[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:04]
I'M THE VICE CHAIR OF THE TOURISM COMMISSION, AND I'M ACTING TODAY AS YOUR, UH, TOUR GUIDE.
UH, OUR CHAIR, DANIEL IS JOINING US THROUGH VIDEO CONFERENCE, AND I'VE ENCOURAGED HIM TO PARTICIPATE LIBERALLY.
UH, SO I WANNA CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER JUNE 14TH, 2 20 23.
TOURISM AUSTIN TOURISM COMMISSION.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
SO, I'LL START WITH, DO WE HAVE PUBLIC, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS? YES, WE DO.ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET'S HEAR 'EM.
WELCOME, WELCOME TO THE TOURISM COMMISSION.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.
MY PRONOUNS ARE, SHE, THEY, I AM THE CHAIR OF THE ARTS COMMISSION FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING TO BE ON THIS SIDE OF THE S UH, I DON'T MIND IT VERY MUCH AT ALL.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP, UH, WITH THE COMMUNICATION INITIATED LAST MONTH FROM THE MEETING, MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE TO YOU GUYS, INTRODUCE MYSELF, UH, PUT A NAME TO THE FACE AND JUST WANNA EN ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO REACH OUT, UM, AS YOU HAVE QUESTIONS LEADING UP TO THE INVITATION TO THE CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION, WHICH I FEEL LIKE MAY BE IMPENDING.
UM, WE'RE HERE, UM, VICE CHAIR, UH, OF THE MUSIC COMMISSION.
AND CHARLOTTE PATTERSON WAS GONNA JOIN ME TODAY.
SHE'S FORMER CHAIR OF THE MUSIC COMMISSION.
UNFORTUNATELY, SHE IS NOT FEELING WELL TODAY, SO IT WASN'T ABLE TO JOIN US.
BUT, UM, I'M HERE AND FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT WITH QUESTIONS.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO FUTURE COMMUNICATIONS.
AND, UH, I AGREE WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE ENGAGEMENT WITH YOUR YOURSELF, YOUR ORGANIZA, YOUR COMMISSION, AS WELL AS THE MUSIC.
SO WE'RE, UH, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT IN OUR ROADMAP TODAY, I THINK.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
WILL, UH, MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM, UH, OUR MAY MEETING.SO, HAS EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THOSE? I KNOW FELICIA INCLUDED THEM.
IF YOU HAVEN'T, I'LL GIVE YOU A SEC TO JUST MAKE A QUICK PERUSE.
HOPE YOU'VE MADE NOTES, A GOAL, BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH A, A HEAVY AGENDA, THERE'S SOME ITEMS ON HERE THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME COMMUNICATION AND DEEP CONVERSATION ON.
SO HOPEFULLY THE MINUTES WILL BE A FORMALITY.
BUT DO I HAVE A MOTION TO, UH, APPROVE THE MINUTES? I, I MOTION WE APPROVE THE MINUTES.
UH, COMMISSIONER IAN, AND DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I SECOND.
OH, I'VE GOT EVERYTHING I NEED HERE.
THE, UH, MINUTES FROM MAY ARE APPROVED.
SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE, UH, MINUTES FROM MAY, MAY TOWARDS MEETING, PLEASE.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE UNIVERSAL APPROVAL.
AND, UH, SO THE MINUTES WILL BE APPROVED.
[2. Introduction of staff liaison to new members, and discussion of vacancies on the Commission with upcoming training for current board members]
I THINK WE ARE NOW READY TO GET A STAFF BRIEFING FROM FELICIA ON A COUPLE OF MATTERS.FELICIA, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO OFFER US? YES, I DO.
UM, I'M GONNA INTRODUCE MYSELF AGAIN.
I'M THE, UM, STAFF LIAISON FOR THE TOURISM COMMISSION BOARD.
I, UM, RESIDE, UH, ON MY NORMAL WORK BUSINESS WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER AS THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST.
SO, JUST A HEADS UP ON WHAT I DO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF GIVE OUT SOME REMINDERS.
WE HAVE SECURITY OR CYBERSECURITY TRAINING THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE ON THE COMMISSION BOARD IS, HAS DONE AND COMPLETED BY AUGUST.
PLEASE, IF YOU COULD PUT THAT ON YOUR, ON YOUR, UM, NOTE TO SELF.
UM, AS A REMINDER, WE ARE ONLY DOWN ONE VACANCY NOW ON OUR BOARD, WHICH IS AWESOME.
AND THEN WE HAVE A NEW BOARD MEMBER, AND I'LL LET HIM INTRODUCE HIMSELF.
AND THEN AFTER HE DOES THAT, IF EVERYONE ELSE CAN DO A BRIEF INTRODUCTION.
I, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER SHEEE, YOU MAY CALL ME.
I, UH, WAS APPOINTED BY, UH, VELASQUEZ, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ.
I AM A HOUSING AND TRANSIT ADVOCATE, UM, AND I REALLY LOVE AUSTIN AND I HOPE TO MAKE IT A GREAT PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO, UH, TO VISIT, BUT AS WELL AS, UH, FOR ALL OF THE LOCAL RESIDENTS.
[00:05:04]
WELCOME TO THE COMMISSION.THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOUR TIME AND, UH, YOUR INTEREST.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR OPINIONS AND C COLLABORATION ON THE ISSUES, AND SOME OF THEM ARE REPRESENTED ON THIS ROADMAP THAT WE'LL DISCUSS.
UM, SO WE'RE YOU SUGGEST THAT WE GO REAL QUICKLY THROUGH? ALL RIGHT, WELL, I'M GONNA START TO MY RIGHT HERE.
I WAS APPOINTED BY THE, UH, MAYOR.
SO I'M NOT IN ANY SPECIFIC DISTRICT.
I WORK AT CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS AND, UM, HIGHLY FOCUSED ON TOURISM AND, UM, BRINGING EVENTS TO AUSTIN.
AND I ALSO LOVE LIVING IN AUSTIN
UM, I'LL JUST KEEP IT IN ORDER HERE.
ED BAILEY, I'M THE VICE CHAIR.
UH, AS MENTIONED EARLIER, I, MY DAY JOB IS WITH AUSTIN PBS, AND I'VE BEEN WITH THE ORGANIZATION FOR ABOUT 25 YEARS, AND I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN HELPING CREATE THE A L MUSIC FESTIVAL AND HAVE CERTAINLY, UH, WE HAVE A ROLE, AUSTIN CITY LIMITS IN TERMS OF MULTI-FRONT IN EXPORTING AUSTIN CULTURE TO THE WORLD, IMPORTING VISITORS, PUTTING HEADS IN BEDS, AND SO THE COLLECTIVE ACLS HAVE A, HAVE A ROLE, AND I'M HERE TO, TO, UH, BRING, UH, MY EXPERIENCE IN HELPING BUILD THOSE AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE CITY TO THIS DISCUSSION HERE.
UM, I WAS APPOINTED BY GREG KAAR AND THEN REAPPOINTED BY CHELA.
UM, I AM A LONGTIME UNION MEMBER, AND, UH, I PRIMARILY WORK BEHIND THE SCENES IN LIVE EVENTS.
AND SO I HAVE A LOT OF INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES ON MANY OF THE EVENTS THAT ATTRACT TOURISTS TO AUSTIN.
UM, AND SO I COME ON THIS COMMISSION TO, UH, BRING THE WORKER LENS, AS IT WERE, UM, THE WORKER'S PERSPECTIVE TO THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE ON THIS BOARD.
I'M AN ATTORNEY IN AUSTIN, UH, ACTIVE IN COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND WITH A FOCUS ALSO ON HOTEL DEVELOPMENT.
UM, I'VE BEEN, UH, ACTIVE IN THE TOURISM COMMUNITY, UM, SERVED IN CAPACITIES WITH VISIT AUSTIN.
UM, AND, UM, I WAS, UH, APPOINTED BY, UH, COMMISSIONER, UM, FOR FOREZ.
UH, I'M ACTUALLY A OG BOARD MEMBER, ME AND ED AND RACHEL, RIGHT? UH, WERE ON THIS COMMISSION FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
IN FACT, I ADVOCATED FOR THE CREATION OF THIS COMMISSION.
UM, I'M APPOINTED BY LESLIE POOLE.
I WORK AT AUSTIN CREATIVE ALLIANCE, WHICH IS AN ARTS SERVICES AND ADVOCACY GROUP WITH, UH, ABOUT 500 INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS MEMBERS AND ABOUT A HUNDRED ORGANIZATIONS.
AND WE'RE ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE ARTS GROUPS IN TOWN WITH ABOUT 47%, UH, BI PC MEMBERS, AND ABOUT 12, 13% DEPENDING ON WHEN I COUNTED L G B T Q I A MEMBERS.
COMMISSIONERS KANATI, WOULD YOU, UH, JUMP IN? AND THEN DANIEL, YOU CAN WRAP IT UP.
UH, I LOVE AUSTIN, BUT I'M IN SANTA FE AT THE MOMENT.
I AM ALSO ONE OF THE OLDER, UH, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
MY BACKGROUND IS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND PARKS AND OPEN SPACE ENVIRONMENT ADVOCACY WORLD.
UH, MY INTEREST IN AREA IN ANTICIPATING IS TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TOURISM INDUSTRY HELPS SUPPORT LOCAL AMENITIES LIKE OUR PARKS, LIKE OUR HISTORY, LIKE OUR CULTURE.
HELLO, MY NAME'S DANIEL RONAN.
UH, I AM THE CHAIR OF THE TOURISM AND COMMISSION CURRENTLY, UH, PHONING IN FROM INDIANAPOLIS.
APOLOGIES, I WAS NOT ABLE TO BE THERE TODAY.
THANK YOU TO, UH, CHAIR BAILEY, UH, RATHER VICE CHAIR, CHAIR BAILEY BOARD CHAIRING TODAY.
UM, MY WORK IS IN MUSEUMS. I, UM, RUN MY OWN MUSEUM CONSULTANCY, WORKING WITH NONPROFITS IN THE ARTS AND CULTURE SPACE AND FUNDRAISING, AS WELL AS STRATEGIC PLANNING.
I REALLY DO BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF ARTS AND CULTURE INSTITUTIONS TO, UH, ATTRACT AND SUSTAIN VISITORS HERE IN AUSTIN.
UH, AND BRING PEOPLE TO ENJOY, UH, VARIOUS ASPECTS OF OUR CITY, INCLUDING THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, AS WELL AS, UM, OUR AWESOME VENUES AND OF COURSE, PARKS AND OPEN SPACE.
SO REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO WELCOMING CHRISTIAN AS A PART OF OUR GROUP, UH, A PART OF OUR TEAM AS WE MOVE FORWARD FOR WHAT'S BEST FOR TOURISM HERE IN AUSTIN.
[00:10:01]
YOU.UM, WE HAVE A REALLY DIVERSE AND A LOT OF EXPERTISE IN THIS COMMISSION.
UM, FELICIA, HAVE WE, HAVE WE COVERED EVERYTHING? ARE WE READY TO MOVE ON? DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER WORDS OF WISDOM FOR US? UM, JUST ONE MORE THING IN YOUR PACKAGE TODAY, UM, AND ON THE EMAILS THAT I SENT OUT, UM, I SHARED THE DOCUMENT WITH THE, THE ETHNICS AND, UH, UH, PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY GUIDELINES FOR BOARD MEMBER COMMISSION BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, SO SOMETHING TO REVIEW KIND OF REFLECTS A LITTLE BIT MORE ON, ON OUR SIGNUP SHEET THAT WE HAD TO START TODAY.
UM, BUT THAT IS IT THAT I HAVE.
I KNOW THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF OUR, OUR WORK HERE, AND IT'S GOOD TO BE REMINDED.
ACCORDING TO OUR AGENDA, WE'RE READY TO MOVE ON TO DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. AND I SEE,
[3. Presentation by Executive Director, Walter Moreau with Foundation Communities]
UH, NUMBER THREE, UH, OUR NUMBER THREE ON OUR AGENDA, BY THE WAY.WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES.
UH, THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO COME AND SHARE ABOUT OUR WORK AT FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES.
AND I'LL JUST, UH, PREPARED A FEW REMARKS ABOUT WHAT WE DO AND HOW THAT I THINK IMPACTS TOURISM AND HOTELS.
AND I'M, THEN, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, WE'RE A HOMEGROWN AUSTIN NONPROFIT STARTED ABOUT 40 YEARS AGO, UH, BY MARY PETER, LARRY, AND FRANCIE, TWO HIPPIES, ONE BANKER AND A BUSINESSMAN.
AND THEY ALL WERE INVOLVED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS STUDENT CO-OP HOUSING AND VERY ENGAGED WITH TRYING TO CREATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR STUDENTS.
AND THEY HAD THIS, I THINK IT WAS REALLY VISIONARY IN THE EIGHTIES.
THEY WERE, THEY WENT FROM THAT TO THINKING ABOUT HOW ARE WE GONNA KEEP AUSTIN AFFORDABLE.
I LIKE TO THINK IT WAS VISIONARY CUZ YOU KNOW, BACK IN THE EIGHTIES, AUSTIN WAS CHEAP AND WEIRD.
WE'RE STILL A LITTLE WEIRD, I HOPE.
UM, BUT WE'RE NOT CHEAP ANYMORE.
AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT THEY HAD THIS VISION.
AND WE, OVER THE YEARS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, UM, ORIGINALLY BUY OLD APARTMENTS, UH, FIX THEM UP, MAINTAIN THEM AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE'VE NEVER SOLD ANY OF OUR ORIGINAL COMMUNITIES.
SIERRA RIDGE, BUCKINGHAM CHERRY CREEK.
UM, THE LAST 10 YEARS WE'VE BEEN BUILDING NEW CONSTRUCTION CAPITAL STUDIOS IS RIGHT DOWNTOWN, UH, M STATION APARTMENTS IN EAST AUSTIN.
UM, WE JUST CUT THE RIBBON, UH, LAST MONTH ON ZILKER STUDIOS ON SOUTH LAMAR.
UH, SO TODAY WE PROVIDE HOUSING FOR ABOUT 8,000 RESIDENTS, UM, IN 24 COMMUNITIES.
MOST OF OUR RESIDENTS ARE HARDWORKING FOLKS THAT ARE IN THAT 20,000, 10, $20,000 A YEAR INCOME RANGE UP TO SAY 50 OR $60,000.
UH, WHICH IF YOU HAVE KIDS, THAT'S A, A TIGHT BUDGET.
UM, ONE THING I PROBABLY DON'T HAVE TO DO IS ADVOCATE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
YOU, YOU ALL KNOW FROM LIVING HERE, JUST WHAT THAT THE, HOW, HOW THAT CHALLENGE HAS BECOME ALMOST REALLY A CRISIS FOR US.
UM, I'M ROUTINELY ASKED GROUPS CALL UP.
IT MIGHT BE US, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, OR OTHER LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
THEY NEED AFFORDABLE HOUSING SOLUTIONS FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES.
UM, REFUGEE SERVICES NEEDS HOUSING FOR FOLKS THAT ARE COMING HERE.
UH, I'VE HAD SO MANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW DO WE BUILD MORE HOUSING FOR MUSICIANS.
UM, YOU NAME, NAME THE GROUP, UH, AND EVERYONE'S FEELING THAT THAT CRISIS.
UM, I MENTIONED ZILKER STUDIOS ON SOUTH LAMAR.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE, WE HAVE 15 RESIDENTS.
WE'RE MOVING IN A RESIDENT A DAY.
WE HAD OVER 3000 PEOPLE APPLY TO LIVE THERE FOR 110 APARTMENTS.
UM, ABOUT A THOUSAND OF OUR APARTMENTS, A THOUSAND OF OUR RESIDENTS ARE SINGLE EFFICIENCY APARTMENTS.
ABOUT A THIRD OF THOSE RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN CHRONICALLY HOMELESS, A THIRD MAYBE HOMELESS FOR A SHORT TIME AND A THIRD AT AT HIGH RISK.
UM, WE ALSO SERVE ABOUT 175 FAMILIES AND WITH CHILDREN A YEAR THAT HAVE BEEN HOMELESS.
UM, I THINK TWO THINGS I'D HIGHLIGHT THAT REALLY SET US APART.
UM, I'M VERY PROUD THAT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE BEAUTIFUL.
THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T LOOK LIKE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO IF YOU'VE, IF ANY OF THE PROPERTIES I'VE NAMED TRIGGER, YOU'VE, OH, I DROVE BY CARDINAL POINT AND I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS AFFORDABLE, THAT WAS GREAT.
UH, WE REALLY WANT OUR RESIDENTS TO BE PROUD OF WHERE THEY LIVE.
UM, THE OTHER THING I'D HIGHLIGHT IS THAT OUR MODEL IS NOT JUST HOUSING, BUT ALSO A LOT OF SERVICES.
SO WE HAVE 15 LEARNING CENTERS ON SITE, HUNDREDS OF KIDS EVERY DAY, AND FREE AFTERSCHOOL TUTORING.
UM, OUR KIDS HAD A 3.6 GPA LAST SEMESTER.
[00:15:01]
PROUD OF THAT.UM, THE LEARNING CENTERS ARE THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY FOR ALL KINDS OF HEALTH PROGRAMS, FOOD PANTRIES, ZUMBA, UM, VERY POPULAR FOR FOLKS WHO'VE BEEN HOMELESS.
THERE'S, THERE'S ACCESS TO MORE INTENSIVE PHYSICAL MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, PSYCHIATRIC NURSING, SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES.
UM, AND WE ALSO DO A LOT OF FINANCIAL PROGRAMS. SO WE CITYWIDE DO INCOME TAXES, HEALTH INSURANCE, ENROLLMENT.
UM, I MIGHT HIGHLIGHT, UH, ABOUT 1200 OF THE 5,000 FOLKS.
WE HELP WITH INSURANCE EVERY YEAR ARE OUR HAM MEMBERS.
SO WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH HAM TO SPECIFICALLY REACH OUT TO, UM, MUSICIANS THAT HAVE UNIQUE SELF-EMPLOYED INCOME VARIATION.
UM, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS OUR WORK HAS, UH, INTERSECTED WITH THE HOTEL INDUSTRY.
UM, SILK OR STUDIOS IS ON A HALF ACRE OF LAND.
FOUR YEARS AGO, I GOT A PHONE CALL, UH, FROM A DEVELOPER IN ENGLAND, UM, STEPHEN KING, NOT THE AUTHOR, NOT THE AUTHOR.
AND, UH, HE WAS BUYING THE TACO CABANA POD.
UM, THE ZONING ALLOWED A VARIETY OF USES, BUT DID NOT HAVE THE WORD ONE WORD HOTEL.
IT'S A STRAIGHT NEGOTIATION OVER ZONING WITH CITY HALL.
AND THIS, YOU KNOW, TODAY IT IS A LUXURY HOTEL, THE LAUREN HOTEL.
UM, HE WAS VERY CANDID IN THE CONVERSATION I HAD.
WE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS, BUT THE FIRST ONE WAS, YOU KNOW, I, I'M COMING TO AUSTIN TO BUILD A LUXURY HOTEL.
I'M GETTING PRESSURE FROM THE CITY TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THE HOUSEKEEPERS, THE, THE MAINTENANCE STAFF WHERE THEY'RE GONNA NEED A PLACE TO LIVE, HOPEFULLY AS CLOSE TO THE HOTEL IS POSSIBLE.
AND IF I WAS DOING THIS IN LONDON, THERE'D BE NO NEGOTIATION.
IT WOULD JUST BE A REQUIREMENT.
UH, SO OVER THE COURSE OF CONVERSATIONS, HE'S LIKE, WHAT COULD I DO TO HELP YOU GET MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUILT? WE ALWAYS ARE LOOKING FOR LAND.
AND HE SAID, I'LL JUST, WHY DON'T I FIND A PIECE OF LAND REAL CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN NEAR THE HOTEL, AND I'LL JUST BUY IT AND GIVE IT TO YOU? I THOUGHT THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN,
BUT THEY FOUND THE HALF ACRE WHERE ZILKER STUDIOS IS, AND IT LINED UP FOR A BUILDING, UH, A SEVEN STORY BUILDING.
IT'S GOT 110 APARTMENTS ON IT.
UM, AND WE JUST CUT THE RIBBON AND WE'RE WELCOMING HOPE FOLKS HOME.
UM, I HOPE THERE'S SOMETHING IN THAT STORY THAT RESONATES, UM, HOTEL WORKERS, FOLKS IN THE TOUR TOURISM INDUSTRY.
WE, WE'VE, WE'VE GOT TO BUILD MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN AUSTIN.
UH, IF, IF WE'RE GONNA PRICE OTHERWISE, WE'RE GONNA PRICE PEOPLE OUT.
IF WE WANT THIS TO BE A DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY, WE'VE, WE, WE'VE GOTTA MAKE THIS INVESTMENT.
UM, I'M REALLY PROUD THE HOUSING BONDS THAT WENT TO THE VOTERS FOR APPROVAL, UH, THAT WERE APPROVED LAST ELECTION BY 72%, WHICH IS PRETTY PHENOMENAL.
UH, AND I THINK AS A RECOGNITION THAT, UM, OF THE NEED THAT WE'VE GOT, I WOULD SAY IN MY 25 YEARS OF BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN AUSTIN, UH, WE'VE, WE'VE FACED TWO BIG CHALLENGES.
UM, ONE'S GOTTEN A LITTLE BETTER, AND THAT'S, UH, NIMBY.
UM, Y'ALL ARE ENGAGED IN CIVIC DEBATE.
SO, YOU KNOW, NIMBY IS NOT IN MY BACKYARD AND PEOPLE HEAR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND REACT.
I I THINK IT'S GOTTEN BETTER BECAUSE WE'VE BUILT A TRACK RECORD OF REALLY BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITIES.
AND SO THAT HAS HELPED CHANGED PEOPLE'S MINDS THAT THIS IS A PART OF THE FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITY AND A GOOD NEIGHBOR.
UM, THE OTHER BIG CHALLENGE IS CAPITAL.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS EXPENSIVE.
CONSTRUCTION COSTS, LAND COSTS, INTEREST RATES, EVERYTHING'S GONE UP.
UM, WE'VE GOT THREE OTHER COMMUNITIES, UH, IN CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW.
UM, THE LORETTA BY THE LAKELINE TRAIN STATION WILL OPEN THIS SUMMER.
UM, WE BOUGHT A HOTEL FOR, TO FOCUS ON FOLKS WHO ARE ARE HOMELESS IN THE ARBORETUM.
UM, PARKER LANE APARTMENTS IS JUST FRAMING.
UM, WE HAVE MORE PROJECTS IN THE WORKS.
UM, JUNIPER CREEK, NORMAN CROSSING, UM, BURSON STUDIOS WITH MOBILE LOAVES AND FISHES.
UM, I'M GRATEFUL TO THE CITY BECAUSE I THINK THE CITY LEADERSHIP HAS RECOGNIZED THIS ISSUE AND, AND REALLY
[00:20:01]
TRYING TO FIND ALL THE WAYS POSSIBLE TO ACCELERATE, UH, SUPPORT AND FUNDING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.UM, THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THIS, UH, THE, THE NEED TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR, FOR COMING FORWARD TODAY AND ACCEPTING OUR INVITATION.
THIS THIS ISSUE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THIS BODY.
WE'VE BEEN DIGGING IN AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO BUILD IN INTELLIGENCE AND IDENTIFY PEOPLE IN A COMMUNITY THAT COULD USE SUPPORT.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE SEEKING TO SEE HOW HOT TAX PROGRAM CAN BE, CAN, CAN JOIN IN SOLUTIONS.
I'VE SEEN MANY OF YOUR FACILITIES, THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL ASSETS AND THEY'RE GIFTS TO THE CITY AND APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND I'M SURE THAT SOME OF THE, OUR COMMISSIONERS HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONER MCGEE, PLEASE LEAD US OFF.
UM, YEAH, I WANTED TO THANK YOU ALSO FOR COMING AND ENJOYED YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, THERE'S A FOUNDATION COMMUNITY RESIDENCE NEAR WHERE I LIVE, AND I THINK THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL.
I THINK THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE ARE WONDERFUL.
I ENJOY SEEING THE, UH, CHILDREN ALL PROCESSED FROM SCHOOL, FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HOME TOGETHER.
LIKE A RURAL COMMUNITY, UM, AT THE END OF EACH SCHOOL DAY.
UM, I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
I KNOW THAT, UM, MANY OF THE PEOPLE I WORK WITH ARE STRUGGLING WITH THE COST OF HOUSING.
UM, NOT JUST BECAUSE THE HOURLY WAGE IS, YOU KNOW, HAS NOT GROWN, UH, IN LINE WITH THE INCREASED EXPENSES, LIVING EXPENSES OF THE CITY, BUT ALSO BECAUSE, UM, WE'RE ESSENTIALLY GIG WORKERS.
SO WE HAVE THE ADDED, UH, A LOT OF US HAVE THE ADDED, UM, DIFFICULTY OF A LOW HOURLY WAGE THAT IS ALSO NOT A 40 HOUR A WEEK WAGE.
UM, SO I KNOW MANY PEOPLE THAT I WORK WITH THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITH HOUSING, UM, AND THAT HAVE SOME THAT HAVE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET ON THE LIST FOR AN INTO HOUSING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND THERE DEFINITELY IS A, A GROWING NEED.
UM, I MEAN, YOU SAID IT YOURSELF, YOU HAD 110 APARTMENTS UP AND YOU HAD 3000 APPLICATIONS.
UM, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE, UH, THE NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS JUST GROWING EXPONENTIALLY AND IT'S COVERING MORE AND MORE SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE.
UM, I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU FEEL THIS BOARD CAN DO TO ASSIST, UM, WHAT YOU, THE WORK THAT YOU DO, AND, UM, MY EARS KIND OF PRICKED UP WHEN I HEARD YOUR STORY ABOUT, UH, YOUR DEVELOPER FROM LONDON, THAT IN LONDON IT WOULD BE A REQUIREMENT TO PROVIDE SOME KIND OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THE FOLKS THAT ARE GONNA WORK THERE.
THAT'S A VERY INTERESTING, I'M FROM LONDON AND I DID NOT KNOW THAT, BUT I FIND THAT VERY INTERESTING THAT, UM, IN OTHER PLACES, YOU KNOW, SOLUTIONS THAT THEY'VE COME UP WITH, THAT'S, THAT'S PART AND PARCEL OF IT.
AND, UM, THAT MIGHT BE A HEAVY LIFT, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY LIKE, IT'S INTERESTING IDEAS.
IT BEGS THE QUESTION, WELL, WHY DON'T WE DO STUFF LIKE THAT HERE? AND WHAT'S STOPPING US FROM DOING THAT? AND WHERE DOES THAT BALL START ROLLING AND WHO STARTS ROLLING IT? SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TODAY.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU.
SO THIS, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT'S, UH, VERY CLOSE TO MY HEART AS A HOUSING KID.
UM, YEAH, IT'S, UH, FANTASTIC STORY.
I, I REALLY APPRECIATE HEARING, UH, ABOUT ALL OF, UH, THE DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENTS.
UH, I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO CHECK OUT ZILKER STUDIOS YET, BUT I KNOW THAT THE CAPITAL STUDIO'S FANTASTIC WORK.
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT IT WAS A, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING HOMELESS SHELTER THE FIRST TIME THAT I WENT PAST IT.
SO, UM, AND STILL AS I WALK BY THAT BUILDING IT, IT'S HARD TO PICTURE IT, UH, FILLING THAT NEED BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S JUST SUCH A NICE BUILDING.
IT'S SUCH A GORGEOUS BUILDING.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT THESE ARE ALL VERY GOOD ASSETS TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO I, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
UM, YEAH, AND IT, IT, IT DOES, UH, BRING TO, BRING TO MIND LIKE, WHY DON'T WE AS A CITY START, UM, TAKING MORE INVESTMENTS IN, UM, IN, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, REALLY APPRECIATE THIS.
COMMISSIONER READ, I NOTED YOU EARLIER.
YES, MR. MORRO, I WANT TO REITERATE THE GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION FOR YOUR WORK AND FOR COMING HERE TODAY.
I'M A HUGE ADMIRER OF YOUR ORGANIZATION AS WELL.
[00:25:01]
THAT YOU ACKNOWLEDGED THE NEED FOR MUSICIANS HOUSING.I HOPE YOU'LL ALSO INCLUDE VISUAL ARTISTS AND PERFORMING ARTISTS OF OTHER DISCIPLINES IN THAT BUCKET.
UM, THE NUMBER ONE CONCERN OF MY MEMBERS ON A DAILY INTERACTION BASIS IS HOUSING.
UM, AND WHILE WE ARE COLLECTING DATA ANECDOTALLY, AGAIN, ALMOST DAILY, I AM AWARE OF A WORKING ARTIST IN AUSTIN LEAVING AUSTIN.
MANY OF THEM GO TO OTHER AREAS IN THE METRO, SO THEY CAN STILL PARTICIPATE IN THE CULTURAL LIFE HERE, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT MANY OF THEM ARE LEAVING THE METRO.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU JUST ACKNOWLEDGING THROUGH THE MENTION OF MUSICIANS.
ONE, UM, REFERENCING, UH, THE, THE MENTION OF THE LONDON REQUIREMENT IS, IS AUSTIN HAMPERED BY THE STATE IN SOME WAYS? IS THAT, OR IS THIS LOCAL OR BOTH? YEAH, IT'S ILLEGAL IN TEXAS.
WELL, YOU GO
UM, SO IT CAN BE A DENSITY BONUS, IT CAN BE, UH, ENTITLEMENT NEGOTIATION.
UM, BUT IT'S NOT, THE CITY CAN'T MAKE IT A REQUIREMENT.
SO IT'S ALWAYS CONTINGENT ON BONUSES AND INCENTIVES.
YOU CAN'T JUST SAY, THIS PROPERTY HAS TO HAVE THIS.
I'M, I'M, YES, I'M PRETTY SURE THAT'S CORRECT IN, IN ALL CASES.
AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION, UM, RELATES TO AN, A TOPIC ON THE AGENDA TODAY.
UM, ARE YOU AWARE OF THE TPI MECHANISM AND THE COMMITMENT FROM THE HOTELS AND THE PREVIOUS MAYOR TO, UH, CREATE NEW RESOURCES FOR UNHOUSED FOLKS THROUGH THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION? A LITTLE BIT.
I'M JUST CURIOUS IF THE HOUSING, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITY IS AWARE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY OR THAT COMMITMENT AT ALL? I, I'M, I'M GENERALLY AWARE OF IT, AND I THINK THE, UM, MAYBE 15 YEARS AGO, I, I JOINED A DELEGATION FROM THE CITY.
WE WENT TO MIAMI TO LOOK AT THE CHAPMAN CENTER, UM, WHICH IS A VERY WELL MANAGED ON THE EDGE OF DOWNTOWN, VERY LARGE SORT OF BRIDGE HOUSING, UH, COMMU, UH, LOCATION.
AND THE BIG TAKEAWAY I HAD FROM THAT WAS THAT IT, IT WAS FUNDED LARGELY BY THE DOWNTOWN MIAMI, THE DADE COUNTY AND, AND DOWNTOWN MIAMI BUSINESS LEADERS WENT TO THE CONSERVATIVE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE AND SAID, PLEASE LET US TAX OURSELVES A 1% TAX, UH, ON HOTEL ROOMS AND MEALS OVER, ABOVE A CERTAIN THRESHOLD.
AND, AND, UH, BECAUSE WE NEED TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS, UH, IN THE TOURISM DISTRICTS, UH, THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, IS HAVING A REAL NEGATIVE IMPACT.
AND THAT TAX MECHANISM AT THAT TIME WAS GENERATING, UH, SOMETHING LIKE 30 MILLION A YEAR THAT DIRECTLY HELPED FUND THE CHAPMAN CENTER AND OTHER, UH, HOMELESS SERVICE.
IT FUNDED THE OPERATIONS, UM, WHICH IS KIND OF THE HARDEST PART TO ANNUALLY FUNDRAISE FOR.
UM, WHEN WE EXPLORED THAT MODEL, I, I DRAFTED A BILL WITH LEGISLATOR TO TRY TO CREATE THAT SAME KIND OF THING.
AND JUST TO BE VERY CANDID, I GOT THAT GOT SLAPPED BACK IMMEDIATELY FROM THE HOTEL INDUSTRY.
YOU KNOW, THAT WE ONLY WANT THAT HOT TAX TO GO FOR EVENTS AND THINGS THAT ARE DIRECTLY TIED TO TOURISM.
MAYBE THAT CONVERSATIONS EVOLVED FROM THAT.
UM, I THINK THE CONCERN AT THE TIME WAS WE DON'T WANT THAT TAX TO TO TO START TO GET TO BE USED.
WHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE? IT COULD BE USED FOR SIDEWALKS, IT COULD BE USED FOR ANY NUMBER OF IMPROVEMENTS.
SO I'M, I'M NOT SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION QUESTION.
UM, BUT THE NUMBER OF FOLKS SLEEPING OUTSIDE AND CAMPING AND THE IMPACT THAT HAS ON HOTELS AND TOURISM, ESPECIALLY IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA IS FUNDING.
OH, THAT'S, THAT'S A GREAT ANSWER.
I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE THAT, UM, YOU AND OUR NEW COMMISSIONER, SHAE SCHEE, YEAH.
UM, AND OTHERS IN THE HOUSING MOVEMENT, WERE AWARE THAT IN 2019, THE HOTEL INDUSTRY, UH, COMMITTED TO, UH, PROVIDING RESOURCES FOR UN HOME UNHOUSED FOLKS THROUGH THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION.
UM, AND REALLY HOPEFULLY THAT, UM, Y'ALL WILL JOIN US IN ADVOCATING THAT THEY KEEP THAT COMMITMENT.
HAPPY TO CONNECT ALL, UH, ANOTHER TIME.
[00:30:01]
GREAT.UM, COMMISSIONER IAN QUESTION.
UH, SINCE YOU MENTIONED CAPITAL BEING THE GREATEST, ONE OF THE GREATEST CHALLENGES, UM, I WAS WONDERING HOW THE FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES IS, UH, BEING FUNDED.
LIKE WHAT PERCENTAGE IS PUBLIC OR PRIVATE? YEAH, OUR ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET IS ABOUT 75% FROM RENT.
IT'S JUST REDUCED RENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, GAUGE TO WHAT FOLKS ARE GONNA AFFORD TO PAY ABOUT 25% OF OUR BUDGET.
UM, ABOUT 15 MILLION A YEAR COMES FROM FUNDRAISING, PRIVATE SOURCES, PUBLIC GRANTS, UH, WE'RE THE CITY HELPS FUND OUR TAX CENTER PROGRAM AND, UH, SOME AFTER SCHOOL WORK AND A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, AND WHEN WE BUILD A NEW COMMUNITY THAT'S EIGHT, YOU KNOW, 70 TO 80% PUBLIC FUNDING, FEDERAL TAX CREDITS, SOMETIMES STATE FUNDS, CITY FUNDS, COUNTY FUNDS, UM, MOST OF OUR PROJECTS HAVE LIKE 10 LAYERS OF FUNDING ALL COBBLED TOGETHER AND SOMEHOW WE PULL IT OFF.
ANN RONAN, YOUR NEXT MR. COMMISSIONER RONAN.
SECOND COMMISSIONER KTI FIRST.
I JUST HAD A QUESTION FOR THE PRESENTER JUST TO UNDERSTAND.
YOU SAID, I THINK YOU SAID IN FLORIDA THERE WAS THE CHAPMAN INSTITUTE AND WAS IT FUNDED WITH HOTEL TAXES OR WAS IT A DIFFERENT TYPE OF LIKE FOOD AND BEVERAGE TAX? I'M CURIOUS WHICH PARTICULAR VEHICLE THEY USED THERE.
THAT MIGHT BE A DIFFERENT OPTION HERE IF, IF WE WANTED TO AVOID THE HOTEL INDUSTRY.
I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S A FOOD AND TAX OPTION.
MY RECOLLECTION WAS IT WAS A UNIQUE TAX.
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY, THEY CAME FROM THE BUSINESS LEADERS AND THE HOTEL OWNERS AND THE COMMUNITY IN MIAMI AND DADE COUNTY, AND IT ONLY APPLIES THERE.
SO IT'S, IT'S NOT A STATEWIDE THING.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO EXPLORE, BUT IT'S INTERESTING.
COMM COMMISSIONER RONAN, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YES.
UM, HELLO, UH, MR. MORROW, AND IT'S A PLEASURE TO SEE YOU EVEN VIRTUALLY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TODAY.
I, UH, WANT TO STRESS THAT, UM, THIS IS A MULTIFACETED ISSUE, THE ISSUE THAT CUTS ACROSS SECTORS.
AND AS WE THINK ABOUT TOURISM, UH, I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE FOLKS TO CLEAN THE ROOMS, IF WE DON'T HAVE OUR ATTACKS TO HELP OUT, UH, AT OUR SHOWS OR OUR EXHIBITION DESIGNERS TO, UH, YOU KNOW, HELP MOUNT EXHIBITIONS, THEY, THEY DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE HERE IN AUSTIN.
IT, IT MAKES IT IN INCREASINGLY, UM, WELL LESS DIVERSE AND MORE EXPENSIVE TO ACTUALLY PURSUE, UM, THESE TOURISM, UM, OUTPUTS THAT WE'VE ALWAYS HAD AND TOOK ADVANTAGE OF HERE IN AUSTIN.
SO, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK.
AND, YOU KNOW, VERY INTERESTED TO KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING AS WE SEEK TO FIND MORE HOUSING SOLUTIONS FOR ALL AUSTINITES, UM, AND HELPING CREATE A MORE VIBRANT TOURISM INDUSTRY IN THE PROCESS.
THE, UH, WHEN MOST OF OUR NEW CONSTRUCTION, NOT ALL OF OUR NEW COMMUNITIES, WERE USING HOUSING TAX CREDITS.
IT'S A FEDERAL PROGRAM AND IT CAN PAY FOR ABOUT HALF OF A PROJECT.
UH, THERE IS A LITTLE EXCEPTION IN THE TAX CREDIT CODE FOR CREATIVES.
UM, IN GENERAL, YOU HAVE TO RENT THE APARTMENTS TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, BUT IT IS ALLOWED, I THINK IT WAS A PROJECT IN MINNEAPOLIS THAT RAN INTO TROUBLE AND THE SENATOR GOT THIS THROUGH.
SO THERE'S AN, THERE'S, IT IS POSSIBLE TO BUILD FOR MUSICIANS OR VISUAL ARTISTS OR WRITERS OR OTHER, OR CREATIVES MORE GENERALLY.
THAT WAS, UH, ART SPACE IN MINNEAPOLIS YES.
WROTE, DROVE THAT THROUGH THE FEDERAL CODE.
AND, UM, IT'S BEEN A GREAT TOOL THAT OTHER CITIES HAVE USED AND WE HAVEN'T YET.
SO YEAH, I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT.
AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO MENTION THAT WHAT YOU DESCRIBED IN MIAMI SOUNDS LIKE A PID MM-HMM.
AND WE HAVE A PID DOWNTOWN MM-HMM.
SO IT'D BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE, WHICH MANAGES THAT PID HAS EVER CONSIDERED OR HAS ANY EFFORTS TOWARDS HOUSING.
IS THAT ANYTHING YOU'RE AWARE OF? DO YOU WORK WITH THOSE FOLKS? I WORK WITH THEM SOME, BUT I DON'T KNOW.
JUST MAYBE A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM FOR DAA TO COME BY.
LAST OUT OF THE BOX THOUGHT IS THAT, UM, WE'RE, WE BOUGHT A HOTEL A YEAR OR SO AGO IN THE ARBORETUM
[00:35:01]
EXTENDED STAY OF MARRIOT.AND, UH, IT'S ACTUALLY OUR FOURTH HOTEL.
SO WE'VE, UM, IF YOU KNOW, A HOTEL EXTENDED STAY
UM, THAT'S A, UH, CAN BE AN EFFECTIVE MODEL TO BRING HOUSING ON A LITTLE BIT CHEAPER AND A LITTLE BIT FASTER THAT, THAT WORKS FOR FOLKS.
SO DO WE HAVE ANY FURTHER? OH, YES.
SO I'M ACTUALLY CALLING FROM AN EXTENDED ST AREA OUT HERE IN INDIANAPOLIS,
UM, AND, UM, I, I JUST WANNA CALL OUT THAT THERE ARE OTHER CITIES TOO DOING VERY INNOVATIVE THINGS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOTEL COMMUNITY.
UM, IN PARTICULAR WHEN IT COMES AROUND TO, UM, TEMPORARY HOUSING, NEW YORK, UM, IN SAN FRANCISCO, PARTICULARLY DURING COVID, UH, OPENED UP THEIR HOTELS, UH, FOR EMERGENCY HOUSING FOR OUR NEIGHBORS WHO ARE ON THE STREET.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE ARE SOLUTIONS.
UM, I THINK WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO DIRECT OUR ATTENTION TO IS FINDING THOSE LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS.
AND AGAIN, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR YOU IN PARTICULAR, UM, FOR COMING TODAY AND, UM, UH, PLEASE, LET'S CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR, UH, TIME TODAY AND, AND WE'VE GOT A LOT TO THINK ABOUT AND, UH, THANKS.
WISHING YOU CONTINUED SUCCESS AND THE WORK YOU'RE DOING.
[4. Presentation by Executive Director, Christian Rodriguez with the Trinity Center Austin]
ON IN OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS TO, UH, WE, NOW THAT I'M GONNA MAKE A CORRECTION TO, WE WERE TO RECEIVE A PRESENTATION FROM CHRISTIAN RODRIGUEZ, WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE TRINITY CENTER IN AUSTIN.HOWEVER, THERE'S BEEN A LAST MINUTE CHANGE AND WE WANNA WELCOME EMILY BRITTS, WHO IS HERE TO SPEAK ON TRINITY'S, TEACH US ABOUT THE TRINITY CENTER AND WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW.
I AM A LICENSED MASTER SOCIAL WORKER, AND I AM OUR CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AND SUPERVISOR AT THE TRINITY CENTER.
UM, IF YOU GUYS AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH THE TRINITY CENTER, IT IS A DAY CENTER, A RESOURCE CENTER FOR OUR NEIGHBORS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
UM, WE ARE IN THE BASEMENT OF ST.
DAVID'S EPISCOPAL PARISHIONERS HAD STARTED THAT, UM, AND THEN WE BECAME OUR OWN NONPROFIT FROM THERE.
UM, AND SO CHRISTIAN IS SORRY THAT HE COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY, UM, BUT I DID, UH, WANNA STEP IN FOR HIM AND JUST KIND OF GIVE YOU GUYS SOME INFORMATION OF WHAT WE DO.
UM, SO WE ARE OPEN MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
UM, OUR BIGGEST, UH, THING THAT WE DO FOR OUR NEIGHBORS IS, UH, WE SERVE BREAKFAST EVERY MORNING FROM NINE TO NINE 30.
WE SERVE A HUNDRED BREAKFASTS EACH DAY.
UM, AND, UH, WE ASSIST PEOPLE IN GETTING IDS, UH, LOSING YOUR IDS AND GETTING HOLD OF THAT, GETTING JOBS, GETTING HOUSING.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUR BIRTH CERTIFICATE, YOUR ID, YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY CARD.
SO WE ASSIST PEOPLE IN NAVIGATING THOSE SYSTEMS AND BEING ABLE TO PAY FOR THAT.
UM, WE HELP PEOPLE GET T A B C AND FOOD HANDLERS LICENSING SO THAT THEY CAN GET JOBS.
UM, WE PROVIDE JUST BASIC NEEDS, HYGIENE, CLOTHING, UM, SHOWERS.
WE DO SHOWERS, UH, FOOD, UM, LET'S SEE WHAT ELSE.
UM, AND WE PROVIDE DIVERSION SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WHO, IF THEY ARE ABLE TO LIVE, LET'S SAY SOMEWHERE ELSE, THEIR FAMILY'S IN MINNESOTA AND WE CAN GET THEM THERE AND WE HAVE PROOF THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE HOMELESS IN THAT CITY, WE CAN BUST THEM TO A DIFFERENT CITY.
UM, SO THEY CAN END THEIR JOURNEY IN HOMELESSNESS.
UM, LET'S SEE, WHAT ELSE DO WE DO? THERE'S SO MANY THINGS.
UM, IT'S JUST REALLY A PLACE FOR COMMUNITY AS WELL.
I THINK A LOT OF TIMES OUR, UM, NEIGHBORS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS DON'T OFTEN HAVE A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN JUST COME AND HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE AND JUST HANG OUT WITH, WITHOUT BEING TOLD, YOU CAN'T BE HERE.
UM, WE CAN CHARGE THEIR PHONES.
WE HAVE COMPUTER ACCESS, WE HAVE PHONE ACCESS.
AND THEN FROM, ASIDE FROM WHAT WE DO, WE ALSO ALLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO COME IN AND PROVIDE SERVICES.
SO WE HAVE LIKE CRICKET, WIRELESS ASSURANCE WIRELESS, THEY CAN COME IN AND SET PEOPLE UP SO THEY CAN GET ACCESS TO PHONES.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, COMMUNITY CARE THAT COMES IN AND GETS PEOPLE SET UP WITH MAP.
UM, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH MAP, IT'S MEDICAL ACCESS PROGRAM.
IT IS HEALTH INSURANCE IN AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY ONLY FOR PEOPLE WHO EITHER HAVE LOW INCOME OR NO INCOME AT ALL.
UM, SO WE GET THEM ACCESS TO THAT.
UM, WE HAVE COMMUNITY CARE THAT COMES IN AND DOES HIV TESTING.
UH, WE HAVE FOOD STAMP REPRESENTATIVES THAT COME IN TO HELP PEOPLE GET SET UP FOR FOOD STAMPS.
SO THERE'S JUST SO MANY COMMUNITY
[00:40:01]
RESOURCES.AND THEN THE PROGRAM THAT I, UM, MANAGE IS OUR CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
WE ARE A VERY SMALL NONPROFIT, SO OUR NUMBERS ARE, YOU KNOW, QUITE SMALL.
WE HOUSE MAYBE 30 PEOPLE A YEAR.
UM, BUT WE GET TO DO THAT INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE, UH, WE WORK ON GETTING EMPLOYMENT.
WE WORK ON GETTING ALL THEIR DOCUMENTS TO GET ON HOUSING LIST IF HOPEFULLY ONE DAY THEY GET CHOSEN FOR A HOUSING VOUCHER OR SOME TYPE OF HOUSING, LIKE FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES WE LOVE SO, SO MUCH.
UM, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THERE'S JUST THE NEED FOR HOUSING AND THEN COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE AND FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES.
REALLY BEING THE ONLY OPTIONS WITH SUCH A HIGH AMOUNT OF PEOPLE NEEDING THOSE TYPES OF LOW INCOME HOUSING, UM, IS KIND OF THE FRUSTRATION THAT WE DEAL WITH AS CASE MANAGERS AND SOCIAL WORKERS.
UM, BUT YEAH, I I MIGHT BE MISSING A FEW THINGS, BUT, UM, YEAH, IT IS, UH, QUITE A BUSTLING PLACE AND, UM, WE'RE TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE JUST WITH THOSE BASIC NEEDS AND TRYING TO GET THEM OUT OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
UM, SO YEAH, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YES, THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
I SAW, UH, CHAIR RONAN'S HAND JUST POP UP ON THE SCREEN, SO WE'RE GONNA GIVE HIM THE FLOOR.
UM, COMMISSIONER BAILEY, THANK YOU, UH, FOR COMING.
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME THIS AFTERNOON.
UM, I WANTED JUST TO NOTE THAT YOU ARE A STANDALONE NONPROFIT.
SO YOU, YOU NOW HAVE NO ASSOCIATION WITH THE CHURCH, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.
UH, SO, UM, AND ALSO IF, IF YOU COULD JUST DETAIL BRIEFLY THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS YOU SERVE EACH YEAR, UH, AND YOUR MAJOR SOURCES OF FUNDING, THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.
SO I COULD NOT TELL YOU HOW MANY PEOPLE WE SERVICE IN A YEAR.
I DID NOT COME PREPARED WITH THAT, SO I APOLOGIZE.
I COULD TELL YOU WE PROBABLY SERVICE ANYWHERE FROM 1500 TO 2000 A WEEK, NOT GOOD AT MATH, UH, AS I AM A SOCIAL WORKER, SO
UM, BUT AS FAR AS FUNDING GOES, UM, OUR FUNDING COMES FROM GRANTS AND THEN, UM, JUST OUR PRIVATE DONORS.
AND I IMAGINE THERE ARE, ARE GRANTS FROM, UM, TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN.
I KNOW SOMETIMES WE DO DO CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, A LOT OF, LIKE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE IS ONE OF OUR, UM, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT WE'VE PROGRAMMED WITH TO DO OUR DIVERSION PROGRAM TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR HOMELESSNESS EXPERIENCE.
UM, DIFFERENT KINDS OF JUST, UH, WHAT DO YOU EVEN CALL IT? UM, I'M SORRY, I'M BLANKING HERE.
UM, I KNOW THERE'S JUST DIFFERENT FOUNDATIONS AND STUFF LIKE THAT THAT WE APPLIED TO, BUT, UM, WE DON'T HAVE FEDERAL MONEY.
I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE STATE AND FEDERAL LIKE MONEY, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, UM, WE GET IT FROM KIND OF LIKE PRIVATE DONORS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, WERE YOU AWARE OF THE HOTEL INDUSTRY'S COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING RESOURCES FOR UNHOUSED FOLKS THROUGH THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION? I WAS NOT, NO.
UM, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT MORE NEXT, I BELIEVE, BUT, UM, YOUR PROGRAM SOUNDS LIKE THE SORT OF PROGRAM THAT SHOULD AND WOULD BE SUPPORTED BY THOSE RESOURCES MM-HMM.
WHICH WOULD YOU THINK THAT WOULD BE IMPACTFUL? THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY IS, IS THAT HELPFUL TO THE PROBLEM? YEAH, I, I KNOW MONEY OBVIOUSLY CAN HELP A LOT OF THINGS.
I THINK AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, FINDING A SOLUTION TO OUR HOMELESSNESS PROBLEM HERE IN AUSTIN, SUCH A MULTIFACETED ISSUE.
BUT I MEAN, JUST EITHER SHELTER, UM, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING ARE LIKE THE MAIN THINGS.
UM, JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT ARE PROVIDING THIS, LIKE WRAPAROUND, LIKE HOW DO WE GET YOU TO LIKE THE WAIT LIST ERA, YOU KNOW, LIKE, BUT SOME OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ON VOUCHER WAIT LIST FOR FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AND THEY MAY NEVER BE CHOSEN FOR THE, THE VOUCHER.
YOU KNOW? UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF THE ISSUE WHERE IT'S LIKE, UM, NOT, WE HAVE A LACK OF SHELTERS, WE HAVE A LACK OF TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND THEN WE DEFINITELY HAVE A LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO I THINK WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY IS THAT THE, THE CHOKE POINT IS HOUSING, SO JUST EXPANDING WRAPAROUND SERVICES YEAH.
DOESN'T CHANGE THE WAIT LIST SITUATION.
[00:45:01]
AND I THINK A LOT OF TIMES, SO I'VE WORKED IN, UM, THE SERVICE INDUSTRY MY WHOLE LIFE AS WELL, SO I'VE KIND OF DONE IT ALL.AND I HAD A BOSS ONE TIME WHO HE, UH, WAS LIKE A MANAGER OF ONE OF THESE, UH, RESTAURANTS AND HE WAS LIKE, I'VE GOT A JOB.
THIS GUY CAN JUST COME ON RIGHT IN AND START A JOB RIGHT NOW.
AND IT'S LIKE, THIS PERSON DOESN'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GONNA SLEEP.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GONNA GET THEIR NEXT MEAL.
THEY DON'T KNOW, THEY DON'T HAVE NON-SLIP SHOES, THEY DON'T, THEY CAN'T FUNCTION IN A REALLY CHAOTIC, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? I COULD LIST 8 MILLION THINGS.
SO IT'S, UM, A LOT OF TIMES I HEAR PEOPLE WHERE IT'S LIKE, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO FOCUS ON GETTING A JOB TO PAY FOR AN APARTMENT WHEN I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE I'M GOING TO SLEEP TONIGHT.
I HAVEN'T TAKEN, TAKEN A SHOWER IN FIVE DAYS.
I'M STILL WEARING THE SAME UNDERWEAR SINCE LAST WEEK.
YOU KNOW, LIKE, SO IT'S, IS THAT HOUSING FIRST MM-HMM.
YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO SURVIVE, YOU KNOW? YEAH.
UM, AND MY FINAL QUESTION IS, AS SOMEONE WHO WORKS DOWNTOWN, ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY EFFORTS ANY ALREADY IN EXISTENCE FROM THE HOTEL INDUSTRY TOWARDS THE UNHOUSED COMMUNITY? I'VE NEVER HEARD MUCH LIKE, UM, CROSSWAYS BETWEEN THE TWO.
I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.
UM, I IS IT BE, IS IT JUST PEOPLE THAT WORK THERE OR IS IT JUST IN GENERAL? WELL, UM, THE, THE MECHANISM IN QUESTION THAT THE TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT WOULD ADD HOTEL TAXES, UH, AND THEN USE A PORTION OF THE REVENUE FROM THOSE NEW TAXES TO HELP MITIGATE HOMELESSNESS.
AND I THINK WHAT I HEARD IS NOT WITHOUT ADDITIONAL HOUSING.
CUZ I FEEL ON A DAILY BASIS, I FEEL SO STUCK.
LIKE MY JOB IS SO HARD BECAUSE I HAVE TO TELL PEOPLE I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU.
I DON'T HAVE AN OPTION FOR YOU.
UM, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK FOR NINE YEARS.
I'M ORIGINALLY FROM MINNESOTA AND I WORKED IN HOMELESSNESS IN MINNESOTA AS WELL.
AND COMING TO AUSTIN, I MOVED HERE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, IT'S BEEN LIKE, YOU JUST FEEL GROSS HAVING TO TELL SOMEONE.
I DON'T EVEN HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU.
LIKE, UM, TO NOT HAVE A SOLUTION OR BE LIKE, OH, TRY THIS PLACE.
IT'S LIKE SOMEONE WILL COME IN AND IT'LL BE LIKE, YEP, YOU DON'T HAVE AN OPTION.
THERE'S NO SHELTERS, THERE'S NO SHELTER SPACE, THERE'S NOTHING.
WELL, WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO? WELL FIND A SAFE PLACE OUTSIDE TO SLEEP.
YOU KNOW, LIKE, HERE'S A BLANKET, SEE YOU TOMORROW.
UM, SO I THINK THAT'S THE FRUSTRATING PART IS THERE'S PLENTY OF US AND THERE'S PLENTY OF PEOPLE JUST LIKE ME WHO ARE VERY PASSIONATE AND, AND ARE HELPING PEOPLE GET TO LIKE A CERTAIN POINT, BUT WE CAN'T GET OVER THAT OTHER POINT BECAUSE THERE'S NO OTHER RESOURCES.
I'M SO SORRY YOU CONFRONT THAT ON A DAILY BASIS.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR DOING SO.
REALLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR WORK.
AND THANKS FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS FOR OUR GUEST? YES, YOU COMMISSIONER.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT HOUSING FIRST IS THE SOLUTION.
UM, I'VE LOOKED AT, UH, DIFFERENT MODELS IN OTHER COUNTRIES AND IT DOES SEEM TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT THE DATA SHOWS THAT HOUSING FIRST IS THE SOLUTION BECAUSE WITHOUT HOUSING, HOUSING GIVES THE STABILITY MM-HMM.
AND ONCE YOU HAVE THE STABILITY, YOU CAN PROPERLY USE THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES, BUT WITHOUT THAT STABILITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE I HEARD YOU SAY IS WITHOUT THAT STABILITY, THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES ARE NOT HELPFUL ENOUGH.
THEY'RE NOT, THEY DON'T SERVE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL FOR THE HOMELESS, UM, PERSON BECAUSE THEY ARE CONSTANTLY HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE, UM, THAT NIGHT.
UM, AND YOU, IT'S JUST CRITICAL TO HAVE SUCCESS.
YOU HAVE TO GIVE FOLKS STABILITY AND THEN THEY CAN FULLY REALIZE THE POTENTIAL OF THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
CUZ WITHOUT THAT THEY'RE GONNA MISS APPOINTMENTS, THEY'RE GONNA LOSE FOCUS ON WHAT THEY NEED TO DO BECAUSE THEY'RE WORRYING ABOUT WHERE THEY'RE GONNA SLEEP TONIGHT.
AND I THINK, UM, TO SPEAK TO THAT, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR, BUT WE'VE GOT RAPID REHOUSING, WE'VE GOT PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
THESE ARE THE TWO MAIN HOUSING, I DUNNO IF YOU'VE HEARD OF THE COORDINATED ASSESSMENT, BUT WHEN YOU DO THE COORDINATED ASSESSMENT, WHICH IS A HOUSING ASSESSMENT, SEES IF YOU QUALIFY FOR EITHER OF THOSE, UM,
[00:50:01]
RAPID REHOUSING ISN'T WORKING.THIS SHORT TERM RAPID REHOUSING ONLY WORKS FOR A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE.
UM, THE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IS, WE'LL, WE WILL GIVE YOU, UM, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR ONE TO THREE YEARS AND WE HA GIVE YOU A CASE MANAGER AND WE WILL HELP YOU WITH ALL OF THOSE BASIC THINGS.
I MOVED IN FOUR PEOPLE IN THE LAST IN SPRING AND ONE OF 'EM, SHE WAS 30 YEARS OLD AND SHE HAD NEVER BEEN, NEVER HAD AN APARTMENT BEFORE, EVER, NEVER RENTED.
LIKE, HOW MANY THINGS DO YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO LIKE EFFECTIVELY RENT? PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT LEASES ARE LEGALLY BINDING CONTRACTS.
THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO SET UP, UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE GETTING YOUR ENERGY AND YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE THESE BASIC THINGS WHERE IT'S LIKE, I'VE BEEN RENTING FOR 15 YEARS NOW, SO LIKE I DON'T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT.
SO THERE'S JUST SO MANY THINGS THAT GO INTO IT AND THAT PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IS HUGE.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BAILEY.
UM, AND THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN TO OUR GUESTS FOR COMING THIS AFTERNOON.
I DO WANT TO POINT OUT JUST TAKING A A STEP BACK AND LOOKING MORE GENERALLY ABOUT OUR, OUR TAX SYSTEM.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A REAL, UM, PUBLIC POLICY QUANDARY HERE.
UH, WE HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, SINGLE FAMILY HOME OWNERSHIP BEING SUBSIDIZED, UH, ALMOST SIX TO ONE I BELIEVE.
UM, MATTHEW DEMAN WROTE ABOUT THIS IN HIS BOOK, EVICTED.
UM, THERE ARE ALSO OTHER, UM, REPORTS PRODUCED BY ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS NOVO RAT, UH, IN THE TAX CREDIT INDUSTRY THAT, UM, THE MORTGAGE TAX, EXCUSE ME, THE MORTGAGE INTEREST TAX DEDUCTION, UH, SUBSIDIZES SINGLE FAMILY HOME OWNERSHIP, UH, TO A GREATER EXTENT THAN A AFFORDABLE HOUSING, PUBLIC HOUSING VOUCHER, UH, PROGRAMS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.
I KNOW THAT IT'S, UH, DECREASED SOMEWHAT WITH THE, THE STANDARD DEDUCTIONS INCREASING.
UH, SO FEW FEWER PEOPLE ARE, ARE, UM, ITEMIZING THEIR MORTGAGE INTERESTS.
BUT I JUST WANNA CALL THESE, UH, FORCES AT PLAY OUT, UM, TO PROVIDE THE BACKGROUND OF, OF THE NEED FOR MORE INVESTMENT IN PARTICULAR FOR, UH, THE UNHOUSED AND PEOPLE WHO FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS.
AND, UM, THOSE EXPERIENCING HOUSE, UH, HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSELESSNESS ARE, UH, PEOPLE JUST LIKE US AND OUR NEIGHBORS AND PEOPLE THAT MAY HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN, UH, HOUSED BEFORE, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY'VE FALLEN OUT OF THE RENTAL MARKET.
THEY, THEY'VE HAD, UH, ISSUES WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, MEDICAL PROCEDURES OR, OR ACCIDENTS THAT HAPPENED.
SO, UM, ALL THIS TO SAY THAT I, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK OF, UM, TRAINING CENTER AUSTIN AS WELL AS FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES AND THE WORK OF COUNT THE WORK AND, AND ADVOCACY OF COUNTLESS ADVOCATES, UH, HERE IN AUSTIN.
AND, UM, HOPING THAT AS, UH, WE PARTNER WITH OUR, UM, LIKE-MINDED ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE TOURISM MINISTRY, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO, UH, REALLY LEVERAGE OUR COLLECTIVE RESOURCES TO OUR COLLECTIVE, UM, CALL, UM, TO REALLY, UH, ENSURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO STAY AT NIGHT.
SO THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR COMING AND, UH, JUST WANTED TO EMPHASIZE, UM, HOW IMPORTANT YOUR WORK IS.
I THINK WE HAVE CONCLUDED QUESTIONS.
I'LL ECHO WHAT CHAIRMAN ROMAN RONAN JUST SAID THAT WE APPRECIATE YOU SERVING OUR NEIGHBORS THE WAY THAT YOU DO THROUGH TRINITY.
AND, UM, THANKS FOR NOT HOLDING ANYTHING BACK AND LETTING US SEE THE HEART WRENCHING WORK AHEAD OF ALL FOR ALL OF US.
SO COURSE, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
I'LL JUST LET EVERYONE KNOW I'M LOOKING.
WE HAVE, WE'RE AT THREE 30 IN OUR MEETING TIME, SO WE HAVE ROUGHLY AN HOUR LEFT ON THE CLOCK.
AND WHAT, FROM WHAT I SEE IN OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS MOVING FORWARD, WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME DISCUSSION.
UM, I'LL JUST REMIND US, I, WELL IF AT SOME POINT WE GET, I THINK THAT WE'RE GETTING BOGGED DOWN, I'LL JUST ASK US ALL TO REMEMBER WHAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US STILL TO TACKLE AND, UH, JUST APPRECIATE IF I'M DOING THAT.
I'M JUST FOR THE, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT WE WANNA ACCOMPLISH.
[5. Discussion of TPID and formulation of questions regarding TPID]
I'M GONNA ASK, UH, CHAIRMAN RONAN TO, UH, MAYBE FRAME UP WHAT THE INTENTION FOR DISCUSSION ITEM FIVE ON THE T PIT IS.I KNOW THAT WE HAVE TRIED TO INVITE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT MEMBERS FROM THE, AS ACKNOWLEDGING ASSOCIATIONS, SOMEONE FROM TEXAS LODGING ASSOCIATION TO JOIN US.
AND I THINK THAT WE ARE GONNA USE THIS TIME PRODUCTIVELY TO BE PREPARED THAT WHEN WE DO HAVE THOSE GUESTS, THAT WE CAN HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AND REALLY ASK THE KIND OF QUESTIONS THAT WILL AFFECT THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
SO, UH, CHAIRMAN RONAN, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD TO KICK OFF THIS CONVERSATION? SURE.
[00:55:01]
YOU COMMISSIONER BAILEY.UH, WE, UH, PREVIOUSLY HAD INVITED BOTH THE AUSTIN LODGING ASSOCIATION AND THE TEXAS HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION TO ATTEND TODAY'S MEETING AND, UH, LAST MEETING IN MAY.
AND UNFORTUNATELY THE SCHEDULES, UH, UH, DID NOT ALIGN.
SO WE'RE HOPING FOR, UM, A THIRD INVITE, UH, THAT THAT'LL DO THE TRICK AND THAT WE CAN HAVE THEM IN ATTENDANCE NEXT MEETING.
UM, AND I BELIEVE THEY'RE IN THE MIDST OF PUTTING TOGETHER A Q AND A.
UM, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, OPEN COMMUNICATION, PARTICULARLY WITH THE TEXAS HOTEL AND LAUNCHING ASSOCIATION, UM, TO, UH, TALK MORE ABOUT, UH, THE SERVICE PLAN FOR THE TPI, THE TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
UM, THAT WILL BE THE GUIDING DOCUMENT FOR HOW THIS WORKS TO CREATE RESOURCES, UH, 2%, UH, ON EACH HOTEL ROOM NIGHT FOR, UM, ONE, UH, MARKETING AND PROMOTIONAL PURPOSES FOR, UM, HOTELS IN THE AUSTIN AREA.
ALL THOSE, UM, HOTELS THAT VOTE INTO THE DISTRICT, 60% OF A HUNDRED, UH, ROOM HOTELS OR MORE, UM, THAT WILL HAVE TO BE AGREED UPON AMONG THE HOTELIER, THE, THE DIFFERENT, UM, HOTEL COMPANIES AND HOTEL OWNERS IN ADDITION TO BEING APPROVED BY COUNCIL.
UM, I SEE OUR VALUE HERE AT THE TOURISM COMMISSION IN, UM, HELPING PROVIDE, UM, COMMUNITY AND TOURISM SECTOR EXPERTISE AS WE GO ABOUT IMPLEMENTING THE TPI AND, UH, WORKING TOWARDS MAXIMUM BENEFIT FOR THE COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY AS IT ALIGNS WITH THE EXPANSION OF THE AUSTIN TOURISM, UH, EXCUSE ME, AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER.
AND, UM, THE NEED TO, UH, I THINK BRING UP PAST COMMITMENTS WITH REGARD TO, UH, THE USE OF TPI FUNDS FOR, UH, HOUSING SERVICES IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA IN PARTICULAR, AND ITS, UH, BENEFITS FOR LOCAL TOURISM.
SO, UH, I WANTED TO PROVIDE THIS SPACE ON THE AGENDA, UH, IN LIGHT OF, YOU KNOW, THE IMPORTANCE AND THE GRAVITY OF THIS, UH, OF THIS SUBJECT OF HOUSING HOMELESSNESS, HOUSELESSNESS, UH, AND PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMISSIONERS TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY MAY HAVE.
UH, I, I DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS, BUT I THINK THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, HELP, UH, POSITION, UH, THE COMMISSION TO BE OPEN AND, AND, UH, ANSWERING RATHER IN IMPOSING OUR QUESTIONS, UH, TO OUR GUESTS NEXT MEETING, UH, IN ADDITION TO, UH, GATHERING MORE INFORMATION WITH THE SUPPORT OF, UH, THE STAFF FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO WITH THAT, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER BAILEY, IF, IF YOU'D BE SO KIND AS TO LEAD, UM, A DISCUSSION OF, OF PEOPLE'S THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS, DOUBTS, UM, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THEY'D LIKE TO ADD TO THE GOOD DISCUSSION, I'D BE SO, UH, APPRECIATIVE.
SO WITH THAT COMMISSIONERS, UM, DO I, ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONER MCGEE WOULD LIKE TO KICK US OFF ON THIS TOPIC.
SO, UM, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT SPRINGS TO MY MIND THAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO IS THE VOLUNTARY TAX THE HOTEL HAD, UM, COMMITTED TO.
IS IT, UM, RESTRICTED TO THE STAY THE ROOM NIGHT ONLY OR IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY WITHIN THIS TEA PED, UM, TO TAX, UM, THE SALE OF BEVERAGES? AND I'LL DEFER TO MY COLLEAGUES WHO'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION THE LONGEST BECAUSE I HAVE A FAINT MEMORY OF WHEN TEPA FIRST CAME UP OF THE, SOMEONE MENTIONING, UM, SALES TAX, A A SMALL PORTION OF SALES TAX BEING ADDED OR PORTIONED OFF FROM THE SALE OF BEVERAGES.
CUZ I REMEMBER THINKING IT WASN'T JUST HOTELS THAT WAS GONNA BRING US INCOME, BUT ALSO ANY OF THE DOWNTOWN BARS, THE SALE OF BEVERAGES.
DOES ANYONE ELSE RECALL THAT AT ALL, OR JUST ME? WHAT I RECALL IS THAT THERE WERE CERTAIN FORMULAS WHEN WE WERE BEING BRIEFED ON WHAT GOES INTO THE CALCULATION OF A HOT TAX.
AND, UH, AND I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE WERE SOME CI CI CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE WITHIN THE HOTEL, SOME OF THE OTHER ITEMS THAT MIGHT BE CHARGED A ROOM WOULD JUST ROLL INTO THAT HOT TAX.
IT WASN'T STRICTLY, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, BASED ON ROOM RATE, BUT IT WAS BASED ON TOTAL EXPENDITURES IN THE HOTEL, IF YOU WILL.
I DO NOT RECALL ANYTHING ABOUT A STANDALONE, UM, ALCOHOL, UH, FOR, FOR ENTERTAINMENT OR BARS TO THAT.
[01:00:01]
HAVE A RECOLLECTION OF ANY OF THAT, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT WASN'T SAID.SO THEN I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, AS THE TEPI IS DEVELOPED, IS COULD IT BE EXPANDED FROM NOT JUST THIS VOLUNTARY TAX REMOVAL NIGHTS, BUT A VOLUNTARY, UM, TAX ON SALE OF BEVERAGES, UM, WITHIN AUSTIN AND GET THE, THE BARS AND EVERYBODY ON BOARD? IF IT WAS TO GO TOWARDS HELPING SECURE HOUSING COMMISSIONER REEDY UNDER THE CURRENT CHAPTER 3 72? THE ANSWER IS NO.
SO THAT WOULD REQUIRE ADDITIONAL LEGISLATION.
UM, THERE IS SOMETHING CALLED A P F Z, A PROJECT FINANCE ZONE THAT WAS INSTITUTED AT FIRST FOR FORT WORTH ONLY IN THE 2013, UH, SESSION.
AND THIS SESSION IT WAS EXPANDED STATEWIDE.
AND WHAT IT MEANS IS THAT IN A DETERMINED GEOGRAPHIC AREA, X NUMBER OF YARDS FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU CAN COLLECT TAXES ON BEVERAGES AND OTHER SALES TO FINANCE THE CONVENTION CENTER.
SO IT'S POSSIBLE THAT YOU COULD URGE THAT A PFC, THE PROCEEDS FROM A PFC Z BE USED FOR OTHER THINGS BESIDES THE CONVENTION CENTER BECAUSE NOW AUSTIN CAN ACCESS, WE HAVEN'T SET ONE UP YET, BUT WE ARE ALLOWED NOW TO HAVE A P F Z THAT WOULD COLLECT SALES TAXES AND SEND A PORTION TO CONVENTION CENTER OPERATIONS.
BUT IF WE'RE COLLECTING SALES TAXES AROUND A TOURISM AREA, IT'S PLAUSIBLE TO THINK WE COULD MAYBE DIVERT A PIECE OF IT TOWARDS OTHER USES THAT ENHANCE TOURISM.
BECAUSE I MEAN, LET'S NOT FORGET, THE REASON WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOUSING AT ALL IS TO ENHANCE TOURISM DOWNTOWN.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO HELP UNHOUSED FOLKS, BUT OUR PURVIEW IS SPECIFICALLY THE IMPACT OF UNHOUSED PEOPLE ON THE TOURISM INDUSTRY.
AND SO I THINK THERE'S AN ARGUMENT TO BE MADE THAT THE PFC, UM, COULD BE UTILIZED THAT WAY.
BUT YEAH, CHAPTER 3 72 DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY SALES TAX CURRENTLY.
SO, UM, I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON THIS SENATE BY ANY MEANS, REALLY DON'T KNOW A WHOLE LOT ABOUT IT, BUT I HAD THOUGHT THAT IN TWO, THE 2019 LEGISLATURE, UH, CHANGED THE LAW THAT SAID YOU COULDN'T USE TT PID FUNDS TO SUPPORT HOMELESSNESS.
IS THAT CORRECT? WE DON'T KNOW.
CHAP, UH, HB 1136 REMOVED MOST USES OF TPI FUNDS EXCEPT MARKETING AND PROMOTION OF CONVENTIONS AND, UM, OTHER VISITORS, UH, YOU KNOW, VISITOR SERVICES.
UM, SO IT TOOK OFF A LAUNDRY LIST OF THINGS, SOME THAT, UH, CHAIRMAN RONAN INCLUDED IN HIS EXPLAINER, BUT ALSO SANITATION SERVICES.
UM, SAFETY, PUBLIC SAFETY WAS ORIGINALLY ALLOWED WITH TPI FUNDS.
SO THAT WOULD'VE BEEN MY QUESTION ANYWAY, THAT I WAS GONNA SAY WE NEED TO ASK IS WHY DID THE HOTEL INDUSTRY CHOOSE TO RESTRICT THE USE OF TPI FUNDS IN 2019? EXACTLY THE YEAR THEY ALSO PROMISED THAT TPI FUNDS WOULD BE USED FOR HOUSING.
AND WHAT WAS THE BILL NUMBER AGAIN? HB 1136.
SO WHILE THEY WERE TELLING THE CITY OF AUSTIN, HEY, WE'RE GONNA GENERATE MONEY AND USE IT TO MITIGATE HOMELESSNESS DOWNTOWN, THEY WERE CHANGING THE LAW TO DISALLOW THAT VERY USE.
UM, AND THEN, UM, AND DO WE KNOW THAT IT WAS AUSTIN HOTELIERS THAT WERE NO, IT WAS, UM, ACTUALLY THE, THE PRESIDENT OF THE HOTEL, THE TEXAS HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION WAS A MEMBER OF THIS COMMISSION AT THE TIME AND HE EXPLAINED IT, UH, AND I THINK CHAIRMAN RONAN WENT BACK AND WATCHED THAT VIDEO RECENTLY.
SO IF YOU WANT TO CHIME IN, BUT AS HE EXPLAINED IT, THE T PIP MONEY WOULD ALL GO TO THE COMMISSION CENTER FOR MARKETING AND OTHER SERVICES TO SERVE VISITORS AND THEN A, AN EQUAL AMOUNT OF REVENUE EARNED IN UNENCUMBERED WAYS.
SO JUST GENERAL CONVENTION CENTER REVENUE THAT'S NOT ENCUMBERED BY STATE LAW WOULD GO INTO THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND TO BE USED AS A CITY SOFT FIT.
SO THERE'S A WORKAROUND FOR THAT.
THE PROBLEM IS, AND THIS IS ANOTHER THING I WANTED TO ADD TO A POTENTIAL FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, OR MAYBE THIS CONVERSATION, IS THAT THE CITY AUDITED THE CONVENTION CENTER'S FINANCIAL PRACTICES, I BELIEVE IN 2018, AND THEY FOUND THAT THE, THE CONVENTION CENTER DOES NOT KEEP TRACK OF, ONCE THEY COLLECT ANY SOURCE OF REVENUE, THEY DON'T KEEP TRACK OF WHAT THEY SPEND A PARTICULAR SOURCE ON.
SO THEY PUT IT ALL IN ONE BUCKET.
AND SO I THINK IN ORDER TO DELINEATE
[01:05:01]
CERTAIN TYPES OF REVENUE THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR HOME HOUSING AND SUCH, WE MIGHT RECOMMEND AT SOME LATER DATE THAT THE CONVENTION CENTER BEGIN TO TRACK SEPARATE SOURCES OF REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES.SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS, WHAT DID YOU SPEND HOT TAX ON? WHAT DID YOU SPEND OTHER REVENUE ON? BECAUSE CURRENTLY THEY DON'T DO THAT.
THEY JUST PUT IT ALL IN A BUCKET AND THEN THEY SPEND IT.
UM, AND THE, AND THAT AUDIT DID FIND THAT THAT WAS AN UNUSUAL PRACTICE THAT MOST CONVENTION CENTERS NATIONALLY DO KEEP TRACK OF DIFFERENT REVENUE STREAMS AND HOW THEY'RE SPENT.
I JUST WANT, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER REY.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I REMIND US TO, AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO KEEP THE FOCUS ON THE TPI.
AND BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE HAVE, THERE ARE A LOT OF INTERESTING SCENARIOS THAT WE, WE WANNA DIVE INTO HOW WE CAN EXPAND AND LOOK AT THE OTHER SOURCES.
AREHA, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL ON BOARD THAT, SO WE, WE, BECAUSE WE, I THINK IN THE ROADMAP DISCUSSION, SOME OF THE THINGS YOU'RE SUGGESTING SHOULD, UH, RESURFACE IN THAT ROADMAP DISCUSSION AS WELL.
I WANT TO CONNECT IT TO THE TPI BECAUSE IF THEY'RE DOING REPLACEMENT REVENUE FOR TPI REVENUE, IT SHOULD BE TRACKED AND IT'S CURRENTLY NOT.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE DON'T VEER OFF TOO FAR ON THIS TOPIC.
AND, AND I APPRECIATE WHERE YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE ALSO BRINGING TO THE CONVERSATION.
ANYONE ELSE? UH, CHAIR RONIN WOULD PLEASE JUMP ON IN? YES.
UH, COMMISSIONER BAILEY, I, UM, I JUST WANNA CALL OUT THAT I THINK THE TEXAS HOTEL LAUNCHING ASSOCIATION IS VERY MUCH AWARE OF, UH, THE CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN HAD TO DATE AND, UM, UNDERSTANDS, UM, THE MECHANISM BY WHICH, UH, THE TPI WOULD HELP FUND HOUSING SERVICES.
AND I THINK THIS BODY, UH, STANDS FOR MORE CLARITY AS TO WHAT THAT PROCESS IS AND HOW THAT PROCESS COULD BE ACCOUNTABLE.
UM, ONE, TWO, THE FOLKS THAT ARE PAYING THIS TAX, RIGHT, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A SUBSIDY, UH, RATHER A TAX ON HOTELS BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY THE PEOPLE GOING TO THE HOTELS PAYING THIS TAX.
SO, UM, I, I WOULD SAY THAT, UM, IF HOUSING SERVICES ARE GOING TO BE FUNDED, UM, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO, UH, TRACK THE, THE PERCENTAGE THAT IS GOING TOWARDS HOUSING SERVICES IN, IN A WAY THAT'S TRANSPARENT AND ALSO, UH, CAN BE MONITORED OVER TIME.
AND I UNDERSTAND, UM, THERE ARE QUESTIONS AROUND THE BONDS WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER AND AS THE, UH, CONVENTION CENTER UNDERGOES ITS TRANSFORMATION AND EXPANSION, HOW THAT INTERPLAYS WITH THE TPI.
SO I THINK WE WILL NEED SOME CLARITY, UH, ON THE PERCENTAGE OF THE TPI REVENUES, UH, THAT GO PARTICULARLY TO HOUSING SERVICES AND THE AMOUNTS AT WHICH, UH, WE WOULD RECOMMEND COLLECTIVELY AS A COMMISSION, UM, THAT THOSE REVENUES HIT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS FOR THE SCOPE OF, UH, A SERVICE PLAN, WHICH, UH, MANY TIMES IS, UH, A DECADE AS, AS I'VE SEEN THEM WRITTEN, UH, PREVIOUSLY, UH, BOTH FROM HERE IN AUSTIN AND, AND IN OTHER TEXAN CITIES.
SO, UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS.
ARE THERE ANY OTHERS AS WE, UM, WE'VE GOT A LOT ON THE AGENDA, SO I'M JUST TRYING TO BE MINDFUL OF TIME.
SORRY, I COMMISSIONER SHOP? YEAH.
KEEP WANTING TO PUT A K ON YOU.
SO, UH, I JUST HAD A QUESTION AROUND HOW, UM, SO I, I KNOW A FEW OF YOU ARE INVOLVED IN THE TPI WORKING GROUP.
I DON'T KNOW, UH, WHAT EXACTLY THE SCOPE OF THAT IS, BUT I, I WAS WONDERING, UM, IF ANY OF Y'ALL HAVE SEEN ANY OF THE DETAILS OF THE EXACT SERVICE PLAN THAT IS GOING TO BE PRO UH, PROPOSED OR, UH, HAVE ANY DETAILS AS TO, UH, ANY OF THE, UH, I GUESS APPORTIONMENTS, WHERE, WHERE THE MONEY'S GONNA GO IN THE END? UM, BECAUSE I, I WANT TO BE, UM, US ON THIS BODY, I THINK WE'RE ESPECIALLY, UH, INTERESTED IN SEEING THAT THE, THIS NEW REVENUE DOESN'T GO TO WASTE AND THAT IT GOES TO ITS HIGHEST AND BEST USE.
UM, SO I, I JUST WANNA KNOW, UH, IF, UH, ANYBODY ELSE ON THIS BODY, ESPECIALLY TEPI WORKING GROUP, HAS HAD ANY EXPOSURE TO THE SERVICE PLAN? UH, I, I'M SORRY, UP ON MY SCREEN.
CHAIRMAN RONAN HAS HIS HAND UP TO, I THINK, ADDRESS THIS QUESTION.
UM, COMMISSIONER, UM, WE'RE, WE HAVE BEEN REQUESTING THE PLAN FROM THE TEXAS HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION.
UM, WE ARE NOT CURRENTLY AWARE, UM, OF THE STATUS OF, OF THAT PLAN.
UM, I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER CHAN AND I HEARD IN A VISIT AUSTIN BOARD MEETING THAT IN FACT, UM, THERE ARE
[01:10:01]
APPORTIONMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED FOR THE DIFFERENT USES OF TPI REVENUES.UM, I, I AM UNAWARE WHETHER THAT'S IN FINAL OR DRAFT FORM.
UH, WE AWAIT THE PRESENTATION FROM THE TEXAS HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION TO CLARIFY, UH, UM, THAT POINT IN PARTICULAR.
UM, SO IT, IT STILL IS OUTSTANDING AND, UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR IT.
SO, UM, AND I BELIEVE, UH, COUNSEL, AS WELL AS THE MAYOR'S OFFICE HAS BEEN ASKING FOR IT AS WELL.
COMMISSIONER REY, I DO HAVE UP ON MY SCREEN THAT THE PROPOSED SERVICE PLAN FROM OCTOBER 1ST, 2020, I KNOW COMMISSIONER RONAN HAS SEEN IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT THIS BODY WOULD LIKE SHARED THROUGH FELICIA.
UM, COMMISSIONER READ, I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER BAILEY, MAY I SPEAK? YES.
I'VE BEEN TOLD BY CITY STAFF THAT THAT PLAN IS VERY MUCH OUT OF DATE AND, UM, DOES NOT SERVE OUR CURRENT CONVERSATION.
HOWEVER, UM, THAT IS, YOU KNOW, BACKGROUND INFORMATION.
SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO LOOK THAT UP.
UM, I, I REALLY DO WANNA BE MINDFUL OF THE TIME AND ALSO, UH, UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE A MORE IN DEPTH PRESENTATION NEXT WEEK, EXCUSE ME, NEXT MONTH AT OUR, UH, AT OUR JULY MEETING.
SO, UM, UH, BUT THAT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT I'M HOT ON THE TAIL FOR, IS, UH, THAT PARTICULAR SERVICE PLAN.
AND AS SOON AS WE'RE ABLE TO, UM, TO, TO GET OUR EYES ON THAT, I WILL, I'LL DEFINITELY FORWARD THAT ON TO FELLOW COMMISSIONERS.
SO I, I'D REALLY LIKE, UH, TO HAVE THAT IN MY HANDS BY THE NEXT MEETING THAT THE SERVICE PLAN, AND I'M SURE THAT EVERYBODY ON THE SPOT IS ALSO INTERESTED IN HAVING THAT IN THEIR HANDS.
SO, UM, YEAH, WHATEVER NEEDS TO BE DONE THERE.
I'M SURE FELICIA, UH, WILL FOLLOW UP BASED ON OUR REQUEST.
SO I WOULD ONLY ADD THAT IT, IT SEEMS, MY RECOLLECTION, AS MR. REEDY MENTIONED, WE'VE BEEN HERE SERVING FOR A BIT, AND WE HAVE HAD SOME PRESENTATIONS ALONG THE WAY ON THIS.
AND I'M, I THINK WHAT I'M TRYING TO, TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL STAY CLEAR ON THE, IT'S THE HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION HOLDS A BIG CARD AND THE NEGOTIATION THAT GOES ON BETWEEN THE HOTEL ASSOCIATION AND COUNSEL IS WHERE THE OUTCOME WILL BE AND WHAT AND HOW THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING AND CAN RECOMMEND BACK THROUGH THIS BODY, UH, TO COUNSEL.
THAT'S WHERE OUR IMPACT WILL BE.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ARE, WE'RE ADVISING IN DIG IN TO GET CLARITY THAT WILL BE HELPFUL TO THE PROCESS.
BUT, UM, AS I RECALL FROM, UH, VARIOUS CONVERSATIONS ON THIS, THE, THE HOTEL ASSOCIATION HOLDS A BIG STICK IN THIS PIECE OF IT.
THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO DO THIS.
IT'S A VOLITIONAL STEP FORWARD.
SO HOW WE NEGOTIATE AND HEAR THEM OUT ON THEIR OBJECTIVES WHILE WE ARE TRYING TO INTRODUCE WHAT WE THINK ARE GREAT COMMUNITY ASSETS, I THINK WILL MAKE US A, PUT US ALL IN A GOOD POSITION FOR, FOR GAINING GROUND ON THIS.
SO, WITH THAT, WITHOUT ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION IN THIS MATTER, I'M HAPPY TO MOVE FORWARD TO OUR NEXT TOPIC, EVERYONE.
[6. Discussion and possible action of the proposed Tourism Commission Road Map handout, approval of six-month agenda]
OUR AGENDA IS, UH, DISCUSSABLE AND PO POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE PROPOSED TOURISM COMMISSION ROADMAP.AND THAT'S REALLY OUR KIND OF, UH, DIGGING INTO THE WORK THAT THIS BODY WANTS TO, UH, ADDRESS IN THIS YEAR AND THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.
AND I, I HAVE TO COMMEND, UH, CHAIRMAN RONAN FOR REALLY, UH, GOING TO WORK HERE AND PULLING TOGETHER.
I KNOW WE THREW A LOT OF IDEAS OF FUTURE TOPICS AT OUR LAST CONVERSATION, AND THE MINUTES HAVE REFLECTED THAT, BUT HE'S REALLY DONE A GREAT JOB OF ENCAPSULATING AND BUILDING A SPACE FOR THIS.
UM, I'M ONCE, AS I DID ON THE LAST ITEM, I REALLY FEEL BECAUSE OF HE'S BEEN THE ARCHITECT OF PULLING THIS TOGETHER FOR ALL OF US, THAT I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE HIM THE FLOOR TO AT LEAST DO AN OPENING ON, UH, YOUR INTENT AND WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THIS CONVERSATION, UH, HOW WE COME OUT THE OTHER END ON THIS.
UH, CHAIRMAN ROMAN, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BAILEY, AND THANK YOU EVERYONE, UM, WHO CONTRIBUTED, UH, THEIR IDEAS TO THIS IMPORTANT CONVERSATION, THE WORK OF THE COMMISSION AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE, UM, I THINK REALLY TURNED A CORNER AS A COMMISSION CONSIDERING THAT OUR, UM, PAST CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN REALLY OF THE MOMENT.
UM, AND, UM, WITH THIS DOCUMENT, WHAT I'M REALLY TRYING TO DO IS TO REALLY SET THE TONE FOR, UM, CONTINUAL FORWARD MOMENTUM AND PLANNING SO THAT PEOPLE CAN ANTICIPATE THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE, UH, SOME ACTION AND EXPERTISE
[01:15:01]
AND DECISION MAKING COMING FROM THIS BODY.IN ADDITION TO INFORMED RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE, UM, WILL BE KNOWN FOR IN TERMS OF, UH, ADVISING COUNSEL IN OUR CHARGE TO HELP ADVISE COUNSEL ON ISSUES THAT BENEFIT THE TOURISM INDUSTRY HERE IN AUSTIN IN PARTICULAR, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, FIRST OF ALL, UM, THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR IDEAS.
AND ALSO, UM, JUST SAY GENERALLY THAT WE'VE GOT FIVE MEETINGS LEFT IN THE YEAR, AND IT'S, IT'S A PRETTY TIGHT SCHEDULE TO KEEP WITH EVERYTHING THAT WE'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT AS A BODY.
AND, UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, TRYING TO FIT, UH, ITEMS THAT MAY NOT MAKE IT INTO CERTAIN MEETING AGENDAS DUE TO SCHEDULES.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, OTHER CONSIDERATIONS I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT WE'LL HAVE TO CONSTANTLY BE BALANCING.
HOWEVER, I'M CONFIDENT THAT, UM, WITH THE ENERGY AND EXPERTISE AT THE DS AND AT TIMES ONLINE, UH, THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS.
UM, I DEVELOPED THIS DOCUMENT TO HELP GUIDE US TO PRESENT A ROADMAP THAT COULD HELP SHAPE CONVERSATION FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR, BUT ALSO TO ENCOURAGE THINKING ABOUT HOW THESE TOPICS THAT RELATE TO DIRECTLY TO TOURISM CAN BE INTERRELATION AND, UM, IN FACT RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER, RIGHT? AND RELATE TO HOW YOU, UH, COME TO THIS BODY, THE EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCES YOU BRING, UM, TO HELP INFORM THESE CONVERSATIONS AND HELP OUR INTERACTION WITH POLICYMAKERS, UH, AT THE CITY, THEIR STAFF, AS WELL AS THE BROADER PUBLIC.
AND, UH, OFFERING A PLATFORM, UH, HERE AT THIS BODY TO ALLOW FOR COMMUNITY PRESENTERS TO BRING COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS THAT HELP INFORM THESE TOPICS AT THE SAME TIME, UM, THIS IS IN ADDITION TO PUBLIC COMMENT, WHICH IS OFFERED AT THE BEGINNING OF EVERY MEETING, UM, THAT WE HAVE, AND, UM, IS REALLY TRYING TO HELP DEEPEN THE, THE CONVERSATION AND INTROSPECTION, UM, THAT WE HAVE HERE AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AROUND THE IMPORTANCE OF TOURISM AND HOW, UH, IT CAN BE IMPROVED BY ACTIVE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
UM, SO WITH THAT, I WANTED TO BRIEFLY SUMMARIZE THE UPCOMING SIX MONTH ROADMAP OF OUR MEETING TOPICS, AS WELL AS, UM, GENERAL QUESTIONS AND, UM, CURRENT PRESENTERS THAT WE'VE, UH, AND, UH, POTENTIAL SPEAKERS THAT WE, UH, STAND TO BRING INTO THE IMPORTANT CONVERSATION AROUND TOURISM.
UH, SO NEXT UP JULY 12TH, UM, MY THOUGHT WAS TO FOCUS ON, UH, PARKS AND GREEN SPACE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FUNDING.
UM, COMMISSIONER KANATI DID JUST SEND, UH, WITH FELICIA'S ASSISTANCE, UM, THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OUR WORKING COMMITTEE, UM, WHICH, UH, WERE PASSED IN MAY OF 2021 BY THIS BODY THAT, UH, WE WILL SEND, UH, AROUND TO ALL COMMISSIONERS FOR ADDITIONAL REVIEW THAT I THINK COULD HELP INFORM THIS PARTICULAR SUBJECT.
UH, COMMISSIONER KANATI DID WANT TO POINT OUT THAT, UH, PART OF THIS DISCUSSION WAS LOOKING BEYOND HOT TAX FUNDING IN DETERMINING WHERE THERE COULD BE MORE RESOURCES FOR SUSTAINING PARKS AND GREEN SPACE HERE IN AUSTIN.
UH, WHICH I THINK, UM, PAIRS WELL WITH THIS CONVERSATION AROUND HOW TO LOOK FOR OTHER PIECES OF, OF REVENUE FROM THE HOT TAX IN PARTICULAR, UH, THAT IS NOT CURRENTLY BEING COLLECTED BY, UH, THIRD PARTY SHORT-TERM LODGING COMPANIES SUCH AS AIRBNB, V R B O, ET CETERA.
UM, SO THAT IS AN ISSUE THAT I THINK WE, UH, CAN STAND TO EXPLORE IN OUR NEXT MEETING WITH POTENTIAL, UM, SPEAKERS COMING FROM AUSTIN PARKS AND REC, AIRBNB, B R B O, UM, AND ADDITIONAL PLAYERS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE, OR THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT RATHER, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, SHOULD WE FIND THAT APPROPRIATE WITH OUR COMMUNITY PRESENTERS.
WE'VE ACTUALLY CONFIRMED, UH, THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY TO COME AS A COMMUNITY PRESENTER NEXT MEETING.
UH, AND I'M IN ACTIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMISSIONER KANATI, WHO CHAIRS OUR WORKING GROUP, UH, WITH REGARD TO ADDITIONAL, UH, SPEAKERS AUGUST 9TH.
UM, WE ARE REVISITING, UH, PER PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CULTURE ARTS FUNDING AND A LIVE MUSIC FUND ABOUT HOW THESE
[01:20:01]
PROGRAMS ARE WORKING, HOW THEY CAN BE IMPROVED IN LIGHT OF CONCERNS RAISED BY, UM, BY, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO CAME TO SPEAK LAST MEETING, UH, ALL THE WHILE INVOLVING, UM, THE COMMISSIONS.UM, AND THANK YOU FOR THE ARTS COMMISSION FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
UH, WE, WE REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS A COLLEGIAL CONVERSATION THAT BUILDS ON THE DYNAMIC, UH, WORK, UM, AND PROFESSIONAL WORK THAT'S COMING TO BENEFIT AUSTIN, UH, IN OUR TOURISM PURPOSE, UH, THROUGH OUR DOLLARS FUNDED BY THE HOT TAX.
SO, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN THESE PROGRAMS, UM, BE MEASURED? HOW CAN THEY BEST MEET THEIR NEEDS? UM, SO WE'VE, WE'VE GOT, UH, POTENTIAL SPEAKERS COMING FROM, OF COURSE, E D D, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, UM, THE ART ARTS COMMISSION, THE, UM, AS WELL AS THE AUSTIN MUSIC COMMISSION.
UM, AND THINKING ABOUT TALKING DIRECTLY TO GRANT GRANTEES OF THESE PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS POTENTIAL COMMUNITY PRESENTERS.
NEXT UP SEPTEMBER 13TH, UH, OUR TOPIC FOR THAT MEETING IS PROPOSED, IS PHILANTHROPY AND TOURISM LOOKING TO BROADEN THE CONVERSATION AROUND TOURISM TO ENGAGE THE LOCAL PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY.
HOW ARE WE ELEVATING CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS THAT TYPICALLY LARGER CITIES HAVE MORE OF A HANDLE ON, UH, THE SYMPHONIES, THE ORCHESTRAS, THE BALLETS, UM, BUT ALSO NOT JUST LOOKING TO THE LARGE, UM, CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS, REALLY TRYING TO DEVELOP A SMALL TOURISM ECOSYSTEM THAT INCORPORATES NOT ONLY, UH, ARTS AND CULTURE AND MUSIC VENUES, BUT ALSO OUR PARKS AND OPEN SPACE, UH, LOOKING AT THE SOCIAL FABRIC OF OUR CITY, INCLUDING HOUSING, ENSURING THAT THESE, UM, THAT THESE INVESTMENTS BEING MADE ARE CATALYTIC IN HELPING IMPROVE TOURISM OUTCOMES FOR AUSTIN, IN ADDITION TO MAKING, UM, OUR COMMUNITY THAT MUCH, UH, THAT MUCH BETTER OF A PLACE TO LIVE.
UM, SO I'M OPEN TO HEARING, UH, POTENTIAL COMMUNITY PRESENTERS FOR THAT CONVERSATION.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, THINKING ALOUD ABOUT INVITING THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, UH, AS WELL AS THE HEALTH ALLIANCE FOR AUSTIN MU MUSICIANS AS POTENTIAL SPEAKERS FOR THAT, UH, THAT MEETING, UH, COMMUNITY PRESENTERS AS WELL.
UM, OCTOBER 11TH, TOURISM INDUSTRY WORKERS AT ORGANIZED LABOR.
WE'VE, UM, SPOKE BRIEFLY, I THINK, UH, ALMOST IN PASSING AT SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH REGARD, UH, TO THE IMPACTS AND, UH, WORK OF, UH, OF OUR WORKERS WITHIN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, WHETHER THEY'RE AT, UM, THE CONVENTION CENTER SETTING UP FOR SHOWS, UM, WITHIN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, SETTING UP FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT, UH, PERFORMING ACTS.
UH, WHERE DOES THIS STAND HERE IN AUSTIN? HOW CAN, UM, WE ELEVATE TOURISM WITH THE CONNECTION, UH, TO INDUSTRY WORKERS IN ORGANIZED LABOR, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION VISIT AUSTIN, AS WELL AS, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN ITSELF.
UM, SO ALSO LOOKING FOR POTENTIAL COMMUNITY, UH, PRESENTERS THERE AS WELL.
OUR LAST MEETING OF THE YEAR, OUR FIFTH AND FINAL MEETING, UM, LEFT IN 2023, IS HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND TOURISM.
HOW, UH, ARE WE USING HOT TAX REVENUE, UM, TO IMPROVE HISTORIC RESOURCES? HOW IS THAT WORKING? HOW IS THAT MEASURED? UM, YEAH, IS THERE A ROLE, UM, FOR, IN, FOR THIS COMMISSION AND HELPING IMPROVE, UM, THE PROCESS BY WHICH THESE CAPITAL PROJECTS ARE, UM, IMPROVED? CAN WE OFFER RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, REALLY SEEING, UM, PARTICULARLY FROM A CITY LEGAL PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, ARE WE ABLE TO SEE THE, THE PROJECTS THAT ARE BEING REQUESTED OR MAYBE NOT BEING REQUESTED HAPPEN, UM, WITH HOT TAX REVENUE, GIVEN THE PARTICULAR, UM, LEGAL HURDLES THAT SMALLER NONPROFITS HAVE TO OVERCOME? I WOULD SAY, UH, WORKERS' COMP REQUIREMENTS WITHIN THE APPLICATION PROCESS IN PARTICULAR, UM, AS AN EXAMPLE, AND ANY, YOU KNOW, OTHER QUESTIONS, UM, IDEAS THAT THIS BODY MAY HAVE IN TERMS OF HELPING IMPROVE, UM, THE USE OF THIS TAX FUNDING FOR THIS PURPOSE THAN ANY OF THE OTHER PURPOSES, UH, THAT I MENTIONED, UM, FOR PRIOR MEETING THEMES AND, UH, POTENTIALLY, UH, HAVING THE, OF COURSE, E D D, BUT THE, THE CITY, UM, PRESERVATION DEPARTMENT, THE AUSTIN CITY LEGAL DEPARTMENT, UM, AND POTENTIAL GRANTEES FROM THE, UH, PAST AND BOTH PAST AND PRESENT FROM THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT PROGRAM.
UM, WE DO NOT HAVE A MEETING IN DECEMBER, SO THAT IS NOTED HERE.
SO NO ONE SHOWS UP SECOND WEEK OF DECEMBER.
BUT, UM, WITH THAT, I, I'VE SORT OF ROUNDED US OUT,
[01:25:01]
UM, IN SUMMARY OF THIS SIX MONTH WORKING DOCUMENT, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS ABOUT PARTICULAR, UH, ORGANIZATIONS, SPEAKERS TO ADD AT ANY OF THE MEETINGS, QUESTIONS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ASK OR POSE TO THESE SPEAKERS OR PRESENTERS OR ADDITIONAL IDEAS THAT, UH, WE CAN PERHAPS INCLUDE ON FUTURE MEETING AGENDAS? AND, UH, AGAIN, UM, COMMISSIONER BAILEY, I, I WOULD, UM, I BENEFIT AND WOULD APPRECIATE FROM YOUR CONTINUED, UH, CHAIRING AND UH, UM, MODERATION OF THIS DISCUSSION.RIGHT? I SIMPLY, I SIMPLY WANT TO AMPLIFY THE QUESTION THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER RONIN PUT BEFORE US AND INVITE ANY OF US TO, UH, ADD, UH, COMMENTS OR IDEAS TO THIS ROADMAP, UH, SPECIFICALLY OR ANY GENERAL, UM, AND I SEE COMMISSIONER SHANNON IS READY TO JUMP IN.
SO I, ALL, ALL THIS IS GREAT, BUT I THINK THE THING THAT NEEDS TO FOCUSED ON FIRST IS WHAT YOU CAN SPEND HOT TAX MONEY ON BY STATUTE.
UM, AND I'M CONCERNED THAT WE'RE GONNA SPEND A BUNCH OF TIME TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT WE'D LIKE TO FUND, BUT HOT TAX WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE TO DO.
SO LEGALLY, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, ANYBODY WANNA PICK UP ON THAT IDEA OR HAVE ANOTHER TOPIC? UH, MR. COMMISSIONER KDI, THANK YOU.
UH, I WOULD JUST NOTE, UH, YOU'RE CORRECT, THERE'S LIMITATIONS ON HIGH TAX, BUT I DO THINK OUR PERMISSION, THIS JURISDICTION MAYBE PROVIDES A LITTLE MORE BROADER SCOPE THAN JUST THAT SPECIFIC QUESTION.
WE ARE ALLOWED TO LOOK AT ISSUES OF RELATING TO TOURISM.
I THINK THE IDENTIFICATION, FOR EXAMPLE, OF, UH, UH, THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY COMING TO SPEAK AT THE NEXT MEETING, UH, AND ALSO THE WORK OF OUR PARKS AND WORKING GROUP PARKS AND ENVIRONMENT GROUP, TRYING TO FIND OTHER WAYS WE CAN FUND PARKS, ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS.
THE CITY ABOVE AND BEYOND STRICTLY HIGH TECH IS, IS SOMETHING I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE ENTITLED TO DO.
AND I ACTUALLY KNOW THAT, UH, MS. ANDERSON HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WRESTLING WITH THESE PARKS FUNDING ISSUES ON BEHALF OF THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY.
UM, I'D ALSO SUGGEST, AS I MENTIONED TO THE CHAIR, THAT, UH, AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION HAS ALSO BEEN DEEPLY INVOLVED IN SORT OF TRYING TO UNDERSTAND ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS WE WANT TO BETTER TAKE CARE OF OUR PARKS.
RIGHT NOW, AS Y'ALL MAY KNOW, THAT THE LATEST, UH, STATE SET OF RULES COMING OUT IS ACTUALLY REDUCING FUNDING FOR OUR PARKS FROM, FOR EXAMPLE, THE PARK LINE DEDICATION FEE.
UH, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING TO BE HURT WITH THIS LAST SESSION.
SO IF WE CAN PROMOTE OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY AT THE SAME TIME, BENEFIT OUR PARKS WITH ANYTHING THAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO ADDRESS, NOT JUST HOTEL TAXES, I WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO BE OPEN TO THAT.
AND I, MR. KTI, I HOPE THAT YOU WILL, UH, UH, REPRISE WHAT YOU JUST SAID IN THIS, UH, WHEN WE GET DOWN TO TALKING ABOUT UPDATES, I THINK WHAT YOU JUST MENTIONED IS PRETTY IMPORTANT THAT WE STAY ABREAST OF, UH, UPCOMING CHANGES TO POLICY AND THINGS.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT YOU MENTIONED IT HERE, AND I HOPE THAT YOU'LL RIE IT WHEN WE GET DOWN TO ITEM EIGHT.
UM, ANYONE, UH, COMMISSIONER MCGEE? UM, JUST TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT COMMISSIONER KTI SAID, UM, I THINK, I MEAN, YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT, HOT TAX IS VERY NARROW.
UM, BUT I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER KDI.
I THINK OUR BYLAWS ALLOWED US TO TAKE A SLIGHTLY BROADER VIEW, BECAUSE I'M KIND OF, OF THE OPINION THAT THE HOT TAX IS PRETTY MUCH MAX MAXED OUT.
I MEAN, OTHER THAN GETTING SHORT TERM RENTALS ON BOARD TO ADD SOME MORE REVENUE, I FEEL LIKE IF WE CAN USE, UM, THE BROADER ASPECT OF OUR BYLAWS TO LOOK AT WAYS IN WHICH TOURISM MIGHT ATTRACT ADDITIONAL REVENUE FOR ALL THESE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO TOURISM AND NOT JUST RELY SOLELY ON HEART TAX, UM, I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN EXPLORING THOSE.
UM, MUCH AS COMMISSIONER KANATI SAID ABOUT, UM, HOW HIS WORKING GROUP, THE PARKS WORKING GROUP WAS LOOKING AT POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL REVENUE, UM, TO HELP WITH PARKS AND GREEN SPACES, I THINK WE NEED TO BE, IF WE HAVE ANY ABILITY TO LOOK FOR OR SUGGEST ADDITIONAL REVENUE THAT MIGHT GO TO CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING THAT COMES FROM THE TOURISM INDUSTRY OTHER THAN HOT, UM, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD, IF WE HAVE THAT ABILITY, WE SHOULD LEND THAT TO THAT CONVERSATION.
BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WITH CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING, THE HOT TAX IS MAXED OUT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE ARTS COMMISSION IS ALREADY LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL REVENUES, BUT MAYBE THERE'S ADDITIONAL REVENUES THAT CAN BE SOURCED WITHIN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY THAT WE COULD HUNT OUT THAT ADDS TO THAT HOT TAX.
UM, AND THEN, UM, I ALSO WANTED TO ASK COMMISSIONER RONAN, IF THE INTENTION IS FOR US TO
[01:30:01]
MOVE TO ADOPT THIS FORMALLY AND VOTE ON IT, IF IT IS, I HAVE SOME SPECIFIC AMENDMENTS FOR LATER IN THE DOCUMENT.I, COMMISSIONER REDY, I SAW YOU PUT YOUR HAND UP A SECOND AGO.
I WANTED TO ADDRESS COMMISSIONER CHA'S, UH, STATEMENT ABOUT THE NARROW USE OF HOT TAX.
INDEED, IT IS NARROW TO ABOUT NINE DIFFERENT USES, BUT THE PROMOTIONAL USE, WHICH IS THE BIG ONE THAT MOST CITIES, YOU KNOW, USE AS THE PRIMARY USE, UM, HAS BEEN ANALYZED BY MULTIPLE ATTORNEY GENERALS, UH, BOTH DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICAN OVER 40 YEARS.
AND THEY ALL HAVE AGREED UP TO THE CURRENT ATTORNEY GENERAL AND AS FAR BACK AS THE EIGHTIES, THAT IF A GOVERNMENT'S OR MUNICIPAL UNITS GOVERNANCE GOVERNING BODY, SO A CITY COUNCIL OR A COUNTY COURT DETERMINES THAT A CERTAIN EXPENDITURE PROMOTES TOURISM, IT IS ALLOWED.
SO THAT IS WHY OTHER CITIES HAVE A BROADER USE THAN AUSTIN DOES, AND WHY WE SPEND MORE IN OUR CONVENTION CENTER THAN ANY OTHER CITY, CUZ WE HAVE ARTIFICIALLY NARROWED IT.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, TO YOUR POINT ABOUT HOW TO USE HOT TAX FOR CULTURAL EVENTS, HOUSTON OFFERS MARKETING GRANTS TO CULTURAL EVENTS FROM ITS PROMOTION BUDGET, NOT FROM ITS MAXED OUT CULTURAL ARTS BUDGET.
SO YOU COULD POTENTIALLY TAKE MONEY FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER AND USE IT TO MARKET CULTURE ADDITIONALLY TO THE CULTURAL FUND.
SIMILARLY, SAN ANTONIO USES MONEY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY ON THE WOOD RIVER WALK BECAUSE THEIR CITY COUNCIL HAS DETERMINED THAT THAT PROMOTES TOURISM.
AND SIMILARLY, FORT WORTH PROVIDES TOUR SUPPORT TO LOCAL FORT WORTH ARTISTS BECAUSE THEY HAVE DETERMINED THAT PROMOTES TOURISM.
SO WITHIN THE PROMOTION BUCKET, THERE'S ACTUALLY A LOT OF LATITUDE.
UM, MAY I, MAY I SPEAK? COMMISSIONER BILLY, COMMISSIONER RONIN, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
UM, SO I, I DO WANT TO GO BACK TO WHAT, UM, COMMISSIONER MCGEE HAD ASKED AND, UM, I, I PUT POTENTIAL ACTION ON, UM, THE AGENDA MAINLY TO, YOU KNOW, OFFER THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS, UM, IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING TO HONE IN, IN ON.
BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, UM, THIS PLAN FORWARD, THIS ROADMAP, UH, EXCUSE ME, IS REALLY ONLY AS GOOD AS THE INVOLVEMENT THAT, UM, YOU BRING AS INDIVIDUAL COMMISSION MEMBERS TO THIS BODY.
SO WHERE I'M, I'M OPENLY STATING THAT WE HAVE SPACE IN THE AGENDA FOR, UM, POTENTIAL COMMUNITY PRESENTERS OR SPEAKERS.
IT WOULD BE GREAT IF FOLKS BROUGHT, UM, UH, THEIR IDEAS AS TO HOW TO, UM, YOU KNOW, FILL THOSE GAPS, RIGHT? SO WHILE THESE QUESTIONS ARE, YOU KNOW, PLACED HERE FOR CONVERSATIONAL PURPOSES, THEY'RE NOT REALLY INTENDED TO DENOTE ANY PARTICULAR DIRECTION.
BUT JUST TO, TO HELP US TEASE APART WHY THAT TOPIC IS IMPORTANT AND HOW WE CAN BUILD AN ADDITIVE CONVERSATION AROUND TOURISM, UH, WITH THEMATIC MONTHLY MEETINGS.
UM, SO THIS ISN'T SOME LIKE, YOU KNOW, SET IN STONE AND, AND FRANKLY IT CAN'T BE GIVEN THE, THE GENERAL DIFFICULTY IN SCHEDULING, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, FOLKS TO COME SPEAK.
HOWEVER, UH, JUST FOR SOME STABILITY AND SOME, UM, ANTICIPATION FOR BOTH PLAYERS HERE ON THE DAAS, UH, CITY STAFF, UH, COUNCIL, AS WELL AS THE GENERAL PUBLIC, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH GENERAL APPROVAL THAT THESE ARE THE TYPES OF TOPICS THAT THE BOARD, UH, RATHER THE COMMISSION IS INTERESTED IN DISCUSSING AS WELL AS, UM, YOU KNOW, PURSUING, UH, AS A BODY FROM AN EXPERTISE AND RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, PERSPECTIVE.
AND, YOU KNOW, BY ALL MEANS, IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC ADDITIONS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE NOW, UM, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO DO THAT AND I'M HAPPY TO ADD IT, UH, TO THIS DOCUMENT WITH THE CONSENT OF, OF EVERYONE INVOLVED.
UM, WELL WITH THAT SAID CHAIR AND UM, THANK YOU, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, MAKE SOME AMENDMENTS TO SECTION FIVE.
UM, BECAUSE WE ARE A RIGHT TO WORK STATE, UH, AND BECAUSE, UH, WHAT THE CITY GIVETH THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE OFTEN TAKE US AWAY, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ITEM FIVE MORE ABOUT WORKERS AND LESS ABOUT ORGANIZED LABOR.
SO I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE THE DOCUMENT BE AMENDED, UM, WHERE IT STATES THAT, UH, IT WILL BE TOURISM INDUSTRY WORKERS AND DELETE THE REFERENCE TO ORGANIZED LABOR
[01:35:01]
AND BULLET TWO.I WOULD PREFER THAT IT WOULD READ, UH, ARE THERE WAYS THE CITY CAN HELP IMPROVE THE LIVES OF TOURISM WORKERS AND NOT TAKE UP ANY TOPIC ABOUT, UH, HOW THE CITY MAY WORK TOGETHER WITH ORGANIZED LABOR? BECAUSE AGAIN, WE'RE RIGHT TO WORK.
UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, CHANGE BULLET NUMBER 1, 2, 3, 4, STRIKE THAT AND REPLACE IT WITH WHAT EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES DOES THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER PROVIDE AGAIN, SO THAT WE CAN FIND OUT WHAT IS THE WORK THERE, HOW DOES IT IMPACT WORKERS THERE? UM, BASICALLY JUST SOFTENING THAT WHOLE SECTION TO BE LESS ABOUT ORGANIZED LABOR AND MORE ABOUT THE WORKERS IN AUSTIN.
I THINK IT'S FINE TO INCLUDE THE POTENTIAL SPEAKERS, UM, AND LISTING UNIONS THAT DO, UM, OPERATE IN, UH, IN AUSTIN AND REPRESENT THOSE WORKERS.
BECAUSE I THINK REALLY THIS PIECE IS ABOUT, IF WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING TO UNIONS, WE'RE REALLY TALKING TO THEM AS USING THEM AS A CONDUIT TO HEAR WORKER STORIES.
UM, IT'S LESS ABOUT, UM, US PARTNERING THIS BODY, PARTNERING WITH UNIONS IN ANY WAY, BUT MORE ABOUT ALLOWING THE UNIONS TO BE A VEHICLE FOR WORKERS WHO WORK IN THE INDUSTRY TO TELL US THEIR STORIES ABOUT, UH, WHAT IT'S LIKE LIVING AND WORKING HERE IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY.
AND WITH THAT SAID, I WAS REMISS IN ONE OF THE LOCALS I PROVIDED TO YOU.
UM, TEAMSTERS LOCAL 6 57, I BELIEVE WOULD NEED TO BE ADDED, CUZ I BELIEVE THEY REPRESENT THE WORKERS THAT WORK THE FREIGHT AT THE CONVENTION CENTER.
ALRIGHT, SO BASED ON THAT EXAMPLE, UH, COMMISSIONER MCGEE'S COMMENTS ON ONE SECTION, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS, UH, PROCEED WITH THE DISCUSSION ON THIS ROADMAP AS PART OF AN EMAIL FOLLOW UP FOR ADDITIONAL SUBMISSIONS OR CHANGES OR REQUESTS THAT MIGHT TO YOUR, UM, OFFER TO TWEAK AND ADD.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THE TIME TO GET FULL CONSENSUS.
I HAVE A COUPLE COMMENTS ON THE SEPTEMBER 13TH AS AN EXAMPLE.
I THINK THAT WE OUGHT TO GO BEYOND PHILANTHROPY AND WE OUGHT TO TALK ABOUT PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.
AND I THOUGHT THE EXAMPLE PROVIDED TODAY ABOUT WORKING WITH THE DEVELOPER WHO DID, I THINK THERE ARE EXAMPLES OF OPPORTUNITIES IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE PRIVATE OR ENTITIES, UH, HAVE TREMENDOUS IMPACT AND OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, BRING VALUE TO TOURISM AND HOT TAX DEVELOPMENT.
SO THESE ARE, I THINK YOU LAID OUT ALL THE BIG TENT ITEMS THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING.
I THINK THERE'S NUANCED, PROBABLY TO BE DELINEATED IN SOME UNDERNEATH SOME OF THESE.
SO WE HAVE OTHER, UH, DISCUSSION ITEMS TODAY AND 15 MINUTES LEFT IN THE MEETING.
SO I WANTED TO PROPOSE THAT IF, IF THE BODY AGREES AND, UH, YOU FEEL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER MONAN, THAT WE, THERE'S A PROCESS THAT WE PUT FORTH HERE TODAY TO HOW TO GET THIS ENCAPSULATED THE WAY WE ALL WANT IT.
AND I SEE YOU HAVE A QUESTION, SO I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE COMMISSIONER RONAN.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BAILEY.
I, UM, I'M, I'M REALLY DOING THIS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES, NAT, FOR CONTENT.
UM, JUST GENERAL HIGH LEVEL CONTENT THOUGH.
SO, UM, WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND IS THAT INSTEAD OF, AND, AND THANK YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER MCGEE FOR YOUR, UM, YOUR CONCLUSIONS AND YOUR EDITS, UM, I THINK IT'S VERY HELPFUL IS THAT, UM, THIS BODY TAKE, UM, OF VOTE ON GENERAL AGREEMENT OF THE TOPICS, NOT THE EXACT QUESTIONS, NOT THE INVITEES, NOT THE COMMUNITY PRESENTERS, BECAUSE THOSE THINGS ARE GONNA STILL BE IN DEVELOPMENT.
UH, AND THEY'LL NEVER BE FINALIZED UNTIL LIKE, LITERALLY FOUR DAYS BEFORE THE MEETING
UM, SO IF, IF THIS BOARD IS IN AGREEMENT, I WOULD APPRECIATE A VOTE TO AGREE JUST ON THE TOPICS OF EACH OF THE MEETINGS, UM, THAT CAN PROVIDE THE THEMATIC BACKBONE OF, OF HOW WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE ADDITION OF THE TPI PRESENTATION AND POSSIBLE COMMUNITY PRESENTERS FOR NEXT MEETING.
GIVEN THE CANCELLATION THAT HAPPENED THIS MEETING, I AM, I'M, I'M TRYING TO PROCESS HOW TO MAKE THAT A MOTION THAT WE CAN HAVE A VOTE ON.
THAT WAS, DO YOU, UH, UH, DO YOU DO I CAN MAKE THE MOTION SO IF YOU'D, COMMISSIONER IAN HAS AN IDEA, SO I'M, WE'RE GONNA GIVE HER THE FLOOR.
I THINK WE NEED TIME TO PROCESS, CUZ THERE'S A LOT IN HERE, BUT IT'S A VERY FLUID DOCUMENT AS YOU, UM, NOTED.
I WOULD SAY THAT I WOULD BE OPEN TO APPROVING TOP LEVEL TOPIC BASIS OF THE, YOU KNOW, JULY AND AUGUST ITEMS, AND THEN MAYBE IN JULY WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE SEPTEMBER ITEM OR THE OCTOBER AND, AND MAYBE BRING FORWARD BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING SOME CHANGES OR IDEAS THAT STAFF CAN HELP US FORMULATE FOR
[01:40:02]
FUTURE MEETINGS.I'D, I'D SECOND THAT YOU'RE BASICALLY MOVING TO APPROVE, UH, JULY AND AUGUST.
AUGUST JULY 12TH AND AUGUST 9TH ON THE, ON THE TOPICS, YOU KNOW, PARKS AND GREEN SPACE AND HOTEL OCCUPANCY, ALL THE DETAILS BELOW IT ARE TOTALLY FLUID, RIGHT? BECAUSE, UM, THAT WOULD GIVE US DIFFERENT TOP YEAH.
DISCUSSION OPPORTUNITY TO, TO AMANDA AND BRING IT BACK.
COMMISSIONER RONAN, LET'S SAY YOU, I I THINK THAT'S FINE.
UM, JUST, JUST TRYING TO GET IT ALL OUT THERE AND ORGANIZE IT IN A WAY, UM, THAT'S, UH, ACCEPTED BY THIS BODY.
REALLY JUST TRYING TO BE A MIRROR TO YOU ALL.
CUZ I KNOW THESE ARE VERY IMPORTANT TOPICS FOR EVERYONE AND I KNOW THAT THEY ALL CAME UP DURING OUR CONVERSATION LAST MEETING, SO TRY AND PROVIDE A BIT OF STRUCTURE NOTING THAT WE'RE KIND OF YOUNG AND GETTING ON OUR, YOU KNOW, GETTING OUR SEA LEGS, SO TO SPEAK IN THE GRAND SEA OF TOURISM.
UM, SO I'D BE HAPPY TO, TO SECOND THAT MOTION COMMISSIONER IAN.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE STIPULATION THAT, UH, WE WILL MAKE EDITS, UM, AND COMMISSIONERS, UH, EDITS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED HERE AT THIS MEETING.
AND COMMISSIONERS WILL BRING, UH, EMAIL RATHER BEFORE NEXT MEETING, THEIR SUGGESTIONS TO THEM BEING INCORPORATED IN THIS DOCUMENT THAT WILL THEN BE UPDATED AND VOTED UPON NEXT MEETING FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.
SO THAT'S AN AMENDED MOTION IF THAT WORKS.
SO I, I'M NOT SURE THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY CAPTURED A MOTION THAT'S CLEAR.
SO I MIGHT ASK, UH, COMMISSIONER PEN TO MAYBE RESTATE WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING AND I KNOW YOU SECOND IT IT, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD JUST ALL HAVE A VOTE AND RESTATE.
SO I WANNA RESTATE IT, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I'M CLEAR ON OR OR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
SO I MOTION THAT WE AS A BODY APPROVE THE JULY 12TH AND AUGUST 9TH AGENDA ITEMS IN ENTIRETY WITH THE STIPULATION THAT, UH, PRIOR TO THE JULY 12TH MEETING, ANY AMENDMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE ARE EMAILED PRIOR TO THE JULY 12TH MEETING, RECOGNIZING THAT THE DETAILED QUESTIONS WITHIN THE TOPICS ARE FLUID.
IS THAT UNDERSTANDABLE? SO WE MOTION TO APPROVE JULY 12TH, AUGUST 9TH MEETING, STIPULATION WITH ANY EDITS THAT WILL BE EMAILED BEFORE THE JULY 12TH MEETING.
OKAY, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD IF THIS IS FALLS UNDER ROBERT'S RULES TO SAY, I WANT TO AMPLIFY WHAT COMMISSIONER IAN PUT FORTH AS A MOTION ON THE FIRST TWO ITEMS ON THE ROADMAP FOR CONSIDERATION.
I'M NOT SURE I CAN REPEAT VERBATIM WHAT YOU JUST SAID, BUT I I THINK WE ALL LISTENED INTENTLY.
SO I, I HOPE THAT IT'S FAIR TO OFFER BEFORE I SEE COMMISSIONER RUNNIN ONCE HAS A COMMENT TO ADD TO THIS.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BAILEY.
UH, SO I, I AGREE TO THAT MOTION.
I'D JUST LIKE TO ADD THAT WE'RE ALSO ADDING THE TPI TO NEXT MEETING, CONSIDERING THE, THE NEED TO, UM, HAVE THAT PRESENTATION FROM THE TEXAS HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION, UM, AND POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY PRESENTERS ACCORDINGLY.
UM, AND THEN ALL THE EDITS ACTUALLY HAVE TO COME IN BY, UH, JULY THE FIFTH AS WELL, UH, IN ORDER TO MAKE IT TO THE MEETING JULY 5TH AT NOON TO MAKE IT THE EDITS INTO THIS DOCUMENT TO THEN BE APPROVED AT THE NEXT MEETING.
SO I JUST WANNA CLARIFY THAT POINT AS WELL.
AS IN ADDITION TO YOUR AMENDMENT TO YOUR MOTION.
COMMISSIONER MCGEE, DO YOU HAVE A, A COMMENT? UH, I SPEAK FOR THE MOTION, WHICH I BELIEVE IS FOR US TO APPROVE THE JULY 12TH AND AUGUST 9TH AGENDA AS WRITTEN WITH ANY AMENDMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED BY JULY 5TH AT NOON.
AND THOSE BE SUBMITTED BY EMAIL.
SO IF THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING, I, AND THEN AND ADDING THE TPA CONVERSATION AND YEP.
ADDING THE TPA CONVERSATION, THAT WOULD BE SUBMITTED BY EMAIL.
WE HAVE THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO APPROVE THE TWO IDEAS.
IS THERE A SECOND? IS THERE A SECOND? SORRY.
ALL IN FAVOR? ANY ABSTENTIONS? THERE'S NOT ANY ABSTENTIONS.
COMMISSIONER CHANIN? SORRY, DID YOU, WAS YOUR
[01:45:01]
HAND UP DOWN? NO, I WAS SWEATING OPPOSED.PARDON ME? I WAS OPPOSED TO MOTION.
LET THE RECORD SHOW CHRIS OR JANET'S OPPOSED AND ALL ELSE AFFIRMED.
WE HAVE SEVEN MINUTES LEFT AND WE HAVE, UH, BASICALLY FOUR ITEMS. WE HAVE TWO MORE DISCUSSION ITEMS AND TWO WORKING GROUP UPDATES, UM, WITH SEVEN MINUTES LEFT.
AND I, I BELIEVE WE'RE AT A HARD STOP AT FOUR 30.
UM, I'M, I GUESS I, I'LL ASK THE BODY.
WOULD, WOULD WE PREFER TO HAVE UPDATES FROM THE TPI? OH, YES.
UH, COMMISSIONER RONIN, PLEASE.
UH, ONCE AGAIN, COMMISSIONER BAILEY, UH, I APOLOGIZE IF I'M NOT THERE TO CHAIR TODAY.
I THINK IT WOULD'VE BEEN EASIER IN TERMS OF, UM, UH, EXPLAINING THE AGENDA.
I DO WANNA JUST SAY THAT THERE'S NOT REALLY ANY UPDATES FROM EITHER OF THE WORKING GROUPS.
I'VE JUST KEPT IT ON AS A, A STANDING AGENDA ITEM.
UM, AND I THINK THE NEXT TWO AGENDA ITEMS CAN BE TAKEN VERY QUICKLY.
I GUESS I'LL THEN, I'LL INTRODUCE,
[7. Review and Discussion of Annual Internal Review for submission to the City Clerk’s Office]
UM, ITEM NUMBER SEVEN UNDER DISCUSSION ACTION ITEMS, UH, REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF THE ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW FOR SUBMISSION TO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE OF THIS BODY'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS.AND, UH, COMMISSIONER RONAN, DO YOU HAVE, UH, ANY INITIAL THOUGHTS ON THE KEY ITEMS THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING FOR THIS, UH, REPORT? UM, BRIEFLY, I, I JUST WANT TO CALL OUT THAT THIS IS A REQUIREMENT FOR ALL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT THE CHAIRS SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT STATING HOW THE TOURISM COMMISSION OR WHATEVER BOARD AND COMMISSION FULFILLS ITS MANDATE, UM, AND STATE ITS ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THE PAST YEAR TOWARDS FULFILLING THAT MANDATE.
SO, UH, I WANTED TO ALERT ALL OF YOU THAT I WILL BE, UM, ESSENTIALLY LISTING ALL THOSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WE'VE DONE.
UM, PARTICULARLY I THINK IN HELPING, UM, ELEVATE THE STATURE OF TOURISM HERE IN AUSTIN, CREATING MORE OF A SCHEDULE FOR TALKING ABOUT, UH, TOPICS AS THEY, UM, RELATE TO TOURISM.
AND IN ADDITION, UM, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING SPACE FOR THE PUBLIC TO COMMENT ON, UH, THE IMPORTANCE OF TOURISM AND TOURISM INVESTMENTS.
SO, UH, PARTICULARLY AS THEY RELATE TO THE, UH, RELATE TO THE HOT TAX AND THE UPCOMING TPI DISCUSSIONS.
SO, UM, IF ANYBODY HAS ANY SUGGESTIONS WITH REGARD TO OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT, UM, WE'VE HAD THAT I HAVE NOT JUST MENTIONED, I REQUEST THAT YOU EMAIL THEM TO ME BY, UM, PRETTY MUCH, UH, JULY 3RD, UM, UM, WHICH WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IN, IN PUTTING TOGETHER THE AGENDA AND THE REQUIRED REPORT, UM, WHICH I WILL THEN PRESENT TO YOU ALL AT OUR JULY MEETING FOR DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL AND, UM, SUBMISSION TO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
SO THIS WAS MORE OF AN FYI, UM, UNLESS SOMEONE HAS SOMETHING, UH, IMMEDIATE FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER TO, UH, INCLUDE FOR THE RECORD.
SO, UH, AS A FOLLOW UP TO COMMISSIONER RONAN, I'LL ASK E IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS TOPIC? ANYONE WITH NO DISCUSSION? I WILL MOVE ON TO THE, UH, FINAL
[8. Discussion and possible action of Bios for Tourism Commission website]
ITEM, UH, THAT WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS, UH, DISCUSSION NUMBER EIGHT, WHICH IS A POSSIBLE ACTION OF ADDING COMMISSIONER BIOS TO THE TOURISM COMMISSION WEBSITE.UH, I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF BACKGROUND ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC, SO, UM, I SEE FELICIA, UH, HAS SIGNALED SHE HAS SOMETHING TO ADD TO THIS CO TOPIC.
I'M JUST ADDRESSING THE IDEA OF IT NOT BEING A REGULAR PRACTICE ON THE WEBSITES FOR COMMISSION BOARDS.
UM, SO IF IT'S NOT ABLE, I'M STILL TRYING TO GET AN ANSWER FROM CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, BUT IT'S NOT A GUARANTEE THAT THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN, UM, BECAUSE IT'S NOT A, A REGULAR PRACTICE THAT, UM, MOST OF ALL THE COMMISSION PAGES ARE PRETTY MUCH TEMPLATED.
UM, SO THEN ADDING SOMETHING IS, IS MAY NOT BE DOABLE.
UM, MAYBE WE CAN, YOU CAN DO IT, AND IT CAN BE AS A BACKUP DOCUMENT FOR THE MEETING, UM, OF THAT DAY THAT Y'ALL DECIDED.
BUT THAT'S AS BEST AS IT'S GONNA GET AT THIS POINT.
JUST, JUST MOVING ON FORWARD WITH THAT.
I SEE, UH, COMMISSIONER RONAN, CHAIR RONAN WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THIS DISCUSSION.
UM, FELICIA, WE, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU FOLLOWING UP WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE WITH THIS PARTICULAR QUESTION.
THIS, UH, WAS MY IDEA TO HELP, UM, ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR COMMISSION CURRENTLY.
I MEAN, LIKE A LOT OF COMMISSIONS AND
[01:50:01]
BOARDS WITH THE CITY, THE WEBSITE IS NOT REALLY DESCRIPTIVE OF WHO ARE ON THESE COMMISSIONS, APART FROM, UM, WHO WAS APPOINTED BY WHOM ON CITY COUNCIL.UM, I THINK THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO, UH, RATHER A TOPIC THAT CAN BE EXPLORED AND, UM, YOU KNOW, CAN HELP PROVIDE MORE, MORE INFORMATION AND, AND SORT OF CONTEXT TO OUR PERSPECTIVES ON THIS COUNCIL, UH, ON THIS COMMISSION RATHER.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M GONNA TRY AND ENCOURAGE, UM, THAT CAN HELP WITH, UH, ENGAGEMENT FROM THE PUBLIC, UM, UH, AS WELL AS, UM, OUR BROADER IMPACT WE WISH TO HAVE HERE ON TOURISM.
SO, UH, LET IT BE KNOWN THAT I INTEND TO REACH OUT TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE AND, UH, COUNCIL, UM, AS WELL TO INCREASE THE, THE CAPACITY OF OUR CITY WEBSITE TO HAVE PUBLIC INFORMATION ABOUT VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE GIVING A LOT OF THEIR TIME AND EFFORT TO, UH, THE WORK OF OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
I ALSO WANT TO MAKE A NOTE THAT I DID REACH OUT TO THE OFFICE OF MACKENZIE KELLY TO SEE IF WE COULD REPLACE, UM, RATHER HAVE SOMEONE FULFILL THE VACANCY FOR, UM, DISTRICT SIX SEAT.
SO JUST, UM, AN FYI ON, ON THAT LEVEL.
BUT, UM, IT'S AN ONGOING CONVERSATION.
I, I WOULD HOPE THAT BY THE, BY FALL WE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE A WEBSITE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, MORE REFLECTIVE, WHO WE ACTUALLY ARE, NOT JUST OUR NAME, WHICH CAN HELP US, UM, RAISE THE STATURE OF THE TOURISM COMMISSION MORE BROADLY.
WITH THAT, I DON'T BELIEVE WE NEED TO CALL A MOTION ON THIS LAST PARTICULAR ITEM.
I THINK WHAT I HEARD IS THAT, UH, FELICIA WILL FOLLOW UP WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE TO GET FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE POSSIBILITIES OF THE GUIDELINES, AND THAT YOU, COMMISSIONER RONAN, WERE, ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO, UH, LOOK FOR AN O OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP US CREATE MORE VISIBILITY FOR THE WORKS AND THE PEOPLE IN THE BODY HERE, THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
AND IF IT TAKES THE FORM OF BIOS ON THE WEBSITE, THEN IT DOES, BUT, WE'LL, I GUESS WE DON'T NEED TO DO THE MOTION TODAY UNTIL WE HAVE, UH, AN A ALL THE INFORMATION WE NEED.
SO WITH THAT, UM, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I, UH, COMMISSIONER MCGEE, UM, I'D RESPECTFULLY ASK IF COMMISSIONER, IF CHAIRMAN RONAN WOULD PULL US, UH, BY EMAIL INDIVIDUALLY, UM, WHETHER WE'RE IN SUPPORT OF HAVING BIOS.
UH, IT'S A GREAT IDEA, BUT I DUNNO IF YOU'VE BEEN ASKED INDIVIDUALLY IF WE WANNA PARTICIPATE IN THAT WAY.
SO, UM, BEFORE YOU GO TOO FAR, I WOULD SUGGEST MAYBE EMAILING US, UH, APPALLING US VIA EMAIL JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON BOARD WITH IT.
UH, COMMISSIONER RONIN, DOES THAT SOUND ACCEPTABLE FROM WHAT, FROM COMMISSIONER REGIS REQUEST THAT WE ALL RECEIVE FURTHER, UH, CORRESPONDENCE ON THIS TOPIC, UH, THROUGH OUR EMAIL? SURE.
UM, JUST NOTING THAT WE'RE ALREADY PUBLIC SERVANTS AND PEOPLE DO KNOW WHO WE ARE.
I JUST, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALSO BEING TRANSPARENT AND, YOU KNOW, SHOWING FOLKS, YOU KNOW, THE GREAT WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW WE CONNECTED TOURISM ON A MORE PERSONAL LEVEL.
IT'S NOT TO, UH, MAKE ANYONE UNCOMFORTABLE, BUT OF COURSE I DO WANNA, UM, BE RESPECTFUL OF, OF EVERYONE'S COMFORT LEVELS.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? UH, JUST THE FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS, I, I DON'T KNOW IF WE ARE FINISHED WITH THAT TOPIC OR NOT.
I THINK YOU SHOULD LAY IT ON THE TABLE.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
AGENDA ITEMS? YES.UH, SO, UH, NEXT TIME, UH, I WOULD LIKE, UH, TO HAVE A, UH, POTENTIAL ACTION ITEM AS TO, UH, RECOMMENDATION FOR, UH, CITY COUNCIL TO HAVE, UH, SOME PROPORTION OF, UH, SOME ALLOTMENT OF THE, UH, TPI, UH, MONEY TO GO TO HOMELESS FUNDING.
SO JUST A RECOMMENDATION ON OUR PART.
UM, NOT, UH, AND I, I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A NEGOTIATION THAT GOES ON BETWEEN, UH, CITY COUNCIL AND, UH, THE, UH, THE HOTEL INDUSTRY.
SO IT, IT'S, IT'S MORE SO JUST A RECOMMENDATION THAT THERE IS AN ALLOTMENT, UM, AND, UH, TO BE PRESENTED AT THE NEXT MEETING.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR, COMMISSIONER SHEEE, YOU, YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AS A FUTURE GEN ITEM FOR THE NEXT MEETING, TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS BODY MAKING A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL RELATED TO THE TPI, TO, TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, NOT TO, UH, DISCUSS, BUT TO ACTUALLY MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, UH, AS TO EARMARK SOME OF THAT MONEY TO, UH, FOR HOMELESS FUNDING.
JUST, UH, AGAIN, IT'S MORE OF A, UM, THIS IS OUR RECOMMENDATION AS A BODY.
THIS ISN'T, UH, ANYTHING THAT, UH, WE'RE FORCING OR, UH, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE HAVE TO HAVE A COMP, I BELIEVE WE COMMISSIONER HAPPEN.
[01:55:01]
I BELIEVE WE'D HAVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AND A DISCUSSION BEFORE ANY OF THAT WOULD HAPPEN.SO I THINK YOU CAN SAY THAT, BUT NOT, WE CAN'T TAKE ANYTHING TO COUNSEL BEFORE WE DISCUSS IT AS A BODY.
THAT WAS WHAT I THINK I WAS TRYING TO SAY AS WELL.
COMMISSIONER CONTI, YOU HAVE A COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? I WAS JUST GONNA NOTE, WE HAVE A WORKING GROUP, WHICH I PRESUME WOULD COME TO US WITH THE RECOMMENDATION ON THIS SPECIFIC TOPIC FIRST, WHICH I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GONNA RECOMMEND, BUT THEY'RE GONNA LOOK INTO IT AND UNDERSTAND WHAT'S ALLOWABLE AND FEASIBLE.
AND I HOPE WE HAVE THE BENEFIT OF THAT GROUP'S INPUT BEFORE WE HAVE A DISCUSSION.
I, I, I JUST, UH, SAY IT BECAUSE I, UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT IN, UH, THERE, THERE WILL BE MOVEMENT FROM COUNCIL ON THIS RELATIVELY SOON.
AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT I'VE HEARD.
SO IT, IT WOULD BE NICE TO, UH, JUST MAKE A RE RECOMMENDATION BEFORE, UH, CITY COUNCIL FORMALLY CONSIDERS, UH, THIS COMMISSIONER RONAN.
UH, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT PROPOSAL.
UM, AND I, I, BEING A MEMBER OF VT PAID WORKING GROUP, ALONG WITH COMMISSIONER REEDY, UM, COMMISSIONER MCGEE, COMMISSIONER MATHIS, UM, UH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A, A GREAT TIMELY TOPIC FOR US TO TAKE UP AND IN PARTICULAR TO OFFER RECOMMENDATION THAT WE CAN PRESENT AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
UM, AND, UH, COMMISSIONER SHEE, IF WE COULD ALSO, IF YOU'D LIKE TO BE ON THAT WORKING GROUP, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO, UM, JOIN.
I, WE'RE NOT, THAT'S NOT A QUORUM FIVE PEOPLE, SO YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO JOIN AND YOU'D BE OUR LAST MEMBER
THAT, THAT WAS MY QUESTION IS IF WE WOULD BE AT A QUORUM AT THAT POINT, BUT YEAH, I WOULD LOVE TO BE A MEMBER.
UH, SO, UM, I, I, UH, I DON'T THINK WE NEED A MOTION, UM, THAT WAS ALREADY ACTUALLY ASSUMED THAT IT WAS GONNA BE A TOPIC ON THIS, THIS MEETING'S AGENDA.
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE COPIED FOR NEXT MEETING'S AGENDA, CONSIDERING THAT THAT'S WHEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE CO THE PRESENTATION FROM THE TEXAS TELE LOING ASSOCIATION.
DO WE HAVE, SORRY, COMMISSIONER CHANN, I APOLOGIZE.
SO I'M JUST GONNA RE REITERATE MY EARLIER POINT THAT THE TEXAS STATUTE WOULD NOT ALLOW T PIND MONEY TO BE USED DIRECTLY FOR HOMELESSNESS.
THERE MAY BE SOME OTHER MECHANISM TO GET AROUND THAT, THAT I'M, YOU KNOW, NOT AWARE OF.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST SAYING THAT WE'RE GONNA USET PIN ALLOCATE T PIND MONEY FOR HOMELESSNESS, I'M PRETTY SURE WOULD NOT FLY LEGALLY.
AND I THINK THAT FURTHER ILLUSTRATES OUR NEED TO, YOU KNOW, THE T PIT HAS BEEN A VERY BIG, HUGE TOPIC, AND IT, IT'S GONNA RESONATE FOR YEARS, WHAT COMES OUT OF THAT.
UH, SO I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TOPICS WE'LL BE TAKING UP, AND I THINK GETTING CONSENSUS OPINIONS ON IT IS ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED.
SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMISSIONERS OPINIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS ON THIS TODAY.
COMMISSIONER RONAN, UH, I JUST WANTED TO THANK EVERYONE TODAY FOR THE PARTICIPATION AND A APOLOGIZE ONCE AGAIN FOR MY INABILITY TO BE THERE.
UH, I THINK THE WORK OF THIS COMMISSION IS, UH, THRILLING AND I'M EXCITED TO WORK WITH ALL OF YOU AND, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR NEXT JULY MEETING, UH, ABOUT WAYS TO, UM, IMPROVE TOURISM IN AUSTIN.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY AND, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH.
AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR DEALING WITH MY WOBBLY LEADERSHIP AT THIS ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDERS.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR, UH, A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COMMISSIONER REY.
SO OFFICIALLY WE WILL CALL THIS MEETING ADJOURNED.
SEE,
ALL IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNING THIS MEETING.