[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:05]
TIME NOW IS 6 34, AND THIS IS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION MEETING FOR SEPTEMBER.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING, OR THE PURPOSE OF THIS BOARD, IS TO ADVISE THE COUNCIL IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO SERVE THE POOR AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE WITH AN EMPHASIS ON FEDERALLY FUNDED PROGRAMS. THIS IS OUR CALL TO ORDER.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
PUBLIC, UH, WE HAVE THE PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS IN GENERAL.WE HAVE THE FIRST 10 SPEAKERS.
ANYONE SIGNED UP PRIOR TO THE MEETING BEING CALLED TO ORDER? WILL EACH BE ALLOWED A THREE MINUTE ALLOTMENT TO ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS REGARDING ITEMS NOT POSTED ON OUR AGENDA.
UM, ANOVIA JOSEPH, AND SHE'S, I THINK SHE'S GO, SHE'S REMOTE.
SHE'S NOT LOGGED IN RIGHT NOW.
WHAT ARE MY, UM, OPTIONS? I TAKE IT.
THIS IS A, THAT'S ONLY ONE TIME.
LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT, UM, MS. JOSEPH WAS UNABLE TO, UH, LOG IN AND BE PRESENT AT THE TIME OF THE PUBLIC, UM, HEARING, I MEAN, THE PUBLIC, UM, MINUTES OR OPPORTUNITY.
CAN YOU TURN THAT OTHER MIC OFF? OH, TURN THAT ONE OFF.
DIDN'T MEAN TO CREATE AN ECHO CHAMBER FOR YOU.
UM, MOVING ON, UH, WE ARE READY TO APPROVE THE JULY 11TH C D C MINUTES, MINUTE MEETING MINUTES.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE? YEAH, I'M, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE MINUTES.
WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER STEVEN AND I SECOND.
AND WE HAVE A COMMISSIONER, UH, ORTIZ HAS, UM, SECONDED.
AND THAT WAS COMMISSIONER BROWN, EXCUSE ME, WHO, UM, MADE THE MOTION.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BROWN.
WE HAVE SEVERAL BRIEFINGS THAT ARE ON OUR AGENDA.
THE FIRST ONE IS GONNA BE ADDRESSED BY STAFF.
UM, YOU SHOULD HAVE IN YOUR, IN YOUR PACKET, UM, THE COPY OF YOUR, THE ATTENDANCE MM-HMM.
UM, IF YOU'RE GONNA BE, UM, WE'VE KIND OF COVERED THIS ALREADY, BUT I'LL, I'LL KIND OF GO OVER IT AGAIN.
SO, LIKE I SAID, Y'ALL, Y'ALL SEEN THIS BEFORE.
UM, THIS HAS TO BE SIGNED FOR YOU TO PARTICIPATE, UM, IN THE MEETING, YOU KNOW, AS A COMMISSIONER AND SENT BACK TO US PRIOR TO THE MEETING.
SO, AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.
I MEAN, IT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
SO, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS? WELL, THANK YOU STAFF FOR GETTING THIS TO US, BECAUSE WE DO NEED TO, UM, BE ABIDING BY THE VARIOUS, UM, PROCEDURES THAT ARE EXPECTED, UH, OF US.
SO DID ALSO, DID WE VOTE ON THE MINUTES? I THINK Y'ALL, Y'ALL DID, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
'CAUSE COMMISSIONER, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
Y'ALL DID VOTE ON THEM HEAP FIRST, AND I THOUGHT, YEAH.
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SECOND.SO WE GOT A FIRST AND SECOND WITH NO VOTE.
SO, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER TOLIVER.
COMMISSIONER BROWN DID IN FACT, UM, MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT THEM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE CORRECTION.
I ALWAYS TELL YOU GUYS, KEEP ME KEEP THOSE, UH, BUMPER, LIKE THE BOWLING, YOU KNOW, KEEP THEM BOTH BUMPERS THERE FOR ME.
AND THEN WE DID HAVE COMMISSIONER ORTIZ SECOND IT, AND THEN I FAILED TO ASK FOR A VOTE.
SO I'M GONNA BACKTRACK ON THAT AND ASK, UM, CAN WE, UM, GET VOTE ON
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES? INDICATE MY RAISING YOUR HAND, THOSE ONLINE.IT LOOKS LIKE COMMISSIONER DELGADO.
I, WE DID THE, THE, THE MINUTES ARE ACCEPTED.
UM, MOVING FORWARD, UM, WE HAVE THE MULTI, UM, FACTOR, EMAIL LOGIN.
THAT'S, IS THAT WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY DEALT WITH? BECAUSE WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THAT AUTHORIZATION THING OR THE YEAH, WE, WE'VE, WE'VE KIND, KIND OF WENT OVER THIS ONE AS WELL.
SO IF YOU GET LOGGED OUT OR BLOCKED OUT, UH, THEY'LL SEND YOU A, UM, AN A CODE TO YOUR PHONE.
YOU PUT THE CODE IN, AND THEN IT'LL, IT'LL ALLOW, BASICALLY IT PROTECTS YOUR EMAIL WHEN WE USE THE MULTIFACTOR EMAIL LOGIN.
SO Y'ALL, Y'ALL SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED AN EMAIL ABOUT THAT.
UM, IF YOU READ OVER IT AND, AND KIND OF FOLLOW WHAT IT SAYS, YOU, YOU SHOULD BE FINE.
UM, BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES GETTING INTO YOUR EMAIL, TRY TO USE THAT.
AND IF THAT DOESN'T WORK, EMAIL ME AND I, AND I'LL HELP YOU.
I'LL HELP YOU GET LOGGED BACK INTO YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT.
[4. Annual Internal Review (HD Staff)]
INTERNAL REVIEW.UH, THIS IS AN, UM, THE, UH, ANNUAL REPORT THAT'S DONE FOR EVERY COMMISSION WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, COMMISSIONER, YOU AND I KIND OF WORKED ON THIS TOGETHER AND GOT IT COMPLETED AND TURNED IT IN.
UM, IF I DIDN'T SEND AN EMAIL OUT WITH A COPY FOR EVERYONE TO SEE, UM, I DON'T THINK YOU DID.
I DON'T REMEMBER IF I DID OR NOT.
I, I'LL SEND THAT, UM, TO EVERYONE SO YOU CAN ALL TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
UM, BUT THE COMMISSIONER AND I, AND, AND LETICIA WORKED ON IT AND WE GOT GOT IT COMPLETED AND TURNED IN.
SO, SO, BUT IT'S BASICALLY STATES WHAT, WHAT THE COMMISSION IS FOR, WHAT WE DO, UM, KIND OF, UM, TELLS WHAT IT, WHAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE PAST YEAR.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT THE CDC THAT THAT ANNUAL REPORT IS FOR.
AND YES, WOULD YOU PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE GETS A COPY OF THAT? AND, UM, COMMISSIONERS, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE ON IT, IT'S ALREADY BEEN SUBMITTED, BUT, UM, I DEFINITELY STILL WOULD LIKE, UH, FEEDBACK IN RETRO SPEC IF THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT WE OVERLOOKED OR SOMETHING YOU WANNA EMPHASIZE GOING FORWARD.
UM, WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION OF OUR COMMUNITY SERVICE BLOCK GRANT, OUR C SS, B, G, AND ON HILL IS GOING TO STEP TO THE DICE AND SHARE HIS GOODIES.
GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS ONLINE AND HERE IN PERSON.
CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME JUST FINE? MM-HMM.
UH, TODAY I HAVE A COUPLE OF ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
[5. Presentation on the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) (Angel Zambrano, Neighborhood Services Unit, Austin Public Health) ]
MONTHLY PRESENTATION ON THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT.THIS IS THE ONE I DO EACH MONTH.
JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT FUNDS THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES TO LOW INCOME TEXANS, UH, IN ALL 254 COUNTIES.
THESE FUNDS SUPPORT A VARIETY OF DIRECT SERVICES IN ADDITION TO HELPING MAINTAIN THE CORE ADMINISTRATIVE ELEMENTS OF COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCIES, WHICH WE ARE ONE AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES UNIT.
OUR MISSION, THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES UNIT, IMPROVES THE LIVES AND HEALTH OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING POVERTY BY PROVIDING PUBLIC HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES, AND CONNECTING RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES.
WE DO THAT THROUGH A VARIETY OF SERVICES, BASIC NEEDS,
[00:10:02]
A LOT OF FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY HERE IN AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY.CLOTHING, INFORMATION, REFERRALS, NOTARY SERVICES, TRANSPORTATION, THAT'S BUS PASSES, CAR SAFETY EDUCATION AND CAR SEATS, TAX PREPARATION, ET CETERA.
UM, WE ALSO OFFER PREVENTIVE HEALTH SERVICES.
OUR PUBLIC HEALTH NURSES PROVIDE FREE SCREENINGS TO OUR COMMUNITY, UH, BLOOD SUGAR, BLOOD PRESSURE, CHOLESTEROL.
WE HAVE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES.
OUR SOCIAL WORKERS PROVIDE SELF-SUFFICIENCY CASE MANAGEMENT WITH THE GOAL OF OUR CLIENTS, UH, BECOMING SELF-SUFFICIENT, FINDING EMPLOYMENT, REENTERING THE WORLD OF WORK AND, AND MAINTAINING EMPLOYMENT.
UH, THE BOTTOM OF THE FIRST PAGE IS JUST OUR BUDGET.
WE GET A, WE GOT 1 MILLION 1 29, 4 0 4 THIS PAST, UH, YEAR.
WE'VE EXPENDED 27% OF THAT WHEN RUNNING THESE PROGRAMS. IF YOU GO TO PAGE NUMBER TWO, ONE OF THE STATE'S, UH, GOALS IS, UH, TRANSITIONING PEOPLE OUTTA POVERTY.
UM, THE GOAL IS 43 FOR THE YEAR THROUGH JULY.
IT'S BEEN A PRETTY CHALLENGING YEAR FOR, UH, OUR CLIENTS TO MAINTAIN AND FIND EMPLOYMENT THAT, UH, PAYS A LIVING WAGE.
SO WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH FOLKS.
UM, THAT NUMBER WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE AS THE YEAR ENDS.
UM, YOU GO DOWN TO SOME OF THE OUTCOME DATA.
I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THINGS.
THE FEDERAL, UM, PERFORMANCE INDICATOR FOR A HOUSEHOLD TO AVOIDED EVICTION.
OUR GOAL THIS YEAR, OUR TARGET WAS 400.
UH, WE HAVE 381 HOUSEHOLD TO AVOIDED EVICTION THIS PAST YEAR WITH SOME OF THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE MONIES.
WE RECEIVED THE 95% SUCCESS RATE.
UM, FIVE D INDIVIDUALS WHO IMPROVE SKILLS RELATED TO THE ADULT ROLE OF PARENT AND CAREGIVERS.
SO WE EDUCATE FAMILIES ON HOW TO PROPERLY INSTALL A CAR SEAT AND MAINTAIN SAFETY FOR THEIR CHILD AS THEY GROW.
UH, OUR, THAT PROGRAM IS GROWING, SO WE KIND OF WENT OVER THE TARGET ON THAT.
IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE SERVICES, WHICH I WILL EXPLAIN LATER AT MY SECOND PRESENTATION, I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THE, UH, FIVE JJ, THE FOOD DISTRIBUTION.
OVER 42,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SERVED AT ONE OF OUR MANY, UH, FOOD DISTRIBUTION EVENTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK.
UH, THAT INCLUDES FRESH FOODS FOR LESS SHOP FOR MARKET DAY, THE WHOLE PROGRAM FOR OUR FOLKS WHO ARE ELDERLY AND, AND FOOD INSECURE.
UM, THAT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.
AND I, AGAIN, GOOD NEWS, BUT ALSO BAD NEWS SO THAT THE NEED IS THERE AND THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MEET IT AS BEST WE CAN.
AND, UM, ANOTHER HIGHLIGHT IS OUR VOLUNTEERS.
WE WENT FROM ALMOST LIKE ZERO HOURS DURING COVID TO KIND OF HAVING A ROBUST VOLUNTEER, UM, GROUP AGAIN.
SO WE HAVE OVER A THOUSAND HOURS OF VOLUNTEERS DONATING THEIR TIME TO OUR AGENCY.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, WE'LL HAVE SOME, UM, PROGRAMMATIC ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATES FOR THE MONTH.
I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT NUMBER THREE.
UH, IN JULY, WE SENT OUT TWO SURVEYS.
ONCE A YEAR, WE TRY TO GET SOME CLIENT SATISFACTION DATA, KINDA HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT, WHAT WE COULD IMPROVE.
THEY ARE IN THE BACKUP, SO I'LL LEAVE THOSE THERE FOR YOU TO LOOK UP, LOOK AT IT YOUR OWN TIME.
BUT I'LL HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE THINGS DURING THIS PRESENTATION.
UM, ONE OF THE SERVICE WAS TO OUR SELF-SUFFICIENCY CASE MANAGEMENT CLIENTS.
AND THE OTHER ONE WAS JUST ANYONE WHO RECEIVED BASIC NEEDS SERVICES.
UH, THIS PAST, UH, YEAR, THE RESULTS WERE OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE.
A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES, 72% OF OUR CASE MANAGEMENT CLIENTS WOULD RECOMMEND THE PROGRAM TO A FRIEND.
THE RELATIVE 86% AGREED THEIR CASE MANAGER WAS EASY TO CONTACT.
AND 86% ALSO, UM, OF CLIENTS WHO RECEIVED BASIC NEEDS SERVICES WERE HAPPY WITH THE SERVICES THEY RECEIVED.
THAT'S, UH, FOOD FANS, CLOTHING, CAR SEATS, ET CETERA.
AND 91% WOULD RECOMMEND THEM TO A FRIEND, THE RELATIVE.
AGAIN, THEY'RE IN THE BACKUP FOR YOUR OWN.
NUMBER FOUR, OUR HOME DELIVERY PROGRAM.
I'D LOVE TO REPORT ONCE AGAIN, IT CONTINUES TO BE VERY ROBUST.
IN JULY, WE HAD 2,345 HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVED FOOD BOXES DELIVERED TO THEIR DOORSTEP.
I BELIEVE THAT OUR, UM, OUR CEILING IS 2,500 HOUSEHOLDS.
WE DO DELIVERIES MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
AND THIS, AGAIN, IS IN COLLABORATION WITH THE FOOD BANK AND AMAZON.
IT'S BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM, A KIND OF INNOVATIVE WAY TO, TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY, GET FOOD RIGHT TO THE FOLKS' HOMES INSTEAD
[00:15:01]
OF HAVING THEM COME INTO OUR CENTERS.THEY GET THE HOME DELIVERY PROGRAM, BUT THEY ALSO COME INTO SOME OF OUR, UH, FRESH FOOD EVENTS.
UH, NUMBER FIVE, OUR CITY OF AUSTIN FINANCIAL STABILITY FUNDING.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF CENTRAL TEXAS.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ASSIST 386 PEOPLE AVOID EVICTION WITH A TOTAL OF ALMOST $300,000.
THAT'S BEEN A PRETTY GREAT PARTNERSHIP OVER THE YEARS.
AND THOSE FOLKS THAT WE CAN'T ASSIST OURSELVES, WE REFER TO CATHOLIC CHARITIES AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN FUNDING AND STAFF TO, TO HELP THEM OVER THERE.
UH, NUMBER SIX, THE PLUS ONE PROGRAM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NEW, THAT THE PROGRAM WITH AUSTIN ENERGY, THAT HELPS US WITH SOME FUNDING FOR UTILITY ASSISTANCE HELP OUR FOLKS KEEP THEIR LIGHTS ON.
AND THAT PROGRAM HAS ALSO GONE VERY WELL.
I THINK WE GET ABOUT $32,000 A YEAR, BUT IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF A LOT OF PEOPLE.
'CAUSE A LOT OF THE PAYMENTS ARE 200, $300.
AND I WILL, STARTING NEXT FISCAL YEAR, I'LL, I'LL TRY TO GIVE YOU SOME OF THE NUMBERS ON THAT PROGRAM TOO SO YOU GUYS CAN SEE THE IMPACT.
AND NUMBER SEVEN, OUR PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING, THEY'RE BACK, UH, THEY'VE BEEN BACK SINCE FROM THE PANDEMIC FOR ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS.
WE'VE STOOD UP OUR HUBS AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS WHERE WE PROVIDE, UH, BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENINGS, BLOOD SUGAR, CHOLESTEROL, HEALTH EDUCATION, PREGNANCY TESTS, AND JUST GENERAL INFORMATION FOR FOLKS WHO, WHO NEED IT.
IF WE CAN'T DO SOMETHING FOR THEM, WE DO A WARM HANDOFF TO AN AGENCY THAT CAN, UH, THE NEXT STEP FOR THAT PROGRAM IS WE'RE GONNA STAND UP A DIABETES CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS TO HELP FOLKS AND EMPOWER THEM TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE SOME LIFESTYLE CHANGES AND ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THEY MAY NOT EVEN KNOW THEY HAVE UNTIL THEY COME IN AND GET TESTED FOR FREE AND REALIZE THAT, UH, THEY MIGHT BE PRE-DIABETIC OR, OR HAVE DIABETES.
SO I HOPE TO HAVE MORE SUCCESS STORIES IN THE COMING YEAR.
I USED TO DO THAT BEFORE COVID KIND OF HAVE A SUCCESS STORY AT THE END OF THIS REPORT SO YOU GUYS COULD ACTUALLY SEE, YOU KNOW, PUT A, A STORY TO THE NUMBERS SO THAT THAT'S COMING IN FISCAL YEAR 24.
DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER DELGADO.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THEY RECOGNIZE YOU.
UM, WELL FIRST OF ALL, I HAD THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS DEDICATING YOURSELF TO YOUR JOB AND, AND TO, UM, THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN.
UM, IF WE DIDN'T HAVE PEOPLE LIKE YOU WORKING, UM, I DON'T THINK THAT WE WOULD BE WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY WHEN IT COMES TO THIS PROGRAM.
BEING ON THE BOARD FOR SEVEN YEARS.
I HAVE WATCHED THE NUMBERS AND THIS IS THE BEST I HAVE EVER SEEN.
AND SO YOU ARE DOING A LOT OF GOOD WORK OUT THERE.
I JUST WANNA TO JUST TELL YOU THANK YOU.
AND, UM, JUST LOOKING AT THIS AND HEARING IT JUST GIVES ME JOY AND, AND IT BRINGS, BRINGS ME A SMILE TO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL HAVE SERVED THAT MANY PEOPLE, AVOIDED THAT MANY EVICTIONS AND, UH, HELP PEOPLE, UH, THAT ARE IN NEED.
AND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO.
UM, AND YOUR PARTNERSHIPS, CATHOLIC CHARITIES AND FOOD BANK AND ALL OF THEM DOING GOOD WORK OUT THERE.
AGAIN, I JUST WANTED TO JUST TELL YOU THANK YOU AND THANK YOU TO YOUR STAFF AND ALL THE VOLUNTEERS AT ALL THE CENTERS THAT ARE DOING THE WORK.
WE HAVE CLOSE TO 50 STAFF NOW, SO WE HAVE GROWN A LITTLE BIT AND THEY ALL DO THE WORK EVERY DAY.
UM, JUST AT EAST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, WHICH IS THE ONE WHERE YOU REPRESENT, I THINK LAST MONTH WE HAD OVER 350 FOOD PANTRY SERVICES, WHICH IS AMAZING.
USUALLY IT WOULD BE MAYBE 50 70 'CAUSE IT'S JUST PART OF WHAT WE DO.
BUT AGAIN, THE NEED IS SO GREAT THAT THEY'RE, UH, REALLY STEPPING UP AND HELPING PEOPLE.
I, UM, WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE, UH, OR POINT OUT COMMISSIONERS THAT THE SURVEY INFORMATION THAT IS IN OUR PACKET IS VERY HELPFUL.
UM, AND IT'S, UM, VERY INFORMATIVE.
SO, UH, WHEN YOU GET A MOMENT, TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND, UH, KIND OF JUST FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH IT.
I HAVE, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR ANGEL.
UM, ANGEL, UH, DO ALL THE PEOPLE THEY NEED TO BE, UH, CAN THEY APPLY TO YOUR PROGRAM WITH AN, WITH THE 19 NUMBER? OR DO THEY NEED TO BE, UH, RESIDENTS OR CITIZENS? THEY JUST NEED TO COME IN? NO NEED TO
[00:20:01]
PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION.UM, THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION.
UM, I HAD A SIMILAR QUESTION WHEN IT COMES TO ELIGIBILITY AND UM, I DO WORK WITH, UM, A LOT OF FAMILIES WHO ARE, UH, UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS.
AND SO I JUST WANTED CLARIFICATION ABOUT ELIGIBILITY.
UM, AND WHERE ELSE THEY CAN FIND THIS INFORMATION.
UH, UH, REGARDING ELIGIBILITY, THEY JUST NEED TO COME IN.
UM, THEY CAN FIND THE INFORMATION AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS ONLINE.
I CAN SEND THEM OUT TO ALL OF YOU AS THERE'S SOME NEW FACES HERE AS WELL.
SO I CAN SHARE THAT WITH ALL OF YOU AS WELL.
UM, ELIGIBILITY, WE TEND TO SERVE PEOPLE UNDER 200%.
SO IN TERMS OF A RENTAL ASSISTANCE, THAT'S, UM, THE CUTOFF.
'CAUSE WE'RE REALLY TARGETING KIND OF THE POOREST OF THE POOR.
JUST FOR YOUR OWN KNOWLEDGE, IN AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY, FOR A HOUSEHOLD OF THREE, THAT WOULD BE $49,000.
SO THAT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY FOR A HOUSEHOLD OF THREE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
SO WE, AGAIN, WE'RE TARGETING THOSE THAT REALLY, REALLY NEED IT.
UM, SO WELL, UM, I GET, ARE THESE SERVICES LIKE AVAILABLE IN SPANISH ALSO? UH, YES.
WE HAVE BILINGUAL STAFF AT ALL THE CENTERS.
IF THERE ARE NO BILINGUAL STAFF AT THE TIME, THE PERSON COMES IN, WE HAVE TRANSLATION SERVICES TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT WILL MAKE IT EASY FOR FOLKS TO COMMUNICATE IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES.
WELL, WITH THE, WITH THE POPULATION THAT I SERVE, UM, OTHER TENDS TO BE A LOT OF, UH, LACK OF INFORMATION ABOUT, UM, IMMIGRATION.
IT TENDS TO CAUSE A LOT OF LIKE STRESS AND ANXIETY.
AND, UM, I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND A RELIABLE SOURCE OF INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.
BUT DO, DO, WOULD THIS PROGRAM OFFER THAT TYPE OF EDUCATION OR SERVICE? IF THEY CAME IN, WE COULD TRY TO FIGURE OUT SOME INFORMATION ON REFERRALS.
WE HAVE SOCIAL WORKERS WHO ARE PART OF THE CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAM, WHO ARE VERY VERSED ON WHAT KIND OF RESOURCES ARE OUT THERE THAT WE CAN'T PROVIDE THIS SERVICE.
WE CAN SEND SOMEBODY TO TENANT COUNCIL OR MAYBE SOME KIND OF IMMIGRATION CLINIC.
I KNOW TEXAS HERE TO STAY WAS DOING SOME OF THAT WORK, YOU KNOW, UH, ABOUT THREE, FOUR YEARS AGO.
SO DEFINITELY JUST SEND THEM IN AND UH, WE CAN DO WHAT WE CAN.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER LONGORIA.
THE ONLY THING I POINT I'VE NOTICED WAS THAT I WANTED TO COMMENT ON WAS, UM, WE HAVE A GOAL OF THE, I'M GOING TO THE TOP HERE REGARDING OUR POVERTY GOAL, OUR TRANSITION OUT OF POVERTY.
AND I DON'T WANNA SAY WHAT'S YOUR PROJECTION OF BY THE END OF THE YEAR? 'CAUSE WE HAVE UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR.
THIS IS RUNNING ON A CALENDAR YEAR, CORRECT? CORRECT.
AND WE ARE ACTUALLY AT 14 MM-HMM.
BUT MY REPORT IS ALWAYS TWO MONTHS BEHIND IN TERMS OF THE LIVE DATA.
WE ARE NOT GONNA MEET THAT GOAL THIS YEAR.
UH, LAST YEAR I THINK WE GOT 48.
UM, AND I THINK PART OF IT HAS TO DO WITH COMING OUTTA THE PANDEMIC.
PART OF IT HAS TO DO WITH THE JOBS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, PAYING A LIVING WAGE AND FOLKS MAINTAINING EMPLOYMENT.
I BELIEVE PERSONALLY, NOT WITH ANY DATA FOLKS ARE DEALING WITH A LOT.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT SOMETIMES BECOMES DETRIMENTAL TO MAINTAINING EMPLOYMENT.
'CAUSE WHEN WE BRING FOLKS INTO OUR, UM, SELF-SUFFICIENCY CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, THEY NEED TO BE 1 25 AND BELOW.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE TARGETING FOLKS WHO ARE VERY POOR, WHO, AND THAT USUALLY TRANSLATES TO A LOT OF BARRIERS AND A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING IN THEIR LIFE.
WHETHER IT'S CHILDCARE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, POVERTY, NUTRITION.
SO I THINK ALL THOSE THINGS KIND OF CLUSTER AND BECOME A BIG ISSUE, ESPECIALLY THIS YEAR.
SO, NOT AN EXCUSE, BUT I THINK PEOPLE ARE JUST HOLDING A LOT AND IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT TO GET TO THOSE THREE MONTHS.
THEY MIGHT GET THE JOB AND THEY HAVE TO MAINTAIN IT FOR 90 DAYS AND COME BACK TO US AND SHOW US THAT THEY'RE MAINTAINING IT, THE PAY STUBS SO THAT WE HAVE AN ACTUAL RECORD FOR THE STATE.
SO I THINK SOMETIMES THEY MIGHT NOT COME BACK.
THEY GET THE JOB AND FOR WHATEVER REASON THEY'RE READY TO MOVE ON.
SOMETIMES THEY LOSE THE JOB AGAIN, DUE TO ALL THESE DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT WE'RE ALL AWARE OF.
SO, UH, WE, WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO OUR BEST.
[00:25:01]
AIMING AGAIN TO MEET OUR GOAL.I, I THINK I RECALL THAT THE NUMBER BEING A LITTLE BIT HIGHER LAST YEAR, AND I KIND OF, I DIDN'T REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS, BUT I WAS LIKE, HMM, THIS LOOKS LIKE A LITTLE BIT LOWER.
SO I WANTED TO JUST CHECK ON THAT.
SO DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, SOME OF OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS ARE, UH, JUGGLING MULTIPLE HIGH PRIORITIES.
AND WHEN THE BALL DROPPING THE BALL, IT'S CAN BE A DISASTER.
COMMISSIONER DELGADO, I JUST WANTED TO CHIME INTO OUR DISCUSSION HERE.
'CAUSE IT IS, IT IS TRUE THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR OUR POVERTY SUCCESSFUL RATE IS A LITTLE BIT LOWER THIS YEAR.
BUT I DO WANNA LET YOU ALL KNOW, UM, THAT THE EMPLOYMENT, UM, SIDE OF, IN AUSTIN, EVEN THOUGH THEY SAY THAT WE ARE HIGH MARKET OF JOBS, WE, AND JUST COMING, 'CAUSE I'M COMING FROM WORKING AS, AS A REENTRY EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST.
SO, UH, THE 90 DAY RETENTION IS REALLY HARD AT, AT THIS TIME.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS YEAR, BUT IT'S BEEN A VERY CHALLENGING THING TO SEE COMING FROM THE EMPLOYMENT AND THE RECRUITING SIDE.
UM, OUR PROGRAM WITH THE GI FORM HAS ALSO A 90 DAY RETAINING, UH, POVERTY RATE, UM, SCALE THAT WE GO THROUGH AS WELL.
SO WE'RE NOT MEETING OUR NUMBERS.
SO EVERY PROGRAM I SEE IN OUR CITY AND OUR COUNTY ARE FACING THE SAME CHALLENGES.
SO I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT IT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE AND HAD MAYBE JUST, YOU KNOW, A SUGGESTION, A LITTLE BIT OF FEEDBACK, MAYBE PARTNERING WITH SOME TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT, UM, ENTITY OF SOME KIND, THE WORKFORCE COMMISSION, UM, YOU KNOW, A STAFFING AGENCY.
UM, ANY TYPE OF OTHER RESOURCES WE HAVE THERE TO KIND OF ASSIST WITH THAT PORTION THAT YOU'RE PROB Y'ALL PROBABLY NEED SOME ASSISTANCE IN.
I SAW THAT YOU ALL ARE PARTNERING WITH CATHOLIC CHARITIES FOR, YOU KNOW, AND FOOD BANK.
LET'S, LET'S LOOK AT MAYBE THAT NEXT YEAR IF YOU DON'T SEE IT IMPROVING.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT SUGGESTION.
UM, YES, ANN, I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.
WHERE DO COMMUNITY MEMBERS GO ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S WEBSITE TO GET THAT INFORMATION? AND WHAT LOCATION DO THEY JUST NEED TO COME INTO? 'CAUSE I REPRESENT A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE BORN AND RAISED HERE IN AUSTIN AND THEY HAVEN'T, UH, BEEN ABLE TO, THEY NEED HELP AND HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET SOME OF THOSE RESOURCES.
SO, UM, WHERE, WHERE, WHAT, WHAT'S THE LOCATION AND, UH, WHERE ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN WEBSITE CAN THEY SEE THOSE LISTS OF RESOURCES? BUT IF YOU, IF YOU GOOGLE CITY OF AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS, OUR WEBSITE COMES UP.
BUT WHAT I WILL DO, I'LL SEND YOU ALL AGAIN, THE FLYER, THAT'S THE TWO PAGER IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH THAT HAS THE SIX LOCATIONS.
AND THEN THAT'S THE FIRST STEP.
THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER FLYERS AND CALENDARS, BUT IT GETS CONFUSING.
I THINK THE MAIN FLYER WOULD BE THE WAY TO GO.
THEY COULD EITHER CALL OR COME IN.
UM, EITHER WAY WE'RE, WE'RE THERE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
THANK, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BROWN.
I DON'T, I THINK IT'S JUST KIND OF A SIDE COMMENT ON, UM, FIVE D THAT DEALS WITH THE CAR SEATS AND HOW TO HELP PARENTS.
UM, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF Y'ALL HAD IT FOR THE GRANDPARENTS TOO, BECAUSE PUTTING THEM, THEM CAR SEATS ARE VERY, VERY DIFFICULT.
SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UM, WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING.
UM, IF THAT IS, IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS REGARDING FOR UNHA? OH, YES.
OH, OH, UM, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.
UM, I NOTICED THAT ON ITEM FIVE, A IMMUNIZATIONS IS BLANK.
IS THAT, UH, A SEASONAL THING? OH, I DIDN'T CATCH THAT.
UH, YES, COMMISSIONER, THAT IS SEASONAL.
AND WE'RE WAITING TO GET OUR FLU VACCINE.
IT ALWAYS COMES A LITTLE LATER FOR US.
UH, BUT WE ALREADY HAVE A, A COLLABORATION WITH A I S D TO TARGET SOME OF THE FOLKS WITH THE PARENT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS THIS YEAR.
SO MORE DATA TO COME, BUT THAT IS SEASONAL.
I I DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE THE MISSED THING.
MY NAME IS COMMISSIONER MICHAEL TOLIVER.
I'M WONDERING WITH THE PEOPLE THAT THE GOVERNOR HAD SENT OUT OF STATE ON BUSES MM-HMM.
[00:30:01]
WE ARE SEEING PEOPLE COMING IN WHO HAVE COME HERE TO TEXAS CENTER AND A FAMILY IN AUSTIN AND THEY COME INTO LIKE MONTOPOLIS OR SOUTH AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER.
BUT I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM, UH, OTHER PEOPLE COMING BACK FROM NEW YORK OR CHICAGO OR, BUT THEY'RE ON THEIR WAY.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS? ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? THIS IS WHAT WE'RE ALL ABOUT.
SO I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY, UM, CHIMING IN AND ASKING QUESTIONS AND ON HOW YOU PRESENTING THE INFORMATION.
WE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN THIS, THIS MATTERS TO US.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE ARE FINISHED WITH, UM, NUMBER FIVE FOR OUR BRIEFINGS.
WE'LL KEEP ON HAIL IN THE HOT SEAT AND WE WILL MOVE ON TO NUMBER SIX.
[6. Briefing on the proposed 2024 CSBG Budget and Community Action Plan (Angel Zambrano, Manager, Neighborhood Services Unit, Austin Public Health). ]
AND THIS IS GOING TO BE REGARDING THE BRIEFING, UH, ON OUR PROPOSED 2024 C S B G, OUR BUDGET AND OUR COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN UNTIL YOU HAVE THE FLOOR AGAIN.UM, I MAKE THIS PRESENTATION TO THE COMMISSION AND ASK FOR YOUR REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF THE CAP AND BUDGET AS THEY'RE CALLED BY THE STATE.
SO I WILL START WITH THE CAP, THE COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN.
SO THIS KIND OF SHOWS YOU BEHIND THE SCENES SOME OF OUR MEASURES, YOU KNOW, SOME OF 'EM ARE SET BY THE STATE, SOME OF 'EM ARE SET BY US IN TERMS OF WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO IN TERMS OF OUR CAPACITY AND BANDWIDTH.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR BACKUP, THERE'S FEDERAL NATIONAL PERFORMANCE INDICATORS.
SO THOSE ARE THE F MPIS, THOSE ARE WHAT KIND OF DRIVES WHAT WE DO.
AND THEN THERE'S THE SERVICES WHICH ARE ON THE RIGHT SIDE HERE.
AND THOSE ARE THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE TO BE ABLE TO GET THOSE OUTCOMES.
SO FOR 2024, UNDER F M P I ONE, THE EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES, THESE ARE THE ONES THE STATE GIVES US.
AND THEN WE AS A LEADERSHIP TEAM AND WITH STAFF, KIND OF PICK WHICH ONES WE CAN WORK ON AND WHICH ONES WE HAVE THE PROGRAMMING FOR.
SO I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH ALL OF 'EM, BUT IT KIND OF SHOWS YOU, UH, THESE ARE TO HELP PEOPLE GET BACK INTO THE WORLD OF WORK.
THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO DO THAT ARE JOB READINESS TRAINING, JOB COACHING.
THAT'S HERE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FIRST PAGE.
UM, RESUME DEVELOPMENT, SOME INTERVIEW SCALE, SOME JOB REFERRALS.
THE NUMBERS ARE KIND OF SMALL 'CAUSE THAT'S NOT WHAT WE DO A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE TIME.
IT'S JUST WHAT WE CAN DO WITH SOME OF OUR CLIENTS WHO ARE IN SELF-SUFFICIENCY CASE MANAGEMENT.
WHEN WE CAN'T DO THAT, WE REFER OUT LIKE COMMISSIONER DELGADO TALKED ABOUT WORKFORCE AND OTHER AGENCIES THAT MIGHT PROVIDE SOME OF THESE SERVICES, UH, ONGOING.
SO THESE ARE OUR GOALS FOR OUR OUTCOMES.
WE HAVE THE GOALS THERE, LIKE F M P I ONE B, NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYED ADULTS WHO OBTAIN EMPLOYMENT UP TO A LIVING WAGE.
AND THOSE WOULD BE CLIENTS THAT WOULD COME FROM OUR CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMMING.
THOSE, THE NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYED ADULTS WHO OBTAINED THEM, MAINTAIN THE EMPLOYMENT FOR AT LEAST 90 DAYS UP TO A LIVING WAGE IS FIVE.
SO YOU, IF YOU CAN SEE HOW, WHERE THIS IS GOING, WHICH IS THESE ARE THE OUTCOMES AND THE SERVICES ON THE, ON THE RIGHT SIDE WILL HELP US GET TO THOSE OUTCOMES.
IF YOU GO TO PAGE TWO, ANOTHER PRETTY BUSY PAGE, F M P I TWO, THESE ARE EDUCATION OUTCOMES.
WE'VE CHOSEN TO FOCUS ON FM P I TWO H, THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO OBTAINED A RECOGNIZED CREDENTIAL, A CERTIFICATE OR DEGREE RELATING TO THE ACHIEVEMENT OF EDUCATIONAL OR VOCATIONAL SKILLS.
WE PUT DOWN SEVEN OF OUR CLIENTS IN SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
CASE MANAGEMENT WOULD GET SOME KIND OF CERTIFICATE.
WE DO HAVE RELATIONSHIP WITH SKILL POINT.
THEY DO, UH, I THINK C D L, HVAC, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE FIELDS THAT ARE IN HIGH DEMAND RIGHT NOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE RIGHT SIDE.
SO WHAT SERVICES HERE APPLY TECHNOLOGY CLASSES.
SO WE KIND OF PARTNER WITH THEM, WE SEND FOLKS OVER THERE, WE GO AND ALSO DO PRESENTATIONS.
AND HOPEFULLY SOME OF THOSE CLIENTS WILL TAKE UP, TAKE US UP ON IT.
UM, 'CAUSE WE CAN PROVIDE BUS PASSES.
WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP WITH RENT ASSISTANCE WHEN WE HAVE THE FUNDING.
AND JUST, YOU KNOW, SOCIAL WORKERS WHO CAN HELP WITH JOB COACHING, INTERVIEW SKILLS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
[00:35:01]
TURN THE PAGE TO F M P I THREE.THAT'S OUR INCOME AND ASSET BUILDING OUTCOMES.
AGAIN, IT HAS TO DO WITH THOSE FOLKS IN SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
WE'RE FOCUSING ON ONE OF THESE OUTCOMES.
'CAUSE HISTORICALLY THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE.
F MPI, I THREE H, THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS ENGAGED WITH THE COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY WHO REPORT IMPROVES FINANCIAL WELLBEING.
AND THIS IS BECAUSE THIS HAS TO DO WITH, UH, FILLING OUT A ASSESSMENT IN THE BEGINNING AND ONE AT THE END.
THE CHALLENGING PART IS GETTING THE ONE AT THE END.
ONCE FOLKS HAVE A JOB, THEY'VE MOVED ON.
SO OUR GOAL IS, IS FIVE FOLKS IN, IN REPORTING THAT THEY IMPROVE THEIR FINANCIAL WELLBEING BY BEING IN OUR PROGRAM ON THE RIGHT SIDE.
SOME OF THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE, UM, IS THE A VIDA TAX PREPARATION PROGRAM.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE, UM, A A R P.
THEY COME TO ROSEWOOD DURING TAX SEASON AND, UH, HELP FOLKS DO THEIR TAXES FOR FREE.
AND I THINK I, I DID PRESENT ON THIS, I THINK IN JULY OR JUNE IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH MONEY WAS REFUNDED TO OUR CLIENTS, UM, AND HOW MANY PEOPLE WE SERVED.
IF YOU TURN TO PAGE F M P I FOUR IS KIND OF OUR, ONE OF THE TWO BIG THINGS THAT WE DO.
I THINK A LOT OF IT IS FOOD INSECURITY AND HELPING PEOPLE AVOID EVICTION.
SO, FM P I FOUR E IS WHAT WE FOCUS ON.
THE NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS TO AVOIDED EVICTION.
OUR TARGET IS 800 FOR THE COMING YEAR.
UH, WE ARE HOPING TO GET SOME, UH, RENTAL ASSISTANCE FUNDING, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE MONTHLY REPORT.
WE'RE TRYING TO DOUBLE THAT TARGET THIS YEAR.
AND AGAIN, THAT WOULD BE WITH SOME, UH, C O A FINANCIAL STABILITY FUNDING AND HOPEFULLY SOME DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY FUNDS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE RIGHT SIDE, IT SHOWS THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO DO THAT.
FOUR C IS THE RENT PAYMENTS, OBVIOUSLY 800 RENT PAYMENTS, WE'LL TRANSLATE TO THE 800 NUMBER.
ON THE OUTCOME SIDE, UH, WE ALSO HAVE SS SERVICE FOUR I, WHICH IS THE UTILITY PAYMENTS.
OUR TARGET IS 300 THIS YEAR, HELPING 300 FOLKS KEEP THE LIGHTS ON.
AND THEN WE HAVE SOME OTHER ONES THAT ARE A LITTLE SMALLER.
LANDLORD TENANT MEDIATION RIGHTS EDUCATION WITH OUR CLIENTS.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE.
WE CAN EDUCATE THEM INTERNALLY OR SEND THEM OVER TO THE TENANT'S COUNCIL OR SOME OTHER AGENCY.
SO THAT CAPTURES SOME OF THE OTHER SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE AND WHAT THE TARGETS ARE.
IF YOU TURN THE PAGE, AGAIN, YOU'LL GET TO F M P I FIVE, WHICH IS OUR NURSING SERVICES, UH, OUTCOMES, FIVE F UH, TARGETING SENIORS TO MAINTAIN INDEPENDENT LIVING SITUATION.
WE TRY TO DO THAT JUST BY HELPING THEM WITH WHATEVER RESOURCES WE CAN.
AND ALSO WITH THE WHOLE PROGRAM, WHICH IS, UH, UH, FOOD INSECURITY PROGRAM WHERE FOLKS CAN COME IN AND RECEIVE A SHELF, STABLE FOODS, UH, MONTHLY TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THEIR HOUSING AND USE THEIR MONEY ON OTHER THINGS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE RIGHT SIZE, SOME OF THE SERVICES, THE IMMUNIZATIONS, WE'RE TARGETING 400, UH, FLU SHOTS NEXT YEAR.
WE DON'T GET A LOT OF FLUID NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES THIS YEAR.
I THINK WE'RE GETTING 500 DOSES.
UH, SO WE WILL SURPASS OUR TARGET.
UH, BUT FOR NEXT YEAR, WE'RE HOPING 400 IS A CONSERVATIVE.
IF WE GET MORE, WE'LL BE HAPPY.
AND IF WE DON'T, UH, WE'LL DO WHAT WE CAN.
UH, NURSING CARE SESSIONS, WE'RE HOPING TO DO 200.
THESE ARE MORE KIND OF ONE-ON-ONE, UH, SESSIONS WITH CLIENTS.
AND ONCE WE STAND UP OUR DIABETES CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, THAT NUMBER WILL GO UP AS WELL.
AND THEN WE HAVE SOME OF THE, UH, OTHER SMALLER NUMBERS, SOME COACHING SESSIONS.
IN TERMS OF REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, WE DON'T DO A LOT OF THAT, BUT IF INDIVIDUALS COME IN THAT WANNA TALK ABOUT THAT, WE HAVE THE STAFF, THE NURSING STAFF TO BE ABLE TO, TO DO THAT.
UH, AGAIN, UM, CONTRACEPTIVE HEALTH, S T I H I V PREVENTION COUNSELING SESSIONS.
AGAIN, THERE'S OTHER PROGRAMS IN A P H THAT REALLY DO THAT FULL-TIME.
UH, AND THEN YOU GET DOWN TO NUTRITION AND FOOD.
OUR FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM, OUR TARGET FOR NEXT YEAR IS 35,000.
WE'VE SURPASSED THAT TARGET THIS YEAR ALREADY AT 42,000.
WE'RE GOING A LITTLE BIT LOWER.
UH, WE KIND OF, WE MET WITH THE FOOD BANK AND ARE TRYING TO FORECAST WHAT'S GONNA BE AVAILABLE NEXT YEAR.
THE FOOD BANK IS HAVING A VERY TOUGH TIME, UH, PROCURING FOOD.
UM, SO THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO STRATEGICALLY PIVOT A LITTLE BIT.
A LOT OF THE CANNED GOODS, UH, SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES ARE STILL GOING ON COST ISSUES.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS THAT.
IF WE SURPASSED THAT, THAT'D BE GREAT.
AND THEN WE HAVE UNDER FIVE, UM, KK FAMILY MENTORING SESSIONS.
THAT'S FOR OUR NURSES AS WELL.
[00:40:03]
AND IF YOU TURN THE PAGE, AGAIN, WE GET TO, UH, F M P I SIX.SERVICE SIX C IS BASICALLY YOU GUYS.
THAT'S THE SERVICE, THE TRIPARTITE BOARD MEMBERSHIP.
SO OUR TARGET IS TO HOPEFULLY HAVE 15 MEMBERS, UH, CONSISTENTLY ON THIS BOARD TO, UH, JUST HELP ADVOCATE FOR THE FOLK FOR THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE.
IF YOU TURN THE PAGE, AGAIN, VERY SMALL PRINT MM-HMM.
SO IT KIND OF GIVES YOU AN IDEA.
WE HAVE MANY PARTNERS AS COMMISSIONER DELGADO KIND OF ENCOURAGED US TO KIND OF KEEP, YOU KNOW, REACHING OUT TO FOLKS.
SO WE HAVE A I S D CAB, METRO, UNITED WAY FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES, A LOT OF THE FOLKS THAT YOU GUYS KNOW, ST.
VINCENT DEPAUL, PEOPLE'S COMMUNITY CLINIC, INTEGRAL CARE ECHO, AMAZON, WIC, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
SO WE HAVE A PRETTY ROBUST, UH, NETWORK OF PARTNERS THAT WE CAN REFER FOLKS TO AND WE CAN'T PROVIDE THE SERVICE.
UM, IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, F M P I SEVEN SEVEN A, THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ACHIEVED ONE OR MORE OUTCOMES.
SO THE STATE IS KIND OF INTERESTED IN THAT NUMBER.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME UP ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO.
SO OUR TARGET WITH THAT IS 1200.
SOME OF THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE TO MEET THAT TARGET, AGAIN, IS THE ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATIONS FOR OUR RENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, OUR CASE MANAGEMENT, OUR, UH, TRANSPORTATION AND BUS PASSES THAT WE PROVIDE FOR FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO GET TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, SCHOOL JOB INTERVIEWS, UM, SOCIAL SERVICE APPOINTMENTS OUTSIDE OF OUR AGENCY.
AND THEN UNDER EMERGENCY CLOTHING ASSISTANCE, SEVEN N WE'RE PUTTING THAT NUMBER AT 650.
WE HAVE A NEW CLOSING CLOSET AT ROSA OSA NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER.
IT JUST OPENED UP, I THINK LAST WEEK.
AND THEN OUR MAIN ONE IS THE EAST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER.
PRETTY POPULAR FOR FOLKS WHO NEED CLOTHES FOR INTERVIEWS.
BABY CLOTHES ARE VERY EXPENSIVE.
UM, SO WE'RE HOPING TO GROW THAT PROGRAM AS WELL.
BUT AGAIN, IT, IT TAKES DONATIONS AND JUST KEEPING IT GOING.
IF YOU TURN THE PAGE, AGAIN, THIS ISN'T REALLY, IT'S KIND OF BORING HERE, BUT THIS PAGE MOSTLY SAYS, OKAY, DO YOU HAVE ANY ROMA CERTIFIED FOLKS? THAT'S A QUALITY ASSURANCE, UM, THING FOR THE STATE.
SO WE DO HAVE, UH, JILL SMITH, WHO'S OUR NATIONALLY CERTIFIED IMP IMPLEMENTER.
SHE KIND OF GUIDES US THROUGH OUR WORK STANDARDS AND ALL THE, UM, THE REPORTING.
AND THEN AT THE BOTTOM, UH, SORT OF, UM, AN EXPECTATION OF HOW MANY DIFFERENT AGENCIES WE WANNA CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH.
WE'RE USING, UM, THE NUMBERS FROM LAST YEAR AND KIND OF HISTORY, LIKE NON-PROFITS, FAITH-BASED, LOCAL GOVERNMENT HEALTH SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, KIND OF KEEPS IT ON THE RADAR FOR US TO CONTINUE TO GROW IN OUR PARTNERSHIPS.
SO THAT'S BASICALLY THE, THE CAP IN A NUTSHELL, KIND OF WHAT DRIVES THE WORK THAT WE DO FOR 2024.
I WILL MOVE INTO THE POWERPOINT, WHICH SORT OF SHOWS YOU THE FRONT END OF WHAT THAT PLAN DOES.
SO I THINK YOU HAVE THAT IN YOUR BACKUP AS WELL.
COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT 2024 COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN, WHICH I JUST WENT OVER.
SO THERE'S A PUBLIC HEARING REQUIREMENT FOR THIS FROM THIS STATE.
I'LL JUST READ IT VERBATIM HERE.
THE PROPOSED ESTIMATED 2024 C S B G BUDGET AND COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN PERFORMANCE ACTIVITIES ARE DISTRIBUTED IN PUBLIC COMMENT IS SOLICITED.
THE PROPOSED ACTIVITIES AS DESCRIBED IN THE BUDGET AND COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN ARE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT, WHICH IS THE FUNDING WE RECEIVE TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES.
THE PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO STATES AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES WORKING THROUGH A NETWORK OF COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCIES AND OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD BASED ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE REDUCTION OF POVERTY, THE REVITALIZATION OF LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES, AND THE EMPOWERMENT OF LOW INCOME FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS IN RURAL AND URBAN AREAS TO BECOME FULLY SELF-SUFFICIENT.
IT'S A MOUTHFUL, BUT BASICALLY IT'S FIGHTING POVERTY.
UH, THERE'S OVER A THOUSAND OF THESE COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCIES.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NEW TO THIS COMMISSION, JUST TO GIVE YOU THE PERSPECTIVE ACROSS THE NATION, WE'RE ONE OF THOSE THOUSAND, I THINK THEY ARE IN EVERY SINGLE COUNTY IN THE US.
UM, AND THEY PROVIDE SIMILAR SERVICES TO US, AND SOME PROVIDE OTHER SERVICES THAT WE DON'T PROVIDE.
THE NEXT PAGE, SO THE COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN COMPONENTS OF WHICH I JUST WENT OVER IS THE TOP FIVE NEEDS.
[00:45:01]
WE TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION IN TERMS OF WHAT WE FOCUS ON.UH, POVERTY RATES, PROVISION OF NUTRITIOUS FOODS, CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES, GAPS IN SERVICES AND PERFORMANCE TARGETS, WHICH I WENT OVER EARLIER, AND OUR SERVICE LOCATIONS.
SO THOSE ARE THE SIX COMPONENTS.
WE DID A COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT IN 2021 TO KIND OF SEE THE LENGTH OF THE LAND.
AND THESE ARE THE FIVE NEEDS IN ORDER OF, EXCUSE ME, ARE WE ON THE RIGHT SLIDE? OH, NO, SORRY.
SO THE COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT 2021.
THIS IS WHAT CAME OUT FROM HAVING FOCUS GROUPS, DATA, MEETING WITH OUR CLIENTS, SURVEYS IN PERSON, ET CETERA.
HOUSING WAS NUMBER ONE IDENTIFIED AGAIN BY OUR CLIENTS AND THE DATA BASIC NEEDS.
NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS MOSTLY THE FOOD INSECURITY ISSUE AND OTHER NEEDS.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS WAS NUMBER THREE, EMPLOYMENT WAS FOUR, AND EDUCATION WAS FIVE.
SO AGAIN, THESE ARE KIND OF WHAT DRIVE WHAT WE DO AND WHERE WE FOCUS OUR ENERGIES AND OUR, OUR, UH, FUNDING.
UH, NEXT PAGE, JUST FOR YOUR OWN, I MEAN, YOU GUYS ALREADY KNOW, I MEAN, THE POVERTY RATES IN 2019 AND 21 AT A PRETTY HIGH DEEP POVERTY IN TRAVIS COUNTY, ALMOST 6% IN 2019, WENT UP TO 6.6% IN 2021.
THE US OVERALL POVERTY RATE IS 6.2 TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA.
SO AGAIN, IT JUST KINDA SHOWS THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE STRUGGLING IN AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY.
AND, UH, THESE, AGAIN, DEEP POVERTY IS THE RED BELOW POVERTY IS THE ORANGE, AND THE NEAR POVERTY IS UNDER 1 25, WHICH WAS OUR, UH, OUR ELIGIBILITY UNTIL IT WENT UP TO 200% DURING COVID.
SO WE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION POVERTY RATES BY, UH, ETHNICITY.
WE HAVE WHITE, BLACK, AFRICAN AMERICAN, ASIAN, AND HISPANIC.
WE, UH, NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE.
BUT THIS JUST KIND OF GIVES YOU A, A PICTURE OF, OF WHERE THE POVERTY IS.
THE NUMBERS ARE ARE PRETTY SHOCKING, BUT NOT SURPRISING.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT PAGE WHERE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS ARE, AGAIN, ONE OF THE COMPONENTS WAS, UH, SERVICE LOCATIONS.
WE KIND OF MAPPED IT WITH THE CENSUS AND AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY.
SO IN HISTORICALLY, THESE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS WERE BUILT IN AREAS WHERE THERE WAS HIGH NEED BACK IN THE SEVENTIES.
AND AS YOU GUYS KNOW, IT'S CHANGED A LOT.
THERE'S STILL FOLKS IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT, THAT, UH, ARE VERY LOW INCOME.
SO AS YOU CAN TELL HERE, IT HAS CHANGED.
AND WE HAVE SOME, SOME MOBILE SERVICES, AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET OUT TO MORE OUTLYING COMMUNITIES.
I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT LATER.
BUT THIS KIND OF GIVES YOU AN IDEA, UM, OF WHERE OUR CENTERS ARE LOCATED AND, UM, THE AVERAGE INCOME FOR OUR HOUSEHOLD.
THEN OUR OTHER COMPONENT PROVISION OF NUTRITIOUS FOODS.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE PROVIDE FOOD PANTRY SERVICES, FE FOOD FOR FAMILIES, HEALTHY OPTIONS PROGRAM FOR THE ELDERLY, THE WHOLE PROGRAM, MOBILE FOOD PANTRY, WHICH WE DO AT TURNER ROBERTS AND ONION CREEK.
UH, WE HAVE A FOOD RECOVERY PROGRAM, SO THAT'S MARKET.
WE GET FOODS FROM SOMETIMES WHOLE FOODS WHEAT SPILL.
UM, SO WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME GOOD THINGS THAT WE WOULDN'T GET THROUGH THE FOOD BANK, UH, THROUGH THOSE FOOD RECOVERY PROGRAMS. AND THEN THE HOME DELIVERY PROGRAM, WHICH WAS OUR NEWEST PROGRAM THAT CAME OUT OF THE PANDEMIC.
I WON'T READ ALL OF THESE, BUT THIS IS THE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE FOR THOSE FOLKS, HELPING THEM TRANSITION OUTTA POVERTY.
UH, WE PROVIDE SELF-SUFFICIENCY CASE MANAGEMENT.
THAT INCLUDES ASSESSMENT, SERVICE PLANNING, RENT ASSISTANCE WHEN POSSIBLE, TRANSPORTATION, CRISIS INTERVENTION, SHORT TERM COUNSELING AND BUDGETING, AND FINANCIAL COUNSELING.
SO TRULY THE GOAL OF THIS PROGRAM IS JUST TO EMPOWER PEOPLE TO HELP THEMSELVES.
WE CAN HAVE SOME OF THE, PROVIDE SOME OF THE TOOLS, SOME OF THE RENT ASSISTANCE IF NEEDED, TO HELP THEM STAY HOUSED AND STABLE WHILE THEY'RE WORKING.
BUT AT THE END, IT REALLY IS ABOUT THE CLIENT, YOU KNOW, FEELING THAT THEY CAN DO IT ONCE WE'RE NO LONGER AROUND, WHICH IS THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY MISSION.
I THINK IT SAYS HELPING PEOPLE HELP THEMSELVES AND EACH OTHER.
[00:50:01]
THE NPIS I WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER, AGAIN, SO SEEING THE, THE GAPS, SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHAT SERVICES DO WE PROVIDE TO ADDRESS THAT? AGAIN, EVICTION PREVENTION, HOUSING, RENT ASSISTANCE, UTILITY PAYMENTS, AND WHAT ARE THE OUTCOMES? IT WAS THE FOUR THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER, ALSO TO AVOIDED EVICTION.THE OTHER N P I THAT I TALKED ABOUT WAS THE, THE HEALTH ONE.
SO WHAT'S THE GAP? LACK OF AFFORDABLE HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTHCARE.
WHAT SERVICES CAN WE PROVIDE AT N S U TO ADDRESS THAT? SO SCREENINGS AND ASSESSMENTS, REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICES AND NUTRITIOUS FOODS.
AND WHAT ARE THE OUTCOMES? AGAIN, I MENTIONED THESE DURING OUR CAP.
AGAIN, WE CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH AS INTEGRAL CARE.
THERE'S OTHER PROGRAMS THAT, UH, THAT CAN HELP FOLKS IN WAYS THAT WE CAN'T.
ANOTHER M P I WAS THE EMPLOYMENT GAPS.
SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE GAPS IN EMPLOYMENT? LACK OF AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE IS HUGE.
UH, LACK OF RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION, LACK OF EMPLOYMENT FOR PERSONS WITH CRIMINAL BACKGROUNDS.
SO SOME OF THE GAPS AND WHAT CAN WE DO IN NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES? SO THE SERVICES THAT WE CAN PROVIDE ARE JOB SEARCH, CAREER COUNSELING, EMPLOYMENT SUPPORTS, ET CETERA.
AND THE OUTCOMES, AGAIN, I MENTIONED THOSE DURING THE CAP, HELPING PEOPLE MAINTAIN EMPLOYMENT FOR 90 DAYS, INCREASE THEIR INCOME OR BENEFITS, UH, OR OBTAIN EMPLOYMENT PERIOD.
UH, NEXT SLIDE IS THE BASIC NEEDS IN TERMS OF THE COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
WHAT IS THE GAP? LACK OF SUFFICIENT SUPPORT SERVICES TO MEET BASIC NEEDS.
WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT THAT IN TERMS OF N SS U NUTRITION AND FOOD FINANCIAL COACHING BUS PASSES.
AND A BIG ONE TOO FOR US IS REFERRALS AND LINKAGES.
AGAIN, I CAN'T STRESS, WE CAN'T DO IT ALL, BUT WE DO HAVE STAFF WHO KNOW WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO.
AND WE REALLY PRIDE OURSELVES IN DOING WARM HANDOFFS AND NOT JUST GIVING SOMEBODY A PHONE NUMBER OR A NAME, LIKE, JUST CALL THIS PERSON WE CALL WHEN THEY'RE THERE.
WE BASICALLY DO A WARM HANDOFF RIGHT AWAY.
THE LAST, UH, UH, GAP WAS EDUCATION, AS YOU SAW ON THAT ONE.
WE STARTED WITH, UM, LET'S SEE HERE, WITH THE HOUSING AND DOWN TO EDUCATION.
SO THE GAP IS LACK OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH LOW INCOMES.
WHAT CAN WE DO? WE CAN PROVIDE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES THROUGH OUR SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM AND ALSO REFERRALS AND LINKAGES AND THE OUTCOMES.
THE ONE OUTCOME THAT WE FOCUSED ON WAS TRYING TO HAVE, UM, AT LEAST SEVEN FOLKS OBTAIN SOME KIND OF VOCATIONAL DEGREE OF CERTIFICATE, C D L, HVAC, WHATEVER THEY CHOOSE, C N A, UM, ET CETERA.
IF YOU TURN THE PAGE OR THE SLIDE, THESE ARE OUR SERVICE LOCATIONS.
UH, I THINK COMMISSIONER LONGORIA TALKED ABOUT, LIKE, WHERE ARE WE LOCATED? YOU KNOW, WHERE CAN PEOPLE GO? THESE ARE OUR SIX NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS.
IT SHOWS YOU RIGHT THERE WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED IN AUSTIN.
AND THEN OUR TWO OUTREACH SITES, TURNER ROBERTS REC CENTER, ONION CREEK, WHERE WE DO, UH, MOBILE PANTRY.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE PRETTY MUCH ALL OVER AUSTIN IN A SENSE.
I MEAN, THERE'S SIX CENTERS NO MATTER WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, I THINK THEY CAN TRY TO GET TO US.
AND IF THEY CAN'T, AGAIN, WE CAN PROVIDE INFORMATION REFERRALS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THEY'RE AT.
CURRENT EXPANSION CONTINUES TO BE THE HOME DELIVERY PROGRAM.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET AS MANY FAMILIES INTO THAT PROGRAM AS POSSIBLE.
WE'VE BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL THAT, UM, I BELIEVE OUR ROUND ROCK HAS ADOPTED THE PROGRAM AND THEY'RE ALSO DOING THAT THROUGH THEIR HEALTH SERVICE DEPARTMENT UP THERE.
SO IT'S PRETTY GOOD TO SEE, UH, THE PROPOSED EXPANSION.
UH, DOVE SPRINGS NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, WE'RE VERY EXCITED.
COMMISSIONER JASSO, UH, IS HAPPY ABOUT THAT
AND THE GREAT THING ABOUT THAT PROGRAM AT DONNA STROM, MY BOSS WAS REALLY INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING A CHILDCARE CENTER THERE.
SO IT'S GONNA BE A STATE-OF-THE-ART CHILDCARE FACILITY ON THE FIRST FLOOR, UH, WITH A, WITH, YOU KNOW, A KITCHEN, EDUCATION ROOMS, CLASSROOMS. UM, AND THEN UPSTAIRS WILL BE OUR OWN DOVE SPRINGS NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER.
WE'LL BE PROVIDING THE SAME SERVICES THAT WE DO WITH THE OTHER SIX.
SO HOPEFULLY BY DECEMBER OF 24, WE'LL HAVE IT OPEN AND FULLY STAFFED.
I THINK THIS CAME FROM A BOND BACK IN LIKE 2010 OR SOMETHING.
THINGS MOVE SLOWLY, BUT IT'S COMING AND IT'S VERY NEEDED IN THAT AREA.
SO, UH, HOPEFULLY REPORT MORE ON THAT NEXT YEAR THAT WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT NEW LOCATION.
AGAIN, WE DON'T GET A LOT OF MONEY FROM C S B G, BUT WE LEVERAGE THAT WITH, YOU KNOW, GENERAL FUND MONEY AND PARTNERSHIPS.
[00:55:01]
FUNDING ALLOCATION IN 2022, A LITTLE BIT OVER 1.1 MILLION IN 2023 WAS PRETTY SIMILAR.MAYBE AN EXTRA $11,000, WE DON'T KNOW, FOR 2024 UNTIL 2024.
IT TAKES 'EM A WHILE TO, TO MAKE, TO GET TO THE FEDERAL LEVEL, TO THE STATE, TO THE COUNTY AND TO US.
UM, BUT THIS, THIS FUND'S ABOUT 14 POSITIONS AND WE HAVE LIKE 45.
SO AGAIN, IT LEVERAGES US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THESE OTHER POSITIONS TOO, UH, WITH CITY MONEY.
THERE'S THE 14 POSITIONS I JUST TALKED ABOUT IN PERSONNEL.
SO THIS MONEY FUNDS TWO PROGRAM MANAGERS, SAY COMMUNITY WORKERS AND FOUR SOCIAL WORKERS.
UH, SOMETIMES WHEN THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY LEFT OVER IN TERMS OF PERSONNEL SAVINGS, WE MIGHT HAVE VACANCY SAVINGS OR SOMETHING.
WE'RE ABLE TO SPEND SOME OF THAT ON BUS PASSES OR GIFT CARDS FOR OUR CLIENTS WHO ARE IN SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
UH, A LOT OF THE TIMES WE DON'T HAVE MONEY LEFT OVER FOR THIS, BUT WE DID USE OUR CARES ACT MONEY A FEW YEARS AGO TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE SOME OF THESE BUS PASSES AND, UH, GIFT CARDS, WHICH WE STILL HAVE SOME TO BE ABLE TO HELP.
AGAIN, THESE ARE PEOPLE IN SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
YOU CAN'T WALK IN AND GET A GIFT CARD.
THEY'RE FOLKS WHO ARE IN ACTUAL SELF SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM.
UH, BUT THE BUS PASSES ARE FOR ANYBODY, YOU KNOW, WHO NEEDS THEM.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, LET ME KNOW.
IF, IF NOT, I KNOW MY ACTION ITEMS WILL BE TO SEND YOU GUYS THE FLYER TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS.
AND, UM, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
SO ONCE THE DOVE SPRINGS CENTER OPENS, IS, IS THERE FUNDING FOR A NURSE THERE AT THIS POINT? UH, YES, THERE IS.
SO OUR CENTERS ALL HAVE A CASE MANAGER, I MEAN A PROGRAM MANAGER, A COUPLE OF COMMUNITY WORKERS, A SOCIAL WORKER, A NURSE WITH A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER.
AND SO ONCE THAT CENTER IS OPENED, WILL THAT MOBILE PANTRY GO AWAY AT THE SOCCER COMPLEX OR IS THAT STILL GONNA BE THERE? IT'S UP TO THE FOOD BANK.
SO THE FOOD BANK REALLY KIND OF DECIDES.
WE USED TO HAVE IT OVER AT, UH, SANTA BARBARA CATHOLIC CHURCH UP 9 6 9.
AND THEN THEY MOVED IT TO DAILY, I THINK, AND THEN THEY MOVED IT TO TURNER ROBERTS AND KEPT IT THERE.
AND THEN THEY MOVED IT TO ONION CREEK.
DEFINITELY NEEDED AT ONION CREEK.
I MEAN, THE NUMBERS ARE REALLY HIGH.
UM, SO, UM, I, I HAD A QUESTION OR WONDERING ABOUT THE EVICTION PREVENTION PROGRAM OR LIKE THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
CAN YOU LIKE TELL US BRIEFLY WHAT THAT PROCESS IS LIKE? UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE FACING EVICTION, LIKE IT'S VERY LIKE URGENT AND TIMELY.
AND WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IS THAT? LIKE WHEN WE HAVE FUNDING, WHAT THAT'S LIKE IS WE HAVE ELIGIBILITY AND WE TARGET CERTAIN POPULATIONS.
SO WHEN WE GOT SOME, UH, E R A FUNDS THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY, WE FOCUSED ON, UH, SINGLE PARENTS WITH CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
UM, THEY LEAVE IT UP TO US TO BE ABLE TO, TO DO THAT.
AND THAT'S, THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL.
'CAUSE WE DON'T WANT SINGLE PARENTS WITH KIDS TO BE EVICTED.
WE DON'T WANT ANYONE TO BE EVICTED, BUT WE DON'T HAVE MONEY FOR EVERYTHING.
SO WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE IS, UH, WHEN WE HAVE FUNDING, PEOPLE CALL OUR CENTER AND THEY COME IN AND THEY SAY, HEY, WE NEED RENT ASSISTANCE.
CAN YOU GUYS HELP ME? AND WE'LL SAY, YES, LET ME, LET ME HAVE YOU MEET WITH SOMEONE, THE COMMUNITY WORKER, AND THEY'LL EXPLAIN THE ELIGIBILITY.
SO THERE IS AN ELIGIBILITY PROCESS UNDER 200%.
UM, IT'S BASICALLY THE BIG ONE LIVING IN AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY.
SO YOU HAVE TO BE IN THE AREA.
AND THEN THE REST JUST HAVE TO DO WITH HOW WE DECIDE TO, TO ALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS.
SO YOU KNOW, HOW MANY PEOPLE IN THE HOUSEHOLD, HOW MUCH DO YOU, ARE YOU BEHIND IN RENT? YOU HAVE TO BE BEHIND.
AND WE'VE SEEN PEOPLE WHO COME IN WHO JUST NEED A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS, YOU KNOW, FOR THE MONTH TO PEOPLE WHO SAY, I'M BEHIND $9,000, CAN YOU HELP ME? AND WE HAVE SOMETIMES BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT WHEN WE HAD CARES ACT FUNDING AND UM, E R A FUNDING.
BUT USUALLY THE, THE MAX IS 2000 UNLESS IT'S, UM, APPROVED BY THE UNIT MANAGER, WHICH IS MYSELF.
SO WE REALLY KIND OF, WE TRY TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AND TRY TO HELP PEOPLE MAINTAIN HOUSING, BUT WE ALSO PLAN FORWARD AND HAVE THAT DISCUSSION WITH THEM THAT WE CAN HELP YOU WITH THIS MONTH'S RENT OR THE, YOU KNOW, GET YOU CAUGHT UP AND THEN HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD? SO IT'S A VERY, UH, KIND OF ORGANIC PROCESS.
THERE'S A CONVERSATION, BUT DEFINITELY THERE ARE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
[01:00:01]
THE 200% IN LIVING WITHIN THE CITY.AND, UM, I GUESS I HAD ONE MORE QUESTION.
AND I LOVE THE, THE ASPECT OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND CONNECTING TO EMPLOYMENT, BUT AGAIN, I JUST HAVE THIS, UM, CONSTITUENCY THAT IS UNDOCUMENTED AND FOR ME THAT'S LIKE A HUGE ROADBLOCK FOR, FOR THEM TO GAIN EMPLOYMENT AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
DO YOU HAVE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WHEN IT COMES TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE UNDOCUMENTED AND HOW, HOW DO WE GET THEM, UM, A STABLE JOB OR, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE GET THEM CONNECTED TO EMPLOYMENT? THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
WE, LIKE I SAID, PEOPLE CAN COME IN.
WE DON'T ASK FOR PROOF OF ANYTHING OTHER THAN PROOF OF RESIDENCE IN TERMS OF WHERE THEY LIVE.
'CAUSE WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH THE LANDLORD AND THAT, I DON'T HAVE A GOOD ANSWER FOR YOU IN TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT.
A LOT OF FOLKS, UM, WHO WORK UNDER THE TABLE, IT DOESN'T MATTER TO US.
THEY COME IN AND THEY DO A D I S IT'S A DECLARATION OF INCOME STATEMENT.
SO IT'S A SIMPLE FORM WHERE THEY SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS HOW MUCH I MAKE AND THEY SIGN IT.
SO AGAIN, WE TRY TO HAVE AS FEW BARRIERS AS POSSIBLE WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, THAT DISCOMFORT.
'CAUSE THEY MAY NOT HAVE THE PAY STUBS, THEY MAY NOT HAVE, YOU KNOW, THEIR LEGAL STATUS HERE.
BUT WE WILL DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO HELP IN OTHER WAYS WITH FOOD, WITH, UM, OTHER RESOURCES FANS IN THE SUMMER WHEN PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE A FAN, DON'T HAVE AIR CONDITIONING WITH CAR SEATS, ET CETERA.
IT, THE, IT THE GOOD QUESTION.
UM, YEAH, I, I MEAN, I, I APPRECIATE THE, THE, THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES AND LIKE THE CREATIVE SOLUTIONS.
BUT YEAH, THAT'S JUST SOMETHING I'M, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT STILL, YOU KNOW? YEAH.
I HAVE COMMISSIONER TOVER AND THEN COMMISSIONER DELGADO.
I'M COMMISSIONER MICHAEL TOLIVER.
I UNDERSTAND THAT LANDLORDS ARE BEING CAUGHT UP ON THE TENANT'S BACK PAYMENT AND EVERYTHING, BUT HE'S STILL GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF EVICTED.
HOW DO YOU HANDLE THAT? THERE'S NOT A LOT WE CAN DO WITH THAT.
THAT'S WHERE THE KIND OF LANDLORD TENANT MEDIATION COMES IN.
'CAUSE WE DO HAVE, AND IT'S VERY RARE IN TERMS OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE SEE WHERE WE SAY, WE CAN GET THIS PERSON CAUGHT UP.
AND THE LANDLORD SAYS, WELL, I'M NOT INTERESTED.
SO THAT'S WHERE LIKE THE, THE MEDIATION COMES IN WITH OUR STAFF KIND OF TALKING TO THE LANDLORD, HOW TO, HOW CAN WE MAKE THIS WORK? AND THERE ARE TIMES WHEN IT DOESN'T WORK WHERE THE LANDLORD HAS ACTUALLY GONE THROUGH EVICTION COURT OR, OR JUST IS NOT GONNA BUDGE.
AND AGAIN, WE, WE GIVE IT OUR BEST.
UM, SO WE DO ENGAGE THE LANDLORD IN CONVERSATION AND A LOT OF TIMES IT WORKS.
YOU KNOW, WE CONVINCE THEM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN.
THIS IS HOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD.
AND SOME OTHER TIMES IT DOESN'T WORK.
BUT WE, WE, THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO.
BUT DO YOU TRY TO GET YOUR FUNDING BACK AFTER THEY DONE PAID THE LANDLORD NEEDS STILL THE VICTIM? OH, THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED THEN SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.
IN TERMS OF THE CLIENTS WE'VE HELPED.
WHEN WE'VE PAID IT, THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO STAY.
TH THANK YOU COMMISSIONER TOVER, UH, ON THAT.
UH, COMMISSIONER DELGADO, YOU ON THE FLOOR.
I JUST ACTUALLY WANTED TO CHIME IN ON BOTH OF THEIR, OF THEIR QUESTIONS.
'CAUSE, UH, OUT OF EXPERIENCE.
UM, COMMISSIONER TOVER, UH, JUST SO YOU KNOW, UM, THE TENANTS HAVE RIGHTS.
AND SO EVEN THOUGH LANDLORDS ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO EVICT THESE TENANTS, UH, WE HAVE THE TENANTS COUNSEL, WE HAVE YA, BASTA, YOU KNOW, AS Y'ALL KNOW, THEY CAME HERE BEFORE.
UH, THAT CAN ASSIST THOSE TENANTS, UM, WITH LEGAL SERVICES AND PROTECTION RIGHTS.
ANOTHER THING, UH, IT'S A CASE BY CASE.
UM, SO EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T HAVE A MORATORIUM HERE IN OUR CITY ANYMORE, THAT HAS BEEN LIFTED FOR EVICTIONS, IT'S STILL, UH, COURTS COURT SYSTEM HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
UH, AND THE DIFFERENT PRECINCTS, UH, THE JUDGES IN THE COURTROOMS, UM, ARE ARE DOING IT CASE BY CASE.
AND SO IF SOME OF THOSE VICTIMS ARE UNDER THE STATUTE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UM, THOSE ARE, THOSE, THOSE CONSTITUENTS ARE PROTECTED AND THEY CANNOT EVICT THEM OR TERMINATE THEIR LEASE OF ANY KIND.
AND I'VE ACTUALLY BROUGHT THAT FOR YOU ALL TODAY.
SO ALL OF YOU ALL CAN HAVE THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL KNOW AS HOUSING COMMISSIONERS THAT THOSE, UH, THAT POPULATION IS PROTECTED AND THEY CANNOT TERMINATE OR EVICT THEM FOR ANY, FOR ANYTHING, EVEN BACK PAYMENT.
[01:05:01]
SO, JUST SO YOU KNOW, IT IS A CASE BY CASE.UM, AND OUR CITY OF AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE THESE FUNDINGS ARE, UM, THEY DO AN INTAKE PROCESS QUALIFICATIONS, AND THEY DO WHAT THEY CAN IF THEY, IF THEY CAN'T PROVIDE THEM, UH, A PREVENTION OF EVICTION OR RENTAL ASSISTANCE, AND THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO REFER OUT TO PROJECT HELP ECHO, UH, UNDER THE CATEGORY TWO OF ECHO FOR DISPLACEMENT.
SO THERE'S ALL TYPE OF SERVICES OUT THERE.
I THINK WHERE THE GAP IS, IS US NAVIGATING AND ACTUALLY USING OUR REFERRAL BASIS TO, UH, TO PARTNER WITH OUR AGENCIES.
SO WE, WE, NOT JUST ME, BUT ALL OF US, I FEEL NEED TO DO BETTER AT THAT.
AND KNOWING WHAT RESOURCES ARE OUT THERE, HOW DO WE ACCESS THEM FRONT STEPS, UH, CATHOLIC CHARITIES VETERAN SERVICES, THEY'RE ALL OUT THERE WITH MONEY.
WE JUST NEED TO ACCESS IT AND TEACH AND HELP THEM ACCESS IT.
JUST WANTED TO CHIME IN ON THAT ONE.
AND ON YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER LONGORIA, UH, WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, HOW DO THEY, UH, GET QUALIFIED OR GET ASSISTANCE.
SO, UH, THEY DO CALL, I, I THINK EVERY CENTER HAS A DIFFERENT DAY OR TIME THAT THEY CAN CALL IN AND EITHER GET PUT ON A WAITING LIST OR GET A CALL BACK, OR THEY CAN WALK IN AND IT IS A CASE BY CASE.
AND THEY DO HAVE REFERRAL SERVICE BASIS WHERE IF THEY CAN'T HELP THEM OR IF THEY NEED, UM, ANY TYPE OF SERVICES LIKE IDENTIFICATION, UH, THE LIBRARY, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, THE, UM, MUNICIPAL COURT, UM, THEY'RE ALL DOING PROGRAMS TO HELP THEM GET THOSE TYPE OF SERVICES.
SO JUST SO YOU KNOW, I, I'LL, I CAN CONNECT WITH YOU AND GIVE YOU SOME OF THOSE RESOURCES.
COMMISSIONER DELGADO, YOU'RE ALWAYS SUCH A, A WALKING RESOURCE, UH, YOURSELF, SO WE APPRECIATE, UH, WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TABLE.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONERS, VIRTUAL.
ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, FEEDBACK FOR ANYONE? UH, CHAIR, I HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, I, UH, JUST TO ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE MM-HMM.
AND THE LANDLORD IS JUST, UM, TRYING TO EVICT THAT FAMILY.
SHE NEEDS TO PAY THE RENT NEXT WEEK.
UH, DID YOU PUT THAT FAMILY ON A WAITING LIST AND HOW LONG IT'S GONNA TAKE, UH, BEFORE YOU GIVE THEM A RESOLUTION FOR, UH, HOW MUCH THEY'RE GOING TO RECEIVE OR IF THEY'RE, THEY QUALIFY AS COMMISSIONER DELGADO SAYS, UH, AS EVERYTHING IS A CASE BY CASE? UH, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE A WAIT LIST, SO WE JUST HELP PEOPLE AS THEY COME.
UH, THAT'S AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE IF WE HAVE 10 SLOTS ON A MONDAY AT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, PEOPLE CALL FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE TO GET THOSE 10 SLOTS FILLED.
AND THEN WE RIGHT AWAY START WORKING ON THE ELIGIBILITY PROCESS.
SO IF SOMEBODY LIKE IN YOUR CASE IS, UH, GONNA BE BEHIND BY THE FOLLOWING WEEK, AND IF THERE'S SOME URGENCY, WE ALWAYS TALK TO THE LANDLORD RIGHT AWAY.
WE GET ALL THE CONSENT FORMS AND EVERYTHING GOING.
SO THERE'S A DIALOGUE STARTED RIGHT AWAY AND THERE'S NO LAG OF MONTHS, UH, IN TERMS OF PROCESSING THE RENTAL PAYMENT IF THE PERSON IS ELIGIBLE.
SO IT'S VERY, UM, HANDS-ON AND VERY PROACTIVE.
UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER DELGADO.
I MEAN, UM, UH, GARCIA, UH, COME ON.
UM, SO JUST SO YOU KNOW, ANYBODY THAT'S PUT IN THE WAITING LIST, UM, THAT IS UNDER POVERTY GUIDELINES OR UNDER THE, THE INCOME BRACKET.
UM, IF THEY HAVE CHILDREN THAT ARE MINOR, THAT IS AN AUTOMATIC, UH, PRIORITIZE, THEY WILL PULL 'EM OFF THE WAITING LIST BECAUSE MINOR CHILDREN, UM, THAT ARE FACING HOMELESSNESS IS PRIORITY HERE IN AUSTIN.
IF THEY ARE DISABLED, THEY ARE AUTOMATICALLY PULLED OFF THE WAITING LIST.
IF THEY ARE VETERANS, THEY'RE AUTOMATICALLY PULLED OFF THE WAITING LIST.
IF THEY ARE ELDERLY, THEY ARE AUTOMATICALLY PULLED OFF THE WAITING LIST.
SO EVERY PROGRAM HAS A CRITERIA, UM, EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE SAY, OH, THERE'S A WAITING LIST.
I TELL THEM, PUT YOUR NAME ON THERE, FILL IT OUT, AND YOU WILL BE PULLED.
IF, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THAT 24 TO 48 HOURS IF THE, IF THEY MEET THOSE CRITERIA, THEY HAVE TO MEET THOSE CRITERIA.
[01:10:01]
NOW, COMMISSIONER, UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER DELGADO.ANGEL, YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE IS NO WAITING LIST.
WHAT? WAIT, I'M TALKING ABOUT FOR THE OTHER PROGRAM.
ALL THE OTHER PROGRAMS IN AUSTIN.
SO THAT, THERE ARE MANY PROGRAMS THAT DO PROVIDE VARIOUS RESOURCES AND MANY OF THOSE DO HAVE, UH, WAITING LISTS.
BUT AS COMMISSIONER DELGADO SAYS, UM, EVERYBODY, ANYONE IN NEED AND ANY OF US THAT ARE ADVOCATES NEED TO ENCOURAGE THOSE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH WHATEVER, UH, THE PROCESS IS.
DON'T, UH, ONE THING WE KNOW FOR SURE, IF YOU DON'T SIGN UP, YOU DEFINITELY WON'T GET THE, THE RESOURCES.
SO AT LEAST GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SOMETIMES IT IS A LITTLE BIT JUMPING A FEW LITTLE HOOPS, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, WHEN PEOPLE ARE HELPING YOU GO AHEAD AND FILL OUT THE PAPERWORK.
'CAUSE IN THE LONG RUN, UH, IT'LL BE TO YOUR BENEFIT.
COMMISSIONERS, OTHER COMMISSIONERS FOR REGARDING THE BUDGET.
'CAUSE WE DO NEED TO ACCEPT THIS BUDGET IF, IF, IF IT'S ALL IN OKAY.
SO LET'S, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO, JUST REAL QUICK, DO WE NEED TO VOTE ON THE BUDGET? ARE WE VOTE AND WHAT ARE WE VOTING FOR EXACTLY.
TO SETTLE THE BUDGET? YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT AND I, I WILL, UM, YIELD TO UNHA IN JUST A SECOND.
I DO BELIEVE THAT FROM MY POSITION AS CHAIR, I WILL PUT FORTH TO US AS A COMMISSION IF WE, UM, MOVE TO ACCEPT, UH, GO ON.
UH, BEFORE WE GET TO THAT POINT, WHICH IS EXCITING,
THAT, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AND IF THEY DID WE CAN HAVE THEM.
UH, MS. JOSEPH, WE DO HAVE ONE SPEAKER.
DO WE, BEFORE WE GET TO THE, BUT BEFORE WE GET TO THE PUBLIC HEARING, I DID WANNA ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THE IMMUNIZATIONS.
YOU HAVE, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE FLU.
DO YOU ALL, WILL YOU ALL BE DOING ANY COVID IMMUNIZATIONS? THEY DO COVID THROUGH THE IMMUNIZATIONS PROGRAM.
IT'S A DIFFERENT PROGRAM THAN, THAN THE NEIGHBOR SERVICES UNIT.
OUR NURSES WERE DOING THAT DURING COVID, BUT NOW THEY'RE BACK WITH US AND THE DIFFERENT PROGRAM.
BUT THEY CAN'T GO ELSEWHERE IN A P H.
I DID WANT TO ASK THAT, THAT WAS MY OWN QUESTION.
SO, AND THEN HELP, UH, I LIKE THE, UM, I LIKE RECEIVING THE BUDGET AND SO FORTH, BUT YOU KNOW, I WOULD REALLY LIKE, AND I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS EVEN DOABLE, SO I'M JUST GONNA PUT IT OUT THERE.
IF IT'S DOABLE, FINE IF NOT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A TIME WHERE WE HAVE WHAT THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S BUDGET WAS TO WHAT WE'RE DOING THIS TIME.
I KNOW WE HAD THE, THE BIG TOTAL AMOUNT, BUT ON, ON THESE, THIS CAP THING HERE.
YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF, SORT OF, I LIKE THAT, SEE IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
BUT IF, YEAH, I JUST DON'T PUT THAT OUT THERE.
THAT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE FOR NEXT YEAR FOR SURE.
IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO KIND OF SEE WHERE WE WERE, WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE'RE GOING.
ALRIGHT, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, COMMISSIONERS, WE ARE FINISHED WITH OUR COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK.
WE ARE READY FOR OUR PUBLIC HEARING
[PUBLIC HEARINGS]
AND I DO BELIEVE WE HAVE ONE WHO HAS SIGNED UP.SO PLEASE TAKE THE DI AND WE HAVE, UM, ARE WE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES? YES.
I'M LOOKING FOR A GREEN LIGHT.
THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR MEMBERS Z ANOVIA.
JOSEPH, MY COMMENTS ARE SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO PAGE FOUR OF OF 20, THAT'S YOUR FIVE PRIORITIES, SPECIFICALLY HOUSING.
AND THEN ON PAGE 15, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE, UH, YOU AWARE THAT THERE IS ACTUALLY NO CENTER NORTH OF US, 180 3.
SO FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO RELY ON ROUTE 3 83 LAKELINE, UH, THEY REALLY WOULD HAVE TO GET TO THE EAST SIDE IN ORDER TO GET SOME SERVICES.
SO I WOULD JUST ASK THAT YOU PRIORITIZE TRYING TO GET AT LEAST A SATELLITE IN THAT AREA.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT AS IT RELATES TO HOUSING, YOU DO NEED TRANSPORTATION.
AND I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT EARLIER ABOUT THE BARRIER, SO I JUST WANTED TO ASK IF YOU COULD CONSIDER PERHAPS THE RESOLUTION THAT WOULD PROACTIVELY RECOGNIZE THE NEEDS OF TRANSIT DEPENDENT RIDERS WHO ARE IN YOUR SELF-SUFFICIENCY PROGRAMS AND OTHERS WHO NEED HELP.
SPECIFICALLY, I JUST WANNA CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION TO MARSHALING YARD, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 0.8 MILES FROM THE ROUTE 20, WHICH IS ON RIVERSIDE.
AND ALTHOUGH THERE ARE THREE VANS THERE NOW, THEY PLAN TO HOUSE APPROXIMATELY 300 PEOPLE.
AS YOU KNOW, AFRICAN AMERICANS SIX TIMES ARE MORE THAN SIX TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE HOMELESS THAN THEIR WHITE COUNTERPARTS.
AND THAT'S THE JULY 1ST, 2022 ECHO REPORT.
AND SO I JUST WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THAT'S NOT A RELIABLE WAY TO GET TO WORK.
[01:15:01]
NOW THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 65 INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE THERE, BUT WHEN OTHER PEOPLE NEED TO GO PLACES IN THE MORNING OR TAKE, UM, AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE STORE, THEN THAT'S NOT A RELIABLE WAY TO GET TO WORK.SO YOU TALKED ABOUT REENTRY EARLIER, AND THAT WOULD BE A BARRIER AS WELL.
AND THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE TEMPORARY, BUT IT'S A YEAR.
IT'S REALLY WAREHOUSING THESE INDIVIDUALS, PREDOMINANTLY AFRICAN AMERICANS AND HISPANICS IN THE FAR NORTH, FAR SOUTHEASTERN CORNER OF THE CITY.
AND THEN AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO EVICTIONS, I WOULD JUST BE TRANSPARENT AND TELL YOU THAT I HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
MY CASE IS ACTUALLY ON APPEAL IN THE THIRD COURT.
AND I JUST WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THE BARRIERS THAT DO EXIST.
THERE IS NO HELP FOR AN INDIVIDUAL WHO PERFECTS AN APPEAL AND ACTUALLY GETS BEYOND GOING TO JUSTICE COURT, YOUR JP COURTS.
AND SO WHAT I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE IS YOU MAY CALL ON THE PHONE AND IT IS JUST 10 SLOTS, THAT IS CORRECT, BUT IT'S 10 SLOTS FOR ALL OF AUSTIN.
AND SO YOU MAY NEVER GET THROUGH.
AND THEN IF YOU DO GET THROUGH ON THE LINE, THERE IS NO HELP FOR ANYONE WHO IS ACTUALLY ON APPEAL.
SO BASICALLY YOU'RE EXACERBATING THE, UH, THE EVICTION PROCESS.
YOU ARE ACTUALLY PUTTING PEOPLE OUT ON THE STREET BECAUSE YOU FIRST HAVE TO PERFECT YOUR CASE AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST A MONTH'S RENT TO PAY INTO THE COURT REGISTRY.
SO HAVING THAT ADDITIONAL MONEY IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S CRUCIAL TO YOU ACTUALLY MOVING THE CASE FORWARD.
BUT THEN IF YOU DON'T GET ANY HELP BECAUSE IT'S A RETALIATORY EVICTION OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, YOUR LANDLORD IS NOT GOING TO ACCEPT THE PAYMENTS.
AND THAT IS WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN MY CASE.
AND SO WHAT I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT EVEN IN TRAVIS COUNTY, THEY HAVE GRANTS FOR THE MUSICIANS AND THEY HAVE OF THE PROGRAMS, BUT THEY DO NOT PAY THE TENANT DIRECTLY.
BUT THE US TREASURY ACTUALLY PERMITS IT, UM, TO BE DONE THAT WAY.
AND LASTLY, I'LL JUST LET YOU KNOW THAT BU SAMARI IS A FISCAL AGENT AND THEY HAVE $17.8 MILLION.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GO AHEAD AND ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.
THANK, THANK YOU MS. JOSEPH FOR THAT.
COMMISSIONER DELGADO, YOU HAVE SOMETHING? I'M READY.
UH, THANK YOU FOR COMING AND EMBRACING US WITH YOUR PRESENCE 'CAUSE UH, IT'S SO NEEDED HERE.
UH, BEING HERE IN CITIZENS COMMUNICATION AND EXPRESSING YOUR CONCERNS AND THE BARRIERS THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT MANY OF US ARE FACING AND AND YOU'RE ONE, UM, I DO WANNA TELL YOU THAT I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE CHALLENGES OF THIS COMMISSION HAS BEEN US BEING A VOICE TO YOU ALL.
UM, WHEN IT GOES TO CITY COUNCIL AND TO OUR COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES, THINGS ARE BEING, UH, DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE, THINGS ARE BEING PASSED, THINGS ARE BEING DONE IN COUNCIL, AND OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES DON'T GET, UH, EITHER, UH, HEARD OR APPROVED.
AND I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT, UM, I HEAR YOU AND I FEEL YOU.
UH, I FEEL LIKE AS A COMMISSIONER SERVING ON THIS COMMISSION FOR SEVEN YEARS, AND WITH MY NEW COLLEAGUES AND OLD COLLEAGUES, IT HAS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO FIGURE OUT A STRATEGY AND A WAY, UH, TO FIX THESE ISSUES.
AS YOU KNOW, THAT A LOT OF THIS CAME DOWN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
IT WAS IN THE WORKS ALREADY, UH, BY OUR FORMER MAYOR AND AND OTHER OFFICIALS, UH, THAT WANTED TO SEE AUSTIN TRANSFORM INTO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
THE PEOPLE THAT TOOK THE HIT ARE THE PEOPLE OF COLOR, THE PEOPLE OF POVERTY, RIGHT? AND AS WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW CAN WE FIX THIS, IT, IT'S REALLY FEELS LIKE IT'S UNFIXABLE.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO FIRST OF ALL TELL YOU THANK YOU FOR COMING AND, AND GETTING ON THE RECORD, GETTING, UH, GETTING HERE TO OUR DAAS AND SHARING TO OUR NEW, UH, COMMISSIONERS, UM, WHAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH OUT THERE.
UH, AND SO I'M, I'M, I'M GOING THROUGH THE SAME THING.
BUT BECAUSE SHE WAS UNDER THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UM, A, YOU KNOW, STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS, WE WERE ABLE TO FIGHT IT, BUT IT WAS A BIG FIGHT.
UM, AND SO AGAIN, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT THROUGH THE CITY OF CITY HALL SIDE ON THAT OTHER CHAMBERS NEXT TO US, HOW CAN WE, UM, FIND A WAY TO HELP OUR CONSTITUENTS IN A BETTER WAY, UH, ESPECIALLY WITH, UH, CAPITAL METRO, UH, AND PROJECT CONNECT BECAUSE WE ARE BEING AFFECTED TREMENDOUSLY.
SO AGAIN, WE HEAR YOU, WE NEED YOU OUT THERE.
AND SO WE NEED YOU TO CONTINUE TO COME AND, AND, AND GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK AND GIVE US, UH, THE INFORMATION AND BRING CONSTITUENTS HERE SO WE CAN FIGURE OUT WAYS THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER.
AND IF YOU WANT ME TO RESPOND, I CAN SHARE AN EXAMPLE.
UH, I WOULD JUST RECOMMEND SPECIFICALLY THAT YOU AT LEAST START WITH THE ONE PAGER.
AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE THIS PROCESS, I KNOW IT BECAUSE I'M THE PERSON THAT I AM AND I'M PRETTY, YOU KNOW, ENGAGED IN THE POLICY PIECE OF IT.
BUT THE $17.8 MILLION THAT ELBO AND
[01:20:01]
SAMARI TONO HAS IS SPECIFICALLY I BELONG IN AUSTIN, STABLE TENANT STABILIZATION FUND.IT PROVIDES $6,000 WHEN YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THE EVICTION PROCESS, IT'S ACTUALLY OPAQUE.
SO MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT.
IT ACTUALLY GOES THROUGH THE LEGAL PROCESS.
SO THEY'RE THE FISCAL AGENT FOR, UH, TEXAS RIO GRANDE LEGAL AID.
AND ALSO FOR VOLUNTEER LEGAL SERVICES.
IT IS ACTUALLY BENEFICIAL BECAUSE IT THEN CAN HELP YOU DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANNA STAY FIGHT.
BUT AFTER ABOUT TWO MONTHS OF FIGHTING, YOU PROBABLY HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER YOU WANT TO MOVE, BECAUSE THEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE DOWN PAYMENT IN THE ABOUT THREE MONTHS OF RENT TO MOVE.
SO IT WILL HELP YOU MOVE IF YOU WANT TO, OR YOU CAN DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE TO PAY, MAKE THE PAYMENTS.
BUT I THINK IF YOU HAD A ONE PAGER, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW YOU CALL, AND UNFORTUNATELY LIKE THIS MONDAY, UH, THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY FUNDING.
SO THEY TELL YOU TO CHECK WITH AUNT BERTHA AND
AND THAT IS REALLY NOT ALL THAT HELPFUL.
I MEAN, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE STRESSED AND YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO OR WHERE TO GO.
THIS IS AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, THAT'S AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO APPROVE, THEY WORK TOGETHER, THEY KNOW WHERE THE MONIES ARE.
SO A ONE PAGER THAT SAYS WHO TO CALL WHEN TO CALL CATHOLIC CHARITIES HAS A DAY THAT YOU HAVE TO CALL.
IT'S A DIFFERENT DAY FROM THE MONDAY THAT YOU HAVE TO CALL FOR THIS.
IF YOU'RE A VETERAN, YOU HAVE TO CALL A DIFFERENT DAY.
AND SO JUST KNOWING WHICH TIMES TO CALL, I MEAN, YOU LITERALLY NEED A SCHEDULE.
AND SO A ONE PAGER, WHICH SOME OF THE NONPROFITS HAVE HAD IN THE PAST THAT TELL YOU WHAT THEY PROVIDE, WHAT IT IS.
SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE EXTENSIVE, BUT IT DOES NEED TO GUIDE YOU ABOUT WHERE TO GO AND WHO HAS THE, THE MONEY.
AND SO I, I WOULD JUST, YOU KNOW, MENTION THAT TO YOU, UM, AND, AND SAY THANK YOU
UM, NOT MEANING TO CUT YOU OFF.
I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF THE ONE PAGER, LIKE A FLYER OF SOME SORT MM-HMM.
YOU ALSO MENTIONED A RESOLUTION, UM, AT THE BEGINNING.
UM, I DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT WAS JUST, YOU MENTIONED THE RESOLUTION AND BECAUSE YOU WERE IN YOUR THREE MINUTES, YOU ROLLED RIGHT THROUGH IT.
WAS THAT REGARDING THE TRANSPORTATION PORTION OR TALKING ABOUT, 'CAUSE I TOO HAD NOTICED THAT THE, UM, CENTERS WERE ALL CLUSTERED TO THE, ON THE RIGHT THERE.
AND OF COURSE, INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE CITY MAY BE STRUGGLING.
I I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT ALL OF THE PEOPLE STRUGGLING ARE, YOU KNOW, TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE, UM, ON THIS MAP.
BUT I JUST WANT HEAR FROM YOU VERY QUICKLY 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU CAN, YOU, YOU SPEAK VERY WELL AND WE GLAD TO HAVE YOU BACK WITH US.
UM, THE RESOLUTION THAT YOU ASKED ABOUT WAS THAT REGARDING THE CENTERS, THE LOCATION OF THE CENTERS OR WHAT? I THINK IT COULD BE HOLISTIC.
I THINK YOU CAN INCLUDE THE CENTERS AND YOU CAN INCLUDE TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING BECAUSE IT ALL GOES TOGETHER.
UM, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS TO, JUST SO YOU UNDERSTAND, THERE'S A HEAT MAP THAT THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER PROVIDED FOR AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL DURING THE WORK SESSION.
SO THERE'S AUGUST 22ND IS WHEN THEY ACTUALLY DID THE WILDFIRE, UH, MITIGATION MM-HMM.
BUT IF YOU BACK UP TO, UH, THE ACTUAL BRIEFING THAT THEY HAD, YOU'LL SEE, UH, THIS LINE THAT LITERALLY GOES DOWN NORTH LAMAR UP TO, THEN THERE'S A HOTSPOT OVER IN NORTHWEST, WHICH IS REALLY LAKELINE AREA.
SO IF YOU USE THAT MAP, UH, TO SHOW WHERE THE HOMELESS PEOPLE ARE NOW, AND THEN YOU TAILOR THE RESOLUTION TO SAY HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET FROM THAT HOTSPOT, THAT'S WAY IN THE FAR NORTHWESTERN CORNER TO GET TO SERVICES.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE, UH, BENEFICIAL IN TRYING TO GET SOMEONE TO RECOGNIZE THAT YOU NEED A SATELLITE IN THAT LOCATION BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF JUST TO GET TO NORTH LAMAR.
AND THAT'S IF THE BUS IS RUNNING ON TIME.
I'M TELLING YOU I GOT HERE ON 8 0 1 TODAY
UM, AND SO, UM, AND FOR TRANSPORTATION, I WOULD JUST SAY TO PROACTIVELY REQUEST THAT THEY USE THE EXISTING FLEET.
SO YOU SEE THESE LITTLE BLUE PICKUP VEHICLES AND THOSE VEHICLES ARE FINE.
UM, AND THEY ACTUALLY USE THAT TYPE OF VEHICLE TO GO FROM LAKELINE STATION TO LAGO VISTA.
AND SO THEY CAN USE IT TO GO THERE.
THEY CAN USE IT ON PALMER LANE TO GO FROM EAST WEST.
UM, THE CONNECTIVITY, AND I WOULD JUST LASTLY SAY, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU ASKED THIS QUESTION ABOUT HOUSING THE PREVIOUS TIME ABOUT ROSEWOOD, BUT TO COMMISSIONER DELGADO'S POINT, I WOULD JUST SAY THIS 60% AREA MEDIAN INCOME THAT HAS BECOME THE BUZZ, 10% OF THE UNITS WILL BE 60% AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE NOVEMBER, 2020.
UM, THERE WAS A MINORITY CHAMBER
[01:25:01]
REPORT FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT SPECIFIED THAT AFRICAN AMERICANS EARN APPROXIMATELY $42,000 AND HISPANICS EARN ABOUT $50,000.SO MAYBE SOME HISPANICS WOULD BE ABLE TO LIVE THERE.
BUT 60%, THIS 80% IS BEYOND WHAT AFRICAN AMERICANS MAKE.
SO USE THE DATA TO MAKE DECISIONS.
BUT I WILL LASTLY JUST TELL YOU THAT THE AUDITOR SAID IN JULY, JULY 25TH, UM, HE ACTUALLY GAVE A PRESENTATION JULY 25TH, 2023.
THAT STAFF IS NOT USING THE DATA TO ACTUALLY MAKE DECISIONS.
SO THAT TOO WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO SAY, HERE'S THE DATA NOW, WOULD YOU PLEASE FOLLOW WHAT THE AUDITOR SAID AND USE IT TO MAKE THIS DECISION TO GIVE US THIS SATELLITE THAT WE NEED.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING IN, UH, ALWAYS, UM, FULL OF A LOT OF GOOD ENERGY.
I MEAN, UM, INFORMATION AND THE ENERGY.
I, I GUESS I MISSPOKE WITHOUT REALIZING IT, BUT YES, YOU ALWAYS FULL OF GREAT ENERGY, BUT YEAH, BUT USE, AND LASTLY I'LL JUST SAY, UM, PUBLIC, UH, RESTRICTIVE COVENANT, IT WILL GET YOU THERE.
AND SO IT IS A PROXY FOR RACE DISCRIMINATION.
THIS SOURCE OF INCOME DISCRIMINATION.
THIS AREA, MEDIA INCOME HAS BECOME, THE NEW WAY TO EXCLUDE THIS IS EXCLUSIONARY ZONING.
BUT IF YOU USE THE PUBLIC RESTRICTIVE COVENANT, THEN YOU CAN GET THE INCOME LEVELS THAT, UH, ACTUALLY MIRROR WHAT WAS ALREADY AT ROSEWOOD OR WHATEVER PROPERTIES YOU'RE LOOKING AT AND ASK STAFF TO GIVE YOU THAT.
AND I WOULD LASTLY SAY FOR THEM TO GIVE YOU A MAP WITH AN OVERLAY SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE DENSITY WITH THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
AND THEN YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT I KNOW INTUITIVE INTUITIVELY, BUT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE CONCRETELY WHERE THE DENSITY IS, WHERE THE TRANSPORTATION IS NOT.
AND YOU WILL FIND THAT IT IS IN THE FAR NORTHEAST CORNER.
AND I KNOW YOU'RE, THANK YOU SO MUCH SHORT ON TIME.
BUT THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE SO
AND THANKS TO MR. BLAKE TOO 'CAUSE YES, HE MADE SURE I WAS ON POINT TOO.
ALRIGHT, WELL WITH THAT I'M GONNA BE ON POINT 'CAUSE HE KEEPS ME ON POINT AS WELL.
AND SO, UH, I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE YOU COMING IN.
REALLY, I CANNOT STRESS TO YOU HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE AS A COMMISSION.
AND I AM SPECIFICALLY AS THE CHAIR TO HAVE YOU, UM, PRESENT.
DO YOU GET TO COME BACK UP? YES.
SO NOW IT'S, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF I AM OUT OF ORDER.
UM, BUT IS IT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO, VERY BRIEFLY, UM, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT, THAT MS. JOSEPH HAS SAID THAT THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON ALREADY? WHERE ARE WE WITH THIS? OR ARE WE TOTALLY CLUELESS? RIGHT.
UM, JUST A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS.
UM, IT TAKES ALL OF US MM-HMM.
SO I WANNA REMIND PEOPLE THAT IT TAKES PEOPLE LIKE MS. JOSEPH.
IT TAKES PEOPLE ON THIS COMMISSION, OTHER COMMISSIONS, HOUSING AND PLANNING STAFF, OUR 47 STAFF TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO HELP THOSE IN NEED.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING N S U TO HELP EVERYBODY.
AND I KEEP SAYING THAT 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, WE DON'T, I MEAN, A MILLION DOLLARS ISN'T A LOT AND WE'RE IN A VERY SMALL, WE'RE A VERY SMALL PART OF EVERYTHING.
SO I'M HERE TO JUST KIND OF ACKNOWLEDGE EVERYBODY.
WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING TO HELP EVERYONE.
AND FOR YOU GUYS, IT'S GOOD TO HEAR FROM ALL OF US BECAUSE THEN YOU CAN ADVOCATE IN WHATEVER WAY IT IS POSSIBLE.
LIKE MS. JOSEPH SAID A RESOLUTION OR SOME KIND OF COMMENT TO BRING IT TO THE LIGHT OF COUNCIL WHEN THERE'S SOME KIND OF BIG DECISION BEING MADE.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD'VE TO SAY TO THAT.
I MEAN, THERE IS A POINT THAT SHE MAKES IN TERMS OF TRANSPORTATION, IN TERMS OF THE SLOTS, IN TERMS OF THE FUNDING, UH, WHO CAN HELP.
BUT AGAIN, WE, WE CAN'T HELP EVERYONE.
SO IT'S NOT A MYOPIC VIEW, IT'S JUST SORT OF BOOTS ON THE GROUND WITH OUR PROGRAM.
IT DOESN'T DISPARAGE HER COMMENTS OR HER MESSAGE.
SHE'S JUST KIND OF RECALIBRATING TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES UNIT AND WHAT WE DO.
I'M VERY HAPPY AND PROUD OF OUR STAFF FOR ADDRESSING ALL KINDS OF ISSUES.
I WANNA SAY, UM, AS COMMISSIONER DELGADO HAD SAID AT THE VERY BEGINNING, Y'ALL'S PROGRAM IS, YOU'RE, YOU'RE DOING OUT, YOU'RE DOING STELLAR.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE DOING, YOU'RE DOING RIGHT.
AND THAT IN ITSELF IS, IS GOOD NEWS.
[01:30:01]
THING THAT SHE SAID THAT MS. JOSEPH SAID THAT I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT WAS THE FACT OF IS, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS EVEN WITHIN THE PERIPHERAL VIEW, BUT IS THERE A, IS THERE A WAY THAT, AND WHO WOULD CREATE THE, UH, A FLYER THAT DEALT WITH, YOU KNOW, ON MONDAYS, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE TO CALL ON TUESDAY, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE TO CALL.DOES SOMETHING LIKE THAT ALREADY EXIST? AND WOULD, WOULD THAT BE UNDER OUR EDUCATION PART? I DON'T KNOW.
'CAUSE THAT WAS A GOOD KIND OF FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
'CAUSE THINGS CHANGE TOO, A LOT MM-HMM.
SO IT'S LIKE YOU CREATE A FLYER AND THEN NEXT WEEK IT'S NOT, NOT ACCURATE ANYMORE.
SO IT'S KIND OF A MOVING TARGET.
AND WE GET REFERRALS FROM THEM ALL THE TIME.
SO THAT IS A, A WAY TO FIND OUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT RESOURCES EXIST.
SO AGAIN, I HAVE TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT IT A LITTLE MORE.
'CAUSE IT IS A, ONE PAGER SOUNDS REALLY GOOD, BUT WHEN THINGS CHANGE, THINGS CHANGE.
WITHIN OUR PROGRAM, CATHOLIC CHARITIES, WHO HAS FUNDING, LIKE RIGHT NOW, NO ONE HAS FUNDING FOR RENT ASSISTANCE AS FAR AS I KNOW.
SO THAT ONE PAGER WOULDN'T MEAN ANYTHING.
IT WOULD JUST BE PEOPLE CALLING EACH AGENCY DOWN THE LINE AND STILL GETTING THAT INFORMATION.
WE DON'T HAVE IT NOW, BUT STARTING JANUARY 1ST.
SO IT'S KIND OF A CHALLENGE FOR SURE TO HAVE A ONE PAGE THAT'S ACCURATE AND WHO'S GOING TO, WHERE IS IT GONNA LIVE? RIGHT.
AND THAT'S WHY I WAS TALKING ABOUT IT, UH, AS I, I BELIEVE IT DOES RE IT, IT, IT WARRANTS CONVERSATION.
UM, AND I WILL SAY THAT EVEN THOUGH THINGS CHANGE, I, I DO BELIEVE THAT, I BELIEVE THAT THAT CAN BE PROMINENTLY POSTED THAT THIS, YOU KNOW, RIGHT.
THIS MAY NOT BE ACCURATE, YOU KNOW? RIGHT.
THIS, THIS, THIS, WE'RE DOING OUR BEST.
THIS IS AS OF YESTERDAY, THIS IS WHAT WAS GOOD.
UM, WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE, UM, WHATEVER DISCLAIMER.
UM, BUT I DO FEEL THAT IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE COULD, AND ACTIONS THAT WE CAN TAKE FOR SUPPORT MM-HMM.
THAT'S PROBABLY NEVER GONNA BE SOLVED.
THIS IS GONNA BE A FOREVER MOVING TARGET, BUT WE HAVE TO GIVE IT OUR BEST SHOT.
THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING IS, IS THERE A WAY FOR US TO IMPROVE THAT? AND SO THAT'S IT.
UM, I DO WANT, I, I DO THINK THAT, UM, LIKE AN ANGEL SAID, IT'S, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR THEIR DEPARTMENT, UH, TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.
BUT WHAT I DO, UM, WHAT I DID HEAR, AND, AND WHAT I DO THINK WE SHOULD DO AS A COMMISSION, UH, AS WE'RE SERVING ON THIS DAAS, THAT IT'D BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY, UM, TO DO THE ONE PAGER AND HAVE IT ACCESSIBLE, UH, TO THE PUBLIC IN OUR OWN DISTRICTS AS REPRESENTATIVES.
AND WE FILTER THAT OUT AS WELL AS DO THE OUTREACH.
BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M LEARNING AS A PUBLIC SERVANT, UM, YOU KNOW, I CAN COME UP HERE AND TALK AND GO TO CITY HALL AND TALK, BUT IF WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY MOBILIZING MM-HMM.
UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE SO BOMBARDED AND, AND THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE PROGRAM AND THE NUMBERS AND EVERY, ALL THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY PROVIDE.
SO I, I, I HEAR OUR, OUR, UM, OUR SPEAKER TODAY.
UM, AND, AND I WANNA HONOR THAT BY DOING A ONE PAGER WITH THE COMMISSION.
I CAN BE THE ONE TO, TO START IT.
AND, UM, CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW, THAT IS WHAT I'M DOING.
I AM AN OUTREACH SPECIALIST AND A, A REENTRY SPECIALIST.
SO I, I WORK OUT IN THE FIELD EVERY DAY, UH, ALONG WITH THE OTHER HATS THAT I WEAR, BUT I CAN ASSIST.
THE THING THAT I HAVE, I WOULD NEED OUR TEENS, UH, UM, HELP WITH IS ACTUALLY DOING THE PAGER BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A LOT GOING ON.
SO MAYBE WE CAN DEVELOP A LITTLE SMALL COMMITTEE SUBCOMMITTEE OR SOME TYPE OF TASK FORCE, AND THEN WE CAN START DOING
[01:35:01]
THAT WORK FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS AND FOR OUR, UH, DEPARTMENT.I DON'T KNOW IF MY FELLOW COLLEAGUES WANNA WANNA JOIN, BUT I'M READY TO GET OUT THERE AND GIVE THEM THE ACCESS AND THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED.
SO IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A MONTH TO MONTH THING.
'CAUSE JUST DEPENDING ON WHAT AGENCIES ARE ACTUALLY PROVIDING THE SERVICES AND HAVING THE FUNDINGS, AND WE CAN GO BUY THAT.
JUST A QUICK F Y I, IF Y'ALL DO MEET, DON'T MAKE QUORUM.
HAD WOULDN'T MAKE IT BE PART OF THIS.
UH, COMMISSIONER DELGADO, REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR, UH, PROACTIVE AND, UH, GET TOIT TYPE OF ATTITUDE ON IT.
AND I DO WANNA ADD BEFORE YOU RELEASE MM-HMM.
ALSO, I WANNA JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU ALL SOME GOOD NEWS.
SO FOR THE DO SPRINGS, UH, RECREATION CENTER, UM, WE ARE, UH, WE HAVE SELECTED AN ARTIST, UH, FROM THE COMMUNITY.
UH, HIS NAME IS AMAL CASTILE, AND HE IS A PARTNER OF, UH, AT THE TEXAS AND AC THREE, UH, SIGNS AND, AND ART.
AND HE WILL, IT IS A COMMISSION PIECE.
SO YOU WILL SEE A BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY MURAL, UH, BEING PUT UP WHEN THAT BUILDING COMES UP.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE PEOPLE THAT, THAT WORKED HARD ON THAT.
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR SELECTED ARTIST, UH, AMAD CASTILLO.
YEAH, THAT GAVE ME CHILL BUMPS, SO THAT WAS GOOD.
UH, UM, UM, BACK TO OUR POINT.
WE ARE AT A POINT NOW IS COMMISSIONERS.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR ANYTHING? WE'RE READY TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE BUDGET? WE'RE GOOD.
IT IS MY, MY POSITION IS TO MAKE, MOVE FORWARD AND PUT FORTH TO THE COMMISSIONERS THAT WE, UH, APPROVE AND ACCEPT THE BUDGET AS CAP, WHAT IS IT? THE BUDGET AND CAP THE COMMUNITY.
THAT'S THE, ALL THIS OTHER STUFF.
ALL WE NEED TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING HERE AS WELL.
Y'ALL KNOW, I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, OUR PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
WHEN, UH, MS. JOSEPH STEPPED AWAY FROM THAT BIAS, I FELT WE WERE CLOSED.
SO LET ME BE SURE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
AND WE ARE, OUR PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.
THANK YOU, UH, MR. ED FOR THE GUIDELINES.
THAT BEING SAID, WE ARE READY TO MOVE FORWARD TO APPROVE
[8. Discussion and possible action on the proposed 2024 CSBG Budget and Community Action Plan (Angel Zambrano, Manager, Neighborhood Services Unit, Austin Public Health). ]
AND ACCEPT THE BUDGET AND THE CAP, UM, THAT ON HILL HAD PRESENTED TO US.UM, DO I HAVE A MOTION THAT, UM, WE ACCEPT, I MOVE TO ACCEPT.
COMMISSIONER ORTIZ HAS MOVED TO ACCEPT.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
AND THAT WAS, UH, WAS THAT ERCOT THAT SAID THAT? YEAH, ERHART.
UH, COMMISSIONER ER HAS SECONDED.
WE ARE READY TO TAKE OUR VOTE.
WE WILL ACKNOWLEDGE BY RAISING OUR HAND.
I DO BELIEVE WE ARE, THE MOTION HAS BEEN ACCEPTED ON HILL.
THAT GIVES YOU WHAT YOU NEED TO HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH YOUR, UM, OTHER DUTIES BASED ON THIS.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE WITH US.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE QUESTIONS AND JUST YOUR SMILES AND YOUR HARD WORK.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I DO BELIEVE MR. ED, PLEASE GIVE ME, UM, GUIDANCE IF I'M OFF BASE, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THAT IS OKAY.
DO WE HAVE ANY FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS?
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
YES, WE DO.I'M THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICER WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
UH, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT IS INTENDING TO APPLY FOR THE PRO HOUSING GRANT, UM, WHICH PRO STANDS FOR SOMETHING THAT I CAN'T THINK OF RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE SEVERAL PROJECTS.
THIS IS FUND, THESE ARE FUNDS THAT, UH, RECENTLY BECAME AVAILABLE.
THE, UH, NOFO OR NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY BECAME AVAILABLE IN EARLY SEPTEMBER.
THE APPLICATION IS DUE, UM, IN, UH, I BELIEVE IT'S THE END OF OCTOBER.
UM, AND PART OF THAT DOES REQUIRE A PUBLIC HEARING AND A PUBLIC 15 DAY CUT PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
SO WE'D LIKE TO ALIGN THAT WITH THIS MEETING NEXT MONTH.
[01:40:01]
GO ON.THOSE ARE FEDERAL FUNDS, CORRECT? YES, MA'AM.
AND WHERE WILL I GET ANY PRE INFORMATION ABOUT, UM, THESE FUNDS? SO WE CAN, I CAN SEND YOU A COPY OF THE NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY.
UH, WE ARE WORKING WITH A CONSULTANT FIRM, UH, WILLARD NICHOLS, UH, TO HELP US PUT TOGETHER THE GRANT APPLICATION.
WE HAVE SEVERAL IDEAS THAT WE'RE, UH, COMBINING AND WORKING OUR WAY THROUGH TO MAKE THE BEST APPLICATION POSSIBLE.
WE DO FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A, A GOOD SHOT AT THESE, UH, AT THESE FUNDS.
UH, THE MAXIMUM AWARD IS $10 MILLION.
UM, AND WE HAVE, WE HAVE LOTS OF WORK TO DO, UH, INCLUDING THINGS LIKE UPDATING OUR STRATEGIC HOUSING BLUEPRINT, UM, UPDATING, UH, SOME OF OUR DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS OR, OR EVEN SOME TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE WISH TO SEEK.
UH, THESE FUNDS ARE BEING, UH, AVAILABLE, MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH, UH, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR EVERYTHING FROM PLANNING ACTIVITIES TO STAFF TO, UM, TO ACTUAL STICKS AND BRICKS.
UM, HOWEVER, AS AS WE KNOW, UH, $10 MILLION DOES NOT GO VERY FAR.
SO, UH, WE'RE, UH, GOING TO BE DEDICATING THESE FUNDS TO SOME IMPORTANT PROJECTS THAT WE JUST HAVEN'T HAD, UH, TIME, RESOURCES, OR STAFF TO REALLY ADDRESS, BUT THEY ARE VERY NECESSARY.
ONE, IS THIS COMPETITIVE THROUGHOUT OR, UH, THROUGHOUT THE, THE NATION.
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY? YES, MA'AM.
AND HOW MANY OF THESE GRANTS WILL THEY BE AWARDING? I BELIEVE THE TOTAL, UH, FUNDING AWARD AVAILABLE IS, UH, THEY EXPECT 20 AWARDS.
THE MAXIMUM AWARD IS 10 MILLION.
THE MINIMUM AWARD IS 1 MILLION.
UM, AND I BELIEVE THAT THE TOTAL AVAILABLE IS 100 MILLION.
BUT I MIGHT BE WRONG ABOUT THAT, SO PLEASE DON'T QUOTE ME.
MY SECOND PART IS, SO WHEN I ASKED YOU ABOUT THE PRE, UM, UM, INFORMATION, I'M NOT LOOKING FOR A NOVEL.
AND WHEN YOU COME TO TALK TO US YES.
COME WITH SOMETHING THAT'S VERY STREAMLINED, DON'T YES.
BRING NO BIG OLD CHUNK OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS THAT WE HAVE TO READ.
BECAUSE, UM, I, I'M LOOKING FOR, UM, SOME TYPE OF A, A A, A INFOGRAPH YES.
SOMETHING THAT IS, THAT WE CAN CONSUME AND UNDERSTAND IN THE TIMEFRAME THAT WE HAVE.
AS VOLUNTEERS COMING IN, LET US HELP US HELP YOU.
WE, WE WILL HAVE A VERY SHORT, UH, CONCISE OKAY.
AND, UH, VERY INFORMATIVE, UH, PRESENTATION FOR YOU NEXT MONTH.
I HAVE, COME ON A QUICK QUESTION.
SO WHAT COMMUNITY GROUPS ARE WE WORKING WITH? UM, CORRECT.
WE HAVE NOT, WE HAVE A LIST OF, UH, ENTITIES THAT WE ARE USE THAT WE ARE GONNA BE REACHING OUT TO.
UM, I, I DON'T HAVE THAT LIST WITH ME RIGHT NOW.
HOWEVER, UM, WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR, UH, UM, DISPLACEMENT PREVENTION TEAM, UH, AND THROUGH THEIR, UH, COMMUNITY INITIATED SOLUTIONS, UH, PROGRAM, UH, TO IDENTIFY SOME OF THOSE ENTITIES.
THERE'S ALSO SOME ENTITIES THAT WE WORK WITH NORMALLY, SUCH AS THE, UH, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING COALITION.
UM, BUT WE WILL BE GETTING THE WORD OUT AS FOREIGN AND AS WIDE AS POSSIBLE.
THAT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY IS ALSO UNDER CON UNDER, UH, DEVELOPMENT RIGHT NOW.
AND COULD YOU SEND A, A LIST TO MR. ED OR, UH, GET US A LIST OF, UM, JUST KIND OF DETAILS AND TIME SO THAT WE CAN ALSO GIVE IT TO OUR CONSTITUENTS TO LET THERE'S A PUBLIC HEARING? ABSOLUTELY.
IT WOULD BE AT THE REGULAR, UH, C D C MEETING TIME.
SO THIS SAME BAT PLACE, SAME BAT PINT.
UM, THE, UH, UH, AS SOON AS WE HAVE THAT ENGAGEMENT, UH, STRATEGY TOGETHER, WE'LL DEFINITELY SHARE IT WITH YOU.
I KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER DELGADO IS OFTEN, UH, CONCERNED AS WELL ABOUT PUBLIC HEARING AND NOTICE SO THAT INDIVIDUALS CAN BE PRESENT.
UM, MS. JOSEPH, WE EXPECT YOU TO BE PRESENT AS WELL.
UM, ANYTHING ELSE? ANY COMMISSIONERS, ANY COMMENTS, FOLLOW UP FEEDBACK? YES.
COMMISSIONER LONGORIA? UM, I, I MEAN, UM, I DO WANT TO, I WOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE THE, THE ONE PAGE INFL INFORMATION FLYER FOR NEXT MEETING.
I, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S THE LEAST WE CAN DO, UM, TO PROVIDE THE, THE INFORMATION AND JUST KIND OF SET THE GUIDELINES FOR THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, HOW MANY SOURCES OF INFORMATION, HOW OFTEN WE WANNA UPDATE IT, WHETHER IT'S LIKE A MONTH BY MONTH OR A, THE QUARTERLY OR BI-ANNUALLY, YOU KNOW, LIKE, YEAH, I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA.
I'M GONNA SPEAK WITH STAFF, UM, AFTER MEETING TO FIND OUT.
'CAUSE I ALSO WANT IT POSTED ON OUR WEB, ON OUR WEB, UM, PAGE AREA.
[01:45:01]
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.AND SO I'M GONNA ASK THEM A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE, UM, WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO, UH, GET THEIR SUPPORT ON ANYTHING LIKE THIS.
SO, UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'LL, WE'RE TAKING IT SERIOUSLY.
MADAM CHAIR, DO HAVE TO ASK STAFF AND YOU A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
DO I DO THAT NOW? UM, OR DO WE RELEASE, LET'S GO AND RELEASE, BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE MY QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY FORMED RIGHT NOW.
I, I JUST KNOW THAT I NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE PUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON? OKAY.
MY QUESTIONS WERE ABOUT, UH, JULY AGENDA AND FUTURE AGENDA.
DO I DO THAT NOW OR DO YOU WAIT? OH YEAH.
UM, I DID, I DID WANNA ASK YOU MADAM CHAIR 'CAUSE I 'CAUSE OF THE ABSENCE OF THE LOSS OF MY FATHER.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR EMAILS AND, AND YOUR CON THE CONDOLENCES YOU GAVE ME.
UM, I, I DID MISS, UH, JUNE AND JULY AND I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE REQUESTS THAT I HAD MADE, UM, WAS TO HAVE, UM, SOME DATA FROM ECHO.
DID THAT EVER COME TO THE DIETS WHEN I WAS GONE STAFF, I, I THINK THERE WAS ONE THING THAT CAME THAT YOU HAD ASKED FOR THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
WHAT ABOUT THE ECHO? I DON'T KNOW IF I HEARD FROM ECHO
DO Y'ALL REMEMBER MY REQUEST? I DO REMEMBER YOUR REQUEST.
IF WE CAN SEE IF WE CAN PUT THAT ON OUR FUTURE AGENDA.
'CAUSE I DO WANT THAT, I DO WANT US TO, TO SEE THAT DATA BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
AND AS WE'RE APPROACHING THE END OF THE YEAR, UH, WE, IF YOU ALL REACHED OUT, IF WE CAN HAVE THEM BE REACHED OUT AGAIN AND SEE IF WE CAN BRING THEM.
SO THAT ISN'T A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM THAT I WANNA TABLE AND, AND GET, IF WE CAN'T GET IT FOR OCTOBER, WE CAN GET IT FOR NOVEMBER.
SO THAT WAS ONE OF MY QUESTIONS.
UM, ANOTHER QUESTION, I JUST WENT BLANK.
UM, I WAS LOOKING AT THE RESET OF OUR, OUR EMAIL, SO I DID MISS THAT AS WELL.
WE DON'T HAVE TO CALL C T M ANYMORE.
WE CAN RESET OUR OWN EMAIL THROUGH OUR, THROUGH OUR DATA, THROUGH, I MEAN THROUGH OUR OWN EMAIL HERE IN OUR, IN OUR COMPUTERS.
IT BECAUSE WE DID A RESET IN JULY, CORRECT? YEAH.
AND YOU CAN RESET IT ON, UM, SO I DON'T HAVE TO CALL THEM 'CAUSE I NOTICED THAT I COULDN'T GET INTO MY EMAIL, BUT IF YOU RUN INTO PROBLEMS, JUST LET ME KNOW OR CALL ME AND I'LL HELP YOU THROUGH THE PROCESS.
UM, A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM I DO WANNA REQUEST, IF WE COULD GET, UH, AND I GUESS THIS COMES FROM NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING.
I DON'T KNOW IF LETICIA BROWN OR ANY OF YOUR STAFF MEMBERS COULD ANSWER, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY WE CAN GET, UH, MEALS ON WHEELS, UH, HOME REPAIR PROGRAM TO COME AND GIVE US AN UPDATE OF WHAT'S GOING ON OVER THERE, WHAT FUNDING THEY HAVE, HOW THEY'RE REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, WHO CAN QUALIFY, WHO DOESN'T QUALIFY.
I NOTICED THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER WE HAD A MAJOR ISSUE, UH, IN EAST AUSTIN WITH A LOT OF OUR, OF OUR ACS GOING OUT.
UM, SO A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE CALLING URBAN LEAGUE, UM, MILLS ON WHEELS, EASTER SEALS, AND, UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF WAITING LIST, A LOT OF SHORT OF FUNDING.
WE JUST NEED AN UPDATE ON THE HOME REPAIR PROGRAM, UH, FOR THAT SPECIFIC AGENCY.
I'M JUST ASKING FOR MEALS ON WHEELS.
SO YOU ONLY WANT MEALS ON WHEELS, AND I'M ASSUMING THAT'S PROBABLY THE, THE GO REPAIR PROGRAM.
COMMISSIONER
THAT HELPS US DO OUR JOB BETTER.
I DO BELIEVE ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS? ANY OTHER, UM, FUTURE ADDENDA ITEMS? YES.
UH, I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE.
UH, UM, FIRST I JUST WANT TO SAY, UH, I JUST CAME BACK, UH, FROM A LONG MONTH, UH, OUT OF THE COUNTRY AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW, BUT, UH, WE ARE CANNOT ACCESS TO OUR EMAIL WHEN WE ARE OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTRY.
SO I APOLOGIZE IF I HAVE SOME EMAILS THERE THAT I HAVEN'T RESPOND.
UM, SECOND, UH, I WANT TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE JULY, UH, ENOVIA JOSEPH.
SHE WAS IN THE, IN THE JULY MEETING, AND WE TOUCHED THE CAPITAL METRO, UH, TOPIC.
UH, AFTER THE MEETING, UH, SYNOVIA WAS WITH ME ON THE CAR AND WE DROVE ALL THE, UH, NORTH LAMAR AREA, AND SHE WAS ABLE TO SHOW ME,
[01:50:01]
UH, THE BUSES STATIONS OR THE BUS STOPS WE HAVE HERE IN THE NORTHERN LAMAR, UH, THROUGH ALL THE DECKER LANE, UH, CROSSING THE, UH, 35 HIGHWAY.AND I CAN TELL YOU FROM FIRST THANK YOU TO ENOVIA, I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S STILL THERE.
I KNOW THE NORTH AUSTIN AREA CROSSING THE 180 3 TO THE, UH, NORTH LAMAR THAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE CAPITAL METRO, UM, PROJECT.
THE PROJECT CONNECT RIGHT NOW, AND I WOULD LIKE TO BRING THIS TO ALL OF YOU, UH, TO YOUR ATTENTION.
I THINK I SAW A LOT OF, UM, BUS STOPS WITHOUT SHELTER.
THAT'S YOU CANNOT, YOU, YOU BASICALLY CANNOT WALK FROM ONE BLOCK TO ANOTHER ONE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, SIDEWALKS RIGHT THERE.
THE NEXT ONE IS THE WEATHER WE HAVE HERE IN TEXAS.
UH, IMAGINE JUST WALKING 20 MINUTES.
YOU ARRIVE TO THE STOP AND YOU DON'T HAVE A SHELTER RIGHT THERE JUST TO COVER YOURSELF WHILE YOU ARE WAITING 30 MINUTES TO CATCH THE BUS.
UH, THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT I WANT TO BRING YOU TO YOUR ATTENTION.
IF YOU CAN GO, JUST GO ON THE FIELD AND CHECK HOW IS YOUR AREA, HOW YOUR DISTRICT, UM, YOUR DISTRICT AREA IS WORKING WITH THE CAPITAL METRO, WITH THE, WITH THIS NEW PLAN, I MEAN, THE DISTRICT FOUR, RIGHT NOW IT'S OUTSIDE, OUTSIDE OF THE PROJECT CONNECT.
WE ARE NOT IN THE PROJECT CONNECT.
AND I WILL LIKE TO BRING THIS TO THE, UH, NEXT AGENDA.
IF WE ARE CREATING, UH, NEW METRO STATIONS, WE NEED TO HAVE THE SIDEWALKS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO IS USING THEM.
I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, INVITE ALL THE COMMISSIONERS TO TAKE A LOOK ON YOUR DISTRICT AND CHECK IF YOU HAVE THOSE CONDITIONS FOR ALL THE PEOPLE, FOR SENIORS, FOR EVEN JUST COMMON PEOPLE FROM WALKING FROM ONE STOP TO ANOTHER ONE.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, PROJECT CONNECT IS JUST FOCUSING ON THIS DOWN.
I, I WILL SAY ON THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
UM, SO NOW THAT I'M BACK, I'M JUST GOING TO DO MY RESEARCH HERE IN THE DISTRICT FOUR AREA NORTH AUSTIN.
THAT'S A LOT OF, UH, I, I'M PRETTY SURE THAT I'M, I'M GONNA GET A LOT OF INFORMATION, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT I WILL LIKE TO KEEP ON THE FUTURE AGENDAS, NOT JUST FOR THE NEXT MONTH, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL KNOW, BUT, UH, SINCE 2020, UM, THE C D L UH, DRIVER LICENSE NOW REQUIRES A CERTIFICATION, CAPITAL METRO.
THAT CERTIFICATION BY ITSELF, IT COST $6,000.
SO A LOT OF PEOPLE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW, BUT BECAUSE THAT'S A REASON IN MY MIND, AND I, AND MY, MY TALKING WITH, UH, SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT WANTS TO GET A T B L, BUT THEY CANNOT GET IT.
IT'S BECAUSE IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE.
AND CAPITAL METRO IS ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE THEY CAN GET THE CERTIFICATION FOR THE C D L WITHOUT PAYING THE $6,000.
NOW WE HAVE HERE ANOTHER ISSUE.
LIKE A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE, THEY JUST WANT TO WORK IN THE CAPITAL METRO JUST FOR A FEW MONTHS TO GET THE CERTIFICATION, TO GET THE C D L AND MOVE TO ANOTHER COMPANY.
NOW WE HAVE HERE A LACK OF CUSTOMER SERVICE WITH THE PEOPLE WHO'S USING THE CAPITAL METRO, THE BUSES, THE METRO, EVERY DAY.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHO IS IN CHARGE OF TRAINING THE DRIVERS FOR THE BUSES.
WHAT'S THE PROCESS? WHAT'S THE CONSISTENT OF THE PEOPLE, OF THE DRIVERS IN THE CAPITAL METRO? WE HAVE A LOT OF TOPICS HERE TO DISCUSS
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WITH THE, WITH THE CAPITAL.UM, YEAH, WITH ALL THE, UH, PROJECT CONNECT AND SPECIFIC FOR ALL THE, UH, THE NEW ROUTES, WHAT IS THE TIME IT'S TAKING NOW, HOW, HOW MANY ROUTES WE HAVE IN EACH DISTRICT WITHIN EACH AREA.
I THINK THAT'S A LOT OF, UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF TOPICS TO DISCUSS IN THE FUTURE AGENDAS.
SO I WILL LIKE JUST TO OPEN THE, UH, ALL THOSE TOPICS HERE.
AND I WILL LIKE TO, UH, WITH THE STAFF.
AS I TOLD YOU, I HAVEN'T CHECKED MY EMAILS, SO I DON'T KNOW IF WAS IN CONTACT WITH ME SENDING ME MORE INFORMATION.
BUT I WILL CHECK THOSE EMAILS AND I WILL CHECK, UH, IF WE HAVE SOME SPECIFIC NAMES, UM, THAT WE CAN BRING TO OUR NEXT SESSION.
AND ALSO IF YOU, UH, EVERYBODY LIKE CAN BRING DIFFERENT INFORMATION, THAT WILL BE AWESOME.
LIKE, I, I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU TO MAKE A COMMIT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I THINK EVERYBODY JUST BE AWARE THAT SOMETHING IS HAPPENING HERE AND WE NEED TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF, UM, INFORMATION TO EVERYBODY HERE.
COMMISSIONER GARCIA, I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, THIS IS JOANNE.
COMMISSIONER
SO, UH, I KNOW YOU'RE TRYING TO GET INTO YOUR EMAIL, BUT ONCE YOU DO, JUST GO AHEAD AND REACH OUT TO ME AND I CAN CONNECT YOU WITH SOME FOLKS.
AND I DO WANNA SAY THAT, UM, COMMISSIONER, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER ORTIZ.
COMMISSIONER ORTIZ HAS, UM, REPEATEDLY LET US KNOW THAT SHE IS, UH, WILLING TO BE AVAILABLE AS A RESOURCE, UM, FOR OUR CONCERN ABOUT TRANSPORTATION, BECAUSE TRANSPORTATION IS IN FACT, UM, UH, A ISSUE THAT WE DO, UH, HAVE COMMISSIONER DELGADO, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, GARCIA GARCIA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THOSE, UH, VERY IMPORTANT TOPICS UP BECAUSE WE DO NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT THAT.
AND SO I DO WANT TO JUST SHARE WITH YOU AND WITH OTHER COMMISSIONERS THAT OUR COMMISSIONER, UH, OUR MONTA, UH, COMMISSIONER, IS HE, IS HE HERE TODAY? ON, ON, UH, NO.
HE, HE IS THE, THE LIAISON THAT SERVES ON THE PROJECT CONNECT.
UM, AND SO HE IS A, A REP, AND SO IF WE CAN ALSO ASK HIM TO GIVE US AN UPDATE OF WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON IN THOSE MEETINGS SINCE WE'RE NOT, UH, WE'RE NOT REALLY UPDATED.
I KNOW I'VE BEEN OUT OF, OUT OF THE LOOP ON IT FOR THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS, SO FOR SURE, UH, GETTING OUR COMMISSIONER, OUR OWN COMMISSIONER TO GIVE US AN UPDATE.
ONE, NUMBER TWO, UM, UH, PROJECT CONNECT, UH, DOES HAVE, UH, WE SHOULD CALL PROJECT CONNECT TO COME BACK TO SEE US.
IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE THEY'VE BEEN HERE.
THE LAST TIME THEY WERE HERE, THEY DID GIVE US, UH, A, A LONG PRESENTATION.
IF WE CAN MAYBE GET SPECIFICS OF JUST WANTING TO KNOW EXACTLY, UM, WHERE, UH, WHAT'S IN THE FUTURE, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE, UH, FOR ALL OF THAT INFORMATION THAT YOU, YOU JUST ASKED US IF WE CAN GET A, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM PROJECT CONNECT TO SPECIFICALLY JUST TALK ABOUT THE BUS ROUTES, UH, ALL OF THE PEDESTRIAN SIDEWALKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I THINK THAT'S ALSO, UH, A GOOD WAY TO START.
ANOTHER, UM, THING THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER, UM, NO NOEL WILL TELL US NOI IS THAT THEY CHANGED ALL OF THE ROUTES IN CAPITOL METRO, AND THAT WAS DONE, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS OVER A YEAR AGO, BUT I KNOW YEAH.
IT, IT'S, IT WAS BEEN A WHILE BACK.
I THINK IT HAPPENED DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND I THINK THAT THE BOARD OF CAPITAL METRO UM, JUST SO YOU KNOW, UM, IT'S, IT'S DOESN'T REALLY FALL ON THE STAFF OR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING FOR CAPITAL METRO.
IT GOES TO THE BOARD OF CAPITAL METRO WHO'S SERVING ON THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD.
AND IF WE CAN GET A CAPITAL METRO BOARD MEMBER TO COME AND GIVE US AN UPDATE OF WHAT THEY ARE APPROVING AND WHAT THEY'RE CHANGING IN OUR CITY AND US GIVING THEM THE CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE, UH, BECAUSE I HAVE VIEWED MY DISTRICT, WHICH IS DISTRICT THREE, WHICH IS CUT UP IN THREE PLACES 'CAUSE WE SHARE IT WITH DISTRICT ONE.
UM, IT, IT, WE HAVE A LOT OF THOSE PROBLEMS THAT NORTHEAST IS, IS NORTHWEST IS HAVING.
UM, I THINK ALL OF OUR DISTRICTS ARE SUFFERING, NOT HAVING, UM, YOU KNOW, SHELTERS NOT HAVING SIDEWALKS AND ALL OF THAT.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO BRING ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, UM, YOU KNOW, TO COME AND GIVE US AN UPDATE.
JUST SO YOU KNOW, CAPITAL METRO IS ONE OF MY PARTNERS AND WE DO WORK WITH THEM SIDE, SIDE BY SIDE WITH TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET, UM, OUR, OUR AUSTIN CONSTITUENTS TO BE EMPLOYED.
UM, I DO NOTICE THAT C D L, JUST SO YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER GARCIA, UM, THEY HAVE A SIGN-ON BONUS.
SO THEY, THEY ENCOURAGE THEM TO, IF THEY ARE GONNA DO THEIR C D L, UH, TO BE ABLE TO WORK FOR THEM.
ALSO THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION, UH, W I A, WE HAVE A TON AMOUNT OF AGENCIES THAT ARE
[02:00:01]
PROVIDING EVEN MY OWN AGENCY, AMERICAN GI FORM, WE ARE PROVIDING FREE TRAINING, PAID TRAINING, SO THE, THE RESOURCES OUT THERE, THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY $6,000.UH, THERE, THERE'S A LOT OF PROGRAMS THAT ARE HELPING THEM GET THEIR CDLS AND, AND I CAN ALSO PROVIDE YOU WITH THOSE RESOURCES.
ARE WE OPEN CONVERSATION OR ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO VOTE ON FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS OR DO WE JUST EMAIL STAFF AND ASK WHAT CAN BE ON, UM, A, ON A FUTURE AGENDA? I'LL LET, UM, UM, YOU CAN, YOU CAN JUST EMAIL ME WITH FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS THAT, THAT YOU WANT ON THE AGENDA.
UM, AND WE HAVE A AGENDA MEETING AND I CAN BRING IT UP TO THE CHAIR AND THE VICE CHAIR DURING THAT MEETING.
PLEASE LET US KNOW WHAT YOUR CONCERNS ARE, UM, BECAUSE WE ARE ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT EACH OF US AS COMMISSIONERS, THAT OUR CONCERNS ARE FULLY, UM, VETTED AND ADDRESSED.
UM, SO THAT, UM, IT'LL HELP US BE STRONGER AS A, AS A COMMISSION.
ANY OTHER FUTURE, UH, AGENDA ITEMS GOING ONCE, TWICE.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, TIME NOW IS, THANK YOU SISTER.
8 36 ON THE DECK AND WE STAND ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH AND COMMISSIONERS.