Community Affairs, Housing, Health and Education Committee

Agenda

1. Call to Order

   Chair Shanklin called the meeting to order at 1:34 p.m.

2. Roll Call

   Chair Shanklin introduced the committee members and non-committee members present. A quorum was established. Note: All committee members and non-committee members present attended virtually, except for Committee Member Dorsey and Council Member George, who attended in Chambers.

3. Pending Legislation
4. 1. AN ORDINANCE CREATING NEW SECTIONS OF CHAPTER 121 OF THE LOUISVILLE METRO CODE OF ORDINANCES (“LMCO”) RELATING TO HOTELS, MOTELS AND SIMILAR BUSINESSES, AND ESTABLISHING A YOUTH HOUSING FUND IN LMCO CHAPTER 40 TO RECEIVE FINES COLLECTED FOR VIOLATIONS OF THE NEW SECTIONS OF CHAPTER 121 (AS AMENDED).
   Ordinance
   Action: recommended for approval Passed

   A motion was made by Committee Member Triplett, seconded by Vice Chair Chambers Armstrong, that this Ordinance be recommended for approval. The following spoke to this item: - Council Member George - Council Member Flood - Major Corey Robinson, Louisville Metro Police Department ("LMPD") - Committee Member Green - Committee Member Parker - Tameka Laird, Louisville Metro Resilience and Community Services - Lt. Kenneth Parcus, LMPD - Committee Member Dorsey - Gretchen Hunt, Office for Women The following was discussed: - This Ordinance will prohibit hourly hotel rentals and establish a Youth Housing Fund for young adults ranging from ages 18-24 and further clarification was provided - Many major cities already have prohibitions sited in the Ordinance set in place and city examples were provided - The sixth division of LMPD responds frequently to four hotels -- two hotels residing in District 21 and the other two hotels in District 10 and detailed examples were provided - From January 1, 2020 to January 1, 2021, LMPD responded to 5,001 calls for service and of those 1,514 were designated to the four mentioned hotel facilities, which accounted for 30 percent of the officers calls for service - The amounts of arrest and/or citations executed from the calls for service at the hotels were provided - Clarification was asked regarding the difference an hourly hotel room rental would have versus a 12-hour hotel rental in terms of limiting crime at the hotels -- the majority of the crime occurring at said hotels happens more frequently with hotel rooms being rented by the hour and crime is easier to track when the hotel rooms are rented for longer periods of time, other examples were also provided - Concerns were expressed regarding what this Ordinance states versus the outcome the sponsors are looking for - Questions were asked regarding whether the funding received from the fines collected would be the sole funding source for the Youth Housing Fund -- most of the funding will come from American Rescue Plan funding and funding from the Office of Resilience and Community Services, but the fines resulting from this Ordinance will add to the funding for the Youth Housing Fund - The LMPD Special Victims Unit ("SVU") received 45 human trafficking complaints and 5 human trafficking reports in 2021, and in 2022, SVU has received seven complaints so far -- human trafficking complaints are severely under reported and this Ordinance could help better track and document human trafficking cases - This Ordinance could be a tool for LMPD to help put a stop to human trafficking, illicit behaviors and related crimes - Questions were asked regarding the fine associated with LMPD officers responding to these complaints and whether the fine allocated balances the time and work the officers are putting into these calls for service -- the amount of the fine received does not off-set the work and hours the officers are providing, but the goal is removing crime for the victims - Concerns were shared regarding the fine being high enough to eliminate the crime occurring at the repeated offender hotels - This Ordinance will address and help to limit where trafficking can occur The motion carried by the following vote and the Ordinance was sent to Old Business:

5. 2. A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ACCEPT $500,000 FOR THE HISTORY OF EQUAL RIGHTS (HER) GRANT FUNDING THROUGH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, FOR THE STABILIZATION AND REHABILITATION OF THE BOURGARD COLLEGE OF MUSIC AND ART PROJECT.
   Resolution
   Action: recommended for approval Passed

   A motion was made by Committee Member Triplett, seconded by Vice Chair Chambers Armstrong, that this Resolution be recommended for approval. Council Member Purvis stated the Bourgard College of Music and Art Projects is a historical home, many community organizations will use it to provide musical lessons for the community. The motion carried by a voice vote and the Resolution was sent to the Consent Calendar.

6. Special Discussion
7. 3. Current status of Metro Housing, specifically regarding evictions and eviction assistance - Marilyn Harris, Develop Louisville
   Discussion Item

   Chair Shanklin introduced the discussion item and Vice Chair Chambers Armstrong introduced the speakers and briefly provided background information regarding eviction and rental assistance efforts. Marrilyn Harris, Develop Louisville, and Tameka Laird, Office of Resilience and Community Services, gave a presentation. The following spoke to this item: - Chair Shanklin - Vice Chair Chambers Armstrong - Mariyn Harris - Tameka Laird The following was discussed: - Concerns were shared regarding a letter received by a constituent - Clarification was asked regarding the Community Service Program ("CSP") and whether there is a 14-17 week backlog from the time an individual would receive an application to when they can expect to receive rental assistance -- It is correct that Develop Louisville is processing applications currently that were completed in November 2021, and if the applications aren't completed correctly then a delay will occur - Questions were asked regarding the application process -- examples of the processes procedure were provided - Further explanation of the CSP program was provided - Questions were asked regarding the plan for the remaining 800 individuals awaiting this program assistance and what was being done to ensure an eviction is not filed by the individual's landlord -- the settlement agreement states that once the landlord has signed the agreement, that landlord has agreed to the terms of not filing the eviction while the application is processed and awaiting payment - The funds are dwindling down -- the original fund request amount of $10M was not received, instead approximately $7M was received. The program applications will have to be closed as there will not be enough funding to provide direct rental assistance to all applicants until more funding is received - Questions were asked regarding specific constituents in District 2

8. Adjournment

   Without objection, Chair Shanklin adjourned the meeting at 2:43 p.m.

9. Note: Items sent to the Consent Calendar or Old Business will be heard before the full Council at the Metro Council meeting on February 17, 2022.
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12. Clerk(s)

    Olivia Bennett, Assistant Clerk Sonya Harward, Clerk

13. Support Staff

    Alice Lyon, Jefferson County Attorney's Office Natalie Johnson, Jefferson County Attorney's Office

14. Non-Committee Member(s)

    Council Member Donna Purvis (D-5), Council Member Nicole George (D-21), and Council Member Madonna Flood (D-24)