Sep 08, 2026 Community Development Commission

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

UM, WELCOME.

UM, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.

UM, THANK YOU FOR COMING TO THE CDC TODAY.

GOOD EVENING.

UM, I HAVE A LETTER HERE ADDRESSED TO HERC.

UH, MY NAME IS MARIA SANCHEZ, AND I'M THE SOLAR EQUITY CAMPAIGN COORDINATOR FOR BOLDED PEOPLE ORGANIZED IN DEFENSE OF EARTH AND HER RESOURCES.

A WOMAN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR LED GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION FORMED IN 1991 TO INCREASE THE PARTICIPATION OF RESIDENTS IN EAST AUSTIN IN DECISIONS RELATED TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OF OUR COMMUNITIES.

I'M HERE TODAY TO REQUEST A DIALOGUE WITH THE AUSTIN HOUSING INVESTMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE, HERC TO EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF INSTALLING SOLAR PANELS AND BATTERIES ON FUTURE HERC HOUSING INVESTMENTS, CENTERING ON CLEAN ENERGY EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY.

OUR SELLER EQUITY CAMPAIGN IS FOUNDED ON THE ENERGY COST BURDEN, UNRELIABILITY AND CLEAN ENERGY INEQUITY THAT'S FACED BY EAST AUSTIN'S LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.

ENERGY POVERTY STUDIES ACRO CONDUCTED ACROSS TEXAS HAVE REFLECTED THE DISPARATE BURDEN THAT THESE DEMOGRAPHICS FACE COMPOUNDED BY THE CLIMATE CHANGE AND AFFORDABILITY CRISIS THAT AUSTIN KNIGHTS ARE ENDURING IN TANDEM WITH THE EVER INCREASING COST OF LIVING IN AUSTIN.

JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE EXPERIENCED THE HIGHEST INCREASE, 23% IN AUSTIN ENERGY RATES LIVED IN SHARED EXPERIENCES DURING EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS.

WINTER STORMS, YURI AND MARA, THE RECENT MICROBURSTS, RECORD BREAKING SUMMERS, ET CETERA, ALL HIGHLIGHT THE LACK OF RELIABILITY THAT OUR ENERGY GRID DESPERATELY NEEDS SOLAR INSTALLATIONS AND BATTERIES THAT PRODUCE RELIABLE, CLEAN, AND AFFORDABLE ENERGY AT ALL TIMES HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO REMEDIATE THESE ISSUES.

UNFORTUNATELY, MANY AUSTINITES LACK ACCESS TO SOLAR ENERGY BECAUSE THEY ARE RENTERS CANNOT AFFORD TO SEEP UPFRONT COSTS, LACK AWARENESS, AND OR SUFFICIENT PROPERTY STANDARDS, ET CETERA.

EDNA'S PARTNERS BELIEVE THAT WE MUST USE CREATIVE MECHANISMS TO FOSTER GREATER DEVELOP DEPLOYMENT OF SOLAR ENERGY PROJECTS WITHIN OUR MOST DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.

IN AUSTIN, FUTURE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS STAND TO BENEFIT FROM REDUCED ENERGY COSTS, RESILIENCY, AND A HEALTHIER ENVIRONMENT FOR THE RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY AT LARGE.

IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR CITY'S CLIMATE EQUITY GOALS, WE ENCOURAGE HERC TO EXPLORE THE AVENUES THAT COULD ALLOW SOLAR TO BE CONSIDERED AND IMPLEMENTED AT EVERY INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY.

PLEASE REACH US AT MARIA SAN POED@GMAIL.COM TO COORDINATE FURTHER DIALOGUE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.

DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? NOT AT THIS TIME.

VICE CHAIR.

WE WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

UM, ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS OR AMENDMENTS TO THE MINUTES FROM LAST MONTH? AND I DO WANNA NOTE THAT THE DATE, IT SAYS AUGUST 11TH, BUT I THINK WE MET ON AUGUST 14TH, OR, OH NO, IT SAYS AUGUST 14TH, BUT WE, OR WE MET ON AUGUST 11TH, UM, AND VICE CHAIR, THE, I KNOW, I, I CONFUSED YOU.

OH, UH, ON THE AGENDA FOR TODAY, IT'S AUGUST 14TH, BUT ON THE MINUTES IT IS CORRECT.

AND SO I'LL MAKE SURE THAT THE MINUTES FOR THIS ONE HAVE IT FOR AUGUST 11TH, NOT AUGUST 14TH, BUT GREAT CATCH.

PERFECT.

, UH, COMMISSIONER BERNARD MOTIONS TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.

SO DO WE NEED A MOTION TO, OKAY.

UM, IF WE CAN GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM LAST MONTH.

UM, I DON'T, OH,

[00:05:01]

CAN WE GET A SECOND? SECOND FIRST.

ALL I SECOND.

OH.

UM, COMMISSIONER, UH, GAMBOA GOT THE SECOND.

AND SORRY.

, I THINK THAT MEANS THAT IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.

AND THE MINUTES ARE NOW APPROVED.

WE NOW NEED A VOTE.

OH, WE NEED A VOTE.

UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE TURN ON YOUR CAMERA TO VOTE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.

3, 4, 5.

COMMISSIONER BREWSTER, IF YOU CAN TURN ON YOUR CAMERA TO VOTE.

WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO, A STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT, ACTIVITIES AND OUTCOMES PRESENTED BY ANHILL ZAMBRANO, UM, WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.

UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, AND THEN THE MOTION CARRIES.

SORRY.

ALL THOSE OPPOSED AND ALL THOSE ABSTAINING.

[2. Staff briefing regarding Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) activities and outcomes. Presentation by Angel Zambrano, Program Manager III, Austin Public Health (APH).]

ALL RIGHT.

GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.

UMNO FROM AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES UNIT HERE TO DO OUR MONTHLY BRIEFING.

IT SHOULD BE PRETTY SHORT, ALTHOUGH I WILL TAKE A COUPLE OF EXTRA MINUTES SINCE WE HAVE A NEW COMMISSIONER.

UH, IS IT COMMISSIONER GABO? YES.

WELCOME.

FAR THIS YEAR WE'VE PROVIDED, UH, 1,706 NURSING SESSIONS AND THE NURSES HAVE ATTENDED, UH, 212 SCREENING EVENTS.

UH, JUST TO KIND OF EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DEPTH WHAT WE DO AND THE REASON I'M HERE EVERY MONTH.

ALRIGHT.

SO, UH, THIS IS A COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT, 2026 CONTRACT, UH, MONTHLY PROGRAMMATIC AND FINANCIAL REPORT.

WE ALWAYS START WITH OUR MISSION AS WELL.

THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES UNIT AIMS 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.

AND MOSTLY FOR COMMISSIONER GAMBOA.

UH, WE DO THIS AT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS.

WE HAVE SEVEN RS CENTERS ACROSS THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, WHERE WE PROVIDE BASIC NEEDS SERVICES, UH, PREVENTIVE HEALTH, A LOT OF, UH, NURSING SERVICES, UH, SCREENING FOR BLOOD PRESSURE, BLOOD SUGAR, INCLUDING A1C CHOLESTEROL.

UH, WE HAVE EVENTS AT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS AND WE ALWAYS GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.

UH, PLACES LIKE THE CONSULATE OF MEXICO, ET CETERA.

WE ALSO PROVIDE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES THROUGH OUR SOCIAL WORKERS.

UH, THEY DO SELF-SUFFICIENCY CASE MANAGEMENT, UH, AS PART OF THE GRANT REQUIREMENTS, UH, TRYING TO GET PEOPLE BACK INTO THE WORLD OF WORK.

AND THE STATE GIVES US A GOAL OF 41 TRANSITIONS OUT OF POVERTY, UH, EVERY YEAR.

SOMETIMES THE NUMBER GOES UP, SOMETIMES IT GOES DOWN ACROSS THE STATE.

AND THEN WE, UH, WORK WITH FOLKS TO HAVE THEM BE EMPLOYED FOR AT LEAST 90 DAYS ABOVE THE POVERTY LEVEL.

UH, WE, AND WE PROVIDE, AGAIN, UH, ASSISTANCE WITH TRAININGS, MOCK INTERVIEWING, JOB SEARCHES, UH, COACHING, MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING, THINGS LIKE THAT.

AGAIN, YOU CAN FOLLOW ON THE, UH, BACKUP THERE.

AND THEN I JUST MENTIONED THE EMPLOYMENT SUPPORTS.

UH, WE DO HAVE A SMALL, UH, RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF FUNDING, BUT WE DO HELP SOME FOLKS AVOID EVICTION THROUGH THAT PROGRAM.

AND WE ALSO ARE PART OF A AUSTIN ENERGIES PLUS ONE UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

AGAIN, THAT'S VERY LITTLE FUNDING.

IT'S ABOUT $38,000 THAT WE GET EACH YEAR.

AND WE CAN HELP PEOPLE WE TO $500 WITH THEIR UTILITY BILL IF THEY'RE BEHIND AND AT RISK OF LOSING THEIR, UH, THEIR UTILITIES.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE ONE, OUR CONTRACT, WE JUST GOT THE FINAL ALLOCATION.

I MENTIONED THAT LAST MONTH, BUT IT'S OFFICIAL NOW.

WE GOT, UH, AN EXTRA 292 570 $4 FOR A TOTAL OF $1,148,214 THROUGH C-S-P-C-S-P-G FUNDING.

UH, THIS FUNDS 13 STAFF.

AGAIN, I'M GOING INTO A LITTLE MORE DETAIL FOR THE NEW COMMISSIONER.

UH, BUT WE HAVE AROUND 50 STAFF IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES UNIT.

13 OF THOSE ARE FUNDED BY THIS GRANT.

UH, THAT INCLUDES SOME MANAGERS, ALL OF OUR SOCIAL WORKERS AND SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY WORKERS.

UH, WE'VE EXPENDED ABOUT SIX, UH, 59% OF THE FUNDS SO FAR, AND WE HAVE TO AT THE END OF DECEMBER TO FULLY EXPEND THIS GRANT.

UH, I USED TO DO SUCCESS STORIES, BUT IT WASN'T EVERY SINGLE MEETING.

BUT I THINK A FEW MEETINGS THAT GO, THE COMMISSIONERS ASK, HEY, WE'D LIKE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE OF LIKE JUST THE, THE STORIES THAT COME OUT OF THE SERVICES YOU PROVIDE.

SO I'M DOING THAT MONTHLY NOW, READ IT ON YOUR OWN TIME, BUT IT'S ON THE BACK OF THE FIRST PART OF THE REPORT.

THIS ONE HAS TO DO WITH A SELF-SUFFICIENCY CASE MANAGEMENT CLIENT.

AND IT'S WRITTEN IN THE SOCIAL WORKER'S OWN WORDS, SORT OF HOW THEY WORKED WITH THIS CLIENT AND HELPED HIM INTO THE WORLD

[00:10:01]

OF WORK.

IT WAS THEIR INTEREST.

THEY HAD SOME OF THAT SKILLSET AND THEY, THEY HELPED HIM, YOU KNOW, BECOME EMPLOYED.

AND THEY'VE BEEN EMPLOYED FOR AT LEAST 90 DAYS.

SO WE CAN COUNT THAT AS A TRANSITION FOR THAT, UH, PERSON IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD.

ALRIGHT, IF WE CAN GO TO THE, UH, SECOND REPORT.

AND WHILE THEY'RE DOING THAT, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF UPDATES.

UM, WE HAD A MEETING TODAY ABOUT THE SOUTH AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER.

UH, THE HVAC WORK IS ALMOST COMPLETED, SO WE'RE HOPING FOR A NOVEMBER STAFF MOVE IN AND SOON AFTER, HOPEFULLY GET THE CLIENTS BACK IN AGAIN FOR THE NEW COMMISSIONER THAT, THAT NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER WAS CLOSED FOR SOME MAJOR RENOVATIONS.

OUR BUILDINGS ARE PRETTY OLD.

UH, THEY GO BACK TO THE SEVENTIES AND THIS ONE TOOK A LITTLE LONGER THAN WE WANTED.

I THINK IT'S BEEN ALMOST TWO YEARS.

UH, AND THOSE STAFF HAVE BEEN WORKING AT OTHER CENTERS, UM, FOR NOW.

SO EXCITING NEWS.

HOPEFULLY WE WILL BE OPEN BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

ALRIGHT, THE SECOND BACKUP HERE, UH, THIS IS, UM, MOSTLY FOR YOUR OWN TIME.

YOU CAN LOOK AT IT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT THAT THROUGH JULY OF THIS YEAR.

THE AVERAGE PAYMENT FOR RENT ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN ABOUT $1,871.

WE'VE HELPED 278 INDIVIDUALS AVOID POVERTY IN 107 HOUSEHOLDS.

UM, WE'VE GOT 5,170 CALLS ON THE PHONE LINE THIS MONTH.

SO AS YOU CAN TELL, THERE'S A LOT OF DEMAND FOR UTILITY AND RENTAL ASSISTANCE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

I'M NOT, I'M PREACHING TO THE CHOIR HERE, BUT, YOU KNOW, COST OF LIVING, INFLATION, UNAFFORDABLE HOUSING, ALL THOSE FACTORS ARE REALLY HURTING THE POOREST OF THE POOR.

WHO ARE THE FOLKS THAT WE SERVE? UM, AS YOU CAN TELL FROM THIS CHART, IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOP GRAPH, MOST OF THE PEOPLE WE SERVE ARE REALLY THE POOREST OF THE POOR.

UM, THEY'RE UNDER 125% OF POVERTY, WHICH FOR A FAMILY OF TWO IS WHAT, $20,000 A YEAR.

IT'S VERY LITTLE.

UM, IT'S ALSO BROKEN DOWN BY RACE AND, UM, ETHNICITY AS WELL.

AGAIN, THIS IS A VERY SMALL PROGRAM.

WE GET ABOUT $755,000 FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE.

UM, AND WE'VE IN THE FISCAL YEAR, AND SO FAR THIS YEAR, WE'VE SPENT ALMOST 400,000 IN THAT.

IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, OUR BASIC NEEDS ASSISTANCE, THIS IS MOSTLY OUR, UM, FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FOOD BANK, AMAZON, AND SOME OF THE FOOD RECOVERY GROCERY STORES, WHOLE FOODS, HEB SPROUT, ET CETERA.

UH, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, NOTARY SERVICES FOR OUR CLIENTS.

WE HAVE CAR SEAT EVENTS WHERE PARENTS COME IN AND THEY LEARN HOW TO SAFELY INSTALL A CAR SEAT.

UM, WE HAVE, UH, FANS IN THE SUMMER WITH, UH, COLLABORATION WITH FAMILY ELDER CARE.

UH, WE TRY TO DO THANKSGIVING, UH, EVENTS AS WELL FOR THE FAMILIES THAT WE SERVE.

UH, AND ON TOP OF THAT WE HAVE OUR NURSING AND SOCIAL WORK SERVICES.

SO THIS JUST KIND OF GIVES YOU AN IDEA THROUGH JULY OF THIS YEAR, HOW MANY SERVICES WE PROVIDED, HOW MANY HOUSEHOLDS HAVE BEEN IMPACTED, UH, IN A POSITIVE WAY.

AND THEN TOP 10 ZIP CODES.

UH, WHEN YOU SEE A BLANK THERE, UH, PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

THAT CAME UP LIKE FIVE MONTHS AGO HERE OR FOUR MONTHS AGO.

LIKE, WHY ARE THERE BLANKS? UH, THAT'S THE REASON.

SO THERE'S ENOUGH PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANNA ANSWER THAT, THAT IT BECOMES ONE OF THE TOP 10 NON ZIP CODES, UH, RIGHT'S ALSO BROKEN UP BY RACE AND ETHNICITY.

YOU GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, KIND OF A LITTLE HEAT MAP OF WHERE MOST OF OUR, UM, RENT AND UTILITY CLIENTS LIVE.

THE DARKER, THE MORE CONCENTRATED THE NEED.

AND ALSO OUR BASIC NEED SERVICES.

GO TO THE NEXT PAGE.

OUR EMPLOYMENT SERVICES.

THIS IS OUR SELF-SUFFICIENCY SUFFICIENCY CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.

AGAIN, OUR GOAL IS 41.

WE HAVE 32 TRANSITIONS FOR THE YEAR.

SO I TRULY AGREE.

I THINK WE'RE ON TRACK TO SURPASS THE STATE GOAL.

UH, WE'RE AT 78%, UH, ABOUT AN EASY THING TO DO.

A LOT OF THE STATE STRUGGLES WITH THIS, UH, MEASURE OR OTHER CAS ACROSS THE STATE.

UM, SO THAT'S REALLY THE WORK OF OUR SOCIAL WORKERS REALLY PROVIDING VERY, UH, IN DEPTH CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO OUR CLIENTS.

AND YOU GO TO THE LAST PAGE, OUR HEALTH SERVICES.

THIS IS OUR PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING PROGRAMMING.

AGAIN, THIS IS COMPLETELY FREE.

PEOPLE CAN COME TO THE CENTER REQUEST TO TALK TO A NURSE.

UH, WE HAVE PREGNANCY EXAMS AS WELL.

WE HAVE FAMILY NURSING SESSIONS, UH, AND NURSING CARE SESSIONS.

[00:15:01]

UH, AND WE'RE RIGHT NOW GETTING READY FOR FLU.

UH, A PH JUST GOT THEIR FIRST ALLOCATION OF FLU.

SO, UH, WE'RE GONNA START DOING THAT AND PIVOTING TO THAT MOSTLY IN THE MONTH OF, UH, SEPTEMBER, REALLY OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER TO TRY TO GET PEOPLE THEIR FLU VACCINE AND PROTECT THEM BEFORE WE GET TOO FAR INTO THE SEASON.

SO THAT'S EXCITING FOR US.

UM, AND THE NURSE REALLY ENJOYING DOING, DOING THAT WORK TOO.

AND LET'S SEE.

ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE NEW COMMISSIONER AND THE REST OF YOU? I THINK THAT'S IT.

WE'VE BEEN BUSY.

UH, WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF DEMAND, UH, FOR FOOD, FOR RENT UTILITIES, BUT WE DO THE BEST WE CAN WITH THE LIMITED FUNDING WE HAVE.

AND I'M HERE EVERY MONTH BECAUSE AS PART OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT AND THE STATE, UH, WE NEED TO REPORT TO THIS BOARD.

A COMMISSIONERS ON THIS BOARD ACTUALLY REPRESENT, UH, THE, UH, POVERTY DE GEOGRAPHIC AREAS OF AUSTIN THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED BY COUNCIL YEARS AGO.

AND THE OTHER SEVEN ARE APPOINTED BY EITHER, UH, COUNCIL OR THE MAYOR.

SO IT'S SORT OF A TRIPARTITE BOARD.

15 MEMBERS, EIGHT OF THOSE ARE FROM THE POOREST COMMUNITIES IN AUSTIN, GOES BACK TO THE 1960S WAR ON POVERTY AND HOW HE WANTED TO BRING THE VOICE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPACTED ONTO THE TABLE.

SO PRETTY RADICAL AND PRETTY COOL FROM WAY BACK THEN.

AND WE'RE STILL HERE.

AND THANK YOU ALL FOR DOING THE WORK YOU DO.

UM, YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.

I'LL OPEN IT UP TO COMMISSIONERS FOR A QUESTION, UH, JUST 'CAUSE WE'RE KIND OF STARTED A LITTLE LATE.

UM, LET'S KEEP IT TO ONE QUESTION EACH AND THEN IF WE HAVE EXTRA TIME, WE'LL DO A SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS.

UM, YES, GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER.

UH, DO I YES.

YEAH, YEAH.

UH, THANK YOU FOR THE INTRODUCTION.

UM, HAD SEEN YOU SPEAK BEFORE, SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO.

UM, I HAVE QUITE A FEW QUESTIONS, BUT I THINK MY MAIN QUESTION IS, UH, FIRST, HOW MANY SOCIAL WORKERS ARE UNDER YOUR WE HAVE ONE AT EACH NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, SO THAT WOULD BE SEVEN.

SEVEN, OKAY.

AND, UM, WHAT KIND OF LIKE PUBLIC EXPOSURE IS THERE? IS THERE LIKE, UH, ANY SORT OF APPRECIATION THAT HAPPENS, UH, PUBLICLY FOR THE SOCIAL WORK? I KNOW THE, THE WORK THEY DO IS AMAZING, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

AND, YOU KNOW, I USED TO WORK AT A SCHOOL SO SEE A LOT OF THE NITTY GRITTY OF WHAT SOCIAL WORKERS DO.

SO I'M JUST KIND OF CURIOUS LIKE WHAT WE COULD BE DOING TO, YOU KNOW, ELEVATE THEIR WORK EVEN FURTHER.

OH, THAT'S A GREAT, VERY KIND QUESTION.

I REALLY APPRECIATE MM-HMM .

THAT USUALLY I GET MORE OF THE, UH, YOU'RE NOT DOING ENOUGH QUESTIONS.

OH, NO, NO, NO.

SO, UH, LIKE, I, I'M READY FOR THIS ONE.

, I WISH EVERY CENTER COULD HAVE MULTIPLE RIGHT.

BUT, RIGHT.

NO, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ALL JOKING ASIDE, I I, WE HAD OUR EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION EVENT LAST WEEK.

THE COMMUNITY SERVICES DIVISION.

SO THEY WERE ACKNOWLEDGED THERE.

UH, A PH ALSO IS GONNA ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE EMPLOYEES AS WELL.

UM, BUT I WILL THINK ABOUT THAT.

I MEAN, JUST TAKING BACK WHAT I HEAR FROM YOU ALL TO THEM.

IS REALLY, REALLY IMPACTFUL.

'CAUSE THEY DON'T SEE THIS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE HOME RIGHT NOW.

RIGHT, EXACTLY.

SOME OF THEM MIGHT NOT EVEN KNOW I DO THIS EVERY MONTH 'CAUSE IT'S INVISIBLE TO THEM.

SO I CAN TAKE THAT BACK AND THANK YOU.

SOCIAL WORKERS ROCK.

TEACHERS, ROCK NURSES.

I MEAN, THEY'RE JUST OUT THERE ON THE FRONT LINES.

SO EVEN SOMETHING LIKE SOCIAL MEDIA, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING.

WE HAVE A PIO WHO THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.

WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD.

AND WE DO HAVE SOCIAL WORK MONTH, SO THE, THE CITY DOES ADDRESS THAT RECOGNITION AND WE DO SOME INTERNAL ACTIVITIES FOR THAT TOO.

SO THANK YOU.

I, THE ONLY QUESTION I HAD WAS, UM, AROUND THE, THE PHONE CALLS FOR THE RENT AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE, THE VOICEMAIL, DOES THAT OFFER RESOURCES IF SOMEONE'S NOT ABLE TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE DIRECTLY THROUGH IT? LIKE DOES IT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT, UM, ANOTHER PLACE TO EITHER CALL OR LOOK UP FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OTHER SERVICES? IT MENTIONS 2 1 1.

THAT WAS MY ONLY QUESTION.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS? ? I HAD A KIND OF QUICK QUESTION.

WHERE, WHERE ARE THE SEVEN CENTERS LOCATED AND SPECIFICALLY, UH, IN DISTRICT ONE, WHICH I'LL SEND YOU THE FLYER.

BUT, UH, GREAT.

THERE, THEY USED TO BE LIKE, IT SEEMED LIKE THEY WERE FAR OUT TOO, BECAUSE BACK THEN THE SOUTH AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER OFF OF OLD DORF

[00:20:01]

IS WAY OUT THERE.

BUT NOW IT'S ACTUALLY FEELS LIKE IT'S ALMOST NEAR DOWNTOWN .

BUT I'LL SEND YOU THE FLYER TOO, THEN IT GIVES YOU MORE OF AN IDEA OF WHERE THEY ARE.

WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO ITEM THREE.

WONDERFUL.

EXACTLY.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.

SEEING NONE.

UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. SOBRANO.

AND

[3. Discussion on the recent meeting of the Housing Investment Review Committee (HIRC). Discussion led by Commissioner Valeria Menard.]

SO WE'RE NOW GONNA MOVE ON TO ITEM THREE, DISCUSSION ON THE RECENT MEETING OF THE HOUSING INVESTMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE.

UM, THAT'LL BE TAKEN BY COMMISSIONER MENARD MENARD, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.

AND SO, UM, I I'M JUST GONNA MAKE THE MEETING SHORTER, .

UM, AND WHEN I CHECKED WITH THE HER FOLKS, I THOUGHT THAT THEY WOULD HAVE VOTED ON FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS.

UM, BUT THEY HAVE NOT AND THEY WILL NOT UNTIL OCTOBER 22ND.

SO, SO, AND I CAN'T MENTION ANY PROJECTS UNTIL THAT IS THAT HAPPENS.

SO, SO I GUESS WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO POSTPONE THIS AGAIN, MIGUEL.

, YES MA'AM.

FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

BUT YEAH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO PUT THAT, I WOULD, I WOULD GUESS NOVEMBER'S MEETING AND, UM, THIS WILL BE A DISCUSSION ITEM, NOT A DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM.

COMMISSIONER MENARD, JUST ESPECIALLY SINCE WE HAVE A NEW COMMISSIONER, CAN YOU GIVE THE LIKE TWO, THREE SENTENCE VERSION OF WHAT YOU ARE ON AND WHAT WILL BE COMING ? WELL, UM, THIS COMMITTEE LOOKS AT, UM, LOW INCOME HOUSING PROJECTS, BOTH IN, UH, SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING AND, UM, AND RENTAL AND MIXED USE HOUSING.

AND SO THESE ARE DEEPLY AFFORDABLE PROJECTS.

THESE, UM, AND SO, UM, ON THE HOUSING SIDE, SOME OF THEM CAN BE AT THE 80% MEDIAN MFI, BUT SOME CAN ALSO BE LOWER.

UH, SOME DEVELOPERS ACTUALLY GO LOWER, LIKE 50 OR 60, SO THAT'S HEARTENING.

UM, AND SO WE JUST REVIEW ALL THE, UM, PROPOSALS THAT ARE PRESENTED FROM DEVELOPERS AND THEN WE, WE, UM, GIVE, GIVE OUR OPINIONS ON, ON THE VALUE.

AND THEN THE COMMITTEE, UM, CITY PORTION, THEY, THEY MAKE A FINAL DECISION.

SO, SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE DO.

AM I MISSING SOMETHING? YOU'RE OUR PRIMARY AND YOU HAVE AN ALTERNATE, CORRECT? YES.

AND WHO'S OUR ALTERNATE? DO YOU MIND? UM, I DON'T THINK IT'S, IT'S COMM NO, I'M NOT SURE.

I'LL NEVERMIND.

SORRY, I WASN'T TRYING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.

I WAS JUST TRYING TO ALSO FOR, FOR MY NOTES, UM, TO MAKE SURE I HAD COMMISSIONER KEES.

I CAN CHECK ON THAT RIGHT NOW.

AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, IT IS THE HOUSING INVESTMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE.

THERE YOU GO.

REVIEW COMMITTEE, UH, COMMISSIONER GUMBO, JUST IN CASE.

ANY OTHER FINAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM? OKAY.

UM, I'LL JUST HAVE ONE MORE AND ONE MORE POINT.

I BELIEVE THESE ARE HUD FUNDS THAT GO INTO THESE PROJECTS, SO, AWESOME.

GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO ITEM FOUR.

UM, WE'LL

[4. Update and discussion of the CDC Election process. Discussion led by Chair Noe Elias.]

UM, THAT IS THE CDC ELECTION PROCESS UPDATE.

BUT, UM, AS THE CHAIR IS NOT HERE TODAY, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND TABLE THAT ITEM FOR NEXT MONTH, IF I'M CORRECT.

AND THEN,

[5. Discussion and action on the election and nomination process for APH concerning Public Sector and Private Sector Appointees. Presentation by Angel Zambrano, Program Manager III, Austin Public Health.]

UM, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM FIVE, WHICH IS THE A-P-H-A-P-H ELECTION AND NOMINATION PROCESS.

UM, DISCUSSION AND ACTION ON THE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH ELECTION AND NOMINATION PROCESS.

UH, THIS ITEM WENT WITH THE PREVIOUS ITEM, SO IT IS GONNA HAVE TO BE TABLED AS WELL.

'CAUSE ONCE YOU HAVE THE PREVIOUS ITEM AND YOU REVIEW IT NEXT MONTH AND, AND COME TO A CONSENSUS THAT YOU KNOW IT'S APPROVED, THEN I WILL DO A BRIEF SORT OF INTRODUCTION TO THE ELECTION PROCESS AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AS WE TRY TO FILL THE, UH, TWO VACANCIES RIGHT NOW IN THE, UH, POVERTY GEOGRAPHIC AREAS.

SO, YEAH.

SIX, WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO DISCUSSION AND ACTION REGARDING THE DOG'S HEAD DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATION.

WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, UH, TABLE ITEM FIVE AND THEN MOVE THAT TO NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA.

SORRY, I'M TRYING TO LIKE MOVE THROUGH THIS DOCUMENT QUICKLY.

UM, OKAY.

UH, ITEM

[6. Discussion and possible approval of a recommendation regarding the Dog’s Head Development. Discussion led by Commissioner Valeria Menard.]

COMMISSIONER MENARD, THE FLOOR IS YOURS TO INTRODUCE THAT RECOMMENDATION.

THANK YOU CHAIR.

UH, VICE CHAIR LYRIC.

UM, SO YEAH, SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO FOR A

[00:25:01]

LITTLE BIT.

UM, SO INITIALLY THERE WAS A BIG RUSH BECAUSE THIS WAS A, THE DOG'S HEAD, UM, DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WAS PUT FOR FORWARD BY THE CITY IN A, IN A RUSHED MANNER.

BUT, UM, AND WE WERE TRYING TO GET, UM, TO GIVE SUPPORT TO THE WORK OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, WHICH PUT TOGETHER A WORKING GROUP TO REALLY HASH OUT RECOMMENDATIONS FROM COMMUNITY AND CONCERNS.

SO WE, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO HAVE THAT SPECIAL CALL MEETING TO SUPPORT THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.

UM, BUT NOW IT'S THIS, THE WORKING GROUP IS CONTINUING TO WORK AND, UM, AND THERE ARE ALSO MORE ISSUES THAT I WANTED TO ADD REGARDING HOUSING AND WHAT OUR FOCUS IS.

SO, SO BASICALLY TODAY I AM GONNA, SO WHAT THIS RECOMMENDATION IS GOING TO DO IS BASICALLY, UM, SEND OUR SUPPORT TO THE WORK OF THE WORKING GROUP, THE ONGOING WORKING GROUP OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, BUT ALSO TO SHOW OUR, OUR RECOMMENDATION AS WELL FOR CERTAIN ISSUES THAT WE THINK ARE IMPORTANT REGARDING THE DOG SET.

SO, UM, SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I GUESS I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ.

UM, SO A LOT OF THIS IS, THESE ARE, AS YOU'LL SEE, A LOT OF ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS.

UM, BUT THEN THERE'S SOME FEW, SOME OTHERS THAT I'VE ADDED.

SPECIFICALLY THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION THAT OVERSEES VARIANCES SUCH AS CUT AND FILL, IMPERVIOUS COVER, WATERSHED PROTECTIONS AND MORE.

SO, UM, RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL FROM THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 2 0 2 6 0 9 0 8 0 0 6 DOGS HEAD DEVELOPMENT.

WHEREAS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION WAS INFORMED ABOUT THE DOGS HEAD PROJECT BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION CITY STAFF AND MORE THAN 35 CONCERNED CITIZENS AT THE JUNE 17TH, 2006 ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEETING.

AND WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION FORMED A WORKING GROUP TO ADVISE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF THE PROJECT.

AND WHEREAS THE WORKING GROUP COMPRISED OF COMMISSIONERS AND CITIZENS CONTINUES TO MEET REGARDING THE DOSA DEVELOPMENT.

AND WHEREAS THE WORKING GROUP WAS INFORMED THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS NOT CONDUCTED AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT STUDY OR AN ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE INVENTORY OR TREE SURVEY, OR WORKED WITH THE STATE TO ACCESS THE EXISTING POLLUTANTS ON THE PROPERTY.

AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS RECOMMENDING EXPANDING ACCESS TO THE DOG'S HEAD BY AT LEAST THREE BRIDGES ACROSS THE COLORADO RIVER AS PART OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE PACKAGE, YET HAS NOT CONDUCTED AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OR IMPACT STUDY.

AND WHEREAS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION DISAGREES WITH THE STATEMENTS MADE BY THE DEVELOPER THAT THE ENTIRE PROPERTY IS BOMBED OUT OR TOTALLY DEGRADED TO THE POINT THAT IT IS WHAT IT, THAT 100% HAS TO BE RESTORED.

HOWEVER, WE DO AGREE MAJOR RESTORATION IS NECESSARY AND SHOULD BE GUIDED BY THE CITY'S POLICIES AND PRACTICES.

AND WHEREAS TRAVIS COUNTY AND THE STATE HISTORICAL COMMISSION VIA THE HICKS REPORT RECOGNIZED PORTIONS OF THIS PROPERTY TO HAVE EXISTING HISTORIC STRUCTURES FROM EARLIER FARMS AND RANCHING EFFORTS IN THE 1850S AND ADJACENT PROPERTIES THAT ARE STILL IN RANCHING PRODUCTION.

AND WHEREAS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPED COMMISSION RECOGNIZES THIS PROJECT FALLS IN THE BLACKLAND PRAIRIE REGION, AND THAT THIS TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT STATES THAT LESS THAN 1% OF THIS REGION IS LEFT IN TEXAS.

AND WHEREAS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPED COMMISSION ACKNOWLEDGES THE PROJECT IS HABITAT FOR HUNDREDS OF SPECIES OF MIGRATORY AND RESIDENT BIRDS THAT BRING IN BIRDERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD EVERY YEAR WHO CONTRIBUTE MILLIONS TO THE REGIONAL ECONOMY.

AND WHEREAS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPED COMMISSION UNDERSTANDS THE PROJECT ENCOMPASSES THE ALLUVIAL AQUIFERS THAT STORE AND FILTER WATER ALONG THE RIVER TO PROVIDE DRINKING WATER FOR AUSTIN'S COLONY MAYER, TRAVIS COUNTY, DOWNSTREAM COUNTY'S LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE.

AND WHEREAS ON NOVEMBER 6TH, 2024, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION PASSED A RECOMMENDATION CONCERNING THE COLORADO RIVER CODE AMENDMENT.

AND SUBSEQUENTLY, THE CITY COUNCIL PASSED ORDINANCE 2 0 2 5 0 3 27 DASH OH EIGHT FOUR AMENDING SECTION 27 DASH SEVEN DASH 32 OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AS THE COLORADO RIVER PROTECTIONS ORDINANCE.

AND WHEREAS APPROXIMATELY 20% OR GREATER OF THE AREA WITHIN THE DOG SET DEVELOPMENT LIES WITHIN THE CALCULATIONS OF THE 100 YEAR FLOODPLAIN, WHICH IS BASED ON HISTORICAL DATA AND DOES NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT FUTURE MODELING OR PROJECTIONS.

AND WHEREAS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION IS CONCERNED THAT AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT STUDY HAS NOT BEEN CONDUCTED AND THE FLOOD PLAIN MAPS ARE BEING MODIFIED WITHOUT THE ASSESSMENT.

AND WHEREAS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION AGREES THAT THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITIES ASSESSMENT THAT THE COLORADO RIVER AS IT FLOWS SOUTH OF LONGHORN DAM, IS CONSIDERED TO BE SOME OF THE MOST PRISTINE IN THE RIVER SYSTEM.

AND WHEREAS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION IS CONCERNED ABOUT A CATASTROPHIC FLOODING EVENT, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE HIGH HAZARD POTENTIAL CATEGORIZATION OF THE AGING LONGHORN DAM THAT COULD CAUSE EXISTING POLLUTANTS FROM THE AGING MINES AND INDUSTRY TO LEAK INTO OR BE DEPOSITED INTO THE RIVER.

AND THAT COULD CAUSE LOSS TO LIFE AND PROPERTY.

AND WHEREAS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPED COMMISSION IS CONCERNED THAT THE CONTRACT WAIVES HARD WON OVERSIGHT BY CITIZEN DRIVEN BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS FOR 45 YEARS,

[00:30:01]

AND WHEREAS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPED COMMISSION SUPPORTS THE IDEA OF PARKS THROUGHOUT THE PROPERTY AND A TRAIL ALONG THE RIVER, AS LONG AS THE TRAIL IS OUTSIDE OF CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES AND BOTH THE PARKS AND TRAILS ARE MANAGED BY AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

AND WHEREAS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOP COMMISSION SUPPORTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF MIXED USE, WHICH INCLUDES RESIDENTIAL UNITS AND SINGLE FAMILY HOMES THAT MEET THE CITY STANDARD OF BEING WITHIN A QUARTER MILE WALKING DISTANCE FROM A PARK AND TO MAKE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACCESSIBLE IN A TIMELY MANNER.

AND WHEREAS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION FINDS THE SECRETIVE MANNER AND LACK OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN WHICH THE CITY CONDUCTED THE MEETINGS TO GREENLIGHT THIS PROJECT TO BE A CLASSIC CASE OF ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM.

AND WHEREAS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION RECOGNIZES AND SEEKS TO CALL ATTENTION TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL HARMS INFLICTED UPON THIS PROPERTY AND THE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY WHERE IT RESIDES AND IS EMPHATIC THAT THOSE ENVIRONMENTAL RACIST HARMS ARE NOT CONTINUED IN THIS PROJECT.

AND WHEREAS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION ACKNOWLEDGES THAT ADJACENT LANDOWNERS AND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ANNEXATION UNTIL AFTER THE FACT BREAKING WITH HEALTHY EXPECTED AND NECESSARY PROCESSES VALUED AND CODIFIED BY THE CITY.

AND I'M GONNA ADD ONE MORE, WHEREAS, AND WHEREAS ACCORDING TO THE US CENSUS, 92% OF THE POPULATION RESIDING IN THE DOGHEAD ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR EARNING AN AVERAGE SALARY OF $35,000 A YEAR.

THEREFORE, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING TO INCLUDE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND OTHER COMMISSIONS IN THE PROCESS BEFORE AND AFTER THE PASSAGE OF THE TOURS CONDUCT A FULL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT STUDY THAT INCLUDES THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S FLOOD MAPS, CATALOGING AND MAPPING OF ALL CRITICAL FEATURES AND TREE SURVEY AS DEFINED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA MANUAL CONDUCT AND MAKE PUBLIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL SURVEY OF THE EXISTING POLLUTANTS ON THE PROPERTY, CONDUCT AN ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE INVENTORY ON THE PROPERTY AND IN THE RIVER, ADOPT THE COUNTY STANDARD OF 400 FEET OF SETBACK ALONG THE COLLAR RIVER TO ENSURE A FULL WATER ZONE QUALITY WATER QUALITY ZONE.

RATHER, UH, NEVER OFFER ANY PROJECT THE OPTION OF 100% IMPERVIOUS COVER REDUCING PURVIS COVER TO 45% FOR THE ENTIRE PROJECT TO PROTECT THE ALLUVIAL AQUIFER AND ITS RECHARGE ZONE.

CONDUCT A HYDROLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE AQUIFERS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE DEPTH OF THE AQUIFER AND TO UNDERSTAND THE MOVEMENT OF POLLUTANTS IN THOSE SYSTEMS BASED ON A SOIL SURVEY SET ASIDE 20 ACRES OR MORE IN THE UPLANDS OF THE PROPERTY FOR BLACK LAND PRAIRIE RESTORATION AND HABITAT SET ASIDE A PORTION OF THE PROPERTY THAT HAS VIABLE HIGH QUALITY SOILS TO CONTINUE AGRICULTURE OR AT MINIMUM INCLUDE COMMUNITY GARDENS FARMLAND AS RECOMMENDED IN THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY FLOOD PLAN PLAN, DESIGNATE PARKLAND AND TRAILS TO BE OWNED AND MANAGED BY AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION.

AS STATED IN THE COLORADO RIVER CORRIDOR PLAN, REQUIRE PARKS AND OPEN SPACES TO BE MADE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC REQUIRE PARKLAND DEDICATION FEES TO BE MADE PER NORMAL CITY CODE.

DESIGNATE THAT THERE SHALL NOT BE DATA CENTERS OR CHIP MANUFACTURING PLANTS FOLLOW BIRD FRIENDLY DESIGN AND DARK SKY LIGHTING.

BEST PRACTICES REQUIRE ENTIRE PROPERTY TO FOLLOW THE HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS REQUIRED FOR THE FLIGHT PATH, ENGAGE THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.

ENSURE THAT HISTORIC ENVIRONMENTAL HARMS ARE NOT REPEATED OR FURTHER COMPOUNDED ON EAST DAWSON COMMUNITIES ALLOW AND PRIORITIZE DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING RANGING FROM 30 TO 50% MEDIUM FAMILY INCOME THROUGHOUT THE AREA.

RESERVE AN AREA FOR HOUSING TO BE LOCATED AT A SAFE DISTANCE FROM ANY INDUSTRIAL AND OR POLLUTING DEVELOPMENT.

FURTHERMORE, FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RETAINS VIEW AUTHORITY REVIEW AUTHORITY OVER DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND THE CITY'S EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION PER EXISTING CITY CODE WHERE CITY CODE CHAPTERS 25 TO 27 AND 25, 28 PROTECTIONS, CRITICAL WATER ZONE QUALITY ZONES, CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES OR EROSION HAZARD ZONES MAY BE IMPACTED CONSISTENT WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA MANUAL AND CONSISTENT TO THE COMMUNITY COMMISSION'S PRIOR PRACTICES.

AND NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPED COMMISSION APPROVES THE RECOMMENDATION .

SO, OKAY.

UM, I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP.

QUESTION UP TO QUESTIONS, DISCUSSIONS OR PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE RECOMMENDATION.

COMMISSIONER RENAR THERE WAS AT THAT END OF THE, WHEREAS YOU HAD AN ADDITIONAL WHEREAS, SO THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDED WITHIN THIS YES.

BELOW THE POVERTY LINE, THAT'S FINE.

VICE CHAIR.

THE WORDING THAT I HAD, AND COMMISSIONER MENARD, PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, UM, WHEREAS BASED ON THE US CENSUS, 92% OF THE RESIDENTS OF DOGS HEAD FALL BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY LINE.

92% OF THE, OF THE POPULATION RESIDE OR THE RESIDENTS AND THE DOG SAID ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR.

PEOPLE OF COLOR.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

EARNING AN AVERAGE SALARY OF 35,000.

SO IF YOU WANNA SAY

[00:35:01]

UM, I'LL, I'LL DO IT JUST THE WAY YOU SAID IT, WHICH IS, UH, PEOPLE OF COLOR, UM, THAT EARN $35,000 OR LESS AN AVERAGE SALARY.

AVERAGE SALARY.

I'M GONNA MAKE MY OWN CORRECTIONS IF I CAN.

SO I THINK I'LL CHANGE NUMBER THE 19, RECOMMEND 19.

IT SAYS, UM, ALLOW AND PRIORITIZE DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING RANGING WITHIN FIVE 30 TO 50% MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME THROUGHOUT THE AREA.

AND THAT'S, THAT KIND OF CONTRADICTS THE, THE LAST ONE WHERE WE WANNA, WE DON'T WANT EVERYONE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF THERE IS HOUSING, SO, SO JUST, JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND BECAUSE IT'S IN A FLOOD PLAIN, NORMALLY YOU WOULD NOT BUILD HOUSING, BUT BECAUSE NOW IT'S BEEN CHANGED AND THERE'S THIS, THIS DEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT THE CITY AGREED WITH, IT CAN HAPPEN.

SO WE DON'T WANT HOUSING EVERYWHERE.

WE DON'T WANT HOUSING, UM, THAT'S GONNA BE NEAR ANY KIND OF POLLUTING INDUSTRY BECAUSE WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT'S GONNA GO THERE YET.

BUT WE KNOW ALREADY AMAZON IS THE FIRST TENANT ON THE DOG'S HEAD AND SO WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE HOUSING THAT'S PROVIDED IS NOT GONNA BE EXPOSED THE RESIDENTS TO POLLUTION.

SO, SO I JUST WOULD JUST DELETE THROUGHOUT THE AREA OKAY.

IF THAT'S OKAY.

I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU COMMISSIONER MENARD FOR LEADING THE WORK ON THIS.

I KNOW IT'S BEEN A MULTI-MONTH PROJECT WITH SEVERAL SETBACKS BASED ON LOGISTICAL THINGS THAT NO ONE IN THIS ROOM HAD CONTROL OVER.

UM, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STICKING WITH IT AND FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THESE EXTENSIVE RECOMMENDATIONS.

I DID HAVE A QUESTION.

SO ENVIRONMENTAL STUFF IS DEFINITELY NOT MY AREA OF EXPERTISE.

UM, THE, UM, NUMBER 19 SPECIFICALLY IS THE ONLY ONE THAT REALLY FOCUSES ON THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PART.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR MORE IS TRACKING AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

UM, SO HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT JUST SAYING PRIORITIZE, BUT LIKE WHO'S GOING TO ENSURE THAT IT ACTUALLY HAPPENS AND TRACKS THAT.

UM, LIKE HOW MANY UNITS ARE ACTUALLY AVAILABLE AND ARE THEY GONNA BE SUSTAINED AND, AND THERE FOR A LONG AMOUNT OF TIME? SO THAT'S THE ONLY THING.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT ADJUSTMENT WOULD NEED TO BE MADE, BUT I JUST, I DON'T WANT TO ALLOW FOR ROOM IN THAT.

AND THEN THEY JUST, WELL WE PUT TWO UNITS AND THEN THOSE UNITS 10 YEARS FROM NOW THEN CHANGE.

UM, YEAH, THAT'S MY ONLY THING.

OH WAIT, CAN WE ADD ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION? OF COURSE.

LIKE A, ANOTHER NUMBER? YEAH.

21.

ANOTHER NUMBER .

SO, UM, JUST IN THAT VEIN, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL REMEMBER, WE HAD A GREAT PRESENTATION FROM MS. SHONDA GATHER, UM, LAST MONTH ABOUT THE OUTPUT THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO AND, AND SOME OF THEIR, UM, THE CRITERIA THAT THEY'RE PUTTING ON.

AND SO THAT MIGHT BE WHERE, UH, WE'RE LOOKING FOR BECAUSE THEY, IT'S ABOUT, UH, ENSURING THAT IT STAYS FOR THE RESIDENTS THAT NEED IT THE MOST.

UM, BUT IT ALSO HAS A LITTLE BIT OF TRACKING.

SO GIMME ONE SECOND ON THAT.

ALSO, UM, I NOTICED IN HERE THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ASKS TO HAVE OVERSIGHT OVER THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY.

WE COULD PUT, WE WOULD LIKE THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION TO HAVE TO, TO HAVE REGULAR UPDATES OR SOME KIND OF OVERSIGHT OVER, UM, THE DISTRIBUTION OF DEEPLY DEVELOPED, DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

HI, EVENING, UH, COMMISSIONERS.

GOOD EVENING, .

MY NAME IS NEFERTITI JACKMAN, COMMUNITY DISPLACEMENT OFFICER IN AUSTIN HOUSING.

I THINK I, I WANNA BE CAREFUL ABOUT, UH, STAFF TONIGHT PROVIDING SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS IN TERMS OF WHAT COULD GO INTO YOUR RECOMMENDATION, UH, REGARDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT, UM, UNFORTUNATELY THAT IS NOT

[00:40:01]

OUR ROLE IN THIS SPACE, SO I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE VERY CLEAR ON WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO.

HOWEVER, UM, OUTSIDE, LIKE BEFORE OR, UM, FOLLOWING, IF YOU WANT TO GET SPECIFIC INFORMATION REGARDING HOW DO WE TRACK OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, HOW DO WE MONITOR WHAT'S, WHAT ARE THE PERIODS OF, OF AFFORDABILITY, ALL OF THOSE THINGS, WE CAN DO THAT AND PROVIDE, LIKE YOU CAN REQUEST IT FROM MIGUEL AND THEN WE'LL GET THAT INFORMATION FROM THE APPROPRIATE STAFF IN AUSTIN HOUSING OR ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT, UM, THAT YOU NEED INFORMATION FROM.

UM, SO YEAH, YOU COULD GIVE YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT I KNOW AGAIN, IT IS VERY EARLY IN THE PROCESS AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAVE NOT BEEN WORKED OUT, BUT OF COURSE YOU CAN STATE AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THAT DEVELOPMENT.

SO IF WE WERE TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL BULLET, BASICALLY JUST SAYING WE'D LIKE TO REVIEW OR RECEIVE UPDATES ON THE CREATION OF THE DEEPLY AFFORDABLE UNITS, CAN WE DO THAT? SO WHAT YOU ARE PROVIDING ARE RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNSEL AND THEN IT WOULD BE UP TO COUNCIL TO DECIDE IF THEY WANT TO ACCEPT YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS? YES.

GOTCHA.

UM, I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS THE RIGHT LANGUAGE TO USE AND THAT'S NOT NOT MY AREA OF EXPERTISE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ADD A BULLET THAT ASKS, UM, FOR THE CDC TO, TO REVIEW AND RECEIVE UPDATES ON THE CREATION OF THE DEEPLY AFFORDABLE UNITS AT DOCS HEAD.

UM, COULD WE, COULD WE UM, ADD TO THE, THE NUMBER 19 ALLOWANCE PRIOR DAYS DEPOT, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THEN JUST ADD WITH REGULAR UPDATES TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION OR, OR INCLUDING REGULAR UPDATES TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION REGARDING REG? YEAH.

INCLUDING REGULAR UPDATES TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION REGARDING DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING REGARDING, UM, THE PROGRESS OR THE DEVELOPMENT OF DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO THE CDC REGARDING THE PROGRESS.

SO REGARDING PROGRESS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SAID AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND CONSTRUCTION.

CAN I, AM I ASSUMING THAT'S OKAY? DO WE HAVE THE FINAL OKAY.

SO, UM, SO FOR 19 IT WOULD BE, UM, TO OMIT THROUGHOUT THE AREA, BUT TO ADD, UM, AND SO THE FULL SENTENCE WOULD READ, UM, OR TO ADD THE LANGUAGE INCLUDING REGULAR UPDATES TO THE CDC REGARDING THE PROGRESS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DEEPLY AFFORDABLE UNITS.

IS THAT CORRECT? CONSTRUCTION DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION.

UM, OKAY.

AND, UM, AND I'M JUST GONNA READ IT ONE MORE TIME, WHICH IS THE FULL SENTENCE WOULD SAY, ALLOW AND PRIORITIZE DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, RANGING FROM 30 TO 50% MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME, INCLUDING REGULAR UPDATES TO THE CDC REGARDING THE PROGRESS ON THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE DEEPLY AFFORDABLE UNITS.

'CAUSE WE'RE ALL HAVING FUN HERE.

NO, WE HAVE TIME.

YOU'RE GOOD.

DO YOU DO YOU WITH, SO TO YOUR POINT ABOUT REMOVING THROUGHOUT THE AREA TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT PLACED RIGHT NEXT TO THE VERY, VERY LIKE LINE OF HOW CLOSE THEY CAN GET TO, UM, HAZARDOUS POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITES.

UM, DO YOU WANT TO, TO INCLUDE A THING, UH, UH, WORDING THAT TO THAT THE PROGRESS DEVELOP ON THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ITS PLACEMENT ON THE PROPERTY? OR LIKE, DO WE WANNA PUT SOMETHING IN THERE THAT ACKNOWLEDGES YOUR CONCERNS? I THINK IF WE AS WELL, OR DO YOU THINK WE'RE GOOD? I THINK, I THINK IT'S A SEPARATE JUST BECAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S, THERE'S ADDRESSES THAT THAT'S FAIR AS WELL AS THAT WE WANNA FOCUS IS ON THESE DEEPLY AFFORDABLE AND BUILDING DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE AREA.

SO IT'S KIND OF TWO A LITTLE BIT.

WE WANNA MAKE SURE THIS NO WORRIES.

20 KIND OF SAYS IT

[00:45:01]

RIGHT IN A WAY.

I WOULDN'T WANT THAT INSTEAD OF 20 IS WAS THAT WHAT YOU WERE SUGGESTING? OKAY.

AND NO, NO, NO, NOT INSTEAD.

UH, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, LIKE THE VERY NEXT.

UM, BUT I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT THE ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE CDC, BUT I THINK IF WE HAVE 19 AND THEN IT'S FOLLOWED DIRECTLY BY 20, YOU'RE RIGHT.

THAT THAT DOES IT.

NEVERMIND.

I HAVE ONE MORE RECOMMENDATION TOO, , BECAUSE THIS IS OURS FOR NUMBER ONE.

UM, WE COULD SAY INCLUDE THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION AND OTHER COMMISSIONS INSTEAD OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

SO THIS IS OURS.

UM, SO LIKE RIGHT THERE WHERE IT SAYS INCLUDE THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND OTHER COMMISSIONS, SPECIFICALLY THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION IN THE PROCESS BEFORE AND AFTER THE PASSAGE OF THE TURS INCLUDE THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION AND OTHER COMMISSIONS IN THE PRO.

OH, OKAY.

UM, YEAH, I WILL OMIT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND THEN, UH, INPUT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.

YEAH, BECAUSE THE TURS IT HAS PASSED, BUT THAT PROCESS IS ONGOING AND THERE'S MORE STUFF HAPPENING, SO YEAH.

SO WE COULD, IT HAS, SINCE WE HAVE AFTER THE PASSAGE, I THINK THAT'S FINE.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER, UH, QUESTIONS OR NEED FOR DISCUSSION? OKAY.

UM, THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS.

UH, IF WE'RE READY TO TAKE ACTION, IS THERE A MOTION REGARDING ITEM FIVE WITH THE UPDATES THAT WE, UM, INCLUDED? YES.

COMMISSIONER ACHILES, I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATIONS AS AMENDED OR YEAH, AS AS AMENDED HERE IN THE MEETING.

SHOULD I SEC, CAN I SECOND? OKAY.

COMMISSIONER MENARD SECONDS.

UM, IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THIS RECOMMENDATION.

UM, SAYING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION WILL VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND PEOPLE ONLINE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, .

UM, ANY OPPOSED, ANY ABSTENTIONS? IS THIS THE ABSTENTIONS? MM-HMM.

UM, THE MOTION CARRIES? YES MA'AM.

THANK YOU ALL.

OKAY, WE'LL NOW GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO WHERE ARE WE AT? FUTURE AGENDA.

UM, OH WAIT ITEMS, UH, DO WE NOT HAVE A STRATEGIC WORKING GROUP UPDATE? OH, OH, OKAY.

UM, YEAH, WE'LL MOVE ON TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. ARE THERE ANY ITEMS COMMISSIONERS WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE FOR FUTURE AGENDAS? AND I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION.

OKAY, GOTCHA.

[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]

I'LL JUST REPEAT THE SAME ONES.

GO FOR IT.

OH, OKAY.

JUST TO, TO I'D, I WOULD STILL LIKE TO HAVE THE AUSTIN ENERGY COME AND GIVE A, A TALK ABOUT THESE PEAKERS THE, THE PLANS FOR THESE NEW PEAKERS AND THE PROCESS FOR WHERE THEY'RE GONNA LOCATE THESE TWO PEAKERS GAS, THE GAS PEAKERS.

AND THEN ALSO, ALTHOUGH I THINK THIS WILL BE THE HARDEST ONE TO GET, IS TO HAVE THE WATERSHED, UH, DEVELOPMENT PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.

UM, TO COME IN AND TALK ABOUT THE DOG HEAD AS WELL.

THAT ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT ONE.

PERFECT.

UM, I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE SOMETHING, UM, FUTURE DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEM REGARDING IMPLEMENTATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE CITYWIDE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.

UM, INCLUDING THE FEE IN LIEU REVENUE, UM, GEOGRAPHIC DISPUTE DISTRIBUTION UNITS PRODUCED AND ONGOING REPORTING TO THE CDC.

UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I, UH, THE CITY, AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL WILL BE.

UM, THEY HAVE TWO DIFFERENT ITEMS FOR THURSDAY ABOUT THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT THE FEE IN LIEU REVENUE.

UM, AND I THINK IT'S JUST REALLY IMPORTANT TO, UM, ADVOCATE FOR SOME FURTHER ACCOUNTABILITY REGARDING THE FEE IN LIEU.

UM, THEY DID, UH, PROPOSE TO ZERO OUT THE BUDGET A FEW MONTHS AGO.

SO I THINK THERE JUST NEEDS TO BE A LOT OF ATTENTION TO, UM, THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM AND ENSURING THAT PEOPLE ARE, UM, THAT ARE RECEIVING, UM, AFFORDABLE UNITS AT THESE DEVELOPMENTS ARE ACTUALLY MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE TRACKING THOSE AND WHERE ARE THEY IN THE PROCESS AND ENSURING THAT THOSE PEOPLE CAN STAY IN THOSE UNITS AND THAT THEY ARE KEPT AS AFFORDABLE.

UM, WHERE ARE THEY? THOSE KINDS OF THINGS AS YOU THINK.

IT'S JUST REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO TALK ABOUT THAT.

SO I'D LIKE TO PUT

[00:50:01]

YES MA'AM.

GOING ONCE.

ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL AGENDA ITEMS? YEAH, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF I COULD JUST BRING UP SOMETHING I'VE BEEN CURIOUS ABOUT, BUT, UH, RIGHT WITHIN DISTRICT ONE IS THE URBAN EMPOWERMENT ZONE, ONE BEING CONSTRUCTED.

UM, AND I HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN ANY INFO ON IT, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF WE COULD REACH OUT TO THE FOLKS BEHIND THAT SINCE, UM, BELIEVE IT'S GONNA PROVIDE QUITE A FEW RESIDENCES FOR, UM, WHAT I FEEL ARE FOLKS THAT ARE AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS OR HAVE EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS PREVIOUSLY.

UM, AND DO YOU KNOW SPECIFICALLY WHICH DEPARTMENT, UM, IS RUNNING THE URBAN EMPOWERMENT ZONE? I DON'T, NO.

I, I WILL REACH OUT TO YOU, UM, AND WE CAN KIND OF JUST, YOU KNOW, SEE HOW WE WOULD GO ABOUT GETTING A PRESENTATION AND WE CAN GO FROM THERE.

GREAT.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER ES JUST CLARIFICATION 'CAUSE I KNOW IN THE AGENDA SETTING MEETINGS, SO I KNOW OCTOBER IS GONNA BE REALLY PACKED.

ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH THIS BEING A NOVEMBER, DECEMBER OR IS THERE A TIMELY URGENT REQUEST? YEAH, I COULD GO OVER IT TO NOVEMBER.

PERFECT.

SINCE I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT YEAH, JUST DIDN'T WANT YOU TO BE, BE YEAH.

FRUSTRATED IF IT DIDN'T SHOW UP IN OCTOBER, BUT IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE, I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS TOO, SO I HAVE ONE MORE THING, UH, NOT FOR OCTOBER BECAUSE I KNOW OCTOBER'S GONNA BE CRAZY, BUT, UM, JUST IN THE FUTURE, I'D LOVE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE VIOLET KEEP SAFE STORAGE.

I'VE HEARD THAT THEY'RE EXPANDING AND, UM, UH, ADDING ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR VIOLET KEEPS SAFE.

UM, IF Y'ALL AREN'T FAMILIAR, IT'S THE, UH, IT'S A FACILITY WHERE PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS CAN STORE THEIR BELONGINGS.

UM, AND WITH SOME OF THE, UH, RECENT THINGS GOING ON WITH ENCAMPMENTS, UM, THEY HAVE BEEN FUNDED TO ADD ADDITIONAL STORAGE, WHICH IS REALLY COOL.

UM, AND VIOLET KEEPS SAFE WAS KIND OF IN PARTNERSHIP CREATED BY AN HOMELESSNESS ADVISORY COUNCIL, WHICH IS PRETTY NEAT.

SO I'D LOVE TO KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.

UM, I KNOW THEY HIRE PEOPLE LIVED EXPERIENCE AS WELL TO HELP, UM, WITH THE STORAGE FACILITY ITSELF.

SO, UM, I'D JUST LOVE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT, UH, THE EXPANSION, WHERE IT'S GONNA BE, UM, AND ANY OTHER DEVELOPMENTS AROUND PROBABLY KEEP SAFE IN THE FUTURE.

SO, NOT OCTOBER, BUT YEAH.

YES, MA'AM.