Title
Resolution requesting and authorizing the Mayor, the Director of the Department of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Directors of the Departments of Finance and Public Works to explore entering into an agreement or agreements with the Center for Employment Opportunities to establish an a program providing employment opportunities for individuals recently returned home from incarceration.
Body
Whereas, one of the largest obstacles to reentry into our communities for our friends, family and loved ones returning home from incarceration is the difficulty of finding life-sustaining employment; and
Whereas, individuals with criminal records often need assistance overcoming these obstacles; and,
Whereas, one of the more successful approaches to overcoming these obstacles is employment through transitional job programs, which provide temporary, subsidized employment designed to transition hard-to-employ individuals into private-sector employment; and,
Whereas, combining this approach with focused interventions on individuals' other needs, such as housing, mental health supports and family supports provides a more sustainable pathway to success for more individuals returning home from incarceration; and,
Whereas, the City holds nearly 10,000 vacant, abandoned and overgrown land parcels, with nearly another 10,000 in various states of private ownership; and,
Whereas, the Center for Employment Opportunities operates programming in twelve states; and,
Whereas, Center for Employment Opportunities has succeeded in making more than 34,000 job placements with more than 4,000 private employer throughout the country; and,
Whereas, the City can provide a critical and necessary jump-start to expanding that work here in Pittsburgh by opening a pathway for more residents recently returned home from incarceration to get crucial opportunities such as these.
Be it resolved by the Council of the City of Pittsburgh as follows:
Section 1. The Mayor, the Director of the D...
Click here for full text