Council committee advances first contracts under $7.5 million Lehi Safe Akron HUD grant

The Health & Social Services Committee approved forwarding contracts to the consent agenda that implement the first installment of the Lehi Safe Akron program, a $7.5 million grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Mr. Lash, presenting the item, said the $7,500,000 HUD award funds the program. Doug Taylor of the city’s Housing and Community Services division explained the set of contractors the city will use: two established contractors (a renewal of Your Con Construction Company and Ace It Construction Company), a new Hispanic‑owned contractor listed as Reales Casa LLC (a one‑year, $600,000 probationary contract), and Rick Dale Construction LLC (a two‑year, $1,000,000 contract). Taylor said three of the contracts are for two years at $1,000,000 each and one is for one year at $600,000 — the one‑year term is intended as a probationary period for a new contractor with less experience in larger rehabilitation work.

The committee also discussed a four‑year, $117,000 contract with Pillar to Post to provide radon testing required under the grant. Mr. Lash and Taylor described operational oversight: contractors must be licensed, insured and registered; staff will monitor workmanship and terminate underperforming contractors. Taylor said the program has used multiple minority contractors over the years and that the city is willing to work with organizations such as the Urban League to identify and support minority contractors. He noted that some minority contractors previously engaged had to be removed for performance reasons, and staff described a coaching approach: assign smaller jobs initially, monitor performance and expand work if standards are met.

Council members asked about geographic concentration and scale of need. Staff said the program is citywide and targets older housing stock (properties built before 1978 are at risk for lead paint). Taylor said the department has completed roughly 1,500 homes in recent years and that the current HUD grant is the most recent in a multi‑grant history for lead abatement and housing remediation.

The chair called for a motion and the committee voted to place the contracts on the consent agenda; members answered "Aye." No roll‑call award was made in committee; formal contract execution will proceed after council action and purchasing procedures. Staff emphasized that the one‑year contract is a probationary approach and that staff will terminate contractors who fail to perform warranty or quality work, citing previous terminations for missed warranty work.