMMUNICATION AND A LIAISON FOR BLACK MEN AND BOYS RELATED TO COMMUNITY GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS. UH WORKING WITH DEPARTMENTS, CITY AGENCIES COMMISSIONS TO ENSURE THAT BLACK MEN AND BOYS
ARE REPRESENTED AT ALL LEVELS OF CITY GOVERNMENT COORDINATED DIALOGS. UM IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR COMMISSION UM OTHER CITY AGENCIES.
WE HAVE BOTH LOCAL UM AND NATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS. UM CENTERING AROUND THE WORK OF BLACK MEN AND BOYS. UM AND ANNUALLY WE PROVIDE AN ANNUAL REPORT, UH, THROUGH THE
CLERK TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND TO OUR COMMUNITY TO OUTLINE THE WORK, UM, THAT WE WERE DOING. UM, AND WE MAKE SURE THAT, UH,
THROUGH THE ADVISORY OF OUR BLACK MEN AND BOYS COMMISSION MADE UP OF 21, UH, COMMUNITY LEADERS, UM, THAT WE'RE MOVING THE WORK FORWARD, THAT WE'RE TRACKING PROGRESS.
UM, AND SO LOOKING AHEAD, OFFICE OF BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT WILL FOCUS ON EXPANDING IN BOSTON PROJECT OPPORTUNITY ADVANCING PHASE TWO OF THE EQUITY STUDY AND MONITORING PROGRESS THROUGH OUR
DATA DASHBOARD. OUR OFFICE WILL ALSO PRIORITIZE CONTINUE WITH CAPACITY BUILDING INSTITUTE SUPPORTING BLACK MEN AND BOYS. UH COMMISSION BUDGET A POLICY RECOMMENDATION PROCESS
CONVENING REGULAR COMMISSION MEETINGS PUBLICIZING INFORMATION CONCERNING BLACK MEN AND BOYS. UM AND MAINTAINING OUR BEING A PARTNERSHIP NETWORK TO STRICTLY COLLABORATION IMPACT ACROSS THE
CITY AND CONTINUE TO BUILD OUT THE ECOSYSTEM UM TO ULTIMATELY UM ENSURE THAT ALL BLACK MEN AND BOYS IN THE CITY HAVE PATHWAYS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO ADVANCE, THRIVE, UM, AND BUILD
WEALTH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT GOOD MORNING
EVERYONE. MY NAME IS MIKE ETTER. I SERVE AS THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF OPERATIONS FOR THE EQUITY INCLUSION CABINET AND I USE SHE HER PRONOUNS. UM, I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE FAIR HOUSING TEAM TODAY. UM, TO WALK YOU THROUGH OUR 27
BUDGET. OH, I'VE DONE SOMETHING. SORRY. >> LOOKS LIKE WE'RE BACK. UM. DID YOU BRING ME BACK TO MY
SLIDE? THANK YOU. UM, SO I WANTED TO GET STARTED TODAY WITH, UM, OUR OFFICE'S DEFINITION OF FAIR HOUSING.
UM, OUR TEAM WORKS REALLY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE THIS DEFINITION IS UPHELD EVERY SINGLE DAY. UM, AND WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS OR TO OTHER FOLKS, UH, ACROSS THE CITY THAT WOULD LIKE TO USE OUR SERVICES.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE COMING TO US, UM, AND ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT IF SOMETHING LIKE THIS APPLIES TO THEM. SO THERE'S A LONG LIST OF PROTECTED CLASSES AND I'M NOT GOING TO READ ALOUD FOR YOU. YOU CAN READ THEM YOURSELVES,
BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ANYONE THAT IS IN ONE OF THESE PROTECTED CLASSES WE OFTEN HAVE CASES WHERE PEOPLE SIT ACROSS MULTIPLE OF THOSE CLASSES. UM IS NOT EXPERIENCING HOUSING DISCRIMINATION IN THEIR SEARCH
FOR HOUSING THAT CAN LOOK LIKE A LEASING AGENT, A BROKER, A LANDLORD, A LENDER. UM, AND THE TRICKY THING ABOUT OUR OFFICE IS WE ARE LIMITED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE
JURISDICTION WE ARE ALLOWED TO INSTANCES WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF OCCURRENCE. UH, WE OFTEN ASK FOLKS WHEN THEY COME IN FOR THEIR INTAKES TO MAKE SURE, UM THAT THEY ARE LETTING US KNOW ABOUT THE MOST RECENT INSTANCE OF DISCRIMINATION THEY'RE
ALLEGING. UM, BUT WE ALSO ARE ABLE TO USE STATE RESOURCES, UM, AT OUR DISPOSAL IF THE TIMELINES ARE A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN THAT. SO LIKE I MENTIONED, THESE ARE THE PRIORITIES UH, ACROSS OUR
TEAM WE REALLY SPEND MOST OF OUR TIME FOCUSING ON THAT CASEWORK. UM, IN THE MIDDLE BUT ADDITIONALLY, UM, MAYOR WU'S FIRST EXECUTIVE ORDER IN HER FIRST TERM WAS THE AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR
HOUSING EXECUTIVE ORDER. AND WE CONTINUE TO LEAD UM A CROSS-DEPARTMENTAL GROUP THAT IS WORKING TOWARDS TICKING OFF THE BOXES OF ALL OF THOSE CALLS WE HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH. AND I'LL GET TO THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER WHERE WE ARE.
UM, AND THEN EXCITINGLY WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR A COUPLE OF FISCAL YEARS NOW. UM, AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE COUNCIL LAST YEAR TO DEVELOP, UH, A FAIR HOUSING TESTING PROGRAM. UH, THERE ARE NOT THAT MANY IN SUFFOLK COUNTY RIGHT NOW, WHICH
DOES MEAN THAT THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY COMING UP WITH THEIR HOUSING CASES ARE FOLKS THAT ARE BEING PERSONALLY DISCRIMINATED AGAINST. AND TESTING PROGRAMS ALLOW US TO SORT OF DO MYSTERY SHOPPING . UM, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD,
UM, WITH THOSE LENDERS, BROKERS UM AND DIFFERENT FOLKS THAT ARE COULD BE SOMETIMES ACCIDENTALLY SOMETIMES NOT AS ACCIDENTALLY UM UH, ENGAGING IN DISCRIMINATION.
SO LIKE I SAID UM OUR TEAM HAS SEEN SOME GREAT SUCCESS FOR UM OUR AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING WORK. UM, THE WORK IS ACROSS SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS BUT, UM THIS IS NOT
AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST BUT B AND H AND PLANNING AND I-S-D UM AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS ALL WORK TOWARDS AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS.
UM AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO DIRECTLY ADDRESS THAT GOAL RIGHT IN THE DISPLACEMENT UH, WORK THAT PLANNING HAS BEEN WORKING ON UH AND CONTINUE TO HAVE SORT OF ADVISE ON ARTICLE 80 MODERNIZATION TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FAIR HOUSING PIECES
ARE NOT LEFT OUT. UM, AS I SAID, OUR YOU KNOW, THE THE CORE PART OF OUR WORK IS OUR CONSTITUENT CASEWORK AND WE CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MEETING THOSE NEEDS OF OUR CONSTITUENTS.
WE HAVE NOT CHANGED ANYTHING WE DO, UM, IN THIS CURRENT FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION. AND SO OUR TEAM CONTINUES TO WORK REALLY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE UM, ASSESSING THE NEEDS, KEEPING TRACK OF TRENDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE CLOSING OUR
CASES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. AND LASTLY, UM, WE ARE EXCITED TO BE CONTINUING TO DO MORE WORK UH, AROUND EDUCATION OUTREACH AROUND FAIR HOUSING. THE TEAM HOSTS A WEEKLY. ZOOM UM THAT IS OPEN TO THE
PUBLIC. SO SOMETIMES WE HAVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC JOIN WHO ARE RENTERS THEMSELVES OR HOMEOWNERS THEMSELVES. WHAT MORE FREQUENTLY WE HAVE BROKERS AND LENDERS AND FOLKS THAT ARE SORT OF ON THE GIVING
END OF HOUSING WHO JOIN UM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE FOLLOWING FAIR HOUSING LAW AND CAN ASK US A LOT OF QUESTIONS AS WELL IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE. IN FY 27 WE ARE REALLY HOPING
TO GROW THAT CASEWORK. I THINK A LOT OF THE WORK AROUND EDUCATION AND OUTREACH IS TOWARDS THE GOAL OF MAKING SURE THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE MORE CASES COMING IN SO WE CAN TRULY ASSESS THOSE TRENDS AND FIGURE
OUT WHERE UM DISCRIMINATION IS HAPPENING IN THE CITY IF IT IS UM AND THEN WE ARE REALLY EXCITED TO DRAFT UM, AN ASSESSMENT REPORT ON THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE WITH AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR
HOUSING. GUYS TRY SAYING THAT ONE SEVEN TIMES FAST. UM IT'S A REALLY, REALLY EXCITING TIME. UM WE ARE I THINK FIVE YEARS PAST THE INITIAL UM, DRAFTING OF THE EXECUTIVE ORDER AND SO
GETTING TO GO THROUGH A VERY, VERY LONG LIST, UM, AND FIGURE OUT WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT WE WHAT WE STILL WANT TO WORK ON IS SOMETHING WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT. AND THEN OF COURSE LASTLY OUR TESTING PROGRAM. WE ARE HOPING TO LAUNCH IN FY 27.
UM WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO FINDING A STRONG VENDOR WHO IS ABLE TO SUPPORT US THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND TO HELP US, YOU KNOW, CAN YOU DIG IN ON ISSUES OF FAIR HOUSING ACROSS THE CITY?
AND THAT IS MY LAST SLIDE. PASSING IT ON TO THE WONDERFUL HALEY SMITH OF WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. GOOD MORNING.
GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. MORNING. >> GREAT. >> SO I'M HALEY SMITH. >> I SERVE AS THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR. >> FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT. ETHAN, DO YOU MIND DOING MY SLIDES. ? >> PRETTY PLEASE? THANK YOU.
UM, SO WE ARE NEXT, NOT NEXT. LIKE I'M NOT NEXT LIKE I WILL FOLLOW YOUR INSTRUCTIONS THAT YOU YOU'VE IT SO NICELY. UM, SO WE ARE THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT. WE, UM, SERVE WOMEN AND GIRLS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON THROUGH
THE INITIATIVES OF EQUITY, ECONOMIC EQUITY, SAFETY, REPRESENTATION AND HEALTH. I AM LEADING THIS OFFICE WITH MY AMAZING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DANA ALICE. OUR POLICY DIRECTOR EMILY
NASSIF. WE HAVE TWO FELLOWS THAT ALSO SUPPORT OUR WORK. GRACE SULLIVAN AND TALIN CLARK . NEXT SLIDE. SO YOU HAVE THE F Y 26 BUDGET AVAILABLE TO YOU.
AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO BRING THOSE NUMBERS TO LIFE BASED ON WHAT WE DID AND THE LOOKS THAT WE SERVED. SO WE HAVE SIGNATURE EVENTS IN MARCH AROUND ALL OF OUR INITIATIVES. BUT WHAT WE'VE REALLY FOCUSED
ON THIS FISCAL YEAR IS PROVING THAT WE CAN DO PROGRAMING OUTSIDE OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, THE MONTH OF MARCH AND DOING A LOT OF INITIATIVES AND PROGRAM PARTNERSHIPS BY UM
EXCEEDING THE EFFICIENCY THAT WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE WITH THE FISCAL BUDGET THAT WE'RE FACING. WE'RE BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS IN COMMUNITY BOTH ON A NATIONAL AND LOCAL SCALE, INCLUDING
OFFICES WITHIN CITY HALL AND QUASI OFFICES. NEXT SLIDE. MISTER EQUITY SITS WITHIN OUR HEALTH. INITIATIVE THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD FROM 2023
WHEN IT WAS A PILOT AND WE'VE MOVED INTO PHASE ONE AND ESSENTIALLY WE CREATED A EDUCATIONAL ANIMATION SERIES THAT'S AVAILABLE IN 12 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES AND THROUGH THIS PROGRAM WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO
TRAIN ALL BCCI OF STAFF WITH PLANS TO TRAIN BEEPS AND BEEP OF BPL STAFF AS WELL. NEXT SLIDE. WE ARE ALSO FOLLOWING THE I AM BILL WITH THE HELP OF OUR
POLICY DIRECTOR SUPPORTING THE BILL IN ITS PROGRESS AND MAKING SURE THAT MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS UM ARE NOT ONLY AVAILABLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE BUT AT THE PROT. THE INGREDIENTS WITHIN THOSE
PRODUCTS ARE ALSO REVEALED TO CONSUMERS. UM, WE'VE PARTNERED WITH AN HC STUDENT WHO DID A FEASIBLE STUDY ON THE COST OF PROVIDING PRODUCTS TO BEEPS, WHICH IS
PHASE TWO OF THREE OF OUR MENSTRUAL EQUITY PROGRAM. WE UM OH NEXT SLIDE. SO ESSENTIALLY WEBOS IS ANOTHER ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS THAT SIT WITHIN OUR ECONOMIC EQUITY
INITIATIVE. UM IT STANDS FOR WOMEN'S ENTREPRENEURS BOSTON. IT LIVED UNDER A PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION AND WE WERE ABLE TO REVITALIZE IT AS IT DIED THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC. UM AND WE TRANSFORMED THE
PROGRAM FROM A WEEK OF EVENTS IN OCTOBER TO FOUR ANNUAL EVENTS HAVING A SUMMIT IN MARCH ,HOSTING A WORKSHOP IN Q2 AND HOSTING SOME SORT OF LIKE
OUTDOORS CLINIC. UM, IN Q3 AND THEN HOSTING A MIXER IN Q4 FOR WOMEN'S SMALL BUSINESS MONTH. SOME EXAMPLES OF OUR WORKSHOPS HAVE BEEN A GOLF CLINIC. THIS YEAR WE'RE PLANNING TO DO
A TENNIS CLINIC. WE'VE HOSTED A TARIFF WORKSHOP AND THIS YEAR WE'RE PLANNING TO DO A WORKSHOP ON CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS. UM, WE WANT TO BE THE FRONT DOOR TO ENTREPRENEURS AND
REALLY SERVE AS THAT FIRST STOP WHEN THEY'RE SAYING LIKE I'M A WOMAN AND AN ENTREPRENEUR. SO THEN FEED THEM INTO THE OTHER OFFICES WITHIN THE CITY THAT SUPPORT ENTREPRENEURS, ESPECIALLY MINORITY ENTREPRENEURS.
UM, THE SUMMIT AT THE SUMMIT THIS YEAR WAS A RESOUNDING SUCCESS. WE WERE ABLE TO GAIN A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH ROXBURY COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND SERVE CLOSE TO 500 WOMEN ON SUMMIT DAY.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SOME OF OUR IMPACT IS ON THE SLIDES. UM AND THIS IS OUR SOME OF THE TESTIMONIALS FROM SOME OF THE ATTENDEES AT THIS YEAR'S SUMMIT
. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. ONE OF OUR OTHER PROGRAMS IS EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN, WHICH HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE ABOUT 2019 AS A FORMAL PROGRAM OF THE OFFICE.
UM, HOWEVER, WE PUT IT UNDER OUR REPRESENTATION INITIATIVE WHERE WE HONOR 40 WOMEN AND GIRLS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON WHERE THEIR ASTOUNDING WORK AND COMMITMENT TO SERVICE. UM, THIS IS OUR SECOND YEAR
HONORING GIRLS AND THIS YEAR'S RECEPTION WAS ABLE TO BE HELD AT THE ICA IN PARTNERSHIP IN THE SQUARE. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL EVENING AND A PACKED HOUSE. IT WAS INDEED PACKED.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THIS IS OUR SECOND YEAR OF OUR MENTAL MANY HEALTH GRANTS. AFTER MUCH CONSIDERED COMMUNITY FEEDBACK WE NOTICED THERE WAS
ALSO AN AREA OF OPPORTUNITY UM PER OUR PARTNERS AND SO WE LAUNCHED THE DOMESTIC SEXUAL AND GENDER BASED VIOLENCE PREVENTION GRANTS. UM THESE TWO PROGRAMS WELCOMED OVER 100 APPLICANTS.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. UM SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO FOCUS ON IN FY 27 IS ACTUALLY RELEASING AND CREATING A GIRLS SUMMIT SIMILAR TO UM SOME OF THE OTHER OFFICES THAT DO A
BLACK BOY SUMMIT, A BLACK BOY JOY SUMMIT OR MAYOR'S YOUTH SUMMIT. WE WANT TO FOCUS ON SUMMIT SPECIFICALLY FOR GIRLS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THIS CAME AS A DIRECT REQUEST IN 2024 FROM A SENIOR WHO WAS
NOW A SOPHOMORE AT CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY. UM AND SHE REQUESTS SHE BASICALLY ACTS LIKE WHY ISN'T THERE ONE FOR GIRLS? AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GREAT QUESTION. UM AND SO WE WANT TO COLLECT AS MANY RESOURCES, SUPPORT UM AND
ENGAGEMENT AROUND CREATING A SUMMIT FOR GIRLS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON ON INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL, WHICH IS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11TH, 2026. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO THAT IS IT FOR ME. LIKE I SAID I'M HALEY SMITH I SERVE AS THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR. MY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IS DANA ALICE AND OUR POLICY DIRECTOR EMILY NASSIF. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY.
>> OKAY THANK YOU. THAT'S THAT'S IT FROM THE PANELISTS UM THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR ARROYO COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR FITZGERALD UH, JUST YOU KNOW, FOR FOR MY COLLEAGUES
AS WE WE DO HAVE UH, TWO HEARINGS UH, FOCUSING ON EQUITY TODAY. SO I, I HAVE IN THE MORNING WE'VE GOT THE OFFICE OF EQUITY THE OFFICE OF BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT FAIR HOUSING AND
EQUITY IN THE OFFICE OF WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT IN THE AFTERNOON WE'RE FOCUSING ON OFFICE OF LANGUAGE ACCESS. UH, MOYA THE OFFICE OF IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT.
UH, THE OFFICE OF LGBTQIA TO US PLUS ADVANCEMENT IN THE DISABILITIES COMMISSION. SO IF YOU IF SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS ARE FOR THOSE UH, THOSE ENTITIES MIGHT BE MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THE AFTERNOON.
UM, OKAY. SO WE'RE GOING TO GO TO UH, MY COLLEAGUES UH, SEVEN MINUTES. COUNCILOR FLYNN, UH, LEAD US OFF. THANK YOU. MR CHAIR.
AND THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM THAT IS HERE. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROFESSIONAL WORK OF, UM OF BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT.
AND FRANK, YOU HAVE DONE A, I BELIEVE A VERY GOOD JOB IN THAT OFFICE AND HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND MANY OF YOUR MEETINGS AND JUST WANT
TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS DEPARTMENT AND WHAT YOU DO. I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT CITY COUNCILOR MEJIA, CITY
COUNCILOR WORRELL FOR REALLY LEADING US TO DEVELOP THAT BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT. UM FRANK, CAN YOU JUST GO OVER
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR MISSION AND DURING CHALLENGING TIMES WHEN WE SEE A LOT OF CUTS OR WE DO SEE A LOT OF RACISM, WHAT IS THE HOW IS THE MISSION OF YOUR
DEPARTMENT KIND OF REDEFINED ITSELF DURING THESE CHALLENGING TIMES? I'LL SAY DURING THE CHALLENGING TIMES WE CONTINUE TO MOVE THE
WORK FORWARD AND WE ARE AN INTENTIONAL UM AROUND THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AND WE WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR COMMISSION ON BLACK MEN AND BOYS, UM, TO KIND OF FOCUS ON WHAT OUR PRIORITIES
ARE AND THE FOUNDATION THAT'S KIND OF LAID OUT IN THE ORDINANCE. UM, AND SO WE MOVE ALL WORK THROUGH KIND OF THROUGH THE ORDINANCE, UM, THAT GIVES A SPECIFIC TASK AND FOCUS ON ON
ON THE OFFICE. YEAH. >> THANK YOU FRANK. AND ON. ATTENDING THESE MEETINGS I, I KIND OF I GO TO LISTEN AND WATCH AND UH SEE THE MEMBERS
PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT HOW YOU CAN IMPROVE, UH, THE LIVES OF YOUNG BLACK BOYS OR HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT BLACK MEN AS WELL.
WHAT DO YOU WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THOSE TYPES OF RECOMMENDATIONS AND HOW DO YOU TRY TO USE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS INTO SOME TYPE OF POLICY?
SO I THINK THE FIRST THING WE DO WE WE SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT UM THAT LAYS OUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS UM FROM ENGAGEMENT WITH COMMUNITY.
WE WORK UH WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS FOR KIND OF THE ISSUE AREAS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED SPECIFIC TO THEIR DEPARTMENTS. UM, YOU KNOW THE WORKSHOP IDENTIFY GAPS, UM, THEN
IDENTIFY SOLUTIONS TO THOSE GAPS. UM, AND SO WE HAVE ONGOING MEETINGS WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS . UH WE COLLABORATE. UM, I FIND WAYS TO STRENGTHEN THE AREAS THAT ARE NAMED UM IN
THE INEQUITIES. UM, AND WE'RE DOING DOING A LOT OF WORK THROUGH THE EQUITY STUDY RIGHT NOW IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THOSE TARGETED DEPARTMENTS . UH, WE'RE LAUNCHING A DATA DASHBOARD. UH, WE WILL HAVE UPDATES, BUT
WE'RE WORKING WITH THOSE DEPARTMENTS IN TRACKING PROGRESS AND MONITORING UM, WHAT OUTCOMES? UM, AND IDENTIFYING SOLUTIONS UH, TO SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THAT TRAINING.
THANK YOU. >> AND I FRANK I ALWAYS SUPPORTED THE UM THE BLACK MEN ADVANCEMENT BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THE ESPECIALLY DURING THE AMENDMENT PROCESS BUT I'VE SEEN
THE WORK UP UP CLOSE AND I'VE SEEN THE INTERACTION AND OUTREACH THAT YOUR TEAM HAS DONE. THAT'S WHY I'VE BEEN A STRONG SUPPORTER BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT THE RESULTS ARE AND UM, JUST
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR PROFESSIONALISM. UM. MAYBE TO MAYBE TO THE FAIR
HOUSING COMMISSION I KNOW, I KNOW, UM, YOU SPOKE ABOUT THE FAIR HOUSING COMMISSION. UM. WHAT IS THE STATUS AND WE
OBVIOUSLY WE HAD AN EXCEPTIONAL FAIR FAIR HOUSING PROFESSIONAL DIRECTOR WITH BOB TERRELL. WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THAT JOB ?
UM, BEING VACANT BUT GETTING SOMEONE INTO THAT I'M A STRONG SUPPORTER OF THE FAIR HOUSING COMMISSION. I WANT TO SEE A STRONG LEADER IN THERE. BUT WHAT'S THE WHAT'S THE LATEST ON GETTING A PERMANENT
PERSON? SURE. >> I CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION, COUNCILOR JACKSON. UM, WE ARE PLANNING TO HIRE HOPEFULLY THIS SPRING. UM, AND TO POST THE ROLE PUBLICLY AND DO A SEARCH. UM, I THINK AS YOU MENTIONED,
UM, BOB TRAILS PASSING WAS REALLY HARD FOR THE DEPARTMENT. UM, AND IT REALLY TOOK US SOME TIME TO THINK ABOUT WHAT NEXT STEPS SHOULD LOOK LIKE. UM, WE ARE REALLY EXCITED TO BRING SOMEBODY IN ESPECIALLY SORT OF IN THESE FEDERAL TIMES
WHERE THINGS ARE UP IN THE AIR. UM, WE'RE EXCITED THAT OUR PARTNERS OF HUD ARE STILL WORKING WITH US, UM, AND LOOK FORWARD TO FILLING THE ROLE HOPEFULLY BY THE FUN. EXCELLENT. >> THANK YOU. I ALSO SUPPORT THE OTHER UH, DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE MENTIONED
HERE WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION ACCESS, IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT, LGBT FREE HOUSING CERTAINLY THE DISABILITY COMMISSION ONE THAT HASN'T BEEN DISCUSSED THAT I'VE
LONG SUPPORTED AND THE CHIEF KNOWS I'M GOING TO ASK ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND I'VE MET WITH THE CHIEF MANY TIMES. UM, HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A STRONG SUPPORTER OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION. I KNOW IT'S HAD BETTER DAYS. IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGING TIME BUT I BELIEVE IN THE MISSION. I BELIEVE IN THE MISSION
BECAUSE I'VE I'VE SEEN IT WORK WHEN IT WHEN IT IS SUPPORTED. CITY COUNCIL OR MAY HAVE ONE RELIED HEAVILY ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION AND I DON'T WANT TO SEE THIS COMMISSION
DISAPPEAR. I USED IT A LOT WHEN THERE WERE HATE CRIMES AND I WOULD FORMALLY SEND A LETTER TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION ASKING FOR AN INVESTIGATION RELATING
TO A HATE CRIME, INCLUDING HATE CRIMES AGAINST PEOPLE IN THE LGBT COMMUNITY OR ANY TYPE OF HATE CRIME AGAINST A PERSON OF COLOR OR SOMEONE BASED ON THEIR RELIGION OR SEX
NATIONALITY. UM AGAIN I'M A STRONG SUPPORTER AND THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION AS AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW CHIEF. UM, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? THANK YOU COUNCILOR.
I'M I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER I THINK YOU WERE THE FIRST COUNSELOR I SAT WITH WHEN I WHEN I FIRST GOT APPOINTED. SO I THINK SO. UM, AND I AM I'VE ALWAYS BEEN REALLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR ADVOCACY.
IN THIS WORK. UM, I THINK ONE THING THAT I I'M I WANT TO ADDRESS IS IS AS I SHARED A LOT HAS HAS CHANGED
IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS. WE HAVE DEPARTMENTS NOW AND THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE AND WE HAVE LEARNED THROUGH THE MECHANISM THAT STILL EXISTS OF. PEOPLE SUBMITTING CONCERNS THROUGH UH. EMAILS THAT. >> A LOT OF.
THAT WORK CAN BE ADDRESSED. >> BY THE CURRENT DEPARTMENTS. UM, AND I THINK IT'S A IT'S AN EXCELLENT EVOLUTION THAT COULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT THE WORK OF MAYOR FLYNN. UM, AND SO I'M JUST I'M LOOKING
FORWARD TO FURTHER COME FOR. THOSE THAT ARE. SO SORRY FOR THE CONVERSATIONS JUST SO THAT. >> WE CAN, UM, SEE HOW WE CAN CONTINUE. >> THE WORK. BUT RIGHT NOW IT IS A GAP THAT IS BEING ADDRESSED. >> BY THE STAFF THAT EXIST. OKAY I DON'T WANT.
OKAY. AND AGAIN I HAVE RESPECT FOR YOU CHIEF. I DON'T WANT US TO SEE THE COMMISSION UM, FOLD THE THE OTHER ASPECT OF THIS MISTER
MISTER CHAIR, CAN I JUST CONTINUE. IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT? OKAY. >> YEAH, I JUST HAVE A COMMENT. THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT HAD A, UM, COMMUNITY CIVIL
RIGHTS UM, CIVIL RIGHTS OUTREACH THAT INVESTIGATED HATE CRIMES. UM, THAT WAS VERY EFFECTIVE. THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION UM,
ALSO WAS VERY EFFECTIVE. THEY'RE ONLY EFFECTIVE WHEN THE STAFF IS IN THERE AND THEY HAVE THE LEADERSHIP FROM THE TOP. IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE LEADERSHIP FROM THE TOP THAT'S GOING TO PRIORITIZE A
PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT. BUT I, I I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A ROLE IN THE CITY FOR THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION. UM AND I KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO SOLVE IT NOW BUT CHIEF,
MAYBE UM SOMETIME UM, OVER THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT FURTHER. OKAY. UM, MISTER CHAIR, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME AN EXTRA MINUTE. OKAY. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILOR SANTANA . YOU. >> GOOD MORNING.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. UM, WHEN I WAS TO START, I THINK JUST BY THANKING, UM, FRANK AND YOUR AMAZING TEAM. UM, I THINK IT'S FROM THE TOP DOWN. UM, YOU AND YOUR TEAM, UM, UH,
JUST DO INCREDIBLE WORK. I'VE SEEN YOU ALL AND COMMUNITY . UM, AND, UH, JUST DOING AMAZING WORK ON BEHALF. OF, UH, OTHER. BLACK MEN HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. I THINK I DO HAVE.
UM. >> SOME CONCERN. I THINK YOU MENTIONED SOME OF THE GRANTS. UM, THAT WILL BE UH WILL BE LOSING UM, AND THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE IMPACTED THERE. UM, JUST WOULD LIKE TO KNOW
MORE ABOUT WHAT'S BEING COMMUNICATED TO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS AND DESPITE MAYBE NOT HAVING THOSE GRANTS I MEAN WHAT WHAT THE SUPPORT LOOK LIKE FOR THEM. YOU KNOW, I THINK MY CONCERN IS
THAT I UNDERSTAND AS CHIEF MENTIONED, I THINK IT'S THE MOMENT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW. UM AND I THINK THROUGHOUT. >> THIS. THROUGHOUT MANY DEPARTMENTS WE'RE SEEING GRANT FUNDING UM DECREASE RIGHT OR ELIMINATED UM
AND IN SOME CASES I THINK THERE'S OTHER AVENUES FOR SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS TO APPLY FOR MAYBE OTHER GRANTS. UM. . I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THAT MAYBE SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS YOU ARE WORKING WITH.
UM, THIS IS THE ONLY FORM OF FUNDING THAT THEY HAVE, RIGHT? THAT THERE AREN'T ANY OTHER UM, YOU KNOW, NATIONAL OR STATEWIDE GRANTS. SO YOU KNOW, I I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT. UH UH.
THESE ORGANIZATIONS. UM, AND YOU KNOW, JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT SUPPORT WE'RE PROVIDING THEM. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. UM, SO I THINK OUR COMMUNICATION WITH OUR GRANT PARTNERS CONCERNING FY 27 IS
THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE OFFERING OUR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND THAT PROVIDES ORGANIZATION CAPACITY, UH, NONPROFIT COACHING CAPTION OUT
OUTCOMES STORYTELLING, PEER TO PEER LEARNING IN ADVANCE AND EQUITY EFFORTS AS PART OF A COMMUNITY. UM, WE ARE ALSO UH UH, ULTIMATELY LOOKING TO SHARE OTHER GRANT OPPORTUNITIES THAT
WE'RE ABLE TO COMPILE UH, THROUGH OUR UH, CITY PARTNERS. UM, CONNECTING THEM DIRECTLY WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT WORK IN THE SPACES, UM, OTHER FOCUS AREAS.
UM, AND THEN WE'VE HAD INITIAL CONVERSATIONS, UH, WITH OUR CHIEF UM, IN THE MAYOR'S PARTNERSHIP TEAM OF KIND OF IDENTIFYING OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC AND
PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS TO HELP FILL SOME OF THE GAPS THAT ARE GOING TO BE IDENTIFIED AS WE KNOW, KIND OF THROUGH OUR DEPARTMENT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF GRANTEES THAT THROUGH OUR GRANT IT WAS THEIR FIRST TIME
EVER RECEIVED FUNDING THROUGH THE CITY AND SOME OF THEM THE ONLY PLACE THAT THEY RECEIVED FUNDING FROM. UM, SO WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW, THROUGH OUR THROUGH OUR OFFICE THAT WE EXHAUST AND KIND OF ANY
EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONNECTED THEM WITH KIND OF THE RESOURCES SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK. UH, I APPRECIATE THAT. I THINK IT'S FOLLOWING UP ON THAT, CHIEF. YOU KNOW, I THINK IN OTHER SITUATIONS, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M.
UH THE MAYOR HAS COME OUT WITH EVEN LIKE A YEAR ROUND JOBS, RIGHT? AND THAT'S BEING CAUGHT IN MAYBE HAVING SOME LIKE FUNDRAISING OUTSIDE FUNDRAISING HAPPENING THERE LIKE ARE THERE ANY DISCUSSIONS UM, OF THAT
HAPPENING EVEN WITHIN THIS DEPARTMENT AGAIN I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT LIKE AND I KNOW YOU ARE TOO RIGHT? I MEAN UM I. >> DON'T THINK ABOUT IT. UM. >> UH, THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND I YOU KNOW, I VISIT SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS UM, THAT
THAT HAVE RECEIVED FUNDING FROM ME WHEN I'M THEY'RE DOING VERY GOOD WORK WITH VERY LIMITED RESOURCES AND WITH THAT LIMITED RESOURCES TAKEN AWAY. UM, THE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THAT ORGANIZATION IS NOT QUESTION.
RIGHT. SO UM IS ARE THERE ANY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT. ANY OUTSIDE FUNDRAISING UM THAT COULD POTENTIALLY HAPPEN UM FOR FOR SOME OF THESE GRANTS THAT WE'RE LOSING. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR I, I CANNOT SPEAK FOR
FUNDRAISING. I FEEL LIKE THE. DEPARTMENT COULD. >> BETTER AS A QUESTION FOR ME BUT I. >> YOU KNOW, YOU. ALL HAVE DONE YOUR OWN ADVOCACY. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE, YOU WERE SO SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING US THAT. PARTNERSHIP UM.
WITH TBF AND UM AND OTHERS. UM, SO THIS IS A MOMENT FOR US TO GET CREATIVE. UM I AM TALKING WITH OTHER CHIEFS. AND SEEING HOW WE. CAN INTERNALLY LIKE.
PUT OUT AN AGENDA. THAT IS COMPREHENSIVE OF. >> ALL THE. DIFFERENT NEEDS THAT ARE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND AND THEN WORKSHOP THAT WITH OTHER LEADERS. BUT THIS IS GOING TO TAKE AN. EFFORT FROM EVERYBODY. SO I APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION.
NO ABSOLUTELY I THINK PLEASE LET US KNOW AND MY COLLEAGUES KNOW HOW WE CAN. SUPPORT UM THOSE EFFORTS. I THINK. >> IT'S IT'S. EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. UH I THINK I DO WANT TO ECHO. UM, UM. COUNCILOR FLYNN AND UM. UH, THE. >> FAIR HOUSING. UM, I THINK THAT.
UH. >> YOU KNOW, I THINK HAVING A STRONG LEADER AT THE. TOP AS WE DID IN THE PAST I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT AND I THINK UM, RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION THAT WE HAVE UM, BECAUSE OF THE
RISING COST OF RENT HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. UM, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT. UH THAT OUR TIGHT ENDS UP BEING PROTECTED. I'M IN NO. DOUBT FOR SO. I'M I APPRECIATE THAT TIMELINE.
UM, I THINK JUST WITH, UH, FINAL MINUTES THAT I HAVE HERE. CHIEF, YOU MENTIONED, UM, JUST PREPARATIONS AND YOU I THINK YOU GAVE AN IMPORTANT UPDATE, BUT I HAVEN'T UM, HAD I CAN YOU JUST ACTUALLY REPEAT THAT
UPDATE AND THAT TIMELINE? UM, SO THAT FOLKS KNOW IS JUST LIKE WELL, YOU. KNOW. >> THE THE TIMELINE THAT YOU MENTIONED. YEP. >> UM, OUR AND I WANT TO. ACKNOWLEDGE THE DELAYED TIMELINE. UM, AND SOMETHING THAT I BELIEVE. ANTHONY EDWARDS IS STILL HERE
AND IS. CONSISTENTLY ASKING US TO BE MORE PUBLIC ABOUT. >> THIS. AS A. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK IN THE TASK FORCE. THERE YOU ARE. UM, I WE WE WILL BE PUTTING OUT A ROADMAP THAT CLEARLY.
INDICATES WHEN ALL PHASES OF. >> THE TASK. FORCE WILL BE FINALIZED. UH, THE ROADMAP IS NOT FINISHED. >> IT NEEDS TO BE IN. CONSULTATION WITH THE TASK FORCE AND WITH THE RESEARCH GROUPS ALSO. UM. AS WE ARE LOOKING TO PUT OUT THE REPORT BUT.
BY FY 27. PHASE THREE WHICH IS THE. COMPLETION OF THE TASK. WILL BE FINALIZED AND THAT. IS RESEARCH INFORMED, PUBLIC INFORMED AND CITY TASK UM SORRY TASK FORCE.
INFORMED RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY OF BOSTON TO. ENGAGE END. >> OR UH REPETITIVE PROGRAM. REPARATIVE PROGRAM. UM THAT'S THE SUBJECT. AWESOME. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, I GOT TO THINK THROUGH THIS CABINET AS A WHOLE.
I MEAN, THERE'S SO MUCH AND I THINK AS YOU POINTED OUT, CHIEF ,I THINK JUST. GOING BACK FROM TO 2022. TO WHERE WE ARE NOW. UM, I SEE THAT GROWTH. UM. >> UH. >> AND JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO. UM, AND ESPECIALLY. >> YOUR. TEAM AND SOME OF YOUR TEAMS ARE
JUST, UH, AMAZING. UM, PEOPLE WHO ARE FROM HERE, PEOPLE WHO KNOW THE CITY AND KNOW OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND ARE ON THE STREETS ARE REALLY PROVIDING THAT OUTREACH. SO UM AND UH ALSO SHOUT OUT I THINK OUT. >> TO YOU AS THE BACKGROUND
COMMISSIONERS. UM, I ACTUALLY HAD THE HONOR OF MEETING ONE OF YOUR YOUTH COMMISSIONERS, UM, AND JUST DOING AMAZING WORK AND UM, OUR COMMUNITY EDUCATE EDUCATING OTHER YOUTH. UM, AND YOU KNOW, I REALLY LOVE
TO SEE THAT. SO, UM, SHOUT OUT TO TO THEM. UM, THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE. UH, MISTER CHAIR. UM. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCILOR EARLE. UH. SEVEN MINUTES. UH THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND THANK
YOU TO THE PANEL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO. UM. >> I JUST WANT TO JUMP RIGHT INTO IT. HOW MANY QUESTIONS FOR THIS, CHIEF? UH, HOW MANY, UH, POSITIONS OF THE EQUITY CABINET HAVE?
AND THEN HOW MANY VACANCIES ACROSS? UM, MAN, GET BACK TO YOU. I WANT TO GIVE YOU AN ACCURATE NUMBER, BUT I KNOW WE'RE UPWARDS OF WELL, A CABINET WIDE .
WE'RE UP TO 70. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE. JUST OFFICE. YOU'RE JUST. >> YOU, UM. WE'RE I'LL GIVE YOU THE ACCURATE NUMBER. OKAY. >> DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY VACANCIES YOU HAVE? I'LL GIVE YOU THAT NUMBER IMMEDIATELY. OKAY. >> ALL RIGHT. YOU KNOW, DID YOU HAVE THE
ANSWER? I JUST WANT VACANCY. REPORTS AND. >> UH. QUITE A NUMBER OF DECISIONS. UM, VACANCY IS JUST ONE, BUT WE'LL GET YOU THE FIRST. OKAY? >> YEAH. AND THE I MEAN. I THINK IN PAGE.
75 OF THE BUDGET IT SAYS 33 POSITIONS. THANK YOU. OFFICE OF EQUITY OPERATING BUDGET. OKAY. >> SO 33 POSITIONS AND THEN JUST ONE. SO THE ORG CHART IS IS THAT UP TO DATE?
NO NOT YET. SHOULD BE. OKAY. BECAUSE I WAS JUST TRYING TO JUST CONFIRM THAT. UM WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT CENTRALIZING UH,
RESPONSIBILITIES, HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT TO EXPLAIN THE PROCESS? YEP. >> SO WE HAVE BEEN IN FY 26. WE TOOK WE MADE SOME CHANGES TO THE ORG CHART TO ENSURE THAT UH ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE
WHEN I SAY DEPARTMENTS I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE EQUITY OFFICE, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE EIGHT DEPARTMENTS. THERE IS HAVE ACCESS TO THE ADMIN AND FIND THE FINANCES THAT NEED TO HAPPEN IN THE CITY OF BOSTON BECAUSE SOME
DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT ONLY HAVE THREE STAFF MEMBERS AND WE DO NOT FEEL LIKE IT'S UH A GOOD USE OF TIME TO HIRE ANOTHER PERSON TO SIT IN THAT SMALL
DEPARTMENT. INSTEAD WE HAVE NOW A TEAM OF I BELIEVE FOUR PEOPLE IN MY I CAN CORRECT MEJIA THAT DO. UM AND IN FINANCE FOR THE REST OF THE CABINET.
OTHER CURRENT DEPARTMENTS STILL HAVE THAT THOSE ADDED FUNCTIONS AND WE ARE LOOKING TO CENTRALIZE AS ARE MANY OTHER CHIEFS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE BEING THE MOST EFFECTIVE WITH OUR OUR RESOURCES. GOT IT.
>> I GUESS MY CONCERN IS UH WHEN WE'RE PULLING FROM THESE ALREADY SMALL DEPARTMENTS AND THEN THEY'RE GETTING ANOTHER HAIRCUT UH, FROM THE ADMINISTRATION WHERE YOU KNOW, WE'RE DECREASING UM, A LOT
OF THE THE BUDGETS IN THE EQUITY CABINET. RIGHT. WE'RE NOT TAKING WE'RE NOT TAKING PERSONNEL FROM DEPARTMENTS. I'M NOT SURE WHERE YOU'RE GETTING THIS INFORMATION FROM. OH, YOU JUST SAID THAT YOU TOOK ONE FROM UM, NO MEN'S WOMEN'S.
EVENTS DOES NOT HAVE THE ENOUGH POSITION WE'VE HAD WE'VE TAKEN THAT FROM WE'VE WE'VE HAD THAT IN OUR. SO WHAT I MEAN BY THIS IS WE ARE TAKING THE RESPONSIBILITIES FROM THE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE IF
THEY'RE A SMALL DEPARTMENT WE THEY DON'T NEED A WHOLE BODY FOR THAT. SO INSTEAD THEY CAN REFOCUS THEIR WORK ON THAT. SO INSTEAD OF HALEY HAVING TO DO AN F WE'RE JUST TAKING THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES SO SHE CAN FOCUS ON THE PROGRAMING. >> ALL RIGHT THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR.
SO NO THAT'S A MOVING FROM DEPARTMENT INTO. WE CAN SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ON WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION BUT THAT'S NOT THE OTHER DEPARTMENT. OKAY SO SO IT IS HAPPENING IN
HUMAN RIGHTS. UH SO LAST FISCAL YEAR, COUNCILOR, THE WE TOOK TWO POSITIONS OUT OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION TO EXPAND OUR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WORK, WHICH GETS TO SOME OF THE WORK THAT HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION DOES AS IS RIGHT. UM, AND THEN WHAT CHIEF IS
TALKING ABOUT, I REITERATE IS LIKE IMAGINE SOMEBODY HAS A COUPLE OF ITEMS IN THEIR JOB DESCRIPTION. WE ARE REMOVING SOME OF THOSE BULLETS. THE POSITION STAYS AND THE DEPARTMENT GETS TO REIMAGINE EXACTLY WHAT THAT PERSON FOCUSES ON ON THE DAY TO DAY. ALL RIGHT.
BECAUSE I DO REMEMBER AND I THINK IT'S ALSO REFLECTED IN THE RFI THAT MAYOR'S OFFICE OF WOMEN ADVANCEMENT WENT FROM 3 TO 2 LAST FISCAL YEAR AND THEN IT GOT BUMPED UP I BELIEVE
AGAIN. I THINK. >> IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN 4 TO 3 BUT. 443 DID GO DOWN RIGHT? YES. OKAY. >> UM UM WE WENT. FROM 5 TO 2 AND. >> THEN WE WENT TO THREE. OKAY. >> SO YEAH SO THAT SHIP WAS WHAT WAS THAT SHIFT THAT 5 TO 2
SHIFT. FIVE SHIFT WAS TO MAKE UP FOR SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT WE HAD AROUND PAY. EXPLAIN. >> YEAH. >> SORRY. >> CAN I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE TRYING TO GO WITH THIS LINE OF QUESTIONING? YEAH. >> I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE STAFFING WAS
MOVED. >> FROM YOU. >> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT NOT THAT LONG AGO THERE WERE NOT THAT MANY PERSONNEL IN THE EQUITY CABINET AND NOW WE HAVE MORE AND THE SPECIFIC EXAMPLE OF MOA WHICH I
GAVE YOU YOU WERE NOT ASKING ABOUT MOA. IT WAS FIVE ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO. WHEN DANA COMES IN WE MAKE A DECISION TO MOVE THE ANF POSITION AND THIS IS NOW AT FY 20.
WE'VE HAD TO LOOK AT A COUPLE BUDGET BOOKS BACK. WE WENT TO FOUR AND THEN WE WENT FROM 4 TO 3 TO MAKE UP FOR A PAY EQUITY ISSUE THAT WE HAD IN THE CABINET. OKAY. >> ALL RIGHT.
UM GOING TO THE OVERALL BUDGET WHEN WE'RE TALKING UM, IN PREVIOUS YEARS YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW YOU WORKED WITH OBM AND THE CFO ON, YOU KNOW, CREATING THE
BUDGET TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS EQUITABLE. UM, CAN YOU TALK LIKE A LOT OF THE WORK THAT YOU KNOW, THE DEPARTMENTS WITHIN YOUR CABINET? UM, THEY ISSUE A LOT OF GRANTS,
RIGHT? UM, A LOT OF THOSE GRANTS CAN BE DIRECT SERVICES. UM, ALSO IT'S A GOOD CHUNK OF THE GRANT. I MEAN A GOOD CHUNK OF THEIR UM OF THEIR BUDGET.
WAS THERE ANY OTHER I GUESS RECOMMENDATIONS? UH, YOU AS THE EQUITY CHIEF GAVE TO THE ADMINISTRATION ON OTHER PLACES TO LOOK TO CUT OUTSIDE OF THE GRANT WITHIN YOUR CABINET?
YES. >> I WAS A PART OF MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS AND THAT IS WHY GRANTS ARE NOT THE ONLY THINGS THAT ARE BEING CUT IN THE ENTIRE ADMINISTRATION. OKAY. >> BUT FOR YOUR FOR YOUR DEPARTMENTS WERE THERE LIKE ANY OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS LIKE.
CAN YOU GIVE ME LIKE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS YOU PROVIDED. IN DECEMBER RIGHT. >> I DON'T KNOW WHEN YEAH. WHEN WE DID WHEN WE WERE REQUESTED FOR A 2% REDUCTION. I'M HAPPY TO GO BACK TO THIS DOCUMENT AND SHARE HOW WE
EXPRESSED THE 2% WHEN WE CAME BACK WHEN WE WERE REQUESTED, WHEN NEW INFORMATION CAME TO US. THE GRANTS WERE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WERE PART OF THE DISCUSSION. OKAY. >> ALL RIGHT.
I GUESS MY CONCERN IS I'M SEEING LIKE A LOT OF BIG CUTS IN SOME DEPARTMENTS. UM, YOU KNOW, SOME DEPARTMENTS GET CUT UH, WITHIN YOUR CABIN AND LIKE 25% WHICH IS A LOT
MORE THAN A 2%. UM, A LOT GET CUT, YOU KNOW, EVEN A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN THAT. AND FOR ME THAT'S A YOU KNOW, A MAJOR CONCERN JUST BASED OFF OF THE WORK THAT SOME OF THESE DEPARTMENTS DO. >> I SEE THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT UM I THINK THAT I'D
LIKE TO CLARIFY THE THE DECISION WAS PERSONNEL OR GRANTS BECAUSE OUR OUR BUDGET IS PERSONNEL OR GRANTS MOSTLY. AND FOR ME IT'S MORE IMPORTANT
TO KEEP THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT'S HAPPENING INTERNALLY WITH THE POLICY CHANGES, THE PRACTICES CHANGES AND THE PROGRAMING THAT OUR STAFF DIRECTLY OFFERED TO OUR RESIDENTS. AND I RECOGNIZE THE IMPACT THAT
THAT IS GOING TO HAVE IN FY 27. ALL RIGHT. AND I'LL JUST END ON THIS IS THAT UM I HAVEN'T TOTALED UP UH ,THE CUTS FROM YOUR CABINETS THAT, YOU KNOW, RESULTED IN
GRANTS BUT THAT COULD WE HAVE FOUND RIGHT THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE BUDGET A OPPOSED FROM TAKEN FROM MAYOR'S OFFICE OF WOMEN ADVANCEMENT IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT BLACK
MALE ADVANCEMENT UH THAT ARE DOING YOU KNOW, A LOT OF WORK THAT OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE NOT DOING. UM SO I'LL LEAVE IT THERE. THANK YOU. OKAY. >> YEAH, JUST A CLARIFYING QUESTION. SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE
CUTS OF THE GRANTS, DID WE LOOK IN THE CONTRACTUAL SERVICES LINE ITEM THAT ALL OF THE GRANTS OR WHETHER CUSTER GRANTS . ALL OF THE GRANTS FALL UNDER CONTRACTED SERVICES BUT THERE ARE STILL DOLLARS IN CONTRACT
AND SERVICES THAT ARE NOT GRANTS. RIGHT? COULD JUST BE A CONTRACT THINGS LIKE THAT. SO YOU'LL SEE THAT NUMBER DECREASE BUT SOME IN SOME CASES THE LINE STAYS QUITE LARGE. OKAY. >> UM OKAY. SORRY. >> UH, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE, YOU GOT SEVEN MINUTES.
THANK YOU. UM, THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. >> I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS. I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY'VE ASKED. I ADDRESS SOME OF THE THE, UM, ISSUES THAT I HAVE. UM, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU
FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO. UM, I THINK THE WORK OF THE EQUITY CABINET IN A CITY WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF EQUITY WORK. TO DO. UM, IS IMPORTANT. I THINK IT. >> IS ALSO. IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THE. RECENCY OF THIS CABINET.
UM, THE FIRST CHIEF EQUITY OFFICER, MY FIRST BOSS, UH, CAROLYN CROCKETT, UM, REALLY STARTED THIS LABOR OF LOVE. UM, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. IT'S JUST AN IMPORTANT LIKE
BENCHMARK FOR US TO REMEMBER. UM, AND WE'RE TRYING TO WE WANT TO MOVE SO FAST BECAUSE THE URGENCY IS COMPLETELY THERE. UM. ALL RIGHT, I'M JUST GOING TO START WITH MY QUESTIONS I GUESS FOR BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT A
LOT OF PRAISE WAS GIVEN AS IS WAS DUE TO YOU, FRANK, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND TO THE LEADERSHIP OF UH, YOUR DEPARTMENT BUT ALSO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO TITO JACKSON WHO PLANTED THE SEED WAY BACK WHEN FOR BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT.
UM, HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS. IT LOOKS LIKE THE PERSONNEL BUDGET FOR BMR INCREASES SLIGHTLY FROM ABOUT 1.167 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 26 TO
1.175 MILLION IN THIS FISCAL YEAR, WHILE THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR WHILE NON PERSONNEL DROPS FROM 952,000 TO 443,000. ASSUMING THAT'S MOSTLY ALL GRANTS UNFORTUNATELY UM HAVE
YOU AS YOUR CABINET IN SORT OF THIS STRUCTURE, HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT UM WHAT. PROGRAMS THAT YOU USED TO MAYBE RELY MORE ON EXTERNAL SOURCES TO DO? WHAT ARE YOU BRINGING IN-HOUSE LIKE IS THAT A COMMON ACTIVE CONVERSATION THAT YOU'RE
DRAWING OUT? YEAH, WE ARE HAVING CONVERSATIONS KIND OF IDENTIFYING THE GAPS THROUGH THE GRANTS AND IN WHAT WE CAN CONTINUE KIND OF THROUGH THE FUNDING WE HAVE IN CONTRACT SERVICES.
UM AND THEN WHAT WE HAVE WITH INTERNAL STAFFING THAT CAN KIND OF HELP FILL SOME OF THOSE VOIDS BUT ALSO WORKING WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE KIND OF TASKED WITH THOSE DIRECT SERVICES TO MAKE SURE
THAT, UH, CONSTITUENTS THAT REACH OUT TO US ARE GETTING THE SUPPORT THEY NEED. THANK YOU. >> I DO THINK THAT THE GRANT PROGRAMS ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. UM, IF FOR NO OTHER REASON LIKE ARE THEY NECESSARILY SOME OF THE GRANT AMOUNTS ESPECIALLY
FOR SOME OF THE MINI GRANTS? ARE THEY CHANGING THE NATURE OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT WHAT THE GRANTS ARE SUPPOSED TO DO? NO, BUT THEY ARE SORT OF GOOD AFFIRMATIONS FROM THE CITY OF SUPPORT AND ALIGNMENT AND I THINK THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT
AND I THINK THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THIS CABINET GIVEN SORT OF WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE RECENCY OF THE CABINET WHEN YOU ALSO COMBINE IT WITH SORT OF LIKE THE URGENCY OF THE ISSUES FOR GROUPS THAT HAVE BEEN
TRADITIONALLY MARGINALIZED, EXCLUDED INTENTIONALLY TO HAVE THAT AFFIRMATION FROM THE CITY AND THAT SUPPORT SAYING LIKE HEY, WE GOT YOUR BACK. WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT. UM, WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT CHIEF SEVERA, THE WORK THAT MY OFFICE
DID WITH GETTING THE BOSTON FOUNDATION, UM TO PARTNER AND THE UNITED WAY TO PARTNER AND DO THIS PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP THAT WAS BEFORE I EVEN KNEW THAT THESE CUTS WERE
EVEN COMING DOWN THE LINE. BUT I DO THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US ALWAYS IN MOMENTS OF DIFFICULTY BUT ALSO IN OUR MOMENTS TO BE THINKING ABOUT PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP BECAUSE THE CITY CAN'T SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS ALONE AND NUMBER ONE BECAUSE
THE CITY PARTICIPATED IN A LOT OF THESE. BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT REDLINING, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BLOCKBUSTING THAT HAPPENED IN MATTAPAN, ROXBURY, DORCHESTER THOSE WERE CREATED BY PRIVATE BANKS. AND SO THERE IS A ROLE FOR OUR PRIVATE COMPANIES IN HELPING US
SOLVE COMPLEX PROBLEMS. AND THERE'S A ROLE FOR PHILANTHROPY. I LIKE TO SEE US DO A LOT MORE OF THAT IDENTIFY WHICH OF THE FOUNDATIONS ARE COULD BE GOOD PARTNERS WITH DIFFERENT UM
ENTITIES TO TO BRING UP HOW MUCH WE'RE ABLE TO SUPPORT GRANT FUNDING BUT I ALSO THE SOMEONE YOU KNOW I STARTED HERE IN 2022 THE OFFICE OF RETURNING CITIZENS DID NOT HAVE A GRANT PROGRAM. WE STARTED THAT WITH OBVIOUSLY
OF MY OFFICE AND WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT WORK BECAUSE AGAIN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POPULATIONS WHO OFTEN DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER PLACE TO GO TO GET THAT ASSISTANCE. AND SO I KNOW THAT THERE'S
DIFFICULTIES FINANCIALLY AND WE HAVE TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR CABINET CONTINUES THE IMPORTANT WORK EVEN IN ITS RECENCY OF AFFIRMING THE WORK THAT VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES ARE
DOING. UM, ANOTHER QUESTION FOR YOU, FRANK IS UM THE BLACK MEN AND BOYS COMMISSION MADE MORE THAN 25 POLICY AND BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS IN FISCAL YEAR 26.
HOW MANY WERE ACCEPTED, REJECTED, FUNDED, INCORPORATED INTO DEPARTMENT WORK PLANS OR CARRIED FORWARD FOR FUTURE REVIEW? I ALSO SEE THE WORK OF YOUR OFFICE AS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT LIKE HOW DO YOU EMBEDDED INTO THE WORK THAT THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE OF HOUSING IS DOING? HOW DO YOU EMBED IT INTO THE WORK AT THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IS DOING SO IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT HOW THOSE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS ARE EMBEDDED INTO LARGER CITY WORK . YEAH, I CAN I CAN LOOK INTO THE
EXACT DETAILS BUT UM, OUR NAME DUE TO HEALTH COMMISSION KIND OF IT LED TO WHAT WAS RECENTLY ANNOUNCED ANNOUNCED THE $1 MILLION THAT'S FOCUSING ON IMPROVING LIFE EXPECTANCY FOR BLACK MEN IN THE CITY OF BOSTON
. UM, IT ALSO LED TO, UM, A FUNDING UM, OPPORTUNITY FOR BLACK MEN'S HEALTH. AND SO WE HAVE IDENTIFIED UH,
COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT COULD BE A UH AN EXTENSION OF THE WORK THE HEALTH COMMISSION IS DOING TO PROVIDE UH, SUPPORT FOR BLACK MEN'S BLACK MEN'S HEALTH, UM, AS WELL AS UH,
FATHERHOOD AND MENTAL HEALTH FOR BLACK MEN THROUGH THE HEALTH COMMISSION UM, AND THROUGH KIND OF THE ADVOCACY OF THE BLACK MEN AND BOYS COMMISSION. IT ALSO LED TO KIND OF THE
CENTRALIZATION OF THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION UNDER THE HEALTH COMMISSION. UM, THAT WAS THROUGH KIND OF THE ADVOCACY OF THE COMMISSION UM AS WELL UM, INCREASE IN FUNDING FOR
EMERGING DEVELOPERS UM IN THE OFFICE OF HOUSING INCREASE OF FUNDING FOR DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE. UM AND THE OFFICE OF HOUSING IN FY 26 UM INCREASE IN FUNDING
AND AND BOOK WORK IN FY 26. UM AND THEN. UM THOSE ARE THE YOU KNOW, THE PRIMARY ONES THAT I HAVE KIND OF IN FRONT OF ME. I COULD FOLLOW UP WITH A FULL
LIST OF OF THE UM THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT LITTER RESULTS. THANK YOU. I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS FOR YOU, BUT, UM, I'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT AND JUST I DO APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN DOING ABOUT THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I THINK THAT THAT PARTNERSHIP
COULD DEEPEN, STRENGTHEN AND REALLY TAKE ROOT. UM, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR FAIR HOUSING. MAYA, THANKS FOR BEING WITH US. SO THIS WAS AN OFTEN IS ALSO A BIG ADVOCACY POINT FOR MY OFFICE UH WE HAD ON MAY REST IN
PEACE UM ROBERT AROUND HERE. SEVERAL TIMES. >> AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THE GOLD STANDARD UH, FOR FAIR HOUSING TESTING WHICH IS PEER TESTING. YOU HAVE A WHITE APPLICANT AND A BLACK APPLICANT OR A PREGNANT
WOMAN AND THE NONPROFIT TO GO OUT AND TO, UH, TO DO THAT. ARE WE SEEKING VENDORS THAT ARE DOING SORT OF THAT ARE ABLE TO DO THAT THAT THAT UH, PEER TESTING. SO WE THE TRICKY THING ABOUT
TESTING HERE IN BOSTON IS THERE JUST AREN'T THAT MANY FOLKS DOING THAT WORK. UM, SO WE ARE PUTTING. UNIVERSITY HAS YES, A. PROGRAM AND I KNOW THAT A LOT OF IT HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED BECAUSE OF FEDERAL FUNDING, WHICH IS WHY IT'S EVEN MORE
IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE DOING FAIR HOUSING TESTING BECAUSE NO ONE IS. DOING IT PER SE. >> FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS RELEGATED THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO DO IT LIKE WE NEED TO BE THE ONES DOING IT AND IT'S FRUSTRATING TO NOT SEE IT HAPPENING AFTER A YEAR. YEAH. SO THIS YEAR.
>> THAT THE THIS THE OFFICE OF FAIR HOUSING EQUITY BUDGET WILL DECREASE BY 24.8%. THIS DECREASE IS DRIVEN BY COMPLETED RESEARCH INITIATIVES UNDERSTOOD AND THE REMOVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL AMENDMENT FOR HOUSING CLUSTERS WHICH I FIND UNACCEPTABLE.
YEAH. >> SO WE ARE USING THE FUNDS FROM THAT. YOU GUYS DID GIFT US ALREADY UM TO BEGIN SOME OF THAT WORK BUT DO HAVE EXTERNAL RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO THAT WE CAN
ALSO TAP INTO. WE SPENT SOME TIME UM AFTER THE AMENDMENT FROM THE COUNCIL LAST YEAR DIGGING INTO WHAT A PROGRAM REALLY SHOULD LOOK LIKE AND DOING SOME OF THIS RESEARCH . UM, AND THE FAIR HOUSING TEAM JUST THOUGHT WE NEEDED MORE
MONEY. UM, AND SO WE FOUND SOME OF THOSE EXTERNAL RESOURCES AND ARE PUTTING I THINK THE CONTRACT IS FOR 250 OUT IN THE. IN THE END SO A LITTLE BIT MORE. >> THAN MORE THAN DOUBLE WHAT THE COUNCIL OFFERED. BUT UM I THINK WE DO HAVE SOME
CONCERNS ABOUT YOU KNOW, THE LACK OF DIVERSITY OF VENDORS. RIGHT. WE ARE HOPING THAT TRAFFIC WILL APPLY AND BE A GREAT PARTNER TO WORK WITH, BUT WE ALSO WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE TESTING HAPPENING ACROSS THE THE CITY AS WELL AS THE COUNTY IN
GENERAL. SO THE RFP DOES ALLOW FOR UM FOLKS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY OFFERING THAT WORK TO PROPOSE A SYSTEM AND YES, PEER TESTING IS CERTAINLY WHAT WE ARE HOPING TO LOOK AT UM, AS A AS A GOLD
STANDARD. UM, THE PROGRAM ALSO IS GOING TO RUN FOR MORE THAN ONE YEAR, UM, WHICH IS PART OF WHY WE NEEDED MORE OF THAT FUNDING I THINK WE THINK THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE SOME OF THOSE TRENDS BETTER OVER ABOUT A THREE YEAR PERIOD. OKAY AND MORE QUESTION ABOUT IT. MY TIME.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> UH, SO WE'VE GOT COUNCILOR FITZGERALD AND I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS AND THEN WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY FOR ANYBODY WHO'S HERE. UM UH. OKAY. >> SO COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE ALL BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR MURPHY.
OKAY. >> THANK YOU CHAIR. UH, THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR ALL THE IMPORTANT. >> WORK YOU DO HERE FOR. EQUITY AND INCLUSION. FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON. UM. UH. >> TO BE CONSISTENT, I'VE ASKED THIS. TO EVERY EVERY DEPARTMENT THAT WE'VE HAD DURING THIS BUDGET SEASON. AND JUST THAT WE KNOW THAT.
EVERYONE'S TAKING A HAIRCUT. UH, WHERE. >> ARE YOU GUYS FEELING AT THE MOST AND WHAT IS YOUR CONFIDENCE LEVEL IN TERMS OF BACKFILLING STRETCHING, BEING ABLE TO COVER UP FOR WHAT WE HAVE LOST? UM, AND SORT OF JUST UH, ANY
SPECIFIC PAIN POINTS THAT YOU GUYS ARE TRULY FEELING? I KNOW FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM MY OTHER COLLEAGUES QUESTIONS IT'S REALLY THE GRANTS THAT'S THE ISSUE BUT UM, STILL WANT TO ASK THE QUESTION ANYWAY. >> THANK YOU CHAIR I CAN START UM IT'S A PRETTY SIMPLE ANSWER FOR THE FAIR HOUSING TEAM.
UH, WE DO NOT ISSUE GRANTS. UM, OUT OF THE DEPARTMENT. I THINK OUR BIGGEST CONCERN IS ALWAYS WORKING WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND IF THAT PARTNERSHIP WERE EVER TO TO FALTER. UM, BUT RIGHT NOW THE THE CUTS SEEM PRETTY MANAGEABLE.
GREAT. >> AND HOW SO WITH WHERE THE CUTS SPECIFICALLY HAPPENING AND. UM, LIKE COUNCIL JUST MENTIONED SOME OF THOSE THAT WORK AROUND RESEARCH THAT WE AGAIN AS I MENTIONED HAVE HAVE MADE SOME REAL PROGRESS ON UM AND THEN
THE CUT TO CONTRACTED SERVICES AROUND THAT TESTING PROGRAM THAT WE CAN COVER WITH SOME OF OUR EXTERNAL FUNDING. AWESOME. >> THANK YOU. UM. MY FOCUS IS MAKING SURE THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE WE BRING
SERVICES IN-HOUSE AND ALSO USE OUR INCREDIBLY CULTURALLY, UM, COMPETENT AND AND HUMBLE TEAM INTO THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS SO THAT THEY ARE CHANGING PRACTICES AND PROGRAMS AS WELL.
SO WE GRANTS IT'S THE ONLY THING THAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT. GREAT AND CUT SO. FORMS ADVANCEMENT GRANTS HAS. ALWAYS BEEN ALSO BEEN OUR BIGGEST CUT. YEP SOME GRANTS. AROUND UH GRANTS AS WELL FOR
OUR FISCAL. SO IN TERMS OF BACKFILLING GRANTS UH AND OTHER ANY OF THE PHILANTHROPIC OUTREACH THAT WE'RE DOING OR ANY OTHER WAYS TO TO FILL THESE UP OR DO YOU FEEL LIKE THOSE GRANTS THAT ARE
GONE WILL BE LOST THIS YEAR OR IS THERE, UH, OUTREACH BEING DONE TO SAY LOOK AT WE CAN MAYBE CLAW BACK A LITTLE BIT THROUGH UM, ALTERNATIVE METHODS I GUESS YOU COULD CALL IT.
OH, I'LL TAKE THAT AND UH. UM I THINK IN COUNCIL ILLUSION WAS. ALLUDING TO THIS. WE A LOT OF OUR GRANTS WENT. TO WERE SMALL DOLLARS. TO A. >> LOT OF THOSE COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE NOT ALREADY BEING CONSIDERED WITHIN
OUR CURRENT ECOSYSTEM OF PHILANTHROPY. AND SO I THINK A QUESTION THAT WE ALL NEED TO ASK OURSELVES AS PEOPLE WITH THE CAPITAL. THAT WE HAVE AS. ELECTED OFFICIALS, AS APPOINTED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IS HOW
ARE WE GOING TO ENCOURAGE THE ECOSYSTEM TO TO BETTER FUND AND SUPPORT THE WORK THAT'S HAPPENING AND IN THE GROUND THAT. WE SERVED AS A BRIDGE FOR EVEN THOUGH THAT WAS NOT NECESSARILY HAPPENING BEFORE OUR TIME.
YEAH. SIMILARLY. UH, WOMEN'S. >> ADVANCEMENT ARE EXPLORING MEETINGS WITH. FUNDERS TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT. FUNDING ORGANIZATIONS. LIKE THE BOSTON FUND THAT SHOW WOMEN RECEIVE ONLY. 1% OF PHILANTHROPY DOLLARS UM. BLACK AND.
>> BROWN WOMEN BEING EVEN A LESSER PERCENTAGE. UM, AND SO WE'RE HOPING THAT BY EDUCATING FUNDERS. >> OF WHAT THAT OF WHAT THAT REALITY IS. THAT THEY'LL REEVALUATE AND DISTRIBUTE THEIR EQUITY MORE EQUITABLE, THEIR GIVING MORE EQUITABLY.
THANK YOU. UM, TO THOSE MANY GRANTS I KNOW THIS WAS ORIGINALLY FOR UM FOR YOU HALEY UM, AROUND WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT I GUESS IT COULD BE ASKED OF ALL THE DEPARTMENTS HERE IS IN.
>> THOSE MANY GRANTS WHAT WAS. >> THE AVERAGE AMOUNT TO EACH PARTY OR EACH GROUP THAT YOU WERE GIVING TO AND AND WHAT TYPE OF THINGS DID THOSE FUND LIKE THOSE MANY GRANTS THAT ARE GETTING CUT BECAUSE THEY SAID ONE OF THE REASON I ASK THAT
QUESTION I SAW ONE OF THE SLIDES THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, $25,000 WENT TO SIX DIFFERENT PARTIES OR YOU KNOW, WHATEVER. SO YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE 3000 I'M ASSUMING THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING WHAT IS THE AVERAGE
AMOUNT TO EACH AND WHAT DID THAT MONEY CREATE? I MEAN $3,000 CAN BE A LOT BUT ALSO WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE AN IMPACT SOMETIMES IT'S LIKE WHAT WHAT WHAT ARE WE ACCOMPLISHING WITH JUST GIVING
3000 RIGHT BECAUSE I'M SURE SO JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON THOSE. YES. >> UM SO OUR MAXIMUM IS ABOUT. $10,000 PER GRANTEES. AND WE GAVE ABOUT THREE. GRANTS UM BASED OFF THE. APPLICANTS THAT WE RECEIVED
OKAY. SO THE OF THAT WHEN SO WHEN YOU SAY THE THE MAX WAS TEN YES BUT THE THE AVERAGE WOULD BE AROUND . A LITTLE LESS THAN. THREE A LITTLE LESS THAN THREE
TO EACH EACH PARTY. AND WHAT TYPE OF THINGS AT THAT FUND AND WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT I MIGHT ASK SOME OF THE OTHER FOLKS IN LOST GRANTS AS WELL JUST AS A HEADS UP BUT LIKE SO WHAT WOULD THAT THREE GRAND WHO WOULD IT GO TO AND WHAT WOULD THEY DO?
UM SO. >> WE HAVE A LIST OF OUR GRANTEES AND THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY UM ARE EXECUTED AND WE CAN ABSOLUTELY GET THOSE BACK TO YOU. YEAH THAT WOULD BE THAT WOULD BE AWESOME. PLEASE AND THANK YOU. JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT LIKE WHO'S MISSING OUT RIGHT LIKE
WHAT SERVICES ARE WE LOSING. WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT THAT THAT THAT SUPPORTED EVEN IF IT IS SMALL DOLLARS LIKE WHAT WHAT IS IT THAT THAT'S THAT NO LONGER THERE BECAUSE THOSE FOLKS ARE REACHING OUT TO US AS YOU GUYS KNOW WHEN THEY'RE
SAYING WELL LOOK COUNCIL YOU CAN PUT IT BACK IN. AND SO ALL OF A SUDDEN MY FEAR IS WE'RE GOING TO BE THE BAD GUYS IF WE DON'T PUT EVERYTHING BACK IN RIGHT. AND I'M TRYING TO SAY LIKE HEY WHOA WHOA WHOA THIS THIS WE
DIDN'T MAKE THIS BUDGET RIGHT. UM BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS EVERY EVERYONE'S UM LOOKING TO US TO DO THAT. BUT WHERE ARE WE PULLING FROM? RIGHT. UM, ANY OF THE OTHER. DEPARTMENTS AROUND THOSE MANY
GRANTS? ABOUT AN AVERAGE OF GRANT UH, THE AVERAGE MINI GRANT THAT WENT OUT IN ANY SPECIFIC OF WHAT IT HELPED. YEAH. >> SO FOR THE OFFICE OF BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT, UH, OUR GRANTS TOTAL UP TO 20,000 PER
ORGANIZATION. WOULD AN AVERAGE ORGANIZATION BREAK IN AROUND $10,000 TO SUPPORT THE WORK? UM, AND IT FOCUSED ON SEVEN KEY AREAS MENTORING, MENTORING AND OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME YOUTH AND
YOUNG ADULT PATHWAYS HOUSING MOBILITY, ECONOMIC INCLUSION AND WEALTH BUILDING. WORKFORCE TRAINING. >> AND DEVELOPMENT, FATHERHOOD ENGAGEMENT AND MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS. AWESOME. THANK YOU. I THINK. >> COUNSELOR, JUST BECAUSE YOU MAY GET CALLED ON SOME OF THESE SOON TO MAKE SURE YOU ALSO KNOW
THE. CULTURAL OF THE. CULTURAL AFFAIRS PROGRAMS ALSO HAVE SO MANY GRANTS THIS SUMMER WE ARE OKAY. WE WILL BE UH DRAFTING THAT GIVING THOSE DOLLARS OUT FOR UH
FOR FOR THE REST OF THE FOR 26 BUT I FOR 27 WE WILL NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THAT AND THAT'S FOR LIKE CULTURAL PROGRAMING FESTIVITIES UM WORKSHOPS THAT THE COMMUNITY IS DOING THAT. UM BECAUSE THAT WAS ACTUALLY I
HAVE CULTURAL AFFAIRS WRITTEN DOWN HERE AND I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT IT BECAUSE I ALWAYS HAVE THIS ESPECIALLY IN DORCHESTER WHERE THERE'S YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE POLE IS TRIANGLE, WE HAVE LITTLE SAIGON WE HAVE TRYING TO CREATE THE
THE IRISH UM THE IRISH SIDE DOWN ADAMS VILLAGE AND IT'S LIKE YOU CAN GO AROUND THE WORLD JUST IN DISTRICT THREE RIGHT. BUT I ALSO WANT THESE PLACES TO UM. YEAH THE ESTHETICS OF OF THESE
LOCATIONS TO ALSO LOOK THE SAME. SO I WAS LOOKING TO CULTURAL AFFAIRS TO HELP SORT OF CREATE THAT LIKE WHEN YOU'RE DOWN WHEN YOU WALK DOWN HANOVER STREET YOU KNOW IT'S ITALY RIGHT? WHEN YOU'RE IN CHINATOWN YOU KNOW IT'S CHINATOWN.
BUT WHY ISN'T IT WHEN YOU'RE IN FIELDS CORNER DO YOU NOT KNOW IT'S LITTLE SAIGON? RIGHT. AND SO I WANT THAT TO BE EXPRESSED UM THROUGHOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT AREAS REALLY THROUGHOUT THE CITY. UM LAST COUPLE QUESTIONS.
IT REALLY JUST RAPID FIRE ANSWERS. UM FAIR HOUSING. HOW MANY INTAKE SPECIALISTS DO WE CURRENTLY HAVE FOR FAIR HOUSING AND IT'S. AN INTAKE SPECIALIST BUT FOR INVESTIGATORS. SO ONE PERSON YOU TALK TO WHEN YOU WALK IN THE DOOR AND FOR
FOLKS THAT WOULD THAT COULD BE ASSIGNED YOUR CASE GREAT. AND THEN UH FINAL QUESTION IS UH ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC EFFECTS ON UH THE WOMEN'S SAFETY INITIATIVE WITH ANY OF THESE CUTS?
BE WITH THE QUESTION. UH, ANY SPECIFIC EFFECTS TO THE TO THE WOMEN'S SAFETY INITIATIVE? I KNOW THERE'S LIKE VIOLENCE PREVENTION UM IN THE IN THE IN THE WOMEN'S SAFETY INITIATIVE AS I. SAW ON THE.
>> WEBSITE UM AND JUST AN AREA THAT UM, YOU KNOW, HAVING A YOUNG DAUGHTER AND YOU'RE SAYING WELL, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS UM THERE'S NO EFFECT TAKEN TO THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS UH.
WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE GENDER VIOLENCE PREVENTION WORK THAT YOU ALL WORK WITH. YEAH WE DO. SO I THINK OUR POLICY. DIRECTOR CAN. SPEAK MORE ABOUT THE GRANT SPECIFICALLY, BUT I DON'T THINK AT THIS TIME WE CAN REALLY
LIKE. PREDICT WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN AS WE'RE STILL IN LIKE THE PLANNING PHASES OF LIKE BEING CREATIVE THERE HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN. SO WE'RE TRYING NOT TO THINK OF AT WORST SO SO BUT I'LL YIELD TO EMILY.
YEAH. >> HI EMILY. THANK YOU. YOU EITHER MAKE A PHONE SIGN. OVER HERE. YEP. YEAH. >> SO WE DID DO A GRANT THIS, UM, YEAR ON, UH, VIOLENCE PREVENTION FOCUS AROUND YOUNG MEN AND BOYS.
UM, AND SO WE WON'T BE DOING THAT, BUT WE ALSO WORK REALLY CLOSELY WITH BPD HAS AN, UH, DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL AND GENDER BASED VIOLENCE PREVENTION INITIATIVE AND WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THEM.
UM, WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM UM, ON ACTUALLY LIKE A BUNCH OF STUFF FOR THE RESPONSE TO FIFA COMING IN AND EVERYTHING COMING IN FOR THE SUMMER. UM, AND THAT'S LIKE A BIG CAMPAIGN. UM, BUT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO
RELY ON KIND OF POLICY ADVOCACY AND BRINGING TOGETHER DIFFERENT GROUPS OF WOMEN TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES AND HIGHLIGHT THINGS SINCE WE WON'T HAVE ANY DOLLARS TO PUT OUT. BUT I THINK THAT WORK IS REALLY GROWING, UM, IN THE PAST YEAR
SO I CAN ONLY FORESEE IT UM, KIND OF GAINING A LOT OF SPEED IN THIS NEXT YEAR. GREAT. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO AND PANEL THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS DO TO HELP OUT. THANK YOU CHAIR OKAY THANK. >> YOU THANK YOU COUNCILOR MURPHY SEVEN SEVEN MINUTES THANK YOU.
UM THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. UM AND FOR ALL YOU DO. JUST A. FEW QUESTIONS. ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I REALIZED WHEN I GOT HERE INTO
THE CITY HALL LIKE FIVE YEARS AGO. THERE'S NO THIS CITY DOESN'T RUN IF WE DON'T HAVE OUTSIDE PARTNERS AND WE DON'T HAVE GRANTS AND NO OTHER FUNDING AND NONPROFITS THAT, YOU KNOW, STEP
UP AND SOME OF OUR DEPARTMENTS LIKE WHEN WE MET LAST YEAR WITH THE LIKE THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT LIKE 90% OF THEIR BUDGET IS FUNDED THROUGH GRANTS. RIGHT?
SO WE UM ARE ALWAYS VULNERABLE THAT IF THOSE GRANTS DON'T STAY IN YOU KNOW, WE LOSE THOSE GRANTS THAT WE MAY NOT JUST. LOSE PROGRAMING OR FUNDING BUT
WE COULD EVEN LOSE STAFFING, RIGHT? THAT PEOPLE COULD LOSE THEIR JOB. SO IT SEEMS THAT A LOT OF THE CUTS THAT DEPARTMENTS TOOK WHEN ASKED AND IT'S A TOUGH YEAR AND
YOU NEVER WANT TO MAKE CUTS ESPECIALLY AN OFFICE LIKE YOURS FRANK WHERE YOU'RE GROWING AND THIS THIS BODY LIKE I WAS PROUD TO BE HERE ON THIS BODY WHEN WE PASSED IT AND THEN CONTINUE TO
HELP IT GROW AND THE GOOD WORK IT DOES BUT THAT THE THE CUTS WERE LIKE GRANT FUNDING OR OTHERS BUT NOW WE'RE SEEING THAT YOU KNOW THAT'S REALLY TAKING AWAY EITHER FROM CITY
EMPLOYEES OR YOU KNOW RESIDENTS ACROSS THE CITY. SO HOW DO YOU SEE THE NEED IN EACH OF YOUR DEPARTMENTS TO NOT RELY SO HEAVILY ON OUTSIDE
GRANTING AND IF THERE'S A NEED TO SHIFT A LOT OF THAT FUNDING RIGHT INTO THE OPERATIONAL BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR LIKE IF IF IT'S VULNERABLE THAT YOU KNOW, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN'T DELIVER
ON THE MISSION, YOU KNOW THAT YOU WERE TASKED TO DO IF THERE'S THINGS YOU WOULD WISH COULD SHIFT OVER TO THE OPERATING BUDGET. ANYONE CAN START.
YEAH. I CAN START. UM GOOD MORNING. I'M HALEY SMITH. >> I SERVE AS THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR. >> OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ON DEVELOPMENT. UM, WE ARE FOCUSING OUR EFFORTS THE EFFORTS ON POLICY ADVOCACY
AND PARTNERSHIP. UM, AND USING LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS, UM, WHO HAVE THE SAME MISSION AND GOALS OF THIS TO SUPPORT WOMEN AND GIRLS AND MAKING SURE IT'S A SAFE AND EQUITABLE CITY FOR
THEM. UM, AND USING THAT TO PUSH POLICY AND LEGISLATION THAT SUPPORTS THEM. I WOULD SAY FOR THE OFFICE OF BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT, A LOT OF OUR GRANT FUNDING GOES
TO KIND OF IDENTIFY GAPS THAT EXIST. UM, AND SO THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING NOW, UM, AND WE CONTINUE TO DO IS THROUGH UM WORKING WITH THE THE VARIOUS
DEPARTMENTS, UM, TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE STRENGTHENING UH, TO HELP KIND OF SHORE UP SOME OF THOSE GAPS AND SO LIKE WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THAT WORK, CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY EXTERNAL
PARTNERS, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS ARE ARE RECEIVING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. UM, WE ALSO HAVE A TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT EACH GRANTEE AND IN IN GRANT
APPLICANTS THAT ARE NOT FUNDED OR ABLE TO GET KIND OF THOSE ONE ON ONE SUPPORTS UM TO HELP THEM. ARE DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH STAFF TO HELP KIND OF SHIFT THAT WORK NOW TO REACHING OUT TO MORE
EXTERNAL PARTNERS TO DO THAT WORK? YEAH I THINK LIKE WE ARE AT A PLACE WHERE WE FINALLY HAVE REACHED KIND OF THE CAPACITY THAT UM, WE WERE WORKING TO
ACHIEVE. UM BUT WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS, UM, THAT ARE IN HOUSING TO HELP US IDENTIFY UM AND SUPPORT UM AND
COLLABORATE AROUND KIND OF THOSE GAPS WORKERS EMPOWERMENT, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY HEALTH COMMISSION. UM SO IT'S NOT ISOLATED UM, YOU KNOW, FOR THE WORK UH BLACK
MALE ADVANCEMENT ALONE BECAUSE THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS WORK IS EMBEDDED ACROSS ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS. UM, SO WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS THAT. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILOR. >> CAN I JUST ADD TO THIS PIECE.
UM, I THINK THIS IS WHAT I WAS ALLUDING TO EARLIER. YOU HAVE. BMA DO YOU HAVE LCA. YOU HAVE MAYA THAT HAVE. TEN ISH STAFF MEMBERS AND THEN YOU HAVE MOA THREE STAFF
MEMBERS UH I BELIEVE FIVE ONLY. AND SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF WHY THE CENTRALIZING IS HAPPENING TO ENSURE THAT. EVERYBODY HAS ACCESS TO THIS DIFFERENT WORK. AND WITH THE PARTNERSHIPS TEAM LED BY STEVEN CHAN IN THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE, WE ARE ALSO PLANNING TO TO LOOK AT SOME OF THESE UM, FOCUSING ON THE NEEDS AND STRATEGIZING BETTER SO THAT THE THE WORK IS HAPPENING.
THANK YOU. JUST THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. AND AS WE GO THROUGH THIS BUDGET LIKE YOU MENTIONED YOUR A LOT OF YOUR WORK IS CONNECTED TO ALL OF THE OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.
SO JUST MAKING SURE THAT IF CUTS ARE BEING MADE THAT IT'S NOT DIRECTLY AFFECTING THE POPULATIONS THAT YOU'RE SERVICING. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. THANK YOU CHAIR OKAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM JUST A COUPLE QUESTIONS FROM THE CHAIR AND THEN WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY. UM SO IN TERMS OF THE GRANTS AGAIN WE'RE UM YOU KNOW, FOR
FOR BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT I THINK IT'S UH YOUR YOUR BUDGET FOR LIKE CONTRACTUAL SERVICES GOING FROM ABOUT 950,000 TO 400.
THAT WAS A $500,000 CUT. I MEAN, WHAT DOES THAT DO TO YOUR ABILITY TO GIVE GRANTS? WHAT GRANTS ARE YOU NO LONGER GOING TO BE GIVING IF YOU HAVEN'T SAID ALREADY AND I GUESS UM, UM, THE COMMUNITY
EMPOWERMENT GRANTS LIKE YOU KNOW, UH. UH ARE YOU GOING TO YOU KNOW, IS IT HOW MUCH OF THAT IS BEING CUT BECAUSE OF THE LOSS OF THOSE FUNDS 100%?
OKAY. SO THERE'S NO COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT GRANTS FOR IN THE NEXT YEAR? NO. >> OKAY. >> AND IS THAT THAT LIKE IS THAT WITH THE $500,000 CUT IS GOING TO IMPACT THE MOST OR ARE
THERE OTHER THINGS. YES OKAY. UH OKAY. SO THERE WILL BE THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE LOSING WITH THAT CUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE COMMUNITY
EMPOWERMENT GRANTS I JUST I MEAN WE WE'RE MORE THAN HALFWAY THROUGH THIS PROCESS. I'VE SEEN THESE FACES MANY DEPARTMENTS THEY'RE YOU KNOW OBVIOUSLY YOU DON'T WANT TO
LOSE THIS ABILITY TO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE GRANT PROCESS . UM, BUT UH AND THEN JUST YOU KNOW, I GUESS UH UH, CHIEF SO
IF YOU LOOK AT THE OVERALL CABINET, YOU KNOW, FOR FISCAL YEAR 24 IT'S $11 MILLION BUDGET FOR THE CABINET THEN IT GOES TO 14,000,000 IN 25 15,000,026 AND
THEN BASICALLY BACK DOWN TO THE 24 LEVEL. UH, YOU KNOW, I MEAN LIKE SO ARE WE UM IS THIS IS THIS LIKE
WHAT WE CAN EXPECT UH, LIKE IS A CYCLE OR UM ARE WE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE SAME LEVEL OF OF UH AND THAT'S FOR ALL OF THE THE ENTIRE CABINET NOT JUST THE
PANELISTS HERE BUT UM. YOU KNOW. >> CAN WE CAN WE AT LEAST PROVIDE THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICES FOR 2024? BUT YEAH, HOW DO WE LOOK AT THAT SORT OF. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR KOESTER.
UM AND YES, IT. IS IMPORTANT TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS CABINET WIDE A 3 MILLION AND CHANGE DIFFERENCE UM, BETWEEN
THAT 526 AND SEVEN I AND JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT PERSONNEL STAYS THE SAME SO ANY PROGRAMING ANY WORK THAT IS HAPPENING DONE BY THE STAFF IS
NOT GOING TO STOP. GRANTS IS THE ONLY THING AT THIS POINT THAT IS SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASING AND IN SOME CASES STOPPING FOR FY 27 AND I CANNOT SPEAK FOR FY 28
OKAY. UH SO FOR WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT I UH YOU KNOW, I SEE THE THE CONTRACTUAL SERVICES GOES FROM A 216,000 THIS YEAR TO IT'S A DOWN 100 TO 103.
UM YOU KNOW WHAT SPECIFICALLY YOU KNOW YOU'RE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE A LAW FOR UH OR YOU KNOW OR ANY OF OUR ANY GRANTS NEXT YEAR. SO WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO OFFER GRACE NEXT YEAR. OKAY.
>> AND IS THAT THE SAME FOR BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT JUST CORRECT. NO GOODNESS. OKAY. UH I MEAN NOT OKAY, BUT UM, AT LEAST THAT'S CLEAR. UH. WE HAVE A SUPERSTAR TEAM. >> WE'RE GOING TO FIGURE WE'RE
GOING TO FIGURE THINGS OUT. UH, YEAH. NO, WE I MEAN UH SO WE ALL HAVE A LOT OF TOUGH CHOICES UH, AND TO MAKE IN THIS BUDGET.
UM, AND SO JUST YOU KNOW, IF IF ANY FURTHER MONEY IS COMING OUT OF YOUR DEPARTMENTS THAT WOULD AFFECT YOUR STAFFING. SO AT THIS POINT I AM VERY
CONFIDENT THAT IS WHAT WOULD HAVE TO HAPPEN. BUT I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN FY 24. UM OKAY. UH.
AND THEN I'M SORRY FOR FOR FAIR HOUSING TESTERS UH LIKE SO WHAT IS THAT GOING TO LOOK LIKE NEXT YEAR. YEP. >> SO WE HAVE PUT OUT OR WE'RE ABOUT TO PUT OUT AN RFP FOR A SERVICE RIGHT.
SO SUFFOLK OBVIOUSLY IS MORE THAN WELCOME TO APPLY I HOPE THEY'RE HEARING THIS. UH WE WILL REACH OUT TO THEM DIRECTLY. UM BUT WE ARE LOOKING TO DO UM A PROGRAM THAT IS CO-DEVELOPED WITH THAT VENDOR. UM, BUT ESSENTIALLY FOR FOR FOLKS THAT ARE LESS FAMILIAR
WITH TESTING PROGRAMS, THE VENDOR WILL GO OUT AND SEND PEOPLE TO APPLY TO AN APARTMENT, UM, OR SEEK A LOAN FROM A BANK. UM, AND WE ARE GOING TO BE TRACKING WHAT HAPPENS IF
SOMEONE IS DENIED ALONE. UM OR SOMEBODY IS DENIED THAT APARTMENT, ESPECIALLY AFTER THEY REVEAL A CHARACTERISTIC ABOUT THEMSELVES THAT IS WITHIN THE UH PROTECTED CLASSES. UM, SO THIS IS REALLY COMMON.
WE WOMEN OFTEN DO THIS WHERE THEY SHOW UP FIRST TIME UP, SIGN UP FOR THE APARTMENT AND THEN WHEN THEY RETURN THEY RETURN WITH A CHILD. UM, AND WE ARE TESTING TO SEE THAT MARITAL UM, RATHER UH, FAMILY STATUS IS NOT UM SOMETHING THAT THEY ARE BEING
DISCRIMINATED AGAINST WITH. UM, SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO DEVELOPING THAT PROGRAM REALLY STRATEGICALLY WITH THE UM WITH THE VENDOR. UM, AND IT IS A THREE YEAR PROGRAM. SO WE ALSO ARE BUILDING IN A TON OF METRICS THAT ARE GOING
TO HELP US TO TRACK SORT OF WHERE WE'RE SEEING PROTECTED CLASSES ACROSS THE CITY. UM SEE THAT DISCRIMINATION OKAY. HAVE WE SEEN A RISE IN IN LIKE VOUCHER DISCRIMINATION AND
OTHER KINDS OF HOUSING DISCRIMINATION IN THE LAST FEW YEARS? >> YEAH. SO THE THE. SPECIFIC RISE WE ACTUALLY ARE SEEING AT THE MOMENT IS TO UM THE DISABILITY PROTECTED CLASS . UM AND THAT IS SORT OF WIDE RANGING OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE THERE
ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF DISABILITIES THAT ARE PROTECTED. BUT THAT SEEMS TO BE I THINK IN PART BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE AGING IN PLACE. UM, AND YOU'RE SEEING MOBILITY CHALLENGES THERE, UM, THAT IT SORT OF SEEMS TO BE THE UPTICK THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH.
AND THE FAIR HOUSING TEAM HAS PARTNERED WITH THE DISABILITY COMMISSION TO SORT OF DO SOME EXTRA TRAINING AND TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE UNDERSTANDING SORT OF WHERE THOSE THINGS COULD ARISE. OKAY. >> AND THEN JUST UH SO WE STILL HAVE CONTRACTUAL SERVICES LINE
ITEMS FOR FOR WOMEN'S EVENTS AND AND BLACK SO WHAT ARE THOSE UH FUNDS GOING TO BE USED FOR. IN FISCAL YEAR 27? IF NOT SO THERE'S NO GRANTS UH
. ,IS UH, PART OF OUR FIRMS ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE USED FOR OUR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM, UM, THAT WE OFFER UM, AS WELL AS OUR LEGAL UM SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR THOSE THAT HAVE CORI UM, TO SELL BAKERY UH. TO TO TO TO.
>> BACK TO THIS. UM AND THEN PORTION OF THE FUNDS IS GOING TO BE USED UM FOR THE FINAL KIND OF PAYMENTS TO COMPLETE OUR EQUITY STUDY AS WELL.
OKAY. >> AND YEAH. FOR WOMEN'S. ADVANCEMENT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE. >> OUR. REGULAR PROGRAMING. SO LIKE WOMEN'S ENTREPRENEURS BOSTON WHICH HAS FOUR ANNUAL EVENTS UM EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN
WHICH IS AN ANNUAL. UM CEREMONY IN MARCH AND UH MINISTER EQUITY AND OTHER PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT WOMEN. AND GIRLS OKAY. AND THEN JUST UH WE'LL GO TO
PUBLIC TESTIMONY ONCE AGAIN JUST IN TERMS OF STAFF I HAVE FOR FOR GRANTS. DO YOU HAVE STAFF WHO WORK WITH LIKE I DON'T YOU'RE NOT WRITING
GRANTS BUT THEY'RE SORT OF REVERSE UH, ACCEPTING GRANT APPLICATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. ARE YOU RETAINING THOSE STAFF? I GUESS WHAT HAPPENS IF WE'RE NOT DOING GRANTS? WHAT AND HOW HOW DOES THAT WORK
IN THE CABINET AS EACH JUST BLACK MALE THAT'S WE HAVE THEIR OWN GRANT PERSON AND YEAH WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT AND CHIEF IF YOU WANT. >> TO. WE DON'T HAVE. AND THIS IS PART OF THE. LARGER STRATEGY THAT I'VE BEEN
REFERRING TO BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY. STAFF WHOSE SINGULAR PURPOSE. >> IN THE. ADMINISTRATION IS TO JUST MANAGE GRANTS. UM, IN FACT STAFF WILL TELL YOU THAT THEY HAVE TOO. MANY THINGS. ON THEIR PLATE BUT. THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT AND
AND. WE ARE GOING TO BE RETHINKING UM, THE STRATEGIES MOVING FORWARD. BUT I. WANT TO JUST HONE. IN ON THE FACT THAT AS YOU'RE HEARING PROGRAMING IS NOT STOPPING IS JUST THE GRANT
PROGRAM WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS ONE OF THE ONES THAT GET MOST OF THE MARKETING BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S EXCITING ETC. BUT NONE OF THE PROGRAMING IS ENDING. OKAY. >> UM FOR OH I WANTED TO ADD COUNSELOR WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT OUR POLICY.
DIRECTOR RUNS. UM OUR GRANTS AND MANAGES THEM SO SHE'LL BE LEANING HER WORK ON POLICY ADVOCACY. AND WOULD LOVE TO SUPPORT OKAY. UH AND THEN I GUESS ARE WE
DOING ANY ADVANCED INVESTMENTS IN GRANT WRITING? UH, IN TERMS OF GETTING GRANTS FOR DEPARTMENTS? I KNOW MY WIFE WORKS AT A REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT ORGANIZATION AND INVESTING IN
THOSE PEOPLE PAYS OFF, UH, BECAUSE THERE ARE GRANTS. AND SO WHAT ARE WE DOING TO. UM THAT WE'D LOVE. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE. UM, BUT THAT IS NOT SOMETHING
THAT FROM AN EQUITY LENS WE ARE CONSIDERING AT THIS MOMENT. >> OKAY. WELL I MEAN I DO THINK JUST A GOOD GRANT WRITERS ARE WORTH THEIR WEIGHT IN GOLD PROBABLY UH UM. >> AND I THINK COUNSELOR IN THE AFTERNOON YOU'LL HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE FROM DEPARTMENTS FOR
WHOM THAT IS THE CASE. UM, BUT JUST NOT FROM THIS PANEL. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. UH, SO, COUNSELOR BRAIN, WE WERE ABOUT TO GO TO, UH, PUBLIC TESTIMONY, BUT YOU'RE HERE. YOU HAD A FIRST ROUND OF QUESTIONS SEVEN MINUTES.
I THINK. UM. >> UH, AND. THEN FOR FOR FOLKS WHO ARE HERE FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY YOU WILL GO AFTER AFTER. >> GETS A BRIEF QUICKLY. SEVEN MINUTES. >> UM. I JUST SAW EARLIER THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT THE UM THE
DIRECTOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR POSITION AT THE OFFICE OF FAIR HOUSING AND EQUITY, UM, THE OUTREACH AND EDUCATION DIRECTOR POSITION IS ALSO UNFILLED. IS THERE A PLAN TO FILL THAT POSITION?
YEAH. >> MY HOPE IS THAT THAT IS ONE OF THE FIRST, UH. POSITIONS THAT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WILL BE ABLE TO FILL. I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE AROUND STANDARDS FOR EDUCATION OUTREACH AND TRACKING
SORT OF METRICS OF WHAT THAT THAT OUTREACH BRINGS INTO THE OFFICE UM, TRADITIONALLY UM WITH HUD FUNDED UM FOR. HOUSING OFFICES. SO IT'S SOMETHING WE. >> REALLY WANT TO SEE STRATEGICALLY PUT IN PLACE BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. SO IN TERMS OF AND THEN THE
EXECUTIVE YOU'RE HIRING A LEAD EXECUTIVE. YES YES SORRY YOU MENTIONED THIS EARLIER I MISSED. SO NO WORRIES. YES BY THE FALL. >> ACCOUNTS. BY THE FALL. SO ANY HOPE AND THEN THE THE OUTREACH AND EDUCATION DIRECTOR WOULD. FOLLOW SHORTLY AFTER.
THE AFTER. SO BY THE END OF THE YEAR YOU'RE. THINKING ABSOLUTELY. HOPEFULLY OKAY UM GIVEN THE UH WIDESPREAD HOUSING DISCRIMINATION IN BOSTON, HOW MANY INVESTIGATORS IS THE
OFFICE OF FAIR HOUSING CURRENTLY ABLE TO CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION TO BE ABLE TO CONDUCT A YEAR? SORRY. >> ARE YOU ASKING. FOR AN INVESTIGATION? INVESTIGATION? >> YEAH. >> SO IT REALLY RANGES YEAR TO YEAR. UM, I WOULD HAVE TO PULL UP THE
PREVIOUS FIVE YEARS FOR YOU, BUT WE CAN SEND THAT OVER IF HELPFUL. UM, RIGHT NOW WE ARE A LITTLE BIT OVER TWO DOZEN. >> IS. MY RECOLLECTION. >> TWO DOZEN BUT 24 OF THEM 24 PLUS. YEAH AND THOSE. DO THOSE DO RANGE I THINK THERE
HAVE BEEN YEARS UM THAT WE'VE ARCHIVED ALREADY UM THAT ARE IN THE HUNDREDS I THINK SOMETIMES THAT INDICATES THAT HOUSING DISCRIMINATION HAS IMPROVED AND SOMETIMES IT IT MEANS THAT IT'S JUST A BIT MORE HIDDEN. OKAY. >> UM AND.
>> THEN UM THE UH THE THE OFFICE OF FAIR HOUSING AND EQUITY IS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING THE UH FOR THE CITY'S AFFORDABLE FURTHERING
FAIR HOUSING EMPLOYMENT IMPLEMENTATION. UH, AND. >> ZONING REVIEW AND COMPLIANCE REPORTING. ARE WE HOW IS THE CITY MEETING ITS OBLIGATIONS TO UM, UH WITH KEY LEADERSHIP AND
INVESTIGATIVE POSITIONS VACANT, ARE WE ABLE TO ARE WE ABLE TO DO THAT WORK? YEAH. >> SO THE AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING ALSO FOR ME TO SAY SITS UM WITH OUR POLICY MANAGER WHO IS STILL WITH US UM, AND SHE HAS BEEN
DOING FANTASTIC WORK ACROSS SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS. UM, AND YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF OUR SLIDES WHERE I WENT INTO THIS A BIT BUT UM WE ARE REALLY, REALLY PROUD OF THE WORK WE'VE DONE ESPECIALLY LAST YEAR ON THE ANTI DISPLACEMENT PLAN WHICH ACTUALLY TICKS OFF
SEVERAL BOXES UM OF GOALS WE WERE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH. SO THAT WORK IS BEING DONE ACROSS. PLANNING FOR ISD, VFC AND BP'S AND I'M SURE I'M FORGETTING
SOMEBODY UM BUT IT'S THE PARTNERSHIP IS WORKING REALLY WELL IN THE MONITORING COMMITTEE IS PLEASED TO SEE THE PROGRESS THAT'S BEING MADE. AND UM, THIS CURRENTLY INCREASING OVERSIGHT OVER
BOSTON'S FAIR HOUSING UH, NOT BECAUSE THEY AGREE WITH IT NECESSARILY UM, FAIR HOUSING COMPLIANCE BUT HOW IS THE CITY PREPARING TO RESPOND TO HUD INQUIRIES OR ENFORCEMENT
ACTIONS? UM, GIVEN THE STAFF THAT YOU HAVE FOR YOU, ARE YOU UP TO FULLY STAFFED THE ADEQUATE LEVEL TO MEET THOSE INQUIRIES FROM HUD? YEP. SO IN TERMS OF THE
INVESTIGATORS, ABSOLUTELY WE HAVE FOUR INVESTIGATORS AND THEN ONE INTAKE COORDINATOR THAT YOU TALK TO WHEN YOU COME INTO THE OFFICE WITH YOUR FIRST ALLEGATIONS. UM AND THEN WE ARE HIRING ACTIVELY FOR A DIRECTOR OF INVESTIGATIONS.
THE PREVIOUS UM PERSON LEFT AT THE END OF OCTOBER. OKAY. >> UM THE PREVIOUS PERSON LEFT IN OCTOBER. MHM. YEAH. SO WHO'S DOING A NO SORRY. SO THAT'S A. >> PERSON JUST OVERSEES THE DEPARTMENT. THERE ARE STILL FOUR
INVESTIGATORS HARD AT WORK. OKAY UM. AND THEN ALSO BRIGHTON IS A LARGE IMMIGRANT AND LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY COMMUNITIES. UM UM WE'RE JUST WONDERING IN
TERMS OF HAVING THE OUTREACH AND EDUCATION DIRECTOR POSITION IS VACANT, UM, WHAT TARGETED OUTREACH IS HAPPENING UM IN ALLSTON BRIGHTON TO ENSURE THAT
RESIDENTS UNDERSTAND THEIR THEIR RIGHTS AND ARE ABLE TO KNOW HOW TO REPORT DISCRIMINATION. I'D HAVE TO GET. BACK TO YOU ON ANY SORT OF IN ALLSTON BRIGHTON EVENTS THAT WE'VE DONE. BUT WE DO HAVE OUR WEEKLY CALL
WHICH IS CITYWIDE UM, FOR RESIDENTS TO SHOW UP AND ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR OWN DISCRIMINATION POTENTIALLY. . BUT MOSTLY IT'S USED BY LENDERS AND BROKERS AND LANDLORDS, UM, TO ASK QUESTIONS AROUND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE ENGAGING IN
PROPER PRACTICE. UM, BUT WE ARE HAPPY TO SORT OF REACH BACK OUT AND MAKE SURE THAT ALLSTON BRIGHTON IS BEING TOUCHED INDIVIDUALLY. AND IN TERMS OF UM MATERIALS UM ARE WE AND DO WE HAVE MATERIALS
THAT WE CAN SHARE? ABSOLUTELY. >> WE'D BE HAPPY TO DROP SOME OFF FOR YOUR OFFICE. >> WE HAVE THEM IN ALL OF THE CITY'S UM MOST SPOKEN LANGUAGES . THERE'S SORT OF PAMPHLETS THAT ARE QUITE, QUITE HELPFUL AND UM THEY TAKE YOU TO THE WEBSITE ALSO TO FILE A CLAIM. OKAY. >> UM.
KEEP GOING TIME ON THE CLOCK HERE. >> UM. I'M JUST ALSO WONDERING THAT, UM, WITH ALL THE DEVELOPMENT WE'RE STILL BUILDING THINGS AND ALSO IN BRIGHTON. UH, WHICH IS GOOD.
UM, HOW IS THE OFFICE OF FAIR HOUSING AND EQUITY PARTICIPATING AND IN THE ZONING REVIEW FOR PROJECTS IN THE DISTRICT AND ALSO IN BRIGHTON? YEP. >> SO A LOT OF OUR WORK. >> IS ACTUALLY ON THE ARTICLE 80 MODERNIZATION UM.
,PROCESS. >> UH, AND MAKING SURE THAT AS WE ARE SORT OF WORKING THROUGH CLEANING UP THE PROCESS. SPEEDING IT. >> UP THAT THE FAIR HOUSING PIECES ARE NOT. LOST UM. THERE IS A BOARD THAT SORT OF LOOKS DOES SOME OVERSIGHT FOR FAIR HOUSING. UM AND WE.
NOT ONLY THE FAIR HOUSING TEAM BUT ALSO. FOLKS LIKE THE. >> DISABILITY COMMISSION UM, GIVE PRETTY REGULAR REVIEW AND FEEDBACK ON SORT OF NEW QUESTIONS WE'RE ASKING OF DEVELOPERS FOR EXAMPLE AROUND DISABILITY DISPLACEMENT . UM, SO A LOT OF THE WORK THAT
IS DONE IN THE DISPLACEMENT. PLAN THE PLANNING HAS PUT. OUT, UM, WAS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED BY THE FAIR HOUSING TEAM AND THOSE THINGS ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED SLOWLY. >> BUT SURELY. UM. >> THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
WAS AS EFFECTIVELY BEEN DEFUNDED IN THE FINANCIAL YEAR 27 UM BUDGET BOOK AS I UNDERSTAND UM MANY OF THESE FUNCTIONS WILL BE ABSORBED BY
THE REST OF THE EQUITY CABINETS DEPARTMENT AS WELL WITH THE HAVE HAVE IT I'M QUOTING AS A HEAVY RELIANCE ON EXISTING STATE RESOURCES. UM WHAT SORT OF DETAILS CAN YOU
PROVIDE ABOUT WHICH WHICH DEPARTMENT WILL BE ABSORBING THE WORK? UM, THAT WAS GUARANTEED UNDER THE ORDINANCE FOR UM THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION? YEAH. I MEAN. >> AND OBVIOUSLY THERE'S NO.
PERFECT SCIENCE HERE BUT I I THINK. WE WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY OUR PARTNERS. >> IN THE STATE WHICH WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A BACKLOG IN THERE BUT WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM. UM OBVIOUSLY OP ED HAS RECEIVED
SOME OF THESE UM RESPONSIBILITIES. OUR TEAM WORKS. REALLY WELL WITH THE CIVIL RIGHTS UNIT. ALSO AND THE POLICE. DEPARTMENT AND SO WHILE IT IS. NOT A PERFECT SCIENCE WE HAVE
LEARNED. THAT THIS THIS CONTINUES TO END THE DISABILITIES THAT SORRY DISABILITIES COMMISSION AS WELL. WE'VE LEARNED THAT THIS MEETS THE NEED AT THE MOMENT. UM SO THAT WE CAN REFOCUS OUR
OUR RESOURCES AND AND THE DIFFERENT WORK THAT WE DO. OKAY MY TIME'S UP OKAY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, THAT WRAPS UP OUR FIRST ROUND OF QUESTIONS. WE'RE GOING TO HEAR UH, FROM
PUBLIC TESTIMONY. UM, I HAVE ON THE SIGN UP SHEET OF CAT UH, MATTY GOOD ASIA GASKINS, CLIFTON BRAITHWAITE,
JOHN SMITH SINCERE ROBERT LEWIS AND KATHY BROWN UH AND YEAH, UM A FEW I THINK WE MIGHT GO OUT OF ORDER. UH. THANK YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU. PANEL UM, MY NAME IS CLIFTON
BRAITHWAITE. DECADES OF SERVING OUR COMMUNITY AND THIS. WILL BE THE SECOND TIME THAT I ASKED FOR HELP. A LOT OF. >> THESE PROGRAMS, UH, I'VE BEEN IN SUPPORT OF, UM, EVEN
PROMOTING IT ON MY OWN TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE INFORMATION. ABOUT WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY IS NOT AGAINST ANYBODY, BUT I FEEL LIKE I'M BEING DROPPED IN BETWEEN.
UM, THE DRAFT WHERE PEOPLE DON'T RECOGNIZE THAT SOMETIMES EVEN LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY NEED HELP. UM, I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF ADVICE WHICH WAY TO GO.
BUT FIGHTING THROUGH PROBATE WHEN IT COMES TO HOME OWNERSHIP, A LOT OF THESE PROGRAMS I HEAR ABOUT HOUSING AND THINGS LIKE THAT BUT THEY NEVER TALK ABOUT MEN OR WOMEN SUCH AS MYSELF THAT COME FROM A
FAMILY THAT HAS PROPERTY AND AS WE ALL KNOW THINGS CAN HAPPEN IF YOU'RE NOT PROPERLY TRAINED OR HAVE THE MONEY TO FIGHT THE RESOURCES. I DID MOST OF THE LEGWORK WITH THE LAYMAN WAY THAT I KNOW HOW
TO DO STUFF AS A JUST AS AN ACTIVIST, BUT I NEED HELP AND I WANT TO KNOW HOW CAN WE HELP PEOPLE SUCH AS MYSELF TO KEEP THE LEGACY OF WHAT THEIR PARENTS BOUGHT FOR THEM WITHOUT LOSING IT?
UM, I'VE BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR A VERY LONG TIME. I'M NOT COMPLAINING. I'M NOT SAYING NO ONE'S HELPING ME BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO HELP MYSELF WITHOUT THE HELP OF THE
BODY AND PROGRAMS LIKE THIS, THE MOST I NEED IS A LAWYER TO HELP ME NAVIGATE THROUGH THE PROBATE. I THINK A LOT OF WHAT I'M DEALING WITH PERSONALLY MIGHT BE THE TRAUMA OF WHAT I DEALT
WITH LOSING MY MOM'S AND FAMILY BEING TOO SOON. MY FAMILY'S JUST GONE THROUGH A LOT AND I PRAY FOR THEM. I'D LIKE TO THANK THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT, UM FOR HELPING ME ON THE QUIET.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DON'T KNOW A LOT OF Y'ALL IN THE COUNCIL. Y'ALL GAVE ME A LOT OF ADVICE PAST, UM, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. I NEED YOUR HELP SOMEHOW SOME WAY TO HELP ME NAVIGATE SO I
CAN SAVE MY FAMILY AND HAVE THE LEGACY WHAT MY FATHER LEFT FOR ME. AND I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE OUT HERE LIKE THAT. I HEAR THESE COMPLAINTS ALL THE TIME. I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP, YOUR SERVICES BECAUSE I'M GOING TO
CONTINUE WHAT I DO FOR THE COMMUNITY. BUT I GOT TO LEARN TO ALSO WORK FOR MYSELF AND DO WHAT I NEED TO DO. SO I'M JUST APPLYING ASKING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE LEADERSHIP THAT'S IN THE COMMUNITY THAT KNOWS THE WORK
THAT I'VE BEEN DOING. I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THIS THIS PROBATE AND TO MAKE SURE WHAT MY MOTHER LEFT THAT I CAN CONTINUE TO GIVE IT BACK TO MY FAMILY NO MATTER WHAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH.
I AM THE PATRIARCH OF THIS FAMILY AND I'M NOT GOING TO LET ANYTHING DROP UNDER MY WATCH LIKE I WON'T LET IT DROP IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR LETTING ME GO FIRST.
UM, I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO ASK ANYMORE. I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP TO SAVE MY FAMILY'S LEGACY. THANK YOU BOSTON AND THANK YOU
EVERYBODY HERE IN THIS BODY I KNOW Y'ALL GOING TO HELP IS WHENEVER WE CAN SIT DOWN AND GET THIS DONE. THANK YOU. OKAY. >> UM. YEAH. I'M SORRY. CAN WE JUST, UH, DO YOU NEED TO
GO NOW OR YOU HAVE TO LEAVE? OKAY. SO PLEASE STEP UP AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND THEN WE'LL GO IN ORDER AFTER. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ANTHONY EDWARDS. I CAME HERE TO LEARN TODAY I. WASN'T GOING. >> TO.
TESTIFY BUT MY NAME WAS MENTIONED BY CHIEF MARIANGELA. I WANT TO SAY THAT I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH TODAY THINGS THAT I HADN'T EVEN KNOWN AND I AM HIGHLY IMPRESSED. WHAT THE EQUITY INCLUSION CABINET AND A DIFFERENT
ENTITIES DO GO OUT OF THEIR WAY TO PROVIDE SERVICES AND PROGRAMS FOR OUR COMMUNITY. I JUST WANT THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL TO PLEASE CONSIDER EXPANDING THE FUNDING FOR THESE GRANTS THAT NEED TO BE UM, PUT
TOGETHER SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE THIS POWERFUL IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY AND WITHOUT THEM IT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD JUST HAVE A HIGHLY NEGATIVE AFFECT UM, AND GETTING. STUFF DONE. >> SO I. >> JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU GUYS AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AND ALSO RECOMMEND
THAT WE RECONSIDER THE BUDGET FOR THE EQUITY INCLUSION CABINET TO EXPAND TO EXTEND. >> THOSE FUNDINGS. SO THAT THEY CAN GET THE WORK DONE. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. SO I'M SO MAD MADDIE GOOD IS UP
NEXT. SORRY. UH HELLO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. UM. >> I'M SORRY. AM I MISSING THIS? YEAH. OKAY. JUST GO AHEAD. NO WORRIES. COUNCIL. ,UM. I WANT. >> TO FIRST ACKNOWLEDGE, UH,
THE WORK OF THE OFFICE OF BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT TODAY, BUT JUST ONE, UH, HIGHLIGHT TO THAT I WANT TO ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, RICHARD CLAYTON WHO'S ONE
OF OUR COMMISSIONERS, UM, IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY FOCUSED ON PUBLIC HEALTH. UM, GOOD MORNING, CHAIR WEBER AND CITY COUNCILORS. MY NAME IS MARGIE. GOOD. I SERVE AS THE CHAIR OF THE BLACK MEN AND BOYS COMMISSION
AND I AM TESTIFYING ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMISSION, THE COMMISSION ON BLACK MEN AND BOYS WAS ESTABLISHED THROUGH A 2021 ORDINANCE AND IS MADE UP OF 21 BLACK MALES WITH EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE AND
EXPERTISE ON ISSUES PERTAINING TO BLACK MEN AND BOYS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THE COMMISSION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OFFICE THE COMMISSION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OFFICE OF BLACK MALE INVESTMENT REMAINS COMMITTED TO ADVANCING
THE GUIDING RESPONSIBILITIES LAID OUT IN OUR ORDINANCE. I'D LIKE TO GO THROUGH THOSE WITH YOU ADVISING THE MAYOR ON ISSUES PERTAINING TO BLACK MEN AND BOYS, ASSISTING THE OFFICE
OF THE MAYOR IN DETERMINING BUDGET AND POLICY PRIORITIES, MONITORING AND ADVISING CITY AGENCIES AND DEPARTMENTS ON ISSUES PERTAINING TO BLACK MEN AND BOYS. EXCUSE ME DESIGNING PROJECTS
AND PROGRAMS THAT PROMOTE EQUITY FOR BLACK MEN AND BOYS WHICH ARE NOT CURRENTLY BEING IMPLEMENTED BY EXISTENCE. CITY AGENCIES PERFORMING OUTREACH, COMMUNICATION AND
LIAISON TO BLACK MEN AND BOYS RELATED TO COMMUNITY GROUPS AND ORGANIZATION. HOST PUBLIC COMMISSION MEETINGS . PRODUCE A YEARLY REPORT PERTAINING TO THE WORK OF THE COMMISSION IN THE PROGRESS
OF THE CITY TO ADVANCE THE STATUS OF BLACK MEN AND BOYS. EACH YEAR THE BLACK MEN AND BOYS COMMISSION RELEASES POLICY AND BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.
THE BLACK MEN AND BOYS COMMISSION FY 27 BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS SEEKS TO ADDRESS SYSTEMIC BARRIERS AND IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR BLACK MEN AND BOYS IN BOSTON WE ROOM WE REMAIN IN FULL SUPPORT OF THE
OFFICE OF BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENTS, EFFORTS AND OUTSTANDING PROGRESS, PERSISTENT CHALLENGES AND THE ACTIONS NEEDED TO ENSURE BLACK MEN AND BOYS CAN THRIVE IN
EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD OF OUR CITY. OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MET WITH MAYOR MICHELLE WU, THE CITY COUNCIL, COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND RESIDENTS, THE COMMISSION HAS MADE MEANINGFUL PROGRESS
THROUGH THE COMMISSION'S ADVOCACY AND LEADERSHIP. THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF BLACK WOMEN ADVANCEMENT HAS BEEN CODIFIED INTO LAW. LASTLY, A CITYWIDE EQUITY STUDY THAT CONTINUES TO MAKE PROGRESS
SO FAR ENGAGING MORE THAN 2000 RESIDENTS AND IN FY 26 A 2.1 MILLION ANNUAL BUDGET WAS SECURED TO SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE OFFICE OF BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT THROUGH THE
COMMISSIONER'S ANNUAL BUDGET AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS. ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS HAVE ADVANCED OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS EDUCATION, HOUSING, PUBLIC HEALTH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND
COMMUNITY SAFETY. AT THE SAME TIME, PERSISTENT CHALLENGES REMAIN. BLACK MEN AND BOYS IN THE BOSTON CONTINUE TO FACE ENTRENCHED DISPARITIES ACROSS THESE PRIORITY AREAS OF FOCUS
AS THE CITY PREPARES FOR THE FOR HARD DECISIONS IN THE FY 27 BUDGET. GIVEN THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CHALLENGES, THE COMMISSION REQUEST LEVEL FUNDING FOR FY 27
BUDGET PRIORITIES, GOALS AND SUCCESS INDICATORS FOR EACH PRIORITY AND FOR CITY DEPARTMENTS TO WORK WITH BLACK WOMEN ADVANCEMENT TO GAIN ASSISTANCE AND OUTREACH. THE COMMISSION CONTINUES TO
ADVOCATE FOR THE FOLLOWING BUDGET PRIORITIES THE OFFICE OF BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT TO HAVE LEVEL FUNDING REMAIN FULLY STAFF. CONTINUE THE EQUITY STUDY PHASE
TO CONTINUE COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT GRANTS PARTICULARLY CONTINUE THE DATA DASHBOARD EFFORTS, CONTINUE THE WORK OF MY BROTHER'S KEEPER AND PROJECT OPPORTUNITY. CONTINUE PROVIDING TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE TO COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE BLACK MEN AND BOYS COMMISSION AND MOST IMPORTANTLY TO TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT BLACK MEN AND BOYS THROUGHOUT THE
CITY OF BOSTON. WE ARE ALSO REQUESTS AND GRANTS ADMINISTERED BY WORKERS EMPOWERMENT, HUMAN SERVICES, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY HOUSING AND BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT TO
BE LEVEL FUNDING AND CLOSING THROUGH THE EQUITY STUDY AND DATA DASHBOARD. WE WILL NOT WE WILL NOT ONLY CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THE FOUNDATION LAID THESE PAST FOUR YEARS ON THE LEADERSHIP
OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FRANK FARRELL, THE BMA STAFF TO TITO JACKSON AND THE INAUGURAL COMMISSIONERS. BUT WE WILL HAVE GUIDANCE AND TOOLS FOR THE OFFICE AND NEW COMMISSIONERS TO CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THAT FOUNDATION BRICK
BY BRICK, DEPARTMENT BY DEPARTMENT, NEIGHBORHOOD BY NEIGHBORHOOD THROUGH AN EQUITY FRAMEWORK, EVIDENCE BASED RESEARCH AND RECOMMENDATIONS, TRACK AND DATA AND COMMUNITY VOICE SO THAT WE ARE ABLE TO
MONITOR IMPACT AND PROGRESS ACROSS THE CITIES. THESE INVESTMENTS AND OUTCOMES OF BLACK MEN AND BOYS ARE A MEASURE OF THE CITY'S MORALE AND ECONOMIC HEALTH.
THE BLACK POOR BLACK MEN AND BOYS COMMISSION STANDS READY TO CONTINUE THIS WORK COLLABORATIVELY, CANDIDLY AND WITH THE URGENCY OUR COMMUNITIES DESERVE. RESPECTFULLY, MARGERY GOOD TO HEAR THE BLACK MEN AND BOYS
COMMISSION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. UH, AISHA GASKINS AND THEN UH, JOHN SMITH SAINTS HERE ROBERT LEWIS KATHY BROWN. ,THANK. >> YOU FOR HAVING ME. UM, JUST TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE
SAFETY. >> ON OUR STREETS. >> WE HAVE GLASS. ON EVERY. FEW COUPLE OF STEPS. AND WE'RE CONSTANTLY HAVING THESE BIG PLACES. OF GLASS ALL OVER THE. PLACE WHICH I REPORT TO. 311 THE. CITY OF BOSTON.
UM. >> THIS IS TO CITY. COUNCILOR MINAKO. PEPA FROM YOUNG YOUTH. >> AND WOMEN'S DEVELOPMENT ASIA. GASKINS I. HAVE A. >> SMALL BUSINESS. UM, THE QUALITY OF BEING FAIR AND JUST ESPECIALLY IN THE WAY
THAT TAKES ACCOUNT OF OF AND SEEKS TO ADDRESS EXISTING INEQUALITIES ISSUES BLACK AMERICANS AND LATIN AMERICANS ARE NOT TREATED EQUAL.
LATIN AMERICANS IS DOING FAR MORE BUSINESS WITH AMERICAN THAN THE AVERAGE BLACK AMERICAN ISSUE. BLACK AMERICAN MALES AND
FEMALES ARE BEING TARGETED FOR EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS ISSUE FAIR HOUSING IS GOING TOWARDS THE ELITE RACE WHICH IS LATIN AMERICANS ISSUE.
WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT IS NOT INCLUDING OR RAPIDLY ADVANCING BLACK AMERICAN FEMALES AS THEY SHOULD. FINAL ISSUE THERE IS
SEGREGATION FROM THE LIGHT SKINNED RACE AND THE DARK SKINNED RACE AS WELL AS FROM THE LATIN AMERICANS AND THE BLACK AMERICANS. I HAVE CONCLUDED MY ISSUES FOR
TODAY'S MEETING WITH CITY COUNCIL AND ANOTHER CHAMBER. THANK YOU FOR HEARING MY CONCERNS TODAY, MAY 12TH, 2026 AT 10 A.M.. HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY.
SINCERELY, ANGELA DAWN GASKINS YOU CAN REACH ME AT GOD NIGHT 2020 AT GMAIL.COM. MY PHONE NUMBER IS (413) 210-4356. I ALSO HAVE A COPY OF THIS FORM
IF YOU WOULD LIKE IT. YES WE CAN WE WILL WE'LL TAKE THAT FOR THE RECORD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH YEAH I'LL TAKE A COPY OF THAT. UM, OKAY.
UH, JOHN UH, SMITH SAINTS HERE THAN ROBERT LEWIS THAN KATHY BROWN. ALL RIGHT. HOW'S EVERYBODY DOING?
UH, MY NAME IS JOHN SMITH SAINTS HERE AND I'M THE FOUNDER OF THE JOE SMITH SUICIDE PREVENTION CENTER FOR YOUNG BLACK BOYS. UM, I WANT TO START BY SAYING I'M GENUINELY CONFUSED.
UM, I DO NOT KNOW IF CABINET LEADERS WORK FOR THE MAYOR OR DO THEY SERVE THE PEOPLE LIKE IS THERE ANY BALANCE THERE? I UNDERSTAND THE FORMAL STRUCTURE. CABINET LEADERS ARE APPOINTED WITHIN THE MAYOR'S ADMINISTRATION.
THEY REPORT THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATION AND THEY ARE EXPECTED TO CARRY OUT THE MAYOR'S AGENDA. BUT THIS IS A PUBLIC BUDGET. THESE ARE PUBLIC DEPARTMENTS. THESE ARE PUBLIC DOLLARS.
AND THE PURPOSE OF THESE OFFICES IS IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE PUBLIC SERVICE. SO WHEN DEPARTMENTS RESPONSIBLE FOR EQUITY ARE FACING CUTS I DO NOT EXPECT THE LEADERS TO SIMPLY DEFEND THE BUDGET THEY
WERE HANDED. I EXPECT THEM TO SPEAK CLEARLY ABOUT THE IMPACT THOSE CUTS WILL HAVE ON THE PEOPLE THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO SERVE. BECAUSE IF CABINET LEADERS CAN ONLY DEFEND THE MAYOR'S BUDGET
EVEN WHEN THE BUDGET REDUCES THEIR OWN ABILITY TO SERVE VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES, THEN WE NEED TO BE HONEST ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS. THAT IS NOT INDEPENDENT EQUITY LEADERSHIP. THAT IS POLITICAL MANAGEMENT
AND EQUITY CANNOT BE MANAGED INTO EXISTENCE. IT HAS TO BE FOUGHT FOR. UM SO ROUTINELY GRANTS ARE NOT AFFIRMATIONS.
GRANT FUNDING IS HOW REAL PROGRAMS REACH REAL PEOPLE. IT SUPPORTS STAFF, PROVIDES MATERIALS, FEEDS FAMILIES, MENTORS YOUNG PEOPLE AND ALLOWS GRASSROOT ORGANIZATIONS TO
RESPOND TO CRISIS IN REAL TIME. MY NONPROFIT RECEIVED A $7,500 GRANT THROUGH THE OFFICE OF WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT TO TEACH YOUNG BOYS ABOUT GENDER BASED VIOLENCE. I HAVE SINCE RECEIVED AN EMAIL STATING THAT THIS FUNDING WILL
NO LONGER BE AVAILABLE IN FISCAL YEAR 27. SO I'M NOT SPEAKING IN THEORY. A SMALL CUT ON PAPER CAN MEAN AN ENTIRE PREVENTION PROGRAM DISAPPEARS IN THE COMMUNITY. THIS SPEAKS TO THE DISCONNECT
BETWEEN CITY HALL AND THE ACTUAL PEOPLE INSIDE CITY HALL. THESE CUTS MAY LOOK LIKE NUMBERS ON A SPREADSHEET. BUT IN A COMMUNITY THESE DOLLARS DETERMINED WHETHER PROGRAMS HAPPEN OR DISAPPEAR.
FOR SOME RESIDENTS THAT IS NOT SYMBOLIC. IT IS LIFE OR DEATH. AND I REALLY WANT TO KNOW WOULD THERE BE THIS LEVEL WITH WOULD THERE BE THIS SAME LEVEL
OF SILENCE IF THESE CUTS WERE COMING OUT OF SALARIES WITH IT? WOULD THERE BE THIS LITTLE URGENCY IF THE REDUCTIONS AFFECT THE PEOPLE AT THE TOP INSTEAD OF THE GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS AND RESIDENTS AT
THE BOTTOM? THE REALITY IS THAT GRASSROOT ORGANIZATIONS ARE THE ONES DOING THE ACTUAL WORK. WHAT IMPACT WOULD THE OFFICE OF BLACK ADVANCEMENT HAVE WITHOUT THE NONPROFIT AND GRASSROOT ORGANIZATIONS IT
FUNDS? MANY RESIDENTS DO NOT KNOW THESE OFFICES DO CITY HALL. THEY KNOW THEM TO US. THEY KNOW THEY KNOW THEM DO THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT BRING THE RESOURCES INTO THE COMMUNITY
ORGANIZE THE PROGRAMS, HOLD THE EVENTS, SUPPORT THE FAMILIES AND MAKE THE WORK VISIBLE. WITHOUT GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS, THESE OFFICES BECOME NAMES IN THE CITY WEBSITE. THEY BECOME POLICY LANGUAGE
WITHOUT COMMUNITY REACH. THEY BECOME EQUITY INFRASTRUCTURE WITH NO GROUND LEVEL DELIVERY. THAT IS WHY CUTTING GRANT AND PARTNERSHIP FUNDING IS SO HARMFUL. IT WEAKENS THE VERY ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAKE THESE
OFFICES RELEVANT, VISIBLE AND EFFECTIVE. SO I CAME HERE TO ASK THAT ALL FUNDING BE RESTORED FOR FISCAL YEAR 27. BUT NOW I'M ALSO ASKING FOR NEW DEPARTMENT LEADERSHIP BECAUSE WE NEED LEADERS THAT REPRESENT
THE PEOPLE AND NOT JUST THE MAYOR. THANK YOU. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. UH, ROBERT LOUIS AND UH, KATHY BROWN.
WAIT TO MORNING. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. UM. I'LL TELL YOU THIS SAYING THIS IS NOT EASY. UM. >> I GOT A CALL A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO FROM A FRIEND.
UM. THAT I RESPECT. I CARE ABOUT. HE TOLD ME ABOUT THIS MEETING. AND, UM. YOU KNOW, HE MENTIONED FRANK. HE MENTIONED THE BLACK
ADVANCEMENT EQUITY AND INCLUSION AND, UM. IF IT WAS UP TO ME, I. PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE STANDING HERE. UM, BUT LIKE I SAID, I RESPECT HIM. UM, YOU KNOW, I'M A PRIVATE
PERSON. I'M A PROUD PERSON. HE SAID ROB MAN, YOU KNOW, TELL WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOU? ME TELL YOU TELL YOUR STORY WHAT'S GOING ON. BECAUSE PROBABLY A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW AND IF THEY KNOW THEY NEED TO HEAR YOUR SIDE OF IT.
UM. I RESPECT EVERYBODY ON THIS PANEL. I PROBABLY WORK WITH YOU. I'VE BEEN THIS IS PROBABLY MY THIRD TIME WORKING WITH CITY HALL WAY BACK FROM, UH, THIS MAN'S FATHER. UM, BACK IN THE 80S.
UM, THIS LAST TIME I CAME IN AT 213 WITH MARTY WALSH. UM, I WAS TERMINATED NOVEMBER. >> 17TH. UM. >> OF LAST YEAR. UM.
UM, BUT I HAVEN'T BUT I GOTTA BACK UP A LITTLE BIT. UM. ABOUT SIX YEARS AGO. VERY PAINFUL TIME MY SISTER GOT KILLED. UM. >> THIS IS AFTER SHE.
AND I'M. NOT GOING TO KEEP YOU GUYS LONG. I'M NOT. UH. SHE WENT TO GO TAKE CARE OF MY FATHER. MY MOTHER DIE. MY SISTER WENT TO GO TAKE CARE OF MY FATHER. SHE GETS KILLED. AND, UM, IT WAS A ROUGH TIME.
UM, BUT AROUND THAT TIME I WAS PUT. >> ON A ONE YEAR. UM, A IT TURNED OUT TO BE A FIVE YEAR. LAST CHANCE AGREEMENT. AND THE REASON. PEOPLE SAID WELL, WHAT. HAPPENED I GUESS I WAS OUT FOR
A WHOLE YEAR. >> WHEN I CAME BACK MARTY SAID, HEY, LISTEN, MAN, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY WANTED TO FIRE YOU. THE REASON WHEN THEY FIRED IT WAS IT WAS ONE OF THESE LONG DAYS I HAD TO WORK, UH, AND I
LET IT RUN. >> IN FOR 22 HOURS. I'LL FIND HIM. I LIVE IN THE NORTH END AND, UM. THEY SAID ROB, WHAT HAPPENED? I SAID I REALLY DON'T KNOW. I WAS TIRED AND, UM I GOT UP
THE NEXT DAY THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING. I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK. SO ANYWAY, THEY LIKE I SAID, THEY HAD EVEN A YEAR INVESTIGATION UH, FOR THAT AND I CAME BACK. UM.
SO THIS PAST MAY. SO ANYWAY, I'VE BEEN ON A. FIVE YEAR SINCE THAT TIME. UM, THIS PAST MAY I GOT A LETTER SAYING WELL. YOU'RE IN INVESTIGATION AGAIN. SO WHY WHAT HAPPENED?
UM. AND THIS HAS BEEN THE FIRST. INCIDENT IN FIVE YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS THING. UM, AND, UM.
LONG STORY SHORT, THEY SAID WELL, THERE WAS WAS A COFFEE HOUR AS AS YOU WANT MANY OF YOU GUYS I GO TO MEALS COFFEE HOUR. UM, WHAT AM I POSITIONS OF. IT WAS PRINCIPAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT WORK WITH ALL THE
CITY COUNCIL. AND THE AREAS AROUND ISSUES. OF UM. STREETS I WAS WORKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS WAS UM. EXCUSE ME MA'AM, MY HEART IS RACING MAN. UM. WORK WITH ALL OF THE CITY
COUNCIL ON ISSUES THEY. MIGHT HAVE. AROUND STREETS AND TRANSPORTATION. SO I GO TO ALL THE COFFEE HOURS. THIS ONE HAPPENED. >> TO BE IN THE NORTH END THIS TIME. UM. USUALLY WHAT HAPPENED FOR THE LAST IS 2013 IF IT'S A COFFEE.
>> HOUR. ON A THURSDAY I'LL. SIGN IN ON ON WEDNESDAY AT 8:00 I'M GOING TO BE AT THE COFFEE HOUR. UM AND BY THE WAY, EVERYTHING. >> THAT I'M SAYING. YOU GUYS HAVE CITY CONCERNS.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LOOK IT UP. EVERYTHING IS TRANSCRIPT. >> SO I'M NOT EVEN MAKING THIS UP. I THOUGHT ABOUT WRITING IT UP, BUT YOU GUYS CAN LOOK IT UP. IT'S ON THERE. UM, THE NUMBER ONE LIKE WHY I WAS ON THIS FIVE YEARS FOR THE CAR RUNNING FOR.
FOR 22 HOURS CAR WASN'T STOLEN . BUT ANYWAY, UM. SO THIS PAST MAY SO THIS PARTICULAR COFFEE HOUR. WAS, UM, IN THE NORTH END, UH,
STARTS AT 10:00. UM, AND IT WAS RAINING. >> AND USUALLY WHAT. HAPPENS AND IF IT. RAINS THEY CANCEL IT OR THEY MOVE IT INSIDE. THIS HAPPENED. >> TO BE THE ONLY ONE THAT THEY
CANCELED COMPLETELY. SO I'M WALKING AROUND TRYING TO FIND OUT AND GET WET. I GO. HOME, CHANGE MY CLOTHES AND. I COME TO WORK. I COME TO WORK. UH. >> PROBABLY ABOUT 1230. 1:00 I USE MY JOB TO GET IN AND
UM, 20. THEY PUSH THE STORY FORWARD. THEY'RE INVESTIGATING. >> THE FACT THAT ONE THAT I WAS A Q. I WAS ACCUSED OF. UM, VIOLATING MY.
LAST CHANCE. AGREEMENT BY STEALING BECAUSE THEY ASKED WELL, WHAT DID YOU DO FROM 10 TO 1 BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T SIGN AND. THEN NORMALLY. AND THIS. >> IS ON RECORD. ALSO I ASKED THIS. PERSON I'M NOT GOING TO I DON'T
WANT TO ACCUSE ANYBODY RIGHT NOW. THAT'S ALL IT IN DOCUMENTS BUT. THIS WAS A TARGETED SITUATION. I HAVE A. COHORT THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS WHO IT IS OUR ERIC PRENTICE WE STARTED IN 2013.
AND ON RECORD WE USUALLY DON'T SIGN IT. WE USUALLY DON'T SIGN IT. HE DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING AT ALL. SOMETIMES I DO. UM SO THEY THEY CHARGED ME. >> WITH VIOLATING MY LAST
CHANCE AGREEMENT BECAUSE. I STOLE THREE HOURS FROM 10 TO. >> 1 AND WHAT MY MY PIECE. WAS WAS THIS, UM, IF I WAS TRYING TO HIDE. SOMETHING ONE I WOULDN'T USE MY JOB TO GET IN BECAUSE THEY
COULD TRACK IT. TWO I SAID TO THEM YOU NORMALLY AND SAY WELL YOU SIGN IN AT. 8:00 THE NIGHT BEFORE. I SAID I'VE BEEN DOING THIS TO SINCE 2030.
I CAME IN TO WORK THAT DAY. UM SO ANYWAY SO WE HAD THREE DIFFERENT APPEALS. UM, I'M ON MY LAST. APPEAL COMING IN JUNE. UM, AND LIKE I. SAID, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW.
>> I SHARE WITH THIS PERSON MAN WHAT IS COMING HERE. TELL HIM A STORY. ABOUT YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? BUT, UM, I'M GLAD I DID. UH, SITTING OVER THERE, I WANT TO GO OUT THE DOOR. >> A COUPLE OF TIMES. UM.
YOU KNOW, I'M LET LET ME JUST SAY THIS I'LL BE 68. >> IN. 4 MONTHS. NEVER THOUGHT IN MY LIFE. THAT MY. >> WHOLE LIFE WOULD BE TURNED UPSIDE DOWN LIKE THIS. I WAS. EIGHT MONTHS AWAY FROM MY
PENSION. THAT I DON'T HAVE. UH, NEVER. >> THOUGHT I'D BE STRUGGLING LIKE THIS. AT THIS AGE. YOU KNOW, I WORKED. >> FOR THIS CITY FOR THE LAST. 30 YEARS AHEAD OF YOU. I HAD A. REENTRY PROGRAM A FIRST.
ONE EVER RAN BY BLACK MAN OF THE CITY. >> OF BOSTON. HAD THAT FOR 15 YEARS. I HAD A YOUTH PROGRAM FOR ANOTHER 18 YEARS. SO I DID A LOT FOR THIS AND TO. >> BE TREATED LIKE THIS. UM, I JUST THOUGHT THAT, UM,
IT'S A PAINFUL THING AND AND A LASTING. AND I JUST FOUND OUT LAST. MONTH LIKE I SAID. I HAVEN'T. UM, APPLIED. >> FOR UNEMPLOYMENT. UM, NOVEMBER. SO THAT'S.
SEVEN MONTHS. HAVE RECEIVED ONE PAYCHECK. I FIND. >> OUT LAST. MONTH THAT PUBLIC. WORKS IS CHALLENGING. MY UNEMPLOYMENT. WHY IN THE WORLD WHY WOULD THEY
CHALLENGE. MY UNEMPLOYMENT? I CAN'T UNDERSTAND IT. THANK GOD. TWO MONTHS AGO I JUST. STARTED COLLECTING MY SOCIAL. SECURITY AND THAT'S THE ONLY
INCOME I HAD. UM, BUT ANYWAY, YOU KNOW, ON. TOP OF, YOU KNOW. MR LEWIS. SORRY. I'M SORRY. I APOLOGIZE. I THANK YOU FOR COMING AND GIVING PUBLIC TESTIMONY. IT SOUNDS LIKE I DO.
WHAT? WHERE DO YOU WHERE DO YOU LIVE IN THE CITY IN TERMS OF YOU HAVE A DISTRICT COUNSELOR WHO CAN ADVOCATE FOR YOU ON THIS? I WOULD REACH OUT. UH, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO ME.
WE CAN DEFINITELY TAKE THIS. WE'RE WE'RE HERE FOR A BUDGET HEARING. I KNOW. >> I KNOW. EQUITY CABINET I I'M VERY SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THESE CIRCUMSTANCES AND I. APOLOGIZE IF IT'S UP TO YOU, FRANK. ALL THE MONEY NEEDS. RIGHT.
THAT'S ALL I KNOW. >> HE DOES A GREAT JOB. EQUITY, INCLUSION. UM. >> SAME THING SO WELL. THANK YOU. >> OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, SO WE'LL FIGURE OUT WHO TO, UH, COORDINATE WITH YOU TO GET
TO THE RIGHT DISTRICT COUNSELOR. UM, ON THIS KATHY BROWN AND THEN, UH, GET BACK TO THE SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS. UH, JUST A REMINDER.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY TWO MINUTES A PERSON. TRY NOT TO CUT PEOPLE OFF, BUT OKAY, I'LL. I'LL TRY. IF YOU HEAR THE BUZZER, TRY TO WRAP UP. OKAY. >> THAT SOUNDS GOOD. UM, HI. MY NAME IS KATHY BROWN.
I WORK FOR THE BOSTON TENANT COALITION AND WE, UM, ANCHOR THE AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING FH COMMUNITY. ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND WE'RE ALSO, UM, AS PART OF THAT
INVOLVED IN THE MONITORING OF THE CITY'S UM, UM FH UM AND UM, JUST YOU KNOW, THE WORK OF YOUR CABINET IS UNBELIEVABLY IMPORTANT AND ALL THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND ARE REALLY
SUPPORTIVE AND REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE CUTS BECAUSE OF OUR WORK ON FAIR HOUSING. I'M GOING TO ZOOM IN ON THAT. UM, WE ARE THE OFFICE OF FAIR HOUSING AND EQUITY IS SO
CRITICAL AT THIS TIME WHILE HUD IS ATTACKING BOSTON SINGLING OUT BOSTON AND WE APPRECIATE THE CITY COUNCIL'S FIGHTING BACK. YOU KNOW, IN THE CITY UM, AND DOING THEIR BEST TO FIGHT BACK.
UM, BUT THIS OFFICE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER. ALSO THE RAMPANT HOUSING DISCRIMINATION GOING ON ACROSS THE CITY. AND SO WE'RE REALLY CONCERNED
THAT THERE IS A 25% CUT AGAINST THE OFFICE OF FAIR HOUSING AND EQUITY AND WE'RE ALSO AS OTHER COUNCILORS HAVE RAISED ARE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE STAFFING. YOU KNOW, UM, THINK BOB TYRRELL
WHO PASSED YOU KNOW, OVER A YEAR AGO. UM, AND BY THE TIME IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMEONE WILL BE HIRED WILL BE A YEAR AND A HALF AND THEN THERE'S BEEN THERE HASN'T BEEN AN EDUCATION OUTREACH PERSON
WHICH IS ALSO CRITICAL IN TERMS OF TRAINING THE DEPARTMENTS, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF THE AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING, THE BPA AFFECTS ZONING. YOU KNOW, ALL OF THIS WORK IS SO CRITICAL IN TERMS
OF BOSTON'S EQUITY. SO UM, WE JUST REALLY WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE AMAZING WORK THAT DUANE AND JOYCE AND FOLKS ARE DOING THERE ESPECIALLY WITH
THIS UM, UH, YOU KNOW, SHRUNKEN UM SHRUNKEN UH, DEPARTMENT AND SO WE JUST REALLY HOPE THERE CAN BE MORE RESOURCES BECAUSE THE WORK IS SO CRITICAL AT THIS TIME AND AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE
THE OFFICE AND WE APPRECIATE THE THE CITY COUNCIL'S SUPPORT OF THE FH AND THE EFFORTS ZONING AND ALL THE OTHER WORK. SO THANK YOU. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH UM OKAY. AND WE GOT WE UH YEAH. ANYWAY SO UH SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS AGAIN WE'RE SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO WE HAVE ANOTHER HEARING WITH SOME OF THE SAME PANELISTS UH, ON
THE EQUITY CABINET FOR 2:00. UM, AND UH, SO WE WANT TO FINISH THIS ROUND BY ONE AND GIVE CENTRAL STAFF AN HOUR TO RECOVER, UH, FOR THE 2:00 HEARING.
UM, SO COUNCILOR FLYNN, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE, UH, FIVE MINUTES. UH, THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THE QUESTIONS I ASKED UM,
EARLIER FOCUSED ON BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS. I CHIEF AND SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ASKED ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS AFTER I SPOKE ABOUT IT.
SO I WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT. HOW DO WE HOW DO WE DEFUND AN ORDINANCE? WHAT IS THE PROCESS LIKE? ARE WE LEGALLY ALLOWED TO DO THAT?
UM THAT IS NOT A QUESTION FOR ME AS A CHIEF OF EQUITY TO ANSWER THAT IS A QUESTION THAT I I WOULD DIRECT TO THE LAW DEPARTMENT. BUT WHAT WE ARE DOING IS ENSURING THAT THE RESOURCES
THAT WOULD HAVE COME OUT OF THE COMMISSION ARE BEING ADDRESSED BY THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. AND I THINK I WANT TO JUST REPEAT WHAT I SAID EARLIER OF THERE'S BEEN AN AN
INCREDIBLE CHANGE IN THE WAY THAT WE DO BUSINESS AND OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE MANAGING A LOT CASE MANAGING A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT WERE COMING OUR WAY. SO YOU RECOMMEND THAT I TALK TO MICHAEL FIRESTONE. I THINK THAT WHEN IT COMES TO
WHAT IS LEGAL VERSUS NOT THAT IS A CONVERSATION FOR SOMEBODY ELSE. OKAY, WHO'S WHOSE. DECISION WAS IT TO DEFUND THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION? UM, WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY STAFF
IN THAT TEAM FOR ABOUT TWO FISCAL YEARS AND MAYBE MY I CAN CORRECT ME IF IT'S MORE THAN THAT. UM, SO IN THIS MOMENT OF LOOKING AT OTHER THINGS, IT WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE DID NOT CUT STAFF OR OTHER
PROGRAMING. WAS THERE ANY ISSUE AS IT RELATED TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION AND OR THE COMMISSIONERS? WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY ISSUES. PERSONNEL ISSUES?
THERE WERE JUST NO STAFF IN THAT TEAM FOR ABOUT EIGHT YEARS. >> THEY WEREN'T HIRED? NO. >> OKAY. >> WHOSE DECISION WAS IT TO NOT HIRE THEM? I WAS MORE FOCUSED WITH THE DEPARTMENTS THAT WERE RECEIVING
ONGOING REQUESTS FOR SUPPORT AND RESOURCES, AS WELL AS OUR STRATEGIC WORK WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS. SO YOU WAS THE MAYOR TO THE MAYOR KNOW THAT WE WEREN'T
FUNDING HIRING AT THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION? UM, I CANNOT SPEAK TO THE DETAILS OF THAT BUT I THAT IS NOT SOMETHING AGAIN, THAT'S NOT BEEN A UM SOMETHING THAT WE DEAL WITH ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS.
WE DO NOT RECEIVE CONCERNS ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS. BUT WE DO. RECEIVE LOTS OF WORK THAT YOU WOULD YOU WOULD ENGAGE THE MAYOR IN WHAT'S HAPPENING WHAT THE WHAT THE MAJOR DEPARTMENT
UNDER YOUR JURISDICTION. IS THAT ACCURATE? YES. >> DID YOU SPEAK TO THE MAYOR ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION? I SPOKE TO HER ABOUT ALL THE DEPARTMENTS AND THE DIFFICULT DECISIONS THAT WE'VE HAD TO MAKE FOR FY 27. SO YOU DID SPEAK TO HER ABOUT
THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION? THE MAYOR HAS PROPOSED A BUDGET. NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WHEN THERE WAS NO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DID YOU ASK HER TO SAY MAYOR, YOU KNOW WE DON'T HAVE A HUMAN
RIGHTS COMMISSION? UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HERE. IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO HAVE ONE. >> I SAY WELL, UM, WE DID WORK WITH, UM AND AND A CONSULTING GROUP CALLED AGENCY THAT CAME BACK TO US WITH SOME
RECOMMENDATIONS, SOMETHING THAT WE BROUGHT TO THE COUNCIL UM, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WAS TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT A LOT OF THE WORK IS BEING DONE WITH BY OTHER DEPARTMENTS. YEAH.
>> I'M NOT IN SUPPORT OF UM DEFUNDING THIS PROGRAM. DEFUNDING THIS. UM, SO THE MAYOR IS OKAY WITH DEFUNDING THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION? THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY
PROGRAMING OR STUFF THERE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. I UNDERSTAND THAT. AND NOBODY IN THE COUNCIL HAS CHANGED THAT EITHER IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. BUT AS THE MAYOR OKAY WITH DEFUNDING THE HUMAN RIGHTS
COMMISSION. COUNCIL I THAT'S YOUR QUESTION. NO, CHIEF, I'M BEING RESPECTFUL TO YOU. I'M ASKING TO THE MAYOR'S SUPPORT DEFUNDING THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION.
THE MAYOR HAS SUBMITTED THE BUDGET THAT SHE. FEELS WILL MEET THE NEEDS. >> OF FY 27. TO DEFUND THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION. THAT IS LANGUAGE THAT YOU ARE USING THAT. WELL, TELL ME THE LANGUAGE YOU WOULD USE AS A RELATES TO THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR POSITION AT THE HUMAN RIGHTS AND HAVING THOSE STAFF THERE. YEAH, THIS IS AN ORDINANCE THAT WE DO NOT CREATE. THIS IS NOT PART OF THAT WAS.
CREATED IN 1980. WE HAVE I HAVE NOT PRIORITIZED IT IN THE EQUITY CABINET BECAUSE A LOT OF THE WORK THAT THAT COMMISSION WOULD HAVE DONE DECADES AGO IS ALREADY HAPPENING IN THIS VERY DIFFERENT AND. >> I WOULD STATE DEPARTMENT WAS
THERE ANY CHALLENGES AT ALL WITH THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSIONERS? DO THEY EVER EXPRESSED TO YOU, UM, ABOUT ANY CHALLENGES AT THE DEPARTMENT? UM, WHEN I WAS FIRST APPOINTED THERE WERE SOME ISSUES THAT.
WERE THE ISSUES. AS FOR YEARS FOUR AND A HALF YEARS AGO I CAN'T REMEMBER. WHAT WERE THE ISSUES. YOU AND I CAN TALK OFFLINE THE ONES I REMEMBER BUT I DO NOT REMEMBER IT WAS FOUR AND A HALF
YEARS AGO. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. HELLO? >> YEAH, RIGHT. UM, SORRY. I'M JUST CONSULT MY NOTES FOR
THE RIGHT ORDER. UH, COUNCIL REL YOU'RE UP. I THINK COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE. IS ME OKAY. YEAH, I HAVE GO. JUST FOR EVERYONE. HAVE COUNCILOR ARROYO COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR FITZGERALD.
UH, I BELIEVE COUNCILOR MURPHY, THEN BREADON, THEN CULPEPER. WE'VE ENJOYED MY COUNSELOR PUBLIC. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> UM. INVESTIGATIONS. UM. >> HOW OLD ARE OPEN CASES?
LIKE DO WE HAVE A. RANGE OF HOW LONG OPEN CASES STAY. OPEN FOR? UM. >> YES, WE DO TRACK THAT OVER TIME. I THINK A LOT OF OUR OPEN CASES
ARE OPEN BECAUSE WE HAVE CHOSEN TO REALLY WAIT ON, UM, OUR COMPLAINANTS AND OUR DEFENDANT. THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT TERM. SORRY. THE HORSESHOE IS ACUTE, UH, ALLEGING DISCRIMINATION AND THE PERSON WHO IS BEING.
ACCUSED OF DISCRIMINATION. UM, I THINK THE TEAM IS WORKING ON REASSESSING HOW LONG WE NEED TO WAIT TO HEAR BACK FROM PEOPLE. UM, BUT THAT TENDS TO BE WHERE WE SEE CASES, UM, SORT OF LINGERING. UH, THE HUD HAD REQUIREMENT FOR
CASE CLOSURE IS 100 DAYS, WHICH IS CERTAINLY LENGTHY. UM AND I THINK TO THE CONSTITUENT CAN FEEL VERY LONG BUT THAT IS SORT OF HUD'S BASELINE REQUIREMENT. AND HOW MANY DO YOU KNOW HOW. >> MANY. ARE OVER 100.
I DON'T OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, COUNSELOR I'D HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU. YEAH. >> THROUGH THE CHAIR. >> CAN WE. FIND OUT HOW MANY OVER 100 DAYS. UM. DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY CIVIL SUITS RELATED TO HOUSING
DISCRIMINATION HAVE BEEN FILED BY BOSTON RESIDENTS IN THE PAST YEAR, AND THEN CIVIL SUITS AND INVESTIGATIONS, CIVIL SUITS AND INVESTIGATIONS ARE NOT THE SAME THING. SO IF WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE
HIGH RATES OF CIVIL SUITS GOING ON BUT LOW RATES OF INVESTIGATION THAT MIGHT INDICATE THAT THE RATES OF SERVICE BEING PROVIDED DOES NOT MATCH THE NEED AND SO WE NEED TO ADJUST. SO I GUESS THE QUESTION IS.
UM ONE. DO WE KNOW HOW MANY CIVIL SUITS RELATED TO HOW DISCRIMINATION AND THEN BASED ON THAT DATA IS THERE A NEED TO ADJUST? YEP. >> SO THE CIVIL SUITS ARE SOMETHING THAT THE OFFICE OF HOUSING STABILITY WOULD BE
TRACKING RATHER THAN US. UM BECAUSE CIVIL SUITS CAN INCLUDE THINGS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE PROTECTED CLASSES THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER. UM, AND ALSO OUTSIDE OF THAT TIME RANGE OF SIX MONTHS THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER. SO WHILE SOMETIMES UM, YOU
KNOW, A HIGHER RATE OF CIVIL SUITS CAN BE AN. INDICATOR THAT THINGS ARE NOT GOING WRONG, I'M NOT. SURE THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE HAD FLAGGED FOR US BY THE OFFICE OF HOUSING STABILITY QUITE YET. AWESOME. >> UM I GUESS IT WOULD BE A QUESTION OF HOUSING STABILITY.
MY LAST QUESTION AROUND UM I KNOW YOU MENTIONED A FH UM, ACCESS QUESTION TO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. WHEN DOES, UM THE DIG PROVIDE THEIR RECOMMENDATION TO A
PROJECT. AS AN IN THE PROCESS? UM, THE. PROCESS OF ARTICLE 80. THEY'RE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE I BELIEVE I BELIEVE IT IS AFTER THE ACCESSIBILITY ASSESSMENT FROM THE DISABILITY COMMISSION .
UM, BUT I BET YOUR COUNSELOR TO YOUR LEFT MIGHT MIGHT KNOW A BETTER ANSWER THAN I. ALL RIGHT. I GUESS MY I WILL. I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE MIDDLE IS, UM BUT I THINK IT WILL BE
IMPORTANT FOR OUR. COMMUNITY. >> UM, IN THE AG UM TO BE ABLE TO REVIEW UM, THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS. I KNOW IN PAST PROCESSES THAT I HAVE REVIEWED, UM, I'VE BEEN A PART OF SOMETIMES IT COMES AT
THE END UM, YOU KNOW, ONCE THOSE IAG'S OR COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN DISBANDED UH, SO I JUST WANT. >> TO. OH, I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. SO THE IAG'S MEETING WITHOUT THE THE RECOMMENDATION BUT WITHOUT. >> THE. RECOMMENDATIONS IT'S ALWAYS THE COMMUNITY, RIGHT?
SO I THINK IT'LL BE IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT TO. BE EARLIER ON IN THE. PROCESS SO WE CAN SEE THE INFORMATION. UM AND THEN I SAW THAT THERE WAS LIKE A 2023 OUTCOMES REPORT .
UM IS THERE UM IS THERE ANY EFFORT ON, YOU KNOW, DOING THAT SAME OUTCOME REPORT FOR THE LAST YOU KNOW, THREE YEARS? YEAH. >> I HAD MENTIONED IN MY SLIDES THAT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO DO A FULL ASSESSMENT OF UM, THE
STEPS WE'VE TAKEN SO FAR. UM AND I SHOULD CLARIFY OUR VIEW COUNSELOR EMILY ALSO RUNS THE DEQ PROCESS SO THAT MIGHT BE A QUESTION UM, TO POINT IN THEIR DIRECTION. OKAY. >> THAT'S GOOD. UM, ONE OF MY QUESTIONS FOR
EXECUTIVE FARROW. UM. >> THE MEN'S LEAD BY MEN'S LEAD. I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT IT LAST YEAR. UM, ANY INTEREST IN BRINGING IT BACK? ANY EFFORTS ON BRINGING IT BACK? YEAH.
SO WHEN WE CAME, UM. >> THE LAST KIND OF FISCAL YEAR ,UM, FOR THE COUNCIL, UM, WE HAD INTERNAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WORKING WITH THE OFFICE OF CIVIC ORGANIZING TO BRING IT BACK.
UM, BUT IN THE INTERIM, THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT GRANTS, WE FUNDED TWO ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE UM SUPPORT FOR CIVIC ORGANIZING AND LEADERSHIP.
UM, AS WE IDENTIFY KIND OF INTERNAL OPPORTUNITIES TO BRING IT IN-HOUSE. AWESOME. >> THANK YOU. AND UH, THIS IS GOING TO THE CHIEF JUST KIND OF GOING BACK A FEW YEARS.
UM, ON THE EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT WAS SIGNED BY THEN, UH, MAYOR WALSH UM, AND I KNOW THIS IS SOME OF THE WORK THAT DOCTOR CAROLYN CROCKETT HAS ALSO INTRODUCED. UM, AND A LOT OF THIS KIND
OF SPEAKS TO. YOU KNOW. WHAT YOU KNOW, I SEE AS, UH, A BLUEPRINT, UM, A BLUEPRINT FOR . NOT ONLY EMBEDDING RACIAL EQUITY BUT THE TRAINING AROUND
IT. UM, A LOT OF THIS STUFF IS AGAIN IS A BLUEPRINT AND I BELIEVE UM, SINCE 2019 WHAT WE
HAVE SEEN IS WHETHER IT'S THE REAL TRAINING OR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF RESILIENCE RACIAL EQUITY, UM, NOT BEING MOVED FORWARD. UM, BUT ALSO SOME OF THE
INTENTION AROUND DATA TRACKING. UH, IN THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER, UH, NOT BEING FOLLOWED UP ON. SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS HOW DO WE TAKE A LOOK AT, YOU KNOW,
THE ORIGINAL INTENTION, RIGHT. UM, FROM THE EXECUTIVE ORDER AND ALL THE WORK THAT. YOU KNOW. >> EVERYONE DURING THAT ADMINISTRATION TOOK ON AND MOVE THIS WORK FORWARD. UM, AND THEN DECIDE ON WHICH
THINGS WE ROLL BACK AND WHICH THINGS GO FORWARD. YEAH. >> UM, I'VE I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF, UH, SPEAKING WITH DOCTOR CROCKETT AND SHE WAS NOT THE FIRST OF WHAT WE HAD DOCTOR AT THE BAR AND DOING INCREDIBLE WORK BEFORE THAT. ABSOLUTELY.
AND I. AND A SHOUT OUT ALSO TO LAURIE NELSON. YEAH. >> SO THESE ARE ALL WOMEN THAT, UM, HAVE ADVISED ME AND YOU KNOW, I LOOK I LOOK UP TO THEM AND SO I THINK I THINK EVERYBODY WHO LIFTS THEM
BECAUSE UM THEY ARE AWARE OF THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING AND SO I WANT TO I THINK AND THIS IS A QUESTION THAT HAS COME UP EVERY YEAR AND AND THE ANSWER REMAINS THE SAME, WHICH IS THAT WAS AN EXECUTIVE ORDER
AT A DIFFERENT TIME BY A DIFFERENT MAYOR, DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATION. WE ARE WE HAVE EVOLVED INTO SOME OF THAT. WE HAVE STARTED THE WORK OF THE YOU KNOW, ACADEMY AND. MAYBE A WAY. >> TO ADDRESS THAT IS WE. >> CAN.
RIGHT SET UP SOME OF THE WORKSHOPS WITH YOUR STAFF AND WITH YOU SO THAT YOU SEE HOW THAT WORK IS INCORPORATED INTO THOSE WORKSHOPS AND TRAININGS THAT WE DO ACROSS DEPARTMENTS.
UM, THAT WAS ALSO INFORMED BY THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVE AROUND THE REAL TRAINING I THE REAL TRAINING HAPPENED FOR A COUPLE OF. MONTHS AND WHEN THEN. THAT'S WHEN THE TRANSITION HAPPENED AND SO WE CANNOT I
CANNOT REALLY SPEAK. TO WHAT WAS HAPPENING BACK THEN. BUT WE DID. GET THE REPORTS THANKS TO THE WORK THAT LAURIE NELSON WAS DOING THEN. UM. >> BUT THAT. >> IS THAT IS STILL WORK IS STILL. HAPPENING AND THEN SOME IN THE ACADEMY.
UM AS FOR DATA TRACKING, I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THE UM EQUITY STUDY THAT COMES OUT OF BMA AND AND FOR US TO UNDERSTAND HOW THOSE DASHBOARDS CAN CONTINUE TO INFORM THE WORK. BUT THIS IS. NOT AND WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION COUNCILOR OF LIKE
IT. IS SOMETIMES ADDING MORE LAYERS TO THE WORK JUST MAKES IT SLOW DOWN. AND SO. >> I'M LOOKING. FORWARD TO WHAT COMES OUT OF THE EQUITY STUDY FROM BMA TO SEE HOW THOSE DASHBOARDS CAN CAN CONTINUE TO INFORM THE
WORK. BUT IN THE MEANTIME WE HAVE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. WHEN YOU GO AND IDENTIFY AN ISSUE FOR US, WE ARE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENTS TO CHANGE IT FROM A SYSTEMS LEVEL . >> RIGHT. AND JUST. A FOLLOW UP COMMENT.
SURE. >> UM THE THE AND I ACADEMY I THINK ONE OF THE MAJOR DIFFERENCES FROM THE REAL TRAINING IS THE REAL TRAINING THAT WAS TAKING PLACE WAS MANDATORY, RIGHT? ALL CITY EMPLOYEES HAD TO GO
THROUGH THE REAL TRAINING AND THEN WHEN IT GOES TO. EMBEDDING UM THIS WAS MORE OF A CALL. >> FOR PROACTIVE. UM TO IDENTIFY PRIOR. TO AN INDIVIDUAL HAVING TO BRING IT UP. YOU KNOW, SO THAT WE ARE THEN
MAKING. POLICY ADJUSTMENTS. YOU KNOW, EVERY SO EVERY SO OFTEN AND I BELIEVE. >> IT WAS YOU. KNOW I THINK IT WAS 3 TO 5 YEARS BUT ALSO THAT WE'RE CATCHING THINGS UM, PRIOR TO IT HAVING. YOU KNOW A VERY.
HARMFUL EFFECT. FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION. SO UH, YOU KNOW, MY. PUSH WILL ALWAYS CONTINUE TO BE TO REALLY EMBED UM EQUITY UH
THROUGH CODIFICATION. AND I THINK THIS WAS A VERY GREAT FIRST START. UH I'M AT IT AND WE'RE TRYING TO TO AGAIN UH PUSH THAT FORWARD THROUGH CODIFYING THE CABINET. AND THE WORK.
UM THAT WE BELIEVE OR I BELIEVE . UH SHOULD BE DONE IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY AND RESOLVE. UH, SOME OF THE DISPARITIES. THAT'S IT. >> THANK YOU. >> OKAY. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE. THANK YOU. I WANTED TO CONTINUE ON MY LINE
OF QUESTIONING REGARDING FAIR HOUSING TESTERS BECAUSE I WANTED TO CLARIFY. SO WE. >> FUNDED A TESTER PROGRAM THROUGH AN AMENDMENT BUT IT WAS SAID THAT THE AMOUNT WAS NOT ENOUGH AND THAT IT NEEDED MULTIYEAR SUPPORT. IS THAT CAN YOU CAN AND WILL
THERE BE AN RFP THAT WILL BE RELEASED THIS SPRING? YES, YES. SO THE. RFP IS. >> COMING OUT THIS SPRING. UM, WE HAD OUR FORMER DIRECTOR OF INVESTIGATIONS AS WELL AS OUR POLICY MANAGER DIG IN TO SORT OF REALLY SCOPE OUT HOW WE WOULD BUILD OUR BEST TESTING
PROGRAM. UM, AND DID FINE BUT IT. WASN'T VIA THE FAIR HOUSING TESTERS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL WE PUT FORWARD THROUGH AN AMENDMENT RIGHT. SO WE WANTED TO PUT THAT MONEY OUT AND AS WE WERE LOOKING THROUGH HOW THE BEST WAY TO DO
THAT WE DISCOVERED THAT A MULTI-YEAR PROGRAM WHICH WOULD COST MORE MONEY. SO NOTHING HAS HAPPENED TO THAT MONEY. NOTHING HAS HAPPENED TO THAT MONEY WE PLANNED TO USE LIKE YOU KNOW, IF WE WERE ELIGIBLE, YOU KNOW, GET A VENDOR BEFORE THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR WE
WOULD USE SOME WHICH IS IN. JUNE WHICH IS VERY VERY SOON. AND ARE YOU GOING TO YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT. I'M NOT SURE WE WILL COUNCILOR I THINK. WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THAT MONEY. THAT IS A QUESTION FOR THE BUDGET I THINK WILL AGAIN I
WANT TO BE CLEAR WE DO HAVE THE RESOURCES TO PUT THE FULL SET THAT WE PLAN TO PUT OUT. UM, I THINK JUST WITH THE FISCAL BOTH THE FISCAL AND THE FEDERAL SITUATION WE FIND OURSELVES AND IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE PUT THIS RFP
OUT CORRECTLY, UM, AND THAT IT BE THE STRONGEST, UH, PROGRAM WE COULD POSSIBLY FORM AND THAT DID JUST TAKE A LONGER TIME. YEAH. >> AND I UNDERSTAND THIS THIS ADMINISTRATIVE ADMINISTRATION IS COMING AFTER US FOR THE WORK THAT. WE'RE DOING ON. COME ON BOX AND INCLUDED MY
NAME IN IT. IT'S ATROCIOUS. YEP. >> AND WE STILL HAVE TO CONTINUE THIS WORK AND SO I LIKE WE BE CAREFUL BUT WE ALSO NEED TO PUT IT OUT THERE BECAUSE IT SEEMS AS THOUGH IF MONEY IS NOT SPENT AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR JUST SORT
OF YEAH. UM CAN YOU CLARIFY WHERE THE FUNDING FOR THE TESTING PROGRAM IS ACTUALLY COMING FROM? WHAT WE PUT ASIDE WAS NOT ENOUGH. YEP. >> SO THE FAIR. HOUSING TEAM HAS EXTERNAL DOLLARS. SOME OF THOSE DO COME FROM HUD FOR EXAMPLE. OKAY. UM SO THOSE ARE THE FUNDS WE'LL
BE USING. SO CDBG UH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS. I'D HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK WITH YOU, COUNSELOR. EXACTLY. THOSE ARE COMING FROM I DOUBT IT IS CDBG. AND SO WHAT IS THE SCOPE OF THE RFP FOR WHAT IS THE SCOPE
OF THE RFP? IS IT RENTAL TESTING? UM I'M SURE IT'S PROBABLY NOT HOMEOWNERSHIP UH APPRAISAL DISCRIMINATION TESTING WHITE HOMEOWNERS OR SOME BLACK HOMEOWNERS THAT ISN'T IN A
GREAT SPACE THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE IS BE ABLE. >> TO ENTER INTO. BECAUSE THAT IS A TESTING THAT IS HAPPENING UH, THAT WE SEE HAPPENING. IT'S ANOTHER FORM OF TESTING THAT WE WANT TO HAPPEN, BUT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE RENTAL HOUSING TESTING DOWN
BEFORE I THINK WE GRADUATE TO DOING HOMEOWNERSHIP TESTING. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THE SCOPE OF THIS UM, RFP WOULD BE? YEP. >> I WOULD AGREE COUNCILOR. I THINK THE THE HOMEOWNERSHIP WORK IS SOMETHING THAT THE OFFICE IS ASPIRATIONALLY HOPING
TO LOOK TOWARDS. BUT I DO AGREE THAT YOU KNOW, YOUR BASELINE IS RENTERS. UM I DO BELIEVE I WOULD HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK THE RFP IS RATHER LONG AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SEND THAT OVER TO YOU AS WELL. AND WHEN IS THE. DATE THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO GET THE RFP OUT?
IT IS IN ITS LAST STAGES OF REVIEW SO HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. >> OKAY IT. WAS OKAY. UM IT JUST WAS ODD TO ME THAT IT'S JUST LIKE YOU'RE WORKING UNDER THE GUN.
THE FISCAL YEAR ENDS THE END OF JUNE. WE PUT MONEY ASIDE FOR IT LAST YEAR. AGAIN WE'RE. IN A BUDGET CRUNCH BUT YET THERE IS THIS MONEY YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? SO YEAH I THINK PART OF IT IS THE POLICE OVERTIME FUNDING ALSO THE THE COUNSELOR HAT THE
COUNCIL HAS AWARDED US YEARS AGO AND THE DEPARTMENT HASN'T NECESSARILY USED AND SO WE ARE HOPING TO TAP THOSE FUNDS AS WELL. UM WE DO HAVE SOME ROOM SO. OKAY I HAVE QUESTIONS FOR MAYOR'S OFFICE OF WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. UM, YOU LIST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND TRAFFICKING AWARENESS WORK WITH BPD BEEN WE'VE BEEN DOING WORK ON THIS COUNCIL HOLDING HEARINGS ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH
COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO ARE, UH, DOING A LOT OF WORK, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO BEAUTY PROFESSIONALS. UM, I WANT TO SORT OF UNDERSTAND THE MOA BPH SEE RELATIONSHIP HOW YOU ALL DECIDE TO WORK ON PROJECTS TOGETHER
AND HOW DO WE BRING IN COMMUNITY PARTNERS, GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE WORKING ? LIKE I JUST SPOKE LAST WEEK TO AN AMAZING DYNAMIC DUO OF A DOCTOR AND A COMMUNITY ADVOCATE THAT ARE WORKING WITH THAT WANT
TO WORK DO MORE WORK WITH SALONS TO IDENTIFY SIGNS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. AND SO I WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW MOMOA WORKS IS THAT ANYBODY WITH THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS ARE I'M ALSO GOING TO BE TALKING TO
DOCTOR OJUKWU ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT ESPECIALLY FOR BLACK WOMEN. UM, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO GET MORE INSIGHT FROM YOU. ABSOLUTELY. SO WE UM. I WOULD IDENTIFY OUR PARTNER. OUR RELATIONSHIP IS.
MORE OF A PARTNERSHIP SO. THAT WE WE. >> CONSIDER THEM THE INDUSTRY EXPERTS IN BEING BASICALLY CORRECT. OKAY. >> AND WE. >> WORK CLOSELY WITH. KIM AND THEIR OFFICE. AROUND GENDER BASED VIOLENCE. SPECIFICALLY AND THEY WERE ACTUALLY WHO. HELPED US INFORM. >> AND WRAP AROUND OUR GRANT.
UM, AND SO WE ARE. >> ALSO BEING CREATIVE IN OUR PROGRAMING. AND PILOTING. DIFFERENT THINGS. UM, TO EDUCATE DIFFERENT GROUPS OF PEOPLE WHO AREN'T NORMALLY THE TARGET AUDIENCE WHICH IS WHY WE DID THE GRANT FOR BOYS,
WHICH IS WHY WE'RE WORKING WITH PEOPLE ON SEX TRAFFICKING AND WHY WE UM ALSO DID A SIMILAR PROGRAM FOR BEAUTY INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS. THANK YOU. >> WHAT IT. UH WHO DID YOU PARTNER WITH. >> FOR THE BEAUTY PROFESSIONALS WORK? UM, I WOULD HAVE TO FIND THE
ORGANIZATION'S. NAME AND GIVE BACK AND I BELIEVE THAT'S THE ORGANIZATION THAT I ALSO SPOKE. >> TO TWO. WEEKS AGO AND THEY'RE TRYING TO DO MOVE BEYOND THE PILOT AND I THINK THAT IS INCREDIBLE. SO I JUST WANT TO PUBLICLY STATE MY ENDORSEMENT.
UH, I THINK HER NAME IS DOCTOR CHARMAINE. YES. AUGUST. >> YES YES YES YES YES THE LAST NAME AND IT WAS ANOTHER PERSON I JUST WANT TO PUBLICLY ENDORSE THAT WORK IN THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING. I'D LIKE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT
MORE ABOUT THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING WITH FIFA AND THEN UM I HAD A LAST QUESTION BUT I DID SEE THE BUZZER GO OFF. BUT I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE WORK THAT MOA IS DOING ON ON ON ON
PEOPLE AROUND SEX TRAFFICKING. SO OUR POLICY DIRECTOR ACTUALLY SITS ON A COMMITTEE WITH BFC UM FIFA PARTNERS CULTURAL AFFAIRS UH, IN A COUPLE OTHER CITY
OFFICES AROUND MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS A SEX TRAFFICKING CAMPAIGN AND I'LL PASS IT OVER TO EMILY TO SHARE A COUPLE MORE DETAILS ABOUT. >> THE PROGRESS. YES. >> SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE AS. >> WELL AS OBVIOUSLY THE DSD,
UH, BPC UM AND THEN JANE DOE INC AND SO THEY'VE BEEN COLLECTING FUNDS UM FROM KIND OF DIFFERENT WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY TO CONTRIBUTE BUT THEY'RE PUTTING OUT GRANTS TO KIND OF THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND
BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE LIKE RESPOND TO CALLS AROUND SEX TRAFFICKING OR SEXUAL VIOLENCE TO HELP. >> THEM BUILD. >> A CAPACITY. UM, YOU KNOW, AHEAD OF THE FIFA WORLD CUP AND ALSO TALL SHIPS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT IS COMING.
UM, SO IT'S REALLY ABOUT BUILDING CAPACITY FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY HERE AND DOING THIS WORK AND THEN UM, WE'RE ALSO DOING A LIKE AWARENESS CAMPAIGN. SO LIKE CAMBRIDGE IS PUTTING UP
SOME SIGNS WE'RE WORKING WITH UM KORIN AND NIGHTLIFE TO DO SOME TRAINING WITH OUR RESTAURANT FOLKS ON SIGNS UM, AND THEN HOPEFULLY GETTING SOME MATERIALS INTO OUR RESTAURANTS
AND BARS AROUND BOSTON TO LIKE INFORM PEOPLE. SO UM AND THEN WE'RE GETTING DIFFERENT THINGS KIND OF AROUND THE CITY AND THE DIFFERENT CITIES. SO YES. SO IT'S UM PARTIALLY GETTING MONEY AND UH, BUILDING UP
CAPACITY AS WELL AS A PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN. THANK YOU. >> I'D JUST LIKE TO SHOUT OUT THE WORK OF SHAH CARE STORY IN ADDITION TO JANE DOE WE HAVE A LOT OF REALLY GREAT PARTNERS ASIAN AMERICAN TASK FORCE AGAINST VIOLENCE, A LOT OF GREAT ORGANIZATIONS WOMEN,
MEN, WOMEN OF COLOR RUN AND THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESOURCE THAT I HOPE THAT WE CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH. I HAVE A QUESTION SOMEWHERE LEFT IN ME THAT I MAY BE ABLE TO COME BACK AND ASK ALSO. OKAY. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILOR BRATTON . THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. UM.
I'D LIKE TO PICK UP ON THE. BLACK MALE. >> ADVANCEMENT. UM. BLACK MALE. ADVANCEMENT ANNUAL REPORT REQUESTED LEVEL. FUNDING FOR FINANCIAL YEAR 27
INSTEAD THE BUDGET INCLUDED TO $500,000 CUT WHICH IS 23.7%. UM. >> I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT CHANGED BETWEEN THE REPORT'S MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BUDGET AND
WHAT PROGRAMS, GRANTS OR PARTNERSHIPS HAVE BEEN REDUCED OR ELIMINATED DUE TO THE CUTS AND WHAT WILL HOW WILL THIS AFFECT THE BMA'S ABILITY TO ACTUALLY MEET THEIR STATED GOALS?
BECAUSE YOU FOLKS HAVE BEEN DOING SOME STELLAR WORK AND HOW WILL THESE CUTS IMPACT YOUR GOALS? THANK YOU COUNCILOR UH PRESIDENT UM YEAH. SO I STATED OUR KIND OF REQUEST
WAS FOR LIBRARY FUNDING UM, FOR THE OFFICE OF BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT. UM, I THINK AFTER WE KIND OF SUBMITTED OUR REQUEST THERE WERE ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS
BETWEEN THE MAYOR CABINET UH CHIEFS, OBM FINANCE LEADERSHIP UM, AND THEY ULTIMATELY KIND OF MADE THE DECISION ON WHAT THE CUTS WERE GOING TO BE WHERE THE CUTS WERE COMING FROM.
UM, AND SO WE ARE LIKE AWARE OF THE IMPACT ON KIND OF OUR COMMUNITIES WE'RE HEARING IN THE COMMUNITY. UM, AND LIKE WE ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO IDENTIFY KIND OF OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO TO UH
TO PLUG THOSE GAPS. I THINK YOU'RE NOT ALONE IN TERMS OF CITY DEPARTMENTS ARE USING THIS MONEY WHEN IT WOULD BE FOR OUTSIDE FUNDING OF GRANTS FOR YOUR CAREER
WORKING IN THE SPACE I THINK THAT'S ACROSS THE BOARD EVERY DEPARTMENT UM IN TERMS OF UM IDENTIFYING SOURCES FOR FUNDING TO MAKE UP THE GAP WAS A HALF $1 MILLION.
UM, UH, WHAT SORT OF SOURCES ARE YOU INTO? LIKE ARE YOU WORKING ON THAT ALREADY OR HOW IS THAT GOING? YEAH. WE HAD SOME INITIAL CONVERSATIONS AND OUTREACH KIND OF THROUGH THE CHIEF OF OUR CABINET UM, AND THEN. >> THE.
PARTNERSHIP TEAM IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, UM, AROUND UH AROUND IDENTIFYING PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS UM IN OTHER UH GRANT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES. UM AND THEN THROUGH OUR
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, UM WE ARE ALSO WORKING TO IDENTIFY KIND OF SEPARATE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE THIS FROM PHILANTHROPY STATE FEDERAL THAT WE CAN SHARE, UM, WITH OUR
COMMUNITY PARTNERS. UM, BUT I THINK THE CONVERSATIONS AROUND KIND OF. HOW DO WE MOVE. FORWARD IS GOING TO KIND OF BE LED BY THE PARTNERSHIP TEAM AND KIND OF THE MAYOR'S LEADERSHIP
TEAM. I THINK SOMEBODY MENTIONED IT EARLIER BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE SWITCHING FROM BEING GRANT MAKERS TO TO BEING FOLKS WHO WANT TO GO OUT AND LOOK FOR GRANTS.
DO WE HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE TO BE REALLY AGGRESSIVE AND SUCCESSFUL IN IDENTIFYING EXTERNAL GRANT OPPORTUNITIES AND AND WINNING THOSE GRANTS IN THE COMPETITIVE
UM FIELD? DO WE HAVE THE STAFF AND THE FOLKS WITH THE EXPERTISE TO KEEP ON TOP OF IT AND ALL THE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS OF YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT GETTING THE MONEY, IT'S ACTUALLY REPORTING BACK AND
SAID YES, WE THIS IS WE GIVE US $200,000 AND THIS IS WHAT WE SPENT IT ON THAT SORT OF THING. WE HAVE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE. THE EQUITY CABINET DOES NOT UH I KNOW THAT OUR PART OUR COLLEAGUES AT THE PARTNERSHIPS
TEAMS HAS DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THEY'VE DONE THIS ALREADY UNDER OUR ADMINISTRATION WE WORK REALLY WELL WITH OUR PROCUREMENT TEAM. SO AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A MOMENT FOR US TO THINK ABOUT THE RESOURCES THAT WE DO HAVE AND
AND GET CREATIVE BUT CURRENTLY NO TO ANSWER THE QUESTION EARLIER WE DO NOT HAVE GRANT GRANT WRITERS OR PEOPLE THAT CAN DO. >> THAT. LEVEL OF WORK. THAT'S NOT BEEN THE PRIORITY. SO IN TERMS OF WORKFLOW WHY ARE YOU FEEDING REQUESTS TO THE
PARTNERSHIPS UM DEPARTMENT LIKE THEY THEY'RE WORKING ON THAT LIKE I THINK THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO BE ASKED BY EVERY EVERY DEPARTMENT ACROSS THE CITY TO HELP WITH GRANTS. SO I THINK IT'S A VERY BIG LIFT.
THAT WILL BE COMING I THINK RIGHT NOW UM I AS THE CHIEF I'M MORE FOCUSED ON THE RESOURCES THAT WE DO HAVE AND SO PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION HAS SOME GRANTS THAT WE'RE ALREADY I'M
ALREADY TALKING TO THE COMMISSIONER ABOUT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE PART OF THE SELECTION PROCESS. THERE'S MORE DOLLARS THERE THAN THERE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE EQUITY CABINET EVEN WITHIN FY 26. AND SO I AM KEEPING MY OPTIONS
OPEN SO THAT THE PERSPECTIVE AND THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF OUR STAFF AND THE RESIDENTS THAT WE WORK WITH ARE BEING REPRESENTED IN THOSE SELECTION COMMITTEES. . >> UH. WORKFORCE EMPOWERMENT ALSO HAS THEIR OWN WORK. SO YOU KNOW, THERE'S DIFFERENT
WAYS IN WHICH WE'RE TAPPING INTO OTHER POOLS OF DOLLARS THAT ARE MUCH BIGGER THAN THE EQUITY. >> AND INCLUSION. COVENANT CURRENT POOL OUTSIDE OF CITY AND QUASI PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS. WE'RE NOT THERE AT THE MOMENT.
I AM FOCUSED ON WHAT THE RESOURCES THAT DO CURRENTLY EXIST FOR FY 27. IN OTHER AGENCIES. YEAH. >> YEAH I RESERVE A HEALTHY SKEPTICISM. I WISH YOU WELL. >> AND HEALTHILY SKEPTICISM GUYS. HAVE ANY. >> SKEPTICISM ABOUT HOW
EFFECTIVE THAT'S GOING TO BE BECAUSE I THINK WE ARE IN A BIT OF A CRUNCH. UM LET'S SEE UM OH. >> TIME SUCH AS YOUR TIME. SAVED BY THE BILL. OKAY. >> OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, COUNCILOR CULPEPPER, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU SEVEN MINUTES AND THEN, UH, WE'LL IF WE HAVE, UH. WELL, YEAH. OKAY. WELL, YOU GOT TO GO COMPROMISE. YEAH, I THINK.
I'LL GIVE YOU EIGHT MINUTES AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A QUICK LAST ROUND IF ANYBODY HAS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS HOW. >> MANY. DID EVERYONE ELSE GET? EVERYONE. >> EVERYONE GOT 35 MINUTES. YEAH EVERYONE GOT SEVEN. AND FIVE. AND FIVE. SO WHY AM.
>> I GETTING EIGHT? BECAUSE YOU WERE NOT HERE FOR THE FIRST ROUND. HERE YOU GO EIGHT MINUTES. I GOT. >> A FEW. >> MORE QUESTIONS FOR YOU. OKAY. >> LET ME JUST SAY THIS. UH.
>> THANK YOU, MR CHAIR, FOR HOLDING THIS HEARING. THANK YOU, PANELISTS FOR COMING. UH. >> YOU KNOW, WE GOT THE OFFICE OF EQUITY INCLUSION CONFUSED
LAST LAST WEEK WITH THE OFFICE OF INCLUSION AND OPPORTUNITY AND, UH. WHEN IT SAYS OFFICE OF INCLUSION, YOU WOULD THINK
THAT THE FOCUS WOULD BE ON EXPANDING AND BUILDING AND GOT TO CREDIT BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT FOR ALL THE WORK THEY'VE BEEN DOING. THEY'VE PROBABLY BEEN ASKED
THIS QUESTION ALREADY WITH REGARD TO GRANT FUNDING, BUT HOW MUCH MONEY WAS ACTUALLY TAKEN FROM THE COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT GRANT FUNDING?
HOW MUCH WAS THAT? 587,000 AND $200. NOT TO 501,587. SO WE NORMALLY DO KIND OF ONE
ROUND WHICH IS 500,000 UM AND THEN CLOSER AROUND THE SUMMER WE HAVE A UH AN ADDITIONAL SMALLER GRANT THAT'S CLOSER TO 100,000. WHAT WERE. >> THOSE GRANTS FOR? CAN YOU TELL US WHO YEAH WHO'S
NOT GOING TO GET GRANTS THIS YEAR. SO ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE UM FOCUSED ON MENTORING AND OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT PATHWAYS HOUSING MOBILITY, ECONOMIC INCLUSION
AND WEALTH BUILDING WORKFORCE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT, FATHERHOOD ENGAGEMENT AND MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS. >> SO NONE OF THEM ARE GOING TO GET GRANTS THIS YEAR FROM THE BLACK. THEY THEY WILL NOT GET UM, THE COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT GRANTS. >> WILL THEY GET ANYTHING?
UM WE ARE HAVING CONVERSATIONS WE ACTUALLY STARTED CONVERSATIONS AROUND KIND OF GRANTS FUNDINGS AND IN IN IDENTIFYING EXTERNAL PARTNERS BEFORE WE WERE BUT.
AS OF NOW THE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET ANYTHING CORRECT AND MANY OF THEM DEPEND ON THAT GRANT FOR THEIR PROGRAMS. I THINK THERE'S A NUMBER OF THEM THAT KIND OF THROUGH OUR GRANT PROGRAMS ARE KIND OF WE'RE ONE OF THE ONLY
DEPARTMENTS THAT. CAN YOU GIVE US THE SPECIFIC NAMES? YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE THEM ALL NOW BUT SO WE'LL HAVE THEM ALL. THE OTHER THING IS ON THE EQUITY STUDY IT'S NOT COMPLETED
RIGHT CORRECT. AND THERE WAS CUTS TO THE EQUITY STUDY TO THE PERSONNEL THAT WAS DOING THE EQUITY STUDY. SO THE THE CUTS WERE LIKE IT WAS ORIGINALLY SUPPOSED.
>> TO BE. KIND OF WE HAD FUNDING FOR TWO YEARS. UM AND AS YOU GO THROUGH THE EQUITY STUDY, UM ONE OF THE THINGS WE WE WORKED ON WAS ENSURING THAT EVERYBODY KIND
OF INVOLVED IN THE EQUITY STUDY INTERNAL DEPARTMENTS, UH, THE COMMISSION UM THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS WERE INFORMED THE COUNSELORS WERE FORMED OR WHERE
KIND OF WHAT THE RESULTS WERE FOR PHASE ONE RIGHT. >> BEFORE. WE LAUNCHED PHASE ONE UH, PHASE TWO HAVE. >> THE SO BEEN CUT FIRST PHASE TWO SO THAT. THE THE FUNDS FOR PHASE TWO WERE NOT INCLUDED IN FY 27. . >> SO THEY WERE CUT THEY.
>> WERE. CUT CORRECT OKAY. UM PHASE TWO IS STARTING IN UH IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY IN FY 26 SO WE'LL HAVE TO IDENTIFY KIND
. >> OF FUNDING YOU KNOW MONEY CORRECT COMPLETE TO COMPLETE. >> IT OKAY. UH AND LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING WITH REGARD TO MY BROTHER'S KEEPER PROGRAMING THERE WAS MONEY TRANSFER TO BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT. CORRECT.
>> SO HOW MUCH WAS THAT? UM THAT WAS 250,000. OKAY. >> AND WHAT PROGRAM WAS MY BROTHER'S KEEPER UNDER? SO MY BROTHER'S KEEPER IS UNDER THE UM OFFICE OF BLACK MALE
ADVANCEMENT. UH, BUT WHEN I CAME INTO MY ROLE THERE WAS FUNDS PRIOR TO ME COMING INTO MY ROLE THERE WERE FUNDS THAT WERE MOVED OVER TO EPS TO SUPPORT THE WORK. >> OF BOSTON PUBLIC IN. >> THE BOSTON. PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
UM, AND SO WE ARE IT'S BEEN UH, LIKE A TWO YEAR PROCESS. >> THAT MONEY COMING BACK THAT. >> UH, 250,000 IS COMING BACK BUT UM, THE FTE IS REMAINING WHERE IT WOULD BE. SO WE HAVE FUNDS FOR PROGRAMING
WHICH WILL PLUG SOME OF THE GAP UM FOR YOUTH RELATED UM AND FOCUS WORK. AND SO FOR THE BLACK WOMEN EQUITY STUDY ONCE IT'S
COMPLETED AND IT'S NOT COMPLETED, WHAT WOULD BE USED TO IMPLEMENT THE FINDINGS IN THE STUDY IS ANOTHER FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE FUNDING.
YEAH. SO YOU DO THE. STUDY RIGHT AND. AND YOU HAVE FINDINGS RIGHT AND YOU YOU IMPLEMENT THE FINDINGS RIGHT AND THERE'S NO MONEY IN
THE BUDGET TO IMPLEMENT THE FINDINGS CORRECT? NO OKAY. AND I WANT TO JUST MOVE OVER TO. BUT WHAT I WILL NAME I THINK
THE FINDINGS THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS WILL PROBABLY BE MORE WE'RE LOOKING AT FY 28. BUT YOU NEED MONEY TO FINISH THE FISCAL YEAR 26 CORRECT EQUITY.
SO AND IF YOU DON'T GET THE FUNDING THEN IT JUST SITS IN LIMBO. OH NO. >> WELL WE WE HAVE UH WE'RE IDENTIFYING KIND OF OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO TO. FUND BUT YOU DON'T HAVE IT YET. CORRECT OKAY.
I WANT TO JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FAIR HOUSING AND EQUITY UH TO SEVERA AND LAST WE MET WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE FROM
A FIRST MONTH AND YOU TOLD ME THAT HIRING A FAIR HOUSING DIRECTOR WAS IN THE PROCESS. HAVE WE HIRED ONE YET? NO. >> BUT WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO POSTING THE POSITION. AND FINALLY.
WHAT'S IT GOING TO TAKE TO POST A POSITION? I MEAN WE'VE MET I'VE BEEN OVER HERE. AND AND YOU AND I MISSED EACH OTHER LAST NIGHT. SORRY WHO I. WAS TO. >> TALK I SAID BUT I JUST HERE'S MY CONCERN.
MY CONCERN IS THAT SOMETHING IS SIGNIFICANT AND NEW FAIR HOUSING COMMISSION SHOULD HAVE HAD THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A GAP IN TERMS OF THE FAIR
HOUSING WORK GOING ON IN THIS CITY. AND SO IT'S PRETTY MUCH WITHOUT ANY LEADERSHIP IN TERMS OF THE FAIR HOUSING AND.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A SHAME THAT WE DON'T HAVE A FAIR HOUSING DIRECTOR. HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN. UM BOB PASSED AWAY UH JANUARY
OF LAST YEAR. YEAR AND A HALF ISH. UM AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FAIR HOUSING COMMISSION THAT'S A SUBSTANTIAL EQUIVALENCY
AGENCY, ISN'T IT? YES, SIR. THANK YOU. AND THERE'S REPORTING TO HUD, ISN'T THERE? AND THE REPORTS ARE HUD
CONCERNING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IS THE MONEY AND THE BUDGET FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. YES, COUNSELOR. UH. >> IT'S ON THE OPERATING SIDE. I KNOW THERE'S A LOT ABOUT THIS, SO YES, THAT POSITION IS
FUNDING AND SO. THE MONEY FOR THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION THAT COUNCIL WAS TALKING ABOUT HAS BEEN THERE'S
NO FUNDING FOR FISCAL YEAR 27 IN THE HUMAN RIGHTS. COMMISSION HUMAN RIGHTS. CORRECT. >> SO SO WE WON'T HAVE A HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION. FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS THAT OFFICE HAS NOT ENGAGED IN ANY WORK. IT HAS NOT HAD ANY STAFF.
>> AS. WELL BUT IT HAD FUNDING. YES. >> AND SO THE FUNDING IS STILL THERE. WILL NOT BE THERE FOR FY 27 THAT IS THE PROPOSED. BUDGET BUT IT'S STILL THERE RIGHT NOW.
CORRECT. >> AND. HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHY WE. DON'T HAVE A FUNCTIONING HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION.
UM I THINK WHAT I CAN SAY AT THIS POINT IS THAT UM, AS I BECAME THE LEADER OF THIS CABINET AND AS I WORKED WITH OTHER AGENCIES ACROSS THE
DEPARTMENTS, WE WANTED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHERE WERE THE GAPS AND WHERE DID WE REALLY NEED TO STEP UP AND THINK ABOUT PROGRAMING WHICH AGAIN PROGRAMING AND STAFFING IS NOT BEING TOUCHED.
THAT WILL CONTINUE IN FY 27 WHEN NO SORRY FOR THE REST OF THE CABINET WE WERE NOTICING THAT A LOT OF THE INCOMING REQUESTS WERE THINGS THAT ARE DEPARTMENTS COULD ALREADY
MANAGE SO I PREFER AND THAT IS WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO YOU THAT WE ALLOCATE OUR RESOURCES INTO THE WORK THAT IS ALREADY
HAPPENING RATHER THAN FUNDING SOMETHING THAT HAS NOT DONE UH HAS NOT BEEN FUNDED SORRY, HAS NOT HAD ANY STAFF OR HAS DONE ANY WORK IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. SO WE'RE GOING TO DEFEND THE
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION. WE'RE GOING TO HOPEFULLY HIRE FAIR HOUSING DIRECTOR. WE DON'T HAVE ONE UM WE CUT BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT.
WE CUT THE REPARATIONS TASK FORCE. WOMEN ADVANCEMENT IS BEING CUT BY 157,871 AND THAT'S TIED TO
MANY GRANTS. GUESS WHO WHO WERE THOSE MANY GRANTS GOING TO? UM I CAN READ THE PROGRAM. PARTNERS. >> SO IN 2025 WE HAD TO BE IT MEANS AMERICAN COMMUNITY
OF MASSACHUSETTS IN SOLIDARITY DETRIMENT DIVAS FOR BLACK GIRLS INC THE MODERN MENTOR FOR 2026 WE HAD A I O US INC. CAN YOU PROVIDE THAT LIST TO
ME OF THE MANY GRANDKIDS AND WHAT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMING? WHAT ABOUT WHAT. GRANTS WERE INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAM? BUT WAS THAT THE OFFICE PROGRAMING. OFFICE PROGRAM.
AND IN OUR PROGRAM IT. >> HASN'T BEEN EFFECTIVE. OKAY AND I WAIT FOR AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING FOR MY SECOND ROUND. YEAH OKAY OKAY.
UM SO WE WE'RE TRYING TO UH, FINISH THIS AT ONE SO WE CAN GIVE PEOPLE TIME TO PREPARE FOR 2:00. UM. >> THERE'S THERE'S GOING TO BE A CULPEPER ROUND, BUT, UM. ARE YOU SURE? OKAY.
WELL, I GUESS JUST THE THIS THING IS WHERE TO FIND THESE GRANTS. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WERE PROVIDED I DID REFER TO THE LIST OF CONTRACTS.
I DON'T THINK ANYTHING THAT I'VE HEARD, UH, IS IN THAT LIST. I THINK THERE'S FIVE THINGS OR SIX THINGS FOR WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT AND THE MOST OF THOSE THE CONTRACTS
TERMINATED TWO THREE YEARS AGO. UM, SO MY WE CAN WORK ON THAT OFFLINE. SO YES. >> WE CAN WORK ON. >> THAT TOGETHER. OKAY. >> UM AND I GUESS JUST JUST ONE QUICK QUESTION ON THE EQUITY STUDY LIKE HOW MUCH WOULD NEED
TO BE IN THE BUDGET FOR FY 27? DID YOU COVER THAT I CAN'T I APOLOGIZE. I DIDN'T. ASK OKAY YEAH. I THINK WE'RE WE'RE PROJECTING THAT IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE SOMEWHERE AROUND 50,000 THE
COMPLETE OKAY SO. IF YOU HAD 50,000 IN ADDITION TO WHAT YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW YOU COULD YOU COULD DO THE COMPLETE PHASE TWO CORRECT OKAY.
THANK YOU. UM SO SO COUNSELOR CULPEPER I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU I YOU THREE MINUTES YOU WILL HAVE MORE TIME ON NOT LESS TIME BUT UH NO NO
BECAUSE COUNSELOR, WHERE L HAS A QUESTION SO YOU GET YOU'RE GOING TO GET THREE MINUTES AND THEN WE'LL CAN I GO TO COUNSELOR REAL. I WANT TO GET TO THE AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING AND WHO'S DOING THAT
WORK NOW. THE FAIR HOUSING TEAM. SO OUR POLICY MANAGER JOYCE. WHAT ONCE WE GO TO THE.
FAIR HOUSING AND AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHER FAIR HOUSING INFORMATION THAT YOU SUBMITTED TO HER AND THE GOALS WHERE WE WITH REGARD TO THE
AFFIRMATIVELY FAIR FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING AND HOW HAS THE LACK OF A DIRECTOR HAD AN IMPACT ON ACTUALLY DOING WHAT
THE CITY TOLD HER THEY WOULD DO IN AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING? YEAH. >> SO I'M GOING TO. ANSWER BACKWARDS OKAY. FIRST IF YOU WERE REMINDING WHAT YOUR FIRST QUESTION WAS BUT UM, THE AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING TEAM REALLY DOES WORK IN UH, BOB
TRAIL'S LEGACY. IT IS ROOTED IN THAT MONITORING COMMITTEE WHICH HAS NOT CHANGED IT. UM, KATHY BROWN OBVIOUSLY SITS ON IT AS WELL. SO THAT GROUP HAS CONTINUED TO WORK WITH JOYCE IN OUR OFFICE TO WORK WITH ALL OF OUR
PARTNERS ACROSS THE CITY TO MOVE THAT WORK FORWARD. YOU KNOW, I HELP TO MANAGE THAT TEAM. I REALLY HAVEN'T NOTICED UM, A SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE I THINK JOYCE AND BOB BUILT REALLY, REALLY GREAT WORKING
PARTNERSHIPS AND OUR TEAMS WANT TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES RIGHT. THE ANTI DISPLACEMENT PLAN THAT CAME OUT OF PLANNING UM WAS PRETTY INCREDIBLE AND HAD A LOT OF FINGERPRINTS FROM THAT TEAM ON IT. DIDN'T SOUND LIKE JOYCE WAS
PRETTY WAS HAPPY WITH WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THE AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHER FAIR HOUSING. SO YOU MAY WANT TO SIT WITH HER AND FIND OUT WHAT SHE THINKS NEEDS TO HAPPEN. THE OTHER.
JOYCE OR KATHY SOMEONE WHO. GAVE OH OH. JOYCE A PERSON. . >> OH TODAY LET'S GET. RIGHT KATHY. HEY. UH. >> MIGHT WANT TO SIT WITH KATHY BECAUSE KATHY WASN'T REALLY
HAPPY WITH WHAT'S GOING ON WITH AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHER FAIR HOUSING. I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE THE DECREASE THE
BUDGET DECREASE FROM 452,000 TO 340 QUITE A DECREASE. NO. DIRECTOR WHAT'S THE IMPACT?
UM THE WORK THAT THE OFFICE WAS DOING WHEN BOB. WAS THERE. AND BEFORE THIS DECREASE WHAT TO INCLUDE WHAT TO THE SERVICES OF OUTREACH EFFORT ENFORCEMENT
EFFORTS. WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE WITHOUT THE DIRECTOR AND WITH THE DECREASE NOW? SO I THINK THE THE DECREASE AS I HAVE IT REFLECTS A SMALL
AMOUNT AROUND 12,000 FOR THAT OPEN POSITION FOR EDUCATION OUTREACH AND THEN WE SEE A DECREASE OF 100,000 FOR UM THE RESEARCH WORK THAT THE F OF H HAS MOVED FORWARD.
I AM NOT CONCERNED WITH THE AMOUNT OF CONTRACTED SERVICES LEFT IN THE DEPARTMENT, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE HUD FUNDING WE HAVE UM AS WELL AS OTHER EXTERNAL FUNDING SOURCES, PART OF WHICH
WE ARE USING TO TO COVER THAT EXTENSION TO THE UH TESTING PROGRAM. AND SO THE THE FAIR HOUSING THE CITY COUNCIL, THE THE TESTING
PROGRAM IS STILL FULLY FUNDED. YES SIR. >> AND THAT'S BEING MANAGED BY WHO. THE TESTING PROGRAM IS BEING MANAGED BY THE OFFICE OF FAIR HOUSING. RIGHT BY HOUSE PACIFIC. OH, DUANE WATTS WILL BE
MANAGING HOW. >> MANY TESTS WERE CONDUCTED TO THAT PROGRAM IN FISCAL 26. APOLOGIES, COUNSELOR. THE RFP FOR THAT PROGRAM IS ABOUT TO BE POSTED SO WE HAVE NOT DONE IN THE TESTING IN FY 26.
NO TESTING AND NO. BEFORE WE. DRAFTED THE CONTRACT UM OR DRAFTED THE RFP UM AND ARE PURSUING VENDORS. AND SO WITH THE. IF YOU JUST TAKE A QUICK BREAK
OKAY WE'RE GOING TO CANCEL OR I'LL COME BACK TO YOU. SO TRY TO FINISH THAT ONE COUNSELOR UH, IF YOU CAN IF YOU TAKE OFF COUNSELOR CULPEPPER TIME. YOU ALL RIGHT? I'LL TRY TO MAKE IT QUICK THEN. UM, FOR FAIR HOUSING.
ARE THERE. >> ANY CERTAIN. UH, YOU. >> KNOW, AMOUNT OF INVESTIGATIONS OR THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO REMAIN ELIGIBLE FOR FEDERAL FUNDS OR CDBG FUNDS? THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION,
COUNSELOR. OUR PARTNERS AT HUD HAVE NOT BEEN THE MOST COMMUNICATIVE. UM, THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN DEEPLY IMPACTED THEIR ABILITY TO GET BACK TO US ON THINGS LIKE THIS. UM, OTHER LOCAL FAIR HOUSING UM
ENTITIES HAVE SEEN 30 MINUTE PROGRESS REPORTS RATHER THAN A THREE DAY STAY UM OF OBSERVATION IN THE OFFICE. SO THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS, YOU KNOW, IN LAWS AND GRANTS. UM, AND WE'RE NOT REALLY SEEING
THEM APPLIED ACROSS THE BOARD. UM, OUR GOAL AS AN OFFICE IS TO MEET THE CONSTITUENCY RIGHT. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE HUD UM, CONTINUE TO PURSUE THIS WORK, BUT I'M NOT SURE I'M ABLE TO BEST ANSWER THAT QUESTION AT. >> THE MOMENT.
>> ALL RIGHT. >> BUT I WE I GUESS I WE STAYING UP WITH LIKE PAST. UH FEDERAL. >> I. THINK WE ARE ON TRACK. YEAH I'M NOT SURE WE ARE WE ARE CONCERNED THERE I'M ALSO NOT CONCERNED THAT THE CURRENT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS. PARTICULARLY WORRIED ABOUT. OUR NUMBERS. YEAH. >> UM AND THEN HUMAN RIGHTS
COMMISSION I KNOW THERE WAS WORK WITH A CONSULTANT AROUND UM CONVERSATION AROUND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION. CAN YOU. SHARE UM. EITHER THE REPORT. OR UM. BRIEFLY RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I DO
WANT TO GET COUNCILOR CULPEPPER BACK ON HIS LINE OF QUESTIONING . UM, WHAT WAS SAID. TO TO. >> THAT. FROM THAT CONSULTING. REPORT I WILL DO MY BEST TO QUICKLY REITERATE I THINK THERE WERE ABOUT FOUR OPTIONS.
THEY OFFERED FOUR OPTIONS. UM, AND ONE OF THOSE AS CHIEF AS MENTIONED WAS TO SORT OF SUNSET THE OFFICE AND THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN BETTER EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC WHAT SERVICES. >> ARE. OFFERED WITHIN THE CITY ALREADY. AS WELL AS EXTERNALLY AT THE
STATE LEVEL. UM, AND THEN THE OPTIONS SORT OF SCALED UP FROM. THERE COUNCIL THERE WAS AN. OPTION TO YOU KNOW FULL LIKE GO FULL THROATED RIGHT. BUT THAT WOULD REQUIRE A. STAFF OF 30 PLUS UM PHDS FOR
THE. DEPARTMENT RIGHT. SO THERE WAS SORT OF A RANGE. RANGE GOT IT. UM AND THEN LASTLY UH THIS IS FOR MAYBE A ONE MORE QUESTION AT THE DESK. THIS IS THIS QUESTIONS FOR THE
CHIEF UM, I GUESS PERCEPTION. RIGHT. UM WHERE UNDER UM YOU KNOW, WE JUST MENTIONED OR KIND OF HINTED ON, YOU KNOW, UH, DEI
AND EQUITY BEING UNDER ATTACK. UM, AND IN THIS BUDGET I BELIEVE THE EQUITY CABINET HAS ONE OF THE LARGEST DECREASES IN THE BUDGET. UM, AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT,
UH, WE DO SEE SOME POLICIES OR ,YOU KNOW, ORDINANCES BEING ROLLED BACK LIKE HOW DO WE HOW DO WE, YOU KNOW, TALK HOW DO
YOU WORK WITHIN OR TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW BOSTON RIGHT. YOU KNOW WE HAVE A HISTORY OF YOU KNOW, THE VHA HOUSING BUST BUSTED AND REDLINING.
UM, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT. WE CONTINUE TO AFFIRM, UM AND PUSH FORWARD THE WORK OF EQUITY HERE? UH, I THINK I'M GOING TO ANSWER
THE QUESTION FROM THE PERSPECTIVE UM, SIDE I THINK I CAN I CAN STATE THE FACTS. WE WE CONTINUE TO BE MORE FUNDED THAN MANY OTHER CITIES AS A CABINET. I CAN DO THAT AND AT THE END
OF THE DAY THE IMPACT IS FELT. AND SO I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT AND I'M THAT IS WHY A LOT OF OUR TEAMS HAVE ALREADY DONE LISTENING SESSIONS. I'VE HOSTED OFFICE HOURS TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THE
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS WHAT THE IMPACT WILL BE AND I THINK. UM. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALSO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT UM AND COUNCILOR, I KNOW THAT YOU AND I HAVE HAD A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH ON THIS AND AT THE END OF THE DAY FOUR YEARS AGO WE I COULD HAVE NEVER THOUGHT THAT
THIS IS THE WORK THAT WE'D BE DOING RIGHT NOW AS A CITY. THESE DEPARTMENTS WERE NOT AS FUNDED, DID NOT HAVE AS MANY PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS THE CITY. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WE HAVE 14 PROJECTS THAT WE CAN POINT TO ABOUT CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE CITY. BECAUSE OF THAT I CAN POINT TO 34 CAPSTONE PROJECTS THAT HAVE
HAPPENED BECAUSE OF THE ACADEMY, WHICH IS WORK THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED BY MANAGERS LED BY STAFF IN THEIR RESPECTIVE DEPARTMENTS. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT
HAPPENING FOUR YEARS AGO. AND SO I THINK I THINK WHAT I'M TAKING AWAY FROM THIS THIS HEARING IS THAT I NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF TALKING ABOUT THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT THE STAFF IS DOING.
UM, BECAUSE WE WE ARE GETTING I THINK WE'RE FOCUSED RIGHT NOW ON THE DOLLARS THAT WERE GRANTED THROUGH OUR GRANT PROGRAMS WHICH.
WE KNOW WILL HAVE AN IMPACT. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, UM I THINK I INVITE YOU ALL AS COUNSELORS TO HELP US THINK ABOUT OTHER POTS OF MONEY THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING INTO RATHER THAN THE SMALL GRANT
PROGRAM THAT WE HAD. WHEN WE THINK ABOUT CHANGES TO THE SYSTEM, SMALL GRANTS ARE PART OF THE SOLUTION NOT THE SOLUTION. RIGHT? >> RIGHT. >> NO. AND I UM HEAR THAT AND THEN YOU
KNOW, WE'LL JUST KIND OF PUSH BACK ON LIKE OKAY, THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT WERE HAPPENING FOUR YEARS AGO. UM THAT'S NOT HAPPENING NOW RIGHT. VISE VISE VERSA IN TERMS
OF LIKE EQUITY. UM SO I THINK YEAH I DO HEAR YOU BUT THIS DEFINITELY SENDS LIKE A CLEAR MESSAGE RIGHT WHEN. WE'RE THE THE LARGEST UM
CABINET THAT'S SEEING AN INCREASE SENDS A CLEAR MESSAGE UM WHEN IT THE EQUITY CABINET AND I, I DO BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR HISTORY AND HOW
WE'VE BEEN MOVING FORWARD AS A CITY, I THINK THIS IS THE WRONG MESSAGE AT THIS TIME, UH, TO SEND TO THE CITY OF BOSTON TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY. I THINK WE NEED TO BE STANDING FIRM ON EQUITY AND LETTING
EVERYONE KNOW, UM, THAT YOU KNOW, WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIND EQUITY AND LEAN IN EVEN EVEN MORE. UM, I KNOW WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER EVALUATING POLICIES AND
DATA IS THE RIGHT WAY TO GO. BUT I AM A FIRM BELIEVER THAT IF YOU DON'T IDENTIFY THE ISSUE YOU CAN'T SOLVE FOR IT. SO I THINK THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE A CRITICAL ROLE IN ANY
EQUITY STRATEGY OR PLAN. AND THAT WAS LAID OUT IN 2019. UH, SO AGAIN, UM THAT'S ALL I HAVE. OH, MY LAST QUESTION TO THE CHAIR WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, KIND
OF TO COUNCIL FLYNN'S POINT UH, THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION IS YOU KNOW, AS HE LAID OUT IS A ORDINANCE. RIGHT? SO CAN WE JUST DISSOLVE YOU
KNOW, THE THE, UM DEPARTMENT UM ,WITHOUT CHANGING THE ORDINANCE? OKAY. >> YEAH. YEAH, I CAN GIVE ME THE ANSWER NOW. OKAY. YES. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO WE'RE OVER ONE, UH, 1:00.
AND I KNOW WE HAVE TO TAKE A BREAK, UH, TO GET READY FOR THIS AFTERNOON'S HEARING. COUNCILOR CULPEPPER I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THREE MINUTES. YOU WILL NOW. SOAR OVER EVERYONE ELSE IN TOTAL TIME I WILL SO, UH,
ALLOTTED. THANK YOU. MR. PLEASE HOLD IT TO THREE MINUTES. I WILL. CAN YOU TELL ME HOW MANY CASES THE FAIR HOUSING COMMISSION PROCESS IN FISCAL YEAR 25.
OH AND FISCAL 2. >> TO. 27. FISCAL YEAR? >> I'M NOT SURE I HAVE THAT ON ME UH AT THE MOMENT COUNCIL BUT I'M HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP. >> DID THEY PROCESS ANY OH. PLENTY YES. WHAT ABOUT FISCAL 26? FISCAL 26 WE ARE ABOVE TWO DOZEN.
TO JUST TWO DOZEN. MHM. AND HUD PAYS YOU FOR THE CASES THAT YOU PROCESS RIGHT. YEP THERE'S A NEW SYSTEM FOR THIS. THERE'S TWO UM TWO DIFFERENT
KINDS OF PAYMENT. ONE IS 3200. THAT'S FOR A MORE TYPICAL CASE AT CASE THAT LEADS A LEAD TO A SETTLEMENT GETS AN EXTRA $400. AND SO TO COME TO THE DETAILS
GET THE INFORMATION FROM ME ABOUT FISCAL YEAR 25 WHEN BOB TYRRELL WAS THERE AND YOU SAID TWO DOZEN CASES UM SO. FAR AND IN FISCAL YEAR 22. YEAR 26.
YEP. >> AND WE. HAVE A COUPLE MORE HEARINGS SCHEDULED. >> WITH THE COMMISSION AND THAT WILL HELP US CLOSE OUT SEVERAL MORE CASES AS WELL. AND SO. WITH REGARD TO WHAT I'D LIKE TO
FIND OUT IS FISCAL YEAR 24 HOW MANY CASES YOU PROCESS, HOW MUCH MONEY YOU RECEIVED FROM HUD FISCAL YEAR 25, HOW MANY CASES YOU PROCESS? WHAT WAS THE PAYMENT FROM HOME?
I WILL SEE YOU'RE NOT FINISHED WITH 26 BUT I DID WANT TO SAY UH TO UH YOU TALKED ABOUT YOU WERE TALKING WITH COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND YOU LISTENING TO THEM.
WHAT COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS WERE YOU TALKING ABOUT? THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO MY COMMENT ABOUT THE GRANTS. YEAH. YEP. SO WHEN WE UM WHEN WE WERE THE
MAYOR PROPOSED THE BUDGET, WE IMMEDIATELY CONNECTED WITH THE CURRENT GRANTEES THEY CURRENT I KNOW THAT THERE'S I KNOW IT'S A LONG LIST AND IT'S AN OVERWHELMING LIST BUT IT LIVES IN THE RFI. SO THOSE ARE THE GRANTEES THAT WERE INVITED TO. >> GET THAT LIST TO US.
IT IS CURRENT YOU ALREADY HAVE ACCESS TO IT, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE MAYA HAS AN AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNSELORS TO WALK YOU ALL THROUGH IT. YES. AND UM WHEN YOU HAD YOUR CONVERSATION WITH THEM YOU WERE
SEEKING ADVICE FOR THEM ABOUT HOW YOU COULD MOVE FORWARD. BUT DID YOU TELL THEM THAT THE GRANT MONEY WAS GOING TO BE CUT? YES. >> WE TOLD THEM THAT THE DOLLARS WERE NO LONGER GOING TO BE AVAILABLE AND THAT FACT 27 AND.
SO ALL OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ARE NOW WITHOUT THE FUNDING THAT THEY HAD FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 FOR FISCAL YEAR 26. YEP. AND WE HAVE THE TESTING PROGRAM
WILL BE CUT. TESTING PROGRAM IS FULLY. FUNDED COUNSELOR. BUT IT'S NOT OPERATING CORRECT. THE RFP IS GOING OUT IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO. AND SO WAS THERE TESTING LAST
YEAR IN FISCAL YEAR 20? NO. >> WHAT ABOUT FISCAL. >> YEAR 25? WE DID NOT HAVE A CONTRACT WITH 25. NO I'M NOT SURE. WE'VE HAD A AN OFFICE RUN TESTING PROGRAM IN QUITE SOME TIME. SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY HAS. >> BEEN LEADING A PROGRAM. BUT I. >> KNOW SUFFOLK I KNOW BOSTON
FOUNDATION SUFFOLK DID THAT STUDY. YEP. WITH REGARD TO SECTION EIGHT HOUSING DISCRIMINATION UM DID WE RECEIVE ANY COMPLAINTS AS A RESULT OF THE SECTION EIGHT HOUSING DISCRIMINATION?
I'M SURE WE HAVE, YES. >> CAN YOU TELL US WHAT WE RECEIVED? UH, THE NUMBER OF CASES I'D HAVE. >> TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT, BUT I'M SURE WE HAVE. >> I KNOW IT IS. A SET OF CASES WE GET WITH SOME FREQUENCY. THROUGH THE CHAIR. OKAY. >> THAT. AND WE'D LIKE TO FOLLOW UP ON
THAT AND WE'D LIKE TO KNOW ALL OF THE, UH, ORGANIZATIONS THAT WON'T RECEIVE THE GRANT MONEY AND WE'D LIKE TO RECEIVE ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS UNDER THE UH,
WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT THAT WON'T RECEIVE GRANT MONEY. THE CASES FOR FISCAL YEAR 24, 25 AND 26, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT HUD PAID US TO THOSE CASES. >> YEAH.
SO I WON'T BE ABLE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION ON FY 26 PAYMENT BECAUSE THAT PAYMENTS PROCESSED IN THE FALL. BASED ON BY HUD RIGHT. SO THAT'S. >> FAIR. BUT I. >> CAN GIVE YOU THE NUMBERS. >> OF WHAT IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE. AND YOU KNOW IT IS DISTURBING
THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD A TESTING PROGRAM, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE BOSTON FOUNDATION DID THAT STUDY WITH SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY LAID OUT SECTION EIGHT DISCRIMINATION AND HERE WE ARE
WE DON'T HAVE A FAIR HOUSING DIRECTOR. WE DON'T HAVE A TESTING PROGRAM . WE'RE CUTTING BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT. WE'RE CUTTING WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT. REPARATIONS IS CUT.
FAIR HOUSING IS CUT. WHAT ARE WE DOING? WE'RE CUTTING DTI. THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO ME. WE'RE CUTTING DTI.
COUNSELOR, I REALLY WANT TO INVITE YOU TO CONNECT WITH OUR STAFF. I RECOGNIZE WHY YOU'RE SAYING THAT IS IT IS REALLY DIFFICULT, BUT. >> THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE. AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE ALL OF THE
STAFF IN THE EQUITY CABINET REPRESENT THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE ARE IN AND BUST THEIR BUTTS OFF TO WORK. AND SO WHILE I RECOGNIZE THE TRUTH IN YOUR STATEMENT AND I AM WITH YOU ON THAT AMOUNT
PIECES OF IT PLEASE WORK WITH OUR CABINET TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE DOING BETTER WORK. >> LET'S DO BETTER. LET'S DO THAT. LET'S HIRE FAIR HOUSING DIRECTOR. YEAH I MOVE IT, MOVE IT I THINK
THEY CAN WE DO THAT 90 DAYS. LESS THAN THAT? NO. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO. >> IT, COUNSELOR. >> WE WILL BE IN TOUCH WITH YOU. OKAY? >> NO THANK YOU. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. OKAY. NO THANK. >> YOU FOR EVERYTHING. AND I KNOW IT WAS TOUGH ON YOU BUT BUT I YOU A I DON'T HAVE A
CHOICE BECAUSE WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH FAIR HOUSING AND DEI IN WASHINGTON AND THEN WE LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE MY HEAD IS SPINNING RIGHT NOW. IT REALLY IS.
BUT I WORK WITH YOU. LET'S WORK ON TRYING TO GET SOME THINGS MOVING ESPECIALLY WITH THE TESTING PROGRAM BECAUSE THAT'S CRITICAL. ABSOLUTELY. >> THANK YOU OKAY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, THANK YOU TO THE PANEL.
UH, WE HAVE A HEARING AT 2:00. UH. >> WITH MOLA. >> AND MOY UH, AND UH, WROTE DOWN THE OTHERS. BUT ACCESS AND DISABILITY. AND DISABILITY COMMISSION LANGUAGE ACCESS. SO 2:00. OKAY, WELL THANK YOU.
THIS MORNING'S HERE WAS NOBODY. NOPE. THIS MORNING'S HEARING IS NOW ADJOURNED.