--------- UH. GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JOHN FITZGERALD DISTRICT THREE CITY COUNCILOR AND I'M CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE
ON PUBLIC HEALTH, HOMELESSNESS AND RECOVERY. TODAY IS APRIL FIRST, 2025 AND THIS IS IT IS 10:00 A LITTLE PAST TEN I THINK WE GOT THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED IT IS
ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON DOT GOV. BACKSLASH CITY. DASH CONSOLE DASH TV AND BROADCASTS ON INFINITI CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 FILES
CHANNEL 964. WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT C C C DOT HEALTH AT BOSTON DOT GOV
AND WILL BE PART IT WILL BE MADE PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS. PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THIS HEARING INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED UP WILL BE CALLED ON IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY SIGNED UP AND
WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING IN PERSON PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SIGN UP SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE CHAMBER. IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO TESTIFY
VIRTUALLY PLEASE EMAIL OUR CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON CORA AND AT CORA C0RA DOT MANTRA AN AND
ONTR0ND AT BOSTON DOT GOV FOR THE LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBER 0422 OR TWO FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS THE IMMEDIATE REINSTATEMENT OF AND
SUSTAINABLE FUNDING FOR THE COMMUNITY SYRINGE REDEMPTION PROGRAM. THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY COUNCILORS AARON MURPHY, ED FLYNN AND JOHN FITZGERALD AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON
FEBRUARY 5TH, 2025. TODAY I AM JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL MYSELF COUNCILOR AARON MURPHY LEAD SPONSOR COUNCILOR ED FLYNN SPONSOR COUNCIL PRESIDENT LUCY
LOUIJEUNE. I BELIEVE THAT IS ALL AT THE MOMENT WITH ONLY FOUR OF US HERE I BELIEVE WITH A SHORT TIME FOR EACH OF US TO JUST DO OPENING REMARKS AND THEN I'D LOVE TO INTRODUCE THE PANEL FOR TODAY BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A
COUPLE OF PRESENTATIONS WE WANT TO GET THROUGH AS WELL. SO WITH THAT COUNCILOR MURPHY AND THE OPENING REMARKS PLEASE AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO THE PANEL FOR BEING HERE FOR ALL THE WORK
THAT YOU DO. THANK YOU TO SUE AND YOUR TEAM AND IN ALL THE EFFORTS THAT ARE BEING MADE TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION AND ALL OF THE NONPROFITS I MEAN THIS IS ONE OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES
THAT I BELIEVE WE ARE ELECTED TO DO RIGHT. AND THIS IS WHAT WE SHOULD BE SPENDING A LOT OF OUR TIME ON ADDRESSING THE CONCERNS WE'RE HEARING FROM COMMUNITY BUT ALSO SEEING FIRSTHAND FROM THOSE WHO
ARE STRUGGLING AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO SUPPORT THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE POLICIES IN PLACE THAT ARE KEEPING PEOPLE HEALTHY? SO AS WE KNOW, WE'RE HERE TO ADDRESS THE PUBLIC HEALTH
CONCERN THAT AFFECTS THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF OUR BOSTON COMMUNITIES AND WE HAVE SEEN RIGHT THAT SINCE THE TENT ENCAMPMENT HAS COME DOWN WHICH IS A GOOD THING IT HAS
INCREASED THE DISBURSEMENT RATE AND PARKS ACROSS WHERE THEY MAY NOT HAVE SEEN THE VOLUME THAT THEY ARE NOW SEEING OF NEEDLES AND SYRINGES. SO IT'S IT'S LOTS OF FACTORS,
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES THAT I KNOW WE WERE ALL AWARE OF BUT MAKING SURE THAT WE ON THIS BODY RIGHT BECAUSE WE SUPPORT AND FUNDING ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RESOURCES TO
MAKE SURE YOU CAN DO THE JOB RIGHT. THIS IS AN URGENT NEED I FEEL TO REINSTATE AND ALSO MAKE SURE WE CAN CONTINUE TO FUND THE COMMUNITY SYRINGE REDEMPTION PROGRAM AND THIS CONVERSATION I
KNOW MAYBE THERE'S OTHER PROGRAMS OUT THERE SO MAYBE IT'S NOT REINSTATING IT EXACTLY THE WAY IT WAS. BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S HOW WE WORK TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S THE BEST WAY MOVING
FORWARD BECAUSE AT THE END OF YOU KNOW, AFTER WE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WE'RE ALL HERE TO WORK TOGETHER. I THINK WE ALL WANT THE SAME THING, RIGHT? WE WANT OUR STREETS CLEAN, OUR PARKS CLEAN.
WE WANT OUR FAMILIES AND OUR KIDS WHO WERE OUT PLAYING IN PARKS. WE ALSO LIKE I STATED, WE WANT VISITORS TO RIGHT PEOPLE DRIVING, TAKING THE T AND COMING INTO OUR CITY AND THOSE
WHO NEED OUR SUPPORT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING THEM WITH THE RESOURCES AND SAFETY AND CONCERNS THAT ARE ADDRESSED. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS CONVERSATION AND I HAVE LOTS
OF QUESTIONS WHEN IT'S TIME FOR THAT. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MURPHY COUNCIL FLYNN THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU.
COUNCIL FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR MURPHY THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM THAT IS HERE. DR. OJUKWU TOO AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH TEAM THE IMPORTANT WORK YOU ARE DOING AND FOR SUE
SULLIVAN AND YOUR TEAM AS WELL BEFORE THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION'S DECISION TO WHEN THE COMMUNITY SYRINGE REDEMPTION PROGRAM LAST SPRING THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT AND
INVALUABLE PROGRAM THAT OFFERED SMALL CASH PAYMENTS TO THOSE WHO BROUGHT AND USED NEEDLES IN 2023 IT TOOK IN 1.8 MILLION
SYRINGES WHICH ACCOUNT FOR MORE THAN HALF OF THE TOTAL NEEDLE COLLECTION VOLUME IN BOSTON BETWEEN 2020 TO THE END OF THE PROGRAM IN JUNE 2024 THE
PROGRAM COLLECTED ABOUT 5 MILLION NEEDLES LAST JULY WHEN I LEARNED THAT THIS PROGRAM WAS NOT GOING TO BE FUNDED FOR THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, I INTRODUCED A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THIS PROGRAM WHICH
WAS PASSED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE CITY COUNCIL. I ALSO WROTE A LETTER TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION TO ASK THEM TO RECONSIDER ITS DECISION TO END THIS PROGRAM.
I BELIEVE IN THE PROGRAM IT WORKED. SINCE ITS ELIMINATION, RESIDENTS HAVE SHARED THEIR CONCERNS WITH ME THAT THEY HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN USE NEEDLES ON OUR STREETS, PLAYGROUNDS,
PARKS WHICH CERTAINLY POSE A PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY RISK TO OUR CHILDREN FAMILIES FAMILIES IN THE SOUTH END OF SOUTH BOSTON, DORCHESTER,
ROXBURY TOLD ME THAT THEY DO NOT ALLOW THEIR CHILDREN TO PASS PARTICIPATE IN FALL CLEANUPS AS THEY HAVE SEEN USED NEEDLES UNDER A FALL FALL FALLEN FOLIAGE.
IT WAS CLEAR FROM THE NUMBERS THAT THE COMMUNITY SYRINGE REDEMPTION PROGRAM WAS HIGHLY AFFECTED EFFECTIVE AND KEEPING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SAFE AND CLEAN. IT WAS A GREAT TOOL IN MAINTAINING THE PUBLIC HEALTH
IN OUR CITY. I ALSO HEARD FROM CIVIC LEADERS AND PUBLIC SAFETY PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ELIMINATION OF THIS PROGRAM AS WELL AND THEY TALKED OF THE PROGRAM AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS.
I ATTENDED A THE MOST RECENT MONTHLY MEETING SPONSORED BY THE WORCESTER SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. LAST WEEK AND THEY WERE TALKING
TO ME ABOUT THE INCREASE THAT THEY HAVE SEEN IN DISCARDED NEEDLES IN AND AROUND THAT PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD. I LOOK FORWARD TO TODAY'S DISCUSSION TO SEE HOW WE CAN
BRING BACK THIS NEEDLE EXCHANGE PROGRAM AS WE GO INTO THIS YEAR'S BUDGET SEASON AS WE CONTINUE TO ADDRESS SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDERS, USE SUBSTANCE
USE DISORDERS. WE SHOULD BE FUNDING WHAT'S THE HALO EFFECT A PROGRAM WORKING INSTEAD OF PULLING FUNDS AWAY FROM IT? I THINK THE PROGRAM THAT SUE SULLIVAN IS DOING IS VERY EFFECTIVE AS WELL.
BUT THE CITY PROGRAM WAS WORKING. I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE PEOPLE THAT WORKED ON THIS PROGRAM WERE WE'RE DEDICATED,
WE'RE PROFESSIONAL AND THEY DID THEIR JOB EFFECTIVELY. BUT I'M LOOKING FOR WAYS ON HOW WE AS A CITY CAN WORK TOGETHER TO BRING THIS PROGRAM BACK. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.
THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND THANK YOU TO THE SPONSORS FOR SPONSORING THIS DOCKET. I THINK THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION AND I
AND I KNOW THAT THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION CARES DEEPLY ABOUT THIS ISSUE. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE NOT WALKING OUT OF THEIR HOMES AND STEPPING ON NEEDLES. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OUR KIDS AREN'T PLAYING IN PARKS WHERE
THE SYRINGES AREN'T PRESENT AND I KNOW THAT IT'S A IT'S A IT'S A GIGANTIC TASK AND I I THINK THAT THIS WAS A GREAT PROGRAM
AND IT'S MY VIEW OF SOME THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED THAT WE WERE ABLE TO FUND IT VIA ARPA AND IT'D BE INTERESTING TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THE FINANCES COULD LOOK LIKE. I KNOW THAT WE HAVE DIFFICULT DECISIONS ALL THE TIME TO MAKE AS A CITY AND I KNOW THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT RESIDENTS AND OTHER MANY OTHERS SUPPORTED. I KNOW THAT THE NEWMARKET BID SO I WENT OUT AND SAW THE INCREDIBLE WORK WITH SUE THERE DOING AND HOW THAT ALSO GIVES A LOT OF PEOPLE NOT ONLY DOES IT
HELP ADDRESS A QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES BUT IT GIVES DIGNITY TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HELPING COLLECT AND SHOWS THEM WHAT'S POSSIBLE. SO I THINK IT'S A WIN WIN ALL AROUND AND SO CURIOUS TO JUST HEAR FROM YOU DR. OJUKWU TO
SARA SUE AND EVERYONE TO HEAR ABOUT WHAT ELSE WE CAN BE DOING TO SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM AND PROGRAMS LIKE THIS BOTH IN NEWMARKET WE'VE WORKED ON IT A NUBIAN IN NUBIAN SQUARE SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND LOOKING FORWARD TO
HEARING FROM YOU. THANK YOU MR CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT. WITH THAT I'LL JUST SAY IT'S GREAT TO HAVE ALL OF YOU UP HERE TODAY. I KNOW WE ALL CARE ABOUT THE
WORK WE'RE DOING OR WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO AND I THINK A LOT OF THE REASON FOR THIS HEARING REALLY IS AT THE END OF THE DAY IS HOW DO WE JUST DO THE WORK BETTER, RIGHT? AND HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO DO IT? AND I KNOW THAT COULD LOOK MANY WAYS AND THAT COULD COME IN
FUNDING TO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS BUT THIS IS CERTAINLY THE CONVERSATION THAT WILL HAVE AND WILL LEARN FROM TODAY AND SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND YOUR CONTINUED EFFORT. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO CALL THAT
I KNOW IS IS ALLIE HUNTER, THE CO-FOUNDER OF THE TE SRP HERE. COULD YOU ACTUALLY COULD YOU JUST PLEASE COME DOWN TO THE PANEL? WE'RE GOING TO JUST DO ONE PANEL. KEEP IT EASY. RIGHT. ONE ONE ROUND A COUPLE ROUND OF QUESTIONS SO KEEP THING
EFFICIENT ON A TIME FRAME BUT PLEASE YEAH GRAB A JUST GRAB A CHAIR BEHIND THERE AND ALI,
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AS WELL. SO NOW WITH THAT IF WE COULD
JUST WE'LL WE'LL START ON THIS SIDE AND YOU GUYS CAN JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND THEN I THINK WE'LL GO INTO I DON'T KNOW WHOEVER WANTS TO PRESENT FIRST BIOLOGICAL TO PRESENT AND
THEN AND THEN SEE THE SECOND PRESENTATION. BUT PLEASE IF YOU GUYS COULD JUST GO ON DOWN THE LINE HERE
AND INTRODUCE YOURSELVES NOW. HI, I'M KELLY YOUNG. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE COORDINATED RESPONSE TEAM. GOOD MORNING.
I'M SUSAN SULLIVAN. I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NEWMARKET BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT. GOOD MORNING. I'M SARAH MACK AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF HARM REDUCTION SERVICES AT THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION.
GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. I'M DR. BARCELLO EDUCATION COMMISSIONER, PUBLIC HEALTH, THE CITY OF BOSTON. YEAH. I'M ALLIE HUNTER. I'M ONE OF THE CO-FOUNDERS OF THE ADDICTION RESPONSE RESOURCES COMMUNITIES WHO ARE INTRODUCTION PROGRAM.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. DR. AJAOKUTA IF YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION WE'LL START WITH THAT. THANK YOU. SURE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. CHAIR FITZGERALD COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR FLYNN PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE I'M REALLY HAPPY TO
BE HERE TODAY AGAIN, MY NAME IS DR. BARCELONA COUTU I'M GOING TO SPEAK TODAY ABOUT HOW THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION PRIORITIZES SYRINGE COLLECTION AND OUR PLANS TO ENHANCE SYRINGE COLLECTION CITYWIDE.
SO FIRST BEFORE WE JUMP INTO THE SLIDE PRESENTATION, I THINK THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO STATE THAT THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION IS COMMITTED TO HARM REDUCTION SERVICES AS A COMPONENT OF THE FULL SPECTRUM OF SERVICES THAT
WE OFFER INDIVIDUALS WHO USE DRUGS, DISTRIBUTION OF CLEAN NEEDLES AND OTHER HARM REDUCTION SUPPLIES. IT IS VITAL COMPONENT TO OUR STRATEGY TO DECREASE THE RISK OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND
ESSENTIALLY SAVE LIVES. HOWEVER, AS WAS STATED BY THE COUNCILORS, DISCARDED SYRINGES ON OUR STREET ARE NEVER ACCEPTABLE IN ANY NEIGHBORHOOD . THEREFORE, TOGETHER WITH OUR CITY PARTNERS WE ARE ADDRESSING
THIS ISSUE WITH A MULTI-LAYER APPROACH THAT WORKS TO REMOVE NEEDLES FROM OUR STREETS AND PROMOTES RAPID RESPONSE WHEN CLEANUP IS NEEDED. I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO SAY THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR INITIATIVES ARE
SUSTAINABLE OVER TIME AND THAT THEIR COST EFFECTIVE AND THEY'RE CONSISTENT WITH THE CITY OF BOSTON'S PRIORITY GOAL OF ENDING CONGREGATE OUTDOOR SUBSTANCE USE THAT I KNOW YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT IN DETAIL RECENTLY WILL BE SPOKEN ABOUT A
LITTLE BIT HERE TODAY. OUR INITIATIVES ARE ALSO CONSISTENT WITH THE CITY'S GOAL TO REDUCE OVERDOSES AND WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THAT REGARD. JUST A REMINDER THAT FROM MAY TO AUGUST OF 2024 OPIOID
RELATED OVERDOSE DEATHS IN BOSTON RESIDENTS WERE DOWN ALMOST 40% COMPARED TO 2023. AND JUST OF NOTE WE THINK ABOUT DISPARITIES THE OVERDOSES WERE DOWN 56% AMONGST BLACK RESIDENTS.
LOOKING AHEAD, WE PLAN TO EXPAND OUR SYRINGE COLLECTION EFFORTS WITH AN INTENTIONAL EFFORT AND SPECIAL FOCUS ON NEIGHBORHOODS OUTSIDE OF MASS AND CARS. AND I'LL TALK TO YOU MORE ABOUT THAT PARTICULARLY LOOKING AT UTILIZING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAMING SO I'LL GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION ON NEW INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE HOPING TO MOVE FORWARD. SO I'LL JUMP INTO THE SLIDES SO I THINK YOU HAVE SOME OF THESE IN FRONT OF YOU ALSO I WANTED
TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHAT OUR CURRENT SYRINGE COLLECTION EFFORTS ARE AND SARA MACKIN IS GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THESE IN ADDITION TO WHAT I WILL PROVIDE.
SO ONE OF OUR PRIMARY WAYS THAT WE COLLECT, YOU KNOW, SYRINGES AND YOU KNOW, ANY DRUG USE PARAPHERNALIA IS OUR MOBILE SHARPS TEAM. SO THIS IS A CITYWIDE EFFORT THAT I KNOW YOU ALL ARE QUITE
FAMILIAR WITH. IT OPERATES IN RESPONSE TO 311 CALLS. IT IS A RAPID RESPONSE MODEL. SO WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS GET THERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND RIGHT NOW I BELIEVE THAT WE
HAVE A RESPONSE TIME THAT'S AROUND 40 MINUTES OR SO WITHIN THE LAST SIX MONTHS THEY OPERATE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK 7 TO 7 CONDUCTING PROACTIVE SWEEPS OF PARKS. WE TALKED ABOUT THE NEED TO
MAKE SURE THAT OUR PARKS ARE CLEAN FOR OUR KIDS AND FOLKS WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, ENGAGING IN RECREATION AND CERTAINLY HOTSPOTS AROUND THE CITY. THEY DO HAVE A STELLAR RECORD AND EVEN WHEN I SPEAK TO OTHER
CITIES AROUND THE U.S. WHEN I TALK ABOUT THIS TEAM, IT REALLY IS IMPRESSIVE IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY DO AND HOW QUICKLY THEY ARE ABLE TO AND HOW EFFICIENTLY THEY'RE ABLE TO DO THEIR WORK. SO THAT'S ONE OF OUR PRIMARY
MODES OF SYRINGE COLLECTION. IN ADDITION WE HAVE A HOPE AND AGAIN THAT'S WHAT PROGRAM THAT THAT SARA DIRECTS WHICH STANDS FOR ACCESS HARM REDUCTION OVERDOSE PREVENTION EDUCATION WHICH PROVIDES A RANGE OF HARM
REDUCTION CRITICAL HARM REDUCTION SERVICES WITH NEEDLE EXCHANGE AS WELL AS CLINICAL TESTING AND LINKAGE TO CARE SERVICES AND AGAIN WILL I'LL SAVE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT FOR FOR SARA TO TALK ABOUT OUR
STREET OUTREACH TEAM, OUR RED SHIRTS THAT YOU ARE QUITE FAMILIAR WITH THAT IS OUR TEAM THAT'S COMPRISED OF RECOVERY SERVICES OUTREACH. IT'S SEPARATE FROM THE TEAMS THAT ARE MENTIONED.
THEY WORK NOW CITYWIDE TO ENGAGE INDIVIDUALS IN CONNECTING THE SERVICES BUT THEY ALSO DO SYRINGE CLEANUP EFFORTS. THEY OPERATE SEVEN DAYS A WEEKS 6 A.M. TO 7 P.M.. THEY COLLECT SYRINGES THROUGH
PROACTIVE SHARP SWEEPS OF AGAIN PARKS AND SCHOOLS EVERY MORNING AND EVERY AFTERNOON IN ADDITION TO RESPONDING AS NEEDED AS CRT CALLS ON THEM OR IN RESPONSE TO 311.
SO AS YOU'VE ALREADY MENTIONED, SUE SULLIVAN IS HERE A CRITICAL PARTNER WITH THE NEWMARKET BID. SHE WILL SAY MORE ABOUT OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM BACK TO WORK WHICH IS AN OUTSTANDING EFFORT THAT REALLY
THINKS ABOUT HOW WE CAN GET PEOPLE ON A PATHWAY TO WHILE THEIR RECOVERY A PATHWAY TO BACK TO WORK SO IT'S A GOOD WAY AND A WAY THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO ENHANCE AND I'LL SHOW YOU HOW
WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THAT. BUT IN ADDITION WE DON'T TALK ABOUT OTHER ASPECTS OF NEEDLE COLLECTION OR SYRINGE COLLECTION AS MUCH. WE DO HAVE KIOSKS AROUND THE CITY SO THERE ARE TEN SYRINGE DISPOSAL KIOSKS. A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY DISREGARD
THAT AND SAY OH WELL PEOPLE DON'T USE KIOSKS. THEY ACTUALLY DO IN THE FINLAND OUTSIDE THE FINLAND BUILDING OUTSIDE 112 OUTSIDE WOODS MULLEN AND CLIFFORD PARK AND OTHER LOCATIONS WE'VE ACTUALLY CHECKED THEM AND PEOPLE ARE
DISPOSING THEIR NEEDLES IN THESE KIOSKS AND AS YOU WELL KNOW, THE CITY COUNCIL DID MOVE FORWARD WITH THE COUNCIL'S SHARP DISPOSAL ORDINANCE WHICH HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
WE'VE WORKED IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS TO MAKE SURE THAT PHARMACY DISPOSAL SITES ARE ACCESSIBLE TO RESIDENTS IN COMPLIANCE WITH YOUR ORDINANCE . SO THANK YOU TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR YOUR EFFORTS. THERE ARE NEARLY 50 PHARMACY
SITES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO ANY BOSTON RESIDENT FOR A SYRINGE DISPOSAL AND I THINK THAT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR ALL RESIDENTS, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE USING SYRINGES FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS. SO THESE ARE THE PROGRAMS THAT
WE ARE PAYING FOR RIGHT NOW AND THAT OUR OPERATION AND DOING I THINK GREAT WORK. I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY SOME DATA HERE SO THIS IS DATA THAT
WE TALK ABOUT A LOT THE FACT THAT WE COLLECT FAR MORE SHARPS THAN WE ACTUALLY DISTRIBUTE IN OUR HARM REDUCTION EFFORTS IN THE SECOND HALF OF 2024 THE COMMISSION DISTRIBUTED 577,980
SYRINGES AND COLLECTED 778,000 778,007 THREE FOR A RATE OF 1.35 SYRINGES COLLECTED FOR EVERY SYRINGE DISTRIBUTED. I MAKE THIS POINT JUST TO SAY THAT WE ARE AGAIN PROACTIVE
INTENTIONAL WE ARE DOING THE WORK AND I'M SURE YOU KNOW AGAIN SARA CAN SAY MORE BECAUSE SHE'S, YOU KNOW, ON THE GROUND ON A REGULAR BASIS. SO I WANT TO TURN TO THIS
PARTICULAR GRAPH BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND I THINK YOU HAVE IT IN FRONT OF YOU BECAUSE IT DOES APPEAR QUITE SMALL. BUT BEFORE I JUMP INTO THIS GRAPH, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT,
YOU KNOW, WE SUPPORTED THE COMMUNITY SYRINGE REDEMPTION PROGRAM FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND THERE WERE TWO MAIN ASPECTS THAT LED TO OUR DECISION NOT TO
CONTINUE. AND YOU KNOW, WE SEE ALL OF OUR PARTNERS AS PARTNERS AND WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS WITH THE TEAM. SO THEY'RE THEY'RE AWARE OF THIS. OBVIOUSLY THE PROGRAM ITSELF
WAS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN OUR OTHER PROGRAMS COMBINED. ESSENTIALLY WE FUNDED THIS PROGRAM AS WAS STATED THROUGH ARPA DOLLARS. THAT FUNDING SOURCE HAS ENDED AND THE FISCAL CLIMATE IS NOW
VERY UNCERTAIN AS EVERYONE IS AWARE AT ALL LEVELS WE'RE FACING SOME IMMINENT THREATS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN REGARDS TO OUR FUNDING AND FOR
RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS DIRECT OUR RESOURCES TO THE STRATEGIES THAT I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY. I CAN PROVIDE YOU THE DETAIL SPECIFIC DETAILS IN REGARDS TO
BUDGET BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT THERE WAS ALSO A SECOND REASON I MENTIONED THIS ISSUE OF CONGREGATION IN CONGREGATE DRUG USE AND THAT IS A PRIORITY
OF THE CITY TO END THAT THROUGHOUT OUR CITY I THINK THE CONCERN HERE WAS THAT THE PROGRAM MODEL VISUALLY CONTRIBUTED TO OUTDOOR
CONGREGATION AND THEIR WERE CONCERNS THAT WE ENDED UP RECEIVING FROM PARTNERS IN THE AREA AND MAYBE YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT THAT IN TERMS OF PUBLIC COMMENT IN REGARDS TO RESIDENTS.
SO WE HEARD FROM COMMUNITY BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW IN THE AREA ABOUT PARTICIPANTS LINING UP TO DO ENGAGE IN THE ACT TO ENGAGE IN THE INTERVENTION AND ACTUALLY RECEIVE THEIR PAYMENT. OKAY.
SO NOW THAT I'VE EXPLAINED THOSE TWO REASONS, LET'S LOOK AT THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE BECAUSE WHAT I WANT TO SHOW YOU IS WHAT WE'VE DONE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE FACT THAT
CSP DOES NOT EXIST ANYMORE AND HAS NOT BEEN FUNDED. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE LEFT SIDE OF THE GRAPH, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE IS BASICALLY DEMONSTRATING THAT WE ALWAYS
SEE AND THIS IS NOT JUST THIS YEAR THAT THE YEAR THAT I'M PRESENTING HERE WHICH AT THE LEFT SIDE OF THE GRAPH IS 2023 WE ALWAYS SEE AN INCREASE IN 311 CALLS FOR SYRINGES DURING
THE SUMMER MONTHS AND THAT'S TO BE EXPECTED NOW NOTE THAT I'M FOCUSING ON 311 CALLS SO THE REASON HERE THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON 311 CALLS IS THAT WE IN OUR
METRICS AND OUR MEASURES IN OUR ANALYSIS AND HOW WE MAKE DECISIONS ARE REALLY FOCUSED IN ON THE CONSTITUENT AND THE RESIDENT EXPERIENCE. SO WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE
HEARING FROM RESIDENTS AS I'M SURE THAT YOU ALL DO. SO WE SEE THIS INCREASE AND YOU YOU SEE THAT IN THE BLACK LINE WHERE YOU SEE AN INCREASE AROUND THE SUMMER MONTHS, THEN
YOU SEE A DECREASE AS WE ENTER THE FALL AND THEN AS WE ALL KNOW IN NOVEMBER OF 2023 THE ATKINSON STREET ENCAMPMENT WAS CLOSED AND PEOPLE WERE MOVED INTO LOW THRESHOLD HOUSING AND
SO YOU SEE AT THAT BLUE LINE YOU SEE ANOTHER UPWARD TREND. SO THERE'S AN UPTICK WHICH IS NOT SURPRISING. I THINK THAT IS TO BE EXPECTED THAT WE DID EXPERIENCE AN
INCREASE IN 311 CALLS AFTER ATKINSON CLOSED BECAUSE THERE WAS DISPERSION OF PEOPLE AROUND THE CITY SO WE WE EXPECTED THAT AND THEN YOU SEE THAT THE GRAPH
SORT OF DIPS DOWN A LITTLE BIT BUT THEN YOU SEE THE RED PORTION WHERE YOU SEE THIS INCREASE. OKAY SO YOU SEE A DEFINITIVE
INCREASE THERE OF 311 CALLS NOW IN JULY OF 2024 CSR PEAK CLOSED YOU SEE THAT'S BELOW THE RED LINE THAT'S THROUGH THE GRAPH AND YOU KNOW YOU DO SEE THAT
THERE WAS AN INCREASE A BIT OF AN INCREASE AFTER THEY CLOSED AND IT STAYED INCREASE FOR A WHILE AND YOU SEE WE HAD SORT OF A MAXIMUM OF ALL THE REQUESTS THAT WE'VE SEEN AT THAT POINT WITH CSP CLOSED AND
WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT. BUT I WANT YOU TO FOLLOW THE BLUE LINE WHERE IT'S GOING DOWN AGAIN AND SO WE NOTED THIS AND WE FOLLOW DATA VERY CLOSELY AND
WE INTENSIFIED OUR EFFORTS. WE REALLY THOUGHT STRATEGICALLY ABOUT GETTING FOLKS OUT CITYWIDE, GETTING PEOPLE TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GO IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, SYRINGE PICKUP
RESPONDING QUICKLY. AND AS YOU SEE THERE'S JUST A DISTINCT DOWNWARD TREND TO BACK TO ACTUALLY WHERE WE WERE. IF YOU LOOK EVEN SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN WHERE IT WAS IN FEBRUARY
OF 2024. SO THAT'S FEBRUARY 2025 TO FEBRUARY 2024. AND AGAIN PLEASE NOTE THESE ARE 311 CALLS. SO WE'RE FOCUSING IN ON HOW THE RESIDENTS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS
ISSUE IN THIS PARTICULAR GRAPH . SO WE WANTED TO PROVIDE THAT TO YOU BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT AGAIN WE TRACK VERY CLOSELY AND IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR WORK. THE OTHER PIECE THAT I THINK IS
IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS GRAPH IF YOU LOOK AT THE RESPONSE TIME SO YOU HAVE A RESPONSE TIME OF 45 MINUTES THE PERIOD BEFORE ENCAMPMENT CLOSURE THEN A RESPONSE TIME BETWEEN AND CAN'T BE CLOSURE A C R C IS R P
CLOSURE ABOUT 44 MINUTES AND I THINK IT SAYS 47 RESPONSE TIME AND THAT'S MOST RECENTLY. SO WHAT WE'RE SHOWING YOU THERE IS THAT THE RESPONSE TIME
DIDN'T CHANGE PER SE. YOU KNOW WE WEREN'T YOU KNOW AT LAGGING BEHIND. WE WERE STAYING ON PACE. WE WERE GETTING TO THE PLACES WHERE RESIDENTS WANTED US TO BE TO ACTUALLY PICK UP THE
SYRINGES SO FOR US THAT'S A CRITICAL MEASURE OF SUCCESS FOR OUR PROGRAMING IN THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE ON THE GROUND. THEY'RE GETTING THEIR THEY'RE GETTING THE WORK DONE. HOWEVER WE UNDERSTAND YOUR
CONCERNS SO IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE NOT UNDERSTANDING RESEARCH BUT WE JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU THE DATA THAT WE HAVE. OKAY. SO LET ME GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS THE OTHER PIECE THAT I REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE HERE IS THAT
BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS AND WE UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS THAT WE'RE ALSO HEARING WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE ENHANCING THE WORK. WE KNOW THAT WE NEED TO DO BETTER JUST BECAUSE THE 311
CALLS ARE GOING DOWN AS YOU JUST SAW, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE WORK IS DONE. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT HAS IMPACTED OUR ENTIRE CITY. SO EVEN THOUGH YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF EMPHASIS EFFORTS
IN THE MASS AND CASS AREA, WE ALSO ARE PUTTING FORTH EFFORT TO DEVELOP NEW MODELS ENHANCING REPLICATING OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT MODEL IN NEW NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO WE WILL BE REPLICATING A SUCCESSFUL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT MODEL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEWMARKET BID AND OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS. AND SO YOU CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT. WE ARE IN ACTIVE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE DOWNTOWN BOSTON
ALLIANCE TO PILOT A PROGRAM FOR THE BOSTON COMMON AND DOWNTOWN CROSSING WHICH ARE TWO AREAS WHERE WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE CHALLENGES NUBIAN SQUARE AND LOWER ROXBURY THAT'S ANOTHER
PRIORITY AREA WHERE WE ARE TALKING AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN ENHANCE THIS TYPE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT MODEL. WE ARE ALSO LAUNCHING A NEW INITIATIVE WITH OUR HOMELESS
SERVICES BUREAU BECAUSE MANY OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE LIVING IN OUR SHELTERS ARE PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS AND WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS ENGAGE OUR SHELTER GUESTS AND SYRINGE COLLECTIONS.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT BACK TO WORK MODEL THAT SUE'S TEAM DEVELOPED AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO REPLICATE IT AND WE WILL BE MOVING THAT FORWARD. WE'VE LOOKED AT THE BUDGET WE
CAN WE CAN MOVE THAT FORWARD IN THE COMING MONTHS AND THEN ALSO THANKS TO ONE TIME STATE FUNDING WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS OF THE STATE AND COMMISSIONER GOLDSTEIN OUR
MOBILE SHARPS TEAM IS PROCURING A NEW VEHICLE WHICH WILL ALLOW THEM TO RESPOND EVEN FASTER THAN THE 47 MINUTES TO 311 REQUESTS ACROSS THE CITY.
WE'VE ALSO EXPANDED THE HOURS IN THE MOBILE SHARP TEAM ADDING EARLY MORNING PROACTIVE ROUTES IN HOTSPOT NEIGHBORHOODS. AGAIN, THIS GOES BACK TO PARKS IN AREAS WHERE WE KNOW PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO GET TO WORK. WE NEED TO CLEAN THE AREA BEFORE THEY GET THERE.
AND SO FINALLY WE'RE EXPANDING THE EXISTING NEWMARKET BID BACK TO WORK PROGRAM SO THAT THEY CAN DO THEIR CLEANUP WORK FURTHER INTO THE AREAS THAT WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT. SO AND THAT'S PARTICULARLY IN
THE NUBIAN SQUARE AREA. SO THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING AGAIN TO IMPROVE OUR WORK, TO BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT OUR WORK AND TO MEET THE NEEDS OF RESIDENTS BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT QUALITY OF LIFE
IS AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT ISSUE AND IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE TO HAVE NEEDLES, YOU KNOW, IN PUBLIC SPACES. SO IN CLOSING I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT BPC, THE BOSTON
PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION IS HERE TO SUPPORT THE HEALTH OF ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS WHETHER THEY BE HOUSED OR UNHOUSED. THOSE ARE SUBSTANCE DISORDER AND THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE SUBSIDIES DISORDER THIS IS OUR WORK. THIS IS PUBLIC HEALTH SO ALL
OF US DESERVE CLEAN PUBLIC SPACES. WE'RE COMMITTED TO MAKING THAT A REALITY HERE IN BOSTON. I THINK WE'VE MADE PROGRESS. SO NOW I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO SARA MACKEN, THE DIRECTOR OF HARM REDUCTION SERVICES AND THE HOPE NEEDLE
EXCHANGE FOR US PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION. THANK YOU SO MUCH DR. DEVITA AND THANK YOU TO THE COUNCILORS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY. AS WAS STATED IN MY ROLE, I OVERSEE THE CITY'S HARM
REDUCTION SERVICES PROGRAM CALLED A HOPE AS WELL AS THE MOBILE SHARPS TEAM. BOTH OF THOSE PROGRAMS ARE VITAL TO THE CITY'S SYRINGE RESPONSE. I'M EXTREMELY PROUD OF THE WORK AND THE DEDICATION OF THE
MOBILE SHARPS TEAM WHICH AS DOCTORS WHO DO MENTIONED HAS A LONG STANDING RECORD OF RAPID RESPONSE TO THREE ON ONE CALLS REGARDING THE SCOURGE SYRINGES IN PUBLIC AREAS. THE SHERIFF'S TEAM IS OUT ON
THE STREET EVERY DAY 7 A.M. TO 7 P.M. RAIN OR SHINE BOTH RESPONDING TO 301 REQUESTS AND CONDUCTING REGULAR ASSIGNED SWEEPS IN HOTSPOT AREAS WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION PAID TO PARKS, SCHOOLS AND PLAYGROUNDS
. THEY REGULARLY INTERFACE AND COLLABORATE WITH A NUMBER OF CITY DEPARTMENTS AS WELL AS WITH THE COORDINATED RESPONSE TEAM. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THE WORK THAT THE REST OF THE TEAM DOES THE HARM REDUCTION
PHILOSOPHY SERVES AS A FOUNDATION OF OUR MISSION AND WE PROVIDE A NUMBER OF SERVICES TO PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS INCLUDING SYRINGE EXCHANGE, HIV, HEP C AND STI TESTING, NALOXONE DISTRIBUTION, OVERDOSE
PREVENTION, EDUCATION AS WELL AS REFERRALS TO MEDICAL CARE AND SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE ABOUT EITHER OF THESE PROGRAMS. THANK YOU.
PLEASE. SO SUE SULLIVAN WITH THE NEWMARKET BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AND WE ARE PROBABLY YOU KNOW, TEN YEARS AGO WE WERE PROBABLY THE LEAST LIKELY
INDIVIDUALS TO BE THINKING ABOUT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW WHICH IS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND PICKING PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE HOMELESS AND
ADDICTION CHALLENGED COMMUNITY AND BRINGING THEM TO A BETTER PLACE TO STABILITY, TO FULL
TIME JOBS AND RECOVERY. 2017 WE BEGAN OUR PROGRAM AND 2022 WHEN WE FORMED THE BID WE WERE ORIGINALLY BUSINESS AND BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.
WE GREATLY EXPANDED IT AND IT'S EXPANDED EVEN MUCH MUCH FURTHER WITH THE WITH THE ASSISTANCE FROM THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT, A HEALTH COMMISSION
ESSENTIALLY WE STARTED AS A PROGRAM THAT WAS GOING TO USE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE ON THE STREET TO HELP US BEAUTIFY THE STREETS, PICK UP THE TRASH, CLEAN UP THE NEEDLES, THAT KIND
OF THING THAT STARTED AND THAT'S WHAT WE WERE DOING. WE WERE GIVING PEOPLE MONEY EACH DAY FOR WORKING AND CLEANING UP AND THEY WERE GOING
ABOUT THEIR THEIR THEIR DAY WHICH OFTEN MEANT THEY'RE STILL ON THE STREET. THEY'RE STILL USING DRUGS AND NOT REALLY CHANGING THEIR THEIR
PRIORITIES. WE QUICKLY REALIZED THAT THIS WASN'T THE MODEL WE WERE TRYING TO CREATE THE MODEL WE WERE CREATING WAS WE WANTED PEOPLE
TO GET WHAT HAPPENED WAS WE REALIZED THAT EVERYONE OUT THERE WANTED MORE AND THEY REALLY WERE AS THEY WERE WORKING WITH US THEY KEPT ASKING CAN WE DO MORE? CAN WE WORK MORE?
CAN YOU YOU KNOW, CAN CAN CAN WE GET INTO RECOVERY AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE STARTED WAS WHAT WE HAVE NOW WHICH IS WHEN
INDIVIDUALS COME TO US THREE QUARTERS OF OUR INDIVIDUALS ARE EITHER IN THE STREET, ON THE STREET OR WHEN THEY START WITH US OR THEY'RE IN SHELTER AND
THEY RECOMMENDED TO US EITHER BY OTHERS IN THE PROGRAM OR BY THE RED SHIRTS OR BY BOSTON POLICE OUTREACH TEAM OR BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
KELLY SITTING NEXT TO ME AND AND AND THAT'S HOW THEY COME TO US AND WE TELL THEM YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE SOBER WHEN YOU COME BACK WE TAKE YOU WHERE YOU'RE
AT BUT YOU DO HAVE TO BE WILLING TO GET INTO RECOVERY AND YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TO TO HANDLE THE RULES OF THE PROGRAM WHICH ARE YOU CANNOT BE HIGH WHEN YOU COME.
YOU CANNOT YOU HAVE TO ARRIVE ON TIME. WE HAVE CERTAIN RULES REGULATIONS AS TO BEHAVIOR AND YOU PUT THAT VEST ON THAT SAYS NEWMARKET BID AND YOU'RE
REPRESENTING SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT. AND WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS AND WITHIN A FEW WEEKS WE SAY TO THEM LOOK WHAT IS RECOVERY LOOK LIKE?
OUR PROGRAM DIRECTOR CAROL COSTELLO IS ON THEM IN A HEARTBEAT. WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? IS IT MEDICALLY ASSISTED TREATMENT IS IT DETOX? WHAT IS IT BUT YOU IN ORDER TO
CONTINUE IN THE PROGRAM YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING ON INCENTIVISATION HERE. THIS IS YOU KNOW IT IS WE WILL GET YOU YOU KNOW TO TO TO YOU
KNOW HOPEFULLY A BETTER PLACE. I AM THRILLED TO SAY THAT WE HAVE WORKED WITH 160 INDIVIDUALS HUNDRED AND 65 INDIVIDUALS AT THIS POINT 75%
OF OUR INDIVIDUALS IN RECOVERY OR WORKING WELL THEIR WAY THEIR AND IT'S A JOURNEY I MEAN WE'VE HAD SOME THAT HAVE RELAPSED THREE OR FOUR TIMES.
WE'VE HAD OTHERS THAT HAVE GONE ON WE HAVE 60 NOW THAT HAVE GONE ON TO JOBS FULL AND PART TIME JOBS IN THE COMMUNITY. NONE OF THEM. ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO SAY TO
THEM IS IF YOU ARE IF YOU START WORKING ON THE PROGRAM, YOU CAN'T BE LIVING ON THE STREET ANYMORE. YOU HAVE TO AT THE VERY LEAST BE IN SHELTER AND WE WILL WORK
WITH YOU TO GET YOU INTO AN SRO OR AN APARTMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. AND THAT IS YOU KNOW, I MEAN THERE ARE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS FILL THE GAPS IS ACTUALLY
TAKE THEM FROM NOT JUST NOT JUST SPIN THE WHEELS BUT HAVE THEM GO FROM FROM FROM START TO FINISH AND THE GOAL IS AT THE END STABLE HOUSING AND A STABLE
JOB. I'LL STOP THERE AND YOU ASK QUESTIONS LATER. THANK YOU. HI EVERYONE. SO I'M JUST HERE TODAY. I JUST WANT TO OFFER A FEW WORDS ABOUT WHAT CRT IS DOING
TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL OF OUR CITY RESIDENTS. FEBRUARY THIS YEAR WE RELEASED A MEMO TO THE COUNCIL WITH A PLAN TO ACHIEVE THE CITY'S GOAL OF ENDING OUTDOOR SUBSTANCE USE
AND THE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY THAT IT SUPPORTS. THE CITY HAS IMPLEMENTED A SET OF STRATEGIES LED BY THE CORE TEAMS THAT ARE WORKING ON THE GROUND COORDINATED RESPONSE
TEAM BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION AND OUR HARDWORKING PUBLIC WORKS SANITATION TEAMS. WE LISTEN TO OUR CONSTITUENTS. OUR ENHANCED INITIATIVE IS STRUCTURED AROUND PROVIDING A
COORDINATED, STREAMLINED AND PROACTIVE RESPONSE. WE RECOGNIZE THAT DRUG USE AND PUBLIC SPACES NOT ONLY POSES A PUBLIC SAFETY AND HEALTH RISK BUT ALSO DIMINISHES THE QUALITY
OF LIFE FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS. SINCE THE ROLL OUT OF OUR INITIATIVE WE HAVE SEEN A DECLINE IN 311 SYRINGE CLEANUP REQUEST.
THIS REDUCTION IS PROMISING. WE RECOGNIZE, HOWEVER, WE UNDERSTAND THAT REAL PROGRESS IS NOT MEASURED IN NUMBERS BUT
IT'S MEASURED BY THE DAY TO DAY EXPERIENCES THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE HAVING. WE FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THE PRESENCE OF ANY SYRINGES IN OUR PUBLIC SPACES IS UNACCEPTABLE. WE ARE UNWAVERING IN OUR
COMMITMENT TO KEEP OUR BOSTON NEIGHBORHOODS SAFE AND SYRINGE FREE. OUR MESSAGE IS CLEAR. CONGREGATE OUTDOOR SUBSTANCE USE WILL NO LONGER BE TOLERATED. IN ADDITION TO ADDRESSING
NEEDLE WASTE, CRT WILL CONTINUE TO CORRESPOND WITH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT TO ADDRESS OUR QUALITY OF LIFE CONCERNS. THERE ARE NO EASY SOLUTIONS TO COMPLEX CHALLENGES LIKE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.
HOWEVER, IT DOES REQUIRE ASSERTIVE ACTION AND A STRONG COMMITMENT THAT BALANCES PUBLIC SAFETY AND HEALTH AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT CRT IS DOING.
LAST MONTH 41% OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT CRT ENGAGED WERE CONNECTED TO ITS SUBSTANCE USE IN PATIENT TREATMENT. THAT STATISTIC UNDERSCORES OUR COMMITMENT TO NOT ONLY ADDRESS
THE SYMPTOMS OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER. THE COORDINATED RESPONSE TEAM IS INVESTED IN SOLUTIONS THAT SUPPORT RECOVERY AND REHABILITATION. AS MENTIONED IN OUR STRATEGIC
INITIATIVE TO END CONGREGATE OUTDOOR USE, OUR PRIORITY IS SAFETY, HEALTH AND IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS IN BOSTON. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU ALL FOR TESTIMONY. I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL FINISH WITH YOUR PRESENTATION THAT WILL OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS. SURE. GOOD. GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TO SHARE MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT OUR PROGRAM. SO I'LL JUST SAY IT'S SUPER SMALL UP THERE, BUT DO YOU GUYS HAVE COPIES? OKAY, GREAT. SO COMMUNITY SYRINGE REDEMPTION PROGRAM STARTED IN DECEMBER 2020.
I'M SURE A LOT OF YOU REMEMBER THERE WERE A LOT OF THREE ONE REQUESTS RELATED TO SYRINGE PICK AT THAT TIME. THEY ACTUALLY INCREASED 400% IN THE COUPLE OF YEARS LEADING UP TO 2020. AND MYSELF AND MY CO-FOUNDER
WERE REALLY TRYING TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX ABOUT WHAT WHAT WE COULD DO WHAT'S AN INNOVATIVE PROGRAM MODEL THAT REALLY HASN'T BEEN TRIED THAT MIGHT ADDRESS THIS ISSUE IN A CREATIVE WAY. SO KIND OF ON OUR OWN WE CAME
UP WITH THIS PROGRAM MODEL AND LAUNCHED IN DECEMBER 2020 WITH A PURPOSE BUILT VAN THAT WE REFURBISHED OURSELVES AND YOU KNOW, JUST HOPED THAT THIS MODEL WORK AND ARE VERY
GRATEFUL THAT THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION FUNDED OUR PROGRAM FROM 2020 TO 2024. WE'RE A CERTIFIED SMALL BUSINESS AND WOMAN OWNED BUSINESS SO THIS IS REALLY A FIRST OF ITS KIND PROGRAM.
LIKE I SAID A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE THE BOX BUT WHAT WE FOUND REALLY QUICKLY IS THAT IT IS EFFECTIVE AT REDUCING SYRINGE LITTER SO IT CREATES AN INCENTIVE A CASH INCENTIVE FOR
INDIVIDUALS TO RETURN SYRINGES. IT CREATES A VERY LOW THRESHOLD INCOME EARNING OPPORTUNITY THAT DOES DEVELOP JOB READINESS SKILLS, CREATES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ENGAGEMENT BUILDING TRUST
AND RAPPORT AND THEN CREATING A NEW ACCESS POINT FOR SERVICES AND REFERRALS AND THAT WHAT WE'VE SEEN YOU KNOW, WE'VE GONE OVER THE DATA A LITTLE BIT BUT CALLS FOR SERVICE RELATED TO
SYRINGE PICKUP DECREASED 50% WHILE THE PROGRAM WAS IN BOSTON. SO HOW IT WORKS? AGAIN, WE LAUNCHED IN 2020. OUR FIRST LOCATION WAS ON
ATKINSON STREET BUT IT'S A MOBILE PROGRAM SO WE'RE ABLE TO BE FLEXIBLE WITH TIMES LOCATIONS BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE CITY, THE NEEDS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD INDIVIDUALS ENROLL
AT THEIR FIRST VISIT AT OUR PURPOSE BUILT VANS AND THEY GET $0.20 PER USE SYRINGE UP TO $10 A DAY WHICH IS THE EQUIVALENT OF 50 SYRINGES AND MOST PEOPLE DO TURN IN RIGHT AROUND 50 SYRINGES.
WE LAUNCHED OUR SECOND AND THIRD LOCATIONS IN JUNE 2021 THE TIMES ARE INTENTIONALLY VERY EARLY BECAUSE THERE IS A GAP IN SERVICES. IT ALLOWS THE STREETS TO BE CLEANED BEFORE BUSINESSES OPEN
AND PEOPLE BEGIN COMMUTING TO WORK OR SCHOOL AND IT ALLOWS PARTICIPANTS TO START THEIR DAY WITH SOMETHING POSITIVE AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT OUR PROGRAM MODEL IS THAT IT REALLY STARTS WITH THE
PERSON AND IS THE MOST UPSTREAM WITH THIS ISSUE AND THAT THE SYRINGES ACTUALLY DON'T END UP ON THE STREET. THE PERSON IS INCENTIVIZED TO HANG ON TO SYRINGES SOME PEOPLE DO COLLECT SYRINGES AS WELL BUT QUITE A FEW PARTICIPANTS ARE
ACTUALLY HANGING ON TO THEIR OWN SYRINGES. THEY'RE NOT GETTING DISCARDED IN THE PARKS OR ON THE STREETS . SO AGAIN IT STARTS WITH THAT PERSON AND KIND OF INCENTIVIZING A BEHAVIOR
CHANGE WITH THEM. COUPLE QUICK PICTURES OF THE PROGRAM MODEL AND JUST KIND OF HIGH LEVEL DATA. SO WE'VE COLLECTED 1.2 MILLION SYRINGES SINCE WE STARTED THE
PROGRAM. THAT'S AN AVERAGE OF OVER 5000 SYRINGES PER DAY OVER 28,000 SYRINGES PER WEEK. AND WHEN WE STARTED OUR GOAL WAS TO COLLECT 1000 SYRINGES
PER WEEK. BUT WE FOUND VERY QUICKLY THAT WE CAN DO THAT IN LESS THAN A DAY, LESS THAN AN HOUR. ANOTHER THING THAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT OUR PROGRAM IS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ENROLLED IN IT.
SO ALMOST 4000 PEOPLE ARE ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM AND SOME PEOPLE PARTICIPATE ON A DAILY BASIS. SOME PEOPLE PARTICIPATE WEEKLY. IT'S REALLY UP TO THEM THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT THAT THEY'D LIKE. BUT WHAT WE FOUND WITH QUITE A
FEW PARTICIPANTS LIKE I SAID, IS THAT IT BECOMES AN ACCESS POINT FOR SERVICES AND YOU KNOW, TO CONNECT WITH SOMEONE WHO CARES ABOUT THEM TO HAVE SOMETHING POSITIVE THAT STARTS THEIR DAY IS REALLY MEANINGFUL .
SO THAT'S A KIND OF ANOTHER IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE PROGRAM IS JUST THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN SOMETHING POSITIVE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR COMMUNITY. SO THIS IS JUST SOME KIND
OF SNAPSHOT OF THE YEAR TO YEAR DATA FROM 311 FOCUSING ON THE SYRINGE REQUESTS. WHEN WE STARTED THE PROGRAM THERE WAS AN AVERAGE OF 39
REQUESTS PER DAY AND AS YOU CAN SEE 2021, 2020 TO 2023 THAT DECREASED PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY. SO AGAIN JUST LOOKING YEAR OVER YEAR AGAIN I KNOW THIS IS JUST ONE PART OF MULTIPLE LAYERED
APPROACH BUT WE THINK IT IS AN EFFECTIVE PART. AND THEN LOOKING A LITTLE BIT AT MONTH TO MONTH DATA AND 2024 WITH SOME KIND OF NOTABLE EVENTS RELATED TO OUR PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY AGAIN
ACKNOWLEDGING THERE IS SOME SEASONALITY BUT EVEN LOOKING YOU KNOW, MARCH 2025 COMPARED TO MARCH 2020 FOR THERE'S ALMOST TWICE THE NUMBER OF REQUESTS LAST MONTH COMPARED
TO THE YEAR PRIOR. SO AGAIN, IT SEEMS TO BE A VERY EFFECTIVE MODEL AT ENGAGING INDIVIDUALS IN THIS EFFORT TO REDUCE SYRINGE.
SO I ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TRY TO DO WITH OUR PROGRAM IS INTERVIEW PARTICIPANTS AND LEARN ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE. SO WE WE'VE DONE INTERVIEWS AND MULTIPLE POINTS THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM PERIOD.
SO I'M GOING TO START WITH SOME OF OUR PARTICIPANT QUOTES FROM EARLY ON JANUARY 2021 AND WE WORKED WITH A RESEARCHER TO KIND OF CODE THESE FOUR THEMES. ONE OF THEM OBVIOUSLY BEING THE
DECREASE IN SYRINGES ON THE GROUND AND INCREASED SAFETY SO YOU KNOW AS AGAIN YOU MIGHT REMEMBER USED TO BE VERY VISIBLE AND IN JANUARY 2021 THIS PARTICIPANT IS SAYING THAT
USED TO SEE SYRINGES EVERYWHERE AND THAT'S NOW NOW THAT'S NOT THE CASE ESSENTIALLY. ANOTHER THEME WAS INCREASED MOTIVATION AND SELF EFFICACY. SO THE IDEA THAT EARNING SOME MONEY, HAVING THIS LOW
THRESHOLD EARNING OPPORTUNITY, BUYING YOURSELF BREAKFAST, HAVING SOME AUTONOMY, HAVING LESS STRESS IN THE MORNING THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY POSITIVE FOR THE INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPANTS AND AGAIN HAVING THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUAL
PARTICIPANTS. ANOTHER THEME IS INCREASE COMMUNITY PRIDE, SELF-WORTH AND EMPOWERMENT WHICH ARE IMPORTANT KIND OF BUILDING BLOCKS FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. IT FEELS GOOD TO BE ABLE TO DO WHAT I CAN TO HELP.
FEELING GOOD CARRIES ON THROUGHOUT MY DAY JUST KNOWING THAT I STARTED THE MORNING WITH SOMETHING POSITIVE AND I WILL SAY TOO THAT WE DID RUN A WORK FIRST WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PILOT IN 2020 AND WE HAVE THE
CAPACITY AND INTEREST TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THAT TYPE OF EFFORT AS WELL. AND WHAT WE SAW WAS THAT THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE CSP REALLY WERE GREAT KIND OF PIPELINE FOR
DEEPER ENGAGEMENT THROUGH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. SO WE WOULD LOVE TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN THAT AS WELL. AND THEN LASTLY THIS IS FULL ENGAGEMENT. IT'S MORE THAN JUST NEEDLE
CLEANUP, IT'S ACCESS TO DETOX INFORMATION ABOUT PREVENTION, IT'S SUPPORT AND A LOT OF PEOPLE SHARED THAT HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS HAVE A DAILY INTERACTION WITH SOMEONE WHO THEY FELT CARED ABOUT THEM.
SO I'M GOING TO FAST FORWARD I THINK I DIDN'T MENTION YET THAT WE DID KIND OF A SHORT ENGAGEMENT IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER 2024 AFTER CITY FUNDING ENDED WE DECIDED TO OFFER THE PROGRAM ONE DAY A
WEEK JUST KIND OF FUNDING IT OURSELVES AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE QUOTES THAT PARTICIPANTS SAID WHEN WE ASKED THEM TO KIND OF REFLECT AFTER THE PROGRAM HAS ENDED WHAT THEIR OBSERVATIONS WERE.
AND I WILL SAY TO THAT LOOKING AT THE 311 CALLS ON THE DAY THAT WE OFFER OPERATED THE PROGRAM AND THE DAY FOLLOWING 311 CALLS DID DECREASE EVEN JUST OPERATING PROGRAM ONE DAY A WEEK MADE A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE.
SO I'M NOT GOING TO READ THEM ALL BUT YOU CAN SEE ON SIDEWALK IT'S ALL OVER THE PLACE. SYRINGES ARE EVERYWHERE. IT'S KIND OF RIDICULOUS WHEN THE VAN WAS GOING AROUND WE HAD PEOPLE HELPING TO CLEAN THE SIDEWALKS ACTUALLY HELPING
PEOPLE HAVE MONEY IN THEIR POCKETS AND IT WASN'T JUST ABOUT THE MONEY. IT WAS ABOUT HELPING PEOPLE. ANOTHER ONE THAT'S SOMEWHAT SIMILAR MY EXPERIENCE THE PROGRAM IMPACT KEPT THE STREETS
CLEAN, THE PARKS LAST NEEDLE KIDS GET TO PLAY SAFELY AND RESPONSIBLE ADDICTS HELPING THE COMMUNITY CAPTAIN PLANET TYPE OF THING AND SINCE IT'S ENDED YEAH A LOT OF BROKEN CAR
WINDOWS. ANOTHER ONE HONESTLY THE PROGRAM IMPACT HAS BEEN GREAT BECAUSE IT GIVES EVERY HOMELESS PERSON A JOB AND IT GIVES THEM A REASON TO CLEAN UP AFTER THEMSELVES AND SINCE THEY TOOK
IT AWAY IT'S BEEN UGLY SORT OF ODD EVEN IF IT'S ONLY ONE DAY A WEEK IT MEANS A LOT AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST THIS PROGRAM MEANS THE WORLD TO ME. IT'S AMAZING THAT YOU CARE.
IT'S JUST PART OF US. IT'S 530, 6:00 IN THE MORNING AND WE'RE DOING SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, POSITIVE. I WOULD SAY THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES A WORKSITE AND JOB SERVICE FOR SOME PEOPLE IT'S $10 A DAY.
THAT'S PEOPLE'S WAY OF GETTING SOMETHING TO EAT FOR ME AND MY WIFE IT'S A BIG DEAL. AND THEN REFLECTING ON, YOU KNOW, THE PROGRAM BEING SUCCESSFUL AND PARTICIPANTS
REALLY COUNTING ON IT. SO HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AGAIN THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TO BE HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE PROGRAM. I THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR THAT
PRESENTATION. JUST LIKE TO NOTE THAT WE HAVE BEEN JOINED BY COUNSELOR PEPEN AS WELL AND NOW I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR QUESTIONS. YOU EACH WILL HAVE 6 MINUTES AT
THE MOMENT AND COUNSELOR MURPHY ,YOU MAY GO. THANK YOU TO THE PANEL FOR YOUR PRESENTATIONS. I'LL START WITH I MEAN THE
HEARING LAWYER WAS WRITTEN SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE SYRINGE COMMUNITY SYRINGE REDEMPTION PROGRAM AND KNOWING THAT IT MADE SUCH A HUGE IMPACT. RIGHT.
COLLECTING APPROXIMATELY 5 MILLION SYRINGES SINCE ITS INCEPTION. KNOWING THAT YOU KNOW, YOU WERE OUT THERE MANY DAYS COLLECTING AND ALONGSIDE THAT THERE WERE PROGRAMS LIKE YOURS TO SULLIVAN
AND OTHERS. SO I'M JUST KIND OF A LITTLE CONFUSED BY THE DECREASE IN 311 CALLS LOWEST SINCE, YOU KNOW
IT'S LOWER THAN THIS CHART STARTS BACK IN MARCH IS IT A MAY OF 2023 SO YOU KNOW TO WHERE THE LOWEST EVER OF PEOPLE CALLING IN SO MAYBE IF WE COULD
JUST KIND OF BRAINSTORM IS THAT THEY'RE SEEING LESS I'M NOT HEARING THAT WE'RE SEEING LESS OR IS IT THAT PEOPLE ARE JUST NUMB TO IT? YOU DO KIND OF GET USED TO IT AND WHEN THE PROGRAM ENDED WHEN
THE TENT ENCAMPMENT CAME DOWN ALSO THE I MEAN IF YOU WERE AROUND THE MASS AND CASS AREA, IF YOU WERE DOWN NEAR USED TO I MEAN THERE'D BE PILES OF THEM RIGHT? AND NOW WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE
SPREAD OUT ACROSS THE CITY. DID PEOPLE OF GET USED TO IT DON'T CALL 311 FIRED LIKE OR DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT THERE'S JUST THAT MANY LESS SYRINGES
AND THEN ALSO IF YOU COULD SPEAK KELLY I KNOW I'VE BEEN AT COMMUNITY HEARINGS WHEN WE SPEAK ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATION'S INITIATIVE, I
GUESS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A CHANGE OF POLICY ON ENDING CONGREGATIONAL OUTDOOR DRUG USE WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY 100% CONNECTED TO SYRINGES BEING DISCARDED OUTSIDE. RIGHT.
OR FOR ALLOWING OUTDOOR DRUG USE. BUT IF PEOPLE JUST HAVE IDEAS ON THAT I'M NOT LIKE SAYING ONE ONE ISN'T BEING HONEST OR THAT OBVIOUSLY YOUR DATA IS WHAT 311
IS TELLING US. BUT I JUST KNOW FROM HEARING AROUND YOU KNOW AND THEN ALSO WHICH MAY TIE TO THIS ABOUT LIKE WHERE ARE THE NEEDLES THAT WE'RE FINDING YOU SAID THAT
THERE ARE SPECIFIC PLACES THEY GO EVERY DAY AND THEN THERE ARE OBVIOUSLY RESPONSE TIME TO CALLS SPECIFIC OF LIKE ON HERE ON THE STREET CAN YOU COME PICK IT UP? BUT WHAT IS THE LIST OF SCHOOLS
AND PARKS THAT ARE ON THE DAILY CLEANUP LIST? THOSE ARE MY THREE TO START WITH. YOU KNOW, SO MAYBE I'LL JUST START WITH THE QUESTION ABOUT 311. SO I THINK IT'S IT'S
CHALLENGING TO LOOK AND INTERPRET THIS DATA AND KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING ON. I MEAN THAT'S JUST IT'S THAT'S THE NATURE OF DATA, RIGHT? SO WE CAN ALL JUST SORT
OF SPECULATE. I DO THINK THAT THERE'S BEEN AN INTENTIONAL EFFORT BY THE THINGS USING THE PROGRAMS THAT I'VE ALREADY MENTIONED TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE AND IT'S NOT
SAY WE HADN'T BEEN RESPONSIVE BUT I THINK THERE'S BEEN AN INTENTIONAL PUSH PARTICULARLY BECAUSE WE WERE HEARING THE SAME THINGS THAT YOU'RE HEARING AND WANTING TO BE RESPONSIVE. SO I THINK THAT IS PART OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
I THINK WE WOULD HAVE TO DO SOME MORE DATA MINING TO GET A BETTER SENSE OF, YOU KNOW, RESIDENT QUALITY OF LIFE BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S THE THING THAT WE'RE MOST CONCERNED WITH IS NOT THE NUMBER
OF NEEDLES BUT HOW ARE RESIDENTS EXPERIENCING THEIR TO DAY AND WHAT ARE THEY FEELING ABOUT LIVING HERE IN BOSTON? AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT YOU ALL ARE CONCERNED ABOUT TOO. SO THAT'S WHY WE WANTED TO
PRESENT THESE DATA LIKE AS THEY ARE. I'M GOING TO LET SARA SAY A FEW WORDS JUST ABOUT A HOPE AND YOUR PICK UP AND THEN SHE CAN ALSO SPEAK TO THE ACTUALS YOU KNOW, LOCATIONS. YES.
AND THERE'S THERE'S MORE THAT YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT ABOUT THE DATA WE COME BACK. THANK SO SO NOW OKAY, GREAT.
YES, I CAN I CAN SPEAK TO YOU KNOW THE POLICIES THAT WE HAVE AT HOPE. WE HAVE MULTIPLE WAYS IN WHICH OUR FOLKS CAN BRING SYRINGES BACK IN. SO WE ARE AN EXCHANGE PROGRAM THAT IS NOT A DISTRIBUTION
PROGRAM. WHEN FOLKS COME IN WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO BRING IN THEIR SYRINGES. WE HAVE A SITE RIGHT AT THE VERY BEGINNING WHERE THEY GET THEIR SERVICES. WE HAVE KIOSKS OUT FRONT. WE'RE CONSTANTLY SPEAKING TO
OUR PARTICIPANTS ABOUT NOT ONLY THE VISIBILITY OF SYRINGES AND THE IMPACT IT HAS IN OUR PROGRAMING BUT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AS FOLKS THAT LIVE IN BOSTON TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON'T DISCARD
SYRINGES AND AREAS WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE CHILDREN YOU KNOW, PLACES IN PARKS, SCHOOLS IS AREA WHICH ARE AREAS THAT THE MOBILE SHARPS TEAM PUTS AT PRIORITY NUMBER ONE.
THE ONE THING THAT I WILL SAY I THINK THAT THE PARTICIPANTS THAT WE SEE EVERY DAY MANY OF THEM HAVE CHILDREN, MANY OF THEM HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE IN CONTACT WITH THEM OR THEY HAVEN'T BEEN REUNITED OR
THEY'RE IN ACTIVE ADDICTION, THEY DO CARE ABOUT SYRINGES BEING IN AREAS WHERE KIDS CAN SEE THEM OR BEING IN AREAS WHERE SOMEONE MIGHT GOD FORBID GET STUCK. WE ARE CONSTANTLY GIVING OUT
DIFFERENT SIZED SYRINGE DISPOSAL BIO BINS SO WE HAVE FIT PACKS. I ACTUALLY HAVE ONE IN MY BACKPACK RIGHT NOW. THEY'RE SMALL, THEY'RE BLACK, THEY'RE SLEEK, THEY FIT IN SOMEONE'S POCKET OR IN
SOMEONE'S PACK ALL THE UP TO EIGHT GALLON BINS WHERE WE GIVE OUR PARTICIPANTS AND THEY'LL GO OUT AND COLLECT SYRINGES FOR US WHEREVER YOU KNOW THEY KNOW THAT THEY ARE PRESENT THE LIST
OF PROACTIVE SWEEPS THAT WE DO BOTH WITH THE MOBILE SHARPS TEAM ALSO WITH THE BID WHICH YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THE BID IS VERY, VERY LONG.
SO IN THE MORNING WHEN OUR SHARPS TEAM GETS IN THEY PRIORITIZE SCHOOLS AND PARKS WE COULD LIST THEM. THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. YEAH SURE I HAVE ILLUSTRATE IN FRONT OF ME THERE'S THE DEARBORN SCHOOL WHICH IS LIKE
QUINCY SCHOOL, MADISON PARK, BOSTON ARTS ACADEMY, BLACKSTONE ELEMENTARY MILKING MOUNT PLEASANT PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS INCLUDE RAMSEY PARK, CLIFFORD PARK WHICH GETS SEVERAL SWEEPS
A DAY. ORCHARD GARDENS GYM RICE FIELDS, BLACKSTONE PARK, MY MOUNT PLEASANT PETERS PARK KROC CENTER THE DUDLEY TOWN COMMONS
CHESTER PARK SOUTHWEST CORRIDOR MOBERLY FIELD WHICH IS YEAR ROUND WHEN WINTER PARK I CAN'T EVEN PRONOUNCE IT. I LIVE IN BOSTON MY WHOLE LIFE. I'M SO SORRY MIRANDA PLAYGROUNDS RICHARDSON PARK.
SHARON'S PARK. THERE'S ALSO NEIGHBORHOOD SWEEPS TOO THAT IS SPLIT BETWEEN THE RED SHIRTS OUTREACH MOBILE SHARPS TEAM AND ALSO THE BIN AND THEY INCLUDED A SQUARE
BMC AREA NUBIAN SQUARE MELANIA CASTES THE CONNECTOR NEWMARKET TRIANGLE, NEWMARKET TRIANGLE THE SOUTH BAY HOTEL AREA. MS. OUT FROM THE CONNECTOR TO PIERCE STREET IN ABUTTING
STREETS THE INN AND SURROUNDING AREAS ANDREW STATION WHICH IS ANOTHER AREA THAT WE DO PROACTIVE SWEEPS BROADWAY IN THE BROADWAY BRIDGE VETERANS
PARK SOUTH END AREA INCLUDES BMC ALLEYWAYS 714715716718719 THERE'S A MULTIPLE ALLEYWAYS IN THAT AREA THAT WE ARE CONSTANTLY IN PICKING UP
SYRINGES AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE SCANNING. THAT'S A GOOD LIST. I KNOW MY TIMER WENT OFF. I DO HAVE TO SAY JUST LISTENING IN THOUGH, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE A
BRUNT OF THAT RIGHT? LOT OF THAT IS IN THE DISTRICT TO DISTRICT THERE BUT I WILL WAIT FOR MY SECOND TURN. I KNOW MY QUESTION TO YOU, KELLY, WE CAN ANSWER IN THE
SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONING BUT I DO ALSO WANT TO SAY YOU SPOKE TO IT SO I KNOW IT'S LIKE IN YOUR FIBER OF LIKE WHAT YOU DO EVERY DAY AND IT WAS MENTIONED AND WHAT YOU DO WITH THAT YOU
KNOW THE CONNECTION BETWEEN A SUCCESSFUL HOPEFUL PATH TO RECOVERY AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IS CRUCIAL. I FEEL LIKE WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME ONLY TALKING ABOUT HOUSING AND YOU KNOW WHICH IS
OBVIOUSLY ALSO IMPORTANT. BUT JUST THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS MAKING SURE THAT THAT'S WHERE YOU GROUND YOURSELF AND THAT'S YOUR APPEAL FOCUS ALWAYS FOR THESE PEOPLE. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND I WILL WAIT FOR MY SECOND.
OKAY. I WAS GOING TO SAY CAN I JUST TOUCH ON TO TO SARAH FOR ONE QUICK SECOND? I'LL BE VERY BRIEF BUT IN IN CONJUNCTION WITH WITH HER TEAM WE HAVE A TEAM THAT DOES
CLIFFORD PARK EVERY MORNING AT 630 IN THE MORNING AND THEN AGAIN 630 FOR 2 HOURS AND THEN 2 HOURS IN THE AFTERNOON. THEY ALSO WE HAVE ANOTHER TEAM
THAT DOES BLACKSTONE FRANKLIN AND WHAT'S THE ONE ACROSS THE STREET FROM DURING I WENT TO PARKS IN THE SOUTH END BUT ONE THING THAT WE PIVOTED AND IT'S
ONE THING THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S CONSTANT IS WE WERE GETTING A LOT OF 311 CALLS I THINK FROM THE AT LEAST PUBLIC HEALTH WAS FROM SOUTH
END CERTAIN AREAS AND I, I WAS ADAMANT I'M LIKE WE ARE THERE FOR 3 HOURS EVERY MORNING WE ARE GETTING ALL THE NEEDLES GUARANTEE YOU AND IT TURNED OUT
THE ALL THE COMPLAINTS ALL THE 311 CALLS WERE COMING IN AS PEOPLE WERE LEAVING FOR WORK AND LEAVING FOR SCHOOL AND ON THE MORNING AND THEY'RE SEEING THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED OVERNIGHT.
SO WE PIVOTED PUBLIC HEALTH ASKED IF WE COULD DO EARLIER SO WE HAVE AN EARLY MORNING 333 PERSON TEAM THAT STARTS AT SIX AND THEY PICK UP OVER 100
NEEDLES THEN. SO I THINK THE 311 CALLS HAVE GONE DOWN JUST AS PART OF THAT . SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO COUNCILOR FLYNN YEAH, THANK
YOU, MR CHAIR. I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AGAIN I WAS ON THE WORCESTER SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING SEVERAL DAYS AGO AND
RESIDENTS THERE HAVE SAID TO ME THAT THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN THE AREA IN SUCH BAD SHAPE IN TERMS OF NEEDLES IN AND AROUND
WORCESTER SQUARE. I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT MANY OF THESE AREAS ARE IN IN DISTRICT TWO IN WANT TO SEE
SERVICES ENHANCED FOR NEEDLE PICKUP ANDREW'S ANDREW STATION ANDREW SQUARE IS IS A BIG AREA WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF DRUG
ACTIVITY COPLEY SQUARE AS WELL IN AND AROUND ST MONICA'S CHURCH AND IN SOUTH BOSTON THE
CHINATOWN DOWNTOWN BOSTON I THINK I WAS PROBABLY THE FIRST PERSON IN THE CITY THAT RECOMMENDED THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO PUBLIC DRUG USE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.
I KNOW THE CITIES CAME OUT IN SUPPORT OF SUPPORT BOSTON. I KNOW THE CITIES CAME OUT IN SUPPORT OF SUPPORT OF THAT RECENTLY BUT I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THAT FOR FOUR YEARS. I ALSO DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE DRUGS IN PUBLIC.
I DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SELL DRUGS IN PUBLIC OBVIOUSLY I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD BE ARRESTED OR GIVEN THE OPTION TO GET INTO DRUG TREATMENT
PROGRAMS, DETOX HAVE FOCUSED MY LIFE ON GETTING PEOPLE INTO DETOX AND DRUG TREATMENT. AS A PROBATION OFFICER IT DOES WORK. I ALSO SUPPORT THE NEEDLE
NEEDLE EXCHANGE PROGRAM. IT WAS IMPLEMENTED UNDER MAYOR FLYNN IN THE MID EIGHTIES WHEN MANY PEOPLE TOLD ME NOT TO DO THAT. IT WAS TOO CONTROVERSIAL BUT IT
WAS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS AT THE TIME. SO MY QUESTION SO I KNOW THIS I KNOW THIS ISSUE AS WELL AS ANYONE.
MY QUESTION IS THE THE CITY SPONSORED PROGRAM THAT WAS ELIMINATED THAT WAS BASICALLY ELIMINATED EVEN THOUGH IT WAS VERY EFFECTIVE. IT WAS IT WAS ELIMINATED
BECAUSE OF FUNDING IS THAT ACCURATE TO SAY YES, THAT IS THE PRIMARY REASON. IT WAS ABOUT FUNDING. WE ALSO HAD THE SECONDARY REASON OF JUST CONGREGATION
THAT IS A CONCERN IT HAS BEEN A CONCERN FOR WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT FROM OUR BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS. SO SO THAT PROGRAM WAS FUNDED THROUGH A LOT OF FEDERAL FUNDS
THAT COMBINES THE FUNDS THAT CAME INTO THE DURING THE COVID . BUT I JUST DON'T I JUST DON'T THINK YOU CAN ELIMINATE A PROGRAM THAT WORKS WELL THAT IS
EFFECTIVE THAT'S DOING ITS JOB, THAT'S ADDRESSING PUBLIC HEALTH, THAT'S ADDRESSING PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS BASED ON
FUNDING, BASED ON OUR LOCATION OF FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS NOT SUPPORTING IT. SO NOW THE PROGRAM IS
ELIMINATED IN EFFECT A PROGRAM THAT PROGRAM IN MY OPINION SHOULD HAVE BEEN BROUGHT OVER TO THE CITY OF BOSTON AND PLACED ON THE CITY OF BOSTON'S
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO FUND IT. THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE BASED ON MY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN GOVERNMENT AS A AS AS A CITY COUNCILOR, AS A PROBATION OFFICER AND AS SOMEONE THAT
KNOWS THE CITY CITY WELL. AND SO I KNOWS MY DISTRICT WELL. BUT BUT IF A PROGRAM IS WORKING
IF A PROGRAM IS EFFECTIVE, WHY ARE WE ELIMINATING A PROGRAM?
IS THAT A QUESTION? YEAH. OH, SORRY. THAT'S I APOLOGIZE. SO MAYBE I CAN GET A LITTLE BIT INTO THE BUDGET ISSUE JUST SO EVERYBODY'S CLEAR.
SURE. SO IN FY 24 THE TOTAL AMOUNT THE TOTAL COST OF SRP WAS 1.226
SO $1,226,472 AND THAT WAS ONE YEAR OF FUNDING. IF YOU LOOK AT ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT I MENTIONED ALREADY, THE
TOTAL AMOUNT WAS $958,301. SO THAT INCLUDES OUR MOBILE SHARP SYRINGE DISPOSAL SERVICES NEWMARKET BID AND EVEN WITH OUR
EXPANSION IT'S NOT GOING TO SURPASS AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE ALL THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING. SO AND BY THAT WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO FUND
WHAT WE'RE DOING PLUS DO THE WORK THAT I MENTIONED AND IT'S STILL DOING ADDITIONAL WORK BUT
IT'S IT'S NOT COMING CLOSE TO THIS AMOUNT THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE SRP. DO YOU UNDERSTAND? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? SO I THINK MY POINT IS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WHAT FOR US IS COST EFFECTIVE.
WE'RE UNDER AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF STRAIN RIGHT NOW. AS YOU ALL KNOW, THERE'S THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT YOU KNOW, WE WE KNOW WE HAVE OUR FUNDING IS INSECURE RIGHT NOW.
I THINK EVERYBODY IS IS VERY STRESSED ABOUT THIS AND WE'RE TRYING TO DO THIS WORK AND TRYING TO BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT IT AND DO IT WELL. SO I, I DON'T HAVE THAT AMOUNT
OF MONEY AND THAT IS A MAJOR CONCERN. SO JUST SO IT'S CLEAR NINE I UNDERSTAND TAUTOLOGICAL TO I,
I, I REPRESENT PART OF THE SOUTH END WITH WITH JOHN FITZGERALD AND WITH CHINA FERNANDEZ ANDERSON AND SOME IN THE AREA SEVERAL SEVERAL DAYS A WEEK AND I ALSO GOT TO JAMAICA
PLAIN AT LEAST ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK UP TO THE VA HOSPITAL BUT I DRIVE UP MASS NOW SOUTH. I KNOW THAT AREA AS WELL AS ANYONE BUT I STILL SEE THE OPEN
DRUG USE. MM HMM. ON MASS RF IN AND AROUND THE THE THE HOSPITAL MELNICK MASS I SEE THE OPEN DRUG USE.
I SEE THE OPEN DRUG DEALING AND PEOPLE ARE NOT HIDING IT. PEOPLE ARE NOT HIDING THE OPEN DRUG USE. PEOPLE ARE NOT HIDING THE DRUG DEALING ACTIVITIES.
I THINK WE ALL SEE IT WHEN WE DRIVE UP MASS. MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE I'M NOT I'M NOT SAYING SOMETHING THAT'S CONTROVERSIAL. I THINK I THINK THAT'S I THINK EVERYONE AGREES AGREES WITH THAT.
BUT IF WE'RE NOT ALLOWING OPEN DRUG USE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON, THAT'S THE NEW POLICY. WHY ARE WE WHY ARE WE ALLOWING OPEN DRUG USE AND DRUG DRUG
DEALING ESPECIALLY IN AND AROUND MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE? MELANIE ACROSS IN AND AROUND THE HOSPITAL AND WHEN YOU'RE IN THOSE THAT MAJOR INTERSECTION THERE AND YOU'RE IN A RED LIGHT, YOU CAN WATCH THIS
ONGOING AND YOU MIGHT SEE 15 DRUG DRUG DEALS IN A 2 MINUTES PERIOD OF TIME IN OPEN DRUG USE. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE
AWARE THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF ALSO? ABSOLUTELY. I THINK THAT THAT IS PART OF THE CRTC WORK AND PART OF THE GOAL FOR THE CITY IS TO
END CONGREGATE DRUG USE. THAT'S A MAJOR EFFORT. I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE MEMO THAT YOU ALL RECEIVED WAS ABOUT THAT COORDINATED IT EFFORT BETWEEN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND
OUR WORK AT THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION. THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO BUT I THINK THAT WE HAVE MADE SOME PROGRESS AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO SPEAK TO
THAT GOAL FROM THE CITY. I JUST BEING IN THAT AREA AT LEAST FOUR OR FIVE DAYS A WEEK I CAN'T SAY I'VE SEEN PROGRESS
MADE IN TERMS OF PEOPLE USING DRUG USE IN PUBLIC AND PEOPLE SELLING DRUGS IN PUBLIC. THAT'S JUST BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE OF WHAT I WITNESS.
I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THAT SO BY NO MEANS HAVE HAVE WE SOLVED THE ISSUE BUT THIS IS A MULTIFACETED ISSUE.
SO IT'S EVEN THOUGH I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THEIR NUMBERS BUT EVEN WITH THE AMOUNT OF ARRESTS IT TAKES TIME TO
SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE TO PEOPLE THAT IT'S NO LONGER GOING TO BE TOLERATED. SO I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS DIFFERENT WORK BEING DONE
AND IT IS IMPROVING THE CLIMATE BUT IT TAKE YOU KNOW, AGAIN THE COURTS THIS IS ALSO YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THE COURTS ARE INVOLVED IN THIS TOO. YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT ANOTHER
SOLUTION WE COULD POTENTIALLY TALK ABOUT IS SOME TYPE OF UNIVERSAL RECOVERY COURT, YOU KNOW, TO MONITOR SOME OF THIS. AS YOU KNOW, THE ARRESTS ARE
TURNING AROUND AND OR YOU KNOW, PROBATION AND PAROLE CAN ALSO BE INVOLVED AS PART OF THE INTERVENTION. SO TO SAY THAT THERE'S NO
IMPROVEMENT I DON'T I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK THAT'S TRUE. I DO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO AND I THINK WE'RE ON THE RIGHT PATH.
CAN I GO TO QUINN? CAN I PLEASE ONE MORE AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO NEXT COUNCILOR. THANK YOU. I'M SORRY. SO SO COUNCILMAN, I AND I AGREE WITH YOU ON ON THE CHOICE
BETWEEN GOING TO JAIL AND MANDATORY TREATMENT AND ALL AND WHAT KELLY JUST TALKED ABOUT ABOUT THE COURTS BEING AN ISSUE AND I'M NOT SURE WHERE THE ANSWER LIES BUT I'LL TELL YOU
THAT THE CORNER OF MELANIE CASS AND MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE NEAR CASS GOING FROM MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE UP TO THE ENTERPRISE RENT-A-CAR UP ON THAT STRETCH I WILL TELL YOU THAT MY SECURITY
IS THERE 15 TO 20 TIMES A DAY AND THE BOSTON POLICE ARE THERE ALMOST AT LEAST AS MUCH GETTING OUT OF THEIR CARS MOVING PEOPLE
ALONG AND PEOPLE WAIT UNTIL 15 MINUTES AFTER THEY'RE GONE AND THERE'S ANOTHER 15 PEOPLE BACK THERE AGAIN WHETHER THEY'RE THE SAME PEOPLE OR DIFFERENT PEOPLE I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER BUT I
DO KNOW THAT A WHOLE LOT OF IT HAS TO BE IN THE INCENTIVIZING OF OF WHY HOW WE CAN KEEP THEM FROM COMING BACK. AND IT GOES TO THE COURTS AND IT GOES TO, YOU KNOW, A LOT
OF OTHER THINGS. BUT IT'S IF I COULD IF I SHARE YOUR FRUSTRATION IN IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON THE STREET STILL BUT I GOT TO TELL YOU, I
DON'T I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER AND BUT BUT I DO KNOW THAT IT'S JUST A SPECIFIC AREA CONSTANT. IT IS YOU KNOW, I THINK OUR SECURITY IS TIRED OF HEARING ME ON THE PHONE CALL.
CAN YOU PLEASE GO OVER THERE? THANK YOU SO AND THANK YOU GUYS SO FINE FOR THOSE QUESTIONS. CONSTABLE LOUIJEUNE THANK YOU,
MR CHAIR AND THANK YOU EVERYONE ALREADY FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL RESPONSES AND JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR DOING I THINK I THINK IT WAS YOU DR. YOUNG YOU JUST OPINED ABOUT THE
COMPLEXITY OF THE ISSUE. I MEAN IT REALLY IS A COMPLEX ISSUE. THE IDEA OF OF UNIVERSAL RECOVERY COURT IS IS FASCINATING AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S DEFINITELY WORTH EXPLORING.
I, I FIRST I HAVE A QUESTION FOR DR. OJUKWU TOO. SO THERE WAS A THERE WAS A PEAK OF CALLS TO THREE AND ONE AFTER
THE CSR PEAK CLOSURE AND THERE WAS A DECREASE AND IT WAS IN PART DUE TO THESE NEW INITIATIVES THAT YOU OUTLINED AND THAT ARE HERE REPLICATING WORKFORCE DEVELOPED MODEL PEER
COLLECTION PROGRAM OF SHELTER GAS, THE MOBILE SHARP'S TEAM EXPANDING NEW MARKET BID. IS THERE A DOLLAR AMOUNT ASSOCIATED WITH THE INCREASES IN ALTERNATIVE AND ADDITIONAL
INVESTMENTS SO THE TREND DOWNWARD TREND WAS ACTUALLY PRETTY HEATED PRECEDED THE NEW INITIATIVES THAT I'VE MENTIONED AND IT WAS AN INTENTIONAL
EFFORT TO ENHANCE OUR WORK OUR ALREADY ONGOING WORK TO BECOME CITYWIDE TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE AS YOU KNOW, TO EXPAND OUR HOURS. THERE WERE THINGS THAT WERE
HAPPENING THAT I DIDN'T GO THROUGH EACH INDIVIDUAL PIECE BUT WE'VE REALLY ENHANCED OUR, YOU KNOW, SHARPS COLLECTION IN THIS TIME PERIOD AND THAT WAS IN RESPONSE TO WHAT WE SAW AS IS A PROBLEM.
SO NOW WE'RE EVEN YOU KNOW, REDOUBLING OUR EFFORTS MORE INTENSELY BY ADDING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO OUR TO OUR WORK. I WAS JUST SITTING HERE AND I
WAS, YOU KNOW, COUCH YOU TRYING TO CALCULATE THE TOTAL AMOUNT FOR THESE NEW INITIATIVES. A LOT OF THIS IS YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID STATE FUNDING THAT THEY HAD EXTRA SO THEY GAVE US SOME
MONEY WHICH IS ALLOWING US TO BUY A CAR SO THAT MOBILE SHARPS CAN GO OUT. SO THAT'S NOT REALLY I'M NOT REALLY NECESSARILY COUNTING THAT WE'RE PULLING MONEY LITERALLY FROM OTHER THINGS SMALL POCKET HERE, SMALL POCKET THERE.
WE DON'T HAVE SOME BIG LARGE SUM OF MONEY THAT WE'RE USING OR COULD ALLOCATE TO ONE THING. SO WHAT I CAN DO IS AFTER THIS I CAN GET YOU A BUDGET FOR THESE THE FOUR NEW THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING AND WHEN THERE WHEN
YOU SAW THAT DECREASE BECAUSE OF CONTINUED INVESTMENTS IN THE THINGS THAT WERE WORKING, IS THERE A DOLLAR AMOUNT ASSOCIATED WITH THAT OR IS THAT JUST LIKE IMPROVED TECHNIQUE OR LIKE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE ANSWER MAY BE THAT THERE'S NOT
A DOLLAR AMOUNT TO ATTACH BECAUSE THERE IS ALREADY EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WAS IMPROVED? I THINK I THINK THAT THERE'S INCREASED EFFICIENCIES. OKAY. SO THAT THAT'S ONE THING BUT
THERE PROBABLY IS SOME DOLLAR AMOUNT WE CAN CALCULATE THAT GUYS TO YOU. YOU SUE THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE. CAN YOU TELL US AGAIN HOW YOUR
PROGRAM IS FUNDED? ABSOLUTELY. SO MY PROGRAM WE HAVE 40 PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING FOR US RIGHT NOW AND THE COST FOR ALL
OF THAT AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY OPEN IS IS IS BUT $850,000 MORE THAN HALF OF THAT IS FUNDED BY THE PROPERTY OWNERS
OF THE AREA AS PART OF THEIR THEIR BID FEES SO THEY I WOULD SAY THAT THAT MY GRANTS BECAUSE I DO GO AFTER GRANT MONEY FROM
OTHER PLACES AND I GO AND MY CONTRACTS WITH THE CITY ARE PROBABLY FOR FOR THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IS PROBABLY ABOUT 400 AND SOME ODD THOUSAND.
OKAY SO IS THAT VIA I KNOW THAT WE IN THE TIMES HAVE SUPPORTED RIGHT YEAH THE NEW MARKET WE THE SUPPORT WE GOT A GREAT $100,000 GRANT A COUPLE
OF YEARS AGO WE WENT AFTER WIN FOR A RESOURCE ADVOCATE AND THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY TO TAKE THESE THESE FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING FOR US AND HELP THEM CLEAR OUT OUTSTANDING WARRANTS
AND COURT CASES DONE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GET A JOB IF YOU HAVE THAT YOU CAN'T GET A JOB IF YOU DON'T HAVE A MASS I.D. OR SOCIAL SECURITY CARD ALL THAT AND I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE
THE CITY COUNCIL AT THAT TIME THAT WAS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO DOING SOME FUNDING THERE AND WHEN THEN WE WERE ABLE TO FUND IT GOING FORWARD. SO IT WAS A ONE YEAR THAT'S
TURNED INTO ITS THIRD YEAR AND BUT HOW WE SO CAN DO REMEMBER THE NAME OF THAT DO YOU REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE OFFICE THAT THAT WAS THE OFFICE OF WORKER EMPOWERMENT THE OFFICE OR THE OFFICE OF RECOVERY SERVICES HERE THAT
THAT GAVE YOU THAT GRANT THAT PARTICULAR ONE? IT WAS ACTUALLY REQUEST FROM COUNCILOR MURPHY OH, OKAY. AND CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO FUND THAT
THEREAFTER AT THE AT THE RISK OF IT'S THROUGH OUR STAKEHOLDERS THROUGH OUR SO I SO WHAT HAPPENS IS I KNOW WHAT MY BUDGET IS AND I KNOW YOU
KNOW EVERY EVERY DOLLAR I CAN GET GRANT MONEY AND THINGS AND ALL YOU KNOW I GOT I'VE GOT A CUMMINGS GRANT I'VE GOT GRANTS FROM THE BOSTON FOUNDATION I GO AFTER GRANTS FOR YOU KNOW AND
EVERY EVERY GRANT WE GET EVERY CONTRACT WE GET THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT HAS GIVEN US DOLLARS WHICH WILL PROBABLY GO AWAY NOW BECAUSE A LOT OF THEIR MONEY HAS TO DO IS
AS FEDERAL FUNDING BACKING. BUT THE REALITY IS THAT EVERY EVERYTHING WE GET WE CAN ADD FOUR OR FIVE OR SIX PEOPLE TO THE PROGRAM. SO THAT'S HOW WE'RE UP TO WE'RE
ACTUALLY UP TO 45 I THINK AS OF YESTERDAY AND THAT WAS THE THANK YOU TODAY. THANK YOU. I THINK IT'S A GREAT MODEL. I HAVE ONE JUST ONE QUESTION
FOR FOR ALI IS THIS YEAR AS P AS HAVE YOU RUN IT ANYWHERE ELSE OUTSIDE OF BOSTON JUST STARTED RUNNING IT IN NEW YORK CITY I THINK. THANK YOU. THANKS EVERYONE.
THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS. GREAT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT. COUNCIL PENN, THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. I'M HERE BECAUSE I SAW THE TOPIC OF THIS CONVERSATION AND
I KNOW THAT'S ONE THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ALL THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON AS SOMEONE THAT YOU KNOW, I COMMUTE EVERY DAY THROUGH MANY A CARS BOULEVARD AND MASS AVENUE EVERY SINGLE
DAY TO GO TO CITY HALL. I JUST SEE YOU KNOW I SEE IT IN ACTION EVERY SINGLE DAY AND IN MY PREVIOUS ROLE AS DIRECTOR NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES I WAS ABLE TO VISIT CLIFFORD PARK ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS AND JUST TRY
TO WORK WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND OTHER FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY TO TO HELP CLEAN THAT PARK UP AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. SO WHEN I HEAR ABOUT PROGRAMS LIKE THIS NOT BEING ABLE TO
CONTINUE, IT DOES HURT AND IT DOES FEEL LIKE WE'RE LOSING SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT. SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS ACTUALLY BEFORE I GO TO THAT IN
THE NUMBERS I SAW THERE'S A SLIDE HERE THAT SAYS 311 DATA MONTH TO MONTH 2024 WHERE THERE WERE THERE WERE MONTHS WITH NO CSP IT WAS JULY AUGUST,
SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER THOSE WERE YOUR HIGHEST NUMBERS OF 311 DATA REPORTS BUT THAT ALSO COINCIDES WITH THE FACT THAT THOSE ARE THE MONTHS THAT PEOPLE PROBABLY USE THE PARKS
MORE MORE OFTEN IN OR OUTSIDE. AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF YOUTH LEAGUES THAT CLIFFORD PARKS OR SOFTBALL LEAGUES OR CLIFFORD PARK I'M TALKING ABOUT THAT PARK SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I KEEP HEARING ABOUT IT'S OUTSIDE MY DISTRICT
BUT I I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT PLAY THERE I'M ARE YOU GOING TO TRY TO IMPLEMENT OTHER STRATEGIES TO HELP PREVENT THIS FROM CONTINUING TO TO TO HAPPEN WHAT IS SORT OF LIKE THE
REPLACEMENT STRATEGY THAT YOU GUYS ARE THINKING ABOUT? SO I SPOKE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE WORKING ON IS TO REPLICATE THE
WORKFORCE PROGRAMING THAT SUE SULLIVAN DEVELOPED WHICH HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL AND IS SUSTAINABLE AND FOR US IS COST EFFECTIVE IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO THE PLAN IS TO DO THAT IN NUBIAN AND LOWER ROXBURY. WE'VE ALSO SPOKEN TO THE DOWNTOWN BID ABOUT A SIMILAR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AND WE WE DO HAVE TO HAVE SOME
ONGOING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT BUT WE INTEND FOR THAT TO MOVE FORWARD. WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH OUR GUESTS AT 112 OH. SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THOSE
ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO USE DRUGS TO ENGAGE THEM IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND ACTUALLY HAVE THEM BE TRAINED TO DO NEEDLE PICK UP AND THEN IN ADDITION WE DO HAVE SOME FUNDING FROM THE
STATE TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL VAN FOR MOBILE SHARPS SO THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, OTHER WAYS TO GET AROUND BECAUSE THAT IS A LIMITING FACTOR. SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT WILL
FURTHER DECREASE OUR TIME. BUT I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE SAYING IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THE PROACTIVE SWEEPS AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT SARAH MACK ALREADY SORT OF SPOKE ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE'RE IN ALL THESE
DIFFERENT PLACES PROACTIVELY EARLY IN THE MORNING BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT THERE TO BE ANY INTERACTIONS BETWEEN OUR RESIDENTS AND ANY, YOU KNOW,
DISPOSED OR IMPROPERLY DISPOSED SYRINGES. SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON. I DID JUST TO GO BACK TO THE QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED ABOUT IN TERMS OF FUNDING FOR THESE
NEW INITIATIVES, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS IS UP TO $300,000 THAT WE'RE ADDING FOR FOR THE NEW INITIATIVES. SO IT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY AND AGAIN, WE'RE PULLING IT FROM SOURCES.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST SORT OF PULLING IT TOGETHER BASED ON WHAT WE COULD, YOU KNOW, COBBLE TOGETHER TO CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK AND TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND SO THOSE $300,000 WILL ALLOW
YOU GUYS TO DO THE THINGS THAT I MENTIONED PLUS THE SOME STATE FUNDING THAT THEY'RE JUST THERE THEY'RE GIVING TO US FOR. LOOK, IT'S JUST GOOD TO KNOW, MR CHAIR. THAT'S HONESTLY IT FOR ME.
I WILL CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO OTHER QUESTIONS BUT I'M JUST THANKFUL THAT I'M HEARING THIS PART OF THE CONVERSATION COUNCIL APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WILL RESET MY TIMER FOR A SEC
AND JUST A HOLD MYSELF TO MY OWN STANDARDS. CORRECT AS WE ALL SAY UP HERE BUT SO JUST A COUPLE OF FACT
FINDING QUESTIONS AT FIRST FOR EVERYONE. THE ACTUAL COST FOR THE SRP, WHAT WAS THE COST THAT WE WERE PAYING OUT SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND TO HAVE THAT PROGRAM PRIOR TO THE FUNDING RUNNING OUT.
SO IN FY 24 THE TOTAL COST FOR THE PROGRAM WAS 1.2 MILLION. SO $1,226,472 DIFFERENT PRICES I MEAN THERE WAS A DIFFERENT COST BASED ON THE FISCAL YEAR
BUT THAT'S WHAT IT WAS IN FY 24. OKAY. SO WE CAN SAY THAT THAT'S BALLPARK GIVE GIVE OR TAKE 30 THE CURRENT USE.
KELLY QUESTION FOR YOU THE DEFINITION OF CONGREGATE BECAUSE KIND OF THE COUNCILOR FLYNN'S POINT RIGHT THERE ARE STILL WE WANT TO ELIMINATE CONGREGATE USE HOWEVER IT ONLY TAKES ONE PERSON WITH WITH THE ADDICTION
TO TRY AND GET IT TO MAKE A MESS TO RUIN A PARK, TO LEAVE THE NEEDLES ELSEWHERE AND SO I JUST WANT TO WITH THESE WITH THE STRICT DEFINITION IS THAT WE HAD TO GO BY WHEN WE SAY CONGREGATE USE SO WE AS THE
COUNCIL CAN UNDERSTAND WHEN MONEY IS GOING TOWARDS THAT. HOW IS IT ALSO YOU KNOW WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? SO THE CONGREGATION IS ANYTHING MORE THAN TWO PEOPLE OKAY.
YOU KNOW PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO BE OUT AND ABOUT. YOU KNOW WHAT THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO DO IS USE SUBSTANCES ILLICIT SUBSTANCES IN PUBLIC.
SO THE THE SYRINGES ARE SIDE EFFECTS OF THE BEHAVIOR. IT'S A BEHAVIOR RIGHT? SURE. SO AGAIN, WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSE WHICH IS
THE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER. THANK YOU. AND I KNOW DO WE FEEL THE REQUESTS I KNOW THAT WERE GOING ON 311 AND THESE ARE JUST
REQUESTS WE CAN'T EXACTLY TIE IT SCIENTIFICALLY TO THE AMOUNT OF NEEDLES THAT ARE OUT THERE. RIGHT. BUT THIS IS LIKE I THINK WE SAW AS YOU SAID, DR. CODY SAID IT'S SORT OF A THIS IS A AN APPEARANCE OF WHAT THE
COMMUNITY IS FEELING OR SEEING AND WE HOPE THAT THERE'S NOT ANY JUST LAG TIME WHERE THEY JUST STOPPED BOTHERING TO CALLS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT I WONDER HOW MUCH WE CAN LOOK AT THAT DATA AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, DRAW FROM IT I HOPE. RIGHT. THAT'S ALL. I JUST THINK IT'S TO SAY THAT THAT I LOOK AT THAT AS SORT
OF LIKE WELL I HOPE THAT'S AN ACCURATE DATA OF THE AMOUNT OF NEEDLES OUT THERE BECAUSE OF COURSE WHEN WE ARE OUT THERE YOU DO SEE OTHERWISE SOMETIMES THE PEER COLLECTION PROGRAM WITH SHELTER GUESTS.
CAN SOMEONE DESCRIBE THAT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER SO I APOLOGIZE. I DON'T HAVE A DETAILED DESCRIPTION. IT REALLY IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH SOON.
IT HASN'T BEEN TOTALLY UP AND RUNNING BUT AS I MENTIONED WE DO HAVE GUESTS AT A HIGH PROPORTION OF GUESTS IN 112 IN
OUR SHELTERS WHO YOU KNOW, ARE ENGAGING IN DRUG USE, ONGOING DRUG USE AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TO GET THEM IN THE SAME TYPE OF SIMILAR SORT OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM SO THAT THEY'LL RECEIVE TRAINING AND THEN COMPENSATION AND THEN THESE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE ALSO ON FRIENDS FLOOR WHICH IS OUR LOW THRESHOLD YOU KNOW,
SPACE THAT'S IN 112. SO HOW THIS WILL ACTUALLY EVOLVE OVER TIME I'LL HAVE TO GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION LATER BUT I THINK THAT THIS IS WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING AND IT'S WHAT WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT
DOING ALSO AND ENVISION AND ARE OTHER LOW THRESHOLD SPACES. SO THE SAME IDEA WHEN YOU'RE GIVING PEOPLE HOUSING AS COUNCILMEMBER MURPHY MENTIONED WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT HOUSING BUT ALSO ADDING SO
THERE'S A WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITY HERE AND WE CAN DEVELOP THIS, WE CAN TRAIN PEOPLE AND WE CAN OFFER THEM SORT OF SOMETHING CLOSE TO BEING SIMILAR TO WHAT SUE IS OFFERING BUT NOT WHERE
YOU KNOW IT IS A BEGINNING TO THAT PROCESS. TERRY DID YOU WANT TO DO YOU WANT TO ADD OR NO? GREAT. AND I BELIEVE ONE OF MY QUESTIONS WAS ALREADY ANSWERED BUT WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT
UNDERSTANDING THE FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS AS TO AND BEING GETTING THE BIGGEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK AND BEING ABLE TO DELIVER THE SERVICES FOR THE COST WE HAVE AND KNOWING THE LIMITATIONS WE MAY HAVE COMING
UP I BELIEVE THE NUMBER IS IT CORRECT TO SAY THAT IF WE WERE TO DO ANYTHING IN OUR BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR TO ENHANCE SOME OF THE THINGS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT NUMBER WAS 300,000
TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THE NEW THINGS THAT YOU WILL DO RIGHT. SO WE HAVE THAT WE'RE OKAY WITH THAT 300,000. OKAY. OKAY. IT'S THE YOU KNOW THE LARGER
AMOUNTS THE OVER $1,000,000 THAT WE DON'T HAVE IN OUR BUDGET TO REESTABLISH LIKE C SRP. OKAY. SO THEN MY QUESTION IS THAT THEN WHAT WHAT WOULD BE THE
NUMBER THEN TO IF IT'S EIGHT C SRP IT IS RIGHT IF IF GIVEN THE CONSTRAINTS THAT WE HAVE AND I WANT TO TRY TO JUST IMAGINE IF WE ARE FISCALLY CONSTRAINED BY
THIS HOPEFULLY WE ARE NOT BECAUSE I THINK MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHTER WORK AND WE'D APPRECIATE THE HELP ALI BUT IF FOR SOME REASON WE CANNOT AND IT IS IN-HOUSE TO TO DO THAT,
WHAT IS THE NUMBER THAT YOU WOULD BE LOOKING FOR THAT WE THAT WE COULD ADVOCATE FOR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IN HOUSE YOU MEAN SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD BE DOING IN THE CITY BUDGET OH
THIS CITY BUT IN THE CITY BUT IF WE IF WE'RE JUST SAYING OKAY YOU KNOW SO ALL I HAVE IS THE FY 24 NUMBER WHICH IS THE 1.2 MILLION SO THAT WOULD BE I ASSUME AND WE WOULD HAVE TO DISCUSS THAT WOULD BE WHAT IT WOULD BE UNLESS YOU WANT TO GO.
YEAH. I MEAN I HAVE TO CLARIFY BECAUSE 1.2 MILLION IS FOR THREE SITES FIVE DAYS A WEEK AND WE HAVE YOU KNOW, TRIED TO DESCRIBE THAT EVEN AT ONE DAY A WEEK THIS PROGRAM WAS HAVING A
MEANINGFUL IMPACT ON 311 CALLS AND ON THE PARTICIPANTS LIVES. SO FOR $300,000 WE COULD ALMOST DO A SITE FIVE DAYS A WEEK. YOU COULD DO TWO SITES TWO DAYS A WEEK LIKE WE'D LOVE TO PARTNER TO THINK THROUGH HOW TO
MAXIMIZE THE RESOURCES AND TO ME BEING COST EFFECTIVE MEANS THAT IT'S A PROGRAM THAT WORKS IN OUR PROGRAM WORKS I'M THINKING ABOUT IS THERE IS THERE FLEXIBILITY IN YOUR ON
YOUR SIDE OF COST WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT YOU KNOW BECAUSE YOU KNOW SOME PEOPLE JUST SAY THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE TO MEET MEJIA OR YEAH NO YOU DON'T GET THE SERVICE BUT I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE IS THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE FLEXIBLE IN THAT NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CITY SO THAT WE IF WE DO NEED TO PROCURE YOUR SERVICES THERE'S A NEGOTIATION THAT CAN HAPPEN THAT ACTUALLY MAKES IT FEASIBLE FOR US BECAUSE IF WE ARE
OTHERWISE FISCALLY CONSTRAINED YEAH ABSOLUTELY WE ARE VERY FLEXIBLE IN AND WHAT COULD BE A MEANINGFUL PROGRAM TO WORK ON THAT. YEAH SO THE PROGRAM FEE IS BASED ON A FLAT FEE AND THEN
THE REDEMPTIONS THEMSELVES AND SO THE REDEMPTIONS THEMSELVES YOU KNOW WE CAN ESTIMATE WE COULD CAP IT IF WE NEEDED TO BUT WE ABSOLUTELY ARE WILLING TO BE FLEXIBLE TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT IF THERE'S A PATH FORWARD.
ALI, ONE LAST QUESTION BUT IT'S A TOUGH ONE FOR YOU. IN MY PREVIOUS ROLE I WAS IN CHARGE OF ALL THE LAND OWNED BY THE BOSTON PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY AND PART OF THAT WAS THE BLAIR LOT IN
NUBIAN SQUARE. AND I BELIEVE LOOKING BACK NOW I REMEMBER THERE WOULD BE A VAN THAT SHOWED UP AND OF COURSE WE'D ALL GET UPSET BECAUSE WE'D SAY OH BOY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A BIG CLEANUP AFTER THIS BECAUSE THIS THE CLEAN WOULD
ATTRACT THOSE THAT COME TO USE AND THEY WOULD USE AND AND THERE'D BE NOT JUST NEEDLES BUT THERE'S ALSO OTHER RAMIFICATIONS FROM THAT CONGREGATION RIGHT WHERE THEY DID LEAVE THEIR BAGS OUT, THEY
LEAVE THE TRASH OUT, ETC. AND MY GUYS WOULD HAVE TO COME THROUGH AND CONSISTENTLY SWEEP IT UP. HAVE WE TAKEN ANY STEPS IN YOUR PROGRAM TO APPROACH THAT DOWNSIDE OF OF THE OF YOUR SERVICE?
YEAH, WE ACTUALLY TAKE THAT LIKE LEAVING THE SPACE BETTER THAN WE FIND IT REALLY SERIOUSLY. SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT ARE BUILT INTO THE PROGRAM MODEL. ONE IS THAT PEOPLE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO EARN
A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A STIPEND BY CLEANING UP THE AREA AND THE NON-SYRIAN WASTE. SO AT THE END OF EVERY SHIFT OR YOU KNOW, HAVE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE GO CLEAN UP THE KIND OF REGULAR WASTE THAT MAY BE IN
THE AREA CAPS FOR EXAMPLE EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT MEDICAL WASTE CAN HAVE THE APPEARANCE THAT YOU KNOW, PEOPLE FIND UNSIGHTLY AND CONNECT TO DRUG USE. SO WE WOULD ALWAYS AT THE END OF THE SHIFT ESPECIALLY A
NUBIAN PAY A COUPLE OF PEOPLE TO CLEAN UP THE AREA, LEAVE IT BETTER THAN WE FOUND IT AND WHAT WE ALSO FOUND IS THAT THE PARTICIPANTS BECAUSE THE PROGRAM MEANS SO MUCH TO THEM TO HAVE A STABLE WAY TO EARN MONEY TO BE PART OF SOMETHING
WHERE THEY'RE CONTRIBUTING THEY TAKE THE PROGRAM REALLY SERIOUSLY. SO WHEN WE DESCRIBE TO THEM HEY, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND MOVING ALONG, YOU KNOW THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL TO US. SO THAT THE PROGRAM CAN CONTINUE TO OPERATE LIKE PEOPLE REALLY DO THAT.
SO WE WOULD TELL PEOPLE IF YOU DON'T MIND MOVING ALONG LIKE I DON'T I DON'T THINK THE CONGREGATION IS THAT BIG OF AN ISSUE THAT PEOPLE AGAIN THE PARTICIPANTS ARE VERY INVOLVED INVESTED IN THE PROGRAM AND
MOVE ALONG WHEN WE ASK THEM TO BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THE THEY WANT THE PROGRAM TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE. SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE. BUT WE'VE ALSO MET WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION OR WALKED AROUND WITH RESIDENTS
AND SAW LIKE OKAY THIS IS A SPOT THAT YOU WANT US TO MAKE SURE WE CAN SEND SOMEONE OVER TO LOOK AT BUT DEFINITELY THAT'S A PART OF HOW WE TRY TO OPERATE. IS LEAVING THE SPACE BETTER THAN WE FOUND IT GREAT AND DO
YOU NEED PERMITS TO BE WHEREVER YOU ARE? WE DON'T WE DON'T YOU KNOW SO YOU JUST SORT OF SAY ALL RIGHT, JUST MAKE SURE YOU CONTACT THE OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY BEFORE YOU PULL UP THE VAN. IT WOULD HELP. THANK YOU.
YEAH, THANK YOU. THE ONE THING I DO TO CLOSE IT I MEAN MORE QUESTIONS, BUT I JUST THINK I LOVE THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO. IT'S IN THE WAY YOU'VE APPROACHED THE ISSUE VERY
SIMILAR AND I THINK YOU'VE ALL TAKEN A GREAT APPROACH IN PUTTING THAT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND RECOVERY PIECE INTO THE CLEANUP. IT'S NOT JUST HEY, WE'RE HERE TO PICK UP THE NEEDLES THAT WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO SOLVE THE
PROBLEM AS WE GO ALONG AND WE KNOW THAT THIS IS A MANY PRONGED SOLUTION PROBLEM AND SO SEEING ALL OF YOU ATTACK IT FROM DIFFERENT WAYS BUT PROVIDE THOSE MANY PRONGS IS IS
ENCOURAGING. BUT OF COURSE, LIKE YOU ALL SAID, WE ALL KNOW THAT THE WORK IS THERE'S STILL A MT. EVEREST AHEAD OF US TO DO. BUT I THINK WITH THAT I WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE GET TO OUR FOLKS FROM PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND SO I KNOW WE READY FOR MAKE SURE I GET THE UPDATED LIST AS
PEOPLE MAY HAVE SIGNED UP. OKAY. AND THAT'S ALL THAT'S THE FAVORITE. OKAY. I SHOULD ASK ARE THERE ARE
THERE OTHER ROUNDS OF QUESTIONS YOU WILL GET LIKE IF THERE'S THE SHORT AMOUNT OF QUESTIONS FOR ANYONE I'D ACTUALLY LIKE TO DO THAT BEFORE PUBLIC TESTIMONY JUST TO MAKE SURE WE WRAP THAT UP SO IF ANYONE DOES, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. COUNCILOR MURPHY, PLEASE GO
AHEAD. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING SOME OF THE BUDGET ANSWERS BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW THIS HEARING ORDER WASN'T JUST ABOUT THE CONVERSATION ABOUT
THE IMPORTANCE OF REINSTATING IT BUT ALSO WAS WRITTEN RIGHT IN THERE ABOUT THE FUNDING FOR KNOWING THAT LIKE HOW WERE WE GOING TO PAY FOR IT BECAUSE WE COULD COME UP WITH A WHOLE LONG LIST OF THINGS WE WANT TO DO BUT IF WE CAN'T FUND IT THEN
IT'S JUST A WISH LIST. BUT WHEN YOU WENT THROUGH HOW THAT THIS PROGRAM WAS COSTING 1.26 MILLION AND THE PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE KIND OF YOU
COMBINED A FEW TOGETHER ARE AT ABOUT 958 MILLION BUT WE'RE MANY OR ANY OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS HAPPENING ALONGSIDE BECAUSE WEREN'T SOME OF THESE
OTHER PROGRAMS HAPPENING SO IT WASN'T THAT THE CITY WAS SPENDING ONLY 1.26 MILLION IT WAS THAT'S HOW MUCH A SYRINGE PROGRAM WAS. SO HOW MUCH WERE WE SPENDING AT
THE SAME TIME WHEN WE WERE ALSO SPENDING THE MONEY ON THESE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT ARE NOW EXPECTED TO DO ALL OF THE PICKUP?
SO IT WAS JUST ADDING THOSE TWO TOGETHER SO THEY WERE ALWAYS HAPPENING ALONGSIDE EACH YEAH, YEAH, ABSOLUTELY THEY WERE THEY WERE HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME BUT WITH A LITTLE OVER $2
MILLION A YEAR WE ARE WE SPEND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PICKING UP SYRINGES ACROSS THE CITY RIGHT THAT CHALLENGE THAT WE FACE IS THAT THAT MONEY WAS AS
WE'VE SAID ARPA DOLLARS THAT RAN OUT ESSENTIALLY AND SO THEN THE QUESTION IS IS THERE A PLAN FOR SUSTAINABILITY? I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT WAS EVER
DETERMINED WHEN WHAT DID WE DO WAS ESTABLISHED LIKE WE MUST HAVE BEEN PICKING UP NEEDLES AND WE WERE WE WERE USING 85 INVENTIONS WAY BACK WHEN HIS DAD WAS MAYOR.
SARA HAS BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME BUT IN MY COMMENTS I LET HER COMMENT BUT WE WERE DOING A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE WERE DOING WITHOUT THE NEWMARKET BID SO WE HAD THE MOBILE SHARPS TEAM WE IHOPE A HOPE HAS BEEN A LONG STANDING PROGRAM SO A LOT
OF THESE PROGRAMS WERE WE'RE OPERATING COVERAGE SERVICE. YES THAT'S RIGHT SO THIS THESE INITIATIVES WERE ALWAYS PART OF THE CITY BUDGET IN A SENSE. YEAH.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE A NEW EXPENSE IT'S JUST DURING OPERA THERE ARE MANY THINGS MEAN IT'S WHY I'M CALLED IT CLIFF SPENDING RIGHT AND WE'VE HAD LOTS OF CONTINUED TRAUMA WITH A LOT
OF OUR SCHOOLS RIGHT KNOWING THAT WE WERE SPENDING MONEY ON GREAT INITIATIVES, STAFFING MUSIC CLASSES, WHATEVER IT WAS KNOWING THAT THIS WILL COME TO AN END IF WE CONTINUE TO TO
FUND IT THIS WAY. SO FOR ME I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE WHEN WE COME IN DURING BUDGET TIME THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE AND THERE'S
A NEED UNFORTUNATELY RIGHT UNTIL WE GET TO A PLACE WHERE HOW MANY NEEDLES DO YOU SAY, SUE, THAT YOU PICK UP IN THE MORNING AT CLIFFORD PARK? CLIFFORD PARK WE'RE DOWN TO
VERY, VERY FEW NOW BECAUSE I THINK OUR EARLY MORNING CELLS IN THE EARLY MORNINGS PICKING UP 100 WERE PICKING UP BETWEEN IN HERE IN A HURRY HIGH SEASONAL HOUSE AND THOUSAND
DURING THE DAY RIGHT BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T DOING THE EARLY MORNING THROUGHOUT THE DAY BUT IT COMES ONLY ONCE RIGHT SO ARE YOU I MEAN BUDGET BREAKFAST IS NEXT WEEK SO THE BUDGET MUST BE
DONE. THEY'RE JUST NOT SHARING YET LIKE DO WE HAVE FUNDING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WE DON'T WE'RE NOT FUNDING THE SYRINGE
COMMUNITY SYRINGE REDEMPTION PROGRAM IN THIS CURRENT BUDGET . NO. AND WHAT ARE WHICH PROGRAMS ARE WE FUNDING IN THIS UPCOMING BUDGET. SO EVERYTHING THAT WE DISCUSS
IN THE SLIDE DECK THE MOBILE SHARPS YOU KNOW THE WORK WITH NEW MARKET EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE BEEN FUNDING WILL CONTINUE TO BE FUNDED AND THE ENHANCEMENTS OF THINGS THIS IS JUST MONEY THAT WE WE HAVE YOU
KNOW THAT YOU KNOW WE'RE JUST COBBLING TOGETHER AS I SAID SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH ENHANCING THE PROGRAMS AND MAKING SURE WE'RE IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT NEED ASSISTANCE. AND WHEN IT COMES TO I MEAN
MANY TIMES QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES THAT WE ADVOCATE FOR IS A GRAY AREA LIKE WHICH DEPARTMENT DOES IT FALL UNDER WHICH THEN DIRECTLY TIES TO WHICH DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO FUND
IT. I MEAN IS IT TRUE ALSO THAT PUBLIC WORKS AND OTHERS THAT YOU DEAL WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS FUNDING TO DO CLEANUPS ALSO OR IS IT ALL ON
THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION'S BUDGET TO CLEAN UP SYRINGES ACROSS THE CITY? SO AS FAR AS I'M AWARE THIS IS THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING TO CLEAN UP NEEDLES ACROSS THE CITY.
IT REALLY IS THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT THAT HAS HISTORICALLY DONE THIS WORK IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO WHEN LIKE IF I'D MAKE A CALL IN THE PAST LIKE SAY TO RYAN
WHAT'S HERE TO A SWEEP IT WOULD BE CONNECTING TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH OR WOULD HE BE OUT THERE WITH HIS PARKS DEPARTMENT STAFF CLEANING CLIFFORD PARKS NEEDLES
NOT SURE WHAT RYAN WAS. I'M JUST USING YOU KNOW, AS AN EXAMPLE EXAMPLE BUT WE WOULD ALWAYS BE CALLED YOU KNOW, IF THIS WAS A NEEDLE ISSUE WE ARE ALWAYS CALLED IN TO DEAL WITH THAT SPECIALIZED TRAINING. MAKE SURE THAT NOBODY GETS
STUCK. THAT'S WHAT WE DO. AND THEN KELLY, I KNOW THINGS TAKE A WHILE AND WE'LL HAVE TO
WAIT AND SEE IF THIS NEW APPROACH BUT WHAT DATA POINTS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO REALLY SEE IF IT'S SUCCESSFUL? WHY? BECAUSE IF WE'RE CONTINUING I MEAN THERE'S A DIRECT
CORRELATION LIKE I SAID, IF THERE IS NEEDLES IN PUBLIC THERE'S OPEN DRUG USE. SO ARE THE POLICE DIRECTLY USING THE 311 CALLS AND WE'RE A HOPE THE PUBLIC HEALTH ARE
GOING TO GO AND ARREST OPEN DRUG SALES, OPEN DRUG USE. SO EVERY MORNING CRT HOSTS A
SITUATION TABLE IF YOU WILL, WHERE PUBLIC HEALTH YOU KNOW, HIGH LEVEL MANAGEMENT VPD FROM
ALL DISTRICTS PARKS UH, MY BRAIN'S GOING BLANK. YOU KNOW, EVERYONE'S THERE AND IT'S IT'S A QUICK PUNCH OF INFORMATION EVERY MORNING
WHERE WE TALK ABOUT HIGH LEVEL, YOU KNOW, ACUTE SITUATIONS OR AREAS THAT NEED ATTENTION AND WE CREATE ROPE MAPS BASED UPON
THE INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVE SOME OF THE YOU KNOW FROM THE INFORMATION THEY'RE SO THAT IS ONE WAY HOW WE'RE PROACTIVELY
FINDING WHERE YOU KNOW BECAUSE AS LAW ENFORCEMENT IS GOING IN WHICH IN MY OPINION IS THE BEST DETERRENT PEOPLE ARE YOU KNOW, THEY'RE FINDING OTHER NOOKS AND
CRANNIES SO PART OF WHAT WE DO IS PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT THEY HOPE IS DOING AND WHAT RECOVERY SERVICES IS DOING AND WE CAN FORM OPINIONS ON WHERE
WE NEED TO PROACTIVELY, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS NEXT. BUT AGAIN, I YOU KNOW, MY HOPE IS IS THAT WE WILL GET TO PLACE
WHERE YOU KNOW THERE IS YOU KNOW, NO LONGER A MASS AND CASTS IF YOU WILL. YOU KNOW, WE LIVE IN A CITY AND MY EXPECTATIONS ARE REALISTIC.
DON'T THINK THAT BY ANY MEANS THE STRATEGY WILL END THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC. BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT WE CAN MAKE A SIGNIFICANT DENT IN WHAT
WHAT IS HAPPENING. YOU KNOW, PIECE BY PIECE. AND WE ARE GATHERING TO TO YOUR POINT WE ARE GATHERING ALL KINDS OF DATA THIS YEAR TO INDEPENDENTLY PUBLIC HEALTH
COMMISSION. WE HAVE TOGETHER THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AS THEIRS AND YOU KNOW WE ALSO ALL USE 311 SO WE'RE WATCHING DATA BUT IT'S YOU KNOW IT'S $1,000,000
QUESTION HOW DO YOU GAUGE SUCCESS QUALITY OF LIFE? SO YOU KNOW, I, I FEEL THAT WE'LL BE SUCCESSFUL WHEN OUR
YOU KNOW, WHEN OUR NEIGHBORS ARE FEELING AND FEELING SAFE AND BETTER ABOUT BEING ABLE TO USE PUBLIC SPACES.
SO THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I THINK. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU. IT'S THE $1.26 MILLION QUESTION COMES OFFLINE. ANY FINAL QUESTIONS PLEASE? YEAH, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. I STILL WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR THE COMMUNITY SYRINGE REDEMPTION. REDEMPTION PROGRAM FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. I DO THINK IT'S I DO THINK IT'S CRITICAL.
I THINK IT PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE CITY. THAT'S MY OPINION BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE BUT RESPECTFULLY ASKING US TO RECONSIDER ADDING
THAT THE THE SECOND POINT I WANTED TO TO HIGHLIGHT IS THE PROPOSAL THAT PUBLIC HEALTH IS
GOING TO ENGAGE THE DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS BUSINESS ASSOCIATION . SO I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT WITH THOSE CONVERSATIONS. DR. SO I WOULD I WOULD WANT TO
GET BRIEFED ON THAT SO I'M FULLY AWARE OF IT. I DO KNOW THAT THEY RECEIVE FUNDING RECENTLY FROM THE CITY ON SOME BUSINESS OUTREACH AS
WELL BUT I THOUGHT THEY WERE GETTING AWAY FROM THE KIND OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES THAT THEY HAVE DONE IN THE PAST.
BUT CAN I CAN I GET A BRIEFING ON WHAT YOUR PLAN IS WITH THE DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS BUSINESS ASSOCIATION? I SHOULD SAY JUST SO I'M FULLY AWARE OF IT AND I WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT IF WE ARE FUNDING THEM THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM. I KNOW THAT AREA. I KNOW THOSE STREETS I KNOW THE
DOWNTOWN DOWNTOWN BOSTON. I KNOW THE BOSTON COMMON BUT I WOULD REALLY NEED TO BE PART OF THAT DISCUSSION TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROGRAM IS EFFECTIVE.
BUT I GUESS MY MY QUESTION IS SINCE WE'RE FUNDING A LOT OF THESE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, ARE WE NOW CONTRACTING A LOT OF THIS A LOT
OF THE CITY SERVICES OUT TO VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS FOR FOR VARIOUS REASONS INSTEAD OF USING CITY WORKERS?
SO MUCH OF THIS IS STILL IN DISCUSSIONS AND SUE, I WAS IN SOME OF THESE DISCUSSIONS WITH US AND THE DOWNTOWN BOSTON ALLIANCE AND THE PLAN IS TO FOCUS IN ON A SIMILAR PROGRAM
TO SUE'S PROGRAM IN NEWMARKET. SO YES, IT WOULD BE CONTRACTING OUT TO OTHER FOLKS. I THINK WHAT WE HAVE THAT'S COMPRISED OF THE CITY WORKFORCE
IS OUR MOBILE SHARPS AND OUR OUR IHOPE AND OUR STREET OUT REGIME. WE ARE BUILDING THAT AND WE HOPE TO CONTINUE TO BUILD THAT AS I'VE DESCRIBED BUT TO EXPAND
FURTHER WE HAVE BEEN EXPLORING THE OTHER AVENUES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO COVER THE ENTIRE CITY THAT'S THAT'S HOW WE'VE BEEN DOING IT THUS FAR. OKAY.
IN MY FINAL MY FINAL POINT, MR CHAIR, IS I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A BRIEF STAT ABOUT OVERDOSES IN THE CITY AND I
PLAN TO FILE A HEARING ORDER ON THIS PROBABLY NEXT WEEK FOR NEXT WEEK'S MEETING. BUT THE OVERALL THE OVERDOSE
RATE OF MIDDLE AGE AND OLDER AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALES IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN ANY OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC IN THE CITY
THAT'S BASED ON DIFFERENT REASONS VARIOUS REASONS I SHOULD SAY. BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT'S A CRISIS AND IT WAS KIND OF IT
WAS KIND OF ON THE SAME LEVEL AS EVERYONE ELSE PRIOR TO THE ARRIVAL OF FENTANYL WHEN FENTANYL CAME INTO BOSTON.
BUT WHEN FENTANYL CAME INTO BOSTON WE DID SEE THIS PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS INCREASE SIGNIFICANT.
SO MY MY REQUEST AS IT RELATES TO THIS BUDGET IS WHAT SERVICES WHAT ARE WE GOING TO FUND TO SPECIFIC ADDRESS OVERDOSE
DEATHS, EDUCATION TREATMENT ESPECIALLY FOR OLDER BLACK MEN OR MIDDLE AGED BLACK MEN AND ENSURE THAT THEY GET THE
SUPPORT AND SERVICES THAT DETOX THE TREATMENT THAT THEY NEED. THAT'S THAT'S GOING TO BE A PRIORITY FOR ME IN THIS BUDGET AS WELL. GREAT AND I WE AGREE
WHOLEHEARTEDLY WITH EVERYTHING THAT YOU SAID MUCH OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING WITH OUR OPIOID SETTLEMENT DOLLARS IS FOCUSED ON PRIORITY POPULATIONS AS YOU DESCRIBED YOU PROBABLY
RECALL WE DID A INTENSE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AND MADE SURE THAT WE CAPTURED BLACK INDIVIDUALS, PARTICULARLY BLACK MALES IN THE RESPONSES
AND ENGAGED INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ACTIVELY USING DRUGS IN THE PROCESS OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE NEEDS ARE AND THE WAY THAT THAT THOSE RESULTS BASICALLY
GUIDED EVERY SINGLE ALLOCATION THAT WE'VE MADE THUS FAR WITH OPIOID SETTLEMENT DOLLARS AND ALL OF THAT MONEY HAS BEEN OBLIGATED ALL THE MONEY THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IT'S BEEN OBLIGATED TOWARDS HOUSING RESOURCES, IT'S BEEN OBLIGATED
TOWARDS SUBSTANCE USE NAVIGATION SO SUBSTANCE USE NAVIGATION SERVICES ACTUALLY WORKING WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS TO BRING PEOPLE IN TO HELP THEM THROUGH DETOX TO HELP THEM FROM DETOX TO SORT OF STEP
DOWN SERVICES. IT'S BEEN ALLOCATED TO OUR NALOXONE DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM AROUND THE CITY. WE HAVE KIOSKS. WE HAVE REALLY EXPANDED A LOT
OF THAT WORK PARTICULARLY IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR WHERE NALOXONE WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS NECESSARILY KNOWN, YOU KNOW AND A LOT OF THAT HAS BEEN A VERY DEEP AND INTENSIVE PROCESS
NOT JUST IN NUBIAN SQUARE BUT IN OTHER AREAS AROUND THE CITY TO DECREASE SUBSTANCE USE STIGMA AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE BOOTS ON THE GROUND WITH THEIR ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE LIVED EXPERIENCE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES TALKING ABOUT
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, PARTICULARLY ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE COMPRISED OF BLACK MEN MIDDLE AGED AND OLDER BLACK MEN. SO ALL OF OUR WORK IS FOCUSED ON JUST WHAT YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT REALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW TO CLOSE THOSE GAPS AND THINK INTENTIONALLY ABOUT THOSE POPULATIONS WHERE WE NOT NECESSARILY HAVE FOCUSED HEAVILY ENOUGH AND REALLY PUT THE MONEY WHERE THE PROBLEM IS
. THANK YOU DR. KUKU OJUKWU TO THANK THANK YOU, THANK YOU COUNCILOR FLYNN TO STOP YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. COUNCIL PRESIDENT THANK YOU. YEAH. I MEANT TO ASK BOTH OF THESE
QUESTIONS THE FIRST ROUND AND FORGOT BUT I THINK IT WAS TO THE POINT THAT DIRECTOR YOUNG MADE AND YOU BOTH MADE ABOUT THE DIFFICULTIES OF THESE ISSUES AND HOW SO MANY OF YOU
ARE WORKING INCREDIBLY HARD AND THIS IS LIKE A DEEP UPSTREAM ISSUE THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH. TWO QUESTIONS ONE, IF WE COULD
GET AN UPDATE ON SORT OF LONG ISLAND AS A SOLUTION OR AS PART OF THE SOLUTION, I THAT THE DEP RECENTLY APPROVED A PERMIT SO I JUST WOULD LIKE TO GET AN
UPDATE FROM THE CITY ON THAT. AND THEN SECOND, YOU ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE ORDINANCE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL PASSED
REGARDING THE RECEIPT OF NEEDLES AND SYRINGES WAS WONDERING IF THEY'RE LIKE HOW OF HOW THE ADVOCACY DO YOU THINK PHARMACIES ARE AWARE?
HOW ARE WE WORKING TO STRENGTHEN? THAT IS SOMETHING THAT CONSTABLE REED AND I HAD WORKED ON AND DISCUSSED LAST YEAR TWO YEARS AGO AND JUST WOULD LIKE TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING. SO I KNOW THOSE ARE BIG YOU KNOW THE FIRST IS A BIG QUESTION BUT SO MAYBE I'LL
START WITH THE LAST ONE THE PHARMACY ISSUE. SO WE'VE WORKED VERY INTENTIONALLY IN RECOVERY SERVICES BUREAU WITH PHARMACIES ACROSS THE CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE AWARE
AND THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTING AND THERE ARE ALMOST 50 PHARMACIES AND WE ACTUALLY HAD A MAP THAT I WAS GOING TO SHOW IN THE SLIDES BUT I CAN CERTAINLY SHOW YOU WHERE THOSE PHARMACIES ARE LOCATED JUST FOR GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION PURPOSES.
I THINK IT'S A CHALLENGE, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT SOME WORK NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, PHARMACIES ARE BOTH AWARE OF THE ORDINANCE AND ARE ACTUALLY ACTING ON IT.
WE FOUND THE SAME ISSUES IN NALOXONE DISTRIBUTION AT PHARMACY LEVEL. WE FOUND THE SAME ISSUES WITH PURCHASING SYRINGES. IT'S IT'S A SUBSTANCE USE
STIGMA. YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S EVEN EVEN IF SOMEBODY IS YOUR DISTRICT OR DISPOSING OF, YOU KNOW, NEEDLES FOR OTHER PURPOSES IT'S JUST THERE'S A STIGMA AROUND IT. BUT I THINK WE HAVE MADE PROGRESS. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK
THAT YOU DID, COUNCILOR BREEDEN ON THAT. SHE AND I SPOKE ABOUT THAT EARLIER THIS WEEK. SO THERE'S SO THERE'S THAT POINT I'M SORRY LONG ISLAND LONG OH YES. OKAY.
SO THERE WAS THE DP APPROVAL THAT HAPPENED AND THEN RIGHT NOW THE BUILDINGS ARE BEING STABILIZED. THERE'S THAT STABILIZATION PROCESS IS ONGOING BUT THERE
ISN'T MONEY RIGHT NOW TO CONTINUE TO PURSUE THE PROCESS OF REBUILDING THE BRIDGE. AND I THINK THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL APPROVALS THAT ARE STILL REMAINING TO BE OUT THERE. SO I DON'T I DON'T HAVE A
TIMELINE ON THAT. I APOLOGIZE. I CAN GET YOU SOMETHING AFTER THIS. BUT THERE IT IS IT EXPENSIVE PROCESS. SO THE QUESTION WOULD BE IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE ARE EVEN
STILL CONTINUING TO THINK ABOUT AS A LONG TERM SORT OF SOLUTION? I WOULD SAY YES, WE HAVE TO BE HOPEFUL THAT THERE WOULD BE FUNDING AND WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH REBUILDING
THE BRIDGE AND THINKING THROUGH WHAT THOSE SERVICES COULD BE BECAUSE I THINK WE STARTED AN IMPORTANT PROCESS IN OUR OUR PLAN IS WRITTEN IN THERE. IS THERE, YOU KNOW, STRATEGIES THAT WE DEFINITELY WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH.
BUT I THINK THE QUESTION IS WHAT ABOUT NOW? AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK ON AND NOT ONLY WHAT ABOUT BUT WHAT ABOUT MEDIUM TERM? IS THERE SOME PLACE IS THERE SOME WAY THAT WE CAN HAVE MORE
RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES, MORE DETOX A BETTER CONTINUUM OF CARE RIGHT HERE ON THIS, YOU KNOW, MAINLAND IF YOU WILL, AS OPPOSED TO THINKING ABOUT LONG ISLAND AS A AS A MID-TERM SORT
OF SOLUTION? AND IS THAT MOSTLY BECAUSE OF THE FEDERAL FUNDING? I THINK IT'S A MIXTURE. YOU KNOW, I MEAN WE WERE LOOKING FOR PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT. WE WERE LOOKING FOR, YOU KNOW,
ALL THE MONEY NECESSARY TO GET THINGS UP AND RUNNING AND I THINK THAT'S THAT'S THE ISSUE. I THINK THE BIGGER ISSUE FOR THE MAINLAND IS NIMBYISM. YOU KNOW AND WHERE IS IT THAT WE COULD CITE PLACES AND IT'S
ALSO ABOUT MONEY. YOU KNOW, IT'S ALSO ABOUT WHERE WOULD WE BE ABLE TO DO THE WORK THAT WE KNOW NEEDS TO BE DONE JUST LET'S JUST USE THE EXAMPLE OF OUR LOW THRESHOLD HOUSING PROGRAM. SO AS YOU KNOW BACK IN 2022 WE
STARTED WITH SIX SITES AND THAT WAS INCREDIBLY HELPFUL AND USEFUL AND SO NOW WE'RE DOWN THREE SITES. YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOWN TO OUR FRIENDS FLOOR AT 112 WOODS
MULLIN AND ENVISION AND WE ARE FUNDING WE WILL BE FUNDING AND VISION GOING FORWARD AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF YOU KNOW THE STATE HAS YOU KNOW DOESN'T HAVE THE
MONEY AND THEY'VE BEEN USING THEIR MONEY FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING WHICH WE ALL AGREE IS IMPORTANT. BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE HERE IN BOSTON HAVE, YOU KNOW, INFLUX OF INDIVIDUALS AND WE
NEED CHURNED WE NEED PEOPLE TO GO IN. WE NEED TO MOVE THEM ON SO THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER MORE SPACES AVAILABLE. SO WE ACTUALLY NEEDED THAT LOW THRESHOLD THOSE LOW THRESHOLD SPACES AND WE NO LONGER HAVE
THE COTTAGES WE YOU KNOW MOST WON'T HAVE PINE STREET. SHATTUCK THE SPACES THAT WE HAD THERE AT THE END OF AT THE END OF JUNE. SO WE'RE IN A TOUGH SITUATION RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF THE LOW
THRESHOLD HOUSING PROGRAM. SO JUST AS A COROLLARY, THINK ABOUT THAT AND THEN NOW WE'RE THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING EVEN LARGER AND MORE EXPENSIVE, YOU KNOW, REBUILDING YOU KNOW, LONG
ISLAND. SO I SEE SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TRUE. JUST TO ADD ON TO AS YOU COULD WHO WE ARE AS A AS A COMBINED
GROUP THROUGH WORKING THROUGH THE SHELTER AND FOR AND WORKING GROUP WE HAVE A SUBGROUP THAT IS FORMING A COMMISSION RIGHT NOW WITH BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH
AND CITY COUNCILORS AND YOU'LL YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT IT GOING FORWARD AND THE STATE THE STATE HAS SAID THEY WILL BE PART OF IT IN ORDER TO DO SOMETHING OVER THE NEXT NEXT SIX MONTHS
TO TRY TO GET THOSE THE ANSWERS THAT DOCTOR AS YOU COULD WHO IS REFERRING TO WHERE COULD IT BE? WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE AND ARE SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAPPEN IN ADVANCE OF OF TEN YEARS FROM
NOW. SO A JUST I DON'T KNOW CAN WE SAY STAY TUNED AND SEE WHAT STAY TUNED ON THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR DRIGGERS MY QUESTION THANK YOU
COUNCIL PRESIDENT COUNCIL KEVIN, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION OTHERWISE I'D BE HAPPY TO GO TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY BUT FLOOR IS IS A GOOD THANK YOU SIR. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY BEFORE WE GO TO TESTIMONY I DO WANT TO
GIVE A SHOUT OUT ON THE STREET OUTREACH TEAM TO GABE PARSONS. HE'S A GOOD FRIEND AND I ACTUALLY HE TOOK ME OUT ONE MORNING AND SPENT SEVERAL HOURS WITH HIM PICKING UP NEEDLES
OURSELVES AS PART OF HIS DAILY JOB AND MEETING SOME OF THE FOLKS OUT THERE AND JUST TO KNOW THAT THE TYPE OF PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE ON THE TEAM ARE THE PEOPLE THAT DO REALLY CARE AND SO IT'S NOT JUST PUTTING A
BODY AND CHECKING A BOX IT PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTUALLY CARRYING OUT THE MISSION AND THEY'RE DOING IT WITH LOVE AND COMPASSION AND SO WE HOPE YOU HIRE MORE PEOPLE LIKE THAT. CAN I JUST SAY THANK FOR SHOUTING OUT AND FOR
ACKNOWLEDGING OUR TEAM? THEY DON'T GET ACKNOWLEDGED NOW SO IT'S A BIG DEAL AND THEY DO A LOT OF WORK AND MANY OF THEM HAVE LIVED EXPERIENCE AND THEY'RE DOING THINGS THAT ARE MOST OF US WOULDN'T WANT TO DO
ON A REGULAR BASIS AND THEY'RE DOING IT WITH LOVE SO YOU KNOW MY PLEASURE WITH THAT I APOLOGIZE FOR THE TEASE EARLIER SAYING WE WERE GOING TO TESTIMONY AND THEN NOT BUT NOW
WE ACTUALLY ARE AS WE MOVE FORWARD WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED IF YOU ARE HERE PLEASE COME DOWN TO ONE OF THE TWO PODIUMS AND STATE YOUR NAME NEIGHBORHOOD AND ORGANIZATION
AFFILIATION AND IF YOU ARE IN VIRTUAL YOU WILL BE CALLED JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU CLICK TO JOIN AND I BELIEVE OUR FIRST SITE I BELIEVE MOST PEOPLE WE
HAVE HERE ARE VIA ZOOM. IS THERE ANYONE IN THE STANDS THAT ARE IS TESTED THAT WOULD LIKE TO TESTIFY? SURE. OKAY. WELL THEN WE'LL START WITH IN-HOUSE. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOU
HAVE 2 MINUTES, SIR. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS CLIFTON BRAITHWAITE, LONG TIME COMMUNITY ACTIVIST. I'M REALLY PLEASED IN WHAT I'M
HEARING. I WISH MORE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE CONCERNED IN THE HOT ZONES DID SHOW UP BUT THIS IS THE WORK THAT WE ALL DO . YOU KNOW, I'M THANKFUL AT TIMES
SO I'M PROUD IN THE DIRECTION BUT I JUST WANTED TO THROW OUT A LITTLE TEASE. THERE WAS A YOUNG MAN GOD BLESS HIS SOUL WHO'S PAST AND HE WAS
ONE OF THE REGULARS IN NUBIAN SQUARE. MY FRIEND JAMAL ABDULMALIK WAS A MANAGER AT THE APARTMENTS OVER THERE AND HE GAVE THE
YOUNG MAN A JOB BY CLEANING THE WINDOWS. AND THE REASON WHY I BRING THAT STATEMENT UP SOMETIMES HOW WE CAN CLEAN UP SOME OF THE AREAS WE GET CAUGHT UP IN JUST GIVING
SOMEONE A JOB WE'RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT HOUSING AND WE'RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT THEIR MENTAL HEALTH. BUT WHAT WE DID WITH THIS YOUNG MAN THIS ON A SMALL SCALE OF BEING COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS WE
GAVE HIM AN OPPORTUNITY JUST TO CLEAN THE WINDOWS. THEN HE STARTED CARING ABOUT PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE SPITTING ON THE WINDOWS, THROWING THINGS ON THE WINDOWS. THEN IT BECAME CONCERN MORE
ABOUT HIS LIVING ARRANGEMENTS. SO DO THE TITLE TEEN DEEJAYS THEY HAVE A BUSINESS IN ONE OF THE APARTMENTS AND THEY ALLOWED HIM TO COME THERE AND LIVE.
IT TURNED THEM AROUND BUT IT'S TRAGEDY AT THE END BECAUSE HIS ADDICTION TOOK MORE HOLD OF HIM. REASON WHY I MENTIONED THAT THAT POINT I THINK WHEN IT
COMES TO THE PARKS IF WE CREATE A JOB IT'LL GIVE THOSE WHO ARE ADDICTED AN OPPORTUNITY TO FEEL THAT THEY ARE PART OF THE SOLUTION. NO ONE GREW UP AT HOME AND SAID THEY WANTED TO BE A DRUG
ADDICT. NO ONE SET HOME. IT WAS THINGS IN THEIR HOME THINGS IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT THAT MADE THAT CHANGE. IF WE REALLY WANT TO HELP THEM AT THE SAME TIME WITH WHAT
YOU'RE DOING OUTSIDE, LET'S THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND LET'S FIND A WAY TO ENCOURAGE THEM BY GIVING THEM JOBS. AND I CAN TELL YOU THREE DECADES OF SERVING THIS COMMUNITY AND HELPING YOUNG MEN
AND WOMEN WHEN YOU GIVE THEM A SENSE OF PRIDE AND A SENSE OF BEING A PART OF SOMETHING, IT'S THE BEGINNING STAGES OF THEIR CHANGE NOW IT WON'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. WE HAVE A CRISIS HOUSING AND
NOT TO GO BUT DID WE EVER THINK ABOUT ASKING THE MILITARY TO HELP US WITH A A BRIDGE THERE WAS LITTLE THINGS THAT I HEARD YEARS AGO THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT
AND HOW DECAYED IS THE PLACE FOR THEM TO GO TO. SO LET'S THINK ABOUT MAYBE THE MARINES THE MILITARY CAN GIVE US A BRIDGE.
LET'S START FIXING THE INFRASTRUCTURE THERE AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS PERFECT. I'M JUST LOOKING FROM THE OUTSIDE I'M SORRY I'M A LITTLE BIT LATE AND I REVIEW A LOT MORE THINGS AND SEND IN THE EMAIL BUT I THINK WITH WHAT YOU
GUYS ARE DOING AND WORKING WITH OF THE THE ADDICTED POPULATION THAT ARE HELPING YOU UNDERSTAND MORE, I THINK WE HAVE TO DIVE IN A LITTLE BIT DEEPER BECAUSE WHEN IT COMES TO MY AGE GROUP AND MY FRIENDS THAT ARE
ADDICTED TO DRUGS THEY DON'T SEE TO HELP IF SOMETHING'S NOT ON MY PAGE NOT TAKING IT FROM ANYONE IN THE COUNCIL I LOVE ALL OF YOU. IF PEOPLE DON'T SEE IT ON MY PAGE THAT MEANS THEY'RE NOT
GETTING THE INFORMATION LIKE AND IN CLOSING LATER ON TODAY THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A MEETING AT MADISON PARK WITH THE BUDGET FOR MADISON PARK NO ONE IN THE COMMUNITY KNOWS
ABOUT IT. THE ONLY REASON I FOUND OUT IT I HAD A MEETING THIS MORNING WITH A COMMUNITY PERSON CONCERNED ABOUT MADISON PARK AND THEY GAVE ME THE INFORMATION. LET'S START USING SOME OF OUR
COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS. I'M NOT HERE FOR BUCK. I DO THIS WORK REGARDLESS BUT WE NEED TO ENGAGE WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY BOOTS ON THE GROUND THAT ARE DOING THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE THAT I KNOW FOR DECADES.
SO I JUST WANTED TO CLOSE ON THAT KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND IF YOU WANT TO SIT DOWN WITH ME AND I BRING THE PEOPLE I KNOW THAT ARE DOING THE WORK, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL ME ANYTIME. THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME A
MOMENT TO SPEAK. ABSOLUTELY CLIFTON THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO IN THE COMMUNITY YOU'VE NEVER STOPPED AND KEEP ON GOING BUT ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. GOT YOU. UP NEXT VIA ZOOM WE HAVE DR.
GLORIA RUIZ FROM BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER, DR. GLORIA RUIZ, A FEW
OF THEIR AND AND THEY'RE AVAILABLE. GO AHEAD. GOOD MORNING. I'M DR. GREGORY'S DIRECTOR
OF PUBLIC HEALTH AT BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER OVERSEEING. THE PROJECT TRUST DROP IN HIGH REDUCTION CENTER SINCE 1988, PROJECT TRUST HAS PROVIDED ESSENTIAL SOCIAL AND CLINICAL SUPPORT EDUCATION AND HARM
REDUCTION SERVICES TO ANYONE WHO NEEDS IT. WE'VE LEARNED THAT COMPREHENSIVE COMPASSIONATE CARE IS VITAL IN IMPROVING PUBLIC HEALTH OUTCOMES AND FOR INDIVIDUALS IMPACTED BY SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.
I APPRECIATE THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO ADDRESSING SUBSTANCE USE AND HOMELESSNESS. BMC HAS BEEN A LONG PART AND LONGSTANDING PARTNER IN THESE EFFORTS.
MY FAMILY HAS SERVED IN THE ARMED FORCES AND IN LINE FORESMAN FOR THREE GENERATIONS. WE'RE ALSO IMPACTED BY SCD. AS A MATTER OF FACT MY I AM THE
STEPDAUGHTER OF SOMEONE WHO LIVED AND DIED WITH ADDICTION. THIS IS BOTH PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL TO ME IT IS CRUCIAL TO HAVE REDUCTION EFFORTS INCLUDE ALL RESIDENTS INCLUDING THOSE
WHO LIVE IN THE STREETS OF BOSTON. THEIR NEEDS MUST BE MET TO REDUCE HARM AND IMPROVE OUTCOMES. HARM REDUCTION WORKS. IT PROVIDES NONJUDGMENTAL
SUPPORT TO LOWER HIV AND HEPATITIS TRANSMISSION PREVENTS INJECTION RELATED OVERDOSE DEATHS AND CONNECTS INDIVIDUALS TO PRIMARY CARE AND ADDICTION TREATMENT.
ACCESS AND HARM REDUCTION SUPPLIES MUST BE WIDESPREAD ACROSS BOSTON AND NOT JUST IN MASS AND CLASS. THE SYRINGE REDEMPTION PROGRAM HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE TOOL IN REDUCING INFECTIONS AND
OVERDOSE DEATHS. ITS CLOSURE CREATED A GAP AND IT SHOULD PROMPT US TO FOCUS ON ENSURING LIFE SAVING RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE CITYWIDE. BMC AND THE CITY HAVE
CHAMPIONED EVIDENCE BASED TREATMENTS OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER PARTICULAR MEDICATIONS FOR OPIOID USE DISORDER OR AMBIGUITY WHICH REDUCES THE RISK OF DEATH AND IMPROVE LONG TERM OUTCOMES.
DETOX CANNOT AND SHOULD NOT BE THE ONLY DEFAULT TREATMENT AND MORE DUTY OFFERS THE BEST CHANCE FOR RECOVERY AND REDUCES THE SPREAD OF INFECTIONS. THE CITY MUST DEVELOP LONG TERM
COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTIONS FOR SUBSTANCE USE AND HOMELESSNESS . WE MUST OFFER ACCESSIBLE HARM REDUCTION SERVICES, PRIORITIZE EVIDENCE BASED CARE AND ENSURE THESE SERVICES ARE SUSTAINABLE
ACROSS ALL BOSTON COMMUNITIES. I ECHO THE THOUGHTS OF MY COLLEAGUE BILL GIBBONS WHO IS ALSO SCHEDULED TO PRESENT TODAY WHO IS BMC CHIEF OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND WE EMPHASIZE THE
IMPORTANCE OF BALANCE OF HEALTH AND SAFETY IN HARM REDUCTION EFFORTS. I URGE THE MAYORS ADMINISTRATION AND CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THE NEEDS OF ALL BOSTON RESIDENTS IN
THEIR HARM REDUCTION PLANS TO EXPAND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ALONG WITH HOUSING SUPPORTS AND TO CONTINUE PROVIDING TREATMENTS LIKE YOU. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
YOU BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT WORKING BY WORKING TOGETHER WE CAN CREATE A HEALTHIER, SAFER BOSTON FOR EVERYBODY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING. DR. RUIZ THANK YOU AND THANK
YOU FOR THEIR TESTIMONY AND WHAT A GREAT SEGWAY. UP NEXT WE'LL HAVE DR. BILL GIBBONS FROM BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER. DR. GIBBONS, ONCE YOU ARE
CALLED UPON YOU ARE UP. THANK YOU, SIR. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, SIR.
HOW ARE YOU DOING? WELL, I'M ACTUALLY NOT A DOCTOR BUT THANK YOU FOR THE PROMOTION . MY NAME IS BILL GIBBONS ON THE CHIEF OF PUBLIC SAFETY BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK TO YOU TODAY. FIRST I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE IMPORTANCE OF HARM REDUCTION PROGRAMS, PARTICULARLY FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER. THESE SERVICES HAVE BEEN ESSENTIAL IN PROVIDING
IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO CLEAN SYRINGES, NALOXONE AND OTHER LIFESAVING RESOURCES. THE PUBLIC SAFETY TEAM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING A SAFE AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR PATIENTS, STAFF AND VISITORS SEEKING HEALTH CARE AT BMC.
HOWEVER, I HAVE HAD TO PLACE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE HOSPITAL IN OUR CLINICAL BUILDING DUE TO THE INCREASE IN ACTIVITY AS HIGHLIGHTED BY COUNCILOR FLYNN AND OTHERS THIS MORNING. WHILE WE ARE COMMITTED TO
MAINTAINING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR THOSE ACCESSING HARM REDUCTION SERVICES, THESE DEMANDS ARE OFTEN RESULTING INCREASED CHALLENGES IN OUR TEAM ESPECIALLY ARE TRYING TO MAINTAIN A FOCUS ON SAFETY
OF OUR PATIENTS AND STAFF WITHIN THE HOSPITAL. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, PARTICULARLY CAPTAIN STEVE SWEENEY AND CAPTAIN SEAN BURNS AS WELL AS CAPTAIN JOE BOYLE FOR THEIR CONTINUED COLLABORATION OF PARTNERSHIP IN
ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES. HOWEVER, THROUGH OUR LIVED EXPERIENCE WE KNOW THAT THE PRESENCE OF THE PRESENCE OF THE SYRINGE REDEMPTION VAN CREATED SIGNIFICANT CONGREGATION IN AN ALREADY
OVERLY CHALLENGED AREA CREATING ADDITIONAL MOTOR VEHICLE PEDESTRIAN CONGESTION AND OTHER SAFETY RISKS. WHILE BMC FIRMLY SUPPORTS HARM REDUCTION RESOURCES AND SERVICES, WE BELIEVE THAT THIS
IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT HOW THESE SERVICES CAN BE PROVIDED. RECOGNIZE THAT THE ATTACK ON LOCAL NEIGHBORHOODS MY COLLEAGUE DR. WELLS WHO IS
TESTIFYING TODAY IS A TREMENDOUS LEADER IN THIS SPACE . I'VE LEARNED A GREAT DEAL FROM HER PERSPECTIVE ON OUR HARM REDUCTION SERVICES GIVING BOTH EFFECTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE HER WORK AT BMC AND WITH PROJECT
TRUST CONTINUES TO SHAPE HOW WE THINK ABOUT MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY IN A WAY THAT BOTH IS COMPASSIONATE AND PRAGMATIC. AS WE LOOK FORWARD IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON ALONGSIDE PARTNERS
LIKE BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER TO CONTINUE TO EXPLORE AND DEVELOP LONG TERM SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS THE DIFFICULT CHALLENGES OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND HOMELESSNESS WHILE RECOGNIZING THE IMPACT THAT THESE ISSUES IN
THE AFFECTED COMMUNITIES. WHILE I UNDERSTAND THE DECISION TO END THE SYRINGE REDEMPTION PROGRAM WAS A DIFFICULT ONE, I HOPE THIS MOMENT PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY TO IMPLEMENT CREATIVE STRATEGIES
THAT BALANCE HARM REDUCTION WITH PUBLIC SAFETY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR GIBBONS THANK YOU. AND YOU SOUND LIKE YOU HAVE A DOCTORATE IN PUBLIC SAFETY SO WELL, WHAT A TITLE.
I APOLOGIZE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UP NEXT IS CASSIE HURD, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MATERIAL AID AND ADVOCACY PROGRAM.
CASSIE, YOU'VE GOT 2 MINUTES WHEN YOU ARE READY. GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME'S CASSIE HURD AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE BATTALION ADVOCACY PROGRAM. I'VE WORKED WITH FOLKS WHO ARE UNHOUSED AND PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS IN GREATER BOSTON SINCE 2006. I WANT TO SHARE A MAP AND
REMEMBER SUPPORT FOR THE CITY'S IMPLEMENTATION AND SUSTAINABLE FUNDING OF A COMMUNITY BASED AND RUN PAID SYRINGE REDEMPTION PROGRAM. HOWEVER, ONE THAT IS DECOUPLED ENTIRELY FROM THE BOSTON POLICE
AND THEIR EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS THE COORDINATED RESPONSE TEAM BASED ON THE PRACTICES OF THE COMMUNITY SYRINGE REDEMPTION PROGRAM. TO BE CLEAR WE OPPOSE THE
NEWMARKET BIDS BACK TO WORK PROGRAM IN SIMILAR BID RUN PROGRAMS WHICH ARE HIGH BARRIER AND INACCESSIBLE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS EQUITABLE AND AS SUE SULLIVAN SHARED COERCE PEOPLE
INTO RECOVERY WHICH SHOULD BE NOTED AS DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY. WHILE C SRP OPERATED HUNDREDS OF POOR PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS WE'RE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK
ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF BOSTON TO KEEP OUR SHARED COMMUNITY CLEAN AND SAFE FOR UNFORTUNATELY VERY LITTLE MONEY. THEIR COLLECTIVE LABOR AND CARE ACCOUNTED FOR THE SAFE DISPOSAL
OF MILLIONS OF SYRINGES TO MAP COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WORKED WITH CSR RBP SHARED THEIR EXPERIENCES. J SHARED BUYBACK WASN'T PERFECT
BUT IT GAVE ME $10 IN MY POCKET EVERY MORNING FOR DOING GOOD BY MY COMMUNITY CLEANING UP AND MAKING OUR CITY SAFER FOR EVERYONE. I DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE TO I DIDN'T HAVE TO BE HANDPICKED
AND SPEND MY ENTIRE DAY PICKING UP RAGS OR NOT MUCH MORE CASH IN THE AREA. POLICE ARE SURVEILLING ME LIKE SOME PEOPLE DO NOW. ANDY SHARED WHEN BUYBACK WAS AROUND NO MATTER WHERE COPS PUSHED US TO. WE'D CLEAN UP AFTER OURSELVES
AND MAKE SOME CASH IN THE MORNING TO GET SOME BREAKFAST OR DO WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO. LIKE ANYONE ELSE. LIVING AND WORKING IN THE CITY . BPD STILL PUSHES US HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE ACROSS BOSTON AND MANY SHARPS BOXES
THROUGHOUT THE CITY THAT AREN'T SURVEILLED. FOR ME TO TOSS RAGS INTO WITH SO MANY EYES ON THEM NOW WITH NEW POLICIES CARRYING USED REGS ON US IS AT RISK. IT'S LIKE THEY'RE GIVING US NO
CHOICE BUT TO LEAVE THEM BEHIND . WE'RE SENDING THE SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS A MEANS TO PREVENT PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS FROM BEING IN THE SAME AREA AND TO DISAPPEAR PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS
FROM PUBLIC AT THE REQUEST OF BUSINESSES AND THEN FUNDING THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS INACCESSIBLE IN AN EQUITABLE PROGRAM IS DEEPLY SHAMEFUL, SHORTSIGHTED AND AS
CLEARLY CAUSED HARM. I WANT TO REMIND THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY THAT THIS IS ONLY ONE OF THE EVIDENCE BASED SERVICES THE CITY HAS DIVESTED FROM THAT MITIGATED SOME OF THE HARM THE
CITY IS ACTIVELY CAUSING AND CREATING INCLUDING THE SHUTTERING OF THE MULTIMILLION DOLLAR ENGAGEMENT CENTER WHICH PROVIDED CLIMATE CONTROLLED INDOOR SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO ACCESS CLINICAL CARE SERVICES
AND OTHER BASIC BODILY NEEDS IN PRIVATE SOMETHING THAT IS BROUGHT UP REGULARLY AROUND QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES AND ALSO JUST IS A BASIC DIGNIFIED PRACTICE.
AND MORE RECENTLY THE REMOVAL OF HARM REDUCTION OUTREACH BY BUS AND OTHER HEALTH COMMISSION RECOVERY SERVICES WHO AS MENTIONED EARLIER THAT REMOVES
THEIR ABILITY TO DISTRIBUTE INFECTION REDUCING AND LIFESAVING SUPPLIES ON THE STREET WHICH IS BOTH LEGAL PRACTICE AND TO BE CLEAR BEST PRACTICE MAP AND OUR MEMBERS OUR SIBLINGS IN THE BAIL FUND
ARE ASKING YOU TO USE THIS PUBLIC HEALTH CENTER COMMITTEE AND THE POWER OF THE COUNCIL TO ADVOCATE FOR THE REINSTATEMENT EXPANSION AND INVESTMENT OF EVIDENCE BASED PROGRAMS THAT MAKE PEOPLE SELF-IDENTIFY NEEDS
AND DIVEST FROM HARMFUL POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT CRIMINALIZE OUR POOR AND UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS. INCLUDING THE CAMPING BAN ORDINANCE, THE CRT ADDICTION FIRST PRACTICES AND CENTRAL BOOKING. THANK YOU, CASSIE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND TESTIMONY. TWO MORE ON THE LIST AND THEN I THINK THAT'S A WRAP. UP NEXT WE HAVE PADDY MCCORMICK
FROM THE ANDREW SQUARE PADDY IF YOU ARE. ONCE YOU'RE UP ON LINE THE
FLOOR IS YOURS IN 2 MINUTES. THANK YOU.
IF PADDY IF YOU WERE THERE COULD YOU PLEASE ACCEPT TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT ON MUTE?
ALL RIGHT. SHE MAY BE GONE. WE'LL MOVE ON TO LINDSAY BLOCKY . LINDA, IF YOU WERE THERE, YOU
WERE. YOU CAN HAVE THE FLOOR AS WELL
. HOWEVER, IT DOESN'T GET NO GOOD. COUNCILOR FLYNN, I BELIEVE PADDY AND LINDA ARE IN YOUR
CONSTITUENTS OF YOURS SO MAYBE YOU COULD SPEAK FOR THEM VERY BRIEFLY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. OKAY.
GO AHEAD, DENNIS. THERE'S SOMEONE TO SPEAK FOR THEM, BUT GO AHEAD. YEAH. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. I WILL ENCOURAGE PADDY AND LINDA TO SEND IN WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO MR CHAIR AND I
KNOW YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE IT WITH THE CITY COUNCIL. YES. LOOK, ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN.
AND DID YOU SAY THE NAME WAS? YES. IS THERE A BED, MURPHY FOR VIRTUAL TESTIMONY. I'VE BEEN WORKING.
WE HAVE SOMEONE USING A ZOOM ACCOUNTS. IT WAS LIKE IN VIRTUAL TESTIMONY. DO WE HAVE A NAME? UH, I THINK WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF PEOPLE ON.
I THINK SO. KURT HARRIS IS CAROL COSTELLO ONE? THERE THEY ARE. YEAH. HERE. GREAT. HI, FOLKS. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. YOU GUYS HAVE WE GOT 2 MINUTES
IN TOTAL? HOPEFULLY SO I DON'T KNOW HOW BUT WE'LL KEEP IT SIMPLE AS BEST AS BEST WE CAN. I'LL ALLOW FOR SOME MORE TIME BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN IT.
I GOT TO DEAL WITH THREE PEOPLE HOPPING ON UNDER ONE NAME AND IT FACTOR THAT TIME IN SO JUST PLEASE AS QUICK AGAIN BUT THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND WE APPRECIATE HEARING YOUR TESTIMONY. GO AHEAD. THE FLOOR.
MY NAME'S IS HINSON AND I WORK FOR SUE SULLIVAN FOR NEWMARKET. I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE 2023. I CAN SPEAK ON NEWMARKET AND HOW IT BENEFITS PEOPLE.
WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE I JUST HAD GOTTEN OUT OF PRISON AND DIDN'T HAVE A JOB, DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING AND WANTED TO GO BACK TO WORK PROGRAM AND HONESTLY IF I HAD COME HOME WITH A PLAN THAT I ORIGINALLY THOUGHT THAT
I WAS GOING TO COME HOME WITH AND YOU KNOW ALL OF A SUDDEN WORK THIS 9 TO 5 I WOULD HAVE SET MYSELF UP FOR FAILURE. SUE SULLIVAN'S PROGRAM HAS HELPED ME GO FROM NEVER WORKING
IN MY LIFE TO I'M ABOUT TO HAVE A JOB WITH THE CITY OF BOSTON SO AND DOING OUTREACH AND AS THE DOCTOR I BELIEVE IT WAS IT SAID, YOU KNOW, SOME OF US TAKE THIS PERSONAL.
A LOT OF US DO. MY MOTHER ALSO WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE THAT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AIDS IN THE UNITED STATES. SO WHEN I COME ACROSS A NEEDLE AS A MOM, AS A WOMAN AND AS SOMEBODY THAT HAS BEEN AFFECTED
BY IT, I'M GOING TO PICK IT UP AND IT MEANS MORE TO ME VERSUS PROBABLY SOMEONE JUST COLLECTING A PAYCHECK THAT POSSIBLY MIGHT JUST COLLECT MONEY AND STEP OVER IT.
I WOULD CALL AND I'M ALSO A MOM SO I WOULD CALL IN THE FIELD OF ANY SCHOOL FOR FREE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE CHILDREN ARE SAFE. YOU KNOW THAT THE NEXT COUPLE SPEAKS. THANK YOU.
YES. I THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THANK YOU, CRYSTAL. MY NAME'S KURT GASKIN AND I'M ALSO GRATEFUL MEMBER OF NEWMARKET AND I CAME HERE
BACK IN 2022 AND I ALSO WASN'T WHERE THE TANKS WERE EVERY DAY WE PICKED UP SO MANY THOUSANDS OF NEEDLES WITH THE ORANGE CAPS, THE REDS CAPS WE CARRY NOT CANE AND NOBODY'S BEING
COERCED INTO ANYTHING. THIS IS A JOB THAT NOT ONLY HELP SAVE LIVES I'VE SAVED AT LEAST 25 LIVES MYSELF ON THE STREET AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU THIS JOB THIS PROGRAM HAS
BEEN SO BENEFICIAL FOR SO MANY PEOPLE AND WE CLEAN UP THE TRASH. WE CLEAN UP EVERYTHING ALL THE WE PAINT DOWN GRAFFITI. WE GO OUT THERE EVERY DAY ON THESE STREETS AND WE PICK UP
EVERY NEEDLE THAT WE SEE AND WE GET RID OF THEM AND WE ALL TRAIN TO DO NEEDLES. WE TRAIN TO DO KNOCKING. WE'RE TRAINED IN A LOT OF GOOD THINGS. WE HAVE WORKSHOPS ALL THE TIME ON THIS AND SUE SULLIVAN IS JUST AN UNBELIEVABLE WOMAN AND
CAROL COSTELLO AND WE ALSO HAVE A NEW GENTLEMAN MY COLLEAGUES AND WE OFFER TREATMENT TO ANYBODY THAT'S WANT AND I'VE BEEN CLEAN FOR A LONG TIME DUE TO THIS PROGRAM AND IT'S SUSTAINABLE.
GO AHEAD. WE GOT WE GOT ANOTHER ONE. GET WELL THE TRAIN OR WHAT? AND I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF NEW MARKET NEWMARKET HAS GIVEN ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY
GIVE BACK TO THE SAME COMMUNITY THAT I ONCE USED AND I ONCE LIVED IN A TENT AND I WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP THE COMMUNITY CLEAN AND PICK UP
NEEDLES AND KEEP THE THE COMMUNITY SAFE IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. NEWMARKET HAS ALSO GIVEN ME A PURPOSE, GAVE ME STRUCTURE AND JUST GAVE ME A CHANCE AND
ACTUALLY TO ADD ON TO MY RECOVERY WHICH I'M A YEAR SOBER NOW. SO NEWMARKET HAS DONE A LOT FOR ME AND I'M GRATEFUL I'M GRATEFUL TO BE HERE.
THAT IS AWESOME. CONGRATULATIONS, CRYSTAL. GO AHEAD. I'M SO I WOULD LIKE TO JUST ADD ONE MORE THING WHEN IT COMES TO SOBRIETY I CAME HERE SOBER AND I'VE BEEN SOBER SINCE 2019
SINCE THE DAY I CHOSE TO TAKE MY PLEA. BUT SUSAN SULLIVAN, KAREN COSTELLO, CHRIS SULLIVAN ALONG WITH MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HELPED ME ENOUGH TO HELP
ME REMAIN HUMBLE AND AND I'M HERE AND I'M WATCHING HOW MUCH I DON'T WANT TO EVER GO BACK TO THAT AND I'M WILLING TO HELP ANYBODY GET OUT OF THAT SO
NOBODY COURSE I SPOKE TO ME. I CAN SPEAK ON MY BEHALF. NOBODY FORCED ME INTO ANYTHING. I'M HERE BECAUSE I'M HERE BECAUSE I WANT TO BE HERE. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
I WILL SAY TO CRYSTAL, CURT AND TRY THANK YOU GUYS. YOU GUYS ARE THE LIVED EXPERIENCES. YOU GUYS ARE THE INSPIRATION AND YOU GUYS ARE SO YOU GUYS ARE THE EXAMPLE OF WHAT THIS PROGRAM CAN DO, WHAT THE HELP IS DOING, THE ONGOING WORK
OF THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION, NEWMARKET TO SULLIVAN AND ALL THE OTHER PROGRAMS HERE IN KELLY AND THIS COUNCIL. SO HERE'S TO YOUR CONTINUED SUCCESS AND I WOULD APPLAUD FOR YOU GUYS.
WE'RE PROUD OF YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOD BLESS YOU. GET THE JOB. SO KELSEY, CAN I JUST SAY I KNOW THEY KEEP SAYING MY NAME.
IT IS NOT ME. I HAVE THIS INCREDIBLE TEAM AND IT'S JUST AMAZING TO WATCH THEM AND WATCH WHAT THEY'VE DONE. THE TRAY IS GOING TO BE THE NEWEST MEMBER OF PUBLIC
HEALTH'S OUTREACH TEAM THAT'S WHAT IS COMING IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS AND NOT THE TRIP. KRYSTAL AND THE JUST CAME UP ON ONE YEAR SOBER LAST WEEK. HUGE, HUGE THANKS.
YOU'RE NOT THAT BAD. YOU'RE ALL RIGHT. YEAH. THEY STAY RIGHT. YOU'RE OKAY? YEAH I BELIEVE FINALLY THE LAST TESTIMONY WE HAVE DOMINGO
DEROSA. IS DOMINGO ON THE LINE? I BELIEVE WE GOT A IF I'M CORRECT HE'S I WAS TOLD HE WAS
ON VIRTUALLY NO IF THERE'S ANY OTHER FOLKS THERE DOMINGO IF YOU'RE ON THERE IF NOT I APOLOGIZE FOR ANY TECHNICAL
DIFFICULTIES EITHER ON OUR END OR YOURS BUT WITH THAT SAID VERY BRIEF UNLESS ANYONE'S GOT CLOSING REMARKS I THINK WE CAN JUST SAY THIS WAS A VERY
INFORMATIVE HEARING. I THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. IT'S ALSO NOT LOST ON ME THE AMOUNT OF COMPASSION AND EMPATHY NEEDED TO DO THIS JOB IN FRONT OF ME.
THERE ARE FIVE WOMEN THAT EXEMPLIFY THAT AND I THINK YOU LADIES ARE ALL THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO DO THIS. I'M PROUD OF YOUR LEADERSHIP HERE AT THE CITY OF BOSTON AND TO HELP US COMBAT THIS THIS
ISSUE THAT CERTAINLY AFFECTS QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THEM THE INDIVIDUALS THEMSELVES AND THE COMMUNITY SURROUNDING THEM. BUT WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU AND WE WILL CONTINUE ON DOING
THAT WITH THAT DOCKET NUMBER. WHAT ARE WE ON HERE? 0422 IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU TO Part: 2
FOR THE RECORD MY NAME IS ENRIQUE PEPEN DISTRICT FIVE'S BOSTON CITY COUNCILOR AND I'M THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT.
TODAY IS APRIL 1ST, 2025. THE EXACT TIME IS 2:03 P.M.. THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT IS ALSO BEING A LIVE STREAM AT BOSTON ART LARGE CITY COUNCIL.
TV AND BROADCAST ON ITS CONNECTED CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 FILES CHANNEL 964. WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO
THE COMMUNITY EMAIL AT C CC THAT CPA AT BOSTON THE GOV AND WILL BE MADE A PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS. PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THIS HEARING. INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON
IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY SIGN UP AND WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING IN PERSON PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SIGN UP SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE CHAMBER.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO TESTIFY VIRTUALLY PLEASE EMAIL OUR CENTER STAFF LIAISON MEGAN CAVANAUGH AT MEGAN CAVANAUGH AT BOSTON DOT GOV FOR THE LINK. YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE
LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBER 0641 MESSAGE IN ORDER FOR THE APPROVAL OF AN APPROPRIATE MOTION IN ORDER IN
THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $38,148,052 FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 COMMUNITY PRESERVATION FUND REVENUES FOR COMMUNITY PRESERVATION PROJECTS. AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE
CITY OF BOSTON'S COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY THE MAYOR MICHELLE WU AND WAS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON MARCH 12, 2025.
TODAY I AM JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL COUNCILOR FLYNN, COUNCILOR MURPHY AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT RUSI LOUIJEUNE FOR OPENING REMARKS.
I'LL START OFF BY SAYING THAT THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE HEARINGS THAT HAPPENED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. IT'S ALWAYS ONE THAT'S SO GOOD TO SEE THE AMAZING PROJECTS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY GOING TO BE RECEIVING SOME FUNDS FROM
THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION GRANTS AND IT'S SO GREAT TO SEE HOW THE CITY IS ABLE TO HELP A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS MOVE FORWARD AND JUST COME TO LIFE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO I'M EXCITED TO HEAR WHAT WE ARE GOING TO HEAR FROM TODAY
AND THE AMAZING PROJECTS WE HAVE HERE ON THE DOCKET. BUT AT THIS TIME I'LL PASS IT OVER TO COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR A VERY BRIEF OPENING STATEMENT. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.
THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM THAT IS HERE. SPECIAL THANK YOU TO FADING BROWN AND THE CPA TEAM HAD HAD
AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOU FOR MANY YEARS AND YOU AND YOUR TEAM ARE VERY PROFESSIONAL. YOU WORK WITH RESIDENTS, YOU LISTEN AND YOU'RE VERY
RESPECTFUL TO THE PUBLIC. SO I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROFESSIONAL WORK THAT THE CPA TEAM DOES EVERY DAY FOR THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON.
UNLIKE COUNCILOR PEPEN HAS MENTIONED I ALSO LOVE THE THIS PROGRAM AND WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT IS IT BRINGS RESIDENTS TOGETHER AND CELEBRATES OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS AND BRINGS OUT THE BEST IN PEOPLE ALSO SO I WANT TO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO STAY FOR THIS HEARING. I'LL WATCH WATCH.
AND LATER ON ON VIDEO. BUT JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE CPA TEAM FOR THE OUTSTANDING WORK THEY DO EVERY DAY ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY. THANK MR CHAIRMAN.
THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. COUNCILOR MURPHY. THANK YOU, CHAIR ALSO I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS CONVERSATION. IT'S ALWAYS FUN TO BE ABLE TO
CHOOSE FROM RIGHT AND TALK THROUGH THE PROGRAM THAT AS YOU KNOW HAS LENT ITSELF TO SO MANY GREAT PROJECTS ACROSS THE CITY . FROM PAST ONES I KNOW LIKE
ADVOCATING WITH MICHELLE OVER AT THE WARREN PRESCOTT AND THE FAMILIES TO GET A PLAYGROUND AT A SCHOOL TO ALL THE OTHER PROJECTS WHEN I WAS FLIPPING THROUGH YOU KNOW THE PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING UP FOR THIS YEAR.
DECISIONS LIKE A PERMANENT SHADE, A CAMP HARBORVIEW LIKE JUST REALLY GOOD PROJECTS THAT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET INTO OUR BUDGET OR OUR CITY BUDGET AND
AND I LIKE TO SEE ALSO AND I KNOW YOU'LL SPEAK TO IT BUT ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT CAN PARTICIPATE RIGHT OR JUST CITY BUILDINGS LIKE THE BHP TOWERS. I KNOW MYSELF I'VE BEEN
ADVOCATING A LOT FOR MORE RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR RESIDENTS YOU KNOW ALL AGES AT BHP HOUSING. SO IF THIS PROGRAM WHICH TODAY WE'LL TALK TO YOU KNOW $38
MILLION IS A LOT. IT'S PROBABLY NEVER ENOUGH AND YOU'LL HAVE TO TURN AWAY SOMETIMES PROJECTS OR ENCOURAGE THEM TO APPLY AGAIN NEXT YEAR. BUT I JUST ALSO WANT TO
REITERATE WHAT COUNCILOR FLYNN SAID IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND ALSO THE THE COMMUNITY ANY TIME THE COMMUNITY ADVOCATES AND REACHES
OUT AND REALLY SELLS, YOU KNOW, WHY THEIR PROJECT SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, CHOSEN I THINK IT IS A GREAT WAY FOR US TO COME TOGETHER. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS AND
THE PROCESS AHEAD. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. I'M GOING TO ECHO YOUR COMMENTS AND AGREE THAT I THINK THIS IS
ONE OF THE BEST HEARINGS THAT WE HAVE. IT IS ALWAYS GREAT ARE WE CAN SAY YES, YES, YES AND WE'RE SUPPORTING THIS PROJECT. I LOVE THAT 50% IS GOING TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. YOU KNOW THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE
ISSUE THAT RESIDENTS IN THE CITY ARE BRINGING TO OUR ATTENTION ALL OF THE TIME. I LOVE THAT SINCE REPRESENTATIVE PROJECTS ARE IN WHAT WE CONSIDER A LOW INCOME, LOW EMPLOYEE IN MY
NEIGHBORHOODS, THAT'S ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT THE TARGETING AND MAKING SURE THAT EQUITY IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE WORK THAT WE DO EVERY DAY IN THE CITY REGARDLESS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING ANYWHERE ELSE.
AND I ALSO THINK THAT THE NUMBER OF OF OF OF OUR SO MANY OF THE PROJECTS ARE AMAZING BUT ESPECIALLY WE SEE A LOT OF OUR HISTORIC RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS
ARE REALLY STRUGGLING AND THAT THIS CAN BE A PATHWAY IS IS JUST REALLY GREAT. THIS IS NOT YOUR ISSUE THE ISSUE IS EPA ONE THING THAT I AM SEEING AND THAT I AM HEARING
ESPECIALLY IN THIS TIME OF NATIONAL UNCERTAINTY FROM NONPROFITS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS HERE IS YOU KNOW, ABILITY TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS AND PROGRAMING AND I THINK IT'S
REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THIS CPA IS DISTINCT IN WHAT IT DOES AND DOESN'T FUND BUT JUST SOMETHING FOR US TO BE THINKING ABOUT BECAUSE OFTENTIMES THE FOLKS WHO ARE COMING TO US FOR SOME SORT OF PROGRAMMATIC OR
OPERATIONAL SUPPORT ARE ALSO THE ONES WHO HAVE, YOU KNOW, RECEIVED SOME SORT OF CPA FUNDING. BUT I THINK THIS IS I THINK THESE ARE ALL INCREDIBLE. I LOVE THAT ROXBURY AND
DORCHESTER AND AND MATTAPAN AND ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY REALLY ARE GETTING FUNDED AS A NETWORK CITY COUNCILOR IT MATTERS TO ME AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO FROM ALL OF YOU THANK YOU MR CHAIR. I WON'T BE ABLE TO STAY FOR THE
DURATION OF THE HEARING BUT I'M I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THESE PROJECTS AND LEARNING FROM ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME I WOULD LOVE TO INTRODUCE TODAY'S PANELIST IF
YOU CAN MENTION YOUR NAME, YOUR TITLES AND WHAT DEPARTMENT YOU WORK FOR AND THEN YOU HAVE BEFORE TO DO YOUR PRESENTATION . THANK YOU. MY NAME IS DAVID BROWN. I AM THE DIRECTOR FOR THE
COMMUNITY PRESERVATION OFFICE. GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM CHRISTINE O'KEEFE. I AM THE DIRECTOR OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING DIVISION AT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING.
HI, I'M LISA MAYER. I'M THE INTERIM COMMISSIONER WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND CHIEF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT WITH PARKS AS WELL. AND I'M CATHY BAKER ECLIPSE. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF CAPITAL
PLAN FOR BOSTON PARKS REC. THANK YOU. SO I WOULD LIKE I HAVE THE PLEASURE TODAY TO KIND OF GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT AND
WHAT WE DO THIS FUNDING ROUND. SO I HAVE THE HONOR OF BEING THE DIRECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION OFFICE. FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS I'VE LED THE CPA OFFICE AND OVERSEEN ALL EIGHT FUNDING ROUNDS. IT HAS BEEN A TRUE PRIVILEGE TO
SUPPORT AND SERVE THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF BOSTON. I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO THE DEDICATED COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE. EACH FUNDING ROUND THESE MEMBERS FACE TOUGH DECISIONS AND WE DEEPLY APPRECIATE THEIR
UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO THIS COMPETITIVE PROCESS. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO THE CPA STAFF ROKIA ISLAM GILLIAN LANG, ELIZABETH SANCHEZ, KENYA THOMPSON, LAUREN HORN AND LIZ
COOK. THEIR DEDICATION AND HARD WORK HAVE BEEN KEY TO THIS YEAR'S FUNDING FUNDINGS FUNDING ROUND SUCCESS AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THEY HAVE CONTRIBUTED. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE
CITY TREASURER AND CFO FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP ALONG WITH ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT CONTINUE TO BE VALUABLE PARTNERS IN THIS IMPORTANT WORK. I WILL NOW PROVIDE A DETAILED OVERVIEW OF THE CPA PROCESS FOR
THE Y 25 FUNDING ROUND. ADDITIONALLY, I WILL INTRODUCE THE SLATE OF 52 PROJECTS RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE AND THE MAYOR. I WOULD ALSO ADDRESS ANY
QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. SO ON THIS FIRST SLIDE YOU'LL SEE A BREAKDOWN OF OUR FUNDING ALLOCATION FOR THE FY 25 FUNDING ROUND. THE INITIAL FUNDS TOTALED 33.7
MILLION AND REVERTED FUNDS FROM WITHDRAWN PROJECTS OR THOSE COMPLETED UNDER BUDGET WERE REALLOCATED ACROSS ALL CATEGORIES. THE COMMITTEE NOW HAD 38.1 MILLION IN FUNDING TO ALLOCATE
TO PROJECTS. THE COMMITTEE HAS RECOMMENDED AN ALLOCATION OF 50% TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, 25% TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND 25%
TO OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT. I WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW IN THE UPCOMING SLIDES TO CLARIFY THE REQUIRED RULES OUTLINED IN
THE STATUTE EACH YEAR 10% OF FUNDS MUST BE ALLOCATED TO THREE CATEGORIES HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION. ADDITIONALLY, UP TO 5% MAY BE
SPENT ON ADMINISTRATIVE COST. CPA FUNDS ARE STRICTLY RESERVED FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS AND CANNOT BE USED FOR MAINTENANCE. OPERATIONS OR PROGRAMING. RECIPIENTS OF THESE FUNDS CAN
BE CAN INCLUDE PUBLIC PRIVATE ENTITIES NONPROFIT AND FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. THE ALLOWABLE USES OF CPA FUNDS ARE TO ACQUIRE, CREATE, PRESERVE AND SUPPORT COMMUNITY
HOUSING ACQUIRE, CREATE PRESERVE OPEN SPACE REHABILITATE AND RESTORE OPEN SPACE THAT WAS CREATED OR ACQUIRED WITH COMMUNITY PRESERVATION FUNDS ACQUIRE CREATE AND PRESERVE,
REHABILITATE AND RESTORE LAND FOR RECREATIONAL USE, ACQUIRE, PRESERVE, REHABILITATE AND RESTORE HISTORIC RESOURCES. ALL PROPOSED PROJECTS MUST MEET THE TERMS OF THESE DEFINITIONS
AND REQUIREMENTS STATED IN CHAPTER 44 BE UNDERSTANDING THE ALLOWABLE USES OF CPA FUNDS IS ESSENTIAL FOR APPLICANTS TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THEIR APPLICATION.
TO BETTER PREPARE THEM WE PRIORITIZE EARLY AND FREQUENT ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION ABOUT THESE ALLOWABLE USES.
SORRY. TODAY COMMUNITY PRESERVATION FUND HAS FUNDED 345 PROJECTS AWARDING OVER 192 MILLION IN FUNDING. WE HAVE PRESERVED OVER 150
HISTORICAL BUILDING SITES, VESSELS AND ARTIFACTS PLANTED MORE THAN 300 TREES TO ENHANCE BOSTON'S TREE CANOPY, REHABILITATED AND CREATED OVER 100 PLAYGROUNDS AND RECREATIONAL SPACES ESTABLISHED
THROUGH URBAN FARMS AND COMMUNITY GARDENS PRESERVED AND DEVELOPED NEARLY 2200 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING INCLUDING HOME OWNERSHIP UNITS ALLOCATED 28 MILLION TO PROGRAM TO
SUPPORTING FIRST TIME HOME OWNERSHIP AND PREVENTING DISPLACEMENT SINCE THE CREATION OF CPA. SINCE THE CREATION OF CPA PROJECTS HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN 23 NEIGHBORHOODS BETWEEN 2018 AND 2024.
THIS FUNDING HAS SUPPORTED 133 OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PROJECTS, 54 AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS AND 158 HISTORIC
PRESERVATION PROJECTS TO DATE. HERE IS A DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF THE TOTAL PROJECT FUNDED AMOUNTS FOR EACH NEIGHBORHOOD TO TOP SEVEN NEIGHBORHOODS EACH
WITH 15 OR MORE PROJECTS ARE AS FOLLOWS DORCHESTER. ROXBURY. JAMAICA PLAIN EAST BOSTON. CHARLESTOWN, MATTAPAN AND BACK BAY. I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT
CITY WIDE PROJECTS ENCOMPASS PROGRAMS THAT BENEFIT ALL BOSTON RESIDENTS AND HAVE AND HAVE RECEIVED THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF FUNDING TO DATE. NEXT I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT
OUR INTERACTIVE MAP AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE. THIS MAP ALLOWS THE PUBLIC TO EXPLORE PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS AND FUNDING AMOUNTS FOR EACH
CPA FUNDED PROJECT TO DATE. WE ALSO HAVE A NEW COMPLETED PROJECT PROJECT GUIDE ON OUR WEBSITE ALLOWING RESIDENTS TO EXPLORE THE FINISHED CFPA
PROJECTS. THIS NEXT SLIDE HIGHLIGHTS THE FUNDING PERCENTAGES AND PROJECT PERCENTAGES FOR EACH CATEGORY IN OUR LAST FUNDING ROUNDS. AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACCOUNTS FOR
THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE OF FUNDING AT 52%. DESPITE BEING THE LOWEST PERCENTAGE PROJECT PERCENTAGE. HISTORIC PRESERVATION HAS THE
HIGHEST PROJECT PERCENTAGE. HISTORIC PRESERVATION HAS THE HIGHEST PROJECT PERCENTAGE YET THE SMALLEST SHARE OF FUNDING AT 23%. MEANWHILE OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION REPRESENTS 30 38%
OF THE PROJECTS AND HAS RECEIVED 20 25% OF TOTAL FUNDING FOR THE FOR THE LAST EIGHT FUNDING ROUNDS. THE CPA COMMITTEE HAS COMMITTED 50% ALLOCATION OF FUNDING
TOWARDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING. TODAY WE ONLY HAVE 18 PROJECTS THAT HAVE WITHDRAWN. SOME PROJECTS HAVE THIS JOHN BECAUSE THEY DID NOT MEET THE READINESS TO PROCEED.
THEY COULD NOT AGREE TO THE 15 YEAR TERM OF OUR GRANT AGREEMENT OR THEIR LONG TERM SITE CONTROL AGREEMENTS DID NOT ALIGN WITH OUR GRANT TERMS. NEXT I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE AN
OVERVIEW OF OUR DAILY OPERATIONS FOR THE CPA OFFICE. WE ARE VERY SMALL BUT EFFICIENT TEAM. OVER THE LAST FOUR FUNDING ROUNDS WE HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY RESHAPED AND IMPROVED OUR DAILY OPERATIONS.
PROJECT MANAGERS MONITOR OVER 125 PROJECTS DAILY SITE VISITS, MONTHLY CHECK INS, MONITORING CONSTRUCTION TIMELINES AND PROCESSES. WE HAVE AN EFFICIENT TRACKING SYSTEM. WE CURRENTLY HAVE 215 PROJECTS
COMPLETED 58 OF THOSE ARE REPEAT PROJECTS. APPROXIMATELY OVER 80% OF FUNDING FOR 2018 TO 2024 PROJECTS HAVE BEEN PAID OUT. IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT OUR PROJECTS ARE COMPLETED BUT THEY
HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED. GRANT AGREEMENTS IN MORE WAYS ARE IMPROVED. ARE APPROVED IN 2 TO 3 WEEKS. TIMELY PAYMENTS OF GRANT INSTALLMENTS TO APPLICANTS ARE PROCESSED WITHIN 1 TO 2 WEEKS.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO BUILDING COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS AND MAINTAINING POTENTIAL PROJECT PIPELINE LINES DAILY. WE ARE FULLY STAFFED AND WE HAVE HIRED TWO NEW PROJECT MANAGERS IN JULY OF 2024 AND I
AM AIMING TO FILL THE GRANT COMPLIANCE POSITION BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR. FUNDING ROUND PREPARATION CONTINUES TO BE A SUCCESS ROLLING ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION FORM ALLOWS
APPLICANTS TO APPLY EARLY. WE HAVE AN UPFRONT LEGAL REVIEW AS PART OF OUR ELIGIBILITY PROCESS. WE CONTINUE TO INCREASE EARLY COMMUNICATION WITH POTENTIAL APPLICANTS WHICH ALLOWS US TIME
TO VERIFY PROPOSED PROJECTS BEFORE THEY GO BEFORE THE COMMITTEE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO NOW HIGHLIGHT OUR ANNUAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION
MEETINGS WHICH ARE VITAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THE GRANT PROGRAM. WE PRIORITIZE CONNECTING WITH AS MANY RESIDENTS AS POSSIBLE. SOME OF OUR ENGAGEMENT AND CHEVIOTS THIS YEAR INCLUDE
HOSTING VIRTUAL INFORMATION SESSIONS AND COLLABORATIONS WITH EIGHT CITY COUNCILS COUNCIL MEMBERS REACHING A COMBINED COMBINED TOTAL OF 165 CONSTITUENTS ORGANIZED MULTIPLE
INFORMATION SESSIONS AND WORKSHOPS THROUGHOUT THE SPRING AND SUMMER ENGAGING OVER 100 PARTICIPANTS. WE ACTIVELY HOLD ONE ON ONE MEETINGS WITH POTENTIAL APPLICANTS AIMING TO SUPPORT AS MANY INDIVIDUALS AND
ORGANIZATIONS AS POSSIBLE. OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS HAVE REACHED OVER 465 COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN BOSTON AND INFORMED A LARGE NETWORK OF RESIDENTS
THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND WE CONTINUE TO BUILD OUR ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS THROUGH CITY OF BOSTON SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS ENSURING BROADER COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND VISIBILITY.
WE ALSO DELIVERED TO CPA EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION SESSIONS TO YOUTH GROUPS AND OUR CPA ANNUAL PRESENTATION IS ACCESSIBLE IN 11 LANGUAGES ON OUR WEBSITE. THESE ACHIEVEMENTS SHOWCASE OUR
STRONG COMMITMENT TO BUILDING COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS AND OFFERING VALUABLE RESOURCES. NEXT, I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A HIGHLIGHT OF THE FUNDING ROUND
THIS YEAR OVER 100 ELIGIBILITY FORMS AND REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS WERE SUBMITTED FOR REVIEW. 82 APPLICATIONS WERE PRESENTED TO THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE TOTALING 54 MILLION AND FUNDING REQUEST.
THE CPC HELD EIGHT PUBLIC MEETINGS FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH JANUARY. TOTALING 14 HOURS OF PUBLIC DISCUSSION. 52 PROJECTS ARE BEING CONSIDERED FOR THE FBI 25
FUNDING ROUND TOTALING OVER $38 MILLION OUT OF OUT OF THE 52 PROJECTS 44 PROJECTS ARE GOING TO BE FULLY FUNDED THIS YEAR. ONE APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL. THIS FUNDING ROUND WILL BRING
BOSTON'S TOTAL AWARDS UNDER THE COMMUNITY COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT TO MORE THAN $230 MILLION SUPPORTING 397
PROJECTS ACROSS THE CITY. SINCE RESIDENTS ADOPTED CPR IN 2016, THIS SLIDE PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF THE APPLICATIONS
RECEIVED FROM EACH NEIGHBORHOOD THIS ROUND NOTABLY ROXBURY AND ROXBURY HAD THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF RECOMMENDED PROJECTS FOLLOWED BY DORCHESTER. UNFORTUNATELY, FIVE NEIGHBORHOODS BAY VILLAGE,
DOWNTOWN EAST BOSTON, ROSLINDALE AND SOUTH BOSTON DO NOT HAVE ANY PROJECTS RECOMMENDED FOR FUNDING THIS YEAR. THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE REMAINS DEEPLY COMMITTED TO FUNDING PROJECTS
ACROSS ALL NEIGHBORHOODS. THE CPA STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY PROJECTS THAT ARE READY TO PROCEED. FINALLY, IN 2022 THE COMMUNITY
PRESERVATION COMMITTEE APPROVED THE NEW COMMUNITY PRESERVATION PLAN. THIS PLAN WILL GUIDE THE CITY OF BOSTON'S ALLOCATION OF CPA FUNDS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023 TO 2027.
WE RECENTLY UPDATED THE PLAN TO INCLUDE DATA FROM ALL SEVEN FUNDING ROUNDS FROM 2018 TO 2024. THE CPA OFFICE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH JAMES GOLSON AT
CONSULTING FIRM TO UPDATE THE DATA FOR 2025 TO 2027. WE DO HAVE OVERALL PLANS AND SPECIFIC GOALS FOR EACH CATEGORY. WE ENSURE THAT WE WANT TO
ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO REVIEW OUR FULL FIVE YEAR PLAN. NEXT I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE
EQUITY ANALYSIS DONE BY JIM GOLSON IN OUR NEW CPA PLAN AND OUR UPDATED CPA PLAN. THE FOLLOWING INDICATORS WERE USED TO PERFORM AN EQUITY ANALYSIS ON THE PROGRAM.
OVERALL, 228 PROJECTS TOTALING 129 MILLION AND CPA FUNDS WERE AWARDED IN AREAS THAT EXCEEDED AT LEAST ONE OF THE FOUR MEASUREMENTS LISTED BELOW. THESE PROJECTS ARE IN 15
NEIGHBORHOODS WITHIN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THERE WAS AN INCOME INCOME INDICATOR PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLDS EARNING BELOW THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME. OVER 65% OF HOUSEHOLDS EARN
BELOW THE AMI POVERTY INDICATOR. PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLDS LIVING BELOW THE POVERTY LIMIT OVER 40% OF HOUSEHOLDS LIVE BELOW THE POVERTY LEVEL. POVERTY LINE LANGUAGE INDICATOR
PERCENTAGE OF RESIDENTS WITH LANGUAGE ACCESS NEEDS OVER 6% OF RESIDENTS HAVE LANGUAGE ACCESS NEEDS DEMOGRAPHICS INDICATOR IS PERCENTAGE OF RESIDENTS THAT IDENTIFY AS
BIPOC AND BIPOC STANDS FOR BLACK INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF COLOR INCLUDES ASIAN LATINXS PACIFIC ISLANDERS, MIDDLE EASTERN PEOPLE OVER 65%
OF RESIDENTS IDENTIFY AS BIPOC. FOR EXAMPLE, PROJECTS THAT WERE AWARDED IN LOWER ROXBURY CENSUS TRACTS WERE ALSO HAD WERE ALL FOUR INDICATORS MEASUREMENTS
EXCEEDED. FOUR OF THESE WERE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS. IN GENERAL THE CENSUS TRACTS WITH HIGHER POVERTY RATES ARE CONCENTRATED TOWARDS THE CITY GEOGRAPHIC CENTER.
ROXBURY SOUTH END MISSION HILL LONGWOOD FENWAY. FENWAY KENMORE NEIGHBORHOODS CITY HAS FUNDED 12 OUT OF 345
PROJECTS 3.5% INCREASE IN CENSUS TRACTS WITH ELEVATED POVERTY LEVELS WHERE 40% OF RESIDENTS OR MORE LIVE BELOW THE POVERTY LINE. I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT THE FENWAY KENMORE HAS A LARGE
STUDENT POPULATION. THIS MAY SKEW THE RESULTS REGARDING POVERTY IN THIS AREA BECAUSE STUDENTS RECEIVE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM THEIR FAMILIES OR TUITION ASSISTANCE. SO THIS MAY CREATE AN
IMPRESSION THAT THERE IS A HIGH LEVEL OF POVERTY, POVERTY AND THE COMMUNITY THAT ACTUALLY EXIST. MOST RESIDENTS WITH LANGUAGE ACCESS NEEDS LIVE IN DORCHESTER AND E-ZPASS EATEN IN
DORCHESTER. AT LEAST 5% OF RESIDENTS SPEAKS SPANISH, VIETNAMESE, HAITIAN CREOLE AND PORTUGUESE CAPE VERDE AND CREOLE IN EAST BOSTON
AT LEAST 5% OF THE RESIDENTS SPEAK SPANISH OR ARABIC. THE CITY OF BOSTON HAS FUNDED 143 OF THE 345 PROJECTS AND NEIGHBORHOODS WITH THE HIGHEST
LANGUAGE ACCESS NEEDS. NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE OVER 65% OF RESIDENTS IDENTIFY AS BIPOC IS THIS IS INCLUDED INCLUDES EAST BOSTON, ROXBURY,
DORCHESTER, MATTAPAN AND HYDE PARK. THE CITY HAS FUNDED 138 OF 345 PROJECTS IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE OVER 65% OF RESIDENTS IDENTIFY
AS BIPOC. AND TO CONCLUDE HERE IS THE SLATE OF 52 PROJECTS RECOMMENDED FOR FUNDING THIS ROUND. THIS WAS A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE FUNDING ROUND ONCE AGAIN
LEADING TO TOUGH DECISIONS BY THE COMMITTEE. SO THANK YOU AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT
AMAZING PRESENTATION. DIRECTOR SO I'M GONNA OPEN UP TO QUESTIONS TO MY COLLEAGUES. I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUE COUNCILOR BREADON. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. ALL RIGHT.
I'M GOING TO KICK IT OFF TO COUNCILOR MURPHY FOR YOUR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT IN-DEPTH EXPLANATION. IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT I THINK
FOR THE PUBLIC OURSELVES. ALSO EVERYONE LISTENING IN ABOUT THE YOU KNOW, THE RULES AND THE CONSTRAINTS AND ALL OF THE, YOU KNOW, BOXES YOU HAVE TO CHECK TO EVEN GET THESE
PROJECTS TO BE IN FRONT OF YOU AND YOU MENTIONED IT AND I JUST KNOW FIRSTHAND FROM WORKING WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE, YOU KNOW, REACHED OUT FOR SUPPORT IN APPLYING FOR THESE THAT YOU DO
DO GOOD WORK LIKE HOLDING THEIR HAND THROUGH THE PROCESS. AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOUR TEAM FOR THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT ALSO TO, YOU KNOW, SET THOSE EXPECTATIONS FOR PEOPLE AND I KNOW OUR
OFFICE OVER THESE YEARS HAVE OFTEN, YOU KNOW, TALKED TO PEOPLE ABOUT MAKING SURE YOUR PROJECT ISN'T LIKE JUST GOING TO MEET ONE NEED IF IT CAN MEET SEVERAL DIFFERENT NEEDS AND YOU
KNOW, A BETTER CHANCE OF BEING SELECTED. THE OTHER COMMENT AND I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED IT BECAUSE AS AN AT LARGE CITY COUNCILOR I'M
ADVOCATING ALWAYS YOU KNOW FOR ALL 22 NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICT COUNCILORS ARE ALWAYS GREAT AT YOU KNOW MAKING SURE THAT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN IT COMES TO YOU KNOW CAPITAL
BUDGET OPERATIONAL BUDGET BUT IN THIS CASE YOU KNOW PROJECTS THAT WILL MOVE FORWARD. AND YOU DO TOUCH ON SOME THAT DON'T HAVE ANY IN THIS ROUND
AND I KNOW IN THE PAST SOMETIMES IT'S BECAUSE SOME NEIGHBORHOODS HAVEN'T EVEN SUBMITTED SOME RIGHT. SO IF YOU JUST WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT FOR ME THERE'S NO QUESTION
ABOUT WHY MORE JUST IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS SOME OF THEM ARE SMALLER AND MAY NOT HAVE PROJECTS THIS ROUND MAY HAVE HAD SOME IN THE PAST. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO DECIDING
DO YOU DO DO YOU KIND OF HAVE A TALLY OF PAST PROJECTS TO KIND OF KEEP A SENSE OF IF EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IS BEING REPRESENTED WHEN IT CAN BE? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
WE DO, YOU KNOW, STEP BACK AND TAKE A LOOK FULL VIEW OF THE CHART THAT I HIGHLIGHT IN THE PRESENTATION TO ENSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE COMMITTEE IS HAVING A FULL OVERVIEW OF ALL THE PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING
IN. AND YOU ARE CORRECT SOME NEIGHBORHOODS JUST DID NOT SUBMIT AN APPLICATION SO THAT'S WHY THEY'RE NOT RECOMMENDED FOR FUNDING THIS ROUND BAY VILLAGE HAVE CONSISTENTLY BEEN THAT
NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE WE'VE BEEN STUCK AT JUST ONE PROJECT FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS OR SO. SO WE AS A TEAM JUST CONTINUE TO GO OUT DURING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND REALLY DO OUR
INFORMATION SESSIONS, REALLY TRY TO REACH APPLICANTS AND SOME APPLICANTS ARE REALLY WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES TO GET READY. THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN READY FOR THE 25 FUNDING ROUND BUT MAY HAVE A PROJECT COMING IN
FOR FY 26 AND ALSO DUE TO THE COMPETITIVE NATURE OF THE FUNDING ROUND SOME PROJECTS JUST DID NOT MOVE FORWARD JUST BECAUSE IT'S JUST SUCH A COMPETITIVE FUNDING ROUND AND
THEIR PROJECTS COULD HAVE BEEN GOING AGAINST A PROJECT THAT HAD MORE OF A CRITICAL NEED LIFE SAFETY WHEREAS WE FELT THAT THIS POTENTIAL PROJECT COULD POTENTIALLY COME BACK THE NEXT FUNDING ROUND TO RECEIVE
FUNDING AND WE DO ENCOURAGE APPLICANTS TO REAPPLY IF THEY IF THEY HAVEN'T BEEN RECOMMENDED FOR FUNDING BUT OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS WILL WILL GO OUT AGAIN THIS SPRING AND SUMMER TO REALLY
REACH OUT TO THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DIDN'T RECEIVE FUNDING THIS ROUND. DID BAY VILLAGE IN THE PAST GET ONE FOR THE COCONUT GROVE? THEY DO. SO THAT'S JUST THAT'S THE ONE
SOON TO OPEN AND THAT YEAH YES I'VE BEEN AT EVERY YEAR AND THEIR MEMORIAL AND THEY DO MENTION HOW THE FUNDING SO THANK YOU FOR THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THAT DONE. YEAH NO OTHER QUESTIONS JUST
HAPPY TO BE PART OF THIS AND ONCE WE GET THE LIST TO SUPPORT BECAUSE ONCE YOU GIVE THE MONEY OFTENTIMES TO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WHERE YOU KNOW SEEING IT THROUGH FOR PEOPLE AND IF
THERE'S ANY SUPPORT THEY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROJECTS GET COMPLETED WE'RE THERE FOR THAT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. COUNCIL PRESIDENT THANK YOU. GLAD TO MAKE QUESTIONS.
I WHEN I WAS ORIGINALLY RATTLING OFF NUMBERS I REALIZED THAT I WAS RATTLING THEM OFF FROM THE PRIVATE AND PUTTING TOTALS BY NEIGHBORHOOD OVER THE SIX YEAR SPAN STILL VERY IMPRESSIVE BUILDING I THINK
EVERY YEAR AND YOU'VE DONE SUCH INCREDIBLE WORK AND THE ENTIRE TEAM ON THE LANGUAGE ACCESS FRONT TO MAKE COMMUNITIES LIKE MORE AWARE THAT THESE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE.
IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT LIKE WHAT GAPS YOU SEE STILL EXIST LIKE IN TERMS OF LANGUAGE ACCESS AND THE REASON WHY THAT'S IT LANGUAGE ACCESS IS OFTEN A PROXY FOR LIKE INFORMATION ASYMMETRY AND WHO
KNOWS ABOUT THINGS AND WHO DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT THINGS. SO WHERE ARE THE GAPS AND HOW DO YOU THINK THAT WE COULD I KNOW YOU KNOW WE DID ONE IN HAITIAN CREOLE. I KNOW YOU'VE DONE SOME WITH I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE YOUR PENS MANAGE I DON'T KNOW. I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN
EFFORTS MADE BUT HOW ELSE CAN WE CONTINUE TO MOVE THAT BALL? YEAH, I WOULD AGREE THAT IT'S JUST CONTINUING TO BE ABLE TO OFFER LANGUAGE ACCESS WHEN WE DO OUR INFORMATION SESSIONS
THIS ROUND WE DID HOST SIX MEETINGS WITH SPANISH INTERPRETATIONS AND PORTUGUESE ANY NEEDS BOSTON NO WE DID NOT BUT WE HAVE BUT BECAUSE OUR
INFORMATION SESSIONS ARE SO BROAD WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS THAT COME IN TO OUR INFORMATION SESSIONS. I THINK THE GAP IS THAT WE DO WANT TO GET OUT TO MORE SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES AND TO BE
ABLE TO SPECIFIC TALK ABOUT CPE LIKE LIKE WE DO IN OUR INFORMATION SESSIONS. SO BEING ABLE TO FIND THOSE ORGANIZATIONS WOULD BE HELPFUL SO WE CAN BRING IN INTERPRETATION SERVICES. I MEAN WE DO IN ALL OF OUR
EMAILS AND NEWSLETTERS HAVE THE KIND OF LANGUAGE ACCESS NOTIFICATION. SO IF FOLKS ARE LOOKING TO REACH OUT TO US IT'S IN ALL THE TOP 11 LANGUAGES. SO WE USE THAT AS A RESOURCE
FOR FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO REACH OUT. BUT THE GAP IS REALLY GETTING OUT TO THOSE SPACES AND HAVING FOLKS REALLY UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OUR FUNDING. THANK YOU. ANOTHER QUESTION, DR. BROWN IS
IT ALWAYS A 5025 25 BREAKDOWN? IS THAT JUST THE METRIC THAT YOU'VE THAT YOU'VE SET? THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT THE COMMITTEE HAS GONE WITH. SO THE HOUSING 25% RESERVATION. YEAH.
SO THEY DO FEEL THAT HOUSING IS THE YOU KNOW THE BIGGEST NEED THROUGHOUT THE CITY AS YOU STATED IN YOUR OPENING REMARKS. AND SO FOR THE LAST EIGHT FUNDING ROUNDS HOUSING HAS BEEN A PRIORITY. I DO THINK IT'S REALLY
INTERESTING THAT EVEN WITH IT BEING 50% HOUSING IN ORDER TO HAVE AN IMPACT YOU HAVE TO FUND FEWER PROJECTS. I THINK THERE ARE SEVEN OF THEM THAT ARE THAT ARE HOUSING BUT THE PANOPLY OF THINGS THAT
EXCITING AND DIVERSE THAT YOU CAN FUND UNDER OPEN SPACE AND AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS REALLY I THINK TERRIFIC. AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION IS IS THERE A LIMIT ON THE NUMBER
OF TIMES THAT PEOPLE I KNOW THAT YOU SAY YOU TRY TO HAVE WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION WHERE YOU TRY TO LIKE YOU KNOW, MAYBE DON'T APPLY THREE YEARS CONSECUTIVELY BUT WHAT IS ARE THERE GUIDELINES ARE THERE
REQUIREMENTS IN TERMS OF YEAH. SO THE ONLY GUIDELINES WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS IF YOU HAVE APPLIED FOR FUNDING IN THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS AND RECEIVED FUNDING THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS WE ACTUALLY YOU TAKE A YEAR OFF
TO LEAVE ROOM FOR ANOTHER PROJECT TO KIND OF GET FUNDED BUT THEN YOU FOUGHT THE FIFTH YEAR YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND REAPPLY AGAIN BUT IF YOU'RE NOT RECOMMENDED FOR FUNDING THIS
FUNDING ROUND YOU CAN IMMEDIATELY REAPPLY IN THE NEXT FUNDING ROUND TO BE CONSIDERED FOR FUNDING. SO APPLICANTS DO HAVE A CHANCE TO TO REAPPLY AGAIN 215
PROJECTS COMPLETED PROJECTS 58 OF THOSE ARE REPEAT PROJECTS. SO WE DO HAVE PROJECTS COMING BACK AND THERE ARE SOME THAT HAVE RECEIVED THREE TIMES EXACTLY. WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH DIRECTOR
BRENNAN DUE TO THE ENTIRE ADMIN TEAM FOR BEING HERE THANK YOU TO MEMBERS OF COMMUNITY I ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING HOW IMPACTFUL AND MEANINGFUL THESE ARE SO I'M SAD THAT I WON'T BE ABLE TO HEAR THEM BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO LISTENING TO THE RECORD AND JUST REALLY GLAD
THAT WE CAN SUPPORT ALL OF THESE REALLY AMAZING PROJECTS. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JACK. OF COURSE. THANK YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND SOMETHING THAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL MY COLLEAGUES IS THAT I KNOW THAT DIRECTOR DEAN ALWAYS LIKES TO ASK FOR
COLLABORATION OUR COUNCILORS ESPECIALLY THE DISTRICT COUNCILORS AND YOU'RE IN INTO SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOODS TO DO SOME COMMUNITY LISTENING SESSIONS. THAT'S ONE WAY FOR US TO HELP THEM. I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT
COUNCILOR WEBER HAS JOINED US SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. ALL RIGHT. COUNCILOR BRADING FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU AND GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL. IT'S ALWAYS LIKE CHRISTMAS AND
THANK YOU DIRECTOR, FOR YOUR GREAT TEAM OF REALLY PROFESSIONAL WORK THAT YOU DO AND SO EFFICIENT AND ALL THE OUTREACH TO DO IS REALLY
IMPORTANT. I'M STILL TRYING TO DRUM UP BUSINESS FOR AS FOR YOU IN ALLSTON BRIGHTON BUT YOU KNOW THIS YEAR I'VE GOT THREE PROJECTS THIS IS GOOD. I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE DIGITAL
PRESERVATION OF THE EAST ENDER AND I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THAT YOU DO A BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE SOME HISTORIC NEWSPAPERS IN ASTON BRIGHTON THAT DON'T EXIST
ANYMORE BUT TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. SO THE THOUGH THE WEST END PROJECT IS THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO ARCHIVE SOME MATERIALS
THAT'S WITHIN THE THEIR TO PRESERVE HISTORY SO WE ARE GIVING THEM FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT SO THEY CAN OUTSOURCE A.
A COMPANY TO BE ABLE TO HELP THEM KIND OF ARCHIVE ALL THESE MATERIALS AND SO THAT IS AN ALLOWABLE USE UNDER CPA TO KIND OF PRESERVE THIS HISTORY AND SO THAT IS KIND OF THE FULL SCOPE
OF PROJECT WORK FOR THIS PROJECT AND SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. THIS IS OUR THIRD PROJECT THAT'S THAT'S SIMILAR TO THIS THAT WE FUNDED THAT'S GREAT.
I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THAT AND YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE COMING UP WITH SOME BIG BIG ANNIVERSARIES IN THE PAST AND 250 FOR THE REVOLUTION AND 400 YEARS FOR THE CITY.
SO A VERY, VERY EXCITING AND THEN I SEE I HAVE A QUESTION CATHY THE THE MCKINNEY PARK HAVE WE GOT ENOUGH MONEY IN THE
KITTY TO GET IT ACROSS THE LINE SEE WHAT THE 2026 FOR 2026 BUDGET SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT WILL CLOSE THE GAP AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO BREAK GROUND
ON THAT IN 26. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. AND AND THEN THE HOMEOWNERSHIP PROJECT WE'VE GOT SOME HISTORIC PRESERVATION AT THE SF SCHOOL
BUILDING WHICH IS FABULOUS. AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS THE HOUSING UM THE PROJECT AT SEATTLE ST AND THAT'S GOOD EXCELLENT.
AND IT'S A HOMEOWNERSHIP PROJECT WHICH ARE VERY HAPPY BUT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. UM, THAT'S THAT'S WONDERFUL. UM, THAT'S IT FOR ME.
I AM VERY PLEASED WITH ALL OF THESE PROJECTS AND PLEASE THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK AND UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT ROUND. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. COUNCILOR RUBBER THANK YOU, CHAIR AND YEAH, I'M GLAD THAT THIS IS NOT AN APRIL FOOLS
JOKE. WE ACTUALLY I MEAN, MAYBE SOMEBODY ELSE MADE THAT JOKE ALREADY, BUT IT'S GOOD TO SEE THIS KIND OF WONDERFUL THING
AND LIKE CHRISTMAS, UH, HANUKKAH WRAP TOGETHER SO I GUESS SO I DON'T KNOW WHO COULD ANSWER THIS. MY OFFICE WE WE SUPPORTED 11 PROJECTS. FOUR OF THOSE WERE ARE FUNDED.
AMAZING. I'M GOING TO GO OVER THOSE IN A BIT. BUT WHAT CAN WE YOU KNOW FOR LIKE THE FOOTLIGHT CLUB AND JP YOU KNOW THEY'RE LOOKING FOR
FUNDS LIKE WHAT DO WE TELL THEM FOR THE NEXT ROUND LIKE YOU KNOW HOW TO OR EVEN ANYONE WHO'S WHO'S A WHO'S APPLIED IN THE PAST WHO DIDN'T GET THE FUNDING. SURE.
SO EVERY PROJECT THAT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR FUNDING THIS ROUND IF THEY HAVE WE HAVEN'T ALREADY WE HAVE SET UP A MEETING WITH THEM AND HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHETHER THEY WANT TO REAPPLY AND DISCUSS IF
YOU KNOW THEIR APPLICATION HAD ANY CONCERNS AND IF IT DID AND MAJORITY OF YOU KNOW THE PROJECTS THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS. IT WAS JUST DUE TO THE COMPETITIVE NATURE OF THE
FUNDING ROUND WE HAD 82 APPLICATIONS WITH YOU KNOW 54 MILLION IN REQUESTS AND ONLY $38 MILLION TO GIVE AWAY SO WE JUST COULDN'T FIND ALL THE
PROJECTS THAT CAME BEFORE US. BUT WE DO WORK WITH WITH FOLKS AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM AFTER EACH FUNDING ROUND IF THEY WERE NOT RECOMMENDED. OH OKAY GREAT. UH, AND THEN SO IN TERMS
OF PROJECTS THAT WERE FUNDED A EGGLESTON SQUARE PIECE GARDEN IS GREAT. DO YOU KNOW WHEN WHAT'S THE SORT OF TIMELINE THERE? SURE I CAN. I'LL START AND THEN I'LL HAVE
CATHY KIND OF FINISH. SO THIS PROJECT IS REALLY UNIQUE. WE THE BOSTON ACQUISITION FUND HELPED WITH THE ACQUISITION OF THE SITE AND THEN THIS PROJECT CAME IN FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO FUND THE
CONSTRUCTION OF THE SITE AND SO THE GOAL IS THAT WE'RE WAITING FOR THE CONSERVATION RESTRICTION TO BE COMPLETED TO TURN OVER AND IF THIS PROJECT IS APPROVED WE'LL TURN OVER THE FUNDS TO THE PARK PARKS
DEPARTMENT TO BEGIN THE CONSTRUCTION ON THAT SITE AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO CATHY FOR MORE COMMENTS. THANK YOU. YEAH. SO WE ONCE WE GET THAT CONSERVATION RESTRICTION FILED WITH THE STATE WHICH WE THINK
MIGHT TAKE SIX MONTHS OR SO, WE WILL BE SELECTING A DESIGNER AND THEN WORKING THROUGH THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PROCESS . WE WANT TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE EGGLESTON SQUARE COMMUNITY
BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN SO INVESTED IN THIS SPACE AND REALLY CO-CREATE THIS SPACE A SPACE THAT WILL WORK FOR THEM AND THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BEAUTIFY THE EGGLESTON SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD.
YEAH I KNOW PEOPLE ARE SO EXCITED ABOUT THE ACQUISITION. WE WERE OUT THERE WITH THE MAYOR LAST I GUESS IN FALL. YEAH AND PLANTED SOME TULIPS I
GUESS THAT PROBABLY COMING UP ALREADY. THE OTHER PROJECT I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT IS THE SOPHIA SNOW PLACE. UH UM YOU KNOW I'VE, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME THERE, YOU KNOW,
CAMPAIGNING AND SINCE I'VE BEEN ELECTED AND THE RESIDENTS ARE GREAT BUT CAN YOU I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING ALSO CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? SURE. YEAH.
SO SO SOPHIA SNOW PLACE THIS IS THE THIRD GRANT THAT THEY'RE RECEIVING AND SO WE'RE EXCITED THEY'RE JUST CONTINUING TO BUILD OUT THE NEW GARDEN SPACE
AND NEAR THE SITE AND SO WE'RE JUST REALLY EXCITED TOO THAT THE COMMITTEE IS REALLY EXCITED TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT AGAIN IN WEST ROXBURY TO CONTINUE TO BUILD THIS BEAUTIFUL RECREATIONAL SPACE FOR THE LARGER COMMUNITY OKAY, WELL
IT'S A IT'S A GREAT PROJECT SHOUT OUT TO RUTH KLEPPER WHO'S A RESIDENT THERE WHO'S BEEN A GREAT ADVOCATE FOR FOR YOU KNOW, FIXING UP THE AREA AND
GETTING THE GARDEN COMPLETED. THAT'S ALL I HAVE REALLY. IT'S GREAT TO SEE EVERYBODY HERE AND TO BE PART OF THIS TODAY. THANK YOU, CHAIR THANK YOU, COUNSELOR. ALL RIGHT.
SO I GUESS I'LL GO I JUST WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING JUST THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR DOING THIS PRESENTATION AND FOR CYCLING SUCH AMAZING PROJECTS ACROSS THE CITY. THIS ISN'T IN MY DISTRICT BUT
I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT THE HURLEY KEITH REED SCHOOL PLAYGROUND IS GETTING RENOVATED. IT'S WHERE I WENT TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THE PLAYGROUND AND STILL THE SAME AS WHEN I WAS THERE SO I'M GLAD THAT THAT'S GETTING RENOVATED AND I'M AND
I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW FOR THE HIGH PARK STATE CHURCH HANDICAPPED RAMP NOT CAROL, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU BECAUSE I REMEMBER REACHING OUT TO YOU
ABOUT THEIR INTEREST IN DOING THIS PROJECT AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S A NEED FOR ACCESSIBILITY AT THIS SPECIFIC CHURCH IN HYDE PARK SO I'M JUST GLAD TO SEE THEM ON THIS LIST AND THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE
RECEIVING THIS ASSISTANCE TOO TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD. SO JUST THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING THEM AND I JUST I MEAN I KNOW A LOT ABOUT CPR SO I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS
AS THE CHAIR BUT I ALWAYS LIKE TO ASK THIS QUESTION FOR AUDIENCE OR ANYONE THAT'S WATCHING IN THE VIDEO LIKE IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR NEXT YEAR, WHAT IS THE PROCESS? WHEN DOES THAT START? SURE.
SO OUR TEAM IS GEARING UP AFTER THIS FUNDING ROUND TO HEAD OUT IN MAY THIS SPRING THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER TO HAVE OUR INFORMATION SESSIONS AND HOST WORKSHOP VIRTUALLY AND HOPEFULLY TO DO SOME IN-PERSON
BUT WE WANT TO REACH OUT TO EVERYONE AUGUST 29TH AT 5 P.M. IS THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT AN ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION FORM SO THE ELIGIBILITY
DETERMINATION FORM IS THE FIRST STEP TO BE CONSIDERED TO MOVE FORWARD AFTER YOU SUBMIT SUBMITTED ELIGIBILITY. IT IS REVIEWED BY THE STAFF AND LEGAL COUNCILOR AND THEN WE CAN
INVITE YOU IN TO DO A FORMAL APPLICATION THE FIRST WEEK IN OCTOBER YOU WOULD HAVE APPROXIMATELY SIX WEEKS TO COMPLETE THE APPLICATION AND THAT WILL BE DUE BACK IN NOVEMBER AND THEN THAT APPLICATION THAT APPLICATION
REVIEW WILL TAKE PLACE FROM DECEMBER UNTIL THE SECOND WEEK IN FEBRUARY. THE COMMITTEE MAKES THEIR RECOMMENDED RECOMMENDATION ON THE SLATE OF PROJECTS SO FOR
FOLKS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THE FY 26 FUNDING ROUND PLEASE ATTEND OUR INFORMATION SESSIONS ,CALL OUR OFFICE. YOU CAN TALK TO US ONE ON ONE WITH OUR PROJECT MANAGERS AND
OUR OPERATIONS TEAM. WE'RE HAPPY TO KIND OF TALK THROUGH SOME OF THE PROJECTS AND HELP TO HELP TO SEE IF YOU IF YOUR PROJECT FALLS WITHIN THE ALLOWABLE USES OF THE STATUTE. THAT'S AMAZING.
YOU SAID AUGUST 29TH AUGUST 20 NIGHT AT 5 P.M. IS THE DEADLINE FOR THE ELIGIBILITY FORM TO BE SUBMITTED. OKAY THAT'S AN IMPORTANT DATE TO BLAST THAT OUT. OKAY.
DO ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS? NO. GOOD. ALL RIGHT. I'M GOING TO OPEN UP THE FLOOR TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY NOW. SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE IN ATTENDANCE. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT FOR
THOSE BOTH IN-PERSON AND VIRTUALLY WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED PLEASE COME DOWN TO ONE OF OUR TWO PODIUMS AND STATE YOUR NAME, NEIGHBORHOOD AND OUR ORGANIZATION AFFILIATION PLEASE SPEAKING TO THE MICROPHONE
PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO 2 MINUTES FOR THOSE THAT ARE FILING ZOOM PLEASE ACCEPT THE MESSAGE ASKING YOU TO BE PROMOTED TO PANELIST WHEN IT APPEARS I WILL BE INTRODUCING
THE FIRST PERSON WHICH IS RONNIE COLLINS. NO COMMENTS I THINK JUST YES APPROPRIATE.
THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCILOR, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, IT'S GOOD. YES. HI, MY NAME IS RODNEY COLLINS. I AM THE OWNER AND PROJECT EXECUTIVE FOR THE MALCOLM X
ELLA COLLINS HOUSE. AND FOR THE RECORD WHY I AM HERE. I THANK YOU COUNCILOR AND MEMBERS OF THE MAYOR SHOW HOUSE OFFICE AND STAFF.
AS I SAID, I'M HERE FOR THE RECORD TO PUT THIS IN YOUR RECORD HERE AT THE CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND LAST YEAR CITY COUNCIL MENTIONED SOMETHING
ABOUT PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION OF THE MALCOLM X ELLA COLLINS HOUSE AND I'M ASKING YOU TO TAKE CONSIDERATION OF THAT FOR THE ARCHEOLOGICAL ARTIFACTS THAT
ARE THERE OVER 18,000 ARTIFACTS THAT THE CITY AND THE COMMONWEALTH WAS INVOLVED WITH THOSE ARTIFACTS IN THE GROUND EXTERIOR HAVE TO BE PROTECTED AND WE NEED THE FUNDING FOR THAT.
WE UNDERSTAND THE POLICY AND PROCEDURE. NOW I'M NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT FUNDING TODAY BUT WHAT I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT I COULD NOT DO BEFORE WAS THE US DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE FORMER PRESIDENT JOSEPH BIDEN'S INITIATIVE TO PRESERVE AND TELL THE STORIES OF NATIVE EUROPEAN
AND AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY THROUGH LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION THAT WAS HIS INITIATIVE. PRESIDENT BIDEN WE WERE WORKING WITH BRENDA MALLORY WHO WAS
APPOINTED BY THE SENATE OF THE US AS ADVISOR TO THE PRESIDENT ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION THROUGH LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION. I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM AND EVEN UNDER THIS PRESIDENT
ADMINISTRATION REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU HEAR PUBLICLY THAT IS STILL MOVING FORWARD SLOW AS IT IS BUT I WANTED TO HAVE THAT INTO YOUR RECORD.
WE ARE WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR NOW NATIONAL PARK SERVICE. THERE ARE THREE SITES IN AMERICA THAT HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED THE MALCOLM X ELLA COLLINS HOUSE HERE IN BOSTON,
MASSACHUSETTS. ONE OF THEM THE OTHER ONE IS IN NEW YORK CITY THREE OUR HOTEL THAT PROJECT WITH THE FUNDING FROM THE NATIONAL PARKS AND PRIVATE CORPORATION THAT IS BEING DONE AS WE SPEAK. THE OTHER PROJECT TO BE
MEMORIALIZED IN HONOR OF MALCOLM X IS THE MERIDIAN HILL. MALCOLM X PARK IN WASHINGTON DC WHICH HAS THE LARGEST MANMADE
IN THE NATION. THAT WATERFALL NEEDS A LOT OF WORK LIKE HERE IN BOSTON IT ALL REQUIRES WORK COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND IT BRINGS A LOT
OF TOURISM TO THIS CITY AND STATE AND MALCOLM X PARK WHICH IS ADJACENT TO MALCOLM X HOUSE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF INQUIRY
ABOUT THE HOUSE. IT'S BEEN IN MAGAZINES PUBLICATION OF JUST RECENTLY NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELERS JANUARY FEBRUARY IS EDITION WE
ARE IN THERE TALKING ABOUT THE THE HISTORY AND THE COMMUNITY OF ROXBURY IN BOSTON AND THE SIGNIFICANCE YOU HAVE A LOT HERE AND IT'S RECOGNIZED WORLDWIDE NOT JUST TALKING
ABOUT HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON THE COMMONWEALTH OR THE NATION. IT IS VERY WELL RECOGNIZED. PEOPLE WANT TO COME. THEY WANT TO KNOW THIS HISTORY OF THE NATIVE PEOPLE EUROPEAN
AND AFRICAN AMERICANS, THEIR INVOLVEMENT. SO WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER IN SOME SHAPE, FORM OR FASHION AND ALL I'M ASKING HERE TO DO IS TO CONSIDER I KNOW THIS POLICY AND
PROCEDURE AND I UNDERSTAND THAT BUT WE NEED TO HAVE A TALK SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE I AM BEING INUNDATED WITH IN FACT
A MEETING WITH THIS WEEK WITH THE ARTS AND CULTURE DEPARTMENT AS TO HOW AND TO THE GOOD GRACES OF MAYOR MICHEL WHO BUT I OFTEN THINK OF MAYOR THOMAS
MENINO. HE APPROACHED MY MOTHER MALCOLM, SISTER MALCOLM X'S SISTER AND MYSELF. HE HAD AN INITIATIVE IN THIS CITY TO INCENTIVIZE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN PEOPLE TO STAY IN THEIR HOME, TAKE CARE OF THEM. THAT WAS HIS INITIATIVE TO INCENTIVIZE US. WELL, WE HAVE COME FROM 1998 TO
WHERE THE ROXBURY COMMUNITY HAS INCREASED AT SOME TIME. I OFTEN THINK THAT MAYBE IT'S TOO GOOD A THING BECAUSE 20 YEARS AGO YOU COULD BUY A PROPERTY IN ROXBURY SAME SPOT,
SAME LOCATION, SAME SQUARE FOOTAGE 4050 MAYBE MAXIMUM $150,000 THAT VERY SAME PROPERTY THAT HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE IT IS INCREASE THE VALUE OF THOSE STAKEHOLDERS PEOPLE
WHO HAVE WORKED ALL THEIR LIVES AND I WANT YOU TO PUT THIS IN YOUR RECORD BECAUSE OF HIS FORMER LATE HONORABLE MAYOR THOMAS MENINO, HIS AN
INITIATIVE TO INCENTIVIZE ALONG WITH HIS COMMISSIONER AT THAT TIME ED OF OUR CITY THIS HAS HAPPENED. THIS IS REAL. THIS IS NOW SO LET'S CONTINUE THAT WORKING TOGETHER.
LET'S FIGURE IT OUT. AND ON THAT I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GIVING THE OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND DO WE HAVE A SHERYL
DICKINSON? GOOD AFTERNOON AND TO OUR HONORABLE MAYOR WU MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, OUR
NEIGHBORS AND PARTICULARLY TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMISSION, WE THANK YOU FOR BOTH YOUR FINANCIAL AND YOUR MORAL SUPPORT. BRIEFLY, I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH
YOU THE CONCEPT OF HOW THIS IDEA OF BUILDING CROKE PARK, WHERE IT CAME FROM AND HOW YOU ALL HELPED US TO BE WHERE WE ARE NOW WHICH IS THAT CONSTRUCTION IS WELL UNDERWAY
AND WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF ATTENTION. NINE YEARS AGO A GRASSROOTS GROUP OF NEIGHBORS DECIDED THAT SOMETHING HAD TO BE DONE ABOUT WHAT WAS BECOMING A NAGGING EYESORE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AT
ONE OF THE MOST VISIBLE AND HIGHLY TRAFFICKED AREAS OF THE SOUTH END STREET AN OVERGROWN PARCEL OF LAND THAT HAD BECOME A REPOSITORY FOR TRASH AND USED NEEDLES AND HELD THE POTENTIAL
FOR VAGRANCY AND RED INFESTATION. MEANWHILE THE SPACE WAS NAMED TO HONOR ELLEN RUIN CRATE, AN INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN AFRICAN-AMERICAN ARTIST WHOSE HOME WAS JUST A FEW DOORS AWAY
FROM THE SITE. THE MORE THAT OUR GROUP LEARNED ABOUT ELLEN CRATE AND THE GROWING PROBLEM AT PARK SITE, THE MORE WE DECIDED THAT SOMETHING REALLY DID HAVE TO BE DONE.
BUT OUR WORKING GROUP HAD NO CLEAR IDEA OF WHAT THAT MIGHT BE. THUS WE ASKED OUR COMMUNITY THE WORKING GROUP SURVEYED RESIDENTS TO LEARN TWO THINGS. WHAT FEATURES WOULD THEY LIKE
TO SEE AT THE SITE AND HOW SHOULD THIS SITE BE USED? SHADE AND A PLACE OF RESPITE WAS THE OVERWHELMING NUMBER ONE FEATURE REQUESTED AND
RESPONDENTS WANTED TO USE THIS SITE TOGETHER AND TO HONOR THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF ELLEN CRATE. THIS INFORMATION SHAPED THE MISSION OF THE FRIENDS OF CROKE PARK.
FAST FORWARD TO TODAY AND NOT ONLY IS THE CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY BUT COMMITTEES ARE PLANNING THESE EVENTS THAT CAN START AS EARLY AS THIS FALL.
NUMBER ONE COMMUNITY PICNICS WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN GET TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER. STORYTELLING BY TWILIGHT WHICH ARE FAMILY EVENINGS WHERE ELLEN CREATES MENTEES AND LONGTIME
FRIENDS CAN SHARE THE STORIES OF WHO ELLEN WAS THE MAN AND HIS ART. ADD TO THAT THE PROSPECT OF NEIGHBORS TEACHING YOUNGSTERS HOW TO PLAY CHESS ON GAME TABLES DESIGNED FOR CHESS
AND CHECKERS. OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST NINE YEARS THE MANTRA OF THE FRIENDS OF CROKE PARK HAS BEEN MORE THAN A PARK BUILDING A
COMMUNITY AND DUE TO THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF NEIGHBORS, BUSINESSES, FOUNDATIONS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THE RESIDENTS OF RESIDENTS OF BOSTON AND THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMISSION.
THE MANTRA IS BECOMING A REALITY. SPECIAL GOES TO ED FLYNN AND REPRESENTATIVES ERIN MICHAEL WITZ AND JOHN MORAN FOR THEIR UNFLINCHING SUPPORT.
THIS LATEST CPA AWARD BRINGS US CLOSER TO FINISH LINE AND THIS COMING FALL WE ANTICIPATE TO SAY TO ALL OF YOU MEET US AT
THE PARK. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. OKAY.
IS THERE A ROB WHITNEY? IT'S A PAGE BUT IT'S BRIEF COUNSELORS. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M ROB WHITNEY. I AM AND AT-LARGE MEMBER OF THE
BOSTON COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE. I'M HERE TODAY TO STRONGLY SUPPORT THE CITY COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF THE APPROPRIATION ORDER IN
THE AMOUNT OF $38,148,052 AND ZERO $0.00 FROM THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 COMMUNITY PRESERVATION FUND REVENUES FOR THE MANY WORTHY AND IMPORTANT COMMUNITY PRESERVATION PROJECTS THAT HAVE
BEEN RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE THIS YEAR. AS YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE IS MADE UP OF A DIVERSE GROUP OF NINE BOSTON RESIDENTS.
FIVE MEMBERS ARE FROM VARIOUS BOSTON'S AGENCY BOSTON AGENCIES INCLUDING THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, THE PARKS COMMISSION, THE BOSTON CONSERVATION COMMISSION AND THE
LANDMARKS COMMISSION AND NOW ALSO THERE ARE FOUR AT-LARGE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE OF ONE AND I'M ONE OF THEM AND BEACON HILL REPRESENTING BOSTON'S COMMUNITIES AND VARIED NEIGHBORHOODS. THIS PAST YEAR THE COMMITTEE
MEMBERS MET FREQUENTLY TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION FUNDING PRIORITIES WHICH ACTIVITIES INCLUDED APPROVING AN ANNUAL ADMINISTRATIVE BUDGET WHICH WE HAVE COMING UP AGAIN SOON AND
REVIEWING SCORES OF PROJECTS SEEKING FUNDING IN THREE AREAS AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION. ALL THREE OF MY OWN PASSIONS AS
WELL. THE PROCESS FOR CHOOSING THE PROJECTS THAT SHOULD BE FUNDED AND THE AMOUNTS TO BE SPENT ON THE PROJECT HAS BEEN AN ACTIVE AND CONSIDERED ONE. THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS WORKED
VERY COLLEGIALLY AND DILIGENTLY IN THIS PROCESS ACTIVELY DISCUSSING THE PARTICULARS OF THE MANY PROJECTS THAT WERE BROUGHT BEFORE US THE INCREDIBLY ABLE AND DEDICATED
CPA PROFESSIONAL STAFF. OUR DISCUSSIONS WERE SOMETIMES ROBUST WITH A PASSION THAT REFLECTS THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO THIS IMPORTANT TASK BEFORE US THAT
IS CHOOSING PROJECTS THAT WERE WORTHY OF FUNDING THIS YEAR UNDER THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT. BUT THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS PASSION ALSO DEMONSTRATED OUR COLLECTIVE COMMITMENT TO THIS PROCESS AND OUR JOINT
DETERMINATION THAT THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION FUNDS SHOULD BE WELL SPENT AND IF THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVES THIS APPROPRIATION ORDER YOU CAN ALL
REST ASSURED THAT THESE FUNDS WILL BE VERY WELL SPENT. THROUGHOUT OUR BOSTON COMMUNITIES THIS COMING YEAR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH, ROB.
OKAY. NEXT UP WE HAVE RAHUL, RAMESH. HELLO.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR CITY COUNCILMEMBER, CPA COMMITTEE MEMBER, CPA STAFF AND CITY COUNCIL STAFF. MY NAME IS RON HABASH. I'M A PROJECT MANAGER IN THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AT THE BOSTON
HOUSING AUTHORITY AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR CONSIDERING THE MLK TOWERS OUTDOOR SPACE PROJECT IMPROVEMENTS. AND I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE AMAZING WORK
OF EVERYONE THAT WAS INVOLVED THAT PROJECT INCLUDING THE MLK TOWERS TENANT TASK FORCE. LIKE NONE OF THIS COULD NOT HAPPEN WITHOUT RESIDENT AND COMMUNITY MEMBER ENGAGEMENT.
SO WE'RE REALLY, REALLY GRATEFUL TO HAVE A STRONG TENANT TASK FORCE THERE OF THE RESIDENTS LIKE TOWERS, THE CPA STAFF AND MY COLLEAGUES AT THE VHA THE DEDICATED STAFF OF THE
TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND WHO IS A NATIONAL NONPROFIT WHO HAS BEEN OUR PARTNERS IN THIS AND THEN ALL OF THE STATE AND LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THEIR STAFF WHO PROVIDED LETTERS OF SUPPORT AND THANK YOU FOR
EVERYONE WHO HAS GIVEN THEIR THOUGHTS VISIONS, TIME AND EFFORT FOR THIS PROJECT. THE MLK TOWERS, OUTER SPACE IMPROVEMENTS IF AWARDED WILL INCLUDE THE VEGETABLE GARDENS
AND RAISED PLANTERS OUTDOOR SEATING A SENIOR FRIENDLY OUTDOOR WORKOUT AREA, A WALKING PATH AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE ELEMENTS THE OUTDOOR SPACE
RIGHT NOW IS REALLY WELL USED, WELL LIKED BUT IT REALLY NEEDS SOME OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS SO THAT IT CONTINUES TO THRIVE IN THE FUTURE AND WE'RE AT THE VHA
HAVE BEEN PLANNING TO HIRE AN ARCHITECT AND A DESIGNER FOR THE MLK TOWERS OUTDOOR SPACE PROJECT VERY SOON TO BEGIN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND THIS PROJECT IS JUST REALLY NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART.
IT'S ONE OF THE FIRST PROJECTS THAT I STARTED WORK ON AT THE VHA AND TO SEE IT PROGRESSED FROM RESIDENT COMMUNITY MEETINGS, BLOCK PARTIES TO A CONCEPT DESIGN AND NOW SEEKING
FUNDING AWARDS IS LIKE A WONDERFUL AND EXCITING OUTCOME AND AGAIN I THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE PROJECT AND THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT OF THIS PROJECT. THANKS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT UP HEATHER GOVERNANCE. GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCILORS.
AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS HEATHER GOVERN AND I'M HERE TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF THE HURLEY K THROUGH EIGHT SCHOOLS PLAYGROUND RENOVATION. I AM A PARENT OF TWO CHILDREN
AT THE HURLEY SCHOOL AND I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERS FOR THE HURLEY SCHOOL WHICH IS A NONPROFIT DEVOTED TO RAISING MONEY FOR THE SCHOOL.
HURLEY SCHOOL IS LOCATED IN THE SOUTH END. THE CURRENT PLAYGROUND IS OVER 30 YEARS. I'M NOT SURE. COUNSELOR IF YOU WERE ON THAT PLAYGROUND 30 YEARS AGO BUT IT
CURRENTLY HAS NUMEROUS SAFETY ISSUES. THE PLACE STRUCTURE IS IN PRETTY DISREPAIR. THE WOOD CHIPS ACROSS THE ENTIRE PLAYGROUND DON'T PROVIDE
A SAFE SURFACE FOR THE CHILDREN AND EVEN MOST TROUBLESOME THERE ARE HYPODERMIC NEEDLES THAT ARE REGULARLY FOUND HIDDEN AMONG THE WOOD CHIPS.
THIS PROJECT IF IF QUALIFIED AND REACHES AGREEMENT FROM THE COUNCIL AND FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WOULD INSTALL A COLORFUL
PERMEABLE PLAYGROUND SURFACE SO WATER INFILTRATES WE'LL HAVE A MULTI-SPORT HALF COURT WHICH IS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME FOR THAT AND NEW PLAYGROUND STRUCTURE OF COURSE FOR CLIMBING AND
PLAYING THE HURLEY SCHOOL'S OUTDOOR SPACE IS NOT JUST USED BY THE HURLEY STUDENTS BUT ALSO LOCAL FAMILIES OF WHO HAVE CHILDREN ATTENDING OTHER SCHOOLS BUT THEY USE THE
PLAYGROUND ON THE WEEKENDS AND NOW THE ONLY PROBLEM IS IF WE CAN GET THE DOG WALKERS OUT OF THE PLAYGROUNDS AND OFF THE SOCCER FIELD.
BUT MY POINT HERE IS IS THAT BOTH STUDENTS WHO ATTEND THE HURLEY SCHOOL AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS MUCH NEEDED IMPROVEMENT TO THE PLAYGROUND
AND THE HURLEY SCHOOL IS ONE OF FIVE BILINGUAL ALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND THE BPF SYSTEM ONE OF FIVE BILINGUAL SPANISH AND ENGLISH SCHOOLS IN
THE SYSTEM AND THE SCHOOL BOASTS 78% STUDENTS OF COLOR. 68% OF STUDENT FAMILIES IDENTIFY AS LATIN NECKS. 75% OF STUDENTS ARE CLASSIFIED AS HIGH NEEDS AND 40%
OF STUDENTS ARE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS. 60% OF STUDENT HURLEY STUDENTS COME FROM FAMILIES THAT QUALIFY AS LOW INCOME. THESE CHILDREN DESERVE A
WELCOMING, CLEAN AND SAFE OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENT AND A PLACE TO PLAY AND RUN AND JUST BE CHILDREN OUTDOORS ESPECIALLY IN
THIS TECHNOLOGY OBSESSED AGE THAT IS CAUSING MORE CHILDREN TO RETREAT INSIDE WITH THEIR SCREENS. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT AND JUST LET
ME KNOW WHEN THE RIBBON CUTTING IS GOING TO BE OKAY. ALL RIGHT. JUST MAKE SURE. ALL RIGHT.
WE HAVE IN ANOTHER LIST WE HAVE REVEREND DR. JAY WILLIAMS. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. I'M JAY WILLIAMS. I'M THE LEAD PASTOR OF OLD WEST
CHURCH IN THE WEST END WHICH IS PART OF THE MULTI-SITE UNION COMBINED PARISH AND OUR BRIGHTON SITE ACTUALLY STANDS READY FOR POTENTIAL FUTURE
FUNDING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS WE TRY TO RESPOND WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE IN ORDER TO MEET SOME OF OUR CITIES AND NATIONS GREATEST NEEDS. I'M REALLY JUST HAPPY TO BE
HERE. YOU KNOW, TESTIMONY IS ALIVE WITH THE WORK THAT I DO ON SUNDAY. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE SHARE OUR PUBLIC STORIES OUR STORIES SACRED STORIES PUBLICLY.
SO REALLY I JUST RISE TO SAY THANK YOU AND TO SAY SO PUBLICLY, PARTICULARLY DURING A TIME WHEN RIGHT PUBLIC DISCOURSE IS SO CONTENTIOUS AND NASTY JUST SIMPLY TO SAY THANK
YOU TO THE CPA OFFICE UNDER THE WONDERFUL LEADERSHIP OF DIRECTOR DEAN BROWN, A TRULY EXTRAORDINARY TEAM THOUGHTFUL,
RESPONSIVE, PROFESSIONAL AND THOROUGH. AND SO WE'RE GRATEFUL ALSO GRATEFUL TO THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE, TO THE MAYOR, TO THE COUNCIL AND TO
OF COURSE THE TAXPAYERS AND RESIDENTS OF BOSTON WHO MAKE THESE THINGS POSSIBLE. SO OLD WEST CHURCH IS A NATIONAL LANDMARK AND WE'VE APPLIED UNDER THE HISTORIC
PRESERVATION FUNDING ROUND. WE'RE PARTICULARLY FOR LIFE SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITY CONCERNS THAT THAT WILL HELP THAT WILL RESTORE THE MAIN
ENTRANCE A GRANITE STEPS WHICH ARE TREACHEROUS. YOU COME RIGHT OUT THE SANCTUARY ONTO THE STAIRS SO IT'S DANGEROUS OF COURSE IN ADDITION TO THE STAIRS
RETAINING WALL AND ORNAMENTAL FENCE, OUR ORIGINAL BUILDING AS WE APPROACH THE 2/50 ORIGINAL BUILDING WAS ACTUALLY TORN DOWN IN 1776 IN THE SIEGE OF BOSTON
AND OUR CURRENT BUILDING BUILT IN 1806 IS ONE OF JUST TWO REMAINING ORIGINAL EDIFICES IN THE WEST END AND OUR BUILDING
ACTUALLY WAS A STOP ON THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD AND WE CONTINUE THIS WORK OF OF LIBERATION AND PROVIDING SAFETY AND SAFE SAFE HARBOR PARTICULARLY FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE WE HOST WE'RE THE
HOME TO THE SUNRISE LEARNING ACADEMY. WE ARE THE HOST TO THE MONDAY NIGHT DINNER WHICH PROVIDES WARM HOME COOKED MEALS 50 TO 1
DAYS A YEAR TO SOME OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS WE HOST STUDENT GROUPS. WE'RE AN ARTS AND CULTURAL CENTER. WE HAVE THE WORLD RENOWNED OPUS 55 ESQUE ORGAN AT OLD WEST
CHURCH AND WE'VE CONVERTED ALREADY OUR OUR YARD INTO AN OPEN SPACE INTO A FUND FOR US WHICH GATHERS COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO DO THE WORK OF BEING
CONNECTED TO THE GROUND. SO IN THE MIDST OF ALL THAT IS HAPPENING, SANCTUARY IS IMPORTANT. SO WE ARE REALLY REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE CPA FOR
DIRECTOR BROWN'S TEAM BECAUSE THESE FUNDS RIGHT THEY'RE LIFELINES FOR ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OLD WEST CHURCH WHICH ARE SEEKING TO DO THE WORK OF PROMOTING LIFE FLOURISHING
AND LIBERATION. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO. THAT'S THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT. UM, OKAY.
NEXT UP WE HAVE REVEREND JOSHUA KOHN. GOOD AFTERNOON.
GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JOSH CAHILL. I'M THE PASTOR AT RUGGLES BAPTIST CHURCH AND I CAN THAT'S ALL RIGHT. SORRY NO ONE KNOWS WHAT TO DO WITH IT NOW YOU'RE FINE. YOU'RE GOOD REBELS BAPTIST
CHURCH AND WE ARE IN THE FENWAY NEIGHBORHOOD AUDUBON CIRCLE. AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK THE THE COMMITTEE THAT YOUR STAFF THE CBC, THE VOLUNTEERS WHO
VOTED THE CITY COUNCILORS AS WELL YOU ALL ARE CONSIDERING INVEST IN OUR OUR BUILDING OUR HISTORIC BUILDING THE HISTORIC SECOND CHURCH IN BOSTON. BUT IT'S YOU KNOW, IT'S IN THE
BRICK AND MORTAR HELPING TO MAKE IT WATERTIGHT. BUT IT'S IT'S MORE THAN THAT. IT'S REALLY AN INVESTMENT AND IN A FEW AREAS OF OUR COMMUNITY FIRST IN OUR OUTREACH AND SERVICE TO FAMILIES IN THE
FENWAY AND AUBURN CIRCLE AREA THERE WE HAVE A A WEEKLY TODDLER PLAYGROUP THAT'S NO COST FOR KIDS TO BUILD THEIR PARENTS BE ABLE TO BRING THEIR
KIDS TO PLAY AND TO MEET ONE ANOTHER. WE ALSO DO AN ANNUAL KIDS CAMP THAT IS ALSO NO COST FOR PARENTS TO BRING THEIR KIDS AND TO DROP THEM OFF AND TO LEARN
AND BUT NOT ONLY JUST FOR SERVING FAMILIES IT'S ALSO SERVING THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. WE'VE GOT A MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING CENTER THAT OFFERS A AGAIN A SLIDING SCALE LIMITED FEES FOR PEOPLE WHO WHO NEED IT
AS WELL. WE AGAIN THE OF CIRCLE NEIGHBOR ASSOCIATION USES OUR BUILDING FOR MEETINGS AND ALSO THIS BUILDING AND ORGANIZATION IT REALLY FOSTERS DIVERSITY IN IN
THE NEIGHBORHOOD WE'VE GOT MORE THAN TWO DOZEN DIFFERENT CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES FROM ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF DENOMINATIONS AND ETHNICITIES AND BACKGROUNDS MANY OF THEM NOT ENGLISH SPEAKING WHO USE OUR BUILDING FOR DIFFERENT MEETINGS.
WE ALSO HOST AN ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE CONVERSATION GROUP AS WELL AND EVEN OUR OWN CHURCH COMMUNITY THAT MEETS ON SUNDAY MORNINGS. IS IT JUST FULL OF A DIVERSITY OF WHAT WE BELIEVE THE KINGDOM
OF GOD SHOULD LOOK LIKE A PEOPLE FROM EVERY NATION TRIBE AND TONGUE AND LANGUAGE SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU JUST TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT INVESTMENT IS IN MORE THAN JUST A BUILDING CERTAINLY OUR BUILDING WE'RE THANKFUL FOR
THAT BUT THROUGH THE BUILDING AND INVESTING IN THE COMMUNITY . SO JUST THANKS FOR DOING THAT. WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU FOR MEJIA. APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, IS THERE A WAY JOSHUA WAXMAN I'LL BE I'LL BE BRIEF.
JUST WANTED TO ECHO THE THE SPIRIT OF GRATITUDE I COME BOTH AS A TAXPAYER IN DORCHESTER AND AS A CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AT CAMP HARBORVIEW, ONE OF THE CROWN JEWEL YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CITY.
AND I WOULD JUST SAY LISA FORTENBERRY WHO'S SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE IS OUR EXECUTIVE OFFICE AND WE'RE JUST SAYING IT'S SO NICE TO BE IN THE SPIRIT OF GOVERNMENT WORKING FOR PEOPLE AND INVESTING IN PEOPLE IN OUR CASE INVESTING IN A THOUSAND YOUNG PEOPLE THIS
SUMMER WITH A FREE INCREDIBLE SUMMER CAMP EXPERIENCE THIS THIS INVESTMENT IS GOING TO GO TO ADDITIONAL AND MUCH NEEDED CREATING STRUCTURES TO TO GROW THE SIZE OF OUR ARTS AND THEATER PROGRAM ON THE ISLAND
FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. SO WE'RE DEEPLY GRATEFUL AND AGAIN, IT'S NICE TO BE IN THE SPIRIT OF GOVERNMENT AMIDST ALL THAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD WITH THE INCREDIBLE EPA STAFF IS DOING INCREDIBLE WORK TO
INVEST IN WHAT'S NEEDED IN OUR CITY. SO JUST VERY GRATEFUL FROM CAMP HARBORVIEW AND THE INVESTMENT THAT THIS WILL HAVE ON OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE CITY AND ALSO AS A TAXPAYER SEEING
DOLLARS GET PUT TO GOOD USE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. I'VE HEARD GREAT THINGS ABOUT CAME HARBORVIEW BOUGHT OUT THIS SITE YEAH OKAY.
FORGIVE ME IF I MISPRONOUNCES GORDANA MY COCKNEY. HELLO.
IT'S VERY HARD TO PRONOUNCE BUT I'M JORDANNA MCKENNEY AND I AM THE HEAD OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS AND UNIVERSITY ARCHIVIST AT NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY AND WE COLLECT AND MAKE AVAILABLE THE
HISTORY OF UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES IN BOSTON AND I AM SO THANKFUL FOR THE CPA STAFF AND COMMITTEE FOR CONSIDERING US BECAUSE WE DON'T EXACTLY FIT
INTO A BOX OF HISTORIC STRUCTURES BUT WE DO CARRY AND CARE ABOUT A LOT OF BOSTON'S DEEP UNDERREPRESENTED AND COMMUNITY HISTORIES AND ONE OF THOSE HISTORIES I AM SUPER
EXCITED TO BRING OUT AND TO SHARE WITH EVERYONE IS THE STORY OF ALMA LEWIS AND THE SCHOOL OF AND THE ALMA LEWIS SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS AND THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR
AFRICAN-AMERICAN ARTISTS ALL OF WHICH ARE CONTAINED IN THE ARCHIVES THAT WE INTEND TO DIGITIZE AND MAKE AVAILABLE AND HAVE STUDENTS COME AND USE IT INCLUDING YOU KNOW, A LOT
OF BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS AND TO BE ABLE TO TELL THIS REALLY RICH AND DEEP HISTORY OF BOSTON'S BLACK COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR CPA
SORRY HAS LEFT BUT FOR THE COMMITTEE AND THE STAFF FOR BEING SHEPHERDING US THROUGH THIS PROCESS ESPECIALLY FOR FOLKS WHO DON'T EXACTLY KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH ALL OF THEIR FORMS. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
OKAY. NEXT UP, JENNIFER NEWMAN. GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'LL ALSO BE BRIEF AS I ECHO SO MUCH OF WHAT OTHER FOLKS HAVE SAID ABOUT OUR DEEP GRATITUDE FOR THE CPA. MY NAME IS JENNIFER NEWMAN AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BEACON HILL FRIENDS HOUSE, A QUAKER CENTER FOR COMMUNITY
BASED IN BEACON HILL. SINCE 1957 WE ARE A 21 PERSON COMMUNAL RESIDENCE THE SPIRITUAL HOME OF A QUAKER MEETING AND A COMMUNITY GATHERING PLACE USED BY LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, NEIGHBORS AND GRASSROOTS GROUPS FROM ACROSS
THE CITY. THANKS TO PAST CPA SUPPORT WE'VE ALREADY BEEN ABLE TO REPAIR OUR REAR ROOF DECK AND STABILIZER HISTORIC MASONRY BEAM. CRITICAL INVESTMENTS THAT HAVE HELPED PRESERVE THE STRUCTURE
AND A PROOF OF PUBLIC ACCESS AND WE'RE SO DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR THAT SUPPORT. THIS YEAR'S PROJECT IS REINFORCING AGING STEEL SUPPORT COLUMNS AND JOISTS IN OUR CELLAR AND THESE SUPPORT STABILIZE SOME OF OUR MOST USED
COMMUNITY SPACES OUR PARLOR AND OUR MEETING ROOM. THIS REPAIR IS A FOUNDATIONAL STEP IN MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO SERVE THE PUBLIC SAFELY FOR YEARS TO COME AND WE TRULY COULD NOT TAKE ON THE PROJECTS OF THIS SCALE WITHOUT
THE EPA SUPPORT AND THIS INVESTMENT FROM THE CITY MAKES THIS POSSIBLE AND IT ALSO SIGNALS THAT PRESERVING ACCESSIBLE COMMUNITY SERVING PLACES REALLY DEEPLY MATTERS IN THIS CITY. SO WE'RE GRATEFUL TO IT FOR OUR
OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY AGAIN AND ARE ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL TO THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMISSION, TO THE COMMITTEE TO FADI AND BROWN, TO JILLIAN LANG AND THE FULL CP TEAM FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL STEWARDSHIP.
AND WE'RE ALSO GRATEFUL FOR OUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH CITY COUNCIL AND COUNCILOR DURKIN AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THIS WORK. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, JENNIFER. NEXT UP WE HAVE KATIE.
HELLO ALL AND HELLO CITY COUNCILORS. HELLO CPA STAFF I'M KATIE CATCHES I'M FROM HILLHOUSE. I'M ALSO A RESIDENT OF BEACON HILL AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED FOR A CPA
GRANT THIS YEAR THOUSANDS OF BOSTONIANS COME THROUGH THE FIREHOUSE HOUSE ON BEACON HILL WHERE HILL IS EVERY YEAR STARTING AT NEWBURGH SONS AND THEIR PARENTS AND THEIR
CARETAKERS ATTENDING BABY MUSIC CLASSES ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH THE SENIORS WHO SHOW UP EVERY WEDNESDAY MORNING FOR A STRENGTH TRAINING CLASS. IT'S REALLY REMARKABLE TO LIVE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT INVESTS
SO MUCH IN THE FUTURE OF FAMILIES. THE RESTORATION OF THE ROOF AT THE FIREHOUSE WILL ENSURE BOTH THE LONGEVITY OF THIS VERY IMPORTANT HISTORIC BUILDING AND
THE SUSTAINABILITY OF HILL HOUSE WHOSE MISSION IS TO BE YOUR BACK YARD IN THE CITY. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS SUPPORTED US. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH KATIE. HEY JEFFREY.
GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JEFF KONYA. I'M A DORCHESTER RESIDENT. I'M A HISTORIC PRESERVATION CONSULTANT WHO'S WORKED WITH MANY HISTORIC SITES ACROSS THE CITY TO HELP THEM SPEND FUNDS
WISELY OVER THE SEVEN OR EIGHT ROUNDS DEPENDING ON HOW YOU COUNT SO FAR. AND I'M ALSO HONORED TO SERVE ON THE BOSTON REMARKS COMMISSION. I JUST WANT TO MAKE A QUICK PERSONAL COMMENT AND THEN READ INTO THE RECORD A COMMENT FROM
AN ENTITY IN THIS ROUND THAT WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT EITHER IN-PERSON OR VIRTUALLY TODAY. SO FIRST OF ALL, 15 AND SAY STAFF, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO YOU'RE ONLY
GETTING BETTER AND STRONGER EVERY ROUND GETS BETTER AND MORE EASY TO DEAL WITH AND I THINK THAT THE USERS OF THE PROGRAM APPRECIATE HOW THOUGHTFUL EVERY ASPECT OF THIS PROCESS IS AND THAT THE FACT
THAT THERE'S ALWAYS SOMEONE YOU CAN CALL OR EMAIL FOR HELP OF ANY KIND IS REALLY BENEFICIAL. SO CONGRATULATIONS FOR ALL OF YOUR GREAT WORK AND WE LOOK FORWARD FOR THIS TO GO ON FOREVER $230 MILLION GIVEN OUT
OVER THE PRIVATE OR THE PREVIOUS SEVEN ROUNDS. IF WE HAD ADOPTED CPA TEN YEARS EARLIER WE COULD HAVE HAD THAT AMOUNT AGAIN. SO WE'RE LUCKY WE HAVE IT NOW AND WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THE
HARD WORK THAT YOU DO. THE SECOND HALF OF MY PERSONAL COMMENT IS IS THAT AND THIS CAME UP IN SOME OF THE INTRODUCTORY REMARKS THE HIGH PERCENTAGE OF RELIGIOUS CONGREGATIONS THAT APPLY FOR
CPA HISTORIC PRESERVATION GRANTS AND I THINK THERE'S TWO IMPORTANT POINTS TO MAKE ABOUT THAT. THE FIRST IS IS THAT THESE BUILDINGS ARE SOME OF THE MOST ARCHITECTURALLY SIGNIFICANT IN THE CITY. THEY OFTEN HAVE HIGH LEVELS
OF HISTORIC DESIGNATION BUT THEY ALSO HAVE HIGH LEVELS OF NEED. THEY'RE COMPLICATED BUILDINGS, THEY'RE LARGE BUILDINGS. THEY'RE MADE OF MASONRY WITH AN UNFORTUNATELY DWINDLING CONGREGATION SIZES OVER THE YEARS THERE HAVEN'T BEEN THE
PEOPLE OR THE RESOURCES TO ADEQUATELY MAINTAIN THEM SO THEY ALL HAVE A LOT OF NEED AND SINCE THERE HASN'T BEEN A SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF FUNDING TO HELP THEM UNTIL THE CPA CAME ALONG, WE'VE GOT DECADES IF NOT
GENERATIONS OF BUILT UP NEED FOR THESE TYPES OF STRUCTURES. THE SECOND PART OF THAT IS THAT YOU HEAR YOU HEARD TODAY ALL THE PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE AMAZING THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THESE BUILDINGS OUTSIDE OF WHATEVER THEIR RELIGIOUS
CONGREGATIONS DO. THERE'S DAYCARE, THERE'S AA MEETINGS, THERE'S MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, THERE'S ARTS PROGRAMS, THERE'S MANY OTHER SOCIAL SERVICE USES THAT HAPPENED IN THESE BUILDINGS AND
IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE CONGREGATIONS SUPPORTING THEM, WHERE WOULD THESE THINGS HAPPEN ? WOULD THE CITY BUILD NEW FACILITIES TO MAKE THESE THINGS HAPPEN? I DON'T THINK SO. SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND THAT
CPA A NEEDS TO SUPPORT HISTORIC PRESERVATION TO THE FULL EXTENT THAT IT CAN AND B WHEN IT COMES TO SUPPORTING PROJECTS AND AT HISTORIC HOUSES OF WORSHIP THAT
THEY CONTINUE TO DO THAT AND CONTINUE THE BRAVE STANCE OF DOING THAT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THEN JUST QUICKLY FOR ONE OF THE PROJECTS I'M WORKING WITH FIRST PARISH CHURCH IN DORCHESTER WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND
TODAY BUT ON BEHALF OF ARTISTS FUND THE TREASURE FIRST PARISH SHE SAYS ALONG WITH THE FIRST PARISH CONGREGATION AND THE DIVERSE GROUP OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WHO USE OUR HISTORIC BUILDING AS A SITE
OF CRUCIAL PROGRAMS THAT SERVE OUR DORCHESTER COMMUNITY. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT STAFF, THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE AND THEIR WU FOR SUPPORTING OUR IMPORTANT PROJECT AND FOR RECOMMENDING THAT OUR CPA
HISTORIC PRESERVATION GRANT REQUEST BE FULLY FUNDED IN THE 2025 GRANT ROUND OUR UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION IS ONE OF THE OLDEST RELIGIOUS CONGREGATIONS IN BOSTON AND OUR CURRENT MEETINGHOUSE BUILT IN
1896 IS ACTUALLY OUR FIFTH STRUCTURE PERCHED ATOP MEETINGHOUSE HILL. OUR CHURCH IS A HIGHLY VISIBLE LANDMARK. FIRST PARISH IS HOME NOT ONLY TO A THRIVING CONGREGATION BUT IT SERVES AS A BUSY CENTER OF HOPE AND POSITIVE ACTIVITIES
OFFERING CRITICAL SERVICES AND PROGRAMING THAT BENEFIT OUR DORCHESTER COMMUNITY. A 2025 CPA GRANT WILL BE USED TO RESTORE AN ENTRY PORCH AND TO MAKE MUCH NEEDED ACCESSIBILITY UPGRADES TO THE BUILDING.
WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE STAFF AND THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF OUR RESTORATION PROJECT AND WE RESPECTFULLY URGE THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL TO LEND ITS SUPPORT AND TO VOTE TO APPROVE THIS IMPORTANT GRANT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND WE HOPE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL WILL SUPPORT THIS IMPORTANT PROJECT AT FIRST PARISH CHURCH IN DORCHESTER. SO THANKS AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO THANKING THE STAFF AND THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU ALL FOR THOSE THAT SHOWED UP IN PERSON TO TESTIFY ,I WILL NOW BE TRANSITIONED OVER TO VIRTUAL TESTIMONIES
AGAIN IF YOU HEAR YOUR NAME BE CALLED OUT PLEASE ACCEPT THE INVITE TO BECOME A PANELIST.
THE FIRST ONE I SEE ON THE LIST IS A LOUIS AUGUSTIN IS ORKNEY'S
OKAY AND FOR THE PERSON THAT IS TITLED AS IPHONE CAN YOU PLEASE WRITE DOWN YOUR COMPLETE NAME?
ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAVE A JACQUELINE MACNEIL
PERFECT. HI. GOOD AFTERNOON. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU. OKAY, I SO I GUESS I'M ECHOING
WHAT MANY HAVE SAID ALREADY REGARDING YOU KNOW, CPR AND ALL OF THAT DONE FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON AND WE'RE JUST GRATEFUL OF ITS INCEPTION AND PRAY FOR ITS LONGEVITY AND GROW
ALSO THE GENTLEMAN I JUST SPOKE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE HISTORICAL NESS AND THE INTRICATE INTRICACIES OF UPKEEP OF THOSE BUILDINGS. YOU KNOW, CHURCH BUILDINGS IN THE CITY IS, YOU KNOW, QUITE AN
UNDERTAKING AND OUR CHURCH GREATER LOVE TABERNACLE IS ONE OF THOSE CHURCHES THAT YOU KNOW ,WE'VE DONE SO MUCH FOR THE INSIDE OF THE BUILDING BUT WE
ARE SO GRATEFUL THAT CPR HAS HELPED US, YOU KNOW, TACKLE THE OUTSIDE AS WELL AND AND YOU KNOW, KIND OF BLEND INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHICH IS A HOTSPOT
AREA OF, YOU KNOW, TOP OF OUR BLUE HILL LAB AND WE'RE AMONGST MANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO SOME UPKEEP WITH THE VARIOUS PARKS THE SPORTSMAN'S TENNIS CLUB.
AND SO IT DOES A LOT FOR THAT HOTSPOT COMMUNITY TO SEE THAT THE CITY IS INVESTING IN BUILDINGS LIKE OURS AND FOR ALL THAT WE PROVIDE AS FAR AS YOU
KNOW, MANY, MANY FUNERALS AND SOME OF THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, VIOLENT FUNERALS AND VERY HOT KIND OF, YOU KNOW, ATTENDANCE AND BEING ABLE TO NAVIGATE
THOSE THINGS MEMORIALS BLESSEDLY WEDDINGS, BAPTISMS, COMMUNAL DINNERS I MEAN THERE'S MUCH MUCH THAT WE DO AND MUCH THAT WE DESIRE TO DO AND
CONTINUE TO DO IN OUR COMMUNITY . BUT ADDITIONALLY, LIKE THE GENTLEMAN SPOKE ABOUT MENINO'S INITIATIVE ABOUT PEOPLE OF COLOR KEEPING THEIR HOMES, IT SHOULD BE ADDED BLACK CHURCHES AS WELL.
IT IS VERY SAD TO SEE THAT THERE'S MANY CONGREGATIONS LOSING THEIR CHURCH HOMES AND THAT THEY'RE BECOMING, YOU KNOW, CONDOS AND OTHER THINGS OF THAT NATURE AND IT'S YOU
KNOW, IT'S A LOST INVESTMENT FOR THE CONGREGATION. YOU KNOW, IT TAKES AWAY FROM THEIR LEGACY. AND SO, YOU KNOW, BEING IN A COMMUNITY WHERE OUR LOCAL WHERE WE WERE LOCATED WAS LIKE A
FAMILY ORIENTED AREA AND SO YOU'RE HELPING US MAINTAIN THAT AND BUILD THAT. YOU KNOW, EVEN WITH THE CHANGING OF THE, YOU KNOW, DEMOGRAPHIC OF THE AREA.
SO WE JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL AND HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN CONTINUE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THIS PROGRAM GROW AND YOU KNOW,
WE WE PRAY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE ELEVATION THIS THE TWO ELEVATIONS OF OUR BUILDING AND YOU KNOW, BE A POSITIVE, YOU KNOW, PINNACLE PLACE IN THE COMMUNITY AS A CPA RECIPIENT.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH JACQUELINE DO
WE HAVE A DEACON THOMAS SCOTT
HE'S FROM THE SAME OH NO.
DEACON SCOTT YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT TO BE PROMOTED TO PANELIST
OKAY, OKAY. I WAS LIKE YES I DID. MAYBE. ALL RIGHT.
IN THE MEANTIME LET'S HEAD OVER
WITH JOHN SMALLS OKAY.
I SEE A JOHN ANDERSON YES. THANKS. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, LOUD AND CLEAR. YES, GREAT, GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I'VE BEEN THE HEAD OF THE RESTORATION FOR ARLINGTON STREET CHURCH FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH WE GRATITUDE WE HAVE AN APPRECIATION WE HAVE
FOR CPAS CONSIDERATION AND GENEROSITY TO OUR BUILDING. OUR BUILDING IS ON THE CORNER OF ARLINGTON AND BOYLSTON STREET. IT WAS BUILT IN 1861. A BROWNSTONE AND BROWNSTONE
LEFT OUT IN THE RAIN DETERIORATES VERY, VERY QUICKLY. IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE FOR US TO KEEP UP AND WE'RE A VERY SMALL CONGREGATION THAT DOES A LOT
FOR THE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE A FRIDAY NIGHT SUPPER PROGRAM. WE HAVE AN ASIAN FOOD PANTRY CALLED RICE STICKS AND TEA. WE HAVE A CULTURAL TEANECK
CULTURAL ORGANIZATION THAT PUTS ON PERFORMANCES SO WE REALLY HAVE A LOT OF SPHERES OF NEIGHBORHOOD INTERACTION AND AGAIN JUST TO REITERATE WHAT
OTHER PEOPLE SAY, YOU KNOW, WE SORT OF GO BEYOND CHURCH IN WE'RE NOT JUST A ONE DAY A WEEK PLACE AND WE REALLY FEEL LIKE WE'RE BEING SUPPORTED BY THE
COMMUNITY KNOWING HOW IMPORTANT WE ARE AS A NATIONAL STATE AND LOCAL LANDMARK. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TESTIFYING.
OKAY. UM, LET'S GO WITH VICTOR PRICE
. HI, MY NAME IS VICTOR PRICE. I'M THE SENIOR PASTOR SECOND CHURCH IN DORCHESTER AND WE WISH WE HAVE A VERY DIVERSE
COMMUNITY. WE HAVE VERY DIVERSE CONGREGATION BUT ABOVE ALL WE HAVE A VERY UNIQUE HISTORIC PROPERTY. IT IS NOT IN THE REGISTERED
DESIGNATED PROPERTY SECOND CHURCH IT IS ABOUT THE OLDEST THE SECOND OLDEST SURVIVING WOODEN CHURCH IN BOSTON AND THE
WE WANT TO SAY THANKS AGAIN TO CPE AND THANKS TO THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMUNITY AND MAYOR AND ALL THOSE THAT ARE SUPPORTING AND THE COUNCIL WE ALSO THANKS TO YOU FOR YOUR
CONSIDER STATION FOR THE FUNDING. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IT WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT IN TERMS OF THE FUNDING FOR FOR THIS WRONG IS THE FACT THAT NOT ONLY ARE WE RESTORING THE STEEPLE ON THAT
HISTORIC BUILDING WHICH IS SO SIGNIFICANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY BUT ALSO THERE IS AN 1856 CLOCK THAT WAS GIVEN TO THE CONGREGATION BY WALTER BAKER
FROM THE BRICKYARD CHOCOLATE FACTORY AND THERE WAS ALSO AN 1816 REVERE PAUL REVERE AND SONS BELL THAT IS IN THE STEEPLE AND WE ARE HOPING TO
RESTORE THAT TO WORKING CONDITION. RIGHT? IT HAS BEEN LONG DORMANT FOR MANY CENTURIES. WE WERE HOPING TO RESTORE IT. OUR CONCERN IS TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO DEMONSTRATE WITHIN
COMMUNITY HOW SIGNIFICANT HISTORY IS BUT TO PROVIDE A SPACE WHERE COMMUNITY CAN BE EDUCATED, INFORMED AND OUR CHURCH HAS SEVERAL PROGRAMS AND WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO BE A COMMUNITY CHURCH PLACE.
IT'S A HISTORIC BUILDING. IT'S IT'S A LANDMARK AND IT HAS SIGNIFICANT HISTORY IN IT AND WE ARE THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT BECAUSE YOUR
SUPPORT WILL HELP US KEEP HISTORY ALIVE BUT ALSO TO BRING SOME MORE VALUE TO DORCHESTER AND ALLOW JUST TO JUST TO BE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME AND BE ABLE TO COME IN
COMMUNICATION WITH HISTORY NOT ONLY THE MODERN EXPERIENCE OF WHAT IS THE MULTICULTURAL WE HAVE NOW BUT HAVING THE HISTORY THEY CAN IDENTIFY WITH AND LEARN FROM. SO AGAIN WE WANT TO SAY THANKS
TO YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND ESPECIALLY TO CPE AND FOR 15 FOR BEING SO MUCH SO HELPFUL TO US AS WE SEEK TO RESTORE AND TO MAINTAIN THAT BUILDING.
THANKS AGAIN. WE DO APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY AND YOUR WORK. THANK YOU. OKAY.
NEXT UP WE HAVE A PAM PAMELA,
MELANIE YEAH, YOU MAY BE ON
MUTE. SORRY. MY APOLOGIES. OKAY NOW OKAY. I THANK YOU CHAIR PATTON AND COUNCILORS AND STAFF IN TO DIRECTOR BROWN.
THIS IS PAM MELANIE I'M REPRESENTING FRIENDS OF MCKINNEY PARK IN AUSTIN. BRIAN WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL TO BOSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT FOR MAKING A SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION TO THE
COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE AND VERY HAPPY THAT THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE HAS RECOMMENDED FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $187,000 FOR A SHADE STRUCTURE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL COMPLEMENT THE PLANNED
RENOVATION OF MCKINNEY PARK. MCKINNEY PARK SERVES AT THE FRONT YARD OF THE BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITIES SAY ANNUAL GARDENS COMMUNITY WHICH IT ABUTS AND WHICH WILL SOON BE REDEVELOPED AND EXPANDED THE
ALLSTON BRIGHTON NEIGHBORHOOD IS VERY EXCITED TO WELCOME NEW FAMILIES INTO OUR COMMUNITY. THE PARKS DEPARTMENT'S PLANNING PROCESS FOR THE RENOVATION OF MCKINNEY PARK PROCEEDED SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS
FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT OF FANEUIL GARDENS. THE TWO PLANNING PROCESSES COMPLEMENTED EACH OTHER AND RESULTED IN A PARK DESIGN THAT IS TRULY RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF NEIGHBORS WHO LIVE IN THIS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
COMMUNITY. THE CPA FUNDS WILL ALLOW FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHADE STRUCTURES AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE PARK ON FANEUIL STREET AND AT THE BALL FIELD DUGOUTS THE SHADE STRUCTURES WILL
IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE USER EXPERIENCE OF THE PARK ALLSTON BRIGHTON LITTLE LEAGUE OFFERS T-BALL BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL THANKS TO HARDWORKING VOLUNTEERS IN THE AUSTIN BRIGHTON COMMUNITY IN THE SHADE
STRUCTURES WILL BE MUCH APPRECIATED BY PLAYERS AND COACHES. THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TEAM OF DIRECTOR BAKER ECLIPSE AND PROJECT MANAGER NELLIE WARD HAVE DONE OUTSTANDING WORK MOVING THE PROJECT FORWARD.
HOWEVER, AS COUNCILOR REAGAN HAS POINTED OUT EARLIER DURING THIS HEARING, A FUNDING GAP STILL EXISTS EVEN AS BOTH BOSTON COLLEGE AND HARVARD UNIVERSITY HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT GRANTS TOWARDS THE
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND WE HAVE PAID SUPPORT NOW CLOSE AT HAND FRIENDS MCKINNEY PARK EAGERLY AWAIT THE RELEASE OF THE MAYOR'S BUDGET THIS MONTH AND WE WILL BE ADVOCATING FOR FULL
FUNDING OF A PARK MASTER PLAN THAT HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS SINCE 2016. THANK YOU AGAIN TO DIRECTOR BROWN AND TO ALL THOSE PRESENT TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH PAM.
HEY, DO WE HAVE A SHAYNA SHAINA IN HOUSTON HELLO THANK YOU FOR
HAVING ME THIS AFTERNOON I APPRECIATE BEING HERE AND THANK YOU TO THE COUNCIL THE PLANNING OFFICE FOR URBAN AFFAIRS AND THE CARIBBEAN INTEGRATION
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ARE SO EXCITED TO TELL YOU ABOUT 150 RIVER STREET IN MATTAPAN THE SITE WHICH IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION IS COMPRISED OF 30
UNITS OF AFFORDABLE SENIOR HOUSING ALONG VACANT LOT THAT WAS OWNED BY THE CITY OF BOSTON. TOGETHER COOL AND SECURED REACTIVATING THIS PROPERTY AND
CONVERTING IT INTO RESTFUL REGION FOR IT AND AFFORDABLE SENIOR BUILDING ALLOWING BOSTON RESIDENTS TO COME TRIPLE H IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND I'M THRILLED TO TELL YOU THAT WE
EXPECT TO HAVE THE BUILDING READY FOR FOLKS TO MOVE IN THIS FALL. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE CITY FOR ALL YOUR SUBSTANTIAL SUPPORT ON THE PROJECT THUS FAR.
SO TOOK THAT DESIGN AT RIVER STREET WAS INTENDED TO LEVERAGE THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT THE PROPERTY BACKS UP ON THE RIVER AND IT'S TRULY BEAUTIFUL OVER
THERE SO ENSURING ACCESS TO ONSITE SERVICES, PASSIVE OPEN SPACE AND TO COMMUNITY SPACES WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO US. SO THIS PROPOSAL HERE TODAY IS REQUESTING FUNDS TO SUPPORT
THAT ELEMENT OF THE PROJECT AND CO-CREATE ARE PROPOSING A 1000 SQUARE FOOT COMMUNITY GARDEN WITH RAISED BEDS, BENCHES AND
OTHER AMENITIES FOR OUR SENIOR RESIDENT OR AGING IN PLACE WITH THE IDEA OF PROVIDING RECREATION IMMEDIATELY ON SITE AS WELL AS FOR THE NEIGHBORS IN A TRADITIONALLY UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITY. THE GARDEN WILL IMMEDIATELY BECOME A THIRD PLACE WHERE THE COMMUNITY CAN COME TOGETHER AND INTERACT MORE THAN THEY HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY ABLE TO SINCE
THE SITE HAS BEEN VACANT MORE THAN 25 YEARS. THE COMBINATION OF OUR HOUSING AND THIS GARDEN SHOULD TRANSFORM THE LOT FROM A BURDEN TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD INTO A
SIGNIFICANT BENEFIT AND A NET POSITIVE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. I'M GONNA TRY ONE MORE TIME
BECAUSE I KNOW WE STILL HAVE
THE IPHONE NUMBER 169.
OKAY. WELL I DON'T THINK I'M MISSING ANYONE ELSE FOR VIRTUAL TESTIMONY BUT IF ANYONE ELSE
COMES UP YOU OKAY SO SEEING AS MY COLLEAGUES ARE NO LONGER WITH US, I WILL MENTION AS TO CLOSING REMARKS I'LL GIVE THE FLOOR TO YOU ALL FOR ANY
CLOSING STATEMENTS. I'LL JUST LIKE TO SAY I WANT TO THANK THE CITY COUNCIL AND YOU CAN STEP IN JUST FOR EACH YEAR JUST BY BEING ABLE TO HOST US
AND BE AND FROM THE CP OFFICE TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE GREAT WORK THAT WE'VE DONE. I WANT TO THANK ALL THE APPLICANTS EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE GONE NOW. BUT THOSE ARE THEY'RE WE'RE HERE AND JOINING ONLINE FOR
THEIR COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION TO THIS PROCESS AND SO WE'RE THANKFUL WE HOPE THE CITY COUNCIL WILL RECOMMEND THE SLATE AND MOVE IT FORWARD AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO COMING BEFORE YOU AGAIN FOR THE NEXT
FUNDING ROUND. OF COURSE I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR HAVING MEJIA. I LOVE IT WAS SUCH A LOVE FEST. IT WAS SO EXCITING BUT I DO WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY
LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE TO THINK THAT DEAN AND HER TEAM TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACROSS THE CITY THEY BEEN A FANTASTIC PARTNER AND WE
LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING ANOTHER ROUND. THANK YOU. AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT I THINK WHAT WAS BEAUTIFUL ABOUT TODAY'S HEARING IS THAT YOU REALLY GOT TO HEAR VOICES FROM
ALL OVER THE CITY AND HOW EVERYONE IS DOING THEIR THEIR PART OF JUST MAKING OUR CITY A LOT MORE ACCESSIBLE PROTECTING OUR OPEN SPACES AND CREATING MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY AND IT JUST SHOWS THAT EVERYONE HAS A ROLE TO PLAY AND YOU ARE A VERY INSTRUMENTAL PART OF THAT AND I THINK THAT ALL THE TESTIMONY THAT WE HEARD TODAY THERE WAS THERE'S A REASON WHY
EVERYONE THANKED THE STAFF BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU ARE VERY WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT, VERY WELCOMING DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU ALL DO. I'M TRULY HONORED TO BE THE CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE BECAUSE
I KNOW IT WAS JOKED AROUND ABOUT IT FEELS LIKE CHRISTMAS HERE BUT HONESTLY IN THIS DAY AND AGE OF GOVERNMENT IT DOES FEEL GOOD TO KNOW THAT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF GOOD BEING DONE ESPECIALLY HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WORK YOU DO.
SO WITH THAT THIS HEARING ON DOCKET NUMBER 0641 IS ADJOURNED
HERE