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LET'S GO AHEAD AND CONVENE THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION HERE ON JULY 28TH, 2022.UH, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ARE PRESENT.
WE HAVE, UH, A QUORUM, UH, WE'RE MEETING IN THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER AND COUNCIL MEMBER OF WHAT THIS IS, UM, UH, UH, WITH US, UH, UH, REMOTELY.
UM, WE SHOULD NOTE THAT THERE IS, UM, UH, UH, UH, CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS THAT WE WANT TO READ INTO THE RECORD SPECIFICALLY.
THERE'S LAID BACK UP IN ITEM NUMBER TWO, UH, JADE, UH, THERE'S REALLY A BACKUP IN ITEM.
NUMBER TWO IS OUR STAFF WITH US ACTUALLY, BEFORE WE DO THAT LET'S CAUSE I THINK WE MAY BE ABLE TO CLOSE OUT THE MEETING RAPIDLY AS WELL, BUT LET'S GO AHEAD AND, AND, AND ASK FOR SPEAKERS.
LET'S GET THE REMOTE SPEAKERS AND THEN LET'S GET THE SPEAKERS THAT ARE HERE IN PERSON.
THE FIRST SPEAKER IS JORN GEORGE HINDMAN.
HI, MY NAME IS GEORGE HEINZEN AND I'D LIKE TO THINK FOR THE TIME TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THE NHP PROPOSAL, THAT 4 35 11 MAYNOR I'M A RESIDENT AT JJC BROOK AND A FORMER DISTRICT ONE COUNCIL MEMBER CANDIDATE.
AND I LIVE CLOSE TO THIS LOT AND THERE ARE VARIOUS ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, BUT I'M GOING TO SPEAK TO THE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY BY ABILITY AND MANAGEMENT OF THIS PROPOSAL.
THE CITY SUMMARY CHART SHOWS NHP REQUIRING OVER $7 MILLION IN SUBSIDIES AS WELL.
ANOTHER PROPOSAL, WHICH THE NEIGHBORHOOD SUPPORTS THE FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES PROPOSAL REQUIRES NO SUB ALMOST NO SUBSIDIES.
FURTHERMORE, THE NHP PROPOSAL SECTION D PAGE 57 IN THEIR PROPOSAL SHOWS THAT IT'S MORE LIKE $10 MILLION OVER 15 YEARS OF SUBSIDIES THAT ARE REQUIRED.
UH, AND BEYOND THAT, THERE'S ALSO ISSUES AS FAR AS THE VIABILITY OF OBTAINING HUD LOANS.
BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE IS THAT NFP ITSELF HAS SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE AND THIS MANAGEMENT AT THEIR HOUSTON PROJECTS.
THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE HAS HAD STORY WITHIN THE PAST WEEK ABOUT WHICH THE, UM, UH, OF WHICH THE, UH, THERE HAVE BEEN BIG ISSUES TO NHP, PLEASE, AS OVER EITHER THE FC PROPOSAL FOR, FOR, UM, TABLING THIS UNTIL NHP CAN BE FURTHER VETTED.
THANK YOU, BEN HIGHSMITH, COUNCIL AND A MAYOR.
UH, THIS HAS BEEN
UH, THE HISTORY, HOWEVER, WITH THIS SITE HAS NOT BEEN VERY GOOD PUBLIC WORKS, AS YOU MAY RECALL, USED IT FOR AN INDUSTRIAL SITE UNTIL, UH, WITHOUT PERMITS UNTIL WE STOPPED THEM.
UM, THERE WAS A, UH, UNFORTUNATE PROPOSAL FOR A HOMELESS CAMP ON THE SITE, WHICH WE DID NOT SUPPORT.
AND WITH YOUR HELP, WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE THAT, THAT NOW NOT, NOT DIRECTED ANYMORE.
SO WE WORKED, WE THOUGHT WITH THE STAFF, UH, WHEN FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES, UH, RESPONDED TO THE RFP, IT MET THE CRITERIA THAT WE SAID WERE MOST IMPORTANT THAT THERE'D BE RELATIONSHIP TO OUR HOMES ON GREENWOOD AND THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE FAMILIES.
BUT ANY PROPOSAL DOESN'T DO EITHER.
THERE'S A FIVE STORY WALL THAT IS GOING TO BE BUILT AT THE CURRENT PROPOSAL AGAINST OUR HOMES ON GREENWOOD WERE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND THERE'S FIVE STORIES RIGHT UP AGAINST US.
IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO US.
AND THE PROPOSAL IS PRIMARILY SINGLE ROMANS.
SO THIS IS NOT ACCOMMODATING FAMILIES.
WE URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER THIS RECOMMENDATION.
SO THE SPEAKERS FOR HSE ARE NOW IN PERSON.
KENNY IN QUEUE IS ROGER
UM, AND THERE ARE DIVERSE DEVELOPMENT TEAM FOR INTRODUCING THEM.
I WANTED TO ASK IF CITY COUNCIL HAD DIRECTION ON OUR EXPANDED COMMERCIAL OPTION, WHICH WOULD PARTNER WITH AEDC TO CREATE MORE SPACE FOR NONPROFITS AND SMALL BUSINESSES ON THE SITE.
UM, ALSO WANTED TO EXPRESS THAT WE'RE HAPPY TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH CITY STAFF AND NEIGHBORHOOD STAKEHOLDERS TO CRAFT A WONDERFUL NEW PART OF THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING IF COUNCIL HAS DIRECTION ON TRYING TO INCLUDE MULTI BEDROOM UNITS.
UM, AND JUST TO CORRECT, MAYBE A MISPERCEPTION, UH, WE ARE ALSO TAPERING DOWN TO THREE STORIES ON GREENWOOD ACROSS FROM THOSE, UH, UNITS.
SO WE HAVE OTHER TEAM MEMBERS SPEAKING HERE, BUT NOT SPEAKING, UH, WITH US, UM, ON OUR GREAT TEAM, OUR
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PRINCIPALS, UH, NICOLE JOCELYN, AND YET CASSINI WITH CAPITAL, A URBAN DESIGNER, KEVIN HOWARD WITH CAPITAL A CIVIL ENGINEER, ALEJANDRA FLORES WITH CIVILITY, PUBLIC FINANCE CONSULTANT, KENDRA GARRETT, WITH BETCO, UH, ARTIST AND TENANT RAISING IN THE SUN.COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY, BUT WE LIKE TO THINK THAT THIS TERM REFLECTS, UH, BOTH THE ART COMMUNITY AS A CITY AND THE COMMUNITY INTO WHICH THIS DEVELOPMENT IS COMING.
ROGER
HELLO, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS ROGER CANNOLIS AND I, UM, I AM WITH THE NHP FOUNDATION.
I'M THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND HB IS A NON-PROFIT AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPER THAT HAS OWNED AND OPERATES OVER 11,000 UNITS THROUGHOUT THE, UH, ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WE HAVE BEEN IN TEXAS SINCE 2003.
UM, AND AS REGIONAL DIRECTOR, I'VE BEEN WORKING IN THIS AREA FOR 20 YEARS.
UH, OUR, MY COLLEAGUE LORENA, OLIVIA, SHE ACTUALLY WORKED FOR THE CITY AND THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, UM, WITH OUR PARTNERS CAPITAL A AND INTEGRAL CARE.
WE EXCITED AND BELIEVE THAT, UM, IT MAKES THIS RFP, UH, EXCUSE ME, COMEDIAN PRIORITIES.
THIS PROJECT IDENTIFIES THOSE ISSUES.
UH, THE ITEMS THAT WERE TALKED ABOUT WITH THE COMMUNITY AND WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT, UM, WE'VE EVEN, UH, PROVIDING OFFICE SPACE FOR, UH, RAISING IN THE SUN AND, UM, ORIGIN STUDIOS HOUSE.
AND WE'VE ALSO BEEN PROVIDING LIVE WORK.
WE LOOK AT, WE REALLY ARE EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT AND WE'RE HOPING TO GET YOUR SUPPORT.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, MAYOR ADLER, I'M RUTH, A HEARN INTEGRAL CARE'S PRACTICE ADMINISTRATOR FOR HOUSING AND HOMELESS INITIATIVES.
WE SEEK YOUR SUPPORT FOR AN HPC SEABROOK SQUARE PROPOSAL.
WHEN OUR NEIGHBORS ARE MOVING FROM HOMELESS TO HOUSE, THERE IS HIGH ACUITY OF NEED IN RURAL CARE HAS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE USING THE EVIDENCE BASED PRINCIPLES OF HOUSING.
FIRST, PROVIDING A SAFE HOME WITH CRITICAL WRAPAROUND SERVICES AND ONGOING SUPPORT WE DESIGNED TO BUILD AND OPERATE THE FIRST OF ITS KIND PERMANENT SUPPORTED HOUSING COMMUNITY IN CENTRAL TEXAS MODELED AFTER OTHER SUCCESSFUL HOUSING.
FIRST PROGRAMS THAT COST ACROSS THE COUNTRY CBIRC SQUARE IS THE PROPOSAL THAT MOST CLOSELY ALIGNS WITH YOUR HOUSING PRIORITIES AND THE LARGER COMMUNITY'S GOAL TO EXPAND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
THIS COLLABORATION LEVERAGES YOUR INVESTMENT WITH STATE AND OTHER FUNDING.
WE MOVE AHEAD QUICKLY TO MEET A DEADLINE, TO DRAW DOWN SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS IN STATE FUNDING AS IT'S REQUIRED BY THE RFP AND IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE CITY'S STRATEGIC HOUSING BLUEPRINT, ALL RESIDENTS OF THE PSH PORTION OF SEABROOK SQUARE WILL BE REFERRED THROUGH ECHO'S COORDINATED ENTRY SYSTEM.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND ONGOING INVESTMENT AS WE WORK TOGETHER TO, INTO HOMELESSNESS AND AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY, DAVID VAUGHN ON DECK IS DANTE CLEMENS.
MAYOR DAVID VAUGHN, AUSTIN AREA, URBAN LEAGUE.
WE'LL BE DOING THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO BRING EAST AUSTINITES, UH, IN NEED OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO THE DEVELOPMENT.
AND AS WELL, WE URGE YOU TO CONSIDER, UH, EXPANDED COMMERCIAL OPTION AND THE PROPOSAL OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, UH, WHERE WE'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A SMALL BUSINESS AND NON-PROFIT DEVELOPMENT TO THE RESIDENTS THAT SEEK, UH, COACHING, MENTORSHIP AND FINANCIAL LITERACY, CREDIT READINESS, AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.
DANTE CLEMENS ON DECK IS PAMELA OWENS.
MY NAME IS DANTE CLEMONS AND I'M A CEO OF ORIGIN STUDIO HOUSE, MRS. BRITTANY WILLIAMS, MY PARTNER OR JUST STUDIO HOUSE IS THRILLED TO BE THE CAFE AND GALLERY CONCEPT PARTNER AND SEABROOK SPRAYER PROJECT SEABROOK SQUARE EXCITES US BECAUSE OUR COMMUNITY IS AT THE CORE OF THIS PROJECT.
AND IT IS ALIGNED WITH OUR EFFORTS TO CREATE MEANINGFUL ENVIRONMENTS THROUGH ENGAGEMENT AND INTENTIONAL ARTS.
WE URGE YOUR SUPPORT IN THIS PROJECT.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS PAMELA VINCENT OWENS.
I AM THE CEO OF SIX SQUARE AUSTIN'S BLACK CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT.
AND IF YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT TRUE COLLABORATION LOOKS LIKE IT IS THIS PROJECT, ALL VOICES HAVE BEEN HEARD AND THIS PROJECT, AND I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT BECAUSE IT ABSOLUTELY EXPANDS SPACE FOR NONPROFITS, ARTISTS, AND SMALL BUSINESSES.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US THAT WE REALLY LOOK AT HOW TO EXPAND AND USE SPACE, SIX SQUARES, UM, COMMITMENT TO THIS IS TO HELP PLACE THE ARTISTS AND THE 10, UM, UNITS THAT WILL BE PART OF THIS AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT.
IT IS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DO RIGHT BY THE COMMUNITY AND TO NOT JUST TALK ABOUT IT, BUT BE ABOUT
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IT.AND SO I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER IT STRONGLY.
AND BY DOING THAT, YOU WILL ABSOLUTELY BE ALIGNED WITH THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO CREATE TRUE COLLABORATION, TRUE COMMUNITY, REAL, UM, ACCESS TO ASSESS A PROBLEM.
AND I HOPE THAT THE AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS SUPPORTED IN THESE EFFORTS.
THANK YOU, QUINCY DUNLAP ON DECK IS ANGELA GARZA, WELL MAYOR AND CITY LEADERS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
UM, I AM HERE REPRESENTING EAST MLK COMBINED CONTACT TEAM.
UH, WE JUST GOT SOME INFORMATION FROM LAUREN RIGHT NOW ABOUT THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF UNITS THAT ARE ACTUALLY MADE, PROVIDED BY NFP.
UM, I CAN TELL YOU FOR A FACT THAT THE DNA DID NOT HAPPEN.
IN FACT, SHE'S HERE, DNA IN AN AREA HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST GRACIOUS AND NAYS TO TRY TO COME IN WITH MODELS THAT ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO HOUSE FOLKS AND SO MANY AREAS AND SO MANY VAST DIFFERENCES.
AND THEY HAVE NOT REALLY HAD THE TIME WE FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS ACTUALLY A DROP WITH COMMUNICATING IT IN PAPERWORK.
WE'RE NOT IN ALL FAIRNESS TO THE A, UM, THE PAPERWORK WAS NOT GROUNDED WHEN WE TRY TO BE PROACTIVE AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THERE'S A DISCONNECT BETWEEN, UM, TECHNOLOGY AND PAPER THAT NEEDS TO COMMUNICATE TO THE TEAM, UH, OR COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IN ALL FAIRNESS FOR THEM.
THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY SAYING THAT THIS IS A BAD IDEA, BUT WE JUST FOUND OUT THAT WE COULD POSTPONE UNTIL SEPTEMBER ONE JUST NOW INSTEAD OF SEPTEMBER 30TH.
SO THAT MISINFORMATION JOSHUA ELLINGER ON DECK IS ADELIA HINDERMAN DELEA HYNDMAN ON DECK IS PHILIP NI MAYER.
HELLO, UM, W UH, OUR JJC, BROOKE PRESIDENT IS GOING TO, UH, SPEAK, UH, IN SOME MORE DETAILS, UM, IN A BIT, UM, WE ARE ASKING YOU TO OVERRIDE THE CITY STAFF PICK AND AUTHORIZE FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES FOR THIS PROJECT.
34% OF AUSTIN HOMELESS, UH, IS FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN THERE.
UH, THE 35 15 MAINER, UH, SPOT IS ON THE ASD BOUNDARY, UH, WITH, FOR THE AISD PROJECT HELPS SCHOOLS WITH MORE THAN 2000 HOMELESS KIDS.
UH, SUPPOSEDLY WE ARE IN A CHILDCARE.
WE ARE NOT IN CHILDCARE DESERT, BUT WHEN WE CALLED, UM, DAYCARES, THEY'RE ALL FULL AND THEY HAVE EXTENSIVE WEIGHT LIFTS, SO EXTREME, THEY DON'T AREN'T EVEN TAKING NAMES ANYMORE.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, THE M STATION, UH, FOUNDATION COMMUNITY'S WONDERFUL OPEN DOOR, A SCHOOL THERE, IT HAS A LIST OF OVER 200 KIDS, AND THEY'RE NOT TAKING ANY MORE NAMES.
WE ARE HEMORRHAGING AFRICAN-AMERICAN INTERGENERATIONAL FAMILIES WHO BUILT THEIR HOMES IN 50 YEARS AGO, RAISED KIDS, GRANDKIDS IN THOSE SAME HOMES.
WE ARE NOW WORKING, UH, WORKING TO STAY IN JJC.
BROOKE, PLEASE HEAR US AND PLEASE, PLEASE, UM, VOTE, OVERRIDE AND VOTE FOR FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES AND SUPPORT THE EXCELLENT STEWARDSHIP THEY WILL RE YOU WILL REAP DIVIDENDS, UM, WITH THAT SUPPORT WELL INTO THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU, PHILLIP NIEMEYER ON DECK IS BETH NOTTINGHAM.
BETH NOTTINGHAM ON DECK IS LAUREN STANLEY CHASE RIGHT ON DECK IS ELIZABETH JOHNSON.
UH, FIRST I WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO THINK, UM, OUR CITY COUNCIL, I WANT TO THANK, UH, NATASHA HOPPER MADISON'S OFFICE FOR HELPING US OUT, UH, WITH RESOURCES TO BRING AN EMS HOST TEAM OUT, UH, BRINGING RESOURCES TO MY COMMUNITY.
UM, MY NAME IS CHASE WRIGHT AND I'M THE PRESIDENT.
WE ARE ENGAGING WITH ECHO INTEGRAL CARE.
ANYBODY WHO'S INVOLVED WITH THE SOLUTION OF INDIAN HOMELESS CRISIS HERE IN AUSTIN, WE ARE INVOLVED WITH THEM.
I'M ACTUALLY HERE TODAY TO SPEAK IN REFERENCE TO THE DEVELOPMENT, UH, THE NHP, UH, WE WOULD LIKE ANYONE WHO IS TRYING TO, TRYING TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOMES FOR OUR UNHOUSED RESIDENTS TO GET OFF THE STREETS.
UH, IF THEY ARE ALLOWING NON-PROFITS TO MOVE WITH SPACE, NONPROFITS IS NO SECRET.
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UH, ARE THE ONES WHO ARE, LET'S SAY, BOOTS ON THE GROUND, ACTUALLY OUT IN THE FIELD, HELPING THESE INDIVIDUALS.I WORK WITH OVER 170 CLIENTS, UH, AND THEY ALL NEED HOUSING AT THIS POINT.
SO TO BE HERE, SPEAKING, IF WE ARE IN FAVOR OF THE NHP OR NOT, IT'S KINDA, YOU KNOW, UH, AT THIS POINT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO MENTION THAT WE ARE NOT IN, WE DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS FOR, UH, THE CALIFORNIA, WHAT DOES IT AFTER ME? BUT WE DO ASK THAT THEY GIVE THE ARCH EMPLOYEES OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH THEM AS WELL, SO THAT THEY'RE NOT DISPLACED FOR WORK BECAUSE THEY ARE BOOTS ON THE GROUND AS WELL.
UH, IT'S NO SECRET THAT THE ARCH PROBLEM STARTED OUTSIDE.
LET'S GIVE THOSE EMPLOYEES A CHANCE.
MAY, MAY I, I CHASE, COULD YOU MIND, I'M GOING TO DO TWO THINGS.
I'M GOING TO, UM, I'M GOING TO VOLUNTEER, TELL YOU TO TELL THESE PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT Y'ALL DO, BUT THEN I'M ALSO GONNA, I'M GONNA OFFER YOU A LITTLE BIT OF SHINE.
I KNOW YOU'RE NOT THAT KIND OF BROTHER THAT REALLY DOES IT FOR THE SHINE, BUT I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT COMMUNITY LOOKS LIKE.
WE'VE HAD THAT CONVERSATION SORT OF BRIEFLY THIS MORNING.
UM, SO WE HAD A SHACK PROBLEM IN MY COMMUNITY.
UH, THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS EVERY DISTRICT HAS A SHED.
IT'S THE, IT'S THE GAS STATION WHERE PEOPLE CONGREGATE.
IT'S THE ONE WHERE THEY'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR YEARS.
UM, NOT RIGHT, NOT WRONG, JUST IS RIGHT OLD SCHOOL, AUSTIN EYES.
WHO'VE BEEN CONGREGATING AT SPOTS FOR YEARS.
AND, UM, AS THE COMMUNITY GROWS AND CHANGES AROUND THEM AND PEOPLE SORT OF FLOCK TO WHAT'S FAMILIAR, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FLOCKING TO THE SHEK, UM, MUCH TO THE DISMAY OF NEW NEIGHBORS WHO SPENT A HALF, A MILLION DOLLARS ON THEIR, THEIR HOUSE AND WHAT THEY CONSIDERED AN UP AND COMING NEIGHBORHOOD DIDN'T ANTICIPATE THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS.
SO THIS IS A STORY OF HOW A COMMUNITY DECIDED THAT THEY WERE GONNA WORK TOGETHER AND THAT OLD NEIGHBORS, NEW NEIGHBORS WERE GOING TO JUST WORK TOWARDS MAKING THIS A COMPLETE COMMUNITY.
I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT PERSONALLY.
SO CHASE AND ANOTHER NEIGHBOR THEY GET TOGETHER.
AND SO, INSTEAD OF SAYING, WE'RE GOING TO HELP TO ADDRESS A PROBLEM IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THEY STARTED AN ORGANIZATION AND THEY STARTED TALKING TO THE PEOPLE WHO WERE THE PROBLEM, RIGHT? OFTENTIMES WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BLIGHT, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT CONDITIONS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HUMANS.
AND SO THE HUMANS WHO ARE TAKING ISSUE WITH THE HUMANS THAT WERE PROVIDING, UM, UNSIGHTLY CONDITIONS WERE ADDRESSED BY THESE TWO NEIGHBORS THAT GOT TOGETHER, YOU AND ANTHONY GOT TOGETHER AND SAID, HOW DO WE DO THIS? SO THEY FILLED THE SHED FULL OF TOOLS, AND THEY DO A TOOL SHARE, GUESS WHAT? IT DOESN'T GET STOLEN ANYMORE.
SO PEOPLE CAN MAKE A COUPLE DOLLARS.
NOBODY SHED IS GETTING BROKEN INTO AND THEIR WEED WACKER GETTING STOLEN.
CAUSE THEY HAVE A TOOL SHARE OPERATION IN THIS COMMUNITY.
NOW THERE'S A RESOURCE SHARE FOR HEALTHCARE ACCESS.
THERE'S A RESOURCE SHARE FOR FOOD AND FOR WATER.
AS A COMMUNITY, WE TALK ABOUT RESILIENCE AS A COMMUNITY.
THESE PEOPLE GOT TOGETHER AND STARTED AN ORGANIZATION THAT HELPS TO UPLIFT PEOPLE.
WHO'VE BEEN LIVING IN THESE WOODS BEHIND THIS NEIGHBORHOOD FOR FIVE DECADES.
THEY DIDN'T JUST GET THERE BY WAY OF ANYTHING.
CITY COUNCIL DID, PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAVE BEEN LIVING OUTDOORS FOR DECADES.
SO THIS COMMUNITY GOT TOGETHER.
ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO HELPED TO START THIS ORGANIZATION Y'ALL KNOW HE TOOK OUT A SECOND MORTGAGE ON HIS HOUSE.
YES, HIS MONEY, 40,000 PLUS DOLLARS OUT OF HIS POCKET TO ADDRESS A NEED IN HIS COMMUNITY.
BUT WHAT HAPPENED WHEN HE MADE THE COMMITMENT WAS THEN CHASE MADE THE COMMITMENT AND THEN THE NEIGHBORS, SOME OF THEM WERE NOT NICE TO ME.
LET ME TELL YOU, THEY DIDN'T SAY NICE THINGS ABOUT ME ON NEXT DOOR.
BUT THEN THEY REALIZED HOW DIRECTLY CONNECTED I WAS TO THE CAUSE AND THE COMMITMENT.
AND THEN, AND THEN WE ALL START WORKING TOGETHER.
AND NOT ONLY DID THEY STOP SAYING YUCKY THINGS ABOUT ME ONLINE, WHICH BY THE WAY, YOU KNOW, YOU GET ELECTED.
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SAY AWFUL THINGS ABOUT YOU, YOU KNOW YOURSELF, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT TRUE.
IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER THAT MUCH, BUT IT DOES HELP BRING A COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
WHEN THE COMMUNITY CAN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE A LEADER, WHO'S GOING TO SHOW UP FOR YOU AND YOU DRAGGING THEM EVERY DAY IS NOT ESPECIALLY NICE.
AND SO THEY GOT TOGETHER AND DID THE WORK AND ARE DOING THE WORK.
I MEAN LIKE THE PEOPLE WHO WERE THE MADDEST ARE AT THE TABLE NOW, AS PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROCESS, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING, BUT I WANT YOU TO TALK REAL QUICK ABOUT, SO WHEN YOU SHOW UP AND YOU SAY, I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT THIS ORGANIZATION DOES.
I THINK SAYING THAT YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE SPRINGDALE ORGANIZATION, DIDN'T OFFER IT THE CLOUT AND THE, LIKE THE REAL WORLD LIVED EXPERIENCE THAT, THAT YOU'RE BRINGING TO THE TABLE WHEN YOU MAKE THE ASSESSMENT ABOUT THIS ORGANIZATION.
SO IF YOU COULD JUST REAL BRIEF TELL FOLKS WHAT IT IS THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING AND HOW THEY CAN HELP YOUR EFFORTS.
W WELL, THE, KEEP IT REAL SHORT.
UH, AS OF NOW WHAT WE HAVE HERE, WE, WE ARE ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
WE ARE INVOLVED IN OUR NEW NEIGHBORS AND ENGAGING THEM WITH OUR UNHOUSED
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NEIGHBORS.I ACTUALLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH THE EAST MLK CONTACT TEAM.
AND WE KIND OF EXPLAINED SOME OF OUR, UM, WHAT WE'RE DOING THERE, WHICH IS OUR, OUR SYSTEM THAT WE'RE SETTING UP.
WE OFFER THESE INDIVIDUALS WORK.
WE OFFER THESE INDIVIDUALS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EAT EVERY DAY.
WE OFFER THESE INDIVIDUALS OPPORTUNITY THAT THEY RECEIVE CLOSE SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY BARRIERS ARE IN YOUR EXCUSES FOR THEM TO GO OUT AND SEEK GOOD OPPORTUNITY SO THAT THEY DON'T BE ON HOUSE.
MY ONLY PROBLEM NOW IS THAT WE DO HAVE NEW NEIGHBORS, UH, WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE CULTURE IN THESE AREAS.
AND WE HAVE THESE INDIVIDUALS HERE AND THEY IMMEDIATELY BECOME THE OPPOSITION.
UH, I HAVE OVER 30 UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR OVER FOUR MONTHS.
UH, LET'S SAY, OUT OF THOSE 30, NOW 15 OF THEM HAVE HOMES.
THEY WENT OUT TO HAVE COMMUNITY FIRST ABILITY AND THEY RECEIVED HOUSING.
SO THESE, UH, INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU DON'T THINK CAN WORK THEIR WAY OUT OF HOMELESS ARE NOW LOWER INCOME EARNING CITIZENS WHO ARE PAYING THEIR TAXES.
SO AT THAT POINT, I SEE THAT AS A COMMUNICATION BARRIER, I SEE THAT WE NEED TO GET IN THE FIELD AND WE NEED TO ALL COMMUNICATE, UM, KIMBERLY WITH THE DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN PARK.
SHE'S BEEN OUT IN THE FIELD, SHE'S BEEN SETTING OUT HOW WE CAN ENGAGE TO GET THESE INDIVIDUALS, NOT PUT IN JAIL, BUT TO PUT THEM IN HOMES.
UH, IT'S NO SECRET THAT THEY LIVE IN SOME OF AUSTIN PARKS AND RECS LIKES GIVENS, UH, SPRINGDALE PARK, ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT AREAS.
MY TOPLESS, THESE ARE PLACES THAT THEY CREATE.
ENCAMPMENTS AND CABINETS ARE NOT DANGEROUS.
AND CHEMISTS ARE PLACES THAT THEY ARE CURRENTLY LIVING, UH, TO TRY TO SEARCH AUSTIN'S GROWTH.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE A GROWING CITY.
UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF HIGH RENT AND WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THESE OPPORTUNITIES FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE'LL GET THESE INDIVIDUALS OUT OF THESE PLACES SO THAT YOU'RE NOT CONSIDERING THEM A NUISANCE.
I FEEL THAT WE'VE, WE ALL COMMUNICATE ON ALL LEVELS FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM.
WE CAN CAUSE I MEAN, WE CAN PRETTY MUCH CURE THIS HOMELESS CRISIS.
UM, AND AT THAT POINT, I MEAN, I JUST ASKED ANYBODY THAT WANT TO ENGAGE WITH MY NONPROFIT, ANYONE THAT WANTED TO GO AND SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND SEE HOW WE CAN HELP LET'S FIX THIS.
THANK YOU, NATASHA TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW.
UM, SO I'M NOT GOING TO EVEN TRY.
UM, BUT I AM GOING, I DID SEND SLIDES IN IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT THOSE COULD COME UP FOR 3, 5, 15 MAIN ROAD, THAT WOULD BE AWESOME.
ELIZABETH JOHNSON, LIZ JOHNSON.
MY NAME IS LIZ JOHNSON AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE JJC BURKE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, THE HOME OF THE 35 15 MAINER ROAD, UM, FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
I FIRST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAS BEEN ASKED FOR FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
UM, I'M HERE TO REPRESENT THE NEIGHBORHOOD ABOUT THE TWO PROPERTIES FOR PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ON THE CORNER OF MAYNOR GREENWOOD AND IAN FRANKLIN.
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CURRENTLY HAS TWO COMPLEXES.
THE HANDOUTS ARE ALL FOR JUST PUT IT AWAY.
GO BACK DOWN ON THE BOTTOM LEFT.
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CURRENTLY HAS TWO DEEPLY AFFORDABLE PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE FRANKLIN GARDENS AND KENSINGTON APARTMENTS.
AND THAT IS A TOTAL OF 160 PLACES.
THOSE ARE PRIMARILY UNITS THAT ARE EFFICIENCIES SINGLES AND ONE BEDROOMS. I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT NHP IS WILLING TO REVISE TO INCLUDE MORE, MORE LARGER MULTI BEDROOM UNITS.
UM, BUT I AM HERE, UM, BECAUSE THE FRANKLIN GARDENS AND, UM, KENSINGTON APARTMENTS ARE SINGLES IN OCTOBER.
UM, I WAS HOPING I COULD GET THREE MINUTES SINCE I'M THE MAIN SPEAKER, UM, JJC BRICK COMPARED THE PROPOSALS FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES HAS A 97% SUCCESS RATE ON-SITE SERVICES AND PRIORITIZATION OF DELIVERING.
AND IT'S THE DIVERSIFIED MULTIPLAYER.
YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND FINISH YOUR THOUGHT, BUT I CAN'T GIVE YOU THREE MINUTES.
WELL, IT'S ALL THERE IN THE HANDOUTS AND THE BACKUPS.
AND THE LETTER THAT I SENT IS THE UPDATED LETTER FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, THANKS FOR BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
HOPEFULLY YOU CAN LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE RIGHT THERE.
THAT CONCLUDES THE HFC SPEAKERS.
IS ANYBODY ELSE HERE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION THAT I HAVEN'T, THAT DIDN'T GET CALLED? OKAY.
THAT GETS US TO THE GENDER STAFF WOULD COME UP FOR US.
[Consent]
RAN THE AGENDA.THERE ARE TWO ITEMS. THE FIRST ONE IS THE MINUTES, UH, FROM THE, UH, UM, WHAT WAS IT? THE, UH, JUNE, UH, THE JUNE 16TH, MANDY DEMAYO, AUSTIN HOUSING, FINANCE CORPORATION, TWO THINGS ON YOUR TEAM.
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TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE JUNE 16TH, 2022 COUNCIL MEMBER AT THREE, IT MAKES A MOTION.COUNCILMEMBER, HARPER, MEDICINE SECONDS.
ANY DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
I CAN'T SEE A COUNCIL MEMBER
SO SHE'S NOT WITH US RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT? AND SO IT'S A UNANIMOUS VOTE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER OF POINT THIS OFF THE, UH, DEUS.
IT GETS US TO THE SECOND ITEM, UH, THAT IS CORRECT.
MAYOR MANDY DE MAYO, AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.
THE SECOND ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS AUTHORIZING STAFF TO MOVE FORWARD WITH NEGOTIATIONS WITH NHP FOUNDATION, UM, OR OTHER, UM, SELECTED PROPOSER TO DEVELOP AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON THE SITE.
I DO WANT TO, WE'VE HEARD FROM, UM, A VARIETY OF FOLKS EARLIER, INCLUDING THE TEAM, UM, THE NHP TEAM, WHICH INCLUDES CAPITAL HOUSING, UM, A U L SIX SQUARE RAISIN IN THE SUN INTEGRAL CARE FOR THE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND ORIGIN STUDIO.
I DO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS SOLICITATION WAS, UM, AN EXCITING, UH, EVENT FOR AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, BECAUSE IT WAS A JOINT SOLICITATION BETWEEN AUSTIN HOUSING, FINANCE CORPORATION AND AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
WE WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR FRIENDS AT AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER, UH, TO PUT OUT THE SOLICITATION WHICH WE DID ON MARCH 11TH.
UM, WE REVIEWED THE SOLICITATION INTERNALLY.
WE TOOK IT OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON MAY 1ST, UH, FOR A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WEEKS.
UH, WE DID HAVE THE PUBLIC COMMENT CLOSED ON JUNE 19TH.
WE HAD 400 PLUS UNIQUE RESPONSES, UH, TO THE PUBLIC SURVEY REGARDING THE TOP PROPOSERS, UM, WHICH WERE THREE DIFFERENT PROPOSERS.
WE ARE RECOMMENDING UNANIMOUSLY.
UM, THE NHP FOUNDATION PROPOSAL.
I WILL NOTE THAT IT HAS THE MOST, UH, AFFORDABLE UNITS PROPOSED 262 UNITS AND THE MOST PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING UNITS PROPOSED.
THIS IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH INTEGRAL CARE WHO YOU HEARD FROM EARLIER.
I WILL NOTE THAT ALL 60 OF THE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING UNITS ARE COMMITTED TO ACCEPT PEOPLE THROUGH THE CONTINUUM OF CARES COORDINATED ENTRY SYSTEM, WHICH WE FELT, UH, WAS EXTRAORDINARILY IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY AT THIS TIME.
UH, IT ALSO INCLUDES 106 MULTI BEDROOM UNITS.
UH, THAT'S APPROXIMATELY 42% OF THE UNITS.
AND OUT OF ALL OF THE INCOME, OUT OF ALL OF THE PROPOSALS, THAT INCLUDES THE MOST INCOME RESTRICTED, DEEPLY AFFORDABLE UNITS WITH 158 UNITS AT 50% OR BELOW MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME AND 82 OF THOSE UNITS WILL BE FOR FOLKS AT, OR BELOW 30% MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME.
YOU HEARD FROM THE PARTNERSHIP.
UH, WE, UH, ARE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE DIOCESE, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE NHP AND THEIR PARTNERS HERE, UH, WHO CAN ADDRESS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AS YOU NOTED MAYOR, THERE WAS LAID BACK UP.
I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE FOR SURE.
WE ALREADY NOTED THAT IN THE RECORD.
UH, BUT THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE REMINDER.
UH, IS THERE, UH, A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MEDICINE MAKES THE MOTION COUNCIL MEMBER RENTERIA SECOND SET.
UH, IS THERE A DISCUSSION, OKAY, LET'S TAKE A, VOTE THOSE IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
I'M SEEING IT AS BEING UNANIMOUS ON THE DICE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER POINT THIS OFF COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND I REALLY WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK.
THIS IS VERY MUCH NEEDED IN AUSTIN, AND THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOU KNOW, OUR BOND MONEY CAN DO.
DID INCREDIBLE WORK ON THIS BECAUSE REMEMBER HARPER MADISON, THANK YOU, MARY.
I WAS TRYING TO NOT TALK TOO MUCH AND I'VE TAKEN UP SOME SPACE TODAY.
UM, JUST, I WANT TO, I GUESS, JUST EXPRESS YOU, YOU KIND OF ALREADY DID MANDY, WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT THAT COLLABORATIVE EFFORT THAT GOT US TO WHAT REALLY IS A GREAT OUTCOME.
UH, SOMEBODY ASKED ME THIS MORNING, WHETHER OR NOT I FELT ANY OPTIMISM MOVING INTO THIS, YOU KNOW, BUDGET CYCLE AND MOVING INTO HAVING DISCUSSIONS AROUND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE BATTLING.
AND THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS I ACTUALLY REALLY DO.
UM, I'M OPTIMISTIC, YOU KNOW, DR.
BURNETT CALLS, CALLS YOUNG FOLKS, THE GENIUS GENERATION, AND I'M CALLING THEM ON THE RISE UP GENERATION.
CAUSE THEY'RE OVER IT, THEY'RE ALL PARTIED OUT AND THEY'RE TIRED OF DOING THINGS CAUSE THEY HAVE TO IT'S CAUSE WE ALWAYS HAVE FOLKS ARE REALLY RECOGNIZING THAT IF WE WANT SOMETHING DIFFERENT, WE CAN HAVE IT.
ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS GO GET IT, YOU KNOW, AND LOOKING AT EACH OTHER AND SAYING, DO YOU WANT IT? YOU KNOW, AND I THINK
[00:30:01]
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS WHERE PEOPLE ARE SAYING, HEY, FOLKS NEED A PLACE TO LIVE.AND I NEED SOME OF THE SERVICES THAT GO ALONG WITH IT.
DO YOU WANT IT? AND I THINK WE'RE JUST GOING TO SEE MORE AND MORE, UH, THIS KIND OF PROJECT THAT REALLY YIELDS THE OUTCOMES THAT WE NEED AS A COMMUNITY.
I THINK DECADES OF CAR DEPENDENCE, SPRAWL, UM, REALLY ROOTED IN EXCLUSIONARY LAND USE PRACTICES.
THIS IS, UM, SOMETHING THAT'S THAT'S LED US TO THIS STATUS QUO WHERE, WHERE RENT IS.
I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S NOT A PERSON IN THE ROOM WHO CAN'T HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE CONVERSATION ABOUT SOMEBODY THAT THEY KNOW WHO'S EXPERIENCING CHALLENGES BASED ON AFFORDABILITY IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND FOR SO MANY PEOPLE THAT'S HOUSING.
YOU KNOW, I, I TALKED ABOUT THIS BRIEFLY IN, UH, UH, RIGHT AFTER THE EVENT, I HOSTED A TOWN HALL WHERE A CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOYEE, UH, CAME AND TALKED TO US ABOUT BEING HOMELESS.
HE'S A MAN IN HIS FIFTIES, WHO'S GAINFULLY EMPLOYED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND DOESN'T HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE.
I MEAN, WE ALL REALLY SHOULD BE SITTING HERE IN ABSOLUTE DISMAY AND SHOCK, BUT WE'RE NOT SHOCKED BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THAT GUY, EVEN WITHOUT KNOWING HIM, WE ALL KNOW SOMEBODY WHO'S EXPERIENCING TRUE CHALLENGES AROUND THE AFFORDABILITY OF HOUSING THAT THEY JUST CAN'T OVERCOME WITHOUT US DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND BETTER AND BOLDER AND BREAKING THE CYCLE OF ADHERING TO THE STATUS QUO.
SO I'M, I'M PUMPED ABOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, AND, AND MANY MORE LIKE IT, I THINK AS A BODY, WE HAVE A LOT OF TOOLS TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM AND WE'RE REALLY WE'RE DOING IT.
I APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE DOING THE WORK.
I THINK ADOPTING POLICIES THAT LEAD MORE HOUSING FOR MORE PEOPLE AND MORE PARTS OF TOWN, UH, PARTICULARLY THOSE TRANSIT FRIENDLY AND WALKABLE PARTS OF TOWN, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO KEEP PUSHING FOR.
WE CAN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT MOBILITY.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOUSING, WE CAN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT ACCESS.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOUSING, IT'S ALL DIRECTLY CONNECTED.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE RECOGNIZING THAT THE NEED IS GREATER THAN WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE PROVIDING, BUT WE'RE PUSHING TOWARDS IT.
SO I THINK I, ALONG WITH EVERYBODY ELSE ON THIS DIOCESE, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M A TAXPAYER TOO.
UH, I'LL BE PAYING FOR THIS TOO.
AND I REALLY ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE THAT IT'LL BE WELL WORTH EVERY DOLLAR I SPEND.
SO I'M ESPECIALLY PROUD TO BE A PART OF A CAST AND A VOTE FOR YES.
THAT'S WHY I HAVE A HEART HOPPER MEDICINE.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, UH, UH, AMONG MANY OTHERS ON THIS DAY AS WORKING ON THIS CHALLENGE.
UH, BUT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR THREE ACRES FOR, FOR SOME TIME NOW.
UH, SO I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS.
THE DEALING WITH THE HOMELESSNESS CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE IN THIS COMMUNITY WAS SET AS A NUMBER ONE PRIORITY FOR US TO ACT ON.
AND WE SET IT AS THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY BECAUSE THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE WHILE DAUNTING IS OF A SCALE THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY MEET THE CHALLENGE AND THEN HOMELESSNESS, IF WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT IT.
AND IF WE DO THE WORK AND PUT THE RESOURCES TOWARD IT, WE HAVE A CHANCE OF BEING THE FIRST CITY, OUR SIZE TO DO THAT, TO, TO ACTUALLY END HOMELESSNESS.
UH, WE SET A GOAL AS A COMMUNITY OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS TO HOUSE 3000 MORE PEOPLE THAN OUR SYSTEM WOULD OTHERWISE HOUSE.
UH, AND THAT REQUIRES US TO, TO BUILD MORE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR THE, FOR THE LONGEST TIME, THIS CITY HAD 500 PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING UNITS.
AND JUST COULDN'T SEEM TO, TO BUDGE FROM THAT NUMBER WHEN YOU TALLY UP THE NUMBER OF UNITS THAT ARE, UH, IN THE PIPELINE NOW WITH, WITH LAND IDENTIFIED, DEVELOPERS IDENTIFIED AND FINANCING IDENTIFIED.
SO THESE ARE REAL PROJECTS, MANY OF WHICH, IF NOT, MOST OF WHICH, IF NOT NEARLY ALL OF WHICH THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS PART OF THE EFFORT TO PUT ON THE GROUND.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 1300, 1400 UNITS.
UH, THAT'S, THAT'S A TREMENDOUS LEAP FROM A CITY THAT, UH, WAS HOLDING IT AT 500 FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
AND WHEN YOU COMBINE THAT WITH THE ABILITY WITH VOUCHERS, AS, AS HAKA STARTS DIRECTING MORE AND MORE PROJECT-BASED VOUCHERS, UH, WE ACTUALLY, UH, HAVE IT WITHIN OUR GRASP TO, TO HOUSE MORE THAN 3000 INCREMENTAL PEOPLE, ADDITIONAL PEOPLE OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT ARE NECESSARY.
I, YOU KNOW, I, I HEAR THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD COME IN AND, AND IF, IF YOUR ONLY EXPERIENCE AND YOUR ONLY DATA POINT ON WHAT A FACILITY LOOKS LIKE THAT IS PROVIDING HOUSING FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IS THE ARCH.
[00:35:01]
WHO'S GONNA LIVE PROXIMATE TO THAT IS GOING TO HAVE CONCERNS.SO I THINK THAT THE, THE, THE, THE LESSON FOR EACH OF US IS NUMBER ONE, TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE PROJECTS, THE ARCH WAS STARTED BACK IN 2000 OR THERE ABOUTS.
UH, BUT THE PROJECTS THAT HAVE STARTED RECENTLY, OR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS ARE PROJECTS THAT ARE IN NEIGHBORHOODS AND YOU CAN'T DISCERN THAT THAT PROJECT IS JUST NOT ANOTHER APARTMENT BUILDING, UH, APARTMENT COMPLEX IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEY CONTRIBUTE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WAY.
AND I THINK THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND WE APPROVE THESE KINDS OF PROJECTS, IT'S JUST REALLY INCUMBENT ON US AS A CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S HOW THEY OPERATE, BECAUSE OUR ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO OPEN MORE FACILITIES LIKE THIS, AND TO OPEN UP HOUSING, UH, IN, IN ALL PARTS OF OUR CITY SO THAT WE CAN HOUSE EVERYBODY THAT NEEDS HOUSING IS DEPENDENT ON OUR ABILITY TO HELP ENSURE THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING LOOKS LIKE WHAT'S BEEN BUILT RECENTLY AND DOES NOT LOOK LIKE WHAT SOME PEOPLE'S MEMORY IS OF, OF WHAT THE ARCH WAS FOR, FOR TOO TWO LONGER PERIOD OF TIME.
SO THAT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY AND WE HAVE TO MAKE GOOD ON IT.
UM, BUT THIS PROJECT, UH, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE FOLKS, THE STAKEHOLDERS WORKING TOGETHER, UH, THIS WAS A BIG LIFT FOR OUR STAFF.
UH, IT JUST A WONDERFUL PROJECT, UH, IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME, IN THE RIGHT WAY.
UH, AND I JUST REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S EFFORTS.
I WANTED TO THANK, UM, ALL WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE DIALOGUE.
UM, IT SOUNDED TO ME AS IF ALL WHO'VE PARTICIPATED, REGARDLESS OF WHO THEY RECOMMENDED, UM, EMBRACES THE IDEA OF HAVING AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITHIN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I THINK THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND I, AND I APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS US, THESE ARE OUR NEIGHBORS, THESE ARE OUR, UM, FAMILY MEMBERS.
THESE ARE, THESE ARE PEOPLE WE WORK WITH AND INTERACT WITH ALL THE TIME.
AND I ALSO WANT TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM DISTRICT NINE, FROM MILLER MUELLER DEVELOPMENT AS WELL.
AND, AND WE DO HAVE SOME LETTERS FROM, FROM THAT, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IN SUPPORT AS WELL, AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZING SOME DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF, OF THE PROPOSAL.
UM, AND I REALLY WANTED TO THANK STAFF BECAUSE THIS IS, I REMEMBER IN MY FIRST TERM GETTING SOME OF THOSE CONSTITUENT EMAILS OF, OF CONCERN ABOUT THIS TRACT AND IT IS SUCH A GREAT, A GREAT THING TO SEE THE VALUE THAT IS GOING TO BE BROUGHT TO THIS SITE.
NOT THAT YOU KNOW, WHEN WE ARE USING CITY-OWNED LAND, UM, FOR CITY PURPOSES, OF COURSE, THE PUBLIC BENEFITS WHEN WE TAKE ARE ABLE TO TAKE A PUBLIC TRACK LIKE THIS ONE, THOUGH, AND, UM, ASSIGN IT TO THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY CHALLENGING TO DO IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, WHICH IS TO CREATE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND OUR COMMUNITY HAS FOR DECADES URGED US TO TAKE THOSE UNDER UTILIZED CITY-OWNED LAND AND USE IT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING LONG BEFORE MANY, MANY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY REALIZED, UM, WE WERE GOING TO NEED IT.
WE HAD MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY WHO WERE ADVOCATING FOR BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON CITY ON LAND, BECAUSE WE CAN GET SUCH VALUE FOR AUSTINITES.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT TRANSITION FOR TRANSFERRING THIS TRACK TO THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, AND THEN EMBARKING ON THIS PROCESS.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT AMENITY AND A GREAT RESOURCE TO OUR CITY.
I THINK WE'VE TAKEN CARE OF THE AGENDA.
UH, AND WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO, UH, UH, ADJOURN THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.