[00:00:01]
[CALL TO ORDER]
EVENING EVERYBODY.IT'S 6 0 8, AND WE DO HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT, SO I'M GONNA CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.
AND, UM, WHAT, ACTUALLY, SINCE WE DO HAVE, UH, SOME NEW FOLKS WITH US TONIGHT, UH, LIKE TO JUST REALLY QUICKLY GO AROUND AND, UM, EVERYBODY JUST, JUST, AND, UM, IF YOU ARE REPRESENTING A, UM, BASICALLY SAY HOW YOU COME TO BE ON THE COMMISSION.
SO IF THAT'S A REPRESENTATIVE OF ANOTHER BOARD OR COMMISSION OR AN APPOINT ANOTHER APPOINTMENT, UM, JUST STATE THAT.
AND IF YOU, UM, WANNA, IF YOU ARE REPRESENTING ANOTHER BOARD COMMISSION AND WANNA, YOU KNOW, SAY WHAT CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT YOU'RE, YOU'RE REPRESENTING OR LIVE IN, UM, DO THAT AS WELL, JUST SO WE CAN KIND OF KNOW EACH OTHER A LITTLE BIT AS WE GET INTO THE MEETING.
I WILL, UH, START AND PASS IT ON.
AND THEN IF EVERYBODY ELSE CAN, UH, JUST DO THE, THE SAME, THEN, THEN WE CAN DO THIS PRETTY QUICKLY.
I'M THE, UH, CHAIR AND I AM THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT THREE, AND I REPRESENT, UH, DISTRICT TWO, UM, THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION.
AND I'M GONNA PASS IT TO RODRIGUEZ.
UM, BUT I WAS PART OF THE EXPANSION OF THE JSC.
UM, SO I WAS A MAYORAL APPOINTEE, AND I WAS INVOLVED IN THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN PLANNING PROCESS AS A STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBER.
UM, HEY Y'ALL, MY NAME IS, UH, HARRIS KHI, AND I'M ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION REPRESENTING DISTRICT ONE.
I'M GONNA PITCH IT OVER TO DIANA, AND THEN JUST NAME THE NEXT PERSON.
I'M THE CO-CHAIR ON THE JSC, AND I AM, I COME FROM THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, AND I WAS APPOINTED BY LESLIE POOLE, COUNCILPERSON SEVEN.
UH, I CANNOT SEE THE NAMES OF WHO ELSE IS ON THERE, UM, ALBERTA, OR MAYBE EASIER FOR YOU TO TELL YOU, BUT JUST TO SAY THE NAMES OF WHO YOU WANT.
BUT ALBERTA, DO YOU WANNA GO NEXT? OH, APPARENTLY SEEMS THAT YOU, IT DOESN'T SHOW YOU TO BE MUTED ALBERTA, BUT WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
SO, UM, LET'S, LET'S MOVE ON TO SOMEBODY ELSE AND, AND MAYBE YOU CAN TRY TO FIGURE OUT YOUR MICROPHONE, MICROPHONE ISSUE.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT NINE, BUT I WAS A MAYORAL APPOINTEE AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE.
AND I WILL PASS IT OVER TO, UH, CHRIS.
I, UH, LIVE IN, IN DISTRICT, UH, FIVE.
AND AS ANNA AND RODRIGO, I'M ALSO, UH, UH, MAYOR ROLE, UM, UH, PART OF THE RECENT, RECENT EXPANSION.
I VOLUNTEER THEN THE CLIMATE EQUITY, UH, PLAN UNDER THE EV, UH, SECTION.
AND I'M ORIGINALLY FROM, UH, UWAIS SOUTH AMERICA.
UH, AND I'LL PASS IT ON TO, I DUNNO IF ALBERT ALBERTA, ARE YOU, YOU WANNA TRY AGAIN? UH, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU STILL CAN'T HEAR YOU,
I CAN, I CAN PASS IT ON TO, UH, MELISSA.
I WAS APPOINTED ORIGINALLY BY DELIA GARZA.
I WAS REAPPOINTED BY VANESSA FUENTES FOR THE AUSTIN ZERO WASTE ADVISORY COMMISSION.
AND KEBO, DO YOU WANNA SAY WHO CAN GO NEXT? I DON'T KNOW WHO ALL IS LEFT.
UH, ROB SCHNEIDER, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION REPRESENTATIVE, UH, ON THE DISTRICT FIVE, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION APPOINTEE.
[00:05:01]
NAME IS KIRSHA HAVER LAW, AND I AM ON THE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION.I WAS APPOINTED BY, UH, VANESSA FUENTES.
UM, BUT I AM, UM, JUST A KIND OF A, UM, LIAISON FROM THE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION.
ALL RIGHT, WELCOME, UH, ALBERTA.
DO YOU WANNA TRY AGAIN? STILL NOT WORKING.
WE'LL, KEEP CO WE'LL KEEP COMING BACK.
I'M, UM, REPRESENTING THE ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION, OR E U C I AM IN DISTRICT FIVE AND WAS APPOINTED BY ANN KITCHEN.
AND HOW ABOUT RACHEL? UH, RACHEL.
I'M A STAFF PERSON JUST HERE TO GIVE A PRESENTATION TO YOU ALL.
UM, KAREN, JUST AS A REMINDER, YOU DO NEED TO HAVE YOUR, YOUR CAMERA FUNCTIONING.
IS THAT, IF, IF YOU CAN GET THAT WORKING, THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD BE, UH, HELPFUL.
UM, I THINK FRANCIS IS OUR LAST ONE HERE.
UH, FRANCIS DK, I'M REPRESENTING THE FOOD POLICY BOARD.
UM, I WAS APPOINTED BY ANN HOWARD, UM, TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER FOR PRECINCT THREE TO THE FOOD POLICY BOARD, BUT THE FOOD POLICY BOARD CHOSE ME TO REPRESENT THEM ON THIS BOARD, SO THANK YOU.
UM, ALBERTA, DO YOU WANNA TRY ONE MORE TIME?
UM, HOPE SOMEONE WROTE IN THE CHAT.
TRY CLICKING ON AUDIO AND VIDEO, AUDIO SETTINGS.
CHECK THE CHAT AND SEE, SEE IF THAT CAN, UM, HELP YOU.
UM, WELL, WE'LL, WE'LL GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER MORE OVER TIME, BUT WELCOME TO ALL OF THE, THE FOLKS WHO ARE, ARE JOINING.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO, TO HAVE THE, THE FRESH, UH, ENERGY HERE, HOPEFULLY ADDED TO OUR, OUR WORK ON THIS COMMISSION.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION? OKAY.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
THEN WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM OUR OCTOBER MEETING.WE DIDN'T HAVE A NOVEMBER MEETING, SO, UH, NEED TO GET THOSE APPROVED.
HAS EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THEM? IF ANYBODY WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION, YEAH.
AND THANKS FOR GETTING YOUR, UH, CAMERA ON.
SO, ALL IN FAVOR, UH, RAISE YOUR HAND.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE, UH, FRAN.
CHRIS, CHRIS IS NOT AN AF UH, HE'S NOT OFFICIAL YET.
UM, KIRSHA, I CAN'T SEE YOU, SO I'LL COUNT YOU AS ABSTAINING, BUT THE, THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
[4. 2023 JSC Strategic Planning Process –Zach Baumer, Office of Sustainability (Discussion and/or possible action).]
I THINK WE'RE GONNA, UM, NEXT TAKE UP THE, UM, ITEM ON, UH, STRATEGIC PLANNING.I DON'T THINK THIS SHOULD TAKE US A LONG TIME, AND I, I KNOW THAT WE MIGHT, UH, LOSE ONE OF OUR MEMBERS.
UH, SO I'D LIKE, LIKE US TO ALL BE HERE AND PRESENT FOR THAT DISCUSSION.
UM, DIANA AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING WITH ZACH ABOUT HAVING A, UM, KIND OF BIGGER PIC PICTURE STRATEGIC PLANNING MEETING FOR OUR JANUARY MEETING.
UM, SO IT WOULD NOT BE AN ADDITIONAL MEETING, UM, BUT, UH, IT, IT MIGHT BE A LONGER MEETING IF PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO DO THAT, UH, POSSIBLY WITH FOOD.
I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO ZACH TO, TO GO TAKE US THROUGH A FEW SLIDES, BUT REALLY, UM, WANT TO HEAR FEEDBACK FROM EVERYBODY ON, ON WHAT YOU THINK WOULD BE USEFUL.
WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, NEW PEOPLE, WHICH IS AWESOME.
UM, BUT ALSO, IF ANY OF YOU FEEL LIKE THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU, UH, JUST REALLY, YOU KNOW, DON'T, DON'T HAVE A HANDLE ON COMING INTO THIS, PLEASE SPEAK UP.
AND FOR ALL OF US WHO HAVE BEEN AROUND ON THIS COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, UM, IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT
[00:10:01]
YOU THINK THAT WE REALLY NEED TO DIG INTO TO IMPROVE OUR FUNCTIONING, SAY, SO.SO I'M JUST GONNA RUN THROUGH THESE SLIDES QUICKLY AND THEN HOPEFULLY WE CAN JUST SORT OF DISCUSS AT THE END.
UM, I'M ZACK BOMBER, CLIMATE PROGRAM MANAGER AND SORT OF LIAISE LIAISON.
THIS, UH, THIS COMMISSION WITH ROHAN, WHO YOU'VE, YOU HEAR FROM HIM.
AND THEN ALSO TODAY, PHIL DURON, WHO'S ON OUR TEAM.
UM, AND WE ARE TRYING TO GET THE CAMERA CHANGED.
I'VE EMAILED THE, UH, HUGO AND HOPEFULLY HE'LL COME HERE SOON.
SO JUST A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT ABOUT THE JSC, UM, CAUSE WE HAVE SOME NEW MEMBERS.
UM, THE JSC ACTUALLY WAS CREATED WHEN THE FIRST COMMUNITY CLIMATE PLAN WAS ADOPTED BACK IN 2015.
UM, AND THE JSC FIRST STARTED MEETING LIKE IN 2015 OR 16.
I THINK IT WAS 16, BECAUSE IT TOOK A FEW MONTHS TO GET OFF THE GROUND.
SO ANYWAY, SO THE COMMISSION STARTED BACK IN 2016, UM, AND MET FOR MULTIPLE YEARS.
AND THEN, UM, SORT OF ADVISED ON THE, THE CREATION OF THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.
CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN WAS THEN ADOPTED BY COUNCIL IN SEPTEMBER OF 2021.
UH, RESOLUTION ONE 10, WHICH WAS THE, THERE WERE TWO RESOLUTIONS, UH, ADOPTED ON THE DAY THAT THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN WAS ADOPTED.
BUT RESOLUTION ONE 10 WAS FROM COUNCIL, AND IT ADDED FIVE NEW MEMBERS TO THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
UM, OVER THE LAST YEAR SINCE WE ADDED THESE FIVE NEW MEMBERS, AND THEN WE WEREN'T ABLE TO ACTUALLY HAVE PEOPLE IN THOSE SEATS.
WE, THE QUORUM GOT BUMPED TO 10, UM, TO 10 MEMBERS BEING THERE.
AND WE ACTUALLY ONLY HAD 13 MEMBERS.
SO WE HAD 13 PEOPLE TRYING TO GET 10 TO EVERY SINGLE MEETING.
SO OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR, WE'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, ALMOST EVERY SINGLE MEETING WE'VE HAD, UH, A CHALLENGE MEETING QUORUM.
UM, ALSO IN THE LAST, YOU KNOW, YEAR SINCE THE, SINCE THE PLAN HAS BEEN ADOPTED, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH ABOUT WORKING GROUPS, TASK FORCES, UM, WHAT THESE GROUPS ARE GONNA FOCUS ON, WHO'S GONNA STAFF THEM, HOW THIS IS GONNA WORK.
AND WE HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF, WE HAVEN'T HAD RESOLUTION ON THAT TOPIC.
SO THAT'S A THING THAT I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT AS A GROUP.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY IS SORT OF THE COORDINATOR IN THE LEADER, BUT WE ARE NOT, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY IN CHARGE OF, YOU KNOW, IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN.
WE DON'T HAVE DEDICATED BUDGET.
SO, UH, THIS IS AN INTERESTING SITUATION WHERE WE'RE STAFFING THIS GROUP AND HELPING WITH THIS COMMISSION, BUT WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY FULLY IN CONTROL OF A WHOLE LOT.
UM, SO THERE'S ALWAYS THIS BALANCE OF LIKE, WHAT CAN THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY DO, BUT ALSO THEN WHAT CAN ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTAL PARTNERS DO, UM, TO, TO BE IMPLEMENTING THINGS IN THE CLIMATE PLAN.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN, WE CAME UP WITH A SCHEDULE WITH, UH, CAVA AND DIANA, AND WE HAVE BEEN INVITING DEPARTMENTS TO PRESENT, UM, ON HOW THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN IS BEING IMPLEMENTED ALIGNS WITH DEPARTMENTAL ACTIVITIES LIKE WE'RE GONNA HEAR TODAY FROM PLANNING AND HOUSING AND, UM, PUBLIC HEALTH.
USUALLY THOSE PRESENTATIONS CREATE A LOT OF, UH, Q AND A.
UM, UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF BEEN THE APPROACH IS TO SORT OF GO DEPARTMENT BY DEPARTMENT.
WE CREATED KIND OF A LIST OF DEPARTMENTS AND THEY'RE JUST INVITED, UM, ON A SORT OF SCHEDULE TO GET EVERYBODY HERE.
UM, THE JSE OCCASIONALLY PASSES RESOLUTIONS.
UM, USUALLY THOSE ARE ADOPTED BY OTHER COMMISSIONS FIRST, AND THEN THEY'RE SORT OF BROUGHT TO THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE TO, UM, SORT OF SECOND SUPPORT FOR, UM, AND THAT'S BECAUSE THE, AS I'M GONNA SHOW ON A SLIDE OR TWO, PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
SO EITHER WAY, THIS, WITH THE ADDITION OF THESE BRAND NEW MEMBERS, IT SEEMED LIKE IN THESE, A LOT OF THESE ISSUES KIND OF IN THE AIR, IT SEEMED LIKE THIS WAS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO PAUSE AND THINK ABOUT WHAT COMES NEXT.
UM, SO JUST AS A REMINDER, UH, FOR EVERYONE, THERE ARE, THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE IS MADE UP OF MEMBERS WHO SERVE LIKE DOUBLE DUTY.
SO ALMOST, SO 12 OF YOU, UM, ARE ON THESE HOME COMMISSIONS, WHICH IS THE PLACE WHERE YOU WERE ORIGINALLY NOMINATED AND YOU SERVE ON THIS COMMISSION, AND THEN YOU ALL HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO ADDITIONALLY SERVE ON THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
SO WE HAVE THESE 12 COMMISSIONS, UM, RECOGNIZED.
AND THE WAY THAT'S KIND OF WORKED IS, I MEAN, I THINK THAT THE, THE DESIGN OF THAT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE ON ONE OF THESE COMMISSIONS AND YOU'RE HEARING ABOUT ZERO WASTE POLICY OVER AND OVER AND OVER, THEN YOU WOULD SORT OF HAVE SOME SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ZERO WASTE ISSUES.
AND THEN YOU WOULD BRING, UM, YOU WOULD SORT OF BE A CONNECTION POINT BETWEEN CLIMATE SPECIFIC ISSUES AND ZERO WASTE ISSUES.
AND YOU COULD BRING THINGS FROM THE ZERO WASTE COMMISSION TO THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY
[00:15:01]
COMMITTEE, OR THINGS FROM THE JSE TO YOUR HOME COMMISSION.UM, AND THAT, AND I THINK WAS THE IDEA TO SORT OF CONNECT THE DOTS ON ALL THESE ISSUES THAT ALL CONNECT AND, AND PLAY A ROLE IN CLIMATE CHANGE.
UM, SO THERE'S THOSE 12 COMMISSIONS.
THEN THERE IS ONE, UM, COMMITTEE NOMINEE WHO'S NOMINATED FROM, I THINK THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE, UM, THAT IS ALBERTA PHILLIPS.
AND THEN WE HAVE THESE FIVE NEW MAYORAL NOMINEES THAT WERE ADDED, UM, LAST YEAR.
SO THAT BRINGS THE TOTAL TO 18 QUORUM IS THEN 10 OF THOSE, UH, IS 10.
AND VERY SOON WE'RE GONNA HAVE 18 FULL SEATS.
SO QUORUM SHOULDN'T BE A CHALLENGE, BUT EITHER WAY, THAT'S A LOT.
UM, AND THEN JUST OVER ON THE SIDE HERE, THIS WAS JUST FROM THE, UH, JUST LIKE FROM THE BYLAWS.
WE DON'T NEED TO RUN THROUGH ALL THESE, BUT, UM, THIS JUST SORT OF SUMMARIZES IN THE CITY CODE, LIKE WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
UM, AND SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, MEANT TO REVIEW POLICIES RELATED TO THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, UM, IMPLEMENTATION, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, GOAL SETTING PROGRESS, PROMOTE COORDINATION BETWEEN GROUPS.
UM, AND THEN I THINK THE, THE JOINT COMMITTEE MAY, I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PART.
THESE BULLETS AT THE BOTTOM ARE ADVISE THE COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER, OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY CITY DEPARTMENTS, ALL SORTS OF GROUPS ON, UM, ISSUES RELATED TO THESE PLANS.
UH, ASK THE CITY MANAGER FOR INFORMATION RELATED TO THESE PLANS.
UH, MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNSEL OR RELEVANT POLICIES OR PROCEDURES ON RELEVANT POLICIES OR PROCEDURES.
AND THEN FINALLY ESTABLISH ADVISORY GROUPS, WORKING GROUPS RELATED TO THE PLAN, UH, THE TWO PLANS.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT'S IN THE BYLAWS.
SO AS, UH, KIVA, DIANA ROHAN AND, AND I HAVE BEEN SORT OF TALKING ABOUT THIS ON OUR LAST, UH, LIKE IN OUR LAST MEETING, UM, WE WERE THINKING ABOUT WHAT WOULD BE USEFUL, UM, IF WE WERE GONNA DO A STRATEGIC MEETING, STRATEGIC PLANNING MEETING, AND PAUSE FOR A MINUTE AND TRY TO, UM, THINK ABOUT WHERE THIS GROUP IS, UM, WHAT ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT WE WOULD THINK ABOUT.
SO THE FIRST ONE WOULD BE, UH, AND THESE ARE JUST MY IDEAS.
UM, SO BACKGROUND ON THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, THE CREATION, THE HISTORY OF THE JSE, REFLECTION ON WHAT'S WORKED AND HASN'T WORKED OVER TIME.
UM, CUZ IT, THIS HAS BEEN GOING FOR MULTIPLE YEARS.
UM, THE NEXT ONE IS THE FIVE NEW MEMBERS.
AND WHAT'S THEIR ROLE? UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT PROBABLY THE BIGGEST QUESTION, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THESE 12 MEMBERS THAT ARE DOING THIS DOUBLE DUTY, AND IF WE HAVE NEW MEMBERS THAT THIS IS THEIR ONLY COMMISSION, DO THEY PLAY A DIFFERENT ROLE? IS IT THE SAME ROLE? UM, MAYBE THAT'S NOT AS BIG OF A QUESTION AS, AS I, I THOUGHT.
UM, WHAT ARE SOME GOALS FOR THE GROUP? WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE FROM, FROM THIS COMMISSION? LIKE HOW, LIKE HOW WOULD WE DEFINE, OR HOW WOULD THE GROUP DEFINE, YOU KNOW, DO YOU WANT TO PASS A CERTAIN NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS OR ARE YOU LOOKING FOR OUTCOMES AND RESULTS FROM THE, UH, IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN OR FUNDING OR, OR WHAT IS IT? UM, SO THINK ABOUT THAT.
UM, FORMAT AND TACTICS OF USEFUL JSE MEETINGS.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE KIND OF, UM, IN THE LAST YEAR TAKEN THIS APPROACH OF JUST INVITING DEPARTMENTS TO PRESENT AND THEN WE DO QUESTION AND ANSWER.
AND THEN OCCASIONALLY THERE IS THE RECOMMENDATION THAT IS BROUGHT FROM ANOTHER COMMISSION.
THAT'S KIND OF HOW IT'S WORKED.
UM, DO WE THINK THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DO THIS? SHOULD WE TRY OTHER THINGS? UM, AND THAT FITS WITH THIS NEXT ONE, DISCUSSION OF THE ME COMMISSION OF THE MECHANISMS FOR COMMISSION ACTION, UM, UH, COMMISSION FUNCTIONALITY, QUORUM COMMUNICATION RULES, ATTENDANCE.
I THINK WE ARE DOING A LOT BETTER NOW.
LIKE THIS MEETING, WE'RE FULLY IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL THE, UM, THE CLERK'S OFFICE'S RULES AND EVERYTHING, BUT WE HAD SORT OF, WE STRUGGLED WITH SOME OF THESE THINGS OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY THINK ABOUT SHOULD THERE BE WORKING GROUPS? SHOULD WE HAVE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE A DEEPER DIVE INTO SOME OF THE TOPICS, UM, AND WHICH OF THE JSE MEMBERS WANT TO STEP UP AND ASSIST WITH THAT? UM, BECAUSE THERE IS KIND OF THIS LINE BETWEEN LIKE, YOU KNOW, ME AND MY STAFF ARE ALL, YOU KNOW, HERE TO SUPPORT THE COMMISSION, BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE SORT OF LIKE WORK DONE BY COMMISSION MEMBERS AS WELL.
SO THOSE ARE ALL KIND OF IDEAS.
UM, AND THEN THIS IS THE LAST SLIDE.
UM, IF WE WERE GONNA DO A STRATEGIC PLANNING MEETING, UM, IT, WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT IT NEEDS TO OCCUR AS A REGULAR, REGULARLY SCHEDULED POSTED COMMISSION MEETING WITH QUORUM.
SO IT WOULD BE A MEETING JUST LIKE TONIGHT, BUT INSTEAD OF AN AGENDA OF PRESENTATIONS, WE WOULD JUST HAVE THE AGENDA BE STRATEGIC PLANNING.
AND UM, IT WOULD EITHER BE, UH, WE'D RECORD THE AUDIO, BUT WE WOULD PROBABLY NOT DO IT LIKE AT CITY HALL AND HAVE IT VIDEO RECORDED.
UM, WE COULD HIRE A FACILITATOR TO HELP AND EXECUTE THE MEETING.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW SOME PEOPLE THAT
[00:20:01]
COULD HELP WITH THIS.THIS WOULD, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT TO LIKE BRING ANYBODY'S DIRECTION IN.
THIS IS MOSTLY JUST SO YOU KNOW, KIBO OR MYSELF WOULDN'T HAVE TO LIKE DO THE FACILITATING.
WE COULD ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE.
UM, AND THEN THE NEXT QUESTION WAS BASED ON HOW MANY THINGS THE GROUP WANTS TO TRY TO COVER OR TACKLE.
CAN, CAN WE DO THIS IN 2, 3, 4 HOURS OR DOES THIS NEED TO BE LIKE TWO DIFFERENT, TWO DIFFERENT MEETINGS WHERE THERE'S LIKE A FRAMING MEETING AND THEN, UH, A WORKSHOP KIND OF MEETING? I'M NOT SURE.
UM, AND THEN IN TERMS OF IF WE'RE GONNA DO THIS VERY SOON, UM, OUR NEXT TWO MEETINGS ARE JANUARY 25TH AND THEN FEBRUARY 22ND, UM, WE CAN, YOU KNOW, RESERVE A ROOM LIKE THIS OR AT PERMITTING DEVELOPMENT CENTER, THEY HAVE ROOMS LIKE THIS AS WELL.
WELL, UM, AND THEN LAST THING, UM, POTENTIALLY IF WE'RE GONNA SPEND MULTIPLE HOURS DOING THIS, YOU KNOW, MY OFFICE COULD PAY TO HAVE DINNER BROUGHT IN.
WE COULD START EARLIER AND THEN WE COULD GO AS LONG AS IT TAKES.
SO, UM, THAT'S JUST MY THINKING AND SORT OF A THINKING ON THE CONVERSATION.
SO I WANNA OPEN IT UP TO THE GROUP AND CAVA AND SEE WHAT OTHERS THINK.
AND THANKS SO MUCH FOR THAT, HUGO.
I THINK THAT'S, IS THAT GOOD? CAN EVERYBODY SEE US A LITTLE BETTER? CAUSE WE CAN TURN AROUND AND WAVE.
OH, THE QUESTION WAS CAN YOU, CAN WE GET IT ON THIS ONE? NO, IT'S ONLY THAT ONE DOESN'T WORK SIDE.
SO THE OTHER ONES AREN'T FOR THE ACTUAL RECORDING OF AX N THAT'S WHAT THOSE WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.
AH, OH, SO THEY ARE SEEING YOU ON THE RECORDING? WE CAN'T OH, GOTCHA.
WELLS
LIKE IF YOU WANT, IF WHEN WE VOTE OR SOMETHING, IF YOU PUT YOUR HAND UP, I, I CAN AT LEAST SEE.
UM, FRANCIS, AS I SEE, UH, YOUR HAND, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY FOR FIRST THANK YOU ZACH FOR, YOU KNOW, WORKING ON THIS THINKING.
UM, AND IN TERMS OF KIND OF THE SCHEDULING, JUST DO WANNA THROW OUT THERE, NOT THAT I'M NECESSARILY SUGGESTING THIS, BUT THESE COULD BE ADDITIONAL MEETINGS IF WE DON'T WANT IT TO, UM, YOU KNOW, SPREAD OUT AS LONG AS THE END OF FEBRUARY.
UH, AND OR IF WE DON'T WANNA DETRACT FROM MOVING ON WITH OUR, YOU KNOW, KIND OF REGULAR BUSINESS.
SO IT DOES NEED TO BE POSTED, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE JUST THOSE DATES.
UM, FRANCIS, UH, SAW YOUR HAND IN, I CAN STOP SHARING.
UM, THANKS, UH, FRANCIS DEVVIN.
UM, SO I CAN JUST SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE RECENTLY DID WITH THE FOOD POLICY BOARD.
WE HAD A STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION, UM, IN OCTOBER.
WE MET FOR THREE HOURS, UH, ABOUT THE SAME NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS AS THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE, MAYBE SLIGHTLY LESS.
IT WAS LED BY, UM, SOME, UH, STAFF MEMBERS FROM THE TRAVIS FROM TRAVIS COUNTY WHO DID A GREAT JOB.
THE, THE TWO THINGS I WOULD SAY IS I THINK THREE HOURS WAS PLENTY WHEN FACILITATED WELL AND WITH A VERY CLEAR GOAL OF WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE AT THE END.
UM, I WOULD NOT NECESSARILY RECOMMEND SPREADING OUT THE ACTUAL STRATEGIC PLANNING WORK OVER TWO MEETINGS JUST BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF LIKE STORAGE SPACE IN YOUR HOUSE.
THE MORE STORAGE SPACE YOU HAVE, THE MORE JUNK YOU KEEP AND THE MORE STUFF YOU STICK IN IT.
SO IF YOU HAVE LIKE A GOOD TIGHT BOUND AND GOOD FACILITATION, YOU CAN GET IT DONE IN THREE HOURS.
BUT THE NEXT MEETING SHOULD THEN BE, LET'S REVISIT KIND OF WHERE WE ENDED AT THAT LAST ONE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REALLY TIGHT ON WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY THE ACTUAL ACTION STEPS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE THIS YEAR AND WHO'S GOING TO MOVE THEM FORWARD.
SOME OF THAT WORK CAN BE DONE, UH, FOR THE, FOR FOOD POLICY BOARD.
WE DID THAT WORK AT THE END OF THE FIRST MEETING, BUT THEN THERE WERE STILL A FEW QUESTIONS THAT WERE LINGERING AFTER WE HAD A MONTH TO SIT ON IT AND SAY, OKAY, NOW MAYBE WE WANNA COMBINE A COUPLE OF THESE THINGS OR MAYBE WE WANNA SHIFT OUT WHO CAN PARTICIPATE.
SO SOME OF THOSE LITTLE LOGISTICAL THINGS IN THE SECOND MEETING MIGHT BE USEFUL, BUT THAT'S MY FEEDBACK.
I, I SHARE THAT GENERAL FEELING ABOUT, UH, TRYING TO KEEP IT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO ONE MEETING, BUT, UM, YEAH.
WHAT, WHAT DO OTHER PEOPLE THINK? ANNA? I I DEFINITELY, THIS IS ANNA SCOTT SPEAKING.
I DEFINITELY AGREE THAT I THINK TWO MEETINGS SOUNDS A LITTLE BIT LONG AND, AND PERHAPS, I'M GUESSING THE SUGGESTION ABOUT A SECOND MEETING FOR BACKGROUND MIGHT HAVE BEEN FOR ME AND SOME OF THE OTHER MAYORAL APPOINTEES.
SO I MIGHT SUGGEST, YOU KNOW, IF, IF WE FOUND THAT THAT BACKGROUND INFORMATION WAS, WAS REALLY HELPFUL,
[00:25:01]
YOU KNOW, PERHAPS SOME OF US WHO ARE NEW COULD EITHER COME EARLY A LITTLE BIT OR, YOU KNOW, WE COULD GET SOME OF THAT INFORMATION DOWN AND, AND, AND DO A PRE-READ AND JUST DO A PRE-READ ON OUR, ON OUR OWN IN ORDER TO DO THAT.I MEAN, IF IT, YEAH, IF IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, I COULD EVEN JUST SET UP LIKE A SEPARATE MEETING WITH U FIVE, IT WOULDN'T BE QUORUM, AND THEN I COULD JUST GIVE YOU A BACKGROUND PRESENTATION, LIKE GIVE YOU A PRIMER ON SOME THINGS JUST AS LIKE EDUCATION, THAT WOULD BE, YEAH.
LIKE I, I THINK THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
NOT, NOT TO PUT MORE WORK ON YOUR PLATE, BUT, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR CHRIS, BUT I CERTAINLY, OR, AND OTHERS I DON'T.
SORRY, I FORGET WHO'S ON THE CALL RIGHT NOW.
BUT, UM, THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON OTHER ELEMENTS OF WHAT ZACH PRESENTED IN TERMS OF, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF TOPICS TO COVER OR THE, THE TIMING OF THE MEETING? UM, I, I HEARD FRANCIS SAYING THREE HOURS.
WOULD FOLKS WANNA KEEP IT TO, IF, IF WE'RE KEEPING IT TO THREE HOURS, IS THERE ANY PREFERENCE FOR, YOU KNOW, STARTING AT FIVE OR A REGULAR SIX O'CLOCK START TIME? ALL THE STUFF THAT'S LIKE IN HOUSE TARGET, UH, FRANCIS AND THEN KIRSHA? NO, I WAS JUST SAYING FIVE, FIVE O'CLOCK START WOULD BE GREAT, BUT THAT MAY NOT BE PRACTICAL FOR EVERYBODY, BUT OKAY.
I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST, UM, UH, FIVE 30, LIKE HAVE DINNER, UM, AND THEN START, YOU KNOW, AT SIX AND PEOPLE CAN KIND OF LIKE MAKE THE WAY IN MEETINGS ALWAYS GO BETTER WITH FOOD.
DOES THAT WORK FOR EVERYBODY? UH, THE, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY STARTING A A HALF HOUR EARLIER, AND I GUESS, I DON'T KNOW IF WE EXPLICITLY SAID THIS, BUT THE IDEA IS TO MAKE THIS AN IN-PERSON MEETING.
I DON'T KNOW IF CITY CODE WILL NOW RE REQUIRE US TO HAVE SOME SORT OF VIRTUAL OPTION FOR PEOPLE.
I GUESS WE NEED TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
BUT IN TERMS OF OUR PARTICIPATION, IS THERE ANYBODY THAT HAS AN ISSUE WITH THAT? ALBERTA? CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YEAH.
UM, OKAY, SO NOW I THINK, WHERE WOULD THE MEETING BE KAVA AND BECAUSE, UH, I GUESS IF YOU'VE BEEN FOLLOWING COVID, YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN A RISE IN COVID, UM, CASES HERE AND ELSEWHERE AND ESPECIALLY INDOOR SPACES.
AND WOULD WE BE IN A SPACE THAT COULD ACCOMMODATE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO, UM, HAVE SOME RISK FACTORS? WELL, I, I DON'T THINK THAT WE HAVE A LOCATION SET, BUT I GUESS WE, WE FIRST OF ALL NEED TO FIND OUT WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE REQUIRED TO STILL COMPLY WITH THE HYBRID MEETING REQUIREMENTS, CUZ THAT WILL LIMIT OUR OPTIONS.
BUT I MEAN, THERE IS THIS SPACE THAT WE'RE IN HERE AT AUSTIN, ENERGY IS A VERY LARGE ROOM.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IF THERE'S CONCERN ABOUT SPACE, THAT THIS MIGHT BE A GOOD LOCATION.
AND THE MEETINGS AT PERMIAN DEVELOPMENT CENTER ARE SIMILAR.
I MEAN, LARGE ROOMS LIKE THIS.
LARGE ROOMS THAT HAVE HYBRID CAPABILITY AND I MEAN ON THE, ON THE HYBRID SIDE, I MEAN, EVEN IF WE HAVE TO DO THE WEBEX AND SAY SOME MEMBERS CAN'T BE THERE IN PERSON, MAYBE WE JUST ENCOURAGE AS MANY TO BE IN PERSON AS POSSIBLE.
WE DID A MEETING AT THE, UH, FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
WE DID LIKE A, A SPECIAL MEETING WHERE THEY BROUGHT IN FOOD FROM TACO DELI AND IT WAS AT THE PD C AND YOU KNOW, THEY HAD SOME PEOPLE THAT WERE VIRTUAL, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE THAT SHOWED UP.
SO I DON'T SEE WHY THIS WOULD BE ANY DIFFERENT.
UM, YEAH, I MEAN I THINK EVERYBODY'S GOTTA DO WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO HEALTH WISE.
UM, I THINK I WOULD JUST SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I I I DO A LOT OF REMOTE UH, WORK CUZ IT'S MORE CONVENIENT AND, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH TRAFFIC AND WHATEVER.
AND I, I, I GUESS MY, MY PLEA TO TO EVERYBODY WOULD BE, IF IT'S THOSE SORT OF ISSUES THAT, THAT WOULD MAKE YOU MAYBE WANNA TURN ON THE, TURN ON THE, UH, COMPUTER OR THE CAMERA, UH, INSTEAD OF
[00:30:01]
COMING IN, YOU KNOW, TO TO, ON THIS ONE MEETING TO PLEASE COME IN PERSON IF YOU CAN JUST, CUZ I, I DO THINK THAT WE CAN CONNECT BETTER AND HAVE, HAVE A MORE DYNAMIC CONVERSATION, ESPECIALLY WITH, WITH THE FACILITATOR.UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS TO THAT, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO ACCOMMODATE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THOSE ARE.
I MEAN, I, I THINK WE KIND OF NEED TO, UM, IS MY UNDERSTANDING, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE, WITH THE NEW CITY CODE.
SO, UM, YEAH, MORE AN ASK, NOT A DEMAND THERE.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON THIS TOPIC OR SHOULD WE MOVE ON? WE DID IT OUTDOORS, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD ALWAYS RESOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS
SO THE PROBLEM THERE IS THAT WE, UH, YES, WHAT WHAT HARRIS JUST SAID.
UH, YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK JUST THE REQUIREMENT OF IT BEING RECORDED KIND OF, UH, SORT OF RESTRICTS YOUR OPTIONS OF WHERE YOU CAN HOLD IT.
YEAH, I DID TRY TO BACK, BACK IN THE HEIGHT OF COVID.
I, I DID TRY TO, UM, MAKE IT SO WE COULD HAVE OUR MEETINGS OUTDOORS AND, AND I THINK THAT WE PROBABLY COULD HAVE MADE IT WORK IN TERMS OF HAVING IT RECORDED IN SOME FASHION, BUT, UM, BASICALLY I WAS SHOT DOWN.
UM, SO
UM, MY ONLY, UH, REQUEST TO THE GROUP ON THIS WOULD BE, UM, YOU KNOW, THROUGH OUR OFFICE, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW SOME CONTRACTORS THAT DO, YOU KNOW, FACILITATION, BUT, UH, WE, IF ANYONE ON THE CALL KNOWS ANYBODY THAT DOES FACILITATION, REACH OUT TO ME, SEND ME AN EMAIL, LIKE CONNECT ME WITH SOMEONE.
WE'LL PROBABLY JUST PUT TOGETHER LIKE A VERY SIMPLE SCOPE AND SEND IT OUT TO WHATEVER, WHOEVER I HEAR FROM AND JUST GET PROPOSALS BACK AND LIKE, AND GO WITH SOMEBODY.
I MEAN, THIS IS SMALL ENOUGH DOLLAR VALUE THAT WE DON'T HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE TO DO A BIG COMPETITIVE PROCESS OR ANYTHING.
SO, AND IT'S A PRETTY SMALL JOB.
IT'S PROBABLY LIKE A PLANNING MEETING, DO THE IN-PERSON FACILITATION AND THEN LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF FOLLOW UP.
BUT, UM, IF, IF YOU HAVE OTHER KIND OF IDEAS AROUND THIS, YOU KNOW, UH, WE, WE HAVE A LITTLE TIME, SO FEEL FREE TO, TO REACH OUT TO US.
UH, DIANA AND I WILL BE WORKING WITH ZACH TO, TO GET THAT UNDERWAY, BUT, UM, JANUARY 25TH, 5:30 PM YEP.
IN THE CHAT HERE, KAREN SAID, COULD YOU DO FEBRUARY INSTEAD OF JANUARY? I MEAN, MY PERSONAL FEELING IS THAT WE SHOULD GET THIS DONE SOONER THAN LATER, BUT I GUESS IS THERE A, UM, WHAT'S THE THINKING THERE, KAREN? UH, 25TH IS A TERRIBLE DATE, UH, FOR ME, BUT I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE INVOLVED HERE.
IT WAS JUST A QUESTION OR SOME OTHER DATE IN JANUARY FOR THE WORK GROUP.
UM, I MEAN, LIKE I SAID, WE COULD HAVE THIS BE AN ADDITIONAL MEETING INSTEAD OF REPLACING OUR REGULAR MEETING.
UM, I GUESS I'D, I WOULD REALLY WANNA KNOW THOUGH THAT PEOPLE ARE
UM, ANY THOUGHTS ON JANUARY? JANUARY ITSELF IS NOT BAD.
I'M, I'M NOT, I'M NOT SEEING AN OUTPOURING OF ENTHUSIASM FOR A, AN ADDITIONAL MEETING.
WE WILL TRY TO, UH, GET YOUR ALTERNATE, UH, LINED UP FOR THAT THOUGH.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S HELPFUL TO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU MIGHT NOT BE AVAILABLE.
UM, SO WE CAN YES, WE CAN REACH OUT TO THINK IT'S RANDY, RIGHT? YES, THAT'S RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON WITH OUR AGENDA CUZ WE HAVE, UH, GREAT FOLKS FROM THE CITY, FROM HOUSING AND PLANNING AS WELL AS, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH THAT ARE HERE TO, TO SHARE WHAT THEY'RE, UH, DOING IN RELATION, UH, THAT'S RELEVANT TO THE, THE CLIMATE PLANS.
[2. Housing and Planning Department Implementation of the Climate Equity Plan – Rachel Tepper, Housing and Planning Department (Discussion and/or possible action).]
[00:35:01]
UH, START WITH, UH, RACHEL WITH HOUSING AND PLANNING AND I, I DON'T, YEAH, THERE YOU ARE.AND I WAS JUST WONDERING IF I CAN SHARE MY SCREEN.
IS IT ENABLED? LOOKS LIKE IT IS.
UH, I MEAN, I ALREADY SHARED, BUT IF YOU WANNA SHARE, LET ME, LET ME STOP AND SEE IF YOU JUST CAN, THERE YOU GO.
WELL, GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS.
UM, MY NAME'S RACHEL TEPPER AND I'M A, A PRINCIPAL PLANNER IN THE, THE INCLUSIVE PLANNING DIVISION OF THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
UH, SO TONIGHT I'M GOING TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UPDATE ON THE CLIMATE EQUITY GOALS, UH, RELATED TO THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT, OUR SHORT TERM AND LONG, OUR, OUR SHORT TERM GOALS AND ACTIVITIES THAT FURTHER THE PLAN OBJECTIVES, HOW WE'RE MEASURING SUCCESS AND THE CURRENT EQUITY TOOLS AND INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE UNDERTAKING.
AND I THINK IT'S GONNA BE, I'M TRYING TO DO IT UNDER 10 MINUTES.
UM, SO I MAY BE GOING KIND OF QUICKLY, UH, BUT WE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AT THE END.
UH, JUST IN TERMS OF THE, UM, GOALS THAT, AND STRATEGIES THAT RELATE TO OUR DEPARTMENT.
UM, THE, THE MAIN TWO GOALS ARE, UH, TRANSPORTATION AND LANE USE GOAL ONE, WHICH IS 80% OF NEW NON-RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IS LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY'S ACTIVITY CENTERS AND CORRIDORS.
AND THE STRATEGY FOR THAT IS PLAN FOR COMPLETE COMMUNITIES.
UM, AND THEN THE SECOND GOAL IS THE, IS A HUGE PART OF WHAT WE DO, UM, IN THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS TO, BY 2027, UH, PRESERVE AND PRODUCE 135,000 HOUSING UNITS, INCLUDING 60,000 AFFORDABLE UNITS, UH, WITH 75% OF THOSE NEW UNITS LOCATED WITHIN A HALF MILE OF ACTIVITY CENTERS AND CORRIDORS.
AND THE THREE STRATEGIES THAT, UH, ARE REALLY RELEVANT TO US ARE LISTED BELOW, YOU KNOW, OFFERING HOUSING ASSISTANCE, FUNDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND THEN DOING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, FOR BOTH OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS AND OUR ANTI-DISPLACEMENT PROGRAMS. UH, SO IN TERMS OF THE PLANNING FOR COMPLETE COMMUNITIES, THERE ARE SEVERAL COUNCIL INITIATED PROJECTS, UM, THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
UM, AND I'LL, I'LL LIST THEM HERE, BUT I HAVE LINKS AND RESOURCES, UM, IF YOU WANNA DIVE IN.
UH, BUT, UH, THE FIRST ONE IS THE NORTHEAST AUSTIN DISTRICT PLAN.
THIS IS A 26 SQUARE MILE, UM, PLANNING INITIATIVE, UH, THAT COUNCIL INITIATED.
UH, IT'S OUTLINED IN BLUE ON THE MAP, UH, TO THE RIGHT.
AND, UM, OUR DEPARTMENT, UH, UH, ANTICIPATES INITIATING PLANNING WORK IN 2023.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN, WE DID RELEASE AN R F P, BUT WE DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY COMPLIANT APPLICANTS, SO WE'RE RE-STRATEGIZING, UM, AND WE DO INI UH, INTEND TO INITIATE THE START OF THIS PLAN.
UH, THE OTHER ONE THAT WE'RE IN THE THRUST OF NOW IS THE EQUITABLE TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE.
UM, AND THIS IS IN COLLABORATION WITH CAPITAL METRO.
UM, THIS, UH, IF YOU WANNA LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS, THIS PROJECT, IT'S AVAILABLE ON SPEAK UP AUSTIN.
UM, AND, UH, WE JUST RECENTLY SHARED THE DRAFT POLICY PLAN, UM, FOR PUBLIC REVIEW.
AND LAST WEEK COUNCIL, UM, UH, COUNCIL INITIATED WORK ON THE TWO STATIONS THAT ARE SHOWN IN ORANGE ON THIS MAP.
UM, SO THESE ARE ALL THE PROJECT CONNECT STATIONS, AND THESE ARE ALL, UM, KIND OF SHOWING A LITTLE BIT OF A BUFFER AROUND THOSE STATION AREAS.
AND COUNCIL INITIATED PLANNING WORK ON THE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER, AS WELL AS THE SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER, SO NORTH AND SOUTH OF THE ORANGE LINE.
UM, AND, UH, COUNSEL ALSO POSTPONED THE POLICY PLAN FOR CONSIDERATION IN FEBRUARY.
UM, AND SO IF YOU WANNA TAKE A LOOK AT THAT POLICY PLAN, IT IS AVAILABLE ON SPEAKUP AUSTIN, UM, DOT ORG.
AND THE OTH, UM, A COUPLE OTHER INITIATIVES, PLANNING INITIATIVES WE HAVE GOING ON NOW ARE A DISTRICT LEVEL PLANNING PROCESS THAT WAS INITIATED, COUNCIL INITIATED, UM, STAFF TO DEVELOP AN DISTRICT LEVEL PLANNING PROCESS.
AND WE ANTICIPATE SENDING THAT FIRST DRAFT OF WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE TO COUNCIL IN EARLY 2023.
[00:40:03]
AND THEN THE LAST PLANNING INITIATIVE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, UM, WE'RE SORT OF AT THE TAIL END OF IS THE PALM DISTRICT PLANNING INITIATIVE, AND THIS IS FOR THE EASTERN PORTION OF DOWNTOWN.YOU CAN SEE IT HIGHLIGHTED IN THE MAP IN PURPLE.
UH, AND THIS IS, UH, UH, THE PUBLIC REVIEW OF THE DRAFT PLAN WAS PRESENTED IN OCTOBER OF 2022, AND COUNSEL WILL TAKE UP THE FIRST READING OF ADOPTION OF THAT PLAN IN FEBRUARY.
SO THESE ARE PLANNING PROJECTS WE HAVE ACTIVELY GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AFTER THIS PRESENTATION, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS OR POINT YOU TO MORE, UH, RESOURCES ON THESE PROJECTS.
UM, BUT IN ADDITION TO THE PLANNING EFFORTS, THE OTHER SIDE OF HOUSING AND PLANNING IS THE HOUSING SIDE.
AND SO WE ARE, UM, AS FAR AS GOAL TWO GOES OF, OF BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, ONE OF THE STRATEGY ONE, UM, IS ABOUT OFFERING IMMEDIATE HOUSING ASSISTANCE.
AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING OUR DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN DOING, UM, ESPECIALLY THROUGH C O V I D.
UH, WE GOT A LOT OF MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO GIVE OUT RENTAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE, AND WE ACTUALLY GAVE OUT, UM, FROM 2020 TO 2022 76 MILLION IN RENTAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE.
UM, WE GOT SO EFFECTIVE AT GET GETTING RENTAL ASSISTANCE OUT, UM, THE COUNCIL AS PART OF THE FISCAL, UH, FISCAL YEAR 2023 DESIGNATED 8 MILLION, UM, TO CONTINUE PROVIDING DIRECT RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
UM, AND THAT'S BEEN BUDGETED AND WE ANTICIPATE IT GOING THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS AND BEING AVAILABLE IN SUMMER 2023.
UM, IN ADDITION TO DIRECT KIND OF HOUSING ASSISTANCE, WE ALSO SUBSIDIZE THE CONSTRUCTION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND THAT IS PRIMARILY DONE THROUGH OUR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
AND THIS IS GAP FINANCING FOR OWNERSHIP.
SO BUILDING CONDOMINIUMS OR OWNERSHIP UNITS, AS WELL AS BUILDING RENTAL, UH, UNITS AT, UM, AFFORDABILITY LEVELS, UH, BELOW, UH, 50%, UH, MEDIUM FAMILY INCOME.
AND YOU CAN, UH, SEE FROM THIS, UM, GRAPH THAT IN THE, THE PAST FISCAL YEAR 21 TO 22, THE DEPARTMENT SUBSIDIZED THE DEVELOPMENT OF OVER 700 UNITS, UH, USING THE 2018 AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOND FUNDS PROJECT CONNECT ANTI-DISPLACEMENT FUNDS, AS WELL AS HOUSING TRUST FUNDS AND FEDERAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE.
UM, AND THESE TWO MAPS ILLUSTRATE THE PIPELINE OF CONSTRUCTED AND PENDING RENTAL HOUSING AND OWNERSHIP HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE.
SO THE CHART ON THE LEFT IS THE RENTAL HOUSING, AND YOU CAN SEE WE'VE SUBSIDIZED OVER 1800 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING WITH ANOTHER 1300 IN THE PIPELINE.
AND THEN, UH, WE SUB, WE SUBSIDIZED AROUND 200 AFFORDABLE UNITS WITH ANOTHER 300 IN THE PIPELINE.
UM, BUT WE KNOW THAT THE COST OR, UM, TO CLOSE THE GAP IN LOW INCOME HOUSING IN AUSTIN WAS ED ESTIMATED THAT 11 BILLION BACK WHEN THE, UM, AUSTIN STRATEGIC HOUSING BLUEPRINT WAS ADOPTED IN 2017.
AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT'S, THAT THAT NUMBER'S, YOU KNOW, GONE UP DRASTICALLY, UH, SINCE THEN.
UM, AND SO WE, WE KNOW THAT SUBSIDIES ALONE, UH, WON'T MEET OUR GOALS OF 60,000 AFFORDABLE UNITS, UH, WHICH IS WHY WE ALSO FACILITATE THE CONSTRUCTION OF AFFORDABLE UNITS THROUGH VOLUNTARY DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS THAT OFFER DEVELOPMENT ENTITLEMENTS LIKE EXTRA HEIGHT AND EXCHANGE FOR AFFORDABLE UNITS.
UM, THIS MAP ON THE, ON THE SCREEN SHOWS THE DIFFERENT DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS. WE'VE REC JUST RECENTLY COUNSEL ADOPTED TWO, UM, KIND OF CODE UPDATES, UM, ONE THAT ALLOWS RESIDENTIAL IN COMMERCIAL, UM, ZONING DISTRICTS IF THEY DO, UH, DENSITY BONUS, UH, YOU KNOW, AFFORDABLE UNIT SET ASIDE.
AND THEN, UM, WE ALSO, UH, HAD, UH, RELAXATION OF COMPATIBILITY REGULATIONS, UM, BUT THE, WITH THE ATTENTION OF MAKING THESE PROGRAMS, PARTICULARLY THE VERTICAL MIXED USE DENSITY PROGRAM E EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE AT, AT MAXIMIZING AFFORDABLE UNITS.
UM, UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, WE
[00:45:01]
HAVE, UM, DISPLACEMENT PREVENTION DOLLARS.UM, ONE, ONE OF WHICH, AND THIS IN THIS SORT OF ALIGNS WITH THE GOAL OF STRATEGY THREE, WHICH IS ENHANCING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ANTI-DISPLACEMENT.
AND SO THE 2022 TO 23, UM, BUDGET, UM, THAT THAT WAS PASSED IN OCTOBER, UM, ALLOCATED $360,000 TO LAUNCH A DISPLACEMENT PREVENTION NAVIGATOR'S PILOT PROGRAM IN 2023.
AND THE IDEA OF THIS PROGRAM IS THAT IT, IT, IT WILL HELP COMMUNITY MEMBERS NAVIGATE THE VARIOUS SERVICES AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, THAT'S AVAILABLE IN, IN A MORE OF A ONE-STOP SHOP KIND OF WAY.
UM, RATHER BECAUSE WE DO KNOW THAT MONEY'S IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES AND IT, IT CAN BE A, A IT CAN BE VERY TRICKY TO NAVIGATE.
AND THEN ANOTHER, UM, INITIATIVE OR, UM, KIND OF MILESTONE FOR THIS KIND OF WORK WAS ON SEPTEMBER 29TH, 2022.
UM, THE CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZED NEGOTIATION OF VARIOUS AGREEMENTS WITH 14 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS.
UM, AND THIS WAS THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY INITIATED SOLUTIONS GRANT PROGRAM, AND IT WAS SPECIFICALLY FOR, UM, ORGANIZATIONS DOING WORK, UM, IN AREAS OF DISPLACEMENT RISK, UH, WITHIN ONE MILE OF PROJECT CONNECT LINES AND STATIONS.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY WE ARE DOING SOME ENGAGEMENT FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF PROJECT CONNECT ANTI-DISPLACEMENT FUNDS, UM, WHICH WILL KIND OF BE IN THREE YEAR INCREMENTS.
AND SO THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF, UM, WHICH IS A, UH, ADVISORY BOARD TO THE AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION PARTNERSHIP, WHICH WE'LL BE BUILDING PROJECT CONNECT, UM, THEY, ALONG WITH STAFF HAVE BEEN CONDUCTING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, MEETINGS TO SET PRIORITIES FOR THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT FUNDS FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
AND YOU CAN DEFINITELY SEE HERE THAT FROM THE PEOPLE THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM, UM, GOAL ONE OF EXPANDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE MOST IN NEED IS OVERWHELMINGLY, UH, THE HIGH PRIORITY, UM, FROM THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT, UM, THAT WE'VE MET WITH.
AND THIS IS JUST A REPRESENTATION OF, UM, DEMOGRAPHIC DATA FOR THOSE WHO WERE PARTICIPATED OR, OR WHO RE WHO PRE-REGISTERED, UM, AND, AND SHARED THEIR, UH, DEMOGRAPHICS.
AND, AND FINALLY SORT OF WE'RE GETTING TOWARDS THE END HERE, UM, HOW WE MEASURE SUCCESS.
UH, SO OVERALL, UM, ONE OF THE SUCCESS MEASURES THAT WE USE AS A, AS A DEPARTMENT IS OUR ANNUAL AUSTIN STRATEGIC HOUSING BLUEPRINT SCORECARDS.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE THIS DONE BY A THIRD PARTY TO ENSURE ACCOUNTABILITY.
UH, SO HOUSING WORKS, UM, ANNUALLY MEASURES THE NUMBER OF UNITS BUILT AND WHETHER WE'RE ON TRACK TO MEET THE AMBITIOUS GOAL OF, UM, BUILDING, UH, 60,000 AFFORDABLE UNITS, UM, AND 135,000, UH, HOUSING UNITS.
AND, AND, UM, THIS TWO, THE, THE MOST RECENT SCORECARD WE HAVE IS LOOKING AT 2021.
WHEN 2022 COMPLETES, THEY'LL GET STARTED ON THE 2022 SCORECARD.
UM, BUT IN 2021, THEY FOUND WE ARE, WE ARE DEFINITELY FALLING SHORT, SO WE'RE NOT ON TRACK OF MEETING OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRODUCTION GOALS.
SO YOU SAW THOSE NUMBERS AND WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, UM, UNDER 10,000, UH, OVERALL AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, LESS THAN THAT.
UM, BUT OVERALL IN THE PIPELINE WE HAVE ABOUT 10,000 AND WE HAVE TO GET TO 60,000 BY 2027, RIGHT? SO WE KNOW WE'RE NOT ON TRACK FOR THAT.
YOU CAN KIND OF SEE IT IN THE, THE GRAPHICS HERE.
UM, BUT THERE'S MORE IN THESE SCORECARDS.
HOWEVER, WE CONTINUE TO MEET OUR GOAL OF LOCATING THESE UNITS WITHIN, UM, OR AT LEAST 75% OF THESE UNITS WITHIN A HALF MILE LEFT CENTERS, UM, AND CORRIDOR.
UM, AND WE ARE ALSO ON TRACK TO MEETING OUR GOALS AT LEAST OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS IN BUILDING, UM, MIDDLE AND HIGH INCOME HOMES.
SO WHILE WE KNOW WE'RE NOT MEETING OUR GOALS WITH AFFORDABLE HOMES, UM, AT LEAST OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, OUR PRODUCTION GOALS HAVE BEEN PRETTY, UM, HAVE BEEN ON TRACK FOR ACHIEVING THOSE GOALS FOR, UM, MIDDLE AND HIGH INCOME, UM, HOMES.
[00:50:01]
AND THEN, UM, ANOTHER PIECE THAT, UH, WHAT WAS TALKED ABOUT IN THE SCORECARD THAT I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT IS THAT WE ALSO HAVE GOT, UM, HAVE GOTTEN BETTER AT PRESERVING UNITS.SO IN 2021, WE PRESERVED 1500 UNITS, AND THAT'S THE MOST PRESERVED IN A SINGLE YEAR.
AND A LOT OF THAT WAS BECAUSE OF THE WORK WE DID, UM, UH, WITH THE COMMUNITY ON PROJECT CONNECT, AND PARTICULARLY ANTI-DISPLACEMENT AND EQUITY INITIATIVES WHERE PRESERVING UNIT WAS PRESERVING EXISTING UNITS, ESPECIALLY AROUND TRANSIT, UM, AND POTENTIALLY TRANSIT ORIENTED PLACES, UM, THAT WOULD BE, BE IMPACTED BY THE PROJECT CONNECT INVESTMENTS, UM, WAS WAS A REAL PRIORITY.
AND, AND THE, UM, AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION HAS REALLY TAKEN TO THAT, UM, UH, GOAL AND HAS ACQUIRED PROPERTY, UM, IN THOSE AREAS.
AND I GUESS I'LL CLOSE BY ASK, UH, SHARING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR EQUITY INITIATIVES.
UM, AND ONE I WAS JUST MENTIONING WAS WORKING ON THE RACIAL EQUITY AND ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TOOL AND MATH SERIES.
AND THIS, THESE DOCUMENTS WERE DEVELOPED WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WERE PA, YOU KNOW, COMPENSATED COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND, UM, THE, THE KIND OF GUIDELINES AND, UH, DIRECTIVES FROM THIS DOCUMENT HAVE INFORMED HOW WE SPENT, HOW WE HAVE SPENT AND CONTINUE TO SPEND THE PROJECT CONNECT ANTI-DISPLACEMENT, UH, FUNDS IN TERM AND IDENTIFYING THE PRIORITY, UM, PEOPLE, PLACES AND PURPOSES FOR THOSE FUNDS.
UM, AND THE GOALS OF THE EQUITABLE TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT I MENTIONED AT THE TOP OF THE PRESENTATION, AND ALSO BECAUSE WE ARE A MERGED DEPARTMENT, UM, WE MERGED THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT OR THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING COMMUNITY, NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE OLD NAME.
UM, BUT THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AND THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT ESSENTIALLY MERGED IN 2020.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE'RE ACTUALLY WORKING ON A NEW, WE'RE UNDERGOING, UM, A NEW EQUITY ACTION PLAN.
AND RIGHT NOW WE, WE HAVE AN EQUITY ACTION TEAM FOR OUR MERGE DEPARTMENT, AND THEY'RE COMPLETING AN EQUITY ASSESSMENT TOOL, UH, IN COLLABORATION WITH EQUITY OFFICE AND THAT TOOL IN THE LATER STEPS, IT'S LATER THIS YEAR, UH, WILL, UM, PRODUCE AN EQUITY ACTION AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AS OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAVE.
AND, UM, YOU CAN SEE THOSE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, UM, IMPLEMENTATION PLANS ON THE EQUITY OFFICE'S DASHBOARD.
SO OURS IS IN PROCESS BECAUSE WE'RE A MERGE DEPARTMENT, BUT THAT ALL THAT WORK IS UNDERWAY.
AND THAT'S THE END OF MY PRESENTATION.
UM, BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I, I HAVE, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS, BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM OTHERS FIRST.
MAYBE WE CAN, CAN YOU STOP SHARING SO I CAN SEE MORE FOLKS ON THE SCREEN? YEAH, ALBERTA, GO AHEAD.
I'M SORRY, I'VE BEEN COUGHING, BUT I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT THAT YOU, YOU HAVE, MAYBE I MISSED THAT FIGURE FOR ANTI-DISPLACEMENT INITIATIVES.
SO, UM, FOR THE PROJECT CONNECT ANTI-DISPLACEMENT INITIATIVES, SO THERE WERE, TH THERE WAS 300 MILLION ALLOCATED, UM, OVER THE COURSE OF, UM, THE PROJECT CONNECT INVESTMENT, WHICH THEY ANTICIPATE THAT TO BE OVER 13 YEARS.
UM, BUT WE ONLY GET IT IN, UM, LIKE, UH, UH, SPECIFIC AMOUNTS.
AND SO WE HAVE THE, THE FIRST TWO YEARS WAS 65 MILLION, SO 20 20, 20 21, AND 2022, I GUESS IT'S THREE YEARS, UM, WAS 65 MILLION.
AND THE NEXT THREE YEARS IT'S GONNA BE 75 MILLION.
UM, AND THAT'S WHAT'S CURRENTLY BEING PLANNED FOR.
AND WERE YOU, WERE YOU SAYING THAT THAT THE MOST, MOST OF THAT, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THAT IS GOING TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR TO STAY THAT WITH PEOPLE OR IN THEIR HOMES WHERE THEY ARE? OR, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET AN IDEA OF WHAT ANTI-DISPLACEMENT ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE.
SO, UM, THAT'S ACTUALLY THAT THOSE DISCUSSIONS ARE AC ARE HAPPENING NOW WITH THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND THEY DID SOME ENGAGEMENT IN THE FALL, AND YOU SAW SOME OF THE PREFERENCES FROM THE PEOPLE THAT THEY SPOKE TO ABOUT AFFORDABLE
[00:55:01]
HOUSING AND, AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR CREATING MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE WAS THE PRIORITY WITH THAT STAKEHOLDER GROUP.UM, BUT IT'S NOT THE ONLY PRIORITY THAT'S BEING CONSIDERED.
AND SO IF YOU WANNA GET INVOLVED WITH THAT, I WOULD RECOMMEND, UM, YOU KNOW, PAYING ATTENTION TO THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UM, AS THEY'RE CURRENTLY DISCUSSING AND TRYING TO SET PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF FUNDING.
I'LL SAY FOR THE PREVIOUS ROUND OF FUNDING, IT WAS NOT AN, AN EVEN SPLIT, OR IT WASN'T, UH, UM, THE, THE WAY THE 2020 TO 2022 FUNDS WERE USED, 20 MILLION WAS SPENT ON COMMUNITY INITIATED SOLUTIONS THAT RANGE FROM A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF SERVICES.
UM, AND 20 MILLION WAS SPENT ON LAND ACQUISITION.
A LOT OF IT WAS PRESERVING EXISTING UNITS, AND THEN 20 WAS SPENT ON THESE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE DOLLARS.
YEAH, I DON'T WANNA GET TOO FAR INTO THIS, AND THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THE QUESTION.
IT'S JUST THAT, UM, WE OFTEN HEAR ABOUT ANTI-DISPLACEMENT AND STILL THE TREND REALLY CONTINUES, SO THANK YOU.
GOOD QUESTION ALBERTA OTHERS? ANNA? HI, RACHEL, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THAT, THAT PRESENTATION.
AND TH AND THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL THE WORK THAT, THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING.
MY QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE, YOU'VE GONE THROUGH AND I'VE, I'VE JUST PULLED UP THE, THE, UM, THE SCORECARD AND IT'S, IT'S REALLY GREAT AND HELPFUL.
YOU KNOW, SOME GOALS LOOK REALLY GREAT FOR THE GOALS IN WHICH YOU'RE FALLING BEHIND.
WHAT IS YOUR PROCESS LIKE? WHERE DO YOU GO FROM THERE? YOU KNOW, NOW YOU KNOW YOU'VE GOT THE SCORE, NOW WHAT? YEAH, GREAT QUESTION.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS FAST AS WE CAN, I'LL SAY.
UM, BUT THERE ARE, BUT WE, WE ARE CERTAINLY UP AGAINST CHALLENGES, OBVIOUSLY THE COST TO BUILD HOUSING, I MEAN, WE'RE EXPERIENCING THE SAME, UH, YOU KNOW, THING THAT, YOU KNOW, HOMEOWNERS AND, AND DEVELOPERS ARE EXPERIENCING WITH INFLATION AND, AND, UH, WITH EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO, UM, EVEN EMPLOYEE, YOU KNOW, SHORTAGES AND STUFF LIKE THAT IS IMPACTING THE, THE, THE RATE AT WHICH WE CAN PRODUCE HOMES.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, AND THERE'S BEEN LOTS OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT, UM, THE COMPLEXITY AND, AND EVEN AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS ARE, AND SOMETIMES ESPECIALLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS ARE, UM, ARE STRUGGLING WITH THE COMPLEXITY OF THE CODE AS THEY'RE TRYING TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL AND STATE, UM, FUNDING REG.
UH, THEY'LL HAVE, THEY HAVE ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS TIED TO THEIR FED, FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING THAT, UM, IT JUST COMPOUNDS THE COMPLEXITY.
SO I THINK, UM, WE CONTINUE TO UPDATE OUR GUIDELINES AND WE'RE ALSO TR TRYING TO UPDATE THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE IN, IN PIECES, UM, BECAUSE OUR OVERHAUL, THE, UM, IF YOU WERE FOLLOWING KIND OF IN 2020, WE WERE GOING TO BE UPDATING OUR, OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE COMPREHENSIVELY.
UM, BUT THAT WAS CHALLENGED IN COURT.
AND SO WE ARE, UM, NOT, WE'RE NOT GOING THAT ROUTE AND WE'RE, AND TED'S TAKING MORE INCREMENTAL STEPS, UM, BUT THAT'S CERTAINLY GONNA SLOW OUR ABILITY TO BUILD MORE HOUSING.
UM, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT HOW THE, UM, HOUSING PLAN TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE NEED FOR AGRICULTURAL, URBAN AGRICULTURAL LAND, UM, AND THE LOSS OF URBAN AGRICULTURAL LAND IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AS WE'RE KIND OF ACQUIRING, UM, LAND FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE OBVIOUSLY NEED AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS IF THAT AGRICULTURAL PIECE IS CONSIDERED.
AND THEN SECOND QUESTION ALSO RELATED TO FOOD, UM, WHEN THOSE UNITS ARE BEING BUILT, WHAT CONSIDERATION IS TAKEN REGARDING ACCESS TO GROCERY STORES AND OTHER HEALTHY FOOD, UM, IN TERMS OF THE CHOICE ABOUT WHERE THOSE UNITS ARE PLACED? SURE.
GREAT QUESTIONS ON THE FIRST POINT, YOU KNOW, IT'S IN OUR STRATEGIC HOUSING BLUEPRINT AS WELL AS IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE CITY OF IMAGINE AUSTIN TO FOCUS DEVELOPMENT WHERE
[01:00:01]
IT MAKES SENSE, WHICH IS IN CENTERS AND CORRIDORS.AND SO HOPEFULLY BY THAT AS THE SORT OF LAND USE GUIDANCE, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT REDEVELOPING FARMLAND ON THE EDGES OF THE CITY.
UM, AND SO THAT I WOULD SAY IS THE, THE MAJOR DIRECTIVE IS TO FOCUS ON, UM, YOU KNOW, EVEN THESE MOST RECENT CODE UPDATES ARE CODE CHANGES, SENSOR, INCENTIVIZE, YOU KNOW, DENSITY BONUSES.
THOSE ARE ALONG CORE TRANSIT CORRIDORS LIKE PROJECT CONNECT.
UM, WHILE WE DON'T, WHILE I'M NOT AWARE OF SPECIFIC POLICY IN REGARDS TO AGRICULTURAL LAND, I CAN SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR FOCUS IS ON BUILDING WHERE WE ALREADY ALLOW DEVELOPMENT AND WHERE IT MAKES SENSE.
UM, AND THEN YOUR SECOND QUESTION IS, UM, AROUND KIND OF FRESH FOOD, FRESH AND AFFORDABLE FOOD ACCESS.
UM, THAT, UH, IS CERTAINLY A CRITERIA THAT IS LOOKED AT FOR RENTAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS OTHER, YOU KNOW, CRITERIA THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST ONE ELEMENT, BUT LOCATION TO, UM, FRESH AND AFFORDABLE FOOD IS, IS ONE ELEMENT THAT'S CONSIDERED IN, UM, PRIORITIZING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE DOLLARS.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE IF THEY'RE NOT ALREADY YOU OR SOMEONE FROM YOUR TEAM TO CONNECT WITH THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY BECAUSE THEY ARE ACTUALLY ACTIVELY LOOKING TOWARD AUSTIN'S LAND THAT IT OWNS, PARTICULARLY MAYBE FLOODPLAINS, UM, THAT ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR BUILDING UNITS, BUT EVEN ONES THAT ARE PARTIALLY FLOODPLAIN TO, UM, PILOT THEM FOR URBAN AGRICULTURE MORE IN THE CITY CORE.
SO THERE ARE EFFORTS BEING MADE, AND I DON'T, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT AT CROSS PURPOSES IF THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, BOTH TRYING TO COMPETE FOR THAT OR MAYBE COULD EVEN WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE GARDENS OR WHATEVER WITHIN ANY BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES.
THANK YOU, MELISSA, YOU, I WAS LOOKING AT YOUR SLIDE ABOUT YOUR RECENT ENGAGEMENT FOR RECENT ENGAGEMENT FOR FALL 2022, AND I'M KIND OF CURIOUS ABOUT THE ASSISTING AND SUPPORTING HOMEOWNERS.
SO THE PROCESS ON HOW PEOPLE WILL APPLY FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE, OR IF THEY WANNA APPLY FOR ONE OF THE LOW INCOME UNITS AT THE APARTMENT COMPLEXES OR THE CONDOS THAT THAT PROCESS CAN SOMETIMES, I'M ASSUMING, BE INTIMIDATING FOR SOME FOLKS AND POTENTIALLY DISCOURAGING THEM FROM APPLYING OR EVEN TRYING TO SEEK OUT HELP.
AND THE PARTICIPANTS YOU GOT FOR THE VOTING WAS 56 PEOPLE, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD NECESSARILY BE A MATCH FOR THE DEMOGRAPHIC THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE NEEDING THIS TYPE OF ASSISTANCE.
UM, SO HOW, HOW ARE YOU GUYS LIKE RATIONALIZING, UM, HOW YOU CAN SEEK OUT PEOPLE THAT WOULD NEED THIS ASSISTANCE THAT MAY NOT FEEL CONFIDENT IN, IN SEEKING IT OUT OR KNOW EVEN WHERE TO GO TO SEEK IT OUT? YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT, THAT'S A GREAT POINT AND A GREAT QUESTION, AND IT'S ACTUALLY WHY COUNCIL HAS DIRECTED US TO, TO WORK ON THE DISPLACEMENT NAVIGATORS PROGRAM.
IT'S INTENDED TO FILL THAT GAP, IT'S KIND OF MODELING, UM, A PROGRAM IN PUBLIC HEALTH, BUT IT'S, THE INTENTION IS REALLY TO, UM, HAVE, UM, PEOPLE THAT GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE FROM THE, THAT YOU KNOW, THAT HA ALREADY HAVE CONNECTIONS WITH, YOU KNOW, WITHIN AREAS OF DISPLACEMENT RISK, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UM, QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DATA THAT CAN KIND OF HELP US FIGURE OUT WHERE THOSE, WHERE, WHERE THAT IS.
BUT NOBODY KNOWS BETTER THAN THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THEMSELVES WHO ARE EXPERIENCING IT.
UM, SO THAT DISPLACEMENT PREVENTION NAVIGATORS PROGRAM, WELL, I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF THE DETAILS RIGHT NOW, THAT IS THE INTENTION OF IT, IS TO FILL THAT GAP AND RECOGNIZING THERE IS A VOID BETWEEN, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST CITY STAFF JUST HAVING MEETINGS AND, UM, THE, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING THE, YOU KNOW, DISPLACEMENT AND THE VARIOUS WAYS THAT IT SHOWS UP AND, AND KNOWING HOW TO ACCESS RESOURCES OR, OR WHO TO TALK TO IN, IN THE LANGUAGES THAT THEY SPEAK.
UM, SO THAT'S THE INTENTION OF THAT PROGRAM.
UM, SO FOR THE LAST POINT THAT WE BROUGHT UP, I WOULD JUST, YOU KNOW, POINT OUT THAT, UH, FROM WHAT I
[01:05:01]
UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, DURING THE WHOLE C O V D LOCKDOWN ERA, AND I'M ASSUME THIS PROGRESS, THIS PROGRAM CONTINUES, YOU KNOW, WE, THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS SORT OF DONE LIKE RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UH, APPLICATION STUFF.SO MAYBE REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE APPLIED FOR THAT, RIGHT? WHETHER THEY WERE ACCEPTED OR THEIR, YOU KNOW, APPLICATION WASN'T ACCEPTED FOR WHATEVER REASON, HAVING THAT KIND OF OUTREACH, BEING LIKE, HEY, WHAT WAS YOUR PROCESS LIKE? WHAT WERE THE PAIN POINTS? WHERE CAN WE IMPROVE? RIGHT? STUFF LIKE THAT.
I THINK THAT WOULD DEFINITELY BE A GREAT SOURCE, UH, TO REACH PEOPLE AND SEE WHAT WORKS, WHAT DOESN'T.
UM, MY QUESTION WAS, SO ON ONE OF THE SLIDES, I FORGET WHICH ONE, I THINK IT WAS THE ONE ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, SORT OF PROJECT CONNECT ANTI-DISPLACEMENT STUFF.
I SAW THIS ONE PHRASE WHERE, YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO SORT OF, YOU KNOW, ANTI-DISPLACEMENT EFFORTS THROUGH AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE WOULD BE PROVIDING LIKE ECONOMIC MOBILITY OPPORTUNITIES.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THAT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS KIND OF LIKE A VAGUE PHRASE WHERE IT WAS LIKE, THIS SOUNDS GOOD, BUT I DON'T ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IN REAL LIFE THIS TRANSLATES TO.
ALSO APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION, RACHEL.
I'M TRYING TO GO BACK TO THE SLIDE THAT HAD, IT WAS, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE, UM, THE GOALS.
UM, YEAH, I THINK IT WAS LIKE THE THIRD TO LAST OR FOURTH TO LAST, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, LET'S SEE, WE HAVE, OH, WAS IT, UM, PROVIDE SERVICES TO RESIDENTS AND PRESERVE LOCAL BUSINESSES? YEAH, I THINK, UH, I THINK SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, I THINK, SO THERE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHO'S GOING TO BE IMPACTED FOR, FROM PROJECT CONNECT KIND OF DIRECTLY, UM, THE, THE BUSINESSES, THEY, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF LIKE THE PROJECT CONNECT WILL LIKELY NEED RIGHT OF WAY, AND THEY MAY END UP BUYING RIGHT OF WAY FROM, FROM, IF YOU THINK ABOUT LIKE NORTH LAMAR OR SOUTH, UM, SOUTH CONGRESS, THERE MAY BE INSTANCES WHERE THEY HAVE TO EXPAND THE ROADWAY POTENTIALLY AND, AND BUY PORTIONS OF LIKE THE, A PARKING LOT.
UM, BUT THAT MIGHT IMPACT THE OVERALL BUS, UH, BUSINESS.
AND IF THAT BUSINESS IS RENTING, UM, THAT COULD HAVE IMPACTS OF THAT BUSINESS'S ABILITY TO STAY.
UM, AND SO BECAUSE WHILE RESIDENCES HAVE, UM, BEEN CONSIDERED HIGHER PRIORITY, UM, BECAUSE IN TERMS OF, UM, DISPLACEMENT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, UH, THE FACT THAT IT'S IN THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, I THINK HAS REALLY MADE IT ITS FOCUS TO MAKE SURE RESIDENTS, RESIDENTS CAN STAY.
UM, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT, THAT THROUGH PROJECT CONNECT THAT, UM, THAT IT'S, IT'S GONNA LIKELY AFFECT THESE CORRIDORS WHERE EXISTING BUSINESSES ARE.
AND SO ONE OF THE GOALS THAT WAS BEING CONSIDERED AND UM, IS BEING CONSIDERED BY THE CAC IS, UM, UH, PRESERVING THOSE LOCAL BUSINESSES.
UM, AND I'M HONESTLY NOT SURE WHAT PROVIDING SERVICES TO RESIDENCES MEAN, BUT I THINK IT IS, UM, I, CUZ I WASN'T TOTALLY INVOLVED IN THIS AND I'M SORT OF SHARING FOR THE WHOLE DE DEPARTMENT, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S PROBABLY SERVICES THAT ARE, THAT GO BEYOND, UM, HOUSING SERVICES, SO CHILDCARE AND OTHER, OTHER EX HOUSEHOLD, UH, EXPENSES THAT WE KNOW DO IMPACT DISPLACEMENT BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST HOUSING.
UM, THAT REALLY, UM, IMPACTS PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO STAY.
YEAH, THAT TOTALLY MAKES SENSE.
YOU KNOW, I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE COME INTO PLAZA SALTILLO OR, YOU KNOW, MLK JR.
UH, I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY SUSPECTED BEST TO SAY THAT THESE, YOU KNOW, THE NEW BUSINESSES AROUND THE AREA ARE, UH, DIVERSE.
SO I THINK SORT OF TRYING TO PRESERVE DIVERSITY, YOU KNOW, IN THESE PLACES THAT'LL BE IMPACTED BY PROJECT CONNECT.
NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, FROM LIKE A, A RESIDENTIAL PERSPECTIVE, BUT ALSO FROM A COMMERCIAL PERSPECTIVE, I THINK IS, UH, IMPORTANT.
I APPRECIATE THIS PRESENTATION.
UM, AND THIS IS AN AREA WHERE I, I DON'T HAVE ANY DEEP EXPERTISE, SO IF THIS IS A SILLY QUESTION, SORRY.
BUT CAN YOU JUST, UM, DESCRIBE A LITTLE BIT MORE WHAT, WHAT THE KIND OF GOAL OF THESE DISTRICT PLANS IS? UM, AND I'M PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN THE, THE NORTHEAST AUSTIN DISTRICT PLAN, SINCE THAT ONE SEEMS LIKE A REALLY, UH, LARGE AREA AND IT'S UPCOMING.
YEAH, SO THAT ONE, I MEAN THE, UH, THE COUNCIL RESOLUTION FOR THAT IS LINKED IN THE, IN THE COPY OF THE PRESENTATION THAT HOPEFULLY ROJA CAN
[01:10:01]
GET FOR YOU.THAT DOES EXPLAIN EXPLICITLY THE OBJECTIVES, UM, AND THE DIRECTIVES.
BUT, UM, IN SUMMARY, BASICALLY THE LAND USE PATTERN IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN AND EVEN THE ROADWAYS ARE, UM, ARE LESS DEVELOPED.
UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S AN AREA THAT NOT ONLY HAS HISTORICALLY, UM, BEEN DISINVESTED IN BY THE CITY, UM, GOING BACK TO A LOT OF, UM, RACIST PLANNING, UH, STARTING WITH OUR 1928 PLAN AND, UM, YOU KNOW, LOCATION OF INDUSTRIAL USES, UM, AND, AND, UM, KIND OF LACK OF ATTENTION TO SERVICES.
AND SO THE NORTHEAST PLAN, UM, WAS INITIATED, UM, BY, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, OR DIRECTED STAFF TO REALLY LOOK AT THIS WHOLE AREA COMPREHENSIVELY, BUT NOT IN A PIECE MEAL WAY, UM, TO TRY TO, UM, DEVELOP A LAND USE PATTERN AND EVEN ROADWAY NETWORKS AND PLAN FOR THE EVENTUAL GREEN LINE, WHICH IS A PROJECT CONNECT INVESTMENT.
UM, AND TO THINK ABOUT KIND OF, UM, A VARIETY OF, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST THE LAND USE PATTERN, WHICH WOULD ULTIMATELY, UM, REFLECT IT, YOU KNOW, AND CITY GOV AND CITY POLICIES AND ZONING.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS TO ENCOURAGE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND, YOU KNOW, INVESTMENTS FUTURE, UM, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
PLANNING KIND OF RUNS THE GAMUT IN TERMS OF POLICIES, PROJECTS, AND PROGRAMS. UM, BUT THE IDEA IS TO REALLY, UM, PLAN FOR A, IN THIS CASE IT'S A VERY LARGE AREA, UM, AND, BUT CREATE SOME COHESION, UM, AND, UH, OBJECTIVES FOR THE AREA SO THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE KIND OF AD HOC DEVELOPMENT, WHICH WAS SOMETHING THAT THE COUNCIL WAS SEEING WITH ZONING CASES, UM, WHERE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S DISPLACEMENT OF MOBILE HOMES AND, UM, KIND OF LAND USES THAT MIGHT NOT MAKE SENSE NEAR TRANSIT STATIONS, LIKE INDUSTRIAL LAND USES COMING IN RIGHT NEAR WHERE A PRO, UH, PROPOSED, UM, TRANSIT STATION FOR THE GREEN LINE, UH, WAS GOING TO BE.
SO I THINK THE IDEA IS TO KIND OF GET AHEAD OF GROWTH AND DEVELOP, UM, AND, AND DO A COMMUNITY, UM, COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITY PROCESS THAT, UM, DEVELOPS A LAND USE PATTERN, UM, THAT ALIGNS WITH OUR GOALS OF COMPLETE COMMUNITIES.
SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ABOUT HOUSING, BUT IT'S MORE, IT'S MORE THAN HOUSING.
IT'S, IT'S KIND OF ALL ENCOMPASSING.
SO I MEAN, DOES THAT INCLUDE CONSIDERATION OF THINGS LIKE PUBLIC GREEN SPACES AND PRESERVING TREE CANOPY? ARE THOSE KIND OF ISSUES PART OF THAT? YES, AND I BELIEVE, UM, SO PARKS PLANNING, UM, AND, AND, UM, STREET INFRASTRUCTURE AND, AND, UM, YEAH, RESILIENCE PLANNING, UH, IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING CONSIDERED.
AND, AND I, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EVERYTHING THAT'S, THAT'S LISTED IN THAT RESOLUTION.
SO I THINK IF, IF YOU ARE VERY INTERESTED IN IT, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND, UM, LOOKING AT COUNCIL'S, UH, RESOLUTION TO, I BELIEVE IT'S FAIRLY LONG, SO THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS THEY'D LIKE TO SEE.
UM, MY OTHER, UH, QUESTION WAS JUST AROUND, UM, IN TERMS OF THE KIND OF, I GUESS, PROPERTIES THAT ARE BEING ACQUIRED, UH, THROUGH THE ANTI DISPLACEMENT AND OTHER EFFORTS, UM, I'M, I'M WONDERING WHAT, IF ANYTHING IS BEING DONE TO, UM, ENSURE THAT THOSE PROPERTIES ARE ENERGY EFFICIENT SINCE U UTILITY BILLS CAN ALSO BE A, A SOURCE OF STRESS ON LOWER INCOME FAMILIES? YES.
SO I KNOW THAT, UM, ALL OF OUR RENTAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE DOLLARS, UM, WHEN, WHEN WE GIVE THOSE DOLLAR, WHEN WE GIVE THAT, UM, DEVELOPMENT, UM, ASSISTANCE, IT DOES COME WITH, UM, STRINGS ATTACHED.
AND ONE OF THEM IS TO, UM, ENSURE THAT, UM, OH, I JUST FORGOT THE NAME OF IT, UM, BUT I'M SURE Y'ALL KNOW IT, BUT THE, UM, AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN BUILD IS THAT GREEN BUILDING? I MEAN, GREEN BUILDING IS USUALLY FOR NEW BUILDINGS.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT WEATHERIZATION? POSSIBLY.
NO, I JUST MEANT, SO FOR FOUR NEW BUILDINGS, THE, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THEY HAVE TO MEET IS THE AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN BUILD.
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EXISTING BUILDINGS, I KNOW THAT WHEN WE ACQUIRE EXISTING MULTI-FAMILY PROPERTIES, UM, WE HAVE DONE SOME IMPROVEMENTS, UM, FOR LIKE ADDING SOLAR PANELS, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, ENERGY AND EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS.UM, BUT IF YOU WANNA KNOW MORE ABOUT THAT, I CAN DEFINITELY DIRECT YOU TO, UM, JAMES MAY, WHO'S OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, UM, WHO CAN PROBABLY SPEAK TO SOME OF THE ESTABLISHED KIND OF PROCESSES, SUSTAINABILITY PROCESSES, UM, THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY'RE, THEY UNDERTAKE, UM, WHEN THEY ACQUIRE PROPERTY.
CAUSE I, I, I DON'T KNOW THAT OFFHAND.
YEAH, I WOULD, I WOULD DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THAT, UH, CONNECTION.
I'LL WRITE IT IN THE CHAT, UH, HIS EMAIL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE ON WITH OUR, OUR NEXT PRESENTATION? ALL RIGHT, RACHEL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR TIME AND YOUR WORK.
[3. Austin Public Health Implementation of the Climate Equity Plan – Stephanie Helfman, Austin Public Health (Discussion and/or possible action).]
UH, NEXT UP WE HAVE, UH, STEPHANIE WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH TO PRESENT WHAT THEY'RE WORKING ON.UH, MY NAME IS STEPHANIE HOFFMAN.
I'M THE MANAGER OF THE CHRONIC DISEASE AND INJURY PREVENTION PROGRAM AT AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND I WANNA THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR INVITING US TO SPEAK TODAY AND SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR WORK.
I ALSO WANT TO HAVE MY COLLEAGUE, MICHELLE, UM, WHO'S JOINING ME TODAY, INTRODUCE HERSELF.
SO I'LL STOP NOW AND LET MICHELLE INTRODUCE HERSELF.
WE'RE GONNA BE CO-PRESENTING TONIGHT.
I AM AN INTERIM MANAGER IN OUR COMMUNITY AND FAMILY SUPPORT UNIT.
UM, AND I WORK WITH OUR, UH, SOCIAL SERVICES AGREEMENTS WHERE A LOT OF THE FUNDING THAT, UH, YOU JUST HEARD ABOUT, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO HEAR ABOUT PASSES THROUGH IN ORDER TO ENACT AGREEMENTS.
AND I WOULD ALSO ASK, UM, IF IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO SHARE OUR PRESENTATION, I BELIEVE, UM, IT MIGHT BE PRELOADED ON Y'ALL'S END.
WOULD THAT BE POSSIBLE? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO TODAY WE'RE GOING TO BE GIVING A UPDATE ON SOME OF THE WORK THAT AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH IS DOING IN SUPPORT OF THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.
AND IF YOU WANNA GO AHEAD TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, WE'RE JUST GOING TO SHARE REAL BRIEFLY, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH MISSION AND VISION.
I THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, BECAUSE WE USE A HEALTH EQUITY LENS IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO AT AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, WE REALLY LEAD WITH HEALTH EQUITY, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IN OUR VISION, UM, WHICH IS THAT EVERYONE WILL HAVE OPTIMAL QUALITY OF LIFE, UM, HEALTH AND WELLBEING, FREE OF RACISM, POVERTY, AND OPPRESSION.
SO WE, WE ARE LEADING WITH HEALTH EQUITY.
AND OUR MISSION, OF COURSE, IS TO PREVENT DISEASE, PROMOTE HEALTH, AND PROTECT THE WELLBEING OF ALL.
WE ARE AN ACCREDITED, UH, HEALTH DEPARTMENT, SO THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE QUALITY ACROSS 10 DIFFERENT DOMAINS, WHICH REPRESENT THE 10 ESSENTIAL PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES.
AND, UM, AND THESE SERVICES ARE IN VARIOUS DIVISIONS.
MY AREA IS CHRONIC DISEASE AND INJURY PREVENTION, WHICH IS IN DISEASE PREVENTION, HEALTH PROMOTION.
AND MICHELLE IS IN A DIFFERENT AREA, UM, IN OUR HEALTH EQUITY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DIVISION.
SO WE'RE JUST TWO OF, OF SEVERAL DIVISIONS OF REPRESENTED WITHIN AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, BUT WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO TOUCH ON WAYS THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, IN THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, I WANTED TO SHARE BEFORE WE JUMP INTO HOW WE'RE ADDRESSING THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, I WANTED TO JUST AT FIRST GIVE YOU A QUICK SNAPSHOT OF WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF SOME KEY NUTRITION INDICATORS.
AS I MENTIONED, I WORK IN CHRONIC DISEASE, SO THIS IS REALLY KEY TO WHAT WE DO, UM, IN OUR AREA.
AND THIS DATA IS FROM THE BEHAVIORAL RISK FACTOR SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM, WHICH IS DONE BY, UH, THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
AND IT'S A, UH, SELF, UH, REPORT.
IT'S SELF-REPORTED DATA, BUT WHAT YOU CAN SEE HERE IS THAT WE HAVE ABOUT 84% OF ADULTS IN TRAVIS COUNTY WHO ARE NOT EATING THE REQUIRED NUMBER OR RECOMMENDED NUMBER OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, WHICH IS FIVE.
UM, AND IT'S HARD, AS WE ALL KNOW.
UM, AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, WHEN YOU LOOK FURTHER IN THE DATA, YOU CAN SEE THAT ABOUT ONE IN FOUR, UH, FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE NOT EVEN EVEN EVEN EATING ONE SINGLE VEGETABLE.
AND ABOUT 40% ARE EATING A, A PIECE OF FRUIT A DAY.
SO WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO IN TERMS OF GETTING TO, UM, WHAT'S CONSIDERED, UM, A HEALTHY DIET, UM, IN TERMS OF EATING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, IN ADDITION, WE ALSO SEE ABOUT 38% OF OUR POPULATION IS NOT GETTING THE RECOMMENDED
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REQUIRED MINUTES OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.THAT ALSO RELATES TO THE CL, THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.
WE'RE NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT AS MUCH, MUCH TODAY, BUT WE DO DO PROMOTION OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, UM, IN ACTIVE LIVING IN OUR PROGRAM AND IN OUR DEPARTMENT AS WELL.
UM, SO ALL OF THIS RELATES TO OUR RATES OF CHRONIC DISEASE IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
UM, WE SEE THAT ABOUT 60% OF ADULTS IN, IN TRAVIS COUNTY ARE EITHER OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE.
AND, UM, THIS ALSO RELATES TO OUR RATES OF TYPE TWO DIABETES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO A LOT OF WHAT WE DO IN MY PROGRAM AREA IS TRYING TO MAKE THE HEALTHY CHOICE, THE EASY CHOICE, AND TRYING TO ENCOURAGE HEALTHY EATING IN ACTIVE LIVING.
UM, SO THAT'S MOSTLY WHAT WE ARE DOING IN, IN MY PROGRAM AREA.
UM, AND SO IF WE WANNA GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, WE'RE GONNA START TO REALLY DIVE INTO WHAT WE'RE DOING TO ADDRESS CLIMATE EQUITY.
AND WE'RE GONNA START WITH, WE'RE REALLY GONNA FOCUS ON FOOD BECAUSE WE FEEL LIKE THAT'S PROBABLY, UM, WHERE WE SEE THE, THE, THE CLOSEST CONNECTION TO THE PLAN.
UM, AND SO IF WE WANNA GO ON ONTO THIS ONE, YOU CAN SEE, UM, STRATEGY TWO IN THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, PROMOTION AND, UM, FUNDING OF COMMUNITY DRIVEN FOOD, REAL RETAIL PROGRAMS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT BOTH MICHELLE'S, UM, AREA AND MY AREA ARE BOTH WORKING ON.
IN 2016, WE RECEIVED ONGOING FUNDING, UM, FROM COUNCIL, UM, $400,000 OF FUNDING TO ADDRESS HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS.
AND SO SINCE THAT TIME, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH NONPROFIT PARTNERS TO PILOT PROGRAMS AND THEN TRY TO SCALE THEM, UM, TO MAKE IT EASIER TO GET ACCESS TO HEALTHY FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IN, IN THE COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY COMMUNITIES THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO FULL SERVICE GROCERY STORES.
SO SOME OF THE PARTNERS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON WITH ON THIS ARE FARM SHARE AUSTIN.
THEY ARE RUNNING THE MOBILE MARKETS AND ALSO THE CURBSIDE DELIVERY PROGRAM.
UM, AND THESE MARKETS ARE SELLING TEXAS GROWN PRODUCE EGGS AND HONEY, AS WELL AS SOME STAPLE GOODS AS WELL.
UM, AND LIKE I SAID, THEY DO CURBSIDE DELIVERY AS WELL AS MARKETS.
UM, AND, UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH SUSTAINABLE FOOD CENTER, AND THEY ARE DOING RECIPE SAMPLING AT THE MARKETS, AND THEY'RE REALLY TRYING TO ENCOURAGE FAMILIES TO TRY NEW, NEW FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND USE THEM, UM, IN THEIR RECIPES.
AND WE ALSO ARE PARTNERING WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO DO A HEALTHY CORNER STORE PILOT PROGRAM, AND I'LL SHOW YOU A SLIDE IN JUST A MINUTE, UM, WITH SOME OF THE LOCATIONS OF THOSE STORES.
BUT THE GOAL THERE IS WE KNOW THAT THE MAJORITY OF FOLKS ACCESS FOOD, UM, AT LARGE FULL SERVICE GROCERY STORES, BUT FOR SOME FOLKS WHO DON'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION, A CORNER STORE MIGHT BE THE MOST CONVENIENT OPTION.
AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO, UM, AT LEAST MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO GET HEALTHY FOODS IN SOME OF THOSE CORNER STORES.
SO, UM, WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ON THAT.
UM, AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE SOME NON-RETAIL FOOD OUTLETS, BECAUSE WE KNOW FOOD PANTRIES ARE ALSO A SOURCE OF FOOD IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO WE ARE FUNDING FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES TO IMPLEMENT A HEALTHY FOOD PANTRY PROGRAM AND ALSO, UM, REALLY INCORPORATE MORE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES INTO, UM, THEIR FOOD PANTRIES AND POPUPS.
AND, UM, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS ARE ALSO DOING A PILOT WITH, UM, AMAZON FOR DELIVERY OF FOOD.
IT'S NOT AS MUCH FRESH FOOD, UM, BUT IT IS ANOTHER AVENUE FOR ACCESSING FOOD IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND BECAUSE IT IS DELIVERY MODEL, IT, IT DEFINITELY, UM, IS CONVENIENT FOR FOLKS TO ACCESS THAT.
AND MICHELLE, YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT ECUADOR AT TX? YEAH.
UM, SO ONE, UH, AREA, ONE CONTRACT THAT MY AREA WORKS IN IS WE HAVE, UH, AN AGREEMENT WITH A NONPROFIT PARTNER CALLED ECU, A A AT TX.
IT'S $250,000 PER YEAR, AND IT'S A PROGRAM CALLED THE LIVE WELL VIVEN PROGRAM.
IT'S A PLACE-BASED INITIATIVE THAT PRIMARILY FOCUSES ON THE EASTERN CRESCENT, UM, AND IT BRINGS ESSENTIAL SERVICES THROUGH A MOBILE ECOSYSTEM EVENT MODEL THAT PROVIDES ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS AND AFFORDABLE FOODS, UM, ALONGSIDE OTHER RESOURCES FOR, UH, FINANCIAL AND PERSONAL WELLNESS AND, UM, SUSTAINABILITY.
SO, UM, LAST YEAR, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, ECUADOR ESTABLISHED COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS AND COORDINATED 19 RESOURCE DISTRIBUTIONS, UH, ACROSS THREE COMMUNITIES.
UM, AND DURING THOSE EVENTS PROVIDED 84,000 POUNDS OF FRESH AND NON-PERISHABLE FOOD TO OVER 1400 HOUSEHOLDS.
IT WAS A PRETTY ACTIVE PROGRAM.
I THINK WE CAN PROBABLY GO TO OUR NEXT SLIDE NOW.
SO THIS IS A MAP OF THE, THE STORES THAT WERE A PART OF THE HEALTHY CORNER STORE PILOT LAST YEAR, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE THOSE STORES ARE LOCATED AND SOME OF THE MARKETING MATERIALS THAT, UM, THAT WE PRODUCED ALONG WITH E ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO HELP ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO, UM, TRY TO TRY THE STORES OUT, YOU KNOW, TRY TO TRY TO,
[01:25:01]
UM, BEGIN TO, UM, USE THESE, UM, STORES AS A WAY TO ACCESS FRESH FOODS AND VEGETABLES THAT ARE HEALTHY AND AFFORDABLE.WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
MOVING ON TO STRATEGY THREE, BECAUSE THIS IS ANOTHER PLACE WHERE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH IS ALSO SUPPORTING THE CLIMATE, UH, EQUITY PLAN, WHICH IS TO INCENTIVIZE PRO CLIMATE, PRO FOOD CHOICES.
AND BOTH OF OUR PROGRAM AREAS, MICHELLE'S AND MINE ARE, ARE DOING THIS.
MICHELLE, DO YOU WANNA START? SURE.
SO THE SUSTAINABLE FOOD CENTER HAS A LONG-STANDING PROGRAM, UM, CALLED THE DOUBLE UP FOOD BUCKS PROGRAM.
YOU GUYS, PEOPLE MAY HAVE HEARD OF THIS.
UM, IT'S BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY FOR SOME TIME.
UM, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH FUNDS A PORTION OF IT, IT'S APPROXIMATELY $77,000 A YEAR.
AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT INCREASES THE BUYING POWER OF HOUSEHOLDS THAT RECEIVE SNAP AND WIC BENEFITS BY MATCHING THOSE AMOUNTS, UM, UP TO $30 AT LO LOCAL, UH, FARMER'S MARKETS ON ELIGIBLE FOOD, WHICH IS, UM, ALL ELIGIBLE FOOD IS PRETTY MUCH JUST FRESH PRODUCE.
SO, UM, IT INCREASES THE AMOUNT THAT A FRESH PRODUCE THAT FAMILIES CAN PURCHASE FROM LOCAL FARMERS, WHICH IN TURN, OF COURSE, SUPPORTS THE LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM AND ECONOMY.
AND SO, UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE, LAST YEAR, UH, WHICH ENDED IN SEPTEMBER, SO RECENTLY, UM, THE PROGRAM DID FI DID PROVIDE, UH, DOUBLE UP FOOD BUCKS TO ABOUT 1800, UH, CLIENTS.
UM, AND NEARLY A THOUSAND OF THOSE WERE EDITS EXPANSION SITES THROUGH THIS INITIATIVE.
SO, UM, IT, IT ACHIEVED A TOTAL OF, UM, THROUGH ALL SOURCES OF FUNDING, ABOUT $150,000 IN ATTRIBUTABLE SALES TO THE LOCAL FARMERS AT THESE MARKETS, WHICH ENABLED, UM, UH, LOW INCOME FAMILIES TO, UH, PURCHASE THAT ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF FRESH PRODUCE.
AND IN THE EXPANSION OF THE DOUBLEX FOOD, UM, DOUBLE UP FOOD BUCKS PROGRAM TOOK PLACE, UH, THROUGH ARPA FUNDS.
AND NOW SUSTAINABLE FOOD CENTER IS ALSO DOING DOUBLE UP FOOD BUCKS AT BOTH WHEATSVILLE FOOD CO-OP LOCATIONS.
AND SO AGAIN, IT'S DOUBLING, DOUBLING THE, THE DOLLAR, THE PURCHASING, IT'S INCREASING THE PURCHASING POWER THAT FOLKS HAVE WHEN THEY GO TO WHEATSVILLE AND PURCHASE FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, WHICH IS DEFINITELY ALIGNED WITH THIS STRATEGY.
UM, AND ALSO OUR GOAL AT AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH TO MAKE IT EASY AND AFFORDABLE TO GET ACCESS TO HEALTHY FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.
SO WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF DATA YET, UM, IN TERMS OF, UM, HOW THOSE INCENTIVES ARE BEING UTILIZED.
BUT SO FAR, UM, IT'S LOOKING GOOD.
WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO IN ADDITION TO, TO THOSE TWO STRATEGIES, WE, WE DO HAVE ANOTHER CROSS-CUTTING STRATEGY THAT IS BEING ADDRESSED BY MULTIPLE PROGRAMS WITHIN AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH AND WE THINK IS IMPORTANT TO MENTION, WHICH IS JUST EDUCATION ON PROHEALTH THROUGH CHOICES IN GENERAL.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DO IN MY PROGRAM AREA.
UM, WE HAVE A VERY ROBUST DIABETES, UM, EDUCATION PROGRAM, AS WELL AS AS DIABETES PREVENTION AND, UH, EDUCATION ON PROHEALTH FOODS.
THE IMPORTANCE OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IS INTEGRAL TO THAT EDUCATION.
AND SO IN ADDITION TO THAT, OF COURSE, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH ALSO MANAGES THE SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS WIC.
AND WIC IS PROVIDING NUTRITION EDUCATION AS WELL AS BENEFITS PACKAGES TO FAMILIES.
AND THAT IS ARENA REALLY CRUCIAL TO BOTH EDUCATION AND FOOD ACCESS.
AND FINALLY, WE'RE ALSO WORKING, UM, WITH BUSINESSES AND WORK SITES, UM, TO HELP THEM IMPLEMENT SOME PRO HEALTH FOOD POLICIES, UM, WITHIN THE ORGANIZATIONS.
AND WE DO THAT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MAYOR'S HEALTH AND FITNESS COUNCIL WORK SITE PARTNER CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.
WE ENCOURAGE WORK SITES TO IMPLEMENT HEALTHY NUTRITION OR HEALTHY MEETING POLICIES, HEALTHY VETTING MACHINE POLICIES, ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO REALLY, AGAIN, MAKE IT EASIER TO EAT HEALTHY, UM, IN THE WORKPLACE.
AND SO WE DO THAT BY HELPING THE WORKPLACES IMPLEMENT THE POLICIES, UM, AND WE PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP THEM WITH THAT, WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO THIS, AGAIN, IS SORT OF AN ADDITIONAL STRATEGY, UM, THAT WE JUST FELT LIKE WAS IMPORTANT TO MENTION THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN TOUCHED ON A LITTLE BIT IN THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION, WHICH IS BUILDING COMMUNITY RESILIENCY.
UM, WE HAVE, UM, WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES TO, TO HELP THEM INCREASE RESILIENCY BY ADDRESSING SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, WE HAVE A NEW, UM, CDC FUNDED GRANT, UH, CALLED HEART ETX THAT'S IN MY PROGRAM AREA.
AND THROUGH THIS GRANT, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FUND EIGHT COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS IN THE CHRONIC DISEASE AND INJURY PREVENTION PROGRAM, AS WELL AS FIVE COMMUNITY
[01:30:01]
HEALTH WORKERS IN THE HOUSING AND FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTER SECTORS.AND THEY ARE DOING SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH SCREENING AND REFERRAL.
THEY'RE ALSO TEACHING THE PREVENT, UM, THE DIABETES PREVENTION CLASSES AND A LOT OF LIFESTYLE, UM, UH, HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CLASSES AND REALLY HELPING TO, UM, ADDRESS THOSE CHRONIC DISEASE RISK FACTORS IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
SO, UM, AND ALSO, OF COURSE, UM, Y'ALL ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE WORK THAT WE DO IN PUBLIC HEALTH PREPAREDNESS, UM, WORKING TO HELP PREPARE, UM, FOR ANY EMERGENCY THAT AFFECTS THE PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, INCLUDING NATURAL DISASTERS AND DISEASE OUTBREAKS LIKE WE'VE SEEN, UM, IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO MICHELLE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE OTHER RESILIENCY STRATEGIES THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
SO, UM, WE RECENTLY LAUNCHED A SOLICITATION FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF A COLD WEATHER SHELTER.
UM, HISTORICALLY, AUSTIN HAS HAD, UM, VARIOUS CHURCHES AND OTHER, UH, VOLUNTEER PROVIDERS THAT, UM, IMPLEMENTED THE COLD WEATHER SHELTER PROTOCOL.
SO, UM, THAT WILL ACTUALLY CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THIS SEASON, UH, MOST LIKELY.
BUT WE HAVE ACTUALLY AWARDED A CONTRACT WITH THE AUSTIN AREA URBAN LEAGUE, UM, AND THAT IS FOR 1.2 MILLION, UH, FOR AN INITIAL 12 MONTH TERM WITH FOUR EXTENSION OPTIONS.
SO THAT AGREEMENT IS UNDERWAY, IT'S CURRENTLY UNDER NEGOTIATION, AND AS SOON AS WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE MORE INFORMATION PUBLIC, WE WILL, UH, WE'LL DO SO, AND THAT WILL BE ON OUR WEBSITE.
UM, BUT THAT'S THE ANTICIPATION FOR THE COLD WEATHER SHELTER THERE, UH, WILL BE SPACE FOR 200, UM, INDIVIDUALS PER NIGHT, UM, AT THE SHELTERS, UH, WHICH SHOULD BE ACTUALLY SPACED, UH, SPACED OUT THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH IS LAUNCHING, UH, OUR BASIC NEEDS ISSUE AREA SOLICITATION, UM, AND THAT WILL INCLUDE SOME OF THE FUNDING THAT STEPHANIE MENTIONED EARLIER, AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT WE HAVE HAD IN IMPLEMENTATION SINCE 2015.
UM, AND THAT WILL INCLUDE FOOD ACCESS, UH, AND FINANCIAL STABILITY FOR LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS SUCH AS, UM, TAX PREPARATION AND ACCESS TO HEALTH INSURANCE, AS WELL AS LEGAL SERVICES FOR FAMILIES IN INDIVIDUALS IN AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY.
UM, WE ARE ANTICIPATING RELEASING THAT SOLICITATION FOR FUNDING, UM, TO NON FOR NONPROFIT PROVIDERS, UM, TO APPLY IN THE END OF FEBRUARY, 2023.
UM, AND I AM ACTUALLY GOING TO PUT A SURVEY IN THE CHAT, UM, THAT WE ARE, UH, VERY EAGER TO GET FEEDBACK ON TO SEE WHAT AREAS, UH, WE SHOULD CONSIDER FOCUSING SOME OF OUR ATTENTION TOO.
SO IF FOLKS ARE INTERESTED, UM, TO FILL OUT THAT FOUR QUESTION, FOUR OR FIVE QUESTION SURVEY, WE'D GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.
UM, AND I, I BELIEVE THAT ENDS THE PRESENTATION, UM, FROM US HERE.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND YOUR WORK.
UM, JUST WANNA SAY, I REALLY LOVE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING TO, UM, MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO GET THOSE FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.
IT'S KINDA SHOCKING TO KNOW THAT, UH, SO MANY PEOPLE AREN'T EVEN EATING A SINGLE FRUIT OR A SINGLE VEGETABLE IN A DAY.
THERE'S, THERE'S SURELY NO WAY TO BE HEALTHY WITH, WITH THAT KIND OF DIET.
UM, I, I, I JUST DID WANT HAVE ONE QUESTION AROUND, UM, KIND OF CLIMATE FRIENDLY PROTEIN SOURCES.
UM, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE EATING FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IS ESSENTIAL, UM, FROM A, FROM A CLIMATE PERSPECTIVE, IT'S MEAT CONSUMPTION THAT IS, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE MAIN KIND OF SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM.
NOT TO SAY THAT OTHER AGRICULTURE ISN'T ALSO SOMETIMES PROBLEMATIC, BUT I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT IF, IF ANYTHING IS BEING DONE TO, UM, HELP PROMOTE AND PROVIDE, UH, MORE AFFORDABLE ACCESS TO, UM, YEAH.
NON, NON MEAT PROTEIN SOURCES, WHICH SOMETIMES, SOMETIMES ARE MORE EXPENSIVE, UH, IN THE GROCERY STORES.
UM, I CAN, I CAN SAY THAT FOR THE, IN THE INCENTIVE PROGRAMS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, THEY ARE SOLELY FOCUSED ON FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.
UM, AND THEY'RE NOT CURRENTLY DOUBLING UP, UM, ALTERNATIVE PROTEIN SOURCES.
UM, IN, IN THAT REGARD, I CAN SAY THAT THE MOBILE MARKETS DO OFFER BEANS, UM, AND SOME OTHER, UM, DRY GOODS THAT CAN BE USED TO HELP PULL TOGETHER A HEALTHY MEAL, UH, IN A CLIMATE FRIENDLY WAY.
BECAUSE REALLY ONE OF THE GOALS IS, IS TRY TO MAKE IT EASY TO EVEN COOK A MEAL, RIGHT? AND TRY TO HAVE AS MUCH THERE IN ONE PLACE THAT YOU CAN USE TO PUT A MEAL ON THE TABLE FOR YOUR FAMILY.
UM, SO THAT IS BEING PROVIDED AND ALSO BEING MADE AFFORDABLE
[01:35:01]
THROUGH, YOU KNOW, ANY SUBSIDIES THAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY'RE OFFERING.UM, SO, AND IN TERMS OF EDUCATION, THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE PROMOTE IN ALL OF OUR EDUCATION CLASSES IS HOW TO, UM, MAKE A HEALTHY PLATE USING LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS FOR THE PROTEIN, UH, WHETHER THAT'S BEANS OR, UM, TOFU OR, OR SOMETHING ELSE.
UH, WE ALWAYS MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, UM, THAT WE'RE INCLUDING, UM, CLIMATE FRIENDLY OPTIONS FOR THAT.
MICHELLE, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT, IN THAT REGARD? OKAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT QUESTION.
SO JUST TO, TO UM, MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD CORRECTLY, YOU'RE SAYING THAT, UM, THOSE KIND OF DOUBLE UP DOLLARS CAN BE USED AT LEAST FOR, FOR BEANS, OR, OR IS THAT JUST THAT THOSE ARE PROVIDED AT, AT THOSE CERTAIN LOCATIONS? THEY'RE PROVIDED AT THE LOCATIONS AT AFFORDABLE PRICES.
YEAH, I, IF YOU'RE, UH, WILLING TO FOLLOW UP WITH ANY OF THOSE, UH, EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, I'M, I'D BE CURIOUS TO SEE THOSE.
UM, I SEE FRANCIS, UH, WITH YOUR HAND UP.
UM, FIRST, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO BOTH OF YOU AND TO AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING TO SUPPORT, UH, GOOD HEALTHY FOODS, UH, GETTING INTO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, PICKY QUESTION ON THE LAST SLIDE, IT SAID COMPETITION FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, FOOD ACCESS AND DISTRIBUTION PROGRAMMING COMING OUT IN FEBRUARY, 2022.
WAS THAT SUPPOSED TO BE 23? 23? YES.
YEAH,
UH, HEY, Y'ALL JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE ALSO WANTED TO DO OTHER THINGS TOO.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, UH, I AM IN THE DON'T EAT A FRUITED DAY CATEGORY, SO I APOLOGIZE.
I FEEL LIKE THE CLOSEST THING I GET IS A AUSTIN EASTSIDER, YOU KNOW? UM, YEAH.
SO MY QUESTION WAS, YOU KNOW, UH, OFTENTIMES WE THINK OF, YOU KNOW, THE EASTERN CRESCENT OF THE CITY AS A FOOD DESERT, BUT I FEEL LIKE IT'S ALSO VERY EASY TO CATEGORIZE AS SORT OF LIKE A PUBLIC HEALTH DESERT AS WELL, RIGHT? YOU DON'T REALLY SEE AS MANY, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, HOSPITALS OR, YOU KNOW, SHOW THE, WAS IT LIKE THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL FACILITIES THAT YOU SEE MAYBE ON LIKE A, A MUELLER OR A RIVERSIDE, RIGHT? AS OPPOSED TO LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE 24 OR, YOU KNOW, THE 44 DOVE SPRINGS, WHATEVER.
UM, SORT OF HAS THE CITY SORT OF TAKEN ANY SORT OF LOOK AT THAT TO TRY TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT, UH, WHAT SORT OF HEALTH OPTIONS WE CAN OFFER, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS OF THAT PART OF THOSE PARTS OF TOWN? UM, NOT ONLY FROM LIKE, YOU KNOW, UM, SORT OF JUST FROM A, A DIETARY PERSPECTIVE, BUT, UH, LIKE FROM A MEDICAL PERSPECTIVE AS WELL.
SO NEITHER STEPHANIE NOR I ARE WITH OUR PUBLIC HEALTH SIDE, UM, SPECIFICALLY.
SO, UM, IT'S, UH, THIS IS A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
I WILL SAY THAT THAT IS DEFINITELY A PRIORITY AREA.
IT'S NOT JUST THE EASTERN CRESCENT, BUT ALSO VARIOUS OTHER POCKETS OF AUSTIN.
UM, AND SO WE DO HAVE LOTS AND LOTS OF PLACE-BASED INITIATIVES, UM, THAT FOCUS IN THAT AREA.
UH, ONE THING THAT WE MANAGE OUTTA MY UNIT IS A, UH, 4 MILLION C D C GRANT CALLED REACH AND REACH OUT.
AND IT'S SPECIFICALLY LOOKS AT THE HEALTH DISPARITIES THAT CAME TO LIGHT AS A RESULT OF COVID THAT WERE ALWAYS THERE, BUT JUST WERE MORE AMPLIFIED PEOPLE SAW IT MORE DURING COVID.
AND SO WE'VE, UM, GOT SEVERAL COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS IN THE EASTERN CRESCENT AND THESE OTHER AREAS LIKE JONESTOWN AND IN THE E T J.
AND, UM, WE ALSO HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH NINE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE AFRICAN AMERICAN YOUTH HARVEST AGE OF CENTRALS, TEXAS COMMUNICATION SERVICES FOR THE DEAF.
AND, UM, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO PROMOTE, UM, AND EXPAND THAT PROGRAM IN THE COMING, UH, MONTHS.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE OUR DOVE SPRINGS, UH, HEALTH CLINIC, WHICH IS, UH, CA THE, IN 2018, UH, VOTERS APPROVED A BOND TO BUILD THAT.
UM, SO THAT WILL BE, THAT IS BEING BUILT IN DUB SPRINGS.
UM, SO IT'S DEFINITELY AN AREA THAT WE ARE VERY INVOLVED IN, VERY ACTIVE IN.
UM, BUT YOU'RE, YOU'RE, BECAUSE YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT, THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS NOT AS MUCH.
WE MAY NOT BE AS BIG AND AS OBVIOUS, BUT, UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF MOBILE EVENTS.
OUR HEALTH EQUITY TEAM GOES OUT VERY, ALL, ALL THE TIME TO, TO PROVIDE VARIOUS TYPES OF OUTREACH AND DIRECT SERVICES IN THESE PARTS OF AUSTIN.
AND I THINK ON A, A SIMILAR NOTE, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE HEALTHY CORNER STORAGES PROGRAM IS REALLY COOL, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, LOOKING AT THE, THE MAP, THOSE ARE ALL SORT OF LIKE IN CENTRAL AUSTIN, RIGHT? SO I WOULD DEFINITELY
[01:40:01]
ADVISE TO TRY, YOU KNOW, TARGET, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, AREAS LIKE THE TWO FOUR, YOU KNOW, THE FOUR FOUR, UM, YOU KNOW, SORT OF THESE PLACES, THEY'RE MORE, YOU KNOW, SORT OF LIKE FOOD DESERT DISH.UH, MAYBE IF, YOU KNOW, H E B OR WHOLE FOODS OR WHATEVER ISN'T, YOU KNOW, BUILDING BIG BOX GROCERY STORES OUT THERE, WE CAN AT LEAST SORT OF, YOU KNOW, REACH OUT TO, TO SMALLER, UH, YOU KNOW, SORT OF COMPANIES, UH, THROUGH THIS HEALTHY CORNER STORES INITIATIVE AND SORT OF PROVIDE SIMILAR SERVICES TO, UH, THE CITIZENS OF THOSE AREAS.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT, RGO AND THEN MELISSA.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I WANTED TO GO BACK TO YOUR SECTION ON COMMUNITY RESILIENCE, AND I'M WONDERING IF YOU ALL COULD SPEAK TO AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE RESILIENCE HUB PLANNING EFFORT AND WHAT ROLE YOU ALL ARE PLAYING THERE.
MICHELLE, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN? UH, I'M, WELL, I'M NOT, I'M NOT SURE I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN BY THE RESILIENCE HUB.
MAYBE WE HAVE A DIFFERENT TERM FOR IT.
SO THAT, I WOULD SAY THAT THAT WOULD BE BEST ANSWERED BY OUR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS DEPARTMENT, OUR DIVISION WITHIN OUR AREA, BECAUSE, UM, I KNOW THAT THEY'RE, THEY HAVE BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN THAT PLANNING EFFORT, SO, UH, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I CAN SPEAK TO DIRECTLY, UM, BECAUSE IT'S NOT WITHIN MY REALM IN CHRONIC DISEASE, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE ARE VERY INVOLVED AND I'D BE HAPPY TO CONNECT YOU WITH, UM, ANNA UTA, WHO IS THE MANAGER OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, EMERGENCY, UH, PREPAREDNESS PROGRAM.
I WANTED TO MENTION THAT SEVERAL YEARS AGO I WAS ON THE WELLNESS COMMUNITY WITH MY, UM, I WORK FOR THE ESTATE AND WE WERE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE TO EAT MORE HEALTHY.
AND SO I UTILIZED THE FARM SHARE AND THE, UM, SUSTAINABLE FOOD CENTER, AND WE HAD A WHOLE WELLNESS FOOD DAY AT MY OFFICE, AND IT WAS WONDERFUL.
THEY CAME OUT AND THEY MADE THIS HOMEMADE BEACH SALAD USING ORGANIC PRODUCE FROM LOCAL FARMS ON THE EAST SIDE.
AND THEY CAME UP AND SET EVERYTHING UP.
THEY HAD FLYERS WITH DIFFERENT RECIPES, AND THEY OFFERED YOU TO PURCHASE THE, UH, PRODUCE THAT WAS FROM THAT FARM ON SITE.
AND WE WOULD TAKE WEEKLY ORDERS AND HAVE DELIVERY.
AND SO PEOPLE IN THE OFFICE WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE AFTER WORK.
THEY COULD GET ORGANIC PRODUCE WITH RECIPES IN HAND.
AND THAT WAS A WONDERFUL SERVICE IN THAT OFFICE.
AND I DON'T WORK AT THAT OFFICE ANY LONGER.
BUT, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I DON'T KNOW IF A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE AWARE THAT THESE KINDS OF THINGS ARE FREE, UH, THAT YOU CAN SET UP AND HAVE PEOPLE COME TALK TO YOUR OFFICE, WHETHER YOU'RE A, A PUBLIC AGENCY OR A PRIVATE COMPANY.
AND, UM, IT, IT JUST SEEMS THAT THAT, UH, SUSTAINABLE FOOD CENTER COULD DEFINITELY HAVE MAYBE EVEN MORE OUTREACH SO THAT, UH, IT DOESN'T TAKE ME CALLING THEM TO SCHEDULE SOMETHING.
IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT THEY GO TO A LOCAL H E B AND SAY, LOOK, I CAN TAKE THIS POTATO AND THIS ONION AND THEN JUST DO A DEMONSTRATION AND HAVE A LITTLE SAMPLE FOR PEOPLE TO TASTE, UM, ON HOW EASY IT IS TO COOK SOMETHING SUCH AS A, ANY KIND OF FRUIT OR A VEGETABLE, LIKE AN EASY DISH.
I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT THAT THERE'S A LOT THAT CAN BE DONE TO COUPLE AN ACCESS POINT WITH EDUCATION.
AND THE MORE THAT WE CAN OFFER FOLKS A CHANCE TO TASTE SOMETHING AND SEE THAT THEY LIKE IT, UM, IT REALLY ENCOURAGES FOLKS TO TRY SOMETHING NEW AND MAKE THAT EXTRA EFFORT TO MAKE THAT RECIPE.
UM, SFC IS GOING TO ALL OF THE MOBILE MARKETS, UH, ONCE A MONTH, UM, TO DO THE RECIPE SAMPLING.
AND THOSE ARE, AGAIN, THE MARKETS ARE, WE, WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO REACH COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE, UH, ACCESS BARRIERS WHEN IT COMES TO FRESH AND HEALTHY FOODS.
SO THEY ARE GOING, UM, AND, AND PARTNERING WITH OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS, UM, TO BRING THESE MARKETS, UM, TO, TO LOCATIONS THAT DON'T HAVE AS MANY, UM, ACCESS POINTS.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE YOU'LL FIND, UH, THE MOBILE MARKETS.
AND, UM, SOMETIMES YOU'LL FIND THE RECIPE OF SAMPLING ON THE SAME DAY AS THE MARKET.
IT'S NOT EVERY SINGLE TIME, UM, BECAUSE IT'S COST PROHIBITIVE TO DO IT EVERY SINGLE TIME, BUT WE HOPE THAT BY DOING ENOUGH SATURATION
[01:45:01]
THAT IT'LL START TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO, TO TRY THOSE RECIPES LIKE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.AND THEY ARE ALL LOCAL, UM, SORRY, NOT LOCAL, BUT SEASONAL RECIPES THAT GO WITH WHAT'S AT THE MARKET AT THE TIME.
I WAS GONNA SAY ALSO, TO BUILD UP MELISSA'S POINT, I KNOW THAT, UH, AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE HAS A, A CULINARY, UH, EDUCATION PROGRAM.
I THINK IT USED TO BE BASED OUT OF EAST VIEW, BUT NOW IT'S BASED OUT OF, UH, HIGHLAND, SO MAYBE TRYING TO COORDINATE WITH THEM AS WELL.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE, UH, HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? AND ROHAN, I'M SEEING A HAND UP FOR YOU.
DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO ADD, OR IS THAT A GLITCH? I'M SEEING IT ON ONE SCREEN, BUT NOT THE OTHER
UM, I THINK MY HAND BEEN RIGHT THE WHOLE TIME.
WELL, UH, REALLY THANK YOU AGAIN, UH, STEPHANIE AND MICHELLE FOR, FOR YOUR WORK AND, UH, COMING HERE TO HAVE THIS, UH, CONVERSATION WITH US.
BE, BE INVOLVED IN, IN YOUR WORK GOING FORWARD, UH, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.
UM, I'M SORRY, KAVA, BUT I HAD ONE QUICK QUESTION.
IT'S REALLY QUICK BECAUSE YOU TALKED ABOUT THE FIVE SERVINGS A DAY.
DOES THAT MEAN, BUT CAN YOU HAVE FIVE SERVINGS IN ONE MEAL? I MEAN, IS IT REALLY FIVE TIMES A DAY OR IS IT FIVE PORTION, OR IS IT FIVE PORTIONS OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES COLLECTIVELY BECAUSE NOBODY EATS FIVE TIMES A DAY? WELL, I DON'T THINK MOST PEOPLE EAT FIVE TIMES A DAY.
SO YOU COULD SAY, EAT A PIECE OF FRUIT WITH BREAKFAST AND THEN EAT A SALAD FOR LUNCH, AND SO IT ACCUMULATES OVER THE COURSE OF THE DAY.
OR THE, THE HOBBITS AMONG US CAN, CAN HAVE THE, SO YOU MADE IT TO FIVE TODAY,
[5. Commission members report back on any relevant discussions from their respective boards and commissions – (Discussion and/or possible action).]
UM, LET'S MOVE ON.UH, THE, THE REMAINING ITEM AND HONOR OUR AGENDA IS, UH, REPORTING, UH, BACK, UH, OR SHARING ANYTHING FROM, UH, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
SO, UH, THE, OUR MEMBER OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
SO DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING THEY WANNA SHARE FROM YOUR, YOUR HOME COMMISSIONS? AND I THINK FOR THOSE, UM, JUST GOING FORWARD WHO AREN'T REPRESENTING, UH, YOU KNOW, A HOME COMMISSION, I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE THAT IF THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT YOU'VE COME ACROSS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE AREN'T DISCUSSING, I THINK FAIR, FAIR GAME TO USE THIS AS A, A SPACE TO RAISE UP SOME OTHER ISSUE YOU MIGHT HAVE ENCOUNTERED.
UM, SO YEAH, I'M ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
UM, AND SO A WHILE BACK, UM, I BELIEVE I WOULD'VE TO LOOK AT THE DATE, I THINK NOVEMBER 2ND, THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT A CODE AMENDMENT WHERE WE'RE DOING RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL, RIGHT? SO THE IDEA IS THAT EVENTUALLY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE SORT OF WE ALL KIND OF KNOW WHERE THE RESIDENTIAL SITUATION IS IN AUSTIN, UM, THAT BASICALLY, UH, SITES THAT ARE, ARE, UM, ZONED FOR COMMERCIAL USAGE WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO HAVE RESIDENTIAL BUILT ON THEM AS LONG AS THEY'RE NOT WITHIN A CERTAIN DISTANCE OF, YOU KNOW, QUOTE UNQUOTE, YOU KNOW, LIKE NOXIOUS OR, OR HAZARDOUS, UM, AREAS, RIGHT? SO, YOU KNOW, UM, WHETHER IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, SOME KIND OF, UH, INDUSTRIAL OR, YOU KNOW, SOME KIND OF POLLUTING THING.
UM, SO WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
UM, ONE OTHER THING THAT I HAD BEEN THINKING ABOUT, UM, SO THERE WAS A AUSTIN STARTUP WEEK EVENT RECENTLY LAST MONTH, AND THEY HAD, UH, A SUSTAINABILITY TRACK THAT, UM, THE CAPITAL FACTORY PUT ON, WHICH IS LIKE A LOCAL BUSINESS ACCELERATOR SLASH INCUBATOR.
UM, AND IT MADE ME WONDER HOW, LIKE THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY, YOU KNOW, AND THE JSE ALSO CAN BE MORE INVOLVED IN SORT OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT PRIVATE ENTREPRENEURS ARE DOING IN THE AREA, UH, AS FAR AS LIKE THE SUSTAINABILITY FIELD.
UM, I REMEMBER WAY BACK BEFORE COVID, UH, AND WHAT SEEMS TO BE PREHISTORIC NOW.
UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN DID LIKE SOME KIND OF BUSINESS INCUBATOR TO PROMOTE, LIKE, UM,
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BUSINESSES THAT WERE TRYING TO SOLVE, YOU KNOW, FOOD DESERT INEQUITIES AND, YOU KNOW, PROMOTE SORT OF LIKE A ZERO WASTE PLAN.UM, SO I THINK TRYING TO DO THAT KIND OF THING, BUT TIE IN, YOU KNOW, SUSTAINABILITY, YOU KNOW, THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN AND SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UM, WOULD BE REALLY GOOD FOR, FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED AND SORT OF, YOU KNOW, BRING THE CITY, UH, CLOSER WITH SORT OF LIKE PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTIVELY TRYING TO SOLVE THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT WE ARE.
UH, BUT I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
UM, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN ON MY MIND FOR SURE.
OTHER COMMISSION ACTIVITY RELEVANT THINGS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH US? I'LL SHARE THE, UM, YEAH, UH, OH, YEAH, GO AHEAD, ROB.
UH, ROB SCHNEIDER, UH, ON THE PLANET COMMISSION, AND, UH, MOST, YOU PROBABLY KNOW, THE, THE BREAD AND BUTTER OF THE PLANET PLANET COMMISSION IS APPROVING ZONING CHANGES.
AND I THINK, UH, PRETTY MUCH UNIVERSALLY, THE MEMBERSHIP OF PLANNING COMMISSION IS, UH, HAS AN EYE ON, UH, ADDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS AND, UM, LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THAT.
THE, THIS, THE PAST FEW MONTHS, THERE'VE BEEN A, UH, A COUPLE OF REALLY A REALLY MAJOR PROJECTS.
ONE WAS THE STATESMAN POD, UM, WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF BOTH COMMERCIAL AND, UH, MOSTLY COMMERCIAL AND RETAIL, UH, ON, IN AN ACTIVITY CENTER RIGHT ON THE MAJOR CORRIDOR.
AND I THINK THE SECOND ONE THAT MAYBE MOST INTERESTING FOR THE, UM, FOR THE JSC IS, UH, THE BRODY OAKS POD, WHICH, UH, THE PLANNING COMMISSION PASSED AND IS NOW, UH, I THINK GOING FOR SECOND READING FOR COUNCIL.
UM, THAT'S THE FIRST, UH, DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS, UM, UH, COMMERCIAL RETAIL, UH, RESIDENTIAL INCLUDING, UH, UH, DESIGNATED AFFORDABLE UNITS, UH, ON AND ON A CORRIDOR.
AND THE FIRST, IT'S THE FIRST ONE IN AN ACTIVITY CENTER THAT'S OVER IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE ZONE, AS FAR AS I KNOW.
I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE BEFORE THAT.
UM, SO THE PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVED THAT, AND THAT'S NOW THE COUNCIL JUST, UM, IF YOU HADN'T FOLLOWED IT, UH, UM, IT'S THE SORT OF THE FIRST OF ITS KIND.
AND, UH, I THOUGHT THAT IF Y'ALL DIDN'T KNOW IT WOULD BE INTERESTING FOR THE JSC.
UM, I WOULD SAY, UH, FROM, FROM THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE, UH, SOMETHING THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE AT THE COMMISSION IN THE LAST MONTH THAT THAT'S RELEVANT, BUT, UH, WE DID OF COURSE WEIGH IN ON THE AUSTIN ENERGY, UM, RATE CASE, WHICH HAS NOW BEEN APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL.
UM, I'M SURE PROBABLY EVERYBODY HAS, HAS READ ABOUT THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, RATE RATES ARE GOING UP, UH, FOR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS AND, AND PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO, UH, USE LESS ENERGY OR AN AVERAGE AMOUNT OF ENERGY, THAT'S WHERE THE RATE INCREASE, UH, IS, IS GONNA BE FELT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT DOES, UH, JUST, YOU KNOW, INCREASE THE, THE NEED FOR, UM, NOT ONLY ASSISTANCE, BUT, YOU KNOW, UH, MORE EFFICIENCY, UM, IMPROVEMENTS TO, TO BRING, BRING PEOPLE AS LOW AS THEY CAN IN TERMS OF THEIR CONSUMPTION.
UM, BUT ALSO PART OF THAT RATE CASE, UH, WAS AROUND THE, THE VALUE OF SOLAR TARIFF, WHICH IS THE, UH, PRIMARY MECHANISM THAT ENABLES ROOFTOP SOLAR FOR BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS.
UM, SO THAT, THAT HAS ALSO BEEN UPDATED.
AND, UM, THERE WAS A COMMITMENT ON, ON AUSTIN ENERGY'S BEHALF AND, AND THEN, UH, KIND OF ADDITIONALLY DIRECTIVE BY AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO, UH, MOVE FORWARD WITH A, A STAKEHOLDER PROCESS THAT WILL ESTABLISH A STANDARD OFFER FOR, UH, ROOFTOP BASED COMMUNITY SOLAR.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, SOME, UH, KIND OF STANDARD MECHANISM THAT WILL ALLOW, UH, SOLAR DEVELOPMENT THAT ISN'T NECESSARILY FOR, UM, PERSONAL CONSUMPTION.
THE REALITY IS THE ELECTRONS WILL GO WHEREVER, UH, IS CLOSEST THAT THEY NEED.
BUT, UM, IN TERMS OF KIND OF OWNERSHIP AND, UH, WHO'S THE ENERGY THAT IS, UM, THE IDEA IS TO ENABLE THE USE OF MORE
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ROOFTOP SPACE WHILE EXPANDING THE COMMUNITY SOLAR PROGRAM, WHICH IS, OF COURSE KEY TO, UM, EXPANDING ACCESS TO SOLAR FOR, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH ANYBODY WHO'S A RENTER.UM, AND, AND ALSO A LOT OF LOWER INCOME, UH, RESIDENTS.
SO I THINK THAT'S, UH, A POSITIVE THING.
AND, AND THAT WILL BE HAPPENING, UH, THIS, UH, WELL, IN 2023, THE, YOU KNOW, DEADLINE TO HAVE THAT COMPLETED IS, IS AT THE START OF THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, UM, OCTOBER 23.
SO, UM, YEAH, JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT AS AN UPCOMING OPPORTUNITY FOR ANYBODY WHO'S INTERESTED.
JUST VERY QUICK REPORT FROM THE FOOD POLICY BOARD MEETING.
UM, SO THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I WOULD SAY IS WE ARE STARTING TO WORK THROUGH OUR COMMITMENTS FROM OUR STRATEGIC PLAN MEETING IN OCTOBER, BUT VERY SLOWLY, AND WE'RE TRYING TO BE PATIENT WITH OURSELVES.
IT'S A LOT TO TAKE ON, BUT, UM, WE HAD, UM, ONE OF OUR CITY FACILITATORS, EDWIN MARTY, GAVE A, UM, PRESENTATION ON THE BUDGET PROCESS AT THE CITY, WHICH I THINK WAS REALLY INVALUABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHEN THE OPPORTUNITIES ARISE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE INFLUENCE ON THE CITY BUDGET.
AND SO IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE COULD ALSO, UM, PULL TOGETHER, I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT, UM, FOR EVERYBODY.
AND THEN THEIR VARIOUS COMMITTEES THAT THEY REPRESENT, UM, IF THEY ALSO SIT ON ANOTHER COMMITTEE TO, TO UNDERSTAND THAT PROCESS, UM, IT HAPPENS FAST AND A LOT OF THINGS NEED TO BE SUBMITTED EVEN BY FEBRUARY.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, FRANCIS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
I, I FEEL LIKE THE, UM, THE BUDGET INPUT PROCESS FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS JUST IS UPON US LIKE A FREIGHT TRAIN.
AND, UM, AND WE AREN'T PREPARED.
AND, AND I, IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE THAT WE'RE REALLY GONNA BE, UH, PREPARED BY FEBRUARY, BUT IT DOES MAKE ME THINK THAT LIKE, MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN INCORPORATE INTO OUR PLANNING MEETING.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT IS A PRETTY IMPORTANT ROLE, OR IT SHOULD BE.
ANY, ANY FINAL, UH, WORDS OR UPDATES OTHERWISE? I THINK WE CAN ADJOURN.
ANYBODY WANNA MAKE THAT, THAT FAVORITE MOTION OF THE NIGHT? NO, I'M JUST KIDDING.
I SUPER, I REALLY AM SUPER EXCITED THAT WE, THAT WE HAVE SO MANY NEW PEOPLE, UH, JOIN THIS COMMISSION.
WE'VE COMPLETED OUR AGENDA AND I'M ADJOURNING THE MEETING.