Phoenix City Council Policy Meeting - April 29, 2025

Good afternoon. Welcome to our April
29th, 2025 policy meeting. Will the
clerk call the call the meeting to order
and will the clerk call the role?
Councilwoman Wardado
here. Councilwoman Hernandez
here. Councilwoman Haj Washington here.
Councilwoman Pastor
here. Councilman Robinson here.
Councilwoman Stark here. Councilman
Wearing. Vice Mayor O'Brien.
Mayor Ggo.
Here. Thank you. We'll begin with
council presentations and uh information
requests. We'll begin with Councilwoman
Pastor. Thank you, Mayor. uh this
morning along with mayor and supervisor
Gallardo and uh Phoenix IDA Titus uh
Department of Housing and uh who else?
And Yum, the key partnership uh we broke
ground or we finished ground and and
have built 96 new affordable housing
units uh opening up in District 4. It's
a one-of-a-kind partnership because
there were so many partners and most
importantly as a former teacher of that
area um I enjoyed seeing that happening
um and understanding the need for
housing within the area. Uh the greatest
challenges that I saw then and end today
is finding a safe affordable place to
call home. Uh with access without access
of stable housing so many families were
fighting an uphill battle. So it just
reminds me how education, housing and
community and government could come
together and connect and make it happen.
So thank you to all the partners. Next
slide. Leslie Rasone, Betty Fairfax High
School Valley Metro designed a wrap. Her
art her art will be on light rail and
bus for a year on June 7th as we open up
the South Central light rail. She will
be the third uh light rail cart that
will have her design on it and it was so
exciting to see her parents uh elated at
the fact that she had won and she had
received some money. So um it's exciting
to see our community thrive and things
happening within our art. Thank you.
Next slide. Thank you to Green Living
magazine and Dory Morales.
Sustainability is key especially in a
desert city. Phoenix is investing in
being a greener city, tree plantings,
expanding urban canopy, transitioning to
electric vehicles, public transit, and
also the outfit that I wear today is
also from green living. And you see what
we can do once we uh no longer want to
wear something and create something new
and repurpose it.
Um, so thank you
again. Congratulations to Mayor Ggo,
Vice Mayor O'Brien, Councilwoman Stark,
Councilwoman Wardado, and our newest
colleague, Councilwoman Hernandez. I'm
excited to work with all of you as a
collective. I know we are continuing to
push Phoenix forward together, and it
was an exciting day. Thank you and
congratulations. Join me on Saturday at
Carl Hayden High School at 10 a.m. We
will be discussing 27th Avenue and 35th
Avenue uh with the community and public
safety ongoing plans to improve the
area. Come learn and have a productive
discussion. Looking for a new career
path? Join me Thursday, May 8th, 10:00
a.m. at Memorial Hall. You can scan the
QR code to register. Share with friends
and families. Connecting people to good
jobs is key to building a stronger city.
So, let's get jobs. Let's get people
hired. For the first time, I'm hosting
this year's Bike to Work Day. It's a
threemile group uh group ride
celebrating all modes of transportation,
starting at Steel Indian School Park,
going down to the protective bike lanes
on Third Street, highlighting D4's bike
lanes. free event open to all ages,
giveaways, free food, and raffle prizes.
Thank you to all our partners for coming
together to bring this event
back. And if you have any questions,
please contact me. Thank you. Fabulous.
Thank Thank you for making sure bike to
work continues. We'll next go to
Councilwoman Hodgej Washington.
Thank you, Mayor. Before I begin, I
wanted to sp uh take a moment to welcome
my colleague, Councilwoman Anna
Hernandez to her f first policy meeting.
Although she's not at the deis with us
today as she's watching us on WebEx, I
wanted to say welcome again and I look
forward to working with alongside you as
we serve our communities together and
continue to push Phoenix forward.
Congratulations again. Next slide.
Um, since our last meeting, I've had the
privilege of attending several
incredible events throughout District 8.
I had the honor of attending the
Celebrating South uh, parks dinner where
we recognized three trailblazers, Mary
Rose Wilcox, Muriel Smith, and FA Gray,
who have helped shape the fabric of our
South Phoenix parks through decades of
their service. Their leadership reminds
us of what we when we invest in others,
we strengthen our neighborhoods for
generations. So congratulations again to
all of the three ladies. I also had the
opportunity to speak at the third Rio
Reimagine community workshop. I was
grateful to hear from residents who care
deeply about the future of our Rio River
corridor. I continue to encourage our
neighbors to think about what we are
building not just for today but for our
children and grandchildren. Your voices
are shaping a legacy that we all can be
proud of. Next slide.
Um, another special moment since we met
last was unveiling of the ceremonial
sign in honor of Mary Rose Wilcox. It's
located right outside outside El Portal,
her beloved restaurant and the community
gathering space. Her journey from
Superior, Arizona to becoming a pioneer
in Arizona politics continues to
inspire. Her legacy is one of
leadership, deep sacrifice, and constant
service to our community.
I also had the opportunity to attend the
downtown strategic plan kickoff meeting
where I joined city staff, residents,
and local leaders to discuss the shared
vision for the vibrant and equitable
downtown. From infrastructure to
housing, we are working to ensure our
urban core reflects the diversity of
Phoenix itself. I was also honored to
attend the swearing in of our acting
police chief, um, Chief Orderer, a
moment that marks continued commitment
to public safety. I look forward to
working with Chief to build a stronger
community relations and ensure
transparency and trust throughout our
community. Next
slide. We also had a little fun um as we
marked the opening of Garrett Popcorn at
Phoenix Sky Harbor Terminal 4. It is the
first location in Arizona. The Chicago
staple is now part of the passenger
experience at Sky Harbor. We are proud
to continue to enhance our airport with
beloved brands and new opportunities.
And I think this was the first time the
mayor and I did a ceremonial scoopin of
popcorn as part of our ground. Uh so um
I also had the opportunity to join the
new dense coalition roundt during their
first on the road series. It was a
powerful conversation with federal
leaders and local stakeholders on how we
can drive innovation, support working
families, and expand economic
opportunities at every level of the g of
the government. Next
slide. Mark your calendars. The District
8 community cookout is happening this
Saturday at May 3rd from 12 to 400 pm at
Hermosa Park. You're invited to join us
for a delicious afternoon of delicious
of delicious food, great music, fun
games, and community interaction. It's
an opportunity to relax, meet your
neighbors, and celebrate everything that
makes District 8 special. We can't wait
to see you there. And then don't forget
our next coffee chat will be on Friday,
May 9th at 10:00 a.m. at the East Lake
Park. These chats are an opportunity to
have honest conversation, ask questions,
and help shape solutions together. Next
slide. And as always, if you need any
help with city services or notice an
issue in your neighborhood, please do
not hesitate to reach out to my office.
Thank you, Mayor. That is all I have.
Thank
you, Councilwoman Gordado.
Thank you, Mayor.
D5 continues to celebrate and activate
our communities, and I am happy to
announce that we have three exciting
events coming up very soon. Join us at
the ceremonial groundbreaking and
celebration of Innovation 27 Workforce
Training Education Collaborative on
Wednesday, May 7th at 9:30 a.m. at 2526
West Northern Avenue. This is a project
very near and dear to my heart. I am
excited to see this project come to life
on 27th Avenue. I can't wait to see
everyone there as we celebrate this
incredible milestone. Again, thankful to
everyone on the council who has voted to
making sure um that this project has
happened. A special thank you to you,
mayor, for um partnering with me and
making sure that we um bring this
project to life. Next, join the
festivities at our last Mville Maccado,
the summer kickoff on Saturday, May 17th
from 300 p.m. to 700 p.m. at the Mbell
Community Center. Come enjoy all our
local vendors, delicious food, bounce
houses, light entertainment, and then
hop in the Mbell pool to cool off. This
is a perfect way for families to kick
off the summer as students begin to end
the school year. join us for a
fun-filled day in Mville. We can't wait
to see you there. Then we also are
excited to announce that we are going to
full steam ahead as we get ready to
celebrate 602 day and all that Phoenix
has to offer. We are excited to
participate in this unique citywide
celebration by hosting a 602 day event
at the Marbell Community Center. Join us
on Monday, June 2nd from 5:00 PM to 8:00
PM to celebrate 602 day and indulge in
some local food, live entertainment, and
a car show in the heart of District 5.
We will be having a taco war where some
of our best local taco trucks will
compete to be named the best taco truck
of the event. I hope to see everyone at
the Mville Community Center and
showcasing your pride for the Phoenix
area. and also want to welcome Chief
Order. Um looking forward um to working
with him and a lot of the projects that
we have going on. Um we're in the middle
of conducting a youth survey um to put
together policy around our youth. Our
goal was to get a thousand surveys by
the time we were done. And I'm happy to
say um that we underestimated ourselves
because we've now surpassed over a
thousand surveys at this point. so
excited um that we are starting to
engage a lot of the a lot of our youth,
a lot of our community and u we will
soon be sharing um the survey the survey
results with all of you and so far we're
very impressed and happy um to see a a
lot of our youth participating in this
um and can't wait um to put this policy
together and thanks to everyone um that
made this happen. Thank you, mayor.
Thank you. We have a busy city council.
Any additional updates from
anyone? The several city departments
have gotten great recognition since we
last met, including the water
department, from the big water society
for Arizona, from top engineer and
technicians all the way to leadership in
sustainability. And then congratulations
to all involved. The Arizona Association
for Economic Development awarded a major
award to TSMC and Halo Vista. So good
news there. Also excited to welcome
Carla Dilapa, our new chief
sustainability officer, who is with us
here
today. With that, we will move to item
one, which is the parks and recreation
adaptive recreation program
update. I'm very excited to highlight
the great work of our parks and
recreation department to provide
inclusive recreation opportunities
through adaptive programs, strategic
partnerships, and facility improvements.
We have a lot of city employees and
partners who have really dedicated their
careers to trying to make the city of
Phoenix more inclusive. And we want to
recognize them as well as talk about
what could be possible. This is
everything from community teams to
pickup games, group classes to
parolympic games. So we aspire to be a
welcoming city in this way and support
those athletes. And I'll turn it over to
our team to introduce the item.
Thank you, mayor, and good afternoon,
mayor, members of the city council.
Phoenix is home to one of the largest
and most diverse park systems in the
nation. The city of Phoenix Parks and
Recreation Department is committed to
ensuring that all residents, regardless
of ability, have access to meaningful,
highquality recreational amenities and
opportunities.
Today's adaptive recreation program
update reflects that commitment,
highlighting the department's continued
efforts to expand inclusive programming,
improve accessibility across parks and
facilities, and strengthen partnerships
to meet the evolving needs of the
community. With me today are parks and
recreation director Cynthia Aguilar and
assistant directors Brandy Barrett and
Martin Whitfield. I will now turn it
over to Cynthia.
Good afternoon, mayor. members of the
city council. Thank you, John. Uh we are
also thrilled to have today with us two
members from Ability 360 who is one of
our fantastic partners. So we're lucky
in the audience today we have G Lazar
who is a vice president and general
manager with Ability 360 and Belle
Carter who is the senior manager of
operations of sports and fitness. Um,
also virtually who couldn't uh be here
today with us in person is Chelsea
Harden and she's the founder and
executive director of the Heart Center
and she and her group are responsible
for running Camp Collie which you're
going to hear about in our presentation
as
well. Phoenix is proud to operate one of
the largest park systems in the country.
Our system includes now, as of a couple
weeks ago, 188 flatland parks and over
40,000 acres of desert preserve land,
providing residents and visitors both
with access to a wide variety of outdoor
experiences. We offer year-round
programming and activities for all ages
at 33 recreation centers. And this
summer, we are excited to open 20 pools
for the aquatic season. In addition, the
department oversees special several
specialty areas, including eight
municipal golf courses and several
sports complexes throughout the city.
This expansive system serves as the
foundation for delivering inclusive and
adaptive recreation opportunities
citywide. Our department recognizes that
meaningful recreation must be inclusive
and accessible to everyone in the
community. Over the years, we've
developed a strong network of adaptive
programs and partnerships to support
individuals of all ages and abilities.
We work with state agencies like the
Arizona Department of Economic, excuse
me, securityurities, Division of
Developmental Disabilities, and
collaborate with organizations again
such as Ability 360, Arts, Special
Olympics, and Harden Education and
Recreation Therapy Foundation. We are
proud to have partnered with Special
Olympics since 2000, promoting
year-round athletic and social
opportunities for individuals with
disabilities. Unique partnerships like
Diamond Dogs of Arizona bring innovative
services to our centers such as hearing
dog training programs aligned with ADA
guidelines. Our partnerships help us
expand access to highquality programs
like inclusive sports leagues, life
skills classes, and adaptive summer
camps, creating a welcoming environment
for
all. With that, I will turn it over to
Assistant Director Marty Whitfield.
Okay. Thank you, Cynthia. And uh good
afternoon, mayors and member of the
council. One of our longest running and
most impactful adaptive programs is the
partners program which is based out of
the South Mountain Community Center. In
partnership with the Arizona dees
division of developmental disabilities,
this program has served adults with
disabilities since 1988. It provides a
safe, supportive environment for
individuals 18 years and older to
develop life skills, enhance social and
emotional well-being, and participate in
culturally enriching experiences.
The curriculum is designed to foster
personal growth through physical
activity, creative arts and community
engagement. Participants take part in
off-site uh excursions and
multi-generational events and encourage
interaction and inclusion across age
groups. As you can see from the images
on on your screen, the impact goes far
beyond recreation. This program builds
confidence, community, and independence.
This slide captures the diverse and
meaningful experiences that participants
in the partner program enjoy throughout
the year. From excursions to lakes and
trails to cultural outings and museum
visits, we prioritize exposure to new
environments that build confidence and
connection. The program incorporates
life skills training such as preparing
simple meals or navigating daily
routines which are essential to
increasing independence. Fitness
activities like indoor workouts and
adaptive physical education help
participants stay active while
reinforcing healthy
habits. A key highlight of our programs
uh is its strong special Olympics
partnership offering athletes
opportunities to train, compete, and
build pride in sports like basketball,
cheerleading, botchi ball, and track at
both regional and state levels. Our
teams recently took first place uh in
competition for basketball and
cheerleading. We're proud to partner um
in hosting the Special Olympics, Arizona
Regional Golf Championships as well as
offering clinics and encourse play
opportunities for Ability 360
participants. These images show uh
showcase more than just recreation. They
reflect growth, inclusion, empowerment,
and lifelong learning through each
experience.
Thanks to leadership of the mayor and
council, we've been able to add two
adaptive recreation coordinators to the
team over the past few years. Uh these
team members are critical to the success
and quality of our adaptive offerings.
These coordinators manage everything
from daily programming and special
events to participant transportation,
community and school outreach, and
special Olympics team coordination.
Additionally, they oversee state
compliance and doc uh documentation for
services supported by the Arizona DES
Division of Developmental Disabilities.
Their leadership ensures our programs
are not only consistent and high
quality, but also inclusive, welcoming,
and meaningful for all participants.
Now, I'll turn this presentation over to
Brandy.
Thank you so much, Marty, mayor, members
of the council. In large part, thanks to
the adaptive recreation coordinators
Marty was just telling you about, the
parks and recreation department offers a
wide range of departmentled inclusive
recreation opportunities designed for
individuals of all ages and ability
levels. Programs include afterchool
enrichment, open gym access, and
accessible sports such as wheelchair
tennis, inclusive pickle ball, and
adaptive
cheerleading. We also host adaptive
holiday events. For example, the
adaptive Easter egg hunt features eggs
that beep, as well as eggs tied to a
balloon to support participants with
mobility and visual challenges. We also
offer adaptive Halloween parties,
Valentine's dances, and other holiday
celebrations, which are all tailored for
participants with mobility or visual
challenges. Throughout the year, classes
are offered citywide in areas such as
art, personal training, recreation
therapy, sports clinics, life skills
such as cooking, and inclusive community
events. In 2024, the department launched
a new adaptive summer program which
focuses on social enrichment, physical
activity, and life skills development
for youth at South Mountain Community
Center. We are planning to offer this
program again this summer. I'm excited
also to share that the Paradise Valley
Community Center team is currently
working on developing a partnership with
the Paradise Valley High School to
schedule open gym for the adaptive
community of high school students. We
estimate this collaboration would serve
between 25 and 40 participants providing
access to various sports equipment,
basketball, pickle ball, and a large
space for open play. Access would also
include the center lobby game tables uh
that include pool, ping pong, as well as
foosball. Partnerships are critical to
the success of the city's adaptive
programming, including golf. The city of
Phoenix golf program is committed to
providing opportunities for individuals
with physical and developmental
challenges to enjoy the game of golf. We
provide access to our golf courses and
driving ranges along with teaching and
coaching expertise from our professional
staff. And we really see firsthand how
these opportunities make such an
important difference in people's lives.
The city of Phoenix golf program
partners with Ability 360 to offer
adaptive golf programs as Marty was
referencing at Encanto 9, Encanto 18,
Agula 9 and Papago golf courses. Encanto
and Agula 9 provide encourse playing
opportunities for participants from
November to May. and Papepiggo provides
clinics on the driving range from
January to April for those interested in
trying golf and learning how to play the
game. The allnew Parammobile in that you
can Oops, this is not photo. Sorry about
that. Maybe I went one too far.
Apologies. The all new Parammobile that
you can see in the photo offers uh
golfers with disabilities the ability to
traverse the links and stand up to swing
their clubs. This all-terrain mobile
with its patented standup device was
originally designed for disabled
golfers, but can be customized for use
in other sports and leisure activities
such as fishing or archery. The
therapeutic benefits of golf for the
physically limited players are immense.
It stimulates metabolism, stretches the
muscles, reduces spasticity, and
enhances joint mobility. Encanto 18 golf
staff provide coaching along with golf
course access and driving range entry
level learning for the Special Olympics
Arizona Phoenix adaptive golf team for
intellectually challenged individuals
and their partners. This program serves
between 15 and 20 athletes and runs from
September to December for 12 weeks. And
also in partnership with Special
Olympics Arizona and Kanto 18 hosts the
Special Olympics Arizona Regional Golf
Championships in November. Approximately
350 intellectually challenged athletes
and their partners participate in this
one-day event. The event includes an
entry-level golf skills competition as
well as oncourse competition for
nine-hole athletes as well as 18hole
athletes. In partnership with the
Arizona Golf Foundation, Papago hosts
the Arizona Adaptive Open Championship
for three days in December with
approximately 75 participants for the
clinic and tournament. This event
provides opportunities for the
physically and developmentally
challenged community.
A diverse offering of adapted services
is offered at Telephone Pioneer Park and
Activity Center in Northwest Phoenix
thanks to a partnership with Ability
360. Ability 360 has a 40-year history
of offering and promoting programs to
empower people with disabilities to take
personal responsibility so that they may
achieve or continue independent
lifestyles within the community. This
site has become a model for adaptive
recreation with over 200 classes offered
each year to that support creativity,
physical fitness, and personal
development. Programs range from art and
personal training to recreation therapy,
sports clinics, and adaptive pickle
ball, which you can see here in the
photos. The park also offers track and
field, archery, and a wide range of
inclusive events that bring people of
all abilities together in a supportive
and welcoming
space. We're really excited to share
that this summer, Ability 360 is going
to expand its offerings to include an
inclusive aquatics program at Telephone
Pioneer Pool. This pool has been closed
since 2020 due to the CO 19 pandemic and
thanks to this partnership, we are now
able to reopen it. This collaboration is
a great example of how the department
continues to grow and evolve adaptive
programming based on community needs,
new opportunities, and partnerships.
In addition to our traditional adaptive
programs, the parks and recreation
department is proud to offer inclusive
outdoor experiences beyond the city's
limits through our partnership with the
Harden Education and Recreation Therapy
Foundation, also known as the Heart
Center at the city-owned Camp Collie.
Camp Collie was founded in 2001 and
honors the legacy of Jim Collie, who
served for 22 years as director of the
City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation
Department. The 30 acre outdoor
adventure camp located north of PAC is
designed to create meaningful camping
experiences for youth and families by
blending recreation with personal
development in a natural setting. As you
can see, Camp Collie houses a dining
hall, bunk and bathous, a barn, and a
remote campsite serviced by solar power,
generator backup, and well and septic
systems. Camp Collie provides
underserved Phoenix youth a
transformative overnight camp experience
where they utilize nature-based programs
for neurodeiverse and neurotypical
participants to develop critical social
emotional learning
skills. We are truly fortunate to have
the heart center as the operator of camp
collie since the 2024 camping season.
The heart center is a year-round micro
high school and therapeutic recreation
program for neurodeiverse youth
established in 2014. Hart uses horses
and recreational therapy as a foundation
for alternative education for youth with
special needs. And the heart center has
a history at Camp Collie. From 2008 to
2014, founder and executive director
Chelsea Harden led therapeutic youth
programming through an equin therapy
facility in Scottsdale that included
overnight outdoor camps for four weeks
each summer at Camp Collie.
The Heart Center is dedicated to
providing participants of all ages,
capabilities, ethnic, and socioeconomic
backgrounds with a high quality learning
opportunity in a small setting. Through
nature-based experiences, campers deeper
deepen their connection through the
natural world, strengthen relationships,
and gain the skills to grow socially and
personally. The heart center programming
at Camp Collie incorporates hiking,
archery, fishing, equestrian activities,
and more. And programming helps
participants to build confidence,
teamwork, and independence. What makes
this program truly special is its
intentional design for both
neurodeiverse and neurotypical
participants, ensuring that every child
has access to meaningful outdoor
learning in a supportive environment and
teen and leadership and counselor and
training programs are available for
teens aged 16 and 17 during all camp
sessions. The teen program is designed
to provide professional camp leadership
training at a reduced cost. The cost to
attend Camp Collie for a 3-day, twoight
camp experience is
$175 and for a five-day, four-night camp
experience is
$275. According to the American Camp
Association, the average cost of summer
sleepaway camps is $173 a day. Other
similar camps can range in cost from
$1,000 to $2,000 per week. So, Camp
Collie truly is a great value. and the
teen leadership counselor and training
programs cost is even reduced further
for $100 for the three-day camp and 150
for the five-day camp. I'm really
pleased to share that the heart center
actively fundraises to support
scholarships to help defay the cost and
remove barriers uh to attending camp.
They call these scholarships camperships
and more information on those
camperships are available on their
website uh theheartcenter.com.
All 2025 summer uh camp opportunities
for Camp Collie are available for
registration on our parks and recreation
department active online registration
system. Last year, Camp Collie hosted
around 265 participants and our goal
this year is to extend that to a 400.
Camp Collie continues to serve as a
cornerstone of our adaptive recreation
mission through nature and adventure.
The department offers our sincere thanks
to the heart center for partnering with
the city to offer these outstanding
programs. I'll turn the presentation
back to Marty.
Okay, thank you, Brandy. Um, the
department is committed to building and
maintaining accessible and inclusive
parks for all Phoenix residents. Many of
our parks were built prior to 1990
before ADA standards were in place,
which presents legacy accessibility
challenges across much of our
infrastructure. To address this, we
allocate annual funding specifically for
ADA improvements across the city's park
system. We also use Phoenix Parks and
Peru uh preserve initiative funding to
address ADA issues when we do
refurbishments in our
parks. These improvements uh include
upgrades to ramadas, tables, benches,
restrooms, drinking fountains, and
barbecues, as well as ensuring that our
playgrounds are accessible. For example,
the team recently renovated Little
Canyon, and the new playground has many
adaptive elements.
We also enhance sidewalks, community
connectors, fitness equipment, and ADA
compliant parking lots, all designed
with safety access and comfort in mind.
For new projects or renovations, our
teams collaborate with professional
design firms to ensure that we are not
that we not only meet but often exceed
ADA compliance standards. On this slide,
you will see Mountain View Park that has
a new ADA accessible parking lot and the
Dreamy Draw park improvements, which now
include accessible trails. As part of
the city's GOB bond program, the parks
department was awarded $2.2 million to
renovate the recreation center at
Telephone Pioneer Park. These
improvements include uh reconfiguring
doors and entrances, updating restroom
facilities to complying with ADA
standards, and a new fire suppression
system replacement.
Another great example of our adaptive
efforts is the sensory room at Caesar
Chavez Community Center. The sensory
room features a bubble fountain and a
chair paired with a colorchanging LED
lights control panel. Uh guided
breathing techniques with calming
exercise recommendations, a texture
wheel with a beam uh bag lounger, and a
soft couch alongside a textured carpet
wall. These elements create a calming uh
interactive environment designed to
support sensory regulation and
relaxation. One of the department's most
recent and meaningful examples of
intentional inclusive design is the new
ADA accessible playground in Encanto
Park which opened in May of 2024.
Located in the heart of the park, uh the
playground was built to ensure children
of all abilities can play, interact, and
thrive together. It includes a variety
of adaptive play features such as
swings, slides, spinners, sensory
elements, and social spaces that
encourage inclusive interaction for
all. A key feature is the communications
board designed to support nonverbal or
speech challenged children, helping them
engage with peers and caregivers.
This playground was made possible
through a collaborative uh partnership
with the Kuanas Club of Phoenix and its
community partners, which highlights the
power of shared investment in public
space. As you've seen throughout this
presentation, our work goes far beyond
facilities and programs. It's about
building a community where every
individual feels valued, included, and
empowered by creating supportive and
welcoming spaces for all. Promoting full
participation, and meaningful
experiences for all abilities, building
confidence, connection, and community
through uh recreation. Our partnerships
and programs reflect a shared commitment
to accessibility and uh equity. At this
time, I will turn the presentation back
over to Cynthia.
Thank you, Marty. Uh that concludes our
presentation, but before we move on, I
just wanted to thank uh the parks and
recreation team. We have a handful of
members in the audience with us today
that all play a role in this, but we
have three in particular that I wanted
to introduce today. Uh if they could
stand or wave their hand briefly. We
have Frank Ray who oversees our partners
program. He's been with our department
for many years. We also have Kylie
Smith, the coordinator over the parks uh
partners program and we have Jessica
Laam uh as well who is our adaptive
recreation coordinator. Um in Kylie's
case, she has years several years of
experience working with adults and youth
with disabilities. She holds a
bachelor's degree in psychology and
human development. And she has strong
working knowledge of developmental
disabilities division policies and is
skilled in implementing positive
behavior support strategies to enhance
the well-being and development of
program participants. Jessica holds her
cert is certified therapeutic recreation
specialist. Um she earned her bachelor's
degree in parks and recreation
management with an emphasis in
therapeutic uh recreation from Arizona
State University. So, we're very um
we're very happy to have these members
on our team. Uh they are specialized in
this area and their role is to oversee
specific programs, but also to carry out
this mission throughout the entire
department and help provide training uh
to better support this community as
well. With that, we'd be happy to answer
any questions. Wonderful. Thank you for
um our adaptive recreation team and our
partners. Will you guys just stand so we
can maybe give you a round of applause?
I think we don't recognize enough, but
we have such
astounding topofthe-line professionals
working in this area and we ought to say
thank you more often. I got to be with
the power partners program a few weeks
ago and one of the participants said it
was the most fun and important part of
his day and I think that's probably true
for so many of them. The programs we
have at the city of Phoenix are are
central to so many of our participants
lives and a point of pride for us. We
were the first city in the country to
have an accessible park and and we have
continued to innovate and lead in a
variety of different areas with our
great partners. So, I'm glad we are able
to highlight them. Today we are going to
go to council member questions but first
we have four members of the public
including a few of
our partners. Uh so we are going to
start with public comment and uh we'll
start with virtual public comment. We
got to hear a little bit about the heart
center but we'll go to Chelsea first and
then we'll go to Gus in the facility
here. Chelsea, the floor is yours.
Hi there. Thank you so much. Um, I just
want to give a huge thank you to Cynthia
and Brandy and Marty and the rest of the
parks and recreation team. Um, it is an
honor to be able to be able to partner
with all of you to offer these inclusive
camps up at Camp Collie. Um, so just to
reiterate, please share far and wide
that Camp Collie um is run and managed
by a therapeutic recreation program. And
so we do have the ability to offer these
um inclusive camps for neurodyiver
neurodeiverse youth and for neurotypical
youth. And we want to make sure that
opportunity gets spread so that way we
can use these scholarships and um get
kids up to camp for the summer.
And and Chelsea, is it too late for this
summer?
Absolutely not. We still have plenty of
space available. So, please, please,
please share the opportunities um so we
can get the word out there. Wonderful.
Thank you. Thanks for what you're doing.
One of our goals today is just to make
sure our families know what is
available. Parents are so busy and they
may not know that there's a wonderful
resource out there. And and not just
parents, uh Phoenicians of all ages.
We'll go to Gus next, followed by Orla.
if you could come down to the microphone
and since you're taller, feel free to
adjust. Well, um I want to like say
thank you again, mayor of the council,
this parks and wreck. Um we all know
there's power in partnerships. Um
there's more power in trust and so
there's a trust that we have with you is
reciprocated and we really appreciate
that.
when that pool that's been closed for so
long is remarkable. The accessibility
that it has is incredible and we're
just, you know, we're going to start
slow but we're going to bring it back.
Um so we're really excited about that.
Adaptive golf, everything that we do
with you guys at the park and um not to
mention Phoenix Tennis Center. We're
there twice a week playing wheelchair
tennis with about 40 athletes every
week. One of our athletes will be going
to LA for the Parolympics. So we'll be
excited about that. Um, just to let you
guys know like the adaptive recreation
that's across the city is like no other.
Um, I'm from Los Angeles. Um, you can
boo me all you want, but um, you know,
it's the it's remarkable here. And
people actually move here because of
what we have um, not only to Billy 360,
but as a community. So, I just want to
say thank you for that. And if you want
to plug, um, our wheelchair rugby team
is going to national this weekend and
we're ranked two in the country. Um, so
we're hoping to win out. So, anyways,
thank you so much. Wonderful. And I
think everyone figured it out, but Gus
is with Ability 360. I'm sorry. Thank
you. Or is next followed by Ann.
Good afternoon. The number one priority
of the city of Phoenix is public safety.
Mr. Barton, you've stated that public
safety is your number one job. However,
actions speak louder than words.
Phoenix Fire has been operating in
crisis mode for close to 10 years. Yet,
Mayor Ggo and city manager Barton, you
both claim this fire response time in
crisis. Or um you if you could connect
this because of the open meeting law,
you have to speak on Phoenix Park. So,
if you could connect what you are
saying. Um it was there was a budget in
uh budget item. Julere, could you kind
of help me? Sure. Um yeah, this is this
item is on parks, the parks update. So,
so it wasn't updated online because
online it does say that there would be
um the city manager speaking in regards
to the budget. No, that's not an That's
not accurate. Oh, then you guys should
probably think about maybe updating that
so that people don't waste their time
coming down here and speaking on
subject.
Mayor, members of council, I think what
Miss Bobo is speaking to is there is an
item posted on the agenda that if I have
an update on the budget that you give me
the opportunity to speak. However, I do
not have a budget update at this time.
We send out the city manager's budget
this Thursday in the packet and we'll be
discussing it at council policy on next
Tuesday, May 6th.
Okay. Um, our final speaker will be
Anner
All right. Uh, that concludes public
comment. Uh, we'll, I
think, start, I think, with Laura Pest.
Uh, Pastor, is that right? All right.
Thank
you. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor.
Um it's just an exciting day and
exciting time right now to hear all the
adapted reuse adapt not adapted reuse
the adaptive uh playgrounds that we are
doing and all the activity that we have
uh connected um and not lose community
uh through our parks and our activities
but we connected and I think that's
important to celebrate and recognize
Nice. Uh, as stated, not many of our
other cities may be doing it, but we're
at least, uh, getting there, trying and
pushing and being, uh, part of, uh, the
number one category.
Um, adaptive re recreation is, and I
will say it from a teacher's point of
view, is
definitely needed because it challenges
our mind. It challenges our
physicalness. It pushes us to a whole
another level. We face some
vulnerabilities and we learn to uh
persevere through those vulnerabilities
and be build our confidence. Um, in
particular, I really like the fact that
Camp Collie uh was is doing what is
needed for our community in those
spaces, especially in the narrow
diversion area because I I have a lot of
that experience in that area. And so I
understand when you're around
uh others that are like you, then you
share, you learn, and you experience,
and you grow. And that's what's most
important is that you grow. So that then
you can be um a functioning adult I
would guess say in in in the camp and be
able to walk away with experiences that
are a lifetime that help you win other
experiences that you're faced. But what
I do want to say is I want everybody to
um think about imagining going to a
park to ground yourself with grass and
air. And then you're smelling hot dogs
and
hamburgers. And then you're hearing kids
and parents
laughter running and screaming and some
crying.
And at at that moment it's considered
fun with all those elements happening
around you. People are having fun. And
so what I want to do is uh thank Liz and
Michelle who wanted their sons to have
that
experience and the same experiences that
other kids have.
Well, we have to thank Kowana's Club of
Phoenix and the Phoenix Park and
Recreation to making that dream come
true. District 4 has the first
all-inclusive playground in Enkenno
Park, which is also the most busiest
playground and park in
Phoenix. Some will ask what it what is
an inclusive playground? It's a
playground where children of all
abilities can interact and play with
each other's
inclusivity. I am proud of the Kuanas
Club trusting me and working with them
and making this happen. It was because
of them, Liz and Michelle, that came to
me and said, "Can you help us?"
These remarkable mothers will be
recognized tomorrow during the 2025
Impact Volunteer Awards for their
exceptional work in District 4, but most
importantly with the Encanto
all-inclusive playground, and you saw a
picture of
them. So, I'm confident my colleagues
and I will continue to make our city
more inclusive for everyone. And
finally, I want to thank the staff for
understanding and embracing the vision
and really making it happen happen. So,
a shout out to Alonzo and Rudy and
everyone else around them that made this
exciting for them. Thank you. Thank you,
Councilwoman. Thank you for your for
your leadership. It is so fabulous to
see families having a place to play and
and to really show we are a city for all
that we lead in accessibility. And
speaking of leaders in accessibility,
Councilwoman Deborah Stark is chairing
our committee on that topic. We don't
get to hear all of her good work because
some of it is outside of the parks
committee, but Councilwoman, we're so
grateful for your passion and we're so
inspired that this is one of your
priorities for this term. Thank you,
Mayor. And I I really appreciate you
highlighting uh the telephone pioneer
park. It reminds me fondly of Theoda
Williams. She was a champion as well,
both for parks and working with
disabilities. But I'm surprised she
didn't mention Fit Lot. Now,
FitLot was really designed for seniors,
but as a senior, I can tell you I'm
starting to feel some disabilities as I
age. And one of one of them is balance.
And the great thing about FitLot is you
can go and you can really dial it the
way you want it to work for you. And you
can really work on things like balance,
strengthening your muscles, just being
able to function on a daily basis, but
it was really developed for all ages. So
I want to put a plug in and thank the
American uh Association of
Retired Persons for doing that. They
they donated that several years ago. As
a matter of fact, I think it was on my
birthday, mayor. And so it was a great
birthday present. But um just as
important is we are here for everyone
and our seniors
do appreciate that FitLot. I cannot tell
you how many compliments I get on that.
Um and it is really well used. So I
wanted just to put in a plug. Again,
it's maybe not necessarily for disabled,
but I think it really does provide value
to being inclusive in our recreation
program. So, thank you.
Well said. We'll go to Councilwoman
Hernandez and then Councilwoman Hud
Washington.
Thank you so much, Mayor. Um, and
Council, sorry I couldn't be there in
person. Um, first thank you to Cynthia,
Marty, and Brandy and entire park staff
for everything you're doing around this
adaptive um, recreation program. I think
there's great opportunity to expand that
and looking forward to working with you
all um, on how we deliver more for our
residents. Um, just have a few questions
for staff on the what parks have been
primary recipients of
enhancements. Sure, mayor, members of
the city council, Councilwoman
Hernandez. Uh, each year the department
invests in improvements in parks
throughout the entire park system
throughout the city. So, improvements
are made in every single council
district each year.
Awesome. Thank you so much. I'm going to
be a cheerleader for uh a few of those
enhancements. So, looking forward to
working with you, Cynthia, and your
entire staff on how we can bring some of
those resources. Uh just yesterday a
constituent um reached out to the office
around the the ramp at Hans Park. Um so
it's something that I definitely want to
look at and work with you on that. Um my
next question is you know we have a
current federal administration that's
looking to do a lot of rollbacks on a
lot of initiatives including DEI that
could impact um you know our efforts to
apply these ADA standards to parks and
other initiatives uh such as these. How
can we ensure their sustainability?
Sure. Uh, mayor, members of the city
council, Councilwoman Hernandez, that's
a great question. Um, right now we're
committed to implementing based on the
standards that we have today and
bringing all of those that may have uh
been constructed prior to 1990 before
some of the existing standards were in
place, bringing them up to today's
standards. So, we'll continue to follow
um any guidelines and and rules that are
in place. We are fortunate to have
Phoenix Parks and Preserve initiative
funding. That's the primary source of
our capital improvements. And so
thankfully that initiative is in place
through 2038. So as far as
sustainability from a financial
standpoint, that will help us be able to
continue um to follow those rules and if
there are changes in those guidelines,
that's something that we would discuss
with the city council and the parks and
recreation board on how to proceed.
Awesome. Thank you, Cynthia. I'm
encouraged by that. um just so that we
can continue some amazing programming
for our residents across the city. Um
and just one other question, you know,
last year, June of 2024, we you know,
the city got a report from DOJ that
really highlighted a lot of the
interactions that our police department
have with a lot of our community
members. Um in that some of what was
highlighted was their interaction with
youth um in behavioral health
disabilities. You know, as we know,
there are disabilities that are not
visible to everybody. There's also
behavioral health disabilities. Um, and
with all the work that the department is
doing, the parks department is doing,
the city is doing to expand this
program, I want to be very mindful that
we're not counteracting that work um by
not being cognizant of how our police
department interacts with our folks out
in the parks. Um so you know the report
highlighted disproportionate use of
force with on folks on our people with
disabilities in our city. Um it also
showed that some of our responses that
we have in place um in instead of
sending alternative responders, you
know, police are still responding to
certain incidents on behavioral health
calls or other disability impacted
calls. Um given this reality, you know,
in your opin, how can we as a city do
better to plan to ensure that our public
safety approaches in our parks um evolve
alongside to be more inclusive of
community investments? Um and more
specifically, what non-p police
interventions or alternative response
strategies are being developed to
protect children and adults with
developmental disabilities as we
integrate this creative public space
improvements.
Mayor, members of the council,
Councilwoman Hernandez, uh I can speak
to that. We have um multiple things
going on that address um what you're
talking about today. One of those um is
through policy. And you know, I know
you're talking about non-p police
intervention, but we also want to make
sure that our police interventions are
appropriate. And so we are working on
both a youth policy as well as um
components to several of our existing
policies including our use of force
policy related to vulnerable populations
uh which would include individuals with
disabilities. Um we have incorporated
training into our training academy that
um teaches interactions with uh
individuals with special needs. And that
training actually includes the son of
one of our officers who participates in
the training uh who has special needs
himself and uh is able to help uh engage
with the officers and have them have a
real life experience with someone who uh
is a member of the population who has
special needs and uh allow them to have
that experience and and to learn from
that. Um, in addition to that, non-p
police interventions that um, we have in
place include our mobile crisis response
as well as our community assistance
program who engage with vulnerable
populations on a daily basis. And then
finally, um something new that we have
available that is um just recently
available to the public is our smart
notification system, which is a system
that allows uh individuals or families
to register their address and if there
is a person living there who has special
needs or some sort of vulnerability that
um can be known to the 911 system when a
call is made. So, if if a person calls
911 and that address has been
registered, um that someone lives there
has a special need of some sort, um that
will be available to the 911 operator
who can then relay that information to
the fire department, the police
department or CAP, whomever will be
responding to that situation. So, um we
have multiple things going on that are
hopefully going to provide enhanced
service to the community, especially
those with special needs.
Thank you so much for that response,
Lori. Looking forward to also working
with you and and your teams to make sure
that we are um being the very best
leaders and making sure we're very
cognizant of our disability community.
Um so, thank you so much for that and
looking forward to, like I said, working
with the entire parks department um to
make sure that I'm championing things
for district 7 um and delivering some
good exper some good um recreational
programs. Thank you.
Thank you, Councilwoman Hud Washington.
Thank you, Mayor. I want to start off by
saying thank you to the parks and direct
parks and recreation department for your
unwavering commitment to inclusion and
accessibility. Um, I think this is a
population that many times uh wouldn't
say is forgotten, but they're not always
on the front of mind when we think of
parks. We we usually visualize those
that are able-bodied. And I really want
to say kudos on a job well done in
ensuring that all members of Phoenix can
participate and enjoy the amenities and
our our days when it's not too hot
outside to spend some time in the park
and really um enjoy their their times.
Programs like the partners program have
had the opportunity to meet with many of
the participants and see the pure joy
that is on their face as they are
engaging in activities that otherwise
they have not had an opportunity to
participate in. So on their behalf, I
want to say thank you as well. And I'm
really proud to see the enhancements to
the parks that we're making because
we're allowing more and more individuals
to um invest in their physical health.
We know um in certain areas of the city,
including parts of district 8. Um life
expectancy is not always u equal outside
of certain zip codes. And one of those
determinator determinants, I'm sorry, is
actual access to parks and fresh air and
the ability to uh mobilize. So, I really
want to say thank you for the
opportunity to do so and I know this
program shows that the city of Phoenix
is leading by example when it comes to
equity in the public space. Um, I want
to remind those that these offerings
don't just serve our residents with
disabilities. It actually strengthens
our entire community. Adaptive
recreation offers inclusive spaces where
individuals of all physical uh phys um
abilities can enjoy physical activity.
They can enjoy nature and our community
engagement. They promote health,
independence, and social connection.
They help to reduce isolation and
improve overall quality of life for
people with disabilities. And by
fostering accessibility and inclusion,
they benefit not only individuals, but
also their families and our broader
community. So, I look forward to seeing
continued programs and creating spaces
where every resident can belong and
thrive. Um, part of my question has been
answered um by my colleague um,
Councilman Hernandez, but I wanted to
ask a couple questions regarding
ensuring that all residents and those
that we are aortioning the um, services
throughout the city is particularly in
districts um, I'm going to be biased
district 8, but I want to know how does
the department gather input from
residents with disabilities to inform
future designs or programming planning.
So, in other words, how are we
addressing the needs of residents um to
ensure that they don't have to travel um
so far to have access to some of these
uh these great offerings?
Sure. Mayor, members of the city
council, Councilwoman Hodgej Washington.
Um it we gather community feedback in a
variety of ways. I would say um when it
comes to building a new park or making
some substantial renovations to a park,
we form a steering committee and then we
do a broader survey to the community
within those surveys. and those steering
committees. Uh that's an opportunity for
the public to give feedback, especially
to identify if accessible amenities or
programs and services are important to
them. So that's one of the ways we often
do community uh surveys through some of
our community centers as well. And
currently in our master plan process, uh
the public can give us feedback
specifically about uh what their
priorities are. And one of the options
is also accessibility and inclusive
programs and amenities.
Thank you for that. Um I will say
oftentimes we will see there are certain
um coalitions that tend to be better
organized and they tend to come from or
from parts of our community. Um that
sometimes it's not the greatest need but
they are the loudest. How does the
department weigh that consideration when
they're making determinations? Are there
criteria that we use to ensure that
we're not just um addressing those that
are the loudest, but we are really
addressing those that have the greatest
need? Sure. Mayor, members of the city
council, Councilman Haj Washington, that
that is something that we are faced with
balancing on a very regular basis. So,
we uh very much are intentional about
trying to uh do our outreach in areas
where we know we don't always hear from.
Um we do that in a variety of ways. Uh
but I would say to answer that question
the best that I can uh is that we look
at things other factors. So if there's a
community that's very vocal and asking
for something, we look at things like if
that amenity exists already nearby in
another part. So there might be a
community asking for pickle ball, but
there might be pickle ball that exists a
mile away already. So we also look at
proximity um of what we offer already.
We look if there's a duplication of
those services. Is there a partner out
there providing those services already?
Um, so there's different factors, but
that's something that's always on the
forefront of what we want to do. We are
fortunate to have staff that are rooted
in the community to also know where
there are areas that we might be under
represented in and really target an
outreach effort in those
communities. Thank you for that. Um,
good to hear that. I would just also
suggest if possible if it's pos uh if
it's possible to overlay maybe data that
we receive from the state department
from DDD to ensure that those identified
as already receiving or um or that would
be eligible for these types of services
that we are kind of overlaying that
information into our general data and
not just simply responding to sometimes
the squeakiest wheel. um having spoken
to caregivers of individuals who have
development disabilities sometimes on
the top of their mind is not necessarily
filling out a city survey. So sometimes
I think it might be helpful if we kind
of u be a little more intentional when
it comes to the location of those types
of resources. And then my last question
is
um you you mentioned
um well let me ask it this way. How does
a department uh ensure that adaptive
programming is reaching residents in all
of the council districts particularly in
areas that have been historically had
limited access to these types of parks
and services. Um many of I in the
presentation you talked about many of
the parks that were built before the ADA
became into compliance and just making
sure that we are addressing um we are
doing this in an equitable manner. Sure.
Mayor, members of the city council,
Councilman Hajj Washington, we have a
database that specifically uh lists and
prioritizes the condition of some of our
park amenities based on their um
lifespan. Um so that's one way that we
rank those. We go out every year and we
have people on our team who rank those.
So that helps address helps us
prioritize our funding to pick where
some of these facilities are upgraded.
We also have a list of where we know
that um parks and park amenities or
certain features within parks were built
before the 90s and are on a list for us
to get to. And every year we incorporate
those into our five-year capital
improvement program. We also have a
dedicated pot of funds specifically for
ADA improvements every year. And so we
use again um safety criteria. Those uh
ADA challenges that are out there that
might pose safety or hazards for the
public are going to be addressed first.
than things that are reaching their end
of life. Uh or also when we go in and we
have a capital project on the books, it
may just be for a new ramada, but once
we're in there, while we're in there,
we're going to make all of those ADA
upgrades at that time as well to be the
most efficient that we can.
Okay. Um so that talks more about the
age of the prem of the parks. I I want
to talk a little bit more about those
parks that have had just from a
historical u nature they've been a
little further behind when it came to
like investments in our community. Is
there a specific plan or um sorry you're
not in? Yes, Councilman Hodge
Washington. So within our five-year
capital improvement program um we look
at those factors but we also look at
geographic location and when um
investments were made in that park last.
So that's a factor as well. if we see um
that we were in a park in the last 5
years and all of those improvements are
still at today's standards don't need to
be replaced, those are going to fall
lower on the priority list. So that's
something we review every year. We look
at council districts as a part of that
as well. So geographic equity across the
city is a huge factor in how we select
those projects as well. Okay. Well,
thank you. I know my questions were very
much detailed and uh and it was not to
take away from the benefits that I have
seen. I mean, for example, we celebrated
the centennial at South Mountain Park.
South Mountain Park is the largest, one
of the largest reserves in the nation,
and we have paths and hiking paths that
are accessible to those with um physical
disabilities. So, we are doing the work.
I just want to ensure that we continue
to invest and uh move our entire park
systems forward so more individuals can
uh appreciate those. So, thank you all
for the presentation. Thank you, Mayor.
That's all I have. Thank you,
Councilwoman. And your point is as well
tucking on several things including we
didn't cover all of the accessible
trails we have and and there's more that
was not in this presentation. It was
neat though to see the geographic
distribution and just really reflect on
it. Uh Pioneer Park in our north part of
the city, Ability 360 on the east. We
just opened two parks in District 7,
Harvest and Farmland, that had
incredible accessible playgrounds and
and other accessible trails. We got the
Encanto in the heart of our city. So, it
really is a pretty impressive variety
and
distribution. The uh Cesar Chavis
community center with the great sensory
room is is I think a a best practice in
that area. uh credit to the bond which
is making investments throughout the
city and accessible parks as well. Also
thank so thank you to our voters for
approving the bond as well as
3PI campaign manager Tony Matah. Thank
you for delivering that
win. And then we got some good news from
the Arizona legislature in the last
week. They funded the DDD investment. So
this the partners program is just one
example of uh great investment through
that program. So we have a a lot to
celebrate. Do we have additional
comments? Councilman Robinson. Thank
you, Mayor. I I just want to echo
everyone's gratitude and thanks for the
hard work you guys are doing in the
parks department. And just timing is
everything. Obviously, earlier today, I
had an off-site meeting at one of the
parks with a group of neighbors, and
Danielle and Lance in your office did an
exceptional job of explaining to
everyone what was going on, what steps
we were taking. I mean, it's just it
really diffused the situation. I was
really appreciative of their actions and
wanted to make sure you knew that. But
presentation today was exceptional. You
guys are doing a great job. And as
always, if there's anything that we can
do in District 6 to help you out, just
you have to let us know. Thank you,
mayor, for the time. Fabulous. Thank
you. Also want to point out that the
Parolympics will be in LA in 2028 and it
is hope we I think we're hopeful that we
might have some benefits around that as
well and an opportunity to showcase the
work of the Phoenix adaptive recreation
programs and our partners. Uh we will
adjourn shortly for those folks who work
in this area, whether it be Ability 360
or the partners program. if you could
come behind. We'd like to do a photo
before we all depart. Any final
comments? All right, we are adjourned.
Thank
you. Thank you all for joining us today
as we celebrate the grand opening of
Yuma Lasperansa Terrace, a milestone
that marks a new beginning and hope for
so many families in our community. I
still remember back in 2022 when then
the Isaac Superintendent Dr. Ventura and
the board first began conversations
about bringing affordable housing into
our district. At that time we were
facing real challenges. declining
enrollment in our schools, families
struggling with rising housing cost,