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CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE.
IT IS 10:00 AM ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH, 2023,
[CALL TO ORDER]
AND WE ARE IN CITY HALL CHAMBERS.UH, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYBODY.
I AM, UH, VICE CHAIR JOSE VELASQUEZ, CHAIR.
UH, FUENTES IS OFF THE DAIS TODAY, BUT SHE'S JOINING US REMOTELY.
UM, TODAY WE'LL HAVE A SHORT BUT EXCITING AGENDA.
UH, FIRST WE'LL START WITH PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS.
THEN NEXT, WE'LL, UH, NEXT OUR AGENDA IS APPROVING THE MINUTES FROM THE PAST COMMITTEE MEETING.
FROM THERE, WE'LL BE JOINED BY DR.
CHAIR OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION, AND RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON THE WORK OF THE COMMISSION.
AND FINALLY, WE WILL RECEIVE A BRIEFING ON ISSUES RELATED TO HOMELESSNESS FROM THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE.
UM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE AGENDA? ALL RIGHT, LET'S BEGIN.
AND I BELIEVE WE DON'T HAVE ANY SPEAKERS SIGNED UP.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY SPEAKERS THIS MORNING.
UM, MADAM CHAIR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING? JUST CHECKING IN.
[1. Approve the minutes of the Public Health Committee meeting on August 9, 2023]
WILL NOW MOVE TO, UH, APPROVAL OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES.ITEM P C H 0 0 1 FOR ITEM ONE.
CAN I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE AUGUST 9TH? 2023 MINUTE MINUTES AS PRESENTED? SO MOVED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? NOPE.
[2. Meet Dr. Larry Wallace, Jr. Chair of the Public Health Commission and receive an update on the work of the Commission]
LIKE TO WELCOME DR.TO UPDATE THE COMMITTEE ON THE WORK OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSIONS.
HE DID SPEAK THAT HE WAS ON HIS WAY, SO HE STUCK BETWEEN EIGHTH AND THIS STREET, SO HE'LL BE HERE SHORTLY.
HOW'S YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US? YEAH, I APPRECIATE IT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION, UH, THE JOINT ONE BETWEEN, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY.
UH, REAL QUICK UPDATE IS, UM, THE CURRENT COMMISSION.
WE HAVE, UH, BASICALLY REVIEWED THE BYLAWS, UM, IMPLEMENTED THOSE SITUATIONS.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE WORKING UNDER A FOUNDATION YEAR KNOWING THAT THIS IS THE LAUNCH OF THIS COMMISSION, THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LAUNCH REGARDING THE COLLABORATION WITH THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES FROM TRAVIS COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AWESOME PUBLIC HEALTH.
UM, THE, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY, UM, OVERALL AGENCY THAT DR.
WALKS OVERSEAS AS WELL AS CENTRAL HEALTH.
AND THAT THE EFFORT IS TO BE ABLE TO NOT ONLY JUST LOOK AT WHAT THEY'RE DOING, UH, HOLISTICALLY, STRATEGICALLY, BUT HOW THEY CAN BETTER SYNERGIZE, BE ABLE TO COLLABORATE, UH, AND AUGMENT SERVICES, UH, TO REALLY MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, UH, ACROSS BOTH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.
SO WE'RE DOING, I WOULD SAY, PROBABLY MORE OF A SLOW, INTENTIONAL, UH, LAUNCH OF THIS COMMISSION BY, UH, RIGHT NOW, WHICH THE TEAM HAS BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB OF LINING UP BASICALLY EXECUTIVE OR BOARD LEVEL TYPES OF PRESENTATIONS AND BRIEFS TO THE WHOLE COMMISSION TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY ON THIS COMMISSION, UM, UH, HAS A FULL GOOD UNDERSTANDING ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT SERVICES AND PROGRAMS THAT EACH AGENCY PROVIDES.
UH, SO THAT WAY WHEN WE START GOING INTO PARTICULAR TOPICS, WHETHER IT BE COVID, I KNOW WE HAVE A PRESENTATION COMING UP NEXT MONTH REGARDING THAT.
UH, JUST WHAT'S, WHAT'S HAPPENING, ESPECIALLY SCHOOLS BEING BACK IN, UH, BACK IN SESSION TEACHERS AND SO FORTH.
BUT ALSO CONCERNS LIKE OPIOID AND, UH, OTHER, OTHER USES THAT ARE GOING ON OUT THERE.
UH, AS I KNOW FROM THE TIME EVEN BEING HERE, WORKING WITH CERTAIN COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, HERE, UH, JUST THE ONGOING NEEDS AND CONCERNS REGARDING, UH, WEATHER, WEATHERIZATION, HEAT, UH, COLD WEATHER, RIGHT.
IN OUR POPULATIONS THAT ARE HAVING THOSE ISSUES, UH, NOT ONLY FROM THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT ALSO THE HEALTH ISSUES THAT ARE RESONANT WITHIN THAT AS WELL.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'LL PROBABLY BE DONE, I BELIEVE DECEMBER OR SO, GOING THROUGH ALL OF THE PRESENTATIONS NEXT MONTH, WILL BE THE SOBERING CENTER AS WELL AS CENTRAL HEALTH, WHICH IS REALLY THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE ONE.
UH, WE'VE ALREADY WENT THROUGH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, TRAVIS COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION, AND DR.
UM, AND AGAIN, THAT IS TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A FULL HOLISTIC UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT EVERYBODY DOES BEFORE WE START DIVING INTO PARTICULAR TOPICS AND FINDING OUT THAT'S NOT ONE PERSON'S SPACE, THAT'S NOT ONE PERSON'S AGENCY, OR WE END UP FOCUSING OVERLY INTO ONE AGENCY, NOT REALIZING THAT TWO, TWO OR THREE OTHERS
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ACTUALLY HAVE A PIECE OF THAT AS WELL.UH, AND SO THE INTENTION OF COMING HERE IS NOT ONLY ONE TO GIVE YOU ALL THAT ANALYSIS, BUT TWO, TO ASK YOUR, UH, INTEREST IN PARTICULAR TOPICS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO TAKE BACK TO THE COMMISSION.
UH, WE'RE WE'RE CREATING A LIST, A RUNNING LIST IN TALLY OF TOPICS THAT WE WANT TO ADDRESS AND KIND OF SHIFT THEM AS PRIORITIES COME UP.
IF SOMETHING ENDS UP BEING AN EMERGENT NEED THAT BECOMES A HIGHER PRIORITY, UH, OF THE TOPICS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
BUT WE'RE NOW GETTING TO THAT POINT.
NOW WE'RE GONNA START GOING INTO PARTICULAR TOPICS AND WANTED TO KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING OF INTEREST FROM, FROM YOU ALL AS PART OF THE APPOINTING, UH, UH, UH, BODY FOR THIS COMMISSION.
WELL, IT'S A PLEASURE TO TO SEE YOU.
THAT'S A, A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
HONESTLY, THE FIRST THING THAT, THAT JUMPS TO MIND, UH, JUST RECENTLY, JUST WITH THAT KIND OF LITTLE, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF COVID UPTICK THAT WE HAD OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS, AND WITH A HANDFUL OF CASES, HONESTLY, ON, YOU KNOW, ON THE SECOND FLOOR AND KIDS SCHOOLS, WHERE ARE WE WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF, UH, UH, COVID, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, UH, AND, AND JUST ONGOING STRATEGIES.
I MEAN, I, I REMEMBER WHEN THEY FIRST, UH, UH, UH, THE, THE PANDEMIC KIND OF FIRST STARTED, THERE WAS A LOT OF, UH, DISCUSSION ABOUT AIR QUALITY, INDOOR AIR QUALITY MM-HMM.
NOW, ALL THAT, A LOT OF THAT TALK HAS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, FALLEN BY THE WAYSIDE.
BUT I MEAN, I THINK IT'S STILL VERY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY THINKING ABOUT LIKE A CLASSROOM SETTING.
UM, I KNOW THAT IN, IN MY KIDS' SCHOOL AND, AND, YOU KNOW, I HEAR THIS SORT OF REPORTED IN A LOT OF OTHERS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A KIND OF LITTLE MINI OUTBREAKS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND I MEAN, TO THE EXTENT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE WE ON THOSE KINDS OF JUST ONGOING KIND OF STRATEGIES TO, TO GENERALLY SPEAKING, I'D SAY, YOU KNOW, KEEP PEOPLE HEALTHY.
UH, THAT, AGAIN, THAT ONE JUST KIND OF JUMPS.
AND AGAIN, I KNOW WE, WE SERVE ON THE SOBERING CENTER BOARD TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, MENTAL HEALTH AND, AND, UH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE JUST, I THINK CONTINUE TO DOMINATE THE PUBLIC HEALTH AGENDA, AT LEAST LOCALLY, UM, IN, IN, UH, IN, IN WAYS THAT THAT HAS NOT NECESSARILY BEEN TRUE IN, IN THE PAST.
UM, AND THAT'S JUST ANOTHER ISSUE THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, I JUST FEEL THERE'S A REAL, UH, SO MANY OF OUR, OF OUR HEALTH PROBLEMS, SO MANY OF, UH, AGAIN, JUST IN DISCUSSIONS WITH LIKE E M S, YOU KNOW, SOME OF MM-HMM.
SO AGAIN, UH, YOU KNOW, TO THE EXTENT THAT, THAT THERE'S, UH, INPUT, YOU KNOW, UM, FROM THE COMMITTEE, UH, FROM THE COMMISSION ON, ON THOSE, UH, AREAS, IT WOULD BE, UH, IT WOULD BE, UH, HELPFUL.
ESPECIALLY, AGAIN, JUST GIVEN, YOU KNOW, NO MEDICAID EXPANSION IN TEXAS, YOU KNOW, JUST AGAIN, WE HAVE A LOT OF ROADBLOCKS, UH, AND GIVEN OUR LIMITED RESOURCES, HOW DO WE BEST USE OUR LIMITED RESOURCES, UH, TO, TO TRY TO, UH, DEAL WITH THOSE, UH, THOSE ISSUES.
SO THAT'S JUST A HANDFUL OF TOPICS THAT COME TO MIND.
COUNCIL MEMBER, I KNOW WE'RE ALSO GOING TO, UH, TAKE A LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT HEALTH ASSESSMENTS THAT HAVE CAME OUT FROM 2022 FROM CENTRAL HEALTH TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, AS WELL AS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SPACE OF MENTAL HEALTH AND, UH, UM, UH, UM, SUBSTANCE ABUSE USAGE AS WELL.
UM, AND SO THAT WILL ALSO BE MORE OF THAT HOLISTIC EFFORT THAT WE WANNA PUT INTO PLAY AS WE LAUNCH INTO THESE PARTICULAR TOPICS.
BUT AGAIN, STARTING WITH ACTUALLY WHAT THE DIFFERENT, UH, AGENCIES DO.
AND GIVEN Y'ALL ARE A JOINT BODY JOINTLY, UH, APPOINTED BY THE TRAVIS COUNTY AND, AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN, CORRECT.
THE MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION PROPOSAL FROM, UH, YES.
UH, COUNTY JUDGE, UH, ANDY BROWN AND, AND THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
UH, I THINK THAT'S A VERY, UH, KEY TOPIC IN PROPERLY LAUNCHING THAT MM-HMM.
UH, I, I MEAN, IT'S, UH, IMPORTANT, UH, TO ME, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THE CITY WE BUDGETED, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME MONEY TO, TO HELP THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, LAUNCH IT ON CENTRAL HEALTH HAS, HAS, HAS TALKED ABOUT THAT.
ALSO, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, ANY KIND OF HELP IN KIND OF GUIDING OR GETTING THAT STARTED, UM, I THINK WOULD BE, UH, WOULD BE GREAT TOO.
UH, I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES HAD HER HAND UP.
AND, UH, THANK YOU TO MY, UH, VICE CHAIR JOSE VELASQUEZ FOR CHAIRING TODAY'S MEETING.
I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND THANK YOU, DR.
WALLACE FOR CHAIRING OUR PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION.
THE CREATION OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION WAS, UH, ORIGINALLY INITIATED BY OUR COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, UM, ON THE CITY SIDE.
SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION BE FORMED, AND THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT PROGRESS IS BEING MADE WITH YOU ALL GETTING THE INTRODUCTORY, YOU KNOW, LEVEL SETTING INFORMATION THAT IS NEEDED.
UH, TO ECHO COUNCILMAN RIVERA'S COMMENTS TO ME, THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE IS MENTAL HEALTH.
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SAW IS THE STATE DID NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR MENTAL HEALTH, DID NOT, IN FACT, HAD A DECREASE IN FUNDING FOR MENTAL HEALTH, RESULTING IN OUR MENTAL AUTHORITY, OUR MENTAL HEALTHCARE AUTHORITY, INTEGRAL CARE, HAVING A GAP IN FUNDING CENTRAL HEALTH HAD TO SET STEP UP AND PROVIDE FUNDING FROM THEIR RESERVES.AND, UH, TO ME, THAT REALLY UNDERSCORES THE IMPORTANCE OF HOW WE NAVIGATE MENTAL HEALTH IN AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY.
YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE IS A LACK OF FUNDING, WHEN WE KNOW WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT ISSUES MM-HMM.
SO I WOULD WELCOME RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION AROUND OUR MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.
UM, AS CHAIR OF THE COMMUNITY ADVANCEMENT NETWORK, WE LAUNCHED AN INITIATIVE TO HAVE A THOUSAND EYES TRAINED WITH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID, SO THAT WE CAN ALSO SKILL UP AS INDIVIDUALS SO WE CAN BECOME BETTER NEIGHBORS AND KNOW HOW TO RECOGNIZE THE SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS WHEN SOMEONE IS EXPERIENCING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.
WE HAVE OVER 600 INDIVIDUALS ALREADY TRAINED UP.
UM, SO WE'RE MAKING GREAT PROGRESS ON IT, BUT I, I WOULD REALLY LIKE MORE FOCUSED ATTENTION AND A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION AROUND MENTAL HEALTH IN OUR CITY.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE UPDATE.
[3. Briefing on issues related to homelessness from the Homeless Strategy Officer]
THREE, I WANT TO WELCOME THE H S O OFFICE FOR A BRIEFING ON ISSUES RELATED TO HOMELESSNESS.I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF SERVING AS THE INTERIM HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER.
BEFORE I BEGIN, UH, I WOULD JUST BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK, UH, MY STAFF IN THE HOMELESS STRATEGY DIVISION FOR NAVIGATING OUR WORK THROUGH THE TRANSITION OF DIANA GRAY'S RESIGNATION.
UH, AND I'VE ALSO BEEN OUT THE LAST WEEK, UH, PLANNING AND ATTENDING THE FUNERAL SERVICES FOR MY MOTHER.
AND, UH, OUR TEAM HAS CONTINUED TO DO THE GOOD WORK HERE IN AUSTIN WHILE I'VE BEEN OUTTA TOWN, UH, ATTENDING TO THAT FAMILY SITUATION.
AND SO, UH, I JUST WANT TO GIVE A, A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO OUR DEDICATED STAFF, UH, WHO ARE REALLY IN THE FIELD EACH AND EVERY DAY TRYING TO SERVE, UH, OUR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, UH, AND ALL AUSTIN NIGHTS, BECAUSE THIS IS A, A, A TOPIC THAT, UH, INVOLVES EVERYBODY.
AND SO I JUST WANNA GIVE THEM THEIR, THEIR CREDIT.
UH, THIS MORNING I'LL COVER FIVE KEY UPDATES FOR YOU.
UH, THE FIRST IS I'LL GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON OUR EMERGENCY SHELTERS, UH, AND WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT INITIATIVE.
UH, I'LL ALSO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UPDATE ON OUR SHELTER DISPERSION AND BED CAPACITY.
UH, WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME ESTIMATES FOR BOTH SHELTER NEEDS, AS WELL AS SHELTER COST FOR AUSTIN.
AND THEN WE'LL CONCLUDE WITH AN UPDATE ON THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT ASSISTANT LAKE INITIATIVE, ALSO CALLED THE HEALED INITIATIVE.
SO, JUST A QUICK UPDATE ON OUR EMERGENCY SHELTERS.
AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE, OUR MARSHALLING YARD BEGAN OPERATIONS ON 8 22.
UH, I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY AT, UH, 200 CLIENTS BEING SERVED ON A DAILY BASIS AT THIS FACILITY, UH, PER COUNCIL DIRECTION.
WE ARE IN CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR PROVIDER ENDEAVORS, UH, ABOUT INCREASING THAT CAPACITY TO 300.
UH, WE'RE DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE WITH ENDEAVORS, REALLY LOOKING AT THE STATUS OF OUR OPERATIONS AT 200, UH, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE PREPARED TO TAKE ON, UH, AN ADDITIONAL HUNDRED CLIENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY.
WITH RESPECT TO THE H STREET SHELTER, UH, I RECEIVED THE NEWS THIS MORNING THAT THE CITY AND THE SALVATION ARMY HAVE AGREED TO THE TERMS OF OUR LEASE AGREEMENT, UH, FOR THIS FACILITY.
AND SO THE NEXT PHASE IN THIS PROCESS WILL BE, UH, DOING SOME RENOVATIONS AT THAT SHELTER.
THERE ARE SOME RENOVATIONS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO PREPARE TO SHELTER, TO BE OPEN FOR THE POPULATIONS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO SERVE.
THAT RENOVATION PROCESS WILL TAKE ABOUT SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS.
UH, BUT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO ENTER INTO THAT NEXT PHASE OF THIS IMPORTANT PROJECT.
AND THEN OUR THREE SHELTERS, THE ARCH NORTH BRIDGE AND SOUTH BRIDGE, ARE DUE FOR, UH, A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR OPERATORS FOR EACH OF THOSE FACILITIES.
UH, AND SO OUR STAFF IS WORKING DILIGENTLY ON PREPARING THAT R F P TO GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY LATER THIS YEAR.
UH, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO COMING TO COUNCIL EARLY NEXT YEAR WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OPERATORS FOR ALL THREE OF THOSE FACILITIES.
UH, WE DO HAVE OPERATORS AT ARCH AND SOUTHBRIDGE.
IT'S JUST PART OF OUR STANDARD PROCESS THAT EVERY CERTAIN, CERTAIN NUMBER OF YEARS WE HAVE TO RES SOLICIT.
AND SO IT'S NOT A SIGN THAT THE OPERATORS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE ARE DOING BAD OR GOOD.
IT'S JUST PART OF KIND OF STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR THE CITY.
TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT KIND OF THE GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF OUR SHELTERS HERE IN AUSTIN, UM, WHAT, WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN BEFORE YOU IS, UH,
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A MAP THAT SHOWS THE GEOGRAPHIC DISPERSION OF INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN AUSTIN.AND THE RED SHADE ON THAT MAP TO THE RIGHT, OR AT LEAST MY RIGHT, UH, IS WHERE YOU HAVE THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OR THE HIGHEST DENSITY OF UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS.
AND THEN EACH OF THOSE BLUE DOTS ON THAT MAP SHOWS THE LOCATION OF A SHELTER FACILITY.
AND YOU'LL NOTICE THAT MOST PEOPLE, UH, WHO ARE UNSHELTERED HOMELESS IN AUSTIN ARE CONCENTRATED DOWNTOWN, CONCENTRATED ALONG THE I 35 CORRIDOR.
UH, AND WE ALSO SEE SOME GROWTH IN OUR SOUTH AUSTIN, UH, POPULATION.
IN TERMS OF THE POPULATION, YOU KNOW, KIND OF, WHO ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? UH, ABOUT 16% OF THE INDIVIDUALS ARE YOUNGER THAN THE AGE OF 18.
UH, AND THEN WE HAVE A SIZABLE CHUNK OF THE POPULATION THAT'S BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18 AND 54 WITH 14% 55 AND OLDER.
UM, YOU'LL ALSO SEE ON THE TABLE TO THE LEFT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SHELTER IN AUSTIN, AND WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF BEDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
UH, 28% OF THE BED CAPACITY THAT WE HAVE ARE FOR FAMILIES.
ANOTHER 20 PER 6% ARE FOR HEAL.
UH, THE, THE KEY CHALLENGE THAT WE FACE IS THAT A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF OUR CURRENT BED CAPACITY.
UH, IT, YOU KNOW, THE GENERAL FOR, FOR GENERAL POPULATION, UH, THAT THAT ONLY COMPRISES 8% OF THE OVERALL CAPACITY, YET A, A LARGE MAJORITY OF OUR UNSHELTERED HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS ARE SINGLE ADULTS.
AND SO THERE IS SOME RIGHT SIZING THAT WE NEED TO DO WITH RESPECT TO THE SHELTER BED CAPACITY, UH, AND THE POPULATION THAT WE ARE TRYING TO SERVE HERE.
JUST KIND OF JUMPING TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT KIND OF THE SYSTEM NEEDS AND BED CAPACITY, THIS IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE AS WE ENGAGE OUR UNSHELTERED POPULATION, THE QUESTION THAT WE CONSTANTLY GET FROM OUR UNSHELTERED AUSTINITES, AS WELL AS OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND OUR, UH, FELLOW DEPARTMENTS IN THIS WORK IS, WHERE DO WE SEND PEOPLE? WHERE DO WE TELL PEOPLE TO GO? IF YOU CAN'T BE IN A PARK, OR YOU CAN'T BE IN A CREEK, OR YOU CAN'T BE UNDER THE BRIDGE, WHERE DO WE TAKE YOU? AND RIGHT NOW, OUR, OUR SYSTEM IS AT CAPACITY, UH, THE BARBARA POPPY REPORT, UH, THAT WAS CONDUCTED.
WE, WE LOOKED AT THAT REPORT AND THE MODELING IN THAT REPORT, AND WE CARRIED IT FORWARD TO LOOK AT WHAT THE CAPACITY NEEDS ARE FOR 2025.
AND WHAT WE CONCLUDED IS THAT WE NEED 1,428 BEDS, UH, BY 2025 IN ORDER TO HAVE ENOUGH SYSTEMS CAPACITY FOR OUR UNSHELTERED POPULATION.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE 541 BEDS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT CHILDREN.
THAT'S RELATIVELY THAT KEY POPULATION THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SERVE, WHICH MEANS WE NEED AN ADDITIONAL 887 BEDS FOR THIS KEY POPULATION.
NOW, OUR COLLEAGUES OVER AT TWO ARE CURRENTLY DEVELOPING ABOUT 115 BEDS AS PART OF THEIR ESPERANZA EXPANSION, BUT THAT STILL LEAVES A GAP OF 772 BEDS THAT WE NEED IN OUR SYSTEM.
NOW, WE ARE BEING RESPONSIVE TO THIS BY BRINGING ON THE MARSHALING YARD AS WELL AS THE H STREET SHELTER.
UH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO TEMPORARILY PROVIDE 450 BEDS.
YET THE CHALLENGE REMAINS THAT WE NEED TO, TO IDENTIFY 772 PERMANENT BEDS FOR THE SYSTEM.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE COST OF PROVIDING BEDS, UH, THIS SLIDE SHOWS ESTIMATED COST.
UH, AND WE'RE BASING THESE COSTS ON OUR SHELTER CONTRACTS IN, IN OUR SHELTER BUDGETS, UH, WITH THE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
AND SO THE EMERGENCY SHELTER AVERAGE ACROSS ALL FIVE CONTRACTS SUMS UP TO 34, JUST JUST NORTH OF $34,000 PER BED PER YEAR.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE PRICEY FOR NON CONGREGATE SHELTERS THAN FOR CONGREGATE FACILITIES.
UM, AND FOR THOSE WHO AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH LINGO, NON-CON BASICALLY MEANS PEOPLE, MORE OR LESS HAVE THEIR OWN SPACE CONGREGATE IS MORE LIKE WHAT YOU SEE AT THE MARSHALING YARD.
AND SO WHEN YOU TAKE THAT AVERAGE AND YOU MULTIPLY THAT BY THE 772 BEDS THAT WE NEED, YOU COME UP WITH A FIGURE JUST NORTH OF $26 MILLION, UH, BEING THE COST THAT WE ESTIMATE TO BRING THOSE 772 BEDS ONLINE.
SO, I'LL WRAP UP, UH, ON SOMEWHAT OF A BRIGHTER NOTE, UH, WITH A QUICK UPDATE ON OUR HEELED INITIATIVE.
UH, WE RECENTLY COMPLETED OUR 15TH HEEL, UH, PROJECT OVER AT BARWOOD PARK.
WE WERE ABLE TO GET APPROXIMATELY 30 PEOPLE OUT OF THE PARK, UH, AND CONNECTED INTO THE HEEL PROGRAM.
WHEN WE LOOK AT OVERALL SYSTEM OUTCOMES, UH, FROM THE 15 ENCAMPMENTS, NOT 14, BUT FROM THE 15 ENCAMPMENTS, UH, THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DECOMMISSION, WE SUCCESSFULLY MOVED 635 PEOPLE INTO OUR BRIDGE SHELTERS.
OF THOSE 335 HAVE BEEN CONNECTED TO A CASE MANAGER.
NOW, I KNOW THIS BEGS THE QUESTION, WHY HAVEN'T ALL 635 BEEN CONNECTED TO A CASE MANAGER? AND THE REASON IS, AS WE'RE PULLING PEOPLE OUT OF CAMPS, SOME OF THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE ALREADY
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CONNECTED TO HOUSING PROGRAMS. SO THEY'RE CONNECTED TO A PROGRAM, BUT THEY'RE STILL UNSHELTERED.AND SO, IF INDIVIDUALS ALREADY CONNECTED TO A PROGRAM AND DON'T NEED TO BE CONNECTED TO OUR CASE MANAGERS, THEY'RE NOT COUNTED AS PART OF THIS DATA SET.
WE ALSO HAVE SOME PEOPLE WHO EXIT SHELTER BEFORE CONNECTIONS, UH, AND WE, WE DO OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, UH, ENSURE THAT THOSE FOLKS ARE PROVIDED TWO ADDITIONAL SERVICES.
OF THE 335 PEOPLE, UH, 208 HAVE BEEN HOUSED SO FAR, UH, WITH 44 PEOPLE COMPLETING THE PROGRAM, COMPLETING THE PROGRAM MEANS THAT THEY'VE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE 12 TO 18 MONTH RAPID REHOUSING PROGRAM.
UH, AND NOW THEY ARE LIVING INDEPENDENTLY AS MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
I DO WANNA NOTE THAT THE MEDIAN TIME FOR INTAKE HAS INCREASED FROM ABOUT 180 DAYS, UH, IN JUNE TO 227 DAYS.
UH, THIS IS A RESULT OF TWO THINGS.
ONE IS WE DOUBLED OUR OCCUPANCY AT THE BRIDGE SELTZER, SO WE'RE, WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE WHO WE'RE SERVING AT THAT PART OF THE SYSTEM.
UH, SO THERE'S MORE PEOPLE THERE.
BUT THE OTHER KEY FACTOR IS, QUITE FRANKLY, IN THIS MARKET, IT'S BECOMING MORE AND MORE CHALLENGING FOR US TO FIND THE ACCOMMODATIONS WITHIN THE RAPID REHOUSING SPACE TO MOVE PEOPLE FROM SHELTER INTO RAPID REHOUSING.
SO WE'RE HOLDING MORE PEOPLE IN OUR SHELTERS, AND WE'RE DOING THE WORK TO TRY TO FIND SPACE TO SEND THEM, BUT AS LONG AS THEY'RE IN OUR CARE, WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE RECEIVING THE CASE MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SUPPORTS THAT THEY NEED, UH, TO BE SET UP FOR SUCCESS.
SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION.
I'M HAPPY TO, TO DO MY BEST TO ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS.
I DID INVITE AND ASK A COUPLE OF MY COLLEAGUES FROM THE HOMELESS STRATEGY DIVISION TO ATTEND TODAY.
SO I HAVE CHARLES LUON, UH, WHO'S OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST, AS WELL AS GARY P*****K, WHO'S ONE OF OUR BUSINESS, UH, SPECIALISTS.
AND SO IF I'M, IF I'M NOT ABLE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, UH, YOU MIGHT BE HEARING FROM CHARLES AND AND GARY INSTEAD.
BUT WITH THAT CHAIR, I YIELD THE TIME BACK TO YOU.
UH, I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
ALSO WANTED TO OFFER A HEARTFELT CONDOLENCE FROM ME.
UM, AND, UH, YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WILL BE IN MY PRAYERS.
UH, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT ME AND MY OFFICE CAN DO, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
ALSO, IF THERE'S ANYTHING ME AND MY OFFICE CAN DO AS YOU TRANSITION AND GROW INTO YOUR, TO YOUR NEW SPACE, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
UM, I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
YOU WERE SAYING THAT THE, THAT THE R F P IS COMING UP FOR NORTHBRIDGE AND SOUTHBRIDGE.
HOW OFTEN DOES THAT R F P COME UP FOR THAT? SURE.
SO I MIGHT HAVE TO YIELD THAT TO GARY OR CHARLES, DO EITHER ONE OF YOU.
UM, RFPS GENERALLY RUN ON A FIVE-YEAR TIMELINE, UM, FOR A P H.
AND SO THESE CONTRACTS ARE COMING UP FOR SOLICITATION RIGHT NOW, UM, PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE EMERGENCY CONTRACTS THAT WERE ISSUED A YEAR AGO, UM, FOR, UH, THE SOUTH BRIDGE SHELTER AND FOR THE ARCH, UM, WHEN FRONT STEPS, UM, WAS FOUND TO NOT BE ABLE TO, UM, OPERATE THOSE SHELTERS ANY LONGER.
UM, AND SO A PART OF THAT, UM, APPROVAL OF THOSE CONTRACTS WAS FOR THE CITY TO COMPLETE THE SHELTER ASSESSMENT AND THEN TO, UM, SOLICIT FOR, UM, LONGER TERM PROVIDERS.
AND SO WE EXPECT THESE CONTRACTS, WE, WE WILL ASK COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL FOR, UM, A FI UH, A CONTRACT THAT CAN BE RENEWED FOUR TIMES, SO ONE YEAR EACH TERM.
UM, HOW ARE WE, HOW ARE WE REFERRING FOLKS TO THE MARSHALING YARD? I KNOW YOU SAID WE'RE AT 200 AND WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT GOING TO THE, TO THE 300.
HOW ARE WE REFERRING FOLKS TO THE, TO THE MARSHALING YARD? SURE.
WHEN WE FIRST STARTED THE OUTREACH FOR THE MARSHAL YARD, WE WERE FOCUSED ON SEVERAL KEY SITES.
UH, THOSE SITES INCLUDED ENCAMPMENTS THAT WERE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE MARSHALING YARD, AND THAT WAS JUST PART OF OUR COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY AROUND THE MARSHALING YARD TO TRY TO, UH, ASSIST THEM.
WE WERE ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND OUR PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT TO IDENTIFY ENCAMPMENTS THAT WERE IN HIGH WILDFIRE RISK AREAS.
YOU KNOW, WE OPENED A MARSHLAND YARD RIGHT AFTER WE SAW WHAT HAPPENED IN MAUI AND IN LOUISIANA, AND EVEN RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD IN BASTROP.
AND SO WE WANT TO BE VERY MINDFUL OF WILDFIRE RISK AND WILDFIRE DANGERS, BOTH FOR OUR UNHOUSED COMMUNITY AS WELL AS FOR PERSONS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
ABOUT TWO WEEKS INTO THE PROCESS, WE SHIFTED A LITTLE BIT, UH, AND WE STARTED WORKING WITH A DOZEN OR SO ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE DOING OUTREACH ACROSS THE CITY AND PROVIDING THEM WITH THE TOOLS FOR COORDINATED INTAKE PROCESS, UH, ACROSS SITES A ACROSS THE CITY.
UH, THAT PROCESS WAS ALSO DONE WITH A FOCUS ON EQUITY.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE PROVIDING EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES TO FOLKS TO COME INTO SHELTER.
UH, WE WERE NOT FORCING PEOPLE INTO THE SHELTER, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE SHELTER RESEMBLED THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF, UH, OUR, OUR OVERALL UNHOUSED POPULATION.
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THAT REFERRAL AND INTAKE PROCESS BECAUSE WE'RE AT THE 200 PERSON CAPACITY.AND PART OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING NOW IS LOOKING AT THAT, THAT REFERRAL PROCESS, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE FEEL REALLY CONFIDENT AND COMFORTABLE WITH IT BEFORE WE BEGIN, UH, ACCEPTING THE NEXT 100 CLIENTS INTO THE FACILITY.
UM, I SAW THAT ON, UH, THAT 85% OF THE, OF THE, UM, ENCAMPMENT, OCCU OCCUPANTS EXCEPT SHELTER.
WHAT USUALLY HAPPENS WITH THE OTHER 15%? YOU'RE SPEAKING IN RESPECT TO HE YES.
UM, SO UNFORTUNATELY, FOR THE ONES WHO DON'T ACCEPT, YOU KNOW, WE DO NOTIFY THEM THAT THOSE HEEL SITE ENCAMPMENTS ARE GOING TO CLOSE.
UH, AND SO WE DO PROVIDE THEM WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THEIR STUFF AND TO RELOCATE BEFORE THE CLEANING CREWS COME IN TO, TO CLOSE THOSE SITES.
UH, I ALSO JUST WANNA, WANNA OFFER SOME THANKS.
UH, I'VE WORKED WITH YOUR TEAM AND THEY HAVE BEEN, UH, ESPECIALLY CHARLES AND, UH, BEEN NOTHING BUT COMPASSION.
COMPASSION AND DI DILIGENT WITH HELPING WITH, UH, SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT WE HAVE IN, IN THE, OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS IN DISTRICT THREE.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NOT A QUESTION PER SE.
FIRST, JUST WANTED TO, UH, THANK THE CHAIR FOR WELCOMING ME ON THIS COMMITTEE.
THIS IS MY FIRST OFFICIAL HEALTH COMMITTEE, PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE MEETING.
UM, BUT ALSO JUST TO SAY THANK YOU FOR WILLINGNESS TO STEP INTO THIS SPACE, AND IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT AND DIFFICULT JOB THAT YOU HAVE.
AND SO PLEASE LET US KNOW HOW WE CAN SUPPORT YOUR EFFORTS, BECAUSE THE MORE SUCCESSFUL YOU ARE, THE MORE SUCCESSFUL WE ARE AS A CITY, ACCOMPLISHING A REALLY IMPORTANT GOAL AND IMPORTANT NEED.
SO, UH, I JUST APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR WILLINGNESS TO, TO SERVE THE CITY AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
I ALSO WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO, UH, UH, CHARLES LUON.
UH, WE, MY OFFICE, UH, INTERACTS.
UH, MY OFFICE INTERACTS WITH HIM A LOT, AND HE'S ALWAYS, UH, VERY RESPONSIVE AND VERY HELPFUL, AND WE APPRECIATE IT.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY HOMELESSNESS IS ONE OF THE MOST HIGH PROFILE, UH, ISSUES WHERE WE GET SO MANY EMAILS AND COMPLAINTS AND CONCERNS, AND, AND Y'ALL ALWAYS ARE EXTREMELY RESPONSIVE AND EXTREMELY HELPFUL.
UH, THE HOW I'M, I'M SURPRISED, HONESTLY, THAT WE'RE 30 DAYS INTO THE MARSHALING YARD AND IT'S HIT THAT 200 PERSON CAPACITY.
UH, WERE YOU, WERE Y'ALL EXPECTING THAT? BECAUSE I KNOW THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS OUT THERE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DON'T LIKE, YOU KNOW, EMERGENCY SHELTER.
UH, I MEAN, I THOUGHT GIVEN THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, 2000 OR SO UNSHELTERED PEOPLE, IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE A STRETCH THAT 200 WOULD TAKE AN EMERGENCY SHELTER WHERE THEY HAVE, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, CLEAN, SECURE FACILITY, AIR CONDITIONED, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
BUT HOW, HOW DID, HOW DO YOU SEE THE, THE, THE, AT LEAST THE, THE, THE RECENT KIND OF DEVELOPMENTS, THE START OF THE MARKETING YARD? YEAH.
I, I WOULDN'T SAY THAT WE WERE SURPRISED AND NECESSARILY ABOUT FOLKS WANTING TO COME INSIDE, UH, TO A PLACE THAT'S SAFE AND SECURE.
THEY COULD BRING THEIR PETS INSIDE.
THEY HAVE LAUNDRY FACILITIES AND RESTROOM FACILITIES AND CASE MANAGEMENT MM-HMM.
AND, AND I'LL TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, IN THE FIRST WEEK, SOME FOLKS WERE HESITANT, BUT WE DID HAVE SOME EARLY ADOPTERS.
AND IT WAS COOL TO SEE THOSE INDIVIDUALS DURING THE DAYTIME GO BACK OUT INTO THEIR ENCAMPMENTS THAT THEY CAME FROM AND TESTIFY REALLY TO THE MARSHALING YARD AND THEIR EXPERIENCE AND HOW EXCITED THEY WERE.
AND SO THE, THE UPTICK RAMPED UP REALLY QUICKLY.
UH, WERE VERY EXCITED TO, TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS.
UM, AND I, I THINK NOW THOUGH, THE 200 IS A GOOD NUMBER TO PAUSE AT AS WE THINK ABOUT WHAT TAKING ON AN ADDITIONAL, UH, A HUNDRED INDIVIDUALS CLIENTS LOOKS LIKE FOR US.
UM, AND ALSO INTAKE IS NOT THE END RESULT, RIGHT? WE'RE COMMITTED TO GETTING PEOPLE HOUSED.
UH, AND SO AS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BRING FOLKS IN, WE'RE NOW ALSO ABLE TO LOOK AT HOW WE HOUSE PEOPLE, UH, WHO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BRING IN.
UH, AND WHAT ABOUT, UH, DOUBLING THE CAPACITY OF THE, OF THE BRIDGE SHELTERS? HOW'S THAT, UH, COMING ALONG WITH NORTH BRIDGE AND, AND, AND SOUTH BRIDGE? IT'S INTERESTING THAT THAT'S ONE WHERE WE HONESTLY, WERE A LITTLE HESITANT.
WE WEREN'T SURE HOW OUR CLIENTS WERE GONNA RESPOND TO HAVING A ROOMMATE.
UH, I WILL SAY OVERWHELMINGLY, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EXCITED TO HAVE A ROOMMATE BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT COMMUNITY, AND IT'S ABOUT HAVING A COLLEAGUE THERE WHO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN TRUST.
UH, OR MAYBE YOU WERE A COUPLE THAT WERE RESIDING TOGETHER IN AN ENCAMPMENT, AND NOW YOU'RE ABLE TO RESIDE TOGETHER, UH, IN A SHELTERED FACILITY.
UM, AND SO BY AND LARGE, THE, THE MAJORITY OF THE CLIENTS WHO WE HAVE, UH, IN OUR BRIDGE HOUSING ARE, UH, HAPPY TO HAVE A, A ROOMMATE,
[00:30:01]
SOMEBODY WHO THEY FEEL LIKE IS A, IS A COMPANION THAT THEY COULD TRUST, UH, AND COUNT ON AS THEY NAVIGATE THE, THE HOUSING PROCESS.NOW, I WAS SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT, AND I REMEMBER, I, I, IT WAS PROBABLY AT THE PRIOR, UH, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE MEETING WHERE THE MAJORITY OF, I GUESS THEY HAD DONE A SURVEY AND MOST PEOPLE WANTED A ROOMMATE.
UH, WHICH, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, I, I GET IT.
LIKE I SAID, COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, FRIENDSHIP, PARTNERSHIP ARE VERY IMPORTANT, UH, VALUES, UH, AND, UH, IT'S JUST, LIKE I SAID, A LITTLE UNEXPECTED, BUT GLAD TO HEAR THAT.
IT, IT BOTH, YOU KNOW, INCREASES CAPACITY, UH, AND HELPS PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, BE HAPPY.
UH, SO THAT, THAT'S A, THAT'S A, A REALLY GOOD TO HEAR.
IN TERMS OF THE BRIDGE SHELTER, AGAIN, AND I'M, I'M PULLING FROM MEMORY, BUT, UH, I THINK THAT THERE WAS A REPORT THAT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ABOUT 50% KIND OF SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE BRIDGE SHELTER, ABOUT 25% VOLUNTARILY LEAVE, AND ABOUT 25% ARE, UH, REMOVED, EXPELLED FOR, YOU KNOW, UH, VARIOUS, UH, REASONS ARE WE STILL SEEING A SIMILAR KIND OF BREAKDOWN OF, OF, UH, OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE ENTERING BRIDGE SHELTER.
I, I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND GET THAT DATA FOR YOU, ESPECIALLY SINCE NOW THAT WE'VE DOUBLED THE CAPACITY, I, I WANT TO GO BACK AND DOUBLE CHECK TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE ACCURATE.
UH, WELL, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE ALL, UH, YOUR EFFORTS.
UH, GLAD TO HEAR THE, THE MARSHALING YARD SO FAR SO GOOD ON THAT.
AND, UH, I WAS JUST, UH, ACTUALLY COMMUNICATING WITH MY STAFF THAT, THAT WE NEED TO GET A, A TOUR OF THE MARSHING YARD SET UP AS, UH, SOON AS POSSIBLE.
UH, AND, UH, AND, AND, AND GET A, A, A LOOK AT THE OPERATIONS THERE.
BUT AGAIN, UH, THANK YOU, UH, VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOU.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? FUENTES, COUNCILMAN FUENTES, DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UH, NO QUESTIONS.
JUST THANK YOU CHAIR FOR CHAIRING THE MEETING TODAY.
AND COLLEAGUES, IT SEEMS LIKE IT MIGHT BE A, UM, UH, A WORTHWHILE TOUR OF THE MARSHALING YARD WITH OUR ENTIRE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE.
SO I'M HAPPY TO COORDINATE WITH MY TEAM TO OFFER THAT TO OUR COMMITTEE SO THAT WE CAN ALL TOUR AT THE SAME TIME AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AND HAVE CONVERSATION REGARDING IT.
I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE READING MY MIND, THAT WAS ACTUALLY THE SUGGESTION I WAS GONNA MAKE NEXT, BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST TAKING IT FROM ME, BUT IT'S ALL GOOD.
AND SO CHARLES WILL BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOUR STAFF AND, AND YOUR TEAM COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, TO SCHEDULE THAT AND SET THAT UP.
I KNOW CHARLES LOVES HEARING FROM ME, SO YEAH, WE'LL DEFINITELY BE IN CONTACT.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. GRAY.
APPRECIATE, THANK YOU, YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
UM, WE ONLY HAVE TWO MORE MEETINGS, UH, FOR THE YEAR.
AND SO IF THERE ARE ANY FUTURE ITEMS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW OR, OR, OR PLEASE LET VANESSA KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES KNOW, AND HER STAFF, UH, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
ANY, ANY, UH, TOPICS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? HE'S GETTING TOO COMFORTABLE IN THIS CHAIR GETTING WAY TOO COMFORTABLE WITH YOU BEING OUT.
AND IT IS, IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, IT IS 10 33 AND, UM, WE ARE ADJOURNED.