[00:00:04]
[CALL TO ORDER]
NOW IS 6 31, I DO BELIEVE.AND, AND ARE WE READY? TURN ON.
WELL I'LL BE PULLING THIS UP OVER HERE.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GONNA CALL TO ORDER THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION APRIL MEETING.
AND THE PURPOSE OF THE BOARD, UH, 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. SO AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL ]
OUR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, THE GENERAL, THIS WILL BE OUR SPEAKERS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO TALK ABOUT ITEMS THAT ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA.EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
COMMISSIONERS, WE ASK THAT WE LISTEN AND RESERVE QUESTIONS FOR SOME OTHER TIME.
I THINK, ONE, THANK YOU FOR MAKING ME DO THIS.
YOU BRING MINE? NO, I NEED TO DO IT.
'CAUSE SHE SAID WE NEED TO DO IT BEFORE WE GET STARTED.
WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS THAT ARE SIGNED IN.
JOSEPH IS GOING TO, UM, BE SPEAKING.
IT DOES LOOK LIKE YOU'RE SPEAKING ON ITEMS NUMBER FOUR.
UM, SO THAT MEANS THEN THAT, UM, SHE CAN WAIT UNTIL THAT POINT.
SO, MS. JOSEPH, ALTHOUGH YOU'RE ON, WE, YOU ARE, UH, UH, SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IS ON THE, ON THE, UM, AGENDA ALREADY.
SO WE WILL BRING YOU IN AT THAT TIME.
BUT RESPECTFULLY, MADAM CHAIR, THIS IS FOR WHAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA.
WHICH PART IS THAT? THAT IS THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
YOU'RE SPEAKING NOW ON A PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND THEN WE WILL HAVE MS. SUSANNA, IS IT ALMAREZ? AMANZA.
UM, MS. SUSANNA AMANZA SPEAKING ABOUT HOUSING.
THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR MEMBERS.
I'M ENOVIA JOSEPH, LET ME PREFACE BY SAYING VIEWPOINT DISCRIMINATION MEANS THAT YOU ACTUALLY DO NOT PUT UP THE PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT ARE SENT IN ADVANCE TO THIS COMMISSION.
AND I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ACTUALLY ALLOWED ME TO JUST IN REAL TIME CREATE MY SLIDES.
AND BEFORE I SPOKE, I SIMPLY GAVE IT TO THEM ON A THUMBNAIL DRIVE.
THERE IS NOTHING POSTED ON YOUR WEBSITE THAT ACTUALLY TELLS THE PUBLIC THAT WE HAVE TO SUBMIT OUR COMMENTS IN ADVANCE FOR IT TO BE SCRUTINIZED BY THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
AND I WOULD ASK THAT IF THAT IS IN FACT YOUR METHODOLOGY, IN YOUR METHOD OF ACTUALLY DEALING WITH THE PUBLIC, THAT YOU TRANSPARENTLY POST THAT, BECAUSE THAT IS NOT HOW THE OTHER COMMISSIONS OPERATE AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO THE ITEM THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU.
YOU MENTIONED FEDERAL FUNDING, AND I JUST WANT TO CONTEXTUALIZE MY COMMENTS BY SAYING TITLE SIX OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, AND NATIONAL ORIGIN.
TOMORROW IS CAPITAL METRO'S BOARD MEETING.
THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING SPECIFICALLY TO AMEND THEIR TITLE SIX POLICY.
WHAT I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY PLAN TO AMEND IS THAT THEY USED THE 2010 CENSUS DATA WHEN THEY DID THE TRIENNIAL REVIEW IN 2021.
AND YOU MIGHT REMEMBER THE REDISTRICTING AND HOW IT WAS DELAYED BECAUSE THEY USED THE 2020 CENSUS DATA.
AND WHAT IT DID WAS CIRCUMVENT IT, TITLE SIX.
AND SPECIFICALLY, IT'S BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT IN CENTRAL EAST AUSTIN, THERE'S GOOD TRANSIT FOR THE MINORITY POPULATION.
AND SO NOW WHAT THEY WANT TO DO IS USE ORIGIN AND DESTINATION INFORMATION, WHICH IS THE DATA THAT'S COLLECTED ON THE BUSES, WHICH MEANS THAT ANYONE WHO DOES NOT HAVE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION DOES NOT GET ON THE BUS OR ANY OF THE SYSTEM.
THAT MEANS THAT YOUR VOICE WILL NEVER BE HEARD AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO COLLECT YOUR TAXES TO IMPROVE THE LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM IN HYDE PARK, WHICH IS DEVELOPED EXCLUSIVELY FOR WHITE PEOPLE.
SO IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU HAVE MY SLIDES, WHICH SPECIFY THAT THERE IS NOT ANY NEGROES NOW AND NEVER WILL BE IN HYDE PARK.
AND SPECIFICALLY WHAT I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT IT WAS THE PROJECT CONNECT COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT ACTUALLY RECOGNIZED THE RACIST ZONING HISTORY.
AND SO I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY, THEY'RE DETERMINED TO GET THE FEDERAL FUNDING.
I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND SPECIFICALLY THAT
[00:05:01]
THE OTHER THING THAT WILL BE ON THE AGENDA TOMORROW IS THESE CHANGES FOR FALL 2024.AND YOU WILL SEE THAT THEY'RE CONNECTING THE ROUTES ON UT SO THAT IT'S MORE CONNECTIVITY FOR THE WHITE STUDENTS.
PREDOMINANTLY IT'S ONLY 4.5% UNDERGRADUATES, 2.9% PHD STUDENTS THAT ARE BLACK.
AND I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THE REASON THAT THEY DO NOT CONNECT OUR BUSES IS BECAUSE WHEN IT COMES TO RIDERSHIP, THEY ACTUALLY COUNT EVERY TRANSFER.
THEY HAVE AUTOMATIC PASSENGER COUNTERS, AND THEY EXPLAIN THAT IN THEIR MARCH 25TH, 2024, UH, MEETING.
AND SO I KNOW IT SOUNDS STRANGE TO YOU, BUT IN FACT, THE MORE DISCONNECTED OUR ROUTES ARE, THAT MEANS THEY'RE ABLE TO DOUBLE AND TRIPLE COUNT AFRICAN AMERICANS AND HISPANICS.
AND THEN THEY'RE ABLE TO GET MORE FEDERAL FUNDING TO IMPROVE THE LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM DOWNTOWN.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.
UM, FOR THAT COMMENT, UM, WE WON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS MOMENT.
UM, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND WE EXPECT TO SEE YOU BACK, UM, FOR THE NEXT ITEM.
AND IT'S GERMANE TO ITEM NINE.
MM-HMM,
WHAT AM I GETTING? I AM GETTING ON MY PHONE SO I CAN AUTHENTICATE WHO I, HEY, HEY.
I LIKE THE SUN DISCRIMINATION.
EDDIE IS RIGHT, BUT ARE WE READY? OH, IN JUST A MINUTE.
I'M NOT GONNA SHOW YOU'RE NOT RESPECT BECAUSE I KNOW WHY THERE'S A DIFFERENCE IN YEAH.
LIKE MS. JOSEPH HAS IT ALL MEMORIZED.
COMMISSIONER, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.
UM, I, SORRY, I BROUGHT MY THUMB DRIVE, SO AT LEAST HE'S LETTING ME SHARE THEIR INFORMATION SINCE I'M NOT ALLOWED TO SHARE IT WITH YOU ALL.
BUT I WANNA TALK ABOUT THE TOKYO ELECTRON PURCHASE THAT THE CITY BOUGHT FOR $97 MILLION.
27 MILLION OF THOSE DOLLARS WERE FROM THE PROJECT CONNECT ANTI DISPLACEMENT FUND.
AND SO WHEN WE LOOKED AT, UM, AT WHAT THEY WERE, THE UNITS THEY, UH, PRE, UH, PUT UP, THEY DID, UH, UH, THEIR 121%, THEY, UH, SPENT, UH, 1 146, UH, THOUSAND 750.
UH, SO THEY DID, UM, WHEN WE LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT HOUSING THAT THEY DID, 18,000 UNITS FOR PEOPLE LIVING AT ONE 21% MEDIUM FAMILY INCOME, 14,000 1 43 FOR 81% MEDIAN INCOME AND 3,597 AND 61% MEDIUM INCOME.
AND THEY ONLY BUILT 6,484 AT 31 TO 60%, UH, MEDIUM INCOME.
SO WE DON'T KNOW IF THERE WERE ANY AT 30, BUT THEY DID SAY AT 30% THEY ONLY BUILT 363 UNITS.
UH, THEN, THEN, UH, THEY WERE, UH, THEN THEY WERE SAYING, UH, THAT THEY NEEDED TO BUILD HOUSING LIKE THEY ALWAYS DO FOR TEACHERS, FIREFIGHTERS AND SO FORTH.
BUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING HOUSING IS NEEDED FOR CHILDCARE WORKERS, HOME HEALTHCARE WORKERS, CUSTODIANS, CASHIERS, CLERKS, FAST FOOD WORKERS, CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, HOSPITALITY WORKERS, SALES CLERK, RESOURCE RECOVERY WORKERS, ET CETERA.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT HOUSING IS REALLY BILLED FOR THE WORKING CLASS, THE LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES, AND NOT AT JUST ONE HIGHER INCOME.
UH, THE OTHER THING THAT WE LOOKED AT IS THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD DO, UH, THE HOUSING, UH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AT
[00:10:01]
THAT.IT'S A HUNDRED, I BELIEVE 107 ACRES.
UH, AND WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AROUND SOLAR ENERGY, THE NEW, THE RENEWABLE ENERGIES THAT ARE COMING.
BECAUSE WHEN WE LOOK AT THE SOLAR INDUSTRY, IT'S BASICALLY A WHITE LED INDUSTRY.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S EMPLOYMENT AND CAREERS OPPORTUNITY FOR LOW INCOME AND PEOPLE OF COLOR.
AND SO I'M ASKING THE COMMISSION TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA TO HAVE THE HOUSING PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOW PURCHASED THIS UNDER THEIR PURVIEW TO COME AND REPORT TO YOU OF THEIR HOUSING PLANS AND WHAT THEY PLAN TO BE, UH, BUILT THERE.
AND TO MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW THAT, AT LEAST THAT 27 MILLION FROM PROJECT CONNECT HAS NO HUD DEVELOPMENT.
SO YOU ACTUALLY COULD BUILD, UH, HOUSING AT A LOWER CRITERIA AT 30% MEDIUM FAMILY INCOME.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT MONEY IS EARMARKED AT THAT 30% AND NOT USING FEDERAL HUD GUIDELINES BECAUSE THIS IS TAX MONEY.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THIS TO THE FOREFRONT FOR YOU ALL TO KNOW THIS AND TO KEEP A, KEEP A TAB ON IT.
I APPRECIATE BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION.
OH, WE, YEAH, YOU CAN MAY QUICKLY.
UM, THIS, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE A QUICK, YOU KNOW, UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, JOSEPH AND ALMANZA, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UM, THE PREPARATION THAT I KNOW YOU'VE, YOU YOU PUT INTO COMING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY.
AND, UM, I WANT TO ENSURE THAT MOVING FORWARD, UM, WE ARE, YOU KNOW, PRODUCING, UM, THAT WE'RE WORKING IN AN EQUITABLE MANNER CAN, CAN COMPARED TO OUR OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONERS HERE.
AND SO, JUST KNOW, I I, I HEAR TOTALLY THAT THERE WAS, UH, EXPECTATION THAT MAYBE IT WASN'T MET TODAY.
AND I WANNA SAY SORRY FOR THAT.
UM, AND THAT I, I, UH, WILL LOOK INTO WORKING WITH THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS TO SEE HOW WE CAN ENSURE THAT FOR BOTH POSTERITY AND ALSO FOR THE SAKE OF THE COMMUNITY, THAT WE ARE ABLE TO VIEW YOUR FULL COMMENTS IN THE FUTURE.
WE'LL DO THIS AND THEN WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT HOW WE CONDUCT THE MEETINGS, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THAT, THE, THE PUBLIC COMMENT PART.
SINCE I OPENED THE DOOR, I'M ALLOWED TO CONTINUE ON.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO RESPOND TO OUR, UH, CITIZENS COMMUNICATION, UM, MS. ALMANZA AS WELL.
SHE IS A FORMER COMMISSIONER OF THIS COMMISSION.
AND SO SHE HAS SERVED, UH, FOR COUNTLESS YEARS.
SO THANK YOU FOR JUST BEING HERE.
UM, I DID WANTED A CLARIFICATION WHEN YOU HAD STATED THAT, UH, HOUSING, UH, YOU WANTED US TO PUT THIS AS A FUTURE AGENDA.
AND THEN YOU STATED ABOUT THE HOUSING.
UM, ARE YOU REFERRING TO NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING OR ARE YOU REFERRING TO, UH, WHICH DEPARTMENT? SO WE KNOW I EXACTLY WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT WHEN YOU SAID THE 27 MILLION.
WHO'S OVERSIGHTING THAT? HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
THAT WAS JUST A CLARIFICATION, AND THANK YOU AGAIN, UH, FOR BOTH OF YOU ALL BEING HERE.
AND, AND YES, WE DO APPRECIATE BOTH OF YOU ALL.
AND, UM, WE WILL BE, UM, ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS AT ANOTHER POINT.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
ON TO THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES, APPROVAL OF MINUTES.THE MARCH MINUTES ARE IN FACT ATTACHED IN OUR PACKET.
COMMISSIONERS, PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE TWO.
UM, COMMISSIONER ACHILLES, THANK YOU FOR NOTICING THAT.
WHAT DO YOU HAVE JUST SMALL COMMISSIONER ESTEVAN DELGADO WAS ONLINE.
I WAS ON ONLINE FOR LAST MEETING.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER CORRECTIONS COMMISSIONERS? WE GOOD? ALL RIGHT.
I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION THAT WE GO, MM-HMM,
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM MARCH 12TH.
I HAVE COMMISSIONER, UM, EXCUSE ME.
UH, COMMISSIONER ALIAS IS MAKING THE MOTION.
[00:15:01]
WHO? SECOND? SECOND.COMMISSIONER BERTHA REDONE, UM, DELGADO IS SECONDING THE MOTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES AS READ OR POSTED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
[2. Conduct CDC annual officer elections. Current officer terms will expire at the end of April with new terms beginning May 1, 2024. City Code requires that all boards/commissions elect a Chair and Vice Chair.]
DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. WE'RE GONNA BE DOING OUR, UH, ELECTIONS.AND SO, UM, THE TWO THAT WE HAVE THAT, UM, WE HAVE ARE HERE.
IT IS THE, LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT ALL BOARDS ELECT A CHAIR AND A VICE CHAIR ANNUALLY FOR A TERM OF ONE YEAR IS GONNA RUN FROM MAY 1ST THROUGH APRIL 30TH OF THE NEXT YEAR.
UH, PLEASE KEEP IN MIND, COMMISSIONERS THAT ALL VOTES ARE PUBLIC.
THERE'S NO BALLOT SYSTEM, UH, FOR ANY ACTION, NO REQUIREMENT TO REELECT THE OFFICERS.
UH, THE CHAIR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE TO LEAD THE BOARD MEETINGS, APPROVE DRAFT AGENDAS, APPOINT MEMBERS OF WORKING GROUPS AND COMMITTEES WITH INPUT FROM MEMBERS, AND TO COMPLETE THE ANNUAL REVIEW AND REPORT.
UM, THAT, THAT GOES FROM JULY 1ST THROUGH JUNE 30TH.
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL, UM, MOVE INTO THE, UM, VOTING FOR THE, THE CHAIR AND THE VICE CHAIR, AND THAT I'M GOING TO MAKE, UM, OPEN NOMINATIONS FOR VICE CHAIR.
WE'LL DO THE VICE CHAIR FIRST, I'LL CONTINUE WITH THAT.
AND AFTER THAT, UM, VICE CHAIR ALIAS WILL, UM, CONTINUE WITH PRESIDING OVER THE ELECTION FOR THE CHAIR POSITION.
SO RIGHT NOW I'M ACCEPTING WE'RE OPENING NOMINATIONS FOR VICE CHAIR.
MADAM CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE NOMINATION THAT THE CURRENT VICE CHAIR CONTINUE FOR ANOTHER TERM.
WE HAVE COMMISSIONER ALIAS BEING NOMINATED BY COMMISSIONER, UH, DELGADO, UH, ESTEBAN DELGADO.
UM, ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? HEARING NONE.
MR. BLAKE, WOULD YOU PROVIDE GUIDANCE? I HEAR NONE.
DO I STILL VOTE ON PROCEED WITH THE VOTE FOR JUST THIS ONE CANDIDATE? YES.
UH, YES, I BELIEVE, I BELIEVE WE NEED A SECOND.
IT LOOKS LIKE I HAVE COMMISSIONER GARCIA ORTIZ.
I REALLY DO NEED TO GET LARGER, UM, THINGS.
I NEED TO LOOK OVER MY SHOULDER.
AND YOU ARE SECONDING THE NOMINATION FOR COMM, UH, VICE CHAIR ALIAS TO REMAIN, UM, TO BE.
SO WE HAVE A NOMINATION FROM COMMISSIONER ESTEBAN DELGADO AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ORTIZ.
AT THIS POINT, WE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND HOLD IT UP.
IT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S A UNANIMOUS.
UM, AT THIS TIME, I TURN IT OVER FOR VICE CHAIR TO PRESIDE OVER THE CHAIR.
SO NOW WE WILL TAKE NOMINATIONS FOR THE CHAIR POSITION.
WOULD ANY COMMISSIONERS AT THIS TIME LIKE TO NOMINATE SOMEONE FOR THE CHAIR OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION? COMMISSIONER TOVER? I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE MRS. THOMPSON.
WE HAVE A NOMINATION FOR COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.
WOULD SOMEBODY LIKE TO SECOND THAT? I SECOND THAT.
DO WE HAVE ANY MORE NOMINATIONS? ALL RIGHT.
SO WE DO NOT HAVE ANY MORE NOMINATIONS.
SO WE HAVE THE NOMINEE OF, UM, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON TO REMAIN AS CHAIR.
EVERYBODY SHOW US YOUR VOTE WITH YOUR HANDS.
[00:20:01]
OKAY.UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH AND, AND COMMISSIONERS.
I DO WANT TO, UH, SINCERELY EXPRESS MY, UH, APPRECIATION, UM, IN THE CONFIDENCE THAT YOU ALL HAVE NOT ONLY SHOWN ME THIS LAST YEAR, UM, BUT THE FACT THAT YOU BESTOW UPON ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO SERVE THE COMMISSION, I AM HONORED TO DO SO.
UM, AND I DO IT, UM, VERY SERIOUSLY.
I, I, I LOVE WORKING WITH THIS GROUP.
I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE THE STAFF AND ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'VE, UM, DONE IN SUPPORTING THE ENTIRE COMMISSION AND WHAT WE DO.
AND SO THANK YOU STAFF FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
WITH THAT, I JUST WANNA SECOND THAT
WITH THAT BEING SAID, THAT'S ITEM TWO.
[3. Discuss and vote on shortening speaking time duration and utilizing a round-robin format for discussions, ensuring all CDC members have a chance to speak on each item (Chair Thompson)]
THREE.WE'RE GONNA BE DISCUSSING AND VOTING ON, UM, THE SHORTING OF OUR SPEAKING TIME DURATION, AND UTILIZING A ROUND ROBIN FORMAT FOR DISCUSSIONS ENSURING THAT ALL CDC UH, MEMBERS HAVE A CHANCE TO SPEAK, UH, ON EACH ITEM.
THERE WAS, UM, INFORMATION THAT WAS FORWARDED TO YOUR EMAIL, UM, THAT OUTLINED HOW THAT, UM, PROCESS WILL MOVE FORWARD.
AND, UM, AND SO BE LISTENING FOR ANYTHING THAT YOU FEEL, UM, WOULD, WOULD NOT WORK FOR YOU ALL.
I'M GONNA READ DIRECTLY FROM, UM, THE INFORMATION THAT WAS FORWARDED TO CONSISTENTLY MANAGE THE LENGTH OF OUR CDC MEETINGS.
UM, CHAIR, I AM PROPOSING THAT ALL SPEAKERS, INCLUDING COMMISSIONERS, BE ALLOWED THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
UH, AS A REMINDER, OUR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS, UM, SECTION THAT WE HAVE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE CALL TO ORDER IS NOT A TIME FOR DISCUSSION.
UM, THAT IS A TIME THAT OUR CITIZENS ARE GIVEN THREE MINUTES TO COMMUNICATE THEIR CONCERNS REGARDING ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
COMMISSIONERS ARE TO, UH, JUST LISTEN AND MAKE NOTES, UH, AS DESIRED.
AND THEN WE CAN CIRCLE BACK, UH, TO THOSE ITEMS, UM, LATER.
UH, FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, IF THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS RAISED THAT, UH, WE DO FEEL THAT THERE WAS A CONCERN, WE DO APPRECIATE OUR CITIZENS, UH, SHARING, UH, WITH US AND BRINGING ITEMS TO OUR ATTENTION.
SO IF FURTHER DISCUSSION IS DESIRED, A COMMISSIONER MAY MAKE A MOTION, UH, FOR THE MATTER TO BE ADDED TO THE, UH, FUTURE AGENDA.
AS I WAS MENTIONING, IF ANOTHER COMMISSIONER AGREES, STAFF WILL INVITE THE APPROPRIATE CITY DEPARTMENT OR ENTITY OR ORGANIZATION AND PERHAPS EVEN THE CONCERNED CITIZENS, UH, TO ADDRESS THE ITEM AT A FUTURE MEETING.
AND SO THAT'S GONNA HELP US, UM, MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT.
THE PROPOSAL ITEM TWO IS TO ALLOW ALL COMMISSIONERS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND ASK QUESTIONS OF THE PRESENTERS DURING THE DISCUSSION ITEMS OR DISCUSSION AND ACTION SECTIONS OF THE AGENDA.
A ROUND ROBIN MEETING FORMAT IS PROPOSED THAT WOULD ACTUALLY INCLUDE EACH COMMISSIONER BEING ALLOWED THREE MINUTES TO MAKE COMMENTS AND ASK QUESTIONS.
IF DESIRED, THE PRESENTER IS THEN ALLOWED THREE MINUTES TO RESPOND, THEN THE NEXT COMMISSIONER WILL BE RECOGNIZED.
ANY UNUSED TIME WILL BE FORFEITED.
COMMISSIONERS CAN YIELD THEIR FULL THREE MINUTES TO ANOTHER COMMISSIONER, AND ANY UNUSED TIME AGAIN IS FORFEITED.
SOLICITING TIME WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.
UH, IF THERE IS A DESIRE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION, AFTER ALL HAVE SPOKEN, A COMMISSIONER CAN REQUEST THAT THE DISCUSSION CONTINUE.
IF ONE OTHER COMMISSIONER AGREES, THEN COMMISSIONERS WILL BE GIVEN ONE ADDITIONAL MINUTE FOR FOLLOW UP ROUND OF QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
PRESENTERS WILL ALSO BE GIVEN ONE MINUTE TO RESPOND.
IF A COMMISSIONER FEELS ADDITIONAL COMMUNICATION IS STILL WARRANTED, THEY MAY ASK THAT THE MATTER BE ADDED TO A FUTURE AGENDA AND ONE COMMISSIONER.
UM, ALL WE NEED IS ONE COMMISSIONER TO AGREE OR PROVE THAT FOR A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, AND THEN WE CAN ACTUALLY MAKE IT BE AN AGENDA ITEM GOING FORWARD.
AND THEN THAT WAY WE CAN MANAGE OUR TIME, UM, GOING FORWARD.
UH, I DO KNOW THIS IS NOT A PERFECT PROPOSAL AND WE CAN GIVE IT A TRY.
UM, BUT IT'S, I FEEL IT'S A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION KIND OF TO MANAGE, UH, OUR TIME SO THAT
[00:25:01]
WE CAN GET IN AND OUT.BECAUSE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT AFTER ABOUT TWO HOURS OF A MEETING, UM, IT STARTS GOING DOWNHILL FAST.
SO WE WANT TO, UH, GET US WHILE WE'RE PRIME AND READY FOR IT.
SO, UM, COMMISSIONERS, THIS IS ITEM FOR DISCUSSION.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? WHAT YOU SAID? I DO? YEP.
SO, UM, FIRST OF ALL, IS THIS A PROPOSAL THAT WAS, THAT'S BEING BROUGHT TO US FOR A VOTE TODAY? SO WE DO DISCUSSION TODAY AND THEN WE WILL VOTE ON THIS TODAY.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS, THAT'S WHAT THE, I THE PLAN IS.
UM, SECOND IS, UM, IT'S THE ROUND, LIKE A ROUND ROBIN.
SO THIS TYPE OF EX EXERCISE OR, UH, IMPLEMENTATION THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN, IN, INTO OUR POLICY TODAY.
UM, ARE WE ADOPTING THIS AS A PILOT OR IS SOMETHING WE'RE EXPERIMENTING AND DO OTHER COMMISSIONS ARE, ARE THEY DOING THIS AS WELL IN THE CITY? MM-HMM.
AND THEN THE THIRD THING I THOUGHT I HEARD YOU SAY WAS, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT OTHER COMMISSIONERS, UH, OR COMMISSIONS ARE DOING? WHAT WAS THE SECOND THING? DO YOU, UH, DID YOU BRING THIS AS A PROPOSAL? I BROUGHT IT COMING FROM YOU.
UH, AFTER OUR MEETING LAST TIME THAT LASTED ALMOST TO 10 O'CLOCK, I DROVE HOME THINKING OF HOW CAN WE, HOW CAN WE DO THIS A LITTLE BIT BETTER? UM, BUT IN TERMS OF, UM, LET ME GET SOMEONE FROM STAFF TO RESPOND.
I DON'T KNOW IF LISA RODRIGUEZ MAY BE ABLE TO DO THAT SINCE I KNOW SHE DOES A LOT OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE STUFF WITH THAT.
OR ED, IF YOU WANNA TAKE THAT, EITHER ONE OF YOU AS HOW COMMON IS THE ROUND ROBIN FORMAT, UM, WITH OTHER COMMISSIONS.
I'M NOT SURE HOW OTHER COMMISSIONS DO IT, BUT YOU, YOU ARE THE CHAIR, SO IF YOU WANNA BRING THIS FORWARD, IT'S, IT'S COMPLETELY ON UP TO YOU.
UM, BUT EVERYONE, WE NEED EVERYONE'S INPUT AND TO AGREE ON THE SPEAKING TIME, SO, OKAY.
AND I THINK IT'S WITHIN YOUR PURVIEW TO, TO DECIDE THAT.
THANK YOU FOR INTRODUCING YOURSELF.
I, LISA, I, I CALLED ON YOU LISA, SO THAT KIND OF PUT YOU OUT THERE.
UM, AND I AM COMFORTABLE THAT IT IS IN FACT, WITHIN MY PURVIEW.
UM, BUT I, I DO THINK THAT, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER DELGADO BERTHA DELGADO BROUGHT UP ABOUT, UM, HOW, HOW COMMON IS IT? I KNOW IT'S COMMON IN MY WORLD, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW COMMON IS WITH OTHER COMMISSIONS ANNOUNCE YOURSELF.
I, I'M NOT SURE HOW COMMON IT IS, BUT I HAVE SEEN IT USED, SO, OKAY.
I RECOGNIZE, I RECOGNIZE, UM, MS. JACKMAN, UH, NO, WE DO NOT.
NO, HER GIVE HER A DIFFERENT MIC.
IT'S, I GET YOU BACK NOW I CAN HEAR IT.
I WAS JUST GONNA SAY THAT, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN CONSIDER, AND IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE AN OFFICIAL RULE MM-HMM.
SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A POLICY THAT YOU GUYS ADOPT MM-HMM.
SO I, I, I COULD SAY, WOULD LOVE TO ENCOURAGE THE DIALOGUE AND SO THAT YOU GUYS CAN COME UP WITH WHAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU, BUT IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A RULE OR A POLICY, BUT JUST A FRAMEWORK FOR HOW YOU GUYS WANT TO MOVE DISCUSSIONS ALONG.
AND I WILL SAY I WAS GETTING THEM TO RESPOND ABOUT THE COMMISSION PART, BUT I WILL SAY IN REFERENCE TO IT BEING A PILOT, I WAS DEFINITELY OPEN TO, LIKE I SAID, IF THIS IS NOT PERFECT, IT'S A PROPOSAL, LET'S GIVE IT A TRY WITH SOME ADJUSTMENTS.
I'M DEFINITELY COOL WITH THAT.
BUT, UH, AGAIN, NOTHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO BE IN HARD FORCE, AND I'M NOT, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE THE POLICE.
I'M NOT THE POPO AND WE WON'T BE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE DO WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT WE WANT EVERYBODY TO, UM, PARTICIPATE FAIRLY AND EQUALLY.
I JUST, THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED CLARIFICATION JUST TO SEE IF THIS WAS GONNA BE A POLICY CHANGE THAT WE'RE IMPLEMENTING HERE IN THE COMMISSION TO MOVE FORWARD, UM, AS A CITY POLICY CHANGE.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR ANSWERING THAT.
UM, AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO KNOW, UM, BECAUSE FROM COMING FROM OUR COMMISSION MM-HMM.
[00:30:01]
FROM, LIKE WHOSE IDEA WAS THIS? AND I, I WANTED TO KNOW IF THIS WAS FROM YOU OR ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER.UM, JUST ONLY BECAUSE AGAIN, THESE ARE OUR IDEAS, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
UM, BUT WE ARE IN A GOVERNMENT BODY.
UM, AND SO WE DO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE, IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE EXPERIMENTING, THAT WE JUST CLARIFY THAT AND HAVE THAT MM-HMM.
AND AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO WHATEVER WE'RE DOING TODAY AS FAR AS AN ADOPTION, UH, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS TYPE OF CIRCLE, UM, IS GONNA BE, UH, SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IS GONNA, IS GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, EXPERIMENTED AND NOT JUST ADOPTED FOR EVERY COMMISSION TO DO THAT.
SO THAT WAS JUST A CLARIFICATION.
ALSO, I ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE, 'CAUSE I COME FROM THE CITY COUNCIL WORLD, UM, AND WE HAVE BEEN LIMITED ALL THE WAY DOWN TO ONE MINUTE OF SPEAKING TIME AT ONE TIME.
AND SO WE COME FROM THAT WORLD OF, OH, WE GOTTA HURRY UP AND DO EVERYTHING IN THREE MINUTES.
UM, BECAUSE THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE'RE GONNA HAVE.
I JUST DON'T WANT US TO, UH, LIKE REVERT.
THIS IS NOT A CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
UM, AND I WANT US TO BE ABLE TO, UH, FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH NOT HAVING THOSE TYPE OF PRACTICES WHERE WE'RE GONNA FEEL LIKE, OH, WE'RE TALKING TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND WE ONLY HAVE THREE MINUTES TO DISCUSS AND TALK AND ADOPT AN ITEM.
UH, BECAUSE IN COUNCIL WE HAVE TO STAY TILL MIDNIGHT OR ONE O'CLOCK AT TIMES FOR AGENDA ITEMS THAT CAN RUN TO 150 AGENDA ITEMS AND OTHER COMMISSIONS WE'VE HAD TO STAY LATE, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE WORK DONE, OR THAT WORK IS, IS BEING DONE, UH, IN A FAIRLY MANNER.
'CAUSE THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE THAT SIGN UP TO SPEAK.
SO I KNOW THAT WE DON'T LIKE TO GO HOME AT NINE OR 10 O'CLOCK.
UM, AND SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE HAD, WE HAVE SEVERAL VACANT POSITIONS.
UM, SO YEAH, I UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF THERE IS AN, UM, AN ISSUE THAT GETS BROUGHT UP OR, OR WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE DOESN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE, AND ONCE MORE TIME, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, OH, WE'RE GOING TO, WE'RE GONNA GIVE TIME TO SOMEBODY, OR WE'RE GONNA JUST GIVE UP OUR TIME.
THAT WAS ANOTHER QUESTION I HAD.
LIKE, WHAT DID YOU MEAN BY THAT? UH, ARE WE GONNA, 'CAUSE IN CITY COUNCIL, WE GIVE OUR TIME TO SPEAKERS, UH, BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY.
SO THEY'LL SAY, OKAY, WELL WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU THREE MINUTES SO YOU CAN HAVE SIX TO EIGHT MINUTES TO PRESENT OR, YOU KNOW, DEBATE THE ITEM OR COME OUT AND COUNTER.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THOSE PRACTICES THAT WE'RE DOING COUNCIL ARE NOT THE, THE SAME REPLICATE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE DOING HERE, BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA FEEL LIKE I'M IN CITY COUNCIL.
I, I WILL SAY, UM, THOSE ARE GOOD COMMENTS.
I WILL SAY THAT I WAS THINKING MORE KIND OF IN LINE OF COUNCIL A LITTLE BIT, UM, WHEN I, I THOUGHT ABOUT IT
UM, SO WHEN YOU SAY THAT WE DON'T WANNA DO THAT, I WAS LIKE, OH, WELL THAT WAS KIND OF WHERE I WAS MODELING IT FROM.
SO, UM, UH, THAT BEING SAID, GUYS, AGAIN, THIS IS OUR, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING FOR US TO TALK TO TALK ABOUT.
THAT'S WHY IT IS, UH, COME ON, COMMISSIONER ESTEBAN DELGADO.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SAID THAT REALLY RESONATE WITH ME ARE, UM, I DEFINITELY DO THINK, YOU KNOW, AND I, I'VE SEEN THIS IN THE, THIS IS LIKE, WHAT MY THIRD OR FOURTH MEETING NOW.
AND I, I DO SEE THE TRAIL OFF, RIGHT? THAT HAPPENS NOT ONLY IN GROUP DISCUSSION, BUT ALSO MY OWN THINKING AND THE QUALITY OF WORK THAT I'M ABLE TO DO AFTER A CERTAIN TIME PERIOD.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT THIS HAS, UH, KIND OF A NOD TO THAT, TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT HOW ARE WE BEING MOST PRODUCTIVE.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I REALLY LIKE ABOUT THE PROPOSAL IS THAT IT DOES, IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THINGS FROM DISCUSSION TO WHAT ACTUALLY NEEDS TO BE AMPLIFIED UP TO AN ITEM IN THE NEXT MEETING.
RIGHT? WE CAN, IT'S, I THINK IT'S VERY EASY FOR US TO WANT TO HAVE CONVERSATION AND DISCUSS IN THE MOMENT, BUT I THINK A LOT OF TIMES WE NEED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
AND THE, THE IDEA THAT WE'RE TALKING FOR THREE MINUTES, IF WE DECIDE THAT IT NEEDS ADDITIONAL TIME, WE CAN GIVE IT.
BUT IF IT STILL NEEDS ADDITIONAL TIME, WE CAN ELEVATE IT TO AN ITEM IN THE NEXT, UM, IN THE NEXT MEETING.
AND I THINK THAT THAT THEN ALLOWS US TO GET THE CLARITY AND, AND THE DISTANCE FROM A, FROM AN ITEM TO BE ABLE TO TAKE IT UP AGAIN.
AND SO, AND I THINK THIRD, THE LAST THING THAT I'LL SAY IS, UM, I LIKE STRUCTURE AND I LIKE THAT IT'S A STRUCTURE THAT THEN WE CAN, UM, MAYBE TWEAK IF WE NEED TO IN THE FUTURE.
BUT IN MY OPINION, I'D LIKE TO ADOPT SOMETHING SO JUST SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE HOLDING EACH OTHER AND OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE TO MOVING FORWARD.
WANTED TO SAY I, I, AS SOMEONE WHO LIKES TO TALK A LOT, I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS AND I APPRECIATE THAT IT'S INTENTIONALLY MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALL GETTING A CHANCE.
AND SO SOME, LIKE, AGAIN, AS A TALKER, THAT WHO'S AN EXTROVERT, LIKE, I'M NOT DOING ALL OF IT.
[00:35:01]
THAT YOU CALL ON EVERYONE.YOU MODELED IT LAST TIME AS A SAMPLE AND I REALLY APPRECIATED IT.
UM, I COMPLETELY AGREE THAT WE DO NEED A STRUCTURE, UM, IN OUR MEETINGS.
UM, MY QUESTION WAS, UH, THE WAY WE ADOPT IT, WHEN AS WE ADOPT IT, OR WE, HOW FLEXIBLE IS IT? HOW CAN WE REVISE IT? HOW OFTEN, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE SEE SOMETHING IN ONE COMMISSION MEETING THAT MAYBE DIDN'T WORK, HOW, YOU KNOW, HOW FAST CAN WE CHANGE IT FOR THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING? I DO BELIEVE THAT, UM, WITHIN, I'LL LET, UH, THE STAFF, LET, CORRECT ME IF I'M INCORRECT.
I THINK THAT IF WE MOVE FORWARD, AS MS. JACQUELINE SAYS, THAT THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY SOMETHING THAT WE EVEN VOTE ON, IT'S JUST, JUST KIND OF WHAT WE PROFESSIONALLY AS A GROUP SAY, WE'RE GONNA, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA LEAN TOWARDS, YOU KNOW? AND, UM, I DO WANT THOUGH, IF YOU GOT, IF IT'S SO, AND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, HOW FLEXIBLE ARE WE? YOU KNOW, AND HOW FLUID IS IT? AND WE CAN BE VERY NIMBLE.
WE CAN CHANGE IT THE VERY NEXT, UM, NEXT SESSION.
BECAUSE AGAIN, IF IT'S UNDER MY PURVIEW, UH, AS CHAIR, THEN WE CAN MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS RIGHT AWAY.
UM, SO THE VERY FOLLOWING, UM, COMMISSION MEETING, WE CAN MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS IF THAT'S, IF THAT IS ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
I HEAR, I SEE COMMISSIONER TOLL'S HAND AND, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, BROWN.
UM, AND MS, UM, OH, IS THAT MR. GARRETT? YES.
I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE OUR, UM, OUR, OUR NEW MEMBER JUST IN JUST A MOMENT.
I'LL COME BACK TO YOU, MR. UH, UH, UH, GAVIN IN JUST A SECOND.
BUT LET ME GET TOVER RIGHT NOW.
IT IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE THREE MINUTES OKAY.
FOR AS I'M CONCERNED, BECAUSE IT IS, I'VE BEEN HERE EVER SINCE 2016.
AND THAT IS THE REASON I WOULD, UH, VOTE FOR THIS BECAUSE SOMETIME SOMEBODY PUTS TOO MUCH TALK OUT THERE AND NOT ENOUGH QUESTIONS ASKED TO THE PUBLIC.
SO I'M IN FAVOR OF THE THREE MINUTES FOR THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE PUBLIC.
THANK YOU CHAIRWOMAN, FOR RECOGNIZING ME.
I JUST WANTED TO GET SOME CLARITY.
ONE IN REGARDS TO THIS IS FOR THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS, UH, YOU'RE REQUESTING THAT THE COMMISSIONERS KIND OF SAVE ALL OF THEIR COMMENTS TILL AFTER THEY SPEAK, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE CONVERSATION AT A LATER TIME.
UH, NOT NECESSARILY ENGAGING, UM, OR ASKING A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS WHILE THE PUBLIC IS SPEAKING.
UH, SO I JUST WANTED TO ONE, GET CLARITY TO THAT.
AND THEN SECONDLY, I AM FOR FINDING SOME WAY TO EFFICIENTLY WORK THROUGH THESE MEETINGS.
I GUESS, UM, IF WE'RE STILL USING ROBERTSON RULES OF ORDER, IF, IF THIS DOESN'T WORK OR THIS KIND OF GOVERNANCE ISN'T WORKING, WE CAN STILL MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, IN A MOTION AND SOMEONE CAN SECOND AND WE CAN TAKE A VOTE, UH, AS REGARDS TO HOW WE, HOW WE CAN ADJUST OR, OR, UH, ADJUST THINGS IN THE FUTURE.
AND IF, IF THIS IS FOR A DISCUSSION FOR A LATER TIME AND, AND AS, AS COMMISSIONERS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, HAVE OUR THREE MINUTES, UM, WILL STAFF BE KEEPING TIME OF THAT, OR YOU AS THE CHAIRWOMAN BE KEEPING TIME OF THAT.
AND WHO WILL BE CUTTING PEOPLE OFF AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE STAYING IN THAT ORDER.
I'LL ANSWER YOUR FIRST QUESTION FIRST.
YOU WERE ASKING WAS I PROPOSING THAT, UM, THE, DURING THE PUBLIC, UM, COMMUNICATIONS GENERAL, THE VERY, UH, EARLY ONES, THOSE COMMENTS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE NOT, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH AN AGENDA ITEM.
THOSE ARE WHEN OUR, THE CITIZENS COME AND BRING THINGS TO OUR ATTENTION AND WE WANT THEM TO CONTINUE TO DO SO.
UM, BUT AT THAT TIME, THAT IS NOT AN ITEM THAT WE WOULD ENGAGE WITH THE, UM, CITIZEN AT THAT TIME.
WE WOULD HOLD THOSE, HOLD THAT CONVERSATION FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, UM, AT THE AT AND WE CAN BRING IT UP.
YOU KNOW, FOR INSTANCE, I HAVE TWO ITEMS. UM, THE TWO VISIT, UH, THE TWO, UM, CITIZENS THAT SPOKE EARLIER.
AND SO I'LL BE, UH, BRINGING THAT UP DURING OUR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS SECTION.
[00:40:02]
QUESTIONS DURING THE, UM, COMMENT SECTION WHERE THE CITIZENS ARE JUST SPEAKING ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA.NOW, WHEN WE HAVE SOMEONE, WE HAVE ONE TODAY, UM, MS. JOSEPH, SHE'S GONNA BE RETURNING TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
I DO BELIEVE SHE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT OUR BUDGET.
AND SO WHEN WE GET TO THAT PORTION, THEN WE WILL HAVE, UM, UH, A OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT THREE MINUTE CONVERSATION, UH, AT THAT TIME.
DID I ANSWER THAT CORRECT? I MEAN, WELL, FOR YOU YES.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE, WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS JUST FOR AGENDA ITEMS, AND IF COMMISSIONERS DON'T WANNA SAY ANYTHING, THAT'S FINE.
BUT ANY COMMISSIONER THAT DOES WANNA SPEAK SPEAKING OR QUESTION FOR CLARITY WILL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES.
TO SEGUE INTO YOUR SECOND QUESTION, WHICH WAS WHO'S GOING TO BE, UM, MONITORING THAT? WE ARE GOING TO COMMISSIONERS, IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU ALL, UM, JUST SO THAT WE ALL CAN GET ACCUSTOMED TO WHAT THREE, APPROXIMATELY THREE MINUTES IS GOING FORWARD.
I DO WANT THE, UM, UH, MONITOR, THE MEDIA MONITOR TO STILL ADHERE TO THE SAME CLOCK THAT WE USE FOR OUR CITIZENS.
AND, UM, SO THAT WE CAN DO THEN, AND AT THAT TIME, IT'S, UH, JUST LIKE ANYTHING, THIS IS NOT ABOUT CUTTING ANYBODY OFF.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO MAKE SURE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEONE IS SPEAKING AFTER THE TIME, UH, I'M GONNA ASK THAT WE ALL JUST BE MINDFUL THAT THE CLOCK HAS GONE OFF.
AND, BUT NO, IN TERMS OF ANYBODY GOING TO, UH, HOLD IT.
NOW, I WILL SAY, UH, COMMISSIONER BROWN, IF, IF, IF SOMEONE IS GOING ON, IF I HAVE COMMISSIONER SMITH THAT CONTINUES TO GO ON, WELL AFTER THE BILL, I WILL SAY COMMISSIONER SMITH, WE DO HAVE OTHER COMMISSIONERS CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN HOLD IT OFF UNTIL WE CAN COME BACK TO IT.
'CAUSE KEEP IN MIND, IF IT NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT BACK UP DURING THE AGENDA, FUTURE AGENDA, WE CAN BRING THIS BACK.
EVERYTHING HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ESCALATED UP.
AND THEN, AND THEN OUR LAST PORTION IS IN, IN REGARDS TO ANY AGENDA.
WHEN IS THE, WHEN IS THE APPROPRIATE TIME UNDER THE ROB ROBINSON RULES OF ORDER? WHEN IS THE APPROPRIATE TIME? WOULD YOU LIKE FOR US TO MAKE MOTIONS IN REGARDS TO THE, TO THE, UH, ANY, ANY ISSUE THAT'S GOING ON? WOULD YOU LIKE FOR US TO MAKE A MOTION AT THE END OF THE DISCUSSION? THE AGENDA ITEM OR THE, OR WHAT, WHAT DO YOU LIKE? I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO HOLD THAT TO THE FUTURE AGENDA ITEM PORTION.
IF WE COULD MAKE OUR NOTES KIND OF LIKE I DID, UM, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT OUR, UH, CITIZENS SAID EARLIER WERE SIGNIFICANT.
THEY, THEY RESONATED WITH ME, SO I MADE NOTES.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO HOLD THOSE OFF UNTIL THAT POINT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'LL BE A OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BASICALLY DETERMINE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE FOLLOW UP WITH THAT AND, AND MOVE THAT TO AN, AN AGENDA FOR SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE.
SO DOES THAT ADDRESS THAT? THANK YOU FOR THE CLARITY.
AND I WILL SAY ONE OTHER ITEM TOO IS THAT COMMISSIONERS, YOU ALL ALWAYS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REACH OUT TO MR. BLAKE UP UNTIL, UH, UM, I WANNA SAY 10 DAYS BEFORE OUR MEETING, UM, TO LET US KNOW IF THERE'S ANY CONCERN THAT YOU HAVE THAT MAY NEED TO BE, UM, BROUGHT UP.
AND HE WILL LET ME KNOW DURING OUR AGENDA MEETING.
AND, UH, I WILL DEFINITELY SAY YES TO THAT IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DO NEED TO, IS THAT CORRECT, ED? THAT IS CORRECT.
WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING IS A BASELINE FOR THE MINUTES.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE YOU'S A SOLID RULE, RIGHT? IT'S A BASELINE.
AND AT THE BEGINNING OF ANY MEETING, IF YOU WANT TO, UM, DO A WAVE WITH THE THREE MINUTES, IF YOU THINK THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S ON THE AGENDA THAT THAT'S GONNA GONNA REQUIRE MORE THAN THREE MINUTES, THEN YOU CAN WAVE IT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING.
I LIKE THAT BECAUSE THERE MIGHT BE THINGS THAT WE ALREADY KNOW THAT MIGHT BE, YOU KNOW, REQUIRE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THE THREE MINUTES OR, UH, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S GREAT THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY, THAT'S VERY NIMBLE.
WE CAN ACTUALLY DO IT
UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, ESTEBAN DELGADO SPEAK.
UM, WANTING TO BE RESPONSIVE TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE TODAY.
UM, WANTED TO, UM, ADD TO THIS, THE ADD TO THIS DISCUSSION.
I KNOW THAT WE ARE LIMITING, UH, THAT PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING TO THREE MINUTES, BUT WOULD WE BE AMENABLE TO ACCEPTING, UM, ONE SLIDE FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS IF THEY WELL, YEAH, I'M, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT.
'CAUSE I WAS, UM, I, I, YEAH, I WASN'T AWARE THAT THAT OF THAT LIMITATION.
AND SO THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT SURPRISING TO ME 'CAUSE I WAS ACTUALLY ASKING THAT IT BE DONE.
SO, UM, WE'LL FIND OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT AT THIS POINT.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE UHHUH
I'M GONNA FOLLOW WITH THE, UH, CITY CLERK'S OFFICE ON THAT.
UM, BUT YEAH, WE WERE TOLD THAT
[00:45:01]
PRESENTERS WE CANNOT PUT PRESENTATIONS ON SCREEN.WE CAN PRINT 'EM, HA UH, PASS 'EM OUT, OR THEY CAN BRING THEM AND PASS THEM OUT.
BUT WE COULD NOT PUT 'EM ON SCREEN FOR THE, THE THREE MINUTE COMMENT PERIOD.
I'M GONNA FOLLOW UP WITH THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
AND I'LL GET BACK WITH YOU CHAIR.
CAN YOU MAKE SURE TO EXPRESS TO THE CLERK, UM, THE, THE CITIZEN CONCERNS WHEN WE ASK ABOUT IT, JUST TO ENSURE THAT THEY, I'M NOT SURE, IT SOUNDS LIKE OTHER COMMISSIONERS OR OTHER COMMISSIONS ARE MAYBE DOING THINGS IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
AND I JUST WANT TO ENSURE THAT, UM, IF THE CLERK'S OFFICE ISN'T AWARE OF THE RULE AND WHY IT'S BEING CIRCUMVENTED, I WANT WANTING TO KNOW, WANTING THEM TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE, THAT THE CITIZENS ARE FEELING LIKE THEY, THAT, THAT THERE ARE RESTRICTIONS ON THEIR VOICE BEING HEARD AT THESE MEETINGS.
AND I DO WANT, I RECOGNIZE, UH, COMMISSIONER TOLIVER AND I, I DON'T KNOW IF COMMISSIONER ORTIZ WAS WANTING BUT GET HIM.
UM, COMMISSIONER ORTIZ, ARE YOU STILL WANTING TO SPEAK? I DIDN'T KNOW IF SHE, IF SHE HAD HER HAND UP, UM, TO SPEAK, UM, AND SO FORTH.
UM, AND I WILL, ANYONE'S OKAY.
AND I WILL, UM, PIGGYBACK BEFORE I MOVE AND RECOGNIZE COMMISSIONER TOLIVER.
I DO WANNA SAY, UM, AT THAT, UM, WHEN YOU SPEAK TO THE CITY CLERKS, I'M ECHOING WHAT COMMISSIONER, UH, DELGADO, UH, ESTEBAN DELGADO MENTIONED, WHICH IS WE DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN FACT A CITIZEN FRIENDLY COMMISSION.
THAT IS, WE WANT TO BE CITIZEN FRIENDLY.
AND SO IF IF THERE'S ANY QUESTION, ANY IN AMBIGUITY IN IT, WE WANNA SIDE ON THE SIDE OF OUR CITIZENS.
UH, COMMISSIONER TOLIVER? YES.
UH, THE CITY ATTORNEYS ARE GETTING DOWN ON THEM ABOUT CERTAIN THINGS.
AND IT'S A POSSIBILITY IT WILL BE CHANGING MORE WITH THE NEW CITY MANAGER COMING ON BOARD.
SO THAT'S MY PERSPECTIVE OF WHY WE ARE CHANGING THIS HERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT PERSPECTIVE TOO, BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN AROUND, UH, FOR A WHILE.
UH, COMMISSIONER BERTHA DELGADO, I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS STAFF.
UM, UM, CITIZENS COMMUNICATION.
UH, THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN ALLOWED TO PRESENT, UH, IN EVERY COMMISSION, PARKS BOARD, UH, HISTORICAL COMMISSION, UH, PRESERVATION COMMISSION, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION.
UH, WE ARE NOT A SOVEREIGN BOARD.
UM, AND SO PLEASE DO, UH, GET THAT INFORMATION.
'CAUSE THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO PRESENT.
SO, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TODAY 'CAUSE I WALKED IN WHEN MS. ALMANZA WAS DOING HER, UH, TALKING WITH YOU, BUT SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO PRESENT.
'CAUSE EVERY COMMISSION IS ALLOWED TO PRESENT.
AS LONG AS EVERYTHING IS WITHIN THE THREE MINUTES, YOU CAN HAVE A SLIDE AND YOU CAN SPEAK ON YOUR SLIDE.
AND I'VE BEEN ON THIS COMMISSION FOR EIGHT YEARS.
AND WE WILL DEFINITELY, GUYS, UH, 'CAUSE THAT WAS A LITTLE SURPRISING FOR I, UH, FOR MULTIPLE, I THINK ALMOST ALL OF US, EVERYBODY WAS LIKE, WHAT, WHAT SCOOBY DO.
UH, LIKE I SAID, IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE HAVE TO VOTE ON.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO JUST SHARE THAT WE, WE'VE GOT PROBABLY LET'S MOVE TOWARDS SOMETHING, SOME LITTLE BIT OF STRUCTURE, A LITTLE FRAMEWORK, SO, OKAY.
[4. Discuss and approve a recommendation from the Budget Working Group regarding the City of Austin 2024 – 2025 budget. Information on the budget can be found at: www.austintexas.gov/budget (Chair Thompson)]
UM, TO ITEM FOUR CHAIR.BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO ITEM FOUR, UHHUH
AND, AND THE, UM, BUT HER PHONE NUMBER DID NOT SHOW UP CLEAR ON OUR SCREEN.
SO WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T CATCH HER.
BUT HER NAME IS, UM, UH, QUA BREWSTER AND I WANTED TO GIVE HER HER THREE MINUTES TO BE, TO BE FAIR.
SO SHE IS THAT IS, UM, IS SHE SPEAKING ON ITEM FOUR? IS SHE SPEAKING ON ITEM FOUR? IT IS NO AGENDA ITEM ON, ON, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.
THERE'S NO, SHE'S DOING A, NO, SHE JUST WANTED TO, TO SPEAK ITEM FORM O.
WAS HER PUBLIC COMMENT? YEAH, JUST PUBLIC COMMENT.
BUT LET ME ASK, LET ME BE REAL CLEAR.
UM, MS. UH, WHAT IS HER NAME? MS. BREWSTER.
MS. BREWSTER, CAN YOU HEAR ME? I WANTED TO LET YOU, MS. BREWSTER HIT STAR SIX.
MS. BREWSTER HIT STAR SIX ON YOUR PHONE AND YOU'LL, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SPEAK.
AND WE ARE SO SORRY ABOUT THE TECHNICAL, UM, UH, DIFFICULTIES,
[00:50:01]
UM, TO GETTING YOU IN.I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU, JUST A QUICK QUESTION.
THIS IS A YES OR NO, AND THEN I'LL MOVE FORWARD BASED ON THAT.
IS YOUR COMMENT ON ITEM FOUR OF THE, UM, OF THE AGENDA? YES.
I HAVE TWO SPEAKERS THAT WANNA SPEAK, UH, REGARDING ITEM FOUR.
AND I WANT TO, UM, I WANT TO HEAR FROM THEM BEFORE I HAVE, BEFORE THE WORKING GROUP TALKS ABOUT THEIR RECOMMENDATION.
UM, OR SHOULD THE WORKING GROUP TALK ABOUT THEIR RECOMMENDATION PREVIOUS B BE BEFORE OUR CITIZENS SPEAK? THAT'S KIND OF TO YOU, BUT I WOULD LET THEM SPEAK FIRST.
AND THEN, AND THEN MOVE ON TO, TO OUR CONVERSATION.
ALRIGHT THEN, UH, MS. BREWSTER, STAY, STAY PUT.
I'M GOING TO UM, UM, HAVE MS. ZIA JOSEPH ALSO COME UP BECAUSE SHE HAD SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM FOUR.
SO SHE'S GONNA BE OUR FIRST SPEAKER ON ITEM FOUR, AND THEN YOU WILL BE OUR SECOND SPEAKER ON ITEM FOUR.
THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES MS. JOSEPH.
THANK YOU MS. JOSEPH FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
MADAM CHAIR MEMBERS, I'M ZIA JOSEPH, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS ABOUT THE FY 25 BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE WORK GROUP THAT'S IN YOUR BACKUP MATERIALS.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FIRST AND FOREMOST FOR THEM ACKNOWLEDGING NORTH AND NORTHEAST AUSTIN FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
ITEM THAT'S THERE AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO THE BUS STOP SHELTERS.
I JUST WANNA CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION ON MARCH 25TH, 2024, THAT WAS WHEN CAPITOL METRO ACTUALLY HAD A BOARD MEETING.
IF YOU LOOK ON PAGES 1 61 TO 1 69 AT THE END OF THE BOARD PACKET, THAT IS WHERE THEY ACTUALLY RESPONDED TO MY REQUEST AS IT RELATES TO CLOSING THE MIDBLOCK STOP CHINATOWN, STOP ID 5 8 5 7.
I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE HOWEVER THAT CAPITOL METRO HAS DECIDED THAT THEY WANT TO LEAVE THE STOP THERE.
AND I HAVE PROPOSED INSTEAD THAT IT ACTUALLY CAN BE CLOSED BECAUSE THE MIDBLOCK STOPS ARE WHERE PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY GETTING KILLED.
THERE'S A 2009 STUDY THAT WAS WITH TEXAS TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE, CAPITAL, METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, THE CITY OF AUSTIN HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION AND POLICE.
IT WAS A 20 MONTH STUDY OF NORTH LAMAR IN PARTICULAR.
AND CAPITAL METRO ACTUALLY PROPOSED THAT THIS WOULD BE A PHASED APPROACH, $250,000.
SO I'M JUST ASKING THAT SPECIFICALLY IN YOUR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU INCLUDE $250,000.
THE AFRICAN AMERICAN RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMISSION ACTUALLY PUT THAT NUMBER AS WELL.
THAT MONEY WOULD BE USED TO CLOSE THE MID-BLOCK STOP, WHICH DOESN'T COST ANY MONEY.
THE LANDING PAD IS STILL THERE AT KRAMER AND NORTH LAMAR, BUT IT WOULD BE TO ACTUALLY CREATE A A 88 PATH FROM 8 0 1 NORTHBOUND.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY TO BREAKER IN NORTH LAMAR BECAUSE THERE IS A SIDEWALK, BUT THERE IS JUST A DRAINAGE ISSUE.
AND I THINK THAT'S IN YOUR PACKET OF THE PICTURES THAT I GAVE YOU, WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THAT IT'S JUST A LITTLE TRAIL WITH ROCKS.
SO IF YOU'RE IN A WHEELCHAIR WALKER OR A CANE, IF YOU'RE A MOTHER WITH A BABY IN A STROLLER, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO CROSS THE FIVE LANES OF TRAFFIC TWICE.
I WOULD ALSO ASK YOU TO INCLUDE THE MIDBLOCK STOP THAT'S AT THE METROPOLITAN PARK, WHICH IS NORTH CLOSER TO PALMER STATION.
ONE OF THE EXCUSES THAT CAPITAL METRO GAVE IS THAT THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD NEED MORE TIME TO PUT THE CANTILEVER SHELTER.
THAT'S THE ONE THAT ANGLES UP TO THE SKY.
BUT IF YOU'RE IN THE PARMA LANE AREA, YOU WILL SEE THAT IT'S JUST A REGULAR BUS STOP SHELTER.
THOSE SHELTERS COST APPROXIMATELY $40,000.
SO I PROPOSE THAT WE CAN HAVE A PAIR SHELTER, IF YOU WILL, FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE OVER AT KRAMER AND ALSO OVER AT CVS PHARMACY AT BREAKER NORTH LAMAR.
SO THAT IS THE SPECIFIC DOLLAR AMOUNT AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
I JUST WOULD ASK YOU TO INCLUDE ONCE AGAIN THAT WE NEED FUNDING FOR THE ATTORNEYS TO ACTUALLY BE IN JP COURT BECAUSE NO MATTER HOW MUCH RENTAL ASSISTANCE YOU GIVE, IT WILL NEVER BE ENOUGH.
AND WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS THAT IT HAS TO STOP WITH THE EVICTION IN THE COURT SYSTEM.
AND MARK MELTON IS THE DALLAS ATTORNEY THAT I ACTUALLY SHARED WITH YOU THE, THE ARTICLE.
UM, AND THAT IS A GOOD MODEL FOR YOU TO FOLLOW AS WELL.
BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I GOT DOWN YOUR RECOMMENDATION.
SO THERE WAS THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE ADDITION OF $250,000 TO CLOSE THE MIDBLOCK STOP THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED AND TO, UH, CREATE AN A DA, UH,
[00:55:01]
ACCESSIBLE PATHWAY.AND DID YOU MENTION THAT THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN ENDORSED BY ANY ANOTHER PARTICULAR GROUP? AND, AND IF SO, DO YOU MIND REPEATING THAT FOR ME? SURE.
SO I WENT TO THE AFRICAN AMERICAN RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING AND THEIR FY 25 BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS LAST WEEK.
THEY MET AND ACTUALLY INCLUDED THE $250,000 TOO.
AND AS IT RELATES TO THE SHELTER, THERE'S ALSO THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE AND THEY ACTUALLY ARE COMMISSIONED, THEY ACTUALLY PUT $2.2 MILLION IN THEIR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SHADED BUS STOPS AS WELL AS SHADED FACILITIES.
SO IF YOU'RE IN THE PARK OR DIFFERENT PLACES, THEY ACTUALLY INCLUDED THAT IN THEIR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS.
IMAGINE AUSTIN ALSO HAS THE BUS STOP SHELTERS INCLUDED IN THERE.
UM, SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF, UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ACTUALLY INCLUDED THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSIONS RECOMMENDATION.
UM, AND SO THOSE ARE JUST TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF EACH OTHER AND TO SAY WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT WE NEED SHADED BUS STOP SHELTERS.
UM, AND JUST AS A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, THE BUS STOPS THAT ARE, UH, THE BENCHES THAT ARE BEING PLACED IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN, UNFORTUNATELY DON'T HAVE SHELTERS.
IT'S JUST A FLAT SILVER BENCH.
AND THEN IF YOU'RE AT HEB RUNDBERG, YOU WILL SEE THAT IT'S JUST THE AWNING AND IT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A SCREEN IN THE BACK.
IF YOU, YOU GO TO HYDE PARK AS A POINT OF COMPARISON ON 45TH STREET, 51ST STREET, 30TH STREET, YOU'LL ACTUALLY SEE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SHELTERS THAT HAVE SCREENS.
UM, AND THOSE HOMES RUN UP TO $2.2 MILLION.
AND ALSO AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, RIGHT THERE FOR THE STUDENT HOUSING, IT'S BEING DEVELOPED.
THE SCREEN, THE FENCING IS STILL AROUND IT, BUT THE BUS STOP BENCHES WITH THE SHELTERS ARE ALREADY IN PLACE.
AND SO WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR IT TO BE EQUITABLE AND THERE IS MONEY.
UM, JUST SO YOU KNOW, UM, THE CITY GOT $22.9 MILLION FOR SAFE, UH, ROADS AND STREETS FOR ALL OUR STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL.
BUT I JUST WOULD CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION THE HISTORY OF FUNDING 2012.
THERE WAS ACTUALLY A BOND THAT PASSED AND IT WAS FOR BREAKER AND NORTH LAMAR AND NORTH LAMAR KEEPS GETTING SHORT SHRIFT.
AND LASTLY, I'LL TELL YOU ABOUT THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.
THEY ACTUALLY STATED IN THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE ON MARCH 28TH, 2024, THAT THERE'S 38 OR $39.8 MILLION REMAINING FROM THE THREE, UH, PAST BONDS.
SO YOU'LL REMEMBER THE $720 MILLION BOND.
AND THEN THERE WAS THE 2018 AND 20, UM, 2014.
THESE BONDS HAVE STARTED SINCE 2012.
AND IT IS DISCRIMINATORY BECAUSE IF YOU'RE AT ALLENDALE HEB, YOU WILL SEE THEY HAVE AN AESTHETIC ROCKS NOW AT THE CORNER RIGHT THERE AT BRENTWOOD.
SO IF THEY HAVE A AESTHETIC ROCKS, THAT MEANS THAT BURNETT ROAD IS TAKEN CARE OF.
AND NORTH LAMAR HAS CONTINUED TO GET SHORT SHRIFT AND PEOPLE HAVE DIED.
MIDBLOCK AND DAVID JOHN MADANO, IF YOU WANT ONE EXAMPLE, ACTUALLY DIED, UH, MIDBLOCK IN 2019 AFTER CAPITOL METRO OPENED THE STATION.
FEBRUARY 23RD, 2019, MAY 2ND, 2019, HE WAS KILLED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE CLARIFICATION AND FOR EXTRA INFORMATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING AND I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION.
UH, MRS. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE WAY CAPTAIN MITCHELL IS WORKING? THE BUS STOPS NOW, ESPECIALLY ON PECAN BROOKS.
SO I THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
AND I'M JUST GONNA BE HONEST, UH, PECAN BROOK, THAT'S THE COLONY PARK AREA.
SO WHAT I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT THE BUS STARTS AT SEVEN O'CLOCK AND IT STOPPED AT SEVEN O'CLOCK, UH, WHEN CAP REMAP CHANGED 52 ROUTES JUNE 3RD, 2018.
AND IT ONLY RUNS ONCE AN HOUR.
AND THEN I PUT IN A COMPLAINT TO THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION INSPECTOR GENERAL IN 2018 AND THEY ADDED TWO HOURS TO THE BUS ROUTE, BUT THEY NEVER INCREASED THE FREQUENCY.
SO UNFORTUNATELY, UM, THE ROUTES DON'T SERVE PEOPLE.
UM, AND THEN IN THAT SAME VICINITY, YOU HAVE ROUTES THREE 30, UM, OR 3 39, WHICH IS INNER LINE WITH 2 37 FOR THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T RIDE THE BUS.
THAT'S COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE.
AND ALL OF THOSE ROUTES KIND OF ARE TOGETHER IN THAT, IN THAT AREA.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, IN ORDER TO LIVE AT COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A DISABILITY.
AND SO IT IS LITERALLY ONE MILE.
AND ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS, AND YOU CAN INCLUDE THIS, IS FOR THEM TO RUN THE 3 37 ROUTE ALL THE WAY TO COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE.
AND FOR COLONY PARK, THAT BUS ROUTE NEEDS TO BE EQUIVALENT TO WHAT IS NOW THE NEW 31 SEAT RIDE, WHICH IS WALSH CHARLTON, AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE E'S
[01:00:01]
ISD STUDENTS, 22 STUDENTS ACTUALLY BENEFIT FROM THAT SERVICE, AND THEY DON'T PAY ANY TAXES TO CAPITAL METRO, BUT THE CHAIR ACTUALLY OWN PROPERTY IN THAT AREA.SO IF THEY CAN GET THE BUS FROM FIVE IN THE MORNING UNTIL NEARLY MIDNIGHT EVERY 30 MINUTES, THEN THAT IS WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN COLONY PARK.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THERE WILL BE, AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, THE SUMMIT OR THE CONFERENCE THAT'S COMING UP ON THE 16TH AND 17TH, AND THE FIRST DAY OF THAT CONFERENCE WILL BE A TOUR TO COLONY PARK AREA.
AND SO EACH TIME THEY NEED TO CHECK THE BLACK BOX, THEY FIND COLONY PARK.
BUT THE SERVICE HAS NOT IMPROVED.
AND SO I, I WOULD JUST, I WOULD SAY THAT IN YOUR, IN YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS, YOU CAN INCLUDE IT.
AND THE WAY TO INCLUDE IT IS THAT THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN IS ACTUALLY UNDERGIRDED BY CONNECTIONS 25, WHICH WAS THEN REBRANDED CAP REMAP.
AND THAT IS WHAT YOU CAN USE APRIL 11TH, 2019 IS WHEN THE CITY ACTUALLY ADOPTED AUSTIN'S STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN.
AND SO THAT IS HOW YOU CAN JUSTIFY INCLUDING THE BUS ROUTES INTO THAT, INTO YOUR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS.
I THANK YOU VERY MUCH BECAUSE I'VE BEEN WONDERING WHY IS IT THAT NUMBER 20 GOES CERTAIN ROUTE AND THEN BACK OUT.
UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, BERT DELGADO.
SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, TESTIMONY.
SO ARE YOU ASKING FOR A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION TODAY, THIS EVENING? SAY THAT AGAIN? ARE YOU ASKING FOR US TO, UM, YOU BROUGHT THE INFORMATION TO US ABOUT CAPITAL METRO.
UH, ARE YOU WANTING US TO TAKE THIS INFORMATION, UH, DISCUSS IT, CREATE SOME TYPE OF LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION FOR SHELTERS, UM, BUS SHELTERS FOR CAPITAL METRO? I NOTICED THAT THEY'RE NOT, UH, WE HAVE A LARGE AMOUNT OF SPOTS, UM, FROM ON TAPAS TO EAST AUSTIN TO NORTH AUSTIN TO DEAF SPRINGS, ALL THE EASTERN CRESCENT IN, IN YOUR AREA AS WELL, THAT DON'T, DON'T HAVE SHELTERS, THAT DON'T HAVE, UM, ANY, ANY ANYTHING, UH, FOR THE PEOPLE.
AND SO I DO SEE, UH, THE, YOU KNOW, THE DISCRIMINATION.
SO WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT IT? UH, DO WE, YOU WANT US TO GO AHEAD AND, AND DRAFT A LETTER FROM THIS COMMISSION SO WE CAN TAKE IT TO THE CAPITOL METRO BOARD SINCE THERE IS A MEETING COMING UP SOON? UH, DO YOU WANT US TO TAKE A VOTE? WHAT'S YOUR REQUEST TODAY? THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE, THE QUESTION.
I WOULD SAY, UM, WHEN YOU GET TO YOUR OWN DISCUSSION, THERE'S ACTUALLY A LINE ITEM OR THERE'S A, WHERE YOU ACTUALLY MENTION TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND I THINK YOU CAN DO TWOFOLD.
YOU CAN ACTUALLY INCLUDE THE, THE COST ESTIMATE, BUT THAT IS JUST FOR ONE STOP.
SO I WOULD SAY THE SHELTERS ARE APPROXIMATELY $40,000.
THE SLAUGHTER STOP, FOR EXAMPLE, IS ABOUT $40,000.
TRAVIS COUNTY ACTUALLY FUNDED THAT, BUT I WOULD SAY MORE BROADLY, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR YOU TO ACTUALLY PUT IN WRITING, UM, A LETTER FROM THIS COMMISSION.
AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE TITLE VI IS HOW THEY GET THEIR FUNDING.
AND AS I MENTIONED, THAT PUBLIC HEARING IS TOMORROW.
SO NOT SURE IF YOU HAVE THE TIME TONIGHT TO DRAFT SOMETHING MM-HMM.
BUT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE PAYING ATTENTION AND THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST DISENFRANCHISED.
AND THE OTHER PLACE THAT I WILL TELL YOU TO LOOK IS THAT IT'S ONE TO FIVE MILES TO WALK FOR THE LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT DEVELOPMENTS.
IT'S IN THE DECEMBER 15TH, 2020 BOARD PACKET IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
AND THEY PUT THAT INFORMATION WITH THE BUS STOP DISTANCE AT MY REQUEST.
AND SO IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR THIS COMMISSION TO ACTUALLY PUT THAT ON THE RECORD.
AND I SAY THAT AS WELL, BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY ADOPTED THEIR 88 COMPLIANCE, AND THEY DIDN'T EVEN GO TO COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE.
AND THAT IS A MODEL FOR SOUTHEAST AUSTIN, WHICH WILL HAVE 640 UNITS.
AND JUST LAST THURSDAY, COUNCIL APPROVED IN THE MONTOPOLIS, NOT SO MUCH MONTOPOLIS, BUT THE BURLESON AREA, A DEVELOPMENT THAT'S 1.7 MILES FROM THE 65 0 5 RIGHT THERE, WHICH IS WHERE THE GOODWILL IS.
AND SO EVEN THOUGH, UM, THEY ARE CONTINUING TO PASS THESE ITEMS, IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE SHELTER AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, AS WELL BECAUSE THERE'S NO SIDEWALK OUT THERE TO MCKINNEY FALLS FOR PEOPLE.
AND THERE'S NO SUNDAY SERVICE FOR THE BUS, BECAUSE THAT'S THE BUS THAT SERVES THE VA CLINIC ROUTE 2 28.
AND IT ONLY RUNS FROM SIX TO ABOUT SIX 30 BECAUSE IT'S SERVING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES THERE.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THIS COMMISSION TO ACTUALLY MAKE A STATEMENT AND SOMEONE CAN READ IT INTO THE RECORD AT MINIMUM, AND THAT WAY IT'LL BE ACKNOWLEDGED.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS? ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. JOSEPH.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION THAT YOU BRING TO THE COMMISSIONER.
CERTAINLY, YOU'RE ALWAYS SO KNOWLEDGEABLE.
[01:05:01]
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL RECOGNIZE MS. BREWSTER.BILLY MEAN? CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? YES, WE DO.
UM, I'M A DISTRICT ONE RESIDENT ROSEWOOD AREA TO BE EXACT.
UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO CALL IN TO, TO, UM, I GUESS SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE, THE INCREASE IN THE BUDGET FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
YOU ALL CAN HEAR ME STILL? YES, WE CAN STILL HEAR YOU.
UM, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, UM, WORKING IN AFFORDABLE LIVING IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN EAST AUSTIN, UM, WE'VE SEEN THE INCREASE, UM, IN AFFORDABILITY OR THE, WELL DECREASE I GUESS, IN AFFORDABILITY.
UM, SO MANY HOMES ARE BECOMING UNAFFORDABLE.
AND I, I HEARD MS. ANOVIA EARLIER, SHE SAID THAT MAYBE WE SHOULD PUT MORE INTO, UM, MITIGATION AND LAWYERS FOR, UM, EVICTION COURT.
BUT I THINK THAT WITH THE RENTAL ASSISTANT IN INCREASE IN THE BUDGET, WE CAN TRY NOT TO EVEN MAKE IT THAT FAR.
BECAUSE WHAT WE SEE IS PEOPLE WHO HAVE, THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO COVER THEIR EXPENSES, COVER THEIR RENT, UM, WITHOUT THEM BE, WITHOUT THEM BEING ABLE TO GET THE HELP THAT THEY NEED, OR THAT RENTAL ASSISTANCE, THAT EXTRA ASSISTANCE, THEY'RE SELF EVICTED.
SO THEY'LL BE HOMELESS WITHOUT EVEN KNOWING WHAT'S GOING ON.
I SAW A LOT HAPPEN IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO I JUST WANT TO, UM, SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE INCREASE IN THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND HOW IT DOES HELP THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. BREWSTER.
ANYTHING MS. BREWSTER? ALRIGHT.
WE DO APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS, UH, AND VALUE WHAT YOU, UM, HAVE TO SHARE WITH US.
I, AT THIS TIME, CHAIR, WE HAVE ANOTHER SPEAKER.
UM, SHE GOT HER LATE, DIDN'T SIGN UP.
SO IT'S KIND OF UP TO YOU IF YOU WANNA ALLOW HER TO GET HER SEAT.
UM, TAKE YOUR SEAT MA'AM, AND PLEASE LET US KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
AND, UM, AND, AND YES, UH, WE HAD MAJOR THUNDERSTORMS GOING ON TODAY, AND SO I'M A LITTLE AGAIN, WE ARE IN FACT A CITIZEN FINLAY COMMISSION.
THAT'S SHORT FOR SOPHISTICATED.
UH, I CAME IN LATE 'CAUSE I THOUGHT THE THING STARTED AT SEVEN, LIKE THE OTHER, UM, MONTH.
UM, IT WAS THIS RENTAL ASSISTANCE THING.
UH, I'M FROM AUSTIN AND ONE THING I'VE NOTICED SINCE I CAME BACK FROM THE MILITARY, THERE'S SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE FORMED NONPROFITS LIKE TACKLE HUNGER.ORG.
THEY ADVERTISE EVERY WHERE, WHO'S GIVING OUT FOOD, WHAT DAY, WHAT TIME, UH, ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER.
AND, AND I WISH THAT MAYBE THAT COULD BE ADDED TO THE BUSES.
AND SO MANY PEOPLE RIDE THE BUSES.
I BELIEVE THE BUSES MAKE US A COMMUNITY BECAUSE YOU CAN GET ACROSS TOWN INSTEAD OF JUST WALK AS FAR AS YOU, YOUR BODY ALLOWS YOU TACKLE HUNGER.ORG.
THEY HAVE ORGANIZATIONS THAT GET A REGULAR, UH, FOOD DELIVERY FROM THE FOOD BANK.
AND IF THEY, WE COULD JUST GET MORE FOLKS AWARE OF IT.
UH, THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE HOUSING YET WOULDN'T HURT THEIR BACK DRAGGING CANS AND, UH, TAKING MORE FOOD THAN THEY CAN EAT BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY'LL EAT NEXT BECAUSE IT'S FREE.
AS FAR AS RENTAL ASSISTANCE CONCERNED, IF YOU CAN ZERO BALANCE YOUR GROCERY BILL, THAT'S RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
'CAUSE YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET A FREE UTILITIES AND YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT GONNA GET ANY FREE RENT.
BUT IF YOU CAN HOOK INTO TACKLE HUNGER.ORG AND GO TO THOSE PLACES THAT ARE GIVING AWAY FREE FOOD, UH, I, I GO FRIDAY, SATURDAY, AND SUNDAY TO WHAT'S CALLED MOBILE BLESSINGS, THE NUMBER ONE AT, AT UH, GMAIL.COM.
AND SHE'S SET UP ON, UH, 36 16 MUNSON STREET.
YOU SHOW UP AT 10, GET A NUMBER, COME BACK AT 12, THE FOOD TRUCK COMES AND THEY GOT FRESH SALADS, WRAPS, EVERYTHING THAT ANYBODY WOULD WANT.
FRESH CUT FLOWERS FROM TRADER JOE'S.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE USDA PROTECTS US FROM ALLOWING, UH, GROCERY PEOPLE TO, TO SERVE STUFF THAT SAYS BEST
[01:10:01]
BUY.I MEAN, YOU KNOW, BEST EATING BY WHATEVER.
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH IT.
I WAS RAISED ON THE CLEARANCE AISLE, SO I KNOW THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT FOOD.
AND THAT WAY IT HELPS KEEP PEOPLE FROM ENTERING THEMSELVES, GETTING TRAPPED IN THE DUMPSTERS, TRYING TO GO AND GET SOME FOOD FROM A CATERED PLACE.
SO I, I WISH Y'ALL WOULD PUT THAT OUT AND MAYBE GET CAP METRO TO PUT IT UP IN THEIR, ON THEIR LITTLE, UM, YOU KNOW, LITTLE ADVERTISEMENTS UP THERE.
AND, AND PEOPLE COMING HERE WILL KNOW.
I MEAN, LIKE ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT CAME FOR CAP 10,000, THEY WOULD KNOW, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE WHO ARE IN WHEELCHAIR BOUND, BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM HAVE, THEY VERY EXPENSIVE, UH, MEDICATION.
AND, AND THEY HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN, I'M GONNA GET MY MEDICATION OR I'M GONNA GET SOME FOOD WHEN THEY GO TO HEP.
SO I WROTE ANOTHER SONG ABOUT THEM, BUT I DON'T HAVE TIME.
I, I BROUGHT, I BROUGHT THE LYRICS.
THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH, MS. SOPHIE.
UH, WE DO APPRECIATE, UM, YOUR COMMENTS AND, UH, WE'LL SEE YOU AT THE FUTURE MEETINGS, UM, WHEN WE BEGIN AT SIX 30.
SO WE'RE GONNA INVITE YOU TO, UH, UM, MAKE A NOTE OF THAT SO THAT WE CAN GET YOU IN PROMPTLY.
WITH THAT, UH, WE WILL MOVE INTO OUR, UM, DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM, UH, RECOGNIZING OUR BUDGET WORKING GROUP.
I DO WANT TO EXPRESS, UH, A HEARTFELT APPRECIATION TO THE THREE, UH, COMMISSIONERS THAT DID, UH, LEAD THIS UP.
Y'ALL DID A YEOMAN'S, UH, WORK HERE.
UH, VICE CHAIR ALIAS, COMMISSIONER ACHILLES, UH, ACHILLES COMMISSIONER ESTEBAN, UH, DELGADO.
UM, THIS IS A FANTASTIC RECOMMENDATION.
AND, UH, UM, YES, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO VICE CHAIR AT THIS TIME.
OH, DID YOU WANT ME THAT? YEAH, I CAN, I, OKAY.
IT'S, UM, IT WAS A LOT OF WORK.
UM, WE DID, YOU KNOW, WE, IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING, BUT I'M REALLY VERY, VERY PROUD OF THIS BECAUSE, UM, WE STARTED WITH, UH, THINKING ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT WE HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY AT THIS COMMISSION.
AND THAT'S WHAT GUIDED US THROUGH THIS.
SO, UH, COMMISSIONER ACHILLES IS GOING TO GO THROUGH OUR BUDGET RECOMMENDATION, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, WE'LL SAVE 'EM AFTER THAT.
SO BE SURE, UM, TO LOOK AT THE DRAFT THAT THE, UM, TEAM HAS, THE WORKING GROUP HAS PUT TOGETHER.
UM, BECAUSE THIS IS A FANTASTIC, SO I APOLOGIZE, GO AHEAD.
AND QUICK, QUICK CLARIFICATION.
DO I READ THE ENTIRE THING OR JUST SUMMARIZE THE ACTUAL RECOMMENDATIONS? YEAH, SUMMARIZE THE ACTION.
AND THAT'S, I WANTED TO REFER THEM TO IT BECAUSE THIS IS GOOD.
IT WAS A, IT WAS A GREAT WORKING GROUP.
AND ALSO THANK YOU TO STAFF IN PARTICULAR ANHILL FOR, FOR HELPING US OUT.
WE, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION IN HERE AND WE, UM, DEFINITELY RELIED ON, ON FOLKS TO HELP US OUT.
UM, AND AGAIN, OF COURSE TO, TO THE PUBLIC, UM, FOR, FOR INFORMING THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, SO THE, THE KEY RECOMMENDATION THAT'S INCLUDED WITH ACTUAL DOLLAR AMOUNTS IS AROUND ADDITIONAL RENTAL, UH, ASSISTANCE.
SO I'LL JUST, I WILL READ THAT, THAT PARAGRAPH 'CAUSE THAT'S THE, THE KEY DOLLAR AMOUNT.
SO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY MANAGER INCREASE THE BUDGETED AMOUNT FOR ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE TO RENTERS BY AT LEAST AN ADDITIONAL 15 MILLION WITH SUGGESTED ALLOCATIONS OF 5 MILLION TO BE DISPERSED THROUGH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES UNIT, AND 10 MILLION TO BE DISPERSED THROUGH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT'S RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. WE RECOMMEND THAT THESE DOLLARS BE ALLOCATED FROM THE GENERAL REVENUE AND OR FROM APPLICABLE FEDERAL FUNDS ALLOCATED TO THE CITY THROUGH WHICHEVER CONFIGURATION RESULTS IN THE LEAST AND OR MOST FLEXIBLE RESTRICTIONS ON EXPENDITURE TO ASSURE THAT ECONOMIC RELIEF MOST QUICKLY REACHES AUSTINITES WHO ARE FACING EVICTION AND AT RISK OF BECOMING HOMELESS.
AND SO WE, WE INCLUDE SOME ADDITIONAL, THE RATIONALE AND HIGH AND KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR THAT.
AND THEN ON THE NEXT PAGE WITHOUT DOLLAR AMOUNTS, BECAUSE WE, WE DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE PULLING TOGETHER, UM, ALL OF THE RESEARCH TO MAKE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT WE DID WANT TO MAKE SURE TO CALL OUT IN OUR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS WHAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM OUR CITIZEN, UM, OUR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION AND WITH, WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT NEXT YEAR WE'LL HAVE BEEN MONITORING THAT THROUGH THE WHOLE YEAR AND HAVE ROBUST NUMBERS IN PLACE.
BUT WE WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE IN THESE BULLETS EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM, FROM THE PUBLIC.
UM, SO THIS WAS, THIS WAS WHERE WE LANDED.
AND SO AGAIN, WITHOUT DOLLAR AMOUNTS, WE ARE RECOMMENDING CALLING OUT ENHANCED COMMUNICATION AND SUPPORT
[01:15:01]
FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER.WE HEARD, UM, WE HEARD A LOT OF COMMUNICATION ABOUT THAT, PARTICULARLY AFTER THE FREEZE, BUT WE KNOW THAT IT'LL COME UP AGAIN IN THE SUMMER.
UM, TO MS. JOSEPH'S COMMENTS, WE ALSO PUT IN IMPROVED PUBLIC TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE FOLKS BRING THAT UP.
AND THEN AGAIN, DEFINITELY HAD MULTIPLE FOLKS COME IN AND TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF REFINEMENT OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE, COMMUNICATION AND DELIVERY.
AND WITHIN THAT, SPECIFICALLY THREE DIFFERENT BULLETS.
SO STREAMLINED ACCESS TO INFORMATION ABOUT THE RESOURCES PRESERVATION OF LOW AND MID-TIER HOUSING AS A CRITICAL ELEMENT OF MAINTAINING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND THEN ENHANCING RAPID REHOUSING INITIATIVES.
UM, SO THOSE, THOSE ARE OUR KEY RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, FOR THE COMMISSION.
COMMISSIONERS, DOES ANYONE HAVE, AGAIN, I, I KNOW I HAVE SAID THIS MULTIPLE TIMES, I'M GONNA TRY TO LET THIS BE MY LAST, THIS IS FANTASTIC JOB WELL DONE.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE PRAISE, I THINK, TO MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE ON THIS WORKING GROUP, ESPECIALLY COMMISSIONER ACHILLES FOR CONVENING US.
I KNOW THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS VOLUNTEER WORK, BUT ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT WORK.
AND I KNOW WE HAVE ALL HAVE BUSY SCHEDULES, BUT I'D WANT THE, I WANT THE RECORD TO REFLECT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN POSED WITH THIS AND GIVEN THE EXTRA OPPORTUNITY TO COME UP WITH THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, THAT, UM, COMMISSIONER ACHILLES REALLY STEPPED UP AND MADE SURE THAT THIS REFLECTED THE, THE COMMUNITY NEEDS.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO, UM, REFLECT THAT AND ALSO TO GIVE MY PRAISE TO MY FELLOW COMMISSIONER.
UM, THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT I WANNA MENTION HERE IS, UM, I'M REALLY GLAD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO INCORPORATE THESE PUBLIC COMMENTS BECAUSE, UM, MY GOAL, AND I KNOW THAT MY FELLOW COMMISSIONER'S GOALS, IS TO CONSTANTLY ENSURE THAT WE'RE LEARNING AND THAT WE ARE, UM, BEING RECEPTIVE TO WHAT THE, WHAT THE, UM, WHAT THE PUBLIC IS, IS TELLING US.
AND, AND THEN FINALLY, I'D LIKE THE, THE RECORD TO SHOW, UM, THAT MS. SOPHIE HAS THE BEST HAT ON
AND I JUST APPRECIATE, UM, HER AND THE, THE REST OF THE, THE, UH, COMMUNITY CITIZENS FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, CONSTANTLY HOLDING US ACCOUNTABLE AND, AND ENSURING THAT WE ARE THE BEST COMMISSION FOR, FOR THE COMMUNITY.
YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING SINCE YOU WERE PART OF THE, THE THREES? OH, I, I THOUGHT I DID, BUT NO.
UH, GOING AROUND, UM, COMMENTS ON THE RECOMMENDATION THAT OUR WORKING GROUP HAS PUT TOGETHER.
ANYBODY? NO ONE HERE ON SCREEN.
COMMISSIONER ORTIZ, CALL YOU OUT BY NAME.
COMMISSIONER PORTER, HOW ABOUT YOU? AND WE'RE GONNA RECOGNIZE YOU AT THE END.
COMMISSIONER BROWN, IF YOU, ANYBODY HERE? YES.
UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE GROUP.
YOU ALL DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB.
UM, I DID, AND UNFORTUNATELY I WASN'T ABLE TO PARTICIPATE, BUT I DID WANT TO MAYBE MAKE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT OR GIVE AN INPUT, UH, BECAUSE ONE OF THE BARRIERS, UH, THAT WE DO HAVE, UH, WITH RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UM, AND MAKING SURE IF WE CAN EITHER HIGHLIGHT THIS, UM, IN, IN ONE OF THESE, UM, THESE NUMBER COLUMNS OR, OR IN THE WORDING LANGUAGE, ONE OF THE BARRIERS IS ACTUALLY THEM QUALIFYING FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
UM, WE NOTICED THAT THE INDIVIDUALS THAT TRY TO QUAL TO APPLY FOR THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE ARE DENIED.
UM, SO I KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT CAN, WE CAN INCORPORATE THAT LANGUAGE IN HERE OF SOMEWHAT, MAYBE THE COMMISSION CAN HELP ME WITH THAT.
UM, BUT I DO FEEL THAT WE NEED TO PUT IN THERE SOMETHING WITH BARRIERS, THE WORD BARRIERS, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THE BARRIERS IS WHAT KEEPS THEM A UNABLE TO ACCESS.
AND SO IF WE, I MEAN, THIS IS GREAT, RIGHT? WE'RE, WE'RE ALLOCATING MONIES, WE'RE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS, AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED.
BUT WHAT, WHEN IT GETS DOWN TO THE ACTUAL ACCESS OF THE MONEY, THE BARRIERS OF THEM NOT HAVING, YOU KNOW, UM, A CREDENTIAL OR THEM NOT BEING, UM, YOU KNOW, THE INCOME BRACKET OR THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING, WELL, I DIDN'T QUALIFY.
SO THEN, SO WHO IS QUALIFYING? RIGHT? AND SO AGAIN, MAYBE JUST THAT, UM, THAT I WOULD RECOMMEND.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, EVERYTHING LOOKS BEAUTIFUL.
AND IF WE CAN, UM, MOVE FORWARD ON MAKING A MOTION TO ADOPT THIS AND, AND MOVE FORWARD.
[01:20:01]
YES.AND I THINK THAT THAT'S GREAT.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT I, YOU KNOW, HAVING LISTENED TO PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY, ESPECIALLY FROM, FROM OUR, FROM OUR, UM, COMMUNITY CITIZENS, I THINK HIGHLIGHTING, RIGHT? UM, BARRIERS TO QUALIFICATION WOULD BE ONE.
I ALSO WONDER IF WE MAKE, UM, UH, JUST, UH, MAYBE TWO, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT THE, UH, JOINT, UH, SUSTAINABILITY, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE, THE BUS STOPS AND THEN ALSO THE $25,000 USED FOR THE A DA PATH THAT WAS ALSO REFERENCED FROM THE, UH, AFRICAN AMERICAN RESOURCE, UH, RESOURCE COMMITTEE.
WE CAN DEFINITELY, UM, OH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
UM, WE CAN DEFINITELY DO THAT.
AND IF, IF NEED BE, WE CAN ALLOW YOU ALL AS A WORKING GROUP TO INCORPORATE THOSE.
AND THEN WE CAN ACTUALLY VOTE IN MAY BECAUSE WE ARE ALREADY OUTSIDE OF THE FRAMEWORK IN TERMS OF TIME THAT THE, THEY HAD ORIGINALLY ASKED US TO GET ALL OF OUR ITEMS IN BY THE END OF MARCH.
BUT, UM, IN SPEAKING WITH THE, UM, UH, PROCESS, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE OVERSEEING THE PROCESS AS A BOARD, AS A COMMISSION, WE CAN ACTUALLY SPEAK TO THE BUDGET AT ANY POINT.
WE DO WANNA GET IN WHILE THEY'RE MAKING THE DECISION.
SO WE DON'T WANT IT TO BE SO LATE.
BUT I DO BELIEVE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IF WE GET IT IN, UM, BY, IF WE VOTE NEXT WEEK, I MEAN NEXT MONTH, I, I THINK WE WILL.
AND COULD WE VOTE DURING OUR SPECIAL CALL MEETING FOR THAT? JUST IN CASE? SO IF WE GET IT IN SOONER ON OUR, THE RETREAT, UHHUH
I THINK THE DATE WAS MAY 10TH.
UM, OUR, YEAH, WE'RE GONNA BE THERE.
SO COULD WE, COULD WE VOTE AT THAT POINT? NO, THE VOTE IS MAY 10TH.
WOULD THERE BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO POTENTIALLY VOTE ON THE RECOMMENDATION TODAY AND TO SUBMIT RIGHT, THE ADDITIONAL AMENDMENT WITH THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, JUST TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE PROCESS? THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE.
I, I HAVE A COUPLE OF, I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE VICE CHAIR AND THEN I'M RECOGNIZING COMMISSIONER DELGADO AND THEN COMMISSIONER TOVER, VICE CHAIR.
SO I WANNA ADD, UM, WELL, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING THAT CHAIR SAID THAT WE WANT TO GET IN ON THIS WHILE THEY'RE YES.
UM, WHILE THE CITY COUNCIL'S THINKING ABOUT THE BUDGET.
SO, UM, ALL OF THESE SOUND LIKE, UH, AMENDMENTS.
SO IF WE CAN FIND A WAY TO FIT THEM INTO THIS AND VOTE TODAY, I THINK THAT'S A, THAT'S WHAT THAT WOULD BE FOR THE BEST THAT WOULD WORK FOR ME.
AND I JUST WANNA ECHO WITH, UM, VICE CHAIR, UM, BECAUSE WE, WE ARE NOT ABLE TO VOTE AT OUR RETREAT 'CAUSE WE HAVE A FULL AGENDA ON YOUR RETREAT IN MAY.
SO I KNOW WE'RE NOT HAVING DOUBLE MEETINGS IN MAY.
UM, SO IF WE CAN GO, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, UH, TO MAKE THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS THAT WERE DISCUSSED TODAY.
AND WE CAN GO AHEAD AND, AND VOTE.
MAY I ASK, UM, FOR A QUICK LITTLE BIT OF INPUT YES.
UM, REGARDING THE PROCESS OF THE RECOMMENDATION, AS CLEAR AS YOU CAN BE ON THE ACTUAL AMENDMENTS THAT YOU WANT, THAT, THAT'S, WE CAN DEFINITELY DO THAT TONIGHT, BUT WE NEED REAL CLARITY, ED AND I ON, UM, THE LANGUAGE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD AS AS YOUR AMENDMENT.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YES, IT DOES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT, LISA.
UH, I SUGGEST THAT WE START WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER BERTA DELGADO'S, UH, UM, AMENDMENT.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD FIT UNDER ONE OF THE BULLETS OF MM-HMM.
UH, AND IF, I GUESS IF YOU CAN GIVE US THE BEST WORDING FOR US TO USE, WE CAN ADD IT AS AN AMENDMENT THERE AND VOTE ON IT.
AND I THINK THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER DELGADO SEVEN DELGADO MADE THE, THE CORRECT LANGUAGE THAT I WAS LOOKING FOR, WHICH WAS BARRIER QUALIFICATIONS.
UH, SO IF WE CAN WORD IT AS, UM, AS A BULLETIN, AS, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK, UH, I MEAN, AGAIN, THE COMMISSION WOULD HAVE TO HELP ME TO SEE WHAT, WHAT WOULD BEST FIT YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
'CAUSE IT IS A WORKING GROUP THAT YOU ALL PROVIDED.
UM, WE WOULD LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, ACCESS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DON'T, WE DON'T WANT TO BE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DON'T WANT THE CHALLENGES OF THE BARRIERS, UH,
[01:25:01]
TO PREVENT US FROM ACCESSING SERVICES.AND SO, HOW WOULD I PUT THAT IN FOUR WORDS?
SO, SO WE CAN START WITH SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF WE RECOMMEND THAT.
AND THEN WHAT DO WE, WHAT'S OUR ASK ESSENTIALLY THAT THEY, WELL, THE BARRIERS OF QUALIFICATIONS DECREASE.
DECREASE THE BARRIERS, THE DECREASE OF PRESERVATION.
IF WE MOVE FORWARD, UH, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER TOVER, UH, LET ME SAY THIS, AND THEN I, I RECOGNIZE COMMISSIONER TOVER RIGHT NOW, OUR BULLETS, UM, WE BEGIN WITH STREAMLINING.
WE'RE, UH, WE'RE PRESERVING, WE'RE ENHANCING.
SO IF WE CAN, UM, BE CONSISTENT WITH THAT LANGUAGE.
UH, SO THAT, IT, THAT WOULD BE WHERE IT WOULD FOLLOW.
I MEAN, FOLLOW, UH, COMMISSIONER TOLIVER, PLEASE.
WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE ARE MAKING, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, PUT IT IN AS WE WOULD LIKE FOR EVERYTHING IN THE FACIAL BUDGET.
WITHOUT ANY BACK DOWN THAT IT MUST BE FUNDED.
EVERYBODY THAT COMES IN FOR ASSISTANCE.
SO YOU, I I, LET ME MAKE SURE I HEAR YOU CORRECTLY.
I HEAR YOU TO BE SAYING THAT WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS THAT ELIMINATE BARRIERS.
THAT WE ELIMINATE ALL BARRIERS THAT ANYONE ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE RECEIVES ASSISTANCE.
AND WE'LL JUST MAKE THAT BE PART OF OUR, OUR OUR ASK.
WHAT'S THE DOLLAR AMOUNT ON THAT ASK TO FULLY FUND EVERYONE WHO NEEDS IT? AND I WOULD ALSO ASK IF, UM, COMMISSIONER DELGADO AGREES WITH THAT WORDING SINCE SHE BROUGHT THE OH, SHE BROUGHT IT UP.
UM, WE'RE THINKING ABOUT DECREASE RATHER THAN ELIMINATE.
SO I, COMMISSIONER TOVER, UH, I WOULD LOVE EVERYONE TO BE APPROVED.
UM, BUT I DO WANT US TO BE SPECIFIC.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT THE BARRIERS TO QUALIFICATIONS ARE, UM, LIKE IDENTIFICATION.
LIKE SOMETIMES IF YOU DON'T HAVE TWO FORMS OF IDENTIFICATION, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE EXTRA THINGS THAT THEY MAKE IT HARDER FOR THEM AS FAR AS LIKE, UH, IF THEY DON'T HAVE A, UM, A COPY OF THEIR, UM, YOU KNOW, BIRTH CERTIFICATE AND THEY, OR THEY DON'T HAVE THE ORIGINAL, I'M TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE VERY CHALLENGING FOR THEM.
UH, SOMETIMES IF YOU DON'T HAVE A, UH, VALID TEXAS ID, IF YOUR IDS EXPIRED, THEY AUTOMATICALLY DENY YOU UNTIL YOU GO GET A VALID ID.
AND I THINK THOSE STIPULATIONS ARE SO, UH, CHALLENGING FOR THEM BECAUSE ONE, THEY'RE LOW INCOME, THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, MONEY TO PAY FOR THEIR EXPENSES.
AND THEN YOU'RE MAKING THEM GO AND GO TO THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE OFFICE, YOU KNOW, PAY FOR A BIRTH CERTIFICATE, AND THEY HAVE TO SHOW THAT IN ORDER TO GET THE ASSISTANCE.
SO THOSE ARE THE KIND OF BARRIERS I'M TALKING ABOUT.
UH, DON'T GET ME WRONG, I LOVE YOUR MM-HMM.
BECAUSE I FEEL THAT EVEN AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH WILL TELL YOU IF WE BRING ON HEAD IN, HE'LL TELL YOU, WE CAN ONLY GIVE 25 RENTAL ASSISTANCE BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE THAT MUCH FUNDING.
AND HE'LL TELL YOU THAT EVERY CASE MANAGER HAS TO, UH, CASE THE, YOU KNOW, THE CLIENT AND THEN THEY HAVE TO HAVE A CERTAIN LIST OF QUALIFICATIONS IN ORDER TO GET THAT ASSISTANCE.
AND I JUST THINK IT'S JUST AN OVERLAPPING OF BARRIERS FOR THEM.
UM, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT SOME LANGUAGE IN THERE, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR THE, FOR THEM THAT ARE CHALLENGING TO GET THOSE TYPE OF DOCUMENTS.
I WANNA ASK, I WANNA ASK ONE SPECIFIC QUESTION.
ARE THE BARRIERS YOU'RE SPEAKING OF FOR IDENTIFICATION OR ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUALIFICATIONS? QUALIFICATIONS.
COMMISSIONER DELGADO SAID IT RIGHT.
HE SAID THE, THE, THE WORD WAS BARRIERS OF QUALIFICATION.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT WORD.
COMMISSIONER, UM, TO OLIVER, THAT WAS, YOU'RE STRICT.
I, I HAVE COMMISSIONER ACHILLES, WE'VE BEEN WORDSMITHING
UH, SO I ACTUALLY, UM, IN THE INITIAL, IN THE FIRST PARAGRAPH WHERE WE DO THE FINANCIAL REQUEST OF 15 MILLION, WE DO TALK ABOUT MAKING SURE THINGS ARE ALLOCATED MOST FLEXIBLY AS POSSIBLE.
SO WHAT IF WE ADDED IN THERE A SENTENCE ABOUT, WE ASKED THAT THE CITY MANAGER, UM, REMOVE BARRIERS IN THE PROCESS AND QUALIFICATION FOR BENEFITS TO THE EX, UM, OH CRAP.
UM,
HOW ABOUT YOU COMMISSIONER TOVER? DID TOVER DID YOU, DID YOU HEAR? WHAT ARE YOU, ARE YOU GOOD WITH WHAT? COMMISSIONER ES
[01:30:01]
SAY IT AGAIN.AND IS LISA, DO I NEED TO SEND YOU THIS OR ARE YOU GETTING THIS TOO? UM, SO WE, WE ASKED THAT THIS, SO AGAIN, IN THAT, IN THE SAME PARAGRAPH, OR WE WERE ALREADY ASKING THEM TO, UM, ALLOCATE THE FUNDS TO PROGRAMS SO THAT THEY'LL BE AS FLEXIBLE AS POSSIBLE.
SO WE'VE ALREADY BEEN TALKING ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IT'S TO, TO MAINTAIN AS MUCH FLEXIBILITY AS THEY CAN.
ADDING TO THAT PARAGRAPH, WE ASK THAT THE CITY MANAGER REMOVE BARRIERS IN THE PRO IN THE PROCESS, QUALIFY IN THE QUALIFICATION PROCESS TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS.
SO IS THAT A, IS THAT A, A STANDALONE, NOT A STANDALONE? IS THAT AN ADDITIONAL SENTENCE THAT FOLLOWS BECOMING HOMELESS, PERIOD AND THEN, OR ARE WE YES.
THAT'S WHERE I'M PROPOSING WE CAN PUT IT.
WE, I CAN TAKE THE SAME SENTENCE AND MAKE IT A BULLET IN THE OTHER SECTION, BUT I WAS YEAH.
I WAS WONDERING IF WE WANTED TO, BECAUSE IT ALL, YES.
IT FOLLOWS ON THE RECOMMENDATION WE'RE ALREADY MAKING UP HERE.
AUSTIN EIGHTS ARE FACING EVICTION AND AT RISK OF BECOMING HOMELESS, PERIOD.
SO IT'S GONNA APPEAR IN BOTH PLACES.
IT'LL BE ONE OF, IT'LL APPEAR AS THAT LAST SENTENCE IN THAT LARGE PARAGRAPH.
AND IT WILL ALSO APPEAR AS A BULLET ON, IS THAT, THAT WAS NOT MY PROPOSAL, BUT I'M ABSOLUTELY FINE PROPOS, LIKE SAME WORDS THAT IF, IF WE WANNA DO THAT, THAT WORKS.
I'M GOOD WITH WHAT? THAT YOU WERE CLEAR.
YOU WERE JUST SAYING JUST FOR IT TO BE A SENTENCE IN THAT LARGE, BECAUSE OF THE CONTEXT.
AND I THINK IT FLOWS IF PEOPLE ARE OKAY, THAT'S FINE.
AND SO WHAT I CAN DO, LISA, IS I CAN ADD THIS LANGUAGE THAT WE'RE ADDING NOW AND I CAN SEND IT TO YOU RIGHT? UH, DURING OR RIGHT AFTER THE MEETING.
WHEN YOU VOTE, YOU CAN VOTE ON THE RECOMMENDATION WITH THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO ACTUALLY STATE WHAT THE AMENDMENT IS.
AND THEN ONCE YOU DO ADD THE LANGUAGE, THEN YOU CAN SEND IT TO ME OR ED AND WE WILL, UM, MAKE SURE IT'S IN THE RIGHT FORMAT AND THEN RETURN IT FOR SIGNATURE.
AND THEN WE WILL UPLOAD IT TO THE COUNCIL, THEIR SYSTEM SO THEY ALL SEE IT.
AND CAN I, YEAH, WE DO NEED TO VOTE.
CAN I, WE DO NEED TO VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT.
OFFER ONE OTHER RELEVANT AMENDMENT TO THE SAME PARAGRAPH.
UM, BOLDING THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS AND THEN BOLDING THAT LAST SENTENCE THAT WE JUST ADDED.
SO LET US, I THINK WE HAVE CLARIFICATION OF WHAT THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT IS AND HOW WE'RE GOING IS HOW IT'S GOING TO MANIFEST ITSELF IN OUR DOCUMENT AND, UM, BE ADDED TO OUR DOCUMENT.
UM, CAN WE GET, UM, UM, MOTION TO ACCEPT OUR FRIENDLY, UH, AMENDMENT? MM-HMM.
SO I MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THIS FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, UH, FROM COMMISSIONER.
DO I HAVE ANYONE TO SECOND THAT? COMMISSIONER TOVER.
COMMISSIONER TOVER IS SECONDING THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, UH, AT THIS TIME.
COMMISSIONERS, UH, THOSE OF US WHO ARE VOTING SHOW YOUR FACE.
WERE WE GOOD ON VOTING? HOW ARE WE WITH OUR QUORUM? THERE WE GO.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BROWN.
SO THEN WE, WITH THE, UH, FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, UH, APPROVED, WE ARE NOW GOING TO, I WANNA HEAR A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT THIS FABULOUS BUDGET RECOMMENDATION FROM OUR WORKING GROUP.
UM, YEAH, THERE WERE MORE NO, NO, IT WAS JUST THAT ONE.
NO, THERE WAS, OH, THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE.
UM, SO OH, ABOUT THE, THE MONEY.
THE MONEY, THE, SO THE ONE THAT I WANTED TO PUT FORWARD FOR US WAS YES.
UM, IF WE WANTED TO MAKE NOTE TO, UM, I DON'T KNOW, I GUESS LIKE AN ADDITIONAL ENDORSEMENT OF, UM, BOTH THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY, UM, UH, SUGG, UH, I, I GUESS SUGGESTION FOR THE, THE SHADED BUS STOPS, AND THEN ALSO FOR THE $250,000 FOR THE, FOR THE A DA PATH, UM, AT THE, UH, INTERSECTION THAT, UM, MS. JOSEPH POINTED OUT TO US IN HER, UM, TESTIMONY TODAY.
AND THANK YOU FOR I, I I HAD OVERLOOKED THAT.
UM, SO WE HAVE, UH, A SECOND FRIENDLY AMENDMENT ON THE TABLE, UH, RECOMMENDING, UH, ABOUT ADDING THE LANGUAGE THAT COMMISSIONER ESTEBAN DELGADO JUST SHARED WITH US.
UM, DO I HAVE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT THAT FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? OKAY.
I HAVE COMMISSIONER, UH, TOLIVER MAKING A MOTION.
MADAM PR CHAIRMAN, I MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE ADOPT THE
[01:35:01]
FRIENDLY REMINDER.AND COMMISSIONER, I SECOND AND COMMISSIONER ACHILLES IS SECONDING THAT.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, COMMISSIONERS, CAN WE HAVE A, A VOTE ON THAT SECOND FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? UH, RAISE YOUR HAND.
IT LOOKS LIKE, AND, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER BROWN, ARE YOU IN FAVOR? OKAY, WE HAVE SOME IN FAVOR.
COMMISSIONER ORTIZ? I ABSTAIN.
NOT KNOWING THIS WAS GONNA BE AN AMENDMENT.
UM, ED, YOU HAVE OUR VOTE? YES.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD WITH THE VOTE TO ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION WITH THE TWO FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED.
COMMISSIONER DELGADO, DO YOU WANNA I WANNA MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, UH, THE, UH, DRAFT THAT WAS DONE BY OUR WORKING GROUP, UH, FOR THE 2024.
UM, UH, I'M SORRY, THE 2025 MM-HMM.
UM, AND SO, UH, WITH OUR TWO, UH, FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS, I MOVE TO APPROVE.
DO I HAVE A SECOND ON THE LOOK TO YOU? UM, I'LL SECOND YOU SECOND IT.
UM, UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER LONGORIA.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, CAN WE GO AHEAD AND TAKE A VOTE ON THIS? AND THIS CAN BE, UM, A WRAP.
UH, PLEASE INDICATE, UM, BY RAISING YOUR HAND.
WE HAVE THOSE THAT ARE RAISING THEIR HAND.
AND WE HAVE COMMISSIONER ORTIZ FOR THE RECORD.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, OUR, UH, BUDGET RECOMMENDATION IS IN FACT ACCEPTED, AND THE CDC IS ON RECORD OF SUBMITTING SOMETHING TO THE COMMISSIONER.
I MEAN, TO THE, UH, UM, UH, COUNCIL, UH, TO, UH, THAT REPRESENTS THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH WE ARE CHARGED TO DO SO.
UM, MS. JACKMAN, I SAW YOU COME TO THE DICE AND THEN YOU STEPPED AWAY.
UM, I HAVE TWO BRIEFINGS MOVING RIGHT
[5. Briefing on Special Called Meeting scheduled for Saturday, May 4, 2024 (Housing Department staff)]
ALONG.UM, SPECIAL CALL MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR OUR SATURDAY MAY 4TH.
THAT IS, UH, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT STAFF IS GONNA TELL US ABOUT IT.
THEY DID PROVIDE US A DRAFT OF THE AGENDA.
IT, YOU KNOW, HAS SOME LITTLE BIT OF FLUIDITY THERE.
AND I WILL POINT OUT THAT THEY, UM, UH, FOUND MONEY TO GIVE US A CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST.
I'M SURE THAT'S GONNA BE, UH, PROBABLY A SLICE OF BREAD AND SOME JUICE
SO, SO DON'T, DON'T COME LOOKING.
UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, UH, WE DO APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK, UH, THAT THE, UH, STAFF HAS BEEN DOING, UH, WITH THIS.
AND I DO BELIEVE, UM, UH, MS. BROWN IS GOING TO COME AND SPEAK ON THE AGENDA, OR IF WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS WE CAN ASK HER.
GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONER LETICIA BROWN, UM, DIVISION MANAGER FOR THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
SO THIS IS OUR AGENDA FOR THE SPECIAL CALL MEETING THAT WE'RE REFERRING TO AS OUR RETREAT SATURDAY, MAY 4TH.
UH, FROM NINE TO APPROXIMATELY ABOUT THREE O'CLOCK, WE ARE PROVIDING BREAKFAST.
WE DO, WE, UH, HAVE SECURED A FACILITATOR.
YOU GUYS WILL GET A COPY OF HER BIO IN YOUR EMAILS, YOUR BBC EMAIL.
SHE'S WITH, UH, CORTEZ AND ASSOCIATES, BUT IT'S HER, UH, CONSULTING FIRM.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE, UM, A COUPLE OF OTHER PRESENTERS COMING.
SO WE'LL START OUR DAY WITH OUR CONAL BREAKFAST, THEN WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS, LAURA CORTEZ, AS OUR FACILITATOR WILL TAKE OVER AND TALK ABOUT THE RETREATING EXPECTATIONS UNDER, AND EACH COMMISSIONER PROVIDE YOUR BIOS.
[01:40:01]
UH, JUST SHORT.YOU WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT YOUR LIVED AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE THAT YOU BRING TO THE TABLE, UH, OF THIS, UH, BOARD.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A TEAM BUILDING EXERCISE.
WE'RE BRINGING IN ON THE HOW TO EFFECTIVELY CONDUCT A MEETING TIP, STRATEGIES AND RESOURCES.
WE'RE DOING A BINDER PRESENTATION.
UM, BASICALLY THE BINDER IS FOR YOU ALL TO BE ABLE TO REFER BACK TO, IN ORDER TO SEE WHAT YOUR COMMISSIONERS, UH, BRING TO THE TABLE.
THAT'S WHERE YOUR BIOS WILL GO.
WE'RE BRINGING IN DAVID SULLIVAN TO TALK ABOUT, UH, TOMA LAWS, ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER.
UH, WE'RE BRINGING IN A WA OF EYES, A CZAR TO TALK ABOUT PROPER MEETING FLOWS.
AND THEN WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO TAKE US THROUGH THE AFTERNOON, UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE AND PURPOSE OF OUR WORK.
UM, WHY DOES THE CDC EXIST HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE CDC? HOW DOES THE CDC PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL? WHAT IS THE FULL PURPOSE OF, UM, WHAT, WHAT'S THE FULL SCOPE OF OUR USES OF OUR, UH, FEDERAL FUNDS? SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'LL HAVE LEADING UP TO OUR LAST EXERCISE, WHICH WILL BE ESTABLISHING THE GOALS AND PRIORITIES.
UM, AND HOPEFULLY WHEN WE ESTABLISH THESE GOALS AND PRIORITIES, THIS IS WHAT WE CAN USE FOR THAT ANNUAL REPORT THAT THE CHAIR WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR, UH, SUBMITTING IN JUNE.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE EXPECTING OUR DAY TO LOOK LIKE.
QUESTIONS, UM, A AGAIN, I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE STAFF AND DEFINITELY UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP, UM, THERE, MS. BROWN, THIS IS, UH, AGAIN, THIS IS GOOD WORK.
I, UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AT 10 30, HOW TO EFFECTIVELY CONDUCT MEETINGS MM-HMM.
ALL OF US PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETINGS.
AND SO IT'S NOT, UM, IT'S NOT JUST, UM, WHOEVER'S PRESIDING OVER THE MEETING.
SO I, I DO WANT TO, UM, JUST PUT THAT OUT THERE IF THERE'S SOME WAY THAT THAT LANGUAGE CAN BE INCORPORATED IN SOME WAY SO THAT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY ABOUT CONDUCTING MEETINGS.
AND OTHER COMMISSIONERS, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU ALL IF YOU HAVE COMMENTS.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM, FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
I KNOW IT'S, IT'S ADDITIONAL, IT'S ON TOP OF EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S GOING ON.
I THINK THAT WE'VE NOTICED AND LIKE HOW INVOLVED WE ARE AND ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT COME UP.
WE REALLY NEED MORE TIME TOGETHER.
UM, SO I'M NOT TRYING TO ASK FOR A WRENCH JUST TO DO IT, SO I'M JUST, BUT I AM, I WANNA GIVE MY PERSPECTIVE.
I THINK FOR ME, WHAT I'M MOST EXCITED ABOUT WHEN I, WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS AND THE, AND THE THING THAT I THINK WOULD HELP SHAPE ALL OF OUR MEETINGS GOING FORWARD AND OUR WORK GROUPS AND OUR IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY REALLY IS THAT TWO 30 TO THREE MM-HMM.
AND I WONDER, UM, BECAUSE ALSO TO THE COMMENTS WE'VE MADE ABOUT JUST BRAIN FATIGUE, I WONDER IF THERE'S SPACE AND I'M, AGAIN, I AM NOT, I'M NOT TRYING.
AND I AM HAPPY, I'M HAPPY TO LIKE STEP BACK AND, AND NOT, BUT I WOULD FIND IT REALLY HELPFUL TO MAYBE INSTEAD OF TALKING ABOUT THE CONDUCTING OF THE MEETING, 'CAUSE THAT FEELS MORE LIKE A PRESENTATION.
AND I FEEL LIKE WHAT WE'RE, WHAT I WOULD REALLY BENEFIT FROM IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET DIRTY TOGETHER IN THE WEEDS ABOUT WHAT WE WANNA ACCOMPLISH.
AND SO I WONDER IF THERE WOULD BE SPACE TO, TO MAYBE MOVE THE UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR WORK AND THE SETTING PRIORITIES AND GIVE OURSELVES, I I, FROM, FROM THE WAY WE INTERACT, I THINK WE NEED MORE THAN 30 MINUTES
AND I THINK FROM LIKE RANDOM COMMENT OR INDIVIDUAL COMMENTS I'VE HEARD FROM FOLKS, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF LIKE EXCITEMENT AND IDEAS ABOUT HOW WE MIGHT WANNA APPROACH THIS.
AND SO, JUST MY TWO SONS, I WOULD LOVE JUST A HUGE CHUNK THAT FOCUSES ON THE IMPORTANCE AND THEN THAT, THAT DIVING INTO THE GOALS AND PRIORITIES, IF THAT ISN'T TOO MUCH OF A WRENCH OR, AND IF ANYONE ELSE AGREES, LET ME MAKE SURE BEFORE WE GO FORWARD.
I, I, WHAT I HEAR YOU TO BE SAYING IS, 'CAUSE I, IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE TWO HOURS SET UP IN THE AFTERNOON FROM THE 1230 TO TWO 30 WITH UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE.
YOU GOOD WITH THOSE TWO HOURS? OR YOU JUST WANNA MOVE IT UP IN YOUR, WHAT YOU ARE ASKING, AND I UNDERSTAND, UM, UM, MS. BROWN MAY NOT BE ABLE TO
[01:45:01]
DO WHATEVER IT IS WE'RE ASKING.I JUST WANNA CLARIFY WHAT THE ASK IS.
SO I THINK, UM, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A SOLID HOUR AND A HALF ON THAT ESTABLISHING GOALS.
AND SO, BUT I DO THINK THAT, SO YES, I'M, I'M PRETTY MUCH ASKING IS THERE ROOM TO MAYBE CONSIDER A CONVERSATION ABOUT, ABOUT MEETINGS IN A DIFFERENT VENUE? LIKE MAYBE AS A SMALL THING HERE, I JUST, I I JUST WONDER IF THERE'S ROOM TO GIVE OURSELVES MORE TIME ON THAT.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE MOVING UP THE UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR WORK TO THEN GIVE US TIME TO STILL HAVE A LONGER TIME PERIOD TO TALK ABOUT GOALS AND PRIORITIES.
SO ARE YOU WANTING TO TAKE UP ESTABLISHING GOALS AND PRIORITIES AND AT 10 30? WELL, I THINK WE WOULD WANNA UNDERSTAND WHAT WE DO FIRST.
SO I'M, I'M ASKING TO MAYBE HOLD THE 10 30, THE EFFECTIVE THE MEETINGS CONVERSATION FOR A DIFFERENT MOMENT AND MOVE THE UNDERSTANDING THE PURPOSE OF OUR WORK TO 10 30.
AND THEN AFTER WE'VE DONE THAT, WE'RE AT LUNCH, WE'RE ALL HAVING FUN, WE'RE STILL BRAINSTORMING, AND THEN GO INTO THAT 1230 TO, TO TWO OR TWO 30, DO THE GOALS AND, AND LEAVE THE MEETINGS OFF OR CONDENSE THAT TO THE HALF HOUR, TWO 30 TO THREE SLOT.
UM, 'CAUSE I JUST, I, WE, WE DON'T SAY ANYTHING IN UNDER HALF AN HOUR.
UM, AND I REALLY FEEL LIKE, AND, AND I FEEL LIKE THAT IS LIKE THE MEAT OF WHAT I'D LOVE TO DIVE INTO IS LIKE, WHAT DO WE WANNA DO THIS NEXT YEAR AND WHAT ARE THE LEVERS THAT WE CAN USE TO DO IT? LIKE IS WHAT, LIKE WORK GROUPS OR LIKE INDIVIDUALS TALKING TO, LIKE WHAT, WHAT ARE THE WAYS WE CAN DO THIS AND WHAT IS IT WE WANT TO DO? BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT THAT FALLS UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF, OF OUR COMMISSION, BUT WE, WE NEED TO JUST PRIORITIZE.
NO, YOU GOING, YOU GOING TO ANSWER? OKAY.
SO WILL IT BE SAFE TO SAY WE WANNA TAKE UP UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE AND THE PURPOSE OF OUR WORK FIRST? MM-HMM.
UNDERSTANDING THE COMMISSIONER'S LIVED EXPERIENCE.
UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE AND THE PURPOSE OF OUR WORK.
SECOND, UH, ESTABLISHING THE GOALS.
AND THEN LAST FOR THE, HOW TO EFFECTIVELY CONDUCT THE MEETING IF THERE'S THAT'S STILL DONE.
OH YEAH, I DON'T WANNA SKIP IT.
YEAH, I THINK, YEAH, WHAT SHE'S SAYING.
IS IT THE, I DO BELIEVE YOU HAVE THE CORRECT ORDER, MS. BROWN.
AS TO, UH, THE IMPORTANCE THAT COMMISSIONER ACHILLES IS UH, EXPRESSING.
AND JUST THAT I WOULD REQUEST MORE THAN 30 MINUTES FOR ESTABLISHING GOALS AND PRIORITIES.
UHHUH, WE, WE IT'S GONNA BE UHHUH.
UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, I MEAN, VICE CHAIR.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT, THAT YES.
UH, I COMPLETELY AGREE THAT WE NEED WAY MORE THAN 30 MINUTES.
AND IF WE COULD CONDENSE THAT, UM, HOW TO EFFECTIVELY CONDUCT A MEETING, ALL THOSE FOUR BULLETS, UH, ESPECIALLY BULLET THREE AND FOUR, I THINK THOSE CAN EITHER BE CONDENSED OR MAYBE DONE AWAY WITH.
AND THAT WOULD GIVE US MORE TIME FOR THE ESTABLISHING GOALS AND PRIORITIES.
SO MS. UM, BROWN, YOU UNDERSTAND? VICE CHAIR IS SAYING, UM, PRETTY MUCH NUMBER BULLET THREE AND FOUR ARE, ARE POSSIBLE DELETES DELETES POSSIBLE.
AND I, I DEFINITELY FEEL THAT IF, IF WE ARE GOING TO SPEND TIME MANAGING CHALLENGING SUBJECTS IN PERSONS, I DON'T REALLY, UM, AGAIN, YEAH, I CAN SEE THAT IN POP FLOW.
SO, UH, FIRST OF ALL, UH, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU ALL, YOU KNOW, LIKE, MAN, IT'S TOOK A LONG TIME TO COME BACK.
WE HAVEN'T HAD A RETREAT, UH, I WANT TO SAY IN A GOOD FOUR TO FIVE YEARS.
AND SO THANK Y'ALL FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN, FOR CREATING A BUDGET TO FEED US.
UM, AND FOR YOU ALL THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN IN A CITY AUSTIN RETREAT, IT IS THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED.
SO WHAT YOU CAN AND YOU CAN'T DO TODAY IN A LAST MINUTE REQUEST, 'CAUSE IT'S FOUR WEEKS AWAY, LESS THAN FOUR WEEKS AWAY.
UM, I, I, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER YOU CAN DO.
BUT I DO AGREE WITH OUR COMMISSIONER HERE THAT WE DO HAVE TO CHANGE IT.
UH, AND, AND THE COUNT THAT WE DID ONE TO FOUR IS EFFECTIVE.
[01:50:01]
UM, BUT I DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ON THE CONVERSATION OF HOW TO EFFECTIVELY CONDUCT A MEETING, UH, OUR CHAIR, UH, MADAME CHAIR IS CORRECT.UH, AND THIS COMMISSION DOES NOT NEED TO KNOW HOW TO CONDUCT A MEETING.
UM, SO MAYBE WE CAN GET, UH, THE STRATEGY, UH, TERM, UH, CHANGE.
I KNOW THAT THIS CONSULTING AGENCY HAS SEVERAL, UH, DIFFERENT STRATEGY METHODS.
UH, MAYBE THEY'LL HAVE ONE STRATEGY METHOD THAT IS FOR HOW WE CAN, UM, EVOLVE AND COMMUNICATE MORE EFFECTIVELY.
UM, HOW CAN WE WORK TOGETHER? SO MAYBE GROUP STRATEGY WORK.
UH, I SEE SOMETHING ON HERE, TEAM BUILDING, UH, THAT I, I HOPE WE DON'T TAKE THAT OFF.
'CAUSE THAT'S ALWAYS A GREAT EXERCISE.
UM, 'CAUSE I, I DIDN'T HEAR YOU ALL MENTION THAT.
SO LET'S KEEP THAT TEAM BUILDING EXERCISE ON AS AN ICE BREAKER.
AND THE FIRST, UM, AND THE FIRST, YOU KNOW, INTRO AFTER INTRODUCTION AND ALL THAT.
WE SHOULD HAVE THAT IN THE FIRST AND NOT AT THE END.
UM, ALSO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE PROPER FLOW OF MEETINGS, PUBLIC COMMENTS, WE NEED TO BE EDUCATED PROPERLY THE WAY CITY DOES GOVERNING HERE, UM, CONVERSATIONS, UH, I, I CAN ASSUME THAT'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, CONVERSATIONS OF HOW WE CONVERSATE WITH THE PUBLIC.
SO MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, HEAR ABOUT, UM, COMMISSION ACTIONS.
I, I KNOW YOU ALL SAID MAYBE TAKE THAT THIS WHOLE, THE PROPER FLOW MEETING OUT, I DON'T SUGGEST THAT WE DO THAT BECAUSE WE, SOME OF US NEED TO KNOW HOW OR BE REFRESHED HOW.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S A REAL IMPORTANT COMPONENT TO THIS.
UM, I THINK THAT'S ALSO AN IMPORTANT, UH, UH, PIECE.
NOW, THE MANAGING CHALLENGING SUBJECTS AND PERSONS THAT I THINK WE CAN TAKE OUT.
UM, AND I DO AGREE WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER, ALL OF OUR COMMISSIONERS HERE, THAT WE DO NEED MORE TIME TO INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER, UH, INSTEAD OF JUST HEARING A PRESENTER.
UH, BECAUSE WE, WE WANT MORE HANDS ON WITH, UH, LEARNING ABOUT EACH OTHER.
I KNOW THAT IN THE PAST RETREATS, THAT'S WHAT WE DID.
THE PRESENTER DID DO A LOT OF WORK.
THEY DID FACILITATE, THEY DID CONDUCT.
WE WERE IN A CIRCLE ATMOSPHERE.
AND SO I HOPE THAT WE CONTINUE THE CIRCLE, UH, AND THEN NOT JUST BE WHERE WE'RE IN BREAKOUT SESSIONS.
UH, ANYONE ELSE? COMMISSIONERS.
SHE IS A WONDERFUL FACILITATOR.
UH, I WORKED WITH HER FOR THE 208 ACRES OF CONY PARK IN LAKESIDE NEIGHBORHOOD.
HER WHOLE GROUP WILL BE THERE TO HELP HER OUT ALSO.
I'M SORRY, BUT MAY THE FOURTH.
I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BE THERE.
IF I DO, I'LL COME THROUGH FOR CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST.
I WANTED TO THANK LISA RODRIGUEZ.
SHE BEHIND THE SCENES WAS WORKING REALLY HARD ON THIS WITH HER, HER AND LETICIA BOTH WERE REALLY WORKING REAL HARD ON THIS.
SO SHE'S NOT HERE, BUT SHE'S ON, ON, ON CAMERA SOMEWHERE.
I, UH, I DO SEE SOME CLAPS GOING UP.
I CANNOT SAY HOW, UM, PLEASED I AM.
UM, I'VE BEEN COMMUNICATING, UM, WITH STAFF, UH, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT IT IS WE, UM, HAVE, UH, INTERESTED IN.
AND, UM, THEY CAME BACK WITH SOMETHING THAT, UH, IT KNOCKS MY SOCKS OFF.
AND, UH, SO THAT'S WHY I'M BAREFOOT RIGHT NOW.
THAT BEING SAID, UH, THANK YOU.
UH, DOES ANY, UM, MS. BROWN, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR CLARIFICATION? I, I THINK WE'RE CLARIFICATION.
SO THE PROPER FLOW OF A MEETING.
AND SO THAT WILL GIVE US SOME SPACE THERE.
UM, AND, UM, IT DID SEEM THAT I, COMMISSIONER DELGADO, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, YOU DID, UM, FEEL THAT THERE WAS, UM, SOME, SOME PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION CAN BE HAD REGARDING THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, CONVERSATIONS AND COMMISSION
[01:55:01]
ACTIONS? CORRECT.SO I, UM, MARKED OUT HOW TO, HOW TO EFFECTIVELY CONDUCT A MEETING.
AND WE'RE, I'M THINKING WE'RE GONNA GO WITH MEETING TIPS, STRATEGIES, AND RESOURCES THAT I LIKE THAT.
'CAUSE WE HAVE THE BINDER FOR YOU GUYS TO REFER BACK TO THAT I LIKE.
BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER FOR THESE MEETINGS TO WORK, UH, EVERYONE.
ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT? OKAY.
I DON'T, WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING ABLE TO WORK WHAT YOU CAN, UH, WITH OUR ASKS.
UM, WE KNOW THAT, UM, IT MAY BE, AND COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, UH, HASSEL PARTICULARLY BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOUR BIO IS IN.
UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, I MEAN, UM, UH, MS. BROWN, I OWE YOU A A A SPECIFIC APOLOGY.
'CAUSE I TOLD HER I WOULD GET IT IN ON FRIDAY AND THE FRIDAY HAS MOVED INTO WEDNESDAY.
SO, UM, THAT BEING SAID, BUT IT IS STARTED, UM, COMMISSIONERS, PLEASE GET OUR BIOS IN.
UH, I WAS GONNA GO SO FAR TO SAY THAT IF, UM, YOU FAIL TO GET ONE IN, WE'RE GONNA LOOK UP YOUR LINKEDIN AND, UH, IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU, AND JUST HAVE SOMETHING THERE.
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE PURPOSE OF THE BIO IS FOR US TO KNOW WHAT, UH, WE COME, HOW DO WE, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE BRING TO THE TABLE, UM, WITH OUR PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND HOW OTHER WAYS THAT WE, UH, CAN SERVE.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE PART OF THE BINDER.
THEY'RE GONNA PUT TOGETHER A BINDER FOR US, UH, THAT WE CAN REFER BACK TO.
SO, COMMISSIONER TOLIVER, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO ADD TO THIS? MY LITTLE PICTURE AT LITTLE PAPERWORK IS ALREADY TURNED IN.
AND ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER TOLIVER.
SO FOR ANY OF ANYONE, PLEASE, UH, LET'S MOVE WITH THAT.
AND, UH, MS. BROWN, THAT NEW DEADLINE, OR MISS LISA, THAT NEW DEADLINE IS THIS FRIDAY, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
THIS FRIDAY HARD DEADLINE THIS FRIDAY, GUYS.
SO, UM, PLEASE MAKE THAT, UM, UH, GOVERN YOURSELF ACCORDINGLY.
UH, WITH THAT MOVING ON, THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL.
AND, UM, WE DO, I HAVE SEVERAL IN, IF YOU WANT ME TO NAME NAMES? YES, PLEASE.
I HAVE COMMISSIONER WOODS UHHUH.
I HAVE COMMISSIONER BROWN, I HAVE COMMISSIONER PORTER, BRAND NEW.
OH, UM, I HAVE COMMISSIONER HASSO, AND I THINK THAT'S ALL.
AND SOMEONE ELSE SENT ME SOMETHING IN A, IN A, IN AN EMAIL THAT I, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO IT'S FROM, BUT I DO HAVE ONE MORE BESIDES THAT.
AND, AND I HAVE COMMISSIONER TOVER.
AND SO IF YOU DID NOT HEAR YOUR NAME CALLED UH, UH, CHAIR, IF YOU DID NOT HEAR YOUR NAME CALLED, THAT MEANS, UH, WE DON'T HAVE YOURS.
AND IF YOU HAVE SUBMITTED YOURS AND DIDN'T HEAR YOUR NAME CALLED, PLEASE SPEAK UP BECAUSE I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THOSE OF US WHO, UM, UH, ASSIST STAFF BY, UM, DOING WHAT WE ARE ASKED TO DO IN A TIMELY MANNER SO THAT WE DON'T MAKE THEIR JOB, UM, THAT MUCH MORE CHALLENGING.
UH, WE'RE, ARE WE GOOD? WE'RE READY TO MOVE ON TO ITEM SIX.
AND GUYS, WE DON'T HAVE TOO MUCH MORE.
[6. Briefing on Sexual harassment Training due by May 10, 2024 (Housing Department staff)]
UH, IS, UM, A BRIEFING THAT THE CITY, UM, UM, STEPHANIE HALL, THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, HAS SENT OUT AND REMINDED US THAT WE DO NEED TO GET OUR SEXUAL HARASSMENT TRAINING IN.AND SO, UM, PLEASE MAKE SURE, UM, THEY'RE SAYING BY MAY 10TH, BUT GUYS, WE'RE GONNA BE GETTING TOGETHER ON MAY 4TH, SO LET'S, LET'S MAKE A POINT TO GET THIS IN BY NO LATER THAN THE END OF APRIL, JUST SO THAT WE ALL ARE FAMILIAR AND REFRESHED ON WHAT, UM, IS EXPECTED OF US, UH, IN A WORKING GROUP TOGETHER.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHAT NUMBER SIX IS.
AND I'M GOING TO ALSO SAY REGARDING THE TRAININGS THAT WE HAVE, WE ALSO HAVE OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS THAT MUST BE IN BY THE END OF THIS MONTH.
I DO BELIEVE IT'S THE END OF, UH, APRIL.
THOSE DO NEED TO BE IN FOR OUR WORK, UM, FROM LAST YEAR.
SO IT'S A FINANCIAL STATEMENT FROM YOUR 2023.
SO PLEASE COMPLETE THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT THAT IS, UH, UH, A HARD, UH, REQUIREMENT, UH, FOR US TO BE, UH, ON THE BOARD.
UM, NOW WE ARE INTO MOVING INTO OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS. WOO WOO.
WE HAVE, OH, IS MANDY HERE? I, I DIDN'T SEEN HER.
UM, WE HAVE OUR PRESENTATION AND
[02:00:01]
OUR DISCUSSION ON THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AND RENTAL ASSIST SHARE.WE'RE GONNA SWITCH THE ORDER UP A LITTLE BIT.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE GONNA HEAR THE PRESENTATION AND EQUITY OKAY.
SO WE'RE JUST GONNA SWAP THOSE TWO.
OH, JUST SWAP 'EM ALL TOGETHER.
[10. Presentation on Equity-Based Preservation Plan (brief presentation) (Cara Bertron, Housing Department)]
HEAR FROM KARA, UH, BERTRAN.KARA WILL BE PRESENTING ON THE EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN, AND IT'S A BRIEFING, UM, THAT WE, UH, FROM THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
KARA BERTRAN WITH THE CITY'S PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
A LONG INCOMING, NEW PRESERVATION PLAN FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THIS NEW EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN, UH, IF AND WHEN IT'S ADOPTED BY COUNCIL, WILL REPLACE OUR EXISTING HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN, WHICH DATES FROM 1981, WHEN AUSTIN WAS A REALLY, REALLY DIFFERENT TIME.
REALLY DIFFERENT CHALLENGES, A DIFFERENT IDEA ABOUT PRESERVATION AND WHAT WAS VALUABLE.
UM, LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, THE VISION FOR THE PLAN, WHICH IS RIGHT NOW IN DRAFT FORM.
SO I'M COMING AROUND LETTING FOLKS KNOW ABOUT IT.
THE VISION FOR THE PLAN IS THAT HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN AUSTIN ACTIVELY ENGAGES COMMUNITIES IN PROTECTING AND SHARING IMPORTANT PLACES AND STORIES.
PRESERVATION USES THE PAST TO CREATE A SHARED SENSE OF BELONGING AND TO SHAPE AN EQUITABLE, INCLUSIVE, SUSTAINABLE, AND ECONOMICALLY VITAL FUTURE FOR ALL.
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS, I, I ALWAYS WANT TO READ THIS OUT LOUD 'CAUSE I THINK IT'S SO GREAT, AND I LOVE THAT PLACES RIGHT AT THE CENTER, CLOSE TO THE GEOGRAPHIC CENTER, BUT IT'S MUCH MORE ABOUT WHO IS DOING THE WORK OF PRESERVATION AND THE BENEFITS THAT IT HAS FOR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
IT'S NOT JUST SAYING, LET'S KEEP BUILDING STANDING FOUR WALLS AND A ROOF.
IT'S SAYING, LET'S ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY IN MAKING OUR CITY BETTER.
AND THIS IS A REALLY POWERFUL TOOL FOR DOING THAT.
SO, THIS PLAN WAS DEVELOPED DIFFERENTLY THAN A LOT OF CITY PLANS.
UM, THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION CREATED A COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP AND APPOINTED 26 COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO THAT GROUP, THE PRESERVATION PLAN WORKING GROUP, AND SAID, PLEASE CREATE A DRAFT PLAN FOR US.
WE DID NOT HIRE A CONSULTANT, UH, TO DEVELOP THE PLAN.
IT WAS THESE 26 PEOPLE WHO PUT IT TOGETHER.
THEY HEARD FROM, UH, FOLKS, UH, IN A COMMUNITY HERITAGE SURVEY.
THAT'S WHAT LED TO THE, THE VISION THEY HEARD FROM PEOPLE IN WORKING GROUPS FROM CITY STAFF IN A TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP.
UM, THERE WAS, UH, A ULI TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PANEL THAT HAPPENED, AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE DISPLACEMENT PREVENTION DIVISION OF THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, AND ALTOGETHER MORE THAN 300 PEOPLE CONTRIBUTED TO HELP SHAPE THE DRAFT PRESERVATION PLAN, WHICH IS RIGHT HERE.
AND IT'S ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE, OF COURSE.
THESE ARE THE MEMBERS OF THE WORKING GROUP THAT CREATED THE, THE DRAFT PRESERVATION PLAN.
THEY, UH, THEY CAME FROM ACROSS AUSTIN 19 ZIP CODES FOR THE 26 MEMBERS.
THEY, UH, CLOSELY MIRROR THE CITY'S RACIAL AND ETHNIC DIVERSITY, WHICH IS REALLY UNUSUAL, ESPECIALLY FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROCESSES.
THEY BRING A DIVERSE, EX DIVERSE EXPERTISE IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION, IN COMMUNITY HERITAGE, ARCHEOLOGY PLANNING, UM, CULTURAL HERITAGE.
IT REALLY IS, UH, A, A BROAD GROUP.
SOME PEOPLE HAD A LOT OF FORMAL, UM, EXPERIENCE IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND SOME PEOPLE CAME IN WITHOUT ANY, UM, BUT WE PROVIDED A LOT OF BACKGROUND MATERIALS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE WAS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE.
WE ALSO OFFERED, UH, COMMUNITY COMPENSATION THAT PEOPLE COULD OPT INTO, AND ABOUT HALF OF WORKING GROUP MEMBERS OPTED INTO THAT COMPENSATION.
UM, IT WAS $25 PER HOUR, BOTH FOR MEETING PREPARATION AND MEETING TIME, BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZED THAT THAT PEOPLE, UM, WE WANTED PEOPLE TO DO THAT PREPARATION AND, AND TO BE, UH, RECOGNIZED FOR THAT.
UM, OH, AND WE ALSO HAD A THIRD RENTERS, WHICH IS ALSO REALLY UNUSUAL FOR PRESERVATION.
IT'S NOT AS HIGH AS A CITY, 55% RENTERS, BUT UNUSUAL IN PRESERVATION, WHERE WE MOSTLY HEAR FROM PROPERTY OWNERS.
SO I'M GOING TO, I THINK I ALWAYS WANNA SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME ON HOW THE PLAN WAS DEVELOPED.
'CAUSE I THINK IT IS SO SPECIAL THAT IS THIS PLAN THAT CAME FROM THE COMMUNITY.
I'M GONNA, UH, RUN THROUGH A BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF THE DRAFT PLAN, AND THEN I'LL FINISH UP WITH, UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING TO ENGAGE FOLKS AROUND IT.
SO, THE DRAFT PLAN HAS 108 DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS ARRAY UNDER 14 GOALS.
YOU CAN SEE THAT, THAT THE GOALS ARE VERY BROAD.
UM, THEY COVER A LOT OF GROUND.
[02:05:01]
IT DOESN'T JUST STOP WITH LET'S KEEP BUILDING STANDING.UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND, UH, COMMUN THAT, THAT ARE FOCUSED ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, COMMUNITY STABILITY, COMMUNITY VALUES, UM, AS WELL AS SOME SORT OF NUTS AND BOLTS THINGS.
I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH ALL OF THE GOALS.
BUT I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT A FEW THEMES, UM, THAT THESE GOALS ARE, ARE ARRANGED INTO.
SO THE FIRST THEME, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, IS WHAT WE PRESERVE.
AND THE BIG IDEA HERE IS TO THINK BROADLY, UM, TO RECOGNIZE THE COMPLICATED HISTORY THAT OUR CITY HAS, RICH, RICH AND COMPLICATED.
UM, THROUGH LISTENING TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND INTERPRETING OUT WHAT WE HAVE HEARD.
UM, WE, THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'VE, WE'VE DONE A GREAT JOB AT IN THE PAST, IS SHARING OUT WHY WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT PRESERVING PLACES TO BETTER RECOGNIZE AND PROTECT CULTURAL HERITAGE, LIKE LEGACY BUSINESSES AND MURALS, AS WELL AS PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR ARCHE GEOLOGICAL KIND OF, UH, RECOGNITION AND PRE PRESERVATION, AND TO USE PRESERVATION TOOLS TO SUPPORT BIGGER COMMUNITY GOALS LIKE DISPLACEMENT PREVENTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.
THE SECOND THEME IS WHO PRESERVES.
AND THE BIG IDEA HERE IS REALLY TO INVITE AND SUPPORT MORE PEOPLE TO BECOME INVOLVED THROUGH HELPING, UH, THROUGH INVITING PEOPLE TO SIT ON THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION AND OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
LIKE, HOW, HOW DO WE PROVIDE ACTUAL SUPPORT FOR THAT, UM, TO STREAMLINE AND, AND BETTER EXPLAIN WHAT WE DO.
AND OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROCESSES.
SUPPORT FOLKS WHO ARE DOING HANDS-ON WORK CRAFTS PEOPLE AND COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF, AND TO ENGAGE NEW PARTNERS AND AUDIENCES WORKING WITH TRUSTED COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS IN A WAY THAT, UM, HOPEFULLY INCLUDES COMPENSATION, UH, FOR THE VALUE THAT THEY BRING.
AND THE THIRD THEME, HOW WE PRESERVE THIS IS KIND OF NUTS AND BOLTS.
LIKE, HOW ARE WE DOING HISTORIC PRESERVATION? THIS REALLY, UM, UH, LOOKS AT HOW WE CAN IMPROVE OUR CURRENT PRESERVATION PROGRAM PROCESSES, DESIGNATION CRITERIA, HOW WE CAN SUPPORT PROPERTY OWNERS THROUGH, UH, AN EXPANDED SUITE OF FINANCIAL INCENTIVES, INFORMATION, AND, UM, STREAMLINED PROCESSES.
I THINK, UM, HOW WE CAN IMPROVE OUR ENFORCEMENT PROCESSES.
SO, KIND OF THAT LAST SECTION, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO I WANTED TO RUN VERY QUICKLY THROUGH SOME SPECIFIC OF DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I THINK MAY BE OF SPECIAL INTEREST TO THIS COMMISSION, BECAUSE IT CAN BE INTIMIDATING TO, TO SAY, OKAY, 108 DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS RELEVANT AND WHERE, WHERE MIGHT Y'ALL BE INTERESTED IN DIVING IN? UM, I TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF RECOGNIZING AND HONORING AUSTIN'S FULL HISTORY BY LISTENING TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND SHARING STORIES OUT, DOCUMENTING PLACES THAT HAVE BEEN LOST.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S, UM, ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IN EAST AUSTIN WHERE THIS CONTINUES TO HAPPEN.
AND SUPPORT FOR FOLKS WHO ARE INHERITING PROPERTIES, UM, AND FACING CHALLENGES THAT COME WITH THAT.
SO THE PLAN LOOKS, UM, NOT ONLY AT KEEPING BUILDINGS IN PLACE, BUT ALSO KEEPING COMMUNITIES IN PLACE.
PRESERVATION WON'T BE A PANACEA.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE THE SOLUTION, BUT IT IS A TOOL THAT THAT CAN BE USED, UM, IN, IN THE PRESSING SITUATION WHERE WE FIND OURSELVES, UM, THE PLAN.
UH, SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TALK ABOUT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR YOUTH AND ADULTS TO ENGAGE MORE PEOPLE THROUGH RESOURCES, PARTNERSHIPS, AWARENESS, UM, FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION.
THIS GETS A LITTLE BIT INTO THE WEEDS, SO I'M NOT, I'M GONNA KEEP MYSELF OUT OF, OUT OF THAT PARTICULAR MARSH.
BUT, UM, BASICALLY TRYING TO MAKE IT CHANGE OUR CRITERIA TO MAKE IT MORE POSSIBLE, TO DESIGNATE RESOURCES THAT, UM, THAT REFLECT AUSTIN'S FULL HISTORY.
AND I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S IMPORTANT.
UM, RIGHT NOW OUR DESIGNATION CRITERIA ARE GOOD, BUT BASICALLY A BUILDING MOST BUILDINGS ARE, UH, ARE ARCHITECTURALLY SIGNIFICANT.
SO MOST OF OUR HISTORIC LANDMARKS HAVE ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE AND SAY, COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS, WHICH IS A SUPER BROAD CATEGORY, BUT IT'S ONLY ONE CATEGORY, AND BUILDINGS HAVE TO MEET TWO.
UM, SO TRYING TO, TO MAKE THAT, MAKE IT MORE POSSIBLE FOR A BUILDING TO MEET MULTIPLE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION CRITERIA, EVEN IF IT'S NOT ARCHITECTURALLY SIGNIFICANT.
UM, AND ALSO TO RECOGNIZE THE, THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF, UM, OF REDLINING AND DENIAL OF RESOURCES TO COMMUNITIES.
UM, IF SAY, ORIGINAL MATERIALS HAVE BEEN CHANGED, MAYBE THAT'S PART OF THE BUILDING STORY AND NOT A DISQUALIFICATION FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION.
UM, UH, AND FINALLY TO SUPPORT HISTORIC PROPERTY OWNERS, WHICH I MENTIONED BEFORE.
SO MAKING SURE THAT HISTORIC DESIGNATION IS AVAILABLE TO ALL, AND ALSO NOT ONEROUS, UH, TO, TO PEOPLE WHO, WHO DON'T HAVE A LOT OF RESOURCES.
SO WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A FOUR MONTH ENGAGEMENT WINDOW.
UM, WE'RE ASKING FOR COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT PLAN THROUGH THE END OF MAY.
WE'RE DOING SOME BIG, UM, MONTH, UH, BIG CITY HOSTED EVENTS EACH MONTH.
WE HAVE A BLOCK PARTY COMING UP A WEEK FROM SATURDAY, AND IT'S, IT'S GOING TO BE, I THINK, VERY WONDERFUL.
IT'S GOING TO BE IN THE ROGERS, WASHINGTON
[02:10:01]
HOLY CROSS HISTORIC DISTRICT, WHICH IS A, AN INCREDIBLE, UM, HISTORICALLY BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE IT WAS HOME TO A LOT OF MOVERS AND SHAKERS IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY.IT'S AROUND, UM, CHESTNUT AND MLK.
SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THE NEIGHBOR, THAT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IN PRESERVATION AUSTIN, TO HOST THIS BLOCK PARTY.
UM, WE ARE HAVING A COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE, UH, ON MAY 23RD AT THE BROKEN SPOKE.
WE'VE HAD, UH, PREVIOUS EVENTS AT HOUSTON TILLSON AND, UM, THE BAKER SCHOOL LAST MONTH.
WE'RE DOING PRESENTATIONS AT EXISTING MEETINGS LIKE THIS ONE.
UM, COMING TO FOLKS WHERE WE THINK YOU, YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THIS, WE'D LOVE TO TELL YOU ABOUT IT.
AND, AND ASK YOU TO SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY, NEIGHBORS, UH, COLLEAGUES, PEOPLE YOU KNOW, ANYONE YOU KNOW.
UM, TALKING TO COMMUNITY GROUPS, STAKEHOLDER ORGANIZATIONS.
LAST WEEK WE DID A TRAINING FOR PARENT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS AT A ISD TO ASK THEM TO SHARE ABOUT THE PLAN WITH THE FAMILIES THAT THEY WORK WITH.
UH, AND WE'RE DOING POPUP EVENTS, POPUP OUTREACH AT COMMUNITY EVENTS EACH MONTH BETWEEN FOUR AND SIX EVENTS, JUST GETTING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND, UM, PROJECTING A LOT OF ENTHUSIASM, UH, WHICH HAS BEEN REALLY LED TO SOME REALLY WONDERFUL CON UH, CONVERSATIONS.
WE ARE REALLY LUCKY TO BE WORKING WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN THIS WORK.
WE HAVE 10 PAID COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS WHO ARE SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT THE PLAN WITH THEIR NETWORKS AND GETTING, UH, DEEP FEEDBACK.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH FIVE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH MINI GRANTS.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THE, THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS THERE ON THE RIGHT.
UH, AND THAT'S BEEN A REALLY WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE, I THINK BOTH FOR US TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT THE PLAN, BUT ALSO TO LEARN FROM THEM ABOUT, UM, WHAT, WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING AND, UH, TO HEAR THEIR, THEIR DIRECT RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT THE PLAN AFTER HAVING GONE THROUGH IT IN SOME DETAIL.
SO PEOPLE CAN GIVE FEEDBACK IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.
THERE ARE PAPER COPIES OF THE PLAN, UH, AT BRANCH LIBRARIES AROUND THE CITY IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
OF COURSE, IT'S AVAILABLE ONLINE.
UM, THEY CAN TAKE THE COMMUNITY SURVEY.
WE HAVE A FIVE MINUTE, SO THE DRAFT PLAN, IT IS A DOCUMENT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT A SUPER LONG PLAN.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT HUNDREDS OF PAGES, BUT IT IS A SUBSTANTIAL DOCUMENT.
WE HAVE A FIVE MINUTE COMMUNITY SURVEY THAT PEOPLE, PEOPLE CAN TAKE TO SHARE WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM.
AND SO WE'RE REALLY, UH, I THINK THAT IS A BIG THING.
WE ARE OFTEN LEADING WITH THAT.
AND IF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT THE PLAN.
UM, FOLKS CAN ALSO COME TO EVENTS THAT WE HOST, OR THAT OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS HOST.
UM, I THINK ONE THING THAT, UM, I WANNA MENTION ABOUT THE WEBSITE IS THAT YOU CAN JUMP, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE DRAFT PLAN, YOU CAN JUMP DIRECTLY TO A GOAL THAT'S OF INTEREST TO YOU.
SO YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE PDF, BUT IT'S ALSO ALL AVAILABLE ONLINE.
AND SO YOU CAN SAY, I REALLY WANNA PROVIDE INPUT, SAY, ON STABILIZING COMMUNITIES OR ENGAGE IN COMMUNITIES EQUITABLY AND JUMP TO THAT GOAL AND PROVIDE, UH, DIRECT FEEDBACK USING THESE SLIDER FUNCTIONS.
SO GO DOWN AND SAY, I REALLY LIKE THIS RECOMMENDATION.
I, I HAVE QUITE, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THIS RECOMMENDATION.
AND THEN PROVIDE INPUT ON, ON, UM, ADDITIONAL INPUT AND, AND SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS AND, UM, ANY IDEAS THAT Y'ALL HAVE.
SO WE'VE TRIED TO MAKE IT EASY AND POSSIBLY FUN FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN INCLINATIONS, UH, TO, TO GO READ THE PLAN AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK.
SO WE'RE DOING, AS I MENTIONED, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THROUGH THE END OF MAY AROUND THE DRAFT PLAN.
WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THE PRESERVATION PLAN WORKING GROUP THAT CREATED THE PLAN AND THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION TO REVISE THE PLAN OVER THE SUMMER.
AND THEN, UM, COMING BACK TO Y'ALL AND OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS FOR FORMAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL, UM, IN THE FALL.
AND THEN HOPING FOR COUNCIL REVIEW BY THE END OF THE YEAR IN ADOPTION.
ANY QUESTIONS? THIS IS THE, THE WEBSITE FOR THE PRESERVATION PLAN, PUBLIC INPUT.COM/ATX PRES PLAN.
AND WE WOULD, I'M HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT WOULD ALSO REALLY HOPE THAT YOU VISIT THE WEBSITE.
TAKE THE COMMUNITY SURVEY, PERHAPS TAKE A LOOK AT THE PLAN, TELL YOUR FRIENDS.
ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS, DO WE HAVE ANY, UM, ANYONE THAT WANTS TO OR NEEDS CLARIFICATION? COMMENTS FOR MS. CARA? MS. CARA.
OH, OH, COMMISSIONER TOVER? YES.
I HAVE A QUESTION TO THE, UH, Y'ALL PLAN A VISION IS HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN AUSTIN ACTIVITY.
A LOT OF, UH, PRE EXTORT HOMES, SHOPS BUSINESS ARE BEING DEMOLISHED BECAUSE OF BUILDING.
AND SO HOW FAR BACK ARE Y'ALL GOING TO LOOK AT SITUATIONS LIKE THAT? SO RIGHT NOW, I, AND I THINK THIS IS, THIS IS NOT PROPOSED TO CHANGE IN THE PLAN, IS THAT THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE STAFF LOOK AT ALL EXTERIOR CHANGES TO DEMOLITIONS OF AND RELOCATIONS OF BUILDINGS THAT ARE MORE THAN 45 YEARS OLD.
THINGS THAT ARE 45 YEARS OLD AND
[02:15:01]
OLDER.UM, I THINK WE ALSO, THE PLAN SAYS THAT WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF, OF ASKING COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHAT'S IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK THERE'S ROOM IN, IN THAT, IN THAT SPACE TO MORE ACTIVELY SOLICIT, UM, SOME INFORMATION ABOUT BUILDINGS OR PROPERTIES THAT MAYBE HAVEN'T REACHED THAT 45 YEAR LIMIT, UM, OR THAT 45 YEAR THRESHOLD AND ASK FOR ABOUT WHY THEY'RE IMPORTANT.
UM, AND POTENTIALLY LOOK AT, AT SORT OF EXCEPTIONS TO THAT 50 YEAR RULE THAT TYPICALLY EXISTS WITH PRESERVATION.
UH, COMMISSIONER TOR, COMMISSIONER BERTHA DELGADO.
UM, SO YEAH, LONG TIME COMING.
WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
UM, THERE IS A PICTURE ON THERE OF, UH, CHICANO ACTIVIST PAUL HERNANDEZ.
UM, AS WELL AS, UH, EAST TOWN LAKE ASSISTANCE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
UH, THAT WAS A LOT OF MY WORK WHEN I WAS LIKE 10 YEARS AGO.
SO THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING THOSE PICTURES, UH, IN THIS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
'CAUSE IT IS US, THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, I'M SEVEN GENERATIONS AND SO I SPEAK FOR THOSE RESIDENTS.
THAT'S WHAT I SERVE ON THIS BOARD FOR, IS FOR, FOR OUR HOMETOWN RESIDENTS THAT DON'T HAVE A VOICE, UH, IN THESE COMMISSIONS.
AND SO, UH, I'M REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, UH, GRATEFUL THAT YOU ALL ARE, ARE DOING, INCLUDING US.
I DO WANNA ASK, UM, IF YOU ALL ARE, UM, OPEN.
'CAUSE I DO SEE THAT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT'S OPEN TILL THE END OF MAY.
I SUSPECT, UM, IF YOU'RE WILLING TO COME OUT TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, IN EAST AUSTIN, UH, TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TOWN HALL, UH, TO GIVE, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME MORE INFORMATION TO THE RESIDENTS, UM, THAT ARE NOT ONLINE OR THAT ARE NOT, UM, A PART OF THIS CONVERSATION.
SO THEY CAN ALSO GIVE INPUT AS WELL.
AND IF YOU CAN PROVIDE, UM, NON-DIGITAL, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, SURVEY OR, YOU KNOW, UM, A WAY FOR THEM TO GIVE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL.
UH, WE DO HAVE A TOWN HALL NEXT WEEK ON THE, UM, 17TH AT THE RUDY MENDEZ RECREATION CENTER, CITY OF BOSTON PARKS REC ON CANTERBURY.
YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO ATTEND, UM, AND DO SOME C COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THERE AT MY DISTRICT, WHICH IS DISTRICT 3 7 8 7 0 2 AREA.
UM, AS WELL AS JUST, UM, I'M GONNA SPEAK WITH OUR BOARD HERE.
IF WE CAN CREATE SOME TYPE OF PRESERVATION COMMITTEE, UM, AND WE CAN GET THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOU ALL, UH, BY THE SUMMER WHEN YOU ALL COME BACK.
WE ALREADY HAVE SOMETHING, UM, THAT WE CAN ALSO RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL THIS YEAR.
'CAUSE THIS IS A VERY, VERY VITAL PART OF, UH, CITY PLANNING RIGHT NOW.
AS COMMISSIONER TOVER HAS STATED.
UH, WE'VE LOST A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF HOMES AND BUSINESSES, AND EVEN THROUGH THE PRESERVATION PROCESS THROUGH HISTORICAL COMMISSION, IT'S BEEN VERY, VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO IDENTIFY SIGNIFICANCE AND QUALIFICATIONS FOR THESE BUILDINGS AND THESE HOMES TO BE PRESERVED.
WE HAVE AN ENTIRE, UM, DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS CAME IN, UH, AND ASKED FOR DEMOLITION PERMITS.
AND SO SINCE WE DON'T HAVE A MORATORIUM FOR DEMOLITION PERMITTING RIGHT NOW, UH, AND WE DON'T HAVE, UM, COUNCIL, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY, UH, SUPPORTING PRESERVATION, UH, WE REALLY DEPEND ON THE DIVISION HERE WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO, TO PROVIDE THOSE PROTECTION MERITS FOR OUR, OUR HOUSING, OUR SCHOOLS, OUR ARTS, OUR OUR, UM, BUILDINGS AND OUR BUSINESSES.
I WILL REACH OUT TO YOU ABOUT NEXT WEEK.
UM, AND YEAH, I THINK IF Y'ALL, UM, A PRESERVATION COMMITTEE OR WORKING GROUP SOUNDS, SOUNDS GREAT.
I THINK IF Y'ALL, IF IF IT MIGHT HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE DRAFT PLAN SPECIFICALLY, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO GET THOSE, THAT FEEDBACK BY THE END OF MAY.
BUT I THINK GENERALLY THINKING ABOUT PRESERVATION FROM MULTIPLE ANGLES IS, IS VERY HELPFUL.
SO IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN, JUST MAYBE, UH, BEING IN COMMUNICATION AS THE PLAN MOVES FORWARD WOULD BE GREAT TOO.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS BEFORE THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE CHAIR? OKAY.
IS THERE, UM, IS THERE MONEY FOR HELPING PEOPLE, UM, THAT, LIKE COMMUNITIES OR INDIVIDUALS THAT WANT TO, UM, PRESERVE SOMETHING LIKE, UH, I KNOW THERE'S, IS THERE SUPPORT FOR, PEOPLE DON'T WANNA STAY IN PLACE, BUT IS THERE ANY MONEY INVOLVED IN THIS? YEAH, SO THE PLAN, MOSTLY IT REFERENCES EXISTING RESOURCES THAT ARE OFFERED, SAY THROUGH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, THE DISPLACEMENT PREVENTION DIVISION, OTHER PROGRAMS, THE HOME REPAIR COALITION, UM, OTHER OTHER PROGRAMS AND CITY PROGRAMS AND ORGANIZATIONS.
[02:20:02]
THERE ARE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING SUPPORT TO HEIRS, PROPERTY OWNERS, PROVIDING SUPPORT TO LEGACY AND KIND OF FOLKS WHO HAVE INHERITED LEGACY PROPERTIES WHERE IT JUST SAYS, WE DON'T, WE DON'T KNOW A WAY FORWARD FOR THIS YET, BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND WE WANT TO BE PART OF A SOLUTION.UM, SO IT'S, THAT'S NOT, I THINK THE BEST ANSWER IS IT'S NOT A AS GOOD AN ANSWER AS HAVING, UM, A SOLUTION AT HAND.
BUT I THINK, UM, IT IS SAYING THIS IS REALLY VALUABLE.
UM, THANK YOU, UH, KARA, FOR ANSWERING THAT.
UM, I SEE ON THE CALENDAR THE NEXT STEPS, THE BOARD AND COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS ARE SCHEDULED OR ANTICIPATED FOR THE FALL OF 2024, BUT YET I HEARD YOU SAY SOMETHING ABOUT MAY OF 2024.
CAN YOU CLARIFY THAT FOR ME? YES.
SO THE, UM, WE WILL, I WILL BE COMING AROUND TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IN THE FALL WITH THE FINAL PLAN.
SO THIS IS A DRAFT PLAN RIGHT NOW.
SO I'LL BE COMING BACK WITH A FINAL PLAN IN THE FALL AND ASKING, UM, IF COMMISSIONS ARE INTERESTED IN MAKING A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT ADOPTION TO COUNCIL.
OH, ADOPTION, IF THE COMMISSION, IF THIS COMMISSION OR ANY COMMISSION, UM, IF Y'ALL WANT AS A BODY TO SAY, HERE WE HAVE SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT THE DRAFT PLAN.
I MEAN, Y'ALL ARE WELCOME TO COMMENT AS INDIVIDUAL, WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO COMMENT AS INDIVIDUALS.
UM, BUT IF YOU AS A BODY FEEL LIKE YOU WANT TO HAVE FEEDBACK ON THE DRAFT PLAN ON WHAT BECOMES FINAL, THAT WOULD BE, WE WOULD WANT THAT INPUT BY THE END OF MAY.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING, UM, THAT I DO WANT TO, UH, ASK IT, HOW MUCH EFFORT, IF ANY, HAS BEEN, UM, UM, BEEN PUT FORTH TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE FAITH-BASED COMMUNITIES, UM, IN THE AREAS AROUND TOWN? UH, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE, UM, CHURCHES THAT ARE LOCATED EAST OF 35 HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR YEARS, AND YOU WOULD PROBABLY FIND QUITE A BIT OF INFORMATION REGARDING THE PRESERVATION OF AND THE HISTORY OF AUSTIN FROM THOSE, UH, INDIVIDUALS.
SO SOME OF OUR WORKING GROUP MEMBERS ARE MEMBERS OF, OF HISTORIC CONGREGATIONS OKAY.
FROM THE PRESERVATION PLAN WORKING GROUP.
AND WE ARE ALSO, UM, SOME OF OUR AMBASSADORS ARE REACH THE COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS ARE REACHING OUT TO, TO LOCAL CHURCHES.
MOSTLY IN THE HISTORIC CHURCH IS MOSTLY IN EAST AUSTIN.
AND ALSO THE ANDERSON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION DOES A LOT OF ITS WORK ALREADY THROUGH HISTORIC, PARTICULARLY HISTORICALLY BLACK CHURCHES IN EAST AUSTIN.
AND THEY'RE WORKING, I THINK WITH LIAISONS FROM EIGHT OR NINE CONGREGATIONS.
UM, ABOUT THE PLAN SPECIFICALLY.
UM, AND IN REFERENCE TO NOW, BERTHA, YOU TALKED ABOUT A, UM, WORKING GROUP.
SO NOW YOU GOING HAVE, IF YOU ARE, YOU, ARE YOU, WELL, SHE JUST STATED THAT THE END OF MAY.
SO ANY, ANY TYPE OF LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION FROM THIS DAAS HAS TO GO TO A VOTE.
AND SO WE, THERE'S, THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO TIME.
WELL, WE GOTTA, IF WE, IF WE COME TOGETHER IN, IN MAY, WELL WE'RE HAVING OUR RETREAT IN MAY.
WELL, WE ARE, WE NOT, WE'RE STILL HAVING OUR OTHER MEETING IN MAY.
WE STILL HAVE OUR OTHER MEETING IN MAY.
SO, UM, NOW WHAT I, THE WORKING THE BUDGET WORKER GROUP HAS DONE A, A FANTASTIC JOB.
SO NOW IT'S GONNA BE, BECAUSE WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO, TO HEAD THIS UP.
DO YOU HAVE SPACE IN YOUR WORLD TO I'M GONNA MAKE SPACE FOR THIS
UM, THIS IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.
WE'RE EAST AUSTIN'S ALREADY ALMOST GONE.
IT'S, IT'S JUST, IT'S BEEN A LONG JOURNEY.
WELL WE'RE GONNA THEN THAT MEANS THEN THE, SO I LITERALLY HAVE TO, I WOULD LIKE TO OTHER MEMBERS OF THIS COMMISSION.
THAT'S ALL TO JOINS ALL ABOUT GUYS.
UM, DO WE, DO WE HAVE OTHER MEMBERS? UM, THAT MEANS YOU'RE GONNA KIND, SORT OF LEAD IT UP? YEAH.
ANY OTHER MEMBERS THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED? UM, COMMISSIONER TOVER, WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED? 'CAUSE YOU MAY VERY WELL HAVE RESOURCES OF ON THINGS THAT WE MAY WANNA LOOK AT WITH THAT.
WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO WORK WITH COMMISSIONER DELGADO WITH THAT MADAM CHAIRMAN? MM-HMM.
THAT'S GONNA END UP, THAT'S GONNA END, UH, AROUND ABOUT THE FIRST PART OF MAY.
SO ARE WE CONVENING A WORKING GROUP TO DRAFT A RECOMMENDATION THAT WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THIS, UM, DRAFT PRESERVATION PLAN? MM-HMM.
I'M, I'M, I'M HAPPY TO WORK WITH MY FELLOW COMMISSIONER TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE PUT A RECOMMENDATION FORWARD.
I HAVE THE TWO DELGADO SQUARED
SO WE GOT, WE GOT THE, THE DELGADO TIMES
[02:25:01]
DELGADO.WE, WE GONNA BE DELGADO PERFECTLY UP.
COMMISSIONER BROWN WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US.
I WHAT? I JUST, I LIKE TO MAKE SURE I HAVE THE COMMITMENT TIME, COMMITMENT TO DO SO, BUT LET'S TALK OFF LINE.
I, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO, I JUST NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TIME COMMITMENT, BUT I, YEAH, LET'S TALK A BIT ABOUT THAT.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE, UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER BROWN.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER BERTHA DELGADO FOR, UM, CALLING ON COMMISSIONER BROWN.
I DO BELIEVE THAT THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
AND IN TERMS OF THE TIME COMMITMENT, I KNOW THAT THE BUDGET GROUP, UM, WORKED HARD AND THEY WHIPPED IT OUT IN, UM, IN 30 DAYS.
SO, UM, I'M THINKING THAT THIS MAY NOT BE AS HEAVY OF A LIFT, BUT IT IS DEFINITELY DEAR TO OUR HEARTS.
AND SO, UH, YES, IF YOU ALL CAN MAKE THAT TIME AND, UM, IF WE CAN GET, UH, COMMISSIONER BROWN TO BE ABLE TO, UM, BE PART OF IT, THAT'D BE GREAT.
UH, ANYBODY ELSE THAT WANTS TO BE PART OF THIS AS WELL, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO, TO DO THAT.
SO WE HAVE A WORKING GROUP, THEN WE'LL DO THE TWO DELGADO'S AND BROWN RIGHT NOW, AND THEN YOU ALL CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
YOU, MA'AM, I'M GONNA BE COUNTING ON YOU.
THANK YOU, KARA, FOR YOUR, UM, PRESENTATION AND WE APPRECIATE THAT.
[8. Presentation and discussion on the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) (Angel Zambrano, Manager, Neighborhood Services Unit, Austin Public Health)]
TO ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, BECAUSE KARA SWAPPED, UH, WITH ITEM SEVEN.WE ARE NOW ITEM EIGHT, THE COMMUNITY SERVICE BLOCK GRANT FROM OUR DEAR AND ANGEL ZAMBRANO.
UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AGAIN.
IT'S BEEN A GOOD MEETING SO FAR.
I'VE LEARNED A LOT OF NEW THINGS AND I'D REALLY LIKE KARA'S PRESENTATION AS WELL.
SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING A WORK GROUP ON THAT.
UM, I HAVE, UH, JUST A REGULAR UPDATE TODAY.
JUST A REMINDER, THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BROUGHT SPEAK UP A LITTLE BIT.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, I, OKAY.
THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT, UH, FUNDS THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES TO LOW INCOME TEXANS.
THAT'S WHERE WE GET OUR FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER OUR BASIC NEEDS SERVICES AT AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES UNIT.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, FROM EVERY MONTH THAT I'M HERE, WE PROVIDE BASIC NEEDS, PREVENTIVE HEALTH, CASE MANAGEMENT, AND EMPLOYMENT SUPPORTS.
UH, WE JUST, UH, FULLY EXPENDED OUR 2023 CONTRACT.
WE GOT AN EXTENSION 'CAUSE WE HAD SOME PERSONNEL SAVINGS, SO WE WERE ABLE TO KIND OF SAVE SOME OF OUR 24 MONIES TO START IN MAY.
SO I'LL START REPORTING ON THAT PART OF THE BUDGET NEXT MONTH.
WE HAVE NOT STARTED EXPENDING 2024 FUNDS.
THE FIRST ALLOCATION THAT WE RECEIVED WAS $382,000.
IF YOU GO TO PAGE NUMBER TWO, IN TERMS OF OUR TRANSITIONS OUTTA POVERTY, WE HAVE, UH, SIX TRANSITIONS SO FAR THIS YEAR.
THE GOAL IS 43 FROM, UH, THE STATE.
SO HOPEFULLY WE WILL SURPASS THAT GOAL THIS YEAR.
IT'S BEEN KIND OF TOUGH WITH COVID AND ALL OF THE, AS YOU GUYS CALL BARRIERS AND JUST FACTORS LIKE INFLATION, COST OF LIVING, HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, CHILDCARE, ET CETERA.
UH, HARD FOR FOLKS TO MAINTAIN THE EMPLOYMENT.
THE FOLKS THAT WE SERVE, UH, IF YOU GO DOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE, I'D LIKE TO FOCUS ON A COUPLE OF, UH, OUTCOMES AND SERVICES.
UH, WE JUST, UH, STOOD UP OUR, UH, RENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WITH SOME FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVED FROM ERA TWO FUNDS IN CITY OF AUSTIN.
OUR GOAL THIS YEAR, OUR TARGET IS 800 HOUSEHOLDS, HELP THEM AVOID EVICTION.
I REMINDED THAT LAST YEAR OUR GOAL WAS 400 THROUGH OUR SMALL PROGRAM AND WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, HELP 595 HOUSEHOLDS OR FAMILIES AVOID EVICTION WITH THOSE LIMITED FUNDS.
UH, FIVE, UH, JJ, OUR FOOD DISTRIBUTION.
A BIG PART OF WHAT WE DO, AS YOU GUYS ALL KNOW, IS, UH, HELP FOLKS WHO ARE, IF FOOD INSECURE SO FAR THIS YEAR WE'VE SERVED 26,864 INDIVIDUALS.
A YEAR AGO, THAT NUMBER WAS 13,950.
SO AGAIN, WE CONTINUED TO SEE IT GO UP.
I THINK I SHARED THAT LINKS TO THOSE NEWS STORIES IN DECEMBER THAT KIND OF SHOWED FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND HOW IT ALMOST TRIPLED.
UH, WE SEE THAT HAPPENING STILL
[02:30:03]
AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE TWO.NUMBER ONE IS JUST AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE DO.
I DID GET A CHANCE TO VISIT, UH, THE DOVE SPRINGS FACILITY.
IT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION STILL, SO IT'S EXCITING THAT, UH, THEY'RE GETTING THERE.
I TOLD COMMISSIONER JASO, WHO'S VERY INTERESTED IN THAT FACILITY SINCE HE REPRESENTS THAT AREA.
UM, TRY TO GET THEM A TOUR OF, UM, OF THE BUILDING IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
GO TO PAGE NUMBER THREE, AN UPDATE ON THE ROSA OSA.
BLACKLAND CDC NOMINATION SELECTION UPDATE.
UM, WE REACHED OUT TO THE, UM, ADVISORY BOARD IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEY'RE NO LONGER ACTIVE.
UM, AND RIGHT NOW THE RESOLUTION THAT HAD THAT WAS PASSED BEFORE MY TIME, UH, HAS SOME REQUIREMENTS FOR THESE RESPONSIBLE ORGANIZATIONS TO MAINTAIN, YOU KNOW, PARTICIPATION IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, TAKE MINUTES, MEET REGULARLY, HAVE BYLAWS, ET CETERA.
SO I AM WORKING ON IDENTIFYING A NEW RESPONSIBLE ORGANIZATION.
I'VE REACHED OUT SET TO SEVERAL.
I'VE PRESENTED AT ONE WHO HAD ME AT THEIR MEETING, KIND OF INTERESTED BUT NOT COMMITTED.
SO THAT'S MY CLIFF NOTES UPDATE.
UH, I AM LOOKING INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF AMENDING THE BYLAWS AND THE RESOLUTION TO REMOVE THE RESPONSIBLE ORGANIZATIONS.
AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS THEY'RE NOT, I DON'T SEE THEM AS BEING NECESSARY.
WE CAN HOLD ELECTIONS IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS WITHOUT THAT MODEL.
THERE ARE OTHER CITIES IN TEXAS, LIKE SAN ANTONIO TOO, WHO DO ELECTIONS DIRECTLY WITH THE PUBLIC.
THEY HAVE THEM AT THE LIBRARY OR THE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS OR A DESIGNATED BUILDING IN THESE DIFFERENT AREAS.
AND THEN WE JUST, YOU KNOW, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, ADVERTISE, GET THE WORD OUT.
YOU GUYS HELP US GET THE WORD OUT.
UM, OUR SOCIAL MEDIA GETS THE WORD OUT.
BUT I SEE THAT AS BEING MUCH, MUCH MORE EFFICIENT.
'CAUSE I'M NOTICING THAT THERE ARE PROBABLY GONNA BE MORE RESPONSIBLE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE SORT OF AGED OUT THEIR OLDER FOLKS WHO ARE NO LONGER ACTIVE, UM, AND MEETING REGULARLY.
AND IT'LL CREATE THESE ISSUES IN THE FUTURE FOR OTHER GEOGRAPHIC AREAS.
AND THE REASON IT TAKES TIME IS BECAUSE ONCE WE IDENTIFY A NEW RESPONSIBLE ORGANIZATION, I HAVE TO GO TO COUNCIL TO GET THEM APPROVED.
AND I THINK I MAY HAVE TO GO TO A DIFFERENT COMMITTEE AS WELL BECAUSE OF THE RESOLUTION, BECAUSE THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, SOME, IT'S ANOTHER, ANOTHER, UM, KIND OF RED TAPE.
SO I'M HOPING TO COME BACK WITH MORE, MORE POSITIVE NEWS IN TERMS OF, UH, GETTING THIS NEW MODEL.
I TOLD THE CHAIR BEFORE THE MEETING.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT PROBABLY THE FALL TO FILL THAT SEAT.
UH, NUMBER THREE, FRESH FOOD FOR FAMILIES.
ONE OF OUR BIGGER, UH, FOOD PROGRAMS IS GOING WELL.
UH, NUMBER FOUR, THE HOME DELIVERY PROGRAM.
UH, IN FEBRUARY WE SERVED OVER 2000 HOUSEHOLDS THAT IMPACTED IN A POSITIVE MANNER.
UH, THAT'S ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT, UH, IS AT RISK OF LOSING FOR FUNDING ENDING.
UM, BECAUSE, UH, THAT FUNDING WAS COMING FROM ARPA FUNDS THROUGH THE FOOD BANK.
I JUST FOUND THAT OUT AT A MEETING A FEW WEEKS AGO.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN, UH, FIND SOME FUNDING TO CONTINUE THAT PROGRAM INTO THE FUTURE.
UH, THEY MAY COME NEXT MONTH, THE FOOD BANK STAFF AND, UH, PRESENT ON THAT PREDICAMENT AND SORT OF LET YOU GUYS KNOW WHERE THEY'RE AT WITH THAT.
UM, WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN HAVING THEM COME NEXT MONTH? I DON'T KNOW YET.
THE, THE CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK.
THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO KIND ADVOCATE, UH, TO YOU GUYS.
LIKE, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING.
IF NOT, I CAN JUST CONTINUE TO GIVE MONTHLY UPDATES ON WHERE WE'RE AT, UH, WITH THAT PROGRAM.
UH, THE COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT, UH, THEY'RE WRAPPED UP THEIR KEY INFORMANT INTERVIEWS AND SURVEYS.
THEY'RE ONTO THE NEXT STAGE, KINDA GETTING SOME DATA FROM DIFFERENT, UH, SOURCES.
AND THEY WILL COME BACK TO PRESENT TO THIS GROUP, I BELIEVE, IN EITHER MAY OR JUNE ONCE THEY FINISH UP TO FINAL COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENTS.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DID, UM, PARTICIPATE IN THE INTERVIEWS, THANK YOU.
UH, NUMBER SIX, EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE FUNDING.
AGAIN, OUR PROGRAM HELPING FOLKS AVOID EVICTION.
UH, WE, UM, AGAIN, STOOD UP OUR NEW RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE AUSTIN AREA URBAN LEAGUE, WHO'S OUR FISCAL AGENT.
[02:35:01]
THE END OF FEBRUARY.AND WE'VE, UM, ALREADY, UM, PROCESSED 150, 1000 AND SOME ODD DOLLARS IN RENT ASSISTANCE TO, UM, 64 FAMILIES, ALMOST 200 PEOPLE TO HELP THEM AVOID EVICTION.
UM, WE HAVE OUR AUSTIN ENERGY PLUS ONE PROGRAM.
AGAIN, THAT'S A SMALL PROGRAM, ABOUT $31,000 A YEAR.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF WE HELP PEOPLE WITH $50, 200 MAX IS 500, WE'RE ABLE TO HELP THEM KEEP THE LIGHTS ON.
UH, NUMBER EIGHT, TO REMIND ALL OF YOU.
AND THEN I THINK WE HAVE A NEW COMMISSIONER WHO'S PROBABLY LEARNING ABOUT WHAT WE DO.
WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING PROGRAM AS WELL.
WE WOULD PROVIDE FREE SCREENINGS.
WE DO COMMUTER, WE DO HEALTH HUBS AT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS TO PROVIDE, UM, BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS, CHOLESTEROL, BLOOD SUGAR, AND HELP EMPOWER PEOPLE TO TAKE CHARGE OF THEIR OWN HEALTH.
UM, WE SEE WE'RE SEEING A LOT MORE PEOPLE NOW WITH THE HUBS POST PANDEMIC.
UM, AND A LOT OF FOLKS NEEDING, UM, JUST A BASIC SCREENING AND INFORMATION ON HOW THEY CAN, UH, ADDRESS THEIR DIABETES OR HYPERTENSION OR CARDIOVASCULAR ILLNESS.
NUMBER NINE, WE HAVE OUR SELF-SUFFICIENCY CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT WORK ON TRANSITIONING PEOPLE OUT OF POVERTY THROUGH, UM, UM, CASE MANAGEMENT JOB, JOB COACHING, INTERVIEW COACHING, FINANCIAL COACHING, ET CETERA.
I INCLUDED AN NSU NURSING SUCCESS STORY TO READ ON YOUR OWN TIME.
I'M GONNA TRY TO BRING THOSE IN, YOU KNOW, EVERY MONTH IF I CAN.
'CAUSE IT KIND OF PUTS A FACE TO THE PROGRAM.
UH, AND THIS STORY REALLY KIND OF FOCUSES ON HOW IMPORTANT IT'S TO HAVE THESE BASIC INTERVENTIONS THAT ARE FREE AND HOW THEY LEAD TO MORE AND MORE POSITIVE OUTCOMES IN OUR, IN OUR CLIENTS.
AND THAT, THAT'S THE END OF MY REPORT THIS MONTH.
ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, COMMISSIONERS, COMM.
ESTEBAN, DELGADO, QUICK COMMENT.
I, YOU KNOW, I, I'M LOOKING HERE AT, UM, ITEM EIGHT, THE NSU PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING.
AND, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I NOTICED WHEN I GO TO HEB IS THAT THEY DO A LOT OF THESE, UM, PREVENTATIVE CARE SCREENINGS.
AND I JUST, I WONDER IF THERE'S ANY OPPORTUNITY FOR POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIP THERE FOR PEOPLE THAT MAYBE DON'T FREQUENT THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, CENTERS FOR THE SERVICES.
AND, AND IF, AND IF WE'VE THOUGHT ABOUT MAYBE, UM, COLLABORATING WITH OTHER AREAS WHERE PEOPLE MIGHT GO AS KIND OF A ONE STOP SHOP FOR, FOR OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE OUTSIDE, MAYBE IT'S OUTSIDE OF OUR PURVIEW TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT THAT.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF SEE IF THERE WAS ANY ADDITIONAL THINKING THERE THAT WE COULD DO.
WELL, I MEAN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR FEEDBACK.
I ALWAYS APPRECIATE, NO MATTER WHAT IT IS, IF WE CAN DO IT OR NOT, IT'S STILL GOOD FEEDBACK.
I'LL TALK TO THE, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH NURSES AT THE NEXT MONTHLY MEETING AND KIND OF THROW THAT OUT THERE.
UM, 'CAUSE WE DO COLLABORATE WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT AGENCIES.
LIKE THE MEXICAN CONSULATE IS ONE, A LOT OF NON-PROFITS CHURCHES WHERE WE GO TO THEM.
I KNOW THAT OUR NURSE AT ROSEWOOD, I KNOW SOME OF THE HEV UH, NURSING FOLKS.
HOPEFULLY WHAT
SO THEY'RE USUALLY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
THEY'RE CONTACT TEAMS. UM, THOSE ARE THE TWO MAIN ONES.
AND THEY'RE ACTIVE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
IT, WE HAVE A GEOGRAPHIC AREA THAT HAS BOUNDARIES FOR OUR, UM, DEFINITIONS OF WHAT THE AREA IS.
SO LIKE COMMISSIONER DELGADO IS IN THE O2, BUT PART OF THE BLACKLAND RZ SEAT IS ALSO PART OF THE O2 AND TWO TWO.
SO IT JUST, SO YEAH, IF YOU LOOK THAT UP, YOU'LL FIND OUT LIKE WHICH ONES ARE WHAT THEY ARE AND, AND JUST GOOGLE THE YEAH.
UH, COMMISSIONER LONGORIA, AND THEN, UH, COMMISSIONER HERE.
UM, IN THIS FIRST PAGE, UH, THE 2024 CONTRACT BUDGET, THE $382,000, UM, THAT IS THE BUDGET FOR THIS MONTH.
THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT, UH, LIKE THE PEOPLE THAT GIVE US THE FUNDING, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY, UH, COMMUNITY HOUSING, TEXAS, TDHC, A, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS,
[02:40:01]
THEY HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO SEND THE FUNDS DOWNSTREAM TO THE STATES SO THEY DON'T GET IT ALL AT ONCE.SO THIS FUNDING IS PROBABLY ONE OF THREE.
SO WE USUALLY GET AROUND A MILLION, A MILLION $0.10.
SO THEY NEVER QUITE CAN TELL US.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THIS FUNDING IS PROBABLY FOR FOUR MONTHS.
AND THEN WE'LL HOPEFULLY GET SOMEWHERE IN THE FALL, WHICH WE USUALLY ALWAYS DO AND THEN IN OKAY.
AND THEN, SO I SEE HERE ON THE NEXT PAGE, UM, ON, ON ITEM FOUR C OF THE SERVICES DESCRIPTION, 20 NUMBER OF RENTAL PAYMENTS.
THAT IS THE, THAT IS HOW MANY PAYMENTS WE'VE PROCESSED THROUGH FEBRUARY.
'CAUSE THIS IS ALWAYS, UM, TWO MONTHS BEHIND.
'CAUSE WE DO OUR MARCH REPORT IN APRIL.
YOU KNOW, SO THIS IS RIGHT WHEN WE STARTED THIS NEW PROGRAM ON FEBRUARY 26TH.
SO IT PROBABLY GOES A LITTLE BIT INTO MARCH.
UM, 'CAUSE SOMETIMES I HAVE MORE RECENT DATA, BUT MOST OF THIS DATA GOES THROUGH THE END OF FEBRUARY.
UM, AND THEN ON THE, ON THE NEXT PAGE, ON PAGE THREE, ON ITEM SIX, UM, I DO SEE HERE YOU MENTIONED THAT, UM, THERE WAS $151,000 THAT WAS, UH, PAID OUT TO RENT ASSISTANCE.
THAT'S NOT PART OF THE BUDGET, IS IT? NO.
THE BUDGET, AS I MENTIONED AND FOR THE NEW COMMISSIONER BE GOOD TOO.
SO DEFINITELY THIS IS THE BUDGET THAT I REPORT ON, IS ON PERSONNEL.
THE OTHER MONIES I REPORT SEPARATELY ON ITEM NUMBER SIX.
AND, UH, WELL, UM, I GUESS WHAT, WHAT I, I WANT TO WANT TO GET TO NOW IS THAT, UM, THANKS TO THIS, UH, NEW, UH, CDC RECOMMENDATION, WE'RE HOPING THAT, UM, THE NEIGHBORHOOD UNIT GET $5 MILLION WORTH OF FUNDING FOR RENTAL PAYMENTS.
UM, AND THEN ALSO THE IMPLEMENTATION.
MAKING SURE LIKE THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD USE UNIT HAS LIKE AN, UH, HAS ENOUGH STAFF, UM, WHO KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE THOSE SYSTEMS. AND THEN LIKE, LIKE FINALLY, LIKE ALSO, UM, PROGRAM EVALUATION WOULD BE GREAT.
JUST SEE HOW EFFECTIVE IT IS, HOW MANY PEOPLE GET HELP.
UM, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DEPTH INFORMATION AS FAR AS LIKE HOW MUCH MONEY GOES TO EACH HOUSEHOLD.
LIKE WHAT'S THE AVERAGE PAYOUT, WHO ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GETTING, UM, WHO ARE BENEFITING AND WHAT DEMOGRAPHIC.
IT MIGHT GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE INSIGHT.
SO, UM, YEAH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
AND YOU COME EVERY SINGLE MONTH AND PRESENT THIS INFORMATION, BUT NOW IS JUST KIND OF WHERE, UM, I DON'T KNOW, I'M JUST PERHAPS MAYBE I'D LIKE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UH, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO KIND OF FLESH OUT, YOU KNOW, THE ZIP CODES, THE FAMILY CON, UM, COMPOSITION, HOW MUCH, YEAH.
HOW MUCH EACH FAMILY'S RECEIVING OR INDIVIDUAL.
DEFINITELY WE CAN, I'LL LOOK AT THAT AND SEE HOW WE CAN PRESENT THAT IN A WAY THAT'S EASY TO UNDERSTAND AND FRIENDLY.
AND THE LAST THING I'LL SAY, THAT'S FINE.
I KNOW IT'S NOT GONNA BE EASY.
I THINK MAYBE OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR OR WHATEVER WHILE IT GETS FLUSHED OUT AND THOUGHT OUT.
UM, HOWEVER, UM, WHEN ANO, THEY CAME A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AND THEY SHARED WITH US HOW THEY RECEIVED, UH, FROM HALF A MILLION TO 2 MILLION TO NOW $12 MILLION IN FUNDING AND, UH, FROM THE CITY.
UH, BECAUSE I THINK THEY'RE SO EFFECTIVE.
I GUESS MAYBE THEY'RE JUST LIKE, UM, A, A COMPETITOR, UH, VERSUS THIS GOVERNMENT AGENCY AND, UH, PERHAPS THERE MIGHT BE DOING, UH, VERY EFFECTIVELY THEY MIGHT BE SOMEONE WORTH LIKE LEARNING FROM MAYBE.
UH, COMMISSIONER LONGORIA, UH, I, I MADE A FEW OF THOSE NOTES MYSELF.
COMMISSIONER, UM, UH, THANK YOU.
[02:45:01]
A GREAT PRESENTATION.UM, SO I, I'M GONNA REFER TO THE, UM, TWO ROSEWOOD OSA BLACKLAND CDC NOMINATION.
AND SO I, I THINK AT THIS POINT, UM, WHAT YOU HAVE CAME TO RECOMMEND THAT YOU WENT TO LOOK INTO, UH, SEEING IF YOU CAN DO, UM, AN AMENDMENT TO THE POLICY CHANGE? I, I, I REALLY THINK AT THIS POINT, UH, 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THOSE VACANCIES HAVE BEEN OPEN, I WANNA SAY MORE THAN A YEAR.
UM, I'M GONNA INTERRUPT YOU THERE.
UH, COMMISSIONER OAK ARD, I FOUND OUT IN NOVEMBER OF 23.
BUT THEY ONLY LASTED FOR A COUPLE MONTHS, I THINK.
I MEAN, I, THOSE, I FEEL LIKE THOSE TWO POSITIONS, UH, OPENING VACANCIES 'CAUSE THEY REPRESENT THE BLACK COMMUNITY AND THEY'RE IN EAST AUSTIN.
I ALSO FEEL THAT THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE FILLED THEM HAVE BEEN ON THERE ONLY FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE, FOR THE RECIPIENTS OF THAT DEMOGRAPHIC AREA.
AND SO WHAT I FEEL IS THAT BECAUSE I LIVE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT IS IN THE BOUNDARY LINES OF WHERE I CAN'T REALLY STEP INTO, UM, I, I WANT, SINCE I'M CLOSE TO IT AND, AND I HAVE TO SEE IT EVERY DAY.
UH, AND, AND IT JUST BREAKS MY HEART THAT AN APPOINTING POSITION THAT IT TAKES A COUNCIL MEMBER TO APPOINT, WHICH I BELIEVE IS NATASHA MADISON.
UM, AND BECAUSE OF WHATEVER DISCREPANCY IS GOING ON THAT, THAT IT DOESN'T REQUIRE A NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, ELECTION THAT, THAT REQUIRES AN APPOINTING.
AND SO I, I AM GONNA TALK TO THE COMMISSION ABOUT WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE NEED TO DO, TAKING THE NEXT STEP TO GET THAT APPOINTING APPOINTED BECAUSE WE HAVE THREE APPLICANTS THAT HAVE APPOINTED THAT HAVE NOT GOT A RESPONSE.
SO THAT'S FROM, UH, DISTRICT ONE.
NUMBER TWO, THE OTHER, UH, POSITION IS A NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THAT'S THE ONE I WAS, I'M REFERRING TO.
IT HAS BEEN VERY CHALLENGING FOR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND CONTACT TEAMS TO ADMINISTRATE AND CONDUCT THOSE, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD ELECTIONS.
SO I BELIEVE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, BECAUSE YOU ARE THE MIDDLEMAN THAT YOU ALL SHOULD JUST GO AHEAD AND TAKE OVER THE ELECTION.
UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU NEED FROM US, BUT THIS ACTION HAS TO HAPPEN SOON BECAUSE THE BLACK COMMUNITY IN THAT AREA IN EAST AUSTIN IS NOT BEING REPRESENTED.
AND I, IT FEELS LIKE WE JUST KEEP GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH CHAIR, WITH VICE CHAIR, WITH THE RECIPIENTS, WITH THE COMMUNITY, WITH THE PUBLIC, WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND WE'RE JUST GOING IN A CIRCLE AND NO ACTION IS TAKING PLACE.
SO I RECOMMEND, UH, I FOLLOW YOUR RECOMMENDATION OF WANTING TO CHANGE UP THAT POLICY AND IT'S GONNA TAKE A PROCESS.
'CAUSE IT DOES HAVE TO GO TO COUNCIL.
UM, BUT WE, UH, WE NEED TO FILL THAT POSITION ASAP 'CAUSE WE DO HAVE TWO POTENTIAL CANDIDATES.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR FEEDBACK AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE, THAT YOU'RE SUPPORTIVE OF THE EXPLORING, YOU KNOW, AMENDING THE BYLAWS AND THE RESOLUTION.
UH, TO GIVE HISTORICAL CONTEXT TO THE VACANCY OF THE POSITION, THE PERSON THAT WAS IN THERE WHEN I FIRST STARTED IN THIS ROLE WAS PRETTY VOCAL AND PRETTY GOOD.
I MEAN, SHE REALLY WAS A GREAT, I FORGET HER NAME RIGHT NOW, BUT SHE'S A GREAT ADVOCATE.
THERE WAS ABSENTEE SOME ISSUES.
I THINK SHE WAS LIVING IN TWO STATES DUE TO WHATEVER ISSUES WERE GOING ON.
SO IT, IT FELT LIKE IT, LIKE IT WAS VACANT, BUT IT WASN'T, UH, THE PERSON AFTER THAT WAS ELECTED IN AN ELECTION.
IT WAS A BLACK WOMAN FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHO HAD BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN THE, UH, CARMEL, UM, WHEN THE FREEZE, THE FIRST FREEZE HAPPENED.
UH, SO SHE HAD THE LIVED EXPERIENCE, UH, BUT SHE ALSO DROPPED AWAY AT SOME POINT.
SO THERE WAS A FEW MONTHS THERE AND THEN IKE OR CARD CAME ON THE BOARD AND TRIED IT OUT FOR A WHILE AND THEN HE DROPPED OFF IN NOVEMBER.
SO AGAIN, I'M JUST KIND OF GIVING THE HISTORICAL, IT MIGHT FEEL LIKE IT'S BEEN VACANT FOR YEARS, BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE.
THERE'S JUST BEEN DIFFERENT TYPES OF CIRCUMSTANCES THAT HAVE COME UP THAT HAVE MADE IT A VERY, UH, TOUGH SEAT TO HAVE SOMEONE IN THERE, YOU KNOW, CONSISTENTLY REPRESENTING THOSE FOLKS.
'CAUSE NOW I'M REALLY THINKING IF WE JUST HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A DIFFERENT WAY SO THAT WE'RE NOT TIED TO THESE RULES THAT AREN'T MANDATED BY THE STATE.
AS FAR AS I KNOW, LIKE I SAID, SAN ANTONIO DOES ELECTIONS WITHOUT RESPONSIBLE ORGANIZATIONS AND THEY'RE PART OF THE SAME CSPG FUNDED PROGRAM.
SO I'LL FIND OUT MORE AND GET BACK TO YOU GUYS.
I'M, HELL, UH, I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE MYSELF ON A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE, UM, UM, COMMISSIONER DEL GAL, I'LL
[02:50:01]
START WITH YOUR LAST THING.I WILL BE RECOGNIZING AND WELCOMING, UM, COMMISSIONER GAVIN PORTER SR.
WHO IS IN FACT A HARPER MADISON APPOINTEE.
SO THE WORK THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING BEHIND THE SCENES AND THE, UM, MESSAGE THAT VICE CHAIR, UM, DID FORWARD.
AND WE DID LET YOU ALL KNOW LAST TIME THAT WE RECOGNIZE THE NEED.
AND SO WE HAVE DEFINITELY TURNED UP THE FIRE AND WONDERFUL, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER GAVIN PORTER HAS, UH, JOINED US FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY, AND SO WE'RE REALLY HOPING THAT HE STICKS AROUND AND, UM, AND SO FORTH.
WE DO STILL HAVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CHITO VELAS POSITION OF WHICH I, UM, UH, REQUESTED.
AND SO IF IN FACT I NEED TO CIRCLE BACK AND UM, UM, AND KIND OF SORT OF FAN THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE, I WILL.
AND SO WE ARE WORKING ON THAT.
SO IT, I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE I DO.
COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, HIS POSITION HAS BEEN FILLED.
WE JUST NOT IN TIME FOR THIS MEETING, BUT WE DO AT THAT.
I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD AND, UH, TRY NOT TO WHOOP TOO MUCH.
WELL, ANYWAY, WE'VE BEEN
BUT YOU CAN SEE, UM, I APPRECIATE COMMISSIONER BERTHA DELGADO'S PASSION FOR MAKING SURE THAT THAT'S A, SUCH A NEEDED SEAT IS, UH, REPRESENTED.
SO, UH, REAL QUICK, BECAUSE LES, I LOSE US THROUGH THE THUNDER, UH, COMMISSIONER TOVER IMMEDIATELY STARTED ZIPPING UP HIS, HIS BRIEFCASE.
SO, UM, I, I DO, UM, WANNA SAY THAT I TOO WAS WANTING, UM, THAT WE START GETTING A LITTLE BIT MORE DEMOGRAPHICS PERHAPS, UH, ON WHO WE'RE SERVING.
I ESPECIALLY WAS LOOKING AT IT THOUGH FROM THE NURSING, UH, INFORMATION.
SO IN TIMES WITH OUR PUBLIC HEALTH, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE WE, WHO ARE, WHAT ARE THE DEMOGRAPHICS? UM, COMMISSIONER, UM, LONGORIA'S SEEM TO BE MORE AROUND THE HOUSING.
I MEAN THE, UH, RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
AND SO I DO FEEL THAT IT'LL BE JUST KIND OF GOOD TO KNOW WHO'S GETTING THIS MONEY, YOU KNOW, JUST WHERE IS IT KIND OF BEING, UM, GOING TO.
AND THEN I'M JUST SAYING IT'S, AND WE DON'T HAVE TIME, SO I WILL MOVE QUICKLY.
IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THE NUMBERS ARE AND ARE, ARE KIND OF, SORT OF WONKY.
I'M, I'M NOT, I'M SURE THE NUMBERS ARE GOOD, BUT I WILL SAY THAT THEY, THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME DISCONNECT WITH THE NUMBERS PER SE.
AND LASTLY, YOU MENTIONED THE HOME DELIVERY.
UH, WE MAY BE RUNNING OUTTA MONEY AND YOU SEEM LIKE YOU'RE STILL COMFORTABLE THAT WE WILL GET MONEY FOR THAT.
IS THAT TRUE? AND SO WHAT IS THE, AND THAT'S A RHETORICAL QUESTION.
WHAT RHETORICAL NO NEED TO ANSWER.
WHAT WILL BE THE BACKUP FOR, UH, IF WE DON'T END UP GETTING THE HOME DELIVERY MONEY? ANYWAY, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WE GOING TO DO.
SO, UM, THAT BEING SAID, UM, DOES ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER HAVE THANK YOU ON ANGEL.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER HAVE ANYTHING ELSE REGARDING THE, UH, C-B-R-C-S-G-B GRANT? YES.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, WE ARE IN FOR OUR VERY LAST, WELL, NO CHAIR.
[7. Presentation and discussion on the Housing Department’s Rental Housing Development Assistance (RHDA) program and investments, and geographic dispersion (Mandy DeMayo and James May, Housing Department).]
SEVEN, BUT WE MOVED IT TO 10 PREVIOUSLY.WE'RE GONNA MOVE THAT TO A FUTURE DATE SO YOU CAN CROSS DOWN, YOU CAN INTERRUPT ME ANY MOMENT TO SAY THAT
UM, SO THE ONLY ONE WE HAVE LEFT IS, IS OUR IMAGINE AUSTIN NINE? YES.
AND EVELYN, I JUST CHECKED WITH HER.
UH, WE DO HAVE EVELYN MITCHELL
[9. Presentation about updating the 2012 Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan to appoint a representative to support the development and implementation of the Imagine Austin comprehensive engagement process (Evelyn Mitchell, Planning Department).]
FOR OUR LAST PRESENTATION.UM, EVELYN, WE'RE GONNA LET YOU GET STARTED BECAUSE THE HOUR IS LATE AND THE RAIN MAY BE COMING.
UM, GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
UH, MY NAME IS EVELYN MITCHELL AND I'M WITH THE CITY'S PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
UM, THIS EVENING I WANNA GO OVER A REVIEW OF WHAT IMAGINE AUSTIN IS, WHY IT MATTERS, UM, GOING OVER KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT WE'VE DONE DURING THE KEY, UH, THE PRE-PLANNING STAGE, UM, AND THEN KIND OF OUR REQUEST FOR APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVE AND KIND OF WHAT THAT ENTAILS.
UM, SO TO TO CENTER THE PRESENTATION, I WANTED TO BRIEFLY REMIND US ABOUT IMAGINE AUSTIN, UH,
[02:55:01]
WHAT IS, WHAT IT IS AND WHY IT MATTERS.UM, SO IMAGINE AUSTIN IS THE CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
UH, COMPREHENSIVE PLANS, COMPONENT ELEMENTS AND OTHER RELATED ITEMS ARE DESCRIBED AND ARE REQUIRED BY CITY CHARTER SPECIFICALLY, UM, ARTICLE 10 OF THE CITY CHARTER, UM, 2012 COUNCIL ADOPTED IMAGINE AUSTIN, UM, WHICH IS A 30 YEAR PLAN FOR LONG-TERM GROWTH DEVELOPMENT AND LAND USE DECISIONS.
UM, IT'S A VERY ROBUST DOCUMENT WITH MANY PAGES, UM, AND A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT POLICIES AND ACTIONS.
UM, THE IMPORTANT COMPONENT TO THE COMP PLAN, UH, IS THE PRIORITY PROGRAMS, UH, WHICH ARE LISTED, UM, ON THE SLIDE.
UM, AND THEIR TASK WITH SUPPORTING THE OVERSEEING OF IMAGINE AUSTIN'S IMPLEMENTATION.
UM, SO EACH PRIORITY PROGRAM, UH, HAS A DIFFERENT FOCUS.
A FEW OF THEM ARE COMPACT, CONNECTED, HEALTHY AUSTIN CREATIVE ECONOMY AND WATER ENVIRONMENT TO LIST A FEW, UM, THESE COMPONENTS THAT IMAGINE AUSTIN HAS A WHOLE TO KIND OF BOIL IT DOWN, UM, KIND OF HIGH LEVEL HAS ONE MAIN PURPOSE, WHICH IS TO ENSURE THAT AUSTIN IS A CITY OF COMPLETE COMMUNITIES, UM, MEANING AREAS THAT PROVIDE AMENITIES, UH, TRANSPORTATION AND SERVICES AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT FULFILL ALL RESIDENTS MATERIAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC NEEDS.
UM, SO THIS IS OUR IMAGINE AUSTIN UPDATE TIMELINE.
UM, THE GOAL AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN IS TO HAVE IMAGINE AUSTIN UPDATE ADOPTED, UH, AN EARLY 2026, UM, AND THEN TO IMPLEMENT AN UPDATE PROCESS THAT IS VERY MEANINGFUL, INTENTIONAL, AND EQUITABLE.
UM, SO WE'RE CURRENTLY TOWARDS THE END OF OUR PROJECT KICKSTART PHASE, UM, WITH OUR GOAL OF STARTING OUR FIRST PHASE ENGAGEMENT IN, UH, JUNE OF THIS YEAR.
UM, WHILE ALSO WANTING TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRETY OF THE PROJECT.
UM, SO WE HAVE, UH, DIFFERENT, THERE'S THREE DIFFERENT ENGAGEMENT PHASES THAT YOU CAN SEE, BUT AGAIN, WANTING TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY KIND OF THROUGHOUT, UM, DIFFERENT BLURBS OR BUBBLES OF THE PLAN UPDATE DRAFT.
UM, AND THEN ALSO REALLY WANTING TO WORK CLOSELY WHAT YOU'RE DOING AT THE MOMENT WITH FINANCE OFFICE.
SO WE'RE INTEGRATING, UH, THE BUDGET OFFICE, UM, IMAGINE AUSTIN, UM, ALTOGETHER.
SO IT KIND OF COMES TOGETHER MORE COHESIVELY.
SO WE'VE ALREADY STARTED IN A FEW KEY AREAS WITH THE PLAN UPDATE IN THE PRE-PLANNING, INCLUDING, UH, REFINEMENT OF PLAN, UPDATE GOALS AND STRATEGIES.
SO IDENTIFYING A DRAFT OUTLINE FOR THE UPDATE, DEVELOPING THE TIMELINE OF KEY MILESTONES AND DELIVERABLES AND ORGANIZING TASKS, UM, COLLABORATING WITH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND OFFICES, INCLUDING STAFF FROM RESILIENCE, SUSTAINABILITY, AND EQUITY TO INITIATE ASSESSMENTS OF IMAGINE AUSTIN THROUGH EACH OF THESE DIFFERENT LENSES.
UM, WE REALLY THINK, UH, THIS WILL HELP US UNDERSTAND WHERE THE PLAN IS ALREADY INCORPORATING OUR CONCEPTS, THAT THOSE OFFICES FIND IMPORTANT AND NUMBER WHERE GAPS NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
UM, WE'RE ALSO HAVING REGULAR MEETINGS, AS I MENTIONED IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE, UH, TO ESTABLISH, SUBSTITUTE AN INTERMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM ALIGNMENT OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WITH, UH, THE STRATEGIC PLAN, THE BUDGET, AND CIP, AND THEN ALSO CLOSELY WORKING WITH, UH, CPIO, THE COMMUNICATIONS OF PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO MEETING REGULARLY WITH THE PRIORITY PROGRAM CHAMPIONS, UM, AND WORKING GROUPS, UM, REGARDING THE LAST BULLET POINT, UH, THE EQUITY DRIVEN PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PLAN WHERE WE ARE, WE ORGAN ENGAGING WITH ORGANIZATIONS AND DIFFERENT, UM, INTERNAL EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS GENERATE AN EQUITY DRIVEN COMMUNICATION AND ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY, UM, INCLUDING A PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PLAN WITH THE SUPPORT FROM A CONSULTANT, UH, THE CONSULTANT WE WORKING WITH CDNP, UM, WHICH WILL BE COMPLETE, UH, I BELIEVE IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR.
UM, SO AS A PLANNING DEPARTMENT, YOU WANNA BE REALLY EXPLICIT AND INTENTIONAL ABOUT, UM, INCORPORATING EQUITY IN THE ENTIRETY OF THIS UPDATE.
UM, THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO EQUITY IS VIEW AS IT HAS ARISEN SINCE THE ADOPTION OF IMAGINE AUSTIN IN 2012.
UM, AS A TEAM, UM, WE HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS VISION AND ITS IMPORTANCE TO CALL OUT WHAT HAVE BEEN PLANNING GENERATED, UM, IMPEDIMENTS AND BARRIERS TO EQUITY, UM, AND OUR COMMITMENT TO THE FUTURE AND OUR COMMITMENT TO ASPIRE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMPTON IS REPRESENTATIVE ALL RESIDENTS, AUSTIN RESIDENTS.
UM, SO I'M GONNA READ THESE READER EQUITY VISION, UM, FAIRLY QUICKLY GIVEN THE TIME.
UH, SO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT ACKNOWLEDGES THE HISTORY OF PLANNING IN AUSTIN AND HOW PAST PLANNINGS, INCLUDING THE CITY'S 1928 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND REDLINING IN THE 1930S, PRODUCE CONTINUED STRUGGLE WITH DISPLACEMENT AND GENTRIFICATION AND GROWING DISPARITIES ACROSS ALL QUALITY OF LIFE OUTCOMES SO FAR TODAY.
ADDITIONALLY, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND KNOWLEDGE
[03:00:01]
IS PLANNING AS RECENT AS NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING INITIATED IN THE 1990S, STILL IN PLACE TODAY, ELECT REPRESENTATIVE DECISION MAKING AND CREATED BARRIERS TO PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT FROM REPRESENTATIVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, INCLUDING RENTERS.WHEREBY PLANNING AND CONTINUED PLANNING RELATED OUTCOMES ARE BEING CREATED FOR THE COMMUNITY RATHER WITH THE COMMUNITY.
UM, PLANNING UNDERSTANDS THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN LESSONS FROM THE PAST AND CREATE IMPROVEMENT IN PLANS AND PLANNING PROCESSES.
THAT IMPROVEMENT MUST BEGIN WITH EQUITY IN THE FOREFRONT OF THE WAY WE PLAN THE OUTCOMES OF THE PLAN AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN, AND MUST OCCUR AT THE CITYWIDE LEVEL, SUCH AS WITH THE CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND SMALLER PLANNING AREAS OF THE CITY.
UM, SO WE HOPE TO LEAVE HERE TODAY WITH THE BEGINNINGS OF OUR PARTNERSHIP TO ENSURE THAT OUR ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, UM, IS VERY MUCH IN LINE WITH OUR EQUITY VISION.
UM, WHICH FRANKLY, TO MY NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UM, SO TODAY WE'RE ASKING, UH, ONE MEMBER, UM, OF THIS COMMISSION TO BE APPOINTED TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
UM, SO THE ONE VOLUNTEER, UH, WOULD SERVE AS A POINT OF CONTACT DURING THE PROJECT, UM, AS WE CONTINUE TO DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PLAN.
AND ULTIMATELY, THE COMP PLANS UPDATE.
UM, THE TIMELINE WOULD BE FROM FY 2024 TO 2026, UM, WITH AN ESTIMATE THAT WE MAY USE ABOUT THREE TO FOUR HOURS, UM, A QUARTER OF TIME FOR THE VOLUNTEERS TIME.
SO THREE OR FOUR HOURS PER QUARTER OF THE VOLUNTEERS' TIME.
UM, AND AS AN APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVE, YOU WOULD SERVE AS A PLAN OF CONTACT FOR YOUR BOARD AND COMMISSION, RECEIVE AND COMMUNICATE UPDATES AS NEEDED.
COMPILE QUESTIONS, INPUT FROM YOUR BOARD COMMISSION AS NEEDED, PROVIDE INSIGHT ON REACHING STAKEHOLDERS YOU REPRESENT, HELP IDENTIFY GAPS IN AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY FOR ENGAGEMENT, POSSIBLY ATTEND A STAKEHOLDER ONE-ON-ONE MEETING, PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO THE DRAFT OF THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PLAN.
UM, AND THEN THE NEXT SLIDE IS JUST, UH, MY, WELL, THIS IS MY SUPERVISOR'S INFORMATION.
APRIL RUSO, A PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
UM, MY, MY EMAIL IS EVELYN.MITCHELL@AUSTINTEXAS.GOV.
UM, SO THAT KIND OF CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
UM, BUT PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS, BUT ALSO EMAIL ME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AS WELL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MS. EVELYN FOR, UH, YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, I, UH, RECOGNIZE MYSELF IN THE SAY, YOU KNOW, I'M, IM TOTALLY IN SUPPORTIVE IMAGINE AUSTIN, BUT IMAGINE AUSTIN HASN'T, HAS YET TO SEE TO INCLUDE ALL INDIVIDUALS IN AUSTIN.
IT SEEMS THAT IT'S, IT'S, IT HAS BEEN A IMAGINE TO MAKE US BE UNIMAGINABLE.
AND SO, UM, I DO FEEL THAT THAT IS, UM, A CONCERN.
AND IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT EQUITY, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT MS. JOSEPH BRINGS UP AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT MS. SOPHIE BRINGS UP, UM, MAKE ME WONDER WHAT IS, IMAGINE AUSTIN IS, IMAGINE AUSTIN.
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS? AND SO THAT'S, UH, A CONCERN, UH, THAT I HAVE.
COMMISSIONER ORTIZ, UM, PLEASE THANK YOU.
UM, AND I DO HAVE THE SAME CONCERN, WHICH IS WHY I WOULD ACTUALLY BE WILLING TO VOLUNTEER TO BE THAT LIAISON, BEING THAT I HAVE A BACKGROUND IN PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, CURRENTLY SERVE ON A NATIONAL, UH, COMMITTEE, UM, AS WELL.
AND I'M WITH, I'M WITH YOU CHAIR, THAT I DO HAVE A CONCERN AS WELL, MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S REPRESENTED AND HOW DO WE GET THAT MM-HMM.
UM, SO I'D BE HAPPY TO VOLUNTEER FOR THAT.
IF ANYBODY ELSE, UM, UM, IF ANYBODY ELSE DOESN'T WANT TO DO IT, I'D BE HAPPY TO.
UH, COMMISSIONER OR ORTIZ, WE'RE GONNA ACCEPT YOUR, UH, VOLUNTEER.
I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A, UH, SECOND, UH, INDIVIDUAL THAT SUPPORTS COMMISSIONER, UH, ORTIZ.
WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THIS TONIGHT, BUT I DO, UM, WANT TO INCLUDE SOME, UH, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL, UM, UM, VOICES SO THAT, UH, WE ARE IN FACT.
SO THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ORTIZ.
I REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, YOUR, UM, WILLINGNESS TO STEP UP.
UH, MS. UH, MS. MITCHELL, I, I, MM-HMM.
BUT MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS, UH, I'M IMAGINE AUSTIN SEEMS LIKE IT'S NOT REALLY INCLUDING FOLKS THAT LOOK LIKE ME OR COME FROM PLACES, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY.
IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE IMAGINING AUSTIN WITHOUT US.
[03:05:01]
YES.UM, WE HAD, UM, MS. JOSEPH WANTED TO SPEAK TO THIS ITEM.
YEAH, WE WANNA GIVE HER HER THREE MINUTES.
PLEASE, PLEASE, MS. JOSEPH, I'M, I APOLOGIZE.
I DIDN'T KNOW I HAD A PUBLIC CITIZEN READY TO SPEAK.
I'M ENOVIA JOSEPH, AND ACTUALLY, I JUST WANTED TO ECHO YOUR COMMENTS AND SPECIFICALLY JUST CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION THE INFORMATION THAT YOU RECEIVED WHEN THE $10 MILLION PRO HOUSING GRANT WAS SUBMITTED.
AND I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO GO BACK TO WHAT MANDY DE MAYO ACTUALLY STATED IN THAT DOCUMENT.
SO IT IS NOT INCLUSIVE OF EVERYONE.
I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THAT ONLY THERE WERE LESS THAN 10 AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS THAT WERE IN, UH, WEST AUSTIN.
AND SO WHEN YOU CONSIDER AS WELL IN THAT SAME DOCUMENT THAT IT'S BEEN OVER 20 YEARS, THAT THE SMART HOUSING POLICY WAS ADOPTED, AND I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THAT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY TO ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING MORE EQUITABLY, BUT THEY CHOSE NOT TO.
SO IT'S DISHEARTENING TO HEAR THIS EQUITY BASED COMMUNITY OUTREACH, UH, RHETORIC.
I WOULD JUST RECOMMEND THAT YOU LOOK AT THE BLACK STATE OF BLACK AUSTIN REPORT, WHICH ENDS WITH QUESTIONS AND TO BLACK PEOPLE, I WOULD SAY WE NEED A MORATORIUM ON SURVEYS.
AND WE NEED TO ASK THAT THE CITY COMES BACK TO US WITH THE DATA THEY HAVE COLLECTED IN THE PAST TO SAY WHAT THEY HAVE DONE WITH THE INFORMATION PROVIDED.
WHAT TENDS TO HAPPEN IS THEY GIVE EITHER A $25 HEB GIFT CARD, OR IN THE CASE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, ALEX CORNER IS THE PROFESSOR WHO'S AN EX OFFICIO IN THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
AND HIS STUDENTS DID A STUDY AS WELL, AND THEY GOT THE AMAZON CARDS FOR $50.
SO THEY FIND WAYS TO GET YOU LURED INTO, UH, PROVIDING THE INFORMATION.
BUT I JUST WANT THIS COMMISSION TO BE COGNIZANT OF THE GRANT THAT WENT FORWARD TO HUD, WHERE THEY ACTUALLY ADMITTED THAT THE CITY IS SEGREGATED.
AND I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THAT JUST THIS PAST THURSDAY, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, COUNCIL APPROVED ON ALL THREE READINGS, TWO DEVELOPMENTS, AND ONE OF THEM IS ON THAT ROUTE 2 28, WHERE PEOPLE WILL NOT HAVE SUNDAY SERVICE AND WILL HAVE TO WALK AT LEAST 1.7 MILES.
I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND SPECIFICALLY ON YEAGER LANE, WHERE I'M ASKING FOR THESE BUS STOP SHELTERS, THAT IT IS NOT A FREQUENT ROUTE, BUT THAT THE DEVELOPER AND THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND THE STAFF REPORT SAID THAT IT WAS.
AND SO THE DEVELOPER GOT ENTITLEMENTS.
AND I JUST WANT YOU TO KEEP THIS IN MIND AS WELL, THAT ON ROUTE 2 37 SLASH 3 39, WHICH IS CRAIG WOOD, THAT THERE WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL 300 UNITS BETWEEN REGENCY AND WHERE THE DOLLAR GENERAL IS.
AND THERE'S ACTUALLY A ROADSIDE MEMORIAL THERE.
AND THEN A GENTLEMAN WAS KILLED IN HIS WHEELCHAIR TRYING TO GET TO THE GEN, THE DOLLAR GENERAL, BECAUSE THERE'S NO SIDEWALK, NO INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO I AM JUST REALLY EXHAUSTED WITH THE EQUITY LANGUAGE.
I CALL IT EQUITY IDA, INFLAMMATION OF THE MOUTH FROM SAYING EQUITY TOO MUCH.
BUT WITH THE CITY, I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO REMEMBER THAT THE EQUITY OFFICE PROVIDED US A REPORT AS OPPOSED TO GIVING US THE, UM, YOU KNOW, A PLACE FOR US TO ACTUALLY FLOURISH.
AND SO, UM, THE BLACK EMBASSY NEVER CAME TO FRUITION.
AND I WOULD JUST CALL YOU BACK TO THE MARCH 4TH, 2021 APOLOGY TO BLACK AUSTINITES, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.
UM, MS. UM, UH, JOSEPH, UM, UH, COMMISSIONERS, DO, DOES ANYONE HAVE, UH, YES, COMMISSIONER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR JOHNSON.
AND, UM, MY APOLOGIES, I'LL HAVE TO LEAVE AFTER MY COMMENT, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK, AND I JUST WANNA APPRECIATE THE, BOTH THE COMMENT AND THE PRESENTATION THAT WE JUST RECEIVED.
I THINK WE'VE HEARD ABOUT, IMAGINE AUSTIN NOW A COUPLE TIMES.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK IN LOOKING BACK AT THE, AT THE HIGHLIGHTS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW WE'RE GONNA REFINE AND PLAN GOALS.
AND I THINK AS A, IT'S INTERESTING, I THINK I FEEL LIKE AS A COMMISSIONER, I DON'T HAVE A FIRM UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS THE CURRENT STATE OF, OF A LOT OF THIS IN TERMS OF WHAT GOALS DOES THE, DOES THE CITY ACTUALLY HAVE, AND WHAT KIND OF GOALS ARE WE WORKING TOWARDS THROUGH THIS EQUITY BASED LENS? I, I AGREE WITH OUR, WITH OUR COMMUNITY VOICE HERE, UM, MS. JOSEPH, THAT WE CAN'T KEEP ON SAYING THE WORD EQUITY AND NOT BE PUTTING UP SUBSTANTIAL KIND OF GOALS OR VISION BEHIND IT.
AND I, I THINK IT'S, UH, AND SO IF YOU COULD HELP US COMMUNICATE THAT BACK TO THE DEPARTMENT, THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.
I THINK, I WANNA UNDERSCORE ONE OTHER THING 'CAUSE IT'S NOT LOST
[03:10:01]
ON ME.YOU KNOW, UM, I WAS A, A FORMER, UH, EQUITY OFFICER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THIS TIME WHEN WE HAVE REALLY BIG STATE INSTITUTIONS RIGHT, WHO ARE NOT, UM, OR WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, CHOOSING TO, UM, LAY DOWN RIGHT THE MANTLE AND, AND NO LONGER TAKE UP THE WORK OF EQUITY, IT MEANS THAT WHEN WE REALLY DO USE THESE WORDS AND WHEN WE'RE REALLY WORKING TOWARDS THESE ISSUES, UM, THAT WE UNDERSTAND HOW THE, THE BROADER STATE AND SOME POLITICIANS ARE WEAPONIZING THIS.
AND SO WE NEED TO BE REALLY MINDFUL OF WHEN WE'RE SAYING EQUITY RIGHT? TO WHAT MS. JOSEPH SAYS, THAT WE'RE BACKING IT UP WITH ACTUAL GOALS, WITH ACTUAL VISION, OTHERWISE IT GIVES THOSE THAT ARE NOT IN SUPPORT OF THIS PLAN, THE FURTHER AMMUNITION THAT THEY NEED TO NOT BE SUPPORTIVE TO POKE HOLES IN IT.
AND SO, AS WE'RE STILL IN THIS PLANNING PHASE OR COLLECTION PHASE, I WOULD JUST RECOMMEND THAT WE REALLY HEIGHTEN THE QUALITY OF, OF THIS WORK MOVING FORWARD TO ENSURE THAT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
'CAUSE THE LAST THING I WOULD WANT TO SEE IS FOR ALL OF THIS TO FAIL, UM, AND FOR THE, AND FOR US NOT EVEN TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THE, THE, THE PROMISES THAT WE'VE MADE TO OUR, TO OUR CITIZENS YEAH.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
UM, COMMISSIONER ESTEBAN DELGADO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. JOSEPH.
WHAT, UH, COMMISSIONER, UM, ESTEBAN DELGADO, IT LOOKS LIKE EVERYTHING IS EQUITY BASED, EQUITY, EQUITY, EQUITY.
AND, UH, I'M, I'M WONDERING WHAT IS, WHERE IS THIS EQUITY? YES.
AND, UH, THEN WE WILL MOVE ON.
MY UNDERSTANDING TOO IS THAT IN THE PAST WHEN WE'VE HAD MM-HMM.
AND SO LIKE ALL OF THE, THE, THE ONE-OFF THINGS THAT WE GRANT ON THE SIDE, ACTUALLY THEN, LIKE, THERE WAS NO POINT IN HAVING THE GOAL MM-HMM.
AND SO I JUST, UM, JUST WANNA SAY OUT THERE THAT THE, THE WAY THAT WE STICK TO THE PLAN ONCE IT'S ACTUALLY DEVELOPED IS WHERE LIKE A LOT OF TIMES THE REAL WORK IS BECAUSE IT LOOKS PRETTY ON THE OUTSIDE MM-HMM.
BUT IF YOU'RE NOT ACTUALLY STICKING TO IT AND WE'RE JUST GRANTING, UM, WORKAROUNDS EVERY SINGLE TIME, WE'RE STILL MISSING IT.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS WITH OUR COM, OUR PURPOSE IS TO ADVISE COUNCIL, COUNCIL IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO SERVE THE POOR AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE WITH THE EMPHASIS ON FEDERALLY FUNDED PROGRAMS. AND SO THAT MEANS THAT EQUITY, TRUE EQUITY DOES NEED TO, UM, BE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION.
AND WE ARE IN FACT, UM, THE BODY THAT CAN, UM, BE PARTNERS IN MAKING SURE THAT, UM, THEY REACH THE GOAL THAT THEY SO, UM, READILY SPEAK OF.
AND SO WE CAN MAYBE WE CAN HELP WITH THAT.
UM, WITH THAT, THOSE ARE ALL OF OUR PRESENTATIONS.
YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN FABULOUS TODAY.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
ARE AT THE POINT NOW OF, UM, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. AND, UM, GO AHEAD.VICE CHAIR, YOU HAVE SOME FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, SEE IF YOURS ARE THE SAME AS MINE.
I, I THINK WE, SOME OF US HAVE IT OKAY.
UM, SO YES, SO I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT ON THE USE OF $27 MILLION OF ANTI-DISPLACEMENT FUNDS FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE TOKYO ELECTRIC, UH, ELECTRON PROPERTY ON, UM, GROVE.
UM, ESPECIALLY SINCE, UH, THERE'S GONNA BE, UM, A DEVELOPMENT OF HOUSING THERE.
AND IF I REMEMBER, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE YEAR, BUT WE ACTUALLY, THIS COMMISSION ACTUALLY PASSED A RECOMMENDATION, UM, NOTING THAT THAT ANTI DISPLACEMENT MONEY FROM PROJECT CONNECT HAS TO BE USED FOR DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND SO WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THEIR COMMITMENT TO THAT.
IS HE BRINGING HOUSING OR PROJECT CONNECT HOUSING? HOUSING.
HOUSING IS GONNA TALK ABOUT THE 27 MILLIONS FROM THE PROJECT CONNECT MONEY THAT THEY HAVE.
AND WHY IT IS THAT IT'S NOT AT THE 30% AFFORDABLE, UM, MEDIAN INCOME, I DO BELIEVE.
UH, I HAVE, DOES ANYBODY ELSE, I HAVE ONE MORE, BUT I WANNA GIVE YOU, CAN YOU GO AHEAD WHAT YOU, I WANNA BRING UP, UM, SO COMMISSIONER DELGADO HERE, I JUST WANT TO BRING UP THE, UM, 'CAUSE BY THEN FOR THE MAY MEETING, WE WILL HAVE
[03:15:01]
A, UH, DRAFT FOR THE PRESERVATION.SO I WOULD LIKE TO PUT THAT AS AN ACTION ITEM.
UM, SO LETTER OF OUR RE OF OUR BOARD RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE PRESERVATION, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN PRESERVATION DEPARTMENT.
UM, ANOTHER ONE WAS, WAS ALIGNED WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER, UM, ELIAS, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD ALSO BRING PROJECT CONNECT.
ON THE SAME TIME THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING WITH HOUSING.
SO THEY CAN, THEY CAN BOTH CAN BE ALIGNED.
BECAUSE IF PROJECT CONNECT CAN TALK ABOUT THAT, WE'RE THEY'RE A UPDATES WHERE THEY'RE AT WITH THAT MONEY, WHAT'S, YOU KNOW, AND THEY CAN HEAR PUBLIC COMMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, SO.
BUT, UM, UM, MR. BLAKE, YOU GETTING ALL OF THAT, THE FACT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT NOT ONLY HOUSING, BUT PROJECT CONNECT AS WELL? YES.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE GET THOSE.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ALBERTO DELGADO.
UH, ANYBODY ELSE BEFORE I PUT MINE ON? COME ON.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING YOU SURE TO ADD TO THE OH, OKAY.
I DO WANT, I, I, OH, I, I, YES.
IS THIS THE PART WHERE I GUESS WE, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE TOO THAT, UH, SEE IF AT SOME POINT WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE ROSEWOOD DEVELOPMENT, UH, I JUST WANTED TO GET AN UPDATE ON HOW THAT PROJECT IS GOING AND IF, UM, THEY'RE KEEPING UP WITH THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAVE THE FIRST RIGHT TO RETURN MM-HMM.
AND, AND THEN JUST GET AN UPDATE.
A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE ASKING ABOUT AN UPDATE ON THE CONSTRUCTION MM-HMM.
SO IF, IF WE COULD ADD THAT TO THE HOUSING CONVERSATION AS WELL.
KEEP TALKING ABOUT HOUSING AUTHORITY.
THAT'S WHAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
UH, THAT HAD KIND OF FALLEN A LITTLE BIT OFF MY RADAR.
UM, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT, UH, UP.
I FIGURED YOU
WELL, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, I CURRENTLY DO WORK WELL, UM, AS A PARENT SUPPORT SPECIALIST.
UM, I'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM THAT DEPARTMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, JUST WANT TO PUT IT OUT THERE.
ALSO, UM, AUSTIN VOICES FOR EDUCATION AND YOUTH, JUST A WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION.
UH, THEY RE RECENTLY RECEIVED, UH, A $2 MILLION GRANT FROM THE MACKENZIE SCOTT FOUNDATION.
AND THEN, UM, ANOTHER, UH, TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS, UH, FEDERALLY FUNDED GRANT FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS AND THE TYPE OF ROLE THAT SCHOOLS PLAY IN THE COMMUNITY, JUST PROVIDING LIKE A FULL SERVICE SET OF LIKE A SUITE OF SERVICES FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO, UH, THOSE TWO ORGANIZATIONS, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND AUSTIN, ISD AND AUSTIN VOICES IS, ARE TWO GROUPS THAT I THINK THIS COMMISSION CAN LEARN A LOT FROM.
SO, AND, UH, ARE YOU PROPOSING THAT THEY COME AND GIVE A PRESENTATION OF SOME SORT OR YOU WANNA WORK WITH THEM AND, UM, THE, THE SAME WAY THAT I WAS DELIGHTED TO HEAR FROM IT WHEN SOMEBODY, I THINK AUSTIN VOICES WOULD BE SOMEONE WHO I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE.
SO WE CAN, UH, ADD THAT IN AND, AND WE ARE, WE ARE GOING TO, UM, GET A, UH, FORM, UM, OUT THAT ALLOWS YOU, US TO, UM, MAKE, UM, REQUESTS SO THAT WE CAN, UM, MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
MY VERY LAST, UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER LONGORIA.
I, I FELT YOU NEED TO SAY, OH, WELL YOU WERE, I WANTED, I FELT THERE WAS, UH, SOMETHING TO SAY OVER THERE, UM, PROCEDURES FOR PUBLIC SPEAKER PRESENTATIONS.
I THINK THAT IT WAS, UM, AGREED THAT WE'LL GET SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT, UH, GOING FORWARD.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT NEEDS TO BE A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM OR IF THAT JUST NEEDS TO BE COMMUNICATED, UM, UH, WITH, WITH ME.
BUT, UM, I DEFINITELY FEEL THAT ALL THE COMMISSIONERS ARE, HAVE SEEMED TO EXPRESS INTEREST IN THAT CONCERN.
UHHUH
IF A PRESENTER BRINGS A THUMB DRIVE, WE CAN, WE CAN USE A THUMB DRIVE AND PRESENT.
WE JUST CAN'T HAVE THEM SEND IT TO US AND US UPLOAD IT TO OUR BI BCIC WEBSITE SO THEY CAN BRING A THUMB DRIVE AND PRESENT TO US.
UM, I DID GET FEEDBACK ON THAT ALSO.
WE DID GET, UH, COMMISSIONER GARCIA'S RESIGNATION TODAY.
AH, UM, YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO ANNOUNCE IT'S A LETTER
[03:20:01]
DID RECEIVE THAT FROM HER TODAY.WELL, UM, WE DO WANT TO, UH, THANK COMMISSIONER, UH, GARCIA, UM, FOR THE SERVICE THAT SHE HAS IN FACT, UM, UM, RENDERED.
AND THAT OPENS UP, UH, YET ANOTHER SEAT, BUT THAT'S A NORTH, THAT'S OUR NORTH AUSTIN SEAT.
SO, UH, WE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, UH, AND EVERYTHING, BUT WE ARE STAFFING UP GUYS, SO THAT'S WORKING.
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, IF THERE IS NO OTHER CONCERNS, UH, YES.
I HAVE, UH, OH, I DO NEED TO, YEAH, I DO NEED TO RECOGNIZE HIM AGAIN.
AND I HAVE ON HERE RECOGNIZE, UH, GA, COMMISSIONER GAVIN PORTER FROM, UH, UH, NATASHA HARPER.
MADISON COMMISSIONER, UH, GAVIN PORTER, PLEASE.
I'M NOT SURE IF I'M DOING THIS RIGHT, BUT FOR THE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, I WAS WONDERING IF WE COULD HEAR FROM MS. JOSEPH AGAIN ABOUT, SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE LIGHT RAIL AND THEM USING FEDERAL FUNDING TO, UM, AND USING EQUITY TO GET THAT FEDERAL FUNDING.
I JUST WAS WONDERING IF THERE WAS, I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD DO THIS ON A PERSONAL BASIS, BUT I, I GET MORE DETAILS ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I ACTUALLY HEARD ABOUT IT, UM, AT SCHOOL, AT UT CURRENTLY.
AND, UM, IT DEFINITELY SEEMS LIKE SHE HAS SOMETHING GOING THERE.
AND I WOULD JUST WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT WHAT SHE'S, UM, LEARNED FROM THAT AND WHAT SHE UNDERSTANDS FROM THE PROCESS.
THAT WAS A PRESENTATION ON WHAT AGAIN? I I ON LIGHT? THE LIGHT.
AND NOW WHEN THE PROJECT CONNECT PEOPLE COME IN, WILL THEY BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT AS WELL? THE LIGHT RAIL IS THE LIGHT RAIL AND THE PROJECT CONNECT? YES.
A TP WOULD BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT WHEN THEY COME INTO PRESENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER ORTIZ.
UM, COMMISSIONER PORTER, WE, WE, THE, YOU, THIS WAS THE RIGHT TIME IN WHICH YOU DO SAY THAT.
SO THANK YOU AND WE DO WELCOME YOU.
UM, IT WAS THE ERROR OF THE CHAIR THAT I DIDN'T DO THE WELCOME AT THE VERY BEGINNING, UM, TO BE WELCOMED WHEN WE LEAVE.
UH, DON'T LET THAT, DON'T JUST CHALK THAT UP TO MY NOT SAYING SOMETHING AT THE BEGINNING.
UM, AND WITH THAT COMMISSIONERS, IT WAS A LONG MEETING, BUT THIS WAS A PRODUCTIVE MEETING AND I FEEL REALLY STRONG ABOUT IT.
AND, UM, UH, WE ARE ADJOURNED.