* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:08] HELLO [Connecting on Homelessness in Austin] AND WELCOME TO THE FINAL DAY OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN PANEL SERIES ON HOMELESSNESS. MY NAME IS LAURA M FOSS AND I'M THE HOMELESSNESS COMMUNICATIONS PRIORITY LEAD AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE. THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS HOSTING A SERIES OF THREE PANELS TO DISCUSS THE PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE OF THE ISSUE HERE IN OUR CITY. TODAY'S TOPIC IS INNOVATIONS AND WHAT'S ON THE HORIZON. WE'RE FEATURING LEADERS FROM MOBILE LOAVES AND FISHES FAMILY, ELDER CARE UT SCHOOL OF PHARMACY AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE. I'M SORRY, THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S OFFICE OF DESIGN AND DELIVERY. TODAY'S UH, PAMELA IS MODERATED BY TAYLOR COOK OF THE DESIGN INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH, WHICH IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE DELL MEDICAL SCHOOL AND THE COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN. THIS PAST MONDAY'S TOPIC WAS UNDERSTANDING AND IN THE CRISIS AND HOW WE GOT HERE FEATURING LEADERS FROM AUSTIN, PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFE, INTEGRAL CARE AND LIFE WORKS, AND IT WAS MODERATED BY CATHERINE FLOWERS OF DELL MEDICAL SCHOOL. SHE'S A PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR ILLUSTRATOR FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES, AND WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY'S TOPIC WAS WHAT'S HAPPENING PROGRAMS AND ACTION. WE WERE JOINED BY LEADERS FROM ECHO, THE OTHER ONE'S FOUNDATION, THE CITY OF AUSTIN HOMELESS OUTREACH STREET TEAM AND THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY. AND IT WAS MODERATED. BYE. I WILL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT. UH, YOU CAN ACCESS ALL OF THE PANELS ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN ARCHIVE@AUSTINTECHATHEXN.TV AND ON YOUTUBE, AND ALSO ON THE AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV HOMELESSNESS GET INVOLVED, GET INVOLVED PAGE HOMELESSNESS IS A COMPLEX ADAPTIVE PROBLEM THAT TOUCHES EVERY MAJOR CITY IN TEXAS, INCLUDING AUSTIN, WITH NUMEROUS AGENCIES AND NONPROFITS WORKING TO TACKLE THE ROOT CAUSES AND MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE WHILE THE ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS IS UNIQUE TO EVERY COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION CAN HELP FILL IN THE GAPS. WE'RE DELIGHTED. YOU'VE CHOSEN TO TUNE IN, TO LEARN ABOUT PLANS IN MOTION, INNOVATIVE INNOVATIONS AND TESTING, AND NEW APPROACHES TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY. AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR MODERATOR FOR TODAY DESIGN PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE DESIGN INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH TAYLOR COOK TAYLOR. YEAH. THANKS LAURA. AND THANK YOU EVERYONE. WHO'S JOINING FOR THIS PANEL TODAY AND FOR OUR PANELISTS. UM, WE'RE REALLY HOPEFUL THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT THE INNOVATIONS THAT ARE UNDERWAY IN AUSTIN. WE'LL LEAVE EVERYONE WITH A SENSE OF HOPE AND REALLY INSPIRED TO GET INVOLVED WITH SOLVING SOME OF THESE SERIOUS PROBLEMS THAT WE'VE GOT IN AUSTIN AROUND HOMELESSNESS. SO TO GET US STARTED, UM, AND JUST WOUNDED EACH OF THE PANELISTS TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION AND START INSPIRING US BY TELLING US WHAT BIG QUESTION YOU'RE TRYING TO ANSWER ABOUT HOMELESSNESS. UM, AND WE'LL START WITH YOU MARK. HI EVERYONE. I'M MARK JAN CARR. I'M A USER RESEARCHER WITH THE SERVICE DESIGN LAB FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN. THAT'S WITHIN THE OFFICE OF DESIGN AND DELIVERY. AND, UH, I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO WORK ON SOME PROGRAMS AND PROTOTYPES, UH, THAT THE CITY HAS ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS, SUCH AS THE LEAVE, NO TRACE AND CAN'T-MISS OUTREACH PROGRAM, UH, THE VIOLET BAG, UH, AND KEMET GARBAGE COLLECTION PROGRAM AND THE NEW, UH, KEEP SAFE STORAGE FACILITY FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, UH, AND REALLY, UH, WHAT I WANT TO, UH, ADDRESS TODAY AND TALK ABOUT IS WHAT IS THE CITY'S ROLE IN ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS AND HOW WE CAN BEST DO THAT. AND THANKS MARK. UM, NOW WE'LL GO TO TISCH AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND, UH, WHAT THE BIG QUESTION IS YOU'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS GOOD AFTERNOON. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY. I AM TISHA MOCZYGEMBA AND I AM A HEALTH OUTCOMES RESEARCHER AT THE UT COLLEGE OF PHARMACY AND TEXAS CENTER FOR HEALTH OUTCOMES, RESEARCH AND EDUCATION. THE QUESTION MY TEAM IS TRYING TO TACKLE IS HOW CAN GAPS IN CARE AND POOR COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES PROVIDERS BE MITIGATED EARLY IN MY WORK WITH PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. I LEARNED A LOT FROM HOMELESS CARE PROVIDERS WHO WOULD SHARE WITH ME THEIR ISSUE OF LOSING CONTACT WITH THEIR CLIENTS OR PATIENTS. AND THIS WOULD COME UP AGAIN AND AGAIN, AND IT STILL COMES UP TODAY. ALSO AT THAT TIME KNOW CASE MANAGERS WITH TELL ME HOW THEIR CLIENTS WERE BEGINNING TO HAVE CELL PHONES SINCE THEN THE ADOPTION OF CELL PHONE HAS EXPANDED TO WHERE IT IS NEARLY UBIQUITOUS ACROSS ALL TYPES OF GROUPS AND SETTINGS AND [00:05:01] STAYING IN TOUCH WITH PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS CAN BE HARD FOR MANY REASONS. THE FACT THAT A CELL PHONE AND SERVICES LIKE TEXT MESSAGING CAN REACH ANYONE ANYWHERE. THERE'S GREAT POTENTIAL FOR THIS CELL PHONE TO TRANSFORM THE WAY THAT WE COMMUNICATE WITH HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS TO MEET NEEDS. FROM A BIG PICTURE PERSPECTIVE. MY TEAM WORKS WITH COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS TO DEVELOP, IMPLEMENT, AND TEST THE USE OF SMART PHONES AS A TOOL TO IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES AND MEET SOCIAL NEEDS. THANKS SO MUCH. UH, SHANTELLE, HOW ABOUT YOU? YEAH. HI. HI EVERYONE. MY NAME IS SEAN . I'M A DIRECTOR HERE AT FAMILY ELDER CARE. I'M IN CHARGE OF FINANCIAL AND HOUSING STABILITY. UM, WHAT QUESTIONS ARE WE TRYING TO ANSWER IS HOW TO DESIGN SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS WITH SHORT TERM HOMELESS, UM, ASSISTANCE FOR PEOPLE ON FIXED INCOMES? UM, TRYING TO ANSWER, UH, HOW DO WE, UH, CREATE AND DESIGN, UH, PROGRAMMING, UH, INNOVATIVE, UH, SOLUTIONS TO COMBAT HOMELESSNESS AND TO, UH, ADDRESS, UM, THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE AGING AND ARE ON A FIXED INCOME. YEAH. THANKS SHOULD TELL IT. THAT'S A HUGELY IMPORTANT WORK. UM, ALL RIGHT. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST ALAN. YEP. THERE WE GO. UH, GLAD TO BE HERE. ALAN GRAHAM, UH, CEO, FOUNDER, MOBILE LOAVES AND FISHES. AND, UH, I'M GOING TO CALL DIBS ON THOSE THREE PREVIOUS QUESTIONS TOO. THOSE ARE GREAT ONES. UM, AND I'M GOING TO ADD IN THERE AGING IN PLACE, UH, SHANTELLE, AND I GO WAY BACK, UH, FAMILY ELDER CARE AND MOBILE LOAVES AND FISHES. AND, UH, UH, OUR, UH, EFFORTS REALLY BEGAN TO LIFT PEOPLE UP OFF THE STREETS THAT COULD LIVE INDEPENDENTLY. UH, BUT THAT'S NOT REALLY WHAT'S GOING ON. UH, OUR AVERAGE AGE OUT HERE IS 58 YEARS OLD. UH, 65% HAVE TWO OR MORE COMORBID DISEASES. UH, OUR AVERAGE AGE OF DEATH IS JUST UNDER 60 YEARS OLD. UH, AND OFTENTIMES WHEN PEOPLE GET REALLY SICK, UH, THEY HAVE TO LEAVE THEIR COMMUNITY HERE, UH, THE COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE AND, UH, AND GO SOMEWHERE ACROSS TOWN WHERE THEY DON'T WANT TO BE. AND SO, UH, UH, OUR BIG TALENT HERE IN THE RELATIVE NEAR TERM IS HOW CAN WE CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO NOT ONLY AGE IN PLACE, BUT TO, UH, UH, TO DIE IN PEACE HERE AND REALLY APPRECIATE BEING HERE AND WITH THIS ESTEEMED PANEL. THANKS. THANK YOU SO MUCH, ALLEN. UH, SO MY FIRST QUESTION THEN IS FOR YOU ALAN SHANTELLE, SHANTELLE, EXCUSE ME, WE KNOW THAT INNOVATION IS A PROCESS. UM, SO I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW WHAT YOUR JOURNEY'S BEEN LIKE FOR YOUR PROGRAMS. UM, AND THEN WHAT ARE SOME OF THE LESSONS THAT YOU'VE LEARNED ALONG THE WAY? AND I'LL START WITH YOU, ALAN. YEAH. OH BOY. UH, YOU KNOW, OUR VISION GOES BACK, UH, 15 YEARS AND, UH, AND, UH, A LOT OF DRAMA, UH, ALONG THE WAY, UH, RELATED TO, UH, ALL THE, NOT MY BACKYARD, UH, UH, PEOPLE THAT LOVE WHAT IT IS THAT WE ALL DO, UH, BUT DON'T WANT IT ANYWHERE NEAR WHERE THEY MAY LIVE. AND, UM, AND SO I WOULD SAY THAT ONE OF THE LESSONS THAT I LEARNED ALONG THE WAY IS HOW DIFFICULT THAT ROADBLOCK ACTUALLY IS, UH, TO OVERCOME. UH, WE DID IT BECAUSE WE JUST MOVED TO HARE OUTSIDE THE CITY. WE SHARE PROPERTY LINES WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN. WE'RE ABLE TO, UH, UH, GET UTILITIES, WATER, SEWER, AND ELECTRICITY FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND CAPITAL METRO BUS TRANSPORTATION. UH, BUT, UH, BECAUSE OF NO ZONING IN THE COUNTY AND THE STATE OF TEXAS, WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, UH, UH, NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE GAUNTLET OF THE, NOT MY BACKYARD, UH, UH, EXPERIENCE. WE KIND OF, UM, WHAT WE STARTED AND WE OPENED ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO. WE ACTUALLY, UH, ANALOGIZE THIS TO BUILDING A SEVEN 47 IN FLIGHT. UM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF LEARNING. UH, THAT'S BEEN GOING ON LONG ALONG THE WAY, AND I FEEL LIKE THAT IN THE EARLY DAYS, YOU KNOW, THE PLANE WAS PRETTY WOBBLY AND NOW IT'S, UH, PRETTY STRAIGHT WITH A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, UH, MOVEMENT AROUND. AND, UH, AS WE CONTINUE TO SCALE, UH, AND GROW LARGER AND LARGER AND LARGER, HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO MAKE, MAINTAIN THE RELATIONAL INTIMACY THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE HERE IN THE VILLAGE? AND, UH, UH, WE HAVE SOME PRETTY EXCITING THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO COME UP, UH, DURING, UH, PHASE THREE AND FOUR, WHICH IS ANOTHER 126 ACRES THAT WE'RE PLANNING WITH 1400 HOMES. UM, AND THEN, [00:10:01] UM, I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE, THE GAPS AND, UH, UH, MENTAL HEALTH AND PHYSICAL HEALTH CARE AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, UH, IS GOING TO BE A BIG ONE THAT WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS. SO YEAH, THERE WE GO. SHANTELLE, UH, WHAT'S YOUR INNOVATION JOURNEY BEEN LIKE? WELL, YEAH, THANK YOU. A FAMILY AUTOCARE HAS BEEN IN THE AGING SERVICES, UM, ARENA FOR NEARLY 40 YEARS. UM, WE PROVIDE, UH, HAVE BEEN PROVIDING BASIC, UM, SUPPORT SERVICES FOR OLDER ADULTS, WITH OUR FOCUS BEING ON, UH, HOMELESS PREVENTION, ONE FINANCIAL STABILITY, AND, UH, TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT AND SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS TO MAINTAIN LIVING INDEPENDENTLY IN THE COMMUNITY. UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, SERVED HOMELESS, UH, OLDER ADULTS, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK, UH, YOU KNOW, 40 YEARS. UM, OVER THE PAST DECADE, WE HAVE SEEN MORE AND MORE FOLKS COMING INTO OUR SERVICES AND PRESENTING, UM, WITH, UH, W WITH NEEDS THAT, UH, REQUIRED US TO RESHAPE OUR SERVICES TO MEET THOSE NEEDS. UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS OBVIOUSLY A HUGE BARRIER, UH, FOR THE FOLKS THAT WE SERVE, UM, SUPPORT SERVICES THAT SPECIALIZE IN, UM, OLDER ADULTS, UH, ADDRESSING THEIR, UH, MEDICAL NEEDS, UM, MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS, UH, BEING ABLE TO ASSESS, UM, WHAT, UH, THEIR FUNCTIONAL LIMITATIONS ARE TO BETTER SHAPE AND, UM, DESIGNED PROGRAMS. UM, WE, UM, GOT INTO THE, UH, HOUSING, THE, UH, HOUSING BUSINESS, I SUPPOSE, UM, WAY BACK IN, UH, YOU KNOW, 1998 WHEN WE CREATED THE ELDER SHELTER. AND IT WAS A SHELTER DESIGNED TO, UM, PROVIDE TEMPORARY HOUSING, UH, TO OLDER ADULTS. AND WE WERE WILDLY SUCCESSFUL. AT ONE POINT, WE HAD 21 UNITS, UH, AROUND AUSTIN, AND WE'RE ABLE TO TRANSITION OLDER ADULTS, UH, FROM THE STREETS, YOU KNOW, INTO PERMANENT HOUSING. UM, WE ENDED UP HAVING TO CLOSE THE SHELTER BECAUSE OF FUNDING AND SKYROCKETING COST OF HOUSING IN AUSTIN, AND WHICH LED US TO, UH, AGAIN, W W CREATING PROGRAMMING TO PROVIDE WRAPAROUND SERVICES, UH, TO MEET INDIVIDUALS OLDER ADULTS NEEDS. UM, I, OUR SERVICES ARE LAYERED AND WE FIND THAT, UH, WITH LAYERING OUR FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SERVICES SUCH AS PAY AND FIDUCIARY SERVICES WITH OUR, UM, HOMELESS PREVENTION SERVICES AND OUR BENEFITS ENROLLMENT THAT WE PROVIDE THIS WRAP AROUND, UM, UH, LAYERING OF SERVICES THAT, YOU KNOW, IS THERE FOR THE INDIVIDUAL AND SOMETIMES LIFELONG, UM, WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO, THROUGH OUR, OUR PROGRAMMING, ABLE TO SERVE INDIVIDUALS, UH, FOR AS LONG AS THEY WANT. WE CURRENTLY HAVE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN WITH US 25 YEARS AND, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE BETTER OFF BECAUSE OF THE SERVICES THEY'RE, UH, FINANCIALLY STABLE AND HOUSING STABLE. UM, SO I THINK IT'S PARTICULARLY TELLING, UM, YOUR, YOUR ANECDOTE OR STORY ABOUT, UM, NEEDING TO CLOSE ON THE SHELTER BECAUSE OF, UM, THE COST OF, OF LIVING HERE IS SO HIGH. AND SO I THINK IT BRINGS HOME THE POINT THAT INNOVATION IS SO CRITICAL, JUST BECAUSE THINGS ARE CHANGING AND GROWING ALL THE TIME HERE IN AUSTIN. UM, SO I'VE GOT A QUESTION THEN FOR YOU, MARK, AND, UH, TISHA AS WELL. SO, UM, YOU ARE BOTH DOING INNOVATIVE PROJECTS AS PART OF YOUR JOBS, UM, WITH THE TEXAS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS COLLEGE OF PHARMACY AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WHICH ARE, YOU KNOW, LARGER PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE AREN'T ALWAYS KNOWN FOR BEING TERRIBLY INNOVATIVE OR QUICK TO INNOVATE. I'M SO INTERESTED TO KNOW FROM BOTH OF YOU. UM, HOW IS IT THAT YOU'VE BEEN COLLABORATING WITH PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND FRONTLINE WORKERS, UM, TO HELP SPURN INNOVATION AND DEVELOP THESE PROJECTS? UH, SO I'LL, I'LL START WITH YOU TISH, THANK YOU. MY TEAM HAS [00:15:01] CONDUCTED TWO FEASIBILITY STUDIES IN AUSTIN, AND WE DID THOSE TO SORT OF FOCUS ON THIS PROOF OF CONCEPT WITH REGARDS TO USING SMARTPHONE TECHNOLOGY IN TERMS OF ANSWERING BASIC PROCESS QUESTIONS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WILL IT WORK WHERE PEOPLE HOLD ONTO THE PHONES? YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN BEFORE WE COULD EVEN GET TO FURTHER STEPS ABOUT HOW IT MIGHT IMPACT OUTCOMES? AND SO THE BEST WAY I LIKE TO DESCRIBE THIS IS THAT IN ORDER FOR ME TO BE SUCCESSFUL AS A RESEARCHER IN MOVING THE NEEDLE ON OUTCOMES AND HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS, I HAVE TO GET OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND TALK TO PEOPLE. SO IT'S NOT STAYING IN MY OFFICE AND SORT OF, YOU KNOW, READING ALL THE LITERATURE THAT I CAN FIND. AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE IF SOMETIMES WE'RE REFERRED TO INTERVENTIONS, YOU KNOW, WHAT WILL STICK OR STICKINESS. AND, AND WE HAVE TO KNOW WHAT THIS CONTEXT FROM THE LOCAL AREA TO BE SUCCESSFUL. AND THAT'S CERTAINLY WHAT WE'VE SEEN HERE WITH REGARDS TO THESE INTERVENTIONS. SO WE, WE, THESE ARE, THIS IS COMMUNITY BASED WORK. WE RECRUIT FROM CHURCHES AND ALL ALONG THE WAY, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH STAKEHOLDERS, UM, TO DEVELOP AND EXECUTE THE FEASIBILITY STUDIES. ONE OF OUR PRIMARY PARTNERS IS SUNRISE NAVIGATION CENTER, AND THEIR STAFF HAVE DIRECT INPUT INTO THE WAY THAT WE IMPLEMENTED THE TYPES OF TEXT MESSAGES THAT WE INCORPORATED. AND WE EVEN MET WITH GROUPS OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK AS WELL. THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT I THINK ARE, ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY THAT HAS COMES DIRECTLY FROM COMMUNITY INPUT. SO FOR EXAMPLE, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING THAT'S SIMPLE, BUT I'M ALWAYS LIKE, WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT? SO IN OUR PROCESSES FOR DISTRIBUTING THE PHONE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE IT, THE CELL PHONE, A CASE, ALL THIS THINGS. AND, BUT OF COURSE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S EASY FOR PEOPLE TO KEEP THE PHONE ON YOUR PERSON AND HAVE IT WITH THEM AT ALL TIMES. SO, VERY SIMPLE SUGGESTION THAT SOMEONE IN THE COMMUNITY MADE WAS, HEY, COULD YOU ALSO JUST PROVIDE AN ARM BAND? SO THAT WAY IT COULD EITHER SOMEBODY COULD JUST PUT IT UP THEIR ARM AND DO THEIR SLEEVE, OR WEAR IT ON HER LEG OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT REALLY RESONATED WITH SOME PARTICIPANTS AS BEING USEFUL. ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS HOW THE, UM, TRANSPORTATION AND STAYING CONNECTED, YOU KNOW, HOW WE WANT AS A RESEARCH TEAM, WE WANT TO STAY CONNECTED WITH OUR PARTICIPANTS, BUT THEY, WE WANT TO, WE WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO GET TO US AND, AND, YOU KNOW, COME, COME TO APPOINTMENTS AND THAT TYPE OF THING. SO A COMMUNITY PARTNER, THEY SAID, IS THERE A WAY, YOU KNOW, BUS PASSES MAKE SENSE. SO IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN DO THAT? AND SO WHAT WE DID WAS, UM, LOAD THE CAP METRO APP AND HAVE MONTHLY BUS PASSES WHERE PEOPLE COULD GET AROUND AND GET TARGETED VISITS THAT ENDED UP HAVING BENEFITS BEYOND JUST GETTING TO STUDY VISITS, BECAUSE THEY WERE ABLE TO MEET A LOT OF OTHER NEEDS TOO. SO THAT IDEA OF COUPLING THE TRANSPORTATION PIECE ON THE PHONE, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW THIS INTERVENTION IS REALLY ADVANCED COMMUNITY INPUT. AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE BOTTOM LINE IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IS, AND BEING ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTACT IS FROM THAT COMMUNITY INPUT. OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, ALL THIS TIME AND ENERGY THAT GO INTO INTERVENTIONS CAN SOMETIMES JUST REALLY FALL FLAT AND, AND MISS THE MARK. THANKS SO MUCH. AND I, I, I APPRECIATE THE, THE, UM, PITCH THERE FOR TRANSPORTATION AND ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION THAT JUST FACILITATES EVERYTHING ELSE YOU GOT TO GET AROUND. UM, ALL RIGHT, MARK, SAME QUESTION FOR YOU. HOW HAVE YOU ENGAGED WITH PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND, UH, FRONTLINE WORKERS TO HELP PROMOTE INNOVATION? SO, UH, ONE OF THE BIGGEST, UH, PRINCIPLES OF CIVIC SERVICE DESIGN OR USER CENTERED DESIGN IS, UH, HAVING THE USER BE FOCUSED AT ALL TIMES ON YOUR OUTCOMES AND, UH, BUILDING THINGS, UH, WITH PEOPLE, NOT JUST, UH, FOR THEM. UH, SO, UH, WHEN WE DID THE, UH, LEAVE NO TRACE AND CAM AND OUTREACH PILOT, IT WAS ALL ABOUT, UH, DEVELOPING A COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATION MECHANISM, UM, WITH PEOPLE AND ENCAMPMENTS AND TRYING TO WORK WITH THEM, UM, TO HAVE THEIR ENVIRONMENTS SAFE AND ALLOW THEM TO, UH, SAFELY REMAIN THERE. AND ALSO, UH, COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATION MECHANISMS BETWEEN THE, UH, OUTREACH, SOCIAL WORKERS, THE PARKS EMPLOYEES, THE WATERSHED EMPLOYEES, UH, AND APD AND OTHER, UH, NETWORK SUPPORT THAT COULD BE, UH, YOU KNOW, IN THE PICTURE. UH, AND WHAT WE OBSERVED IN THAT ISLAND DOING ENCAMPMENT OUTREACH IS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE REQUESTING GARBAGE BAGS, UH, AND SAYING THAT IF WE HAD GARBAGE BAGS AND SOMEONE WOULD PICK THEM UP, UH, WE WOULD LOVE TO KEEP OUR AREA CLEAN AND SAFE AND HEALTHY. UH, SO WE WERE GETTING OUR GARBAGE BAGS AND PEOPLE WERE PUTTING THEM ON NEAR, UH, GARBAGE CANISTERS THAT WERE ALREADY THERE. UH, AND SOMETIMES THEY'D HAVE TO WALK A LONG WAY TO DO THAT. UH, SO THAT GAVE US THE IDEA FOR DOING THE VIOLENT BACK AND CHEMIC GARBAGE COLLECTION PILOT. SO THAT STARTED WITH THREE KIOSKS THAT WERE WELDED TOGETHER. YOU KNOW, WE DESIGNED IT, HOW IT WAS GONNA WORK, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, UH, A KIOSK WHERE YOU COULD TAKE A GARBAGE BAG OUT AND THEN YOU LEAVE THE GARBAGE BAG THERE. AND WE WORK WITH AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY ON ADDING [00:20:01] PICKUP SCHEDULES, UH, TO WHERE THESE PEOPLE, UH, COULD, YOU KNOW, LEAVE THE GARBAGE AND THEN IT WOULD GET PICKED UP. AND WE FOUND THAT TO BE A WILDLY SUCCESSFUL, UH, AND EXPANDED THE PROGRAM OUT TO THERE'S OVER 25 KIOSKS NOW, ALL AROUND TOWN, UH, WHERE PEOPLE CAN, UH, YOU KNOW, IN ENCAMPMENTS HAVE, HAVE A MECHANISM TO KEEP THEIR LIVING ENVIRONMENT CLEAN AND SAFE. UH, AND DURING THE COVID RESPONSE TO THOSE, UH, KIOSKS HAVE BECOME, UH, HUBS FOR HAND SANITIZING STATIONS, UH, AND, UH, FOOD DISTRIBUTION LOCATIONS, UH, FOR THE CITY'S EATON PARK TOGETHER, UH, INITIATIVE. SO THAT'S, THAT'S BEEN REALLY COOL TO, UH, OBSERVE HAPPEN, UH, AND FOR THE STORAGE PROGRAM, UH, WE HAVE A STORAGE FACILITY AS 140 BINS AT 12TH AND RED RIVER. THAT'S AVAILABLE TO EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS TO GET FREE STORAGE. UH, AND, AND THIS WAS BROUGHT OUT BY THE AUSTIN HOMELESSNESS ADVISORY COUNCIL, WHO IS A GROUP OF 16 PEOPLE WHO ARE EITHER CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR WERE RECENTLY HAVE EXPERIENCED IT. AND, UH, THEY, IN THESE MEETINGS, THEY MEET EVERY TWO WEEKS, UH, AND, AND THEY KEPT ON BRINGING UP THE NEED FOR STORAGE AS A LOT OF PEOPLE AFTER HOUSING STORAGE IS THE BIGGEST NEED BECAUSE ALMOST EVERYONE HAS A STORY ABOUT BEING ON THE STREETS AND ALL MY STUFF WAS STOLEN. AND I HAD TO START OVER AGAIN AT ZERO. SO IDS VITAL DOCUMENTS, YOU KNOW, PERSONAL SENTIMENTAL THINGS, YOUR BEDROOM, THINGS LIKE THAT. PEOPLE CAN'T GO INTO RESTAURANTS OR USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, OR GO TO DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS OR JOB INTERVIEWS WHERE THEY HAVE TO CARRY AROUND FIVE BAGS. YOU KNOW, SO WE, WE PROTOTYPE WITH A HOMELESSNESS ADVISORY COUNCIL, WHAT THIS WOULD LOOK LIKE. WE DID FOCUS GROUP SESSIONS WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, UH, AND MEMBERS OF APAC, UH, EMBEDDED IN THE GROUPS, YOU KNOW, DESIGNERS, ARCHITECTS, UH, CIVIC, SERVANTS, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE, WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO GET THIS DONE. SO WE PRESENTED THAT IN FRONT OF A CITY COUNCIL AND THEY APPROVED IT AND HAD IT BECOME A DIRECTIVE AND ONE 84, UH, LAST YEAR, UH, THAT THE CITY NEEDED TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. SO WITH, UH, AHACS SUPPORT AND THE GUIDANCE OF, UH, OUR SERVICE DESIGN LAB, WE OPENED UP THAT STORAGE FACILITY. AND I THINK THAT'S LIKE A GREAT EXAMPLE OF CREATING SOMETHING WITH PEOPLE AND, UH, NOT JUST FOR THEM. YEAH. AND I REMEMBER ON THE STORAGE PROJECT, UM, HE DID ENGAGE A LOT WITH THE DESIGN COMMUNITY. SO IT'S ANOTHER WAY THAT YOU CAN REACH OUT AND MAKE SURE THAT, UM, OTHER PEOPLE CAN GET INVOLVED IN THESE PROJECTS. UM, SO MY NEXT QUESTION IS FOR YOU, ALLEN, UH, WE KNOW THAT COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE HAS BECOME NATIONALLY KNOWN FOR YOUR APPROACH, AND IT'S MORE THAN A HOME. YOU ALSO DO A GREAT JOB, UM, WORKING WITH PARTNERS ACROSS THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE SOME THINGS HAPPEN. SO WHAT POSSIBILITIES ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT, UM, AS YOU START TO EXPAND THE VILLAGE NOW? WELL, UM, AS I MENTIONED A LITTLE EARLIER, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF, UH, UH, DESIGNING ANOTHER 126 ACRES THAT WE'LL HAVE 1400 HOMES. THEN HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU SCALE FROM WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW FROM 51 ACRES TO, UH, UH, SOMETHING THAT'S, YOU KNOW, 170, 180 ACRES, UH, 1800, 2000 PEOPLE. HOW DO WE MOVE FROM THIS COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT THAT WE WERE, ARE IN? AND, UH, OUR ON-STAFF ARCHITECT WHO HAS BEEN WORKING ON ALL THAT PLANNING AND HAS ALSO, UH, BEEN LIVING HERE IN THE VILLAGE FOR THREE YEARS, HAS NOW, UM, ARCHITECTED WHAT WE CALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF KNOWING THAT. AND, UH, IF YOU COME OUT TO THE VILLAGE, IT'S COOL, BUT THERE IS SOME SEPARATION FROM SOME TYPE OF HOUSING UNITS VERSUS OTHER TYPES OF HOUSING UNITS. AND, UM, AND THE HOUSING UNITS THEMSELVES HAVE ALL BEEN EXTRAORDINARILY SUCCESSFUL, BUT HOW DO WE BLEND THOSE CLOSER TOGETHER, GREAT, UH, STRONGER, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS. AND, UM, AND, AND, AND THAT INNOVATION IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT. WE CALL IT AN INNOVATION, BUT REALITY, IT'S NOT SO MUCH IT'S, UH, IT'S REALLY RETURNING TO, UH, OUR HUMAN ROOTS AS TO HOW WE RE-OPERATE, HE REALLY, UH, 8,000 YEARS OR SO, UH, UH, GO. UH, AND THEN WE GOT ISOLATED, UH, TO OUR RESPECTIVE BUBBLES IN OUR RESPECTIVE, UH, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS OR SINGLE FAMILY. WHAT I CALLED A HERMETICALLY SEALED SINGLE FAMILY SARCOPHAGUS, UH, OF OUR SINGLE FAMILY SUBDIVISION, UH, UH, HAVE ACTUALLY DONE A LOT TO BREAK UP COMMUNITY. UH, BUT PARTNERSHIP LEVELS IS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT'S GROWING AND SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALSO EXCITED ABOUT. I THINK WE ALL REALIZE, AND IN A LOT OF WAYS, UH, ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, UH, OFTENTIMES INDUCTED IN THESE SILOS, UH, AND HOW DO WE BREAK THE SILOS DOWN AND BECOMES, UH, MORE CONNECTED AND INTEGRATED. AND [00:25:01] THAT'S IT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE VERY INTERESTED IN. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MOBILE LOAVES AND FISHES RECOGNIZES IS THAT IT'S REALLY GOOD AT REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT AND BUILDING COMMUNITY, BUT THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS THAT LOTS OF PEOPLE WE'RE MUCH BETTER AT, UH, FAMILY ELDER CARE. THERE HAPPENS TO BE ONE OF THE GREAT PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE, AND, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO BUILDING AND EXPANDING THAT RELATIONSHIP IN THE FUTURE INTEGRAL CARE OBVIOUSLY DOES, UH, UH, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, UH, ISSUES THEY'RE ON SITE. AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR THAT RELATIONSHIP TO GROW EVEN BIGGER. UM, THE AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY EMS A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO, PUT A FULL-TIME EMT OUT HERE ON THE PROPERTY THAT DROPPED OUR EMS CALLS BY 50% OUT HERE. AND THAT WAS OVERNIGHT. AND THAT ALONE, UH, THAT METRIC ALONE CAN SHOW YOU, UH, THE INNOVATIVE POSSIBILITIES OF WHAT WE CAN DO. UH, WE'RE NOW IN CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, UH, THE TRAVIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, WHICH HAS A CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAM ABOUT HAVING AN OFFICE, UH, UH, OUT HERE AS WELL. UH, JUST SOME RECOVERY, UH, WHEN THEY WERE HEALTHY, WERE OUT HERE, BUT COMMUNITIES FOR RECOVERY. UH, AND WE HAVE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PRACTICES HERE THROUGH AN ORGANIZATION CALLED LIFE, A NEW, UH, AND SO REALLY, UH, FOR US, THE INNOVATION IS, UH, EXPLORING WAYS THAT ALL OF US CAN BREAK DOWN OUR OWN RESPECTIVE SILOS AND JOIN TOGETHER IN THE AREAS THAT WE'RE REALLY GOOD AT, UH, UH, AND COME TOGETHER FOR A COMMON VISION OF MITIGATING WHAT WE SEE HAPPENING ON OUR STREETS. THANK YOU. YEAH, THAT'S GREAT. AND IT'S A GOOD REMINDER, LIKE YOU SAID, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY ABOUT CREATING SOMETHING NEW, IT'S ABOUT REMINDING OURSELVES ABOUT WHAT A COMMUNITY CAN LOOK LIKE. AND SO, THANKS FOR THAT FANTASTIC EXAMPLE. UM, SO FOR, UH, SHANTELLE, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU ABOUT THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HEARD OF THE GRAY TSUNAMI. WE KNOW THAT, UM, OUR POPULATIONS ARE AGING AND OUR GROWING POPULATION ARE GROWING AND AGING POPULATION, UM, IN AUSTIN KNOW THAT'S HAPPENING. UH, SO I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW, LIKE HOW CAN WE CONTINUE TO, UM, IMPROVE OUR SERVICES FOR OLDER AUSTINITES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING HOUSING AND HOUSING CONCERNS AT THE FOCAL POINT OF THAT CONVERSATION? UM, YES. UH, WELL, WE KNOW THAT THE, UH, NUMBER OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS, UH, IS INCREASING, UH, AND WILL CONTINUE TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE. UM, WE KNOW JUST IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT, UM, OVER A THIRD OF THE INDIVIDUALS LIVING ON THE STREETS ARE OLDER ADULTS. UM, WE CREATED A PROGRAM THAT TARGETS SPECIFICALLY OLDER ADULTS SO THAT WE COULD, UM, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, UH, ENGAGE WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND GET THEM OFF THE STREETS. I MEAN, WE ARE SEEING, LIKE ALAN SAYS, PEOPLE ARE DYING, UH, AND THE OLDER ADULTS THAT ARE LIVING ON THE STREETS, UH, HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, COMPARED TO THEIR COUNTERPARTS THAT ARE HOUSED, THEY HAVE A MEDICAL, UH, AGE OF 20 YEARS, THAT, OF THEIR COUNTERPARTS THAT ARE HOUSED. WE KNOW THAT WE SEE THAT, UM, THE EMERGENCY ROOMS RIGHT NOW, UM, ARE, UH, WORK WITH, WITH SOME SOCIAL WORKERS AT, UH, DALLAS. SETON IS TELLING US THAT, YOU KNOW, OLDER ADULTS ARE FREQUENTING THE ERS DAILY SOMETIMES. UM, LAST WEEK WE ACTUALLY HAD A CLIENT THAT WAS IN THE ER THREE TIMES AND MOST, MOST OF THE TIMES IT IS BECAUSE OF BASIC NEEDS LIKE FOOD AND TO GET OUT OF THE ELEMENT. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT CAN THE COMMUNITY AND SYSTEMS DO? UM, ONE IS ADDRESS THE NEED FOR, UH, DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, SPECIFICALLY DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR OLDER ADULTS THAT'S DESIGNED, UH, AROUND THEIR NEEDS, IF THAT'S MOBILITY NEEDS, UM, COMMUNITY BASED, UM, HMO'S FOR ONE NEED TO FUND SERVICES, UH, HOUSING SERVICES, UM, THAT WOULD HELP LIFT A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS OFF STREETS. UH, WHAT WE'RE SEEING, UH, IN OUR MONEY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IS THAT THE AVERAGE INCOME FOR AN OLDER ADULT, UH, IS ABOUT $900. AND SO TAKING $900 IN TRYING TO FIND A PLACE TO LIVE IN ALASKA, AND IT'S JUST, UM, [00:30:01] IT'S RARE. UM, AND SO DEEPLY AFFORDABLE, UM, HOUSING, ONE SERVICES THAT ARE, UM, SHAPED AND, AND, UH, SCOPED AROUND THE NEEDS OF OLDER ADULTS. OFTENTIMES WE, UH, ENGAGE WITH INDIVIDUALS THAT, UH, AREN'T RECEIVING THE BENEFITS THAT THEY'RE ENTITLED TO, AND THIS COULD SIMPLY BE A SOCIAL SECURITY, RETIREMENT BENEFITS. UM, I CAN'T, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE HOMELESS BECAUSE OF, UM, NOT HAVING INCOME, UM, AND SO SERVICES TO, UH, DESIGNED TO ADDRESS BENEFITS ENROLLMENT, UM, THAT, THAT HUGE FOOD INSECURITY. UM, AND THEN, LIKE I SAID, DESIGNING HOUSING, UM, FOR OLDER ADULTS IS ALSO KEY. UM, OUR HOMELESS PREVENTION SERVICES IS, IS THERE SPECIFICALLY TO TARGET, YOU KNOW, THOSE THAT ARE, UM, UNSTABLY HOUSED, UM, AND TO DIRECT RESOURCES IN THAT AREA TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS, WHICH I BELIEVE THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE PREVENTION, UM, SERVICES AS WELL TO COMBAT, UM, YOU KNOW, SOLUTIONS ARE, UH, PREVENTING HOMELESSNESS BY, UM, RESOURCES SUPPORT. UM, WE'VE LEARNED THROUGH OUR MONEY MANAGEMENT AND REP PAY SERVICES. UH, Y ONE SERVICE THAT WE BROUGHT OUT TO COMMUNITY FIRST IS, UM, A SERVICE THAT TAKES THE PRESSURE OFF OF THE INDIVIDUAL. UM, WE'RE HERE TO, UH, MANAGE THE INDIVIDUALS, BENEFITS, SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFIT, AND PAY THE RENT FOR THEM TO ENSURE THAT THE FIRST BILL THAT'S PAID IS THEIR HOUSING. WHEN IT, WHENEVER, UH, THEY HAVE HOUSING, UH, TO ENSURE THAT MEDICAL BENEFITS ARE ALWAYS, UH, INTACT IN THERE, UH, AND THEN ADDRESSING, YOU KNOW, THEIR OTHER BASIC NEEDS, UM, RECREATIONAL CLOTHES, UM, THAT SORT OF STUFF. SO, UM, THAT'S GREAT. YEAH. THANKS. AND YOUR ANSWER BROUGHT UP A LOT OF, UH, YOU MENTIONED SOME ADJACENT SYSTEMS, THE HOMELESS SERVICES SYSTEMS THAT ARE DEFINITELY PART OF HELPING TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. UM, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED HEALTHCARE FOOD, AND THEN OF COURSE HOUSING, AND THEN I THINK THE PREVENTION PIECE YEAH. UNDERLYING UNDERLINE EXCLAMATION MARK. YES. YEP. AND I, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, PARTNERING IS, YOU KNOW, WE, HER LEARNING THAT WE, WE CAN'T DO THIS ALONE, THERE'S NOT ONE AGENCY THAT IS GONNA SOLVE AND PROVIDE THE FULL SCOPE OF SERVICES THAT ARE NEEDED, UM, WHETHER OR NOT IT'S FOR AN OLDER ADULT OR NOT, UH, PARTNERSHIPS ARE KEY COLLABORATIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, WORKING TOGETHER. AND LIKE ALAN SAID, YOU KNOW, BREAKING DOWN THE SILOS ACROSS THE COMMUNITY. ALL RIGHT. UM, TISH, MY NEXT QUESTION WAS FOR YOU, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE WORKED ON SOME OF THESE INNOVATIVE PROJECTS, UH, NOT ONLY HERE IN AUSTIN, BUT ON THE EAST COAST. AND SO WE WERE WONDERING, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS, WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR, UM, SHAPING NOT ONLY INNOVATION AND SOLUTIONS HERE LOCALLY, BUT MORE BROADLY ON THE NATIONAL SCALE? YEAH, YEAH. WHEN I FIRST STARTED THIS WORK, I FEEL LIKE I HAD MY HEALTHCARE SILO ON, YOU KNOW, THE SILOS ALAN WAS TALKING ABOUT WITH REGARDS TO THINKING ABOUT HOW A SMARTPHONE IMPACTS HEALTH OUTCOMES. HOWEVER, IT QUICKLY BECAME CLEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, A SMARTPHONE IS LITERALLY A LIFELINE TO A VARIETY OF THINGS FOR A HOMELESS INDIVIDUAL. AND YOU JUST THINK ABOUT YOUR OWN, OWN SELF AND YOUR OWN USE OF YOUR CELL PHONE AND WHAT THAT MEANS. AND SO VERY QUICKLY IT BECAME CLEAR THAT HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS ACCESS TO A CELL PHONE IS, IS CRITICAL. AND, AND, UM, SO NOW FOR INSTANCE, WE'RE FOCUSING ON HOW THE CELL PHONE AND HELP MEET SOCIAL NEEDS IN OUR PILOT WORK IN OUR EXIT INTERVIEW, WE DID NOT FORMALLY COLLECT DATA ON THIS. WE ARE NOW, BUT OUT OF 30 PEOPLE, SIX MOVED INTO HOUSING AND FIVE GAINED EMPLOYMENT. AND THEY TOLD US THE STORIES ABOUT HOW, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE ABLE TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH THEM FOR YEARS. AND JUST OUR CASE MANAGERS, WHOEVER IT MAY BE TO ACTUALLY FOLLOW THROUGH WITH, WITH VARIOUS SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY AND JUST NAVIGATE THEM EASIER THAN THEY WOULD HAVE. AND SO THEY REALLY, UM, GAVE US THEIR PERSPECTIVE ABOUT HOW THE PHONE WAS CRITICAL IN DOING THAT. AND SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD, JUST THINKING ABOUT HOW THAT ACT, HOW THIS ACCESS TO A SMARTPHONE HELPS ME A VARIETY OF NEEDS FOR HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS IS KEY. I'VE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE THINGS WITH REGARDS TO MEDICAL NEEDS OR SOCIAL NEEDS, BUT [00:35:01] THE ABILITY JUST TO CONNECT WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS ALSO CAME ACROSS AS, AS A HUGE BENEFIT. ONE OF MY FAVORITE STORIES IS HOW, UM, ONE OF OUR PARTICIPANTS TOLD US HOW THEY WERE ABLE TO USE THE PHONE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH HER DAUGHTER AND HERE TO CRY, UM, HER FIRST GRAND BABY FOR THE FIRST TIME. AND SO THAT'S JUST AMAZING. UM, AND I THINK FOR ME, IT JUST MADE ME EVEN RETHINK, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT WOULD MY LIFE LOOK LIKE WITHOUT A PHONE JUST WHERE WE BROUGHT HIM TODAY. AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT OUR MINDSET IS, IS FIGURING OUT HOW DO WE EQUIP, UM, PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WITH THIS TOOL, WHICH PROVIDES A LOT ADVANTAGES AND ASSISTANCE WITH MEETING, UH, VARIOUS NEEDS ACROSS THE CARE CONTINUUM FOR REALLY HELP PEOPLE. UM, WE OUTCOMES FROM A VARIETY OF PERSPECTIVES. YEAH. THANKS SO MUCH. AND YOU PROMPTED A QUESTION IN MY MIND THAT I MIGHT HAVE TIME TO POSE TO EVERYBODY, UM, HERE AT THE END. SO, UM, MARK, WE NEED TO ASK YOU ABOUT, UM, SOME OF THE NEW SERVICES THAT THE CITY HAS STARTED UP, UM, FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AS PART OF THE RESPONSE TO COVID-19 AND THE PANDEMIC. AND SO I WAS CURIOUS TO KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF MAYBE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE CITY HAS LEARNED AS STARTING UP THESE NEW, UM, PROJECTS TO HELP MEET THE EMERGENCY NEEDS NOW, BUT REALLY, UM, TO THE QUESTION THAT YOU WANTED TO TRY TO ADDRESS AT THE BEGINNING AND YOUR OPINION WHAT'S WHAT IS THE ROLE FOR THE CITY, UM, IN ADDRESSING SOME OF THESE SERVICES GOING FORWARD? YEAH, COVID HAS BEEN REALLY INTERESTING AND THAT AS TERRIBLE AS IT IS, THERE HAS BEEN, UM, I'VE NOTICED AN EFFECT OF, UH, PEOPLE HAVING MORE UNDERSTANDING AND EMPATHY FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. UH, YOU KNOW, THE CITY HAS FIVE, UH, HOTELS NOW THAT IS LEASING FOR, UH, OVER 300 PEOPLE WHO ARE FORMERLY EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, WHO WERE, UH, DEEMED TO BE THE MOST MEDICALLY AT RISK FOR COVID. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S BECAUSE WE ALL REALIZE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PETRI DISH. YOU KNOW, WE ALL TOUCHED THE SAME DOORHANDLES AT THE GAS STATION AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO THAT, THAT HAS BEEN AN INTERESTING, UH, OPPORTUNITY AND TO SEE LIKE THE FOOD DISTRIBUTION NETWORK THAT'S HAPPENED AND THE COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER FOR THAT, IT'S BEEN REALLY INSPIRING. UM, BUT I THINK APPROACHING THIS ISSUE FROM AN EQUITY STANDPOINT, UH, WE ALL SHOULD HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS, UH, WHETHER WE'RE HOUSED OR NOT. AND A LOT OF THE RIGHTS THAT WE HAVE IS HOUSED PEOPLE. I THINK WE TAKE FOR GRANTED, UH, GARBAGE SERVICE SAFETY, UM, WE ALL PAY TAXES, UH, WHETHER HOUSE OR UNHOUSED, UH, WHEN WE BUY SOMETHING. UH, SO AS CITIZENS AND AS HUMAN BEINGS, UH, WHAT ARE THE RIGHTS THAT WE ARE AFFORDED? UM, WE HAVE TO DECIDE, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE BASELINE HUMAN RIGHTS THAT A RESIDENT OF AUSTIN SHOULD HAVE? AND, AND THE RESIDENTS HAVE A SAY IN THAT WE ALL HAVE A SAY IN THAT. UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE ALL CAN AGREE THAT SAFETY IS A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT, THAT WE ALL SHOULD HAVE. AND IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE CONDITIONS THAT PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN, IN, IN THESE ENCAMPMENTS, IT'S NOT SAFE, YOU KNOW, UH, SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN WE DO IN ORDER TO PROVIDE SOME BASIC ASSISTANCE TO MAKE THAT SAFE? SO YOU CAN AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, START THERE, YOU KNOW, UM, I THINK ONE THING THE CITY COULD EXPLORE IS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NEWLY EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, UH, DUE TO THE ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF COVID AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE SLEEPING IN THEIR CARS. AND RATHER THAN RELYING ON THE WALMARTS AND CHURCHES OF THE WORLD TO, UH, STEP UP AND FILL THAT NEED, I THINK THE CITY COULD PROVIDE A SAFE PLACE FOR THOSE PEOPLE TO PARK, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH THEIR OR ALONE, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST AS A BASELINE, YOU DESERVE TO BE SAFE, UH, YOU KNOW, AS A CITIZEN, AS A HUMAN BEING, UM, YOU KNOW, SHANTELLE MENTIONED EARLIER THAT A LOT OF, UH, RESIDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM FOR BASIC HUMAN NEEDS AND SOMETIMES JUST FOR SHELTER, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT I OBSERVED A LOT. WELL, BACK WHEN I WAS A PARAMEDIC, AND THAT IS A SYSTEMIC FLAW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS NOT SUSTAINABLE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE COST OF AN ER VISIT VERSUS WHAT IT WOULD COST TO HOUSE THAT PERSON FOR A MONTH, YOU KNOW, UH, ARE MORE, I THINK THAT IS, THAT IS NOT SUSTAINABLE. AND WE HAVE TO LOOK AT COST VERSUS SAVINGS VERSUS WHO WE ARE AS A CITY AND WHAT WE CAN INVEST IN TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAS THE SAME RIGHTS. THANKS, MARK. AND I THINK THAT TODAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING TO INSPIRE PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED. I THINK THAT THAT'S A, THAT'S A QUESTION FOR DEMOCRACY AND FOR ALL RESIDENTS CAN CONSIDER IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE, WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE BASIC LEVEL, UM, BASE LEVEL RIGHTS THAT WE ALL HAVE AS AUSTINITES AND HOW CAN WE, UH, INFLUENCE AS OF CHANGE? UM, SO WE ARE, WE'RE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME ON OUR HANDS. AND SO I CREATED A QUESTION THAT YOU HAVE NOT HAD TIME TO PREPARE FOR. UM, BUT TISH, YOU TOLD A GREAT STORY ABOUT SOME INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU'D WORKED WITH AND HOW, UM, YOU KNOW, ON THAT ONE-TO-ONE, UH, BASIS, YOU CAN REALLY FEEL THE IMPACT OF YOUR WORK, UM, JUST WITH THE PERSON SITTING IN FRONT OF YOU. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE [00:40:01] SYSTEMIC CHANGE, IT'S OFTEN EASY TO, TO FORGET THAT THE FOREST IS MADE UP OF TREES. RIGHT. AND SO I WAS CURIOUS IF YOU, UM, CHANTEL, ALAN AND MARK, IF Y'ALL COULD SHARE WITH US, MAYBE AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE ON, ON A ONE-TO-ONE BASIS, YOU REALLY SAW SOME CHANGE IN A CLIENT. UM, AND YOU COULD SEE, YOU KNOW, HOW YOU WERE HELPING TO, TO MOVE THE FOREST, SO TO SPEAK. UM, SO I'LL START WITH YOU, ALAN. WELL, WE GET THE WITNESSES, UH, EVERY DAY AND THEN EXTRAORDINARY WAY. I MEAN, JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, WATCHING PEOPLE MOVE FROM THE STREETS AND THE, THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF YEARS OF OUR NEIGHBORS THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE STREETS IS 10 YEARS. UM, IF YOU CAN FATHOM, UH, THAT, UH, AND THEN THE TRAUMA, UH, THAT COMES OUT OF THAT, AND FRANKLY, THE DISTRUST AND THE DISBELIEF THAT ALSO GROWS OUT OF THAT, UH, AND WHAT IT TAKES TO BRING THEM INTO A COMMUNITY LIKE COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE AND OVERCOME THAT IS EXTRAORDINARY. BUT OVER TIME, UH, WE WATCHED PEOPLE SETTLE. UH, WE WATCHED PEOPLE GET BACK INTO PURPOSEFUL WORK. WE WATCHED PEOPLE, UH, DRAMATICALLY CHANGE THEIR DIET, THEIR SLEEP HABITS, THEIR HYGIENE HABITS. UM, WE KNOW THAT DRUG USE, WE'VE DONE FIVE STUDIES OVER THE FIVE YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN OPEN DROPS 80% FROM THE STREETS TO THE VILLAGE, UH, AND USE DROPS, UH, 60%. AND THESE ARE PRETTY BIG VICTORIES, UH, FOR US. AND, UM, AND THEN WATCHING PEOPLE REGAIN THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE AND GO OUT AND, YOU KNOW, BUY A CAR, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE, UH, YOU KNOW, A THOUSAND DOLLARS BEATER, UH, TO BE ABLE TO SAVE THEIR MONEY. UH, I LOVE WHAT THE STORY ON THE, UH, HEARING THE GRANDBABY CRY. UH, WE HAD, UH, UH, SOMEBODY SAW A VIDEO THAT WE HAD POSTED ON FACEBOOK SEVERAL YEARS AGO ON MOTHER'S DAY AND CALLED US AND SAID, I THINK THE WOMAN IN THAT VIDEO IS MY MOTHER AND IT WAS, AND SO, UM, WE'RE VERY ANONYMOUS WHEN WE'RE ALL IN THE STREETS. UH, BUT WHEN WE GET SETTLED INTO COMMUNITY WHERE WE'RE VALUED AND WE'RE ABLE TO BEGIN TO TAKE CARE OF ALL THE THINGS THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF, UH, THERE ARE SO MUCH FRUIT, UH, THAT IS BORN OUT OF THAT. UM, AND, AND THE COLLATERAL IMPACT OF THAT IS SO POSITIVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, UH, UH, ALL THE COSTS ASSOCIATED, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, AND THE, AND THE STRUGGLES THAT WE'RE HAVING. SO, UH, W WE, WE JUST HAVE A LOT OF STORIES I COULD GO ON ALL DAY LONG, BUT, UH, ANYWAY, THANKS. THANKS FOR THE TASTE. UM, YEAH. UH, THE STORIES. WOW. UM, YEAH, THERE, I MEAN, IT, THERE'S SO MANY, UM, ASTONISHING THE IMPACT, UH, THAT, UM, PROVIDING A ROOF SHELTER OVER SOMEONE'S HEAD, UH, MAKES, UM, YOU KNOW, LET ME THINK OF A STORY IS, UM, ONE, UH, HAS TO DO WITH BENEFITS AND HOUSING. THERE IS A, A GENTLEMAN THAT, UM, WAS HOMELESS, I THINK, GOING ON 18 YEARS, YOU, 74 YEARS OLD, VERY, VERY WELL-KNOWN, UH, DOWNTOWN AUSTIN. EVERYBODY KNEW HIM, WALKED AROUND WITH A LITTLE BRIEFCASE AND THE, UM, INTEGRAL CARES HOST TEAM, UM, WAS WORKING WITH HIM AND MADE A REFERRAL TO OUR ORGANIZATION. HE WAS OLDER AND WE, UH, ASSESSED HIM AND, YOU KNOW, CHECKED IN ON HIS BENEFITS AND HE HAD NEVER APPLIED FOR RETIREMENT BENEFITS AND, YOU KNOW, LOOK DOWN A LITTLE BIT DEEPER AND, YOU KNOW, HE WORKED HIS 40 CREDITS PAID INTO THE SYSTEM AND JUST NEVER KNEW TO APPLY NO ONE, YOU KNOW, WAS THERE, HE NEVER CONNECTED, UH, WITH ANYONE TO, TO HELP WITH NAVIGATE, YOU KNOW, THAT SYSTEM. AND SO THAT'S DEFINITELY IN OUR WHEELHOUSE. WE, WE WANT TO CLAIM THAT WE'RE THE EXPERTS ON, ON BENEFITS, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO SOCIAL SECURITY. AND SO WE, UH, CONNECTED HIM TO SOCIAL SECURITY AND APPLIED, UH, FOR HIS BENEFITS. AND HE ENDED UP GETTING 16,000, UH, CRITICAL ISSUE PAYMENT. UM, THEY CAME TO US AND WE IMMEDIATELY, UM, WAS ABLE TO HOUSE HIM, UH, AND HE STILL HOUSED NOW. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT IS, YOU KNOW, A FEEL GOOD STORY, BUT THERE'S SO MANY, SO MANY, MANY MORE, UM, LIKE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE, YOU KNOW, WE, UH, WHEN THEY FIRST OPENED, WE, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT OUR LIST, YOU KNOW, OUR WAITING LIST COMPARED TO THEIR [00:45:01] WAITING LISTS. AND, YOU KNOW, BEFORE YOU KNEW IT, THERE WERE, YOU KNOW, 35, 38 INDIVIDUALS MOVING OUT AND WHICH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HELPED START THE RELATIONSHIP OF, OF AGING SERVICES AT COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE. UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST HEART WRENCHING TO HEAR, UM, THE STORIES MY TEAM COMES BACK WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH, YOU KNOW, JUST THE STRUGGLES, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE, THE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND, AND THE, UM, DEPRESSION, THE, UH, MEDICAL NEEDS WITH THAT THAT ARE UNTREATED, UH, OFTENTIMES, UH, NOT DIAGNOSED. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THEY'RE INDIVIDUALS ON THE STREETS OR ARE DYING AT SUCH A FASTER RATE THAN, UM, THAN YOUNGER INDIVIDUALS. SO I THINK, UH, SAME QUESTION FOR YOU, MARK, WHAT HAVE, WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN IN TERMS OF INDIVIDUAL IMPACTS, UH, AS A BELIEF, SOME OF YOUR PROJECTS, I MEAN, UH, SOME OF THE MOST IMPACTFUL, UH, YOU KNOW, EXPERIENCES I'VE HAD IS, IS WORKING WITH AUSTIN HOMELESSNESS ADVISORY COUNCIL OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, AND MAKING FRIENDS WITH, UH, ALL OF THOSE FOLKS THERE. UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT WAS AMAZING FOR ME TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND EMPATHY OF WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND AS WELL, LIKE, I, I THINK IT WAS MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL, LIKE OUR FRIENDSHIP, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, TWO OF THE, UH, MEMBERS OF THAT COUNCIL ARE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES AT THE KEEP SAFE, UH, STORAGE CENTER. NOW, UM, A LOT OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, MEMBERS OF THAT COUNCIL, IT WAS IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THEY KNOW THAT SOMEONE IS THINKING ABOUT THEM AND CARING ABOUT THEM. AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK OUTREACH IS, IS, IS A REALLY IMPORTANT AND OFTEN OVERLOOKED, UH, THING, UH, AND CITY SERVICES, UH, BECAUSE THE CULTURAL CONNECTION IS, IS REALLY IMPORTANT. AND IT'S, ALLEN'S, YOU KNOW, ORGANIZATION SAYS IT COMMUNITY FIRST, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS A HOME? IT'S NOT JUST FOUR WALLS AND A ROOF. IT'S, IT'S A VILLAGE, IT'S A COMMUNITY, IT'S A FAMILY. UM, THAT'S WHY A LOT OF TIMES RAPID REHOUSING ISN'T SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE YOU CAN'T JUST, UH, GIVE A PERSON A, AN APARTMENT FOR THREE MONTHS AND EXPECT THEM TO JUST COMPLETELY ADAPT TO THAT. AFTER YEARS AND YEARS OF EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, THERE ARE A LOT MORE THINGS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN. UM, SO I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THAT LOOKING TO, UH, HOW TO DO OUTREACH AND, AND, UH, HOW TO, UH, MAKE A FRIEND. YEAH, THANKS FOR, UM, YOU'RE RIGHT. IN MY EXPERIENCE, THAT PERSONAL CONNECTION, THAT REALLY GOES A LONG WAY. UM, SO MY LAST QUESTION FOR EVERYBODY IS I KNOW THAT OUR VIEWERS NOW HAVE BEEN VERY INSPIRED. THEY'RE ALL VERY HOPEFUL, AND THEY WANT TO KNOW HOW THEY CAN GET INVOLVED IN MAKING HOMELESSNESS RARE, BRIEF. AND NON-RECURRING. UM, SO I WANT TO ASK, ASK YOU WHAT YOU WOULD SAY TO THAT QUESTION. AND I WE'LL START WITH MARK. UM, LIKE I SAID, I THINK OUTREACH IS, IS REALLY KEY. UM, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN MAKE, YOU KNOW, PACKS IN THEIR CAR THAT YOU CAN GIVE TO THE PEOPLE THAT ADDRESS, YOU KNOW, IMMEDIATE NEEDS. THERE'S A COUPLE OF ORGANIZATIONS, UH, IN TOWN THAT I RECOMMEND PEOPLE FOLLOW TO GET MORE INFORMATION. UH, ONE IS THE OTHER ONE'S FOUNDATION. UH, ANOTHER IS FREE LUNCH. ATX, UH, THEY COOK, UH, HEALTHY HOMEMADE MEALS FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND ENCAMPMENTS. UM, THOSE ARE TWO REALLY GREAT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DOING GREAT WORK THAT YOU CAN SUPPORT, UH, JUST BY DOODLING, THOSE NAMES, FREE LUNCH ATX AND THE OTHER ONE IS FOUNDATION. UM, BUT BEYOND THAT, UH, JUST, JUST MAKING AN EFFORT TO GO SAY HI, AND TALK TO SOMEONE WHO'S EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND, AND JUST, YOU KNOW, GET INVOLVED IN THAT WAY. YEAH. I LIKE TO, UM, RECOMMEND THAT PEOPLE MAKE EYE CONTACT AND, YOU KNOW, IN THE DAYS OF WEARING MASKS FRIENDLY WAY, BUT ONE OF THESE DAYS WE DON'T WEAR MASKS. A SMILE IS EYE CONTACT CAN HELP MELT SOME OF THAT STIGMA, UM, AND JUST MAKE PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY'RE PART OF YOUR COMMUNITY, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT GOES A LONG WAY. UM, TISH, I'LL ASK YOU NEXT. UH, WHAT CAN PEOPLE DO TO GET INVOLVED? SO, SO I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH, WHAT'S BEEN SAID ABOUT JUST, YOU KNOW, ACKNOWLEDGING PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WHEN YOU ENCOUNTER THEM. UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ALSO CAME OUT IN OUR EXIT INTERVIEWS, UM, WITH REGARDS TO, UM, OUR LONGTERM VISION AND WHERE WE WOULD LIKE THIS PROJECT TO GO. YOU KNOW, WE REALLY ENVISIONED THAT, UM, WE WILL FIGURE OUT A WAY TO CONNECT THIS INTERVENTION WITH EXISTING SERVICES WITHIN THE CITY. SO WE'RE ALL, UM, PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WILL HAVE UNLIMITED ACCESS TO SMARTPHONE TECHNOLOGY. AND THAT IS A WAY THAT CAN BE USED AS A TOOL FOR VARIOUS PROGRAMS. I MENTIONED ABOUT HOW WE ARE COUPLING THE INTERVENTION WITH, UH, BUS PASSES ON THE PHONE THEMSELVES. UM, THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER OPPORTUNITIES [00:50:01] TO DO THAT. AND SO I THINK JUST THINKING ABOUT THAT IN TERMS OF HOW DO WE REALLY THINK ABOUT THE SMARTPHONE AS A TOOL? THE ONE THING THAT I WAS, I WOULD ALSO SAY IS THAT IT'S MORE THAN WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IN OUR WORK IS THAT IT'S MORE THAN JUST, UH, JUST GIVING SOMEBODY A PHONE, YOU KNOW, UM, OUR ACTUALLY DEEP CONNECTIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT WE THINK IS WHAT, ONE OF THE, IT'S A DIFFERENTIATING FACTOR ABOUT WHAT'S MAKING THAT STICK FROM OTHER INTERVENTIONS THAT MAY, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST, UM, FOCUS ON GIVING SOMEBODY A PHONE. AND SO IT WHO'S THE FACE BEHIND THE PHONE AND WHAT SERVICES COME ALONG WITH THAT AND WHAT SUPPORT CAN BE BROUGHT IN THERE. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON TO ACHIEVE A VISION WHERE, YOU KNOW, ALL PEOPLE, UM, HAVE ACCESS TO THE SMARTPHONE TECHNOLOGY, WHICH IS REALLY A WINDOW INTO, UM, SO MANY THINGS TO ACHIEVE, UM, OUTCOMES ACROSS THE CARE CONTINUUM. THANKS, SHANTELLE, SAME QUESTION FOR YOU. SORRY ABOUT THAT. UM, WHAT CAN, WHAT CAN PEOPLE DO? UM, YEAH, I'D SAY NUMBER ONE IS, UM, YOU KNOW, ASK QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SUCH A STIGMA AROUND HOMELESSNESS AND, AND, UM, UH, LOTS OF, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT, IT'S A GROWING PROBLEM AND THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE. UM, BUT ASK QUESTIONS, UM, GET INVOLVED, UH, DONATE FOR, FOR ONE, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S, UH, DEFINITELY HELPFUL, UH, DONATIONS HELP SUPPORT, UH, NOT JUST THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND, BUT, UH, BUT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND OUR, UM, UH, DESIGN OF, OF NEW AND INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, UM, VOLUNTEER ADVOCATE, YOU KNOW, UH, WE, UH, ARE IN, IN, YOU KNOW, TIMES W WITH COVID THE, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEED, UM, YOU KNOW, TELL YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING. UM, THE HEROES ACT FOR, FOR ONE, UH, EVICTIONS ARE, WE'RE ABOUT TO GET OUT OF THE MORATORIUM, UH, AGAINST EVICTIONS. UM, WE'RE ANTICIPATING A LOT OF FOLKS THAT, UH, LIKE MARK SAID WILL POTENTIALLY BE SLEEPING, LIVING IN THEIR CARS. UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A TIME THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED MORE ADVOCACY AND ATTENTION, UM, FOR SUPPORT AROUND THIS ISSUE. UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I SAID, VOLUNTEER, VOLUNTEER, VOLUNTEERING, GETTING INVOLVED, UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE WHEREVER YOU, UH, THINK THAT YOU CAN, CAN HELP OUT. GREAT. YEAH. ALL GREAT ADVICE. UH, AND ALLEN, YEAH, STOP YELLING AT THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL AND MOVE YOUR YELLING TOO IN FRONT OF THE MIRROR. UH, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS OUR ISSUE. THIS IS OUR COMMUNITY. UH, THESE ARE OUR NEIGHBORS AND THE ONLY WAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MITIGATE IT IS WHEN WE, THE PEOPLE JOINED TOGETHER AND THAT'S ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY TO GO DO THIS AND PARTNER WITH EVERYBODY WE CAN PARTNER WITH, INCLUDING THE GOVERNMENT, BUT AS LONG AS WE CONTINUE TO ABDICATE THIS RESPONSIBILITY TO ANY ONE OR TWO OR 10 ENTITIES, UM, WE'RE GOING TO BE STUCK WITH THIS ISSUE FOR A LONG, LONG TIME. I WILL ALSO TELL YOU THAT AFTER YEARS OF WORKING WITH THE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS, UH, UH, THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT WE WORK WITH EXCLUSIVELY, UH, LONELINESS, UH, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE NEED A, UH, AN E HARMONY, UH, FOR OUR, UH, OLDER LONG-TERM CHRONICALLY HOMELESS, UH, FRIENDS, RIGHT? SHANTELLE, UH, BECAUSE LONELINESS IS PROBABLY, UH, THE, THE BIGGEST UNSOLVED ISSUE BECAUSE WITH, IN EVERY ONE OF US HUMAN BEINGS, NO MATTER WHO WE ARE, THERE'S THIS JUST COMPLETE INNATE DESIRE TO BE FULLY AND WHOLLY LOVED. AND, UH, AND WE, WE WOULD LIKE TO DISCOVER THAT MISSING LINK, UH, FOR OUR FRIENDS WHO ALL 100% DESIRE TO BE FULLY AND WHOLLY LOVED, BUT MAYBE NEVER GOT THAT EXPERIENCE. UH, THIS HAS BEEN GREAT. THANKS, TAYLOR. AND, UH, TO THE OTHER PANELISTS FOR, UH, UH, FOR THIS BEEN AN HONOR, UH, THANKS FOR CLOSING US OUT ON AN IDEA FOR SOME SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS OUT THERE WHO MIGHT WANT TO FIND A WAY TO GET INVOLVED. UM, YEAH. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO LAURA. THANK YOU, TAYLOR, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR INTEREST IN THE PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE OF HOMELESSNESS IN AUSTIN. AS YOU'VE HEARD [00:55:01] ON TODAY'S PANEL, HOMELESSNESS IS A COMPLEX ISSUE WITH DEDICATED PEOPLE, BREAKING DOWN SILOS, CREATING SYSTEMIC CHANGE AND MAKE MAKING DEEPLY PERSONAL CONNECTIONS. ALL THREE PANELS HAVE BEEN RECORDED AND CAN BE ACCESSED ANYTIME ON THE ATX N.TV, YOU CAN FIND THEM ON YOUTUBE, OR YOU CAN VISIT AUSTINTOWN. IT'S A STOCK GOV SLASH HOMELESSNESS ON THE DENTON VAULTS PAGE. THE CITY OF AUSTIN WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR PANELISTS, INCLUDING TODAY'S ALAN GRAHAM SHANTELLE GO TA MARKET JANE CARR AND TISH MOSEN. I ALMOST HAD IT MO Z GAMBA AND OUR MODERATOR FOR TODAY, TAYLOR COOK AND THE PAST MODERATOR CATHERINE FLOWERS. AND OF COURSE, JUDY MAGGIO. I'D ALSO LIKE TO EXTEND A BIG THANK YOU TO ATX FOR MAKING THIS AS POSSIBLE TO RACHEL FREEMAN FOR HER SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATION AND TO KIM CALDWELL FOR ALL OF HER HARD WORK. AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR TUNING IN . THAT'S MY FAULT. . * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.