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Q&A
Questions about restoring Community Justice Initiative (CJI) funding
2:09:07
·
102 sec
Council Member Stevens inquires about the possibility of restoring funding for the Community Justice Initiative (CJI) to past levels, given that the city is no longer in a fiscal emergency. DYCD officials explain the current situation and the work being done despite budget cuts.
- CJI budget was cut by $2.5 million during a previous fiscal crisis
- The current contract with Legal Aid Society is $2.5 million
- Despite the cut, Legal Aid has provided services to over 325 cases and conducted workshops with over 3,900 attendees
- DYCD is working closely with Legal Aid to understand the impact of the cuts and continue vital work across the city
Althea V. Stevens
2:09:07
Okay.
2:09:09
So I'm gonna go into some questions around one of the reductions that we had last year.
2:09:14
The CJU budget was cut and and you know because we were in a economic crisis.
2:09:22
DYCD now is there a fiscal like we are out of the fiscal emergency.
2:09:26
Do you think there's a possibility for us to restore the CJI funding at the past levels this year?
Darryl Rattray
2:09:37
Chair Stevens, are you referring to the legal aid Yeah.
2:09:40
Society?
2:09:41
Okay.
2:09:41
Sorry.
Althea V. Stevens
2:09:43
She's a g.
Darryl Rattray
2:09:43
Yeah.
2:09:44
It's the the visual with it.
Althea V. Stevens
2:09:45
I'm sorry.
2:09:45
I'm sorry.
2:09:45
Mhmm.
Darryl Rattray
2:09:46
So, yes.
2:09:46
And as we testified before, that that cut came at a time when the the the the the city's budget was in dire straits and we had to make drastic budget cuts in that November.
2:09:59
It was cut by 2,500,000.0 as you
Nate Duval Estrella
2:10:01
know Mhmm.
Darryl Rattray
2:10:02
Which left us with 2,500,000.0 of a contract with legal aid.
2:10:07
The team has been working with them closely on the work that they do and it's it's very important work to our providers across the system.
2:10:14
I I I could tell you now that the work they've been doing, they've provided legal services to over 325 cases of legal services which include representation, advice, briefing services.
2:10:30
They've done workshops across the city connecting with our CMS providers.
2:10:35
Attendees to those workshops have been over 3,900.
Rita C. Joseph
2:10:38
Thank you.
Darryl Rattray
2:10:39
So they they are they are still doing very vital work across the city and we work with them closely to actualize whether or not how the cuts totally affecting.