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[CALL TO ORDER]
TODAY.TODAY IS OCTOBER 11TH, 2022, AND TIME IS 6:42 PM I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THIS MONTH'S MEETING OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION TO ORDER.
UH, THE PURPOSE OF THIS BOARD IS TO ADVISE THE COUNCIL AND THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO SERVE THE POOR AND COMMUNITY AT LARGE WITH AN EMPHASIS ON FEDERALLY FUNDED PROGRAMS. AND OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS, AS USUAL, IS PUBLIC
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
COMMUNICATION.THE FIRST 10 SPEAKERS SIGNED UP PRIOR TO THE MEETING BEING CALLED TO ORDER, UH, WILL BE ALLOWED A THREE MINUTE ALLOTMENT TO ADDRESS CONCERNS REGARDING ITEMS NOT POSTED ON THE AGENDA.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? UM, SHALL WE ADDRESS ONES AT A TIME ON HIM? YEAH, IT SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT.
ALL JUST, UH, DO WE KNOW HOW MANY COLORS WE HAVE SHREDDING HER'S COLOR.
UH, DID WE SAY MONICA WAS THE COLOR'S NAME? MONICA, CAN YOU HEAR US? HI, YES, I CAN.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, UH, THIS EVENING.
AND, UH, ARE YOU, UH, CALLING REGARDING AN, UH, AGENDA ITEM, UH, ON TODAY'S AGENDA? YES.
I'M ACTUALLY PART OF THE, UM, IDC ADVISORY COMMISSION.
SO I WAS JUST CALLING IN TO LISTEN TO THIS MEETING.
UH, IF, UH, WE MAY HAVE, UH, ANY, UH, INQUIRY OR COMMENT FOR OR FROM YOU, UH, WE WILL REQUEST THAT DURING THE AGENDA ITEM.
CAN WE MOVE TO THE NEXT CALLER? HELLO? HELLO, MY NAME IS NET.
I'M ALSO PART OF THE IDC TEAM.
AND, UH, WE WILL THEN, UH, UH, KEEP YOU WITH US ON STANDBY UNTIL THAT AGENDA ITEM, UH, AT WHICH POINT IF ONE OF THE PRESENTERS MAY CALL ON YOU, UH, WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO, TO HEAR YOUR COMMENT.
AND, UH, IF I RE RECALL, I THINK WE MET YOU LAST MEETING.
SO GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN OR HEAR YOU AGAIN.
DO WE HAVE ANY MORE CALLERS? IF YOU ARE CALLING AND WAITING TO SPEAK, JUST HOLD.
WE ARE SORTING OUT SOME TECHNICAL ISSUES AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE FINDING EVERYBODY, SO THAT WE'RE JUST GOING THROUGH AND THIS, AND I THINK WE'RE ALL THREE CENTERS.
WE WILL MOVE TO THE NEXT, UH, AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS THE
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.WE'VE GOT THE SEPTEMBER 13TH MINUTES IN FRONT OF US.
I KNOW EVERYONE POURED OVER THEM RELENTLESSLY LAST NIGHT, BUT JUST MAYBE TAKE A QUICK REFRESHER, LOOK AT THEM RIGHT NOW, AND HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO PASS THEM OR APPROVE THEM.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE, WE CAN HEAR YOU CAN'T HEAR ANYTHING.
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HOT.I MADE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVED THE MINUTES FROM LAST MONTH MEETING.
WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FROM COMMISSIONER TOLLIVER TO APPROVE THE SEPTEMBER, UH, 13TH.
SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER GARRETT.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE OR RAISE YOUR HAND AND REMINDER.
LOOKS LIKE, UH, ALL OPPOSED, ANY ABSTAINING? THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
THE SECOND AGENDA ITEM, WE ARE GOING TO BUMP DUE TO EVERYONE'S FAVORITE MISFIT HIL, SAM BRANO BEHAVING POORLY.
[3. Presentation and discussion on findings from the State of the Food System Report (Edwin Marty, Office of Sustainability)]
UH, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION ON FINDINGS FROM THE STATE OF THE FOOD SYSTEM REPORT WITH EDWIN MARTY AT THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY.MARTY, FOOD POLICY MANAGER, CITY OF AUSTIN'S OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY.
AND HAPPY TO, UH, SHARE OUT SOME EXCITING AND INTERESTING INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE DOCUMENTED IN OUR RECENTLY PUBLISHED STATE OF THE FOOD SYSTEM REPORT.
SO HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS CAN HEAR ME OKAY.
AND, UM, THANKS FOR DRIVING THE SLIDE DECK.
I'LL JUST, UH, LET YOU KNOW WHEN I AM HOPING TO ADVANCE THE SLIDES.
UM, SO AGAIN, I'M EDWIN MARTY.
I AM THE FOOD POLICY MANAGER WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY.
UH, I WAS HIRED ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO TO HELP PROVIDE STRATEGIC DIRECTION TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN TERMS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MORE LOCAL, SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE FOOD SYSTEM.
UM, LOTS OF CROSSOVER WITH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
UH, I'M REMISS FOR NOT HAVING REACHED OUT TO YOU ALL BEFORE AND SHARED SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, BUT I APPRECIATE THE INVITATION TODAY, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THIS NEW STATE OF THE FOOD SYSTEM REPORT THAT SHED SOME INTERESTING, UM, INFORMATION ON OUR FOOD SYSTEM AND THE IMPACTS OF THE FOOD SYSTEM.
AND THEN EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, UH, THE RESOLUTION THAT THE CITY COUNCIL PASSED LAST YEAR, DIRECTING CITY STAFF TO DEVELOP THE FIRST COMPREHENSIVE FOOD SYSTEM PLAN FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON.
SO TONIGHT, I WILL VERY QUICKLY MOVE THROUGH A, UH, SUMMARY OF THE STATE OF THE FOOD SYSTEM REPORT AND THEN DIVE INTO SOME VERY QUICK INFORMATION ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE FOOD SYSTEM PLAN, AND HOPES THAT YOU ALL CAN HELP US GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS PLAN AND HELP US CREATE A PLAN THAT ADDRESSES MANY OF THE ISSUES THAT YOU ALL DISCUSS EACH AND EVERY DAY.
UM, SO AGAIN, I AM EDWARD MARTY WITH THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY.
BEEN WITH THE OFFICE ABOUT EIGHT YEARS, WORK WITH A SMALL TEAM OF FOLKS.
I'M GONNA WALK YOU THROUGH A COUPLE VERY QUICK SLIDES ABOUT WHO THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY IS AND WHAT WE DO.
UH, SO WE WERE CREATED, UH, PROBABLY A LITTLE OVER A DECADE AGO, UM, OUT OF SOME WORK DONE IN AUSTIN ENERGY TO HELP, UH, REDUCE THE GREENHOUSE GAS IMPACTS OF OUR ENERGY PRODUCTION.
UM, SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS TO ADDRESS, UH, GOALS LIKE OUR NET ZERO COMMUNITY WIDE GAS EMISSIONS, UH, THE DEVELOPMENT OF A LOCAL STABLE FOOD SYSTEM, AND MORE RECENTLY, UH, THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CLIMATE RESILIENT AND ADAPTIVE CITY VISION.
SO WE WORK SPECIFICALLY IN OUR OFFICE ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND RESILIENCE, AIR QUALITY, UH, THE DEVELOPMENT OF GREEN BUSINESS AND FOOD SYSTEMS. EXCELLENT.
GOT A VERY SMALL TEAM WITHIN THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY THAT WORKS ON FOOD SYSTEMS SPECIFICALLY.
AGAIN, I AM EDWARD MARTY, THE STAFF LIAISON FOR THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD POLICY BOARD, AS WELL AS THE FOOD POLICY MANAGER WORKING INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY TO HELP PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS FOOD SYSTEM.
AMANDA RELIC WORKS CLOSELY WITH ME AS THE FOOD POLICY ADVISOR.
IN ADDITION TO OUR FULL-TIME STAFF, WE'VE GOT TWO PART-TIME STAFFS AND WE DID CHICO GRADUATE INTERN.
AND SERGIO TORRES IS OUR FOOD RESILIENCE COORDINATOR, SPECIFICALLY HIRED TO HELP US IMPLEMENT OUR FOOD SYSTEM PLAN.
SO I'M GONNA WALK YOU THROUGH SOME REALLY QUICK SLIDES ABOUT WHY WE ARE DOING A FOOD SYSTEM PLAN, AND THEN DIVE INTO SOME OF THE DETAILS ABOUT OUR STATE OF THE FOOD SYSTEM REPORT.
SO BEFORE I START, WHAT IS A FOOD SYSTEM? I'VE ALREADY USED THE TERM A COUPLE DIFFERENT TIMES VERY QUICKLY.
WE USE THE TERM FOOD SYSTEM TO DESCRIBE THIS CYCLICAL, IDEALIZED FOOD SYSTEM WHERE WE LOOK AT PRODUCTION, PROCESSING, DISTRIBUTION, CONSUMPTION, AND POST CONSUMPTION OF OUR FOOD.
ESSENTIALLY, WHERE DOES OUR FOOD COME FROM? WHAT HAPPENS, UM, AFTER IT LEAVES US, UH, CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO BREAK UP THE FOOD SYSTEM IN
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TERMS OF THESE SECTORS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT A HOLISTIC VISION OF THE FOOD SYSTEM, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THESE PARTS RELATE TO EACH OTHER.AND THEN FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, THAT THE CITY UNDERSTAND WHAT PARTS OF THE CITY INFLUENCE EACH SECTOR OF THE FOOD SYSTEM.
OUR FOOD SYSTEM PLANNING PROCESS WILL BE DIVIDED AMONGST THESE DIFFERENT SECTORS.
IN THIS SLIDE, WE HAVE FOOD JUSTICE CENTERED IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS FOOD SYSTEM.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT VISUALLY AND LITERALLY.
UH, FOOD JUSTICE IS THIS IDEA THAT PEOPLE HAVE AGENCY TO CREATE A FOOD SYSTEM THAT WORKS FOR THEM, UH, IN A WAY THAT, UH, FOOD IS AVAILABLE IN, UH, SUFFICIENT QUANTITY AND CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE.
SO A REALLY SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE HERE IN AUSTIN, SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL IN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION TOUCH ON IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.
AFFORDABILITY, UH, ADDRESSING THE INEQUITY CENTER OF SOCIETY.
THAT'S WHAT WE MEAN BY FOOD JUSTICE.
WE WILL BE CENTERING OUR FOOD PLANNING PROCESS ON THIS CONCEPT OF FOOD JUSTICE.
MORE TO COME ON THAT IN A MOMENT.
SO A COUPLE OF REAL QUICK POINTS ON OUR FOOD SYSTEM.
UM, THESE ARE SOME, UH, IMAGES TAKEN FROM OUR STATE OF THE FOOD SYSTEM REPORT, WHICH, UH, IS AVAILABLE IN THIS SLIDE DECK, WHICH WILL BE SHARED WITH YOU AFTER THIS PRESENTATION.
WE'VE GOT THE STATE OF THE FOOD SYSTEM REPORT PUBLISHED ON OUR, UH, AUSTIN, UH, OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY WEBSITE, TRANSLATED INTO SPANISH AS WELL.
UH, IMPORTANT POINTS TO KNOW SIGNIFICANT LEVELS OF FOOD INSECURITY IN OUR COMMUNITY, PROBABLY NOT BECOMING AS A SURPRISE TO ANY OF YOU.
UM, COVID DID AFFECT OUR FOOD INSECURITY RATES FAIRLY SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASING FOOD INSECURITY RATES FROM A ALL TIME LOW OF 2019.
UH, WE'VE SEEN THOSE NUMBERS DECREAS SINCE, UH, COVID HAS DECLINED IN ITS IMPACT, UH, BUT STILL SEEING A DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT OF FOOD INSECURITY RELATIVE TO THE AFFLUENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND COMPARED TO OTHER COMMUNITIES, UH, SIMILAR TO AUSTIN.
BUT IN ADDITION TO FOOD INSECURITY, WE'RE ALSO FACING SOME OTHER SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES IN OUR FOOD SYSTEM.
UH, SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF FARMLAND IN AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY, AND REALLY ACROSS CENTRAL TEXAS.
NOT SURPRISING TO ANY OF YOU, UH, DEVELOPMENT IS OCCURRING PRIMARILY ON WHAT WE CALL PRIME FARMLAND AS IN LAND THAT HAS SOIL THAT'S MOST ADAPT FOR PRODUCING FOOD.
AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE'RE SEEING A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN LOCAL FOOD, UH, PRODUCTION VERSUS CONSUMPTION.
UH, VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE FOOD THAT WE CONSUME LOCALLY IS PRODUCED LOCALLY.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, WE STILL TO, WE CONTINUE TO THROW AWAY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF OUR FOOD THROUGHOUT THE SUPPLY CHAIN.
UM, AND THEN MOST RECENTLY IN OUR WORK, WE HAVE BROUGHT IN SOME NEW INFORMATION ABOUT THE IMPACT OF GREENO GAS EMISSIONS ON THE FOOD SYSTEM AND VICE VERSA.
UM, SIGNIFICANT IMPACT OF, UH, GREENO GAS EMISSIONS DUE TO OUR FOOD SYSTEM.
WE'LL TOUCH MORE ON THAT MORE, BUT AS WE AS A CITY ARE TRYING TO MOVE TOWARDS A GOAL OF BEING A ZERO EMISSIONS COMMUNITY BY 2040, UH, THE FOOD SYSTEM NEEDS SOME SUBSTANTIAL SUPPORT IN MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION.
SO LET ME TALK REAL QUICKLY ABOUT WHAT A FOOD SYSTEM PLAN IS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT.
SO, UH, CITY COUNCIL LAST SUMMER PASSED A RESOLUTION DIRECTING CITY STAFF TO CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE FOOD SYSTEM PLAN THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT WOULD BE MULTILINGUAL AND THAT WOULD HELP DEVELOP A VISION FOR WHAT OUR FOOD SYSTEM COULD LOOK LIKE AND SOME ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR HELPING US DEVELOP THAT.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS ON DEVELOPING THIS PLAN.
UH, VERY EXCITED TO BE MOVING FORWARD ON THIS.
UH, WE'VE GOT SOME IMPORTANT ROLES THAT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION CAN PLAY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR FOOD SYSTEM PLANT.
PART OF THE REASON THAT CITY COUNCIL PASSED THIS RESOLUTION WAS PROBABLY MANY OF YOU EXPERIENCED SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACED DURING SOME RECENT DISASTERS.
COVID ONGOING WINTER STORM YU WINTER STORM THIS YEAR.
REALLY UNPRECEDENTED IN MANY WAYS.
UM, THESE DISASTERS ACROSS AUSTIN ILLUMINATED SOME REAL WEAKNESSES IN OUR FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN, BUT ALSO SOME WEAKNESSES IN OUR OVERALL APPROACH TO HOW WE THINK ABOUT ENSURING THAT EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY HAS SUFFICIENT ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED ACROSS TIME TO ENSURE A QUALITY OF LIFE.
SO, UH, WE'LL BE BUILDING ON THIS IN A LOT OF WAYS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE SOME DRIVERS ESSENTIALLY FOR WHY WE'RE DOING THIS FOOD SYSTEM PLANNING PROCESS.
WE NEED TO CREATE A MORE RESILIENT FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN.
WE NEED TO CREATE BETTER PLANNING PROCESSES TO MAKE SURE THAT ESPECIALLY THE MOST VULNER ROOM AT ALL IN OUR COMMUNITY HAVE ACCESS TO THE FOOD AND RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED EVEN DURING DISASTERS.
SO IN ADDITION TO BLUE SCHOOL, WE CALL BLUE SKY PERIODS OF NON-DISASTER, UH, SPECIFICALLY DURING DISASTERS.
WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE OF OUR POPULATION THAT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE ADEQUATE RESOURCES IN SUPPLY TO WITHSTAND MULTIPLE DAYS WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO ACCESS THINGS LIKE FOOD AND, UH, POTABLE WATER.
SO SPECIFICALLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS INSIDE OUR FOOD SYSTEM PLANNING PROCESS.
WE'LL BE DOING A FOOD CHAIN, FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS.
UM, MUCH MORE TO COME ON THIS, BUT
[00:15:01]
FROM Y'ALL'S PERSPECTIVE, JUST KNOW WE ARE AWARE THAT THE PRIVATE SECTOR HAS AMAZING RESOURCES IN CAPACITY.WE HAVE AN AMAZING FOOD SYSTEM HERE IN AUSTIN IN PARK DUE TO OUR PRIVATE SECTOR FRIENDS AND PRODUCTION PROCESSING, DISTRIBUTION, ET CETERA.
UM, THAT SAID, MANY OF THOSE PRIVATE SECTOR COMPANIES ARE NOT PREPARED FOR THE KIND OF DISASTERS THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THIS DAY AND AGE.
UH, WHAT WE'LL BE DOING OVER THE NEXT YEAR AND A HALF IS ANALYZING WHAT KIND OF DISASTERS WE MIGHT EXPECT TO SEE, UM, DUE TO THINGS LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE, ET CETERA.
UM, AND WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO TO BOLSTER THE RESILIENCE OF THAT FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN? ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE, UH, REDUNDANT POWER SUPPLIES, CREATE BETTER SYSTEMS, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN AND IF WE HAVE, UH, THE NEXT DISASTER, WE'RE A LITTLE BIT BETTER PREPARED THAN PREVIOUS DISASTERS? NEXT SLIDE.
SO IN PREPARATION FOR ALL OF THAT PLANNING, WE HAVE RELEASED OUR STATE OF THE FOOD SYSTEM REPORT.
I'M GONNA DRIVE THROUGH THESE SLIDES FAIRLY QUICKLY, UH, BUT PAUSE ON, UH, SPECIFIC POINTS THAT I THINK ARE RELEVANT TO THIS COMMISSION.
UH, SO ESSENTIALLY THE STATE OF THE FOOD SYSTEM REPORT IS, UH, AN AGGREGATION OF ALL THE DATA, THE SECONDARY DATA THAT WE KNOW ABOUT OUR FOOD SYSTEM FOR PRODUCTION, PROCESSING, DISTRIBUTION, CONSUMPTION, WASTE RECOVERY, ET CETERA.
UM, BUT THIS YEAR, UM, IN ADDITION TO THE PREVIOUS INFORMATION THAT WE'VE PROVIDED IN THE 2015 AND 2018 STATE OF THE FOOD SYSTEM REPORT, THE 2022 REPORT IS INTENDED TO BE A BASELINE ASSESSMENT FOR OUR FOOD PLANNING WORK.
SO WE ADDED A LOT MORE DETAIL IN THIS PLAN IN HOPES THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC WOULD BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THIS REPORT AND BE ABLE TO GET A VERY GOOD IDEA OF WHAT THE RELEVANT THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN OUR FOOD SYSTEM, WHAT THINGS WE MIGHT WANNA FOCUS ON IN OUR PLANNING PROCESS, AND HOW TO KIND OF GET A SENSE OF WHAT DO WE ALREADY KNOW ABOUT OUR FOOD SYSTEM AND THEREFORE, HOPEFULLY BEING ABLE TO SET PRIORITIES MOVING FORWARD.
BUT WE'VE BROKEN THE FOOD SYSTEM DOWN INTO THOSE SECTIONS THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER.
UM, AGAIN, RUN THROUGH THESE FAIRLY QUICKLY.
UH, FROM A FOOD PRODUCTION PERSPECTIVE, NOT SURPRISING.
UH, WE'VE GOT SOME, UH, REAL CHALLENGES AS WE SEE FARMLAND BEING DEVELOPED AT AN UNPRECEDENTED RATE.
LESS THAN 1% OF OUR FOOD THAT'S PRODUCED, UH, THAT'S CONSUMED LOCALLY, IS PRODUCED LOCALLY.
UH, THAT SAID, WE DO HAVE SOME REAL ASSETS.
WE'VE GOT SOME GREAT URBAN FARMS, UM, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WORK ON FARMS IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
UM, THAT SAID, UH, WE'VE GOT SOME REAL WORK TO DO.
WE'VE GOT A REALLY, UH, SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE.
WE EITHER NEED TO PRIORITIZE THE PRESERVATION OF CERTAIN PARTS OF OUR FARMING COMMUNITY OR IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE, WE SIMPLY WILL NOT HAVE LAND, UH, TO PRODUCE FOOD ON.
WE NEED LAND TO DEVELOP AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THAT SAID, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN, UH, LAND THAT COULD BE DEVELOPED UPON AND LAND THAT'S NEEDED FOR FOOD PRODUCTION? THERE'S A TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF, UH, REASONS WHY A LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE BUILT UPON LOCAL FOOD PRODUCTION.
UM, SO WE AS A COMMUNITY, THROUGH OUR FOOD PLANNING PROCESS OVER THE NEXT YEAR AND A HALF, WE'RE GONNA REALLY NEED TO TACKLE THOSE QUESTIONS.
UH, FOOD PROCESSING AND DISTRIBUTION, PROBABLY THE MOST RELEVANT, UH, IN SOME WAYS FOR THIS COMMISSION RECOGNIZING, UM, THE NARRATIVE THAT I LIKE TO USE WHEN DESCRIBING HOW WE'RE DOING ESSENTIALLY IN THE FOOD PROCESSING AND DISTRIBUTION.
UM, ARE WE, UH, AUSTIN WAS THE SLEEPY COLLEGE TOWN 20 YEARS AGO.
PROBABLY NOT A COMPLETELY TRUE DESCRIPTION, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, UM, WE'VE EXPLODED OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS, ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST 10 YEARS.
UH, THE RATE OF GROWTH HAS OUTPACED THE RATE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, WE HAVE A DISPROPORTIONATELY MINUSCULE NUMBER OF PRO FOOD PROCESSING FACILITIES, SMALL NUMBER OF FOOD DISTRIBUTION FACILITIES.
BY FOOD DISTRIBUTION, I MEAN PLACES WHERE FARMERS BRING THEIR FOOD TO HAVE IT REPACKAGED AND DISTRIBUTED OUT TO WHOLESALERS OR TO INSTITUTIONS, UH, COMPARATIVELY TO SAY DALLAS THAT HAS HUNDREDS OF FOOD DISTRIBUTION COMPANIES.
UH, WE HAVE A HANDFUL, QUITE LITERALLY LESS THAN, UM, 10 FOOD DISTRIBUTION COMPANIES.
UH, FOR THE MOST PART THAT'S FOLLOWING, UH, SORT OF THE TRAJECTORY OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'VE RELIED ON PLACES LIKE SAN ANTONIO AND DALLAS AND BANK HOUSTON TO SUPPLY MOST OF THE THINGS IN OUR FOOD SYSTEM.
BUT AS WE HAVE GROWN, UH, EXPONENTIALLY, THERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT THINGS FOR US TO NOTICE.
WE DO NOT HAVE THE FOOD INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY FOOD INFRASTRUCTURE, LIKE FOOD PROCESSING FACILITIES, SLAUGHTERHOUSES DISTRIBUTION FACILITIES ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THAT OUR LOCAL FARMING COMMUNITY CAN GET THEIR PRODUCTS INTO MARKETS.
UH, WE KNOW THAT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO FARM IN CENTRAL TEXAS FOR A LOT OF REASONS, BUT ONE OF THOSE REASONS IS THAT LACK OF INFRASTRUCTURE.
THERE'S SIMPLY NOT THE THINGS NEEDED FROM AN INFRASTRUCTURE PERSPECTIVE THAT WILL FACILITATE THE MOVEMENT OF FOOD OFF A FARM INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES AS A RESULT OF THAT.
SO, SOME OF THE STATS HERE, YOU SEE PRETTY OBVIOUS.
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JUST HAVE, UH, A ESSENTIALLY AN ANEMIC FOOD INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM HERE IN AUSTIN.UH, FOOD MARKETS AND RETAIL ON THE OTHER HAND, UH, WE'VE GOT A ROBUST FOOD, RETAIL, AND MARKET COMMUNITY.
SOME OF THE BEST, UH, GROCERY STORES IN THE COUNTRY, UH, DON'T NEED TO EXPAND ON THAT.
SOME OF THE MOST, UH, IMPRESSIVE FARMERS MARKETS IN TEXAS LOCATED RIGHT HERE IN AUSTIN, AND WE LOVE THOSE LOCATIONS.
THAT SAID, EVEN WITH THOSE MARKETS, THERE'S VERY LITTLE LOCAL FOOD BEING ACTUALLY SOLD AT THE LOCAL MARKETS.
UH, WE'VE GOT AN INCREDIBLE GAP, A $2.3 BILLION GAP BETWEEN THE FOOD THAT'S PRODUCED IN CENTRAL TEXAS AND THE FOOD THAT'S CONSUMED IN THE, IN CENTRAL TEXAS AND BY CENTRAL TEXAS.
FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS REPORT, WE'RE REFERRING TO THE FIVE, REFERRING TO THE FIVE COUNTY REGION, THE AUSTIN MSA.
SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR COMMUNITY, WE LOOK AT A NUMBER LIKE 2.3 BILLION, AND WE REALIZE THAT A SMALL INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT COULD DECREASE THAT GAP WOULD LIKELY BE A THOUGHTFUL INVESTMENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, FROM A FOOD CONSUMPTION AND ACCESS PERSPECTIVE, AGAIN, A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF GREAT, UH, GROCERY STORES AND MARKETS ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, THAT SAID, WE'VE GOT A SUBSTANTIAL CHALLENGE IN AUSTIN, AS WE HAVE SEEN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY EXPLODE.
THE INFRASTRUCTURE, AGAIN, HAS NOT KEPT UP.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THE PROCESSING OF DISTRIBUTION INFRASTRUCTURE, WE ALSO HAVE SOME SUBSTANTIAL FOOD RETAIL INFRASTRUCTURE GAPS, UH, THAT YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD THE TERM FOOD DESERT USED QUITE OFTEN.
WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE TERM FOOD DESERT.
WE FEEL LIKE IT'S A LIABILITY FOCUSED, UH, METRIC AS OPPOSED TO AN ASSET FOCUSED METRIC.
WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS WHEN YOU USE THE TERM FOOD DESERT, YOU'RE IMPLYING THAT NOTHING IS IN THAT COMMUNITY AND THERE NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING BROUGHT IN.
UH, WE LIKE TO THINK ABOUT IT MORE FROM AN ASSET PERSPECTIVE, WHERE WE KNOW THAT EVERY COMMUNITY HAS LOTS OF GREAT THINGS AND IMPORTANT THINGS AND PEOPLE DOING GOOD THINGS.
UH, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS THROUGH OUR FOOD PLANNING WORK IS FIND THOSE ASSETS AND TRY TO BUILD ON THOSE.
UH, FOR INSTANCE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS WORKING ON RIGHT NOW IS EXPLORATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF A, UH, FOOD RETAIL COOPERATIVE IN EASTERN AUSTIN, EASTERN TRAVIS COUNTY.
WE FEEL LIKE A COOPERATIVE GROCERY STORE WOULD BE A ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL FIT INTO THE LANDSCAPE OF OUR EAST PASTUM COMMUNITY.
UM, THAT SAID, COOPERATIVES ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO RUN, VERY DIFFICULT TO MAKE PROFITABLE OVER TIME, UM, AND PERHAPS AN AREA OF OPPORTUNITY FOR A COLLABORATION, UH, WITH CITY, COUNTY, OR FEDERAL DOLLARS.
UH, LASTLY, IN TERMS OF THE SECTORS OF THE FOOD SYSTEM, I WANNA TOUCH ON POST CONSUMPTION AND WASTE.
UH, WE RECOGNIZE THAT A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF FOOD IS BEING WASTED IN OUR SUPPLY CHAIN.
1.24 MILLION POUNDS EVERY DAY OF FOOD IS WASTED.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THAT NUMBER IS A REFLECTION OF FOOD WASTED IN, IN TERMS OF THE ENTIRE SUPPLY CHAIN FROM WHERE IT'S, WHERE IT'S GROWN, WE'RE HARVESTED TO ALL THE WAY TO A YEAR PLATE.
UM, SO WE'VE GOT LOTS OF INTERVENTION POINTS TO TRY TO ADDRESS AND REDUCE SOME OF THAT FOOD WASTE.
WE DO FEEL LIKE THERE'S AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY BY DECREASING THE AMOUNT OF FOOD THAT'S WASTED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE THINK IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO PLAUSIBLE WAY THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO ELIMINATE FOOD INSECURITY BY ELIMINATING FOOD WASTE.
UM, THOSE ARE TWO SIMPLY SEPARATE ISSUES.
UM, FOOD INSUR IS A RESULT OF POVERTY.
FOOD INSECURITY IS A RESULT OF SYSTEMIC INEQUITIES DEVELOPED OVER TIME IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, FOOD WASTE IS A FANTASTIC WAY TO ADDRESS SOME SERIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, PRIMARILY GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.
IT IS A VERY EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE, UH, WAY TO REDIRECT FOOD BACK TO, UH, LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES WHERE APPROPRIATE, BUT IT WILL NEVER SOLVE FOOD INSECURITY.
UM, FOOD INSECURITY AGAIN, IS A SEPARATE PROBLEM BASED ON SEPARATE ISSUES, CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE.
AS WE THINK ABOUT THESE CHALLENGES, TO UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE ARE TWO SEPARATE CHALLENGES, ONE DOES RELATE TO THE OTHER.
WE NEED TO BE DOING EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN TO DIVERT EDIBLE FOOD TO PEOPLE WHO ARE HUNGRY.
UM, THAT SAID, WE ALSO SIMULTANEOUSLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE ROOT CAUSES OF FOOD INSECURITY AND BE WORKING TO ADDRESS THOSE.
LASTLY, IN TERMS OF OUR FOOD SYSTEM, WE'D LIKE TO TOUCH ON FOOD JUSTICE.
THIS IS THE CENTRAL PART OF THAT CYCLICAL DIAGRAM I SHOWED EARLIER.
WE THINK ABOUT FOOD JUSTICE IN TERMS OF THE THINGS THAT DECREASE A COMMUNITY'S AGENCY TO HAVE THE KIND OF FOOD, THE CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE FOOD, THE KIND OF FOOD, UH, THAT'S, UH, THAT IS FAMILIAR, UH, THAT IS AFFORDABLE, UH, IN THE QUANTITIES THAT A COMMUNITY NEEDS.
UM, THERE ARE SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF REASONS THAT WE DO NOT HAVE AN EQUITABLE FOOD
[00:25:01]
SYSTEM IN AUSTIN, WHO JUSTICE IS A WAY TO FRAME MANY OF THOSE THINGS AND MOVE FORWARD.FOR INSTANCE, ONE OF THE SUBSTANTIAL FOOD JUSTICE ISSUES THAT WE FOCUS ON OUT OF THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY IS LOOKING AT THE INEQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF LAND OWNERSHIP IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
UH, 87% OF FARMS IN CENTRAL TEXAS ARE OWNED BY, UH, WHITE PEOPLE.
UM, THIS DOES NOT FOLLOW DEMOGRAPHIC LINES IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT IT DOES REFLECT A LONG HISTORY OF, UH, PRIORITIZING OWNERSHIP.
UM, WE THINK THAT THIS IS A CHALLENGE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
WE THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE OPPORTUNITIES CREATED FOR GREATER LAND OWNERSHIP AMONGST BIPO COMMUNITIES.
UH, WE THINK THIS IS A CENTRAL WAY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CHALLENGES IN GENERATIONAL WEALTH DEVELOPMENT.
THAT SAID A LOT OF OTHER ISSUES AROUND FOOD JUSTICE, AND WE'RE HOPING THAT OUR FOOD PLANNING PROCESS WILL CENTER THIS AND BRING MANY OF THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES TO NEXT SLIDE.
SO, WHERE ARE WE NOW? I AM RUNNING OUT OF TIME, SO I'M GONNA MOVE THROUGH THIS NEXT SLIDE VERY QUICKLY.
BUT, UM, EXCITED TO SHARE THAT WE ARE LAUNCHING OUR FOOD PLANNING PROCESS.
THE FOOD PLANNING PROCESS WILL ADDRESS MANY OF THE CHALLENGES THAT I'VE JUST LAID OUT IN THE STATE OF THE FOOD SYSTEM BEFORE.
UH, WE'LL BE DEVELOPING A COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS A CAC, UH, SHOWN HERE IN THE CENTER OF THE DIAGRAM, THIS COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE WILL BE MADE UP OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE COMMUNITY REFLECTING OUR COMMUNITY FROM A RACE, ETHNICITY PERSPECTIVE, A GEOGRAPHY PERSPECTIVE, GENDER PERSPECTIVE, UM, AND A, UH, SKILLS IN, UM, AND, UH, EXPERTISE PERSPECTIVE.
SO WE'LL BE LOOKING FOR ABOUT 20, 25 PEOPLE TO POPULATE THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
THIS CAC WILL BE ESSENTIALLY THE STEERING COMMITTEE FOR OUR FOOD PLANNING PROCESS, OR TO COME ON THAT IN A MOMENT.
ESSENTIALLY, THE FIRST JOB OF THE CAC WILL BE TO DEVELOP OUR ISSUE AREAS.
UH, THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS TO FOCUS ON IN A FOOD PLANNING PROCESS.
UH, WE WILL BE LOOKING TO OUR COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMUNITY TO SELECT THE THINGS THAT THEY THINK ARE MOST IMPORTANT FOR US TO FOCUS ON.
SOME OF THE THINGS IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS DIAGRAM, POINT OUT SOME OPTIONS.
UH, WE COULD FOCUS ON FOOD PRODUCTION, PROCESSING, LABOR, MARKET ACCESS, POST CONSUMPTION, ET CETERA.
UH, THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AGAIN, WILL SELECT WHICH AREAS WE FOCUS ON.
THESE ISSUE AREAS WILL ACTUALLY BE THE BULK OF THE PLAN ITSELF, WILL DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND EACH ONE OF THESE ISSUE AREAS, STRATEGIES FOR IMPLEMENTING, UH, A VISION.
AND THAT WILL MAKE UP THE BULK OF THE PLAN TO COMPLIMENT THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UH, THE PLANNING TEAM WILL INCLUDE A CONSULTANT TEAM THAT WE'VE BROUGHT ON WILLARD AND ASSOCIATES.
THEY'LL BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH CITY AND COUNTY STAFF.
THIS WILL IDEALLY BE A JOINT CITY AND COUNTY PLANNING PROCESS.
THOSE WILL ALL BE WORKING WITH OUR AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD POLICY BOARD AND AN EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM MADE UP OF CITY EXECUTIVES AND HOPEFULLY COUNTY EXECUTIVES.
THE COMBINATION OF THIS PLANNING TEAM, THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WILL HELP PULL TOGETHER A PLANNING PROCESS, UM, WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC, IMPLEMENTING A BROAD AND EXPANSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
UH, WE DID DO A FAIRLY EXTENSIVE, UH, RESEARCH PHASE BEFORE WE STARTED THE PLANNING PROCESS.
WE WANTED TO START WITH WHAT WE'VE ALREADY SAID WE HAVE, UH, ENVISIONED FOR OUR FOOD SYSTEM.
WE LOOKED AT 13 DIFFERENT PLANS, UH, STATED, ADOPTED PLANS ACROSS THE CITY, AND FOUND OVER A HUNDRED STRATEGIES THAT RELATE TO THE FOOD SYSTEM.
SO THE FIRST STEP FOR US WILL BE MAKING SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY KNOWS ABOUT THESE EXISTING PLANS, UM, AND WE'LL VET THOSE PLANS, MAKE SURE THERE'S STILL ACCURATE, AND EXPLORE IF THERE ARE GAPS IN THOSE PLANS OR THINGS THAT THE COMMUNITY FEELS LIKE WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON IN ADDITION TO WHAT'S ALREADY STATED IN THOSE PLANS.
UH, MOST IMPORTANTLY, THROUGH OUR PLANNING PROCESS, WE'LL BE TRYING TO CHANNEL THE COMMUNITY VOICES.
AS I TOUCHED ON PREVIOUSLY, WE'LL BE DEVELOPING A COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
WE ACTUALLY JUST LAUNCHED AN APPLICATION PROCESS, UH, TO SOLICIT, UH, PARTICIPATION IN OUR COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
IF YOU ARE SOMEBODY THAT YOU KNOW, MIGHT BE A GOOD FIT, THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE WILL ENTAIL ABOUT A YEAR LONG COMMITMENT, FOUR OR FIVE HOURS A MONTH.
WE ARE OFFERING COMPENSATION FOR PARTICIPATION, AND WE'LL BE LOOKING AT OTHER WAYS TO ENSURE WE CAN OVERCOME TRADITIONAL BARRIERS OF COMMUNITIES PARTICIPATING IN A PLANNING PROCESS.
UH, SO PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU OR SOMEBODY THAT YOU KNOW IS INTERESTED.
UH, WE'VE GOT AN ONLINE APPLICATION PROCESS THAT'S AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE LINKED AT THE END OF THIS, UH, PRESENTATION.
IN ADDITION TO THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WE'LL BE DEVELOPING ISSUE AREA GROUPS NEXT YEAR AS WE LAUNCH THE FORMAL PLANNING PROCESS, WE'LL BE LOOKING FOR PARTICIPATION, UH, FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN VERY SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE FOOD SYSTEM TO HELP US DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE'LL ALSO BE FOCUSED ON GROUNDING THIS ENTIRE PLANNING PROCESS IN EQUITY.
THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS THE CITY AND COUNTY STAFF AND THE CONSULTING TEAM WILL ALL BE PARTICIPATING IN EQUITY GROUNDING WORKSHOPS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE CENTRAL CHALLENGES OF, UH, DEVELOPING AN EQUITABLE FOOD SYSTEM.
WE'LL BE DEVELOPING A CIVIC ENGAGEMENT WORKSHOP TO ENSURE THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS UNDERSTAND WHERE THE LEVERS OF POWER ARE WITHIN OUR FOOD SYSTEM AND HOW THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IN INFLUENCING THE FUTURE OF OUR FOOD SYSTEM.
AND LASTLY, WE'LL BE DEVELOPING FOOD AND LAND HEALING CIRCLES, WHICH RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE,
[00:30:01]
UH, HISTORICAL CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE HAD INTEGRATING INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES INTO, UH, CITY AND MUNICIPAL OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT PLANNING PROCESSES.UH, WE'VE NOT DONE A FANTASTIC JOB TO SAY THE LEAST OVER THE YEARS OF INTEGRATING THOSE VOICES INTO PLANNING PROCESSES WITH A FOOD PLANNING PROCESS.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE SIT ON STOLEN LAND, WE RECOGNIZE, UH, THE LONG HISTORY OF THE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES, UH, UTILIZATION OF THIS LAND IN A VERY RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE WAY.
AND WE'LL BE LOOKING FOR, UH, MULTIPLE DIFFERENT WAYS TO CHANNEL THAT HISTORICAL CONTEXT INTO OUR PLANNING PROCESS.
UH, ACTUALLY, I'M GONNA SKIP OVER THE SLIDE REAL QUICK.
UH, WE HAVE DONE A FAIRLY SUBSTANTIAL, UH, ROUND OF PRESENTATIONS ACROSS THE CITY.
WE'VE PRESENTED TO ACTUALLY OVER 20 BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
UH, SO JUST RECOGNIZING WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE WORD OUT, TRYING TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE ARE DEVELOPING THIS PLAN AND THAT WE NEED YOUR HELP TO HELP CROSS PROMOTE THE PLAN AND TO HELP FIND, UH, GREAT PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS IN OUR IS SHEARY GROUPS.
EDWIN, COULD YOU ADD OUR NAME TO THAT? WE CERTAINLY WILL.
UM, UH, WE ARE DEVELOPING A PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY, WHICH WILL BE LAUNCHING NEXT YEAR, UH, STARTING IN JANUARY, 2023.
UH, THIS WILL INCLUDE A WHOLE RANGE OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE'LL BE SOLICITING THE GENERAL PUBLIC'S INPUT.
OUR CONSULTANT TEAM WILL BE, UH, OUT AND ABOUT ACROSS AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY.
UM, SOLICITING INPUT, UH, PARTICIPATING IN EVENTS, UH, DOING A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES TO HELP UNDERSTAND WHAT PEOPLE VALUE IN THEIR FOOD SYSTEM AND WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN IN THE NEXT FIVE, 10 YEARS IN FOOD SYSTEM.
UH, WE'RE HERE IN THE FALL OF 2022, UH, DEVELOPING OUR COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND STARTING IN THE WINTER OF 2023, WE'LL BE DEVELOPING OUR ISSUE AREA GROUPS.
UH, THOSE ISSUE AREA GROUPS WILL BE MEETING THROUGHOUT 2023, DEVELOP THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, THAT WILL WORK, WILL GO IN TANDEM WITH OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
HOPEFULLY WRAPPING UP THAT PROCESS IN THE FALL, WINTER OF 2023 AND GETTING THIS PLAN ACROSS THE FINISH LINE SOMETIME EARLY 2024.
SO, A COUPLE OF QUICK WAYS FOR YOU TO BE INVOLVED.
UM, YOU CAN, UH, CLICK ON THIS LINK, UH, AND ADD YOUR INFORMATION TO OUR FOOD PLAN INTEREST FORM.
UM, BUT WE ARE ALSO, AS OF TODAY, LAUNCHING OUR COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE APPLICATION FORM.
I WILL SEND THIS SPECIFIC LINK TO AN APPLICATION FORM, UH, TO YOUR STAFF LIAISON AFTER THIS MEETING.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING, WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION AND EQUALLY WOULD FOR YOU TO SHARE THE INFORMATION OUT WITH ANYBODY THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR NETWORK.
LET 'EM KNOW THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR A BROAD GROUP OF PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR PLANNING PROCESS.
UM, PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY IS PART OF OUR FOOD SYSTEM.
UH, SO WE WERE TRYING TO SOLICIT AS MANY INTERESTED PARTIES AS POSSIBLE TO TRY TO FIND THE RIGHT MIX OF PEOPLE TO HELP US LEAD OUR FOOD PLANNING PROCESS.
THAT'S THE END OF MY PRESENTATION.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS IF I'VE GOT TIME.
UH, APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION AND YOU'RE, AND YOUR TEAM'S WORK OVER MANY YEARS.
UM, YOUR WORK UNIQUELY TO IMPROVE NOT JUST SUSTAINABILITY, BUT FOOD ACCESS AND FOOD AND SUSTAINABILITY OF, UH, UH, THROUGH THE LENS OF FOOD ACCESS, PRODUCTION, CONSUMPTION, AND JUSTICE.
WOULD LIKE TO GO, OBVIOUSLY, HOPE ALL THE COMMISSIONERS ARE CONSIDERING NOTIONS AROUND WHOM WE MIGHT ENCOURAGE TO JOIN THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
I'D LIKE TO GO AROUND THE ROOM TO SEE IF ANYBODY HAS QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, QUICK QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS RELATED TO THE PRESENTATION.
I'LL START WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER HASSON.
UH, COMMISSIONER TOVER, FEBRUARY, IT SOUNDS LIKE COMMISSIONER TO UH COM.
AND, UH, EDWIN IS THE ONE WHO PRESENTED TO US.
WHO DID THE, UH, PRESENTATION? YES, SIR.
UH, I NOTICED THAT, UH, YOU SAID A NUMBER OF TIMES THAT FOOD IS BEING WASTED AND THE WAY THAT I HAVE SEEN SOME OF THE FOODS THAT COMING IN ON TRUCKS, UH, CAUGHT UP IN FIRES, WRECKS.
HOW WOULD YOU TRANSPORT FOOD TO KEEP IT FROM BEING DESTROYED BY FIRE? UH, ACCIDENTS.
THAT IS AN INTERESTING QUESTION.
UM, I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT SPECIFIC CHALLENGE.
THAT SAID, UM, WE DID MENTION A SPECIFIC COMPONENT TO THIS PLANNING PROCESS CALLED A FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS.
UM, THAT SOMEWHAT WORDY DESCRIPTION OF A PROCESS WILL INCLUDE FOCUS GROUPS WITH PRIVATE SECTOR BUSINESSES THAT WORK IN THE FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN.
SO ESSENTIALLY WE'LL BE BRINGING FARMERS, RANCHERS,
[00:35:01]
UH, FOOD DISTRIBUTORS, FOOD PROCESSORS AND FOOD RETAILERS TOGETHER IN A FOCUS GROUP TO TALK ABOUT WHAT ARE THE WEAKNESSES IN THEIR BUSINESS PROCESSES, WHAT KIND OF DISASTERS, UH, ARE THEY EXPECTING IN THE FUTURE? AND HOW ARE THOSE BUSINESSES POTENTIALLY RESPOND TO THOSE CHALLENGES.UM, IT DOES MAKE ME, HE RECALL AN INTERESTING STATEMENT MADE BY STAFF FROM A LARGE FOOD RETAIL COMPANY HERE LOCALLY THAT SAID, ONCE THAT THEY WOULD HAPPILY PAY MORE TAXES IF THEY COULD REDUCE THE TRAFFIC IN THEIR COMMUTING ROUNDS.
UM, WHEN THEY LOOKED AT THE IMPACT OF HOW MUCH TIME THEIR TRUCKS ESSENTIALLY WERE SPENDING IN TRAFFIC, UH, IT WAS HAVING A SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT ON THEIR BOTTOM LINE.
SO THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT WERE VERY INTERESTED IN ILLUMINATING IN TERMS OF SPECIFICS ON FIRES AND, AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
WE'RE HOPING THAT THE SUPPLY CHAIN VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DOCUMENT THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
FIND OUT IF THERE'S ACTUALLY INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES FROM THE TRANSPORTATION PERSPECTIVE THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ADDRESS.
WE KNOW ONE OF THE REALLY BIG CHALLENGES IS LOOKING AT THE FACT THAT I 35 FLOODS, UM, ON ONION CREEK.
UM, IF WE HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL FLOODING EVENT ON ONION CREEK, UH, WE ACTUALLY LOSE THE ABILITY TO MOVE PRODUCTS UP AND DOWN I 35.
IT'S HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE PAST.
UM, SO WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS ON THAT? SO THEY, UH, THE FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LITERALLY MAP THOSE, UM, THOSE WEAKNESSES IN THIS SUPPLY CHAIN, UM, AND START TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE THOUGHT THROUGH WHAT ARE SOME ALTERNATIVES, WHAT ARE SOME SIMPLE SOLUTIONS? WHAT ARE SOME MAYBE NOT SO SIMPLE SOLUTIONS, BUT REALLY DOCUMENTING THAT WHOLE PROCESS.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO COMING BACK IN A YEAR OR SO AND SHARING OUT SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED THROUGH THAT ANALYSIS.
COMMISSION TO OLIVER VICE CHAIR.
DO YOU HAVE ANY, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS THAT YOU MIGHT LIKE TO SHARE? ACTUALLY, NO, I DON'T.
AND CONTINUING AROUND THE ROOM, I'LL GET TO THE ONLINERS, UH, AFTER I'VE GONE.
UM, WHAT IS THIS COUNTERCLOCKWISE HERE? COMMISSIONER ALIAS? YES.
UH, ONE IS, UH, WHAT'S THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OR SCHOOLS THAT YOU HAVE? AND THE OTHER ONE IS IF WE'RE PRODUCING, UH, FOOD LOCALLY OR WE'RE WE WANT TO PRODUCE FOOD, UH, LOCALLY, WHAT WOULD BE THE WAY TO ADDRESS THE FAIR LABOR PART OF THAT? UH, I JUST NOTICE HOW IT SAYS ZERO FAIR LABOR CERTIFIED FARMS IN AUSTIN.
UM, SO, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, UM, WE WORK WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN A COUPLE DIFFERENT WAYS.
UH, SCHOOL GARDENS FOR ONE, THERE'S ABOUT 220 SCHOOL GARDENS ON, UM, SCHOOL THROUGHOUT THE AUSTIN AREA.
I THINK THOSE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.
I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE SCHOOL GARDENS INSTITUTIONALIZED, AS IN THEY WOULD BE AS TYPICAL AS A SCHOOL CAFETERIA AND SUPPORTED IN THE SAME WAY.
UH, THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT NETWORKS.
THE, UH, CENTRAL TEXAS SCHOOL GARDEN NETWORK THAT'S WORKING ON THAT KIND OF VISION.
UM, CURRENTLY THE FUNDING MECHANISMS AVAILABLE FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS MAKE ANY ADDITIONAL THINGS LIKE SCHOOL GARDENS, SOMEWHAT AUXILIARY, UH, WHICH FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IS A INCREDIBLE CHALLENGE AND AN INCREDIBLE, UH, MISS.
SO, UH, WE WORK WITH SCHOOLS ON THAT LEVEL, BUT, UM, EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE WORK WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS ON DISASTER PREPAREDNESS.
WE JUST HAD SOME, UM, IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS ABOUT THEIR PLANS FOR HOW TO ADDRESS POTENTIAL DISASTERS, UM, WHAT THEIR ROLES WOULD BE DURING DISASTERS.
IN TERMS OF FOOD DISTRIBUTION.
UH, WE ABSOLUTELY, UH, LEAN HARD INTO SPECIFICALLY A I A D DURING WINTER STORM UY.
THEY PERFORMED AMAZINGLY IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO BE ADAPTIVE AND PROVIDE INCREDIBLE RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WERE, UH, PROVIDED, UH, ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEEDED.
UM, IT IS A COMPLEX LANDSCAPE BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
UM, EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT OBVIOUSLY HAS ITS OWN BUREAUCRACY.
EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS ITS OWN FOOD SERVICE SYSTEM.
UM, SO MAKES, UH, SOME SUBSTANTIAL CHALLENGES.
THAT SAID, DURING DISASTERS, THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER ACTUALLY BRINGS THOSE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TOGETHER TO CREATE A UNIFIED VOICE.
UH, SO WE'RE HOPEFULLY GONNA LEAN INTO THAT SYSTEM A LITTLE BIT.
UH, BUT LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES, MANY CHALLENGES.
UM, IN TERMS OF FAIR LABOR, YOU HAVE TOUCHED ON AN INCREDIBLY INTERESTING POINT THAT I DID NOT TOUCH ON IN THE PRESENTATION.
UH, WE DID DOCUMENT THAT THERE ARE ZERO FAIR LABOR CERTIFIED FARMS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
UM, PERHAPS IF YOU KNOW MUCH ABOUT LABOR IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, THAT WOULD NOT COME AS A SURPRISE TO YOU.
UM, WE THINK THAT FAIR LABOR CERTIFICATION IS A VERY IMPORTANT THING.
FAIR LABOR CERTIFICATION, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR, IT IS SIMILAR TO SAY, AN ORGANIC CERTIFICATION.
A THIRD PARTY WOULD COME OUT TO THE FARM, WOULD VERIFY THAT
[00:40:01]
YOU'RE FOLLOWING CERTAIN PRACTICES AND WOULD COME BACK AND AUDIT THE FARM REGULARLY.UM, LOTS OF DIFFERENT THIRD PARTY CERTIFICATIONS ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR FAIR LABOR CERTIFICATION.
UM, THERE IS NOT A TREMENDOUS DEMAND FOR PRODUCTS, FRANKLY, THAT HAVE FAIRLY LABOR CERTIFICATION.
ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE POINTED THIS OUT IN THE STATE OF THE FOOD SYSTEM REPORT IS WE THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE, UM, AN INTEREST FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
WE KNOW THAT A CITY LIKE AUSTIN HAS A PARTICULARLY KEEN INTEREST IN LABOR ISSUES.
WE THINK THAT ONE OF THE BEST POSSIBLE WAYS TO ELEVATE THAT CONVERSATION IS THROUGH INSTITUTIONAL DEMAND.
UH, WE THINK THAT IT WOULD BE A WONDERFUL THING TO SEE OUR INSTITUTIONS, OUR CITY GOVERNMENT, OUR OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT, OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, OUR UNIVERSITIES, OUR HOSPITALS, OUR EVEN OUR PRISONS, UM, INTEGRATING FAIR LABOR CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS INTO OUR FOOD PURCHASING.
THERE'S A PROGRAM CALLED THE GOOD FOOD PURCHASING PROGRAM THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS THAT ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE SIMPLY.
IT'S SORT OF LIKE LEAD CERTIFICATION, BUT FOR INSTITUTIONAL FOOD PURCHASING.
UM, WON'T GET INTO THE GORY DETAILS OF THAT.
CAUSE I COULD SPEND ALL NIGHT TALKING ABOUT THE GOOD FOOD PURCHASING PROGRAM.
I WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO COME BACK AT A SEPARATE TIME AND SPECIFICALLY TALK ABOUT INSTITUTION, WHAT WE CALL INSTITUTIONAL VALUE BASED PROCUREMENT AND HOW TO ADDRESS LABOR CERTIFICATION.
BUT ESSENTIALLY, RIGHT NOW, THE CHALLENGE IS IF AN INSTITUTION WANTS TO PURCHASE LOCAL FOOD, THEY CANNOT ALSO PURCHASE LOCAL FOOD THAT HAS A FAIR LABOR CERTIFICATION.
UM, SO LOTS OF GOOD ORGANIZATIONS WORKING ON THIS NATIONALLY AND EVEN MORE OF THESE KIND OF ORGANIZATIONS WORKING ON THIS GLOBALLY.
WE THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY HERE IN AUSTIN.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE HAPPEN DURING OUR FOOD PLANNING PROCESS IS THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC RECOGNIZES THAT, THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY.
UM, NOT ONLY IS AN OPPORTUNITY, WE THINK IT'S A MASSIVE GAP IN THE WAY THAT WE TALK ABOUT OUR FOOD SYSTEM.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE LABORERS ON OUR FARMS, AND FOR THE MOST PART, LABORERS IN THE ENTIRE SUPPLY CHAIN ARE THE LOWEST PAID MOST VULNERABLE WORKERS IN AMERICA.
UH, THE VAST MAJORITY OF FARM WORKERS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FOOD STAMPS.
UM, AND WHEN YOU REALLY START TO THINK ABOUT A FEDERAL PROGRAM CALLED FOOD STAMPS OR SNAP, UM, THAT ESSENTIALLY HAS TO SUBSIDIZE THE PEOPLE THAT GROW AND PICK AND DISTRIBUTE OUR FOOD, THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME STRUCTURAL CHALLENGES THERE.
SO, LONG STORY SHORT, WE THINK THERE IS AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO ELEVATE THIS CONVERSATION THROUGH OUR PLAN GOOD PLANNING PROCESS OVER THE NEXT YEAR.
AND WE WOULD WELCOME ALL OF YOUR VOICES INTO THAT CONVERSATION.
THANKS FOR FANTASTIC RESPONSE.
COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, NO QUESTIONS FOR ME.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER GARRETT, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.
UM, ONE, YOU TALKED ABOUT LIKE WE'RE IN EXPLOSIVE GROWTH, UM, AND A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT'S HAPPENING, AND PARTICULARLY WE ARE CONCERNED AROUND AFFORDABILITY AND HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO I WANTED TO ASK IN YOUR, LIKE WHAT YOU'VE SEEN IN OTHER CITIES WHO DO A WELL, A GOOD JOB OF STRIKING THAT BALANCE BETWEEN AVAILABLE FARM AND AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH HOUSING FOR FOLKS.
AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION IS, I SEE THAT ONLY ABOUT HALF OF ELIGIBLE FOLKS ARE, UM, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SNAP.
UM, AND HOW CAN WE EXPAND TO MAKE SURE FOLKS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE ARE IN FACT, UM, ABLE TO RECEIVE SNAP.
AND IF I HAD SIX HOURS, I COULD BEGIN SCRATCHING THE SURFACE OF THOSE TWO EXCELLENT QUESTIONS.
UM, BUT I WILL DO MY BEST TO AT LEAST TOUCH ON SOME OF THEM.
UM, I WOULD WELCOME YOUR VOICE IN THE FOOD PLANNING PROCESS OVER THE NEXT YEAR AND A HALF.
THOSE ARE THE EXACT KIND OF VERY COMPLEX QUESTIONS THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY NEED TO TALK ABOUT MORE.
WE NEED TO CREATE A SPACE, UM, TO DIVE INTO THOSE QUESTIONS.
UM, THAT SAID, IN TERMS OF BALANCING DEVELOPMENT AND PRESERVATION OF FARMLAND, THERE ARE SOME FANTASTIC EXAMPLES FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY.
EVEN IF WE LOOK DOWN THE ROAD.
UM, AT HOUSTON, UH, THERE'S ACTUALLY A, A PRIVATE SECTOR COMPANY CALLED AG AMENITY THAT IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNING COMMUNITIES AROUND FARMLAND PRESERVATION.
THINK ABOUT IT BASICALLY LIKE AS A GOLF COURSE COMMUNITY, BUT INSTEAD OF HAVING GOLF COURSES, THEY HAVE FARMS. NOT AN IDEALIZED SOLUTION IN SOME WAYS IN TERMS OF EQUITY, IN TERMS OF ACCESS, UM, BUT IT DOES POINT TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD HOUSING IN TANDEM WITH FARMS PRESERVATION.
WE DO HAVE A GREAT EXAMPLE IN EAST AUSTIN OF A FARM CALLED GREENGATE, UM, THAT OCCUPIED A NUMBER OF ACRES OF, UH, A HISTORIC FARM.
A DEVELOPER BOUGHT THE PROPERTY AND PLANNED TO TURN THE WHOLE THING INTO A MODULAR HOME THROUGH LOTS OF ADVOCACY FROM THE FARMERS AND OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, THERE WAS A COMPROMISE TRUCK WHERE INSTEAD OF DEVELOPING, UH, MOBILE HOMES, THE DEVELOPER USED, UH, TINY HOMES BASICALLY TAILORABLE TINY HOMES.
UH, BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED DENSITY OF THAT, THEY WERE ABLE TO PRESERVE A SMALL PORTION OF THE FARM.
UH, WHILE THAT FARM WILL PROBABLY NOT FEED AUSTIN IN THE NEAR FUTURE, IT IS A FANTASTIC EXAMPLE OF STRIKING A COMPROMISE BETWEEN A DEVELOPER WHO QUITE SIMPLY WANTS TO MAKE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF A RETURN ON, ON WHAT THEY'VE INVESTED AND THE NEED TO PRESERVE A FARM.
[00:45:01]
UM, SO WITH THAT AS AN EXAMPLE, WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE HOW WE COULD POTENTIALLY SCALE THOSE KIND OF SCENARIOS.WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE, UH, TO, TO MEET A DEVELOPER HALFWAY AND REALLY PRESERVE SUBSTANTIAL FARMLAND THAT COULD BE, UM, IMPORTANT FOR NOT JUST FOOD PRODUCTION, BUT ALSO A WHOLE RANGE OF OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
UM, PROPERLY MANAGED FARMS CAN ADDRESS A WHOLE RANGE OF THINGS TO SAY THE LEAST OF GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS, UM, STORM WATER MANAGEMENT, AIR QUALITY, ET CETERA.
UM, IN TERMS OF SNAP, YOU'VE TOUCHED ON A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT, ESPECIALLY WITH THIS DEVELOPMENT, UH, COMMISSIONS, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION SPECIFIC FOCUS ON FEDERAL DOLLARS.
UM, SO WE HAVE ALLOCATED ENOUGH FEDERAL DOLLARS IN, UH, IN OUR SNAP PROGRAM OR FOOD STAMPS PROGRAM TO ADDRESS ALL OF THE FOOD INSECURITY THAT WE HAVE IN AUSTIN.
UM, SO 50% OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR SNAP OR SIMPLY NOT ENROLL IN, UM, COMPLEX QUESTION.
UH, THAT SAID, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH DID SOME RESEARCH A FEW YEARS AGO IN TANDEM WITH, UH, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, UH, SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH.
THEY DEVELOPED A REPORT, UH, BASED ON SOME INTERVIEWS AND AND FOCUS GROUPS THAT THEY HAD DONE TO TRY TO TEASE OUT WHAT WERE THE THINGS THAT WERE CAUSING PEOPLE WHO WERE ELIGIBLE FOR SNAP TO NOT GET ENROLLED.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE THINGS THAT THEY ILLUMINATED FOR ONE, UH, A PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF, UM, OF SNAP AND POVERTY.
BASICALLY LOW INCOME POPULATIONS IN CERTAIN PARTS OF AUSTIN THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR SNAP DON'T THINK OF THEMSELVES AS BEING POOR.
THEY DON'T WANT TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE POOR.
THEY ASSOCIATE SNAP WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE POOR.
THEREFORE, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE ELIGIBLE AND THEY'RE IN NEED OF SUPPORT, THEY WILL NOT ENROLL IN A PROGRAM BECAUSE OF A PERCEPTION.
THAT'S A VERY DIFFICULT CHALLENGE TO ADDRESS.
THE OTHER CHALLENGES THOUGH, ARE PERHAPS EASIER TO ADDRESS, UM, HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO ENROLL IN STEM.
UM, WE LIKE TO SAY IN MY WORLD THAT, UH, WE MAKE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO BE POOR IN AUSTIN.
UM, THE, THE NUMBER OF HURDLES AND HOOPS THAT ONE NEEDS TO JUMP THROUGH TO ENROLL IN SNAP, MUCH LESS STATE ENROLLED IN SNAP ARE SUBSTANTIAL.
UM, AND THE STATE OF TEXAS IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN MANY OTHER STATES IN TERMS OF THE WAY THAT WE, THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE PUT FORTH FOR PEOPLE TO BOTH ENROLL AND STABLE.
UM, THAT IS UP TO US AS CITIZENS OF TEXAS TO DECIDE.
UH, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THAT.
THERE'S SOME FANTASTIC ORGANIZATIONS, UH, FEEDING TEXAS, BEING ONE OF THOSE THAT HAS BEEN WORKING FOR YEARS TO TRY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE, UH, THE CHALLENGES OF THE, THE, UM, PROCESS FOR SNAP ENROLLMENT.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO FEEDING TEXAS.
THEY'VE GOT SOME FANTASTIC INFORMATION ON THEIR WEBSITE ABOUT THEIR ADVOCACY.
UH, IN ADDITION, OUR FOOD PLANNING PROCESS COULD BE A REALLY IMPORTANT WAY TO BOTH ILLUMINATE THE CHALLENGES AND GALVANIZE AROUND THE POTENTIAL STRATEGIES FOR ADDRESSING THAT AT A LOCAL LEVEL.
CAN I ASK ONE FOLLOW UP QUESTION? UM, YES, MA'AM.
ON, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON, I MEAN, IT'S GOT PROS AND CONS AROUND VERTICAL FARMING, BUT, UM, YOUR THOUGHTS ON INCLUDING THAT IN TERMS OF, UH, AN OPTION TO INCREASE, WELL, TO ADD MORE, I GUESS, FARM PRODUCTION INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS? YES, MA'AM.
UM, I AM AN ORGANIC FARMER, UM, HAD MY HANDS IN THE SOIL FOR MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT FOOD NEEDS TO BE GROWN IN SOIL.
UM, THAT SAID, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO FIND A BALANCE.
UM, THERE IS ZERO QUESTION THAT VERTICAL FARMING, AKA INDOOR FARMING OR HYDROPONIC FARMING, IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE FUTURE OF, UH, OF A SECURE FOOD SYSTEM.
UM, I DO THINK THAT THERE IS A QUANTIFIABLE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FOOD THAT'S GROWN IN SOIL, UM, AND FOOD THAT'S GROWN HYDROPONICALLY, EVEN WITH SOME SUBSTANTIAL ADVANCEMENTS IN THE, THE TECHNOLOGY.
UM, THERE IS QUITE SIMPLY NO, UH, NO WAY TO DENY THE FACT THAT, UH, FOOD THAT'S GROWN IN SOIL HAS HIGHER NUTRITIONAL QUALITY AND QUANTITY FOR THAT MATTER.
UM, SO PRETTY GOOD RESEARCH HAS BEEN DONE ON THAT OVER TIME.
BUT THAT SAID, THERE ARE A LOT OF CROPS THAT CAN BE GROWN HYDROPONICALLY, INDOORS, UM, THAT DON'T HAVE A, A SUBSTANTIAL DIFFERENCE.
THINGS LIKE, UM, UH, CERTAIN KINDS OF LETTUCE AND OTHER LEAFY GREENS, UH, CAN BE GROWN INDOORS.
AND, UM, THERE ARE SOME FANTASTIC ORGANIZATIONS WORKING HARD ON THAT.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF COMPANIES THAT HAVE RECENTLY MOVED TO AUSTIN, UM, AND MOVED TO THE AUSTIN AREA AND ARE PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES ON THAT KIND OF TECHNOLOGY.
UM, WHEN THE COST OF ENERGY DECREASES TO THE POINT WHERE YOU CAN, UH, REPLACE THE SUN WITH ARTIFICIAL LIGHT, UM, AT A COST THAT EQUALS, UM, THE FOOD THAT YOU CAN SELL, WE WILL SEE AN EXPLOSION IN VERTICAL FARMING.
UM, I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THAT LOCALIZED.
I THINK THAT THERE'S A SUBSTANTIAL CASE TO BE MADE FOR LOOKING AT VERTICAL FARMING IN THE CONTEXT OF DISASTER RESPONSE.
IMAGINE EVERY SINGLE COMMUNITY CENTER ACROSS
[00:50:01]
AUSTIN, HAVING SOME KIND OF VERTICAL AGRICULTURE ON ITS ROOF, UH, FRESH LEAFY GREENS AVAILABLE YEAR ROUND, UM, THAT EVEN DOING A DISASTER COULD BE HARVESTED AND DISTRIBUTED TO THE COMMUNITY.UM, SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS CAN COME OUT OF THAT.
THAT SAID, I THINK IT'S A BALANCE.
UM, WE'VE GOTTA HAVE A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT WE VALUE AND WHY WE VALUE IT.
UH, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT CONVERSATION IN THE CONTEXT OF OUR FOOD PLANNING PROCESS.
UM, THESE ARE THE EXACT KIND OF CONVERSATIONS THAT I AM SO EXCITED TO HAVE WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACROSS AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY OVER THE NEXT YEAR AND A HALF.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I HAD NARROWED MY QUESTIONS TO THREE.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANTED TO JUST CHECK AND SEE IF Y'ALL HAD DONE A PRESENTATION OR WE'RE PLANNING TO INCLUDE THE COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN YOUR OUTREACH.
AND THEN, UM, SECOND, UH, WANTED TO JUST OFFER THAT A LOT OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAVE INTERNALLY ARE AROUND LEVERAGING FEDERAL GRANTS IN COORDINATED WAYS, IN DIRECT CONVERSATION WITH THE COMMUNITY WHERE POSSIBLE.
AND I KNOW THAT Y'ALL DO SOME OF THAT, BUT, UM, ESPECIALLY THINKING ABOUT OUR OWN ON Z BRANO WHO WORKS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES UNIT AND THE DIRECT CONTACT THAT HE HAS WITH PEOPLE REGULARLY AND HIS STAFF HAS WITH PEOPLE REGULARLY AROUND FOOD ACCESS, IF EVER THERE IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD COORDINATE WITH, I THINK THAT'S A CONVERSATION WE'D REALLY LIKE TO HAVE.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOOD DISTRIBUTION THROUGH, THROUGH ALL OF COVID, UM, WITHIN THIS GROUP.
AND THEN THIRD, AND I GUESS THE, UM, UM, MORE OF A QUESTION IS, UH, I LOVE THE CONVERSATION AROUND THE, THE FAIR LABOR CERTIFICATION AND JUST WANTED TO SORT OF EXPAND THAT QUESTION INTO THE BROADER FOOD SYSTEMS REGARDING LABOR.
UM, THINKING ABOUT MANUFACTURING IN THE SERVICE INDUSTRY IN PARTICULAR, AND JUST SORT OF SCROLLING THROUGH, SEEING MENTION OF THINGS LIKE GOOD WORK AUSTIN, AND ALSO SEEING MENTION OF THE BUSINESS RELIEF GRANTS THAT WENT OUT TO SO MANY SMALL BUSINESSES AROUND AUSTIN AND RESTAURANTS AND BARS.
UM, WHICH WE, YOU KNOW, GOT A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC THAT WAS SKEPTICAL BECAUSE, BECAUSE OF ITS, UM, LESS DIRECT EFFECT ON THOSE, UH, SORT OF FRONTLINE SERVICE INDUSTRY WORKERS WHO WEREN'T SEEING THE RELIEF THAT THEY, UH, WERE MAYBE ANTICIPATING OR HOPING TO SEE.
UM, AND ALL OF THAT TO SAY, I WOULD JUST REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING SOME SORT OF ANALYSIS ANALYSIS, UM, SOME TALKING POINTS THAT WE CAN REALLY DIVE INTO AROUND LIKE MAYBE AVERAGED INCOME OF THESE DIFFERENT LIKE FOOD SYSTEMS SECTORS, UH, FOR FOLKS WHO WORK THERE.
AND THEN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FOOD DISTRIBUTION AND BRINGING MORE, UM, MANUFACTURERS TO AUSTIN, UM, OR WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THERE BEING SO MANY GAPS IN THE SERVICE INDUSTRY AND FOLKS NOT WILLING TO WORK, THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY ASK OURSELVES WHY THAT MIGHT BE AND HOW WE COULD GET TO THOSE JOBS BEING A SUSTAINABLE OPTION FOR, UM, THE, THE FOLKS THAT WE SERVE, WHICH ARE THE POOR, THE LOW INCOME OF, OF OUR CITY.
UM, HOW THEY CAN STAY HERE, LIVE IN AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY AND ALSO DO THAT IMPORTANT WORK.
YEAH, I MEAN, I'LL WORK BACKWARDS FROM, UM, THAT LAST STATEMENT THAT CERTAINLY THE ENTIRE PURPOSE OF OUR FOOD PLANNING PROCESS, TO BE HONEST, IS TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE AN AMAZING FOOD SYSTEM, BUT IT SERVES, UM, AFFLUENT COMMUNITY MEMBERS DISPROPORTIONATELY.
UM, WHEN WE ENVISION WHAT OUR FOOD SYSTEM LOOKS LIKE IN FIVE YEARS, FOR ONE, I THINK IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE EXPLORE EVERY POSSIBLE WAY TO DEMOCRATIZE OUR FOOD SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE THAT GOOD FOOD IS AVAILABLE TO EVERYBODY, NOT JUST THE WEALTHY.
UM, LIKEWISE, WHEN WE ENVISION A FUTURE FOOD SYSTEM, WE CERTAINLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE ARE DOING IS STABILIZING COMMUNITIES AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE TODAY WOULD BENEFIT FROM A BETTER FOOD SYSTEM TOMORROW.
UH, WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK TO THINGS LIKE PROJECT CONNECT AND THEIR, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PROGRAM AS A WAY TO THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT WHEN YOU BRING ASSETS TO A COMMUNITY, WHEN YOU MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN A COMMUNITY, YOU'RE SIMPLY GONNA INCREASE PROPERTY VALUES WHICH INCREASE RENT, WHICH INCREASE DESTABILIZATION.
UM, THE SAME HOLDS TRUE FOR EVERYTHING IN OUR FOOD SYSTEM.
SO AS WE'RE MOVING THROUGH OUR FOOD PLANNING PROCESS, WE NEED TO HAVE THAT LENS, UM, THAT IS NOT BEEN WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER INDUSTRY STANDARD.
UM, CERTAINLY WOULD LOOK TO MANY OF YOU FOR ASSISTANCE IN THINKING THROUGH HOW WE CAN INTEGRATE THAT KIND OF THINKING IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT'LL COME OUT OF OUR FOOD PLANNING PROCESS.
UH, FROM A FEDERAL GRANTS PERSPECTIVE.
[00:55:01]
ABSOLUTELY.THE U S D A HAS JUST UNLEASHED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF FUNDING, UH, FOR THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN ADVOCATED FOR OUR LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS.
UM, I MEAN, JUST SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN FUNDING FOR THINGS LIKE LOCAL FOOD PROMOTION GRANTS, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GRANTS, UH, A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
REALLY EXCITING OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE CERTAINLY TALKING TO OUR LOCAL PARTNERS THAT FOCUS ON THE, UM, TAPPING INTO U S D A GRANTS.
UM, ONE OF MY DREAMS OF OUR FOOD SYSTEM PLANNING PROCESS IS THAT WE CAN PRIORITIZE A COUPLE OF THINGS, LIKE WHAT IS IT SPECIFICALLY THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE DONE NEXT, AND THEN WHERE ARE THE FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT WE CAN GO AFTER TO TRY TO CAPTURE THOSE THINGS.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE SORT OF A, UM, A PARALYSIS THROUGH ANALYSIS.
UM, THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT NEED OUR ATTENTION THAT IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT TO SORT OF SAY, NO, THIS IS THE THING THAT WE REALLY NEED TO WRAP OUR HEADS AROUND.
UM, ONCE WE CAN DO THAT, UH, THERE IS ZERO QUESTION IN MY MIND THAT THERE WOULD BE A FEDERAL PROGRAM EITHER THROUGH SDA OR OTHER PLACES THAT WE COULD TAP INTO.
SO CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO DOING THAT.
AND CERTAINLY JUST A SHOUT OUT TO ON HOW AND THE GREAT WORK THAT HE'S DONE THROUGH COMMUNITY CENTERS DURING COVID, WE WERE DELIGHTED TO WORK WITH HIM CLOSELY AND TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT SOME OF THE GREAT PROGRAMS THAT HE'S BEEN, UM, WORKING ON HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET FUNDING.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, AT THE END, UH, WE DID DO A PRESENTATION TO THE, UM, UH, THE COMMISSION, UM, DISABILITIES AND HAVE INTEGRATED SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS INTO OUR THINKING IN TERMS OF OUR FOOD PLANNING PROCESS.
SO, SO THEY RECOGNIZE THAT THAT COMMUNITY IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED.
UM, AND WE'LL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE INTEGRATE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
THANKS SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER SLOAN.
AND AGAIN, OF COURSE FOR THE RESPONSES.
EDWIN, UM, COMMISSIONER WOODS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NOPE, NOT AT THIS TIME.
AND COMMISSIONER DELGADO, AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, IF THE MINUTES CAN SHOW THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER DELGADO JOINED AT SEVEN, AROUND 7 24, WE MAY NEED TO VERIFY.
UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR THE PRESENTATION THAT EDWIN JUST GAVE? UH, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.
UH, WELL FIRST OF ALL, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND I DID LOG IN AT SEVEN O'CLOCK.
UH, SO LISA RODRIGUEZ HAS THAT TEXT THAT I WAS IN AT SEVEN O'CLOCK I FOR THE RECORD.
I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
I THINK THAT THE DIRECTION YOU'RE GOING, THE WORK YOU ALL HAVE DONE, I, I DON'T KNOW ALL THE GROUP'S NAMES AND EVERYONE, I THINK IT'S, IT'S WONDERFUL WORK.
UM, BEING A MIGRANT GRANDDAUGHTER, UH, MY GRANDFATHER WAS A MIGRANT WORKER, MY MOTHER WAS A MIGRANT WORKER.
UH, WE COME FROM AGRICULTURE, WE COME, UH, FROM, FROM THAT TYPE OF BACKGROUND.
HE GREW, THEY GREW, THEY HAD CHICKENS.
UH, THEY HATCH EGGS IN THE BACK.
IF WE HAD A FARM, HE PROBABLY WOULD'VE HAD A COW ON A HORSE AND ALL KINDS OF OTHER THINGS.
SO THANK YOU FOR UNDERSTANDING HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS.
UM, AND JUST WITH THE WHOLE TYPE OF, UM, THE INDUSTRY OF GOING ON WITH, UH, FOOD, UH, SUSTAINABILITY, THE FACT THAT PEOPLE ARE GETTING SICK AND DYING OF CANCER AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE FAST FOOD AND ALL THAT FOOD THAT'S GOING OUT TO OUR CHILDREN, TO US, I THINK THIS IS A BIG CONVERSATION AND A PRIORITY THING.
AND I JUST WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR DOING THAT WORK.
AND, AND I WANNA JUST TOUCH ON YOUR RIGHT.
THE PEOPLE THAT ARE, ARE SAYING THAT THEY'RE NOT POOR AND THAT THEY DON'T NEED THE SERVICES AND THEY DON'T NEED THAT, UH, THAT ARE IN THE RAGE OF 30 TO 40 TO $50,000 A YEAR, UM, THEY'RE STILL IN THAT CATEGORY THINKING THAT THEY DON'T NEED THESE TYPE OF SERVICES AND, AND, AND IT'S SO NEEDED.
WE NEED OUR COMMUNITY GARDENS.
WE NEED OUR FRESH VEGETABLES AT OUR CLINICS.
AND SO, UM, I JUST WANNA JUST APPLAUD YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, AND PLEASE KEEP, UH, NOT JUST MY MYSELF, BUT MY PEOPLE, UH, THE PEOPLE, THE BROWN PEOPLE, THE MIGRANT WORKERS, UH, THE POOR PEOPLE, THE WORKING CLASS PEOPLE THAT NEED ACCESS TO FOOD ACCESS OF, OF THIS KIND OF HEALTHY FOOD.
PLEASE KEEP US, UH, IN THIS CONVERSATION AND THE CIRCLES AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THE FUTURE HERE IN AUSTIN, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD SUSTAINABILITY, UH, AGRICULTURE, AND FRESH FOODS THAT ARE HEALTHY FOR OUR CHILDREN, FOR OUR ELDERS, AND FOR US.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER DELGATO.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PER SE, BECAUSE I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE LIKELY ANSWERED, UH, ONCE THE PLAN IS DEVELOPED AFTER THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS THAT YOU IDENTIFIED.
BUT I'M REALLY DEFINITELY CURIOUS IN AS MUCH AS WHAT WE MAY IDENTIFY AS GOALS FOR PRODUCTION FOOD PRODUCTION, COULD BE THE 0.06 PRODUCTION RATE THAT YOU,
[01:00:01]
UH, MENTIONED IN THE PRESENTATION IS REALLY CURIOUS TO ME, BUT I LACK CONTEXT TO QUITE UNDERSTAND THE GRAVITY OF THAT, EXCEPT FOR, OF COURSE, A VERY LOW PERCENTAGE NUMBER.UM, BUT WHAT OUR GOALS WOULD BE ON FOOD PRODUCTION VERSUS WHAT I THINK OUR EXPECTED OUTCOMES MIGHT BE ON FOOD AND SECURITY, UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, BUT THEN OF COURSE, ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY AND THEN DISASTER INSULATION RELATED SUSTAINABILITY.
THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING TO ME.
AND I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE, UH, THIS PRESENTATION.
I'VE ALREADY GOTTEN FEEDBACK, UH, DURING THIS PRESENTATION ABOUT HOW FANTASTIC IT, UH, IS AND WAS.
UM, SO WE'LL BE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU BACK AGAIN FOR SIX HOURS OR SOME FRACTION OF THE SAME, UM, IN THE FUTURE.
UM, AND IF THERE ARE NO MORE QUESTIONS, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM.
AND I DO, UM, LOOK FORWARD TO COMING BACK AND SHARE MORE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
AND, UH, JUST AGAIN, A REMINDER TO ALL, UH, COMMISSIONERS THAT THERE IS A LINK IN THAT PRESENTATION TO, UH, UH, SIGNING UP FOR THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THAT.
UH, IT SEEMS LIKE, IF NOT DIRECTLY, ANY OF US MIGHT SIGN UP THEN, UH, THOSE OF US WHO, UH, CARRY STRONG INFLUENCE IN THE AREAS THAT WE ARE, UH, WORKING TO REPRESENT.
PLEASE SHARE THAT INFORMATION OUT.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS ACTUALLY, UH, SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN NUMBER TWO, AND WE'LL ASSUME THAT, UH,
[2. Presentation on the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) (Angel Zambrano, Manager, Neighborhood Services Unit, Austin Public Health)]
KEL SAN BERNARDO IS, UH, READY AND AVAILABLE, UM, THAT WE SORT OUT THE AUDIO ISSUES WITH KEL AS WE'RE DOING THAT.THIS IS THE PRESENTATION ON THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT.
UM,
CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN HEAR YOU IN A VERY, VERY LOW GRADE WAY.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? THAT IS CORRECT.
WELL, THAT WAS A VERY INTERESTING AND BEAUTIFUL PRESENTATION BY MARTY, SO I REALLY ENJOYED IT MYSELF.
UM, HERE, HERE, GET INTO THE MONTHLY REPORT.
CAN YOU STILL HEAR ME OKAY? YES, I CAN.
WE HAVE TO, UH, DO SOME TECH PROBLEM SOLVING.
SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE AGAIN.
UH, AGAIN, I'LL REMIND YOU OF PERMISSION OF THE NEIGHBOR SERVICES.
THE NEIGHBOR SERVICES UNIT IMPROVES 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 OF RESOURCES, PROVIDE BASIC NEEDS, PREVENTIVE HEALTH CASE MANAGEMENT FOR THE EMPLOYMENT.
I'M GONNA DO THINGS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT TODAY.
JUST FOCUS ON A COUPLE OF, UH, DATA POINTS AND THEN MOVE ON TO THE, UM, PROGRAMMATIC AND ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATES OR SOME HIGHLIGHTS ON WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THE LAST MONTH, MONTH AND A HALF, AS YOU GO TO PAGE NUMBER TWO.
AND I'D LIKE TO FOCUS ON ONE OF OUR OUTCOMES.
UM, OUTCOME FOUR, A HOUSEHOLD TO AVOIDED EVICTION ON CSBG FUNDS.
AS I REPORTED TO YOU EARLIER IN A DIFFERENT MEETING, UH, WE RECEIVED SOME, UM, EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE FUNDING FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY.
WE WERE ABLE TO STAND THAT PROGRAM UP IN MID AUGUST.
AND WE HAVE, UM, THROUGH AUGUST, UH, HELPED 166 INDIVIDUALS, UH, AVOID EVICTION WITH THOSE FUNDS.
IT WAS CLOSE TO A MILLION DOLLARS, AND, UM, IT'S GOING VERY, VERY QUICKLY.
SO IT'S USED FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE IS STILL VERY HIGH IN AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY.
AND THAT FIVE J THE FOOD DISTRIBUTION KIND OF GOES WITH A PART OF AMOS PRESENTATION.
UH, WE'VE SERVED ALMOST 20,000 PEOPLE AT OUR FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS, UH, ACROSS THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
CAN MOVE DOWN TO THE PROGRAMMATIC ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATES.
I CAN GIVE A BRIEF REPORT ALL CODE NUMBER TWO, UH, THE
UH, WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER NOMINATION SELECTION MEETING THE FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER.
WE'RE HOPING TO GET THAT SEAT FAILED.
I WILL BE EMAILING ALL OF YOU, UM, ONCE WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION SO YOU CAN GET THE WORD OUT.
IF YOU KNOW ANYONE IN THAT, UH, GEOGRAPHIC AREA, PLEASE GET THE WORD OUT SO THAT WE HOPEFULLY GET, UH, AN INTERESTED INDIVIDUAL.
NUMBER FOUR HOME DELIVERY PROGRAM IS EVEN BETTER.
IN AUGUST, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO IMPACT
[01:05:01]
IN A POSITIVE WAY, LIVES OF 4,288 INDIVIDUALS, UH, WHO TOOK ADVANTAGE AND RECEIVED FOOD BOXES DELIVERED TO THEIR DOORSTEP WITH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK AND AMAZON.AND THEN NUMBER SIX, OUR EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE FUNDING.
AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE PARTNERED WITH, UH, THE URBAN LEAGUE TO PROCESS THESE, UH, RENTAL ASSISTANCE PAINTED TO LANDLORDS, ELIGIBLE PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL BEING AFFECTED BY THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC S OF TODAY.
UM, THESE REPORTS ARE ALWAYS TWO MONTHS BACK IN TERMS OF OUR DATA, THE WAY WE REPORT IT, BUT I CAN LET YOU KNOW THAT IT'S UP TODAY.
UM, WE HAVE ALMOST EXPENDED ALL $955,726 THAT WE RECEIVED.
UM, IT'S AN INCREDIBLE NUMBER FOR US TO PROCESS OF, UM, PAYMENTS.
UH, WE HAVE EXPENDED ABOUT $703,640 OF THAT.
THAT HAS HELPED 515 INDIVIDUALS, UH, AVOID EVICTION.
THE AVERAGE PAYMENT THAT'S AROUND $4,000, UM, SOME PAYMENTS HAVE BEEN AS HIGH AS $12,000.
UM, WE'RE NOT ACCEPTING ANY NEW APPLICATIONS RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE ASSISTING CLIENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY APPLIED.
SO TWIS TO THE STAFF AND TO YOUR SUPPORT AND, YOU KNOW, INSPIRATION THAT I JUST KEEP US DOING THE GOOD WORK.
UM, I'M HOPING THAT MORE FUNDING COMES THROUGH IN THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, FEW MONTHS THE NEXT YEAR, CUZ THE NEED IS STILL DEFINITELY THERE.
UM, AND THEN NUMBER EIGHT, THE NSU PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING SERVICES.
JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE NURSES ARE HOSTING SOME FLU VACCINE CLINICS AT THE NEIGHBOR CENTERS IN OCTOBER.
THAT'S REALLY HUGE SINCE THEY HAD BEEN DEPLOYED.
AND WE ASSIGNED SINCE, UH, MARCH OF 2020.
SO WE REALLY HAVEN'T SEEN MUCH OF OUR NURSES.
THEY'VE BEEN BUSY WITH COVID 19, AND THEN MONKEY BOX RESPONSE.
UM, BUT THE GOOD NEWS THAT THEY WILL BE FULLY BACK AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS IN NOVEMBER.
SO WE'RE HOPING TO KIND OF STAND UP OUR PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING SERVICES.
AGAIN, OUR HEALTH SCREENINGS, OUR, UM, WELLNESS PROMOTION SERVICES THAT FOR NOW.
UM, I DID PUT IN THE BACKUP, THE CALENDAR FOR OCTOBER.
UH, THERE WILL BE A POOL CLINIC TOMORROW AT ONUS, AND THEN A FEW MORE THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE MONTH THAT SOME OF THE OTHER LABORER CENTERS.
AND THAT IS, UH, MY REPORT FOR TODAY.
ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? THANK YOU.
UM, I WILL, LET'S START, UH, LET'S GO IN REVERSE ORDER AND WE'LL START WITH THE REMOTE ATTENDEES, UH, AND THEN GO AROUND THE ROOM.
UH, COMMISSIONER DELGADO, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR UN HILL? I'M SORRY, MY GRANDDAUGHTER'S, UH, RUNNING AROUND HERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE HARD WORK YOU'RE DOING, AND I'M REALLY GLAD THAT YOU ARE MOVING ON WITH THE ELECTION, UH, AND GETTING THAT, THOSE POSITIONS FILLED.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, FOR HEARING THAT CONCERN.
AND JUST AGAIN, GREAT REPORT, GREAT PRESENTATION.
AND NEXT, UH, COMMISSIONER WOODS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UH, THANK YOU.
AN AND I APPRECIATE THE FLYER THAT'S IN THE SUPPORTING MATERIAL SO THAT I CAN PASS THAT ON TO MY NEIGHBORS AND MAKE SURE THEY KNOW THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET A FLU SHOT ON THESE DAYS.
JUST LET THEM KNOW THAT, UH, AUSTRALIA HAD THE WORST FLU SEASON IN FIVE YEARS, AND THAT'S, UH, THE MODELS THAT ARE USED HERE IN AUSTIN TO PREDICT, UH, WHAT THE FLU WILL LOOK LIKE IN TEXAS AND THE US.
SO, AND IT'S A GOOD THING IF YOU CAN GET THE FLU VACCINE, YOU SHOULD.
THAT'S JUST OUR PERSONAL OPINION.
UM, COMMISSIONER SLOAN, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
GOOD, GOOD PRESENTATION AS WELL.
COMMISSIONER LE UH, JUST ONE THING, UH, A**L.
WOULD YOU SEND THIS, UH, FLYER DIGITALLY TO US AS WELL? LIKE A DIGITAL COPY? UH, I CAN DO THAT TOO.
YEAH, I'LL DO THAT RIGHT AFTER THIS MEETING.
VICE CHAIR, ANYTHING TO ADD? COMMISSIONER DOVER, DO YOU HAVE ANY, UH, COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR UNHA SAN BERNARD? YES, COMMISSIONER TOVER TO ANGEL.
[01:10:01]
YOUR FLU VACCINE CLINIC HAS CERTAIN LOCATIONS, BUT I DO NOT SEE ONE FOR TURNER ROBINSON RECREATION CENTER IS, THAT'S COMING ALONG.I CAN FIND OUT IF THERE'S ANY THAT ARE GONNA BE HELD OUT IN THAT PART OF THE, THE CITY.
UH, BUT WE, WE HAVE THE NURSES ON A LIMITED BASIS UNTIL NOVEMBER.
SO WE HAD TO, UH, KIND OF NARROW DOWN, UH, TO FLU CLINICS, TO NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS.
BUT I CAN GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION ON FLU CLINICS AROUND THE, UH, UH, CALL ANY PARK HORNS, THE BEND AREA.
AND, UH, A**L, IF YOU COULD EMAIL THAT TO ALL OF US PLEASE.
UM, SO WE COULD JUST, WE COULD JUST FOLLOW UP ON IT.
AND COMMISSIONER TO OLIVER, IF YOU SEE ANY SPECIFIC NEED, UH, OR ANYTHING THAT'S GROWING THAT'S UNADDRESSED, WHICH I THINK YOU'RE ALREADY TAPPING INTO, IS THE LAST EIGHT YEARS HE'S BEEN ON YOU FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS ON HIM.
UM, SO
WELL, WE APPRECIATE, UH, YOU, UH, ON HILL AND YOUR, AND YOUR TEAM'S WORK, AND VERY GLAD TO HEAR THAT NOT ONLY DID RENTAL ASSISTANCE COME IN, BUT IT WAS QUICKLY, UH, EXPANDED, DISPERSED, UM, REALLY BADLY NEEDED.
UH, SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE, PROVIDED THERE ARE NO MORE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM,
[4. Presentation and possible action on RBJ Intergenerational Community Space Proposal (Jacqueline Angel, Ph. D., Professor of Health and Sociology, LBJ School of Public Affairs)]
WHICH IS NUMBER FOUR.WE'RE IN THE DISCUSSION IN ACTION ITEMS PHASE A PRESENTATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE RBJ INTERGENERATIONAL COMMUNITY SPACE PROPOSAL WITH, UM, DR.
JACQUELINE JACQUELINE ANG HILL.
AND I, I HOPE THAT, UH, YOU'LL PLEASE CORRECT ME AND YOUR NAME, UH, WHEN YOU COME UP.
UM, WHO IS A PROFESSOR OF HEALTH AND SOCIOLOGY AT THE LBJ SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS.
UM, SOME OF YOU MAY RECALL DURING PUBLIC COMMENT LAST MEETING, UH, WE HEARD A BIT OF A PRELUDE TO THIS AND IT SEEMED THAT, UM, THERE IS, UH, SOME ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT FOR THE COMMISSIONERS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS.
AND, AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR YOUR INVITATION TO INFORM YOU ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN WITH RESPECT TO ESTABLISHING A INTERGENERATIONAL DAY CENTER, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY IN, UH, 7 8 7 0 2.
AND THE SPECIFIC NAME IS AN INTERGENERATIONAL AND RESOURCE AND ACTIVITY CENTER.
UM, IT'S THE INTERGENERATIONAL RESOURCE AND ACTIVITY CENTER, RIGHT? THE IRA? YES.
UM, AND SO, UH, WITH THAT SAID, UH, WOULD LIKE TO, UH, TURN IT OVER TO YOU FOR PRESENTATION.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE, UH, UH, THE, UH, TEAM MEMBERS WHO ARE FLANKING YOU, HAPPY TO DO THAT.
WE HAVE AN, UH, INTERGENERATIONAL DAY CENTER ADVISORY GROUP, WHICH HAS BEEN ENGAGED WITH, UH, AND HELPING OUT, UH, MEMBERS OF THE, THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED IN THIS AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, AS WELL AS THE DEPARTMENT OF RECRE, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION.
WE'VE BEEN ENGAGED FOR THE MANY YEARS NOW.
AND TO MY LEFT IS SELMA D MELLOW.
AND TO MY RIGHT IS LORI RENTERIA AND, UH, MARY SUE KLEIN.
AND, UH, ONLINE, I BELIEVE, UH, NATIVE NAI, WHO'S, UH, ALSO SERVES ON OUR ADVISORY GROUP, IS THE, UH, BRINGS HER ARCHITECTURAL BACKGROUND.
SO SHE WILL BE PRESENTING PART OF THIS, UH, PRESENTATION TODAY.
AND MONICA GILL, SHE KEEPS US ORGANIZED, TAKES METICULOUS NOTES EVERY MONTH.
AND, UH, ACTUALLY BEFORE WE BEGIN THE PRESENTATION, COULD WE MAKE SURE THE TWO CALLERS ARE UNMUTED IN CASE, UH, THAT THE TWO CALLERS WHO WERE CALLING TO SPEAK ON THIS PRESENTATION WAS, UH, NADA AND MONICA, I BELIEVE.
[01:15:01]
YOU.UH, WITH THIS WHOLE PROJECT'S BEEN MOTIVATED BY, UH, AN IMPORTANT, UH, PROBLEM THAT OUR CITY HAS BEEN, UH, CONFRONTING SINCE THE AGING OF OUR POPULATION.
AND IT HAS TO DO WITH NOT ONLY A VERY RAPIDLY, UM, GROWING OLDER POPULATION, BUT ALSO THE FACT THAT, UH, MANY OF THE, OUR LOW INCOME SENIORS ARE ON FIXED INCOMES AND NEED BOTH SERVICES, SUPPORTS, AND RESOURCES THAT ARE CLOSE TO THEIR HOMES.
AND SO, UH, A PERFECT PLACE FOR THIS IS AT THE 78 702, UH, ZIP CODE.
AND THIS IS WHERE YOU'LL SEE THE SORT OF THE BACKGROUND FOR ALL OF THIS WORK, UM, HAS COME OUT OF, NOT ONLY FOR OUR OLDER ADULTS, BUT ALSO FOR OUR, UH, CHILDREN IN NEED TO BRING THEM TOGETHER.
A VERY IMPORTANT, UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
MOTIVATION FOR THIS WORK IS TO UNDERSTAND WAYS OF OPTIMIZING SHARED SPACES.
AND THIS PARTICULAR FRAMEWORK, WHICH WE'VE LEARNED ABOUT, UH, FROM, UH, OVER THE YEARS WITH MY STUDENTS.
WE'VE HAD MEMBERS OF, UH, OF CITY STAFF INVOLVED, AS WELL AS OUR IDC ADVISORY GROUP, OUR UT STUDENTS, AND MANY OTHER OF OUR PARTNERS TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE.
AND WE CONTINUE TO, UH, EXPAND OUR OUTREACH CUZ WE WANT EVERYONE TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS COMMUNITY INITIATIVE.
IT IS CRITICAL FOR THE SUCCESS OF IT.
THE, UH, ACTUAL WORK BEGAN ALMOST, UH, EIGHT, EIGHT TO 10 YEARS AGO.
BUT NOW WE ARE AT THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE TWO RESOLUTIONS THAT HAVE PASSED, UH, ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND RESOLUTION 89, UH, SPECIFICALLY HAS ASKED US TO WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION TO SEE WHAT WOULD BE POSSIBLE.
WOULD IT BE FEASIBLE TO, UH, TO, UH, LOCATE THIS INTERGENERATIONAL DAY CENTER CALLED IRAQ? NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND HERE THEY ARE, AND LIST IT CONTINUES TO GROW.
BERTHA DELGADO IS, UH, WE JUST HAD A CALL YESTERDAY AND SHE'LL BE HOPEFULLY JOINING OUR GROUP.
WE HAVE COLLECTED A LOT OF DATA OVER THE YEARS TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS.
IT BEGAN WITH A WORKING PAPER I WROTE, UH, BUT ALSO, UH, MUCH COM, UM, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT POLLING, UH, HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS.
UH, WE USE A CO-PRODUCTION MODEL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE OTHERS INVOLVED, UH, IN THAT PROCESS, WE HAVE TO GET IT RIGHT.
SO I WILL SHOW YOU THAT'S, UH, A WORD, WORD, UH, GRAPH WHERE YOU SEE THERE TO THE RIGHT WHEN WE REALLY WANTED TO GET THE PARTICULAR ELEMENTS OF OUR FRAMEWORK, WHICH I'LL, UH, YOU'LL SEE IN JUST A MOMENT.
BUT IMPORTANT TO KNOW HERE THAT ABOUT THIRD TWO THIRDS OF OUR RESIDENTS, UH, AT, NOT JUST AT THE RBJ CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING, BUT ALSO THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
AND THERE'S NINE OF THEM ARE VERY MUCH, UH, INTERESTED IN SWITCHING ACTUALLY FROM THE RESERVICES THAT THEY HAVE TO GET ELSEWHERE, UM, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE IT ALL LOCATED IN ONE PLACE.
THIS IS AN EXCELLENT MODEL OF SHARED SPACES THAT, UH, LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES ARE INCREASINGLY WANTING TO DO BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S COST EFFECTIVE.
X SLIDE MISSION HAS BEEN, BEEN THE NASH, UH, HERNANDEZ BUILDING, AND IT IS BEAUTIFULLY, UH, LOCATED VERY CLOSE BY TO THE RBJ CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING, MARTIN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE FESTIVAL BEACH FOOD FORCE, UH, WHICH IS, HAS ITS MOST AMAZING COMMUNITY GARDEN, AS WELL AS THIS IS ALL PART OF THE HOLLY SHORES MASTER PLAN.
AND THIS IS, AGAIN, TRYING TO SET THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT FOR THIS.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT HAS JUST COME ABOUT.
IT IS TRENDING NOW, BUT IT'S, IT HAS, UH, BEEN, UH, HAS BEEN, UM, PRESENT, UH, IN MANY DIFFERENT CITIES.
AND AUSTIN HAS THIS VERY UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO, AGAIN, FOCUS THIS ON OUR MOST VULNERABLE.
AND THAT'S OUR PRIMARY FOCUS BECAUSE MANY OF THE CENTERS DON'T DO THAT.
UH, NEXT SIDE PIECE, WE, UM, ENVISION NOT JUST OUR OLDER ADULTS, AND WE TALK ABOUT OLDER ADULTS, WE KNOW THAT THEY HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS.
SO FOR THOSE WHO HAVE, UH, PARTICULAR HEALTHCARE NEEDS, COGNITIVE, UM, IMPAIRMENT,
[01:20:01]
WE HAVE A DEMENTIA CARE MODEL, A AS WELL AS PART OF OUR INTERGENERATIONAL DAY PROGRAMMING, AS WELL AS OUR CHILDCARE, AND OF COURSE, OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN AT MARTIN MIDDLE SCHOOL.AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH NOT, UH, JUST THE AGE RANGES THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE ARE GOING TO MAKE IT RIGHT, BUT THE INCOME STATUS, UH, INSURANCE IS A HUGE ISSUE, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR DUAL ELIGIBLES WHO HAVE TO PAY A LOT FOR OUT OF POCKET.
AND OF COURSE, LICENSURE NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.
SO ALL THESE DETAILS IN THE PROFORMA, WHICH, UM, YOU'LL SEE ARE CRITICAL FOR MAKING SURE THAT THIS KIND OF MODEL WILL BE FEASIBLE.
PHILOSOPHICALLY, WE WANT TO BRING ALL OF THESE GENERATIONS TOGETHER.
AND MANY CASES IT'S, UH, MULTI-GENERATIONAL AND IT IS OPTIMIZING OUR SHAREDS BASED IN PUBLIC PLACES.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD HERE.
SOCIAL, PHYSICAL, RESPITE, CARE, AND ECONOMIC.
AND I WANT TO, UH, SUGGEST TO YOU THAT WE, UH, DURING COVID 19, UH, REALLY HAD SOME EXTRA CHALLENGES COLLECTING OUR DATA, STAYING IN TOUCH WITH THE COMMUNITY, AND RECOGNIZED THAT NOT ONLY WAS THIS BENEFICIAL FOR OUR LOW INCOME OLDER ADULTS, THEIR FAMILIES, UH, THEIR CAREGIVERS, UH, NOT JUST, UH, PARENTS, WORKING AGE PARENTS, BUT ALSO, UH, GROWN CHILDREN WHO WERE TAKING CARE OF, IN MANY CASES, MULTIPLE, UH, PARENTS, BUT ALSO ESSENTIAL WORKERS.
SO EVENTUALLY, AS WE, YOU KNOW, DEVELOP THIS, WE REALLY WANT TO HAVE, UH, THE, THE SPECIAL NEEDS AND THE CENTER OPEN LONGER PERIOD OF TIME, BECAUSE HAVING A PLACE TO SAFELY, UH, HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVE FOLKS TAKE CARE OF YOUR CHILDREN IS IMPORTANT FOR US, FOR OLDER ADULTS, WON'T BE AS AS, UH, COMMON.
SO, HERE IS OUR PARTNERS SO FAR THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THIS IS MULTIPLE COMPONENTS.
AT OUR INTERGENERATIONAL DAY CENTER, WE HAVE, UH, TELE WELLNESS SERVICES, WHICH, UH, IS ESSENTIALLY A WAY TO SCREEN FOR DEPRESSION, ALONG WITH MEALS ON WHEELS, PROVIDING A FOOD FOR THE ADULT DAY.
HEALTH CENTER AGE OF CENTRAL TEXAS, UH, IS, IT WILL BE ONE OF OUR PARTNERS.
WE ALSO HAVE THE CHILDCARE SERVICES WITH OUR OPEN DOOR PRESCHOOLS, AS WELL AS THE, UH, UH, PRISCILLA, UH, UH, PAW FLAWN, UH, CHILD AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT CENTER WHO WILL BE OVERSEEING THE IDC PROGRAMMING.
AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF IT IS THAT WE, WE'VE LEARNED FROM OUR RESEARCH THAT SOME OF OUR, UM, PARTICIPANTS REALLY MAYBE JUST WANNA HAVE JUST A LITTLE BIT OF I, YOU KNOW, INTERGENERATIONAL, UH, PROGRAM PARTICIPATION.
SO THERE WILL BE OPTIONS FOR THAT.
AND YOU'LL HEAR IN JUST A, A MOMENT, OR SEE, I'M NOT SURE IF, UH, NA NAI IS STILL ON THE LINE, BUT HOW THAT PHYSICAL DESIGN'S GONNA MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
WE ALSO HAVE, IMPORTANTLY, UH, TO MY RIGHT HERE, UH, UH, MARY SUE KLEIN, WHO, UH, IS ON THE BOARD OF CHARIOT, UM, SERVICES FOR TRANSPORTATION, WHICH IS CRITICAL PART OF NOT JUST ADULT DAY HEALTHCARE, BUT FOR, UH, THOSE WHO WANT TO, UH, EASILY, UH, AND GET TO THE CENTER AND, UH, FAMILY ELDER CARE.
AND, UH, MARY SUE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING AT THIS POINT, BUT ALL I'D SAY IS, UH, WE ARE ALREADY SERVING MANY CLIENTS IN THE 7 87 2 ZIP CODE.
SOME OF THOSE ARE IN THE RBJ TOWER.
AND, UH, THE, WE'RE, WE HAVE SOUTHEAST AUSTIN, SOUTH AUSTIN, WE HAVE, UH, I THINK THIS WOULD BE A WONDERFUL SERVICE CUZ THESE FOLKS, WE HAVE MANY OF OUR CLIENTS THAT WE DRIVE, OUR SERVICES ARE FREE THANKS TO, UH, GENEROUS FUNDERS.
UM, A LOT OF THEM DON'T DRIVE BECAUSE OF HEALTH, BUT A LOT OF 'EM DON'T DRIVE BECAUSE OF THE COST OF OWNING AND MAINTAINING A CAR.
AND THAT'S THE MAJORITY OF OUR CLIENTS NOW.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE REALLY, WE'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN THIS BECAUSE, UH, WE JUST SEE IT AS A REAL IMPACTFUL ON THOSE LOW INCOME UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES THAT REALLY
[01:25:01]
NEED SOMETHING LIKE THIS.PEOPLE REALLY NEED TO BE OUT AND ABOUT WITH OTHER HUMAN BEINGS.
AND, UH, THIS WOULD REALLY HELP BE HELPFUL.
SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE CENTER.
UH, THE HOURS WILL BE ACCOMMODATING NOT JUST FOR LICENSING PURPOSES, BUT ALSO AS WE'VE LEARNED, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR CAREGIVERS WHO ARE WORKING, UH, OR ARE OFF TO SCHOOL, UM, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE, UH, TO DROP OFF THEIR, THEIR LOVED ONE.
AND ALSO, UM, AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA BE BRINGING ALL OF THE GROUPS TOGETHER, UH, TO BE ABLE TO INTEGRATE MANY OF THE DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS THEY HAVE.
UM, SO OFTEN THERE IS SOCIAL ISOLATION, UH, FOR BOTH AGE GROUPS.
AND THIS KIND OF PROGRAMMING, UH, FORTUNATELY ENHANCES RELATIONSHIPS AS WE LOOKED AT THESE DIFFERENT BENEFITS.
THE IDEA THAT WE'RE SPECIALIZING IN BOTH DAY AND CHILDCARE IS A, IN A VERY CLEAN ENVIRONMENT, UH, IS IMPORTANT, AS WELL AS OUR PHILOSOPHY OF COMPASSION, CARE, DIGNITY, INCLUSION, UH, EQUITY.
ALL OF THESE VALUES, UH, ARE GOING TO DRIVE US, AS I MENTIONED, VOLUNTARY IDC PARTICIPATION FOR THOSE WHO, UH, DO NOT WANT IT, UH, OR, OR JUST WANT, UH, MORE ON A INFREQUENT BASIS.
AND THEN FINALLY, THIS IS A COMMUNITY CENTER.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SPACE FOR ALL, ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO USE MEETING ROOMS, RIGHT? WE HAVE THIS AS PART OF THE DESIGN.
THIS IS CRITICAL BECAUSE THE, WE, WE WANNA, WE WANT TO, UH, OPTIMIZE AGAIN THE USE OF THIS BUILDING.
NOW, HERNANDEZ BUILDING SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK, AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE A LOT OF DATA, AND THIS, THIS PARTICULAR DATA CAME FROM OUR SURVEY.
AND IF YOU WOULD SHOW THE NEXT SLIDE, THERE'S THE PROPERTY.
AND WE'VE HAD, UH, SEVERAL, UH, TOURS.
WE HAVE FINDINGS THAT SHOWED UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FOR THE FITTING THIS MODEL IN THIS 10,000 SQUARE FOOT, UH, FACILITY.
AND THERE ARE THOSE WHO HAVE PART PARTICIPATED IN THESE SURVEYS.
UM, THIS IS THE PILOT, UH, SPACE PROTOTYPE.
AND I BELIEVE, UH, NITA, MISSOURI, ARE YOU STILL ON? I AM.
UH, YOU CAN TAKE IT FROM HERE.
UM, SO YEAH, BUT, UH, I GUESS IF YOU WOULD PLEASE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
I'LL TALK A LITTLE ABOUT JUST ABOUT THE DESIGN.
AMAL WAS SAYING, WE WANTED TO DO THIS DESIGN.
WE WANTED TO KIND OF MAKE SURE THAT THE OLDER ADULTS AND CHILDREN, UH, EACH WOULD HAVE THEIR OWN SPACE.
SO WE HAVE A CHILDCARE ON ONE SIDE, AND THEN THE ADULT CARE ON THE OTHER SIDE.
AND WE HAVE ALL THE COMMUNITY SPACES, WHICH WILL, WOULD BE USED FOR INTERGENERATIONAL INTERACTIONS IN THE CENTER.
THIS WOULD ALLOW BOTH, UM, GENERATIONS TO HAVE THEIR OWN PRIVACY AND AGENCY AND GIVE THEM THE CHOICE OF COMING TOGETHER WHEN THEY WANT AND STAY TOGETHER VOLUME DAY, LIKE, BUT ALSO BE ABLE TO KIND OF GO TO THEIR OWN SPACES, UM, AND BE WITH THEIR PEERS WHEN THEY CHOOSE TO.
THE SPACES IN THE MIDDLE ARE, UH, FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF ACTIVITIES.
UH, WE HAVE DESIGNED IT FOR THE WELCOME CENTER, AND THEN THE GALLERY PRESENTATION AREA COULD BE SOMETHING THAT IS USED FOR THE CENTER, BUT CAN ALSO BE, UH, RENTED OUT TO THE PUBLIC WHEN AND IF NEEDED TO KIND OF CREATE AN REVENUE FOR THE CENTER.
THERE ARE OUTDOOR AND INDOOR GARDENS FOR ALSO FOR INTERGENERATION OR INTERACTIONS, UM, AS WELL AS KIND OF PROVIDING, UH, VEGETABLES AND HERBS THAT COULD BE USED IN THE COMMUNITY GARDEN, IN THE COMMUNITY KITCHEN, UH, BY THE OLDER ADULTS AND CHILDREN TO COOK, UM, SMALL MEALS TOGETHER, UM, AND HAVE THEM FOR MEALS AND OR SNACKS.
UM, IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES, WE'RE JUST KIND OF SHOWING RENDERINGS AND POSSIBILITIES OF HOW THESE SPACES COULD BE.
UM, THE LOCAL CENTER IS A BIG OPEN SPACES, THE GALLERIES, KIND OF THE LOBBY AS PEOPLE WALK IN.
UH, THE GOAL IS TO PRESENT, UH, ART THAT HAS BEEN CREATED BY,
[01:30:01]
UM, OLDER ADULTS AND CHILDREN AT THE CENTER TO BRING AWARENESS OF INTERGENERATIONAL PROGRAMS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THEM.UH, BUT IT COULD ALSO BE, UH, USED FOR PRESENTING, UM, ART THAT IS CREATED BY LOCAL ARTISTS IN THE AREA.
UM, THE IMAGE AND THE, UM, BOTTOM RIGHT IS THE INDOOR GARDEN THAT IS CONNECTED TO THE OUTDOOR GARDEN.
THAT AGAIN, ALLOWS FOR USING THE SPACES, DEPENDING ON HOW THE WEATHER IS, AND GIVING PEOPLE CHOICES OF BEING INSIDE OR OUTSIDE.
AND THEN THERE'S THIS OUTDOOR GYM FOR THE OLDER ADULTS THAT IS NEXT TO THE PLAYGROUND OF THE CHILDREN THAT REALLY TRYING TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF INTERGENERATIONAL INTERACTION, UH, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, IF THEY WANNA GET CAUGHT AND BE TOGETHER IN THE SAME SPACE, THEY HAVE THAT CHOICE.
BUT IF THEY JUST WANNA NEXT TO EACH OTHER AND MAYBE HAVE SOME VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS OR JUST A WAVE, HELLO, WITHOUT GETTING INVOLVED TOO MUCH, THEY ALSO HAVE THAT CHOICE IN THE FOLLOWING SLIDE.
UM, IS THE SAME SPACES, THAT'S THE OUTDOOR GARDEN AND THEN THE GALLERY SPACE.
UM, THERE'S, UM, IMAGES THAT OF THE OLDER ADULTS USING THAT EXERCISE SPACE OUTSIDE.
AND THEN THE GALLERY SPACE THAT COULD ALSO BE, UH, USED FOR PRESENTATION, UM, AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES WHEN AND IF NEEDED.
SO IN TERMS OF THE CURRICULUM, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A SUBCOMMITTEE THAT IS DEALING WITH THIS.
UH, IT'S VERY EXCITING BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE CRAFTED, UH, VERY MUCH, UH, ALONG THE LINES OF A VERY, SORT OF, UH, UNIQUE TO, TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND TO THE, TO THE CHILDREN AND ADULTS AND PARTICIPANTS THAT WE SERVE.
AND, UH, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, INTERGENERATIONAL PROGRAMS AT THE LIBRARY.
AND SO THIS GROUP, UH, HAS BEEN REALLY, UM, PUTTING TOGETHER JUST, UH, BEAUTIFUL WORK, UH, TO, TO REALLY MAKE THIS POSSIBLE.
AND WE WANT IT TO BE INNOVATIVE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE AGAIN, IT HAS TO COME FROM CO-PRODUCTION AS WELL.
WE WANT THAT INPUT FROM OUR PARTICIPANTS.
THAT WILL BE, UH, REACHING OUT TO NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
WHAT ARE WE EXPECTING IN TERMS OF THIS BUDGET? WE ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO NEED SOME, UH, WE HAVE OUR PARTNERS, UH, LETTERS OF COMMITMENT, BUT TO DO IT THE RIGHT WAY, UH, WE ARE EXPECTING, UH, THE PART IS, UH, ALL ALLOCATED.
UH, ORIGINALLY IT WAS 3.2 MILLION AND, UH, THEY'VE BEEN DEALING WITH ASBESTOS.
I'VE BEEN, AGAIN, WORKING WITH THEM, UH, IN TERMS OF JUST PROVIDING INFORMATION, UM, THAT EVIDENTLY IS DONE.
AND SO THEY HAVE ABOUT FOR CAPITAL COST, AGAIN, THIS IS A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
UH, AND THEN WE EXPECT THERE TO BE APPROXIMATELY 3.7 MILLION FOR ALL OF THESE OTHER COMPONENTS.
SO WE'LL BE, UH, WORKING ON A, UH, WITH YOU AND OTHER, UM, GRANT OPPORTUNITIES, OTHER PARTNERS, AND TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A FUNDRAISING, UM, PLAN TO BE ABLE TO ADEQUATELY NOT JUST SUPPORT THE STARTUP, BUT MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN SUSTAIN THIS AND, UH, ULTIMATELY, UH, HAVE IT, UH, BE AVAILABLE TO OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND AGAIN, THERE'S THE CURRICULUM AND WE HAVE SAMPLE, UH, SYLLABI IN OUR DOCUMENTS.
SO WHERE ARE WE AT NOW? WE WANNA CONTINUE TO, UH, WORK WITH PART.
THEY'LL BE PRESENTING THEIR REPORT, UH, THIS THURSDAY TO, UH, CITY COUNCIL.
AND WE'LL ALSO BE WORKING ON PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, UH, WITH OTHER GROUPS AS WE'VE MOVED TOGETHER, INCLUDING ALL OF YOU, BECAUSE WE REALLY NEED, UH, YOUR SUPPORT.
YOU ARE THE COMMISSION THAT REALLY UNDERSTANDS DEEP DOWN WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE.
AND IT'S REALLY AN HONOR TO BE ABLE TO, UH, SHARE THIS WITH YOU, UH, AND GET YOUR FEEDBACK.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE APRIL 17TH.
UH, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL MAJOR CONFERENCES AT THE LBJ SCHOOL.
THERE'S GONNA BE A LUNCH PRIOR TO THIS.
IT'LL BE IN THE AFTERNOON, UH, TWO TO FOUR 30.
AND, UH, IT IS HAS, WE HAVE OUR LOW INCOME SENIORS AND KIDS AND ANYBODY WHO CAN, CAN, UH, COME AND WEIGH IN.
AND WE HAVE, UH, AGAIN, A GREAT DEAL
[01:35:01]
OF SUPPORT FROM OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH HAS ENABLED US TO, YOU KNOW, PROCEED AND, AND DEVELOP THESE IDEAS.AND FINALLY, WE'RE HOPING THAT, AGAIN, WE CAN COUNT ON YOU FOR A LETTER OF SUPPORT AND ALL OF THIS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
THESE ARE OUR PARTNERS AND WHO WE'VE BEEN COLLABORATING WITH, AND THE LIST CONTINUES TO EXPAND.
AND ALSO ALL OF THESE DOCUMENTS WE HAVE, MANY REPORTS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE UT REPOSITORY.
THE, YOU KNOW, THE LINK IS AVAILABLE.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO HAVE ANY ACCESS INFORMATION.
VERY IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE CONVENIENT, UH, UH, ACCESS TO THESE MATERIALS.
SO I REALLY WANNA THANK YOU ALL, UH, FOR THIS, AND I'LL STOP THERE.
ANKIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR JOINING.
AND, UH, JUST TO SORT OF MAKE SURE THAT I, I HAVE THIS RIGHT AND OF COURSE WE WILL GO AROUND AND, AND GET EVERYBODY'S OBSERVATIONS, UH, AND OUR QUESTIONS.
BUT, UH, TO ME, UH, IT SEEMS, UH, LIKE, UH, IN ADDITION TO, OF COURSE, IN EDUCATING US AROUND THE INITIATIVE, UH, AND THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE OVER YEARS WITH LOTS OF PARTNERS AROUND VERY ASSET BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UH, UH, FORM OF BRINGING THIS INTERGENERATIONAL ACTIVITY CENTER TOGETHER, UH, THAT YOU WERE LOOKING FOR A RECOMMENDATION FROM THIS BODY OF SUPPORT, UH, OF THE, EITHER THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED BY COUNSEL, OR JUST A GENERAL RECOMMENDATION OF SUPPORT FOR THE PROJECT IN GENERAL, OR BOTH.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU COULD HELP CHARACTERIZE THAT FOR US, THAT THAT WOULD, I, I CAN'T THINK OF A REASON.
IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ALL ARE, UH, REALLY, YOU KNOW, BRINGING IN, THERE ARE A LOT OF PARTNERS, UM, REALLY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT FUNDING AND SUSTAINABILITY, UM, AND WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
BUT, BUT JUST WANNA BE CLEAR ON WHAT THEY ASK IS.
AND SO THE ASK IS BOTH, BOTH FOR RESOLUTION 89, BECAUSE THAT RESOLUTION SPECIFIES THAT THE I IRAQ SHOULD BE, UH, LOCATED THERE OR ON, UH, SOME OTHER CITY OWNED PROPERTY.
SO, BUT NOW SHE'S THE IDEAL FIT.
AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU BOTH THE PHYSICAL DESIGN AS WELL AS THE SERVICES THAT WE NEED.
THAT 10,000 SQUARE FOOT, UH, FACILITY FOR THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE OUTDOOR SPACE, UH, WHICH WILL HAVE, UH, PLAY PLAYGROUND AND ALL THOSE THINGS, UH, IN ADDITION TO PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES AND EQUIPMENT FOR OUR OLDER ADULTS AND INTERGENERATIONAL ACTIVITIES.
BUT ALSO, IF YOU COULD, UH, UH, A LETTER OF COMMITMENT WOULD HELP TOO, JUST IN TERMS OF THE, THE FUNDING FROM THE, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT OR WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO HELP, RIGHT? UM, AND AS MUCH AS THE LETTER OF COMMITMENT IS CONCERNED, SINCE WE'RE NOT A UNILATERAL, UH, GOVERNOR OF THOSE, OF THOSE DOLLARS, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO, UH, UH, DO THAT, I DON'T THINK.
BUT THINK OF SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, THAT MIGHT BE ONE OF THE POTENTIAL, UM, ACTIONS THAT WE TAKE.
AND I'LL GO, UH, I WOULD YOU JUST, OH, YEAH.
I DON'T THINK, I DON'T THINK, UH, COMMISSIONER DELGADO, I'M STILL SPEAKING WITH THE PRESENTERS AND WE'LL GO AROUND AND GET EVERYBODY'S, UH, QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS.
ANHE, UM, DIDN'T MENTION THAT, UM, INTERGENERATIONAL, IN FACT, ANY KIND OF, UH, RESOURCE AND ACTIVITY CENTER FOR SENIORS HAS TO BE EITHER WITHIN A SENIOR LIVING CENTER OR VERY ACCESSIBLE.
AND THE FACT THAT IT'S ON THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL, AND NOT EVEN A BLOCK FROM 500, UH, APARTMENTS FOR LOW INCOME SENIORS MAKES THE NA HERNANDEZ, UM, LOCATION ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.
UM, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS, UH, BULKING.
THEY WANNA USE THIS BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY ASSET, UM, FOR ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES.
I MEAN, I LOVE OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES, BUT I DON'T THINK A COMMUNITY ASSET SUCH AS LAKEFRONT, UH, PROPERTY THAT IS AVAILABLE HAS BEEN VACANT FOR MAYBE 20 YEARS, UH, SHOULD BE DEDICATED TO ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES FOR A CITY DEPARTMENT.
WHEN THE HOLLY SHORES MASTER PLAN, UH, DID CALL FOR A COMMUNITY USE, AND WHAT BETTER COMMUNITY USE
[01:40:01]
THAN FOR OUR VERY LOW INCOME SENIORS, THE RBJ TOWER IS BEING REHABBED.AND THE, UH, BOARD DIDN'T REALLY PLAN FOR ANY LARGE SPACES.
THEY'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE PLANNING FOR THIS CENTER, WITH THE IDEA THAT IT WOULD BE AT NASH FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
SO THERE ARE NO LARGE SPACES AND, AND HUGE OUTDOOR, UH, YOU KNOW, FACILITIES FOR THE 500 SENIORS THAT ALL EVENTUALLY LIVE THERE.
SO WE REALLY NEED SUPPORT, UH, A LETTER OF SUPPORT THAT YOU, UH, SUPPORT THE CONCEPT AND RECOGNIZE THE NEED.
WE ARE IN A, A SILVER TSUNAMI WITH OUR AGING POPULATION.
AND, UH, WE'LL GO AROUND THE ROOM.
I'M JUST GONNA SWING BACK IN THE OPPOSITE ORDER THAT I STARTED LAST TIME.
AND SO, COMMISSIONER HASA, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UM, HI.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
SO I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.
SOME OF THE STAFFING LOOKS LIKE IT'S BEING STAFFED AS IF IT'S A NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER.
LIKE FOR INSTANCE, FOR THE LVN, WHO IS THE LVN GONNA WORK UNDERNEATH? SHE CAN'T WORK.
I'M A REGISTERED NURSE, SO SHE CANNOT WORK UNDER HER OWN AUTHORITY.
SHE HAS TO BE SUPERVISED, AND THAT'S CORRECT.
THERE'S A REGISTERED NURSE THAT MUST COME FOR, UH, AT LEAST THIS IS CALLED TECH TEXAS STATE LAW, FOUR HOURS, UH, UH, TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME SUPERVISION.
AND WHERE WILL, AND WHERE WILL THAT REGISTERED NURSE COME FROM? THAT THAT HAS TO BE DETERMINED.
LIKE I SAID, THE STAFFING LOOKS LIKE IT'S MORE OF A MEDICAL MODEL AS OPPOSED TO JUST NO NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT IS NOT, IT IS A THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION.
AND WE'VE ALREADY APPROACHED THE CENTRAL HEALTH BOARD MM-HMM.
IN 2016, THEY PROVIDED A LETTER OF SUPPORT SAYING THAT THEY WOULD PROVIDE.
UH, THE HEALTH SCREENINGS IS MAINLY WHAT WE'RE DOING.
IT'S TO MONITOR, YOU KNOW, IT'S TO MONITOR DIABETES, UH, GLUCOSE LEVELS, UH, SOME MONITORING, BLOOD PRESSURE.
IT'S THESE KINDS OF, UH, SERVICES.
I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE OVERALL SCOPE OF PRACTICE.
THAT'S ALL THE LEGAL LICENSURE, LICENSURE ISSUES.
UH, COMMISSIONER HAS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS? COMMISSIONER TOVER? UH, I HAVE ONE QUESTION.
UH, WITH THIS CENTER THAT Y'ALL PLAN ON BUILDING, UH, I HAVE HEARD A LOT OF COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT THIS PROPERTY, AND MY OPINION IS THAT I WOULD START FROM THE GROUND UP TRYING TO NOT USE A BUILDING THAT'S ALREADY BEEN BUILT, BEEN LIVE, THEN OCCUPIED OR WHATEVER, BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FOUNDATION IS A LESSON.
YOU HAVE AN ENGINEER TO GO THROUGH THERE AND CHECK IT.
THIS IS WHAT THE, UM, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, UH, WITH, AS PART OF THE FEASIBILITY STUDY HAS BEEN WORKING OUT WITH REGARD TO RESOLUTION 89.
SO THEY'RE MAKING THE DETERMINATION OF REALLY WHAT THAT COST WILL BE BECAUSE THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE, THE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES.
AND IF, IF THE RESOLUTION 89, THAT'S THE WHOLE OBJECTIVE OF THIS, WHICH IS TO FIND THE BEST LOCATION FOR THIS MODEL, THIS FIT.
IF YOU HAVE A RESOLUTION, UH, PROPOSAL 89, WHATEVER THAT IS.
THE POINT THAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS, IT WOULD BE FEASIBLE TO START FROM THE GROUND UP, NOT TAKE A BUILDING THAT'S ALREADY, THAT'S MY OPINION.
UH, RICARDO SOUS FROM THE PAR DEPARTMENT HAD RECOMMENDED TO US, UH, IN THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
WE, WE WERE WORKING WITH THEM.
UH, THIS PARTICULAR FACILITY WE HAD AS EARLIER ON, HAD, UH, IDENTIFIED, UH, UH, SPACE ADJACENT TO THE RBJ PUBLIC HEALTH CENTER AS ONE POSSIBILITY.
[01:45:01]
SINCE ALL OF THIS HAS BEEN, UM, DEVELOPING THAT SPACE NOW IS TAKEN, SO WHAT THE RESOLUTION WAS ASKING FOR WAS WHAT IS THE BEST PLACE ON CITY OWN PROPERTY WHERE THIS COULD BE? AND THE, UM, PHILOSOPHY WAS ACTUALLY TO USE, UH, THOSE PROPERTIES THAT DO HAVE A BUILDING THAT POTENTIALLY COULD BE RENOVATED, BUT YOU ASK A GOOD QUESTION, WHICH IS, IF IT'S MORE, YOU KNOW, COST MORE TO RENOVATE THAN TO BUILD FROM, UH, SCRATCH, SCRATCH, THEN, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THIS WOULD BE MORE COST EFFECTIVE.BUT THIS IS THE, UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE, THE, UH, PARKS DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THEY'RE IN CHARGE OF SPACE.
UH, HAVE YOU LOOKED INTO OTHER PARTS OF TOWN FOR THIS BUILDING? SO, UH, RESOLUTION 42 HAD A, A FEASIBILITY STUDY DOWN BY AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND THERE REALLY WAS NOT A, A RECOMMENDATION MADE.
IT WAS, UH, UH, DOVE SPRINGS WAS ONE OF THE, UH, POSSIBILITIES.
THERE WERE SEVERAL THAT WAS RECOMMENDED, AND THAT FACILITY, AS IT TURNS OUT, WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO RENOVATE BASED ON THE FEATURES THAT WE'VE DESCRIBED TODAY.
SO THAT WAS, UM, PART OF IT, BUT ALSO THERE WEREN'T ENOUGH PARTICIPANTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT REPRESENTED OLDER ADULTS AND THE YOUNGSTERS TO MAKE THIS FEASIBLE.
SO IT'S A, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT, UH, PARTS OF THIS THAT HAVE TO COME TOGETHER IN ONE SPACE, CLOSE TO AFFORDABLE SENIOR HOUSING TO REALLY, UH, LOOK AT THE BEST WAY WE CAN LINK HEALTH AND HOUSING AND SUPPORTS, UH, ALTOGETHER.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, DO COMMISSIONER MONTO THAT WE HAVE TO, UH, PRESENT, UH, OH, UH, IF THERE, IF WE, IF WE TAKE ACTION, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE HEAR FROM ALL THE COMMISSIONERS REAL QUICK.
UM, AND SO HEARING YOUR, YOUR CON UH, YOUR THOUGHTS, IT SOUNDS LIKE, UH, IF YOU HA IF THERE WAS, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE SITE MIGHT BE ACCEPTABLE TO YOU, BUT IF YOU HAD YOUR, UH, PREFERENCE, IT WOULD BE EITHER, UH, REBUILD OR A NEW BUILD, UH, OR DOES IT SOUND LIKE CUTTING IT DOWN TO THE STUDS WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE IN NO, BECAUSE THE SOIL THAT WE HAVE HERE IN AUSTIN MM-HMM.
IT SWILLES, I GOT A FOUNDATION PROBLEM RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S WHY I ASK THAT YOU WANT ME BOTH
UH, BUT WITH THAT SAID, UH, IN GENERAL, IN AS MUCH AS THE SERVICES, UH, THAT ARE DISCUSSED, DO THOSE SOUND, UH, LIKE APPLICABLE SERVICES AND HELPFUL SERVICES, THE SERVICES FOR A SENIOR BETWEEN THE AGE OF 65 AND 75, WHERE I FIT IN THAT CATEGORY.
BUT, UH, FOR THE SITUATION, I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DRIVE TO THAT LOCATION BECAUSE I'M ALMOST TO MAINER AND IT WOULD BE UNFEASIBLE FOR ME TO DRIVE THERE.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER TOVER.
AND, UM, I THINK WE MAY GET BACK AROUND TO THAT TRANSPORTATION ISSUE IN A MOMENT.
UH, VICE CHAIR, UH, A FEW MINUTES AGO, I HEARD, UH, I GUESS YOU, DR.
ANKE, UM, REFER TO A POSSIBLE FUNDING SOURCE, CSB G WE HAVE NOT, UH, EXPLORED THAT MECHANISM.
WE HAVE BEEN, UH, TURNING TO OUR, OUR LOCAL PARTNERS AND WORKING AND PROVIDING INFORMATION, UM, PER RESOLUTION 41.
AND, UH, NOW CURRENTLY RESOLUTION 89.
SO AS PART OF OUR WORK, WE'VE BEEN IDENTIFYING FOUNDATION SUPPORT AS WELL AS OUR PARTNERS, UH, PROVIDING, UH, SOME OF THESE SERVICES.
DAVID'S FOUNDATION, UH, IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS INITIATIVE SINCE ITS INCEPTION AND IS ON BOARD, UH, AS WE SORT OF, UH, FINALIZE THE MODEL THAT'S GONNA WORK IN THE SPACE THAT'S PROVIDED.
[01:50:02]
IT SEEMS LIKE A PROJECT THAT WOULD BE VERY ATTRACTIVE TO THE FOUNDATIONS.AND WE HAVE MANY, IT'S, IT'S A REALLY, UM, AMAZING HOW WE'VE HAD SUCH POSITIVE SUPPORT FROM, FROM THE COMMUNITY, FROM SO MANY CONSTITUENTS.
AND FRANKLY, THAT'S BEEN VERY GRATIFYING.
MY STUDENTS, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVE REALLY LEARNED A LOT, UH, THROUGH THIS, UH, AS ALMOST NOW, 50 STUDENTS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED AT SOME LEVEL, AND THEY, UH, GET IT.
AND WE'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, YOUNG AND HIP, BUT WE ARE GETTING OLD AND WE REALLY HAVE TO COME UP WITH SOME INNOVATIVE, COST EFFECTIVE WAYS TO MEET THEIR UNIQUE NEEDS.
AND THERE'S CHANGING NEEDS FOR ASSISTANCE AS WELL, UH, INCLUDING, UH, HIGHER PREVALENCE NOW OF COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT.
AND THIS MODEL DOES ADDRESS THAT.
AND, UH, UH, AGE OF, UH, CENTRAL TEXAS, UH, ACCEPTS AND HAS TAKEN CARE OF BOTH THOSE WHO ARE COGNITIVELY IMPAIRED AS WELL AS NON COGNITIVELY IMPAIRED.
SO THIS WILL BE ABLE TO SERVE MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF, UH, HEALTH, UH, OLDER ADULTS WITH, WITH NEEDS, UH, DIFFERENT KINDS OF HEALTHCARE NEEDS.
YOU'VE ALSO MENTIONED A COUPLE OF RESOLUTIONS, AND MAYBE THIS IS A STAFF QUESTION.
I, I DON'T SEE RESOLUTION 42 OR 89 IN OUR PRACTICE.
NO, IT'S JUST 41 AND 89 IS ON, IT'S EARLY ON, YOU SEE IN THE, UH, DOCUMENT, UH, IN THE SLIDE.
UH, IT SEEMS LIKE WE MIGHT WANNA INCORPORATE SOME OF THAT LANGUAGE OR IF WE'RE GONNA MAKE A RESOLUTION THAT WE WOULD WANNA READ THAT RESOLUTION.
I THINK, UM, AT THIS POINT, GIVEN WHERE WE'RE AT NOW, UH, FOCUSING ON 89 WOULD BE THE BEST BECAUSE THAT'S THE RESOLUTION THAT'S SPECIFICALLY SAYS NASH HERNANDEZ.
JUST ASK, INCORPORATE ALL THAT LANGUAGE, LIKE OH, OH, YES.
AND SO, UH, I'M SORRY, CAN YOU, YOU WILL DO, WE'LL DO WHAT? INCORPORATE ON THAT LANGUAGE IS YOUR, IS YOUR MICROPHONE ON? OH, SORRY.
SO, UM, I GUESS YOU'RE ASKING US TO INCORPORATE SOME OF THAT LANGUAGE INTO THE DOCUMENTED WELL, IF, IF WE ARE GOING TO PASS A RESOLUTION, WE WOULD WANT TO SEE 89, SO THAT RIGHT.
WE'D KNOW WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
I WOULD BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH, WITH ALL OF THOSE DOCUMENTS.
UH, YOU DEFINITELY NEED THOSE.
UH, COMMISSIONER ALIAS IS, UH, CAPITAL METRO AT ALL INVOLVED? I WAS LOOKING AT, I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE TRANSPORTATION ISSUE, OR HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THAT OR REACHED OUT TO THEM? YES.
UM, MARTIN CURY, UH, MY COLLEAGUE, UH, IS, UH, PART OF, UH, THE COMMISSION ON SENIORS, WHICH I SERVE AS WELL.
AND THEY WILL PROVIDE, UH, SUPPLEMENTAL TYPES OF TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE CHARIOT, UH, AS, UH, MARY SUE HAS EXPLAINED, IS GOING TO, UH, TAKE CARE OF MOST OF THAT.
BUT IT, BECAUSE THE CENTER WILL GROW, UH, IN NEEDS, UH, WE WANNA BE ABLE TO ALWAYS HAVE BACKUP AND, UH, HAVE, AGAIN, A TRUE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, BUT ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S CONSTRAINTS, UH, FOR, YOU KNOW, THE CITY TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION TO EVERYONE.
SO THAT'S WHY WE FEEL THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OUR, OUR PARTNERS, UH, FROM OUTSIDE GOVERNMENT ALSO HELP AND CHARIOT'S VERY SPECIAL BECAUSE THE DEALT WITH LOW INCOME SENIORS SPECIAL NEEDS, UM, THEY UNDERSTAND HOW, UM, HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO GET, NOT JUST TO THE IRAQ, BUT THEY MAY NEED TO BE DROPPED OFF AT THE CVS PHARMACY FOR, YOU KNOW, GET, PICK UP SOME GROCERIES AND HOW ARE THEY GONNA GET THEIR, UM, THEIR, UH, WHEELCHAIR OUT OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, UH, THE TRUNK AND HOW ARE THEY GOING TO BE ABLE TO, UM, ANY OTHER PACKAGES THAT THEY PICKED UP.
YOU KNOW, CAN YOU GET SOME HELP JUST TO, TO THE FRONT OF THE DOOR? AND ALL OF THOSE SERVICES, MANY OF OUR ARE, UH, LOW INCOME SENIORS NEED THAT, THAT'S, UH, VERY IMPORTANT.
AND, BUT ALSO IT'S, UH, PROVIDES, UH, SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT.
YOU KNOW, YOU GET TO, UH, ESPECIALLY WITH THE TRAFFIC, YOU KNOW, YOU GET TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THAT TIME
[01:55:01]
AND IT, IT, SO MUCH OF THE DATA NOW ALSO SHOWS THAT THIS REDUCES SOCIAL ISOLATION, WHICH IS ASSOCIATED WITH DEPRESSION.AND SO THERE'S MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE BENEFITS OF THIS.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE ARE VERY SENSITIVE TO HOW TO MAKE THIS MODEL ADAPTABLE, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT OUR CITY IS GROWING VERY FAST ACROSS ALL AGE GROUPS, BUT PARTICULARLY OUR SENIORS AND WITHIN OUR SENIOR POPULATION, SO THAT 85 AND OLDER NEEDS, NEEDS CARE, AND THOSE AND THE CAREGIVERS, AND THEY NEED RESPITE.
OKAY? SO THIS IS GONNA FILL A HUGE GAP IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY NEED.
SO YES, AND SOUTH AUSTIN IS GETTING A BRAND NEW, UH, STATE OF THE ART FACILITY TO SERVE, UH, ALL OF SOUTH AUSTIN.
IT'S A BE GONNA BE A HUGE COMMUNITY ASSET.
WE WANT TO USE AN EXISTING BUILDING THAT ISN'T GONNA TAKE A LOT OF MONEY TO GET UP AND RUNNING.
SO WE CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT THESE SMALL, UH, SERVING CENTERS ARE REALLY NEEDED IN ALL PARTS OF TOWN.
SO THIS IS REALLY A DEMONSTRATION PROJECT, VERY RESEARCH DRIVEN AND WILL BE EXTREMELY EVALUATED AND MODIFIED AS WE LEARN.
THESE POOR PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IT SINCE 2012.
I JUST GOT INVOLVED A YEAR AND A HALF AGO BECAUSE I LIVE RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM IT.
AND I LIVE, UH, AND HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH RBJ.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE JUST WANT TO DO WHAT WE CAN AT NASH AS QUICK AS WE CAN AND PROVE THAT THESE ARE NEEDED IN ALL PARTS OF TOWN.
ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER ALIAS? NO.
AND, AND THE REST OF THE PANEL FOR PRESENTING.
IS THIS BEING MODELED FROM ANOTHER, UM, IS THERE ANOTHER IRAQ ELSEWHERE THAT WE'RE MODELING FROM? OR ARE WE COMING UP FROM SCRATCH ON THIS? WE HAVE DONE, UH, SOME, UH, RESEARCH AND IT'S IN ANOTHER REPORT, IDENTIFYING THE SORT OF A UNIVERSITY PUBLIC MODEL AND, UH, UH, SOME, SOME SUPPORT FROM CITI.
WE BELIEVE THAT ALL OF THESE COMPONENTS ARE CRITICAL.
IT, THERE'S COMPREHENSIVE MODELS THAT ARE FULLY INTEGRATED.
AND THAT'S IN ANOTHER REPORT, ACTUALLY WAS A THESIS THAT, UH, MY STUDENT COMPLETED THIS PAST SPRING.
BUT WE ARE FULLY COMPREHENSIVE.
WE HAVE ALL OF DIFFERENT LEVELS OF HEALTHCARE NEEDS, UH, FUNCTION, UH, THAT WILL SERVE THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST TO HAVE HAD NO OPTIONS AT THIS POINT.
AGAIN, IT'S FOR OUR LOW INCOME, THE, THE NEEDIEST OF OUR, OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE REALLY WANTING THESE SERVICES.
AGAIN, NOT SOMEWHAT MORE OF THE INDEPENDENCE THAT THEY CAN HAVE, UH, AND WANT TO HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY IN BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE PROGRAMS. MODELS LIKE THE PROGRAM, ALL INCLUSIVE CARE FOR THE ELDERLY DOESN'T MAKE THAT POSSIBLE.
IT'S MANDATORY PARTICIPATION, FOR EXAMPLE, EVERY DAY.
AND WE HAD TO BE MINDFUL THAT WE NEED TO, UM, A PRIVILEGE, YOU KNOW, AUTONOMY AMONG OUR PARTICIPANTS AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZE THAT THEY, UH, WE'RE SERVING THEM, YOU KNOW, THEIR NEEDS AND THEY NEED TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DIALOGUE ON HOW BEST TO DO THIS.
SO, AS LORI MENTIONED, THIS WILL BE A PILOT.
WE HAVE, UH, A GRADUATE STUDENT, A PHD STUDENT WHO HAS COME UP WITH THE EVALUATION TOOL, UH, AND WE'LL BE DOING ONGOING EVALUATION BECAUSE WE THINK IT SHOULD BE DONE PROPERLY.
UH, AND, UH, GOING THROUGH IRB, UH, YOU KNOW, REALLY HAVING OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT OF NOT ONLY HOW WE'RE DOING AND HOW THE, UH, PARTICIPANTS ARE ENJOYING THIS, BUT HOW WE CAN IMPROVE IT, UH, AND IS IT COST EFFECTIVE? BECAUSE IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS, THAT'S, THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US BECAUSE WE WANT TO OPTIMIZE THESE SHARED SPACES AND PUBLIC PLACES.
SO, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, THIS IS VERY FEW, BASICALLY NONE.
WE ARE GOING TO BE THE FIRST PROBABLY IN THE COUNTRY TO HAVE THIS KIND OF MODEL.
IN 2018 AT THE GERONTOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA.
I PRESENTED THIS, UH, MODEL, UH, WITH MY STUDENT, NATHAN HERNANDEZ, UH, FERNANDEZ.
AND, UH, WE HAD A FULL ROOM, NA MISSOURI WAS THERE AS WELL.
AND, UH, IT WAS WIDELY, UH, SUPPORTED AND LOTS OF INPUT.
[02:00:01]
BOTTLE HAS WON THREE AWARDS, ONE NATIONAL AWARD, THE PENN INVITATIONAL, AS WELL AS TWO, UH, REGIONAL AWARDS, THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, OUR SYNTEX, UM, A GROUP RESEARCH AWARD.SO WE'VE CONTINUE TO TAKE IN FEEDBACK BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE NEED TO GET EVERYBODY ON BOARD.
AND ALSO, UM, THINGS ARE CHANGING.
UH, COVID HAS TAUGHT US A LOT.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE GONNA HAVE THIS TELE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, UH, NAP CHO, THIS COMES OUT OF A NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION GRANT, AND SHE'S BEEN WORKING WITH, UH, MEALS ON WHEELS, UH, MORE OF CENTRAL TEXAS TO DO THIS.
SHE'S ON BOARD AND, UH, GOING TO BE OFFERING HER SERVICES.
I DID ALSO WANNA MAKE THE POINT THAT ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE IDC ADVISORY GROUP OUTSIDE OF GOVERNMENT, ARE VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME.
SO THIS HAS BEEN ANOTHER IMPORTANT VALUE OF THAT WITH BODY.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE THOROUGH ANSWER.
UM, BASICALLY WHAT I HEARD IS, MY QUESTION WAS, IS THIS BEING MODELED FROM SOME OTHER PLACE? HAVE WE'VE SEEN THIS SOMEWHERE, ANYWHERE? AND IT SOUNDS AS IF THAT ANSWER IS A SIMPLE NO, THIS IS THE FIRST AND WE'RE DESIGNING IT.
MY NEXT QUESTION IS IF, IF THIS IS, I MEAN, IT SOUNDS LIKE AN INCREDIBLY, UM, GREAT IDEA, BUT I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW WHY IS IT THAT YOU BELIEVE PERHAPS THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST? I MEAN, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY THIS MODEL HASN'T WORKED, AND THAT PROBABLY IS RHETORICAL, SO DON'T WORRY ABOUT ANSWERING THAT, CUZ THAT MIGHT TAKE US DOWN A RABBIT HOLE.
I'M NOT REALLY INTERESTED IN GOING THERE WITH YOU
BUT, UH, MY NEXT THING IS, LET ME FOLLOW UP AND SAY THAT IF IT IS GONNA BE A PILOT AND IT IS GOING TO BE EVALUATED, AND IT IS GOING TO BE ASSESSED THROUGHOUT THIS TIME PERIOD, AT WHAT POINT IF THE ASSESSMENT SAYS THAT THIS IS REALLY NOT WORKING WELL, OR IF IT IS WORKING WELL, HOW AND WHEN DOES THAT ASSESSMENT? AND, AND ONE THING I KNOW FOR MYSELF, AND I KNOW THAT GENERALLY SPEAKING, PEOPLE DON'T LIKE ANYTHING TAKEN FROM THEM.
SO IF THEY'VE HAD THIS OPTION, AND SO IF THE ASSESSMENT SAYS, OH, THIS REALLY ISN'T A, A VIABLE OR WORKING MODEL, WHO IS GONNA BE THE ONE THAT SAYS, OH, WELL, WE'RE GONNA SHUT IT DOWN.
RIGHT? SO WE WANT TO GUARANTEE THAT THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN.
AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE PUT IN MANY YEARS OF RESEARCH ON THIS.
I NEED TO, UH, ALSO LET YOU KNOW THAT FOR OUR, UH, LONGEVITY AND, AND, UH, LIVABILITY AND LONGEVITY SYMPOSIUM, SHARON, UH, JART FROM OHIO STATE WILL BE COMING DOWN TO BE OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE MODELS WE'VE TURNED TO.
AND SO, UH, THERE'S A HEAVIER FOCUS ON, UM, IF YOU, IF YOU LOOK AT IT NOT AS MUCH, IT'S LESS INTEGRATED THAN WHAT ARE OUR MODEL GOING TO LOOK AT, UH, WITH RESPECT TO, FOR EXAMPLE, INVOLVING OUR TRANSPORTATION, OUR TELE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, FAMILY, ELDER CARES, NAVIGATION SERVICES, ALL OF THAT UNDER ONE ROOF.
AND OF COURSE, HAVING, UH, THE HEALTHCARE COMPONENT OF OUR ADULT DAY CENTER CRITICAL.
AND MARTIN MIDDLE SCHOOL COVERING ALL THE DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS, THAT'S ANOTHER UNIQUE, UH, FEATURE.
AND, UH, UH, SHE CAN ALSO UPDATE ON THAT.
SHE'S SORT OF THE, UH, QUEEN OF THIS FIELD, UH, AND IS PUBLISHED EXTENSIVELY, UH, BECAUSE WE, THIS IS A RESEARCH BASED, BUT WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PARTNERS WHO ARE PROFESSIONALS IN THEIR, IN THEIR OVERSIGHT AND OPERATION OF ALL THESE COMPONENTS.
SO WHAT IS UNIQUE HERE IS OUR INTERGENERATIONAL PROGRAMMING AND KNOWING WHEN IT'S WORKING AND WHEN IT'S NOT.
WE'VE ALREADY DONE SOME, YOU KNOW, PILOT WORK ON THAT, AND WE'LL DO SOME MORE AS WELL.
WE WANT THIS TO BE NOT ONLY SUCCESSFUL, WE WANT THIS TO BE A NATIONAL MODEL, BUT WE, AUSTIN IS A VERY SPECIAL PLACE.
I WAS, I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT, EXCUSE ME JUST A SECOND.
I SEE, UH, COMMISSIONER DELGADO IS LIKE WAVING AROUND QUITE A BIT.
UH, UH, WE WILL BE COMING AROUND.
UH, COMMISSIONER DELGADO, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE FOLLOWING THE ORDER.
IS THERE SOMETHING THE, UH, CAN WE, CAN WE GET TO YOU IN ORDER OR, UH, UH, ACTUALLY NO.
I'D RATHER TALK BECAUSE THIS IS, UH, MY DEMOGRAPHIC AREA.
BUT WE ARE, AND I HAVE A HERE WE'RE, WE'RE GOING IN ORDER.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND WE WILL GET TO YOU IN THE ORDER, UH, THAT, THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THE WHOLE MEETING.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT PARKS DEPARTMENT IS GONNA CONTINUE, OR THE CITY WILL CONTINUE TO OWN THE BUILDING
[02:05:01]
MM-HMM.SO THERE, WE HAVE A COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED TO RAISE THE FUNDS NECESSARY TO, UH, YOU KNOW, MAYBE FIVE, 7 MILLION.
NITA HAS BEEN WORKING ON COST ESTIMATES.
IT'S NOT THAT MUCH MONEY TO BRING IT, TO BRING WHAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE AS A PILOT IF IT FAILS.
AND LAURIE IS FOREVER OPTIMISTIC.
BUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WILL INHERIT A VERY NICE BUILDING, UH, AND BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SENIOR SERVICES LIKE THEY DO IN SENIOR CENTERS ACROSS THE CITY.
THANK YOU, UM, FOR THOSE, UM, ANSWERS.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER GARRETT.
YOU RAISE THE MONEY, UM, SLASH CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE CITY.
UM, ONE IS EXPECTED TO BE OPEN FOR OPERATION ON YOUR TIMELINE.
SECOND ONE, IT'S PROVIDING ELDERLY AND CHILDCARE.
WHAT DOES THAT PAY SCALE LOOK LIKE? AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION IS LIKE, HOW ARE YOU TO, UM, ENSURING THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO PROVIDE CULTURALLY COMPETENT CARE, PARTICULARLY SINCE YOU'RE IN SORT OF AN EAST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD AND LIKE MARTIN IS 80% HISPANIC OR LATINO, UM, AND AS WELL AS THE, THE DEMOGRAPHICS THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO SERVE.
LET ME START WITH THE, UH, FIRST QUESTION, WHICH IS THE TIMELINE FOR RENOVATION OF THIS FACILITY WILL BE DETERMINED BY PART.
SO WE NEED TO RECEIVE SOME COMMUNICATION FROM, UM, KIM MCNEALLY ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE ONCE THEY, UH, MAKE, MAKE THEIR DECISION.
SECONDLY, UH, IN TERMS OF, UH, YOUR THIRD QUESTION, WHICH WAS THE MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE CULTURALLY COMPETENT, UH, CARE, CARE, UH, CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE.
UH, WE WANNA, AGAIN, UH, MAXIMIZE EQUITY IN EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING HERE.
INCLUSION, I MEAN, THIS IS ALL SORT OF FOUNDATIONAL TO, TO WHAT WE WANT TO ACHIEVE.
THIS REQUIRES, UH, A LOT OF NOT ONLY OUTREACH, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY TO OUR CHILDREN AND MAKING SURE OUR OLDER ADULTS UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT THIS IS, BUT IT ALSO REQUIRES OUTREACH TO OUR CARE WORKERS WHO WERE REALLY, FRANKLY HAD SOME EXTRA CHALLENGING TIMES AT MID COVID IF YOU'VE, UH, FOLLOWED THIS AT ALL.
SO WE ARE GOING TO BE EXTRA SENSITIVE IN MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE EXTREMELY CAREFUL IN MATCHING THOSE PREFERENCES OF THOSE CULTURAL PREFERENCES, UH, AND NEEDS AND WANTING TO AGAIN, INTEGRATE, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, UH, PROVIDE THAT KIND OF, UH, EXPOSURE TO DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT CULTURES, DIFFERENT VALUES DURING BELIEF SYSTEMS. AND, UH, THAT'S OFTEN, YOU KNOW, THINK ABOUT THIS SHOCK TO, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE TO ENGAGE, UH, WITH, WITH, UH, DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING WE, FOR THIS MODEL, UM, SEEKS TO, YOU KNOW, ACHIEVE IN MAKING SURE THAT WE SEE FULL INTEGRATION, YOU KNOW, AND, AND UNDERSTANDING MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING AND, AND EMPATHY, WHICH OFTEN IS OMITTED FROM MUCH OF WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE, UH, IN TERMS OF OUR, OUR CARE SYSTEM.
SO THIS IS, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THOSE VALUES OF DIGNITY, RESPECT, UM, AND IN THESE OPTIMAL SHARED SPACES IS WHAT WE SEEK TO ACCOMPLISH.
AND WE WILL BE, AGAIN, THROUGH THE EVALUATION, THIS ONGOING EVALUATION, MAKING SURE THAT HAPPENS AND MAKING MIDTERM CORRECTIONS IF WE NEED IT.
AND, UM, CANER, GARRETT, WOULD YOU ASK ME ABOUT YOUR SECOND QUESTION? YEAH.
UM, AROUND, UM, LIKE WHAT DOES A PAY SCALE LOOK LIKE AS YOU'RE WORKING THROUGH CLIENTS AT DIFFERENT ECONOMIC LEVELS? I'M GOING TO TURN TO UH, SUZANNE ANDERSON, WHO'S ON OUR ADVISORY GROUP, AND ALSO WILL BE, UH, WORKING, UH, WITH HER BOARD, UH, BECAUSE THEY'VE JUST, UH, LAUNCHED A MAJOR, THAT CENTER, THAT PICTURE I SHOWED YOU DOWN IN SOUTH AUSTIN.
UH, SHE'S AN EXPERT ON THIS MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, AND SHE'S GOING TO PROVIDE THAT GUIDANCE ALONG WITH THE, YOU KNOW, THE CITY'S, UH, REGULATIONS
[02:10:01]
AS WELL, AND STATE REGULATIONS AS WELL.SO WE WANT THAT TO BE ADEQUATELY COMPENSATION, INCLUDING RETIREMENT BENEFITS AND ALL THAT THAT NEEDS TO GO WITH IT.
COMMISS SUGAR GARRETT, WAS THE PAY SCALE AROUND STAFF, OR WAS IT PAY SCALE AROUND WHAT THE COST, UH, WHAT THE, UH, SERVICE, UH, COST WOULD BE FOR THOSE WHO ATTENDED FOR SLIDING SKILL? YEAH.
IT WOULD BE FOR THE FOLKS THAT ARE, WOULD BE, UM, PARTING SERVICES ON THE CLIENT SIDE.
MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT IT WAS A MIXED MODEL, RIGHT? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
SO, FOR, UH, OUR SENIORS, WE'LL BE, YOU KNOW, REACHING OUT FOR BOTH MEDICARE AND MEDICAID PARTICIPATION THAT HAS TO BE LICENSED, AS WELL AS OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL, UH, UH, ADOLESCENTS OF MIDDLE SCHOOL AGE.
THEY'LL, THEY'LL, THEY'LL SPEAK OF COURSE FREE.
UH, AND, UH, WE'LL GET FOUNDATION SUPPORT FOR THAT.
AND THEN, UH, FOR OUR PRE, UH, PRESCHOOLERS THAT AT OUR TODDLERS, THAT WILL BE, UM, OPEN DAY PRESCHOOL.
AND THEY HAVE A, UH, ALSO A MODEL, CYNTHIA MCCULLUM AND AMY BRYANT.
SO THAT WILL BE AFFORDABLE AS WELL.
THEY HAVE, UH, YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, AND IT'S, UH, IT'S ALSO, UM, LICENSE.
IT'S, I MEAN, IT'S LICENSED, BUT IT'S ALSO A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN.
SO THEY, THEY HAVE, THEY RECOGNIZE THOSE IMPORTANT, UH, RULES TO FOLLOW.
UM, SO JUST SO MY COMMISSIONERS, UM, AND TO CHAIR, I DON'T HAVE, I'M NOT ABLE TO PULL UP THE PRESENTATION, BUT YOU ALL CAN PULL IT UP.
UH, WHAT I'M TRYING TO TELL YOU, FIRST OF ALL, IF WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE NA HERNANDEZ, THIS IS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS IS IN A PARK CALLED THE EDWARD RENDON PARK AT HOLLY SHORES.
SO FIRST OF ALL, COMMISSIONERS AND, UH, VIEWERS AS WELL AS NEW, THESE NEW PEOPLE THAT I'VE, I'VE, I'VE JUST MET.
UH, WE KNOW LORI ER, SHE'S A COUNCIL MEMBER'S WIFE.
SO I, I REALLY, UH, FIND IT VERY UNCOMFORTABLE FOR HER TO BE HERE, UH, SPEAKING ON A PROPOSAL OR A RECOMMENDATION, UM, THAT COUNCIL MEMBER, BILL RENTERIA, UH, SUPPOSEDLY, UH, DID A RESOLUTION ITEM NUMBER 89, WHICH WE WERE NOT AWARE OF THIS.
AND WE LIVE, UH, THREE BLOCKS, FOUR BLOCKS FROM COUNCIL MEMBER BILL RENTERIA, AND ADJACENT FROM THIS MASTER PLAN, WHICH IS CALLED THE EDWARD RENDON HOLLY SHORE'S MASTER PLAN.
I WOULD LIKE THE RESPECT, UH, TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE TODAY.
UH, YOU'RE CALLED THE RBJ, UM, INTER INTEGRATIONAL ADVISORY GROUP.
I WOULD LIKE THE RESPECT OF YOU ALL IDENTIFYING N HERNANDEZ INTO WHERE IT'S LOCATED, WHICH IS MY GRANDFATHER, EDWARD RENDON SENIOR PARK.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A BUILDING THAT'S LOCATED IN A PARK THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT.
ANOTHER CONCERN I BROUGHT UP AS A COMMISSIONER, AS A RESIDENT, AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AS THE FAMILIES LIKE MS. RENTERIA KNOWS THE CHICANO BROWN AND THE LA THAT LIVES IN THIS BODY.
THE 5% LEFT BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN GENTRIFIED, HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS SURVEY AND THIS PROPOSAL.
AND I'VE TALKED TO THE DOCTOR AS IT, DR.
I SPOKE TO HER TODAY BRIEFLY, WHILE MY DYING FATHER IS IN ICU AND TOLD HER THAT WE WERE NOT AWARE OF A RESOLUTION WAS PASSED ON JUNE 16TH, 2022.
WE ACTUALLY WEREN'T EVEN AWARE OF THE OTHER RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED DURING A PANDEMIC FOR THIS STUDY TO BE OCCURRED.
BUT WHAT I WANT Y'ALL TO DO IS TO GO TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN WEBSITE AND TYPE IN HOLLY SHORES, EDWARD RENDON SENIOR PARK AT FESTIVAL BEACH VISION PLAN IMPLEMENTATION, WHICH IS THE GUIDE THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND PEOPLE LIKE MY FAMILY AND MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND MYSELF HAVE PRESERVED AND FOUGHT THE N HERNANDEZ BUILDING AND THE ENTIRE AREA OF THE 90 ACRES EAST OF 35.
I FIND IT VERY DISRESPECTFUL THAT YOU ALL DON'T GO TO THIS WEBSITE AND IDENTIFY THAT UNDER THE DESCRIPTION, IT SHOWS THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, EAST TOWN LAKE CITIZENS, IS TO BE GUIDED AND TO BE INVOLVED IN ANY PROPOSAL OR IMPLEMENTATION OR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THIS AREA.
SO WE'RE GONNA TALK FACTS AND SURVEYS IN HISTORY.
[02:15:01]
HISTORY.40 TO 50 YEARS, 70 YEARS OF WORK.
THE PEOPLE FOUGHT HARD ON THIS LAND.
SO NOW YOU ARE COMING IN WITH PEOPLE FROM THIS RBJ ELDERLY CENTER, AND LET'S BE CORRECT, ALL 500 UNITS ARE NOT AFFORDABLE HOUSING 80, 70, 60 50 ARE NOT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
PEOPLE ARE BEING DENIED LEFT AND RIGHT AT RBJ.
SO IF WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT MY NEIGHBORHOOD, HAVE SOME RESPECT, AND COME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, KNOCK ON DOORS, SURVEY, OFFLINE SURVEY WITH THE PEOPLE THAT ARE LEFT HERE DUE TO GENTRIFICATION, AND THEY CAN'T EVEN AFFORD TO LIVE HERE.
YOU TALK ABOUT MARTIN MIDDLE SCHOOL, THEY'RE SLATED TO CLOSE IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, AND I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING TO KEEP 'EM OPEN.
ME'S ELEMENTARY WAS CLOSED JUST TWO YEARS AGO.
WE ARE TRYING TO SAVE THE SCHOOLS AND THE HOUSES THAT ARE LEFT HERE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I LIVED AT FOR 43 YEARS.
SO, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I AM NOT GOING TO ASK MY COMMISSIONERS TO APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION OR A LETTER FOR YOUR, UH, SURVEY THAT FIELD RANCHER ASKED YOU ALL TO DO TWO MONTHS AGO OR WHENEVER, AND YOU DON'T FOLLOW THE RESOLUTION.
LET ME PULL UP THE RESOLUTION BECAUSE IF WE'RE GONNA TALK RESOLUTIONS, LET'S GO BACK TO 2009.
RESOLUTION 2 0 0 9 0 9 2 4 DASH 0 68.
IT TALKS ABOUT ALL THE WORK WE DID.
IT TALKS ABOUT THE NA HERNANDEZ PROJECT.
ANY OF THE NEW RESOLUTION IS NOT IN HERE.
HOW ARE YOU GONNA COME TO A BOARD THAT I'VE SERVED AT FOR SEVEN YEARS, LORI AND YOUR COLLEAGUES, AND ASK FOR THIS LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION AND SUPPORT.
AND ON HERE IT TELLS YOU THE PROJECT DESCRIPTION OF NA HERNANDEZ INSIDE THE EDWARD RENDON, HOLLY SHORES METROPOLITAN PARK AT FESTIVAL BEACH.
IT TALKS ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE DID IN ALL OF THOSE YEARS WHEN THIS WAS ADOPTED IN 2013.
WE DON'T EVEN HAVE MONEY FOR BATHROOMS AND WATER FOUNTAINS OR FOR A PLAYGROUND.
AND YOU'RE ASKING FOR $3.7 MILLION FOR THIS.
ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER DELGATO.
UM, I DID QUESTIONS FOR COMMISSIONER DELGADO, UM, UNDER THE PLAN THAT Y'ALL, UM, WORKED, UM, TO, UM, TO DEVISE.
UM, WHAT WAS SORT OF THE IDEA FOR THIS BUILDING.
IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S BEEN VACANT FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
AND SO WHAT SORT OF DID THE COMMUNITY IMAGINE FOR THIS, UM, BUILDING TO BE UTILIZED FOR AND HOW IT BEST COULD BE REHABED FOR THE NEEDS THAT, UM, Y'ALL LOOKING TO FULFILL? THANK YOU FOR ASKING COMMISSIONER, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO TO READ YOU.
UH, THE PROJECT DESCRIPTION, UM, UH, WAS WAS A JOINT, UM, CONVERSATION WITH PARK AND, AND IT'S REALLY SAD THAT I SPOKE TO KIMBERLY BIKINI TODAY AND SHE SAID THAT SHE HAD, WAS NOT A PART OF THIS GROUP, THAT SHE WAS NOT AWARE OF THEM COMING TO OUR BOARD TODAY AND ASKING FOR THIS BECAUSE I ASKED THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT BE TRANSPARENT WITH US AND TO RESPECT THE WORK OF OUR ELDERS THAT HAVE FOUGHT ACCORDING TO THE DESCRIPTION.
AND I'LL READ IT FOR YOU CUZ IT'S FACTUAL.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING I'M MAKING UP FOLLOWING THE MASTER PLAN.
THE NA HERNANDEZ BUILDING WAS IDENTIFIED AS A POTENTIAL JOINT USE SPACE WITH PARK PARK RANGERS, CUZ WE NEED PARK RANGERS IN OUR PARKS AND THEY DON'T HAVE A SPACE.
LAURIE FORGOT TO TELL Y'ALL THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A SPACE AND OUR PARKS ARE IN DANGER RIGHT NOW MOVING ON.
AND AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT IN 2018 COMMUNITY MEMBERS GAVE FEEDBACK THAT THE JOINT USE OF THE SPACE WAS, WAS NOT DESIRED BY THE COMMUNITY FOR A P D A P D A P D HAD ASKED FOR 60% OF THIS BUILDING.
WE SAID NO PARKS ASKED FOR 30% OF THIS BUILDING.
IT SHOULDN'T GO TO ALL THIS ADMINISTRATIVE, UH, PARKS.
AND, AND SHE IS RIGHT ON THAT PART, BUT WE DIDN'T WANT A P D ALSO TO TAKE IT.
SO WHAT WE ASK AND OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND OUR GUIDED, THIS IS OUR GUIDE.
SO THEY'RE TAKING OUR WORK AND THEY'RE RECREATING IT AND DOING IT IN THEIR, IN THEIR WORK.
WITHIN TWO YEARS, DURING THE PANDEMIC, WHILE WE WERE ALL TRYING TO SURVIVE THE SHARED
[02:20:01]
COMMUNITY SPACE MIGHT INCLUDE A COMMUNITY MEETING.WE ASKED FOR THAT DINING SPACE.
A COMMERCIAL LEARNING DEMONSTRATION KITCHEN.
WE ASK FOR THAT HEALTHY AND LEARNING CENTER FOR MEAL PREP PREPARATION.
WE ASK FOR THAT PUBLICITY, UH, PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE RESTROOMS AND HEALTHY FOOD AND DRINK VING.
THIS PROGRAM COULD BE LINKED TO COMMUNITY PRE CULTURE OF FOOD FORCE AREAS.
WESTERN PARK AND THE PARK BETWEEN RBJ CENTER AND I 35 ADJACENT TO THE EXISTING COMMUNITY GARDENS WOULD BE INTEGRATED INTO AN OVERALL PASTORAL LANDSCAPE OF THE WEST PARK.
WE WANTED TO INTEGRATE ELDERS TO HAVE COMMU, UH, YOUTH AND ELDERS DO A LEARNING CENTER OF COM OF COMPUTERS BECAUSE WE HAVE A GAP WHEN IT COMES TO TECHNOLOGY.
WE WANTED THE FOOD FOREST TO, TO WORK WITH MEAL PREPARATIONS TO TEACH, JUST LIKE THE GENTLEMAN SAID TODAY ABOUT AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SUSTAINABILITY.
WE NEVER ASKED FOR, UH, ANYTHING ELSE OTHER THAN THAT.
THE WAY THIS PROPOSAL'S BEING PROPOSED, THEY WANNA MAKE IT A CITY, A CITYWIDE THING.
THEY WANNA BRING IN ALL THESE PEOPLE INTO OUR PARK AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE ARE ALREADY ENCROACHED WITH ALL OF THE AUSTIN, UH, ALL THE ROWING PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING IN HERE.
ALL THE DRUNK PEOPLE, EVERYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF.
WE ARE NOT GONNA SUPPORT THIS AND HAVE MORE PEOPLE COME IN THIS AREA AND UTILIZE THE SPACE THAT THE COMMUNITY WORKED HARD FOR.
I DON'T KNOW THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SITTING AT THIS DESK TODAY.
THE ONLY PERSON I KNOW IS COUNCIL MEMBERS' WIFE BECAUSE WE'VE KNOWN HER OUR ENTIRE LIFE.
OTHER THAN THAT, SHE'S THE ONLY ONE FROM MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO I AM VERY DIS DIS I FEEL DISRESPECTED COMMISSIONERS THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE COMING TO YOU.
AND THEN Y'ALL WAIT TILL THE END CHAIR FOR ME TO TALK ABOUT MY NEIGHBORHOOD, MY PARK AND MY COMMUNITY.
AND IT IS MINE BECAUSE WE WERE HERE FIRST.
CAN I SAY SOMETHING? UM, I'M ON THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AS A CITIZEN, JUST AS A CITIZEN AND A CAREGIVER.
AND I PARTICIPATED IN ONE OF THE TOURS AND WE WENT AND VISITED THE NA HERNANDEZ BUILDING.
AND I CAN TELL YOU I WAS VERY SHOCKED THAT THIS IS SUCH A GREAT PROPERTY.
IT WAS DILAPIDATED AND IS NOT BEING USED FOR MORE THAN 10 YEARS.
UH, I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOUR EMOTIONS, COMMISSIONER DELGADO, BECAUSE IF THIS PLACE IS NOT BEING USED, I WOULD BE EXCITED THAT SOMEBODY'S PUTTING USE TO THIS PROPERTY.
IT'S PRIME PROPERTY, PRIME LOCATION, BUT IT IS COMPLETELY NOT USED FOR MORE THAN 10 YEARS IF, IF NOT MORE.
IT'S CLOSED DOWN AND DILAPIDATED.
SO THEN WHY, WHY? IF YOU SAW THAT AND YOU FELT SORRY FOR IT, OKAY, UNDERSTAND THAT THIS, THIS IS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THAT UNDERUSED AREA, THE ALL THE UNDERUSED AREAS.
WE'VE BEEN BEAUTIFYING IT, OKAY? THE NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU'RE NOT FROM MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO IF YOU FELT SORRY FOR US AND YOU SAW THAT THERE WAS A POTENTIAL OF SOMETHING, WHY WOULDN'T YOU GO TO THIS MASTER PLAN AND ALL OF THIS INFORMATION AND ALL THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE FOR 40 OR 50 YEARS FROM MEXICAN PEOPLE.
WHY WOULDN'T YOU GO TO THEM AND WORK WITH THEM? THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SUPPORTING THIS PROJECT, NONE OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE OUR PARTNERS AND WE HAVE A LOT OF PARTNERS.
I I SERVED ON THE SAME BOARD, GHA SHORE'S MASTER PLANNING PROCESS THAT BERTHA DID.
AND THE COMMUNITY, UH, WHILE WE DON'T SEE EYE TO EYE ON A LOT OF THINGS, MOST THINGS, UH, WE ALL AGREED THAT IT SHOULD BE FOR COMMUNITY USE.
AND SHE JUST TICKED OFF ALL THE ELEMENTS THAT WE ARE INCLUDING A KITCHEN FOR MEAL PREPARATION COMMUNITY GARDENS.
WHAT BERTHA IS COMPLAINING ABOUT IS THAT SHE HASN'T BEEN INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS.
WE HAVEN'T BEGUN A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AT THIS POINT.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO LOCATE A FACILITY SO WE CAN INITIATE A PILOT, A DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.
WE HAVE A HUGE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, UH, UH, TO, TO INITIATE ONCE WE HAVE A LOCATION.
AND I OBJECT TO HER SAYING THAT RESIDENTS HAVE NOT BEEN INVOLVED.
WE'VE HAD NUMEROUS FOCUS GROUPS OVER MANY YEARS WITH THE RBJ RESIDENTS, AND THAT IS A VERY DIVERSE COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE ALL RACES, ALL ETHNICITIES.
AND IF YOU CONSIDER PAYING FIVE, $675 A MONTH FOR AN APARTMENT, ALL BILLS PAID AS HIGH INCOME HOUSING.
[02:25:01]
THAT'S WHAT THE PEOPLE WHO AREN'T ON SECTION EIGHT WHO AREN'T ON, ON, UH, A VOUCHERS FOR SUBSIDIZED HOUSING AT RBJ, THE PEOPLE WHO PAY MARKET RATE ARE PAYING ABOUT $600 A MONTH.AND THAT'S UNHEARD OF IN AUSTIN.
SO A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE LIVING IN THE RBJ BUILDING, UH, THE 250 CURRENT RESIDENTS AND THE 250 THAT WILL MOVE IN ONCE THE TOWER IS REHABILITATED, WILL BE A HUNDRED PERCENT LOW INCOME PEOPLE.
AND THEY ARE, AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SINCE 1968 A, A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
I I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS REAL, UH, THE OTHER REMOTE COMMISSIONERS AS WELL.
YOU CAN'T JUST INTERRUPT ME AND STOP ME LIKE THAT CHAIR.
Y'ALL CHANGE THE NAME TO LADY BIRD.
OKAY? SO LET'S BE HONEST HERE AND LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.
FIVE RESIDENTS WERE DENIED LAST WEEK.
WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, LORI, UNFORTUNATELY IS NOT TRUE.
MARKET RATE IS PAYING A THOUSAND AT 50%.
LET ME GO AHEAD AND GET IT AGAIN.
LUCKILY I'M NOT THERE IN PERSON CAUSE I WOULD'VE BEEN PASSING IT ALL OUT TO YOU ALL.
I HAVE THE LADY BIRD PACKET BECAUSE I WANNA KNOW WHY MY ELDERS ARE BEING DENIED AT LADY BIRD LATE.
SO AGAIN, I'M NOT MAD BECAUSE I'M LEFT OUT.
I'M MAD BECAUSE THE ASSOCIATION AND THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS GIVEN IN 2009, THE MASTER PLAN THAT WAS ADOPTED IN 2013 STATES THAT EAST TOWN LAKE RESIDENTS AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD HERE, WHICH ARE THE MEXICAN PEOPLE WHO FOUGHT TO PRESERVE THIS AREA, BE THE GUIDE AND, AND THEY BE THE ONE DESIGNING YOUR DESIGN THAT YOU SHOWED ME.
YOU LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE ALREADY HALFWAY THERE.
YOU'RE ASKING FOR A LETTER RECOMMENDATION FOR N HERNANDEZ, NOT FOR THE INITIATIVE OR OVERALL CITY, UH, UH, A FACILITY.
YOU'RE ASKING FOR OUR FACILITY WITHOUT CONDUCTING A SURVEY IN PERSON, IN A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN PERSON HERE IN THE BODY WITH THE RESIDENTS HERE.
YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES CAN'T DO THAT.
MR. DELGADO, I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO JUST PLEASE NO, PLEASE.
I JUST WANNA BE HONEST WITH, I I, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE POINT OF ORDER AND I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO BE RESPECTFUL TO THE GUESTS WHO ARE HERE PRESENTING.
THAT'S HOW I WOULD LIKE TO CALL ON THE ADDITIONAL, I WOULD LIKE TO CALL ON THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS CENTRAL HEALTH MEETING WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU WERE INTERRUPTING COMMISSIONER GOMEZ.
RIGHT? SO LET'S BE RESPECTFUL, RIGHT? HAVE YOU, ARE YOU, ARE YOU DONE COMMISSIONER G DELGADO? I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE REMOTE, UH, COMMISSIONER SLOAN.
I THINK IT CAN BE LIKE A REALLY QUICK ANSWER QUESTION.
UM, AND ALSO WANTED TO JUST SORT OF, UH, SYNTHESIZE MY PERSPECTIVE ON THE GREAT QUESTIONS, BUT OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE BROUGHT TO THE TABLE.
AND THEN IF Y'ALL COULD, UM, BRIEFLY, UM, ANSWER THE QUESTION, THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.
UH, SO, UM, IN ANTICIPATING THIS MEETING, I THINK I, IN A LOT OF OTHER, OR MAYBE NOT, I'LL JUST SPEAK FOR MYSELF, UH, IN ANTICIPATING THIS MEETING I CERTAINLY HAD IN MY PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS REGARDING THE FACILITIES AT RBJ, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE FACILITIES ARE NO LONGER AN OPTION.
AND I, UM, READ THE LETTER THAT Y'ALL INCLUDED IN THE BACKUP, UM, AND WAS WONDERING IF THE YOUTH OF THE RBJ FACILITIES THAT WERE POTENTIALLY GOING TO BE FOR THIS PROJECT WERE THEN REALLY SORT OF DEDICATED TO THE WELLMED, UM, CENTER THAT'S GOING IN THERE.
AND THEN ALSO I WOULD JUST SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE COMING FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES HERE, BUT I THINK IT IS, UM, TWO NOTES THAT REALLY STUCK OUT TO ME THAT WERE VERY VALID IS THAT THIS COMMISSION ULTIMATELY, UM, MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL.
AND IF THERE IS A CITY RESOLUTION ON THE TABLE THAT WE ARE PARTICIPATING IN, UM, I WOULDN'T BE COMFORTABLE MOVING FORWARD IN ONE DIRECTION OR ANOTHER WITHOUT THE TEXT OF THAT RESOLUTION.
[02:30:01]
UNDERSTANDING, AND I'M SORRY AGAIN, IF I, I'VE MISSED SOMETHING IN THE TIMELINE HERE.MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE OUTREACH DONE TO RESIDENTS, UM, AND, AND, UH, FOLKS INVOLVED AT RBJ, UM, THAT THAT HAS BEEN THE PRIMARY OUTREACH DONE, AND THAT IS GREAT KNOWING THAT A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROGRAMMING.
BUT, UM, I WOULD BE LOOKING FOR IN THIS PRESENTATION OR A FUTURE PRESENTATION WHERE SUPPORT IS BEING ASKED FOR THAT SPECIFIC PLAN ON COMMUNITY OUTREACH THAT Y'ALL HAVE NOTED HOW THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN, AND THEN ALSO THE RESULTS.
SO THAT COMMUNITY OUTREACH, UM, THE MORE SPECIFIC, THE BETTER.
BECAUSE IF THERE ARE CONCERNS, EVEN IF THEY ARE NOT OVERWHELMING CONCERNS OR A MAJORITY BASED CONCERN, UM, IF THERE'S A WAY OF MOVING FORWARD THAT ADDRESSES THOSE, I THINK THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, UM, SUPPORT PROGRAMMING THAT INCLUDES THE HOPES OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, UM, IN AS MANY WAYS AS POSSIBLE.
I AM DEFINITELY, AND I THINK A LOT OF US ARE IN SUPPORT OF THE PROGRAMMING THAT YOU'RE BEING BRINGING TO THE TABLE AND LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, DEVELOPING A SPACE FOR THAT PROGRAMMING.
AND THOSE ARE THE TWO, UM, SORT OF NEXT STEPS THAT I WOULD BE ANTICIPATING IN ORDER TO ACTIVELY SUPPORT A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL.
JUST, AND IF WE COULD BE BRIEF, JUST GIVEN THE HOUR, THANK YOU.
JUST QUICKLY IN, IN THE REPORTS WE DO DEVELOP, DO DESCRIBE RATHER ALL OF OUR FINDINGS OF OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THE 7 8 7 0 2 ZIP CODE.
UH, IS THAT, THINK THAT'S AROUND PAGE 1 16, 1 15? YEAH.
UM, AND, UH, THANK YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER SLOAN, COMMISSIONER WOODS, ANY THOUGHTS, OBSERVATIONS, QUESTIONS? I HAVE NO QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
DID YOU HAVE ANY, UH, YOU'VE ALREADY, WE'VE GONE AROUND.
UM, DID YOU WANNA SEE THAT WITH RESPECT TO, UH, A COUPLE? I'VE HEARD A COUPLE OF REALLY, REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS AND I APPRECIATE THE LARGE MAJORITY, AT LEAST, OF THE ENGAGEMENT TODAY.
UM, I, ONE OF THE, I THINK REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS I HEARD WAS FROM COMMISSIONER THOMPSON AROUND, YOU KNOW, IS THIS A FIRST OF ITS KIND MODEL, UH, AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN AS MUCH AS WHAT THE EVALUATION PROCESS LOOKS LIKE? AND I APPRECIATED YOUR ANSWER ON THAT.
THAT'S THE QUESTION, RIGHT? UM, AND IN MY EXPERIENCE, UH, WITH PROJECTS LIKE THIS AS WELL AS JUST EVALUATION MODELS, IF YOU'RE LAUNCHING FROM A PRETTY GOOD PLACE WITH, LIKE YOU SAID, PROS, RIGHT? AND, AND THE, THE FOLKS THAT ARE BROUGHT TO THE TABLE HERE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OPEN DOOR PRESCHOOL, UT COMMUNITY CARE FOUNDATIONS, UH, YOU KNOW, IN PARTICULAR AMONG OTHERS.
AND, AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, THE AWARDS THAT THIS MODEL IS WON WITH YOURSELF AND, AND OTHERS HAVING CONTRIBUTED.
I WOULD GUESS THAT IF AN EVALUATION SUGGESTED SOMETHING, THERE'S A VERY LOW PROBABILITY THAT EVALUATION IS GONNA SAY SHUT IT DOWN.
BUT IT MAY BE, HMM, THE INTER INTERGENERATIONAL ACTIVITIES ARE PERHAPS, UH, CAN BE CALIBRATED, UH, IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
UH, OR WE MIGHT WANT TO COME BACK AND TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT HOW WE'RE DOING, UH, THESE CLASSES BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE THE OUTCOMES AREN'T COMING OUT TO WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO, TO KIND OF PUT THAT OUT THERE.
UM, I THINK THAT THAT'S, I MEAN, OF COURSE, IT'S MY OPINION, SO I'M GONNA SUGGEST THAT I THINK IT'S CORRECT.
UH, AND CLEARLY IT'S, UH, IT'S IN FAVOR, UH, I THINK OF THE PROJECT, SO I WOULDN'T IMAGINE THAT Y'ALL WOULD SAY DIFFERENTLY.
UH, BUT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT THOUGHT, UM, BECAUSE I THOUGHT YOUR QUESTION WAS REALLY GOOD ABOUT, IS THIS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND MODEL AND WHAT, WHAT DOES IT MEAN AS WE'RE GETTING EVALUATED? THE SECOND THOUGHT, UM, THAT I ALSO HAVE IS THAT HONORING, UH, UH, WHAT SOUNDS, UH, LIKE A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL CONCERN FROM, UH, COMMISSIONER DELGADO ABSENT REALLY A PLAN OF ENGAGEMENT WITH OTHER PARTNERS, UH, OR, OR, OR ORGANIZATIONS TO COME THROUGH AND BRING SOMETHING
[02:35:01]
LIKE THAT TO FRUITION.I WAS HEARING THAT IN THIS PROJECT, THERE WAS PUBLIC MEETING SPACE BEING OFFERED.
THERE WERE CL THERE WERE CLASSES BEING OFFERED, UH, THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, SORT OF SHARED COMMUNITY SPACE, AND THEN OF COURSE, THE INTERGENERATIONAL ELEMENT THAT WERE IDENTIFIED THERE.
I, UM, I ALSO REMEMBER IN THE LAST MEETING DURING PUBLIC COMMENT WHEN, UH, YOU SPOKE DR.
HIL, COMMISSIONER DELGADO, SPOKE PRETTY FERVENTLY IN FAVOR OF THIS PROJECT.
UH, AND SO I, I, I, I'M NOT SURE WHAT CHANGED BETWEEN THEN AND NOW.
UM, BUT FOR ME, THINGS LIKE THIS, I HATE TO SEE WHEN THERE ARE A BUNCH OF PARTNERS READY TO DO THE WORK, READY TO PONY UP THE DOLLARS, AND THERE'S A BUILDING THAT'S JUST NOT BEING USED, OR JUST ANOTHER COMMUNITY ASSET THAT'S NOT BEING USED.
UH, I WOULD JUST, I, I WOULD, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IN A WORLD WHERE WE, WE DON'T CUT OFF THE FACE DESPITE THE FACE.
UM, AND, UH, I, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THESE, IF THE DRUTHERS WERE MINE AS, AS, AS I SAY, THIS WOULD, THIS IS A A NO BRAINER.
THIS IS NOT A COMMITMENT OF FUNDING.
THIS IS NOT A COMMITMENT OF RESOURCES, UH, TO ME.
UH, YOU KNOW, I I THINK THAT THIS REPRESENTS SO MUCH OF WHAT THIS COMMISSION CAN BE SHARING OUR OPINION ON, UH, PARTICULARLY WITH RESPECT TO ONE OF THE FASTEST, IF NOT THE FASTEST GROWING DEMOGRAPHIC IN OUR CITY.
UH, AND THE NEEDS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
AND REMEMBERING, AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, READING THROUGH THE MATERIALS AND HEARING THIS PRESENTATION, I'M HEARING THAT WHERE YOU HAVE A VERY HIGH, HIGH ENOUGH CONCENTRATION OF SENIORS NEXT TO, UH, A PLACE THAT'S, THAT'S CLOSE TO A PLACE THAT HAS, UH, NOT ONLY IS IT WALKABLE, UH, OR REACHABLE, BUT ALSO HAS TRANSPORTATION THAT WILL GET THERE WITH SERVICES THAT CAN BE USED BY THAT HIGH CONCENTRATION OF FOLKS WHO ARE NEARBY.
UM, IT SEEMS TO BE, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY THAT, THAT WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD TAKE, UH, YOU KNOW, AS SOON AS WE CAN, IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET THIS MANY PARTNERS LINE UP, AND I DON'T REALLY SEE, UH, A COUNTER PLAN, IF YOU WILL, UM, OR ANYTHING THAT, THAT, THAT SHOWS THAT MOMENTUM.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE MY OPINION THERE.
I WILL, UM, JUST IN A MOMENT, UH, TALK TO THE COMMISSIONERS AROUND POTENTIAL ACTION OR NOT, BUT IF YOU ALL, UH, HAVE ANY, ANY SORT OF FINAL THOUGHTS.
YES, I JUST WANTED TO BRING SOME CLARITY TO, UM, THE, UH, ISSUE RAISED BY COMMISSIONER DDO, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE, IN ALL OF OUR DOCUMENTS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HOLLY SHORE MASTER PLAN AND IMAGINE AUSTIN, UH, EDWARD RENDON, PLEASE CORRECT YOURSELF.
EDWARD RENDON, HOLLY SHORTS MASTER PLAN.
THAT IS THE CORRECT CITY OF AUSTIN, MAINE.
YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE NOT SAYING IT.
SO WE ARE SENSITIVE TO ALL OF OUR PARTNERS IN THIS AND THE COMMUNITY.
I'VE MENTIONED AND UNDERSCORED THIS POINT THAT IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE'RE ALL ON BOARD.
WE WANNA MAKE THIS SUCCESSFUL.
WE HAVE AN EVALUATION TOOL THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE ALSO, UH, UH, PEER, PEER REVIEWED, MAKING SURE THAT IT'S JUST RIGHT, BE ABLE TO DO THIS.
WE WANNA CREATE A VERY ROBUST MODEL.
SO, UH, I REALLY WANT TO THIS PROJECT TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER, NOT TO, UM, SPLIT PEOPLE APART.
AND I THINK THIS IS ONE, UH, ONE PROJECT, ONE INITIATIVE THAT I THINK COULD, UH, REALLY AT A TIME WHEN OUR, OUR COUNTRY AND OUR CITY IS SO OFTEN, AND THERE'S SO MUCH DIVISIVENESS, REALLY, IT'S A, A TIME, UH, THAT WE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.
THIS IS A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY.
SO, UH, WE DO APPRECIATE, UH, ANY KIND OF SUPPORT, UH, THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE, UH, AND ALSO WILLING TO, UM, SEND YOU THE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED REGARDING RESOLUTION 89.
AND WE HAVE QUITE A FEW DOCUMENTS BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN, UH, WITH THE COMMUNITY, BUT WE HAVEN'T KNEW, UH, BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH IN OUR CITY, BUT ALSO THOSE, UH, AS COMMISSIONER LAGADO SAYS, SHE'S BEEN HERE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, HER FATHER, SHE'S, YOU KNOW, REALLY, IT'S BEEN A HUGE PART OF HER LIFE, AND WE RESPECT THAT TOO.
SO WE WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT, UH, AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, TONE OUR SINS AND JUST LET'S, LET'S GET IT TOGETHER, BECAUSE AS, AS SELMA DELLA TO MY LEFT SAID, THIS BUILDING NEEDS SOME MAJOR RENOVATION, AND THE COMMUNITY IS SUFFERING BECAUSE OF THIS.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE KNOW ABOUT THROUGH EVERY ONE OF OUR, UH, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THIS WORK WE'VE DONE FOR
[02:40:01]
THE LAST, UH, NOW IT'S ADDING UP TO ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN YEARS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.ALL RIGHT? SO WE GOT TO FOCUS ON THOSE WHO NEED THESE SERVICES THE MOST.
AND FOR US TO DENY THEM THIS, UH, TO ME IS, UH, CLEARLY SORT OF GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION, AND WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE IT RIGHT.
UM, AND WHATEVER CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE, AND WE'VE BEEN MAKING A LOT OF CHANGES AS WE SPEAK WITH OUR PARTNERS, FOUNDATIONS, UH, THOSE INSIDE GOVERNMENT, ALL OF OUR PARTNERS, AND, UH, INCLUDING THOSE EXPERTS FROM OUTSIDE THE STATE OF TEXAS, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE WANT THIS TO BE A, UH, IDEAL MODEL THAT OTHERS CAN FOLLOW AS WELL.
ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO ADD? OKAY.
I THINK WE, I THINK WE CAN, WE CAN LEAVE IT THERE.
GIVEN, GIVEN THE HOUR, I WANTED TO STATE ONE MORE THING, WHICH WAS EARLIER I WAS NAMING SOME PAGES OF A DOCUMENT THAT HAD, UH, THE, UH, UM, A COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
I WAS READING THE DOC WRONG DOCUMENT.
UH, I WAS READING THE DOCUMENT OF OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM.
SO WHATEVER THOSE PAGE NUMBERS ARE, UH, DON'T, DON'T, DON'T CITE THE, DON'T, YEAH, DON'T, DON'T QUOTE ME ON THOSE.
AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONER SLOAN FOR CHECKING WITH ME ON THAT
UM, SO YEAH, PLEASE DIG THROUGH THE BACKUP, UH, AND, AND TO, TO FIND, UH, THE APPROPRIATE PAGES.
SO WITH, YOU KNOW, TO BE CLEAR, I'M TOTALLY FINE, UH, TO PROVIDE A RECOMMENDATION FOR AT LEAST THE TYPES OF SERVICES THAT WERE, THAT ARE BEING, UH, PROPOSED AND PROVIDED HERE AND MOVING FORWARD, AT LEAST WITH THE FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS, I THINK WE CAN POINT OUT THAT, UH, UH, WE BELIEVE THIS PROJECT, UH, NEEDS, UH, ADDITIONAL, UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT UNIQUELY WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS IN THE AREA, UH, UH, AS WELL AS POTENTIALLY ANY OTHER THINGS THAT, ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT, UH, COMMISSIONERS MIGHT RAISE.
UM, HOWEVER, I DON'T WANT TO FORCE THAT, UH, THROUGH.
SO, UM, I, I GUESS HOW COULD WE DO THIS? UH, I MIGHT, UH, UH, LET'S, LET'S DO IT THIS WAY.
I WOULD ENTERTAIN IF, UH, A MOTION TO SEE IF, UH, IF ANYBODY IS INTERESTED IN HEARING SOME POTENTIAL RECOMMENDATION LANGUAGE, UH, OH, EXCUSE ME.
CAN, UH, CAN I, CAN I PUT THIS FORWARD? THERE'LL BE A MOMENT OF DISCUSSION FOR IT.
UM, SO IF ANYBODY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN HEARING, UH, RECOMMENDATION LANGUAGE AND POTENTIALLY, UH, PASSING A RECOMMENDATION, UH, THAT, THAT WE COULD QUALIFY IN THAT LANGUAGE, THEN PROVIDE THAT MOTION, UM, THAT WE'D BE INTERESTED IN HEARING RECOMMENDATION LANGUAGE, IF THEN WE VOTE ON THAT.
UH, AND IT SEEMS THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THE COMMISSION IS ALL INTERESTED IN HEARING RECOMMENDATION LANGUAGE, THEN WE CAN MAYBE DRAFT A RECOMMENDATION LANGUAGE AND THEN VOTE ON A RECOMMENDATION UP OR DOWN.
UM, SO THE FIRST, UH, THOUGHT MIGHT BE IF ANYBODY IS INTERESTED IN HEARING POTENTIAL RECOMMENDATION LANGUAGE, PUT FORWARD THAT MOTION RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND, UH, UM, AND THEN WE'D LOOK FOR A, A SECOND AND THEN HAVE DISCUSSION ON THAT.
COMMISSIONER DELGADO, I ASK THAT YOU POSTPONE ANY MOTION OF ANY TYPE OF ACTION ITEM UNTIL MY RESIDENTS ARE NOTIFIED AND THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO CITIZENS COMMUNICATION BEFORE THIS DI MAKES A DECISION ON A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT NONE OF Y'ALL LIVE AT.
UH, DO WE HAVE A SECOND ON THAT? I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON SOMETHING.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND ON, WAS THAT A MOTION THAT YOU PUT ON THE TABLE? COMMISSIONER DELGADO? YEAH.
UH, UM, SO THAT, UH, MOTION, UH, UH, FAILS.
UH, COMMISSIONER GARRETT, I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON IF THERE IS BETWEEN, UM, I THINK, UH, COMMISSIONER PLP AND COMMISSIONER SLOAN BROUGHT UP BEING ABLE TO READ RESOLUTION 89 AND YES.
AND SO MAYBE, UM, POSTPONING UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING SO THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ THROUGH THAT, THAT RESOLUTION, AND MAYBE EVEN CRAFT WHAT WE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN OUR RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT OR, UM, THAT WOULD BE, YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED IN, IN DRAFTING IN DURING THIS TIME.
THAT SOUNDS PRETTY IMPORTANT TO ME.
AND YEAH, IN ALL THIS FRAY, I THINK THAT, UH, MAYBE PASSED OVER, UH, OR THROUGH MY HEAD A LITTLE BIT, THE WHOLE, GETTING THE LANGUAGE OF 89.
UH, TO BE CLEAR, I HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME ON THE COMPUTER, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S SUFFICIENT FOR ME TO, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR EVERYBODY.
SO THAT'S A REALLY, REALLY GOOD POINT.
UH, I WOULD ASK, UH, COMMISSIONER DELGADO IF SHE WOULD AMEND
[02:45:01]
HER, UM, MOTION TO ADD, UM, COMMISSIONER GARRETT'S MOTION, AND I WOULD TO, UH, POSTPONE DISCUSSION OF THIS ITEM.UH, UNTIL THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE RECEIVED THE LANGUAGE OF RESOLUTION 89 AND, AND, UH, THE COMMUNITY HAS, UH, TIME, UM, TO, UH, COME TO CITIZENS COMMUNICATION AS WELL.
AND SO, UH, DO YOU WANT TO IDENTIFY HOW MUCH TIME THAT IS? BECAUSE I DO WANNA KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS HAS BEEN ON THE AGENDA FOR A MONTH, AND COMMISSIONER DELGADO SUPPORTED THIS IN THE LAST MEETING.
SO WHAT IS THE AMOUNT OF TIME? I DID NOT, THAT TAKES I DID NOT, I DID NOT SUPPORT THIS.
IT'S, IT'S RECORDED IN, IN THE LIVE FEED.
I ASKED HIM TO COME AND GIVE A PRESENTATION BECAUSE WE HAD FIRST HEARD OF THIS, AND WE HAD NOT HEARD OF THIS, SO, NO, I DID NOT, AND DID NOT SAY THAT Y'ALL WERE GONNA ASK FOR LETTER RECOMMENDATION, EITHER.
SO, HOW MUCH TIME, HOW MUCH TIME, UH, HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU, IF WE SAY WE WANT TO WAIT FOR CITIZENS TO HAVE TIME OH, FOR POSTPONED FOR THE NEXT TIME.
UH, UH, SO COMMISSIONER DELGADO, THERE IS AN AMENDMENT.
SO, AND, AND DO WE, JUST TO BE CLEAR, DO WE NEED, UH, UH, DO WE NEED THIS, UH, TO BE OKAY? WELL, YEAH.
SO THIS ISN'T A RECOMMENDATION, PER SE.
THIS IS ON WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO AS A BODY A SECOND.
DO WE NEED, OH, SO WE HAVE A SECOND.
THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR, AS I BELIEVE I'VE HEARD IT, IS THAT WE WANT TO POSTPONE DISCUSSION OF THIS ITEM UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING.
AND, UH, UH, THE PURPOSE OF THAT IS SO THAT WE CAN REVIEW THE LANGUAGE OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 89, UH, AND GIVE, UH, THE COMMUNITY TIME TO, UH, RETURN FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
BUT IF IT'S POSTED, CORRECT, AND THAT'S THE MOTION ON THE, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE GONNA POST FOR ACTION A RE A CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION OF A RECOMMENDATION, THEN IT CANNOT BE A CITIZEN'S COMMUNICATION ITEM.
SO, UH, DO WE HAVE A SECOND? BECAUSE WHAT I THINK THE, THE POINT OF CLARIFICATION WE HAVE IS THAT IF IT BECOMES AN AGENDA ITEM, IT FOLKS CAN'T JOIN FOR CITIZENS COMMUNICATION, BUT RATHER THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO JOIN AS THEY HAVE TO BE PART OF A PRESENTATION.
THEY HAVE TO BE PART OF THAT ACTION ITEM, CORRECT? SURE.
IS IT OKAY IF I SPEAK PLEASE? THANKS.
UM, I THINK THAT IN, UM, IN THE LANGUAGE YOU STATED FOR THE RESOLUTION, UH, THE RESOLUTION THAT WE'RE VOTING ON RIGHT NOW, THERE IS ENOUGH ROOM TO SAY THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CAN LOOK LIKE COMMUNITY MEMBERS CONTACTING THIS COMMISSION AND THE PRESENTERS THAT ARE HERE TODAY, BETWEEN NOW AND NEXT MONTH WHEN WE MEET THAT IT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE SPEAKING AT THE MEETING, BUT WE NEED TO BE ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY AND GIVING TIME FOR THAT PROCESS TO HAPPEN SPECIFICALLY BEFORE WE TAKE ACTION.
IS THAT, I THINK THAT'S HELPFUL.
SO IT WOULDN'T NECESS SO GIVING TIME FOR COMMUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH THIS COMMISSION AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, UM, BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT MEETING.
DOES THAT, THAT SOUND RIGHT TO EVERYBODY? AND SO I'D GO BACK TO COMMISSIONER DELGADO, UH, UH, WHILE KNOWING THAT I MIGHT BE STEPPING ON THE TOES OF ROBERT, UH, SOMEWHERE OUT THERE.
BUT, UM, DOES THAT SOUND FRIENDLY, UH, TO YOU? SO THE TWO FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS, UH, ARE, I MEAN, ARE WE STILL GOING WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER LEAH'S, OR ARE WE JUST, ARE WE COMBINING BOTH AMENDMENTS? I MEAN, THEY, BOTH LANGUAGES ARE THE SAME, BUT IT'S, IT SOUNDS LIKE IF COMM COMMISSIONER LIAS WON'T BE OFFENDED, WE WILL MOVE ON, UH, TO COMMISSIONER SLOAN.
UM, I THINK THEORETICALLY ALL OF THIS SHOULD HAPPEN IN THE DISCUSSION, UH, AFTER GETTING A SECOND ON THE FIRST ONE, BUT, UH, BUT YES, LET'S JUST DO IT THAT WAY.
COMMISSIONER SLOAN, UH, I MEAN, IF, UH, IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH THAT, COMMISSIONER LIAS? UH, YES.
SO, UH, COMMISSIONER DELGADO, IT WOULD BE THAT WE WANT TO POSTPONE THIS ITEM, UH, UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING IN ORDER TO GIVE THE COMMUNITY TIME TO ENGAGE WITH THIS, UH, COMMISSION AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, AS WELL AS TO GIVE TIME FOR BOTH THE COMMUNITY AND THIS COMMISSION
[02:50:01]
TO BECOME MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE LANGUAGE OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 89.DO WE HAVE A SECOND? OH, KARA WOULD SECOND THAT.
ANY DISCUSSION? I THINK WE'VE DISCUSSED
I JUST WANNA JUST CLARIFICATION ON DISCUSSIONS.
SO, UM, WHEN CITIZENS COMMUNICATION DOES HAPPEN, OR BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, UM, EMAILS AS WELL AS, UM, THEM COMING AND SPEAKING ON THE AGENDA ITEM, OR DO THEY NEED TO JUST SPEAK IN CITIZENS COMMUNICATION? I NEED A CLARIFICATION TO BE ABLE TO GIVE MY RESIDENTS THE, THE RIGHT INFORMATION.
AND WE HAVE ERICA LEE WITH HOUSING AND PLANNING.
UM, IF PEOPLE SIGN UP TO SPEAK, WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN SPEAK AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
I'LL, I'LL, I'LL GO WITH THE EYES.
WE WILL, UH, DISCUSS THIS AT THE FOLLOWING MEETING.
UH, AND, UH, WE HOPE, UH, WELL THAT, THAT YOU ALL WILL BE ABLE TO JOIN US.
ALAN, JUST FOR THE PRESENTATION, UH, THAT THERE ARE A PRESENTATION TODAY, BUT ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE TO BRING COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS BETTER WORLD AND SOCIETY AND CITY THAT'S MORE LIVABLE FOR SENIORS.
AND, AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR ALL OF WHAT YOU DO.
[WORKING GROUP/COMMITTEE UPDATES (Part 1 of 2)]
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WE'RE GONNA BUMP UP ITEM NUMBER 10, UM, WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE INPUT ON THE DRAFT HOME HYPHEN A R P ALLOCATION PLAN WITH MAX HORSEMAN AND HOUSING AND PLANNING.THANK YOU FOR HANGING IN SO LATE, MAX.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? BARELY, BARELY.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW IT SOUNDS LIKE.
LET'S HEAR SOME MORE SENTENCES AND WE'LL GO,
UM, SO THIS SHOULDN'T TAKE TOO LONG.
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME, UH, WE'VE COME TO YOU FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS HOME, A R P ALLOCATION PLAN.
UM, TO REMIND YOU, IT'S 11.4 MILLION FOR HOMELESSNESS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOUSING AND SECURITY, UM, ISSUED BY HUD.
AND THE REASON THAT WE'RE COMING BACK TO YOU FOR AN ADDITIONAL PUBLIC HEARING AND HOLDING AN ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, UM, WE CAME TO YOU INITIALLY BACK IN MAY.
UM, I, WE SUBMITTED THE APPLICATION TO HUD AND THEY GOT BACK TO US WITH A FEW REVISIONS THAT NEEDED TO BE MADE THROUGHOUT THE PLAN.
NO REVISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE ULTIMATE PROPOSAL OF HOW TO SPEND THE DOLLARS, BUT, UH, THINGS NEEDED TO BE EXPLAINED FURTHER AND, UM, MORE EVIDENCE NEEDED TO BE GIVEN IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THE PLAN.
UM, AND ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS, UM, SOME ISSUE THAT HAD FOUND WITH THE WAY THAT WE, UM, ISSUED THE PUBLIC NOTICE.
AND SO THEY ASKED THAT WE ISSUED THE PUBLIC NOTICE AGAIN AND GIVE AN ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK.
SO THAT IS THE, THE MEANING OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING TODAY.
AND IF, UH, WE COULD GET A QUICK CHECK ON 1, 2, 3 ON THE COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE, UH, ONLINE.
WE DO HAVE COMMISSIONER DELGATO AND COMMISSIONER WOODS.
AND SO THAT KEEPS US AT QUORUM.
SORRY ABOUT THAT, MAX, FEEL FREE TO CARRY ON.
UM, UNLESS THERE IS ANYBODY WHO IS PRESENT TO SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC HEARING, UM, OR ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE GRANT, I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION OR, UM, CONTEXT.
THIS WAS LARGELY PROCEDURAL, RIGHT? UM, YES, SURE.
VICE CHAIR, COULD WE GET A LITTLE MORE OF A RUNDOWN ON WHAT THE PROPOSED USES OF THE FUNDS ARE?
[02:55:02]
YES, ABSOLUTELY.UM, SO THE PROPOSED USES ARE, UM, A MAJORITY WOULD BE PUT TOWARDS, UH, ACQUISITION OF NON CONGREGATE SHELTER, UM, WHICH IS SLATED TO BE A, AN ADDITIONAL HOTEL RENOVATION FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS A MILLION DOLLARS ALLOCATED FOR, UM, DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING, WHICH WOULD BE PUT TOWARDS, UM, A, AN ADDITIONAL PROJECT TO ENSURE THAT ANOTHER PROJECT CAN BE, UH, MOVED FORWARD QUICKLY.
UM, AND THEN, UH, $725,000 IS, UH, THOUSAND DOLLARS IS BEING ALLOCATED FOR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, WHICH WILL BE, UM, TENANT, UH, TENANT SUPPORT SERVICES AND HOUSING STABILIZATION SERVICES, UM, WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDS ALLOCATED FOR PLANNING GET ADMINISTRATION.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE LAST PAGE OF THE, UM, DOCUMENT THAT IS THE BUDGET PAGE WITH THE BREAKDOWN PERCENTAGE BREAKDOWN OF EVERYTHING.
AND, UM, THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY PUT THIS PLAN TOGETHER, UM, ARE IN AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
UM, WE HAVE DIANA GRAY AND NI HAW AND A FEW OTHERS IN THE HOMELESS SERVICES DIVISION.
AND, UM, THEY COULDN'T BE HERE THIS EVENING, BUT ANY QUESTIONS, UM, IF NECESSARY, I CAN REALLY RELATE BACK TO THEM.
IS, IS STAFF LOOKING FOR A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMISSION? NOT AT THIS TIME.
UH, WE REALLY JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC HAD FULL TRANSPARENT NOTICE OF HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCESS.
UM, PER RECOMMENDATIONS FROM HUD THAT WE RECEIVED AFTER WE SUBMITTED THE PLAN TO THEM INITIALLY.
WELL, I THINK IT'S GREAT WE'RE GETTING MORE FUNDING FOR HOUSING AND FOR STABILIZING PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO GET OUT OF BEING WITHOUT A HOUSE.
UM, WITH THAT, I SEEING NO, NOBODY TO TESTIFY.
I MOVED TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
I DIDN'T HEAR THE VOTES FROM OUR REMOTE ATTENDEES.
CAN WE CLOSE THIS HEARING? UH, VOTE I IN FAVOR? YEP.
NEXT AGENDA ITEMS MEETING SCHEDULE.
[5. Discuss and approve the 2023 CDC Meeting Schedule (HPD staff)]
UH, THE DISCUSSION OF THE 2023, UH, 2023 CDC MEETING SCHEDULE WITH, UH, HPD STAFF.IS THERE ANY STAFF PRESENTATION ON THIS? UM, THERE'S THIS PAGE AND IT SAYS THAT STAFF IS HOSTING THIS DISCUSSION ITEM.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE JUST LOOK AT IT AND VOTE FOR IT OR WHAT.
UH, HOW'S AN PLANNING DEPARTMENT? UM, WE HAVE A DRAFT SCHEDULE THAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW, UH, PROPOSED FOR NEXT YEAR.
UM, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS, QUESTIONS, ET CETERA, I'M HAPPY TO ADDRESS THOSE.
AND IT'S, IT'S THE SAME SCHEDULE, UM, THE CDC HAS BEEN, HAS HAD FOR MULTIPLE YEARS, UH, SECOND TUESDAY, UH, OF THE MONTH IN THIS SPACE, IN THIS SPACE.
UNLESS, I MEAN, THERE ARE, AS WE KNOW, SMALL OCCASIONS WHEN, UM, WHEN WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET TO THE, THE SPACE BECAUSE OF, UH, COUNCIL BUDGET MEETINGS OR SOMETHING.
BUT OTHERWISE, IT IS INTENDED TO BE IN THIS SPACE.
UH, DO WE HAVE A SECOND? ONE SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? I JUST HAD A QUESTION.
YEAH, JUST THOSE TWO MONTHS FOR PUBLIC HEARING.
AND THAT'S FOR LIKE THE FEDERAL DOLLARS OR THAT'S, SO
[03:00:01]
THE TWO DATES THAT ARE LISTED ON THE SCHEDULE ARE FOR, UH, THE HUD ACTION PLAN.UM, THERE ARE SOMETIMES OTHER PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT NEED TO BE SCHEDULED FOR CSB G, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, OTHER THINGS LIKE TONIGHT'S PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, BUT THOSE ARE THE MORE CONSISTENT ONES.
AND, UH, UH, I WAS WONDERING ABOUT, I KNOW ON ANOTHER, UH, COMMISSION THAT THE MEETING LOCATION HAD BEEN MOVED TO A CENTRALIZED PLACE FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
IS THAT NOT IN THE GUARDS FOR THIS BOARD? UH, CLEARLY NOT, BUT
ANY OPPOSED? I'M ASSUMING, UH, ONLINE, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER DELGADO, CAN I JUST, DID YOU RAISE YOUR HAND? I'M SORRY IF I MISSED IT.
UH, COMMISSIONER WOODS, IF I COULD HEAR AN AUDIBLE EYE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE, I OH YEAH, YOU, YOU'RE, YOU'RE OKAY, COMMISSIONER TO LOOK AT IT.
[WORKING GROUP/COMMITTEE UPDATES (Part 2 of 2)]
TO THE WORKING GROUP COMMITTEE UPDATES.WE, COMMISSIONER FIDEL IS NOT IN ATTENDANCE AND UNLESS SHE'S DELEGATED THE JOINT.
OH, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER GARRETT, THE, UH, JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
NO, I'M ON THE HER YOU'RE ON THE, UM, DO WE DON'T HAVE AN UPDATE FOR THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE? DO WE HAVE AN UPDATE FROM THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP? UH, THE, UH, ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UH, LAST LAST MEETING WAS CANCELED DUE TO, UM, THE ANNOUNCEMENT, SOME TECHNICALITY ABOUT THE ANNOUNCEMENT.
BUT I WILL SAY THAT, UH, NEXT MEETING IS, UH, VERY IMPORTANT.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A DISCUSSION ON LABOR AND STANDARDS, WHICH IS ACTUALLY THE MEETING IS THURSDAY.
THIS THURSDAY, UH, LABOR AND STANDARDS, AND ALSO THE PROJECT CONNECT ANTIS DISPLACEMENT FUNDING ALLOCATION, SO THAT THERE'LL BE DISCUSSIONS ON THAT.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, YOU CAN ALWAYS EMAIL ME, UH, ANYTHING.
AND, UH, ON THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT FUNDING ALLOCATION, YOU SAID? YES.
MEANING THAT THE AWARDS WERE AWARDED AND THE FUNDING IS OUT, AND SO THERE'D BE DISCUSSION ON HOW THAT HAPPENED.
AND THE OTHER ONE WAS, UH, LABOR AND LABOR STANDARDS AND SAFETY, UH, OF PROJECT CONNECT.
UH, NUMBER EIGHT, UPDATE FROM THE HOUSING INVESTMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE.
YEAH, THERE'S NO UPDATE THIS MONTH.
UM, OUR MEETING WAS ABOUT A, A WEEK OR SO AGO, SO I'LL WAIT, UM, TO UNDER TO GET AN IDEA OF WHICH, UM, PROJECTS WILL MOVE, MOVE FORWARD, AND I'LL UPDATE THE COMMISSION NEXT MONTH.
AND, UH, VICE CHAIR, UH, DO WE HAVE AN UPDATE FROM THE SWAB, THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD? UM, WELL, I CAN UPDATE YOU ON THE, THE POD CASE THAT RELATES TO THAT.
THE WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD IS HAVING A SPECIAL CALL MEETING TOMORROW TO TALK ABOUT THE REGULATING PLAN THAT GOES WITH THE TERROR.
AND THE CITY COUNCIL IS SCHEDULED TO CONSIDER, AGAIN, ON SECOND READING THIS WEEK, THE SOUTH CENTRAL, THE, UM, SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE PUT, OR THE, ALSO KNOWN AS THE STATE SW POD SOUTH.
SOME CHANGES HAVE, UM, BEEN MADE TO THE PLAN.
THE DEVELOPER HAS OFFERED, INSTEAD OF PROVIDING UNITS ON SITE, PROVIDING THEM ABOUT A BLOCK AWAY AT A PROPERTY KNOWN AS 4 22 ON THE LAKE.
IF YOU THINK OF WHERE THE HYATT IS, AND YOU THINK OF THE PROPERTY CAT CORNER FROM THAT BIG APARTMENT COMPLEX WENT UP A FEW YEARS AGO, UM, PEELING SOME UNITS OUT OF THAT AND MAKING THEM AVAILABLE AT 80% OF MEETING FAMILY INCOME.
AND COUNCIL HAS ASKED WHAT DID WE COST TO MAKE THEM 60%? THEY GOT A STUDY THAT CONCLUDES THAT THE PROJECT WOULD LOSE MONEY JUST OFF THE BAT BEFORE WE CONSIDER ANY OF THE OTHER.
SO THAT JUST HAS KIND OF CONFUSED THE PICTURE.
LAST WEEK THEY HAD IT ALSO ON SECOND READING OF THE DEVELOPERS SAID HE COULD MAKE 70 UNITS AVAILABLE, BUT THERE'S STILL AT 80%.
SO THE DISCUSSION CONTINUES, AND IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS THEY'LL PROBABLY GET TO THIRD GREETING.
SO IF ANYBODY WANTS TO HAVE ANY INPUT, IT'S NOW'S THE TIME.
DOES ANYBODY WANT TO HAVE ANY INPUT?
[03:05:01]
COMMISSIONER THOMPSON? JUST BRIEF INPUT.I'M NOT, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF THEM FINDING ANOTHER LOCATION TO, I THINK THE WHOLE PRO, THE WHOLE POINT OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THE REQUIREMENT IS FOR THE NEW DEVELOPMENT TO OFFER OR HAVE AN OPTION OR, OR TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY IN THIS WAY.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT, I HAD NEVER CONSIDERED THAT THEY WOULD SAY, OH, WELL, WE'RE GONNA BUILD THIS, BUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS WE'RE GONNA PUT THE AFFORDABLE ONES OVER HERE.
AND THAT I JUST WANNA BE ON RECORD OF JUST SAYING, I'M SORRY.
I JUST DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED.
THAT THAT IS DEFINITELY BEING CONSIDERED.
AND IT OFFERS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE UNITS WOULD BE AVAILABLE SOONER.
IT HAS ONE MAJOR DRAWBACK IN THAT IT'S NOT PART OF THE ZONING CASE.
IT'S AN KIND OF AN EXTRA DEAL, AND THE CITY WON'T ENFORCE THINGS THAT ARE KIND OF EXTRA.
SO A THIRD PARTY WOULD BE IN CHARGE OF ENFORCING, AND THAT'S WAY LESS SECURE THAN HAVING THE CITY LAW DEPARTMENT ON THE SIDE OF ENFORCEMENT.
SO I, I REALLY MEANT BY ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO HAVE ANY INPUT, UH, YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, A COUNCIL MEMBER IS A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR INPUT.
IF ANYBODY WANTS TO HAVE ANY INPUT, YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER IS A GREAT CANDIDATE FOR INPUT.
UM, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION THERE? IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE IT.
SO, UH, BARRING ANY OBJECTIONS, I THINK IT'S A GREAT TIME TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING AT 9:48 PM THANK YOU ALL FOR HANGING IN AND, UH, UH, WE WILL SEE YOU NEXT MONTH.
UM, OF COURSE TO ALL THE COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE HERE, BUT THEN ALL OF THE STAFF MEMBERS WHO STAY SO DARN LATE INTO THE EVENING, THANKS.
NOT SURE IF I'M COMING AND GOING, HOPING THAT IS NOT, THAT'S NOT THE TIME TO LEARN FROM ALL THE JEWS.
NOW HERE'S MY CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORLD, MAN.
I'M THE, EVEN IF CHILD CAN TELL YOU SOMETHING WHEN YOU DON'T STOP.