Won raises ICL mistreatment, NDAs, and service gaps

So since I'm going to run out of time because I have to go vote, I may come back.

I just want to put it on record that we have had clear complaints, multiple complaints directly.

to the press on record as well as off record from constituents who live in the veteran shelter about the mistreatment of the people who live there

by the ICL employees themselves in negligence, that they're not receiving the

substance abuse services that they need, as well as mental health care, as well as caseworkers to help them

apply for permanent housing and also for mediation between conflict amongst the residents themselves.

And it's extremely concerning for them to send us direct messages and screenshots of ICL telling them that you're visiting that day and to clear all of their urine out of their individual rooms because they tend to urinate in their own

cupboards.

Because they don't have enough privacy in the bathrooms and they don't feel safe.

And also we have multiple instances of recordings and photographs of people who are continuing to have severe substance abuse within the shelter itself.

We're extremely concerned, and we also want to hear a clear understanding and an update on the NDAs that are mandatory for elected officials to sign in order to enter the shelter.

We can't have oversight authority over the shelter and city agencies if we have to sign an NDA and we cannot publicly speak about the issues that people are coming to us to complain about.

So I want to have that cleared up because I really appreciated you coming and speaking with the veterans themselves directly because they were.

They were so sure that you were just going to walk away from them and not even look them in the eye, and you did the opposite.

You were willing to speak to them, and you are willing to address these issues, so I very much appreciate you, and I look forward to working together to make sure that a lot of these issues are resolved.

Thank you.

Councilmember Palladino.