[00:00:03]
MEANING THE, UH, AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL WORKS ACTUALLY HERE ON THE FOURTH, 2021, UH, 11 O'CLOCK.
THIS IS BEING CONVENED, UH, REMOTELY.
UM, WE HAVE TWO, UH, ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN TOLD COLLEAGUES AND IN NUMBER 44 BY CATHERINE WITH THE STAR 41 OR BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, UH, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, SOME, UH, OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS. UM, AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, TWO BRIEFINGS.
UH, THE BRIEFING ON KROLL HAS BEEN SET AT A TIME.
CERTAIN WE'LL START THAT AT TWO 30 BECAUSE OF THE CONSULTANTS THAT ARE PARTICIPATING.
SO WHEREVER I'LL GO, WE'LL START THAT.
THEN WE CAN DO THE HOMELESSNESS BRIEFING BEFORE WE WILL DO THE EXECUTIVE SESSION BEFORE WE KNOW.
AND WE'LL PLAY THAT BY A YEAR.
WE HAVE A FIVE O'CLOCK HARD STOP, UH, TODAY, UH, BECAUSE THEY NEED A SPACE TO GET TO MICHIGAN, BUT THAT SAID, LET'S BEGIN.
THE, UH, THE GOAL IS TO TAKE A LUNCH BETWEEN 12 AND ONE.
AND THAT'D BE TOLD THE MAYOR PER TIME.
I NEED TO STEP OFF THE DAYAS FROM LIKE ONE 15 TO ONE 30 ISH.
[A. Pre-Selected Agenda Items]
ITEMS, KATHERINE, SORRY, YOU PULL THAT NUMBER 40.I DID MAYOR AND WE WERE GOING TO GO OVER SOME OF THIS DURING OUR HOUSING COMMITTEE YESTERDAY, BUT, UH, IT WAS PRETTY SHORT.
I JUST WANTED TO TAKE, UH, FIVE MINUTES OR LESS, UH, TO SHOW SOME PHOTOS THAT ARE, UH, IN BACKUP.
AND THAT AB HAS, BECAUSE WE ALL WENT THROUGH, UH, AS A WHOLE COMMUNITY, THE WINTER STORE TOGETHER.
SOME PEOPLE IMPACTED, UH, MANY, MUCH MORE THAN, THAN OTHERS, BUT EVERYBODY WENT THROUGH IT TOGETHER, BUT WE ARE STILL, SOME PEOPLE ARE STILL IN REALLY HORRIBLE CONDITIONS, UH, FROM THE STORM.
AND I KNOW IT WAS SEVERAL OF Y'ALL HAVE VISITED WITH CONSTITUENTS THAT ARE STILL SUFFERING FROM PRETTY SEVERE DAMAGE.
UM, BUT I WANTED, UH, IF AAV COULD TO JUST SHARE BRIEFLY SOME OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS, UM, WE TOOK AND
SO, UM, AND Y'ALL CAN, IF YOU JUST FLIP THROUGH, I THINK THERE'S SIX PICTURES.
SO IF YOU JUST SIT ON EACH ONE OF THEM FOR TWO SECONDS, UM, I THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO SEE AND FOR THE COMMUNITY TO, TO SEE WHY IT IS THAT WE'RE STILL WORKING ON WORKING ON, ON THIS.
AND THESE ARE ALL APARTMENTS THAT, THAT ARE CURRENTLY OCCUPIED BY FOLKS.
AND SO IN PART, WHAT THE RESOLUTION DOES IS ASKS FOR US TO, UH, CHANGE THE WAY AND IMPROVE THE WA LOOK AT HOW OTHER CITIES ENFORCED MOLD ISSUES.
CURRENTLY, MY UNDERSTANDING IS MANY OF THE PHOTOS THAT YOU SEE AREN'T A VIOLATION OF CITY HEALTH OR SAFETY CODE IN AND OF THEMSELVES JUST MOLD ITSELF.
UM, IT IS SOME OF THE UNDERLYING CONDITIONS ARE A VIOLATION, BUT THAT CAN BE REALLY HARD TO, UH, REALLY HARD TO ENFORCE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE THINGS LIKE FUNGUS JUST STRAIGHT UP GROWING OUT OF THE GROUND, UM, NOT A VIOLATION OF ITSELF.
AND THIS LAST SLIDE, THIS WAS FROM OUR HOUSING COMMITTEE YESTERDAY.
UM, I THOUGHT IMPORTANT TO SHOW HERE.
THIS IS HOW MANY, A WINTER STORM DAMAGE CODE VIOLATIONS AND DEFICIENCIES THERE ARE PER DISTRICT, AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY EXIST ACROSS EVERY SINGLE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT.
UM, BUT THERE IS JUST SUCH A CONCENTRATION OF, UM, OLDER HOUSING STOCK THAT HASN'T BEEN KEPT UP IN DISTRICT FOUR IN PARTICULAR, THAT I THOUGHT IT'D BE IMPORTANT JUST FOR FOLKS TO, TO SEE HERE.
THE SECOND CHART ON THE BOTTOM IS DEFICIENCIES THAT IS, UH, DAMAGED, SPOTTED SPECIFICALLY BY THE CODE DEPARTMENT, AFTER A CALL COMES IN AND THE NUMBER OF DEFICIENCIES LISTED IN AND BEFORE.
UM, I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE JUST HOW FAR IT OUTSTRIPS EVERY PART OF THE CITY, THE WHOLE CITY COMBINES.
UM, IT DOESN'T EVEN GET CLOSE TO THE NUMBER
[00:05:01]
OF, OF DAMAGED UNITS THAT THE CODE DEPARTMENT HAS FOUND IN, IN D FOUR.UM, AND I THINK THAT IS JUST SOMETHING TO NOTE HOW WE HAVE JUST THIS REALLY SERIOUS CONCENTRATION OF, OF UNITS OF HOUSING THAT ARE, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE VULNERABLE TO EXTREME DAMAGE LIKE THIS, AND THEN NOT REPAIRED, UM, IN, ACROSS THE CITY.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT IN ANY PERSON LIVING IN THOSE CONDITIONS IS A TERRIBLE THING, BUT I JUST THOUGHT THAT DISPROPORTIONALITY HERE IN THE NORTHEAST NORTH CENTRAL PART OF, OF OUR CITY WAS IMPORTANT TO, TO NOTE AND TO SEE TO THAT, THAT IS, UH, THAT IS IT WITH THIS JUST QUICK SLIDESHOW, BUT JUST, UM, THE LAST THING THAT I WANT TO MENTION TO PEOPLE THAT YOU MIGHT SEE IN THE NEWS THAT NOW SOME FOLKS HAVE COME FORWARD AND STARTED CALLING THE CITY, UM, ABOUT CONTINUING TO LIVE IN MOLD, UH, OR DAMAGED UNITS.
NOW COMING UP ON THREE MONTHS AFTER THE STORM, AND NOW SOME PROPERTY OWNERS IN THOSE PLACES ARE, ARE NOW SAYING THAT THOSE UNITS ARE UNLIVABLE EVEN AFTER THEY'VE COLLECTED RENTS FOR MULTIPLE MONTHS TELLING FOLKS THAT NOW THEY, NOW THEY NEED TO MOVE.
UM, AND THAT IS THAT'S HORRIBLE BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO GO.
SO AS WE LOOK AT HOW TO ADDRESS MOLD ISSUES, WE ALSO NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT LEGAL PROTECTIONS WE CAN HAVE FOR TENANTS, SO THAT IF THEY RAISE THESE ISSUES AND CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR REPAIRS, THAT THEY DON'T WIND UP ON THE STREET, UH, BUT INSTEAD GET ACCOMMODATED BY THEIR PROPERTY OWNERS.
AND I, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT THE MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, AND PASTA AND, UH, HAKA WORKED REALLY HARD ON SOME OF THOSE ISSUES AT MOUNT CARMEL TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE DISPLACED.
AND WE STILL HAVE SO MANY, UM, RENTERS THAT ARE, THAT ARE STILL SUFFERING FROM THE DISASTER FROM THE STORM, BUT WE HAVE TO IMPROVE HOW IT IS WE ADDRESS MOLD IMPROVE, UH, THOSE TENANTS RIGHTS TO NOT WIND UP BEING DISPLACED OR LIVING IN HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS AND FIGURE OUT WHAT FINANCIAL MECHANISMS WE CAN HAVE IN PLACE OURSELVES AND FOR LANDLORDS TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE AREN'T KICKED OUT, BUT ALSO ARE ENTRAPPED IN THESE SORTS OF UNITS.
COMMENTS ON THIS COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.
UH, REALLY APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, I REACHED OUT TO ASK TO BE A CO-SPONSOR I THINK, I THINK THAT WAS OKAY.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT ON THE RECORD.
UM, YEAH, WE SHOULD ADD YOUR NAME IF IT ISN'T ALREADY.
AND I KNOW I'VE HEARD FROM A FEW CONSTITUENTS STILL THAT ARE GOING THROUGH WATER REPAIRS.
UM, AND SO THIS IS DEFINITELY HAPPENING IN EVERY DISTRICT.
UM, IT'S CERTAINLY A CITYWIDE ISSUE, BUT IT'S CLEAR FROM THESE GRAPHS THAT SOME DISTRICTS ARE AFFECTED MORE THAN OTHER OTHERS.
AND SO I DO LOOK FORWARD TO JUST SEEING HOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD TO HELP, UM, APARTMENT RENTERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I THINK THE COUNCIL MEMBER RENT THE RHEA.
IS THERE ANY DIFFICULTY GETTING ON IT AS WELL? I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN REACH OUT TO, TO GET THEM ANSWERED MEMBER POOL.
I THINK THIS ALSO POINTS UP THE IMPORTANCE OF, UH, BUILDING CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS, UM, BECAUSE, UH, CHEAPER BUILT STRUCTURES WILL BE MORE LIKELY TO FAIL AND THAT ALSO INCREASES THE IMPORTANCE AND THE EMPHASIS WE SHOULD BE PUTTING ON THE LANDLORD'S RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE REPAIRS TIMELY.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THOSE WHO MAY BE RENTING TO IDENTIFY THEM WHEN THEY SEE THEM SERVE AT THE REPAIRS CAN ALSO BE DONE TIGHT.
SO A WHOLE ECOSYSTEM THAT, THAT WE ALL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER AND, UH, IN ORDER TO GET THE POSITIVE OUTCOMES, BUT IT IS, IT REALLY IS, IS PRETTY APPARENT TO BE LIVING IN, UH, THOSE KINDS OF CONDITIONS.
AND SO WE, WE NEED NOT ONLY TO, UH, BOOST THE REPAIRS AND EMPHASIZE THEM WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS, BUT ALSO TO BRING TO OUR POLICY DISCUSSION, UH, THE IMPORTANCE OF, UM, PROPERLY BUILDING TO GOOD STANDARDS, UH, AND NOT NECESSARILY THE LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR.
I RECOGNIZE THAT THAT GETS INTO AFFORDABILITY ISSUES AS WELL, BUT FRANKLY, IT'S CHEAPER TO BUILD REALLY WELL AT THE FRONT-END AND THEN TO MAINTAIN THAN IT IS TO GO BACK AND RETROFIT OR MAKE COSTLY REPAIRS LIKE WHAT IS LIKELY HAPPENING HERE.
AND I JUST THINK IT'S JUST AWFUL TO HEAR THAT NOW THE LANDLORDS ARE USING THE FACT THAT THE PROPERTIES ARE DAMAGED AND UNHEALTHY AS A REASON TO EVICT OR MOVE PEOPLE OUT BECAUSE THEY WERE SO DELINQUENT AND DILATORY IN MAKING THOSE REPAIRS.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE OUR, UM, LANDLORD COMMUNITY STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND, AND ASSUME THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ENSURING THE HEALTHY
[00:10:01]
ENVIRONMENTS FOR, FOR THEIR TENANTS.THAT'S THE LEAST THAT WE CAN ASK THEM THAT THEY CAN DO.
SO, THANKS GREG FOR BRINGING THIS.
I JUST WANT YOU TO THINK COUNSELOR COSAC LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE.
WE HAD MANY IN MY DISTRICT AS WELL, THAT FACE SIMILAR EXPERIENCES AS YOUR DISTRICT.
AND I JUST WANT TO APPLAUD YOUR LEADERSHIP AND WHY I'M GRATEFUL FOR LANDLORDS WHO ARE DILIGENT AND MAKING THE REPAIRS NEEDED.
WE KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE AND FOR SOME IN OUR COMMUNITY, THEY ARE AFRAID TO REPORT MOLD IN THEIR APARTMENTS.
AND SO WE HAVE, IT'S INCUMBENT UPON ALL OF US TO DO MORE, TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THOSE PROTECTIONS.
AND I THINK THAT THERE, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE THING IS THAT, UH, LANDLORDS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE THE RESULTS FROM A MOLD TEST, UH, WITH THEIR TENANTS.
AND SO IF THERE'S WAYS THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY TO AS A CITY TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO TENANTS AND GETTING ACCESS TO MOLD, SCREENINGS, MOLD TESTS, UM, SO THAT THEY'RE ARMED WITH THAT INFORMATION AND KNOW WHAT KIND OF CONDITIONS THEY'RE LIVING WITH.
I THINK I'M SUPER OPEN TO EXPLORING THAT, AND CERTAINLY THERE'S A NEED.
AND SO AGAIN, JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND I'M, I'M HAPPY TO BE A CO-SPONSOR ON THIS RESOLUTION.
IF YOU TRANSFORM OUR KITCHEN, IT COMES MORE OFTEN.
UM, I THANK YOU FOR SHARING THE, UM, THAT'S SOME OF IT, SORRY, THANK YOU FOR SHARING THE DATA.
UH, THAT'S AVAILABLE TO US, YOU KNOW, ABOUT THE, UM, WHAT'S HAPPENING ACROSS THE CITY.
UH, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD ABOUT THE ABILITY TO DRILL DOWN ON THAT DATA? IS IT PRETTY MUCH WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU PRESENTED OR IS THERE, WOULD YOU SUGGEST THAT THERE'S ABILITY FOR US TO GO DEEPER IN OUR DISTRICTS, UH, WITH REGARD TO LOCATIONS AND THAT SORT OF THING? YEAH, I THINK THAT IT COULD BE REALLY HELPFUL, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR ANY OF YOU, AND WE'VE ASKED FOR THIS, FOR THE CODE DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE ADDRESSES FOR EACH OF THOSE DATA POINTS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A SENSE OF, OF WHERE CASES STAND AND WHICH ONES STILL NEED REPAIRS.
UH, AND I THINK THEY EVEN HAVE THAT UP OF COURSE, ABOUT CLOSED OUT CASES, BECAUSE I THINK AS SOME OF YOU MENTIONED, UH, THERE CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN PROPERTY OWNERS THAT HAD DAMAGE TO THEIR RENTAL PROPERTIES AND GOT IT FIXED WITHIN DAYS OR AT A MINIMUM WEEKS.
AND SO IT IS ALSO A FAIRNESS ISSUE TO THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT HAD A COMPLAINT AND THEN GOT IT FIXED FOR US TO HAVE SOME FOLKS AT THIS POINT, STILL WITH SUCH OUTSTANDING DAMAGE.
AND SO COUNCIL MEMBER, I THINK EACH OF US, UM, UH, TOUCHING BASE WITH, WITH CODE IN OUR DISTRICTS CAN BE, UH, CAN BE A USEFUL TOOL BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE ALL THE DEEPER DATA BEHIND THAT CHART.
IS THAT HELPFUL? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING COUNSELING? YES, IT IS.
SO I'LL REACH OUT TO THE CODE DEPARTMENT OR PERHAPS I CAN JUST ASK RIGHT NOW IF THEY'RE ON A, I THINK I SEE JOSE, WELL, I'LL JUST SAY I'LL SEND AN EMAIL.
WE'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP YOU WITH THAT.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, DEPARTMENT.
WE, AS A MATTER OF FACT, I WANT TO ANSWER THEM.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON A PUBLIC FACING DASHBOARD THAT IS GOING TO HAVE ALL THAT DATA AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO FILTER BY DIFFERENT CASES AND ADDRESSES.
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE AVAILABLE FOR EVERYBODY.
UM, AND I WOULD ALSO LOVE TO SEE THAT, UM, FOR MY DISTRICT AS WELL.
UM, THANK YOU GREG, FOR BRINGING THIS.
UM, I SAW SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE MISSING FROM THIS THAT I THINK COULD BE VERY HELPFUL, UM, WHICH IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DID HAVE A DISASTER DECLARATION FOR STORM URI, AND THIS IS DIRECTLY FROM THE AFTERMATH.
UM, AND I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING HERE ABOUT ASSISTING LANDLORDS WITH THAT APPLICATION PROCESS FOR FEMA.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE IS A CERTAIN PORTION OF THIS RESPONSE THAT DEPENDS ON FUNDS BEING AVAILABLE AND MAKING THAT EASIER.
UM, AND IT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY TO NAVIGATE THOSE PROCESSES, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE FOLKS AT THE CITY WHO CAN SUPPORT THAT.
UM, SO I HOPE I PLAN TO MAKE A AMENDMENT TO, TO ADD SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.
UM, AND SINCE IT LOOKED LIKE YOUR, YOUR BASE QUORUM WAS FOUR AND COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS ADDED TO BE A CO-SPONSOR, YOU KNOW, IN HERE, UM, MAYBE MY STAFF AND YOURS CAN, UM, COLLABORATE THAT TO MAKE SURE WE GET THAT RIGHT, AND THEN WE CAN POST IT TO THE MESSAGE BOARD.
UM, WOULD THAT MAKE SENSE? YEAH, THAT SOUNDS GREAT.
CAUSE I THINK THERE'S A THERE'S MOLD REMEDIATION SHOULD BE A FEMA REIMBURSABLE EXPENSE.
[00:15:01]
AND IT MAY ALSO BE AN EXPENSE THAT, YOU KNOW, UNDER SOME CIRCUMSTANCES WE CAN FUND, UM, RESPONSES BY THE CITY TOO, AS WELL.I DON'T KNOW UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES I DON'T HAVE THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL.
UM, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THAT SHOULD BE PART AND PARCEL OF THE RESPONSE.
I, I I'M, I'M SURE WE CAN FIND A WAY THAT IT WOULD BE FRIENDLY AND SOMETHING THAT WE COULD JUST BAKE INTO THE, THE RESOLUTION AS WE BRING IT FORWARD THURSDAY.
AND THEN I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR RIGHT.
WELL, WE'LL NOTE THAT, UH, AND I JUST APPRECIATE EVERYBODY TAKING THE TIME ON THIS.
IT WASN'T ONE THAT I PULLED BECAUSE I THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE DISAGREEMENT, BUT, UM, BECAUSE OF THIS, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S, IT'S, UH, UH, UH, I THOUGHT HELPFUL FOR PEOPLE TO, TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SEE IT BECAUSE THE DISASTER IN SOME WAYS IS REALLY STILL ONGOING FOR PEOPLE IN EACH OF OUR DISTRICTS.
I WONDER IF THAT'S OUR ARE IN FOLLOWING UP ON COUNCILMEMBER ALTO, A REFERENCE TO THE VENA PROGRAMS AND NOW ALLOW DIRECT APPLICATION BY INDIVIDUALS.
THERE'S AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA, DEALING WITH NAVIGATORS.
AND I THINK THEY WERE THINKING ABOUT THE OTHER PROGRAMS. MAYBE THERE'S AN APPLICATION OR A TIE, UH, UH, THE CITY HELPING TO FACILITATE, UM, UH, PEOPLE'S, UH, ACCESS.
SO EVERYBODY SHOULD TRY TO NOT HAVING TO FIGURE THAT OUT ON THEIR WAY.
UH, ANY OTHER CONVERSATIONS I'VE DECIDED FROM THE 40 LET'S GO DOWN TO NUMBER 41.
THEN THIS WAS PULLED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.
I THINK I'M ASSUMING YOU'RE RECOGNIZING ME.
UM, SO ITEM NUMBER 41 IS OUR ETO D ITEM, AND IT MIGHT NOT FEEL LIKE IF A PROJECT CONNECT IS COMING UP SO FAST THAT, UH, MY TEAM AND I, AS WE WERE WORKING THROUGH THIS, UM, WE REALLY WANTED TO TAKE ALL THE NECESSARY POINTS INTO CONSIDERATION, INCLUDING OUR RANDY CLARK.
IF YOU, IF YOU TALKED TO HIM ABOUT PROJECT CONNECT, YOU KNOW, IT'LL SAY THIS IS NOT A SINGLE PROJECT.
UM, IT'S A WHOLE BUFFET OF INVESTMENTS, UM, WITH DIFFERENT TIMELINES.
SO THE BLIGHT RAIL ROUTES MIGHT NOT OPEN UNTIL THE END OF THE DECADE, BUT THE METRO RAPID COMPONENTS ARE GOING TO COME ONLINE.
AND JUST TWO YEARS, WE CAN'T COUNT ON THE FACT THAT THE MARKET IS ALREADY GEARING UP FOR THE NEW DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES ALONG THE CORRIDORS.
AND FRANKLY, THAT CLOCK IS TICKING TO GET IN FRONT OF IT.
SO WE KNOW TRANSIT INVESTMENTS ARE LIKE CATNIP FOR DEVELOPERS.
AND LIKE I'VE SAID BEFORE, THAT'S JUST THE MARKET'S WAY OF TELLING US THAT PEOPLE REALLY, REALLY LIKE LIVE IN AND WORK IN HIGH QUALITY TRANSIT AND WE'LL PAY A PREMIUM FOR IT.
SO PROJECT CONNECT CAN DO A LOT TOWARDS HELPING US ACHIEVE OUR 50 50 MODE SHIFT GOALS, OUR CLIMATE GOALS, OUR VISION, ZERO GOALS, AND A LOT MORE.
UM, AND THE, THE ONE THING THAT WILL HELP US GET THE MOST BANG FOR OUR BUCK IS RIDERSHIP.
SO WE NEED TO BE READY FROM THE WORD, GO TO LET AREAS NEAR OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM, OUR NEW TRANSIT SYSTEM, RATHER BE ABLE TO GROW IN A WAY THAT MAXIMIZES RIDERSHIP POTENTIAL.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE CANNOT, WE MUST NOT AND WILL NOT LET OUR RESIDENTS WHO CURRENTLY DEPEND ON TRANSIT LOSE ACCESS TO IT ONCE IT BECOMES A FIRST-CLASS SERVICE.
SO, UM, THE INTENT OF THIS RESOLUTION IS TO WORK IN LOCKSTEP WITH CAP METRO, AS IT CONDUCTS IT'S ETO D STUDIES OF THE ORANGE, BLUE AND GREEN LINES.
AND WE'RE ALSO CREATING ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO ENSURE IMPACTED RENTERS WRITERS, PROPERTY OWNERS, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS HAVE A CLEAR VOICE IN SHAPING THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, SO THE TIMELINE THAT I PROPOSE HERE IS BASED ON A THOROUGH CONVERSATIONS WITH CAP METRO AND WITH OUR CITY STAFF, IT'S LINKED TO THE ANTICIPATED COMPLETION OF THE ETO D STUDIES, BUT IT ALSO ALLOWS STAFF THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK TO US AT THE HALFWAY POINT TO PROVIDE SOME INITIAL RECOMMENDATIONS AND TO BE CLEAR, THE END GOAL IS TO HAVE A POLICY PLAN IN PLACE THAT SERVES AS A GUIDE TO MAKE NECESSARY CHANGES, TO AVOID POTENTIAL DISPLACEMENT, MAINTAIN AFFORDABILITY, AND PROVIDE FOR MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MORE PEOPLE OF ALL INCOME LEVELS TO LIVE AND WORK NEAR THESE TRANSIT INVESTMENTS.
SO LIKE ANN SAID IN HER MESSAGE BOARD POST, WE NEED TO BE MOVING FAST.
SO I DON'T SEE THIS AS A RESOLUTION THAT ASKED STAFF TO COME BACK IN A YEAR WITH RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, FOR FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, THIS RESOLUTION IS ABOUT COORDINATING WITH CAP METRO TO SET UP THE CITY FOR SUCCESS, TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THE NECESSARY CHANGES TO SUPPORT PROJECT CONNECT, AS SOON AS WE CAN GET THE GREEN LIGHT.
UM, THAT'S WHY I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALLOW CAP METRO AND STAFF THE FLEXIBILITY TO PROVIDE THE BEST, EXCUSE ME, RECOMMENDATIONS WITHIN THE DESIGNATED
[00:20:01]
TIMELINE.SO OUTSIDE OF THE GREEN LINE, WHAT PROJECT CONNECT DOES IS LARGELY INVEST IN UPGRADES TO EXISTING TRANSIT SERVICES, KEPT METRO HAS DECADES OF DATA AND EXPERIENCE THAT GIVES THEM AN ADVANTAGE AND EXPERTISE WHEN IT COMES TO UNDERSTANDING HOW WE CAN BEST MANAGE THE POTENTIAL OF TRANSIT, UM, TRANSIT STATIONS AND STOPS.
SO THROUGHOUT ALL THE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AND GROWTH IN AUSTIN IN GENERAL, THE OVERWHELMING CONSENSUS HAS BEEN THAT WE SHOULD ADD MORE DENSITY TO OUR CORRIDORS.
UM, AND NOW THAT WE HAVE A TRUE WORLD-CLASS TRANSIT PLAN IN THE PIPELINE, WE NEED TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET IT GOING.
WE NEED THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL STRATEGIES TO GUIDE US IN OUR EFFORTS TO PREVENT DISPLACEMENT.
AND I'M GLAD WE HAD PEOPLE LIKE OUR NEW COMMUNITY, DISPLACEMENT PREVENTION, OFFICER KNEPPER, TD JACKMAN ON BOARD TO HELP STEER THAT BIG BOAT, UM, BECAUSE IT'S ABSOLUTELY IMPERATIVE.
AND AS WE'RE RETROFITTING PARTS OF OUR CITY TO BE MORE WALKABLE AND TRANSIT FRIENDLY, WE DO IT IN A WAY THAT PRIORITIZES EQUITY AND STABILITY.
THAT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET MORE OF THOSE COMPACT CONNECTED, MIXED INCOME, COMPLETE COMMUNITIES THAT IMAGINE AUSTIN TALKS ABOUT.
SO I WANT TO THANK SOME FOLKS WHO HELPED THE D ONE OFFICE PUT THIS RESOLUTION TOGETHER, UM, PLANNING OUR COMMUNITIES, THE AUSTIN HOUSING COALITION, HOUSING WORKS, CITY STAFF CAP, METRO STAFF, AND EACH OF MY CO-SPONSORS INCLUDING OUR NEWEST POST BOXER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, KITCHEN, YOUR LEADERSHIP ON ALL THINGS.
MOBILITY HAS BEEN INSPIRING, AND I APPRECIATE THE LEVEL OF EXPERTISE THAT INFORMS THE AMENDMENTS THAT YOU'VE OFFERED TO THIS RESOLUTION.
SO THERE'S A LOT, UM, THERE, AND A LOT OF, A LOT OF IT LOOKS TO BE FRIENDLY REINFORCEMENT OF THE ORIGINAL INTENT.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO DISCUSSING THEM A LITTLE FURTHER SO WE CAN ALL UNDERSTAND, UM, WHAT ARE RESPECT CAUSE WE'RE KITCHEN.
YES, I DO BELIEVE THAT, UM, THE AMENDMENTS AT LEAST ARE INTENDED, UH, TO ALIGN.
WE, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT THE TIMELINE, SO WE CAN, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT.
UM, SO I DO APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
I THINK IT IS, UM, IS VERY, VERY TIMELY.
SO, UM, IT IS TIME FOR US TO, UH, ALIGN OUR LAND, USE PLANNING PROCESSES AROUND TODS, UH, WITH WHAT CAP METRO IS PLANNING AROUND PROJECT CONNECT.
AND AS YOU POINT OUT, THAT'S COMING QUICKER THAN WE THINK, ESPECIALLY WITH THE, UM, THE METRO RAPID THAT'S SO TRUE VERY QUICKLY.
SO JUST, JUST QUICKLY, I KNOW, UM, THAT YOU WILL NEED SOME MORE TIME TO THINK THROUGH THE AMENDMENTS.
I WAS ONLY ABLE TO GET THEM POSTED YESTERDAY, AND I KNOW OTHERS MAY WANT TO THINK THROUGH THEM ALSO, BUT I THOUGHT WHAT I'D DO TODAY IS JUST QUICKLY TELL YOU WHAT THEY'RE INTENDED TO DO, UM, AND THEN HAPPY TO WORK ON LANGUAGE.
SO THE BIGGEST THING IN TERMS OF ANY KIND OF CONTENT IS JUST A, UM, I WANTED TO ADD, UH, SPECIFICALLY THE PROCESS FOR PROPOSING ADDITIONAL TOD AREAS, THE WAY OUR CURRENT TODD LAND USE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES WORK IS THAT YOU HAVE TO START BY NAMING AN AREA AS A TOD.
UM, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF THEM NAMED ALREADY THAT WERE NAMED BACK IN 2005 AND 2006.
AND THOSE ALL ALIGN WITH, UH, PROJECT CONNECT AREAS.
BUT WE'RE MISSING SOME THAT WE MIGHT NEED TO THINK ABOUT REALLY DOES FOCUS ON SOUTH AUSTIN.
SO IF WE WANT, UM, THINK IN PARTICULAR ABOUT LOTS LIKE THE PLEASANT VALLEY OR SOUTH CONGRESS, OR EVEN SOUTH LAMAR, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHETHER IT'S APPROPRIATE TO GO AHEAD AND NAME IT.
NOW, WE DON'T WANT TO NAME THEM TOO, AS SOON IN THE PROCESS.
SO WE NEED TO, SO WHAT I DID IN HERE IS I SUGGESTED THAT, UH, THAT AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS IN, IN AUGUST, THAT THE STAFF MIGHT WANT TO RECOMMEND TO US SOME ADDITIONAL AREAS TO NAME, I'LL LEAVE IT TO MY COLLEAGUES THAT REPRESENT THOSE AREAS TO THINK ABOUT THE, THEY, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THEY LEAVE IT TO COUNSEL MY ROUGH WINTERS, UH, ABOUT WHAT SHE THINKS, PLEASANT, VALET COUNCIL MEMBER, AND RENTERIA, THOSE OF YOU WHO REPRESENT THAT AREA, WHETHER THOSE IT'LL BE NAMED, BUT I DID WANT TO POINT OUT IF WE JUST GO FORWARD WITHOUT NAMING ADDITIONAL TODDS, WE WON'T BE, WE KEPT METRO ISN'T, DOESN'T HAVE A TOD PLAN PROCESS FOR ALL THOSE AREAS.
SECOND, THEY DON'T DO THE LAND USE SIDE.
SO WE NAMED SOME INITIAL TOD DISTRICTS.
THEY WON'T BE SELLING SUBJECT TO EITHER THE COURT TODD PROCESS OR ANY, UH,
[00:25:01]
IMPROVEMENTS THAT YOU SUGGESTED MAYOR PRO TEM.SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE CURRENT, UM, TOD REGULATIONS THAT ARE IN PLACE RIGHT NOW, THEY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL, ALL THE LANGUAGE THAT YOU ADDED ABOUT THAT.
SO TO CIRCLE BACK AROUND, WHY AM I AMENDMENTS, UM, POSES THAT, UM, STAFF COME BACK TO US, OR PERHAPS WE COULD SUGGEST AREAS TO ADD, UH, TO BE CONSIDERED AS TODD'S.
UH, THE SECOND THING IS THE TIMING THAT I WAS TRYING TO LOOK AT, AND THIS MAY BE HANDLED BY WHAT YOU JUST SAID MAY OR PROTESTS IS THAT WE WANT THE POD PROCESS IS A TWO-STEP PROCESS.
I MEAN, THE PROCESS FOR ACTUALLY DETERMINING WHAT HAPPENED ON THE GROUND IN A PARTICULAR GEOGRAPHIC AREA IS A TWO-STEP PROCESS.
FIRST, THEY HAVE TO BE NAMED AS A TOD.
SO WE COULD PERHAPS, UH, UH, THAT, BUT SECOND, IF WE'RE GOING TO GET THE KINDS OF, OF, UH, OF CHANGES THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED, WE GOT TO PUT THEM IN ORDINANCE, UH, BECAUSE THE ORDINANCE, RIGHT, NOT JUST POLICY, THAT COULD BE HELPFUL TO PUT IT IN POLICY, BUT UNTIL WE PUT IT IN, IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE ORDINANCE, WE'RE NOT NAILING DOWN THOSE CHANGES.
SO THAT'S WHY I WAS JUST SUGGESTING CHANGING FROM 12 MONTHS TO 14 MONTHS.
THERE'S ONLY TWO MONTHS, THIS, THIS DIFFERENCE ABOUT WHETHER THAT'S APPROPRIATE OR NOT.
I JUST WANTED TO US TO GET TO A POINT WHERE WE WERE ACTUALLY CONSIDERING CHANGES THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO MAKE IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE FOR TOTS SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
BUT AGAIN, I'M OPEN TO, I APPRECIATE THAT.
WHAT YOU'VE DONE IS YOU HAVE A SHORTER TIME PERIOD FOR INTERIM RECOMMENDATIONS COMING BACK TO US THOUGH.
SO THAT MIGHT TAKE, THAT MIGHT TAKE CARE OF MY CONCERNS ABOUT TIMING, AS LONG AS WE DO GO AHEAD AND QUICKLY CONSIDER WHAT WANT TO ADD ADDITIONAL AREAS.
THE OTHER KIND OF LANGUAGE THAT I ADDED WAS MORE JUST CLARIFICATION CONCEPT LANGUAGE.
UH, I WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE WERE, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, ALIGNING OUR DESIGNATION OF TODD'S AND OUR SPECIFIC PLANNING PROCESSES AROUND TAGS WITH THE PROJECT CONNECT CLIENT ON.
SO WE WEREN'T TOO LATE ON DOING STATION AREA PLANS.
AND ALSO JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY, AS YOU MENTIONED, THAT NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AND ANTI-DISPLACEMENT ARE A PART OF THIS, YOU'VE GOT ALL THAT IN THERE.
SO I JUST HAD SOME CLARIFYING AND I MAY ALSO WANT TO ADD A FEW THINGS ABOUT DISABILITY, ACCESS ACCESS FOR PEOPLE, UM, WHO RELY ON, UM, YOU KNOW, AND OTHER KINDS OF THINGS.
UM, IF THEY'RE, IF, IF THEIR WHEELCHAIRS OR SO DISABILITY ACCESS, I DIDN'T SEE THAT MENTIONED, UM, THE POTENTIAL TO, TO CONSIDER CREATIVE SPACES.
I MAY WANT TO MENTION THAT ALSO.
UH, BUT THOSE ARE THE THINGS, UM, TWO THINGS I'M THINKING ABOUT.
UM, SO THAT'S THE ESSENCE OF IT.
I KNOW THAT PEOPLE NEED TIME TO THINK ABOUT THE AMENDMENTS, BUT THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE SIDE OF THE 41? OKAY.
THEN I READ THEM COLLEAGUES, UH, COUNSEL EVER ALTER, UH, HAS ASKED TO SPEAK ON ITEM TWO.
UM, SO ITEM TWO IS, UM, SORT OF THE ALLOCATION OF THE FIRST TRAUNCH OF THE ARP FUNDING.
UM, AND I HAVE BEEN, UH, CHANGING WITH THE CITY MANAGER, UM, AND MR KNOW, AND LANG SORT OF ABOUT THAT PROCESS.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CLARIFY, UH, PUBLICLY A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT PROCESS.
UM, SO I'M NOT SURE I SEE MR. KRUNK, I GUESS YOU'RE, YOU'RE ABLE TO SPEAK, BUT NOT VISIBLE RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR HIM AND THEN WANTED TO MAKE A COUPLE, UM, COMMENTS.
SO, UM, MR. GREG, WHEN WE'LL OR MR. VAN, WHOEVER'S GONNA RESPOND HERE.
UM, CAN YOU CLARIFY WHEN ONE SECOND LET'S CONFIRM THAT'S OUR MANAGER.
CAN YOU HEAR MR. VAN NINA OR ED'S HERE? ALL RIGHT.
UM, CAN YOU TELL ME, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN COUNSEL WILL BE ALLOCATING THE FUNDS, WHICH WILL REMAIN AFTER ADOPTION OF ITEM TWO, UM, OUR INTERIM BUDGET OFFICER CARRIE LANE, SPEAK TO THAT QUESTION.
WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO GET DIRECTOR BERSANI ON THE LINE, IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE NEXT STAGE OF OUR ARB PROCESS, GOOD MORNING, CLASSICAL
[00:30:01]
CHERRY LANKAN, OR A BUDGET OFFICER.UM, SO RIGHT NOW THE STAFF IS WORKING ON, UM, THE ITEMS FROM THE RESOLUTION BACK IN MARCH AND, AND PRESENTING THOSE ITEMS AND BRIEFING TO, UM, MARCH 8TH, EXCUSE ME, ON MAY 18TH RIGHT NOW, TO THE COUNCIL, SO THAT YOU ALL CAN SEE THE, UM, RECOMMENDED SPENDING FRAMEWORK AND ON JUNE 3RD, WE'RE ANTICIPATING POTENTIALLY COMING FOR THOSE ITEMS TO BE BROUGHT TO COUNCIL FOR ACTION.
AND OF COURSE WE'RE STILL WORKING ON, UM, OR WAITING TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM THE US TREASURY ON GUIDELINES.
AND SO THAT WILL DETERMINE HOW SOON WE'LL BE ABLE TO COME TO COUNCIL FOR ACTION.
UM, AND THEN THE BACKUP ON ITEM TWO INCLUDES, UM, THE MARCH 12TH MEMO.
UM, AND I WANT TO JUST CLARIFY THAT IT IS NOT STAFF'S INTENTION, THAT APPROVAL OF ITEM TWO NEXT WEEK SERVES AS COUNCIL'S APPROVAL OF THE MARCH 12TH FRAMEWORK, CORRECT.
THAT ITEM WAS INCLUDED IN THE ACTION ITEMS FOR HISTORICAL CONTEXT.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE INCLUDED ALL THE INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THIS ITEM SO THAT YOU ALL COULD HAVE ALL THE RELATED INFORMATION.
UM, AND I HAVE REQUESTED THAT YOU POST, UM, THE, THE FINAL VERSION OF ITEM ONE 11, UM, TO THE BACKUP.
THAT IS WHERE WE LAID OUT SOME ADDITIONAL PRIORITIES.
YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY DONE THAT, UM, THAT I WOULD JUST REITERATE THAT.
UM, SO COLLEAGUES, UM, I JUST WANTED TO FLAG, I ALSO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS THAT WE POSTED IN THE Q AND A, AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT I WILL HAVE ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS, UM, BY WEDNESDAY.
UM, THEY'RE PRETTY BASIC QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THE MONEY IS BEING SPENT ON.
UM, HOWEVER, IF THEY'RE NOT ANSWERED, I'M NOT GOING TO BE COMFORTABLE, UM, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT FULL ITEM, I HAVE SOME CONCERN ABOUT ANY DELAY FOR THE NAVIGATOR PIECE.
UM, BUT I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL GET THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED, BUT I DID NOT WANT IT TO BE A SURPRISE IF, IF NOT, AND YOU CAN LOOK IN THE Q AND A, UM, TO SEE IT'S REALLY JUST MORE DETAIL ON THE BUDGET AND WHAT IT'S BEING SPENT ON.
UM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE SO MUCH OF OUR DOLLARS ARE FEMA AND, AND, AND THE VACCINE PIECES, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT PUBLIC HEALTH PIECES ARE BEING FUNDED BY THIS LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY, UM, IN MORE SPECIFIC DETAIL, RATHER THAN JUST A GIANT POT GOING, I THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR US, FOR INSTANCE, TO HAVE THAT DETAIL.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S SOME OTHER PIECES TO THAT.
UM, AND I WILL NOTE THAT IN, IN CLARIFYING QUESTIONS, THE EAT AND ASD CAREGIVERS DO NOT CONSTITUTE THE SOUL FOOD SECURITY EFFORTS THAT WE MAY BE UNDERTAKING.
UM, BUT THEY ARE INCLUDED IN THE BASE, UM, HEALTH PROPOSAL AS THEY WERE IN THE MARCH 12TH OR WHENEVER THE MARCH, THE MARCH MEMO.
UM, SO IF THERE WERE ADDITIONAL THINGS FOR THAT FOURTH PRIORITY THAT WE HAD IN ONE 11, THOSE WOULD STILL POTENTIALLY GO FORWARD, BUT THOSE TWO, UM, WERE INCLUDED IN THE BASE FOR, FOR ITEM TWO.
SO I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF THROW THIS OUT THERE SO THAT WE HAD SOME GREATER CLARITY ON THE PROCESS, CAUSE WE'RE GETTING, UM, SOME QUESTIONS AND I KNOW OTHER COLLEAGUES WERE ASKING THAT.
UM, AND SO I THOUGHT THAT THE TRANSPARENCY ABOUT THE PROCESS WAS IMPORTANT.
UM, AND JUST ALSO WANTED TO SIGNAL THAT I DO NEED ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS, WHICH STAFF ARE WORKING ON, UM, DILIGENTLY.
I UNDERSTAND, UM, BUT DID WANT TO FLAG THAT FOR, FOR MY COLLEAGUES.
IF STAFF COULD GO AHEAD AND PUBLISH THOSE QUESTIONS, I DON'T BRING GREATEST TO NUMBER TWO AND EIGHT YET.
LET US ASK THE QUESTIONS YOU'RE ASKING, UH, COUNSELOR KITCHEN.
UM, THANK YOU FOR, FOR BRINGING THAT OUT.
UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT, UM, THAT WE DEFINITELY VOTE BY JUNE 3RD.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE SOME DECISIONS ABOUT OUR USE OF THE REMAINING ARP FUNDS.
UH, I TYPICALLY AM INTERESTED IN, UM, DEDICATING A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THEM TO, UM, TO REACHING THE, THE GOALS THAT ARE SET OUT THAT WERE SET OUT BY THE SUMMIT REGARDING, UM, REHOUSING, UH, UH, PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
UM, I THINK IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY WORKING WITH THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY TO, TO, UH, TO REALLY MOVE FORWARD WITH A GAME CHANGER.
UH, AND I THINK IT'S POSSIBLE FOR US TO DO THAT.
SO I, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE, I'M HOPING THAT THAT IS INTENDED TO BE REFLECTED, UM, COMES BACK TO US FROM OUR STAFF.
AND AS REGARDLESS OF THAT, CERTAINLY WANT TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT WHAT LEVEL OF INVESTMENT, UM,
[00:35:01]
UH, TO REACH THE SUMMIT GOALS AS APPROPRIATE.I ALSO WANT TO SUGGEST THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, A NUMBER OF US HAVE, UM, IDENTIFIED, UH, SPECIFIC, UM, UH, AREAS THAT WE THINK ARE IMPORTANT, UH, GLUED.
UM, SOME OF THOSE MAY BE REFLECTED, UM, IN THE BACK OF MY NOT SO CITY MANAGER, I'M HOPING THAT YOU WILL FOLLOW A PROCESS THAT WILL ALLOW EACH OF US TO INDICATE, UH, WHAT OUR PRIORITIES MIGHT BE.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THAT MIGHT, UM, BE MORE EXPEDITIOUS IF THAT IS, IF THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE HAD WITH EACH OF US PRIOR TO WHAT IS BROUGHT BACK TO US, UH, SO THAT, UM, THE, THE, THE SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE BROUGHT BACK TO US CAN REFLECT WHAT EACH OF US HAVE AS PRIORITIES, UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'LL NEED TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS AS WE ALWAYS DO.
BUT AS YOU HAVE DONE IN THE, WITH BUDGETS IN THE PAST, WHEN YOU HELP US PUT TOGETHER A, A LIST OR A SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS, STARTING POINT THAT IS HELPFUL, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT, YOUR PROCESS, A CITY MANAGER? YEAH, I APPRECIATE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER, AND CERTAINLY WE'VE STARTED THAT, BUT REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING ANOTHER ROUND WITH INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WILL HELP INFORM WHAT WE BRING FORWARD AT THE NEXT WORK SESSION.
THAT'S SORT OF A COUNCILMAN, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I JUST WANTED TO GO BACK TO CUSTOMER ALTERS THE CONVERSATION AROUND THE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH FUNDING AND JOIN HER IN CALLING FOR MORE DETAILS IN THAT LEVEL OF FUNDING.
YOU KNOW, WE, UH, WHAT I AM CURIOUS ABOUT IS IF THERE IS SPACE FOR US TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ON HOW WE SPENT OUR CARES ACT FUNDING AND HOW EFFECTIVE THE USAGE OF DOLLARS WERE IN THAT REGARD AND HOW THAT MIGHT INFORM HOW WE SPEND THIS, UH, BUCKET OF FUNDS COMING IN FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN AND HOW THAT LINES UP WITH THE PREVIOUS RESOLUTION THAT COUNCIL ADOPTED AROUND OUR COVID RESPONSE EFFORT, THAT OUTLINED STRATEGIC PRIORITY AREAS AND OUR RESPONSE EFFORTS.
UM, AND SO I REALLY WANT TO GET MORE DETAIL AND CLARITY AS TO HOW WE ARE GOING TO ALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS THAT ARE ALIGNED TO THOSE SPECIFIC AREAS, BUT ALSO THAT MEET THE NEEDS OF WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW WITH RESCUING OUR COMMUNITY FROM THIS PANDEMIC.
AND SO, UH, DEFINITELY WANT TO WELCOME THAT CONVERSATION AND, AND HOPE THAT WE CAN HAVE A MORE DETAILED CONVERSATION ON THE SPENDING OF THOSE DOLLARS.
ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, THIS MORNING WE MET WITH TRAVIS COUNTY AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE HESITANCY RATE AMONGST OUR COMMUNITY.
SO JUST WANT TO THINK INNOVATIVELY AND IN A FLEXIBLE WAY SO THAT WE MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND WITH THAT, UM, SO JUST WANTED TO, TO MENTION, AND THAT, UM, THAT QUESTION FOR EDD ACTUALLY IS EDD ON THE LINE THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, I KNOW VERONICA IS ON THE LINE BY PHONE.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S ABLE TO YOUR QUESTIONS, VERONICA, CAN YOU HEAR US AND RESPOND? HI, GOOD AFTERNOON.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR FOR SAMUEL.
MY QUESTION WAS, I KNOW I MENTIONED THAT WE HAD 125, UH, SPEAK WITH RESPONDENTS ON HOW THE COMMUNITY BELIEVES WE SHOULD SPEND OUR FUNDS.
AND I JUST WANTED SOME CLARIFICATION OF HOW MANY OF THOSE SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS HAVE COME THROUGH THIS YEAR 21.
AND IF THOSE SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS ARE FOCUS GROUP MEETINGS WITH THE COMMUNITY, OR, UH, AN ENGAGEMENT MEANS, UH, RESPONDENT, UH, RESPONSE TO THE SURVEY THAT WE HAVE UP ON OUR WEBSITE.
UM, SO I CAN, I DON'T HAVE THE BREAKDOWN OF HOW MANY HAPPENED THIS YEAR, BUT WE CAN GET THAT FOR YOU COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND THE ENGAGEMENT INCLUDES, UM, FOCUS GROUP MEETINGS, AS WELL AS, UM, PRESENTATIONS THAT WE'VE MADE TO DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND DIFFERENT, UM, DIFFERENT PUBLIC ENGAGEMENTS THAT WE'VE HAD IN THAT REGARD.
I BELIEVE THE SURVEY IT, IF IT'S INCLUDING THE SURVEY, IT'S THE FACT THAT WE CONDUCTED SURVEYS, BUT NOT EACH RESPONDED TO THE SURVEY, BUT LET ME MAKE ABSOLUTELY SURE ON THAT AND WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOUR OFFICE.
I JUST WOULD BE CURIOUS ABOUT HOW THE COMMUNITY'S THOUGHTS HAVE CHANGED SINCE A YEAR AGO OR WHEN WE FIRST RECEIVED THE CARES ACT FUNDING TO WHERE WE'RE AT NOW AND JUST SEEING IF THERE'S ANY, UH, PRIORITY AREAS THAT HAVE BUBBLED UP IN THOSE RESPONSES.
[00:40:01]
WE CAN, WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON THAT.UM, THE RESCUE PLAN, A COUPLE OF THINGS.
UM, I THINK WHAT, UH, VANESSA WAS SUGGESTING, UM, ABOUT COMPARING HOW THE CARES ACT WAS SPENT, UH, WITH THE RESCUE IS GOOD FOR US TO LEVEL SET.
UM, I WANT TO LOOK AT OUR DEFICIT POSTURE FOR FISCAL 22 IN THE LONGER RANGE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST AND CENTER THAT BECAUSE FOR US TO HAVE A BETTER POSTURE, FIVE YEARS OUT, WE NEED TO BE ADDRESSING IT, UH, THIS YEAR IN, IN THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING FOR FISCAL 22.
THAT IS PART OF WHAT I THINK IF I'M REMEMBERING RIGHT, THAT'S PART OF WHY THE RESCUE ACT WAS PUT TOGETHER WAS TO HELP FUND THOSE OPERATIONS AND PROGRAMS THAT, UM, BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF OTHER REVENUES, UH, ARE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN THE RED.
SO I WANT TO CENTER US ON OUR DEFICIT SITUATION BECAUSE THAT RELATES TO OUR TAX RATE AND FOR US TO BE IN A GOOD POSITION GOING FORWARD AGAIN, IN THE CONTEXT OF THE FIVE-YEAR FORECAST, WHICH I HOPE EVERYBODY WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THE ONE-ON-ONE WITH OUR MOST EXCELLENT FINANCIAL STAFF, UH, REALLY GET A SENSE OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AND, UH, TO THE EXTENT THAT WE ARE ALSO ADDRESSING THE CONCERNS OF OUR COMMUNITY, ONE OF THE BEST WAYS WE CAN DO THAT ACROSS THE BOARD IS BY SCRUTINIZING OUR TAX RATE, BECAUSE THAT APPLIES TO EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU'RE RENTING OR OWNING, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, AND THE COST OF OUR SERVICES AND SO FORTH.
SO, UM, SO I'D LIKE TO PUT THAT OUT THERE FOR, UH, SOME CONSIDERATION, I SUPPORT THE, UH, ADDITIONAL MONEY REQUESTS FOR OUR MUSIC VENUE FOLKS, OUR CREATIVE SECTOR.
THAT WAS A CONCERN THAT WE HEARD REPEATEDLY LAST YEAR.
AND WE DID GET TO ADDRESSING IT MORE SPECIFICALLY AND DIRECTLY AT, TOWARD THE END OF THE YEAR, LAST YEAR, BUT IT WAS INSUFFICIENT AS, AS WE KNOW.
AND, UM, SO WE NEED TO RAMP UP OUR ATTENTION TO THAT SECTOR IN SOME SIGNIFICANT WAYS AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN WITH REGARD TO THE HOMELESSNESS PIECE, I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT CARVE OUT OF MONIES FOR HOMELESSNESS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE, I THINK THAT WAS $11 MILLION.
IT'S NOT A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY, BUT IT'S, IT'S A GOOD AMOUNT OF MONEY.
THAT'S ABOUT 5% OF THE TOTAL THAT WE'RE GETTING.
UH, IF THE TOTAL IS AROUND 200 MILLION.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS FACTORED IN AS WELL.
AND THAT WE LOOK AT ALL OF THE STRANDS AND THE INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMS AND THE FUNDS THAT ARE COMING DOWN INDIVIDUALLY, UH, WHEN WE'RE HAVING THE, UH, WHEN WE'RE REVIEWING AND, AND PARSING THROUGH WHAT THE STAFF IS RECOMMENDING ON THE RESCUE PLAN, SO THAT WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO THOSE PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT DID NOT GET THE DIRECT ATTENTION OR ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT OF ATTENTION IN THE PANTS.
UM, FIRST I WANT TO APPRECIATE ANN'S SUGGESTION ABOUT THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND, AND, AND DOING THE ROUNDS TO REALLY SEE WHERE WE'RE, WHERE WE'RE AT.
I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT, UM, ROLE THAT THE CITY MANAGER CAN PLAY HERE TO HELP US, UM, TO FURTHER SHARPEN OUR, OUR PRIORITIES SO THAT WE CAN SPEND THESE FUNDS IN A, IN A TRANSFORMATIONAL WAY, BUT ALSO HIT SOME THINGS WHERE WE JUST, WE JUST NEED TO INFUSE SOME FUNDS, UM, AND ALSO APPRECIATE, UH, VANESSA'S COMMENTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING THE EFFECTIVENESS.
UM, I WILL ADD THAT IN TERMS OF THE CLARITY THAT I'M SEEKING, YOU KNOW, THERE THERE'S THERE'S MONEY THAT'S GOING INTO THE PUBLIC HEALTH VACCINES IS SORT OF LIKE, NOT IN THAT BUCKET, BUT LIKE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE, SOME TOTALITY OF WHAT WE'RE PLANNING TO, TO SPEND AND, YOU KNOW, WHICH PORTION IS FEMA.
AND WHAT'S THE PORTION THAT LIKE SPENDING OF OUR, OF OUR OWN MONEY ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT.
AND WHAT IS THE TARGET AND WHAT ARE WE FUNDING WITH THAT WITH RESPECT TO PUBLIC HEALTH? I THINK WE ALL HAD SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO PRIORITIZE PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, WITH THIS, THIS FUNDING.
UM, BUT I THINK WE NEED SOME GREATER CLARITY AT THIS STAGE ON KIND OF WHAT THOSE DETAILS ARE.
UM, AND THEN I WANTED TO FLAG THAT I WILL, UM, POST SHORTLY, UH, UM, AN UPDATED VERSION OF THE CHILDCARE PROPOSAL FROM SUCCESS
[00:45:01]
BY SIX, WHICH A MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL, UM, SUPPORTED.UM, WE ARE GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, FOLLOWING UP ON, UM, REQUESTS BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, ONE, DUSTIN CASAR WITH SOME DUAL LANGUAGE, UM, PRESCHOOL TARGETS, UM, WHICH WILL BE SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
UM, AND I CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COUNTY TO ENCOURAGE, UM, THEIR PARTICIPATION.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE, UM, FRIENDS OVER IN THE COUNTY THERE, I HOPE THAT YOU WILL REACH OUT TO THEM AND SHARE YOUR SUPPORT OF THE CHILDCARE PROPOSAL AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO BE INVOLVED.
UM, I THINK THE, THE CHILDCARE PROPOSAL FOR ME, UM, EPITOMIZES KIND OF WHAT I'M TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THE AIR, HE, IN TERMS OF GETTING UP TO RESILIENCY AND MAKING INVESTMENTS THAT ULTIMATELY CAN BE SUSTAINED OVER TIME, UM, IN, IN IMPORTANT WAYS.
UM, AND THAT ACHIEVE KIND OF MULTIPLE GOALS.
YOU KNOW, WE CANNOT GET OUR ECONOMY MOVING IF PEOPLE CAN'T HAVE, UM, DECENT CHILDCARE, IT IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT FOR WOMEN IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, FOR THAT CHILD CARE, UM, TO BE THERE AT THE ODD HOURS AND, AND OTHER KINDS OF THINGS THAT THAT PROPOSAL, UM, MAKES HAPPEN.
UM, THERE IS, UM, SIMILAR BENEFITS IN TERMS OF ACHIEVING MULTIPLE GOALS, UM, FROM SOME OF THE WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITIES, UM, IN THE BASE PROPOSAL, THERE WAS FUNDING FOR THE AUSTIN CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS, WHICH PUTS PEOPLE TO WORK, UM, TRAINS, TRAINS THEM, UM, EVEN CAN TRAIN THEM IN DISASTER STUFF AND PUT SOME TO WORK, DOING STUFF THAT HELPS, UM, OUR ENVIRONMENT.
UM, WE HAVE MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO SCALE THAT, AND OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE ALSO USING IT AS A WAY TO, TO RECRUIT FOLKS.
SO I HOPE THAT WE WILL SEE, UM, ADDITIONAL FUNDING THERE THAT WILL THEN ALLOW US TO BRING DOWN FURTHER FUNDING.
AND SIMILARLY, THERE'S A PROPOSAL FROM WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, UM, FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT THAT I THINK, UM, IS, IS, IS KEY TO OUR ECONOMIC RECOVERY.
IT ALSO HAS A LOT IN THERE, UM, THAT WILL HELP US, UM, UPSCALE FOLKS IN THE TRADES, WHICH IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF OUR ACHIEVING AFFORDABILITY.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONSTRAINTS, UM, THERE IS ACCESS TO SKILLED LABOR, UM, AND THERE'S ENORMOUS OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO TARGET THOSE EFFORTS, UM, AT TRAINING, UM, TO POPULATIONS, UM, THAT HAVE HAD MORE TROUBLE GETTING EMPLOYED IN OUR ECONOMY, UM, BEFORE.
AND THEY HAVE NOW TESTED SOME PROGRAMS THAT HAVE HAD REALLY HIGH, UM, SUCCESS RATES AND ALLOW THAT TO BE DONE, UM, ONLINE.
SO I WOULD CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO THOSE, UM, PROPOSALS AS WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE CAN, UM, FUND.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE, UM, SOME CHOICES ON DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, BUT I THINK WE REALLY DO HAVE TO HAVE THE SUM TOTAL OF THE OTHER AVAILABLE RESOURCES, UM, YOU KNOW, IN, IN OUR AWARENESS AS WE, AS WE DO THAT.
UM, AND I MAY BE MAKING AN AMENDMENT, AN ITEM TO THAT THAT REINFORCES SOME OF THE NAVIGATOR ROLES, BUT EVEN WITH RESPECT TO OUR INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS STAFF AND THEIR ABILITY TO BE HELPING, UM, SOME OF OUR SISTER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS, UM, OR, YOU KNOW, UNIVERSITIES, UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU SAID, UNTIL IT'S AN ET CETERA WHERE PERHAPS, UM, THE CITY CAN HELP PUT SOME, UH, BEHIND SOME EFFORTS TO BRING DOWN DOLLARS, UM, THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN ARP ELSEWHERE, AND JUST KINDA MAXIMIZING THAT FLOW, WHETHER IT'S OUR DOLLARS OR NOT, UM, SEEMS TO BE A REALLY HIGH PRIORITY.
WE, WE EMPHASIZE THAT IN ONE 11 AND I APPRECIATE THE NAVIGATORS, BUT AS CURRENTLY DEVISED, I THINK THERE MAY STILL BE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT ARE LEFT OUT OF THAT NAVIGATOR APPROACH THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD ON.
UM, I AGREE WITH MOST EVERYTHING EVERYBODY HAS SAID, I'M STILL REAL ENCOURAGED AND INTERESTED IN SEEING WHAT STUFF'S GOING TO COME BACK WITH THEIR SHIT BACK TO ONE 11, WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAKING REAL TRANSFORMATIONAL GENERATIONAL CHANGES WITH THESE DOLLARS, BECAUSE THEY GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING THAT WE JUST NEVER WOULD HAVE WITHOUT THIS KIND OF SCALE.
UH, I THINK THE COMMUNITIES INDICATED THEY WANTED TO REALLY DO SOMETHING FUNDAMENTALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
UH, I AGREE THAT, UH, BURN BROUGHT ANXIOUS TO SEE WHAT THE TRANSFORMATION ON GENERATIONAL CHANGES ON CHILDCARE.
UH, THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT TO US AND STILL BELIEVE THAT THAT PRIORITY AROUND ALLOW THEM.
I AGREE WITH THE STATEMENTS ABOUT THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, UH, CAUSE THOSE THINGS ARE,
[00:50:01]
ARE SO TIED TOGETHER AND, UH, FOOD SECURITY, SO ANXIOUS TO SEE THAT COMING BACK.I AGREE THAT THE NAVIGATOR IS REALLY KEY AND, UM, AS MUCH AS WE COULD DO THAT, EVEN EXPANDING IT TO THE EARLIER CONVERSATIONS WE HAD ABOUT FEMA REIMBURSEMENT, IT WAS GOOD TO SEE THAT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE ZACK, MY BAKERS APPLIED FOR JUST UNDER TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
UM, AND I, I HOPE I'D TRUST THE FACILITY AROUND THE ORGANIZATIONS AROUND SITTING THE LINE, UH, FOR THAT KIND OF LEARNING THAT COMES OUTSIDE.
UM, AND ALSO THAT THE, THE, THE ALLOCATION THAT WE'VE GOTTEN, UM, SO THAT WE CREATE THE BIGGEST, ALRIGHT GUYS, ANY MORE COMMENTS BEFORE WE GO TOO BIG, WE WERE RUNNING THE EXECUTIVE SESSION REAL FAST.
THAT WAS NEVER KITCHEN FOCUS JUST QUICKLY.
I WANT IT TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTARS, UM, UM, OR TA, UH, MENTIONING THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
I THINK WE CAN ALSO, AS PART OF THIS, THIS PROCESS, LOOK AT SYNERGIES.
UH, I KNOW THAT ONE ASPECT OF THE, UM, OF THE THINKING OR RECOMMENDATIONS OR IDEAS AROUND THE SUMMIT POINTED OUT THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, UH, FOR NAVIGATORS AND CASEWORKERS AND SOCIAL WORKERS, UH, BUT PARTICULARLY, UM, UH, NAVIGATORS IN THAT SENSE, UH, TO HELP CONNECT PEOPLE TO HOUSING.
UM, AND THE SUMMIT IDENTIFIED, I THINK 200 ADDITIONAL, UH, STAFFING NEEDS THERE.
THE OTHER ASPECT ALSO COURSES THAT WE HAVE TALKED IN THE PAST, AND WE DO HAVE PROVISIONS AROUND HELPING INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESS MS. CONNECT TO JOBS FOR THOSE WHO CAN, UM, OR, OR SKILLS TRAINING.
SO I THINK THERE'S SOME SYNERGY THERE.
SO MY COMMENT IS AROUND THE COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR PIECE FROM THE ITEM NUMBER TWO, TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY APPLY FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE.
UM, AND I GUESS MY COMMENT IS AROUND, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT JUST YESTERDAY, THE RESTAURANT REVITALIZATION FUND OPENED UP THROUGH THE SBA AND THEY HAVE LAID OUT A PROCESS OR IT'S FIRST COME FIRST SERVE, BUT THEY ARE PRIORITIZING MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES FOR AT LEAST THE FIRST THREE WEEKS.
AND SO I WOULD HOPE WE KNOW IF WE PASS ITEM ON, ON THURSDAY, THAT WE QUICKLY WORK TO HELP OUR RESTAURANTS, YOU KNOW, GET IN THE LINE AND APPLY, ESPECIALLY SINCE THERE IS THIS PRIORITIZATION FRAME AND WE HAVE ONLY JUST A FEW WEEKS TO HELP OUT.
AND SO JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE, UM, THE, THE NEED TO MOVE QUICKLY IN THAT OUTREACH AND PLEASE, YOU KNOW, COUNT ON MY OFFICE AS SUPPORT AND, AND HELPING WITH THAT OUTREACH AND, AND WANTING TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT INFORMATION GETS TO OUR RESTAURANTS.
I AGREE ALSO WITH, WITH A LOT OF WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID WITH REGARD TO THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, BUT I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE A COUPLE OF PRIORITIES FOR ME.
I AM INTERESTED IN SAYING, UM, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME STEP BACK AND SAY, COUNCIL MEMBER SOCCER.
THEY LIKED THE IDEA OF LOOKING AT HOW OUR INVESTMENTS THAT WE MADE IN THE CARES FUNDING, UM, HOW THOSE, WHAT THOSE LOOK LIKE, HOW, HOW WE BENEFITED FROM THEM.
I ALSO THOUGH I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN, IN SOMETHING, UM, THAT COMES TO MEMBER ALTAR AND OTHERS OF US HAVE TALKED ABOUT THROUGHOUT THIS AND REALLY LOOKING AT HOW WE USE THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN TO INVEST IN TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE AND TRY TO ALWAYS LOOK FOR THOSE, UM, SITUATIONS WHERE THERE ARE MULTI BENEFITS.
SO THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF PROGRAMS THAT I'M GOING TO BE MOST INTERESTED IN, IN HELPING INVEST IN.
I ALSO AM INTERESTED IN SEEING US INVEST A GOOD AMOUNT AND HOMELESSNESS, UM, AND REALLY USING THAT TO SET A CHALLENGE FOR THE PRIVATE COMMUNITY TO COME FORWARD AND, AND INVEST IN THAT CHALLENGE AS WELL.
AND I DID WANT TO JUST SPEAK TO, UM, THE IDEA OF, UH, FOR ME, THE MULTI-BENEFIT, YOU KNOW, LOOKING FOR THOSE PROGRAMS WHERE WE CAN ACHIEVE MULTIPLE BENEFITS.
I THINK THE KIX WORKERS AND NAVIGATORS ARE A GREAT EXAMPLE.
AND I HAD MENTIONED THIS IDEA IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTED ME TO KEEP US IN THIS SUMMIT.
AS COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN MENTIONED, THERE WAS AN IDENTIFIED NEED FOR SEVERAL HUNDRED MORE CASE CASE MANAGERS HERE IN AUSTIN.
AND I JUST WANT TO LET MY COLLEAGUES KNOW THAT THIS IS AN IDEA THAT, THAT MY OFFICE HAS BEGUN TO EXPLORE.
I'VE TALKED WITH A FEW OF YOU WHO I KNOW HAVE INTEREST IN IT AS WELL.
AND WE DID HAVE A REALLY PRODUCTIVE MEETING WITH ONE OF OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROVIDERS LAST WEEK, BUT I SEE THAT AS A REALLY USEFUL AND USEFUL FOR YOU TO POTENTIALLY ACHIEVE SOME BENEFITS IN BOTH OF THOSE AREAS, BY INVESTING IN INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR TRAINING AND THEIR EMPLOYMENT, BUT ALSO HELPING, UH, HELPING, UM, GENERATE SOME EXPERTISE
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AND SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES IN AN AREA WHERE WE KNOW WE NEED THEM.I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS WORK AND I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE TAKING TIME WITH IT AND ARE GOING TO BE THOUGHTFUL IN OUR APPROACH AND REALLY SEE AS SEVERAL OF YOU HAVE SAID, WELL, WHAT OTHER RESOURCES ARE OUT THERE SO THAT WE'RE NOT SO THAT WE CAN REALLY TARGET OURS EFFECTIVELY? IT LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY.
WE STARTED, I MEAN, IT'S ALMOST LIKE IT'S BUDGET TIME.
I RE WE'RE GETTING SO MANY EMAILS ABOUT THIS, UM, EVERY HOUR FROM LOTS AND LOTS OF INDIVIDUALS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF INDIVIDUAL GROUPS, UH, AND IT'S GOING TO BE CHALLENGING AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SOME HARD DECISIONS.
AND I JUST WANT TO URGE THE COMMUNITY TO, TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS, WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE THOSE GAPS AND THOSE NEEDS THAT WE NEED TO FILL, BUT IT IS ALSO OUR JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE INVESTING IT IN TRANSFORMATIONAL, THAT THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO INVEST IN TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE AND WE'RE, AND THAT'S GOING TO MEAN THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SAY NO TO SOME OF THOSE REQUESTS OR FOR FUNDING AND FOR INVESTMENTS.
SO IT, AGAIN, I HOPE THAT WE'LL TAKE THIS ON A TIMELINE THAT REALLY ALLOWS US TO DO VERY THOUGHTFUL WORK AND HAVE LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS AMONG OURSELVES.
I HAD A, UM, A DIFFERENT ITEM BEFORE WE CONCLUDE.
SO AT, AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME, IF YOU WOULD RECOGNIZE ME FOR THAT THAT'S NUMBER RIGHT THERE VIA COSMETIC, SIR.
UM, I, MY, UH, BIGGEST PRIORITY IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE INVEST ENOUGH IN OUR DAYCARE CENTERS.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW, UH, UH, WOULD THAT WOULD THE DAYCARE SERVICE SO EXPENSIVE TO OUR, OUR WORKING MOTHERS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO REALLY BE ABLE TO HELP OUT.
AND IN THAT WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, LIKE WE DID IN THE CARE THAT WE ALSO PUT FARM IN THE RICE FIRMS SO THAT NO ONE GOT THAT BEHIND.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
HE SAYS MIGHT NOT QUALIFY, SIR.
NO, I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING FOLKS HAVE SAID HERE.
THE ONLY THING THAT, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE SOME SET ASIDE FUNDS THAT ARE SEPARATE FROM THE LOCAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FUNDS FOR, UM, FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
BUT I THINK REALLY IMPORTANT AS THE, UM, EVICTION RULES CHANGE AND WE'VE TO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE BEYOND FIVE MONTHS BEHIND THAT EVICTION WOULD HAPPEN THAT WE MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING AVAILABLE, THAT THOSE FOLKS WHO STILL CAN'T MAKE IT WORK AT THAT POINT, THAT WE, UM, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO ASSIST THOSE PEOPLE, UH, BEFORE, BECAUSE WE DON'T OBVIOUSLY DON'T WANT TO WAIVE EVICTIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'VE DONE SUCH A GOOD JOB OF KEEPING EVICTIONS LOW, NOT JUST RELATIVE TO TEXAS, BUT RELATIVE TO PRETTY MUCH ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY.
AND, AND WE, I THINK WE CERTAINLY WANT TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THAT THROUGH THE YEAR USING OUR ASSISTANCE.
UH, MY ONLY QUESTION FOR YOU MANAGER IS, UM, GIVEN THE CONVERSATION HERE TODAY, AND THEN THERE'S BEEN MULTIPLE MEMOS THAT HAVE COME BACK AND FORTH.
UM, IT, IS THERE ALREADY A SENSE OF TIMELINE ABOUT WHEN WE WOULD BE VOTING ON THESE ISSUES OR IS THAT STILL IN FLUX? I FEEL LIKE I'VE SEEN VARIOUS TIMELINES AND DATES BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE CITY.
UH, SO I JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHAT THE LATEST WAS GIVEN THIS CONVERSATION TODAY.
AND I'LL JUST, UH, HAVE OUR BUFFET OFFICER CONFIRM THIS, BUT WE WERE GOING TO PRESENT SOME RECOMMENDATIONS AT THE NEXT WORK SESSION.
AND THEN THAT FIRST CYCLE IN JUNE IS WHEN WE WOULD POST FOR ACTION.
AGAIN, CONTINGENT ON HOW THAT WORK SESSION DISCUSSION GOES AND THE ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE THAT WE'D BE GETTING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT INTERIM BUDGET OFFICER.
DID I MISS ANYTHING ABOUT THOSE DATES? THANK YOU FOR THAT.
GOD, IS ANYBODY GONNA SOLVE THIS? ALL RIGHT.
IT IS, UH, UH, STRAIGHT UP DO NOW, OR YOU HAVE OTHER ITEMS AS WELL, JUST VERY QUICKLY, MAYOR.
I JUST WANT TO CALL MY COLLEAGUES ATTENTION TO THE WORK SESSIONS THAT OUR STAFF, OUR AGENDA STAFF HAVE SCHEDULED FOR MAY 10TH AND MAY 11TH, AS, AS YOU ALL REMEMBER IN ONE OF OUR FIRST AFTER STORM MEETINGS, UM, WE PASSED AN AMENDMENT THAT THEN I FOLLOWED UP WITH A RESOLUTION THAT MANY OF YOU SPONSORED TO CREATE THESE RATE TO ANALYZE THE WINTER STORM FROM A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.
ONE OF WHICH WAS TO CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COUNCIL TO HAVE, UM, SOME WORK SESSIONS
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WHERE WE CAN JUST DO KIND OF A QUESTION AND ANSWER FORMAT AND GET SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED THAT WE HAVEN'T YET BEEN ABLE TO REALLY DRILL DOWN ON.UM, OUR IT'S BEEN TREMENDOUSLY CHALLENGING OUR AGENDA STAFF, UM, AND MY OFFICE STAFF.
I'VE WORKED REALLY, REALLY HARD AND HAVE SPENT MANY HOURS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SCHEDULE THIS CALENDARS.
IT'S BEEN, IT'S TAKEN US THIS LONG.
SO, UH, AGAIN, THESE ARE SCHEDULED FOR MAY 10TH, MAY 11TH, AND I, I HOPE SINCE THIS WAS PASSED ALMOST UNANIMOUSLY, I REALLY HOPE EVERYONE CAN, CAN, UM, CAN GET THERE FOR SOME PIECE OF IT.
IT IS, UH, I I'VE THE MAYOR AND I HAVE MET WITH, UM, JASON ALEXANDER SEVERAL TIMES.
I KNOW I'VE TALKED WITH HIM TOO.
WE'VE REALLY, I THINK, CARVED OUT A PLAN THAT WILL ALLOW US TO COVER A LOT OF GROUND AND NOT COVER SIMILAR GROUND TO WHAT WE'VE ALREADY COVERED IN THE PREVIOUS SESSIONS.
AND SO AGAIN, IT'S REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ASK, TO DO KIND OF QUESTION AND ANSWER, AND ALSO TO PROVIDE THE MANAGER WITH A LIST OF SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO ADDRESS IN THE AFTER ACTION REPORT.
BUT FOR SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS, I THINK THEY NEED TO BE AIRED IN, IN A PUBLIC SESSION AND ALSO TO PROVIDE US WITH SOME INITIAL FEEDBACK ON THAT, BECAUSE I KNOW MANY OF OUR, MANY OF US ARE THINKING THROUGH AND WORKING THROUGH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS AND PRIOR TO KIND OF JUMPING INTO MORE RESOLUTIONS AND MORE, MORE PROVIDING NEW DIRECTIVES TO THE CITY STAFF.
I KNOW I NEED A LITTLE BIT BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT, WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.