[00:00:01]
SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED HERE IN A MINUTE.
UM, I NOTICE THAT CHIEF HENDERSON ISN'T HERE YET, AND I'M HOPING SHE'S ON HER WAY.
SO WE HAVE A PRETTY PACKED SCHEDULE TODAY, SO I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
I KNOW CHIEF HENDERSON IS ON HER WAY IN, I'M SURE SHE'LL, SHE'LL MISS ROLL CALL.
UM, UH, THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE.
WELCOME TO THE REGULAR CALL MEETING OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION.
UM, I WILL START BY CALLING ROLE, UM, VICE CHAIR RUTAN PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER SIERRA ELLO PRESENT.
I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER BERNHARD IS JOINING US.
SHE MIGHT JUST BE A LITTLE LATE, SO WE'LL JUST KEEP AN EYE ON HER GETTING HERE BEFORE THE 30 MINUTE MARK.
UM, WITH THAT, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? CHRISTIE? NO.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
WE ARE GOING TO MOVE THROUGH THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES.UM, FIRST WE HAVE THE MINUTES FROM THE DECEMBER 2ND MEETING, UM, FROM 2024.
UM, DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION CHANGES, UPDATES, AND OR A MOTION TO APPROVE? I, I MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
UM, AND CAN WE SHOW, SHOW OF HANDS TO APPROVE THOSE? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
AND THEN WE WILL DO THE SAME WITH THE JANUARY 6TH MINUTES.
DO WE HAVE ANY CORRECTIONS, UPDATES, CHANGES, AND OR MOTION TO APPROVE? ALL.
MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
AND A QUICK VOTE WITH SHOW OF HANDS.
UM, WE, JUST A QUICK HEADS UP THAT WE HAVE A REALLY PACKED SCHEDULE.
UM, THIS IS ALWAYS THE, THE, THE CASE.
WE EITHER ARE PACKED OR WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH.
UM, WE ARE JUST GONNA MOVE THROUGH AS CONCISELY AS WE CAN THROUGH THE AGENDA.
[3. Public Safety Quarterly Report, Austin Fire Department to include an update on the support of the Los Angeles County wildfire fighting and mental health support for firefighters.]
WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY QUARTERLY REPORT FROM FLYER.UH, THANKS FOR LETTING US PRESENT THIS.
UH, THE FIRST COUPLE SLIDES HERE ARE GONNA BE RESPONSIVE ITEMS BASED ON SOME QUESTIONS FROM THE, UH, COMMISSION.
IF WE COULD START WITH SLIDE NUMBER.
THE CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE RESPONSE.
UH, WE DID SEND AS A PART OF A REGIONAL STRIKE TEAM, UH, A FIRE ENGINE, THE ONE YOU THINK OF ONLY ESCORTS WATER AND FOUR PERSONNEL.
THEY WERE THERE FOR THREE WEEKS.
UH, THEY WERE ABLE TO HELP COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS THEY WERE ALLOWED TO START MOVING BACK INTO THEIR, THEIR HOMES.
UH, THEY DID A LOT OF CLEARING OF ROADWAYS AND SIDEWALKS FROM THE DEBRIS.
UH, PATROLLING ALSO, UH, DID SOME, UH, ACTUAL FIREFIGHTING WHILE THEY WERE THERE AS WELL.
SO, ALL AROUND, UH, UH, GOOD SUPPORT TO THE RESIDENTS THERE IN CALIFORNIA.
AND EACH OF THESE DEPLOYMENTS PROVIDES US A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BRING INFORMATION BACK.
AND IN THIS CASE, THEY ACTUALLY GOTTA TAKE SOME INFORMATION TO IT.
RESPONDING TO THE INTERFACE IS A DIFFERENT WAY OF DEALING WITH A FIRE.
UH, HOUSE FIRES, YOU SET UP EVERYTHING STATIC.
YOU GOT HOSE ON THE GROUND, YOU'RE IN ONE SPOT THROUGH THE WHOLE EVENT, WILDFIRES.
IT'S, IT'S, UH, ADDRESS THE FIRE THERE AND MOVE QUICKLY TO THE NEXT ONE OR TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF A, OF A MOVING FLAME FRONT.
SO THEY WERE ABLE TO TRAIN SOME TECHNIQUES ON HOW TO DO THAT WITH A MORE MOBILE HOSE LOADS, FIRE HOSE LOADS, UH, WITH THE GROUP THERE THAT WENT.
SO IT WAS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE BACK TO, TO THE FIREFIGHTING COMMUNITY AND ALSO TO BRING SOME NEW INFORMATION BACK.
[00:05:01]
NEXT SLIDE.THIS ONE'S MORE OF A HEAVY HEART SLIDE.
OVER THE PAST, UH, FIVE YEARS, WE'VE HAD FOUR, UH, SWORN MEMBERS, UH, ACTIVE DUTY AND OR RETIRED TAKE THEIR LIVES BY SUICIDE.
WE'VE ALSO HAD ONE CIVILIAN AS WELL THAT'S NOT MARKED ON THIS MAP OR ON THIS, UH, SLIDE.
WE'VE DONE A VARIETY OF THINGS TO, TO PROVIDE RESOURCES AND OUTREACH AND AWARENESS OF THOSE RESOURCES TO OUR WHOLE DEPARTMENT.
SWORN AND CIVILIAN, UH, WE'VE GOT POSTERS HANGING UP IN THE, THE FIRE STATIONS AND ALL OF OUR OTHER FACILITIES THAT SPEAK TO THE RESOURCES.
WE ALSO HAVE CHAPLAINS, WHICH ARE A VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION THAT, UH, ARE FOLKS THAT COME ALONG AND HELP US OUT.
UH, WE'VE EVEN HAD, UH, THERAPY DOGS.
UH, IT'S A FREE WITH DIVINE CANINES.
THEY COME OUT AND, AND VISIT OUR DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
JUST A VARIETY OF THINGS TO TRY TO HELP OUR FOLKS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF AND ARE UTILIZING THE RESOURCES AS THEY SEE FIT IN A FASHION THAT PROVIDES DIGNITY AND PRIVACY ALONG THE WAY.
UH, SO FOR RESPONDING TO, UH, FIRES OR OTHER INCIDENCES THAT INVOLVE PEOP PERSONS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, WE DID GET A COUPLE OF BUDGET CYCLES AGO, A FULL-TIME CAPTAIN THAT THEIR JOB IS TO HARVEST THE, THE CALL DATA, UH, THAT WE HAVE FOR THE VARIOUS CALLS WE HAVE THAT MIGHT INVOLVE A, A HOMELESS POPULATION, UH, OR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESS POPULATION, UH, WHETHER IT'S FIRES, MEDICAL CALLS OR OTHERWISE.
SO WE CAN START MAPPING WHERE, WHERE THOSE THINGS ARE IN COORDINATION WITH THE HOMELESS, UH, SERVICES OFFICE.
FIGURE OUT HOW BEST TO RESPOND TO, TO THAT, WHAT NEEDS WE CAN PROVIDE.
UH, IF THERE, IF THERE ARE ENCAMPMENTS IN HIGH WILDFIRE RISK AREAS, THAT THOSE ARE PRIORITIZED TO MOVE OUT, LIKE TO THE MARSHALING YARD OR OTHER, UH, HOUSING THAT IS PROVIDED TO, TO MAKE THINGS SAFE FOR EVERYBODY, TO INCLUDE THOSE THAT MIGHT BE IN THAT DANGEROUS AREA, NOT REALIZE THAT, THAT THEY COULD BE PUTTING THEMSELVES IN HARM'S WAY.
SO THOSE EFFORTS THAT WE'RE DOING THERE, UH, NEXT SLIDE IS JUST A, A PICTURE OF THE DASHBOARD.
WE CAN SEE WHERE THE, THE CAPTAIN GOES IN AND POPULATES THAT ALL ON A MAP AND THEY VISITS WEEKLY WITH, WITH, UH, DAVID GRAY, UH, OVER THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL WORKING COLLECTIVELY WITH THE OTHER CITY AGENCIES TO, TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR, FOR THOSE CITIZENS.
AND ALSO, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WILDFIRE SAFE.
WE'RE, WE'RE, UH, HAPPY TO SAY COLLABORATIVELY WITH EMS THAT WE OPENED THE DOORS ON THAT, UH, HERE IN JANUARY.
UH, FOR US ON THE 12TH, THE, UH, THAT WAS A SOFT OPENING.
THAT'S A CHANCE TO START, UH, PROVIDING SERVICES IN THAT AREA, RESPONDING TO CALLS, AND ALSO TO EXERCISE THE FACILITY WHILE IT'S STILL UNDER, UH, A PUNCH LIST AND FIGURING OUT WHAT THINGS NEED TO BE, UH, UH, ADJUSTED, FIXED, OR REPAIRED, UH, WHILE WE'RE STILL UNDER WARRANTY.
UH, VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE CITY'S INVESTMENT IN US TO TAKE CARE OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
YOU'VE GOT SEVERAL STATIONS HERE THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, REMODELED, UH, SIGNIFICANTLY TO, UH, MAKE THE LIVING CONDITIONS BETTER AND TO ADDRESS SOME OTHER REPAIR ITEMS. SO YOU'LL SEE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 STATIONS THAT ARE IN THAT PROCESS.
ALL EXPECTED IT TO BE COMPLETED HERE IN THE NEXT MONTH OR THREE.
UH, AND, AND, AND BACK OPERATIONAL WHERE THEY'RE NOT OPERATIONAL.
THERE'S EITHER THE, THE UNIT'S BEEN MOVED TO A NEARBY STATION TO KEEP 'EM OUT OF THE ELEMENTS, OR A TRAILER'S BEEN SET UP, MAYBE ON THAT PROPERTY, LIKE AT STATION EIGHT TO WHERE THEY COULD STILL RESPOND FROM THE SAME LOCATION, UH, UH, WHILE THE THE REPAIRS ARE DONE ON THE STATION.
AUTO AID, WE'VE SHARED THIS WITH EVERY QUARTERLY REPORT, UH, IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BEING VERY RESPONSIVE TO EMERGENCIES IN OUR AREA.
AND THE ONES ESPECIALLY THAT ARE BORDER AND OTHER JURISDICTION, THAT IT'S, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHOSE EMBLEMS ON THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, THE CLOSEST APPARATUS FOR WHATEVER THAT NEED IS IS RESPONDING TO THAT INCIDENT.
AND TO DO THAT AND DO THAT WELL ALSO INVOLVES A LOT OF TRAINING.
RIGHT NOW THROUGH JANUARY, FEBRUARY AND MARCH, WE ARE, UH, EIGHT DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS IN OUR LOCAL AREA ARE GOING THROUGH, UM, UH, DRILLS, PRACTICING TRAINING, MULTI-COMPANY DRILLS, COMPANIES BEING NUMBER OF UNITS THAT ARE THERE FOR MID RISES.
SO NOT YET SIX STORIES HIGH, BUT MORE THAN TWO.
AND HOW TO SAFELY NAVIGATE THROUGH THE DIFFERENT SYSTEMS THAT ARE IN THOSE BUILDINGS AND TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE EFFORTS ARE COORDINATED IN A FASHION THAT'S PRODUCTIVE AND NOT COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.
AND THEN YOU GOT AN EXAMPLE OF A, OF A FIRE BACK ON
[00:10:01]
JANUARY 12TH WHERE, UH, THERE WAS, UM, UH, PEOPLE THAT HAD TO BE RESCUED AND, AND INJURED, UH, FROM THE FIRE ITSELF.AND, AND THE COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE, BUT FOR A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT OF THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WORKING TOGETHER TO, IN A TIMELY FASHION TO ADDRESS THE THE EMERGENCY.
UH, THIS ONE I KNOW THE LAST, UH, THE LAST TIME AROUND WAS A QUESTION ABOUT WHY THE BIG DROP IN THE, THE AMOUNT OF NARCAN GIVEN OUT.
AND I WOULD SAY THE, UH, STELLAR EFFORTS OF, UH, OUR OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE AND OTHER AGENCIES TO GET, UH, THOSE RESOURCES OUT INTO THE PUBLIC HAVE MADE IT TO WHERE THE, THE PUBLIC'S ABLE TO GIVE THOSE MUCH QUICKER AND HAS HAD A EFFECT ON US HAVING TO GIVE IT, UH, LESS FREQUENTLY BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY, UH, BEEN ADMINISTERED BEFORE OUR ARRIVAL.
I'VE HIGHLIGHTED THEM EVERY TIME AROUND.
THEY DO A PHENOMENAL JOB OF DETERMINING CAUSE AND WHEN ARSONS INVOLVED ACTUALLY, UH, IDENTIFYING THE SUSPECT AND THROUGH, UH, DATA COLLECTION AND THROUGH EVIDENCE, BEING ABLE TO HOLD THOSE PEOPLE APPROPRIATELY ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE, THE, THE ARSON FIRE THEY CREATED.
AND THERE'S ONE EXAMPLE UP THERE FROM A FIRE BACK AND, AND, UH, WHERE IT WAS THE PERSON WAS ARRESTED IN DECEMBER AND A GRAND JURY AND DIED OF THEM ON FIRST DEGREE FELONY CHARGES.
SO IT'S GETTING THAT PERSON, UH, OUT THE STREET SO THEY DON'T CAUSE, UH, ANOTHER ARSON FIRE IN THE FUTURE.
SO THEY DO A GOOD JOB OF, OF THAT.
NEXT ONE IS OUR WILDFIRE UPDATES.
WHAT I WANNA HIGHLIGHT HERE IS FOR THE TRAGEDY THAT'S HAPPENING AND UNFOLDED OUT IN LOS ANGELES, THAT HERE LOCALLY, WHAT'S BEEN A, UH, OTHER THAN US BEING ABLE TO GO OUT AND HELP AND THEN BRING BACK SOME VALUABLE INFORMATION, EXPERIENCE LOCALLY, IS LOCALLY THE, THE CITIZENS HAVE RECOGNIZED THE, THE NEED TO, TO TAKE MORE OF AN INDIVIDUAL ACTION.
WE HAVE THROUGH OUR WILDFIRE DIVISION THE ABILITY TO GO OUT AND DO WHAT'S A STRUCTURE IGNITION ZONE EVALUATION.
AND ALL OF LAST YEAR WE HAD 80 SOME OF THOSE.
IN JANUARY, WE'VE HAD 120 REQUESTS.
SO A CALL TO ACTION, UH, BY INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY IS, IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING POSITIVE TO BE GAINED OUT OF SUCH A TRAGEDY OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN LA, HOPEFULLY THE, THE EFFORTS HERE LOCALLY TO TRY TO AVOID THAT WILL, WILL BE THE FRUIT OF THAT.
UH, AUSTIN IS MOST CERTAINLY A DESIRE PLACE TO COME VISIT WITH A VARIETY OF SPECIAL EVENTS.
AND THAT JUST KIND OF SHOWS YOU THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT OUR FIRE MARSHAL OFFICE IS A PART OF.
NOT ONLY BUILDING NEW STRUCTURES, UH, MAINTAINING EXISTING ONES, BUT ALSO MAKING SURE THAT THE, THE DIFFERENT FESTIVALS THAT GO ON ARE DONE IN A SAFE FASHION.
UH, HIGHLIGHTING THIS AS WELL.
SO ONCE A STRUCTURE IS BUILT AND THEY GET A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY, THERE'S NOT BEEN PREVIOUSLY, UH, AS YOU SEE BACK IN 2014, FOLLOW UP TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THOSE SAFETY FEATURES ARE MANAGING PROPERLY, BEING, BEING MAINTAINED AND MANAGED PROPERLY.
THEY MIGHT HAVE, BUT WEREN'T SURE IF THAT WAS THE CASE OR NOT.
AND WE WENT FROM VER VERIFICATION OF ONLY ABOUT 6% COMPLIANCE TO 85% COMPLIANCE IN THE PAST 10 YEARS WITH A THIRD PARTY AGENCY.
AND THAT JUST GOES TO HELP MAKE SURE THAT AS PEOPLE COME IN, EITHER THEY LIVE HERE ON A REGULAR BASIS OR COME IN OUT OF TOWN FOR ONE OF THE VARIOUS FESTIVALS THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE IN A STRUCTURE THAT'S MAINTAINED IN A SAFE FASHION.
SO, THE, UH, COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
WE DO A LOT OF EDUCATION AT SCHOOLS.
WE ALSO HAVE THE SMOKE ALARM INSTALLS HERE.
IF, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A WORKING SMOKE ALARM IN YOUR HOME, WE'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO COME INSTALL THEM FOR YOU.
CALL THAT NINE SEVEN FOUR OH TWO NINE NINE NUMBER AND WE'LL GET YOU ON THE SCHEDULE TO HAVE ONE OF THOSE INSTALLED.
IF NOT SEVERAL, YOU SHOULD HAVE ONE IN EVERY BEDROOM AND ONE IN THE HALLWAY THAT LEADS TO THOSE BEDROOMS. IF THEY'RE ALL DOWN ONE HALLWAY, JUST AS AN ASSURANCE THAT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, IF, IF THERE WERE TO BE AN EMERGENCY, THAT YOU WOULD BE ALERTED EARLY AND BE ABLE TO GET OUT IN A SAFE FASHION.
SO, UH, JUST A A A RECAP OF WHERE WE ARE FOR OUR VACANCIES.
WE'VE GOT ABOUT, UH, 70 VACANCIES AS WE SIT TODAY.
IT'S ABOUT A 6% VACANCY RATE ACROSS THE BOARD.
MOST FOLKS, AS YOU SEE HERE IN THE BLUE, UH, RETIRE WITH ABOUT JUST UNDER 29 YEARS OF SERVICE.
THE ONES THAT RESIGN, UH, ARE ROUGHLY ABOUT FIVE AND A HALF YEARS OF, OF TIME WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
UH, AS WE DO EXIT INTERVIEWS WITH THOSE FOLKS, THEY'RE THINGS WHERE THERE'S A FAMILY SITUATION THAT THEY, THEY'RE NEEDING TO MOVE BACK TO A DIFFERENT LOCATION.
THEY'RE PURSUING SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
SOME HAVE PURSUED REAL ESTATE, SOME IT JOBS, UH, JUST AS A, AS A, AN INTEREST FOR THEM.
[00:15:01]
A DISINTEREST IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, BUT DECIDING TO GO TRY SOMETHING NEW OR, OR FAMILY ENVIRONMENT THAT REQUIRES THEM TO MOVE BACK TO WITH OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS IN ANOTHER STATE, UH, TO TAKE CARE OF FAMILY AND OR FAMILY BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN THE THINGS WE'VE LEARNED THERE.SO OUR RECRUITING PROCESS WILL BE STARTING ANOTHER HIRING PROCESS IN THE, THE FIRST PART OF 2026.
UH, THIS LAST ONE WE HAD 667 PEOPLE SHOW UP FOR THE WRITTEN EXAM, WHICH IS A LITTLE LEAN BY OUR PREVIOUS STANDARDS.
AND WE ARE PROBABLY GONNA EXHAUST THE, THE, UH, HIREABLE PART OF THAT LIST BEFORE THE FULL TWO YEARS IS OUT.
TRYING TO AVOID A, A LAPSE IN, IN, IN HIRING CYCLES.
'CAUSE THERE'S A REFLEX TIME FROM THE ACTUAL WRITTEN TEST TO ACTUALLY PUTTING THEM IN A CADET CLASS WILL PROBABLY START EARLY IN 2026 TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT ENDING UP IN A GAP WHERE WE END UP WITH VACANCY INCREASE, UH, FOR A LACK OF BEING ABLE TO, TO PUT SOMEONE IN A CADET CLASS.
WE'VE GOT A CLASS IN SESSION NOW.
UH, THE, UH, NEXT CLASS WILL START HERE IN BETTER PART OF A MONTH.
THE CURRENT ONE HAS GONE FROM 48 DOWN TO 44 AT THIS POINT BY CADE, UH, CADETS CHOOSING TO THAT THEY RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S NOT, THAT THEY WEREN'T PREPARED FOR OR NOT READY OR NOT, NOT WHAT THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE.
AND SO THEY'VE CHOSEN TO REMOVE THEMSELVES FROM THE ACADEMY.
TO HELP US WITH RECRUITING EFFORTS.
WE HAVE A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS. THE FIRE EXPLORER, WHICH I GUESS WOULD BE SIMILAR TO THE SCOUTS IN, IN NATURE FOR, FOR YOUNGER POPULATION.
UH, THEY'VE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB.
THEY'VE EVEN GONE AND COMPETED IN IN GAMES AND, AND, AND THEY'VE WON AWARDS.
SO, UH, IT'S A LOT OF PASSION IN THAT, NOT ONLY BY OUR MEMBERS, BUT THE FOLKS THAT ARE, UH, THE, THE ACTUAL EXPLORERS THEMSELVES.
AND THEN PASS THE TORCH IS MEANT MORE FOR A, A HIREABLE AGE GROUP.
IT'S A CHANCE TO, TO ACTUALLY GO TO OUR ACADEMY ON WEEKENDS AND, UH, DO FIREFIGHTING THINGS.
SO THEY GET TO SEE WHAT THE JOB REALLY IS LIKE.
IT IS A BIT OF RECRUITING TOOL.
AND, UH, WE'VE, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT HAVE ENDED UP GETTING HIRED AND JOINED THE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE OF THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM.
WE ARE ALWAYS HIRING, I'M ALWAYS GONNA PUT THIS ON HERE.
IF YOU KNOW OF ANYONE THAT'S INTERESTED IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, PLEASE UH, HAVE 'EM CONTACT US AND THEY GET A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION TO JOIN AFD.COM.
TRYING TO MAKE SURE I WAS PRECISE WITH TIME.
I HOPE THAT HELPED YOU OUT A LITTLE BIT.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR THINGS THAT I CAN ASSIST Y'ALL WITH? DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UM, COMMISSIONER SMITH? YES.
UH, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO IT RIGHT NOW UNLESS YOU HAVE IT ON THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, BUT I'D LIKE A REPORT OUT ON STATION 25 ON DEVAL.
UH, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, IT'S DOWN AND THOSE FIREFIGHTERS ARE HOUSED AT 44 RIGHT NOW MM-HMM
SO I JUST WANTED SOME ADVISEMENT ON THAT.
I THINK THAT MIGHT BE ON THE SLIDE.
I MAY HAVE THE ANSWER FOR YOU NOW.
STATION 25 EXPECTED COMPLETION IS FEBRUARY 17TH.
SO, AND I KNOW THERE, I KNOW THE COMMUNITY AND OUR FIREFIGHTERS ARE ALL EXCITED ABOUT REPOPULATING THAT STATION.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER NEN? UM, SO I HAVE THREE SEGMENTS.
I, I KNOW WE'RE SHORT ON TIME, SO I'LL TRY AND MAKE IT AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE FOR THE CALIFORNIA RESPONSE.
THANK YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, UH, BEING PART OF COLLABORATING THAT I KNOW THAT'S, THAT WAS A BIG TRAGEDY.
UM, ARE, ARE WE CURRENTLY ON A BLUE CARD OR A RED CARD SYSTEM? AND I, I, I'M WONDERING HOW THAT INTEGRATED WITH CAL FIRE AND IF YOU'RE PLANNING ON DOING SOME TYPE OF AFTER ACTION REPORT TO SEE BEST PRACTICES IN THE FUTURE, UM, OF THOSE REVIEWS.
I KNOW YOU SAID THEY BROUGHT SOME STUFF BACK, BUT IS THERE ANYTHING OFFICIAL THAT'S GOING TO BE, UM, PREPARED, UH, FOR BEST PRACTICES FOR POLICIES AND TRAINING? SO I CAN MAKE SURE TO, TO, TO GET YOU GOOD INFORMATION.
THAT WAY I CAN MAKE SURE IT'S MORE COMPLETE THAN MAYBE WHAT WE HAVE TIME FOR TODAY, IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
UM, AND THEN, UH, THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO ASK WAS, WHEN IT COMES TO FIRES, UH, PARTICULARLY IN, IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, IN MY AREA, WE ACTUALLY EXPERIENCED A FEW AND A A FD RESPONDED AND, AND DID THE BEST THEY COULD.
UM, BUT I, I DO NOTICE THERE, THERE WAS A, A, A GAP IN A CHALLENGE IN US WHEN, UH, WHEN THERE WERE DISPLACEMENT OF PETS AND PEOPLE.
UM, I'M WONDERING HOW THAT IS, UM, HOW THAT, IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING SIMILAR TO VICTIM SERVICES WITH A PD THAT SUPPORTS ANY, ANYBODY LIKE THAT.
AND I, I'D LOVE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION LATER ON IF THAT'S A LONG COMPANY.
[00:20:01]
A SNAPSHOT ON THAT ONE, COLLABORATION OF ALL THREE OF OUR AGENCIES, WE DO WORK HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE WHO ARE DISPLACED HAVE SOME PLACE TO GO.WE WORK WITH THE RED CROSS VICTIM SERVICES WITH A PD, PHENOMENAL, AND HELPING OUT WITH THAT BUILDING MANAGEMENT, IF IT'S AN APARTMENT COMPLEX, UH, WORKING COLLABORATIVELY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THOSE PEOPLE TO, TO, TO SOMEPLACE ELSE.
NOT ONLY THE, THE, THE, THE, THE PEOPLE, BUT THEIR PETS AS WELL.
I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A SECOND TO SAY, I AM REALLY HAPPY THAT THERE ARE SO MANY MORE OF THOSE, UM, IGNITION EVALUATIONS HAPPENING.
I'VE ALWAYS FELT LIKE THEY'RE AN UNDERUTILIZED RESOURCE.
UM, AND I TELL ALL MY NEIGHBORS, PLEASE CALL.
I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYBODY EVER DOES.
IT'S LOW, LOW HANGING FRUIT IS THINGS YOU CAN DO AT MINIMAL EFFORT AND COSTS THAT REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE AS, AS FAR AS, UH, UH, PROTECTING YOUR HOME.
[4. Update from the Downtown Commission representative on the recent presentation by Austin Police Department’s Downtown Area Command on East 6th Street security measures and pedestrian safety]
I'M JUST GONNA GIVE A QUICK UPDATE, UM, FROM THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.UM, DOWNTOWN COMMISSION MEETINGS ARE ONCE A MONTH.
I THINK THEY'RE THE THIRD WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH.
AND AT THE LAST MEETING, UM, APDS DOWNTOWN AREA COMMAND PRESENTED ON E SIXTH STREET, CHIEF DAVIS WAS THERE AS WELL, JUST TO GIVE AN UPDATE.
IT JUST HAPPENED TO BE THE DAY THAT THEY WERE, HAD THEIR PRESS CONFERENCE AND THAT THEY WERE ANNOUNCING THAT SIXTH STREET IS OPEN TO CAR TRAFFIC AGAIN.
UM, I, UH, I HAD CHRISTIE HELP ME GET THE, UM, THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS GIVEN TO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION UPLOADED INTO OUR BACKUP INFORMATION SO THAT YOU GUYS HAVE THAT.
I ALSO ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT DOWNTOWN COMMISSION MEETING, UM, SO THAT YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE DISCUSSION, UM, THERE, YOU KNOW, JUST TO GIVE A QUICK OVERVIEW, UM, AS MANY I'M SURE OF YOU ALREADY KNOW, IF YOU'VE MADE YOUR WAY AROUND DOWNTOWN, THERE'S WESTBOUND TRAFFIC ONLY WHEN SIXTH STREET IS OPEN.
SO THERE'S NO NORTH SOUTH TRAFFIC, SO THEY'RE NOT HAVING TO MITIGATE PEDESTRIANS QUITE AS MUCH.
UM, AND IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING, UM, THAT A PD AND THE PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES WILL BE DOING SOME DATA CAPTURE, UM, AND TRACKING SOME DATA SETS, UM, TO GAUGE SUCCESS.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT ALL, WHAT, WHAT EXACTLY THAT IS AT THIS POINT.
UM, BUT WE CAN HAVE A FOLLOW UP DISCUSSION ON SIXTH STREET ONCE IT'S BEEN UP AND RUNNING FOR A FEW MONTHS IF WE'RE INTERESTED IN THAT.
SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE.
UM, AND I'LL DO MY BEST TO MAKE SURE TO BRING BACK INFORMATION WHENEVER THEY PRESENT IT, WHENEVER ANY OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES PRESENT AT THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.
SO, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE MANY ANSWERS, BUT WE CAN TAKE NOTE OF QUESTIONS SO THAT WE CAN POTENTIALLY ADD THEM TO AN AGENDA ITEM LATER.
AND WE WILL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
[5. Discussion of the Homeless Strategy Office (HSO) coordination with public safety departments with David Gray, Homeless Strategy Officer.]
UM, PERFECT TIMING, I THINK WITH THE DISCUSSION OF THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE.UM, DAVID GRAY IS HERE, UM, TO TALK TO US A BIT.
DAVID GRAY, THE DIRECTOR OF THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE.
HAPPY TO BE HERE BEFORE YOU, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION.
UH, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ABOUT OUR OFFICE AND THE WORK THAT WE DO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS.
JUST A QUICK BACKGROUND ON OUR OFFICE, EXCUSE ME.
OUR OFFICE WAS ESTABLISHED IN DECEMBER OF 2023 WITH THE EXPRESS INTENT TO COLLABORATE WITH ALL PUBLIC AGENCIES, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND INDIVIDUALS TO MAKE HOMELESSNESS RARE, BRIEF AND NON-REOCCURRING HERE IN AUSTIN.
AND, AND I WON'T RUN THROUGH THE LAUNDRY LIST OF OBJECTIVES BEFORE YOU, BUT I'LL TOUCH ON A FEW.
UH, THE PRIMARY ONE MAKE IS ENSURING THAT WE'RE PROVIDING PROPER STEWARDSHIP OF ALL OF OUR SOCIAL SERVICE CONTRACTS.
UH, WE ADMINISTER ABOUT $30 MILLION WORTH OF SERVICE CONTRACTS EVERY YEAR FOR FOLKS TO DO EVERYTHING FROM ENGAGE WITH FOLKS ON OUR STREETS THROUGH STREET OUTREACH, ALL THE WAY TO PROVIDING CASE MANAGEMENT, UM, AT OUR NEW PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FACILITIES.
UH, BUT I DO WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR COLLABORATIONS WITH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES.
AND I JUST WANNA FRAME THE DISCUSSION WITH THREE SPECIFIC SERVICE AREAS WHERE WE WORK WITH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES.
AND THEN I'LL TALK ABOUT EACH ONE SPECIFICALLY.
SO GET READY GUYS, 'CAUSE I'LL BE TALKING ABOUT YOU.
UM, THE FIRST PRIMARY WAY IN WHICH WE WORK TOGETHER IS THROUGH STREET OUTREACH.
UH, AND WE DEFINE THAT AS ANY ACTIVITY WHERE WE ARE
[00:25:01]
OUT IN PUBLIC SPACES, ENGAGING WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE UNSHELTERED AND UNHOUSED, MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE SAFE, UH, THAT THEY CAN TAP INTO SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE CITY OR ANY ONE OF OUR SERVICE PROVIDERS.THE SECOND IS PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT.
I'M SURE, AS ALL OF YOU ARE AWARE, THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN BOTH HAVE CAMPING BANS.
AND SO WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO THE PUBLIC TO ENSURE THAT OUR PUBLIC SPACES ARE SAFE, THAT THEY ARE ACCESSIBLE, AND THAT THEY ARE WELCOMING FOR ALL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT INCLUDES PEOPLE EXPERIENCING, PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
AND JUST TO, TO TAKE A DEEPER DIVE ON THAT, THIS PAST YEAR, UH, WE CONDUCTED 12 HEAL INITIATIVES.
UH, A HEAL INITIATIVE IS ESSENTIALLY WHERE WE GO INTO AN ENCAMPMENT.
WE CREATE A LIST OF ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RESIDING AT THAT ENCAMPMENT.
AND OVER THE COURSE OF TWO TO THREE DAYS, WE MOVE EVERYBODY FROM THE ENCAMPMENT INTO SHELTER AS ONE COMMUNITY.
UH, AND SO THROUGH THOSE 14 HILL SITES ALONE, WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE OVER 400 PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS AND INTO SHELTER AND HOUSING HERE IN AUSTIN.
WE ALSO HAVE A NUMBER OF SUPPLEMENTAL SITES THAT WE WORK.
UM, A SUPPLEMENTAL SITE IS WHERE WE MIGHT BE WORKING ONE LARGE ENCAMPMENT.
AND RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET THERE'S A SMALLER ENCAMPMENT.
AND WELL, WE MIGHT AS WELL GRAB THEM TOO.
AND SO, IN ADDITION TO THE 12 HEEL SITES, WE ALSO HAD FOUR SUPPLEMENTAL SITES THAT WE WORKED LAST YEAR.
TOMORROW WE'LL BE PUTTING OUT, UH, A PRESS RELEASE ABOUT A HEEL SITE THAT WE JUST WRAPPED UP LAST WEEK.
UH, AND I WON'T GIVE ALL THE DETAILS AWAY, JUST HAVE TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THAT PRESS RELEASE.
UM, WE ALSO DO WORK, AS I MENTIONED, TO MAINTAIN THESE SPACES.
AND WE DO THAT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS LIKE TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS, WHICH, UH, HELPED US CLEAN OR CLEAR 283 SITES LAST YEAR, AND THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHICH HELPED US CLEAN AND CLEAR 1,240 SITES LAST YEAR.
AND SO THERE, THERE'S, IT'S A MASSIVE EFFORT TO ENGAGE IN THE PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE ARE TREATED WITH COURTESY AND RESPECT.
AND ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PUBLIC SPACES ARE CLEAN AND SAFE FOR EVERYBODY TO ENJOY.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE THAT I'LL TOUCH ON HERE IS OUR EMERGENCY SHELTERS.
THESE ARE CITY FACILITIES THAT PROVIDE PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOME EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WITH IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO THEIR BASIC NEEDS.
UH, FOOD, A SAFE PLACE TO SLEEP, MEDICAL CARE.
AND SO WE PROVIDE DOG FOOD AS WELL.
UH, AND JUST SAFETY, A SAFE PLACE WHERE THEY CAN REST, CONNECT WITH SERVICES AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THEIR NEXT MOODS ARE GONNA BE TO GET OFF THE STREET.
WE ALSO DO A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS.
UH, WE'RE FOCUSED A LOT MORE NOW ON HOMELESS PREVENTION.
FRANKLY, WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
SO WE'RE GETTING UPSTREAM OF OUR CONTINUUM OF CARE.
UH, TRYING TO IDENTIFY PEOPLE WHO ARE AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS, ENGAGE WITH THEM EARLY IN THAT EXPERIENCE SO THEY DON'T EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS.
AND FRANKLY, IT SAVES THE TAXPAYERS A LOT OF MONEY TO KEEP SOMEBODY FROM HITTING THE STREETS, UH, RATHER THAN WAITING FOR THEM TO HIT THE STREETS AND BE HOMELESS FOR 12 MONTHS BEFORE THEY GET ACCESS TO SERVICE.
WE DO A LOT OF DIVERSION AND RAPID EXIT THAT BASICALLY JUST MEANS THAT ONCE SOMEBODY DOES BECOME HOMELESS, WE TRY TO WORK TO GET THEM REHOUSED WITHIN 45 TO 90 DAYS.
RAPID REHOUSING IS A, UH, RENTAL AND CASE MANAGEMENT SUPPORT PROGRAM WHERE A CLIENT CAN RECEIVE 12 TO 24 MONTHS OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE, COUPLED WITH CASE MANAGEMENT, WITH THE GOAL BEING THAT AFTER THAT 12 TO 24 MONTHS OF ASSISTANCE, UH, THE PERSON HAS ALL THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES AND LIFE SKILLS THAT THEY NEED TO SUSTAIN THEMSELVES.
AND THEN PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IS OUR INTERVENTION FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS.
UH, THIS CAN RUN AS LONG AS PEOPLE NEED IT TO RUN.
SOMETIMES IT COULD TAKE FIVE, 10 YEARS FOR SOMEBODY TO RECEIVE THE LEVEL OF TREATMENT THAT THEY NEED IN ONE OF THESE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING UNITS BEFORE THEY'RE ABLE TO, UH, MOVE ON FROM THAT UNIT AND LIVE INDEPENDENTLY, UH, AND, AND STABLY.
SO JUST WANNA TAKE A QUICK DEEP DIVE INTO HOW WE WORK WITH EACH OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES.
AND I'LL RUN THROUGH THIS FURTHER RATHER QUICKLY, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO OUR COLLABORATIONS WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, AND OF COURSE WE LOVE WORKING WITH CHIEF DAVIS, BUT CHIEF HENDERSON STILL MY CHIEF, UH,
SO WHEN IT COMES TO STREET OUTREACH, UH, I MENTIONED BEFORE THAT THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT IS A HUGE PARTNER WITH US WHEN IT COMES TO STREET OUTREACH.
UH, HELPING US ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS AT OVER 1200 SITES LAST YEAR.
UH, THEY HAVE AN OFFICER THAT'S ASSIGNED TO THE HOMELESS OUTREACH STREET TEAM, WHICH IS A CROSS COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND INTEGRAL CARE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT.
THE GOAL IS TO IDENTIFY PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ONLY EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, BUT ALSO AT RISK OF POTENTIALLY BEING JAILED OR HAVING TO BE BROUGHT TO A HOSPITAL OR A PSYCHIATRIC FACILITY.
AND SO WE TRY TO ENGAGE WITH THOSE PEOPLE WHILE THEY'RE IN THE STREET, PROVIDE THEM WITH CARE SO THAT WE CAN DIVERT PEOPLE FROM JAIL OR FROM THOSE PSYCHIATRIC FACILITIES AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE RECEIVING SUPPORT TO TRANSITION INTO SHELTER AND ULTIMATELY INTO HOUSING.
UH, WE ALSO WORK WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON OUR PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES,
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IN ADDITION TO GOING OUT AND, AND WORKING WITH US EVERY DAY TO HELP MAKE SURE ENCAMPMENTS ARE CLEAN.UH, THEY ALSO HELP ENFORCE OUR KEEP CLEAR SITES.
SO I MENTIONED THAT THROUGH HEAL THE HOUSING FOCUSED ENCAMPMENT ASSISTANCE LINK.
UH, WE WILL WORK WITH EVERYBODY AT AN ENCAMPMENT TO GET THEM ALL INTO SHELTER OR HOUSING.
AND THEN THE CITY SPENDS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY, UH, CLEANING THOSE SITES, REMOVING DEBRIS, RESTORING NATURAL HABITAT.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT LEVEL OF INVESTMENT, WE DO KEEP THOSE SITES CLEAR AND WE RELY ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO HELP US KEEP THOSE SITES CLEAR.
AND THEN LAST IS EMERGENCY SHELTERS.
YOU KNOW, LOOK, OUR OFFICERS HAVE TOLD US LOUD AND CLEAR, THEY DON'T WANT TO ARREST PEOPLE AND TAKE 'EM TO JAIL.
THAT THAT'S NOT THE GOAL HERE.
THE GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE GET ACCESS TO THE CARE THAT THEY NEED.
AND SO WE'VE CARVED OUT SPACE AT OUR MARSHALING YARD EMERGENCY SHELTER FOR AUSTIN POLICE.
THERE'S A CERTAIN NUMBER OF BEDS THAT'S SPECIFICALLY ALLOCATED FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THEY CAN ACCESS THOSE BEDS 24 7.
SO WHEN THEY GET A CALL AND SOMEBODY SAYS, I HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO GO, WHERE CAN YOU TAKE ME? NOW THAT OFFICER HAS A RESOURCE, UH, THAT OFFICER HAS A WAY TO CONNECT THAT PERSON WITH OUR SHELTER SYSTEM.
UH, WE WILL DO THE INTAKE, GET THEM CONNECTED TO SERVICES, UH, AND HOPEFULLY HELP THEM ON THEIR JOURNEY OUT OF HOMELESSNESS.
I DO WANNA CIRCLE BACK TO STREET OUTREACH REALLY QUICKLY 'CAUSE I NEGLECTED TO SAY THAT WE JUST LAUNCHED A NEW PROGRAM, UH, CALLED, CALLED THE HEART INITIATIVE.
THIS IS ANOTHER STREET OUTREACH PROGRAM THAT FOCUSES IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.
IT'S A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE AND URBAN ALCHEMY.
DAA ACTUALLY PILOTED LAST YEAR, AND THE CITY HAS BROUGHT IT ON AS ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS, ESSENTIALLY.
NOW, WHEN SOMEBODY CALLS, UH, 9 1 1 FOR A PERSON EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, UH, IF THE OFFICER OR A PD DETERMINES THAT THAT PERSON IS NOT PRESENTING A, A, AN IMMINENT PUBLIC SAFETY RISK TO THEMSELVES OR SOMEBODY ELSE, UH, THE POLICE CAN ACTUALLY CALL URBAN ALCHEMY.
AND URBAN ALCHEMY WILL SEND A STREET OUTREACH WORKER TO ENGAGE WITH THAT PERSON FIRST.
UH, AND ONLY IF THE URBAN ALCHEMY WORKER FEELS LIKE THEY NEED SUPPORT, THEN THE POLICE OFFICER WILL ARRIVE.
UH, IT HELPS US TO DEESCALATE SITUATIONS.
OFTENTIMES, PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS HAVE UNFORTUNATELY HAD A BAD ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND SO THAT CONTACT WITH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER CAN BE TRIGGERING.
AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE OUR POLICE OFFICERS FOR WORKING WITH US TO PUT THE CLIENTS FIRST AND ALSO TO PUT OFFICERS FIRST.
IT ALLOWS OFFICERS TO FOCUS ON THOSE HIGHER PRIORITY CALLS, UH, NOT HAVING TO PULL FROM OUR, OUR POOL OF OFFICERS THAT ARE PATROLLING DOWNTOWN TO DEAL WITH HOMELESSNESS, UH, ALLOWING THEM TO, TO FOCUS ON OTHER, OTHER CALLS THAT THEY RECEIVE.
WHEN IT COMES TO WORKING WITH OUR GOOD FRIENDS AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, WE, WE DO A LOT OF WORK WITH THEM, ESPECIALLY WITH SOME OF THESE RECENT FIRES THAT WE'VE HAD.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO STREET OUTREACH, UH, WE REALLY DO OUR BEST TO SUPPORT AD'S, FIRE PREVENTION EFFORTS.
AND THIS IS ESPECIALLY CRITICAL DURING SEASONS OF DROUGHT, WHICH IT FEELS LIKE WE HAVE A LOT OF HERE IN AUSTIN.
UH, LAST YEAR, THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICERS AND OUR PARTNERS DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN 300 FIRE EXTINGUISHERS TO PEOPLE IN ENCAMPMENTS TO HELP PREVENT THE SPREAD OF FIRES.
EVERY WEEK WE MEET WITH FIRE DEPARTMENT STAFF WHO GIVE US ESSENTIALLY A HEAT MAP, UH, THAT ALLOWS US TO TARGET OUR FIRE PREVENTION EFFORTS.
AND SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT SUPPORT AND THAT COORDINATION.
UH, WE ALSO PRIORITIZE SOME OF OUR SHELTER BEDS FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE RESIDING IN AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT DESIGNATED HIGH WILDFIRE RISK AREAS.
SO IF WE KNOW IT, IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THOSE WINDY DAYS AND WE WANT TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF AN ENCAMPMENT, AND WE ONLY HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF BEDS, WE'LL TURN TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO POINT US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND MAKE SURE WE GET THOSE PEOPLE INTO SHELTER.
WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT, AGAIN, WE WILL FOCUS, UH, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A FD ON UPDATES ON WHERE THERE WERE FIRE RELATED CALLS, WHETHER IT WAS ARSON OR, UH, A CAMPFIRE THAT GOT OUTTA CONTROL.
UH, AND WE USE THAT INFORMATION TO PRIORITIZE OUR OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT, TO TALK ABOUT FIRE SAFETY, TO GET PEOPLE OUTTA THOSE AREAS.
AND THEN THE COORDINATE CLEANUP TO RESTORE THAT HABITAT TO ITS INTENDED USE.
AND THEN JUST SOME LANAP, YOU KNOW, I'M FROM LOUISIANA, SO WE'D LIKE, WE LIKE TO THROW IN OUR LITTLE CAJUN CREOLE WORDS.
UH, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO LANAP, WE ALSO PARTICIPATE ON THE TASK FORCE WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO LOOK AT VACANT STRUCTURES.
YOU KNOW, FRANKLY, WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, HAVING TO SQUAT IN VACANT STRUCTURES.
IT'S NOT SAFE FOR THEM, ESPECIALLY WHEN BUILDINGS ARE UNSTABLE.
UH, BUT ALSO FROM A FIRE PREVENTION PERSPECTIVE, WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE ARE LIGHTING FIRES IN VACANT BUILDINGS, IT HAS THE POTENTIAL OF NOT ONLY IGNITING THAT BUILDING, BUT ALSO NEARBY STRUCTURES.
IT PUTS OUR CLIENTS' LIVES AT RISK, PLUS THE FIREFIGHTERS LIVES AT RISK.
UH, AND SO ABOUT A YEAR OR SO AGO, WE LAUNCHED THIS VACANT STRUCTURE TASK FORCE TO PROACTIVELY IDENTIFY VACANT STRUCTURES, UH, CASES WHERE PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN THOSE VACANT STRUCTURES, AND THEN WORK WITH THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS TO GET PERMISSION TO GO IN, UH, AND HELP GET PEOPLE OUT OF THOSE VACANT STRUCTURES AND INTO SHELTERS OR INTO HOUSING.
AND ALSO WHEN WE HAVE TO DEMOLISH A VACANT STRUCTURE TO MAKE SURE THAT ON THE DEMOLITION DAYS WE HAVE CASE MANAGERS ON SITE,
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UH, SO THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL LIVING IN THE STRUCTURE ON DEMOLITION DAY.UH, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THOSE PEOPLE ARE COMING OUT, THAT THE VERY FIRST FACE THEY SEE IS A CASE WORKER, A SOCIAL WORKER, SOMEBODY WHO CAN CONNECT THEM WITH A RESOURCE SO THEY'RE NOT JUST MOVING FROM ONE VACANT BUILDING TO A PARK, OR ONE VACANT BUILDING TO ANOTHER VACANT BUILDING.
AND LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR GOOD OLD FRIENDS AT EMS, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO STREET OUTREACH, YOU KNOW, EMS IS ALSO PART OF THAT CROSS AGENCY COLLABORATION, THE HOST TEAM.
UH, WE ACTUALLY SHARE, UH, A FLOOR, UH, AT OUR BUILDING IN ONE TEXAS CENTER WITH SOME EMS FOLKS THAT ARE PART OF, OF THE HOST TEAM.
AND ACTUALLY WE HAVE AN A PD OFFICER WHO'S OVER THERE WITH US NOW, SO THAT THAT'S GREAT.
OUR OWN LITTLE DOWNTOWN, I GUESS, RIGHT ACROSS DOWNTOWN COMMAND, UH, EMS ALSO COLLABORATES WITH US TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO LIFESAVING RESOURCES.
UH, Y'ALL MIGHT RECALL LAST YEAR WITH THE OPIOID OUTBREAK, UH, THAT STARTED RIGHT HERE DOWNTOWN, UH, IT WAS A COMBINATION OF EMS LEADING THE WAY, A FD AND A PD RESPONDING TO THAT, BUT ALSO MY STAFF HAVING NARCAN ON SITE TO BE ABLE TO HELP SUPPLEMENT WHAT THEY HAD.
UH, ALSO WORKING WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY WHO WE CAME ACROSS THAT THEY HAD ACCESS TO NARCAN.
AND THEN FOLLOWING THAT INCIDENT, MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR SHELTERS HAD ENOUGH NARCAN, NOT ONLY FOR OUR CLIENTS AND FOR OUR RESIDENTS, BUT FOR ANYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY WHO NEEDS IT.
UH, AND SO IT, IT'S JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, BEEN A GREAT PARTNERSHIP.
I KNOW OUR SHELTER OPERATORS HAVE BEEN VERY HAPPY TO HAVE THAT ON HAND, AND IT HAS HELPED SAVE LIVES, AND, AND WE'RE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THAT PARTNERSHIP.
AND THEN WE ALSO WORK WITH EMS TO PROVIDE SHELTER TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE IN NEED OF SAFE, UH, ACCOMMODATIONS.
I THINK A CASE IN POINT IS THE RECENT COLD WEATHER SPELL THAT WE HAD.
UH, THE WAY THAT IT WORKS IS WE HAVE A CENTRALIZED REGISTRATION LOCATION.
IT'S CALLED THE EMBARKATION POINT.
UH, AND WE REQUIRE PEOPLE TO COME TO ONE TEXAS CENTER TO GET REGISTERED FOR AN OVERNIGHT COLD WEATHER SHELTER ACCOMMODATION.
BUT FOR FOLKS WHO HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO MAKE IT ON THEIR OWN, UH, EVERY NIGHT THAT WE HAD ACTIVATIONS, WE HAD PARAMEDICS THAT WOULD DROP PEOPLE OFF, UH, AT EMBARKATION, MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAD A WARM HANDOFF TO ME AND MY TEAM, UH, WOULD MAKESHIFT THE PERSON GOT REGISTERED BEFORE THE PARAMEDIC LEFT THE SCENE.
UH, AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES PEOPLE THINK THEY COULD TOUGH IT OUT, AND AT TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING THEY REALIZE IT'S NOT COLD, IT'S COLD, COLD, AND I REALLY GOTTA GET INSIDE AND THEY'LL CALL.
AND EVERY NIGHT THAT WE'VE HAD COLD WEATHER SHELTERS, WE'VE HAD, UH, AT LEAST TWO DIRECT DROP OFFS FROM EMS MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO GET TO WARMTH AND, AND, AND TO SAFETY.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF THIS, THERE, THERE'S A NUMBER OF OTHER WAYS THAT OUR OFFICE PARTNERS WITH ALL THREE OF THESE AMAZING AGENCIES.
I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE SAMPLING OF THE WORK THAT WE DO TOGETHER.
UH, AND WE ALWAYS HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO ENHANCE OUR EFFORT.
OUR OFFICE IS STILL NEW IN A LOT OF WAYS.
IF WE WERE A BABY, WE'D JUST BE LEARNING HOW TO WALK, RIGHT? UH, AND SO THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME ADDITIONAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'RE GONNA BE LEADING INTO THIS YEAR.
UH, WORKING WITH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS ON EVERYTHING FROM STREET OUTREACH, BEST PRACTICES TO PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT.
HOW DO YOU NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, CLEAN DEBRIS, BUT MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE TAKING CARE OF PEOPLE'S STUFF.
'CAUSE FOR SOME OF THESE FOLKS, THIS IS REALLY ALL THAT THEY HAVE.
AND SO HOW DO WE DO THAT IN A, IN A TRAUMA-INFORMED WAY? UH, WE'RE WORKING ON LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE REVAMPING A TOOL THAT'S CALLED THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT MANAGEMENT TOOL.
IT'S AN INTERNAL TOOL THAT, UH, IS DESIGNED FOR ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS TO USE.
SO IF, LET'S SAY A FD GETS A CALL TO AN ENCAMPMENT, THEY COULD LOOK AT THE TOOL AND THEY COULD SEE NOTES FROM HSO ON HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE THERE.
WHEN'S THE LAST TIME THAT ENCAMPMENT HASS BEEN VISITED BY OUTREACH? IS THAT ENCAMPMENT SLATED, UH, TO BE CLOSED? AND HAVE THOSE PEOPLE MOVED INTO SHELTER? HAVE THERE BEEN ANY 9 1 1 CALLS THERE? HAS EMS BEEN DISPATCHED THERE? AND SO THAT, THAT'S GONNA BE A GREAT TECHNOLOGY THAT, UH, WILL ALLOW US TO MORE RAPIDLY SHARE INFORMATION INTERNALLY ON THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE ALL CARE FOR.
AND THEN I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T POINT OUT THAT WE DO NEED MORE SHELTER RESPITE AND MENTAL HEALTH BEDS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, ALL OF US HAVE THE HEART TO SERVE.
THAT'S WHY WE DO THE WORK THAT WE DO.
AND THE HARDEST THING TO DO IN THIS WORK IS ENGAGE WITH SOMEBODY WHO WANTS TO COME INSIDE AND WE HAVE NO SPACE FOR THEM.
OR ENGAGE WITH SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T KNOW THAT THEY WANT TO COME INSIDE OR EVEN NEED TO COME INSIDE BECAUSE THEIR MENTAL HEALTH ACUITY IS SO BAD.
BUT WE HAVE NO RESOURCES TO BRING THEM IN AND GET THEM ACCESS TO THE TREATMENT THAT THEY NEED.
THOSE PEOPLE WILL DIE ON OUR STREET, UNFORTUNATELY.
AND SO, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE PRESSING HARD FOR, NOT JUST IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THESE AGENCIES, BUT WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE COUNTY, UH, AND WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH SHELTER BEDS, MEDICAL RESPITE BEDS, AND MENTAL HEALTH BEDS TO SERVE EVERYBODY WHO WE ALL COME IN CONTACT WITH.
SO I FEEL LIKE I HIT YOU WITH, WITH THE WORD TSUNAMI, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR WRITING THROUGH THAT PRESENTATION QUICKLY.
UH, BUT MADAM CHAIR, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FROM HUGH OR OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
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I'LL GO AHEAD AND DEFER TO COMMISSIONERS FORNELL WITH QUESTIONS.DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OFF THE TOP OF OUR HEAD TO GET US KICK STARTED? COMMISSIONER RUAN, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, AND I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SEE A LOT OF THE COLLABORATION AND THE WORK AND THE EFFORTS GOING FORWARD.
I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT ONE THING IN TERMS OF DATA AND METRICS.
DO YOU ALL CURRENTLY DO OR HAVE ANY PLANS TO TRY TO CREATE SOME KIND OF A REPOSITORY WHEN YOU DO, FOR EXAMPLE, SOME OF THE CAMP CLEARING AND CONNECTING WITH SERVICES TO SEE WHO NOT ONLY MADE INITIAL CONTACT WITH SERVICES, BUT ALSO IF THAT WAS SUCCESSFUL, AND THEN IF THERE'S SUBSEQUENTLY ANOTHER ENCAMPMENT THAT'S CLEARED, TRYING TO DO SOME TRACKING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WORKS, WHAT DIDN'T WORK, AND WHAT TO DO, UM, AT THE NEXT POINT OF CONTACT? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO WE, WE DO CURRENTLY HAVE DATA AND, AND METRICS THAT WE TRACK, AND NOT JUST FOR THE CITY AGENCIES, BUT FOR ALL OF THE PARTNERS WHO ARE PART OF OUR CONTINUUM OF CARE.
UH, AND SO WE ALL USE THE HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM AS OUR WAY TO TRACK ENGAGEMENT WITH CLIENTS.
AND SO THROUGH THAT DATABASE, I'M ABLE TO SEE, UH, HOW MANY FOLKS AT A PARTICULAR CAMPSITE WERE WILLING TO COME INTO SHELTER WITH US VERSUS HOW MANY WEREN'T AND MAYBE WENT SOMEWHERE ELSE.
UH, OR MAYBE WE COME INTO CONTACT WITH SOMEBODY ON THE NORTH SIDE OF TOWN.
UH, IF WE GET THEIR NAME AND THEIR INFORMATION, WE CAN USE THAT DATABASE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHERE ELSE THEY MIGHT'VE BEEN.
DID WE COME IN CONTACT WITH THEM ON THE SOUTH SIDE? IS THIS OUR FIRST TIME OR IS THIS OUR SEVENTH TIME TOUCHING BASE WITH YOU? UH, THE, THE TOOL THAT I THINK WILL ALLOW US TO TAKE THAT DATA TO THE NEXT LEVEL WILL BE THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT MANAGEMENT TOOL.
UH, BECAUSE HMIS IS A SYSTEM THAT HSO IS ABLE TO USE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY PROVIDERS, THE HIM TOOL WILL BE MUCH MORE POWERFUL FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS, SO THAT IF THEY'RE GETTING CALLED OUT TO STUFF, THEN THEY'LL HAVE ACCESS TO THAT SAME LEVEL OF INFORMATION THAT I HAVE.
AND DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, COMMISSIONER? YEAH, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S FANTASTIC.
I'M GLAD TO SEE IT TAKING THE NEXT LEVEL.
UM, IT'D BE NICE TO SEE SOME FORM OF PUBLIC REPORTING OR SOME KIND OF METRICS BUILD ABLE TO, TO SEE LESSONS LEARNED AS WE'RE, AS WE'RE LEVERAGING THAT.
I THINK THAT SHOULD BE REALLY POWERFUL TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WORKS ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS AS WELL AS MORE BROADLY WITHIN A BIGGER POPULATION.
SO GLAD TO SEE YOU ALL ARE WORKING ON THAT.
AND I'LL JUST SAY AT A HIGH LEVEL, TYPICAL, WHAT WE FIND IS 80% OF THE PEOPLE WHO WE COME IN CONTACT WITH DURING ONE OF THOSE HEALED INITIATIVES, WE'LL ACCEPT OUR INVITATION TO SHELTER.
THE OTHER 20% WILL REJECT IT FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
UH, AND IF WE'RE RUNNING INTO AN INDIVIDUAL AND THAT INDIVIDUAL DOESN'T SAY YES, THE FIRST TIME WE CONTACT THEM, USUALLY AROUND CONTACT NUMBER SIX OR SEVEN, THEY, THEY START TO REALIZE THAT WE'RE HERE TO STAY.
WE CARE ABOUT THEM, WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT OUR OFFER, AND THEN THEY'LL COME IN.
BUT, UH, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC DATA QUESTIONS, UH, OUR TEAM WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU, UH, AND PROVIDE YOU WITH THE, THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
COMMISSIONER SMITH, DID I SEE YOUR HAND UP? YES.
NUMBER ONE FOR THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WELL DONE IN THE POSITION YOU HOLD FOR THE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS, IF WE HAVE SOME WAY FOR ENCAMPMENTS TO BE ABLE TO REACH OUT REGARDING WANTING A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, HOW DOES, HOW DOES THAT PROCESS WORK? THAT, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
AND I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CURRENTLY, UM, HAVE RECEIVED REQUESTS FROM FOLKS WHO PRACTICALLY SAID LIKE, WE WANT A FIRE EXTINGUISHER.
BUT TYPICALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS, IS, YOU KNOW, ANYTIME ANYBODY REQUESTS ANYTHING, WHETHER IT'S I NEED A BLANKET OR A WHEELCHAIR OR SOME OTHER SERVICE, UH, NOT ONLY DO WE INTERNALLY THROUGH THE CITY HAVE, UH, COMMUNICATIONS CHANNELS THAT THAT WE ACCESS TO TRY TO GET PEOPLE THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED.
UM, BUT THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY, THERE'S LISTSERVS THAT WE'RE A PART OF WHERE WE MONITOR BOTH FROM REQUESTS COMING IN FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DOING STREET OUTREACH IN, IN PUBLIC SPACE KIND OF WORK.
UH, AND ALSO WHERE WE CAN SUBMIT REQUESTS THAT WE'RE RECEIVING FROM FOLKS WHO ARE LIVING UNSHELTERED.
UH, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A, A FORMAL WAY, AT LEAST NOT THROUGH HSO FOR PEOPLE TO CALL US AND SAY, HEY, I, YOU KNOW, I I I WANT A FIRE EXTINGUISHER.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT, THAT WE'VE RECEIVED THAT AS A NEED FROM THE COMMUNITY, BUT I DO APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK AND I'M GONNA TAKE THAT BACK TO MY TEAM.
'CAUSE I'VE, I'VE ASKED FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS ABOUT FIRE EXTINGUISHERS SPECIFICALLY TO ENCAMPMENTS BECAUSE I HAVE HAD THOSE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE IN THOSE ENCAMPMENTS WANTING THAT AND NOT UNDERSTANDING HOW I WOULD EFFECTIVELY MAKE THAT REQUEST.
I'LL SAY THAT THE EASIEST WAY TO DO IT RIGHT NOW IS TO CALL 3 1 1.
UH, WE HAVE KIND OF RECONFIGURED THE 3 1 1 SYSTEMS WHERE IF YOU OR ANYBODY CALLS AND YOU SAYS, I HAVE A, A REQUEST REGARDING HOMELESSNESS OR A CONCERN REGARDING HOMELESSNESS, ALL OF THOSE REQUESTS NOW GET ROUTED TO OUR OFFICE.
AND SO OUR STAFF WILL SEE THAT.
UH, AND SO IF THAT REQUEST COMES THROUGH THE 3 1 1
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SYSTEM, WE'LL CATCH IT AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE FOLLOW UP ACCORDINGLY.AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION RELATES TO DATA, UH, SPECIFICALLY IN REGARDS TO COMMUNICATION WITH, UH, UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS BEFORE SHELTER OPERATIONS.
I HAD EXPERIENCES BOTH ON RIVERSIDE AND DOWNTOWN WHERE I WAS EXPLAINING, YES, SHELTERS ARE OPEN, THESE ARE THE BUSES ROUTES, THIS IS THE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE PROCESS.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ANY DATA CAPTURING ON THE BACK END OF YOUR DEVICE, UM, YOUR TEXT MESSAGES AND THE THINGS THAT GO OUT, IF PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY RECEIVING THOSE, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT POPULATION, THEY MAY HAVE A PHONE ONE DAY OR SERVICE ONE DAY AND NOT THE OTHER.
SO, UM, CAN YOU JUST SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO HOW WE ARE COMMUNICATING WIDESPREAD THE INFORMATION OF SHELTER OPERATIONS WHEN THAT TIME IS, UM, PRESENT? YES, MA'AM.
AND MY TEAM JUST BRIEFED ME ON THIS, AND SO THEY'RE GONNA, UM, CRITIQUE ME IF I GET THIS WRONG.
UH, I KNOW I'M GONNA HEAR IT TOMORROW AT THE STAFF MEETING.
UH, SO OUR TEXT MESSAGE SYSTEM BELIEVE CURRENTLY HAS RIGHT AROUND 4,500 NUMBERS LOADED INTO IT.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF WHICH ARE PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, UH, WHO ARE ACTIVELY EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
OF THOSE, UH, ABOUT 80% WE KNOW ARE SUCCESSFULLY DELIVERED, THE OTHER 20% MIGHT NOT BE SUCCESSFULLY DELIVERED.
UM, IT, IT COULD BE THAT THE, THE DELIVERY IS DELAYED FOR WHATEVER THE REASON, OR IT'S JUST OUTRIGHT REJECTED.
AND THEN OF THE 80% WE'VE SEEN OUR CLICK THROUGH RATE GROW FROM UNDER 5% TO OVER 26% WITH THIS LAST COLD WEATHER SHELTER, UH, ACTIVATION.
AND SO CLICK THROUGH, MEANING THAT IN, IN ALL OF OUR TEXT ALERTS THAT GO OUT, AND MOST OF 'EM THAT GO OUT THERE IS USUALLY A, A HYPERLINK OR AN IMAGE OR SOMETHING THAT WE WANT FOLKS TO ACTUALLY CLICK ON, NOT JUST OPEN THE MESSAGE.
AND SO ABOUT ONE IN FOUR PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY CLICKING THE LINKS.
THEY'RE CLICKING THE IMAGES TO ACCESS THE INFORMATION.
I COULD ALSO SHARE ANECDOTALLY, UH, I'VE, I'VE PARTICIPATED IN MOST OF OUR COLD WEATHER SHELTER EMBARKATIONS.
IF I WASN'T THERE, IT WAS BECAUSE I WAS ACTUALLY AT THE SHELTER SITE.
UH, AT ANY TIME GUESTS COME IN, WE ALWAYS ASK THEM, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU, HOW DID YOU LEARN ABOUT SHELTER? HOW ARE YOU DOING? WHAT ARE YOUR NEEDS? UH, AND I, I WAS FRANKLY SURPRISED, YOU KNOW, AT AT LEAST HALF OF THE PEOPLE WHO WE SPOKE TO TOLD US THAT THEY EITHER HEARD ABOUT THE COLD WEATHER SHELTER ACTIVATION THROUGH THE TEXT ALERT SYSTEM, OR THEY HAD A BUDDY AT THEIR ENCAMPMENT WHO WAS ON OUR TEXT ALERT SYSTEM WHO GOT THE INFORMATION AND THEY SPREAD IT WORD OF MOUTH.
I WILL SAY, COMMISSIONER, YOU KNOW, I, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE, FRANKLY, LARGER STREET OUTREACH TEAMS TO HELP US SPREAD THE WORD.
UH, THE TEXT ALERT SYSTEM REALLY IS OUR MOST EFFECTIVE WAY AT REACHING A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTIVELY EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE PHYSICAL BODIES TO GET TO EVERY ENCAMPMENT.
UH, AND SO WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO SIGN UP FOR THAT TEXT ALERT SYSTEM.
THERE'S, THERE'S A QR CODE THAT WE CAN SHARE THAT FOLKS CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, USE TO, TO REGISTER.
UH, AND OUTSIDE OF THAT, IT'S A LOT OF WORD OF MOUTH WHENEVER WE HAVE THESE COLD WEATHER SHELTER ACTIVATIONS, TEN FOUR.
BUT WHAT I'M HEARING IS ALSO A OPPORTUNITY OF GROWTH IN REGARDS TO STREET OUTREACH AND WANTING SUPPORT IN THUS.
YOU KNOW, OUR OFFICE HAS TWO, UH, STREET OUTREACH STAFF WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR COVERING THE ENTIRE 300 SQUARE MILE AREA OF AUSTIN.
AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE IDENTIFIED THIS AS AN AREA THAT WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING INTO FOR OURSELVES.
THAT BEING SAID, WE HAVE A LOT OF CONTRACTS WITH A LOT OF GREAT ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO STREET OUTREACH, UH, AND WE HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH GREAT ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO STREET OUTREACH, AND THEY ENGAGE WITH PEOPLE IN ENCAMPMENTS.
AND SO CURRENTLY WE LEAN A LOT ON OUR PARTNERS TO HELP US SPREAD THE WORD, UH, OR WE'RE LEANING A LOT ON OUR CONTRACTED AGENCIES TO HELP US SPREAD THE WORD.
UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE ALSO NEED TO KIND OF GROW FROM WITHIN A LITTLE BIT SO THAT WE CAN MORE EFFECTIVELY REACH PEOPLE IN ENCAMPMENTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE, UH, THESE COLD NIGHTS.
AND ON THE FLIP SIDE, WHEN WE HAVE HEAT, HOT, HOT DAYS AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE INTO COOLING CENTERS.
SO WE, WE DEFINITELY RECOGNIZE THAT AS A AREA FOR US TO IMPROVE.
I HEAR AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A POTENTIAL RECOMMENDATION FROM US LATER ON.
I WOULD LOVE TO TALK TO YOU, COMMISSIONER SMITH ABOUT FOLLOWING UP ON THAT.
UM, UM, AND IT ALSO HELPS ME, I THINK, PIGGYBACK INTO A QUESTION THAT I HAD, BUT BEFORE, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER? NO, GO AHEAD.
UM, THANK YOU, DIRECTOR GRAY, FOR YOUR COMPREHENSIVE REPORT, UM, ON A LOT OF THE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS THAT ARE HAPPENING WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I HEARD, AND I THINK WE DISCUSSED THIS DURING OUR LAST, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING, WAS SOME OF THE BARRIERS TO CARE.
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT I HEARD TIME AND TIME AGAIN THOUGH, ESPECIALLY IN A DISTRICT THAT'S FURTHER
[00:50:01]
UP NORTH, WAS A CHALLENGE OF GETTING DOWN TO ONE TEXAS CENTER.IS, IS IT THE GOAL OF, UM, OF THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE TO MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE? UH, BECAUSE I, I, I HEARD FROM SOME OF THE UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE HOUSING AT A, A, A SECONDARY LOCATION, NOT RUN BY THE CITY, UM, THAT IT WAS VERY INDIGNANT FOR THEM TO TRY TO GATHER ALL THEIR THINGS, GET ONTO PUBLIC TRANSIT, WHICH MIGHT NOT BE CLOSE BY AND GET DOWN THERE, UM, TO BE ABLE TO SHELTER AND, AND, AND BE WARM.
IS IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, THAT IS IN DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW? A A THOUSAND PERCENT, SIR? YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR THAT, THAT I'VE AT LEAST BEEN HERE, I'M REALLY PROUD OF MY TEAM AND ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT THEY'VE MADE TO MAKE COLD WEATHER SHELTER A BETTER EXPERIENCE FOR FOLKS.
UH, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE THE FOOD QUALITY.
THIS LAST ROUND, WE HAD VACCINES AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE.
UH, THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, WE WERE ABLE TO BRING IN INTEGRAL CARE AT OUR SHELTER SITES TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR FOLKS WHO ARE JUST EXPERIENCING TRAUMATIC SITUATIONS IN THE SHELTERS.
AND SO EVERY YEAR WE GOT BETTER.
BUT THE ONE AREA WHERE WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN TO WHERE I WANT US TO GET TO IS THE ACCESSIBILITY.
WE, WE DO RECOGNIZE THAT HAVING ONE, UH, EMBARKATION LOCATION IS NOT GONNA CUT IT FOR A CITY OF OUR SIZE.
UH, THERE ARE SOME LOGISTIC CONSTRAINTS THAT, THAT WE HAVE TO CONTEND WITH.
YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR, OUR PARTNERS AT CAP METRO ONLY HAVE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF BUSES THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO FREE UP IN THEIR SYSTEM AND ALLOCATE TO SUPPORT THE CITY'S OPERATIONS.
AND SO IF THEY WERE NOW SPLITTING THOSE BUSES ACROSS MULTIPLE TYPES IN THE CITY, IT MAKES IT, IT MAKES IT HARDER FOR US TO ACTUALLY GET PEOPLE FROM THE REGISTRATION POINTS TO THE ACTUAL SHELTERS.
AND SO THIS IS A TOP PRIORITY FOR US, YOU KNOW, AS I'M HOPING THAT WE'RE OUT OF COLD WEATHER SEASON, I FEEL LIKE NOW THAT I SAID IT, UH, SOMEBODY ON K U'S GONNA COME ON THE NEWS TOMORROW AND SAY, THERE'S A COLD FRONT COMING NEXT WEEK, AND WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK AT IT.
BUT THIS IS A TOP PRIORITY AS WE LOOK TO NEXT WINTER, IS HOW DO WE MAKE ACCESS ACCESSIBLE, RIGHT? HOW DO WE MAKE IT EASIER FOR FOLKS TO ACTUALLY GET INTO THE PLACES WHERE WE WANT THEM TO GET INTO INSTEAD OF REQUIRING EVERYBODY TO HAVE TO COME DOWNTOWN, UH, TO, TO GET ACCESS TO THE SYSTEM.
WELL, WELL, TALKING ABOUT COLD WEATHER, THERE'S ALSO GONNA BE EXTREME HEAT THAT YOU'RE PROBABLY GONNA BE INVOLVED IN AS WELL.
UM, HAVE THERE ANY, UH, BEEN ANY PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, FOR INSTANCE, I KNOW WHEN I WAS WORKING AND PROVIDING HEALTHCARE IN NEW YORK CITY DURING COVID, UM, THEY HAD UBER HEALTH PROVIDING, UM, UH, TRANSPORTATION FOR PEOPLE WHO NEEDED TO MAKE DOCTOR'S