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[CALL TO ORDER]
IT IS SIX THIRTY SIX AND I CALL TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMMISSION, UM, LET ME READ THAT.
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, I WILL DO A ROLL CALL.
UM, EVERYBODY, LET'S START WITH THE PEOPLE ONLINE.
WE HAVE COMMISSIONER, OR WE HAVE COMMISSIONER MENO, COMMISSIONER TRICE, AND COMMISSIONER TISHA.
WE HAVE COMMISSIONER JASO, COMMISSIONER LYRIC COMMISSIONER, MENARD COMM, COMMISSIONER LONGORIA, AND MYSELF.
SO WE WILL START WITH OUR FIRST ITEM, WHICH IS OUR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? OKAY.
SO WE DO NOT HAVE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, BUT REMEMBER THAT IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK, THE FIRST 10 SPEAKERS THAT ARE SIGNED UP PRIOR TO THE MEETING BEING CALLED TO ORDER EACH WILL ALLOWED THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK TO ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS REGARDING ITEMS THAT ARE NOT POSTED ON THE AGENDA.
SO SINCE WE DO NOT HAVE ANY SPEAKERS, LET'S MOVE TO OUR NEXT ITEM.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MAY 13TH, 2025 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES.UH, COMMISSIONERS, THOSE MINUTES ARE IN YOUR PACKET, IF YOU WOULD REVIEW THOSE.
I'M LOOKING FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
COMMISSIONER LYRIC MAKES A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I SECOND.
EVERYBODY IN AGREEMENT TAKE A VOTE.
WE NEED CAMERAS ON IN ORDER TO VOTE.
NO, I THINK, DID WE GET THAT VOTE? OKAY.
UM, UH, MINUTES HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
[2. Discussion and action to select a new representative to the South-Central Waterfront Advisory Board (Chair Elias). ]
ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS A DISCUSSION AND ACTION TO SELECT A NEW REPRESENTATIVE TO THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD.AND, UH, LAST MEETING, UH, I GAVE YOU A LITTLE DESCRIPTION OF WHAT, UM, WHAT THIS, UH, SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD, UH, IS AND DOES.
UM, AND I ASKED FOR PEOPLE THAT WERE INTERESTED.
I, WE, I HAVE SPOKEN TO ONE COMMISSIONER THAT IS INTERESTED, SO I WILL, UM, MAKE A NOMINATION OR APPOINT NOMINATION.
ARE YOU GUYS GONNA VOTE ON IT? NO, IT'S NOT.
IT'S A DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM.
SO, UH, I WILL MAKE THE NOMINATION OF, UH, COMMISSIONER ORTIZ, UH, TO THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD.
UH, COMMISSIONER ORTIZ, DO YOU ACCEPT THE NOMINATION? I ACCEPT THE NOMINATION.
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YES.SO WE WOULD HAVE TO JUST SHARE, NOT MAKE APPOINTMENTS.
I, WE NEED TO VOTE ON APPOINTMENTS MADE BY THE CHAIR.
READ THE INFORMATION FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE.
SO A NOMINATION, IT'S NOT AN APPOINTMENT, BUT INDICATE AN ACTION OR VOTE BY THE AND I, YES.
SO WE HAVE A NOMINATION FOR, UM, COMMISSIONER ORTIZ TO SERVE ON THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD.
UM, SHE ACCEPTS THE NOMINATION.
DO WE NEED A SECOND OR WE NEED A SECOND.
UH, COMMISSIONER MIN MENARD SECONDS, THE NOMINATION AND IT'S ACCEPTED AND WE TAKE A VOTE.
UH, SO LET'S VOTE FOR COMMISSIONER ORTIZ, UM, TO BE OUR REPRESENTATIVE AT THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD, UH, WITH YOUR CAMERAS ON SO YOU CAN VOTE.
UH, COMMISSIONER ORTIZ, YOU'RE A REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD.
AND, UM, ANY INFORMATION, I WILL MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET, UH, MEETING TIMES AND ALL OF THAT FROM OUR STAFF.
[3. Briefing on the CDC Annual Internal Review (Ed Blake, Program Manager, Housing Department)]
NUMBER THREE.WE HAVE A BRIEFING ON THE CDC ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW, UM, BY ED.
WILL YOU BE DOING THAT IN NEFERTITI? I'M GONNA DO MY BEST.
YES, I HAVE THE NOTES THAT HE SHARED WITH ME.
UM, AND SO THE INTERNAL REVIEW, UH, THERE IS A TEMPLATE THAT WE HAVE PROVIDED TO THE CHAIR.
IT IS TO ESTABLISH THE GOALS OF THE CDC, THE ANNUAL GOALS, UH, BY THE CHAIR, UH, CHAIR ELIAS.
AND OF COURSE THERE CAN BE INPUT DEPENDING ON, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW YOU CHOOSE TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMISSIONERS.
AND WE JUST ASK, THERE IS A DEADLINE FOR THE SUBMISSION OF THAT, WHICH, UM, LEMME PULL THAT UP.
I BELIEVE THAT IS, I DON'T, CAN EVERYBODY ONLINE HERE? NO, I WAS JUST ABOUT TO MENTION THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR.
I NOTICED THE TV, THERE WAS NO SOUND COMING FROM.
TAKING NOTES AND LOOKING AT AGENDA ITEMS AND MAKING SURE YOU HAVE THE NOTES THAT YOU NEED FOR THE, THIS ITEM.
UM, NEFERTITI JACKMAN, UH, WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THERE IS A TEMPLATE FOR THIS INTERNAL REPORT, AND IT IS PART OF, UH, AN ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW THAT ALL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MUST SUBMIT TO ESTABLISH THE GOALS.
UH, THE REPORT MUST INCLUDE TWO ITEMS, A STATEMENT OF THE BOARD'S MISSION, AND A DESCRIPTION OF THE BOARD'S ACTIONS AND FURTHERANCE OF THE MISSION DURING THE PREVIOUS CALENDAR YEAR.
AND THEN ALSO THE BOARD'S GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR THE NEW CALENDAR YEAR.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE, ARE TO BE INCLUDED.
UH, WE ARE BRINGING IT FORWARD TONIGHT.
UH, THE GOAL, IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION, BUT IT IS ENCOURAGED TO BE VOTED ON, UM, BY THE COMMISSIONERS.
SO THE HOPE WOULD BE IS THAT WE WOULD BRING THE REPORT BACK FOR THE REVIEW OF THE COMMISSIONERS FOR THE JULY MEETING AND THEN SUBMIT IT TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE.
SO, UM, AS FAR AS I UNDERSTAND, THIS IS JUST THE BRIEFING AND WE'LL BRING THE ACTUAL REPORT IN JULY, IS THAT CORRECT? IN OUR JULY MEETING, YES.
AND WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO, OKAY.
IT WILL BE PART OF THE COM, UH, CDC PACKET FOR THE MONTH OF JULY.
AND I, I HAVE RECEIVED A TEMPLATE AND I HAVE RECEIVED, I BELIEVE AN EXAMPLE AS WELL OF PREVIOUS, FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
YEAH, FROM THE PREVIOUS YEARS MM-HMM
UM, I WILL LOOK THROUGH THAT AND COMMISSIONERS, IF I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM YOU ALL, IF, UM, WE NEED ANY COLLABORATION, I WILL REACH OUT.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BY ALL MEANS, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO US.
UH, THAT WAS ITEM NUMBER THREE, A BRIEFING ON THE CDC ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW
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REPORT, UH, THAT WE WILL BRING TO THIS CDC IN THE JULY, UH, MEETING FOR APPROVAL.[4. Presentation on the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) activities and outcomes (Jill Smith, Program Manager, Neighborhood Services Unit, Austin Public Health). ]
TO OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS. ITEM NUMBER FOUR, OUR PRESENTATION ON COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT, CSBG ACTIVITIES AND OUTCOMES.UH, TODAY WE HAVE JILL SMITH, UH, PROGRAM MANAGER, NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES UNIT, UH, FROM AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
I'M THE, UM, I'M WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
I'M THE PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE ST.
JOHN COMMUNITY CENTER, AND I'M HERE TODAY FOR ANGEL ZAMBRANO, WHO'S OUT TODAY.
HE ASKED ME TO GIVE THIS THE, UM, HIS MONTHLY REPORT.
UM, SO THE MISSION OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES UNIT IS TO IMPROVE THE LIVES AND HEALTH OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING POVERTY BY PROVIDING PUBLIC HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES AND CONNECTING RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES.
UM, SO AS OF THE END OF APRIL, UM, WE HAD SPENT $201,000 TWO, SORRY, 201, 486, UM, AND 70 CENTS, UM, OF THE BUDGET.
AND, UM, HAD TRANSITIONED 11 INDIVIDUALS OUT OF POVERTY.
OUT OF OUR GOAL OF 43, UM, WE HAD HAD, UH, 271 INDIVIDUALS THAT AVOIDED EVICTION AND, UM, LET'S SEE, 62 INDIVIDUALS THAT HAD HAD UTILITY PAYMENTS.
UM, 29,992 PEOPLE THAT WE HAD, UM, GIVEN FOOD TO AND FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS FOR THE YEAR.
AND PROVIDED CASE MANAGEMENT FOR 79 INDIVIDUALS.
AND, UM, I'VE HAD 811 HOURS VOLUNTEER HOURS DONATED TO THE PROGRAM SO FAR FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR.
UM, LET'S SEE, FROM JANUARY TO MAY, WE HELPED 309 PEOPLE IN 143 HOUSEHOLDS AVOID EVICTION WITH THE, UM, OUR FINANCIAL STABILITY RENTAL ASSISTANCE FUNDING, UM, FOR A TOTAL OF 376,000, UH, $517 AND 44 CENTS.
AND, UM, ONE, UH, GOOD UPDATE THAT WE GOT WAS THAT WE GOT CONFIRMATION THAT THE, UH, FISCAL YEAR 25, THIRD AND FOURTH QUARTER, UH, FUNDING WERE RELEASED TO THE STATES.
AND, UM, ANGEL WANTED ME TO LET YOU KNOW THAT, UH, HE'LL, UH, COME BACK WITH, UH, SUCCESS STORIES STARTING IN THE JULY MEETING.
QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, UH, COMMISSIONERS, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR JILL? UM, WE CAN START ON THIS SIDE.
COMMISSIONER VOIA COMING AROUND THIS WAY.
UH, WE GO AROUND THIS WAY, COMMISSIONER LYRIC.
SO, UM, I'M JUST CURIOUS FOR THE SERVICE DESCRIPTIONS MM-HMM
ARE THOSE, IS THERE A REASON WHY IT'S SPECIFICALLY THESE SERVICES IN GENERAL? 'CAUSE AT THE BOTTOM IT SAYS THAT Y'ALL PROVIDE LIKE BUS PASSES AND REFERRALS, BUT THERE'S NO DATA ON LIKE BUS PASSES AND REFERRALS.
THESE ARE JUST THE SERVICES THAT WE REPORT TO T-D-H-C-A.
UM, SO I THINK THAT'S WHY HE MIRRORED, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE REPORT ON TO T-D-H-C-A EVERY MONTH.
IF WE EVER WANTED TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS, WOULD THAT BE POSSIBLE TO YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
BECAUSE I'M REALLY CURIOUS ABOUT THE REFERRALS AND HOW OFTEN Y'ALL DO, UM, CONNECT TO OTHER NONPROFITS FOR SERVICES.
UM, WITH THE BUS PASS DATA IS EASY.
WE, WE REPORT THAT IN OTHER PLACES.
UM, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A LINE ITEM ON OUR T-D-H-C-A REPORTS, BUT IT IS ON OTHERS.
WE, WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION, THE REFERRALS, UM, THERE ARE SOME PLACES THAT WE CAPTURE THEM, BUT WE GIVE REFERRALS TO PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY WE TALK TO.
AND SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARDER TO CAPTURE ALL OF THOSE.
Y'ALL DON'T USE HMIS, DO YOU? NO.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM OUR COMMISSIONERS? UH, IN PERSON, UH, OUR COMMISSIONER'S ONLINE? DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER TISHA, YOU ALREADY KNOW CHAIR
THANK YOU FOR THAT LITTLE TIDBIT AT THE END
[00:15:01]
FOR THE SUCCESS STORIES.BUT MY QUESTION IS JUST ABOUT THE VOLUNTEER PART THAT YOU HIGHLIGHTED, UH, DURING YOUR PRESENTATION.
DO YOU HAVE ANY KIND OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INSIGHT IN REGARDS TO HOW THE VOLUNTEERS ARE VOLUNTEERING OR WHAT THE COMMUNITY CENTERS MIGHT BE NEEDING FROM VOLUNTEERS AND HOW THOSE GAPS ARE BEING FILLED? MOST OF THOSE ARE WITH FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS.
UM, AND THEN SOMETIMES OUR BIG EVENTS, UM, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF CENTERS THAT ARE SORT OF MORE HOOKED INTO, UM, WELL, PARTICULARLY OUR EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY CENTER DOES A LOT OF EVENTS AND DISTRIBUTIONS, AND SO THEY HAVE A LITTLE BIT SORT OF BETTER, YOU KNOW, PRETTY GOOD POOLS, UM, THAT OF VOLUNTEERS THAT THEY USE, UM, FOR THOSE, THOSE LARGER EVENTS.
UM, AND THEN I'LL, AND THEN LIKE THE, WHEN WE DO, UM, MOBILE DISTRIBUTIONS WITH MOBILE FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS WITH IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FOOD BANK, UM, THOSE ARE LARGELY VOLUNTEER RUN.
UM, SO THOSE ARE THE MAIN, THE MAIN, UM, VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES WITH THIS, WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS IS WHEN WE DO SPECIAL EVENTS.
LIKE WE'RE ABOUT TO HAVE A BIG JUNETEENTH EVENT AT BLACKLAND NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER ON FRIDAY, AND SO THAT'LL HAVE A BIG VOLUNTEER BASE FOR THAT.
UM, BUT OUR, USUALLY OUR DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS, WE, WE, WE MANAGE WITH THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE.
THAT YOUR QUESTION OR RESERVE WHAT? I THINK, I FEEL LIKE THERE WAS MORE TO IT THAT I, I DIDN'T ANSWER.
WE, IT'S SOMETHING CAN BE DELAYED FOR LATER
COMMISSIONERS, UH, ONLINE, DO WE HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS? UH, NO QUESTIONS FROM ME.
UM, YEAH, SO IF WE DON'T HAVE, IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS, UM, ACTUALLY, UH, I DO WANT TO NOTE THE CSBG FUNDING UPDATE THE GREAT NEWS THAT, YOU KNOW, AS THIS, IN THIS TIME WHEN WE THINK ABOUT BUDGETS AND GETTING, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THE MONEY'S COMING TO US, UH, THAT'S GREAT NEWS THAT THE THIRD AND FOURTH QUARTER, UH, MONEY HAS BEEN RELEASED TO THE STATE.
UM, I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THAT LAST TIME WE WERE HERE.
AND AS FAR AS THE, I WAS LOOKING UP HERE OH YEAH, THE, THE CENTERS THAT ARE CLOSED FOR RENOVATIONS.
YEAH, I MEANT TO MENTION THAT.
WILL YOU, WILL YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE? UH, ANY SET DATES OR ANY, ANY YES, YES.
I'M SORRY, I FORGOT ABOUT THAT.
UM, BLACKLAND, THEY'VE MOVED BACK IN AND STARTED SERVICES AGAIN THIS WEEK, AND THEN THEY'LL HAVE THEIR BIG JUNETEENTH EVENT ON, UM, FRIDAY.
UH, ROSEWOOD JUST MOVED BACK IN THIS WEEK, UM, LIKE IN THE LA I MEAN LIKE TODAY PRETTY MUCH.
UM, AND SO THEY WILL COME BACK ONLINE AND BE ABLE TO START SERVICES.
I PROBABLY IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
UM, THERE'S STILL A LOT OF PAINTING AND CLEANING AND STUFF TO, TO GET ALL BACK IN SHAPE, BUT, UM, SO THOSE TWO CENTERS ARE, UM, ARE, YOU KNOW, BACK MOVED IN, UM, AND THEN SOUTH HAS GOTTEN DELAYED AGAIN.
UM, THE LATEST DATE THAT THEY HAVE FOR JUST MOVING IN BACK IN IS THE END OF JULY.
SO THEY STILL PROBABLY WON'T COME BACK FOR SERVICES UNTIL CLOSE, LIKE EARLY AUGUST.
IF, IF IT STAYS WITH THAT TIMELINE.
AND, AND HOW IS THAT INFORMATION BEING, UM, SENT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY, THAT THE CENTERS ARE BACK OPEN OR ALSO THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE OTHER ONE IS DELAYED OPEN.
WE'VE BEEN KEEPING OUR SOCIAL MEDIA AND OUR WEBSITE UPDATED AND, UM, AND OUR CLIENTS ALSO, UM, UH, VISIT A LOT OF THE SAME, A LOT OF THE CENTERS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, AS THEY'RE VISITING ONE CENTER AND ASKING, YOU KNOW, WE GIVE 'EM CALENDARS FOR THE FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS.
WE TELL 'EM WHICH ONES ARE OPEN AND WHICH ONES THEY CAN GO TO.
SO THEY STAY PRETTY UP TO DATE ON THAT.
AND THEN, UH, BLACK LANE'S HAVING THAT BIG EVENT THIS WEEK.
SO IT, THAT'LL BE, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, KIND OF ALMOST A GRAND OPENING.
UM, ANY MORE QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? ALL RIGHT.
UM, SO MY QUESTION IS ABOUT, UM, ROSEWOOD REOPENING, WILL IT BE OPEN OFFERING THE SAME SERVICES? UM, OR WILL THEY BE ADDING UP SERVICES? I KNOW IN THE PAST THEY DIDN'T HAVE LIKE, HOUSING, UM, HELP AS LIKE BLACKLAND OFFERS.
SO WILL THEY BE, UM, OFFERING THOSE SERVICES OR ARE YOU NOT SURE? THE CENTERS ALL HAVE THE SAME SERVICES.
I WONDER FOR BLACKLAND, ARE YOU THINKING OF THE BLACKLAND, UM, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CENTER THAT'S NEXT DOOR? WELL, OH, WELL, YEAH, THAT'S PROBABLY MORE OF LESS THAT SIDE.
[00:20:01]
YEAH, THAT'S A TOTALLY SEPARATE, THAT'S NOT PART OF THE CITY.IT'S A, THAT HOUSING DEVELOPMENT THAT'S RIGHT NEXT TO BLACKLAND IS COMPLETELY, COMPLETELY SEPARATE.
SO THE CITY, WE HELP PEOPLE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND UM, SOMETIMES OUR SOCIAL WORKERS CAN HELP PEOPLE FIND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND WE, YOU KNOW, OR OUR CASEWORKERS CAN REFER PEOPLE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITHIN OUR PROGRAM.
UH, I SEE COMMISSIONER ARNOLD.
COMMISSIONER ARNOLD, SHE HAS A QUESTION.
UM, PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL.
NOW MY QUESTION IS REGARDING SERVICES AS WELL.
UM, AS FAR AS THE, I KNOW WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING FOR RESOURCES AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTER AS FAR AS RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UM, THERE'S A CERTAIN NUMBER TO CALL.
I'M TRYING TO LOOK IT UP AS WE SPEAK WHILE I'M ON THE PHONE.
UH, DO YOU WANT ME TO GIVE IT TO YOU?
THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTER FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE, THE 9 7 2 57 80 MM-HMM
IS THAT NUMBER FOR ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTERS TO YES, WE HAVE ONE NUMBER YEAH.
AND THAT, IS THERE ANY WAY DO Y'ALL PLAN ON, UM, ADDING, LIKE, EXPANDING, UM, Y'ALL, Y'ALL, UM, COMMS, BECAUSE WHEN, WHEN YOU CALL THE ACCESS SERVICES AS A, UM, A INDIVIDUAL THAT, UM, THAT'S LOW INCOME, UM, THAT REPRESENTS THIS BOARD AND HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ALSO LOW INCOME, UM, WE, WHEN WE CALL TO ACCESS SERVICES, WE'RE EITHER GETTING VOICEMAIL OR I HAVE TO CALL LIKE 60 TIMES.
UM, WHEN I GOT RENTAL ASSISTANCE ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO OR A YEAR AGO, I HAD TO CALL LIKE 60 TIMES.
LITERALLY, I SCREENSHOTTED THE, UM, THE CALL LOG BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO GET SOMEONE AND THEN THEY HAVE TO CALL ME BACK TO SET UP, YOU KNOW, THE, THE NORMAL PROCESS CALL BACK TWO OR THREE DAYS.
AND, UM, SO LIKE IN THE FUTURE, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT THE COMMUNITY IS ABLE TO ACCESS RESOURCES INSTEAD OF ALWAYS GETTING VOICEMAIL? BECAUSE THAT'S A BARRIER RIGHT THERE WITHIN ITSELF.
UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO ACCESS SERVICES THERE.
IS THERE LIKE A DIFFERENT SYSTEM Y'ALL HAVE IN PLACE? WELL, THE FRUSTRATION IS THAT THERE'S SUCH LIMITED RENTAL ASSISTANCE THAT, THAT'S REALLY THE FRUSTRATION IS THAT THERE'S SO LITTLE TO GO AROUND THAT WE HAVE ONE REALLY EFFICIENT SYSTEM TO BE ABLE TO GET PEOPLE IN FOR THE AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE THAT WE HAVE.
UM, AND SO IT'S FRUSTRATING BECAUSE IT IS VERY HARD TO GET THROUGH THAT SYSTEM BECAUSE THERE'S SO LITTLE OF IT.
I MEAN, WE ARE A VERY, VERY SMALL RESOURCE IN THE CITY OF, YOU KNOW, OF ALL THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE THAT'S NEEDED.
LIKE WE HAVE A TINY LITTLE POT.
AND SO THE WAY TO GET INTO OUR SYSTEM, IT IS FRUSTRATING, BUT IT'S FRUSTRATING BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH MONEY.
SO THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE WORKS REALLY WELL FOR US AND WE'RE ABLE TO ANSWER WHEN YOU DO GET THROUGH, YOU'RE ABLE TO GET A PERSON, YOU'RE ABLE TO GET, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY IS TALKING TO YOU RIGHT AWAY, THEY'RE PROCESSING YOUR APPLICATION, BUT THERE'RE JUST SO FEW OF THOSE SLOTS BECAUSE WE, IT'S A VERY TINY AMOUNT OF MONEY.
UM, IF SOMEONE'S ABLE TO GET THROUGH, BECAUSE IF THEY'RE NOT, THEY EITHER HAVE TO CALL THE NEXT FOLLOWING MONDAY OR NEXT MONTH AND OR IF THEY CALL AND GOT SOMEONE, THE FUNDS ARE ALREADY IMMEDIATELY RAN OUT.
LIKE, IS THERE A WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE COMMUNITY SO WE'RE NOT OVERWHELMING THE CALL TO UPDATE ON THE A WEBSITE, HEY, WE'VE ALREADY REACHED OUR FUNDS INSTEAD OF WE DO THAT ME CALLING 60 TIMES AND THEN SOMEONE SAYING, YES, HEY, WE'RE OUT OF FUNDS.
SO IS THAT, YOU SAID IT'S LISTED ON THE WEBSITE? WELL ACTUALLY WE UPDATE THE, UM, THE VOICEMAIL THAT WE HAVE, THERE'S VOICEMAIL, IT'S ONLY OUTGOING.
AND THE SECOND WE FILL UP THE SLOTS, WE CHANGE THE VOICEMAIL TO SAY THEY'RE FULL, PLEASE CALL BACK NEXT WEEK.
BUT MOST PEOPLE DON'T LISTEN TO THAT.
MOST PEOPLE ARE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE TRYING TO HURRY UP AND CALL UNTIL THEY GET THROUGH AND THEY, AND AS SOON AS THEY START HEARING THE VOICEMAIL, THEY HANG UP AND DON'T REALIZE THAT IT'S TELLING THEM THAT IT'S FULL.
BUT OUR VOICEMAIL, WE DO, I MEAN, WE, WE CHANGE IT LIKE REALLY THE MINUTE THAT THEY FILL UP, WHICH IS MINUTES AFTER IT'S OPENED.
SO IT'S JUST FRUSTRATING 'CAUSE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH HELP.
SO DO Y'ALL HAVE FUNDING NOW AVAILABLE? YES, BECAUSE YES, WE, YEAH, WE, WE'VE BEEN REALLY CAREFUL WE'RE TO MAKE IT LAST THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR.
SO IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T HAVE FUNDING, IT'S THAT WE ARE FUNNELING IT VERY, VERY CAREFULLY SO THAT WE DO
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KEEP THE, THE FUNDING AND THAT WE CAN, ESPECIALLY SO THAT WE CAN HELP OUR SELF-SUFFICIENCY CLIENTS.'CAUSE WE REALLY, REALLY NEED THAT RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO, TO SUPPORT THAT PROGRAM.
UM, AND SO WE'RE REALLY, REALLY CAREFUL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP THAT FUNDING, UM, SO THAT WE HAVE IT FOR OUR SELF-SUFFICIENCY CLIENTS.
AND THERE'S JUST VERY LITTLE OF IT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT NEED IT.
UM, YEAH, DEFINITELY FRUSTRATING AND ON BOTH SIDES THAT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH FUNDING.
THERE'S A LARGE NEED AS WE ALWAYS SEE.
AND, UM, YEAH, THAT'S JUST REALITY RIGHT NOW.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, ANY MORE QUESTIONS? OKAY.
UM, AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.
[5. Discussion regarding the FY 2025-2026 Action Plan (Rocio Peña-Martinez, Program Manager, Housing Department). ]
ALL RIGHT.UM, NEXT DISCUSSION ITEM IS, UM, DISCUSSION REGARDING THE FISCAL YEAR 20 25, 20 26 ACTION PLAN.
UM, THERE'S, IT, IT, IT WAS IN YOUR EMAIL AND THERE'S ALSO A HARD COPY GOING AROUND, UM, IF YOU WERE HAD TIME TO LOOK AT THAT.
UH, AND WE HAVE, OH, UH, DIRECTOR MANINA MAYO.
I'M THE INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
UM, LATER ON IN YOUR AGENDA, YOU HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR, UM, THE, THE, UH, SUBMISSION OF THE ACTION PLAN, BUT I JUST WANTED TO GO OVER SOME HIGH LEVEL ITEMS WITH YOU.
UH, AS CHAIR ELIAS MENTIONED, UH, WE ARE, IT WAS IN YOUR BACKUP, UM, BUT IT ALSO IS BEING PASSED AROUND.
IT IS THE DRAFT OF THE ACTION PLAN, WHICH IS 150 PLUS PAGES LONG.
UM, SO WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME HIGHLIGHTS, UM, FROM THAT DOCUMENT.
UM, FIRST, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE ACTION PLAN IS ACTUALLY OUR APPLICATION TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, TO THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR BLOCK GRANT FUNDS.
SO WE DON'T ACTUALLY ASK FOR AN AMOUNT OF MONEY.
WE ARE ASSIGNED AMOUNT OF MONEY BASED ON A FORMULA.
AND COINCIDENTALLY, WE RECEIVED OUR, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT EARLY THIS YEAR, WE RECEIVED OUR FORMULA AMOUNTS FOR THE FOUR BLOCK GRANTS.
AND THOSE FOUR BLOCK GRANTS ARE CDBG, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP, UM, PROGRAM OR HOME ESG, EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT, AND HOPWA HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH AIDS.
SO THOSE FOUR FORMULA GRANTS TOGETHER EQUAL ALMOST $15 MILLION THAT WE WILL BE, UM, TAPPING INTO NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
IT'S FAIRLY STEADY WHAT WE'VE RECEIVED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
UM, THE ACTION PLAN IS OUR ANNUAL APPLICATION TO HUD.
THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN, WHICH WAS, UM, APPROVED LAST YEAR, IS ACTUALLY A FIVE YEAR PLAN.
THE ACTION PLAN IS A ONE YEAR PLAN.
SO NEXT FISCAL YEAR WILL BE IN YEAR TWO OF A FIVE YEAR PLAN.
IF YOU LOOK IN THE BACKUP, THERE'S SOME COLORFUL PIE CHARTS THAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE HELPFUL, UM, AS WE GO THROUGH, UM, THE, UH, FOUR DIFFERENT FORMULA GRANTS.
THE FIRST ONE IS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, WHICH IS A LITTLE OVER $7.3 MILLION.
UM, THOSE PROGRAMS THAT WE FUND WITH CDBG, UM, SOME OF IT IS PRESCRIBED BY FEDERAL STATUTE.
UM, THE FIRST IS 20% ADMINISTRATION COSTS 15% WHAT IS CALLED PUBLIC SERVICES.
AND THOSE INCLUDE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, SENIOR SERVICES AND CHILDCARE SERVICES.
THOSE ARE THE THREE, UM, PROGRAM AREAS THAT ARE ADMINISTERED BY AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
THE REST IS ADMINISTERED BY OUR DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND THAT INCLUDES INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT, WHICH CURRENTLY IS, UM, BEING DEPLOYED IN THE COLONY PARK REDEVELOPMENT IN DISTRICT ONE.
UM, WE ALSO ADMINISTER A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT, UM, UH, THREE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS FOR HOME REPAIR FOR LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOMEOWNERS.
THAT INCLUDES ARCHITECTURAL BARRIER REMOVAL, UM, FOR HOMEOWNERS.
UM, AND THAT PROVIDES JUST LIKE THE NAME.
UH, WE PROVIDE ARCHITECTURAL BARRIER, UM, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE PRIMARILY SENIORS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHO MEET OUR INCOME GUIDELINES.
UM, IT INVOLVES, UH, A LOT OF RAMPS, UM, DOOR WIDENING PERHAPS,
[00:30:01]
UH, FOR KITCHENS AND BATHROOMS, MAKING THOSE ACCESSIBLE.UM, AND OFTENTIMES, UH, TAKING OUT CARPETS TO MAKE, UH, FLOORS MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR, UM, PEOPLE UTILIZING WHEELCHAIRS.
WE ALSO HAVE A MINOR HOME REPAIR PROGRAM THAT'S CURRENTLY ADMINISTERED BY THREE DIFFERENT NONPROFITS.
AND THEN WE HAVE A LARGER, IT'S CALLED THE HOME REPAIR LOAN PROGRAM.
AND THAT IS A PROGRAM, UH, THAT GOES UP TO $75,000 IN HOME REPAIRS OR, UM, IN CASES IN WHICH HOMES ARE BEYOND REPAIR.
ALL OF THESE FALL UNDER NEFERTITI'S LEADERSHIP.
UM, AND THEY HAVE BEEN LONGSTANDING AND VERY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS. SO IN TOTAL, THAT'S ABOUT $7.3 MILLION NEXT YEAR.
UH, THE NEXT PROGRAM IS THE HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM, WHICH IS CALLED HOME.
UM, AND WE ROUGHLY, UH, DIVIDE THAT BETWEEN A HANDFUL OF PROGRAMS. ONE IS TENANT-BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE, WHICH FOCUSES ON PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
WE PROVIDE TENANT-BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE FOR UP TO TWO YEARS FOR FOLKS COMING THROUGH THE COORDINATED ENTRY SYSTEM.
WE ALSO HAVE A VERY SUCCESSFUL DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR LOW AND MODERATE INCOME, FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS.
UH, LAST YEAR I THINK WE DID 30, UH, DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE.
UM, AND THERE'S AN ENORMOUS NEED FOR THAT.
UM, AND SO I'M HOPING WE'LL BE INCREASING THAT.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE, UM, UH, PROGRAMS THAT INCREASE THE HOUSING SUPPLY, RENTAL, HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE, OWNERSHIP, HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE, AND THEN COMMUNITY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS, OR CHODOS.
UM, THE LAST SPEAKER JILL MENTIONED, UM, BLACK LAND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
THAT'S ACTUALLY A CERTIFIED CHODO, UM, WHICH MEANS THAT IT'S ABLE TO ACCESS CERTAIN FEDERAL FUNDS, GETS PRIORITY FOR THOSE FUNDS, AND ALSO GETS SOME OPERATIONAL DOLLARS.
UM, SO THOSE ARE, THAT'S, UM, 3.2 PLUS MILLION DOLLARS.
UM, AND WE HAVE, UH, EXAMPLES OF RENTAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE THAT WE HAVE, UM, DEPLOYED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, UH, THAT HAS BEEN, UH, VERY SUCCESSFUL.
ONE PROJECT IS THE GUADALUPE NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, OR GNDC.
ANOTHER CHODO, UM, IS DEVELOPING A 27 UNIT SENIOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ON EAST EIGHTH STREET.
UM, AND THAT, UH, INCLUDED BOTH FEDERAL FUNDS THROUGH THE SECTION 2 0 2 CAPITAL ADVANCE PROGRAM.
UM, AND THEN, UM, HOME FUNDS AS WELL.
SO VERY IMPORTANT PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.
UM, ESG EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT IS ADMINISTERED, UM, CURRENTLY BY AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, BUT IT'S BEING TRANSITIONED OVER TO THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE, UM, BECAUSE IT IS IN FACT ALL FOCUSED ON PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
PROVIDES FUNDING FOR SHELTER, UM, OPERATIONS AND RAPID REHOUSING.
UM, TWO REALLY IMPORTANT PARTS OF OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
UH, AND THEN FINALLY, EXCUSE ME.
FINALLY, HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH AIDS OR HOPWA.
UM, THIS PROVIDES FUNDING TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT FOCUS ON PEOPLE WITH AIDS OR HIV NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, INCLUDING PROJECT TRANSITIONS, AID SERVICES, AND INTEGRAL CARE.
UM, AND THAT PROGRAM IS APPROXIMATELY $2.8 MILLION.
UM, I WILL NOTE THAT, UM, THESE PROGRAMS HAVE ALL, UM, BEEN ZEROED OUT IN THE PRESIDENT'S, UM, WHAT IS BEING REFERRED TO AS THE SKINNY BUDGET THAT IS GOING TO CONGRESS.
WE HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH VARIOUS, UH, COMMITTEES, CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES, WHO ARE INTERESTED IN REAUTHORIZING BOTH CDBG AND HOME.
THOSE ARE VERY, ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE POPULAR PROGRAMS THAT ARE USED ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO SERVE VERY UNIQUE POPULATIONS AND LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.
UM, SO, UH, I DON'T HAVE A PERFECT CRYSTAL BALL, BUT I WILL SAY WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS TEAM AND OUR POLITICAL FOLKS, UM, TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE AWARE OF HOW WE HAVE INVESTED THESE FUNDS IN THE PAST AND HOW, UM, WE, UH, THE FEDERAL FUNDING IS REALLY A CRUCIAL PIECE, UM, OF SUPPORTING LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS IN AUSTIN.
SO I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, DIRECTOR DE MAYO, UH, LET'S START WITH OUR COMMISSIONERS ONLINE.
UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AB, ABOUT OUR 2025 ACTION PLAN? COMMISSIONER TISHA? WELL, OF COURSE.
HELLO, DIRECTOR D HI, MANDY, GOOD EVENING TO YOU, YOU
[00:35:01]
FOR MAKING THAT COMMENT.UM, UH, IN REGARDS TO THE FEDERAL, WITH THE SKINNY BILL AND THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BUDGET, THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT POINT.
I KNOW THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT AS WE ARE IN A STATE OF WEAPONIZED COMPASSION IS WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING A LOT NOW AS A TERM.
UM, BUT TO GET TO THE QUESTION, I'M WONDERING ABOUT THE, UM, LET ME GET TO IT.
HERE IT IS, THE HOME INVESTMENT MM-HMM
UM, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, I'LL START WITH THE CDBG FIRST QUESTION.
THE REHABILITATION LOAN PROGRAMS, DOES THAT ALSO INCLUDE, NOW YOU DESCRIBED THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF INDIVIDUALS, BUT ARE THERE CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS OF WHERE INDIVIDUALS NEED TO LIVE TO BE ABLE TO QUALIFY AND APPLY FOR THESE TYPE OF THINGS? TO GIVE A SPECIFIC EXAMPLE? UM, SO YOU CAN ANSWER THAT.
AND THEN THE GENERIC, UH, SIDE OF IT, IF SOMEONE LIVES IN A FLOOD ZONED AREA MM-HMM
BECAUSE THAT HAS BEEN RECENTLY REZONED, AND TYPICALLY THOSE ASKS ARE DENIED.
UM, AND THIS ISN'T UNIQUE TO AUSTIN, IT'S SOMETHING ACROSS MANY MAJOR CITIES.
SO IF YOU CAN ANSWER TO THAT SPECIFICALLY.
AND THEN GENERALLY ABOUT THE QUALIFICATION PROCESS AND IF THERE'S AN EXISTING WAIT LIST, AND IF YOU'RE HANDLING THOSE REQUESTS FIRST BEFORE MOVING FORWARD.
THIS IS, UM, AN ONGOING CHALLENGE, UM, WITHIN, EMBEDDED WITHIN OUR PROGRAM GUIDELINES.
AND PER FEDERAL REGULATIONS, HOMES WITHIN THE HUNDRED YEAR FLOODPLAIN ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH, UH, WATERSHED PROTECTION, UM, ON A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY ASSIST PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN FLOODPLAINS.
ONE IS A FLOOD INSURANCE PILOT PROGRAM THAT FALLS UNDER NEFERTITI'S PURVIEW AS WELL.
UM, BUT RIGHT NOW, FEDERALLY FUNDED, UM, UH, FEDERALLY FEDERAL FUNDS CANNOT BE DEPLOYED WITHIN THE FLOOD ZONE.
NOW, I BELIEVE, AND NEPHRO, TD, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT THAT THE 500 YEAR FLOODPLAIN IS ELIGIBLE.
IT'S JUST THE 100 YEAR FLOODPLAIN.
AND OF COURSE, RECENTLY THE WHOLE CITY WAS REMAPPED.
UM, SO WHEREAS YOU MAY HAVE BEEN IN THE 500 YEAR FLOODPLAIN, YOU MAY NOW BE IN THE 100 YEAR FLOODPLAIN.
UM, BUT YOU ARE CORRECT THAT THERE ARE, UM, LIMITED RESOURCES WHEN IT COMES TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITH RESPECT TO FLOODPLAIN.
THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS ARE REALLY BOTH THE HOMEOWNER NEEDS TO BE QUALIFIED AND THE PROPERTY NEEDS TO BE QUALIFIED.
AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PROPERTY, FLOODPLAIN IS AN IMPORTANT ONE.
UM, IT NEEDS TO BE IN THE FULL PURPOSE JURISDICTION.
SO IT CANNOT BE IN WHAT WE CALL THE ETJ, THE EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION, OR THE LIMITED PURPOSE JURISDICTION.
UM, AND THEN FROM A HOMEOWNER PERSPECTIVE, UM, AND ALSO THE HOMEOWNER NEEDS TO ACTUALLY HAVE CLEAR TITLE.
SO IT NEEDS TO, THEY NEED TO OWN THE HOME.
THEY NEED TO MEET INCOME QUALIFICATIONS, WHICH CURRENTLY SIT AT 80% OR BELOW OF THE MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME, AND THEY NEED TO NOT BE, UM, ARREARS IN TAXES.
THOSE ARE KIND OF THE MAJOR CATEGORIES, AND THAT, FRANKLY, IS FOR, FOR ALL OF OUR HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS. THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION IN REGARDS TO THE CDBG, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, OH, EXCUSE ME, THE HOME INVESTMENT, I'M SORRY MM-HMM
UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
AND THE WAY YOU PRESENT IT IS FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, BUT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT INDIVIDUALS AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS, ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE IN ARREARS FOR RENTAL PAYMENTS.
UM, OR IF YOU CAN ANSWER ALONG TO THOSE LINES FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY BE AT RISK OR AT HIGH RISK OF HOMELESSNESS.
DEFUNDING, I AM GONNA, OH, WAIT, YOU WANT ME TO, SO I, CAN I, DO YOU WANT MANDY TO SPEAK TO THE DOLLARS THAT YOU'RE SPECIFICALLY SURE.
REFERRING TO, AND THEN I'LL, YEAH.
UM, WE HAVE, I'M GONNA SAY THREE TO FIVE YEARS AGO, SO DON'T HOLD ME TO THE DATE.
WE TRANSITIONED, UM, TO TAKING ELIGIBILITY THROUGH THE COORDINATED ENTRY SYSTEM.
SO IT IS PEOPLE EXPERIENCING LITERAL HOMELESSNESS WHO ARE CONNECTED TO TENANT-BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE HOME PROGRAM.
SO THAT'S HOW WE UTILIZE THE HOME PROGRAM.
BUT I'M GONNA DEFER TO NEFERTITI TO TALK ABOUT THE BROADER, UM, PICTURE WITH RESPECT TO PEOPLE, UM, AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS.
[00:40:01]
UH, HELLO.NEFERTITI JACKMAN IN THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, UH, AS JILL MENTIONED THAT THERE'S VERY LITTLE RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
UH, BUT I WILL SAY I, I CANNOT SPEAK TO HOW MUCH RENTAL ASSISTANCE WE HAVE ACROSS THE CITY THROUGH VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, BUT WHAT WE HAVE DONE, THERE'S DIFFERENT SEGMENTS OF POPULATIONS THAT WE PROVIDE RENT ASSISTANCE TO.
UM, THE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS, AS JILL MENTIONED, IS ONE SOURCE OF FUNDS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BEHIND IN THEIR RENT, UH, WHAT MANDY SPOKE TO ARE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
THEN WE ALSO HAVE OUR, I BELONG IN AUSTIN PROGRAM, WHICH COUNCIL ALLOCATED $3.6 MILLION, UM, THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR.
UH, WE DO ANTICIPATE IT MIGHT BE RELATIVELY ABOUT THE SAME FOR FY 20, UM, SIX.
THAT'S WHAT WE ANTICIPATE, AND THAT IS TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF INDIVIDUALS, AS YOU MENTIONED.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE GEOGRAPHICALLY FOCUSED, UH, RENTAL ASSISTANCE TYPE PROGRAMS THROUGH PROJECT CONNECT.
THOSE ARE VERY SPECIFIC TO AREAS THAT ARE IN A DISPLACEMENT RISK AREA THAT MIGHT FACE TRANSIT INDUCED DISPLACEMENT PRESSURE.
SO, UM, WE HAVE A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS TO TRY TO MEET PEOPLE AT VARIOUS STAGES OF NEEDS AND FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES FOR RENT ASSISTANCE.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
AND THEN, UH, JUST, JUST TO QUICKLY ADD ON THE ACACIA CLIFFS DECISION THAT WAS RECENTLY MADE IN THE COUNCIL, UM, TO REZONE AND THINKING OF THE CURRENT TENANTS THAT ARE IN ACACIA CLIFFS, AND THAT NOW BEING REZONED FOR DB 90, IS THAT AN EXAMPLE OF THE PROJECT CONNECT TYPE OF DISPLACEMENT FUNDS THAT INDIVIDUALS, FOR INSTANCE, THAT WOULD BE AN ACAIA CLIFFS BE PRIORITIZED, UM, FOR THOSE TYPES OF FUNDS? AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER, THAT'S OKAY, BUT I AT LEAST WANT TO KNOW IF IT IS ON THE RADAR OF CONSIDERATION, BECAUSE THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE.
THERE'S MANY OF THOSE HOUSING PROPERTIES AND PROJECTS THAT FALL IN THE SAME AREA OF ACACIA CLIFFS.
AND THAT ONE IS NOT IN AN AREA THAT IS FACING DISPLACEMENT PRESSURE.
UM, AND SO THOSE RESIDENTS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR PROJECT CONNECT FUNDS.
HOWEVER, IF, UM, ACCORDING TO THE PLANNING REPORT, THE DEVELOPER HAS OFFERED, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND THIS IS BASED ON WHAT WAS IN, UM, WHAT WAS SHARED THAT DAY, THERE IS, UM, $5,000 THAT THE DEVELOPER HAS COMMITTED TO EACH RESIDENT, UH, ROUGHLY ABOUT, UH, $5,000.
THEY'VE PROVIDED, UH, I THINK THREE MONTHS OF RENT THAT, UM, RESIDENTS WILL NOT HAVE TO PAY.
AND SO THERE WERE SOME, AND I'M NOT SPEAKING IN FAVOR OR IN OPPOSITION FOR IT, BUT THERE ARE FUNDS THAT THE DEVELOPER HAS ALLOCATED, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR THE RESIDENTS OF ACACIA CLIFFS.
BUT, UH, ESSENTIALLY WHEN, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE LOCATION OF ACACIA CLIFFS, IT DOESN'T MEET THE CRITERIA THAT WAS SET OUT IN THE UPROOTED REPORT FROM A DATA PERSPECTIVE.
THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT FOLKS ARE NOT EXPERIENCING DISPLACEMENT PRESSURES.
BUT FROM A DATA PERSPECTIVE, AND WE HAVE ALL OF THE MAPS, THE DISPLACEMENT RISK MAPS, UM, AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITES, SO FOLKS CAN LOOK AT THOSE AND THEY'RE UPDATED EVERY TWO YEARS.
UH, THEY WERE UPDATED LAST YEAR.
UM, AND IT PROVIDES SOME GREAT GRANULAR DATA.
UM, BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT, UM, BASED ON THE DECISION LAST THURSDAY, THE DEVELOPERS TED REPRESENTATIVE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING RELOCATION BENEFITS THAT MEET THE DB 90, UH, CRITERIA.
AND I WILL JUST NOTE OBSERVATION, I WENT TO SPEAK UP.ORG.
YOU ALL HAVE THIS IN YOUR MARKETING, ESPECIALLY THE MATERIALS YOU ALL SENT.
AND THERE IS NOTHING ABOUT THIS ACTION PLAN ON THE HOMEPAGE OR IMMEDIATELY ACCESSIBLE.
I TRIED DIGGING THROUGH SOME OF THE OTHER SUB PAGES AND I CANNOT FIND IT WHATSOEVER.
AND I'M HOPING THAT YOU HAVEN'T DONE THAT RECENTLY, BECAUSE CERTAINLY WITHIN THE LAST WEEK, WE UPDATED AND IF YOU JUST GOOGLE, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT BURIED.
[00:45:01]
COMES VERONICA.IT'S NOT ON THE, YEAH, IT'S NOT ON THE HOMEPAGE.
AT LEAST THAT IT'S NOT EASILY DETECTABLE.
SO, SO THE SPECIFIC URL IS SPEAKUP AUSTIN.ORG/MY COMMUNITY NEEDS.
YOU MAY BE LOOKING@SPEAKUPAUSTIN.ORG, WHICH IS CITYWIDE, AND IT MAY NOT BE PROMOTED SPECIFICALLY ON ONLY SPEAK OF BOSTON.ORG.
UM, IT MAY JUST NOT HAVE RISEN TO THE TOP THERE, BUT SPEAK OF BOSTON.ORG/MY COMMUNITY NEEDS HAS, UM, THE ACTION PLAN CON PLAN, UM, ALL OF THAT IS ORGANIZED ON, AND I WILL, I, I'M HOPING I'M NOT, I'M HOPING I'M NOT LYING.
'CAUSE I JUST, WHEN I WAS SITTING HERE, I JUST GOOGLED, UM, SPEAK UP AUSTIN, UH, UH, ACTION PLAN AND IT CAME RIGHT UP AND IN GOOGLE SEARCH.
BUT IF WE'RE PROMOTING SPEAK UP AUSTIN.ORG, AND ESPECIALLY I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS WHAT IS LISTED ON THE MARKETING, WE ARE ALREADY SETTING UP OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR FAILURE AND ACCESSING THIS INFORMATION THAT YOU ALL ARE PRESENTING RIGHT AS BEING ACCESSIBLE.
ALL OF THE PROMOTION HAS DIRECTED TO, UH, SPEAK UP AUSTIN.ORG/MY COMMUNITY NEEDS.
BUT I'LL JUST SAY TO REVISIT, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT, ACTUALLY THERE'S A, YEAH, THE IMAGE THAT WAS SENT TO US ON THE BOTTOM, IT SIMPLY SAYS SPEAK UP AUSTIN.ORG.
IT DOES NOT HAVE THE FOLLOWING.
AND WE HAVE RECEIVED COMMENTS ON THE SPEAK UP AUSTIN PAGE.
SO I DO WANNA MAKE THAT CLEAR.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER TISHA.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY MORE, UH, COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THOSE COMMISSIONERS ONLINE? YES.
ONE QUESTION IS REGARDING THE COMMENT ABOUT, UM, $5,000, UH, BUDGET FOR EACH TENANT FOR MOVING.
AND, UM, ANOTHER ONE IS, UM, REGARDING, OH MY GOD, I JUST LOST MY MIND THAT FAST.
BUT, UM, I WAS WONDERING, UM, HOW ARE WE, ARE WE SURE THAT THE DEVELOPERS ARE MAKING SURE THAT THESE INDIVIDUAL, THESE TENANTS ARE TAKEN CARE OF, THAT ARE WE FOLLOWING UP WITH THEM, UM, LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON AND ARE, ARE WE SURE THAT WE HAVE LIKE LIVED TESTIMONIES FROM TENANTS SAYING, HEY, I RECEIVED FIVE, THIS, THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY TO, UM, TO MOVE OR TO TRANSITION OUTTA THOSE COMPLEXES AND MAKING SURE THAT IS SUSTAINABLE IN THIS SITUATION, KNOWING $5,000 ISN'T SUSTAINABLE FOR MOVING, UH, IT, IT IS NOT SUSTAINABLE FOR, FOR SHELTER.
IT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE FOR LOW INCOME.
IT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE FOR HIGH INCOME, MEDIUM INCOME.
$5,000 IS NOT, THAT'S PROBABLY JUST GONNA GET YOU MOVED.
SO I WANNA SEE HOW THEY CAME UP WITH $5,000, WHO THEY HELPED, LIKE WHERE IS THAT INFORMATION AT? SO WE WILL GET YOU THAT INFORMATION.
UM, BUT THIS ALL OCCURRED AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
IT OCCURRED AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING LAST THURSDAY.
UM, AND WHAT THEY AGREED TO, THEY SAID WAS MEMORIALIZED IN A, RESTRICT A PRIVATE RESTRICTIVE COVENANT, UM, THAT WOULD GUARANTEE, UH, CERTAIN RIGHTS FOR EVERY TENANT WHO IS CURRENTLY LIVING THERE.
THERE WILL BE NO, UM, REDEVELOPMENT FOR, UH, UH, THE COMMUNITY WAS PROMISED ANOTHER TWO YEARS.
SO IT'S NOT AN IMMINENT REDEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND WE WILL GET YOU A LIST OF WHAT WAS PROMISED, UM, BY THE, UH, DEVELOPERS REPRESENTATIVE, BUT IT INCLUDED THE $5,000, UH, WAS THE MOVING EXPENSE.
IT INCLUDED A CERTAIN NUMBER OF MONTHS RENT, UM, AND OTHER, UH, TENANTS, UH, PROTECTIONS THAT WERE EMBEDDED IN THE DB 90, UH, ZONING.
UM, I HAD ONE MORE QUESTION, BUT I, IT TOTALLY SLIPPED MY MIND.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER THEY IMPLEMENTED INTO THE DB 90, THAT THOSE TENANTS ARE RE RECEIVING THOSE, THOSE RESOURCES BECAUSE THE DEVELOPER CAN ALWAYS SAY THEY'RE GONNA DO SOMETHING AND NOT HOLD UP THEIR END OF THE BARGAIN.
AND THEN HERE WE GO AGAIN WITH THE HIGH UNHOUSED RATE AND HIGH RENTAL ASSISTANCE WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE NEED IS HIGH.
SO WE JUST GOTTA MAKE SURE WE'RE HOLDING THOSE DEVELOPERS ACCOUNTABLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S COMING TO INCENTIVES AND THEM COMING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE GOTTA MAKE SURE THEY'RE ONLY NOT GONNA ONLY DO THREE OR EIGHT OR SO MANY TENANTS THAT LIVE THERE AND MAKE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OR UNDER A CERTAIN, JUST GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THE
[00:50:01]
TENANTS ARE BEING SERVED SO WE CAN MAKE SURE WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION WHEN, HOW, WHO AND WHERE.THAT'D BE GREAT JUST TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
UM, ANY MORE QUESTIONS ONLINE? COMMISSIONER BREWSTER? SO THE $5,000 IS JUST THE MOVING COST AND THEN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONTHS OF RENT WILL BE COVERED.
WE'RE GONNA GET YOU ALL OF THE DETAILS.
I DON'T WANNA SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE DEVELOPER OR I, I WANT TO GET THE DETAILS SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU ALL AND WE WILL, UH, CIRCULATE THAT VIA EMAIL AFTER THE MEETING.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, HERE IN PERSON, WE HAVE QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONER LYRIC.
YEAH, I WAS JUST CURIOUS FOR THE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION ATTACHMENT, IT WASN'T INCLUDED IN HERE AND IT JUST SAID IT'S NOT INCLUDED FOR SOME REASON.
LIKE AS SOON AS IT SAYS LIKE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION ATTACHMENT, IT JUST SAYS NOT INCLUDED.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT PAGE IT WAS ON.
SO I WAS CURIOUS WHERE WE COULD FIND THAT ATTACHMENT.
SO THE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN IS A HUD REQUIREMENT.
AND IT WAS, UH, INCLUDED AS PART OF THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN.
AND IT IS AN ATTACHMENT AT THE END.
WE ALSO HAVE IT, UM, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET THIS LINK, UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU DIDN'T GET THE LAST PART OF THE URL THAT MY COMMUNITY NEEDS, BUT THERE IS A TAB SPECIFICALLY FOR THE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN OKAY.
THAT YOU CAN VIEW IN ADDITION TO THE ACTION PLAN, THE FIVE-YEAR COMP PLAN.
AND IT IS, JUST SO YOU KNOW, IT IS ON PAGE SIX OF 119, UM, OF THE, UH, ACTION, THE DRAFT ACTION PLAN.
UM, OH MY GOSH, I HAVE SO MANY.
THIS IS A LOT FOR ME, LIKE A TON OF INFORMATION AND I'M A LITTLE, LITTLE OVERWHELMED.
I'M CURIOUS WHEN IT COMES TO THE PROGRAM SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS THERE, CITY OF AUSTIN DOES MONITOR AND DOES THE QUARTERLY REPORTS CORRECT.
FROM ALL OF THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT RECEIVE THE FUNDING? CORRECT.
SO ANY ORGANIZATION THAT RECEIVES FUNDING, TYPICALLY WE GET MONTHLY, IF THE INVOICES ARE MONTHLY, WE GET MONTHLY REPORTING.
OUR REPORTING IS PRESENTED BACK TO CDC IN THE CAPER, WHICH IS THE CONSOLIDATED ANNUAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION REPORT, WHICH IS A HUD REQUIRED REPORT.
AND TYPICALLY WE BRING THAT BACK IN DECEMBER.
SO THAT'S A SUMMARY OF ALL OF OUR FEDERAL FUNDS.
THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE SERVE RACIAL ETHNIC INFORMATION, UM, UH, INCOME INFORMATION, ALL THE DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION.
UM, AND IT, IT FROM
THIS IS A LOT OF NUMBERS TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, GET APPROVED FOR THE FUNDING, UM, FROM HUD.
BUT THE ONE THING THAT I'M CURIOUS WHY ISN'T KIND OF AN IMPORTANT THING TO INCLUDE IN LIKE THE MONITORING AND THE, THE PROGRAM SPECIFIC.
LIKE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? HOW MANY CLIENTS ARE YOU SERVING? IS THE ACTUAL CLIENT FEEDBACK PART? SO IF CLIENTS ARE ACTUALLY SAYING, OH, THEY SAID I RECEIVED SO AND SO AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR MY RENT, BUT I ONLY ACTUALLY GOT A THOUSAND, OR MY CLIENT SAYS, OR THE CLIENT SAYS LIKE, I DIDN'T FEEL SATISFIED WITH THE SERVICES I RECEIVED.
LIKE, WHY AREN'T WE TRACKING THAT PART AS WELL? AND MAYBE THAT DOESN'T GO TO THE HUD PART, BUT I FEEL LIKE THAT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS THAT SHOULD BE IN INCLUDED.
BUT, UM, IT, IT JUST FEELS A LITTLE ODD TO ME THAT IT'S DATA FOCUSED AND NOT ALSO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY GOING THROUGH IT AND, AND THEIR PERSPECTIVE.
AND SO WE DO TRACK, UH, CLIENT FEEDBACK THROUGH OUR HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS. WE STARTED THAT, UH, WITH ONE PARTICULAR PROGRAM ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO.
AND NOW WE'VE INCREASED THE FEEDBACK TO ALL OF OUR HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS, I BELIEVE.
SO WE LOOK AT BOTH QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DATA.
WHAT HUD IS ASKING FOR AS PART OF THE CAPER IS STRICTLY THE QUANTITATIVE DATA.
BUT, BUT YES, I AGREE WITH YOU.
THAT IS HELPFUL FOR US TO FINE TUNE OUR PROGRAMS YEAH.
AND OUR SERVICES AND, UH, OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS.
BECAUSE I'LL BE HONEST, I THINK AS SOMEONE WHO'S GONE THROUGH SERVICES, I'VE SEEN A LOT OF TIMES WHERE, UH, PROGRAMS WILL, YOU KNOW, KIND OF BOOST THEMSELVES UP AND WE'VE DONE A, B, AND C MM-HMM
AND WE'VE GOTTEN ALL THESE PEOPLE HOUSED AND THEN TURNS OUT WE WENT BACK, RIGHT BACK INTO HOMELESSNESS THREE MONTHS LATER.
OR THE, THE, UM, CASE MANAGER WE HAD LEFT AND WE HAD THREE OTHER CASE MANAGERS AFTER THAT.
AND SOME OF THOSE QUALITATIVE THINGS MM-HMM
[00:55:01]
HUD PART.BUT IT SHOULD BE A PART OF THIS.
NOT JUST FOR HOME REPAIR, BUT A LOT OF THESE PROGRAMS DO HAVE SOME INTERNAL ISSUES.
AND NONPROFIT IS GONNA BE TRYING TO LOOK AT ALL OF THAT KIND OF STUFF WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO SIMPLY JUST HOUSE PEOPLE.
BUT IT IS AN IMPORTANT PART THAT WE SHOULD HAVE EYES ON.
SO IT'S, IT LIKE HURTS A LITTLE BIT THAT LIKE THAT'S NOT THERE.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING AFFECTED BY PROGRAMS WHEN THEY'RE NOT WORKING THE RIGHT WAY, AND YET WE'RE NOT, WE DON'T SEE THAT.
I CAN, I ALSO ADD THAT WE EXPANDED THE HOME REPAIR SURVEY TO, UM, DIRECT, WELL IT WAS ALWAYS LIKE THE DIRECT LETTERS FOR FEEDBACK.
WE EXPANDED IT TO DIGITAL AND IN SPANISH AS WELL.
SO JUST INCORPORATING THAT LANGUAGE ACCESS INTO THE SURVEY FEEDBACK.
AND, AND REGARDING THE SURVEYS.
SO WE ARE COLLECTING THEM WITH THE HOME REPAIRS.
AND I THINK THAT THE CHALLENGE IS, NUMBER ONE, A NUMBER OF THESE PROGRAMS WE DON'T OVERSEE.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN DO THAT.
BUT WE ARE WORKING ON DOING EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST SHARED, UH, CONTRACTING WITH AN ORGANIZATION FIRM THAT WILL HELP US TO GATHER BOTH QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DATA SO WE CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THE PROGRAM.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING THAT WITH YOU IN 26.
AND I'LL SAY ON THE, THE ENDING COMMUNITY HOMELESSNESS COALITION SIDE, UH, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO GET QUALITATIVE FEEDBACK WHEN APPLYING FOR FUNDING, WHICH DOES HELP SOMETIMES, BUT THAT IS ONLY ONE TIME.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT EVERY SINGLE TIME.
SO WE DON'T HAVE A CONTINUOUS WAY OF KNOWING IF SERVICES ARE REALLY HELPING IN A SIGNIFICANT, LIKE, DAY-TO-DAY WAY MM-HMM
UM, SO THERE'S, THERE'S SOME KIND OF GAP AND I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT LIKE, WHERE CAN WE START TO FIGURE OUT LIKE A, A PLACE TO STICK IT SO IT DOESN'T JUST DISAPPEAR AND IT'S NOT JUST AN ONLY ONE PLACE AND ONLY ONE PROGRAM.
IT'S KIND OF THROUGHOUT THE FLOW, SO.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM OUR COMMISSIONERS HERE IN PERSON? COMMISSIONER MENARD? UH, YEAH, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'M GETTING TO LOOK AT IT, SO I JUST, JUST, ONE THING I NOTICED, UM, IS THAT THE, UM, HISPANIC LATINO QUALITY OF LIFE, UM, ADVISORY COUNCILS AND ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE, UH, RESOURCE AND ADVISORY COUNCILS DID NOT GET A PRESENTATION OF THE ACTION PLAN.
THIS IS, THERE WAS AN ATTEMPT TO BUT WASN'T, YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW OR WHY THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
AND SO IF, AND IF THERE WAS GONNA BE A CHANCE TO, TO GET INPUT OR FEEDBACK FROM THOSE TWO, UH, COMMISSIONS AND IF ANYONE ELSE WAS MISSED, YOU KNOW, JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF THAT, UH, I WAS NOT AT THOSE MEETINGS SPECIFICALLY.
IN THE PAST WHEN WE HAVE MISSED, UM, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CONSULTATION, IT HAS BEEN THAT THE ORGANIZATION HAS NOT MET QUORUM.
UM, I DID PARTICIPATE IN THE, UM, AFRICAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSION AND WE ALMOST MADE IT TO THE 30 MINUTES PAST WHERE WE WEREN'T GONNA GET QUORUM.
AND THEN WE GOT, SO WE WERE ABLE TO DO THE PRESENTATION.
I CAN LOOK INTO REASONS WHY THOSE HISTORICALLY, THOSE ARE ORGANIZATIONS WE MEET WITH.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER MENARD.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, FROM ALL THESE VERY GOOD QUESTIONS FROM OUR COMMISSIONERS, UH, REMINDS ME OF THINGS THAT WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT, WHICH IS COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATION WITH COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, ALL OF THAT.
SO I WILL SAY THAT I, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE ON YOUR MIND ALL THE TIME IS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE DO THIS TIME AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO BETTER EVERY TIME? RIGHT? MM-HMM
UH, ESPECIALLY GIVING THIS FEEDBACK FROM OUR COMMISSIONERS THAT HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE, UH, EITHER HELPING PEOPLE GET SERVICES OR, YOU KNOW, SOME OF US THAT GREW UP RECEIVING THOSE SERVICES AS WELL.
SO JUST TAKING THAT INTO CONSIDERATION THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATION, UM, IS NOT ALWAYS ADEQUATE.
IT'S NOT ALWAYS, UH, IN A WAY THAT'S ACCESSIBLE TO, TO THE PEOPLE WE SERVE.
UM, AND YEAH, AND I WANTED TO ALSO MAKE A COMMENT.
I KNOW THAT, UH, WE BROUGHT UP, UH, ACACIA CLIFFS, AND I KNOW THAT FROM THIS PACKET WE'RE TALKING, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC HOUSING BLUEPRINT.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT A LOT OF US HAVE LOOKED AT IT AND, YOU KNOW, SEEN THE, WHAT'S, YOU KNOW, VERY NOTICEABLE THAT, UH, OUR HOUSING FOR, UH, VERY LOW INCOME RESIDENCES, UM, NOT ADEQUATE.
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH HOUSING, WE'RE NOT BUILDING ENOUGH
[01:00:01]
HOUSING.UM, AND THEN IN THE CASE OF ACACIA CLIFFS, NOW WE ARE DEMOLISHING HOUSING THAT IS AFFORDABLE TO THOSE, UH, UM, LOW INCOME RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN.
AND YES, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT IN THE PROJECT CONNECT AREA, THEY'RE NOT IDENTIFIED IN THE UPROOTED REPORT.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF COMMUNITIES, UH, IN AUSTIN LIKE THAT WHERE, YOU KNOW, A POCKET OF VERY AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS IN AN AREA THAT YOU MAY NOT, UH, THINK ABOUT THAT HAS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, AND SO, YEAH, SO WITH THIS, UH, VOTE ON THURSDAY, OF COURSE, UH, WE LEARNED THAT THEY WILL DEMOLISH THE, THESE APARTMENTS.
UM, AND AS COMMISSIONER ARNOLD, UM, AGAIN, WHO HAS VERY, A LOT OF EXPERIENCE, UH, HAS TOLD US, YOU KNOW, $5,000 IS NOT A LOT TO MOVE OUT TO FIND A NEW PLACE.
UH, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY TO TRY TO STAY IN THAT COMMUNITY THAT, UM, IS NOT VERY AFFORDABLE.
AND SO JUST TO LET ALL THE COMMISSIONERS KNOW, WE WILL BE, UH, TALKING ABOUT DB 90, ESPECIALLY SINCE, UH, UH, THEIR PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO DB 90 TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S, UH, WORKING, UM, THE WAY THAT WE WERE PROMISED, UH, THAT IT WAS GOING TO WORK, WHICH IS TO CREATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, UH, WE WILL HOPEFULLY BE TALKING ABOUT THAT IN THE JULY AGENDA SO THAT, UM, YOU CAN BRING THOSE QUESTIONS, THINK ABOUT THAT, UH, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT DOES DV 90 INCENTIVIZES THE DEMOLITION OF DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, I CAN FEEL THAT EVERYBODY IS, KNOWS THAT AND EVERYBODY'S EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND SO I GUESS ONE QUESTION FROM, FROM THAT IS, UM, DO WE HAVE, UM, I GUESS, UH, SOME OF THE PROGRAMS, HOW ARE WE USING, YOU KNOW, THAT MONEY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TARGETING THAT PART OF THE STRATEGIC HOUSING BLUEPRINT THAT, UH, THOSE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE SEEING THAT WE ARE NOT BUILDING ENOUGH HOUSING FOR, UM, LOW INCOME RESIDENTS? SO THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
UM, WE USE, I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT OUR FEDERAL FUNDS ARE ACTUALLY A SMALL SLICE OF THE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE.
IMPORTANT SLICE, BUT A SMALL SLICE OF THE FUNDS THAT WE USE TO DEVELOP OR PRESERVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE DEPARTMENT.
I JUST PULLED THE DATA FOR OUR 2022 GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS.
AND OF THE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED THUS FAR, SOME OF WHICH ARE COMPLETE, MANY OF WHICH ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION, WE HAVE 442 UNITS THAT ARE AFFORDABLE FOR FOLKS AT OR BELOW 30% MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME.
WE HAVE REALLY TRIED TO FOCUS OUR SUBSIDY DOLLARS ON THAT LOWEST INCOME.
I DO ALSO WANNA NOTE THAT OUR DOLLARS ARE ONLY USED FOR, UM, AT OR BELOW 50% MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME.
THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT A DEVELOPMENT MAY NOT BE MIXED INCOME.
WE HAVE A LOT OF DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE 30%, 50%, 60%, 80%, BUT OUR DOLLAR SPECIFICALLY ARE FOR THE LOWER INCOME SCALE RIGHT NOW, AGAIN, 442 FOR 30% AND BELOW, AND THEN 2,625 UNITS FOR BETWEEN 30 AND 60% MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME.
UM, I HAD MENTIONED WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE HOME PROGRAM, ONE PROJECT, UM, THAT IS HOME FUNDED SINCE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT FEDERAL FUNDS RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT'S, UH, LA VISTA DE LOPEZ, WHICH IS A GUADALUPE NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION PROJECT.
IT IS ALL FOR SENIORS AT OR BELOW 50% MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME.
IT'S ON EAST EIGHTH STREET, IT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
AND THAT IS, UM, UH, AGAIN, ALL 50%, UH, AND BELOW WE PUT IN, I WANNA SAY ABOUT $3 MILLION IN HOME FUNDING, BUT IT WAS LEVERAGED WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDING, UM, FED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
ANOTHER HOME FUNDED PROJECT IS, UM, UH, THE WORKS THREE, UH, WHICH IS BEING DEVELOPED BY LIFEWORKS, WHICH FOCUSES ON, UM, UH, YOUTH HOMELESSNESS AND, UM, OFTENTIMES KIDS EXITING FOSTER CARE.
UM, SO THEY ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS.
THIS WAS PART OF THE TRAVIS COUNTY COLLABORATIVE, WHICH IS A TRAVIS COUNTY FUNDING SOURCE ALONG WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND PRIVATE FUNDING.
UM, AND WE USED HOME FUNDS FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT, AND THEY SHOULD BE STARTING CONSTRUCTION, I BELIEVE, LATER THIS SUMMER.
AND THAT WILL BE A HUNDRED UNITS, UM, OF PERMANENT, UH, SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOCUSED AGAIN ON YOUTH HOMELESSNESS.
SO THOSE ARE WAYS IN WHICH WE REALLY TRY TO TARGET OUR DOLLARS TO THE LOWEST INCOME FOLKS, WHETHER IT IS PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS,
[01:05:01]
SENIORS, OR JUST THE WORKING POOR.AND, AND YES, AND I THINK, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT'S THE REASON WHY THIS CASE HIT PEOPLE SO HARD IS THAT WE ARE, AS, YOU KNOW, AS THE CITY IN, IN CERTAIN, LIKE WITH THIS FUNDING, UH, AND ALSO ORGANIZATIONS ARE WORKING VERY HARD AT KEEPING PEOPLE HOUSED.
AND JUST THE FACT THAT NOW THERE'S 290 APARTMENTS THAT WILL BE DEMOLISHED, EVEN IF IT'S NOT NOW OR NEXT YEAR IN TWO YEARS, IT'S STILL, THAT'S A LOT OF, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT'S GOING TO BE LOST IN AUSTIN WHILE WE'RE WORKING ON THE OTHER END TO TRY TO BUILD MORE MM-HMM
UH, THAT'S, THAT'S A HUGE LOSS.
UM, COMMISSIONER ARNOLD, DID YOU HAVE A FINAL QUESTION? DID I SEE YOUR HAND UP? YEAH.
UM, I'M JUST TRYING TO SEE HOW ARE THEY ALLOCATING THE FUNDINGS IF IT'S SO HARD FOR THEM TO HAVE THOSE FOLLOW FROM THAT, THOSE TESTIMONIES THAT THEY'VE EXPERIENCED, THOSE SURVEYS, THE EVALUATION, WHY AREN'T WE USING THAT INFORMATION TO ALLOCATE, UH, FUNDING ELSEWHERE OR TO CREATE PROGRAMS FOR THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE MISSED? BECAUSE THAT'S WHY THERE'S A HIGH NEED, THERE'S WHY'S A HOUSING CRISIS? BECAUSE, BECAUSE PEOPLE KEEP GETTING MISSED.
AND THAT'S WHY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ACTUALLY LIKE BOOTS ON THE GROUND NONSTOP 24 7, 365, WE CAN NOW HUNGRY HILL, THE HEALING PROJECT, LIKE I I CAN NAME A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE THAT, UM, ARE, ARE VERY, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, EAST AUSTIN IS THE SNOW, THE, THE STORM THAT CAME OUTTA NOWHERE, THAT WE CAN'T EXPLAIN THOSE.
AND THOSE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE TO BE THE ONE THAT RESPONDED EVEN BEFORE THE CITY.
AND THAT'S LIKE LIKELY WITH ANY KIND OF DISASTER.
SO HOW CAN Y'ALL CREATE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE SERVING THE SAME INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE Y'ALL ARE SERVING, BUT JUST MAYBE AT A HIGHER NEED AND MORE OF AN IMPACT DOING IT BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING THE WORK.
BUT, UM, THERE IT'S ALSO A HIGH NEED.
UM, Y'ALL HAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, BUT THEY'RE ALSO SERVING HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE EVERY MONTH WITH NOT EVEN MILLIONS OR A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
SO I FEEL LIKE IF Y'ALL CAN JUST, LIKE WE SAID, COMMUNICATE WITH THE, THE COMMUNITY AND ALSO REBRAND OR REBUILD YOUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT, THAT ARE ALREADY ALIGNED AND ENTWINED AND TRUSTED RELATIONSHIPS, THEN MAYBE THEN WE CAN ALL Y'ALL HAVE THE QUANTITATIVE QUALITATIVE, WE'LL HAVE THE VALUATIONS, THE SURVEYS, AND THEN WE'LL KNOW HOW TO, AS A CITY, ALLOCATE THOSE FUNDINGS, WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE OVER THOSE DEPARTMENTS OR NOT, BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP AND KNOW HOW TO COMMUNICATE.
UH, SO I GUESS THE COMMENT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE DOING THE WORK ON THE GROUND AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE SEE THE NEED, WE SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE, THE INFORMATION THAT YOU ALL NEED, UH, FOR YOUR REPORT IS OUT THERE, AND AS LONG AS YOU MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS.
UH, COMMISSIONER LYRIC, DID YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT? YEAH, I, I JUST HAD A COMMENT ABOUT THAT.
SO, UM, SOMETHING THAT IN MY JOB AT ECHO, UH, THE, WE HAD OUR FIRST CAPACITY BUILDING COHORT FOR SPECIFICALLY BLACK-OWNED NONPROFITS THAT ARE ON THE GROUND DOING THE WORK.
UM, AND THAT WAS TO HELP THEM BUILD, UM, SOME OF THEIR MORE ADMINISTRATIVE STUFF SO THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO APPLY FOR HUD FUNDING, UM, OR JUST FUNDING IN GENERAL.
UM, BECAUSE IN THE PAST THEY'VE BEEN MISSED BECAUSE OF ED ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND JUST KIND OF BEING SEEN AS LIKE THE, ON THE, ON THE BOOTS, BUT NOT THE, THE TYPICAL HUD FUNDED PROGRAM.
UM, SO WE HAD, WE CAN NOW, UM, THE HEAL PROJECT, UM, UH, UH, HUNGRY HEAL.
WE HAD A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, I THINK IT WAS LIKE SEVEN OR EIGHT.
UM, AND SO THAT WAS TO KIND OF TRY TO BUILD THAT, THAT BRIDGE THERE, UM, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S BEEN AN ISSUE FOR YEARS NOW WHERE THERE'S BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES AND PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE DOING THE, THE GROUNDWORK, BUT THEN NOT RECEIVING THE MILLIONS THAT OTHER BIGGER NONPROFITS HAVE BEEN GETTING FOR 20 PLUS YEARS.
AND AS WE CAN SEE, SORRY TO CUT Y'ALL OFF, THAT IT CAN BE DONE AS ECHO'S DOING IT.
AND THIS IS, UH, MANDY, YOU MENTIONED IT, THE 50% FOR THE SENIORS, OR EVEN IF IT'S NOT FOR THE SENIORS, BUT ACROSS THE BOARD FOR THESE PROJECTS.
ARE THERE CERTAIN TYPES OF FAMILY STRUCTURE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH THIS? BECAUSE WITH SENIORS, THERE ARE A LOT OF INDIVIDUAL SENIORS.
OH, MAYBE THERE ARE A COUPLE SENIORS, MAYBE THERE ARE MULTI-GENERATIONAL FAMILIES THAT INCLUDES A SENIOR WITH YOUNGER GENERATION.
JUST TO QUICKLY ANSWER, IF THAT INCORPORATES ALL THOSE DIFFERENT FAMILY STRUCTURE TYPES.
SO THE SENIOR PROJECT I MENTIONED IS ALL ONE BEDROOM BECAUSE IT IS A SENIOR SPECIFIC PROJECT.
UM, AND IT IS A REQUIREMENT OF THE HUD FUNDING.
THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT I MENTIONED WHEN I SAID THE 400 PLUS UNITS AT 30% OR BELOW RANGE, UH, ALL THE WAY UP TO FOUR BEDROOM UNITS.
UM, ACTUALLY I WAS JUST ON SITE AT A PROJECT THAT'S
[01:10:01]
UNDER CONSTRUCTION, UM, ON TANA HILL LANE.UM, AND IT INCLUDES 1, 2, 3, AND FOUR BEDROOM.
SO WE ARE FOCUSED ON FAMILY INTERGENERATIONAL, UM, SINGLES, THE SENIORS, PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, UH, YOU NAME IT, THAT THE HOUSING THAT I AM, UH, REFERRING TO THAT WE'RE INVESTING IN HAS A RANGE OF UNIT TYPES AND A RANGE OF FOCUSES.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
IT JUST, BECAUSE THERE ARE CERTAIN, THERE ARE CERTAIN FUNDING THAT IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A FAMILY, YOU DO NOT QUALIFY.
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE KIDS, YOU DO NOT QUALIFY OR YOU ARE PUSHED DOWN THE LIST.
AND AS WE'VE ALREADY SEEN IN DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS ACROSS THE US THAT THERE ARE MORE SINGLE INDIVIDUALS.
THERE ARE NOT INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HAVING FAMILIES, BUT THERE MAY BE INTER INTERGENERATIONAL MM-HMM
SO JUST ENSURING THAT IT TRULY IS EQUITABLE AS YOU'RE MENTIONING, AND THAT IT'S NOT CREATING PRIORITIZATION THAT THEN CAUSES GREATER ACCESS GAPS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ANSWERING THAT.
COMMISSIONER TISHA, UM, I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE DONE WITH COMMENTS.
[6. Discussion of the CDC retreat (Chair Elias).]
ARE MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER SIX.SO WE HAVE A DISCUSSION OF THE CDC RETREAT.
SO, UM, ON, LEMME SEE, WHAT IS IT ON MAY THE 30TH, UH, LORENA SENT OUT A DUELE POLL, UH, TO, FOR YOU TO VOTE ON THE, ON THE DATES FOR OUR RETREAT.
UM, I HOPE THAT EVERYBODY WAS ABLE TO, TO FILL THAT OUT.
LORENA WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE AS TO WHERE WE ARE.
AND HOW MANY PEOPLE SHE STILL NEEDS TO HEAR FROM.
SOMETHING TRICKY AND I DUNNO WHAT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NEW.
I'M GONNA PULL UP THE INFORMATION SHE SENT ME.
I WANTED TO ENCOURAGE HER TO SPEAK
I'M GONNA GO TO THE MESSAGE THAT YOU SENT SHARED WITH ME.
UM, SHE LET ME KNOW THAT SO FAR SHE HAS HEARD FROM FIVE COMMISSIONERS.
AND THE DATE THAT, FOR, FOR THOSE FIVE RESPONDENTS, WE'RE LOOKING AT AUGUST THE 23RD.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS WANNA WELL COMPLETE THE DOODLE POLL.
IT'S NOT ACTION, BUT IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COMPLETE THE DOODLE POLL NOW, WE COULD GET A DATE OR AT LEAST FINALIZE A DATE.
I DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO MY EMAIL
BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN A TECH ISSUE WITH MY EMAIL ADDRESS.
THERE ARE OTHER COMMISSIONERS THAT HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR EMAILS.
SO THEN IF YOU GUYS, OH, YOU THEN YOU CAN'T EVEN SEE THE DATES.
LORENA, IF YOU COULD SEND AN EMAIL TOMORROW, NOT TONIGHT, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO IT TONIGHT.
UH, SEND AN EMAIL TOMORROW TO ADD AND MYSELF LISTING THE DATES AND THEN WE'LL SEND IT VIA EMAIL TO THE COMMISSIONERS.
AND THEN THEY CAN JUST RESPOND VIA EMAIL AS OPPOSED TO A DOODLE POLL.
AND THEN, UM, WE'LL JUST TAKE A TALLY.
OH, IF YOU'RE DON'T HAVE ACCESS.
NO, THEY DON'T HAVE THAT EMAIL.
UH, CAN I MAKE VICE CHAIR? THANK YOU BECAUSE SORRY.
'CAUSE I WAS JUST IN THE DOODLE POLL 'CAUSE I WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO DID NOT RESPOND.
UM, SO I THINK THAT THEY NOW HAVE EIGHT AND WE'RE ALL ON AUGUST 23RD AND NONE OF THE OTHER DATES THAT ARE IN THERE RIGHT NOW ARE VIABLE.
SO I WOULD JUST SAY IF FOLKS JUST WANNA LIKE, RESPOND TO ED WITH WHETHER OR NOT AUGUST 23RD WORKS, NONE OF THE OTHER DATES WERE REALLY LOOKING LIKE THEY WOULD WORK ANYWAY.
WELL, MAYBE YOU CAN TELL US TODAY IF YOU, THE PROBLEM IS THEY STILL CAN'T GET TO THEIR EMAILS.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT THE AUG, AND THIS IS NOT A VOTE, DOES THE AUGUST 23RD DATE WORK FOR EVERYONE? IF IT DOES NOT WORK FOR YOU, YOU CAN SPEAK UP NOW AND YES, IF IT DOES NOT WORK, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
UM, I'M SORRY I WASN'T HERE LAST MONTH, SO, AND I HAVE THE HICCUP.
SO ARE WE GOING ANYWHERE OUT OF CITY OR ANYTHING FOR THIS RETREAT?
[01:15:01]
NO, IT WILL BE LOCAL, MOST LIKELY AT THE PDC LIKE WE SCHEDULED LAST YEAR, MOST LIKELY.UH, AND I BELIEVE LORENA DID CHECK WITH THE PDC AND THAT IT IS AVAILABLE AND THAT'S THE PDC IS ALSO AVAILABLE.
AND THE PDC IS BY HIGHLAND? YES, CORRECT.
COMMISSIONER ARNOLD IS AVAILABLE 23RD.
IF YOU HAVE ACCESS, UH, TAKE THE DOODLE POLL.
IF NOT, WE KIND OF SETTLED IT HERE THAT IT'S, UH, AUGUST 23RD IS OUR DATE.
UM, YEAH, AND WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER AN AGENDA FOR THAT.
UM, IT WILL BE LIKE NEFERTITI SAID, IT WILL BE IN ANOTHER LOCATION, BUT IT WILL STILL BE A PUBLICLY POSTED MEETING.
UM, AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT I'M MISSING? NEFERTITI? NO, NO, THAT'S IT.
SO THAT'S OUR, I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE COMMISSIONER BREWSTER, SHE'S BEEN RAISING HER HAND, I THINK FROM THIS TIME.
AND THEN WHEN MANDY WAS AT THE, THE PODIUM, SORRY, I, I APOLOGIZE.
OH, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? OH, NO, IT'S OKAY.
JUST, UM, IF THERE, IF THERE ARE DEFINITE THINGS THAT YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU WOULD WANT US TO CONSIDER, INCLUDING JUST SHOOT AN EMAIL TO, TO THE CHAIR, UM, AND CC ME IF YOU WANT.
UM, OR A TEXT IF YOU HAVE OUR NUMBERS, BUT YES.
UH, FOR THE AGENDA, FOR THE AGENDA FOR OUR RETREAT, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE ON THERE, UH, EMAIL US.
IF YOU DON'T, DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO YOUR EMAIL, YOU CAN SHOOT US A TEXT, UH, MYSELF OR VICE CHAIR OR BOTH OF US.
THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME ABOUT THAT.
UM, SO THIS IS A DISCUSSION, SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RETREAT OR DATES, TIMES, UH, AGENDA, ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT.
SO WE CLOSED OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS, UH, SECTION AND THEN NOW WE WILL
[7. Conduct a public hearing to receive comments on community needs for the City's Fiscal Year 2025- 2026 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]
OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE, ON THE CITY'S FISCAL YEAR 20 25, 26 ACTION PLAN, WHICH WE ALREADY HAVE THE PRESENTATION.SO NOW IS JUST A PUBLIC HEARING, UH, THAT WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT AS PART OF THE CITY'S APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL FUNDING.
DO WE HAVE, UM, ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR MEMBERS.
MY COMMENTS ARE SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE FY 25 26 PLAN.
I JUST WANTED TO CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION SINCE YOU MENTIONED PROJECT CONNECT.
IT IS MENTIONED 12 TIMES IN YOUR PACKET, AND I JUST WANTED TO REMIND YOU THAT ON NOVEMBER 3RD, 2020, THE VOTERS ACTUALLY APPROVED PROJECT CONNECT, WHICH WAS A PERMANENT AVALOR TAX INCREASE, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY VOTED TO INCREASE THEIR RENT IN PERPETUITY.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I JUST WANNA REMIND YOU THAT THE SERVICE IS DISCONNECTED, IT'S UNRELIABLE, INFREQUENT, AND DISCONNECTED NORTH OF US 180 3.
AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE 15% THAT YOU HAVE FOR PUBLIC SERVICES COULD BE BETTER SPENT IN THIS AREA AS OPPOSED TO CHILDCARE, WHICH WAS UNILATERALLY DECIDED BY MANDY DE MAYO AND AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
IF YOU LOOK HERE, YOU'LL SEE SPECIFICALLY THE CRITERIA FOR PROJECT CONNECT FOR THE LIGHT RAIL LINE.
FRAUD IS TRYING TO GET SOMETHING OF VALUE THROUGH WILLFUL MISREPRESENTATION.
THE CITY CONTINUES TO STATE WITHIN ONE MILE, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE CIG, THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANTS CRITERIA, YOU'LL SEE THAT IT IS A HALF MILE RADIUS FROM THE STATIONS.
I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT AT NO, AT THE TOP OF THE SLIDE, THE NORTH PART OF THE SLIDE HERE, THAT'S THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN.
BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY FINISH THE STUDENT HOUSING BELOW, YOU'LL SEE A BLACK MAN, OR YOU PROBABLY CAN'T SEE HIM.
AND DESPITE THE CITY GETTING $47.5 MILLION FOR SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL, THIS IS NOT SAFE.
AND YOU WOULDN'T TAKE YOUR CHILD ON THIS ROUTE TO COPPERFIELD ELEMENTARY ON ROUTE 3 92.
I JUST WANTED TO PUT UP THE ACTUAL EMAIL ADDRESS.
IF YOU LOOK AT SECRETARY INVITES@HUD.GOV FOR YOU TO INVITE THE SECRETARY TO COME TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, I'VE WRITTEN TO HIM SPECIFICALLY, I WILL JUST TELL YOU, UH, THAT THE MORE OF US WHO WRITE,
[01:20:01]
THEN PERHAPS THE TRUTH WILL BE TOLD IT'S APPROXIMATELY $70 MILLION THAT YOU'RE GETTING OVER FIVE YEARS.I WOULD ASK THIS COMMISSION TO ACTUALLY PUT FORTH A SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT SO THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY REQUEST, UH, A CHANGE FROM THIS CHILDCARE BEING PRIORITY NUMBER ONE.
YOU MAY RECALL LAST YEAR, MANDY, THE MAIL CAME BEFORE YOU WITHOUT ANY RECOMMENDATION FROM THIS COMMISSION.
AND NOW MOVING FORWARD, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO JUST ACCEPT THAT CHILDCARE IS NUMBER ONE.
I WANNA REMIND YOU THAT TRAVIS COUNTY VOTERS APPROVED FUNDING FOR CHILDCARE.
THERE WAS MONEY FROM WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS FOR CHILDCARE.
AND SO I'M NOT SURE WHY CHILDCARE IS A PRIORITY, AND I WOULD ASK YOU FOR YOU TO GET SOME TYPE OF CLARIFICATION BECAUSE WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW IS THAT THE PUBLIC INPUT IS NOT BEING SENT TO HUD, THEREFORE THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, AND NATIONAL ORIGIN.
IF YOU GO BACK TO THE GENTLEMAN THAT WAS IN THE DARK, YOU WILL SEE THAT.
AND THEN IF YOU GO TO THE FIRST SLIDE, YOU WILL SEE SPECIFICALLY THIS IS DOBY MIDDLE SCHOOL, NO BUS STOP, NO SHELTER.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.
UM, HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING BACK FROM, WITH THAT SET THAT SECRETARY INVITES? I'M CURIOUS, I APPLAUD YOU AND I THANK YOU FOR REACHING OUT IN YOUR ADVOCACY HERE IN THE CITY, UH, BECAUSE INDIVIDUALS LIKE YOU KEEP THE FIRE AND THE FUEL MOVING FORWARD IN PROGRESS HERE IN THE CITY.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT'S ACKNOWLEDGED AND THAT'S ON THE RECORD.
UH, BUT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE SECRETARY OF HUD.
HAVE THEY, HAVE THEY RESPONDED TO YOU? WELL, IT WAS JUST JUNE 3RD, SO I'LL GIVE HIM A GRACE PERIOD.
IT IS NOT BEEN ALL THAT LONG, BUT HE IS A, YOU KNOW, A FORMER TEXAS REPRESENTATIVE.
SO I THINK THAT THE MORE OF US WHO ACTUALLY WRITE THEN THE BETTER.
AND I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT TRANSIENT AND HOUSING AND ALL OF THIS IS ACTUALLY INTERTWINED.
IT'S INTERTWINED WITH THE V VOUCHERS THAT ARE IN YOUR BACKUP.
IT'S INTERTWINED JUST WITH PROJECT CONNECT AND JUST DAY TO DAY LIVING.
AND SO I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE YOU IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY ON THE FIRST SLIDE, I ACTUALLY MENTIONED CAPITAL METRO'S BOARD MEETINGS TOMORROW, THAT YOU COULD ACTUALLY SPEAK AND RAISE YOUR CONCERNS THERE AS WELL.
YOU HAVE TO REGISTER BY EIGHT O'CLOCK, TWO HOURS BEFORE THE 10 O'CLOCK MEETING.
BUT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING IS ACTUALLY UPDATING THEIR CIVIL RIGHTS POLICY.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE AND TO HAVE MORE THAN THESE WORDS THAT ARE LOFTY ON PAPER AND ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE DATA AND THEN RECOGNIZE THAT BLACK PEOPLE WAIT 60 MINUTES FOR THE BUS, 10 TIMES LONGER THAN WHITES.
AND SPECIFICALLY TO THE HOUSING.
IT'S A ONE TO FIVE MILE WALK TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IT'S IN THE DECEMBER 15TH, 2020, UH, BACKUP MATERIAL FOR TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
THEY PUT IT IN THERE FOR ME AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT IT'S HAKA, IT'S THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THEY ALL WORK TOGETHER.
YOU MAY SAY IT'S A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT, BUT WHATEVER YOU CALL IT, IT'S ONE TO FIVE MILE WALK.
SO WHEN WE CONTINUE TO SAY EQUITY IS OUR NUMBER ONE ISSUE, SAFETY IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
IT IS NOT, AND IT'S NOT MY ME SAYING IT, IT'S THE DATA.
AND SO WITHOUT SOMETHING BEING DONE ABOUT IT, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD EXCLUSIONARY HOUSING ALONG THE TRANSIT LINES AND EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT AS WELL.
AND SO I THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THAT.
BUT I'LL LET YOU KNOW IF I GET A ANSWER BACK.
BUT I ENCOURAGE YOU TO WRITE TOO.
THANK, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER TISHA.
UH, DO WE HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS ONLINE? UH, YES.
LIKE, UH, COMMISSIONER TISHA SAID, WANNA PUT THIS ON RECORD.
YOU'RE AN AMAZING WOMAN AND ADVOCATE FOR THE CITY.
YOU SAID YOU MENTIONED CAPITAL METRO'S, UM, UM, COMMITTEE MEETING.
ARE YOU REFERRING TO THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, CAPITAL METRO AND THE AUSTIN TRANSIT? NO.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE CLAR FOR ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION.
THEIR FINANCE AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETINGS ARE THE ACTUAL MEMBERS.
THEY'RE PRETTY MUCH SPLIT IN HALF.
SO HALF OF THEM ACTUALLY DEAL WITH FINANCE, AUDIT, AND ADMINISTRATION.
AND THAT MEETING IS AT 10:00 AM SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOARD PACKET, IT IS ONLINE AND THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE UPDATING THE CIVIL RIGHTS POLICY.
I, PART OF IT IS BECAUSE OF THE DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION GUIDANCE FROM THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
AND THEN AT 1230 THEY WILL ACTUALLY HAVE THEIR OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING WHERE THEY GENERALLY TALK ABOUT THE RIDERSHIP AND THINGS THAT ARE MORE ON THE GROUND.
UH, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THEY NEVER MENTIONED, AND I'LL JUST TAKE THE LIBERTY TO SAY IT, IS THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH VEHICLES.
SO WE'RE PAYING, UH, INDIVIDUAL DRIVERS AT LEAST $38
[01:25:01]
AN HOUR TO BASICALLY SIT IN THE BREAK ROOM BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH VEHICLES.AND SO THE SERVICE IS INADEQUATE.
SO, UH, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO SPEAK UP OUR SENIOR CITIZENS.
UH, IF I, AND I'LL CLOSE ON THIS, UM, JUST SATURDAY, CRAIG WOOD, THE SENIOR GOT ON THE BUS, UM, REALLY LIVE IT BECAUSE SHE HAD BEEN WAITING ABOUT TWO HOURS.
AND I KNOW BECAUSE I WAS ON THE FIVE WHEN BEFORE IT TURNED INTO THE 3 39.
AND COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE, SAME THING.
IF THIS IS THE PORT PEOPLE'S COMMISSION, WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN WHEELCHAIRS ARE WAITING TWO HOURS FOR THE BUS TOO.
AND THE 3 37 COULD ACTUALLY TERMINATE AT COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE AS A SIMPLE SOLUTION.
THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH VEHICLES, BUT THAT VEHICLE RUNS AND IT COULD STOP THERE AND PICK THOSE PEOPLE UP.
IT'S A MILE WALK AND IF YOU'RE IN A WHEELCHAIR, YOU'RE JUST WAITING TWO HOURS.
SO, AND IT'S DANGEROUS TO EVEN WALK ON THAT STREET.
IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO EVEN WALK ON THAT STREET LIGHT OR DARK.
UM, SHE'S ALSO IMPACTED BY THE PROJECT CONNECT, BUT I WAS REFERRING TO THE PROJECT CONNECT COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT'S ON THE 12TH AT 5:00 PM THEY HAVE AN UPCOMING MEETING.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE AWARE OF THAT AS WELL.
UM, SO I'VE TESTIFIED BEFORE THEM AGAIN, BUT THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THE DATE OUT THERE.
UM, BUT I WILL GO TO THAT MEETING AS WELL BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK WE HAVE TO BE HONEST ABOUT IS THAT THE CITY CONTINUES TO SELL.
UNFORTUNATELY, THESE ARE FALSEHOODS.
THE JUNE 6TH, 2023, WHEN THEY UPDATED PROJECT CONNECT, IT WILL ONLY EXTEND TO CRESTVIEW STATION, BUT THE LANGUAGE BEING USED IN THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION DOCUMENTS IS THAT IT WILL SERVE NORTH OF THE CITY.
AND HYDE PARK WAS NOT NORTH OF THE CITY SINCE THE 18 HUNDREDS, 1889 AND 1924 IS DEVELOPED BY COLONEL MONROE.
SHE, AND THERE'S LANGUAGE THAT SPECIFICALLY SAYS IT WAS NORTHERN PART OF THE CITY, BUT WHEN I ASKED THE PLANNERS, THEY SAID IT'S BECAUSE IT'S NORTH OF DOWNTOWN, WHICH IS VERY MISLEADING AND WHY I CALL IT FRAUD.
BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT BEING HONEST.
NOT WITH THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION AND NOT WITH US.
AND YOU CAN ALSO FIND THAT THE LAWYERS SAID THE SAME THING IN THE NOVEMBER 6TH, 2023 ON OR ABOUT, UH, LAWSUIT THAT WAS FILED AS IT RELATES TO PROJECT CONNECT AND DIRTY MARTINS.
OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, UH, COMMENT FROM COMMISSIONER LYRIC.
YEAH, I WAS GONNA SAY ABOUT THE, UM, CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THEN THE, UM, OTHER TWO COMMITTEES THAT THEY HAVE.
UM, MY MOM SITS ON THE ACCESS BUS COMMITTEE AND OFTENTIMES, UH, RECEIVES A LOT OF, UM, NOT PUSHBACK, BUT JUST EXCUSES AS TO WHY THE SYSTEM IS THE WAY IT IS AND WHY THINGS CAN'T BE IMPROVED FOR PEOPLE OF, UM, WHO HAVE DISABILITIES OR ARE SENIORS.
UM, SO, AND, AND THAT'S COMING FROM SOMEONE WHO'S JUST A AVERAGE CITIZEN.
UM, AND YEAH, SO SHE REGULARLY ATTENDS THOSE MEETINGS, BUT I JUST DON'T THINK THAT THOSE ARE SPACES WHERE THEY ACTIVELY WANT TO IMPROVE OR CHANGE OR FLUCTUATE.
AND IT'S MORE OF JUST A, WE'RE WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE, WE'LL LOOK INTO IT.
AND MR. CHAIR, IF I COULD JUST PROVIDE CONTEXT FOR THE COMMISSIONER.
OH, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU HAVE TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT THE SYSTEM IS ACTUALLY WORKING AS DESIGNED.
SO CAPITAL METRO IN 2015 THROUGH MARCH, 2016, COLLECTED ABOUT 5,000 SURVEYS.
THERE WERE 72% WERE WHITE, 52% WERE FEMALE.
THEY WERE 25 TO 35, THEY HAD ACCESS TO TWO VEHICLES, AND THEN THE SYSTEM CHANGED FOR THEM.
SO THE SYSTEM IS WORKING, BUT IT'S NOT WORKING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE TRANSIT DEPENDENT, NOT TRANSIT DEPENDENT MINORITIES, NOT LOW INCOME RIDER AS WELL.
AND THAT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE IT VIOLATES TITLE VI, BUT THEY HAVE LEARNED HOW TO CIRCUMVENT TITLE VI.
YOU SAY ONE THING, DO ANOTHER DOCUMENT WHAT IS SAID TO FOOL THE FEDS.
AND SO IT BECOMES DIFFICULT JUST LIKE WITH THE PLAN THAT'S BEFORE YOU TO PROVE THE DISCRIMINATION BECAUSE IT IS A TEXTBOOK SCRIPT THAT IS WRITTEN AND SUBMITTED.
AND SO THE ADVOCATE OR WHOEVER IS FIGHTING IT HAS TO REALLY PROVE THAT THE DISCRIMINATION IS INTENTIONAL AND IT IS OCCURRING.
BUT IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, I WILL JUST REMIND YOU THAT ON MARCH 4TH, UH, 2021, ITEM 67 WAS WHEN THE CITY APOLOGIZED TO BLACK PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR FOR INTENTIONAL DISCRIMINATION.
SO THOSE RESOLUTIONS AND THEIR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, EVEN IN THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN, UH, FROM 2023, WHICH WAS THE WALK BIKE ROW, THERE'S A DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES SECTION.
I THINK IT'S PAGE 37 OF THE DOCUMENT.
SO THOSE THINGS WHERE THEY HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED IT, AND CAPITOL METRO HAS AS WELL.
[01:30:01]
NOVEMBER 3RD, 2017 IN THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE, THEY SAID THAT THERE ARE OFTEN CASUALTIES AND THOSE CASUALTIES ARE NORTHEAST AUSTIN.SO THAT ARTICLE, UNLIKE ANY OTHER THAT I'VE EVER READ, ACTUALLY SAYS THE TRUTH.
AND THAT IS THE DIFFICULT PART IS THAT THEY DO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND IT IS A MERE EXERCISE IN FUTILITY WHEN YOU GO TO THESE MEETINGS.
BUT, UM, I WOULD JUST LASTLY SAY THAT JULY 6TH, 2021, THEY ALSO MENTIONED FOR THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, KUT, NATHAN BURNER, THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE INDIVIDUALS ON THOSE BOARDS ARE WHITE.
THEY REALLY JUST HAVE ONE BLACK PERSON A TOKEN.
SO, AND IT IS JUST A STANDARD
I DON'T MEAN TO BE LONG-WINDED ABOUT IT, BUT I THINK SOMETIMES, UM, WHEN YOU JUMP IN AND YOU HAVEN'T RESEARCHED OR YOU, IT'S HARD SOMETIMES TO FOLLOW EVEN IF YOU'RE DOING THE RESEARCH.
BUT IT IS WORKING PERFECTLY AS DESIGNED FOR SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT.
AND, AND YES, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER LYRIC, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE OFTEN FIND IS, UH, CITIZENS THAT WANT TO, YOU KNOW, SERVE ON A COMMISSION, SERVE ON A BOARD, IS THAT OFTENTIMES DECISIONS ARE MADE ALREADY.
THINGS ARE, YOU KNOW, DECIDED WITHOUT US.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE WORKING, WE HAVE TO WORK TWICE AS HARD TO TRY TO PROVE THINGS.
COULD I REQUEST, GO AHEAD TO HAVE, UM, UH, PETER BRETON FROM THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, LIAISON GROUP OF CAPITAL METRO COME IN AND DO A PRESENTATION ON THEIR ADVISORY COMMITTEES? UH, WE CAN DO THAT.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT DURING, UH, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. COOL.
THANK YOU, MR. THANK YOU JOSEPH.
I APPRECIATE YOU ALLOWING ME TO BE SO EXTENSIVE.
ALRIGHT, SO NOW THAT CLOSE THIS OUR PUBLIC HEARING, UH, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 20 25, 26 ACTION PLAN.
[8. Update from the Working Group on Elections and Onboarding (Vice Chair Achilles)]
OUR ITEM NUMBER EIGHT WORKING GROUP COMMITTEE UPDATES.AND WE HAVE AN UPDATE FROM VICE CHAIR ACHILLES ON THE WORKING GROUP ON ELECTIONS AND ONBOARDING.
DO WE HAVE COMMISSIONER ACHILLES ONLINE? WE LOST HER.
UM, I WOULD CHECK MY EMAIL, SEE IF SHE SENT ME ANYTHING.
UH, COMMISSIONER ACHILLES IS, UH, LOGGING BACK ON.
UH, SO YEAH, SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING, UM, WITH OUR WORKING GROUP, UH, AND ON ELECTIONS AND ONBOARDING, UM, TO PUT TOGETHER RECOMMENDATION ON ELECTIONS.
AND COMMISSIONER ACHILLES HAS BEEN WORKING ON AN ONBOARDING PACKET THAT SHE WILL PRESENT, UM, UPDATES ON.
UH, THIS ALSO KIND OF GOES WITH, UM, I GUESS A RETREAT THAT WE WERE PLANNING AND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD LIKE COMMISSIONERS, UH, TO, TO GET THAT INFORMATION.
UM, ON, YOU KNOW, ON THE CDCI KNOW IT'S A LOT.
WE, UH, WE GET A LOT OF PRESENTATIONS ON SO MANY THINGS, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT TYPE OF WORK, UM, IS DONE BY THE CDC, WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION WE'RE GETTING, UH, WHAT OUR ROLE IS AND ALL OF THAT.
AND SO SHE'S, UM, WORKING VERY HARD ON, OR US AS A WORKING GROUP AND ESPECIALLY VICE CHAIR ACHILLES, WORKING VERY HARD ON, UH, PUTTING TOGETHER SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE CAN PRESENT TO, UM, COMMISSIONERS NEW OR UH, SEASON COMMISSIONERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND, UH, THE COMMISSION A LITTLE BIT MORE.
HER, IS SHE ON OKAY, WE GOT HER ON.
[01:35:03]
OKAY.CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? YES, GO AHEAD.
UM, AND SO YES, NOTHING, NOTHING REALLY TO ADD TO, TO THE CHAIR EXCEPT JUST IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW WE COULD BEST, UM, BEST FUNCTION AS A GROUP.
LIKE IF THERE'S ANY PENDING QUESTIONS ABOUT BEING A COMMISSIONER THAT YOU KNOW, THAT YOU HAVE AT THIS MOMENT, PLEASE SHOOT THEM TO ME AND I'LL, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE WANNA INCLUDE IN THE MANUAL.
SO THANKS SO MUCH TO THE WORK GROUP.
WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS AND I THINK AS YOU SAID, WE, UM, SHOULD HAVE, HAVE SOMETHING EMAILED OUT TO ALL Y'ALL, UM, BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING.
IT WILL BE, THIS IS GONNA BE AN ITERATIVE PROCESS, UM, BUT THIS WILL BE THE FIRST, THE FIRST VERSION AND THE NEXT YEAR'S CLASS WILL GET AN EVEN BETTER VERSION.
I'M SORRY ABOUT MY TECHNOLOGY.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANYTHING? I KNOW THAT WE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE GET ON A COMMISSION AND SOMETIMES IT, IT'S OVERWHELMING.
AND SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AS YOU GET MORE EXPERIENCE, UH, UM, AS YOU COME TO THESE MEETINGS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OUR ROLE, JUST SEND THEM TO MYSELF OR VICE CHAIR AND, UM, WE WILL INCLUDE THOSE THINGS IN OUR ONBOARDING DOCUMENTS.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
ITEM NUMBER EIGHT AND NOW WE'RE GOING ON TO A FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UH, COMMISSIONER LYRIC, DID YOU WANT TO TELL US AGAIN? UM, YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO REQUEST A PRESENTATION FROM THE CAPITAL METRO ADVISORY COMMITTEE LIAISON, PETER BRETTON.AND, UM, CAN WE QUICKLY, UM, BRING IN COMMISSIONER LORENA ANO, THAT'S THE TOPIC AND I LOVE THAT YOU'VE ADDED ON, AND, AND I DO KNOW, UH, PETER AS WELL IN REGARD WHO'S COMING FROM CAP METRO.
'CAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING I BROUGHT UP A COUPLE MONTHS AGO TO HAVE A CAP METRO PRESENTATION.
SO I THINK, I DON'T KNOW IF PETER WAS THE DESIGNATED PERSON OR, UM, THIS IS FROM COMMISSIONER ORTIZ, I THINK WAS HELPING TO COLLABORATE WITH THAT, WITH NEFERTITI AND ED, UH, TO BRING IN AN INDIVIDUAL FROM CAP METRO.
AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF PETER WAS THE PERSON DESIGNATED OR NOT.
SO IF WE COULD HAVE CLARITY, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE WOULD LIKE TO GET FROM THESE MEETINGS.
CLARITY AS TO THE PURPOSE FOR THE REQUEST.
YOURS, WE HAVE HEARD FROM CAP METRO AND THEY HAVE POSTPONED, I THINK UNTIL AUGUST, BUT I THINK I'M HEARING DIFFERENT PURPOSES.
BUT IF YOU CAN CLARIFY, IF YOU CAN EACH CLARIFY, WE'LL TAKE THAT DOWN AND MAKE SURE, UH, AND CAP METRO WILL TELL US WHO'S THE RIGHT PERSON.
WE, WE CAN'T ALL, BUT IF YOU TELL US THE PURPOSE, THEN WE SEND THE REQUEST TO THEM.
UM, I MEAN, MY PURPOSE IS TO FIGURE OUT THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES HAPPENING IN THE ADVISORY COMMITTEES AND WHAT IS, UM, CURRENTLY BEING DONE AND WHO ARE THEY, WHO DO THEY HAVE ENGAGED, UM, IN THESE ADVISORY COMMITTEES.
'CAUSE I GUESS THEY'RE NON-PAID, BUT, UM, THERE'S THREE, SO I'M JUST CURIOUS IF THEY'RE ALL FILLED.
UM, AND YEAH, HOW THAT, HOW THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WORKS.
AND THEN FOR MYSELF, IT'S JUST A, A DEEPER DIVE INTO THEIR EXPANSION PLANS.
THEY ALREADY HAVE THEIR ROUTE, THE RAPID ROUTES THAT THEY'RE DOING, UM, BUT ALSO IN REGARDS TO A LOT OF THESE UPDATES, HOW AND WHEN THEY ARE COMMUNICATING THIS INFORMATION TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, PETER'S VERY FAMILIAR WITH SOME OF THE, THE GAPS OF, OF INFORMATION THAT I'VE AS AN AVID USER AND ONLY USER OF CAT METRO AS MY WAY TO GET AROUND THE CITY.
UM, DEFINITELY POINTED THINGS OUT TO HIM PERSONALLY.
UH, BUT, BUT IN REGARDS TO WHAT MY ORIGINAL ASK WAS IN REGARD IS THE EXPANSION AND ENSURING AND RECOGNIZING HOW ARE THEY COMMUNICATING THAT TO THE COMMUNITY WITH THEIR NEW EXPANSION ROUTES FROM CAP METRO.
AND, AND YES, SO, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO FOR, FOR THE SAKE OF, YOU KNOW, BRINGING THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN TO PRESENT, UH, AND KNOWING THE TOPIC IS THAT IF YOU, UH, SUGGEST A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, EITHER HERE YOU CAN EXPLAIN, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE SPECIFICS OR, UH, BEFORE WE CAN PUT IT ON THE AGENDA, ED WILL SEND OUT AN EMAIL TO CLARIFY SO THAT HE CAN, UM, UH, SPEAK TO THE PRESENTER, UH, AND KNOW THAT THE PRESENTATION THAT THEY'RE BRINGING IS WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO HEAR.
SO DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, UM, FROM COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER LONGORIA? UM, I WOULD, I WOULD, I'M JUST INTERESTED IN LIKE A FOLLOW UP OR LIKE SOME DIRECTIONS ABOUT THE HOUSING COMMITTEE, ABOUT LIKE WHEN WE CAN BEGIN.
[01:40:01]
I, I CAN GIVE YOU SOME BASIC INFO.UM, HE DOESN'T BEL HE TOLD ME THAT, UH, WE WERE NOT, UM, IS THAT CORRECT? UH, UH, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, UH, UH, NEFERTITI THAT, UH, THE APPOINTEES HAVE TO BE PUT ON THE AGENDA FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO BE APPROVED.
AND SO AFTER THAT HAPPENS, UH, THE CLERK WILL REACH OUT TO HIM AND HE WILL LET US KNOW.
AND COMMISSIONER LONGORIA, THERE IS A PENDING ITEM THAT YOU HAVE ASKED FOR BEFORE, WHICH IS THE EQUITY OVERLAY PRESENTATION.
THERE'S AN EMAIL FROM ED THAT, UH, GIVES US SOME INFORMATION AND, UM, ALSO JUST, UH, WE'RE FOLLOWING UP TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THAT PRESENTATION.
UM, SO IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT, JUST REPLY TO ED OR MYSELF.
AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO BRING UP SOMETHING THAT WAS FROM A PREVIOUS AGENDA ITEM TO FIND OUT UPDATES FROM THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH SURVEY.
THAT IS STILL TO BE DETERMINED WHICH DEPARTMENT FROM THE CITY IT ORIGINATED.
UM, BUT I BROUGHT THIS UP BEFORE, UH, I'VE SEEN IT ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA AND INTERNET, UH, WHERE IT WAS INQUIRING ABOUT HOW DOES THE CITY ENGAGE, WHAT ARE THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TYPES THAT YOU PREFER AS A CITIZEN, UM, AND STILL HAVE NO IDEA WHERE IT ORIGINATED FROM.
BUT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT ANY KIND OF UPDATES IF THERE ARE UPDATES, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO US TO LEARN FROM THE COMMUNITY WHAT PEOPLE HAVE DETERMINED ARE THE BEST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PRACTICES.
IS VERONICA GONE? OH MY GOSH, I JUST WALKED AROUND.
COMMISSIONER, IF YOU COULD GIVE ME MORE CLARITY.
I MEAN, THAT'S, IT'S REALLY VAGUE.
I, I WOULDN'T KNOW WHERE TO START.
I WILL REACH OUT TO RORO, VERONICA SAMMO, WHO IS OUR DEPARTMENT'S MARKETING MANAGER, AND SEE IF SHE CAN FIND OUT WHERE THAT IS, WHERE IT CAME FROM.
UM, THERE'S A REQUEST FOR, I'M SORRY, MAYBE I CAN HELP OR MAYBE I CAN'T.
UH, KEISHA, CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN YOUR REQUEST AND THE SURVEY THAT YOU SAW? YES.
HI, HOW ARE YOU? SO, UM, MONTHS AGO IN THE WINTER, THERE WAS A SURVEY THAT WAS DISTRIBUTED ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA.
I TOOK A SCREENSHOT AND I SENT IT TO THE CITY, UM, COMMUNICATION OFFICE INQUIRING IF IT CAME FROM THEM.
I DID SO MUCH AS TO REACH OUT TO THE HIRING FIRM,
SO I CAN SEND YOU AN EMAIL WITH THIS IMAGE OF THIS PARTICULAR SURVEY, BUT IT IS YET TO BE DETERMINED WHICH DEPARTMENT, CITY DEPARTMENT ORIGINATED IT.
UM, BUT IT WAS INQUIRING ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND IT, LOOK, LOOK, LOOKS LIKE IT WAS SPECIFICALLY TARGETED FOR SOCIAL MEDIA OR ON SOCIAL MEDIA IN, ON THE INTERNET, UM, TO INQUIRE ABOUT BEST PRACTICES, WHAT IS EFFECTIVE, WHAT'S BEEN INEFFECTIVE IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ORIGINATING FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, SO AGAIN, I'LL JUST SEND YOU ALL AN EMAIL BECAUSE I SEE THE PERPLEXITY ON YOUR FACE.
STILL? YES, PLEASE FORWARD IT OUT.
WE GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT, FIGURE OUT.
DID WE GET ALL OF THAT
UM, BUT I WONDER, DO WE HAVE ALL OF THE AGENDA ITEMS THAT YOU GUYS WANT FOR THE FUTURE? I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT'S IT.
I MEAN, DO WE HAVE TO BE CLEAR? YES, WE DO HAVE A LONG LIST OF STUFF THAT WE DO GO THROUGH EACH MONTH WHEN WE HAVE THE AGENDA SETTING MEETINGS WITH THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE YEAH, DO DO WE HAVE ANY MORE AGENDA ITEMS THAT YOU WOULD TO SEE? SURE, SURE.
UM, I MEAN, I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS DB 90, WHOEVER, UH, WHICHEVER DEPARTMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.
PERHAPS PLANNING, I DON'T KNOW.
UM, BUT AS WE SAW LAST WEEK, UM, IT DOESN'T SERVE LIKE THE POOR, LIKE IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
YOU KNOW, AND I I SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT I, I HAVE REQUESTED THAT FOR THE JULY MEETING, SO, UH, ED AND EVERYT ARE WORKING, I'M PUTTING THAT TOGETHER.
BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS, ANYTHING THAT YOU WANNA ADD, PLEASE SEND THEM TO US AND MAYBE WE, UM, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE A CLEAR, UH, IDEA OF WHAT WE WANNA SEE AS IN A PRESENTATION.
UM, YEAH, I'M JUST HOPING THAT, UH, AS A, AN ENTIRE COMMISSION WE CAN DISCUSS IT AND HEAR FROM THAT DEPARTMENT AND THEN THROUGH THE HOUSING COMMITTEE PUT TOGETHER
[01:45:01]
A SOLID RECOMMENDATION TO SOUNDS GREAT.UH, COMMISSIONER MENARD? UH, YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, I JUST HAVE SOME NOTES HERE AND I WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT I THINK DURING OUR PUBLIC HEARING A BIT, I BELIEVE MS. ZIA HAD REQUESTED, UM, THAT WE ADD, UM, INFORMATION REGARDING THE CHILDCARE PRIORITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE BACKGROUND IS ON THAT MM-HMM
BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ABLE, THAT WE WERE RECOGNIZING THAT THERE WAS A REQUEST MM-HMM
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WE GO FORWARD WITH THAT, BUT JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, YES.
UM, MS. JOSEPH, UM, WOULD YOU MIND EMAILING US THAT, UH, INFORMATION AND WE CAN PASS IT ON TO COMMISSIONER MENARD AND THEN IF COMMISSIONER MENARD WOULD LIKE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, GET MORE INFORMATION ON THAT OR DO ANYTHING BEYOND THAT, WE CAN, WE CAN DISCUSS THAT IF THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU.
UH, COMMISSIONER LYRIC, I JUST WANTED TO CHECK IN ABOUT THE, UH, A TX FREE FRIDGES.
I THINK I MENTIONED IT IN THE LAST MEETING, BUT I JUST WASN'T SURE IF THAT WAS SOMETHING I'D BEEN.
IS IS THAT ON OUR LIST? UH, NEFERTITI A TX FREE FRIDGE.
IT'S THE COMMUNITY FRIDGES THAT ARE ALL AROUND AUSTIN.
UM, THEY'RE NOT A NONPROFIT, BUT THEY'RE DOING SOME GOOD WORK.
UM, SO I, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT, UM, HOW MANY PEOPLE THEY SERVE ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
AND, UM, AND DO YOU KNOW, IS THAT THE NAME OF THE ORGANIZATION? YEAH, IT'S, IT'S, I MEAN IT'S NOT EVEN AN ORGANIZATION, IT'S JUST COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO'VE PUT TOGETHER FREE FRIDGES AROUND TOWN.
UM, SO THEY HAVE A WEBSITE WITH LIKE A WAY TO EMAIL.
UM, BUT THEY'RE NOT AN OFFICIAL BUSINESS, I DON'T THINK.
BUT YEAH, I MENTIONED IT IN THE LAST MEETING.
AND SO WE'LL HAVE IT ON THE LIST IF, UH, WE HAVE IT ON THE LIST, IF WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UM, THEN WE'LL WE WILL FOLLOW UP.
AS FAR AS FREE FRIDGE COMMISSIONER, IT'S JUST A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT COME TOGETHER AND JUST PROVIDE FOOD IF IT'S EVEN FROM OVERFLOW, FROM A PANTRY OR FOOD FROM THEIR HOUSING OR FOOD FROM DONATIONS, FROM DIFFERENT PARTNERSHIPS.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE HEALING PROJECT IN PARTICULAR PROVIDES, UM, FOOD TO SOME OF THE FREE FRIDGES ON TUESDAYS WHEN THEY GO TO COSTCO'S IF THEY HAVE A OVERFLOW.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT'S EVERYBODY, ALL OF OUR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UM, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE WILL LOOK AT THOSE AND LIKE I SAID, IF WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS WE WILL EMAIL YOU AND IF THERE'S SOMETHING VERY SPECIFIC THAT YOU WANT TO SEE, UM, PLEASE EMAIL IT TO, UH, ED AND TITI SO THAT WE CAN GET THAT THE RIGHT PRESENTATION FOR OUR COMMISSION.
UM, SINCE WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE ON OUR AGENDA, I WILL CALL THESE THIS MEETING ADJOURNED.