The Holyoke City Council sent an order to the Finance Committee that looks to utilize funds to reduce violence and illegal activity, address blight and problem properties, improve housing conditions, expand prevention efforts and restore residents’ confidence in their neighborhoods.
Photo credit: Holyoke Media
HOLYOKE — The City Council and Finance Subcommittee will discuss using $750,000 to address quality-of-life issues through a comprehensive neighborhood stabilization initiative called Ezekiel’s Plan 2.0,
City Councilor Patti Devine proposed a $750,000 transfer from the Marijuana Impact Fee Stabilization Fund to Ezekiel’s Plan 2.0 during the City Council’s Sept. 15 meeting.
Mayor Joshua Garcia said the proposed plan aims to reduce violence and illegal activity, address blight and problem properties, improve housing conditions, expand prevention efforts and restore residents’ confidence in their neighborhoods.
The plan is posted at Holyoke.org, and the City Council sent the item to the Finance Subcommittee for discussion. As of press time, the Finance Committee is scheduled to meet on Monday, Sept. 28.
The proposal builds on the original Ezekiel’s Plan introduced by Garcia in 2023 following the tragic shooting that resulted in the death of eight-month-old Ezekiel Ramon Garcia. On Oct. 4, 2023, an altercation between several men, which escalated into gunfire, resulted in a bullet striking a passing PVTA bus, hitting an eight-month-pregnant woman who was riding the bus.
She was critically injured, transported to the hospital and delivered her baby. Despite efforts to save him, Ezekiel did not survive. On Sept. 17, Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni announced that Johnluis Sanchez was sentenced following his conviction on charges stemming from the October 2023 shooting.
On Sept.10, a Hampden County jury found Sanchez guilty of Involuntary manslaughter, illegal carrying of a firearm and illegal carrying of a loaded firearm.
Sanchez was sentenced to 18 to 20 years in state prison for involuntary manslaughter, four to five years in state prison for illegal possession of a firearm, and two and a half years in the House of Correction for Unlawful Possession of a Loaded Firearm, to be served on and after the sentence for Illegal Possession of a Firearm.
Garcia’s original 2023 proposal called for a $1 million investment, but the City Council did not pass the order.
Now, three years later, Garcia said in a statement that although the city has made meaningful progress, including a recently reported 7.5% reduction in crime, residents continue to express concerns about violence, illegal activity, blight, housing conditions, homelessness and quality of life in neighborhoods across Holyoke.
“Holyoke is a compassionate city, and our commitment to social justice is part of what makes this community strong,” Garcia said. “But compassion and accountability must go hand in hand. We have an obligation to help people who are struggling while also protecting residents, businesses and neighborhoods from violence, illegal activity and unsafe conditions.”
Ezekiel’s Plan 2.0 includes strategic actions and funding sources that can be utilized.
The proposal aims to bring together enforcement, prevention, housing, neighborhood investment and community partnerships to address both immediate concerns and underlying conditions that contribute to neighborhood instability, according to the city.
Among the proposed strategies are:
•Ongoing city-wide camera system and technology installation and upgrades for community safety, except for Flock cameras and automated license plate readers.
•Expand code enforcement, community policing, ordinance compliance, and criminal enforcement, including support for the property preservation group and flex squad.
•Education and training for municipal employees focused on compliance and enforcement.
•Enhance local support and partnership to assist those impacted by homelessness, housing insecurity, mental health, and substance use disorder (SUD).
•Partnership with local organization/s for tenant protections (Homeless Liaison / Housing Navigator, landlord registry, housing legal counsel for tenants, landlord education, etc.).
•Outside legal counsel for the City Legal Department to address ongoing problem properties.
•Demolition of unsafe buildings.
•Neighborhood Outreach and Engagement, youth programming and education, including support for Parks and Recreation to run programs.
The proposal uses multiple funding sources, including CDBG, HOME-ARP, opioid settlement funds, Shannon Grant resources and local appropriations.
Garcia emphasized that the plan intends to address concerns raised by residents, businesses, city councilors, and municipal departments and to enforce existing laws and ordinances consistently.
