[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6059136,"mediaKeyId","3295493-f33fbd1de1c6121f848101bf9861b7ea","parentId",3295493,"title","City proposes new Division of Community Enhancement to consolidate code, cleanup and volunteer programs","audioSeconds",2107,"startMs",8892000,"endMs",10999000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3295493-f33fbd1de1c6121f848101bf9861b7ea&start=8892&end=10999","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3295493-f33fbd1de1c6121f848101bf9861b7ea/thumbnail_8892000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6059136/Memphis-City/Shelby-County/Tennessee/City-proposes-new-Division-of-Community-Enhancement-to-consolidate-code-cleanup-and-volunteer-programs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6059136-c65ca9452c36243b87ac3dd2e7225945/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440262&Signature=XLNQl9jOKzApJEGk0FBL9Cz364rYSVU2Xgu519fB9ACjtZLquNo1IToqFKnYarpR7JstFDyR8doK8SoYVna~poNGp4GUHOuuw8Q~TkF-UAAm0aRKm2uirk0~3ZtBUbEUvA7uxJ3ncm2soM6t9DZeeu18sC0HlNxG89LWriqNZSezIPlS8FBQp8ovZ33JiZdhLzJqL5ej30~FkqhmFNrnGhH1etrTLWcBoIh7hW3Ygf464gKy2zRd79tMCcPl4QbtdibQnkNLO9gJn~oQIwgUpdQe0kgD9dHAX6ggV--7-LX77JgaHpGbc83ltr2Xfc5UgKoxj9XMdu~D~FMc988Mcg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Memphis City, TN","date","2025-05-14T10:40:20Z","article","Senior administrators Melanie Neal and Marticus Muhammad presented the proposed Division of Community Enhancement to the Budget Committee on May 13, explaining that the consolidation would bring code enforcement, environmental enforcement, ground‑services mitigation, Memphis City Beautiful programs and the public‑services‑core litter‑cleanup crew under one organizational umbrella.

Neal and Muhammad told council members the new division would increase focus and efficiency by coordinating personnel and field operations so crews clearing vacant lots, removing illegal dumping and enforcing code are deployed to the same neighborhoods at the same time. “All of our services will be deployed in the same area at the same time,” Neal said, describing an approach intended to reduce repetitive, reactive visits and to allow a targeted corridor or neighborhood to be addressed comprehensively.

The proposed complement is 183 positions (up from neighborhood improvement’s current 159): 17 administration, 83 code enforcement, 22 ground services (about half part‑time), 4 Memphis City Beautiful positions and 54 environmental enforcement officers. The FY26 proposed operating total for the new division is $14,721,814; that figure reflects existing neighborhood improvement funding plus positions moving from solid waste and public‑services‑core funds that will be carried into the new division’s budget.

Neal highlighted program outputs and recent activity: roughly 200 property demolitions year‑to‑date, about 17,000 vacant lot cuts, 1,900 cleared dump sites, and collection of approximately 102,000 tires through the city’s mitigation work. The division also runs volunteer programs: so far this year, 62 parks adopted, 85 trash cans adopted, 2,300 litter and beautification projects completed and more than 1,300 volunteers engaged.

New initiatives and policy tools include a corridor revitalization pilot (Lamar corridor was discussed as an early target), a broader administrative hearing process to move appropriate cases out of Shelby County environmental court, and implementation of the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) fee schedule so enforcement can assess and collect fees for code violations and recovery of mitigation costs.

Neal said adopting an administrative hearing process and the IPMC fee schedule should reduce the number of long‑running court cases and improve collections for mitigation work; council members asked for itemized historic cost and output data (lots cut, demolitions, tire removal) and for a year‑over‑year breakdown of expenditures tied to those outputs. Neal said staff will supply those tables and noted that any budget reductions to the newly consolidated division would undercut the comprehensive deployment model and make the operation reactive again.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Budget Hearing - May 13, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The administration proposed a new Division of Community Enhancement that would combine neighborhood improvement, environmental enforcement, ground services, Memphis City Beautiful and public‑services‑core functions into a single division to coordinate blight remediation, dumping cleanups and volunteer programs.","taxTitle","Memphis City, Shelby County, Tennessee","taxId",3648,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6059142,"Fleet officials say city fleet is past lifecycle; ask $10M in FY26 CIP and warn a larger catch‑up is needed",935,7160000,8095000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3295493-f33fbd1de1c6121f848101bf9861b7ea&start=7160&end=8095","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3295493-f33fbd1de1c6121f848101bf9861b7ea/thumbnail_7160000.jpg","/articles/6059142/Memphis-City/Shelby-County/Tennessee/Fleet-officials-say-city-fleet-is-past-lifecycle-ask-10M-in-FY26-CIP-and-warn-a-larger-catchup-is-needed","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6059142-367df1e554651daea432b80e7ce9e541/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440262&Signature=WwZjBZaQc5UabfW9317vKa1bh~8M83D~fL9JnukQmKlRu986nCct9ceWnmMbFBv5XvFGlfyVQOMpRQtR3aDiYNzxYpxZQ9qHmlJo0qMSzCupiZ2SL8HJkyE3MCGPrAURG~re2Dn1D0ORTgF7Xl4Qlo3YwN9BZ52yAEJp79Ei20Tt7zB7KcierSE4NQ-1f2GCWfQAZ8YUm1f5i2PiJWGoPDf-z88dC1S-NHQSwZio4pA5KaoXN3dGbTgWZmbBS68XGdxjn-EESUQJ9Yc~HSppeiulVP8HvsR7r5Lq3y3eabT05owDIIDeuxwvQDlxeAepKHbTGPrg5vBxfHIeDXJPiA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Fleet administrators told the Budget Committee that the city’s vehicle inventory includes many units beyond their normal life cycles, driving increased overtime, parts costs and contractor spending.

Fleet staff reported a large inventory of aging vehicles and said capital acquisition timing and supply‑chain lead times complicate replacement. The division requested $10 million in FY26 capital funds to start replenishing “agent fleet” vehicles, and staff said their prior analysis suggested roughly $20–25 million (or more) would be needed to bring fire and police rolling stock into a current, sustainable replacement cadence.

The presentation emphasized that labor and parts markets have changed: outside contractor labor rates have climbed substantially (staff noted external repair labor at $170–$255 per hour versus the city’s internal posted shop rate that has not been raised since 2012). Fleet leaders said that keeping older emergency vehicles in service requires more overtime and time‑intensive repairs, and that heavy apparatus lead times can range to 18–24 months for replacement units.

Fleet asked for two mobile diagnostic units (new initiative) to improve in‑field troubleshooting and reduce vendor dependence, and the division also signaled an interest in lease‑purchase options for non‑emergency sedans with maintenance included. On fuel and operations, the division reported it handles roughly 4 million gallons of fuel annually and currently purchases fuel through Mansfield Oil.

Council members pressed for clearer multi‑year replacement plans, the exact size of the fleet repair backlog and the source of any proposed lease purchases. Fleet and administration officials agreed to return with detailed multi‑year buy/lease scenarios, parts and overtime cost breakouts, and a 5‑year plan showing how CIP and operating dollars would be used to reach sustainable replacement levels.","Fleet staff told the budget committee the city operates many vehicles beyond recommended service lives, is facing rising contractor and parts costs, and requested $10 million in CIP funding for FY26 while estimating a larger multi‑year catch‑up need for police and fire vehicles.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6059145,"General Services presents flat FY26 budget and spotlights inflation, aging assets and staffing shortfalls",528,2790000,3318000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3295493-f33fbd1de1c6121f848101bf9861b7ea&start=2790&end=3318","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3295493-f33fbd1de1c6121f848101bf9861b7ea/thumbnail_2790000.jpg","/articles/6059145/Memphis-City/Shelby-County/Tennessee/General-Services-presents-flat-FY26-budget-and-spotlights-inflation-aging-assets-and-staffing-shortfalls","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6059145-00e92fe24c2782d5616e8c8fa7258fc0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440262&Signature=HFPNvH8QR~7oxJC5eDtCO4KbRhiNLBRGtdnTKZ~jVWrE3-AOa6oXUEimcTtrkqmgKpiVmi4anKRTcrS-1wZpJZGJnuYdaNRiUFf-u4PwvYUAnB-5dRWuZ2pPtteE-b1DmAaIucQA8axiq-rKubV2Gf15d25QkboFhgnXMthIP~EOLmfe1XKBYDfmQ6TIoqaqh62RQ~hG4heOOpMV~1zi57~-r6hkj-rGSinUgwgqT~k3CuyDjdpEEqf6jjlqNgge623X8~XkOG-e-hMbHQ6YwqTFi1GXPiQ4RYWPbJ9XfV7mOJtomF9uEoVlBLmE~zgxxw74YGVMV7IJ5pz11z~Zrg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Melvin Jamieson, senior administrator for General Services, presented the division’s FY26 operating request and described three primary pressures: personnel costs, rising materials and supplies prices, and an aging capital and fleet inventory.

Jamieson said the division’s authorized complement is 302 positions (275 full time and 27 part time) with 25 current vacancies. Personnel accounts for roughly 64% of the division’s operating budget; materials and supplies account for about 36%. He warned that inflationary increases from vendors and supply‑chain pressures have driven costs higher for building systems repairs, mechanical parts and utility bills.

Jamieson described operational choices the division is taking under a flat budget: longer wait times for non‑emergency work orders, reassignment of maintenance teams from some managed properties (for example, the zoo) to citywide demands, and relying more on in‑house staff rather than external vendors where possible. He said some non‑essential services — such as certain floor refurbishments or day‑staff security at specific sites — would be reduced to stay within the proposed funding levels.

Council members pressed for clearer forecasts tying last year’s spending to the FY26 request and asked for a division‑by‑division cost‑recovery chart to show where general‑fund funds or interdivisional chargebacks support repairs. Jamieson and Chief Operating Officer Antonio Adams said they would prepare a one‑page crosswalk showing services, chargebacks and cost‑recovery by client division.

On capital and deferred maintenance, Jamieson proposed targeted investments — a facility condition assessment and portable HVAC/generator units — to prioritize repairs and limit service interruptions. He warned that some specialized trades positions (for example, electricians) remain “hard to fill” and that extended vacancies raise overtime and contractor costs.

Jamieson concluded that the proposed FY26 operating budget is flat relative to FY25 but that maintaining service standards will require continued attention to recruiting, cost control and capital allocations to replace or rehabilitate major systems.","General Services asked the committee to maintain a principally flat operating budget for FY26 while warning that rising materials costs, aging facilities and hard‑to‑fill trades positions are driving pressure on service delivery and response times.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6059150,"City Attorney outlines stepped‑up blight litigation, consolidates claims accounting into legal budget",841,2076000,2917000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3295493-f33fbd1de1c6121f848101bf9861b7ea&start=2076&end=2917","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3295493-f33fbd1de1c6121f848101bf9861b7ea/thumbnail_2076000.jpg","/articles/6059150/Memphis-City/Shelby-County/Tennessee/City-Attorney-outlines-steppedup-blight-litigation-consolidates-claims-accounting-into-legal-budget","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6059150-cacde05175b75d9fa5b423b80603168a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440262&Signature=WuNE-5WwGapgbZhgPieIWm7qIzU8mi7InPZ4ea0RBbdMvsIgMOqCT9Y5QvcS8HPzvGJA4F3tNeLrPPE7iJZsVFfHectDg3e595G1n-f2jAwErNA083EwGnVw2vmR9wxCmYsD3OAg2wzqg99ZY7WaXgdJYwbdj9IhVNdHXhP9XXx0z4qBeGdVZgm~r5FeBYrGh1yECaw4DppLRlEHpZoue-WmFBZwWTHFZkYvAxDeo6ZHxqy~sLexFqhoB8NIdsLAgU5SMbD~sw83fFZlFIEflU1rMfrGRE8lrtHWf59hy7PP3icEpxpuDEwsCkpQPJUi0Eaf8PHcsV-aye-Opv7dfw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Attorney Eschelon Gibson (presenting as chief of the city attorney’s office) told the Budget Committee on May 13 that the office’s proposed FY26 budget is roughly flat at about $31 million but includes structural accounting changes and expanded litigation capacity.

Gibson said the major change is a consolidation: money previously shown in operating divisions for lawsuits and claims has been moved into the legal division’s accounting lines, creating a larger singular legal budget that centralizes risk exposure. “Prior to this fiscal year … each division carried their exposure … and now we have consolidated that into one group all under legal's budget from an accounting standpoint,” Gibson said.

The office is prioritizing an “aggressive” blight litigation strategy — filing more suits, hiring outside counsel for complex matters, and assigning attorneys to districts — and has already pursued cases that led to injunctions and demolition work, Gibson said. He said the office is bringing a “law firm approach” to city litigation to shorten timelines and increase enforcement pace.

Gibson described increased staffing for claims, public‑records processing and litigation support to reduce backlogs. He said public‑records requests dropped from about 1,200 outstanding requests to roughly 170 after hiring outside counsel and extra staff; claims clearance also outpaced filings during the period he described. The budget request includes modest personnel costs tied to recently added support staff and a materials and supplies increase tied mostly to the consolidation of allocated lawsuit funds from other divisions.

Council members asked for detail on outside counsel spend and claims trends. Gibson and staff said they will provide breakdowns of outside counsel expenditures and multi‑year claims and settlements data for council review. The office also noted recruiting challenges: newly minted private‑sector attorneys can command higher salaries than the city typically offers, complicating hiring for specialized legal roles.

Gibson said the administration has centralized funds so the city can make quicker, more strategic settlement decisions and better track exposure, and he highlighted partnerships with community clinics that assist with neighborhood preservation litigation.","City Attorney presented a largely flat FY26 proposed budget but described an aggressive new blight litigation strategy, consolidation of claims accounting into the legal budget, and staffing increases to clear backlogs in public records and claims.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6059155,"Housing department seeks flat FY26 operating budget while warning staffing limits could curb down-payment and home-repair aid",1623,135000,1758000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3295493-f33fbd1de1c6121f848101bf9861b7ea&start=135&end=1758","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3295493-f33fbd1de1c6121f848101bf9861b7ea/thumbnail_135000.jpg","/articles/6059155/Memphis-City/Shelby-County/Tennessee/Housing-department-seeks-flat-FY26-operating-budget-while-warning-staffing-limits-could-curb-down-payment-and-home-repair-aid","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6059155-5a549330a74cc7dd3bd81ead9981fed9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440262&Signature=YtQ40ucS2QF-suI6HkMYd0UCdT6ofx8N5J46NCfRvDhhaywKFTsYSsF6dguQmH7Efvj6WHwunH~OcE~gf~3Dyzqq2Sz53Qmen4iPwkAftaDUKMpufp7ACTq-8jfS068NCGauz~paxTUw8ZaWOOv9ezSnb7OpLlOM6cSCMpkbTbFfMhY7NGx2xnPyz62hNnxgUBgjePTilWl385ROWt8zdv-p~SGVI7obuzaGJinAEWgFFSo6YMr46WqRAqctlRvzqtBLhuMkluQ4~c4VBzODEo2JnU04MmT1f0cLoDrBn8PRSlZVyk3agI5uSLtTUE8Aj9aLFmFo6Ph4k0hK5NgK0A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ashley Cash, director of the Division of Housing and Community Development, told the Memphis City Council Budget Committee on May 13 that the department’s FY26 operating request is essentially flat compared with FY25 and that personnel costs remain the largest share of the budget.

Cash said department priorities include down‑payment assistance, community development grants, home‑repair assistance, construction or rehabilitation of affordable housing and homelessness initiatives. “Personnel and having adequate staffing or adequate funding for our personnel staff is just key to our whole operation,” Cash said.

The department’s authorized complement is 70 positions, Cash said, with a hiring freeze covering some administrative slots and several vacancies across program areas. Cash told council members there are roughly eight positions ready to post when the hiring freeze is lifted and that 11 positions are funded by federal grants.

Down‑payment assistance (DPA) remains a major component. Cash said the program offers awards up to $25,000 for first‑time buyers who meet income limits (about 80% of area median income or targeted occupations such as police, fire and teachers) and that HCD has funded about 87 DPA grants to date, targeted in ZIP codes including Hickory Hill, Binghampton and parts of Frayser. Community development micro‑grants (up to about $15,000) funded about 21 organizations in FY25 and HCD reported $300,000 deployed with $132,000 encumbered for remaining projects.

On home repair, Cash said operating funds pay staffing that administers several programs — lead remediation, weatherization and larger repairs such as new roofs or HVAC — and that HCD funded roughly 90 home repairs in FY25 at about $1.4 million total. Cash and council members emphasized that repairs for owner‑occupied homes involve more paperwork and in‑home coordination and can escalate in cost once contractors begin work.

Cash reported that HCD and partners completed 353 affordable housing units in FY25 and have about 300 more units in the pipeline, supported by roughly $11.7 million in funding that includes federal grants and trust funds. On homelessness, Cash said HCD spends federal Emergency Solutions Grant dollars and other funding to support services—she cited support for about 87 families and 210 individuals in the prior year through rapid rehousing, outreach and supportive services.

Council members asked for additional program metrics and locations. Chair Carlisle urged colleagues to review the department’s annual review and meet with HCD staff to understand federal funding flows and program details. Council members requested baseline metrics and trend data: average DPA award amount and the geographic distribution of recipients, more granular summaries of awarded affordable‑housing projects, and clearer tracking of home‑repair costs and program outcomes.

Cash said the FY26 operating request reduces materials and supplies modestly and totals about $44,000 less than FY25, but she warned any significant federal entitlement cuts could require reprogramming or discussions with administration and council on program priorities.

The presentation closed with plans to track response time and service delivery metrics as key performance indicators to improve efficiency and customer responsiveness.

For now, HCD staff said they will continue to manage programs within the current operating request while preparing additional metrics for council follow‑up.","The Division of Housing and Community Development presented a largely flat fiscal 2026 operating budget and described program activity—down-payment assistance, home repair, affordable housing and homelessness support—while stressing staffing shortages and federal grant timing as constraints.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City proposes new Division of Community Enhancement to consolidate code, cleanup and volunteer programs

Fleet officials say city fleet is past lifecycle; ask $10M in FY26 CIP and warn a larger catch‑up is needed

General Services presents flat FY26 budget and spotlights inflation, aging assets and staffing shortfalls

City Attorney outlines stepped‑up blight litigation, consolidates claims accounting into legal budget

Housing department seeks flat FY26 operating budget while warning staffing limits could curb down-payment and home-repair aid