City officials say federal grant pause halted gun‑violence contracts; council urged to approve extensions

Chief Johnson Kinsey, director of the Mayor’s Office to Reduce Gun Violence, told the council the city paused payments and hiring for its community violence‑reduction contractors after a federal hold on Department of Justice grants in April 2025 left the city uncertain it could be reimbursed.

“We paused services because we could not be sure we would be reimbursed by the federal government,” Kinsey said, describing a yearlong interruption in contract activity and explaining the city continued planning work but could not legally pay providers while reimbursement was uncertain.

Kinsey and Stephanie Pascual, the chief strategy officer, asked the council to extend contract terms and reprogram unused funds so organizations can restart outreach and case‑management work this spring and summer. Kinsey said the city will require contractor staff to pass a vetting process that includes the Syracuse Police Department and the district attorney’s office.

Council members pressed staff on whether neighborhood providers stopped serving young people entirely during the pause. Some councilors said they understood community partners had continued work in informal ways; Kinsey said planning and non‑billable preparatory work continued but that, legally, the city did not have active contracts after expiration dates in January and February 2026 and therefore could not reimburse staff.

Staff provided several operational details: the violence‑reduction contracts target individuals roughly 14–24 years old, and Kinsey said some program components include YMCA memberships and family‑functional therapy through partner agencies. Kinsey said some contracts originally focused on outreach and have been expanded to include case management and direct services.

Councilors asked for supporting documents. Kinsey said she would distribute the prior 2023 budget and an updated budget and narrative to provide context on what work occurred before and during the pause. The council did not take a formal vote during the study session; staff said they would return with contract extensions and amended terms for formal consideration.

What happens next: staff will deliver the requested budget documents and a contract‑extension packet; the council will consider formal action to extend terms and allocate previously unspent funds so partners can resume services.