[00:00:04]
[CALL TO ORDER]
UH, TODAY, TUESDAY, UH, APRIL 8TH.UM, I CALLED TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
I WILL START BY READING THE PURPOSE OF OUR COMMISSION.
THE COMMISSION, THE PURPOSE OF THE BOARD IS TO ADVISE THE COUNCIL AND THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO SERVE THE POOR AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE WITH AN EMPHASIS ON FEDERALLY FUNDED PROGRAMS. SO WE WILL, WE WILL
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
START WITH OUR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.THE FIRST 10 SPEAKER SIGNED UP PRIOR TO THE MEETING WILL BE CALLED IN THE ORDER.
THEY WERE, THEY REGISTERED, AND THEY WILL BE ALLOWED THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS REGARDING ITEMS THAT ARE NOT POSTED ON THE AGENDA.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS TODAY? THANK YOU.
WE HAVE CELINE REON FROM COMMUNITY POWERED A TX.
SORRY, Y'ALL JUST GETTING MY NOTES OUT.
UM, I LIVE IN DISTRICT EIGHT, BUT I'M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WITH COMMUNITY POWERED A TX.
WE'RE HOUSING AND SOCIAL JUSTICE GROUP BASED IN EAST, UM, BASED IN AUSTIN.
AND I'M JUST SHARING TODAY ABOUT, UH, CURRENT DB 90 CASE THAT IS GONNA BE VOTED ON, UM, ON THURSDAY, UH, CITY HALL.
AND, UM, SOME OF OUR CALL TO ACTIONS AND WHERE WE'RE ASKING FOR THE CDC SUPPORT ON WHICH I'LL PROVIDE MORE BACKGROUND RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT AS Y'ALL KNOW, UM, COMMUNITY POWERED A TX HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF HOUSING POLICY IN AUSTIN THAT HAS BEEN, UM, AT THE FOREFRONT TO SERVE, UM, THOSE WITH PROFIT INTERESTS MOSTLY.
UM, AND HOW IT LEADS TO THE DEMOLITION OF EXISTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND DISPLACING OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS.
UM, IN AUSTIN, THE MAJORITY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS BUILT FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH INCOME PEOPLE MAKING $66,000 TO $103,000 PER YEAR.
UM, CURRENTLY LESS THAN A THOUSAND DEEPLY AFFORDABLE UNITS HAS BEEN CREATED FOR THOSE WHO MAKE $25,000 OR LESS.
AND OF COURSE, THOSE THAT MAKE 30 OR 40, UM, THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR, OF COURSE, UM, SINCE 2018, UM, WHICH IS KIND OF GOES AGAINST OF THE, WHAT THE CITY IS TRYING TO PUT OUT RIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE BUILDING AND BUILDING MORE HOUSING.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S FOR MOSTLY THOSE OF MIDDLE AND HIGH INCOME.
IN 2023, AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, HAD EVERYTHING THEY NEEDED TO PREVENT HARM, BUT CHOSE TO SELL OUT.
UM, OUR MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES FOR DEVELOPER PROFITS.
CITY COUNCIL VOTED IN 2023 FOR THE ZONING DEREGULATION POLICIES, AS WE KNOW THROUGH HOME PHASE ONE AND TWO.
UM, THE EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, EO AND DB 90, WHICH WERE, UH, WAS POLICY CREATED BY REAL ESTATE AND TECH BILLIONAIRES.
AND THESE WERE CHANGES THAT ARE ONLY GOING TO BE ACCELERATING PROPERTY TAX AND RENT INCREASES, SACRIFICING LOW INCOME DISPROPORTIONATELY.
UM, BLACK INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF COLOR COMMUNITIES VULNERABLE FOR INVESTOR PROFITS COUNCIL IN 2023 DID NOT DELAY THE IMPLEMENTATION FOR EO AND DB NINETIES IN VULNERABLE AREAS, MEANING RENTERS AND SMALL BUSINESSES LOCATED WHERE THESE ZONING CHANGES WILL BE HAPPENING, UM, ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO BE IMPACTED BY HIGHER DISPLACEMENT PRESSURES BEFORE AN ACTUAL EQUITY OVERLAY CAN BE IMPLEMENTED.
UM, CURRENTLY AS THAT EXAMPLE, JUST, THAT WAS JUST SOME BACKGROUND.
THE ACACIA CLIFFS APARTMENTS, WHICH IS LOCATED IN NORTHWEST AUSTIN, UM, RENTERS AT THE KECIA CLIFF APARTMENTS, MOST OF THESE ARE LOW INCOME FAMILIES.
STUDENTS AND SENIORS ARE CURRENTLY AT RISK OF BEING DISPLACED FOR A DB 90 REZONING CASE THAT'S HAPPENING THIS THURSDAY AT CITY HALL.
UM, THE COMMUNITY AS IT STANDS, UM, CURRENTLY TO LOSE 290 DEEPLY AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS WHERE RENTS CURRENTLY RANGE FROM $860 TO $1,350, MAKING ACACIA CLIFFS ONE OF THE LAST REMAINING AFFORDABLE OPTIONS
[00:05:01]
IN DISTRICT 10.UM, THE DEVELOPER PRICE, YOU'RE, YOUR THREE MINUTES ARE UP.
I THOUGHT WE'D, I'D HAVE MORE TIME.
UM, IF YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION OR ANYTHING ELSE, YOU CAN EMAIL IT TO THE STAFF.
AND THEY CAN SHARE IT WITH US.
AND WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR THE CDC SUPPORT ON THAT, UM, BECAUSE IT'S A CURRENT DB 90 CASE, UM, AND I COULD PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION TO THE CDC.
ANY MORE SPEAKERS ONLINE? ED? I'M LOOKING FOR ONE.
UH, SO THAT WAS OUR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION PERIOD.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
WE WILL MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS OUR APPROVAL OF MINUTES, UH, FROM MARCH 11TH, 2025.IF YOU LOOK IN YOUR PACKET, YOU WILL SEE THE MINUTES FROM 20, FROM MARCH 11TH, 2025.
PLEASE TAKE SOME TIME TO LOOK AT THOSE.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS, ANY CORRECTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE, PLEASE, UH, DO SPEAK UP WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE MINUTES FROM MARCH 11, YOU MAY DO SO.
I'D LIKE TO MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM MARCH.
COMMISSIONER LONGORIA MAKES A MOTION.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND ON THAT? COMMISSIONER ORTIZ ONLINE MAKES A SECOND.
SO LET'S, UH, TAKE A VOTE, UH, APPROVAL OF THE MARCH 11 MINUTES.
UH, IF YOU'RE ONLINE, CAN YOU PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON SO THAT WE CAN COUNT YOUR VOTE? I HAVE A QUESTION.
IF I WASN'T A PART OF THE MEETING, CAN I STILL VOTE? YOU MAY STILL VOTE, OR YOU MAY ABSTAIN.
ED, DO YOU NEED, YEAH, I NEED HANDS UP CLEARLY.
UH, IF YOU'RE VOTING, WE GOT IT.
UH, AND ONE OF, DO YOU HAVE THE ABSTENTION? YEAH.
I'M GONNA ABSTAIN HIS WELL, COMMISSIONER MENARD AND COMMISSIONER TRICE, IS THAT, UH, ABSTAIN? IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
AND WITH THAT, UM, OUR MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
AND BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE, UH, DO HAVE, UH, NEW COMMISSIONERS ON BOARD, UH, AND GIVE, I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A WELCOME.
UM, WE HAVE IN PERSON HERE WE HAVE COMMISSIONER MENARD, VALERIE MENARD, REPRESENTING ST.
WE HAVE COMMISSIONER WARD, WARDLOW WARDLOW.
UH, WE HAVE COMMISSIONER LYRIC.
UH, WE HAVE ONLINE, OH, SORRY.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, HERE IN PERSON WE HAVE COMMISSIONER MARTINEZ.
ONLINE WE HAVE COMMISSIONER TRICE AND COMMISSIONER BREWSTER ONLINE AS WELL, UH, AND, UH, REPRESENTING, UH, COLONY PARK AND ROSEWOOD OSA RESPECTIVELY.
HELLO, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE, AND WE'LL GO TO OUR NEXT ITEM IN OUR AGENDA.
[2. Conduct annual officer elections for the Chair and Vice Chair for the CDC. Current officer terms will expire at the end of April with new terms beginning May 1, 2025. City Code requires that all boards/commissions elect a Chair and Vice Chair.]
UH, NEXT, UH, ITEM FOR DISCUSSION AND ACTION IS, UH, WE'RE ON ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS CONDUCTING AN ANNUAL OFFICER ELECTION FOR THE CHAIR AND THE VICE-CHAIR FOR THE CDC.UM, THE CURRENT OFFICE TERMS, UH, WILL EXPIRE AT THE END OF APRIL.
WILL EXPIRE AT THE END OF APRIL.
WE'LL, WITH THE NEW TERM, BEGINNING ON MAY THE FIRST OF 2025.
[00:10:01]
SO I HAVE A SCRIPT AND LET ME, LET ME GO THROUGH IT ALL.COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSIONERS.
ALL BOARDS WILL ELECT A CHAIR AND A VICE CHAIR ANNUALLY FOR A TERM OF ONE YEAR, UH, BEGINNING ON MAY THE FIRST AND ENDING ON APRIL THE 30TH.
UH, PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT ALL VOTES ARE PUBLIC, NO BALLOT SYSTEM FOR ANY ACTION AND NO REQUIREMENT FOR REELECTED OFFICERS.
SO WE WILL HAVE VOTES FOR CHAIR AND FOR VICE CHAIR.
THE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE CHAIR ARE TO PRESIDE AT BOARD MEETINGS, TO APPROVE THE DRAFT AGENDAS, TO APPOINT MEMBERS, UH, WORKING GROUPS AND COMMITTEES WITH INPUT FROM THOSE MEMBERS TO COMPLETE THE ANNUAL REVIEW AND REPORT, UH, BETWEEN JULY 1ST AND JUNE 30TH.
THAT RUNS FROM JULY 1ST TO JUNE 30TH, UH, REPRESENT AND ALSO TO REPRESENT THE BOARD AT CEREMONIAL FUNCTIONS, THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE VICE CHAIR OR AS FOLLOWS.
SO IN ABSENCE OF THE CHAIR, THE VICE CHAIR SHALL PERFORM ALL THE DUTIES THAT I LISTED ABOVE THAT ARE FOR, FOR THE CHAIR.
SO WE WILL BEGIN THE ELECTION FOR CHAIR.
SO, UH, WE WILL TAKE, UH, NOMINATIONS FOR CHAIR, AND THEN EACH CANDIDATE OR THE PERSON NOMINATING CAN, UM, SPEAK ON THE REASON FOR NOMINATION.
UH, EACH NOMINEE WILL, UH, ACCEPT, UH, OR NOT ACCEPT THE NOMINATION.
SO, UM, WOULD ANY COMMISSIONERS AT THIS TIME LIKE TO NOMINATE SOMEONE OR CHAIR OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION? SO, RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE SOMEBODY FOR CHAIR OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE COMMISSIONER NOI.
WHO WAS IT? I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE COMMISSIONER, UH, NOE ELIAS AS CHAIR OF THE CDC
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS FOR, UH, CHAIR OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION? OH,
UH, SO NOW, UM, TIME, TWO TO THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
SO I WILL GIVE YOU MY, UH, MY STORY.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER LONGORIA.
UM, I ACCEPT THE NOMINATION FOR CHAIR.
UM, SO I WAS, UM, I GREW UP IN THE COMMUNITY OF MONIS WHERE I STILL LIVE NOW.
UH, I WAS A SCHOOL TEACHER FOR 13 YEARS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THE EAST RIVERSIDE EAST ALSO COMMUNITY, AND THE MONIS COMMUNITY.
UM, AS A TEACHER, OF COURSE, UC, SEE, UM, YOUR STUDENTS' LIVES, RIGHT? UH, YOU GET TO SEE ALL THE CHANGES, EVERYTHING.
AND, UM, JUST WITH THAT EXPERIENCE BEING SO PARALLEL TO THE EXPERIENCE OF ME GROWING UP, UM, I, YOU KNOW, I FELT THAT I HAD TO SERVE IN SOME CAPACITY.
AND WHEN THE SEAT FOR THE MENTALIS, UM, THE MENTALIS SEAT WAS OPEN, I, UH, THREW MY NAME OUT THERE BECAUSE I KNEW THAT I WANTED TO SERVE IN A COMMISSION SUCH AS THIS, A COMMISSION THAT, UH, AS I READ, OUR PURPOSE IS TO SERVE THE POOR.
AND, UM, KNOWING THAT, UH, AS WE SEE EVERY, EVERY MONTH WITH THE REPORTS, UH, THAT ANHILL BRINGS US, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, POVERTY HAS SO MANY, UM, PARTS TO IT, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, FOOD INSECURITY, HOUSING, TRYING TO GET A JOB, AND BARRIERS AND ALL OF THAT.
AND SO MY HOPE AS CHAIR IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WORK FOR THIS NEXT YEAR TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES, TO SEE WHAT'S WORKING AND WHAT IS NOT WORKING, UH, IN THIS CITY.
AND WE HELP TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY BETTER AND LIVE BY THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMMISSION.
SO WE WILL, WE WILL NOW TAKE A VOTE
[00:15:01]
FOR CHAIR.UM, AGAIN, YOUR NOMINEE IS, UH, NO, ELIAS.
SO WILL YOU, UH, RAISE YOUR HAND, UH, AND VOTE FOR, UH, AND RAISE YOUR HAND.
UH, IF YOU'RE ONLINE, WILL YOU PLEASE TURN ON YOUR CAMERA SO THAT WE CAN SEE YOUR VOTE?
UH, ED HAS COUNTED ALL THE VOTES.
SO YOU'RE NEW CHAIR OF THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION IS, UH, NO.
ELIAS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR VOTE COMMISSIONERS.
UM, AND NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO, UH, VOTING FOR VICE CHAIR.
UM, WOULD ANY COMMISSIONERS AT THIS TIME LIKE TO NOMINATE SOMEONE FOR THE VICE CHAIR POSITION OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION? UH, RAISE YOUR HAND, UM, TO MAKE A NOMINATION.
OH, UH, WE HAVE, UH, IS THAT COMMISSIONER ATISHA? YES, GO AHEAD.
I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE COMMISSIONER JENNY ACHILLES FOR VICE CHAIR.
AND I KNEW ORTIZ, I KNEW YOU WERE THINKING THE SAME.
UM, YES, UH, I HAD MY HAND RAISED, BUT I SECOND THAT.
UH, ANY, ANYBODY ELSE? UH, WE CAN GO AROUND.
DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER NOMINATION? NOMINEE? OKAY.
LOOKS LIKE, UH, WE HAVE ONE NOMINEE FOR VICE CHAIR.
UM, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK, OR, UH, COMMISSIONER TISHA, SINCE YOU NOMINATED, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK OR EITHER ONE, PLEASE, PLEASE.
COMMISSIONER ACHILLES, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
COMMISSIONER TISHA, THANK YOU ALL.
UM, I, I WOULD BE HONORED TO ACCEPT THE NOMINATION, UM, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME, AND ALSO WELCOME TO OUR NEW COMMISSIONERS.
UM, AND I'M REALLY SAD TO NOT BE THERE IN PERSON TODAY, UM, TO BE ABLE TO MEET ALL THE NEW FOLKS AND NEW ENERGY.
WE JUST COULD NOT BE MORE, MORE HAPPY THAT THE COMMISSION IS ALMOST ALL BUILT OUT.
THIS IS GONNA BE A GREAT YEAR.
UM, SO I'VE, I'VE BEEN IN AUSTIN FOR, UM, FOR JUST THE PAST 20 YEARS.
I'VE LIVED IN A COUPLE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGHOUT THE TIME.
I WAS A PRECINCT CHAIR, UM, IN THE BERG AREA FOR A WHILE.
DID, UM, WORKED AS AN DURING COVID, UM, AND HAVE REALLY WANTED TO, TO SPEND MORE TIME ACTIVELY IN THE COMMUNITY.
I'M AT A FOUNDATION THAT WORKS STATEWIDE.
UM, AND OUR, OUR PURPOSE IS TO SUPPORT POST-SECONDARY OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOW-INCOME STUDENTS AS STUDENTS OF COLOR.
SO IT INTERSECTS A LOT WITH POVERTY, BUT THAT'S NOT THE SAME AS BEING ABLE TO DIVE DEEP IN YOUR OWN, UM, IN YOUR OWN CITY.
AND SO I CAME TO THIS COMMISSION WITH A BACKGROUND IN PUBLIC POLICY FROM THE LBJ SCHOOL AND HAVE BEEN ON FOR A COUPLE OF A YEAR AND A HALF, ALMOST TWO.
IT'S ALL RUNNING TOGETHER, GUYS.
UM, BUT I, I WOULD REALLY, UM, BE HONORED TO SERVE AS VICE CHAIR BECAUSE IT'S A SUPPORTING ROLE AND I REALLY, UM, I'M EXCITED ABOUT SOME PROCESS MOVEMENT THAT WE HAVE AND SOME SUPPORT STRUCTURES THAT WE'RE GAINING A LOT OF MOMENTUM AROUND THAT CAN REALLY, UM, REALLY HELP SUPPORT THE CHAIR AND THE COMMISSION IN, IN MOVING FORWARD WITH A STRATEGIC VISION.
AND, UM, I ACTUALLY, I'M, I'M IN WEST AUSTIN.
I WOULDN'T RUN FOR CHAIR, RIGHT? I'M NOT, I DON'T REPRESENT THE COMMUNITIES THE SAME WAYS THAT Y'ALL DO.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT, UM, THAT I COULD FOR, FOR A YEAR COME IN AND REALLY HELP SUPPORT ON THE PROCESS END AND LEAVE A LOT OF SPACE FOR OTHER FOLKS WITH DEEP, DEEP EXPERTISE IN THE ISSUES IN THE COMMUNITIES TO REALLY DEVOTE THEIR TIME THERE.
AND I WOULD LOVE TO LOVE SERVE YOU GUYS IN THAT WAY.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER ACHILLES.
SO NOW WE WILL TAKE THAT VOTE.
UM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VOTE FOR COMMISSIONER ACHILLES FOR THE OFF THE VICE CHAIR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
REMEMBER, IF YOU'RE ONLINE, PLEASE TURN ON YOUR CAMERA.
AND THANK YOU, ED, AND CONGRATULATIONS, COMMISSIONER ACHILLES, OUR VICE CHAIR OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
UH, LET'S, UH, YEAH, LET'S GO TO OUR NEXT ITEM.
[3. Discuss the process of appointing of members and the responsibilities of the Community Development Commission to the Housing Committee. (Edward Blake Program Manager, CDC Liaison, Housing Department).]
THIRD ITEM IS THE[00:20:01]
DISCUSSION ITEM.AND IT IS, UH, TO DISCUSS THE PROCESS OF APPOINTING OF MEMBERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION TO THE HOUSING COMMITTEE.
IF YOU REMEMBER OUR LAST MEETING, WE VOTED TO ESTABLISH OR RE REESTABLISH THE HOUSING COMMITTEE, WHICH IS REQUIRED BY, UH, THROUGH OUR BY BYLAWS.
UH, AND SO ED IS GOING TO SPEAK ON THE PROCESS OF APPOINTING NEW MEMBERS AND ALSO THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THOSE MEMBERS.
UM, DURING COVID, I BELIEVE THE HOUSING COMMITTEE KIND OF DISSIPATED AND STOPPED MEETING, BUT AFTER COVID, WE WANTED TO GET THE HOUSING COMMITTEE AND TALK TO THE VICE CHAIR, AND HE WON'T LET THE HOUSING COMMITTEE GOING AGAIN.
SO I'M GONNA DO A SHORT PRESENTATION TO, UM, DISCUSS THE HOUSING COMMITTEE, THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE HOUSING COMMITTEE.
THE, THE CDC HOUSING COMMITTEE, THE FOCUS IS TO EXPLORE IN-DEPTH POLICY ISSUES RELATED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, AND OTHER ISSUES ASSIGNED TO THE COMMITTEE.
UH, TO, TO ESTABLISH THE COMMITTEE, THE COMMITTEE MUST BE ESTABLISHED BY AN AFFIRMATIVE VOTE OF THE BOARD.
THE COMMITTEE CANNOT MEET UNTIL ITS CR CREATION IS APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.
THE COMMITTEE SHALL CONSIST OF AT LEAST THREE BOARD MEMBERS OR APPOINTED BY THE CDC CHAIR.
A STAFF MEMBER SHALL BE ASSIGNED TO THE COMMITTEE BY THE DIRECTOR OF NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
NOW, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, THE BOARD CHAIR, SHALL APPOINT A BOARD MEMBER AS A COMMITTEE CHAIR WITH THE MEMBER'S CONSENT.
I ALREADY WENT OVER THAT PART.
THE MEETING RULES, A MAJORITY OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF APPOINTED COMMITTEE MEMBERS CONSIST, UH, CONSTITUTES A QUORUM.
THE HOUSING COMMITTEE SHALL MEET ON A REGULAR SCHEDULED BASIS, AT LEAST QUARTERLY, AND TO MAKE ANNUAL AN, UH, AN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE BOARD AT THE JANUARY BOARD MEETING.
UM, I TALKED TO THE VICE CHAIR ABOUT THIS.
IT CAN BE MORE THAN A QUARTERLY, IT CAN BE AS, UM, THE COMMITTEE COMES UP WITH.
IT COULD BE MONTHLY IF YOU WANT IT, BUT, BUT AT LEAST QUARTERLY.
SO, UH, THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS MUST BE POSTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, UH, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 5 5 1.
TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT SIMILAR TO THE WAY THE CDC WILL, UM, THE AGENDA HAS TO BE, UM, APPROVED AND UPLOADED TO, UH, UM, SO EVERYONE CAN SEE IT.
UM, AT EACH COMMITTEE MEETING, COMMITTEE MEETING, A COMMITTEE MEMBER SHALL SIGN IN ON A SHEET PROVIDED AND SHALL INDICATE THAT THE MEMBER HAS NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST WITH ANY ITEM ON THE COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA OR I, UH, IDENTITY IDENTIFY, SORRY ABOUT THAT.
EACH AGENDA ITEM ON WHICH, UH, THE MEMBER HAS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
SO IT'S REALLY SIMILAR TO BEING ON THE CDC.
I MEAN, UM, IN THE PAST, THEY MET AN HOUR AND A HALF BEFORE THE CDC ME MEETING AND USUALLY IN THIS ROOM.
UM, AND AS I SAID, IT'S A COMMITMENT.
SO, UH, ED AND I SPOKE AND YEAH, HE HAD EXPERIENCE.
AND SO I ASKED HIM HOW THIS WOULD WORK.
AND SO I ASKED HIM FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
UM, I GUESS THE FIRST THING WOULD BE, YEAH, SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ON THE RESPONSIBILITIES OR WHAT WE WOULD, WHAT THE HOUSING COMMITTEE WOULD LOOK AT.
UM, I THINK WE JUST HAD MAYBE A GREAT EXAMPLE WITH OUR SPEAKER, UH, TALKING ABOUT HOUSING POLICY AND HOW THAT AFFECTS, UH, THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE.
SO WE CAN LOOK AT HOUSING POLICY, WE CAN LOOK AT, UH, OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, YES, IT IS A COMMITMENT, UM, AS ED WAS SAYING, UH, THE HOUSING COMMITTEE BEFORE WAS MEETING AN HOUR, HOUR AND A HALF BEFORE THIS MEETING.
UM, AND SO, SO THAT, THAT'S A COMMITMENT TO GET HERE AT THAT TIME BEFORE, AND THEN ALSO TO REPORT, UH, DURING OUR, UM, DURING OUR REGULAR COMMISSION MEETINGS.
UM, AND SO WHAT I WOULD, UH, SAY IS ACTUALLY I HAVE CONTACTED COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE INTERESTED BECAUSE PART OF THE PROCESS IS, UH, AS CHAIR TO APPOINT COMMISSIONERS TO THE COMMITTEE, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, WITH THEIR CONSENT.
SO, UH, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, PLEASE, UH, REACH OUT.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, FURTHER QUESTIONS, PLEASE REACH OUT.
AND ACTUALLY, IT'S A DISCUSSION ITEM, SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS NOW FOR ED OR FOR MYSELF, UM, WE CAN START WITH, UH, THOSE ONLINE.
IF YOU'RE ONLINE AND YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS HOUSING COMMITTEE, PLEASE, UH, SPEAK UP NOW.
[00:25:01]
OH, YOU CAN GO BACK TO THEM.ELIAS, ARE WE OPEN TO ASK QUESTIONS OR? YES, GO.
UM, JUST A QUICK CLARIFICATION OF, IS THIS DIFFERENT TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEES? I THINK HOUSING WORKING GROUP, I'M SURE IT IS.
I MEAN, LOOKING AT IT IN FRONT, BUT I'M JUST WONDERING, IS THERE OVERLAP FROM THERE? UM, OR HOW, HOW MIGHT THEY DIFFERENTIATE? N NO.
UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ITS OWN COMMITTEE, UM, OKAY.
REPORTING TO THE CDC, SO, YEAH.
IT, IT, IT'S SEPARATE FROM THAT.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ONLINE? UH, COMMISSIONER ACHILLES, THANK YOU.
I, I JUST DID WANNA, UM, TO MAKE SURE TO MAKE THE POINT OUT LOUD TO OUR NEW COMMISSIONERS, THAT WE ACTUALLY INTENTIONALLY LEFT THIS PROCESS TO START TODAY INSTEAD OF AT A PREVIOUS MEETING, SO THAT YOU COULD FEEL WELCOME TO ASK QUESTIONS.
FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO, TO ANYONE OUTSIDE OF THIS MEETING.
BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE Y'ALL REALIZED THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU JUST JOINED, WE WANTED YOU TO, TO BE ABLE TO JUMP IN IF YOU'RE INTERESTED.
SO I JUST WANTED TO UNDERSCORE THAT.
UM, WE WILL, UH, WE TOOK THIS PROCESS SLOWER.
WE, UH, CONSTITUTED THE COMMITTEE.
WE HAVE THIS PRESENTATION, AND THEN, UH, NEXT MEETING WE'LL, UH, APPOINT THOSE, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS SO WE CAN GIVE ENOUGH TIME TO THE NEW MEMBERS TO LOOK INTO, CONSIDER IT, AND THEN REACH OUT.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS IN PERSON HERE? UH, COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER MENARD.
IS THAT MEETING TIME NEGOTIABLE? LIKE IS IT SET THAT YOU HAVE TO MEET BEFORE THE MEETING, OR CAN THE COMMITTEE ITSELF COME UP WITH ITS OWN TIME FOR MEETING? UM, THE, IT USED TO BE AN A HOUR AND A HALF BEFORE, BUT I GUESS THAT'S THE TIME.
I'M, I'M NOT SURE, BUT I'LL REACH OUT TO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AND GET BACK WITH YOU.
IT, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S NEGOTIABLE, RIGHT? YEAH.
BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S NEGOTIABLE.
AND FROM WHAT I'VE READ, I, I BELIEVE THAT WE, AS THE COMMITTEE CAN DECIDE THE MEETING TIMES.
UM, IF, IF EVERYBODY SEES FIT TO DO IT BEFORE, MAYBE BECAUSE OF CONVENIENCE, WE'RE ALREADY HERE, JUST, UH, SHOW UP AN HOUR EARLIER, UM, RATHER THAN HAVING ANOTHER DAY TO MEET.
UH, BUT YES, UH, AS WE APPOINT MEMBERS, WE CAN DISCUSS, UH, MEETING TIMES, MEETING SCHEDULES.
AND, UH, YEAH, BECAUSE, UH, AS ED SAID, UH, THE BYLAW SAYS AT LEAST QUARTERLY, BUT YOU CAN MEET MORE OFTEN THAN THAT IF YOU'D LIKE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, COMMISSIONER LONGORIA? WELL, NOT A QUESTION.
I JUST, UH, I'D LIKE TO EXPRESS MY INTEREST IN PARTICIPATING.
I ENCOURAGE OTHER, EVEN NEW, UM, COMMISSIONERS TO PARTICIPATE.
I'M, I'M STILL LEARNING ABOUT HOUSING POLICY.
THIS ALLOWS US A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO REALLY KIND OF GET INTO THE THICK OF IT.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER LAGUARDIA.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS IN PERSON? COMMISSIONER LYRIC? YEAH, I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW MANY MEMBERS IN TOTAL ARE IN THE COMMITTEE? UH, A MINIMUM OF, OF THREE, BUT IT CAN BE AS MANY AS WE WOULD LIKE.
SO IS IT JUST COMM IN ENTIRELY OR IS IT GONNA BE OUTSIDE STAFF AT ALL? IT'S JUST COMMISSIONERS AND THEN, UM, ONE STAFF MEMBER.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, IN PERSON.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, ED FOR THAT.
AND AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THAT COME UP LATER, PLEASE REACH OUT TO ME OR ED BY EMAIL.
[4. Presentation regarding the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) activities and outcomes (Angel Zambrano, Manager, Neighborhood Services Unit, Austin Public Health).]
GOING TO OUR NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS ITEM NUMBER THREE, PRESENTATION REGARDING THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT, CSBG, UH, WITH ACTIVITIES AND OUTCOME FROM AN ANGEL ANO, THE MANAGER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES UNIT AT AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.UH, WELCOME ALL THE, THE NEW, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
ONCE AGAIN, IT'S REALLY HA I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SEE ALL YOUR NEW FACES.
[00:30:02]
AS THE CHAIR MENTIONED, VALERIE MENARD FROM ST.WE HAVE SONIA MARTINEZ REPRESENTING EAST AUSTIN.
UM, WE HAVE EBONY, TRICE LINE, COLONY PARK, QUA BREWSTER, ROSA, ZA, AND BLACKLAND.
AND, UH, LYRIC WARDLOW WHO DID NOT GET ELECT, SHE DID NOT, WAS NOT ONE OF THE DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED, BUT SHE'S ALSO NEW FROM ONE OF THE OTHER SEVEN.
I'LL TAKE A FEW EXTRA MINUTES TODAY SINCE WE HAVE A FEW NEW COMMISSIONERS TO KIND OF EXPLAIN A LITTLE MORE IN DEPTH SOME OF THE, UM, HISTORY WITH, UM, THE CSBG GRANT THAT FUNDS A LOT OF OUR SERVICES THAT I REPORT ON MONTHLY.
ALRIGHT, SO YOU HAVE IT IN THE BACKUP.
THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT PRESENTATION IS A MONTHLY PRESENTATION ON PROGRAMMATIC AND FINANCIAL, UM, REPORTS.
IT WAS INTERTWINED VERY DEEPLY WITH THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 THAT WAS SIGNED INTO LAW IN JULY BY LBJ.
AND INTERTWINED WITH THAT WAS HIS, UH, DECLARATION OF THE GREAT SOCIETY AND THE WAR ON POVERTY.
IT WAS AN ERA OF HOPE, OPPORTUNITY, AND CHANGE.
UH, IT WAS FOLLOWED BY THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ACT THAT HE SIGNED INTO LAW IN AUGUST OF THAT YEAR.
AND BY DOING THAT, HE BROUGHT FUNDING FOR ALL THESE INITIATIVES AND IDEAS THAT HE HAD TO BASICALLY SHARE THE WEALTH WITH ALL AMERICANS.
UM, OUT OF THAT, UH, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ACT CAME THE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS.
SO THAT WAS SORT OF THE BEGINNING OF, OF THAT, UH, THE, UH, VISTA PROGRAM HEAD START, UM, JOB CORPS, SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMS, COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS, AND MANY MORE OTHER AGENCIES THAT SERVED THOSE ON THE MARGINS OF SOCIETY AND THE POOREST OF THE POOR.
THERE ARE OVER A THOUSAND COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCIES IN THE UNITED STATES, ALL FUNDED WITH THE CSBG FEDERAL DOLLARS.
AND THEY ARE IN EVERY COUNTY IN THE US AS WELL.
SOME OBVIOUSLY REP, YOU KNOW, UH, SERVE MULTIPLE COUNTIES.
THE AUSTIN ONE, WHICH IS, UH, THE NEIGHBOR SERVICES UNIT.
THE TRIPARTITE BOARD THAT YOU'RE ON, WAS A HUGE RADICAL SHIFT IN IDEAS OF WHO SHOULD BE ON BOARDS UP TO THAT POINT.
IT WAS MOSTLY, UH, PROBABLY NEPOTISM.
A LOT OF FOLKS JUST BEING SELECTED 'CAUSE THEY HAD FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES.
UH, LBJS VISION WAS TO INCLUDE, UH, OTHERS WHO WERE ACTUALLY FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT WAS SERGEANT SHRIVER AS WELL, WHO, WHO, WHO IS THE MAN THAT HE KIND OF SET TO DO THIS.
HE CAME, UH, HE, UH, SERGEANT SHRIVER, YOU SHOULD LOOK HIM UP.
VERY BRILLIANT MAN WHO, UH, WAS, UH, BASICALLY THE CREATED OF THE PEACE CORPS.
AND FROM THAT, HE CAME TO DO THIS KIND OF WORK, UM, AND THEY CALLED IT MAXIMUM FEASIBLE PARTICIPATION.
TRIPARTITE BOARD, 15 MEMBERS FOR THIS BOARD.
AND EIGHT OF THOSE MEMBERS MUST REPRESENT, UH, COMMUNITIES THAT, UH, HAVE A HIGH POVERTY RATE.
UH, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, THE MAXIMUM FEASIBILITY FEASIBLE PARTICIPATION WAS A THREAT TO BIG CITY MAJOR MAYORS AND GOVERNMENT.
THEY SAID IT UNDERMINED THE INTEGRITY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO HAVE EIGHT PEOPLE REPRESENTING THE POOR ON THESE BOARDS.
SO AGAIN, JUST GIVING YOU CONTEXT OUT IN THE VIRTUAL WORLD AND YOU HERE IN PERSON.
UM, THESE GRANT FUNDS, UM, HELP US DELIVER SERVICES TO LOW INCOME TRAVIS COUNTY, THE CITY OF AUSTIN RESIDENTS.
UH, WE ADDRESS, UH, BASIC NEEDS, PREVENTIVE HEALTH SERVICES, CASE MANAGEMENT, AND EMPLOYMENT SUPPORTS.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES YOU ENTERED IMPROVES THE LIVES AND HEALTH OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING POVERTY BY PROVIDING PUBLIC HEALTH, PUBLIC HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES, AND CONNECTING RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES.
UH, THEY ALSO INCLUDE, UM, NURSING SERVICES, AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT AS WE MOVE ON.
IF YOU GO TO THE BOTTOM OF PAGE ONE, IT'S, UH, OUR BUDGET.
UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE ALMOST FULLY EXPENDED OUR 2024 BUDGET, GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES THIS YEAR.
IT WAS GOOD THAT WE HAD SOME EXTRA FUNDS FROM 24.
SO WE ASKED FOR AN EXTENSION ON THE GRANT, AND WE WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE USING 2024 FUNDING THROUGH MARCH.
WE'LL START USING OUR 2025 FUNDING IN, UH, APRIL.
ANOTHER THING THAT, UH, I WANNA MENTION IS FOR THE CSPG GRANTS, SOMETIMES THESE GRANTS BRING FUNDING THAT DOESN'T GO TO THE DIRECT SERVICE, UH, STAFFING OR SERVICES.
[00:35:01]
90% OF THE FUNDS ARE USED AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS MANAGES THIS GRANT AT THE STATE LEVEL.
UH, THEY USUALLY USE ONLY AROUND 5%, AND WE GET THE OTHER 5%, UH, DIVVIED UP BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCIES ACROSS TEXAS.
SO EVERY YEAR WE GET AN EXTRA, MAYBE 10, $30,000, UH, TO HELP FOLKS.
UH, IF YOU GO TO PAGE TWO, THESE ARE JUST SOME OF OUR SERVICES AND MEASURES THAT I INCLUDE.
THERE ARE MANY MORE, BUT THESE ARE MORE LIKE, UH, SIGNIFICANT ONES THAT I THINK ARE GOOD TO, UH, BRING EVERY MONTH TO YOU ALL.
UH, THE STATE GIVES US A TRANSITION OUT OF POVERTY GOAL OF 43.
THAT MEANS THAT WE HELP PEOPLE THROUGH OUR SELF-SUFFICIENCY CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, UH, ACHIEVE A WAGE ABOVE 125%, WHICH IS CONSIDERED LIKE DEEP POVERTY.
IF THEY CAN HOLD ONTO A JOB AND, UH, JUST, UH, HAVE THEIR BASIC NEEDS MET FOR THREE MONTHS IN OUR PROGRAM, WE ARE ABLE TO COUNT THEM AS PART OF THAT SORT OF TRANSITION INTO MORE OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
UM, WHICH ALSO IS A WORD THAT CAME OUT OF THE CSPG AND CIVIL RIGHTS ACT.
SELF-SUFFICIENCY GETS THROWN OUT, THROWN AROUND A LOT, BUT THAT'S KIND OF THE HISTORY OF IT.
UM, WE DID A COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR THE NEW, UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, EVERY THREE YEARS WERE REQUIRED TO DO THAT.
UH, WE DID ONE THIS YEAR LAST YEAR, UM, AND TALKED TO COMMUNITY AGENCIES, STAKEHOLDERS, INTERNAL, EXTERNAL, OUR CLIENTS.
UM, AND THIS, UH, CONSULTANT CAME UP IN WITH THE COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND THE TOP FIVE NEEDS FROM ALL THAT FEEDBACK THAT THEY RECEIVED.
AND ALSO LOOKING AT THE DATA IN AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY, AS YOU CAN SEE THEM, AND THEY'RE IN THE YELLOW PART OF THE PAGE TWO, THIS PAST NEEDS ASSESSMENT IDENTIFIED HOUSING AS THE NUMBER ONE NEED.
NUMBER TWO, EMPLOYMENT NUMBER THREE, HEALTH NUMBER FOUR, AND INCOME NUMBER FIVE, WHICH KIND OF TIES IN WITH THREE, JUST SORT OF BEING SELF-SUFFICIENCY JOBS WITH A LIVING WAGE.
PEOPLE ARE REALLY, UM, VOICING THAT AS A NEED FOR SERVICES.
THE HOUSEHOLDS WHO AVOID EVICTION OR TARGET, UH, FOR THIS YEAR IS A THOUSAND.
UH, WE'VE HELPED 174 HOUSEHOLDS AVOID EVICTION SO FAR WITH SOME, UH, RENT ASSISTANCE FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, WE GO DOWN TO THE FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS FOR THE NEW COMMISSIONERS.
WE DO A LOT OF, UH, FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY IN AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY.
WITH THE, UH, COLLABORATION OF THE CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK.
UH, WE HAVE FRESH FOOD FOR FAMILIES, UH, EVENTS.
WE HAVE HOPE, WHICH HELPS, UH, FOLKS WILL EL ELDERLY HAVE SOME EXTRA SHELF STABLE FOODS AND VEGETABLES AND FRUITS AVAILABLE EACH MONTH.
WE DO MARKET, WHICH HAS SOME FOOD RECOVERY ASPECTS TO OF IT.
ALL OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS HAVE, UH, FOOD PANTRIES WHERE PEOPLE CAN ACCESS SHELF STABLE FOODS AND ALSO, UH, FRESH FRUITS AND, UM, VEGETABLES.
UH, AGAIN, AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE TWO, THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES FOR THE NEW COMMISSIONERS.
AGAIN, WE OFFER BASIC NEEDS, INCLUDING FOOD HELP, EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UM, NO LONGER WITH CATHOLIC CHARITIES THAT NEED TO UPDATE THAT.
WE, UH, WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH, UH, AUSTIN AREA URBAN LEAGUE, WHO'S OUR FISCAL AGENT.
WE DO ALL THE ELIGIBILITY, THE SERVICES.
THEY PROVIDE THE, UH, PAYMENT TO THE LANDLORDS.
UH, WE HAVE SOME UTILITY ASSISTANCE FUNDING.
WE HAVE, UH, SOCIAL WORKERS AT EVERY CENTER OFFERING SELF-SUFFICIENCY CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR FOLKS WHO WANT TO REENTER THE WORLD OF WORK, OR IF THEY'RE ALREADY WORKING OR UNDERWORKING, UH, WANT BETTER BENEFITS, WANT TO, UM, LEARN HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES AND, UH, IMPROVE THEIR WAGES OR THEIR BENEFITS OR HOURS.
OUR SOCIAL WORKERS ARE THERE TO WORK WITH THEM.
WE ALSO HAVE BUS PASSES FOR TRANSPORTATION.
IF PEOPLE ARE IN A BIND AND NEED A BUS PASS TO GET TO A MEDICAL APPOINTMENT, AN INTERVIEW, A SCHOOL, UM, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE.
OUR PUBLIC HEALTH NURSES HAVE HEALTH HUBS AT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS.
AND THEY ALSO, UM, DO A LOT OF OUTREACH AND, UH, PROVIDE HEALTH SCREENINGS AT, UH, COMMUNITY AGENCIES.
WE ALSO HAVE, UM, INFORMATION AND REFERRALS.
IF WE CAN'T DO SOMETHING, WE DO A WARM HANDOFF TO, UH, AGENCIES THAT CAN.
UH, IF YOU GO TO NUMBER TWO, I MENTIONED, I ALREADY TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT, THE FOOD HELP, WORKING WITH THE CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK.
UM, WE SEE A LOT OF, A LOT OF PEOPLE.
I THINK LAST YEAR WE SAW OVER 130,000 UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS, UH, FOR FOOD.
NOT TO QUOTE EXACTLY, BUT I HEARD ON THE NEWS TOO,
[00:40:01]
IN TERMS OF THE STRUGGLES THAT WE ARE ALL IN RIGHT NOW REGARDING FUNDING FOR SOME OF THESE SERVICES.THE FOOD BANK IS ALSO TRYING TO FIND WAYS.
I THINK THEY JUST HAD, I THINK, OVER 40 ORDERS CANCELED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHICH TRANSLATES INTO 916,000 POUNDS OF FOOD THAT WILL NOT BE COMING TO THE FOOD BANK.
OBVIOUSLY NOT GOING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY EITHER.
SO AGAIN, JUST PUTTING THAT AS SITUATIONAL AWARENESS FOR YOU ALL.
EVERY AGENCY IS, UH, STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW.
UH, NUMBER THREE, UH, THE FINANCIAL STABILITY OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE FUNDING.
FROM JANUARY THROUGH MARCH, WE ASSISTED 252 PEOPLE IN 118 HOUSEHOLDS WITH RENT ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS.
UH, AND THAT AMOUNTED TO ABOUT $310,000 TO THE RENT ASSISTANCE.
UH, LET'S GO ON TO NUMBER FIVE, THE PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING SERVICES.
SOME OF THE SITES THAT WE, UM, ARE ACTIVE IN ARE ALSO HERE.
THE GUS GARCIA REC CENTER, THE MEXICAN CONSULATE, UH, CALLING GUERRERO SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER, WHICH IS RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO ROSA.
ROSA OSA, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER AND THE BAPTIST COMMUNITY CENTER MISSION, AS WELL AS HAVING OUR OWN HEALTH HUBS AT THE CENTERS THEMSELVES.
UH, NUMBER SIX, I ALREADY TOUCHED ON, THAT'S OUR SELFSUFFICIENCY CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
UH, THAT'S RUN BY OUR NURSES IN JANUARY THROUGH MARCH.
IT'S NOT ON HERE, BUT I THOUGHT I'D LET YOU KNOW.
UH, WE'VE ASSISTED OVER, UH, 20,600 PEOPLE FOR BASIC NEEDS.
UM, YEAH, GREAT INTRODUCTION TO OUR NEW MEMBERS.
UM, AND ANIL'S ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING.
UH, AND I, AND RIGHT NOW WE CAN START, UM, WITH THOSE COMMISSIONERS ONLINE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, COMMISSIONER TISHA ONLINE.
HELLO AND ANGEL AND HAPPY PUBLIC HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK.
IF YOU ALL DID NOT KNOW AS A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER, I'M VERY PROUD OF THIS BEING A CELEBRATORY WEEK, BUT ALSO FOR EVERYONE, AND ESPECIALLY THE WORK THAT WE DO HERE ON THIS COMMISSION.
IT IS NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK.
SO THAT BEING SAID, SO THANK YOU ON HEALTH FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING ACROSS THE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS.
UM, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
UM, THE SURVEY THAT DESCRIBED THOSE FIVE CATEGORIES, I HAVE BEEN IN SEARCH FOR A WHILE NOW OF THE ORIGIN OF THE SURVEY BECAUSE I'M WONDERING IF I TOOK THAT SURVEY, IF IT WAS FROM THE ETC INSTITUTE.
IS THIS THAT SAME, UM, SURVEY PROVIDER? I'M JUST WONDERING BECAUSE THERE WAS A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SURVEY THAT HAD BEEN, THAT TOOK PLACE LATE TWO, UM, 2024.
AND I'M WONDERING IF THESE ARE THE RESULTS FROM THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SURVEY THAT WAS SENT OUT ACROSS AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY? UH, I KNOW IT WAS NOT.
UH, THE ONE THAT WE DID IS AN INTERNAL COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR JUST CSBG.
SO IT WAS DONE BY WALLER AND NICHOLS AND THEY CAME AND PRESENTED TO YOU ALL BACK IN THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR.
SO IT'S THAT, IS THAT GROUP OKAY.
STILL NOT ETC INSTITUTE? I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE OR SOURCE BECAUSE I WOULD LOVE THE RESULTS OF THAT COMMUNITY-WIDE, COUNTY-WIDE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SURVEY, WHICH JUST SEEMS TO BE A MYSTERY AT THIS POINT.
UM, BUT ANYHOW, UH, THE OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAD, THANK YOU FOR LEARNING ABOUT HOUSING AND OF COURSE THAT'S SOMETHING WE ALL SEE HAPPENING GIVEN THE CURRENT, UM, POLITICAL CLIMATE.
UM, I'M WONDERING ABOUT THE TRENDS IN THE HOUSING SUPPORT THAT YOU ALL HAVE SEEN.
I'M SURE RENT IS ONE OF THEM, BUT HAVE THERE BEEN OTHER TRENDS, UM, IN REGARDS TO HOUSING, IF THAT IS BEING ABLE TO OUTFIT A HOUSE IF PEOPLE NEED TO HAVE THINGS OUTFITTED OR IF THEY NEED NEW APPLIANCES OR UTILITY, THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES? UM, IF YOU HAVE INFORMATION TO THAT, I JUST HAVE LIKE GENERAL ANECDOTAL INFORMATION FROM THE MANAGERS AT THE CENTERS IN OUR, UM, DISCUSSIONS DURING OUR MEETINGS.
SO THERE IS A, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A HIGHER DEMAND FOR RENT ASSISTANCE.
THERE'S ALSO A LOT LESS FUNDING FOR RENT ASSISTANCE.
UH, NOT MANY AGENCIES HAVE MONEY FOR THAT.
WE ARE PART OF, UM, AGENCY RETAIL PICKUP PROGRAM WITH THE FOOD BANK WHERE THEY NOT, NOT ONLY, UH, HAVE FOOD AT THESE LOCATIONS, WE'RE ABLE TO SOMETIMES SECURE OTHER ITEMS, NOT REFRIGERATORS OR STOVES, BUT HOUSEHOLD GOODS, DETERGENT, TOILET PAPER, I MEAN THINGS THAT, ANYTHING THAT CAN HELP PEOPLE NOT SPEND THAT MONEY AND SPEND IT TOWARD THEIR RENT.
WE HAD AN EVENT, UH, LAST MONTH AT ST.
JOHN'S, A HOUSEHOLD HOUSEHOLD GIVEAWAY DRIVE
[00:45:01]
THROUGH.UM, AND THAT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED.
I THINK HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE CAME TO THAT.
EAST AUSTIN IS VERY GOOD AT DOING THOSE TYPES OF EVENTS TOO.
UH, THEY HAVE A LITTLE MORE SPACE.
UM, SO DEFINITELY WE ARE SEEING A HIGHER, MORE DEMAND FOR ALL KINDS OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS, RENT ASSISTANCE, UTILITY ASSISTANCE.
AND I SAID TOO, BUT I JUST, THE LAST QUESTION, I PROMISE, JUST TO GO ON THE RENT PART.
UM, AT ONE POINT THERE WERE CONVERSATIONS OF BARRIERS TO RENT ASSISTANCE FROM, UM, LANDLORDS OR PROPERTY MANAGERS NOT ACCEPTING PAYMENTS FROM CERTAIN NONPROFITS OR THE FORM OF PAYMENT, MEANING VIA CHECK OR, UM, FROM CERTAIN TYPES OF FUNDING PORTALS.
UH, AND THAT, THAT AT ONE POINT THAT WAS A BARRIER THAT RENTED ASSISTANCE WOULD NOT BE PROVIDED OR COULD NOT BE PROVIDED.
UM, SO WONDERING IF YOU HAVE HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THAT, IF URBAN LEAGUE HAS HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THAT? JUST HOPING IF THAT HAS BEEN RESOLVED.
IN TERMS OF OUR RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WE HAVE NOT HEARD THAT.
UH, OUR PAYMENT PROCESS IS VERY SMOOTH.
LANDLORDS ARE TAKING OUR RENTAL ASSISTANCE FUNDS.
I FIND THAT USUALLY WHEN, UM, SOME OF THESE CASES YOU MIGHT BE ALLUDING TO THESE BARRIERS OR OUTLIERS, THERE ARE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE'RE NOT AWARE OF, UH, THAT AFFECT THE LANDLORD'S DECISION NOT TO TAKE THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE FUNDS AND TO EVICT.
WE'RE NOT ALWAYS PRIVY TO WHAT THOSE ARE.
AND I CAN'T SPEAK TO THEM 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW.
BUT THAT'S SORT OF MY GUT FEELING.
LIKE WHEN WE GET LANDLORDS RESISTANT TO TAKING OUR PAYMENTS, IT'S GOT TO DO WITH SOMETHING OTHER THAN WHAT WE CAN DO.
UM, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER TISHA.
AND WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM COMMISSIONER LYRIC.
YEAH, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS 'CAUSE I'M SUPER NEW TO THIS, BUT, UM, I'M JUST WANTING TO LEARN AS MUCH AS I CAN.
SO FOR THE INDIVIDUALS WHO TRANSITIONED OUT OF POVERTY, DO Y'ALL EVER LIKE, FOLLOW UP TO SEE IF PEOPLE EVER END UP LOSING THEIR JOB THREE TO SIX MONTHS LATER? UM, YEAH.
WE HAVE TRIED WITH INFORMALLY TO DO IT FOR THE SOCIAL WORKERS TO DO THAT.
AND WE RUN INTO THE BARRIERS OF, UH, CONTACTING.
I MEAN, THE CELL PHONE'S BEEN DISCONNECTED, THERE'S NO ROOM TO LEAVE A MESSAGE.
UH, BUT IT'S A, IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I I CAN TAKE THAT BACK TO THE MANAGERS 'CAUSE I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT A LOT.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, HOW HOW EFFECTIVE ARE WE? AND, UH, YOU ALSO HAVE TO BE WEIRD THOUGH, BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST UP TO US.
SO THERE MIGHT BE OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE WERE EFFECTIVE IN TERMS OF HELPING PEOPLE STAY HOUSED OR STAY EMPLOYED WHILE THEY WERE IN OUR PROGRAM.
AND THEN THINGS THAT WERE BEYOND OUR CONTROL CAME INTO PLAY.
SO IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN YOU CAN TRACE IT BACK TO SOMETHING WE DID WRONG OR SOMETHING WE DIDN'T PROVIDE.
I MEAN, IT, IT DEFINITELY JUST MAKES ME MORE CURIOUS ABOUT IF PEOPLE DID END UP, UM, UNEMPLOYED AGAIN OR, UM, LIKE LOSING INCOME.
HOW LONG OF A TIME PERIOD, LIKE WAS IT THREE MONTHS? WAS IT SIX MONTHS? WAS IT A YEAR? UM, SO EVEN IF THE OUTSIDE FACTORS, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, MOVING LOCATIONS OR A BAD WORK ENVIRONMENT, AT LEAST WE CAN FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, HOW IF THERE'S A TREND IN HOW LONG THEY'RE STAYING EMPLOYED FOR.
AND THEN, UM, YEAH, ALSO THE SAME THING FOR, UM, THOSE WHO AVOIDED EVICTION.
JUST IF YOU'VE FOLLOWED UP AND SEEN ANYTHING.
UH, NO, THAT'S NOT A METRIC THAT WE FOLLOW GOTCHA.
I JUST, I, THIS IS LIKE MY BRAIN JUST TRYING TO GET THROUGH.
UM, UH, FOR THE TRANSPORTATION, IS IT JUST BUS PASSES EXCLUSIVELY OR CAN Y'ALL DO OTHER TRANSPORTATION STUFF? ALL WE CAN DO IS BUS PASSES THROUGH OUR GSPG GRANT.
UM, AND THEN FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS, UM, IS THERE, DO, IS THERE KIND OF AN AVERAGE DATE OF WHEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS WERE CREATED? KIND OF LIKE INFRASTRUCTURALLY OR, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THE WORD, INFRASTRUCTURE WISE, LIKE DO THEY, BECAUSE IT SAYS HERE LIKE THE, THERE'S MAJOR HVAC RENOVATIONS.
SO I'M JUST CURIOUS IF MOST OF THEM ARE OLDER FACILITIES OR IF THERE ARE NEWER VERSUS OLDER.
I MEAN, THE ORIGINAL NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS ARE FROM THE SEVENTIES AND EARLY EIGHTIES BECAUSE OF THE, AGAIN, THE, UH, WAR ON POVERTY AND THE, UH, ECONOMIC ECONOMIC ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ACT.
UH, BUT WE HAVE TWO NEWER ONES.
WE HAVE THE ON TOPLESS NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, WHICH WAS MADE WITH, UH, BOND DOLLARS AND I THINK IT OPENED AROUND THE PANDEMIC,
[00:50:01]
UM, 2020.AND WE HAVE THE BRAND NEW DO SPRINGS NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, WHICH JUST OPENED UP REALLY JANUARY, FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR.
KIND OF A SOFT OPENING IN THE LATE FALL.
AND THE REST ARE PRE EIGHTIES FOR THE OLDER, UM, FACILITIES.
DO YOU SEE THAT, OR CAN, FIRST OFF, CAN YOU USE YOUR BUDGET TO RENOVATE FOR THOSE? UM, FOR LIKE THE OLDER FACILITIES AND NOT THE CSBG BUDGET? WOW.
UM, AND THEN FOR THE NSU PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING, IS IT ONLY FOR LIKE PHYSICAL HEALTH OR CAN YOU DO MENTAL HEALTH CHECKS AS WELL? IT'S ALL PHYSICAL HEALTH.
I THINK INTEGRAL CARE TAKES CARE OF THE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON IN PERSON? YEAH.
I JUST WANTED CLARIFICATION ON, YOU MENTIONED, WAS IT 40 MEALS THAT WERE CANCELED? WHAT I, WHAT I HAD HEARD, UH, ON THE RADIO, I'M MEETING WITH THE CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK TOMORROW, SO I HAVEN'T HEARD IT FROM THEM, BUT WAS OVER I THINK 40 ORDERS.
SO THEY PLACE ORDERS TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR FOOD AND USUALLY THEY'RE APPROVED.
AND THEN YOU GET THE 900,000 POUNDS OF FOOD DELIVERED.
SO IT'S ORDERS AND THAT AMOUNTED TO 917,000 POUNDS OF FOOD NOT COME INTO AUSTIN.
AND THEN BEING SENT OUT TO US AND OTHER CHURCHES, ANYONE WHO HAS A FOOD PANTRY AND WORKED WITH THE FOOD BANK.
SO THE, SO WE DIRECTLY REQUEST FROM THE GOVERNMENT THESE FUNDS TO GO DIRECTLY TO THESE PURPOSES.
AND WHEN WE REQUESTED FUNDS FOR FOOD, THEY WERE DENIED THE FUND THAT THE FOOD BANK, THE FOOD BANK PLACES THOSE ORDERS WITH FEDERAL DOLLARS.
SO THEY'D CANCELED THOSE ORDERS.
AND THE FOOD BANK, WHICH GETS FUNDING FROM US, FROM THE FEDERAL, NOT FROM US, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO JUST GIVING YOU ANOTHER EXAMPLE OUTSIDE OF MY SCOPE, BUT IT RELATES TO US 'CAUSE WE WORK WITH THE FOOD BANK VERY CLOSELY TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, COMMISSIONER MARTINEZ.
OH, THAT WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION.
SO AS I'M LOOKING OVER ALL THIS, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF ITEMS HERE THAT I, UM, SO WHERE CAN I GET, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE DATES AND THE TIMES AND THE PLACES, UM, OF ALL THIS HELP HERE? LIKE I, I KNOW SOMEONE THIS LAST WEEK THAT WAS LOOKING FOR A BUS PASS AND I HAD NOWHERE, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T HAVE, I DIDN'T, I WAS LIKE, WELL, I DON'T KNOW, BUT, SO NOW I, YOU KNOW, UM, I KNOW PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP, YOU KNOW, WITH FOOD, UM, UTILITY ASSISTANCE.
SO WHERE CAN I GET THE KNOWLEDGE TO HAVE ON HAND WHEN SOMEONE COMES TO ME? UM, OR IF I RUN INTO SOMEBODY AND THAT I'M ABLE TO HELP THEM, YOU JUST REFER 'EM TO US.
YOU CAN GO ONLINE AND GO TO NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES UNIT AUSTIN AND JUST GO TO OUR WEBSITE, WHICH IS PART OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN WEBSITE.
THERE ARE QR CODES THERE AS WELL AS, UH, CALENDARS THAT SHOW US, SHOW ALL YOU ALL IN THE PUBLIC DATES AND TIMES FOR BOTH THE NURSING SERVICES, THE FOOD SERVICES.
IT TALKS ABOUT THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROCESS, WHERE YOU CALL, WHEN YOU CALL, THINGS LIKE THAT.
I'D LIKE TO GET MYSELF MORE FAMILIAR WITH IT OH, SURE.
SO THAT I CAN, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE SOME OF THESE PEOPLE DON'T, YOU KNOW, NOT THAT THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO GO ONLINE, BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY PROBABLY DON'T.
BUT JUST THAT I CAN BE MORE KNOWLEDGE OF, OF, OF ALL THESE SERVICES HERE.
JUST SO I CAN SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHERE YOU GO, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED A BUS PASS OR SOMETHING.
I WILL GO ONLINE AND, AND LOOK THAT UP AND YEAH, I CAN SEND YOU ALL THE LINK AS WELL AGAIN, OR SEND IT TO, TO ED AND HE CAN KIND OF DISSEMINATE IT TO YOU WITH A FLYER.
THEN YOU GUYS CAN HAVE THE FLYERS AND YOU HAVE THE EAST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, WHICH IS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THAT MIGHT BE THE EASIEST WAY IF PEOPLE LIVE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
JUST GO TO TWO 11 KAMAL AND ASK.
I, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION TO COMM BOUNCE OFF OF.
AFTER WHAT COMMISSIONER MARTINEZ SAID, I JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY ASK ON HELL, UM, AS WELL AS FOR COMMISSIONER MARTINEZ, THERE'S A WEBSITE CALLED FIND HELP.ORG, THAT IF THERE ARE ANY BARRIERS TO PEOPLE GETTING TO CENTERS, THAT IS A GO-TO, UH, SERVICE OR OFFERING, UM, THAT YOU ALL CAN PROVIDE IN THE COMMUNITY.
GENERALLY IT IS FOUNDED AND HEADQUARTERED RIGHT HERE IN AUSTIN.
BUT I BRING THAT QUESTION UP ALSO ON HELD, BECAUSE I NOTICED NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS ARE NOT LISTED AS ANY OF THE RESOURCE OPTIONS ON FIND HELP.ORG, WHICH IS A NATIONAL WEBSITE THAT CATERS TO INDIVIDUAL LOCALITIES.
BUT, UM, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S PRIVATE PUBLIC, ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH FIND HELP.ORG? BUT I'M JUST WONDERING IF THAT'S SOMETHING YES, WE ARE, WE ARE ON THAT UTILIZE TO LEVERAGE.
IN FACT, WE HAVE VARIOUS CARDS, WHICH IS WHAT THEY
[00:55:01]
CALL 'EM, UH, ON FIND HELP.AND WE GET A LOT OF REFERRALS FROM THEM.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER TISHA.
UH, SO YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK AN ANGEL.
UH, SO I LOVE HOW YOU STARTED THIS WITH THE HISTORY OF, UH, OF THESE GRANTS, UM, WHICH IS THE HISTORY OF OUR COMMISSION, RIGHT.
AND THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR COMMISSION.
UM, AND I GUESS THE, THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING HERE.
ONE IS, UH, WHEN YOU GET THAT, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE STATE SOMETIMES SENDING YOU THAT 5% OR SPLITTING THAT 5%, UH, YOU GET 30,000, ABOUT 30,000, UH, BACK.
UH, HOW DO YOU PRIORITIZE WHERE THAT GOES? THAT USUALLY GOES THROUGH TO, UH, SOME KIND OF INFRASTRUCTURE COST.
SO USUALLY WE SPEND IT ON, UH, OUR DATA, UH, COLLECTION SOFTWARE, WHICH IS THE SHAW SOFTWARE.
SOMETIMES WE WERE ABLE TO BUY TEXTING, UH, CREDITS SO WE CAN COMMUNICATE WITH OUR CLIENTS WHO ARE IN THE OASIS SYSTEM.
SO, SO COMMUNICATION, SO ANY, ANY KIND OF, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT AND THE REST OF THE FUNDING GOES TO PERSONNEL.
SO FOR ALL OF YOU KNEW, UH, HERE MM-HMM
UM, IT PAYS FOR THE PERSONNEL TO PROVIDE THE CSBG SERVICES? YES.
UM, THE, MY OTHER QUESTION WAS, UM, ACTUALLY SEEING THAT CAPITAL METROS MOVING TO LIKE DIGITAL BUS, UH, PASSES, UH, HOW DOES, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S ALREADY A THING.
MAYBE COMMISSIONER ORTIZ CAN, UH, HELP WITH THAT.
UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, HOW DOES THAT, UH, AFFECT, UH, YOU KNOW, SERVICES LIKE YOURS? AND I KNOW OTHER ORGANIZATIONS DO THE SAME THING, GIVING OUT BUS PASSES.
UH, UH, AND HAS IT, HAS IT AFFECTED? IT HAS STARTED, MM-HMM
'CAUSE WE HAVE A DIFFERENT BATCH OF BUS PASSES THAT ARE PAPER THAT ARE STILL, UH, USEFUL.
THEY'RE STILL BEING ABLE TO BE USED.
AND WILL YOU CONTINUE TO GET THOSE, DO YOU KNOW? UH, WE MAY THROUGH THE TF PROGRAM MM-HMM
IF NOT, WE'LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A, A NEW PROCESS.
BUT WE HAVE ENOUGH TO GET US THROUGH THIS NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND COMMISSIONER ARTIZ, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
JUST LIKE
THAT'S NOT GONNA CHANGE WITH THE NEW ELECTRONIC PORTION.
THE ONE THING WE DID DO IS TO BASICALLY CARVE OUT OUR, UM, OUR UNHOUSED, UM, BUS PASSES THAT BEGAN AS A TWO YEAR PASS.
AND NOW THEY'RE MONTHLY PASSES, BUT ADDITIONAL NONPROFITS AND THOSE THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN WORKING TO ASSIST IN THE SPACE AS WELL AS THOSE JUST IN NEED, ARE ALSO ABLE TO, UM, GET MONTHLY PASSES FOR THEIR RIDERS, FOR THEIR CLIENTS, UM, VIA THE SYSTEM.
WE HAVE A SEPARATE, UM, BACKEND SYSTEM TO WHERE WE CAN SEND, UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE CONSIDERED PLASTIC CARDS, BUT THEY'RE JUST HARDER PAPER PASSES, THAT'S ALL.
UM, SO THAT, THAT'S STILL AVAILABLE.
SO EVEN IF WE GO, UM, ELECTRONIC, WE DO STILL HAVE THAT OPTION AS WELL AS PAPER PASSES.
UH, THE, UM, WE ALSO, JUST LIKE
UM, WHILE WE PREFER THE ELECTRONICS EASIER TO KEEP TRACK OF, ET CETERA, WE DO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND, UM, THE NEED IN OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT NOT EVERYONE CAN DO THAT, UM, OR HAS THE FUNDS TO DO THAT AHEAD OF TIME.
SO, UM, WE ARE STILL MAKING THAT AVAILABLE FOR OUR, UM, NONPROFITS AS WELL AS FOR, UM, OUR RIDERS.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER ORTIZ.
AN, UH, YOU WANT A FOLLOW UP QUESTION AND THEN WE'LL WE'LL BE DONE.
I'M JUST CURIOUS, UM, UH, I LIKE TO ASK IN ANY MEETING IF YOU'RE BRINGING US INFORMATION, BUT IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN PROVIDE TO YOU AS YOU TALK TO YOUR MANAGERS OR LIKE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING? UM, JUST CURIOUS THAT, UH, THANK YOU.
I MEAN, I'M GLAD YOU ASKED THAT.
UM, I WOULD JUST SAY, UH, WITH ALL THE NEW COMMISSIONERS ON THE BOARD, I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE US ALL TO STAY GROUNDED IN THE HISTORY, THE BRIEF HISTORY THAT I GAVE IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS.
I MEAN, THIS DID COME FROM THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.
LBJ WAS NOT IN ANY WAY A LIBERAL IN THIS TIME, BUT HE DID HAVE THIS AMAZING IDEA OF THE GREAT SOCIETY AND SHARING THE WEALTH WITH ALL AMERICANS.
AND, UH, IT TOOK PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND PEOPLE, LIKE THE PEOPLE YOU REPRESENT IN YOUR COMMUNITIES TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
[01:00:01]
SIGNED THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OR THE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ACT IF THEY HAD NOT BEEN FOR COMMISSIONS FOR THE PUBLIC, FOR YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS TO STAND UP AND ADVOCATE FOR CHANGE.SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY, IF YOU CAN DO ANYTHING, IS JUST CONTINUE TO, YOU KNOW, ADVOCATE IN YOUR COMMUNITIES, EDUCATE YOUR CONSTITUENTS, YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOUR FRIENDS.
'CAUSE WE'RE IN VERY TOUGH TIMES AND WE FORGET THE HISTORY.
UM, AND NUMBER TWO, IN TERMS OF JUST THIS COMMISSION, I THINK IT'D BE GOOD TO ADVOCATE FOR, UH, MORE FUNDING.
I KNOW IT'S SO HARD RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE ACTUALLY LOSING POSITIONS AND THERE'S A LOT OF THREATS TO OUR PROGRAMMING.
'CAUSE OUR MEAGER RENTAL ASSISTANCE FUNDS, BECAUSE IT IS MEAGER, IT DOESN'T MEET THE NEED AT ALL.
HIS GENERAL FUND, IT DOES COME FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
IT DOESN'T DEPEND ON FEDERAL DOLLARS.
SO MAYBE ONCE A YEAR WHEN THE BUDGET IS GETTING GOING, I KNOW CHAIR LEE IS AWARE OF THAT, HOW YOU CAN DO RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL.
THOSE ARE IMPORTANT, UH, TO KEEP US ON THE RADAR.
SO I WOULD SAY THOSE TWO THINGS.
THEY GROUNDED IN THE HISTORY AND ADVOCATE FOR MORE FUNDING.
AND THANK YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER LYRIC FOR THAT QUESTION.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, WE ARE GOING
[5. Presentation on updates on re-organization from Housing Investment Review Committee (HIRC) (James May Housing and Community Development Officer, Housing Department).]
TO OUR NEXT ITEM, ITEM NUMBER FOUR, SORRY.ITEM NUMBER FIVE, A PRESENTATION AND UPDATES, UH, ON REORGANIZING THE HOUSING INVESTMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE OR THE HERC.
AND THIS PRESENTATION IS FROM JAY JAMES MAY FROM HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICER WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
I'M THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICER WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
UM, I'M HERE TO, UH, LAST TIME I WAS HERE, WE DISCUSSED THE HOUSING INVESTMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE AND SOME OF THE, UM, CHANGES THAT WE'VE MADE PO UH, PROGRAMMATICALLY, UH, WITH OUR RENTAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND OUR OWNERSHIP HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
UM, TO RECAP, UM, IN, UH, LATE LAST YEAR, AROUND NOVEMBER, WE CONTRACTED WITH, UH, A CONSULTANCY GUIDEHOUSE, UH, TO REVIEW OUR, UH, PROGRAMS. IT FROM A, UH, SOUP TO NUTS REVIEW, LOOKING AT HOW WE, UH, HOW WE TAKE IN APPLICATIONS, HOW WE REVIEW APPLICATIONS, WHAT OUR UNDERWRITING STANDARDS CAN BE, WHAT OUR OVERALL PROCESSES LOOK LIKE, AND, UH, REALLY A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PROGRAMS ARE SPENDING AND AWARDING FUNDS IN THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND, AND EFFICIENT MANNER POSSIBLE.
UH, THE, UH, GUIDEHOUSE HAS, UH, CREATED A REPORT FOR US AND WE HAVE, UH, UH, CONTRACTED WITH THEM FOR PHASE TWO, WHICH IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE APPLICATION, A NOFA OR A NOTICE OF FUNDING, OPPORTUNE AVAILABILITY, UM, AND AN UNDERWRITING TOOL.
UH, SO THOSE TOOLS WILL BE DELIVERED, UH, SHORTLY.
UM, AS FAR AS THE PROCESS, WE WILL BE ISSUING A NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY IN JUNE.
UH, THAT, UH, NOFA WILL CLOSE IN NOVEMBER, AND THAT WILL BE OUR FIRST OFFICIAL FUNDING, UH, ROUND WITH, UH, THE NEW PROCESS IN HAND.
UH, PART OF THAT PROCESS DOES INVOLVE, UH, THE HOUSING INVESTMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE, WHICH IS, UH, UH, WHICH IS COM COMPRISED OF, UH, THREE MEMBERS OF, UH, THE CDC OR THREE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, AND TWO MEMBERS OF THE CDC.
UM, CURRENTLY WE HAVE TWO, UH, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
UM, AND WE DO, WE NEED TWO, UH, MEMBERS OF THE CDC TO BE APPOINTED TO THE HOUSING INVESTMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE.
UH, IN PREPARATION FOR THE RELEASE OF THAT NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY, UH, WE WILL BE GOING TO, UM, MULTIPLE BODIES, UH, PRIMARILY THIS BODY, UM, AS WELL AS THE AUSTIN HOUSING COALITION, UM, AND CONVERSATIONS WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, NEXT TIME I COME, UH, WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS PROVIDE A TRAINING ON WHAT OUR GAP FINANCING PROGRAM LOOKS LIKE.
THAT WAY ANYONE WHO IS, WHO IS NAMED TO THE HERC OR THE HOUSING INVESTMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE WILL HAVE THAT BASIC KNOWLEDGE.
UM, AND SO WHEN WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSING INVESTMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE, EVERYONE WILL ALSO HAVE THAT, THAT BASELINE, UM, SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE AND HOW, UH, STAFF ACHIEVE THOSE, THOSE DECISIONS.
UM, I WOULD, WE DO HAVE, UH, MATERIALS READY, HOWEVER, I NEED TO SHARE THEM WITH COUNSEL FIRST.
UM, UH, AND WE ARE PUTTING THAT MEMO TOGETHER NOW.
UH, SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SUBMIT THAT BY THE END OF THE MONTH, WHICH MEANS THAT BY, UH, NEXT MONTH, WE WILL BE ABLE TO COME
[01:05:01]
BACK AND PROVIDE THE TRAINING, UH, FOR THE RENTAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, THE OWNERSHIP HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.THEN IN THE FOLLOWING, THAT WOULD BE MAY, AND THEN IN JUNE, UM, IF, UH, THE BOARD, IF THE COMMISSION WOULD APPOINT TWO MEMBERS, UH, AFTER HAVING THAT TRAINING, APPOINTING TWO MEMBERS TO THE HOUSING INVESTMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE, THE FIRST MEETING THAT, UH, THEY WOULD BE MEMBERS OF THAT COMMITTEE, UH, WILL TAKE PLACE IN JULY, UH, JUNE OR JULY, UH, LATE JUNE, EARLY JULY, LET'S SAY.
UM, AND THAT IS TO REVIEW THE LOW-INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT APPLICATIONS FOR THE 9%, UH, TAX CREDIT FUNDING ROUND, UH, TO, I KNOW THAT THOSE ARE NOT TERMS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE FAMILIAR WITH.
SO, UH, LOW-INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT.
IT'S AWARDED BY TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS.
THE 9% TAX CREDIT IS THE COMPETITIVE ONE.
IT PROVIDES ABOUT 70% OF THE DEVELOPMENT COST FOR AN AWARDEE.
WE EXPECT TO RECEIVE, UH, TWO, POSSIBLY THREE AWARDS, UH, FOR DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENTS.
THESE DEVELOPMENTS HAVE ALREADY MADE THEIR APPLICATIONS TO T-D-H-C-A AND, UH, WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN VETTING THEM.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM, UH, WATCHING THE ATTRITION AS APPLICATIONS FALL APART, FALL, FALL TO THE WAYSIDE.
UM, SO WE DO EXPECT TO, UH, HAVE A CLEAR IDEA OF WHO WILL BE RECEIVING THE T-D-H-C-A AWARDS, UH, BY LATE JUNE.
AT THAT POINT, WE'LL ALSO KNOW WHAT THE GAP IS FOR THESE DEVELOPMENTS.
UM, AND WE HAVE SECURED OR RESERVED SOME FUNDING FROM OUR GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THESE DEVELOPMENTS.
UM, FUTURE ITERATIONS OF THE HOUSING INVESTMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE WILL BE MUCH MORE, UH, UM, REVIEW BASED AS OPPOSED TO SAYING, AS OPPOSED TO WALKING IN KNOWING THAT, UH, THESE DEVELOPMENTS ARE RECEIVING AN AWARD FROM T-D-H-C-A, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE FUNDED.
UM, THAT ONLY HAPPENS ONCE A YEAR.
THE, UH, OTHER TIMES OF THE YEAR, THE OTHER REVIEW PROCESSES WILL HAVE MUCH MORE FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF WHO, UH, AND WHY SHOULD, WHO SHOULD BE FUNDED, WHY WHEN, UM, BECAUSE THESE WOULD BE EITHER DEBT AND EQUITY DEALS OR TRADITIONALLY FUNDED DEALS.
UM, OR THEY WOULD BE, UH, TAX CREDIT DEALS WITH THE 4% TAX CREDITS, AND THOSE, UH, PROVIDE ABOUT 30% OF THE DEVELOPMENT FUNDING.
THEY'RE NOT DRIVEN BY A HARD AND FAST DEADLINE TIMELINE, LIKE THE 9% IS.
UM, SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBLE.
THAT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT I'M THROWING AT YOU.
UM, BOTTOM LINE, WE'D LIKE TO COME BACK AND GIVE YOU A TRAINING ON HOW WE DO OUR UNDERWRITING.
UM, AND THEN IN THE FOLLOWING MONTH, FOLLOWING MEETING, WE WOULD LIKE TO, UH, HAVE YOU APPOINT TWO MEMBERS TO THE HOUSING INVESTMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR TO, UH, EXPOUND ON ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU, THAT YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW.
UH, LET'S GO TO OUR COMMISSIONERS ONLINE.
UH, COMMISSIONER TISHA, GO AHEAD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
I JUST HAVE A GENERAL QUESTION ABOUT THE TYPE OF HOUSING.
ARE THESE MULTI-UNITS, INDIVIDUAL FAMILY HOMES, MIXED COMBINATION? MM-HMM
IS A BETTER PERSPECTIVE AS TO WHAT TYPE OF HOUSING ADVOCACY ONE CAN BRING TO THE COMMITTEE.
THE HOUSING INVESTMENT, UH, REVIEW COMMITTEE REVIEWS THE APPLICATIONS FOR THE RENTAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE, AS WELL AS THE OWNERSHIP HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE.
NOW, OWNERSHIP HOUSING COULD BE ANYTHING FROM SINGLE FAMILY DETACHED UNITS TO TOWNHOUSES TO, UH, A SKYSCRAPER IN DOWNTOWN.
MOST OF THE TIME, IF YOU'RE A 20 STORY, UH, MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT, YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, UH, A, UH, AN MFI THAT'S ABOVE WHAT WE SERVE.
UM, SO, UH, WE'RE, WE INVEST THROUGHOUT THE PORTFOLIO.
UM, WE HAVE ACQUIRED, UM, NA NATURALLY OCCURRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS OR, UH, WHAT WE, WHAT ONE WOULD TERM A CLASS B OR C APARTMENT DEVELOPMENT SECURED THE AFFORDABILITY FOR THE LONG TERM ON, ON, UH, PROPERTIES SUCH AS THAT.
UM, WE'VE ALSO INVESTED IN, UH, UM, MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENTS, SINGLE FAMILY DEVELOPMENTS FOR BOTH RENTAL AND FOR, UH, FOR OWNERSHIP.
THANK YOU MUCH TO THINK ABOUT
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER TISHA.
UH, WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM, UH, COMMISSIONER LYRIC.
YEAH, I'M JUST CURIOUS, MUST WE BE GOOD AT MATH TO BE IN THIS? NO.
UM, AND, UH, THE, THE UNDERWRITING TOOL DOES ALL THE MATH FOR US.
UH, WHAT YOUR, THE TASK OF THE HOUSING INVESTMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE, UM, AS
[01:10:01]
OUTLINED IN RESOLUTION IS TO REVIEW STAFF'S WORK.SO, UH, THE TASK OF THE HERC REALLY IS TO, TO LOOK AT THE DEVELOPMENTS AND ASK THE QUESTIONS THAT WE DIDN'T, THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW TO ASK.
UM, IF THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE COMMUNITY, IF THERE'S SOMETHING, UH, UM, SOMETHING ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OR THE LOCATION, UH, THAT WE JUST DIDN'T, WE'RE NOT PRIVY TO, BUT AS COMMUNITY, UH, MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY EXPERTS, UH, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT, THAT GUIDANCE, THAT KIND OF SOUNDS AS THOUGH THAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO SOME, SOME OF OUR OWN WORK AND RESEARCH IN THE COMMUNITY TO ENSURE THAT IN THIS REVIEW, THAT WE, WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DEVELOPMENTS THEMSELVES AND, UM, COMMUNITY NEEDS AND THAT KIND OF THING.
UM, HOWEVER, WE'LL PROVIDE YOU AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE HAVE, UM, WITH, UH, IN THIS FIRST ROUND, PROBABLY NOT SO MUCH, UH, ON, ON THE, THE LEAD TIME.
UM, BUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH NOTICE WITH OUR NOFA PROCESS, UM, AND, UH, FUTURE ITERATIONS, WE'LL DEFINITELY BE PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU IN A, IN A TIMELY MANNER SO THAT YOU CAN DO ANY RESEARCH NECESSARY.
BUT PRIMARILY IT WOULD BE, UH, IT WOULD BE RESERVED KNOWLEDGE, UH, WHAT YOU ALREADY KNOW FROM YOUR COMMUNITY AND HOW, UH, UM, HOW A DEVELOPMENT MIGHT IMPACT THE BUILT LANDSCAPE.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER LYRIC.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, UH, IN PERSON? OH, UH, COMMISSIONER LONGORIA, GO AHEAD.
UM, IT'S JUST, I MEAN, I'M ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTED THAT, UH, YOU CAME TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH US.
UM, I KNOW YOU CAME A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AND YOU SPOKE ABOUT THE CONSULTANTS, UH, PERHAPS RECOMMENDED, UH, REORGANIZATION OF THE COMMITTEE.
AND, UM, AGAIN, I'M JUST DELIGHTED THAT, UM, TWO MEMBERS OF THE CDC WILL CONTINUE TO BE AT THAT TABLE.
AND, UM, YEAH, I THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY ONE OF US.
AND LIKE JAMES SAID, NEXT, UH, MONTH, WE EXPECT, UH, TO HAVE HIM BACK AND DO A TRAINING, AND THEN WE CAN APPOINT, UM, UH, MEMBERS TO THE, TO THE HARC.
UH, SO YEAH, SO LIKE COMMISSIONER LAIA SAID, YOU KNOW, THINK ABOUT THE GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, LEARN A LOT OF HOW THIS WORKS.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, AND WE'LL SEE YOU IN MAY.
[6. Discussion and update on FY 26 Action Plan Process (Rocio Pena-Martinez, Grants Program Manager and Chase Clements, Financial Manager, Housing Department).]
DISCUSSION AND UPDATE ON THE, UH, FISCAL YEAR 26 ACTION PLAN PROCESS.UH, FROM PENA MARTINEZ, SHE'S THE GRANTS PROGRAM MANAGER, UH, AND ALSO CHASE CLEMENTS, FINANCIAL MANAGER AT THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT APARTMENT.
I THINK CHASE COULDN'T MAKE IT.
I BELIEVE JULIE IS, WE HAVE JULIE.
JAMIE'S JAMES IS GONNA STAY HERE.
I'M JULIE SMITH, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
SO GOOD TO SEE MANY OF YOU AGAIN, UM, AND EXCITED TO GET TO KNOW THE NEW COMMISSIONERS, UM, AND, AND, AND REALLY WORK ALONGSIDE YOU IN THE WORK THAT WE DO WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE, UM, BEEN HERE THE LAST FEW YEARS, YOU'VE SEEN MY FACE A COUPLE OF TIMES OVER THE LAST, UM, OVER THE LAST YEAR AS WE'VE DONE NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR OUR FEDERAL FUNDING, WE'RE BACK AGAIN.
WE ARE IN AN ANOTHER ENGAGEMENT PERIOD WHERE WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER OUR, UH, PRIORITIES FOR NEXT YEAR'S FUNDING FOR OUR FEDERAL DOLLARS.
UM, AND IN THIS PHASE WE RELY REALLY HEAVILY ON COMMUNITY GROUPS AND COMMISSIONS.
UM, SO I'M HERE TO LISTEN AS ALWAYS, UM, TO UPDATE YOU A LITTLE BIT ON HOW WE'VE USED FEEDBACK THAT WE HEARD FROM YOU BEFORE.
UM, BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, I WANT TO HAND IT OVER TO ROCIO TO GIVE A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE, OF THE FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVE, UM, THROUGH THESE FEDERAL DOLLARS.
GOOD EVENING, AND CONGRATS FOR YOUR NEW COHORT.
UM, I'M EXCITED TO WORK WITH YOU ALL.
AS JULIE SAID, YOU'LL BE SOME OF, YOU'LL BE FAMILIAR WITH THIS INFORMATION.
THIS WILL BE NEW FOR A LOT OF Y'ALL.
AND, UM, WE'LL TRY AND GIVE EVERYONE THE SAME BACKGROUND BECAUSE THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF OUR COMING TO YOU TODAY IS TO HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK AND INPUT ON HOW THESE GRANTS MAY IMPACT THE COMMUNITIES THAT YOU SERVE.
[01:15:01]
IS CONTINUING TO APPLY TO FEDERAL GRANTS FROM HUD.UH, THIS APPLICATION IN PARTICULAR IS KNOWN AS THE ACTION PLAN.
IT IS PART OF A, AT THE BOTTOM IS A LIFE CYCLE OF A FIVE YEAR GRANT CYCLE.
UM, ANNUALLY, WHEN WE APPLY TO THESE FOUR GRANTS WITH THE ONE APPLICATION, WE EXPECT TO RECEIVE AN AVERAGE OF $14 MILLION.
AND THAT MONEY GOES TO VERY LOW TO MODERATE INCOME PROGRAMMING THROUGHOUT THE CITY, NOT JUST AT THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
UM, SO LAST TIME YOU WOULD'VE SEEN JULIE WAS DURING THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN.
THAT SETS US UP FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS FUNDING PRIORITIES.
CURRENTLY TONIGHT, WE ARE WORKING ON THE ACTION PLAN, AND THAT IS GOING TO ALLOW US TO RECEIVE THIS YEAR'S FUNDING, UM, FOR THE FOUR GRANTS THAT YOU SEE UP ON THE SCREEN NOW.
SO THIS ONE ACTION PLAN GIVES US ACCESS TO ALL FOUR OF THESE GRANTS.
THEY HAVE DIFFERENT, UH, FOCUSES THAT AND REQUIREMENTS AS TO HOW THEY CAN BE USED.
THE TWO GRANTS AT THE TOP, CDBG AND HOME, THEY'RE SPECIFIC TO, UM, HOME INFRASTRUCTURE OR HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
SO BUILDING ACTUAL UNITS OR ACQUIRING, UH, THE FACILITIES, UH, TO PROVIDE PROGRAMMING.
THE BOTTOM LEFT GRANT HOPWA HAS A FOCUS ON PROVIDING SERVICES TO PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV AIDS, WHO HISTORICALLY, IN ADDITION TO LIVING WITH A CHRONIC ILLNESS, HAVE BARRIERS TO ACCESS HOUSING.
AND THE FINAL GRANT THAT WE APPLY FOR IS ESG, WHICH FOCUSES ON PROVIDING FUNDING FOR HOMELESSNESS SERVICES.
UH, THIS SLIDE, WHICH YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A LITTLE AHEAD OF TIME 'CAUSE THEY CAN BE DENSE AND WE CAN COME BACK TO THESE SLIDES AT THE END.
UM, THIS SHOWS LAST FISCAL YEAR'S GRANTS RECEIVED AND HOW WE USE THEM.
SO ALONG THE TOP, THAT IS THE ACTUAL AMOUNT WE RECEIVED FROM HUD LAST YEAR.
FOR EACH OF THOSE FOUR GRANTS.
WE, WHEN WE APPLY, WE DO NOT NECESSARILY RECEIVE THE EXACT AMOUNT WE APPLY FOR.
UM, AND SO THERE MAY BE SOME DISCREPANCY IN WHAT WE ORIGINALLY PROPOSED AND THE AMOUNT WE RECEIVE, UH, ALONG THE LEFT ARE SOME BROAD FUNDING PRIORITIES AND HOW MUCH WE ALLOCATED TO EACH OF THOSE.
WE ARE WORKING WITH THE SAME SORT OF FUNDING PRIORITIES IN THIS CURRENT YEAR AND THROUGH THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS TABLE ARE THE, THE REAL PROGRAMS THAT WERE FUNDED WITH THIS MONEY.
UM, SO AS YOU CAN SEE WITHIN THESE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES, THERE'S A VARIETY OF PROGRAMMING, SOME OF IT DONE BY CITY DEPARTMENTS, A LOT OF IT DONE BY NONPROFITS AND OTHER GRASSROOTS CONTRACTORS.
THIS SLIDE IS ALSO FROM OUR END OF YEAR REPORTING FROM LAST FISCAL YEAR.
THIS SHOWS, AGAIN, THOSE PROGRAMS THAT ARE FUNDED WITH THESE GRANTS AND THE ACTUAL AMOUNT WE RECEIVED, UH, AS WELL AS WHAT WE HAD PROPOSED TO DO WITH IF WE RECEIVED FUNDING AND THE REAL OUTCOME.
UH, YOU WILL NOTICE SOME DISCREPANCIES.
AS I SAID, SOMETIMES THAT'S DUE TO A DIFFERENCE IN FUNDING RECEIVED.
THERE ARE ALSO SOMETIMES OTHER ISSUES AT THE PROGRAM LEVEL, UH, FOR EACH OF THESE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. SO I'LL GIVE YOU A MOMENT TO LOOK OVER THIS.
UM, LET ME USE MY, UH, MY BETTER EYES.
SOME, UH, PROGRAMS THAT WE MIGHT BE PARTICULARLY INTERESTING TO YOU ARE IN THE PURPLE.
UM, THERE ARE FAMILY BUSINESS LOAN PROGRAMS ADMINISTERED BY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION THAT ARE INTENDED TO HELP COMMUNITIES, UM, BEYOND HOUSING, BUT ALSO IN THEIR, THEIR ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY.
UM, AT THE TOP IN BLUE ARE A LOT OF OUR HOUSING PROGRAMS THAT DIRECTLY IMPACT HOUSEHOLDS.
UM, ACCESS TO HOUSING AND TENANT ASSISTANCE, BOTH IN RENT AND IN LEGAL SERVICES IS SO, UH, WE DO A VERY LIMITED DEMOGRAPHIC, UH, RECORDING AND REPORTING WITH THESE FEDERAL GRANTS.
BUT THIS IS SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH YOU.
THIS IS A OVERVIEW OF EACH OF THE
[01:20:01]
GRANTS AND A RACE AND ETHNICITY BREAKDOWN OF WHO IS SERVED WITH A TOTAL OF 1,856 HOUSEHOLDS SERVED LAST FISCAL YEAR.THESE ARE THE FINAL TWO GRANTS, AND THIS IS A TAKE A BREAKDOWN OF THE HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF THESE HOUSEHOLDS THAT WE SERVED LAST YEAR.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE SERVED WITH OUR TWO GRANTS, CDBG, AND HOME ARE VERY LOW OR EXTREMELY LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS BELOW 30% MFI.
AND AS A REMINDER, AT THE BOTTOM THERE IS A TABLE OF LAST YEAR'S MFI LIMITS.
I'M GONNA HAND IT OVER TO JULIE.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WHILE WE ARE HERE TALKING ABOUT OUR FEDERAL FUNDING, THAT THOSE HUD UH, ANNUAL ENTITLEMENT GRANTS ARE ONLY ONE OF THE SOURCES OF FUNDING THAT OUR DEPARTMENT USES.
AND AS WE LISTEN TO THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, THE INPUT THAT YOU GIVE AND THAT WE HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY ON A REGULAR BASIS HELPS GUIDE THE WAY THAT WE USE ALL OF THESE FUNDS.
AND SO, AS WE LISTEN, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IF WE CAN'T ADDRESS SOMETHING WITH OUR FEDERAL DOLLARS, UM, THAT WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE THE DISCUSSIONS AT THE STAFF LEVEL AND AT THE COMMISSION LEVEL ABOUT MAYBE OTHER SOURCES THAT WE COULD USE TO MEET THOSE COMMUNITY NEEDS.
SO LAST YEAR DURING OUR, OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN, WE MET WITH 57 COMMUNITY GROUPS AND COMMISSIONS AND HAVE, UM, SHORT SUMMARIES OF EVERYTHING THAT WE HEARD, WHICH ARE IN A FULL REPORT THAT YOU CAN FIND, UM, ON OUR SPEAK AT BOSTON PAGE.
THIS IS THE, THE SUMMARY OF WHAT WE HEARD FROM THIS COMMISSION LAST YEAR.
UM, AND I WANT TO, TO KINDA HONE IN ON SOME OF THE PRIMARY PIECES OF FEEDBACK THAT WE HEARD FROM YOU AND, AND WHERE WE ARE AND, AND MEETING SOME OF THAT, UM, SOME OF THOSE NEEDS.
WE HEARD BY AND LARGE FROM ALL COMMISSIONS THAT, UH, THAT YOU WANTED TO SEE MORE DATA ABOUT WHO WE'RE SURVEYED AND EXACTLY WHO THOSE PEOPLE ARE SO THAT WE COULD SEE WHERE THE GAPS ARE, UM, AND SEE THE IMPACT OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE.
WE HAVE A, A BRAND NEW POLICY AND DATA TEAM IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
AND SO WHILE WE DON'T HAVE THE, THE KINDA SOPHISTICATED DATA THAT I KNOW YOU'D LIKE TO SEE YET, WE KNOW THAT'S COMING AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO COME BACK REGULARLY WITH THAT TYPE OF DATA.
UM, AND WE'LL BE LOOKING TO, TO, TO COMMISSIONS TO REALLY HELP KIND OF GUIDE WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE ASKING AND HOW WE'RE ASKING IT AND HOW WE'RE REPORTING ON THAT.
UM, SO EXCITED TO SHARE MORE OF THAT SOON.
WE ASKED, WE, WE HEARD, AGAIN, BY AND LARGE, UM, A DESIRE TO, TO SEE KINDA MORE TRANSPARENCY, MORE REPORTING BACK.
AND WE JUST LAUNCHED A NEW HOUSING HUB ON SPEAKUP AUSTIN, UM, THAT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO KINDA GROW WITH THE COMMUNITY.
UH, THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE TOOLS.
IT'S AN ONLINE TOOL, UM, WHICH IS PART OF OUR TOOLKIT AND, AND HELPING TO REACH COMMUNITIES WHERE WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK AND SEE WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY, HOW WE'RE USING THAT INPUT.
UM, MORE TRANSPARENCY, UH, INCLUDING SOME, SOME IMAGES LIKE THE ONES THAT ROCIO SHOWED IN TERMS OF WHAT DID WE SET OUT TO DO EACH YEAR, UM, AND HOW ARE WE MEETING THOSE GOALS, HAVING THAT IN A REALLY ACCESSIBLE PLACE IN AN UNDERSTANDABLE WAY, UM, SO THAT COMMUNITIES DON'T HAVE TO DIG FOR THE, FOR THAT INFORMATION.
UM, ON THE HOUSING HUB, WE HAVE A NEW EVERGREEN SURVEY.
WE HEARD FROM THIS COMMISSION AND OTHERS THIS NEED FOR ONGOING, UH, OPPORTUNITIES SO THAT WE'RE NOT LIMITED IN TIME TO HOW MANY PEOPLE WE CAN REACH.
UM, SO EXCITED TO HAVE THAT RESOURCE AND TO SEE THAT THAT GROW AS THE COMMUNITY NEEDS IT.
UM, WE ARE WORKING, UH, OUR DEPARTMENT IS WORKING WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS ON A REALLY SPECIFIC EFFORT TO SHARE DATA, UH, SO THAT WE'RE NOT GOING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY WITH VERY SIMILAR QUESTIONS FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
UM, SO PLEASE KNOW THAT THAT IS HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES AND I'M HOPING TO SEE, UH, A SHIFT IN THAT OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS AS WE WORK BETTER TO TOGETHER INTERNALLY TO SHARE, UH, THOSE NEEDS ACROSS DEPARTMENTS.
UM, WE ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO MAKE THE COMMITMENT TO DO, TO DO MORE TARGETED OUTREACH TO PARTNER BETTER WITH, WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS SO THAT WE'RE REACHING PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE.
UM, AND WE CONTINUE TO HAVE INTERNAL DIALOGUE ABOUT HOW WE'RE HOLDING OUR PARTNER AGENCIES ACCOUNTABLE, UM, WHAT THAT MEANS AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, UM,
[01:25:01]
AND HOW THOSE FUNDS, THE FUNDS, UH, HOW WE CHOOSE THOSE PARTNERS AND, AND, UM, YEAH, PULL THEM ACCOUNTABLE EACH YEAR.WE WANT THIS CONVERSATION TO FEEL LIKE, UH, A CONTINUED CONVERSATION SO THAT WHEN WE COME BACK EACH YEAR, YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE TO TO TELL US ALL THE SAME THINGS OVER, OVER AGAIN.
UM, SO PLEASE, WE'D LOVE TO GO DEEPER INTO THESE, UM, AND HEAR OTHER THINGS THAT ARE ON YOUR MIND.
UM, WHAT ELSE IS, OOPS, UM, ARE THERE NEW PRIORITIES THAT YOU'RE HEARING FROM YOUR COMMUNITIES THAT WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT AS WE LOOK AT THESE, ESPECIALLY LOOK AT THESE FEDERAL DOLLARS RIGHT NOW, UM, OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WANNA REITERATE THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS? SO WITH THAT, WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU AND I'M HERE TO LISTEN.
AND JUST THE CLARIFICATION, I GUESS, ED, DOES THAT MEAN WE'RE MOVING ON TO ITEM SEVEN? IS THAT, UNLESS, UNLESS YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
SO QUESTIONS FIRST AND THEN WE MOVE ON TO ITEM SEVEN, THEN WE OKAY.
MORE THING, UM, WE, WE ARE DEFINITELY HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, BUT WE ALSO WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR INPUT AND FEEDBACK IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
UM, I THINK WE, I THINK I FAILED TO MENTION THAT, WILL YOUR FEEDBACK AND INPUT FROM TONIGHT WE ACTUALLY WILL INCLUDE IN OUR APPLICATION TO HUD.
UM, SO EVEN SOME OF THOSE NEEDS THAT WE CAN'T MEET CURRENTLY, WE ARE RECORDING THEM.
THEY ARE A LIVING DOCUMENT, UH, THAT IS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, I GUESS ANOTHER POINT OF CLARIFICATION, OR ED, SHOULD WE DO QUESTIONS AND THEN INPUT AS ITEM SEVEN? IS THAT HOW WE WOULD DO YEAH.
THE PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE ITEM SEVEN.
THAT WOULD BE INPUT FROM COMMISSIONERS AS WELL.
SO LET'S START WITH QUESTIONS ON THE PRESENTATION AND THEN WHEN WE MOVE TO ITEM SEVEN, WE CAN GIVE INPUT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
SO WE, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE PRESENTATION FROM COMMISSIONERS? UH, COMMISSIONER ES? I ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE A QUESTION.
I WANTED TO REMIND Y'ALL, I AM ACTUALLY GONNA HAVE DROP OFF.
WE'LL STILL HAVE QUORUM, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT Y'ALL ARE GONNA HAVE QUORUM THROUGH THE PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE I DISAPPEAR.
UH, QUESTIONS ON THE PRESENTATION.
SO I WILL KEEP IT SHORT 'CAUSE THERE'S MANY, MANY QUESTIONS.
I DON'T WANNA GO DOWN THAT RABBIT HOLE.
UM, BUT THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE IS, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE MFI, I SAW YOU USE THE MEDIAN INCOME FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR, AND I'M HOPING IN THE FUTURE, YOU ALL CAN BREAK THINGS DOWN IN TERMS OF WHO IS SERVED AND START TO PROVIDE PROFILES THAT INCLUDE PROFESSION AREAS WHERE THEY LIVE IN THE CITY, UM, EVEN IF IT'S NOT INDIVIDUALIZED, BUT AT LEAST SOME KIND OF VISUAL THAT CAN GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHO WE ARE TRULY SERVING AND NOT JUST A STATISTIC BASED OFF OF INCOME.
BECAUSE I'M CURIOUS ABOUT SERVICE WORKERS, CITY WORKERS, TEACHERS, EMERGENCY PERSONNEL, SANITARY WORKERS, ALL OF THOSE ESSENTIAL PROFESSIONS IN THE CITY, AND HAVING BREAKDOWNS OF THAT AND HOW THEY MIGHT BE IMPACTED, UM, FROM THIS OR BE A PART OF A GAP THAT WE ARE NOT ABLE TO REACH BECAUSE OF MFI RESTRICTIONS.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER LONGORIA AGAIN, I MEAN, AGAIN, I'M, I'M REALLY HAPPY WITH THIS GOOD JOB HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
I, I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE INPUT PORTION, BUT I GUESS, UM, MY QUESTION IS THAT ISN'T THIS LIKE NEW COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ASSESSMENT, KINDA LIKE A NEW MANDATE WITH THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM? IS THAT NOT NEWLY MANDATED? UH, NO.
THE, THIS ACTION PLAN APPLICATION DOES HAVE A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANDATE THAT HAS BEEN, I THINK SINCE 2016, PART OF, UM, OUR INTERACTION WITH THE CDC AND THE APPLICATION ITSELF.
HOWEVER, SOME OF WHAT JULIE WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED INTERNALLY THAT IS NEW AND WAS DONE, AS I UNDERSTAND IN RESPONSE TO A LOT OF THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED DURING THE REQUIRED ENGAGEMENT.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER LONGORIA.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S CLOSE OUT ITEM NUMBER SIX, WHICH IS THE DISCUSSION PART WITH THE QUESTIONS.
[7. Conduct a public hearing to receive public comment on how formula grants impact our communities for the City's Fiscal Year 25-26 Action Plan that will be submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as part of the City's application for federal funding.]
NUMBER SEVEN.SO THIS IS CONDUCTING A PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON HOW FORMULA GRANTS
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IMPACT OUR COMMUNITIES FOR THE CITY'S FISCAL YEAR 20 20, 25, 26, UH, ACTION PLAN.AND THAT THAT PLAN WOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING IN AN URBAN DEVELOPMENT AS PART OF THE CITY'S APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL FUNDING.
SO IF YOU HAVE INPUT, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS, ANYTHING FOR, UH, HOUSING STAFF CHAIR? UH, YES, REAL QUICK, JUST SAY YOU'RE GONNA OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, YEAH, I, I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START.
SO, UM, I SAW ON HERE THAT IT SAYS THE NEW HOUSING HUB ON SPEAK UP AUSTIN.
UM, AND ONE OF THE NEEDS WAS LIKE, LIKE BETTER WAYS TO, TO GET FEEDBACK FROM PEOPLE.
UM, AND SO I JUST CHECKED OUT THE WEBSITE AND, UM, I HAVEN'T DONE IT VIA PHONE YET, BUT THERE'S NO WAY TO LIKE SHARE THIS, YOU KNOW, LIKE ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE AND SAY, HEY, LIKE, HEY FRIEND, THERE'S A YOUR, THERE'S AN E-BIKE, UM, WAY TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE FEEDBACK IN AUSTIN.
UM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY, REALLY HELPFUL FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LIKE CHECKING THEIR NEWSLETTERS OR THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES FOR WAYS TO GET INVOLVED.
UM, SO, OR, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A NEWSLETTER CONNECTED TO THIS, BUT JUST WAYS THAT, UM, PEOPLE CAN KIND OF LIKE, SHARE IT VERY EASILY AND VERY QUICKLY, LIKE ON THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE OR TWITTER OR, OR HOPEFULLY NOT TWITTER, BUT, UM,
UM, AND THEN I WAS CURIOUS IF ANY OF THE WAYS THAT YOU DO SURVEY PEOPLE, HAVE THERE EVER BEEN, HAS THERE EVER BEEN A DEDICATED BUDGET TO BE ABLE TO COMPENSATE PEOPLE TO FILL OUT A SURVEY BEFORE? THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED.
WE'VE NOT DONE IT, WE'VE NOT HAD A DEDICATED BUDGET OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, BUT AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUED SURVEY, I DO HOPE IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ABLE TO BUILD INTO OUR BUDGET.
UM, SO YOUR ADVOCACY FOR THAT WILL REALLY HELP.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, I ALWAYS TRY TO ADVOCATE FOR IS THAT, I MEAN, PEOPLE, NO ONE WANTS TO DO EXTRA WORK, LIKE GENUINELY, AND, AND THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT DO ARE THE ONES THAT LIKE TO ADVOCATE.
BUT IF WE'RE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, GET TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT AREN'T ACTIVE IN THEIR COMMUNITY, BUT HAVE REALLY GREAT INPUT, THEN WE NEED TO BE OFFERING SOME KIND OF LIKE, BENEFIT TO THAT.
YOU KNOW, LIKE IF IT'S A, UM, I, I, I, I DON'T EVEN KNOW.
THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE COULD DO.
UM, BUT THE MORE THAT THERE'S KIND OF LIKE A GAIN FROM IT, I THINK THE BETTER THE COMMUNITY WOULD BE.
LIKE THEY REALLY WANT OUR FEEDBACK MM-HMM
UM, AND I'M MORE LIKELY TO FILL OUT A SURVEY IF I KNOW I'M GONNA WANNA A, ENTER A RAFFLE OR, YOU KNOW, UM, WHATEVER THE SITUATION MAY BE.
AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAD WAS, HOW OFTEN IN THIS PROCESS, UM, DO Y'ALL, UM, CONVENE PEOPLE AT LIVED EXPERIENCE IN THE PROCESS? LIKE, NOT AS LIKE A FEEDBACK LOOP OF LIKE, WE'RE GONNA GO TO THIS GROUP AND GET FEEDBACK, BUT LIKE, ACTUALLY IN THE PLANNING PART OF IT, UM, HAVING PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE.
YEAH, I WOULD SAY WE RELY A LOT ON COMING TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND, AND TO GET THAT FEEDBACK.
UM, WORKING THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, I THINK WE HAVE, UH, A LOT OF ROOM TO GROW THERE IN TERMS OF BRINGING THOSE PEOPLE TOGETHER, UH, BEING ABLE TO COMPENSATE THEM, UM, THAT IS A PRIORITY FOR US THAT WE WANT TO SEE EXPANDED OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION, UM, HAVE YOU GUYS EVER THOUGHT ABOUT, UM, LIKE TABLING AT COMMUNITY EVENTS? UM, YEAH, WE DO TABLE AT COMMUNITY EVENTS.
IF YOU ALL KNOW OF EVENTS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE YOU WANT TO SEE US, PLEASE LET US KNOW ABOUT THOSE.
UM, ON THE HOUSING HUB, YOU'LL SEE WHERE WE WILL BE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
YOU CAN ALSO SEE WHERE WE WERE IN ALL OF LAST YEAR JUST TO GET AN IDEA OF THE TYPE OF EVENTS THAT WE KNOW ABOUT.
UM, BUT PLEASE SEND US, PLEASE SEND THOSE OUR WAY AND WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE STAFF OUT AT THOSE COMMUNITY EVENTS FOR SURE.
UH, HOUSING HUB, THAT'S WHERE IT DOES NOT SPEAK UP, AUSTIN.
IT IS SPEAK UP AUSTIN.ORG HOUSING HUB.
WE'LL MAKE SURE TO GET THAT LINK TO YOU.
AND WE DO HAVE, UM, AND, AND NEFERTITI MIGHT WANNA SPEAK MORE TO THIS, BUT WE HAVE OUR NAVIGATORS PROGRAM, WHICH ARE PAID, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO DO HELP CONNECT PEOPLE WITH RESOURCES.
UH, HOW WE USE THAT TO, TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY, I THINK IS AN AREA OF GROWTH FOR, UH, FROM AN ENGAGEMENT POINT OF VIEW.
BUT ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO ADD THAT'S TO THE CI JUST DIDN'T WANNA WANNA LEAVE THAT PART OUT IN TERMS OF PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE WHO ARE HELPING TO KIND NAVIGATE US IN THE COMMUNITY AND CONNECT PEOPLE.
UM, YEAH, I THINK THE BETTER, UH, LIKE THE NAVIGATORS PROGRAM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE, I, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW JUST HOW MUCH THEY COULD BE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS, UM, LIKE MOVING FORWARD SO THAT, LIKE, THERE IS
[01:35:01]
SOME, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE IN THE WORK, THEY'RE KIND OF SEEING WHAT'S HAPPENING AND UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST COMING TO US AND, UM, THE WAIT TIME AND THEN FOLLOWING UP KIND OF THING.MY NAME IS NEFERTITI JACKMAN, UH, THE COMMUNITY DISPLACEMENT PREVENTION OFFICER, UH, FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
WE DO HAVE A NAVIGATOR PROGRAM.
UH, WE HAD A PILOT PROGRAM AND IT WAS FOCUSED IN COLONY PARK IN DOVE SPRINGS.
WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS, WE'RE WORKING WITH CENTRAL, UH, PURCHASING TO EXPAND THAT PROGRAM.
WE'RE GONNA EXPAND IT TO INCLUDE, UM, ONIS, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO GOING TO INCLUDE THE AREAS AROUND THE GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS, AROUND THE PROJECT CONNECT STATION AND LINES TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE IN THOSE AREAS.
UM, NAVIGATORS ARE COMPENSATED, THESE ARE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, WITH LIVED EXPERIENCES WHO ARE COMPENSATED FOR THEIR TIME, AND THE GOAL IS TO CONNECT THEM, UH, WITH RESOURCES AND SERVICES SPECIFIC TO HOUSING.
UM, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF REDESIGNING, WELL, I SHOULD SAY WE HAVE REDESIGNED IT BECAUSE THERE'S ALSO SOME CASE MANAGEMENT.
I WILL SAY IT IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THOUGH FROM PEOPLE GETTING INFORMATION, LIKE FOR, UH, A SURVEY OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
COULD THEY BE USED TO PROVIDE SURVEYS TO PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY? THAT IS A POSSIBILITY.
AND WE HAVE HAD OTHER ENGAGEMENT PROCESSES WHEN WE DEVELOP THE RACIAL EQUITY ANTI DISPLACEMENT TOOL.
WE AGAIN, UM, RECRUITED MEMBERS WITH LIVED EXPERIENCES.
WE ALSO PAY THEM FOR THEIR TIME AND THEIR ENGAGEMENT, AND WE REALLY, UH, SEEK TO DO THAT WHEN WE'RE GETTING, UM, UH, FEEDBACK FROM COMMUNITY TO INFORM THE DESIGN, UM, OF OUR PROGRAMS. SO THOSE ARE, UH, TO THE THINGS THAT, UH, I THINK JULIE WAS REFERRING TO.
SO THERE ARE TIMES I WILL SAY I DIDN'T, UM, SOMETIMES IT IS CHALLENGING AND I DON'T THINK THAT, UM, I KNOW IN THE PAST PAYING OR COMPENSATING COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR SURVEYS OR THROUGH THAT METHOD IS, UM, I DON'T KNOW.
IT IS DISCOURAGING THE CITY BECAUSE IT'S SORT OF HARD AND I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE SOMEONE FROM FINANCE TALK ABOUT THAT.
BUT WE HAVE BEEN DISCOURAGED FROM DOING THAT, SO, YEAH.
YEAH, I KNOW THERE'S SOME DIFFICULTY AROUND FINANCE, LIKE GIFTS VERSUS LIKE, YOU KNOW, CONSULTING PAYMENTS AND 10 99 AND THAT KIND OF THING.
COMMISSIONER LYRIC, COULD I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT YOUR QUESTION? WHEN YOU SAID ENGAGEMENT FOR PLANNING, WERE YOU REFERRING SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PLAN, FOR THE ACTION PLAN THAT WE ARE PRESENTING ON TODAY? OR DID YOU MEAN MORE GENERALLY FOR HOUSING ACTIVITIES? HONESTLY, I THINK IT'S BOTH.
UM, I, I THINK AS A PERSON WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE OF HOMELESSNESS, I TRY TO ADVOCATE AS MUCH AS I CAN FOR NOT JUST GETTING FEEDBACK FROM THOSE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE, BUT INVOLVING THEM IN THE DEC DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
AND I KNOW THAT'S DIFFICULT IF THEY'RE NOT A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE AND THEY'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, THE MANAGER OF A PROJECT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UM, BUT I DO THINK THAT SOMETIMES PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS CAN GO IN THE WRONG DIRECTION IF THEY DON'T HAVE SOMEONE TO SAY, I NEED TO PUSH BACK AGAINST KIND OF HOW Y'ALL ARE SEEING IT.
OR, UM, EVEN THE LINGO THAT YOU'RE USING, LIKE HAVING SOMEONE IN THE SPACE WHO CAN KIND OF HELP DRIVE THE DECISION MAKING CAN BE REALLY HELPFUL.
UM, SO BOTH IN THE PLANNING AND THE REGULAR STUFF, I THINK, UM, JUST TRYING TO MAKE THAT AN IMPORTANT PIECE.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY I SEE THAT AS A, A LAST STEP IN A LOT OF PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS. SO, OKAY.
SPEAKING TO THE ACTION PLAN IN PARTICULAR, UM, IT IS REQUIRED THROUGH OUR FEDERAL, THROUGH CONTRACT.
THE ENGAGEMENT IS BROKEN UP IN A VERY PARTICULAR WAY.
SO OUR VISIT TODAY IS PART OF THE COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
SO IT'S ONE PHASE ONE OF ENGAGEMENT, AND I THINK THE WAY THAT IS DESIGNED MAKES IT A BIT MORE DIFFICULT TO HAVE PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE.
UM, BUT THERE IS A SECOND PHASE OF ENGAGEMENT CALLED THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, AND WE WILL BE BACK HERE FOR THAT.
UM, AND WE ALSO SHARED A GRAPHIC WITH Y'ALL THAT YOU ARE WELCOME TO SHARE FOR ANY OF OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS, BUT IT'S DURING THOSE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND OTHER DURING THE COMMENT PERIOD THAT WE ARE, UM, MORE FREE TO ENGAGE WITH THE PUBLIC IN GENERAL, AND THAT INCLUDES PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE.
WHERE COULD WE FIND THAT GRAPHIC TO SHARE? I DON'T KNOW IF I, I'VE JUST, THIS IS
[01:40:01]
MY FIRST DAY, SO I DON'T KNOW IF I MISSED IT.YEAH, IT WAS THE, IT WAS AT THE VERY END OF A DOCUMENT, UM, THAT I SHARED WITH THE LIAISON.
UM, SO THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
IT'S REALLY GREAT TO HAVE THESE PERIODICAL UPDATES.
TO SEE HOW THINGS ARE PROGRESSING.
I DO HAVE TWO CLARIFICATION QUESTIONS THAT ALSO ALLUDES BACK TO, UM, A QUESTION I PRESENTED, UH, WHEN YOU ALL CAME HERE, UH, CAME TO THE MEETING I THINK A FEW MONTHS AGO.
UM, BUT IT WAS IN REGARDS TO VISIBILITY AND THE OPTICS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN AUSTIN.
AND I KNOW THAT, UM, WHEN I ASKED THE QUESTION, HOW DO YOU ALL ENGAGE, BECAUSE I'VE SEEN LIMITED FLYERS AND PHYSICAL FLYERS IN CERTAIN PLACES AND ASKED ABOUT THE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS.
UM, AND THAT STILL IS LIMITED IN A WAY.
I KNOW I HAVE GONE TO SPEAK UP AND I HAVE COPIED AND PASTED SURVEY LINKS AND SHARED THOSE OUT TO MY DIFFERENT COMMUNITY GROUPS.
BUT I'M WONDERING ABOUT HOW YOU ALL ARE ON THE GROUND DOING DIRECT ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS NOW, UM, BECAUSE I'M STILL SEEING A, A LIMITED VISIBILITY AND OPTICS THAT YOU ALL ARE ENGAGING ON THE GROUND WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
DO YOU WANT ME TO TALK ABOUT ACTION PLAN FIRST? SURE.
SO, UM, AS FAR AS THE HUD GRANTS, UM, WE ARE AGAIN LIMITED BY CERTAIN FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS IN OUR APPLICATION.
AND THAT INCLUDES, UH, THE MEDIUM THAT WE GIVE PUBLIC NOTICE, THE TIMING OF OUR PUBLIC NOTICE.
AND, UM, YES,
UM, THAT WOULDN'T PUT YOU IN ANY KIND OF RISK OF, OF INFORMATION SHARING THAT IS NOT MEANT TO BE PUBLICLY SHARED, BUT WHEN YOU DESCRIBE THERE ARE CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS OR LIMITATIONS, I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHAT THOSE LIMITATIONS ARE THAT CAN GIVE ME BETTER PERSPECTIVE AS TO WHY I MAY NOT SEE YOU ALL VISIBLY AS MUCH AS I PERCEIVE I SHOULD BE SEEING YOU VISIBLY.
UH, IT, THIS ACTUALLY IS PUBLIC.
SO I WILL SHARE, UM, WITH, UH, WITH ED LATER A COPY OF OUR CPP, WHICH IS AVAILABLE ON OUR HOUSING DEPARTMENT WEBSITE.
BUT THAT IS ESSENTIALLY A DOCUMENT THAT REGULATES OUR ENGAGEMENT WHEN IT COMES TO THIS FEDERAL PROCESS.
UM, SO I'LL SHARE THAT WITH Y'ALL.
AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS, UM, AND I KNOW NEFERTITI HAD JUST STARTED TO MENTION IT ABOUT, UM, CASE MANAGEMENT FOR THE, THE PAID INDIVIDUALS, THE NAVIGATORS, I BELIEVE WAS THE, THE NAME OF IT.
UM, I'M A CHW, SO WHEN YOU SAY NAVIGATORS, I THINK OF CH HW NAVIGATION,
I, I THINK THAT'S AMAZING THAT THAT'S THERE.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY.
UM, BUT I'M JUST WONDERING HOW ENTRENCHED ARE YOU ALL WITH NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS, NONPROFITS? I THINK JULIE, LAST TIME YOU MENTIONED YOU ALL HAD, WHAT WAS IT, SEVEN OR 700? I REMEMBER THERE WAS A NUMBER WITH SEVEN IN IT THAT YOU ALL HAVE THESE RELATIONSHIPS AROUND THE CITY.
SO AGAIN, JUST WONDERING HOW WE CAN FOSTER GETTING THAT INFORMATION OUT, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR CURRENT CLIMATE WORKFORCE CLIMATE OF A LOT OF PEOPLE IN VULNERABLE SITUATIONS THAT THIS MIGHT BE A GREAT BRIDGE.
THEY'RE DOING TWO THINGS, TWO BENEFITS, SERVING THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS BEING ABLE TO, UM, PROVIDE SOME TYPE OF INCOME FOR THEM.
SO I GUESS THE CLARIFICATION QUESTION IS, I HEARD THERE WAS CASE MANAGEMENT NECESSARY TO BE REFERRED FOR THIS, UM, OR IS THIS A TRULY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC POSITION THAT ANYONE CAN EITHER APPLY FOR OR REQUEST TO BE, UM, ONE OF THESE OUTREACH NAVIGATORS? THANK, HELLO.
UM, THIS IS NEFERTITI JACKMAN, COMMUNITY DISPLACEMENT PREVENTION OFFICER.
I WILL SAY WE ARE CHANGING THE PROCESS AND I AM HAPPY TO COME BACK AND SPEAK, UM, TO THE COMMISSION.
I'M, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ DID REQUEST US TO EXPAND IT TO HIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THAT SORT OF SPEAKS TO THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM.
[01:45:01]
IT'S OPEN TO ANYONE, BUT WE DO HAVE CRITERIA.WE ARE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE CONNECTED TO THE COMMUNITY, WHO KNOW THEIR, UH, COMMUNITY OF ONE OF YOUR, UM, COMMISSIONERS, NEW COMMISSIONERS.
AND SHE, UH, CAN DEFINITELY SPEAK ABOUT IT.
THE, THE, UH, MODEL THAT YOU MENTIONED, THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, THAT IS SIMILAR TO WHAT, UH, PART OF THE INSPIRATION FOR THE PROGRAM, AND THIS IS ANOTHER REASON WHY WE ARE CHANGING IT.
WE ARE HOPING TO WORK WITH A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION OR A BODY WHO CAN PROVIDE MORE OF A CASE MANAGEMENT, UH, TYPE OF ASSISTANCE BECAUSE IT, IT IS A LOT OF WORK AND PEOPLE WERE WORKING PART-TIME.
AND THE CASE MANAGEMENT, UH, PORTION WE FOUND WAS VERY, UM, TIME CONSUMING.
SO FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE LIMITED IN THE HOURS THAT THEY COULD PARTICIPATE WITH THIS PROGRAM.
AND SO I, I'LL SAY THIS, I WOULD LIKE TO COME BACK BECAUSE WE, WE HAVE A TWO PART MODEL NOW, WHICH WE THINK WILL REALLY HELP TO CONNECT PEOPLE IN A WAY THAT WILL BE IMPACTFUL AND MEANINGFUL TO THEM BECAUSE, UH, NAVIGATING SERVICES, UH, WITHIN CITY GOVERNMENTS CAN BE VERY, UM, DIFFICULT.
AND WE WANT TO REMOVE THOSE BARRIERS.
THAT IS REALLY THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO REMOVE THOSE BARRIERS.
AND, AND, AND I'M SURE COMMISSIONER TRICE EBONY CAN SPEAK MORE TO THAT, BUT WE ARE HAPPY TO COME BACK.
CAN I SPEAK ON THAT? YES, GO AHEAD.
SO FROM THE EXPERIENCE LIKE THAT, THAT WAS A GREAT TOOL.
IT'S A GREAT SYSTEM BECAUSE IT, WE WALKED PEOPLE THROUGH THE PROCESS.
AND SO EVEN WITH THE ANTI DISPLACEMENT PROGRAM, WE'RE WALKING PEOPLE THROUGH THE PROCESS.
BUT JUST LIKE, UH, COMMISSIONER TISHA SAID LIKE, IT'S ALMOST LIKE CHWS, BUT WE NEEDED REPRESENTATION IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
SERVICES ARE GREAT, BUT REPRESENTATION IS WHAT IS ALLOWING PEOPLE TO OPEN THEIR DOORS, ALLOW THEM TO WALK.
UM, YOU WALK WITH THEM THROUGH THE APPLICATIONS, BE ON THE PHONE WITH THEM, MEET YOU INTO PUBLIC SPACES.
SO THOSE ARE ALL OF THE TOOLS THAT ARE NEEDED BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT TRUST AND, AND BUILDING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.
UM, SO WE CONTINUE OUR, UH, PUBLIC HEARING.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER INPUT FOR, UH, FOR THE ACTION PLAN PROCESS? UH, COMMISSIONER LONGORIA, UM, WELL, YOU MUST HAVE COME A COUPLE, MAYBE A YEAR AGO.
AND I ASKED THE AMOUNT OF SURVEYS THAT HAD BEEN SUBMITTED, AND I THINK YOU MENTIONED LIKE 300 OR THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOMETHING ELSE.
MAYBE ACTION PLAN CAPER, LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, CONSOLIDATED FIVE YEAR, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT THAT WAS REALLY DISAPPOINTING.
UM, AND THEN A LOT, A LOT OF THE TIMES THAT, UH, PLANNING OR HOUSING COMES, YOU KNOW, THEY SPEAKING ABOUT LIKE, UH, APPLYING FOR GRANTS AND FUNDS AND ALL THIS STUFF, AND THEY SPEAK ABOUT HIRING LIKE, UM, THE POLICY GUY AND THIS LIKE ANALYST OR WHATEVER.
AND LIKE, HOW ABOUT SOME COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PEOPLE? LIKE, I MEAN, THAT'D BE GREAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, UM, I KIND OF LEFT FEELING LIKE UPSET AND DISAPPOINTED.
UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, VERSUS POINT THE FINGER, UM, I JUST ENCOURAGE US COMMISSION, LIKE, I MEAN, HONESTLY, IT'S OUR JOB.
LIKE IT'S PART OF OUR JOB TO LIKE ENGAGE FOR SURE, LIKE THE, THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S REALLY UP TO US, HONESTLY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO FIND THIS STUFF, PROBABLY ONLINE.
UM, I WOULD LIKE ALSO FOR US TO SHARE IT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY CENTERS AND ON SOCIAL MEDIAS AND, YOU KNOW, FOR US TO, UH, DELIVER THE MESSAGE.
UM, AGAIN, ALSO LOOKING AT SOME OF THIS INFORMATION THAT YOU MAY HAVE REPORTED ON BEFORE, UM, I DID NOTICE, UM, UM, LIKE THE MAJOR GAPS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE MAJOR GAPS LIKE, UM, THE RAPID REHOUSING PROGRAM.
THERE'S A MAJOR GAP BETWEEN THE GOAL AND THE ACTUAL OUTCOME 1 0 8 34.
SO THAT, THOSE ARE AREAS WHERE LIKE WE NEED TO WORK ON, YOU KNOW.
UM, ALSO, UM, ANOTHER ONE WAS, UM, THE SERVICES FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV AND AIDS.
UH, WE FELL SHORT OF THAT GOAL.
AND THEN ALSO WITH THE, WITH THE PIE CHART THAT YOU SHARED, UM, LATINOS OR HISPANICS, DISPROPORTIONATELY UNDERSERVED.
SO IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US LATINOS TO ENGAGE, UH, WITH LATINOS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE LIVING WITH HIV AND AIDS.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, HAVING A LOOK AT THIS FAMILY BUSINESS LOAN PROGRAM.
IS THAT NUMBER CORRECT? $300 MILLION BUDGETED? THAT IS NOT, UM, THAT IS A TYPO.
[01:50:01]
TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT NUMBER, BUT WE BELIEVE IT'S 3 MILLION WAS THE BUDGETED AMOUNT.AND IT, UM, ZERO LOANS WERE DONE IN THE LAST FISCAL YEAR.
AND YOU, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU GUYS MENTIONED BEFORE, LIKE NAVIGATING ALL THESE, LIKE APPLICATION AND ALL THIS STUFF.
LIKE, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE CULTURALLY WE DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY AND IT MAY TAKE SOMEONE TO HOLD THEIR HAND AND WALK 'EM THROUGH AND GO ON THE GOOGLE AND ALL THAT STUFF.
UH, VERSUS, UM, I GUESS POINTING THE FINGER AT ELSE SOMEONE ELSE.
I MEAN, I, I'LL SAY IT FOR MYSELF, LIKE, I GUESS, UH, I'M GONNA TRY TO DO MORE TO HELP OUT.
UM, I REALLY LOVE THE, THE INPUT, UM, SECOND BEING MORE CREATIVE IN HOW WE REACH OUT, HOW WE, UH, CONNECT WITH DIFFERENT POPULATIONS.
UH, SO THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR YOUR INPUT.
UM, AND, UH, ONE MORE THING AND THEN WE'LL CLOSE OUT OUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
I JUST WANTED TO ENCOURAGE, UM, OUR EXPERIENCE.
UM, I'M, I WORK WITH BO AND, UM, OUR EXPERIENCE IS IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GET TO THE UNDERSERVED FOLKS THAT YOU'RE NOT REACHING, UM, AUTOMATION DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK THAT WAY.
IT REALLY IS A ONE-ON-ONE PERSON TO PERSON WILL GET YOU THE BEST RESULTS.
IT MAY TAKE A LITTLE MORE EFFORT, BUT IF THERE'S A WAY TO, TO, AS YOU'RE, YOU'RE PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS AND NONPROFITS TO HAVE EVENTS AND HAVE PLACES TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.
UM, AND THEN ALSO AT THE SAME TIME, LIKE COMMISSIONER TRICE WAS SAYING, THAT HELPS YOU BUILD THAT TRUST, UM, WITH COMMUNITY AS WELL.
UM, SO I THINK THAT THAT PART OF THE PARTNER, THE NONPROFIT PARTNER, IS VERY IMPORTANT IN, IN THAT PROCESS.
AND AGAIN, JUST TO ENCOURAGE Y'ALL TO, TO KEEP BUILDING YOUR PERSON, TO PERSON IN PERSON EFFORTS.
'CAUSE I THINK THEY'LL BE MORE PRODUCTIVE.
AND CAN I JUST ADD ONE MORE THING? YES, GO AHEAD.
UM, IN REFERENCE TO THE, THE LIST OF NONPROFITS THAT WE DO COMMUNICATE WITH, WE WILL BE POSTING ALL OF THOSE.
THIS, I THINK IT WAS A GREAT RECOMMENDATION WHEN WE WERE WITH YOU ALL BEFORE A LIST OF ALL OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ON OUR, ON OUR EMAIL LIST SO THAT YOU CAN SEE HERE'S WHO WE'RE REACHING OUT TO, LET US KNOW WHO'S MISSING.
UM, IF YOU SEE AN ORGANIZATION ON THERE, AND MAYBE YOU'RE IN THAT ORGANIZATION, YOU'RE LIKE, WAIT A MINUTE, I'M NOT HEARING FROM YOU.
MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT CONTACT INFORMATION.
UM, SO DEFINITELY WOULD LOVE YOUR HELP THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONNECTING WITH THE RIGHT ORGANIZATIONS AND THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT RECOMMENDATION.
WE DEFINITELY WANNA MAKE THAT INFORMATION PUBLIC, AND WE'LL GET THAT UP ON HOUSING HUB HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT, AT THE NEXT FEW WEEKS SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT.
UM, AND CONTINUE TO LET US KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO WANNA BE EVERYWHERE.
UM, AND EVEN IF IT'S NOT US INDIVIDUALS IN PERSON TO SEE THE MESSAGE OF, OF WHAT WE'RE DOING, WE HAVE FLYERS IN COMMUNITY CENTERS, THE REC CENTERS, AND THE LIBRARIES THAT WE ARE ABLE TO KINDA WORK THROUGH CITY STAFF TO GET, UM, THOSE FLYERS THERE.
BUT LET US, WHERE ELSE DO YOU WANNA SEE THEM PLEASE? YOU KNOW, BE AS SPECIFIC AS YOU CAN IN TERMS OF PLACES THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WILL PAY ATTENTION AND SEE THEM, UH, UH, MIGHT GRAB A FLYER AND REACH OUT, UM, TO OUR DEPARTMENT.
SO PLEASE CONTINUE TO, TO, TO SHARE THAT FEEDBACK AND BE AS SPECIFIC AS YOU CAN.
AND WE'LL, IF WE CAN'T GET A PE IF WE CAN'T GET A PERSON THERE, IF IT'S ONE OF US OR ONE OF, UM, OUR PAID NAVIGATORS, ONE OF YOU ALL, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP IN, IN MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
THANK YOU JAMES AND NEFERTITI FOR THAT.
UH, AND THAT CLOSES OUT OUR PUBLIC HEARING AND OUR NEXT
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
ITEM, OR WE'RE MOVING ON TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UM, COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER FOR OUR FUTURE AGENDA FOR OUR NEXT MEETINGS, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.UM, I, I MENTION IT EVERY MEETING, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO GET AN UPDATE ON THE EQUITY OVERLAY FEASIBILITY STUDY AND I'M GLAD THAT IT'S ON THE RECORD 'CAUSE I HAVEN'T SEEN THOSE GUYS IN A COUPLE MONTHS, SO I, I'D LIKE TO INVITE 'EM BACK.
I, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF I NEED TO ASK THIS AFTERWARDS, BUT, UM, UH, AS A NEW COMMISSIONER, THERE'S A LOT OF ACRONYMS BEING SAID, AND I DON'T KNOW ALL OF THEM AND I DON'T WANT TO LIKE, SAY DURING SOMEONE'S PRESENTATION, LIKE, CAN YOU PLEASE, YOU KNOW, SAY THE ACRONYM? UM, SO IF THERE'S AN ACTIVE LIST THAT I COULD LOOK FOR, OR IF ONE COULD BE CREATED FOR NEW COMMISSIONERS, JUST SO LIKE, THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME
[01:55:01]
WHERE SOMEONE COMES IN AND THEY'RE JUST KIND OF LIKE TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT AS THEY GO.UH, SO I, I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN ALSO IF THERE IS A BUDGET FOR THIS COMMISSION, LIKE IF WE EVER WANTED TO DO LIKE A FOCUS GROUP OR, UM, CONVENING PEOPLE, LIKE ANYTHING LIKE THAT COMMUNITY WORK THAT YOU KNOW, IS NOT A PART OF THIS TIME, IF THAT, IF THERE'S A NUMBER OR IF WE CAN GET THAT.
ACRONYMS. I THINK IN OUR OLD CDC FILES WE HAVE A LIST OF ACRONYMS, SO I'LL UPDATE THAT AND GET THAT OUT TO EVERYBODY.
OH, ESPECIALLY THE NEW COMMISSIONERS.
AND THOSE ARE THE MOST COMMON, I MEAN, FROM, UH, ON HILL FROM HOUSING, C-D-B-G-C-D-B-G, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN THE, AS FAR AS THE BUDGET, I BELIEVE WE DO, I THINK WE'RE PLANNING ON ANOTHER RETREAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GONNA BE THIS YEAR.
WE'LL GET BACK WITH YOU ON ABOUT THE RETREAT,
AND FUNDING AND THE FUNDING PART.
WE'LL GET, WE'LL GET BACK WITH YOU.
ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? JUST ONE THING I WANTED TO BRING BACK.
YES, COMMISSIONER BRING BACK, UM, THE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF COMMISSIONER ORTIZ MIGHT BE ABLE TO TO SPEAK ON THIS, BUT ABOUT CAP METRO'S EXPANSIONS AND AS WELL AS CONSOLIDATIONS IS A FEW OF THEIR, THEIR ROUTES, UH, BECAUSE IT DOES AFFECT THE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION WE SERVE.
AND OF COURSE THE MAJORITY OF THE, THE POOR THAT UTILIZES, UM, CAP METRO, THAT'S MY ONLY FORM OF TRANSPORTATION.
SO I AM DIRECTLY IN THE SERVICE
SO WOULD LOVE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS OR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT.
I WAS ABLE TO CONNECT BLAKE WITH TWO OF MY COLLEAGUES.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE LITERALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF WHAT WE CALL AFTA, WHICH IS THE ASSOCIATION OF PARTNERSHIP WITH TRANSPORTATION ACROSS AMERICA,
SO WE HAVE EVERYBODY AND THEIR DOG HERE IN AUSTIN,
SO THEY WERE A LITTLE BIT BUSY, BUT THEY DID, UM, THEY, UH, BLAKE IS REACHING OUT AND TRYING TO SEE WHEN THEY COULD COME AND, AND TALK TO US A LITTLE MORE.
AND THEN I, AND THEN I ALSO MENTIONED IN THE LAST MEETING ABOUT THE HOMELESS IMPACT REPORT THAT IS BEING DONE IN COM IN TANDEM WITH ECHO AND I THINK SOME OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT DID SEND THAT TO, UM, TO MR. BLAKE.
SO JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT BACK ON THE RECORD AGAIN.
HOPEFULLY WE HAVE AN UPDATE IF WE HAVE ANY FURTHER TRENDING UPDATES, UM, ESPECIALLY IN OUR CURRENT CLIMATE RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND JUST FOR A, A QUICK THING TO THE NEW COMMISSIONER, WELCOME, WELCOME EVERYONE, AND, UM,
IRONICALLY, YOU SAY THAT THERE IS AN ONBOARDING WORKING GROUP THAT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK ON FOR THOSE, THOSE EXACT TYPE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR THAT INPUT AND THANK ALL THE NEW, THE NEW COMMISSIONERS, UM, FOR THEIR INPUT TONIGHT.
AND TO ADD TO THAT, UM, YES, COMMISSIONER TISHA, UM, IS PART OF OUR WORKING GROUP.
I'M PART OF THE WORKING GROUP ON, UM, ONBOARDING, UM, THE LAST RETREAT MEETING THAT WE HAD, UH, OUR STAFF PROVIDED US WITH A BINDER THAT HAS, UH, YOU KNOW, A GOOD INTRODUCTION TO THE COMMISSION AND WE'RE WORKING ON UPDATING THAT AND HAVING THAT READY FOR NEW COMMISSIONERS AS WELL.
ANY OTHER FEATURE AGENDA ITEMS? UM, I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF WE CAN ADD, UM, AND UPDATE ON THE TAKE ACTION, LIKE THE, UM, FIRST PERSON, THE EQUITY OVERLAY FROM THE, UM, COMMUNITY POWERED.
UM, JUST AN UPDATE ON WHAT HAPPENED IN THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING SO THAT WE DON'T JUST LEAVE THAT.
SO, YES, SO FROM, UH, OUR SPEAKER THAT SPOKE ON THE CASE THAT'S GOING TO THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, JUST AN UPDATE ON, ON WHAT HAPPENS MM-HMM
AND IF, IF IT'S JUST A, YOU KNOW, JUST AN UPDATE, WE CAN REACH OUT AND JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, YEAH, YEAH.
JUST ANNOUNCE, I, I I DO WANNA LIKE, JUST SHOW APPRECIATION FOR OUR SPEAKERS IF WE CAN IN THE FUTURE OF JUST LIKE, WE DID HEAR YOU, LIKE, WE'RE GOING TO CHECK IN ON IT, SEND A FOLLOW UP EMAIL SAYING, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR COMING, YOU KNOW, WE DID DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE KIND OF THING.
UM, I WANNA SAY ONE MORE THING, NOW THAT YOU MENTION IT.
UM, COMMISSIONER TISHA MENTIONS IT, AND EVEN AN ANGEL REMINDING US ABOUT THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT AND OUR HISTORY.
ZENOBIA JOSEPH IS ANOTHER VERY ACTIVE MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY AND COMES AND ADVOCATES AND CALLS UPON THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT, AND SHE ADVOCATES FOR TRANSPORTATION, EQUITY AND TRANSPORTATION.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHERE PROJECT CONNECT IS GOING WITH AT THIS POINT, IT'S PROBABLY BEEN LIKE FIVE OR 10 YEARS OR WHATEVER.
BUT, UM, SHE SPEAKS ABOUT, UM, SHELTER ON THE NORTH EAST PART OF TOWN OR THE LACK OF, OR, OR SEATING, UH, ON TRANSPORTATION, OR THAT THE BUSES COME ONCE EVERY HOUR.
[02:00:01]
A LOOSE THREAD.UM, I BELIEVE US AS A COMMISSION, WE CAN PUT TOGETHER A, A CONCISE, UH, MEMO OR RECOMMENDATION TO, TO CITY COUNCIL AS FAR AS LIKE EQUITY IN OUR, IN OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, ESPECIALLY LIKE WITH PROJECT CONNECT.
SO AT SOME POINT, UM, IN THE FUTURE THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
UM, YEAH, AND THAT COULD BE DONE BY A WORKING GROUP IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED IN, UH, A WORKING GROUP FOR TRANSPORTATION.
UM, DEFINITELY WE COULD, UM, I WOULD THINK MAYBE WE CAN WAIT FOR THE CAPITAL METRO PRESENTATION AND SEE WHERE THAT IS, AND THEN WE CAN DECIDE TO FORM A WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER, UM, A PRESENTATION, UM, FROM NEFERTITI ON THE NAVIGATORS.
UH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT, ESPECIALLY IF, UH, WE'RE GETTING TO THE TIME WHEN WE WILL BE HIRING NAVIGATORS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC KNOWS, SO WE CAN ADD THAT TO THE AGENDA.
UH, WHENEVER THAT PRESENTATION'S READY, WE CAN HAVE IT.
UH, IT IS, UH, 8:37 PM I CALL THIS, UH, MEETING OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION ADJOURNED.