**LEDE:**
City Manager Ferguson's $722 million budget cuts property tax rate from 59.62¢ to 43.71¢ per $100 assessed value, reducing median homeowner bills to approximately $1,814 annually.
Budget expands HEART crisis response program with 17 new positions focused on daytime services rather than 24/7 coverage, as most eligible calls occur during daylight hours.
City allocates $27 million in ARPA funding for affordable housing across seven projects, projecting 384 new affordable rental units, with eviction diversion program funded at $725,000.