Finance committee adopts East Side grant substitute adopting 'opioid model' after hours of debate over scope and oversight

The Finance Committee approved a substituted ordinance (20260036) on Feb. 3 that adopts an "opioid model" for distributing East Side Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) funds and makes several auditor-recommended clarifications to eligibility, oversight and funding timing.

The substitute moves oversight of the grant program to the city's Grants and Contract Compliance Division rather than the mayor's office, sets goals for committee member qualifications in economic development, workforce and housing-related experience, and revises applicant eligibility to require organizations to have been in existence for at least two years for the initial grant cycle and three years thereafter. Philip Peterson of the Office of General Counsel described the substitute as adopting the opioid model and noted the substitute "provides for oversight by the grants and contract compliance division" and revises eligibility and evaluation language.

Why it matters: The ordinance implements the portion of the supplemental community…