Jay Ruais highlights action taken on homelessness in Manchester | CloseUp

IN THE SECOND DISTRICT. GOOD MORNING. I’M ADAM SEXTON. MANCHESTER MAYOR JAY ROY WON THE CORNER OFFICE AT CITY HALL BY OUTWORKING HIS OPPONENT ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL. NOW HE’S ALMOST A QUARTER OF THE WAY THROUGH HIS FIRST TERM IN TRYING TO DELIVER ON WHAT HE PROMISED TO QUEEN CITY VOTERS, MAYOR ROY IS OUR GUEST ON CLOSE UP THIS MORNING. THANKS FOR BEING HERE, MAYOR. GOOD MORNING. ADAM. IT’S GREAT TO BE WITH YOU. SO YOU CAMPAIGNED ON A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO THE HOMELESS ISSUE IN MANCHESTER. BUT THIS IS A VERY DIFFICULT PROBLEM TO SOLVE. SO TAKE US THROUGH THE TANGIBLE STEPS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN AND WHAT DIFFERENCE YOU THINK HAS BEEN MADE SO FAR. SURE. SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME THIS MORNING. I’M REALLY EXCITED. I THINK FROM THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, I’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE NEED TO ADDRESS IT IN A COMPREHENSIVE FASHION. SO I’LL START WITH HOUSING. SO ON SATURDAY WE WILL BE HOLDING A PUBLIC AUCTION FOR ALL OF THE CITY OWNED LAND THAT THE BOARD OF MAYOR AND ALDERMEN DEEMED SURPLUS, SO THAT WE CAN BRING MORE UNITS INTO THE CITY. WE’RE LOOKING AT 15 DIFFERENT PARCELS OF LAND, AND ALL OF THE NET PROCEEDS FROM THAT WILL GO INTO THE CITY’S AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND, SO THAT WE CAN SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS AROUND THE CITY. AGAIN, IN AN ATTEMPT TO HELP PEOPLE FIND THE HOUSING THAT THEY NEED DURING THIS CRUNCH. WE’RE ALSO IN THE MIDDLE OF UNDERTAKING A ZONING REWRITE, WHICH WILL BE RELEASED AT THE END OF THE MONTH, AGAIN WITH THE IDEA OF BRINGING MORE DENSITY INTO THE CITY, BRINGING MORE UNITS INTO THE CITY, AND REALLY TRANSFORMING THE WAY THAT WE ADDRESS HOUSING WITHIN THE CITY OF MANCHESTER. WE’VE ALSO TAKEN STEPS TO ADDRESS THE UNDERLYING CAUSES OF ADDICTION. SO ABOUT A MONTH AGO, WE LAUNCHED AN IDENTIFICATION PROGRAM TO PROVIDE IDS TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESS HOMELESSNESS. THAT’S ONE OF THE BIGGEST BARRIERS TO BREAKING THE CYCLE OF ADDICTION. IT STOPS PEOPLE FROM GETTING ACCESS TO VITAL SERVICES, EMPLOY HOUSING. SO ALREADY IN JUST A MONTH, 23 INDIVIDUALS HAVE GOTTEN IDENTIFICATION SO THAT THEY CAN BREAK THAT CYCLE AND GET ON TO A SUSTAINABLE LIFE. WE’VE ALSO STARTED AN ENGAGEMENT OR A RESOURCE FAIR AT THE ENGAGEMENT CENTER. SO NOW WE HAVE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER SPECIALISTS IN THERE. WE HAVE MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT IN THERE. WE HAVE THE NEW HAMPSHIRE EMPLOYMENT SECURITY DEPARTMENT IN THERE HELPING PEOPLE WRITE RESUMES. WE HAVE HOUSING ADVOCATES IN THERE. AND THAT HAPPENS EVERY THURSDAY. AND WE’RE EXPANDING THAT. WE’VE EXPANDED THE CONTINUUM OF CARE IN THE CITY TO HELP BREAK THE SILOS THAT WERE OCCURRING HERE IN MANCHESTER PREVIOUSLY. SO I THINK WE’RE MAKING SOME SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS. WE’RE ALSO WAITING FOR THE SUPREME COURT DECISION AND GRANTS PASS OREGON TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN ADDRESS THIS FROM AN ENFORCEMENT STANDPOINT AS WELL. SO I THINK WE’RE MAKING SOME PROGRESS AT BUILDING A BETTER SYSTEMS TO HELP PEOPLE FLOW THROUGH FROM WHERE THEY ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND AN ABILITY TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE LIFE. YOU GOT THAT LONG LIST YOU CAN POINT TO. YOU ALSO HAD THIS ACRIMONY EXIT OF THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSING STABILITY. WE DON’T WANT TO GO INTO THE DETAILS THERE, BUT AND ALL THAT DRAMA, OBVIOUSLY TRYING TO MAKE CHANGE IS NOT POPULAR WITH EVERYONE. BUT SHE SAID SOMETHING ON THE WAY OUT. SHE BASICALLY SAID, WHAT YOU’RE DOING IS NOT GOING TO WORK NOW. EVERYONE CAN HAVE THEIR OWN OPINION, BUT THIS IS A PURPORTED EXPERT IN THE FIELD. WHAT’S YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT? SURE. SO I’M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHICH PART SHE WAS REFERRING TO. I MEAN, I THINK ONE OF THE KEY FOCUSES THAT WE HAVE GOING FORWARD IS WE HAVE A 0.6% VACANCY RATE IN THE CITY. SO I WANT TO ADDRESS ALL OF THE UNDERLYING CAUSES THAT COULD HAVE LEAD SOMEBODY TO EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE IS A BACKLOG IN HOUSING HERE. WE HAVE A REAL BOTTLENECK IN OUR SHELTERS. SO WE’RE LOOKING AT CREATING MORE HOUSING TO TRANSFER PEOPLE OUT OF THE SHELTER SITUATION. AND INTO HOUSING. AND WHEN I TALK TO FOLKS, THEY AT ONE OF THE BIGGEST BARRIERS TO GETTING PEOPLE OFF OF THE STREETS IS CREATING MORE HOUSING, WHICH IS WHAT WE’RE DOING HERE IN THE CITY. A BIG CAMPAIGN ISSUE FOR YOU AND A BIG FOCUS OF YOUR ADVOCACY SO FAR DURING YOUR TENURE AS MAYOR, HAS BEEN ADDRESSING THE ISSUES WITH THE NEW BAIL SYSTEM THAT WAS PUT INTO PLACE IN 2018. OBVIOUSLY, MANCHESTER HAS BORNE THE BRUNT OF A LOT OF THOSE THINGS. LAWMAKERS IN CONCORD TRIED TO FIX IT IN 2019 AND 2020. REALLY WERE JUST WORKING AROUND THE MARGINS. NOW THEY HAVE A DEAL WHICH SUPPOSEDLY IS GOING TO BE MORE SUBSTANTIVE. THEY’RE GOING TO ADD THESE MAGISTRATES, THERE’S GOING TO BE VICTIM NOTIFICATION. THEY’RE GOING TO TRY AND GET SOME OF THESE FOLKS BEFORE A JUDGE TO SEE IF THEY CAN BE HELD, RATHER THAN RELEASED AUTOMATICALLY. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS AGREEMENT? DO YOU THINK IT’S GOING TO GET THE JOB DONE? SURE. I MEAN, I THINK IT’S A TREMENDOUS FIRST STEP. I WOULD IMPLORE ITS PASSAGE NEXT WEEK, I BELIEVE, IS ONE THE FINAL VOTE WILL BE TAKEN. I THINK THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY OF MANCHESTER. WHEN I TESTIFIED BEFORE THE STATE SENATE ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF AGO, I RAILED OFF THE STATISTICS THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAD GIVEN ME SINCE MAY OF LAST YEAR TO MAY OF THIS YEAR, 4300 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED IN THE CITY OF MANCHESTER, 27% OF THOSE WERE ALREADY OUT ON BAIL AT THE TIME OF THEIR RE-ARREST. THESE ARE THE THE FREQUENT FLIERS IN THE CITY. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO CONTINUE TO RUN THROUGH THIS CYCLE OF ARREST, RELEASE AND RE-ARREST THAT PUTS AN ENORMOUS STRAIN ON OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THOSE ARE THE REAL QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES THAT IMPACT US HERE. THERE IS NOTHING MORE TRANSFORMATIVE THAT COULD HAPPEN IN THE CITY OF MANCHESTER THAN GETTING BAIL REFORM DONE. THAT ADDRESSES THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE THE REPEAT OFFENDERS. SO I THINK THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT FIRST STEP. I’M THRILLED THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER IN A BIPARTISAN FASHION TO GET THIS DONE. I’M ALREADY LOOKING AT THE NEXT ITERATION OF THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT MANCHESTER CONTINUES TO BE SAFE AND SECURE. THE STATS, THE IMPORTANCE OF THOSE PROBABLY CAN’T BE UNDERESTIMATED, BECAUSE ONE OF THE WAYS THAT THIS WAS STOPPED FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS WAS SAYING, WE DON’T HAVE ANY DATA AND CLEARLY THOSE NUMBERS MATTERED IN THE MANCHESTER POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE A FANTASTIC JOB AT BEING ABLE TO TRACK THIS. ONE OTHER PIECE OF DATA I’LL GIVE YOU IS THAT SINCE MY SWEARING IN SO JANUARY 1ST, THERE HAVE BEEN ABOUT. 1300 ARRESTS. OF THAT, 40% WERE RELEASED ON BAIL. IT JUST CREATES THIS SISYPHEAN TASK FOR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS. AND YOU MENTIONED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THERE. YOU KNOW, HIRING HAS BEEN AN ISSUE, AND YOU WANT TO GET STAFFED UP. WHERE ARE YOU IN TERMS OF GETTING CLOSER TO A FULL COMPLEMENT? SURE. SO RIGHT NOW, I BELIEVE THE LAST NUMBERS THAT I SAW WAS THAT WE WERE ABOUT 22 SHY FROM A FULL COMPLEMENT. I MEAN, WE’RE GOING THROUGH A COMPENSATION STUDY RIGHT NOW AS A CITY, AND WE’RE GOING TO LOOK AT WHERE WE CAN RAISE PAY TO ATTRACT ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICERS INTO OUR CITY. THIS ISN’T SOMETHING THAT’S JUST UNIQUE TO MANCHESTER. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT’S GOING ON AROUND THE COUNTRY. BUT CHIEF ALDERBROOK DOES A FANTASTIC JOB. THE DEPARTMENT IS FILLED WITH HEROES, THE MEN AND WOMEN AT THE MANCHESTER POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE’RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO CONTINUE ATTRACTING GOOD POLICE OFFICERS IN THE CITY. YOU’VE GOT A NEW OPIOID PLAN OUT AS WELL. I’M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT OR ASK ABOUT THAT IN A BIT. I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT ONE MORE STATE ISSUE. THEY’RE LOOKING AT A CANNABIS LEGALIZATION BILL. IT’S BEEN KIND OF BACK AND FORTH. WE DON’T KNOW WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN ON THURSDAY. WHAT’S YOUR PERSPECTIVE? DO YOU THINK THE STATE SHOULD LEGALIZE MARIJUANA? SURE. SO I’VE BEEN IN RECOVERY MYSELF FOR 14 YEARS AND I’VE WORKED HEAVILY ON THE ADDICTION ISSUE IN THE PAST, AND I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT THAT COMPROMISE THAT THAT WAS REACHED YESTERDAY. HAVEN’T HAD A CHANCE TO DIG INTO IT YET. I DO HAVE CONCERNS. ANYTIME YOU’RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EPIDEMIC THAT WE ARE WITH OPIOIDS ABOUT LEGALIZING IT, BUT I HAVE AN OPEN MIND TO ANY ISSUE THAT’S GOING TO COME BEFORE MY DESK AS MAYOR. DO YOU THINK MANCHESTER WILL BEAR AGAIN TOO MANY CONSEQUENCES, JUST AS IT DID WITH THE BAIL SITUATION? EATON. SURE. SO, I MEAN, WE’RE WE’RE THE LARGEST CITY IN NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND. A LOT OF THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE GOING TO BE FACED IN THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE ARE GOING TO BE FOUND RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY. SO I THINK WE HAVE TO BE VERY DELIBERATIVE AND THOUGHTFUL ABOUT ANY APPROACH THAT WE’RE GOING TO TAKE TOWARDS DRUGS AND ADDICTION HERE IN THE CITY. SPECIFIC TO THAT OPIOID PLAN, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU’RE TRYING TO GET IN PLACE AGAIN, THIS FITS INTO THE HOMELESSNESS ISSUE. IT’S INTO THE BAIL ISSUE AS WELL. SURE. ABSOLUTELY. SO THAT THERE THE STATISTICS THAT WERE RELEASED LAST MONTH WERE THAT 50% OF ALL OVERDOSE IS IN THE CITY OF MANCHESTER, WERE EXPERIENCED BY THOSE WHO WERE HOMELESS. SO THIS THE OPIOID PREVENTION PLAN THAT WE RELEASED IS JUST AS MUCH ABOUT COMBATING HOMELESSNESS AS IT IS ADDICTION. AND THIS PLAN IS IT’S REALLY EXCITING. IT’S THE THE FIRST REWRITE UPDATE OF THIS PLAN SINCE 2016. SO I’M THRILLED TO BE ABLE TO RELEASE IT. WHAT IT DOES IS IT IDENTIFIES AND ALIGNS THOSE PROGRAMS THAT ARE WORKING HERE IN THE CITY, AND IT HELPS IDENTIFY THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE WORKING NATIONALLY. AND IT LOOKS TO IMPLEMENT THEM HERE IN THE CITY OF MANCHESTER. BUT IT ALIGNS THOSE PROGRAMS WITH THE FUNDING THAT’S AVAILABLE AT THE STATE AND NATIONAL LEVEL. SO YOU IDENTIFY WHAT’S WORKING, YOU IDENTIFY WHERE THE GAPS ARE IN THE CITY. YOU IMPLEMENT THOSE PROGRAMS BECAUSE THEY’RE ALIGNING WITH WHAT THE STATE IS LOOKING TO DO FROM A FINANCIAL RESOURCES STANDPOINT. SO VERY, VERY EXCITED TO GETTING THAT OFF THE GROUND. HOW DO YOU BALANCE THE HARM REDUCTION ASPECT WITH THE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES THAT YOU SEE, AS WELL? SOMETIMES WITH THINGS LIKE NEEDLE EXCHANGE AND THINGS LIKE THAT? SURE. SO I MEAN, I THINK WHEN IT COMES TO HARM REDUCTION, THINGS LIKE NARCAN TO ME ARE VERY IMPORTANT AS A PERSON THAT’S IN RECOVERY, BEING ABLE TO SAVE SOMEBODY’S LIFE WITH NARCAN, I THINK IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. YOU CAN’T FIND RECOVERY IF YOU’VE PASSED AWAY CLEARLY. SO I THINK IT’S IT’S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THOSE KINDS OF THINGS AVAILABLE ON THE NEEDLE EXCHANGE. I THINK THAT’S SOMETHING THAT HAS DETRIMENTALLY IMPACTED THE THE CITY FROM A QUALITY OF LIFE STANDPOINT. I THINK THERE ARE WAYS TO DO IT RESPONSIBLY. AND YOU JUST NEED TO FIND AND STRIKE THAT BALANCE. YOU TRY TO WORK ON ALL THESE SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES AND THERE’S PERCEPTION AS WELL. OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TALK ABOUT GOING DOWNTOWN. ONE PERSON’S EXPERIENCE MAY BE DIFFERENT FROM ANOTHER’S. I SAW IN ONE OF YOUR STATE OF THE STATE OR STATE OF THE CITY SPEECHES, YOU WERE SAYING SAYING YOU DON’T LIKE THE NICKNAMES THAT MANCHESTER HAS ACQUIRED OVER THE YEARS, WHETHER IT’S, YOU KNOW, MANCH VEGAS OR MANCH GHANISTAN, HOW DO YOU PUSH BACK AGAINST THAT PERCEPTION ISSUE? WELL, I THINK WE CAN PUSH BACK BECAUSE IT’S NOT TRUE. MANCHESTER ISN’T MANCH VEGAS OR MANCH GHANISTAN, AND I THINK IT DOES A GRAVE DISSERVICE TO THE CITY OF MANCHESTER TO HEAR THAT LANGUAGE BEING BANDIED ABOUT IN A JOKING MANNER. I MEAN, I WORK RIGHT IN CITY HALL, RIGHT IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA. I MEAN, I CERTAINLY IN ANY CITY YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE POCKETS WHERE YOU WANT TO CLEAN IT UP. BUT, I MEAN, I’M VERY EXCITED, UH, TO, UM, TO HAVE THE, THE WE HAD PUT OUT AN RFP A FEW MONTHS AGO FOR A DOWNTOWN CLEANING CREW THAT’S GOING TO COME IN, AND THEY’RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THINGS LIKE GRAFFITI OR, OR TRASH THAT’S THAT’S ON THE GROUND. AND THAT THAT STARTS ON JULY 1ST. I THINK THE CITY IS IN GREAT SHAPE. I THINK THE THE SKY IS THE LIMIT AND THERE’S NO REASON WHY THE CITY OF MANCHESTER CAN’T BE THE BEST MID-SIZED CITY IN THE UNITED STATES. ONE OF THE VERY UNIQUE ASPECTS OF YOUR INAUGURAL ADDRESS IS THAT YOU SPOKE IN SPANISH. UH, EXTENSIVELY. WHAT KIND OF OUTREACH HAVE YOU BEEN DOING, ESPECIALLY TO THOSE, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE’S SUCH DIVERSITY IN MANCHESTER THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING TO REACH THOSE COMMUNITIES AND MAKE SURE THEY KNOW THEY’RE A PART OF THE CITY? YEAH. IT’S I THIS IS A TOPIC THAT IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART. MY WIFE IS FROM PERU. SHE IMMIGRATED TO THE UNITED STATES IN 2005 AND HAD TO LEARN THE LANGUAGE AND GO TO SCHOOL. SHE’S ACTUALLY GOING TO SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE UNIVERSITY NOW TO FINISH HER BACHELOR’S DEGREE. SO THIS IS VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART. I’VE HAD A NUMBER OF INCREDIBLE MEETINGS WITH MEMBERS OF THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY AND TALKING ABOUT THEIR NEEDS, THEIR CONCERNS. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER, THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, THOSE WHO ARE FROM THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND STILL CITIZENS OF THEIR WERE ABLE TO VOTE AT CITY HALL. SO THEY VOTED IN THEIR ELECTION HERE IN THE CITY OF MANCHESTER. I THINK DOING THAT LEVEL OF OUTREACH TO KNOW THAT MANCHESTER CARES, THAT MANCHESTER IS HERE FOR YOU. I’M GOING TO BE A MAYOR FOR EVERYBODY IN THE CITY, REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU’RE FROM OR WHAT YOUR BACKGROUND IS. ALL RIGHT. MAYOR RUI, THANKS FOR JOINING US ON CLOSE UP. WE APPRECIATE THE TIME. THANK YOU, ADAM, AND WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH PORTSMOUTH MAYOR DEAGLA