[4. Presentation from the Travis County Clerk’s Office regarding election building accessibility requirements. Presentation by Dyana Limon-Mercado, Travis County Clerk, Travis County Clerk’s Office. ]

AND THE PRESENTATION WILL BE BY DIANA MERCADO, TRAVIS COUNTY CLERK AND FROM THE TRAVIS COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE. AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING OUR GUESTS.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO START WITH INTRODUCTIONS? SURE.

HI, EVERYONE. I'M DIANA MERCADO, YOUR TRAVIS COUNTY CLERK, AND I AM JOINED HERE BY A COUPLE MEMBERS ON MY TEAM.

I'LL LET YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF. I AM ANDREW DILLARD.

I AM THE SITES MANAGER AT TRAVIS COUNTY ELECTIONS.

MAKE SURE YOUR MICROPHONE IS ON. OH, SORRY. AND I'M TIMOTHY MOORE, THE VOTING EQUIPMENT AND OPERATIONS MANAGER FROM TRAVIS COUNTY ELECTIONS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YEAH. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY. I'M HONORED TO SERVE AS YOUR COUNTY CLERK. I'M MY THIRD YEAR OF MY FIRST TERM, AND DURING THAT TIME, MY OFFICE HAS TAKEN ON A LOT OF INITIATIVES TO ENSURE WE'RE DELIVERING RELIABLE, TRANSPARENT, INNOVATIVE AND ACCESSIBLE SERVICES TO EVERY MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE WORKED A GREAT DEAL ON ENGAGING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO BECOME ELECTION CLERKS FOR THE ELECTION.

WE HAVE EXPANDED VOTING HOURS TO HAVE VOTING UP UNTIL 10 P.M.

ON THE LAST TWO DAYS OF EARLY VOTING, TO HELP SUPPORT OUR WORKING FAMILIES AND JUST BUSY PEOPLE IN GENERAL IN THE CITY, AS WELL AS MAKING WORKING WITH OUR CAMPUSES OF OUR HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS, INCLUDING SAINT ED'S, ACC, HUSTON-TILLOTSON AND UT, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ADEQUATE COVERAGE FOR OUR STUDENTS,

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BOTH IN EARLY VOTING AND ON ELECTION DAY. AND SO OUR TEAM CONTINUES TO WORK ON OPERATIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING SECURE AND FAIR ELECTIONS, AND THAT OUR RESIDENTS CAN HELP INTERACT WITH OUR OFFICE TO BRING A CONTINUED IMPROVEMENTS TO HOW THAT SERVICE IS DELIVERED.

OUR COMMITMENT TO ACCESSIBILITY IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO ELECTIONS.

ALTHOUGH MY OFFICE DOES HAVE TEN DIVISIONS, ELECTIONS IS JUST ONE TENTH OF MY JOB.

WE ALSO PROVIDE MARRIAGE LICENSES, DBAS. WE RECORD YOUR PROPERTY, DEED AND TITLE AND ALSO SUPPORT OUR COUNTY COURTS AT LAW AS WELL AS OUR CIVIL COURTS AND OUR PROBATE COURTS. AND SO MOVING ON TO OUR FIRST SLIDE, ACCESSIBILITY STARTS WAY BEFORE ELECTION DAY. SO THIS TEAM SPECIFICALLY DREW AND TIM, THEY STARTED WORKING.

I'M GOING TO SAY ABOUT MARCH OF THIS YEAR, WORKING ON SITE SELECTION.

AND SO AS THEY OUR TEAM GETS THE PRIMARY ELECTION UP AND RUNNING.

EARLY VOTING STARTS IN FEBRUARY. ELECTION DAY COMES EARLY MARCH.

THIS TEAM IS ALREADY WORKING ON THE NOVEMBER ELECTION AS WELL AS IN BETWEEN THERE.

WE ALSO HAD A PRIMARY RUNOFF. WE HAD A MAY ELECTION.

SOME JURISDICTIONS HAD A MAY RUNOFF. SO OUR TEAM DOES NOT JUST ONE RUN ELECTION A YEAR.

WE RUN ANYWHERE FROM 2 TO 6 ELECTIONS A YEAR AND SOMETIMES SEVEN ELECTIONS ACTUALLY.

FUN FACT WHEN THEN SENATOR WATSON STEPPED DOWN FROM THE SENATE TO GO WORK FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, AND HIS SENATE SEAT BECAME AVAILABLE. PREVIOUS COUNTY COUNTY JUDGE SARAH ECKHARDT RAN FOR THAT SEAT.

AND THAT ACTUALLY PUSHED US TO SEVEN ELECTIONS IN THAT YEAR THAT THAT HAPPENED, WHICH WAS THE MOST ELECTIONS WE'D HAD IN A RECENT YEAR.

SO WE RAN ANYWHERE FROM 2 TO 7 ELECTIONS. OUR OFFICE NEVER STOPS, BUT THEY ARE WORKING WELL IN ADVANCE OF ELECTION DAY.

ACCESSIBILITY IS ONE OF OUR TOP CONSIDERATIONS WHEN WE'RE DECIDING WHERE ELECTIONS SHOULD TAKE PLACE.

WE WANT POLLING LOCATIONS TO BE CONVENIENT, ACCESSIBLE TO ALL COMMUNITIES, AND WE'RE GENERALLY LOOKING AT PUBLIC FACILITIES, SCHOOLS, CHURCHES AND OTHER LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

WE ALSO MUST BALANCE ACCESSIBILITY WITH OTHER ELECTIONS CONSIDERATIONS, INCLUDING MAKING SURE THAT THE SPACE IS LARGE ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE THE ELECTION OPERATION, ENSURING PARKING, ENSURING THAT THE BUILDING IS AVAILABLE WHEN IT'S NEEDED, AND THAT OUR STAFF CAN LOGISTICALLY WORK WITH THE SPACE PROVIDED IN THE EQUIPMENT.

MANY PEOPLE SUGGEST, OH, WHY DON'T YOU GO TO THIS BUILDING, YOU KNOW, FOR A POLLING PLACE? OR WHY NOT THIS BUILDING? THERE'S A LOT OF ASSUMPTIONS THAT I PERSONALLY HAVE EMINENT DOMAIN AND CAN JUST COMMANDEER BUILDINGS AND TURN THEM INTO POLL PLACES.

THAT IS NOT THE CASE IN MOST SITUATIONS. PRIVATE PROPERTY AND BUSINESS OWNERS, IT IS THEIR PREROGATIVE IF THEY CHOOSE TO BECOME A POLE PLACE, AND IT IS A VERY BIG COMMITMENT. WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE EARLY VOTING STARTS, IS WHEN WE START DEPLOYING AND DELIVERING AND SETTING UP EQUIPMENT, RIGHT? WE HAVE TO BRING 40 EARLY VOTING SITES ONLINE.

THAT TAKES ABOUT A WEEK, TWO WEEKS OF EARLY VOTING.

THAT LITTLE GAP WE HAVE BETWEEN EARLY VOTING AND ELECTION DAY, ELECTION DAY.

AND THEN I DON'T, YOU KNOW, LIKE TELEPORT EQUIPMENT BACK ON ELECTION NIGHT.

SO IT'S ABOUT ANOTHER WEEK TO RETRIEVE EQUIPMENT FROM 200 POLL PLACES.

SO ALTOGETHER, IT'S ABOUT THREE AND A HALF WEEKS THAT A PLACE WILL HAVE TO ALLOW US SPACE TO RUN A POLL PLACE, SECURE OUR EQUIPMENT AND KIND OF TAKE OVER THEIR OPERATION, INCLUDING THEIR PARKING AND HOW THAT MIGHT INTERACT WITH THEIR REGULAR BUSINESS IN THE SPACE. WE ARE ALSO NOT JUST LIMITING ACCESSIBILITY TO THE BUILDING ITSELF.

WHEN WE THINK ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY, WE ARE THINKING ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM THE SIDEWALK TO THE PARKING AREA, HOW A PERSON CAN GET FROM THE PARKING AREA INTO THE ENTRANCE, WHETHER THERE'S AN ACCESSIBLE ROUTE IN THE BUILDING AND WHETHER THEY CAN GET TO THE VOTING AREA. AND ALL THIS REQUIRES A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN STAFF TIME.

OUR STAFF IS CONDUCTING SURVEYS. THEY'RE COMMUNICATING WITH PROPERTY OWNERS, THEY'RE PLANNING SOLUTIONS, PREPARING AN EQUIPMENT. AND ONCE A ONCE A POLL PLACE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED, THE NEXT QUESTION IS, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT SITE IS ACCESSIBLE? AND SO GOING ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE. YES. I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.

ARE THERE TIMES WHERE YOU FIND BUILDINGS THAT ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE AND WHAT DO YOU DO IN THAT CIRCUMSTANCE OR THAT SITUATION? DO YOU LIKE FLAG IT AND SAY, OKAY, YOU HAVE LIKE A, DO YOU HAVE LIKE A LIST? WE HAVE A VERY LONG CHECKLIST. OH, CHECKLIST.

OKAY. WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO GET INTO ALL THE SPECIFICS.

DREW AND TIM ARE GOING TO PRESENT MORE ABOUT WHAT TYPE OF SPECIFIC STANDARDS WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME OF THE MOST NOTABLE ONES AND TYPES OF REMEDIATIONS THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO PUT IN PLACE, AND KIND OF HOW OUR TEAM THINKS ABOUT THAT WORK.

SO THEY'LL BE UP RIGHT AFTER THIS. A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON HOW TRAVIS COUNTY HAS APPROACHED ADA COMPLIANCE.

IN 2020, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ACTUALLY CAME TO TRAVIS COUNTY AND SURVEYED 56 POLLING SITES ALL 56 POLLING SITES THAT THEY SURVEYED AT THAT TIME WERE

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FOUND TO HAVE SOME SORT OF BARRIER, WHETHER IT WAS THE THRESHOLD TO THE DOOR OR THE PARKING PLACE OR YOU KNOW, A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS FOLLOWING THAT. THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN THE MARCH PRIMARY OF 2020.

FOLLOWING THOSE SURVEYS AND THOSE OUTCOMES, THE TRAVIS COUNTY TEAM.

AND I WAS NOT IN OFFICE YET, BUT THE TEAM THAT WAS THERE AND TIM AND DREW WERE AROUND IN DIFFERENT ROLES AT THAT TIME, BUT THEY WERE HERE WHEN THAT WAS HAPPENING, STARTED TO PROACTIVELY TAKE ON THOSE ISSUES AND START TO INVENTORY THEM AND FIGURE OUT WAYS TO ADDRESS THEM.

IN 2021, THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE FORMALLY CREATED THE A D A DIVISION AS A DEDICATED TEAM AT THE TIME.

IT WAS TEMPORARILY FUNDED THROUGH THE COUNTY BUDGET AS A WAY TO DEDICATE SOME SPECIFIC RESOURCES TO ADA COMPLIANCE.

AND THEN THEY BEGAN CONTINUING TO SURVEY AND EVALUATE MORE SITES AND MORE SOLUTIONS.

IN 2022, THE TRAVIS. TRAVIS COUNTY AND THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE VOLUNTARILY ENTERED INTO AN INFORMAL AGREEMENT TO.

INTO A FORMAL AGREEMENT AROUND ADA COMPLIANCE, WHICH LAID OUT SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS AND TYPES OF REMEDIATIONS THAT WE WOULD PURSUE THROUGH THAT AGREEMENT. AND TIM AND DREW AND THEIR TEAMS LED REALLY SIGNIFICANT SURVEY A SIGNIFICANT SURVEY INITIATIVE AND PROJECTS, WHICH CONTINUES TODAY. AND TO DATE, THEY HAVE CONDUCTED MORE THAN 700 POLLING LOCATION ACCESSIBILITY SURVEYS.

SO THEY'RE DOING THAT SURVEY WORK EVERY ELECTION, MAYBE NOT ON EVERY SITE AHEAD OF EVERY ELECTION.

AGAIN, SOMETIMES WE HAVE SEVEN ELECTIONS A YEAR, SIX ELECTIONS A YEAR, BUT EVERY SITE IS GETTING REGULARLY SURVEYED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT STAYS IN COMPLIANCE. AND SO SOME OF THE KEY PARTS OF THAT AGREEMENT, WHICH WE CONTINUE TO COMPLY WITH, EVEN THOUGH WE WERE RELEASED AND FOUND TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AGREEMENT AS IT TERMINATED IN 2024, IS MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING CONSISTENT ADA PRACTICES.

WE'RE IDENTIFYING AND COMMUNICATING, DOCUMENTING SPECIFIC DEFICIENCIES, WE'RE PROVIDING CORRECTIVE ACTIONS WITH THE ENTITIES, AND JUST CONSTANTLY WORKING TO IMPROVE ACCESS AND ACCESSIBILITY FOR ALL FOLKS.

I WILL SAY A KEY COMPONENT OF ALL OF OUR ACCESSIBILITY INITIATIVES, WHETHER IT IS ADA COMPLIANCE, AND AGAIN, THINGS LIKE PARKING SPACES OR ACCESSIBLE EQUIPMENT, OR IF IT'S THE PLACEMENT OF POLE SITES THEMSELVES AND HOW THEY'RE DISTRIBUTED AND WHAT SITES MAY BE USED OR NOT USED, IS THAT WE HAVE TO TREAT ALL VOTERS EQUALLY.

SO OFTENTIMES, MYSELF INCLUDED, I ASSUME YOU ALL IN YOUR ROLES AS COMMISSIONERS, WE TAKE AN EQUITY LENS, RIGHT? SOME COMMUNITIES NEED MORE SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE THAN OTHER COMMUNITIES TO STILL ACHIEVE THE SAME LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE TEXAS ELECTION CODE DOES NOT ACCOUNT FOR AN EQUITABLE APPROACH.

SO EVERYTHING WE DO HAS TO BE EQUAL IN ACCESS FOR ALL VOTERS.

SO WE CANNOT DEDICATE MORE RESOURCES OR MORE SITES OR MORE HOURS OR MORE, WHATEVER THE RESOURCE MAY BE, TO HELP ONE COMMUNITY. EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW THAT COMMUNITY MAY NEED MORE TO MEET EQUAL REPRESENTATION BECAUSE THE LAW PROVIDES AN EQUAL STANDARD WHEN IT COMES TO ELECTION LAW.

SO THAT'S A CHALLENGE FOR US. OUR TEAM IS EQUITY MINDED, BUT AGAIN, WE'RE BALANCING FEDERAL LAW, STATE LAW, ELECTION CODE, ADA COMPLIANCE ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

AND I THINK DREW OR TIM IS GOING TO TAKE US INTO OUR NEXT SLIDE.

OKAY. HOW DO WE DEFINE ADA COMPLIANCE? WHEN WE ARRIVE TO A LOCATION, WE ARE NOT ONLY JUST LOOKING AT THE FACILITIES. WE'RE TRYING TO JUDGE THE VOTERS JOURNEY FROM THE TIME THEY PARK INTO THE TIME THEY GET TO CAST THEIR BALLOT OR HOWEVER THEY ARRIVE.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE CONSIDERING ALL FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE SITES AND NOT JUST THE ENTRANCE OF THE BUILDING JUST BECAUSE THE ENTRANCE IS COMPLIANT, THAT DOESN'T MAKE THE REST OF THE SITE COMPLIANT BECAUSE YOU HAVE OTHER BARRIERS LEADING UP TO THE ENTRANCE. AND WE'RE THERE TO KIND OF SEEK OUT THOSE BARRIERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN REMEDIATE THOSE THINGS.

WE STARTED THE PUBLIC RIGHT AWAY AND IT CONTINUES THROUGH EVERY PART OF THE ROUTE.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE PARKING AND DROP OFF AREAS.

WE'RE LOOKING AT THE SIDEWALKS AND PEDESTRIAN ROUTES THE ACCESSIBLE ENTRANCES DOORWAYS AND THRESHOLDS, INTERIOR PATHWAYS, THE ROUTE TO THE VOTING AREA AND THE VOTING AREA ITSELF ARE ALL KEY THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON TO MAKE IT A COHESIVE EXPERIENCE FOR EVERYONE. OUR PRIMARY TOOL FOR DOING THIS IS THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CHECKLIST FOR POLLING LOCATIONS.

THIS THING HAS BEEN HELPFUL FOR US BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO STANDARDIZE THE WAY THAT WE EVALUATE EACH POLLING LOCATION AND GIVE US A VERY CONCISE

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FLOW TO HOW WE'RE LOOKING AT THE, THE VOTERS PATH.

IF WE COULD GO TO SLIDE FIVE. DURING THE SURVEY, WE EVALUATE EVALUATE THE DETAILS TO DETERMINE WHETHER A VOTER CAN INDEPENDENTLY ACCESS THE POLLING PLACE, INCLUDING THE ROUTE, THE WIDTH OF THE ROUTE THE SLOPE AND CHANGES IN ELEVATION, DOOR CLEARANCES AND HARDWARE THRESHOLDS, PARKING ACCESSIBILITY PATHWAY CONDITIONS INTERIOR CIRCULATION. HOW THEY CAN MOVE AROUND THE ACTUAL FACILITIES.

THE VOTING AREA AND HOW THE VOTING AREA IS ALSO SET UP.

FOR ACCESSIBLE ROUTES. WE'RE GETTING, WE'RE WE'RE LOOKING FOR A 36 INCH PATH WHERE THEY CAN MANEUVER IN A WAY THAT IS FREEING TO THEM. WE'RE LOOKING AT THE PARKING, WE'RE CHECKING THE SLOPES OF THE PARKING WHICH THE STANDARDS ARE VERY, VERY THERE'S A MINIMUM THRESHOLD OF 2000 2% SLOPE IN ANY PARKING SPACE.

YOU CANNOT EXCEED THAT IN ANY DIRECTION FROM SIDE TO SIDE TO FRONT TO BACK.

SO THAT PARKING HAS A VERY STRICT STANDARD OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE THOSE THINGS FOR EVERY POLLING LOCATION.

WE ARE LOOKING AT CURB CUTS. HOW EASY IS IT TO TRANSITION FROM THE PARKING LOT ONTO THE SIDEWALK TO GAIN ENTRANCE? SO WE ARE LOOKING AT THE SLOPES OF THOSE. WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ENTRANCE.

HOW EASY IS IT TO CROSS THOSE THRESHOLDS? HOW EASY IS IT TO OPEN THE DOOR? HOW MUCH OF ROOM DO WE HAVE TO MANEUVER AROUND THE DOOR TO MAKE ACCESSIBLE ACCESSIBILITY EASIER? WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S CLEAR PATHS AS WELL.

SO WE'RE TAKING THIS AND LOOKING AT THIS AT EVERY SITE THAT WE HAVE EVERY SITE IS VETTED WITH THIS SURVEY.

WE'RE NOT SIMPLY ASKING, CAN SOMEONE GET THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR? WE'RE ASKING, CAN EVERY VOTER SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATE THE ENTIRE PATH FROM ARRIVAL TO CASTING THEIR BALLOT? THAT IS OUR GOAL FOR EVERY POLLING LOCATION. A POLLING LOCATION CAN HAVE AN ACCESSIBLE ENTRANCE AND STILL CREATE BARRIERS SOMEWHERE ELSE ALONG THE ROUTE.

A BLOCKED PATHWAY. AN INEQUITABLE PARKING. UNEVEN SURFACES.

SLOPES. INTERIOR OBSTACLES CAN ALL PREVENT THAT VOTER FROM GETTING TO CAST THEIR BALLOT.

AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE'RE SEARCHING FOR.

WE ARE CONTINUING TO COMMIT TO THE STANDARD THAT THE DOJ HAS SET FORWARD FOR US.

EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE ENDED OUR AGREEMENT, WE HAVE NOT LET UP ON OUR STANDARDS OF HOW WE'RE EVALUATING THESE POLLING LOCATIONS.

AND LITERALLY, THIS HAS CHANGED OUR OFFICE AND IT HAS SET PRECEDENTS INSIDE OF THE ELECTION COMMUNITY.

BECAUSE WE'RE CONSISTENTLY EVALUATING EVERY SITE YEAR ROUND, EVERY TIME THERE'S SOMETHING NEW, EVERY TIME THERE'S SOME TYPE OF UPGRADE OR PARKING LOT CHANGE, WE'RE OUT THERE AND WE'RE SURVEYING THOSE SITES AND I'LL HAND IT OFF TO DREW.

NEXT SLIDE. SO THERE ARE REALLY FOUR PARTS TO OUR APPROACH THE SELECTION SURVEY REMEDIATION AND PREPARATION.

ACCESSIBILITY IS CONSIDERED FROM THE VERY MOMENT THAT WE BEGIN SELECTING POTENTIAL SITES FOR A POLLING PLACES.

WHEN SCHEDULING AN ADA SURVEY AT A NEW LOCATION IS MEANINGFUL.

TO POINT OUT TO THE BUILDING OWNERS THAT WE ARE THE ONES RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REMEDIATIONS THAT WILL MAKE IT LEGALLY COMPLIANT.

POLLING SITE. THESE ARE VERY DETAILED SURVEYS AND CAN TAKE UPWARDS OF TWO HOURS.

WE PHYSICALLY WALK ALL OF THE ROUTES THAT VOTERS WILL USE AND MEASURE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS ALONG THE WAY.

WE'RE LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE THE WIDTH OF ACCESSIBLE ROUTES, THE RUNNING SLOPE, THE CROSS SLOPE, THE WIDTH OF A PARKING SPACE, AND A VAN ACCESS AISLE, CURB CUTS, DOORS, THRESHOLDS, TRANSITIONS, AND POTENTIAL OBSTRUCTIONS. EVEN IN OVERGROWN TREE BRANCH, HANGING OVER A SIDEWALK CAN PRESENT A FAILURE THAT WILL NEED REMEDIATION.

WE TAKE DOZENS, IF NOT HUNDREDS, OF MEASUREMENTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS AND DOCUMENT THE COMPLETE CONDITIONS WE FIND.

FROM THERE, WE DETERMINE WHAT REMEDIATION WILL NEED TO HAPPEN.

SOMETIMES THE SOLUTION IS SIMPLE A MAP, A SIGN, A CONE AROUND A PROTRUDING OBJECT, OR ANOTHER PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.

BUT SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO GO TO MORE EXTREME MEASURES, EXPLORING AND IDENTIFYING A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PATH INTO THE BUILDING OR THROUGH THE

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BUILDING. WE THEN TURN THAT INFORMATION INTO VERY SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS.

WE PRODUCE DIAGRAMS, MAPS, FLOOR PLANS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS THAT EXPLAIN EXACTLY HOW THE ACCESSIBLE ROUTE AND VOTING AREA SHOULD BE SET UP FOR EVERY SINGLE POLLING SITE.

WE CALL THESE DOCUMENTS REMEDIATION CHECKLISTS, AND ELECTION STAFF AT ALL SITES ARE TRAINED IN HOW TO IMPLEMENT THESE PLANS.

THIS PROCESS REQUIRES A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN STAFF TIME.

AS I MENTIONED, THE SURVEY CAN TAKE UP TO TWO HOURS, MOSTLY OUTSIDE IN THE TEXAS HEAT.

WE CAN GENERALLY COMPLETE AROUND 3 OR 4 SURVEYS A DAY IF WE REALLY PUT OUR MIND TO IT.

AND WE WERE LOOKING AT DOZENS AND HUNDREDS OF POTENTIAL POLLING SITES, THAT ADDS UP TO A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF STAFF TIME BEFORE AN ELECTION EVEN BEGINS.

THERE'S ALSO A FINANCIAL INVESTMENT. REMEDIATION CAN MEAN THE PURCHASING OR RENTING OF RAMPS, DOOR THRESHOLDS, MATS, SIGNAGE AND OTHER EQUIPMENT, AS WELL AS MAKING OTHER POTENTIAL CHANGES TO THE SITE.

SOME SOLUTIONS ARE RELATIVELY SIMPLE, WHILE OTHERS CAN REQUIRE MORE SIGNIFICANT COORDINATION AND EXPENSE.

WE MAKE THOSE INVESTMENTS BECAUSE ACCESSIBILITY ISN'T SOMETHING WE CAN TREAT AS OPTIONAL, OR ONLY ADDRESS IT WHEN IT'S CONVENIENT.

WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO MAKE OUR POLLING PLACES ACCESSIBLE, AND WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SOLUTIONS WE PUT IN PLACE WORK FOR THE VOTERS.

THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT HAPPENS BEHIND THE SCENES, AND WE MAKE SURE THAT WHEN VOTERS ARRIVE, THE ACCESSIBILITY IS ALREADY IN PLAY. BUT PHYSICAL ACCESS TO THE BUILDING IS ONLY ONE PART OF ACCESSIBILITY.

ONCE A VOTER REACHES THE VOTING AREA, WE MUST ALSO MAKE SURE THEY CAN CAST THEIR BALLOT.

THANK YOU. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO ACCESSIBILITY DOESN'T END WHEN SOMEBODY GETS INTO THE POLLING PLACE.

AS DREW SAID, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERY VOTER CAN CAST THEIR BALLOT.

SO WE HAVE ACCESSIBLE VOTING EQUIPMENT, WHICH PROVIDES DIFFERENT WAYS FOR VOTERS TO INTERACT WITH THE SYSTEM.

THAT INCLUDES TACTICAL CONTROLS AND HEADPHONES FOR VOTERS WHO NEED OR PREFER PREFER AUDIO ACCESS.

WE CAN ALSO ACCOMMODATE ASSISTIVE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY, SUCH AS SIP AND PUFF DEVICES FOR VOTERS WITH LIMITED MOBILITY.

AND CURBSIDE IS ANOTHER IMPORTANT, ACCESSIBLE FEATURE WHERE VOTERS WHO CANNOT PHYSICALLY MAKE IT INTO THE BUILDING ARE ABLE TO ACTUALLY VOTE FROM THEIR VEHICLE.

ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS A NEWER STATE LAW THAT PROVIDES FOR VOTING ORDER FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH CERTAIN MOBILITY IMPAIRMENTS.

SO IF YOU CANNOT STAND IN A LINE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, THERE IS A LAW THAT ACTUALLY PROVIDES YOU PRIORITY ORDER IN THE VOTING LINE, AND THE ELECTION WORKER CAN HELP IDENTIFY YOU, OR YOU CAN CONTACT THEM AND THEN MOVE UP SO THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO BE ASSISTED QUICKLY.

ALL OF OUR EQUIPMENT IS PLACED ON TABLES THAT ALSO ARE ADA COMPLIANT.

SO EVERYBODY IS VOTING ON THE SAME EQUIPMENT, ON THE SAME TABLES OF THE SAME HEIGHT.

YOU DON'T NEED TO GO TO A DEDICATED TABLE OR WAIT FOR A DEDICATED PIECE OF EQUIPMENT TO BE AVAILABLE.

ALL OF OUR EQUIPMENT AND OUR TABLE SETUPS ARE ALL ACCESSIBLE AND AVAILABLE TO ALL VOTERS AS WELL.

AND ULTIMATELY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY VOTER IS ABLE TO CAST THEIR THEIR BALLOT PRIVATELY AND INDEPENDENTLY AND SECURELY WHEN POSSIBLE.

IF A VOTER DOES NEED ASSISTANCE. I THINK THAT IS ON OUR NEXT SLIDE AS WELL.

WE ALSO HAVE VOTER ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE TO THEM.

A VOTER IS ENTITLED TO HAVE ASSISTANCE IF THEY CANNOT READ OR WRITE.

IF THEY HAVE A PHYSICAL DISABILITY THAT THAT PREVENTS THEM FROM READING OR MARKING THEIR BALLOT, THE VOTER CAN GENERALLY CHOOSE ANY PERSON TO ASSIST THEM WITH CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS.

IT CANNOT BE YOUR EMPLOYER OR YOUR JUNIOR REPRESENTATIVE PER STATE LAW, AND ELECTION WORKERS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE TO ASSIST VOTERS UPON REQUEST.

IF ANOTHER PERSON ARE NOT AN ELECTION WORKER ASSISTED VOTER, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO FILL OUT AN OATH OF ASSISTANCE AT THE CHECK IN PROCESS TO NOTATE THAT THEY ARE ASSISTING THAT VOTER. AND SO ALL OF THESE PIECES PHYSICAL ACCESS EQUIPMENT, CURBSIDE VOTING AND ASSISTANCE COME BACK TO OUR BROADER QUESTION TO OURSELVES, WHICH IS, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE ACCESSIBLE? AND ARE WE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL VOTERS? AND SO THINKING ON OUR NEXT SLIDE ABOUT REACHING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, WE ACTUALLY DO SEVERAL DEMONSTRATIONS ACROSS THE COMMUNITY.

SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS WE WORK WITH ARE LISTED THERE.

WE TAKE EQUIPMENT OUT, ARE ABLE TO HAVE DIFFERENT PARTICIPANTS INTERACT WITH EQUIPMENT.

RIGHT NOW, WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS ON A SPECIAL CAMPAIGN CALLED PAWS TO THE POLLS YOU CAN VOTE FOR.

I ALWAYS GET THEM BACKWARDS. GUS THE CAT. GUS THE CAT OR FRANKLIN THE DOG.

THEY EACH HAVE DIFFERENT POLICY POSITIONS AND DIFFERENT CONTROVERSIES SURROUNDING THEIR CAMPAIGNS.

IT'S A VERY CUTE ONLINE CAMPAIGN. WE'VE BEEN GOING OUT INTO COMMUNITIES AND VOTERS CAN ACTUALLY SELECT ONE, ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY TOUCH A BALLOT, PUT IT INTO THE MACHINE, INTERACT WITH THE EQUIPMENT, GET THE BALLOT BACK, AND HOPEFULLY THAT BUILDS MORE CONFIDENCE FOR PEOPLE AS THEY ACTUALLY GO TO APPROACH THE VOTING EXPERIENCE.

WE ALSO WORK WITH SEVERAL DISABILITY PARTNERS TO HAVE FAMILIAR VOTING SITES AVAILABLE, AS WELL AS JUST KEY PARTNERSHIPS TO HELP KEEP US INFORMED.

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AND, YOU KNOW, IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW WE CAN ALWAYS IMPROVE OUR SERVICES AND OUR ACCESS FOR ALL VOTERS IN TRAVIS COUNTY.

SO I THINK THAT'S ABOUT I THINK THAT'S OUR LAST SLIDE.

YEP. AND THAT'S US, YOUR TRAVIS COUNTY CLERK.

WE'RE HAPPY IF THERE'S ANY MORE QUESTIONS OR IF WE DIDN'T ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAD, WE'RE HAPPY TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I WILL NOW OPEN UP TO THE COMMISSION FOR QUESTIONS.

HI. I JUST HAD A QUESTION. I. DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN HEAR ME. I TURN THE SPEAKER ON. SO SO I JUST WANTED TO ASK IF THERE'S A LIST THAT YOU HAVE WHERE A SITE ISN'T ACCESSIBLE AND WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THAT LIST? DO YOU JUST PUT IT IN A FILE OR WE PUT IT IN A FILE? WE DO NOTHING NOW. I'M BEING SARCASTIC. YES. I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF IF THERE'S A WAY WHERE I GUESS WE CAN MAYBE GET THAT INFORMATION OR SOMETHING TO SEE IF IT'S MAYBE LIKE A, LIKE A CITY BUILDING OR SOMETHING THAT WE DEFINITELY.

SO WE DO AS WE TALKED ABOUT, WE CONDUCT SURVEYS ON ALL OF THE SITES AT DIFFERENT TIMES ON A ROLLING BASIS.

THERE IS AN INVENTORY OF THOSE SITES AND THEY BASICALLY SORT OF GET A GRADE NOTE OF WHAT WAS NOT ACCESSIBLE OR WHAT WAS ACCESSIBLE, WERE THEY PASSED OR NOT. AND THEN WE WORK WITH THOSE DIFFERENT BUILDING PROPERTIES TO MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE.

SO IN MANY CASES IT'S WHAT YOU SAW. IT COULD BE SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS PUTTING A MAT OVER A THRESHOLD, BECAUSE THAT THRESHOLD, THE GAP BETWEEN THE CURB CUT AND THE ACTUAL STREET IS, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT TOO HIGH, BUT A MAT WILL HELP SMOOTH THAT ENOUGH SO THAT THE GRADE IS SUFFICIENT THAT SOMEBODY COULD TRAVEL OVER IT.

WHAT ARE SOME OTHER GOOD KIND OF EXAMPLES THAT YOU'LL HAVE OF REMEDIATIONS? YEAH, BECAUSE I WAS, I WAS THINKING IF THERE'S LIKE CITY BUILDINGS THAT YOU COME ACROSS OR YOU SEE THAT ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE, MAYBE YOU CAN SHARE THAT. WELL, WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE A FAIRLY LONG LIST OF BUILDINGS WE CAN'T USE BECAUSE OF THEIR INACCESSIBILITY, BUT IN EACH OF THOSE CASES, AND THEY'RE NOT CITY OWNED BUILDINGS OR THAT SORT OF THING, THEY'RE USUALLY LIKE AMENITY CENTERS OR HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION BUILDINGS OR OLDER CHURCHES WHERE THEY'VE BUILT IN THE HILL COUNTRY AND THEY HAVE A BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS, BUT IT'S, IT'S JUST NOT GOING TO BE COMPLIANT. AND, AND I CAN'T THINK OF ANY INSTANCE WHERE WE, WE HAVE DEEMED A SITE AS NOT COMPLIANT AND NOT USABLE THAT WE DIDN'T FIND SOMETHING NEAR ENOUGH GEOGRAPHICALLY TO, TO SATISFY, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE SERVED THAT COMMUNITY ADEQUATELY.

YEAH. THE GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS TEND TO BE THE MOST COMPLIANT BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY SERVING MANY COMMUNITIES AND ALREADY HAVE MANY STANDARDS.

SO CITY, COUNTY BUILDINGS, WE RELY ON SCHOOL DISTRICT BUILDINGS QUITE HEAVILY.

IT GETS DICEY AGAIN ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. THEY DON'T HAVE THE SAME REQUIREMENTS.

ESPECIALLY THE FURTHER WEST YOU GO IN. TRAVIS COUNTY IS VERY HILLY.

SO SLOPE GRADES TEND TO BE VERY CHALLENGING IN THAT PART OF THE COUNTY.

YOU ALSO HAVE PARTS OF THE COUNTY, PARTICULARLY EAST, BUT AS WELL AS WEST WHERE THERE'S NOT A TON OF GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS BECAUSE OF HOW THE POPULATION RATE WAS ORIGINALLY SORT OF BUILT HERE, AND NOW IT'S PROGRESSING FURTHER OUT, BUT THERE AREN'T GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS OUT THERE SERVING THE COMMUNITY. SO IN THOSE FURTHER OUT PARTS OF THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, WE ARE RELYING A LOT ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.

AND SOMETIMES, AS DREW SAID, WE THERE, MOST OF THE TIME, THEY'RE WILLING TO WORK WITH US.

THEY'RE REALLY EXCITED TO BE A POLL PLACE, AND THEY'LL KIND OF DO WHATEVER IT TAKES. WE HAVE A LOT OF IN-HOUSE SOLUTIONS AVAILABLE TO THEM IN CERTAIN CASES.

WHO WAS IT NEW SWEDEN THAT NEEDED? SO IN THE AREA WE HAVE NEW SWEDEN LUTHERAN CHURCH.

THEY HAVE A COMPLETE GRAVEL PARKING LOT. AND WE PURCHASED PARKING PLATES TO PUT DOWN TO GIVE THEM A FIRM AND ACCESSIBLE PARKING SPACE, AT LEAST FOR AT LEAST ONE COMPLIANT PARKING SPACE FOR SOMEONE TO GO OUT AND VOTE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

ALSO, OLDER BUILDINGS TEND TO BE A LOT OF A CHALLENGE BECAUSE COMPLIANCE HAS CHANGED SINCE THOSE BUILDINGS WERE BUILT.

SO THIS COMES UP A LOT ON THE UT CAMPUS THAT HAS A LOT OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS.

STUDENTS FREQUENTLY ASK US CAN. I'M LIKE, WHAT WAS THE BILL? NOT GREGORY, JIM. THE OTHER ONE. OH, PERRY-CASTANEDA LIBRARY PERRY-CASTANEDA CAN THAT BE A WHOLE PLACE? IT'S NOT ADA COMPLIANT. AND ACTUALLY THEN WE HAD FLOWN FOR A WHILE.

FLAN WAS MUCH BETTER SUITED TO OUR TRAFFIC FLOW.

AND THEN THE UNIVERSITY ASKED US TO MOVE TO THE UNION, WHICH ACTUALLY HAS A TON OF FOOT TRAFFIC.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A WINDY PATH IN THERE, BUT OUR TEAM HAS PUT SEVERAL MEDIATIONS IN PLACE TO MAKE THAT MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR FOLKS AT THE UT UNION.

SO THAT'S SORT OF AN EXAMPLE. IT'S LIKE ONE INSTITUTION, BUT SOME BUILDINGS ARE OLDER, SOME BUILDINGS ARE NEWER. WE TRY TO WORK WITH FOLKS ON SPACE. THE OTHER ISSUE THAT COMES UP QUITE A BIT IS LIKE, OH, I LOVE TO VOTE AT THIS PLACE.

AND MANY PEOPLE GO TO THAT PLACE, BUT THE LINE IS ALWAYS LONG.

CAN WE GET MORE EQUIPMENT? RIGHT. THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF LIKE TRAFFIC FLOW AND US PUTTING UP ONE MORE POLL BOOK FOR PEOPLE TO CHECK IN TO HOPEFULLY EASE THE

[00:30:04]

LINE ALSO REQUIRES ABOUT 12 SQUARE FOOT OF SPACE FOR THEN A STAFF PERSON TO STAFF THAT POLL BOOK, RIGHT? IT'S NOT JUST THE TABLET ITSELF, IT'S EVERYTHING THAT COMES WITH IT THE CHORDS, THE CHORD PROTECTORS, KIND OF ALL OF THAT STUFF. SO I KNOW Y'ALL DEAL WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT PROBLEMS. THERE'S NEVER LIKE A QUICK, OH, YEP, WE CAN DO THAT REAL EASY, RIGHT? LIKE EVERYTHING BEGS ANOTHER SET OF QUESTIONS, BUT THIS TEAM IS ON TOP OF IT.

DREW WAS REALLY LEADING A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT CHARGE IN COVID, WHEN A LOT OF DIFFERENT BUILDINGS PULLED OUT OF HOSTING POLL SITES FOR PUBLIC HEALTH REASONS WAS ABLE TO SECURE PLACES LIKE TERRY'S AND ANTONE'S AND SOME OTHER CREATIVE SITES.

AND THEN TIM WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF OUR FIRST TEAM MEMBERS FULL TIME AS PART OF THE ADA TEAM, AND THEN AS MANAGER LED THE INTEGRATION OF THE AT ADA TEAM AND THE SITES TEAM TO BECOME A PERMANENT PART OF OUR WORK.

SO ORIGINALLY FUNDED THROUGH A TEMPORARY STREAM OF FUNDING TO DO THE DOJ AGREEMENT, BUT NOW THE COUNTY HAS FUNDED THOSE POSITIONS PERMANENTLY AS PART OF OUR ELECTIONS WORK.

AND TIM WAS A PART OF LEADING THOSE TWO TEAMS COMING TOGETHER AND TO MAKING IT A PART OF OUR OFFICIAL WORKFLOW CONTINUOUSLY.

YEAH. I'D ALSO LIKE TO JUST POINT OUT THAT A LOT OF OUR PARTNERS AT OUR POLLING SITES, WHEN THEY KNOW THAT WE'VE SURVEYED THEIR SITE AND THERE ARE DEFICIENCIES THAT WE HAVE TO REMEDIATE, THEY ASK FOR THE RESULTS. THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT, WHAT, WHAT FAILED.

AND MANY PLACES AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE HAVE GONE OUT AND CORRECTED THESE THINGS.

JUST TODAY WE HAD AN ELECTION DAY POLLING SITE THAT WE'VE BEEN USING FOR A LONG TIME THAT REQUIRES A SECOND CURBSIDE PERSON OUTSIDE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO BE COMPLIANT.

THEY GOT EXCITED, CALLED US, SAID, HEY, COME SEE WHAT WE DID.

AND WE DID. THEY'RE NOW THEY WERE 100% COMPLIANT.

WE WENT AND VISITED THEM JUST THIS MORNING. SO YEAH.

WELL, THAT'S THAT'S REALLY GOOD PROGRESS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS WE CAN HELP ANSWER? ANY OTHER IDEAS? I HAVE A QUESTION. THIS IS ELIZABETH. I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT TYPE OF TRAINING THE VOLUNTEERS GET IN SUPPORTING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AT THE POLL PLACES. I KNOW WE HAVE TONS OF GREAT VOLUNTEERS IN TRAVIS COUNTY WHO ARE ALWAYS THERE, BUT I'M JUST WONDERING, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEONE NEEDS HELP FROM, YOU KNOW, THEIR FAMILY MEMBER, BUT ALSO THEY USE A SPEECH DEVICE, OBVIOUSLY, THEY'RE TAKING TECHNOLOGY INTO THE VOTING BOOTH.

AND I KNOW THAT THAT IS AGAINST THE RULES. I'M JUST WONDERING, LIKE WHAT SUPPORTS AND TRAINING THAT THE POLL WORKERS HAVE? YEAH, THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION. I CAN TELL YOU THEY ARE WELL INTENTIONED, BUT DEFINITELY NOT ENOUGH TRAINING.

WE ARE PARTICULARLY LIMITED BY TIME AND FUNDING.

SO NUMBER ONE, WE ALL WE REFER TO THEM AS VOLUNTEERS BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE VOLUNTEERS IN THEIR HEART, BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY PAID AND REQUIRED TO BE PAID. ALL OF OUR ELECTION WORKERS AND TRAVIS COUNTY HAS MADE A GREAT COMMITMENT.

THE STATE ACTUALLY ONLY PAYS $12 AN HOUR FOR ELECTION WORKERS AND TRAVIS COUNTY FUNDS.

THE DIFFERENCE SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY PAY PEOPLE $20 AN HOUR TO BE ELECTION WORKERS.

AND SO THAT ALLOWS US TO HAVE A BIGGER POOL OF FOLKS.

AND OUR GOAL ON OUR RECRUITMENT FOR ELECTION WORKERS IS ALWAYS TO HAVE LIKE A DIVERSE POOL OF ELECTION WORKERS WHO CAN REFLECT THE COMMUNITY BACK TO THEM AND, YOU KNOW, HELP VOTERS OF ALL DIFFERENT TYPES, ESPECIALLY AROUND THINGS LIKE DISABILITY OR LANGUAGE ACCESS, STUFF LIKE THAT. BECAUSE OF THE STATE REQUIREMENTS AROUND TRAINING AND HOW PEOPLE ARE PAID, WE CAN'T MANDATE ADDITIONAL TRAINING FOR FOLKS.

THAT'S OPTIONAL. SO THE STATE REQUIRES CERTAIN TRAININGS FOR ELECTION WORKERS.

THEY ARE REQUIRED TO BE PAID FOR THAT TRAINING.

WE FACILITATE THAT. WE DO OFFER SOME VOLUNTARY TRAINING.

SO AGAIN, IT'S LIKE IF PEOPLE WANT TO COME ON THEIR OWN FREE TIME, THEY'RE AVAILABLE TO. AND THAT'S A GREAT SUGGESTION. WE HAVE NOT PROVIDED THAT TYPE OF TRAINING BEFORE, BUT WE COULD DEFINITELY PARTNER WITH YOU ALL AND THINK THROUGH SOME RESOURCES WITH OUR OTHER PARTNERS TO OFFER THAT AS A VOLUNTARY TRAINING. SOME VOLUNTARY TRAININGS WE HAVE OFFERED IN THE PAST ARE DE-ESCALATION TRAINING, FOR EXAMPLE, NOT FUNDED BY THE STATE, BUT WE WILL FIND THAT WE WILL PAY FOR THE FACILITATOR TO COME, AND THEN ELECTION WORKERS CAN SIGN UP ON THEIR OWN TIME TO PARTICIPATE.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER TRAINING TOOL WE COULD OFFER OUR REGULAR STATE MANDATED TRAINING DOES COVER THINGS LIKE OATH OF ASSISTANCE.

SO HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT RIGHT, THAT THE ELECTION WORKERS HAVE A BASIC UNDERSTANDING THAT, YES, CERTAIN VOTERS CAN HAVE A PERSON ASSIST THEM AT THE POLL PLACE.

HERE'S THE PAPERWORK THAT THEY NEED TO FILL OUT AND THE ORDER THEY NEED TO DO THAT.

THEY ARE TRAINED ON CURBSIDE VOTING. SAME THING IF SOMEBODY COMES OUT THERE, WHAT'S REQUIRED, HOW DO YOU ASSIST THEM WITH THAT AS WELL? AND I THINK THOSE ARE KIND OF THE TWO MAIN ONES THAT WE COVER.

IF A VOTER IS EVER EXPERIENCING A PARTICULAR ISSUE THAT AN ELECTION WORKER DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE, MAYBE IT'S THEIR FIRST TIME INTERACTING WITH THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE. OR IT CAN ALSO BE COMPLEX.

SOMETIMES YOU HAVE A PERSON WHO MOVED APARTMENTS DIDN'T UPDATE THEIR ADDRESS, ALSO GOT MARRIED, AND ALSO IS ON THE VOTER SUSPENSE LIST AND THE ELECTION WORKERS, LIKE, WHICH AFFIDAVIT DO I DO? IN WHAT ORDER? SO IT COULD BE ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

[00:35:02]

WE HAVE A FULLY STAFFED CALL CENTER THAT ALSO HAS OUR EXPERIENCED TRAINERS IN THE CALL CENTER SO THAT ELECTION WORKER CAN DIRECT DIAL.

AND WE ALSO PROVIDE THEM A PHONE TO CALL DIRECTLY INTO OUR CALL CENTER, AND WE HAVE OUR TRAINERS IN THERE TO WALK THEM THROUGH THOSE MORE COMPLEX ISSUES AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY RECEIVES EXCELLENT SERVICE.

AND WE ALWAYS TELL ANYBODY, IF YOU IF YOU'RE UNSURE ABOUT WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE POLL PLACE OR YOU EXPERIENCE SOMETHING THAT SEEMS THAT YOU'RE NOT SURE ABOUT IN THE POLL PLACE, LET THE ELECTION WORKER KNOW AND CALL THE CALL CENTER.

THEY CAN CALL THE CALL CENTER, BUT DON'T LEAVE.

WE WANT EVERYBODY WHO IS IN A POLL PLACE THAT IS ATTEMPTING TO CAST A BALLOT TO BE ABLE TO CAST A BALLOT WHILE THEY'RE THERE.

HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION? SORRY. WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM COMMISSIONER SIMONS.

THANK YOU. I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK YOU SORT OF JUST TOUCHED ON IT, BUT IF SOMEBODY IS IMPAIRED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY CAN'T DO THE VOTING PART OF VOTING AS OPPOSED TO THE ACCESSING THE SPOT. COULD YOU DESCRIBE A LITTLE MORE WHAT ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE? SO AN ELECTION WORKER CAN ASSIST YOU. SO IF YOU COME INTO THE POLL PLACE ALONE, IS THAT SORT OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? OR IF YOU COME INTO THE POLL PLACE ALONE AND YOU'RE NOT PHYSICALLY ABLE TO LIKE MARK THE BALLOT, OR IF YOU ARE VISUALLY IMPAIRED AND CAN'T SEE THE.

YEAH. YES. SO FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED, ALL OF OUR EQUIPMENT DOES HAVE AUDIO CAPABILITY.

AND THAT IS ACTUALLY PART OF OUR TESTING FOR OUR BALLOT.

SO ONCE ALL THE LANGUAGE, FOR EXAMPLE, CITY OF AUSTIN JUST PASSED A BOND PACKAGE TO GO ON TO THE BALLOT.

SO THE CITY CLERK WILL SEND THAT INFORMATION OVER TO OUR TEAM.

OUR TEAM WILL VET IT FOR ALL THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS.

OUR TEAM WILL THEN PROGRAM IT INTO THE BALLOT ALONG WITH 30 OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE ELECTIONS THIS CYCLE.

SO GET PREPARED, EVERYBODY, FOR A VERY LONG BALLOT THIS NOVEMBER.

THEY'LL PROGRAM ALL OF THAT INTO THE ELECTION SOFTWARE.

AND THEN THE STATE REQUIRES US TO RUN SEVERAL TESTS ON THE BALLOT ITSELF AND MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE LANGUAGE IS TRUE, ACCURATE, CORRECT, AS LEGALLY REQUIRED. AND THAT THE TABULATIONS OF THOSE DIFFERENT CANDIDATES AND OPTIONS YOU CAN SELECT IS TABULATING CORRECTLY.

AND AN ADDITIONAL COMPONENT OF THAT IS THAT WE ALSO TEST THE AUDIO.

SO PARTICULARLY IT CAN BE THINGS LIKE IF YOU HAVE A MORE ETHNIC NAME, MAKING SURE THAT IT'S PRONOUNCED CORRECTLY, IF A VOTER IS TRYING TO HEAR THE NAME AND IF THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED, OUR TEAM ACTUALLY CAN PROGRAM THE SOFTWARE TO TRAIN THE AUDIO TO BE MORE CORRECT IN THE PRONUNCIATION OF THAT NAME. SO ALL OF THAT TESTING AROUND THE AUDIO OF THE BALLOT IS DONE BEFOREHAND.

AND IF YOU'RE A VOTER WHO SHOWS UP AND YOU SAY, HEY, I NEED AUDIO ANY OF OUR EQUIPMENT IS AUDIO CAPABLE.

ALL OF THE BALLOTS ARE PROGRAMED TO BE AUDIO CAPABLE.

AND THEN YOU COULD HAVE HEADPHONES THAT THEN TALK YOU THROUGH THE BALLOT ESSENTIALLY SAME FOR THE SIP AND PUFF CAPABILITIES AS WELL THAT WE HAVE.

AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO ACTUALLY HAVE A PHYSICAL ASSISTANCE TO LIKE MARK THE BALLOT ITSELF TO HAVE SOMEBODY MARK THE BALLOT FOR YOU IF YOU NEED.

THANK YOU. THAT WAS VERY THOROUGH. THAT'S VERY GOOD TO KNOW.

YEAH, CHAIR RECOGNIZES VICE CHAIR. MARTIN, I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION REGARDING LET'S SAY SOMEONE WHO'S DEAF HARD OF HEARING AND MAYBE NEEDS AN INTERPRETER WHO KNOWS SIGN LANGUAGE TO HAVE INTERPRETERS AT THE POLLING SITES WHERE SOMEONE MIGHT NEED ASSISTANCE WITH SIGN LANGUAGE OR TO LIKE, I GUESS, HELP WITH THE VOTING OR WE DO NOT PROVIDE OFFICIAL INTERPRETERS FOR THE VOTER. WE TRY OUR BEST, FOR EXAMPLE, SPANISH LANGUAGE TO HAVE ELECTION WORKERS WHO ALSO ARE BILINGUAL.

SO IF ANY VOTER NEEDS ASSISTANCE IN SPANISH THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THAT.

BUT IF SOMEBODY NEEDS THEIR OWN INTERPRETER IN THE POLL PLACE, WE DO NOT PROVIDE THAT.

THERE IS ON THAT SAME FORM THAT WE SHOWED YOU.

IT'S A YELLOW FORM SAYS OATH OF ASSISTANCE. AT THE BOTTOM IS OATH OF INTERPRETER.

AND SO THAT PERSON WOULD THEN FILL OUT THAT PART AND NOTE.

NOTE THAT THEY ASSISTED A PERSON WHO NEEDED AN INTERPRETER WITH THE BALLOT.

OKAY. OUR POLLING SET THAT WE HAVE AT THE TRAVIS COUNTY SERVICES FOR THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING, WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE ASL INTERPRETERS ON, ON STAFF WORKING AT THAT PARTICULAR SITE.

AND I AM TRYING TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO GET THEIR, GET THE ASL COMMUNITY TO SIGN UP TO WORK ON OTHER SITES AS WELL.

BUT AND THEY'RE PROVIDED BY THEM. THEY'RE NOT PROVIDED BY US, WHICH IS A KEY DISTINCTION BECAUSE ELECTION LAW LIMITS WHAT WE CAN PROVIDE.

AGAIN, IF MY OFFICE FUNDED ONE SITE TO HAVE AN INTERPRETER, I WOULD HAVE TO FUND THAT AT ALL SITES.

BUT IF THAT SIDE ON THEIR OWN FUNDS AN INTERPRETER, THEY ABSOLUTELY CAN DO THAT ON THEIR OWN.

FOR EXAMPLE, A SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT EXAMPLE IS AT SAINT EDWARDS, THEY DO NOT HAVE AN ON CAMPUS POLL PLACE FOR EARLY VOTING.

THE STUDENTS HAVE ASKED FOR ONE. THE ADMINISTRATION IS NOT ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE IT WITH THOSE SPACE LIMITATIONS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES THEY HAVE GOING ON. WE WORKED WITH THE UNIVERSITY IN THAT CASE, TO PROVIDE A SHUTTLE FOR THOSE STUDENTS TO THEIR NEAREST EARLY VOTING SITE.

THEY DO ACCOMMODATE AN ELECTION DAY SITE. BUT AGAIN, IF I PROVIDED SHUTTLES TO THE STUDENTS THERE, I'D HAVE TO PROVIDE SHUTTLES TO STUDENTS EVERYWHERE BUT THE UNIVERSITY THEMSELVES, AS THE HOST CAN CAN DO THAT DIRECTLY.

[00:40:06]

SO THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THAT SITE. SO WE DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE MORE OF OUR PARTNERS TO THINK CREATIVELY ABOUT LIKE ALSO SUPPLEMENTING THEIR LOCAL POLL SITE AND LIKE HOW THEY CAN MAKE THAT MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

DO WE HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS ONLINE OR HERE IN PERSON? THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. WE WILL FOLLOW UP BY EMAIL, AND WE CAN PROVIDE THAT CHECKLIST TO YOU ALL IN ELECTRONIC FORM.

IT'S PRETTY BIG. THANK YOU. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OTHER COMMISSIONERS ARE ABLE TO SEE THE CHECKLIST THAT WE GO THROUGH AS WELL THERE, AND FEEL FREE TO SEND US BACK ANY QUESTIONS, THOUGHTS, IDEAS YOU HAVE.

YOU KNOW, WE WELCOME COMMUNITY FEEDBACK. IT MAKES US BETTER ALL THE TIME. IF Y'ALL ARE, YOU KNOW, COMING UP WITH NEW IDEAS AND CREATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT WE HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT YET. SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SEND THOSE OVER TO US AND JUST STAY IN COMMUNICATION WITH US GOING FORWARD.

AND THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR SERVING AS COMMISSIONERS.

I KNOW ON A FRIDAY NIGHT IT'S A BIG ASK. I WAS PREVIOUSLY A COMMISSIONER ON THE COMMISSIONER COMMISSION FOR WOMEN, SO I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU ALL ARE DOING TO SUPPORT OUR CITY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. SO DISCUSSION ITEM FIVE IS

[5. Discussion regarding the commission’s interest in a presentation from CapMetro. ]

OUR COMMISSION HAS EXPRESSED INTEREST IN A PRESENTATION FROM CAPMETRO.

I DO BELIEVE WE HAVE TWO. STAFF MEMBERS FROM CAPMETRO HERE WITH US TODAY, SO I'D LOVE TO INVITE THEM TO.

OH NO, SORRY, NO, IT'S JUST TO CAPMETRO ASKED FOR SOME MORE SPECIFICS ON QUESTIONS.

AND THIS WAS LIKE A DISCUSSION FOR THE COMMISSIONERS TO.

OKAY, I APOLOGIZE. I I MADE NEW EMPLOYEES OUT OF FOLKS WHO HAD JOINED US THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN FOR JOINING US. SO I WOULD LOVE TO OPEN UP THIS DISCUSSION ITEM FOR QUESTIONS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK OF A POTENTIAL PRESENTATION FROM CAPMETRO IN THE FUTURE.

THIS IS KRISTIN VASSALLO. I WOULD SPECIFICALLY, LIKE, OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE OTHER CONCERNS, BUT CAPITAL METRO ACCESS AND HOW THEY ARE COMMITTED TO CONTINUING AND EXPANDING THAT PROGRAM. THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO KNOW FOR OUR ESPECIALLY OUR INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THIS IS ELIZABETH SLADE. I THINK ALSO, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT IN THE PAST, BUT HEARING FROM THE METRO POLICE FORCE THAT WAS HIRED OR THAT WAS STARTED, I THINK IT WAS AROUND A YEAR AGO NOW.

I THINK I WAS VERY INTERESTED IN HEARING FROM THEM AND HEARING ABOUT THEIR TRAINING.

WORKING WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, SPECIFICALLY PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES.

AND SO I THINK THAT WAS VERY INTERESTING TO ME, WHICH I KNOW IS MAYBE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FROM JUST THE GENERAL CAP METRO GROUP.

BUT I THINK THAT'S, I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT TO HEAR FROM THEM AT OUR COMMITTEE.

THANK YOU. ANYTHING FURTHER? I WANT I WANTED TO ASK JUST JUST CHECK WITH THE METRO. WHAT PERCENTAGE OF METRO'S BUS STOPS ARE CURRENTLY FULLY ACCESSIBLE FROM THE SURROUNDING SIDEWALK.

AND WHEN WILL THE REMAINING BARRIERS BE ELIMINATED.

THAT'S JUST ONE QUESTION. ANOTHER ONE IS WHAT IS CAPITAL OR WHAT IS CAP METRO'S CURRENT WHEELCHAIR BOARDING SUCCESS RATE? AND WILL THE AGENCY PUBLICLY REPORT THAT NUMBER EVERY MONTH? THERE'S ANOTHER ONE. WHAT ARE THE CURRENT ON TIME PERFORMANCE AND AVERAGE TIME OR TRIP TIME STATISTICS FOR CAPITAL METRO ACCESS.

AND WHAT MEASURABLE TARGETS WILL CAP METRO COMMIT TO ACHIEVING.

AND THE FOURTH ONE I JUST HAVE LIKE A LIST OF FIVE.

SO WE'LL CAP METRO ESTABLISH A COMPLETE TRIP ACCESSIBILITY STANDARD THAT EVALUATES THE ENTIRE JOURNEY FROM A PERSON'S HOME TO THE BUS STOP ONTO THE VEHICLE THROUGH TRANSFERS AND TO THE FINAL DESTINATION.

AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION NUMBER FIVE WILL CAP METRO FORMALLY INCLUDE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN EVALUATING AND IMPROVING MAJOR TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS BEFORE THOSE PROJECTS ARE IMPLEMENTED.

THANK YOU. AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEND THOSE QUESTIONS OFF TO NIKITA, I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.

[00:45:04]

THANK YOU. YEAH, I'LL DO THAT. THANK YOU. I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.

AND IT WAS ALSO HOW CAPMETRO IS USING THE YOU KNOW, WE HAD THEM PRESENT ABOUT THE LIKE LEVERS AND THE MOBILITY A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO I THINK, AND I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO SEE HOW CAPMETRO IS USING THAT TOOL TO CONSIDER EXPANSION AND ACCESSIBILITY. I THINK THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING INTERESTING TO HEAR FROM THEM AS WELL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. YES, I AGREE. IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL ITEMS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD IN THE FUTURE, PLEASE. AND YOU THINK OF THEM AT A LATER TIME.

PLEASE SEND THEM OFF TO NCBA AND THEN WE WILL RECORD THOSE AND INVITE THEM TO SPEAK AT A FUTURE MEETING.

AND SO NOW WE WILL ACTUALLY BE MOVING BACK UP ON OUR AGENDA TO STAFF BRIEFINGS.

[3. Staff briefing regarding fair housing and disability rights. Presentation by Enrique Serrano, Civil Rights Officer, Austin Equity and Inclusion. ]

AND WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM ENRIQUE SERRANO FOR OUR CIVIL RIGHTS OFFICER WITH AUSTIN EQUITY AND INCLUSION.

AND THIS IS A PRESENTATION ON THE FAIR HOUSING AND DISABILITY RIGHTS.

THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, CHAIR VICE CHAIR, COMMISSIONERS.

IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU TONIGHT. ENRIQUE SERRANO, CIVIL RIGHTS OFFICER FOR THE AUSTIN EQUITY AND INCLUSION DEPARTMENT.

ALSO YOUR EXECUTIVE LIAISON FOR THIS COMMISSION.

AGAIN, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT TO YOU ON FAIR HOUSING AND DISABILITY RIGHTS.

THIS IS FAIR HOUSING IS AN ANTI-DISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE THAT I OVERSEE FOR THE CITY.

YOU CAN FIND IT UNDER 5-1 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE, BUT I'LL COVER SOME OF THAT IN GREATER DETAIL AS I GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO WHAT I'VE DONE HERE FOR YOU ALL IS SET AN AGENDA.

JUST SO THAT WE STAY OR THAT I STAY ON TALKING POINTS.

SO I'LL BE COVERING FAIR HOUSING AND DISABILITY RIGHTS.

I'LL PROBABLY, I'LL GIVE YOU SOME EXAMPLES OF DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION THAT WE'RE SEEING IN HOUSING.

I'LL MAKE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION AND MODIFICATIONS.

I WILL ALSO BE SPEAKING TO YOU ABOUT SERVICE ANIMALS AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS, WHICH IS COMMONLY KNOWN AS ESAS.

NEXT, I WILL TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR INTAKE PROCESS AND THE INVESTIGATION PROCESS THAT OUR INVESTIGATORS ENGAGE IN ON A DAILY BASIS AS THEY DO THEIR WORK FOR THE CITY.

I'LL ALSO TALK TO YOU ABOUT SOME PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE AS AN OFFICE AS IT RELATES TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS PROGRAM.

SOME OF THE IMPACT THAT WE'RE MAKING IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND THEN I'LL TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR PERFORMANCE PERIOD, WHICH IS A PERIOD THAT ESSENTIALLY COINCIDES WITH THE HUD PERFORMANCE PERIOD. SO THAT'S A PERIOD WHERE WE SUBMIT CASE FAIR HOUSING CASES TO HUD FOR REVIEW.

AND, AND LASTLY, I WILL COVER WHAT I CALL ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECES OF OUR PROGRAM.

AND THAT'S THE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH WHERE WE TRY TO BRING AWARENESS TO OUR FAIR HOUSING PROGRAM.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO WHAT IS FAIR HOUSING? FAIR HOUSING ESSENTIALLY IS A BASIC RIGHT THAT EVERYONE HAS RIGHT TO OBTAIN HOUSING FREE FROM DISCRIMINATION.

AT ITS SIMPLEST WAY TO DEFINE IT. SO WITHIN FAIR HOUSING, THERE ARE SEVERAL PROTECTIONS THAT ARE AFFORDED TO CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY, ONE BEING IN RENTAL SALES, LENDING, ADVERTISING AND ZONING WITHIN FAIR HOUSING.

THERE'S ALSO PROTECTED BASIS UP ON THE SCREEN, YOU'LL SEE SEVEN PROTECTED BASES OF INTEREST HERE IS OUR DISABILITY PROTECTION, WHICH IS THERE'S TWO COMPONENTS TO IT.

THERE IS A PHYSICAL DISABILITY AND THERE'S ALSO A MENTAL DISABILITY, RIGHT.

AND JUST A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY AS IT RELATES TO FAIR HOUSING.

SO OUR FAIR HOUSING ACT WAS PASSED IN 1968, 20 YEARS LATER DISABILITY WAS ADDED AS A PROTECTED BASIS.

[00:50:04]

TWO YEARS LATER, OF COURSE OUR ADA. ACT WAS WAS PASSED WHICH AWARDS RIGHTS IN THE HOUSING AREA, PUBLIC SPACES AND EMPLOYMENT.

NEXT SLIDE. SO LET ME DEFINE DISABILITY UNDER THE FAIR HOUSING ACT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO BE AWARE OF DISABILITY AS IT'S DEFINED UNDER THE FAIR HOUSING ACT, IS ESSENTIALLY A PHYSICAL OR MENTAL IMPAIRMENT THAT SUBSTANTIALLY LIMITS ONE OR MORE MAJOR LIFE ACTIVITIES.

OR THERE'S A RECORD OF SUCH AN IMPAIRMENT OR BEING REGARDED AS HAVING AN IMPAIRMENT.

SO WHAT DOES MAJOR LIFE ACTIVITIES COVER? WELL, THAT INCLUDES WALKING, SEEING, HEARING, BREATHING, SPEAKING LEARNING, WORKING AND CARING FOR YOURSELF.

SO THOSE ARE MAJOR LIFE ACTIVITIES. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO I'VE LISTED SOME EXAMPLES OF THAT WE'RE SEEING IN REGARDS TO HOUSING DISCRIMINATION.

BUT I'LL DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE SECOND, TO THE LAST BULLET.

AND THAT'S REFUSING REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS OR REASONABLE MODIFICATIONS.

AND THE REASON I HIGHLIGHT THAT IS BECAUSE THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST FREQUENTLY FILED BASES AND ISSUES THAT WE'RE ENCOUNTERING RIGHT NOW.

WHEN WE TAKE CIVIL RIGHTS COMPLAINTS AT OUR OFFICE.

LOOKS LIKE. SOME OF THESE EXAMPLES ON THIS NEXT SLIDE INCLUDE THAT WE'RE SEEING AS WELL, IS THAT THIRD BULLET ASKING UNNECESSARY OR INAPPROPRIATE QUESTIONS AS IT RELATES TO A PERSON'S DISABILITY.

SO SOMETIMES HOUSING PROVIDERS. MAY ASK UNNECESSARY QUESTIONS WHEN THEY'RE ASSESSING A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION REQUEST. AND THAT WILL TRIGGER A COMPLAINT WITH OUR OFFICE.

SO PEOPLE CAN COME IN AND FILE A COMPLAINT WITH OUR WITH OUR OFFICE.

SO ESSENTIALLY HOUSING PROVIDERS SHOULD ONLY BE ASKING INFORMATION THAT'S NECESSARY TO EVALUATE THE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION REQUEST.

NOW, IF THE DISABILITY IS OBVIOUS, YOU DON'T NEED TO BE ASKING US.

FOR MEDICAL DOCUMENTATION. RIGHT. BUT IF IT'S NOT OBVIOUS THE HOUSING PROVIDER IS ENTITLED TO ASK FOR MEDICAL DOCUMENTATION WHEN THEY'RE EVALUATING A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION REQUEST OR MODIFICATION.

NEXT SLIDE. OKAY. SO HERE ON YOUR SCREEN, I WILL TALK TO YOU ABOUT ESSENTIALLY WHAT IS A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION AND WHAT IS A REASONABLE MODIFICATION.

SO AN ACCOMMODATION IS A CHANGE IN A RULE, A POLICY OR A SERVICE.

LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.

ALLOWING OR EXCUSE ME, REQUESTING AN, AN ASSISTANCE ANIMAL.

WHERE THERE'S A POLICY IN PLACE WITHIN THAT COMMUNITY THAT SAYS, HEY, WE DON'T ALLOW PETS.

WELL, YOU'RE ALLOWED TO ASK FOR A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION OR AN EXCEPTION TO THAT POLICY, RIGHT? ANOTHER ONE THAT, ANOTHER EXAMPLE THAT I CAN I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS WITH YOU IS REQUESTING A DESIGNATED PARKING SPACE. THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE OR ANOTHER EXAMPLE THAT WE SEE COME ABOUT IN OUR OFFICE.

AND ESSENTIALLY A REASONABLE MODIFICATION IS A PHYSICAL CHANGE TO A HOME OR A BUILDING.

I HEARD THE SPEAKERS BEFORE ME. THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT RAMPS.

SO THAT WOULD ESSENTIALLY BE A REASONABLE MODIFICATION OR WIDENING THE DOORS TO YOUR APARTMENT SO THAT THE WHEELCHAIR CAN ACTUALLY NAVIGATE THROUGH THE UNIT. SO SOMETHING GOOD TO KNOW IS THAT NOT ALL YOUR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION OR REASONABLE MODIFICATIONS NEED TO BE IN WRITING. I WOULD THEY CAN BE SPOKEN.

[00:55:06]

I WOULD ENCOURAGE THOUGH THAT IT BE IN WRITING SO THAT THERE'S NO MISCOMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE HOUSING PROVIDER AND THE REQUESTER.

SO NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO HERE IN THIS SLIDE, I'M GOING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT MY APOLOGIES.

THERE WE GO. THIS NEXT SLIDE, I'LL COVER THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SERVICE ANIMAL AND AN EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL.

I THINK THE EASIEST WAY TO EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO IS ESSENTIALLY A SERVICE ANIMAL IS A TRAINED IS TRAINED TO PERFORM A DISABILITY RELATED TASK.

RIGHT. AND AN EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL IS THINK OF IT MORE AS A THERAPEUTIC OR COMFORT PET.

BUT TWO OF THEM PROVIDE A SERVICE TO A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY.

AND WHAT'S GOOD TO KNOW IS THAT THEY'RE NOT PETS IN THE LITERAL SENSE.

YOU CANNOT CHARGE A PET FEE. YOU CAN'T CHARGE A PET DEPOSIT AND THERE'S NO BREED OR SIZE RESTRICTIONS AS WELL.

IF A HOUSING PROVIDER SAYS OTHERWISE, THAT WILL TRIGGER A COMPLAINT AND FEEL FREE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS AS THEY COME UP.

BECAUSE I'M THE SAME WAY I LOOK, I LISTEN TO A PRESENTATION AND I'M LIKE, OKAY, QUESTION COMES UP.

SO I'M FINE ANSWERING QUESTIONS AS THEY COME UP.

JUST A QUICK QUESTION, SIR. YEAH, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE, I GUESS HOUSING PROVIDER IS NOT REQUIRED TO, I GUESS, HAVE A PET DEPOSIT OR PET FEE FOR A SERVICE ANIMAL THAT SOMEONE I GUESS BRINGS IN TO THEIR HOME.

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT. THAT'S CORRECT. SO SO THE HOUSING PROVIDER CAN HAVE A PET DEPOSIT OR A A PET. NO PET RULE. RIGHT. BUT THE TENANT IS ABLE TO REQUEST AN ACCOMMODATION OR AN EXCEPTION TO THAT PET RULE, RIGHT? DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? LET'S SAY THE TENANT WANTS TO, I GUESS, RENT AN APARTMENT.

RIGHT. AND THEY HAVE A SERVICE ANIMAL. SO AND THEN THE APARTMENT PROPERTY OR THE HOUSING PROVIDER SAYS, OH, WE HAVE A PET DEPOSIT FOR LIKE $300 OR WHATEVER IT IS, BECAUSE MOST APARTMENTS, LIKE IN THE, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN AND PRETTY MUCH EVERYWHERE, THEY ALWAYS HAVE A PET DEPOSIT.

LIKE IF YOU HAVE A PET, YOU KNOW THAT YOU WANT TO BASICALLY BRING INTO YOUR HOME. SO AS A TENANT WHO HAS A SERVICE ANIMAL THAT PROVIDES THAT SERVICE FOR THEM AS AN INDIVIDUAL. SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY REQUEST AN ACCOMMODATION FOR THAT.

ABSOLUTELY. OH I DIDN'T RIGHT. THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW.

OKAY. NEXT SLIDE. SO IF THE CAN I JUST FOLLOW UP REAL QUICK.

ABSOLUTELY SIR. SO IF THE LET'S SAY THE APARTMENT PROVIDER OR THE HOUSING PROVIDER LIKE DENIES THE, I GUESS THE REQUEST FOR ACCOMMODATION TO, I GUESS, WAIVE THE PET DEPOSIT.

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. AND THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.

THAT WOULD TRIGGER A COMPLAINT ON THAT ON THAT INDIVIDUAL.

SO AND THAT'S THE CHALLENGE, RIGHT? SO THE CHALLENGE IS HOPING THAT THAT INDIVIDUAL REALIZES THAT THERE COULD BE A POTENTIAL FAIR HOUSING VIOLATION.

RIGHT. AND THEY, THEY KNOW THAT THEY CAN COME TO OUR DEPARTMENT TO FILE A COMPLAINT.

THERE'S LIKE A WHOLE PROCESS, RIGHT? ONCE THEY MAKE THE COMPLAINT, THEN THERE'S A PROCESS, RIGHT? AND I'LL COVER SOME OF THAT IN SOME OF THE OTHER SLIDES THAT YOU CAN SEE THE WAY OUR INVESTIGATORS SIT DOWN WITH A PERSON THAT WANTS TO FILE A COMPLAINT, EXPLAIN THEIR RIGHTS, GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

NOW, WE'RE NOT ADVOCATES, AND I'LL MENTION SOME OF THAT, BUT WE WILL CERTAINLY TAKE A COMPLAINT FROM THE COMMUNITY, FROM A COMMUNITY MEMBER. I'M SORRY.

MY APOLOGIES. I WAS TURNING ON THE VOLUME. OKAY.

SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'LL HIGHLIGHT IN THIS SLIDE IS.

A COUPLE OF POINTS, RIGHT? SO TO YOUR COMMENT COMMISSIONER.

OR VICE CHAIR. IS THERE CAN'T BE ANY PET RENT, RIGHT? NO DEPOSITS ARE REQUIRED. AND THERE I EMPHASIZE THERE'S, THERE'S NO BREED LIMITS THAT CAN BE CHARGED OR ENFORCED,

[01:00:07]

BUT THERE IS A VERIFICATION THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

SO THAT IS PART OF THE INTERACTIVE PROCESS. SO A LANDLORD, A HOUSING PROVIDER CAN CERTAINLY ASK FOR DOCUMENTATION TO SHOW THAT YOU DO HAVE A DISABILITY, THAT THERE IS A IS AN AXIS BETWEEN WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR AND AND YOUR DISABILITY.

THAT WAY, TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE COMPLYING WITH THE LAW.

THE LAST POINT HERE THAT I'LL MAKE THERE IS A WAY TO THERE IS A COUPLE POINTS THAT I'LL MAKE.

SO WHEN YOU MAKE A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION REQUEST, THERE IS NO STANDARD DEFINITION OF WHAT IS REASONABLE, RIGHT? SO I WISH THERE WAS A MANUAL THAT I COULD TELL YOU, BUT THIS IS CONSIDERED REASONABLE.

SO IT'S ALWAYS ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. AND WE ALWAYS RELY ON WHAT ARE YOU REQUESTING.

AND IS THERE A NEXUS BETWEEN WHAT YOU'RE ASKING AND YOUR DISABILITY.

JUST AND AND THE LAST POINT HERE IF THERE'S A DIRECT, IF THERE IS A DIRECT THREAT OR SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE OR IF THERE IS A FINANCIAL HARDSHIP THOSE ARE THINGS THAT A HOUSING PROVIDER CAN USE AS A DEFENSE IN THEIR DENIAL OF THAT ACCOMMODATION. NEXT SLIDE. OKAY. SO HERE I WILL I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT TO YOUR QUESTION SIR IS THE COMPLAINT INTAKE PROCESS.

SO THIS IS GOING TO BE AT THE VERY FRONT END OF AN INQUIRY.

SO TYPICALLY OUR INVESTIGATORS WILL RECEIVE AN INQUIRY BY MAIL BY PHONE OR IN PERSON.

PEOPLE CAN COME TO OUR OFFICE AND SIT DOWN WITH AN INVESTIGATOR AND FILE A COMPLAINT.

AND SIMULTANEOUSLY OR INSTANTANEOUSLY THEY'RE IN OUR OFFICE.

WHAT OUR INVESTIGATORS ARE TRYING TO DO IS IDENTIFY A BASIS IN ISSUES, RIGHT? IS THE TRANSACTION THAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING OR COMPLAINING ABOUT COVERED UNDER THE FAIR HOUSING ACT AND IN THIS CASE DO YOU HAVE A DISABILITY? DID YOU TALK TO THE HOUSING PROVIDER ABOUT YOUR ACCOMMODATION.

JUST TRYING TO ESTABLISH JURISDICTION. DID IT HAPPEN IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, OR DID IT HAPPEN SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE THE CITY? BECAUSE OUR JURISDICTION ONLY COVERS THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

DID IT HAPPEN WITHIN THE APPROPRIATE TIME FRAMES? AND FOR OUR COMPLIANCE, THAT WOULD BE ONE YEAR FROM THE HARM DATE.

SO IF IT HAPPENED TODAY, IF YOU COME IN AND YOU WANT TO FILE A COMPLAINT TODAY, SO THIS IS TODAY'S DATE IS WHAT WOULD TRIGGER THAT ONE YEAR TIME FRAME TO FILE YOUR COMPLAINT. SO ONCE WE ESTABLISH ALL OF THAT AND WE PREPARE THE PERSON'S COMPLAINT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WILL ENSURE OR HAVE TO ENSURE AS PART OF OUR PROCESS TO, IS TO HAVE THAT PERSON ACTUALLY SIGN OFF ON THE COMPLAINT TO AFFIRM THE ALLEGATIONS THAT YOU'RE MAKING. AND, AND THAT WILL ESSENTIALLY TRIGGER THE INVESTIGATION PROCESS, WHICH I'LL COVER IN THIS NEXT SLIDE. SO THE COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION PROCESS. ENTAILS GATHERING FACTS STATEMENTS INTERVIEWING PEOPLE.

REVIEWING POLICY LOOKING AT IF WE NEED TO GO ON SITE, DO WE NEED TO GO TO THE PROPERTY AND JUST KIND OF GET A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO CONVEY IN YOUR COMPLAINT? WE WILL DEFINITELY DO THAT. DURING THE COURSE OF THE INVESTIGATION, WE'RE UTILIZING STANDARDS OF PROOF TO DETERMINE WHETHER THERE IS REASONABLE CAUSE, WHICH WOULD ESSENTIALLY BE REASONABLE CAUSE WOULD ESSENTIALLY BE MEAN.

THERE IS MERIT TO YOUR COMPLAINT OR, OR THERE IS NO CAUSE, WHICH ESSENTIALLY INDICATES THAT THERE IS NO MERIT TO THE ALLEGATIONS.

RIGHT. AND FROM THE STANDPOINT OF OUR OFFICE, WE'RE ALWAYS DOING THESE INVESTIGATIONS FROM A NEUTRAL STANDPOINT.

IN OTHER WORDS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE SIDES WITH THE HOUSING PROVIDER OR THE COMPLAINANT.

WE'RE ALWAYS IN THE MIDDLE OF THINGS WHICH IS GREAT TO POINT OUT TO, TO EVERYONE HERE.

ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS AS PART OF OUR PROCESS IS TRY TO RESOLVE THESE COMPLAINTS.

[01:05:01]

CAN WE TRY TO NEGOTIATE A SETTLEMENT FROM SOME OF THE AS PART OF THE PROCESS? AND MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, I WOULD SAY WE, WE TRY TO DO THAT, OR WE HAVE TO DO THAT IN ALL CASES.

BUT I WOULD SAY OUR RESOLUTION RATE IS PRETTY.

I WOULD CONSIDER IT PRETTY, PRETTY GREAT. NEXT SLIDE.

OKAY. SO HERE I WANTED TO SHOW YOU JUST A LAYOUT OF OR A MAP OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN. AND THE PURPOSE OF DEMONSTRATING THIS IS TO KIND OF SHOW THAT THERE MAY BE AREAS WHERE.

WE MIGHT NOT HAVE JURISDICTION OVER A COMPLAINT BECAUSE OF THE MEANDERING OF CERTAIN DISTRICTS.

AND I'LL POINT OUT, FOR EXAMPLE, DISTRICT SIX SEEMS TO BE SORT OF ON THAT LAKE LINE AREA WHERE THERE MIGHT BE PROPERTIES THAT HAVE AN ADDRESS THAT SAYS AUSTIN, TEXAS.

BUT THERE ARE WILLIAMSON COUNTY, WHICH MIGHT BE A JURISDICTION ISSUE FOR US.

SO I JUST THOUGHT I'D SHOW THAT TO YOU ALL HERE.

AND NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO THIS NEXT SLIDE IS A SLIDE THAT I AM PRETTY PROUD OF.

AND I'M GOING BACK TO JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE COMPLETED OUR PERFORMANCE PERIOD. AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT THAT MEANS IS I SAID IN MY OPENING REMARKS, THAT IS A PERIOD THAT ESSENTIALLY COINCIDES WITH HUD IN REGARDS TO COMPLAINT PROCESS. SO THAT PERIOD BEGINS JULY 1ST AND IT ENDS JUNE 30TH. AND IN ANY YEAR, IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT YEAR.

THAT'S THE PERIOD WHERE HUD WILL ESSENTIALLY BE EVALUATING, COMPLAINTS THAT AN ENFORCEMENT AGENCY SUBMITS FOR CREDIT. AND THIS YEAR WE JUST CLOSED OUT OUR PERFORMANCE PERIOD JUNE 30TH.

AND WE ENDED THE PROCESSING YEAR WITH 43 CASES.

OUT OF THOSE 43 CASES, 13 OF THEM WERE RESOLVED THROUGH CONCILIATION, WHICH RESULTED IN $42,714 IN RELIEF FOR PEOPLE WHO FILED COMPLAINTS.

AND ANOTHER HIGHLIGHT IS PART OF OUR SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS INCLUDE PUBLIC INTEREST PROVISIONS.

WHAT THAT ESSENTIALLY MEANS IS THAT WE AS A CITY HAVE A GENERAL PROVISIONS AREA WHERE WE'RE LOOKING FOR RE REAFFIRMATION. I WOULD SAY THAT EDUCATES AND FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE COMMUNITY.

WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS FAIR HOUSING TRAINING THAT THE LANDLORD OR THE HOUSING PROVIDER MIGHT AGREE TO TAKE UPDATING THEIR NONDISCRIMINATION POLICIES, POSTING FAIR HOUSING NOTICES OR POSTERS AT AT EACH PROPERTY MAINTAINING BETTER RECORD KEEPING. THEIR MARKETING OR IN SOME CASES, ADOPTING A NEW AND UPDATED REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION POLICY OR REASONABLE MODIFICATION POLICY.

SO THAT IS KNOWN AS PUBLIC INTEREST RELIEF. AND, AND I POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE SOMETIMES THAT DOESN'T SHOW UP IN THAT NUMBER IN THE MONETARY RELIEF. NUMBER THAT'S UP THERE. NEXT SLIDE.

SO HERE I WANTED TO REFLECT OR SHARE THAT. THIS SLIDE COVERS OUR.

IMPACT PILLARS. I'LL DESCRIBE THEM AS SUCH. ONE.

WHAT WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO DO. IS ENSURE THAT OUR CASE PROCESSES.

CASE PROCESS INCLUDES RESOLUTION OF THAT COMPLAINT THAT.

WE'RE DELIVERING REMEDIES FOR RESIDENTS WITHOUT A PROLONGED LITIGATION PROCESS.

THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. ANOTHER PILLAR AND ANOTHER CORNERSTONE OF OUR OFFICE IS DURING APRIL IS FAIR HOUSING MONTH. AND WE ALWAYS HOST SOME EXCEPTION OF THE COVID YEARS THAT WE DIDN'T HOST, BUT WE HOST WITH. THAT IS AN ANNUAL FAIR HOUSING CONFERENCE.

[01:10:05]

THIS YEAR, THE CONFERENCE INCLUDED ARE ECONOMIC MOBILITY INITIATIVE.

AND, AND I'M GLAD OR HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE HAD THE GREATEST ATTENDANCE THIS YEAR.

WE HAD 283 PEOPLE SHOW UP TO OUR CONFERENCE. SO THAT WAS GREAT.

SOME OF THE SESSIONS THAT WE COVER THERE IS FAIR HOUSING BASICS.

WE HAVE A LEGAL UPDATE PANEL DISCUSSION SPECIFICALLY TO, OF INTEREST TO THIS COMMISSION.

WE HAD A PANEL DISCUSSION ON AGING AND ACCESSIBILITY.

AND MOVING ON TO THE NEXT PILLAR. WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO ANALYZE DATA TRENDS AND HOW OUR ORDINANCES ARE IMPACTING THE COMMUNITY.

FOR EXAMPLE ARE WE SEEING A UPTICK IN FAIR HOUSING COMPLAINTS IN A SPECIFIC AREA, WHETHER IT BE SOUTH AUSTIN, NORTH AUSTIN. DO WE NEED TO CONCENTRATE MORE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH EFFORTS IN THAT AREA TO BRING MORE AWARENESS TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THERE ARE SOME RIGHTS THAT THEY CAN EXERCISE? DO WE NEED TO FOCUS OUR ATTENTION ON EMPLOYMENT, NOT JUST FAIR HOUSING? DOES IT NEED TO BE ONE OF OUR OTHER ORDINANCES THAT WE ENFORCE THAT WE NEED TO STRATEGIZE SO THAT WE CAN BRING AWARENESS TO THE COMMUNITY? AND LASTLY HERE, OUR LAST PILLAR IS ALWAYS, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.

WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO EXPAND ACCESS TO CIVIL RIGHTS INFORMATION OR RIGHTS TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. AND WHAT DOES THAT DO? WELL, OF COURSE, IT BRINGS AWARENESS INFORMATION SHARE.

BUT I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS IT'S ALWAYS FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE COMMUNITY.

OKAY. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LAUNCHING THIS YEAR, AS WE BEGIN OUR NEW PERFORMANCE PERIOD IS WE ARE GOING TO DO MORE COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS, TRAININGS.

WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH OR PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT TENANTS RIGHTS FAIR HOUSING PROTECTIONS CIVIL RIGHTS IN GENERAL DISABILITY PROTECTIONS THAT ARE WITHIN THE ANTI-DISCRIMINATION ORDINANCES THAT WE ENFORCE.

WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT CITY RESOURCES AND SUPPORT SERVICES THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE.

AND ULTIMATELY HELP THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTAND OF THOSE RIGHTS.

AND IF, IF ANY OF THOSE RIGHTS HAVE BEEN VIOLATED.

LAST COUPLE OF POINTS WHY DO THESE PARTNERSHIPS MATTER? WELL, WE WANT TO REACH COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGH TRUSTED ORGANIZATIONS.

THERE MIGHT BE SOME ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT PEOPLE ARE SPECIFICALLY COMFORTABLE GOING TO SO IF WE CAN PARTNER WITH SOME OF THOSE COMMUNITY OR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO REACH THEIR NETWORK WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO THAT.

AND IT'S ALL FOR THE BETTERMENT OF TRYING TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT OUR ANTI DISCRIMINATION ORDINANCES.

AND I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME OVERLAPPING AUDIENCES.

SO I THINK THAT IF WE CAN PARTNER WITH SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND EXPAND KNOWLEDGE IN ONE LOCATION USING OUR JOINT RESOURCES. I THINK THAT HELPS US REACH A BROADER COMMUNITY.

AND LASTLY HERE I WILL POINT OUT THAT AGAIN, IT'S JUST TO BRING AWARENESS TO THE COMMUNITY RIGHTS, RESOURCES AND, AND SUPPORT THAT'S AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY.

NEXT SLIDE. I THINK THIS IS OUR CONTACT INFORMATION.

SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF WAYS THAT YOU CAN REACH US.

OF COURSE, I MENTIONED THAT YOU CAN PHYSICALLY COME TO OUR OFFICE.

NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE'RE LOCATED AT THE ONE TEXAS CENTER.

AGAIN, YOU DON'T NEED AN APPOINTMENT. IF YOU KNOW OF IF ANYBODY NEEDS TO UTILIZE OUR RESOURCES ARE WELCOME TO

[01:15:01]

COME AND AND JUST COME TO OUR OFFICE AND SOMEBODY WILL MEET WITH THEM.

AND THEN WE, WE DO HAVE OUR WEBSITE, WHICH IS AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY.

AND WE ALSO HAVE DIRECT NUMBER THERE ON THE, ON THIS LAST SLIDE.

AND WE HAVE OUR QR CODE THAT WILL TAKE YOU TO OUR WEBSITE.

SO HERE IS THE PART WHERE IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANYTHING THAT I CAN ANSWER.

THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW OPEN UP FOR QUESTIONS.

ARE THERE ANY COMMISSIONERS ONLINE? YES. THAT WAS REALLY THOROUGH.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TO PRESENT TO US.

ABSOLUTE PLEASURE. COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR FLEXIBILITY AS WE REARRANGED OUR, THE ORDERING OF OUR AGENDA TONIGHT AND OKAY. THANK YOU. I JUST HAVE A QUESTION. DO YOU KEEP STATISTICS ON THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS THAT ARE FILED WITH YOUR OFFICE OR LIKE, I GUESS DATA WHERE YOU CAN MAYBE SHARE THAT MAYBE NEXT TIME? I, I DID COVER A COUPLE OF SLIDE.

I WOULD, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. I, I KEEP THE SO WE HAD 43 COMPLAINTS. COMMISSIONER VICE VICE CHAIR 43 COMPLAINTS WERE, CAN YOU BE A LITTLE MORE SPECIFIC ON THAT SORT OF, I KNOW YOU LIKE INQUIRIES OR YOU WERE TALKING EARLIER ABOUT LIKE, IF THERE'S LIKE CERTAIN COMPLAINTS IN CERTAIN AREAS.

OH, YOU'D LIKE THE DISTINCTION FOR ME TO BREAK THEM DOWN A LITTLE? WELL, NOT WELL, NOT NECESSARILY. I WAS JUST TRYING TO GAUGE LIKE.

SO IF YOU HAVE LIKE, LET'S SAY, YOU KNOW, MAYBE LIKE 50% OF COMPLAINTS OVER IN, LET'S SAY LIKE EAST AUSTIN AND THEN YOU HAVE LIKE MAYBE 25 IN NORTH AUSTIN.

SO WHERE DO YOU LIKE, OKAY, I GUESS SPEND RESOURCES LIKE, I GUESS BASED ON THE, I GUESS THE COMPLAINTS THAT ARE, I GUESS, PROVIDED OR SENT TO YOUR OFFICE. OKAY.

I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON THAT REQUEST. THANK YOU SIR.

ABSOLUTELY. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.

HEARING NONE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING AND FOR THAT VERY DETAILED, VERY THOROUGH BRIEFING.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIME AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.

IT'S A PLEASURE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I DO NEED TO GO BACK.

AND I REALIZED THAT I SKIPPED OVER STAFF BRIEFING ITEM NUMBER TWO.

[2. Staff briefing regarding the New Officer Involved Shooting Dashboard. Presentation by Sara Peralta, Public Information and Marketing Program Manager, Austin Police Oversight and Katrina Dorsey, Community Engagement Specialist, Austin Police Oversight. ]

UNFORTUNATELY, THE BRIEFING REGARDING THE NEW OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING DASHBOARD HAD TO BE WITHDRAWN FOR THE EVENING.

AND SO WE WILL BE RESCHEDULING THAT BRIEFING FOR ANOTHER FUTURE DATE.

THANK YOU. THEN MOVING ON TO. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS.

[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]

ARE THERE ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR FROM THE FLOOR.

OKAY. HEARING NONE. IF YOU DO HAVE A RECOMMENDATION IN THE FUTURE, PLEASE.

PLEASE SEND THEM ON TO AT LEAST A WEEK BEFORE OUR SCHEDULED MEETING, WHICH IS SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2026, ACTUALLY CHAIR, IF EVERYONE WOULD BE ABLE TO SEND ME YOUR AGENDA ITEMS BY AUGUST 21ST, WHICH I BELIEVE IS NEXT FRIDAY, I'LL BE ON VACATION THE FOLLOWING WEEK FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK.

SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE ANYTHING, I WOULD NEED IT BY THE 21ST.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING US KNOW THAT. SO BY AUGUST 21ST, IF YOU'RE ABLE TO SEND THEM ON TO COPYING MYSELF AND VICE CHAIR SAN MARTIN, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING WITH THE LATE START, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO. COMMISSIONERS. JUST AT THIS POINT, WE'RE READY TO.

ADJOURN THE MEETING UNLESS I WOULD CAN I ACCEPT A MOTION FROM THE FLOOR?

[01:20:05]