[00:00:06]
AND THEN BEGIN, UH, WE'RE GOING TO CALL TO ORDER THE WORK SESSION OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
SOME OF US ARE HERE, UH, AT THE CITY HALL.
UH THERE'S UH, UH, I'M CALLING IN, UH, REMOTELY.
UH, IT IS NINE 15, AND WE ARE ADJOURNED A COUPLE OF REAL QUICK.
UH, I MEAN, WE ARE, WE ARE BY PHONE, ONLY WORKED THAT WAY.
UM, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE STARTING OUR CALL TO ORDER A COUPLE OF HOUSEKEEPING THINGS.
THURSDAY, IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, WE COULD HAVE INCLEMENT WEATHER SITUATION.
I URGE EVERYONE THAT IS SIGNING UP TO SPEAK OR WISHING TO SPEAK, EVEN THOSE THAT ARE INTENDING TO SIGN UP IN PERSON TO ALSO SIGN UP REMOTELY.
UH, AND, AND I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THE REMOTE OPTION THIS WEEK.
SO AS TO BEST PROTECT, NOT ONLY YOURSELVES, BUT OUR STAFF, UH, THE FEWER PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE, UH, HERE, TESTIFYING LIVE, UH, THE FEWER, THE STAFF MEMBERS THAT NEED TO BE HERE.
IF EVERYBODY, UH, IF THEY WOULD, WOULD CONSIDER, UH, SIGNING UP REMOTELY BEYOND THAT FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, ON THURSDAY, I HEARD YOU ALL TO CONSIDER BEING REMOTE, UH, AS WELL, UH, RATHER THAN, THAN COMING DOWN, GIVEN THE WEATHER SITUATION.
ONLY ONE OF US NEEDS TO BE HERE AND PROBABLY SAFEST FOR ME TO BE THE ONE THAT DOES THAT.
UH, SO I'LL BE HERE, BUT NO ONE ELSE NEEDS TO BE HERE, UH, FOR THAT MEETING ON, ON THURSDAY.
[A. Pre-Selected Agenda Items]
RIGHT, WITH THAT COLLEAGUES, WE HAVE, UH, PULLED THE ITEMS FIRST, THEN WE HAVE TWO, UH, STAFF REPORTS AND WE HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.WE'RE GOING TO START WITH A PULLED ITEMS. I DON'T THINK IT WILL BE VERY LONG.
WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO THE HOMELESSNESS REPORT.
THE GOAL IS TO DO EXECUTIVE SESSION AS CONCURRENT WITH, UH, LUNCHES WE CAN, UH, SO WE'LL KIND OF RUN, UH, THE DAY THAT WAY, HOPEFULLY BREAKING ABOUT NOON FOR LUNCH AND EXECUTIVE SESSION ON, UH, UH, PULLED ITEMS TODAY.
I PULLED THE, THE BOARDS AND COMMISSION ITEM, UH, JUST TO BE ABLE TO SAY OUT LOUD AND I POSTED ONTO THE MESSAGE BOARD, UM, UM, MY BEST SHOT AT THAT TO DO COMMITTEE CHAIRS.
AND, UH, INTER-GOVERNMENTAL, I THINK I'M NOT A MAYOR PRO TEM FOR HER, UH, ASSISTANCE AND, AND, AND ADVICE COUNSEL ON THIS, ANYBODY THAT SAYS ANY QUESTIONS NOW OR WANTED TO SPEAK TO IT, WE COULD OTHERWISE IT'LL COME UP THURSDAY AS THE, UH, AS AN AGENDA ITEM WITH BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER PULL THEM? YES.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT I CHECKED WITH, UH, RENEE, THE FAIR, WHO LEADS THE HATE CRIMES TASK FORCE.
TRADITIONALLY WE'VE HAD THREE MEMBERS OF THE TASK FORCE.
SHE SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH FIVE, AS LONG AS THEY WERE NOT SIX OF US ATTENDING SO THAT WE HAD A QUORUM OF COUNCIL.
I'M EXCITED TO SEE THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP ON THAT.
BY THE WAY, WHEN I STARTED THE HATE CRIMES TASK FORCE, PROBABLY 15 YEARS AGO, IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THE HOPE WAS IS THAT IT WOULD BE A MORE INTEGRAL PLAYER IN COORDINATING AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE WERE NETWORKING.
AND, UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE INTEREST OF COLLEAGUES OR THAT THIS YEAR, ANYBODY ELSE ON PULLED ITEMS. KATHY, DID YOU START SAYING SOMETHING? I WAS JUST THINKING THE MAYOR PRO TEM FOR, FOR REACHING OUT, UM, REGARDING THE HATE CRIMES, TASK FORCE, AND MAYOR, WOULD YOU REMIND US WHO THOSE FIVE MEMBERS ARE GOING TO BE? I, I THINK I'VE, I'VE LOST TRACK OF, I KNOW I HAD INDICATED THAT I'D LIKE TO, I'D LIKE TO BE ON IT, BUT THAT, THAT ALSO, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON IT IN THE PAST, I WOULD DEFER IF THERE WERE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WANTED TO SERVE ON IT.
SO THE HATE CRIMES, TASK FORCE THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, KELLY HARPER, MADISON TOVO AND ALTER.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING ON THAT AGAIN.
AND I THINK YOU HAD SAID YOU WERE GO AHEAD.
I HAD SAID I WAS WILLING TO NOT BE OFFICIAL IF I, IF I NEEDED TO, BUT AT LEAST FOR THIS YEAR, I'M LIKELY TO BE THERE AT EVERY MEETING.
[00:05:01]
TO, DO YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? THE HATE CRIMES TASK FORCE, JUST SAY THAT I'M PLEASED TO SEE THAT FIVE OF US WANT TO, UM, PARTICIPATE.UM, UNFORTUNATELY WE'VE SEEN A MARKET RISE AND HATE CRIMES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WHETHER IT WAS ANTI-ASIAN HATE OR ANTISEMITIC OR OTHER FORMS OF HATE.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE, AS LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY ARE STANDING UP AND SAYING THERE'S NO PLACE FOR HATE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND I THINK THE HATE CRIMES FORCE CAKE CRIMES, TASK FORCE HAS SOME REALLY IMPORTANT WORK, UM, TO CONTINUE AND TO BUILD ON AND TO EXTEND, TO LOOK FORWARD TO BEING PART OF THAT.
AND YOU HAD NOTED ON YOUR POSTING THAT YOU WERE WILLING NOT TO BE FORMALLY POINTED, BUT GIVEN THE CORE OF THE ISSUE, I THOUGHT IT'D BE BEST JUST TO PUT YOU THERE.
UH, ANYTHING ELSE, ANY OTHER POLL ITEMS ON ANYTHING ELSE ON OUR AGENDA, HEARING NINE, LET'S GO THEN STRAIGHT INTO, UM, UH, THE REPORTS.
I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS YEAR IS ALREADY INTO FEBRUARY, BUT HERE WE ARE.
AND WE HAVE TWO BRIEFINGS FOR YOU THIS MORNING, UH, ON THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE, WHICH IS A CONTINUATION OF A CONVERSATION WE STARTED LAST YEAR.
UH, AND THEN AN UPDATE ON OUR HOMELESSNESS RELATED ISSUES.
[B2. Update on Homelessness Related Issues.]
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE HOMELESSNESS RELATED ISSUES AND WE HAVE OUR, UH, HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER DIANA GRAY, UH, WHO WILL WALK THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION.WE ALSO HAVE ADDITIONAL STAFF ONLINE AND AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, BUT AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS A TOP PRIORITY FOR STAFF AND FOR THIS COUNCIL, UH, CERTAINLY INCREDIBLE WORK THAT'S HAPPENING ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS BY SO MANY DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE ENTERPRISE, UH, ALONGSIDE OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AS WELL.
UM, BUT WITH THAT ALTERNATE OVER TO MS. GRAY.
UH, MAYOR PRO TEM, ALTAR AND COUNCIL.
UM, WE HAVE A BRIEFING FOR YOU THIS MORNING, UH, THAT, UH, UH, I WOULD CATEGORIZE IN THREE AREAS.
ONE, I WILL BE GIVING AN UPDATE ON THE SUMMIT TO ADDRESS UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS, PARTICULARLY AROUND, UH, FUNDRAISING AND COMMITMENT OF FUNDS.
SECOND, I'LL BE GIVING A BRIEF UPDATE AROUND THE HEAL INITIATIVE.
AND THEN FINALLY, THERE ARE THREE OTHER ITEMS THAT I WANTED TO GIVE A BRIEF UPDATE ON, UH, AND PREVIEW FOR COUNCIL.
ONE IS A QUICK UPDATE ON THE PROCESS OF THE HOTEL ACQUISITIONS THAT ARE BEING CONVERTED TO PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
THE SECOND IS, UH, PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT AS RELATED TO HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS.
AND THE THIRD IS COLD WEATHER SHELTER.
WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO AS YOU RECALL, THE SUMMIT INVESTMENT PLAN CALLED FOR $515 MILLION IN INVESTMENTS TO SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING THREE HIGH-LEVEL OBJECTIVES.
ONE WAS SIMPLY TO HELP PEOPLE INTEND TO HOUSE AN ADDITIONAL 3000 PEOPLE OVER THE COURSE OF THREE YEARS, UH, AND PROVIDE OTHER SUPPORTS TO OVER ANOTHER 2000 PEOPLE TO HELP THEM STABILIZE IN HOUSING, ADD CONCRETE HOUSING CAPACITY IN THE FORM OF 1300 NEW UNITS, AND FINALLY BUILD A BETTER SYSTEM.
AND THAT MEANS THINGS LIKE IMPROVING OUR, OUR PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT BUILDING CAPACITY IN OUR PROVIDER COMMUNITY AND IMPROVING ACCESS, UM, AND, AND OUTCOMES WITH AN EQUITY LENS.
SO WHEN I LAST REPORTED TO COUNCIL, UH, WE HAD ABOUT 75% OF THE 515 MILLION EITHER COMMITTED OR ANTICIPATED.
UH, SINCE THAT TIME WE HAVE HAD ANOTHER $14 MILLION COMMITTED TO THE EFFORT AND ARE NOW AT APPROXIMATELY 80%, DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE SOURCES OF THAT HAVE, UM, COME TO BEAR DURING THAT TIME, THE ST DAVID'S FOUNDATION HAS MADE A $2 MILLION COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT STREET OUTREACH.
THE MICHAEL AND SUSAN DELL FOUNDATION HAS MADE A SUBSTANTIAL COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE FOUNDATION, COMMUNITIES AND LIFEWORKS, AND THEN FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK, UH, WHICH IS AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING SOURCE HAS ALSO PROVIDED CAPITAL TO SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE IN THE PIPELINE.
SO CURRENTLY OF THAT 80%, 54% IS, UH, HAS A HARD COMMITMENT.
THOSE ARE FUNDING SOURCES THAT WE FEEL CONFIDENT ABOUT, BUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS STILL HAS TO OCCUR, UH, FOR PARTICULAR PROJECTS.
AND THEN WE ARE AT JUST OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS, UH, OF FUNDING STILL TO BE SECURED THE, UM, UH, LEADERS OF THE SUMMIT TO ADDRESS UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS.
NOW KNOWN AS FINDING HOME ATX HAVE BEEN HARD AT WORK.
THERE ARE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ONGOING, AND WE HOPE TO HAVE ADDITIONAL POSITIVE NEWS IN THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS.
[00:10:01]
SO THIS SLIDE SHOWS A SUMMARY OF OUR FUNDING PROGRESS ACROSS THE CATEGORIES OF THE SUMMIT INVESTMENT PLAN WITH THE ESTIMATED REMAINDER TO RAISE SHOWN IN GRAY.AND I THINK THIS IS INSTRUCTIVE BECAUSE THE, UM, THE, THE BLUE REPRESENTS CITY ARPA FUNDS, WHICH WE STRATEGICALLY SPREAD ACROSS THE, UM, THE CATEGORIES WANTING TO GET THE WORK STARTED, BUT ALSO LEAVING SPACE FOR PRIVATE INVESTMENT AND OTHER FUNDERS TO COME IN.
UH, THE ORANGE ARE OTHER COMMITTED AND ANTICIPATED FUNDS.
UH, AND THEN OF COURSE, AS I SAID, THE GRAY IS THE AMOUNT THAT HAS TO BE RAISED.
WE, UM, IT, THE GREATEST GAINS THAT WE HAVE SEEN ARE IN CAPITAL INVESTMENTS AND CORE HOUSING PROGRAMS. SO MUCH OF THE PRIVATE FUNDING THAT HAS COME IN THUS FAR HAS BEEN IN CAPITAL FOR BRICKS AND MORTAR UNITS.
AND THAT'S REFLECTED IN, UM, IN THE GRAPH HERE.
WE'VE ALSO MADE GOOD PROGRESS IN THE CORE HOUSING PROGRAMS, UM, PSH AND RAPID REHOUSING.
UH, 82% OF OUR INVESTMENT GOAL GOAL IS COMMITTED, UH, IN THAT CATEGORY.
AND I SHOULD HAVE SAID THAT IN THE CAPITAL, UH, CATEGORY WE ARE AT OVER 80% AS WELL.
SO AS YOU RECALL, AS PART OF THE CITY'S OVERALL $106.7 MILLION, UH, W W THAT WILL BE USED ACROSS THE CATEGORIES THAT YOU SAW IN THE LAST SLIDE.
UM, UM, AND WE ANTICIPATE APPROXIMATELY QUARTERLY COMING BACK TO COUNCIL WITH AN UPDATE, NOT ONLY ON FUNDRAISING, BUT ALSO ON EXPENDITURES AT THIS TIME, WE'RE FAIRLY EARLY IN THE GAME.
AND SO WE'VE ONLY HAD EXPENDITURES OF APPROXIMATELY 4.8 MILLION, UM, ALMOST ENTIRELY IN CAPITAL.
AND SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO SHOW YOU A FULL, UM, BYLINE LIST OF EXPENDITURES, BECAUSE THERE IS NOT A MUCH AT THIS TIME.
WE ARE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF BEGINNING TO DEPLOY THE FUNDS, UH, WHILE THAT SPENDING HAS BEEN MODEST TODAY, WHAT WE'RE SHARING TODAY IS A BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT HOW WE EXPECT TO DEPLOY THE RESOURCES WE'RE ROUTING FUNDS THROUGH A NUMBER OF CITY DEPARTMENTS.
UH, WE CURRENTLY PROJECT THAT ABOUT 27 MILLION WILL FLOW THROUGH A COMBINATION OF THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
THAT'S MOSTLY CAPITAL DOWNTOWN AUSTIN, COMMUNITY COURT.
THAT'S MOSTLY DIRECT SERVICES AND SOME CONTRACTED SOCIAL SERVICES AND A COUPLE OF OTHER, UH, MINOR, UH, ALLOCATIONS WITH THE REMAINING A LION'S SHARE OF THE FUNDS 79 MILLION BEING ALLOCATED THROUGH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
UM, ALSO BEARS NOTING THAT ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE FUNDS WILL BE INVESTED DIRECTLY BY THE CITY, UH, EITHER ON CAPITAL OR STAFFING FOR DIRECT SERVICES OR ADMINISTRATION.
THE OTHER 75% WILL BE DEPLOYED THROUGH SOLICITATION OUT TO CONTRACTED SERVICE PROVIDERS.
SO WITH APH BEING THE GREATEST SOURCE OR, OR, UH, UH, DEPARTMENT THROUGH WHICH WE WILL DEPLOY FUNDS, UH, I WANTED TO HAVE A KESHA JOHNSON SMOTHERS FROM, UH, APH IS A COMMUNITY-BASED RESOURCE UNIT COME AND GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE SERIES OF SOLICITATIONS THAT WE ANTICIPATE TO MOVE THOSE DOLLARS INTO THE COMMUNITY.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TEM, HARPER, MADISON CITY MANAGERS, UM, CROCK AND MEMBERS OF THE DYES.
MY NAME IS THE KESHA JOHNSON SMOTHERS.
I AM THE COMMUNITY-BASED RESOURCES UNIT MANAGER WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
CAN YOU HEAR ME WHAT THIS MASK ON? I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GOOD.
I WANTED TO PRESENT TO YOU THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UM, ACTUALLY OUR PLAN, AS IT RELATES TO HOMELESS SOLICITATIONS FOR SOCIAL SERVICES AT AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, JUST A QUICK HISTORY BASED ON THE STRATEGIC DIRECTION, 2023 AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH ALREADY HAD A PLAN TO SOLICIT OUR HOMELESS ISSUE AREA CONTRACTS.
UM, THAT FUNDING WOULD BE SUPPORTED BY AGENCIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY FUNDED FOR SOCIAL SERVICES WITHIN HOMELESS WITH THE HOMELESS ISSUE AREA, BUT THOSE CONTRACTS WERE EXPIRING SO THAT THOSE FUNDS WILL BE IN THE SOLICITATION.
AND THOSE AGENCIES HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED, UH, THAT THEIR, THEIR FUNDING WILL BE GOING INTO THE OPEN SOLICITATION.
ADDITIONALLY, OUR FEDERAL FUNDS FROM OUR EMERGENCY LOOSE SOLUTIONS GRANT ESG, UM, WILL ALSO BE A PART OF THAT SOLICITATION.
BUT WITH THE ADDITION OF ARPA FUZZ, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDS, THAT GAVE US A VERY UNIQUE AND EXCITING OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND OUR FINANCIAL IMPACT ON HOMELESS, UM, ON, ON THE HOMELESS ISSUE AREA.
SO WITH THAT, WE DECIDED, AND IT, BECAUSE WAS SO MUCH, UM, SO MUCH FUNDS COMING IN, WE DECIDED TO ROLL OUR SOLICITATION OUT IN A THREE PHASE IN THREE PHASES WITH THE FIRST PHASE BEING OUR HOUSING STABILIZATION PHASE,
[00:15:01]
UH, THIS PARTICULAR PHASE WE'LL HOST, UM, ACTUALLY, AND IT'S OPEN NOW, I'M REALLY, REALLY EXCITED OPEN ON YESTERDAY.THE SOLICITATION IS OUR REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, FOR APPLICATIONS TO SUPPORT SOCIAL SERVICES AROUND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, RAPID REHOUSING AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES THAT INCLUDE LANDLORD OUTREACH AND INCENTIVES, HOUSING NAVIGATION, AND MOVING SUPPLY SERVICES.
THIS SOLICITATION, IT, IT WILL HOUSE ABOUT $53 MILLION IN INVESTMENT, UH, INVESTMENTS.
SO WE ARE REALLY, REALLY EXCITED.
AS I STATED EARLIER, IT IS OPEN VR.
YOU CAN ACCESS THE SOLICITATION VRI APH COMPETITION'S WEB PAGE.
THE APPLICATION IS SLATED TO STAY OPEN UNTIL MARCH 9TH.
OUR PHASE TWO, UH, SOLICITATION WILL FOCUS ON CRISIS RESPONSE AND WITHIN THIS SOLICITATION, IT WILL HOW IT WILL ACTUALLY BE RFP AS WELL.
OUR REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, FOR SHELTER STREET OUTREACH AND OTHER CRISIS SERVICE SERVICE SERVICES THAT FALL WITHIN THAT RESPONSE.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE STILL KIND OF MATCHING UP THE DOLLARS FOR THAT ONE, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE HOPING TO PUT AT ABOUT APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 12 MILLION ON THAT ONE, AND THAT IS SLATED TO OPEN ON MARCH 22ND.
AND OUR FINAL PHASE OF THE SUBSTATION SCHEDULE IS OUR REDUCTION OF INFLOW AND OTHER SUPPORTIVE SERVICES.
AND WITHIN THIS PHASE WHERE WE SEEK TO X FOR PROPOSALS AROUND EMPLOYMENT SERVICES, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, BENEFITS, ACCESS, AND CAPACITY BUILDING, AND AGAIN, THE FUNDS TO SUPPORT THIS ARE STILL IN.
WE'RE STILL FIGURING THAT OUT, BUT IT'S SLATED TO BEING ON ANOTHER APPROXIMATE $10 MILLION INVESTMENT, IF NOT MORE.
AND THAT PHASE IS IT'S LATER TO OPEN MAY, 2022.
AND THAT COMPLETES MY PART OF THE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU, ACACIA AND ACACIA WILL REMAIN AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
SO THE NEXT BRIEFING TOPIC IS THE HEAL INITIATIVE.
UM, AND OF COURSE THE PURPOSE OF THE HEAL INITIATIVE IS TO PROVIDE A RESPONSE TO THOSE ENCAMPMENTS, PRESENTING THE GREATEST PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY RISKS, AND RESOLVE THOSE SITES BY PROVIDING OCCUPANTS WITH DIRECT ACCESS TO NON CONGREGATE BRIDGE SHELTER.
AND LONGER-TERM HOUSING SOLUTIONS, UH, HEAL WAS INITIALLY APPROVED BY COUNCIL ALMOST EXACTLY A YEAR AGO ON FEBRUARY 4TH AND THE FIRST ENCAMPMENT, UH, WHAT RELOCATION OCCURRED ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO AFTER INITIAL FUNDING OF $3 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 21, WE ANTICIPATE AT LEAST A SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN ADDITIONAL FUNDS THIS FISCAL YEAR THROUGH A OF GENERAL FUNDS AND, UH, AND, AND ARPA DOLLARS, UH, UH, THROUGH WHICH WE HAVE SET ASIDE $6 MILLION FOR HEAL.
SO FROM INCEPTION OF THE HEAL INITIATIVE, WE HAVE SERVED 182, UH, PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN RELOCATED FROM SIX ENCAMPMENTS, OUR FISCAL YEAR TO DATE, UH, 40 INDIVIDUALS SERVED AND RELOCATED FROM TWO ENCAMPMENTS, UH, AND THAT GOES TOWARD OUR FISCAL YEAR GOAL OF 200 PERSONS SERVED.
UH, WE ANTICIPATE THAT, UH, WE ARE ON GOOD TRACK TO MEET THAT GOAL AT THIS TIME, UM, AND ARE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND THAT NUMBER IF POSSIBLE.
I THINK THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE INITIATIVE THUS FAR IS, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IS THAT WE'VE HAD A 93% RATE OF ACCEPTANCE INTO SHELTER.
IN OTHER WORDS OF INDIVIDUALS IN ENCAMPMENTS THAT WE OFFERED TRANSFERS TO SHELTER, 93% HAVE SAID YES, AND MADE THAT MOVE INTO SHELTER, UH, WHICH IS I THINK, UH, AN IMPORTANT, UH, DATA-DRIVEN POINT WHEN WE ARE CONFRONTED SOMETIMES WITH THE IDEA THAT PEOPLE EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS, UH, PREFER TO LIVE IN THOSE CONDITIONS.
WE HAVE PERMANENTLY REHOUSED 32 TO DATE.
UH, WE HAVE HAD SOME CHALLENGES AND I THINK A PRIMARY AMONG THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN THAT IN AN ALREADY HISTORIC STRONG, TIGHT RENTAL MARKET OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, WE'VE SEEN IT BECOME EVEN MORE DIFFICULT FOR OUR SERVICE PROVIDERS TO SECURE UNITS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO THAT'S EXTENDED THE TIME THAT PEOPLE STAY IN BRIDGE HOUSE, A SHELTER BEFORE THEY GET INTO PERMANENT HOUSING.
AND OF COURSE, AS LONG AS THEY ARE IN THAT BRIDGE SHELTER BED, UH, THAT CONSTRAINS OUR ABILITY TO ADDRESS MORE ENCAMPMENTS.
I MOVE MORE PEOPLE INTO SHELTER EARLY ON.
WE DID HAVE SOME CAPACITY ISSUES IN OUR RAPID REHOUSING PROGRAM SIMPLY BECAUSE THE FIRST FOUR ENCAMPMENTS HAD MORE INDIVIDUALS THAN WAS ORIGINALLY PROJECTED THROUGH THE, UM, THROUGH THE FOUNDING RESOLUTION.
WE BELIEVE WE'VE RESOLVED THAT FOR NOW, AND WE ARE SEEKING MORE RAPID
[00:20:01]
REHOUSING PROVIDERS THROUGH THE SOLICITATION THAT ACACIA JUST SPOKE TO.AND THEN FINALLY, WE HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT ATTRITION, FRUIT FROM SHELTER, AND WE THINK THAT THIS IS RELATED THE LONGER PEOPLE ARE IN SHELTER BEFORE WE CAN GET THEM INTO PERMANENT HOUSING.
THE MORE LIKELY WE ARE TO LOSE THEM FROM THAT SHELTER.
UH, WE ASK OUR SERVICE PROVIDERS TO CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THEM EVEN AFTER THEY LEAVE SHELTER.
BUT OF COURSE THE IDEAL SCENARIO IS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO KEEP THEM STAY STABLE IN SHELTER, UH, UNTIL THE TIME OF THEIR PERMANENT REHOUSING.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND WE'LL BE LOOKING TO IMPROVE UPON AS WE DEVELOP THE PROGRAM FURTHER.
SO, UH, I WANTED TO HAVE A QUICK REMINDER ABOUT HEAL PRIORITIZATION HEAL.
OF COURSE, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, UM, TO, TO ESTABLISH, UH, REPEATEDLY IS, UH, JUST A VERY SMALL SUBSET OF THE INTERVENTIONS THAT WE HAVE IN UNSHELTERED ENCAMPMENTS IN THE CITY, UNFORTUNATELY AT PRESENT.
UM, WE, UH, WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO ASSEMBLE THE RESOURCES QUITE YET TO BE ABLE TO OFFER THAT PERMANENT HOUSING TO EVERYONE WHO IS THE SUBJECT OF ENFORCEMENT OF THE CAMPING ORDINANCE.
UM, AND SO WE, WE'RE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT FOCUSING ON, UH, UH, ESSENTIALLY, UH, PROTECTING LIFE.
AND SO LOOKING AT THOSE ENCAMPMENTS WHERE THE CONCERNS AROUND PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY ARE THE GREATEST.
UH, WE HAVE DEVELOPED A PROTOTYPE MOBILE PRIORITIZATION TOOL, WHICH ALLOWS CITY STAFF TO GO INTO THE ENCAMPMENTS, UH, AND CAPTURE INFORMATION RELATED TO THE CRITERIA FOR HEEL PRIORITIZATION.
THERE ARE 40 STANDARDIZED VARIABLES.
UM, AND CURRENTLY WE, UM, WE HAVE FOUR CITY DEPORT DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE TESTING AND USING THAT TOOL, UH, THAT INCLUDES, UH, MY DIVISION HOMELESS STRATEGY DIVISION PART WATERSHED AND PUBLIC WORKS.
UM, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO REFINE THAT OVER WET, UH, OVER TIME.
THIS SLIDE IS SIMPLY A REMINDER OF THE, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY FACTORS THAT ARE ASSESSED.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT FOR THOSE ENCAMPMENTS THAT WE HAVE PRIORITIZE NOW USING THIS TOOL, UH, IN MOST CASES, THERE ARE VERY SUBSTANTIAL RISKS IN MULTIPLE CATEGORIES.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE THERE ARE RISKS PRESENTED BY LIVING, UH, IN AN UNSHELTERED CONDITION, UH, ACROSS THE BOARD.
BUT THESE ARE THOSE WHERE WE SEE, UM, UH, JUST, UH, A HOST OF ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
SO AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO PREVIEW A NUMBER OF ONGOING PROJECTS OF INTEREST, AS WELL AS SOME EMERGING INTERESTS THAT COUNCIL CAN EXPECT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT OVER THE COMING WEEKS.
UH, THESE INCLUDE, AS I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, THE CONVERSION, UH, THE HOTEL CONVERSION PROJECTS FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, UH, THE RESPONSE TO UNAUTHORIZED HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS AND COLD WEATHER SHELTER OPERATIONS MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO, UM, IN 2021, UH, COUNCIL AUTHORIZED THE ACQUISITION OF TWO HOTELS.
UM, AND WE COMPLETED THOSE ACQUISITIONS DURING THE CALENDAR YEAR 21, UM, UH, ITEM ON, I BELIEVE THIS WEEK'S OR LAST WEEK'S AGENDA CREATED A NONPROFIT SUBSIDIARY OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION OWNERSHIP OF THOSE HOTELS WILL BE MOVED INTO, UH, UH, THOSE NEW NONPROFIT CORPORATIONS, UH, IN TERMS OF A QUICK, UH, A QUICK UPDATE ON PROCESS FOUR BUNGALOWS AT CENTURY PARK, WHICH IS THE PROPERTY THAT IS ON BURNET ROAD, UH, WHERE WE ANTICIPATE 60 UNITS OF HOUSING.
WE CLOSED ACQUISITION IN JULY OF 2021 INTEGRAL CARE IS UNDER CONTRACT AS A SERVICE PROVIDER AND OPERATOR, UH, RENOVATION IS ON THE CURRENT COUNCIL AGENDA, THE FUNDS FOR RE RENOVATION TO INTEGRAL CARE, I SHOULD SAY.
AND WE HAVE HAD 50 PROJECT-BASED VOUCHERS AWARDED BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WHICH WILL FUND THE BASIC OPERATIONS OF THE FACILITY WHILE THE CITY FUNDS SERVICES.
WE HAVE A SECOND HOTEL IN NORTHWEST AUSTIN AND DISTRICT SIX ON PECAN PARK.
UH, THAT WILL BE APPROXIMATELY 78 UNITS OF HOUSING, UH, FINAL NAME TO BE DETERMINED.
UH, WE, I THINK IT WILL BE SEXIER THAN PECAN PARK.
PSH, UH, WE CLOSE ACQUISITION OF THAT PROJECT IN AUGUST OF 2021, UH, AND EXPECT TO BRING THE FUNDING ACTION FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION IN, IN MARCH, UH, AND WITH A, A CONSIDERATION OF A SERVICE CONTRACT AND OPERATING CONTRACT WITH THE PROVIDER, UH, LIKELY IN MARCH OR APRIL, WE HAVE SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION FOR 50 HAKA VOUCHERS ON THAT PROJECT AS WELL.
THAT APPLICATION WENT IN, UM, IN, UH, ON
[00:25:01]
JANUARY 17TH.SO FOR ALL OF THE MOVING PIECES TO COME TOGETHER, AND THAT INCLUDES BOTH COMPLETING THE RENOVATION AND THEN GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS WITH HAKA TO GET THE VOUCHERS FINALIZED, WHICH DOES TAKE A BIT OF TIME.
OUR PROJECTED OCCUPANCY FOR THESE PROJECTS IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN OCTOBER AND DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR.
SO THERE CONTINUE TO BE MANY QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS ABOUT THE MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC SPACES AS RELATES TO HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS.
UH, AND WE DO ANTICIPATE GIVING, UH, A FULL BRIEFING AT A FUTURE TIME.
BUT TODAY I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A GENERAL UPDATE ON PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT AND ALSO GIVE YOU A RELATED PREVIEW OF A PROJECT THAT WE HAVE UNDERWAY WITH PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AND FINANCIAL SERVICES.
SO WHILE, UM, APD HAS AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE THE CAMPING ORDINANCE AT ANY TIME, TYPICALLY RESOLUTION OF UNAUTHORIZED AND CAMPUS DOES REQUIRE MULTI-DEPARTMENT COORDINATION.
UH, WE KNOW THAT VACATED ENCAMPMENTS THAT AREN'T ADDRESSED AND THE SITES AREN'T RESTORED TO THEIR FORMER CONDITION ARE QUITE LIKELY TO BE REOCCUPIED.
AND THERE ARE ALSO ISSUES AROUND LEGAL ISSUES AROUND THE TREATMENT OF OCCUPANTS BELONGINGS THAT WE HAVE TO BE RESPECTFUL OF.
UM, AND SO, UH, IN MOST CASES, WHEN THERE IS AN ENCAMPMENT OF CONCERN, IT REALLY DOES REQUIRE A NUMBER OF DEPARTMENTS TO BE INVOLVED SINCE, UH, AUGUST OF 2021, WHICH IS WHEN THE CAMPING ORDINANCE WENT INTO EFFECT.
UH, THE REQUESTS FOR SERVICE FOR, UH, ENCAMPMENTS HAVE FAR OUTSTRIPPED CAPACITY OF THE CITY DEPARTMENTS TO RESPOND.
AND SO SINCE THAT TIME, WELL OVER 70 ENCAMPMENTS, AND THAT'S NOT INCLUDING INDEPENDENT APD ENFORCEMENT, IT'S NOT INCLUDING THE HEAL INITIATIVE OR SITES THAT HAVE SIMPLY BEEN ABANDONED OVER 70 AND CAMP MINTS HAVE BEEN CLEARED AFTER AN INITIAL FOCUS AT UNDERPASSES.
UM, THAT PUBLIC WORKS HAD A CLEAN, IT HAD CLEANING CONTRACTS ON, THERE'S BEEN A SUBSTANTIAL FOCUS ON PARKS AND RECREATION PROPERTIES WHERE WE KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONCERN.
UH, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS IN THE LARGER, PARTICULARLY MORE REMOTE SITES OFTEN HAVE VERY COMPLEX ACCESS WHERE WE HAVE TO CUT DOWN TREES, CREATE PATHS FOR HEAVY MACHINERY AND ARE TAKING IN SOME CASES, UH, NOT JUST MULTIPLE DAYS, BUT SOMETIMES WEEKS TO CLEAR, JUST AS AN INDICATION.
I THINK THAT'S ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT'S BEING DONE.
WE ASKED SOME OF OUR PUBLIC SPACE PARTNERS TO PROVIDE US WITH SOME INDICATION OF THE AMOUNT OF REFUSE THAT HAS BEEN, UH, COLLECTED FROM SITES IN GENERAL.
AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY IS 829.
MUCH OF THAT IS FROM JUST A COUPLE OF ENCAMPMENTS.
PUBLIC WORKS 177 TONS THAT'S FROM UNDER, UH, OVERPASSES AND AUSTIN WATERSHED, UM, UH, 38.5.
AND SO I THINK THAT THE PIECE THAT WE WANT TO RAISE FOR CAMP COUNCIL IS THAT WE KNOW THAT THERE'S FRUSTRATION IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT THERE'S ALSO A VERY SIGNIFICANT STRAIN ON BUDGETS, ON STAFF AND ON SERVICES AS, UM, AS DEPARTMENT'S ATTENTION IS DRAWN FROM THEIR OTHER ACTIVITIES AS WELL.
WE'VE SEEN ACCELERATED SPEND DOWN ON OUR THIRD PARTY CLEANUP CONTRACTS IN SOME CASES, UH, VERY OFTEN THERE ARE MULTIPLE AVENUES FOR SERVICE REQUESTS TO COME IN, WHICH CAN BE CONFUSING, CAN RESULT IN DUPLICATION OF EFFORT AND TAKES A LOT OF TIME.
AND IT'S A BIT FURTHER FRUSTRATING FOR FIELD STAFF BECAUSE THEY OFTEN WILL CLEAR AN ENCAMPMENT AND THEY MAY ENCOUNTER THE SAME INDIVIDUALS IN AN ENCAMPMENT THAT'S, RE-ESTABLISHED JUST DOWN THE ROAD WHEN PEOPLE LEAVE THE ENCAMPMENT THAT HAS BEEN ADDRESSED.
AND SO, UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, PROVIDING ADDITIONAL CRISIS HOUSING AND ADDITIONAL PERMANENT HOUSING ARE HUGE PIECES OF THAT.
BUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO, UM, IN ADDITION TO THOSE EFFORTS IS TO ALSO LOOK AT THE PROCESS AND THE PROTOCOLS THAT ARE IN PLACE FOR CITY PUBLIC MANAGEMENT STAFF, AND SEE IF WE CAN'T IMPROVE THAT PROCESS AND MAKE IT, UM, MORE EFFICIENT AND MORE EFFECTIVE AND LESS STRESSFUL, FRANKLY, FOR THE STAFF THAT ARE DOING THE WORK.
SO NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, TO THAT END IN THE FALL, WE ASKED THE OFFICE OF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT TO HELP US WITH A PROCESS IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, UH, FOR OUR ENCAMPMENT MANAGEMENT.
AND, UM, THEY BEGAN WORKING WITH US THEN OVER THE COURSE OF NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME WITH THE INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS, IDENTIFYING PAIN POINTS OF WHICH THERE ARE MANY.
UM, AND WE HAD A COUPLE OF PLANNING, UH, SESSIONS EARLY THIS MONTH THAT, UH, IDENTIFIED SEVERAL POTENTIAL, UM,
[00:30:01]
UH, UH, IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PROCESS.THE PRIMARY OF WHICH IS A UNIFIED RESPONSE STRUCTURE.
WE NEED A CLEAR SENSE OF HOW WE RECEIVE INFORMATION, HOW DECISIONS ARE MADE, HOW RESOURCES ARE DEPLOYED AND HOW WE PRIORITIZE WHERE WE'RE DOING OUR WORK.
BECAUSE WHILE I AM CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL SEE AN IMPROVEMENT, UH, IT IS GOING TO BE OVER TIME AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE TO, UH, TO, UH, PRIORITIZE OUR SITES.
SO YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, AND SO THIS UNIFIED RESPONSE SYSTEM IS OUR FIRST, UM, IS OUR FIRST STEP.
UH, IT INCLUDES, UH, AS I SAID, COORDINATED PRIORITIZATION RESOURCE DEPLOYMENT, ALSO COMMUNICATION, BOTH, UH, WITH THE PUBLIC AND WITH PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND THEN, UM, MORE ROBUST STANDARDIZED PROTOCOLS AROUND SOME OF THE SERIOUS CHALLENGES THAT ARE BEING ENCOUNTERED IN THE FIELD, LIKE THE CLEANUP OF BIOHAZARDS TREATMENT OF PROPERTY.
AS I DISCUSSED EARLIER, ENSURING THAT WE ARE ADHERING TO APPLICABLE LAW, ET CETERA, EVENTUALLY, UM, WE ARE DEFINITELY SEEING A NEED FOR SOME CENTRALIZED HUB FOR STAFF RESOURCES AND INCREASED STAFF TRAINING, UH, FOR THOSE FRONTLINE WORKERS.
AND WE CERTAINLY SEE SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, BUT WE NEED TO GET OUR PROCESS IN PLACE BEFORE AND THEN IDENTIFY THE TECHNOLOGY AND DATA SOLUTIONS THAT MIGHT SUPPORT IT.
THAT IN AND OF ITSELF IS A BIT OF A LONGER, UH, TIMELINE.
SO IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS INDICATES ESSENTIALLY WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW WITH THAT UNIFIED RESPONSE PLANNING.
UH, WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT AS OUR, OUR PRIMARY PRIORITY AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT HAS AGREED TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH A SMALLER GROUP OVER THE COMING WEEKS TO DEVISE, UM, DEVISE A SYSTEM AND SOME PROTOCOLS.
SO FINAL ITEM OF THE BRIEFING IS AROUND COLD WEATHER SHELTER.
UH, THE MAYOR MENTIONED AT THE OPENING OF OUR MEETING THIS MORNING THAT WE EXPECT INCLEMENT WEATHER THIS WEEK.
UM, AND, UM, WITH THAT, WE ANTICIPATE ACTIVATING OUR COLD WEATHER SHELTER OPERATION, UM, UH, AS WE DO, UM, TYPICALLY DURING, UM, DURING SUCH, UH, SUCH EVENTS.
AND SO, UM, I WANTED TO GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT THAT OPERATION LOOKS LIKE.
UH, AND THEN ALSO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME POTENTIAL CHANGES THAT WE SEE ON THE HORIZON.
UH, WE ACTIVATE, UM, WHEN TEMPERATURE OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURE IS FREEZING, OR IF IT'S 35 DEGREES WITH RAIN OR HIGH WINDS, UM, WE COMMUNICATE VIA A HOTLINE.
UH, THE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE AT HAYSOM, UH, UH, TENDS TO PUT OUT A PRESS RELEASE.
WE HAVE REVERSE TEXT MESSAGING FOR HOMELESS PEOPLE, EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, AND WE CERTAINLY MAKE USE OF, UM, LISTSERVS AND OTHER FORUM IN THE COMMUNITY FOR HOMELESS SERVICE PROVIDERS.
UH, ONE TEXAS CENTER IS OUR EMBARKATION, UH, SITE REGISTRATION IS, UH, FROM SIX TO 8:00 PM ONSITE.
WE ALSO OFFER COVID VACCINES AND FLU VACCINES ONSITE.
IT IS STAFFED BY CITY EMPLOYEES FOR THE MOST PART WITH SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM INTEGRAL CARE AND AT TIMES ECHO, UH, BUT THEY'RE NOT DEDICATED STAFF.
THEY ARE STAFF THAT ARE DOING THIS IN ADDITION TO THEIR REGULAR DUTIES, UH, WHEN THERE IS, UM, A NEED FOR A LATE TRANSFER OUTSIDE OF THAT SIX TO 8:00 PM REGISTRATION TIME, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS ARE INSTRUCTED TO CALL THE HAYSOM DUTY OFFICER AND HELP THEM, UM, HELP THEM, UH, IDENTIFY HOW THEY CAN TRANSFER SOMEONE TO SHELTER.
SO THE COLD WEATHER SHELTER SITES THEMSELVES ARE THREE, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION RECREATION CENTERS.
WE ACTIVATE THOSE ON A ROLLING BASIS AS THEY ARE NEEDED, DEPENDING ON HOW MANY PEOPLE ARRIVE.
THE TOTAL CAPACITY OF THOSE THREE RECREATION CENTERS AT PRESENT IS ABOUT 225.
THAT IS DECREASED FROM OUR PREVIOUS CAPACITY PRE COVID CAPITAL, METRO TRANSPORTS, UH, INDIVIDUALS FROM THE EMBARKATION CENTER TO THOSE SHELTERS.
THERE IS NO OVERNIGHT SHELTERING AT ONE TEXAS CENTER.
UM, AND THE RELEASE TIME IN THE MORNING IS TYPICALLY AROUND 6:00 AM WITH CAPITAL METRO, TRANSFERRING PEOPLE TO DOWNTOWN.
IF THERE ARE NOT COMPETING ACTIVITIES AT THE REC CENTERS AND THE WEATHER CONTINUES TO BE COLD, WE, UM, TRY TO HOLD PEOPLE A BIT LONGER WHEN WE CAN, UH, AT THE SHELTERS AGAIN, TYPICALLY STAFFED BY, UH, PARD STAFF, UH, ON TOP OF THEIR REGULAR DUTIES.
AND WE DO USUALLY HAVE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT ONSITE
[00:35:01]
AS WELL.AND SO, UM, THERE ARE A FEW CONSIDERATIONS HERE.
ONE IS THAT IF YOU'VE HEARD A DESCRIPTION OF OUR COLD WEATHER SHELTER OPERATIONS PREVIOUSLY, THIS MAY SOUND A BIT DIFFERENT.
HISTORICALLY MUCH OF COLD WEATHER SHELTER OPERATION DEPENDED ON OUR FAITH BASED COMMUNITY WHO OPENED UP CHURCHES AND TOOK FOLKS INTO THOSE CHURCHES, PROVIDED THEM WITH FOOD AND VOLUNTEERS TO DO THE STAFFING BECAUSE OF COVID BECAUSE MANY OF THOSE VOLUNTEERS, UM, YOU KNOW, MIGHT BE OF SOME ADVANCED AGE, AND THERE WERE MORE CONCERNS AROUND HEALTH.
UH, MOST OF THOSE CHURCHES ELECTED NOT TO PARTICIPATE, UH, AT THIS TIME, AT LEAST NOT AT THE HIGHER ELEVATED RISK LEVELS THAT WE ARE SEEING RIGHT NOW.
SO THE OPERATION HAS REALLY FALLEN BACK ON TO THE CITY, UH, FOR, FOR THIS YEAR AND IN TO, TO A GREAT DEGREE LAST YEAR, AS WELL.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE HEARING A LOT OF COMMUNITY INPUT CONCERNS ABOUT, UM, THE, THE SCOPE, UM, THE SCALE AND THE ACCESS TO COLD WEATHER SHELTER.
SO SHOULD THE TEMPERATURE, UH, THRESHOLD BE HIGHER BECAUSE IT'S STILL AWFULLY COLD AT 37 DEGREES OUTSIDE.
UM, HOW DO PEOPLE ACCESS, UM, IS IT REASONABLE TO EXPECT THAT EVERYONE CAN MAKE THEIR WAY DOWNTOWN AND WHAT IS OUR CAPACITY? SO ALL OF THOSE I THINK ARE REASONABLE QUESTIONS, BUT THEY DO HAVE SIGNIFICANT RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS AND THE, THE, UH, DEDICATED BUDGET FOR COLD WEATHER SHELTER IS CURRENTLY ZERO.
SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE OVER THE YEARS TO DO THIS WITH A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS, ET CETERA.
AND I THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, AS COVID, UH, UH, HOPEFULLY DECREASES ITS INTENSITY, WE'LL BE ABLE TO DRAW, UH, THE COMMUNITY BACK INTO THIS WORK.
BUT I STILL THINK THERE, WE REALLY ARE AT A POINT OF RECONSIDERING, WHETHER OUR COLD WEATHER SHELTER PLAN REFLECTS WHERE WE ARE AS A COMMUNITY WITH THE SIZE OF OUR UNSHELTERED POPULATION.
UM, MANY OF THE CHRONIC CONDITIONS THAT WE SEE IN THE UNSHELTERED POPULATION, ET CETERA.
SO APH AT THE DIRECTION OF DIRECTOR STIRRUP HAS BEGUN LOOKING AT, UH, THE POSSIBILITY OF WHETHER WE COULD OFFER OVER TIME, FOR EXAMPLE, TO EXEMPT STAFF, BUT THAT'S JUST ONE POSSIBILITY.
AND SO WE'RE REALLY BEGINNING TO, UH, TRY TO OUTLINE WHAT THE OPTIONS ARE FOR ENHANCING THE COLD WEATHER SHELTER OPERATION, AND WHAT THE RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS MIGHT BE.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL PAUSE AND AM HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS.
UM, HE RETURN THE, UH, SCREEN TO THE BODY.
UM, I DON'T SEE ANY HANDS RAISED, SO I'LL KICK IT OFF.
I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR, UM, UH, THE, UH, FOR ONE, I WANT TO, TO, TO NOTE THE SLIDE THAT SHOWS HOW WELL THE LARGE FUNDRAISE IS, IS GOING TO $500 MILLION, SEEMED LIKE AN INSURMOUNTABLE TASK AND, AND, AND ANY OTHER TIME WOULD BE, UH, BUT REAL OPPORTUNITIES PRESENTED AND ONGOING CONVERSATIONS.
I UNDERSTAND WITH SOME OF THE OTHER, UH, LARGE CORPORATIONS AND THEN FOUNDATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO GOOD LUCK IN GETTING THAT DONE, HOPEFULLY WE'LL, YOU CAN, WE CAN, WE CAN ALL CLOSE THE LOOP AND THANKS TO THE FOLKS WITH, UH, UH, HOW'S, UH, HOW'S AUSTIN, ATX SLIDING HOME ATX AND THE SUMMIT GROUP, UH, THAT HAS PEOPLE IN BUSINESS AND ORGANIZATIONS.
SO THANK YOU TO, TO THEM, UH, AND TO, UH, THE GROUP THAT, UH, LED MEREDITH IS, UH, IS, IS HELPING TO FACILITATE, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR, UH, KEISHA AND YOU WITH RESPECT TO, UH, UH, THE CONTRACTS.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE THE RFPS BEING ADMINISTERED.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE THEM GOING AT IT'S SCALE.
UH, IT'S GREAT HAVING THAT HAPPEN.
UM, I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED AS I LOOK AT THE CHART TO SEE CAPACITY BUILDING OR MAY COME UP IN PHASE THREE, UH, AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE AN EXPECTATION ON THE STREET THAT EVEN WITH RESPECT TO THE INITIAL SPEND OF THE $53 MILLION, WE'VE INSTITUTIONALIZED OR INCORPORATED THE CAPACITY BUILDING COMPONENT.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT'S ASKING, UM, SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME AND DO IT VERY WELL AS PART OF THEIR CONTRACTS OF THE $53 MILLION TO HELP MENTOR
[00:40:01]
OR BRING IN OR EXPOSED TO, UH, SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT WOULD LATER BE, UM, UM, UH, HOPEFULLY EXPANDING AND STANDING UP ON THEIR OWN.UM, BUT I HOPE THAT CAPACITY BUILDING IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF BOTH PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO, NOT JUST WAITING TO PHASE THREE.
AND IF NOT STATED IN THE RFP WOULD BE PUT INTO THE CONTRACTS WITH THE PROVIDERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THAT.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT CAPACITY BUILDING AS PART OF STAGE ONE? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, THIS CURRENT, THIS CURRENT PHASE AND DIANE, I'M GOING TO DEFINITELY WANT TO YOU AS WELL, THIS CURRENT PHASE, AS IN PHASE ONE, UM, OUR HOME STRATEGY DIVISION IS GOING TO BE DOING SOME LISTENING SESSIONS WITH PROVIDERS IN THE COMMUNITY COMMUNITY THAT WILL SPEAK TO THAT.
WE'LL LOOK FOR WHAT DOES CAPACITY BUILDING MEAN TO YOU, AND THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO SEE WHAT THE NEED IS AND, AND ALLOW US TO REALLY SHIFT THOSE, THOSE PARTICULAR FUNDS IN THAT DIRECTION.
AND IT MAY BE A MULTITUDE OF THINGS THAT MAY COME OUT OF THESE LISTENING SESSIONS, BUT THAT'S WHY WE DIDN'T SPECIFICALLY PUT IT IN THIS FIRST PHASE, BECAUSE WE WANT TO DO A LISTENING SESSION AND SEE WHERE THE KNEE, WHERE THE KNEE REALLY, REALLY IS.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE DO PLAN AND LOOK AT OUR APPLICANTS AND SEE WHERE NEEDS ARE AND DISCUSS WITH OUR HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER, AS IT RELATES TO CAPACITY BUILDING THAT MAY NEED TO HAPPEN TODAY VERSUS IN THE THIRD PHASE.
SO WE ARE DEFINITELY, OUR PLAN IS TO REMAIN OPEN AS IT RELATES TO THAT.
UM, BUT WE WANTED TO SHAPE IT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO DO LISTENING SESSIONS.
SO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE COVER EVERY COMPONENT OF CAPACITY BUILDING AS WELL, GOING INTO, DO YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT? YEAH, KEISHA, AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS, WHEN WE TALKED, WE SHOWED THE SLIDE THAT TALKS ABOUT THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THROUGH WHICH WE'RE DEPLOYING RESOURCES, UM, OUTSIDE OF THE APH PROCESS, UM, WE ARE WORKING WITH THE INNOVATION OFFICE ON A SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM, WHICH WE'LL LAUNCH SOON.
UM, AND THAT WILL BE SMALLER GRANTS THAT ARE EXPLICITLY ONLY CAPACITY BUILDING.
SO REALLY LOOKING AT LETTING GROUPS AGAIN, SUBSEQUENT, UM, AND, AND RELATED TO THESE LISTENING SESSIONS THAT WE'RE ORGANIZING WITH ECHO TO SAY, HERE IS WHAT WE SEE WE NEED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO, UM, FRANKLY EFFECTIVELY APPLY EVEN FOR THE LARGER CITY SOLICITATIONS, WHICH ARE SUBSTANTIALLY MORE COMPLEX.
AND SO THOSE TWO TRACKS ARE HAPPENING, UH, IN PARALLEL, BUT THEN THERE WILL BE THE LARGER CAPACITY BUILDING, UH, IN PHASE THREE.
WE CAN CERTAINLY TALK ABOUT WHETHER WE COULD INTEGRATE IT INTO PHASE TWO AS WELL, BUT THERE IS SOMETHING, AND MY HOPE, I HOPE IT'D BE PHASE ONE AS WELL.
SO I HOPE SOME OF THE LISTENING SESSIONS HAPPENED BEFORE YOU SIGNED CONTRACTS IN PHASE ONE, WHEN PHASE ONE CONTRACTS COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL, I WILL BE ASKING AT THAT POINT, WHAT IS IT IN THESE PHASE ONE CONTRACTS THAT IS PROMOTING CAPACITY BUILDING? UH, SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HELP ORGANIZATIONS THAT MIGHT NOT BE AS FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESS, BE ABLE TO BID AND COMPLETE APPLICATIONS IN PHASE ONE, AS OPPOSED TO HEARING IN PHASE THREE, THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN GOOD IN PHASE ONE.
IF WE HAD HELPED THEM FILL OUT THESE THINGS, UH, IF, UH, WE GET TO PHASE THREE AND IT BECOMES APPARENT THAT WE REALLY WANT SOME OF THE LARGER, UH, LEGACY GROUPS THAT ARE DOING PHENOMENAL WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE PART OF THEIR REQUIRED CHARGE, BRINGING IN SMALLER ORGANIZATIONS OR MENTORING, OR CREATING A SPOT ON THEIR STAFF, UH, FOR, UH, UH, CAPACITY BUILDING OUR LEVERAGE TO GET THEM TO DO THAT WILL BE PART OF THE PHASE ONE CONTRACT.
AND IF IT'S NOT PART OF THE PHASE ONE CONTRACT, WE MAY BE ASKING WITH, WITH NO, NO, NO LEVERAGE, UH, FOR THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.
SO MY, MY HOPE IS IS THAT EVERY, UH, THAT WE'LL BE ASKING WHEN THE PHASE ONE CONTRACTS COME BACK, HOW IS THIS CONTRACT BRINGING IN PEOPLE AND BUILDING CAPACITY, AS OPPOSED TO SAYING, WELL, WE'LL, WE'LL DEAL WITH THAT IN PHASE THREE, BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED THAT WE GET TO PHASE THREE, WE WILL HAVE MISSED A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET BACK AGAIN.
SO, SO MY HOPE IS, IS THAT YOU INCORPORATE INTO EITHER THE RFP OR INTO THE CONTRACTS, THOSE KINDS THINGS, ALMOST ALL OF MY QUESTIONS WHEN PHASE ONE COMES BACK, CONTRACTS COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL WILL BE ABOUT HOW THEY'RE PROMOTING, HOW WE'VE BUILT INTO THOSE CONTRACTS AND INSTITUTIONALIZED INTO THOSE CONTRACTS AND THE PROCESS WE HAD IN PHASE ONE TO, TO PROMOTE THE, UH, TO PROMOTE CAPACITY BUILDING, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S A HUGE, WE CAN'T SOLVE THIS PROBLEM WITHOUT INCREASED CAPACITY OF EVERYBODY, THE LEGACY FOLKS, THE NEW FOLKS, WE HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO
[00:45:01]
REALLY TRANSFORM THE DELIVERY SYSTEM AND OUR SYSTEM, BECAUSE OFTENTIMES BUILDING CAPACITIES IS ZERO SUM GAME, AND YOU'RE TAKING THINGS AWAY FROM LEGACY PEOPLE TO CREATE CAPACITY HERE.WE'RE NOT DOING THAT BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE STEPPING UP AND EXPANDING.
SO I JUST URGE YOU TO, IT'S GOOD TO HEAR YOUR THINKING ABOUT IT, AND THAT'LL BE MY FOCUS WHEN THOSE CONTRACTS COME BACK.
I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A CUE FOR THAT, UH, ON THE, UM, THANK YOU, KEISHA.
UM, DIANA ON THE, UH, PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT IS A NEAR IMPOSSIBLE CHALLENGE.
UM, I SUPPORT, UH, UH, THE, THE POLICY AND THE PRACTICE OF REALLY FOCUSING ON DOING WHAT IT TAKES TO SOLVE THIS CHALLENGE INDEFINITELY.
UH, AND THAT MEANS BUILDING OUT THE ENTIRE SYSTEM IN EACH OF ITS COMPONENTS AND TO BUILD EACH OF THOSE COMPONENTS IN SCALE TO ALL THE OTHER COMPONENTS, RATHER THAN INVESTING IN ANY ONE PART OF THAT AND MAKE IT OUT OF SCALE BECAUSE THEN THE SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK.
BUT I ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THE REALITY IS THAT, UH, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PLACES FOR EVERYBODY TO GO.
AND IF WE WERE TO CREATE LOTS OF EMERGENCY SHELTER RIGHT NOW, WE COULD DO THAT.
WE COULD MOVE A LOT OF PEOPLE INTO THAT, BUT WE WOULDN'T THEN BE ABLE TO BUILD OUT THE REST OF THE SYSTEM.
AND WE WOULD BE LOCKED IN THIS INDEFINITE TIME PERIOD, AS SOME CITIES HAVE, WHO HAVE RUSHED IN TO DEAL WITH THAT IMMEDIATE NEED.
AND THEN THEY CAN'T PULL PEOPLE OUT OF THE EMERGENCIES INTO THE REST OF THE SYSTEM BECAUSE THE REST OF THE SYSTEM'S NOT BUILT OUT.
AND I KNOW IT'S HARD AND, AND, AND IN A LOT OF RESPECTS INHUMANE, UH, TO, TO NOT BE GIVING EVERYBODY A HOME AND SUPPORT SERVICES RIGHT AWAY.
UM, AND I RECOGNIZE THAT, BUT I SUPPORT THE POLICY AND THE PRACTICE BECAUSE I THINK, UM, IT'S GOING TO BE A DIFFICULT ONE, TWO AND THREE YEARS, BUT AT THE END OF THREE YEARS, WE'LL ACTUALLY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING THAT I'M NOT SURE ANY CITY OUR SIZE HAS EVER DONE IT.
IT'S THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE PLAY.
IT'S THE BEST FOR THE, FOR THE, ULTIMATELY FOR THE, FOR THE, FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR MAY IN THE FUTURE.
SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW, I SUPPORT THAT UP AND I RECOGNIZE HOW HARD THAT, HOW HARD THAT IS.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF CRITICISMS COMING IN UNAVOIDABLE, I THINK, BUT I THINK YOU REALLY NEED TO STAY TRUE TO, TO, TO THAT DIRECTION THAT SAID, UH, WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE PERMISSION OF THE COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS.
UH, AND, AND BY THAT, I MEAN, KIND OF THE WEIGHT OF THE COMMUNITY, WHICH I THINK WANTS US TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF TENTS AND THE LIGHT.
UM, SO LOOKING AT HOW WE DO THE PUBLIC STATE SPACE MANAGEMENT, I THINK IS REAL IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK AS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE COORDINATED EFFORTS ARE CLEAN UP AND THAT KIND OF STUFF IS REALLY GOOD.
I ALSO THINK YOU NEED TO COME UP WITH KIND OF GOALS OR MODELS OR PRINCIPLES, UH, AS WE OPERATE IN SHARED PUBLIC SPACES, WE RECOGNIZE IT.
NOBODY HAS A CLAIM TO THAT SPACE THEMSELVES.
UM, I THINK THAT LOOKING AT THE PAIN POINTS IS IMPORTANT, UH, I THINK, UM, UH, TRYING TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE, OR MINIMIZE CAMP AREAS IN HIGHLY TRAFFICKED PUBLIC USE PARK AREAS IS REAL IMPORTANT, UH, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE TRADE OFFS AND WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE GET THROUGH THIS NEXT THREE YEARS UNTIL WE CAN ACTUALLY TO GET EVERYONE I WOULD URGE, UM, UH, YOU AND THE MANAGER TO CONSIDER A POLICY THAT, THAT PRIORITIZES, UM, THOSE ENCAMPMENT AREAS WITH MORE THAN SO MANY TENTS FOR SEX.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NUMBER WOULD BE BECAUSE I THINK THAT THE, THE VISUAL MASSING, UM, UH, AND THE COMPLAINTS AND PAIN POINTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT MEANS THAT YOU'RE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME RESPONDING TO THAT RATHER THAN DOING THE GOOD WORK.
UH, BUT IF THERE WAS A POLICY THAT LIMITED THE AMOUNT OF MASSEY, MAYBE THAT WOULD STILL PROVIDE FOR THE, FOR THE PEOPLE, BUT ALLOW YOU GREATER LEEWAY TO, TO REALLY FORGE AHEAD AND DO THE WORK.
BUT I THINK SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE BECAUSE I THINK THE CONCERN IN THE COMMUNITY IS THAT WE'RE MOVING BACK TO WHERE WE WERE, UH, AND THAT , WE SAW THAT ANGER, UM, UH, MANIFEST ITSELF AND IN THE DISCUSSIONS AND THE PETITION AND THE ELECTION THAT WE HAD.
AND I THINK WE HAVE TO HONOR THAT ELECTION, UH, AND, AND, AND RECOGNIZE THAT.
SO, UM, WE NEED TO DO, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT SOME GUIDING PRINCIPLES ABOUT THAT, AND MAYBE
[00:50:01]
EVEN ANNOUNCE ANNOUNCEMENT, THOSE GUIDING PRINCIPLES ARE SO THAT THE COMMUNITY KNOWS.SO IF WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING THAT SPEAKS TO MASSING SO THAT THE COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT SO THEY CAN GET TOGETHER, BUT STILL NOT, UH, STILL NOT, UH, UM, UH, MASS, BUT ANYHOW, DIFFICULT AREA, DIFFICULT CHALLENGE WILL BE UNTIL YOU CAN BUILD OUT THE SYSTEM.
AND I THINK WE JUST NEED TO WEATHER THAT.
AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOU IN THAT DIRECTION, BECAUSE LONG-TERM, I THINK THAT IS CLEARLY THE WAY THAT, UH, UH, THAT WE NEED TO GO.
AND THEN FINALLY, UH, JUST REAL QUICKLY ON THE COLD WINTER, UH, SHELTERING ALSO A REALLY DIFFICULT THING, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE REALLY THE SYSTEMS BUILT OUT ON THAT.
AND THE SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE BEEN RELYING ON THAT WORKED REALLY WELL, UH, ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO US.
UM, IF I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TUNITY TO GO TO SOME OF THE SHELTERS TO GO TO ONE TEXAS CENTER, UH, BEST AS I CAN TELL, WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS THERE AND THERE WERE CITY EMPLOYEES, UH, WHO HAVE BEEN KIND OF RALLIED FROM, FROM LOTS OF DIFFERENT PLACES IF I JUST WANTED TO ASK.
SO I HADN'T SEEN YOU THERE AND OTHERS ORGANIZING THAT JUST WANTED TO SAY, THANK YOU AGAIN, NOT A PERFECT SYSTEM, BUT, UM, UM, IN THE EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, I THINK REALLY DOING, YOU WANT ME TO DUTY, SO THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM.
I APPRECIATE THIS OVERVIEW IS, UH, VERY HELPFUL.
UM, I AM CONCERNED WITH THE DROUGHT THAT WE'RE HAVING ABOUT THE RISKS OF FIRE AND THE ENCAMPMENTS.
UM, WE DO HAVE REPORTS OF FIRE, AND OBVIOUSLY WHEN IT'S COLD, PEOPLE WANT TO USE FIRE.
UM, BUT IT'S VERY OFTEN, PARTICULARLY WITH THE INCREASE NUMBERS WHO ARE IN OUR PARKS.
IT'S VERY OFTEN IN HIGH RISK AREAS.
THEY MAY NOT EVEN BE THE AREAS THAT ARE MARKED AS HIGH RISK FOR WILDFIRE, UM, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WE HAVE REPORTS OF FIRES IN PEACE PARK, WHICH ONE CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU HAVE A DROUGHT GOING UP THE GREEN BELT THERE.
UM, WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR ADDRESSING FIRE RISKS IN THE ENCAMPMENTS? BECAUSE YOU CAN ADDRESS FIRE RISKS WITHOUT DISPLACING ANYONE.
SO WE'LL CERTAINLY WANT TO HAVE AFT I THINK GIVE A MORE FULL RESPONSE, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE AFD CERTAINLY DOES WHEN THERE IS A REPORT OF A FIRE.
UM, IF THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY THAT ARE NOT RE YOU KNOW, RESPONDING TO CURRENT EMERGENCIES, UH, THEY WILL GO TO THAT ENCAMPMENT, UH, SINCE AUGUST OF, OF 2021, THEY'VE EXTINGUISHED 320, UM, UH, ENCAMPMENT FIRES OR AN, WHICH IS TO SAY NOT NECESSARILY A FIRE THAT WAS OUT OF CONTROL, BUT AN, A FIRE IN AN ENCAMPMENT, A CAMPFIRE, UH, AND AT THAT TIME, OF COURSE, THEY EDUCATE FOLKS IN THOSE ENCAMPMENTS ABOUT HOW TO REDUCE THEIR FIRE LOAD.
UH, WE HAVE PERIODICALLY HAD, UH, WHEN WE WERE STILL DISTRIBUTING EAT BAGS, FOR EXAMPLE, DISTRIBUTED, UH, INFORMATION ABOUT REDUCING FIRE RISKS IN ENCAMPMENTS.
IT'S ABSOLUTELY AN ONGOING CHALLENGE.
AND AS YOU SAID IN THESE COLDER MONTHS, UH, WE CERTAINLY SEE MORE OF THAT.
UH, BUT AFD IS BOTH RESPONDING IN AN EMERGENT SITUATION WHEN THEY HAVE THAT CAPACITY.
UM, AND FOLLOWING UP, UH, WITH, UH, REPORTS OF FIRES, UH, AFTER THEY'VE RECEIVED THEM, IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE STAFF AVAILABLE TO RESPOND IN THE MOMENT OF THE REPORT.
UH, BUT AS, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IT IS, YOU KNOW, IS NOT JUST A ONE DAY THING.
UH, AN, UH, CANTON ENCAMPMENT, A CAMPFIRE MIGHT EXIST OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL DAYS.
AND SO, UH, IT IS SOMETHING WE ARE WORKING ON AND WILDFIRE RISK IS A PART OF OUR CONSIDERATION, BOTH FOR HEAL AND FOR ENFORCEMENT AND CLEARANCE OF, UH, ENCAMPMENTS IN GENERAL.
SO, SO I APPRECIATE THAT, UM, A WHILE AGO, WHEN WE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS, IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE INNER DEPARTMENTAL COOPERATION WAS NOT AT THE LEVEL THAT IT NEEDED TO BE.
HOW HAS THAT BEEN IMPROVED SO THAT WHEN AFD IS ALERTED OF A FIRE, THAT HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER, WHOEVER KNOWS ABOUT IT AND VICE VERSA, UM, BECAUSE AT, AT ONE STAGE WE WERE, THEY WERE PUTTING OUT FIRES, BUT NOBODY IN THE HOMELESS GROUP LEADERSHIP WAS KNOWING ABOUT IT AND, AND VICE VERSA.
UM, SO HOW HAS THAT IMPROVED? UM, WE HAVE A WEEKLY MEETING ON WEDNESDAY MORNINGS ACROSS DEPARTMENTAL MEETING, UM, FROM PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, OUR PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT AND HSD THAT TALK ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING, UH, IN THOSE, UH, IN ENCAMPMENTS AND PRIORITIZING WORK.
AND IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THE PROJECT WITH OFFICE OF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT,
[00:55:01]
THAT WE DO NOT HAVE A SEAMLESS INFORMATION FLOW ACROSS DEPARTMENTS.UH, OUR INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS ARE KEEPING INFORMATION, THEY ARE SHARING WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS, BUT IT ISN'T IN AN INSTITUTIONALIZED OR STANDING, UH, FORMAT.
AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE EXPECT TO LOOK AT AS PART OF THE OPM PROCESS.
I WOULD, I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE THAT TO HAPPEN.
TO WHAT EXTENT IS THE WILDFIRE DIVISION INVOLVED IN THESE DISCUSSIONS? UM, WE HAVE AN EX YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN A DROUGHT.
WE HAVE EXTREMELY HIGH RISK OF WILDFIRE.
THANKFULLY, WE GOT SOME RAIN THIS WEEK AND GETTING MORE TOMORROW, WHICH WAS VERY MUCH NEEDED.
WE'VE SEEN THE FIRE AND BASS DROP.
UM, IT ONLY TAKES AN EMBER, UM, AND IT DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE PREPARING FOR IT, YOU KNOW, IN THE RING AROUND.
UM, BUT WE HAVE NOW ENCAMPMENTS IN PLACES THAT CAN CREATE FIRES IN WOODED AREAS THAT ARE MORE CENTRAL AS WELL.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THE, THE TACTICS FOR FIGHTING THOSE FIRES ARE DIFFERENT.
AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE LINE PERSON FROM AFD IS GOING TO DEAL TO WORK WITH THE FOLKS IN THE ENCAMPMENT HAS ALL THAT TRAINING AND UNDERSTANDS ALL OF THAT.
SO I'M CONCERNED THAT WE ARE DEPLOYING OUR KNOWLEDGE, UM, MOST EFFECTIVELY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MINIMIZING THE RISKS.
SO WILDFIRE DEPARTMENT DIVISION HAS BEEN INVOLVED.
WE CAN CERTAINLY ASK FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THEY ARE MANAGING THAT DAY TO DAY, UH, IN TERMS OF WHEN THERE'S A PARTICULAR ENCAMPMENT OF CONCERN, HOW THEY'RE TRIAGING BETWEEN, UM, AFT GENERALLY IN THE WELFARE DIVISION.
I WOULD JUST UNDERSCORE THAT THE RISKS THAT WE'RE FACING RIGHT NOW, THE RISKS OF WILDFIRE CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AND AS WE ARE MORE IN A DROUGHT, THEY GET HIGHER.
UM, AND WE HAVE STILL QUITE A BIT OF, UM, DEBRIS FROM LAST WINTER, THAT'S ON THE GROUND AND DRIED OUT AND, AND SO CONDITIONS ARE, ARE TERRIFYING, FRANKLY.
SO, SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE THEM BE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION ON OUR UNDERSTANDING HOW THOSE RISKS ARE CHANGING, UM, BECAUSE THAT PRIORITY MAY NEED TO SHIFT, UM, AS BOTH THE NEED FOR FOLKS TO HAVE FIRES.
AND THE RISK OF WILDFIRE ARE BOTH GOING UP AT THE SAME AT THE SAME TIME.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT WAS, UM, WE'VE HAD SOME EXCHANGES AND, UM, YOU RAISED THE ISSUE OF, UM, THE BUDGET TODAY FOR THE COLD WATER, COLD WEATHER SHELTERS.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU BEING, BEING, UH, STRAIGHTFORWARD ABOUT THAT.
UM, THAT WAS REALLY CONCERNING TO HEAR WHEN, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN I LEARNED TO THAT A FEW WEEKS AGO, UM, AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING WITH THE FAITH ORGANIZATIONS AND COVID, UM, BUT I THINK WE DO, WE DO NEED TO, TO FIGURE OUT SOME WAYS FORWARD, UM, PARTICULARLY AS WE HAVE, UM, THESE COLD WEATHER EVENTS.
UM, AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE FOLKS NOTIFIED WITHIN OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, DEPARTMENTS ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES TO GET FOLKS TO SHELTER IF IT'S PAST THE 8:00 PM PERIOD.
AND I WILL JUST, UM, EMPHASIZE, I THINK THERE'S MORE OF A NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT INFORMATION ABOUT HOW FOLKS WHO ARE COMING IN CONTACT WITH THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ON A COLD NIGHT AFTER THE APM, HOW THEY CAN CONNECT THEM UP WITH RESOURCES.
UM, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY FOLKS NEED TO HAVE REALLY CLEAR GUIDANCE ON THAT.
THEY DO NOT HAVE THAT AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
UM, UM, PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW I CAN SUPPORT USB.
YOU THINK ABOUT THE COLD WATER, COLD WEATHER SHELTER PIECE OF IT.
UM, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR THAT.
DO WE DEPLOY THE RED CROSS AT ALL? FOR THAT? I KNOW THAT THE FAITH ORGANIZATIONS ARE NOT, AND THAT WAS IN-HOUSE WHATEVER, BUT WE TRADITIONALLY, I THOUGHT HAD RED CROSS VOLUNTEERS, RED CROSS HAS, I BELIEVE NOT HISTORICALLY BEEN INVOLVED IN COLD WEATHER SHELTER ITSELF WHEN WE HAVE A DISASTER, A WEATHER DISASTER, THEY COME IN, UM, UH, WE'VE BEEN IN CONVERSATION WITH THEM NOW ABOUT, UM, SOME RESOURCES, NOT NECESSARILY THEIR VOLUNTEERS, BUT HELPING, UH, TRAIN UP A DISH, ADDITIONAL STAFF OR VOLUNTEERS, ET CETERA.
I DID ACTUALLY ALSO WANT TO ADDRESS, UM, SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE BUDGET.
I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT THAT IS NOT A CRITICISM OF THE PAST OPERATION.
IF THE CITY IS ABLE TO DO SOMETHING EFFECTIVELY ON A ZERO BUDGET, THAT'S A DAY FOR CELEBRATION, RIGHT.
BUT THAT IS NOT THE SITUATION WE ARE IN ANY LONGER IN TERMS OF THE, THE POPULATION EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS IN TERMS OF COVID.
AND IN TERMS OF THE THINKING, I THINK IN THE INTEREST IN THE COMMUNITY AND EXPANDING COLD WEATHER SHELTER, IT'S JUST A, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE STARTING FROM.
UH, WE ARE FORTUNATE AT THIS TIME TO HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY AND RESOURCES
[01:00:01]
VIA THE ARPA FUNDS.AND SO I THINK WE HAVE A WAY TO GET STARTED.
UH, THE, THE CITY WILL NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THE LONGER TERM RESOURCING OF THAT OPERATION LOOKS LIKE, BUT JUST TO SAY, UH, NOT HAVING A BUDGET IS CLEARLY A LIMITATION.
UM, WE CAN, I THINK ADDRESS THAT AND WE HAVE SOME OPTIONS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT THE LONGER-TERM RESOURCES.
AND IT'S NOT EXACTLY ZERO BUDGET.
YOU'RE JUST OTHER DEPARTMENTS OR DEPARTMENTS ARE USING THAT, THEIR BUDGETS FOR THAT.
UM, I THINK A CITY MANAGER, I WOULD REALLY LIKE WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
I LIKE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH OF THEIR, THEIR GENERAL FUND RESOURCES THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO BE SPENT ON OTHER PARKS ISSUES ARE BEING DEVOTED TO HOMELESSNESS.
UM, THEY'VE BEEN ASKED TO RESPOND TO A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF CHALLENGES, UM, BETWEEN COVID AND, AND, UM, HELPING THOSE WHO ARE HOMELESS WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL OR VERY LITTLE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, UM, TO DO THAT.
AND IT BELIEVE IF WE'RE GOING TO BE ASKING THEM TO DO THAT.
UM, WHETHER IT'S THE HOSTING, THE SHELTERS, HAVING THE STAFFING, ET CETERA, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT IMPLICATION BECAUSE IT DOES ULTIMATELY HAVE AN IMPACT ON OTHER SERVICES AS WELL.
I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARDER TO DO THE OVERALL BUDGET FOR COLD WEATHER, BUT WE CERTAINLY COULD BE ADDRESSING AND LOOKING AT THE IMPACT, UM, FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO MAKE THEM WHOLE MOVING FORWARD.
AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER POOL, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.
THANKS FOR THIS REALLY COMPREHENSIVE PRESENTATION ON, ON A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT AREAS THAT I KNOW, CERTAINLY MY OFFICE RECEIVES LOTS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, I HAVE, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, THE PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK.
UM, AND THEN I, BUT I'LL START WITH THE COLD WEATHER SHELTER AND SOME INFORMATION ABOUT HEAL THAT I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT.
SO I'M GOING TO START WITH THE COLD WEATHER SHELTER UPDATE.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR REALLY PROVIDING SOME HISTORY MS. GRAY, ABOUT HOW THESE HAVE TYPICALLY BEEN HANDLED IN THE PAST.
AND I TOO WANT TO JUST, UM, HOPE FOR THAT DAY WHEN, WHEN WE HAVE THAT NETWORK OF, UM, OF, UH, FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ABLE TO ASSIST IN THIS AREA AGAIN AND UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE NOT IN THAT PLACE RIGHT NOW.
UM, CAN YOU HELP US UNDERSTAND? I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, AS WE CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE BUILD A MORE RESILIENT CITY, I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT WHETHER THIS IS AN AREA WE NEED TO INVEST IN.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT, THAT THE BUDGET, THAT THERE HASN'T BEEN A BUDGET, UM, IN THE PAST, EXCEPT IN THOSE INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS AND THAT WE MAY NEED TO APPROACH IT DIFFERENTLY AND HAVE A DIFFERENT MODEL WHERE, WHERE THERE IS MORE TRAINING PROVIDED ACROSS THE STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS.
AND WE HAVE A, A READY NETWORK OF PEOPLE TO CALL ON ON THAT, ON THAT FRONT.
IS THIS BEING COORDINATED WITH, WELL, MS. GRAY, I GUESS MY FIRST QUESTION IS HOW, HOW IS, HOW ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT THE COLD WEATHER SHELTERS IN TERMS OF THE OTHER KINDS OF SHELTERING WORK THAT HE'S IS DOING? I KNOW WE HAD A PRESENTATION AT THE JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE LAST WEEK ABOUT RESILIENCE HUBS.
AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP IS, YOU KNOW, WHICH, WHICH AREAS, WHICH FACILITIES ARE BEING PRE-PREPARED WITH SUPPLIES AND IN THE EVENT THAT WE NEEDED WARMING, WARMING CENTERS OR COOLING CENTERS, OR OTHER KINDS OF SHELTERS FOR INDIVIDUALS, UM, IN THE STATE OF A DISASTER.
AND IT, IT SEEMS LIKE THIS WORK SHOULD REALLY BE KNIT TOGETHER AND MAYBE KNIT TOGETHER ALREADY.
BUT COULD YOU SPEAK TO THE, TO SPEAK TO THAT, PLEASE.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
I THINK IT'S BEEN IMPORTANT FOR ME AS I LEARNED THIS PROCESS TO SORT OF, UM, UNDERSTAND TO SOME DEGREE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR STANDARD COLD WEATHER SHELTER OPERATIONS, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, A WINTER WEATHER DISASTER.
AND SO COLD WEATHER SHELTER OCCURS ON, YOU KNOW, UH, ON, IS SIMPLY REALLY PRESENT ABOUT, UM, ABOUT, UH, FREEZING TEMPERATURES OR NEAR FREEZING TEMPERATURES, UH, THE WAY THAT, UH, THIS IS BEING FRAMED AT PRESENT.
AND I DO THINK WE HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL WORK TO DO, TO THINK THROUGH KIND OF THE LINKAGE WHEN WE MIGHT ROLL FROM ONE SYSTEM TO THE OTHER, IS THAT TYPICALLY WE WOULD, UH, WE WOULD ACTIVATE COLD WEATHER SHELTER.
AND THAT CERTAINLY MUCH LIKE LAST YEAR HAPPENED TO BE FOR THE LARGER DISASTER DECLARATION OCCURRED.
AND IN MANY CASES BEFORE WE STARTED TO HAVE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES OF WITH INFRASTRUCTURE, ET CETERA, UM, UH, ACROSS THE CITY.
UM, SO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS, YOU KNOW, SH SHOULD WE, FOR EXAMPLE, EXCEED THE CAPACITY OF THE EXISTING RECREATION CENTERS, UM, WOULD
[01:05:01]
WE THEN HAVE THE ABILITY TO ACCESS THE RESILIENCE, UH, RESILIENCY HUBS, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN SET UP? AND I DON'T THINK THAT THAT HAS BEEN CLEARLY ESTABLISHED YET, BUT IT WOULD CERTAINLY MAKE SENSE TO HAVE A CLEAR STEP-WISE PLAN FOR IF THERE HASN'T BEEN A DISASTER DECLARATION IN THE COMMUNITY, IF THE NEED AMONG PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN THE, IN THE SETTING OF A WEATHER, UH, EVENT EXCEEDS, UH, IN THIS CASE, COLD WEATHER SHELTER, COULD WE ACCESS SOME OF THOSE OTHER, THAT OTHER PREPARATION THAT HAS HAPPENED? YEAH.AND I'LL DIG INTO THAT A BIT, UM, OUTSIDE OF THIS SETTING WITH MY STAFF AND WITH THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENTS AND MY VIEW, BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE NOTION OF THE RESILIENCE OF IS, IS THAT THEY BE, IS THAT THEY'D BE, UM, COMMUNITY SPACES IN TIMES OF DISASTER AND IN TIMES OF NON DISASTER.
AND, AND I THINK WE MIGHT GET THE MOST LEVERAGE IF THESE SYSTEMS ARE REALLY KNIT TOGETHER IN, IN SOME OF THE WAYS THAT YOU'VE IDENTIFIED.
AND SO I THINK THAT REQUIRES A LITTLE BIT MORE, A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, DISCUSSION TO SEE WHETHER, WHETHER YOU NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM THE COUNCIL AND, AND KIND OF HELPING PROVIDE THAT DIRECTION THAT WOULD KNIT AGAIN, KNIT THOSE PROCESSES TOGETHER SO THAT WE HAVE A SHELTER.
UH, WE HAVE WELL ANYWAY, I THINK, AND I FOUND THAT POINT CAUSE I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS.
SO, UM, I'M EXCITED TO SEE THE WORK THAT, THAT YOU DESCRIBED WITH PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT.
YOU KNOW, IT JUST IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS WE'VE RECEIVED, UM, MY OFFICE HAS RECEIVED CALLS ABOUT MULTIPLE DIFFERENT KINDS OF SITUATIONS PRIMARILY HAPPENING IN PARKLAND, SOME INVOLVING ACTIVE, UH, CAMPFIRES AND THE THREAT OF A WIDER SPREAD, OTHER KINDS OF, OF ISSUES, SOME RELATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND ENCOUNTERS WITH IT HAPPENING IN THOSE PARK SPACES, INCLUDING ON PLAYGROUNDS.
UM, SO I, AND SO I APPRECIATE THE APPROACH OF SEVERAL THINGS.
I THINK THAT ARE REALLY GOOD STEPS FORWARD.
THE MOBILE PRIORITIZATION THAT YOU'VE DESCRIBED, THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE ALL STAFF WORKING IN PUBLIC SPACE IN PUBLIC SPACES HAS ACCESS TO, UM, AND THE, AND THE, THE OTHER, UH, CHALLENGE THAT YOU IDENTIFIED IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED IN OUR, IN OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH STAFF AND WITH CONSTITUENTS.
AND THAT IS THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE POINTS OF INPUTTING THIS INFORMATION.
AND SO I THINK THIS, THIS DIRECTION IS REALLY FOR THE MANAGER.
COULD YOU HELP EACH OF OUR OFFICES UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THE BEST WAY FOR US TO PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION, UM, TO THIS INTERDEPARTMENTAL TEAM? AND AS WE STRIVE FOR THAT REAL HIGH LEVEL OF ORGANIZATION THAT MS. GRAY HAS DESCRIBED, WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO GET THIS INFORMATION SO THAT WE KNOW IT'S NOT JUST GOING TO INDIVIDUAL PARK STAFF MEMBERS, UM, IF THERE'S A SITUATION INVOLVING POTENTIAL FIRE RISKS, THAT AFD IS INVOLVED, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE MULTIPLE POINTS OF INPUT, BOTH FOR CONSTITUENTS, AS WELL AS FOR COUNCIL OFFICES.
I THINK WE'RE ADDING TO, YOU KNOW, WE MAY BE ADDING TO SOME OF CHALLENGES YOU DESCRIBED OF OVERLAPPING RESPONSES AND OVERLAPPING DEPARTMENTS, UM, RESPONDING AND, AND LESS THAN COORDINATED WAYS.
SO I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT WE'RE MOVING TOWARD A SYSTEM OF MORE ORGANIZATION.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY, UM, THE BEST, THE BEST WAY TO APPROACH THIS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT THE CITY IS ADDRESSING, UH, SAFETY ISSUES, BOTH FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE OTHER, THE OTHER ISSUES THAT HAVE ARISEN.
WHAT DO YOU, COULD YOU GIVE ME SOME SENSE, MS. GRAY OF WHAT SOME OF THE TIMEFRAME IS ON THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DESCRIBED ON? LET'S SEE, SORRY, I'VE LOST FOR SLY ON SLIDE 15, THE PROCESS IMPROVEMENT.
WHEN, AND I ACTUALLY, LET ME ASK YOU TWO QUESTIONS.
WHAT, WHAT WOULD BE, WHAT DO YOU ONE SORT OF WHO OWNS THIS, WHO OWNS THIS PROCESS? IS IT, ARE YOU THE, THE MAIN, UM, THE LEAD OF ALL OF THIS WORK AND IF NOT, WHO IS THE LEAD OF ALL OF THIS WORK? WHAT IS A ESTIMATED TIMELINE FOR THESE, FOR THE ROLLOUT OF THESE ITEMS IDENTIFIED ON SLIDE SLIDE FIVE, AND WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT DO YOU NEED FROM COUNCIL, WHETHER IT'S BUDGETARY OR POLICY CHANGES OR POLICY DIRECTION.
SO THREE-PART QUESTION LEADERSHIP, TIMELINE, RESOURCES THAT YOU MIGHT NEED FROM COUNCIL.
SO, UH, WE DID INITIATE THIS PROCESS AND WE WERE THE PRIMARY SORT OF STAFF SUPPORT, UH, WITH
[01:10:01]
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT, UM, UH, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE RAISED THIS, UH, ANDY IS SERVING AS A SPONSOR, WHICH WE THOUGHT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT GIVEN THE DIVERSITY OF DEPARTMENTS THAT WERE INVOLVED.AND SO I THINK THAT THAT HAS BEEN VERY POSITIVE.
UH, WE HAVE, WE PRESENTED TO A SMALL GROUP OF OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS, UH, I BELIEVE LAST WEEK, UH, ON THE, THE PROCESS.
AND WE ARE NOW ASSEMBLING A SMALLER WORK GROUP TO GET TO WHAT THAT SORT OF COORDINATED RESPONSE STRUCTURE WOULD LOOK LIKE.
I FEEL LIKE IT WOULD PROBABLY BE PREMATURE FOR ME TO GIVE YOU AN ANTICIPATED TIMELINE, BUT, UM, I CAN COMMIT TO COMING BACK COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, AND GIVING YOU A SENSE OF HOW WE THINK THAT WILL LAY OUT AS WE BEGIN AND DIVE JUST A LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO THIS.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT THERE IS ABSOLUTELY A SENSE OF SHARED URGENCY ACROSS ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED.
AND, AND I APPRECIATE THAT INFORMATION AND, AND MANAGER, I WOULD ASK, UM, I WOULD ASK YOU TO PROVIDE US WITH INFORMATION IF THERE IS A NEED FOR RESOURCES TO HELP, TO HELP MOVE THIS WORK FORWARD.
I SHARE THE SENSE OF URGENCY AND, UM, I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE APPROACHING IT IN THAT WAY.
I ALSO WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING OUR STAFF AND ESPECIALLY THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE IN THE WAY THAT THEY HAVE A LOT OF WORK UNDER THEIR, UNDER THEIR UMBRELLA RIGHT NOW.
AND IF THERE'S A NEED FOR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, ANYWHERE IN ANY ONE OF THESE AREAS, UM, OR ADDITIONAL POLICY DIRECTION THAT YOU WILL IMMEDIATELY COME TO THE COUNCIL AND ASK AND ASK FOR THOSE RESOURCES OR THAT SUPPORT AND THE SAME GOES FOR THE COLD WEATHER SHELTER AS WELL.
UM, AND I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ON, ON THE REFERENCE TO PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT, THERE WAS ALSO, THERE WAS ALSO A REFERENCE TO ACCELERATED ACCELERATED DRAW DOWN OF THIRD PARTY CONTRACTS.
AND SO THAT TO ME IS ALSO POTENTIALLY AN AREA WHERE WE MAY NOT HAVE ALLOCATED ENOUGH RESOURCES IN THAT AREA.
AND SO MANAGER, AGAIN, I WOULD ASK THAT YOU COME BACK TO US, UM, OR LET US KNOW TODAY, WHETHER THAT'S AN AREA WHERE YOU, YOU ARE IN NEED OF ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL RESOURCES.
I HAVE SOME MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, BRIDGE SHELTER AND THINGS, BUT I'VE TAKEN A LOT OF THE SPACE HERE RIGHT NOW.
SO I'LL DEFER THOSE FOR THE MOMENT.
AND, UM, IF WE HAVE TIME, WE'D LOVE TO, WE'D LOVE TO FOLLOW UP.
THANK YOU, MS. GRAY, FOR ALL OF THE REALLY CRITICAL WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF ARE DOING.
COUNCIL MEMBER POOL, THEN COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.
HI, THANKS DIANA FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND FOR A GOOD REPORT, I WAS CURIOUS, YOU KNOW, WE GOT, UM, A COUPLE OF EMAILS FROM RESIDENTS WHO WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE VANS THAT ARE CAMPING, UM, NOT NECESSARILY HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT, BUT, BUT CAR PARKING AND VAN PARKING IN ZILKER PARK OVERNIGHT.
AND OF COURSE THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT IS, UM, PER OUR ORDINANCE.
AND I WONDERED IF YOU WERE AWARE OF IT AND WHAT STEPS WE WERE TAKING THE CITY WAS TAKING IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE AND, UH, THOSE FOLKS TO GO ELSEWHERE.
SO I AM AWARE OF THAT HAPPENING PRE HAPPENING PREVIOUSLY AND APD GOING OUT AND ADDRESSING IT.
IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU MAY BE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING MORE RECENT THAT HAS NOT MADE IT THROUGH, UH, OR TO MY EMAIL BOX, UH, AT PRESENT, WHICH IS IN SOME WAYS INDICATIVE OF NEEDING, UM, UH, A UNIFIED PLACE TO GATHER ALL THE INFORMATION.
I'M HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
WELL, IT COULD BE THAT THEY'VE ALL BEEN MOVED OUT, BUT THIS WAS A COMMENT THAT I GOT THIS MORNING, SO, OKAY.
UM, IF YOU COULD MAYBE UPDATE US ON THE STATUS IT'S SOCA PARK IN THE BAND AND HEART CAMPING.
UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM ARE DOING.
I THINK IT'S, UM, IT'S VERY HEARTENING TO SEE HOW YOU'RE YOU ARE YOU AND YOUR TEAM ARE ORGANIZING THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE MOVING FORWARD IN A DELIBERATE WAY.
THAT'S BASED ON, YOU KNOW, A PLAN AND REALLY DESIGNED TO HELP US, UH, GET TO SOME, UH, SUSTAINABLE, UM, SUBSTANCE SUSTAINABLE WORK IN THIS REGARD.
SO I JUST HAVE A FEW QUICK QUESTIONS.
ONE OF THEM RELATES IT'S SORT OF RELATED TO THE HUB, BUT IT'S A BIT DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT, UM, I TOO APPRECIATE, UM, THE EFFORTS YOU ALL ARE MAKING TO, TO ORGANIZE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE SOME, WELL BASICALLY TO HAVE SOME ORGANIZATION TO HOW WE RESPOND TO THE PUBLIC SPACE ISSUES.
UM, I AM WONDERING THIS IS SORT OF RELATED AND SOMETHING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT YEARS AGO AND, AND, UM, AT THE TIME DID IT, DIDN'T, UM, DIDN'T COME TO FRUITION FOR LOTS OF DIFFERENT REASONS, BUT, UM, WHAT ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF, AND THIS MAY NOT BE AN IMMEDIATE THING FOR, FOR, FOR YOU, BUT I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND IF WE CAN PUT ON THE LIST
[01:15:01]
OR WHAT YOUR THINKING IS ABOUT A HOTLINE AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, UM, A NUMBER THAT THE PUBLIC CAN CALL TO, UH, TO REPORT ISSUES.UM, THERE IS NOT A SINGLE ONE RIGHT NOW THAT I'M AWARE OF AND MAYBE I'M MISSING THAT.
BUT, UM, IT SEEMS TO ME AND I, AND I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT 3, 1, 1, AND I KNOW 3, 1, 1 CAN, UM, DOES HAVE SOME CATEGORIES WHERE THEY COULD COLLECT INFORMATION, BUT, BUT THAT MECHANISM DOESN'T FEEL TO ME, OR AT LEAST IT'S NOT BEEN, UM, NOT BEEN PRESENTED TO THE COMMUNITY IN SUCH A WAY.
IT'S IS THAT THE NUMBER TO CALL, IF YOU A NOTICE, SOMEONE ON THE STREET WHO NEEDS HELP, UM, OR B HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT A CAMPING AREA OR SEE YOU HAVE SOME OTHER QUESTIONS.
SO I KNOW THERE'S CHALLENGES WITH THAT, UM, BECAUSE YOU WANT TO BE POSITIONED TO RESPOND IF WE HAVE A PLACE THAT PEOPLE CAN CALL, BUT I JUST WANTED TO ASK YOU WHAT YOUR THINKING WAS.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT UCS WORKING TOWARDS, UM, AS PART OF ORGANIZING OUR RESPONSE COUNCIL MEMBER, I DON'T THINK THAT I'D BE PREPARED TO GIVE A POLICY RECOMMENDATION TODAY, BUT I DO THINK THAT IT'S AN APPROPRIATE OBJECT OF CONSIDERATION AS PART OF THIS PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT PROCESS, REALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE WANT TO DIRECT THE PUBLIC TO PROVIDE INFORMATION, UH, FOR US BOTH ON THE PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT SIDE, AND THEN POTENTIALLY AS YOU SAY, ON THE MORE, UM, SERVICE SIDE.
AND SO I'M GONNA, UM, CERTAINLY LEAN ON THE GOOD RESEARCH AND CONSIDERATION OF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT OF OUR STAFF AND OF STAFF IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
WE'RE HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON THAT.
I WOULD JUST LAST ASK YOU TO FACTOR IT IN, UH, FOR THE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT TEAM.
THAT'S WORKING WITH YOU ALL TO FACTOR THAT IN, UM, AND THINK ABOUT WHERE AND IF, AND WHAT YOUR RECOMMENDATION MIGHT BE, UH, WITH REGARD TO THAT.
MY SECOND QUESTION ABOUT THE HEAL INITIATIVE.
I, AGAIN, I I'M, UM, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE PRO UH, PROGRESS THAT'S BEEN MADE ON IT.
UM, I HEAR YOU IN THE SORT OF PUSH PULL THAT WE HAVE, WE'VE GOT TO HAVE THE RESOURCES FOR FOLKS THAT ARE IN SHELTER TO AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE MOVE TO MORE PERMANENT HOUSING.
SO, SO I HAVE TWO SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, ONE, UM, I HEARD YOU SAY, AND I'M VERY PLEASED TO HEAR THIS, THAT WE'RE ON TRACK FOR THE, UM, THE NUMBER OF HEAL LOCATIONS IN INDIVIDUALS.
WE IDENTIFIED TWO TO WORK WITH THIS YEAR, WHICH I THINK YOU SAID WAS 200 AND WE'RE ABOUT 40 INTO THAT 200.
MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, DO WE HAVE SUFFICIENT SHELTER AT THIS POINT IN TIME TO, TO ADDRESS ALL THOSE LOCATIONS ON A REGULAR BASIS? I GUESS MY QUESTION IS I UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE WANT TO WORK TOWARDS IS PEOPLE MOVING INTO SHELTER AND STAYING INTO SHELTER AS SHORT A TIME AS IS APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES BEFORE THEY MOVE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, PERMANENT HOUSING, BUT WE STILL NEED ENOUGH SHELTERS TO DO THAT.
UH, AND SO I'M CONCERNED THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH.
AND SO JUST WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU, UH, WHAT YOU'RE THINKING IN THAT REGARD COUNCIL MEMBER.
I SHARE YOUR CONCERN BROADLY, WHICH IS A CLEARLY THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SHELTER IN THE COMMUNITY IN GENERAL.
AND THAT HEEL IS CONSTRAINED BY THE NUMBER OF AVAILABLE SHELTER BEDS.
NOW, I BELIEVE CURRENTLY THAT WE CAN REACH 200 SERVE THIS FISCAL YEAR WITH THE TWO EXISTING BRIDGE SHELTERS, BUT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE US DO MORE, OR I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US USE ADDITIONAL BRIDGE SHELTER CAPACITY FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING STRAIGHT THROUGH COORDINATED ENTRY AND MAYBE NOT NECESSARILY THROUGH HEAL.
UH, AND SO WE CERTAINLY HAVE BEGUN CONVERSATIONS INTERNALLY, UM, WITH THINKING ABOUT OUR OPTIONS, UH, FOR, UH, FOR ADDING ADDITIONAL SHELTER TO THE SYSTEM, OBVIOUSLY THAT WOULD REQUIRE A COUNCIL POLICY AND BUDGET DECISION.
UH, BUT YES, IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS ON OUR RADAR AS AN IMPORTANT PRIORITY FOR THE YEAR.
AND THEN, UM, THEN MY LAST QUESTION IS, UM, I'M WORKING ON MY LAST QUESTION.
OH, UH, THE, THE Y'ALL HAVE, I REALLY APPRECIATE ALSO THE, UH, CRITERIA YOU PUT IN PLACE, WHICH, UH, JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE.
AND I THINK YOU DID TOO, IT'S CROSS DEPARTMENTAL IN TERMS OF IDENTIFYING WHAT THOSE, UM, THOSE RISKS ARE AND WHAT THOSE, WHAT THOSE DANGER POINTS ARE FOR SAFETY POINTS ARE FOR, UH, FOR FOLKS THAT HELP IDENTIFY
[01:20:01]
THOSE LOCATIONS.CAN YOU HELP ME REMEMBER HOW MANY ARE IDENTIFIED AT THIS POINT THAT YOU'RE WORKING YOUR WAY THROUGH? UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT WE HAD STAFF GOING THROUGH A SECOND, UH, AN ANOTHER COHORT OF SITES RECENTLY.
UH, AND I, I DON'T REMEMBER THE NUMBER OF SITES TO BE ASSESSED IN THAT ROUND.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER, I'D LIKE TO GET BACK TO YOU AND COMMIT TO DOING THAT ALSO BY THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE MEETING BRIEFING NEXT WEEK.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING AND FOR YOUR TEAM, DOING AMAZING, AMAZING WORK, AND IT'S VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER RENT THE RHEA.
MA'AM, I'M HAVING A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING THAT WHOLE, I MEAN, WE'RE PUTTING IN A LOT OF RESOURCES AND IT SEEMED LIKE OUR BIGGEST PROBLEM IS TO CAPACITY BUILDING.
AND, UH, IF WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE THAT OUT YEAH.
AND START WORKING ON A SOLUTION, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE AT A POINT WHERE WE'RE INVESTING A LOT OF OUR FUNDING AND MONEY INTO SERVICES THAT ONCE THE MONEY RUN OUT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANYTHING.
NOW I HAVE IN MY DISTRICT THREE, ALL ALONG PLEASANT VALLEY, ALL RIVER RIVERVIEW.
I MEAN, I GOT AG THERE'S ANOTHER HOMELESS CAMP.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE CALLING MY OFFICE.
I'VE ALREADY ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AT THAT.
CAN YOU LET, LET ME UNDERSTAND HOW WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS, GET THESE PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR CARS, THE WAY THAT I'M LOOKING AT IT.
UH, IT'LL BE A WHILE BEFORE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE CAPACITY TO EVEN MAKE A DENT IN THIS PROBLEM AND WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
ARE THESE PEOPLE GOING TO BE CAMPING THERE UNTIL WE FIND SOMETHING, A PLACE FOR THEM OR BRIDGE HOUSING OR I, I, UM, IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE BIT FRUSTRATING.
WE'VE BEEN ADDRESSING THAT SINCE 2019.
I KNOW COVID GOT IN THE WAY AND IT REALLY SET US BACK A COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT, UH, I, YOU KNOW, THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION MADE A COMMITMENT ALSO TO BREAK THAT, TO PLAN TO HOUSE 300 HOMELESS PEOPLE.
UH, I KNOW I COVID CAP WAY WITH THAT ALSO, BUT WELL, WE'RE OPENING HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE ADDRESSING ALL OF THIS PROBLEMS. DO Y'ALL HAVE A PLAN RIGHT NOW WHERE, UH, I MEAN, MY PEOPLE OR MY CONSTITUENTS ARE SAYING WHEN WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES, IT'S LIKE WE ADDRESSED THE ISSUES THERE AT THE LAST LIBRARY, WHICH I WANT TO THANK Y'ALL FOR THAT.
AND, BUT, YOU KNOW, I WORKED HARD TO GET THAT MUCH HOTEL THERE, UM, IN MY HISTORY SO THAT WE COULD ADDRESS THESE PROBLEMS, BUT WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT THERE, THEIR VERY ILL AND, UH, I MEAN, THERE ARE JUST DESTROYING THE PARK OUT THERE, LITTERING ALL OVER THE PLACE, AND WE NEED TO ADDRESS THOSE KINDS OF ISSUES IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE WE CAN'T HAVE THAT ALL THE TRASH AND WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE COULD STAND THE PONDS OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, RIGHT IN FRONT OF OUR FACE WHERE WE HAVE ALL THE BALLPARKS IT'S WE HAVE DEVELOPMENT GOING IN THAT AREA.
AND, UH, I'M JUST VERY CONCERNED THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT DOING ENOUGH UNITS SO THAT WE CAN, WE CAN, OR WE'RE NOT, WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE RESOURCES ARE THERE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF HOUSING, A LOT OF NON-PROFIT HOUSING, UH, GROUPS THAT ARE ABLE TO, I KNOW IN MY DISTRICT, THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT SIT IN ON VACANT LAND AND JUST WAITING FOR THE RESOURCES TO GET THEIR HOUSE, THE MONEY SO THEY CAN START BUILDING.
AND, YOU KNOW, BUILDING HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS TWO YEARS, IT'S A TWO YEAR PROCESS.
SO I'M VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS IT'S GOING TO BE TWO YEARS FROM NOW, BEFORE WE'RE STARTING TO GET PEOPLE INTO THESE HOUSING UNITS.
AND WELL, HOW ARE WE GOING TO BE ADDRESSING THESE HOMELESS CAMPSITE? BECAUSE AS SOON AS HE CLOSED ONE, THEY MOVED FURTHER DOWN AND OPENED ANOTHER ONE.
AND THAT'S THE WAY HE HAD BEEN GOING THAT I'VE NOTED.
AND THEN SOME KEEP COMING BACK AND THEN WE CLEANED THOSE OUT AGAIN, HE MOVED BACK FURTHER AWAY AND THEN THEY WAIT FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS, AND THEN THEY COME BACK.
SO, UH, IF YOU CAN TELL ME, HOW ARE WE GOING TO BE ADDRESSING THESE, THESE, UH, HOW DO YOU, WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM US SO THAT WE CAN START BUILDING ME AND IDENTIFYING ALL THESE SHELTERS THAT'S
[01:25:01]
BETWEEN US AND THE COUNTY.WE GOTTA BE INVESTING ALMOST A HALF A BILLION DOLLARS.
SO, UH, I WAS FINDING OUT HOW YOU WERE GOING TO BE ADDRESSING ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS. I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A TIMELINE.
I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT WE GOT, WE'RE NOT TELLING THE PUBLIC WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UH, THERE GONNA BE SOME ANGRY PEOPLE, ANYWAY, PEOPLE TURNING TO BOATS AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE VOTING PEOPLE OUT IF WE DON'T ADDRESS THAT ISSUE.
SO IF YOU CAN TELL ME OR HELP ME UNDERSTAND, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, I THINK, UM, THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY SHARES THE FRUSTRATION, UH, AROUND THE ISSUE, UM, AROUND THE SCOPE OF THE ISSUE, UH, AND AROUND SEEING PROGRESS.
WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS AND THAT MANY OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, WE AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS BRIEF ON ARE EVIDENCE OF THAT AND OF MOVEMENT ALONG THE WAY.
IT WILL BE OPERATIONAL LATER THIS YEAR FOR A TOTAL OF 140 PLUS UNITS.
UM, HPD, UH, HAS, UH, ALMOST A THOUSAND UNITS BETWEEN HPD AND SOME OF THE UNITS THAT ARE BEING FUNDED BY THE, BY TRAVIS COUNTY.
WE HAVE NOW BIT BY BIT DEVELOPED A VERY ROBUST PIPELINE OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
AND IT IS JUST NOW STARTING TO HIT THE GROUND.
UH, KESHA DESCRIBED A $53 MILLION RFP.
YES, IT WILL TAKE TIME TO GET THOSE PROGRAMS UP AND OPERATIONAL.
UH, MY COMMITMENT TO YOU IS THAT WE BE CONTINUE TO MOVE ALL OF THESE PIECES FORWARD, UH, AND THAT WE TRY TO COMMUNICATE AS CLEARLY WITH THE COMMUNITY AS WE CAN WHILE WE'RE DOING IT, UNDERSTANDING, UH, THE, THE FRUSTRATION OF THE COMMUNITY AND FRANKLY, UH, UM, THE, THE DESPERATION OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE LIVING ON SHELTERED AT THIS TIME.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, THEN COUNCILMAN WENT THIS, THANK YOU, DIANA, FOR ALL THE INFORMATION THAT YOU GAVE US TODAY.
I'M REALLY HAPPY TO HEAR YOU SPEAK UP, PLEASE.
I'M REALLY HAPPY TO HEAR ABOUT THE PROGRESS THAT'S BEEN MADE IN THIS AREA.
IT'S A PROBLEM THAT WE'VE HAD IN THIS CITY, AND IT'S NICE TO SEE THAT WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS A SOLUTION.
ONE THOUGHT THAT I HAD WHILE I WAS LISTENING TO MY COLLEAGUES SPEAK WAS RELATED TO THE SIMILAR CONCERNS IN DIFFERENT PARK AREAS OR DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE CITY, WHERE IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE A LOT OF US ARE REPEATING THE SAME TYPES OF CONCERNS FROM DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND I'M WONDERING CITY MANAGER, ACTUALLY, IF WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HAVE AN INTERNAL DASHBOARD WHERE WE SUBMIT SOME OF THESE ISSUES AND COMPLAINTS TO, SO THAT COUNCIL AS A WHOLE CAN SEE THE PROGRESS THAT'S HAPPENING RELATED TO THEM AND WHICH DEPARTMENTS ARE WORKING ON THEM.
UM, PERHAPS IT COULD BE INTERNAL INSTEAD OF EXTERNAL, JUST SO THAT WE HAVE A GREATER SENSE OF THE PROGRESS BEING MADE.
AND WE CAN COMMUNICATE TO OUR CONSTITUENTS MAYBE OUTSIDE OF THE CAF SYSTEM.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THAT SUGGESTION.
I'LL CERTAINLY TALK TO STAFF AND GET BACK TO YOU ON JUST THE BEST WAY TO COMMUNICATE THOSE BOTH INTERNALLY TO YOUR OFFICES, UH, TO STAFF, UH, AS WE MAKE FORWARD PROGRESS ON THESE IMPORTANT INITIATIVES, AND THEN AS YOU NOTED TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL.
UM, SO WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOUR OFFICE ON THAT, UM, STRATEGY.
I MEAN, YEAH, I THINK HE, SOMEWHERE ELSE, THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TODAY'S PRESENTATION.
IT WAS SUPER THOROUGH AND HELPFUL, AND I JUST I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM ARE DOING.
UM, I GUESS MY FIRST QUESTION IS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE OFTEN HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY, WE APPLAUD THE CITY, COUNCIL'S COMMITMENT FOR MAKING OVER A HUNDRED MILLION TOWARDS PRODUCING HOMELESSNESS.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS OUR EFFORTS TO DATE? SO I, WHAT I APPRECIATE ABOUT YOUR PRESENTATION IS THAT KNOWING THAT I CAN SAY, SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, WE'LL HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL HOTELS OPERATING, UH, UP AND RUNNING AND THAT'LL PROVIDE OVER 138 PERMANENT SUPPORTING HOUSING UNITS.
AND THAT'S A REALLY GREAT MESSAGE FOR US TO BRING BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THOSE DOLLARS.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WOULD SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY ABOUT OUR COMMITMENT? OKAY.
AND THEN WE CERTAINLY HAVE OTHER CAPITAL PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE THAT AREN'T HOTEL CONVERSIONS OR OUR HOTEL CONVERSIONS THAT ARE BEING CARRIED OUT BY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
SO THERE ARE MANY OTHER UNITS IN THE PIPELINE IN TERMS SPECIFICALLY OF THE ARPA-E FUNDS.
UH, THE, THOSE TWO HOTEL ACQUISITIONS WERE OUR FIRST INVESTMENT, AS YOU RECALL.
UH, WE CAME BEFORE COUNCIL IN LATE OCTOBER TO GET APPROVAL OF THE OVERALL SPENDING FRAMEWORK.
AND AT THAT TIME, THAT WAS WHEN WE WERE BEING ABLE TO BEGIN WORKING VERY CLOSELY, UH, WITH ACACIA JOHNSON SMOTHERS SHOP IN APH
[01:30:01]
TO BEGIN TO MOVE THE SOLICITATIONS OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY.SO THIS FIRST, UM, UH, THIS FIRST RFP AND, UH, IT IS A COMBINATION OF COURSE OF GENERAL FUND AND OUR BOAT, BUT IT IS MOSTLY ARPA.
UH, IT REALLY REPRESENTS OUR FIRST BIG PUSH OF THOSE RESOURCES INTO THE COMMUNITY.
WE OF COURSE HAVE OTHER ONGOING INVESTMENTS AS THE CITY, UH, BOTH THROUGH GENERAL FUND AND THROUGH FEDERAL FUNDS, UM, THAT WE CAN DETAIL, UM, FOR YOU, IF YOU LIKE.
AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS AROUND OUR BRIDGE SHELTER CAPACITY YOU HAVE HERE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, UM, THE GOAL IS FOR US TO SERVE 200 INDIVIDUALS WITHIN BEFORE OCTOBER.
AND, UM, AND KNOWING THAT IT LOOKED LIKE, UH, UM, ABOUT FOREIGN CAMP MINTS WERE EVALUATED ON AVERAGE PER MONTH.
UM, WHAT DOES, ON, ON ONE HAND, I WANT TO ASK, WHAT DOES OUR CURRENT, UH, CAPACITY TO SCALE UP OUR BRIDGE SHELTERS? SHOULD WE BE CONSIDERING PURCHASING ANOTHER BRIDGE SHELTER, UM, AS WELL AS WHAT DOES THE COORDINATED ENTRY WITH OUR PARTNERS AND PROVIDERS? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? ARE THERE ANY, BECAUSE I KNOW AT ONE POINT, I CAN'T REMEMBER IT WAS GOODWILL OR SALVATION ARMY OR ANOTHER ENTITY, BUT THEY WERE OPERATING AT REDUCED CAPACITY BECAUSE OF COVID.
SO ANY INFORMATION RELATED TO THEIR ABILITY AND EFFORTS TO SCALE UP THEIR CAPACITY AS WELL.
RIGHT? SO OUR CONGREGATE SHELTERS, BOTH FRONT STEPS AND SALVATION ARMY DO CONTINUE TO OPERATE AT LIMITED CAPACITY, GIVEN OUR RISK STAGE FOR COVID.
AND THAT HAS BEEN TRUE NOW, REALLY, ALMOST THE ENTIRE TWO YEARS OF THE PANDEMIC.
UH, CERTAINLY EXPANDING ANOTHER BRIDGE SHELTER IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING.
UH, AND IN FACT, BEGINNING TO, YOU KNOW, TALK WITH REAL ESTATE ABOUT WHAT ARE OUR ALTERNATIVES MIGHT BE THERE.
UM, I WANT TO REMIND COUNCIL THAT ONE OF THE OPERATING BRIDGE SHELTERS WILL ALSO EVENTUALLY BE CONVERTED TO PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING WAS PURCHASED WITH BOND CONS.
AND SO WE'RE KIND OF THINKING ABOUT, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT OUR PORTFOLIO IT'S DYNAMIC, UH, AT THIS TIME FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.
AND I BELIEVE YOU HAD ANOTHER QUESTION THAT I'VE FORGOTTEN COUNCIL MEMBER.
WELL, IT DID THAT, THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL.
SO KNOWING THAT FRONT STEPS AND SALVATION ARMY ARE AT REDUCED CAPACITY, WE KNOW TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY'RE LIKE, YES, UH, THE FRONT STEPS CURRENTLY HAS A CAPACITY OF 50.
UH, THEIR CAPACITY IS NORMALLY A HUNDRED.
AND, UH, SALVATION ARMY, I BELIEVE IS AT A HUNDRED OF A NORMAL CAPACITY OF A LITTLE OVER 200.
SO THEY'RE BOTH IT RIGHT AROUND 50%.
SO ONCE THEY ARE ABLE TO OPERATE FULLY, THAT WOULD ADD ANOTHER 150 SHELTER OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, BECAUSE I THINK, YOU KNOW, PART OF WHAT YOU HAVE LISTED AS SPACE TO CRISIS RESPONSE AND WHAT WE ARE SEEING IN OUR COMMUNITIES IS WANTING A PLACE AVAILABLE FOR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS TO GET TO KNOWING THAT THERE IS A STATEWIDE BAN RIGHT NOW, ANY INFORMATION AS TO WHEN, UM, THEY WILL BE MAKING CONSIDERATIONS TO MOVE UP TO FULL.
I REALLY THINK IT'S GOING TO DEPEND ON OUR COVID RISK LEVEL COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND SO OVER THE SUMMER WHEN WE WERE, YOU KNOW, IN, IN STAGE TWO AND THREE FOR A LITTLE WHILE, WE WERE INACTIVE CONSIDERATION, BUT OF COURSE THAT DIDN'T LAST VERY LONG.
AND SO, UM, AT, AT PRESENT, IT'S NOT REALLY VIABLE.
AND YES, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU, I'M SUPER SUPPORTIVE OF US PURSUING ADDITIONAL BRIDGE SHELTER CAPACITY, ESPECIALLY WANT TO DO ALL THAT WE CAN GIVEN THE URGENCY OF THE SITUATION.
THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS AROUND THE COLD WEATHER SHELTER.
UH, JUST SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT I'VE RECEIVED IS THAT IT CLOSES AT 6:00 AM AND THE INDIVIDUALS HAVE TO LEAVE BY THAT TIME.
UM, ANY CONSIDERATION FOR US EXTENDING IT A FEW HOURS SO THAT FOLKS ARE ABLE TO STAY.
SO I'D VERY MUCH LIKE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO EXTEND THAT, REMEMBER THAT WE ARE USING PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES.
AND SO, UM, ON, UM, WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO EXTEND IF IT REMAINS QUITE COLD, WE DO.
BUT JUST AS AN EXAMPLE OF, I THINK THE STRAIN ON THE CITY FACILITY, WE HAD A COLD WEATHER SHELTER NIGHT WHEN, UH, WE RELEASED PEOPLE OR GOT THEM ON THE BUS AT 6:00 AM.
AND WE HAD A WEATHER, UH, WINTER, YOU KNOW, WINTER CAMP AT THOSE REC CENTERS AT 7:00 AM.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, I THINK WE'RE USING THOSE CAPACITIES AT THEIR FULLEST AND REALLY TRYING TO BALANCE THE NEEDS.
AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION IS AROUND THE EVALUATED ENCAMPMENTS, UM, PROCESS, YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE YOU ARE, IS IT, ARE YOU NEAR THE PILOTING PHASE, UM, OF HAVING THAT PROCESS BY, IN TUNE AND HOW THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WORK TOGETHER IN THAT EVALUATION? SO WE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PILOTED THE TOOL.
WE ARE, OUR HSD IS STILL STAFFING UP.
SO WE HAVE NEW POSITIONS OF COURSE POSTED ET, BUT DO NOT HAVE THOSE NEW POSITIONS HIRED AS YET.
[01:35:01]
AND SO IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE CAPACITY TO DO THAT.WHAT WE'RE TESTING IS HOW WE CAN DO THAT WITH MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS, BUT ALSO DON'T WANT TO PLACE A LOT OF ADDITIONAL BURDEN OF COURSE, ON OUR PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT, PARD STAFF, ET CETERA.
SO, UM, AS WE, UM, GET THAT STAFF ON BOARD AND CONTINUE TO BUILD OUT THIS PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT PROCESS, I THINK THAT WILL BE ONE OF OUR OUTPUTS.
HOW DO WE, WHAT IS THE PROCESS AND RHYTHM FOR ASSESSMENT OF ENCAMPMENTS? THANK YOU.
AND THEN HOW MANY TEAM MEMBERS ARE YOU HOPING TO, TO IDENTIFY AT THIS POINT? SO COUNCIL APPROVED SEVEN NEW POSITIONS, UM, IN TH THIS FISCAL YEAR BUDGET.
AND WE ALSO HAD, UH, TWO OTHER POSITIONS THAT WERE VACANT FROM THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR.
AND SO I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE SEVEN OF THOSE POSITIONS STILL OPEN A COUPLE IN A COUPLE OF CASES.
WE HAVE TEMPS IN PLACE WHO IT'S PLAUSIBLE, WOULD TRANS UM, TRANSITION INTO A PERMANENT POSITION, BUT LOTS OF TEAM BUILDING HAPPENING IN OUR WORLD.
SO AT THIS POINT YOU'RE STILL OPERATING AT HALF CAPACITY.
I REALLY DO APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU'RE DOING, CAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF ANGLES TO THIS AND IT'S NOT, UM, IT'S NOT ALWAYS A TOPIC THAT PEOPLE SEE A LOT OF ACTION ON VERY QUICKLY, BUT I KNOW THAT Y'ALL ARE WORKING VERY HARD AND TO REALLY DO THIS RIGHT.
IT TAKES SETTING UP THIS INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE CAPACITY NEEDS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
UM, I REALLY LIKED COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN'S IDEA OF KIND OF A HOTLINE.
UM, AND IT REMINDED ME OF A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN WE HAD THE DASHBOARD SET UP.
UM, SO I KNOW THAT, CAN YOU TELL ME OF A TIMELINE WHERE THE DASHBOARD MIGHT CONTINUE TO RECEIVE MORE INFORMATION? CAUSE I THINK RIGHT NOW IT'S GOT NUMBERS FROM PRE PANDEMIC AND I KNOW WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO THE POINT IN TIME, COUNT THE WAY IT NORMALLY HAPPENS OVER THE YEARS.
SO DO YOU KNOW IF THAT DASHBOARD IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE UPDATED NOW THAT WE ARE GETTING MORE UNITS ONLINE? SO THE DASHBOARD DRAWS ON PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THE DATA IN THE DASHBOARD AS IT HAS EXISTED, ALMOST ALL DRAWS FROM THE HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION, UH, INFORMATION SYSTEM, WHICH ECHO, UM, UH, KEEPS.
AND SO WE'VE ACTUALLY ECHO HAS LAUNCHED A NEW DASHBOARD.
UM, I THINK THAT WE CAN LINK TO IT, BUT WE'LL CHECK.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN LOOKING AT THE WEBSITE, UH, AND UNDERSTOOD THAT THAT DASHBOARD WAS DATED.
AND SO WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, BUT I THINK THERE'S ALSO A QUESTION OF, WE MAY NEED TO POINT TO THE ECHOED A DASHBOARD TO THE DEGREE THAT THERE ARE, UH, PIECES THERE THAT THEY ARE UP, UP DATING.
AND SO THE UNITS COMING ONLINE THAT ARE CITY FUNDED, SO WE CAN LOOK AT THAT.
CAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS THAT JUST WANT TO SEE THE STEPS ALONG THE WAY AND, YOU KNOW, SHOW YOUR HOMEWORK AND, UM, BE ABLE TO TELL PEOPLE WHEN UNITS ARE EXPECTED TO COME ONLINE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN RESPOND TO CONSTITUENTS WHO REACH OUT TO THE OFFICE, BUT SOMETIMES PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS THAT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY REACH OUT TO US FOR, BUT THEY STILL ARE VERY CURIOUS ABOUT THE PROGRESS THAT'S HAPPENING.
UM, AS FAR AS THE HOTLINE, I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY, REALLY HELPFUL.
CAUSE I KNOW RIGHT NOW IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THERE'S MANY OPTIONS OTHER THAN CALLING 3, 1, 1 REACHING OUT TO A COUNCIL OFFICE OR, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO PUT IN A TICKET OF SOME SORT THROUGH, THROUGH OUR CASTE SYSTEM.
AND SO I, I KNOW WHAT WE ARE HEARING A LOT IS I'VE TOLD THE POLICE, I'VE TOLD 3, 1, 1, AND EITHER PEOPLE AREN'T COMING OUT OR THEY'RE SAYING, I CAN'T DO ANYTHING.
SO CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE STRATEGY, JUST KNOWING AS WE NEED PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO BE, WHEN FOLKS SAY I NEED AN OFFICER TO COME HELP THIS PERSON, OR THERE'S A SITUATION, YOU KNOW, IN CONFLICT WITH SOMEONE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND UH, A NEARBY BUSINESS, HOW ARE THOSE CONVERSATIONS PLAYING OUT AND WHAT KIND OF RESPONSE SHOULD PEOPLE EXPECT FROM WHETHER IT'S INTEGRAL CARE OR, OR OUR POLICE OFFICERS.
SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOKED AT SORT OF THE ROUTE OF INFORMATION FLOW AND HOW RESOURCES ARE BEING DEPLOYED AS PART OF THIS, UM, PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, YOU COULD IMAGINE WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE, RIGHT? WE ARE SEEING MANY FOLKS CALLING DIRECTLY SAY TO THE HOST TEAM.
THEY MIGHT ALREADY HAVE A CONTACT THERE AND BE ABLE TO MAKE A REQUEST OFTEN IF, UM, IT'S UNCLEAR WHERE THAT REQUEST WILL GO.
IT WILL END UP COMING TO OUR DIVISION.
UM, AND OUR STAFF WILL FACILITATE THAT.
I WILL SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WE'RE HAVING ACROSS THE ENTERPRISE AND THE COMMUNITY IS, IS STAFFING SHORTAGES, RIGHT? AND SO OUR PARTNERS HAVE BEEN VERY RESPONSIVE, BUT THEY CANNOT ALWAYS RESPOND TO EVERY SINGLE REQUEST.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, INTEGRAL CARE IS ALSO CERTAINLY DEALING WITH SUBSTANTIAL STAFFING SHORTAGES.
[01:40:01]
BUT YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY DO OUTREACH.AND SO THEIR, THEIR ABILITY TO VISIT ON A REPEATED BASIS IS NOT LIMITLESS.
UM, SO I WOULD JUST SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS, IT'S FRUSTRATING FOR FOLKS WHO WANT THEIR ISSUE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY.
WE SEE OUR PARTNERS RESPOND AND GO OUT INTO THE FIELD, BUT THERE IS SOME LEVEL OF TRIAGE FOR WHICH CALLS THEY CAN RESPOND TO, UM, IN THE, IN THE IMMEDIATE, UH, TIMEFRAME.
UM, AND SO MAYBE THE NEXT PHASE OF THAT QUESTION MIGHT BE BETTER ASKED TO THE CITY MANAGER, BUT YOU KNOW, WE ARE STILL GETTING REPORTS OF PEOPLE SAYING, I'M TALKING TO, UH, AN OFFICER AND THEY'RE TELLING ME THE COUNCIL IS IMPEDING THIS WORK OR SAYING THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE ENFORCING THE CAMPING BAN.
CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT JUST ABOUT THE COMMUNICATIONS, UM, FOR FOLKS WHO ARE REACHING OUT DIRECTLY TO THE DEPARTMENT AND FEELING LIKE THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO, TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE, HAVE A SITUATION ADDRESS, ABSOLUTELY COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND THIS IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT, UH, IS, UH, ON MY RADAR.
AND I'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH, UH, ACM ARIANO AND THE POLICE CHIEF ON JUST HOW THOSE RESPONSES ARE HAPPENING WHEN INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE ENTERPRISE.
I MEAN, IT COULD BE FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, IT COULD BE FROM WATERSHED.
UM, IT COULD BE FROM OUR PARK STAFF, UH, THAT WE NEED TO HAVE COMMON MESSAGING AND THAT, THAT THE ANSWERS NEED TO BE CLARIFIED ON WHAT BOTH THE PERSON EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS SHOULD BE EXPECTING.
UH, AND THEN WHAT THE RESIDENTS AROUND THAT AREA MIGHT EXPECT AS WELL.
SO WE CONTINUE TO REFINE AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE MESSAGES ARE CLEAR AND CONSISTENT ACROSS, UH, NO MATTER WHO IS SAYING THAT, UH, THAT, THAT IT'S, UH, SUPPORTED BY, UH, OUR CITY MANAGEMENT.
CAUSE I KNOW, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WITHOUT HAVING A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO GO, THAT'S WHERE THE DIFFICULTY LIES AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE REALLY STRESSING HERE IS HOW, HOW WE CREATE THOSE SPACES FOR PEOPLE TO BE SAFE AND, AND TO HAVE A ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD.
UM, BUT I KNOW IT'S, IT'S TOUGH FOR SOME DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE CONTINUALLY HAVING TO GO AND RESPOND TO A SITUATION.
AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW, I KNOW THE CIRCUMSTANCE OFTEN IS YOU MAY BE ABLE TO HELP SOMEONE ONE TIME, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THEY DON'T DECIDE TO GO BACK LATER AND, UM, CONTINUE TO HAVE SITUATIONS WHERE NEIGHBORS ARE TRYING TO HAVE THEIR NEEDS ADDRESSED AS WELL.
UM, SO I KNOW THAT'S TRICKY, BUT REALLY APPRECIATE US FINE TUNING THE COMMUNICATION.
SO WE, WE AREN'T TALKING PAST EACH OTHER OR ONE DEPARTMENT IS SAYING ONE THING, ANOTHER DEPARTMENT IS SAYING ANOTHER THING.
AND THEN AS FAR AS I APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER POOL, BRINGING UP THE, UM, THE VANS AND THE BUSES IN ZILKER PARK, UM, IT'S DEFINITELY BEEN BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH THAT, BUT WHAT SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING WITH THAT SITUATION IS IT'S NOT NECESSARILY UNHOUSED PEOPLE THAT NEED SERVICES, IT'S FOLKS WHERE THAT BUS OR THAT VAN IS THEIR HOME AND THEY MIGHT BE TRAVELING.
UM, BUT WE JUST, WEREN'T QUITE SURE.
IS THIS A PARKS AND RECREATION ISSUE? IS THIS A PARKING MANAGEMENT ISSUE? IT KIND OF BRINGS US BACK TO THAT QUESTION.
OTHERS HAVE ASKED IS HOW DO WE CROSS COMMUNICATE WITH DEPARTMENTS FOR SITUATIONS LIKE THAT? WE'LL CERTAINLY FOLLOW UP ON THAT ISSUE SPECIFICALLY.
CAUSE I DO AGREE WITH YOU, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME PARKING ENFORCEMENT WITH, WITH CODE COMPLIANCE AND SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING COUNSEL IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE INFORMATION ON WHAT'S APPROPRIATE IN THAT SPACE.
I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, AND THEN THE LAST THING THAT I'LL JUST MENTION IS, UM, WITH THE COLD WEATHER SHELTER, DO YOU KNOW WHAT COMMUNICATION IS HAPPENING WITH CAP METRO AND MAYBE SOME OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES THAT, UM, ARE ON THE BOARD OF CAP.
METRO MAY KNOW TOO, OBVIOUSLY IT'S HARD TO PRINT MATERIALS FOR THE BUS DRIVERS TO HAVE, BUT, UM, IS THERE SOME AWARENESS OF, IF SOMEONE GETS ON THE NEAREST BUS ROUTE AND SAYS, I NEED A COLD, I NEED TO GET TO THE COLD WEATHER SHELTER.
HOW, HOW DOES THAT WORK FROM, YOU KNOW, A CONSTITUENT, SOMEONE UNHOUSED GETTING ON A BUS, UM, HOW IS THAT COMMUNICATION HAPPENING WITH THEM AND CAN THE BUS DRIVERS HELP THEM NAVIGATE WHERE TO GET SAFE? YEAH.
I'M GLAD YOU ASKED THAT I'M COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO HISTORICALLY, I MEAN, I THINK ANECDOTALLY, WHAT WE'VE HEARD IS BUS DRIVERS TYPICALLY WOULD NOT DENY SOMEONE A RIDE TO COLD WEATHER SHELTER IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE A FAIR.
BUT AS OF YESTERDAY WE HEARD FROM CAPITAL METRO THAT THEY WERE APPROVING A POLICY OF, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, ALLOWING FOLKS TO GET TO COLD WEATHER SHELTER WITH NO FARE.
THEY ARE STILL WORKING OUT HOW THEY COMMUNICATE THAT TO THEIR DRIVERS AND WITH US TO PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
BUT, UM, BUT WE'RE VERY, UH, APPRECIATIVE OF THEM OF MAKING THAT POLICY DECISION AND WOULD THEN BE WORKING ON THE COMMUNICATION PIECE.
I APPRECIATE Y'ALL THINKING THROUGH THAT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE SEAMLESS AS INTER-GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, TO BE ABLE TO TRY TO ALL WORK TOGETHER, TO HELP INDIVIDUALS IN TIMES OF NEED.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
UH, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PRESENTATION, I WOULD JUST PUT MY VOICE TO THE REQUEST MANAGER THAT UNHR DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO GET THAT OFFICE FULLY STAFFED.
[01:45:02]
IT'S GOING TO BE HARD FOR THEM TO DO ALL THE WORK THAT IS THERE WHEN THEY'RE FULLY STAFFED.THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE AGGREGATING.
SO ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO HELP FACILITATE GETTING THAT STAFF WITH REALLY GOOD PEOPLE, ALL RIGHT,
[B1. South Central Waterfront Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone.]
COLLEAGUES, LET'S MOVE ON NOW TO THE NEXT PRESENTATION.THIS IS THE ONE ON THE, UH, SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.
AND THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF A CONVERSATION THAT WE STARTED IN DECEMBER, BUT, UH, THAT WE LAST LEFT OFF IN DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR.
AND SO, UH, WE WERE ASKED TO DO SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, WORK AND THEN TEE UP SOME, UH, QUESTIONS AND FURTHER DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL ON THIS TOPIC.
AND SO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PRESENTERS FROM MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS.
SO WITH US THIS MORNING, UM, BUT I'M IN A PURSE.
I HANDED OFF TO KAMALA HARRIS, UH, FROM OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US THIS MORNING AND OUR CONTINUATION OF OUR CONVERSATION ON SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.
IF YOU COULD PULL THE PRESENTATION YEAH, NEXT TIME YOU, THE NEXT SLIDE.
WE HAVE, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S QUITE A BIT FOR US TO COVER THIS MORNING, BUT, UM, SOME OF THESE ARE, SHOULD BE FAIRLY, UH, TO QUICK TO COVER.
FIRST OFF, WE JUST WANT TO DO A VERY HIGH-LEVEL OVERVIEW OF WHAT THE STRUCTURE CONTAINS TO ACHIEVE THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT VISION.
UM, AND THEN I'LL PASS IT OVER TO ROSIE CHOU, LOVE TO SPEAK TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ASPECTS.
I WILL TAKE IT BACK THEN TO SPEAK MORE SPECIFICALLY TO THE TIF REQUIREMENTS AND SCENARIOS, UM, AND THE FUNDING CHALLENGES.
UM, AND THEN STILL NOVIA WHOLE ROB WILL BE HANDLING THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY.
AND I'LL WRAP IT UP WITH THE PRINCIPAL DECISION POINTS THAT, UM, WE'RE HOPING THAT THE COUNCIL WILL BE DISCUSSING THIS MONTH AND GOING INTO MARCH.
SO NEXT SLIDE SO WHEN, WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE, THE STRUCTURE NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT VISION, UM, OUR CONVERSATION HAS LARGELY FOCUSED ON THE TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE, WHICH IS CERTAINLY AN IMPORTANT PART.
UM, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS ALL PART OF A BIGGER PLAN RELATIVE TO REGULATORY AND LAND USE NEEDS OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING APPROACH, THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN AND OPERATING PLAN, BUT IN CONTINUATION OF OUR FOCUS ON THE CHAIRS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO TODAY.
SO NEXT SO I'LL PASS IT TO ROSIE TO SPEAK TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING POLICIES.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
WE LOVE DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
UH, THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT THE POLICIES THAT ARE GUIDING.
UM, THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO THINK ABOUT THE POLICIES THAT ARE GUIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT AREA.
THE FIRST IS TO CONSIDER WHAT'S LAID OUT IN THE SOUTH CENTER OR SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT VISION FRAMEWORK, UH, WHICH IS THAT 20% OF THE HOUSING UNITS WITHIN THE DISTRICT, UH, SHOULD BE INCOME RESTRICTED, AFFORDABLE TO HOUSEHOLDS EARNING 60 TO 80% MFI FOR RENTAL AND 100 TO 120% MFI MEDIAN, FAMILY INCOME FOR OWNERSHIP, THE VISION FRAMEWORK ENVISIONS A DISTRICT-WIDE GOAL REQUIRING CITY AND DEVELOPER PARTICIPATION.
UM, THIS WOULD BE INCLUDE VARYING SET ASIDE RATES AT THE PERSONAL LEVEL, DEPENDING ON OTHER COMMUNITY BENEFIT CONTRIBUTIONS THAT ARE OUTLINED IN THE PLAN AND ANTICIPATES PARTIALLY ACHIEVING AFFORDABILITY GOALS ON THE ONLY CITY OWNED PROPERTY WITHIN THE DISTRICT, WHICH IS ONE TEXAS.
ANOTHER WAY TO THINK ABOUT, UH, THE POLICIES THAT ARE GUIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THIS AREA IS THE CITY'S COUNCIL ADOPTED TIP POLICY.
UH, THE TIP POLICY REQUIRES PARTICIPATION BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND OR OTHER TAX ENTITIES AND REQUIRES THAT 20% OF ANY HOUSING DEVELOP HOUSING DEVELOPED AS PART OF A TIF PROJECT PLAN B INCOME RESTRICTED AND AFFORDABLE TO HOUSEHOLDS EARNING UP TO 60% MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME FOR RENTAL AND 80% MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME FOR OWNERSHIP.
IT IS MORE STRINGENT IN TERMS OF FUNDING AND DEVELOPER REQUIREMENTS AND IT EXPECTS DEVELOPER PARTICIPATION AS OPPOSED TO A TOURIST SPENDING ALL OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUCH AS WHAT WE EXPERIENCED IN MILLER MILLER.
CAN I GET THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE? OKAY.
SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE TO HELP US ACHIEVE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
[01:50:01]
IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL AREA, UH, WE TURN TO THE REGULATORY TOOLS THAT WE HAVE SUCH AS DEVELOPER INCENTIVES, A DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS AND FEE WAIVERS, UM, OR ANYTHING THAT MAY COME FORWARD AS A PUD, UM, WHICH HAS SITE-SPECIFIC NEGOTIATED DEVELOPER AGREEMENTS.UH, THE FINANCIAL TOOLS WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US IS, IS FIRST IS THE TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE, WHICH COULD PROVIDE FUNDING, UH, TO HELP MEET THE NEEDS FOR THE INCOME OR FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UH, WE CAN UTILIZE VOTER APPROVED BONDS, SUCH AS OUR GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS.
UH, WE COULD UTILIZE HOUSING TRUST FUND, UH, OR FEDERAL FUNDING SUCH AS A HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP GRANTS, UH, OR LOOKING AT OUR TAX CREDIT PROCESS.
UM, AND YOU HAVE MANY OF THOSE ITEMS ON YOUR AGENDA, UM, THURSDAY, ACTUALLY.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE AVAILABILITY OF CITY OWNED LAND.
UH, WE TALKED ABOUT THE LAND AT ONE TEXAS CENTER, UM, WHICH, WHICH WILL BE AT LEAST UNDER CURRENT PLANS.
THE SURFACE LOT WILL BE DEVELOPED INTO INCOME RESTRICTED AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE ANTICIPATE APPROXIMATELY 140 UNITS COULD BE VIABLE THERE.
UM, BUT THAT COULD CHANGE AS, UM, MORE DEVELOPMENT, UH, OR AS THE DEVELOPMENT COMES CLOSER INTO, INTO FOCUS.
OR WE COULD ALSO LOOK AT PARTNERSHIPS WHERE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION ENTERS INTO A PARTNERSHIP WITH A DEVELOPER, UM, TO HELP ACHIEVE THE INCOME RESTRICTED AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE FOR, UH, OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, WE WOULD LOOK TO UTILIZE OUR COMMUNITY LAND TRUST WHERE AUSTIN HOUSING, FINANCE CORPORATION MAINTAINS OWNERSHIP OF THE LAND, UH, AND THEN SELLS ANY IMPROVEMENT TO AN INCOME RESTRICTED, UH, HOLD ON.
SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TOOLS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE FOR US.
UM, IT IS STILL HARD TO PREDICT WHAT THE COSTS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL AREA, UM, MIGHT BE IT'S IT'S, UH, IT IS, UH, CHALLENGING TO ESTIMATE.
UH, WE ANTICIPATE APPROXIMATELY TWO TO 3000 UNITS IN GENERAL IN THIS AREA, WHICH, UM, WHICH MIGHT YIELD 400 TO 600 AFFORDABLE UNITS, UH, AND NOT, UM, AND THAT, THAT MIGHT COST.
IF YOU LOOK AT, UM, AN, UH, AN ESTIMATE FOR A PER UNIT SUBSIDY, IT MIGHT COST UP TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS PER UNIT.
UM, AND SO THAT LOOKS TO BE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 40 TO 60 MILLION IN SUBSIDY THAT MIGHT BE NEEDED.
ALL OF THOSE ARE VERY ROUGH NUMBERS THAT WE'RE USING JUST TO GIVE YOU A SOMEWHAT OF AN ORDER OF MAGNITUDE FOR WHAT, UH, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COST WOULD BE.
IF WE WERE LOOKING TO SUBSIDIZE THE FULL 20% OF THE UNITS AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE.
UM, SO WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT BACK TO KIM.
OH, ARE YOU GOING TO DO THE MOVE? ARE YOU GOING TO MOVE THE FOLKS? WE'RE GOING TO PAUSE JUST FOR A SECOND TO LET'S TTM MOVE SOME ADDITIONAL FOLKS OVER OKAY.
UH, JUST AS A QUICK REMINDER, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO CREATING A TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE AND THEN THE ASSOCIATED TAX INCREMENT FINANCING PLAN, UM, THESE ARE THE CORE REQUIREMENTS.
UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, YOU MUST VERIFY CLEAR INSIGNIFICANT, BUT FOR CRITERION, UM, WHERE ESSENTIALLY WE ARE ABLE TO NOTE THAT, BUT FOR PUBLIC INVESTMENT, THE DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA WOULD NOT OCCUR SLOWLY THROUGH PRIVATE INVESTMENT.
UM, THEN CRITERION FOR THE BUCK FOR COMPONENT, UM, INCLUDES, BUT IT IS CERTAINLY NOT LIMITED TO, UH, THE PRESENT CONDITIONS, SUBSTANTIALLY IMPAIRS GROWTH.
THERE ARE SUBSTANDARD OR DETERIORATING STRUCTURES, INADEQUATE SIDEWALKS, OR STREET LAYOUT, OR UNSANITARY OR UNSAFE CONDITIONS.
UM, ONCE YOU CREATE THE TERS, THEN THE ASSOCIATED TIFF, UH, AND YOU COMPLETE ALL OF THE PROJECTS OR HAVE PAID OFF ALL OF THE DEBT ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
UM, YOU, THEN YOU, YOU RETIRE THE TOURS AND ALL PROPERTY TAX REVENUE THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN ALLOCATED TOWARDS, UH, THOSE PROJECTS AND NEEDS, UH, RETURNED BACK TO THE CITY'S GENERAL COFFERS FOR THE GENERAL FUND PURPOSES.
SO WHEN WE FIRST CAME TO COUNCIL, UH, IN DECEMBER, WE PROPOSED A 46% CONTRIBUTION RATE FOR THE PROPERTY TAX, UH, REVENUE IN THE ZONE.
UM, THIS IS RELATIVE TO THE, BUT FOUR CRITERIA BASICALLY, UM, FOCUSING
[01:55:01]
ON ALL THE VALUE GROWTH, UH, DUE TO THAT P THAT INVESTMENT, UM, DUE TO THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT VISION AND DEDICATING IT TO, UM, THE PROJECT NEEDS IN THE AREA.UM, AND SO THAT WE CAN HOLD THE GENERAL FUND HARMLESS IN, IN THE LONGS, THE LONGTERM.
UM, WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REMOVING THE PORTION OF THE PROPERTY TAX RATE THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH PROJECT CONNECT AND AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
WE CANNOT COMMIT THEIR PORTION OF THE TAX REVENUE.
UM, SO WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE IS PROVIDE TWO SCENARIOS TO GIVE AN INDICATION OF SCALE.
SO, UH, AT 46%, WE HAVE BOTH THE, WITH RIVER SOUTH AND WITHOUT RIVER SOUTH INCLUDED IN THE ZONE, BECAUSE THAT WAS A POINT OF CONVERSATION PREVIOUSLY.
SO WE'VE PUT IT OUT THE CUMULATIVE REVENUE THAT WE EXPECT TO COLLECT AT A 46% CONTRIBUTION RATE OVER THE LIFE OF THE TOURS AND WHAT THAT CORRELATES TO IN TERMS OF ESTIMATED DEBT CAPACITY.
UM, SO WITH RUBBER SOUTH YEAR, WE'RE ESTIMATING ABOUT $104 MILLION.
UM, AND THEN $95.5 MILLION WITHOUT RIVER, SOUTH, UM, ON THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM AT AN 80% CONTRIBUTION, WHICH IS WHAT, UM, IS A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE OF THE PORTION, UM, THAT WE COULD CON CONTRIBUTE IN ITS ENTIRETY, BUT STILL LEAVE OUT THE PROJECT CONNECT AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP PORTION.
UM, THAT IT'S BASICALLY A HUNDRED PERCENT OF OUR, THE PORTION OF THE CITY'S PORTION OF THE TAX REVENUE.
UM, WITH RIVER SOUTH, WE'RE LOOKING AT 180.5 MILLION IN DEBT CAPACITY AND A 166.5 MILLION WITHOUT RIVER SOUTH.
UM, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS, THAT DEBT CAPACITY CALCULATION IS BASED ON THAT ENTIRE CUMULATIVE REVENUE, WHATEVER WE WOULD DETERMINE ARE THE NEEDS ASSOCIATED WITH ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS OR OTHER NON PROJECT RELATED COSTS FOR THE ZONE, WE WOULD HAVE TO SUBTRACT THAT OUT.
UM, AND THE DEBT CAPACITY WOULD DECREASE ACCORDINGLY NEXT SLIDE.
AND THIS IS INFORMATION YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE THE ESTIMATED INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS.
UM, THERE'S SIX DIFFERENT CATEGORIES, OPEN SPACES, ROADWAY, AND DRAINAGE, STREETSCAPES UTILITIES, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, AND RECLAIMED WATER.
THAT BASED ON THE MODIFIED FRAMEWORK ESTIMATES THAT WE, UM, WERE COMPLETED IN 2020, UM, IS TOTAL ABOUT $277 MILLION.
NOW IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT $277 MILLION DOES NOT INCLUDE THE ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO, UM, FOR AEDC THE AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO ADMINISTER THE TOURS.
UM, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR THE OPERATION.
IT'S A MAINTENANCE OF ANY AMENITIES THAT WOULD BE BUILT AS PART OF THIS, UH, THE ZONE.
WHEN WE LOOK AT DIFFERENT FINANCING OPTIONS TO SUPPORT THESE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS, WE CAN LOOK TOWARDS DEPARTMENT CIA, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, PROGRAM APPROPRIATIONS, UM, BUT POTENTIAL FOR A NEW FUTURE, UH, VOTER APPROVED BOND PROGRAM, UM, VARIOUS ECONOMIC INCENTIVE AGREEMENTS, UM, PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, UH, PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT OR MUNICIPAL MANAGED DISTRICT, BOTH OF THOSE WOULD REQUIRE PARCEL OWNER SUPPORT.
UM, AND THE MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICT ALSO WOULD REQUIRE STATE LEGISLATIVE ACTION.
IF WE WENT DOWN THAT PATH, UM, THE CITY DOES HAVE A MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICT WITHIN ITS BOUNDARIES, AND THEN LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST THE TAX INCREMENT FINANCING, UM, TO SUPPORT THESE PROJECTS.
SO BASED ON THE, THE SCALE, THOSE TWO SCENARIOS WE GAVE YOU FOR THE, UM, THE TAX INCREMENT FINANCING AND THEN THE ESTIMATED PROJECT COST INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS, UM, THERE IS DEFINITELY A FUNDING GAP.
THEY, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH DECK CAPACITY FOR THE TOURS, UH, FROM THE TOURIST TO FUND ALL OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT.
UM, SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT, HOW DO WE ADDRESS THAT GAP? UH, YOU COULD CONSIDER REDUCING THE SCALE OF THE PROJECT SCOPE.
UM, WE WOULD, CAN LOOK AT NEGOTIATING WITH DEVELOPERS TO FUND CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS, SUCH AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, AND WE CAN ALSO LOOK TO OTHER FINANCING OPTIONS, UM, SUCH AS THOSE THAT I NOTED ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, UM, SUCH AS VOTER APPROVED BONDS, AND THEN LAST, UM, WE CAN ALSO LOOK AT A TIERED INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN FOR THOSE PROJECTS.
SOMETHING THAT WE INCLUDED IN THAT PRELIMINARY PROJECT AND FINDING SAME PLAN WAS A TIER CONCEPT WHERE, UH, WE WOULD PRIORITIZE, UH, WHICH PROJECTS WOULD BE COVERED FIRST UNDER THE AVAILABLE FUNDING.
AND AS THE TERM CARRIES ON, WE WOULD MONITOR ITS PERFORMANCE AND ITS ABILITY TO PERHAPS, UH, GENERATE ADDITIONAL DEBT CAPACITY THAT COULD FUND FUTURE PROJECT HERES, UM, OR THE PROJECT HERE IS THAT COULD BE POSSIBLY FUNDED THROUGH OTHER FINANCING MEANS NEXT SLIDE.
SO THIS POINT I'M GOING TO PASS IT TO SYNOVIA, ROB, WHO IS GOING TO SPEAK TO THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE TOURS.
SO NOBODY HAUTE, RAB ACTING DIRECTOR, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT JUST WANT TO PROVIDE SOME
[02:00:01]
CLEAR LINES OF DUTIES BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE AEDC.THE CITY IS DEFINITELY RESPONSIBLE FOR PUTTING THE, IN PLACE, THE FINANCIAL REGULATORY AND POLICY TOOLS TO TRANSITION THE 2016 VISION PLAN FROM A HIGHLY CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK TO MARKET FEASIBILITY.
THE AEDC WILL HAVE AN ADVISORY ROLE TO SURE THE MARKET WILL DELIVER THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS AS DESCRIBED IN THE VISION AEDC WILL PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE TO IMPLEMENT THE SOUTH CENTRAL CHURCH PROJECT PLAN WITH CITY SUPPORT BY THE FOLLOWING DEVELOPING GUIDELINES FOR INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS COORDINATING WITH THE CITY ON UTILITIES, STREET AND INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS, MARKETING AND PROMOTING THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT VISION RECRUITING AND NEGOTIATING AND VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION OF PROPERTY OWNERS, SUPPORTING APPLICANTS THROUGH THE CITY PROCESS, AS WELL AS ENGAGING CITY COUNCIL, THE SOUTH CENTRAL ADVISORY BOARD STAKEHOLDERS AND MEDIA.
THESE ARE JUST SOME HIGH-LEVEL COMPONENTS, UH, OF THE, UH, VISION PLAN AS WELL AS A CHART THAT ARTICULATES THE RULES OF THE CITY, AS WELL AS THE AEDC AS PART OF THE REGULATING PLAN, HPD WILL LEAD UNTIL ADOPTED AND THEN DEPARTMENTS PROVIDE SUPPORT AS NEEDED.
AND THE AEDC AGAIN, ADVISES HPD ON THE MARKET DURING DRAFTING STREETS, INFRASTRUCTURE AND UTILITY STAFF SUPPORTS THE AEDC AND THE AEDC WILL COORDINATE RELEVANT CITY DEPARTMENTS.
AND AS MENTIONED BEFORE, UM, COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT EDD WILL COORDINATE WITH THE RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS ON REGULATORY AND FINANCING TOOLS, AND THE AEDC WILL ADVISE ON MARKET FEASIBILITY.
AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A CHART OF INFORMATION THAT I HAVE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED.
AND THE LAST ONE I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS THAT THE ONE TEXAS CENTER REDEVELOPMENT, UM, S F G T WILL SUPPORT FROM HBD AND BSD WILL LEAD THE REDEVELOPMENT TO INCLUDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND THE AEDC WILL ADVISE AS NEEDED NEXT SLIDE AND ANOTHER VISUAL.
THIS IS JUST A GANTT CHART OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL VISUAL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS.
AND AGAIN, WE DEFINITELY LOOK TO COUNCIL FOR GOVERNANCE, AS WELL AS WORKING WITH THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS ON VARIOUS COMPONENTS, OPERATIONS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AS WELL AS THE AEDC ROLE AND PROVIDING ADVISORY AND IMPLEMENTATION.
AND KIM I'LL TURN IT BACK TO YOU.
SO COUNCIL STAFF IS HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, UM, AS YOU BEGIN, THE, A MORE DETAILED DISCUSSION ON HOW YOU WANT TO DO AN AMENDED, PRELIMINARY PROJECT AND FINDING SAME PLAN, BUT WE DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THERE'S THREE PRINCIPLE DECISION POINTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, UM, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO COMPLETE, UM, THE, THAT NEW OF THAT REVISED, UH, PRELIMINARY PLAN.
FIRST, THE GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARY WILL THE COUNCIL WANT TO INCLUDE THE RIVER SOUTH PROPERTY OR NOT.
UM, BUT THEN ALSO IN UNDERSTANDING THE GENERAL INFANT GENERAL FUND IMPACT BY INCLUDING, UM, IN THE TOURIST BASE, THE PROJECT PRIORITIZATION, UH, STAFF HAD DETERMINED THAT THE STREET NETWORK WAS DEEMED TO BE THE MOST FOUNDATIONAL, UM, TO SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT, UM, FOR THIS IS ALSO SUCH A WATERFRONT VISION AND HAD INDICATED THAT AS BEING THE FIRST TIER SET OF PROJECTS.
UM, SO WE WOULD, WE HOPE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION FROM COUNCIL ON WHAT THAT PRIORITIZATION ULTIMATELY SHOULD LOOK LIKE IF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HOW IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED.
UM, AND THEN IF WE WOULD HAVE FOLLOWED THE TIER APPROACH IN GENERAL, AND THEN FINALLY THAT TAX INCREMENT CONTRIBUTION RATE.
SO THE GENERAL INFANT GENERAL FUND IMPACT, UM, FROM ALLOCATING NEW CONSTRUCTION VALUE TO THE TOURS THAT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED WITHOUT PUBLIC INVESTMENT IS WHAT WE HAD PROPOSED THROUGH THAT 46% CONTRIBUTION RATE.
UM, BUT WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT COUNCIL CAN DISCUSS, UM, UH, A RATE HIGHER OR LOWER THAN THAT.
SO AT THIS POINT, UM, NEXT SLIDE, WE'RE, WE'RE DONE WITH OUR, THE STAFF'S PRESENTATION AND, UM, AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR COMMENTS AND YOUR QUESTIONS, COLLEAGUES.
[02:05:02]
UH, THANK YOU.I HAVE A VARIETY OF QUESTIONS.
I WANT TO START WITH KIND OF A LARGE ONE.
UM, THE RESOLUTION THAT I BROUGHT FORWARD LAST FALL ASKED ABOUT THE REGULAR FOR TIMELINE ON THE REGULATING PLAN.
AND, YOU KNOW, AS, AS I'M CONSIDERING THIS AND WHAT WE DO NEXT TO ME, IT, IT MATTERS WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE THAT REGULATING PLAN IN PLACE BECAUSE THAT IS PART OF HOW WE'RE GONNA ACHIEVE THIS VISION.
SO, YOU KNOW, REALLY AT, YOU KNOW, WHERE I SIT RIGHT NOW, BEFORE WE MAKE A PUBLIC COMMITMENT TO HAVE A PUBLIC INVESTMENT OF FUNDS IN THIS AREA, I WANT TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE ALL OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS ON BOARD WITH THE VISION AND THE VISION IS GOING TO BE CODIFIED THROUGH THAT REGULATING PLAN.
WE HAVE HAD LOTS AND LOTS OF STOPS AND STARTS WITH REGARD TO THE REGULATING PLAN CONVERSATION.
AND IT, IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT, YOU KNOW, A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF WORK HAD BEEN DONE.
I BELIEVE WE HIRED A CONSULTANT WHO HAD DONE SOME OF THAT WORK, AND THEN IT WAS HALTED, UH, TO BE MERGED WITHIN CODE NEXT.
AND THEN MARY, YOU BROUGHT FORWARD, I THINK THIS HAPPENED BEFORE YOU BROUGHT FORWARD THE RESOLUTION TO HELP WORK ON THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
AND SO THEN IT WAS, THERE WERE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHETHER THIS WORK SHOULD PROCEED UNTIL WE GOT BACK TO WORK AGAIN.
SO IT JUST, THIS IS, IT'S KIND OF GONE THROUGH PHASES OF, UM, BEING, BEING MARRIED WITH LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE CHANGES OR BEING SEPARATED.
AND I HAVE, I HAVE NO SENSE AT THIS POINT OF WHERE WE ARE WITH THE WORK THAT STAFF HAD DONE, HOW CLOSE WE ARE TO HAVING SOMETHING THAT THE COUNCIL COULD TAKE ACTION ON WITH REGARD TO THE REGULATING PLAN.
AND IF, AND I MAY HAVE MISSED THE RESPONSE TO THAT PIECE OF, OF THE RESOLUTION RESOLUTION, BUT, UM, COULD SOMEONE ON THE CALL, PLEASE LET US KNOW WHAT IS, WHEN COULD WE EXPECT TO BE REVIEWING A REGULATING PLAN FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT? AND THEN I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FINANCING, BUT THAT'S, UM, I CAN GET TO THAT IN A MINUTE.
SO, UM, THIS WAS INCLUDED IN THE GANTT CHART SLIDE, COUNSELOR NUMBER.
UM, BUT I KNOW, UM, A LOT OF INFORMATION JUST CAME BEFORE YOU, BUT WE DO ANTICIPATE THAT, UM, IN JULY OF THIS YEAR, WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING ON IT, UH, IN, IN REFRESHING THE INFORMATION THAT, THAT THE CHANGING ECONOMIC CONDITIONS THAT WE'VE HAD.
UM, I ASSURE YOU THAT STAFF IS ACTIVELY WORKING ON THIS AND, UH, WE ANTICIPATE HAVING IT TO YOU IN JULY OF THIS YEAR.
UH, TEMPERATURE, LOVE, WEBPAGES THAT PLACE, UM, PULL UP THE PRESENTATION MYSELF.
SO IF I MISSED THIS TIME, THAT'S OKAY.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THE SLIDE NUMBERS MYSELF.
UM, THAT'S TITLED THE CELL CENTRAL WATERFRONT VISION AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT IT'S LOOKING AT, UM, THE REGULATING PLAN, UM, WITHIN A THREE TO SIX MONTH TIME PERIOD, WHICH TAKES US TO, UM, JULY OF THIS YEAR.
HOW MUCH OF THE REGULAR THANK YOU.
HOW MUCH OF THE REGULATING PLAN IS IN DRAFT FORM AT THIS POINT? I'M NOT SURE.
I'M NOT SURE THAT I WOULD HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT.
UM, I CAN CERTAINLY GET YOU THAT INFORMATION.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, TO, TO GET THE, THE INFORMATION IN THE REGULATING PLAN UPDATED, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT PERCENTAGE WE'RE AT.
I WOULD BE REALLY INTERESTED IN KNOWING THAT AGAIN, BECAUSE SOME OF IT ARE SOME OF WHAT'S IN THE REGULAR PLAN.
I EXPECT OUR DESIGN STANDARDS AND SITE DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS AND THINGS OF THAT SORT.
AND, AND AGAIN, IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT, THAT WE HAD INITIATED THAT WORK MULTIPLE YEARS AGO.
SO IF THERE'S A PIECE OF IT, THAT'S, THAT'S READY TO GO.
I'D BE REALLY INTERESTED IN KNOWING THAT.
SO THANKS FOR THAT FOLLOW UP AND THANKS FOR CALLING MY ATTENTION BACK TO PAGE 12.
OF COURSE, I NEED TO LOOK BACK AT THE REPORT.
I MEAN, THE PRESENTATION THAT YOU JUST DID, THERE WERE SEVERAL POINTS WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT MS. ALVEREZ, YOU TALKED ABOUT DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES AND, AND, UM, AND I THINK DIRECTOR TRUE LOVE, YOU MAY HAVE AS WELL.
I'M NOT SURE WHICH IS THE BEST PAGE TO HIGHLIGHT HERE, BUT I, I WANT TO, I WANT TO ASK STAFF TO TALK ABOUT AN ELEMENT OF IT.
YOU KNOW, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE SOUTH CENTRAL THROUGH THE YEARS, THE TOURIST WAS A POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCE, BUT IT WAS NOT THE ONLY POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCE.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE OTHER POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED.
AND I, I WONDER IF STAFF COULD BRING US BACK TO THAT SLIDE THAT HAD THINGS LIKE THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AND OTHER KINDS OF WAYS, OTHER KINDS OF, UM, TOOLS.
I KNOW WE HAVE IT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
[02:10:01]
THE SAME TOOLS, SOME OF THE SAME TOOLS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE OTHER PIECE.YEAH, THAT IS THE ONE THAT YOU JUST BLEW THROUGH WAS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TOOLS, BUT THERE WERE OTHER KINDS OF FINANCIAL MECHANISMS THAT HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED, UH, SUCH AS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
YOU KNOW, LOOKING BACK AT THE DRAFT THAT WE RECEIVED, THE PHYSICAL FRAMEWORK FUNDING SOURCES DRAFT FROM 2020 PAGE FOUR IDENTIFIES FUNDING TOOLS FOR THE OVERALL WORK, THE OVERALL INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS IN SOUTH CENTRAL, UM, ONE WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT PROGRAM.
UM, OTHER WERE UTILITIES AND THE, JUST A PIECE OF IT WAS, UM, HART WAS THE TERRORS.
SO MISS ALVEREZ, COULD YOU TALK ABOUT, COULD YOU BRING US BACK, I THINK IT WAS IN YOUR SECTION OF THE SLIDE WHERE YOU TALKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF, OF USING OTHER KINDS OF FUNDING, YOU KNOW, LOOKING BACK AT THE 2020 DATABASE, THERE WERE SOME VERY CALCULATED, I MEAN, THE FUNDING ASSUMPTIONS ALSO CALCULATED THE DEVELOPER CONTRIBUTIONS THROUGH STREET IMPACT FEES, WATER, AND WASTEWATER IMPACT FEES, PARKLAND, DEDICATION FEES.
AND I THINK THAT TOTALED ABOUT 59.7 MILLION IN DEVELOPER FEES BASED ON, ON WHAT THAT BUILD OUT COULD BE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, AS WE CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT THE TOURS AND WHETHER YOU SAID IT BECOMES ZERO, I I'D LIKE FOR US TO BE MINDFUL OF THOSE OTHER POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES AND, AND REALLY HAVE AN THING OF, UM, HOW THIS, OUR INITIAL FUNDING FUNDING, PROJECTIONS, AND YOU ALL HEAR ME? I HEAR SO MUCH, I HEAR LOTS OF VOICES.
IT'S HARD TO HEAR, HEAR, I CAN'T TELL IF WE HIT HERE, YOU TALKING OVER SOME OWNER.
UM, SO THIS SLIDE THAT THAT COUNCIL MEMBER WAS REFERRING TO, I THINK IS SLIDE EIGHT AND 80 WANTS TO PULL THAT UP.
RIGHT? SO IT COMES, REMEMBER YOU'RE RIGHT.
THE TIF AND HERS WOULD BE JUST ONE OPTION, UM, FOR FUNDING THESE PROJECTS.
UM, WE DEFINITELY HAVE A HISTORY WITH PRE PREVIOUS, UM, TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONES, WHERE THERE ARE A MULTITUDE OF FUNDING SOURCES IN THE MIX SUCH AS, UM, WAS FOUND WITH, UH, THE WALNUT CREEK TUNNEL.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY THE SURFACE LEVEL IMPROVEMENTS.
WE HAD, UH, THERESE FUNDING AS WELL AS, UM, VOTER APPROVED BONDS, UM, AND, UH, CIP APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
SO THERE WAS DEFINITELY A MIX.
SO THAT'S ABSOLUTELY SOMETHING THAT WE CAN BE LOOKING AT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UM, WITH THE, ULTIMATELY THIS, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE REVISED PRELIMINARY PLAN THAT WE NEED TO BRING FORWARD.
UM, AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US IF, IF COUNCIL'S DIRECTION IS FOR US TO DEVELOP A, AN APPROACH THAT WOULD PULL TOGETHER THESE DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES, UM, MORE IN A MORE DETAILED MANNER.
UM, WE WOULD DEFINITELY NEED TO HAVE THAT FIGURED OUT BEFORE A PRELIMINARY PLAN, UM, COMES FORWARD AGAIN.
UM, SO THAT WHEN WE PROVIDE NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE, ABOUT, THROUGH A PUBLIC HEARING ABOUT THAT REVISED, PRELIMINARY PLAN, THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS THAT WOULD BE COMING INTO THE MIX, UM, AND BE ABLE TO COME ON IT, COMMENT ON ABOUT IT ACCORDINGLY BEFORE COUNCIL TAKES A VOTE.
AND CAN I GET A CLEAR SENSE? SORRY TO JUMP BACKWARDS.
BUT NOW I, I NEED TO CLARIFY WHO IS THE DEPARTMENT THAT IS SHEPHERDING THE REGULATING PLAN THAT ONCE WAS IN URBAN DESIGN, WITHIN OUR PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT AND, AND GIVEN THAT A GOOD DEAL OF IT IS TECHNICAL DESIGN STANDARDS, LIKE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS, OTHER KINDS OF THINGS, I WOULD ASSUME IT'S STILL IN THERE, BUT I, I THOUGHT I JUST HEARD A RESPONSE THEN TALKED ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BUT MAYBE I'M CONFLATING THE TWO, HOW'S IT AGAINST CLEANING IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REGULATOR, WHICH, UM, WHICH DIVISION OF HOUSING AND PLANNING IS KATHY HEAVY.
WE GET HERE KATHY, OVER DYES, BUT WE CAN'T HEAR YOU IN THE, WELL, APPARENTLY SORRY, IN THE WHAT? WELL AT THE PODIUM, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A WAY TO BOOST THE VOLUME.
ARE YOU SAYING YOU CAN'T HEAR ME AT THE PODIUM OR YEAH.
THEY ARE JUST TURNED UP THE ROOM VOLUME.
WE'VE TURNED UP THE ROOM VOLUME.
AND I WAS ASKING A QUESTION ABOUT, AND I'LL, I'LL JUST COME DOWN TO THE DIOCESE HERE IN A MINUTE.
UM, I WAS ASKING THE QUESTION OF WHICH RICH DIVISION WITH WHICH WITHIN HOUSING
[02:15:01]
AND PLANNING IS LEADING THE WORK ON THE REGULATORY PIECE OF THIS SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT PREVIOUSLY.IT WAS THE URBAN DESIGN GROUP, UM, WITHIN, WITHIN PLANNING AND ZONING.
SO THE, THE PRINCIPAL PLANNER ON THIS PARTICULAR EFFORT IS GREG DUTTON AND HE IS WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH OUR URBAN DESIGN GROUP.
AND WAS HE PREVIOUSLY INVOLVED WITH THE URBAN DESIGN GROUP? WAS HE PREVIOUSLY, I MEAN, I KNOW ELLEN HOLT AND THEN HE LEFT, HE RETIRED AND THEN WE HAD SOMEONE ELSE.
SO I THINK THAT REGULATING PLAN WORK WAS WITHIN ALAN'S, UM, ALAN'S SPHERE.
UM, AND WITH HIS RETIREMENT, UM, THAT'S SHIFTED OVER TO GREG DUTTON.
UH, NEITHER OF THEM WERE PART OF THE URBAN DESIGN GROUP, BUT THEY DO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THEM.
KATHY, SHOULD I MOVE ON MANY HERE? MIGHT BE FOR YOU.
UM, SO I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS THERE.
THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE ANALYSIS THAT WE GOT IN DECEMBER, UM, THAN NECESSARILY WHAT'S UP HERE, BUT I'M REALLY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THEM, UM, AS I, IT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE ARGUMENT FOR THE, BUT FOR PEACE, UM, LOOKS AT THE ABSORPTION RATES AND LOOKS AT WHAT WE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THE DEVELOPMENT.
UM, BUT DOES IT, HOW DOES IT DISENTANGLE? WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS FROM THE INVESTMENTS OF THE 2 71 PLUS VERSUS THE ENTITLEMENTS? UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE THREE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FROM A POLICY PERSPECTIVE THAT WE CAN DEPLOY AS WE APPROACH THIS, WE HAVE THE FUNDING, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THE TERS AND THE INVESTMENTS THAT WOULD COME WITH THAT.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE THE REGULATORY PLAN, UM, AS A PROCESS AND THEN WE HAVE THE ENTITLEMENTS AND IT DOESN'T ALL COME.
I I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW DO I KNOW THAT THAT ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THAT, BUT FOUR IS FROM THE INVESTMENTS AND NOT FROM THE ENTITLEMENTS ALTON THAT WE HIRE TO HELP TO CONDUCT THAT MARKET ANALYSIS, THE ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY.
UM, WE SPECIFICALLY ASKED HIM TO LOOK AT IT IN TERMS OF A BASELINE AND A, UM, UH, THE VISION KIND OF COMPONENTS.
SO WE HAD TWO, TWO VERSIONS OF WHAT KIND OF GROWTH AND VALUE PROJECT VALUE GROWTH WOULD WE HAVE, UM, OVER THE LIFE OF A TOURS, IF WE JUST LET THINGS HAPPEN NATURALLY, AND THERE WASN'T A PUBLIC INVESTMENT.
AND THEN THE OTHER SCENARIO WAS ASSUMING THAT THE, THE CITY WAS MAKING THE INVESTMENTS AS ENVISIONED BY THAT THE FRAMEWORK AND WHAT KIND OF GROWTH PROJECTIONS WOULD YOU SEE FROM THERE? UM, SO THE, THE S THE VISION FRAMEWORK WAS A DEFINITELY A DRIVER IN TERMS OF THAT, THOSE PROJECTIONS AND THEREFORE THE, THE REVENUE CALCULATIONS AND ASSOCIATED DEBT CAPACITY, UM, IN TERMS OF THE ENTITLEMENTS.
UM, HE'S, SO HE'S ONLY WHEN HE'S, WHEN HE'S LOOKING AT, HE'S LOOKING AT THE PLAN AS A WHOLE WHAT'S KIND OF ENVISIONED, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO VERY, UM, SPECIFICS ABOUT CERTAIN ENTITLEMENTS, CERTAIN PARCELS, THINGS LIKE THAT, UM, HE'S NOT, HE'S ONLY ABLE TO INCORPORATE THOSE ASPECTS INTO HIS PROJECTIONS IF THERE IS A DEFINITE APPROVED PLAN IN, UM, IN THE WORKS OR NOT IN THE WORKS, BUT IT IS, IT IS A DONE DEAL, UM, SORT OF A THING.
SO, UM, BECAUSE OF THE TIMING OF ALL THIS, UM, AND FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE STATESMAN PROPERTY, THAT IS NOT A DONE DEAL.
SO HE'S NOT ABLE TO INCORPORATE, UM, THE ENTITLEMENTS AND THINGS YOU SEE, UM, BEING DISCUSSED IN THAT SITUATION AS PART OF THE PROJECTIONS.
UM, BUT HE IS ABLE TO LOOK AT PROJECTIONS IN ITS ENTIRETY BASED ON THE VISION AND THE FRAMEWORK THAT THE PLAN CALLS FOR.
SO HIS CALCULATIONS DON'T INCLUDE ENTITLEMENT INCREASES, OR MAYBE YOU CAN GET BACK TO ME, BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND, I'M GOING TO NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ASSUMPTIONS WERE MADE IN THAT MODEL WITH RESPECT TO THE INCREASED IN ENTITLEMENTS.
OH, I'LL DEFINITELY BECAUSE WE CAN GET A LOT MORE GROWTH BECAUSE WE GIVE ENTITLEMENTS, WE CAN GET A LOT MORE GROWTH.
IF WE DO THE INVESTMENTS, WE CAN GET MORE GROWTH IF WE DO THE REGULATORY PLAN.
BUT THE QUESTION HERE IS REALLY ABOUT THE INVESTMENTS PIECE OF
[02:20:01]
IT.AND IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME THAT WE'VE REALLY ISOLATED, THAT MARGINAL IMPACT OF THOSE INVESTMENTS.
UM, SO I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THAT BETTER, AND I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, YOU MAY NOT HAVE THAT INFORMATION RIGHT NOW.
I NEED TO DIG THROUGH THE REPORT TO PULL SPECIFICS OUT.
AND THEN HAIM SAYS ANALYSIS IS AN ABSORPTION MODEL, WHICH IS BASICALLY TELLING US HOW MUCH CAPACITY COULD BE ABSORBED UNDER CERTAIN ASSUMPTIONS.
UM, IT IS HOWEVER, NOT A FINANCIAL MODEL FOR THE DEVELOPER'S PERSPECTIVE, CORRECT? CORRECT.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME MORE FINANCIAL MODELING SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND THE CHOICES THAT THE DEVELOPERS ARE MAKING, BECAUSE IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME THAT WE ARE, HAVE FULLY CAPTURED HOW SOMEBODY WHO'S A DEVELOPER WOULD BE APPROACHING THE DECISIONS THAT THEY'RE MAKING.
WE HEARD FROM SETH THAT THERE'D BE A TRIPLE NET RENTAL RATE OF 55 TO 76 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT DOLLARS.
UM, AND THE PRIOR 2016 PLAN HAD A MUCH LOWER RATE.
UM, IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME THAT WE'VE UPDATED THE ANALYSIS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY COULD AFFORD AND WHAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO PUT IN, UM, TO BE ABLE TO DETERMINE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER WHO HAS TO FOOT THE BILL FOR THOSE INVESTMENTS, BASED ON, UM, THE ANALYSIS, I'VE SEEN SOME BACK OF THE ENVELOPE CALCULATIONS, AND THEY RAISED SOME QUESTIONS THAT I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND BETTER.
I DON'T HAVE ALL THE DETAILS AND I'M NOT A DEVELOPER.
UM, BUT IF THE, UM, THE, THE PROFIT THAT'S THERE AFTER, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE STARTING WITH A TRIPLE NET RENT AND YOU HAVE YOUR BUILDING COSTS AND YOUR LAND COSTS, AND FRANKLY, MOST OF THESE FOLKS ALREADY OWN THIS AND HAVE OWNED IT FOR A LONG TIME.
UM, THEN THERE'S A QUESTION OF HOW MUCH IS LEFTOVER IN TERMS OF THEIR INCOME STREAM AND THEN WHAT, WHAT THEY COULD AFFORD, UM, TO BE REQUIRED TO, TO INVEST.
UM, AND SO I THINK WE NEED, WE NEED TO HAVE THAT, THAT KIND OF MODELING.
UM, AND IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME THAT WE HAVE THAT.
UM, SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT AS WE'RE ASSESSING, UM, AND I'LL EXPECT YOU TO GIVE ME THAT I'M JUST, I'M JUST, I'M, I'M, I'M EXPRESSING WHAT I'M GOING TO NEED TO MAKE MY DECISION.
UM, AND THEN, UH, I WANTED TO SECOND COUNCIL MEMBER TOBA HIS QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TOURIST VERSUS THE PID.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS THROUGH A PID OR THROUGH A TOURS AND ALL SORTS OF OTHER THINGS.
UM, BUT AGAIN, WITH ABSENT THAT FINANCIAL MODELING OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING, IT'S HARD FOR US TO SEE, CAN THEY DO, YOU KNOW, A PID THAT WOULD COVER GOOD SECTIONS.
WE ALSO NEED DATA ON THE STREET IMPACT FEES, WHICH WAS NOT THERE IN 2016.
UM, THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, THE INTERNAL STREETS, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THAT WILL BE COVERED BY THE DEVELOPERS, BUT THEN THEY'RE REQUIRED UNDER STREET IMPACT FEES TO CONTRIBUTE.
UM, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE MAGNITUDE OF THOSE CONTRIBUTIONS RELATIVE TO THE AMOUNT OF DEVELOPMENT, UM, THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, AND THEN THE FINAL THING THAT I WANT TO FLAG THAT I'M GOING TO NEED TO HAVE A BETTER IDEA ABOUT IS THE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE SEEING IN.
I THINK IT WAS EXHIBIT D WHERE YOU ESTIMATED THE COSTS.
UM, SOME OF THOSE ARE REALLY, UH, MULTIPLES, MULTIPLE MULTIPLES ABOVE WHERE THEY WERE IN 2016.
UM, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR TRANSPARENCY AND FOR THE PUBLIC, FOR US TO HAVE A BETTER IDEA WHAT IS GOING INTO THOSE NUMBERS AND WHAT WE'RE ASSUMING, AND, AND TO, TO REFINE THOSE MOVING FORWARD.
UM, SO NONE OF THOSE ARE NECESSARILY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT I'M EXPECTING YOU TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER TODAY.
I JUST WANTED TO FLAG WHERE SOME OF MY THINKING IS GOING, AS I'M TRYING TO ASSESS WHETHER THIS IS A SMART MOVE FOR THE CITY OR NOT.
UM, BUT THAT THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE ELEMENTS THAT I'M GOING TO NEED DATA ON.
AND I THINK THE PUBLIC IS ASKING US FOR AS WELL.
I WANTED TO THANK THE MAYOR PORTEND FOR ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS.
UM, THE OVER-INVESTMENT, UM, PIECES, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DIG INTO.
AND I THINK THAT THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET FROM STAFF ON THE, UM, ON HOW THE CALCULATIONS WERE MADE AND WAS THE FINANCIAL MODELING UPDATED AND THE TRIPLE MINT SO FORTH, THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A GOOD DECISION ON, ON THIS PROJECT.
I REALLY HAVE TO GET A SENSE OF HOW IN THE LARGER FRAME, UH, INCLUDING THE, THE REVENUE CAP OF THREE AND A HALF PERCENT ON US AND HOW WE MAY BE TYING THE HANDS OF FUTURE COUNCIL MEMBERS, SHOULD
[02:25:01]
WE NEED TO HAVE GENERAL REVENUE BE MORE, UM, UH, NIMBLE AND ABLE TO RESPOND TO CIRCUMSTANCES IN OUR COMMUNITY.AND IF WE'RE TYING UP A BIG CHUNK OF MONEY THAT, UH, GENERAL REVENUE THAT IS COMING FROM THIS DEVELOPMENT INTO THAT DEVELOPMENT, WHEN THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO FUND IT OTHER THAN, UM, UH, TERRORS, UM, I REALLY WANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND SO THAT WE LEAVE A GOOD LEGACY FOR FUTURE COUNCILS AND THE FUTURE CITY OF AUSTIN TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE, UM, UH, ECONOMIC CRISES THAT MAY HIT US.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT THAT PROPERTY WILL EVER LOSE VALUE IT'S ON THE RIVER.
SO, UM, IN FACT, IT PROBABLY WILL NOT ONLY HOLD ITS VALUATION AND HAVE A REALLY STRONG UPWARD TRAJECTORY, BUT IT MAY OUTPACE OTHER, OTHER PARCELS, ANYTHING THAT'S DOWNTOWN IS ALWAYS GOING TO, UM, UH, HAVE THAT KIND OF A VALUE ASSESSMENT.
SO KEEPING THAT IN MIND, UH, AS WE PROCEED DOWN THIS ROAD IS REALLY, IT'S REALLY A DIFFICULT DECISION BECAUSE WE REALLY ARE DOING SOME CRYSTAL BALL GAZING.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, KIM, FOR THE REALLY GOOD DETAILED PRESENTATION, THE UPDATES OF THE CALCULATIONS THAT WERE MADE BETWEEN 2016 AND, AND THE HOME STAFF REPORT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT.
I THINK WE JUST NEED, UH, YEAH, A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION AND, AND, UH, APPRECIATE ALL OF THE EFFORTS THAT YOU GUYS WERE PUTTING TOWARD THAT, TOWARD THAT END.
SORRY, COUNCIL MEMBER POINT THIS, THANK YOU.
I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ON SLIDE.
I THINK IT'S, WELL, I DON'T KNOW, SLIDE 11 IT'S ON THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
HOW DOES THE, UM, COMMUNITY GOVERNANCE PLAY WITHIN THIS, WITH THIS FRAMEWORK THAT YOU LAID OUT WITH THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT BOARD THAT WE HAVE, UH, VOLUNTEER LEADERS? UM, WHAT IS THE INTERPLAY WITH THAT A VOLUNTEER BOARD WITH, UM, OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
SO NOBODY A WHOLE RABBIT AGAIN, UM, IT WILL BE THE ROLE OF THE AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO ENGAGE THE BOARD AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO THAT'S, WE'LL BE THERE WELL, OKAY.
CAN YOU TALK ME THROUGH WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE? UM, INTERFACING WITH THE BOARD ON THEIR THOUGHTS, UH, AND, UH, EXPECTATIONS AROUND THE VISION PLAN, ADVISING, UH, SITTING STAFF AS WELL AS OTHER DEPARTMENTS AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH IMPLEMENTATION.
SO AT THIS POINT IT WOULD BE PROVIDING UPDATES TO THE BOARD.
THERE'S NOT ANY ADDITIONAL CHECKPOINTS THAT, UM, WOULD BE LISTED OR ANY, UM, ACTION FROM, FROM THE BOARD.
WELL, ONCE WE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE, WE WILL HAVE MORE DETAILS AROUND WHAT THOSE, UH, TOUCH POINTS WILL BE AND HOW OFTEN.
YEAH, THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD WANT TO, UM, LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IS WHAT THAT PARTNERSHIP AND RELATIONSHIP WOULD LOOK LIKE.
I HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE PRESENTATIONS FROM STAFF ON THE DAY OF OUR BRIEFINGS.
THIS IS MORE GENERAL AND APPLICABLE TO BOTH OF OUR BRIEFINGS TODAY, BUT THE PRESENTATIONS CAME INTO MY INBOX EARLY THIS MORNING AND THEN WERE POSTED ONLINE FOR BACKUP.
I UNDERSTAND THAT TODAY IS JUST A BRIEFING AND A DISCUSSION, BUT WHENEVER THAT HAPPENS, I STRONGLY FEEL THAT DELAYING PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF BACKUP MATERIAL IN ADVANCE OF A DEADLINE FOR THE PUBLIC TO SIGN UP TO TESTIFY IS A WAY TO PREVENT US AND OUR COLLEAGUES FROM HAVING ADEQUATE TIME TO DISPUTE THE STAFF'S MATERIALS OR EVEN RESEARCH THEM.
AND SO I'M WONDERING IF WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO START GETTING THOSE BRIEFING SOONER SO THAT WE CAN LOOK INTO IT MORE AND THEN ASK THE QUESTIONS AHEAD OF TIME.
IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO.
I APPRECIATE THAT CONCERN COUNCIL MEMBER, I SHARE IT.
AND CERTAINLY WE STRIVE TO GET INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC INTO COUNCIL AS SOON AS WE ARE ABLE TO.
UM, WE'LL ALSO TALK WITH STAFF ABOUT GETTING THIS IN PHASES, IF YOU WILL.
SO IF THERE IS INFORMATION THAT WE WANT TO PUT OUT AS BACKUP THAT WE MAY ADD TO, UH, EVEN IN THE HOURS OR THE NIGHT BEFORE, UH, THEN WE CAN ADD IT ON THE DAY OF, BUT JUST KNOWING THAT STAFF IS ALWAYS WORKING TO IMPROVE AND, UH, ENSURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING THE MOST ACCURATE AND UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION TO COUNCIL.
BUT, UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENT AND WE'LL BRAINSTORM WITH STAFF ON HOW BEST TO MOVE FORWARD, UH, GOING, MOVING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE.
AND I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND STAFF HAS A HEAVY LIFT IN ORDER TO PROVIDE US WITH THIS INFORMATION.
AND SO I DON'T WANT IT TO COME ACROSS AS BEING CRITICAL, BUT THESE ARE IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS MADE.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK.
I ALSO HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS LIKE MY COLLEAGUES RELATED TO THE TOUR'S BRIEFING.
I'M HOPING THAT STAFF CAN ANSWER THEM FOR US, BUT, UM, LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR
[02:30:01]
SAID THERE ARE ELEMENTS IN QUESTIONS RELATED TO WHAT THE PUBLIC'S ASKING FOR US TO ASK THAT WILL REQUIRE MORE RESEARCH OTHER THAN COUNCIL Q AND A.IS THERE A PLACE PUBLICLY WHERE WE CAN ASK THOSE QUESTIONS OR POST THEM FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE I COUNCIL MEMBER? I THINK THAT THE COUNCIL Q AND A IS PROBABLY THE BEST MECHANISM, BUT THEN WE THERE'S ALWAYS THE, THE MEMOS AND OFFICIAL DISTRIBUTION THAT IT CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR.
AND THEN I'LL JUST ASK THIS ONE QUESTION AND I WILL SEND THE REST TO YOU ALL SO THAT YOU CAN RESEARCH THEM MORE JUST TO BE BRIEF TODAY.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO POSSIBLY THE PUBLIC, WHY WE'RE PROPOSING A TERM INSTEAD OF A PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT WHERE DEVELOPERS MIGHT PAY FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THEN IF THERE BEEN ANY STUDIES DONE ON WHICH APPROACH WOULD BE BETTER TO TAKE IN REGARDS TO SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.
SO FOR A PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT THAT DOES REQUIRE PARCEL OWNER SUPPORT, UM, AND THERE'S TWO TYPES OF PIDS THAT WE CAN UTILIZE.
THERE'S BOTH OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE PEDS AS WELL AS DEVELOPMENT PEDS.
UM, SO IN THE CASE OF AN OPERATING MAINTENANCE PID, UH, THE, THE, THE MOST RECENT ONE THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING IS THE DOWNTOWN PIT, UM, THAT THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING, UM, AND THAT HANDLES THINGS SUCH AS, UM, ADDITIONAL CLEANING SERVICES AND, UM, THE, UH, VARIOUS STAFFING NEEDS, UH, TO SUPPLEMENT CITY SERVICES FROM AN OPERATING PERSPECTIVE, UM, AND THE, THAN OUR DEVELOPMENT PYD, UM, THAT IS WHERE YOU OFTEN SEE A DEVELOPER WILL PROPOSE THAT PID AND GO THROUGH THE PETITION PROCESS TO GET TO GARNER, UM, PARCEL OWNER SUPPORT, UM, AND WHICH IS GOVERNED BY BOTH STATE LAW, AS WELL AS THE CITY'S PIT POLICY.
UM, AND THEN THEY WILL UTILIZE THOSE PID FUNDS EITHER TO, UM, DEPENDING ON THE CASHFLOW, THEY MIGHT, UM, CASH FUND CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS, BUT MOST LIKELY THEY WILL DO DEBT ISSUANCES THAT THE CITY IS ALSO VERY INVOLVED WITH IN APPROVING AND, UM, FROM ADMINISTRATIVE PERSPECTIVE, UM, IN BOTH SITUATIONS, THE PARCEL OWNERS ARE ESSENTIALLY PAYING AN ADDITIONAL TAX, UM, TO SUPPORT THAT PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, WHETHER IT'S AN OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OR, UH, A DEVELOPMENT ONE.
UM, AND THAT IS WHY IT REQUIRES A CERTAIN DEGREE OF PARCEL OWNER APPROVAL.
UM, THE, FOR, UH, FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT, UM, IF, IF THERE WAS A, UH, A DEVELOPER OR A, ANOTHER ENTITY WANTS TO BRING FORWARD A PID TO HELP SUPPORT, UM, THE DEVELOPMENT NEEDS AND INVESTMENT NEEDS IN THE AREA, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT CAN CERTAINLY OCCUR, BUT THAT WOULD BE COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE REQUEST AS OPPOSED TO THE CITY INITIATING THAT REQUEST.
UM, AND, UM, SO WE CAN, WE CAN DEFINITELY SPEAK TO THAT AS AN OPTION, BUT IT DOES, AGAIN, IT REQUIRES THAT PO PARCEL OWNER SUPPORT, UM, AND SIGN OFF BEFORE THAT CAN TAKE PLACE.
THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THAT.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE PARCEL OWNERS INVOLVEMENT IN THE TOURS CURRENTLY AND ANY FEEDBACK THAT YOU'VE RECEIVED FROM THEM? SO IN TERMS OF A TERS, THERE IS, THERE'S NOT AN ADDITIONAL TAX PLACED ON THE PARCEL OWNERS.
IT'S JUST A DEDICATION OF THE TAX REVENUE.
UM, SO THERE'S NOT A SIGN-OFF, THAT'S REQUIRED BY THE PARCEL OWNERS IN THIS CASE.
UM, WE HAVE, I PERSONALLY HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY, ANY, ANY FEEDBACK FROM SPECIFIC PARCEL OWNERS.
UM, I CAN'T SAY THAT THERE'S MY COLLEAGUES, PERHAPS THEY, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'VE HEARD ANYTHING, BUT I HAVE NOT HEARD ANY FEEDBACK FROM PARCEL OWNERS, UM, ABOUT, UM, THE CREATION OF THE TOURS IN THAT MANNER.
UM, AGAIN, BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T BE AN ADDITIONAL TAX, IT WOULD JUST, THEY WOULD BE PAYING THEIR TAXES AS NORMAL.
THEIR PROPERTY TAXES IS NORMAL.
I'M JUST, I'M PONDERING IN MY HEAD, IF IT WOULD BE GOOD TO REACH OUT TO THEM TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK DURING THIS PROCESS TO SEE WHAT, WHAT THOUGHTS AND FEEDBACK THEY MIGHT HAVE, BUT THEY MAY, THAT'S A DISCUSSION FOR ANOTHER TIME.
I WANTED TO SAY, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE DRILL THAT YOU ALL WENT THROUGH LAST DECEMBER, UH, TO, TO PUT US IN THE POSITION WHERE WE HAVE THE, THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO US.
THAT WAS A LOT OF WORK DONE REALLY QUICKLY.
AND I WANT TO SAY, THANKS FOR THAT.
AS WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, I REALLY DO LOOK COMING INTO THIS YEAR IS WE HAVE A WHITEBOARD, UH, AND, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT ANSWER IS.
AND, AND I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES.
WE DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION PRESENTED YET FOR US TO KNOW.
I THINK THERE ARE SOME REAL THRESHOLD QUESTIONS THAT PROBABLY WE NEED TO, TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WELL ON THE DAY IS BECAUSE I THINK THAT A LOT OF THE DECISIONS THAT WILL ULTIMATELY MAKE FOLLOW FROM IT.
AND I THINK IT BEGINS WITH A REAL CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WE
[02:35:01]
THINK THIS AREA WILL DEVELOP BOTH WITH IT WITHOUT A CAPITAL, UH, UH, INFUSION, UH, CAPITAL INVESTMENT.UH, I THINK THAT WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT THIS IS A REALLY VALUABLE AREA, WHETHER ANYTHING GETS INVESTED OR NOT BECAUSE OF ITS LOCATION THAN WHERE IT IS.
UM, THE QUESTION IS WHETHER IT'S VALUABLE WAY ADD OR WILL DEVELOP IT'S, IT'S A QUESTION OF, WOULD IT DEVELOP DIFFERENTLY IF IT WAS A CAPITAL INFUSION? AND FROM WHAT I HEAR, UH, THE FOLKS THAT HAVE LOOKED AT IT, I'VE SAID THAT IF YOU PUT IN A ROAD GRID SYSTEM SO THAT YOU HAVE SMALLER BLOCKS, THE PROPERTY IN THIS AREA WILL DEVELOP SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENTLY.
AND IF IT DEVELOPS AS IT SITS RIGHT NOW, AND IT WILL DEVELOP MORE DENSELY, IT'LL DEVELOP WHERE THE MORE USES IT'LL DEVELOP IN A VERY DIFFERENT WAY THAT THERE'LL BE ENTITLEMENTS THAT WOULD BE OFFERED TO THE PROPERTY.
IF WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING AT ALL, THERE'LL BE ENTITLEMENTS THAT WILL BE OFFERED TO THE PROPERTY.
IF WE'RE IN THE GRID SYSTEM, THAT WOULDN'T BE OFFERED TO THE PROPERTY, IF WE'RE NOT IN A GRID SYSTEM, UH, AND, AND WHAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND REALLY WELL, I THINK IS WHAT WILL THIS PROPERTY BE IF WE DON'T INVEST THOSE THINGS? AND, AND IF WE DO, AND I'M NOT SURE THERE'S A REAL CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THAT, BOTH, ESPECIALLY IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, UM, FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE EVEN THINKING ABOUT THIS SINCE IT IS, AND WILL ALWAYS BE SUCH A VALUABLE PROPERTY.
SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE A REALLY HELPFUL THING TO KIND OF DOUBLE BACK AND, AND DO FOR THE, OR THE COUNCIL.
THERE ARE ADDITIONALLY, SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE WANT DONE.
WE, WE, THE, THE, THE PLANNING GROUP, UH, IN THE WORK THAT I DID HAD US HAVING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE KIND OF A REGIONAL PARK, YOU KNOW, AT THE PLACE WHERE THE BRIDGE IS AND WHERE THE PROPERTY IS, AND, AND TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE LIMITATIONS THAT WE HAVE AS A CITY OF FORCING A PROPERTY OWNER, OR REQUIRING A PROPERTY OWNER TO GIVE US A REGIONAL PARK, UM, VERSUS, UH, THE INVESTMENT THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY NEED TO MAKE, IF WE WANT A REGIONAL PARK, BECAUSE THERE'S A LIMIT TO WHAT WE CAN REQUEST AS AN EXACTION OR DEDICATION.
SO UNDERSTANDING AGAIN, WHAT WE WOULD GET, IF WE DON'T PUT IN INVESTMENT VERSUS WHAT WE WOULD GET, IF WE DID, I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO, TO, TO TRUE THAT UP PAST THAT I'M NOT REAL SURE WHERE WE GO.
UH, MY SENSE IS, IS THAT 20 YEARS FROM NOW, 30 YEARS FROM NOW, WE'RE GOING TO WISH THAT THAT AREA DEVELOPED WITH THE SMALLER STREET GRID, BECAUSE IT'LL CHANGE WHAT THAT PART OF DOWNTOWN WILL LOOK LIKE FOREVER.
UM, AND, AND I, UH, UNDERSTAND WHY IT WAS THAT STAFF SAID, WHAT'D, YOU LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE CAN INVEST IN.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE ONE THING THAT YOU BEGIN WITH BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT LONG-TERM.
AND THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME, BUT HOW FAR DOWN THAT LIST WE GO IN TERMS OF WHAT WE ASK FOR OR WHAT WE CAN REQUIRE ARE ALL THINGS.
I THINK WE NEED MORE INFORMATION ON.
I MEAN, IN, IN THE BEST WORLD, WE HAVE THE DEVELOPERS PAYING FOR AS MUCH OF THIS, AS WE CAN GET DEVELOPERS TO PAY FOR, AS PART OF THEM ENHANCING THE VALUE OF THEIR OWN PROPERTY AT THE SAME TIME, IF WE ASKED THEM TO DO TO WATCH, AND THE PROPERTY JUST DEVELOPS THE WAY THAT IT'S SITTING, WHILE THERE WILL STILL BE GREAT DEVELOPMENT AND VALUABLE DEVELOPMENT, IT'S NOT GOING TO REACH THE POTENTIAL THAT, AND THE ULTIMATE RETURN TO THE GENERAL FUND THAT WE WOULD WANT THE PROPERTY TO MAKE.
SO I AGREE THAT THERE'S LOTS OF INFORMATION THAT WE NEED.
I'M APPROACHING THIS NOW THAT WE'VE GOTTEN PAST LAST YEAR WITH A REALLY A WHITEBOARD.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH, IF ANY, SHOULD BE TERS OR PID, OR, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW, OR BOND.
AND I THINK NOW THAT WE'VE KIND OF CLEARED THAT ASPECT OF IT, HAVING A PRESENTATION OR A RECOMMENDATION FROM OUR STAFF THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, HERE'S WHAT WE THINK IT'S GOING TO DEVELOP.
THIS IS HOW WE THINK IT'S GOING TO DEVELOP.
IF WE WERE TO MAKE THE INVESTMENT, THIS IS THE DELTA BETWEEN THOSE TWO THINGS, WHICH WE CAN TAX WITHOUT CAUSING ANY LOSS IN VALUE TO THE, TO THE GENERAL FUND, BUT IT'S A LIMITED AMOUNT.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO GET A RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF AT THIS POINT, AFTER THAT TRUE APP, ON WHAT TOOLS YOU WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE USE AND TO WHAT SCALE AND TO WHAT, AND TO WHAT LEVEL, I'M NOT SURE WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DECIDE ALL THOSE THINGS HERE IN THE NEXT SIX WEEKS IN OR EIGHT WEEKS IN FEBRUARY OR MARCH.
I THINK WE SHOULD GO AFTER THAT AS DILIGENTLY AS WE CAN, BUT I THINK THESE ARE BIGGER,
[02:40:01]
BROADER QUESTIONS THAT ARE KIND OF ALL A LOT OF DISCUSSION IN THE COMMUNITY.I DO AGREE THAT WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO BE MOVING FORWARD ON THE REGULATING PLAN HAS THAT ALMOST SEEMS TO BE INDEPENDENT OF THESE OTHER QUESTIONS.
AND I HOPE WE HOPE WE DO THAT BECAUSE OF, TO A LARGE DEGREE, THAT'S GOING TO HELP DEFINE AND HELP US BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS WE NEED TO CREATE OR NOT CREATE.
SO, SO I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE COUNCIL MEMBER TOBO AND URGING THAT WE MOVE FORWARD ON THAT.
I APPRECIATE THIS PROCESS, A LOT OF QUESTIONS STILL TO, TO, TO, TO ANSWER.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE BEGINNING TO TEE THEM UP NOW, FURTHER DISCUSSION.
COUNCIL MEMBER LS, AND THEN, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER AT THE, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER PATTERSON.
UM, I JUST HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT IF ANY OF THIS PUBLIC FINANCING WOULD BE USED FOR PARKING LOTS OR CAR PARKING SPACES? UM, I KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PUTT OR ZONING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT I AM JUST VERY CURIOUS, GIVEN THE LOCATION OF THIS PROPERTY TO BEING VERY CONNECTED AND WALKABLE AND BIKEABLE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVING LIGHT RAIL IN THE FUTURE.
UM, SO CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT IF THERE, IF ANY OF THE PARKING SPACES OR PARKING LOT WOULD BE PART OF WHAT THIS FINANCING COVERS? SO THE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT IS LISTED, UM, DOES NOT INCLUDE PARKING LOTS IN TERMS OF PARKING SPACES.
I THINK, UM, I, I CAN'T SAY YES OR NO ON THAT.
I THINK THAT IS RELATIVE TO KIND OF WHAT STREET DESIGN WOULD BE INCORPORATING THERE.
AND I FULLY ADMIT I AM NOT THE, THE STAFF MEMBER THAT IS MOST, UM, THE, THE ONE THAT SHOULD BE SPEAKING TO THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF MY COLLEAGUES CAN SPEAK TO THAT, OR IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE WOULD NEED TO DIG INTO AND I THINK IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT COUNCIL WOULD LIKE ON THAT, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT CAN DIG INTO AND RESPOND ON.
BUT I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S NOT CURRENTLY ENVISIONED THAT THERE WOULD BE, UM, PARK AND RIDES OR PARKING LOTS.
THAT WOULD BE A PART OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN AS IT'S DRAFTED, LIKE ON-STREET PARKING, IF THAT WERE TO BE THE CASE.
AND THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE WOULD HAVE TO CONSULT WITH, HONESTLY, WITH AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, AS THINGS ARE PROGRESSING THROUGH TO SEE WHERE ON STREET PARKING WOULD BE ALLOWED.
UM, AND, AND HOW THINGS, UM, THE INDIVIDUAL PARCELS BEING REDEVELOPED WOULD, WOULD INCLUDE PARKING ON THEIR OWN FACILITIES.
I MAY DIG INTO THAT A LITTLE MORE BEHIND THE SCENES, JUST CAUSE I'M VERY CURIOUS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION IS, UM, MOVING US FORWARD IN OUR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHEN THINGS ARE GETTING BUILT, ESPECIALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, LARGER AREAS OF LAND BEING BETTER COORDINATED THROUGH THEIR BUILD OUT THAT WE, THAT WE ARE TRYING TO MOVE MORE TOWARD WALKABLE AND CONNECTED, UM, AND LESS AWAY FROM TONS OF IMPERVIOUS COVER.
THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY NEEDED IN THAT AREA.
MORE SPACE FOR PEOPLE, UM, IN A PLACE LIKE THIS AND IN THIS LOCATION.
SO THANK YOU, SORRY, COUNSEL, MY RENT, THE RIYADH, AND THEN COUNCILLOR HARPER, MADISON.
I GOT MARRIED AND I, I, I DO HAVE CONCERNS, UH, ABOUT THIS PROJECT, YOU KNOW, BUT I AGREE A LOT OF WHAT YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT, WE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAD CURE AND RANDY STREET, YOU NEED TO SEE WHAT WE GOT THERE.
UH, YEAH, I WAS, IT WAS, IT DIDN'T WORK OUT.
UH, PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT TO PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS, SO THEY JUST, UH, BUILT WHAT, WHAT WORK REQUIRED AND WHAT WAS ALLOWED FOR THEM.
AND, UH, WE GOT VERY FEW AFFORDABLE UNITS OUT OF THAT PLACE.
SO, UH, UM, AND THEN WE GOT THE DOMAIN, WHICH WE, I DIDN'T GET ANY KIND OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON THAT ONE.
UH, SO I, I, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN I'M, I SEE THESE TYPE OF PROJECTS, I'M, I LOOK AT IT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A GREAT HOUSING, ESPECIALLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND I'M GOING TO BE LOOKING AT IT VERY CLOSELY IN, UH, IN, UH, IN THE TERM THAT, YOU KNOW, IT SAYS 20%.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STICK TO THAT NUMBER AND, UH, HOW ARE WE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH IT? YOU KNOW, I WOULD NOT LIKE TO SEE A BOND ELECTION FOR THAT.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE, SINCE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE GOING TO BE GIVEN OUT SO MUCH ENTITLEMENT, UH, THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH FUNDING ADS ONSITE OR AFFORDABLE UNITS, NOT OFFSITE.
WE DO OWN A COUPLE OF PROPERTIES THERE ALONG BARTON SPRINGS THERE ON SOUTH, ON SOUTH TERMS. SO, UH, IF ANY OF THAT PROPERTY GETS THE REDEVELOPMENT DEVELOPED, I WOULD REALLY WANT TO SEE THAT
[02:45:01]
AT AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMING TO THAT AND PREDICT SOME DEEPER AFFORDABILITY, YOU KNOW? AND, UH, SO I'M GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THAT, BUT I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'D HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ON, ON HOW WE HANDLED AS PICKUP.THERE'S ONLY TO A CERTAIN POINT.
PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO, TO INVEST IN AND, YOU KNOW, UNLESS THEY GET MORE ENTITLEMENT AND THEY WILL JUST BUILD WHAT, WHAT THE CODE ALLOWS THEM TO THEN, AND I GET ANY, THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY HARD CASE AND I'M JUST GOING TO MAKE SURE I HEAR EVERYTHING.
AND I MAKE MY DECISION WHEN MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS AFFORDABILITY AND, UH, BEFORE WE SIGN ON, BECAUSE KIRA DIDN'T GIVE US ANYTHING.
AND I HATE TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, WE GO DOWN A, UH, UH, AREA WHERE WE DEVELOP ALL THAT AND INVEST IN ALL THAT IN CONSTRUCTION.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE DEVELOPERS SAY, WELL, I GOT IT.
WE CAN HAVE ONE, OR I DON'T WANT TO, I'LL JUST STICK WITH MY HEIGHT REQUIREMENT AND MY, MY, UH, UH, MY ENTITLEMENT THAT I HAVE AND JUST PAY THERE.
AND THAT'S NOT GETTING ANYTHING BY GIVING US ANYTHING.
AND THEN THEY'RE ENJOYING ALL THE BENEFITS.
SO, UH, I I'M REALLY GOING TO KEEP AN EYE ON THIS.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER HARPER, MADISON.
I APPRECIATE, UM, THE RECOGNITION, I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER , MIGHT'VE ASKED MY QUESTIONS, UH, IN WHICH CASE, WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY IS, EXCUSE ME, UM, UM, TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER ALTERS POINT, YOU KNOW, I'M SIMILAR CONCERNS, YOU KNOW, I, I VERY MUCH LIKE TO HAVE STAFF REALLY EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF CLOSING THAT FINANCING GAP THROUGH ENTITLEMENTS.
UM, I, I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT REGULATING THE DESIGN OF THE STREET GRID, YOU KNOW, THROUGH A REGULATING PLAN THAT WE CAN ADOPT AND SO MUCH LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER OR COUNCIL MEMBER THEN.
YEAH, I HAVE, I HAVE QUESTIONS, UM, THAT I'D LIKE TO HAVE ANSWERED.
SO I, I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION.
CAUSE THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I REALLY NEED TO HAVE LAID VERY PLAIN FOR ME, ANYBODY, ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION COUNCILOR TOVO YEAH.
I WANT TO PICK UP ON, ON SOMETHING.
UM, THE COUNCIL MEMBER VICTORIA MENTIONED, AND THAT'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND LOOKING AT WELL, AND I ALSO WANT TO BACK UP AND SAY, THANK YOU TO THE STAFF.
I KNOW YOU'VE DONE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK ON THIS IN THE LAST MONTH, ESPECIALLY TO KIND OF TEE IT UP.
I'M GLAD THAT WE HAVE NOW THE FLEXIBILITY TO TALK ABOUT IT ON REALLY WHATEVER TIMEFRAME WE WANT.
AND I WANT, I, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC OVER ABOUT THIS OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
AND I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE, AGAIN, WE'VE SET UP THE MECHANISM UNTIL WE MAKE ANY CHANGES AND WE MAY NEVER MAKE ANY CHANGES.
UM, THERE IS CURRENTLY NO GENERAL FUND MONEY GOING TOWARD THIS TAX INCREMENT, REFINING REINVESTMENT ZONE.
WE HAVE THE OPTION OF DOING SO, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO, AND NOR HAVE WE MADE ANY DECISION TO DO THAT.
UM, AND SO I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN ALL OF THE QUESTIONS THAT, THAT YOU ALL HAVE RAISED.
AND THE ONES I RAISED EARLIER ABOUT WHAT ARE THE OTHER FINANCIAL MECHANISMS, BUT, BUT REALLY MAYOR YOU NAILED IT.
WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND AS A COUNCIL AND THEN TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC, WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF DIFFERENT PATHS.
UH, AND IF WE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE, WHAT ARE THE PUBLIC INVESTMENTS? UM, WHAT IS THE, SORRY? WHAT IS THE COMPREHENSIVE, UM, BENEFITS THAT WE CAN BRING THROUGH ONE FINANCIAL MECHANISM VERSUS ANOTHER? BECAUSE THERE ARE, THERE ARE WAYS OF THIS AREA THAT CAN DEVELOP THAT ARE IN LINE WITH THE VISION.
AND THEN THERE ARE WAYS THAT I THINK WE WOULD AS A COMMUNITY LOSE OUT.
UM, IF, IF THE, IF THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE VERY INDEPENDENT OF ONE ANOTHER AND NOT DONE IN A COMPREHENSIVE FASHION, AND WE HAVE INVESTED LOTS AND LOTS OF COMMUNITY, ENERGY STAFF, ENERGY, PUBLIC DOLLARS IN TRYING TO GET THIS RIGHT, UM, IN SUCH A CRITICAL PART OF OUR, OF OUR, UM, CENTRAL AUSTIN.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO SEE US TAKE THOSE NEXT STEPS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT COMPREHENSIVE VISION IMPLEMENTED TO GET BACK TO THE, THE POINT THAT COUNCIL MEMBER RENTER REIA RAISED WITH REGARD TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE PRESENTATION EARLIER.
UM, IT WAS ESTIMATED I THINK DIRECTOR TRUE LOVE YOU ESTIMATED THAT WE COULD GET ABOUT 140 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT ONE TEXAS CENTER BASED ON A, I THINK A 60 FOOT TOWER.
YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE ACHIEVING THAT GOAL OF 20%, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING TO ACHIEVE MORE, SOMETHING MORE LIKE 530 DISTRICT-WIDE.
AND SO TO ME THAT REALLY EMPHASIZES THE NEED TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
[02:50:01]
HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS, UM, ON THOSE INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES AS WELL.UH, THE PUBLIC, WE ABSOLUTELY SHOULD BE USING OUR PUBLIC LAND, NOT JUST HERE BUT ELSEWHERE TO CREATE THOSE AFFORDABLE UNITS, BUT IN THIS AREA OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT, IT CAN'T ONLY BE ON ONE TEXAS CENTER.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, AS WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPERS AND THEY'RE ASKING FOR INCREASED ENTITLEMENTS, THEY ALSO, YOU KNOW, I, I AM GOING TO BE A STRONG PROPONENT OF HAVING THOSE AFFORDABLE UNITS ON THOSE INDIVIDUAL SITES AS WELL.
UM, OTHERWISE WE WILL NOT ACHIEVE THAT 20% GOAL, WHICH I THINK IS, IS REALLY CRITICAL AT A MINIMUM, UM, A FEW QUESTIONS FOR STAFF.
THERE WAS AN ECHO NORTHWEST STUDY, UM, COMMISSIONED IN 2020 A FINANCIAL STUDY.
AND I WONDER IF WE COULD GET AN UPDATE ON WHERE THAT IS AND WHETHER WE'VE RECEIVED IT, AND IF NOT, COULD YOU SHARE IT WITH US? AND THEN I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT A COUPLE OTHER STUDIES THAT I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR WHAT HAPPENED, BUT LET ME STOP THERE WHERE, UM, THE ECO NORTHWEST STUDY THAT WAS COMMISSIONED IN 2020, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU CAN FORWARD TO US? I WILL CHECK ON THAT AND I MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET AN ANSWER TO THAT WHILE WE'RE STILL ON THIS ITEM, BUT I I'LL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU IF WE'RE, IF WE'VE MOVED ON BEYOND THIS ITEM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND THEN I THINK MORE RECENTLY THERE WAS $150,000, UM, THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, UM, USED FOR A FINANCIAL UPDATE WITH QBL PARTNERS.
AND I THINK THE SUBCONTRACTOR ON THAT WAS HR AND A, AND SO THAT, UM, IS ALSO WORK THAT I'M INTERESTED IN SEEING, I THINK THEN, THEN EDD COMMISSIONED ADDITIONAL WORK FROM CHARLES , WHICH IS PART OF THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVED AT THE END OF LAST YEAR.
BUT I'M INTERESTED IN WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT $150,000 THAT WAS INVESTED IN THE FINANCIAL UPDATE, UM, THROUGH QBL PARTNERS.
ONE IS THAT ANY 20 FINANCIAL STUDY FROM ECO NORTHWEST, IT WAS DIFFERENT FROM THE ABSORPTION ABSORPTION STUDY.
AND THEN THAT $150,000 WITH QBL PARTNERS, UM, WITH SUBCONTRACTOR HR AND A, ON A FINANCIAL UPDATE, UM, SOME OF WHICH, YOU KNOW, I'M INTERESTED IN UNDERSTANDING AND KIND OF SEEING IT AND UNDERSTANDING HOW IT, HOW IT ALIGNED WITH OR BUILT ON, OR I'M SORRY, IT PROCEEDED THE HAIM STAFF WORK, BUT WHAT THE RELATIONSHIP IS AMONG THOSE DIFFERENT FINANCIAL UPDATES AND ANALYSES COUNCIL MEMBER, WE WILL, UH, FOLLOW UP WITH MORE INFORMATION ON THAT UPDATE.
WE'LL SEND THAT OUT TO THE COUNTY.
AND WE'LL INCLUDE THE ECO NORTHWEST STUDY IN THAT UPDATE.
UM, SO IT'LL COME FROM BOTH DEPARTMENTS CAUSE I HAVEN'T GOTTEN A RESPONSE YET.
BOTH OF YOU COLLEAGUES, ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE GO, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER A PER TIME.
UM, I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, STAFF HAS DONE A LOT OF WORK ON THIS AND I, AND I JUST WANT TO, UM, RECOGNIZE THAT I THINK WE'RE, SOME OF US ARE GETTING UP TO SPEED SORT OF ON THE PROCESS AND WITH ALL THAT WE'RE JUGGLING AND, AND, AND WHATNOT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF MERIT IN THE VISION FOR SOUTH CENTRAL AND I THINK WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, OR, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE POLICY LEVERS THAT WE HAVE, UM, AND HOW DO WE PUT THEM ALL TOGETHER IN A PACKAGE, UM, TO ENACT THAT VISION AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE AND WHAT ARE THE TRADE-OFFS AND WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES? UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ASKING A LOT OF QUESTIONS, UM, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO'VE WORKED REALLY HARD AND, UM, TO PUT TOGETHER THAT VISION OVER, OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, AND I DON'T, I DON'T WANT THIS MESSY DISCUSSION THAT WE'RE HAVING, AS WE TRY TO WORK OUT THE DETAILS IN THE FORMAT THAT WE HAVE TO LEAVE PEOPLE FEELING LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING IN THAT PART OF DOWNTOWN, BUT THERE IS A QUESTION OF, YOU KNOW, HOW WE GET THERE, UM, THAT WE REALLY HAVE TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE ON.
AND AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS FOR SEEING WHAT THE QUESTIONS ARE, I WANT TO ALSO POINT OUT THAT WE DID, UM, LAST YEAR ESTABLISH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
AND PART OF ITS WHOLE REASON TO EXIST WAS TO BE ABLE TO ENABLE US TO OPERATE ON A DIFFERENT PLAYING FIELD WITH RESPECT TO DEVELOPMENTS OF THIS SORTS.
UM, I DID HAVE, UM, AN AMENDMENT WHEN WE PASSED THIS, THAT WAS CALLING OUT THE NEED FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
AND THERE'S SOME OF THAT IN HERE.
UM, BUT I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A, TO REALLY, UM, TAKE AN IMPORTANT ROLE HERE.
UM, AND WE'VE ALSO SEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS IS THAT IT'S VERY MUCH IN AN INTERDEPARTMENTAL, YOU KNOW, KIMBERLY'S UP HERE IN THE HOT SEAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, BUT SHE'S FROM THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND NOT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT,
[02:55:01]
YOU KNOW, AND SO WE NEED ALL THAT, NOT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, NOT AID.AND SO, UM, WE NEED ALL OF THE FOLKS AT THE TABLE AND WE HAVE A LOT OF REALLY CREATIVE PEOPLE, UM, WHO UNDERSTAND THEIR PIECES AND WE NEED THEM ALL TALKING TOGETHER TO SEE WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS, WHAT ARE OUR LOVERS AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU MOVE THIS ONE? OR WE MOVE THAT ONE, UM, ET CETERA.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO END WITH SAYING THAT, UM, BECAUSE WE ARE ASKING A LOT OF TOUGH QUESTIONS, UM, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD KEEP IN MIND, YOU KNOW, HIGH COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO AND THE MAYOR HAVE REALLY BEEN PUSHING US TO MOVE FORWARD AND TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT IS SO WE CAN HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS AND ACTUALLY TAKE CONCRETE STEPS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE AND THAT THE COMMUNITY IS WITH US ON WELL SAID.
UH, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT, UH, WE, UH, WE BREAK NOW EVERYBODY CAN GRAB LUNCH, UH, AND THEN LET'S GET ON EXECUTIVE SESSION TOGETHER DOES JUST 1230 WORK FOR US TO GET ONTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO HANDLE THE AGENDA.
SO THE CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW GO INTO YEAH.
I KNOW, I KNOW 15 MINUTES SEEMS IN CONSEQUENTIAL, BUT COULD WE DO 1145? I, UH, IT'S A, IT'S A PERSONAL ASK.
REMEMBER ELLIS, JUST A QUICK QUESTION.
DID WE ALREADY ADDRESS THAT OR WHAT WE NEED TO COME BACK OUT AFTER WE'VE ALREADY DONE PULLED ITEMS? WE HAVE AUSTIN ENERGY, UH, THAT WE HAVE TO CALL UP NO SOONER THAN ONE 30.
WE'LL MAKE A DECISION ABOUT WHEN WE BREAK FOR US AN ENERGY, OR IF WE CAN PUSH THROUGH THE EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS, BUT WE CAN MAKE THAT CALL TOGETHER,
[E. Executive Session]
BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION TO TAKE OUT POTENTIALLY FIVE ITEMS PURSUANT TO 5, 5, 1 0 7, 1 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE.WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO IWAN AIRPORT EXPANSION E TO THE, UM, UH, DISPLACEMENT MITIGATION PROGRAM, E THREE LABOR NEGOTIATIONS, AESICS LAWSUITS AND CLAIMS, UH, AND THEN PRESENTED A 5, 5, 1 0 7 FOR THE GOVERNMENT CODE.
WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS PERSONNEL MATTERS RELATED D FIVE, UH, WHICH IS THE, UM, UH, EMPLOYEES DUTIES COMPENSATION AT A CITY MANAGER.
SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, I'LL SEE EVERYBODY IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 1245.
THE TIME IS 1212 RIGHT NOW I GUYS