Lee responds to first public testimony panel
Lee thanks panelists, notes agency staff are still present taking notes, emphasizes outreach and language barriers as key concerns, and highlights the discovery that only one HPD staff member processes HDFC SCRIE applications as a staffing issue to address.
Thank you so much.
Sorry.
First of all, just wanted to say thank you to all of you, many of you who I know very well, and appreciate you being here to testify.
And I just wanted to emphasize, because I appreciate the fact that I see that we have some of the staff of the agencies that are still here and taking notes, so I appreciate the fact that you guys are still here.
And I think one of the things to your point is that several folks have mentioned is the outreach piece of it, which, by the way, we,
as Molly, as you mentioned, we ask a lot of questions on the outreach because of the language barrier piece also.
I think that is something that we've seen in a lot of our immigrant communities.
And then also to your point with, you know, the staffing, which I know Councilmember Chair Hanif had brought up, I didn't quite, oh, she's walking in perfect timing.
To your point, because she had asked a series of questions on the staffing, and I think that's something that we want to follow up more deeply on, because knowing that, because I,
I didn't realize there was one person doing those applications at HPD.
And so understanding what the staffing needs are and how that can change to increase the applications, I think would be helpful also.
So we'll take that back.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Now we have next panel, Jane Stevens, Elizabeth Fox,
Solomon Smart.
Katrina Tumor.
Janine Cahill Jackson.
Thank you.
And then you can begin.
Thank you.