GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS ENRIQUE PEPEN. DISTRICT FIVE CITY COUNCILOR . I AM THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON CITY SERVICES AND INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY.  TODAY I AM JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL COUNCILOR BRIAN LAUREL, COUNCIL PRESIDENT RICHIE LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR AND AT FLYNN COUNCILOR ERIN MURPHY.  COUNCILOR SHARON DURKAN THIS HEARING HAS BEEN RECORDED.  IT IS BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON DARK OF THAT CITY COUNCIL TV AND BROADCAST ON AFFINITY CHANNEL EIGHT, RCN, CHANNEL 82 AND FILES CHANNEL 964. WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT C CC THAT GEO AT BOSTON DHAKA AND WILL BE MADE A PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS.  PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF HERE. IF YOU WISH TO SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY HERE IN THE CHAMBER PLEASE SIGN IN ON THE SHEET NEAR THE DOOR. IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO TESTIFY VIRTUALLY PLEASE EMAIL KORA MONT TROND AT KORA MONTRANT BOSTON DA GOFF FOR THE LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET ZERO 189 IN ORDER FOR A HEARING REGARDING PROVIDING TECHNOLOGICAL ASSISTANCE TO CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS AND OUTLINING BEST PRACTICES FOR CIVIC ASSOCIATION SINCE AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO PASS IT OVER TO THE LEAD SPONSOR OF THIS HEARING ORDER. COUNCILOR OF DISTRICT FOUR BRIAN MAURO THANK YOU CHAIR FOR HOSTING THIS HEARING AND THANK YOU TO MY CO-SPONSORS. COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE AND COUNCILOR COLETTA AS WE GATHER TODAY TO DISCUSS THE ROLE OF CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITIES. IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE ESSENTIAL OUTREACH WORK THEY PERFORM. EACH COUNCIL OFFICE ENGAGES CLOSELY WITH THESE ASSOCIATIONS UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY ARE GRASSROOT POWERHOUSES CONNECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT WITH ITS RESIDENTS.  HOWEVER, THEY FACE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES OFTEN OPERATING WITH LIMITED RESOURCES AND VOLUNTEER SUPPORT.  THIS HEARING IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO LISTEN, UNDERSTAND THEIR NEEDS AND EXPLORE HOW WE CAN SUPPORT THEM MORE EFFECTIVELY BY PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, LANGUAGE ACCESS AND OUTLINING BEST PRACTICES. WE CAN SUPPORT THESE ORGANIZATIONS TO BETTER SERVE AND REPRESENT OUR COMMUNITIES. MY OFFICE HIRED CHRISTINA GLOVER TO SUPPORT THE CIVICS IN MY DISTRICT. SHE WAS ABLE TO CREATE MAILING LISTS, WEBSITES, SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES, FLIERS, LOGOS AND PROVIDED COUNTLESS OTHER SUPPORT FOR OTHER SUPPORT FOR CIVICS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT. WORKING WITH OUR ASSOCIATE LEADERS SHE HELPED CIVICS INCREASE THE ABILITY TO ENGAGE WITH RESIDENTS TO BUILD THEIR ENGAGEMENT AND IMPACT BY PROVIDING FUNDS FOR THESE ACTIVITIES. WE CAN HELP INCREASE DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION IN AND OUR ABILITY TO SHAPE OUR COMMUNITIES. I UNDERSTAND CONCERNS THAT POLITICS OR PLAYS TO ROLES OF A ROLE IN BEING AWARDED A GRANT. BUT AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO FUNDING A GRANT PROGRAM WE MUST ENSURE THAT THESE CONCERNS ARE ADDRESSED BY BY CREATING A TRANSPARENT PROCESS ALLOW EMPHASIZED CIVIC PARTICIPATION AND ENSURING A FAIR REVIEW. CITY GOVERNMENT AND OUR CIVICS MUST BE ALIGNED ON THESE VALUES THAT CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IMPROVES OUTCOMES THAT INCREASE CIVIC PARTICIPATION AT THE LOCAL LEVEL IS NECESSARY FOR BUILDING A STRONGER FUTURE TOGETHER THAT ALL OPINIONS AND PERSPECTIVES ARE WELCOME AND THAT WE HOLD SPACE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE DISAGREEMENTS THAT COME WITH SHAPING THAT FUTURE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR COUNCILOR THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE CO-SPONSOR OF THIS HEARING ORDER COUNCIL PRESIDENT RICHARD LOUIJEUNE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND I WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR WU FOR ADDING ME AS A CO-SPONSOR TO THIS IMPORTANT DOCKET A CONVERSATION THAT WE STARTED LAST TERM AND THAT'S CONTINUING NOW. I THINK THE ADMINISTRATION CHIEF MILLER FOR BEING HERE AND I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE COMMUNITY LEADERS AND CIVIC LEADERS THAT I SEE HERE AS AN AT LARGE CITY COUNCILOR . I KNOW THAT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS THAT ARE REALLY DOING YEOMAN'S WORK OFTENTIMES ON A VOLUNTEER BASIS WITHOUT THE SUPPORT FROM THE CITY THAT I THINK COULD BE REALLY HELPFUL. SO I'M HERE REALLY TO LISTEN TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND TO LISTEN TO CIVIC LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE CITY ON HOW BEST THE CITY CAN PARTNER WITH THEM TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS AND HOW WE YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALSO HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS RIGHT NOW ABOUT WHAT ARTICLE 80 REFORM LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT IS THE ROLE AND HOW DO WE SUPPORT A ROLE OF COMMUNITY, HOW DO WE HELP CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS WITH THEIR OWN DIVERSITY EFFORTS, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE INCLUDING HOMEOWNERS AND RENTERS AND EVERYONE INTO THIS SPACE AND HOW WE CAN REALLY PARTNER TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT OUR CIVIC ASSOCIATION IS CONTINUING TO BE WHAT THEY ARE THRIVE THRIVING CENTERS FOR PEOPLE TO REALLY ENGAGE AND TO UPLIFT OUR CIVIC PARTICIPATION AND INTO OUR EFFORTS TO BUILD A MORE JUST MORE EQUITABLE CITY OF BOSTON. SO REALLY HAPPY TO BE HERE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY REALLY HAPPY TO LISTEN TO COMMUNITY ADVOCATES TELL US WHAT THEY NEED. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT COUNCILOR MURPHY MURPHY THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR.  THANK YOU, BRIANNA OVER THERE ALONE. GOOD TO SEE YOU.  OBVIOUSLY NOT OBVIOUSLY I SHOULD SAY THAT BUT JUST HAPPY TO BE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THIS NEED AND COUNCIL . THE WORLD BROUGHT IT UP. THERE IS A FINE LINE BETWEEN CITY GOVERNMENT GETTING TOO DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND THEN MAYBE TAKING SOME OF THEIR POWER AWAY BECAUSE THEN WE DON'T WANT CITY GOVERNMENT TO BE CONTROLLING THAT INDEPENDENT VOICE THAT I SEE ACROSS THE CITY.  I DO LIKE TO SHARE THE STORY THAT MY GRANDFATHER BACK IN THE SIXTIES WAS THE PRESIDENT OF POPS HILL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND HE KNEW THAT THE WORK THEY NEEDED TO DO TO REALLY HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD AT CITY HALL THAT ONE VOICE WASN'T ENOUGH AND HE CREATED DO NOT THE DORCHESTER UNITED NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WHICH BROUGHT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS TOGETHER TO AMPLIFY THEIR VOICE AND GOT A LOT OF GREAT THINGS DONE. AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE RICHARD J. MURPHY SCHOOL WAS NAMED AFTER HIM IN THAT PARK NEARBY BECAUSE YOU KNOW HIS VOICE ALONE ISN'T ENOUGH. SO HAPPY TO SEE THAT WE HAVE NEIGHBORHOOD ADVOCATES HERE TODAY TO SHARE WHAT THEIR CONCERNS WILL BE. BUT ALSO IT REMINDS ME OF OUR P.S. Y F CENTERS WHERE WE HAVE COUNCILS WHO THEIR WORK ON FUNDRAISING IS WHAT DIRECTLY AFFECTS THE PROGRAMING THEY CAN GIVE TO THEIR CHILDREN. ONE OF THE THINGS MANY PEOPLE MYSELF INCLUDED DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL I GOT HERE ON THE COUNCIL THAT YOU KNOW SO IT'S NOT EQUITABLE ACROSS THE CITY THAT NOT EVERY COMMUNITY CENTER HAS THE ABILITY TO RAISE FUNDS TO OFFER THE SAME RIGHTS. SO MAKING SURE THAT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATE HAS THE SAME ABILITY AT LEAST RIGHT TO ORGANIZE AND HAVE THEIR NEEDS HEARD HERE AT CITY HALL. AND I THINK IT'S ALSO A GOOD TIME TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, A CIVIC ASSOCIATION. IT'S OFTENTIMES WHEN IT COMES TO ZONING ISSUES AND SOME WILL SAY WELL, WE'RE A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. WE DON'T VOTE, SOME DO VOTE. BUT THEN ALSO THEY'RE FRUSTRATED BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH OVERWHELMINGLY THEIR VOTE WHEN A CERTAIN WAY THE CITY ISN'T LISTENING. SO I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE SET PARAMETERS AND WE'RE JUST UPFRONT ABOUT HOW MUCH POWER RIGHT AND HOW MUCH MORE WE WANT AND OPEN TO THAT DISCUSSION AND HAPPY THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY HERE ALSO TO TALK SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION. THANK YOU. CHAIR THANK YOU COUNCILOR COUNCILOR FLYNN THANK YOU MR CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO THE CO-SPONSORS FOR BRINGING THIS IMPORTANT SUBJECT FORWARD. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO CHIEF MILLER ALSO FOR BEING HERE AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF CHIEF YOU ARE PLAYING IN THE CITY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN COUNCILOR FERNANDES ANDERSON IN THE CHIEF LAST NIGHT ALONG WITH OUR COLLEAGUE JOHN MORAN, THE STATE LEGISLATOR FOR A CIVIC ASSOCIATION AND MEETING SPONSORED BY THE ST THE 12TH STREET NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND I REFERENCED THAT BECAUSE IT WAS AN ALMOST A THREE HOUR MEETING. BUT RESIDENTS HAD GREAT ADVICE ,GREAT FEEDBACK, GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN TO RESIDENTS, TO ENGAGE RESIDENTS AND TO LEARN FROM RESIDENTS ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES, NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS FACING THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. IT'S LIKE THAT IN THE SOUTH END OR THE BACK BAY AND I KNOW IT'S LIKE THAT ACROSS ACROSS THE CITY THEY PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN OUR CITY. THEY PROVIDE POSITIVE LEADERSHIP, LEADERSHIP AND ENGAGEMENT AND JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS THAT ARE HERE BUT ALSO THE CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS THAT ARE WATCHING FROM HOME AS WELL.  THANK YOU FOR THE IMPORTANT WORK YOU DO IN THE CITY. THANK YOU, MR CHAIRMAN.  THANK YOU, COUNCILOR COUNCILOR DURKIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO BRIAN MORROW FOR SPONSORING THIS. EXCITED TO TAKE PART IN THIS CONVERSATION. WHAT WE KNOW IN OUR CITY IS THAT THERE IS NO COOKIE CUTTER VERSION OF WHAT CIVIC GROUPS DO AND YOU KNOW, ACROSS MY FIVE NEIGHBORHOODS THERE IS A HUGE DIVERSITY IN WHAT CIVIC GROUPS FOCUS ON AND TALK ABOUT AND SO ,YOU KNOW, IN LIGHT TRYING TO BRING ALL OF THOSE VOICES TO THE CONVERSATION, HONORED TO HAVE SOME REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION OF THE BACK BAY HERE. AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE HELP THAT SOME CIVIC GROUPS MAY NEED OR KIND OF THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT OTHERS MAY NEED. AND I THINK TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WORKS FOR CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS AND HOW WE CAN UPLIFT THEIR VOICES ALSO WHILE REALIZING THAT ALL NEIGHBORHOODS ARE DIFFERENT AND WE LIVE IN A REALLY DIVERSE AND AMAZING CITY THAT HAS SO MANY CIVIC LEADERS THAT POUR ALL OF THEMSELVES INTO INTO WHAT THEY DO BUT ALL HAVE DIFFERENT FOCUSES.  SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION ARE PART OF THE FINANCIAL SIDE OF THIS MY B YOU KNOW THE CITY BEING INVOLVED FINANCIALLY AND CIVIC ORGS MIGHT JUST CONSTITUTE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN SOME WAYS AND EXCITED TO ENGAGE MORE IN THE CONVERSATION AROUND WHAT CIVIC GROUPS ARE LOOKING FOR, HOW WE CAN SUPPORT THEM EITHER WITH TECHNICAL EXPERTISE BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR IS HOW DO YOU SET UP A ZOOM LINK? HOW DO WE CREATE A ROOM? HOW CAN WE USE OUR OUR CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS TO HOW CAN WE USE OUR CITY RESOURCES TO SUPPORT CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS AND ORGANIZING MEETINGS? SO I THINK THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION AND AN EXCITED TO TAKE PART. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR JUST RECOGNIZING THAT COUNCILOR COLETTA HAS ALSO JOINED US FOR TODAY'S HEARING. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE NOW TO CALL ON COUNCILOR ANDERSON.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND COUNCIL ROLE.  I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR BEING THE LEAD SPONSOR ON THIS. I SEE THAT SORRY FOR TO THE CO-SPONSORS AS WELL COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE COUNCIL COLETTA AND I KNOW THAT WE HAD DONE A LITTLE BIT OF WORK LAST YEAR ON THIS AND I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION COMING BACK TO THE TABLE.  I THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE CONSIDERING IN DISTRICT SEVEN THAT I'VE CREATED THIS ROUNDTABLE, IF YOU WILL, AFTER THE BROTHER PEACE BE UPON HIM ROUNDTABLE IDEA WE CREATED AN ADVISORY COUNCIL ESSENTIALLY BRINGING ALL THE CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS.  ONE COALITION OF CIVIC ASSOCIATION IS WHERE WE MEET WEEKLY TO ORGANIZE AND THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE HAVE REALIZED THAT THERE IS TREMENDOUS NEED FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AS WELL AS FUNDING FOR WHETHER IT BE EVENTS OR COORDINATED EFFORTS FOR DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES AND THEN YOU GET INTO LIKE THE DIGITAL INTEGRATION SIDE RIGHT WHERE OKAY, WHERE DOES THIS LIVE WITH THE PLATFORM? HOW ARE WE COMMUNICATING AND THEN ARE THERE IS THERE A NEED FOR DATABASE, ARE WE DOING INVENTORIES AND TO DO THAT TO LEAD IN POLICY OR PROJECT IDEAS BASED ON NEEDS FOR THE COMMUNITY YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, BEGIN ALL OF THESE STUDIES AND DIFFERENT SURVEYS AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT GOES ON AND CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS AND AS YOU'VE MENTIONED MR COUNCILOR, YOU'VE BASICALLY THEY DO THIS VOLUNTARILY, THEY DO THIS WITHOUT ANY PAY, WITHOUT YOU KNOW IT'S A THANKS IT'S A THANKLESS IT'S AND IT'S A REAL JOB LIKE THEY TAKE A LOT OF TIME SO WITH WHAT THEY INVEST A LOT OF TIME IN IT I THINK ALSO CONSIDERING THAT SOME CONSTITUENTS HAVE EXPRESSED THAT THERE IS A CONCERN HERE A POSSIBLE CONCERN OF A CONFLICT OF INTEREST IF THE CITY IS SUPPORTING CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS FINANCIALLY OR EVEN AT A SMALL INCREMENT DOES THAT MEAN IT OPPOSES SOME SORT OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST ISSUE OF SOME SORT OF QUID PRO QUO CONFLICT? AND I THINK THAT THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN HAVE THIS CONVERSATION TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE IN A WAY THAT WE CAN USE LANGUAGE OR STIPULATIONS TO ENSURE THAT THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN, THAT THERE IS THAT THERE'S NO NEED FOR A FEELING OF POSSIBLE RETALIATION IF A CIVIC ASSOCIATION FOR EXAMPLE, DOES NOT STAND WITH THE ADMINISTRATION'S POLICY, DOES THAT MEAN THAT THEN THEY DON'T GET THE GRANT AND THEY ARE THEY BEHOLDEN TO THEM IF THEY DO GET THE GRANT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT?  OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A CONVERSATION IT'S A POSSIBILITY FROM COUNCIL . I'VE SPOKEN WITH COUNCILOR ROLE AND HE'S GIVEN ME HIS IDEA AND IT'S BEEN LIKE A REAL THOROUGH FLUID CONVERSATION ON THIS IN TERMS OF WHERE HE WANTS THIS CONVERSATION TO GO. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO IT. CHIEF ALWAYS A PLEASURE SEEING YOU. YOU ARE AMAZING. YESTERDAY EVERYONE IN IN THE DISTRICT OR IN THE SERVICE ASSOCIATION LATER WAS COMPLIMENTING YOURSELF THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. LOOK FORWARD TO THIS CONVERSATION.  THANK YOU. COUNCILOR COUNCILOR COLETTA THANK YOU. CHAIR PEPEN, ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU AS CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU TO CHIEF MILLER.  SO GREAT TO SEE YOU.  I WAS VERY PROUD TO BE A CO-SPONSOR OR THIRD CO-SPONSOR WITH COUNCILOR ROLE AND CONSTABLE LOUIJEUNE I'VE BEEN GOING TO CIVIC ASSOCIATION MEETINGS STARTING BACK IN 2015 WHEN I FIRST WORKED FOR STATE REP ADRIAN MONROE AND SO HAVE BEEN SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH A LOT OF MY FOLKS IN EAST BOSTON FIRST AND THEN CHARLESTOWN IN THE NORTH END AND I'VE SEEN THE DEDICATION AND TIME AND ENERGY THAT THEY'VE INVESTED IN THEIR COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY CARE ABOUT THEIR COMMUNITY WHERE IT'S A LOT EASIER TO BE AT HOME AND AND BEING WITH YOUR FAMILY THEY'RE OUT THERE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO MAKE THEIR THEIR OWN PARTICULAR CORNER OF THE UNIVERSE BETTER AND BRIGHTER. SO IN THIS NEW HYBRID WORLD TECHNOLOGIC ASSISTANCE IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT I'M HOPING WE COULD HELP THEM WITH. I'VE HEARD ISSUES FROM OTHER CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS ABOUT TRANSLATION SERVICES BABYSITTING ACCESSIBILITY ASSISTANCE AS WELL.  WE HAVE SOMEBODY WHO IS HARD OF HEARING AND OR DEAF IN THE NORTH END AND SO WE HAD TO WORK TO TRY TO GET A SIGNER THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY COULD BE INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY AND SO WHO'S WHO'S ON THE HOOK FOR THAT TO TO PAY FOR THAT? IT'S LARGELY THE CIVIC ASSOCIATION AND THEN ALSO LIABILITY INSURANCE. THERE WAS AN INCIDENT AT ONE OF OUR CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS WHERE SOMEBODY WAS THREATENING VIOLENCE AND THAT IS OBVIOUSLY NOT ACCEPTABLE IN THE POLICE INTERVENED BUT THEN IT GOT SOME OF THE BOARD WONDERING OKAY, WELL WHO IS LIABLE IF SOMETHING HAPPENS? SO THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION AND JUST HAPPY TO BE HERE. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. COUNCILOR , WHAT I WOULD SAY IS AS THE FORMER DIRECTOR OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES AND ATTENDING MANY OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, I WANT TO THANK YOU CHIEF CHIEF MOORE FOR BEING HERE TODAY RECOGNIZING WHAT ROLE NEGOTIATION AND CIVIC GROUPS PLAY IN OUR CITY IS. IT'S A VERY STRONG ONE. THAT'S WHY I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE CHAIRING THIS THIS HEARING TODAY AND THANKING COUNCIL WORRELL FOR BRINGING THIS TO THE TABLE BECAUSE IT'S A CONVERSATION THAT NEEDS TO BE IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN JUST ATTENDING A LOT OF THESE MEETINGS AS MY COLLEAGUES MENTIONED THERE IS A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT TECHNICAL SUPPORT. HOW CAN THEY EXPAND THEIR SERVICES, HOW CAN THEY UPGRADE THEIR SERVICES IF THEY WANT TO CREATE A WEBSITE FOR THEMSELVES? YOU ZOOM CREATE SOCIAL MEDIA TACTICS BUT ALSO EVEN INCREASE THEIR MEMBERSHIP. I KNOW THAT A LOT OF THEM ARE INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT THEIR MEMBERSHIP IS IS EXPANDED TO TO COVER MORE OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS SO I'M JUST HAPPY TO EXPLORE THAT CONVERSATION AS WELL TODAY. BUT JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR FOR BEING HERE AND NOW GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YEAH, TELL US WHAT YOU DO SO HELLO EVERYONE. I'M GOING TO MOVE THIS CLOSER.  IT'S FAIRLY FAR AWAY. BRIANNA MILLER I AM THE CHIEF OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. I OVERSEE THROUGH ONE ONE OFF AS A CIVIC ORGANIZING SPARK BOSTON AS WELL AS OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES. I WANT TO START OFF BY THANKING THE CHAIR. THANK YOU COUNSELOR. PREPARED FOR ALL YOU DO IN THE COMMUNITY AND OBVIOUSLY YOUR YOUR LOVE FOR ALL AND US AS WELL. THANK YOU TO THE LEAD SPONSOR COUNCILOR WORRELL AND TO THE CO-SPONSORS COUNCILOR PRESIDENT BRUCE LOUIJEUNE AS WELL AS COUNCILOR COLETTA AND ALL THE COUNCILORS THAT ARE HERE TODAY . I WANT TO START OFF BY UNDERSCORE SAYING THE SENTIMENT THAT I'M HEARING IN THIS ROOM CIVICS ARE WHERE WE'RE CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE, WHERE PEOPLE ARE CONNECTING WITH EACH OTHER AND WE CANNOT DO ANYTHING SUCCESSFUL IN THE CITY AND IN CITY HALL IF IT'S NOT FOR OUR CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS.  I THINK WE'RE ALL ALIGNED HERE THAT WHEN WE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BETTER BOSTON CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS COUNCILS AND CIVIC GROUPS ARE AT THE CENTER OF THAT AND LEADING THAT CONVERSATION.  SO AS TODAY I SEE YOU KNOW FOUR POINT IN THE RUNNING BACK BAY MATTAPAN, DORCHESTER LINE SOME OTHER PEOPLE BEHIND ME BUT IT'S THE ONE TOPIC THAT REALLY UNITES THE ENTIRE CITY SO EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY AND TO LEAD A CABINET THAT LEADS A LOT OF THIS WORK.  I WANT TO START OFF BY UNDERSCORE SAYING THREE WORDS AND THEN I'M DIVING INTO THE IMPORTANCE OF CIVICS AS WELL AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE WORK WE'RE GOING TO DO TOGETHER. SO AS I SAY, THE PHILOSOPHY THAT I KIND OF GUIDES I THINK THIS CONVERSATION AS WELL AS THE WORK THAT WE DO IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT REALLY CENTERS AROUND THREE WORDS WHEN IT COMES TO CIVICS INVEST, EQUIP IN A POWER IN POWER IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE OF COURSE WE ARE INVESTING OUR CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS WHETHER THAT MEANS WITH A BLOCK PARTY GRANT WHERE IT IS INVESTING MONETARILY WE KNOW WHEN CIVICS ARE ALLOWED TO ACTIVATE THEIR PARTICULAR STREETS AND CORRIDORS THEY GET THE NEIGHBORS, THEIR NEIGHBORS OUTSIDE OF THEIR DOORS AND ON THE STREETS THAT BUILD STRONGER AND HEALTHIER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ALSO CAN LOOK LIKE BLOCK PARTIES INVESTING UP AND LOVE YOUR BLOCK WHICH MEANS BEAUTIFICATION OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS CLEAN UPS OR THE RECENTLY LAUNCHED GRANT THAT WE HAVE HAD ON YOUTH SPORTS. SO NOT INITIALLY A CIVIC ASSOCIATION BUT ORGANIZATIONS THAT CENTER AROUND NEIGHBORHOODS OF COMMUNITY WHETHER THAT MEANS THE YOU KNOW, THE DORCHESTER EAGLES OR LIKE ANY ANY CIVIC GROUP THAT OR ANY SPORTS GROUP THAT CENTERS AROUND COMMUNITY OR A NEIGHBORHOOD. SO WE KNOW WHEN WE INVEST MONETARILY INTO OUR CIVIC AND COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO DO A LOT MORE EQUIPPED WHEN WE EQUIP THE LINK THE KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE AS A CITY TO OUR CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS AND TO OUR COMMUNITY GROUPS, THERE ARE A LOT STRONGER WE WERE ABLE TO HOLD THE CIVIC SUMMIT THAT HAPPENED IN TIME IS MUSHING TOGETHER IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE TRAINING SESSIONS FOR SPECIFIC COMMUNITY LEADERS. WE ONLY HAD ABOUT 200 FOLKS ABLE TO GO BECAUSE THOSE ARE KIND OF OUR PILOT BUT WE LOOK FOR EXPANSION INTO THE NEW YEAR AND I ALSO WANT TO UNDERSCORE THAT THAT SUMMIT SUMMIT WAS BIRTHED FROM PREVIOUS COUNCILOR MAUREEN FEENEY AND PREVIOUSLY KEPT PREVIOUS COUNCILOR ANDREA CAMPBELL A LOT OF THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE HAS CENTERED ON HOW DO WE UPLIFT AND BUILD BUILD OUR, YOU KNOW, CIVIC ASSOCIATION. SO THAT'S ABOUT EQUIPPING LANGUAGE I MEAN EQUIPPING INFORMATION BECAUSE AT THE SUMMIT WE WERE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT HOW TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA.  HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER TO STRENGTHEN YOUR NETWORK?  AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST EMPOWER WHEN YOU HAVE MONETARY INVESTMENT AS WELL AS EQUIPPING ,EQUIP, EQUIPPING OUR PEOPLE AND OUR COMMUNITIES WITH INFORMATION AND ARMING THEM WITH INFORMATION WE KNOW THEY ARE THERE ARE A LOT STRONGER.  SO I VIEW IT AS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE ALL THREE OF THOSE THINGS OF COURSE ARE HAPPENING WITHIN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND I LOOK FORWARD TO MAKING SURE THERE IS A DEEP PARTNERSHIP.  AND I WANT TO UNDERSCORE JUST THAT THE THE COUNCIL COUNCILOR FLYNN AS WELL AS COUNCILOR ANDERSON WERE ABLE TO BE AT A VERY WELL ATTENDED STATE AT ALL AN ANNUAL MEETING LAST NIGHT. SOMETHING HAPPENED IN THAT ROOM THAT I JUST I WAS TALKING TO COUNCILOR FLYNN EARLIER THERE WAS A NEW MEMBER THAT WAS LIKE IT SEEMED LIKE THEY PROBABLY WERE JUST COMING TO THE MEETING FOR THE FIRST TIME AND IT WAS REALLY TO THE WORK THAT JOHN'S DOING. THEY'RE DOING OUTREACH AND DOING LIKE INTENTIONAL ENGAGEMENT TO GET PEOPLE OUT AND THEY WERE ABLE TO BE IN A ROOM WHERE THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT INTERSECTIONS AND THEY WERE WORRIED ABOUT TRASH AND AND ROADING CONTROL AND THEY WERE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN A CONVERSATION THEY PROBABLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING THE INVEST, EQUIP, EMPOWER ESPECIALLY FOR NEW RESIDENTS AND WANT TO JOIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATES AS WELL. SO THANK THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE'S LEADERSHIP HERE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO MORE INTENSIVE CONVERSATION AND WORKING THIS THROUGH. THANK YOU CHIEF LAW AT THIS TIME I WANT TO OPEN UP TO QUESTIONS TO MY COLLEAGUES.  I'LL GIVE YOU ALL 5 MINUTES FOR THE FIRST ROUND AND THEN WE'LL DO A SECOND ROUND OF THOSE FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS. BUT I'LL START OFF WITH THE THE MAIN SPONSOR OF THIS HEARING OF COUNCIL. WE'RE UP.  THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO MALLOY FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON AND FOR LEADING YOUR OWN AS THAT POWERHOUSE OF THE DEPARTMENT TO DO YOUR WORK WHETHER IT'S A CIVIC SUMMIT OR JUST BEING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. HAVE YOU IDENTIFIED ANY COMMON CHALLENGES AMONGST CIVIC GROUPS? I DEFINITELY YES. SO I DEFINITELY THINK THAT SO ONE NO CIVIC ORGANIZATION IS THE SAME.  IT'S I BELIEVE COUNCILOR DURKIN OR MURPHY MAY HAVE SAID THIS THERE IS NO LIKE COOKIE CUTTER LIKE EVEN BEING IN THE ROOM. THEY'RE ALL KIND OF OPERATE DIFFERENTLY WHETHER THAT MEANS A COUNCIL THAT HAS BEEN YOU KNOW, LIKE THE CHARLESTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL IT'S BEEN HERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND BEEN ACTIVE FOR A VERY LONG TIME OR A CIVIC ASSOCIATION THAT STARTED DURING THE PANDEMIC FOR EXAMPLE.  THE NEEDS KIND OF RUN THE GAMUT BUT THE COMMON THEMES THAT I'M SEEING FOR SURE IS DEFINITELY NEEDING SUPPORT WITH TECHNICAL SUPPORT MAKING SURE THEY'RE BETTER COMMUNICATED. THERE'S STRONG LINES OF COMMUNICATION WITH THE CITY AND ALSO MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE JUST AWARE AND LOOPED INTO INFORMATION.  TO BE HONEST, NOT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD REALLY BRINGS UP MONETARILY AND MONETARY SUPPORT MAINLY IS JUST LIKE TECHNICAL SUPPORT.  AWESOME AND I KNOW YOU MENTIONED AT THE CIVIC SUMMIT THERE WAS LIKE SOME TRAINING. IS THERE ANY AND I LOVE THAT IDEA RIGHT YEAH TI SOMEONE HAD A FISH RIGHT?  YOU DON'T HAVE TO YOU KNOW KEEP ON COMING BACK. SO IS THERE ANY PLANS TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CIVIC COULD DIVE INTO OR GET THROUGHOUT THE YEAR INSTEAD OF YOU KNOW AT THE SUMMIT?  YES. SO ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT WAS BIRTH OUT OF THE SEVEN SUMMIT IS EXPANSION TO THE CIVIC ORGANIZING TEAM.  IT'S A IT'S A TINY TEAM THAT IS TWO PEOPLE THREE PEOPLE RIGHT NOW TECHNICALLY WE LOOK TO KIND OF EXPAND THE CAPACITY THERE TO HAVE A SPECIFIC PERSON THAT'S FOCUSED ON TRAININGS RIGHT NOW WE'RE DOING IT ON A SMALLER SCALE JUST DUE TO CAPACITY.  SO WE HAVE FOLLOW UP MEETINGS WITH THE CIVICS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO ATTEND WHICH IS JUST THAT KIND OF LIKE 200 PEOPLE WE LOOK FORWARD TO.  WE LOOK TOWARDS EXPANDING THIS BECAUSE JUST TO DO CAPACITY REASONS BUT WE'RE STILL DEFINITELY IN THE INFANCY AS ADMINISTRATION OF LIKE BUILDING OFF OF THE SAME EXCITEMENT BUT THERE'S DEFINITELY AN APPETITE TO EXPAND. AWESOME. AND THEN I KNOW JUST BY TALKING TO SOME OF THE CIVICS LIKE SOME OF THEM COLLECT MONEY, SOME OF THEM DON'T.  HOWEVER, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY USE LIKE WHETHER IT'S COST AND CONTACT THE MAIL SERVER, A WEBSITE THAT DOES REQUIRE SOME FUNDING. THIS IS A VOLUNTEER SERVICE AT OUR CIVIC DO IT DOES ANY YOU KNOW THOUGHT TO GIVING JUST TO SUPPORT THOSE YOU KNOW BASIC LEVEL OF SERVICE OF JUST GETTING THE WORD OUT BECAUSE WE'RE ALSO ACTS IN OUR CIVICS TO HOST A BUTTON MEDIA AND SO ON DEVELOPMENTS ON ALL THE STUFF THAT'S GOING IN THE CITY. ANY THOUGHT AROUND JUST SUPPORTING THOSE BASELINE SERVICES FOR OUR CIVICS?  I DEFINITELY THINK WE COULD, YOU KNOW, TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. OF COURSE WE HAVE DONE SUPPORT WITH YOU KNOW, ZOOM HOW TO DO BREAKOUT ROOMS, STUFF LIKE THAT. BUT DEFINITELY WE KNOW THAT IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO ADVERTISE THEIR SERVICES, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING. SO THERE'S DEFINITELY A WE COULD DEFINITELY LOOK INTO MORE OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO ADVERTISE AND BE ON SOCIAL MEDIA ETC. WHICH IS WHAT THE DURING THE CIVIC SUMMIT ONE OF THE ONE OF THE SESSIONS WAS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT LIKE HOW TO INCREASE THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE, HOW TO ENGAGE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, HOW TO HOW TO GET THE WORD OUT THERE ABOUT YOUR LIKE THIS ALSO JUST ADVERTISEMENT ABOUT THE WORK YOU'RE DOING AWESOME AND THE OTHER THING THAT I CONSTANTLY GET RIGHT WHEN I'M WALKING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD I'M LIKE HEY GO DO YOUR CIVIC AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S ADVERTISED LIKE WHO YOUR CITY COUNCIL DID. YOU CAN GO TO A WEBSITE, TYPE IN THE WEBSITE YOUR ADDRESS OR POP UP WHO IS YOUR CITY COUNCILOR ? WE DON'T HAVE THAT FOR OUR CIVICS RIGHT?  I HAVE TO GO TO A MAP TO KIND OF FIND OUT WHAT CATCHMENT AREA YOU KNOW YOU LIVE IN IN ORDER TO DIRECT YOU TO THAT RIGHT CIVIC ANY THOUGHT ON CREATING YOU KNOW THAT TYPE OF WEBSITE FOR OUR CIVIC SO RESIDENTS CAN KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHAT CIVIC GROUP THEY BELONG TO TO GET THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE EQUIPPING THEM WITH.  I THINK THERE'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOOK INTO . MY DEFAULT IS ALWAYS TO SAY CONNECT WITH YOUR LABOR LIAISON TO EVERYONE. YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO KNOW WHAT STREET YOU LIVE ON. IT'S LIKE YOU LIVE IN OUT OF HAND.  YOU CONNECT WITH THEIR LIAISON. WE CAN HELP YOU NAVIGATE CITY RESOURCES AS WELL AS THE CIVICS. IT'S A VERY LITTLE LIKE A LIKE IT'S LOWER THAN LIKE BEING LIKE OH I LIVE ON LIKE THE RIVER STREET LIKE BUT WHAT PART OF RIVER SHE DELIVERED LIKE LIKE WHEN SOMEBODY CAN HELP YOU NAVIGATE IT RIGHT NOW THAT'S A GOOD POINT.  RIGHT? BECAUSE I THINK ON RIVER STREET IS LIKE THREE YEAH. CIVIC CIVIC GROUPS. YEAH WELL THANK YOU CHIEF ALOHA FOR ALL THAT YOU DO AND NO FURTHER QUESTIONS HERE. THANK YOU, SIR.  BEFORE WE CONTINUE, I DO WANT TO ASK FOR THE PUBLIC PANELIST NINA BILL MCDONALD IS A WOMAN IF YOU WANT TO JOIN CHIEF NINA NINE AUTHORITY ON THE PANEL WITH CHIEF MOORE.  THAT WAY WE CAN ASK ALL OF YOU THE THE QUESTION SINCE THERE'S ONLY TWO OF YOU HERE AND LISA'S VIRTUAL NO, YOU GOT ME UP HERE WITH A HEAVY HITTER. HOLD UP NOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF REAL QUICK? YES.  GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS NYLA JOHNSON LETOURNEAU AND I'M THE LEADER OF THE WOODROW AVENUE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.  THANK YOU ALL FOR INVITING MEJIA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. HEY, WE'RE GOING TO PROCEED WITH Q&A.  OH, YES. AND WE HAVE ALSO ON ZOOM TESTIFY AND VIRTUALLY LISA BEEMAN.  YES. HELLO EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR FOR HOLDING THIS HEARING AND INVITING US.  THANK YOU FOR JOINING. OKAY.  WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE WITH THE Q&A NOW LIKE TO GIVE THE MIC TO COUNSELOR PRESIDENT RUTI LOUIJEUNE THANK YOU MR CHAIR AND THANKS EVERYONE. THANK YOU.  CHIEF MALOUF GREAT TESTIMONY NINE I THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. LISA BEEMAN IT'S BEEN A DOUBLE FEATURE YOUR SECOND DAY IN A ROOM FROM THE COUNCIL SO THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US AGAIN I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT I JUST WANT TO PICK OFF SORT OF WHERE CANTORA WAS ONE IN JAPAN LAW THIS QUESTION HAS COME TO ME TOO LIKE WHAT SORT OF A GROUP CAN I BE INVOLVED IN? AND I WILL SAY THAT AS A COUNSELOR THERE IS A DESIRE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE A RESIDENT A DIRECT ANSWER RATHER THAN SAYING OH LET ME CONNECT YOU WITH SOMEONE ELSE SO THAT THEY CAN GIVE YOU AN ANSWER BECAUSE I WILL JUST AND MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING THAT MY COLLEAGUES SHARE.  MAYBE IT'S JUST A MEETING. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE THAT THE CONSTITUENT IS GETTING THE ANSWER RATHER THAN PASSING THEM. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES CONSTITUENTS FEEL LIKE WE'RE PLAYING A GAME OF HOT POTATO EVEN IF FOR SOME REASON THERE'S AN EFFICIENCY ARGUMENT THAT THE LIAISON IS THE BEST TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM THE ANSWER IN WE GET HAVE A DATABASE WHERE TO HAVE SOMETHING JUST LIKE MORE CLEARLY BE LIKE THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN FIND THE INFORMATION ON SOMETHING THAT'S MORE TANGIBLE RATHER THAN SAYING TALK TO THIS PERSON I UNDERSTAND THE VALUE BUT THERE'S LIKE A WANTING TO BE A PROBLEM SOLVER WANTING TO GIVE SOMEONE THE ANSWER. I THINK THAT I OFTEN FEEL AND I THINK MAYBE IT'S JUST IN MY WORK IN DIRECT SERVICES WANTING TO HELP PEOPLE GET TO AN ANSWER RATHER THAN SENDING THEM TO SOMEONE ELSE TO GIVE THEM AN ANSWER.  AND I THINK ALL OF OUR LIAISONS ARE THE BOND OUTCOME. I THINK THEY'RE AMAZING AND I THINK I'VE NEVER DONE THAT.  I'VE NEVER PASSED SOMEONE ALONG. WE'VE TRIED TO FIND THE ANSWER OR WE'VE GIVEN THEM A LIST OF LIKE THIS IS WHAT YOU DO. AND SO JUST PUTTING THAT OUT FOR FOOD FOR THOUGHT AND MAYBE THAT IS JUST THE ANSWER. IT'S NOT LIKE THE POLITICS OF THE ANSWER IS JUST LIKE HOW I THINK OPERATIONALLY I LIKE TO ANSWER CONSTITUENT QUESTIONS AND I THINK THAT MIGHT BE TRUE THAT MIGHT BE SHARED BY SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES. I WON'T SPEAK FOR THEM.  I HAVE A QUESTION LIKE WHEN A CIVIC ASSOCIATION IS STARTING LIKE FOR EXAMPLE THERE'S A CUMMINS HIGHWAY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WHAT WHAT SUPPORTS DO WE PROVIDE A NEW GROUP THAT IS TRYING TO GET TRYING TO GET TO TO PULL TOGETHER NEIGHBORS AND BECOME A CIVIC ASSOCIATION LIKE WHAT ARE THIS WHAT IS ASSISTANCE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE SO TO KNOW SO ONE TO YOUR FIRST POINT, I DO THINK THERE'S THERE'S DEFINITELY AN APPETITE TO DO THAT. I THINK WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. ADDING TO THE SECOND PIECE WE TO THE EMPOWER KIND OF PIECE TO THE THREE WORDS I MENTIONED EARLIER IS IMPORTANT THAT ANYONE HAS AGENCY TO CREATE ANY SPACE THEY WANT. WE'VE WE'VE SEEN YOU KNOW CIVICS CREATE AFTER A PROJECT IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AFTER A SPECIFIC INCIDENT IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE DON'T WANTED IT LIKE IF YOU WANT TO START A CIVIC ASSOCIATION YOU CAN START ONE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO DO IS AT LEAST FIRST CONNECT THEM WITH THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION I MEAN WITH THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD LIAISON AND HELP THEM NAVIGATE THROUGH ANY, YOU KNOW, RECENT PROJECTS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. JUST KIND OF TOP LINES ON HOW LIKE ESD OR ZBA WORKS GIVEN THE FACT THAT THAT'S A LOT OF THE A LOT OF KIND OF USUALLY WHAT THEY YOU KNOW START BECAUSE OVER OR WITH STREETS OR THE PACIFIC STREETS PROBABLY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT SO WE'RE ABLE TO KIND OF HELP THEM MAINLY WITH RESOURCES TO THIS TO THAT POINT THERE IS A JUST LIKE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIKE CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS IN LIKE CITY LIKE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS AND WE DO YOU KNOW WE HAVE CONNECTED YOU KNOW THE SOUTH A SOUTH END GROUP TO LIKE THE WEST PROPERTY NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL LIKE SO IF WE MAKE THE CONNECTION OF LIKE THIS IS KIND OF HOW LIKE THIS COUNCIL HAS WORKED OR THE CITY COUNCIL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT SO YOU KNOW FOR EXAMPLE LIKE THEY HAVE BYLAWS, THEY VOTE LIKE THIS AND WE'RE ABLE TO KIND OF MAKE THAT CONNECTION SO COMMUNITIES KIND OF CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER. BUT THAT'S KIND OF THE TOP LINES OF USUALLY WHAT WE DO HELPING OUT OF THE CITY RESOURCES AND CONNECTING CONNECTING PEOPLE LIKE THIS THE DIFFERENCE IN UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL IN A IN A CIVIC ASSOCIATION AND YOU KNOW THANK YOU TO HAVE TIME FOR YES WE THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH THIS LYNETTE AND LISA I WAS WONDERING AND LIKE I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU AS CIVIC LEADERS HOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR FROM THE CITY AND HOW THE CITY CAN BE MORE HELPFUL TO THE WORK THAT YOU DO THAT REALLY HELPS US TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE LEAVE THE CITY. SO WHAT WHAT WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE FROM THE CITY?  THANK YOU. SO I JUST WANT TO SHARE SOME FOR EXPERIENCES WORKING WITH YOU KNOW IN THE COMMUNITY AND SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO COUNCIL OUR RURAL HE ADVOCATED FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR A CIVIC NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND I SAID CHAIRPERSON FOR THE WOODROW AVENUE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.  I TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY AND WE LAUNCHED OUR WEBSITE LAST SUMMER TO 2023 HAVING THE TECHNICOLOR SYSTEM HAS ALLOWED US TO CONNECT WITH MORE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND ABROAD AND IT HAS ALSO HELPED US INCREASE OUR ATTENDANCE WITH REGARDS TO, YOU KNOW, SHARE AND HAVING HAVING AN ADDITIONAL PLATFORM TO SHARE OUR ACCOMPLISHMENT OR DETERMINATION AND TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY MUCH STRONGER AND SAFER AND PLANS OUR PLANS FOR FUTURE GOALS.  MS. CHRISTINA GLOVER SHE WAS THE FORMER SHE THE FORMER CIVIC ASSOCIATION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE OF COUNCILOR OF RURAL.  SHE HAS BEEN A GREAT ASSET AS SHE HAS BUILT THE SITE AND PROVIDED TRAINING FOR MANAGEMENT AS WELL LIKE HER PASSION, PASSION, PATIENCE AND ENCOURAGEMENT HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE FOR COMMUNITY CIVIC GROUP AND WE ARE FOREVER GRATEFUL TO HER AS WELL AS THE THE COUNCIL AND HIS TEAM. THAT SAID APPROVED THIS BILL FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR CIVIC LEADERS TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE IN SURROUNDING COMMUNITY.  IT WILL GIVE A VOICE TO THE ON HARD IT WILL ENHANCE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH AND IT WILL HELP CREATE A NEIGHBORHOOD WEBSITE FOR ALL ASSOCIATION TO USE WITH COMMUNITY RESOURCES AS I MOVE FORWARD IN SAYING THAT COMMUNITIES CIVIC GROUPS THAT FOSTER THE USE OF CIVIC OF CITY SERVICES IT HELP OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS.  THEREFORE WE NEED MORE WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES TO LEARN HOW TO BETTER ADVOCATE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AS AN EXAMPLE LIKE GRANT WRITING LEARN HOW TO USE I I AND OTHER TECH TECHNOLOGICAL TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANT PARDON ME I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS YOU'RE DOING GREAT AND TO ADVOCATE FOR, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE AND ALSO INFORM US HOW TO HOW TO WORK WITH STATE AND LOCAL AND LOCAL OFFICIALS AND TO ADVOCATE FOR US AND AND WHAT OUR DARE WHAT ARE ARE THEIR RULES BEING APART, BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND TEACHING HOW TO LEGITIMIZE THE VALUE AND POWER THAT RESIDENTS HAVE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND ON BEHALF OF THE WOODROW AVENUE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND SISTER ASSOCIATION IN SARANAC COMMUNITIES, WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL SUPPORT THIS BILL AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY CIVIC ASSOCIATION.  OKAY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND WE WERE JUST MARVELING AT THE WEBSITE. WE THINK IT LOOKS GOOD. WE THINK IT LOOKS REALLY GREAT. SO KUDOS.  YEAH, SERIOUSLY, I DON'T KNOW IF LISA WANTED TO ADD ANYTHING . LISA I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO ADD ANYTHING OR IN TERMS OF HOW YOU LOOKING TO THIS. YES.  WELL FIRST OF ALL I WANT TO ECHO THE LAST STATEMENT BUT FIRST OF ALL LET ME INTRODUCE MYSELF LISA BEEKMAN, CO-LEADER OF THE MOUNT HOPE CANTERBURY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. WE ARE LOCATED IN EASTERN ROSLINDALE.  WE COINED THE TERM EASTERN US NOW BECAUSE WE ARE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF LITERALLY THE TRACKS BETWEEN HYDE PARK AVENUE AND THE MATTAPAN AND HYDE PARK BORDERS AND SO WE ARE DEMOGRAPHICALLY CLOSER TO MATTAPAN THAN YOU KNOW, FIZZLING ROSLINDALE SQUARE AREA AND SO I'M NOT LIKE I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO SAY AT THIS POINT . I DEFINITELY WANT TO ECHO THE NEED TO SUPPORT THIS BILL BECAUSE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDS MANIFESTED BY THESE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS. YOU KNOW SOME OF US DO NEED YOU KNOW, ARE MORE UNDER-RESOURCED THAN SOME OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEREFORE NEED MORE ASSISTANCE. I HAVE SOME OTHER THINGS TO SAY BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT SORT OF THE REST OF THIS HEARING HOW THIS WILL PLAY OUT. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE TIME FOR ME TO TO SAY THEM. WE WILL CONTINUE WITH THE Q&A AND PERHAPS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS CAN LEAD YOU TO THOSE RESPONSES.  THANK YOU. OF COURSE. THANK YOU, LISA.  AT THIS TIME I WANT TO CALL ON COUNCILOR MURPHY.  THANK YOU, CHAIR AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT IN KIND OF WHAT LISA HAD JUST SAID, I WENT BACK TO READ THE YOU KNOW, THIS IS A HEARING REALLY FOCUSING ON THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE KNOWING THAT WE'RE SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT THAT. BUT OF COURSE THIS CONVERSATION BRINGS UP ALL THE OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE CARE ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS AND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND RELATED TO WHAT COUNCILOR OR PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE MENTIONED ALSO HAS AN AT LARGE CITY COUNCIL RIGHT?  WE HAVE ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS SO ALL YOU KNOW DISTRICT AND ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I DID WHEN I GOT INTO OFFICE FOUR MONTHS HAD MAPS AND CHART PAPERS AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE HAD LISTED ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ORGANIZATION AND AN ASSOCIATION AND A COUNCIL AND YOU KNOW WHEN THEY MET WHAT DAY THE MONTH THEY MET ALSO MAPPING OUT WHICH I THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR THE CIVIC AND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS ALSO BUT FOR US BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WHEN PEOPLE CALL WITH NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY QUESTIONS IT'S NOT JUST YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP YOU WANT TO CONNECT THEM WITH BUT IT'S MAPPING OUT WHICH I NO ONE AS DOES HAVE YOU KNOW, THE LIST OF ALL THE COMMUNITY CENTERS AND THE SENIOR CENTERS WITH UAF AND THE POLICE AND FIRE THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS THE MAIN STREETS AND ALL THE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS TO GET A REAL FEEL OF WHAT RESOURCE IS ARE IN EACH NEIGHBORHOOD AND DOES THE DIFFERENT CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS, YOU KNOW, WORK ALONG WITH THEM OR YOU KNOW, ARE THEY CONNECTED TO THEM? SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THOUGH THAT I HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING ALSO SO THROUGH THE CHAIR TO THE MAKERS JUST MAKING SURE LIKE THE OUTCOME FOR THIS IS TO SEE IF THE CITY CAN FUND TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S TRAINING AND THAT WE PAY FOR LIKE WEBSITES LIKE YOU MENTIONED IF IT'S GODADDY OR LIKE A CONSTANT CONTACT OR SOMETHING IS THAT THE HOPE COMING OUT OF HERE THAT IF NEEDED OR WOULD IT BE SOMETHING THAT BECAUSE THERE'S HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS RIGHT. A LOT OF THEM THERE'S A LOT OF THEM RIGHT.  I KNOW WHEN I'M THE DISTRICT THREE COUNCILOR HAD TOLD ME YOU KNOW THERE'S 36 ALONE IN D3 SO WHEN YOU HAVE NINE DISTRICTS IT'S YOU KNOW THERE'S A LOT CITYWIDE BUT IF THAT'S OKAY TO ASK A CHAIR THROUGH THE MAKE OR LIKE WHAT OUR HOPE IS COMING OUT OF HERE TO SUPPORT WHAT SUPPORT WE'RE HOPING TO GIVE BECAUSE AS WE KNOW SOME DON'T NEED IT YET SOME ALREADY HAVE THAT ASSISTANCE OR WOULD WE THEN REIMBURSE THEM BECAUSE IF IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GIVING TO OTHERS, WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS WERE COUNCILMEMBER UP YEAH SO MY THOUGHTS ARE ONE JUST HAD THE CONVERSATION JUST TO HEAR WHAT WE'VE ALL BEEN NOT JUST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AS A DISTRICT FOR CITY COUNCILOR YOU KNOW HEAR FROM ALL THE OTHER COUNCILORS JUST IN THIS ROOM LIKE EVERY CIVIC IS NOT THE SAME. EVERY GROUP IS NOT THE SAME.  SOME SOME GROUPS MEET ONCE A MONTH, SOME GROUPS MEETS ONCE A YEAR. YOU KNOW EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT STYLES ARE DIFFERENT WHO THE VOLUNTEERS AND WHAT THEY BRING TO THE TABLE ALL DIFFERENT.  SO IT'S KIND OF FINDING OUT THROUGH THIS CONVERSATION ON WHAT IS NEEDED WHERE THERE'S ALIGNMENT WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND HOW WE CAN PROCEED FROM THERE. SO NOTHING BUT I DO THINK WE JUST NEED TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION HOW WE COULD BE MORE SUPPORTIVE WHETHER IT'S TRAININGS THAT ARE HAPPENING ON A MORE CONSISTENT BASIS. ONE THING THAT I HEARD LAST NIGHT I WAS TALKING I REMEMBER OVER IN WITH YOUR WIFE LIKE THEY THEY DON'T HAVE DEVELOPMENTS RIGHT AND NOW THEY'RE DEALING WITH LIKE THEIR FIRST DEVELOPMENT IN THAT AREA AND THEY'RE ALSO A NEW CIVIC AND HOW MUCH INFORMATION LIKE WHO TAUGHT THEM ABOUT ARTICLE 80 WHO TAUGHT THEM ABOUT THE BDA PROCESS, WHO TAUGHT THEM ABOUT THE RFP? SO IT'S NOT IT'S A WIDE RANGE BUT JUST GETTING THAT INFORMATION HERE AND THAT TALKED TO CHIEF MILLER ON WHERE THEY ALIGNMENT AND SEE WHAT CAN BE SUPPORTED YEAH DEFINITELY SEE ACROSS THE CITY AND ALSO KNOWING THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD LIAISONS GET TO I MEAN THERE'S SOME NIGHTS IN DORCHESTER I CALL IT LIKE THREE IN A ROW YEAH THREE IN A ROW ONE NIGHT BUT THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD LIAISONS I THINK WOULD BE A GOOD PERSON YOU KNOW PEOPLE POINT PERSON TO CHECK LIKE YOU GO TO THESE CIVICS AND NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS WHAT DO YOU SEE INDIVIDUALS NEED AND LIKE YOU MENTIONED I KNOW COLUMBIA SEVEN HILL WITH ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENT OR LONG OUT OF YEARS AGO THEY HAVE SPINOFFS SO THEY HAVE THEIR MONTHLY MEETING BUT THEY KNEW THERE WAS SO MUCH DEVELOPMENT SO THEY HAVE SEPARATE DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS. THEY ALSO HAVE A SEPARATE SAFETY MEETING. IT'S UNDER THE UMBRELLA BUT I THINK OTHERS DO THE SAME KNOWING THAT WHEN A BIG PROJECT IS COMING OR IF THEY JUST LIVE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THERE'S ALWAYS PROJECTS THAT WOULD TAKE UP TOO MUCH OF THE AGENDA. ALSO THE COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICES ATTEND THESE TWO SO I THINK OF THEM BEING PART OF THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF WHICH GROUPS MAY NEED MORE SUPPORT YOU KNOW AND WHAT HAS OFTENTIMES YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW AND IF YOUR GROUP IS DOING WELL AND YOU JUST DON'T REALIZE THAT HEY OVER THERE THEY'RE DOING IT DIFFERENTLY OR DID YOU KNOW YOU COULD BE MORE EFFECTIVE? SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE WOULD I THINK STEP IN ALSO IN GETTING THAT INFORMATION FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD LIAISONS OR THE CSOS WHO ATTEND THESE MEETINGS LIKE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE LIKE WHAT RESOURCES IF THERE ARE ANY THAT THE CITY CAN OFFER TO THOSE WHO MAY NEED MORE.  BUT THANK YOU. THANK YOU CHAIR AND ALWAYS THANK YOU AGAIN TO THE SPONSOR BECAUSE THE CONVERSATION IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO FIND OUT WHAT PEOPLE NEED AND MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILOR COUNCILOR DURKIN THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR THIS HAS REALLY ENLIGHTENING CONVERSATION AND YOU KNOW, I'M VERY AWARE REPRESENTING FIVE NEIGHBORHOODS AND HAVING SIX SIX CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS IS A BLESSING BECAUSE YOU KNOW, COUNCILOR FLYNN I THINK IN LIKE FIVE OF HIS BLOCKS PROBABLY HAS LIKE 1010 ORGANIZATIONS. SO IT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT WORLD. I HAD WORKED A LOT DONE A LOT OF WORK IN THE SOUTH AND PRIOR TO BECOMING A COUNCILOR . SO I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS WHEN THERE IS A MAYOR OF EVERY SINGLE BLOCK AND AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL MY CIVIC ORGS WORK WEST END CIVIC ASSOCIATION, BEACON HILL CIVIC ASSOCIATION NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION OF THE BACK BAY FENWAY CIVIC ASSOCIATION AND AUDUBON CIRCLE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. BUT I WILL SAY WE ALSO IN MY DISTRICT HAVE LIKE A THRIVING BUSINESSES ASSOCIATIONS THAT EXIST ON TOP OVERLAPPING ON TOP OF THESE JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT LAYER TO THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE I THINK YOU KNOW BRIANNA WILL TELL YOU BECAUSE SHE'S BEEN IN ALL OF THESE MEETINGS AND SHE KNOWS HOW MUCH ALL OF THESE ISSUES OVERLAP. A LOT OF OUR BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS ALSO DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED PARTLY BECAUSE IF YOU'RE RUNNING A SMALL BUSINESS YOU ARE ESSENTIALLY YOU KNOW, ALL OF YOUR TIME IS USED TO.  YEAH. SO A LOT OF THESE ARE SORT OF ALL OF YOUR TIME IS USED TO DO THIS, DO YOUR WORK FOR YOUR SMALL BUSINESS AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT YOU'RE BEING ASKED LIKE WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR SECURITY ON THE STREET?  WHAT ARE WE DOING? AND THERE'S ALWAYS SORT OF ANOTHER THING ON ON TOP OF IT. SO A LOT OF OUR BUSINESS ASSOCIATION ARE SORT OF LIKE LOOSELY PUT TOGETHER BECAUSE THE VOLUNTEERS THAT THEY HAVE ARE ESSENTIALLY PEOPLE WHO WORK 24 SEVEN TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO DO EVERYTHING FOR THEIR BUSINESS JUST WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT AS WELL TO THE BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS WHO WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS ON A LOT OF ISSUES AND OFTENTIMES I THINK OUR CIVIC ORGS DO SUCH A GREAT JOB AT BRINGING EVERYONE TO THE TABLE BUT TRYING TO FIND THAT BALANCE OF TRYING TO BRING EVERY SINGLE STAKEHOLDERS TO THE TABLE AND I JUST WANT TO BRING UP TO IN MY DISTRICT THERE IS A POPULATION OF FOLKS WHO MOVE IN BETWEEN CIVIC WORKS LIKE ALL OF THE TIME. I THINK WITH STUDENTS WHO MOVE TO NEIGHBORHOODS AND A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY STRUGGLING TO AFFORD TO LIVE HERE MAINTAINING CIVIC MAINTENANCE, MAINTAINING LIKE LASTING ASSOCIATIONS IN A NEIGHBORHOOD REQUIRES PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO LIVE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. SO I THINK A LOT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS SKEW TOWARDS HOMEOWNERS WHICH I THINK IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THAT VOICE. BUT I THINK IT'S ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THAT WE AS A CITY ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION.  SO I REALLY LOVED COUNCILOR FROM COUNCIL PRESIDENT RESOLUTION'S QUESTION ABOUT SORT OF HOW ARE WE TRACKING LIKE CIVIC ORGS EXIST BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE MOVE TO A NEIGHBORHOOD OFTEN IT'S YOU KNOW WE'RE LIKE OKAY DO YOU CAN THE REAL ESTATE AGENT PROVIDE A VOTER REG FORM BUT CAN THEY ALSO PROVIDE THE ORGANIZATION OF THE CIVIC ORGANIZATION AND CAN THEY ALSO DO SO THERE ARE ALL THESE THINGS THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO ADD TO THE CONVERSATION OR IF YOU'RE A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER YOU KNOW HERE'S YOUR BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.  SO THERE'S A LOT THE CITY COULD BE DOING AND I REALLY THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHIEF MILLER FOR ALL YOU DO TO GET PEOPLE CONNECTED SO THE QUESTION FOR ME OF WHAT CIVIC ORG YOU LIVE IN BECAUSE I ONLY HAVE SIX IT'S PRETTY EASY BUT IT'S NOT FOR MY A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES SO SO THAT QUESTION JUST SHOWS THE DIVERSITY OF THE DISTRICTS THAT ARE REPRESENTED HERE AND THAT THE FOLKS THAT ARE INVOLVED. SO CHIEF MOORE, I WANTED TO ASK YOU A QUESTION ABOUT CIVIC WHAT CIVIC MEAN TO THE OFFICE OF YOU KNOW, OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES AND HOW CAN WE HOW CAN WE SUPPORT YOUR WORK? OBVIOUSLY WE TRY TO HAVE A MEMBER OF OUR TEAM AT EVERY CIVIC ORGANIZATION BECAUSE THAT'S POSSIBLE.  BUT IF YOU'RE AT LARGE OR IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF CIVIC GROUPS IN YOUR DISTRICT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE. SO HOW CAN WE WORK TOGETHER WITH THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES TO MAKE SURE THAT THROUGHOUT THE CITY WE'RE SORT OF BUILDING A COALITION OF SUPPORT FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ASSOCIATIONS? WELL, FIRST COUNCILOR THERE AGAIN THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS BECAUSE THAT HAD MY BRAIN GOING ABOUT SO LIKE NEWMARKET SQUARE IS THE BACK BAY ASSOCIATIONS THAT THEY OBVIOUSLY REPRESENT BUSINESS DISTRICTS BUT LIKE ENGAGE WITH RESIDENTS SO OFTEN OR PARTICIPATE ENGAGE WITH THE AGGREGATED RESIDENTS SO OFTEN IT ALSO MADE THINK LIKE YOU KNOW SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES OF ORGANIZATIONS SO YOU KNOW SOME PAY DUES SOME DON'T AND ABLE TO BUILD THEIR KIND OF WAR CHEST OF MONEY FOR SUPPORT.  SO UNDERSTANDING THAT DISCREPANCY DOES EXIST OUT IN THE WORLD BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WOULD BE GREAT BECAUSE INK T G  THESERSATNS IOKE SUREESL LOU KD FRIDAYS OR WE HAVE ENGAGEMENT ON FRIDAYS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE IN RESIDENCE WHERE THEY ARE AND NOT ALWAYS CIVIC HEADS BUT IT'S RESIDENTS THAT LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. I THINK IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO TO PARTNER WITH DIFFERENT COUNCIL OFFICES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ENGAGING WITH RESIDENTS ACROSS THE PARTY MENTALLY.  AND I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT BECAUSE EVEN FROM ONE OF THERESN AND LIKE COUNCILOR WEBER ANDLI O WORK TOGETHER IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE GREAT FOR THE RESIDENTS TO UNDERSTAND LIKE WHAT RESOURCES THEY HAVE AT THEIR DISPOSAL. SO I THINK PARTNERSHIPS ON FIELD FRIDAYS SPECIFICALLY WITH CIVICS I THINK YOU KNOW ANY FOLLOW UP I KNOW ANDERSON WHERE IS IS WORKING ON THE SAME BUT I'LL FOLLOW UP SO FOR EXAMPLE THAT THERE'S DEFINITELY APPETITE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE JUST COLLABORATIVELY WORKING WITH CIVICS.  YEAH. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THE FURTHER CONVERSATION ON COUE UNDERSTANDING ARTICLENGS MADE ME HOW WE TRAIN OUR LIAISONS LIKE THEY NEED TO KNOW ALL THIS INFORMATION AND THAT TRAINING CAN BE COPY AND PASTE IT OVER TO CIVICS AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DEFINITELY LOOK MORE FURTHER INTO.  AND I'M SORRY , ONE MORE QUESTION IN TERMS OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CIVIC ORGS PROVIDE TO LIAISONS, I JUST WANTED TO ASK A LITTLE MORE ABOU TNK WRE TALNGTING TO CHAGE OF THE DAY W SORT OF LIKE SKILLING LIKE CIVIC ORGS UP SO THEY WHEN THEY HAVE A DEVELOPMENT IN THEIR DISTRICT I THINK A LOT OF OUR CIVIC ORGS I OFTEN WHEN I HEAR OF A CIVIC ORG HAVING A PROBLEM WANT TO INTRODUCE THEM TO ANOTHER CIVIC ORG BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES IT'S LIKE YOU KNOW YOU KNOW LIKE I YOU KNOW IN BEACON HILL FOR INSTANCE WE'T A LOT OFOLITA FENDER SOMEONE BEACON HILL BECAUSE AUSE WAV PROPOSAL THAT TO REDEVELOP THE CVS THAT IS SUPER IMPORTANT AT THE ON CAMBRIDGE STREET AT THE CORNER OF CHARLES AND CAMBRIDGE AND A LOT OF OUR CIVIC LEADERS CAN ALSO BE PART OF TRAINING OTHER CIVIC LEADERS.  I REALLY APPRECIATE APPRECIATED THE CIVIC SUMMIT BUT I WAS ACTUALLY EXPECTING IT TO BE A LITTLE MORE SOME OF THE CIVIC LEADERS IN MY DISTRICT TO KNOW SO MUCH ABOUT SO MUCH SO IT'S LIKE I ALMOST WISH THERE WAS LIKE FOUR PARTS TO IT OF LIKE IF YOU CARE ABOUT DEVELOPMENT LIKE MEET WITH MARTIN SCHROEDER FROM NAB YOU YOU KNOW LIKE ESSENTIALLY LIKE THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW A LOT ABOUT THOSE SPECIFIC THINGS. SO SORRY TO GO ON A LITTLE BIT BUT I WAS JUST CURIOUS SORT OF LIKE YOUR INTERACTIONS WITH SORT OF MAKING THOSE CORE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN CIVIC ORGS EVEN WITHIN WNIT,EFINY THAT FOUNDATION OF LIKE THE CIVIC SUMMIT. SO MAKE SURE NEIGHBORS WERE SPEAKING TO EACH OTHER DIRECTLY AND AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE HISTORICALLY CONNECTED DIFFERENT CIVIC THAT WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU KNOW WHAT IS A NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL THAT IS HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED SINCE MENI E L WTOE T LOOK LIKEND W WAS TABLISHED THAT WE DEFINITELY DO THAT? I MEAN THE HARDEST PART MY JOB IS LIKE TRYING TO PICK WHAT CIVIC LEADER TO SPEAK AT ANY GIVEN EVENT BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY TALENTED LEADERS ACROSS THE CITY THAT DEEPLY UNDERSTAND DEVELOPMENT DEEPLY UNDERSTAND LIKE ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC ENGINEERING LIKE THE HARDEST PART OF MY JOB. BUT I DO THINK THERE'S WE COULD FIGURE OUT HOW TO LIKE INCORPORATE MORE OF THE EXPERTISE WE SEE ACROSS THE CITY WITH OUR CIVIC LEADERS INTO THE CIVIC SUMMIT. I SEE TOM OVER THERE. HE LOVES EVERYTHING.  I THINK SO I WOULD HAVE ANYTHING. THANK YOU.  SERIOUSLY, HE KNOWS EVERYTHING. YEAH. COUNCILOR ANDERSON, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THERE'S A CHAIR SO I KNOW YOU GUYS KNOW BECAUSE I TALK ABOUT THIS OFTEN. I'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK ON THE CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS AND ALL THE STUFF RIGHT? ORGANIZING MY DISTRICT.  I THINK MY DISTRICT HAS THE MOST NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS COUNCILS, CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS.  YEAH, WE ACTUALLY DO I HEARD IT WAS WHERE AROUND IT IS DEFINITELY ME . HOW MANY DO YOU HAVE? NEVER MIND 45. I HAVE MORE THAN 75 INCLUDING NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS ANYWAY SO FAR NO WEBSITE ANYWAYS.  OH FOR THOSE OF YOU WATCHING PLEASE VISIT W WW BOSTON DISTRICT SEVEN DOT COM THIS TOOK AT LEAST THREE UNIVERSITIES PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN B.U. HARVARD AND NORTHEASTERN FOR US TO DO A FULL INVENTORY OF THE DISTRICT FOR US TO DO THE MATH OF THE CIVIC ASSOCIATION THAT YOU GUYS WANT FOR US TO DO A FULL STUDY IN TERMS OF SPATIAL MAPPING,  ACID MAPPING, UNDERSTANDING EXACTLY WHAT THE ASSETS ARE SO WE CAN COMPARE THAT TO DEFICITS FOR US TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO CREATE A PLATFORM WHERE IT'S A PORTAL, AN ONLINE PORTAL SO THAT EVERYTHING LIVES IN ONE PLATFORM A STREAMLINE INCUBATOR WHERE EVERYBODY KNOWS WHERE TO GO TO TALK ABOUT DEVELOPMENT. IF YOU COULD REACH TO BPA OR IF THERE WAS AN ISSUE A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY ADD STUFF TO CALENDAR CONSOLIDATE THE DISTRICT'S CALENDAR.  BUT BEYOND THAT IN TERMS OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, WE HAVE TO PULL RESOURCES FROM OUR LOCAL SCHOOLS AND THEN THERE'S ALWAYS OPPORTUNITY ROOM FOR MORE BECAUSE.  SOMETIMES YOU MAY NEED FOLKS TO PIECE TOGETHER LIKE MONEYS FOR EVENTS OR ORGANIZING OR TRAININGS AND IN TERMS OF LIKE SPECIFIC, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING LIKE RELEVANT REGULATIONS AND POLICIES OR ACCESSING DATA, THIS IS TRAINING THAT I THINK CAN COME FROM THE CITY AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAVE AN APP, RIGHT? AND THIS LIKE THE APP SPECIFICALLY SO I'M LOOKING AT MY NOTES FOR THAT CONTINUOUS LIKE FEEDBACK LOOP, RIGHT? YOU WANT PEOPLE TO DIRECTLY CONNECT WITH YOU. SO IMAGINE THIS UMBRELLA THERE'S DISTRICT SEVEN AND THERE'S THE CITY IN THE DISTRICT SEVEN AND THEN THERE'S A COUNSELOR RIGHT IN PARTNERSHIP AND THEN THEY'RE UNDER THE DISTRICT YOU HAVE CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS, COUNCILS, CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS, NEIGHBORHOOD AND IF YOU CREATE A HOPEFULLY IT'S A MODEL FOR OTHER DISTRICTS IF YOU CREATE ONE COUNCIL , ONE COALITION FOR ALL OF YOUR CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS. WHAT WE DO FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW IS THAT I DON'T HAVE TO GO TO EVERY YOU KNOW, BOUNCE AROUND TO CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS OR GROUPS. I GO TO ONE MEETING A WEEK AND THERE THE AGENDA INCLUDES THEM GIVING ME THE UPDATE FROM THEIR CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS AND ME GIVING THEM THINGS TO BRING BACK TO THE CIVIC ASSOCIATION WHEN THEY WANT ME TO PRESENT ON THINGS SUCH AS AND THEN WE HAVE ONE ACTION PLAN WHICH INCLUDES LIKE THE DIFFERENT DOMAINS OR PAIN POINTS OF DISTRICT SEVEN AND THE RELEVANCE THERE IS THAT THAT'S THAT'S WHERE THE WORK IS. THAT'S WHERE THE POLICY WORK, THE PROGRAMMATIC WORK, THE BUDGET PRIORITY CONVERSATIONS TAKING PLACE AND THEN SO WE HAVE SUBCOMMITTEES TO THAT AND REPRESENTATIVE FROM EACH OF ASSOCIATION OR NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS COMING IN AND SAYING FROM OUR CIVIC ASSOCIATION WE'VE VOTED NO ON THIS OR WE VOTED YES ON THIS SO I ONLY HAVE TO COMPILE FROM ONE MEETING ALL OF THAT INFORMATION AND SO IT SHOULD LIVE DIGITALLY AS WELL WHERE YOU HAVE THAT ONLINE PLATFORM AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO ALSO PROVIDE THEM WITH A TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE BEYOND JUST YOU KNOW, WEBSITES AND ORGANIZING OR PORTALS OR SHARE DRIVES. BUT ALSO LANGUAGE CAPACITY OR DISABILITY SOME FOLKS NEED, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT TYPES OF LIKE TECHNICAL ACCOMMODATIONS.  AND I THINK THAT WHEN WHEN YOU DO THAT AS YOU'RE SPEAKING LIKE WHO DO I CHOOSE TO RECOGNIZE OR WHO DO I CHOOSE TO SPEAK AT SOMETHING BUT THAT'S SO IMPORTANT, RIGHT? THAT'S WHY YOU SAID LIKE YOU'RE RIGHT LIKE CREATING A BEAUTIFUL ENVIRONMENT THEREFORE LIKE VISCERALLY IT HAS AN IMPACT AND PEOPLE ACT DIFFERENTLY.  SAME WITH RECOGNITION RIGHT AS WE KNOW IT. SO IT'S BEING ABLE TO HAVE THAT WEB BUT THEN YOU CAN TAP AND YOU CAN KEEP TRACK OF WHO HAVE WE ACKNOWLEDGE WHO HAVE WE NOT ACKNOWLEDGED IN YOUR OFFICE WORKING WITH YOUR OFFICE. I HAVE TO SAY CHIEF MULLER, I KNOW I'M ALWAYS GIVING YOU GLORY. PEOPLE ARE GOING TO YES. YES YOU ARE MY PRINCESS BUT I.  I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN COLLABORATIVE AND WORKING WITH US TO BE ABLE TO SAY LOOK, WE'VE DONE A COMPARATIVE OF 311 INFORMATION WE'VE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO USE THAT INFORMATION TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY THE RESPONSE AND THE ISSUES AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THESE CONVERSATIONS BUT THEN BRINGING IT BACK SO ONE RESOURCE CAN BE SCHOOLS AND TWO THERE'S DEFINITELY OPPORTUNITY HERE FOR FUNDING BECAUSE ALWAYS OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO HIRE CONSULTANTS FOR EXAMPLE THE NEXT PHASE OF THE REVITALIZATION ROXBURY PLAN IT'S GOING TO GO INTO UNDERSTANDING HOW TO CREATE ECOSYSTEMS IN POCKETS OF ROXBURY.  WHAT DOES ROXBURY NEED IN WALKABLE WAY? IN A WALKABLE WAY? I WANT TO GO TO THE GYM, TO THE JUICE BAR, DO MY DRY CLEANING AND BE ABLE TO GO TO A RESTAURANT AT NIGHT AND WITHIN 15 MINUTES HOW DO YOU DO THAT? AND SO THIS LEVEL OF PLANNING I THINK IT'S YOUR OFFICE, YOUR LEADERSHIP CONNECTED WITH THE PLANNING THE NEW PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND COMING TOGETHER AND SAYING WE HAD CONCERNS ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BUT IF WE STREAMLINE IT IN A DIGITAL WAY, IF WE INTEGRATE PEOPLE CIVICALLY IT MEANS THAT WE ARE CONNECTING ALL THREE AND SO THAT WE ARE PLANNING AHEAD OF TIME IN A VERY ANALYTICAL SENSE SO THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT METRICS, INCUBATORS, PLATFORMS AND SO FORTH.  BUT THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE RESOURCES TO SUPPORT WITH SUSTAINABILITY MOVING FORWARD AND I THINK THAT THOSE RESOURCES CAN COME FROM OUTSIDE OF THE CITY MONEY WISE AND OBVIOUSLY LIKE SERVICES I DO WANT YOUR FEEDBACK BOTH ON THIS AND HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER, CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER MOVING FORWARD.  I KNOW THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING PARTICULARLY THE PARTNERSHIP WITH YOU AND ONE THROUGH ONE HAS BEEN YOU KNOW HAVING YOU KNOW CONTINUOUS CONVERSATION WITH YOUR OFFICE TO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHEN THERE'S ANY WORK THAT WE CAN COLLABORATE ON THAT HAPPENS. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP THERE. SO I DEFINITELY LIKE I WAS WRITING NOTES AS WE WERE TALKING BECAUSE I HAD A ONE TO REMEMBER. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED WAS KIND OF LIKE A CENTRALIZED ADVISORY GROUP AND I THINK THAT IS A VERY EFFECTIVE MECHANISM BUT LIKE ALSO ONE OF THE DISCREPANCIES I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS BUT ONE OF THE I LIKE LOSE THE LIKE MEAT AND POTATOES OF LIKE ATTENDING THE LIKE SMALLER ONES AND THAT'S I FEEL LIKE THAT'S USUALLY WHERE YOU GET A LOT OF THE LIKE UNDERSTANDING WHY LIKE SOMEONE REALLY IS OPPOSED TO SOMETHING OR SUPPORTIVE OF SOMETHING OR IF THERE WAS A 9 TO 3 VOTE OR LIKE WHAT ARE THOSE THREE PEOPLE THINK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY BOTH AND LIKE YOU KNOW LOOKING WITHIN LIKE LIKE YOUR ADVISORY COUNCIL AND HAS BEEN HAVING THE SMALLER GROUPS LEAD UP AND BEING ABLE TO BE PRESENT AND EFFECTIVE AT BOTH OF THOSE. SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS LIKE I SHOULD SAY THIS WEEKLY MEETING IS FOR LEADERSHIP.  OKAY. AND MY LIAISONS ARE GOING TO OH, THE THREE OR FOUR MEETINGS A WEEK.  I SEE. OKAY. OH, THAT'S HELPFUL. NO QUESTION. CLARIFYING.  I ALSO THINK AS I MENTIONED,  THE GOAL OF THE CIVIC SUMMIT WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE PROVIDING TRAININGS AND TOOLS TO OUR CIVIC LEADERS AND A LOT OF THOSE AS YOU MENTIONED, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE LIKE THE CITY CITY WE USE OBVIOUSLY YOU KNOW, EXTERNAL PEOPLE TO DO CERTAIN TRAININGS OR TO LIKE YOU KNOW, UPLIFT THEIR EXPERTISE AND EVEN PARTNERING WITH THAT WE KNOW WE HAVE WE HAVE A OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF BRILLIANT INSTITUTIONS AND AGENCIES WITHIN THE CITY. I'M SURE THEY HAVE TO DONATE THEIR TIME IN SOME WAY SO MAYBE THAT CAN BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION AS WELL. AND THEN I ALSO WROTE I WAS I WROTE LIKE ELABORATE ON THE SCHOOLS PIECE YOU MENTIONED AND THE OTHER PIECE IS AS YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE UMBRELLA, THE PIECE THAT KIND OF STUCK OUT TO ME WAS I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT FIGURING OUT TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS. I JUST WANT US TO ALL LIKE UNDERPLAY WHAT A REDEFINING OF THE CIVIC ASSOCIATION BEING CLEAR ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. BUT I DEFINITELY THINK THAT THERE'S AN APPETITE TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT. I ALSO THINK FINAL PLEASE. THANK YOU. I ALSO THINK THAT WHERE THAT LIVES IS NOT JUST YOU KNOW WE CREATED A DISTRICT WEBSITE AND DATABASE BUT WHERE THAT LIVES IS THE COUNCIL'S WEBSITE SORRY PAGE NOT THE COUNCIL'S THE COUNCILORS CAMPAIGN WEBSITE THE COUNCILORS PAGE ON THE CITY OF BOSTON'S WEBSITE WHEN YOU CLICK ON A COUNCILORS FOR EXAMPLE HERE'S MY ADDRESS WAS MY COUNCIL YOU CLICK ON THEIR PICTURE AND YOU GO IT'S JUST YOU'RE DONE BY A BIOGRAPHY. THERE'S NOTHING ELSE. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO HERE EMAIL THAT'S IT. AND PEOPLE ARE FEELING LIKE OKAY, THAT'S WHAT I GOT SO WHY NOT? AND I FILED THE ORDER, YOU KNOW, SORRY THE ORDINANCE LAST YEAR AND THERE WAS SUPPORT AND THEN WE LOST VOTES. BUT THE IDEA IS THAT I SHOULD BE AS A CONSTITUENT I SHOULD BE ABLE TO JUST GO CLICK CLICK, CLICK AND GO TAKE ME STRAIGHT.  HERE'S THE MAP. HERE'S A CIVIC ASSOCIATION YOU BELONG PICK BY ADDRESS. HERE IS HOW YOUR COUNCIL HAS BEEN VOTING.  HERE ARE THEIR PRIORITIES. HERE ARE THEIR PLANS HERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT YOU WANT AND WE SHOULD HAVE WE DO HAVE ACCESS BUT IT'S BEEN LIKE A BIT ARDUOUS TO CONNECT WITH IT TO DO IT, TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY CREATE THAT AND WE DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY HERE SO I THINK WE NEED A TECHNICAL ASSISTANT TO ETHAN OR SOME SORT TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY UPKEEP THAT FOR US BECAUSE I THINK DO IT IS YOU KNOW HAS ENOUGH ON THEIR PLATE BUT IT SHOULD LIVE ON OUR PAGE BECAUSE IT OR ALSO ON OUR PAGE SO THAT IT'S ALL IT'S ALL STREAMLINED IT'S ALL THERE ONE PLACE AND I DON'T HAVE TO GO ANYWHERE ELSE. MISS MINOR MINOR IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COMMENT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO REPLY BUT UP TO YOU YOU KNOW SHE WANTS PASS. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. YEAH. MISS CHAIRS.  THANK YOU. I ALSO JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE ALSO BEEN JOINED BY BILL MCDONALD WHO IS ON ZOOM AS WELL. HE'S HE WAS ONE OF THE PANELIST AS THAT SIGNED UP SO I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE HIM ON HERE BUT CONTINUE WITH OUR Q&A. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE COUNCILOR CLUTTER.  THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH AND LISA, THANK YOU, SIR. I CAN'T SEE YOUR NAME LISA ON THERE FOR UM FOR PROVIDING A PERSPECTIVE AND I WANT TO SHOUT OUT VICTOR BRANA OF NEW FROM THE NORTH END WHO IS HERE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH VICTOR FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO AND JUST KNOW THAT WE ALSO REACHED OUT TO A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS IN MY DISTRICT WE HAVE HAD SOME PROVIDE WRITTEN TESTIMONY SO HOPING THAT THAT WOULD GET ON THE RECORD AND I DO WANT TO START THOUGH WITH THE STARTING AT BASELINE FOR THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SO SOMEBODY HAD MENTIONED EARLIER THAT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IS VERY MUCH CENTERED AROUND TECHNOLOGY BUT IT COULD BE AN ALL ENCAPSULATING TERM FOR CONSULTING SERVICES. SO ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO AND ACTUALLY LOOK AT SOMETHING LIKE WHAT IS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, ANYTHING THAT REFERS TO THE TRANSFER OF KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND RESOURCES THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR INDIVIDUALS OR ORGANIZATIONS TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS. SO THAT IS WHAT I WAS YEAH,  THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING WHEN WHEN IT COMES TO THIS CONVERSATION IN ADDITION TO THE TECHNOLOGY THAT IS NECESSARY TO EXIST AND THRIVE IN THIS HYBRID WORLD BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE IS I WANT TO BRING IT BACK A LITTLE BIT TO HOW YOU KNOW, CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN POWERFUL. THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN COLLECTIVE VOICES COMING TOGETHER AROUND VARIOUS CAUSES.  BUT IT REALLY STARTED UNDER MERRYMAN EXCUSE ME MAYOR WALSH WHERE MAYOR MENINO HAD HIS NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCILS AT TRIAL. SO NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL IS A VESTIGE OF THIS BUT MAYOR WALSH CENTERED DEVELOPED DEVELOPMENT CONVERSATIONS IN THESE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS AND REALLY PROP THEM UP TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK WHICH THEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD LIAISON WOULD TAKE AND GO TO THE EPA AND TALK ABOUT WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS WAS WORRIED ABOUT, CONCERNED ABOUT WHETHER THEY SUPPORTED IT OR IF THEY OPPOSED IT. AND SO OVER TIME THERE'S BEEN THIS EMPHASIS ON THESE CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS TO BE DEVELOPMENT AND ZONING EXPERTS AND SO THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THIS HAS HAS SNOWBALLED INTO AND IT'S A GREAT THING BECAUSE THEY ARE CENTERS OF POWER IN OUR COMMUNITIES.  I WOULD THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE OUTREACH TO YOUNGER FOLKS AND EVERY SINGLE ANY ANY SITUATION OR EVENT THAT I'M IN I'M ASKING ESPECIALLY COLLEGE AGE KIDS, YOUNG KIDS PLEASE GO TO YOUR CIVIC ASSOCIATION AND WE NEED YOU THERE. WE NEED YOUR VOICE. BUT I SAY ALL THIS BECAUSE THE CITY OF BOSTON REALLY PLAYED A ROLE IN EMPHASIZING CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS AND THEIR VOICE IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS IN PARTICULAR. AND BECAUSE OF THAT I FEEL LIKE IT IS THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ALSO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE SET UP FOR SUCCESS. AND THAT'S NOT ANYTHING WHEN THIS ADMINISTRATION AND I MEAN DEFINITELY THE FORMER ADMINISTRATION HAD HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS.  BUT I DO THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE PROVIDING SOME SORT OF GRANTS OR FUNDING TO THEM AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE A BUDGET LINE ITEM. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TALK THROUGH THAT WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN IF THAT SUSTAINABLE WELL BUT AT LEAST FOR THINGS LIKE CAMERAS OR STANDS FOR THESE CAMERAS THE FACT THE HEARING EQUIPMENT FOR TRANSLATIONS SERVICES THE OFFICE OF LANGUAGE ACCESS TRIES THEIR BEST TO BE EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE BUT THEY ARE SO LIMITED AND THAT'S WHY I PUSHED THROUGH THE BUDGET LAST YEAR TO GET THEM TO HAVE TO HAVE MORE HEADSETS BUT THERE'S ONLY SO MANY HEADSETS TO GO AROUND. SO FOR EXAMPLE IN THE EAGLE HILL NEIGHBORHOOD OF EAST BOSTON THEY DESPERATELY NEED HEADSETS EVERY SINGLE TIME. SO CAN THEY JUST GO AND BUY THEIR OWN THAT COSTS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. COULD THEY USE A GRANT TO TO TRY TO GET THAT BABYSITTING I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER?  I AM SUPPORTIVE OF HAVING A CATCH ALL CITY OF BOSTON WEBSITE THAT SHOWS YOU WHAT YOUR CIVIC ASSOCIATION CIVIC ASSOCIATION IS AND WE'VE DONE THIS BEFORE THROUGH THE PANDEMIC THERE WAS A HUGE WEBSITE THROUGH THE OFFICE OF SMALL BUSINESS THAT SHOWED WHERE THE WHERE THE BUSINESSES WERE OPEN, WHICH RESTAURANTS WERE DOING DELIVERIES WHICH WERE DOING TAKEOUT. AND SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS BEFORE. I THINK WE'VE HAD TO CONTRACT OUT TO GET IT DONE BUT WE'VE DEMONSTRATED THAT IT CAN HAPPEN AND SO I AM SUPPORTIVE OF HAVING THAT AND BE SPONSORED BY THE CITY OF BOSTON AND THEN ALSO GIVING THEM SOME MONEY FOR OUTREACH BECAUSE I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE AND ALL OF MY CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS DO INCREDIBLE WORK. IT IS VERY HOMOGENOUS. THERE'S THERE'S A SET GROUP OF DEMOGRAPHICS THAT GO TO OUR CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS AND IT'S NOT REFLECTIVE OF THE BROADER COMMUNITY. AND SO I REALLY THINK IT'S INCUMBENT UPON ALL OF US TO CREATE INCLUSIVE SPACES BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MUCH POWER AND VOICE AND ESPECIALLY OUR DEVELOPMENT CONVERSATIONS AND THEY PROVIDE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE POTENTIALLY THAT I'M ALWAYS TRYING TO TO HEAR AND FIGURE OUT SO THAT I CAN MAKE THE BEST DECISION AND HAVE A NET POSITIVE FOR MY COMMUNITY SO I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THOSE ARE JUST MY THOUGHTS AND MY SUGGESTIONS BUT I DO WANT TO SEE SOME LINE ITEM IN YOUR DEPARTMENT, IN YOUR CABINET THAT IS ADEQUATELY SUPPORTING COMMUNITY GROUPS AND CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS TO DO THIS WORK AND THEN THEY CHOOSE WHATEVER HOWEVER THEY WANT TO SPEND IT. SO THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS. THANK YOU TO RIGHT ON THE MONEY I THANK YOU.  I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS. LAST RECOMMENDATION JUST HEARING ALL MY COLLEAGUES ARE SEEING I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A LANDING PAGE IF IT'S BOSTON CIVICS DOT COM OR WHATEVER IT IS. I DO SEE IT LIVING LIKE I JUST DID A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH ON THEIR CIVIC ORGANIZING OR IN THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES PAGE WHERE WE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE THAT SOME NEIGHBORHOODS ASSOCIATIONS ALREADY HAVE A WEBSITE AND WE CAN POTENTIALLY LIKE LINK THEIR WEBSITES ONTO THAT WEBSITE AND THEN ASK HELP THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND CIVIC GROUPS THAT DON'T ALREADY HAVE A WEBSITE CREATE ONE AS WELL SO THAT EVERYONE IS UNIFORMED.  I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE A GREAT PROJECT FOR THE CITY BOTH THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE ADMINISTRATION BECAUSE WHEN WE LOOK AT WHEN WE SPEAK ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND HOW WE WANT TO HEAR PEOPLE'S VOICES, THAT'S WHERE WE START JUST BEING A NO WITNESS FOR FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS I REALIZED THAT A CIVIC ORGANIZATION OR A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IS WHAT GETS THE BALL ROLLING IN A COMMUNITY IF IT'S RESIDENTS ASKING FOR A NEW SPEED HUMP, IF IT'S RESIDENTS PRO OR AGAINST THE PROJECT, IF IT'S THEN TRYING TO ORGANIZE A BLOCK PARTY THAT CREATES COMMUNITY AND IF WE'RE ABLE TO SUPPORT THEM AND GIVING THEM THOSE CAMERAS AND GIVING THEM HEARING AIDS OR HELPING THEM CREATE THAT WEBSITE, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD ONLY THAT WOULD ACTUALLY MAKE OUR JOB EASIER AS WELL AS CITY COUNCILORS AND AS FOLKS THAT WORK FOR THE ADMINISTRATION. AND I THINK IT WOULD PUT BOSTON IN A ON A PEDESTAL IN COMPARISON TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY BECAUSE IT JUST SHOWS THAT I MEAN WE ARE ALREADY I BELIEVE WE ARE ALREADY THE STATE WITH THE MOST NONPROFITS IN THE COUNTRY. WE ARE ALSO KNOWN TO BE VERY ACTIVE CIVICALLY SO THIS WOULD ONLY BE A PLUS TO THAT RESUMé THAT WE ALREADY HAVE. SO DEFINITELY WILLING TO TO EXPLORE THAT CONVERSATION WITH YOU IF IT'S A BUDGET LINE ITEM, IF IT IS IF IT'S A SPECIAL PROJECT THAT YOUR CABINET TAKES ON AND HOW WE CAN SUPPORT OR VICE VERSA, I'M HAPPY TO EXPLORE THAT CONVERSATION. I THINK DEFINITELY. THANK YOU CHAIR. I DEFINITELY THINK THERE IS AN APPETITE IN A AND A A ROADMAP TO DO THIS. I LOOK FORWARD TO COLLABORATION AND I ALSO DEFINITELY WANTED TO COMMENT ON COUNCILOR COLETTE AS POINT BECAUSE THANK YOU FOR UNDERSCORING THE SHARED DEFINITION OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE BUT ALSO CIVIC ASSOCIATION.  IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU KNOW THERE'S A GOAL HERE TO DIVERSIFY AND INCLUDE A LOT OF VOICES IN CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS.  ONE WAY THAT WE DO DO IT IS THAT DEVELOPMENT ONLY A PORTION OF WHAT IS TALKED ABOUT THERE. WE KNOW THERE'S SCHOOLS SHOULD BE TALKED A LOT ABOUT MORE IN CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS OR YOU KNOW ,OUR BUSINESS CORRIDORS OR OUR RESILIENCY AND CLIMATE JUSTICE PLANS AND THE MORE WE DIVERSIFY THE TOPICS THAT'S TALKED ABOUT WITHIN THE SPACE AND NOT JUST ABOUT DEVELOPMENT OR STREETS PROJECT, THE MORE WE'LL HAVE DIFFERENT PEOPLE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING CIVICALLY. SO THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THERE IS THIS LIKE ANOTHER ARM OF AWARENESS THAT IS FOCUSED ON DOING ABUTTERS MEETINGS BECAUSE WE REALLY WANT THE LIAISONS TO PARTNER WITH CIVIC AND NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS ON OTHER TOPICS BESIDES DEVELOPMENT THAT IMPACTS THEIR DAILY LIVES.  SO ALTHOUGH IT'S STILL WITHIN THE CABINET SO WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT THERE'S AN APPETITE TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE ENGAGED ON EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION ANNOUNCEMENTS. ANYTHING THAT'S COMING OUT OF THE CITY OR THERE'S AN APPETITE TO TALK ABOUT TAX CLASSIFICATIONS AND OTHER THINGS THAT ARE NOT JUST ABOUT YES, NOT JUST ABOUT DEVELOPMENT. SO THERE'S JUST AN OPPORTUNITY TO DIVERSIFY WHAT WE TALK ABOUT AND YOU KNOW, AS YOU MENTIONED, THE BIRTH OF ABUTTERS MEETINGS DID CAUSE SOME IMPACT ON THE BIRTH OF A LOT OF CIVIC.  SO THERE'S DEFINITELY APPETITE TO DIVERSIFY WHAT IS TALKED ABOUT IN THEM.  THANK YOU, CHIEF. I WANT TO OPEN UP TO SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS. I KNOW COUNCILOR WORRALL HAS A QUESTION AND THEN KIND OF DOVETAILING ON COUNCILOR COLETTA IS LINE OF QUESTIONING.  YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS PROBABLY SEE MORE YOU GUYS DEFINITELY GO TO MORE MEETINGS AND ANY OF US GO TO WHEN IT COMES TO CIVICS HAVE YOU GUYS CAME UP I BASED ON YOU KNOW WE'VE HEARD THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT STYLES OF MEETINGS NOT EVERY CIVIC IS THE SAME BUT IS THERE A COMMON BEST PRACTICE THEME THAT YOU GUYS AS A AS A YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENT WHO GOES TO EVERY CIVIC ASSOCIATION MEETING CAN PUT TOGETHER KIND OF SAY, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST CREATE THESE FOUNDATIONAL ITEMS WITHIN YOUR WITHIN YOUR CIVIC GROUP, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S MAKING SURE YOU'RE COVERING TOPICS FROM YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU SAID DEVELOPMENT TO EDUCATION TO LIKE HERE ARE SOME LIKE THE CORE ITEMS THAT EVERY GROUP SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT DON'T BLOCK PARTIES LIKE HOW TO BUILD COMMUNITY LIKE IS THERE ANY CORE OR BEST PRACTICES OR FOUNDATIONAL BUILDING BLOCKS THAT YOU KNOW AS THE AS THE TYPE OF YOU KNOW, CIVIC ORGANIZING AND NO ONE ELSE THAT YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING TO I GUESS STANDARDIZE OR COMMUNICATE OUT? SO WE DO HAVE LIKE A STANDARD LIKE TEMPLATE THAT WE LIKE HAVELI IS ON IS PRESENT IN EACH MEETING AND IS MAINLY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE IMPACTING THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE YOU KNOW, SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS OR COFFEE HOURS COMING UP OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I, I DO THINK WE COULD LEAN MORE INTO FIGURING OUT WHAT ARE THE KEY PRINCIPLES OR PHILOSOPHIES WE COULD JUST IMPLEMENT ACROSS THE BOARD OF FRAMED CIVICS. I WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO KIND OF DIGGING DEEPER ON THAT BUT ALSO YEAH AND THEN WHEN IT COMES TO LIKE LANGUAGE ACCESS BECAUSE YOU KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE HEARD WHEN I GO AROUND TO DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES OR PUBLIC HOUSING YOU KNOW, SITES NOT EVEN IN MY OFFICE CAN I COMMUNICATE OUT LIKE IN YEAH THE WIDE YOU YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENT VARIETY OF LANGUAGES THAT I MEAN WITHIN MY DISTRICT SO I COULD JUST IMAGINE YOU KNOW WHAT A CIVIC CAN COMMUNICATE OUT IN TERMS OF TRANSLATING OR TURNING OVER YOU KNOW SOME MATERIAL SAYING LIKE THIS DEVELOPMENT MEETING IS HAPPENING TODAY.  WHAT WAS THE PROCESS THAT MS. NINE WANTED TO GET INFORMATION OUT IN HAITIAN CREOLE CAPE VERDE AND CREOLE SPANISH LIKE WHAT WHAT WOULD SHE NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO TURN THAT AROUND?  SO THE CITY REALLY ONLY TRANSLATES IF IT'S A CITY LIKE A CITY EVENT THERE IS NO FORMAL RESOURCES FOR COMMUNITIES TO LIKE TAP INTO AS COUNSELORS CALL IT AS IT CALL IT. I SAID I MET I REMEMBER YOU KNOW, HAVING THIS CONVERSATION WITH EAGLE HILL AND CONNECTING THEM WITH LIKE EXTERNAL RESOURCES THAT THEY WOULD OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO PAY FOR. BUT THERE'S NO LIKE FORMAL CITY RESOURCES RIGHT NOW. YEAH. AND I THINK THAT FOR ME JUST BECAUSE WE'RE RELYING ON THEM FOR DEVELOPMENT RIGHT LIKE WE'RE SENDING THE DEVELOPERS TEN DOWN TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS BUT THEN THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO ENGAGE THE WHOLE COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF THAT LANGUAGE BARRIER AND YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY DON'T HAVE THE SERVICES TO TRANSLATE THAT WE'RE MISSING OUT ON ACTUALLY INCLUDING THE WHOLE COMMUNITY IN THAT CONVERSATION.  SO THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN EXPLORE HOW TO MAKE YOU KNOW, THOSE SERVICES, YOU KNOW, MORE ACCESSIBLE TO TO THE CIVIC GROUPS JUST BECAUSE WE'RE SENDING SO MANY CONVERSATIONS THAT WAY DEFINITELY WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT. DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING?  YEAH. SO WE THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL AND BECAUSE IN YOU KNOW OUR COMMUNITIES THERE WERE A DIVERSE RANGE AND THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT WE WANT TO BRING IN TO WHITE TO THE ASSOCIATION BUT IF THEY DON'T SPEAK THE LANGUAGE THEN THAT WILL CREATE A BARRIER AND THEN WE WANT WE WANT TO BE INCLUSIVE. RIGHT. AND I KNOW LISA I KNOW LISA AND DAVID'S ON ON ONLINE WHAT BILL BUILDS ON BILL SORRY . LISA MILLER ONLINE JUST WANTED TO HEAR FROM YOU TOO ON WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS AROUND THIS CONVERSATION AND HOW DO YOU GUYS SEE THE CITY BEING MORE SUPPORTIVE OF ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD?  LISA YEAH, SURE. I WAS GOING TO SAY IF BILL WANTED TO GO FIRST TO GO FOR IT ,THE FLOOR IS YOURS. LISA OKAY, THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR FOR DIALING IT BACK AND ASKING FOR MORE GENERAL MORE GENERAL FEEDBACK.  BUT I, I HAVE SOME NOTES THAT I'M GOING TO READ.  HOLD ON A OKAY AND YEAH SO HERE'S THE VIDEO SO YOU CAN SEE WHO I AM STUDYING. OKAY SO AGAIN THANK YOU FOR HOLDING THIS HEARING. I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT IN PARTICULAR TO OUR DISTRICT FOR CITY COUNCILOR WORRELL AND SO I'M GLAD THAT COUNCILOR COLETTA MENTIONED THAT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SHOULD NOT BE LIMITED TO NEWER TECHNOLOGIES AND THAT A LINE ITEM STIPEND IS NEEDED FOR OTHER KINDS OF ASSISTANCE THAT EACH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION COULD DETERMINE HOW TO USE.  AND I WILL GIVE A COUPLE EXAMPLES LATER ON.  SO MY CANTERBURY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IS OVER 65 YEARS OLD. IT WAS ORGANIZED BY IMMIGRANTS SOME OF WHOM WERE DUE TO REDLINING, UNABLE TO BUILD A HOME IN SOME OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THEY WERE INTERESTED IN. AGAIN, WE ARE COMPRISED OF POCKET NEIGHBORHOODS ALL ALONG THE AMERICAN LEGION CORRIDOR.  OUR CORE POCKET NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I LIVE IN IS IT'S 75% BIPOC IT'S WORKING CLASS LOW TO MODERATE INCOME MANY SENIORS, MANY RESIDENTS WITH JOBS AND FAMILY OBLIGATIONS THAT MAKE IT VERY CHALLENGING TO HAVE TIME AND ATTENTION TO GET CIVICALLY INVOLVED.  I SHOULD MENTION STUDENTS AS WELL.  OKAY SO ESSENTIAL NON RECALL REPLICABLE STRENGTH OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS IS BRINGING TOGETHER INDIVIDUALS WHO SHARE COMMON I'LL CALL THEM GEOGRAPHIC ISSUES AND CONCERNS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS MAGIC AND SCIENCE IS THE ABILITY TO TRANSFORM LIMITED AND ISOLATED INDIVIDUAL VOICES INTO UNIFIED STRONGER AND MORE ENDURING ONES. THIS IS CHALLENGING ENOUGH AND MORE HOMOGENEOUS AS NEIGHBORHOODS AND EVEN MORE CHALLENGING IN A HETEROGENEOUS AND SPREAD OUT MEMBERSHIP LIKE OURS. MOUNT HOPE CANTERBURY WE ARE NOT JUST A BUNCH OF RANDOM INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG THE MISNAMED AMERICAN LEGION AND COMING WITH QUOTE UNQUOTE HIGHWAYS AND I SAY THAT WITH EMPHASIS BECAUSE THAT IS HOW WE HAVE BEEN TREATED AND THAT IS HOW DEVELOPERS TREAT US AT LARGE. CITY COUNCILOR PARTICIPATION IS PARTICULARLY NEEDED FOR BORDERLAND NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE THAT OF MAIN STREET AREAS OF THEIR DISTRICT. IN OUR CASE OFFICIAL NEIGHBORHOOD BORDERS LITERALLY RUN DOWN THE CENTER LINES OF THE LARGE ROADS THAT DEFINE OUR SUB NEIGHBORHOOD AND SO THAT MEANS THAT RATHER THAN HAVING TO YOU KNOW, LIKE TWO COUNSELORS WORKING ON SOME IMPORTANT THINGS SOMETIMES WE JUST WE WE REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY SO BACK TO THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE LET'S NOT FORGET THAT PRINTER ERS ARE ACTUALLY A TECHNOLOGY THAT THEY WERE AT ONE TIME. SO IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD DOOR TO DOOR DISTRIBUTION OF FLIERS OR PRINT MAILINGS LIKE BY US MAIL BRING OUT SIGNIFICANTLY MORE NEIGHBORS IN TANDEM WITH ELECTRONIC MAILINGS.  OVER THE YEARS I HAVE HAD TO PERSONALLY FIND CLOSE TO $1,000 OR MORE IN PAPER TONER OCCASIONALLY ORDERING FLIERS FROM STAPLES TO PRINT NOTICES AND FLIERS FOR BOTH REGULAR MEETINGS AND ALSO SPECIAL EVENTS INCLUDING THE ANNUAL LOVE YOUR BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD CLEAN UP BLOCK PARTIES ETC. AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ACTUALLY LIVES IN ON THE VERY FIRST ANNUAL BOSTON SIGNS NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP AND WE HAVE NOT CEASED SINCE WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT . OKAY. AND THEN TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO CIVIC GROUPS INCLUDES SOMETHING LIKE OUR MEMBERS NEED FOR YOU GUYS TO INCLUDE ENABLING THE MOST OPTIMAL PUBLIC ACCESS AT ALL PUBLIC COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND HEARINGS CURRENTLY MANY INCLUDING THIS ONE DO NOT PLEASE USE THE FUNCTIONS THAT ENABLE CHAT AND Q&A THAT ENABLE ALL MEETING PARTICIPANTS TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO SEE WHO ELSE IS IN THE MEETING AND TO SEE VIDEO OF ALL PARTICIPANTS OPTING TO SHOW THEIR VIDEO PROFILE.  LET'S SEE. SO ACTUALLY THOSE ARE JUST THE NOTES THAT I HAVE I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO DO TO DO MORE BECAUSE AS AS COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE POINTED OUT, THIS IS THIS IS MAYBE THE SIXTH MEETING OR HEARING THIS WEEK THAT I'VE ATTENDED AND SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. THANK YOU, LISA. YOU'RE IN HIGH DEMAND. LISA DAVE. DAVID GREENBELT NO, I KEEP SAYING DAVID BILL SORRY . NO, NO I KEEP ON SAYING QUITE ALL RIGHT.  WELL YEAH I'D LIKE TO SECOND EVERYTHING THAT LISA JUST SAID AND THANK THE COUNCILORS AND FOR CHIEF MILLER FOR PUTTING US TOGETHER. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE.  YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE ARE CERTAIN CONVERSATIONS THAT CAN BE HAD ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST WITH THE CITY FUNDING THESE THESE ASSOCIATIONS DIRECTLY. BUT I THINK THERE IS A UNIVERSAL SORT OF ISSUE OF EQUITY WITH ALL CIVICS GETTING SORT OF THE SAME TREATMENT WITH WITH REGARD TO TECHNOLOGY.  WE'VE BEEN TRYING AND ACTUALLY GOT A CIVIC ASSOCIATION MEETING THIS EVENING WHERE I'M LITERALLY JUST DOING IT ON MY IPHONE AND YOU KNOW, THE AUDIO'S TERRIBLE, THE VIDEO'S TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE. SO YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN RUNNING INTO THESE CHALLENGES OF A LOT OF REQUESTS FROM CONSTITUENTS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WHO YOU KNOW, KNEE REPLACEMENT, HIP REPLACEMENT WE HAVE MOBILITY ISSUES. WE CAN'T GET THERE. WE'VE GOT FAMILY. WE HAVE NO DAYCARE, CAN'T MAKE IT TO THESE MEETINGS. AND YOU KNOW, OUR INTENTION IS NOT ONLY TO BE BRINGING INFORMATION FROM YOU KNOW,  CONSTITUENTS UP TO THE CITY BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT CITY THINGS ARE BEING DISTRIBUTED TO THEM IN THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY POSSIBLE. SO YOU KNOW, ALL FOR ANY AUDIO AND VIDEO HELP THAT CAN BE PROVIDED.  AND I THINK ONE MORE THING THAT MAYBE GETS OVERLOOKED IS THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ABLE TO HOST THESE VIDEO SESSIONS ON LIKE A YOU KNOW, A CENTRALIZED PLATFORM WOULD REALLY HELP WITH INSTITUTION AND KNOWLEDGES OR KNOWLEDGE THROUGHOUT THE CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS.  A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE WILL LEAVE AN ORGANIZATION AND IT KIND OF HAS TO START BACK UP FROM SQUARE ONE WHICH IS YOU KNOW, A BIT WHAT I HAD TAKEN OVER AND I THINK 2021 WHEN I STARTED AS PRESIDENT OF NOBLE PARK ASSOCIATION.  THANK YOU, BILL.  FOLLOW UP WITH THE Q&A. I JUST WANT TO COME UP ON COUNCILOR ANDERSON.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AS A CHAIR LET'S SEE I GUESS IN TERMS OF LIKE YOU KNOW, BACK TO TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, WHAT SPECIFIC TYPES THAT CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS MOST NEED SPECIFICALLY FOR THERE?  YOU KNOW, LIKE THERE'S DIFFERENT LEVELS I SEE IT FOR OPERATIONAL CAPACITY AND THEN THERE'S ALSO BUILDING CAPACITY, RIGHT? SO TRAININGS AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS THE WAYS THAT WE CAN INCREASE CAPACITY WITHIN THE CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS OR GROUPS WORK OR STRUCTURE,  IMPROVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, FACILITATE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION WITH RESIDENTS AND I THINK THAT ALL OF THOSE LEVELS WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT LIKE THE DIFFERENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THAT ARE NECESSARY AND HOW AND WHETHER OR NOT YOU KNOW, YOU NEED MORE STAFF TO LIKE ACTUALLY EXECUTE. IS IT YOU KNOW, IS IT A COUPLE OF PEOPLE ARE COMING IN SPECIFICALLY TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE OR TRAINING OR WORKSHOPS WITHIN THE CITY SO THAT IT'S NOT ACTUALLY PUTTING OUT GRANTS? I DO THINK THAT THERE ARE OTHER WAYS OF CONNECTING CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS WITH PHILANTHROPIC WORK, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITIES AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING, YOU KNOW, WHAT WHAT COMES OUT OF OUR AFTER YOUR CONVERSATIONS AND WHATEVER MEETINGS YOU NEED TO HAVE AND THEN IF A PROGRAM IS CREATED THEN IN WHAT WAYS CAN A CITY ENSURE THAT FUNDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS ARE EQUITABLE? SO I THINK THAT'S A CONCERN TOO BECAUSE THEN YOU HAVE CIVIC SITUATIONS ANY A LOT AND THEN SOME THAT NEED LITTLE AND SOME OF THAT IS NON EVERYBODY WILL SAY THEY NEED SOME BUT THEN YOU KNOW HOW CAN WE IMPLEMENT YOU KNOW OR EXECUTE IN A WAY THAT IT'S EQUITABLE AND HOW CAN WE COMMUNICATE THAT SO PEOPLE ARE NOT FEELING SURE SHORTHAND IT AND THEN I GUESS HOW WE WILL WE MEASURE THE EFFECTIVENESS RIGHT ? IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WORKS OR DOESN'T WORK?  AND SO THINKING AHEAD OF TIME IN TERMS OF LIKE OUR METRICS AND WAYS OF LIKE MEASURING THIS INITIATIVE AND THEN HOW WILL THE CITY ENCOURAGE COLLABORATION AND KNOWLEDGE SHARING AMONG CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS? RIGHT. SO LEARNING FROM EACH OTHER WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT LIKE WEBSITE AND THE CHAIR MENTIONED LEARNING OF YOU'VE DONE A WEBSITE CAN WE SHARE, CAN WE DO LINKS, CAN WE DO ALL OF THAT? BUT IT'S MORE THAN THAT RIGHT? IT'S IT'S ACTUAL PRACTICES BASED ON YOU KNOW BEST PRACTICES WHERE THEY SAY WELL WHEN ARTICLE 80 CAME OUT THIS IS WHAT WE DID IN THE BEST WAY MAYBE IT'S TO GET A SMALL SUBCOMMITTEE AND THEN CONNECTED TO CITY AND THEN A LISTENING SESSION AND THEN BACK TO IT AND THEN WE YOU KNOW, POST ON OUR WEBSITE AND THEN WE DID I DON'T KNOW FOCUS GROUP WHATEVER BUT THOSE LEVEL OF BEST PRACTICES ARE DOCUMENTED SOMEWHERE AND SO I THINK IT WOULD BEHOOVE THE CITY BUT ALSO THE COMMUNITY FOR US TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN HELP THE CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS BUILD ON EACH OTHER.  AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE PERKS FOR THE ADVISORY COUNCIL THAT THEY'RE COMING WITH THEIR BEST PRACTICES AND SAY NO, NO, NO, DON'T DO IT THIS WAY, DO IT THIS WAY INSTEAD THAT GETS YOU BETTER RESULTS.  ALSO A WEALTHIER DYNAMIC GROUP OF RESOURCES PEOPLE AS YOU SAID SOME ENGINEER, SOME LAWYER, SOME RIGHT ECONOMIST AND THEY'RE COMING TOGETHER AND SHARING THEIR EXPERTISE AND SO I DO THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY TO CREATE POSITIONS TO DO IT. BUT I THINK IT LIVES IN THE CITY AND I THINK WE'RE PROVIDING OUT I DON'T I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE GRANT PIECE BECAUSE THAT'S A LOT OF MANAGEMENT IN A LOT OF LIKE FIGURING OUT HOW WE ARE FAIR AND EQUITABLE.  I GUESS IF YOU THAT'S GOING TO REACT TO THAT I DEFINITELY THINK WELL FIRST OF ALL I THINK WAS A VERY COMMENT.  IT DEFINITELY IS SOMETHING THAT I'M PROCESSING AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO A REQUIRE MANY CONVERSATIONS LIKE THINKING DO THE RIGHT CRITERIA TO BE EQUITABLE, MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS OBVIOUSLY TO WHATEVER WE'RE CREATING HERE IS TOP PRIORITY FOR THE ADMINISTRATION. TO THE SECOND PIECE I THINK IT COULD LOOK LIKE TRAININGS AS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER AN EXTENSION OF THE CIVIC SUMMIT AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE CAPACITY SUPPORT TO HAVE LIKE MORE INTENSIVE TRAININGS AND BEING SPECIFIC THAT KIND OF IS HELPFUL BECAUSE TO YOUR POINT IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT LIKE THE DEFINITION OF TRUE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IS LIKE WAY TOO BROAD ON RIGHT NOW LIKE HOW DO WE YOU KNOW, CREATE A PILOT SOMETHING SPECIFIC TO SEE HOW EFFECTIVE IT IS AND THEN WORK FROM THERE IS SOMETHING THAT'S JUST LIKE THINKING ABOUT BUT I DEFINITELY THINK THERE'S AN APPETITE TO TO EXPAND UPON THE CONVERSATION TODAY I GUESS THROUGH THE CHAIR THANK YOU SO MUCH CHIEF THROUGH THE CHAIR TO THE MAKERS DO YOU SEE A WORKING SESSION WHERE WE ARE BREAKING THIS DOWN AND OR STRUCTURING IT TO SUPPORT YOU KNOW, OR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ADMINISTRATION FOR US TO COME TO A SOLUTION ALLOW COUNCILMAN MORRELL TO RESPOND?  YEAH, I WILL. I LOVE THAT IDEA.  I THINK THAT THIS COULD BE A MULTIPHASE ROLLOUT OF DIFFERENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING.  YOU KNOW, MAYBE THE FIRST ONE IS A PILOT AROUND JUST A TRAINING YOU KNOW OR IT COULD BE THE TRAINING THE WEBSITE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. SO ABSOLUTELY I'M OPEN TO A A WORK IN SESSION THIS KIND OF SEE YOU KNOW, WHAT'S PHASE ONE LET'S LOOK AT THE METRICS, EVALUATE PHASE ONE AND THEN AFTER THAT LET'S KEEP ON MOVING ON TO PHASE TWO, THREE, FOUR SO WE CONTINUE PROVIDING SUPPORT TO OUR CIVIC SO DEFINITELY LOOKING FORWARD TO CREATING THAT CONVERSATION. I THINK AS ALSO GOING INTO THAT KNOWING OBVIOUSLY WHAT TO PREPARE WE CAN HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE ROOM WHETHER THAT MEANS WHAT TECH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE LOOKS LIKE ONE WEBSITE I AM NOT A WEBSITE DESIGNER. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE HAVING THE RIGHT EXPERTISE? SO I THINK THAT'S DEFINITELY COME WITH A FOLLOW UP ON YEAH THANK YOU. YEAH.  COUNCILOR COUNCILOR CARLOTTA THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT JUST REMINDED ME OF WHAT THE SMALL BUSINESS OFFICE PROVIDES THROUGH THE CDBG GRANTS I MEAN LITERALLY JUST TALKING ABOUT THIS TODAY BUT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR BUSINESSES AND IT COULD BE ANYTHING IT COULD BE WEBSITE CREATION, IT COULD BE CREATING A FACADE AND IT REALLY IS LIKE AN ALLEY CART SORT OF SITUATION. SO JUST LOOKING TO THAT AS AS AN EXAMPLE WE COULD MAYBE LOOK TO THE OFFICE OF SMALL BUSINESS TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY MAKE THAT WORK THEIR OPERATIONS AND THE LOGISTICS. BUT THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU EVERYONE.  THANK YOU, COUNSELOR. UM, DO ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY LAST MINUTE QUESTIONS? OKAY.  BEFORE WE CONTINUE WITH OUR PUBLIC TESTIMONIES, I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO NINE AND CHIEF AND LAURA AND LISA AND BRIAN AND BILL TO GIVE A LAST MINUTE YOUR CLOSING. YOU HAVE HIS NAME RIGHT? YEAH.  SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO WELL, FIRST THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT CAME TO LISTEN AND PARTICIPATE IN THIS SESSION. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU KNOW, WE'RE CENTERING THEIR VOICES AND THAT'S THE CORE PART OF NOT ONLY MY JOB BUT LIKE THIS IS WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY. SO THANK YOU FOR THE COUNSELORS FOR PARTICIPATING THE CHAIR LEAD SPONSOR AND CO-CHAIRS AS WELL. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO KIND OF MORE LET'S GET IN THE WEEDS ON THIS BECAUSE THIS CAN GO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS AND I FEEL LIKE IF WE COULD YOU KNOW,  CULTIVATE SOME TYPE OF PILOT OR OUR FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW WHAT IS THE THE BROAD STREAM OF THINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING SO WE COULD ACTUALLY HAVE AS COUNSELOR ANDERSON MENTIONED LIKE HAVE UNDERSTAND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF IT THE MORE SPECIFIC MORE SPECIFIC WE ARE THE MORE WE'LL UNDERSTAND IF IT'S EFFECTIVE OR NOT. AND THEN PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, COPY AND REPEAT IF IT'S EFFECTIVE. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO KIND OF MORE INTENSIVE CONVERSATIONS. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU ALL KNOW THAT YOU KNOW, OUR TEAM IS HERE TO SUPPORT WHEN WE'RE YOU KNOW, TRYING TO UPLIFT AND PARTICIPATE IN UPLIFTING OUR CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS.  I AM ATTENDING WITH YOUR LAB TONIGHT SO I WILL I WILL BE THERE LOUD AND PROUD AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU WE SHOW UP AND THAT WE'RE AS I MENTIONED EARLIER INVESTING, EQUIPPING AND EMPOWERING OUR CIVIC ASSOCIATION SO CIVIC ASSOCIATION LEADERS. SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING ME TODAY. THANK YOU CHIEF KNOW I WANT TO SAID THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME TODAY. THIS IS A GREAT EXPERIENCE. MY FIRST AND I AM HOPING IT IS NOT MY LAST BUT WITH REGARDS TO YOU KNOW, SUPPORT AND CIVIC ASSOCIATION IT YOU ALL WILL PLAY A PIVOTAL ROLE IN WHAT YOU DO AND YOU KNOW SUPPORTING US IS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO BECAUSE YOU KNOW WE ARE ALWAYS BETTER TOGETHER.  THANK YOU. APPRECIATE LISA AND BILL AND YOU GOT MY NAME RIGHT YOU KNOW I REALLY JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE COUNCILORS PUTTING THIS TOGETHER AND TO I BELIEVE IT'S COUNCILOR FERNANDEZ WHEN I HEARD 75 CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS IN YOUR DISTRICT THAT IS GOD BLESS YOU. SO A LOT OF WORK BUT YEAH IT'S IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE AND YOU KNOW HOPING TO HEAR MORE DISCUSSION ON IT SOON IT'S GOING TO HELP US BOLSTER NOT ONLY ATTENDANCE BUT ALSO TO SPREAD THE WORD I THINK FOR A LOT OF OTHER ISSUES IN OUR COMMUNITIES THAT ARE NOT JUST DEVELOPMENT CENTERED WHICH YOU KNOW, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW IF YOU WANT TO GET ATTENDANCE AT YOUR CIVIC ASSOCIATION MEETING, JUST PUT IT TO PUT DEVELOPMENT ON THE AGENDA YOU A PACKED HOUSE BUT BUT YEAH WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO SORT OF DIVERSIFY LIKE THIS EVENING WE'VE GOT LIBRARIANS COMING FROM TIMES SQUARE AND AND FIELDS CORNER TO PRESENT AND YEAH WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THEM AND HOPING TO GET THE MOST ATTENDANCE WE CAN AND YOU KNOW WE WANT TO LET THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE INVITING INTO OUR CIVIC ASSOCIATION MEETINGS KNOW THAT IT'S MORE THAN MAYBE JUST 15 TO 30 FACES THAT THEY SEE IN THE ROOM THAT THERE IS A THERE'S A COMMUNITY AT LARGE THERE. SO AGAIN THANK YOU. THANK YOU, BILL. LISA, I YES, YEAH. I'LL JUST KIND OF ECHO WHAT EVERYONE ELSE SAID. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR CONVENING THIS AND FOR THE INFORMATION FOR LISTENING AND AND AND FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THE POSITIVITY OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS THERE'S THERE SEEMS TO BE KIND OF A MYTHOLOGY THAT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS ASSOCIATIONS HAVE TOO MUCH POWER AND OH, IN PROBABLY 99.9% OF THE CASES IT'S IT'S ACTUALLY THE OPPOSITE WE ARE NOT THAT STRONG SO REALLY IMPORTANT AND AND GREAT TO HEAR THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT FROM ALL OF THE CITY COUNCILORS ON ON WHAT ASSOCIATIONS ACTUALLY ARE AND DO FOR THE COMMUNITY OR INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS SO THANK YOU.  THANK YOU LISA UM YES.  CHAIR ONE MORE POINT WITH THE CHIEF YOU MAY THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANKS MR CHAIR.  SO IN DISTRICT SEVEN I HARVARD I HAD HARVARD TRANSACTIONAL LAW ACTUALLY SUPPORT THE DISTRICT TO CREATE ITS OWN COMMUNITY FUND OR ORGANIZATION AND THERE'S WE'VE JUST BEEN APPROVED BY THE STATE NOW WE BY WE I MEAN YOU KNOW PART OF IT BUT NOT NOT AND THEN THEN WENT TO THE BOSTON FOUNDATION AND PRESENTED WHAT THIS WAS THIS WAS A BEGINNING TO THE THE ORGANIZATION THAT WAS GOING TO RECEIVE FUNDS TO SUPPORT CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS ENTREPRENEURS,  MAYBE EVEN SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING, MAYBE EVEN REVITALIZING SPACES AND PLACEMAKING AND BOSTON FOUNDATION AWARDED US A HUGE GRANT AS A START AND SO THE STATE JUST RECENTLY APPROVED THE ORGANIZATION AND THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION SO FROM THAT THAT THE CITY COULD PARTNER WITH THE DISTRICT AND SUPPORT THE D SEVEN COMMUNITY FUND TO GET THIS MORE PHILANTHROPIC MONEYS SO THAT THEY CAN SUPPORT THE CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO LIVE IN THE CITY AND THAT'S WHAT I MEANT. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO US D SEVEN DO WE HAVE A COMMUNITY FUND? YEAH. THANK YOU.  BUT YEAH SO WE WE HAVE $150,000 PLUS FOUNDATION BUT I'VE BEEN MITIGATING COMMUNITY BENEFITS FROM DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AND THEY ALSO HAVE WITHIN THE OR RULES THAT THEY ALSO CAN APPLY FOR GRANTS LIKE STATE FUND OR FEDERAL IT DOESN'T MATTER SO THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE ENDLESS HERE AND DEFINITELY I LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING MORE AND LEADING MORE INTO THAT. THAT'S NEW. THAT'S REALLY COOL. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU, COUNSELOR. JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO TO THE PANELISTS FOR YOUR TESTIMONIES FOR OBVIOUSLY YOUR EXPERTISE WHERE YOU WORK IN THE COMMUNITY FOR YOUR WORK IN THE CABINET, FOR YOUR WORK AND IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND FOR LISA AND BILL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO AS WELL . I WANT TO NOW AND YOU CAN REMAIN IN THE CHAMBER BUT WE'RE GOING TO TRANSITION OVER TO PUBLIC TESTIMONIES. WE HAVE A FEW THAT ARE LOGGED ON VIRTUALLY UM WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED PLEASE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. PLEASE COME DOWN TO ONE OF THE TWO PODIUMS AND STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, YOUR ORGANIZATION AFFILIATION. PLEASE SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE AND PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO 2 MINUTES. I WILL I WILL CALL YOU BY ORDER OF ARRIVAL.  OKAY. FIRST NAME I SEE IS ELLIOT.  THANK YOU. MY NAME IS ELLIOT LAFFER AND I'M FROM THE BACK BAY. I'M A LONGTIME OFFICER AND DIRECTOR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION BACK BAY. WE'RE SPEAKING AS AN INDIVIDUAL TODAY.  I THINK THAT THE ROLE OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WELL NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS IS SUBSTANTIALLY THAT OF ADVOCATES AND I THINK WE'VE BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE AS ADVOCATES ACROSS THE CITY AND IN PARTICULAR IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.  I THINK THAT AN ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION HAS TO BE CAREFUL THAT IT THAT IT DOESN'T EVER APPEAR TO BE IN IN THE HANDS OF SOMEONE BECAUSE SOMEONE HANDS THEM MONEY AND THAT'S THE CONCERN AND ABOUT A DIRECT PAYMENT TO A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION I THINK THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IS REALLY GOOD REALLY IMPORTANT AND YOU KNOW YOU MIGHT TAKE A LOOK AND SAY WELL HE CAN SAY THAT BECAUSE HE COMES FROM A RELATIVELY WEALTHY NEIGHBORHOOD WITH A RELATIVELY WEALTHY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.  BUT THE ASSOCIATION WASN'T ALWAYS WEALTHY AND MY FIRST JOB THERE WAS AS A TREASURER AND I REMEMBER WHEN WE HAD $5,000 IN THE BANK AND AND WE HAD TO WORRY ABOUT HOW TO PAY OUR BUDGET AND THAT'S A LONG, LONG TIME AGO AND $5,000 WAS WORTH MORE THEN BUT IT'S STILL A CHALLENGE IF THE MONEY COMES FROM THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO ASK AND ADVOCATE IN FRONT OF BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS THE POTENTIAL IF WE GET USED TO GETTING MONEY THAT SOMEONE WILL SAY WELL MAYBE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET IT NOW AND THAT'S I THINK AN INTENTION THAT PEOPLE FROM THE CITY WOULD HAVE I THINK WAS INTENTIONALLY ABLE TO HAVE THE APPEARANCE WOULD BE IT WOULD BE THERE. SO TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IS REALLY IMPORTANT TEACHING PEOPLE HOW TO CONNECT WITH ISSUES BE SAID BEYOND DEVELOPMENT ISSUES IS REALLY IMPORTANT.  THOSE DEVELOPMENT ISSUES ARE REALLY HARD AND I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THEM AND SO THE THOUGHT PROCESSES ARE REALLY IMPORTANT. I THINK THAT THE IDEA OF SETTING UP A NONPROFIT AND GETTING FUNDING FROM THE BOSTON FOUNDATION IS WONDERFUL BECAUSE THAT DOESN'T HAVE THAT SAME KIND OF CONNECTION.  BUT I'D BE VERY CAREFUL HERE. I THINK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS HAVE DONE A LOT OF GREAT WORK IN THIS CITY AND FOR THIS CITY AND THIS IS A CITY OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND WE WANT TO KEEP IT THAT WAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, ELLIOT I'LL LET YOU CALL UP TO THE MIKE MARTIN ROEDER.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR AND FELLOW AND CITY COUNCILORS.  MY NAME IS MARTIN RHETT. I ALSO LIVE IN THE BACK BAY AND I'M CURRENTLY CHAIR OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WITH THE BACK BAY.  AND OF COURSE I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT ELLIOT SAID.  I SEE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF TIME AND LANDMINES IN THE WAY IN WHICH WHOLE IDEA IS BEING PRESENTED. I SUGGEST THAT THERE ARE THREE BASIC QUESTIONS THAT WE SHOULD BE PAYING ATTENTION TO TO GUIDE WHATEVER DECISIONS WE TAKE. THE FIRST IS OBVIOUSLY WHAT ARE THE VALUES THAT THE CIVIC ASSOCIATION DELIVERS TO THE CITY AND I THINK OF COURSE BEING BIASED THAT THEY'RE ENORMOUS. I WON'T GO THROUGH THEM ALL BECAUSE I ONLY HAVE 2 MINUTES. I'D LIKE TO ILLUSTRATE ONE OF THE KIND OF PROBLEMS THAT ONE WHAT ENCOUNTERS UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF SOMETHING WHICH SOUNDS GOOD TRANSLATION SERVICES WHICH WE ALL WELCOME SO WE'RE FREQUENTLY FACED WITH THE SITUATION AS I AM NOW IN CRIMEA EVERYTHING AS QUICKLY AS I CAN WITHIN A TWO MINUTE PERIOD AND THEN SOMEBODY SAYS OH NO NO SLOW DOWN, SLOW DOWN. TRANSLATION IS GOING ON SO WE HAVE TO SPEAK MORE SLOWLY.  THAT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA. I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE CITY FOR ONE THING I THINK THIS IS AN UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE THAT DONE THAT HAS REALLY HELPED CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS GET TOGETHER MORE FREQUENTLY AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY HAVE IN COMMON AND THAT IS OF COURSE THE HOME RULE PETITION THAT IS NOW BEFORE THE STATE LEGISLATURE. NEVER HAVE I SEEN SUCH COMMONALITY OF OPINION BETWEEN NEIGHBORHOODS VERY CIRCUMSTANCES AND IT HAS ENCOURAGED US TO GET TOGETHER WITH PEOPLE LITERALLY FROM ACROSS THE CITY AND FIND OUT WHAT WE HAVE IN COMMON AND DEVELOP COMMON SOLUTIONS.  I THINK THERE'S SEVERAL THINGS THAT THE CITY COULD BE DOING WITHOUT GIVING MONEY TO CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS. I'LL JUST GIVE YOU A FEW EXAMPLES. ONE IS YOU KNOW, YOU ASK THE QUESTION WHY DON'T MORE PEOPLE SPEND SOME OF THEIR TIME AND EFFORT WITH CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE TIME. THERE ARE VERY DIFFERENT STAGES OF THEIR LIVES.  THEY MAY HAVE FAMILIES TO BRING UP CAREERS TO PURSUE, ELDERLY PARENTS TO LOOK AFTER AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO FEEL THAT THEY HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD AND THINGS LIKE THIS TWO OR THREE MINUTE LIMIT AFTER HOURS OF TESTIMONY FROM CITY AND ELECTED OFFICIALS DOESN'T HELP AND PEOPLE GET EXHAUSTED AND THEY GIVE UP LITERALLY I'VE HAD THAT I'VE HAD THAT HAPPEN TO PEOPLE THAT I WAS TRYING TO ENCOURAGE TO COME ALONG AND AND CONTRIBUTE. SECONDLY, PUTTING MONEY INTO SERVICES THAT MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO FIND TIME FOR EXAMPLE INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT YOU'RE PUTTING INTO CHILDCARE SERVICES ESPECIALLY IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS WHICH UNLIKE THE BACK BAY HAVE FAR FEWER RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO DEVOTE TO CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS THAN ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS BY CHANGING THE MESSAGING THAT IS COMING ACROSS. THERE'S A LOT OF MESSAGING THAT IS COMING ACROSS THAT IS THAT NEIGHBORHOODS ARE LESS IMPORTANT COMPARED TO CENTRALIZED PLANNING. SO THEN SOMEBODY SAYS WELL WHY SHOULD I BOTHER BECAUSE EVEN IF I GET TO SAY SOMETHING IT'S NOT GOING TO HAVE IT'S NOT GOING TO HAVE MUCH INFLUENCE. CONSIDER ALSO I THINK TRAINING IS VERY IMPORTANT. THERE'S A LOT OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE NEED TO MASTER AND THAT'S OF BENEFIT NOT JUST TO CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS BUT TO THE ECONOMY AS A WHOLE. SO IF YOU PUT MONEY INTO TRAINING NOT NECESSARILY DIRECTED SPECIFICALLY AT CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS BUT MORE BROADLY I THINK YOU WILL GET GOOD RESULTS. I FINALLY LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT ACTUALLY CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS ARE REMARKABLE NOT ONLY OF THE FACT THAT MANY OF THEM MOST OF THEM ARE VOLUNTEERS AND THEREFORE CAN PROVIDE INFORMATION EXPERTISE TO THE CITY AT LOW OR NO COST MUCH LOWER THAN THAT OF THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS YOU SPEND CONSULTANTS.  BUT WE ARE ACTUALLY HELD TO A MUCH HIGHER ETHICAL STANDARD THAN MANY OTHER PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS.  I COULD MENTION SUPREME COURT JUSTICES BUT THAT'S A PRETTY LOW BAR. COMPANIES AND OTHERS ARE VERY MUCH LIMITED. WE'VE HAD TO LOOK VERY CAREFULLY AT THE IRS RULES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT DOING WHAT I'M DOING HERE. NOW LOBBYING IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT COULD CAUSE US TO LOSE OF A FIBER 1C3 NONPROFITS STATUS. SO I'VE BEEN VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE INTEGRITY OF THE PEOPLE THAT I'VE DEALT WITH ACROSS THE CITY IN CIVIC ASSOCIATION. AND THAT TOO IS A TREMENDOUS ASSET.  SO PLEASE BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HERE'S A CITY WHAT CAN WE DO TO STRENGTHEN CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS?  WE WILL SOMETIMES BE YOUR PARTNERS. WE WILL ALWAYS BE ADVOCATES.  SOMETIMES WE WILL FIND OURSELVES OPPOSING YOU AND YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE DO THAT WE ARE PARAGONS OF VIRTUE OF INTEGRITY,  OF OBJECTIVITY AND OF CREDIBILITY. AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE HEARD DURING THIS HEARING INDICATE TO ME THAT YOU MAY BE INADVERTENTLY PERHAPS PUTTING THAT AT PERIL. SO I URGE YOU TO TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY AND I CAN SAY CERTAINLY THAT I AND MY COLLEAGUES WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU AND SIT DOWN AND FIGURE OUT HOW YOU CAN IN FACT HELP US. AND IF THAT DOESN'T WORK, I'LL GIVE YOU AN OFFSHORE BANK ACCOUNT WHERE I'D BE HAPPY TO RECEIVE MONEY. THAT OF COURSE I WILL THEN DEVOTE TO MY CIVIC ASSOCIATION . THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.  THANK YOU. THIS TIME I WANT TO CALL ON VICTOR.  THANK YOU. MY NAME IS VICTOR BRAUN. I'VE ALREADY INTRODUCED BY MY CITY COUNCILOR . THANK YOU, COUNCILOR ARCHULETA. I AM VICTOR BRANA. I AM AND 30 PLUS YEAR RESIDENT OF THE NORTH END.  I HAVE BEEN OVER THE YEARS PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT OF THE NORTHERN WATERFRONT RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION RIGHT NOW I'M ONLY THE COMMITTEE CHAIR ZONING, LICENSING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE SO AS THE OTHERS I SPEAK WELL AS ELIOT I SPEAK ONLY FOR MYSELF NOT FOR ME , NOT FOR THE ORGANIZATION.  I THINK I CAN KEEP IT INTO 2 MINUTES BECAUSE I SUPPORT EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN SAID BEFORE ME FOCUSING ON A NEW ERA . WE HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO DISCUSS THE ORDERS, THE ORDER AND THE DETAILS OF THE ORDER.  BUT I THINK ONE THING THAT WE COULD USE IS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SPECIFICALLY A HYBRID MEETING ASSISTANCE LIKE THIS ONE BECAUSE AS IT WAS POINTED OUT, FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND. A LOT OF OUR MONTHLY RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION MEETINGS AND WITH A HYBRID FORMAT I THINK THAT COULD HAPPEN AND THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL OTHERWISE AS FAR AS TASKS THAT COULD BE SUPPORTED, WE DON'T HAVE AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, A PAID EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OR ANY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO WHOM WE CAN ASSIGN TASKS. SO I THINK FOR THE MOMENT AT LEAST THE HYBRID FORM OF MEETING WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IF THAT COULD BE PROVIDED FOR US. AND FINALLY MY CONCERN WHICH HAS BEEN EXPRESSED HERE BY PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE AND IN TERMS OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST, I CERTAINLY EMPHASIZE THAT CONCERN AND IT CAME UP TO ME WHEN I WHEN I SAW THE WORDS BEST PRACTICES AND I I DON'T KNOW THAT OUR RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION TO ONE WOULD WANT TO BE TOLD WHAT PRACTICES YOU SHOULD FOLLOW. I THINK THAT MOST OF OUR MEMBERS WOULD SAY YOU THE CITY COUNCIL WE YOU WHAT PRACTICES YOU SHOULD FOLLOW YOU SHOULD NOT BE TELLING US.  THAT MAY BE A LITTLE BIT EXTREME BUT I THINK AT LEAST I'VE ILLUSTRATED THAT WHAT HAS BEEN CALLED CONFLICT OF INTEREST CAN BE VIEWED IN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT WAY WHICH IS WE DO THINGS OUR WAY AND WHERE WE MIGHT BE UNEASY ABOUT BEING TOLD THAT YOU MUST DO IT THIS WAY OR WE WILL NOT GET THE FUNDS THAT YOU'VE PROMISED US AND MY 2 MINUTES MUST BE OUT. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. THANK YOU, VICTOR.  WE HAVE SOME PUBLIC TESTIMONY THAT I HAVE JOINED VIRTUALLY. I KNOW THAT I SEE DENIS KIRKPATRICK FROM ROSINDELL IS ON THE CALL HERE.  I THINK WE'RE ALL SET NOW.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIRMAN, TO HAVING ME . FIRST I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR LAUREL AND ALSO TO COUNCILOR BAND AS ANDERSON FOR YOUR EFFORTS TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER. 20 YEARS AGO MYSELF AND ELLIOT LAPPER PARTICIPATED IN THE FIRST CIVIC SUMMIT AT THE BOSTON CONVENTION CENTER.  WE WERE ONE OF THE BREAKOUT GROUPS THAT LASTED FOR A CALENDAR YEAR AFTER AND WE GOT AS FAR AS THE BOSTON FOUNDATION FOR FUNDING. UNFORTUNATELY THEY GAVE US SOME GOALS TO COMPLETE BUT BY THEN THE DOZEN OF US THAT STARTED HAD COME DOWN TO ABOUT FIVE AND WE DECIDED TO CALL IT A DAY. AT THE TIME ENGAGEMENT OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION TIONS AND ANYTHING TO DO WITH CIVIC GROUPS WAS NOT OPENLY WELCOME EITHER BY THE MAYORAL ADMINISTRATION OR BY THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY COUNCIL AT THE TIME. SO WHAT I'M HEARING TODAY IS A MAJOR IMPROVEMENT AND VERY MUCH MOST.  I WOULD POINT OUT ONE OF THE PROBLEMS I SEE IS THE OUTWARD AND DOWNWARD FLOW OF INFORMATION THAT THE CIVIC GROUPS NEED.  WE HAVE FOUND THAT EVERY TIME THE MAYORAL ADMINISTRATION CHANGES WHICH HAS BEEN SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST TEN YEARS AND THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE OF TURNOVERS IN THE CITY COUNCIL THERE IS NO LEGACY LIST OF WHO THE ORGANIZATIONS ARE AND WHO TO CONTACT AND WE OFTEN FIND OURSELVES IN A SITUATION OF HAVING TO REINTRODUCE OURSELVES AND REQUEST ONE MORE TIME. WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION WOULD BEST SUIT OUR NEEDS? UNFORTUNATELY THAT HAS NOT NECESSARILY BEEN FORTHCOMING AND SOMETIMES AS A MATTER OF INDIVIDUAL EFFORT ON SOMEBODY'S STAFF. AND SO I THINK A PIECE OF THAT IS THE PROBLEM. I FIND MYSELF IN A SITUATION OF HAVING TO SUBSCRIBE TO MULTIPLE CITY NEWSLETTERS AND I DON'T ALWAYS GET THE INFORMATION THAT I NEED.  I'M ATTENDING VARIOUS COMMISSION MEETINGS WHICH DON'T ALWAYS APPLY TO MY NEEDS BECAUSE MY PART OF THE CITY IS NOT ENGAGED AND LEAST BUT NOT LAST.  PROCESS AND PROCEDURE. ONE OF OUR BIG PROBLEMS HAS BEEN GETTING APPROPRIATE INFORMATION FOR DEVELOPMENT AND ABUTTERS MEETINGS. THE PROSPECT OLD NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WHICH I'M REPRESENTING HERE TODAY AS WELL AS THE ROSLINDALE BUSINESS GROUP HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET INFORMATION THAT WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE BUSINESS PEOPLE WE REPRESENT OR THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I HAPPEN TO HANDLE COMMUNICATIONS FOR AND I'M NOT THE LEADER THERE.  THERE'S A SERIES OF CO-CHAIRS, IF YOU WILL AND SO THAT'S BEEN A BIG PROBLEM. THERE'S NO CENTRAL LOCATION.  IDEALLY IT WOULD BE IN THE COMMUNITY OWN AS A NEWSLETTER BUT THAT HAS NOT BEEN FORTHCOMING. I DON'T KNOW.  IT IS A STEP DEDICATED TO DO THAT BUT WE'VE GOT PEOPLE RIGHT NOW VISITING VARIOUS MAPS, DATABASES, MEETING AGENDA LISTS JUST TO TRY TO STAY AHEAD OF THE CURVE AND IT'S BECOMING A FULL TIME JOB FOR SOME OF US AND AS WE ALL HAVE NOTED, IT'S A VOLUNTEER EFFORT. ZERO PAYCHECKS. THIS IS JUST DEDICATION TRYING TO BE OF ASSISTANCE. MY SOCIAL MEDIA CONNECTIONS FOR MY NEIGHBORHOOD ALONE IS ABOUT A THIRD OF WHAT IS ESTIMATED.  WE GET ABOUT A THOUSAND HOUSEHOLDS. I GET ABOUT 330. THE DIRECT EMAIL LIST WE'RE BUILDING NOW HAS ABOUT 100 OF THAT WHICH IS NOT TOO BAD. AGAIN, ABOUT 10% WILL TAKE THAT AND OF COURSE OPEN SOCIAL MEDIA AND WE'RE DOING THAT WITH THE BUSINESS GROUP AS WELL. BUSINESS GROUP A GOOD 215 LOCAL BUSINESSES BUT IT'S A CHALLENGE JUST TO GET THE INFORMATION. I MEAN THE BUTTON MEETINGS ALONE WE FLY YOU KNOW, THE CITY FLIERS, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ON BEHALF OF THE DEVELOPER BUT THOSE BLOW AWAY AND PEOPLE DON'T FIND OUT ABOUT IT. SO SOME KIND OF AN ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION THAT GOES OUT WHEN THE FLIERS GO OUT. I JUST SIMPLY PUT OUT THE FLIERS AS AN ATTACHMENT WOULD BE A MAJOR IMPROVEMENT IN THINGS. AND SO AGAIN I WOULD STRESS THE DOWNWARD FLOW OF THE INFORMATION OF INTEREST TO THE CIVIC GROUPS IS WHAT WE TRULY NEED AND THEN WE CAN TAKE IT FROM THERE AND ENGAGE THE PUBLIC. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, DENNIS.  NEXT ON THE LIST I SEE MARGARET . HI, MY NAME IS MARGARET FARMER AND I'M GOING TO CLOSE MY OFFICE FOR I THOUGHT I WAS FURTHER DOWN THE LIST. SORRY ABOUT THAT. I LIVE IN EAST BOSTON AND I AM A PROUD MEMBER OF THE JEFFREYS POINT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. I HAVE BEEN A BOARD MEMBER FOR I WITH A SHORT BREAK FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS APPROXIMATELY 15 YEARS NOW. IF ANYONE KNOWS WHO SOMEONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO REPLACE ME I AM HAPPY TO TALK TO THEM. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY FIRST OF ALL THAT I HAVE HEARD SOME REALLY WONDERFUL AND GREAT IDEAS TODAY I WOULD LIKE TO SECOND EVERY COMMENT THAT THIS IS WONDERFUL HEAR THE CITY COUNCIL BOTH STATE PUBLICLY THAT THEY VALUE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND STATE AND BRAINSTORM BETTER IDEAS THAT THEY COULD WAIT WITH WORK WITH US. I'D LIKE TO SECOND THE IDEA OF HAVING AN OFFICE THAT WE COULD CONSULT WITH FOR TECHNOLOGY.  WE WERE CONSIDERED A POPULAR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IN BOSTON BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, PULLING IN BETWEEN 40 AND 50 PEOPLE ON AVERAGE FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING. DURING THE PANDEMIC WE WENT TO ZOOM AND WERE ABLE TO NOW POLL 60 TO 80 SOMETIMES WELL OVER 100 PEOPLE FOR A MEETING. THE ISSUE IS I HAVE A LARGE POPULATION THAT WANTS ME TO GO BACK IN PERSON BUT THEN I HAVE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE KIDS AT HOME WHO ARE COMMUTING HOME FROM WORK WHO HAVE OTHER COMMITMENTS THAT HAVE TROUBLE GETTING THERE IN PERSON WHO WANT A HYBRID OPTION AND THAT IS FINDING A SPACE THAT IS WILLING TO HOST US AND HAS THE CAPABILITY TO HOST US IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT HAVING WHO'S TECHNOLOGICALLY SAVVY THAT WE CAN CONSULT WITH THAT WE COULD FIGURE OUT A WAY THAT'S MAYBE NOT AS INVOLVED AS YOU KNOW WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE OUT DOING SOME RANDOM GOOGLING WOULD BE INCREDIBLY HELPFUL.  ANOTHER THING I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT IS THAT I'VE HEARD SOME AMAZING IDEAS HERE. THEY'VE BEEN INCREDIBLE BUT A LOT OF THEM ARE VERY BIG. A LOT OF THEM ARE A LOT INVOLVE, A LOT OF FUNDING. THEY INVOLVE A LOT OF COORDINATION AMONG DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AT THE CITY.  I'D ENCOURAGE COMING UP WITH SOME IDEAS TO START SMALL TO HELP US CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER. SOME OF THE BEST THINGS I'VE LEARNED ABOUT HOW TO SOLVE PROBLEMS AND HOW TO DO THINGS BETTER AT MY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION HAVE HAPPENED BECAUSE I'VE MET SOMEONE FROM ANOTHER ASSOCIATION WHO SAYS LET ME TELL YOU HOW TO SOLVE THAT PROBLEM AND IT'S WORKED. I'D LOVE TO SEE OR WHEN ASKED OR SOMEONE ELSE SAY WE'RE GOING TO HOLD A BI MONTHLY ZOOM TRAINING.  WE'RE GOING TO ASK FOR PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS THAT THERE'S ONE THING THEY DO REALLY WELL THEY HAVE 10 MINUTES TO PRESENT 5 MINUTES OF QUESTIONS. THEY LEAVE IT OVER FOR 20 MINUTES AFTER FOR US TO EXCHANGE OUR CONTACT INFORMATION SO WE CAN WORK WITH ONE ANOTHER OR YOU KNOW, HELP US CONNECT WITH ONE ANOTHER AND WE CAN HELP EACH OTHER SOLVE OUR OWN ISSUES.  BOSTON HAS PEOPLE WHO CARE AND ARE WILLING TO BE ACTIVE AND GET OUT THERE. I THINK THAT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE HERE TODAY IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT. YOU KNOW, HELP US MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS AND WE WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM OURSELVES AND THAT CAN BE DONE FOR VERY LOW COST. I'M SURE I WILL THINK OF SOMETHING AFTER I FINISHED SPEAKING BUT I WILL THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU, MARGARET.  THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO CALL ON RUTH GEORGES FROM THE CUMMINGS HIGHWAY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WHICH IS WHERE I WILL BE TONIGHT.  SHE'S WELL, I.  ALL RIGHT, GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL AND GREAT TO DEFINITELY HEAR COUNSELOR THAT YOU'LL BE AT OUR MEETING WHERE WE SHOULD REVISE OUR AGENDA.  I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE CITY COUNCILORS FOR HELPING TO ORGANIZE THIS HEARING. THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF FEEDBACK AND IT'S BEEN SHARED AND RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I THINK REALLY ALIGN WITH GUIDANCE THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO A MAJORITY OF THE CIVICS IN THE CITY. AS COUNCILOR ERIC SHARED MY NAME IS ST GEORGE.  I AM ONE OF THE CO-CHAIRS OF CUMMINS HIGHWAY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL OF NEW JERSEY WHICH AND SO WE ARE ONE OF THE NEWER ONES IN MATTAPAN. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT I ACKNOWLEDGE AS A FORMER LIAISON TO THE CITY HOW IMPORTANT AND MEANINGFUL AND VALUABLE CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS ARE . I SAW THAT WOODROW WAS ACTUALLY HERE AND I REMEMBER HELPING MRS. JOHNSON AND STARTING HER ASSOCIATION IN ADDITION TO RIVER STREET IN EDGEWATER AND THE FACT THAT THEY STILL EXIST REALLY HAS MOBILIZED AND EMPOWERED OUR COMMUNITY TO CONTINUE TO BE ADVOCATES AS IT'S MENTIONED HERE. I WANTED TO FLAG THAT I THINK THE IDEA OF A GRANT TO SUPPORT TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO CIVIC IS IS REALLY IMPORTANT AS SOMEBODY WHO IS MANAGING MY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND HAS BECOME A PART TIME JOB THAT IS VERY MUCH UNPAID IT OUT OF POCKET. I HAVE SPENT THE OR I'VE SPENT WELL OVER $1,000 ON PROVIDING RESOURCES TO SUPPORT WITH ACCESS. I THINK IF A GRANT IS GOING TO BE ESTABLISHED THERE DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE A NEED ASSESSMENT AROUND ALL THE CIVIC TO IDENTIFY WHAT THE NEEDS ARE AS IT RELATES TO ACCESSIBLE BILITY TO STANDARDIZE BEST PRACTICES AND WHAT RESOURCES SHOULD BE AVAILABLE IN THAT GRANT. I ALSO I THINK THE NEED FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT AS IT RELATES TO DIGITAL IS REALLY IMPORTANT. I WANT A SHOUT OUT A DOCENT WHO'S ONE OF OUR STREET CAPTAINS. WE HAVE ABOUT FIVE OR SIX STREET CAPTAINS IN OUR ASSOCIATION WHO HAS SUPPORTED US AND STAFF AND MANAGING OUR SOCIAL MEDIA INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT AND HAS ALSO HELPED TO ESTABLISH OTHER INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY KNOWLEDGE SHARING AND I THINK THE DIGITAL COMPONENT IS JUST A BIG IT'S DEFINITELY NEEDED. IT ALLOWS US TO CONNECT WITH THE CITY WITH CITY SERVICES AND TO SHARE THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING. OUR COUNSELORS ARE DOING.  ANOTHER ITEM I THINK THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT IT'S BEEN THIS GREAT NEW WAY TO DO THIS GRANT IS REALLY MAPPING OUT AND GIVING US A LIST OF WHERE ALL THE CITIES ARE ACROSS THE STREET ACROSS THE CITY. I DON'T THINK ALL THE CITY KIDS ARE AWARE OF ALL OF THEM AT ALL. ALL OF US WERE ABLE TO ATTEND THE CIVIC SUMMIT, HAD A TAP AND SO ALSO THE KIDS WERE NOT PRESENT AND JUST KIND OF WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE VALUE OF THAT. I I THINK THE RESOURCES TO SUPPORT CITY ACCESSING CITY RESOURCES TO REALLY COME BACK ON THE THE THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE THAT SOMETIMES HAPPENS AT CIVIC MEETINGS THAT SOMETIMES ERODE THE WORK THAT IS BEING DONE.  I THINK THE FUNDING SHOULD REALLY SUPPORT TEACHING CIVICS . THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS SLOWLY MAKING ITS WAY BACK TO SCHOOLS THAT HASN'T EXISTED IN SCHOOLS AND THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT AS IT RELATES TO REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT OUR RIGHTS ARE AS RESIDENTS.  I THINK AS THE FUNDING SHOULD FOR SUPPORT DESIGNING PLACE BASED SOLUTIONS BECAUSE EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IS DIFFERENT ALL THE NEEDS ARE DIFFERENT REALLY CORNER REALLY SPEAKING TO THE NEED OF EQUITY. IN ADDITION TO THAT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE FUNDING SUPPORT EDUCATING CIVICS ON HOW TO MANAGE MEETINGS. ALL CIVICS ARE DIFFERENT NOT ALL MEETINGS. SOMETIMES RESIDENTS WILL ATTEND A MEETING AND A STOP ATTENDING A MEETING BECAUSE THEY SAY THEY'RE NOT EITHER COMPREHENSIVE ENOUGH OR AND OR THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE NOT GETTING ENOUGH OUT OF IT TO JUSTIFY THE TIME THAT THEY ARE INVESTING. AND I THINK TEACHING STANDARDIZING TEACHING AND MEETING FACILITATION IS IMPORTANT AND INCREASING AWARENESS AND EDUCATION.  IN ADDITION TO THAT TRYING TO REALLY ENGAGE YOUNG ADULTS IN THIS SPACE IS REALLY IMPORTANT. OUR CIVIC ASSOCIATION RIGHT NOW WE IN ADDITION TO OUR ADVISORY CAPTAINS WE ARE ABOUT 500 PLUS DOORS. WE TARGET OWNERS AND RENTERS.  WE EMPOWER OUR INTEREST TO BE INVOLVED BECAUSE AH WE HAVE RENTERS THAT HAD WE LIVED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR OVER 30 YEARS THAT DO NOT OWN BUT THEY HAVE A VOICE IN THE SPACE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS CLEAR. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ECHOED ACROSS THE CITY SINCE WE HAVE SO MANY RENTERS THAT LIVE HERE. IN ADDITION TO THAT I REALLY HOPE THAT THE FUNDING WOULD SUPPORT PROVIDING AND FUNDING RESOURCES THAT ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON EQUITY AND BY THAT IT MEANS THINKING ABOUT WHICH ASSOCIATIONS ARE ACTUALLY THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE INCORPORATED AND HAVE SOMEONE THAT ACTUALLY WORKS FULL TIME VERSUS THOSE THAT DO NOT THAT ARE ALL VOLUNTEER BASED AND DON'T HAVE TECH KNOWLEDGE AND THAT DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO THINGS LIKE PRINT. WE FLY IN OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE WERE ADVISED THAT THERE ARE NO CITY RESOURCES TO PRINT FLIERS AND WE HAVE SPENT HUNDREDS CLOSE TO $1,000 FLYING SO THAT WE CAN RAISE AWARENESS AROUND THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING AND WE'VE PAID THAT OUT OF POCKET AND AND AND THAT'S VERY FEW INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE WHO ARE IN THAT WAY AND I REALLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE THE CITY HAVING THIS HEARING AND ACKNOWLEDGING THE VALUE THAT CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS BRING TO THE COMMUNITY AND REALLY CRITICALLY THINKING THROUGH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES THAT THEY DO TO TRY TO CHIEF BRIANNA MILLER AROUND THIS WORK AND HOW THEY'RE CRITICALLY EXAMINING THIS. I DO AGREE THAT SOMETIMES AT TIMES IN OUR CIVIC ASSOCIATION I HEARD THIS TODAY LIKE IF YOU PUT ON THE FLIER THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO DEVELOPMENT, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SHOW UP AND THAT'S TRUE. I THINK FOR OUR ASSOCIATION WE REALLY FOCUS ON BUILDING COMMUNITY BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS, HAVING EVENTS AND WE'VE IDENTIFIED IS THE MORE WE DO SOCIAL ACTIVITIES THAT ENGAGE AND EDUCATE RESIDENTS ABOUT WHO THEY ARE, HOW LONG THEY LIVED HERE, WHAT THEY LOVE ABOUT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, WHAT ARE THE INITIATIVES THAT THEY WANT TO LEAD THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH DEVELOPMENT?  WE SAW AN INCREASE IN PARTICIPATION. WE HAVE AN AVERAGE OF AT LEAST 30 PLUS RESIDENTS WHO HAVE ATTENDED. WE HOSTED IN PERSON AND I THINK THAT'S BECAUSE WE REALLY ARE FOCUSED ON BEING SOLUTIONS ORIENTED. SO I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS GRANT REALLY EMPOWER AND ALLOW US TO USE TECHNICAL RESOURCES TO EDUCATE OUR RESIDENTS. THE LAST THING I WOULD SAY THAT I'VE GOT OVER MY 2 MINUTES HAS TO DO WITH THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS WHO ARE MOVING TO THE CITY WHO ARE NOT AWARE THE CIVIC AND HOW IT REALLY IS IMPORTANT THAT WE CONNECT WITH THOSE RESIDENTS SO THEY LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE CITY AND WHY THIS CIVICS EXISTED, HOW MUCH VALUE THEY BROUGHT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. I KNOW MYSELF WHEN I MOVED TO THE CITY THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT SO MANY OF THE CIVIC LEADERS TAUGHT ME THE VALUE OF THE CIVIC THE VALUE OF THE HISTORY, THE WORK THAT THEY DONE AND HOW THEY WORKED WITH CITY AND STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES TO PROTECT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AND TO BE AND TO ADVOCATE AND BE A VOICE.  AND I THINK A LOT OF RESIDENTS WHO MOVE HERE EVEN THOUGH I'M SORRY SAY BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS IS LIKE A MECCA OF NONPROFITS AND YOU'RE STILL NOT AWARE BECAUSE THERE'S MANY PLACES IN THE COUNTRY WHERE CIVICS DO NOT EXIST AND SOME FOR THOSE THAT DO EXIST THEY MAY NOT BE THEY MAY NOT OPERATE LIKE THIS. SO I THINK POURING RESOURCES INTO THE CIVIC ARE REALLY NECESSARY. OUR ASSOCIATION IS IN SUPPORT OF THIS GRANT AND WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THOSE RESOURCES GO TO GO THE ASSOCIATION THOSE WHO ARE REALLY IN NEED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, RUTH OH IT'S COME ON. LOUANNE O'CONNOR THAT'S A HI. CAN YOU HEAR ME THIS TIME? YES.  OKAY, GREAT. HOW ARE YOU? COUNCILOR PLEASANT. HOW ARE YOU DOING? I'M JUST WONDERING I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR HOSTING THIS MEETING. I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. I LIKE SOME OF WHAT I AM HEARING BUT I DO AGREE WITH I BELIEVE THE CHAIRMAN'S NAME WAS DENNIS IN SO FAR AS SETTING BEST PRACTICES FOR THE CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS CITYWIDE I FOR ONE SET OUR OWN BEST PRACTICES AND WITH THAT WE ARE NOW AT THE POINT MY LAST MEETING WAS LAST WEEK AND I HAD 50 PEOPLE IN PERSON AND 30 PEOPLE ON ZOOM AND IT VERY WELL MAY HAVE BEEN THE TOPIC WHICH WAS THE SUMMER STREET PILOT PROGRAM WITH MATT MORAN ON A BEACH. SO I LIKE THE FACT THAT THE CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS ARE BEING RECOGNIZED BUT I TEND TO FEAR THAT THAT IS ONLY WITH AWARENESS VERSUS TRANSPORTATION VERSUS ZBA VERSUS BGA,  PARTICULARLY BPD. SO I JUST WOULD LIKE TO MAKE YOU ALL AWARE OF THAT. IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS THEN WE ALL NEED TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE. WE CAN'T HAVE MULTIPLE MESSAGES COMING OUT OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS IF WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT TECHNOLOGY I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT SETTING UP AN ATTORNEY'S FUND FOR CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS THAT MAY HAVE TO SUE DEVELOPERS BECAUSE THEY POSITIVA AND AGAINST THE COMMUNITY'S WISHES. THERE'S NOT MONEY AVAILABLE TO DO THAT. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS BUT I KNOW HERE IN SOUTH BOSTON THERE'S NOT I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE CITY POINT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.  THE OTHER THING THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE IS ATTORNEY AND NO QUID PRO QUO.  MAYBE I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT'S CALLED AND COUNCIL REGION SO FEEL FREE TO ME INTO WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY BUT WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY NOT ONLY LOOK FOR LEGAL ADVICE BUT ALSO FIVE OR 13C VERSUS A TRIBAL ONE FOR C HELP TO UPDATE OUR BYLAWS HELP TO UPDATE MISSION STATEMENTS BASED ON WHAT WE FEEL IS IMPORTANT AND NOT JUST PRACTICES. SO I'M EXCITED THAT THIS IS HAPPENING OUT OF L.A. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE POLICY AND PROCEDURE COUNCIL HELP AND I ASKED YOU THAT WHEN YOU WERE BACK IN L.A. AND TO THIS DAY WE STILL DON'T HAVE IT. SO IF THERE'S A SITUATION THAT COMES UP AND WE GO TO AWARENESS AND AWARENESS EITHER WILL NOT ANSWER A QUESTION AND JUST COMPLETELY AVOID IT OR THEY CAN'T PROVIDE POLICY AND PROCEDURE. AND I THINK THAT A DEPARTMENT LIKE THAT NEEDS TO HAVE POLICY AND PROCEDURE SO THAT WE CAN ALL GO TO IT. CIVIC ACROSS THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND I JUST WANT TO GIVE ANDRE CAMPBELL A BIG SHOUT OUT. I WAS AT HER CIVIC MEETING OVER AT THE KENNEDY LIBRARY AND IT WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST CIVIC MEETINGS THAT I HAD ATTENDED.  WHAT I LEARNED FROM THAT IS ACROSS THE CITY WE HAVE MORE IN COMMON THAN WE DO IN OPPOSITION TO EACH OTHER. SO IT WAS GREAT. IT WAS GREAT TO MEET OTHER CIVIC HEADS.  IT WAS GREAT TO SEE WHAT WAS IMPORTANT IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY AS WELL AS OUR OWN PART. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY AND I HOPE YOU'LL TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.  THANK YOU LOU AND APPRECIATE YOUR TESTIMONY.  SEEING NO OTHER TESTIMONIES, I WILL NOW GIVE IT TO THE CO-SPONSOR FOR A CLOSING STATEMENT.  THANK YOU, CHAIR. AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CAME AND SHARE THEIR VOICE TO THIS CONVERSATION THAT'S GOING TO BE ONGOING IN CONVERSATION IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE IS A A REQUEST FROM THE CIVICS ON SOME SORT OF ASSISTANCE FROM THE CITY. SO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.  I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING A WORKING SESSION SHARE TO KIND OF CREATE SOME SORT OF PILOT PROGRAM ON WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONTINUED CONVERSATION, I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO CAME TO LEND THEIR VOICE IN THIS CONVERSATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILOR . LOUIJEUNE WELL, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE CHAIR FOR LEADING THIS CONVERSATION. I THINK IT WAS VERY INSTRUCTIVE AND INFORMATIVE FOR ME TO HEAR FROM A WIDE VARIETY AGAIN OF CIVIC ORGS AS AN AT LARGE CITY COUNCILOR TO HEAR THE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND TO HEAR THE NEED FOR US TO REALLY CENTER MOVED THIS IN EQUITY AND I REALLY IN EQUITY NOT IN EQUITY. TWO DIFFERENT WORDS AND I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR WORKING SESSION SO WE COULD LEARN MORE. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE NEW CIVICS THAT THAT NEED HELP AND I UNDERSTAND THE COMMENTS ABOUT HOW DO WE DO IT IN A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS DON'T FEEL LIKE THERE'S THEY'RE TETHERED TO THE CITY OR THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME SORT OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST.  AND I THINK THAT WE CAN MANAGE BOTH TO TO DO THINGS LIKE WHAT WE SAW FROM THE WOODROW AVENUE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, THE GREAT WEBSITE THAT WAS CREATED AND FOR THEM FEELING LIKE THEY HAVE AT LEAST SOME HELP BECAUSE IT'S A LOT FOR SOME PEOPLE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE. THERE'S NO FUNDS LIKE IT. IT'S A LOT OF OUT POCKET OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE FOR SOMETHING LIKE FLIER ING WHICH IS I THINK SOMETHING THAT'S VERY BASIC THAT PERHAPS WOULDN'T THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE CONFLICT ISSUES IF IF WE'RE HELPING PEOPLE IN THAT END I'M SO I THINK THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN HAVE WINS WITHOUT CREATING COMPLEX BUT LOOKING FORWARD TO THE WORK IN SESSION. THANK YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT COUNCILOR DURKAN THANK YOU SO MUCH. I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S PARTICIPATION AND IT WAS GREAT TO HEAR FROM CIVIC LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE CITY AND I ALSO REALLY WANT TO THANK THE CHAIR FOR BRINGING AN IDEA FORWARD BECAUSE I THINK THERE WERE SO MANY DIFFERENT LAYERS AND A LOT OF PERSPECTIVE THAT WAS GLEANED FROM HAVING THIS HEARING. SO I APPRECIATE PARTICIPATING IN IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR . COUNCILOR ANDERSON THANK YOU, MR CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO THE SPONSORS FOR FILING THIS. I DEFINITELY THINK THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR FINANCIAL OR GRANT PROGRAM TO SUPPORT CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS. I THINK THAT OBVIOUSLY A CONVERSATION IS WARRANTED IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW, ENSURING THAT THERE THAT WE CAN PREVENT CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, I DO THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE A THIRD PARTY INVOLVEMENT SO THAT THEY ARE HANDLING THE FUNDS OR THE GRANTS OR THE PROPOSALS THAT ARE RECEIVED. AND ALSO I MEAN ON ONE HAND YOU HAVE FOR EXAMPLE, DISTRICT SEVEN IS COMPOSED OF FOUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND THAT'S ROXBURY DORCHESTER, FENWAY AND SOUTH END WITH VERY DIFFERENT NEEDS.  AND SO IF YOU GO TO GROVE HALL AND DORCHESTER THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, TREMENDOUS NEED AND LACK OF RESOURCES FOR NO FAULT TO ANYONE RIGHT.  SO DISINVESTED NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE LESS RESOURCES, HAVE LESS PEOPLE TO RELY ON IN THAT SENSE EVEN IF YOU DO HAVE VERY EDUCATED, RESOURCEFUL PEOPLE AT TIMES ALREADY LIKE ALREADY SPENT ALREADY HAVE USING SPREADING TO SPREAD TOO THIN IN TERMS OF THE WORK THAT IS NEEDED. SO THERE IS DEFINITELY AND INEQUITABLE IMBALANCE HERE IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW, NEIGHBORHOOD COMPARISONS. AND I THINK THE CONVERSATION IN THE WORKING SESSION THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO I AGREE WITH MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE DEFINITELY THERE'S OPPORTUNITY HERE AND ROOM HERE FOR US TO TALK ABOUT HOW TO DO THAT APPROPRIATELY AND AS WELL AS FIGURING OUT EXACTLY HOW WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT EQUITABLE. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TESTIMONIES FROM EVERYONE BECAUSE I THINK TOGETHER WE CAN PUT THOSE CONVERSATIONS ON THE TABLE. EVERYONE HAD REALLY GOOD POINTS ONE.  LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT WE'RE NOT CREATING CONFLICT OF INTEREST.  SO IS IT A THIRD PARTY AGENCY THAT'S HANDLING FUNDS INTO ALSO FROM THE CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS FROM CUMMINGS AND ROSLINDALE ALL SPEAKING IN TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT AND THE LACK OF COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPARENT EASY FIGURING OUT THOSE THINGS THROUGH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. I LOVE THE IDEA ABOUT THE ATTORNEY.  I'M NOT SURE THE CITY IS GOING TO DO THAT BUT I DEFINITELY THINK THAT IT'S NEEDED. BUT I'M NOT SURE THE CITY IS GOING TO FUND CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS TO PAY FOR ATTORNEYS TO SUE THE CITY. SO BUT THAT'S ANOTHER CRIME. BUT I AGREE WITH YOU BUT I GOT NOTHING. YOU AGREE WITH ME BUT IT'S STILL A GOOD IDEA RIGHT NOW. I THINK THE IDEA IS TO SUE TO SUE THE DEVELOPER, NOT NECESSARILY THE CITY. RIGHT. I THINK THEY SUE BOTH.  RIGHT. SO THEN IT'S LIKE WHAT? LIKE I WOULD WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? RIGHT. BUT ANYWAY, THANKS FOR STOPPING ME BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO KEEP GOING AND YOU GUYS ARE. THANK YOU CHAIR AND I JUST WANT TO SHARE IN THE GRATITUDE FOR EVERYBODY'S PARTICIPATION.  IT'S REFLECTIVE OF THE TAPESTRY OF PERSPECTIVES AND NEEDS THAT WE HAVE ACROSS THE CITY AND ESPECIALLY THANK MARGARET FARMER AND VICTOR FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND EVERYBODY THAT WROTE IN FROM FROM MY DISTRICT.  I LOVE A PILOT PROGRAM. I LOVE THE IDEA OF HAVING A WORKING SESSION FIGURING OUT HOW WE COULD DO THIS STARTING OUT SMALL AND INCREMENTAL CHANGE AND LEADING TO BIGGER CHANGE AND HOPEFULLY A LONGER TERM PROGRAM BUT CERTAINLY MIRRORING SOME OF THE EXISTING PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY. I DO THINK THAT TRANSLATION SERVICES IS ALWAYS SOMETHING I WILL CHAMPION JUST SEEING THAT JUST BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU CAN'T PARTICIPATE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT BUT I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE COULD BE DOING AND JUST LOOK FORWARD TO THE FUTURE CONVERSATION. SO THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. AND WHAT I'LL SAY IS JUST THANK YOU TO TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR PARTICIPATING TODAY. THANK YOU TO THE CREATORS OF THIS HEARING ORDER TO THE CO-SPONSORS, TO THE PANELISTS THAT PARTICIPATED TO THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR FOR BEING PART OF THE CONVERSATION. IT'S IT'S ONE THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR FOR MY COMMITTEE OF CITY SERVICES AND TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION BECAUSE WHEN IT COMES TO CIVIC GROUPS IT'S ABOUT OUR RESIDENTS AND IF OUR RESIDENTS NEED SUPPORT AND FEELING CONNECTED AND BUILDING COMMUNITY, THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD DO. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO HOSTING A WORKING SESSION ABOUT THIS CONVERSATION AND HOPE AND ALL OF YOU IN THAT CONVERSATION WITH THAT THIS HEARING IS ADJOURNED ---------  I AM THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. TODAY IS APRIL 16TH, 2024 IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER TWO OF THE ACTS OF 2023 MODIFYING CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS FOR OPEN MEETING LAW. THE RULE AND RELIEVING PUBLIC BODIES OF CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS INCLUDING THE REQUIREMENT THAT PUBLIC BODIES CONDUCT ITS MEETINGS IN A PUBLIC PLACE THAT IS OPEN AND PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE TO THE TO THE PUBLIC. PHYSICALLY ACCESSIBLE. ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.  PARDON? THE CITY COUNCIL IS CONDUCTING THIS HEARING VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM. THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT WILL BE ADVISED STREAMED BOSTON TOPGOLF PARKS LIFE CITY CITY COUNCIL DASH TV AND BROADCAST ON XFINITY CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 AND FIOS CHANNELS 964. WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT C C C DOT HOUSING AT BOSTON BOSTON.COM AND WILL BE MADE A PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO THE TO ALL COUNCILORS PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THE HEARING. INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU WISH TO SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND HAVE NOT DONE SO PLEASE EMAIL OUR CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON SHANE PIKE AT SC H A AND E DOT PACK A C BOSTON DOT GOV FOR THE ZOOM LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET 0176. ORDER FOR A HEARING REGARDING THE HOME OWNERSHIP VOUCHER PROGRAM THIS MOUNTED MATTER WILL SPONSORED BY COUNCILORS BRIAN MORRELL AND COUNCIL LEWIS BREADON AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON JANUARY 24, 2024. TODAY I AM JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL COUNCILOR ENRIQUE PEPEN, COUNCILOR BRIAN BROWN AND COUNCILOR JULIA MEJIA.  I THINK I'D LIKE TO OPEN AND JUST ASK MY OTHER CO-SPONSOR LEAD SPONSOR A COUNCIL WARRANT FOR AN OPENING STATEMENT A BRIEF OPENING STATEMENT. THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO THE PANEL FOR BEING HERE AS WELL AS MY COLLEAGUES.  THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT SOMETHING THAT WE ADVOCATED FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO ALLOCATED ARPA DOLLARS TO NOT ONLY THE CITY WIDE VOUCHER BUT ALSO TO THE POSITION I AM AT VHA TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD SOMEBODY THERE PUSHING IN SECTION EIGHT THE HOMEOWNERSHIP VOUCHER PROGRAM OR SECTION EIGHT HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM AND WE KNOW THE DISPARITIES THAT EXIST WHEN IT COMES TO HOME OWNERSHIP AND ALSO WHEN IT COMES TO POOR BLACK AND BROWN RESIDENTS TO OBTAIN ALONE.  SO I'M JUST WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING IN OUR IN OUR POWER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROGRAM AIMS THAT HELP INCREASE HOMEOWNERSHIP TO BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES. WE'RE DOING AS A CITY SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS CONVERSATION, LOOKING TO HEAR FROM THE ADMINISTRATION ON WHAT WHAT HAS WORKED, WHAT ARE THE IMPACT? WHERE DO WE NEED MORE MORE FUNDING AND ALSO HOW CAN WE EXPAND THE CITYWIDE VOUCHER PROGRAM?  SO THANK YOU AGAIN AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION. THANK YOU, CONSERVATIVE COUNCILOR PEPEN. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO THE ORIGINAL SPONSORS OF THE CITY OF THIS BILL BECAUSE IT'S A TOPIC THAT IS VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO ME PERSONALLY BUT ALSO TO MY DISTRICT.  JUST LAST WEEK COUNCILOR AT LARGE HENRY SANTANA AND MYSELF ATTENDED A PANEL WITH MAHA WHICH IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT COVERS THE ENTIRE CITY, THAT HELPS LOW INCOME FAMILIES, BLACK AND LATINO FAMILIES ACROSS OUR CITY TO BECOME HOMEOWNERS AND OBTAIN.  INTEREST RATES LOW INTEREST RATES ACROSS OUR CITY. SO I ALWAYS AM ADVOCATING FOR MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR FAMILIES TO COME HOME OR TWO IN A CITY SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT BOSTON CONTINUES TO BE THAT THAT CITY THAT IS WELCOMING TO EVERYONE. WELCOME TO MY FAMILY, TO MY DISTRICT. SO I'M EXCITED TO BE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION TO HEAR HOW I CAN BE SUPPORTIVE OF THESE VOUCHERS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE EXPANDING IT TO AS MANY FAMILIES. SO THANK YOU, COUNCILOR . WHERE I THINK YOU CAN CELEBRATE IT FOR BRINGING THIS TO THE TABLE. THANK YOU COUNCILOR PEPEN MEJIA. YOU CAN MAKE A BRIEF OPENING STATEMENT.  THANK YOU, CHAIR AND THANK YOU COUNCILOR , FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THIS SPACE SINCE THE MOMENT I MET YOU. I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN OUT HERE FIGHTING TO CREATE AS MANY PATHWAYS TOWARDS HOME OWNERSHIP FOR BOSTON RESIDENTS AND I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SEE EDWARDS IN THE BUILDING IN THE ZOOM HERE BECAUSE THUMBPRINT I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE ONLY REASON WHY I'M A HOMEOWNER TODAY WAS BECAUSE OF ALEX EDWARDS AND EVERYBODY KNOWS MY STORY IN TERMS OF MY MOM, YOU KNOW, HAVING A SEX TAPE. I'LL TURN.  SHE WAS LOW INCOME AND PRICED OUT OF THE AREA THAT SHE HAD AND IT REALLY PROMPTED ME TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF STABILIZING OUR FAMILY RIGHT IN A PATHWAY TOWARDS HOMEOWNERSHIP GETS OUT A LOT OF THE WEALTH GAP THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. RIGHT. AND IF WE'RE REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT HELPING PEOPLE THEN I THINK NOT ONLY JUST CREATING OR ABOUT HER AVAILABILITY BUT ALSO EDUCATION FOR OUR FAMILIES. RIGHT. BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW. AND I THINK THAT THAT'S PART OF THE CONVERSATION IS HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE THIS TO AS MANY RESIDENTS SO THAT THEY CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS? SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THE COMMUNICATION AND OUTREACH ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY AND BEING A PART OF THE SOLUTION. SO THANK YOU ALL AND I AM HAPPY TO SEE OUR PREVIOUS COUNCILOR BACK HERE NOW WHO IS THE BIGWIG OVER AT VHA MAKING BIG THINGS HAPPEN SO VERY HELPFUL FOR WHAT'S COME OUT OF THIS CONVERSATION TODAY.  THANK YOU. CONSIDER ME A CONSOLE COLLECTOR . YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. CHAIR AND DIGITAL SPONSOR AND I APPRECIATE SEEING EVERYBODY HERE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION THERE. THIS IS A VITAL PROGRAM.  WE ALL TALK ABOUT THE CLASS AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR OUR FAMILIES AND TRYING TO INVEST IN THEM IN THEIR FUTURES AND THEIR GENERATION.  SO WHILE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE EXPANDED AS WE INCREASE INVESTMENTS IN OUR FAMILIES IN OUR CITY AND YET LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION AND THANK YOU AGAIN TO THE SPONSOR COUNSELOR WE'RE OUT AND I'M NOT MISSING ANYBODY BUT THANK YOU COUNSELOR AROUND SPECIFICALLY FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. THANK YOU, CONSUL COLETTA I'LL JUST SAY A FEW WORDS. I THINK THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE PROGRAM HOMEOWNERSHIP. UM, SO MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS IS PART OF THE AMERICAN DREAM TO OWN YOUR HOME AND TO BUILD UP EQUITY IN THAT HOME AND TO HAVE SOME GENERATIONAL WEALTH TO PASS ON TO THE NEXT GENERATION . I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE GREAT WORK THAT IS DONE BY MY HOUSE WHEN WE DID OUR HOMEBUYING COURSES WAY BACK WHAT 25 YEARS AGO, 27 YEARS AGO WE TENDED TO MY HOMEBUYING COURSE AND THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL AND SO I JUST WITH NO FURTHER ADO I'D LIKE TO PASS IT ON TO THE TO THE PANEL THAT WE HAVE THIS AFTERNOON.  WE HAVE DIRECTOR KENZIE BOK FROM THE BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY. KAREN RIBAS UM, FROM THE BOSTON LAW CENTER, NICK KELLEY FROM B.J. JOANNA EDWARDS FROM THUMBPRINT REALTY AND TESSA COHAN FROM B.J. ALSO I HOPE I HAVEN'T MISSED ANYONE BUT I WILL HAND IT OVER TO CONSTANCE AND I'M SORRY DIRECTOR BOK SORRY I STILL CALL YOU COUNSELOR AND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR AND YOU KNOW, WELCOME EVERYONE. THIS IS A WONDERFUL CONVERSATION TO HAVE.  THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO YOU AND TO COUNCILOR WORL FOR CALLING THIS HEARING AND TO COUNCILORS PUTTING MEJIA AND COLETTA FOR BEING HERE AND REALLY THE WHOLE CITY COUNCIL FOR SUPPORTING THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT TODAY BECAUSE I REALLY CAN'T UNDERSCORE ENOUGH HOW MUCH THIS WHOLE LANDSCAPE HAS CHANGED BECAUSE OF THE ARPA INVESTMENT THAT THE COUNCIL AUTHORIZED.  A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT TODAY ARE JUST PROGRAMS THAT DIDN'T EXIST TWO YEARS AGO AND THEY IN IN SOME CASES THEY'RE PROGRAMS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY EXISTING BUT COMBINING THEM WITH THESE NEW ONES IS WHAT'S REALLY ENABLED OUR FAMILIES TO ACCESS HOMEOWNERSHIP.  SO I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY THE RIGHT CONVERSATION FOR US TO BE HAVING AT THIS JUNCTURE ABOUT LIKE OKAY, WE'VE DONE SOMETHING NEW AND REALLY IMPORTANT AND REALLY IMPORTANT FOR CLOSING THAT WEALTH GAP IN BOSTON AND NOW LIKE HOW DO WE SUSTAIN IT? HOW DO WE LEARN FROM WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AND CONTINUE ON. I'M GOING TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF PIAGET, BUT I DO JUST REALLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MEMBERS OF MY TEAM HERE.  NICK KELLY WHO'S HERE I THINK WAS BEFORE THE COUNCIL ON ANOTHER MATTER IF YOU DAYS AGO AS MANY OF YOU KNOW HIM TESSA KHAN IS HERE REPRESENTING OUR HOMEOWNERSHIP TEAM MEGHAN RYAN WHO IS THE DIRECTOR AND LEADER OF THAT TEAM IS ON SOME WELL-DESERVED FAMILY VACATION RIGHT NOW. SO SHE IS NOT WITH US BUT SHE HAS BEEN THE COUNSELOR WHERE L SPOKE TO THE NEED FOR US TO HAVE A POINT PERSON AND REALLY LIKE OWNING THIS WORK AT THE VHA AND MEGHAN HAS BEEN THAT AND THEN SOME SHE'S BEEN INCREDIBLE AND SHE'S BUILT A GREAT TEAM AND TESSA IS REALLY THE CORE OF THAT AND IF I IF SHE WERE HERE SHE WOULD BE SINGING TESSA'S PRAISES AND TALKING ABOUT JUST LIKE HOW MUCH WORK SHE DOES DAY IN, DAY OUT WITH OUR HOMEBUYERS.  SO I'M REALLY GLAD TO HAVE HER ON THE CALL WITH ME TOO. AND YOU KNOW, FOR THE VHA THERE'S REALLY TWO PROGRAMS THAT I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT TODAY AND I THOUGHT I'D PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF OVERVIEW OF KIND OF WHAT THEY ARE AND WHERE WE ARE WITH THEM BUT HAPPY TO GET MORE IN THE WEEDS WITH THE COUNCIL AS YOU ALL DESIRE. SO THERE'S THE FIRST HOME PROGRAM FIRST HOMES KIND OF ARE LIKE OVERALL NAME FOR KIND OF TRYING TO PROVIDE A ONE STOP SHOP FOR VHA RESIDENTS WHO WANT TO BECOME FIRST TIME HOMEBUYERS. AND SO THIS IS OPEN BOTH TO OUR PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS AND TO OUR SECTION EIGHT RESIDENTS. AND ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE WITH FIRST HOME IS THAT WHERE THE CITY PROVIDES $50,000 FOR ELIGIBLE FIRST TIME HOMEBUYERS. AND I'LL LEAVE THAT TO KAREN TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT LATER THROUGH THE HOME CENTER AND ALSO ACCESS TO THE ONE PLUS BOSTON MORTGAGE PROGRAM A REALLY AFFORDABLE GREAT HIGH QUALITY MORTGAGE PRODUCT OFFERED WITH A BUNCH OF BANK PARTNERS. THE VHA FIRST HOME PROGRAM GIVES FOLKS ALL OF THAT AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL $25,000 OF DOWNPAYMENT ASSISTANCE AND SO THAT'S BEEN ABLE TO GET OUR HOMEBUYERS UP TO 75,000 AND THEN FOR A LOT OF OUR HOMEBUYERS THROUGHOUT THIS PERIOD MASS DREAMS FROM THE STATE IT HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN AVAILABLE BUT IT'S BEEN AVAILABLE OFTEN AND SO THAT'S KIND OF COME IN WITH ANOTHER 25,000. SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF HOMEBUYERS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET ALMOST $100,000 OF HOMEBUYER ASSISTANCE TO OVER THIS THIS PERIOD. AND THE OTHER THING THAT YOU KNOW AND SOME OF OUR PARTNERS HAVE BEEN MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE IDEA TO GET THE ONE PLUS BOSTON MORTGAGE YOU HAVE AND TO ACCESS THESE THINGS YOU NEED TO TAKE A FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER CLASS. WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT LIKE EVERYBODY WHO YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO BUILD WEALTH BUT KEY TO BUILDING WEALTH IS KEEPING HOLD OF THE ASSET AND SO WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE PREPARED FOR THAT AND THAT'S WHY FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER CLASSES ARE SO IMPORTANT AND THEN THERE'S THIS OTHER PIECE OF THE PUZZLE CALLED THE SECTION EIGHT TO HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM THAT THE VHA HAS ACCESS TO THAT AT A BASIC LEVEL IS A HUD PROGRAM WHERE PEOPLE CAN USE THEIR SECTION EIGHT VOUCHER TO WHICH GIVES THEM YOU KNOW, CURRENTLY IS HELPING TO PAY THEIR MONTHLY RENT WITH A LANDLORD SOMEWHERE THEY CAN REDIRECT THAT TO HELPING TO PAY THEIR MONTHLY MORTGAGE FOR UP TO 15 YEARS 15 YEARS OR UNTIL OR UNTIL THEY GO OVER INCOME, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. AND SO THAT IS A GAME CHANGING PROGRAM AND IT ACTUALLY CAME TO EXIST ABOUT 12 OR 13 YEARS AGO NOW. BUT AT THE TIME THAT IT CAME TO EXIST YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE ASSOCIATED WITH IT.  AND SO FOR THE FIRST 12 YEARS THAT VHA RESIDENTS WERE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SECTION 82 HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM, WE HAD TWO FAMILIES A YEAR USE IT SUCCESSFULLY. NOW THE VHA HAS 17,000 FEDERAL VOUCHERS SO TWO A YEAR IS NOT A LARGE NUMBER AND I THINK THAT YOU KNOW, IT WAS REALLY KIND OF LIMPING ALONG WHEN WE COMBINED IT WITH WHEN THE COUNCIL APPROPRIATED $2 MILLION FOR THE VHA TO PROVIDE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE IN IT LIKE AUGMENTATION OF WHAT THE HOME CENTER DOES, IT JUST IT JUST OPENED THE GATES AND SO I'M HAPPY TO TALK A BIT ABOUT ELIGIBILITY AND EVERYTHING BUT THE THE CORE UPSHOT OF OUR WORK TOGETHER IS THAT WHERE PREVIOUSLY OVER 12 YEARS WE HELPED 24 FAMILIES NOW JUST OVER THIS ONE YEAR VHA I THINK WE WE HAVE LITERALLY CLOSED A LET ME SEE YES. SO 38 FAMILIES HAVE CLOSED ON THEIR HOME AND WE'VE GOT ANOTHER SEVEN THAT ARE SCHEDULED UNDER FIRST HOME. SO THERE'S 45 FAMILIES. SO IT'S DOUBLING AND THEN THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL THREE FAMILIES WITH THE CITYWIDE VOUCHER PROGRAM WHICH I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT IN A MOMENT. SO BASICALLY YOU TAKE THAT 24 FOR 12 YEARS AND YOU DOUBLE IT IN ONE YEAR WHICH IS OF COURSE ACTUALLY A 25 ACT INCREASE. SO THIS IS WHAT I MEAN WHEN I SAY LIKE IF WE CAN SUSTAIN THIS TYPE OF HOMEOWNERSHIP ACCESS FOR FOLKS WHO ARE IN THE BEACHES PROGRAMS LIKE YOU KNOW, DOING ROUGHLY 50 FAMILIES IN A YEAR THAT'S A LOT OF FAMILIES AND IT'S A LOT OF GENERATIONAL WEALTH AND YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE'D LOVE TO HAVE IT BE EVEN MORE BUT LIKE 50 A YEAR. BUT IT REALLY STARTS TO MOVE THE NEEDLE.  SO YOU KNOW, WE WE'VE BEEN REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND WE'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN IT AND WE'VE USED SO WE'VE USED ABOUT A MILLION BUT WHEN YOU TAKE THE SEVEN FAMILIES THAT ARE STILL SCHEDULED TO CLOSE WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO END UP HAVING IS 1.15 OF THE 2 MILLION FOR THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE FOR THOSE THOSE INITIAL 48 FAMILIES AND SO WE BASICALLY THINK THAT WE'VE GOT THE MONEY LEFT, THE 850,000 THAT WE'VE GOT LEFT IN ARPA IS ABOUT ENOUGH TO DO ANOTHER 34 FAMILIES WITH THE ARPA ALLOCATION THAT WE HAVE AND WE THINK THAT WE WILL HAVE HELPED UP MANY FAMILIES AND GOTTEN THEM TO CLOSING PROBABLY BY THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR.  SO THAT'S THAT'S WHERE WE ARE. WE THINK LIKE YOU KNOW WE'RE GOING GANGBUSTERS BUT WE DEFINITELY NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT OUR NEXT RESOURCES ARE. WE'VE BEEN LUCKY TO GET A 850,000 GRANT FROM BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER THROUGH ONE OF THEIR PROCESSES THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE AUGMENT THE PROGRAM BUT IT'S TARGETED IN SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE LIKE IN THEIR SERVICE AREA FOR A PROJECT. SO SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE CAN JUST USE FOR ALL COMERS. SO WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEEK FUNDING OF ALL TYPES AND HAPPY TALK ABOUT THAT AND JUST WANT TO GIVE PEOPLE A SENSE OF WHERE WE ARE.  THEN BEFORE I SEE THE FLOOR I WANT TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CITYWIDE VOUCHER PROGRAM AND THE KIND OF HOME OWNERSHIP PIECE SO MANY OF THE COUNSELORS KNOW THE CITYWIDE VOUCHER PROGRAM IS $11.75 MILLION. IT'S AS AN ANNUAL APPROPRIATION FROM THE CITY AND THE LION'S SHARE OF THAT WAS ABOUT CREATING A RENTAL VOUCHER PROGRAM AND THAT'S HOW MOST OF IT IS USED. BUT IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, COUNCILORS ADVOCATED FOR INCLUSION CASSEROLE LIKE TRY HAVING A SORT OF PILOT OF A HOMEOWNERSHIP VOUCHER PROGRAM AND THE SPECIFIC GOAL THERE WAS TO THINK ABOUT HOW CAN WE HELP PROVIDE HOMEOWNERSHIP ACCESS TO FAMILIES THAT ARE KIND OF IN THIS LOW TO MODERATE INCOME HOMEBUYER POTENTIAL TRYING AGE BUT ARE NOT VHA RESIDENTS. AND SO WE STARTED THAT UP. IT WAS YOU KNOW, INITIALLY A IT'S KIND OF BEEN IN A PILOT PHASE THIS YEAR. THE FUNDING WAS THERE FOR AN INITIAL 15 FAMILIES AND IN THE VHA RAN A LOTTERY FOR FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER CLASSES FOR ELIGIBLE BOSTON RESIDENTS WHO WERE BETWEEN 50 AND 80%. AND I AND I MENTIONED THAT WE'VE HAD THREE OF THOSE FAMILIES ALSO CLOSED ON A HOME AND WE'VE LEARNED SOME THINGS ALONG THE WAY WITH THAT. LIKE OUR FIRST LOTTERY WE RAN INTO A BUNCH OF PEOPLE WE THOUGHT WERE ELIGIBLE THEN THEY COULDN'T CLEAR PREAPPROVAL FOR THEIR MORTGAGE AND SO WE WERE WE'RE BASICALLY GOING TO GO BACK AND RUN A LOTTERY AGAIN. AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE LEARNED FROM THAT PROCESS IS HOW TO HOW TO BETTER PREDICT WHO'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO CLEAR THE OTHER THE OTHER BUYERS SO THAT THEY CAN REALLY HAVE ACCESS TO HOME. AND WE ALSO HAD SOME PEOPLE WHO WERE ACTUALLY SO SUCCESSFUL IN BUYING A HOME THAT THEY GOT THERE BEFORE THEY COULD GET APPROVED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM. SO SO I THINK THERE'S BEEN SOME LEARNINGS THERE IN OUR VERY FIRST ROUND OF APPLYING IT BUT IT DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, HAS IT'S DEFINITELY PROVIDED A GOOD AVENUE FOR SOME FOLKS WHO ARE NOT CURRENT VHA RESIDENTS.  I THINK THE THE BIGGEST PICTURE THING THAT I WANT TO SAY TO THE COUNCIL IS THAT THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE IS JUST REALLY CRITICAL. WE'RE SEEING IN BOSTON YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME OTHER GOOD AFFORDABLE MORTGAGE PROGRAMS OUT THERE BUT IF YOU CAN'T MAKE THAT INITIAL DOWN PAYMENT, THE PRICES ARE JUST SO HIGH IN BOSTON THAT IT'S REALLY, REALLY HARD FOR ANYONE TO ACCESS INVENTORY. AND SO WE'VE SEEN THAT THAT STEP UP AND DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE BE THE REAL GAME CHANGER FOR OUR RESIDENTS. BUT WHAT'S VERY HEARTENING FOR ME IS THAT OF THOSE 48 FAMILIES THAT WE'VE HELPED BY, I THINK WELL BEFORE THE FAMILIES THAT WE'VE SEEN BY I THINK 44 OF THEM WERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. TESSA WILL AS WELL CLARIFY THAT FOR ME . BUT BASICALLY ALMOST EVERYBODY IN OUR PROGRAM'S BEEN ABLE TO ACTUALLY BUY IN THE CITY LIMITS WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROGRAM PEOPLE WERE SKEPTICAL THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO SO. I JUST THINK LIKE YOU KNOW, IT CAN BE EASY TO BE KIND OF FATALISTIC. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO LIKE FLAG THAT LIKE WE DID A THING AND IT'S WORKED. IT'S ACTUALLY ANCHORING OUR PEOPLE HERE IN BOSTON. IT'S ALLOWING THEM TO BUILD WEALTH GENERATIONAL WEALTH.  I THINK ABOUT IT LIKE, YOU KNOW, I'M SOMEBODY WHO'S LUCKY ENOUGH TO LIVE IN THE HOUSE THAT MY GRANDPARENTS BOUGHT IN THE 1950S. I THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE ARE FAMILIES FROM OUR RESIDENTS WHO ARE BUYING THESE HOUSES TODAY THAT WE HOPE LIKE THEIR GRANDKIDS WILL GET TO GROW UP IN THOSE HOUSES. AND SO IT'S JUST IT'S REALLY TRANSFORMATIONAL WORK AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO DO IT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING. SO I WANT TO JUST PASS THE BATON OVER TO CARE ABOUT IT AND I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS . KAREN READ IT.  YEAH. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.  SO MY NAME IS KAREN ROBERTS AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE HOME CENTER I CURRENTLY RESIDE IN EAST BOSTON AND THIS IS REALLY TOUCHING MY HEART.  IT REALLY YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT I REALLY ENJOY AND ESPECIALLY WHEN I HEAR MORSE I EXPAND YOU KNOW, EXPAND THE PROGRAM AND MORE IN MORE FUNDING. IT IS REALLY MUSIC TO THE BOSTON HOME CENTER. YES. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL KINDS OF LETTERS FOR YOUR SUPPORT NOT ONLY FOR THIS PROGRAM FOR EVERY PROGRAM'S OUT THERE FOR HOMEOWNERS.  YEP. AS YOU KNOW, THE PATROL CENTER WE BELIEVE THAT HOMEOWNERSHIP IS NOT JUST A DREAM BUT IT'S A FUNDAMENTAL PILLAR OF THIS STABILITY AND PROSPERITY FOR OUR CONSTITUENCIES IN OUR COMMUNITIES. OUR MISSION IS REALLY TO EMPOWER AND SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS IN ACHIEVING THEIR DREAM OF HOMEOWNERSHIP HOMEOWNERSHIP PARTICULARLY THOSE WITHIN, YOU KNOW, BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY, THE VHA THROUGH OUR RANGE OF PRODUCTS AND PROGRAMS AND YOU KNOW, INCLUDING THE FIRST HOME PROGRAM YOU KNOW, PROVIDED TO VHA TENANTS IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRANSITION FROM RENTING TO OWNING TO OWNING A HOME.  AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT NAVIGATING HOMEOWNERSHIP PROCESSING IT IS REALLY STRESSFUL. I WENT THROUGH IT I CAN REMEMBER I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT MY HOME AND IT WAS REALLY EXHAUSTING TIRING AND SO MANY PIECES AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS THIS IS WHEN WE AS A TEAM WITH THE VHA WE COLLABORATE TO MAKE THIS PROGRAM SUCCESSFUL. IT'S REALLY IT IS REALLY AMAZING TO SEE THAT THE FIRST YEAR OF THIS PROGRAM THAT WE REALLY WORKING TOGETHER WE WERE ABLE TO CLOSE ON THE FIRST YEAR 29 AND HELP 29 VHA HOMEOWNERS AND A LOT OF THESE HOMEOWNERS NOT ONLY WERE ABLE TO BUY A HOME BUT THEY'RE ALSO WE'RE SO COMPETITIVE TO MARKET RATE PROPERTIES WHICH YOU KNOW THERE NOW IS REALLY IT'S REALLY HARD TO BE ABLE TO TO OBTAIN A MARKET RATE PROPERTY NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE HIGH COSTS AND VALUE BUT THESE PROGRAMS WERE ALLOW YOU TO REALLY INCREASE YOUR YEAR WITH THE DOWN PAYMENT WILL ALLOW YOU TO INCREASE YOUR YOUR PURCHASING POWER AND ALSO BEING ABLE TO USE YOUR VOUCHER ASSISTANCE PAYMENT TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD A MORTGAGE AND OBTAIN A MORTGAGE WHICH IS REALLY CRUCIAL.  AND I HAVE TO SECOND WHAT DIRECTOR BUCK SAID ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ONE CRITICAL COMPONENT OF OUR EFFORTS IT'S OUR COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE AS HOUSING COSTS CONTINUES TO RISE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY VITAL FOR MAKING HOMEOWNERSHIP ACHIEVABLE IN PARTICULAR FOR THOSE WITH LIMITED FINANCIAL RESOURCES.  WE'RE REALLY DEDICATED TO EXPAND ACCESS TO THESE PROGRAMS AND ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN IN YOU KNOW, CONTINUE WITH THIS WITH THIS PROGRAMS I THINK THAT WE ARE ALL CLEAR THAT BY INVESTING IN HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAMS AND SUPPORTING VHA BUYERS WE NOT ONLY FULFILLED DREAMS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES BUT ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THE OVERALL WELL-BEING AND BIOLOGY OF OUR COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW WE WE'RE SO PROUD TO BE A CATALYST OR A MDH IS SO PROUD TO BE A CATALYST FOR THE POSITIVE CHANGE AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE OUR MISSION OF PROMOTING HOMEOWNERSHIP AROUND THE CDO.  BOSTON I CAN TESTIFY THAT YOU KNOW WE HAVE LENDERS THAT ARE HAD BEEN ENGAGING INTO THIS PROGRAM. WE'RE STILL CONTINUE TO WORK BOSTON HOME CENTER WITH VHA AND ESPECIALLY MEGAN RYAN IS STILL REALLY PUSHING IN HAVING YOU KNOW FAIR LENDING PRACTICES INCLUDING IN THESE PROGRAMS AS WELL.  LIKE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE SEVEN LENDERS THAT ARE REALLY PARTICIPATING AND WE ARE INCLUDING EVERY LENDER REALLY FROM THE ONE PLUS BOSTON TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM AND ALLOWED OUR CONSTITUENTS ESPECIALLY BE A GREAT CONSTITUENT TO REALLY HAVE MORE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES WITH DIFFERENT LENDING SETS. SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY PUSHING TO REALLY CONTINUE TO WORK ON. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND I DON'T KNOW WHO I WILL PASS THIS CHAIR SO I THINK IT WILL GO TO YOU BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.  THANK YOU KAREN. I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNSELOR AND FRIEND OF DISTRICT TWO AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT RUSSI LOUIJEUNE THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.  WOULD YOU LIKE TO OFFER SOME BRIEF REMARKS? COUNCILOR FLYNN COMES FROM DIVISION I PRESIDENT DIVISION COUNCIL FRIEND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR MADAM CHAIR I'LL HOLD AND NOD FOR OPENING STATEMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CONSUMER DIVISION THANK YOU COUNCILOR BRADING AND THANKS FOR EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE. I'LL JUST HOLD ON. I JUST WANT TO JUST THINK THE ADMINISTRATION FOR THEIR INCREDIBLE WORK HAVE SOME QUESTIONS REGARDING HOW THIS COMMUNICATIONS TO RESIDENTS BUT I'LL HOPE FOR NOW THANK YOU AND ALSO BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR FERNANDEZ ANDERSON ENTREPRENEUR AND AND DO I HAVE A BRIEF OPENING STATEMENT JUST I DON'T I'VE BEEN HERE A WHILE THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTITUDE AND I'VE JUST NOTICED YOU COMING UP ON THE SCREEN SO THANK YOU OR THANK YOU FROM THE PANEL WHO WHO'S NEXT ON THE PANEL AND JOANNE EDWARDS FROM THUMBPRINT REALTY.  WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE ISSUE FROM YOUR SIDE OF THE TABLE, SO TO SPEAK? SURE. ABSOLUTELY. THIS IS EXCUSE ME . I'M SO HAPPY TO BE HERE. MY NAME IS JOHN EDWARDS FROM THUMBPRINT REALTY AND I'M SO HAPPY TO SHARE OUR PERSPECTIVE AS SOMEONE WHO HAS BOOTS ON THE GROUND WORKING AS A REAL ESTATE AGENT ADVOCATING FOR A LOT OF THE VALUE HOLDERS WHO ARE VIEWING HOMES AND PUTTING IN OFFERS ON HOMES AND I'M HAPPY AND PROUD TO SAY THAT LAST YEAR THUMPER REALTY WAS ABLE TO CLOSE SIX OF THOSE THE CALLS TO THIS YEAR AND HAVE TWO UNDER AGREEMENT AS RECENTLY AS YESTERDAY AND BEING ABLE TO SECURE HOMES IN BOSTON AND IT IS WITH THE ABILITY TO PURCHASE WITH THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE AND THE ABILITY TO STACK OTHER DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PRODUCTS THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO USE IN ORDER TO MAKE HOMEOWNERSHIP AFFORDABLE. AS WE KNOW WE'RE IN A TUMULTUOUS MARKET WITH INTEREST RATES ARE FLUCTUATING, THE PRICES IN BOSTON ARE EXTREMELY HIGH SO THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE AND THE SUBSIDY THAT IS OUT THERE HOLDERS ARE ABLE TO USE AND APPLY HAS BEEN CRITICAL IN BEING ABLE TO COMPETE IN AN OPEN MARKET WITH OTHER BUYERS. I CAN SAY THE AVERAGE PRICE POINT OF THE HOMES THAT BOUGHT THAT THESE FAMILIES HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PURCHASE I'VE BEEN IN BETWEEN THE PRICES OF 489 AND $665,000 IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND AS A REALTOR I'VE HAD WE'VE HAD TO SUBMIT OFFERS ABOUT $50,000 OVER ASKING TO SECURITIES HOMES AND THAT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE IN OUR KNOWLEDGE AS REALTORS TO BE ABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR OUR BUYERS AND EDUCATE THE LISTING AGENTS ABOUT THIS PROGRAM TO PUT OUR BUYERS IN THE BEST POSITION TO COMPETE FOR THESE HOMES ALL OF THE HOMES THAT WE'VE PURCHASED THAT WE'VE ASSISTED THESE BUYERS IN PURCHASING HAVE ALL BEEN IN BOSTON PRIMARILY THE CITY OF HYDE PARK AND DORCHESTER ALL BLACK AND BROWN FAMILIES EXCUSE ME AND WHAT I CAN SAY HAS BEEN CRITICAL. I CAN SEE FIRSTHAND THE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES THAT THIS IS MAKING IN THESE FAMILIES LIVES. A LOT OF SINGLE PARENT HOUSEHOLD ON SINGLE MOMS WHO ARE PURCHASING THE HOME AND AND ARE PUTTING THEM IN THE POSITION THAT THEY WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO IMAGINE COUPLED WITH A SUBSIDY AND A DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE. AND SO I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE NOT ONLY TO SUPPORT OF INCREASING THE FUNDING BUT ALSO JUST REALLY JUST HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPACT THAT THIS FUNDING HAS ALLOWED THESE HOMEBUYERS TO HAVE AND ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT WE'VE HOSTED WEBINARS TO CONNECT WITH THE VALUE HOLDERS.  AS RECENTLY AS FEBRUARY 7TH WE WERE ABLE TO GRACIOUSLY HAVE TESSA AND MEGHAN CO-HOSTED A WEBINAR WHERE WE HAD OVER 300 REGISTRANTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS WEBINAR AND 100 OF THEM PARTICIPATED AND WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE COUNCIL ORAL ON THAT ON THAT PANEL AS WELL JUST TO SHOW THE NEED AND THE WEALTH OF INFORMATION THAT IS THESE FOLKS WERE SO DESPERATELY LOOKING TO SEEK JUST TO GIVE THEMSELVES AN OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE IN BOSTON.  AND SO IF ANYTHING I CAN TAKE AWAY OF ANYTHING ANYONE COULD TAKE AWAY IS THE IMPACT THAT THIS PROGRAM HAS HAD AND WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE IF WE'RE ABLE TO RAISE MORE FUNDING. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, JOHN.  AND SO I THINK THAT'S THE PANEL I KNOW OTHER FOLKS ARE HERE FROM B.J. AND TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IF NEED BE, WOULD I OPEN UP WITH QUESTIONS FROM CONSUMERS CONCERNED WERE ELDERLY LEAD SPONSOR WOULD YOU LIKE TO UM YOU'VE GOT 5 MINUTES. THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO THE PANEL FOR YOUR TESTIMONY AND GOOD TO SEE MY MY COLLEAGUE MY OLD COLLEAGUE AND THEN BACK IN YOUR NEW ROLE.  AND JOANNE, I THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK THAT YOU DO IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. I ALSO OVER AT THE BOSTON HOME CENTER I KNOW IT TAKES A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THAT THIS PROGRAM HITS ON SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE TALK ABOUT AS ELECTED OFFICIALS. RIGHT. IT HELPS START TO BUILD GENERATIONAL WEALTH, HOUSING STABILITY AND KEEP GIVES BOSTONIANS LIKE A REAL CHANCE TO BUY HERE IN THE MARKETING.  I KNOW ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS IN COMMUNITY NOW IS THIS CONVERSATION AROUND LIKE THE RESTRICTED DEEDS, RIGHT? SO CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT HOW MANY OF THESE HOMEOWNERS IF YOU HAD THIS DATA ARE BUYING MARKET PROPERTIES AND HOW MANY ARE BUYING ONE WITH RESTRICTED IT?  I MEAN I'M GOING TO ASK HAS IT LOOKED THAT UP FOR ME ? I DON'T KNOW IT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD I'D SAY THAT THE YOU KNOW, WE SEE HOME BUYERS MAKE BOTH CHOICES. I THINK THAT OBVIOUSLY YOU KNOW AND JOANNA REFERENCED THAT LIKE YOU KNOW, YOU GAVE A RANGE WE'VE SEEN OUR AVERAGE PRICE THAT A HOME HAS BEEN PURCHASED FOR AT $507,000.  SO THAT'S WHERE THAT'S BEEN THE AVERAGE WHICH MEANS OF COURSE HALF OF THEM ARE ABOVE THAT. AND YOU KNOW, I TALKED TO ONE RESIDENT OF OURS AT FRANKLIN FIELD ACTUALLY WHO LIKE SHE'D DONE FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER CLASS SHE'D BEEN PRE-APPROVED BUT SHE JUST LIKE HER PRE-APPROVAL WAS JUST FOR TOO LOW OF OUR OF OUR TOTAL MORTGAGE AND SO SHE HAD GOTTEN DISCOURAGED AND GIVEN UP. AND THEN WHEN THE PROGRAM CAME ON LINE AND SHE LEARNED ABOUT THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE,  SHE WENT BACK INTO THE MARKET LOOKING AND SHE WAS ABLE TO BUY SOMETHING AND IT WAS LITERALLY LIKE FOR HER NOT POSSIBLE WITHOUT THIS POSSIBLE WITH THIS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REALLY GLAD TO HELP OUR HOMEBUYERS ACCESS A BUNCH OF MARKET RATE PROPERTIES AND TESSA GOT ME THE INFORMATION. YEAH. SO OF OUR OF THOSE 48 TOTAL FAMILIES ONLY FOUR OF THEM HAVE BOUGHT DEED RESTRICTED SO AND THOSE WERE THREE IN BOSTON, ONE OUTSIDE OF BOSTON. SO OVERALL WE'VE HAD 43 OF THE 48 HAVE BEEN IN BOSTON, FIVE OUTSIDE AND SO JUST THREE OUT OF THE 43 WERE DEED RESTRICTED . SO YOU KNOW MOSTLY THIS IS LET OUR FOLKS ACCESS MARKET RATE OPPORTUNITIES AND WE THINK THAT'S AWESOME AND IT ALSO MEANS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THE THE LOTTERIES ARE CRAZY FOR THE AFFORDABLE PROPERTIES I THINK THE FLIPSIDE IS AND MAYBE I'LL PASS IT TO JOANNA BECAUSE SHE HAS A GOOD STORY ABOUT THIS LIKE BUT OBVIOUSLY LIKE WELL A DEED RESTRICTED AFFORDABLE PROPERTY WON'T LET YOU BUILD AS MUCH EQUITY AS QUICKLY IT CAN BE A REALLY AMAZING OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEONE ESPECIALLY IF THEY CAN STACK IT WITH THE WITH THE SECTION EIGHT TO HOMEOWNERSHIP. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT GREAT IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT CLIENT OF YOURS JUST BECAUSE I THINK IT'S SUCH AN AWESOME STORY.  YES. WE RECENTLY CLOSED ON A DEED RESTRICTED HOME IN ROCKS IN DORCHESTER. ACTUALLY THE LIST PRICE OF THAT HOME WAS FOR 89 611 AND THIS VOUCHER HOLDER WAS ABLE TO NOT ONLY PURCHASE A DEED RESTRICTED HOME SHE WAS ABLE TO USE A DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE WHICH WAS ABLE TO HELP BUY DOWN HER INTEREST RATE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SUBSIDY HER MORTGAGE FOR THE NEXT 15 YEARS WILL BE ZERO. SO BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS THAT SHE WAS RECEIVING AND BECAUSE OF THE SUBSIDY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ALREADY BEING A DISCOUNTED HOME, IT NOW WOULD GIVE HER THE OPPORTUNITY TO TO USE HER FUNDS IF SHE'S GOING TO BE MAKING TO EITHER APPLY TO HER MORTGAGE SHE CAN USE TO CREATE GENERATIONAL WEALTH. IT REALLY PROVIDES A RELIEF BE FOR HER AND HER FAMILY AND THAT WAS ESSENTIALLY UNHEARD OF WITHIN THE THE CAUSES THAT WE'VE HAD WITH US TO BE ABLE TO HOLDERS. BUT THE SUBSIDY AND THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE WAS ABLE TO COVER HER MORTGAGE COMPLETELY WHERE SHE DOES NOT HAVE TO BRING ANYTHING TO THE TABLE AND THAT'S AWESOME AND THOSE YOU KNOW, THOSE COST SAVING MEASURES ARE, YOU KNOW, VITAL TO FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY.  THE YOU KNOW, WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS PROGRAM, I THINK ABOUT HOW TO EXPAND IT AND ONE OF THE WAYS I THINK ABOUT HOW TO EXPAND IT IS GETTING OUR DEVELOPERS ON BOARD, RIGHT? MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE SETTING ASIDE X AMOUNT OF PROPERTIES FOR OUR VHA RESIDENTS OR YOU KNOW, THOSE WHO GO THROUGH THE CITY WIDE VOUCHER PROGRAMS ARE ADDING BACK. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO ANY KNOW GROUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE ON TRYING TO GET THAT YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S LIKE A FIRST RATE A REFUSAL GETTING YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR DEVELOPERS TO COMMIT SOME PROPERTIES TO TO TO TO THESE TO THE RESIDENTS A VOUCHER HOLDERS THANK YOU COUNSELOR FOR THE QUESTION I DON'T THINK WE HAVEN'T REALLY GOTTEN THERE YET BUT IT'S SOMETHING I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU I WOULD LOVE TO DO BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I FEEL LIKE THAT YOU KNOW HAVING A PIPELINE OF JUST FOLKS KNOWING LIKE OH THESE ARE GOING TO COME ONLINE AND ESPECIALLY BECAUSE ONCE THINGS ARE IN CONSTRUCTION YOU CAN KIND OF PREDICT OKAY, THIS IS GOING TO BE IS YOU KNOW FOR US THAT WOULD BE GREAT TO BE PREPARING HOMEBUYERS AND KNOW THAT THERE WAS KIND OF AN INVENTORY THAT THEY WERE GETTING AT FIRST LOOK AT WE DEFINITELY YOU KNOW THAT WAS THAT'S KIND OF BEEN PART OF THE THEORY OF THE NEW IDP POLICY ON THE RENTAL SIDE THAT HAS 3% FOR VOUCHERS. YOU KNOW, A BIG PIECE OF THAT IS ABOUT GETTING OUR LANDLORDS AROUND THE CITY AND OUR DEVELOPERS INTER-RELATIONSHIP WITH THE VHA RIGHT AND INTO HOSTING OUR VOUCHER HOLDERS AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS A REALLY REGULAR SUBSIDY. IT'S THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT I ALWAYS SAY IT'S LIKE RENT BEING A TREASURY BOND, RIGHT? IT'S THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BACKING YOUR MONTHLY RENT PAYMENT LIKE YOU COULDN'T DO MUCH BETTER THAN THAT AND SO ONE OF MY HOPES BECAUSE AS THE COUNCIL KNOWS THE IDP POLICY LIKE WE'RE SORT OF IN THE YEAR LEADING UP TO IT ACTUALLY GOING INTO EFFECT SO ONE OF THE IS LIKE CORE GOALS WITH DEVELOPERS IS TO REALLY WORK ON ON LIKE KIND OF MAKING THAT AN EASY HANDSHAKE AND A GOOD RELATIONSHIP TO GET OUR FOLKS IN BUILDINGS ALL AROUND THE CITY AND I THINK IT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT COUNSELOR THAT AS WE'RE BUILDING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WE SHOULD BE SAYING HEY, AND IF WHAT YOU'RE BUILDING IS CONDOS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE BUILDING HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES LIKE LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT TOO . BUT I I'M AFRAID I CAN'T REALLY BOAST OF ANYTHING MUCH THAT WE'VE DONE ON THAT FRONT YET. OKAY. AND THEN OUR TIME'S UP. ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE A SECOND ROUND QUESTIONS TO KEEP IT MOVING AND LOOKING AROUND FOR THE SECOND ROUND. NEXT UP, COUNSELOR PEPPERED.  THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I GUESS I'LL PIGGYBACK UP ON COUNCIL BELL'S HIS LAST QUESTION. AND YOU KNOW WHAT THE CONVERSATION OF SQUARES AND STREETS HAPPENING IN MY IN MY SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOODS HOW WE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE CAN POTENTIALLY INCLUDE THAT INTO THE CONVERSATION IS HOW CAN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DEVELOPMENT IN THE SQUARES HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT A PERCENTAGE OF THOSE POTENTIALLY GO TO VOUCHER HOLDERS ETC. HAS THERE BEEN THAT CONVERSATION IF I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE RIGHT PLACE TO ASK THAT QUESTION BUT WE'D LOVE TO KNOW SO SO AGAIN, I MEAN HONESTLY WE I THINK THE VHA WOULD LOVE TO WORK WITH COUNSELORS BOTH DISTRICT COUNSELORS IN YOUR SPECIFIC AREAS IF YOU KNOW OF LIKE GOOD OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU WANT TO KIND OF HELP BROKER THAT CONVERSATION. BUT I ALSO THINK IT'S A REALLY GOOD POLICY POINT. I MEAN FROM MY PERSPECTIVE THE BEACH IS ROLE LIKE INSTITUTIONALLY IS TO PROVIDE AN ANCHOR FOR OUR FAMILIES IN THE CITY LIKE. THAT'S WHAT WE DO RIGHT. AND I THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT LIKE IF IF A BEACH DIDN'T HAVE A PROPERTY ON SAINT VITALE STREET IN THE BACK BAY, WE WOULDN'T HAVE HUNDREDS OF LOW INCOME SENIORS LIVING THERE. RIGHT. LIKE IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN BY CHANCE AND IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THOUSANDS OF UNITS IN SOUTH BOSTON WITH TODAY'S SOUTH BOSTON RENTS LIKE IT, WOULDN'T YOU KNOW IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN AND THE SAME WITH LIKE I MEAN YOU CAN JUST NAME EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD RIGHT THAT WE'VE GOT UNITS IN IT'S LIKE WE PUT THOSE UNITS IN A LONG TIME AGO AND NOW THEY CONTINUE TO PROVIDE LIKE A WAY FOR PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE TO LIVE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. SO I THINK THAT IF THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES AS WE THINK ABOUT SQUARES AND STREETS IS POSSIBLE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS OTHERS TO LIKE THINK ABOUT CAN WE CAN WE KIND OF HAVE AN ANCHORING ROLE THERE TOO AND MAYBE IT'S WITH THE RENTAL STUFF BUT MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING LIKE THIS RIGHT WITH LIKE GETTING OUR FOLKS IN ANCHOR GIVING HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. I THINK WE'RE SUPER OPEN TO PARTNERSHIP ABOUT THAT. I APPRECIATE I APPRECIATE THAT . AND THEN MY NEXT QUESTION IS YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU'VE HELPED 48 FAMILIES. FIRST OF ALL, THAT'S AMAZING.  WHAT'S THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE THAT YOU THAT YOU HAVE THAT IS HOLDING YOU FROM DOING DOUBLE THAT ASSISTANCE?  BASICALLY WHAT I'M ASKING IS WHAT CAN I DO ON THE COUNCIL TO HELP YOU ALL HELP MORE FAMILIES? YEAH. SO I MEAN IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT IT'S MONEY. I MEAN I THINK I THINK I SHOULD SAY THERE ARE REALLY TWO THINGS. SO ONE IS I SHOULD SAY THAT ALL OF THIS THE WAY THAT LIKE THESE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS LAYER AND INTERACT TOGETHER IS QUITE COMPLICATED AND THAT'S WHY I LIKE MEGGAN RYAN AND TESSA CON ARE LIKE ALL STARS FOR US AND THEY REALLY HELP OUR FAMILIES LIKE NAVIGATE THROUGH THE PROCESSES AND IT'S ALSO WHY LIKE REALTORS LIKE JOANNE ARE SO GREAT BECAUSE WE NEED PEOPLE WHO WILL LIKE HOLD THE HANDS OF OUR OF OUR RESIDENTS AND LIKE HELP THEM THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND AND BE ABLE TO HELP INTERPRET BECAUSE THE THING IS LIKE NOT EVERYBODY IN THE MARKET UNDERSTANDS THIS PROGRAM . RIGHT? AND SO SOME PEOPLE WE ALL KNOW WE'RE ALL WARRING AGAINST ALL CASH BUYERS. RIGHT? AND SO LIKE, YOU KNOW, HAVING SOMEBODY WHO CAN KIND OF LIKE SPEAK REAL ESTATE AND SAY NO, NO, THIS PERSON'S GOOD LIKE THEY'RE THEY'RE A GOOD BUYER. THEY'RE GOING TO COME THROUGH. THEY HAVE ALL THIS MONEY BACKING THEM FROM THE CITY. WE NEED THOSE KIND OF TRANSLATORS. SO I THINK BOTH OUR STAFF AND THE REAL ESTATE PARTNERS ARE REALLY KEY. SO THAT IS A PIECE OF IT AND AND YOU KNOW MEGAN RYAN ON MY TEAM HAS BEEN ALL THE WAY UP TO HUD NATIONAL LIKE ADVOCATING ON LIKE LITTLE SORT OF LIKE THINGS THAT MAKE IT HARDER FOR US TO USE DIFFERENT BANKS AND STUFF SO WE'RE WE'RE DEFINITELY WORKING HARD IN THE ADVOCACY SPACE FOR HOW WE BRING DOWN SOME OF THOSE ADMINISTRATIVE BARRIERS.  BUT THEN I THINK THE OTHER THING IS MONEY. YOU KNOW WE THE VHA THROUGH JANUARY OF THIS YEAR ANY LIKE ELIGIBLE FAMILY THAT LIKE BY THE PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY LIKE SIGNED UP WITH US COULD GET STARTED IN THE LIKE HOUSE SEARCHING PRE-APPROVAL PROCESS NOW BECAUSE I I MENTIONED WITH THOSE 48 FAMILIES WE'RE GOING TO SPEND THAT 1.15 OF THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE AND WE'RE SORT OF LOOKING AT THE 850 REMAINING NOW LIKE NEW FOLKS WHO SIGN WE'RE KIND OF PUTTING ON A WAIT LIST UNTIL WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCE TO SUPPORT THAT SO OBVIOUSLY THEY CAN CONTINUE TO BE FIRST TIME HOMEBUYERS AND USE THE PROCESSES OF THE HOME CENTER AND OTHERS RIGHT.  WE DON'T KEEP THEM FROM DOING THAT. BUT I THINK LIKE THAT WE'RE ALREADY STARING DOWN THE END OF THE RESOURCE IN TERMS OF DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE AND AND FOR US WE WOULD LIKE TO JUST KEEP GOING GANGBUSTERS AND BE ABLE TO RATCHET UP AND SET IT DOWN. THAT'S AWESOME.  THANK YOU. AND THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS YOU RECENTLY HELPED A RESIDENT OF MINE IN HIGH PARK CLOSE ON A ON A TOWNHOUSE IN HIGH PARK SO I WANTED TO THANK YOU AND THEN ALLOW ME TO WONDER I THINK THIS IS MORE FOR JOANNA. WHAT'S THE WHAT'S THE INTEREST RATE OR FOR OR LOANS FOR A PERSON WITH A VOUCHER AT THIS COMPARED TO WHAT THE MARKET RATE LOANS ARE THE WE'VE BEEN SEEING 2% LOWER THAN WHEN THE CURRENT MARKET IS OUR CLIENT WHO JUST RECENTLY CLOSED LOCKED IN THEIR INTEREST RATE OF 4.5% . AND SO AS YOU KNOW WITH THE INTEREST RATES FLUCTUATE THEY COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM 77.57.2 NOW IT'S BEEN A SIGNIFICANT DROP IN TERMS OF THEIR INTEREST RATE AND THEIR ELIGIBILITY TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD THIS LAND. SO TO HAVE AN AVERAGE ON 2%. WOW. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND LET'S SEE WHO'S NEXT COMES FROM HERE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR 5 MINUTES. THANK YOU. YES, DON'T WORRY. I GOT THOSE 5 MINUTES. SO REAL QUICK I'M CURIOUS AND I'M SORRY THIS WAS MENTIONED BUT I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHEREABOUTS ARE THE HOMEOWNERS IN TERMS OF REGIONAL LIKE ACROSS THE CITY OUTSIDE THE CITY WHERE ARE WE SEEING FOLKS MOVING IN PURCHASING?  YEAH. SO MAYBE JOANNA CAN SPEAK TO HER CLIENTS. SO COUNSELOR 43 OF THE 48 FAMILIES WE'VE HELPED SO FAR HAVE BOUGHT IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND A BUNCH OF THE CITY BUT THE SUPPORT THAT KAREN'S OFFICE PROVIDES IS ONLY FOR IF YOU'RE BUYING IN BOSTON AND THE ARPA FUNDS ARE ONLY IF YOU'RE BUYING IN BOSTON. SO YOU KNOW THERE'S A SMALL NUMBER OF HOMEOWNERS FOR WHOM IT STILL MADE MORE SENSE TO BUY OUT OF THE CITY BUT THE VAST MAJORITY HAVE BEEN USING THIS ASSISTANCE AND BUYING IN BOSTON . SO YEAH, 43 OUT OF 48 FOR US AND THEN YOU KNOW, WE SEE THEM BUYING A LOT OF DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS CERTAINLY I KNOW ABOUT HYDE PARK AND ROXBURY AND DORCHESTER IS DEFINITELY OUR MOST POPULAR AREA BY FAR I WOULD SAY I DO THINK IT'S OBVIOUSLY HARDER JUST BECAUSE OF PRICE POINTS TO BUY IS LIKE CONDOS DOWNTOWN.  BUT I DON'T KNOW YOU KNOW IF YOU WANT TO FILL THAT OUT AT ALL.  YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. SO SOME ARE AREAS THAT WE'VE NOTICED A LOT OF THE BUYERS ARE PRODUCING ARE IN BOSTON OF COURSE BECAUSE OF USING THE ONEPLUS BOSTON PRIMARILY MY EXPERIENCE FOR THE ONES THAT CLOSE UP IN HYDE PARK THE ONE WE RECENTLY HAD AN OFFER ACCEPTED ON YESTERDAY WAS HYDE PARK AND THE OTHER ONE WE HAVE UNDER AGREEMENT IS HYDE PARK AS WELL AND AND I WILL SAY THAT WHEN WE'RE REFERRING TO OPEN MARKET WHEN THESE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE FUNDS ARE ALLOWING THESE BUYERS TO OFFER OVER A LIST PRICE, THAT'S SOMETHING I WANT TO FACTOR IN THE BUYERS ARE NOT SIMPLY BUYING AT THE ASKING PRICE THESE THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE IS ALLOWING THESE BUYERS TO TO BID COMPETITIVELY IN THE OPEN MARKET 20 TO 30 TO 40 ALMOST $50,000 OVER LIST PRICE WITHOUT THESE FUNDS THAT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE. SO I DO WANT TO MENTION THAT THE DOT PAM ASSISTANCE IS ALLOWING THE BIG VALUE HOLDERS TO BE A LOT OF BE VERY COMPETITIVE IN THE OPEN MARKET AND CAN DID YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT JUST IN GENERAL THE HOME CENTER MEAN OBVIOUSLY YOU GUYS ARE SUPPORTING BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE VHA 48 WHICH WE'RE VERY VERY PROUD OF BUT KAREN DOES SUPPORT HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES BUYING IN BOSTON YEAH SO ESPECIALLY FOR OUR VHA BUYERS AND I CAN PROVIDE YOU IF YOU GUYS ONE IS SPECIFIC AND WHERE THE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE WE CAN DEFINITELY CHECK AND THOSE ARE WE HAVE FUNDED AND I WILL BE BE HAPPY TO YOU KNOW GIVE YOU THAT INFORMATION SEE YOU KNOW THE BOSTON HOME CENTER DOES $50,000 FOR EACH OF ANY OF THESE BUYERS. SO IT IS IT IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF IT. YOU KNOW, THE 2% INTEREST RATE THAT YOU HEARD FROM JOANNA, IT'S REALLY BECAUSE OF THE ONE PLUS BOSTON PROGRAM. SO THESE BUYERS WOULD TELLS YOU THAT YOU KNOW THE THE THE AMOUNT OF YOU'RE GETTING A 2% DISCOUNT IS BECAUSE THERE ARE BELOW 80% OF AMI SO THIS PROGRAM IS REALLY TOUCHING AND TO OUR VERY LOW INCOME FAMILIES THAT ARE 80% AND BELOW SO ANY DATA THAT YOU GUYS ONE I WILL BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE FROM THOSE VHA BUYERS BUT THAT IS THE MISSION AND THE VISION FOR THE HOME CENTER RIGHT IS REALLY PROVIDING MOST OF THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE. LIKE WE SAID IS REALLY VITAL RIGHT NOW TO PROVIDE YOU KNOW, TO ENHANCE AND INCREASE PURCHASING POWER WITH LOW INTEREST RATE AND WITH DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE AT THAT. SO ANYTHING GOES ARE THE KEY COMPONENTS RIGHT NOW FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP. YEAH I KNOW MY TIME I IT SO THANK YOU ONE MORE QUESTION PLEASE JUST BECAUSE IT HAS COME TO ME THANK YOU ARE READING SO I WANT TO JUST I AND FIRST OF ALL AMAZING THAT WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE ABLE TO STAY HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON THAT IS UNHEARD OF AND I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME SOME THINKING AROUND HOW WE INCENTIVIZE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS SO YOU KNOW, TO OPEN UP YOU KNOW, AND AND CREATE A MORE AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP IN IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO IS HAVE SEGREGATED YOU KNOW IT'S GREAT TO BE A HOMEOWNER BUT IT'S I JUST THINK I JUST WANT TO GET AHEAD OF THE NARRATIVE IN TERMS OF JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE NOT THAT WE'RE JUST, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TO LIVE IN ALL SPACES THE PLACES.  SO I JUST WANT TO I WANT TO BE ABLE TO ADD SOMETHING TO THAT TO BE MINDFUL OF AND THEN TO JOANNA'S.  YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE IDEA OF THE FACT THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO SO MUCH I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE.  RIGHT. AND SO AS WE'RE CONTINUING TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS DURING THE BUDGET CYCLE, I'M CURIOUS FROM EITHER YOU KNOW, FROM AN OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT, YOU KNOW, IS IT POSSIBLE YOU KNOW, ARE THERE ANY AREAS OF GROWTH IN TERMS THAT WILL HELP INCREASE THE ASIDE FROM THE MONEY? BUT ARE THERE WAYS FOR THAT FOR US TO GET THE WORD OUT TO FURTHER REACH OTHERS SO I CAN SPEAK UP FOR THE BOSTON CENTER ? SO WE DID WE DID OUR REALTOR SUMMIT LAST FALL WHICH WE INVITED AND WORK WITH. THEY TAKE MEG AND RYAN.  WE PRESENTED TO REALTORS ABOUT THIS PROGRAM INCLUDING LENDERS AND WE'RE DOING A LOT OF LENDER OUTREACH AND WE'RE ALSO DOING A LOT OF LIKE CUSTOMER OUTREACH AND WORKING VERY WITH MEGAN ON HAND IN HAND TO YOU KNOW, PERCENT AND BE OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING AND CONTINUE TO DO.  OUR HOUSING RESOURCE FAIR IS COMING UP. IT'S GOING TO BE ON THE 27 OF APRIL AND THAT'S WHERE WE ALSO BE ENGAGING THIS PROGRAM THAT'S GOING TO BE BIGGER THAN WHAT YOU GET AND THE COUNSELOR COLLECTIVE COUNSELOR RATING CAN I SAY JUST ONE WORD ON COUNSELOR AND HIS POINT AND CERTAINLY YES AND I'D JUST LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT COUNSELOR DURKAN HAS JOINED US. COUNSELOR I'M SORRY . DIRECTOR BUCK YEAH, JUST TWO QUICK THINGS. ONE IS JUST TO SAY I MEAN I AGREE I THINK YOU KNOW A BUNCH OF THE ARPA MONEY THAT THE CITY PUT INTO HOMEOWNERSHIP IT ACTUALLY PUT INTO HOMEOWNERSHIP PRODUCTION AND AND YOU KNOW THAT'S REALLY KEY FOR PRODUCING THOSE AFFORDABLE HOMES ESPECIALLY IN MARKETS WHERE LIKE YOU KNOW THE MARKET IS IF THEY CAN CHARGE A MILLION THEY'RE GOING TO CHARGE A MILLION FOR THE HOUSE. AND SO I THINK LIKE PRODUCING AFFORDABLE HOMES IN LIKE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND THE CITY THEY'RE MORE OUT OF REACH IS REALLY IMPORTANT. SO I JUST WANT TO SECOND THAT AND AND IN TERMS OF THE THE COMMUNICATION YOU KNOW, BJ'S EXPERIENCE IS THAT WE'VE NOW GOT THIS WAITLIST AND THAT THE INTEREST IN THE PROGRAM HAS OUTSTRIPPED THE YOU KNOW, OUR CAPACITY TO SERVE FOLKS WITH THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE. SO I THINK LIKE COMMUNICATION'S REALLY IMPORTANT BUT WE'VE SEEN WORD OF MOUTH BE REALLY STRONG ON THIS PROGRAM AND SO FOR US IT'S LIKE I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE WE COULD, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATE LIKE IF WE WERE TRYING TO FIND MORE PEOPLE TO LIKE USE ALL THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAD THAT UNFORTUNATELY RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN THE OPPOSITE SITUATION. THANK YOU.  WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR DURKAN AS I SAID COUNCILOR COLLADO, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH CHAIR AND THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR YOUR QUESTIONS AND THE ADMINISTRATION FOR ANSWERS.  I JUST I LOVE HEARING THAT THERE'S BEEN PROGRESS IN THIS IN THIS SPACE AND REALLY I CREDIT A LOT OF THE LEADERSHIP TO YOU ALL.  JOANNA, KENZIE, KAREN THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING. I HAVE BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE CONVERSATION. I APOLOGIZE THAT THIS QUESTION IS REPETITIVE BUT I AM IN THE COURSE OF REVIEWING AN ARTICLE 80 PROJECT IN THESE BOSTON THERE WERE A COUPLE THAT I HAD CHALLENGED BASICALLY THAT THE DEVELOPER TO INCLUDE FOLKS WHO ARE COMING OUT OF SECTION EIGHT AND TO TRY TO REACH OUT TO BE A TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO HOW TO GET THIS DONE IN ONE PARTICULAR INSTANCE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD PROMISED TO INCLUDE EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT MANDATED YET BUT THE 17 PLUS THREE MODEL OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITHIN THE NEW DEVELOPMENT PROJECT AND THIS IS A WAY TO BUILD INCLUSIVE HOUSING AS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IN THIS BOSTON IN PARTICULAR GROWS AND DISPLACES QUITE FRANKLY A LOT OF PEOPLE BECAUSE OF GENTRIFICATION.  AND SO IN THESE NEW DEVELOPMENTS I'VE ASKED DEVELOPERS TO AS PART OF THE RENTAL PROCESS PLEASE INCLUDE SOME CITY BASED VOUCHERS OR WHICH OUT TO BE ABLE TO DO SOME SORT OF PARTNERSHIP AND THEN ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE THE HOMEOWNERSHIP VOUCHER PROGRAM THERE WAS ONE ONE DEVELOPER WHO SAID WELL I DON'T KNOW WE CAN'T REALLY DO IT BECAUSE IT'S HOMEOWNERSHIP AND WE REALLY NEED MONEY. WE NEED TO SUBSIDIZE IT. AND I HAD DIRECTED THEM TO GO TO YOU ALL AND THEY SAID IT REALLY WASN'T GOING TO BE WORKING AND I JUST WANT TO CALL THAT OUT. I DON'T REALLY HAVE A QUESTION AROUND THAT BUT I GUESS LIKE WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WELL, I GUESS I DO HAVE A QUESTION WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP THE BPA AS THESE NEW PROJECTS COME ONLINE, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS HAVE ACCESS TO THESE NEW THESE NEW SPACES AND THEN ALSO KNOWING THAT WE HAVE LIKE A TOP 10% OF EARNERS LIKE EITHER INDIVIDUALS OR FAMILIES THAT ARE AT THE CUSP OF JUMPING OFF THIS CLIFF, WHAT IS THE WHAT ARE THE SUPPORTS THAT WE PROVIDE TO THEM? WHAT IS THE OUTREACH THAT IS CONDUCTED IF ANY?  AND AGAIN I APOLOGIZE THIS IS REDUNDANT. I'LL LEAVE IT THERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNSELOR.  SO A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS. ONE IS I THINK WE'RE DEFINITELY AND YOU KNOW COUNSELORS WERE ALLEN AND I BROUGHT UP THE SAME THING I THINK WE'RE DEFINITELY OPEN TO THE IDEA THAT AS WE START TO TALK WE SORT OF KNOW WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF PERMANENT RELATIONSHIP WITH DEVELOPERS AROUND THE RENTAL VOUCHER SIDE. I THINK THE OPPORTUNITY TO SORT OF THINK ABOUT TALKING MORE INTENTIONALLY HOW WE GET OUR VILLAGE RESIDENTS INTO THE HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES SEEMS LIKE A GREAT THING FOR US TO DO FROM BOTH THE POLICY PERSPECTIVE AND ALSO LIKE IN THOSE SPECIFIC KIND OF RELATIONSHIPS.  I'D LOVE COUNSELORS TO REACH OUT TO ME AND MY TEAM ABOUT THAT. I THINK THAT WITH THE HOMEOWNERSHIP VOUCHER PROGRAM BECAUSE IT WAS A PILOT FUNDED LAST YEAR JUST 15 VOUCHERS WE DIDN'T HAVE LIKE A PROJECT BASING CONCEPTION OF THAT LIKE THE VOUCHER PROGRAM LIKE IT WAS REALLY JUST A SUPPORT INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES AND SO WE DIDN'T HAVE IT SET UP TO KIND OF BE ATTACHED TO A TO A BUILDING LIKE YOU'RE DESCRIBING . BUT OBVIOUSLY WE DO HAVE PROJECT BASED VOUCHER PROGRAMS OF VARIOUS TYPES AND I THINK IT'S A IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE COULD DO THAT GOING FORWARD.  SO I'D LOVE TO THINK ABOUT AND WORK ON THAT BECAUSE LIKE I SAID ANYWHERE ARE WE CAN ANCHOR OUR FOLKS AND IF IT'S A HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY THE OTHER THING IS LIKE WE DON'T EVEN COUNCILOR WORRELL IS THIS BUT LIKE DON'T EVEN NEED TO PROJECT BASE A VOUCHER IF WE GOT A DEVELOPER TO JUST SAY THAT THEY WERE GOING TO GIVE RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL TO LIKE FOLKS IN THE BAY FIRST HOME PROGRAM RIGHT LIKE THEY COULD JUST AND THEY COULD ACTUALLY GET MARKET RATE OUT OF THAT BUT IF THEY JUST KIND OF GAVE A FIRST LOOK TO OUR PEOPLE YOU KNOW A RIGHT OF FIRST OFFER SOMETHING LIKE I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY A WAY THAT WOULDN'T ACTUALLY COST ANY MORE BUT WOULD HELP MAKE SURE THAT THOSE FOLKS WERE GETTING INTO THOSE UNITS SO IT'S SOMETHING I'D LOVE TO CONTINUE TO EXPLORE.  THANK YOU. AND JUST THE SECOND PART OF THAT WAS I'M PROUD OF OUTREACH TO OUR TOP EARNERS . I GUESS SO. SO THE WAY THAT YOU MEAN WITHIN THE WITHIN LIKE VHA RESIDENTS, RIGHT? YES.  OBJECTION. I'M SORRY WITH THAT. I'M JUST NOT GETTING THE RIGHT WORD TO COME TO MY AREA SO SO WE SO ACTUALLY IN SOME WAYS THE PROGRAM IS GEARED THAT WAY ANYWAYS BECAUSE WHAT WE FOUND IS WITH OUR FAMILY IS LIKE BUT IT'S VERY HARD FOR PEOPLE TO GET PRE-APPROVAL LOANS FROM BANKS AND THROUGH THE MORTGAGE PROGRAM IF THEY'RE NOT KIND OF AT 50% OF AMI WHICH WE'RE REALLY GLAD WE CAN SUPPORT FOLKS THAT THAT KIND OF 50 TO 80 BRACKET WHERE YOU KNOW THEY CAN'T REALLY TRADITIONALLY BUY VERY EASILY OUTSIDE OF OUR PROGRAM BUT MUCH LOWER THAN 50% AM I REALLY DOESN'T WORK WITH THE AND THE FEDS HAVE MINIMUMS EXCEPT WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH ELDERLY AND DISABLED FAMILIES AND SO WHAT'S GOOD FOR US IS THAT ACTUALLY ELIGIBILITY FOR THE VOUCHER PROGRAM TO ENTER THE FEDERAL VOUCHER PROGRAM IS THAT YOU HAVE TO BE UNDER 50% OF AMI AND MOST OF OUR FAMILIES ARE MUCH LOWER WHEN THEY BECOME VOUCHER HOLDERS AND THEN YOU DON'T GET KICKED OFF THE PROGRAM WHEN YOU GO OVER 50. BUT WHEN YOU'RE GOING AND YOU'RE AT 50 AND YOU'RE SORT OF GOING UP TOWARDS 80, YOU START DEPENDING ON THE EXACT DETAILS OF YOUR SITUATION TO GET CLOSE. SO WE ACTUALLY FEEL LIKE WE'RE ALREADY TARGETING THE FIRST HOME PROGRAM TO THE FOLKS WHO ARE KIND OF MORE AT THAT CUSP AND THAT'S PART OF WHY WE SEE IT AS A REALLY GOOD PATHWAY FOR THEM BECAUSE.  IT INSTEAD OF GIVING THEM THAT CLIFF EFFECT RIGHT. WHICH IS THE LIKE YOU START MAKING TOO MUCH MONEY AND NOW YOU'RE OFF THE PROGRAM AND SUDDENLY YOU CAN'T AFFORD HOUSING IN BOSTON. INSTEAD IT'S LIKE MAKING HOMEOWNERSHIP THE LOGICAL NEXT STEP WHICH IS SORT OF HOW THINGS ARE SUPPOSED TO WORK FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE AND CAN TAKE CONTROL OF WHEN YOU HAVE FLOOR.  THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND I WAS LISTENING TO THE CONVERSATION JUST WANT TO ALSO EXPRESS MY THANKS TO THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM THAT IS HERE AND THAT'S DOING EXCELLENT WORK ON THIS ISSUE AND OTHER ISSUES. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE MY COLLEAGUE FROM FORMER CITY COUNCIL KENZIE BOK AS WELL.  KENZIE, IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH YOU AND YOUR TEAM.  SO I WAS I WAS THINKING ABOUT ABOUT MY DISTRICT AND THE LARGE IMMIGRANT RESIDENTS I HAVE AND THE LARGE NUMBER OF ASIAN RESIDENTS I HAVE.  HOW DO WE WHAT IS THE BEST WAY FOR IMMIGRANT NEIGHBORS OR THE ASIAN COMMUNITY?  I THINK THERE ARE UNIQUE CHALLENGES BUT HOW IS IT IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO WHEN THEY'RE IN SHAPE DEVELOPMENTS IS IT IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO THEN PROCEED TO TRY TO GET INTO A LOTTERY AND TO TRY TO BUY A HOME OR IS IT MORE IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO STAY AT THE BIG TRADE DEVELOPMENT? THE REASON I ASK IT BECAUSE I DON'T NECESSARILY SEE A A TREND WHERE THEY MOVE FROM BE A TRADE TO TO HOME OWNERSHIP AND I JUST WANTED TO GET YOUR YOUR THOUGHTS THAT YEAH THANK YOU COUNCILOR FLYNN I MEAN I THINK WELL WHAT WE THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR FAMILIES IS TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES AND OPTIONS SO YOU KNOW, FOR SOME FAMILIES IT MIGHT BE THAT THE THING THAT THEY WANT IS TO STAY WHERE THEY ARE ANCHORED IN PLACE IN THE VHA IS REALLY PROUD TO PROVIDE THAT AND FOR OTHER FOLKS IT MIGHT BE THAT THEIR DREAM IS TO OWN A HOME OR YOU KNOW, OWNING A HOME WILL ALLOW THEM TO HAVE YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE FOR INSTANCE YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE A SENIOR LIVING IN AN ELDERLY BUILDING AND A ONE BEDROOM UNIT AND THEN YOU REALIZE THAT YOU'D ACTUALLY LIKE TO BE LIVING IN A MULTI-GENERATIONAL HOME, RIGHT, WITH THREE GENERATIONS OR SOMETHING WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO DO THAT IN THAT TYPE OF BUILDING, RIGHT? SO I THINK LIKE WE WANT TO WE WANT TO HAVE A PATHWAYS THAT ARE OPEN TO EVERYBODY AND I THINK ONE OF OUR FRUSTRATIONS AND ONE OF THE REAL REASONS THAT WE'VE CREATED THIS PROGRAM IN MY CARE AND OTHER WORK IS THAT IT USED TO BE THAT THERE WAS JUST A LOT MORE KIND OF LIKE MORE AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES IN THE MARKET. AND SO IT JUST USED TO BE THE CASE THAT MORE PEOPLE COULD WITHOUT ASSISTANCE START EARNING MORE AND THEN BY AND THAT'S REALLY LIKE IT'S REALLY LIKE STOP BEING THE CASE IN A LOT OF THE CITY AND AND OBVIOUSLY THAT'S ESPECIALLY TRUE IN LIKE CHINATOWN EVEN IF IT'S NOT IF YOU DON'T HAVE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF IF YOU'VE GOT LIKE ACTUAL AFFORDABLE CONDO PROJECTS RIGHT GET AGREED THROUGH THE THROUGH AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUNDS LIKE OTHER THAN THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET AN AFFORDABLE CONDO DOWNTOWN AND SO YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S PART OF WHY WE THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE THESE PROGRAMS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS STILL THAT PATHWAY FOR SOME PEOPLE. BUT IT'S DEFINITELY TRUE THAT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DO IT FOR AS MANY PEOPLE AS WHEN WHEN THAT MARKET WAS THERE THAT THAT AND THANK YOU CAN SEE AND MADAM CHAIR, MAY I ASK ONE MORE QUESTION? YES. COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU'VE GOT TIME FOR ANOTHER QUESTION. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND MAYBE JUST AS A FOLLOW UP,  KENZIE, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES FACING IMMIGRANTS OR PEOPLE THAT MAY NOT SPEAK ENGLISH AS A FIRST LANGUAGE? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THEY HAVE IN TERMS OF TRYING TO PARTICIPATE IN A CITY SPONSORED PROGRAM FOR HOME HOMEOWNERSHIP ? YEAH. SO I MEAN I THINK LANGUAGE ACCESS IS SOMETHING WE THINK ABOUT A LOT OF THE VHA RIGHT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE GOT FOLKS LIKE BOTH NOT JUST ABLE TO TRANSLATE VITAL DOCUMENTS BUT TRANSLATE FOR PEOPLE AND HAVE THEM LIKE YOU KNOW, UNDERSTAND AND THAT'S ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT WE WORK A LOT ON HERE AND WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD LANGUAGE ACCESS TEAM AND AND IT'S YOU KNOW, WE THINK IT'S ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE'RE REALLY ABLE TO HELP FOLKS. SO I THINK LANGUAGE IS KEY. I THINK, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I FOR THE ONE PLUS BOSTON MORTGAGE PROGRAM I THINK IT'S SO GOOD IS BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE WORLD OF MORTGAGES IS REALLY COMPLICATED TO NAVIGATE AND SO IF YOU ADD LANGUAGE CHALLENGES ON TOP OF THAT THAT CAN BE REALLY DIFFICULT. AND SO HAVING LIKE A REALLY GOOD STANDARD PRODUCT THAT SORT OF BACKED BY THE CITY WHERE PEOPLE KNOW THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THAT THEY'RE GOING TO WORK WITH A REPUTABLE BANK AND HAVE A REPUTABLE LIKE YOU KNOW, A RATE THAT THEY CAN BE PROUD OF . I DON'T KNOW KAREN, IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT AT ALL BUT I FEEL LIKE THAT'S ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES IS THAT FOR SOMEBODY IT'S SO EASY TO GET TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF IN THIS LANDSCAPE AND THERE'S ALL THESE LIKE YOU KNOW, SKETCHY MORTGAGE LIKE INTERMEDIARY COMPANIES THESE DAYS AND I THINK OF THAT AS BEING ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF ONE PLUS BOSTON. BUT I DON'T KNOW KAREN, IF YOU WANT TO YEAH NO I THINK YOU CAN SEE SO THE OTHER THING THAT WE NOTICE THAT THERE IS A LOT OF CHALLENGES BESIDES YOU KNOW, CONNECTING TO THE CORRECT LENDER IS REALLY CREDIT UNDERSTANDING CREDIT THAN THE WAY THAT THINGS ARE DONE HERE AND THEN WE HAVE THE CREDIT PUTS BOOT CAMP PROGRAM THAT WE WORK WITH URBAN EDGE SO IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO EMPHASIZE WHEN WE GET INTO NEW IMMIGRANTS AND UNDERSTAND THE NEW WAYS OF LENDING AND HOW TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL HOMEOWNER.  SO IF YOU EVER ENCOUNTER ANYTHING LIKE THAT PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SEND THEM DIRECTLY TO THE BOSTON HOME CENTER AND WE WILL TAKE THEM UNDER OUR WING AND WALK THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THE RIGHT AND THE CORRECT INFORMATION BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DO. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE THAT BUYS IN BOSTON AND QUALIFIES TO BUY IN BOSTON USES AND ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE IN COMMERCIAL VEHICLE THAT THEY USE THE ONE PLUS BOSTON PROGRAM SO THEY DON'T HAVE THOSE YOU KNOW SO THEY HAVE THE FIRM LENDING PRACTICES AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALSO TALK TO TO OUR LENDERS ESPECIALLY WITHIN THE GRANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE SOMEONE TO SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE AND EVEN THOUGH THEIR LENDER DOCUMENTS IS STILL IN ENGLISH, THEY CANNOT PROVIDE THEM IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES BUT AT LEAST THEY ARE GIVING INFORMATION IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE AND THAT THEY HAVE SOMEONE THAT THEY GO ASSIST THEM WITH. THANK THANK YOU, KAREN. THANK YOU KINDLY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. IN FACT FINANCIAL LITERACY IS ALSO IMPORTANT SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP. KAREN.  THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, CONSUL FLYNN. AND NEXT UP COUNCILOR COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE YOU HAVE RECOUNTED BRAYDEN AND THANK YOU TO THE CHAIR FOR THIS FILING AND THIS HEARING. I GUESS I HAVE A QUESTION ON COMMUNICATIONS HOW ARE FOLKS OUR BIG RESIDENTS HOW ARE THEY LEARNING ABOUT THESE OPPORTUNITIES IF YOU IF YOU GOT THAT MY APOLOGIES BUT THAT THAT'S WHAT I CARE MOST ABOUT HOW ARE FOLKS LEARNING ABOUT THESE OPPORTUNITIES?  YEAH. SO THANK YOU COUNSELOR. SO INITIALLY THE VHA DID LIKE PHONE CALLS AND AND LETTERS OUT TO FOLKS WHO WERE LIKE IN THAT INCOME ELIGIBLE BRACKET FOR THE PROGRAM. AND WHAT HAPPENED THEN WAS THAT WE YOU KNOW, WORDS KIND OF SPREAD LIKE WILDFIRE AND SO AS I MENTIONED WE'VE HAD A TON OF FOLKS SIGN UP AND NOW WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE WE'RE WAIT LISTING FOLKS. SO WE HAVEN'T DONE A RECENT LIKE SECOND ROUND OF OF LIKE YOU KNOW, MARKETING AND ACCESS BECAUSE TELLING EVERYBODY THAT WE'VE GOT A PROGRAM BUT THAT WE CAN'T HELP THEM YET BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE MONEY DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A GREAT DYNAMIC SO WE HAVEN'T DONE A RECENT ROUND OF PUBLICITY ON IT ALTHOUGH I WOULD SAY THAT I THINK THE WORD IS IS OUT AMONGST MANY OF OUR COMMUNITIES.  THANK YOU AND I THINK COUNSELOR I'LL ASK THE QUESTION REGARDING LIKE THE TYPES OF PROPERTIES THAT IS THERE LIKE A THE TYPES OF PROPERTIES THAT FOLKS ARE MOVING INTO IS THERE IS THERE A IS THERE A WAY TO GENERALIZE THE TYPES OF PROPERTIES THAT FOLKS ARE MOVING INTO? YOU MENTIONED YOU MENTIONED THAT THE SUPER MAJORITY ARE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND THEN I BELIEVE YOU ASKED ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY WERE RESTRICTED OR ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THREE BEDROOMS LIKE WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THESE PROPERTIES THAT IN ADDITION TO WHAT I THINK IS A FABULOUS FANTASTIC THAT WE'RE USING THE ONE PLUS BOSTON MORTGAGE PROGRAM WHICH IS AN ESSENTIAL PROGRAM THAT WE NEED MORE BANKS TO PARTICIPATE IN TO HAVE AFFORDABLE AND SUSTAINABLE MORTGAGE PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO OUR FAMILIES.  BUT WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THESE HOMES THAT FOLKS ARE PURCHASING?  YES. SO OUR MOST POPULAR ARE CONDOS AND TOWNHOUSES BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF SINGLE FAMILIES TO THE THE ONE LIMITATION ON THE SECTION EIGHT TO HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM WHICH MOST OF OUR BUYERS ARE USING IS THAT THEY CAN'T THEY CAN'T BUY LIKE A MULTIFAMILY THEY HAVE TO BUY SOMETHING LIKE BECAUSE THERE'S A REQUIREMENT THAT THE UNIT BE OWNER OCCUPIED SO YOU CAN'T BUY THE OWNER OCCUPIED UNIT AND AN ADDITIONAL UNIT ALTHOUGH YOU KNOW FAMILIES CAN BUY THOSE LIKE TWO FAMILIES OR SOMETHING JUST WITH A DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE THEY JUST CAN'T USE THE FEDERAL PROGRAM FOR IT.  BUT YEAH IT'S IT'S IT'S THE WHOLE MIX OF CONDOS, TOWNHOUSES AND SINGLE FAMILIES. I KNOW JOANNA IF YOU HAD ANY FURTHER NO YES, I AGREE WITH YOU A MAJORITY OF THE ONES THAT THUMPER HAS SOLD HAS BEEN SINGLE FAMILY HOMES PARTICULARLY IN THE HYDE PARK AREA AND A FEW TOWNHOMES AS WELL. THE DEED RESTRICTED HOME THAT OUR CLIENT PURCHASED WAS A TOWNHOME.  AWESOME. THANK YOU.  THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS. MADAM CHAIR, THANK YOU.  CONCERNING ASIAN COUNCILOR FERNANDEZ ANDERSON I GO TO THE STREAM A DAY IN MY TIME ARE HERE. THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.  AND THIS IS THE FLOOR. 5 MINUTES. OKAY. THANK YOU.  AND CHAIR MACAU COUNCIL . NICE TO SEE YOU HERE. I. I APOLOGIZE AS MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ALREADY STATED, IF I ASK ANY QUESTIONS THAT ARE REPETITIVE. I GUESS JUST WONDERING ABOUT SPECIFICALLY ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO EXPAND THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE HOMEOWNERSHIP ASPIRATIONS AND JUST YOU KNOW, DO YOU HAVE ANY PARTICULAR GROUND TO GOING AFTER ANY PARTICULAR ADDITIONAL INITIATIVES THAT YOU'LL BE TAKING? YEAH. SO THANK YOU, COUNCILOR . WE I WOULD SAY WE'RE KIND OF EYEING ANY GRANT OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW ON THIS AND WE'VE HAD YOU KNOW, THERE WAS THERE WAS ONE FAIRLY BIG ONE I WAS HOPING FOR THAT DIDN'T COME THROUGH FOR US. I WON'T SHAME THEM BY SAYING WHO IT WAS BUT LIKE I MENTIONED WE WERE REALLY THRILLED TO GET THIS 850,000 RECENTLY FROM BETH ISRAEL WHICH IS TARGETED AT BUYERS IN SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOODS OR IT WON'T SERVE ASSETS FOR KIND OF THE CITYWIDE ARC THAT WE WANT FOR THE PROGRAM.  I MEAN I DEFINITELY THINK LIKE I SAID, JUST THE CLOCK THAT WE'RE ON WITH HOW MANY FAMILIES THAT WE'RE HELPING AND THE PACE THAT THEY'RE BUYING DOES MEAN WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO RUN OUT OF THE ARPA FUNDS BY THE END OF THE YEAR. SO. SO WE ARE ACTIVELY SEEKING FUNDING. YOU KNOW THAT THE BSA IS THE BIGGEST CORE FEDERAL PROGRAMS OPERATE ON A STRUCTURAL DEFICIT SO WE DON'T HAVE MONEY THERE THAT WE CAN STEAL FOR THOSE PURPOSE BUT WE'RE DEFINITELY IT'S TOO GOOD OF A THING TO GIVE UP. SO WE ARE DEFINITELY CHASING ALL DIFFERENT SOURCES FOR IT AND AND WOULD LOVE YOU KNOW, ANYBODY I MEAN I THINK ABOUT IT LIKE I FEEL LIKE THERE'S A RECOGNITION IN THE CITY IN TERMS OF LIKE WHAT PEOPLE TALK ABOUT RIGHT OF THE NEED TO CLOSE THE RACIAL WEALTH GAP AND OF HOUSING AS HEALTH AND THAT'S WHY I WAS GREAT AT BETH ISRAEL IN BUT WE FEEL LIKE THIS IS KIND OF THIS IS A CHANCE FOR FOLKS PUT THEIR MONEY WHERE THEIR MOUTH IS ON THAT FRONT AND SO YOU KNOW WE'RE DEFINITELY HOPING THAT THAT WE'LL FIND SOME GOOD PARTNERS BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.  THANK YOU. WHAT ABOUT IN TERMS OF SPECIFIC LIKE WHILE WE'RE ON THE TOPIC OF MINORITIES ARE DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACTED WHAT WHAT WHAT ARE THE LIMITATIONS AND WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN IN TERMS OF NUMBERS OF PEOPLE IMPACTED AND ARE THERE SPECIFIC LIKE EFFORTS TO ENSURE THAT MINORITY APPLICANTS ARE PRIORITIZED?  WELL, SO DEFINITELY THE SUPER MAJORITY OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE USING THE PROGRAM ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE BLACK OR BROWN FAMILIES BECAUSE THAT'S THE SUPER MAJORITY OF WHO THE VHA SERVES.  I CAN GET YOU THE EXACT DEMOGRAPHIC INFO COUNSELOR AND I'LL ASK TESSA IF SHE HAS IT TO HAND RIGHT NOW. BUT THAT'S BEEN HEAVILY HEAVILY THE CASE AND THEN WHEN WITH THE SMALLER PILOT FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP VOUCHER PROGRAM FOR THE NON VHA RESIDENTS ONE OF THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS ON THAT IS TO BE A FIRST GENERATION HOMEBUYER WHICH IS ANOTHER WAY THAT WE FOUND OF KIND OF YOU KNOW, TARGETING TO ADDRESS THE RACIAL WEALTH GAP BECAUSE YOU KNOW LOTS OF PEOPLE MIGHT BE A FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER BUT THEIR PARENTS AND THEIR GRANDPARENTS AND THEIR GREAT GRANDPARENTS ALL OWN HOMES. THAT'S REALLY DIFFERENT FROM IF YOU'RE THE FIRST GENERATION TO BUY A HOME IN YOUR FAMILY. SO BUT I THINK TEST TELLS ME THAT SO FAR IT'S BEEN 100% FAMILIES OF COLOR. THANK YOU. I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN THE SUCCESS RATE IN TERMS OF YOUR SECTION EIGHT HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM. I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A LINKAGE PROGRAM OF SOME SORT AND I THINK IT USED TO BE CALL THAT CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG BUT WHERE ARE YOU WITH THAT? IT USED TO TAKE PEOPLE REALLY LONG TIME JUST TO GET THROUGH THE WAITING LIST.  AND WHAT IS THE SUCCESS RATE SO FAR SO SORRY THIS IS SEPARATED THE SECTION EIGHT TO HOMEOWNERSHIP. YES. YEAH. SO I MEAN I WOULD SAY RIGHT NOW SO LIKE I MENTIONED AT THE START WE WE USED TO THAT SECTION EIGHT TO HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM WITHOUT DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE LIKE PEOPLE REALLY COULDN'T GET A HOME AND SO WE WERE SEEING TWO FAMILIES A YEAR USE IT SUCCESSFULLY OVER THE FIRST 12 YEARS THAT WE HAD IT AND THEN NOW IN THE 13TH YEAR WE'VE HAD FIVE WELL 48 TOTAL BUT I THINK OF THE SECTION EIGHT TO HOMEOWNERSHIP IN THE LOW FORTIES. SO YOU KNOW BASICALLY BLOWN OUT OF THE WATER WHAT OUR RATE WAS BEFORE. SO I WOULD SAY THAT IN GENERAL I MEAN IT'S IT'S A TOUGH THING TO MEASURE SUCCESS RATE OF BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY SOME FAMILIES ARE STILL LOOKING BUT THEY HAVEN'T GIVEN UP GREAT BUT I WOULD SAY THAT YOU KNOW I THE FAMILIES WHO SIGNED UP WITH US A YEAR AGO WHEN THIS PROGRAM STARTED LIKE IN SECTION EIGHT TO HOMEOWNERSHIP BY AND LARGE HAVE CLOSED ON HOUSES. SO I THINK THE SUCCESS RATE, THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE HAS TURNED OUT TO BE THE KEY THAT AND LIKE STAFF WHO REALLY WORK WITH FOLKS THAT WAS KEY TO LIKE THE VHA DIDN'T HAVE DEDICATED STAFF BEFORE THIS PROGRAM AND NOW WITH MEG AND RYAN AND FANTASTIC CON LIKE HOLDING EVERYBODY'S HAND THROUGH LIKE THIS KIND OF CRAZY PROCESS THAT WE PUT HOMEBUYERS THROUGH AS A COUNTRY, IT'S REALLY MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.  IT MAKES TOTAL SENSE. THANK YOU. IS THAT IS THAT MY TIME? I CLOCK MYSELF. IT WAS LIKE I'M FINE.  I'M SORRY . I CLOCKED MYSELF CHAIR AND I HAVE 1 MINUTES LEFT BUT OKAY THANKS A MY MY ANCIENT TIME O CLOCK IS FASTER THAN MY NOW CONSIDER CAN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR IN 5 MINUTES? THANK YOU SO MUCH COUNSELOR BREADON AND GREAT TO SEE FORMER COUNSELOR KENZIE BACK HERE OUR VHA ADMINISTRATOR AND I'M GRATEFUL TO THE BOSTON HOME CENTER AND THE ONE IS THAT THE ONE BOSTON PROGRAM MORTGAGE PROGRAM FOR ALL THAT THEY DO. SO I WANTED TO GET INTO A LITTLE BIT OF LIKE THE DEED RESTRICTION AND LIKE THE RESELLING ELEMENT BECAUSE I NOTICE I WAS LOOKING AT THE WEBSITE AND I NOTICED THERE ARE SOME TOOLS AT YOUR RESELLING.  HAS ANYONE RESOLD ANY OF THEIR HOMES YET? SO I'LL LET KAREN SPEAK TO THOSE IN A SECOND. BUT JUST TO BE CLEAR SO IT'S IT'S WRITTEN NONE OF THE RESELLING RESTRICTIONS APPLY TO OUR HOME BUYERS WHO BUY A MARKET HOME WITH OUR PROGRAM.  SO THOSE THE RESELLING RESTRICTIONS APPLY FOR DEED RESTRICTED. SO LIKE SO FOR INSTANCE LIKE THE THREE BOSTON FAMILIES THAT WE'VE HAD BY DEED RESTRICTED AFFORDABLE HOMES LIKE THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WOULD APPLY TO AND THEN IT'S REALLY. MLH THAT KIND OF MANAGES THAT SIDE OF THE HOUSE. SO I DON'T KNOW KAREN IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT. OKAY, SO THE MAJORITY OF THESE ARE BOUGHT AND JUST THERE'S MORTGAGES SORRY THERE'S THE MAJORITY OF THESE DO NOT HAVE A DATA STRUCTURE AND IT'S JUST OKAY.  CORRECT. AND I THINK LIKE A WAY OF THINKING ABOUT IT IS LIKE WHEN PEOPLE BUY IN THE MARKET IT'S LIKE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS PROVIDING LIKE THE LION'S SHARE OF THE MONEY. LIKE WE'RE PROVIDING THIS ONE TIME DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE BUT THE LION'S SHARE OF THE MONEY THAT'S HELPING ARE B HD RESIDENTS BUY THESE HOMES? IS THIS ONGOING FEDERAL SUBSIDY . AND SO IT'S A LOT OF MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, NOT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S PERSPECTIVE.  THEY'RE HELPING PEOPLE BUILD WEALTH INSTEAD OF LIKE JUST PAYING RENT. SO IT'S LIKE A GOOD DEAL WHEN WHEN YOU'RE ON THE SIDE OF PRODUCING AFFORDABLE UNITS.  THE THINGS FOLKS HAVE TO REMEMBER AND I KNOW DEED RESTRICTIONS, YOU KNOW, ARE A CONTROVERSIAL TOPIC BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS THE CITY SPENDING LIKE OFTEN 300,000 400,000 TO CLOSE THE GAP BETWEEN WHAT IT COST TO CONSTRUCT THESE HOMES AND THE PRICE THAT THEY'RE SELLING THEM AT. SO THE WAY I THINK ABOUT IT IS ALMOST LIKE THE CITY IS BUYING AN EASEMENT ON THE HOME WITH LIKE TO PRODUCE IT AND THE REASON IT'S BUYING THAT RESTRICTION IS SO THAT A FAMILY 20 YEARS FROM NOW WHO'S AT A SIMILAR PRICE POINT WILL BE ABLE TO LIVE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO THEY'RE TRYING TO LIKE THEY'RE TRYING TO BALANCE THIS THING OF LIKE ON THE ONE HAND WE USE HOUSING TO BUILD WEALTH IN THIS COUNTRY BUT ON THE OTHER HAND WE NEED HOUSING TO KEEP OUR FAMILIES HERE IN THIS COUNTRY. RIGHT. AND SO LIKE HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU BALANCE BECAUSE IF IF YOU DON'T DO ANY RESTRICTION THEN YOU MIGHT HAVE ONE GENERATION THAT MAKES A LOT OF MONEY BY MOVING OUT OF THE CITY BUT THEN THE NEXT GENERATION YOU DON'T HAVE ANY PRODUCT FOR ANYBODY TO BUY SO IT'S NOT YEAH, NOT TO USE A TRACK ANALOGY BUT IT'S LIKE PASSING THE BATON TO THE NEXT FAMILY THAT NEEDS THAT OPPORTUNITY. RIGHT. GOT IT. AND SORRY KAREN, I'LL LET YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION TOO. YEAH. NO, I MEAN KENZIE DID A GREAT JOB AT WRITING EXPLAINING HOW IT WORKS. BUT I ALSO WANT TO ADD THAT WE OUR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS NOT A LOAN, IT'S A BRAND SO WE'RE NOT PUTTING ANY LANES ON THE PROPERTY. SO WHOEVER DOES THE MARKET RATE THEN YOU KNOW THEY ALREADY THEY ALREADY COME UP WITH THE EQUITY ON THEIR HOME BY YOU KNOW 75000 TO $100000 IN EQUITY. SO YEAH SO IT THAT'S THAT'S HOW WE DO IT NOW AND SORRY MY NEXT QUESTION IS SORT OF CHUCK I'LL JUST ASK MY TWO QUESTIONS AND I'LL LET YOU GUYS BECAUSE I KNOW I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME BUT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT HOW AS A CITY COUNCILOR WE CAN ADVOCATE IN THE ARTICLE 80 PROCESS FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP VOUCHERS THAT IS OF PARTICULAR INTEREST IN MY DISTRICT, ESPECIALLY IN RICHMOND. HOW OF HOW WE CAN HAVE MORE AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.  AND THEN I WANTED TO ALSO GET AN IDEA OF HOW WE CAN ADVOCATE FOR THERE TO BE A DIVERSITY OF ZIP CODES AND AND OBVIOUSLY YOU KNOW REPRESENTING WESTON BEACON HILL, BACK BAY FENWAY MISSION HOW MAKING SURE THAT THESE AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP VOUCHERS ARE AVAILABLE IN ALL NEIGHBORHOODS AND SORT OF HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT BOTH IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND OTHER LEVERS THAT WE HAVE OUR CITY COUNCILORS GREAT. THANK YOU COUNCILOR SO TAKING THE SECOND ONE FIRST, I WOULD SAY THAT ONE WAY IN WHICH WE'VE HELPED GIVE OUR VOUCHER HOLDERS ACCESS TO MORE ZIP CODES IS THAT THEY'RE HOMEOWNERSHIP VOUCHERS LIKE THE RENTAL VOUCHERS OPERATE ON THIS ZIP CODE BASED MAXIMUM PAYMENT STANDARD SYSTEM SO YOUR YOUR VOUCHER IS ACTUALLY WORTH MORE PER MONTH IF YOU'RE TRYING TO LIKE BUY IN A MORE EXPENSIVE ZIP CODE . SO IN THAT WAY WE'VE REALLY HELPED PEOPLE ACCESS MORE EXPENSIVE ZIP CODES AND THAT'S THAT'S BEEN A BIG CHANGE AND IT IT'S WE TALK ABOUT IT MOSTLY ON THE RENTAL SIDE BUT IT ALSO HELPS ON THIS HOMEOWNERSHIP SIDE AND I THINK THAT IN TERMS OF REALLY PRODUCING AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES IN YOUR DISTRICT, I THINK THAT LIKE YOU KNOW, IT DOES COME BACK TO PRODUCING AFFORDABLE UNITS BECAUSE IT'S JUST REALLY HARD EVEN IF WE ARE GIVING PEOPLE LIKE YOU KNOW, EVEN IF WHEN YOU STACK EVERYTHING AND PEOPLE ARE GETTING 100,000 AND DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE IT'S JUST LIKE REALLY HARD TO GET TO THE PRICE POINTS IN SOME OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS. SO UNLESS WE'RE LIKE PRODUCING THEM, YOU KNOW SOME OF THAT IS I THINK REALLY HOLDING WITH CONDO PROJECTS REALLY HOLDING TO ON SITE IDP AND NOT LETTING PEOPLE KIND OF BUY IT OUT OR PUT IT SOMEWHERE ELSE. I THINK THAT'S A THAT'S A PIECE OF IT WITH THE HOMEOWNERSHIP PROJECTS AND OFTEN THERE'S NOT A LOT OF DESIRE TO DO THAT. AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS COMING OUT OF TODAY IS SORT OF THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN HOW WE CAN PARTNER MORE WITH THE VPD AND WHAT YOU GUYS AS COUNCILORS AROUND WHAT YOU JUST MENTIONED IN MISSION HILL AND OTHER PLACES LIKE THAT. YOU KNOW, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOMETHING WHERE THERE'S SOME KIND OF LIKE RIGHT OF FIRST OFFER OR SOMETHING TO BE A RESIDENT PARTICIPANTS BECAUSE THEY COULD YOU KNOW, EVEN WITHOUT THEM BEING AFFORDABLE HOMES THEY COULD LIKE YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE COULD JUST BUY DOWN THE PRICE A LITTLE BIT AND THEN THEY COULD AFFORD THEM. SO THERE MIGHT BE I THINK THERE'S AN INTERESTING IDEA THERE THAT WE HAVEN'T REALLY EXPLORED ENOUGH. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. COUNCILOR DURKAN I'M GOING TO GIVE MYSELF 5 MINUTES AND THEN SEE IF ANYONE WOULD KNOW THE SECOND ROUND. OKAY I HAD I'M INTERESTED IN THE IDEA BUT THE DISTRICT DISTRIBUTION ACROSS THE CITY I TOTALLY APPRECIATE THAT HYDE PARK AND MATTAPAN DORCHESTER THAT'S WHERE HOUSING WHERE THE PREDOMINANT UPTAKE IS OF THIS. I KNOW YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS COMPLAINING THAT FAMILIES COULDN'T AFFORD TO BUY A HOME IN ALLSTON BRIGHTON MY PREDECESSOR TO THE HOMELESS SAID TELL THEM TO GO TO A GOOD HYDE PARK. SO I THINK I'D REALLY LOVE TO SEE EXPLORE HOW YOU KNOW IN ALLSTON BRIGHTON WE HAVE WE HAVE THE WE HAVE A FUND FOR DOWNPAYMENT ASSISTANCE BECAUSE I DEVELOPER DIDN'T WANT TO BUILD IDP UNITS ON SITE BUT THEN WE BUMP INTO THE PROBLEM OF HAVING HOUSING THAT ACTUALLY RESIDENTS ARE ABLE TO TO AFFORD SO I'M ENCOURAGED JOANNE JOANNA WITH YOUR SAYING THAT THAT THESE VOUCHER HOLDERS AND THE AND THESE PEOPLE HAVE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE COMBINED WITH A ONE BOSTON MORTGAGE ARE ABLE TO COMPETE IN THE MARKET FOR MARKET RATE HOUSING COULD YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT THAT? YES. AND SO AS WE KNOW THE PRICES IN BOSTON ARE ESCALATING AND ON AVERAGE FOR THE HOMES THAT THESE BUYERS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THEIR PRE-APPROVAL, THEY'RE ANYWHERE BETWEEN MAYBE 500 TO ABOUT 600 $600,000.  AND SO NOW WHAT I DO HAVE TO GO TO WHEN I SEE THAT THERE'S A HOME ON THE MARKET THAT A BUYER IS INTERESTED IN, I REACH OUT TO THE LENDER AND I ASK THE LENDER, HEY, YOU KNOW, I SEE THAT THE BUYER IS ELIGIBLE FOR $75,000. THEY ALSO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL $30,000 IN STASH FUNDS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR IN ADDITION TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.  SO NOW WHAT THE LENDER DOES IS THEY NOW REASSESS THE FUNDS THAT THEY'RE GETTING IN ADDITION TO THE SUBSIDY AND SAY OKAY, WELL THE BUYER WAS PRE-APPROVED FOR 600,000 WITH THESE ADDITIONAL FUNDS AND NOW ABLE TO GO UP ANOTHER $30,000.  AND SO WITH MY PROCESS AND KNOWING AND DOING THE COMPS AND UNDERSTANDING THAT WE CAN NOW LOOK AT HOMES ABOUT 20 TO 30000 BELOW THEIR PRE-APPROVAL TO NOW GIVE THEM LEVERAGE WHEN THEY'RE PUTTING IN OFFERS TO COMPETE IN THE OPEN MARKET.  AND SO AS I SAID EARLIER, A LOT OF THE BUYERS ARE ABLE TO PURCHASE HOMES IN THERE AND THEY HAVE TO BE COMPETITIVE AND THEY'RE OFFERING ABOUT 20 TO $30000 OR ASKING TO BE ABLE TO TO LIVE IN AREAS LIKE HYDE PARK, DORCHESTER ON AVERAGE WITHOUT DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE, WITHOUT SUBSIDY. THESE ARE THAT THESE ARE THE PRICES THAT YOU KNOW, THE OPEN MARKET ARE BIDDING ON HOMES. AND SO WHEN I SAY THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY THIS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY IS CRITICAL TO ALLOWING THEM TO COMPETE IN THE OPEN MARKET. THAT'S WHAT I'M REFERENCING.  SO BEING ABLE TO STACK THESE DOWNPAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS IN ADDITION TO ONE PLUS BOSTON IN ADDITION TO THE BOSTON HOME CENTER AND HAVING THE ONE PLUS BLOSSOM WHERE THE INTEREST RATE HAS MADE AN EXPONENTIAL DIFFERENCE IN ALLOWING THESE HOMEBUYERS TO BE ABLE TO COMPETE IN OPEN MARKET, THAT'S VERY ENCOURAGING. THEY'RE GREAT AND WE HAVE HAD WE HAVE HAD ONE OF OUR VHA FOLKS BUY A LOTTERY AND AN EMBRACE RECENTLY.  SO I THINK THAT TO YOU I THINK WHAT FRUSTRATES ME AS YOU KNOW IS THAT WE HAVE DEVELOPERS WHO COME ALONG AND THEY SAY THEY'RE GOING TO BUILD A CONDO PROJECT AND THEY GET APPROVAL AND THEN THEY COME ALONG AFTERWARDS AND SAY OH WE CAN'T SELL IT BECAUSE BLAH BLAH AND I THINK AND THEN THEY TRY AND CHANGE IT OVER TO RENTALS. SO YOU KNOW, GIVEN THAT ALLSTON HAS LIKE A 10% HOMEOWNERSHIP RATE, WE'RE REALLY DESPERATE TO GET MORE PEOPLE TO HAVE A TO BE ABLE TO BUY OR BUY A HOME OR A CONDO OR WHATEVER IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. SO THAT'S ENCOURAGING.  I THINK WE JUST NEED TO HOLD THAT HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE AND INSIST THAT IF THEY GET APPROVED AND GET COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR A A CONDO BUILDING THAT IT STAYS THAT WAY AND THAT WE GET THOSE CONDO ADP ADP UNITS THOSE ARE LOTTERY UNITS OPENED UP TO THESE I THINK REALLY MY COLLEAGUES HAVE HAD SO MANY THE QUESTIONS I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO GET A BREAKDOWN OF BY MY DISTRICT LIKE WHERE WHERE WHERE IS IT PREDOMINANT I KNOW YOU SAID PREDOMINANTLY HIGH BUT OTHER OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS WE CAN DEFINITELY WE CAN PROVIDE WE CAN PROVIDE A ZIP BASED BREAKDOWN FOR THE ONES THAT I'M SURE KAREN CAN DO THE SAME FOR THE OVERALL CITY ONES. WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT.  COUNCILOR YEAH, AND YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S REALLY INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT'S SO EXCITING WHEN THOSE FOLKS GET THEIR HAND ON UNDER THE WHOLE KEY FOR THE FIRST TIME. IT'S IT'S REALLY IT'S REALLY LIFE CHANGING SO I APPRECIATE ALL THAT GREAT WORK. I'M NOT GOING TO WASTE ANY MORE TIME. I'M JUST GOING TO ASK MY MY COLLEAGUES ANYONE WANT A SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS CONCERN ME . YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP FIRST TO A CUSTOMER HERE. YEAH. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CHAIR CREIGHTON AND THANK YOU AGAIN TO EVERYONE. YEP. I JUST WANTED TO ASK AND I USED TO DO A LOT A LOT OF OF WORKSHOPS WITH WOMEN WHO WERE TRANSITIONING OUT OF WELFARE AND SHELTER AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID WAS IT'S ONE THING TO GET INTO A HOUSE OR YOU KNOW, INTO YOUR OWN APARTMENT AND THE OTHER IS TO KEEP IT BECAUSE WHAT I WHAT I WHAT I LEARNED IN MY WORK IN THAT SPACE WAS THAT A LOT OF WOMEN WILL END UP IN SITUATIONS WHERE THEY WOULD MOVE LOSE THEIR LEASE, THEY WILL LOSE THEIR VOUCHER AND THEY WOULD DO JUST THINGS.  SO I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT ARE WE DOING ON THE HELPING TO SUSTAIN FOLKS AND WHAT TYPE OF TRAINING AND EDUCATION AND AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IS PROVIDED TO FAMILIES ONCE THEY HAVE HAD THEIR HOME AND HOW LONG THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE LAST SCHOOL TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT SETTING PEOPLE UP WITH UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES AND IN FINDING THEMSELVES IN A SITUATION THEY DON'T NEED TO BE IN SO I CAN ANSWER THAT AND THANK YOU. THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION. YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR GOALS FOR THE BOSTON HOME CENTER IS HOW DO WE HELP THEM BY FIX AND RETAIN THEIR HOMES.  RIGHT. IT'S REALLY HAVE SUCCESSFUL HOMEOWNERSHIP AND WE DO IT THROUGH A NUMBER OF WORKSHOPS PROGRAMS WE'RE WORKING ALSO WITH THE CENTRAL WORKING FAMILIES BECAUSE IT'S NOT ONLY IN THE BEGINNING OF THE HOMEOWNERSHIP, IT'S ALSO WHEN YOU ARE A HOMEOWNER EVERYTHING THAT COMES WITH A HOME EVEN MAINTAINING YOUR CREDIT INCOME IS STABILITY.  HOW DO YOU DO FINANCIAL LITERACY, BUDGETING? SO ALL OF THAT IS THE BOSTON HOME CENTER ROLE AND LIKE I SAID, WE'RE WORKING WITH DIFFERENT WORKSHOPS. WE'RE PROMOTING HOMEOWNERSHIP AND THEN WE HAVE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND WE WORK WITH OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS AS WELL WITH THE CENTER WORKING FAMILIES. SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY ENGAGING IN.  WE REALLY PUSHING HERE AT THE BOSTON HOME CENTER TO MAKE SURE THAT NOBODY LOSES THEIR HOME AS PART OF OUR FORECLOSURE PREVENTION PROGRAM AS WELL. BUT I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT. THANK YOU, KAREN. AND LASTLY, JUST CURIOUS ABOUT WHICH ACCESS AND COMMUNICATION WILL ALLOW YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN AUDIENCE HERE THAT SAYS EVERYTHING THAT COMES OUT IN ENGLISH IS SAME THING.  IT COMES OUT THE TOP 11 LANGUAGES AND I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT YOUR LANGUAGE ACCESS CAPABILITIES HAVE BEEN IN THIS PARTICULAR INITIATIVE AND WHAT IF ANY GAPS YOU BELIEVE WE NEED TO FILL TO HELP GET THE WORD OUT TO MANY MORE? YEAH, I THINK YOU COUNSELOR. SO THE LANGUAGE ACCESS TEAM HERE AT VIRGINIA WE HAVE A BUNCH OF IN-HOUSE TRANSLATORS OF WRITTEN MATERIALS AND ALSO FOLKS WHO DO VERBAL TRANSLATIONS. SO ANYTHING THAT THE FIRST HOME TEAM IS SENDING OUT THEY'VE BEEN DOING THEY'VE BEEN GETTING TRANSLATION FROM THE LANGUAGE ACCESS TEAM IN ADVANCE SO THAT THEY'VE GOT ALL THOSE DOCUMENTS TRANSLATED INTO THE LANGUAGES THAT ARE YOU KNOW THAT OUR VOUCHER HOLDERS NEED ACCESS TO. AND I SHOULD ALSO MENTION THAT I THINK TWO OF THE TWO OF THE LENDERS THAT WE WORK WITH ARE SPECIFICALLY LIKE SORT OF SPANISH SPEAKING CAPABLE IS LIKE A BIG YOU KNOW, IT'S A BIG DRAW FOR SOME OF OUR FOLKS. WE ALSO HAVE OUR LANGUAGE ACCESS TEAM TRANSLATE ANY LIKE PHONE CALL TYPE COMMUNICATIONS THAT THEIR TEAM NEEDS IT'S LIKE IF THEY AREN'T ENGLISH SPEAKING. SO FOR US THE THE BEACHES HAD A PRETTY ROBUST LANGUAGE ACCESS TEAM BUILT OUT FOR A WHILE NOW AND WE SEE IT AS CORE TO OUR OPERATIONS AND FOLKS HERE KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T LIKE SEND OUT AN INFORMATIONAL LETTER AND NOT HAVE IT ALREADY TRANSLATED OUT OF OUR SHOP.  I MEAN BUT THE FUN FOR THE BUS AND HOME CENTER WE DO THAT TOO. WE HAVE ALL OUR PROGRAMS AND WEBSITE.  IT'S EVERYTHING ON OUR WEBSITE IN 11 LANGUAGES.  MY FROZEN THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU CHAIR THANK YOU CONSOLE SO GREAT AND FOR BRINGING THIS TO THE COUNCIL I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THE ADVOCACY TO EXPAND AND CONTINUE TO GROW THIS PROGRAM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.  THANK YOU COUNCILOR MEJIA COUNCILOR MORRELL, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU, CHAIR AND BEFORE YOU START MY TIME, HOW MUCH TIME DO WE HAVE THREE 3 MINUTES FOR THE SECOND ROUND MANAGED FOR THE SECOND ROUND CHAIR ALL RIGHT, WELL, SINCE YOU'RE THE LEAD SPONSOR, I'LL GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF EXTRA MINUTES. I APPRECIATE THAT CHAIR THANK YOU. ADMIN BACK YOU LOOK IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE LOOKING FOR MORE FUNDING.  YOU KNOW YOU HAD 850 LAUGH FOR 34 FAMILIES FOR ONE YEAR. I'M NOT SURE HOW BIG YOUR WAITLIST IS BUT HOW MUCH MORE FUNDING ARE YOU LOOKING TO GET FOR THIS PROGRAM TO STILL BE VIABLE?  SO I MEAN I THINK THAT I THINK THE WAY WE'RE THINKING ABOUT IT IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO END UP HAVING BECAUSE WE HAD OUR FIRST OUR FIRST FAMILY CLOSED LAST APRIL ON THEIR HOME.  SO THE WAY WE'RE THINKING ABOUT IT IS THAT WE'RE KIND OF ON TRACK TO SPEND TWO MIL IN A YEAR AND A HALF LIKE ROUGHLY. SO IT'S LIKE IT'S BASICALLY LIKE WE'RE FINDING THAT WE CAN GET A MILLION AND A HALF OUT THE DOOR A YEAR AND THAT'S AT OUR CURRENT STAFFING LEVELS,  RIGHT WITH OUR CURRENT KIND OF INCREDIBLE TEAM HERE. SO THAT'S NOT EVEN REALLY LIKE RAMPING UP. SO I THINK THAT'S HOW WE'RE THINKING ABOUT IT JUST IN TERMS OF LIKE LITERALLY MEASURING OUR RATE OF SPEND SO FAR. BUT YOU KNOW ANY ANY MONEY WE CAN GET WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO SPEND ON THIS PROGRAM IT'S REALLY LIKE YOU KNOW I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THIS IN OUR FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAM ARE TWO OF THE THINGS THAT WE FEEL LIKE THE VHA IS DOING THAT REALLY CHANGE THE GAME IN TERMS OF LIKE WEALTH BUILDING IN BOSTON AND FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY IS A PROGRAM THAT LETS OUR FAMILIES AS THEY GROW THEIR INCOME INSTEAD OF PAYING MORE TO THE VHA THEY GROW AND THAT ADDITIONAL MONEY AS A SAVINGS ACCOUNT FOR THEMSELVES AND I MENTION FSS BECAUSE OF THOSE FAMILIES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT TODAY 26 OF THEM ARE FSS PARTICIPANTS. SO WE'VE LITERALLY SEEN PEOPLE CLIMBING THIS LADDER OF SAVING MONEY THROUGH FSS AND THEN USING IT TO BUY A HOME IN COMBINATION WITH ALL THESE PROGRAMS.  SO YEAH, IT'S JUST WE THINK IT'S REALLY VITAL BUT THAT'S ABOUT THE RUN RATE IS ABOUT A MILLION AND A HALF A YEAR OR SO AND JOANNA I KNOW I SEE YOU HAVE YOUR HAND RAISED. JOANNA DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? OH, I JUST WANTED TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. BREADON IN REGARDS TO BRIAN AND I JUST QUICKLY LOOKED UP THE CUBS AND THEN THE LAST 12 MONTHS THE THE LOWEST HOME THAT'S BEEN SOLD AND BRIAN WAS FOR ABOUT 800,000 THOSE WERE THE ONLY HOMES THAT WERE SOLD UNDER $1,000,000 IN BRIAN OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS. SO NOT ONLY IS THERE NOT A LOT OF INVENTORY IN BRIAN, THERE'S ALSO THE PRICE POINT IS JUST WAY TOO MUCH TO MAKE HOMEOWNERSHIP AFFORDABLE AND BRIAN, FOR THE VOUCHER HOLDERS I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME QUICK STATS JUST TO SAY THANK YOU. I DO KNOW THAT THERE'S CONDO BUILDINGS THAT YOU KNOW ARE COMING IN LOWER THAN THAT BUT YEAH, WE'LL HAVE TO KEEP THEM CONDO BUILDINGS.  THANK YOU. THANKS. THANKS FOR LOOKING AT THAT FOR US, TED. THAT WAS NOT MY TIME CHAIR THAT WAS THAT WAS YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THAT. I'M WATCHING THAT. THANK YOU. GO AHEAD.  IS SPEAKING TO KIND OF THAT POINT, JOANNA, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS FOR YOU, ADNAN, BUT BUT CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT LIKE HOW MUCH ARE WE SEEING FIRST TIME HOMEBUYERS BUYING POWER INCREASE UNDER THIS PROGRAM JUST TO KIND OF GIVE, YOU KNOW, THE COUNSELORS UNDERSTANDING OF THE THE EFFECTIVENESS, RIGHT? LIKE ARE THEY GOING FROM 100,000 600,000 AND THEN PURCHASED AND THEIR PRE-APPROVAL LETTERS? DO YOU SPEAK TO THE IMPACT? YEAH. SO I THINK WE'RE SEEING A ABOUT AN AVERAGE INCREASE OF 200,000 IN THEIR PRE-APPROVAL IT NOW AND SO WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT AND THEN YOU CONSIDER THAT THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE RIGHT IS OFTEN GOING TO HELP THEM GO EVEN HIGHER SO IF THEY'RE ENDING UP YOU KNOW I THINK THEY CAN END UP WITH FOR A LOT OF OUR FOLKS THIS IS KIND OF MAKING A $300,000 DIFFERENCE FOR THAT. SO IT'S HUGE. IT'S HUGE AND THAT'S LIKE I SAID, AS I MENTIONED, THAT WOMAN WHO YOU KNOW, SHE HAD BEEN PRE-APPROVED FOR $300,000 THAT JUST WASN'T GOING TO GET HER ANYTHING AND THEN WHEN THE PROGRAM CHANGED, SHE WAS ABLE TO GET THAT PRE-APPROVAL UP INTO THE FIVE HUNDREDS AND SHE ENDED UP BUYING IT $600,000 UNIT AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST IT'S A TOTAL GAME CHANGER. SO AND THEN WE SPOKE ABOUT THE THE CITYWIDE VOUCHER HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM. SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO BE MAKING MORE ADJUSTMENTS. CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT WHAT WHAT ADJUSTMENTS?  YEAH SO WHAT WE SO THE WAY THAT WE SO THAT PROGRAM YOU YOU HAVE TO BE A FIRST GENERATION HOME BUYER BETWEEN 50 AND 80% AM I AND DO A FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER PROGRAM AND WE ACTUALLY USED OUR OUR FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER PROGRAM PARTNERS I WAS LIKE WERE THOSE FOUR PEOPLE INTO THE LOTTERY FOR THAT? WHAT HAPPENED WAS WE WE RAN THE LOTTERY FOR THAT AND CALLED 15 NAMES AND ABOUT HALF THE FOLKS WHO WE POLLED ENDED UP LIKE GETTING WEEDED OUT BY OTHER ASPECTS OF THE PROCESS LIKE NOT OUR STUFF BUT LIKE WHETHER THEY COULD GET THEIR PRE-APPROVAL LETTER OR THEIR BANKS OR WHATEVER. SO I THINK WHAT WE FIGURED OUT IS THAT WE NEED TO WE NEED TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE BUNDLING SO THAT THE FUNNEL BEFORE THE LOTTERY REALLY JUST PUTS PEOPLE WHO CAN USE THE PRODUCT WHO ALREADY LOTTERY BECAUSE THERE'S CAUSE THERE'S NO POINT IN US GETTING PEOPLE'S HOPES UP AND ALSO LIKE YOU KNOW IF THAT HADN'T HAPPENED WE WOULD HAVE HAD A LOT MORE SO WE'VE GOT I MEAN SO IT'S LIKE YOU KNOW A 15 BUT THEN WE LOST HALF OF THEM THAT WAY AND THEN WE'RE GOING HAVE TO RE LOTTERY FOR THOSE SLOTS. MEANWHILE WE'VE HAD YOU KNOW WE'VE HAD THREE FAMILIES CLOSE. WE'VE GOT ANOTHER FOUR THAT ARE VERY ACTIVE IN THE PROCESS ONE WE THINK IS GOING TO REACH AN AGREEMENT SHORTLY.  SO YOU KNOW, IT'S MOVING ALONG BUT I THINK WE JUST IN TERMS OF LIKE MAKING IT A REPETITIVE THING, WE WE WANT TO STREAMLINE THAT PROCESS A LITTLE BIT AND IT IS TRICKY BECAUSE AGAIN YOU'VE GOT SO MUCH DEMAND AND ONLY A PRETTY SMALL RESOURCE SO YOU KNOW, TRYING TO FIGURE THAT PIECE OUT, YOU KNOW AND THAT MAKES SENSE LIKE MAYBE HAVING A PRE-APPROVAL LETTER TO YOU KNOW BEFORE YOU APPLY WILL BE PART OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS. WHAT MAKES SENSE RIGHT.  MY LAST TWO QUESTIONS MY LAST TWO QUESTIONS, CHAIR IS ARE HAVE YOU CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT WORKING WITH LENDERS TO CREATE PRODUCTS YOU KNOW BECAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU WAS MENTIONING THIS IS BASICALLY LIKE A TREASURY BOND FOR DEVELOPERS OR THE BANK YOU KNOW WHAT HAVE YOU DO YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT LENDERS AND HOW DO YOU ENGAGE THEM TO CREATE PRODUCTS THAT'S KIND OF TAILORED AROUND THE SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE HERE IN A CITY OF BOSTON AND THEN ALSO JUST KIND OF AROUND LIKE THE WHOLE CONVERSATION WITH DEVELOPERS ON FIRST REFUSAL IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ME AS A DISTRICT COUNCILOR BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH DEVELOPERS TO KIND OF KNOW WHAT THE DEMAND IS LIKE ARE PEOPLE LOOKING FOR 2000 PEOPLE LOOKING FOR THREE FEET LIKE WHAT ARE THEIR PRICE POINTS SO THAT WHEN WE'RE IN THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH DEVELOPERS ON WHAT TO BUILD IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WE CAN SAY YOU KNOW WHAT, I MAKE SURE YOU'RE BUILDING THREE FAMILIES AT THIS PRICE NOT THREE FAMILIES BUT THREE BEDROOMS AT THIS PRICE POINT AND MAKE THAT FIRST FINAL REFUSAL TO TO TO THE BE A PROGRAM.  YEAH SO THANK YOU COUNCILOR ON THAT LAST POINT WE HAVE A DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF ALL THE TYPOLOGIES OF HOUSING THAT OUR FOLKS HAVE BOUGHT SO I THINK WE COULD DEFINITELY PULL THAT AND GIVE IT TO YOU AND GIVE YOU A SENSE OF THE PRICE POINTS AND I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT BE USED AS COMPARABLE DATA FOR THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU'RE HAVING. AND I THINK LIKE WE SHOULD ALL THINK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YEAH, WHAT WOULD BE THE REASONABLE PARAMETERS OF A RIGHT OF FIRST OFFER PROGRAM THAT WOULD KIND OF LIKE YOU KNOW, GIVE US ENOUGH TIME TO GET OUR PEOPLE IN BUT NOT BE SO MUCH TIME. THE DEVELOPERS FEEL LIKE IT'S SUPER ONEROUS, YOU KNOW LIKE I THINK WE COULD PROBABLY FIGURE SOMETHING OUT BUT WE SHOULD TALK MORE ABOUT THAT AND I'D LOVE YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THAT AND IN THE FIRST QUESTION WITH LENDERS SO YOU KNOW MY MY TRUE EXPERT RINGER ON THIS MEGAN RYAN IS NOT HERE. SO YOU KNOW, SHE'S SHE'S BEEN PART OF LIKE REALLY PUSHING ON THIS. BUT I THINK THAT YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE EARLY THINGS THAT WE'VE SEEN IS JUST THAT CREDIT RATING CONTINUES TO BE A BARRIER WITH LENDERS EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BACKING YOU. SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE NOT REALLY YOUR CREDIT THAT'S GOING TO DETERMINE THE LIKELIHOOD OF PAYMENT HERE. SO I THINK THAT'S LIKE AN AREA FOR CONTINUED CONVERSATION AND JUST GETTING FOLKS TO I THINK WE'VE HAD LIKE ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF WORKING NOW WITH REPEAT LENDER PARTNERS AND REALTOR PARTNERS IS FOLKS SORT OF UNDERSTANDING THAT THE VOUCHER IS LIKE A PIECE OF THE INCOME EQUATION.  I THINK WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW THAT THAT THEIR INITIAL LIKE ALLERGY IS SORT OF OH THIS PERSON DOESN'T MAKE ENOUGH MONEY FOR THAT TO AFFORD THIS KIND OF LOAN. SO I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF EDUCATION BUT I BUT I THINK THAT YOU KNOW I'M WE CAN GET FROM MEGHAN I DON'T KNOW TESSA IF YOU WANT TO IF YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET OUR LENDERS TO DO BUT I KNOW WE'RE GOING WE'RE GOING LIKE I SAID, ALL THE WAY TO HYDE TO TRY TO GET THEM TO NUDGE BECAUSE OFTEN IT'S HUD THAT KIND OF CAN SET SOME OF THEIR PARAMETERS AND REALLY GET THE BANK'S ATTENTIONS AT A NATIONAL LEVEL.  BUT I SHOULD SAY WE HAVE HUGELY BENEFITED FROM THE BANKING RELATIONSHIPS THAT KAREN'S TEAM CULTIVATES WITH ONE CLASS BOSTON LIKE HAVING A STABLE OF LENDERS WHO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO EDUCATE OVER THE YEAR ABOUT THE VHA PROGRAM LIKE IT WOULDN'T HAVE EXISTED IF THERE WASN'T ALREADY THAT STABLE OF WHITE PLUS BOSTON LENDERS.  SO I DON'T KNOW KAREN, IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE LENDER POINT. YEAH. SO WHAT I WANT TO RIGHT NOW VHA ARE WORKING WITH SEVEN LENDERS FROM SIX OUT OF THE SEVEN LENDERS ARE ONE PLUS BOSTON PROGRAM.  SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE 1212 PARTICIPATING LENDERS AND THEN THE PHC, THE ONE PLUS CLUSTER LENDER LIST AND RIGHT NOW OUR GOAL IS TO REALLY HAVE THOSE 12 LENDERS BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE ON VHA WHICH RIGHT NOW SIX WHICH IS OUR WHERE WHICH ARE WHICH IS OUR STRONGER LENDERS REALLY FOR THE ONE PLUS BOSTON SO THAT IS THAT IS A GOOD RELIEF I'M LOOKING AT THE LIST AND THEY'RE VERY STRONG NOT ONLY ONE PLUS BOSTON BUT BUT I CAN SEE MENTIONED THEY'RE BEING THEY'RE BECOMING VERY STRONG AND UNDERSTANDING THE PROGRAM AND THEY ARE BEING UNDERWRITE BY MH B GUIDELINES WHICH THEY HAVE THEIR OWN GUIDELINES AND HOW TO USE AND FACILITATE THE SECTION EIGHT VOUCHERS WHICH I CAN TELL YOU BUT I ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO BE ABLE TO UNDERWRITE AID IN MORE AND MORE IN IT'S BETTER FOR THE FOR CONSUMER WHEN THEY UNDERWRITE THESE LOANS SO I'M PLEASED THAT WE HAVE EIGHT OF THE PARTICIPATING LENDERS AND AGAIN WE HAVE TO WORK IN GETTING THEM. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING TESS ARE PROVIDING THEM REALLY TRAINING TO THE LENDERS AND SEEING WHAT THE BARRIERS ARE THE CREDIT THE MINIMAL CREDIT SCORE FOR THESE PROGRAMS FOR THE ONEPLUS BOSTON IS 644 SINGLES AND INCOME THOSE IS A MINIMAL CREDIT SCORE AND ANYONE THAT IS UNDER THAT SCORE WHAT WE DO IS THAT WE WORK WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GO INTO OUR CREDIT BOOSTER PROGRAM TO IN AND SEE IF THEY CAN USE YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT THEY QUALIFY FOR THIS PROGRAM. BUT LENDERS HAVE DIFFERENT OPTIONS TO USE FOR THE VA BUT WE REALLY ENCOURAGE THEM TO USE FIRST THE ONE PLUS BOSTON SO THEY CAN HAVE THAT ENHANCEMENT OF THEIR INTEREST RATE AND IN DOWNPAYMENT ASSISTANCE. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR. THANK YOU COUNSELOR WERE OUR COUNSELOR FERNANDES ANDERSON YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.  MY LAST COUPLE QUESTIONS ONE WAS ANSWERED IT WAS ANSWERED ALREADY BUT THE OTHER ONE THAT'S I GUESS ANY PLANS TO IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE ALREADY COLLABORATING FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS TO EXPLORE OTHER INNOVATIVE IDEAS AND FLAHERTY ON THAT. IF I'M WRONG.  BUT ANY PLANS TO EVALUATE EFFECTIVENESS, ANY ANY STUDIES OR ANY LIKE DATA COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF ANY SORT TO EVALUATE EFFECTIVENESS?  YEAH. SO YOU KNOW, I THINK FOR US THE MAIN EVALUATION OF EFFECTIVENESS HAS JUST BEEN THE LIKE BUT TOTAL CHANGE IN TEMPO OF HOW MANY FAMILIES WE HAVE TRANSITIONING TO HOMEOWNERSHIP. I MEAN IT'S JUST BEEN NIGHT AND DAY WE DIDN'T WE YOU KNOW THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WHERE WE'VE RUN A YOU KNOW, LIKE A DOUBLE BLIND TRIAL OR ANYTHING ALTHOUGH.  AGAIN, TO ME IT'S SORT OF LIKE WE KNOW THAT IF FOR INSTANCE IF IT WOULDN'T BE EFFICACIOUS IF IT TURNED OUT THAT ALL THE FAMILIES ON OUR WAITLIST RIGHT NOW WERE ABLE TO BUY HOUSING WITHOUT THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE THAT WE WOULD NEED IT BUT IT TURNS OUT THEY CAN'T. SO I THINK I THINK IN A NUMBER OF WAYS THE KIND EMPIRICAL OF THE SITUATION HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT WE REALLY NEED THIS PROGRAM.  BUT ONE OF THE REASONS WE ARE DEFINITELY COLLECTING A LOT OF DATA ABOUT WHERE PEOPLE ARE BUYING AT WHAT PRICE POINTS AND ALL THAT SO THAT WE CAN ACT SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT COUNSELOR AND ALSO SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THE PITCH LIKE YOU AND I WERE DISCUSSING EARLIER FOR MORE FUNDING. RIGHT. SO WE CAN SAY YOU KNOW, WE THINK IT'S RIGHT IN THAT SWEET SPOT OF IT WON'T HAPPEN WITHOUT THIS PROGRAM AND WITH THIS PROGRAM IT DOES HAPPEN.  RIGHT? SO IT'S LIKE IT'S IT'S NECESSARY BUT IT'S ALSO SUFFICIENT WHICH IS A REALLY NICE PLACE TO BE WITH AN INTERVENTION LIKE THIS.  FINAL QUESTION I GUESS JUST WONDERING THANK YOU SO MUCH, DIRECTOR BOK. I GUESS JUST WONDERING IN TERMS OF LIKE THE RENT TO OWN PROGRAM, I KNOW THAT THERE WERE SOME CONVERSATIONS IN TERMS OF CONSIDERING COMPROMISING AND MAYBE A RENTAL PROGRAM. WHERE ARE YOU WITH THAT IF AT ALL?  SO THE THE ONE PLACE WHERE WE'VE LOOKED AT THIS IN TERMS OF OUR PORTFOLIO IS OBVIOUSLY LIKE YOU KNOW THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO PROVIDE LONG TERM LIKE ANCHORED OPPORTUNITIES IS ON THE RENTAL PUBLIC HOUSING SIDE IN ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO CHANGE THAT. WE DO HAVE SOME SCATTERED SITES ON THE STATE PORTFOLIO THAT ARE VERY HARD FOR THE VHA TO MAINTAIN AND ARE ALSO KIND OF PERFECT HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.  AND SO WE DID GET SOME MONEY FROM THE CITY AND AND THERE'S BEEN SOME CONTINUED SUPPORT ALSO FROM THE STATE TO BASICALLY LIKE TRANSITIONING A SET OF THOSE UNITS INTO HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES WHERE THE RARE THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY WOULD GO TO LIKE FOLKS WHO ARE LIVING IN THOSE UNITS NOW AND TO AND TO OUR STATE PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS TO BUY THAT TO INCREASE STOCK OR TO ACTUALLY PILOT THEIR RENT TO OWN SO SO I THINK WE SO RIGHT NOW THE THEORY WOULD BE BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE TOTAL PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS SO WE GOT MONEY FROM THE STATE SO THAT WE CAN CREATE NEW PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS BUT CONSOLIDATED ON ONE SITE BECAUSE THEY'RE ACTUALLY EASIER FOR US TO MANAGE ANYWAYS AND THEN TAKE THOSE LIKE KIND OF HARD FOR US TO MANAGE BUT GREAT HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY ONCE END AND BE ABLE TO SELL THEM TO OUR RESIDENTS AND YOU KNOW THE EXACT FINANCING MECHANISM OF THAT IS STILL A LITTLE BIT TBD BECAUSE WE'RE WAITING WE CAN'T DO IT TILL WE HAVE THE REPLACEMENT UNITS ONLINE AND SO THEY'RE WE'RE WAITING FOR THOSE TO BE FINISHED DEVELOPING. BUT WE ARE STARTING THAT PROCESS OF WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE USE MONEY TO IN THESE PROPERTIES SO THAT IF WE SELL THEM TO OUR RESIDENTS WE'RE SELLING A GOOD PRODUCT. WE'RE NOT GIVING PEOPLE A DOG THAT'S GOING TO BE A REAL CHALLENGE TO MAINTAIN. SO YEAH, SO AT THIS STAGE WHERE WE'RE STILL IN THE LIKE YOU KNOW, PROCESS OF DOING OUTREACH WITH THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN SOME OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS AND MAKING SURE THAT LIKE KIND OF THERE'S A LOT OF COMMUNITY BUY IN AND SUPPORT FOR IT BUT BUT WE ARE LOOKING TO GO THAT ROUTE ON A SMALL SCALE.  ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MANAGER.  THANK YOU. I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE SOME ONE PERSON WAITING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.  UM, MARISOL COSTELLO.  UM, HI, MADAM CHAIR. IT SEEMS LIKE SHE MIGHT HAVE OFF THE RESUME ALREADY. OKAY, WELL, WE HAVE ANY ANYONE ELSE? NO.  VERY GOOD. OKAY. THANK YOU.  ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ? MADAM CHAIR, CAN I CAN I SAY ONE THING AND JUST GO AHEAD? JUST BECAUSE TESSA SENT ME SOME NOTES ABOUT SOME OF THE LENDING BARRIERS BACK TO THE LENDERS CONVERSATION, I THINK YOU KNOW, I MENTIONED THE CREDIT ISSUE. I THINK THAT MAKING YOU KNOW, MAKING LENDERS ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE HOUSING ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS THAT VOUCHER HOLDERS GET AND HOW TO FACTOR THEM INTO THEIR PRE-APPROVAL LETTERS THAT'S DEFINITELY BEEN LIKE A LEARNING CURVE. AND SO I THINK YOU KNOW A LOT OF OUR FOLKS HAVE LEARNED IT BUT I THINK LOOKING FOR WAYS TO JUST MAKE THAT MORE BROADLY KNOWN IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON AND AND I THINK THAT AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS THAT THE WAY THE PROGRAM WORKS FOR SOME OF THE MORTGAGE PRODUCTS, THE THE FUNDS ULTIMATELY THE MORTGAGE IS GOING TO BE PAID WITH THE FEDERAL MONEY GOING DIRECTLY TO THE LENDER RATHER THAN PASSING THROUGH THE CLIENT, WHICH IS GREAT FOR THE LENDER BECAUSE THEY KNOW IT'S GOING TO COME INTO THEIR ACCOUNT EVERY MONTH. BUT SOMETIMES THAT ACTUALLY CREATES A DELAY BARRIER BECAUSE THE LENDER NEEDS TO SET UP THE ACCOUNT AND SO THOSE ARE BEEN THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT I JUST WANTED TO FLAG THAT WE'VE KIND OF HAD TO WORK THROUGH AND IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT YOU NEED A KIND OF STABLE STABLE OF LENDERS AND IT ALSO REFLECTS THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A TEAM LIKE THE BOSTON HOME CENTER AND FOLKS WHO REALLY KNOW THE SYSTEM AND KNOW HARD AND JOANNE JOANNA'S EXPERTISE A REALTOR GUIDING FOLKS THROUGH THIS PROCESS AS WELL ARE ALL VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.  SUPER IMPORTANT. YEAH. AND LIKE I SAID I MEAN LIKE MEGAN AND I HAVE FIVE REALLY BEEN THE MAGIC SAUCE MAKING THIS THING HAPPEN BUT WE NEED THE MONEY. BUT WHEN I SAID THE MONEY WAS NECESSARY AND SUFFICIENT I REALLY MEANT THE MONEY. PLUS TESS AND MEGAN.  SO THANK YOU AND CARE FOR THIS. IT'S BEEN A VERY, VERY GOOD CONVERSATION THIS AFTERNOON I WILL JUST CALL ON MY COLLEAGUES SO CLOSING REMARKS COUNSELOR READ I WOULD DO LIKE TO AND THEY'LL CALL ON ANYONE ELSE WHO IS STILL HERE.  THIS IS TIME FOR MORE QUESTIONS. JIM BREADON I'M JOKING IF YOU HAVE AN OUTSTANDING BURNING QUESTION GO FOR IT. YOU KNOW IT SINCE YOU SAID ACCESS AND SHE SAID I CAN ASK ONE QUESTION I BET I SHOULDN'T BUT ARE ALL OTHER ALL THE HOMEBUYERS WERE THEY ALL JUST ABOUT YOUR HOLDERS OR ANY OF THEM LIKE ACTUAL RESIDENTS? YOU MEAN PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS AND HOUSING RESIDENT I KNOW SOME OF THEM ARE PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS. I DON'T HAVE THE SPLIT IN FRONT OF ME SO I'LL I'LL ASK TESSA IF SHE'S GOT THAT BUT IF SHE GET IT IN TIME WE'LL SEND IT TO YOU AFTER. BUT IT'S BEEN A MIXED I WOULD SAY LION'S SHARE SECTION EIGHT RESIDENTS. THE OTHER THING IS THAT I WE HAVE A WELL I THINK I THINK WE HAVE MORE SECTION EIGHT RESIDENTS KIND OF ON THAT CUSP INCOME WISE BUT AND THEN OBVIOUSLY SORT OF BUT TESSA SAYS 21 OF THEM ARE PUBLIC HOUSING SO ACTUALLY THAT'S PRETTY CLOSE TO HALF AS YES I MORE THAN I THOUGHT. YEAH RIGHT.  SO THEN I WOULD BE ABLE TO GET MORE PEOPLE OFF THAT WAITLIST.  I MEAN I KNOW IT'S NOT A LOT BUT YEAH RIGHT NO NO NO BUT IT'S EIGHT COUNTS EVERYONE COUNTS SO YEAH SO IN THAT SITUATION AND THEY GO AND THEN WE GET TO PULL SOMEBODY OFF THE YEAH THE 42,000 FAMILY PUBLIC HOUSING WAITLIST THAT WE HAVE SO EVERY BUT EACH ONE OF THOSE IS A FAMILY RIGHT AND IT MAKES A REAL DIFFERENCE FOR THEM RIGHT IT DOES IT DOES. WELL AGAIN THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS. THANK YOU FOR COLLABORATING. I WANT TO SHOUT OUT YOU KNOW MEG AND TESSA NICK, I KNOW I'M MISSING A FEW OTHER PEOPLE. OH, JOE, I KNOW I'M MISSING SOMEONE ELSE BUT YOUR WHOLE TEAM HAS BEEN AMAZING, YOU KNOW, VERY RESPONSIVE AND ALWAYS WILLING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ME ON THIS SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE THIS WORK IN THE WAY WHERE IT IS ALSO HAPPY TO SEE MY MY PEOPLE WEAR THUMBPRINT REALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THE WORD OUT AND HELPING GUIDE FAMILIES THROUGH THIS PROCESS BUT ALSO HELP HELP LENDERS UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON. SO BIG SHOUT OUT NOT ONLY TO JOANNA BUT ALSO ALEX AND OUR WHOLE THUMBPRINT TEAM AND THIS IS SOMETHING I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT SO YOU CAN ALWAYS EXPECT ME ANY TIME THERE'S MONEY TO BE ADVOCATED FOR OR PROGRAM TO ADVOCATE FOR THIS WILL BE ONE OF MY PRIORITIES BECAUSE YOU KNOW I HIT LIKE I SAID EARLIER HEADS ON SO MANY DIFFERENT BUCKETS THAT WE TALK ABOUT GENERATIONAL WELL HOUSING STABILITY AND GIVING BOSTON RESIDENTS A REAL CHANCE TO BUY HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO LOOKING FORWARD SEEING THIS PROGRAM GROW AND THANK YOU AGAIN.  THANK YOU, COUNCILOR REAL COUNCILOR ANDERSON.  CLOSING REMARKS.  YES. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I GUESS JUST TO REITERATE HOW CRITICAL WE HAVE THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF HOME OWNERSHIP VOUCHER PROGRAM IN ADDRESSING THE HOUSING THESE HOUSING CHALLENGES THAT WE ARE FACING JUST TO HELP BOSTON THROUGHOUT THE NATION AROUND WORLD I GUESS AND PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT OF ALL THE PERSISTENT RACIAL DISPARITIES IN HOMEOWNERSHIP RATES.  VERY INTERESTING, NATALIE AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE QUESTIONS TODAY AND SHEDDING LIGHT ON ALL OF THE SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES OF THE PROGRAM AS WELL AS IT DOES SOUND LIKE WE'VE WE'RE EXPLORING COUNCIL THE DIRECTOR OF YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY DOING PHENOMENAL JUST IN THE EXAMPLES THAT YOU'VE GIVEN VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE HOUSING I WOULD BE PARTICULARLY USE TO DIRECT A SHELTER IN DORCHESTER AND CONNECTING FOLKS TO HOUSING I KNOW THAT THE PROGRAM NOW SOUNDS LIKE MORE EFFICIENT THAN BEFORE.  I'M HOPING TO HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT STREAMLINING THE APPLICATION PROCESS IF IF THAT HASN'T HAPPENED ALREADY BUT THE THINGS THAT I THINK ABOUT IT USUALLY IN TERMS OF LIKE SYSTEMIC OPPRESSIVE IT'S USUALLY LIKE RED TAPE AND BUREAUCRATIC YOU KNOW, PROCESSES THAT DON'T WORK FOR ALL.  SO JUST LOOKING AT YOU KNOW, HOW WE CAN WORK TO OBVIOUSLY ADVOCATE FOR MORE FUNDING, MORE FUNDING, MORE FUNDING AND AS WELL AS JUST YOU KNOW, MEANINGFUL STEPS TOWARDS CLOSING THE HOMEOWNERSHIP HOMEOWNERSHIP GAP, RACIAL GAPS AND PARTICULARLY PROMOTING ECONOMIC EQUITY IN OUR CITY. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH AND MADAM CHAIR AND TO THE MAKER AND ALL IN YOUR TEAM I SECOND COUNCILOR WARHOL'S COMMENTS YOU HAVE A AMAZING TEAM VERY PLEASANT TO WORK WITH AND EXCEPTIONALLY EFFICIENT THANK YOU SO MUCH.  THANK YOU CONCERT FERNANDES ANDERSON I THINK THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY GREAT CONVERSATION THIS AFTERNOON THANK YOU CONSTABLE WORLD FOR BEING THE LEAD CO-SPONSOR SIR.  THANK YOU COUNCILOR AND COUNCIL KENZIE BOK AND KAREN AND JOANNA AND ALL OF TEAM THAT ARE HERE TESSA AND EVERYONE ELSE. I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE GREAT WORK WE'RE CERTAINLY INNOVATING AND STRETCHING THE ENVELOPE A LITTLE HERE IN BOSTON AND I DO HOPE WE CAN GET YOU RESOURCES TO HELP BUILD ON THIS PROGRAM AND KEEP IT GOING AND EXPAND IT SO THAT'S WONDERFUL.  THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. AND WITH NO FURTHER ADO, I, UH THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU ALL.  THANKS SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND RIGHT BEFORE 5:00. WELL, GOOD INBOUND. GOOD TIMING.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL