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OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK
COUNCIL MINUTES
January 15, 2026
The City Council of the City of Mesa met in the Study Session room at City Hall, 20 East Main Street, on
January 15, 2026, at 7:31 a.m.
COUNCIL PRESENT
COUNCIL ABSENT
OFFICERS PRESENT
Mark Freeman
Scott Somers
Rich Adams
Jennifer Duff
Alicia Goforth
Francisco Heredia
Dorean Taylor
None
Scott Butler
Holly Moseley
Jim Smith
Mayor Freeman conducted a roll call.
1-a.
Hear a presentation, discuss, and provide direction on proposed programs and funding options
to support Redevelopment priorities and initiatives.
Downtown Transformation Manager Jeff McVay introduced Senior Economic Development
Project Manager Jeff Robbins, Code Compliance Director Angelica Guevara, Economic
Development Director Jaye O’Donnell, and Development Services Director Nana Appiah, and
displayed a PowerPoint presentation. (See Attachment 1)
Mr. McVay provided an overview of the redevelopment efforts and noted that the City of Mesa
operates in a regulatory environment. He commented that over the past year, staff researched
best practices statewide and nationally and he discussed the process of the toolkit development.
(See Pages 2 through 4 of Attachment 1)
Mr. Robbins emphasized the importance of having structured redevelopment tools and described
the decline, disinvestment, revitalization, and intervention phases of redevelopment. He explained
that failing to engage in redevelopment carries hidden financial burdens and has an impact on
public finances. He highlighted the public impact that distressed properties create. (See Pages 5
and 6 of Attachment 1)
Ms. Guevara identified an example of a distressed property on Power Road, Indy Car Wash, that
has been closed since 2017 and discussed the challenges it’s created for the City of Mesa (COM).
She noted the numerous efforts the City has made to work with the property owner; however, the
City is now exploring foreclosure due to non-payment. (See Page 7 of Attachment 1)
Study Session
January 15, 2026
Page 2
In response to a question from Councilmember Adams, Ms. Guevara replied that citations issued
to property owners are misdemeanors.
Responding to a question from Vice Mayor Somers, Ms. Guevara explained that staff has been
using available abatement tools by invoicing the property owner for incurred costs. She said while
some payments were made initially, no payments have been received in the past six to nine
months, prompting the City to place liens on the property. She stated after consulting with the City
Attorney’s Office, staff is now exploring foreclosure on those liens as the next step.
Mr. Robbins pointed out that the redevelopment tools are organized around three key stakeholder
groups: small businesses, property owners, and developers. He noted that the strategy was
designed to address Mesa’s unique needs by supporting all three groups, recognizing that
strengthening one group creates positive ripple effects for the others. He added that the balanced
approach is intended to drive effective, comprehensive redevelopment and help elevate Mesa
overall. (See Page 8 of Attachment 1)
Ms. Guevara outlined the proposed vacant property registration program that would expedite
communication with property owners and reduce the administrative burden on staff. (See Page
10 of Attachment 1)
Responding to a question from Councilmember Goforth, Mr. Robbins answered that the program
is based on the success of comparable cities that have implemented similar tools. He emphasized
that the City benefits by identifying barriers, improving compliance, and unlocking properties for
private reinvestment; noting that the City does not participate in lease negotiations.
Responding to a question from Councilmember Taylor, Ms. Guevara explained that locating
property owners can be challenging when properties are held under multiple LLCs or trusts,
especially when an out-of-state LLC serves as the registered agent. She commented that staff is
not always able to identify all owners and is exploring additional tools, including assistance from
title companies, to address complex ownership structures.
Ms. Guevara described the Code Compliance Assistance Program, which allows the City to work
with small business owners and property owners to address visible code compliance issues. She
explained that the program is intended to reduce minor financial impacts, address visible
indicators of property distress that may contribute to crime or disorder, facilitate timely compliance
in certain cases, and minimize displacement and disruption to businesses. (See Page 11 of
Attachment 1)
In response to a question from Councilmember Goforth, Ms. Guevara advised that the current
process places full financial responsibility on owners, while the new process states the City would
provide financial assistance. She commented that the details for financial assistance are still being
considered.
Responding to a question from Councilmember Goforth, Mr. Robbins confirmed that other cities
have successfully implemented the program and explained that the goal is to incentivize
permanent fixes that beautify properties, reduce repeat enforcement actions, and improve the
surrounding community. He emphasized that the program is targeted toward financially stressed
areas where property owners may lack the resources to make needed improvements, ensuring
the City supports meaningful interventions rather than funding issues owners could resolve on
their own.
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January 15, 2026
Page 3
In response to a question from Mayor Freeman, Ms. Guevara explained that the City has been
strengthening its enforcement tools over the past year by reviewing and updating existing
programs. She mentioned the strategies being used to obtain administrative search warrants that
will allow staff to access properties when necessary, which is currently a challenge.
City Attorney Jim Smith clarified that the term “administrative search warrant” is being used, but
the warrant will be issued by a judge and is a judicial warrant.
City Manager Scott Butler acknowledged frustration with repeat and severe offenders and stated
that staff has been directed to pursue enforcement as aggressively as possible. He emphasized
that while the City seeks to work with property owners, the City will use the full extent of the law
to ensure accountability when compliance is not achieved.
Responding to a question from Mayor Freeman, Ms. Guevara discussed the enforcement tools
utilized by staff for property owners cited with unpaid fines and fees. She advised that staff has
been working on the judicial warrant process and anticipates finalization of the process within the
next several months, including coordination with Mesa Police to ensure lawful execution.
Mr. Robbins explained that revolving loan funds provide gap financing for smaller business
projects ranging between $50,000 to $250,000, amounts often too large for microloans but too
small for traditional bank financing. He commented that as loans are repaid, funds are recycled
to support additional projects, and the proposed fund would focus specifically on redevelopment
needs rather than replacing private banks. He mentioned that the goal is to establish the maximum
allowable $2 million seed fund to create the greatest impact in Mesa and address an existing gap.
(See Page 12 of Attachment 1)
In response to a question from Councilmember Taylor, Mr. Robbins replied that while other loans
can be viable options, a federal process is involved and may take longer. He noted that a local
tool could complement a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan, depending on a business’s
needs. He clarified that the City would not manage or underwrite loans but would partner with
experienced third-party lenders for underwriting and business planning. He added that the City’s
role would be to design the program, establish priorities, and refer applicants.
Mr. Robbins discussed the Commercial Space Activation Program, which addresses situations
where a willing tenant or buyer is prevented from occupying a building due to costly code
upgrades. He commented that the program would help overcome barriers through a partnership
between the City, property owner, and tenants to unlock underused spaces. He reviewed the
Public Infrastructure Program, which will address cases where inadequate public infrastructure
prevents redevelopment. He explained that these challenges can render otherwise viable projects
financially infeasible and that a dedicated fund would enable the City to proactively invest in
infrastructure to support private redevelopment. (See Pages 13 and 14 of Attachment 1)
Responding to multiple questions from Councilmember Duff, Mr. Robbins mentioned that the City
envisions an overarching redevelopment program under which various tools would be
coordinated. He noted that the tools would remain separate and flexible, potentially supported by
different funding sources, and could be simplified over time to improve clarity for businesses and
developers.
Mr. Robbins explained the demolition and remediation assistance tool, noting that while adaptive
reuse is preferred, some sites are better suited for redevelopment after demolition. He
emphasized remediation support to address real or perceived environmental contamination, such
Study Session
January 15, 2026
Page 4
as former gas stations, can deter developers. He stated the goal is to fund environmental
assessments to remove uncertainty and unlock sites for redevelopment. (See Page 15 of
Attachment 1)
Mr. McVay shared the story of Cider Corps, a now-successful business located downtown on a
property that had previously been vacant for many years. He explained that the City helped the
property owner with a grant from Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) to
facilitate an environmental assessment that cleared the contamination concerns that had
prevented the property from selling, demonstrating how modest public investment can yield
significant economic returns.
Mr. Robbins clarified that the City intends to pursue federal funding first to support cities in
acquiring funds to set up their own phase one environmental remediation programs, recognizing
a longer but valuable process for addressing an aging city that has a lot of old automotive uses
that may be blocking development on certain parcels.
In response to a question posed by Councilmember Goforth, Mr. McVay confirmed that there are
a significant number of properties in the City of Mesa (COM) that would be impacted by the real
or perceived contamination.
Responding to multiple questions from Councilmember Adams, Mr. Robbins stated that
uncertainty regarding environmental contamination is a major barrier, as owners fear costly
cleanup. He mentioned that environmental assessments often reveal manageable solutions and
confirmed that the goal is to return properties to productive use as quickly as possible, stressing
that access to reliable information is critical for developers.
Mr. McVay discussed placemaking strategies, explaining that targeted public investments can
stabilize areas, encourage redevelopment, and support economic activity when coordinated with
other redevelopment tools. (See Page 16 of Attachment 1)
Mr. Robbins summarized the tools used for Redevelopment Areas (RDAs), emphasizing the need
for tools that are simple, effective, and manageable for both stakeholders and staff. (See Page
17 of Attachment 1)
Mr. Robbins reviewed the recommended resources and stated that early intervention in areas of
decline is central to the redevelopment strategy and is the primary purpose of the proposed tools.
He highlighted national examples where cities have invested heavily in downtowns and older
areas, citing successful revitalization efforts, such as Denver’s River North district, as evidence
that strategic public intervention can transform distressed areas. (See Pages 19 and 20 of
Attachment 1)
Mr. Robbins discussed the recommended funding sources, with the goal of having redevelopment
pay for redevelopment. He outlined recommendations to Council for all programs and funding of
the proposed redevelopment programs. He indicated that the programs are new and staff
proposes allowing private-sector demand to guide how funds are allocated, shifting resources
toward the tools with the greatest use and impact, and discontinuing those with limited demand.
He emphasized the importance of evaluating the program through defined performance metrics,
proposing a five-year pilot with annual reports to Council, and a comprehensive review in 2031 to
determine if any program should be permanent. (See Pages 21 and 22 of Attachment 1)
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January 15, 2026
Page 5
Discussion ensued regarding the cost and funding allocation of the programs, RDAs, challenges
for small business, and generating revenue for redevelopment programs.
Mr. Robbins explained that staff wanted to first present the proposed tools to Council to ensure
comfort with the approach before engaging the development, small business, and property owner
communities. He added once refined, staff plans to share the programs with these stakeholders
to gather direct feedback, recognizing that the tools are intended for the private sector and that
their input is essential to the effectiveness of the programs. He reported that when the
redevelopment program began, the City had few tools available beyond existing tax incentives.
He commented that through staff’s engagement directly with businesses in focus areas, staff
identified recurring challenges and patterns and developed the proposed redevelopment tools in
response. (See Page 23 of Attachment 1)
Responding to multiple questions posed by Councilmember Taylor, Mr. Robbins replied that
business loan defaults are absorbed by the revolving loan fund itself, not the City’s General Fund.
He explained that with declining properties, the City’s first step is to determine if the property falls
within a RDA, and staff is available to help property owners remove barriers. He stated that the
City is limited if owners are unwilling to participate, but the City has an expanded toolbox and
options to assist businesses that could still apply in some cases.
Mr. McVay added that slum and blight conditions exist citywide, not only within RDAs, and
addressing these conditions provides a public benefit that will assist the City in qualifying
properties that are outside RDAs.
Vice Mayor Somers expressed general support for redevelopment but suggested assigning a
subcommittee to oversee the funding of the programs.
Councilmember Goforth thanked staff for their work and emphasized that redevelopment is a
Council priority. She noted that without such programs, only large national tenants can afford infill
redevelopment, which is not what residents want. She acknowledged funding tradeoffs but
supported reallocating resources to meet community priorities and accountability through metrics
and annual evaluation.
Councilmember Duff highlighted the return on investment, explaining that proactive
redevelopment is less costly than heavy-handed code enforcement and generates long-term
economic and sales tax benefits.
In response to a question from Councilmember Taylor, Ms. O’Donnell confirmed ongoing
collaboration with Mesa’s Chamber of Commerce, noting that businesses are eager to learn more
about the redevelopment programs.
Responding to a question from Councilmember Taylor, Mr. McVay responded that while not
formally included, staff welcomes venture capital and angel investors and is interested in building
those relationships.
Mayor Freeman noted the long-standing need to address underperforming properties is a Council
priority.
Mayor Freeman thanked staff for the presentation.
Mayor Freeman declared a recess at 9:18 a.m. The meeting reconvened at 9:29 a.m.
Study Session
January 15, 2026
Page 6
1-b.
Hear a presentation and discuss an update from the Office of Innovation and Efficiency on efforts
related to the strategic use of data and performance management across the organization.
Assistant to the City Manager Ian Linssen introduced Chief Data Officer Evan Allred, Performance
Administrator Michelle Trejo, and displayed a PowerPoint presentation. (See Attachment 2)
Mr. Linssen identified the Office of Innovation and Efficiency as a team of performance advisors
and data analysts making a citywide effort to improve service delivery through greater efficiency
and effectiveness. He explained the goals for sustainable efficiency and provided an overview of
the services offered. (See Pages 2 through 7 of Attachment 2)
Ms. Trejo discussed how the Performance Plus program aligns City operations with Council
priorities by shifting from output-based reporting to outcome-based reporting resulting in data-
informed decision making. She reviewed the dashboard template used to report outcomes-based
key performance indicators (KPIs). She pointed out that the dashboards link department purpose
statements to outcomes, KPIs, outputs, service delivery impacts, and budget impacts, enabling
meaningful reporting, improved efficiency, and informed management discussions. (See Pages 8
through 13 of Attachment 2)
Ms. Trejo reported that the City is working to connect priorities across departments in order to
pilot and scale process improvements, while strengthening data-informed decision-making rather
than relying on anecdotal evidence. (See Page 14 of Attachment 2)
Ms. Trejo described examples of cross-departmental projects enhancing processes to improve
measure outcomes. (See Page 15 of Attachment 2)
Mr. Allred highlighted current and upcoming data analysis projects and discussed the partnership
with Arizona State University (ASU) on predictive modeling, which can anticipate water main
breaks before failures occur. (See Page 15 of Attachment 2)
Mr. Butler stressed that data should be used to determine the cause of issues so that informed
decisions can be made to find the most efficient solution, which is not always hiring additional
staff.
Ms. Trejo explained the threading process, which identifies common challenges across
departments to address systemwide inefficiencies collectively, enabling prioritization, workflow
analysis, and broader organizational improvements. (See Page 16 of Attachment 2)
In response to a question posed by Councilmember Adams, Mr. Linssen confirmed that the City
is always open to input from employees and feedback from the community.
Mr. Butler advised that engagement strategies will vary by project and audience. He identified
examples where stakeholders and frontline employees were involved, including police
realignment efforts that incorporated direct feedback from officers to ensure data-driven changes
reflected real-world experience.
(At 10:02 a.m. Mayor Freeman excused Councilmember Adams from the remainder of the
meeting.)
Study Session
January 15, 2026
Page 7
In response to multiple questions from Councilmember Taylor, Ms. Trejo answered that staff
worked closely with departments to identify activities, inputs, outputs, and ultimately outcomes
tied to public value. She noted that departments developed purpose statements and outcomes
with facilitation from her team, which then led to defining KPIs based on a mix of national
standards, Mesa-specific needs, and Council priorities utilizing composite indexes rather than
single metrics. She emphasized that the KPIs and the process is overseen by the City Manager.
Mr. Butler stated that Council priorities evolve over time and departments must remain flexible
and that data-informed alignment helps distinguish essential programs from outdated ones,
especially during budget decisions. He commented that the process is collaborative and
empowers departments to align daily services with Council expectations.
Responding to multiple questions from Councilmember Taylor, Mr. Allred agreed that predictive
models require continuous review and updating. He acknowledged the City’s willingness to fail
fast, adjust models when outcomes are not achieved, and refine policies based on real-world
results. He confirmed interest in remaining open to external testing to ensure accuracy and
excellence.
Ms. Trejo noted that leadership support has enabled honest conversations about
underperformance focused on outcomes rather than performative reporting, allowing meaningful
reallocation of resources to meet Council priorities.
Councilmember Heredia commented that he would like to see departments explore ways to better
leverage new technologies to help residents and the business community achieve stronger results
in the future.
In response to multiple questions from Mayor Freeman, Mr. Linssen answered that while the full
impact of artificial intelligence (AI) has not yet been realized, there is significant future potential.
He emphasized staff is exploring practical applications but remain cautious about accuracy,
reliability, and consistency of AI outputs at an enterprise level. He stated that despite these
challenges, AI will be a core component of future efforts, with more concrete implementations
expected to be shared soon.
Responding to a question from Councilmember Taylor, Mr. Allred commented that once the
dashboard is available, Council will have access to review and provide feedback.
Mayor Freeman thanked staff for the presentation.
2.
Acknowledge receipt of minutes of various boards and committees.
2-a. Housing and Community Development Advisory Board meeting held on November 6, 2025.
2-b. Economic Development Advisory Board meeting held November 24, 2025.
2-c. Economic Development Advisory Board meeting held December 2, 2025.
2-d. Housing and Community Development Advisory Board meeting held on December 8, 2025.
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Page 8
It was moved by Vice Mayor Somers, seconded by Councilmember Duff, that receipt of the above-
listed minutes be acknowledged.
Upon tabulation of votes, it showed:
AYES – Freeman–Somers–Duff–Goforth–Heredia–Taylor
NAYS – None
ABSENT – Adams
Mayor Freeman declared the motion carried unanimously by those present.
3.
Current events summary including meetings and conferences attended.
Mayor Freeman and Councilmembers highlighted the events, meetings, and conferences recently
attended.
4.
Scheduling of meetings.
City Manager Scott Butler stated that the schedule of meetings is as follows:
Thursday, January 22, 2026, 7:30 a.m. – Study Session
5.
Adjournment.
Without objection, the Study Session adjourned at 10:30 a.m.
____________________________________
MARK FREEMAN, MAYOR
ATTEST:
_______________________________
HOLLY MOSELEY, CITY CLERK
I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Study Session
of the City Council of Mesa, Arizona, held on the 15th day of January 2026. I further certify that the meeting
was duly called and held and that a quorum was present.
_______________________________
HOLLY MOSELEY, CITY CLERK
lr
(Attachments – 2)
Redevelopment Toolkit
Update
City of Mesa City Council Study Session
January 15, 2025
Jeff McVay
Manager of Urban Transformation
Jeff Robbins
Redevelopment Administrator
Angelica Guevara
Code Compliance Director
Jaye O'Donnell
Economic Development Director
Nana Appiah
Development Services Director
Study Session
January 15, 2026
Attachment 1
Page 1 of 24
BACKGROUND & INTRODUCTION
2
Study Session
January 15, 2026
Attachment 1
Page 2 of 24
3
BACKGROUND
City Council
Study Session
June 26, 2025
Study Session
January 15, 2026
Attachment 1
Page 3 of 24
• Arizona precedents
• Nationally
recognized
programs
• Interviews with
neighboring cities
4
TOOLKIT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
Comparative
Research
• City’s unique needs
• Feasibility
• Impact
Short Listing
• Develop 30%
framework for each
tool
• Initial legal
discussions
• Initial budget
discussions
Framework
& Vetting
Study Session
January 15, 2026
Attachment 1
Page 4 of 24
Strategic and
sustained
reinvestment
Businesses and
jobs leave
Disinvestment
spreads
Economic shock
Property owners
hesitate to invest
Lenders pull back
Initial Investment
attracts additional
private investment
New jobs emerge
Tax base grows
5
WHY REDEVELOPMENT TOOLS?
Decline
Phase
Disinvestment
Phase
Intervention
Phase
Revitalization
Phase
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January 15, 2026
Attachment 1
Page 5 of 24
PUBLIC FINANCIAL BURDEN
6
•
Inspection Time
•
Case Management
•
Hearings
•
Liens
•
Follow Up Visits
Code Compliance &
Legal Process
•
Increased Calls for Service
•
Higher Arson Risk
•
Increased Nuisance Activity
Police & Fire
Service Demand
•
Lower Assessed Values
•
Lost Sales Tax Revenue
•
Delinquent Taxes
•
Harder to Market Parcels
•
Surrounding Value Decline
Lost Tax Base
Public Impact: Lower Investment
Distressed Properties
Increased Public Financial Burden
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January 15, 2026
Attachment 1
Page 6 of 24
PUBLIC FINANCIAL BURDEN
• 2017 - Car Wash Closed
• 2017+ 50 Code & Building Inspections
Weeds, trespassing, graffiti,
dumping, squatters
• 2022 - Building Caught Fire
• 2023 - Emergency Abatement
Costs exceed $30,000 to date and
will continue
245 S Power Rd – Indy Car Wash
7
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Attachment 1
Page 7 of 24
COMPREHENSIVE REDEVELOPMENT
COMPREHENSIVE
REDEVELOPMENT
SMALL BUSINESS
PROPERTY OWNERS
DEVELOPERS
8
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Attachment 1
Page 8 of 24
RECOMMENDED
REDEVELOPMENT TOOLKIT
9
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Attachment 1
Page 9 of 24
10
VACANT PROPERTY REGISTRATION
What
Commercial property owners proactively register
their vacant properties
Why
• Accelerates response times to code
enforcement, safety, and nuisance issues
Reduces administrative burden
• Helps City staff connect owners to resources
• Supports Mesa’s Trespass Enforcement
Program
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Attachment 1
Page 10 of 24
11
CODE COMPLIANCE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
What
Assistance for publicly visible code
compliance issues
Why
• Visible signs of distress attract crime and
disorder
• Supports maintenance, safety and health of
commercial and residential areas
• Accelerates compliance in some situations
• Minimizes displacement and disruption to
small businesses
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Attachment 1
Page 11 of 24
12
REVOLVING LOAN FUND
What
Flexible, low-interest Federal financing that is
continuously reinvested back into the
community
Why
• May facilitate critical building improvements
• Bridges the “financing gap” for smaller
commercial lending needs
• May leverage 4:1 additional SBA financing
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Attachment 1
Page 12 of 24
13
COMMERCIAL SPACE ACTIVATION PROGRAM
What
• Addresses life safety issues, accessibility
and conditions of blight in commercial
properties
Why
• Helps small businesses adaptively reuse
older buildings
• Supports jobs and sales tax revenue
• Improves safety and accessibility for the
public
• Activates long standing vacant storefronts
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Attachment 1
Page 13 of 24
14
PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE
What
Creation of a public infrastructure
improvement fund for public utility
upgrades need to support redevelopment
Why
•
Supports a wide range of businesses
•
Undersized or aging infrastructure is
common in aging areas
•
Citywide application
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Attachment 1
Page 14 of 24
15
DEMOLITION AND REMEDIATION ASSISTANCE
What
Removal of unsafe, blighted, and obsolete
commercial structures and environmental
remediation assistance
Why
• Encourages private reinvestment
• Lenders avoid funding demolition
• Prepares sites for re-investment
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Attachment 1
Page 15 of 24
16
SUPPORT PLACEMAKING STRATEGIES
What
Strategic public placemaking
Why
• Supports entryway
improvements
• Increases desirability of
business districts
• Funds strategic property
acquisition
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Attachment 1
Page 16 of 24
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Redevelopment Areas (RDAs)
“Every municipality may use its funds for
the purposes of aiding in the planning,
undertaking or carrying out of a
redevelopment project in its area of
operation.” A.R.S. 36-1488
Federal Funding
Budgetary
Legal
Ease of Use and Administration
17
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Attachment 1
Page 17 of 24
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
18
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Attachment 1
Page 18 of 24
Strategic and
sustained
reinvestment
Businesses and
jobs leave
Disinvestment
spreads
Economic shock
Property owners
hesitate to invest
Lenders pull back
Initial Investment
attracts additional
private investment
New jobs emerge
Tax base grows
19
WHY REDEVELOPMENT TOOLS?
Decline
Phase
Disinvestment
Phase
Intervention
Phase
Revitalization
Phase
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Attachment 1
Page 19 of 24
OTHER CITIES IN THE NEWS
“Baltimore is launching a $6 billion community reinvestment program”
Courtesy: Colorado Politics, 12/10/2024;
Multi-Housing News, Gail Kalinoski, September 25, 2025;
AZFamily.com, August 4, 2025; NPR, Celisa Calacal,
March 7, 2025; KGOU, Gracen Wheeler, Abigail
Siatkowski, Robby Korth, OPMX, October 15, 2025
20
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Attachment 1
Page 20 of 24
Federal Funding Sources
Funding provided through Federal
programs.
Redevelopment Activity Revenue
Variable. Requires another revenue source.
One-Time Set Asides
Variable, non-recurring.
RECOMMENDED FUNDING SOURCES
21
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Attachment 1
Page 21 of 24
•
Pilot the Redevelopment
Programs for 5 years
•
Establish KPIs and impact
metrics
•
Annual reports to City
Council
•
City Council evaluation of a
permanent program in
2031
Program Evaluation
•
$3,000,000 annually
•
Funding per program is
driven by demand
•
$2,000,000 one-time
(EDA Grant) revolving loan
seed funding
Funding
Recommendation
22
COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION
•
Demolition and
remediation
•
Code Compliance
Assistance Program
•
Retail Tenant Assistance
•
Vacant Property
Registration
•
Revolving Loan Fund
•
Public Infrastructure
Redevelopment
Programs
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Attachment 1
Page 22 of 24
23
NEXT STEPS
Focus group with
stakeholders
01
Program
development
(based on Council
Direction)
02
Return to City
Council with
detailed
programs early
2026
03
Formalize
budget requests
in annual
budget process
04
Begin launching
programs mid
2026
05
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Attachment 1
Page 23 of 24
QUESTIONS?
24
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Attachment 1
Page 24 of 24
Office of Innovation and
Efficiency
January 15, 2026
Ian Linssen, Assistant to City Manager
Evan Allred, Chief Data Officer
Michelle Trejo, Performance Administrator
1
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Attachment 2
Page 1 of 17
Office of Innovation and Efficiency
The Office of Innovation and Efficiency exists to guide
and advise the City and its departments through the
strategic use of data and performance management to
achieve their public purpose and make informed
decisions that drive continuous improvement for
efficient and effective delivery of City services.
2
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Attachment 2
Page 2 of 17
Efficiency and Effectiveness
Efficient
producing the intended community outcomes with minimal waste, delay, or rework.
Effective
delivering the right service, at the right time, at the right quality, using the right level
of resources.
Our goal is to take it even one step further and that is moving towards
Sustainable Efficiency.
3
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Attachment 2
Page 3 of 17
The Why
4
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Attachment 2
Page 4 of 17
Office of Innovation & Efficiency
Services Offered
MANAGING
WITH DATA
BUSINESS
SOLUTIONS
PERFORMANCE
REPORTING
DATA
GOVERNANCE
CAPACITY
DEVELOPMENT
STORYTELLING
5
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Attachment 2
Page 5 of 17
The What
Using timely, reliable data
to understand what’s
happening and guide
decisions, resources, and
improvements toward
intended outcomes.
Tools, systems and
workflows that solve
business needs and
improve daily operations.
Clear, decision-ready
updates on outcome
progress, risks, and
accountability.
BUSINESS SOLUTIONS
MANAGING WITH DATA
PERFORMANCE REPORTING
6
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The What
Building organization-wide
knowledge to use data,
tools, and performance
information in everyday
decisions.
Strategic communication
that combines data,
context, and narrative to
explain what we’re doing,
why it matters, and the
outcomes achieved.
Policies and procedures
that manage city data as an
asset—ensuring it’s timely,
high-quality, and
appropriately accessible.
DATA GOVERNANCE
CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT
STORYTELLING
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The How- PerformancePlus
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The How- PerformancePlus
Systematic approach ensuring alignment with the council
priorities in the stewardship of city resources in constant
commitment to continuous improvement, innovation,
efficiency and effectiveness.
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The How- PerformancePlus
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The How- Outcome-based KPIs
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The How- Data Informed Decision Making
Through a collaborative partnership with OIE, departments:
• Define outcomes aligned with citywide priorities
• Focus efforts on the outcomes that matter most
• Establish meaningful KPIs and leading (driving) metrics
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Data Informed Evidence
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The How- Data Informed Decision Making
Interconnected priorities across the organization
that help identify, pilot, and scale process, workflow,
and system improvements.
Elevating data-informed decision-making:
moving from situational uses to consistent
expectation and organizational standard.
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Examples: Department
Collaborative Efficiencies
Building Permit
Review Process
Police Hiring
Capital
Improvement
Process
Economic
Development
Urban
Transformation
Police
Fleet
and
Solid Waste
Workforce
Readiness
Quality Indexing
Collaborative Measures
Managing with Data
Specialty Licensing and
Permits
Water & Energy
Resources
Prediction Models
(Code Compliance,
Water Mains,
Pedestrian-Related
Fatalities / Injuries)
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Examples: Threading
Threading is the practice of intentionally identifying and connecting related needs, processes,
and opportunities across departments to reveal where work intersects, overlaps, or depends
on one another—enabling coordinated process improvements and shared efficiency gains.
It makes visible how departmental challenges are not isolated, but part of system-wide
workflows and value chains, allowing the organization to address root causes rather than
symptoms.
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