Several residents used the council's public-comment period to press for more action on homelessness and to propose a city pilot pairing land remediation with affordable housing.

Tony Johnson spoke on behalf of the city’s homeless population, describing recent cold-weather harms and asking the council to expand shelter capacity. "When you leave out here tonight to go home to your homes, you'll probably on my way here, I pass 5 homeless people," Johnson said, adding reports that people experienced frostbite and that at least one person had died during the recent cold snap. He asked why hotels, underused city facilities or the Arthur Ashe Center were not being used to shelter people and urged more affordable housing and shelter capacity.

Monisha Hicks Whitaker proposed a two-phase community-centered initiative to address both environmental remediation and housing supply. She suggested the city designate underused, possibly contaminated parcels for a pilot program that would first remediate land using natural methods such as phytoremediation and then repurpose remediated lots for energy-efficient, affordable housing. "I respectfully ask that the board consider launching a working group or feasibility study to explore this proposal," Hicks Whitaker said.

Why it matters: Speakers linked homelessness and vacant or underused land, framing remediation as a way to expand affordable housing and relieve shelter demand. Council staff and members acknowledged homelessness as an ongoing concern; one staff member present (city liaison) was invited to follow up with a speaker after the meeting to discuss existing homelessness strategies.

Council response and context: The president directed a staff member, Tracy DeSheshire, to follow up with Tony Johnson after his remarks. Several council members later referenced homelessness as part of district announcements and thanked local organizations and pastors who provide shelter services. Council members also highlighted related votes earlier in the meeting, notably the $500,000 appropriation for tenant legal representation, which advocates said could reduce evictions and downstream homelessness.

Ending: Speakers asked for concrete follow-up; the transcript records invitations for staff to meet with commenters and for the council to review feasibility for the remediation-and-housing pilot.