[00:00:01]
CALLING, UH, THE MEETING TO ORDER.
UM, THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE AND, UM, THOSE OF YOU ONLINE.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL (Part 1 of 2)]
UH, FIRST OFF, WE'VE GOT, UM, PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.FELICIA, CAN YOU, UM, HELP US WITH ANYONE IN THE ROOM WHO MIGHT HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS? HEY, MIKE.
YOU MADE IT RIGHT UNDER THE WIRE.
LET ME, I HAVE A PRESENTATION.
I'M THE DAUGHTER OF HOWARD AND DOROTHY BARNETT, PICTURED HERE WITH ANN KITCHEN AS THEY RECEIVE AN AUSTIN ICONIC BUSINESS PROCLAMATION FOR BEING IN BUSINESS FOR 50 YEARS.
AS FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE AUSTIN SIERRA CLUB, THEY HAVE BEEN NATURE LOVERS FOR THEIR ENTIRE LIVES.
IF YOU KNOW MY DAD, HE IS NOT A BOASTFUL MAN.
FOR THE PAST 54 YEARS, HE HAS QUIETLY BEEN PROVIDING FREE BOATING TO ANYONE IN NEED, AND ANYONE WHO WANTS TO DO A CREEK CLEANUP.
THAT IS WHY I AM HERE TODAY TO LET YOU KNOW WHO WE ARE AT ZUCKER PARK BOAT RENTALS.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE LOVE ZER PARK AND WE LOVE BARTON CREEK, AND WE LOVE THE COMMUNITY WE SERVE BOTH LOCALLY AND FAR AND WIDE.
THIS IS WHY WE HAVE COME TO COME TO BE KNOWN AS THE PEOPLES BOAT RENTAL.
UM, SO WE GIVE BACK TO THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY, UM, OVER 20,000 FREE BOATS GIVEN TO UNDERPRIVILEGED KIDS OVER THE PAST 54 YEARS.
UM, WE HAVE ALL THESE VISITORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, AND I HAVE TAKEN THIS OFF OF OUR, UM, OUR WAIVER.
UM, THESE ARE FROM ALL THE STATES.
UM, TOP THREE CITIES FROM TEXAS WHO VISITED ZER PARK BOAT RENTALS IN 2022.
SANTON, SAN ANTONIO METRO AREA IN HOUSTON, METRO AREA.
UM, DEMOGRAPHICS BY LAST NAME FROM THE AUSTIN AREA.
TOP SEVEN IN ORDER OF MOST VISITED.
AND I STRUGGLED WITH PUTTING THE SLIDE UP HERE, BUT, YOU KNOW, AS, AS A WOMAN OF COLOR, UM, I REALLY WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THAT WE, WE SERVE A UNIQUE, UM, DEMOGRAPHIC.
AND I DON'T THINK IT'S REPRESENTED, REPRESENTED IN ANY OTHER PARTS OF, UM, THE PARK LIKE WE HAVE IT.
AND MOST SPECIFICALLY AT IN THE VISION PLAN.
UM, I THINK WE'VE BEEN, UM, IGNORED.
OUR VOICES HAVE BEEN IGNORED, AND THEY'RE TRYING TO GET RID OF OUR PARKING LOT, WHICH IS NEXT TO HI THE HISTORICAL, UM, UM, UM, PICNIC TABLES THAT PEOPLE HAVE COME THERE FOR YEARS TO USE.
UM, AND I THINK THEY'RE, THEY'RE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, MISTREATING US.
I DON'T WANNA STAY ON THAT TOO MUCH.
SO WE GIVE, UH, LOCALLY, WE GIVE FREE BOATS TO, UM, KEEP AUSTIN BEAUTIFUL AND AUSTIN YOUTH RIVER WATCH.
UM, AND THEN WE'VE BECOME AN AUSTIN ICON, AND THESE ARE ALL PICTURES OF, UM, THE PEOPLE O PEOPLE HAVE USED WITHOUT, WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, ASKING US.
WE HAVEN'T COMMISSIONED THESE.
SO, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE INSPIRED PEN AND DRAWINGS BY A STREET ARTIST.
MURAL AT DELL CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.
UH, WATERLOO ICE HOUSE ARTIST INSPIRED, ATTENDED PHOTO.
UM, FEATURED IN AUSTIN LAND AND COMPANY ARTICLE.
AUSTIN MONTHLY ARTICLE TOP 10, TOP 101 FUN THINGS TO DO.
UM, COVER OF A MAGAZINE, MEN'S JOURNAL.
UH, COVER OF THE PAR RESOURCE GUIDE.
WELL, IS ALL YOU GUYS HAVE IT? SO WE'VE GOT, SO YOU CAN JUST KIND YES, WE'D LOVE TO REVIEW.
THE, UM, THE PRESENTATION THAT, UH, YOU, YOU PRESENTED, AND THERE'S NOT VERY MANY SLIDES LEFT.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY WE DO HAVE A TIME LIMIT OF 3, 3, 3 MINUTES PER SPEAKER FROM THE PUBLIC.
UH, AND CONSIDERING THAT WE'RE ALREADY LATE, UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MOVE ON.
BUT ABSOLUTELY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR, UM, WELCOME PUBLIC COMMENTS.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE, UH, COMMISSIONER REEDY HAS JOINED US.
AND, UM, HELLO AGAIN TO, UH, COMMISSIONER, UM, MAGGIE ON,
[00:05:01]
UH, MCGEE ON ONLINE.UM, SO FIRST OFTEN, UH, MY APOLOGIES.
I'M THE, UH, ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS HERE ON THE TOURISM COMMISSION THAT HAS BEEN APPOINTED TO CHAIR THIS MEETING TODAY.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM OUR FEBRUARY 8TH, 2023 MEETING? I MOVE COMMISSIONER RONAN, BEFORE WE GO TO THAT NEXT ITEM OF THE BUSINESS.CAN I JUST ASK THE, THE, UM, LADY THAT JUST PRESENTED TO US FROM THE BOAT RENTALS, DID SHE HAVE A SPECIFIC ASK FOR THIS COMMISSION? SHE SAID NO.
AND, UM, TECHNICALLY SPEAKING, WE'RE, WE'RE, I BELIEVE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO JUST, UM, ACCEPT THE COMMENT AND IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION, SO WE HAVE TO OKAY.
IT WASN'T PART OF THE PRESENTATION THAT SHE HAD A PARTICULAR ASK.
AND SO, UM, BUT WE'LL BE SURE TO, TO GET THAT, UM, PRESENTATION AND MAKE SURE THAT'S EMAILED.
UM, SO WITH THAT, DO WE, UM, HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE FEBRUARY 8TH, 2023 MEETING? I MOVE.
UM, SHANNON, UM, DO WE HAVE A SECOND, OR EXCUSE ME SECOND.
DISCUSSION? DISCUSSION? ANY DISCUSSION? UM, SEEING THAT FOLKS DO NOT HAVE ANY COMMENTS, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ONE COMMENT.
UM, ITEM NUMBER SIX ON PAGE TWO STATES THAT THE MARCH MEETING WAS CANCELED DUE TO LACK OF QUORUM.
UM, I WOULD PROPOSE THAT WE CHANGE THIS TO REFLECT THE FACT THAT WE HAD AGREED IN, I BELIEVE, EVEN JANUARY OF 2023 TO CANCEL THE MARCH MEETING DUE TO, UM, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
SO IF THE MINUTES COULD REFLECT THAT, I THINK WE'RE GOOD TO GO.
IS THERE A SECOND? I DON'T, I WONDERED IF WE, I CAN'T, SO, UH, TECHNICALLY YOU CAN, RIGHT? SO THAT'S, SO YOU WERE LOOKING AT ME.
DOES THAT MEET, PUT A SELECT QUORUM THEN? UM, SO, SO EVEN IF FOLKS HAVE NOT BEEN PRESENT, UM, AT THE PREVIOUS MEETING, HAD NOT BEEN PRESENT, THEY'RE ABLE TO VOTE, UM, TO APPROVE MINUTES, WHICH WE WERE JUST, UH, REINFORCED WITH LAST WEEK AT OUR TRAINING.
SO IS THERE A SECOND TO APPROVE, UH, COMMISSIONER SHANNON'S MOTION? I'LL SECOND.
UH, THANK YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER MCGEE.
UM, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
AS WELL? UM, ALL THOSE OPPOSED, ALL THOSE ABSTAINING? I DON'T THINK I CAN TECHNICALLY VOTE.
SO LET THE RECORD REFLECT, PLEASE, THAT THE, UH, MINUTES FROM OUR FEBRUARY 8TH, 2023 BOARD MEETING HAVE BEEN PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
[2. Staff briefing regarding commission bylaws presented by City Clerk Myrna Rios]
MOVING ON TO AGENDA NUMBER TWO.ITEM NUMBER TWO, DISCUSSION REGARDING BOARD AND COMMISSION POLICIES, INCLUDING ATTENDANCE, WAIVERS, TRAINING, AND COMMUNICATION.
SO, UH, GENERALLY SPEAKING, UM, AS YOU'VE BEEN INFORMED THROUGH YOUR CITY ACCOUNTS, UM, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO GO THROUGH A SERIES OF TRAININGS AND, UH, SOME FOLKS HERE FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE ARE HERE TODAY TO, UH, HELP US INFORM, UM, WHAT, WHAT WE HAVE TO DO, UH, TO RE REMAIN MEMBERS OF THIS COMMISSION.
I'M THE, THE CITY CLERK, AND WITH ME IS STEPHANIE HALL, ASSISTANT CITY CLERK, WHO OVERSEES THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, UM, UH, PROCESSES.
SO WE REQUESTED TO BE ADDED TO THE AGENDA TO DISCUSS, UM, POLICIES INCLUDING ATTENDANCE, WAIVERS, TRAINING, AND COMMUNICATION.
UM, WE WERE MADE AWARE OF A MEMORANDUM THAT WAS GOING, UM, THAT YOU ALL HAD DISCUSSED AT A PREVIOUS MEETING, UM, AND I BELIEVE TOOK ACTION, BUT UNFORTUNATELY YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE, UM, RIGHT AMOUNT TO, OF MEMBERS TO, UM, HAVE APPROVED THAT.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHY WE ARE HERE.
AND WE WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
THAT WAS THE FIRST WE HAD HEARD OF ANY OF THE, UM, CONCERNS YOU HAD.
SO WE IMMEDIATELY REQUESTED TO BE ON YOUR AGENDA SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH WHATEVER INFORMATION AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
UH, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS, UH, REGARDING, UH,
[00:10:01]
BOARD COMMISSION POLICIES, INCLUDING ATTENDANCE, WAIVERS, TRAININGS, AND COMMUNICATION, INCLUDING OUR ONLINE AUDIENCE, COMMISSIONER, ATTORNEY? SO, UM, I KNOW THAT YOU HAD DRAFTED MIC, MY MIC ON, I BELIEVE IT IS ON QUESTION.UM, IS THE MIC ON FOR COMMISSIONER CHAN? OKAY, GREAT.
I BELIEVE YOU DRAFTED THE, UH, THE LETTER AND HAD ADD SOME SPECIFIC CONCERNS.
I'LL HAVE A COPY OF THAT LETTER IN FRONT OF ME.
UM, BUT IF YOU HAVE THINGS YOU WANT TO ADDRESS TO THEM, I, I WOULD SUGGEST WE DO.
UM, IN THE PAST, UH, AND I, THAT'S CORRECT.
I DID DRAFT THE, THE LETTER FOR THE COMMISSION TO TRY AND FIND SOME CLARITY, UM, WITH THE, UH, CITY CLERK'S OFFICE REGARDING, UM, ATTENDANCE THAT HAS HAMPERED OUR ABILITY TO CONDUCT MEETINGS WITH QUORA.
UM, SO WE'VE HAD TO CANCEL SOME IN THE PAST.
I'M RELATIVELY NEW TO THE COMMISSION HAVING JOINED, I THINK SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS AGO, AND HAVE BEEN REALLY TRYING TO, UM, ENSURE THAT FOLKS' TIME IS, UM, RESPECTED IN THAT WE'RE ABLE TO CONDUCT OUR MEETINGS AND ALSO, UM, CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, SOME QUESTIONS THAT I HAD REGARDING, UH, WAIVERS FOR ATTENDANCE, I UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.
UM, AND I, YOU KNOW, HAVING DONE MY TRAINING LAST THURSDAY, UM, I'M VERY UP ON THE RULES, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO HOW, UM, ATTENDANCE IS FORGIVEN.
HOWEVER, I, I GUESS THERE MIGHT BE A DISCONNECT IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATION AS TO HOW THE COMMISSION IS INFORMED OF, OF ABSENCES THAT HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN.
UH, AND HOW, FOR INSTANCE, VACANCIES.
UH, RIGHT NOW WE CURRENTLY HAVE TWO VACANCIES, UM, SEAT THREE, UH, AS WELL AS SEAT SIX.
UM, HAMPER OUR ABILITY TO ACTUALLY CONDUCT BUSINESS.
AND SO LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE CAN HELP EXPEDITE, UM, FILLING VACANCIES, BUT ALSO HAVING A CLEARER, UH, COMMUNICATION WITH, UM, OUR WONDERFUL STAFF MEMBER, UH, STAFF LIAISON FELICIA, UM, THAT CAN HELP US, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO CONDUCT BUSINESS AND MOVE FORWARD IN THE, UM, THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY.
AND THAT, YOU KNOW, AS I ALSO BROUGHT UP IN THE TRAINING, THE, UM, NEED TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, I THINK EASE OF ENGAGING WITH OUR EMAIL AND, UM, YOU KNOW, ABILITY TO KNOW WHEN WE RECEIVE AN EMAIL IN OUR, UH, ACTUAL CITY EMAIL WITHOUT HAVING TO THINK TO, TO LOOK.
UM, AND SO I UNDERSTAND THAT THESE ARE ONGOING ISSUES WITH OTHER COMMISSIONS.
AND SO FOR THE GOOD OF COMMISSIONS AND, UH, BOARDS ACROSS AUSTIN, WE PENN THE LETTER AND, AND OF COURSE WE DID NOT MEET THE REQUIRED QUORUM OF SIX INDIVIDUALS, BUT I THINK WE WERE JUST VERY IN THE WEEDS OF OUR CONCERNS.
AND, UM, SO WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE TODAY.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO RESPOND TO THAT MORE FORMALLY, BUT THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT THE BACKGROUND OF THE, OF THE LETTER WAS, THE QUESTIONS HE HAS.
I'LL TRY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THAT.
I KNOW THAT YOU DID, YOU DID ATTEND THE TRAINING, SO LET ME TRY TO COVER SOME OF THAT REALLY QUICKLY.
UM, JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS CITY.
SO THE REQUIREMENT CITY CODE FOR ATTENDANCE IS THAT IF YOU MISS THREE UNEXCUSED ABSENCES IN A ROW OR A THIRD OF ALL THE RO THE 12 MONTHS UNEXCUSED IS VERY SPECIFIC.
CITY CODE OUTLINES FOUR REASONS TO HAVE UNEXCUSED ABSENCE.
THOSE FOUR REASONS HAVE TO BE REPORTED TO THE STAFF LIAISON BY THE NEXT MEETING.
AND IF IT IS, IT'LL BE AN EXCUSED ABSENCE, WHICH DOES NOT COUNT TOWARDS A VIOLATION.
SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A VIOLATION, IT'S UNEXCUSED AND IT WOULD EITHER BE THREE IN A ROW CONSECUTIVE OR A THIRD OF THE, THE 12 MONTH PERIOD.
THIS ALSO DOESN'T INCLUDE CANCELLATIONS OR, UH, SPECIAL CALLED MEETINGS, ANYTHING THAT'S NOT A REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING.
SO SOMETIMES IF YOU HAVE A MEETING THAT'S CANCELED DUE TO LACK OF QUORUM, IT COULD KIND OF THROW OFF THAT COUNT A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THAT ATTENDANCE IS NOT TRACKED THE SAME WAY.
WE DO WANT A REPORT OF THAT BECAUSE WE LIKE TO TRACK PATTERNS.
AND IF WE NOTICE THAT A MEMBER MAYBE IS CONSISTENTLY CAUSING FAILURE TO MEET BECAUSE OF LACK OF QUORUM, WE WILL REACH OUT TO THAT COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO ONCE WE HAVE AN ATTENDANCE VIOLATION, THE STAFF LIAISON NOTIFIES US AND WE IMMEDIATELY CONTACT THAT APPOINTING COUNCIL MEMBER.
THAT'S THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE.
THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN NOW THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AND THAT COUNCIL OFFICE CITY CODE HAS A PROVISION THAT ALLOWS A WAIVER OF THE ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENT BY FULL COUNCIL VOTE.
SO WE WILL REACH OUT TO THAT COUNCIL MEMBER AND LET THEM KNOW SOMEONE'S REACHED A VIOLATION.
WE'LL GIVE THEM AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE HAVE.
SOMETIMES WE KNOW THE REASONS,
[00:15:01]
UH, SOMETIMES THAT WE, WE JUST SAY THE MEMBER'S BEEN UNRESPONSIVE, ET CETERA.AND THE COUNCIL MEMBER INFORMS OF IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO SPONSOR A WAIVER OR IF THEY WOULD ALLOW THE VACANCY TO OCCUR.
THOSE ARE THE TWO OPTIONS THAT HAPPEN.
IF THEY SAY THEY WOULD LIKE TO SPONSOR A WAIVER, THAT WILL APPEAR ON THE VERY NEXT COUNCIL AGENDA FOR FULL COUNCIL APPROVAL, THAT WILL WAVE THEIR VIOLATION TO THAT POINT.
AND BASICALLY THE CLOCK RESTARTS.
SO THEY KIND OF GET ALL OF THAT CLEARED OUT.
WE, WHEN THAT HAPPENS, WE WILL THEN REACH OUT TO THE LIAISON AND SAY, THIS PERSON RECEIVED A WAIVER, VICE VERSA.
IF THEY DECIDE TO LET THE VACANCY OCCUR, WE WILL LET THE LIAISON KNOW, PLEASE MARK THIS SEAT AS VACANT.
SO THAT'S HOW THAT, THAT HAPPENS.
UM, THE WAIVER I, LIKE I SAID, IS POSTED ON COUNCIL AGENDAS.
I KNOW THAT CAN BE KIND OF TRICKY TO, TO FIND ON COUNCIL AGENDAS, BUT IT IS POSTED THERE.
IT'S IN BACKUP AND THEIR NAMES WILL BE LISTED.
SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN SEE AND SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN SEARCH FOR.
BUT OUR OFFICE DOES REACH BACK OUT AND NOTIFY ONE OH, WAIVER'S BEEN ISSUED, OR IF A VACANCY HAPPENS.
OH, IS THERE A QUESTION? I'M SORRY.
UM, UH, SO MY QUESTION IS, WHENEVER A VACANCY GOES ON A COUNCIL AGENDA, DOES THE STAFF LIAISON GET NOTIFIED OF WHICH COUNCIL MEETING THAT WOULD BE? NO.
WE DON'T NOTIFY UNTIL THE ACTIONS HAPPEN.
THAT'S A LITTLE BIT TRICKY FOR US TO KIND OF COORDINATE.
SO WE JUST TAKE THE INFORMATION FROM THE COUNCIL OFFICE, WE PUT IT ON THE NEXT AVAILABLE AGENDA, AND THEN NOTIFY AFTER IT'S BEEN APPROVED.
I FEEL LIKE THERE WAS ANOTHER, I WAS TALK, I GOT TALKING ABOUT WAIVERS AND I TALKED SO MUCH ABOUT IT.
I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THE OTHER QUESTION I WAS GONNA ADDRESS.
UM, SO THE EMAIL COMMUNICATION, I BELIEVE IS THE OTHER ONE.
SO WE UNDERSTAND THE DIFFICULTIES AND THE FRUSTRATIONS WITH EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS.
CERTAINLY, UH, WE ARE LIMITED A LITTLE BIT BY CITY CODE.
THEY HAVE AN ENTIRE SECTION ON ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION, AND IT DEFINES THAT AS THE ONLY ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION YOU CAN HAVE REGARDING CITY BUSINESS IS VIA THE CITY ISSUED EMAIL ADDRESS.
SO MOST BOARDING COMMISSIONER MEMBERS ELECT TO HAVE THIS CITY ISSUED EMAIL ADDRESS.
WE HAVE A COUPLE THAT HAVE SAID NO, AND IN THAT CASE, IT'S A PHONE CALL SITUATION THAT THEY'RE HAVING WITH THEIR LIAISONS.
SO THE ONLY ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION ALLOWED BY CITY CODE IS THROUGH THAT EMAIL.
UH, COMMISSIONER MCGEE? YES, PLEASE.
SO, UM, I, I'VE NOTICED THAT, UM, SOME COUNCIL, WELL, PREVIOUSLY, UH, MY PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEMBER, I GUESS, GOT PERMISSION TO USE SLACK.
SO I THINK WE WERE STILL USING OUR CITY GIVEN EMAIL IN THAT, UH, SLACK THREAD THAT WAS SET UP.
IS IT POSSIBLE, POSSIBLE? CAUSE I THINK, UM, WHAT COMMISSIONER RONAN AND MAYBE OTHERS ARE LOOKING FOR IS, WE, WE WANTED TO MAKE OUR BEST EFFORT WITH THIS COMMISSION AND KEEP UP WITH COMMUNICATIONS.
SHE SAYS, HAVING FORGOTTEN THAT TODAY WAS THE MEETING
UM, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S IN OUR BUSY LIVES TRYING TO ENSURE THAT IF AN IMPORTANT EMAIL IS SENT THAT WE KNOW IT'S THERE FOR US TO PUT EYES ON AND REMINDERS AND STUFF.
AND SO I GUESS SLACK, AS MUCH AS I'M NOT A GREAT FAN OF IT PERSONALLY, MYSELF, I GUESS SLACK WOULD MAYBE HELP FACILITATE THAT.
IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THIS COMMISSION COULD HAVE ITS OWN SLACK USING THE BOARD AND COMMISSION EMAILS THAT ARE GIVEN TO US? THIS IS SOMETHING WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK INTO, BUT ON THE BROAD TERM, I WOULD SAY NO, THIS WOULD BE DIFFICULT.
AND THERE'S A VARIETY OF REASONS.
THERE ARE SOME TOMA RESTRICTIONS AROUND THIS BECAUSE WE'VE GOTTEN SIMILAR QUESTIONS.
CAN WE HAVE LIKE A SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNEL? CAN WE HAVE A GOOGLE CHAT GROUP? THOSE ARE ALL END UP BEING OUTSIDE OF TOMA REQUIREMENTS.
SO THERE ARE SOME RESTRICTIONS THAT DEAL WITH THE QUO AND WALKING QUO ISSUES.
THERE ARE ALSO SOME SECURITY CONCERNS.
SO I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO NECESSARILY ADDRESS IF LIKE, SAY FOR EXAMPLE, SLACK WOULD WORK.
NOW, IT MIGHT BE THAT A COUNCIL OFFICE IS DOING THAT, AND I WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT.
BUT AS A WHOLE, WE WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE TO DO SOME MORE RESEARCH WITH OUR, LIKE OUR AV TEAM OR SECURITY TEAM, OUR INFORMATION KIND OF NET NETWORK PROVIDER AND SEE WHAT KIND OF OPTIONS ARE THERE AND WHAT RESTRICTIONS ARE THERE.
BUT I DO KNOW THERE'S TWO THINGS INVOLVED.
SOME SECURITY RISKS AND TOMA REQUIREMENTS.
AND I THINK I, THESE ARE VERY DETAILED SORT OF THINGS THAT WE PUT IN OUR LETTER.
AND, UM, JUST OUT OF RESPECT FOR TIME TODAY, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, COMMISSIONER SHANNON HAS A, THE, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
OH, I JUST, YOU HAD MENTIONED THE FOUR REASONS FOR EXCUSE EXCUSED ABSENCES, AND I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD REFRESH MY MEMORY AS TO WHAT THOSE WERE.
I CAN'T QUOTE VERBATIM CODE, BUT I THINK I KNOW IT PRETTY WELL.
IT'S A MEMBER'S ILLNESS OR INJURY, THE IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBER'S ILLNESS OR INJURY MILITARY SERVICE.
AND THE FOURTH ONE IS QUITE LONG.
AND I KNOW I'M NOT GONNA SAY THIS EXACTLY RIGHT, BUT IT'S THE BIRTH OR ADOPTION OF A CHILD, AND THEN FOR 90 DAYS AFTER THAT OCCURS.
SO THOSE ARE THE FOUR EXCUSED REASONS.
[00:20:01]
THANK YOU.UH, COMMISSIONER CHAN, DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE A QUESTION? I KNOW A LOT OF THESE, UM, QUESTIONS AND WILL BE, UM, ANSWERED BY ATTENDING THE REQUIRED TRAINING BY THE END OF THE MONTH.
I BELIEVE THERE ARE TWO MORE TRAININGS, UM, BY, BY THE END OF THE MONTH THAT WE ALL HAVE TO ATTEND.
UH, ANY LAST QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM? OH, SORRY, ONE MORE TIME.
UM, WE JUST WANNA MAKE YOU AWARE THAT YOU CAN REACH OUT TO STEPHANIE OR I DIRECTLY AT ANY, ANY TIME YOU DON'T HAVE TO FACILITATE A CONVERSATION, GO THROUGH, YOU KNOW, YOUR APPOINTEE OR, OR YOUR APPOINTEE OFFICE OR FELICIA, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT DIRECTLY TO US IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
SO IF YOU'VE RECENTLY GONE THROUGH A TRAINING, LIKE WITHIN THE LAST YEAR, THE FPO THROUGH TRAINING AGAIN, SO THE REFRESHER TRAINING IS SPECIFICALLY FOR REAPPOINTED MEMBERS.
THAT'S WHEN IT WOULD BE REQUIRED.
SO NEW MEMBERS TAKE IT, THEY TAKE ONE THAT'S A LITTLE BIT LONGER, AND THEN THERE'S A REFRESHER TRAINING.
IF YOU'VE BEEN RECENTLY A REAPPOINTED, WE'RE JUST IN AN ELECTION, A POST POST-ELECTION YEAR.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF REFRESHERS, BUT IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN RE REAPPOINTED, YOU DON'T HAVE TO, IT WOULDN'T BE REQUIRED.
IF YOU WOULD LOVE LIKE TO ATTEND, I'M MORE THAN WELCOME TO HAVE YOU COME AND JOIN US.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UH, COMING TODAY.
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENDANCE.
[3. Introduction of new commission board members]
ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, UM, INTRODUCTION OF OUR NEW COLLEAGUES, OUR NEW COMMISSIONERS ON THE, UM, TOURISM COMMISSION.UM, PERHAPS, UH, COMMISSIONER SIAN, AM I SAYING THAT CORRECTLY? WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO THE COMMISSION? IS IT ON? CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? YEP.
UM, YES, MY NAME IS ANNA PINSK.
I WAS APPOINTED BY, UH, THE MAYOR TO THIS, UH, COMMISSIONS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS,
UM, SO, UM, WHAT BRINGS YOU TO TOURISM? OH, YES.
UH, WHAT, WHERE, UM, WHERE, WHERE DO YOU LIVE IN THE CITY AND, UM, HOW, WHERE YOU, WHERE DO YOU COME FROM? WHAT DO YOU DO? YES,
UM, I, UM, I ACTUALLY WORK AT CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS.
I'VE BEEN THERE GOING ON 12 YEARS NOW.
SO FROM WHEN IT WAS JUST DIRT BEING BUILT AND IN THE LAST, UH, 10 YEARS, IT'S BECOME A, UH, VERY BIG, UH, TOURISM, I GUESS DEPOT.
RIGHT? CUZ WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, FANS THAT COME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, NOT JUST THE COUNTRY TO, UM, TAKE PART IN THESE EVENTS THAT WE, THAT WE DO.
AND, UM, SO I THINK THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I BRING SOME EXPERTISE, MAYBE ON TOURISM AND, UM, SPEND AND HOT TAX AND ECONOMIC IMPACT.
UM, WE'RE A BIG DRIVER OF ECONOMIC IMPACT TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH AND WELCOME COMMISSIONER KADI.
I'M WONDERING, DO, DO THEY GIVE YOU THE ANNUAL REPORTS FROM THE PREVIOUS TOURISM COMMISSION? I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S PART OF THE GOOD UP TO SPEED I STUFF OR NOT? NO, I'VE ONLY BEEN THROUGH THE NEW, UM, NEW COMMISSION'S, TRAINING NEW MEMBERS.
THEY MAY NOT BE INFORMATIVE, BUT THERE MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT OF A SNAPSHOT.
NO, I'D LOVE A, I'D LOVE A COPY.
I DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS SUCH A THING, SO THAT'S GREAT.
IS THAT RIGHT, FELICIA? SORRY, I WAS WONDERING IF WE HAVE, DON'T WE HAVE AN ANNUAL REPORT EACH, THE END OF EACH YEAR? UH, WE DON'T, WE TECHNICALLY DO ACTUALLY, UH, EVERY JULY WE HAVE TO SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT, UM, TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE, ESSENTIALLY STATING, UH, WHAT OUR RESPONSIBILITIES WERE AND WHAT WE DID THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, UM, TO FULFILL THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES.
WELL, AND, AND FELICIA HAS HELPED FACILITATE THAT PROCESS IN THE PAST, SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEND THAT TO YOU.
UM, COMMISSIONER, UM, AO PERFECT.
UM, COMMISSIONER EILEEN BAAN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF? CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? I'M VERY WEIRD.
I FEEL LIKE MY VOICE SOUNDS A LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN IT USUALLY DOES.
UM, I WAS APPOINTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, HOPPER MADISON.
UM, I COME INTO TOURISM FROM THE ASPECT LIKE WORKERS.
I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH UNITE HERE, LOCAL 23, UM, FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS NOW.
I'M A SENIOR ORGANIZER WITH THEM, AND THAT'S LIKE HOSPITALITY UNION.
SO LIKE THE AIRPORT, THE HILTONS LIKE, YOU KNOW, I SAW THE, YOU KNOW, HOW BUSY IT WAS AND THEN LIKE THE PANDEMIC AND THEN NOW.
[00:25:01]
UM, I'VE SEEN LIKE THAT ASPECT OF TOURISM, SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO SIT HERE.UH, I'M THINKING, UH, QUICKLY WE SHOULD GO AROUND AND INTRODUCE OURSELVES, WHICH, WHO WE ARE AND OUR, UM, UH, WHO APPOINTED US TO THE COMMISSION, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, OUR NEW FOLKS KNOW WHO WE ARE.
BUT AT FIRST I SAW A HAND, UM, COMMISSIONER MCGEE, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ASK OR TO SAY? IT CAN BE TAKEN CARE OF IN THE, UH, ROUND ROBIN YOU JUST ANNOUNCED.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO START? SURE.
I WAS APPOINTED BY, UM, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER GREG KAZA.
AND, UH, I ALSO COME FROM LABOR, SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT, UM, OUR UNITE HERE, SISTER.
I AM FROM, UH, I'M A MEMBER OF I A T S E, LOCAL 2 0 5.
WE WORK BEHIND THE SCENES, UH, IN LIVE EVENTS.
AND SO THAT'S MY INTEREST IN THIS COMMISSION, UM, IS, UH, LOOKING AT TOURISM AND HOW IT IMPACTS OUR LOCAL WORKFORCE.
UH, CHAIR, UM, COMMISSIONER, UH, SHANNON, EXCUSE ME.
I WAS, UH, APPOINTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER WAAS.
UM, I'M AN ATTORNEY HERE IN TOWN IN ACTIVE IN DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERAL HOTELS IN AUSTIN AND IN THE STATE AND OVER THE COUNTRY.
UM, ALSO BEEN ACTIVE IN TOURISM THROUGH INVOLVEMENT WITH, UH, VISIT AUSTIN.
I, UM, HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE, WITH AUSTIN PBS FOR 25 YEARS.
MY ROLE IS VP OF BRAND DEVELOPMENT FOR AUSTIN CITY LIMITS AND HELPED CREATE THE FESTIVAL AND HELPED GET THAT BUILDING BUILT DOWNTOWN AS PART OF MY DUTIES.
SO I HAVE A GOOD BEELINE ON, UH, OUR TOURISM IMPACT THROUGH THE, YOU KNOW, EXPORT OF THE TELEVISION SERIES, AS WELL AS THE IMPORT OF GUESTS TO THE FESTIVAL EVERY YEAR.
UH, I STARTED AS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE FIRST FORMATION OF THE COMMISSION, AND I WAS REPRESENTING DISTRICT THREE.
AND, UH, TODAY, STARTING TODAY, I REPRESENT AT THE PLEASURE OF DISTRICT FIVE.
SO I HAVE BEEN, UH, REASSIGNED IN MY, UH, REPRESENTATION, BUT HERE TO SERVE THE CITY AND, UH, HELP WITH THE MISSION OF THIS TASK FORCE OR COMMISSIONER, I MEAN TO SAY, EXCUSE ME.
UH, COMMISSIONER K I'M APPOINTED BY, UH, THE OTHER ALTAR COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ALISON AL ALTER FROM DISTRICT 10.
AND MY BACKGROUND IS A PATENT ATTORNEY IN TOWN HERE WITH A FIRM ELLI K IN CHAMBERS.
BUT MY WORK IN THE TOURISM SPACE GOES BACK TO THE VISITOR IMPACT TASK FORCE, WHICH IS KIND OF THE PREDECESSOR GROUP TO THIS COMMISSION.
AND MY FOCUS HAS BEEN TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO GET HOTEL TAX FUNDING INTO OUR PARKS AND ENVIRONMENTAL SPACES TO BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY IN ADDITION TO THE TOURISM CONVENTION CENTER INDUSTRY.
COMMISSIONER EDY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE AN INTRODUCTION, PLEASE? SURE.
I'M C E O OF BOSTON CREATIVE ALLIANCE.
I'VE BEEN IN THE ARTS AND CULTURE SECTOR FOR 30 YEARS HERE LOCALLY.
UM, I'M APPOINTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POOL, AND MY PRIMARY INTEREST IS IN CULTURAL TOURISM.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR THE INTRODUCTIONS.
UH, I'M SURE WE'LL GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER, UH, IN THE COMING MONTHS ON THIS BOARD AND, UH, COMMISSION.
AND I GUESS WITH THAT, I'LL INTRODUCE MYSELF.
UM, I'M A CITIZEN, BUT ALSO A PRINCIPAL OF MY OWN FIRM, RESILIENT HERITAGE, WHICH WORKS IN MUSEUMS, UH, TYPICALLY IN FUNDRAISING AND TAX CREDITS, UH, FOR ARTS AND CULTURAL VENUES ACROSS THE CITY.
UH, I WAS FORMERLY APPOINTED BY, UM, COMMISSION, UH, EXCUSE ME, COUNCIL MEMBER KATHY TOVO AND REAPPOINTED BY, UH, Z CADRE, UH, COMMISSIONER ZO QUADRI.
[4. Conduct officer elections for the Chair and Vice Chair]
MOVING ON TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM, UM, CONDUCTING OFFICER ELECTIONS FOR CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR, AND PLACED IN AN AWKWARD SITUATION AS, UM, I KNOW THAT, UH,SO, UH, RACHEL, I, I WOULD LIKE YOU, EXCUSE ME, COMMISSIONER, UM,
UM, AND JUST BEFORE YOU DO THAT, I WANTED TO, UM, LET YOU KNOW, UM, APPARENTLY WE HAD ANOTHER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION THAT WAS WAITING AT TWO 30, BUT BECAUSE WE STARTED LATE AGAIN, MY APOLOGIES, UM, THEY, UM, THEY, UH,
[00:30:01]
DROPPED THE CALL, BUT APPARENTLY THEY ARE STILL WAITING TO SPEAK OR STILL WISH TO SPEAK.AND FELICIA HAS ASKED WHETHER WE COULD LET THEM IN AT 4 25.
UM, AND SO, UM, YEAH, THAT SHOULD WORK.
UM, UM, ANY OBJECTIONS? I GUESS THAT'S NOT A FORMAL MOTION.
NO, I THINK WE JUST NEED TO ASK IF THERE'S ANY OBJECTION.
YES, WE'D BE HAPPY TO HAVE THAT INDIVIDUAL COME IN AT 4 25.
SO YEAH, OPEN THE FLOOR FOR NOMINATIONS.
SO WE HAVE TO LIKE, TO CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR TODAY.
WE'VE, WE'VE ASSIGNED, UH, THE, THE PERSON TO SPEAK TO US AT 4 25.
IT'S 3 25 OR 3 26 AT THIS MOMENT.
IS THERE A CONTINGENCY IF WE CONCLUDE OUR BUSINESS PRIOR TO, LIKE IF WE'RE DONE WITH OUR BUSINESS AT FOUR O'CLOCK? ARE WE COMPLAINT COMPILED TO SAY, I ACTUALLY HERE TILL 4 25? THERE ARE LIKE THREE PRESENTATIONS.
I ACTUALLY DOUBT WE'RE GONNA OKAY.
ALRIGHT, WELL THEN LET'S CARRY ON.
I JUST WANTED A BACK UP PLAN IF WE DID CONCLUDE EARLY IN OUR BUSINESS, UM, THINKING
UH, SO I'LL, UM, AS, UH, THE, I GUESS STANDING IN CHAIR, I WILL, UH, OPEN THE FLOOR TO NOMINATIONS FOR BOTH VICE-CHAIR.
UH, LET'S START WITH VICE CHAIR.
ARE THERE NOMINATIONS FOR VICE CHAIR? I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE COMMISSIONER BAILEY IF HE'S INTERESTED.
COMMISSIONER BAILEY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE NOMINATED FOR OR ACCEPT THE NOMINATION FOR VICE CHAIR OF THE TOURISM COMMISSION? I ACCEPT, BUT I WILL NEED TO GET IN TO DO SOME ADDITIONAL ROBERT'S TRAINING, BUT I'LL ACCEPT IT FOR THE SAKE OF THIS MEETING, AND WE WILL BE READY FOR THAT TASK BY OUR NEXT THANK YOU.
UH, COMMISSIONER BAILEY, ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS FOR VICE CHAIR ON THE FLOOR? LORD, I'LL HAVE ANOTHER NOMINATION.
UM, OH, SHE'S SAYING SHE HAS, OH, ANOTHER NOMINATION.
ANOTHER NOMINATION FOR VICE CHAIR.
I'D LIKE TO ALSO NOMINATE COMMISSIONER KATI.
UH, COMMISSIONER KATI, UH, HAS RESPECTFULLY DECLINED THE OFFER.
THAT'S FAIR OF HIS NOMINATION.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS FOR VICE CHAIR? UH, HEARING NONE.
ARE THERE ANY NOMINATIONS FOR THE FLOOR? FOR CHAIR? I NOMINATE? YES.
COMMISSIONER DANIEL RONAN? NO, THAT'S YOUR FIRST NAME.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER, UH, NOMINATIONS FOR CHAIR? OKAY.
UM, ALRIGHT, UM, HEARING THAT THERE ARE NO OTHER NOMINATIONS FOR THE POSITIONS OF VICE-CHAIR OR CHAIR, UH, WE NOW MOVE TO, UM, I GUESS CALL THE QUESTION OF THE ELECTION.
UM, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SOLE NOMINEE? COMMISSIONER
CAN SOMEONE STEAL THAT AS A MOTION?
MOTION FOR, UM, COMMISSIONER BAILEY TO BECOME VICE CHAIR.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? THANK YOU.
UM, LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT COMMISSIONER PERSIAN, UM, HAS MOVED TO, UH, NOMINATE, UM, COMMISSIONER AT BAILEY AS THE FUTURE VICE CHAIR FOR THE TOURISM COMMISSION WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER, UM, GREG CHANON SECONDING.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? DO I VOTE IT MYSELF? YES, IF YOU'D LIKE.
THE, UM, MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
UM, IS THERE A MOTION ON THE TABLE TO, UM, TO ELECT I MOVE THAT WE ELECT COMMISSIONER DANIEL RON AND AS CHAIR.
[00:35:03]
REEDY.BY, UH, COMMISSIONER REEDY, UM, THE MOTION, UH, PROPOSING, UH, COMMISSIONER DANIEL RONAN'S, UH, UH, APPOINTMENT AS CHAIR OF THE TOURISM COMMISSION.
UH, IS THERE A VOTE, UH, APPROVAL APPROVALS, PLEASE.
ANY, ANYONE? WHAT IS THAT CALLED IN FAVOR?
UM, THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
UM, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE HERE FOR, UH, YOUR WILLINGNESS TO TAKE ON, UH, COMMISSIONER BAILEY AND, AND ME AS YOUR
WE'RE, I'M GONNA HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, BRUSH UP ON MY, UH, ROBERT'S RULES AS WELL.
SO, UM, ARE THERE ANY QUICK QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD? CHAIR RONAN? YES.
I PUT IN COMMISSIONER MCGEE, OR SORRY, THAT'S YOU, FELICIA.
I PUT IN THE PACKET, THE ROBERTS RULES FOR Y'ALL.
UM, AND, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S BEEN FORMALLY INTRODUCED, BUT THIS IS, UM, OUR STAFF LIAISON, FELICIA HEK, WHO IS, UM, OUR TIRELESS ADVOCATE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING ALL THE INFORMATION WE NEED AND HAS BEEN, UM, VERY HELPFUL IN, UH, SECURING CITY HALL FOR OUR MEETING.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, FELICIA.
AMONG OTHER THINGS THAT SHE'S DONE FOR THIS COMMISSION, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
I JUST WANTED TO, UH, THANK COMMISSIONER BAILEY.
I KNOW I SURPRISED YOU WITH THAT NOMINATION, SO I APPRECIATE YOU, UH, STEPPING UP.
I WAS LOOKING AT OUR COMMISSIONERS THAT HAVE SERVED THE LONGEST.
I FELT THAT THOSE WHO'VE BEEN WITH US THE LONGEST MIGHT BE THE MOST HELP TO THE CHAIR.
AND, UH, I WANTED TO THANK DANIEL FOR, UH, STEPPING UP TO CHAIR AND I'M EXCITED FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE NEW.
AND, UM, I WANTED TO THANK FELICIA FOR HER SUPPORT WHILE I HAVE BEEN IN THAT ROLE.
AND, UH, I KNOW SHE'LL DO AN EXCELLENT JOB AT SUPPORTING THE NEXT ADMINISTRATION.
I JUST, COMMISSIONER BAILEY, I WAS JUST GOING TO THANK HER FOR HER SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP AND SETTING, UM, GOOD, UH, SETTING THE, THE TONE FOR HOW TO LEAD THIS ORGANIZATION.
SO WE'LL, WE'LL TRY TO KEEP UP WITH WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU PROVIDED AND LEFT US.
AND TO ECHO THE THANKS, I MEAN, IT, IT IS THANKLESS WORK.
THIS IS VOLUNTEER WORK TO, TO LEAD COMMISSIONS.
AND, UM, SO THANK YOU, UH, CHAIR.
NOW, FORMER CHAIR, UH, RACHEL MCGEE.
AND ALSO, UM, IT SHOULD NOT BE FORGOTTEN THAT, UH, OUR VICE CHAIR, KEN SMITH, WHO IS NO LONGER, I WAS GONNA SAY WITH US, HE'S, HE'S AROUND.
HE'S JUST NOT ON OUR COMMISSION ANYMORE.
SO, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO HIM FOR HIS, UM, HIS SERVICE.
AND THANK YOU TO YOU ALL FOR BEING MEMBERS HERE ON ON THE DOORS COMMISSION.
[5. Presentation on homelessness impact and initiatives in Austin from the city of Austin, Homelessness Strategy Officer, Dianna Grey]
LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD HERE WITH OUR AGENDA.UH, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION, UM, BY DIANA GRAY FROM THE HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY, EXCUSE ME, THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER HERE AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN WHO'S GOING TO PRESENT ON HOMELESSNESS, UH, ITS IMPACT AND THE INITIATIVES THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS.
AND I'VE BEEN INFORMED THAT INSTEAD OF DIANA GRAY, IT'S ACTUALLY GARY P*****K.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, GARY FOR JOINING US TODAY, UM, RATHER MR. P*****K.
UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR SERVICE AND VOLUNTEERISM.
REAL QUICK, COULD YOU PULL THE MIC A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO YEAH.
AM I NOT SHOULD SO MUCH LEAN IN.
UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR INVITING US TODAY TO SPEAK ABOUT HOMELESSNESS HERE IN AUSTIN.
UM, I HOPE TO PROVIDE YOU SOME INFORMATION AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
UH, TODAY'S TOPICS I WANT TO COVER ARE FINDING HOME ATX, UH, WHICH IS A REGION-WIDE EFFORT TO FUNDRAISE AND BUILD CAPACITY IN OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
UM, OUR HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT RESPONSE, UH, THE HEAL INITIATIVE, WHICH IS RELATED TO THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT RESPONSE, AS WELL AS THE SHELTER SYSTEM ASSESSMENT, WHICH OUR, UM, DIVISION IS CURRENTLY UNDERTAKING.
AND, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT SPECIFICALLY AROUND, UH, PER PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND, AND WHAT'S IN THE PIPELINE RIGHT NOW.
SO FINDING HOME ATX UH, WAS ACTUALLY THE RESULT OF THE SUMMIT TO END UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS, WHICH WAS CONVENED IN EARLY 2021 AND INCLUDED, UH, MEMBERS FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND MANY SERVICE PROVIDERS ACROSS THE CITY.
AND THEY CAME TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT WHAT TO DO ABOUT UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS.
AND THEY CAME UP WITH A, A LARGE INVESTMENT PLAN, UM, THAT TOTALED 515 MILLION
[00:40:02]
AND HAD THE GOAL IN THREE YEARS, UM, OF HOUSING 3000 PEOPLE CREATING 1300 NEW HOUSING UNITS DEDICATED TO PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, SECURING 1700 PRIVATE MARKET RENTAL UNITS.AND OVERALL JUST STRENGTHENING THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM ITSELF.
TO THIS DATE, OR ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF AGO, WE ARE 89% TOWARDS OUR GOAL OF 515 MILLION.
UM, THAT INCLUDES A GREAT AMOUNT OF, UH, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FUNDING.
UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S COMMITTED OVER 200 MILLION TO THIS EFFORT.
WE ALSO HAVE, UH, 59 MILLION FROM TRAVIS COUNTY.
THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS INVESTED CLOSE TO A HUNDRED MILLION, UM, PRIVATE FUNDERS, CLOSE TO 50 MILLION, UM, AS WELL AS THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND SERVICE PROVIDERS MAKING UP THE REMAINDER.
UH, WE HAVE ABOUT 61 MILLION LEFT TO RAISE, AND THERE ARE EFFORTS UNDERWAY IN THE COMMUNITY TO WORK WITH, UM, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
UH, I BELIEVE THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE, WHO WE'LL HEAR FROM NEXT, UM, AS WELL AS MANY OTHER STAKEHOLDERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, WHO, UH, MIGHT HAVE PHILA PHILANTHROPIC MEANS TO CONTRIBUTE A LARGE PART OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S INVESTMENT.
THAT 200 PLUS MILLION IS, UM, THE AMER AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT DOLLARS, WHICH WERE AWARDED TO, UH, JURISDICTIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
UM, IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC, THE CITY OF AUSTIN DECIDED TO ALLOCATE OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS TO HOMELESSNESS SPECIFICALLY.
AND THIS IS THE INVESTMENT PLAN THAT HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE, AND THIS IS THE KIND OF THE UPDATE OF WHERE WE ARE NOW.
UH, SO THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE ALLOCATION PLAN, UH, FOR THESE LARGE BUCKETS OF SERVICE TYPES AND PROGRAM TYPES.
UH, WE HAVE NOW COMMITTED MORE THAN HALF OF IT, UM, THROUGH A VARIETY OF SOLICITATIONS, UH, REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL.
AND WE'VE ISSUED, UM, QUITE A NUMBER OF, UH, CONTRACTS JUST IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
UH, OVER 50 MILLION HAS BEEN CONTRACTED TO A RAPID REHOUSING PROGRAM TYPE, WHICH, UH, AIMS TO HELP FOLKS TRANSITION QUICKLY FROM HOMELESSNESS INTO INDEPENDENT PRIVATE HOUSING WITH SUPPORT FOR UP TO 18 MONTHS OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE, AND THEN HOPEFULLY INDEPENDENCE FROM THAT POINT ONWARD.
UH, THERE'S ALSO, UH, A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY IN CAPITAL INVESTMENT, UH, 25 MILLION COMMITTED, AND SO FAR, OR ALLOCATED, I SHOULD SAY.
UM, AND SO FAR ABOUT 10 MILLION HAS BEEN COMMITTED.
UM, AND THAT'S TO PRODUCE HOUSING UNITS THEMSELVES.
SO THAT'S HELPING TO FILL IN SOME OF THE FINANCIAL GAPS THAT, UH, DEVELOPERS AND NONPROFITS WHO ARE DEVELOPING HOUSING RIGHT NOW ARE EXPERIENCING.
NEXT UP IS HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT RESPONSE.
UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS ESTABLISHED A CENTRALIZED APPROACH TO ADDRESSING ENCAMPMENTS IN OUR CITY.
UH, AS WE KNOW THERE ARE MANY ACROSS THE CITY AND THEY VARY IN SIZE, THEY VARY IN, UM, IN RISK AND MAKEUP.
UM, AND, UM, THEY CHANGE ON A VERY REGULAR BASIS.
THERE ARE OVER 15 CITY AGENCIES THAT RESPOND TO ENCAMPMENTS.
SO, UH, EVERYBODY FROM CODE TO WATERSHED PROTECTION TO THE HOMELESS STRATEGY DIVISION TO EMS ARE OFTEN RESPONDING TO COMPLAINTS OR NEEDS ABOUT ENCAMPMENTS.
AND SO, UH, EVERYBODY HAS COME TOGETHER AND CREATED A HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT RESPONSE TEAM THAT MEETS ON A WEEKLY BASIS AND COORDINATES MUCH OF THEIR ACTIVITIES THROUGH THAT MEETING.
AND THEN ONGOING COMMUNICATION.
AND A RESULT OF ALL OF THAT WORK HAS BEEN AN APP.
SO AN ONLINE APP HAS BEEN CREATED, IT'S BEING PILOTED RIGHT NOW, AND THOSE 15 DIFFERENT, UH, DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE CITY ARE CURRENTLY USING IT TO ASSESS ENCAMPMENTS AS THEY ARE CALLED OUT TO THEM, OR THEY COME ACROSS THEM IN THEIR DAILY WORK.
SO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS OFTEN, UM, COMMENTING ABOUT THE IMPACT TO GREEN SPACE.
UM, CODE MIGHT BE GOING OUT AND ADDING DETAILS ABOUT HOW THEY MIGHT BE AFFECTING ZONING OR OTHER CODE ISSUES THAT MIGHT ARISE.
UM, HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE HAS A TEAM OR HAS A STAFF MEMBER WHO GOES OUT AND HE SPEAKS WITH, UH, ENCAMPMENT RESIDENTS THEMSELVES AND UNDERSTANDS THEIR PREDICAMENT AND THEIR NEEDS.
AND ALL THAT INFORMATION GETS INPUT INTO AN APP THAT THEN ALLOWS THIS COORDINATED TEAM TO ASSESS THE, THE LEVEL OF RISK AND THE LEVEL OF NEED OF EACH ENCAMPMENT.
IT'S AN ONGOING PROJECT FOR SURE.
UH, THE APP, I THINK IS SET TO BE KIND OF FINALIZED AT THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.
SO THEY'RE PILOTING IT NOW, THEY'RE SEEING HOW IT WORKS, MAKING SURE EVERYBODY CAN USE IT, WHETHER THEY'RE IN THE FIELD OR AT THEIR DESK IN THE OFFICE, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS UNDERSTAND HOW TO USE IT.
[00:45:01]
IN WHAT WE CALL HEAL.UM, AND THIS WAS A COUNCIL DIRECTIVE FROM COUNCIL MEMBER, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.
UH, AND IT'S, UH, STANDS FOR THE HOUSING FOCUSED ENCAMPMENT ASSISTANCE LE UH, LINK, UH, HEAL.
AND THAT GOES OUT TO THE HIGHEST RISK ENCAMPMENTS.
AND WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS RESOLVE THOSE ENCAMPMENTS BY OFFERING SHELTER AS WELL AS A CONNECTION TO HOUSING RESOURCES.
SO, UM, YOU CAN SEE FROM THESE NUMBERS HERE, WE'VE DECOMMISSIONED 12 ENCAMPMENTS THUS FAR SINCE THE SUMMER OF 2021.
OVER 470 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN MOVED INTO SHELTERS.
SO WE HAVE TWO FORMER HOTELS THAT HAVE BEEN PURCHASED AND TURNED INTO TEMPORARY BRIDGE SHELTERS, WE CALL THEM.
UM, AND THE IDEA OF THE BRIDGE SHELTER IS, IT'S KIND OF A BRIDGE TO HOUSING, RIGHT? SO SHELTER CAN BE USED AS A TEMPORARY SPACE TO UNDERSTAND FOLKS' NEEDS, HELP THEM STABILIZE THEIR NEEDS, AND CONNECT THEM TO RESOURCES TO THEN MOVE ON INTO, UM, INDEPENDENCE AND STABILITY.
UH, 250 OF THOSE FOLKS WHO HAVE MOVED IN A SHELTER, SO LITTLE MORE THAN HALF HAVE BEEN CONNECTED TO A CASE MANAGER.
UM, AND 171 HAVE BEEN HOUSED SO FAR THROUGH THIS INITIATIVE IN THE PRIVATE MARKET SO FAR AS WELL, WE SEE ABOUT 192 DAYS IS THE AVERAGE TIME, SO ABOUT SIX MONTHS, WHICH IS MUCH LONGER THAN WE WANT.
UM, BUT IT'S ABOUT THAT TIME RIGHT NOW, UM, FROM THE DAY SOMEBODY ENTERS SHELTER TO MOVE OUT INTO HOUSING.
AND A LOT OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE RAMP UP.
SO A LOT OF THOSE CONTRACTS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE 55 MILLION INTO RAPID REHOUSING, UM, NEEDED TO RAMP UP.
SO A LOT OF THOSE SERVICE PROVIDERS ARE JUST GETTING THE FULL CAPACITY NOW.
UM, AND SO WE'RE SEEING A LITTLE BIT MORE MOVEMENT, UM, FROM THEM AS THEY ARE ABLE TO HAVE MORE STAFF GET TO THE SHELTERS MORE REGULARLY, AND ALSO SCAN THE PRIVATE MARKET AND FIND, UH, LANDLORDS AND PROPERTY MANAGERS WILLING TO TAKE THOSE CLIENTS.
THE NEXT BIG THING THAT OUR DIVISION IS WORKING ON IS A SHELTER SYSTEM ASSESSMENT.
SO, UM, LAST SUMMER, CITY COUNCIL DIRECTED OUR STAFF TO, UH, REVIEW OUR CITY'S SHELTER SYSTEM.
SO, UH, WE HAVE SHELTER IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE CITY RIGHT NOW, RUN BY DIFFERENT PROVIDERS, FUNDED IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.
AND, UM, A HOMELESS STRATEGY DIVISION WAS ASKED TO BASICALLY LOOK OVER EVERYTHING TO HOLD A PRETTY ROBUST ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
UH, SO CONVERSATIONS HAVE BE BEEN HELD WITH STAKEHOLDERS, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR HAVE EXPERIENCED SHELTER IN THE PAST.
SO MAYBE THEY WERE IN SHELTER AND LEFT, MAYBE THEY MOVED ON TO HOUSING.
WE'VE DONE OUR BEST TO REACH OUT TO AS MANY FOLKS AS WE CAN, UM, AND HOLD FOCUS GROUPS AND INTERVIEWS AND CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR EXPERIENCE WAS LIKE, WHAT THEY WISH IT WAS LIKE, UM, WHAT RESOURCES COULD HAVE MADE IT BETTER OR WHAT WAS ALREADY GREAT ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE.
ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE A TEAM THAT'S BEEN LOOKING AT OTHER CITIES.
SO WE'VE LOOKED AT EIGHT DIFFERENT CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING FOUR IN TEXAS, UH, WELL FORT WORTH, YEAH, IT'S KIND OF A COUNTY AND A CITY, UM, IN THEIR EFFORTS.
AND, UM, THEY'RE SYNTHESIZING ALL OF THAT RESEARCH RIGHT NOW IN ADDITION TO BEST PRACTICES AT A NATIONAL LEVEL.
SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT, UM, CONSORTIUMS AND ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS THAT PUBLISH RESEARCH ON A REGULAR BASIS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT KIND OF SHELTER WORKS, HOW DOES SHELTER FIT INTO A LOCAL SYSTEM TO MAKE IT EFFICIENT TO MAKE SURE THAT HOMELESSNESS IS RARE, BRIEF, AND, UH, N NOT REPEATED, SORRY,
UM, AND SO THAT PROJECT IS UNDERWAY.
DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS ARE HOPEFULLY GOING TO BE CIRCULATED TO CITY COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY NEXT MONTH.
UM, SO IT'S A SHORT TURN TURNAROUND, BUT WE'RE HOPING, UH, TO BE ABLE TO SHARE AT LEAST THE START OF A VISION AND NEXT STEPS ON WHAT WE CAN DO AS A COMMUNITY TO BETTER PROVIDE SHELTER FOR THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOUSING CRISES OR HOUSING VULNERABILITY.
UM, ON THE TOPIC OF SHELTER, UH, YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THAT THE SALVATION ARMY SHELTER DOWNTOWN HAS CLOSED, UH, OR IS CLOSING, I SHOULD SAY.
THEY ANNOUNCED ON FEBRUARY 17TH THAT, UH, THEY WERE CLOSING SHELTER.
AND, UM, WE HAVE STEPPED IN AND DONE OUR BEST TO HELP FIND ALTERNATIVE LOCATIONS OR OPTIONS FOR FOLKS WHO WERE IN THAT SHELTER AT THE TIME.
UH, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GET THERE IMMEDIATELY, AND SO SOME FOLKS DID LEAVE SHELTER WITHOUT ANY INTERVENTION.
THEY LEFT ON THEIR OWN VOLITION.
UM, BUT SINCE THEN WE'VE ABLE BEEN ABLE TO, UM, FIND SOLUTIONS FOR ALMOST EVERYBODY.
UH, SOME OF THAT HAS BEEN TO OTHER SHELTER PROGRAMS IN THE CITY.
SO THE ARCH, UH, ON SIXTH STREET HAS BEEN ABLE TO OPEN ITS DOORS TO SEVERAL RESIDENTS OF THE SALVATION ARMY SHELTER, UM, AS WELL AS A PROGRAM ON THE EAST SIDE CALLED A NEW ENTRY,
[00:50:01]
WHICH IS A SOBER FACILITY AND REHABILITATION FACILITY.THEY'VE OPENED SOME BEDS FOR US.
UM, A DV SHELTER HAS ALSO BEEN ABLE TO OPEN BEDS FOR SOME FOLKS WHO HAD, UH, HISTORIES OF VIOLENCE IN THEIR LIVES.
UM, AND THE, THERE WERE NINE FOLKS REMAINING THIS WEEK AT THE SHELTER, UH, WHICH WAS DOWN FROM 80 PLUS.
AND THOSE NINE HAVE BEEN OFFERED A SPACE IN ONE OF THE SHELTERS THAT'S PART OF THE HEAL PROGRAM.
SO, UM, WE'RE CONNECTING THEM TO THOSE SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDES HOUSING PLACEMENT.
UM, AND SO WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO RESOLVE THEIR, THEIR SITUATION, UH, SOON.
AND, UM, THAT SALVATION ARMY SHELTER IS SET TO CLOSE THIS WEEK.
SO IT'S KIND OF A, WE, MANY OPTIONS HAVE BEEN OFFERED.
AND SO IT'S KIND OF THE LAST CHANCE FOR FOLKS.
UH, BUT WE'RE, WE, I THINK ALMOST ALL OF THEM HAVE ACCEPTED AND WE'RE JUST NOW COORDINATING ALL OF THE MOVES, UH, FROM DOWNTOWN UP TO, UH, THE NORTH BRIDGE SHELTER, WHICH IS OFF OF, UH, NORTH I, UH, NORTH IH 35.
UM, AND THEN THE MORE POSITIVE PIECE, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
SO A LOT OF HOUSING IS NEEDED, RIGHT? SO, UM, WHILE WE AREN'T DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR HOUSING, WE PARTNER WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT HERE, UH, HERE AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AS WELL AS, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY AND SEVERAL OF THE PROVIDERS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE DEVELOPING HOUSING.
AND, UM, IT'S A LENGTHY PROCESS, CERTAINLY FROM THE, THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT WHEN SOMEBODY WANTS TO BUILD SOMETHING THROUGH THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE LEASE UP.
AND WE HAVE SEVERAL PROJECTS CURRENTLY IN THE PIPELINE, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 1200 UNITS OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, UH, COMING ONLINE IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, THE HOUSING PIPELINE.
SO YOU CAN SEE HERE IT'S BEEN A FAIRLY SLOW, SLOW GROWTH OVER TIME.
SO THIS, THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM HAS NOT BEEN DEVELOPED IN OUR COMMUNITY AT GREAT LENGTH OR, UH, GREAT VOLUME IN THE PAST.
UH, BUT THROUGH THIS FINDING HOME ATX INITIATIVE, WHICH IS BRINGING IN THOSE 500 MILLION AS WELL AS A, A COMMUNITY-WIDE EFFORT, UM, TO MAKE THIS A PRIORITY, WE'RE, WE'RE ALMOST TRIPLING THE NUMBER OF UNITS AVAILABLE IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
AND THEN THE LAST SLIDE I HAVE IS KIND OF THIS SPOTLIGHT.
SO SOME OF THE PROGRAMS OR PROJECTS THAT ARE ABOUT TO OPEN JUST IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO, UM, ARE LISTED HERE.
THEY HAVE A VARIETY OF AFFORDABILITY AS WELL AS SET ASIDES FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
SO THERE WILL BE SOME DEEPLY AFFORDABLE OR LOW INCOME, UH, UNITS AVAILABLE IN THESE BUILDINGS AT MARKET RATE, UM, OR A, YOU KNOW, AT A VERSION OF MARKET RATE AS WELL AS, UH, UNITS SET ASIDE FOR FOLKS WHO HAVE HOUSING VOUCHERS, UH, PAID FOR BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND MANAGED BY, UH, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE TODAY.
ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, QUESTIONS FROM THE DIAS OR ONLINE? UH, COMMISSIONER MCGEE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.
UM, I'M CURIOUS ON THE HEEL, UM, THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT WITH ENCAMPMENTS.
UM, IS IT, IS IT LIKE A RACE BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE STATE TO GET TO THOSE ENCAMPMENTS? BECAUSE I'VE NOTICED, YOU KNOW, IN MY AREA WHERE THERE'S ENCAMPMENTS THAT FREQUENTLY, YOU KNOW, THE STATE DPS COMES AND CLEARS THEM ALL OFF.
AND I, AS MUCH AS I DON'T DISLIKE ENCAMPMENTS, I REALLY HATE SEEING PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOTHING, HAVING EVERYTHING THEY DO HAVE TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM AGAIN AND AGAIN.
UM, IS IT SORT OF A RACE OR IS THERE ANY KIND OF COORDINATION OR, UM, THERE IS NOT COORDINATION WITH THE STATE.
THEY ACT ON THEIR OWN VOLITION.
UM, HOWEVER THAT IS GENERALLY NOT, SINCE IT'S NOT COMMUNICATED TO US, WE CAN'T FACTOR IT INTO THE PRIORITIZATION OF ENCAMPMENTS.
UM, I HAVE FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS, BUT I DON'T WANNA HOLD THE FLOOR, SO, AND AS I'M THERE, I CAN'T SEE, IS IT SOMETHING QUICK? WE'RE, UM, JUST NOTING THE TIME.
WE HAVE 45 MINUTES TO GET THROUGH TWO MORE PRESENTATIONS, ACTUALLY 40.
UM, REAL QUICK, SO IT SOUNDS LIKE FROM YOUR PRESENTATION THAT WITH THE RESEARCH YOU'VE BEEN DOING, YOU MENTIONED RESEARCHING WHAT OTHER, OTHER CITIES ARE DOING.
I'M WAS CURIOUS IF ANY OF THAT, ANY OF THE RESEARCH HAS EXTENDED TO OTHER COUNTRIES AND IT'S SORT OF SOUNDING LIKE THE PROGRAM LEANS TOWARDS HOUSING FIRST SERVICES SECOND, CUZ I KNOW FROM WHAT I'VE LOOKED AT WHERE THERE'S BEEN SUCCESS IN OTHER COUNTRIES, THEY FOUND HOUSING HAS TO BE FIRST,
[00:55:01]
SERVICES HAVE TO BE SECOND.CUZ IF YOU JUST OFFER SERVICES WITHOUT HOUSING, PEOPLE ARE NOT IN A STABLE ENOUGH POSITION TO USE THE SERVICES.
IS IS THAT SORT OF WHAT YOU GUYS ARE WORKING ON? YEAH, I WILL SAY WE'VE NOT LOOKED AT OTHER COUNTRIES, BUT THAT PRACTICE IS CERTAINLY, UM, GROUNDED IN OUR, OUR WORK IS GROUNDED IN THAT PRACTICE.
HOUSING FIRST, UM, IS AT A VERY MUCH ACCEPTED PRACTICE ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND, AND INTERNATIONALLY AS WELL.
AND, UM, I MEAN, WE ARE WORKING ON ALL ENDS OF THE PIPELINE, SO WE'RE, WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN BUILD ENOUGH THROUGHPUT FOR FOLKS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND ENTERING OUR SHELTERS AND OTHER SERVICE PROGRAMS TO THEN MOVE ON TO HOUSING.
UM, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY TRICKY TO MANAGE ALL THE INVESTMENTS AT ONCE WHEN WE, WE DON'T REALLY, WE LIKELY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SHELTER COMPARED TO THE NUMBER OF FOLKS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
UM, SO THAT SO MANY FOLKS ARE NOW ON THE STREET INSTEAD OF HOW AT LEAST TEMPORARILY HOUSED.
UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE NEED TO BE DEVELOPING AND FOCUSING ON THAT, THAT FINAL PIECE TOO, OF, UM, INDEPENDENCE AND, AND LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, IT, IT LOOKED LIKE, IS ALL OF THE HOUSING THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING, UM, SITE-BUILT PROPERTIES OR IS THERE LIKE AN INTERIM TEMPORARY SHELTERS, YOU KNOW, WHERE PEOPLE ARE SORT OF MORE THAN A TENT BUT NOT QUITE A HOUSE? UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE SOME, SOME FOLKS HAVE THOSE MANAGED VILLAGES WHERE THEY'RE SAFE AND THEY AT LEAST HAVE A PERMANENT ADDRESS, BUT IT'S REALLY KIND OF A TEMPORARY SORT OF POD.
YEAH, SO, UM, I MEAN I THINK THAT'S WHERE SHELTER FITS IN.
UM, WE ARE FOCUSING RIGHT NOW A LOT ON SITE BASED PROPERTIES, UH, WHICH IS BARELY NEW TO OUR REGION.
WE HAVE A, A HI, MOST OF THAT EARLIER NUMBERS ON PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE ACTUALLY PEOPLE WITH VOUCHERS, BUT LIVING IN, UM, BUILDINGS INDEPENDENTLY, SO WITHOUT SERVICES ONSITE, BUT ATTACHED SOMETIMES TO A SERVICE PROVIDER.
UM, AND THE IDEA OF THE, THE SITE-BASED APPROACH IS THAT THEY'RE SERVICES ONSITE, WHETHER THEY'RE PART OF A PROGRAM OR NOT, THEY'RE GENERALLY AVAILABLE.
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, PHYSICAL HEALTH, UM, EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
SO, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THE INTERIM PIECE THOUGH, I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE SHELTER COMES IN.
UM, AND WE ARE, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN BUILD A SYSTEM THAT IS SUPPORTIVE IN THAT WAY.
SO, UM, WE CAN HELP OFFER THOSE SERVICES MOST LIKELY, UM, IN, IN THAT KIND OF SETTING THAT ALSO THEN EMPOWER AND ENABLE SOMEBODY TO MOVE ON, YOU KNOW, INTO THE COMMUNITY FROM THERE.
WELL, I DON'T, I WANNA BE RESPECTFUL OF EVERYBODY ELSE'S TIME.
I DO HAVE FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS, BUT HOPEFULLY IF YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION WITH FELICIA, WE HAVE A WORKING GROUP, UM, THAT ABOUT TEPID, WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO PUT SOME MONEY INTO HOMELESS.
SO I WOULD LOVE TO, UM, UH, PERHAPS COMMUNICATE WITH YOU OUTSIDE OF THIS MEETING AND LEARN MORE IF THAT WOULD BE OKAY.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR SPEAKER MR. P*****K TODAY? UM, ALSO JUST A BRIEF COMMENT.
I, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE, THE CLOSURE OF THE SALVATION ARMY, UM, SHELTER CAME AS A SURPRISE TO A LOT OF PROVIDERS, IS THAT, UM, YES, BUT I, I WOULD HOPE THAT FOLKS IN THE HOUSING COMMUNITY KNOW WHEN THIS IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, FOR FUTURE SHELTER CLOSURES.
CAUSE IT'S SUCH AN IMPACT TO THE FEW
SO, UM, I DUNNO IF YOU WANNA MAKE A BRIEF COMMENT ABOUT THAT, UM, I CAN SHARE THAT YES, WE WERE SURPRISED BY IT, AS WAS EVERYBODY ELSE.
UM, AND THEY DID GIVE US ABOUT 30 DAYS NOTICE, WHICH IS IN THEIR CONTRACT.
UH, HOWEVER, THERE'S BEEN A GREAT DEAL OF COMMUNITY, UH, ADVOCACY AROUND THE, THE SITUATION AND WHAT HAPPENED AND, AND THAT'S ACTUALLY WHERE DIANA GRAY IS TODAY, WHY I'M JOINING YOU INSTEAD OF HER, UM, SHE'S AT A TOWN HALL TALKING ABOUT WHAT, WHAT'S GOING, WHAT HAPPENED THERE AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S NEXT FOR, FOR THE CITY AND FOR THOSE FOLKS AS WELL.
UM, SO YES, WE ARE LOOKING INTO HOW WE CAN ENSURE THAT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
UM, AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PIECES AT PLAY THAT WE MAYBE WERE AND WEREN'T AWARE OF AT TIMES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. P*****K.
UM, THIS MAY BE, I MIGHT HEAR MORE OF THIS IN THE NEXT PRESENTATION THAT FOLLOWS, BUT I WAS LOOKING AT YOUR LIST OF THE ENCAMPMENTS THAT THE 12 ENCAMPMENTS THAT WENT THROUGH THE, THE HILL PROCESS, AND IT RAISED A QUESTION IN MY MIND, JUST TRYING TO GET A GRIP ON WHAT PARTS OF THE CITY, HOW, I MEAN, THERE'S NOTHING IN HERE THAT IT, IT TALKS ABOUT WHAT, WHAT WE'RE DOING TO FIND HOUSING AND HOW WE'RE SERVING THROUGHOUT THE CITY, BUT I'M NOT GETTING A CLEAR SENSE ON HOW THE DOWNTOWN OR WHAT WE MIGHT CALL MIDTOWN OR WHATEVER, EVEN THE DOMAIN, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT REALLY CLEAR ON WHAT KIND OF ACTION, WHAT THE VELOCITY OF PEOPLE COUNT AND, AND THE NEED FOR, UM, INTERVENTIONS ARE HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
I MEAN THAT, I LOOK AT THAT 12, BUT I'M NOT ABSOLUTELY CLEAR
[01:00:01]
IF THAT'S A PERFECT BLEND THROUGHOUT THE CITY MM-HMM.SO I, I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET A GRIP ON, I MEAN, I DON'T WANT TO JUST BE FOCUSED ON DOWNTOWN, BUT I WANTED TO GET A SENSE OF THE TOWN AND WHERE THE HOTSPOTS TRULY ARE.
IT, I'M LOSING WHERE THE HIGH FOCUS IS IN THE CITY FROM THIS LOT OF GOOD DATA, BUT I'M NOT CLEAR ON YEAH.
AND ONE SLIDE I DIDN'T INCLUDE TODAY THAT WE'VE USED RECENTLY IS A MAP OF WHERE ALL OF THOSE ENCAMPMENTS ARE.
UM, AND THEY, THERE IS A FAIRLY DECENT DISBURSEMENT AROUND THE CITY, HOWEVER, IT REALLY DOES COME DOWN TO ALL THE DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT MAKE, UH, AN ENCAMPMENT PRIORITIZED FOR US.
AND I WILL SAY SOME OF THE LARGEST ONES RECENTLY, UH, PAC SADDLE PASS, UM, IN DISTRICT FIVE, I DRIVE ON BEN WHITE EVERY DAY DROPPING MY KID OFF TO SCHOOL.
YES, I, MANY OF THE AREAS ON THERE I'M, I'M FAMILIAR WITH JUST BECAUSE OF THAT.
THAT WAS AN IMMENSE ENCAMPMENT WITH OVER A HUNDRED FOLKS.
UM, AND THE, UM, I THINK IT'S THE, MAYBE THE GUS GARCIA PARK ONE WAS ALSO QUITE LARGE.
UM, AND, UH, WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW, WE, WE ARE SEEING LARGE, LARGER ENCAMPMENTS GROWING, UM, AND GETTING ESTABLISHED ACROSS THE CITY.
AND SO IT'S SOMETHING WE ARE DEFINITELY TRYING TO, UH, GET AHEAD OF AND UNDERSTAND.
AND THERE ARE A QUITE A LARGE NUMBER OF STREET OUTREACH GROUPS NOW THAT HAVE BEEN FUNDED IN THE LAST YEAR, BOTH THROUGH US AND THROUGH ECHO, WHICH IS THE, UM, ONE OF OUR, UH, BIG COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
AND SO THERE'S, I THINK THERE'S SEVEN, THERE'S SIX OR SEVEN OUTREACH TEAMS THAT ARE NOW VERY ACTIVE IN THOSE ENCAMPMENTS TRYING TO ADDRESS NEEDS AND UNDERSTAND NEEDS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MOVE FOR, WE HAVE TWO MORE, UNLESS IT'S VERY QUICK.
TO, WE DO HAVE A PRESENTATION BY THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE, WHICH GOES MORE INTO DEPTH ABOUT THE, UH, ENCAMPMENTS DOWNTOWN THAT WE'LL GET TO.
UM, I'M TRYING TO GO AS FAST AS POSSIBLE NOW, NOW JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO, UM, WELCOME, WELCOME OTHER FOLKS
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. P*****K, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY.
UM, NEXT UP WE HAVE, UM, OH MY GOSH, WHERE'S THE AGENDA? EXCUSE ME.
[6. Presentation on homelessness impact on tourism from Visit Austin President and CEO, Tom Noonan]
A PRESENTATION ON HOME HOMELESSNESS IMPACT ON TOURISM FROM VISIT AUSTIN, PRESIDENT AND CEO TOM NEWAN.AND UP NEXT AFTER HIM, WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION ON HOMELESSNESS IMPACT AND INITIATIVES IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN FROM THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF INVESTOR RELATIONS BILL BRYCE.
SO STAY TUNED, MR. NEWMAN, MR. CHAIR, COMMISSIONERS, CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR LONG SERVICE.
I KNOW SEVERAL OF BEEN SERVING FOR, UH, 3, 4, 5 YEARS, A LONG TIME NOW, SO I APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE AND, YOU KNOW, IN, UH, SUPPORTING THE TOURISM INDUSTRY.
SO, YOU KNOW, I WANNA TAKE, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THE TOURISM INDUSTRY TODAY AND, AND THE INTEREST AND THE IMPORTANCE TO OUR CITY AND OUR INDUSTRY ABOUT, UH, THE HOMELESS SITUATION AND THE 140,000 PEOPLE THAT WORK IN HOSPITALITY IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY HERE IN THE AUSTIN REGION.
I'M GONNA WEIGH IN ON THE IMPACT THE HOMELESS ISSUE HAS ON OUR INDUSTRY.
AND IT'S, IT'S, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA SAY IT'S KIND OF HARD TO QUALIFY FROM A, FROM A NUMBERS PERSPECTIVE.
YOU SAID, WHAT'S THE ECONOMIC IMPACT ON THIS? I DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT TOURISTS DECIDED NOT TO COME.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT EVENTS DECIDED NOT TO COME.
UM, BUT WE KNOW THAT A CITY'S REPUTATION, UH, BOTH POSITIVELY AND NEGATIVELY CAN HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON THE NUMBER OF TOURISTS THAT COME TO YOUR COMMUNITY.
RIGHT? SO WHAT IS YOUR NATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS ON THIS? WHAT'S YOUR NATIONAL REPUTATION AS A SAFE, SAFE DESTINATION OR NOT HAS A BIG IMPACT ON YOUR TOURISM INDUSTRY? UM, I'M GLAD YOU HAVE BILL HERE WITH US TODAY BECAUSE, UH, UH, THE DAA AND VISIT AUSTIN WORK TOGETHER, UH, JOINTLY ON CITYWIDE CONVENTIONS AND OTHER MAJOR EVENTS COME TO TOWN.
A LOT OF TIMES WE'LL HAVE, IN THE GREAT EXAMPLE THIS YEAR, WE HAD NIKA IN TOWN.
UH, NIKA WAS LOOKING TO COME TO THE CITY AND THEY WERE DOING THEIR FIRST SITE INSPECTIONS RIGHT AS WE WERE COMING OUT OF COVID.
AND THEY SAW ALL THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS DOWNTOWN.
THEY WERE VERY CONCERNED FOR THEIR CONVENTION.
AND, AND WHEN THOSE THINGS HAPPEN, WE GET TOGETHER WITH DAA AND SAY, OKAY, HERE ARE THE HOTELS THEY'RE USING, OR THEY'RE USING THE CONVENTION CENTER.
THESE ARE WHERE THEY'RE DOING THEIR EVENING EVENTS.
THIS IS THE PATHWAYS THEY'RE GONNA WALK.
HOW CAN WE COORDINATE WITH NOT ONLY YOUR SAFETY FOLKS BILL, BUT ALSO THE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, OTHER ADVOCATES IN THE CITY TO MAKE SURE THERE'S A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
AND, AND NIKA HAD AN ALL TIME RECORD, ATTENDANCE, HAD A GREAT CONVENTION, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE DOING MORE THAN WE'VE EVER HAD TO DO IN THE PAST.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, UM, WE HAVE HEARD, UM, CONCERN FROM MEETING PLANNERS AND FROM TOURISTS IN TOWN, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR TOURISTS HAVE A GREAT, SAFE EXPERIENCE AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE OUR CITIZENS HAVE A GREAT, SAFE EXPERIENCE IN DOWNTOWN.
RIGHT? SO, UM, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THIS, UH, THE GREATEST CONCERN WAS COMING RIGHT AFTER COVID AND WE ALL SAW WHAT DOWNTOWN WAS LIKE AFTER COVID.
AND, YOU KNOW, RESTAURANTS HAD A HARD
[01:05:01]
TIME SURVIVING.VENUES WERE CLOSING, MUSICIANS COULDN'T GET HIRED.
UH, HOTELS WERE NOT, UH, HAVING GUESTS STAY IN TOWN.
AND WE SAW THE IMPACT ON, ON, ON OUR CITY WITH COVID.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE HOMELESS SITUATION DOESN'T BECOME THE NEXT REASON WHY WE'RE STARTING TO LOSE TOURISTS HERE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
CUZ SO MANY BUSINESSES, SO MANY PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOODS DEPEND ON A ROBUST TOURISM INDUSTRY.
UM, AND SO WHEN NOBODY OBVIOUSLY WANTS TO SEE ANY HOMELESS FOLKS ARRESTED, AND I THINK THE CITY'S PLAN THAT THEY HAVE IN PLACE RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE WORKING ON, GOES A LONG WAY TO HELP SOLVING, UH, AUSTIN'S, UH, HOMELESS SITUATION.
AND I, AND I DON'T THINK OUR CITY OR ANY CITY IS EVER REALLY GONNA SOLVE THIS ISSUE COMPLETELY, RIGHT? UM, IT'S, IT'S AN ONGOING SITUATION AND, AND CITIES ARE GONNA DO THEIR BEST TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE HOMELESS POPULATIONS IN THEIR COMMUNITY ARE TAKEN CARE OF.
AND IT'S JUST A DIFFICULT, DIFFICULT ISSUE TO, TO, UH, FIND SOLUTIONS FOR.
SO, UM, MANY OF OUR COMPETITIVE DESTINATIONS, THEY'RE DEALING WITH, DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE.
UM, I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OR A STORY.
SO WE USED TO GET THE WATKINS RESEARCH STUDY DONE EVERY TWO YEARS.
AND THE WATKINS RESEARCH STUDY WAS 40 DIFFERENT DESTINATIONS DID A PERCEPTION STUDY.
THEY'D GO OUT TO 3000 MEETING PLANNERS AND ABOUT A THOUSAND OF THEM RESPOND AND SAID, TELL US ABOUT YOUR PERCEPTION OF THESE DIFFERENT DESTINATIONS.
AND THEY'D LOOKED AT REALLY IMPORTANT FACTORS LIKE AIRLIFT YOUR HOTELS, YOUR CONVENTION CENTER, UM, UH, CRIME AND SAFETY, UH, ALL AROUND GREAT CONVENTION CITY.
UM, AND SO THEY, THEY, THEY WOULD LOOK AT THESE DESTINATIONS AND YOU WOULD GET YOUR RANKINGS EVERY TWO YEAR, HOW, HOW YOU WERE DOING.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE RANKINGS, AUSTIN WAS ALWAYS VERY HIGH IN THE SAFE SAFETY RANKINGS COMPARED TO A LOT OF OTHER DESTINATIONS.
AND IT GOES HAND IN HAND WHEN YOU'RE PERCEIVED AS A SAFE DESTINATION.
YOU'RE ALSO SEEN AS A GREAT ALL AROUND DESTINATION.
AND SO MEETING PLANNERS ARE, ARE TRYING TO GET INTO THOSE DESTINATIONS.
AND I WILL TELL YOU SOME OF THOSE DESTINATIONS THAT THAT FARED VERY WELL, WERE ALWAYS NASHVILLE AND AUSTIN AND SAN DIEGO AND, AND PLACES LIKE THAT.
NOW, BEFORE I CAME TO, BEFORE I CAME TO AUSTIN, I WAS THE TOURISM DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY, UH, UH, CITY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.
BALTIMORE HAD A REAL PROBLEM WITH HOMELESS SITUATION AND CRIME SITUATION.
AND IT WAS A REALLY KNOCK ON THAT DESTINATION IN TERMS OF DO WE BRING OUR EVENTS THERE? IT MADE OUR JOBS HARDER.
UM, I THINK YOU COULD LOOK AT OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE A, UH, A HEAVY, UM, BURDEN RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THEIR, THEIR HOMELESS SITUATION.
THOSE CITIES ARE, ARE DEALING WITH THAT IT'S REALLY IMPACTED THEIR ABILITY TO BRING LARGE EVENTS TO THEIR CITIES.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE JUST, WE'VE GOTTA KEEP OUR EYE ON, ON THE PRIZE AND OBVIOUSLY, UH, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE PLANS THE CITY HAS PUT FORWARD IN TERMS OF TRYING TO, UH, HELP SOLVE MOST OF OUR HOMELESS PROBLEM THAT WE CAN IN THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS.
UM, BUT I'LL JUST GIVE YOU A FEW EXAMPLES OF THINGS THAT WE'VE HEARD.
YOU KNOW, SO IN, IN POST-CONVENTION SURVEYS, WE'VE HEARD FROM WHEN EQUITABLES IN TOWN, WE HEARD THAT NOT ANYONE'S FAULT, BUT THE HOMELESS MADE MANY OF OUR ATTENDEES FEEL UNSAFE.
YOU KNOW, UM, SAD TO SEE MUCH, SO MUCH TRASH AROUND IN LADYBIRD LAKE, HAD A FEW ATTENDEES MENTION THAT.
THAT'S FROM BEN AND JERRY'S, UH, MARINE RETAILERS ASSOCIATION, TRA TRASH AND INHOUSE HOMELESS VISIBLES FROM THE FAIRMONT, THE CONVENT OF SPOOK STAR ATTENDEES, UNFORTUNATELY.
AND SO WE'RE GETTING LOTS OF THOSE COMMENTS FROM OUR EVENT PLANNERS AND FROM, UH, ATTENDEES AND, AND TOURISTS IN TOWN.
AND WE JUST DON'T NEED THAT TO BECOME OUR NATIONAL BRAND.
BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS, IS WHEN THAT HAPPENS, IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO TURN THAT SHIP BACK AROUND.
AND I, AND I THINK WE'VE SEEN A LITTLE OF THAT ALREADY, AND WE'VE SEEN ALREADY SUCH GREAT IMPROVEMENT OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS SINCE COVID THAT WE'RE STARTING TO BRING THAT BACK THE OTHER WAY.
AND I THINK OUR PLAN CAN GET US THERE, BUT IT'S JUST REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO THAT LONG TERM FOR THE TOURISM INDUSTRY.
UM, I, I COULD GO ON AND, AND READ OTHER COMMENTS AND I'LL LEAVE THESE TALKING POINTS BEHIND FOR YOU, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S REALLY, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY THAT, THAT WE FIND SOLUTIONS FOR OUR HOMELESS PROBLEM HERE IN TOWN THAT MAKE SURE THAT WE, YOU KNOW, TAKE CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL, OUR HOMELESS COMMUNITY AS WELL.
SO IT'S A FINE LINE AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT LINE TO, TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT.
I'M GLAD TO BE HERE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT IT.
HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE ABOUT IT.
BUT, UM, OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY IS RECOVERING, UH, TO A GREATER EXTENT THAN A LOT OF OTHER TOURISM, UH, CITIES HAVE RECOVERED SINCE COVID, UH, TEXAS AND FLORIDA.
WE'RE KIND OF AHEAD OF THAT AND WE'RE, SO WE'RE, WE'RE IN BETTER SHAPE, UM, THAN SOME OTHER CITIES, BUT WE, YOU KNOW, UM, WE'VE ALSO SEEN A RISE IN OUR HOMELESS SITUATION IN AUSTIN.
CUSTOMERS HAVE RECOGNIZED THAT.
UM, AS CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO SAY I APPRECIATE ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS TODAY, AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS COMMISSION REALLY DOES VALUE, UH, TOURISM AND WE ALSO VALUE A SAFE PLACE FOR EVERYONE TO CALL HOME.
UM, AND THAT THE HOUSELESSNESS ISSUES ARE, ARE NOT UNCOMMON TO AMERICAN CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD AS CHAIR, I CAN SPEAK PERSONALLY, I WOULD LOVE IT IF WE COULD PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER AND HOPEFULLY RESOURCES AS WELL TO TRY AND SOLVE THIS, UM, PROTRACTED ISSUE.
THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR, UM, OUR ECONOMIC AND, UM, TOURISM VIBRANCY.
ARE THERE ANY, UM, I'M SORRY I KEEP MISSING YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER MCGEE?
[01:10:01]
UM, YEAH, UH, I TOTALLY CONCUR WITH WHAT COMMISSIONER, UH, NOW CHAIR RONAN HAS, UH, STATED.AND I ALSO WANTED TO AGREE WITH, UM, THE STATEMENTS THAT, UM, TOM LUNAN MADE.
UH, I AGREE COMPLETELY WITH, UM, HIS ANALYSIS.
AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD, YOU KNOW, IN ALSO IN ADDITION TO, YOU KNOW, UM, RESIDENTS AND CONVENTION GOERS AND TOURISTS AND THAT FEELING SAFE ALSO, THOSE WORKING, UM, I KNOW, UH, OUR WORKERS THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING AT THE CONVENTION CENTER, UM, HAVE ALSO, UM, SUFFERED SOME, I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF WORKERS THAT HAVE BEEN ASSAULTED BY THOSE THAT ARE HOMELESS.
UM, AND, UM, AND I, I COMPLETELY AGREE, I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY, IT WOULD BE VERY HARD TAKE A LONG TIME TO TURN OUR REPUTATION AROUND IF WE WERE TO LOSE IT.
UM, AND AS TOM SAID, THERE ARE SO MANY THAT DEPEND ON THAT ECONOMIC VALUE.
SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE SOLVED, BUT SOLVED, BUT I ABSOLUTELY 100% BELIEVE IT HAS TO BE SOLVED IN AN EMPATHETIC WAY.
AND, AND I HOPE THAT SOMEHOW THIS COMMISSION, IF THERE'S A WAY THAT THIS COMMISSION CAN HELP, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, TO TO BE AN ADVOCATE OR, OR HELP IN SOME WAY WITH THE WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING, I, I'M DEFINITELY BEHIND IT.
ARE THERE OTHER COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS' QUESTIONS? UH, SO I, I GUESS GENERALLY A COMMENT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN OUTSTANDING WORKING GROUP FOR THE TPI, THE TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT THAT HAS BEEN A STANDING, UH, WORKING COMMITTEE FOR ABOUT SIX TO SEVEN MONTHS.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE DISCUSSED, GENERALLY SPEAKING, SINCE THE, UM, UH, TENURE OF OUR PREVIOUS MAYOR, MAYOR ADLER, UM, TALKING ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN PUZZLE PLAN AND THE DESIRE TO FIND ADDITIONAL HOUSING RESOURCES FOR OUR UNHOUSED, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
I'M WONDERING IF, UM, YOU KNOW, HAS THIS BEEN BROUGHT UP IN ANY DISCUSSIONS, UM, IN YOUR WORK IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY RECENTLY? UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE TEMPERATURE ON, UH, REVISITING THIS, UH, THIS PROGRAM? BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S, YOU KNOW, I'M NEW TO THIS COMMISSION, RIGHT? YEAH.
AND, UH, I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN, UM, LONG DEBATES ABOUT THE EXPANSION AND, UM, THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE CONVENTION CENTER.
AND, UM, I KNOW THAT THIS, UH, PROGRAM FEATURED PROMINENTLY IN THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK YOU THAT QUESTION.
UM, OUR HOTEL COMMITTEE, UH, STANDS READY TO, TO CREATE A TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CONVENTION CENTER RFQ MOVE FIRST, AND THEN THAT, THAT WE CAN START HAVING THE CONVERSATION ABOUT CREATING THAT TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
AND THE WAY THAT WOULD WORK IS OBVIOUSLY WHEN THE TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DOLLARS ARE COLLECTED, AND AS WE, UH, AS WE PLACE BUSINESS INSIDE THE CONVENTION CENTER OR THE PALMER EVENT CENTER, THOSE KIND OF EVENTS THAT GENERATE ROOM NIGHTS, THOSE DOLLARS WOULD THEN FLOW INTO THE CITY AND THEY'RE NOT CAPTURED BY THE CITY, AND THEY'VE HAD A SALES USE.
SO NOW THE CITY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE THOSE T PAID DOLLARS FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
AND THAT'S REALLY A CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE HOTEL COMMUNITY, OBVIOUSLY, AS WELL AS THE CITY COUNCIL ABOUT HOW THEY WANT TO DO THAT.
UM, AND WE DO THINK THERE'LL BE A NEW RESOURCE, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT NUMBER IS, THAT HOTEL TAX COLLECTION'S ALWAYS CHANGING, BUT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS A YEAR AND, AND, UH, THOSE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS A YEAR THAT'LL BE UP FOR THE COUNCIL, DECIDE HOW THEY WANT TO USE THOSE HOMELESSNESS OR WHATEVER THE ISSUES THEY WANT TO WANT TO TACKLE.
THAT'S GONNA BE JUST FOUND REVENUE THE CITY DOESN'T CURRENTLY GET CRANE.
ARE THERE ANY, UM, COMMISSIONER KATI, UM, A SUGGESTION ON THE WORKING GROUP? UH, THE STRUCTURE ALLOWS US TO APPOINT NON-COM COMMISSIONERS ON THE WORKING GROUP.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE DONE THAT, OR I'M NOT TRYING TO, NOT AFTERNOON TO DO THIS, BUT IT WOULD BE PROBABLY USEFUL FOR US IN THAT STUDY TO HAVE THE BENEFIT OF THE PEOPLE IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY.
AND I, I WOULD ENCOURAGE, I'M NOT GONNA BE IN THAT GROUP, SO I'M JUST BUTTON FOR THE FRINGE HERE,
BUT I THINK IT, IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA TO HELP INFORM OUR WORK TO HAVE SOME EXPERTISE FROM THAT COMMUNITY IF, IF I COULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.
I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU EITHER TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH DENISE ISMAN, WHO RUNS THE AUSTIN HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION, OR TO NAD PORS WHO RUNS THE FAIRMONT, WHO'S THE CURRENT, UH, CHAIR OF THE AUSTIN HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION TO SEE WHO FROM THE HOTEL LIST THEY MIGHT WANT TO, TO BRING TO THE, THE TASK FORCE.
COULD YOU REPEAT THE SECOND NAME? STEVE NA NAD PKI.
YEAH, HE'S THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE FAIRMONT.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR OUR SPEAKER? SEEING NONE, UH, MR. NEWNAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TODAY AND FOR YOUR PLEASURE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU.
[7. Presentation on homelessness impact and initiatives in downtown Austin from the Downtown Austin Alliance, Vice President of Investors Relations, Bill Brice]
IT IS FOUR 10.UM, WE HAVE OUR NEXT SPEAKER, UM, COMING TO THE DIAS, UM, FOR ANOTHER PRESENTATION
[01:15:01]
ON THE, THE IMPACT OF HOMELESSNESS OR HOUSELESS AND, UH, INITIATIVES HERE IN DOWNTOWN FROM THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF INVESTOR RELATIONS, INVESTOR RELATIONS, BILL BRYCE.BILL BRYCE, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, INVESTOR RELATIONS WITH DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE.
AND I TOO WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THIS IMPORTANT COMMISSION SUPPORTING THE TOURISM INDUSTRY THAT IS SO MEANINGFUL, TREMENDOUSLY MEANINGFUL TO OUR ECONOMY AND TO OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
I HAVE A SLIDE DECK, UH, THAT, UH, SHARE A FEW, UH, KEY POINTS WITH YOU.
BUT, UM, UH, UH, STANDING HERE, I'M, I'M REMINDED OF BEING IN THIS CHAMBER IN APRIL OF 2018, WHEN THEN ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, SARAH HENSLEY, SAID ON THIS VERY SUBJECT, WE NEED A WHOLE LOT MORE AND WE NEED A WHOLE LOT MORE FASTER.
AND THAT REMAINS THE CASE TODAY, IF WE'RE GONNA GET IN FRONT OF THIS ISSUE.
AND I APPRECIATE THE PRIOR PRESENTATION ON THE PROGRESS THAT'S BEING MADE, UH, AT A CITY LEVEL WITH FINDING HOME ATX.
THERE'S GREAT WORK BEING DONE THERE AND PROGRESS, BUT WE STILL NEED MORE FASTER.
I WOULD ALSO REFLECT ON THE FACT THAT, UM, WHILE AUSTIN CERTAINLY HAS ITS TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS WITH THE ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS, ALL OF OUR PEER CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE SEEING THE SAME HOMELESSNESS NATIONALLY HAS BEEN ON THE RISE SINCE ABOUT 2016.
BUT I, I WOULD ALSO SAY TO THOSE NUMBERS, THEY ARE BASED ON HUD REQUIRED POINT IN TIME COUNTS.
WE JUST HAD ONE HERE JANUARY 29TH.
THOSE ARE, THERE'S A LOT OF VARIABLES INVOLVED THERE.
AND LIKE WE KNOW HERE, THE EXTENT OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IS FAR GREATER THAN WHAT THOSE COUNTS TYPICALLY SHOW INFORMATION.
RECENTLY FROM ECHO RELEASED ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO IN THE NEWS SHOWED 4,600 PEOPLE, I BELIEVE, WAS THE NUMBER, 4,800 WHO ARE UNSHELTERED HERE IN AUSTIN.
DIFFERENT METHODOLOGY CAME UP WITH THOSE NUMBERS FROM THE POINT IN TIME COUNT.
IT'S BASED ON PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE SYSTEM THAT THEY KNOW ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
AND THEN THERE'S THE NUMBER THAT WE DON'T KNOW BEYOND THAT PEOPLE WHO AREN'T ACCESSING SERVICES AND THEREFORE NOT IN THE SYSTEM.
SO I, I JUST WANT TO KIND OF FRAME THE FACT THAT THERE, THE PROBLEM IS PROBABLY GREATER THAN WE KNOW, KNOW IT TO BE.
SO WE NEED MORE AND WE NEED MORE FASTER.
I WANT TO TOUCH ON A COUPLE OF THINGS, SORT OF 1 0 1 ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION BECAUSE IT HELPS TO FRAME THE WORK THAT WE DO IN OUR SPACE, UH, THE SPACE THAT WE, UH, HAVE IN THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE.
SO WHAT YOU SEE ON THE, ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN IS IN THE RED BOUNDARY, IS OUR CURRENT DOWNTOWN PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
IT WAS THE FIRST, UH, OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THIS IS, WE'VE BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR 30 YEARS.
I SAY CURRENT BOUNDARY BECAUSE STARTING MAY 1ST, THAT BOUNDARY CHANGES SLIGHTLY.
CURRENTLY, THE BOUNDARY IS AT MLK ON THE NORTH, THAT WILL DROP DOWN TO 15TH STREET, AND THEN THE BOUNDARY SOUTH WILL CHANGE A LITTLE BIT, WHERE WE WILL TAKE IN PART OF THE NORTH END OF RAINY STREET DISTRICT AND A LITTLE BIT OF INFILL ON THE SOUTH SHORE, WHERE YOU SEE KIND OF A HOLE IN THE DONUT THERE AROUND FIRST STREET.
UH, THERE'LL BE SOME INFILL THERE.
SO THAT BOUNDARY WILL CHANGE A LITTLE BIT, COME MAY 1ST, BUT BY AND LARGE, SINCE THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT WAS CREATED, THE BOUNDARY REMAINS THE SAME.
OUR MISSION CREATE, PRESERVE, AND ENHANCE THE VIBE, VALUE, AND VITALITY OF DOWNTOWN AUSTIN FOR EVERYONE.
AND OUR VISION IS THE DOWNTOWN THAT YOU'LL ALWAYS LOVE.
UH, I WOULD MENTION TOO, THAT OUR ORGANIZATION AT, AT THE TIME OF ITS FOUNDING, WAS BASED ON SEVERAL KEY FUNDAMENTAL OR FOUNDATIONAL ELEMENTS, CLEANLINESS AND SAFETY, MAKING SURE THAT DOWNTOWN AUSTIN IS A PLACE THAT IS CLEAN AND SAFE.
BECAUSE IF IT'S NOT, THEN REALLY NOTHING ELSE WE DO REALLY MATTERS, AND THAT REALLY AFFECTS OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY AS WE WELL KNOW.
OUR ROLE IN THE ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS INCLUDES A NUMBER OF THINGS, AND TOM TOUCHED ON ONE OF THEM.
WE FREQUENTLY ASSIST VISIT AUSTIN IN LARGE MEETINGS AND CONVENTION GROUPS COMING TO TOWN.
UH, THAT INCLUDED THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS THAT HE MENTIONED LAST FALL.
IT INCLUDED THE PCMA CONVENTION WHERE WE HAD, UH, MEETING AND CONVENTION PLANNERS HERE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY THAT GENERATE, UH, SIGNIFICANT BUSINESS FOR THIS INDUSTRY.
UM, AND OUR AMBASSADORS, OUR TEAM, MYSELF, OUR OPERATIONS TEAM, WORK DIRECTLY WITH VISIT AUSTIN, WORK WITH THE MEETING AND CONVENTION PLANNERS TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE AWARE OF WHEN THEY'RE COMING, WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE, TO BE SURE THE ROUTES ARE CLEAN, WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE MOVING FROM ONE PLACE TO THE OTHER, FROM OUR HOTELS TO THE CONVENTION CENTER, THAT WE HAVE OUR FRIENDLY RED SHIRT AMBASSADORS OUT ON THE STREET, GREETING PEOPLE, HELPING THEM NAVIGATE AND ENSURING THAT THEY'RE HAVING A GOOD EXPERIENCE AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
UH, HERE IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN, UH, WE ADVOCATE FOR IMPROVED PLANNING AND POLICY.
WE HELP TO EDUCATE OUR, BOTH OUR MEMBERSHIP AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY AROUND THIS ISSUE.
BUT WE ALSO LEAD AND PARTICIPATE IN A NUMBER OF COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS.
AND THOSE INCLUDE FINDING HOME ATX.
WE WERE THE ORIGINAL CONVENER OF THE, OF, OF THE MEETINGS THAT LED TO FINDING HOME ATX AND THE GOALS, UH, THAT WERE DESCRIBED EARLIER IN THIS MEETING.
UM, WE WERE THE LEAD CONVENER.
I PERSONALLY WAS THE CONVENER THAT BROUGHT TOGETHER DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS
[01:20:01]
TO CREATE OR TRY TO TEST A NEW APPROACH TO ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS CALLED HOST.ALL OF YOU HAVE HEARD OF IT, OF IT, IT'S THE HOMELESSNESS OUTREACH STREET TEAM THAT STARTED JUNE 1ST, 2016, REMAINS IN PLACE TODAY IN AN EFFORT TO TRY AND USE AN INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM, NOT JUST POLICE, UH, TO BE PROACTIVELY OUT ON THE STREET, INTERACTING WITH FOLKS, EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, TRYING TO CONNECT THEM TO SERVICES AND PREVENT THE CRISES FROM OCCURRING, PREVENT THE 9 1 1 CALLS FROM HAPPENING.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT, THAT THERE'S A, THERE'S A DEAD END OFTENTIMES WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE THE SERVICES THEY NEED TO SEND PEOPLE TO.
THEY DON'T HAVE SHELTER TO GET PEOPLE UNDER A ROOF.
AND SO WE'RE INVOLVED IN ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS AND HAVE BEEN, UH, FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, PERSONALLY, FOR, FOR 20 YEARS WITH DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE.
UH, WE INSPIRE AND SUPPORT TESTING NEW, UH, INITIATIVES AND APPROACHES.
ONE OF THOSE THAT I'VE MENTIONED WAS HOST.
WE ALSO, UH, CREATED A NEW PARTNERSHIP SEVERAL YEARS AGO WITH COMMUNITY COURT IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND INTEGRAL CARE TO TEST PROVIDING BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE TO PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS TO GET 'EM IN THE SYSTEM USING THE TERRACE.
OAK SPRINGS AUSTIN'S ONLY EXCLUSIVELY HOUSING FIRST PROJECT THAT WAS DEVELOPED AND IS OPERATED BY INTEGRAL CARE THAT HAS A CLINIC AS THE CLINICAL HUB.
AND THAT PROGRAM HAS PROVEN VERY EFFECTIVE.
ONCE PEOPLE ARE GETTING THE CARE THAT THEY NEED, THEY ONE WILL ACCEPT HOUSING AND TWO, WILL STAY HOUSED QUICKER AND LONGER THAN THEY WILL OTHERWISE.
SO WE ARE ALL ABOUT TESTING NEW APPROACHES, AND THERE ARE MANY, MANY OTHERS THAT WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH OVER THE YEARS.
WE ALSO DIRECTLY FUND DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES THAT WE BELIEVE, UH, ARE IMPORTANT TO HELPING TO SOLVE.
WE'RE A $2 MILLION OVER 10 YEAR, UH, PLEDGE CONTRIBUTOR TO COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE.
UH, WE HELP TO FUND, UH, TERRACE AT OAK SPRINGS.
WE HAVE HELPED TO DEDICATE FUNDING TO MANY OTHER PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES, UH, IN THIS ARENA.
AND WE ARE PROUD OF, OF OUR FUNDING SUPPORT IN THOSE AREAS.
UH, WE ALSO SU PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL SERVICES TO HELP IMPROVE CONDITIONS.
OUR RED SHIRT AMBASSADORS ARE ON THE STREETS DOWNTOWN ALL DAY, EVERY DAY, 365 DAYS A YEAR, PROVIDING CLEANING, SAFETY AND HOSPITALITY, EYES AND EARS, HELPING PEOPLE NAVIGATE.
AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR VISITORS AS, AS I'VE DESCRIBED EARLIER.
UH, LASTLY ON THIS PAGE, WE ALSO PROVIDE GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE WITH BARRIERS, MANY OF WHOM ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE FORMERLY EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
20 YEARS AGO, I BROUGHT OUR CLEANING SERVICES IN-HOUSE TODAY.
THAT'S A, A, A VENDOR OPERATED TEAM OF ABOUT 55 PEOPLE.
ABOUT A FOURTH OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS WERE, ARE FORMERLY HOMELESS, THAT, UH, MANY OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS HAVE OTHER TYPES OF BARRIERS.
THEY MIGHT BE CRIMINAL HISTORIES THAT WOULD PREVENT THEM FROM GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT IN OTHER PLACES, THEY COULD BE EDUCATIONAL BARRIERS.
SOME HAVE NO BARRIERS AT ALL, BUT WE WALK THE WALK WHEN IT COMES TO TRYING TO DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN AS A CORPORATE CITIZEN TO PROVIDE GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT FOR PEOPLE WITH BARRIERS.
UH, ON THE, ON THE CHART ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW, YOU SEE A GRAPH THAT THIS REPRESENTS PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT UNSHELTERED COUNTS THAT OUR TEAM DOES PERIODICALLY.
AND SO, BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THE POINT IN TIME COUNTS THAT ARE CONDUCTED BY ECHO, DON'T HAVE A WAY TO MIRROR ACCOUNT WITHIN OUR DISTRICT BOUNDARY IN MAY OF 21, WE BEGAN TO IMPLEMENT UNSHELTERED COUNTS FROM ABOUT 2:00 AM TO 6:00 AM MIDDLE OF THE WEEK, SIMPLY GOING OUT AND COUNTING PEOPLE.
IF WE SEE AN INDIVIDUAL LAID OUT ON THE STREET, KNOW THAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, WE COUNT THAT PERSON.
IF WE SEE A TENT OR A STRUCTURE, WE'RE NOT CALLING OUT.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN THERE WAKING PEOPLE UP, WE SIMPLY NOTE THAT.
AND THEN THERE'S A MULTIPLIER OF 1.66 PEOPLE PER TENT OR STRUCTURE.
IT'S A NATIONAL, UH, UH, FACTOR THAT'S USED.
UH, WE ALSO COUNT, UH, VEHICLES THAT MIGHT BE OUT THERE WITH PEOPLE WHO APPEAR TO BE LIVING IN THEM.
THAT NUMBER'S REALLY LOW, THAT, WHICH IS WHY IT DOESN'T APPEAR ON THE SCREEN.
BUT WHAT YOU CAN SEE IS FROM MAY OF 2021, AND THIS WAS RIGHT ABOUT THE TIME THAT THE VOTERS PAST PROPOSITION B TO PUT THE ORDINANCES BACK INTO EFFECT.
WE HAD 813 PEOPLE ESTIMATED AS LIVING UNSHELTERED IN THE BOUNDARY THAT WAS ON THE SCREEN JUST A MINUTE AGO IN SEPTEMBER OF 2022.
THAT NUMBER WAS FIVE 18, MARCH 1ST, 4 79.
SO WE'VE SEEN OVER 40% DECREASE SINCE MAY OF 21 TO, TO MARCH OF THIS YEAR.
AND WE'RE DOWN ABOUT 7% FROM WHERE WE WERE IN SEPTEMBER.
UM, THE ORANGE LINE IS INTERESTING BECAUSE THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS, PEOPLE WHO AREN'T INTENSE AND STRUCTURES HAS NOT ONLY LARGELY REMAINED THE SAME, IT'S ACTUALLY INCREASED A LITTLE BIT OVER TIME.
SO THAT'S SAYING THAT WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT CONCENTRATION OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS DOWNTOWN, OUTSIDE OF SHELTERS.
AND IT WAS TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, THE FACT THAT SALVATION ARMY'S CLOSING DOWN, WE LOSE A HUNDRED BEDS, 50 OF WHICH WE'RE SERVING WOMEN, AND THAT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
HOWEVER, THINGS HAVE CHANGED DRAMATICALLY AT ARCH, AND I'LL TOUCH ON THAT IN JUST A MINUTE.
BUT, UM, BUT I, BUT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE BELIEVE THE, THE, THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM IS IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.
I THINK PART OF THE ISSUE HERE IS, WHILST HOUSING IS CERTAINLY KEY TO THE EQUATION, WHAT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT IS
[01:25:01]
GETTING PEOPLE UNDER A ROOF AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE WHEN THEY BECOME HOMELESS.IF WE DON'T GET THEM UNDER A ROOF WHERE THERE IS SHELTER SAFETY AND SERVICES THAT THEY NEED, THEY WILL QUICKLY FALL INTO THE ABYSS ON THE STREET OF SELF-MEDICATING, UH, PHYSICAL MALADIES, OTHER MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS THAT EVENTUALLY QUICKLY WILL GET THEM TO BE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS.
AND THEN THE ONLY MODALITY THAT MAY SERVE THEIR NEEDS IS PERMANENTLY SUBSIDIZED HOUSING WITH PERMANENTLY SUBSIDIZED SERVICES.
IF WE CAN GET PEOPLE UNDER A ROOF FASTER, MANY OF THEM WILL REBOUND WITHOUT THOSE NEEDS AND RESOLVE BOTH SAVING OUR COMMUNITY MONEY, BUT SAVING RESOURCES THAT ARE IN HIGH DEMAND AND VERY SHORT SUPPLY FOR THOSE THAT CRITICALLY NEED THEM.
UH, SO FROM THE SCREEN, UH, PRIOR THE, THE MAPPING OF OUR MARCH 1ST COUNT, YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN THE BRIGHT RED.TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN IS THE FEDERAL COURTHOUSE PLAZA.
SO EVERY NIGHT AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE ABOUT 30 TO 50 PEOPLE AND MANY DURING THE DAY, UH, THAT CAMP OUT IN THAT LOCATION.
I'VE BEEN OUT THERE ABOUT SIX WEEKS AGO, ABOUT SEVEN O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, TALKING TO MANY OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
WHAT IS IT THAT HAS YOU HERE? THEY FEEL SAFE.
THE FEDERAL COURTHOUSE LETS 'EM COME UP UNDER THE OVERHANG IF THE WEATHER'S IMPLEMENT.
UM, THERE ARE REASONS THAT THEY'RE THERE, BUT IT'S INTERESTING.
UM, SOME ARE DRUG USERS, SOME ARE NOT.
WHEN I ASK THOSE SAME PEOPLE, IF YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT OFF THE STREET AND IN A SHELTER, WOULD YOU ACCEPT IT? AND THEY SAY, YES.
AND BY THE WAY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT GARY DIDN'T MENTION WHEN HE TALKED TO P PARDON, NOT POINT THE FINGER AT YOU, UH, RELATED TO HEAL, IS THAT 83% OF PEOPLE WHO ARE OFFERED SHELTER THROUGH THE HEAL PROGRAM, ACCEPTED THAT'S NON-CAR SHELTER IN THE HOTELS.
WE KNOW PEOPLE WILL ACCEPT IT, BUT THEY ARE THERE FOR REASONS.
ONE GENTLEMAN IS THERE WITH HIS WIFE CAN'T GO INTO A SHELTER AS A COUPLE.
THEY'RE SEPARATED IF THEY GO INTO A SHELTER, CAN'T GO INTO SHELTER WITH A PET.
ANOTHER WOMAN'S IN A WHEELCHAIR, NO HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE PLACE.
SHE'S BEEN, UH, ROBBED IN SHELTER BEFORE AND, AND UNFORTUNATELY SEXUALLY ABUSED AS WELL.
SO THERE ARE MANY REASONS, BUT YET SHE SAID SHE'S, SHE WOULD STILL ACCEPT THAT SHELTER.
SO AGAIN, THE NEED TO GET PEOPLE UNDER A ROOF QUICKLY OVER ON THE SIXTH STREET SIDE, THERE'S AN ALLEY SOUTH OF SIXTH STREET THAT'S PARTICULARLY PROBLEMATIC.
A LOT OF DRUG ACTIVITY GOING ON THERE.
SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT REASONS.
AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE WALLER CREEK A LITTLE BIT UNDER THE HIGHWAY AS FAR AS THE MAPPING OF THAT.
SO, CHANGES IN PROGRESS, UM, AT THIS TIME, AND, AND GARY SPOKE TO THIS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE UNPRECEDENTED PUBLIC, PRIVATE, AND NONPROFIT SECTOR PARTNERSHIP, BUT ALSO FUNDING.
I REMEMBER FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, THE CEO OF ECHO WOULD ALWAYS SAY, IF WE JUST HAD THE MONEY, WE CAN SOLVE THIS.
WELL, I THINK WE'RE SEEING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
WE HAVE THE MONEY, BUT IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO SOLVE THIS.
WE KNOW IN AUSTIN IT TAKES GREAT LENGTHS OF TIME TO DEVELOP, CREATE NEW UNITS IN A 90 PLUS PERCENT RENTAL MARKET.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT IT'S DIFFICULT TO GET LANDLORDS TO RENT TO THE PEOPLE THAT WE NEED.
THERE ARE PROBABLY 500 PEOPLE IN AUSTIN WHO ARE HOMELESS WITH VOUCHERS THAT STILL CAN'T OBTAIN A UNIT.
SO THESE ARE THE TA THE DIFFERENT DIFFICULT ISSUES THAT WE'VE GOTTA TACKLE AND, AND, AND RESOLVE, UH, THE CITY'S HEAL INITIATIVE.
AGAIN, UH, THAT'S ALREADY BEEN SPOKEN TO ARCH TRANSFORMATION.
I'LL, I'LL COME BACK ON THAT IN THE NEXT TWO, IN THE NEXT SLIDE IN JUST A SECOND.
UM, ACTIONS TO CREATE A MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION CENTER HERE TOMORROW.
CITY COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER CREATING AN INTERLOCAL WITH TRAVIS COUNTY TO DO JUST THAT.
CREATE A MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION CENTER, UH, AN ALTERNATIVE TO TAKING PEOPLE TO JAIL, GETTING 'EM IN A CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IF THEY HAVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES, THAT THEY MAY BE HOMELESS, THEY MAY NOT.
BUT MANY OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE IN NEED OF THAT TYPE OF DIVERSION CENTER ARE, UH, THAT INVOLVES A PERMANENT FACILITY, BUT ALSO A PILOT.
AND AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, WE NEED MORE PLACES RIGHT NOW WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO AND GET UNDER A ROOF.
I JUST WANTED TO SHOW AND TELL BEFORE AND AFTER THE PHOTOGRAPH.
TOP LEFT WAS BEFORE OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR.
THAT WAS ACTUALLY SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
THE PHOTO, UH, I CONCLUDED THE WRONG PHOTOGRAPH.
THE PHOTOGRAPH, UH, THOSE ARE TWO, UH, ONE MORE LAST SLIDE.
SORRY, I THOUGHT I MISSED THE SLIDE.
UM, THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AROUND ARCH.
SINCE OCTOBER 1ST, 2022, ALL OF YOU PROBABLY HEARD LAST SUMMER, THE CITY PULLED THE PLUG ON THE CONTRACT WITH THE, UH, UH, MANAGEMENT ENTITY THAT HAD THE CONTRACT TO MANAGE ARCH SINCE IT OPENED IN APRIL OF 2004.
THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE BEFORE.
THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TODAY.
THERE ARE NOW SLEEPING PEOPLE DURING THE DAY THAT WORK AT NIGHT.
THERE ARE NO PEOPLE ON THE SIDEWALKS, NO DRUG DEALING, NO, NO LOITERING, NO PROSTITUTION, AND ALL THE THINGS.
THIS IS NOW AS CLEAN AND SAFE AS ANY OTHER BLOCK IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN, AND REPRESENTS A SIGN OF TREMENDOUS IMPROVEMENT.
THAT TR UH, CONTRACT COMES UNDER AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
I, I BELIEVE THEY DID THE EXACT RIGHT THING.
I THINK THE CURRENT OPERATOR HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT THIS
[01:30:01]
IS WHAT SHELTER CAN LOOK LIKE.THAT SHELTER HO UH, HOUSING FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR SERVICE CENTERS DON'T HAVE TO BE A BLIGHT ON DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY.
THEY CAN BE AND CAN REMAIN CLEAN AND SAFE FOR EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE THAT NEED THE ACCESS TO SERVICES.
THAT CONCLUDES MY SLIDES AND MY COMMENTS.
I'M GRATEFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY AND FOR YOUR ATTENTION, AND HAPPY TO ADDRESS YOUR QUESTIONS.
ARE THERE ANY IMMEDIATE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, UM, REGARDING HIS PRESENTATION? UH, COMMISSIONER MCGEE? UH, YES, THANK YOU.
I'M, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND WELCOME.
I'M REALLY GLAD TO HEAR ABOUT ARCH, UM, PARTICULARLY BECAUSE I THINK ONE OF THE CHALLENGES, ONE OF THE MANY CHALLENGES I THINK WE SLIGHTLY TOUCHED ON, WHICH IS ALSO GETTING OUR COMMUNITY TO, UM, ACCEPT A HOMELESS COMMUNITY OR A HOMELESS SHELTER IN THEIR AREA.
AND, AND NOT TO PULL A RUG OUT FROM IT BECAUSE THEY'RE WORRIED THAT IT'S GONNA BE A BLIGHT LIKE WE'VE SEEN ARCH B IN, IN, UH, IN THE PAST.
UH, I FEEL LIKE THERE IS A BUILDING THAT WAS, IS NEAR WHERE I LIVED, THAT I UNDERSTOOD THE CITY WAS EARMARKING TO HELP SHELTER THE UNSHELTERED.
AND I SUSPECT THAT, UH, THE COMMUNITY THERE, UH, UPENDED THAT PLAN BECAUSE I JUST SEE THE BUILDING SITTING VACANT, AND IT'S A REAL SHAME.
AND I THINK THE WORK THAT, UH, HAS BEEN DONE WITH ARCH THERE, I HAD NO IDEA THAT IT WAS, UM, CONNECTED TO THE CONTRACTOR THAT WAS RUNNING IT.
AND IT'S AMAZING TO SEE THE TURNAROUND THERE, JUST BY THE CHANGE OF MANAGEMENT OF THAT, THAT IT CAN BE DONE.
AND I THINK IF THOSE STORIES ARE BEING SHARED WITH, WITH, YOU KNOW, THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY, THEN, THEN MAYBE THAT'S, WE CAN GET RID OF THAT SORT OF BARRIER.
CAUSE I'M SURE THAT IS A BARRIER IN SOME, IN SOME INSTANCES.
IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENT OR QUESTION THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR SPEAKER TODAY? UH, I'LL SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING AND, UM, TO OUR THREE SPEAKERS TODAY.
I, I HOPE THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT THE, UH, TOURISM COMMISSION AS A WILLING PARTNER IN BOTH TOURISM AND HOUSING AFFAIRS.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK.
AND, YOU KNOW, UH, WE WOULD LOVE TO PARTNER IN THE FUTURE.
SO, UH, THAT, THAT GOES FOR PIECES OF INFORMATION TOO, UPDATING US WITH, UM, PERIODICALLY AS TO HOW THESE EFFORTS ARE, UM, BEING TRACKED AND YOUR RESULTS AND WAYS THAT WE CAN HELP.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH ONCE AGAIN FOR COMING.
AND THANKS AGAIN FOR HAVING ME HERE.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL (Part 2 of 2)]
LINE, UM, FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION FIRST, HOWEVER, THAT, UM, WE HAVE NOTHING ON OUR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, SO I WANT TO JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST PUT THAT IN YOUR HEAD.
SO THINK ABOUT THINGS THAT WE, UH, WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT, UM, MOVING FORWARD HERE ON THE TOURISM COMMISSION.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, IF WE CAN HAVE PATRICE, UH, MCCABE, I BELIEVE I'M SAYING THAT CORRECTLY.
UM, YES, YOU ARE FOR, UH, THREE MINUTES OF PUBLIC COMMENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AUSTIN, TEXAS.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TODAY.
THIS IS MY WIFE, PATRICE MCCABE.
WE ARE THE HOST AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS FOR THE HIT TV SHOW, TRAVEL SERIES ON DISCOVERY CHANNEL CALLED AR THERE.
YET OUR FORMAT IN OUR SERIES IS PERFECT TO SPOTLIGHT A PLACE LIKE AUSTIN.
YOU ARE RICH IN HISTORY AND CULTURE.
I THINK PEOPLE AUTOMATICALLY THINK OF, YOU KNOW, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IN YOUR MUSIC VENUES.
UM, BUT WHAT WE LIKE TO DO ON OUR SERIES IS GO IN AND FIND THOSE HIDDEN GEMS IN THE COMMUNITY AND TELL THOSE STORIES.
UM, LISTENING TO A LOT OF THE TOURISM, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS IS, YOU KNOW, HOTELS AND THE BUSINESSES THERE THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM US COMING IN.
WE SET UP CAMP IN AN RV CAMP OR, OR A PARK.
UM, WE DO A HIGHLIGHT OF THAT AREA, INTERVIEWER RANGER OR INTERVIEW THE EXPERTS.
AND THEN WE GO OUT AND WE EXPLORE THE COMMUNITY.
WE SHINE THE SPOTLIGHT ON YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES, RESTAURANTS, WE LOVE HISTORY.
WE WANNA TELL THE HISTORY OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE.
UM, I NEED TO HAVE A LOCAL, YOU KNOW, FLAVOR AND FOOD.
SO WE SHINE A SPOTLIGHT ON THE LOCAL FOOD.
UM, WE HAVE A MAIN AMERICA SEGMENT AS WELL THAT SHINES A SPOTLIGHT ON SOMETHING THAT'S UNIQUE TO AUSTIN, WHETHER IT BE, UM, A, A GENERATIONAL BUSINESS, UM, A LOCAL SUCCESS STORY THAT'S NEW.
UM, BUT AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S GETTING THIS RV COMMUNITY AND THE TRAVEL COMMUNITY TO COME IN AND SEE AUSTIN FOR MUCH MORE THAN JUST THE EVENTS AND THE MUSIC FESTIVALS.
SO WE, WE START JANUARY FOR OUR THIRD SEASON, JANUARY ONE TO MARCH 31ST
[01:35:01]
ON DISCOVERY CHANNEL.UH, THEY HAVE A SISTER NETWORK CALLED MOTORTREND THAT SAW THE PILOT AND WANTED IT TOO.
SO WE, WE REPLAY ON MOTORTREND FROM APRIL 1ST TO THE END OF JUNE, AND THEN WE'RE HERE ON OUR LIVE SET THAT WE GO LIVE AND WE CAN HAVE THOSE EXPERTS ON TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THAT FOOTAGE GO LONGER.
AND WE ALSO GIVE YOU ALL THE FOOTAGE AND ALL THE PHOTOS THAT WE TAKE.
SO IT'S A GOOD PACKAGE TOURISM PACKAGE TO BRING TOURISTS AND TRAVELERS TO AUSTIN.
WE FIND THAT OUR VEERS TOO ARE PEOPLE THAT STAY LONGER IN A COMMUNITY.
THEY UNHOOK THEIR TOW VEHICLE AND SET OUT AND VENTURE.
THEY SPEND MORE MONEY IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THEY SHOP FOR GROCERIES, THEY VISIT ALL THE STORES, THEY SHOP IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
THEY WANNA GET SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE BIT UNIQUE.
AND OUR SHOW, UH, FEATURES ALL OF THAT.
WE ARE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS OURSELVES AND WE LOVE TO SING THOSE PRAISES.
UH, JUST FOR THE, THE GOOD OF THE ORDER, COULD YOU REPEAT THE NAME OF THE SHOW AGAIN? I THINK WE MISSED IT AT THE BEGINNING.
THE NAME OF THE SHOW IS CALLED RV.
WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH
AND, UH, WE'LL LOOK OUT FOR YOU
WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TODAY.
IN THE MEANTIME, UM, WE ARE, UM, CHAIRMAN, JUST ABOUT TO ADJOURN.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
I'VE JUST NOTICED THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ON THE LAST MEETING WE DO.AND I ACTUALLY WAS GONNA BRING THAT UP.
SO I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, WHY DON'T WE CHERRY PICK A COUPLE, UH, AT LEAST TO PUT THEM ON THE BOARD NEXT TIME.
I'VE GOT A COUPLE SAY CHERRY PICK OR CHAIR PICK
NO, I SAID, I SAID, I MEAN, LET'S VOTE AS A GROUP.
I HAVE A COUPLE THAT I WOULD PUT UP.
I WOULD, I WOULD VOTE FOR A COUPLE ON HERE.
UM, COMMISSIONER BAILEY, IF YOU'D LIKE TO, TO GIVE US YOUR IDEAS.
WELL, SINCE WE TALKED ABOUT THE TEPID TODAY, AND I KNOW THAT YOU, US AND HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION HAS COME UP SEVERAL TIMES.
I THINK INVITING THE, THE AUSTIN HOTEL LOGIC ASSOCIATION TO COME IN AND, AND TO GIVE US A PERSPECTIVE ON THE TPI FROM THEIR POINT OF VIEW, AND TO BE ABLE TO INCORPORATE THAT INTO THE TPIS STRATEGIC PLANNING GOING FORWARD.
I THINK THAT'S TRACKING WITH OUR, ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES AT LEAST IT'S BEEN, IT CAME UP THE LAST TIME AROUND, SO I WOULD JUST MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ENTERTAIN THAT AND, AND MAKE AN INVITATION SO THAT FELICIA CAN DO THE WORK OF, UM, DO THE OUTREACH FOR OUR NEXT MEETING.
UM, SO WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THAT.
UM, I DON'T BELIEVE THERE NEEDS TO BE A VOTE ON FUTURE AGENDA ITEM IN IF IT'S UNANIMOUS.
SO, UM, SO, UH, OUR FOLKS GENERALLY, UM, IN FAVOR OF BRINGING A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE AUSTIN HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION YES.
UM, I WOULD JUST SAY I DON'T THINK WE WOULD, WOULD NEED TO VOTE ON THE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS AS THEY WERE ALREADY ON THE PREVIOUS AGENDA.
YOU, COMMISSIONER MCKEE, ARE THERE OTHER ITEMS WE'D LIKE TO BRING TO NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA, WHICH BY THE WAY, IT'S MAY NEXT MONTH, LU YEAR'S PHONE BY.
NO, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA FOR US TO SORT OF PRIORITIZE, BUT THEN BEWARE THAT, UM, SOMETIMES THE AGENDA ITEMS SHIFT DEPENDING ON WHO ON WHEN FELICIA CAN GET SOMEBODY TO IN FRONT OF US.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD, I'M, UM, LIKE YOU HAVE DONE RACHEL, I, YOU KNOW, I PLAN TO WORK WITH, UH, FELICIA AND MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ABLE TO BUILD THE AGENDA AND, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE AS MANY FOLKS, UM, AND MANY OF THE AGENDA ITEMS THAT WE HAD INTENDED, UM, ON EACH AGENDA.
I I HAVE ANOTHER THEN, UH, GO AHEAD.
I, I DO BELIEVE, I THINK THAT, UH, I'M GONNA PROPOSE, UH, NUMBER 12 THAT TALKS ABOUT INVITING COMMUNITY INPUT FROM LOCAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO AMPLIFY THE TOURISM ACTIVITIES, EVENTS.
I WOULD EVEN GO SO FAR AS TO SAY THAT RATHER THAN TRYING TO CRAM A BUNCH IN HERE, THAT WE MIGHT ENTERTAIN MAYBE MAKING SPACE FOR THAT ROUTINELY.
I THINK THERE ARE A LOT IDENTIFYING WHAT THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ARE GIVING FELICIA AN OPPORTUNITY IF ONE COULDN'T MAKE IT ON ONE DATE.
WE HAVE A BACKUP, BUT THAT WE WANT TO HEAR FROM ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DESPERATELY TRYING TO QUALIFY AND, AND ENHANCE AND PARTICIPATE IN THE TOURISM ECONOMY HERE.
AND I THINK IT'S UP TO US TO DISCUSS HOW TO PRIORITIZE AND, AND AGAIN, MAYBE ONE PROCESSION WE COULD HAVE COME IN, SO WE GET EDUCATED THIS SESSION ABOUT THE VARIETY OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE ATTEMPTING TO JOIN THE BIGGER CAUSE.
DO FOLKS HAVE, UH, RATHER, DO COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY IDEAS FOR, UM, AN INITIAL ORGANIZATION TO REACH OUT TO? I WAS JUST GONNA SAY PRESENTATION WE HAD TODAY WAS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE FROM THIS.
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YEAH, AND I'M, I'M CURIOUS AS TO, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT MIGHT BE A GOOD, THIS COMMISSION MIGHT BE A GOOD PLATFORM TO HELP, UM, ORGANIZATIONS WHO MEET MAYBE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPOSURE AND WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.ONE THAT COMES TO MIND IS MASCO DODA THAT, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY WORK IN THE LATINO COMMUNITY HERE IN AUSTIN AND, UM, HAVE DONE A LOT OF GREAT WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S, UM, SOMEONE THAT WE COULD REACH OUT TO, TO INVITE, UM, IF THAT WOULD BE SOMEONE, OR, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS ANOTHER CULTURAL INSTITUTION.
IF, IF NO ONE HAS ANY IDEAS, I'M, I'M HAPPY TO MOVE FORWARD, UH, AT MY DISCRETION AND, YOU KNOW, LET WORKING WITH FELICIA TO TRY AND INVITE, UM, A PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION.
DOES THAT SOUND OKAY? DO, DO WE HAVE TIME TO PUT A LIST TOGETHER, SEND IT OUT TO COMMISSION AND DO A RANKING OR A QUICK ONE PRIOR, BEFORE WE NEED TO TURN IN THE AGENDA? I MEAN OUR SURE.
THAT JUST MEANS THAT EVERYONE HAS TO BE ON THEIR EMAIL.
SO THAT'S JUST, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GIVE IT A, LET'S DO THIS.
WHY DON'T WE, UM, I'LL PULL TOGETHER A LIST AND IF ANYONE ELSE HAS ANY ADDITIONAL, UH, SUGGESTIONS, WE CAN, UM, RECONVENE OR RATHER TALK ABOUT THIS VIA EMAIL.
UM, I'LL SEND SOME SUGGESTIONS TO, UH, FELICIA TOMORROW.
AND, UM, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD HAVE, UH, FOR ENOUGH TIME FOR AN INVITATION TO BE SENT, UM, AN AGREEMENT BY FRIDAY, THE 21ST OF APRIL, IF THAT WORKS FOR FOLKS, WHICH IS NEXT FRIDAY.
COMMISSIONER KATI, JUST WANTED TO THROW IN THERE THAT I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD TAKE SOME ACTION ON THE SHORT TERM RENTAL FUNDS.
THE WHOLE QUESTION OF WHY THAT'S JUST KIND OF STUCK.
I KNOW WE HAD A PRESENTATION FROM CITY STAFF.
I DON'T THINK IT'S ON THIS LIST, BUT THE V R B O, I FEEL LIKE THERE SHOULD BE A GET OR DONE MOTION AND JUST COME ON.
UM, ARE THERE ANY, UM, ARE FOLKS IN APPROVAL OF MATT'S SUGGESTION? JOHN HAD TO AC JOHN ROLLED OFF.
I, HE DOESN'T KNOW IF HE CAN GET BACK IN, BUT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER.
IF WE COULD ADD THAT TO THE AGENDA.
FELICIA, UM, LOOKING AT, UM, B R B O AND, UM, AIRBNB AND OTHER COMMISSIONER SHORT STAY COMPANIES AND, UH, LOOKING AT COLLECTION MECHANISMS AT THE CITY LEVEL FOR EXTRA HOTEL LODGING TAX, WHICH IS REQUIRED BY LAW
UM, AND, UH, I THINK LASTLY HERE, WE HAD, I GUESS AMONG THOSE THREE THINGS, THAT'S, THAT, THAT SOUNDS LIKE A, A GOOD MEETING.
UM, THOSE THREE AGENDA ITEMS, ARE THERE ANY OTHER THINGS THAT WE'D LIKE TO INCLUDE ON OUR NEXT MEETING AGENDA? BY THE WAY, IT'S MAY 10TH WEDNESDAY HERE IN, IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT TWO 30.
AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP IN THE PAST.
OUR MEETINGS HAVE STARTED AT THREE, SO PLEASE, UM, OUR MEETINGS START AT TWO 30 NOW, SO PLEASE MAKE NOTES.
UM, AND, UH, IF Y'ALL CAN STAY JUST A BRIEF MINUTE AFTER WE ADJOURN, UM, I'D LIKE TO, TO, UM, SAY, SAY GOODBYE TO Y'ALL.
UM, IN ANY CASE, UH, WITH THAT, UH, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN SUMMARY? WONDERFUL.
SO SECONDED BY, UH, COMMISSIONER MCGEE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO CAME IN TODAY, AND, UH, UH, WELCOME TO THE TOURISM COMMISSION, TO OUR NEW COMMISSIONER MEMBERS AND, UH, THANK YOU TO THE NUMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AS WELL.