Council moves $5.2 million into KHA for youth empowerment RFP aimed at 16–24-year-olds

The Neighborhoods Committee on May 18 approved legislation (2026-0362) to transfer $5.2 million from a contingency set aside in the FY 25/26 budget into the Jacksonville Housing Authority (KHA) to fund a new youth empowerment RFP aimed at residents aged 16–24.

Council Member Terren Freeman explained that the council had previously set aside $5 million and later added $200,000 from an initiative that was not moving forward, producing a $5.2 million pool for the proposed program. "That 5.2 million is sitting in that contingency. This bill brings it above the line and moves it to KHA where they're going to issue an RFP for services to be provided," Freeman said.

Bill Peterson (council staff) told the committee that the draft RFP envisions one-year awards as currently written — KHA prefers multi-year approaches but the current funding is budgeted for a single year — and that the committee structured the program to avoid overlap with existing KHA services. Committee members asked whether funding would be recurring; staff confirmed the dollars are one-time at present but may be revisited during the next budget.

Council members praised workforce-development components and the focus on sustainability and partnerships. The committee opened the ballot and approved the bill 7–0.

Why it matters: The funding is explicitly targeted at a demographic (16–24) that committee members and the council auditor identified as having particular workforce and youth-development needs. The move identifies KHA as the vehicle to issue and manage the RFP and signals council intent to distribute the money through community organizations and partner-led proposals.

Sources: Presentation and remarks from Council Member Freeman and Bill Peterson; committee vote recorded in minutes.