Attachment A - May 8, 2024 EDH Minutes.pdf

Attachment A 
 
Phoenix City Council 
Economic Development and Housing (EDH) Subcommittee 
Summary Minutes 
Wednesday, May 8, 2024 
City Council Chambers 
200 W. Jefferson St. 
Phoenix, Ariz. 
Subcommittee Members Present                  Subcommittee Members Absent 
Chairman Kevin Robinson, Chair 
 
Vice Mayor Debra Stark 
 
Councilwoman Kesha Hodge Washington 
Councilman Carlos Galindo-Elvira 
 
 
 
 
CALL TO ORDER 
Chairman Robinson called the Economic Development and Housing Subcommittee to 
order at 10:01 a.m. with Vice Mayor Debra Stark, Councilwoman Kesha Hodge 
Washington and Councilman Carlos Galindo-Elvira present.  
 
Chairman Robinson welcomed the newest member, Councilman Carlos Galindo-Elvira, 
to the subcommittee and acknowledged the presence of the Young Southeast Asian 
Leaders Association (YSEALI) program from Arizona State University, organized by the 
US Department of Justice. He expressed gratitude for bringing them and welcomed the 
opportunity to speak with them afterward. 
 
CALL TO THE PUBLIC 
 
MINUTES OF MEETINGS 
 
1. Minutes of the Economic Development and Housing Subcommittee Meeting 
Councilwoman Hodge Washington made a motion to approve the minutes of the March 
20, 2024, Economic Development and Housing Subcommittee meeting. Vice Mayor 
Stark seconded the motion which passed unanimously, 4-0. 
 
CONSENT ACTION (ITEMS 2-4)  
 
Items 2-4 were for consent action. No presentations were planned, but City staff was 
available to answer questions. 
 
2. Proposed Code Enforcement Policy Updates 
Consent only. No Councilmember requested additional information.

Chairman Robinson opened the floor to public comment.  
 
Nicole Rodriguez addressed the lack of a platform for reporting issues related to 
damaged, removed, dying, or decaying trees on commercial properties. She mentioned 
the Landscape Text Amendment adopted by the Council in 2021, which charged 
Neighborhood Services Department with receiving complaints about non-compliant 
landscaping plans. However, she highlighted the absence of an accessible reporting 
platform and emphasized the need for Neighborhood Services Department to make 
such a platform available. She expressed concern that the current system is not user-
friendly and urged action to address this issue. 
 
Chairman Robinson closed the floor to public comment.  
 
Councilwoman Hodge Washington provided an opportunity for staff to respond to Ms. 
Rodriguez's comments about the lack of a reporting platform for non-compliant 
commercial properties regarding landscaping.  
 
Neighborhood Services Director Spencer Self acknowledged the validity of the publics 
concerns and explained that while there have been changes to code enforcement 
policies, there are challenges in enforcement due to the specific requirements related to 
site plans. Mr. Self outlined the current process for residents to report complaints and 
emphasized ongoing efforts to improve enforcement mechanisms in collaboration with 
other City departments. 
 
3. Artist Contract for Paradise Valley Park Public Art Project 
Consent only. No Councilmember requested additional information. 
 
4. Workforce Development Board Consulting Services Contract Award - RFP-
CED23-WBCS 
Consent only. No Councilmember requested additional information. 
 
Vice Mayor Stark made a motion to approve Consent Items 2 through 4. Councilman 
Galindo-Elvira seconded the motion which passed unanimously, 4-0. 
INFORMATION ONLY (ITEM 5-7) 
5. City of Phoenix Naloxone Program: Administration and Community Take-Home 
Distribution 
Information only. No Councilmember requested additional information. 
6. Head Start Birth to Five Monthly Report - March 2024 
Information only. No Councilmember requested additional information. 
7. Neighborhood Specialist Area Reassignments

Vice Mayor Stark expressed her understanding of the efforts to align neighborhood 
specialists with council districts but raised a concern about the potential overlap of 
specialists in her district. She mentioned a specific specialist who was working on a 
business corridor and noted that there is a request to retain their services. Vice Mayor 
Stark sought clarification on whether there are ways to address this situation in 
collaboration with the relevant authorities. 
 
Mr. Self stated the importance of maintaining long-standing relationships with 
neighborhood specialists. He highlighted the need for a careful and thoughtful process 
for transitioning specialists to align with council districts. He also noted that in some 
cases, specialists may continue to work on specific initiatives or projects even after 
changes are implemented. 
 
Vice Mayor Stark expressed her support for the neighborhood specialist her 
constituents have and emphasized the importance of ensuring a smooth transition. She 
sought confirmation that she could inform the group that they could keep the specialist 
for a while during the transition period. 
 
Councilman Galdino-Elvira highlighted two key points from the presentation: the 
prevalence of overdoses in housed environments compared to unhoused ones, and the 
significant impact of methamphetamine use, particularly in hot climates. He inquired 
about the follow-up actions regarding these findings and when the next report could be 
expected. 
 
Public Health Special Projects Administrator Yanitza Soto affirmed that 
methamphetamine overdoses are indeed prevalent in the City. She highlighted the 
importance of using data-driven approaches to inform heat relief efforts, emphasizing 
the need for evidence-based strategies to address the issue effectively. 
 
INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION (ITEMS 8-9)  
 
8. Phoenix Substance Use and Overdose Dashboard 
Public Health Special Projects Administrator Yanitza Soto presented on the item. 
 
Chairman Robinson commended the interactive feature, expressing appreciation for its 
informative nature. He extended congratulations to the staff responsible for its 
development, noting its value in providing accessible information to a wide audience. 
 
Councilwoman Hodge Washington inquired about the frequency of updates for 
suspected and fatal overdose data. She asked about the timeline for the release of 
2023 data and suggested the possibility of more frequent updates, perhaps biannually, 
to track trends effectively. 
 
Ms. Soto explained that the lag in fatal overdose data is due to the confirmation 
process, which involves verification by the medical examiner's office and the Maricopa 
County Health Department. She said regarding more frequent updates that reporting in

six-month increments might be possible if provisional information from Maricopa County 
Health Department is available. 
 
Councilwoman Hodge Washington suggested inquiring about the possibility of obtaining 
provisional information for more frequent updates on overdose data and proposed 
adding disclaimers to indicate ongoing verification. She asked if it's possible to further 
break down overdose data by transportation and roadways to identify specific areas for 
targeted outreach efforts, aiming to translate data into actionable implementation 
strategies for affected communities. 
 
Ms. Soto affirmed the intention behind creating a dashboard was to inform planning 
efforts. She mentioned that while the data on transportation-related overdoses is 
currently reported in aggregate on the dashboard, it's possible to explore subcategories 
to identify specific areas for targeted outreach efforts. 
 
Councilwoman Hodge Washington inquired about the breakdown of overdose locations, 
particularly noting that her notes indicated a primary focus on urban parks. 
 
Ms. Soto clarified that the data on overdose locations includes urban parks, which 
comprise a small percentage, approximately 1 to 2 percent. 
 
Councilwoman Hodge Washington asked for further explanation for the intended phase 
two roll out.  
 
Ms. Soto clarified that the phase two rollout will allow for the tracking of trends based on 
the data collected, particularly focusing on suspected overdose responses, which are 
updated monthly. She said the data will inform planning efforts and help in developing 
more effective approaches to responding to the opioid crisis. 
 
Councilwoman Hodge Washington asked the anticipation date of the phase two roll out.  
 
Ms. Soto mentioned that the timeframe for the phase two rollout is as soon as possible. 
She said the today marks the official launch of the external dashboard. While the 
process took close to a year, phase two is already in motion behind the scenes. She 
anticipates sharing updates on phase two with the subcommittee in the near future. 
 
Councilman Galdino-Elvira asked for further detail on the components of the 
communication campaign.  
 
Ms. Soto answered that the communication campaign launching today will involve 
collaboration with the Communications Office to share information across departments 
internally and interdepartmentally. She said the aim to disseminate information about 
the dashboard and plans for opioid settlement dollars to the community through 
presentations at community-level meetings. Ms. Soto mentioned the engagement 
strategy has been ongoing for the past year and a half and will continue into phase two 
of the initiative.

9. Phoenix Public Library's 2024 Summer Reading Program and Overview of 
Library Youth Services 
Acting Library Director Mitch Menchaca, Deputy Library Director Karl Kendall, and 
Youth Services Coordinator Wendy Resnik presented on the item. 
 
Chairman Robinson expressed strong agreement with the importance of foundational 
reading and learning, noting its impact on future outcomes, including in the field of 
criminology. He also mentioned an upcoming event at Burton Barr Century Library in 
District 6, where they will be filming a segment with a local author named Alexandra 
Bracken, demonstrating their commitment to promoting literacy and community 
engagement through library initiatives. 
 
Councilwoman Hodge Washington expressed her appreciation for the presentation, 
emphasizing the personal importance of libraries in her life from childhood to her career 
as a lawyer. She echoed the sentiments of Chairman Robinson regarding the critical 
role of libraries in laying the foundation for future generations. She expressed readiness 
to collaborate on initiatives in District 8, such as the summer reading program, and 
expressed confidence in surpassing the goal of 25,000 participating students. 
 
Councilman Galindo-Elvira commended the dedication and commitment of the staff 
present, having witnessed it firsthand during a recent visit. He emphasized the 
importance of summer reading programs, recalling his own positive experiences at the 
Hayden Public Library. H expressed full support for the goal of engaging 25,000 
participants and looked forward to visiting other libraries in District 7 to check on the 
program's progress and potentially participate himself. 
 
Vice Mayor Stark shared her appreciation for libraries, mentioning one of her favorite 
programs involving seeds. She noted that her son, inspired by the Phoenix Library's 
program, has developed a love for gardening. 
 
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION (ITEMS 10-11)  
 
10. Fiscal Year 2024-29 Public Art Plan 
Arts and Culture Director Mitch Menchaca and Deputy Arts and Culture Director Carrie 
Brown presented on the item. 
Councilman Galindo-Elvira made a motion to approve the item. Vice Mayor Stark 
seconded the motion which passed unanimously, 4-0. 
 
11. Authorization to Fund Business Attraction and Economic Development 
Services Contract with Greater Phoenix Economic Council 
Assistant Community and Economic Development Director Eric Johnson, Deputy 
Community and Economic Development Director Nathan Wright, and Greater Phoenix 
Economic Council (GPEC) Senior Vice President of Business Development Brad 
Schmidt presented on the item.

Vice Mayor Stark made a motion to approve the item. Councilwoman Hodge 
Washington seconded the motion which passed unanimously, 4-0. 
 
CALL TO THE PUBLIC  
 
Chairman Robinson opened the floor to public comment.  
 
Elizabeth Venable highlighted the importance of Performance Management in housing 
resource allocation, expressing concerns about budget allocations and project 
outcomes. She pointed out instances where large amounts of funding were allocated to 
projects with poor outcomes, such as unsafe outdoor spaces, compared to more 
effective investments in affordable housing units. Ms. Venable suggested considering 
diversity in populations served and addressing substance use disorder with low-barrier 
housing options to increase acceptance of services. She emphasized the need for 
oversight and accountability in funded spaces to address issues like black mold and 
safety concerns. 
 
Frank Urban advocated for increased affordable housing options, particularly for the 
homeless population. He emphasized the need for housing that is not only affordable 
but also suitable for individuals' specific needs, such as accommodating pets or 
providing support for those with serious mental illness (SMI) and substance abuse 
issues. Mr. Urban underscored the importance of including counselors and treatment 
programs tailored to address these challenges. 
 
Tony Harris highlighted concerns about the funding allocation for homelessness, noting 
the insufficient resources given the increasing homeless population, including 
individuals coming from other states to Phoenix. He emphasized the lack of daytime 
cooling centers and suggested the need for additional funding to establish more such 
facilities. Mr. Harris also raised issues of price gouging by landlords, resulting in people 
being unable to afford rent and facing homelessness. He commended the State 
Attorney General's lawsuit against landlords engaged in collusion and stressed the 
necessity for affordable housing to address these challenges. 
 
Chairman Robinson closed the floor to public comment.  
 
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 
 
 
ADJOURNMENT 
Chairman Robinson adjourned the meeting at 11:18 a.m. 
 
Respectfully submitted, 
 
Johnathan Gates 
Management Fellow