[00:00:01]
COUNCIL MEMBERS NATASHA HARPER MADISON, VANESSA FUENTES, JOSE VELASQUEZ, CHEETO VELA, RYAN ALTER, MACKENZIE, KELLY, PAIGE ELLIS, ZOE CADRE, ALISON ALTER, INTERIM CITY ATTORNEY DEBORAH THOMAS.
CITY CLERK MYRNA RIOS, AND CITY MANAGER, TC BROAD.
[Call to Order]
GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY.I'LL CALL TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
IT'S 10:01 AM ON SEPTEMBER 12TH, 2024.
WE ARE MEETING IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, WHICH ARE LOCATED, UH, IN CITY HALL 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AND WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL PRESENT.
UH, I WANT TO THANK THE CITY MANAGER.
HE, UH, WORKING WITH A TXN, WHO PRODUCED, UH, A WAY TO OPEN THESE COUNCIL MEETINGS AND, AND WE APPRECIATE HIM, UH, TAKE TAKING THE CREATIVE, UH, ORE AND, AND PUTTING THAT TOGETHER FOR US.
UH, LET ME WALK THROUGH THE ORDER OF THE DAY FOR THE CITY COUNCIL.
UH, WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE WILL START WITH, UH, ME READING CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS INTO THE RECORD IN JUST A SECOND, AND THEN WE WILL GO TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA, AND WE WILL HEAR FROM OUR CONSENT AGENDA SPEAKERS, BOTH VIRTUALLY AND IN PERSON.
AND I'LL CLARIFY THAT IF AN ITEM IS PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA, AGENDA, ANYONE WHO IS REGISTERED TO SPEAK ON THE PULLED ITEM WILL BE CALLED WHEN THE ITEM IS HEARD.
WE WILL THEN GO TO THE CONSENT VOTE, UH, WITH BRIEF COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS.
I WILL ALSO ANNOUNCE IN JUST A MINUTE, UH, THE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
WE WILL THEN HEAR FROM NON-CONSENT SPEAKERS, BOTH VIRTUALLY AND IN PERSON.
UH, THAT WILL, THOSE ITEMS ARE OUR IMMINENT DOMAIN ITEMS, ITEM 61 THROUGH 66, AND OUR PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS 67 THROUGH 74.
WE WILL CLOSE THOSE PUBLIC HEARINGS AT THE TIME AND TAKE ANY IMMEDIATE ACTION.
AGAIN, I WANNA CLARIFY THAT AT THE TIME ANYONE IS, IF ANYONE IS REGISTERED TO SPEAK, UH, AND NOT WITH THE CONS AND DON'T, AND YOU DON'T SPEAK WITH THE CONSENT SPEAKERS, UH, AS WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, IF YOU'RE REGISTERED TO SPEAK ON ONE OF THESE ITEMS, WE WILL CALL FOR YOU AT THE TIME THE ITEM IS CALLED UP.
WE WILL HEAR OUR NOON PUBLIC COMMENT.
THEN WE WILL HAVE, WE WILL HAVE LIVE MUSIC.
I WANNA BE CLEAR ABOUT THIS TOO, BECAUSE AT, AT THE TIME WE RECESS FOR LIVE MUSIC, WE WILL RECESS UNTIL, UH, ONE O'CLOCK.
UH, AT THAT POINT IN TIME, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL COME BACK IN AND AT THE ONE O'CLOCK, AT ONE O'CLOCK, WE WILL RECESS.
UH, WE, WE WILL CALL TO ORDER THE SPECIAL CALL MEETING, BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE BEEN IN RECESS.
WE WILL COME BACK IN, WE WILL HAVE A SPECIAL CALL MEETING THAT IS AN EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM.
WE WILL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE WILL ADJOURN THE SPECIAL CALLED MEETING, AND I WILL CALL BACK TO ORDER THIS REGULAR MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, AT TWO O'CLOCK, WE WILL HAVE OUR TIME CERTAIN AND, UH, WHICH DEALS WITH ZONING AND NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING.
I'LL NOW READ CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS INTO THE RECORD.
ITEM NUMBER 62 IS POSTPONED TO OCTOBER 24TH, 2024.
ITEM NUMBER 67 IS WITHDRAWN AND REPLACED BY ITEM NUMBER 70.
ITEMS 68 AND 71 SHOULD READ WHEN PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE TAKEN UP.
THESE ITEMS WILL BE POSTPONED TO SEPTEMBER 26TH, 2024.
AND WHEN WE GET TO ITEM, I'LL, I'LL JUST MENTION THAT'S, THAT IS A CHANGE OF CORRECTION AND, AND ACCURATELY READ INTO THE RECORD.
BUT WHEN WE GET TO ITEM NUMBER 68, UH, THERE WILL BE SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THE TIME OF THAT POSTPONEMENT.
ITEM NUMBER 70, WHEN PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE TAKEN UP, THESE ITEMS WILL BE POSTPONED TO NOVEMBER 7TH, 2024, ITEMS 72 AND 73.
WHEN PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE TAKEN UP, THESE ITEMS WILL BE POSTPONED TO OCTOBER 10TH, 2024.
AND ITEM NUMBER ONE 10 SHOULD HAVE, SHOULD READ A VALID PETITION HAS BEEN FILED IN OPPOSITION TO THIS ITEM.
IT SHOULD DELETE DISTRICT NINE AND SHOULD INSTEAD SAY, DISTRICT 10 MEMBERS ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PULLED OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE ITEMS 6, 7, 8,
[00:05:01]
AND 26.ITEMS 6, 7, 8, AND 26 ARE PULLED OFF OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UNLESS THERE'S QUESTIONS, WE WILL NOW, WE WILL NOW GO TO THE CONSENT AGENDA, AND I WILL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK.
UH, WELL TO, TO WALK US THROUGH THAT.
BEFORE WE DO THAT, THOUGH, I WANNA ALSO READ SOMETHING IN THE RECORD AS PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, AND THAT'S RELATED ITEMS 58 59 AND 60.
ITEMS 58 59 AND 60 RELATE TO THE COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS FOR THE CITY AUDITOR, CITY CLERK, AND THE MUNICIPAL COURT CLERK.
EACH ITEM CONTAINS A BLANK THAT MUST BE FILLED IN FOR THEIR SALARIES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025.
ITEM 58 FOR THE CITY AUDITOR SHOULD INCLUDE AN ANNUAL SALARY OF $208,020 AND 80 CENTS.
ITEM NUMBER 59 FOR THE CITY CLERK SHOULD INCLUDE AN ANNUAL SALARY OF $191,110 AND 40 CENTS.
ITEM 60 FOR THE MUNICIPAL COURT CLERK SHOULD INCLUDE AN ANNUAL SALARY OF $196,081 AND 60 CENTS.
THESE REFLECT A 4% BASE SALARY ADJUST ADJUSTMENT THE SAME AMOUNT AS WAS GIVEN TO NON-SWORN EMPLOYEES MEMBERS BY DOING THIS TODAY.
THAT MEANS THESE THREE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY WILL GET THE 4% INCREASE ON OCTOBER 1ST, LIKE THE OTHER EMPLOYEES.
AND YOU'LL RECALL THAT THE PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS FOR THESE THREE APPOINTEES WERE CONDUCTED ON FEBRUARY 29TH, 2024.
[Public Comment]
OUR CITY CLERK AND ASK IF SHE WILL HELP US NAVIGATE THE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.OKAY, MAYOR, WE STILL DON'T HAVE ANY, UM, REMOTE SPEAKERS, SO WE'LL, WE WILL GO TO IN PERSON WITH WILLIAM BUNCH, SPEAKING ON ITEM TWO.
JOSEPH CRAIG NAZO, ROY WHALEY, CRYSTAL SMITH.
IF YOUR NAME HAS BEEN CALLED, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE PODIUM.
FIRST TIME I'VE EVER BEEN FIRST, UH, MY NAME IS CRAIG NASER.
I AM THE CONSERVATION CHAIR OF THE STATE CHAPTER OF THE SIERRA CLUB, AND I'M COMING DOWN HERE WITH A BIG SUPPORT FOR ITEM NUMBER 57.
AS YOU KNOW, P-P-A-S-P-F-A-S HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE HIGHLY TOXIC, AND IT LASTS A VERY LONG TIME IN OUR ENVIRONMENT.
AND THIS IS A MAJOR CONCERN WITH SIERRA CLUB NATIONAL SIERRA CLUB.
UH, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANNA POINT OUT IS WHEN YOU HAVE A FIRE AND YOU SPRAY FOAM WITH PFAS IN IT ONTO ALL THAT MATERIAL, WHEN THAT MATERIAL'S REMOVED, ALL THAT MATERIAL SOAKED WITH PFAS GOES TO OUR LANDFILLS.
AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A RECKONING COMING SOON ABOUT THE PFAS THAT'S LEFT IN LANDFILLS.
THERE ALREADY HAS BEEN A LOT OF, UH, RESEARCH INTO THIS, AND SOONER OR LATER, SOMEONE IS GONNA BE CHARGED FOR TRYING TO CLEAN OUT THOSE LANDFILLS WITH ALL THE PFAS.
SO, I THINK THIS IS A REALLY, REALLY BIG ISSUE, A REALLY GOOD ISSUE, A REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR THE CITY TO GET AHEAD OF THIS SO WE CAN AVOID THOSE COSTS BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA BE BIG.
BUT ANYWAY, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR TAKING THIS UP.
THANK ALL OF YOU FOR, FOR, FOR SUPPORTING THIS, AND, UH, PLEASE VOTE FOR IT.
I'M CRYSTAL SMITH WITH FOSTER VILLAGE.
UH, OUR, OUR ORGANIZATION WAS FOUNDED BY FOSTER PARENTS WHO SAW A NEED AND OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO GET INVOLVED.
AND WE'VE DONE THIS THROUGH RESOURCE CENTERS IN AUSTIN, AND THESE RESOURCE CENTERS SERVE AS A HUB OF SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN INTERSECTING WITH THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM.
WE ARE NEEDING TO EXPAND, AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT ON DESAL ROAD.
AND, UH, THE PROPERTY THAT IS BEING OFFERED TO US WILL ALLOW US TO, UH, GROW OUR SERVICES AND REACH MORE CHILDREN.
WE HAVE THE SUPPORT OF JUDGE MARTINEZ JONES, UH, DFPS, AND, UH, SEVERAL OTHER STAKEHOLDERS WHO KNOW THE VALUE OF THIS.
[00:10:01]
WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR COUNCIL'S SUPPORT IN, UH, PASSING THE REZONING SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD OUR RESOURCE CENTERS, UH, EQUIP FAMILIES WITH ESSENTIAL ITEMS, CONNECT THEM WITH ONGOING THERAPEUTIC SUPPORT SERVICES, AND PROVIDE A PLACE OF RESPITE.AND, UH, WE INTEND TO PRESERVE THE NATURE AND ALL OF THE, UH, BEAUTIFUL FEATURES THAT ARE ALREADY THERE.
AND SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT ON THIS.
THANK YOU, MR. WELL, YOUR NAME'S BEEN INVOLVED IF YOU'D LIKE TO.
I'M SORRY, WHAT ITEM? UH, NUMBER WAS, UH, THE PRIOR ITEM? 43? NO, HANG ON.
I, WE, WE ONLY HAVE ONE PERSON AT THE PODIUM AT THE DAY, AT A TIME.
G GREET, UH, MAYOR WATSON, UH, AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
I'M MICHAEL LOFTON, UH, WITH THE AFRICAN AMERICAN YOUTH HARVEST FOUNDATION AND THE TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTER.
UH, OF COURSE, I'LL START OUT BY SAYING I'M HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 43.
DEFINITELY WOULD LOVE FOR YOU ALL TO SUPPORT THAT ITEM.
BUT BEFORE I SPEAK TO A COUPLE OF THINGS, I WANT TO TAKE MY HAT OFF TO SISTER FUENTES, UH, SISTER, UH, ALLISON AL ALTER.
I SAY THAT BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSE TOGETHER, BROTHER CHEETO.
UH, AND BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN THERE, YOU KNOW, A FEW YEARS AGO, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY, THEY HAVE TAKEN ON, UH, THE CHALLENGE OF MENTAL HEALTH.
UH, AND THEY, UH, WE WERE AWARDED A TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTER GRANT, UH, IN RECEIVING THAT GRANT, IT WAS A PILOT.
UH, WE WERE VERY HAPPY TO RECEIVE THAT.
AND I WANNA SAY TO THE CITY COUNCIL, THE FUNDING THAT WAS MADE AVAILABLE FOR THAT PILOT THAT WAS PARTIALLY NEGOTIATED WITH THE NATIONAL TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTER OUT OF, UH, SAN FRANCISCO.
AND SO WHEN THEY CAME UP WITH THE GOAL, THEN THAT GOAL WAS 120.
AND SO THERE WAS A PILOT, UH, WITH THE FUNDS THAT WERE ALLOCATED WHERE I'M HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO SAY TO YOU ALL, AND ALSO I WANT TO THANK, UH, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH AS WELL, BECAUSE WE MEET WITH THEM ON A MONTHLY BASIS TO TALK ABOUT WHERE WE AT AND THE NUMBERS AND THE CLIENTS THAT WE SERVE.
WE HAVE SERVED, UH, PRETTY CLOSE TO 450 CLIENTS, WHEREAS, AND WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER 300 THAT IS ALSO OVER AND ABOVE.
WE ARE ALMOST AT 800 CLIENTS ON OUR BUDGET AND A GOAL OF 120.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH A PH, AND SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE TO REPORT THESE NUMBERS.
BUT IN ADDITION, UH, TO THAT, I ALSO WANT TO ADD, UH, AND SHARE THAT IN RECENT, UH, WEEKS I'VE MET WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PHILES, BUT ALSO NEW INFORMATION TO SHARE IS THAT WE'VE ALSO MET WITH CENTRAL HEALTH.
WE'VE MET WITH, UH, JONATHAN MORGAN.
WE'VE MET WITH PATRICK LEE, AND THEY HAVE DECIDED TO ALLOCATE FUNDING TO US AS WELL.
WE WILL BE MEETING WITH, UH, UH, VANESSA FUENTES AND AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
RIGHT NOW, THAT NUMBER IS 800,000 BECAUSE THEY RECOGNIZE THE COST, UH, OF WHAT IT TAKES TO DO THIS HERE.
UH, RECENTLY, OUR CONTRACT, UH, WE WENT FROM, WE STARTED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2023.
THE, UH, CENTER OPENED NOVEMBER 1ST.
UH, WE WERE THINKING THAT THE CONTRACT WAS GOING TO END AROUND, UH, AUGUST, BUT IT'S BEEN EXTENDED A MONTH, WHICH HAS, YOU KNOW, PUT US IN A FINANCIAL STRAIN.
UH, MS. FUENTES HAS, UH, THOSE CHALLENGES THERE THAT WE'RE FACING, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THAT STRAIN IS NOT COMING FROM LACK OF MANAGEMENT.
AND SO WE CAN'T TURN AWAY KIDS, WE CAN'T TURN AWAY FAMILIES, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE NOTES THAT I'VE SHARED, YOU KNOW, UH, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF KIDS AND A NUMBER OF FAMILIES THAT COME AND THINK SUICIDE IS THE ANSWER.
AND SO, WHICH IS NOT, I NEED TO EXTEND AND INVITE, AND I'M SORRY, I'M GONNA END THIS HERE.
OKAY? UH, UH, I NEED TO EXTEND AND INVITE TO CITY COUNCIL TO COME OUT.
I WANT Y'ALL TO KNOW THAT THE DOJ IS COMING DOWN TO VISIT US.
AND SO I'LL FOLLOW UP, BUT I'D LIKE FOR Y'ALL TO COME OUT.
PLEASE DO FOLLOW UP WITH US, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOOD WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU, MR. YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
CALVIN KELLY, YOU KNOW WHAT? CAN I, AND ENOVIA JOSEPH IS ON DECK.
WHAT CAN, WHAT CAN I SAY TO FOLLOW UP WITH WHAT MICHAEL HAS ALREADY SAID? UH, AGAIN, THANKING ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANKING A PH AND FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT.
UH, WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE'RE PROVIDING HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, AND WITHOUT THE SUPPORT FROM YOU ALL, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE.
MS. JOSEPH, ARE YOU PRESENT? MS. JOSEPH?
[00:15:01]
MS. JOSEPH? ALRIGHT, ONE SECOND.MR. MASSING? MR. MASSING? BRAD MASSING.
MR. BUNCH OR MR. WHALEY? MR. BUNCH.
WILLIAM BUNCH OR ROY WHALEY? ALL RIGHT.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE SPEAKERS FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UH, MEMBERS, THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE SPEAKERS ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
[Consent Agenda]
I'LL ASK, IS THERE ANY, ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT ANY MEMBER WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IT WAS READ? REMEMBER, THE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE 6, 7, 8, AND 26.ALL RIGHT, THEN I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.
UH, THAT'LL TAKE US TO DISCUSSION AND I'LL, UH, RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, THEN COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY.
I JUST WANTED TO, UM, PUT A SPOTLIGHT IN SOME OF THE REMARKS WE HEAR FROM OUR COMMUNITY ON THE NEED FOR INVESTMENT IN THE AUSTIN TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTER.
THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE RESOURCE THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CITY.
IT'S THE FIRST IN OUR STATE WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE A ONE STOP, UH, SHOP OF SERVICES AND SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE VICTIMS OF VIOLENT CRIME.
UH, THE TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTER ALSO SERVED AS A REGIONAL RESOURCE, UM, FOR THE VICTIMS AND FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS FROM THE MOST RECENT, UH, ROUND ROCK JUNETEENTH GUN SHOOTING THAT OUR COMMUNITY EXPERIENCED.
AND SO, WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT THIS TYPE OF SERVICE IS DESPERATELY NEEDED.
UH, THE HARVEST TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTER HAS, HAS HELPED MORE THAN, UM, MORE INDIVIDUALS THAN THEY WERE CONTRACTED FOR.
AND SO THAT IS ANOTHER TESTAMENT AS TO THE LEVEL OF NEED THAT WE DO.
AND SO I WANT TO THANK THE HARVEST TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTER FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING, AND I'M PLEASED TO BE PART OF A COUNCIL THAT CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THIS INVESTMENT.
TODAY WE TAKE UP AN IMPORTANT ITEM I AUTHOR THAT'S INTENDED TO FURTHER PROTECT THE LONG-TERM QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS.
AND I THINK IT'S ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT AS WE REMEMBER THE BRAVE FIREFIGHTERS WHO WE LOST ON SEPTEMBER 11TH BY HONORING THEIR SACRIFICE AND ENSURING THAT OUR CURRENT AND FUTURE HEROES ARE SAFE.
WITH ITEM 57, WE ARE DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO INVENTORY AND CREATE A PLAN TO PHASE OUT EQUIPMENT CONTAINING THE CANCER CAUSING AGENTS KNOWN AS PER AND POLYFLOR OL KILL SUBSTANCES OR PFAS.
THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE BOTH REMARKED THAT THESE MATERIALS ARE DANGEROUS, AND EVEN THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIREFIGHTERS HAVE CALLED FOR THE MATERIALS TO BE BANNED.
I WANNA TAKE A QUICK MOMENT TO THANK OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT LEADERSHIP, INCLUDING CHIEF BAKER AND ASSISTANT CHIEF FIRES, WHO'S HERE IN THE ROOM TONIGHT.
UM, FOR THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE ALREADY ON IDENTIFYING WAYS TO ELIMINATE PFAS FROM THE FIRE EQUIPMENT, MY HOPE IS THAT WITH THIS RESOLUTION, WE CAN FURTHER EMPOWER THEIR WORK AND PROTECT OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO RUN INTO DANGER WHEN OTHERS RUN OUT.
UM, THE AUSTIN FIRE ASSOCIATION DID EMAIL YOU ALL COLLEAGUES EARLIER THIS MORNING IN SUPPORT OF THE ITEM.
AND FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO THANK MY CO-SPONSORS, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, RYAN ALTER, AND NATASHA HARPER.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? COUNCIL MEMBER VELA MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, BE ADDED TO, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY'S ITEM 57.
IF WITHOUT OBJECTION, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA WILL BE SHOWN AS A CO-SPONSOR.
IS THAT WHAT Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO, UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION.
YOU WERE ALREADY, YOU WANNA SPEAK? OKAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ WILL ALSO BE SHOWN AS A CO-SPONSOR OF THAT ITEM.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER.
UM, SO THIS IS ANOTHER LONG AGENDA, AND THERE ARE MANY, MANY ITEMS ON HERE THAT WE COULD FLAG.
I WANNA JUST HIGHLIGHT, UM, THAT THERE ARE, UM, ARE SEVERAL PUBLIC HEALTH ITEMS RELATED TO MATERNAL HEALTH RELATED TO SERVING THE ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY FOR HIV.
UM, THERE'S ITEMS FOR CHILDCARE, UM, ON HERE.
THERE'S WORK, UM, HAVING TO DO WITH CYBERSECURITY.
UM, BUT I ALSO WANT TO, TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY FOR HER LEADERSHIP ON ITEM 57 WITH RESPECT TO THE PAS AND OTHER CHEMICALS, UM, WITHIN THE EQUIPMENT THAT OUR FIREFIGHTERS ARE, ARE DEPLOYING.
AND THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING ME AS A, A CO-SPONSOR IN THAT EFFORT.
UM, AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK
[00:20:01]
TO THE TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTER BRIEFLY.UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS INITIATIVE THAT BUILT OFF THE WORK THAT WE DID IN LAUNCHING THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND SAYING THAT WE AS A CITY WERE COMMITTED TO TAKING A PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH, UM, TO GUN VIOLENCE.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES LED ON, ON MOVING THIS FORWARD, AND, AND I'VE BEEN PROUD TO, TO SUPPORT THAT EFFORT.
UM, THE TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTER IS THE FIRST IN TEXAS.
UM, IT'S ALSO UNIQUE IN THAT IT IS A ONE-STOP SHOP.
SO WE HAVE PUT MANY, MANY DIFFERENT NONPROFITS TOGETHER IN THE SIMILAR SPACE, UM, WHICH ADDS AND MULTIPLIES, UM, THE VALUE OF THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE MAKE IN THE TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTER.
I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT THERE'S SOME MOVEMENT ON SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM OTHER PARTNERS, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, TO LEARNING MORE IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT THE CENTER OR, OR CHECK IT OUT OR SEE THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.
UM, PLEASE TAKE MR. LOFTON UP ON THE INNOVATION, THE INVITATION.
UM, I SUSPECT WE'LL HAVE A, A ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION.
UM, THIS IS ALSO A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THE CITY COUNTY, UM, COLLABORATION.
AND I THINK IT'S MOVING FORWARD IN, YOU KNOW, COLLABORATION WITH THE DIVERSION CENTER, ET CETERA.
UM, AND SO I JUST WANNA, YOU KNOW, APPLAUD AGAIN, OUR ABILITY, UM, TO MOVE THINGS NOW, UM, THAT ARE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE COUNTY AS WE TRY TO SOLVE PROBLEMS THAT WE SHARE, UM, AND, AND LEVERAGE OUR RESOURCES TO THE BEST IN EFFECT.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA MEMBERS? THE CONSENT AGENDA? UM, THE MOTION WAS MADE AND SECONDED.
I WANT IT FOR CLARITY PURPOSES AND FOR THE RECORD, THE MOTION INCLUDES MY READING INTO THE RECORD ON ITEMS 50 THAT I, BEFORE WE BEGIN, ON ITEMS 58, 59 AND 60 RELATED TO THE SALARIES OF THE CITY AUDITOR, THE CITY CLERK, AND THE MUNICIPAL COURT CLERK, IS THERE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO BE SHOWN ABSTAINING FROM A VOTE ON ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN RECUSING THEMSELVES FROM A VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN RECORDING A NO VOTE ON ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ADOPTED.
MEMBERS THAT WILL TAKE US TO ITEMS THAT WERE PULLED.
WE WILL FIRST CALL UP ITEMS SIX, SEVEN, AND EIGHT, UH, THOSE, AND WE HAVE CITY STAFF COMING FORWARD TO MAKE A PRESENTATION ON ITEMS SIX, SEVEN, AND EIGHT.
UM, IT'S OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, AND THEY WILL MAKE A PRESENT A JOINT PRESENTATION WITH REGARD TO THOSE ITEMS. GOOD MORNING COUNSEL.
ANOVIA HORA, DIRECTOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
WE ARE HERE TODAY TO GIVE YOU A SHORT BRIEFING ON THREE ITEMS, SIX, SEVEN, AND EIGHT AROUND OUR BUSINESS EXPANSION PROGRAM PLACE-BASED ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM AND ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICT FRAMEWORK.
[Items 6, 7, & 8]
ITEM NUMBER SIX, AND MY APOLOGIES THAT THE, THAT IT'S OUT OF ORDER, BUT WE'RE GONNA START WITH PLAY SPACE ENHANCEMENT.SO AS PART OF THE 2018, UH, UPDATE OF OUR CHAPTER THREE 80 POLICY CONCERNS FROM, WE HEARD CONCERNS FROM THE COMMUNITY AROUND AFFORDABILITY FOR THE CREATIVE SECTOR AND SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPANT.
BECAUSE OF THAT FEEDBACK, WE HAVE PROPOSED A PROGRAM CALLED PLAY SPACE ENHANCEMENT.
AND I'M GONNA ASK OUR SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT, DONALD, TO WALK YOU THROUGH THE PROPOSED PROGRAM AND EXAMPLE.
UH, YES, AS OUR DIRECTOR SAID, UH, DURING OUR REVIEW OF OUR INCENTIVE PROGRAMS IN 2018, UH, THE AFFORDABILITY FOR CREATIVE SPACES AND SMALL BUSINESSES WAS HU WAS DAYLIGHTED AS A MAJOR CONCERN.
AND SO WE WERE DIRECTED BY CITY COUNCIL TO BEGIN EXPLORING A PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY TO START ADDRESSING THAT, AS WELL AS AFFORDABILITY NEEDS FOR, UH, PROGRAMS THAT OFFERED HIGH VALUE COMMUNITY SERVICES IN UNDERSERVED AREAS.
SO, TAKING UP THAT, UH, DIRECTION, UH, WE WENT THROUGH A PROCESS TO DEVELOP A PROGRAM AND DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND THAT.
UH, WE TOOK ON A CONSULTANT, RICK CUNNINGHAM, WHO DEVELOPED A REPORT THAT INCLUDES, UH, MARKET RESEARCH, UH, BEST PRACTICES COMPARISON TO OTHER PROGRAMS, UH, THAT ALSO INCLUDED FOCUS GROUPS FROM A VARIETY OF INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS.
AND THEN AS WE DEVELOPED OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, AND PROGRAM, UH, PLAN, WE ALSO DID PRESENTATIONS TO A VARIETY OF COMMISSIONS AND STAKEHOLDER GROUPS TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK AND SUPPORT
[00:25:03]
THE PROGRAM WE'RE PROPOSING, UH, WE'RE CALLING THE PLACE-BASED ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM.UH, IT'S FOCUSED AROUND, UH, ENCOURAGING AFFORDABLE COMMERCIAL SPACE FOR THE CREATIVE SECTOR FOR LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES, UH, FOR COMMUNITY SERVING PROJECTS AND FOR NEEDED INFRASTRUCTURE IN, UH, UNDERSERVED AREAS.
THE INCENTIVE ITSELF IS, IT'S PRIMARILY A REAL ESTATE BASED INCENTIVE, SO IT'S BASED ON, I, UH, MOST OF THE CATEGORIES IN THE INCENTIVE WOULD BE BASED ON, UH, NEW INVESTMENT AND CONSTRUCTION AND REAL ESTATE THAT PROVIDE, UH, MAJOR COMMUNITY SERVICES, THE PRIMARY COMMUNITY SERVICE BEING AFFORDABLE SPACE FOR THESE TARGET GROUPS, UH, OR IN SOME CASES, PRESERVATION OF EXISTING MUSIC VENUES, CREATIVE SPACES OR LEGACY BUSINESSES, UH, DEFINED VERY STRICTLY, UM, THAT ARE BEING THREATENED BY HIGH REAL ESTATE COSTS.
THE PROGRAM WOULD HAVE FOUR CATEGORIES AS WE'RE PROPOSING IT.
THE FIRST CATEGORY IS ESSENTIALLY, UH, AN INCENTIVE TO DEVELOPERS OR PROPERTY OWNERS OF COMMERCIAL OR MIXED USE PROPERTY THAT WOULD, UH, BASICALLY, UH, PROVIDE AN INCENTIVE FOR THEM TO PROVIDE BELOW MARKET RENT TO, UH, THOSE, THOSE GROUPS WE'RE TRYING TO SUPPORT.
UH, CATEGORY TWO, UH, WHICH WE'RE CALLING COMMUNITY IMPACT WOULD SUPPORT, UH, MORE OWNER OPERATOR PROGRAMS, ESPECIALLY FOR, UH, FILLING NEEDED, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE GAPS LIKE CHILDCARE CENTERS OR GROCERY STORES AND FOOD DESERTS.
UH, CULTURE, UH, CATEGORY THREE, UH, WE'RE CALLING CULTURAL PRESERVATION.
THAT'S THE ONLY CATEGORY THAT WOULD BE, UH, ELIGIBLE FOR EXISTING SPACES.
AND REALLY IT'S JUST SORT OF A, A TAX REIMBURSEMENT TO HELP MITIGATE ANY SORT OF DISPLACEMENT PRESSURE ON, UH, CREATIVE SPACES, MUSIC VENUES, AND LEGACY BUSINESSES THAT WE ARE DEFINING AS LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT ARE PUBLIC FACING 20 YEARS OR OLDER.
UH, CATEGORY FOUR, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
THIS IS WHEN WE WORKED A LOT WITH OUR PARTNERS IN THE, UH, FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT ABOUT, UH, THIS IS ONE WHERE, UH, THAT HAS A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY FOR PROVIDING TRANSFORMATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, AS PART OF CITY LED PROJECTS SPECIFICALLY.
SO THINKING ABOUT, UH, SOME OF THE CURRENT PROJECTS THAT ARE IN DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING COLONY PARK OR SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT, THAT'S TOOL WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR, FOR THAT.
BUT THOSE ARE, THAT WOULD ONLY BE APPLICABLE, UH, FOR PROJECTS THAT HAVE A HIGH LEVEL OF CITY ENGAGEMENT AND OVERSIGHT.
AS I SAID, OUR COMMUNITY BENEFIT TARGETS, THE PRIMARY ONES WE'RE LOOKING AT ARE MUSIC VENUES AND CREATIVE SPACES, LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES, NONPROFITS AND CO-OPS, AND THEN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
UH, SPECIFIC HIGH IMPACT PROJECTS THAT CAN, UH, BENEFIT UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY OR FILL A GAP.
THINGS LIKE, UH, CHILDCARE CENTERS OR, UH, GROCERY STORES AND FOOD DESERTS, UH, FOOD HUBS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, AS A REAL ESTATE PROGRAM, OH, IF YOU GO BACK, UH, AS A REAL ESTATE PROGRAM, UH, WE HAD SORT OF TARGET AREAS WHERE THESE WOULD BE, UH, INTENDED FOR, UH, PRIMARY DEPLOYMENT.
THAT WOULD BE OUR ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DISTRICTS THAT, THAT ARE DESIGNATED.
UH, THIS CAN ALSO BE USED FOR THE EQUITABLE, UH, THE ETOD AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN RECENTLY PASSED TO SUPPORT AFFORDABLE, UH, COMMERCIAL SPACE FOR THOSE, THOSE USERS IN THOSE, IN THOSE AREAS.
UH, AND AGAIN, CITY LED REDEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES AND, UH, PRIORITY EQUITY AREAS WHERE, UH, WE CAN, UH, USE THE TOOL TO HELP ENHANCE, UH, ANTI DISPLACEMENT AND PRESERVATION EFFORTS, UH, FOR, TO FURTHER NEIGHBORHOOD BASED EQUITY.
UH, WE HAVE AN EXAMPLE, AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AFFORDABILITY AND AFFORDABLE COMMERCIAL SPACE, THERE ISN'T REALLY A FEDERAL STANDARD FOR AFFORDABILITY LIKE THERE IS FOR HOUSING WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COMMERCIAL SPACE OR CREATIVE SPACES.
UH, FOR, FOR OUR PROGRAM, WE'RE PROPOSING TO USE BASICALLY 50% OF THE MARKET RATE FOR THE RELEVANT, UH, COMMERCIAL CATEGORY, UH, OR USING A, UH, RENT TO REVENUE RATIO BASED ON SALES, WHICH IS KIND OF A STANDARD THING FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF COMMERCIAL PROJECTS WITH A, A, A ESCALATION CAP, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT YOU ALSO SEE PRETTY COMMONLY IN MULTI, UH, MULTI-YEAR COMMERCIAL, UH, REAL ESTATE CONTRACTS.
UH, THE WAY WE'D BE SORT OF, UH, SIZING THIS INCENTIVE WOULD BE, UH, MOST OF, YOU KNOW, GENERALLY SPEAKING PROJECTS WOULD HAVE TO BE FISCALLY UH, NEUTRAL OR POSITIVE FOR THE CITY.
BUT WITHIN THAT, UH, THE, UH, WITHIN THAT CONSTRAINT, WE'D BE SIZING THE INCENTIVE TO BASICALLY FILL THE GAP CREATED BY PROVIDING A COMMUNITY SERVICE.
SO, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, IN THE EXAMPLE I HAVE HERE, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE BE THINKING ABOUT A, AN EXAMPLE FROM THE NEW ETOD ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED.
UH, SOMEONE BUILDING A 12 STORY BUILDING AND THEN PROVIDING AFFORDABLE SPACE FOR A THEATER AND THE GROUND FLOOR.
UH, THEY'D BE DOING IT BELOW MARKET A 50% MARKET BY OFFERING THAT REDUCED RENT.
THAT CREATES SOMETHING OF A GAP IN THEIR OPERATING PRO FORMA.
AND SO WE'D SIZE THE INCENTIVE TO HELP TRY AND MEET THAT GAP, UH, BECAUSE THEY'D BE PROVIDING THE PRIMARY COMMUNITY SERVICES.
WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, SUPPORTING AN ARTS VENUE, GIVING THEM A LONG-TERM LEASE, GIVING THEM BELOW MARKET, UH, LEASES.
AND THAT WOULD, UH, THAT WOULD HELP KIND OF MAKE THE DEVELOPMENT
[00:30:01]
WHOLE TO SUPPORT BOTH THE THEATER AND THE PROJECT.THAT CONCLUDES OUR PLACE-BASED ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM.
AND I DO WANNA SAY IT IS, UM, WHEN I PUT THE SCREEN ON TO SEE WHAT THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION HERE, IT'S DIFFICULT TO FOLLOW ALONG ON THE PRESENTATION BECAUSE THE TRANSCRIPT IS ON THE BOTTOM.
SO THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE SLIDE IS COVERED UP.
I DO LOOK AT THIS SCREEN, BUT IF THERE'S A WAY WE CAN GET EMAILS TO THE PRESENTATION IN ADVANCE, UM, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
'CAUSE IT'S DIFFICULT TO FOLLOW ALONG DURING THE, THE BRIEFING.
UM, THE FIRST QUESTION I HAVE IS, YOU KNOW, PART OF MY CONCERN, SORRY, I GOT LOGGED OUTTA MY COMPUTER HERE, UM, IS, YOU KNOW, THE TIME OUR COMMUNITY HAS HAD TO, UH, CONSIDER THIS NEW, UH, INVESTMENT PACKAGE.
I MEAN, IT'S EXCITING NEW INVESTMENT AREA FOR US TO PROVIDE INCENTIVES FOR AREAS WHERE WE DESPERATELY NEED THESE TYPE OF RETAIL SPACES TO COME INTO OUR COMMUNITIES.
BUT I KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THE EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL JUST CONSIDERED IT LAST NIGHT, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING.
IS THAT RIGHT? UH, I, I BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE, THAT WAS A DIFFERENT PROGRAM THAT, UH, MIGHT BE SPOKEN ON IN A FEW MINUTES.
THIS PRO, UH, IF YOU LOOK AT THE, THE BACKUP, WE ACTUALLY, UH, PRESENTED TO THE EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL ON THIS INCENTIVE PROGRAM SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, AND THEY, THEY VOTED TO SUPPORT IT.
SO THAT, THAT WOULD BE PROVIDE SEVEN? YES.
THEN NOW I, I WILL HOLD MY QUESTIONS FOR THE, IS THERE ANOTHER BRIEFING THEN COMING? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, THE, THE NATURE OF THE INCENTIVES.
HOW ARE THE INCENTIVES OF BEING PROVIDED TO THE, THE BUSINESSES IN QUESTION? IS THIS AS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS OR IS THIS, UH, AS PART OF, YOU KNOW, THE, FOR EXAMPLE, PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENTS? WHAT'S THE, THE NATURE OF THE, THE INCENTIVES? THANKS VERY MUCH.
UH, GENERALLY SPEAKING, WE DON'T DO ABATEMENTS THROUGH OUR THREE 80 POLICIES OF THE CITY.
WE DO REIMBURSEMENTS, THAT'S, THAT ALLOWS US TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THE SORT OF COMMUNITY BENEFIT REQUIREMENTS ARE BEING MET WITHOUT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT ANY KIND OF CLAWBACK PROCEDURES.
UH, THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES WILL WORK A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.
THE FIR UH, THE, THE FIRST CATEGORY IS PROBABLY THE ONE WHERE THAT'S GONNA BE MOST RELEVANT, WHERE WE'D BE PROVIDING INCENTIVES TO DEVELOPERS TO PROVIDE, UH, AFFORDABLE LEASES TO THEIR, TO THEIR TENANTS.
SO, UH, THIS DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY PART, YOU KNOW, THIS CAN BE LAYERED ON TOP OF ZONING AND, UH, ZONING ENTITLEMENTS THROUGH THE REZONING PROCESS, BUT IT DOESN'T REQUIRE THAT THIS IS SORT OF AN INDEPENDENT VARIABLE OF THAT.
AND SINCE WE DO REIMBURSEMENT BASED, UH, BASICALLY ONCE THE PROJECT HAPPENS, UH, AND IS AGREED UPON, WE WOULD VERIFY THAT THE, UH, THE PROPERTY OWNER PROVIDED THOSE, UH, THE RENTS AT THE RATES THAT THEY AGREED TO.
AND THEN ONCE THAT'S VERIFIED, THEY'D BE REIMBURSED THE, UM, THE AGREED UPON TAX, UH, INCREMENTS, UH, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
AND IN THE, UH, BACKUP, I SEE THAT THIS IS ESSENTIALLY CREATING THE, UH, PROGRAM, BUT I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THERE'S ANOTHER WHOLE SET OF GUIDELINES AND IT ADMINISTRATIVE, UH, ELEMENTS TO IT THAT, UH, THEY'RE NOT IN THE BACKUP RIGHT NOW.
ARE THESE TWO BE DEVELOPED? THAT'S CORRECT.
THE GUIDELINES ARE SORT OF THE BASIC OVERSIGHT AND, AND, AND, AND FRAMEWORK FOR IT, THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES.
ONCE, ONCE THIS PASSES, WE'LL BE DEVELOPING THAT OVER THE FALL WITH THE INTENDED ROLLOUT OF THIS PROGRAM IN THE SPRING.
UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I HEAR CONSTANTLY FROM, UH, CONSTITUENTS FROM EVEN BEYOND MY DISTRICT.
I MEAN, PEOPLE ALL OVER AUSTIN TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS.
MANY TIMES THAT'S WHY PEOPLE MOVE TO AUSTIN IS BECAUSE OF, UH, THE RICH CULTURE THAT WE HAVE.
UH, AND, AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S GREAT DESIRE TO PRESERVE IT.
UH, VERY GLAD TO SEE US, UH, STARTING, UH, THIS, UH, INCENTIVE PROGRAM.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY, AND I KNOW THERE'S MULTIPLE PROGRAMS, SO FORGIVE ME IF I GET CONFUSED ACROSS THE THREE OF THEM, BUT WITH THE, THE PLACE BASED ONE, UM, THIS OPENS UP AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PROVIDE PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENTS FOR CHILDCARE, UM, CENTERS THAT MAY NOT FULFILL ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT THERE WERE UNDER PROP TWO.
SO YOU'LL RECALL COLLEAGUES THAT, UM, IN JANUARY WE ADOPTED THE, UM, THE ABILITY, UM, FOR CHILDCARE CENTERS TO APPLY FOR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT, BUT THERE ARE STRICT STATE RULES THAT GOVERN THAT, THAT DON'T ALLOW EVERY CHILDCARE CENTER TO DO THIS.
NOW I THINK THERE'S STILL SOME QUALITY AND, AND, UM, AND SERVING OF SUBSIDIZED KIDS REQUIREMENTS, BUT IT'S SLIGHTLY LESS ONEROUS.
IS THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S DEFINITELY CORRECT.
SINCE THIS WOULD BE A CITY LEVEL ONE, WE CAN, WE CAN HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY WITH THAT UNDER GUIDANCE FROM OUR, UH, OUR, OUR STAFF COLLEAGUES.
[00:35:01]
BUILDING NEW OR IF YOU ALREADY HAVE EXISTING, HOW WOULD IS, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.UM, SO CA SO MOST OF THIS IS GONNA BE RE REQUIRING, UH, NEW CONSTRUCTION OR, UM, UH, TENANT NEW INVESTMENT AND TENANT IMPROVEMENTS BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S RE IT'S A REIMBURSEMENT BASED ON THE INCREMENT OF NEW CONSTRUCTION.
UH, CATEGORY THREE IS THE CATEGORY WHERE, AND, AND WE'RE KIND OF KEEPING THAT VERY, UH, CLOSELY CONTROLLED, UH, BECAUSE THAT'S ONE WHERE WE, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO OFFER, UM, UH, REIMBURSEMENTS OF PROPERTY TAXES TO EXISTING, UH, EXISTING ORGANIZATIONS.
THAT'S ONE WHERE WE HAVE TO BE A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, BE CAREFUL WITH IT JUST BECAUSE THAT IS, THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, PULLING FROM GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
SO WE'RE REALLY LIMITING IT TO, UH, CREATIVE SPACES, MUSIC VENUES, LEGACY, UH, LEGACY SMALL BUSINESSES, UM, AND, AND THAT KIND OF THING.
BUT THAT, BUT THAT'S CERTAINLY AN OPTION, UH, IN TERMS OF, BUT, BUT FOR THAT CATEGORY ONE, THE NEW CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENT, THAT CAN ALSO MEAN, YOU KNOW, A NEW, A NEW PROJECT IS DEVELOPED THAT PROVIDES AFFORDABLE SPACE TO AN EXISTING CHILDCARE PROVIDER BUSINESS.
SO CATEGORY ONE CAN BE USED FOR AN EXISTING, IT CAN BENEFIT THOSE EXISTING, UH, UH, UH, TYPES OF FACILITIES, BUT THEY WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, BY GIVING THEM, UH, AFFORDABLE SPACE IN THE NEW PROJECT.
SO THEY'D BE ABLE TO GET AFFORDABLE SPACE IN THE NEW PROJECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, I DO FEEL LIKE IT'S STILL FAIRLY OPAQUE TO UNDERSTAND IT.
IF YOU WERE A BUSINESS THAT WAS TRYING QUICKLY TO ASSESS WHETHER THE CITY HAD A PROGRAM, UM, TO ASSIST YOU.
UM, I WAS JUST TALKING TO A BUSINESS LAST NIGHT, NOT RELATED, YOU KNOW, NOT NECESSARILY FOR THIS PROGRAM, BUT FOR, YOU KNOW, THE LOCAL EXPANSION AND, AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ALL THAT EASY, UM, TO EXPLAIN HOW YOU ACCESS THESE OR, OR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
SO, SO I'D LIKE TO SEE AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UM, THAT WE'RE MAKING IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE HAVE SOME DECISION TREES THAT SAY, ARE YOU IN THIS BOAT? SO THEN YOU GO HERE OR THERE AND, AND JUST MAKE THAT FLOW, UM, REALLY EASY BECAUSE I THINK THERE IS A, A NEED FOR IT.
I THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ESTABLISH THAT THE CITY IS PROVIDING, UM, USEFUL BENEFITS THAT WILL HELP MOVE THESE, THESE COMMUNITY, UM, PROCESSES ALONG.
UM, SO JUST, UM, FOR THE SAKE OF TRANSPARENCY, UM, AND CLARITY CAN, AMONG THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES, WHAT ARE THE FUNDING SOURCES OR JUST KIND OF GOING THROUGH AGAIN, WHAT WE CAN EXPECT, UM, MIGHT, UM, EITHER THE SOURCES OF FUNDING OR THE MECHANISMS SURE THING.
AND, AND, AND, AND RIGHT NOW, THE WAY THE PROGRAM IS BEING PROPOSED IN A WAY THAT, THAT SORT OF MINIMIZES IMPACT TO EXISTING GENERAL FUND REVENUES, BUT WHICH, WHICH DOES CREATE CERTAIN CONSTRAINTS.
SO FOR CATEGORIES ONE, TWO, AND FOUR, IT WOULD REALLY JUST BE, UH, POTENTIAL, UH, REIMBURSEMENT OF, UH, PROPERTY TAXES AND IN SOME CASES SALES TAXES ON NEW, UH, NEW PROJECTS ON THE INCREMENTS FROM NEW DEVELOPMENT.
SO IT WOULDN'T BE PULLING FROM ANY SORT OF EXISTING, UM, REVENUE GOING INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
IT WOULD BE FOR PROJECTS THAT WOULD BE HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE.
UH, AND EACH PROJECT, LIKE WITH ANY OF OUR THREE 80 PROJECTS WOULD HAVE TO PASS A BUT FOUR TEST THAT WHETHER, YOU KNOW, THE PROJECT COULD NOT HAPPEN, UH, WITH THE, WITH THE TYPES OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS AND THE LEVEL OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS WE'RE, WE'RE REQUIRING WITHOUT SOME, SOME SORT OF SUPPORT.
UM, CATEGORY THREE IS A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBLE, UH, TO SUPPORT EXISTING, UM, EXISTING VENUES OR EXISTING CREATIVE SPACES, EXISTING LEGACY SMALL BUSINESSES THAT CAN, UH, THAT CAN DO, UH, REIMBURSEMENT DIRECTLY.
THAT WOULD JUST BE COMING FROM GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
UH, WE HAVE SOME BUDGET FOR THAT NOW, BUT, UM, IT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT IS, THAT IS THE CONSTRAINT.
SO BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW THAT, THAT THAT'S A LIMITED POOL, UH, THAT'S WHY WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT ONE'S KIND OF STRICTLY DEFINED, UH, AND WILL BE ABLE TO BE USED IN CASES WHERE ONE OF THOSE TARGET BENEFICIARIES THAT, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY IS REALLY, UH, INVESTED IN TRYING TO SUPPORT, UM, CAN ACCESS THAT IF THEY'RE BEING THREATENED WITH DISPLACEMENT.
SO IT'S BASICALLY LIMITED TO KIND OF AN ANTI-DISPLACEMENT OR, UH, EITHER SHORT-TERM DISPLACEMENT OR NEEDS FOR INVESTMENT FOR LONG-TERM RESILIENCE.
BUT THAT IS ONLY FOR CULTURAL PRESERVATION, OR IS IT FOR OTHER CATEGOR THE WAY WE'VE WRITTEN IT NOW? IT HAS, UH, IT'S FOR, UM, UH, CREATIVE SPACES, UH, MUSIC VENUES AND LEGACY SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE, UH, 20 YEARS OLDER, OLDER, UM, PUBLIC FACING.
UH, AND YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY IT'D BE NICER IF WE COULD HAVE A MORE FRAMING FOR THAT, BUT BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S COMING FROM, THERE'S NO OTHER ADDITIONAL SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR THAT AT THIS POINT.
WE HAVE TO KIND OF KEEP IT CONSTRAINED SO IT DOESN'T HAVE A MAJOR BUDGETARY IMPACT.
[00:40:02]
I, I APPRECIATE THAT.UM, WHERE PERHAPS IT'S, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, A CRITERIA IF YOU ARE TAKING A CERTAIN NUMBER OF THESE, UM, SLOTS OR SOMETHING THAT THERE'S A MECHANISM TO MORE EASILY ALLOW ACCESS.
UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THAT HAPPENS THROUGH PROP TWO, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME ADDITIONAL ATTENTION TO HELPING THOSE BUSINESSES TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT AS THEY, AS THEY GO THROUGH THAT, UM, PROCESS, UM, I THINK COULD HELP, UM, LEVERAGE THE FUNDS THAT WOULD COME FROM PROPOSITION A MM-HMM.
SO, UM, I THINK THIS IS VERY EXCITING AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, TO SEEING IT IMPLEMENTED.
AND, AND THANK YOU COUNCIL ER, FOR YOUR QUESTIONS THAT, UM, UM, PROMPTED A QUESTION ON MY END.
'CAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS REALLY, THIS, UH, PLACE-BASED INCENTIVE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM IS FOR, PRIMARILY FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION.
AND PART OF WHAT I'M SEEING IN MY DISTRICT IS THAT WE'VE HAD A LOT OF NEW CONSTRUCTION, A LOT OF NEW, UM, MASTER SUBDIVISION DEVELOPMENTS HAPPENING IN SOUTHEAST, UH, WHERE THERE IS COMMERCIAL RETAIL SPACE AVAILABLE.
BUT THE CHALLENGE IS FINDING TENANTS TO LEASE THE SPACES THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT.
UM, SO ANY CONSIDERATION ON HOW WE CAN INCENTIVIZE BUSINESSES TO GO INTO ALREADY BUILT STRUCTURES WHERE THERE IS A NEED WHERE WE HAVE CHILDCARE DESERTS, OR WE HAVE HEALTHCARE DESERTS AND FOOD DESERTS.
UM, IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN LEVERAGE THIS PLACE BASED ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM TO ADDRESS THAT GAP? THANKS.
UM, I THINK BASED ON KIND OF THE, THE, THE FUNDING CONSTRAINTS AND THE REIMBURSEMENT CONSTRAINTS, THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME WAYS WE CAN DO THAT.
I MEAN, ANYTIME, SO TENANT IMPROVEMENTS, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, WOULD BE ELIGIBLE IN THESE, IN THESE PROGRAMS FOR REIMBURSEMENTS.
UM, AND, AND I THINK FOR THAT CATEGORY THREE, UH, OVER TIME, IF WE CAN IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL FUNDING SOURCES FOR SOME OF THAT, OR WORK, OR WORK TO LEVERAGE THOSE, AS THE COUNCIL MEMBER WAS SAYING, WE COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE MORE AVAILABILITY FOR THAT, FOR THAT CATEGORY.
UM, REALLY THE CON, I MEAN, REALLY THE CONSTRAINT IS JUST BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO KIND OF DO THIS WITHOUT HAVING A MAJOR HIT TO THE, TO THE BUDGET IS TO FOCUS ON THAT SORT OF NEW INCREMENT OF CONSTRUCTION.
SO I, I THINK IT'D BE, WE CAN DEFINITELY EXPLORE WAYS TO KIND OF HELP FILL IN EXISTING NEEDS FOR ALREADY BUILT SPACES.
UH, THAT CATEGORY THREE IS DEFINITELY A WAY WE CAN, WE CAN DO THAT FOR A LOT OF TYPES OF USES.
UM, AND, AND THAT'S, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK INTO EXPANDING TO MAKE SURE SOME OF THE OTHER NEEDS ARE INCLUDED.
AND THE OTHER AREA THAT, WHERE I SEE SOME INTERSECTION HERE ON CATEGORY THREE WITH THE INCENTIVE FOR CO-OPS, UM, IS KNOWING THE WORK THAT THE CITY HAS INVESTED IN AND THE GROCERY STORE CO-OP, WE KNOW A, THE COMMUNITY HAS SAID THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED DELL VALLEY AS THE PRIMARY LOCATION FOR THIS FOOD CO-OP.
UM, SO TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN LEVERAGE, UM, THIS PLACE-BASED ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM TO HELP SUPPLEMENT THAT WORK, I WOULD BE SUPER SUPPORTIVE OF, I WOULD DEFINITELY, AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S CALLED OUT AS ELIGIBLE FOR THAT ACTUALLY COULD BENEFIT IN ANY OF THESE CATEGORIES.
SO IF THEY, UH, IT COULD BENEFIT FOR NEW PROJECTS WHERE THEY, FOR AN AFFORDABLE LEASE AND A NEW PROJECT THAT THEY WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR, UM, FOR CATEGORY TWO, IF THEY'RE BUILDING OUT A SITE OR DOING TENANT IMPROVEMENTS, ALL OF THAT COULD, COULD CA COULD, COULD BE UTILIZED THROUGH AN INCENTIVE, UH, OR FOR CATEGORY THREE.
LET ME CLARIFY SOME, I'M SORRY, CALLED ON YOU AND THEN INTERRUPTED YOU.
YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION ON, ON SEVEN AND EIGHT AS WELL.
SO MEMBERS, WHAT I THINK WE'LL DO IS MOVE AFTER THE MEMBER PRO 10, MOVE TO SEVEN, THE PRESENTATION ON SEVEN, AND THEN ON EIGHT HAVE DISCUSSION, AND THEN ON EIGHT, AND THEN I'LL CALL THE CLERK TO CALL ANY SPEAKERS THAT WE HAVE ON SIX, SEVEN, AND EIGHT.
AND THEN I'LL CALL FOR A MOTION AT THAT POINT, JUST FOR CLARITY PURPOSES.
MAYOR, DEFENSE, SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU.
AND JUST WANTED TO THANK STAFF FOR THE WORK.
THIS IS GREAT WORK, AND LOOK FORWARD TO VOTING FOR THIS.
WITH THAT, LET'S, UH, MOVE TO YOUR PRESENTATION ON ITEM SEVEN.
NOW WE WILL HAVE, UM, AN OVERVIEW OF OUR BUSINESS EXPANSION PROGRAM, AGAIN, AS PART OF OUR, UH, CHAPTER THREE 80, LOOK BACK, UH, FROM THE 2018,
[00:45:02]
UM, UPDATED POLICY AND PROGRAM.SO I'LL NOW TURN IT OVER TO ARNIE JACOB, OUR SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL NIE JACOB WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HERE TO PRESENT THE UPDATES, UH, TO THE BUSINESS EXPANSION PROGRAM THAT'S AUTHORIZED UNDER CHAPTER THREE 80 OF THE STATE LOCAL CODE.
UM, INITIALLY THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROGRAM STAFF TOOK EXTENSIVE, UH, OUTREACH INTO THE COMMUNITY AND TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, UH, TO DEVELOP A PROGRAM.
THE ADOPTIVE PROGRAM IN 2018 IS BASED ON GRANTS FOR GROWING BUSINESSES AND TARGET INDUSTRIES, UH, AS AN INDUCEMENT TO LOCATE AND EXPAND OR EXPAND IN AUSTIN WITH AN OVERARCHING GOAL OF SUPPORTING ECONOMIC GROWTH THROUGH THE CREATION OF QUALITY EMPLOYMENT.
COUPLED WITH STRONG COMMITMENTS TO COMMUNITY BENEFITS, UH, THE CITY'S POLICY REQUIRES A PROGRAM BE UPDATED EVERY FIVE YEARS.
AND STAFF TOOK THE APPROACH OF BUILDING ON THE FOUNDATION THAT WAS DEVELOPED IN 2018.
STAFF'S OBJECTIVES WERE TO UPDATE THE OBJECTIVE, I'M SORRY, TO DEVELOP MORE OBJECTIVE COMPLIANCE METRICS, IMPROVE PROJECT SCORING GUIDANCE, AND STRENGTHEN THE APPLICATION, AS WELL AS UPDATE THE PROGRAM TO ADDRESS MERITS TO SMALL BUSINESS, EXPAND TARGET HIRING UTILIZATION, AND TIGHTEN LARGE BUSINESS ELIGIBILITY OR CRITERIA.
AS A PART OF THE PROCESS, WE ENGAGED A CON, UH, INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT.
AND THEIR FINDINGS, UH, WERE THAT THE PROGRAM LACKS STRATEGIC DIRECTION, UH, IS OVER OVERLY COMPLEX, AND THE INCENTIVES WERE NOT IMPACTFUL IN COMPARISON TO OTHER COMMUNITIES.
ACROSS THE, THE, THE STATE AND THE COUNTRY.
STAFFS ALSO GATHERED INPUT THROUGH PRESENTATIONS TO BOARDS OF COMMISSIONS, UM, IN ADDITION TO NUMEROUS FOCUS GROUPS THAT ENGAGED COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND THE LOCAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
WE COMBINED THOSE EXTERNAL INPUTS WITH OUR EXPERIENCE ADMINISTERING THE PROGRAM AND CAME UP WITH, WITH RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE THE PROGRAM.
IN TERMS OF GENERAL ELIGIBILITY, UH, RIGHT NOW, THE, THE PROGRAM REQUIRES, REQUIRES OR PROVIDES A GRANT, UH, A BONUS FOR, UH, ONSITE CHILDCARE SERVICES.
UH, IN TERMS OF ONSITE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE TYPICALLY, UH, INCOMPATIBLE ADJACENT USES OR DENSITY REQUIREMENTS THAT CREATE SOME HEALTH SAFETY CONCERNS FOR HAVING CHILD ONSITE CHILDCARE.
SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING REPLACING THAT WITH A BONUS TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL, TO PROVIDE CHILDCARE SERVICES REGARDLESS OF, UH, A BONUS FOR CHILDCARE SERVICES, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED.
UH, IN ADDITION, THE CURRENT LIVING WAGE POLICY FOR, UH, THE CITY DOES NOT ALLOW FOR ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF CONVERSATION, UH, COMPENSATION, RECOGNIZING THAT ATTENDED FORMS COMPENSATION MAKE THE PROGRAM MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR SMALL BUSINESS AND MANUFACTURERS STAFF RECOMMENDS TIPS, COMMISSIONS, BONUSES, OR SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL ARE COUNTED, UH, AS OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET THE LIVING WAGE FOR, FOR BUSINESSES, FOR THE PROGRAMS OF THIS PURPOSES.
ALSO STAFFED TO LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES TO SIMPLIFY THE PROGRAM AND ADD CLARITY.
CURRENTLY, THERE IS, THERE ARE NO TIMELINES REGARDS TO PROCESSING AND APPLICATIONS.
SO WE INCLUDED ESTIMATED TIMELINE TO ADD, UH, SOME TRANSPARENCY AND A MEASURE OF ACCOUNTABILITY FOR STAFF.
IN TERMS OF CATEGORY ONE, UH, CURRENTLY THE PROGRAM IS, IT COMBINES LOCAL, SMALL AND LARGE BUSINESSES, UH, IN THIS CATEGORY.
AND STAFF RECOMMENDS THE CREATION OF A DISTINCT SMALL BUSINESS CATEGORY, UH, THAT IS MORE CONDUCIVE TO THE, TO THE DYNAMICS OF SMALL BUSINESS, UH, EXPANSIONS.
IN ADDITION, WE, YOU KNOW, WE LOOKING FORWARD NOW HAVE TO DEFINE SMALL BUSINESSES.
UH, EARLIER THIS YEAR, COUNCIL DIRECTED STAFF TO DEFINE SMALL ES AS A HUNDRED FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES OR LESS.
THE PROPOSED GUIDELINES CONFORM TO THOSE, UH, BY, BY DEFINING AS PER COUNCIL'S DIRECTION, UH, AGAIN, FROM A JOB CREATION CRITERIA, THE CURRENT GUIDELINES CREATE A MINIMUM OF, REQUIRE A MINIMUM OF FIVE, AND WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY, UH, AND BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVES FELT THAT SMALL BUSINESSES, MICRO BUSINESSES, MAY HAVE DIFFICULTY CREATING THOSE FIVE JOBS AND RECOMMENDED, UH, THE, WE CREATED A MINIMUM OF ONE, UH, AND SCALED WITH THE GROWTH OF THE CO THE SIZE OF THE COMPANY TO WHERE 10% OF THE EXISTING EMPLOYEES, SO IT WOULD BE THE LESSER, I'M SORRY, THE GREATER OF THE CREATION OF ONE JOB OR 10% GROWTH OF THEIR EXISTING, UH, WORKFORCE.
SO IN, FOR INSTANCE, COMPANY WITH 90 EMPLOYEES WOULD NEED TO CREATE AT LEAST NINE JOBS TO BE ELIGIBLE.
CURRENTLY, CATEGORY TWO ADDRESSES TARGETED HIRING THROUGH APPRENTICESHIPS, INTERNSHIPS, AND TARGET AND TARGET HIRES.
[00:50:01]
A KEY PATHWAY TO, TO MID-LEVEL SKILLED OP JOB OPPORTUNITIES.BUT INTERNSHIPS ARE REALLY TRADITIONALLY MORE SHORT TERM AND, AND AREN'T TIED TO LONG TERM.
UH, EMPLOYMENT STAFF RECOMMENDS THE STANDALONE TARGETED, TARGETED APPRENTICESHIP CATEGORY THAT UTILIZES A BROADER, MORE IMPACTFUL NETWORK OF WORKFORCE PROVIDERS AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT NETWORK, UM, WHICH WOULD BE COORDINATED THROUGH THE NEWLY DEVELOPED WORKFORCE DIVISION, UH, WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
AND THEN WE WOULD ELIMINATE INTERNSHIPS AS AN ELIGIBLE CATEGORY.
WE WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND MOVING TARGETED HIRES, UH, TO A BONUS AS OPPOSED TO, UH, A, A PART OF THIS CATEGORY.
UH, CURRENTLY, WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS IS REQUIRED AT THE VET EMPLOYEES FOR THE COMPANY, AND USING, UH, WORK IN TEXAS AS A PLATFORM FOR APPLICATION.
TH THIS IS SOMEWHAT COMPLEX FOR, FOR COMPANIES, AND THEY, THEY HAVE DIFFICULTY USING THAT.
SO WE'RE NOT HAVING MUCH, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO, TO UTILIZE THE, THE TARGETED WORKFORCE HIRING.
SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THIS BE MOVED OUT OF CATEGORY TWO OR OUT OF THE CATEGORY, AND INTO A BONUS FOR, UH, SMALL AND LOCAL, SMALL AND LARGE BUSINESS, UH, HIRINGS THAT COMPANIES THEMSELVES WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR, FOR VETTING THEIR EMPLOYEES.
UH, AND THEY WOULD RECOMMEND, AGAIN, A ENCOURAGE, I'M SORRY, UTILIZE THEIR OWN PROCESS, UH, PROVIDED THEY CAN DEMONSTRATE TO A COMPLIANCE THAT THEY, THAT THEY DO MEET THE, THE REQUIREMENTS AND POST THESE POSITIONS ON, UH, THE WORKFORCE PROVIDER NETWORK.
ALSO, HOUSING STIPEND IS INCLUDED, UH, IN THIS CATEGORY OF, OF $1,000 PER JOB.
UH, IT'S REALLY NOT IMPACTFUL.
SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING REMOVING THAT AND MOVING IT TO A BONUS.
AGAIN, THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR COMPANIES TO PROVIDE, GET, GET CREDIT FOR PROVIDING A, A BONUS.
IN TERMS OF CATEGORY THREE, UH, LOOKING EXTERNAL RELOCATIONS, OF COURSE, WE'RE NOW ADDING A LOCAL CORPORATE, A LOCAL LARGE BUSINESS TO THIS CATEGORY.
A BIT OF HOUSEKEEPING, WE'D HAVE TO DEFINE THAT AS COMPANIES THAT ARE, THAT ARE A HUNDRED EMPLOYEES OR GREATER.
AND, AND AGAIN, WE'RE SCALING THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT TO BE THE LESSER OF 10% OF THEIR WORKFORCE, EXISTING WORKFORCE, OR 75 JOBS.
SO COMPANIES THAT ARE CREATING, UH, 150 JOBS WOULD NEED TO CREATE 15 JOBS TO BE ELIGIBLE.
AND ANY COMPANY THAT 750, UH, JOBS IN THEIR WORKFORCE OR GREATER, WOULD HAVE TO PRE-CREATE THE FULL 75 JOBS.
UH, THE PROGRAMS REQUIRES, UH, NET FISCAL BENEFIT TO THE CITY.
SO THERE'S A DEFACTO REQUIREMENT FOR SOME LEVEL OF CAPITAL INVESTMENT.
WE CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE TO ESTABLISH RECOMMENDING A MINIMUM CAPITAL INVESTMENT REQUIREMENT OF $2 MILLION.
IN TERMS OF THE CURRENT AWARDS, UH, RIGHT NOW, CATEGORIES ONE AND TWO ONLY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FIVE YEARS.
UH, AND CATEGORY THREE IS, UH, ELIGIBLE FOR 10 YEARS.
SO STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT ALL CATEGORIES BE EXPANDED TO, TO 10 YEARS, UH, TO ALLOW FOR THESE SMALL BUSINESSES TO, TO RAMP UP AND CREATE THESE, THESE BUS, UH, THE JOBS THAT THEY'RE, THEY'VE COMMITTED TO.
ALSO IN THIS CATE, UH, IN THIS, UH, UNDER THE AWARDS, COMPANIES ARE CURRENTLY ELIGIBLE FOR $1,800 PER JOB OVER THE TERM, IN TOTAL OR 50% PROPERTY TAX REIMBURSEMENT.
UH, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT TO ACCOUNT FOR INFLATION AND TO BE COMPETITIVE, UH, WITH OTHER PROGRAMS ACROSS THE STATE IN THE COUNTRY, THAT THE AWARD BE INCREASED TO $3,000 PER JOB IN TOTAL, AND THAT THE REIMBURSEMENT, UH, CURRENTLY AT 50% BE INCREASED TO 75% OF ELIGIBLE PER ELIGIBLE PROPERTY TAXES.
KEEPING IN MIND THAT ELIGIBLE PROPERTY TAXES ARE M AND O ONLY, UH, NET OF THE TRANSFER TO AUSTIN TRA AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIPS.
UM, AND THAT THE COMPANIES ALSO HAVE TO REMAIN, HAVE TO PRESENT A FISCAL NEUTRALLY OR FISCAL POSITIVE.
UM, IMPACT TO THE CITY STAFF IS ALSO RECOMMENDING, UH, NEW CHILDCARE IN, UH, ASSISTANCE RESERVE THAT 10% OF THE NEW OF THE EVALUATION ON NEW INVESTMENT BE DEDICATED TO, TO CHILDCARE, UH, ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, SPECIFICALLY TO, UH, CHILDCARE FOR HOME-BASED PROVIDERS.
AND THEN FINALLY, THERE'S NOT CURRENTLY AN APPLICATION FEE, BUT THERE ARE AS, AS, AS HIGH AS $5,000, UM, FEES ACROSS, ACROSS THE STATE.
UH, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING A $3,000 FEE FOR COMPANIES THAT ACCEPT A,
[00:55:01]
A CITY LETTER OF AWARD ELIGIBILITY AND REQUEST AN APPLICATION BE PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL FOR, FOR APPROVAL AND CONSIDER CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL.SMALLER BUSINESSES THAT ARE, THAT ARE BELOW, UH, ARE WITHIN THE CITY MANAGER'S AUTHORITY WOULD NOT BE ASSESSED THIS FEE 'CAUSE THEY WOULD NOT BE BROUGHT TO COUNCIL.
AND THEN FINALLY, STAFF RECOMMENDS, UH, A COMPLIANCE DEFERMENT PERIOD FOR SMALL BUSINESSES THAT SMALL THAT MIGHT FALL OUT OF, UH, COMPLIANCE DURING THE TERM OF THE AWARD.
AND THAT, UH, WOULD GIVE THEM A YEAR TO, TO TAKE SOME TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE COURSES PROVIDED BY, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE CITIES, UM, SMALL BUSINESS DIVISION THAT ARE LOWER NO COST, UH, AND THAT, AND ALLOWS THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE THEIR PRODUCTIVITY WITH A GOAL OF IMPROVING THEIR OPPORTUNITIES TO ACHIEVE COMPLIANCE.
AND OF COURSE, NO PAYMENT WOULD BE WOULD'VE MADE, UH, DURING THE PERIOD OF NON-COMPLIANCE.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS QUESTIONS ON THIS, UH, BRIEFING? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ULTRA, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.
UM, YES, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADIS.
UM, I JUST WANT TO, UM, ACKNOWLEDGE AND APPRECIATE, UM, THE APPLICATION OF THE RESERVE TO ADDRESS THE HOME-BASED CARE PROVIDERS.
UM, THAT WAS PART OF DIRECTION THAT WE PROVIDED.
UM, WHEN WE, UM, MOVE FORWARD WITH PROP TWO, UM, TAX, UM, ABATEMENTS AND HOMEBASED PROVIDERS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE, BUT HERE IN AUSTIN, THEY MAKE A BIG, UH, MAKE UP A BIG PORTION OF OUR, OUR CHILDCARE PROVIDER.
SO, SO I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THAT, UM, THE, THE CHART THAT YOU PROVIDED IN THE MEMO AS WELL AS, WHICH IS THE SAME AS IN THE PRESENTATION, UM, WAS REALLY HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND SORT OF THE, THE VARIATIONS.
UM, IN LOOKING THOUGH AT THE, UM, OTHER DOCUMENT ABOUT THE REPORT, ABOUT THE REVIEW OF HOW WELL OUR PROGRAMS HAD DONE, UM, CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THAT? BECAUSE WE HAD, YOU KNOW, THREE BUSINESSES USE IT.