, MY NAME IS BRIAN WORRELL, DISTRICT FOUR CITY COUNCILOR AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE BOSSIER CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS. TODAY'S APRIL 25, 2024.  THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON DARK OF BACKSLASH CITY DAS COUNCILOR DASH TV AND BROADCAST ON EXPANDED CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 FILES CHANNEL 964 THE COUNCIL'S BUDGET REVIEW PROCESS WILL ENCOMPASS A SERIES OF PUBLIC HEARINGS BEGINNING IN APRIL AND RUNNING THROUGH JUNE. WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ENGAGE IN THIS PROCESS BY GIVING TESTIMONY FOR THE RECORD. YOU CAN DO THIS IN SEVERAL WAYS. ONE ATTEND ONE OF OUR HEARINGS AND GIVE PUBLIC TESTIMONY. WE WILL TAKE PUBLIC TESTIMONY AT THE END OF EACH DEPARTMENT'S HEARING AND ALSO AT OUR NEXT HEARING DEDICATED TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY WHICH WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, MAY 22ND AT 6 P.M.. THE FULL HEARING SCHEDULE IS ON OUR WEBSITE AT BOSTON DOT GOV BACKSLASH CASO DAS BUDGET.  YOU CAN GIVE TESTIMONY IN PERSON HERE IN THE CHAMBER OR VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM. FOR IN-PERSON TESTIMONY PLEASE COME TO THE CHAMBER AND SIGN UP ON THE SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE. FOR VIRTUAL TESTIMONY YOU CAN SIGN UP USING OUR ONLINE FORM ON OUR COUNCIL BUDGET REVIEW WEBSITE OR BY EMAILING THE COMMITTEE AT CC W.M. OR BOSTON.COM WHEN YOU ARE CALLED TO TESTIFY.  PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION OR RESIDENCE AND LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO A FEW MINUTES TO ENSURE THAT ALL COMMENTS AND CONCERNS CAN BE HEARD TO EMAIL YOUR TESTIMONY TO THE COMMITTEE. I SEEK THAT W M AT BOSTON.COM OR THREE SUBMITTED TWO MINUTE VIDEO OF YOUR TESTIMONY TO THE FORUM ON OUR WEBSITE. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGET PROCESS AND HOW TO TESTIFY PLEASE VISIT THE CITY COUNCIL'S BUDGET WEBSITE AT BOSTON.COM BACKSLASH CANSO DASH BUDGET.  TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKETS NUMBER 06720672 OR IT IS FOR THE FBI 25 OPERATING BUDGET INCLUDING ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS FOR THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT AND FOR OTHER POST-DEPLOYMENT BENEFITS.  DOCKET NUMBER 067330675 OR IT IS FOR CAPITAL FUND TRANSFERS APPROPRIATIONS DOCKET NUMBER 067620678 ORDERS FOR THE CAPITAL BUDGET INCLUDING LOAN ORDERS AND LEASE PURCHASE AGREEMENTS. THESE MATTERS ARE SPONSORED BY MAYOR MICHELLE WU AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON APRIL TEN, 2024. TODAY I'M JOINED BY MY COST COUNCIL COLLEAGUES COUNCIL FINANCE JENISON COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE COUNCIL FLYNN COUNCIL SANTANA COUNCILOR PEPEN COUNCILOR BREADON AND CONCILOR MEJIA HERE IN COUNCIL COLETTA.  TODAY'S PANEL IS CONSIST OF TESTING ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATION. OH AND I ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ALSO BEEN JOINED BY COUNCIL WEBER AND COUNCILOR FITZGERALD.  I WOULD LIKE TO NOW INTRODUCE TODAY'S PANELIST TESTIFYING ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATION CHIEF OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION CHIEF SOLIS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MAYOR'S OFFICE OF IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR EUGENE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MAYOR'S OFFICE OF LANGUAGE ACCESS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WANG COMMISSION OF OFFICE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF THE OFFICE OF DISABILITIES COMMISSIONER MCCOSH AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MAYOR'S OFFICE OF FAIR HOUSING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TORO. THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS FOR A PRESENTATION.  GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCILOR . MY ROLE HERE IS SHORT TODAY. I JUST WANTED TO SORT OF RE GROUND US ON WHAT THE EQUITY OF INCLUSION IN CABINET IS. ON TUESDAY WE WERE HERE WITH LGBTQ ADVANCEMENT BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT AND I ALSO PRESENT IT FOR WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT AND THE OFFICE.  TODAY YOU HAVE THE REST OF THE CABINET HERE. I WILL KICK IT OFF JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ALL AWARE FOR ABOUT SOME OF THE PLANS FOR THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION THAT IS ALSO MEANT TO BE TESTIFYING TODAY. WE ARE NOT SEEKING ANY NEW FUNDING. WHAT WE ARE DOING FOR FY 20 FOR THE REST OF 2024 SORRY IS SIMPLY ENGAGING IN STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS THAT WE WILL BE ENGAGING YOU ALL IN AS WELL AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS.  BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE ALL YOU KNOW I CAN SAY THAT FOR THE RECORD AND YOU ALL HAVE ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION ONCE WE HAVE IT. BUT WITH THAT I'LL PASS IT OFF TO JENNIFER WONG WHO'S OUR DIRECTOR OF LANGUAGE ACCESS THEN COMMISSIONER MCCOSH. I'M ASSUMING YOU'LL PASS FOR QUESTIONS.  IS THAT OKAY MONIQUE AND THEN WE'LL WRAP IT UP WITH PROFESSOR TROUT.  SO YOU YOU'RE ABLE TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION CHIEF THERE? THERE ARE NOW MANY DETAILS TO GIVE BUT YES, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.  OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY. JENNIFER WONG, DIRECTOR OF LANGUAGE ACCESS FOR THE CLERK. SO OUR MISSION FOR OUR OFFICE IS TO ENSURE THAT EVERYTHING AT THE CITY IS ACCESSIBLE FOR RESIDENTS WHO SPEAK A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH AND RESIDENTS WITH A DISABILITY. AND SO OUR PRIORITY THIS YEAR HAS BEEN FOCUSING ON EXPANDING SYSTEMWIDE ACCESS ACROSS ALL PARTS OF THE CITY, ENSURING THAT THERE ARE CULTURALLY COMPETENT TRANSLATIONS AND INTERPRETATION SERVICES COMING OUT OF OUR OFFICE AND ENSURING THAT RESIDENTS ARE AWARE OF THE RIGHTS TO THESE SERVICES AT THE CITY AND ALSO THE SERVICES COMING OUT OF THE OFFICES. SO WHY THIS MATTERS AT THE CITY OF BOSTON THERE IS AROUND 15% OF CONSTITUENTS WHO IDENTIFY AS SPEAKING A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH AND THAT IS MEANING THAT THEY NEED LANGUAGE ACCESS SERVICES DOES NOT ENCOMPASS MULTILINGUAL SPEAKERS AND THERE IS NO PERCENT OF FOLKS WHO IDENTIFY AS HAVING A DISABILITY . AND THIS PICTURE HERE IT WAS FROM REGISTRY WE ARE ABLE TO HELP THIS UKRAINIAN COUPLE FILE FOR A MARRIAGE INTENTION IN THEIR PREFERRED LANGUAGE.  SO THIS IS JUST A BRIEF HISTORY OF OUR OFFICE AND I'M JUST GOING TO TAKE AWAY THE BIG POINTS. SO FIRST FOR FOLKS WHO MAYBE KNEW WE WERE A PROGRAM BACK DURING THE PANDEMIC UNDER NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES AND IT WASN'T UNTIL 2022 WHERE WE BECAME ACTUALLY A STAND ALONE DEPARTMENT.  AND IT WASN'T UNTIL JUST LAST YEAR THAT WE ACTUALLY BECAME FULLY STAFFED.  SO THIS IS A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF OUR TEAM.  AND YOU CAN ALSO SEE THAT THE WORK THAT WE DO IS VERY COMPLEX. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT POLICY DIVISIONS BUT NOT REALLY AN F WHICH IS A LOT OF OUR CONTRACT HOLDING.  SO FOR CONTEXT WE ARE CENTRALIZED AND DECENTRALIZED CENTRALIZED IN THE SENSE THAT WE HOUSE ALL THE CONTRACTS, ALL THE FUNDING FOR LANGUAGE ACCESS BUT DECENTRALIZED WHERE WE APPROACH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PROVIDING ACCESS TO ALL DEPARTMENTS. WE ALSO HAVE FOLKS WHO FOCUS ON TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT AND THAT IS ENSURING THAT ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE AWARE OF HOW TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES TO CONSTITUENTS. WE ALSO HAVE OUR COMPLIANCE WHICH IS RELATED TO MORE HAND ON HAND COLLABORATION WITH DEPARTMENTS TO CREATE LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATIONS ACCESS PLANS AND ENSURE THAT ALL THEIR SERVICES ARE ACCESSIBLE. AND THEN WE FOCUS ON POLICY RESEARCH TRANSLATION AND THAT VARIES FROM RESEARCH ON KEEPING UP WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. WHAT'S HAPPENING IN LANGUAGE ACCESS TO DATA ON THE NEEDS FROM CONSTITUENTS.  AND IN TERMS OF OUR OFFICE AND THE WORK IT IS VERY COMPLEX AND MULTILAYERED. SO JUST A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE DIFFERENT PARTNERS THAT WE HAVE AND THIS RANGES FROM OF COURSE THE CITY DEPARTMENTS AND THE EQUITY CABINET IS OUR MAIN COLLABORATORS BUT OF COURSE ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS, UNIVERSITIES WHICH WE PARTNER WITH AND SHARING PIPELINES FOR INTERNSHIPS SPECIFICALLY FOR DUCATI PEACE REFUGEE STUDENTS. WE ALSO WORK CLOSELY WITH VIDEO THE NONPROFITS. WE ALSO SIT ON MANY NETWORKS THAT FOCUS INTENTLY ONLY WITH ACCESS. WE HAVE COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE MTA AS WELL IN TERMS OF ACCESS AND WE OF COURSE HAVE OUR VENDORS AND OTHER AGENCIES AND PARTNERS.  AND THEN FOR FISCAL YEAR 24 SOME OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS RELATE TO WE RECENTLY PUBLISHED 19 DEPARTMENTS ALL LANGUAGE ACCESS PLANS AND THAT IS DEPARTMENTS THAT OUTLINED PUBLICLY HOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE ACCESSIBLE FOR THEIR SERVICES. THEY IDENTIFIED VITAL DOCUMENTS AND ALL OF THAT IS TRANSLATED IN 11 LANGUAGES ON OUR WEBSITE. WE ALSO BEGAN A MULTILINGUAL CITY HALL PROJECT THAT THAT WAS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PARKING CLERK TREASURY AUDITING ASSESSING REGISTRY ALL THE TELLER WINDOWS THAT YOU SEE ON THE SECOND FLOOR. AND OUR PRIORITY WAS ENSURING THAT ANYONE THAT WAS COMING TO THESE MOST FRONT FACING SERVICES WERE GETTING ACCESS EITHER IN THEIR LANGUAGE. BI IN LANGUAGE, MULTILINGUAL STAFF OR THROUGH OUR INTERPRETATION SERVICES WHETHER THAT BE SPOKEN OR ASL. WE ALSO PUBLISHED THAT PUBLIC FACING COMPLAINT PROCESS WHICH IS FOR ANYONE TO BE ABLE TO CALL US, FILE ONLINE, WALK INTO OUR OFFICE TO FILE A COMPLAINT REGARDING ANY LANGUAGE ACCESS OR COMMUNICATION ACCESS RELATED SERVICES WHICH IS SEPARATE FROM A DISABILITY COMMISSION THAT HAS THEIR 88 GRIEVANCES. AND THEN WE ALSO STARTED AN IPAD LONG TERM RENTALS PILOT PROGRAM IN A NUTSHELL IS TO FILL THE GAPS IN TECHNOLOGY FOR ACCESS WE WERE ABLE TO PURCHASE IPADS THAT WE PAY DATA FOR AND PARTNER WITH DEPARTMENTS WHO NEEDED THESE IPADS TO PROVIDE ACCESS AND EXAMPLE IS THE BUS AND FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT INSTALLS THAT SHAKER ALARMS AND THAT IS FOR CONSTITUENTS WHO ARE DEAF.  AND SO IN ORDER TO COMMUNICATE WHEN THEY'RE DOING INSTALLATIONS THEY TAKE AN IPAD WITH THEM AND PULL UP AN INTERPRETER LIVE ON THAT ON THAT SPEAKER. AND THEN THE LAST THING IS ALSO OUR PARTNERSHIP THAT WE DID ALONG WITH MOYA AND DRAGON FAMILIES FORWARD WHEN THE WORKING FAMILIES MOBILITY ACT WENT LIVE ENSURING THAT THAT INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE RBI TO ENSURE THAT THE HEY MARKET THE YOUR ARMY WHICHEVER THAT THAT IS HAD IPAD AS WELL AND ACCESS TO OUR INTERPRETATION SERVICE FOR SPECIFICALLY ALSO ASL.  AND THEN OF COURSE OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH MIRA IN SUPPORT OF THE STATE LANGUAGE AND INCLUSION.  SO I WANTED TO SHARE SOME DATA IN TERMS OF OUR TRAININGS WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DATE TRAIN AROUND 3000 OF OUR EMPLOYEES ON LANGUAGE ACCESS POLICIES, THE OBLIGATIONS TO SERVE CONSTITUENTS EXCESSIVELY.  WE ALSO HAVE BEEN TRAINING 3000 EMPLOYEES ROUGHLY AS WELL ON HOW TO PROVIDE ON DEMAND INTERPRETATION AND THAT IS INTERPRETATION OVER THE PHONE OR THROUGH OUR AI. WE ALSO PARTNER WITH A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL TO COME DO TRAININGS THEMSELVES. SO WE PARTNER WITH THE PERKINS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND WHO COMES AND DOES AN ORIENTATION TO SPACE AND PROVIDING GUIDE ASSISTANCE AND WE'RE HOPING TO EXPAND THAT TO DO THAT ON A MORE SPECIFIC LET ME FIND MY WAY. FINDING DEPARTMENTS WHO MAY WANT LIKE A TAILORED VERSION OF THAT TRAINING FOR THEIR SERVICES. WE ALSO HAVE TRAININGS AROUND DEAF CULTURE ON MASKING NEURODIVERSE DIVERSITY AND OTHER TRAININGS THAT WE DO. AND THEN THANKS FOR THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE GOT LAST YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO BUY ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT FOR SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETATION.  AND SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE CURRENTLY 21 CASES THAT CAN SERVE UP TO 420 CONSTITUENTS AND 42 INTERPRETERS. AND THOSE ARE WHAT USUALLY FOLKS USE AT IN-PERSON MEETINGS FOR SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETATION. AND OF COURSE WE HAVE 38 IPADS AND 11 THAT ARE ON SHORT TERM BASIS SO ANYONE CAN RENT THEM OUT IN TERMS OF USAGE OF SERVICE YOU'LL SEE ON THE SCREEN THERE IS DATA ON FUNDING SPEND SO AS YOU CAN SEE THERE HAS BEEN A PROGRESSION OF SPENDING SPECIFICALLY IN ALL OF OUR CATEGORIES TRANSLATION, INTERPRETATION, THE INTERPRETATION FIGURE DOES ALSO INCLUDE ASL. AND THEN WE ADDED AN ADDITIONAL GRAPH THERE THAT ALSO SHOWS LAST YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO ARE TRACKING HOW MANY CONSTITUENTS WERE SUBMITTING REQUESTS TO DEPARTMENTS. SO WHEN DEPARTMENTS LET US KNOW THAT THEY'RE QUITE AN ACCOMMODATION THEY CAN ALSO TELL US WHICH ONE OF THAT WAS VIA CONSTITUENT. SO AS YOU CAN SEE THAT ALSO HAS GONE UP AS WELL.  AND THEN FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 THE INVESTMENT THAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS YEAR IS CONTINUING THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING ON THE SECOND FLOOR WITH THE TELLERS. IN ADDITION TO THE IPAD WORK AND INTERPRETATION WHERE WE ALSO PARTNER WITH DISABILITY COMMISSION TO OPEN THE WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE TELLER DOWNSTAIRS WHICH IS FOR PARKING TICKETS IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.  AND WE'RE HOPING TO KIND OF GRAB THE IDEAS OF OTHER FOLKS DOWNSTAIRS AND USE THAT FUNDING TO EXPAND EVEN MORE WHETHER THAT BE FROM ADDITIONAL SIGNAGE TO TRANSITIONING TO OTHER DEVICES LIKE TRANSLATE LIVE WHICH IS KIND OF AN ALIGNMENT AND I'M GOING TO KEEP IT BRIEF OF OUR STRATEGY WITH VEEPS OF MAKING SURE THAT THE TECHNOLOGY THAT'S BEING USED AT THE SCHOOLS FOR LANGUAGE ACCESS IS ALSO MAKING ITS WAY OVER TO THE CITY SO THAT THEY CAN RECOGNIZE ALL THE TOOLS THAT ARE UNIVERSAL.  AND THEN OUR OTHER INVESTMENT THIS YEAR IS THE EXPANSION OF OUR CONTRACT.  SO ONE THING THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING SINCE THE PANDEMIC IS WORKING WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO ENSURE QUALITY OF INTERPRETATION SERVICES BUT MAINLY QUALITY OF TRANSLATION SERVICES. SO WE'RE HOPING THIS YEAR TO EXPAND OUR CONTRACTS AND BE ABLE TO WORK WITH MORE CBOS AND NONPROFITS TO HELP US ACCOMPLISH OUR OVERALL MISSION OF ENSURING EVERYTHING IS CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE.  THANK YOU.  DO DISABILITIES NEXT.  OKAY. CAN YOU PULL UP MY SLIDES?  THAT'S THE LAST SLIDE.  GO TO THE BEGINNING.  GREAT. THANK YOU.  GOOD AFTERNOON, TERRELL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE AND HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL . I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR WRITING ME WITH THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT INFORMATION ABOUT MY DEPARTMENT'S WORK IN OUR PROPOSED BUDGET.  I KNOW A LOT OF YOU AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING TO KNOW THE ONES WHO I HAVE NOT MET YET AND WHO ARE NEWLY ELECTED AND WELCOME TO THE COUNCIL . SO I'D LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT FIRST ABOUT OUR HISTORY AND MISSION IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.  SO SO GREAT.  SO THE MAYOR'S COMMISSION FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES WAS ESTABLISHED AS A CITY OFFICE IN 1979. SO WE'RE ONE OF THE OLDER DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY. OUR MISSION IS TO INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES BY FACILITATING FULL AND EQUAL PARTICIPATION IN ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE. THIS IS DONE BY REDUCING ARCHITECTURAL PROCEDURAL, ATTITUDINAL AND COMMERCIAL COMMUNICATION BARRIERS. OUR DEPARTMENT HEAD IS DESIGNATED TO OVERSEE THE CITY OF BOSTON'S COMPLIANCE WITH TITLE TWO OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT AND WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.  SO THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF MY TEAM.  WE HAVE NINE STAFF TOTAL AND I LIKE TO SAY WE'RE A SMALL BUT MIGHTY TEAM. THEY ARE INCREDIBLY DEDICATED, RESPONSIVE STAFF WHO ARE DEDICATED TO OUR MISSION AND TO THE CITY OF BOSTON.  I SERVE AS A DEPARTMENT HEAD WHICH IS ALSO THE DISABILITY COMMISSIONER AND ADA TITLE TWO COORDINATOR FOR THE CITY.  THAT IS A FEDERAL DESIGNATION. ALL MUNICIPALITIES WITH 50 OR MORE EMPLOYEES ARE REQUIRED TO ESTABLISH AND ADD A COORDINATOR AND I SERVE IN THIS ROLE. IN THAT ROLE I OVERSEE COMPLIANCE WITH THE ADA AND I PROCESS GRIEVANCES LIKE JENNIFER MENTIONED ANYONE WHO FILES AND ADA GRIEVANCE THINKING THAT THEY WERE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BY THE CITY.  I WILL PROCESS THOSE COMPLAINTS AND RESOLVE THEM TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY. I HAVE TWO DIRECT REPORTS A CHIEF OF STAFF SHE OVERSEES OUR ADMIN TEAM. SHE'S A TALENTED THOUGHT PARTNER WITH EXPERTISE IN POLICY AND SHE OVERSEES FOUR STAFF. WE HAVE A PARKING PROGRAM MANAGER WHO MANAGES THE ON STREET ACCESSIBLE PARKING. WE HAVE CONSTITUENT SERVICE SPECIALISTS OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT AND A TRAINING SPECIALIST WHO WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT IN A FEW MINUTES.  WE ALSO HAVE AN ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS TEAM MADE UP OF A DIRECTOR AND TWO ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS SPECIALISTS.  WE ALSO OVERSEE AN ADVISORY BOARD MADE UP OF 13 RESIDENTS WHO ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY AND WE CALL THEM OUR EYES AND EARS OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS. GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. SO TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR WORK.  IN GENERAL WE LEAD THE CITY'S COLLECTIVE EFFORTS TOWARD EQUITY AND INCLUSION.  WE SERVE HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES BUT WE ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AREN'T A SEPARATE SECTION OF SOCIETY.  ANYONE COULD BECOME DISABLED AT ANY TIME WHETHER IT'S PERMANENT ,TEMPORARY OR ANYTHING IN BETWEEN. OUR DEPARTMENT MOVED INTO THE EQUITY INCLUSION CABINET TWO YEARS AGO AND NOW WE ELEVATE DISABILITY AS PART OF EVERYTHING WE DO WITH EQUITY AND INCLUSION. OUR GOALS ARE TO IMPLEMENT SYSTEMIC DEPARTMENTAL ACCESS AND ALL CITY PROGRAMS, POLICIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE.  OUR OFFICE DOESN'T BUILD STREETS OR RENOVATE CITY HALL BUILDINGS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT BUT WE DO MAKE SURE ALL THE DEPARTMENTS EVERYTHING THEY DO IS ACCESS IS CONSIDERED. WE ALSO INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN THINGS LIKE FACILITATING WORK WITH THE CITY, FACILITATING ACCESS TO SCHOOLS AND PARKS AND RECREATION.  SO WE WE HOLD THREE MAIN PRIORITIES. THE FIRST IS ACCESSIBLE INFRASTRUCTURE WHICH IS SIDEWALKS, STREETS, LIBRARIES, PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS. WE WORK ON ACCESSIBLE POLICIES AND PROGRAMS THINGS LIKE THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT,  ELECTIONS COMMISSION LIBRARIES WHO NEED TEMPORARY POLICY WHEN AN ELEVATOR IS BROKEN AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WE ALSO STRIVE TO CREATE ACCESSIBLE NEIGHBORHOODS. THIS IS EVERYTHING FROM REVIEWING PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT PLANS TO HOUSING TO OUTDOOR DINING IN MAIN STREET SMALL BUSINESSES. OUR MAIN ROLES WITHIN THE CITY ARE INTERNAL COMPLIANCE CONSULTANTS. MY STAFF AND I ARE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE SO WE WELCOME DEPARTMENTS TO CONTACT US WHEN THEY HAVE QUESTIONS. WE ALSO ARE A LIAISON TO THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY. WE ESTABLISH TRUST AND TWO WAY COMMUNICATION THROUGH OUR YEARS LONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY AND WE SERVE AS LEGISLATIVE ADVOCATES FOR CERTAIN POLICIES AT THE STATE LEVEL AND THE FEDERAL LEVEL THAT WOULD BENEFIT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. AND A NEW THING THAT WE'VE ADDED IN THE LAST YEAR IS TRAINING. WE DO INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL TRAINING ON SUBJECTS RELATED TO DISABILITY AND FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ENGAGEMENT. NEXT SLIDE AND I WANT TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY THIS WORK MATTERS. AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY DATA SHOWS THAT ONE IN 12 I'M SORRY EXCUSE ME 12% OF BOSTON'S POPULATION HAS A DISABILITY. HOWEVER, THIS FIGURE ONLY REPRESENTS RESIDENTS. IT DOESN'T REPRESENT PEOPLE WHO COME INTO OUR CITY DAILY LIKE COMMUTERS, TOURISTS, PEOPLE A TEMPORARY DISABILITIES AND PEOPLE WHO DON'T COUNT THEMSELVES AS DISABLED. SO THAT NUMBER IS DECEIVING. ALSO ESTIMATES SAY THAT 100% OF THE GENERAL POPULATION MAY HAVE A TEMPORARY DISABILITY AS THEY AGE. NEXT SLIDE.  AND JUST TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FROM VISION AND IMPACT,  THESE ARE SOME OF THE BIG THINGS THAT WE DID OVER THE PAST YEAR. WE OOPS, SORRY . WE SUPPORTED MULTIPLE CITY DEPARTMENTS BY PROVIDING ADA AND A B TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TRAINING AND TOOLS. WE ENGAGED RESIDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AT ANNUAL EVENTS. WE EMPOWERED CONSTITUENTS IN BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS.  WE SPEARHEADED AN OUTREACH CAMPAIGN PROMOTING SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITY FOR PEDESTRIANS. AND WE STRENGTHENED THE CITY'S ABILITY TO WORK WITH DISABLED RESIDENTS BY OFFERING TRAININGS IN RESOURCES AND SOME OF THOSE SPECIFIC BIG ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE WE HELD OUR BIGGEST ADA DAY EVENT EVER. WE ENGAGED OVER 200 RESIDENTS 20 DISABILITY COMMUNITY AGENCIES AND 20 CITY OFFICES.  WE ALSO IN Y 24 WE HIRED A TRAINING SPECIALIST AND SO FAR THEY HAVE PROVIDED 15 TRAININGS TO MULTIPLE CITY DEPARTMENTS ON DISABILITY ISSUES. WE WORKED AGAIN ON SYSTEMIC ACCESS BY CONVENING AN INTERDEPARTMENTAL WORKING GROUP TO ADDRESS AREA WAYS A PROBLEM THAT'S BEEN CONSISTENT IN THE CITY FOR MANY YEARS.  WE ALSO FACILITATED FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT BY TRAINING 12 BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS AND THEY IMPLEMENTED THIS INTO THEIR CURRICULUM. AND THEN WE LAUNCHED A LARGE SAFETY CAMPAIGN CALLED BOSTON BREAKS. IT'S TO EMPHASIZE AWARENESS AND SAFETY ON OUR STREETS FOR PEDESTRIANS WITH DISABILITIES.  NEXT SLIDE. AND THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT OF OUR BUDGET FROM LAST YEAR. WE ARE OUR MAIN PIECE OF THE BUDGET IS STAFF SALARIES. SO AS YOU CAN SEE THEY TAKE UP THE MAJORITY OF OUR FUNDING. ALSO OUR 8888 DAY EVENT IS A BIG EVENT. WE USE THIS NOT ONLY AS A CELEBRATION OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT BUT ALSO AS A WAY TO CONNECT RESIDENTS WITH SERVICES AND PROGRAMS. AND THEN WE SPENT THE REMAINDER OF OUR BUDGET ON LANGUAGE ACCESS. WE COLLABORATED CLOSELY WITH JENNIFER'S TEAM ON AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE AND CARD SERVICES AND WE SPLIT THE BUDGET BETWEEN OUR OFFICE AND LCA TO PAY FOR THOSE SERVICES.  AND THEN I JUST WANT TO TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT OUR PRIORITIES FOR FY 25. SO NEXT YEAR WE ARE PLANNING TO UPDATE OUR TRANSITION PLAN.  NEXT SLIDE. SO WE'RE GOING TO UPDATE THE LDA TRANSITION PLAN TO MAKE IT MORE TRANSPARENT AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. WE WILL BE PROVIDING ADA TITLE I'M SORRY . WE'LL BE PROVIDING TRAINING IN ADA TITLE THREE FOR PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS. WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH THE MAIN STREETS BUSINESSES TO HELP THEM DO BARRIER REMOVAL FOR SMALL FOR FREE AND LOW COST. AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON SOME MORE FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY TOOLS AND TRAININGS.  AND THEN WE WILL ALSO CONTINUE OUR FOUR MAIN EVENTS. WE HAVE A COMMUNITY FORUM EVERY SPRING TO LISTEN TO RESIDENTS CONCERNS.  WE HOLD OUR 88 DAY EVENT AGAIN TO CONNECT RESIDENTS WITH SERVICES.  WE HAVE DISABILITY MENTORING DAY IN THE FALL TO FACILITATE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. AND WE HOLD A CIVIC ENGAGEMENT EVENT IN THE FALL ALSO TO EMPOWER RESIDENTS WITH DISABILITIES TO VOTE AND GET ENGAGED IN GOVERNMENT. AND THEN THE LAST SLIDE IS JUST A PICTURE OF SOME OF OUR CIVIC AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES FROM THE LAST YEAR.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION. I WOULD JUST ADD OKAY. YEAH, WE'LL KEEP GOING AND GOING. OKAY.  PEOPLE OF IMMIGRANT INVESTMENT PLEASE.  VERY EVENT.  THANK YOU. OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON.  HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY ABOUT THE VITAL WORK OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT WHICH I'M HONORED TO LEAD AS AN IMMIGRANT MYSELF. OUR MISSION IS TO BUILD A TRUE CITY BELONGING WHERE IMMIGRANTS FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS ARE BUILT FEEL WELCOMED INCLUDED AND POWER TO PURSUE OUR DREAMS. IN BOSTON WE AIM TO UPLIFT THE BEAUTY, BRILLIANCE AND POWER OF OUR VIBRANT COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE CITY. THE PLACE FROM ALL CORNERS AS IMMIGRANTS WE PLAY INDISPENSABLE ROLES ACROSS EVERY SECTOR THAT KEEPS BOSTON RUNNING AND THRIVING ON THE MAIN STREETS. WE ARE THE ENTREPRENEURS CREATING JOBS AND DRIVING DRIVING ECONOMIC VITALITY IN THE HOSPITALS AND SCHOOLS. WE ARE THE HEALTH CARE HEROES AND TEACHERS PROVIDING ESSENTIAL SERVICES.  WE ARE THE WORKERS SUSTAINING THE DAYCARES HOMES, RESTAURANTS ,HOTELS, TRANSPORTATION AND SO MUCH MORE FROM FENWAY TO THE CELTICS THROUGH OUR 22 NEIGHBORHOODS TO CITY HALL, THE INGENUITY AND TALENTS OF IMMIGRANTS ELEVATE BOSTON'S STANDING AS A WORLD CLASS CITY . THE STORY OF OUR CITY CANNOT BE TOLD WITHOUT RECOGNIZING THE OUTSIZED ROLE IMMIGRANTS PLAY IN WRITING THAT NARRATIVE THROUGH OUR DAILY LIVES AND LABORS. THE $3.4 MILLION INVESTMENT WE SEEK WILL ALLOW OUR OFFICE TO BETTER SUPPORT THOUSANDS OF CONSTITUENTS NEXT YEAR. WE WANT TO ENSURE AND ENSURE FULL PARTICIPATION IN CIVIC LIFE, ACCESS TO KEY RESOURCES AND HAVE A VOICE TO TO SHAPE POLICIES AND IMPACT OUR HOMES AND OUR FAMILIES AND OUR OFFICE . WE'VE BEEN AROUND FOR 25 YEARS. THANKFULLY WE WERE CODIFIED THROUGH THE WORK OF TRILLIUM HERE COUNCILOR MEJIA LAST YEAR AND WE ALSO REPRESENTS ONE IN FOUR BOSTONIANS. SO IMMIGRANTS IN BOSTON ARE LIVELY AND THRIVING AND MOVING FORWARD.  I THINK THE CLICKERS WORKING ARE ABLE TO SCROLL BACK AND THIS IS A PICTURE OF US WITH OUR IMAGE OF IMMIGRANTS THE BOSTON COHORT FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND THANK YOU FOR THE ADVOCACY OF DIFFERENT CITY COUNCILORS OVER THE YEAR. BUT AS WE EXPAND THE PROGRAM.  IMMIGRANTS REPRESENT ONE IN FOUR BOSTONIANS IN BOSTON SINCE 2001 AND THEN THE TOP TEN LANGUAGES A TOP TEN COUNTRIES ARE REPRESENTED IN OUR AMERICAN COMMUNITIES ARE VERY DIVERSE. WE'RE ACTUALLY ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES IN THE NATION AS THE MAJORITY OF FOLKS IN OTHER CITIES REPRESENT ONE COUNTRY WE ARE WE HAVE UP TO TEN COUNTRIES AND OUR MAJORITY SO THE CLICKER IS BROKEN. SO JUST SAY NEXT SLIDE AND WE'LL CHANGE.  OKAY, GREAT. YEAH. OKAY. NEXT SLIDE.  SO OUR ROLE IN THE CITY WE ARE LEADS ON SO WE CONSIDER OURSELVES A BRIDGE FROM FOUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES TO CITY HALL. WE'RE AN ADVOCATE SO WE'VE LENT OUR VOICE TO COMMUNITIES WHO ADVOCATE AND ADVANCE THE LIVES OF IMMIGRANTS TO THE MAYOR AND THE ADMINISTRATION WE ARE DIRECT PROGRAMMER AND PARTNER WITH OUR COMMUNITIES TO SERVE IMMIGRANTS SO WE WORK WITH NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION AND THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO SCALE THE NEED OF IMMIGRANTS AND OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND WE'RE CONSULTANT TO THE MAYOR TO ADVISE ON THINGS PERTAINING TO IMMIGRANTS. NEXT PLEASE.  AND THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES I DON'T HAVE TIME TO GO THROUGH THEM ALL BUT THE LINKS ARE THERE FOR YOU ALL TO TO EXPLORE MORE. BUT THE HIGHLIGHTS FOR US ARE IMMIGRANTS LEAD BOSTON PROGRAM WHICH IS OUR CIVIC ACADEMY THAT WE WE GRADUATE A COURT ABOUT 20 PER YEAR BUT THIS YEAR WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO ACTUALLY HAVE A COHORT WHICH IS OUR LARGEST LARGEST COHORT OF 40 PEOPLE AND FIRST TIME BEING MULTILINGUAL THANKS TO THE WORK OF COUNCILOR COLETTA LAST YEAR SHE ADVOCATED FOR US TO DO WORK IN SPANISH AND WE'RE ALSO DOING HAITIAN CREOLE AS WELL. I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.  OUR CITIZENSHIP DAY IS ACTUALLY COMING UP THIS SATURDAY WHERE OVER 400 PEOPLE WILL BE APPLYING FOR A CITIZENSHIP WHICH IS ONE OF OUR FLAGSHIP ACTIVITIES.  NEXT SLIDE AND HERE IS A SNAPSHOT OF OUR TEAM RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ABOUT TEN STAFF AND WE'RE HIRING FOUR MORE WHERE WE'LL BE ABLE TO SELECT FOLKS IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO. WE'RE EXPANDING TO SCALE THE NEED. WE HAVE A POLICY ADVISOR TO ENSURE THAT SOMEONE KEEPS TRACK OF ALL THE POLICY THAT HAPPENS IN MULTIPLE LEVELS FROM THE FEDERAL, LOCAL AND STATE THAT IMPACTS IMMIGRANTS. WE HAVE PROGRAMS MANAGER THAT ENSURES THAT CONSTITUENT SERVICES ARE MET AND WORKS WITH A VERY VIBRANT AND FAST MOVING TEAM TO MEET THE NEEDS OF CONSTITUENTS WHICH ALSO INCLUDES OUR TWO RAPID RESPONSE LIAISONS THAT THANKS TO THE WORK OF SOLUTION FOR ADVOCATING FOR THAT LAST YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE ACCESS TO HAITIAN LANGUAGE CAPACITY OUR TEAM TO RESPOND TO NEW MIGRANTS . NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND HERE'S A QUICK SNAPSHOT OF OUR DIVERSITY. WE HAVE A GREAT LANGUAGE CAPACITY.  WE HAVE HAVE SPANISH SPEAKERS HAITIAN CREOLE, SOMALI, VIETNAMESE AND FRENCH IN OUR TEAM AND THEN AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT YOU CAN ALSO SEE THE RACE AND GENDER DIVERSITY IN OUR TEAM AS WELL.  NEXT SLIDE HERE IS A SNAPSHOT OF ALL OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS 2024 AND 524 SO OUR ACCOMPLISHED WE'RE STILL DOING THE WORK SO THIS WHERE WE'RE AT WHAT EXCITED TO HELP 400 PEOPLE BECOME CITIZENS. LAST YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO ADD 175 ESL SEATS THERE, NINE PARTNER SITES WE WERE ABLE TO SERVE 9000 FOLKS THROUGH OUR DIFFERENT LEGAL ACCESS OF ACCESS WORK AND THROUGH 13 DIFFERENT SITES. WE HAVE A COMMUNITY HEALTH PROGRAM CALLED WEAVING WELL-BEING THAT ENSURES THAT THERE'S NON-CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS IN IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AND WE ANSWERED OVER 2000 CALLS AND INQUIRIES TO CONSTITUENTS IN OFFICE AND WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO SUPPORT 300.  NEXT SLIDE THIS 350 STUDENTS IMMIGRANT YOUTH ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM WE GUARD THE STATUS FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS WORK EXPERIENCE AND ACADEMIC YEAR SUPPORT. WE WERE WE WERE ABLE TO SUPPORT NEW ARRIVALS 300 FOLKS IN THE PAST YEAR THROUGH THE SHELTER SYSTEM FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS WE WERE ABLE TO TO ADVOCATE AND ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH DEVELOPING OUR IMMIGRANT SLEEP BLOSSOM PROGRAM TO CONTINUE WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZING AND WE ARE ALSO ABLE TO TRAIN OVER 270 PEOPLE ON THE EQUITY IN INCLUSION, IMMIGRANT SUPPORT AND VICARIOUS TRAUMA THROUGH THE CITY AND EXTERNAL PARTNERS. NEXT SLIDE AND HERE IS A BREAKDOWN OF OUR BUDGET.  YOU CAN SEE MOST OF OUR BUDGET IS THAT'S NEEDED TO CONTRACTUAL CONTRACTUAL SERVICES SERVICES AND GRANTS. SO THAT MEANS THAT WE PARTNER WITH CONTRACTORS AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO DO OUR WORK. THERE'S NO WAY FOR OUR OFFICE FOR OUR SIZE TO BE ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE ENTIRE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES. SO WE MUST PARTNER WITH THE COMMUNITY TO GET THE WORK DONE AND ONE THIRD OF OUR BUDGET IS DEDICATED TO PERSONNEL. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.  AND HERE'S A SNAPSHOT OF THE IMPACT OF THE FUNDING THAT WE'RE SEEKING AND WHAT WE AIM TO DO WITH IT. SO OUR DOMAIN OF PATHWAYS TO JUSTICE WE HAVE SUB TWO SUB SUBCATEGORIES INTEGRATION AND ADVANCEMENT AND POLICY IMPLEMENTATION ENFORCEMENT AND WE ARE SERVING A FEW THOUSAND PEOPLE THROUGH THAT DOMAIN AND UNDER COMMUNITY WELL-BEING AND MENTAL HEALTH WE'RE SEEKING TO SUPPORT UP TO 300 RESIDENTS THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO ARE EXPERIMENTING AND UPLIFTING THE WAYS THAT THEY CARE FOR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES EVERY SINGLE DAY THROUGH NON-CLINICAL APPROACHES THEIR IMMIGRANT YOUTH ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM. WE ARE GOING TO SERVE OVER 1200 YOUTH IN GETTING WORK EXPERIENCE BUT ALSO ACCESSING TUITION EQUITY THAT'S PASSING STATE IN THE LAST YEAR. WE'RE HOPING THAT WE'RE AIMING TO ENFORCE THAT AND HELP IMPLEMENT THAT POLICY AND THEN HALF A MILLION DOLLARS DOLLARS WILL BE DEDICATED TO OUR WORKFORCE TRAININGS AND JOB PATHWAYS FOR IMMIGRANTS SUPPORTING IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS AND FOLKS TO RECOGNIZE TO BE ABLE TO GET THEIR IMMIGRANT RIGHTS WORKER'S RIGHTS ACCESS AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET MORE SEATS FOR ESL STUDENTS 500 SEATS.  THANK YOU.  THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR CHAIRMAN.  MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE AND CITY COUNCILORS FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS ROBERT TYRRELL, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BOSTON FAIR HOUSING COMMISSION. I'M WAITING FOR THE SLIDE TO COME UP.  THERE WE GO.  BOSTON FAIR HOUSING COMMISSION WAS CREATED BY CITY COUNCIL ORDINANCE IN 1982 SO WE HAVE BEEN IN CONSISTENT OPERATION FOR OVER 40 YEARS. THE OBJECTIVE THE MAJOR OF THE FAIR HOUSING COMMISSION IS TO FIGHT HOUSING DISCRIMINATION THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF BOSTON AND TO ENFORCE ALL OF OUR FAIR HOUSING LAWS OF WHICH THERE ARE SEVERAL NOT JUST OUR OWN CITY ORDINANCE NEXT SLIDE.  YEP, MAJOR ACTIVITIES ARE IN FIVE CATEGORIES INVESTIGATIONS AND ENFORCEMENT WHICH INCLUDE INTAKES, COMPLAINT PROCESSING,  FAIR HOUSING INVESTIGATIONS,  CASE DETERMINATION WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE DECIDE WHETHER AN INFRACTION OF THE LAW HAS IN FACT TAKEN PLACE SETTLEMENTS, ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS WHERE OUR COMMISSIONERS ACTUALLY HEAR THE CASES AND COMMISSION ORDERS THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE GET JUSTICE THE FAIR HOUSING COMMISSION, EDUCATION AND OUTREACH WE CONDUCT FAIR HOUSING TRAININGS. WE PARTICIPATE IN OUTREACH EVENTS AND IN FACT WE'RE ENGAGING IN A NEW PUBLIC RELATIONS CAMPAIGN TO RAISE THE PROFILE OF THE COMMISSION WITH THE MAJOR OBJECTIVE BEING GETTING MORE PEOPLE TO FILE COMPLAINTS. WE KNOW FOR EVERY ONE PERSON THAT FILES A COMPLAINT SIX OR SEVEN DO NOT AND WE'RE TRYING TO CHANGE THAT BY REACHING THOSE SIX OR SEVEN PEOPLE PUBLIC POLICY AND SPECIAL PROJECTS WHICH INCLUDE THE ASSESSMENT OF FAIR HOUSING WHICH IS A MAJOR DOCUMENT THAT SEEKS TO EMBED FAIR HOUSING VALUES AND PRINCIPLES IN EVERYTHING WE DO IN CITY GOVERNMENT.  ALSO IN THE FUTURE WE'RE GOING TO BE AMENDING OUR CITY OUR CITY ORDINANCE AND OUR COMMISSION REGULATIONS. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN AMENDED IN MANY, MANY YEARS AND WE NEED TO MAKE SOME SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES THERE. WE HOPE TO LAUNCH A FAIR HOUSING TESTING PROGRAM IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THIS IS ESSENTIAL TO THE COMMISSION'S WORK BECAUSE BY SENDING OUT TESTERS TO FOLLOW UP ON A COMPLAINT THAT HAS BEEN FILED THAT WAY WE CAN GET DIRECT EVIDENCE THAT DISCRIMINATION HAS OCCURRED AND IT WILL GREATLY STRENGTHEN OUR INVESTIGATIONS LITIGATION. THERE ARE MOMENTS WHEN WE HAVE TO GO INTO COURT TO DEFEND AN ORDER OF THE COMMISSION AND THIS IS SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT FOR COUNCILORS TO KNOW. WE DO HAVE THE POWER TO UTILIZE TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDERS TO HOLD UP THE SALE OR RENTAL OF A UNIT IF WE IF IT'S UNDER INVESTIGATION. HOWEVER, PEOPLE NEED TO FILE WITH US AS SOON AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE BECAUSE IF THEY WAIT TOO LONG THE UNIT MAY BE OFF THE MARKET. SO IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT WHEN PEOPLE THINK THAT THEY'VE BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST WE KNOW FROM PREVIOUS STUDIES IS A 60% CHANCE THEY ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN SO PLEASE HAVE YOUR CONSTITUENTS DO THAT EARLY.  NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.  THIS IS JUST A BREAKDOWN OF THE 14 PROTECTED CLASSES THAT WE ARE IN FORCED TO PROTECT SEVEN OF THEM ARE FEDERAL AND SEVEN OF THEM ARE STATE UNDER OUR STATE CIVIL RIGHTS LAW UNDER OUR ORDINANCE WE COVER ALL 14 IN THE NEAR FUTURE. ONE OF THE REASONS WE WANT TO AMEND OUR ORDINANCE IS WE WANT TO ADD A COUPLE OF NEW PROTECTED CLASSES. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.  THIS IS A FLOWCHART OF OUR CURRENT STAFFING PATTERN. WE HAVE NINE FULL TIME EMPLOYEES RIGHT NOW WE'RE SEARCHING FOR A DIRECTOR OF INVESTIGATIONS THIS THE LAST BUT WE WE NEED TO FILL NEXT SLIDE PLEASE A LISTING OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR 2024 FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR AT LEAST SO FAR IT'S BEEN A TOUGH YEAR BECAUSE WE HAD A COUPLE OF OUR INVESTIGATORS LEFT THE COMMISSION.  ONE WENT TO WORK AT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS AN EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION INVESTIGATOR AND THE OTHER WENT TO LAW SCHOOL IN D.C. SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING SORT OF SHORT STAFFED ALL YEAR LONG BUT NOW WE'RE FINALLY GETTING TO THE POINT WE WERE JUST ABOUT FULLY STAFFED SO ADMITTEDLY OUR NUMBERS ARE A LITTLE OFF FROM PREVIOUS NUMBERS BUT WE STILL HAVE TWO MONTHS LEFT IN THE FISCAL YEAR AND WE THINK WE CAN CLOSE THE YEAR FAIRLY STRONGLY . GOALS FOR NEXT SLIDE PLEASE OUR GOALS FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 WE WE HOPE TO HAVE 200 INTAKES AND 100 FAIR HOUSING COMPLAINTS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY OUT OF THIS LIST ARE THE COMMISSION ORDERS. WE HOPE TO GET TEN COMMISSION ORDERS PUT FORTH.  WE'RE REMEDIES ARE SERVED AND PEOPLE GET JUSTICE AT THE END OF THE INVESTIGATORY PROCESS THAT CONCLUDES MY BRIEF INTRODUCTION. LOOK FORWARD TO THE DIALOG WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU AGAIN TO THE PANEL FOR BEING HERE AND FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO NOW I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MY COUNCILOR COLLEAGUES.  WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ONE OUT OF ORDER. CANTOR FITZGERALD THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU, COUNCILOR . WELL, AND I APOLOGIZE I HAVE A FAMILY BECAUSE OF THE LATE START TO THE HEARING. I HAVE A FAMILY MATTER. I HAVE TO ATTEND TO. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING US OUT OF ORDER.  A VERY QUICK QUESTION. I KNOW IT'S TOUGH AND WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME AND THERE'S FIVE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS HERE ESSENTIALLY. RIGHT. AND SO IT'S TOUGH TO GET TO ALL OF YOU.  SO I'LL JUST HAVE A QUESTION FOR FAIR HOUSING AND AND DISABILITY IF THAT'S OKAY. THE REST OF YOU EVERYONE DOES FANTASTIC WORK AND WE'RE JUST HERE TO SUPPORT YOU IN WHATEVER WAY WE CAN. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING AND PRESENTING AS A FRESHMAN COUNSELOR. OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF THIS IS NEW TO ME SO THAT'S ALL GREAT INFORMATION WE'RE TAKING IN THE FAIR HOUSING THE GOALS THAT YOU SET THERE I SEE THAT THE NUMBERS THAT WERE JUST UP THERE ABOUT WANTING TO GET 10% OF THE COMMISSION FILED THE 100 FILES AND HOW CAN YOU SET THAT GOAL NOT KNOWING IS THERE ENOUGH OUT THERE COMPLAINTS OUT THERE WHERE YOU CAN SAY WE HAVE WAY TOO MUCH WORK TO DO AND IF WE JUST GET TO 100 WILL BE HAPPY, RIGHT? AND THAT'S THAT'S A GOOD AMOUNT OF CHUNK GIVEN THE THE CREW THAT THE TEAM THAT YOU HAVE CURRENTLY I HOPE WE'RE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO PROCESS 100 COMPLAINTS OR 90 COMPLAINTS OVER THE NEXT THE NEXT YEAR THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR WE CLOSED OUT 72 INVESTIGATIONS I'M SORRY 74 INVESTIGATIONS 62 WERE FEDERAL, 12 WERE STATE. WE WERE RANKED BY HUD TO BE THE MOST PRODUCTIVE FAB AGENCY IN NEW ENGLAND. I WANT US TO BE THE TOP IN THE UNITED STATES. I WANT TO BE NUMBER ONE IN THE COUNTRY. WHY? BECAUSE AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, FOR EVERY PERSON THAT FILES A COMPLAINT THERE ARE SIX OR SEVEN OUT THERE WHO DIDN'T AND THEY DIDN'T EITHER BECAUSE.  THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT OUR FAIR HOUSING LAWS OR THEY FEAR RETALIATION OR THEY'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A HOUSING SEARCH.  THEY FEEL THEY DON'T HAVE TIME TO STOP AND FILE A COMPLAINT AND GO THROUGH A WHOLE INVESTIGATORY PROCESS.  SO WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME FORWARD AND COUNCILOR AND SHOULD KNOW THIS IF SOMEBODY COMES TO YOU WITH A FAIR HOUSING COMPLAINT AND THEY DON'T WANT TO FILE THE COMPLAINT AS AN INDIVIDUAL PERSON, IF YOU SIMPLY GIVE US THE FACTS AND THE INFORMATION WE CAN FILE A COMMISSION INITIATED COMPLAINT.  WE HAVE THAT AUTHORITY THROUGH OUR ORDINANCE AND THROUGH WHAT WE CALL SUBSTANTIAL EQUIVALENCY. WE CAN FILE OUR OWN COMPLAINT AS A COMMISSION AND FOLLOW UP ON THAT CASE.  SO WE'RE TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN THROUGH OUR EDUCATION AND OUTREACH WORK. IN FACT WE JUST DID AN EVENT YESTERDAY TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME FORWARD. AND ONE OTHER THING IN THAT REGARD IF A PERSON MAY FEEL THAT THEY'VE BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST AND FILE A COMPLAINT BUT IF ANY OF YOU OR ANY PERSON SUSPECTS THAT A FRIEND OR RELATIVE OF SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS BEING INJURED BY DISCRIMINATORY ACT, YOU CAN FILE THE COMPLAINT . YOU ARE A CHURCH ORGANIZATION. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATE WE USE AN INDIVIDUAL. ANYONE CAN STEP FORWARD AND FILE A COMPLAINT.  THANK YOU. LOOK HOW MANY COMPLAINTS DO WE GET ANNUALLY IF 100 IS THE GOAL TO TO PROCESS OUT OF HOW MANY ARE WE?  WHAT PERCENTAGE OVERALL IS THAT 100 WE HOPE THAT WE CAN CLOSE OUT 90 FAIR HOUSING COMPLAINTS. THAT'S OUR GOAL FOR YEAR RIGHT? THAT'S OUR GOAL NOW A LOT OF HOW MANY COMPLAINTS COME IN WELL, A LOT OF FOLKS COME TO US UNFORTUNATELY THEY COME TO US FOR OTHER HOUSING ISSUES THAT WE DON'T COVER LIKE IT'S A LANDLORD TENANT DISPUTE OR AN ESD ISSUE AND WE REFER THEM TO THE PROPER AGENCIES.  OUR INTAKE PROCESS IS DESIGNED TO FIGURE OUT WHICH CIRCUMSTANCES ARE FAIR HOUSING CASES AND WHICH ONES ARE OTHER KINDS OF HOUSING ISSUES.  WE HOPE TO SIFT OUT OF THAT 90 TO 100 ACTUAL FAIR HOUSING CASES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU'RE WELCOME. COMMISSIONER KARSH, I KNOW THAT WE WILL HAVE A HEARING IN THE FUTURE AROUND SOMETHING THAT I PROPOSED EARLIER AND WE'VE SORT OF DISCUSSED THAT AROUND THE HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE PARKING PLACARDS AND PREGNANCY STUFF. SO I WILL SAVE ANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS FOR FOR THAT HEARING IN THE FUTURE AND JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE APPRECIATE ALL YOU DO AND YOU KNOW AND IN THAT PROCESS IT IS NOT THE INTENT. I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY AGAIN AND I WILL DO THIS IN THE FUTURE THAT IT IS NOT JUST BEING PREGNANT ITSELF THAT WILL BECAUSE THAT'S A LOT OF THE FEEDBACK I THINK YOU'VE GOTTEN AND THAT I'VE GOTTEN IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE TO DO NOW BE PREGNANT AND YOU GET A HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE PARKING PASS.  RIGHT. WE UNDERSTAND THAT'S NOT THE CASE. I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY AGAIN BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THAT AND MAKING SURE IT ABIDES BY ALL THE RULES THAT YOU GUYS LAY OUT AND THAT WE'RE DOING IT IN THE RIGHT WAY THAT IT DOES NOT IMPEDE ON THOSE THAT ARE CURRENTLY HAVE THE ACCESSIBILITY PLACARDS. THANK YOU.  BUT AGAIN, I DO APOLOGIZE SINCERELY. I HAVE TO GO BECAUSE YOU GUYS REALLY DO FANTASTIC WORK AND THE CHAIR THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LETTING ME GO FIRST I APOLOGIZE. THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU, COUNSELOR FITZGERALD. FINANCE ANDERSON YOU KNOW THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. I THINK I'LL JUST GO IN THE ORDER THAT YOU GUYS PRESENTED AND ASK QUESTIONS.  MY FIRST QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, WITH TRANSLATION SERVICES EXPENSES, COSTS INCREASING APPROXIMATELY 71% OR 71.9 EXACTLY 9.2 FROM FY 22 TO AVOID 24.  HOW DOES YOUR DEPARTMENT HOPEFULLY STRATEGICALLY MANAGE THIS BUDGET TO ENSURE THAT YOU MEAN IT TO ME ? YEAH. SO I ALSO WANT TO FLAG THAT THIS ALSO INCLUDES OUR ARPA FUNDS.  SO WE ALSO HAVE SEPARATE ARPA FUNDS AND IT SHOULD BE IN THE PACKET.  WE HAVE RECEIVED AROUND $600,000 IN ARPA FUNDING WHICH IS GOING TO BE SPEND IT BY NEXT 2025. SO THAT INCLUDES THAT. THERE'S ALSO A HUGE PHASED IN IN FUNDING BECAUSE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANS THAT WE'RE DOING THIS YEAR WE BASICALLY WE'RE GOING TO DEPARTMENTS AND PROACTIVELY FINDING ALL THE VITAL WHAT I'M GOING TO BE PROBABLY MISSING. SO I'M GOING TO BE ALL THE FRONT FACING VITAL DOCUMENTS THAT THEY HAD AND TRANSLATING THOSE IN 11 LANGUAGES. SO A LOT OF THE INCREASES IN TERMS OF TRANSLATION IS BECAUSE WE ARE INTENTIONALLY TRANSLATING VITAL DOCUMENTS FROM DEPARTMENTS. SO WE SEE IT'S GOING TO PROBABLY CONTINUE AS WE GO THROUGH EVERY DEPARTMENT BUT THAT IS MAINLY WHY THERE IS A BIG INCREASE AND ALSO BECAUSE WE HAVE ARPA FUNDING IN THERE AS WELL WHICH IS SEPARATE THE RISING COSTS, THE INCREASE THAT I WAS SPEAKING TO IS THE COST OF TRANSLATION COSTS OF INTERPRETIVE SERVICES. I'M SORRY I GUESS I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION OF THE COST OF SERVICES IS GOING ON SO IT'S NOT THE. SO I APOLOGIZE. SO THIS THIS SHOULD JUST SHOW THE AMOUNT OF SPENDING THAT WE'VE BEEN INCREASING EVERY YEAR THAT IS BEING USED BY THE DEPARTMENTS.  THANK YOU. I'LL I'LL TALK TO. OKAY.  OKAY. NO, NO, NO. SO I GUESS JUST ABOUT YOUR SERVICES. I UNDERSTAND FOR THE CITY BUT WHAT ABOUT THE COUNCIL ? WE HAVE A LOT OF SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE AS WELL COMMUNITY MEETINGS, CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS, DIFFERENT TYPES OF PRESENTATIONS AND SORTS. IF IT'S A HEARING, WORKING SESSION I GET IT. WE CAN CALL BUT IF IT'S OUTSIDE OF CITY HALL AND WE'RE DOING A COMMUNITY THING WHY HOW COULD YOU HOW CAN YOU HOW CAN YOU HELP?  WHAT IS CAN YOU PLEASE TELL TO THE PEOPLE WATCHING?  WHY DON'T YOU PROVIDE SERVICES FOR THE COMMUNITY?  SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE QUESTION FOR THE COUNCIL'S MEETINGS OR EVENTS RIGHT.  SO I KNOW THAT THE COUNCIL HAS FUNDING FOR LANGUAGE ACCESS FOR THE HEARINGS AND COUNCIL MEETINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING HERE. I'M HAPPY TO CIRCLE BACK WITH YOUR TEAMS TO SEE HOW WE CAN PARTNER AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER. I KNOW THAT WE WORK WITH THE COUNCIL CLOSELY ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE CENTRAL STAFF WITH OUR EQUIPMENT.  WE ALSO WORK WITH THE CITY COUNCIL TO PROVIDE EQUIPMENT FOR HEARINGS AND OTHER SERVICES BUT I'M HAPPY TO CIRCLE BACK ON THAT.  SORRY . NOT SPECIFIC TO CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS JUST TO COUNCIL LED PROGRAMING. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT CIVIC ASSOCIATION MEETINGS. I'M TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE DO SOMETHING WITH THE ASSOCIATION ,WHEN WE PROVIDE SOMETHING.  AND SO CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT YOUR LANGUAGES AND THE PAY WHAT YOU'RE PAYING YOUR INTERPRETERS ? SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE CONTRACTS WITH VENDORS AND THEY RANGE FROM CONTRACTS WITH PERSON BASED MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES . SO THE RATES I DON'T HAVE THOSE OFF ON THE TOP OF MY HEAD RIGHT NOW BUT WE HAVE CONTRACTS THAT ARE FORMALLY PUSHED OUT THROUGH OUR FEES AND THAT IT DOES SAY SOME OF THEIR THE RATES IN THERE BUT I DON'T HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF ME. NONE OF YOU ARE. CAN YOU PROVIDE IT ON RECORD PLEASE? CAN YOU SEND IT TO US? THANK YOU. NONE OF YOUR EMPLOYEES PROVIDE INTERPRETER SERVICES. NO.  AND SO THEY ALL BUT THEY ALL HAVE LANGUAGE CAPACITY YESTERDAY PROVIDE TRANSLATION SERVICES. NO. OKAY. SO WHEN IT COMES TO BILINGUAL EMPLOYEES, IT'S IT'S A VERY SENSITIVE TOPIC, RIGHT?  BECAUSE THERE IS A MOVEMENT, RIGHT. THAT BILINGUAL EMPLOYEES NEED TO BE PAID FOR BILINGUAL PAY AND ALSO THERE IS ALSO THIS ISSUE AROUND QUALITY ASSURANCE . SO IT'S MANAGING ENSURING THAT WE CAN USE SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES FOR IN LANGUAGE COMMUNICATION JUST TO HIGHLIGHT FOR EXAMPLE DOWNSTAIRS THE PARKING CLERK HAS A LOT OF MULTILINGUAL SPEAKERS. THEY OFTEN INTERACT IN LANGUAGE WITH CONSTITUENTS BUT WHEN IT COMES TO ACTUALLY DOING SERVICES THAT REQUIRE PROFESSIONAL INTERPRETERS THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THESE SERVICES SET UP SO THAT WE CAN SWITCH OVER IT AND PROVIDE CONSTITUENTS WITH THE ACTUAL PROFICIENCY SERVICES THAT THEY NEED. SAY THAT A FAMILY A PERSON, A MIGRANT IS STUCK DOWNSTAIRS WITH SECURITY AND IT'S FOR 3435 AND THEY CALL UP TO LANGUAGE ACCESS AND THEY NEED HELP BECAUSE THAT PERSON IS A MOM WITH A BABY STUCK FOR OVER 7 HOURS, NO FOOD AND DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO GET HOME AND REALIZE SHE DOESN'T HAVE ANY MORE MONEY TO GET HOME AND SHE CALLS YOU UPSTAIRS. SHE CALLS YOUR OR YOUR DEPARTMENT. WHAT HAPPENS THEN? WE CALL 311 WE CALL YOUR DEPARTMENT.  HOW DOES THAT PERSON ACCESS SERVICE? YEAH. SO OUR EFFORTS CONCENTRATE AROUND ENSURING THAT NO MATTER WHO YOU GO TO YOU CAN PROVIDE SERVICE. OF COURSE SINCE WE YOU KNOW, JUST BACKED UP LAST YEAR WE'RE SLOWLY MAKING OUR WAY THROUGH ALL THIS CITY TO ENSURE THAT IF YOU GO TO A SECURITY GUARD THEY CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH ACCESS.  WE ACTUALLY WORKING WITH THE SECURITY GUARDS AS WELL SO THAT WE CAN GIVE IPADS AT THE STANDING POST. DOES THAT REALLY HAPPENED? I'M SAYING TO YOU THAT THIS MOM WAS STUCK WITH HER BABY AND WE CALLED EVERYONE SECURITY DIDN'T SPEAK HER LANGUAGE SO AT LEAST THE PERSON THAT WAS ON DUTY. YEAH. AND THEY WERE STUCK AND WE CALL 311 AND THEY CONTACTED YOUR YOUR DEPARTMENT WHERE I GUESS I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT AFTER 430 WHAT HAPPENS.  WHO DO THEY CALL? SOMEONE IS STUCK IN CITY DOESN'T SPEAK ENGLISH. WHAT DO WE DO? SO I AM. I'M SO SORRY THAT THAT HAPPENED. FIRST OF ALL, THAT SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING.  WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN IS THAT EVERYONE AND ANY STAFFER SHOULD BE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH OUR ON DEMAND SERVICES WHETHER THAT BE THROUGH OVER THE PHONE OR OVER TO REMOTE INTERPRETATION. I WOULD LIKE TO SIT DOWN AND FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT TO HAPPEN.  AND AND I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW THAT THE SUPPORT AND BRINGING THAT UP AND WE REALLY DO WANT TO HEAR THESE INSTANCES SO WE CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND WHERE WE NEED TO TARGET OUR EFFORTS AND TRAIN EVEN MORE.  I THINK I ONLY HAVE TIME FOR ONE DEPARTMENT PART TIME SO ONE MINUTE 30 I HAVE A MINUTE 30 SECONDS BYPASS. I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS BUT I WANTED TO GO CABINET I MEAN DEPARTMENT WIDE DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. COUNCIL FINANCE ANDERSON NEXT IS COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE THANK YOU MR CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY'VE ASKED AND I WANT TO JUST THANK YOU. YOU ARE THE HUMANS AT WORK THAT'S JUST SO IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS WHO HAVE FELT SIDELINED AND IGNORED BY GOVERNMENT REALLY FEEL CENTERED. AND SO I WANT TO THANK EACH DEPARTMENT I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU AND REALLY THINKING.  COMMISSIONER MCCOSH, I WANTED TO START WITH YOU THIS MORNING. WE HEARD FROM PUBLIC WORKS AND TRANSPORTATION ABOUT THE INVESTMENTS THAT THEY'RE MAKING IN OUR SIDEWALK REPAIRS AND I KNOW IT'S A BIG ACCESSIBLE IT'S A BIG ACCESSIBILITY ISSUE SO WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU SORT OF AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SAY THAT THE CITY ISN'T DOING A GREAT JOB. BUT IN TERMS A GREAT JOB BUT IN TERMS OF THE PACE OF US, YOU KNOW WHAT WHAT ARE YOU WE HEAR ABOUT IT BUT WE HEAR ABOUT IT WHEN CONSTITUENTS REACH OUT AND WHEN WE CAN SEE IT. WHAT WHAT IS YOUR CONSTITUENT SPECIALIST OR INTAKE PERSON LIKE? WHAT ARE THEY HEARING ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY ON OUR STREETS IN THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING? YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION SO PEDESTRIAN ACCESS IS A KEY PRIORITY OF PUBLIC WORKS AND OF OUR OFFICE SO WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES USE THE SIDEWALKS EVERY DAY. LIKE I SAID, NOT JUST RESIDENTS BUT TOURISTS, COMMUTERS, PEOPLE WITH TEMPORARY INJURIES. SO WE REALLY PAY ATTENTION TO SIDEWALKS. THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT DOES A YEOMAN'S JOB AS WELL AS OUR OFFICE IN MAKING SURE THAT THE SIDEWALKS ARE ACCESSIBLE AND COMPLIANT. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEAR ARE THINGS LIKE A BROKEN SIDEWALK AND WE'LL CALL IT WE HAVE A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH PUBLIC WORKS WILL CALL THEM AND THEY'LL DO WHAT THEY WHAT THEY CALL A MAKE SAFE REPAIR. SO THAT'S JUST TO GO OUT AND PATCH IT WITH ASPHALT. SOMETIMES WE GET A COMPLAINT ABOUT A CURB RAMP THAT'S NOT ACCESSIBLE AND THAT MAY REQUIRE A WHOLE RECONSTRUCTION OF AN INTERSECTION. SO THAT'S GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER TIME THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE CONTRACTED OUT PUT OUT TO PUBLIC BID AND DESIGNED AND THEN REPAIRED. SO WE SEE WE HEAR A RANGE OF COMPLAINTS EVERYTHING FROM LIKE I SAID A BROKEN SIDEWALK, A NON-COMPLIANT CURB RAMP. WE ALSO THE CITY ENTERED INTO A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT A FEW YEARS AGO WITH A GROUP OF DISABILITY ADVOCATES AND IT REQUIRED THE CITY TO DO A CERTAIN NUMBER OF CURB RAMP RECONSTRUCTION EVERY YEAR AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING THROUGH THAT WITH PUBLIC WORKS. WE DO A MONTHLY CALL WITH THE LEADERSHIP TEAM OF PUBLIC WORKS TO GO OVER PRIORITIES AND FIGURE OUT WHERE WE CAN HAVE A BETTER IMPACT ESPECIALLY SERVING UNDERSERVED NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL. AND THAT'S WHAT'S THAT'S ONCE A MONTH WE DO A CALL ONCE A STANDING CALL ONCE A MONTH WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF PUBLIC WORKS. THAT'S GREAT. WELL, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THAT WORK. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IS ADA DAY WHICH I BELIEVE IS NEXT IS IT NEXT WEEK OF COMMUNITY FORUMS NEXT WEEK AND ADA IS JULY 17%. WELL THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING. AT A LATER TIME I'D LIKE TO BEND YOUR A BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE ON THE CITY COUNCIL IF WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN FOR THOSE WHO ARE HARD OF HEARING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AND HEARINGS BUT GIVEN THE SHORT TIMEFRAME AND THE SENSITIVITY I WON'T ASK THEM NOW BUT I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A MEETING WITH YOUR OFFICE. ALSO WANT TO SHOUT OUT THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT YOUR CHIEF OF STAFF DOES. SHE CAME OUT TO MY STREET WHICH HAS A NUMBER OF ADA ISSUES AND REALLY HELPS HER BRAINSTORM HOW WE CAN ADDRESS IT. SO I WANT TO THANK HER FOR ALL OF HER WORK. THANK YOU. BUT DIRECTOR TERRELL, I THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING IN FAIR HOUSING. YOU KNOW WE A THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CARE A LOT ABOUT AND COUNCILOR SANTANA HAS ALSO GIVEN A LOT OF HIS ENERGY TO THIS WORK. I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE THIS IDEA OF WHAT THE IDEAL OFFICE OF WHAT THE IDEAL STRUCTURE FOR YOUR OFFICE LOOKS LIKE IF YOU COULD TALK TO US ESPECIALLY MOVING SOME OF THE SERVICES. THE HOPE IS TO MOVE SOME SERVICES FROM BEING CONTRACTUAL SERVICES TO BEING IN-HOUSE. SO IF YOU COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT YOU'RE ASKING ME FROM MY WISH LIST BUDGET. YEAH. OKAY.  I MUST BECAUSE KEEP ON ASKING.  WELL CURRENTLY WE HAVE TEN FOLKS ON STAFF. AS I SAY WE HAVE NINE FULL TIME AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR A DIRECTOR OF INVESTIGATIONS. I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO CREATE A STAFF POSITION FOR INTAKES BECAUSE INTAKES ARE AS I MENTIONED EARLIER A VERY VITAL PART OF OUR OPERATION.  IT SOUNDS LIKE A VERY SORT OF EASY TASK BUT THAT'S WHERE WHEN PEOPLE COME IN WE DECIDE WHICH CASES ARE HOUSING CASES, LANDLORD TENANT CASES ETC. ESD CASES AND FAIR HOUSING CASES BECAUSE WE WANT TO TAKE IN THE DISCRIMINATION CASES.  WE'D ALSO LIKE TO RAMP UP AND HAVE A TESTING PROGRAM AS I SPOKE TO EARLIER. SO WE NEED A DIRECTOR OF OF TESTING.  IF I HAD MY ABSOLUTE WISH LIST THE FAIR HOUSING COMMISSION WOULD HAVE ITS OWN GENERAL COUNCILOR . I WAS GOING TO MENTION THAT AND I THINK THAT'S I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT I THINK EVEN IF IT'S NOT SOME THAT WE ACCOMPLISH IN THIS BUDGET FOR THE OFFICE TO BE EFFECTIVE, THAT'S I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. WELL, WE JUST ATTENDED A NATIONAL FAIR HOUSING CONFERENCE IN SPRINGFIELD WHERE WE HAD FAIR HOUSING AND CIVIL RIGHTS COLLEAGUES FROM ALL OVER THE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. I WOULD DARE SAY I'D PROBABLY MAKE A BED OF THIS OR A WEEK'S PAY THAT WE'RE THE ONLY FAB AGENCY THAT DOES NOT HAVE A GENERAL COUNCILOR AND FOLKS LOOK AT THIS LIKE WELL HOW DO YOU DO ALL THIS WORK WITHOUT A GENERAL COUNCILOR AND IT'S OFTENTIMES VERY, VERY IMPORTANT AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH AN INVESTIGATION TO HAVE THAT EXTRA LEGALLY LEGAL EXPERTISE FROM SOMEONE WHO IS A CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY AND PREFERABLY A CIVIL RIGHTS LITIGATOR BECAUSE WE MAY HAVE TO ENGAGE IN IN LITIGATION AT SOME POINT THAT WOULD BE SORT OF MY DREAM TEAM IF THAT WERE TO PASS I THINK WE WOULD BE A VERY, VERY EFFECTIVE COMMISSION.  WELL, THANK YOU, BOB. THANK YOU FOR FOR ELEVATING THAT WE HAD THAT HEARING AND I THINK THAT THAT POINT IS WELL TAKEN. SO HOPEFULLY THAT'S ONE THAT WE CAN HELP THE OFFICE GET BECAUSE IT WOULD ALSO NOT ONLY HELP THE OFFICE, IT WOULD HELP THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF BOSTON WHO ARE EXPERIENCING DISCRIMINATION.  I WANT TO THINK, YOU KNOW, LANGUAGE ACCESS IS SO IMPORTANT IN OUR CITY AND I JUST THINK THAT YOUR TEAM DOES PHENOMENAL WORK. SO I THINK YOU DON'T HAVE DEREK QUESTIONS FOR YOU. I ACTUALLY HAVE A DIRECTOR WHEN THE SAME QUESTION I THINK YOU YOU KNOW THAT I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT HAPPY TO SEE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO INCREASE OUR CAPACITY SHOUT OUT TO THE NEW TEAMS AT BASSETT. LOVE THAT YOU GUYS ARE IN THE HOUSE AND ARE HELPING WELCOME OUR RESIDENTS. I THINK IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT AS A DAUGHTER OF HAITIAN IMMIGRANTS IS SO INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. I WANT TO KNOW YOU ALL ARE DOING INCREDIBLE WORK AS BEST WE CAN AS COLLABORATIVE THAT WE CAN BEFORE ENTHUSIASTIC TODAY ACTUALLY AT SEA AND DR. GODBOLE AND THE GREAT WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING THERE AND THEY JUST LOST MR DARLING THERE FOR ALL THE WORK AND THE WORK THAT HE'S DONE WHO'S BEEN REALLY A STALWART I, I WANT TO KNOW BLAKE I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOUR DREAM IS FOR MOYA WHAT YOUR DREAM LIKE HOW DO AND THE NEED IS SO GREAT ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NEW ARRIVALS ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW DO WE NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, IMMIGRANTS IN BOSTON IS REALLY GREAT BUT HOW DO WE HELP COMMUNITIES BUILD POWER FROM THE CHINESE PROGRESSIVE ASSOCIATION TO CAPE VERDEAN RESIDENTS TO HAITIAN TO EVERYONE WHO IS HERE IN OUR CITY TO OUR NEWCOMERS FROM UKRAINE AND AFGHANISTAN. WHAT LIKE WHAT IS YOUR VISION AND YOUR HOPE FOR YOUR OFFICE BECAUSE THE BUDGET HERE IS GOOD, CITIZENSHIP DAY IS GREAT BUT THERE'S SO MUCH THAT'S POSSIBLE AND I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOUR VISION IS LIKE, WHAT YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH US ABOUT WHAT'S POSSIBLE WITH ALL OF THE TALENT, ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING HERE WHO ARE OFTEN LEAVING BEHIND LIVES AND PROFESSIONS WHERE THEY HAVE SO MUCH TO GIVE AND CONTRIBUTE.  WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR THE IMMIGRANTS IN OUR CITY? WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR THE OFFICE?  OH YEAH THAT'S A BIG QUESTION BUT I'LL TRY MY BEST. HOW MUCH TIME DO I HAVE MINUTES 17. OKAY.  WELL I THINK WE'RE MAKING SOME STRIDES TOWARDS THE VISION THAT I'M MOVING TOWARDS BECAUSE I REALLY BELIEVE LIKE ALL OF THE ALL THE THE SYMPTOM AND SUFFERING THE IMMIGRANTS GO THROUGH IS BECAUSE OF INJUSTICES THAT HAVE INTENDED TO. SO THANKFULLY I CAME INTO THE OFFICE WITH A REALLY STRONG CONSTITUENT SERVICES TEAM AND THEN WE'VE BEEN WRAPPING UP AND SOLIDIFYING THAT. BUT WHAT'S MISSING IS BUILDING THE POWER POLITICAL VOICE OF IMMIGRANTS REGARDLESS OF THEIR STATUS WHETHER THEY'RE YOUTH TO EVEN ELDERLY FOLKS. SO BUILDING OFF OF THE EMERGENCY BOSTON PROGRAM IS LIKE ANCHORING CIVIC LEADERS BUT PAIRED WITH THAT ORGANIZATION SO THAT THEY THEY ARE THEY'RE TRAINED UP TO KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE CITY SERVICES AND CITY GOVERNMENT BUT ALSO BUILDING POWER AND ORGANIZING. BUT THEY SHOULD GO HOME AND ORGANIZE WITH THEIR ORGANIZATIONS SO THAT WE CAN BUILD UP THE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE HOME BASE.  I'M HOPING OVER TIME THAT WE HAVE A STRONG AND COMPLEMENTARY DIVISION BETWEEN CONSTITUENT SERVICES AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZING AND OUTREACH BECAUSE WE HAVE OVER 180,000 IMMIGRANTS THAT DON'T EVEN MOST NOT MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT BOB MOYA. SO I'M THINKING OVER TIME THAT THAT IS MY DREAM THAT OUR OFFICE IS LIKE COMMON NAME IN THE HOUSEHOLD YOU KNOW LIKE CHILDREN FROM SCHOOL BE LIKE OH I LEARNED THIS FROM MOYA TODAY OR OR LIKE I AM PART OF THIS PROGRAM AND ALSO THEM THE MOTHER JUST CAME HOME FROM A KNOW YOUR RIGHTS SESSION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT GET TO GETTING TO THAT LEVEL OF SKILL . ANOTHER TANGIBLE THING THAT I'M HOPING THE ADMINISTRATIVE BY THAT MAYBE WE CAN DO ONE DAY IS SIMILAR TO WHAT BOB MIGHT NEED AS A GENERAL COUNCILOR SOME SORT BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL THERE'S SO MANY ARMY LAWYERS,  HIGH LAWYERS THAT WE HAVE THIS WHOLE LEGAL ACCESS PROGRAM, RIGHT? SO BECAUSE WE WERE TRYING TO TRAIN UP COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO DO AUTHORIZED LEGAL PRACTICE OF LAW LIKE WE'RE HAVING SO MANY ISSUES OF IMMIGRANTS BEING SCAMMED AND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF EVEN MIGRANTS RIGHT NOW WITH BARELY ANY MONEY TO TO OFFER THEY'RE GETTING SCAMMED ALONG THEIR JOURNEY SO MANY TIMES BY THE TIME THEY GET HERE THEY ARE JUST SO DISTRUSTFUL AND THEY THEY'RE IN SHELTER WITH IN DEBT YOU KNOW, IT'S RIDICULOUS. SO I'M HOPING THAT THROUGH OUR OUR WORK OF EXPANDING LEGAL ACCESS TO NONPROFITS BUT WE ALSO NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO CREATE A PIPELINE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION ATTORNEYS IN THE FIELD. IMMIGRATION ATTORNEYS ARE UNDERPAID.  IT'S REALLY HARD. NO ONE WANTS TO DO THE WORK ANYMORE BUT WE NEED TO HAVE GOOD IMMIGRATION ATTORNEYS TO APPLY FOR ALL ASYLUM CASES EVEN BASIC ED APPLICATIONS, SIMPLE THINGS LIKE THAT. SO IN SHORT LIKE SOME SOME STRONG LEGAL ARM COMMUNITY ORGANIZING CUSTODY SERVICES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.  THANK YOU, COUNCILOR . PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE COUNSELOR FLYNN, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO CHIEF AND ROBERT AND JENNIFER AND MONIQUE AND KRISTEN FOR THE POSITIVE WORK AND EXCELLENT LEADERSHIP YOU PROVIDE IN THE CITY ON SO MANY ISSUES.  I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH ALL OF YOU OVER THE LAST THE LAST FIVE OR SIX YEARS AND THE INTERACTIONS I'VE HAD WITH YOU HAVE BEEN VERY POSITIVE AND I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROFESSIONALISM IN YOUR JOB REPRESENTING THE CITY OF BOSTON AND WHEN WE HEAR PEOPLE TALK NEGATIVE ABOUT CITY EMPLOYEES I ALWAYS REFERENCE THEM TO THE OUTSTANDING EMPLOYEES THAT I WORK WITH EVERY DAY FROM OFFICE OF IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF DISABILITY COMMISSION AND LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION ACCESS AND FAIR HOUSING. AND THAT'S THAT'S RESIDENTS TOO THAT'S PROFESSIONAL WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING EVERY DAY NOT WORKING FOR ANY CREDIT BUT YOU REALLY REPRESENT IN THE CITY WITH DISTINCTION. SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE WORK YOU DO AND THANK YOU FOR BEING TREMENDOUS CITY EMPLOYEES. I ALSO WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THE TEAM FROM THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION BUT I ALSO THINK PLAYS AN IMPORTANT CRITICAL ROLE IN OUR CITY AS WELL.  I KNOW MANY OF YOU ESPECIALLY CHRISTINE WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE CITY OF BOSTON VETERANS DEPARTMENT AS WELL.  MANY VETERANS ARE ALSO MEMBERS OF THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY. SO I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE,  CHRISTINE, THE POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP YOUR OFFICE HAS WITH COMMISSIONER SANTIAGO AND THE COMMISSIONER'S TEAM.  I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE INCREDIBLE ROLE IMMIGRANTS PLAY IN OUR CITY AND I ALSO SEE IMMIGRANTS ENLISTING. I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THIS I SEE IMMIGRANTS ENLISTING IN THE MILITARY SERVING OUR NATION AND COMING BACK TO THE UNITED STATES AND NOT TREATED WITH THE SAME LEVEL OF RESPECT DIGNITY THAT THAT OTHER RETURNING VETERANS RECEIVE.  SO I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANT ROLE IMMIGRANTS PLAY IN OUR CITY IN LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION ACCESS IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST ISSUE THAT I'VE WORKED ON OVER THE LAST SEVEN YEARS AND JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP DOING THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING. MR CHAIR, I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. SECOND, THANK YOU COUNCILOR FLYNN.  NOW I WILL GO TO COUNCILOR SANTANA.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR AND I'M SO GLAD TO SEE SO MANY FAMILIAR FACES AND THANK YOU JUST FOR THE WORK. I WANT TO ECHO MY COLLEAGUES THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING REPRESENTING SOME OF AND HELPING SOME OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.  SO I KNOW I'VE ALREADY GONE TO SPEAK TO SOME OF YOU IN THIS NEW ROLE AND IS IN A CAPACITY SO I'LL TRY TO LEAVE MY QUESTIONS FOR THOSE WHO I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO. SO STARTING WITH YOU DIRECTOR OF NEWS YOU KNOW THE OFFICE OF OF IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT. YOU KNOW, I THINK TO JUST THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT'S COMMENTS I WOULD LOVE TO ENCOURAGE YOU KNOW, MORE BUT MORE COLLABORATION BETWEEN YOUR OFFICE AND CIVIC AND THE OFFICE OF CIVIC ORGANIZING AS I WAS AS A FORMER DIRECTOR OF CIVIC ORGANIZING, THIS WAS AN AREA WHERE EXCUSE ME I DON'T YOU AND I HAD CONVERSATIONS AND OBVIOUSLY THINGS HAPPEN AND PEOPLE MOVE BUT YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT AREA WHERE I THINK WE CAN REALLY DO INCREDIBLE WORK TO GET OUR IMMIGRANTS MORE CIVICALLY ENGAGED AND PLUGGED INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.  YOU KNOW, DIRECTOR CAN YOU KIND OF TO SPEAK TO THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO? YOU KNOW YOU'RE DEALING WITH A LOT OF ALSO UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS BUT ALSO UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS AND RESIDENTS WHO ARE COMING HERE WHO WANT TO, YOU KNOW, LEARN THE LANGUAGE, WHO ALSO WANT TO WORK BUT FIND IT VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND JOB PLACEMENTS. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOUR OFFICE DOES WITH IMMIGRANTS, PARTICULARLY UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS TO FIND THEM WORK? YES. SO YOU KNOW, LOU, WE KNOW THAT REGARDLESS REGARDLESS OF STATUS PEOPLE NEED TO MAKE GO AWAY TO A WAY TO MAKE A LIVING. SO AT THE VERY LEAST WE PROVIDE KNOW YOUR RIGHTS TRAINING THROUGH OUR GRANTEE PARTNERS AND ALSO SOMETIMES THROUGH US OURSELVES TO ENSURE THAT REGARDLESS OF THEM NAVIGATING WHETHER WHATEVER JOB THAT THEY DO TAKE, WHETHER IT BE SHORT TERM OR OR MORE PERMANENT PLACEMENT THAT THEY KNOW THEIR RIGHTS BECAUSE OFTENTIMES BECAUSE OF THEIR UNDOCUMENTED STATUS THAT THEY'VE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF AND THEY'RE THE THING THAT WE PROMOTE IS ENTREPRENEURSHIP BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY A REALLY IT'S A IT'S A GREAT WAY FOR PEOPLE TO LEGALLY AND ALSO MAKE INCOME AS UNDOCUMENTED FOLKS DO COOPERATIVE BUSINESSES SO YOU CAN BE A WORKER OWNER WHERE YOU ARE NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF SO SO IN PROMOTING ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND THAT'S WHY OUR FOCUS HAS BEEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AS WELL AND PAIRED WITH KNOW YOUR RIGHTS AS WELL. SO WE DON'T HELP FOLKS WHO WHO DO NOT HAVE WORK AUTHORIZATION AT THIS TIME TO FIND WORK. BUT WE HELP THEM NAVIGATE IT IN THE EVENT THAT THEY DO TAKE ON WORK AS A DOCUMENT PEOPLE TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF . THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT CLARIFICATION . AND YOU KNOW, A FOLLOW UP QUESTION KIND OF UNRELATED BUT YOU KNOW, MY OFFICE HAS BEEN REALLY WE'VE TRIED TO PRIORITIZE OUR YOUTH HERE, THE CITY OF AUSTIN. CAN YOU JUST KIND OF SPEAK TO I KNOW YOU'VE GOT A FOCUS ON IMMIGRANT IN GENERAL BUT DO YOU DO YOU ALL DO SPECIFIC WORK OR IS THERE ANY INTENTION TO WORK WITH WITH OUR IMMIGRANT YOUTH HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON? YEAH. SO ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE BUILDING UP IS IMMIGRANT YOUTH ADVANCEMENT.  IT USED TO BE CALLED THE DREAMERS FELLOWSHIP WHERE WE ENSURE THAT UNDOCUMENTED YOUTH REGARDLESS OF THEIR STATUS HAD THE SAME SUMMER WORK EXPERIENCE OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THE REST OF THE CITY AND WE'RE EXCITED TO ACTUALLY ADD 100 MORE SEATS TO THAT THIS THIS COMING YEAR. SO WE DO THAT WORK AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON ENSURING THAT THEY THEY ARE GETTING ACCESS TO TUITION EQUITY A POLICY THAT'S COMING THAT'S COMING TO EFFECT SOON THAT THIS MIGHT BE THIS ACTUALLY IS THE FIRST YEAR PEOPLE MIGHT BE GRADUATING THAT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR IN-STATE TUITION BECAUSE THAT WASN'T POSSIBLE THE OTHER YEAR. SO IN-STATE TUITION FOR FOLKS WHO ARE UNDOCUMENTED, THEY WERE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO THAT. PEOPLE HAD TO PAY INTERNATIONAL FEES EVEN IF THEY GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL.  SO AS ONE OF OUR MAJOR PRIORITIES THIS YEAR IS TO ACTUALLY GET IN THE SCHOOLS, WORK WITH THE SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND SOCIAL WORKERS SO THEY KNOW HOW TO GET THE WORD OUT AND HELP US GET ACCESS TO THE STUDENTS SO THEY FOR THEM TO KNOW HOW TO ACCESS THAT OPPORTUNITY.  SO OPTIONS AFTER AFTER HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE A LOT OF FOLKS COLLEGE MIGHT NOT BE THE THING ANYMORE. ARE YOU NOTICING THAT COLLEGES IS SOMETIMES PEOPLE HAVE LOST FAITH IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM BECAUSE OF ALL THE DEBT, YOU KNOW, SO WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO UPLIFT ALL THE TRAINING AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE THAT THAT DO YOU GET PAID PRETTY DECENTLY WITHOUT NEEDING TO GO TO COLLEGE? SO WE'RE TRYING TO OPEN UP THOSE DOORS AS WELL.  GREAT. NOW THANK YOU AND APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR OFFICE ARE DOING.  I'M GOING TO DIRECT IT TO OUR YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOU FOR MEETING WITH ME IN MY OFFICE AND DISCUSSING AND ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONS.  YOU MENTIONED A COUPLE OF THINGS DIRECT TO TORO AND IN YOUR OPENING REMARKS ONES THAT YOU KNOW ONE THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ALSO ADD SOME NEW PROTECTED CLASSES AND INTO THAT LIST CAN YOU JUST SPEAK TO WHAT ARE THE NEW PROTECTED CLASSES THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE AMENDED IN THE AUDIENCE?  YES, IT IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH FOLKS THAT ARE SURVIVORS,  NOT VICTIMS SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND WE TRIED AT THE STATE LEVEL SEVERAL TIMES TO GET THE LEGISLATURE TO PASS AN AMENDMENT TO OUR STATE'S CIVIL RIGHTS LAW SO THAT THEY WOULD BECOME A PROTECTED CLASS AND WE WEREN'T SUCCESSFUL AT THE STATE LEVEL BUT THERE'S NO REASON WHY WE CAN'T DO IT HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND MAKE THAT A PART OF OUR AUDIENCE RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT. AND YOU KNOW, YOU ALSO MENTIONED A LOT OF AS YOU KNOW FOR EVERY ONE COMPLAINT THERE'S 27 PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT CAUGHT AND I'M ACTUALLY NOT COMPLAINING. RIGHT. SO THERE'S A LOT OF UNHEARD STORIES AND A LOT OF DISCRIMINATION. YOU HAPPEN ACROSS OUR CITY. YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED A FEAR OF RETALIATION AND CAN YOU WHAT IS THAT FEAR? WHAT WOULD BE HOW CAN HOW CAN SOMEONE HOW CAN THEY RETALIATE AND WHAT'S THE FEAR THERE FOR THE RESIDENTS HERE? SO WHERE WE CAN BE MORE CLEAR ON THAT TAKES A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT FORMS. IT'S THE CASE WE HAVE A CASE PENDING THAT'S SIMILAR TO THIS PERSON GOES TO THEIR LANDLORD OR THEIR PROPERTY MANAGER FOR PARTICULAR SERVICES AND THEY'RE DENIED THOSE SERVICES AND THEY BELIEVE IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE A MEMBER OF A PROTECTED CLASS WHATEVER THE PROTECTED CLASS IS AND THE PERSON GOES THROUGH A DIALOG WITH THEIR PROPERTY MANAGER, THEIR LANDLORD OVER A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME AND THEY GET A LITTLE FRUSTRATED WITH THE SITUATION. SO I'M GOING TO CALL ESD, I'M GOING TO FILE A FAIR HOUSING COMPLAINT. I'M GOING TO TAKE SOME OFFICIAL ACTION THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE PERSON GETS THREATS USUALLY THREATS ABOUT EVICTION. SOMETIMES THEY'RE ACTUALLY GIVEN A SUMMARY PROCESS THAT STARTS THE EVICTION PROCESS OR IT CAN IT CAN BE MORE THREATENING AND MORE PHYSICAL AND MORE VIOLENT.  SO IN THE CASE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW, I CAN'T GO INTO THE DETAILS BECAUSE WE'RE INVESTIGATING BUT WE SAID WELL ,THERE ARE TWO COMPLAINTS HERE. THERE'S A FAIR HOUSING ISSUE AND THERE'S AN ISSUE OF RETALIATION.  SO THERE ARE GOING TO BE TWO SEPARATE COMPLAINTS.  THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND AGAIN, THIS IS A THIS IS AN AREA WHERE MY OFFICERS AND I ARE TAKING THIS VERY SERIOUSLY AND WE REALLY WANT TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT YOUR OFFICE AND ENSURE THAT YOU ALL DO IT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S YOU KNOW, THE DISCRIMINATION THAT WE'RE SEEING DOESN'T CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. I WILL GO TO DR. WONG. YOU KNOW, I I DON'T REALLY HAVE QUESTIONS. I THINK I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOU AND YOUR OFFICE AND I JUST REALLY WANT TO SHOUT OUT I THINK YOU YOU OFTEN HAVE A THANKLESS JOB AND IT'S SUCH A DEMANDING JOB AND YOU YOURSELF HAVE JUST BEEN INCREDIBLY PROFESSIONAL AND JUST LOVE THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM PROVIDE FOR OUR CITY. SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT ON THE RECORD AND SAY THANK YOU GOING TO TO THE COMMISSIONER. YOU KNOW MY QUESTION WAS ALREADY ASKED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT REGINA YOU KNOW MY QUESTION WAS IN REGARDS TO YOU KNOW I GO ON A LOT OF COMMUNITY WALKS AND JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO I WAS IN A MISSION HOW AND I DID A WALK WITH SOMEONE WHO IS IN A WHEELCHAIR AND YOU KNOW, THEY SHOWED ME HOW TO HOW THEY GOT FROM THEIR APARTMENT TO THEIR GROCERY STORE AND THEY HAD TO CROSS MULTIPLE STREETS JUST BECAUSE THEY HAD TO AVOID YOU KNOW, I'M SORRY THE SIDEWALKS WHAT WORK I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WHAT TYPE OF SUPPORT DO YOU DO ? DOES YOUR OFFICE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT YOU KNOW, OUR OUR RESIDENTS ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, DISABLED CAN ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, USE OUR CITY AND IT AND BE A REGULAR RESIDENT HERE IN THE CITY. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION IT'S NICE TO BE SO AS OUR OFFICE WORKS CLOSELY WITH PUBLIC WORKS AS I MENTIONED IN THE WHOLE SERIES CABINET SO JUST SO EVERYONE'S AWARE OUR OFFICES ARE THE ONLY OFFICE THAT WORKS ON ACCESSIBILITY PUBLIC WORKS HAS THAT BUILT INTO ALL THEIR PROJECTS AND THEY'RE DOING A LOT OF WORK NOW ON STREET SAFETY REDESIGN ROAD DIETS, CROSSINGS. SO WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THEM I WOULD SAY FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.  IT'S NOT SO MUCH NEEDED BY OUR OFFICE BUT IT WOULD BE A GREAT INVESTMENT FOR PUBLIC WORKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I KNOW THEY'RE LOOKING TO HIRE AN AD COORDINATOR THAT'S IN THE WORKS RIGHT NOW BUT OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT DO THIS WORK I WOULD SAY WE WOULD ENCOURAGE THEIR SUPPORT AS WELL.  I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO CONNECTING WITH YOU,  COMMISSIONER. I'M NOT ALONE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. I THINK A COUNCILOR SANTANA COUNCIL WHOEVER THE FLOOR IS YOURS AND THANK YOU AND I APOLOGIZE TO MY COLLEAGUES I, I HAVE A PIECE SCHEDULED EVENT THAT ARE IN WEST ROXBURY. THEY HAVE TO GET TO THE PEOPLE START TO SEE ME . SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO GO OUT OF ORDER. THANK YOU, CHAIR. I GUESS I'LL GO RIGHT TO LEFT DIRECTOR NGUYEN SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE BUDGET FOR IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT. IT'S UP 2%. I LOOKED AT THAT AND I THOUGHT THAT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THAT'S RISING TO THE MOMENT WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW ARRIVALS IS IN THE CITY. SO WHAT WHAT IS THE THINKING THERE?  WHAT DID YOU HAVE ANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE INCREASED NEED AND YOU KNOW WHETHER THAT NUMBER MEETS IT? YES. I APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION THAT THAT'S A VERY COMMON ONE FOR THIS YEAR TOO. AND ON THE MOMENT AND WE THOUGHT THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND THINK IT WAS BEST FOR US TO STRATEGIZE WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS WHERE LIKE THAT PARTNER WITH US TO SUPPORT MIGRANTS FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO GET ACCESS TO FUNDING THROUGH THEIR BUDGET OR EVEN THROUGH FEDERAL FUNDING BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE MOST OF THE RESPONSE MONEY IS. SO THAT'S BEEN OUR APPROACH WITH THAT AS A DEPARTMENT THAT ENSURES EQUITY ACROSS THE CITY THAT'S THAT'S KIND OF LIKE OUR OUR MODE OF OPERATION THAT WAY. SO AND THEN ALSO WE THANKFULLY WERE I STEPPED INTO THE BUDGET WITH A VERY IT WAS VERY GENEROUS GENEROUS AND AND WE'RE STILL SCALING UP AS A TEAM TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE ALL THAT MONEY AND DO THAT WORK ITSELF. SO WE FELT WE FELT THAT THE NUMBER IS RIGHT FOR THIS YEAR. OKAY AND THEN IN YOUR GOALS FOR THE YEAR IT INCLUDES PROVIDING MORE EOC SOCIAL CLASSES.  SO WHAT'S THE PLAN THERE AND HOW'S THAT GOING TO WORK? YEAH, SO A ONE TWO THIRDS OF OUR BUDGET IS THROUGH GRANTS AND CONTRACTS SO WE HAVE TO ACTUALLY WORK WITH NONPROFITS AND VENDORS TO PROVIDE THOSE SEATS SO THAT'S HOW WE LEVERAGE BEING ABLE TO ADD MORE SEATS IN THE FIELD AND THAT WAY SO WE WORK WITH DIFFERENT CONTRACTORS TO EVEN RIGHT NOW WEST IS A HAS A CONTRACT WITH THE VOLUNTEER BASED ORGANIZATION THAT HAS JVS CURRICULUM THAT THEY ARE HELPING WOMEN IN SHELTER RIGHT NOW FOR MIGRANTS FOR EXAMPLE. BUT WE ALSO HAVE A GRANT PROGRAM THAT WAS ABLE TO ADD 175 SEATS LAST YEAR. SO WE SEEK TO DO THE SAME. OKAY. AND IS THERE ANY INCREASE?  OKAY. SO SO FOR AN ADULT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ADULT HERE SO WELL HERE WHAT WHAT IS IT GOING TO LOOK LIKE FOR FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED THOSE SERVICES? OH YES. SO YES SO ADULT YEAR SO ALL THE PART OF FUNDING THAT WE HAVE WILL SERVE THEM AS WELL. AND THEN THERE'S A STATE PROCESS FOR PEOPLE. SO THERE'S A WHOLE STATE A WAITLIST OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO HAVE ACCESS GET ON THE WAIT LIST TO GET SEATS FOR ESL ONE SILVER FOR EXAMPLE TO GO ON THAT LIST AS WELL.  OKAY. AND ONE CONCERN I HAD WAS MY LAST QUESTION FOR YOU IS YOU KNOW, TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THESE SERVICES YOU HAVE TO LIVE IN BOSTON, CORRECT.  AND IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE TO LIVE HERE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH AS A FIRST LANGUAGE MAY NOT BE MAYBE TRYING TO GET WORK OR AUTHORIZATION. IS THERE ANY THOUGHT OF PARTNERING WITH CITIES AND TOWNS AROUND BOSTON SO WE CAN PROVIDE MORE COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES AND DON'T REQUIRE PEOPLE TO STAY IN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THE MOST EXPENSIVE PLACE TO GET THOSE SERVICES? YEAH, THAT'S GOOD THINKING.  OUR PARTNERS ARE ACTUALLY WORK THROUGHOUT THE STATE SO WE TRY TO REFER PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY A LOT OF PEOPLE SO OUT OF THE CITY ACTUALLY CALL OUR OFFICE SO WE ACTUALLY TRY TO CONNECT THEM TO THE MUNICIPALITIES OR FOR SERVICES THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE TO THEM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND WE DO HAVE A NETWORK THERE PART WHERE A PART OF CALLED THE MASSACHUSETTS DEMOCRAT SUPPORT NETWORK THAT'S ORGANIZED BY THE MPAC THAT HELPS US STRATEGIZE ABOUT HOW DO WE MEET THE NEEDS REGIONALLY FOR IMMIGRANTS. SO WE HAVE RITCHIE IN JUNE SO I'LL BRING THAT UP AS WELL BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF OUR STRATEGY TO TO SCALE THE NEED. THERE IS ACTUALLY 21,000 PEOPLE ON THE WAITLIST IN MASSACHUSETTS ON BOARD FOR ESL. SO ALL CLASSES SO IT'S A BIG FEEL THE NEED THAT'S THAT THAT'S UNDER RESOURCED RIGHT NOW AS AS A WHOLE STATE OKAY OKAY THANK YOU COMMISSIONER MCCOSH ASKING FOR A FRIEND MY FRIEND CHRIS IN JAMAICA PLAIN WHAT IS BEING DONE ABOUT THE PATHWAYS AROUND FANEUIL HALL QUINCY MARKET FOR FOR FOLKS THAT ARE IN WHEELCHAIRS?  YEAH. SO THE CITY OWNS FANEUIL HALL I BELIEVE ONE CITY AGENCY OWNS FANEUIL HALL. SO WE WORK CLOSELY WITH ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THAT OVERSEE FACILITIES AND BUILDINGS IN THE CITY.  WE WORK CLOSELY WITH PUBLIC FACILITIES AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT.  SO FANEUIL HALL HAS SO MANY CHALLENGES BECAUSE OF ITS HISTORY AND I KNOW THERE'S A CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP HAPPENING WITH THE PEOPLE WHO RENT SPACE AND OVERSEE IT AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING A LOT OF RENOVATIONS. BUT I DID WORK WITH PUBLIC FACILITIES SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS FIRST APPOINTED TO CREATE AN ACCESSIBLE PATH ON ONE SIDE OF THE FANEUIL HALL BUILDING. SO I WOULD SAY IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS AND IT DOES NEED A LOT OF ATTENTION.  AND THEN JUST AS WE SPOKE TO PUBLIC WORKS EARLIER ABOUT THE CURB CUTS FOR ACCESSIBILITY ONTO SIDEWALKS, HOW WHAT WHAT DO YOU THINK HOW'S THAT PROGRESSING?  IT'S GOING WELL. I KNOW PUBLIC WORKS HAS DEVOTED A LOT OF STAFF TIME AND SPECIFICALLY TO CURB RAMPS ESPECIALLY WITH THE CONSENT DECREE THAT WE HAVE NOW AS A MANDATE TO FIX AND REPAIR AND INSTALL CURB INSTEAD OF MISSING. SO I WOULD SAY IT'S ON TRACK AND WE WILL THEY CERTAINLY MAKE IT A PRIORITY AND LIKE I SAID DURING OUR MONTHLY MEETINGS WE DO GO OVER, YOU KNOW, COMPLAINTS THAT WE'VE GOTTEN CERTAIN PRIORITY AREAS. SO I THINK THEY CERTAINLY DO PAY ATTENTION TO IT. OKAY. THANK YOU. JUST ONE LAST DIRECTOR TERRELL . YOU KNOW WE TALKED IN OUR HEARING ON OF YOU KNOW, VOUCHER DISCRIMINATION SECTION EIGHT DISCRIMINATION. YEAH. AND WE'VE A GREAT TOOL IS TESTING SO YOU KNOW AND YOU TALKED ABOUT COMPLAINT BASED TESTING YOU'RE HOPING BUT SO RIGHT NOW CAN YOUR OFFICE DO ANY TESTING?  DO YOU HAVE THE THE CAPACITY FOR THAT? NO, WE DON'T.  OKAY. WELL THAT'S I GUESS AND SO WOULD YOU WANT TO START WITH THE SORT OF RANDOM TESTING OR WOULD YOU WANT TO START WITH THE COMPLAINT BASED TESTING? WE WOULD PREFER TO DO COMPLAINT BASED TESTING BECAUSE THAT'S MOST IMMEDIATE TO OUR INVESTIGATIONS BUT WE'D ALSO LIKE TO DO SOME SYSTEMIC TESTING WHERE WE KNOW OR SUSPECT DISCRIMINATION IS TAKING PLACE AND WE DO THE TEST AND THEN WE BRING A COMMISSION INITIATED COMPLAINT.  AND SO TO GET THAT STARTED TO DO SOME COMPLETE BASED TESTING, HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD YOU NEED OR WHAT WOULD WHAT WOULD THAT TAKE IDEALLY AT LEAST TO TO RUN THE TESTING PROGRAM WE'RE PUTTING IN PLACE A SPECIAL CONSULTANT TO HELP US MAP OUT AND ORGANIZE HOW THAT TESTING REGIME WILL BE PUT TOGETHER.  WE HAVE TO DO THAT FIRST BECAUSE THEN WE RECRUIT AND TRAIN OUR TESTERS BEFORE WE DEPLOY THEM. SO WE LITERALLY HAVE TO HAVE A CURRICULUM IN PLACE TO TRAIN FOLKS SO THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN THEY'RE A TESTER BECAUSE IF THEY DON'T DO THE TEST PROPERLY THEN THE EVIDENCE FALLS BY THE WAYSIDE. OKAY WELL I THINK YOU MADE A VERY CONVINCING CASE FOR THAT AT THE HEARING AND IT'S THANK YOU. I THINK SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE DOING. CHAIR I AM I HAVE A TIME ONE LAST QUESTION YOU SAID OH OKAY, OKAY. THANK YOU.  I JUST I'M SORRY . THIS QUESTION IS FOR THE CHIEF . WE TALKED TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION SO THERE IS THERE ARE CONSULTING.  IS THERE A PROCESS GOING ON? CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHAT WHEN THE WHATEVER IS HAPPENING NOW IS GOING TO END AND WE'LL SEE SOME ACTION?  YEAH, THANKS FOR THE QUESTION, COUNSELOR. UP UNTIL NOW AS OF THE LAST TWO OR THREE YEARS THE THE THE OFFICE HAS NOT BEEN VERY ACTIVE . THE COMMISSION HAS BEEN A SEPARATE BODY AFTER MANY CONVERSATIONS WE ARE AT A MOMENT WHERE THE OFFICE ITSELF DOES NOT HAVE STAFF. THE POSITIONS STILL REMAIN. SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO FROM NOW UNTIL THE END OF FY 24 IS PUT OUT A CONTRACT SO THAT SOMEBODY WITH EXPERTISE IN WORKING WITH COMMISSIONERS BUT ALSO WITH HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES CAN COME AND HELP US FIGURE OUT HOW WE HOW WE UPDATE THE ORDINANCE TO TO MEET THE MOMENT THAT WE FIND OURSELVES IN. WE ALSO JUST ARE IT'S IN THE PERFECT CABINET, RIGHT? WE'RE WE'RE CONNECTED TO ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT CONSTITUENCIES AND NEEDS THAT COULD BENEFIT FROM THE POWER AND THE ORDINANCE BUT THAT'S THAT'S THE FOCUS RIGHT NOW COMING IN AND BRINGING IN A CONSULTANT TO TO DO SOME OF THE WORK WITH RESIDENTS WITH YOU ALL AND WITH SOME UNIVERSITIES AND INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE LOOKING INTO THIS AS WELL. OKAY. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE PANELISTS AND THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE ARRAY OF SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE FOR PEOPLE IN OUR CITY AND IT'S HIGHLY IMPRESSED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHAIR, BACK TO YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR WEBER, VICE CHAIR PEPEN THE IS YOURS.  THANK YOU CHAIR THANK YOU TO OUR PANELISTS TODAY JUST TO SEE ALL OF YOU HERE IN FRONT OF ME. IT'S AN HONOR I GOT HAVING A CHANCE TO WORK WITH SEVERAL OF YOU IN MY PREVIOUS ROLE AND JUST VERY THANKFUL THE WORK YOU ALL DO FOR THE RESIDENTS. IT'S IMPORTANT WORK. IN A PREVIOUS HEARING WITH THE EQUITY CABINET I WAS ABLE TO ASK A LITTLE BIT. I WAS I JUMPED THE GUN A LITTLE BIT AND ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT SO I WAS ABLE TO GET SOME SOME CONCRETE ANSWERS FROM THE CHIEF ABOUT UM JUST MORE RESOURCES GOING INTO THE HAITIAN COMMUNITY REGARDING WHAT PROGRAMING IS HAPPENING. BUT I FOUND THAT THOUGH YOU'VE YOU'VE HIRED MORE PEOPLE ON YOUR TEAM SO THANK YOU AND THANK YOUR STAFF FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING UM TO JENNIFER I GUESS I'D MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS HOW ARE WE EXPANDING OUR RESOURCES IN TERM IN TERMS OF JUST TRANSLATION SERVICES SPECIFICALLY FOR THE HAITIAN CREOLE SPEAKING COMMUNITY?  SO IN SPECIFICALLY FOR HAITIAN CREOLE HAITIAN CREOLE IS THE SECOND SPOKEN MOST SPOKEN LANGUAGE IN THE CITY.  SO PER ORDINANCE A LOT OF THE VITAL DOCUMENTS HAVE HAD INFORMATION COMING FROM THE CITY HAS TO BE TRANSLATED IN THAT LANGUAGE ALREADY.  I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES BUT THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH IS TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TRAINING THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT INFORMATION SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT THIS IS STANDARD AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT DOES GET TRANSLATED. SO WE'VE WORKED WITH PARTNERS RANGING FROM INFORMATION OF LIKE STREETS GETTING SHUT DOWN AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE FLYING FLAGS AND PEOPLE'S CARS IN THOSE MULTIPLE LANGUAGES SO THEY KNOW THE STREETS GETTING SHUT DOWN. PLEASE MOVE YOUR CAR TO KNOW ALL THE COVERED WORK THAT WE DID SO THAT IN TERMS OF RESOURCES IS ONE OF THE TOP LANGUAGES WHERE.  A LOT OF THE VITAL INFORMATION VITAL DOCUMENTS DO GET TRANSLATED AUTOMATICALLY INTO THAT LANGUAGE. THAT'S NOT THAT THAT'S REALLY GOOD TO KNOW AND AND I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR THAT ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED SPECIFICALLY I WANT TO I WANT TO I GUESS LET YOU KNOW THAT I WOULD LOVE FOR FOR THERE TO BE A CONNECTION BETWEEN LCA AND BOSTON TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT'S SPECIFICALLY JUST BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF WORK HAPPENING ON CUMMINS HIGHWAY AND I'VE HAD A FEW RESIDENTS REACH OUT TO ME THAT THAT'S THAT PREDOMINATELY SPEAK HAITIAN CREOLE AND THAT JUST THEY ACTUALLY DIDN'T SEE ANY WORDING ON THERE IN HAITIAN CREOLE OKAY SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S TRANSLATED OUT THERE A COURSE I'LL REACH OUT AND THEN WE'LL CONNECT TO MAKE SURE AND GET INTERPRETERS AND TRANSLATIONS. THANK YOU FOR THAT. YES, SORRY ABOUT THAT. NO, NO, NO, NO WORRIES I THIS IS WHAT THESE HEARINGS ARE FOR INTO THE TO COMMISSIONER MCCOSH THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO JUST TODAY IN HIGH PARK WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING ABOUT A DOZEN ADA IMPROVED THE RAMPS ACROSS OUR STREETS LITERALLY AS WE SPEAK. THERE ARE PAVING THE ROADS RIGHT NOW SO I WAS HAPPY TO SEE THAT.  BUT YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION IN A GOOD WAY. YOU SAID THAT THE DISABILITY COMMISSION PLAYS A ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF WHAT ROLE DO YOU PLAY WHEN LET'S SAY A DEVELOPER PROPOSES A PROJECT TO THE BPA OR BEFORE IT GETS PASSED LIKE I'M JUST ACTUALLY CURIOUS LIKE WHAT HOW DO YOU HAVE THIS CONVERSATION?  YEAH, SO WE WE PLAY A BIG ROLE IN THAT ACTUALLY SO ONE BRANCH OF MY OFFICE IS OUR ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS TEAM. WE HAVE A DIRECTOR OF ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS WHO'S A LICENSED ARCHITECT, THE SENIOR ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS HAS A DEGREE IN ARCHITECTURE AND WE ALSO HAVE AN ENGINEER SO WE ARE PART OF THE ARTICLE 80 PROCESS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT BUT IT'S A LARGE PROCESS THAT LOOKS AT EVERYTHING FROM BEFORE BUILDINGS PERMANENT.  THEY TALK ABOUT THE DESIGN AND THE VISION TO ALL THE WAY TO THE YOU KNOW THE STUDS ARE ON THE GROUND SO OUR ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS TEAM A FEW YEARS AGO I WORKED REALLY HARD TO IMPLEMENT AN ACCESSIBILITY CHECKLIST SO THAT'S NOW PART OF THE ARTICLE 80 PROCESS. SO OUR ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS TEAM GOES TO EVERY MEETING. THEY GO FROM THE SCOPING SESSIONS TO THE YOU KNOW, THE NEXT ITERATION ALL THE WAY DOWN THE LINE THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS AND THEY GO OVER THE ARTICLE 80 CHECKLIST WITH EVERY DEVELOPER.  THIS CHECKLIST ASKS FOR SIDEWALK CONDITIONS, STREET CROSSINGS IF IT'S A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT WHERE THE ACCESSIBLE UNITS ARE HOW MANY BEDROOMS IF IT'S A A AN OFFICE BUILDING LIKE WHAT THE ACCESS LAYER IS DO THEY HAVE ELEVATORS? DO THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, REDUNDANT ELEVATORS? SO IT REALLY LAYS OUT THE WHOLE PICTURE OF ACCESSIBILITY AND THEN IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, OUR TEAM WILL MEET ONE ON ONE WITH THE DEVELOPERS AND THAT HAPPENS ROUTINELY AND THEY REALLY WE FIND THEIR DEVELOPERS ARE USUALLY GOOD PARTNERS.  WE HAVE A FEW WHO WE KNOW HAVE TRY TO YOU KNOW, SKIRT AROUND THE REGULATIONS BUT THAT'S VERY FEW. MOST OF THEM REALLY WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND WE ALWAYS PUSH NOT TO MEET MINIMUM COMPLIANCE BUT TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND BECAUSE THE CITY DOESN'T STRIVE FOR MINIMUM COMPLIANCE IN ANY YOU KNOW, IN ANY REGULATION. SO WE FIND DEVELOPERS ARE USUALLY GENERALLY WILLING TO WORK WITH US BUT WE HAVE OUR EYES ON EVERY LARGE DEVELOPMENT AND SMALL PROJECTS TOO. THAT'S GREAT.  I'M SO GLAD TO HEAR THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE'S A FEW DEVELOPMENTS COMING INTO MY DISTRICT AND YOU KNOW SOME OF THE SIDEWALKS ARE NOT IN THE GREATEST CONDITIONS SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE BEING AS COMMUNICATIVE AS POSSIBLE WITH THE COMMISSION TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S ADA COMPLIANT. ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. THANK YOU. AND THEN I ALSO JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT FOR YOU IS THAT ONE OF MY BIGGEST PRIORITIES ON THE COUNCIL IS PUSHING FOR PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AROUND SCHOOL ZONES AND JUST VISIBILITY AROUND CROSSWALKS. I'LL LOVE TO LOOP YOU INTO THOSE CONVERSATIONS SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE IT HERE IN THE BUDGET HEARING BUT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS WE DO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE ADA COMMISSION.  YEP THAT'D BE GREAT. I ALSO SIT ON THE PSC THE PUBLIC PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT COMMISSION. I HAVE A DESIGNEE ONE OF MY ARCHITECTS ALEXIS SPECIALIST TAKES MY PLACE BECAUSE SHE HAS THAT EXPERTISE BUT WE'RE ALSO INVOLVED IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND I LOVE TO CONNECT WITH YOU AFTER THAT'S PERFECT AND I'LL BE REACHING OUT TO OUR QUESTION ONE MORE MINUTE. YEAH FOR MONIQUE. OH, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.  I AM I'M ALWAYS TRYING TO PUSH FOR OBVIOUSLY CITIZENSHIP DAY IS THIS SATURDAY AND I THINK THAT'S AMAZING.  HOW CAN HOW DOES YOUR OFFICE PARTNER UP WITH LET'S SAY OFFICE TO TO DO MORE THAN JUST CITIZENSHIP DAY DO YOU DO YOU EVER GO OUT TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN SPECIFIC DISTRICTS OR JUST SIT DOWN WITH SPECIFIC NONPROFITS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DO MAYBE A SMALLER OF PEOPLE THAT MAY BE INTERESTED IN LEARNING WHAT THE PROCESSES FOR CITIZENSHIP?  YES. SO WE WE STARTED TRYING OUT DIFFERENT PARTNERSHIPS OR OUTREACH LAST YEAR. WE WE PUT OUT SMALL CONTRACTS TO WORK WITH COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO DO TARGETED OUTREACH WORKS, COMMUNITIES THAT ARE HARD TO TARGET TO REACH FOR AND UP FOR EXAMPLE THE CHINESE AND DOMINICAN COMMUNITIES. THE ELDER FOLKS A LOT OF THEM ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A LOT OF THEM DON'T APPLY FOR CITIZENSHIP AND WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY AND A LOT OF IT'S BECAUSE OF CONCERNS OF THEIR ENGLISH PROFICIENCY OR THINGS STORIES ABOUT HOW THEY'LL THEY'LL LOSE DIFFERENT BENEFITS SO A LOT OF ABOUT HAVING THOSE CULTURAL SENSITIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE NONPROFITS SO THANKFULLY WE'VE BEEN STARTING TO DO THAT WORK. I'M HOPING TO SCALE THAT UP IN THE COMING YEARS BUT WE'D LOVE TO PARTNER WITH YOU TO HAVE MORE REACH FOR THAT BECAUSE EVERY YEAR WHEN WE'RE PUTTING THIS DAY OUT IT IS QUITE A HUSTLE TO GET PEOPLE TO SIGN UP AND EVERYTHING WE'RE HOPING OF THEORY IS THAT THE MORE THE WORD ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY FOR THEM TO PREPARE FOR THIS DAY THAT THEY CAN GET THEIR DUCKS IN A ROW BECAUSE ALSO BECOMING CITIZEN IS VERY DAUNTING. IT'S ALSO VERY SCARY. SO YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH MENTAL MENTAL MODEL SHIFTS FOR YOURSELF AND ALSO PREPARE YOUR FAMILY WHAT THAT MEANS AND FOR PEOPLE TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS. BUT THANKS FOR UPLIFTING THAT WE'RE HOPING TO ALSO ADD ANOTHER LAYER OF ACTIVATING CITIZENSHIP SO AFTER PEOPLE BECOME CITIZENS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADD, ANOTHER ELEMENT WOULD BE THEY GET ENGAGED WITH DEMOCRACY YOU KNOW GETTING OUT TO VOTE, GETTING ENGAGED IN THEIR CIVIC ORGANIZING AND EVEN BEING PART OF THE CITY'S FABRIC AND DEMOCRACY MORE NOW YOU MENTIONED THE DOMINICAN COMMUNITY AND AS A DOMINICAN MYSELF WHO HAS HELPED SEVERAL FAMILY MEMBERS THROUGH THE IMMIGRATION PROCESS AND CITIZENSHIP PROCESS, I WOULD LOVE TO TAKE YOU UP NOT OFFER TO PARTNER UP WITH ANY INITIATIVE IN THAT COMMUNITY. YEAH, DEFINITELY WE ARE AND OUR CITIZENSHIP DAY CELEBRATING TEN YEARS THIS YEAR SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE IT'S PART OF OUR OUR CULTURE AND OUR TRADITION NOW AS A CITY SO YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO US HAVING THIS ANNUALLY AND WORKING DEEPER WITH YOU GUYS TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THAT FOR THE COMMUNITY. WELL THANK YOU FOR THAT. I GUESS I'M JUST THINKING EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO I LOOK FORWARD TO PARTNER WITH YOU IN ANY CAPACITY JUST SEEING THE AMAZING INITIATIVES AND CONTINUING TO PUT UP WITH THAT. ARE YOU IN MY LIFE? THANK YOU. VICE CHAIR COUNCILOR BREADON NOW ON THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL. GOOD TO SEE YOU.  MY MY COLLEAGUES HAVE TAKEN MANY OF MY QUESTIONS BUT IT'S NOT A COMPETITION. IT'S OKAY.  I REALLY AM RIGHT ON THE IN AN AGREEMENT WITH JAPAN ABOUT HOUSING ACCESSIBLE ACCESSIBILITY, NEW ARCHITECTURAL I'M REALLY EXCITED TO LIVE WITH YOU ON TOP OF THAT AS WE SEE I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THE NUMBER OF OF UNITS THAT WERE ACTUALLY IN ALMOST A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE REQUIRED TO BE BUILT ACCESSIBLE THAT CAN BE CONVERTED TO BE ACCESSIBLE IF NEED BE. WHAT DOES THAT STANDING AT LIKE AS I DO HEAR ABOUT FOLKS WHO NEED AN ACCESSIBLE UNIT BUT THEY JUST CAN'T FIND ONE AND HOW DO THEY HOW DO THEY FIND OUT ABOUT AN ACCESSIBLE UNIT? YEAH SO WE TOUCH HOUSING IN A NUMBER OF WAYS. LIKE I SAID MY ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS SPECIALISTS WORK ON THE BUILT THE BUILDINGS THEMSELVES SO THE FEDERAL LAW REQUIRES 5% OF UNITS TO BE BUILT OUT FOR WHEELCHAIR ACCESS. THEY HAVE A WIDER TURNING RADIUS AND CERTAIN FEATURES AND ANY UNIT CAN BE ADAPTED IF SOMEBODY MAKES A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION REQUEST BUT THE ACTUAL BUILT OUT REQUIREMENT IS 5%. HOWEVER, ABOUT SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS AGO I FORMED A DISABILITY HOUSING TASK FORCE IN THE CITY AND WE DID A LOT OF WORK WITH CITY PARTNERS AND HOUSING AGENCIES AND WE CAME UP WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH WERE ACTUALLY ADOPTED BY THE CITY. SO NOW ANY PROJECT THAT GETS CITY MONEY THROUGH D.A. OR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING HAS TO BE ALLOWED 10% OF THE UNITS TO BE ACCESSIBLE. SO WE THOUGHT THAT WAS A BIG VICTORY BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT. YEAH. AND VHA HAS ALSO ADOPTED THIS STANDARD.  SO IN ALL THEIR NEW HOUSING OUT THEY HAVE 10% OF THE UNITS TO BE ACCESSIBLE. THAT'S VERY GOOD BECAUSE WE MIGHT ALL BE ABLE BODIED RIGHT NOW BUT AS WE AGE WE DEFINITELY OUR ABILITIES CHANGE. THAT'S THE THING WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO AGE IN PLACE. YES, EXACTLY. I'M ALSO QUICK QUESTIONS. YOU KNOW, JUST IN TERMS OF PHYSICAL ACCESS, I KNOW WE'RE TALKING A LOT ABOUT INCLUSION IN OUR SCHOOLS THESE DAYS AND I'M JUST WONDERING ABOUT I KNOW WE HAVE A VERY AGED SCHOOL BUILDINGS IN OUR INVENTORY ACROSS THE CITY.  NOT ALL OF THEM ARE FULLY ACCESSIBLE I WOULD IMAGINE JUST WHAT ARE WE AT IN TERMS OF JUST PHYSICAL ACCESS FOR SCHOOL BUILDINGS?  YEAH, SO THAT'S A REALLY COMPLEX ISSUE AS YOU STATED. SO HAS JUST HAD A CONSULTANT DO A FULL FACILITIES ASSESSMENT ON ALL OF THEIR BUILDINGS, ALL THE SCHOOL BUILDINGS. SO ONE OF MY ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS STAFF IS WORKING WITH US NOW TO LOOK AT THOSE ASSESSMENTS AND WORK ON THE PLAN OF YOU KNOW, MAKING THE BUILDINGS ACCESSIBLE.  IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG PROCESS BUT I KNOW THE MAYOR HAS DEVOTED A LOT OF MONEY TO IT AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IT'S NOT ONLY KIDS WITH DISABILITIES BUT OUR ADVISORY BOARD. WE HAVE ONE PARENT WHO HAS A CHILD IN THE BUS PUBLIC SCHOOLS WHO HAS A DISABILITY BUT ANOTHER PARENT HAS A DISABILITY HIMSELF AND HIS CHILD IS NOT DISABLED BUT WE WANT HIM TO BE ABLE TO GO TO THE SCHOOL PLAYS AND EVERYTHING ELSE. SO IT'S CRITICAL THAT THE SCHOOLS ARE ACCESSIBLE BUT WE DO A LOT OF WORK.  WE ALSO WORK WITH THE OFFICE OF TRANSITION AGE STUDENTS 18 TO 22 SO WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THEM AND THAT WAS THE FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CURRICULUM THAT WE HELPED TO IMPLEMENT. SO IT IS A CRITICAL POPULATION. WE WANT OUR YOUTH TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO YOU'RE ANTICIPATING OH MY QUESTIONS I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CURRICULUM.  I'M ALSO WONDERING YOU KNOW WE HAVE THIS INCREDIBLE SUMMER JOBS PROGRAM IN THE CITY AND I DON'T KNOW ARE WE WORKING WITH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN THAT TOO AS PART OF THEIR SORT OF TRANSITIONAL PROGRAMING MAKING SURE THEY GET OPPORTUNITIES AND ARE SUMMER JOBS TO GET INTERNSHIPS AND GET SOME WE DO YEP. OUR OFFICE ALWAYS TAKES A FEW STUDENTS EVERY SUMMER FROM THIS PROGRAM BUT WE'VE ALSO HELPED PLACE THEM. I KNOW THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE HAD TAKEN SOME YEARS AGO AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS ALSO TAKE THEM AND WE HAD TO SUPPORT DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, ACCOMMODATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. EXCELLENT.  AND THEN THIS IS A QUESTION FOR MONIQUE.  I THINK.  YES. WELL I LOVE THAT YOU SUPPORT OUR ESL CLASSES THE GARDNER PILOT ACADEMY THERE'S ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMS IS ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU SUPPORT AND WE'RE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THAT BECAUSE IT'S WHEN I GO TO THE GRADUATION CEREMONY IT IS SO WONDERFUL THEY HAVE FOLKS FROM LIKE GOD KNOWS TEN OR 12 COUNTRIES ALSO PROUD OF THEIR ACHIEVEMENT AND THEY ALL SUPPORT EACH OTHER OVER A YEAR ON YEAR ON YEAR. SO IT'S REALLY INCREDIBLE.  I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW THERE'S WAY MORE DEMAND LIKE I THINK WE HAVE A WAITLIST OF LIKE 50 AND AND THEY DO APPRECIATE YOU GIVE AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF YOUR FUNDING YOUR MONEY MONEY GOES TO GRANTS SO I'M JUST THINKING HOW DO WE HOW DO WE EXPAND THAT OR DO WE JUST BASICALLY STATUS QUO IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU HAVE FROM YEAR ON YEAR?  I'VE ACTUALLY TRIED TO THINK ABOUT ECOSYSTEM CAPACITY BUILDING BECAUSE I WAS DOING SOME BRAINSTORMING WITH ENGLISH FOR NEW BOSTONIANS AND ALSO FOR LITERACY FOR EXAMPLE AND THIS IS ACTUALLY A PICKLE THAT EVERYONE'S TRYING TO SORT OUT BECAUSE WE CAN'T SEEM TO HAVE ENOUGH SEATS FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO LEARN ENGLISH AND IT'S SUCH A MISSED OPPORTUNITY FOR THE ECONOMY BUT ALSO FOR PEOPLE TO CULTURALLY BE INTEGRATED IN AMERICA AND ALSO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES.  I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES BETWEEN WHAT'S EMERGING FROM COVID AROUND TECHNOLOGY ALSO WITH IN-PERSON . SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE HOW THE THE ALL THE DIFFERENT DEVELOP ALL THE DIFFERENT PILOTS THAT ARE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW OF DOING HYBRID CREEK CLUB TO BE ABLE TO BE MORE COST EFFECTIVE BECAUSE PREVIOUSLY I DID SOME ANALYSIS AND SOME CLASSES COULD COST UP TO A COUPLE THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR ONE SEAT. IS THAT FAIR? THAT'S MAKES IT VERY HARD TO SCALE. SO ONE OF OUR THINGS IS TRYING TO PILOT AND DO SOME RESEARCH OF HOW DO WE MAKE IT COST EFFECTIVE TO SCALE CLASSES AND ALSO SHARE CURRICULUM, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M TACKLING THIS COMING YEAR AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THEY FUNDED THE GARDNER PILOT ACADEMY IS BECAUSE THE PARENTS OF STUDENTS AND THEY WERE WORKING TWO JOBS AND TO MAKE IT WORK THEY NEEDED CHILDCARE YEAH SO THAT THAT'S THAT'S ANOTHER PART AND PART OF THE COMPONENT LET'S SEE.  OH THANK YOU. THAT'S GREAT. OH, YOU KNOW THE OTHER THING IS JUST THE CITIZENSHIP CLASSES. I KNOW AS A CITIZEN AS IS NEW I'M NOT NEW NEW CITIZEN ANYMORE BUT I DID GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND I DO KNOW EVEN AS AN ENGLISH SPEAKER COMING TO THIS COUNTRY I WAS SUSCEPTIBLE TO A SCAM. OH, AND IT REALLY YOU KNOW, LOOKING BACK AND GOING LIKE HOW COULD I BE SO STUPID BUT IT'S REALLY, REALLY SERIOUS SOPHISTICATED SCAMS FOR THAT. YOU'RE VERY SUSCEPTIBLE TO IN TERMS OF , YOU KNOW, GETTING YOUR FULL LICENSURE OR, GETTING CITIZENSHIP OR WHATEVER. SO IT'S IT'S WAY BACK IN THE TIME AT THIS POINT. BUT I DO REALLY APPRECIATE SO I'M REALLY WONDERING IN TERMS OF YOUR YOUR LEGAL CAPACITY LIKE IT USED TO DO YOU STILL HAVE A LEGAL IMMIGRATION CLINIC IN DEPARTMENT OR SO YEAH. SO WHAT WE DO IS THAT WE WORK WITH VOLUNTEER ATTORNEYS TO BE ABLE TO MEET THAT NEEDS SO WE DO HAVE IMMIGRATION CONSULTATIONS THAT ARE FREE 15 MINUTES WITH THE IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY AND THEN YOU CAN IT HAPPENS MONTHLY SO BECAUSE CITIZENS CAN CALL OUR OFFICE TO GET AN APPOINTMENT. YEAH, THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW.  THEN WE WE PROVIDE WE SCAN THE FIELD AND SEE WHAT THE NEEDS ARE AND WHENEVER THERE IS A BIG GROUPING OF PEOPLE THAT NEED LEGAL RESPONSE OR INTERVENTION WE ORGANIZED LEGAL CLINICS SO WE DO THAT AD HOC VERY GOOD AND MY TIMES. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. GOOD TO SEE YOU. WE HAVE TO TALK BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS NOT THAT WAS CANCER FINANCE ANDERSON'S CELL PHONE SO YOU HAVE YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES AND OH, GOD, NO. 2 MINUTES. WONDERFUL.  B LET'S SEE. SO I DID THAT ONE. DID THAT ONE. THIS IS A QUESTION ABOUT FOR JENNIFER THE LONG TERM RENTAL PILOT PROGRAM FOR THE IPADS. HOW DOES THAT WORK AND IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE AS OFFICES COULD ACCESS LIKE IF WE'RE IF WE'RE DOING IF WE'RE MEETING WITH CONSTITUENTS WHO WE IF WE DON'T HAVE THE LANGUAGE CAPACITY IN OFFICE BUT AND THEY DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH IS THAT SOMETHING HOW DOES THAT WORK? SO OUR IPADS THEY ARE I'M GOING TO TRY TO I WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF YOUR 2 MINUTES. SO OUR IPADS ARE MAINLY FOR DEPARTMENTS THAT DON'T THEY'RE OUT IN THE FIELD OR ARE NAVIGATING THE CITY WHERE THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS ON DEMAND INTERPRETATION BUT MAYBE THEY DON'T HAVE LIKE WI-FI OR DATA AVAILABLE SO THAT IPADS ARE SPECIFICALLY USUALLY SIT WITH LIKE I USED FOR THE INSPECTORS THAT GO OUT IN THE FIELD BUS AND FIRE BECAUSE THAT WAY THEY CAN HAVE A BIGGER SCREEN AND WE PAY FOR THE DATA SO THAT IPAD WILL ALWAYS HAVE ALWAYS HAVE INTERNET SO THEY CAN CONNECT TO THE ON DEMAND INTERPRETATION SERVICES FOR FOLKS WHO HAVE LIKE YOU KNOW HERE AT THE CITY HALL ETC. AS LONG AS THEY HAVE A WEBCAM ENABLED DEVICE YOU'RE ABLE TO ACCESS SERVICES. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. AND THE SO I'M JUST HAVE A QUESTION MORE ABOUT INTERSECTIONALITY BECAUSE WE HAVE FOLKS WITH DISABILITIES WHO DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH. WE HAVE THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO CUT THIS AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GOT A WIDE RANGE OF EXPERTISE ACROSS YOU'RE YOU'RE A CABINET HERE AND HOW OFTEN ARE YOU CALLED TO ADDRESS ALL THESE MULTIPLE THIS INTERSECTIONAL QUESTION ABOUT ALL OF US AND ANYONE ANY TIME AT ANY TIME LIKE HOW DO YOU DRESS UP? YEAH, OUR OFFICE IS PRETTY GOOD AT WORKING TOGETHER ESPECIALLY WHEN CONSTITUENT NEEDS ARE COMING THROUGH THAT WE SEE THAT THERE IS A CLEAR INTERSECTION WHERE THERE'S A DEPARTMENT THAT MIGHT HAVE A CONTACT CONTENT EXPERTISE AND WE BRING THEM IN TO, TRY OR RESPOND TO IT. SO IN EQUITY AND ALSO ACROSS THE CITY I WOULD SAY SO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE YEAH BECAUSE WE OFTEN HAVE TO WORK WITH LC TO GET LANGUAGE JUSTICE NEEDS WORK WITH WITH DISABILITIES FOR FOLKS WHO ARE WHO ARE DISABLED BUT ALSO IMMIGRANTS YOU KNOW THEY FACE A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF LIKE MARGINALIZATION AND HOW THEY NAVIGATE EVEN THROUGH SCHOOL SYSTEMS RIGHT NOW LIKE WHERE WE HAVE A GROUPING OF PARENTS WHO HAVE DISABILITIES THEMSELVES OR THEIR CHILDREN DO AND THEN WE'RE WORKING WITH DISABILITIES TO DO WORKSHOPS OR EVEN KNOW YOUR RIGHTS TRAININGS FOR IMMIGRANT PARENTS AND USING LANGUAGE ACCESS TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THEM IN LANGUAGE. SO THAT'S A PERFECT EXAMPLE FOR US AND AND SOMETIMES WE COME ACROSS DISTRESSING INCIDENTS OF MAYBE A IMMIGRANT AN ELDER WHO'S GOT SOME LEVEL OF DEMENTIA AND IT'S IT'S SOMETIMES THERE'S A CERTAIN LEVEL OF STIGMA ATTACHED TO YOU KNOW AND GET LIKE BEEN TALKING ABOUT EVEN WITH THE FAMILY AND I DON'T KNOW IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU MAYBE ENGAGE WITH LIKE ID STRONG OR OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS ON HOW TO HANDLE THOSE INSTANCES? YES. TYPICALLY WHAT IF IT TOUCHES UPON A CONTEXT WE BRING THEM IN TO TO GET SOME CONSULTATION OR EVEN REFER THEM? YEAH, I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD THAT OUR STATE WE ALL HAVE WONDERFUL STAFF SUPPORT STAFF AND THEY WORK TOGETHER ON REALLY A DAILY BASIS. THEY'RE ALWAYS LIKE YOU KNOW,  PHONE CALLS IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS LIKE MONIQUE SAID WE'RE TRAININGS, WE HAVE A NEW TRAINING SPECIALIST SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH THE DIFFERENT EQUITY AND INCLUSION DEPARTMENTS BUT THAT'S WHY IT'S SO CRITICAL.  I THINK THE EQUITY INCLUSION CABINET THAT'S REALLY IS OUR MISSION TO WORK TOGETHER TO SUPPORT UNDERSERVED RESIDENTS AND I THINK OUR STAFF DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB AT THAT. I'M REALLY GLAD THEY'RE ALL IN THE HUDDLE TOGETHER AND THAT EVEN RIGHT TO TENANT RIGHTS AND DISCRIMINATION ALL OF IT BECAUSE THE DISABILITY PIECE THE LANGUAGE PIECE IS ALSO IMPORTANT SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WORK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR BREADON KASSICK HIGHLIGHTED THE FLOOR IS YOURS SO THANK YOU CHAIR LETTING SO MANY PEOPLE GO BEFORE ME THEIR TIME IS GOING OVER. I GOT A NEPHEW TO PICK UP FROM DAYCARE NOW IT'S ALL GOOD WE'RE ALL HERE WE'RE ALL WE'RE ALL HERE BECAUSE WE LOVE THE CITY AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE BEAUTIFUL WORK YOU DO TO MAKE THE CITY JUST MORE WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE.  I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT FAIR HOUSING FOR THE DISABILITIES COMMISSION BUT I THINK I'LL START WITH MONIQUE AND JENNIFER. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK. IT'S BEEN GREAT TO TO GET THESE THINGS UP OFF THE GROUND INCLUDING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR TRANSLATION EQUIPMENT WHICH WE HAVE UTILIZED THIS YEAR. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. I REMEMBER DURING THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC IT WAS A SCRAMBLE TO GET YOU THESE RESOURCES AND SO IT'S BEEN GREAT TO SEE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY TO BUILD THIS DEPARTMENT UP. SO CONGRATULATIONS. AND THEN MONIQUE, YOUR FINGERPRINTS ARE ALL OVER YOUR ORG CHART. THERE'S ORGANIZERS EVERYWHERE AND I KNOW THAT YOUR RESPONSES ARE AT HEART WHICH IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO AS AS A CITY. YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE THE IMMIGRANTS LEAD BOSTON PROGRAM IN MY DISTRICT I WAS ACTUALLY THINKING ABOUT THIS AND IN CONVERSATION WITH IT WITH A COLLEAGUE BUT WE HAVE I THINK TEN DIFFERENT CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS AND THERE'S NO ONE IN LEADERSHIP WHO COMES FROM AN IMMIGRANT BACKGROUND AND WE PLACE SUCH AN EMPHASIS ON CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS AND THEIR VOICES IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND ARE WE ACTUALLY BUILDING NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE INCLUSIVE OF EVERYBODY AND ACTUALLY REFLECTIVE OF THE DIVERSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY?  AND SO THAT'S WHY THE IMMIGRANTS WITH BOSTON PROGRAM IS SO IMPORTANT AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR YOU TO GET MORE RESOURCES TO HAVE A GREATER COHORT AND MAKE IT MULTILINGUAL.  SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. I'LL SHIFT OVER TO DIRECTOR TYRONE TYRRELL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK AND PARTNERSHIP DURING THE FH ZONING AMENDMENT WORK IN 19 AND 2020. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW I WILL BRAG ABOUT THIS FOREVER AND EVER BUT BOSTON WAS THE FIRST MAJOR CITY TO INCLUDE AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHER FAIR HOUSING AND ZONING CODE SO THAT MEANS THAT DEVELOPERS MUST AFFIRMATIVELY WORK TO BUILD FOR HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED CLASSES OF FOLKS AND SO THEY HAVE TO DO A DISPLACEMENT ANALYSIS AND THEY HAVE TO LOOK AT EXCLUSION DATA. IT IS JUST A BEAUTIFUL THING THAT'S TAKING PLACE. I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT THE BOSTON INTER-AGENCY FAIR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.  MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SIT ON THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH REPRESENTATIVES AND BE THE DE DADDY WHICH IS NOW OFFICES OF HOUSING THE DISABILITIES COMMISSION. HOW DO YOU FEEL LIKE THAT'S GOING WHEN YOU'RE DOING ASSESSMENTS AND THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A PLAN FOR ONGOING MONITORING OF COMMITMENTS AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.  HOW IS THAT WORK INFORMING YOUR WORK IN THE OFFICE AND VICE VERSA?  TO YOUR FIRST QUESTION ABOUT WHAT WE CALL THE BIG STICK COMMITTEE WHEN THAT WAS ORIGINALLY FORMULA UNDER THE ZONING AMENDMENT THAT YOU JUST REFERENCED, WE INDICATED TO FOLKS AT THAT TIME IT WAS GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR THAT COMMITTEE TO FUNCTION BECAUSE THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF TURNOVER WITHIN THE COMMITTEE BECAUSE NONE OF THE FOLKS ON THE COMMITTEE ARE FULL TIME.  SO WHAT HAS HAPPENED I KNOW WHEN I WORKED AT THE BACK THREE DIFFERENT PEOPLE SERVED ON THAT COMMITTEE BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH WORK FOR THAT COMMITTEE TO COVER . ORIGINALLY IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ONLY THE LARGE SCALE PROJECTS BUT THEN EVENTUALLY THEY STARTED ADDING THE SMALL SCALE PROJECTS.  THERE'S FAR TOO MUCH WORK FOR ANYBODY TO HANDLE ON A PART TIME BASIS. THE FAIR HOUSING COMMISSION WE WERE ALREADY SHORT STAFFED SO WE'VE BEEN VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO STAFF THAT BECAUSE IT WOULD BURN UP WAY TOO MUCH STAFF TIME. SO OUR RECOMMENDATION HAS BEEN THAT FUNDING SHOULD BE PROVIDED SO THAT EACH AGENCY THAT IS ASSIGNED TO THAT COMMITTEE CAN HIRE A FULL TIME PERSON TO DO THAT REVIEW WORK. IT REQUIRES A FULL TIME POSITION JUST FOR THE FOR THE ACT. YES, ABSOLUTELY. BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF DEVELOPMENT FOR EXAMPLE, I'M ON THE LISTSERV. I SEE ALL THE PROJECTS THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT AND REVIEWING. THEY'RE NOT JUST DOING TICK MEETINGS. YOU'RE ALSO GOING TO SCOPING SESSIONS. THEY'RE THEY'RE GOING THROUGH ALL THE ARTICLE 80 ACTIVITIES. CAN I ADD A NOTE ON THAT PLEASE ? YEAH, BECAUSE I KNOW SARAH IS I WAS GOING TO SAY TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT EVERY MEETING. YEAH MY ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS STAFF GOES TO ALL THE TECH MEETINGS I'M THE DESIGNEE I USED TO ATTEND IN THE BEGINNING AND I WANT TO JUST DO A BRAG THAT THE ACTUAL CHECKLIST OF THE BUILDING WAS MODELED ON OUR ACCESSIBILITY CHECKLIST. SO I WAS THRILLED WHEN THAT GOT PASSED AND QUALIFIED.  BUT AS BOB SAID LIKE SARAH'S FULL TIME JOB IS GOING TO SCOPE IN SESSIONS AND SO SHE'S IN THE WEEDS OF ALL THESE THINGS. SO VIVEK IS A PERFECT FIT FOR HER. BUT YOU KNOW, JUST SO THE COUNCIL KNOWS THAT WE DO HAVE EYES ON EQUITY DOES HAVE EYES ON IT SO THROUGH MY STAFF THANK YOU.  SO IT'S INTERESTING TO HEAR ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOU NEED ANOTHER FULL TIME PERSON MAKE THIS BECAUSE THAT THAT WAS THE SPIRIT OF THAT ZONING AMENDMENT AND THIS COMMITTEE IS KEY TO ALL OF THAT. SO IT'S IT'S HELPFUL TO LEARN. TO YOUR SECOND QUESTION, THE ZONING AMENDMENT WAS PART OF GOALS SEVEN ACTION STEP ONE IN THE ASSESSMENT OF FAIR HOUSING WE WERE CALLED UPON TO FORM A MONITORING COMMITTEE WHICH WHICH THE MAYOR APPOINTED AS TO THE MINORITY COMMITTEE AND WE HAVE STARTED A SERIES OF MEETINGS WITH ALL THE CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN ASSIGNMENTS UNDER THE ASSESSMENT OF FAIR HOUSING.  IN FACT WE HAVE A MEETING COMING UP WITH THEM ON APRIL 29TH. IT'LL BE OUR THIRD COMPLIANCE REVIEW MEETING SO FAR SO GOOD. THE ATTENDANCE HAS BEEN PRETTY GOOD.  THE REPORTS HAVE BEEN FAIRLY TIMELY. WE'RE TRYING TO STREAMLINE THE REPORTING PROCESS SO WE CAN BETTER TRACK PROGRESS THAT THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE MADE AND ALSO WHERE THEY MAY NEED HELP AND ASSISTANCE IN MOVING FORWARD.  SO YES, WE ARE NOW FULL STEAM AHEAD AND IMPLEMENTING THE ASSESSMENT OF FAIR HOUSING. THAT'S GREAT AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT. I'LL I'LL SWITCH MY ATTENTION OVER TO COMMISSIONER KOSH.  THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK. WE'VE MET MULTIPLE TIMES AND A SHOUT OUT TO ANDREA BAREA. SHE'S AMAZING HOW DO YOU SAY HER NAME? ANDREA ANDREA SHOUT OUT TO ANDREA. I'VE MET WITH HER A BUNCH ON DIFFERENT THINGS AND PRIMARILY PRIMARILY TWO DIFFERENT THINGS SO THINKING ABOUT COASTAL FLOODING COASTAL OVERLAY DISTRICT I'LL GET REALLY WONKY ARTICLE 25 A IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS IT'S INHERENTLY IT CONFLICTS WITH ACCESSIBILITY SO WE HAVE TO BUILD UP IN COASTAL AREAS WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR RETROFITS? HOW CAN WE AGAIN BUILD TO THE INCLUSION OF FOLKS?  AND SO I KNOW OVER THE OVER THE LONG TERM AND LOOKING AT THE HORIZON THAT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT HOPEFULLY WE CAN PARTNER ON IN TERMS OF POLICY.  AND THEN THE OTHER PART OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET YOU MANY GRANTS TO TO DISPERSE TO RETROFIT SPACES THAT PROVIDE ESSENTIAL COMMUNITY SERVICES.  SO I'M THINKING OF A SOUP KITCHEN THAT OPERATES OUT OF A LOCATION THAT ONLY HAS STAIRS AND TRYING TO TO PUT SOME RETROFITS IN THERE.  AND SO I WANT TO DO WHAT I CAN TO HELP YOU IN THAT WORK. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THAT OR LOTS OF COMMENTS BUT I KNOW WE HAVE LIMITED TIME SO FOR THE FIRST PIECE WE WORK A LOT WITH THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.  INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH WE NOTICED THE TREND OF BUILDING UP FROM THE FIRST FLOOR THAT STARTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO SO MY ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS DIRECTOR PATRICIA MENDEZ, SHE LOOKED INTO ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH LEED CREDITS? SO SHE LOOKED INTO A PILOT LEED CREDIT THAT WILL GIVE POINTS FOR DIFFERENT INNOVATIONS FOR SOCIAL IMPACT SO DISABILITY ACCESS IS ONE AND SHE ACTUALLY KIND OF FORMULATED IT ON HAVING TO DO WITH CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO THINGS LIKE THIS ISSUE.  SO WE'RE WE'VE ROLLED IT OUT. WE'RE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE DEVELOPERS TO LOOK AT CREATIVE SOLUTIONS. ONE DESIGN I SAW WAS A A SLOPED WALKWAY LEADING UP TO THE FRONT BUILDING SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A RAMP HERE AND STILL STANDS ON THE OTHER SIDE. SO REALLY INTEGRATED ENTRANCES IS KEY BUT ALSO WE'VE WORKED WITH YOU KNOW AGAIN THE STREETS CABINET ON POROUS PAVERS TO SOAK UP WATER SO TO MITIGATE FLOODING. SO WE'RE REALLY MY TEAM I WILL GIVE THEM CREDIT THEY'RE IN THE WEEDS OF ALL THESE NOT TO MAKE A PUN THERE THE WEEDS OF ALL THESE ISSUES AND THEN SECONDLY ABOUT THE SOUP KITCHEN THAT YOU MENTIONED WE ARE ROLLING OUT A PLAN THIS YEAR TO WORK WITH SMALL BUSINESSES TRAINING ON A FREE AND LOW COST BARRIER REMOVAL. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PROMPTED THAT WAS DURING THE PANDEMIC WHEN WE WERE WORKING WITH FOOD PANTRIES WE NOTICED A LOT OF THEM WERE IN LIKE CHURCH BASEMENTS AND BODEGAS. THEY HAD LIKE ONE OR TWO STEPS. SO DURING THE OUTDOOR DINING PROGRAM WE HAD PURCHASED A NUMBER OF RAMPS TO GIVE TO RESTAURANTS SO THAT THEY COULD MAKE OUTDOOR DINING ACCESSIBLE. SO WE TRIED TO THINK CREATIVELY CREATIVELY LIKE COULD WE GIVE AWAY RAMPS TO LIKE FOOD PANTRIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT? BUT MORE THAN JUST LIKE SOLVING THE PROBLEM WE SAID LIKE THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS THAT THEY CAN DO IT THEMSELVES THROUGH LIKE THROUGH TRAINING SO WE'RE PLANNING TO WORK WITH MAIN STREETS THIS YEAR TO TO LOOK AT THOSE FREE AND LOW COST BARRIER REMOVALS AND ALSO EXCITED TO WORK WITH RESTORE THEIR GRANT MONEY TO GET SOME DESIGNATED SPECIFICALLY FOR BARRIER REMOVAL.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU COUNCILOR COLETTA COUNCILOR DURKAN THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU SO MUCH CHAIR AND THOSE ARE SOME GREAT POINTS. COUNCILOR COLETTA I WANTED TO START ALSO WITH COMMISSIONER MCCOSH HAS A COUPLE QUESTIONS I LOVE THE BOSTON BRAVES BUT I DON'T THINK AND IF PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THAT AND I KNOW I JUST FILED EARLIER THIS YEAR A HEARING ORDER TO TALK ABOUT MICROMOBILITY AND YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO PROTECT ALL ROAD USERS AND I'M EXCITED AND HOPE HOPING THAT YOU CAN PARTICIPATE IN THAT HEARING. JUST CURIOUS I THINK OBVIOUSLY BOSTON BREAKS IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND DISABILITY AND I LOVED THE PRESENTATION BECAUSE THE ESTIMATE THAT 100% OF THE GENERAL POPULATION WILL HAVE A TEMPORARY DISABILITY AT SOME POINT A LOT OF FOLKS IN MY DISTRICT HAVE REACHED OUT ABOUT I NEVER REALLY UNDERSTOOD HOW INACCESSIBLE OUR ROADWAYS WERE UNTIL I HURT MY KNEE UNTIL I HAD A FALL.  SO MAKING SURE THAT AND I KNOW I SPRAINED MY ANKLE HAD TO GO TO THE E.R. EARLY IN MY TENURE ON THE CITY COUNCIL AND REALIZING AS A CITY COUNCILOR JUST HOW MUCH THOSE MOBILITY CHALLENGES CAN IMPACT THE WAY THAT WE APPROACH OUR STREETS. SO WE JUST WANTED TO GET AN IDEA OF WHAT WE CAN BE DOING MORE TO MARKET THAT OUT AND THEN LET RESIDENTS KNOW ABOUT IT. AND OBVIOUSLY I HOPE THAT MY HEARING IS PART OF THAT AS WELL. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS ON THE FACT THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF BOSTON BREAKS AND THAT YOU SUPPORT IT.  SO WE KNOW OUR STREETS ARE CHANGING, CURB USE IS CHANGING AND THAT REALLY IMPACTS PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. WHEN WE THINK ABOUT BIKES AND ELECTRIC SCOOTERS WE THINK ABOUT SOMEBODY WHO'S BLIND WHO CAN'T SEE A BIKE COMING, A KID YOU KNOW, JUMP OUT OF THE WAY QUICKLY SOMEONE WHO'S DEAF MAY NOT BE ABLE TO HEAR SOMEONE CALL OUT AND THEN SOMEONE WHO'S OLDER OR HAS A MOBILITY PERMIT CAN'T MOVE QUICKLY OUT OF THE WAY. SO WE REALLY WANT TO PROTECT THOSE RESIDENTS.  THE ISSUE WAS REALLY RAISED TO US FROM A RESIDENT WHO IS BLIND WHO WORKED WITH US FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND HE FELT LIKE HE WOULD TELL US HE ALMOST GOT HIT DAILY IN AN INTERSECTION. HE WAS A BIG PATRON OF THE COPLEY LIBRARY SO THOSE INTERSECTIONS AROUND COPLEY WERE REALLY DANGEROUS.  SO WE ACTUALLY ROLLED OUT THE BOSTON BRAKES CAMPAIGN UPON HIS URGING.  SO THE CAMPAIGN I JUST GOT THE DETAILS FROM MY OUTREACH ENGAGEMENT PERSON THEY HAD DONE 65 PRINT ADS, 21 PRESENTATIONS TO COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES BECAUSE WE KNOW A LOT OF STUDENTS RIDE BIKES ESPECIALLY IN THE COMMONWEALTH AV AREA.  THEY'VE SHARED INFORMATION WITH BIKE SHOPS ACROSS THE CITY SO REALLY MAKING THAT PEDESTRIAN AWARENESS I THINK IS KEY.  SO WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT AND I DO THINK THAT LIKE YOU SAID MOVING FORWARD WE CAN PUT A LOT OF EFFORT BETWEEN JUST GETTING THIS INFORMATION OUT BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAID TEMPORARY DISABILITIES AND ACQUIRED DISABILITIES ARE HUGE. THAT'S WHY WE WORK ON HOUSING SO THAT PEOPLE CAN AGE IN PLACE. WE KNOW WHEN WE MAKE CURB CUTS OR INSTALL ELEVATORS PEOPLE WITH STROKE, YOU KNOW, PARENTS WITH STROLLERS USE THEM WITH LITTLE KIDS, ELDERLY PEOPLE USE THEM. ONE THING THAT WE WERE EXCITED ABOUT IN A BUILDING DEVELOPMENT WAS ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE SUMMER STREET STEPS? THERE'S A CONNECTION BETWEEN SUMMER STREET AND CONGRESS STREET. TRADITIONALLY THERE WAS NO VERTICAL CONNECTION THAT WAS ACCESSIBLE SO WE WORK WITH THE DEVELOPER AND HE'S GOING TO INSTALL AN ELEVATOR NEXT TO THE STEPS INSIDE A BUILDING. SO THAT WAS A BIG ACCESS WIN. SO WE'RE ALWAYS PAYING ATTENTION TO THOSE VERTICAL CONNECTIONS AND ACCESS ON THE PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY AS WELL. THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL. IT ACTUALLY LENDS TO ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE MANY TIMES WE HAVE A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT GOING ON IN DISTRICT EIGHT AND MY FIVE NEIGHBORHOODS AND JUST WANTED TO ASK LIKE HOW INVOLVED THE DISABILITY COMMISSION IS IN THE ARTICLE 80 PROCESS BECAUSE I OBVIOUSLY KNOW THERE'S LIMITED CAPACITY AND WE HAVE SOME GREAT URBAN DESIGNERS WITH BPA AND OBVIOUSLY BCCDC LOOKS AT THIS STUFF AS WELL BUT I WAS JUST CURIOUS HOW INVOLVED YOU ARE ESPECIALLY IN LARGE PROJECT REVIEW BECAUSE OFTENTIMES I DON'T NECESSARILY SEE THE DISABILITY COMMISSION AT THE TABLE AND THAT MAY BE THAT SOMEONE ELSE IS SPEAKING FOR YOU BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS. YEAH, MY STAFF GO TO ALL THE SCOPING SESSIONS THAT ARE INVOLVED LIKE FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END OF ARTICLE 80 AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY LOOK IN ANY ARTICLE, ANY PAPERWORK, ANY YOU KNOW, NOTICE OF PROJECTS THAT YOU CAN GO THROUGH AND LOOK AND FIND THE ACCESSIBILITY CHECKLIST. EVERY LARGE PROJECT IS REQUIRED TO DO ONE AND SMALL PROJECTS AS WELL AND IT'S ABOUT AN EIGHT PAGE DOCUMENT AND IT REALLY MAKES THE DEVELOPERS LIST ALL THE ACCESSIBLE QUESTIONS, ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE AND WE'VE UPDATED IT TWO OR THREE TIMES SINCE IT WAS IMPLEMENTED AT ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO AND IT'S SUPER HELPFUL DOCUMENTS SO THAT WILL GIVE YOU A SNAPSHOT OF THE ACCESSIBILITY OF ANY DEVELOPMENT BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW SIERRA LEONE THAT'S WHO COUNCILOR COLLETTE MENTIONED BUT SHE'S AT ALL OF THE SCOPING SESSIONS AND AND ALL THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEWS USED TO BE ME BUT THEN WHEN I GOT AN EXPANDED STAFF NOW I CAN SEND THEM I'M ONLY EIGHT MONTHS IN SO I THINK I HAVE MISSED LIKE YOU KNOW SOMETIMES YOU SEE PEOPLE ON THE LIST AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE FROM SO THAT WAS A REALLY HELPFUL ANSWER. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW UNTIL YOU KNOW IT. SO AND I ALSO WANTED TO SHOUT OUT ANDREA PAYTON WE WORKED TOGETHER PRIOR TO ME HAVING THIS JOB AND ALSO GETTING TO SEE HER WORK IN THIS ROLE. SHE DOES SUCH A GREAT JOB AS MY CHIEF OF STAFF. SHE'S A GREAT THOUGHT PARTNER AND SHE IS EXPERTISE IN POLICY AND SO YEAH, WE WORK REALLY WELL TOGETHER. THANK YOU SO MUCH COMMISSIONER MCCOSH AND EXCITED TO WORK WITH YOU ON LANGUAGE ACCESS. I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT OBVIOUSLY 311 IS EXPANDED TO TWO ACCESS TO MORE LANGUAGES.  HOW IS THAT HELPED OR DOES THERE NEED TO BE MORE WORK? I THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE STATISTICS THAT WE FOUND AROUND THE MAJORITY OF 311 USERS ARE IN DISTRICTS WHERE THERE IS MAJORITY HOMEOWNERS SO IT DOES CREATE LIKE AN EQUITY ISSUE. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU KNOW EVERYONE HAVE ACCESS TO 311 BUT JUST KNOWING THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF FOLKS WHO USE THROUGH 11I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF THAT IS EXPANDED ACCESS SO FOR 311 WE HAVE WE PROVIDE THEM WITH THE INTERPRETATION SERVICES OVER THE PHONE AND THERE'S TWO SERVICES FOR THE CITY. THERE'S ONE THAT IS BOTH OF THEM ARE 24 SEVEN SO BECAUSE THROUGH ON WEDNESDAY FOR SEVEN SO IT COVERS SO WE HAVE AN INTERNAL LIST AND I'M HAPPY TO SHARE IT WITH YOU IF YOU'D LIKE BUT WE HAVE A LIST THAT FROM THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY THAT LISTS 100 LANGUAGES IN THE CITY THAT HAVE RESIDENTS IDENTIFIED AS I SPEAK THAT LANGUAGE AND I'D NEED LANGUAGE ACCESS. BOTH OF OUR VENDORS COVER ALL OF THOSE LANGUAGES. THE ONLY KIND OF DEVIATION THAT WE'RE STILL WORKING ON IS FOCUSING ON THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY WHEN IT COMES TO FOLKS WHO IDENTIFY AS NATIVE AMERICAN OR HAVE INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES. AND SO WE'RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THOSE LANGUAGES ARE BECAUSE THAT DATA ISN'T FULLY CLEAR. BUT WE DO WORK CLOSELY WITH 311 AND THE WHOLE CABINET AND FOR MORE INFORMATION I'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON ANY OTHER DATA THAT YOU NEED SO THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH.  AND JUST SO I'VE REALLY FOCUSED ON MENTAL HEALTH CARE AND SO I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH CARE AND AFFORDABLE ACTUALLY AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING ESSENTIALLY I THINK AS WE THINK ABOUT LIKE FAIR HOUSING PEOPLE ARE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST FOR A LOT OF THINGS AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF YOU KNOW, MY DAD HAS STRUGGLED WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES LIKE MY ENTIRE LIFE AND I KNOW THAT I'VE OFTEN HAD TO STEP IN AND BE THAT PERSON HELPING AND I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO BE THAT FAMILY MEMBER FOR THEIR FOR FOLKS WHO ARE DEALING WITH MENTAL CHALLENGES, MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES. JUST CURIOUS WHAT THE CITY IS DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES HAVE ACCESS TO HOUSING WELL THAT WOULD FALL UNDER DISABILITY ACCESS CASES. OH YEAH, RIGHT. SO IF THEY WERE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BECAUSE THEY HAVE A DISABILITY OBVIOUSLY THAT WOULD BE A CASE THAT WE WOULD WE WOULD WELCOME WOULD TAKE THAT CASE. WE DON'T SEE A LOT OF THOSE CASES IN TERMS OF SORT OF WELL HERE'S HOW WE SAY IT THIS WAY MOST OF THE TIME WHEN WE GET A DISABILITY ACCESS CASE IT'S AROUND REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION OR REASONABLE MODIFICATION THAT'S LIKE 90% OF THE CASES THAT WE SEE IN THAT PROTECTED CLASS CATEGORY.  USUALLY THE PERSON HAS REQUESTED THE ACCOMMODATION OR THE MODIFICATION TO MAJOR CATEGORIES AND THEY'VE BEEN DENIED. SO WE WOULD TAKE THAT CASE AND USUALLY WHAT HAPPENS THOSE INVESTIGATIONS DON'T GO ALL THE WAY TO SAY IN ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING BEFORE A COMMISSIONER. USUALLY THOSE CASES GET SETTLED IF WE FIND PROBABLE CAUSE TO BELIEVE THAT DISCRIMINATION HAS OCCURRED USUALLY THE LANDLORD OR THE PROPERTY MANAGER WILL SETTLE THE CASE AND THEY WILL GET THE ACCOMMODATION THAT THEY REQUESTED. THANK YOU SO MUCH.  SORRY , ONE MORE QUESTION I'M JUST CURIOUS THERE WAS A CLOSED CAPTIONING AT BUSINESSES ORDINANCE PASSED IN DECEMBER 2022. I GO TO A LOT OF BUSINESSES, I GO TO A LOT OF RESTAURANTS AND I DON'T ALWAYS SEE THOSE ACCOMMODATIONS BEING OFFERED ESPECIALLY FOR SPORTS WHICH I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT EVEN IT SHOULD BE NOT ONLY FOR AND I KNOW THAT'S PART OF WHAT YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING AT IS IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT NECESSITY, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT NEWS . IT'S ALSO ABOUT FUN AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE CAN SORT OF EQUITABLY ACCESS AND I CAN TELL YOU THE LAST PROBABLY FIVE PLACES I'VE BEEN TO WATCH A SPORTS GAME HAVE NOT HAD CLOSED CAPTIONING ON AND I I JUST DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW TO ADVOCATE I MEAN OBVIOUSLY I'VE SAID IT TO THE PERSON WHO HAS THE REMOTE BUT WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO.  YEAH THAT'S THAT'S REALLY NEW INFORMATION TO US BECAUSE WE'VE REALLY RECEIVED VERY FEW COMPLAINTS I THINK ACTUALLY ONLY LIKE TWO OR THREE SINCE THE ORDINANCE WAS IMPLEMENTED BUT WE DID DO OUTREACH TO BUSINESSES DIRECTLY YOU KNOW IN THE ORDINANCE FIRST PAST WE'VE ALSO PURCHASED A NUMBER OF INFORMATION CARDS LIKE WALLET CARDS THAT PEOPLE CAN CARRY WITH THAT INFORMATION ABOUT THE ORDINANCE AND THE REQUIREMENTS OF RESTAURANTS AND STORES SO WE CAN GIVE THOSE TO YOU TO GIVE OUT TO CONSTITUENTS. BUT THEN ALSO IF YOU WANT TO ACTUALLY COMPLAIN ABOUT IT, WE HAVE A COMPLAINT FORM ON OUR WEBSITE AND ALL THOSE COMPLAINTS THAT WE GET THE FEW THAT WE GOT ARE INVESTIGATED AND WE WORK WITH THE LICENSING BOARD TO ACTUALLY SEND A LETTER TO THE BUSINESS AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT YOU KNOW, COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS AND IF THEY DON'T COME INTO COMPLIANCE AND WE CAN TAKE NEXT STEPS WHICH COULD ULTIMATELY END UP IN THEM LOSING THEIR LICENSE FOR A TV, IT'S NEVER GOTTEN THAT FAR AND WE DON'T WANT IT TO GET THAT FAR BUT WE REALLY THINK EDUCATION AND INFORMATION IS THE THE BEST POLICY.  SO WE'RE HAPPY TO SHARE THOSE CARDS WITH YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. COMMISSIONER MCCOSH I ALSO WANT TO MENTION YOU KNOW, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT AND I THINK A LOT OF OUR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS JUST DON'T KNOW.  SO IT'S LIKE BEFORE, YOU KNOW, HAVING THAT CONVERSATION BEFORE IT SORT OF GOES ANY FURTHER IS SO IMPORTANT. YEAH, THAT'S GOING TO BE PART OF OUR TRAINING WITH THE MAIN STREETS LIKE WE'RE ROLLING OUT A WHOLE TRAINING FOR ACCESS ON MAIN STREET SO THE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE REALLY ACCESSIBLE EVERYTHING FROM LIKE CAPTIONS TO LIKE LIKE I SAID US GETTING A RAMP FOR LIKE ONE STEP SO I'LL DEFINITELY MAKE SURE THAT'S PRIORITIZED AND I JUST HAD AN IDEA A BULB GO OFF TOO BECAUSE AS A DISTRICT COUNCILOR I'M OFTEN MEETING WITH BUSINESSES WHO ARE ASKING FOR US TO SUPPORT THEIR LICENSING MEASURES SO IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR ME IN THOSE MEETINGS TO SAY JUST WHY THIS ORDINANCE PASSED AND I HOPE THAT YOU'LL COMPLY BECAUSE YOU'RE ASKING FOR A TV. ABSOLUTELY. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH COMMISSIONER.  YEP. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR DURKAN JUST SET MY TIMER FOR MYSELF.  OKAY. THERE'S A DOUBLE BUT I WOULDN'T BE A BAD THING DIRECTED TO OUR WELL, FIRST OF ALL THANK EVERYONE UP HERE FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY DO AND YOU GUYS ARE DOING AMAZING WORK AND I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE THAT. I THINK THAT WHEN WE'RE PRODUCING A BUDGET WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE DOING AS UNDIMINISHED AS THE CITY NEEDS TO BE IN OUR BUDGET BOOK SO THAT PEOPLE CAN SEE ALL THE GREAT WORK AND ALL THE GOOD OF ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AS DEPARTMENTS.  I DON'T THINK IT'S MORE OF A QUESTION FOR I GUESS EVERYONE ON THE PANEL THE PERMANENT EMPLOYEES ONLY INCREASE BY A SMALL AMOUNT. HOWEVER EVERYONE MENTIONED ON THEIR WISH LIST HAVING A LAWYER OR MORE THE NEED FOR MORE CAPACITY.  CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT WHY WE'RE ONLY GOING UP A SMALL AMOUNT WHEN WE'RE ALL HERE ADVOCATING FOR MUCH NEEDED CAPACITY TO MOVE OUR WORK FORWARD?  I CAN START WITH MINE.  WE ACTUALLY IS NOT OURS IS NOT BUDGETARY THAT WE CAN HAVE A LAWYER WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN ATTORNEY ON STAFF BUT HE'S A POLICY ADVISOR NOT SOMEONE THAT PRACTICES LAW AND THERE'S ACTUALLY A LIMITATION IN THE CITY OF WHAT IF WE CAN DO ANY PRACTICE OF LAW FOR CONSTITUENTS. SO MOST OF THAT'S NOT FUNDING BUT MORE OF LIKE A POLICY IN THE CITY. GOT IT. YEAH WELL FOR US IT WOULD BE A FUNDING ISSUE.  WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR A GENERAL COUNCILOR . WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR A DIRECTOR OF TESTING AND WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR NEW INTAKE PERSON THAT WOULD ADD TO OUR CAPACITY IN INCREDIBLE WAYS BECAUSE HAVING IN-HOUSE CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY FOR EXAMPLE IF WE NEEDED TO GET A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER OR WE NEEDED TO GO TO COURT TO ENFORCE ONE OF OUR SUBPOENAS OR DEFEND OURSELVES WHEN WE HAVE ISSUED AN ORDER AND THE OTHER THE RESPONDENT USES THE RESPONDED THAT WOULD SAY WE DISAGREE WITH THE ORDER, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE YOU TO COURT. WE NEED TO HAVE AN IN-HOUSE ATTORNEY WHO UNDERSTANDS OUR INVESTIGATORY PROCESS AND WHO IS A CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY WHO UNDERSTANDS HOW TO ARGUE THOSE KIND OF CASES AND DEFEND OUR ORDERS.  IT WOULD TAKE RESOURCES TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. RIGHT. I GUESS MY QUESTION FOR YOU, DEREK TYRRELL, IS WAS THIS A BUDGET ASK THAT YOU MADE? BUT WE DIDN'T WE'RE NOT SEEN IN THIS BUDGET CYCLE MAYBE SOMEWHERE IN THE FUTURE. BUT YOU KNOW, IT WAS WAS THAT A SPECIFIC ASK ACTUALLY THE THE NATURE OF MY ASK WAS TO MOVE ALL OF OUR INVESTIGATORY STAFF ON TO THE CITY BUDGET.  THE REASON FOR THAT WAS IT WAS AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OF CURE WE WERE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN NOVEMBER IN WASHINGTON AND THE STATUS OF ANY FEDERAL SUPPORT FOR FAIR HOUSING ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY. SO WE FELT THAT WELL WHY DON'T WE AT LEAST TRY TO MOVE OUR INVESTIGATORY STAFF TO THE CITY BUDGET AND WHAT THAT WOULD DO IS EFFECTIVELY FREE UP THE THE EXTERNAL FUNDS THAT WE SPEND ON THOSE POSITIONS AND ACTUALLY ALLOW US TO EXPAND OUR STAFF CAPACITY AND WE CALCULATED WHAT THAT WOULD COST THE CITY TO MAKE THAT MOVE.  OKAY. AND THAT'S WHY WE SEE THE DECREASE OF THE 46,000 CONTRACT TO SERVICES NOW OR THAT WAS BECAUSE OF THE $50,000 I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THE COUNCIL THREW THEIR AMENDMENT SECURED FOR US TO DO TESTING BUT WE COULDN'T USE IT BECAUSE IT WAS FOR TESTERS AS OPPOSED TO A TESTING PROGRAM. SO I WAS RELUCTANT TO USE ANY OF THOSE FUNDS. I DIDN'T WANT TO BE ACCUSED OF MISAPPROPRIATION. IT SAYS TESTERS AND THAT'S WHAT YOU CAN SPEND IT ON SO THAT'S WHAT THAT 46,000 TRANSFER IS ABOUT. ALL RIGHT.  AND THEN GOING BACK TO IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT, I LOVE THE PROGRAM THE PATHWAY PROGRAM THAT THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING FOR HOSPITALS.  CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF THAT PROGRAM AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, BPD AND PUBLIC WORKS WAS HERE TODAY.  THEY SAID THEY HAVE 311 POSITIONS AVAILABLE ANY THOUGHT ON EXPANDING IT NOT ONLY TO LIKE CITY JOBS BUT YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT CAREER PATHS HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON? YEAH SO OF THE AFRICAN NETWORK THAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THAT PARTNERSHIPS YEAH SO WE WERE ABLE TO PILOT WITH THEM A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND THEY WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO PIVOT AND SCALE UP TO WORK WITH WORKER EMPOWERMENT NOW SO THEY HAVE A BIGGER GRANT FOR THEM WHICH IS GREAT AND THEY'RE CONTINUING THE OPERATIONS AND WE STILL SUPPORT THEM BUT THEY NO LONGER NEED OUR FUNDING BECAUSE THEY'VE GROWN OUT OF IT. BUT THANKFULLY BUT THEN WE FROM THAT LEARNING WE ACTUALLY STARTED PRACTICING THAT TYPE OF MODELING WHERE WE HAVE INTERNSHIPS WITH DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES AND WE ACTUALLY DID IT HERE AND DO IT IN THE CITY. WE ACTUALLY HAVE PLACED TWO INTERNS OF FOLKS WHO ARE FOREIGN HAD FOREIGN EXPERIENCE AND THEY JUST NEED LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE OF SOMEONE GIVING THEM A CHANCE. SO WE HAD TWO FOLKS THAT WERE INTERNING THE ADULT INTERNS THAT THEY WERE PAID TO DO IT AND THEN ACTUALLY ONE OF THEM WORKS FOR THE CITY NOW SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY OUT DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES IN THE COMING YEARS AS WE FIND MORE PARTNERS. TECHNICALLY THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE DO WITH THE IMMIGRANT YOUTH OF HOPING TO DO IT MORE WITH ADULTS. AWESOME. THANK YOU. AND THEN GOING BACK TO DIRECTOR TARO, I KNOW WE'VE SPOKEN. YEAH, QUITE OFTEN JUST AROUND YOU KNOW, FAIR HOUSING ANY ANY CAN YOU TALK TO ME HOW YOUR DEPARTMENT WORKS WITH PPD A THE ARTICLE 80 PROCESS TO PUSH YOU KNOW SOME OF THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS ANY ANTI DISPLACEMENT TOOLS POLICIES CAN YOU TELL ME HOW YOUR POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS WORK WITH THOSE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND PROCESSES PRIMARILY THROUGH THE ASSESSMENT OF FAIR HOUSING AND NOW THAT WE HAVE OUR MONITORING COMMITTEE IN PLACE AND WE HAVE QUARTERLY MEETINGS WITH SIX OR SEVEN CITY DEPARTMENTS WHO ARE RESPONSE ABLE FOR ABOUT 95% OF THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES IN THE ASSESSMENT OF FAIR HOUSING. THAT PROCESS AS I INDICATED EARLY IS MOVING FORWARD. WE'RE GETTING REPORTS EVERY QUARTER FROM THOSE DEPARTMENTS WE'RE GOING TO BE ISSUING OUR FIRST SORT OF ANNUAL REPORT IN JULY SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO UPDATE THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IN THE CITY COUNCIL ABOUT THE PROGRESS THAT THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS HAVE MADE SO FAR. THAT'S WHY WE'RE TRYING TO STRIP STREAMLINE OUR REPORTING MECHANISM ON APRIL THE 29TH NEXT MONDAY. SO OUR NEXT QUARTERLY MEETING AND WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS STREAMLINING OUR REPORTING SYSTEM.  SO IN THAT ANNUAL REPORT WOULD THERE BE ANY POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS OR WILL THE JUST BE REPORTING OUT THE DATA AND THE STATS OUT WE WILL HAVE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS IN THERE FOR THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS WHERE WE THINK THEY NEED SOME IMPROVEMENT BUT WE WANT TO FIND OUT FROM THEM WHAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO IMPROVE WHAT RESOURCES OR IS IT STAFF.  ONE CITY DEPARTMENT HAS ALREADY INDICATED TO ME THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HIRE A PERMANENT FAIR HOUSING OFFICER TO BE A PART OF THEIR THEIR OPERATIONS SO THERE'LL BE SOMEBODY PERMANENTLY THERE MAKING SURE THAT THEIR FAIR HOUSING COMMITMENTS ARE BEING MET. AND WHAT ABOUT BROADER LIKE ANTI DISPLACEMENT POLICY TOOLS OR POLICIES AND EVEN MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND THAT LAND? OH BOY WE WOULD NEED ANOTHER HEARING FOR THAT ABOUT 50 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL PLANNING ADVISORY COUNCIL . OH BOY. HERE WE GO.  YEAH. DISPLACEMENT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE A HUGE FAIR HOUSING PROBLEM FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF WHO IS BEING DISPLACED IT IS VERY CLEAR THEY ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE PROTECTED CLASSES RIGHT?  SO IF WE DON'T FROM A PUBLIC POLICY STANDPOINT, IF WE DON'T GET THE GENTRIFICATION DISPLACEMENT ISSUE RESOLVED CORRECTLY, IT COULD LOOM INTO A SERIOUS FAIR HOUSING CASE VERY SIMILAR TO THE CASE THAT ENDED UP CREATING THE FAIR HOUSING COMMISSION WHERE THE NAACP SUED HUD AND THAT'S HOW OUR COMMISSION IN A WAY CAME INTO BEING IN THE FIRST PLACE WAS BECAUSE OF THAT LAWSUIT. RIGHT. WE DON'T WANT TO GO DOWN THAT ROAD. WE SHOULD NIP IT IN THE BUD NOW . THANK YOU. AND I AGREE WITH YOU AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU JUST ON THAT COUNCIL OPINION ANDERSON, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR DO MY BEST NOT TO KEEP US HERE LATE.  GOING BACK TO LANGUAGE ACCESS DIRECTOR JENNIFER, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT I THINK THAT YOU DO AN AMAZING JOB AND I WAS I WAS WORRIED AND I WAS THINKING THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE LIKE A WHOLE BIG CONVERSATION AND I COULD GO DEPARTMENT BY DEPARTMENT AND JUST SORT OF PAUSE MY QUESTIONS TILL THEN. BUT I THINK YOU'RE DOING AN AMAZING JOB. I READ THROUGH YOUR REPORTS AND FEEL CONFIDENT THAT IT IS GROWING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION . I THINK THAT YOU DOING THE BEST THAT YOU CAN, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO RESPONSES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO WORK WITH US.  THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT THERE ISN'T ENOUGH IN THE BUDGET FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT TO ACTUALLY PROVIDE EXTEND THAT TO COUNSELORS.  I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOU AND SORT OF TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AND WHETHER IT'S POLICY OR CREATING PRACTICES THAT WILL LEAD TO THAT. IT'S IT'S MY JOB TO FIGURE THAT OUT LEGISLATIVELY AND WE'LL WE'LL TALK SOON AND I THANK YOU. SO I WANTED TO BRING THAT TO ATTENTION THOUGH BECAUSE IT WAS A VERY SAD DAY AND IT WAS DETRIMENT AND I DIDN'T HAVE THE RESOURCES AND TO FIGURE THAT OUT. SO THANK YOU. I DO WANT TO TOUCH ON CONTRACTS THOUGH ACROSS THE BOARD. I THINK THAT YOUR I LOOKED UP THE CONTRACTS THAT YOU'RE USING AND THE COMPANY SEEMS TO BE PRETTY DIVERSE AND AT LEAST ONE AND THIS QUESTION IS ALSO FOR YOU EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MONIQUE YOUR YOUR CONTRACTS ARE HIGHLY UM NOT BIPOC NOT UM YEAH I WENT THROUGH EVERY SINGLE COMPANY AND THE HIGHEST ONES ARE UM UH THE ONES THAT ARE CONTRACTING IN THE LARGEST AMOUNTS ARE NOT DIVERSE AND SO I KNOW THAT BOSTON LIKE IN GENERAL IF YOU IF WE'VE ALREADY BEEN CONTRACTING WITH A CERTAIN COMPANY THEN YOU KNOW IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE LOWEST BIDDER AND OTHER UM, OTHER IMPLICATIONS THERE. BUT I WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW IS YOUR DEPARTMENT DOING OR WHAT IS YOUR DEPARTMENT DOING TO DO BETTER WITH CONTRACTING BIPOC COMPANIES?  WHEN YOU SAY CONTRACTORS DO YOU ALSO MEAN LIKE NONPROFITS? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT LIKE ALSO NONPROFITS? YEAH, MOST OF OUR ARE. THAT'S WHY I WANT YOU TO BE MORE SPECIFIC ON TALKING ABOUT IS THERE A SPECIFIC CONTRACT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT BECAUSE I CAN YEAH. IS IT LIKE A VALUATION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? YOUR CONTRACTS IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT RYAN IMMIGRANT CENTER.  RYAN OH THE DIRECTOR YEAH I CAN SEE YEAH.  SO LIKE $1,000,000,000 PLUS 2,000,000.8 COVID IMMIGRANT ECONOMIC ECONOMY ECONOMIC AH E I DON'T KNOW SO THAT ONE'S ACTUALLY A FISCAL SPONSOR OF A COALITION THAT'S IMMIGRANT LED THEY'RE THEY'RE ACTUALLY RYAN IS LIKE A BIG ENTITY THAT DOES HAVE THE BACKBONE LIKE THE ADMINISTRATIVE BACKBONE TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THAT. AND YOU KNOW, THE EVOLUTION OF OUR FIELD IS THAT IT'S BECOMING MORE DIVERSE BUT BECAUSE OF LIKE GRANT LIKE THEY WERE HANDLING A CASH ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR EXAMPLE. SO THAT PROGRAM TAKES A LOT OF ADMINISTRATIVE BACKBONE THAT A LOT OF THE PARTNERS DIDN'T HAVE BUT THE PARTNER ITSELF AS A MASSACHUSETTS IMMIGRANT COLLABORATIVE IS ACTUALLY LED BY THE LEADERS OUR BIPOC FOLKS IT'S JUST THE FISCAL SPONSOR IN THAT NETWORK IS IT DOESN'T REFLECT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THEY'RE YEAH THANK YOU SO MUCH THAT'S HELPFUL THE OTHER AMOUNTS ARE SMALLER NOT BEING NOT WORRIED AND MOST OF THEM LIKE WE WE MOST OF OUR GRANTEES ARE NONPROFIT LIKE IMMIGRANT LED.  OKAY THANK YOU. I MEAN THIS WAS CLOSE TO $4 MILLION SO VERY CURIOUS. YEAH.  DR. JENNIFER, CAN YOU CLARIFY THERE'S A CONTRACT IT SAYS PARTNERS ARE CAPE VERDEAN CREOLE.  FIRST IT'S CABO VERDE AND SO ANYTIME YOU'RE SPELLING THAT OUT, UM YEAH, WE YES, UM BUT ASSOCIATION IS THAT UNDER CONTRACT OR ARE YOU PAYING THAT OUT OF OPERATION BECAUSE OF I MEAN OBVIOUSLY OPERATION BUT IT SAYS THAT YOU THEY'RE PARTNERS HOW DO YOU PAY THEM BECAUSE IT NOT UNDER YOUR CONTRACTS.  YEAH SO WE WE DON'T HIT THE PROCUREMENT AMOUNT FOR THIS PARTNERSHIP BUT SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING GRANTS LIKE THEY'RE CONSIDERED SMALLER EXACTLY EXACTLY UM I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO EXPAND NOW THAT MAKES TOTAL SENSE. THANK YOU.  OF COURSE. SO UNDER 50,000. GOT IT? YES. OKAY. THANK YOU.  UM, AND TO CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT YOUR CONTRACTED SERVICES DIRECTOR GENERAL IF YOU CAN TELL ME ABOUT SUFFOLK AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING FOR FOR THE DEPARTMENT THAT THAT CONTRACT NO LONGER EXISTS?  WE THAT CONTRACT RAN OUT JUNE 30TH OF LAST YEAR. WE DID NOT RENEW IT.  OKAY. AND WHAT IS SOLAR SOLAR SLALOM LLC DO FOR YOU TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE NOTHING THAT MAY HAVE BEEN A CONTRACT THAT WAS INITIATED BEFORE I YEAH, I SEE. YEAH. YEP. THANK YOU IN SUFFOLK WAS 23 THANK YOU SO MUCH IN TERMS OF I MEAN THE CONVERSATION HERE CAN GO ON AND ON ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT YOUR DEPARTMENT IS AND BUT YOU ARE TAKING A SMALL CUT. I WAS INTERESTED IN UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S THE LOGIC BEHIND THAT OR WHAT HAPPENED SINCE I DIDN'T MAKE THE CUT THE LOGIC BEHIND IT BUT I WOULD HAVE TO NOT HAVE TO ANSWER. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU SO MUCH.  SO I WOULDN'T THE CUT OUT WOULD HAVE ADDED WHAT WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR. I'M ADVOCATING OFFICIALLY ON RECORD IN TERMS OF YOUR YOU KNOW YOUR TESTERS I USED TO CALL THEM INSPECTORS BECAUSE I USED TO DO A SMALL JOB LIKE THAT WHEN I WAS IN MY TWENTIES . BUT WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR MORE OF THAT.  YOU DO SUCH AN AMAZING JOB. CONGRATULATIONS BY THE WAY EVEN IF IT'S JUST HARD GOD WILLING YOU'RE MAKING IT NATIONAL AND YOU ARE GOING TO BE THE EXAMPLE FOR EVERYONE AND WE'RE JUST AND I AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS CONVERSATION YOU KNOW, COULD HAPPEN OFFLINE IN TERMS OF HOW CAN WE CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT. YOU JUST NEED A BIGGER DEPARTMENT SUCH A SMALL DEPARTMENT. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOU ACROSS THE BOARD KEEPING IT ACROSS SUPER DIVERSE BUT I DID HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE DISABILITY DEPARTMENT.  YOUR YOUR HIRING IS CAN YOU I KNOW I KNOW IT'S JUST LIKE NINE PEOPLE, RIGHT? YES. YEAH. SO IT'S KIND OF HARD TO LIKE YOU KNOW, OUT OF NINE PEOPLE HOW DO YOU GET THE QUOTA RIGHT. CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR ASPIRATIONS TO HIRE MORE DIVERSITY?  YES, ABSOLUTELY. SO I WILL SAY THAT WE DURING THE PANDEMIC WE LOST TWO STAFF WHO WERE BOTH BLACK WOMEN WHO SPOKE MULTIPLE LANGUAGES. THEY SPOKE SPANISH, PORTUGUESE, CREOLE AND PORTUGUESE AND I'M SORRY CAPE VERDE CREOLE AND PORTUGUESE AND BOTH OF THEM LEFT BECAUSE THEY HAD CHILDREN AND THEY WERE HAVING TO WORK REMOTELY.  SO IT WAS A GREAT LOSS TO OUR DEPARTMENT WHEN WE DID ADVERTISE FOR THE OTHER JOBS WE JUST DIDN'T FIND SOMEONE QUALIFIED WHO YOU KNOW WAS FROM A MORE DIVERSE BACKGROUND. BUT WE ALWAYS LOOK FOR THAT. ONE THING WE ALSO DO LOOK FOR IS REPRESENTATION FROM THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY SO WE DO HAVE THAT ON OUR STAFF AS WELL AND WE ALSO HAVE AN ADVISORY BOARD THE ADVISORY BOARD THAT WE OVERSEE AND WE WORK ON REPRESENTATION FROM THAT AS WELL.  WHAT ARE THOSE POSITIONS THAT ARE OPEN CURRENTLY? I OF COURSE I'M CAPE VERDEAN AND SPEAK LIKE A BUNCH OF LANGUAGES BUT I KNOW SEVERAL PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF WHO ARE POLY LINGUAL AS WELL. OKAY SO WE WE DON'T HAVE ANY STAFF POSITIONS OPEN RIGHT NOW BUT WE DO HAVE SOME ADVISORY BOARD OPENINGS COMING UP SO I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOUR OFFICE IF YOU'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND PEOPLE FOR THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. SURE I CAN. I REALLY APPRECIATE NOW I'M BOUNCING BECAUSE NOW I'M LIKE SCARED THIS THING IS GOING TO GO OFF.  I REALLY DO APPRECIATE DIRECTOR MONIQUE IN TERMS OF , YOU KNOW, LEGALLY NOT BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT PEOPLE WITH FINDING JOBS WHICH IS ILLEGAL AND BUT BEING ABLE TO SAY LIKE THIS IS YOUR RIGHT THERE ARE DON'T ASK DON'T TELL POLICIES. THERE ARE ALL THESE OTHER POLICIES THAT YOU CAN THAT WILL PROTECT YOU. CAN YOU TELL ME IF THERE'S BEEN ANY TYPE OF ASSESSMENT NOT A STUDY, NOT A BIG THING BUT ANY TYPE OF ASSESSMENT IN TERMS OF THE NEED WITH THE NUMBERS OF UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE AND IN TERMS OF JOBS LIKE THERE'S AN INVENTORY SOMEHOW OF JOBS THAT I COULD HIRE POTENTIALLY.  OH NO, THERE HASN'T BEEN A STUDY YET BUT WE ARE ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT THIS COMING YEAR SO HOPING TO ENGAGE WITH UNDOCUMENTED FOLKS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT THEY THINK WOULD BE THE VALUE ADDED TO SUPPORT THEM NAVIGATING THEIR STATUS IN THE UNITED STATES. SO YES, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE EMBARKING ON IN THE COMING MONTHS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.  MAY I JUST TO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.  AND IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW, THE SOCIETY ADVOCATE OR WORK WITH ANY ENTITIES TO ADVOCATE FOR IMPROVING THE SLOW PROCESS OF LEGALIZING LEGALIZATION AND CITIZENSHIP. YEAH. SO OUR POLICY ADVISOR ALWAYS TRACKS FEDERALLY STATE AND EVEN LOCAL POLICIES THAT IMPACT IMMIGRANTS IN A PARTICULARLY OUR DOCUMENT COMMUNITY IS ALWAYS LOOKING TO THINK ABOUT WAYS FOR THEM TO ACCESS STATUS A LOT OF TIMES WHAT TO DO RELAXED LEGAL ACCESS GRANTED A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE ALSO NOT KNOW THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE OTHER AVENUES FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO ADJUST THEIR STATUS.  SO EVEN THROUGH OUR LEGAL ASSISTANCE ARE SOME OF GRANTEES THAT FOCUS PRIMARILY ON LIFE THEY CAN APPLY FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE GENERAL INTAKE FOR THEM JUST FIGURE OUT FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO. SO THAT'S SOME OF THE AVENUES THAT WE DO BUT WE ALSO DO ADVOCACY RIGHT NOW THERE'S ACTUALLY A FEDERAL BILL THAT'S TRYING TO EXTEND WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR NEW MIGRANTS SO GIVING THEM SOME SORT OF STATUS FOR ALSO LONG TERM UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE PUTTING SOME WEIGHT BEHIND AS WELL. SO THERE'S SOME POLICY ADVOCACY THAT'S HAPPENING ON A FEDERAL LEVEL BECAUSE THAT'S BRINGING UP A LOT OF QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE A LOT OF NEW MIGRANTS ARE ALSO GETTING DIFFERENT PATHWAYS RIGHT NOW FOR WORK AUTHORIZATIONS AND IT'S CALLING INTO QUESTION FOR UNDOCUMENTED FOLKS WHO'VE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME WHAT ABOUT US AND IF YOU COULD DO IT FOR THEM, WHAT ABOUT US? SO THAT'S SOMETHING CONSTITUENTS HAVE BEEN ASKING US ABOUT. SO WE HAVE BEEN JUST TRACKING ON A FEDERAL LEVEL AND THERE'S ACTUALLY A BILL THAT'S TRYING TO BE MOVED TO SUPPORT THAT. THANK YOU. AND THEN THE QUESTION THAT I ASKED THE LAST PANELIST WAS YESTERDAY WITH EQUITY. YES, YESTERDAY IT DOES. AND PLEASE TAKE THIS IN ALL GOOD FAITH IT DOES FEEL LIKE EACH DEPARTMENT SORT OF IS THE CHIEF OF THEIR DEPARTMENT IS LIKE REALLY INDEPENDENT OF THIS CABINET TYPE OF FOR LOOKING FROM THE OUTSIDE AND I GUESS I'M I'M WONDERING, YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE YOU WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW ,IN THE CABINET? IS IT BUDGET IS IT CAPACITY AND WHERE ARE YOU IN TERMS OF WORKING INTO DEPARTMENT OR THROUGH YOUR CABINET TO WITH ACROSS WITH INTERSECTIONS WITH WORKING ON NEEDS FOCUS SITUATIONS?  I MEAN MAYBE I CAN START I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY UNIQUE AND ALSO OPPORTUNITY LIKE A BIG OPPORTUNITY BUT ALSO SOME SOME CHALLENGES BECAUSE JUST BECAUSE OUR OUR CABINET IS RELATIVELY NEW AND ALSO A DEPARTMENT IS REALLY MIXED IN HOW OLD OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE. SO THERE'S DEPARTMENTS WHO ARE STILL STARTING UP. THEY'RE SETTING THE GROUNDWORK AND SETTING THE FOUNDATIONS AND THERE'S STILL THE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE LIKE OURS IS LIKE OURS IS ARE PRETTY OLD OUR DEPARTMENTS MY DEPARTMENT'S BEEN AROUND 26 YEARS FOR EXAMPLE SO NATIONALLY WE HAVE MORE INFRASTRUCTURE.  SO THE CHALLENGE IS REALLY CAPACITY BEING ABLE TO NOT LESS STAFF CAPACITY BUT LIKE KNOW HOW ARE PEOPLE HAVING SAME LEVEL BEING ABLE TO ENGAGE ON SOMETHING YOU KNOW BUT WHAT'S GOOD IS THAT SOME DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE YOUNGER CAN LEVERAGE THE THE OLDER DEPARTMENTS FOR ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT OR EVEN LIKE GIVING ADMINISTRATIVE TIPS OR EVEN HELPING LIKE HANDLE DIFFERENT CASES THAT THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE THE KNOW HOW YET. SO THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO SHARE IN THAT WAY AND AS WE'RE GROWING IN AGE AS A CABINET WE'RE ALSO LEARNING HOW TO WORK TOGETHER MORE EFFECTIVELY SO I THINK WE IMPROVE EVERY TIME THAT WE ENGAGE WITH ONE ANOTHER AND JUST BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS YOU KNOW A LOT OF THINGS HAVE TO BE RUN ON TRUST. YOU HAVE TO MOVE AT THE SPEED OF TRUST SO THAT'S WHAT I'VE EXPERIENCED MY LAST TWO YEARS. YEAH, BUT I THINK YEAH THAT MAKES SENSE. I CAN ADD A LITTLE BIT TO THAT . SO I THINK TRUST IS KEY LIKE WE'VE YOU KNOW ALL OF OUR STAFF BUILDS UP TRUST WITH THE COMMUNITY RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY AGENCIES SO WE HAVE REALLY STRONG TIES TO THE COMMUNITY ALSO MOST OF OUR OFFICES WORK SYSTEMICALLY. WE DON'T PROVIDE A TON OF PROGRAMING LIKE HUMAN SERVICES OFFICES DO SO WE REALLY WORK WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS LIKE THROUGHOUT THE CITY. SO I KNOW MY OFFICE HAS BEEN HERE SINCE 1979 SO WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD INFRASTRUCTURE. WE HAVE A GREAT MODEL OF , YOU KNOW, WORKING SYSTEMICALLY LIKE WE HAVE THESE MONTHLY STANDING MEETINGS WITH MANY DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS INCLUDING SOME OF OUR OWN. YOU KNOW, WE MEET MONTHLY TO THE LEADERSHIP TEAM TO BRAINSTORM AND CONNECT. WE'VE ALREADY DONE TRAININGS TOGETHER. WE WE COLLABORATE ON CONSTITUENT CRISES AS THEY COME UP. SO I THINK JUST CONTINUING TO WORK AND LIKE MONIQUE SAID TO BRING ALONG THE DEPARTMENTS AT A YOUNGER BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT IS YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY NEWER BUT AND WE KNOW THERE DOING SOME GREAT STUFF. SO I THINK WE CAN JUST CONTINUE TO TO BUILD OUR RELATIONSHIP TOGETHER AND ALSO WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EQUITY INCLUSION OFFICERS THAT ARE COMING ON BOARD I THINK THAT WILL BE HELPING, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE CITY REALLY COMING TO UTILIZE OUR EXPERTISE.  YEAH, YEAH, THAT MAKES SENSE. THANK YOU SO MUCH.  THIS IS THE LAST ONE. THIS IS THE VERY LAST ONE. GARY THANK YOU.  I GUESS ACROSS THE BOARD IF THERE ARE IF THERE'S A NEED TO DO ANY OF YOUR DEPARTMENT'S WORK ON SUPPLEMENTAL GRANT OPPORTUNITIES OUTSIDE OF THE CITY.  OH, LIKE GETTING OUR OWN FUNDING OUTSIDE OF SOUTHEAST OH YEAH. FOR FOR COMMUNITY OR PROGRAM DID YEAH WE WE GOT A $250,000 GRANT FROM THE STATE TO INSTALL THE MEZZANINE LIFT IN THE THIRD FLOOR LOBBY. WE HAD A GRANT THAT PAID FOR THE BOSTON BREAKS CAMPAIGN THAT WAS FROM THE BOSTON FOUNDATION AND WE HAD A GRANT THAT PAID FOR THE PAST PUBLIC SCHOOLS FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CURRICULUM. SO YOU DID HAVE THREE PRETTY MAJOR GRANTS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.  WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING PENDING RIGHT NOW BUT WE ARE CERTAINLY OPEN TO LOOKING INTO THOSE AGAIN, IT'S A MATTER OF STAFF CAPACITY HAVING TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAMS ONCE WE GET THE FUNDING BUT WE'RE CERTAINLY ALWAYS LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES. THANK YOU.  SORRY I'M AWARE THAT PART OF THE FUNDING IS GRANTS BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY PROGRAMS OR ARE YOU SEEKING FUNDING SO THAT YOU CAN SUPPORT PARTNERS OR COMMUNITY?  OH PEOPLE OUR GRANTS AND CONTRACTS LINE IS DEDICATED TO WORKING WITH NONPROFITS TO EXECUTE ON THE THINGS THAT WE WE THINK THAT'S NEEDED TO SUPPORT IMMIGRANTS AND WE ALSO ANNUALLY HAVE OUR WE ARE BOSTON DINNER IT'S OUR FUNDRAISING FOR OUR EXTERNAL FUNDS IS KIND OF LIKE OUR RAINY DAY AND ALSO COMMUNITY FUND THAT WE HAVE THAT WE WE PUT OUT GRANTS FOR IMMIGRANT HERITAGE MONTH FOR EXAMPLE WE USE THAT FUND SO THAT OUR PARTNERS AND OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN HELP US CREATE A CITYWIDE FESTIVAL OF EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE THE WHOLE MONTH OF JUNE. BUT NOW FOR PROGRAMMATIC STUFF LIKE FOR EXAMPLE IF THERE'S A NONPROFIT THAT IS PROVIDING SERVICES AND YOU KNOW WHERE I'M GETTING WITH THIS AND THEY'RE YOU KNOW THEY'RE SUFFERING AND THEY NEED FUNDING AND SUPPORTS IS THEIR OPPORTUNITY THERE TO FIGURE OR SOMETHING? YEAH, WE ARE WE GIVE OUT ALMOST $2 MILLION A YEAR SO THAT'S WHERE ALL OF OUR WE ACTUALLY HAVE A COUPLE OF GRANTS THAT ARE BEING SELECTED RIGHT NOW EVEN WELLBEING IS ONE OF THEM. WE HAD A RECORD OF PEOPLE APPLYING FOR THAT GRANT OF 29 ORGANIZATIONS DOING NON-CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT SO WE HAVE TARGETED THINGS WE WANT TO FOCUS ON SO WE HAVE LEGAL ACCESS GRANTS, WE HAVE CITIZENSHIP PROMOTING CITIZENSHIP GRADS, WE HAVE IMMIGRANT HERITAGE MONTH GRANTS, WE HAVE IMMIGRANT YOUTH ADVANCEMENT GRANTS. SO FOR THEM TO HOST IMMIGRANT YOUTH AT THEIR SITES PROVIDE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS ESOL SO THAT'S WE HAVE TO RUN ON WORK WITH NONPROFIT NONPROFIT PARTNERS. DO YOU HAVE THAT LIST SO I CAN HAVE A COPY?  YEAH, I CAN I CAN GIVE THAT TO YOU PLEASE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK COUNCIL FINANCE JAY ANDERSON AND I WOULD JUST HAVE A FEW MORE QUESTIONS. I WON'T KEEP YOU GUYS PAST 7:00 NOW YOU GUYS LAUGHING I THINK I BROUGHT NOT READY ONE ONE OF THE QUESTIONS IS AROUND I KNOW EVERYONE'S HAVING A HARD TIME HIRING AND AND FOR IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT YOU KNOW YOU HAD THE ADMINISTRATOR THE PROGRAM COORDINATOR THE PROJECT MANAGER WHICH IS VACANT FOR OVER SIX MONTHS WHAT DID A STRATEGY THAT ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED TO KIND OF ADDRESS THE HIRING CHALLENGES FOR THESE POSITIONS?  YES. SO I I CHOSE TO PRIORITIZE HIRING FOR THE ORGANIZERS FIRST SO I HAD TO DO IT IN BATCHES BECAUSE HIRING EQUITABLY TAKES A LOT OF WORK TOO, YOU KNOW SO BECAUSE OUR STAFF IS ALREADY DOING THEIR OWN WORK AND THEN HAVING AN EQUITABLE HIRING PROCESS AND OUTREACH IS ACTUALLY A CHALLENGE. SO I'VE ACTUALLY I WAS ABLE GET SOMETHING THAT WAS PRETTY COOL THAT I FELT THAT FOR THIS ROUND OF HIRES WE HAVE FOUR POSITIONS OPEN. FOR EXAMPLE WE WE DID AN OPEN HOUSE FOR OUTREACH AND WE ALSO HAD A VERY AGGRESSIVE LINKEDIN AND ONLINE OUTREACH STRATEGY.  WE ACTUALLY WAS ABLE TO GET OVER FIVE 500 PEOPLE APPLYING FOR FOUR JOBS AND FEW MONTHS. SO I THINK I WANT TO USE THAT FOR THE NEXT THE NEXT ROUND OF HIRES I'M GOING TO DO TO FILL THOSE VACANCIES. SO I MEAN THEN WHICH YOU'RE HIRING GO FOR THIS YEAR LIKE HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU PLAN ON HIRING SO WE HAVE 16 MORE WE HAVE THREE MORE THREE MORE POSITIONS. SO WE'RE GOING TO POST AND THAT'LL MAKE US FULLY STAFFED FOR THE YEAR. AWESOME.  AND SEE WHAT MY LAST QUESTION IS.  YES, ANOTHER QUESTION FOR IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT.  THERE'S A PROGRAM CALLED TO IMMIGRANTS WITH LOVE THE MIRROR PROGRAM. THERE'S A PART THAT WE'RE DOING OVER INSIDE THE DISTRICT SALON PARK. IT'S A SOCCER FIELD BUT RIGHT ACROSS THE SOCCER FIELD THERE'S THIS BRIDGE WHERE PEOPLE USUALLY HANG OUT BECAUSE THE FIELD IS, YOU KNOW, TOO SMALL FOR HOW MANY PEOPLE COME AND PLAY SOCCER.  I THINK THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A MURAL OVER THERE, WILL LOVE TO WORK WITH THE ART DEPARTMENT AND EXECUTE IN THAT. JUST TRYING TO FIND OUT IF A CITY OWNED STATE OWNED BY I THINK IT'S A GREAT SPOT FOR FOR A MURAL. I WOULD LOVE TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU A LOT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN TALKING TO ARTS AND CULTURE ABOUT THEIR PROGRAM FOR CITY CITY MURALS SO I WOULD LOVE TO WORK WITH YOU ON THAT TO IDENTIFY PARTICULAR STRATEGIC PLACES WHERE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT. OKAY SO THIS IMMIGRANTS WITH LOVE IS DIFFERENT FROM ARTS IN WHAT WAS A COLLABORATE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS BEFORE MY TIME BUT THEY DID THAT MURAL BUT I KNOW THAT ARTS AND CULTURE NOW HAS A PROGRAM NOW THAT THEY DO SPECIFIC TARGETED MURALS WITH THE CITY I WAS REACHING OUT TO THEM TO HAVE TARGETED OR IMMIGRANT INCLUSIVE PROGRAMING AND ARTS AND ASK AND I DON'T IS IT DWAYNE WHAT I DON'T THINK THERE'S A DWAYNE WATSON HERE FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY YOU KNOW MR WEST WAS HERE EARLIER BUT HE LEFT HE LEFT. OKAY.  I WILL THANK YOU GUYS AGAIN TO ALL MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR SHOWING A BIG SHOUT OUT TO ESSENTIAL STAFF SHOUT OUT TO MY TEAM, TO THE OFFICERS HERE AND EVERYONE WHO SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY.  SO I SAY THANK YOU. AND THIS HEARING ON DOCKET NUMBER 067020678 IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU