[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:20]
THE PURPOSE OF THE BOARD IS TO ADVISE COUNCIL AND DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENT OF PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO SERVE THE POOR AND COMMUNITY AT LARGE WITH EM ON FEDERAL FUNDING PROGRAM.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
NEXT ON THE AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.[1. CDC annual Officer elections. Current officer terms will expire at the end of April with new terms beginning May 1, 2023.]
COMMISSIONER MICHAEL, ACTING FOR THE OF OFFICERS AS CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR.I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE MAY 9TH, 2023 MEETING OF THE AUSTIN COMMITTEE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION TO ORDER.
AT THIS TIME, THE BOARD'S ELECT A CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR ANNUALLY FOR A TERM OF ONE YEAR, MAY THE FIRST 23 TO APRIL THE 30TH, 2324, IN THE ABSENCE OF A CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR, I COMMISSIONER TO, WITHOUT OBJECTION, WAS SERVED AS CHAIR FOR THE ELECTION OR BOARD CHAIR TODAY.
PLEASE KEEP IN MIND, ALL VOTERS ARE PUBLIC.
NO BALLOT SYSTEM FOR ANY ACTION, NO REQUIRED TO RE-ELECT OFFICERS THE CHAIR, RESPONSIBILITY, LEAD BOARD MEETINGS, APPROVED DRAFTS, AGENDA APPOINT MEMBERS OF WORKING GROUPS AND COMMITTEES WITH INPUT FROM MEMBERS, COMPLETE ANNUAL REPORT REVIEW AND REPORTS.
THE PROCESS OF ELECTING OFFICER IS AT FOLLOW.
I WILL CALL FOR NOMINATION FOR CHAIR.
CANDIDATES MAY NOMINATE THEMSELVES.
EACH CANDIDATE MUST ACCEPT OR DECLINE THE NOMINATION.
AND WE'LL HAVE TWO TO THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK TO THEIR QUALIFICATION IF THEY ARE ACCEPTED.
IT'S OKAY IF NARRATOR TALKS ABOUT THE CANDIDATE TOO.
NEXT I WILL CALL FOR A SECOND FOR EACH NOMINATION IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THE NOMINATES WAS RECEIVED.
WE WILL CONDUCT THE VOTING EACH TAKEN, EACH NOMINATION TURN.
I WILL READ THE NAME OF THE COMMISSIONER WHO WAS NOMINATED, THE NAME OF THE COMMISSION, WHO MADE THE NOMINATION, AND THE NAME OF THE COMMISSIONER WHOSE SECOND DENOMINATION.
WE WILL THEN HAVE A ROLE CALLED VOTE.
I WILL CALL EACH COMMISSIONER AND EACH COMMISSION WILL REPRESENT WITH A YES OR NO.
ALL COMMISSIONERS MUST BE A, UH, ALL COMMISSIONER MUST BE INVISIBLE ON SCREEN IF VOTING REMOTELY.
AFTER WE HAVE ELECTED A CHAIR, THE CHAIR WILL CONDUCT AN ELECTION FOR VICE CHAIR FOLLOWING THE SAME PROCEDURE.
I HAVE JUST EXPLAINED, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? ANY QUESTIONS? WE WILL, WOULD ANY COMMISSION AT THIS TIME LIKE TO NOMINAT SOMEONE FOR THE CHAIR OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION?
[00:05:09]
I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE COMMISSIONER THOMPSON FOR CHAIR AND YOUR NAME? COMMISSIONER.COMMISSIONER S UH, I JUST, UH, OKAY.
I'M JUST GOING TO USE E L I A S.
ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS FOR CHAIR COMMISSIONER PRO? TIM COLVER? I HAVE A QUESTION.
DO INDIVIDUALS HAVE TO BE PRESENT TO BE NOMINATED? YES.
IF THEY PRESENT WITH THEM ON VIRO.
AND, AND WHEN VOTING? UM, THE COMMISSIONER IS ONLINE.
THEY, WE'LL HAVE TO TURN THEIR CAMERAS ON.
I SEE A FEW THAT DON'T HAVE THEIR CAMERAS ON RIGHT NOW.
I ALSO THINK WE NEED, WE NEED A SECOND ON, UM, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON BEING, UH, NOMINATED.
SO COMMISSIONER ALIAS NOMINATED HER, AND NOW WE NEED A SECOND.
WOULD, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK SPEAK ON HER QUALIFICATIONS.
UM, AND THEN, UH, WE GOT A SECOND.
COMMISSIONER SLOAN, I WONDER IF WE COMMISSIONER THE OPPORTUNITY NOMINATION BEHALF BEFORE WE VOTE.
UM, I WAS ACTUALLY PREPARED TO NOMINATE SOMEONE ELSE.
UM, AND SO I'M AT A, UM, UH, INTERESTING, UH, QUANDARY HERE IN THE FACT THAT THE RULES STATE THAT INDIVIDUALS MUST BE PRESENT.
THEY MUST BE PRESENT EITHER VIS VISIBLY ON SCREEN OR PHYSICALLY HERE.
UM, IN LIGHT OF THAT, UM, PARTICULAR, UM, UNDERSTANDING OF THE RULES, I WILL GO AHEAD AND ACCEPT, UM, THE, UH, NOMINATION WITH GREAT PAUSE.
AND, UM, UH, THE ONE THING THAT I FEEL THAT I, UH, I HESITATE IS BECAUSE I HAVEN'T BEEN PART OF THE COMMISSION FOR AS LONG AS I WOULD LIKE TO BE BEFORE EMBARKING ON SUCH A LEADERSHIP ROLE.
UM, I DO LEAD FROM A VERY, UH, I TRY TO LEAD FROM A, UH, NEUTRAL, UH, FAIR.
AND I, I WANT INDIVIDUALS TO FEEL VALUED.
UM, THAT'S PROBABLY THE, MY, MY ONE OF MY STRENGTHS.
UM, I'M NOT BIG ON LONG MEETINGS.
THAT'S PROBABLY ANOTHER, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GONNA BE A STRENGTH OR WEAKNESS FOR US.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, I APPRECIATE THE CONFIDENCE THAT COMMISSIONER ALIAS HAS, UM, EXTENDED AND, UM, AND FOR COMMISSIONER GARCIA FOR SECOND AGAIN, SO THANK YOU.
[00:10:01]
WITH Y'ALL'S SUPPORT.ANY OTHER COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO.
THEREFORE, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND VOTE FOR MRS. THOMPSON AS CHAIR.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF MRS. THOMPSON.
RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND, INCLUDING THE ONES ON VIDEO.
THAT WAS RAISE FOR MRS. THOMPSON AS CHAIR.
UH, SPECIAL THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONER TOLLIVER FOR, UH, LEADING US AS THE SENIOR, UH, MOST SEASONED, UH, EXPERIENCE COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT.
UH, THE FIRST ORDER BUSINESS WILL BE TO ELECT A VICE CHAIR, AND I WILL FOLLOW THE SAME PROCEDURE THAT COMMISSIONER COLVER JUST LAID OUT BEFORE US.
WOULD ANY COMMISSIONER AT THIS TIME LIKE TO NOMINATE SOMEONE FOR VICE CHAIR OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION? UH, YOU ARE FREE TO NOMINATE YOURSELF AS WELL.
AYE, COMMISSIONER TO NOMINATES MYSELF AS CO-CHAIR.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? THIS IS COMMISSIONER HASSEL WHEN I SECOND THAT NOMINATION.
COMMISSIONER TOVER HAS NOMINATED HIMSELF FOR VICE CHAIR.
COMMISSIONER HASSO HAS SECONDED.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS FOR VICE CHAIR? YES.
I WOULD NOMINATE MYSELF FOR CO-CHAIR OR VICE CHAIR.
COMMISSIONER ALIAS HAS NOMINATED HIMSELF FOR VICE CHAIR.
DO I HAVE, UH, HERE A SECOND ON COMMISSIONER ALIAS NOMINATION FOR VICE CHAIR.
CHAIR NOMINATION FOR ALL RIGHT.
COMMISSIONER SLOAN HAS SECONDED THE NOMINATION OF COMMISSIONER ALIAS FOR VICE CHAIR.
COMMISSIONER SLOAN, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHERS HEARING NO OTHERS?
[00:15:01]
WE WILL MOVE TO CLOSE THE NOMINATIONS FOR VICE CHAIR.WE WILL PROCEED NOW WITH THE VOTE AND I'LL LOOK FOR GUIDANCE ON I'MA PROCEED.
AND THEN YOU BY ALL MEANS INTERRUPT AS UM, AND GUIDE AS IF I'M OFF TRACK.
WE HAVE COMMISSIONER TOLLIVER AS NOMINATED, AND WE ALSO HAVE COMMISSIONER AUS AS NOMINATED.
COMMISSIONER TOLLIVER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR STRENGTHS AS TO WHY YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS ROLE? MY STRENGTH IS I HAVE BEEN WITH THIS COMMISSION EVER SINCE 2016.
I DO GO OUT INTO PUBLIC TO SEE HOW EAST AUSTINSON IS LIVING, SEE WHAT THEY NEED, SEE WHAT COULD BE DID TO BETTER MOST PEOPLE'S CONDITION.
MY STRENGTH IS THAT I ENJOY SUE.
SO I AM A SECOND GRADE SCHOOL TEACHER AND I IN MY COMMUNITY, I LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE I GREW UP IN, AND I REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY HERE IN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
UM, I WORK CONSTANTLY, UM, AND ON ISSUES THAT ARE RELATED TO THIS COMMISSION ON THE GROUND, ON IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND AGAIN, I'M PROUD TO SERVE.
WELL, WE'VE HEARD FROM BOTH OF THE NOMINEES, COMMISSIONER TOLLIVER AND COMMISSIONER ALIAS.
AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FOR A VOTE AND WE WILL PROCEED WITH COMMISSIONER TOMER AS NOMINATED FIRST.
AND HAVE YOU EACH OF US RAISE OUR HAND.
UH, RIGHT AT THIS TIME, I ASK WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE VOTE AND WE'LL VOTE FOR, UM, WE'LL DO THE TALLY FOR COMMISSIONER TOLLIVER FIRST AND THEN COMMISSIONER ALIAS.
THOSE IN FAVOR FOR COMMISSIONER TOVER, PLEASE SHARE, SHOW YOUR HAND.
DO I SEE ANYONE ELSE? OKAY, COMMISSIONER, UM, VOTE FOR COMMISSIONER ELLIOTS, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
AYE, WHERE IS VISIBLE? I SEE 1, 2, 3, 4 ON SCREEN.
SO DOES THAT INCLUDE ALL OF US? 1, 2, 3, WE HAVE EIGHT PRESENT.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
WITH THAT, THE TALLS ARE TWO FOR COMMISSIONER TOLLIVER, AND FIVE FOR COMMISSIONER ALIAS.
THE VICE CHAIR WILL BE COMMISSIONER ELLIOTS, YOU MAY COME TAKE YOUR SPOT.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE WILL MOVE WITH, UM, WE HAVE COMPLETED THE ELECTIONS AND WE WILL MOVE WITH THE
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES[00:20:01]
FROM THE APRIL 11TH MEETING.AND CAN WE, AND THOSE ARE INCLUDED IN OUR PACKET.
DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THE MINUTES FROM THE APRIL 11TH MEETING AS NOTED IN YOUR PACKET? HEARING NONE, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES? CAN WE HOLD OFF ON VOTING ON THE MINUTES UNTIL MR. TO RETURNED? OH, OKAY.
WE ARE, UH, WE ARE BACK IN COURT WITH ALL EIGHT COMMISSIONERS PRESENT.
WE LEFT OFF WITH THE REVIEWING THE MINUTES FROM THE APRIL 11TH MEETING.
THEY ARE ENCLOSED IN OUR PACKET AS CHAIR.
I ASK THAT WE MAKE ANY CORRECTIONS.
I HEARD NONE STILL HEARING NONE.
WE WILL PROCEED WITH APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION ON THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES? THANK YOU CHAIR.
UM, WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE APRIL 11TH MEETING.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? OH, THANK YOU.
THAT IS COMMISSIONER ECKHART, WHO HAS SECONDED THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE APRIL 11TH MEETING, AS NOTED IN OUR PACKET.
MOVING ON STAFF BRIEFINGS, WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK, GRANT RS OUR CSBG.
WE FORGOT THE VOTE TO APPROVEMENT.
AND I'M GONNA NEED A LOT OF THAT OF SUPPORT.
UM, CAN WE TAKE A VOTE ON THE, UM, THE MINUTES BEING APPROVED? ANYONE ELSE? OKAY.
WE DO HAVE A FULL VOTE ON ACCEPTING THE AND APPROVE OF THE MINUTES AS, UM, PRESENTED.
AND THANK YOU FOR THAT SUPPORT.
[3. Presentation on the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) (Jill Smith, Neighborhood Services Unit, Austin Public Health)]
NOW WE'RE MOVING ON TO OUR STAFF BRIEFINGS.UH, I STARTED TALKING ABOUT OUR BLOCK GRANT, AND SO CAN WE DO YOU ARE WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, OUR BLOCK GRANT AND WE,
[00:25:01]
I DO BELIEVE WE'RE GONNA HAVE JILL THAT'S GONNA BE SPEAKING.JILL, ARE YOU PRESENT? THERE, THERE, THERE.
I'M WITH NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE, THE MISSION NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE DO THAT THROUGH THE NEEDS, CLOTHING, INFORMATION SERVICES, UM, PREVENTED HEALTH TRAININGS, UM, CASE MANAGE AND THE BUDGET.
UM, ONE THING I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, THIS SLIDE IS DISTRIBUTIONS, DISTRIBUTION, 15 YEARS TO GET, UM, FOOD RECOVERY PROGRAM.
THIS FIRST THREE MONTHS OF BEING PROGRAMMATIC UPDATES, UM, FOR NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE.
UM, HAVE COMMISSIONERS, NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDS.
I WAS JUST ABOUT EMERGENCY RENTAL.
ONE OF OUR, ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS IS, UM, MENTIONED FIRST PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES, UM, CHILDREN, SENIORS WITH DISABILITIES PLUS ONE PROGRAM PARTNERSHIP, THEN HEALTH
[00:30:27]
PRESSURE TO A1C TESTING, BLOOD SUGAR READING SINCE JANUARY.UM, THANK YOU JILL, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING WHAT JILL IS SUMMARIZED FOR US? HEARING NONE FROM THE FLOOR? I HAVE ONE, JILL.
UM, YOU, YOU SEE HOW IT TALKS ABOUT THOSE INDIVIDUALS? WE HAVE A TARGET OF 10 INDIVIDUALS.
TALKED ABOUT INDIVIDUALS WHO DEMONSTRATED, UM, AN IMPROVED PHYSICAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVEN'T ENROLLED ANY.
COULD YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THAT? I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER WHAT THAT MEASURE IS.
JUST CIRCLE BACK TO US ON THAT ONE.
I'M, I'M, I'M, I, I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND HOW WE'RE GETTING BACK FROM THE COVID AND THINGS THAT WE USED TO DO.
WE KIND OF STILL HAVE TO REFRESH OURSELVES, SO I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, ANYTHING ELSE FROM ANY OF, ANY OF YOU? ALL? ALL RIGHT.
[4. Briefing on the draft Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Action Plan public comment period. (Chris Duran)]
MOVE ON TO, WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE BRIEFING THAT WE HAVE REGARDING OUR DRAFT OF THE ACTION PLAN FOR THE 20 23 24 FISCAL YEAR.AND, UM, CHRIS, IF CHRIS IS PRESENT.
CHRIS, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? THANK YOU.
I THINK I NEEDED TO BE MOVED TO PANELIST.
UM, WELL, AS I BELIEVE JUST REFERENCED, UH, MY NAME'S CHRIS DURAN.
I'M, UM, STILL RELATIVELY NEW, UH, WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
SO I'D JUST LIKE TO INTRODUCE MYSELF AND NOTE THAT I'M FULFILLING THE PREVIOUS ROLE OF MAX WORMAN.
THAT TENDS TO BE HELPFUL FOR FOLKS, UH, THAT HAVE INTERACTED WITH MAX.
UM, I'M HERE TODAY TO GIVE SOME CONTEXT TO THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT'S ON YOUR AGENDA THIS EVENING REGARDING THE DRAFT FISCAL YEAR 2324 ACTION PLAN.
AND ALSO TO JUST GIVE AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE IN THAT PROCESS.
[00:35:01]
I KNOW WE HAVE NEWER COMMISSIONERS, MORE EXPERIENCED COMMISSIONERS.SO, UM, I, I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE I COVER THE BASICS.
AND THEN, UM, I DO KNOW THAT SOME OF THE MORE EXPERIENCED COMMISSIONERS MIGHT HAVE SOME MORE, UH, DETAILED, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
BUT, UM, WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS ANNUALLY TO SECURE FUNDS THAT WE DO RECEIVE ANNUALLY FORMULA GRANTS THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT.
I PRESENTED ON THIS LAST TIME I WAS HERE, BUT I KNOW IT WAS LATE AND IT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION
UM, SO, UH, I DID JUST WANT TO GI GIVE THAT HIGHLIGHT.
UM, OUR DRAFT PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 23, 3 24 IS NOW AVAILABLE.
YOU ALL SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED IT, I BELIEVE, UH, RIGHT AFTER IT WAS MADE AVAILABLE.
UM, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS CURRENTLY OCCURRING FROM MAY NINE TODAY TO, EXCUSE ME, JUNE NINE.
THAT'S A REQUIRED PART OF OUR PROCESS.
AND THE PUBLIC HEARING ON YOUR AGENDA TODAY IS A REQUIRED PART OF THE PROCESS.
UM, I KNOW IT'S MIGHT SEEM LIKE A LOT OF PUBLIC HEARINGS.
WE HELD ONE, UH, I BELIEVE TWO MONTHS AGO, OR ONE MONTH AGO, LAST TIME I WAS HERE.
UH, BUT, UH, THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS DO REQUIRE WE JUST, UH, HAVE NO LACK OF OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC INPUT IN THIS PROCESS.
UM, SO THAT'S WHAT THE AGENDA ITEM WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING IS FOR.
UH, THERE'S ALSO GONNA BE A PUBLIC HEARING OPPORTUNITY BEFORE CITY COUNCIL DURING THIS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD THAT'S ABOUT 30 OR 31 DAYS.
UM, AND AS FAR AS WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS AND HOW WE CAN RECEIVE YOUR INPUT, UM, YOU ALL SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED THE DOCUMENT.
AND TO BE FRANK, I KNOW IT'S A VERY MASSIVE DOCUMENT.
UM, I WOULD POINT, ESPECIALLY FOR THE NEWER COMMISSIONERS, I THINK THE SUMMARY, UM, AS IT SHOULD BE IN THE INTRODUCTION, IS A GREAT PLACE TO START TO FAMILIARIZE JUST WITH WHAT THESE FUNDS ARE.
THEY'RE, IT'S A BIT, IT'S A LITTLE OVER, OR NOT A LITTLE OVER, IT'S OVER, UH, 14 MILLION, $200,000 IN FEDERAL FUNDS THAT ARE RECEIVED ANNUALLY.
THAT AMOUNT DOES GO UP AND DOWN A LITTLE BIT, BUT, UM, GENERALLY WE DO, UM, IT, IT, IT DOES, THE FORMULAS ALLOW FOR KIND OF, UM, SLIGHT FLUCTUATIONS YEAR OVER YEAR, IF YOU WILL.
AND I WOULD ALSO POINT, UM, NOT JUST FOR NEW COMMISSIONERS, BUT EXPERIENCED COMMISSIONERS.
I, I THINK THE FUNDING TABLES, THE VERY LAST, UH, ATTACHMENTS IN THE DOCUMENT REALLY GIVE A GOOD PICTURE AS FAR AS WHAT PROGRAMS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WHAT ACTIVITIES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE FUNDING ALLOCATIONS, ET CETERA.
AND, UM, SO YOU ALL HAVE THIS, YOU'VE HAD THIS DOCUMENT, AND THIS WON'T BE THE LAST, UM, UH, TIME THAT I'M BEFORE YOU FOR THIS DOCUMENT.
UH, WE'RE GONNA BE, OR I'M GONNA BE ON THE AGENDA IN JUNE TO RECEIVE ANY FINAL COMMENTS OR FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THIS COMMISSION ON THE DOCUMENT.
UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT GOING FORWARD.
UM, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS RUNNING THROUGH JUNE NINE.
WE'VE GOTTA SPEAK UP AUSTIN PAGE, UM, PUBLIC INPUT.COM/HOUSING NEEDS.
IT'S THE SAME ONE WE USED FOR THE COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT, BUT WE'RE TAKING PUBLIC COMMENT THERE.
AND WE'VE ALSO MADE THE ACTION PLAN AVAILABLE AT A VARIETY OF, UM, LOCATIONS AROUND AUSTIN, UM, IN PHYSICAL FORM TOO.
AND SO THAT'S SOME CONTEXT BOTH TO THE PUBLIC HEARING AGENDA ITEM TODAY, AND ALSO JUST KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT IN THE PROCESS OF WHAT THINGS LOOK LIKE GOING FORWARD TO, UH, SUBMIT THIS ACTION PLAN AND SECURE THESE, UH, FEDERAL FUNDS FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT WE DO ANNUALLY.
AND SO IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS PROCESS GOING FORWARD OR ANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO ANYTHING I TOUCHED ON, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER.
UM, BUT I KNOW YOU ALL, I'M SURE YOU HAVE A LOT ON YOUR AGENDA AS USUAL TOO.
SO THANK YOU CHRIS, FOR, UM, SPEAKING ON THAT.
COMMISSIONERS, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER TORE? YES, PLEASE.
IN THE BUDGET, HOW MUCH DO YOU HAVE SET ASIDE FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND THE PEOPLE THAT'S HOMELESS? HOW MUCH OF THAT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MONEY HAS BEEN SET ASIDE? ABSOLUTELY.
I'M PULLING UP THE FUNDING TABLE RIGHT NOW.
SO FOR FISCAL YEAR 23, 24, AND I, I, I APOLOGIZE.
COULD YOU REPEAT, RE REPEAT THOSE CATEGORIES YOU JUST NAMED COMMISSIONER? I WENT THROUGH THE, UH, BUDGET AND I SEE, AND I'M ASKING HOW MUCH FUNDS OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MONEY DID Y'ALL SET ASIDE FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND HOMELESS? RIGHT.
[00:40:01]
UM, SO FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, WE HAVE BUDGETED IN NEW FUNDING, 196,000, UM, 179.AND THEN TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ON HOMELESSNESS ASSISTANCE, THAT TOTALS, UM, JUST OVER 1.7 MILLION.
AND I WILL ADD TOO, THAT, UM, WITH C D B G FUNDS, WE ARE BY FEDERAL REGULATION LIMITED TO 15% OF THAT TO BE THE CAP FOR WHAT ARE TERMED PUBLIC SERVICES.
SO A LOT OF THOSE, UH, BULK OF THOSE FUNDS ARE INTENDED BY FEDERAL REGULATION TO, UM, SERVE, UH, HOUSING PROJECTS AND, UM, OTHER THINGS THAT DON'T FALL UNDER THAT PUBLIC SERVICES CATEGORY.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT, THAT COULD BE WHEN YOU'RE HEARING, UM, YOU KNOW, FIGURES IN THE MILLIONS.
AND THEN WHEN I SAY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND YOU'RE HEARING IN THE LOW HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS, IT'S BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF, UH, FITTING WITHIN THAT 15%, UH, LIMITATION WHEN IT COMES TO C D B G, UH, FUNDS.
UM, I DO HAVE A QUESTION, AND I THINK CHRIS WILL BE READY FOR THIS ONE.
UM, I GUESS IT'S NICE TO GIVE CONTEXT FOR NEW COMMISSIONERS AS WELL.
UM, WE MET CHRIS DURAN MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE, AND, UM, I WOUND UP IN A, IN A REALLY EXCELLENT EMAIL DISCUSSION WITH CHRIS AND OTHER CITY STAFFERS REGARDING, UM, AN AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN GRANT THAT WAS, UM, CITY WAS APPLYING FOR SPECIFICALLY ARE BROWN'S, UM, HOMELESS SERVICES IN EMERGENCY SHELTERS.
UM, SO THE DRAFT ANNUAL ACTION PLAN INCLUDES ITEMS LIKE THAT AND JUST A PROJECTION OF WHERE THE CITY IS HEADED IN THE FUTURE AND, AND, AND ALLOWS FOR US TO ENVISION HOW WE CAN BE A PART OF THAT PROCESS GOING FORWARD.
NOT JUST, UH, A STAMP OF APPROVAL, BUT ALSO SEEING, UM, WHAT ROLE WE HAVE TO PLAY AS COMMISSIONERS.
AND SO, CHRIS, I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON THAT.
UM, I'M GLAD YOU'RE BACK CUZ LAST TIME IT WAS SORT.
UM, AND IF, IF YOU COULD, UH, MAYBE, UM, LET US KNOW.
I KNOW WE GOT THE GRANTS AND, UH, THAT THAT IS LIKE ADDITIONAL NEW DOLLARS.
UM, AND AS I'M SURE A LOT OF THE COMMISSIONERS KNOW, THE STATE OF, UH, EMERGENCY SHELTER OFFERINGS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS EVEN MORE DIRE THAN IT HAS BEEN IN YEARS PAST WITH THE CLOSING OF THE SALVATION ARMY DOWNTOWN.
I DO SEE REFERENCE TO THE CITY'S CONTACT WITH THE SALVATION ARMY IN THE DRAFT ANNUAL ACTION PLAN.
AND SO I WANTED TO ASK YOU IF, UM, UH, WHAT PROGRESS OR WHAT CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEGUN TO, UH, TO SOLVE FOR WHAT WAS AN ASSET IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IS NO LONGER THERE.
ARE WE STILL WORKING WITH THE SALVATION ARMY IN OTHER CONTEXTS? ARE WE LOOKING FOR NEW PARTNERS FOR, UM, FOR SHELTER OPTIONS? AND, UH, YOU AND I HAD DISCUSSED THE POTENTIAL OF ALLOCATING FUNDS IF THE SALVATION ARMY WOULD'VE TAKEN THEM, UM, TO TAKE OVER THE SHELTER DOWNTOWN.
I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S MADE PROGRESS, BUT I'D, LET'S JUST LOVE THE GENERAL UPDATE IF YOU WANNA GIVE US A FEW BULLET POINTS IN THAT AREA.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR QUESTION AND YOUR COMMENTS.
I'M SO GLAD THAT WAS A HELPFUL EMAIL EXCHANGE.
AND UM, I, YOU SAW ME NODDING SO BIG WHEN YOU MENTIONED THE SALVATION ARMY, CUZ THAT HAS BEEN A REALLY, THAT, THAT'S BEEN A TOUGH THING BECAUSE THAT HAPPENED AS YOU, I THINK, YOU KNOW, QUITE ABRUPTLY AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF MOVING PARTS AND SO OPERATING, I I, I ACTUALLY REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ASKING BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU'VE REALLY DOVE INTO THE DOCUMENT, WHICH IS REALLY APPRECIATED CUZ A LOT OF WORK GOES INTO IT AND IT, IT, I KNOW IT'S, UH, NOT A LOT OF FOLKS CAN DIVE INTO THE MINUTIAE, BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION I WAS NODDING SO BIG CUZ THAT WAS A REAL TRICKY THING WHEN WE WERE COMING UP.
WE'RE OPERATING FOR THE ACTION PLAN ON A TIMELINE OF FEDERALLY INSTITUTED TIMELINE.
SO I, I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS WE NEEDED TO GET THE FIRST DRAFT OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND THAT IS ONE OF THE SECTIONS IN THE ACTION PLAN WHERE WE ARE STILL KIND OF FIGURING OUT HOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
UM, JUST BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF, UM, KIND OF MOVING PARTS WITH THAT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, ME PERSONALLY, I I HATE TO, YOU KNOW, NOT HAVE EVERYTHING WORKED OUT WHEN WE'RE PUTTING OUT A PUBLIC DOCUMENT, BUT IT IS A FIRST DRAFT AND SO YOU'RE HIGHLIGHTING A PART THAT, UM, WE ARE
[00:45:01]
STILL KIND OF FIGURING OUT WHAT THAT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE.UM, SO THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU REGARDING THE SALVATION ARMY STATUS.
AND I DON'T WANNA SPEAK OUT OF TURN TOO, CUZ I HAVEN'T BEEN TOO INVOLVED AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF, UM, AGAIN, I JUST, I KEEP SAYING IT, BUT MOVING PARTS.
AND, UM, TO GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE ON HOME, A R P I DID TAKE TO, UM, I, I HAVE, I DID VERY MUCH NOTE AND HAVE REACHED OUT TO SOME OF OUR, UM, SOME OF OUR, UH, COLLEAGUES IN APH WITH THE HOMELESS STRATEGY DIVISION BECAUSE I APPRECIATED YOUR REQUEST FOR US TO COME AND GIVE A BRIEFING THAT'S A LITTLE MORE IN DEPTH WHEN IT COMES TO THE HOME A R P GRANT.
AND SO, UM, WE'RE WORKING THAT OUT.
WE DIDN'T WANNA, WE'RE, I, I WANTED TO BE PARTICULARLY, UM, CAREFUL TO NOT OVERLOAD, UH, THE AGENDAS GIVEN, YOU KNOW, LAST TIME I KNOW THERE WAS A LOT OF BRIEFINGS ALL IN ONE NIGHT AND IT WASN'T IDEAL.
SO, UM, I'M KIND OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHEN THE BEST ONE MIGHT BE.
UM, SO THAT'S DEFINITELY, DEFINITELY IN THE WORKS.
UM, BUT YEAH, I, I HOPE THAT ANSWERS EVERYTHING YOU WERE LOOKING FOR.
AND, UM, YEAH, I APPRECIATE THAT YOUR ROLE IS TO DO THE RESEARCH AND THE, THE NUMBER CRUNCHING HERE AND LESSEN THE PROGRAMMATIC, UH, ACTUALLY WRITING CONTRACTS WITH PEOPLE, UM, FOR OTHER COMMISSIONERS.
I REALLY, UM, AND, AND SHARE JUST A NOTE FOR YOU.
I, I DO RECOMMEND KEEPING THIS ON OUR, OUR, UM, AGENDAS GOING FORWARD BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, UM, IN THE PAST WHEN THE CITY OF BOSTON HAS LOOKED FOR NEW CONTRACTS, UM, TO REPLACE EXISTING HOMELESS SHELTER SERVICES, WE'VE OFTEN ONLY HAD ONE APPLICANT.
UM, AND SO FOR US TO BE AWARE THAT NOW WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR AN ADDITIONAL NEW CONTRACT AS THIS PLAN IS REVISED, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN WEIGH IN ON AND HOLD, YOU KNOW, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF MORE MAGNIFICATION TO.
UM, BUT I, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TODAY.
UH, HONESTLY WASN'T EXPECTING IT.
THAT WOULD'VE BEEN REAL COOL, BUT HERE WE ARE.
IS IT, IT'S CHRIS, CORRECT? MM-HMM.
SO, UM, I APOLOGIZE IF, IF I'M A LITTLE BEHIND ON THIS, BUT I, I KNOW, UM, AS I WAS JUST KIND OF BRIEFLY LOOKING AT, SO THE ECHO ECHO, I WANNA TALK ABOUT ECHO.
WOULD YOU BE ABLE, UH, TO GIVE ME MORE INFORMATION? I DID SEE, I DID SEE ALL OF THE DESCRIPTION THAT'S STATED ON HERE, STATED ON HERE.
I HAVE QUESTIONS, I HAVE QUESTIONS.
UM, BECAUSE IS THAT OUR ONLY MAIN SOURCE OF, UH, THE HOMELESS INITIATIVE THAT Y THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S USING FOR EVERYONE THAT IS FACING, UM, DIFFERENT TYPES OF HOMELESSNESS? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I WAS TOLD.
AND, AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, UM, THERE'S ABOUT FIVE DIFFERENT AGENCIES, UH, SUNRISE COMMUNITY CHURCH, UH, THE VETERANS ASSOCIATION, UM, TWO OF THOSE JUST THE TOP OF MY HEAD THAT I KNOW THAT I WENT THROUGH WITH A COUPLE OF, UH, CONSTITUENTS TO TRY TO GET THEM HOUSING.
UM, COME TO FIND OUT THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS TOLD ME THAT ECHOES RECEIVING THE MAJORITY OF OUR MONIES, AND THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE OVERSIGHTING THE HOMELESS INITIATIVE PROGRAM FOR OUR CITY.
AND I DID COME ACROSS A LOT OF ISSUES THERE WITH ECHO AND THE WAY ECHO IS CONDUCTING, UM, THEIR, THEIR INTERVIEWS, HOW THEY'RE PLACING OUR PEOPLE, AS WELL AS HOW, UH, HOW LONG IT'S TAKING.
UM, BY THE TIME THEY'RE GETTING TO THE RECIPIENT, THE RECIPIENT'S ALREADY DIED IN THEIR CAR.
UM, THE RECIPIENT'S ALREADY DIED IN THEIR TENT, ARE, UM, A HOMELESS PERSON GETS SO TIRED OF BEING OUT THERE, UH, THAT THEY, THEY THEN START COUCH SURFING AND THEN THEY ARE DISQUALIFIED FROM THE PROGRAM BECAUSE THEY CONSIDER THEM SHELTERED NOW.
SO I, I NOTICED THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCREPANCY.
UM, YOU KNOW, JUST WORKING WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS OUT THERE, STANDING IN THE LINE FOR SEVEN HOURS, GETTING, UH, FINALLY BEING ASSESSED, UM, THEM HAVING TO MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS.
AND IF THAT RECIPIENT IS EVEN QUALIFIES FOR, UH, THERE'S THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF HOMELESSNESS THAT THEY'VE TITLED THEM.
[00:50:01]
ARE CONSIDERED, UH, IF YOU LIVE WITH FAMILY, YOU'RE NOT HOMELESS, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU SLEEP ON THE FLOOR, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU SLEEP ON THE COUCH, IT DOESN'T EVEN MATTER IF YOU SLEEP ON THE PATIO.IF YOU HAVE AN ADDRESS, YOU ARE CONSIDERED NOT HOMELESS, WHICH AGAIN, THAT'S NOT CHRONICALLY HOMELESSNESS, BUT IT'S STILL HOMELESSNESS CUZ YOU HAVE 10 PEOPLE LIVING IN THE HOUSE.
SO THEY, THEY'RE LIVING OUT OF THEIR BAGS AND THEIR BOXES, BUT THEY'RE NOT CONSIDERED HOMELESS.
SO I SAW THAT ECHO IS REALLY NOT DOING WHAT I THINK THAT WE, WE ALL THOUGHT THEY WERE GONNA BE DOING.
WHICH AGAIN, WRAPAROUND SERVICES, SOCIAL SERVICES, HOUSING SERVICES FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS.
UM, AND AGAIN, IT'S TAKEN ABOUT THREE TO FOUR MONTHS FOR THE CASE WORKER TO ACTUALLY PULL THE APPLICATION AND ACTUALLY ASSESS THEM IN, IN WHEREVER THEY'RE AT BY THAT TIME, UH, THREE TO FOUR MONTHS, FIVE MONTHS, WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIND THAT PERSON EITHER.
THEIR PHONE GOT DISCONNECTED, THEY HAVE, THEY'RE NOT AT THE SAME PLACE THAT THEY WERE SLEEPING IN AT AT THE TIME.
SO I, I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT ECHO AND I SEE ECHO HERE AND I'VE HEARD THAT WE GIVE THEM A LOT OF MONEY.
SO HAVE WE DONE AN AUDIT OR WE EVEN, I MEAN, INVESTIGATING THESE PROGRAMS AND SEEING IF IT'S REALLY WORKING, ARE THEY USING OUR, OUR MONIES TO ACTUALLY HOUSE THESE RECIPIENTS? CUZ WE STILL HAVE A, A HUGE HOMELESS PROBLEM.
I DO HAVE, UH, I DO HAVE THOUGHTS, BUT I DO SEE THAT OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR, MANDY DE MAYO TURNED ON HER CAMERA AND I THINK SHE MAY WANT TO JUMP IN, SO I'M GONNA GIVE SPACE FOR THAT.
UM, BUT THEN I SAW IT GO OFF, SO I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S NO, I AM, I AM HERE.
CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? I, I'M HAVING, UH, CAMERA ISSUES.
MANDY DE MAYO, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
I DO WANNA TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT, UM, FO, WHICH IS THE ENDING CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS COALITION.
UM, THEY ARE OUR DESIGNATED, UH, CONTINUUM OF CARE AGENCY.
HUD, THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, UM, UH, HAVE THAT DESIGNATION FOR JURISDICTIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND ECHO IS OUR CONTINUUM OF CARE.
AS SUCH, THEY HAVE A FEW MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES.
AND I SHOULD NOTE THAT THEY DON'T PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES.
WE REALLY RELY ON OUR HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
AND COMMISSIONER, YOU HAD MENTIONED, UH, THE SUNRISE CHURCH, AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAVE NUMEROUS ORGANIZATIONS, UH, CARITAS AND WE ALSO MENTIONED THE SALVATION ARMY.
PREVIOUSLY, UM, NUMEROUS ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE, UH, DIRECT OUTREACH TO INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
ECHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COORDINATED ENTRY SYSTEM.
SO THEY HAVE, UM, THEY ADMINISTER A SYSTEM WHEREBY ALL OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS, OUR ENTIRE SOCIAL, OUR SAFETY NET IS DOING INTAKE IN A COORDINATED MANNER SO THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS CAN BE PRIORITIZED BASED ON THEIR VULNERABILITY.
SO THERE'S A CENTRALIZED SYSTEM.
WE HAVE WHAT'S CALLED A HOMELESSNESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM.
AND AGAIN, EVERY SINGLE UH, UH, CONTINUUM OF CARE ACROSS THE COUNTRY UTILIZES A SIMILAR SYSTEM.
AND THIS IS TO COUNT PEOPLE EXPERIENCING LITERAL HOMELESSNESS AS WELL AS PEOPLE WHO ARE VULNERABLE TO HOMELESSNESS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN, UH, ONE OF OUR SHELTERS.
SO THERE SHOULD BE, I NEED TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE ACTION PLAN, BUT WE ACTUALLY, UM, WE HAVE A SMALL CONTRACT, OUR DEPARTMENT DOES, BUT IT'S NOT FEDERALLY FUNDED WITH ECHO, UM, FOR SOME LANDLORD OUTREACH.
UH, AND THEN AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH ALSO HAS A CONTRACT WITH ECHO WHO ADMINISTER THE HOMELESS H M I F, THE HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM.
AND I THINK THEY HAVE A COUPLE OF SMALLER CONTRACTS AS WELL.
BUT IT IS THAT, I DO WANNA BE CLEAR THAT WHILE ECHO IS THE COORDINATING ENTITY, IT IS IN FACT THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE REALLY RELY ON, UM, AS A COMMUNITY TO, UH, REACH, UH, PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND TO PROVIDE THOSE DIRECT SERVICES, INCLUDING TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND, AND HOPEFULLY MOVING TOWARD PERMANENT SUPPORT.
[00:55:01]
QUESTION.I DO KNOW THAT THEY ARE THE MAIN SOURCE.
UM, IS IT WORKING? UH, IS IS MY QUESTION HERE, BECAUSE I I DON'T SEE IT WORKING IN THE PUBLIC.
UM, AND I DO GET THAT THEY HAVE SEVERAL SMALL ENTITIES THAT THEY WORK WITH.
MY QUESTION TO YOU ALL IS, HAVE YOU ALL INVESTIGATED AN AUDITED ECHO TO MAKE SURE, CUZ I DON'T KNOW WHEN YOU WENT TO CONTRACT, I THINK WHAT IT WAS TWO YEARS AGO, WHAT HASN'T BEEN THAT LONG? IT WAS DURING THE PANDEMIC.
UM, WE HAVE AN ANNUAL, WE HAVE AN ANNUAL CONTRACT WITH ECHO, BUT WHEN DID THAT GO INTO CONTRACT? WHAT YEAR? WE HAVE AN ANNUAL CONTRACT WITH THEM, SO RIGHT, WE CONTRACT, BUT WHAT YEAR? UM, THEY, THEY JUST GOT CREATED LIKE NOT EVEN FIVE YEARS AGO.
RIGHT? I MEAN, ECHO, WHEN DID ECHO START TAKING THE CITY CONTRACTS? FIVE YEARS.
ECHO'S BEEN AROUND FOR A LITTLE, I THINK OVER 10 YEARS.
SO WE'VE HAD A CONTRACT FOR 10 YEARS, CORRECT? I'M NOT SURE WHEN THE CONTRACT WITH OFTEN PUBLIC HEALTH BEGAN, BUT CONTRACT WITH ECHO FROM OUR CITY DEPARTMENT, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
I'M, YEAH, THAT'S THE CONTRACT I'M INTERESTED IN.
AND IF WE PL WE PLEASE CAN GET THAT CLEAR OF WHEN OUR CITY CONTRACTED A HOMELESS INITIATIVE PROGRAM.
NOT CITYWIDE, I MEAN NOT NATIONWIDE OR OTHER STATES OR OTHER CITIES.
I'M SOLELY TALKING ABOUT AUSTIN, TEXAS.
WHEN DID AUSTIN TEXAS CONTRACT WITH ECHO THIS NONPROFIT PROGRAM TO OVERSEE OUR MONIES TO ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT AGENCIES THAT YOU, YOU'RE SAYING CATHOLIC CHARITIES BEING WON? SUNRISE CHURCH BEING ANOTHER ONE, VETERANS ASSOCIATION BEING ANOTHER ONE.
CAUSE I'M TELLING YOU, I'M OUT THERE IN THE FIELD HOLDING THESE PEOPLE'S HANDS OUT THERE.
IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT AN EASY JOB TO DO.
AND IF I HAVE TO BRING THESE INDIVIDUALS IN HERE BY DRIVING 'EM AND TEACHING THEM HOW TO COME UP HERE AND TALK, THEN I WILL.
BUT AS A COMMISSIONER AND AS A CONSTITUENT OF DISTRICT THREE, I'M LETTING YOU KNOW IT'S NOT WORKING.
SO ALL I'M ASKING IS WHAT YEAR DID WE GO INTO CONTRACT WITH THESE, WITH THIS AGENCY? AND HOW IS THIS AGENCY DOING WITH OUR MONEY? IS THIS INITIATIVE WORKING? THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING, MANDY.
SO APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS AGO, THE CITY INITIATED A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT ALL OF OUR HOMELESSNESS CONTRACTS.
THERE WAS A COMPREHENSIVE AUDIT, WE HAD A THIRD PARTY CONSULTANT COME IN.
I WILL PULL THAT MATERIAL AND I'M HAPPY TO CIRCULATE THAT TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
THERE WERE A VARIETY OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE MADE, UM, WITH RESPECT TO DELIVERY OF HOMELESSNESS SERVICES AND OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
UM, SO I WILL BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT.
AND YOU SHOULD ALSO KNOW THAT THE ANNUAL POINT IN TIME COUNT, WHICH IS FEDERALLY REQUIRED, UH, HAPPENED THIS PAST JANUARY.
THE ACTUAL NUMBERS OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS SHOULD BE RELEASED IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
THAT INCLUDES PEOPLE LIVING SHELTERED AND UNSHELTERED.
UM, AND WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT THOSE NUMBERS WILL HAVE GONE UP, WHICH IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE TRENDS THAT WE'RE SEEING ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
UH, ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS? THEN I HAVE SOMETHING MANDY, UM, REGARDING KIND OF, SORT OF WHAT COMMISSIONER DELGADO WAS SAYING.
SO IT SOUNDS AS IF THAT THERE WAS IN FACT SOME KIND OF AUDIT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
IS THERE, UM, AN ONGOING EXPECTATION OF A, UM, CYCLE FOR AUDITING AND TO MORE OR LESS, I WANNA SAY GET A GRADE, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S, WHAT'S, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE WERE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO HOW, HOW DID WE, YOU KNOW, HOW DID IT COME OUT? I WILL BE HAPPY.
SO AS PART OF THE THIRD PARTY REPORT THAT WE COMMISSIONED AS A CITY.
I WILL ALSO PULL UP THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE DID A COMPREHENSIVE AUDIT.
THIS WAS WITHIN THE LAST FEW YEARS, THREE TO FOUR YEARS ON OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
UM, AND, UH, OUR HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE REPORTS BACK TO THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE
[01:00:01]
PERIODICALLY.SO I'LL PULL THAT INFORMATION AND WE'LL CIRCULATE IT FOR YOU ALL TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
AND I WILL PERSONALLY BE INTERESTED IN SOMETHING THAT, UM, I, AS MUCH AS I MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THE COMPREHENSIVENESS MORE OR LESS, UM, THE, THE HIGH POINTS, JUST KIND OF HOW DID WE DO SOME KIND OF A SUMMARY? UM, I APPRECIATE THIS.
THE, THE, THE DRAFT THAT WE HAVE THAT, UM, CHRIS AND, UH, YOU ALL HAVE WORKED ON IT.
IT IS IN FACT, UM, I, I'VE, I'VE SPREAD IT OUT HERE.
AND MY QUESTION GOING FORWARD, UM, KIND OF TRANSITIONING TO YOU, CHRIS, AND PERHAPS YOU, MANDY, IS ALSO, WHEN THE PUBLIC GETS TO REVIEW THIS, ARE THEY REVIEWING THE FULL HUNDRED AND 51 PAGES PLUS THE, UH, ATTACHMENTS AS WELL? YEAH.
WITHOUT THE ATTACHMENTS, RIGHT? UM, HOW IS, HOW IS THAT WORKING? I'M SORRY.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I, I'VE BEEN, AS I CAME ON, UM, AND HAVE BEEN EXECUTING THIS PROCESS FOR THE FIRST TIME, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'D LIKE TO LOOK AT GOING FORWARD IN FUTURE YEARS.
I'M, I'M EXECUTING WHAT WE'VE DONE, BUT I'D LIKE TO IMPROVE ON THAT IN FUTURE YEARS.
AND I, I DO FRANKLY AGREE WITH THE SENTIMENT THAT YOU'RE GETTING AT THE, I DON'T KNOW THAT THE DOCUMENT IS VERY ACCESSIBLE TO THE AVERAGE PUBLIC PERSON, JUST IN THE SENSE THAT IT IS, IT IS SO MASSIVE, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKSHOPPING SOME IDEAS GOING FORWARD, AND ESPECIALLY NEXT YEAR GOING INTO, WE WON'T JUST BE DOING THE ACTION PLAN, BUT THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN.
SO AN EVEN BIGGER DOCUMENT, UM, LOOKING AT WHAT WE CAN DO TO PERHAPS, UM, COME OUT WITH SOME MORE, UM, EXECUTIVE SUMMARY TYPE DOCUMENTS THAT ARE A BIT MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC, WHO DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME, WHO MAY NOT, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO SPREAD IT, SPREAD OUT THE DOCUMENT AND TAKE THE TIME THAT YOU ARE.
AND SO I, I, I WISH I HAD LIKE A CLEAR CUT ANSWER FOR YOU RIGHT NOW, BUT I CAN SAY IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE ARE COGNIZANT OF AND SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO IMPROVE GOING FORWARD.
UM, I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE DOCUMENTS, WE, WE, WE MUST RETAIN CERTAIN SECTIONS, UH, UNDER FEDERAL REGULATION TO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO PRODUCE THIS DOCUMENT AT THE SIZE IT IS, UH, TO SECURE THE FUNDS.
BUT I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO PRODUCE MORE, MORE COMMUNICATIONS THAT ARE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC GOING FORWARD.
UM, MANDY, I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA CHIME IN.
SOME SORT OF, UH, COMPREHENSIVE, EASY TO COMPREHEND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.
UM, I WILL SAY, WHEN YOU GO TO THE PUBLIC INPUT PAGE THAT CHRIS MENTIONED, UM, WE DO HAVE QUITE A FEW COMMENTS FROM FOLKS.
UM, I CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT THEY ALL READ THE 400 AND SOMETHING PAGES.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT IT IS AVAILABLE, THE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
UM, AND I THINK AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THAT IS DIGESTIBLE WOULD BE MUCH MORE HELPFUL.
AS CHRIS POINTED OUT, THE PARTS THAT I FIND MOST USEFUL ARE THE BOOKENDS, THE BEGINNING, WHICH HAS A SUMMARY MM-HMM.
SO COMMISSIONER TOLIVER HAD ASKED ABOUT HOMELESSNESS SERVICES.
SO IT'S MUCH EASIER TO UNDERSTAND, UM, THAT PORTION.
UM, AND NO PUN ON THE ECHO WORD
UM, UM, IN THAT, UM, I DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF MARKETING GRAPHICS THAT ARE REALLY, UH, UH, PHENOMENAL THAT JUST SHARE ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF INFORMATION.
AND IF WE, IF, IF, IF WE REALLY ARE GONNA BE SEEKING PUBLIC INPUT, I WANT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ALREADY ON IT, SO I'M NOT GOING BEAT IT UP.
BUT THAT IS HUGE BECAUSE, UM, I'M NOT SURE THAT THE COMMENTS, UM, COULD REALLY BE AS EFFECTIVE, BUT WE, WE HAVE WAYS I KNOW THAT YOU ALL ARE, ARE TALENTED AND WE CAN MAKE IT, MAKE IT HAPPEN.
UH, ANY OTHER, UH, YES, COMMISSIONER TOLLIVER.
ECHO TOOK PROCESS OF JANUARY THE 10TH OF 2017.
THAT'S HOW LONG ECHO HAS BEEN WITH THE CITY.
[01:05:02]
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER, TOLERANT FOR THOSE FACTS.WE'RE GONNA BE RELYING ON YOU FOR THAT HISTORY.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER? HEARING NOTHING FROM THE COMMISSIONERS PRESENT OR ONLINE? UM, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND WRAP AND CLOSE THIS PORTION OF THE STAFF BRIEFINGS.
AND THANK YOU MANDY, SO MUCH FOR YOUR INPUT.
WE WILL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO HEAR, SEEING YOU ALL, UH, GOING FORWARD SO THAT WE CAN DIGEST THIS, UH, IN SMALLER PIECES SO THAT WE, UM, CAN BE BETTER INFORMED.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
AND THANK YOU ALL THE COMMISSIONERS WHO DID, UH, PARTICIPATE IN THAT DISCUSSION, PUBLIC HEARINGS.
[5. Conduct a public hearing to receive public comment on the draft Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Action Plan.]
ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE, WE HAVE TO CONDUCT PUBLIC HEARINGS TO RECEIVE THE PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, OF THE DRAFT.THIS IS THE ACTION PLAN HERE, UM, THAT WE'RE SPEAKING OF.
CAN I GET SOME SUPPORT AS TO WHAT IT IS WE NEED TO DO REGARDING THIS PUBLIC HEARING? THAT WOULD BE HEAR, THAT WOULD REALLY BE CHRIS.
UM, DID HE, DID I LOSE HIM? I APOLOGIZE.
COULD YOU REPEAT YOUR QUESTION? YES.
UH, WE HAVE AN ITEM THAT IT PROBABLY IS, IT, IT, IT JUST GOES ALONG WITH YOUR ACTION PLAN.
YOU WERE SPEAKING TO IT, IT, UM, HIGHLIGHTS PUBLIC HEARING AS A SUBTITLE, AND, UM, IT SAYS, CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON OUR DRAFT, THIS DRAFT FISCAL YEAR ACTION PLAN THAT YOU HAVE HERE.
AND IS, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU NEED TO, UH, SHARE WITH US IN REGARDS TO THAT? UH, NO, THAT, THAT'S THE ACTION ITEM I WAS REFERRING TO EARLIER WHEN I, UM, WAS JUST SAYING IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY.
UM, TYPICALLY THE CHAIR WILL KIND OF OPEN UP, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY PUBLIC, SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU DO DURING, UM, PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS AT THE BEGINNING FOR THE PUBLIC TO, TO MAKE ANY COMMENT ON THE ACTION PLAN.
AND, UH, IF NO ONE'S THERE, IT, IT, IT'LL, OF COURSE, BE PRETTY QUICKLY CLOSED OUT.
AND SO WE COULD HAVE THIS GOING FORWARD SOME OTHER TIME, SOME OTHER MONTH, MAYBE HAVE, UM, THE PUBLIC HEARING AS WELL AND HAVE INDIVIDUALS PRESENT TO SPEAK AND SHARE THEIR COMMENTS.
THIS IS ACTUALLY OUR OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE POSTED FOR A PUBLIC HEARING, AND THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, RELATED TO THE DRAFT ACTION PLAN, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE ARE NO, UM, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, UH, READY TO PROVIDE ANY INPUT IN PERSON.
SO I WOULD SUGGEST JUST OPENING AND THEN CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THANK, THANK YOU SO MUCH, MANDY, FOR THAT GUIDANCE.
AND, AND, UH, COMMISSIONER ELIS HAS, UM, ALSO PULLED ME ASIDE AND SAID THE SAME.
SO, UH, I DO BELIEVE I HAVE COMMISSIONER DELGADO WANNA SAY SOMETHING QUICKLY BEFORE I OPEN UP? I, I JUST WANTED TO ASK, UM, DID YOU ALL POST THAT THERE'S A PUBLIC HEARING TODAY? HOW DOES THE PUBLIC, HOW DOES THE PUBLIC, I DIDN'T WANNA, HOW DOES THE PUBLIC KNOW THERE'S A HEARING TODAY.
I'D JUST LIKE TO KNOW WHAT, WHAT TYPE OF OUTREACH DID YOU DO THAT THERE'S A HEARING TODAY? YES.
I CAN SPEAK TO THAT, BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO INTERRUPT MANDY, IF, IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT.
I, I DID WANT TO CHIME IN AND, AND SAY THAT, UM, WE PUBLICIZED THE PUBLIC HEARING OPPORTUNITY IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.
UM, A PRESS RELEASE WAS SENT OUT TO LOCAL MEDIA.
UM, WE ALSO, UH, ISSUED, UH, PUBLIC NOTICES IN BOTH AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMEN, BUT ALSO SPANISH LANGUAGE AND EL MUNO.
AND WE'VE BEEN PROMOTING IT, UH, IN A LOT OF OUR ACTION PLAN MEETINGS WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS AND COMMISSIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING FOR IT.
I THINK EVERY YEAR WE CAN ALWAYS IMPROVE AND WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AT CITY COUNCIL AND WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY HERE, BUT I THINK IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT FOR PUBLIC TO COME AT THIS TIME.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I I, IT'S NOT THAT I WOULDN'T WANNA HOLD, I WOULD, I'D LOVE TO CONTINUE TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING HERE, OF COURSE, BUT, UH, JUST, I DON'T KNOW, TO THE POINT OF, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE IT'S ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC, UH, MAYBE INCREASING THE DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE DAY, WHICH WE HOLD THE PUBLIC HEARINGS SINCE IT IS DISAPPOINTING WHEN, UM, PEOPLE CAN'T MAKE IT OUT.
BUT, UM, YEAH, TO, IT'S A, AND SORRY IF I RAMBLED ON, BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE DID, UH, MAKE A, MAKE A, A NUMBER OF EFFORTS TO
[01:10:01]
PUBLICIZE IT.WELL, WE APPRECIATE THAT, AND WE ARE, UM, GOING TO BE REAL CONCERNED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE, UM, TRANSPARENT WITH THAT.
UM, I WILL OFFICIALLY OPEN AND IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT, UM, TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PUBLIC HEARING? IF SO, PLEASE STEP TO THE MIC, SEEING NO ONE STEP TO THE MIC, I WILL, UM, CLOSE THAT PUBLIC HEARING OPPORTUNITY.
[6. Appoint a representative and an alternate representative from the Community Development Commission to the Joint Sustainability Committee. (Amanda Mortl)]
THE NEXT ITEM IS THE DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. WE HAVE THREE APPOINTMENTS, UH, VOLUNTEERS WOULD BE PREFERABLE.UM, FOR THE FIRST ONE BEING THE COMMUNITY, OUR JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
AND AMANDA, IF YOU ARE PRESENT.
HELLO, MY NAME IS AMANDA MORTAL, AND I AM STAFF MEMBER AT THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND SO I'M NOT ON THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE, BUT, UM, WE'RE THE DEPARTMENT THAT LIKE, SUPPORTS THEM.
AND SO, YEAH, I WAS JUST HERE TO, UM, ASK
UM, I KNOW THAT Y'ALL ARE ALREADY DOING A LOT, SO IT, IT IS HARD TO ASK FOR MORE TIME.
I, I RECOGNIZE THAT Y'ALL ARE ALREADY SERVING SO MUCH, BUT, UM, THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE IS, UM, POPULATED OR, YOU KNOW, OF MEMBERS FROM OTHER BOARDS.
AND SO THE ZERO WASTE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND, UM, LET ME JUST LOOK AND SEE IF I CAN FIND A LIST IN FRONT OF ME OF ALL THE BOARDS.
UM, YEAH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION DESIGN COMMISSION, ECONOMIC PROSPERITY COMMISSION, ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, PARK AND REC, UM, BOARD PLANNING, COMMISSION RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION, UM, OFFICE TRACK, AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY, FOOD POLICY BOARD, URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, WATER AND WASTEWATER COMMISSION.
UM, AND SO EACH OF THE BOARDS, ACCORDING TO CODE, SHALL SELECT ITS MEMBERS TO SERVE ON THIS JOINT COMMITTEE.
UM, AND I RECOGNIZE THAT THAT'S, UM, A LOT OF TIME.
THEY MEET, UM, MONTHLY, USUALLY ON THE LAST WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH.
SO THE NEXT MEETING IS MAY 24TH.
UM, AND IF, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ONE PERSON THAT'S SELECTED AND WE HAVE AN ALTERNATE, THEY COULD SWITCH BACK AND FORTH OR HOWEVER IS EASIEST TO MANAGE YOUR TIME.
BUT, UM, SO I'M JUST HERE KIND OF HOPING THAT Y'ALL ARE ABLE TO SELECT OR, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S, THERE'S PEOPLE THAT WANNA SERVE ON THE SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
AND ONE MORE THING, SORRY, NOT TO TAKE TOO LONG, BUT, UM, THE TOPIC THAT WE COVER, OF COURSE, ON THAT IS CONSERVATION, SUSTAINABILITY, AND, UM, WE'RE IMPLEMENTING THE AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN AND THE MAIN GOAL OF THE AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.
UM, SEE IF I CAN CATCH IT IN BOLD HERE.
CAUSE THERE'S ONE WORD THAT I THOUGHT YOU WOULD LIKE IN IT.
BUT IT'S TO EQUITABLY, UM, REDUCE OUR CLIMATE EMISSIONS TO NET ZERO BY 2040.
I CAN'T FIND IT IN THE PLAN RIGHT HERE OFF TRYING TO BE FAST.
BUT, UM, THE PLAN ADDRESSES ISSUES, UM, LIKE HOMELESSNESS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING DISPLACEMENT, GENTRIFICATION, TRANSPORTATION COSTS, UTILITY COSTS, AND FOOD COSTS.
SO, UM, I'M JUST MENTIONING HOUSING AFFORDABILITY.
CAUSE I THINK THERE'S SOME OVERLAP THERE WITH CONCERNS.
AND THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE WOULD GREATLY BENEFIT FROM THE PERSPECTIVES THAT ARE HERE TODAY.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, DO WE HAVE ANYONE PLEASE STEP UP AND VOLUNTEER FOR THE SUSTAINABILITY? I DO BELIEVE COMMISSIONER ELIS WAS, LET ME KNOW THAT, UM, COMMISSIONER FA WAS THE PREVIOUS, PERHAPS.
DO WE HAVE A COMMISSIONER THAT'S WILLING TO, AND I'M GONNA BE LOOKING FOR YOU GUYS TO STEP UP BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO ALL SHARE THIS LOAD CHAIR.
COMMISSIONER DELGADO IS GOING TO REPRESENT US, UM, IN THE SUSTAINABILITY JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
SO YOU CAN CONNECT WITH THEM AND FIND OUT.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ALWAYS HAVE AN ALTERNATE, UM, WHO CAN, IS WILLING TO VOLUNTEER TO BE AN
[01:15:01]
ALTERNATE FOR OUR JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.I VOLUNTEER FOR THE, I'M SO SORRY.
DON'T, DON'T TURN OFF YOUR MIC.
SO WE HAVE, UH, COMMISSIONER DELGADO WHO HAS, UM, UH, VOLUNTEERED.
AS WELL AS COMMISSIONER GARCIA.
AND I'M GONNA BE, UH, EXPECTING THAT YOU ALL WILL CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER AS WELL AS WITH AMANDA.
AMANDA, YOU'VE HEARD THE TWO COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU WOULD REACH OUT AND TAKE LEADERSHIP IN, UM, GETTING THEM BROUGHT UP TO SPEED AS TO WHAT IS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE EXPECTATIONS.
I APPRECIATE IT, AND I'LL DO THAT.
AND THAT'S A BIG GOAL FOR 2040.
[7. Appoint two represtatives to the Housing Investment Review Committee (HIRC) (James May)]
SAID, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE NEXT, UM, COMMITTEE.THAT'S THAT, UM, THEY SAY IT'S LIKE THE ARC, THE HERK HERK.
UM, THAT IS OUR HOUSING INVESTMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE.
JAMES, ARE YOU PRESENT AND BE ABLE TO SHARE, SPEAK TO THAT BRIEFLY? HE, HE'S NOT PRESENT.
IS ANYONE ABLE FROM THE STAFF OR ANYONE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE ON THAT? HMM.
IT SAYS MANDY DE MAYO, UM, DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND, UH, JAMIE COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY, BUT I, I CAN DESCRIBE THE WORK OF THE HERK.
WHICH IS THE HELPING INVESTMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE.
THE C D C IS ABLE TO APPOINT TWO PEOPLE.
UM, OUR PREVIOUS, THE PREVIOUS COMMISSIONERS WHO SERVED ON THIS WERE KENDRA GARRETT AND EO, UH, FAULK ULA.
UM, AND BOTH OF THEM SERVED FOR, FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
THE PURPOSE OF THE HERC IS TO REVIEW STAFF'S WORK IN TERMS OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OUR HOUSING INVESTMENT FUNDING.
THIS IS FOR OUR RENTAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE AND OWNERSHIP HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. SO OUR GAP FINANCING, UM, WE RECEIVE APPLICATIONS ON A QUARTERLY BASIS.
WE REVIEW THEM INTERNALLY AS STAFF, AND THEN WE HAVE A QUARTERLY MEETING WITH THE HERC TO GO OVER THE APPLICATIONS AND TO INVITE THE DEVELOPERS, UH, TO MEET AND TAKE QUESTIONS FROM THE HERC MEMBERS.
UM, AND THEN THE, HER RANKS, THE APPLICATIONS, THAT ALL GOES INTO, UH, A PACKET, WHICH GOES TO, UM, THE EXECUTIVES AT THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT WHO THEN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION BOARD.
SO IT IS A QUARTERLY MEETING, A QUARTERLY PROCESS.
UM, BUT WE ARE HAPPY FOR FOLKS TO, UM, CONSIDER, UM, AND IF NOT AT THIS MEETING, AT A SUBSEQUENT MEETING FOR NOMINATING, UH, TWO MEMBERS, TWO C D C MEMBERS, UM, TO THE HER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MANDY, FOR THAT.
UM, UM, EXPLANATION ABOUT THE, UH, HERC.
I'M GOING TO ASK, UM, COMMISSIONERS IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER.
UM, BUT I'M GONNA TAKE LIBERTY AND, AND SEE IF COMMISSIONER TOLLIVER, IF HE, UM, IF YOU WOULD BE, UM, WILLING TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THIS.
I KNOW THAT YOU'RE VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE WITH THIS HOUSING, UH, STUFF.
WOULD I BE ABLE TO SERVE ON THAT TOO? UM, LET ME SEE IF WE CAN'T SPREAD IT AROUND.
BUT I'M A, THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT YEAH.
AND THAT WAS WHY I WAS, UM, YEAH.
SO WE'LL DEFINITELY CIRCLE BACK AROUND, UM, COMMISSIONERS.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO NOMINATE MYSELF.
THIS IS COMMISSIONER HASSO, AND I WOULD NOMINATE MYSELF.
SO, UM, I WANT YOU ALL TO, UM, GET WITH, SINCE JAMES WASN'T HERE TODAY, JAMIE WASN'T HERE TODAY.
UM, MANDY, I CAN COUNT ON YOU TO, UM, LET YOUR TEAM KNOW WHO FROM THE CDC OKAY.
WHO'S GOING? ALRIGHT, SO THAT IS OUR COMMISSIONER, ERHART.
AM I SAYING YOUR NAME CORRECTLY? COMMISSIONER? YEAH, YOU GOT, OKAY, PERFECT.
[01:20:03]
THANK YOU BOTH.[8. Appoint a resprentative and an alternate to the South Central Waterfont Advisory Board (SCWAB)]
BUT NOT LEAST, OUR, UM, PREVIOUS VICE CHAIR WAS, UM, VERY MUCH INVOLVED WITH OUR SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD.AND, UM, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO WANT TO CONTINUE THAT INVOLVEMENT.
IS THERE ANYONE AMONGST US THAT IS WILLING TO STEP UP AND VOLUNTEER TO TAKE OVER THIS? AND WE ARE GONNA NEED A REPRESENTATIVE AND AN ALTERNATE, PLEASE.
I WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER FOR THE, UH, SCHWAB.
I, I, I SAW THAT YOU KIND OF LEANED IN, UH, RIGHT AS I WAS SPEAKING ABOUT IT, SO I WAS COUNTING ON THAT MICROPHONE.
UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER WOODS AS, UH, VOLUNTEERED.
AND WE, UH, COMMISSIONERS, WE DO NEED, UH, AN ALTERNATE FOR THIS.
WELL, WELL NOW YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU GONNA BE THE ALTERNATE, BUT YOU ARE ON THE YOU DID MY, YOU'RE DOING MY WORK, RIGHT? THE, YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT.
WELL, I'M A I'M GONNA KEEP YOU IN THE BACK POCKET FOR A MOMENT.
I THINK WE HAVE OTHERS, BUT, BUT I APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT JUST AS I WAS SHARING EARLIER, I, I, I, I DO FEEL THE MORE WE ALL HAVE SOMETHING TO DO, THE BETTER WE ALL CAN BE AS A TEAM.
CAN I GET SOMEONE ELSE? COMMISSIONER SLOAN? COMMISSIONER.
YOU GOT SOMETHING GOING ON? OKAY.
COMMISSIONER GARCIA, DID YOU, IS SHE STILL HERE? SHE'S OUR ALTERNATE.
WHO AM I OVERLOOKING? COMMISSIONER TOLLIVER.
WOULD YOU WANNA DO THIS ONE?
UM, WE WILL PAUSE AND WE'LL LEAVE THAT ONE FOR, UM, SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE COMMISSIONER WOODS.
THE FACT THAT YOU LEANED IN WITH A BIG SMILE MEANS THAT, UM, WE ARE EXCITED THAT YOU ARE IN FACT OUR DESIGNEE AND, UM, REPRESENTING US.
AND THEN WE WILL STAFF, IF YOU COULD, UM, LET US CIRCLE BACK AND FIND US AN ALTERNATE ALTERNATE, UH, TO SUPPORT COMMISSIONER WOODS, UH, WITH THIS SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD, THE SWAB.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR
[9. Update from the Austin Transit Partnership (ATP) Community Advisory Committee (Commissioner Elias)]
WORKING GROUPS AND OUR COMMITTEE UPDATES.AND I DO BELIEVE THAT'S OUR LAST, PRETTY MUCH, YEAH.
CAN WE HEAR FROM, UH, WORKING GROUPS, PLEASE? THANK YOU.
I THINK THIS IS COMMISSIONER ALIAS.
I AM SPEAKING ON THE ATP COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UM, OUR LAST MEETING WAS A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING ON MAY THE FOURTH, AND IT WAS A PRESENTATION ON THE COMMUNITY INPUT AND COMMUNITY DIALOGUE THAT RAN FROM MARCH 21ST AND ENDED ON MAY 2ND.
UM, AND THERE WERE SOME HIGHLIGHTS.
UH, ATTP HEARD A LOT ABOUT, UH, BUILDING THE RAIL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
UH, THERE WERE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LENGTH AND THE VALUE OF THE UNDERGROUND SEGMENTS OF THE RAIL, UH, MAKING IT REACH AS FAR SOUTH AND AS FAR NORTH AS POSSIBLE.
AND OF COURSE, QUESTIONS WE'VE ALL HAD ABOUT TIMELINE AND BUDGET WERE, UH, QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC.
UM, DIFFERENT QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS AS WELL.
A LOT OF, UH, PEOPLE HAD THOSE AND CONNECTING TO OTHER MODES OF TRANSPORTATION.
AND ONE BIG THING WAS, UH, WHETHER IT WAS GOING TO REACH THE AIRPORT, UH, SOON OR LATER ON.
AND SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WERE BIG ON FROM THE COMMUNITY DIALOGUE PART OF IT.
UH, WE ALSO HAD, UH, SOME VERY, UH, SPECIFIC DISCUSSIONS ON, UM,
[01:25:01]
THE CRESS VIEW, RED LINE CROSSING.UH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK ON, UH, SEPARATION OF GRADE, WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BE ELEVATED OR ON THE STREET.
UH, AGAIN, CONNECTION TO THE AIRPORT.
AND, UH, ONE THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO, TO ME AND TO MY COMMUNITY WAS THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY LOCATION, WHICH, UH, RIGHT NOW IS SLATED TO BE IN THE MONOPOLI AREA.
AND SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE DISCUSSED.
AND OUR REGULAR MEETING WILL BE THIS THURSDAY, SO I WILL PRESENT ON THAT NEXT TIME.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ELLIS FOR THAT REPORT AND FOR SERVING IN THAT CAPACITY.
ANY OTHER WORKING COMMITTEE, WORKING GROUPS OR COMMITTEES THAT WE, I DON'T BELIEVE THERE AREN'T ANY OTHERS.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
AGENDA ITEMS. THANK YOU.OUR FUTURE FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. MM-HMM.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF ANY OF THE NEWER COMMISSIONERS WERE HERE WHEN WE HAD THE, UM, HOUSING AUTHORITY, UM, COME IN.
I THINK IT'S PROBABLY BEEN AT LEAST TWO YEARS SINCE WE'VE HEARD FROM THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
I AM, I'M REALLY CONCERNED NOT JUST WITH PUBLIC HOUSING, BUT ALSO WITH THE SECTION EIGHT VOUCHERS, UM, THE WAITING LISTS, UM, EXACTLY HOW THEY'RE DOING, UH, IN THE DEVELOPMENT HERE IN ROSEWOOD.
UH, I SAW THAT WE'RE, WE'RE GOING THROUGH REDEVELOPMENT THERE.
SO IT'S JUST BEEN OVER A YEAR SINCE WE'VE HEARD FROM, UH, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
AND I WOULD LIKE AN UPDATE ON, UM, NOT JUST IN MY DISTRICT, BUT OVERALL IN OUR CITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, JUST TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THE LAST TIME I KNEW IT WAS 8,000 PEOPLE WAITING ON THE WAITING LIST.
SO IF WE CAN REQUEST TO HAVE, UM, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, MIKE GERBER, WHOEVER IS AVAILABLE TO COME AND GIVE A PRESENTATION.
I WOULD LIKE TO PUT THAT ON NEW BUSINESS, FUTURE BUSINESS.
THOSE ARE VERY VALUABLE THINGS, UH, CONSIDERING WHAT WE ARE, OUR MANDATE IS.
THE SIMPLE REASON OF IT IS THEY'RE NEW COMMISSIONERS.
WE NEED TO SEE AND GREET TO SEE HOW WELL, BECAUSE THESE ARE PUBLIC SECTOR THAT HAS BEEN PLACED IN A CHAIR.
YES, YES, I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER TO OLIVER.
UH, I DO SEE THAT A LOT OF OUR COMMISSIONERS, UH, DO NOT HAVE THEIR SCREENS ON.
UH, AS AN OLD COMMISSIONER, AS A PUBLIC SERVANT OF THE CITY, UM, I BELIEVE IT, IT'S A PART OF OUR CODE OF CONDUCT.
AND I THINK THAT, UH, IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN CITY BUSINESS AND IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS, UM, I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD BE PRESENT.
AND PEOPLE, IF THEY CANNOT BE HERE FOR WHATEVER REASON AND THEY HAVE TO DO A HYBRID, THAT THEY HAVE ENOUGH RESPECT TO SHOW THEIR FACE ON THE SCREEN.
YOU KNOW? UM, I WAS RUNNING LATE CUZ I WAS AT A NURSING HOME WITH MY FATHER.
AND THEN IT TAKES ME TO GET HERE RUNNING AND SCREAMING JUST TO GET HERE BECAUSE I HAVE TAKEN OATH UNDER THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S OATH THAT TO BE A COMMISSIONER, I I'M HERE TO BE PRESENT AND GIVE MY VOLUNTEER TIME.
AND SO I EXPECT THAT SAME TYPE OF DISCIPLINARY WITH ALL OF OUR COMMISSIONERS.
SO IF YOU CAN, IF YOU CANNOT MAKE IT, PLEASE SHOW YOUR FACE ON THE SCREEN, AT LEAST THE MAJORITY TIME OF THE MEETING.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER TOLLIVER FOR THE SUGGESTION.
AND COMMISSIONER DELGADO FOR, UM, UH, SUPPORTING THAT SUGGESTION.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT, UM, THE PANDEMIC IS OFFICIALLY OVER.
AM I OVERSTATING THAT? I THINK IT HAS BEEN.
UM, FEDERALLY, YES, I THOUGHT SO.
[01:30:01]
AND SO IF WE CAN, COMMISSIONERS, WE DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND AS THE COMMISSIONER DELGADO SAYS, UM, THAT THERE ARE TIMES THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT, YOU, WE STILL RATHER FOR YOU TO PARTICIPATE VIRTUALLY.
AND THAT IS ONE THING THAT WE DID DISCOVER DURING, UH, THE PANDEMIC, THE, UH, UM, ABILITY AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO, UM, BE IN TWO PLACES AT ONE TIME.
UM, BUT THAT BEING SAID, IF WE COULD MAKE IT MORE OF A, UH, NORM FOR US TO MEET, UM, TOGETHER AND AS COMMISSIONER, UH, TOLIVER SAYS SO THAT WE CAN GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER.
UM, AND AS THE, THE NEW CHAIR GUYS, I DON'T EVEN KNOW EVERYONE.
AND SO IT WOULD BE, UM, GOOD TO BE ABLE TO SEE FACES AND, UH, AT LEAST, UM, ON A MORE REGULAR BASIS NOW THAT WE ARE SAFE, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY.
DO I HAVE ANY OTHER FUTURE BUSINESS OR ARE WE READY TO WRAP? OKAY.
I GOT THE SIGNAL FROM COMMISSIONER TOLLIVER THAT IT IS IN FACT, UH, THE END.
AND SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I DO BELIEVE THE TIME ON DECK RIGHT NOW IS ABOUT EIGHT 12 OR SO.
UM, AND THE COMMISSIONER, I MEAN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION FOR MAY THE NINTH IS ADJOURNED.