[00:00:03]
[CALL TO ORDER]
AND I WOULD LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THIS MONTH'S MEETING OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.AND, UH, THE FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS WOULD BE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, JESSE? YES, WE DO.AND, UH, I DON'T HAVE A LIST, BUT I KNOW THAT, UH, THIS IS MS. SUSANA.
WE HAVE A ONE PERSON, ONE IN PERSON AND TWO.
DO WE HAPPEN TO HAVE A LIST OR A ROSTER OF WHO THEY ARE? SO I COULD AT LEAST ANNOUNCE THE NAMES, NOT ONE PRINTED OUT.
UH, DO YOU HAVE THE NAMES OF THE NAMES? COULD YOU EMAIL THEM TO ME? I CAN.
I THINK THEY HAVE GOOD EVENING CHAIR AND PLANNING COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS SUSANA AND, AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE MONTOPOLIS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
AND I COME FORWARD WITH THIS LETTER.
THE SUBJECT IS PROJECT CONNECT ANTI-DISPLACEMENT COMMUNITY ACQUISITION PROGRAM.
DEFINITIONS FUNDING GOES AND EQUITIES.
WE URGE YOU TO REDEFINE THE PROGRAMMATIC FA AFFORDABILITY GUIDELINES LISTED IN THE PROJECT CONNECT ANTI-DISPLACEMENT PROGRAM, AND TO BRING IT INTO LINE WITH THE COMMUNITY CAPACITY BUILDING AND COMMUNITY CONTROL, PROVISIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS LAID OUT IN REFERENCES 1, 2, 3, AND FOUR FAILURE TO DO SO CONSTITUTES QUOTE, BUSINESS AS USUAL, AND WILL EXACERBATE DISPLACEMENT AND GENTRIFICATION, NOT TO MENTION CONSTITUTED BETRAYAL OF COMMUNITY TRUST.
THE STATED PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM AS THIS DISTANT REFERENCE SEVEN IS AS FOLLOWS.
THE PURPOSE OF PROJECT CONNECT ANTI-DISPLACEMENT COMMUNITY ACQUISITION PROGRAM IS TO WHERE COMMUNITY-BASED 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WITH FUNDS TO ACQUIRE REAL PROPERTY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT, PRESERVATION AND RENOVATION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO BE LEASED OR SO TO LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS IN GENTRIFYING AREAS WITHIN ONE MILE, THE PROPOSED PROJECT CONNECT RAIL AND BUS LINES.
WHY THEN ARE WE LEARNING THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S HOUSING IMPLANTING STAFF ARE EXPANDING TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO ENTER INTO DIRECT PURCHASE OF AGREEMENTS FOR ENTIRE APARTMENT COMPLEX IS THESE APARTMENT ACQUISITIONS SHOULD BE ACQUIRED THROUGH FUNDS APPROVED IN THE 2018 HOUSING BONDS EVEN MORE DISCONCERTINGLY WHY ARE HUD MEDIUM FAMILY INCOME GUIDELINES BEING USED TO DEFINE THE AFFORDABILITY PARAMETERS OF THIS PROGRAM, DESPITE THERE BEING NO LEGAL REQUIREMENTS TO DO SO, AS PRE-RELEASE MENTIONED IN REFERENCES FOR MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHERE IS THE MONEY FOR COMMUNITY-BASED GRASS, GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS, ESPECIALLY THOSE LED BY PEOPLE OF COLOR.
IT CAN NOT BE STRESSED ENOUGH.
THE MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME FROM MONTOPOLIS IS DIFFERENT FROM THEM MFI, UH, FOR TRAVIS COUNTY, ACCORDING TO 2019 AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY DATA, THEIR PER CAPITA INCOME FROM ON TOP AS IS $20,859.
AND THE MEDIUM HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS $42,344 OVER ALL POVERTY RATE IS 26.4 FOR OUR CHILDHOOD POVERTY RATE OF UNDER 18 STANDS AT 30%.
AND THE POVERTY RATE FOR SENIORS OF OVER 65 IS 32%.
THESE NUMBERS REFLECT INCREASES IN BOTH POPULATION AND INCOME CAUSED BY ALREADY OCCURRING.
GENTEFICATION THE CONSTRUCTION OF RENTAL HOUSING AT 60% MFI AND OWNERSHIP AT 80%, MFI WILL JUST ADD EXACERBATE DISPLACEMENT AND GENTRIFICATION CHAPTER FIVE OF REFERENCES CONTAINS SIGNIFICANT LANGUAGE REGARDING THE SHIFTING OF DECISION-MAKING POWER TO THE COMMUNITY, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMMUNITY CAPACITY BUILDING FUND AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF INSIGHT, AS WELL AS OUTSIDE ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM HAS SUCH A SHIFT IN DECISION-MAKING PARTAKE IN PLACE, NOT IF OUR COMMUNITY AND ITS LEADERSHIP CONTINUES TO BE THE LAST INFORMED AND INVOLVED IN THE IMPORTANT, IMPORTANT DECISIONS IMPACTING OUR COMMUNITY, GIVEN THE DIFFICULT ELECTORIAL HISTORY OF REAL ELECTIONS IN AUSTIN PASSAGE TO PROJECT
[00:05:01]
CONNECT, CONSTITUTED A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE IN ORDER TO BRING POSITIVE ELECTORAL RESULTS ACROSS THE FINISH LINE PROMISES WERE MADE TO THE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY ABOUT EQUITY, ABOUT SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION OF TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS, INCLUDING RAIL, AND ABOUT A MORE EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF TRANSPORTATION DOLLARS ACROSS THE BOARD.WE WORRY THAT PO BUSINESS HAS USUALLY THE CITY TO NEEDLESSLY SQUANDERED, THE $300 MILLION IN NINE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT FUNDS ON UNNECESSARY CONSULTANTS, ADMINISTRATIVE, OVERHEAD, AND OTHER INITIATIVES THAT CONTINUE TO SHARE THE BASIC QUESTION, HOW MUCH MONEY IS GOING TO THE COMMUNITIES FOR THEM TO PURCHASE LAND FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND RELATED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS.
WE URGE YOU TO CRAFT NEW GUIDELINES THAT PLACE A COMMUNITY AND SUBSTANTIAL CONTROL OVER HOW THE MONEY IS SPENT BY WHOM AND WHOM FOR LET US START BY REMOVING THE RELIANCE ON HUD MFI CRITERIA AND AIMING FOR DEEPER LEVELS OF AFFORDABILITY.
THANK YOU, MS. HELEN MONSON, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR THOUGHTS YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE? YES.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT IF WE COULD, AS THE CDC, UH, EITHER SIGN ON TO THIS LETTER FROM THIS SORT OF MINDSET OR, UH, HAVE SIMILAR RECOMMENDATIONS, ESPECIALLY, UH, HER LAST PART THAT SHE TALKS ABOUT THE MFI FOCUSING THAT ANTI-DISPLACEMENT MONEY ON, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, PROVIDING HOUSING FOR THOSE THAT ARE AT 30%, 40%, 50% MFI.
SO WHAT I'M HEARING, UH, THROUGH THIS LETTER AND YOUR COMMUNICATION, MS. HELLMAN SAYS THAT IN MONTOPOLIS, FIRST OF ALL, THE APPLICATION OF MEDIAN FAMILY SORT OF PARAMETERS, UH, MEDIAN, FAMILY INCOME PARAMETERS, AND PERCENTAGES OF THE SAME FOR HUD ARE NOT REQUIRED FOR, SHOULD NOT BE NECESSARILY REQUIRED FOR THE HOUSING, UH, THAT THAT COULD BE BEING BUILT THERE.
AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE USING THOSE STANDARDS IS UNIQUELY DISPROPORTIONATE TO THE ACTUAL INCOMES THAT ARE IN MONTOPOLIS.
SO IN MONTOPOLIS OF WHAT I WAS, YOU KNOW, WHAT I HEARD FROM THE 2019 DATA WAS THAT, UH, MEDIAN INCOME IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD WAS 42, UH, AROUND 42 K AND PER CAPITA IS 20, UH, NEARLY 21 K AND $21,000 A YEAR.
AND SO THAT'S WAY OFF FROM, FROM EVEN THE CITY'S MEDIA NUMBERS, RIGHT.
WHICH ARE SUPPOSED TO STANDARDIZE EVERYTHING.
UM, AND THEREFORE WHAT WE'RE HEARING HERE IN ADDITION TO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE JUSTIFICATIONS FOR THAT IS THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE RELIANT ON THOSE NUMBERS.
UH, AND THEREFORE, UH, WE SHOULD BUILD AT DEEPER RATES OF AFFORDABILITY.
DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
AND THE COMMISSIONER, AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASKING THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION TO SIGN ONTO EFFECTIVELY BY, UH, AFFIRMING THIS LETTER, RIGHT? YES, THAT'S RIGHT.
AND WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE TIMELINE FOR SIGNING ONTO THIS OR THE TIMELINE FOR BEING ABLE TO TAKE ACTION? LIKE WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT ARE SORT OF THE BIG MILESTONES, THE BIG, BRIGHT LINE MILESTONES AND TIMELINES THAT YOU ALL SEE? BECAUSE MY INCLINATION IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A UP AGENDA ITEM IN OUR NEXT MEETING, UH, WHERE, UM, HPD STAFF MIGHT SPEAK TO US A LITTLE BIT AROUND THESE LEVELS AND WHY WE'RE USING THOSE LEVELS OFTEN BE AND HAVE MORE OF A BI-DIRECTIONAL.
WELL, I TELL YOU THAT THE 20, 21 AND THE 2022 ALLOTMENTS HAVE ALREADY GONE FORWARD UNDER THE 300 MILLION.
SO IT'S PRETTY URGENT BECAUSE IF THEY'RE GOING TO, TO USE THE HEAD STANDARD THAT IS GOING TO CAUSE MORE DISPLACEMENT AND GENTRIFICATION IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND SO IT'S IN OTHER COMMUNITIES TOO, AND THE EASTERN CHRIS AND, AND SO IT'S VERY, VERY URGENT AND IMPORTANT THAT WE STOP THAT PROCESS AND SAY, WAIT A MINUTE, IF WE'RE, IF THIS IS ANTI-DISPLACEMENT AND YOU'RE USING HUD MFI, THAT IS JUST MORE DISPLACEMENT AND GENTRIFICATION.
AND SO I THINK THAT, UH, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD.
OUR NEXT STEP IS GOING TO CITY COUNCIL, UH, TO TALK ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
UH, BUT WE'RE BECAUSE THE CDC IS THE ONLY COMMISSION THAT, THAT MANDATE IS TO LOOK AT THE INTEREST OF THE POOR.
AND I THINK THAT THIS CDC IS URGENTLY NEEDS TO CALL THIS TO ATTENTION AS TO HOW THE CRITERIA IS BEING SET FOR ACCESS TO THIS PARTICULAR FUNDING.
SO YOU'RE TALKING ALREADY 23 MILLION IN 2021, AND THEN ANOTHER, UH, I THINK IT'S, I KNOW IT'S UP TO 45 MILLION COMBINED FOR THIS YEAR.
[00:10:01]
OF MONEY THAT IS NOW BEING ALLOCATED USING HUD'S MFI.UM, THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
AND, UM, I'LL GET RIGHT TO YOUR COMMISSIONER.
AND SO COMMISSIONER ILEUS, AS FAR AS WHAT YOU WERE EMAILING ABOUT WITH, I THINK YOU SENT ME A, UH, AN EMAIL AND VICE CHAIR AND EMAIL AROUND POTENTIAL ACTION AROUND AFFORDABILITY, UM, RANGES, UH, AND MAYBE DOING THAT ACTION POSSIBLY NEXT MONTH.
IS THAT, WOULD THAT BE RELATED ACTION OR WOULD THAT BE A DISTINCT, WOULD THAT BE ANOTHER DISTINCT, UH, POTENTIAL ACTION THAT WOULD BE TAKEN? THAT COULD BE A RELATED ACTION.
AND, AND, AND FINALLY, BEFORE WE GET TO, UH, COMMISSIONER DELGADO, UH, AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE IF WE'LL BE ABLE, UH, COMMISSIONER AT LEAST TO TAKE ACTION TODAY SINCE IT'S NOT POSTED.
UH, UM, BUT UNLESS SOMEBODY CORRECTS ME THAT WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE ACTION ON SOMETHING THAT WAS PRESENTED BY A SPEAKER.
AND I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CASE.
IT D IT, IT WON'T FIT IN ANY OF THOSE.
SO, SO IT WOULD THIS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CONSIDERATION OF THIS ACTION I BELIEVE WILL BE IN THE NEXT MEETING.
UM, AND DOES THAT, IF THAT SOUNDS SATISFACTORY, THAT WE ADDRESS IT, YOU KNOW, UH, AT THAT TIME AND POSSIBLY EVEN BRINGING STUFF, I JUST WANTED TO SORT OF MANAGE EXPECTATIONS THERE.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANT TO THANK, UM, OUR FORMER COMMISSIONER SUSANA MONSA FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOUR VOICE IS HEARD, ESPECIALLY FOR NEW MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD AND MEMBERS THAT ARE WATCHING OUR CONSTITUENTS THAT ARE WATCHING.
UM, SHE HAS NOT JUST BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR HOUSING JUSTICE, BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, THAT WE JUST TAKE THIS LETTER AND CONSIDERATION, UM, JUST READING IT TODAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING IT BECAUSE WE ARE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS RIGHT NOW, AS PROJECT CONNECT IS OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY AND MEETINGS ARE HAPPENING, AND WE DON'T HAVE AN ACTUAL DEFINED LETTERS SUCH AS THIS TYPE OF LETTER STATING EXACTLY WHAT, WHAT WE'RE NEEDING.
UM, SO IF WE DO MOVE THIS TO A ACTION ITEM AND A DECISION, UH, FOR OUR NEXT, UM, MEETING, I DON'T WANT IT TO GET, TO GET POSTPONED, OR WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH ITEMS, OR THERE'S JUST GOING TO BE A PACKED AGENDA, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO PUT IT ON TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM, ESPECIALLY IF THIS IS ALREADY GOING TO COUNCIL AND THEY'RE MAKING APPROVALS AND THINGS ARE MOVING PRETTY FAST.
SO CHAIR, IF YOU WANT TO CHECK BACK WITH STAFF, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THEM ARE ON THE CALL TODAY, UM, ROSIE, TRUE LOVE OR ANY OF THE STAFF MEMBERS.
HOW FAST COULD WE GET THIS? COULD WE CALL FOR A SPECIAL MEETING? UM, COULD WE GET THIS JUST, UH, IMMEDIATELY, UM, YOU KNOW, TRANSFERRED TO THE AGENDA WITHOUT APPROVAL? BECAUSE EVERY TIME I PUT THINGS FOR APPROVAL, IT GETS STAFFED AND IT'S EITHER DENIED OR IT'S APPROVED.
SO I DON'T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN TO, UM, THE LETTER THAT'S SO IMPORTANT AND THAT WE NEED, THIS IS LITERALLY OUR LAST TOOL TO FIGHT, UM, FOR MFI OF 30%, THANK YOU LOUD AND CLEAR.
UH, AND, UH, I ENCOURAGE ANYONE TO DO THEIR BEST.
UH, AS WE'RE, WE'RE ALL VOLUNTEERS HERE TO STAY ENGAGED, UH, WITH ME AND, UH, WITH VICE-CHAIR POP, UH, AS RELATED TO ANY AGENDA ITEMS. UH, AND I DO KNOW THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES, UH, STAFF MIGHT HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS AROUND AGENDA ITEMS, BUT IF YOU'RE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH ME, I CAN AT LEAST DO MY BEST TO MAKE SURE TO PULL YOU INTO THE AGENDA MEETING, UH, TO BE ABLE TO ADVOCATE MORE DIRECTLY, UM, OR WORK WITH YOU AS A THOUGHT PARTNER ON HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THAT AGENDA ITEMS STICK AROUND.
SO ON THAT NOTE, UH, YES, APRIL HAS THEIR AGENDA ALREADY READY, EXCUSE ME, BECAUSE OF ITEMS, BECAUSE WE HAD TO POSTPONE ONE OF OUR MONTHS, WE'RE BACKED UP AS FAR AS ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
SO I NEED, WE NEED TO CLARIFY IF APRIL'S, AGENDA'S ALREADY PACKED.
IF YOU'RE WANTING TO MOVE THIS TO APRIL'S AGENDA FOR APPROVAL, IS IT ALREADY PACKED? ARE WE EVEN ABLE TO DO THAT? IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN ASK STAFF? SURE.
LISA RODRIGUEZ, ANYBODY ON, ON, ON THE ZOOM, THE APRIL AGENDA HAS NOT BEEN SET.
THERE ARE ITEMS THAT HAVE KIND OF ACCUMULATED OVER TIME, BUT THE AGENDA HAS NOT BEEN SET.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, HAPPENS IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
MR. CHAIR, I WOULD SUPPORT MOVING SOME OF THOSE, UH, ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN ACCUMULATING BACK TO ACCUMULATE SOME MORE SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE WE HAVE THIS ON OUR AGENDA ON SECOND COMMISSIONER, DELGADO'S INTEREST IN PUTTING THIS ON THE APRIL AGENDA.
WELL, IT SOUNDS LIKE NOBODY WANTS THIS ON THE AGENDA.
UM, SO LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
UH, I THINK, I THINK WE, WE, UH, ALL HAVE EACH OTHER'S MUTUAL COMMITMENT THAT WE'RE GOING TO WORK OUR HARDEST TO, UH, TO, TO GET THIS VERY THOROUGHLY DISCUSSED, UH, AND HOPEFULLY
[00:15:01]
BE ABLE TO TAKE SOME, UH, CONSTRUCTIVE ACTION.THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE MS. ALMANZA AND, AND THANKS FOR DOING THE DOUBLE DUTY THERE.
UM, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS I'M, UH, GOING TO ATTEMPT TO PRONOUNCE THIS NAME AND I, AND I BEG FORGIVENESS, UH, JUST IN ADVANCE, UH, DESERET ALVAREZ, UH, OR TELL US HE SPEAK ONE MORE TIME.
I APPRECIATE YOUR GRACE IN CORRECTING ME.
UM, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A PROGRAM.
MY GRANDMOTHER WAS REFERRED BY A FRIEND TO THE HR LP PROGRAM.
I'M NOT SURE OF THE FULL NAME.
HOWEVER, AFTER REVIEWING THE INDIVIDUAL'S CONTRACT AND DETAILS, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I THOUGHT THAT SHOULD BE BROUGHT FORWARD TO THIS BOARD.
UM, SO IT WAS JUST A WORD OF MOUTH.
THEY SHARED THIS, SO I ONLY HAVE THREE MINUTES.
SO THE ONLY TOPIC I WANT TO DISCUSS TODAY IS A 25% EQUITY AGREEMENT THAT'S IN PLACE.
SO I'VE RESEARCHED THE PROGRAM AND UNCOVERED THAT THE CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS REGARDING PAYBACK WAS ADJUSTED IN 2016.
HOWEVER, THIS SPECIFIC CONTRACT I REVIEWED UTILIZE THIS EXAMPLE, UM, WITH THE 24 20 5% EQUITY ON 250,000, I DO WANT TO MENTION THAT THERE IS NO INTEREST IN THESE, WHICH IS HIGHLIGHTED MULTIPLE TIMES.
A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE IS PAID OFF AFTER X AMOUNT OF YEARS.
HOWEVER, THAT IS BRIEFLY DISCUSSED.
UM, THE SHARED EQUITY IS BRIEFLY DISCUSSED, BUT IT'S HIGHLIGHTED MANY TIMES NO INTEREST, WHICH IS GREAT.
SO I SAID, MENTIONED THAT THE VERBIAGE IN THE CONTRACT IS ALSO NOT SERUM BEING ABLE TO BUY BACK YOUR HOME, WHAT YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO WITH ANY MORTGAGE PAY OFF LOANS, AND SOMETIMES THERE'S FEES ASSOCIATED.
SO THE EXAMPLE IS THAT THE H R L P PROGRAM 25% EQUITY USE THERE'S 250,000 THAT YOU OWN THE HOME THERE.
THIS PROGRAM'S INVESTMENT WAS 90,000, 25% EQUITY IS 62,500 MAKING THAT TOTAL COST OF PAYBACK TO OWN YOUR HOME BACK IS ONE 50 TO 500.
SO 150, 2,500 FAST FORWARD TO THIS CONTRACT.
THIS INDIVIDUAL'S CONTRACT, THIS WAS DONE IN 2011.
WHEN I LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, THE HOME IS NOW WORTH 750,000 APPRAISAL ON A LOW VALUE.
PLUS THE ORIGINAL INVESTMENT OF 90,000, THIS, THESE INDIVIDUALS WOULD HAVE TO PAY BACK $277,500 TO GET THEIR HOME BACK FROM THIS PROGRAM.
UM, SO LOOKING AT IT AT AN INTEREST RATE OF 4.2, 5%, WHICH IS THE STANDARD RIGHT NOW IN A 90% LOAN AT A 30 YEARS, THAT'S A $107,145 AT A BANQUET CHARGE.
I DO WANT TO MENTION IF SOMEONE DIES, THE FAMILY THEY'RE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS DEBT, OR IF THEY'RE UNABLE TO MAINTAIN A POVERTY STATUS, THEY CAN QUALIFY FOR THE PROGRAM ONLY IF THEY CAN MAINTAIN THAT POVERTY.
SO I FORBID THAT THEIR FUTURE GENERATIONS DO BETTER BECAUSE IT COULD AFFECT THEIR HOMESTEAD FOREVER.
IF THE PURCHASERS ARE NOT ABLE TO MAKE A FULL TERM OF 30 YEARS BECAUSE OF DEATH OR ANY OTHER REASON THAT THE CONCERN OF MANIPULATION AND COERCION OF LOW-INCOME FAMILIES AND CENTRAL AUSTIN IS WHAT BRINGS ME HERE TODAY.
I'M CONCERNED WITH HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS ON THIS PROGRAM ARE AWARE OF THE STIPULATIONS THEY AGREE TO BECAUSE AFTER EXPLAINING THIS TO THE FAMILY WHO HAPPILY SHARED THIS THINKING, THEY WERE GOING TO HELP HELP OUR FAMILY, THEIR HEARTS BROKE.
I'M CONCERNED FOR THE INDIVIDUALS WITH CONTRACTS THROUGH THIS PROGRAM AND WHAT EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IS INVOLVED THROUGHOUT THEIR PROCESS.
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, MANY FAMILIES HAVE BEEN TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF AND WILL MOST LIKELY LOSE THEIR HOUSE IF THEY ARE NOT EDUCATED ON THEIR CURRENT STANCE WITH THIS PROGRAM, IF THESE PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE SOMEONE TO SPEAK FOR THEM NOW, WHICH IS WHAT I'M HOPING TO DO TODAY, THIS PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LOW-INCOME MINORITIES.
I ALSO WANT TO ADD, IS THERE ANY WAY, HOW IS IT POSSIBLE FOR A NONPROFIT TO MAKE A PROFIT MARGIN OF THIS TYPE IN THIS, IN OUR COMMUNITY IN AUSTIN? THANK YOU.
UH, AND, UH, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE COMMISSIONERS HERE IN JUST A SECOND.
UH, I W I COULD USE A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, ORIENTATION, UH, THOUGH.
SO I DID WRITE DOWN THE DETAILS AND I DO I BELIEVE, UNDERSTAND THE GENERAL, UH, SENSE OF THE RISKS THAT YOU'RE KIND OF TRYING THAT YOU'RE COMMUNICATING AROUND THE PROGRAM.
UM, BUT CAN YOU CLARIFY, CLARIFY WHICH PROGRAM I, IN, IN THE BEGINNING, I DIDN'T GET A CLEAR IDEA OF WHICH PROGRAM WE WERE EXACTLY DISCUSSED.
[00:20:01]
KNOW THE EXACT AS AN ACRONYM THEY HAVE ON THE PAPERWORK.UM, I'M SURE ONE OF THE, SOMEBODY FROM YOUR, ONE OF THOSE COMMISSIONERS SHOULD HAVE, I THINK IT'S THE HOME REHABILITATION LOAN PRO RE LOAN PROGRAM.
I JUST IT'S THE HOME, UH, REHABILITATION LOAN PROGRAM.
IS THAT, IS THAT RIGHT? AND, UH, SO WHAT I'M HEARING, UH, IS THAT THE, THE RISKS OF ENTERING INTO THE, UH, THE CONTRACTS, AND THEN OF COURSE THE, THE REPAYMENT AND THE PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS ARE VERY HIGH AND THAT THERE'S NOT MUCH FLEXIBILITY, UH, IF AND WHEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES CAN BECOME TRYING, AND YOU NAMED A COUPLE OF THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES IN PARTICULAR, UH, ONE, ONE BEING JUST CHALLENGES OF REPAYMENT DUE TO HIGH VALUE, UH, THE SECOND BEING JUST HIGH INTEREST RATES AND HIGH SORT OF COST OF SERVICING THE, UH, THE LOAN AND THEN THE FINAL ONE BEING WHAT HAPPENS IN THE, IN THE CASE OF DEATH.
IS THAT GENERALLY RIGHT? OKAY.
AND THE, THE MAIN, UM, TRAJECTORY OF IT IS A 25% EQUITY, YOU KNOW, UM, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'VE EVER PURCHASED A HOME, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD NEVER DO A 25% INTEREST RATE ON A HOME, RIGHT.
MAYBE ON A CREDIT CARD, BUT ON A HOME IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
SO THAT'S, I THINK REALLY THE BIG BARRIER THAT MAKES THIS CONTRACT UNREALISTIC AND UNATTAINABLE TO EVER TRULY PAY OFF FOR SOMEBODY WHO IS ON SSI OR SOMEBODY WHO ONLY RECEIVE CHILD SUPPORT OR SOME, YOU KNOW, THESE LOW INCOME.
UM, SO YEAH, JUST THE, I DON'T KNOW.
I WANT IT, IF YOU CAN EXPLAIN, HOW DOES IT MAKE SENSE BECAUSE WE'RE, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S COERCION, IT'S, THEY'RE TAKING, BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF, AND IT'S REALLY SAD.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, UH, FOR BRINGING IT TO OUR ATTENTION.
UH, I THINK MY QUESTIONS SORT OF BELIE MY IGNORANCE HERE AND I'LL CERTAINLY DO MY BEST TO GET BETTER ON THE TERMS. UM, IF ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY THOUGHTS OR IDEAS THAT WE MIGHT LIKE TO SHARE, AND THEN ALSO DOES RAY, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO TACKLE IT, WHICH I THINK THERE'S A LOW PROBABILITY DURING THIS MEETING, THAT IN THE MONTH BETWEEN THIS MEETING AND NEXT MEETING, UM, YOU SHOULD FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ANY OF US, UH, OR STAFF, BUT, UH, FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME DIRECTLY OR ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS.
UH, AND WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO SET UP A MEETING OR A CHAT WITH YOU TO GET, UH, TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND MAYBE CONNECT WITH STAFF AROUND THAT.
COMMISSIONER LOGANO, THANK YOU, DESERET FOR GIVING US SUCH A GREAT DETAILED, UM, BREAKDOWN OF, OF THE INFORMATION AND THE RESEARCH YOU HAVE DONE.
UH, WHERE DOES YOUR GRANDMOTHER LIVE AND WHAT AREA ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? SO MY GRANDMOTHER LIVED ON CANTERBURY.
UM, HER FRIEND SHARED THIS INFORMATION.
THEY LIVE FURTHER DOWN BY THE LAKE.
I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S RIVERVIEW OR HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, BUT YEAH, MY GRANDMOTHER LIVES IN THE STOMACH.
SOME NO TO, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMISSION KNEW WHAT SPECIFIC AREA YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
LET ME ASK YOU ANOTHER QUESTION.
UM, IS THERE A LIEN ON THIS PROPERTY? UH, CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW? I MEAN, DO THEY, ARE THEY STATING TO THE PEOPLE THAT THEY ARE, UM, LITERALLY TRYING TO GET INTO THEIR PROGRAM, THAT THERE WOULD BE A LIEN PUT ON THEIR PROPERTY? IS THAT BEING TOLD OR DID YOU HAVE TO FIND THAT INFORMATION OUT? SO THAT IS ONE THING THAT, I MEAN, I WASN'T THERE WHEN THIS, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST, I WAS JUST GOING TO DO THIS FOR MY GRANDMA, BUT I JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND, I'VE EDUCATED MYSELF, I'VE GONE THROUGH SCHOOL.
I, YOU KNOW, SO I KIND OF UNDERSTAND CONTRACTS A LITTLE MORE.
I, I MAKE CONTRACTS, I DO CONSULTING WORK.
SO WHEN THIS WAS BEING EXPLAINED TO MY GRANDMOTHER, YOU KNOW, WHO'S ABOUT TO TURN 85, SOME OF THIS THAT SHE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT EQUITY WAS, YOU KNOW, SHE BOUGHT HER HOUSE ORIGINALLY FOR 35,000.
UM, SO TO UNDERSTAND THE TERM OF EQUITY, SHE DIDN'T KNOW AND LIEN, NO.
SO WHEN I EXPLAINED TO THE FAMILY WHO SHARED THIS CONTRACT, THAT THERE IS NOW A LIEN ON PLACE IN THEIR HOME, BY THE BANK, UM, OR BY WHO THE LENDER, WHICH IS THE CORPORATION.
UM, SO THERE'S NOW A LO A LIEN ON IT.
UM, THE, THE INDIVIDUAL STATED THEY HAD NO UNDERSTANDING, THEY WERE UNDER THE INTERPRETATION THAT THEY COULD JUST PAY THE LOAN, PAY IT OFF, LIKE A, PAY OFF A MORTGAGE PAYOFF AMOUNT, UM, OF, UH, THE ORIGINAL PER LIKE THE ORIGINAL PRINCIPLE.
THEY COULD JUST PAY THAT AND IT WOULD BE ALL CLEAN AND DEAL.
AND THAT'S IT, CAUSE THIS WAS A PROGRAM HELP MEANT TO HELP PEOPLE.
UM, SO I HAD TO EDUCATE THEM ON WHAT A LIEN WAS, WHAT WAS HAPPENING, WHAT WAS BEING DONE.
AND THEY STILL HAVE, DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO DO.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M TRYING TO DO MY DUE DILIGENCE AND BRINGING THIS TO SEE, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU AS WELL, COMMISSIONER, IS THERE ANY WAY I CAN GET A LIST OR A LIST CAN BE PUT OUT TO THE PUBLIC ON WHO HAS ALL BEEN AFFECTED BY THIS PROGRAM? BECAUSE
[00:25:01]
I REALLY THINK THEY HAVE A GOOD CHANCE THAT A BIG LAWSUIT WITH, OKAY, GREAT DESERET.I'M SO GLAD THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU BEING FOR GENERATION, UM, AND, AND YOUR COMMUNITY, AND THANK YOU FOR, FOR PROVIDING THAT EDUCATION AND INFORMATION TO THE BOARD.
AND I DO WANT TO REQUEST CHAIR.
I THINK I'VE REQUESTED THIS BEFORE, AND I DON'T THINK I EVER GOT THIS, UH, RECOMMENDATION, BUT NOW THAT IT'S COMING FROM THE PUBLIC, I'M INSTRUCTED AS A COMMISSIONER.
THIS ISN'T MY DEMOGRAPHIC AREA.
I WOULD LIKE US TO PULL AN AUDIT ON THE H R L P PROGRAM, ESPECIALLY THE ONE THAT DOES A CONSTRUCTION READING IT.
I READ THAT THE OWNER CHOOSES TO SELL OR RENT THE HOME, TRANSFER THE TITLE OR REFINANCE, OR EVEN DRAW EQUITY LOAN WITHIN A 15 YEAR LOAN.
THE AMOUNT OF THE LOAN WILL BE PAID OFF IN 20 YEARS, BUT THERE IS A 25% INTEREST SHARED EQUITY THAT THEY HAVE TO, UM, THEY HAVE TO PAY OUT.
AND SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO SEE EXACTLY HOW MANY HOMES HAVE BEEN PUT UNDER THIS PROGRAM.
HOW MANY LIENS HAS AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE ACTUALLY PUT ON, ESPECIALLY IN MY DISTRICT, UH, EAST AUSTIN, 7, 8, 7 0 2 HOMES.
AND THEN ALSO SEE, DID ANYBODY EVER DO A BUYBACK OR DID ANYBODY EVER OWN THEIR HOME? AND IF THEY'RE STILL, UM, WAITING TO, TO PURCHASE TO OWN THEIR HOME, BECAUSE AT THIS POINT THEY DON'T OWN THEIR HOME.
SO IF I COULD REQUEST TO HAVE THAT, UM, PULLED, I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE AN AUDIT ON THIS PROGRAM AND TO SEE HOW MUCH MONEY WE SPEND ON IT.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS FROM OTHER DISTRICTS SHOULD LOOK FOR THEIR AS WELL LOOK INTO IF, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS PROGRAM SERVICES, ALL AREAS ARE JUST LIKE THE, YOU KNOW, NEAR THE RIVER, LIKE NEAR, UM, TOWN LAKE, EAST SIDE, THE OTU OR IF IT'S SERVICES MORE.
BUT I DEFINITELY THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND.
IT NEEDS TO BE BROKEN DOWN THE VERBIAGE, WHAT THEY SIGNED UP FOR, BECAUSE THEY COULD LOSE THEIR LIFE LONG INVESTMENTS.
AND, UM, AND IT'S PROBABLE THAT OTHER COMMISSIONERS MIGHT HAVE MORE QUESTIONS.
I JUST WANT TO REITERATE, I WANT TO MAKE SURE I GET A CHANCE TO INCREMENTALLY, UH, UH, RESPOND TO YOUR, UH, YOUR REQUEST COMMISSIONER DELGADO.
I AM NOT SURE IF IT WOULD BE WITHIN OUR PURVIEW TO REQUEST AN AUDIT PER SE.
I THINK A VICE CHAIR COULD PROBABLY KEEP ME MORE HONEST AS WELL AS STAFF.
HOWEVER, UM, WHAT WE'LL DO IS MAKE SURE TO ADD IT TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, WHICH STAFF WILL HAVE TO REVIEW.
UM, AND SO WE COULD GO FROM THERE TO SEE WHAT THAT PROCESS MAY OR MAY NOT BE, IF ANYTHING, I THINK THIS IS CERTAINLY AN ITEM OF INTEREST, UH, UM, IRRESPECTIVE OF, UH, YOU KNOW, AUDIT AND WHATEVER PROCESS THAT IS, IF THAT HAS HAPPENED CONCURRENTLY OR NOT.
UH, IF YOU'RE HEARING A LOT ABOUT THIS, THEN, YOU KNOW, WHAT I'M HEARING THEN IS FOLKS WHO ARE ENTERING INTO THE LOAN.
UH, THE REHAB LOAN PROGRAM ARE EFFECTIVELY TIED TO THE PROPERTY IN A WAY THAT THEY CAN'T NECESSARILY DISPOSE OF THAT PROPERTY OR SELL IT BECAUSE THERE'S A LIEN ON THAT PROPERTY NOW BECAUSE OF THE HOME IMPROVEMENT THAT WAS MADE AND BECAUSE OF SORT OF, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, COMPLEXITIES AND CONTRACT LANGUAGE AND OUR LACK OF SORT OF USING PLAIN LANGUAGE AND EXPLAINING WHAT IS A LEAN, WHAT IS THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAT FOLKS WHO ARE SORT OF TIED INTO A DEAL THAT'S, UH, THAT'S STIFLING, IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING? AND, AND, AND, AND THEN THE FINANCE CORPORATION, UH, HAS THE LIEN ON THAT PROPERTY.
AND SO IRRESPECTIVE OF THAT PROPERTY IS PAID OFF PER SE.
THEY'RE STILL PAYING OFF THE REHAB LOAN.
NO, I WAS, I WAS JUST GOING TO CLARIFY THAT IT'S NOT ABOUT THE SELLING OF THE PROPERTY.
IT'S ABOUT THE ACTUAL BUYER THAT SIGNED UP FOR THE LOAN ACTUALLY OWNING HIS HOME.
SO IF THE BUYER WANTS TO GO AND PAY OFF THE LOAN, THEY CAN'T PAY OFF THE LOAN BECAUSE THERE'S A 25% OF SHARED EQUITY ON AND THEY'RE PRAISING IT TO WHAT THE PROPERTY VALUE IS NOW VERSUS WHAT IT WAS 10 YEARS AGO OR 20 YEARS AGO.
THAT'S WHERE THE DESCRIPTION IS.
AM I RIGHT? SO THE EQUITY APPRAISALS HAPPENING ON CURRENT VALUE AND NOT ON THE PRINCIPLE OF THE MORTGAGE OKAY.
UM, AND SO WHAT THE MAIN POINT IS, IS WHEN THE LOAN IS ORIGINALLY TAKEN OUT, IT'S TAKEN OUT BASED ON WHATEVER MINIMAL INCOME THESE PEOPLE HAVE, RIGHT.
IT COULD BE $900 A THOUSAND DOLLARS, BUT THEN THEY'RE GIVING THEM, WANTING THEM TO PAY INTEREST ON A MORTGAGE FOR HIGHER THAN THAT, THEN THEY COULDN'T EVEN AFFORD.
SO THEY WOULDN'T EVEN ABLE TO REFINANCE IT THROUGH A BANK BECAUSE A BANK WOULD NOT EVEN GIVE THEM 280,000 BECAUSE THEY ONLY GET SSI.
SO THAT'S WHERE IT'S THE INITIAL INCOME.
LIKE IT'S NOT A FIXED RATE ON THE EQUITY, THE EQUITY ROSE WITH THE HOUSE.
AND THAT'S ONE THING WHERE IT'S A LOOPHOLE, YOU KNOW, THEY DID ZERO
[00:30:01]
INTEREST, BUT I THINK ANY FAMILY WOULD HAVE PREFERRED THE INTEREST ARISE A LITTLE THAN GOING OFF EQUITY, ESPECIALLY IN EAST AUSTIN.I MEAN, EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED HERE, ME BEING ONE RACE, I NEVER WOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT MY GRANDMA'S HOUSE WOULD BE WORTH, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF MONEY NOW.
AND I THINK A LOT OF THESE FAMILIES DIDN'T KNOW THAT EITHER, BUT I THINK THE CITY, WE HAVE VERY HIGHLY EDUCATED PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S WHERE I FEEL THAT THESE, YOU KNOW, THAT NEEDS TO BE EXPLAINED MORE THAN ANYTHING.
SO I, YEAH, I, I THINK THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT.
WE STAND TO IMPROVE A LOT, WHETHER IT'S IN HOW WE COMMUNICATE THE PROGRAM OR WHETHER IT'S THE TERMS OF THE PROGRAM OR MAKING SURE THAT IT'S HAPPENING THROUGH AN EQUITY LENS, ESPECIALLY THROUGH A LOT OF THE NEW, UH, MORE ADVANCED, UH, PARADIGMS AND TOOLS THAT THE CITY IS DEVELOPING.
UH, AND I LOOK AROUND TO COMMISSIONERS AS WELL AS STAFF, AS IN AS MUCH AS RECOMMENDING WHAT NEXT STEPS COULD BE OUTSIDE OF WHAT I'VE ALREADY SUGGESTED.
MAY I PLEASE ASK THE QUESTION PLEASE? YEAH.
UM, SO, UM, THANKS, UH, DESERT, I GUESS THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S I APPRECIATE THE, UM, THE, I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS TO US AND IF IT'S, AS YOU'VE STATED, THAT'S, THAT'S QUITE TROUBLING.
SO MY, MY, UM, A NUMBER OF THINGS WOULD BE ONE, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US AS A COMMISSION TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THIS PROGRAM.
LIKE, UH, MAYBE PRESENTATION IS SOMETHING THAT JUST LAYS OUT WHAT, WHAT THE PROGRAM IS IN DETAIL.
AND MAYBE PERHAPS IF IN THE INTERIM, IF THE PROGRAM HAS, YOU KNOW, STANDARD, IF THE LIKE, PROGRAM MATERIALS STANDARD MATERIALS THAT WE SHARE WITH PARTICIPANTS, OR, UM, LIKE STANDARD AGREEMENT DOCUMENTS, SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ALSO LOOK UP, LOOK AT ON OUR OWN TO KINDA, YOU KNOW, GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THAT PENDING WHEN WE GET A, UM, GET THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL AS WELL.
UM, ANYONE ELSE, UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, JESSE, DOES THAT SOUND LIKE CLEAR ENOUGH DIRECTION FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO GET STARTED? YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE THE COMMISSION'S PRIORITY ON IT.
SO I THINK, UH, WE'LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHICH STAFF IS, UH, CAN, CAN ANSWER SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS AND TRY TO GET THEM MAYBE AT THE NEXT MEETING AND PUT, PUT SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA.
AND AT THE AGENDA MEETING, MAYBE WE CAN TALK ABOUT POSSIBLY HAVING, UH, A RESIDENT VOICE LIKE DESERET.
UH, WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE MANY, BUT ONE OR TWO THAT MAY BE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CHALLENGES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UH, SHARING THE STORY, UH, DESERET AND, UH, AS, UH, OBVIOUSLY TROUBLING AS IT IS.
UH, AND, UH, THE HOPE IS THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO OBTAIN IMPROVEMENTS THAT WILL EASE, UH, AN IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ANYONE WHO'S PARTICIPATING IN THAT PROGRAM.
I KNOW SHE MENTIONED A POWERPOINT.
IF THAT'S NEEDED ON A RESIDENT PERSPECTIVE, I CAN SEND SOMETHING OVER TO Y'ALL WITH PROOF OF CONTRACTS, JUST SO IT'S KIND OF A, YOU KNOW, IT'S WHITE AND BLACK ON WHAT ACTUALLY IS THERE RATHER THAN JUST MY WORD OF MOUTH.
WE'LL SEE TO IT THAT WE ENGAGE WITH YOU, UH, DIRECTLY TO, TO GET SOME IDEAS FROM YOU ON HOW WE CAN MAKE THE PRESENTATION BEST SUITED.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER DELGADO, AND WE'LL MOVE ON.
ANY OTHER FINAL THOUGHTS QUESTIONS THERE? THE NEXT SPEAKER IS CAROLINE AND PLEASE FORGIVE ME AND CORRECT ME IF I'VE SAID YOUR NAME AND CORRECTLY.
UM, MY NAME IS CAROLINE ESCOBAR AND I'M CALLING ALSO IN REGARDS TO THE HOMEOWNER REHABILITATION PROGRAM.
UM, CAN I START MAKING IT THANK YOU.
SO THE REASON, THE REASON I'M CALLING IT FOR THE, THE HR LP PROGRAM AND MY CONCERNS ABOUT THIS PROGRAM IS THE MAIN MISLEADING LANGUAGE, THE DIFFICULT JARGON THAT IS IN THE CONTRACTS THAT ARE BEING GIVEN TO THE INDIVIDUALS IN THE 7 8702 COMMUNITY, THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE SIGNING AND GETTING LOCKED IN WITHOUT ANY KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT THEY'RE FINDING MOST OF THE COMMUNITY THAT THE 7 87 O TWO IS SERVING IS, UM, THAT ARE IN THESE PROGRAMS ARE MINORITY.
UM, AND WITH LITTLE TO NO EDUCATION, UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, AFTER REVIEWING A CONTRACT AT MY PARENTS ARE CURRENTLY IN, UM, THE JARGON IN THE CONTRACT IS DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND.
UM, I HAVE A POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION AND I MYSELF HAVE I HAD DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING THIS.
UM, I DO NOT HAVE A REAL ESTATE BACKGROUND.
I DO NOT HAVE A LOAN OFFICER BACKGROUND.
AND THE, THE JARGON IN THIS, THESE CONTRACTS ARE, ARE NOT JUST, I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT IF I'M NOT IN THOSE FIELDS.
[00:35:01]
LITTLE TOUGH TO SAY THAT MY PARENTS ALSO ARE, DON'T HAVE ANY UNDERSTANDING OF THE JARGON THAT IS IN THE CONTRACT.UM, THE WORDS IN THE LANGUAGE IS MISLEADING.
UM, THE WORD THEY'RE VERY VAGUE IN THESE CONTRACTS, UM, WITH NO EXPLANATION, UM, MY PARENTS ARE THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE IS SPANISH SPEAKING.
UM, DURING THESE CONTRACTS, THERE WAS NO INTERPRETER.
UM, SO I ASKED THAT THE BOARD LOOKED INTO THESE CONTRACTS, MAKE THEM MORE, UM, MAKE THEM MORE, BEING ABLE TO, FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE SIGNING.
UM, CAUSE LIKE I SAID, MY FAMILY HAD LITTLE TO NO KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT THEY'RE SIGNING.
UM, THEY HAVE IT, THEY ARE STILL LIKE, DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY SIGNED, BUT THEY ARE LOCKED INTO A CONTRACT WHERE THEY, THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE NO OPTIONS OF SIGNING OF GETTING OUT OF THIS CONTRACT BECAUSE WHAT THEY FIND IS ON PAPER AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE NO UNDERSTANDING OF IT.
SO I ASKED THAT YOU LOOK INTO THESE CONTRACTS AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU HA, THAT Y'ALL ARE EXPLAINING, UM, TO THE INDIVIDUALS, UM, WHAT THEY'RE SIGNING AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
I THINK, UH, WE CAN ECHO A LOT OF THE SENTIMENTS, UM, FROM WHAT WE JUST HEARD AND IT LOOKS LIKE THERE WILL BE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO HOPEFULLY, UM, BRING RELIEF, BUT CERTAINLY BRING IMPROVEMENT.
AND, UH, I THINK YOU FOLKS LIKE YOU AND DESERET WILL BE ABLE TO HELP INFORM THAT PROCESS AND WE'LL CERTAINLY ENGAGE WITH YOU, UH, AS, UH, WE'RE, UH, BUILDING OUT WHAT THE AGENDA WOULD LOOK LIKE NEXT MONTH.
AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO THINK, UH, CONSTITUENT, UH, CAROLINE RENDON ESCOBAR FOR COMING AND TALKING BECAUSE YOUR VOICES ARE WHAT'S NEEDED, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY IF, UH, NOT JUST YOUR FAMILY, BUT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OTHER FAMILIES THAT MAY BE AFFECTED.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I KNOW, UM, IT'S CHALLENGING, UH, TO GET HERE, UH, AND JUST THE OPTION.
UH, SO I WANT TO THANK OUR CITY FOR GIVING THE, A TELEPHONE OPTION FOR Y'ALL TO AT LEAST TELEPHONE IN IT'S SO IMPORTANT.
AND SO, UM, I HAVE BEEN WATCHING THIS PROGRAM FOR QUITE SOME TIME, CAROLINE, BECAUSE I HAVE HEARD, UH, SEVERAL COMPLAINTS, ESPECIALLY IN MY, IN MY DISTRICT, UH, DISTRICT THREE AND IN MY DEMOGRAPHIC AREA.
AND SO, UM, I DO WANT TO ASK, UH, WHAT YEAR WAS THIS, UH, WHEN YOUR PARENTS WENT INTO ALONE, DO YOU RECALL? 2011 AND 2011.
AND WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THAT YOU MET WITH, UH, AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING CITY OF AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING? UM, I MET WITH, UM, I MET WITH THEM BACK IN 2019 BECAUSE WE WERE, MY PARENTS WERE, WERE GOING OVER THEIR CONTRACT AND WE, LIKE I SAID, UH, DID HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF IT, OF THE WORDS IN THE CONTRACT AND MISLEADING THE VAGUE INFORMATION.
AND WHEN I WENT INTO THE, THE MEETING, I WENT TO A MEETING WITH THEM AND MET WITH THEM IN 2019.
AND THEY THEN EXPLAINED TO ME, UM, WHAT WAS IN THE CONTRACT AFTER IT WAS ALREADY DONE.
AND, UM, FROM THAT MEETING, UH, NOTHING HAS BEEN RESOLVED.
IS THAT WHY YOU'RE HERE TODAY? YES.
I JUST WANTED TO JUST, UH, WANTED YOU TO CLARIFY THOSE THINGS, UH, IN THE BOARD.
UM, I KNOW THAT I'M REQUESTING TO PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA BECAUSE I DO WANT TO INVESTIGATE THAT CONTRACT.
I WANT TO DO AN AUDIT TO SEE EXACTLY HOW IT'S HELPING OUR PEOPLE.
AND SO I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THIS COMMISSION HAS HEARD YOU AND DESERET TODAY, AND WE HOPE TO HAVE THE HR LP ON THE AGENDA, UM, HOPEFULLY, UH, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
SO THANK YOU, UH, MS. ESCOBAR, THANKS, COMMISSIONER DELGADO.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS, FINAL THOUGHTS.
AND BEFORE WE MOVE INTO THE MAIN AGENDA, I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSCORE THAT IT WOULD BE MY INCLINATION AND I'LL DEFER TO, UH, STAFF GUIDANCE.
UH, BUT IT WOULD BE MY INCLINATION THAT WE NOT GET IN THE FOLLOWING MEETING INTO VERY PERSONAL DETAILS OF SPECIFIC ARRANGEMENTS.
AND IF, UH, FOLKS DO WANT TO GET INTO PARTICULAR DETAILS, FOR EXAMPLE, A ESCALATION OR REVIEW OF A PARTICULAR CASE WITH HOUSING STAFF, UH, THAT WE DO THAT DISCREETLY AND INDIVIDUALLY WITH HOUSING STAFF.
AND I KNOW COMMISSIONER DELGADO THAT YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO LIAISE AND SET UP A MEETING LIKE THAT.
AND I THINK THOSE KINDS OF MEETINGS WILL INFORM AND KIND OF GIVE US DISTILLED DOWN SORT OF CATEGORIES OF PROBLEMS THAT WE COULD DISCUSS IN THE ACTUAL MEETING, UH, AT A HIGHER LEVEL TO DISCUSS HOW WE CAN, YOU KNOW, SORT OF CONSTRUCT WITH, LOOK AT THE PROGRAM.
DOES THAT SOUND ALL RIGHT? AND JUST SO THE RECORD FOR THE RECORD, WE DO HAVE ONE, UH, MARCH 30TH WITH THIS, UH, WITH THIS PARTICULAR ITEM WITH THE,
[00:40:01]
WITH THE YOU THANK YOU SPEAKERS FOR JOINING US TODAY AND COMMISSIONERS FOR THOUGHTFUL INSIGHT AS ALWAYS.[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
ITEM IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.UM, ANY DISCUSSION OR ACTION ON THE FEBRUARY 8TH? SORRY, ANY DISCUSSION ON THE, UH, FEBRUARY 8TH, 2022 CDC MEETING MINUTES, UH, EVERYONE PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REVIEW THEM AND HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE OR ANY DISCUSSION VICE CHAIR, POP MOVES APPROVAL OF THE FEBRUARY 8TH MINUTES.
WE HAVE SECOND COMMISSIONER DELGADO SECONDS.
ANY DISCUSSION ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE, OR RAISE YOUR HAND.
REMEMBER IF YOU'RE VOTING A SCREEN NEEDS TO BE ON AYE.
WELL, AND, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER LES, UH, CAN'T SEE YOU.
SO DON'T, UH, I DON'T SEE, UH, OTHER, YOU HAVE HANDS UP.
UH, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S UNANIMOUS FOR THE EYES AND MINUTES.
[2. COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT (CSBG) ]
WILL BE OUR UPDATE, UH, ON THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT, THE CSBG WE HAVE, UH, THAT BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE DISCUSSION, UH, WITH WHO'S THE MANAGER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES UNIT AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.THANK YOU IN ADVANCE SONG, HAIL FOR YOUR FEEDBACK AND SUPPORT OVER THE MONTH ON BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS, AS WELL AS, UH, ON TRYING TO KEEP US IN LINE WITH COMPLIANCE WITH OUR, UH, OUR CERTIFICATES.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME CHAIR AND ALL THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS.
UH, THE REPORT, THIS ONE SHOULD BE FAIRLY BRIEF.
SO I WILL START WITH PAGE ONE THAT YOU SEE THERE.
JUST REMIND YOU THAT THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT FUNDS BASIC NEEDS, PREVENTIVE HEALTH CASE MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYMENT SUPPORTS HERE AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES UNIT.
OUR MISSION IS TO IMPROVE THE LIVES AND HEALTH OF PEOPLE, EXPERIENCING POVERTY BY PROVIDING PUBLIC HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES AND CONNECTING RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES.
AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE, YOU CAN SEE WE'RE ABOUT TO FULLY EXPAND OUR, UH, 2021, UM, GRANT FUNDS AND WE'LL START USING OUR 2022 FUNDING.
NOW WE JUST RECEIVED AROUND 545,000 AND $128 FOR THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF, UM, 22.
I'LL JUST POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THINGS WE'RE STARTING FRESH AGAIN IN 2022, THIS IS A CALENDAR YEAR, UH, GRANT REPORTING.
SO WE ALREADY HAVE FOUR, UH, TRANSITIONS, UM, WITH OUR SOCIAL WORKERS IN THE, UH, CASE MANAGEMENT 2.0, UH, PROGRAM.
SO THAT'S REALLY GOOD NEWS FOR STARTING OFF STRONG, HELPING OUR FOLKS TRANSITION OUT OF POVERTY AND ALSO HELPING THEM MAINTAIN EMPLOYMENT OR, UH, LOOK FOR EMPLOYMENT THAT PAYS EVEN BETTER WAGES.
SO I HOPE TO HAVE MORE GOOD NEWS TO COME OVER THE YEAR.
OUR GOAL FROM THE STATE IS 43 TRANSITIONS.
UM, IN THIS GRANT, IF YOU GO DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND YOU'LL SEE, UM, THAT WE'RE ALREADY, UM, MAKING AN IMPACT AND HELPING HOUSEHOLDS AVOID EVICTION WITH OUR 2022 FUNDING, UH, WE HAVE 92 HOUSEHOLDS SO FAR HAVE AVOIDED EVICTION.
OUR TARGET FOR THIS YEAR IS 400 ARE TRYING TO GET LESS JUDGE.
YOU CAN SEE BELOW THERE WAS 1200.
[00:45:01]
WE HAD CARES ACT FUNDING, WHICH WE FULLY EXPENDED.UH, WE STILL SEE A GREAT NEED OUT THERE, UH, FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE FUNDS, UH, FROM THE CITY.
ANOTHER ITEM HERE THAT I LIKE TO POINT OUT IS OUR FOOD DISTRIBUTION SERVICES ARE 7,100 INDIVIDUALS SERVED AND THAT'S A LOT OF FOLKS THERE.
UH, WE ALSO, UM, ARE VERY EXCITED TO START BRINGING OUR NURSES BACK.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF OUR DATA ON IMMUNIZATIONS OR OTHER NURSING SERVICES, BUT, UH, GOING ON A PHASE TWO HAS ALLOWED US TO WORK WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND REQUEST THAT OUR NURSES SLOWLY TRANSITION BACK INTO DOING VR, UM, CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION, EDUCATION, AND, UM, HEALTH CHECKUPS AT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS.
SO MORE TO COME ON THAT IF YOU CAN FIND THESE, THESE THREE, PLEASE SOME PROGRAMMATIC UPDATES, UH, WE ARE SETTING UP INTERVIEWS TO, UM, FILL THE PROGRAM MANAGER POSITION AT SOUTH AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER.
WE WHEN RECEIVED A GOOD POOL OF CANDIDATES, UH, OR WE'LL HAVE MORE TO HOPEFULLY LET YOU KNOW NEXT MONTH, I'M INVITING MY, I RETIRED AFTER 22 YEARS WITH THE CITY.
AND NUMBER TWO, I'M EXCITED THAT CINDY JASSO IS THE NEW COMMISSIONER FOR DOVE SPRINGS.
SO WELCOME, UH, COMMISSIONER CASTLE COMMISSION, UH, COMMISSIONER HOUSE.
SO VERY KINDLY, UH, UH, GUIDED ME ON NAME PRONUNCIATION EARLIER, UH, HOSTILE ACID.
I SHOULD KNOW THAT, UH, EXCUSE ME, COMMISSIONER HAS, UH, UM, BUT YEAH, WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE HER, UM, REPRESENTING THEM SPRINGS.
UH, NUMBER THREE IS KIND OF A STANDARD WE'RE STILL DOING, UH, ALL OUR SERVICES, UH, CURBSIDE BY APPOINTMENT AND DRIVE UP, UM, BEING IN PHASE TWO IS GOING TO ALLOW US NOT TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS TO SLOWLY TRANSITION BACK TO SOME, SOME MORE IN-PERSON SERVICES.
UH, WE'RE STILL DOING OUR FRESHMEN FOR FAMILIES DISTRIBUTIONS.
UH, WE'VE STOOD UP OUR TAX HELP SERVICES AND WROTE GOSA AND MONTOPOLIS, UH, THROUGH FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES IN ARP.
UH, WE WILL BE ABLE TO OFFER THAT AT FOR YEARS.
AND NOW WE, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO GET MISSION INTO MONTOPOLIS.
A HOME DELIVERY PROGRAM CONTINUES TO GO STRONG IN JANUARY.
WE HAD 906 HOUSEHOLDS, 2,700 INDIVIDUALS HAD FOOD BOXES DELIVERED TO THEIR DOORSTEP, CONTINUE TO GROW THAT PROGRAM.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, LAST MONTH, UH, AMAZON APPROVED ADDING ONE DAYS.
SO THOSE, THOSE, UH, DELIVERY SLOTS ARE FILLING UP FAST FOR MONDAYS AS WELL.
UH, NUMBER SEVEN, COA FINANCIAL STABILITY FUNDING.
UM, WE STILL SEE A VERY HIGH DEMAND FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
UM, SO WE'RE HOPING, I'M HOPING THAT, UH, THIS COMMISSION WILL GIVE VOICE TO THAT IN MORE GENERAL TERMS TO CITY COUNCIL AND TO THE CITY, THEN NOT JUST THE MEMBER SERVICES, BUT OTHER AGENCIES THAT PROVIDE RENTAL ASSISTANCE ARE IN DIRE NEED OF FUNDING IN THAT.
UH, AND NUMBER EIGHT OR PLUS ONE PROGRAM CONTINUES TO GO STRONG, KEEP HELPING PEOPLE KEEP THE LIGHTS ON.
AND WE WERE ALMOST FULLY EXPENDED OUR SECOND QUARTER FUNDS FOR THAT PROGRAM AS WELL.
SO A LOT OF THE MAN BEAR TEAM, LIKE I SAID, WHEN I STARTED, IT WAS GOING TO BE PRETTY SHORT AND SWEET, UH, THIS MONTH, UH, THE MAIN ITEM WAS JUST, UH, THE ASK OF HAVING, UH, YOU ALL DISCUSS AND, UH, ADVOCATE FOR A MORE MENTAL ASSISTANCE FUNDING.
AND I THINK THAT AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR LATER OR WORK GROUP.
THAT'S THE END OF MY THANK YOU.
AND, UH, UH, SO I HEARD YOU SUGGEST, UH, THE HIGH DEMAND AND STRONG NEED FOR THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT YOU, THE ONE THAT APH HAS ADMINISTRATING THROUGH NSU NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES UNIT, UH, AND IT SOUNDED LIKE YOU WERE SAYING THAT, UH, ADDITIONAL FUNDS WOULD BE LIKELY USED AND EXPENDED, AND THAT THERE'S A NEED FOR THAT, IS THAT WHAT WE HEARD? OKAY.
AND IN ADDITION, IT SOUNDED LIKE THE HOME DELIVERY, THE FOOD HOME DELIVERY PROGRAM, UH, IS CONTINUING TO FLOURISH AND THE NEW, THE ADDITIONAL DAY IS NOW FILLING UP THE MONDAY.
UH, DOES IT SOUND LIKE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED, COULD DEMAND, UH, IF DEMAND DOUBLED AND DOLLARS OR MAGIC WAND THERE, WOULD THAT, WOULD THAT DEMAND BE, UH, UH, ENOUGH THAT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? YEAH.
WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK AND AMAZON.
[00:50:01]
CONTINUED TO BE THERE, WE WOULD START DISCUSSING ADDING FRIDAYS.WHY NOW WE HAVE MONDAY TO THURSDAYS AND AMAZON IS OPEN TO MORE SLOTS.
IT'S JUST DEPENDING ON THEIR CAPACITY AND THEIR BUDGET AS WELL.
SO YEAH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT PROGRAM.
THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR YOUR CONTINUED HARD WORK AND GREAT LUCK WITH CONTINUED RECRUITMENT.
UH, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS? THOUGHTS? GREAT.
AND, UH, I KNOW THAT WE OWE YOU SOME CERTIFICATES ON, UH, PIA.
UH, I FORGET WHICH TRAINING IT WAS, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL BE GETTING BACK TO YOU AND PLEASE CONTINUE TO HOUND US.
I'M SORRY THAT WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN INTO YET.
I THINK MR. SLOAN HAD HER HAND UP, DID YOU, I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER SLOAN.
AND IF I, AND IF I'M NOT SEEING YOU, I HOPE YOU JUST INTERRUPT BECAUSE THERE'S A VERY TINY BOX IN THAT, AND I'M NOT, I'M NOT ABLE TO NECESSARILY SEE IF IT'S A HAND RAISED OR NOT.
SO JUST FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN AND JUST LIKE THIS, UM, ON HELL I WONDER, UH, AS I WAS WALKING AROUND NEAR MY NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER THIS WEEK, I WAS THINKING OF YOU AND THE INCREDIBLE INCREASE IN WORKLOADS IN PARTICULAR AREAS THAT YOUR TEAM HAS TAKEN ON OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
AND I AM DELIGHTED TO HEAR THAT GIVEN STAGE TWO, UM, THAT SOME PROGRAMS WILL BE RETURNING OR RAMPING BACK UP.
AND I WOULD JUST REALLY, UM, APPRECIATE CONTINUING TO HEAR HOW YOUR DEPARTMENT IS ABLE TO MAINTAIN AND PRIORITIZE.
UM, AND IF THERE'S ANY ADVOCACY WE CAN DO FOR YOU IN THAT, I THINK ABOUT THINGS LIKE CASE MANAGEMENT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE GETTING BACK INTO IN A BIGGER WAY, BUT ALSO ABOUT THE EMPLOYEES IN YOUR, IN YOUR, UM, LOCATIONS WHO ARE ALSO, YOU KNOW, SENDING PEOPLE TO HOUSING RESOURCES AND DOING FOOD DISTRIBUTION AND THESE THINGS THAT THEY HAVEN'T ALWAYS DONE ON TOP OF, OF THEIR REGULAR DUTIES.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE'S WORK SITUATIONS RIGHT NOW.
AND SO I WOULD JUST, UH, LOVE TO CONTINUE TO HEAR THOSE SPECIFIC UPDATES OF, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE WHAT WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON, AND THIS IS HOW THE BALANCE IS KIND OF GOING.
UM, BUT ALSO IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT YOUR TEAM AND MAKE SURE THAT, UM, AS THINGS WERE, BRING THEM BACK UP, IT DOESN'T BECOME AN OVERWHELMING TASK WITH ALL THESE ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH COMMISSIONER SLOAN FOR YOUR CONCERN AND YOUR, UH, REQUEST.
I WILL DEFINITELY KEEP THAT IN MIND.
UH, WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN PRETTY LUCKY IN THE LAST TWO YEARS IN THE SENSE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PIVOT AND DO SOMETHING VERY CREATIVELY.
SO WE'RE CURIOUS ABOUT HOW THAT WILL LOOK ONCE WE OPENED BACK UP AND WE ARE TALKING TO A LOT OF OUR CLIENTS AND A LOT OF THEM REALLY PREFER THE VIRTUAL AND THE, UM, THE, UH, DRIVE UP AND CURBSIDE, UH, WIC IS HAVING THE SAME FEEDBACK FROM THEIR CLIENTS, WHICH MAKES IT CHALLENGING BECAUSE A LOT OF THE WORK HAS TO DO WITH EDUCATING YOUNG MOMS AND REMINDERS IN GENERAL IN CLINIC SETTING.
BUT FOR US, WE WILL DEFINITELY, UH, KEEP YOU GUYS ALL POSTED AND REPORT OUT ON HOW THINGS WOULD GO IN AS WE MOVE BACK INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS AND PROVIDE MORE IN PERSON SAFELY.
BUT THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.
AND THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER SLOAN ANGEL.
I KNOW THAT THE TRAVIS COUNTY, UM, THE COMMUNITY BLOCK GRANT WILL BE, UM, COMING UP FOR, THEY'RE HAVING SOME KIND OF A PUBLIC HEARING COMING ON ON MARCH 22ND.
AND MY QUESTION IS, ARE WE IMPACTED AT ALL WITH OUR COMMUNITY BLOCK GRANT BY SERVICING, UH, INDIVIDUALS AND WEBER ADVIL, UH, LOG OF VISTA LAKEWAY, UM, OR LAKE, UH, WESTLAKE HILLS BKS, THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF TRAVIS COUNTY, WILL WE, IF THEY GET THEIRS GOING, WILL THAT RELIEVE SOME OF OUR NEEDS AND FUNDING OR, OR ARE THOSE TWO VERY SEPARATE? I THINK YOU'RE, UH, I THINK YOU MAY BE TALKING ABOUT THE CDBG GRANT.
AND WHICH IS VERY SEPARATE FROM OURS.
SO I THINK IT DOESN'T REALLY AFFECT HOW WE PROVIDE OUR SERVICES.
SO WE WERE REFERENCING THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, AS OPPOSED TO THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT.
IS THAT RIGHT? THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, EITHER WAY.
IT'S GOOD TO BE AWARE OF WHAT YOU'RE REFERENCING.
UM, AND, UH, SO I GUESS WE'RE NOT REQUESTING ANY ACTION AND, UH, I APPRECIATE, UH, COMMISSIONER SLOW AND ASKING, UH,
[00:55:01]
YOU ON HILL, HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR STAFF.UH, AND SO I HOPE YOU'LL CONTINUE TO BRING BACK RECOMMENDATIONS.
ONE THAT I HEARD LOUDLY AND CLEARLY WAS THAT THE, IF ANYTHING WAS A WAY TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY AND SOME OF THE GOOD WORK, UH, THAT YOU ALL ARE ABLE TO DO THAT YOU FEEL IS MOST EFFECTIVE, UH, FUNDING FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UH, IN AS MUCH AS HOW Y'ALL ARE ADMINISTRATING IT.
UM, SO THANKS SO MUCH AND, UH, WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM.
WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU NEXT MONTH.
[3A. Presentation on Climate Equity Plan (Zach Baumer, Office of Sustainability)]
ITEMS, UH, THREE NEW BUSINESS, UH, A, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PRESENTATION ON THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, UH, WITH ZACH BOMBER AT THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY.ZACH, PLEASE FORGIVE ME IF I'VE SAID YOUR NAME INCORRECTLY.
AND I ASKED FOR KIND OF CORRECTION IF NECESSARY.
I'M ZACH BOMBER CLIMATE PROGRAM MANAGER WITH THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON TODAY.
I'M GOING TO GIVE A, JUST A BRIEF UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.
UM, I'VE PRESENTED ON, ON THIS PLAN AND THE PLAN PROCESS A COUPLE OF TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST, UH, THE LAST TWO YEARS.
SO THIS WILL JUST BE KIND OF A UPDATE OF WHERE JUST A REMINDER OF WHAT'S IN THE PLAN AND THEN, UH, AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE'RE GOING.
SO, UH, THE PLANE IS CALLED THE AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN BECAUSE IT IS A PLAN TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE AND ALSO, UH, CENTERING RACIAL EQUITY IN THE CREATION AND THE SOLUTIONS AND, UH, THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PLAN.
SO A LOT OF WORK WAS PUT INTO THE PROCESS TO CENTER EQUITY IN THIS PLAN.
UM, AND IT, UM, HAS, IS WE'VE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE, UH, CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN FUN.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE, UM, THERE ARE KIND OF TWO, TWO CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE.
ONE IS ABOUT, UH, RESILIENCE AND ADAPTATION AS THE CLIMATE CHANGES, WHICH I BELIEVE YOU HEARD FROM, UH, ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES LAST MONTH, THIS PLAN ADDRESSES THE FATHER OF CLIMATE CHANGE, WHICH IS THE BURNING OF FOSSIL FUELS THAT CREATE ADDITIONAL GREENHOUSE GASES IN THE ATMOSPHERE, THE TRAP, MORE HEAT ON OUR PLANET.
UM, SO THE BURNING OF FOSSIL FUELS AND THE REDUCTION OF THE BURNING OF FOSSIL FUELS IS KIND OF THE FOCUS OF HOW DO WE ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE, UH, AND TRY TO, UH, STOP IT FROM HAPPENING.
SO THE, THIS IS THE OVERVIEW OF THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OVER COMMUNITY MAIN THINGS TO TAKE AWAY AND REMEMBER WITH THIS IS THAT TRANSPORTATION AND THE USE OF FOSSIL FUELS AND VEHICLES, CARS, AND TRUCKS IS THE LARGEST SOURCE OF EMISSIONS.
SECOND LARGEST SOURCE OF EMISSIONS IS ELECTRICITY AND, UH, THE, THE SOURCES OF ELECTRICITY.
AND THEN THE THIRD LARGEST SECTOR OF EMISSIONS IS NATURAL GAS AND NATURAL GAS AND ELECTRICITY SORT OF GO HAND IN HAND WITH EMISSIONS ASSOCIATED WITH BUILDINGS.
SO, UH, IN 2019, THE, THE EMISSIONS FROM OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY, ALL ACTIVITIES, ALL OF OUR HOMES, ALL OF OUR BUSINESSES, EVERYTHING IN THE CITY WAS ABOUT 12 MILLION METRIC TONS IN THAT YEAR.
UH, YOU TAKE THAT PIE CHART AND YOU TURN IT INTO A STACKED BAR GRAPH AND LOOK AT THE PAST 10 YEARS, THIS IS THE TREND OF THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST 10 YEARS.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS THE DIRECT EMISSIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE BOUNDARY OF OUR CITY.
SO EMISSIONS HAVE BEEN GOING DOWN TO THE LAST 10 YEARS, BUT WE HAVE VERY AGGRESSIVE GOALS FOR COMMUNITY-WIDE EMISSIONS, UH, SET FOR OUR FUTURE IN FRONT OF US.
SO BACK IN 2014, THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL ADAPT THE TOP TO THE TARGET OF NET ZERO COMMUNITY-WIDE EMISSIONS BY 2050.
AND WITH THE ADOPTION OF THE NEW CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, WE HAVE A NEW GOAL OF NET ZERO COMMUNITY-WIDE EMISSIONS BY 2040.
SO THAT ESSENTIALLY MOVES UP THE DUE DATE BY 10 YEARS AND MAKES OUR, UH, REDUCTION PATHWAY MUCH STEEPER.
UM, SO THIS IS AN ENVISIONING, AN ENVISIONING A, AN AUSTIN IN 18 YEARS NOW, UH, USING CLOSE TO ZERO FOSSIL FUELS FOR, UH, OUR WAY OF LIFE.
SO THIS IS A VERY BOLD AND AGGRESSIVE TARGET, BUT, UH, I THINK IT'S ACHIEVABLE.
I THINK ONCE YOU'VE CREATED THIS PLAN, THINK IT'S ACHIEVABLE.
UM, IT IS A THING THAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED AND WOULD CREATE, YOU KNOW, MASSIVE COMMUNITY-WIDE EVENT BENEFITS BEYOND JUST ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE.
UM, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF, CAN WE ALL TAKE THE ACTION AND BE COORDINATED ENOUGH AND DO THIS QUICKLY ENOUGH, UM, TO AVOID THE WORST OF CLIMATE CHANGE? EXCITING.
SO WHAT ENDED UP IN THE FINAL CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN WAS FOR CROSS CUTTING STRATEGIES, WHICH ARE THESE BIG PICTURE
[01:00:01]
THEMES, SEVEN 17, UH, QUANTITATIVE GOALS.THOSE GOALS ARE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH BY 2030 TO KEEP US ON TRACK.
AND THEN 74 QUANTITATIVE STRATEGIES, UM, UH, QUALITATIVE STRATEGIES.
UH, THESE ARE THINGS THAT CITY DEPARTMENTS WITH YOU, THE COMMUNITY WOULD DO.
WE WOULD ENGAGE IN AND TAKE AND TAKE ACTION UPON OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
AND WE IMAGINED THAT THIS PLAN WILL ALSO BE REVISED AND UPDATED AGAIN IN FIVE YEARS.
SO THE IS NOT MEANT TO BE COMPREHENSIVE OF ALL THINGS THAT WE WOULD DO FOR ALL TIME TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE.
IT'S REALLY FOCUSED ON THE HERE AND THE NOW, UM, THE WAY THAT EQUITY ENDS UP SHOWING UP REALLY IN THE PLAN IS IN THE STRATEGY.
SO IN THE DETAILS OF WHAT IS PROPOSED TO BE DONE, AND PARTICULARLY HOW IS IT PROPOSED TO BE DONE? SO, UM, THINGS LIKE PRIORITIZING INCENTIVES, FOCUSING ON THEM ON LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, FOCUSING ON GREEN JOBS AND NEW JOBS, UM, HEALTH BENEFITS FOCUSED ON THE EASTERN CRESCENT AND REALLY CENTERING COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN THE SOLUTIONS AND IN THE SORT OF CITY'S ONGOING LEARNING PROCESS ON HOW TO ACCELERATE ACTION.
AND SO, SO THE FOUR CROSS CUTTING STRATEGIES THAT OVER, UH, ARTS IS FULL PLAN OR GREEN JOBS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP PRIORITIZING LOCAL COMMUNITY INITIATIVES, REGIONAL COLLABORATION BEYOND JUST OUR CITY BOUNDARIES AND THEN LOCAL CARBON REDUCTION PROJECTS, CARBON OFFSETS.
AND CARDAX RECOGNIZING THAT WE NEED TO GO BEYOND JUST REDUCING EMISSIONS AND ACTUALLY BE PULLING CARBON OUT OF THE ATMOSPHERE IN LONGER-TERM EXCELLENT.
SO JUST AT A REALLY HIGH LEVEL, JUST TO GET YOU INTO THE BALLPARK OF WHAT'S IN THIS PLAN, UM, THE, THERE IS A SHORT VERSION OF THE PLAN.
THAT'S ABOUT 10 PAGES THAT'S SUPER ACCESSIBLE.
AND THEN THE FULL PLAN IS LIKE OVER A HUNDRED PAGES.
SO THERE IS A LOT, A LOT OF DETAIL IN ALL THIS.
UM, BUT JUST TO GET YOU INTO THE GENERAL NEIGHBORHOOD OF WHAT, WHAT ARE THE FIVE AREAS THAT WE FOCUSED ON IN THE PLAN? FIRST ONE IS TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE.
AND THESE FIRST TWO SECTIONS FOCUSED ON TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE IT IS THE LARGEST SECTOR OF EMISSIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO ONE OF THE THREE GOALS FOR TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE AND STRAIGHT AND GET TO 50% OF ALL TRIPS IN AUSTIN BE MADE USING TRANSIT, WALKING, CARPOOLING OR INVITING OR AVOIDING TRIPS, UH, BY WORKING FROM HOME, BASICALLY TRYING TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF SINGLE OCCUPANCY TRIPS, UH, IN CARS AND PARTICULARLY IN GASOLINE POWERED CARS.
THE NEXT SCHOOL IS AROUND TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION.
WE REALIZED THAT, UM, EVERY PERSON ISN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO WALK FOR ALL THEIR TRIPS, ISN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO BIKE FOR ALL THEIR TRIPS.
ISN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO USE TRANSIT FOR ALL THEIR TRIPS WILL STILL EXIST IN 2030 AND, AND IN 2040 LIKELY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO WE'RE AIMING TO TRY TO SUPPORT ELECTRIFICATION.
UM, SO USING RENEWABLE ENERGY TO POWER ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
UM, SO ONE OF THE THREE GOALS IN THAT SECTOR IS TO GET THE 40% OF TOTAL VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED, BE ELECTRIFIED, AND THE OWNERSHIP BE, UH, CULTURALLY, GEOGRAPHICALLY, NECKLINE, AND ECONOMICALLY DIVERSE ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, SO EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO THE BENEFITS OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
NEXT TIME, SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS IS THE NEXT MAJOR SECTION.
UM, ONE OF THE FOUR GOALS IN THAT SECTION IS THAT BY 2030, ALL NEW BUILDINGS ARE NET ZERO CARBON EMISSIONS FROM EXISTING BUILDINGS ARE REDUCED BY 25% AND NATURAL GAS RELATED EMISSIONS IN BUILDINGS ARE REDUCED BY 30%.
SO THERE'S A BIG FOCUS IN THIS SECTION ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND, UM, ENSURING BENEFITS OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY, UM, FLOW TO THOSE THAT THAT COULD REAP THE SAVINGS AND, AND BENEFIT FROM THE SAVINGS OF THE MOST.
AND THEN THE FINAL TWO SECTIONS ARE BRAND NEW SECTIONS FOR THIS SORT OF A PLAN IN, UH, IN AUSTIN.
UM, THE FIRST ONE IS FOOD AND PRODUCT CONSUMPTION.
AND THIS IS REALLY FOCUSED ON THE IDEA THAT, UM, MUCH OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALL PURCHASE ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS, WHETHER IT'S AT AGBT OR WHETHER IT'S ON AMAZON OR WHEREVER THOSE THINGS ARE NOT BEING CREATED.
MOST OF THOSE THINGS WERE NOT BEING CREATED, BEING CREATED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, ALL OVER THE WORLD AND SHIPPED HERE.
AND SO THERE ARE EMISSIONS ASSOCIATED WITH ALL THOSE THINGS.
SO ONE OF THE THREE GOALS IS THAT, UM, IN FOOD AND PRODUCT CONSUMPTION IS THAT GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM INSTITUTIONAL COMMERCIAL AND GOVERNMENT PURCHASING IS REDUCED BY 50% IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
THEN THE FINAL SECTION IS NATURAL SYSTEMS. UH, TH THE IDEA HERE IS THAT WE ARE BURNING FOSSIL FUELS THAT ARE GO UP IN INDIA, GOING UP INTO THE ATMOSPHERE B UH, THE EARTH HAS ECOSYSTEMS AND SYSTEMS TO DEAL WITH CAIRO, CARBON DIOXIDE.
IT'S PART OF A CYCLE OF OUR PLANET, UM, AND THE NATURAL SYSTEMS ON OUR EARTH LIKE TREES AND PLANTS AND SOILS AND AGRICULTURE AND OCEANS AND WATER SYSTEMS, UM, CAN CAPTURE AND SEQUESTER CARBON OUT OF THE ATMOSPHERE.
SO, UM, WE ARE SURROUNDED BY BEAUTIFUL
[01:05:01]
NATURAL SPACES IN AUSTIN.TREES ARE A HUGE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AGRICULTURE IS A BIG PART OF OUR SORT OF SURROUNDING COMMUNITY.
SO THESE GOALS ARE FOCUSED ON HOW DO WE SEQUESTER MORE CARBON FROM THE ATMOSPHERE? SO ONE OF THE GOALS, ONE OF THE FOUR GOALS IS THAT, UH, CITY OWNED LANDS ARE IN OUR INCLUDED UNDER LAND MANAGEMENT PLANS THAT RESULT IN USUAL OR NEGATIVE CARBON EMISSIONS AND MAXIMUM COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
SO THAT'S JUST A SUPER HIGH LEVEL TOUR OF WHAT'S IN THE PLAN NEXT TIME.
SO ALL OF THE PLAN ALL CAME TOGETHER AFTER TWO YEARS OF WORK, UM, WE PRESENTED THE PLAN TO 25 BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, MANY OF THOSE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MULTIPLE TIMES, UM, AND SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2021.
SO ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, UM, THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED THE AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, AND THIS WAS RESOLUTION 99 ON SEPTEMBER 30TH.
THEY APPROVED ADOPTING THE PLAN, WHICH SET THE NEW TARGET.
AND, UM, ESSENTIALLY NOW CITY COUNCIL SUPPORTS ALL OF THE GOALS AND STRATEGIES HERE WITHIN THAT THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.
ALSO WHEN THEY ADOPTED THE PLAN, UH, RESOLUTION 99 WAS A REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION FROM STAFF, UM, RESOLUTION ONE 10 WAS AN ITEM FROM COUNSELING.
SO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, THEY SUPPORTED THE PLAN LIKE THE PLAN AND HAD THOUGHTS AND IDEAS ON WHAT DO WE DO NEXT? SO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, NUMEROUS COUNCIL MEMBERS JOINED TOGETHER AND PRACTICE THIS RESOLUTION ONE 10, WHICH IS SORT OF SETTING THE DIRECTION FOR WHERE WE GO NEXT WITH, UH, IMPLEMENTATION.
SO, UM, THIS IS THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES ARE JUST HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT WAS REQUESTED IN THAT RESOLUTION THAT WE'RE NOW WORKING ON.
SO THEY ASKED FOR CLEARLY DEFINED LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES AND QUARTERLY UPDATES, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS THAT DON'T REQUIRE A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO GET OFF THE GROUND.
UM, ASKS US TO LOOK INTO A MID-YEAR BUDGET AMENDMENT, WHICH WE ARE WORKING ON AT THIS MOMENT.
AND, UM, TO IDENTIFY VERY CLEARLY IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET CYCLE, WHAT IS WITHIN THE BUDGET THAT SUPPORTS IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN IN US, ACHIEVING OUR MATERIAL GOALS, NEXT SLIDE, UM, THEY SUPPORTED, UH, BUILDING ON EXISTING GREEN JOBS PROGRAMS, UH, REALLY FOCUSING ON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, UM, AND ECUADOR GREEN JOBS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
AND THEY ASKED US TO CREATE A PUBLIC FACING ACCESSIBLE DASHBOARD ON IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS, WHICH WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW, WHICH WOULD HELP GROUPS LIKE YOURS AND OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS HAVE MORE TRANSPARENCY INTO EXACTLY WHAT'S BEING IMPLEMENTED WITHIN THE PLAN.
AND THEN FINALLY, UM, WHAT ARE THE MAJOR THINGS WE DID, UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WISE WHEN WE CREATED THE PLAN WAS, UH, CRAFT A PROGRAM CALLED COMMUNITY CLIMATE AMBASSADORS.
SO THEY'VE ASKED US TO EVALUATE, EXTENDING THAT PER PROGRAM, AND WE ARE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW, CREATING A NEW VERSION OF THE CLIMATE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
SO NEXT STEPS AND WHERE WE GO FROM HERE.
UM, WE HAVE STARTED, UH, PUTTING TOGETHER THESE UPDATES AND COMMUNITY, COMMUNICATING TO COUNCIL, UM, IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN.
UH, SO THE LINK RIGHT THERE, AS YOU CAN SEE IS THE LINK TO THE FIRST, UH, MEMO UPDATE THAT WE SENT TO COUNCIL.
IT'S VERY EXTENSIVE IN TERMS OF LIKE, WHAT, WHAT IS BEING IMPLEMENTED NOW.
UM, WE ALSO CREATED A STORY MAP, WHICH IS A VERY ACCESSIBLE WAY FOR FOLKS TO LEARN ABOUT THE PLAN, UNDERSTAND WHAT'S IN THE PLAN, UNDERSTAND HOW THE PLAN WAS CRAFTED AND REALLY THE, THE SORT OF SPIRIT BEHIND THE PLAN.
SO, UM, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE REALLY BEEN WORKING ON IN TERMS OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS RELATED TO THIS PLAN IS IF YOU WANT ALL THE DETAILS, YOU CAN READ THE A HUNDRED PAGE PDF.
IF YOU ONLY HAVE A FEW MINUTES, WE HAVE A REALLY SHORT VERSION.
IF YOU ARE ON YOUR COMPUTER OR ON YOUR PHONE, AND YOU WANT TO, YOU KNOW, SEE PICTURES AND STORIES AND VIDEOS, AND SORT OF LIKE UNDERSTAND BETTER, UM, IN A NON KIND OF TECHNICAL WAY, YOU CAN ACCESS THE STORY MAP.
UM, AND THEN NEXT, UH, THE, THE MAIN COMMISSION THAT OVERSEES OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PLAN IS CALLED THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
UM, PHYSIO WHO'S ON YOUR COMMISSION, UM, PARTICIPATES IN THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
SO, UH, WE ARE HAVING MONTHLY MEETINGS AND THEY ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, INVITING DEPARTMENTS TO COME IN AND PRESENT ON THE PLAN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN AND ENGAGE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS.
AND YEAH, THE LAST ONE IS JUST THAT WE ARE IN ONGOING IMPLEMENTATION OF BUDGET DISCUSSIONS.
AND, UH, WE ANTICIPATE AS PART OF THE FYI 2,223 BUDGET, WE WILL HAVE A, YOU KNOW, A FAIRLY CLEARLY COMMUNICATED SUMMARY OF WHAT IS BEING IMPLEMENTED FROM THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
UM, SO IT'S VERY CLEAR FOR STAKEHOLDERS TO SEE, UM, HOW THE PLAN IS BEING SUPPORTED AND IN WHICH WAYS IT'S BEING SUPPORTED.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE LAST SLIDE.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
AND I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF FOLKS HAVE ANY,
[01:10:04]
THANKS SO MUCH, ZACH, UM, FANTASTIC PRESENTATION.THE FLOOR IS OPEN, UH, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.
DID YOU HAVE YOUR HAND RAISED, UH, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY THOUGHTS, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, FIDELITY? YES.
UM, JUST WANTED TO SAY THANKS TO ZACH FOR COMING TO PRESENT TO, TO THE COMMISSION.
AND, UM, AS THINGS PROGRESSED, I THINK THERE WOULD BE OPPORTUNITIES TO, UM, FOR FOLKS WHO, UM, REPRESENT DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE THE MESSAGE OUT TO THE COMMUNITIES AND GET THEM, UM, UM, INVOLVED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN.
SO I'LL BE BRINGING THAT BACK TO OUR COMMISSION AS THAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES.
AND I SEE YOU COMMISSIONER ILEUS.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AS WELL TOO.
DID I SAY THAT CORRECTLY? I WAS OFF.
UM, CAN YOU, WELL, MARK, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UM, COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CLIMATE AMBASSADORS PROGRAM AND HOW FOLKS, UH, I GUESS LIKE THEIR, UM, NEXT VERSION OF THE PROGRAM? YEAH, WE ARE, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF CRAFTING THAT RIGHT NOW.
SO, UH, THE FIRST, WHEN WE WERE CREATING THE PLAN, UH, CLIMATE AMBASSADORS PROGRAM WAS WE RECRUITED COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, I THINK 12 COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND WE PAID THEM FOR THEIR TIME AND THEY TALK TO THEIR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS IN THE COMMUNITY AND COMMUNICATED BACK TO THE CITY ONCE AND NEEDS AND DESIRES RELATED TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE, WHAT THEY WANTED TO SEE IN THE CLIMATE PLAN.
UM, SO ALL THAT INFORMATION WAS INCLUDED IN, IN THE PLAN AND THEIR STORIES WERE INCLUDED IN THE PLAN AND IT REALLY HELPED INFORM LIKE WHAT THE PLAN FOCUSED ON.
UM, NOW WE ARE, SO WE'VE HIRED A STAFF MEMBER TO HELP US, UM, CRAFT WHAT'S GOING TO BE IN THE NEXT VERSION.
AND IT'S INTERESTING IN IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN.
IT'S NOT AS MUCH ABOUT NECESSARILY LIKE WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS A COMMUNITY PRIORITY OR WHAT DOES THE COMMUNITY WANT TO BE IN THE PLAN? IT'S MORE, WE'RE THINKING IT'S GOING TO BE MORE POTENTIALLY EITHER FOCUSED ON GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT TO THE, OUT TO COMMUNITIES AND ENGAGED WITH COMMUNITIES ON HOW DO THEY SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION AND HOW CAN THEY TAKE ACTION.
UM, BUT, BUT WE'RE NOT ENTIRELY SURE YET.
SO, UM, I, I JUST SAY IT'S IN PROCESS.
ONCE WE HAVE A DRAFT IN A, UH, AN ACTUAL, LIKE HOW WE'RE PLANNING ON EXACTLY DOING THIS, WE'LL BE SHARING THAT WITH THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE AND OUR OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT OVERSEE OUR WORK AND, UM, AND MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS ARE BOUGHT INTO OUR IDEA, A NEW CONCEPT.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, THE IDEA OF HAVING, UM, I, I THINK THE IDEA OF PAYING COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WOULDN'T NECESSARILY PARTICIPATE IN A CITY PROCESS LIKE THIS, BUT DEEPLY CARE ABOUT AN ISSUE AND REALLY WANT TO HELP AND SUPPORT IT, I THINK WILL SORT OF BE AT THE CORE OF WHATEVER WE COME UP.
AND I LOOK FORWARD, UM, TO GIVE HIM THE FEEDBACK FROM THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE AROUND THE PROGRAM ONCE IT'S BEEN DESIGNED.
THANKS, COMMISSIONER GARRETT, COMMISSIONER LES.
I HAD A VERY SIMILAR QUESTION TO COMMISSIONER GARRETT.
UM, HOW ARE YOU WORKING TO GET THOSE, UH, AMBASSADORS IN COMMUNITIES LIKE, LIKE MY COMMUNITY OF MONTOPOLIS, YOU KNOW, WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, SPANISH SPEAKERS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE TECHNOLOGY, PEOPLE THAT, UH, UH, UH, HAVE THAT EDUCATION ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE CLIMATE PLAN IS, WHAT THE CLIMATE, YOU KNOW, WHAT THINGS CAN BE DONE.
I, SO MUCH OF THE WORK IN THE PLAN, WE WE'VE TRANSLATED INTO SPANISH, BUT I REALIZED THAT THAT DOESN'T, THAT DOES NOT GET IT DONE.
UM, SO I WILL MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, IN OUR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN AND ABOUT, UM, ABOUT CLIMATE AMBASSADORS, THAT SPECIFICALLY THAT ISSUE OF NON-ENGLISH SPEAKERS AND, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, I CAN, I THINK I CAN SAY EITHER WAY THAT A FOCUS ON LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR WILL BE A FOCUS OF THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
SO, UM, YEAH, I WILL, I'LL TAKE THOSE THINGS BACK TO OUR, OUR STAFF.
THAT'S SPOKEN ON THE, UH, WORKING ON THE NEW DESIGN OF THE PROGRAM AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE PART OF THE DISCUSSION.
UH, HEY, DO YOU HAVE ANY FOLLOW-UP
[01:15:01]
YOU'RE GOOD.DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'VE GOT A QUICK ONE.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE PUBLIC FACING DASHBOARD.
DO YOU HAVE A DUE DATE TO LAUNCH THAT DONE THIS SPRING BEFORE? UM, BEFORE WE GET INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING, YOU KNOW, WE, WE COULD HAVE JUST, WE ARE TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW WITH IMPLEMENTATION.
WE'RE TRYING TO SORT OF BE VERY DELIBERATE BECAUSE WHEN WE, THIS IS VERSION TWO, RIGHT? WE, IN 2014 AND 15, WE DID OUR FIRST RUN OF A FIVE-YEAR CLIMATE PLAN.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE LEARNED SOME THINGS ABOUT THINGS THAT WORK AND THINGS THAT DON'T WORK, AND WE ARE TRYING TO BE VERY DELIBERATE TO NOT SORT OF REPEAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, MAYBE DIDN'T GO SO WELL LAST TIME AND TRYING TO IMPROVE ON THINGS.
SO LAST TIME WE WERE REALLY FOCUSED ON LIKE, JUST GETTING, UM, GETTING SUMMARIES OF ACTION OUT THERE AND GETTING THEM IN, YOU KNOW, GETTING IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC OR COMMISSIONS.
WE'RE TRYING TO BE MORE DELIBERATE ON THE QUESTIONS WE ASK AND THE FORMAT WE PRESENT THINGS IN TO TRY AND MAKE IT MORE IMPACTFUL AND TRY TO DRIVE MORE ACCOUNTABILITY.
SO, UM, HOPEFULLY I WOULD SAY BY MAY WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S ACTUALLY OUT AND ONCE IT'S OUT IN DON, WE WILL, WE'LL MAKE SURE IT'S SHARED AROUND WITH BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
SO, UM, CAUSE YOU'RE ONE OF THE PRIMARY AUDIENCE AUDIENCES FOR IT.
I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT SO WE CAN SHARE IT, THAT INFORMATION IN JUST ONE PLACE WITH OUR COMMUNITIES.
SO THAT WILL, WILL BE REALLY HELPFUL.
I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT THE, UH, SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS.
I KNOW THE GOAL IS FOR 2030, BUT, UM, ARE YOU WORKING ON WITH SOME COMPANY SO FAR? IS YOUR GOAL FOR ONLY NEW HOMES OR IS YOUR GOAL TO HELP CERTAIN AREAS OR ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT HELP THE LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES HERE? YEAH, THE, THERE WAS A SPECIFIC FOCUS ON LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND, UM, YOU KNOW, PART OF THAT, THE GOAL IS ON EXISTING BUILDINGS.
SO, UM, IF YOU LOOK, UM, IF YOU LOOK INTO THE PLAN AND LOOK INTO THAT SECTION, YOU WILL SEE NUMEROUS ITEMS FOCUSED ON EXISTING BUILDINGS AND ON, UH, TRYING TO INCREASE ENERGY EFFICIENCY FOR COMMUNITIES THAT CAN BENEFIT FROM THE POST.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GARCIA.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, TARA? CAN I ASK A QUICK QUESTION? UM, HI, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
MY INTEND TO READ THE LONG PERSON.
UM, BUT I DO HAVE JUST LIKE A REALLY QUICK QUESTION THINKING IN TERMS OF, UM, SORT OF THE GREEN JOBS AND THEN REGIONAL COLLABORATION STRATEGIES.
AND I'LL LOOK FOR THIS LATER IN DETAIL, BUT I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO GET A QUICK, UM, FEEDBACK OF ARE Y'ALL WORKING WITH AISD, ESPECIALLY ON, UH, RETROFITTING BUILDINGS AND GREEN BUILDING.
AND THEN, UM, ARE YOU ALL WORKING WITH LOCAL UNIONS AS WELL? SO I WOULD, SO WITH THE GREEN JOBS OVERARCHING GOAL, UM, THERE IS NOT, I THINK THAT IMMEDIATE CONNECTION WITH AISB, UM, THERE, THE, THE VERY NEAR TERM FOCUS, THE INITIAL CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING HAVE BEEN ABOUT THE AUSTIN CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS, WHICH IS LIKE A GREEN JOBS TRAINING PROGRAM, UM, THAT WAS STOOD UP DURING THE PANDEMIC THAT IT'S CONTINUING TO GROW.
SO THAT'S THE, UM, THAT'S THE NEAR-TERM FOCUS? I WAS ACTUALLY, I'M SORRY.
I SORT OF MUDDLED MY QUESTION.
THE WAY I ANSWERED AND I ACTUALLY REALLY LOVE THAT PROGRAM.
UM, MY QUESTION REGARDING AISD WAS SPECIFICALLY ON, UM, WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE BUDGETING PROCESS THEY KNOW IS NOT YOUR PROCESS, BUT MAYBE IS A REGIONAL COLLABORATION FOR RETROFITTING BUILDINGS.
IS THAT SOMETHING Y'ALL LOOKED INTO? UM, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I HAVE, LIKE A RECENT MENTAL NOTE.
UM, I'M COLLABORATING WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ON RESILIENCE HUBS, BUT I HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, UH, UPBRINGING.
I JUST THINK ABOUT HOW DERELICTS SIMILAR SCHOOLS ARE AND, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTING THIS, THIS PLAN ANYWAY, WHY NOT START WITH PLACES THAT NEED AND DESERVE THEM.
[01:20:01]
I'LL FOLLOW UP.DO YOU, CAN YOU, UH, OR JESSE DEAL SEE A BETTER AVENUE OR ANY, UH, PARTICULAR, DO YOU HAVE ANY GUIDANCE ON HOW WE, UH, COMMISSIONERS LOAN MIGHT BEST FOLLOW UP? I KNOW THAT SHE'LL REACH DIRECTLY OUT TO ZACH, BUT ZACH, ANY THOUGHTS AS FAR AS OPERATIONALIZING, EVEN JUST A SUGGESTION WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THAT, THAT, THAT SUGGESTION THAT, THAT, UH, HEIDI FUND WAS DISCUSSING ABOUT RETROFITTING SCHOOL BUILDINGS OR, YOU KNOW, JUST SEEING A LATE AN OPPORTUNITY AND HOW THAT MIGHT BE FOLDED INTO, YOU KNOW, THE, YOU HAD THE PLANS THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE UNDERWAY.
WELL, I MEAN, I GUESS I CAN, I CAN REACH OUT LIKE SPECIFICALLY THROUGH AUSTIN ENERGY TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OR, I MEAN, I'M, YOU KNOW, I INTERFACE WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, SO I CAN ASK HIM WHAT THE CURRENT STATUS OF THINGS ARE AND IF THEY THINK THEY COULD DO MORE, UM, YEAH.
UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, OR IF WE NEED AS A, AS A BODY TO LIKE SUBMIT SOME SORT OF RECOMMENDATION TO BRING MORE LIGHT TO SOME THINGS SO THAT, UH, IF SOMETHING COULD BE EXPLORED AND THEN POSSIBLY HAVE, YOU KNOW, A FUNDING SOURCE ATTACHED TO IT OR INITIATIVE ATTACHED TO IT OR ANY KIND OF IMPETUS ATTACHED TO IT.
SO IF YOU HAD ANY GUIDANCE ON HOW TO POSSIBLY OPERATIONALIZE THAT TO WHERE IT MAY GROW INTO AN ACTUAL INITIATIVE, UM, BE GREAT.
IT SOUNDS LIKE, UH, YOU'RE GOING TO REACH OUT AND THEN COMMISSIONER, SOMEONE'S GONNA REACH OUT TO YOU.
UM, I'D LIKE TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT, UH, AGENDA ITEM BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO BE LOSING, UH, UH, UH, AT LEAST COMMISSIONER GARRETT AND COMMISSIONER DELGADO DID HAVE TO LEAVE EARLY AS WELL.
UH, I WAS A FANTASTIC, UH, DISTILLED PRESENTATION THAT WAS STILL QUITE DENSE AND, UH, MOVING TO THE NEXT AGENDA
[3B. Discussion and possible action on two CDC appointments to the Housing Investment Review Committee (HIRC) (Chair Motwani and James May, Housing and Planning Department)]
ITEM.UM, DISCUSSION POSSIBLE ACTION ON TO CDC APPOINTMENTS, UH, TO THE HOUSING INVESTMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE, THE HERC, UH, ALSO KNOWN AS, AND, UH, WE HAVE JAMIE MAY WITH HOUSING AND PLANNING LOVE FOR YOU TO KICK IT OFF JAMIE AND, AND I'LL FOLLOW YOUR LEAD.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME HERE TONIGHT, UH, GOING TO GET INTO THE CHAIR AND EATING A COMMISSIONERS.
UM, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, WE BROUGHT TO YOU OUR PROPOSAL FOR RECONSTITUTING OR RE UH, POPULATING THE HOUSING INVESTMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE.
UH, AT THAT TIME WE DISCUSSED, UH, AN APPLICATION, UH, THAT WAS AVAILABLE ONLINE AND THE OVERALL PROCESS OR THE OVERALL BODY COMPOSITION OF THAT, UH, OF THE COMMITTEE, UH, THE HOUSING INVESTMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE PER ORDINANCE, THE CHARGE IS TO REVIEW STAFF'S WORK.
UH, OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, THE HAVING INVESTMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE HAS BEEN, UH, AN INTEGRAL IN ENSURING THAT OUR INVESTMENTS NOT ONLY SOUND BUT ALSO TIMELY, UH, THE ROLE OF THE HERC, THE HRC IS AGAIN TO REVIEW STAFF'S WORK TO ASK QUESTIONS TO, UH, INTERROGATE, UH, DEVELOPERS AS A BASIC FINANCING, AND TO ASK THE QUESTIONS THAT STAFF MAY NOT HAVE THOUGHT OF.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE OUR FINANCIAL ANALYSTS WHO REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS, UM, FROM A FINANCIAL VIEWPOINT.
WE ALSO HAVE STAFF MEMBERS WHO REVIEW ALL OF THE APPLICATIONS, UH, FROM THEIR OWN, UH, SPECIFIC PROFESSIONAL LENS, SUCH AS I COULD USE THE, UH, UM, CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS OR PROPOSALS, UM, AND OUR FINANCE TEAM REVIEWS, UH, UH, SOME OF THE FINANCE INFORMATION, UH, BUT WE KNOW THAT THERE'S ALSO SOME BLIND SPOTS THAT WE HAVE, AND THAT'S WHERE THE HERC, THE HOUSING INVESTMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE, UH, SERVES A GREAT ROLE IS HELPING TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE BLIND SPOTS.
AS WE MAKE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE EXECUTIVE TEAM FOR THE EXECUTIVE TEAM TO THEN MAKE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WHICH IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE CITY COUNCIL, UM, AS PART OF THE, AS PART OF THE ORDINANCE THAT CREATED THAT, UH, THAT BODY, IT STIPULATES THAT THREE INDIVIDUALS WILL BE APPOINTED BY THE CITY MANAGER, WHICH HAS BEEN DEVOLVED DOWN TO THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSING PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
AND TWO INDIVIDUALS, UH, SHOULD SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
UH, THERE ARE SOME STIPULATIONS AS TO WHO, UH, CAN BE APPOINTED OR WHAT TYPE OF EXPERTISE THE, UH, HOUSING PLANNING DIRECTOR SHALL APPOINT.
UM, OUR INTERPRETATION OF THE ORDINANCE IS THAT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION CAN APPOINT TWO INDIVIDUALS AT THEIR CHOOSING.
UM, WE WILL ALSO NOTE THAT WE DO WANT TO HAVE A FULL PER, UM, PERSPECTIVE OF THESE APPLICATIONS.
SO WE ARE LOOKING FOR INDIVIDUALS, UM, FROM, FROM THE HPD APPOINTMENT SIDE, UH, WE'RE LOOKING FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH EXPERIENCE WITH, UH, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND FINANCE.
[01:25:01]
UM, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE WANT TO FIND INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE LIVED EXPERIENCE WITH, UH, EITHER HOMELESSNESS OR LIVING IN, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.WE'RE LOOKING FOR, UH, SERVICE PROVIDERS, PROPERTY MANAGERS, UH, ANYONE WHO HAS TOUCHED OR WERE, MAY TOUCHED AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL OR PERSONAL LIVES.
UM, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE, UH, OUR GOAL TODAY IS TO, UH, AFFIRM, UH, WELL DETERMINE AND AFFIRM WHOM OUR TWO APPOINTMENTS ARE GOING TO BE AND TO SUMMARIZE, UM, HOUSING AND PLANNING, UH, EITHER THE DIRECTOR, UH, IS GOING TO APPOINT THREE FOLKS TO THE HOUSING INVESTMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE.
THOSE FOLKS, OF COURSE, THERE ARE STIPULATIONS AROUND, UH, SORT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OR EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS AS RELATED TO THE TASKS AT HAND, UH, OF THE HERC AND ON THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION SIDE, WE WILL APPOINT, UH, TWO FOLKS WHOM WE SEE BEST FIT, GENERALLY TRANSCENDENTAL OF WHAT THOSE, THOSE REQUIREMENTS ARE.
HOWEVER, THERE'S A HIGH PROBABILITY THAT, THAT INDIVIDUAL'S LIFE EXPERIENCE AND, OR, UH, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING EXPERIENCE WILL FALL INTO THAT RANGE SOMEWHERE.
UM, AND SO IF I CLEAR THAT OUR TASK AT HAND RIGHT NOW IS TO, UM, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO JUST AFFIRM THAT THE BACKUP MATERIALS HAVE THE LIST OF NAMES OF FOLKS WHO APPLIED, UH, TO, YOU KNOW, TO BE SORT OF AT LARGE OR SELECTED AT LARGE, UH, UM, BY THE, UH, UM, PRESUMABLY BY, UH, HOUSING AND PLANNING TO SERVE ON THE HERC.
AND I'M ASSUMING THAT WE'VE ALL REVIEWED THOSE APPLICATIONS.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR GIVING THAT TO US IN A REALLY CLEAR FORMAT, JAMIE, UH, AND WITH PLENTY OF TIME, BY THE WAY, I APPRECIATE THAT ALSO, WE DON'T NEED TO, THE COMMUNE DEVELOPING COMMISSION DOES NOT NECESSARILY NEED TO APPOINT SOMEBODY WHO HAS SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION THERE, ALTHOUGH THERE'S A BENEFIT TO DOING SO AS WELL.
YOU AND I MAY HAVE DISCUSSED THAT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE INDIVIDUAL HAS BEEN, UH, SOMEWHAT VETTED THROUGH AN OPEN APPLICATION PROCESS.
UM, I FEEL PRETTY COMFORTABLE WITH THE ASSUMPTION THAT IF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION IS APPOINTING FOLKS, THAT WE HAVE A GENERALLY STRONG IDEA OF WHO THEY ARE AND THEIR ROLES IN THE COMMITTEE AND THEIR TRACK RECORD IN THE SAME.
SO, UM, WOULD WE, ARE WE, DO YOU RECOMMEND THAT, UH, AS FAR AS THIS PROCESS IS CONCERNED, UH, JESSE, DO YOU KNOW, DO WE, UH, IS THIS A VOTING PROCESS WHERE WE TAKE A NOMINATION SECOND IN NAME AND, AND TAKE A NOMINATION SECOND AND VOTE, UH, OR GET A LIST OF POTENTIAL, UM, NOMINATIONS FIRST, UH, OR WHAT, WHAT CAN YOU, CAN YOU GUIDE ME ON THE PROCESS AND IF NOT, WE CAN PIECE IT TOGETHER OR I'LL FOLLOW VICE-CHAIRS GUIDANCE.
SHE TENDS TO BE THE SMARTEST PERSON IN THE ROOM.
AND, UH, SO ANYBODY, UH, UH, UH, YOU FIRST JESSE, AND IF ANYONE ELSE HAS THOUGHTS, JAMIE, OF COURSE, I WILL DEFER TO JAMIE IF HE'S DONE IT IN THE PAST, JAMIE, UM, FROM MY READING OF THE ORDINANCE, IT ONLY SAYS THAT THE CDC SHALL APPOINT.
UM, SO I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S ANY GUIDANCE FROM THE ORDINANCE.
I WOULD, UH, LOOK TO YOUR SMARTEST PERSON IN THE ROOM.
I THINK WE WOULD NOMINATE, IT SOUNDS GOOD TO US.
UM, THAT'S THE TENDS TO BE THE RULES WE FOLLOW HERE, RIGHT.
UH, SO, UH, I WOULD LIKE, UH, FIRST, UH, BEFORE WE HEAR THE NOMINATIONS, CAN I GET A NOD OF HEADS FOR FOLKS WHO HAVE NOMINATIONS THAT THEY'RE, UH, IN, IN THEIR POCKET ALREADY? OKAY.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE ONE OR TWO FOLKS WHO MAY ALREADY HAVE NOMINATIONS.
UM, I, UH, WOULD, UM, LIKE TO LEVERAGE THE BULLY PULPIT FOR A SECOND, UH, AND, UH, OPEN THE FLOOR, UM, WITH, UH, TWO NOMINATION.
WELL, WITH TWO MEN, TWO WITH TWO NOMINATIONS, UH, VICE VICE-CHAIR, SHOULD I NOMINATE A NAME AND THEN GET A SECOND AND THEN VOTE? OR SHOULD WE GET A FULL SLATE OF NOMINATIONS FIRST? I THINK MAYBE IT'S GOOD TO GET A FULL SLATE OF NOMINATIONS SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE VOTING FOR, UH, IN ADVANCE.
AND THERE ARE NO SURPRISES AS WE GO.
SO, UM, CURRENTLY WE HAD, UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, DUTCH HOTEL, JOE DESK, HOTEL, AND, UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, SERVING ON THE JOINT, UH, EXCUSE ME, ON THE, ON THE HERC.
AND, UH, I SAT IN ON THE, ON THE LAST HEART MEETING AND IT WAS CLEAR THAT, UH, UM, THAT BOTH OF THE COMMISSIONERS, YOU KNOW, EVEN MY DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM AS WELL AS IN WHAT I SAW IN THE LAST MEETING, HAVE A STRONG UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT CAN BE A TORTUROUS AND COMPLICATED, UH, PROCESS.
[01:30:01]
IN GETTING FEEDBACK FROM MORE THAN JUST THEM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS PRETTY CLEAR THAT WE WOULD BE WHAT, AT LEAST TO ME, THAT WE WOULD BE PRETTY WELL OFF IF THEY WERE TO HAVE CONTINUED SERVING, HOWEVER, UM, COMMISSIONER DESOLTEL IS NOT, UH, DOES NOT HAVE, UH, A, I MEAN, OF COURSE HE HAS INTEREST TO SERVE, BUT, UH, HAS INDICATED THAT HE WOULD APPRECIATE, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO ROLL OFF AND MAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE TO OTHERS.AND I SPOKE WITH COMMISSIONER FIDEL, LOU, AND I ASKED IF SHE WOULD BE WILLING TO CONTINUE TO SERVE, UH, BECAUSE OF, UH, PROFOUND EXPERTISE THAT SHE BRINGS TO THE TABLE ON MANIFOLD LEVELS.
UM, AND, UH, SHE DID SAY THAT SHE WOULD BE WILLING TO SERVE.
I'VE ALSO HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHERS, ONE OF THEM, UH, BEING COMMISSIONER GARRETT, UH, UH, WHO ALSO INDICATED A WILLINGNESS TO SERVE.
SO, UM, TWO NOMINATIONS, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THE SLATE, OUR COMMISSIONERS, UH, FIDELITY AND COMMISSIONERS, UH, COMMISSIONER GARRETT, COMMISSIONER AND COMMISSIONER, KENDRA, GARRETT, AND HAPPY TO HEAR ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS.
UH, WELL, I GUESS WE COULD JUST VOTE ON BOTH OF THEM IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS, UH, DO, CAN, CAN I GET, UH, I MOVE, UH, THAT WE, UH, UH, POINT, UH, COMMISSIONER'S FIDELITY WHEN GARRETT, UH, COMMISSIONER AND KENDRA GARRETT, UH, TO THE, UH, HERC, UM, COMMISSIONER, AT LEAST WE HAVE A SECOND.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE EYES AND, UH, UH, COMMISSIONERS, GARRETT AND, AND, UH, UH, FIDELITY.
DID I SEE Y'ALL RAISE YOUR HAND OR DID YOU VOTE? YES.
WAS LIKE, I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE CAN VOTE, YOU CAN VOTE.
AND, UH, AND YOU ALSO DON'T HAVE TO, I THINK, SO IT'S UP TO YOU.
LET'S JUST, LET'S JUST MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
DO WE HAVE ANY NAYS? UM, JUST TO BE CLEAR IF WE COULD VOCALIZE THAT, IF THAT'S THE CASE.
UH, I THINK, UH, THIS DOES UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF Y'ALL, UH, JAMIE AND WE HAVE PRETTY STRONG FAITH THAT Y'ALL WILL DO THIS BECAUSE IN MY DISCUSSIONS WITH YOU, YOU YOU'RE, YOU'RE PRETTY DETAIL ORIENTED.
AND, UH, BUT, BUT THIS DOES APPEAR AND ESPECIALLY REVIEWING THE APPLICATIONS AT HAND, UM, THAT, UH, THERE'S ADDED, UH, ONUS ON, ON HPD TO ENSURE THAT IN ADDITION TO OF COURSE, A VERY TECHNICAL SKILLSET THAT Y'ALL ARE LOOKING FOR, UM, THAT THERE IS A STRONG MANDATE, UH, TO, TO BRING A LIVED EXPERIENCE TO THE TABLE.
AND, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S PRIORITY ON THAT AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING, UH, WHOM YOU ALL SELECT.
AND WE DEFINITELY OFFERED TO BE THOUGHT PARTNERS, UM, EITHER OVER TODAY OR THE NEXT FEW DAYS OR WEEKS, UM, AS Y'ALL ARE COMPLETING YOUR SELECTION PROCESS, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS I DO JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT OF GRATITUDE, THANKS.
UM, FOR THE VOTE OF, UM, I GUESS CONFIDENCE WHEN BOOK COMMISSION APPRECIATE IT, AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO SERVE ON THAT.
THE PLEASURE IS OURS AND WE EXTEND THE SAME THANKS TO YOU, UH, FOR YOUR SERVICE AND REPRESENTATION, COMMISSIONER, GARRETT.
SO LIKE TO, UM, THINK THE COMMISSION FOR A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SERVE WITH COMMISSIONER DALEY.
YEAH, WE'RE SUPER PROUD TO HAVE YOU THERE TOO.
I'M SURE I SPEAK FOR EVERYONE WHEN I SAY THAT, AND I'M THANKFUL FOR YOUR HARD WORK.
UH, ALWAYS, UH, YOU KNOW, INSIDE THE MEETINGS AND OUTSIDE THE MEETINGS, UM, AND, UH, THOUGHTFUL SUPPORT AND PLANNING SPECIFICALLY IN THE BUDGET WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING.
AND I THINK THAT HELPS US SEGUE INTO THE NEXT ITEM, JAMIE, UNLESS YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU MIGHT LIKE TO CLOSE WITH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND FOR, UH, YOUR SPEEDY APPOINTMENT OF THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING WITH THE HERC AND GETTING SOME TRAINING GOING.
UH, WE HAVE MULTIPLE, UH, APPLICATIONS TO REVIEW THIS CYCLE AND MANY, MANY MORE COMING UP THROUGH THE YEARS.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME CHEERIO.
[3C. Discussion and possible action regarding budget recommendations from the CDC Budget Working Group (Commissioners Garrett and Elias and Chair Motwani)]
C, THIS IS GOING TO BE FUN.UM, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE CDC BUDGET WORKING GROUP AND THAT, UH, COMPRI, UH, THE WORKING GROUP COMPRISES COMMISSIONER GARRETT, UH, LES, UH, MYSELF AND, UH, UH, PROVISIONAL SUPERVISION BY THE SMARTEST PERSON IN THE ROOM.
UH, WHENEVER WE RUN THE IDEAS BY HER AT THE END.
AND, UM, AND SO THE VICE VICE-CHAIR IS NOT TECHNICALLY PART OF THE COMMITTEE.
UH, WE, WE TEND TO RUN OUR DISTILLED RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, BY HER.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO COMMISSIONER GARRETT FOR,
[01:35:01]
UH, KEEPING US IN LINE, UM, AND, UH, COMMISSIONER LES AS WELL.BUT COMMISSIONER GARRETT REALLY MADE SURE THAT AFTER OUR LAST MEETING, THAT THERE WAS A SCAFFOLDED OUTSET OF WEEKLY MEETINGS AND BUDGET MEETINGS THAT WE POURED THROUGH IDEAS.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO JESSE, UH, LISA AND HPD STAFF WHO SPENT PAINSTAKING HOURS WITH US FROM FOUR TO 6:00 PM.
IT WAS A VERY EXPENSIVE MEETING.
I FEEL LIKE, UH, IN A VERY, UH, VERY WELL-INFORMED MEETING, WE WERE ASKED CITY, WE ASKED STAFF FOR RECOMMENDATIONS ON SOME BUDGET NOTIONS THAT WE HAD, AND I THINK THE COMMISSION WILL BE RELATIVELY SATISFIED THAT WE ARE REPRESENTING THE GENERAL INTENT OF, UH, OR THE, THE GENERAL SENTIMENT OF THE COMMISSION, UH, IN AS MUCH AS THROUGH THE LENS OF WHAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE PAST YEAR, UH, IN, UH, IN, IN, IN, IN EQUITY ITEMS, HOUSING EQUITY ITEMS, UH, AND CHALLENGES FOR THOSE WHO ARE ECONOMICALLY STRUGGLING, CULTURALLY, SOCIALLY, SOCIOECONOMICALLY MARGINALIZED AND, OR IN POVERTY.
AND, UM, WITH THAT SAID, UH, OUR ASK IS UNIQUE AND, UH, PLEASE FORGIVE THAT COMMISSIONER GARRETT HAD TO LEAVE.
UH, BUT SINCE WE'D BEEN WORKING TOGETHER ON THIS, I FEEL PRETTY COMFORTABLE TO SPEAK ON ALL OF OUR BEHALF COMMISSIONER LEAH.
UM, THE ASK IS UNIQUE AND THE REASON IT'S UNIQUE IS BECAUSE WE ARE REQUIRED AS A COMMISSION.
AND FOR THOSE OF US WHO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE ALL READ THE GUIDANCE, UM, UH, FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE, WE, AS A COMMISSION ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE PORTAL BY MARCH 30TH, OUR MEETING IS MARCH 8TH.
UM, WE SHOULD NOT REALLY BE SUBMITTING RECOMMENDATIONS UNLESS THEY'VE BEEN APPROVED BY THIS COMMISSION, RIGHT.
UM, THERE'S NO WAY WE WOULD HAVE HAD ENOUGH TIME TO ASSIGN DOLLAR AMOUNTS AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY, REALLY MADE PRACTICAL, ACTIONABLE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WOULDN'T BE MAYBE POSSIBLY LAUGHED AT, UM, BY TODAY.
BUT WHAT WE DID DO IS WE WERE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH CITY STAFF, ASK QUESTIONS AROUND, UH, SOME OF THESE KEY AREAS AND GET SOME GENERAL DIRECTIONAL INFORMATION ON WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
AND WE HAVE THESE HIGH LEVEL THOUGHTS THAT WE'D LIKE TO EXPLORE FURTHER.
THE UNIQUE ASK IS THAT IF THIS COMMISSION IS GENERALLY SATISFIED WITH THE AREAS AND THE DIRECTIONS THAT WE'RE LIKE, WE'RE LOOKING TO GO IN THOSE AREAS, THE ASK IS THAT THIS COMMISSION TAKE, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT BIG OF A LEAP, BUT SOMETHING OF A LEAP OF FAITH IN GIVING THE BUDGET WORK GROUP, THE AUTHORITY TO SUBMIT RECOMMENDATIONS ON BEHALF OF THIS COMMISSION, AS WE SPEND THE NEXT THREE WEEKS, PUTTING DOLLAR VALUES, UH, AND MORE SPECIFIC, UH, NUMBERS AND ACTIONS TO THE BUDGET TRAJECTORY AT THE OUTSET.
IT'S A LOT TO, UM, I'M GOING TO READ SORT OF THE BULLETED AREAS, UM, THAT, THAT, THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED.
AND, UH, I THINK THE VIEWING PUBLIC WILL FORGIVE THAT THIS IS NOT IN THE BACKUP BECAUSE THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL DOCUMENT.
UM, THIS IS JUST REALLY, UH, THE, THE GENERAL SENTIMENT OF WHERE THE BUDGET WORK GROUP WAS GOING.
SO WITH THAT SAID, I'M GOING TO PULL UP THAT DOCUMENT.
AND IF ANYONE HAS ANY THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS, PLEASE CHIME IN, IT'S GOING TO BE COMMISSIONER GARCIA JUST ONE TIME, OR ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, UH, FOR THE FUTURE, JUST THIS ONE TIME? UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GET BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS IN BY MARCH 30TH.
UM, SO IT'S JUST THIS ONE TIME AND, UH, YEAH, YEAH.
AND AGAIN, THESE ARE NOT BINDING, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT I, I DON'T KNOW, THERE'S WELL OVER 70 COMMISSIONS.
UH, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THOUGH, I KNOW THAT THIS COMMISSION'S OPINION IS VALUED PRETTY HEAVILY.
UH, I THINK WE CAN REST FAIRLY COMFORTABLY THAT, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEONE DOESN'T AGREE TOTALLY 100% WITH ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT IT LIKELY WON'T BE APOCALYPTIC, IF THAT RECOMMENDATION WERE TO GOT THROUGH.
OKAY, WELL, UM, THE GENERAL RECOMMENDATION AREAS, AND THIS IS AFTER SPENDING A LOT OF TIME WITH STAFF, THANK YOU AGAIN TO EACH OF THE STAFF MEMBERS WHO SPENT TIME WITH US.
UM, IT SEEMED TO BE THAT THERE WAS CONSENSUS, UH, THAT INCREASED ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE FOR RENTERS THROUGH THE HPD, UH, RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
UM, I BELIEVE, UH, 10 TO 12 MILLION WAS EXPENDED, UH, THIS YEAR, UH, OR, OR IN THE LAST ROUND.
UM, AND THOUGH A LOT OF THOSE DOLLARS CAME FROM CARERS AND ARPA-E, UH, AND SO, UH, THE, THE IDEA WOULD BE TO FIND MORE SUSTAINABLE FUNDING SOURCES FOR THAT MOVING FORWARD.
SO BASICALLY INCREASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UM, OR ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE FOR RENTERS, THE SAME INCREASE ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE FOR RENTERS THROUGH THE APH PROGRAM THAT WE HEARD ON HILL RECOMMEND THAT EARLIER IN HIS PRESENTATION
[01:40:01]
EXPRESSING THE DEMAND THAT HE AND HIS TEAM ARE SEEING DAILY ON THE GROUND.UH, THE THIRD, AND THIS IS PERTINENT TO, UH, REPAIR PROGRAMS. AND IF WE ALL RECALL, UH, WE HAD HAD SOME PRETTY EXTENSIVE EXTENSIVE DISCUSSIONS WITH CODE, UH, WITH DANIEL, A WORD WHO HAVE COME WHO'S COME TWICE OR THREE TIMES NOW, UH, TO, UH, TO SHARE WHAT, YOU KNOW, THE CODE DEPARTMENT IS DOING TO TRY TO PREVENT, UH, UH, UNWIELDY REPAIR PROBLEMS AND, UH, UM, PARTICULARLY MOISTURE AND MOLD PROBLEMS, UH, IN, IN, IN OUR AREA AFTER STORMS, UM, THAT AS WELL AS A VARIETY OF OTHER ISSUES, UH, THAT NEED TO BE CORRECTED IN HOMES, BUT THERE IS, WE HAVE REPAIR PROGRAMS, UH, THAT ARE TARGETED, UH, GENERALLY TOWARD HOME OWNERS, UH, AND OR LANDLORDS.
UM, AND THE, I, WHEN, WHEN SPEAKING WITH, UH, WITH DIFFERENT STAFF, WE, WHAT WE HEARD WAS THAT THE CHALLENGE IS WHENEVER RESTRICTIONS ON FUNDING SOURCES GET A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT AND DOLLARS AREN'T ABLE TO BE EXPENDED, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE LESS RESTRICTIONS ON FUNDING.
AND SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS LIKE THERE MAY BE A FUNDING BUCKET OF FEDERAL DOLLARS.
THAT'S USED FOR A REPAIR PROGRAM THAT, YOU KNOW, THOSE DOLLARS HAVE VERY TIGHT RESTRICTIONS ON WHAT THEY CAN BE USED FOR.
UM, SOME OF THOSE, SOME REPAIRS THAT IN, FOR EXAMPLE, THE GEO, UH, THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND PROGRAM THAT WOULD BE PERMITTED HERE MAY NOT BE PERMITTED HERE.
THEY MAY BE VIEWED AS COSMETIC HERE, UM, AND THEY MAY BE VIEWED AS INTEGRAL OVER HERE.
AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IS IF ALL THE DOLLARS IN A PARTICULAR BUCKET AREN'T ABLE TO BE EXPENDED, IT MAY BE EASIER IF THEY WERE LOWER RESTRICTIONS OR LESS RESTRICTIONS ON FUNDING, TO BE ABLE TO READAPT THOSE DOLLARS TO ANOTHER AREA.
UM, THAT WAS WITHIN THE GENERAL INTENT OF REPAIR.
NOW, UH, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE HAVE A MAGIC WAND TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
OUR RECOMMENDATION IS NOT TO PUT MORE DOLLARS INTO THIS.
OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO FIND MORE CREATIVE AVENUES OF BRAIDING, THE DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES, SO THAT THERE'S INCREASED FLEXIBILITY, UH, FOR THE STAFF WHO ARE DOING THE WORK.
SO I'M GOING TO PAUSE THERE BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT'S A PRETTY FERTILE AREA FOR DISCUSSION IN CASE ANYBODY HAS STRONG OPINIONS.
UM, I THINK AS MUCH, IT TYPICALLY, UM, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS CAN'T ACT UNLESS THEY'VE VOTED ON SOMETHING.
SO I THINK THE MORE WE CAN VOTE ON TONIGHT THAT SPECIFIC IN TERMS OF DOLLAR AMOUNTS AND SO FORTH, THE BETTER OFF WE ARE AND ON THE SPECIFIC THING, SPECIFIC ITEMS, I THINK WE CAN JUST STATE A DOLLAR AMOUNT.
MAYBE THERE WAS SOMETHING IN THE BUDGET GUIDANCE THAT SAID THAT WE NEEDED TO SPECIFY WHICH DEPARTMENT IT WAS COMING FROM.
I DON'T, I HAVEN'T SEEN THE BUDGET GUIDANCE ON THIS, BUT I'M GUILTY.
UM, UH, I, UH, HAVEN'T SEEN THE BUDGET.
I MEAN, I READ IT, BUT I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT THE PORTAL TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT THE FORMAT IS AND TO BE VERY FAIR, LISA SENT US SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS LOOK LIKE THAT I HAVEN'T HAD CHANCE TO LOOK AT THEM YET EITHER.
SO I DON'T HAVE ANY REASON TO THINK THAT, UH, ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE FOR RENTERS COMING FROM HOUSING VERSUS PUBLIC HEALTH DEFER TO ME, IT'S ALL RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND IT'S GREAT.
SO I WOULD JUST SAY WE SHOULD HAVE AN AMOUNT, LIKE $5 MILLION OR $10 MILLION FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE FROM WHATEVER DEPARTMENT OR THROUGH WHICHEVER DEPARTMENT, UM, UH, EASING THE RESTRICTIONS.
I THINK PART OF THIS CAME FROM WHAT DANIEL WORD TOLD US WHEN HE REPORTED ON, UM, HOW THEY'RE TRYING TO IMPROVE THE CODE SITUATION THAT BRING UP OUR, OUR SUBSTANDARD RENTAL PROPERTY PARTICULARLY, AND THAT THE DEFINITIONS AROUND MOLD ARE, ARE UNCLEAR AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO USE OUR FUNDS.
SO THERE, I CAN SEE FLEXIBILITY, BUT WE ALSO HEARD FROM STAFF WANTING FLEXIBILITY ON INCOME LEVELS AND TO GO UP FROM OUR CURRENT LIMIT OF 80% TO A HUNDRED PERCENT.
AND I THOROUGHLY OPPOSED DOING THAT.
I THINK WE JUST HAD HERE THIS EVENING COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE CITY'S, UH, PEGGING, THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT FUNDS AT THAT AT 60%, WHICH I THINK IS A COMPLETE VIOLATION OF THE CITY'S FAITH WITH THE PUBLIC ON WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
WE'VE HAD A LONG UNDERSTANDING THAT OUR LIMIT WAS 50%, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY ON A PROGRAM THAT'S SO CLEARLY ORIENTED TO PEOPLE WITH LOWER INCOMES IN THE GEOGRAPHY WITH LOWER INCOMES THAT WE
[01:45:01]
ARE RAISING IT TO 60, BUT THAT'S NOT ON AGENDA TONIGHT.THAT'LL BE ON THE AGENDA NEXT WEEK.
UH, BUT JUST AS KIND OF A WAY OF ILLUSTRATING, WHAT HAPPENS IF WE GET FLEXIBLE ON THE INCOME GUIDELINES, THEY FLOAT UP HIGHER.
AND I THINK IF ANYTHING, WE SHOULD BE LOWERING THEM, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'VE DONE OUR HOMEWORK TO, TO, UM, GET ON BOARD WITH THAT.
UM, WE DID HEAR SOME REQUESTS FOR STAFFING, AND I THINK IT'S GREAT TO SUPPORT THE STAFF AND THEIR REQUEST FOR THE AMOUNT OF CAPACITY THAT THEY NEED TO RUN THESE PROGRAMS WHEN THE STAFF IS TAKEN ON A WHOLE LOT, A NEW PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITY WITH THE INCREASE IN THE BONDS, UH, FOR HOUSING AND WITH THE ANTIDOTE, THE $300 MILLION OF ANTI-DISPLACEMENT FUNDS, THAT'S A LOT MORE WORK.
SO I THINK IT'S GREAT TO HAVE MORE STAFF SUPPORT.
UM, YEAH, SO THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS.
I THINK THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE TO ME WHAT I THINK THEN, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT AS FAR AS RESTRICTIONS ARE CONCERNED AND FUNDING RESTRICTIONS ARE CONCERNED THAT COULD BE A MINEFIELD WE'RE ENTERING, AND THERE COULD BE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
IF WE EASE PARTICULARLY RESTRICTIONS ON PARTICULAR FUNDING SOURCES, IT MAY ACTUALLY ENABLE, UH, ENABLE DECISIONS TO BE MADE AROUND AFFORDABILITY THAT COULD AGAIN HAVE ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES BECAUSE, UH, THEY ARE NOT TIED DIRECTLY TO FUNDING RESTRICTIONS.
AND SO I CAN SEE A SENSIBILITY AROUND THAT, UH, FOR SURE, AS FAR AS THE OTHER NOTIONS ABOUT INCREASING RENT AND WHETHER IT'S THROUGH AVENUE PROGRAM A OR PROGRAM B, UM, AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW THAT I FEEL COMFORTABLE PUTTING DOLLAR AMOUNTS HERE WITHOUT A BIGGER PICTURE OF, OF, OF THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS.
AND I THINK USING THE NEXT THREE WEEKS TO KIND OF PUT A FINER POINT ON THAT, UH, AFTER DOING EQUALLY AS THOROUGH WORK AS WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST MONTH, IF WE COULD REPEAT THAT WORK, I THINK, UH, THAT THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE HAVE SORT OF AT A HIGH LEVEL HERE WE'LL HAVE, WILL BE, UH, FLESHED OUT PRETTY, PRETTY WELL.
AND THERE WILL CERTAINLY BE CROSSING YOUR EMAIL BOX, UM, AS WELL AS ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER WHO IS INTERESTED AND, UH, WOULD LIKE TO, WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM.
AND THAT'S WHY IT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL IF THIS COMMISSION, I THINK, COULD AUTHORIZE IF ANYTHING, COULD VOTE TO AUTHORIZE.
AND WE COULD GO BACK AND CHECK IT LATER, WHETHER THAT'S, YOU KNOW, A LEGAL THING OR NOT, UH, UM, BUT W VOTE TO AUTHORIZE THE BUDGET WORK GROUP TO GO AHEAD AND SUBMIT SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS IN THESE PARTICULAR AREAS.
AND WHAT I'M DEFINITELY HEARING IS THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY REMOVE THE ITEM AROUND FUNDING RESTRICTIONS, UM, FOR REPAIR PROGRAMS, UM, AND, UM, YEAH, BACK TO YOU .
SO I WOULD SUGGEST ON THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE THAT WE SET A FLOOR, WE SAY AT LEAST 5 MILLION FOR THAT.
AND THAT WAY THERE'S A DOLLAR FIGURE IN THERE, AND YOU CAN DO YOUR, AND WE HAD ONE STAFF PERSON IN THE MEETING THAT THE STAFF ARRANGED WITH OTHER STAFF ON THESE TOPICS.
AND WE HAD ONE ON HEALTH FROM WHO RUNS THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM, SAY THAT THEY'RE ASKING IN THEIR BUDGET RECOMMENDATION FOR A MILLION DOLLARS.
AND THEN WE HAD OTHER STAFF WHO DIDN'T SAY THEY WERE PUTTING IT IN A STAFF RECOMMENDATION, BUT, UH, WHO SAID IT NEEDS TO BE AT LEAST 10 MILLION OR 20 MILLION.
SO THEY REALLY WANTED IT TO BE MORE THAT WAS CLEAR.
AND I, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE SAY SOME NUMBER AT LEAST, AND THEN YOU CAN COME BACK TO IT IN THE COMMITTEE.
I MEAN, AND, AND WHAT WE WERE HEARING IN THAT STAFF MEETING, UM, WAS, YOU KNOW, UNHEALED WAS, UH, SUGGESTING PERHAPS A DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT HE KNEW THAT, UH, HIS DEPARTMENT WOULD BE ABLE TO INFRASTRUCTURE AT LEAST SCALE AND DELIVER ON.
AND THEN THE OTHER RECOMMENDATION FOR THE MUCH HIGHER AMOUNT WAS FROM, UH, HPD WHERE THEIR PROGRAM IS FAR LARGER, AS FAR AS THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE IS CONCERNED, WHERE THAT PROGRAM WOULD LIKELY BE ABLE TO INFRASTRUCTURALLY SCALE.
SO WHAT WOULD MAKE ME, WHAT I FEEL LIKE WOULD PROBABLY TAKE US IN THE DIRECTION THAT YOU'RE WANTING, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE NOTION OF SETTING A FLOOR, UH, TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T GO BELOW THAT AMOUNT, BECAUSE THAT MEANS WE JUST DEFINITELY WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE INCREASING THINGS, UM, IS MAYBE USING A PERCENTAGE LIKE A YEAR OVER YEAR PERCENTAGE, AND WE CAN COMMIT TO THAT IN THE AREAS, AND THEN WE CAN ASSIGN DOLLAR VALUES TO THAT LATER.
AND, UM, WOULD THAT, WOULD THAT, WOULD YOU BE COOL WITH THAT, HOW THAT WORKS, BUT IT SOUNDS, BUT JUST, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF A DOLLAR AMOUNT, WE WOULD SAY, UH, YEAR OVER YEAR INCREASE OF MINIMUM 10% OR 20%.
SO IF ARE YOU TAKING THE ARPA FUNDING, WHICH WAS, WE WILL YEAR OVER YEAR EXISTING FUNDING, UH, WASHINGTON GAVE US AN EXTRA $10 MILLION OR SOMETHING.
[01:50:01]
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IT IS A LOT 20 MILLION.AND ARE WE SAYING 10% OF THAT? SO, NO.
WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE? YEAH.
W W IS ALL RENTAL ASSISTANCE DOLLARS THAT WERE ADMINISTRATED THROUGH A PARTICULAR PROGRAM.
SO IF IT WERE A DEPARTMENT, WHAT THE SUGGESTION MIGHT LOOK LIKE IS LET'S SAY THAT ONE RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THROUGH HPD, AND THESE ARE ARBITRARY NUMBERS TO BE CLEAR, HAD A 20 MILLION IN IT FROM FEDERAL DOLLARS AND THEN 7 MILLION IN IT, UH, FROM GENERAL FUND DOLLARS.
UM, THEN, UH, THE TOTAL AMOUNT WAS, AND MAYBE ONE AND A HALF MILLION FROM ANOTHER BUCKET.
UH, AND SO IT WOULD BE 28 AND A HALF MILLION TOTAL DOLLARS.
THE WILD Y THE YEAR OVER YEAR INCREASE, UM, WOULD BE 20% OF THAT TOTAL AMOUNT, BECAUSE WHAT WE WERE, WHAT I WAS HEARING IS THAT THE DEMAND IS GOING TO BE EQUAL AND GREATER.
SO 20, 20% OF 27 MILLION OF THE TOTAL DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT WENT TOWARD RENTAL ASSISTANCE, YOUR EXAMPLE? YES.
CAN I ADD ONE MORE SUGGESTION ON TOP OF THAT? PERHAPS IF WE PUT UP, I THINK WE CAN STILL COMBINE THE FLOOR IDEAS AS WELL, IF IT'S LIKE AT LEAST 20%, SO IT'S NOT PRECISELY 20%, BUT AT MINIMUM.
SO THAT OPENS UP THE UPPER FLOOR AND THE UPPER, THE SKY.
I THINK, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S DEFINITELY THE STRATEGY, UH, THE, THAT WE'RE HOPING FOR.
UH, AND YEAH, I APPRECIATE HEARING YOU, UH, VALIDATE THAT A COMMISSIONER FOR THAT SOUNDS GREAT.
THANKS VICE-CHAIR AND THANKS FOR MAKING SURE WE SET A FLOOR.
THERE WERE, UM, A COUPLE OF OTHER, UH, BULLETED ITEMS THAT WERE, AGAIN, EQUALLY AS STRAIGHTFORWARD AS THE FIRST TWO.
DEFINITELY NOT AS COMPLICATED, UH, AND MINEFIELD AS THE RESTRICTIONS ONE.
UM, AND IT WAS ON A POTENTIALLY INCREASING STAFF.
SO WHATEVER THE APPROPRIATE BUDGET NUMBER IS FOR INCREASING STAFF, UM, FOR ONE AND A HALF, TWO, POSSIBLY TWO FTES OR FULL-TIME, UH, STAFF FOR, UM, COMMUNITY LAND, TRUST DEVELOPMENT WORK, UM, AND THAT STAFF, UH, YOU KNOW, WE WERE HEARING THAT, UH, THAT STAFF COULD BE HELPING IN PLANNING, UH, IN PARTICULARLY LOOKING AT LAND PURCHASING AND, OR NEW CONSTRUCTIONS ON NEW BUILDING, ON LAND, UH, FOR W YOU KNOW, WITH THE INTENT OF ADVANCING COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS, UH, IN A MORE EFFICACIOUS WAY WHILE ALSO DEVELOPING A PIPELINE OF POTENTIAL, UH, UH, OWNERS OR PURCHASERS.
UM, WHEREAS ALL THOSE COMPONENTS ARE NOT NECESSARILY IN PLACE NOW FOR AGGRESSIVE MOVEMENT ON THAT.
UM, AND I, AND WE'LL DEFINITELY WOULD LOVE TO HEAR COMMENTS ON THAT.
SO TH THE, SO REMEMBER NUMBER ONE WAS JUST INCREASED ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE FOR RENTERS, AND THERE'S TWO BULLETS OF THAT BECAUSE OF TWO DEPARTMENTS, BUT I'LL FOLLOW VICE CHAIRS, GUIDANCE ON THAT AND SIMPLIFY IT.
UM, MOVING ON, WE HAVE INCREASING POTENTIAL FOR, UM, COMMUNITY LAND TRUST DEVELOPMENT STAFF, AND, UM, THE NEXT WAS INCREASED ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE THROUGH DIRECT CASH ASSISTANCE.
UH, IF YOU RECALL, THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF DIRECT CASH ASSISTANCE, UH, THAT DID THAT, THAT, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, UH, PARTICIPATED IN AS WELL AS TRAVIS COUNTY THROUGH THE SOCIAL SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THOSE DOLLARS WERE ACTUALLY GENERAL FUND DOLLARS, UM, BECAUSE OF THE LOOSE RESTRICTIONS, UH, BECAUSE OF THE FLEXIBILITY OF RESTRICTIONS THERE.
SO INCREASING THAT NOW WHAT THE DOLLAR AMOUNT LOOKS LIKE.
WE DON'T KNOW, BUT AGAIN, MAYBE WE COULD SET A FLOOR, BUT THE, THE IDEA IS YEAR OVER YEAR INCREASE AS WE'RE PREPARING FOR ROUGH YEAR OF INFLATION.
AND WE KNOW THAT AFFORDABILITY ISSUES ARE NOT IMPROVING, UH, AND WE KNOW THAT, UH, ECONOMIC DISPARITIES ARE NOT IMPROVING.
UH, WE CAN, WHAT WE'RE FEELING AND HEARING IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO EXPECT MORE DEMAND THERE, CLT INCREASED ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE THROUGH DIRECT CASH ASSISTANCE.
AND THEN FINALLY, UM, INCREASING, UH, AS REQUIRED.
AND WE'LL TALK WITH STAFF DIRECTLY, UM, ANY, BUT, UH, CREATING SOME BUDGETARY FLEXIBILITY OR EASE INCREASING DOLLARS SOMEHOW FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS STAFF SUPPORT THROUGH HPD.
IT SEEMS LIKE WE'VE HEARD, UH, UH, MULTIPLE TIMES, UH, OVER THE LAST YEAR THAT AS A RESULT OF THE MERGER IN HPD, THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME, SOME CHALLENGES OF COURSE, WITH THE COMPOUNDED CHALLENGES THAT THE PANDEMIC BROUGHT, MAKING EVERYBODY WEAR MULTIPLE HATS.
UM, BUT I DO FEEL LIKE WE COULD PROBABLY BENEFIT, UH, FROM SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.
JESSIE, OF COURSE, IS A SUPER PERSON, UH, AS IS LISA.
AND THEY DO THEY'RE, THEY, THEY DO A FANTASTIC JOB.
UM, AND, UH, I THINK THAT, UH, AGAIN, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THINGS LIKE RETREATS OR BEING ABLE TO DEVELOP TEAM CHEMISTRY AS A BOARD, UM, TO KIND OF REALIGN ON MISSION AND VISION, THOSE THINGS ARE INTANGIBLY IMPORTANT.
[01:55:01]
WE SHOULD HAVE BUDGETS FOR THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.SO IF ANYTHING, UH, WE SHOULD INITIATE THAT TO THE PROCESS.
UM, ANY THOUGHTS I LOOK AT YOU FIRST VICE CHAIR EVERY TIME, UM, W I L I WANT IT TO COVER WHAT DANIEL WORD HAD RECOMMENDED, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS I, UM, AS HE WASN'T IN THAT MEETING.
AND SO IT DIDN'T NECESSARILY RECOMMEND A BUDGET CHANGE.
I FELT LIKE SOME TYPE OF EQUIPMENT THAT HE WANTED.
THERE WERE, UM, UH, MOISTURE DETECTORS.
SO IT WAS, IT WAS THE, I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT NAME.
IT WAS, IT WAS THAT EQUIPMENT AS WELL AS TRAINING ON THAT EQUIPMENT.
UM, AND THEN TRAINING IN GENERAL ON PREVENTION OF MOISTURE, UM, BOTH FOR CO WELL, THEY NEEDED TO ONBOARD STAFF AND TRAIN THAT TEAM, UM, IN ALL SORTS OF BEST PRACTICES ON IDENTIFYING AND PREVENTION OF CAUSES OF MOLD.
AND I THINK THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME TRAINING FOR POSSIBLY FOR RESIDENTS IN LANDLORDS, BUT I, I DOUBT THAT I, IF I REMEMBER HIS PLAN, IT WAS, IT WAS, IT WAS AROUND THAT.
AND SO I MIGHT, I MIGHT GUESS THAT THOSE BUDGET PROVISIONS ARE ALREADY THERE.
SO WE WOULD BE ECHOING, UM, THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BUDGET PROVISIONS, UH, IDENTIFIED, UH, THE, THE, THE PROPOSALS IDENTIFIED IN THE, I THINK THE FIVE STEP PLAN THAT DANIEL WARD FROM CODE SHARED WITH US IN LAST MEETING.
AND I, I DON'T IMAGINE, I WOULD GUESS THAT EVERYBODY'S AMENABLE TO THAT TO, OKAY.
UM, I'M GOING TO GO BACK OVER THIS FOR OUR LISTENING AUDIENCE.
UM, AND FOR ALL OF US, FRANKLY, UH, WE ARE ASKING FOR THIS COMMISSION'S APPROVAL AND AUTHORIZATION TO SUBMIT BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS INTO THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S BUDGET PORTAL.
WHEN I SAY WE, I MEAN THE BUDGET WORK GROUP, UH, AND, UH, THEY WILL BE CENTERED AROUND THE FOLLOWING AREAS, INCREASING ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE FOR RENTERS, INCREASING, UH, RESOURCES AND OUR STAFF FOR COMMUNITY LAND, TRUST DEVELOPMENT, INCREASING ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE THROUGH DIRECT CASH ASSISTANCE.
UH, FOR AGAIN, THOSE WHO WERE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED IN IMPROVING OR INCREASING AS NECESSARY, UH, ANY BUDGET, UH, FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS RELATED LIAISONING, UH, AND OR FACILITATION, UH, AS IT RELATED TO OUR BOARDS, OUR BOARD AND COMMISSION, OR OUR COMMISSION, AND FINALLY, UH, ECHOING THE IMPORTANCE, UM, AND, UH, ADVOCATING FOR ANY INCREASES AS NECESSARY, UH, TO SUPPORT, UH, THE, UH, PLAN, UH, THAT DANIEL WARD SHARED WITH US FROM AUSTIN CODE DOES THAT, UM, I'LL PAUSE, UH, MR. CHAIR, I MOVE THAT WE AUTHORIZE THE WORKING GROUP TO FLESH OUT AND FINALIZE OUR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THE PARAMETERS THAT YOU JUST READ OFF.
UH, VICE CHAIR GIVES ME GOOSEBUMPS TO HAVE YOUR CONFIDENCE TO DO THAT, AND, UH, UH, WOULD LOVE TO HAVE EVEN MORE GOOSEBUMPS WITH THE SECOND.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED AND COMMISSIONER SLOAN, DID YOU VOTE ON THAT? THAT'S AN I, RIGHT.
IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY AND, UH, JESSE, IF YOU WOULD LOOK INTO IT JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S ALL GOOD TO GO.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TOO FAR OUT ON A LIMB, BUT, UM, I APPRECIATE IT FINALLY.
[3D. Nomination and selection of CDC representative to the Joint Sustainability Committee ]
AND SELECTION OF A CDC REPRESENTATIVE TO THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.UH, OUR CURRENT REPRESENTATIVE IS COMMISSIONER FIDELITY AND, UH, I KNOW THAT, UH, SHE, UH, WOULD, UH, BE WILLING AND HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO SERVE ON THAT COMMITTEE, UH, AND IT'S CLEAR THAT SHE WOULD REPRESENT AS WELL.
AND, UH, I ALSO, UH, WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE OPEN THE FLORIDA RECOMMENDATIONS BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, VERY WELL-INFORMED VERY WELL EQUIPPED FOLKS ON THIS COMMISSION, UH, WHO ALSO, UH, MIGHT LIKE TO REPRESENT US THERE.
AND I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADVANCED ANY DISCUSSION AROUND IT AND KEEP IN MIND, UH, THAT THERE IS ALREADY, I HAVE A, UH, I'LL HAVE A STANDING NOMINATION FOR COMMISSIONER FIDELITY.
SO, UH, UM, BECAUSE OF ALREADY EXEMPLARY SERVICE, IT WOULD, WE'D LIKE
[02:00:01]
TO ADD ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS TO THIS LIST.I'M MOVE, UH, THAT WE APPOINT, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER FIDELITY TO CONTINUE SERVING ON THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND, SECOND? THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER WOODS FOR THE SECOND.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION ALL IN FAVOR, AYE, OR INDICATE I SEE IT.
UH, AND, UH, UH, NOW WE HAVE, UH, MISSING COMMISSIONER.
LES, DO WE HAVE AN EYE OR HAND? YEP.
IT'S AN, THAT'S AN EYE AND I SEE COMMISSIONER FIDEL.
WE WENT AHEAD AND OVERCAME HER MODESTY TO VOTE, UH, TO MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
UH, THANK YOU FOR SERVING, UH, AGAIN ON THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION, AS WELL AS THE HERC, UH, COMMISSIONER FIDELITY.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UH, AGENDA ITEM
[4A. Update from the Joint Sustainability Committee (Commissioner Fadelu)]
FOUR, WORKING GROUP AND COMMITTEE REPORTS.UH, DO WE HAVE AN UPDATE FROM JAY FROM THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE ON THAT NOTE, COMMISSIONER FIDELIO? NO UPDATE.
OUR LAST MEETING WAS ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY IS IN IT TO US.
SO I THINK YOU ALREADY HAVE THE LATEST CHEERS, UM, ITEM
[4B. Update from the Austin Transit Partnership (ATP) Community Advisory Committee (Commissioner Elias)]
B UPDATE FROM THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.UH, AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER LES FOR SERVING, UH, AND REPRESENTING US THERE.
UH, WE ALWAYS LOVE THE REPORTS THAT YOU BRING BACK BECAUSE WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE ON THE PULSE.
WHAT DO YOU GOT? UM, UNFORTUNATELY I WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THE FULL MEETING OUT OF HERE.
SO I DID NOT HAVE A REPORT ON THAT.
WE CAN GIVE YOU A PASS BECAUSE YOUR TEACHER OF THE YEAR AND, UH, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO, YEAH, HE, UH, WE, WE'VE GOT A TEACHER OF THE YEAR ON THIS COMMISSION.
UM, AND, UH, WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO, AT LEAST, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO FOLLOW UP AND MAYBE GET US SOME DISTILLED BULLET POINTS THAT YOU COULD EMAIL US? YES.
IF YOU COULD SHARE IT WITH JESSE, I KNOW HE'LL GET IT OUT TO THE REST OF US.
AND, UM, ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR, UH, DID ANYBODY ELSE HAPPEN TO JUST SIT IN AND AUDIT THE COMMITTEE BY CHANCE? UH, IN THEIR FREE TIME? NO.
UM, UPDATE, UH, FROM THE HOUSING INVESTMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE, I DON'T BELIEVE, UH, THAT THERE WOULD BE ONE, I THINK THE LAST MEETING WAS IN DECEMBER.
UM, SO YEAH, I'M JUST GONNA GO AHEAD AND SKIP THAT.
I KNOW THERE WASN'T A MEETING, UM, AND, UH, UPDATE FROM
[4D. Update from the South Central Waterfront Advisory Board (SCWAB) (Vice Chair Paup)]
THE SWAB, UM, AGAIN, WHERE I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE HAVE, HAVE YOU HIT HER SERVING A VICE-CHAIR POP THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD, UH, THE, THE GENERAL TOPICS THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING, THERE ARE KIND OF IN THE SAME PLACE THEY WERE IN LAST MONTH.A LOT, A LOT OF THE ATTENTION ON THIS PROJECT IS AROUND THE ZONING, THE REZONING APPLICATION FOR THE STATESMAN POD AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION VOTED ON THAT MADE RECOMMENDATIONS IN FEBRUARY.
UM, IF YOU LOOK THROUGH THEM, THERE ARE SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT ARE GOOD, LIKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT, UH, THERE'D BE NO DISCRIMINATION AGAINST SECTION EIGHT OR OTHER VOUCHER HOLDERS WHO ARE APPLYING TO LIVE.
IF SOMEBODY CAME TO LIVE IN ONE OF THE AFFORDABLE UNITS WITH A SECTION EIGHT VOUCHER, THE OWNER COULD NOT SAY, I DON'T TAKE SECTION EIGHT VOUCHERS.
THEY COULD REJECT THEM FOR OTHER NORMAL TENANT SCREENING REASONS, BUT THEY COULD NOT SAY, NO, YOU GOT A VOUCHER.
AND THERE ARE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS LIKE THAT THAT ARE GOOD.
THERE ARE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE CERTAIN THINGS THAT ARE PROMISED DON'T HAPPEN, THAT THE AMOUNT OF AFFORDABLE UNITS GO UP, THAT THE UNITS BE BUILT ON SITE AND NOT ELSEWHERE, BUT WHEN YOU GET ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO THE END OF IT.
AND WHEN I GOT TO THE END AND I LOOKED AND I SAID, UH, I SAW THAT THEY HAD TURF CARE LIKE, OH YEAH, LIKE TURF CARE, BUT THEY STILL CAN GET DOWN TO ALL KINDS OF SPECIFICS ABOUT SOME OF THE ASPECTS OF THIS DEVELOPMENT AND NOT BUDGE OFF OF THE 4% NUMBER OR PERCENT OF THE RESIDENTIAL UNITS ARE FOR LOWER INCOME PEOPLE.
UH, UH, VICE AND IN AS MUCH AS RECOMMENDATIONS ARE CONCERNED IS, IS WHAT ACTION COULD WE POSSIBLY TAKE OR IS, IS WHATEVER CARVED IN CONCRETE ALREADY DRAWING AS FAR AS THE STATESMAN PUTT IS CONCERNED, OR, OR DO YOU HAVE ANY, ANY THOUGHTS OR GUIDANCE ON WHAT WE WE CAN DO SINCE IT'S BEEN OUR, OUR ROLE NOT TO TAKE POSITIONS ON SPECIFIC
[02:05:01]
PROJECTS, WE'VE KIND OF NOT WEIGHED IN AS HEAVILY AS WE MIGHT ON THIS.COUNCIL'S GOING TO GET IT PROBABLY IN EARLY APRIL.
I, AS THE 4% WAS SPECIFIED IN THE 2016 DOCUMENT THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED AND IN SOME WAYS SEEMS TO BLESS FREEZING THE NUMBER OF UNITS AT 4%.
I'VE BEEN DIGGING AROUND IN THOSE DOCUMENTS.
AND I FINALLY FOUND WHERE THE OTHER PERCENTS ARE AND THE OTHER PERCENT, SOME OF THE PROPERTIES HAVE SOME VERY HIGH PERCENTAGES.
LIKE 33% OF THE UNITS WOULD BE AFFORDABLE.
THAT'S NOT COUNTING THE AMOUNT OF CASH THAT WAS ESTIMATED TO CREATE THE UNIT, BUT I STILL THINK THAT, UH, WHERE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET DEVELOPERS TO SET ASIDE 10%, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET DEVELOPERS TO SET ASIDE A THIRD OF THEIR UNITS AS AFFORDABLE UNITS.
SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING TO TAKE TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WE CONTINUE OUR SERIES OF MEETINGS AND, UM, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON AND COMMISSIONER WOODS WENT ON OUR FIRST VISIT AND WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT OUR STRATEGY WILL BE AND SET UP SOME MORE MEETINGS.
THANK YOU FOR THAT, BOTH THE FEEDBACK, THE GUIDANCE AND THE HEADS UP AND ALSO, UH, TO COMMISSIONERS, UH, THOMPSON WOODS, UH, FOR JOINING VICE-CHAIR, UH, IN, IN, IN SPEAKING WITH COUNSEL, UH, FOLKS AND THEIR STAFF, UM, TO KEEP AN EYE ON THIS BALL.
UM, ANY OTHER THOUGHTS, UH, ON THE SAME TOPIC FROM, UH, EITHER OF Y'ALL OR ANYONE AT LARGE ON THE, ON THIS COMMISSION? GREAT, THANKS VICE CHAIR.
UM, I THINK WITH THAT SAID, WE CAN MOVE INTO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH WHAT WE'VE ALREADY HEARD TODAY, AND THEN OF COURSE, OPEN THE FLOOR TO ANY SUGGESTIONS.
UM, VERY CLEARLY, UH, WE'LL WE'LL LIKELY GO OVER THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE SUBMITTED.
UM, AND JUST TO BE CLEAR IF THE AGENDA DOES GET PACKED, THAT MIGHT SLIDE OFF, UH, BECAUSE REMEMBER WE WILL HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED THOSE THINGS.
UH, SO EVERYONE WILL HAVE RECEIVED AN EMAIL PROBABLY FROM JESSE WHERE WE COULD REVIEW IT.
UM, AND, UH, THE NEXT, UH, ITEM WOULD BE, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, PERHAPS HAVE DISCUSSION AGAIN, THIS WOULD BASED ON PRIORITY, BUT, UH, DIRECTOR, UH, TRUE LOVE SENT, UH, THE ANNUAL REPORT, UH, OVER THE LAST MONTH.
AND I THINK IT'S WORTHY OF EXAMINATION AND DISCUSSION HERE AT THIS COMMISSION.
SO WE COULD, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT COMPARATIVE RESULTS AS WELL AS ALL THE VARIABLES THAT COME INTO PLAY, UM, AND HOW THAT TRAJECTORY OF COURSE AFFECTS OUR PURVIEW, UH, IN AS MUCH AS THE FEDERALLY FUNDED PROGRAMS, UH, THAT WE, YOU KNOW, ADMINISTRATE BY, UH, BY STATUTE AS WELL AS, OR BY CODE, UH, AS WELL AS, UM, CODE IN STATUTE, AS WELL AS, UH, ANYTHING, ANY OF THE PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT THOSE IN POVERTY.
SO I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE DISCUSSION OF THE ANNUAL REPORT, UH, AS AN AGENDA ITEM.
UH, OUR FIRST SPEAKER TODAY, MR. SONATA MONSA, UH, CAME AND PRESENTED VERY, A VERY THOROUGH, UH, BOTH, UH, LETTER, UH, AND, UH, SPOKEN, UH, APPEAL AROUND, UH, ENSURING THAT AFFORDABILITY STANDARDS ARE NOT ARBITRARILY TIED, UH, TO HUD DEMARCATIONS, ESPECIALLY IN ZONES WHERE THOSE, UH, INCOME LEVELS ARE, UM, IN APPLICABLE OR WELL OUT OF RANGE WITH WHAT THOSE GEO, WHAT THOSE GEOGRAPHICAL INCOMES ARE.
AND IT SEEMED THAT THERE WAS A VERY STRONG MANDATE FROM THIS COMMISSION, UH, TO REVISIT THAT AGENDA ITEM NEXT MONTH.
SO I THINK WE CAN ASSUME THAT THAT WILL BE THERE.
UH, AND THAT ONE, JESSE, UH, WE WOULD LIKELY NEED, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE MOST APPLICABLE, UH, INFORMED STAFF MEMBERS.
AND THERE MAY BE A COMPONENT WHERE WE'RE HEARING, UH, SOME COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, BUT FORMALIZED AND NOT THROUGH, UM, JUST A CITIZEN COMMUNICATION AVENUE.
UM, WE ALSO HEARD FROM, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED, UH, SUBSTANTIAL DIFFICULTY, UH, THROUGH THE, UH, HOME REPAIR LOAN PROGRAM.
AND THERE ARE A VARIETY OF LENSES THROUGH WHICH I BELIEVE THAT THAT NEEDED TO BE DISCUSSED.
IN FACT, FORGIVE ME, UH, JESSE, WHEN I DISCUSSED THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK ABOUT THE FIRST ONE, I WAS ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT THIS ONE, UH, UM, WHERE, UH, WE'RE YEAH, FOLKS ARE ENTERING IN BASICALLY INTO A LOAN CONTRACTS WITHOUT A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS ARE, AS WELL AS WITH TERMS THAT ARE JUST VERY, VERY UNFRIENDLY FOR, UH, SPECIFICALLY, UH, THE GROUPS OF FOLKS WE'RE WORKING WITH, UH, WHO ARE FOLKS WHO
[02:10:01]
DON'T TYPICALLY HAVE ACCESS TO, UH, UM, FOLKS WHO CAN ADVOCATE ON OUR, ON, ON BEHALF WHEN IT COMES TO COMPLEX CONTRACT LANGUAGE.SO DISCUSSION OF THAT, GETTING THE APPROPRIATE, OF COURSE, STAFF MEMBERS WHO'D BE ABLE TO MAYBE SHED LIGHT ON THAT AS WELL AS MAYBE A COMMUNITY FEEDBACK PORTION.
UM, THERE, UM, WE, OH YEAH, WE HAD, UH, THERE WAS THE, I THINK, I THINK, UH, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE FOR NOW.
AND ANYONE ELSE, UH, WOULD LIKE TO ADD COMMISSIONER SLOAN.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST AN UPDATE FROM THE CITY CIVIL RIGHTS OFFICE REGARDING THAT COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS 39 AND 40 ON THE FEBRUARY 3RD AGENDA, WHICH I HAVE THE TENANTS RIGHTS RESOLUTIONS, THIS COMMISSION PREVIOUSLY, UM, DISCUSSED, AND I BELIEVE EVEN SUPPORTED LANGUAGE FOR STRENGTHENING TENANTS RIGHTS, PARTICULARLY TENANTS RIGHTS TO ORGANIZE, BUT THE RESOLUTIONS PRESENTED AT COUNCIL ON ITEMS 39 AND 40 ALSO INCLUDED TENANTS' RIGHTS TO CURE, WHICH WAS SOMETHING THAT WE HAD DISCUSSED WHEN FOSTER CAME TO VISIT.
AND SO NOW THE CIVIL RIGHTS OFFICE IS LEADING UP, UM, SORT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND DEVELOPING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NEXT STEPS, UH, TO COUNCIL, WHICH ARE DUE JULY 20 OR JULY 28TH, SOMEWHERE NEAR THE END OF JULY.
UM, AND SO I WAS THINKING THAT THIS COMMISSION BEING SO DEEPLY INVESTED IN TENANTS RIGHTS, UM, UH, WOULD WANT TO BE ENGAGED IN THAT PROCESS AND ALSO IN, UH, ENGAGE OUR STAKEHOLDERS AND OUR COMMUNITIES IN THAT PROCESS.
SO MAYBE, MAYBE NOT EVEN APRIL SINCE IT SOUNDS LIKE APRIL IS PRETTY FULL, BUT MAYBE EVEN MAY.
AND I THINK, UM, UH, WE WOULD BE LOOKING FOR AN UPDATE ON HOW THE OUTREACH IS GOING AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN IF THAT'S APPROPRIATE AT THIS STAGE AND OUTREACH, BLESS YOU, COMMISSIONER SLOAN FOR KEEPING US AHEAD OF THE GAME, UH, AND WHAT A GOOD FEELING IT IS TO NOT BE CHASING A DEADLINE.
UH, IN FACT, I MIGHT EVEN SUGGEST JESSIE THAT WE TRY TO SQUEEZE IT INTO APRIL AND BUMP IT OFF IF NECESSARY, JUST TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T GET LOST IN THE SHUFFLE, UH, WHEN WE SCHEDULE IT FOR ME.
UH, AND THE COMMISSION I THINK IS VERY, VERY MUCH, UH, I THINK IT'S, IT'S VERY FAIR TO SAY INVESTED IN TENANTS RIGHTS.
UH, THIS TODAY'S ATTENDANCE WAS AMAZING, UH, AND, UH, I'M EMBARRASSED TO HAVE WALKED IN OVER FIVE MINUTES LATE, UH, TO HAVE SEEN LIKE THE BEST ATTENDANCE WE'VE EVER HAD.
I THINK, UH, OR IF NOT ANY, AT LEAST THIS YEAR, UM, OR WITHIN 12 MONTHS.
AND, UH, THE PARTICIPATION HAS BEEN FANTASTIC FROM EVERYONE, UH, OVER THE LAST MONTH.
SO MANY FOLKS HAVE BEEN ENGAGED.
A LOT OF FOLKS ARE PUTTING IN HOURS, UM, OF EXTRA TIME, UH, TO MOVE THIS WORK ALONG.
I THINK ALL OF YOU, UM, I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING DIRECTLY WITH, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER GARRETT WHO WAS REALLY TAKING LEAD ON THE BUDGET STUFF, AS WELL AS COMMISSIONER LIAS, WHO, YOU KNOW, ALL KEPT ME WORKING EXTRA AND VICE CHAIR IS ALWAYS THERE TO, TO REVIEW, UH, AND OFFERED FEEDBACK AND GUIDANCE CLEARLY, UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, WAS IN THOMPSON, UH, OR WERE ACTIVE, UH, AND, UH, COMMISSIONER FIDELA, UH, REPRESENTS US ON COMMITTEES, UH, AND COMMISSIONER SLOAN, UH, IS KEEPING US AHEAD OF THE GAME.
WELCOME, UH, COMMISSIONER HASA.
WE'RE HAPPY TO SEE YOU AND COMMISSIONER GARCIA, I THINK IS MY FIRST TIME GETTING TO SEE YOU IN PERSON.
UM, EVERYBODY HAVE A GREAT, UH, MONTH AND, UH, UNLESS WE HEAR OTHERWISE, I DON'T NEED TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO, OH, YES, YES.
I JUST WANTED TO INVITE NOT TO PUT HER ON THE SPOT, BUT INVITE COMMISSIONER HOZHO.
IF SHE WANTED TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR FIRST MEETING, BASICALLY, I'M HERE TO LEARN AND SEE, YOU KNOW, JUST GET THE FEEL FOR IT.
I'M PRETTY INVOLVED IN THE CONTACT TEAM IN OUR, IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THAT'S HOW I WAS DECIDED THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I WANTED TO TRY TO DO.
SO I, AT THIS POINT I DON'T HAVE A LOT TO SHARE, I JUST NEED TO LEARN.
POP IN ALSO, THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE, UH, COMMISSIONER HOSTEL AND WELCOME TO THIS TEAM.
UM, YEAH, WELL, UH, I DON'T NEED TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
[02:15:01]
RIGHT.DOES THAT MEAN GETTING CONFUSED WITH ANOTHER BOARD? OKAY.
SO WITH THAT SAID, UH, UH, LET'S, UH, UH, CALL THIS MEETING OVER AT 8:52 PM.