[CALL TO ORDER ]
[00:00:02]
THE, UH, DOWNTOWN COMMISSION IS NOW IN SESSION.
SO I'M GOING TO, UH, ASK FOR YOU TO ROLL CALL, ROLL PLEASE.
I'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER CARROLL.
PRESIDENT, COMMISSIONER MCDANIEL.
ABSENT, UH, CHAIRISH MALES ABSENT.
ARE YOU UNABLE TO, ARE YOU ABLE TO TURN ON YOUR CAMERA? COMMISSIONER FANG? I, YES.
I'M CURRENTLY DRIVING, BUT I AM PRESENT AND I'LL BE, UH, AT A LAPTOP SOON.
COMMISSIONER BERNHARDT PRESENT.
AND COMMISSIONER CHEN IS ABSENT.
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? WE DO NOT HAVE ANYBODY SIGN UP TO SPEAK.
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MINUTE TO WELCOME, UH, SAXTON ARCHER OF DISTRICT 10 TO OUR COMMISSION.
IT'S HIS FIRST TIME AND, UH, WE HOPE TO SEE A LOT OF YOU.
[1. Approve the minutes of the Downtown Commission regular meeting of September 16, 2026. ]
MINUTES.I DIDN'T SEE ANY OBVIOUS ERRORS.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY CORRECTIONS TO MAKE? ALRIGHT.
UM, I'LL TAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
WE'LL MAKE THAT MOTION TO APPROVE.
ANY OPPOSED? PASSES? UNANIMOUS.
JUST, UH, REAL QUICK, I DIDN'T CATCH WHO MADE THAT SECOND? UH, IT WAS, UH, COMMISSIONER VEDO.
[2. Staff briefing regarding Downtown Strategy Office Strategies and Goals framework. [Jonathan Stone, Downtown Officer, Downtown Strategy Office] ]
WE ARE CALLING JONATHAN STONE FOR HIS BRIEFING.THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT, JONATHAN.
WE APPRECIATE THAT SOME ECHO AND HIS IS GOING AND HIS IS TOO QUIET.
THERE'S LIKE A BUZZING NOISE IN THE BACKGROUND, SO I KNOW THERE'S SOMETHING.
WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT IT.
SOME KIND OF WEIRD AUDIO THING GOING ON TONIGHT.
UH, WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONERS, UH, VICE CHAIR LEVINSON.
UH, MY NAME IS JONATHAN STONE.
I'M THE, UH, NEW-ISH DOWNTOWN STRATEGY OFFICER.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT POINT I CAN SAY I'M NOT NEW ANYMORE.
UH, ABOUT FIVE MONTHS INTO, UH, THE JOB, UH, WORKING, UH, IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, UH, TO ADVANCE PRIORITIES, UH, FOR DOWNTOWN.
AND I KNOW THAT, UH, MY BOSS, JOHN FORTUNE, HAS BEEN HERE IN THE PAST TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN STRATEGIC INITIATIVE, AS WELL AS, UH, THE, WHAT IS NOW KNOWN AS THE DOWNTOWN STRATEGY OFFICE.
AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL TODAY IS A PRIORITIES FRAMEWORK, UM, THAT WAS ESTABLISHED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
UH, AND WILL IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO EVOLVE WITH TIME, BUT, UH, WE'RE LOOK, SEEKING YOUR FEEDBACK, UM, ON THE FRAMEWORK.
AND, AND SO LET ME, UH, FIRST OF ALL, WHAT IS THE DSO? AND YOU WILL NOT FIND THESE WORDS IN THIS ORDER OR THESE BULLETS ANYWHERE ELSE EXCEPT FOR ON THIS SLIDE.
UM, THIS IS JONATHAN STONE'S INTERPRETATION, ESSENTIALLY, OF WHAT MY JOB IS.
UH, AND, AND SO
UM, WE SERVE TO CONVENE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS, UH, ACT AS A FORCE MULTIPLIER, OTHERWISE, WHY WOULD WE BE HERE IF WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, SORT OF ENHANCING THE OUTCOMES, UH, AND SORT OF SUPPORTING THE WORK OF OTHERS, UM, FACILITATE CROSS-DEPARTMENTAL GOALS.
SO KIND OF THAT NAVIGATING AMONGST THE CITY INSTITUTION, UH, SERVE AS A MONITOR ESSENTIALLY TO TRACK IMPORTANT THINGS THAT MATTER TO THE CITY, UH, FOR DOWNTOWN ADVISOR AND ANALYST TO BOTH COUNCIL AS WELL AS TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, UM, STRATEGIC PROJECT IDENTIFICATION.
SO THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF THAT THAT HAPPENED IN THE CREATION OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN STRATEGIC INITIATIVE RESOLUTION.
HOWEVER, UM, THAT DOCUMENT WAS ONE POINT IN TIME.
[00:05:01]
CAN WE SORT OF PERSIST ON IDENTIFYING, UM, WHAT MAYBE WOULD BE CONSIDERED STRATEGIC? UM, I CALL IT A FAST LANE.UH, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT YOU JUST DON'T KNOW ABOUT UNTIL THEY'RE RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.
AND HOW DO YOU, HOW ARE YOU, UH, POISED AND READY TO ACT AND TO, UH, SUPPORT, UM, THE GENERAL GOALS, UH, IN WAYS THAT WERE MAYBE UNEXPECTED, UH, BUT ALSO TO BE INTENTIONAL, UH, WITH THE WORK.
AND THEN LASTLY, WE HAVE SORT OF A GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ASK, WELL, WHAT IS DOWNTOWN? AND, AND MY FIRST QUESTION MOST OF THE TIME WAS, WELL, I'M NOT REALLY QUITE SURE, UM, BECAUSE THERE'S LOTS OF BOUNDARIES, UH, FOR DOWNTOWN, RIGHT? AND SO THE ONE IN FRONT OF YOU IS THE CENTRAL CITY DISTRICT PLAN.
AND SO PRINCIPALLY THE FOCUS OF THE DOWNTOWN STRATEGY OFFICE IS THE AREA THAT'S SHADED IN BLUE, AND THAT'S FROM 35 TO LAMAR, UH, AND CESAR, ESSENTIALLY THE LAKE TO, UM, MARTIN LUTHER KING.
AND, UM, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO BE COGNIZANT THAT SOMETIMES GOALS, UM, NECESSITATE AN UNDERSTANDING BEYOND, UH, THE BOUNDARIES OF DOWNTOWN TO ENSURE THAT DOWNTOWN LIVES WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF, OF THE BROADER CITY AND REGION.
SO, UH, AT THE END OF JULY, ACTUALLY IT'S IN AUGUST, BUT THE END OF JULY, UH, WE FORMED A TASK FORCE OF INTERNAL, UH, CITY DEPARTMENTS AND, AND DEPARTMENT HEADS AND OTHER DIRECTORS.
AND, UH, SO THE, THE PARTICIPANTS IN THAT TASK FORCE WERE ESSENTIALLY ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT WERE MAYBE MOST PRINCIPALLY, UH, AFFECTED, UH, BY THE RESOLUTION, UH, IN TERMS OF LIKE, THEIR PORTFOLIO OF ACTIVITIES OR WORK WAS NAMED IN THE RESOLUTION PASSED BY COUNCIL.
AND SO WE THOUGHT IT WAS BEST TO CONVENE THEM, UH, TO TALK ABOUT DOWNTOWN IN SORT OF A COLLABORATIVE AND COLLECTIVE WAY.
AND SO THAT TASK FORCE REVIEWED THE CONTEXT OF DOWNTOWN, UH, AND A NUMBER OF KEY INSIGHTS THAT WE, WE SHARED WITH THEM BASED UPON, UM, OUR EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE, BUT ALSO THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'D RECEIVED, UH, ALONG THE WAY, UH, LEADING UP TO THE TASK FORCE AND MANY OTHER DOCUMENTS AND, AND THE, AND THE LIKE TO ESSENTIALLY IDENTIFY STRATEGIC APPROACHES AND INITIAL MULTIDISCIPLINARY GOALS AND OUR PROCESS IN TERMS OF OUTREACH.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE MANY PLANS.
WE'RE ACTUALLY ALSO IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CENTRAL CITY DISTRICT PLAN, WHICH YOU GUYS KNOW ABOUT.
AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF PUBLIC PROCESS THAT'S GONE, GONE INTO VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE DOWNTOWN WORK.
AND SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT THE DOWNTOWN STRATEGY OFFICE IS TRYING TO DO IS TO SAY, HERE'S SORT OF ESTABLISHED COMMUNITY VISION, AND THEN THERE'S WHAT I CALL PUTTING OUT FIRES.
AND THEN THERE'S THE, THERE, THERE'S THE WORK THAT SORT OF LIES IN BETWEEN.
AND, AND SO ESSENTIALLY, UM, OR INSTEAD OF PUTTING OUT FIRES, MAYBE REACTING TO OPPORTUNITIES.
UH, AND SO, UM, THE DOWNTOWN STRATEGY OFFICE IS TRYING TO PIN SORT OF A SHORTER TIME HORIZON, UM, THAT IS LIZ WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF ALL THE OTHER WORK THAT'S, UM, BEEN DONE TO SORT OF VISION AND PLAN, UH, FOR THE FUTURE OF DOWNTOWN AND THE CITY.
UH, AND SO I'VE MET WITH A NUMBER OF YOU AS WELL, AND I'VE MET WITH YOU ALL IN DIFFERENT CONTEXTS AND, AND MANY OTHER FOLKS.
AND, UM, WE'VE HELD ONE EXTERNAL PARTNER FORUM, UH, AND, UH, WE'VE TAKEN THE COMPLETION OF THE DIRECTOR TASK FORCE, UH, TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE FOR, FOR REVIEW.
AND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO SHARE, UH, TODAY.
SO MISSION AND VISION, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, MISSION AND STATEMENTS AND VISION STATEMENTS ARE NOTORIOUSLY HARD TO WRITE
AND SO, UM, CONSIDER THESE LIKE, YOU KNOW, 90 WHATEVER PERCENT FINAL.
BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE OF COURSE, UM, UH, WILLING TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK ON THESE.
UM, BUT WE WANTED TO SORT OF TOUCH UPON SORT OF AN ATTITUDE, UH, FOR, UH, WHAT DOWNTOWN IS ABOUT, BUT ALSO SORT OF AN ATTITUDE OF THE WORK, UH, THAT, THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO TOGETHER AND COLLECTIVELY.
AND I THINK KEY WORDS HERE, OF COURSE, ARE THAT DOWNTOWN IS THE HEARTBEAT OF AUSTIN.
AND, UM, I WAS SHARING THIS VISION STATEMENT WITH SOMEBODY EARLIER, AND THEY REALLY RESONATED, UH, WITH THIS IDEA OF, UH, THE RHYTHM OF OUR CITY.
AND, UH, AND THIS I THIS IDEA THAT IT'S NOT JUST THE RHYTHM OF DOWNTOWN, BUT AUSTIN IS A MUSIC CITY.
AND, AND SO THAT WAS KIND OF A FUN, UH, UH, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ON THEIR PART THAT THEY, THEY PICKED THAT UP.
BUT THAT WE DO SEE A VIBRANT URBAN CENTER.
UH, WE WANT TO BE KNOWN FOR EXCEPTIONAL DESIGN, ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL VITALITY, AND AN UNMATCHED QUALITY OF LIFE, UH, DOWNTOWN, BUT ALSO BOTH DOWNTOWN CAN SUPPORT AND THROUGH, UH, AS, AS ITS ROLE AS AN ECONOMIC CENTER FOR THE REST OF THE CITY.
UM, IN TERMS OF OUR MISSION, UH, WE'RE A CATALYST AND WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT CATALYTIC PRIORITIES HERE MOMENTARILY.
UM, BUT ESSENTIALLY THE DOWNTOWN STRATEGY OFFICE SERVES TO BRING TOGETHER CITY AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND, UM, COORDINATING ACTION AND ADVANCING SHARED PRIORITIES.
UM, AT THE END OF THE DAY, UM, WE DON'T NECESSARILY OWN THE WORK THAT'S HAPPENING.
WE'RE TRYING TO BRING MANY OTHERS TOGETHER TO, UM, IMPLEMENT WORK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE FUTURE OF DOWNTOWN.
SO IN TERMS OF OUR MO OUR PROGRESS, WE'VE DEFINED A MISSION AND
[00:10:01]
VISION.UM, WE'VE, LIKE I SAID, FACILITATED A GOAL SETTING TASK FORCE, AND THAT IS NOW BEING PRESENTED AS A LIVING FRAMEWORK.
I DON'T BELIEVE IN THINGS THAT SIT ON SHELVES OR THAT NEVER CHANGE.
UH, AND, UM, YOU MAY HAVE HEARD, UH, IN THE NEWS OR THROUGH OTHER SOURCES.
UH, JUST YESTERDAY, UM, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, WE LAUNCHED THE MAYOR'S, UM, TASK FORCE TO SAVE RED RIVER.
UH, AND THEN WE HAVE A SCHEDULED EXTERNAL PARTNER FORUM TO PRESENT MUCH OF WHAT YOU'LL SEE TODAY ON NOVEMBER, NOVEMBER 9TH.
SO OUR PLANNING APPROACH IS CYCLICAL INTENTIONALLY.
UH, AND IN TERMS OF LIKE, WHAT IS THE VISION THE COMMUNITY HAS FOR THE DOWNTOWN, BUT ALSO WHAT IS THE MARKET UNDERSTANDING? AND SORT OF THE STAGE WE'RE AT IN THIS PROCESS IS CATALYTIC PRIORITY AND GOAL IDENTIFICATION.
AND WE DEFINE CATALYTIC PRIORITIES.
WE WANT TO DEFINE THEM IN A WAY THAT SORT OF, UM, SIGNALS ECONOMIC OR LIVABILITY CHANGE.
AND SO CAN YOU IMAGINE, BECAUSE OF THE, THE, UM, THE FOCUSED ENERGY, UH, WILL WE SEE, UH, CHANGE IN THREE OR SO YEARS, UH, IN TERMS OF PARTICIPATION IN DOWNTOWN? AND SO THAT COULD EITHER BE USER-BASED.
WHAT IS THAT GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT IF WE UNDERSTAND THEIR NEEDS, COMMUNICATE WITH THEM, ENGAGE WITH THEM, SUPPORT CHANGES, UH, IN DOWNTOWN THAT SUPPORT THEIR NEEDS? CAN WE SAY THAT THEY ARE NOW COMING DOWNTOWN MORE OFTEN, SPENDING MORE MONEY, MORE FREQUENTLY, MORE DURATION, WHATEVER THAT METRIC MIGHT BE, UM, BUT THEY HAVE STRONGER PARTICIPATION IN THE DISTRICT.
AND THEN THE OTHER APPROACH IS EXPERIENCE BASED.
AND A LOT OF TIMES I SAY, EVERYBODY EATS, RIGHT? AND SO YOU MAY KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY USER GROUPS OF DOWNTOWN, UH, THAT, UH, WANT TO EAT AND THEY WANT TO EAT MORE.
UH, AND, UH, AND SO, UH, AND IF YOU ENHANCE THAT EXPERIENCE, WHETHER THAT IS EVERYBODY EATS, UM, CAN YOU THEN BELIEVE BASED UPON YOUR, THE COMMUNITY VISION AND MARKET UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU WILL THEN HAVE SUSTAINED CHANGE IN THE PARTICIPATION OF PEOPLE IN DOWNTOWN? THEN WE WILL, WE, WE'LL DEFINE COLLABORATIVE GOALS, AND THEN ULTIMATELY ACTIVITIES THAT SPAN BOTH THE DOWNTOWN STRATEGY OFFICE, CITY DEPARTMENTS, AND OUR EXTERNAL PARTNERS.
AND SO I'LL EXPLAIN, UH, WHAT THAT IS, BUT BEFORE I DIVE IN, THERE ARE FOUR, WHAT WE'VE CALL CATALYTIC PRIORITIES.
AND, AND THEY'RE A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER IN TERMS OF HOW THEY'RE DEFINED.
UM, BUT THE BELIEF THAT THESE FOUR THINGS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT FOUR THINGS TO FOCUS ENERGY ON, TO HAVE SUSTAINED CHANGE IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC AND, AND CIVIC PARTICIPATION IN THE DISTRICT.
AND THE NUMBER ONE IS CLEAN, SAFE, AND WELCOMING.
AND SO WHAT IS THAT FUNDAMENTAL DOWNTOWN EXPERIENCE THAT RESULTS FROM FOCUSING ON THAT, THAT RESULTS IN THAT CHANGE? THAT PEOPLE SEE THE CHANGE, THEY UNDERSTAND THE CHANGE, AND THEY PERCEIVE THE CHANGE.
THE SECOND, UH, IS UNMISTAKABLY AUSTIN.
AND SO HOW ARE WE CONTINUING TO THINK ABOUT DOWNTOWN AS A DIFFERENTIATED DESTINATION AND IDENTITY? UM, THE THIRD ONE UP ON THE SCREEN IS THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT AND HOR HISTORIC SIXTH THRIVE.
THIS ONE'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHERS, IN A SENSE THAT WE'RE CALLING OUT A GEOGRAPHY, AND I'LL EXPLAIN THAT IN A LITTLE BIT.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, SORT OF OUR USER, UH, DEFINED, UH, PRIORITY IS DOWNTOWN WORKS FOR AUSTINITES.
AND SO, UH, WE BELIEVE VERY MUCH THAT WE HAVE AN IMPORTANT RESPONSIBILITY TO THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN, UM, AS YOU KNOW, AN OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT, UH, AND SORT OF ADVANCING THE PRIORITIES THAT ULTIMATELY BENEFIT THE CITIZENS.
BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF OTHER LAYERS TO THAT IN A SENSE THAT AS DOWNTOWN GOES THROUGH CHANGE, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT ONLY STRENGTHENING THAT RELATIONSHIP, MAYBE REBUILDING THAT RELATIONSHIP, UM, BUT EXPANDING THAT RELATIONSHIP, ESPECIALLY AS WE WERE LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE SIGNIFICANT CONSTRUCTION ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES THROUGH ALL OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
AND SO KEEPING AN EYE ON, UH, THEIR NEEDS, UH, AND HOW DOWNTOWN SUPPORT THE SUPPORTS THOSE NEEDS.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF TEXT IN THIS SLIDE, AND I'M GONNA BREAK IT DOWN OVER A FEW ADDITIONAL SLIDES.
UM, BUT WHAT I WANT TO SHOW HERE REALLY IS SORT OF THE STRUCTURE OF HOW WE'RE APPROACHING THIS.
AND SO ON THE LEFT, YOU HAVE THE THREE SORT OF DOWNTOWN WIDE PRIORITIES.
UH, AND THEN AT THE BOTTOM THERE IS WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE FOCUSED GEOGRAPHY, UH, PRIORITY.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT DOWNTOWN WIDE MEANS DOWNTOWN WIDE.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE JUST GONNA FOCUS THOSE ENERGIES ON THAT FOCUSED GEOGRAPHY.
UM, HOWEVER, THERE IS STRONG SYNERGY, UH, BETWEEN SOME OF THOSE DOWNTOWN WIDE PRIORITIES AND THE WORK THAT CAN AND MAYBE SHOULD HAPPEN, UH, IN THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA, UM, SORT OF NORTH OF THE CONVENTION CENTER, WHICH INCLUDES RED RIVER AND, AND HISTORIC SIX.
UM, AND THEN COLLABORATIVE GOALS.
THOSE GOAL STATEMENTS ARE DEFINED AND INTENDED TO UNIFY ALL OF THOSE AREAS OF WORK.
AND THOSE AREAS OF WORK ARE NOT JUST THE CITY'S WORK, IT'S OUR PARTNER'S WORK AND EXTERNAL, UM, IMPLEMENTERS AND EVERYONE THAT SORT OF HAS A MISSION, UH, TO SUPPORT THE ADVANCEMENT
[00:15:01]
OF DOWNTOWN IN WHATEVER WAY THAT IS.AND SO, AS WE SEEK TO DEVELOP THESE OUT, UH, IN TERMS OF WORK PLANS, WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT COLLABORATIVE GOALS ARE CHECKING AS MANY BOXES AS POSSIBLE ACROSS THOSE AREAS OF WORK.
AND SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT SAFETY, CAN YOU ANSWER A QUESTION ABOUT SAFETY FOR EACH OF THOSE GOALS? UH, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT SORT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP OR BUSINESS SUPPORT, HOW DOES THAT FIT INTO EACH OF THOSE GOALS? AND I'M GONNA EXPLAIN AN EXAMPLE.
THIS IS AFU PURELY FABRICATED, BUT I BELIEVE IT'S REALISTIC, UH, IN A SENSE THAT, UM, THESE ARE THINGS THAT SHOULDN'T SURPRISE ANYONE.
AND MANY OF THESE THINGS ARE ACTUALLY MENTIONED IN THE RESOLUTION THAT ESTABLISHED THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN STRATEGIC INITIATIVE.
BUT IF WE TAKE THE GOAL STATEMENT OF SUPPORT, ACTIVE AND DIVERSE EXPERIENCES FROM MORNING THROUGH NIGHT, AND WE APPLY BUSINESS SUPPORT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP TO THAT GOAL, COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT TO THAT GOAL THAT YOU MIGHT SEE, FOR EXAMPLE, CONSTRUCTION IMPACT MITIGATION SUPPORT, THERE'S INTENDED TO BE SIGNIFICANT CONSTRUCTION IN THE AREA.
HOW ARE BUSINESSES SUPPORT SUPPORTED IN RESPONDING TO THAT? HOW ARE WE THINKING ABOUT BUSINESS RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION WITH AN EYE MAYBE TOWARDS DIVERSIFICATION OF USES OR COMPLIMENTARY USES, UM, IN THE REALM OF PUBLIC SAFETY, FOR EXAMPLE? UH, WHAT ARE SORT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS THAT LEAD TO, UM, SAFETY CON CONSIDERATIONS, UH, IN THOSE AREAS? AND HOW MIGHT WE ADDRESS THOSE? UM, EITHER THROUGH SORT OF IN SMALLER INTERVENTIONS OR THROUGH BROADER, UM, UH, INITIATIVES.
UH, WE THINK ABOUT OUR PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS, UH, IN THIS AREA.
WE HAVE A PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
WE ALSO HAVE THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT ENTITY.
AND SO HOW ARE WE COLLABORATING WITH THOSE? AND WHEN I SAY WE, THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THE DOWNTOWN STRATEGY OFFICES.
IT MEANS THE, THE, THE COLLECTIVE, RIGHT? IN TERMS OF, OF HOW ARE, IS EVERYBODY SORT OF WORKING, UH, TOGETHER.
SO THE FIRST PRIORITY IS CLEAN, SAFE, AND WELCOMING.
AND, AND, AND, UH, THIS WAS THE HIGHEST PRIORITY OF ALL FEEDBACK, UM, THAT WE'VE RECEIVED IN EVERY FORM.
UH, AND PRINCIPALLY, UH, THE UNDERSTANDING, UH, THE NEEDS OF THOSE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, UH, CRISES AND, AND EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, UM, AND, UH, BUT ALSO, UH, CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS TO DOWNTOWN.
AND THEN, UH, DEMONSTRATING VISIBLE CARE, INVESTMENT AND STEWARDSHIP.
AND SO WE BELIEVE THAT THESE THREE GOALS TOGETHER REPRESENT SORT OF THE COLLABORATIVE, COLLECTIVE COORDINATED ACTION, BUT THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY ALL OF THE GOALS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE TO SUPPORT CLEAN, SAFE, AND WELCOMING.
AND WHAT WE'RE HOPING IS, IS THAT WE START, SORT OF CONTINUE DOWN THIS PATH THAT OUR, UM, UH, PARTNERS AND COLLABORATORS AND ANYBODY ELSE THAT IS SORT OF ALONGSIDE THE JOURNEY FOR A BETTER DOWNTOWN AND A STRONGER DOWNTOWN, UM, IS, CAN SEE THEMSELVES IN THAT, EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT FORMALLY PART OF THE PROCESS.
AND SO WE WANNA SORT OF CHAMPION THESE MESSAGES SO THAT PEOPLE CAN DO THEIR PART WHENEVER THEY SEE AND UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO DO SO.
THE SECOND IS UNMISTAKABLY AUSTIN.
AND SO YOU NOTICE THAT THERE IS NO SPECIFIC, UM, PRIORITY THAT IS ABOUT TOURISM, AND THAT'S PARTLY BECAUSE WE'RE WANTING TO, UH, FOCUS ON AUTH AUTHENTICITY AND HOW ARE WE POSITIONING THE DI DISTRICT AND HOW ARE WE COMMITTING, UH, TO THE CREATIVE INDUSTRY, UH, THAT, UH, SUPPORTS, UM, NOT ONLY DOWNTOWN BUT THE CITY.
AND, AND SO WE HAVE THREE GOALS HERE.
UH, AND THIS IDEA OF HERITAGE, CULTURE AND CREATIVITY ARE VISIBLE AND EXPERIENCE THROUGHOUT DOWNTOWN.
AND SO WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING IN SOME CONTEXT IS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE MUSICIANS CAN'T PLAY EVERY HOUR OF THE DAY, RIGHT? HOW ARE WE VIS HOW ARE WE EXPERIENCING THE MUSICALITY OF THE CITY? HOW ARE WE EXPERIENCING OTHER THINGS IN WAYS THAT WHEN YOU ENTER THE DOWNTOWN, YOU SEE IT AND YOU FEEL IT, AND YOU KNOW IT'S HERE, UM, EVEN IF IT'S NOT ACTIVELY PROGRAMMED AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT.
THE SECOND IS, LOCAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND CREATIVE INDUSTRY THRIVE THROUGH GROWTH AND CHANGE.
HOW DO WE NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THAT SORT OF INDIVIDUALITY, UH, AND THE CREATIVITY THAT THE ENTREPRENEURS AND ARTISTS AND CULTURE BEARERS BRING TO OUR CITY? AND THEN LASTLY, WE HAVE ESTABLISHED CULTURAL DISTRICTS.
AND SO HOW ARE WE ENSURING THAT THERE'S MOMENTUM BEHIND THE VISIONS THAT THOSE INDIVIDUAL CULTURAL DISTRICTS, UH, HAVE? AND THIRD IS DOWNTOWN WORKS FOR AUSTINITES.
AND LIKE I SAID, THIS 50% OF ALL NON-EMPLOYMENT VISITS TO DOWNTOWN WITHIN 15 MILES OF DOWNTOWN ARE FROM PEOPLE THAT LIVE WITHIN, SORRY, I MAYBE SAID THAT WRONG.
50% OF ALL VISITS TO DOWNTOWN ARE, UH, ARE FROM PEOPLE THAT LIVE WITHIN 15 MILES OF DOWNTOWN.
AND SO THAT'S AN, YOU KNOW, A BIG NUMBER.
UH, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT SORT OF, YES, MAYBE THEY ARE
[00:20:01]
NOT, UM, THEY DON'T LIVE DOWNTOWN, BUT THEY'RE VERY MUCH SORT OF PART OF AUSTIN, AND HOW DO WE THINK, AND WE MAY WANT TO THINK ABOUT THEM AS SORT OF A DIFFERENT GROUP OF PEOPLE THAN MAYBE GENERAL OTHER VISITORS, UH, TO DOWNTOWN.AND SO, HOW DO AUSTIN AUSTINITES DIFFERENT AGES, ABILITIES, INCOMES AND BACKGROUNDS, ACCESS, USE, AND ENJOY DOWNTOWN? AND SO THIS IS IMPORTANT.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT ECONOMIC PARTICIPATION, IT'S ABOUT CIVIC PARTICIPATION.
IT'S ABOUT COMMUNITY AND COMING TOGETHER.
AND THEN SECONDLY, UM, HOW ARE WE ENSURING THAT THE BUSINESSES, SERVICES, EVENTS AND EXPERIENCES, UM, ARE RELEVANT TO AND SUPPORTED BY AUSTINITES? AGAIN, THAT SORT OF MARKET UNDERSTANDING THAT WHAT WE'RE PUTTING FORWARD ARE ULTIMATELY THINGS THAT PEOPLE WANT TO, UM, PARTICIPATE IN.
THE FOURTH PRIORITY IS RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT AND HISTORIC SIXTH THRIVE.
UM, THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE HAVE A WORLD CLASS CONVENTION CENTER THAT IS RAPIDLY COMING OUT OF THE GROUNDS NOW.
WE'VE INVESTED A TON OF MONEY AND ENERGY AND CREATIVITY INTO THE WATERLOO GREENWAY AND THE FUTURE OF THE WATERLOO GREENWAY THAT WILL RUN RIGHT THROUGH THE RED RIVER, UM, DISTRICT.
UM, THE ACT PLAN HAS IDENTIFIED MULTIPLE ENHANCEMENTS, UH, TO THE, UH, STREETS IN THAT AREA.
AND LASTLY, WE'RE EXPERIENCING, UH, YOU KNOW, TRUE RISK OF CULTURAL AND BUSINESS DISPLACEMENT, UM, AS, AS IT RELATES TO THESE CORRIDORS.
AND SO, UM, WHAT WE THINK, UH, THE, THE GOALS THAT MAY BEST SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, SORT OF THE VIBRANCY OF CHANGE IS THAT HOW ARE WE ENSURING THAT WE'RE USING AND ATTRACTING PEOPLE TO THESE DISTRICTS MORNING THROUGH NIGHT, BUT HOW ARE WE ALSO STRENGTHENING THE UNIQUE IDENTITIES AND CONNECTIVITY BUILT CORRIDORS? THEY'RE DISTINCT PLACES, BUT THEY BISECT EACH OTHER.
AND SO HOW ARE WE BUILDING ON THE SYNERGIES, UH, OF THE TWO AND THE CONNECTIVITY TO THE OTHER AREAS OF DOWNTOWN? SO OUR NEXT STEPS, UH, PLANNED EXTERNAL PARTNER FORUM, UH, WHICH I MENTIONED BEFORE.
UH, WE'RE GONNA BE DOING ACTIVITY ALIGNMENT AND WORK PLAN DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY WE'LL BE FORMING WORKING GROUPS TO THINK THROUGH, UH, BASED UPON EACH PRIORITY.
AND AS, AS YOU MENTIONED, ESPECIALLY WITH THE RED, UH, MAYOR'S TASK FORCE FOR RED RIVER, UM, THAT PROCESS IS SORT OF IN MOTION, UH, FOR RED RIVER, BUT IT WILL BE STARTING IT UP AS WELL AS, UH, FOR SIXTH, AND THEN WE'LL SORT OF ITERATE, UH, SEQUENTIALLY AND, OR IN TERMS OF WHATEVER ULTIMATELY IS THE MOST, UH, DEEMED THE NEXT MOST IMPORTANT THING TO TALK ABOUT.
I'M, I'M GUESSING IT'S PROBABLY TO BE CLEAN, SAFE, AND WELCOMING.
THIS IS THE NEXT ONE THAT WE NEED TO SORT OF DEEP DIVE ON.
UH, WE'LL BE PROVIDING REGULAR UPDATES TO THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COMMITTEE AS, AS BEEN ASKED FOR IN THE RESOLUTION, UH, UH, FROM COUNCIL, UH, AS WELL AS, UM, PERIODIC UPDATES TO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.
EITHER WHEN YOU GUYS FEEL IT'S MOST APPROPRIATE OR WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO SHARE, UH, IN TERMS OF THAT PROCESS.
AND SO, UH, QUESTION, HOW DID I DO ON TIME? WAS THAT LONG
UM, AND, AND I'M SURE YOU HAVE DONE, UH, SOME OF THIS AS YOU DEVELOP YOUR, YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN IS REALLY LOOKING AT WORK THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE, UH, INTERPRETIVE STRATEGY THAT, UH, THAT CAN DRIVE, UH, YOUR DEVELOPMENT.
UM, A STARTING DOCUMENT, UM, DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE 10 YEARS AGO DUE A REMARKABLE INTERPRETIVE STRATEGY OF THE SQUARES AND CONGRESS AVENUE, A START OF WHAT SHOULD EXPAND EVENTUALLY, BUT HAVING, UM, INTERPRETATION IS CRUCIAL.
YOU MENTIONED, UM, MUSIC, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN'S KNOWN AS THE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.
UM, MAYBE HAVE THE ABILITY TO LINK TO THAT INTERPRETATION WHEN IT WAS COINED.
YOU KNOW, UH, I RECALL IT BEING LEE COOK, FORMER MAYOR LEE COOK, AND OTHERS THAT COINED THAT PHASE, THAT PRAISE.
AND, YOU KNOW, HAVING THAT, UM, INTERPRETATION, THE ABILITY TO LINK TO IT, UM, WHAT IT MEANT THEN WHAT IT MEANS NOW, HOW IT HAS EVOLVED, MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S JUST ONE THING THAT, UH, IS PART OF YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN, BUT HAVE THE ABILITY TO, UM, TO EXPAND ON THAT DATA, THAT INFORMATION FOR PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, FOLLOWING YOUR DEVELOPMENT.
THAT'S JUST ONE RECOMMENDATION.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A COMMENT? MR. WILEY? UH, YEAH.
THANK YOU, FIRST OF ALL, FOR COMING OUT.
REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION MAYBE TO FILL IN A GAP, BECAUSE IT HAPPENED QUITE FREQUENTLY WHEN, WHEN WE WERE SERVING ON THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
UM, THE CURRENT BORDERS FOR DOWNTOWN WERE ESTABLISHED IN 1975, OR I SHOULD SAY LAST MODIFIED 1975.
SO THEY'VE STOOD THE TEST OF TIME FOR OVER 50 YEARS, ALTHOUGH IT MAY BE TIME TO RECONSIDER THAT.
[00:25:01]
AS THE WESTERN BORDER IN 1942.LADY BIRD LAKE WAS DAMMED UP IN 1960, I 35 OPENED IN 62, AND MLK WAS THE MOST RECENT BORDER CHANGE IN 1975, WHERE THEY, THEY MOVED DOWNTOWN FROM 15TH UP TO 19TH.
THEN IT MIGHT ALSO BE WORTH NOTING THAT SHORTLY AFTER THAT WAS WHEN THE CAPITAL VIEW CORRIDOR WORK WAS DONE IN 1983.
AND I THINK PARTLY WHAT I WAS MENTIONING IS LIKE, ARE THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT BOUNDARIES ARE DIFFERENT THAN THE THEN? AND SO THERE'S, THERE'S SOME DIFFERENT MAPS, BUT, UH, YES, I, UM, I RECOGNIZE SORT OF THE LONGSTANDING, UH, GEOGRAPHY THAT IS DEFINED DOWNTOWN.
AND, AND, AND I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT BORDERS FOR DOWNTOWN.
SO, YEAH, I, I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU.
THANKS FOR COMING AGAIN, COMMISSIONER BTA.
YEAH, THANK YOU, OFFICER STONE.
I THINK THAT, UM, YOU'RE SAYING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS.
THE ONLY POINT I CHALLENGE YOU ON IS SOMEBODY WHO, UH, REPRESENTS 8,000 MUSICIANS, UH, ON POLICY, IS THAT MUSICIANS ARE AVAILABLE, UH, PRETTY MUCH ALL DAY, EVERY DAY,
UH, AND WE'VE GOT A LOT WHO'LL PLAY THOSE GIGS.
A COUPLE OF POINTS I WANNA, I WANT TO, UH, TOUCH ON HERE BECAUSE I THINK THEY'RE IMPORTANT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS COMMISSION DID, UH, PUT FORWARD A BUDGET RECOMMENDATION EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT KINDA TOUCHES ON SOME OF THESE POINTS.
AND I, I KNOW THAT, UH, A LOT OF THESE WERE NOT, YOU KNOW, ADOPTED THIS YEAR NECESSARILY, AND THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE THESE ARE LONG-TERM GOALS.
UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT OUR COLLEAGUES FROM DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE RIGHT OVER HERE WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, THE DOWNTOWN, UH, AMBASSADOR PROGRAM THAT CURRENTLY ENDS AT 10:00 PM.
UH, AND THEY LET US KNOW THAT, UH, THE EXPANSION OF THAT PROGRAM WOULD ONLY COST AROUND $167,000, I THINK, TO HIRE TWO MORE OVERNIGHT EMPLOYEES, UH, TO REALLY HELP MUSICIAN SERVICE INDUSTRY WORKERS, PEOPLE WHO ARE LEAVING ESTABLISHMENTS LATE AT NIGHT TO HAVE SOME EXTRA SUPPORT GETTING, YOU KNOW, BACK TO THEIR VEHICLES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, SOME OF THE OTHER SOLUTIONS I THINK WE LOOKED AT WERE, YOU KNOW, A DOWNTOWN GREEN ROOM AT CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN, WHERE MUSICIANS CAN HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO GO.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE, THE PARKING, DISCOUNTED PARKING FOR MUSICIANS WE ACTUALLY SOLVED FOR YES, JUST YESTERDAY.
UM, ALL THAT TO SAY, UH, I THINK THAT THAT BUDGET RECOMMENDATION EXISTS AS A FRAMEWORK, AND I WOULD INVITE, UH, YOUR COMMITTEE TO CONTINUE TO KIND OF EXPLORE WAYS TO FULFILL SOME OF THESE NEEDS THAT, YOU KNOW, SEEM TO BE IN, IN ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT HERE.
UH, THE OTHER THING I'LL SAY REAL QUICK IN REGARDS TO THE, TO THE RED RIVER TASK FORCE IS, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, I SAW AN ARTICLE COME OUT TODAY THAT SAID, WELL, WHY ANOTHER TASK FORCE? AND, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, UM, FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE STAKEHOLDERS IN THAT AREA, UM, THERE, THERE'S A LOT OF CHALLENGES.
AND, AND I KNOW WE CAN'T TELL LANDOWNERS WHAT TO DO WITH THE LAND THAT THEY WANNA, YOU KNOW, UH, CONTROL AND SELL AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT MAYBE THERE'S SOME ELEMENTS WITH RALLY AUSTIN AND SOME OTHER AREAS WHERE WE COULD TRY TO INVEST IN SOME OF THOSE VENUES AND KEEP 'EM THERE.
AND I ACTUALLY, THERE'S A VERY GOOD POINT TO, UH, LOOK BACK, SORRY, LOOK BACK AT SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS YOU GUYS HAVE MADE OVER TIME, ESPECIALLY AS WE KIND OF START TO SORT INTO THESE DIFFERENT GOALS AND PRIORITIES AND TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHERE THERE WAS MAYBE ENERGY IN THE PAST, UH, TO BRING THAT FORWARD AND, AND, AND SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE REFLECT, UM, AND, AND SORT OF CARRY THAT FORWARD TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.
DOES ANYBODY ONE OF THEM LIKE TO COMMENT? OKAY.
ANYBODY ELSE? WELL, IN THAT CASE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
WE APPRECIATE YOU, EVERYTHING YOU DO, AND WE WILL SEE YOU AGAIN SOMETIME.
[3. Presentation regarding Downtown Austin Alliance (DAA) policy positions and priorities. [Matt Geske, Vice President of Public Affairs, and Bill Price, Senior Vice President of Investor Relations, DAA] ]
UH, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE IS COMING TO PRESENT.UH, WE HAVE MATT GSKI AND BILL PRICE.
BILL PRICE, AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PRESENT.
UM, SO AS, UH, CHAIR LEVION MENTIONED, I'M MATT GSKI.
I'M VP OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS FOR DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE.
IT'S MY RISE, UH, MY COLLEAGUE AND GOOD FRIEND, BILL BRYCE.
AND SO, UH, WE'RE GONNA DO A PRESENTATION.
UH, LAST MONTH Y'ALL TOOK A, A UNANIMOUS, UH, SUPPORTIVE VOTE OF OUR FIVE, UH, POLICY POSITIONS RELATED TO HOMELESSNESS, MENTAL HEALTH, UM, AND, UH, DO I HAVE ACCESS? YEAH.
SO, UH, THIS AFTERNOON OR THIS EVENING, WE JUST WANNA TALK ABOUT SORT OF HOW, WHY WE GOT TO THIS, WHY WE CHOSE THESE POLICY POSITIONS, UM, AND THEN OUR
[00:30:01]
STRATEGY AROUND THEM, AND SO, AND THEN OUR ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRACKING THAT, THAT, THAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING.BUT, UM, BEFORE I PASS IT OFF TO BILL, TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT THE WHY, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, OUR ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE I BELIEVE 1993, UH, WAS ORIGINALLY CREATED BY A GROUP OF PROPERTY OWNERS LOOKING AT, UH, SIMILAR TO, TO THE LANGUAGE USED BY, BY, UH, DIRECTOR STONE IS, IS CLEAN AND SAFE.
SO, OUR, OUR CEO COMMONLY SAYS DOWNTOWN IS A, UH, UH, UH, IT'S NOT A GATED COMMUNITY.
IT'S, UH, I KNOW THE MAYORS OFTEN SAYS IT'S OUR LIVING ROOM.
AND SO, ONE OF OUR CORE, CORE GOALS, UH, UH, AND OUTCOMES, UH, AT DAA IS TO PROVIDE A CLEAN AND SAFE AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL WHO CHOOSE TO, TO COME DOWNTOWN.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL, UH, KICK IT OVER TO, TO BILL.
AND GOOD EVENING, UH, MADAM CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS, BILL BRYCE, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, INVESTOR RELATIONS WITH DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE.
UM, AS MATT WAS POINTING OUT THE, UH, POLICY STATEMENT AND POSITIONS THAT YOU'VE, UH, SUPPORTED AT YOUR LAST MEETING, UH, BOTH ALIGNED DIRECTLY WITH THE, THE, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE'S STRATEGIC PLAN, BUT ALSO OUR MISSION AND VISION.
AS MATT WAS SAYING, YOU KNOW, THE, THE INITIAL IMPETUS BEHIND CREATING THE DOWNTOWN PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT IN 1993 WAS TO TRY AND MAKE DOWNTOWN A PLACE THAT WAS CLEANER AND SAFER, RECOGNIZING AT THE TIME THAT IF IT WASN'T CLEAN AND SAFE, IT PROBABLY DIDN'T MATTER WHAT ELSE YOU DO, PEOPLE WOULDN'T WANNA BE THERE.
AND SO THOSE CORE ELEMENTS REMAIN THE, THE TOP, UH, PRIORITIES FOR OUR ORGANIZATION.
MORE THAN HALF OF OUR BUDGETS DEDICATED TO PROGRAMS TO HELP SUPPLEMENT CITY, UH, UH, PROVIDED SERVICES TO MAKE DOWNTOWN A PLACES CLEAN, SAFE, AND WELCOMING.
AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO US.
AND THE POLICY AND POSITIONS THAT YOU'VE SEEN AND APPROVED SUPPORT THAT ON THE SCREEN BEFORE YOU RIGHT NOW, IS A, A CHART THAT REPRESENTS OUR QUARTERLY UNSHELTERED DOWNTOWN HOMELESS COUNTS.
AND ACTUALLY, IT'S AS OF 2:00 PM 2:00 AM, UH, TO 6:00 AM THIS MORNING, UH, WHICH WAS OUR OCTOBER QUARTERLY COUNT.
THE CHART'S NOW A LITTLE BIT OUT OF DATE.
SO, UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT TREND LINE IS ON A, IT IS FAIRLY FLAT ON A VERY SLOW DECLINE.
I'M, I'M PLEASED TO REPORT TO YOU THAT THE, THE ESTIMATE FROM THIS MORNING'S 2:00 AM TO 6:00 AM UH, DOWNTOWN PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT HOMELESS COUNT WAS 406.
SO THAT REPRESENTS A 10% DECREASE FROM THE JULY COUNT, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, REPRESENTS A 21% INCREASE FROM OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR, AND A 28% INCREASE FROM OCTOBER OF 2024.
AND SO WE FEEL THAT WHILE WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO, TO GET, UH, TO THE, TO THE AMOUNT OF PROGRESS WE'D LIKE TO SEE AND, AND SEE THAT TREND LINE GOING DOWN, IT SEEMS TO BE TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, I GUESS TO SAY.
AND SO, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT JUST TO NOTE THAT WE TRACK THIS JUST TO, TO HAVE A, A STATISTIC SPECIFIC TO DOWNTOWN.
AND OUR COUNTS ARE NOT CONDUCTED IN THE SAME MANNER, OR THAT ECHO CONDUCTS POINT IN TIME COUNTS EVERY OTHER YEAR.
UM, IT'S OUR TEAM OUT IN THE STREET, THAT IS, WHEN THEY SEE PEOPLE WHO ARE ASLEEP LIVING ON THE STREET, THEY CLICK A DATA POINT.
EACH ONE OF THOSE IS TIME AND DATE STAMPED AND CO-LOCATED, SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO LOG THAT AND ALSO TRACK WHERE OUR PEOPLE ARE TO ENSURE THAT ALL AREAS OF THE PIT ARE COVERED IN A VERY METHODICAL, METICULOUS WAY THAT'S CONSISTENT FROM ONE TIME TO THE NEXT.
AND SO THIS IS JUST A, A, SOMETHING THAT WE TRACK, WE FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT TO INFORM OUR ADVOCACY AND DEPLOYMENT OF RESOURCES.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE'S ROLE, UH, UH, UH, RELATED TO HOMELESSNESS IN PARTICULAR IS REALLY IN ADVOCACY, EDUCATION, DIRECT FUNDING, AND WE ALSO EMPLOY PEOPLE WHO HAVE BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT, UH, AS OUTTA THE 80 PLUS MEMBERS ON OUR DOWNTOWN AMBASSADORS TEAM.
ROUGHLY ONE THIRD ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE FORMALLY HOMELESS OR HAVE SOME OTHER BARRIER, PERHAPS A CRIMINAL BACKGROUND, THAT MIGHT PREVENT THEM FROM OBTAINING FULL-TIME GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT ELSEWHERE THAT DOES NOT PRECLUDE THEM OR PROHIBIT THEM FROM WORKING IN OUR AMBASSADOR'S ROLES.
AND SO, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN, THERE ARE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE FUNDED OVER TIME, THAT AMOUNT TO ABOUT $3 MILLION OVER THE LAST, GIVE OR TAKE, 15 TO 20 YEARS, UH, THAT REPRESENT PROJECTS, UH, THAT ARE HOUSING PROJECTS OR PROGRAMS THAT WE BELIEVE ARE PART OF THE SOLUTION.
OUR ORGANIZATION, I THINK, HAS EVOLVED IN WAYS OVER MY 20, NEARLY 23 YEARS WITH THE DOWNTOWN ALLIANCE, UH, REALLY WORKING TO HAVE A BALANCED APPROACH TO KEEPING DOWNTOWN A PLACE THAT'S CLEAN, SAFE, AND WELCOMING FOR EVERYONE.
WHILE WE'RE ALSO WORKING HARD AND COLLABORATING ON EVERY POSSIBLE FRONT TO HELP SOLVE THE PROBLEM AND ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS, UH, WE DO THE, FROM THE, FROM THE EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STANDPOINT, WE CONDUCT PERIODIC FORUMS SUCH AS OUR ISSUES IN EGGS.
WE HAD ONE, UH, JUST RECENTLY IN EARLIER, UH, OCTOBER, THAT, UM, UH, UH, INVITED, UH, PANELISTS TO TALK ABOUT THE NO WRONG DOOR INITIATIVE.
THAT'S, UH, COLLABORATION AMONG 17 MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS, CENTRAL HEALTH, YOUR CITY OF AUSTIN DEPARTMENTS, THE AUSTIN POLICE
[00:35:01]
DEPARTMENT, EMS, AUSTIN FIRE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT DISTRICT AND COUNTY ATTORNEY, UH, INTEGRAL CARE AND MANY OTHERS, ECHO INCLUDED, UH, ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.WE FEATURED THAT IN OUR ISSUES AND EGGS, LAST YEAR'S ISSUES AND EGGS WAS ABOUT THE, THE TRAVIS COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION EFFORTS.
AND SO WE HOST OUR OWN PANELS, PARTICIPATE IN OTHERS, FACILITATE CONVERSATIONS THAT, THAT WE BELIEVE ARE HELPFUL TO PROVIDING MORE INFORMATION AND EDUCATION THAT'S IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY'S UNDERSTANDING OF THIS REALLY KIND OF, UM, TANGLED ISSUE THAT IS, IS DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND IN MANY CASES.
UH, DO, DO YOU WANT TO REVIEW THESE OR DO YOU, OKAY.
UM, AND SO POSITION STATEMENT NUMBER ONE REALLY ALIGNS AGAIN WITH OUR, OUR FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN.
THE, THE SIMPLE POINT HERE IS THAT, UM, IN OUR FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN, WE WANNA SEE A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE LIVING ON SHELTERED DOWNTOWN.
OUR BOARD, HOWEVER, IN, IN FOCUSING ON THAT STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE WAS VERY CLEAR THAT THIS NEEDS TO INCLUDE HAVING INCREASED ACCESS TO FACILITIES AND SERVICES.
AND SO THE POSITION STATEMENTS THAT YOU WILL SEE FOLLOWING THIS REALLY, I THINK, RELATE TO THAT.
BUT, UM, WE WANT TO, UH, SUPPORT, UH, PROGRAMS THAT IMPROVE ACCESS TO FACILITIES, SHELTER, PERMANENT HOUSING, DIVERSION PROGRAMS TO HELP MOVE PEOPLE FROM, UH, THE STREETS INTO STABLE HOUSING AND CARE.
AND YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE WHY IT MATTERS POINTS ON THERE.
UM, BUT BASICALLY IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS.
AND RIGHT NOW, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, THIS, IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WE HAVE ONE SHELTER BED FOR AN ESTIMATED EVERY FIVE PEOPLE EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS.
WE'RE WORKING WITH THE HOMELESS STRATEGIC OPERATIONS OFFICE AND MANY OTHER PARTNERS TO ADDRESS THAT.
AND IN SOME WAYS, THOSE ARE, UH, IN, IN SOME OF THE POSITION STATEMENTS THAT FOLLOW, BUT WE ARE PART OF THE NO WRONG DOOR COALITION.
AND, UM, AND I THINK YOU'LL SEE IN THE COMING SLIDES MORE THAT RELATE TO THAT.
AND SO EXPANDING, UH, UH, SERVICES FOR CRISIS CARE, UM, THE MEADOWS FOUNDATION DID A STUDY THAT ESTIMATED THAT 950 TRAVIS COUNTY, AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY RESIDENTS, UM, ARE PEOPLE IN NEED OF CRISIS CARE THAT REPEATEDLY CYCLE FROM HOMELESSNESS TO JAILS, TO, UH, PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY SERVICES TO EMERGENCY ROOMS, HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOMS BACK ON THE STREET.
AND THEY'RE CONTINUOUSLY GETTING QUICK FIXES WITHOUT LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS.
AND SO, UM, THE, THE INCREASE IN CRISIS CARE BEDS, WE KNOW THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH.
AND EVEN THOUGH INTEGRAL CARE AND CENTRAL HEALTH ARE INVESTING IN THIS, WE KNOW THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, CRITICAL FOR THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO STEP UP ON THIS.
AND SO THIS IS A PRIORITY THAT WE'RE REALLY WORKING HARD, UH, IN TRYING TO SET THE TABLE PRIOR TO THE SESSION BEGINNING, AND THEN THROUGH THE SESSION AS IT COMES IN 2027, UH, TO GAIN THE SUPPORT OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
I WILL TELL YOU, HAVING BEEN AT BOTH, UH, HOUSE AND SENATE HEARINGS IN JUNE AND JULY, UH, THERE WERE BOTH, UH, URBAN AND RURAL REPRESENTATIVES FROM ACROSS THE STATE, FROM LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES, DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICES, SHERIFF'S, UH, UH, DEPARTMENTS AND ASSOCIATIONS, UM, UH, MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, COUNTY ATTORNEYS, AND OTHERS, ALL BASICALLY SAYING THE SAME THING THAT WE ARE SAYING HERE.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO PROVIDE THE CRISIS CARE AND LONG-TERM CARE THAT'S NEEDED.
AND SO AUSTIN IS CERTAINLY NOT ALONE IN THIS.
AND ALSO, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IT'S NOT JUST THE URBAN AREAS THAT ARE ASKING FOR THIS, IT'S ALSO THE RURAL DISTRICTS, UH, AS WELL ACROSS THE STATE.
UH, OUR THIRD POSITION, UH, AUSTIN SUPPORTS EXPANDING INVOLUNTARY COMMITMENT AUTHORITY, UH, TO INCLUDE PSYCHIATRISTS, PHYSICIANS, AND THEIR DELEGATES.
I KNOW THIS, THIS IS, UH, SOMEWHAT UPSETTING TO SOME PEOPLE THINKING THAT WE'RE GIVING COMMITMENT AUTHORITY TO OTHER, TO EXPAND THIS.
I, WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE RIGHT NOW, THE ONLY INDIVIDUAL THAT CAN TAKE, CAN, UH, UH, FACILITATE AN INVOLUNTARY COMMITMENT FOR PSYCH PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATION FOR A PERSON IS A POLICE OFFICER, NOT A PSYCHIATRIST, NOT A MEDICAL DOCTOR.
AND IN FACT, IF SOMEONE PRESENTS AT THE EMERGENCY ROOMS, SAY AT DELL MEDICAL CENTER, AND, AND IS PERCEIVED AS HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, THE DOCTORS THERE CANNOT COMMIT THAT PERSON.
THEY HAVE TO CALL THE POLICE TO COME TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
UH, WE FEEL THAT THIS, THIS NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE OTHER MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, PSYCHIATRIC PROFESSIONALS, AND IT'S PROVEN THAT THIS LEADS TO BETTER DECISIONS BEING MADE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT A PERSON SHOULD BE COMMITTED IN THE FIRST PLACE, BUT ALSO THE NATURE OF THEIR CARE THAT FOLLOWS THOSE COMMITMENTS OR, OR NOT BEING COMMITTED.
AND SO WE THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, WE'RE NOT SAYING TO TAKE THAT AUTHORITY AWAY FROM THE POLICE NECESSARILY, BUT TO EXPAND IT TO OTHER HEALTH PROFESSIONALS THAT IT REALLY MAKES SENSE TO DO THAT.
[00:40:01]
POSITION, UH, AND FIFTH POSITION BOTH RELATE TO PUBLIC SAFETY MATTERS.UM, WE HAVE REQUESTED TO THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT TO BRING THE DOWNTOWN COMMAND STAFFING TO A MINIMUM OF 90% OF APPROVED LEVEL.
UH, YOU HEARD A REPORT BACK IN, UH, JUNE OR JULY, I FORGET FROM, FROM OUR DOWNTOWN COMMANDER AND OUR ASSISTANT CHIEF THAT OVERSEES DOWNTOWN, THAT AT THAT TIME, THE DOWNTOWN AREA COMMAND, UH, HAD A ONLY 68% OF SWORN POSITIONS BILLED.
I'M PLEASED TO REPORT TO YOU THAT OUR WORK WITH THE CHIEF AND, AND, AND THE DEPARTMENT HAS LED TO THEM RECRUITING THROUGH THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, WHICH IS THE TIME OF YEAR THAT OFFICERS CAN APPLY TO HAVE, UH, CHANGES IN THEIR, IN THEIR POSITIONS OR, UH, THEIR SECTORS.
THEY RECRUITED 15 NEW OFFICERS TO DOWNTOWN.
BY THE END OF THIS MONTH, OUR PATROL OFFICER POSITIONS WILL BE AT 91% FULL.
WE KNOW THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE CURRENTLY, WITHOUT SUFFICIENT POLICE RESOURCES, OFFICERS AREN'T ON THE STREET AS MUCH AS THEY USED TO BE.
THEY AREN'T FEET ON THE STREET OFFICERS ON BICYCLES.
OFTEN THEY'RE IN THEIR VEHICLES CHASING 1 9 1 1 TO THE NEXT.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, A LOT OF THE LOW LEVEL ACTIVITY THAT IS, IS THAT CREATES A PERCEPTION OF A LACK OF SAFETY.
DOWNTOWN GOES UNCHECKED, AND THAT'S NOTHING AGAINST THE POLICE.
IT'S THAT THEY DON'T HAVE SUFFICIENT RESOURCES TO ALWAYS RESPOND TO LOW PRIORITY CALLS, SUCH AS CLASS C MISDEMEANOR OFFENSES.
AND SO, UH, ONE WHILE I'M PLEASED TO TO REPORT TO YOU THAT JUST, JUST THIS WEEK, THE CHIEF CONFIRMED THAT, YES, WE WILL BE AT, AT JUST OVER 90% IN STAFFING BY THE END OF THE MONTH.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT INCREASED ENFORCEMENT, SO POSITION STATEMENT NUMBER FIVE, INCREASED ENFORCEMENT OF OUR SOLICITATION ORDINANCE, AS WELL AS OTHER CITY ORDINANCES RELATED TO CLASSY MISDEMEANOR BEHAVIOR, SUCH AS THE SIT, LIE ORDINANCE, NEED TO BE ENFORCED.
WHAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE HERE IS LAW ENFORCEMENT IS NOT HEAVY HANDED ABOUT THIS.
THE FIRST THING THAT THEY, THEIR, THEIR FIRST PRIMARY OBJECTIVE IS TO ENSURE THAT A PERSON IS NOT IN AN URGENT CONDITION, OR IF THEY ARE TO MAKE THAT NINE ONE ONE CALL TO GET EMS ON THE SCENE TO TEND TO THEIR HEALTH NEEDS OR, OR PSYCHIATRIC NEEDS.
THEIR FIRST, THEIR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS AFTER THAT IS TO ASK PEOPLE TO COMPLY, INFORM THEM THEIR VIOLATING A LAW, AND GIVE A PERSON AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THEIR BEHAVIOR TO COMPLY.
IF A PERSON ABSOLUTELY REFUSES TO DO THAT, THEY CAN ISSUE A CITATION.
UM, IF THAT HAPPENS, ALL SUCH CITATIONS ARE HEARD AT COMMUNITY COURT, NOT MUNICIPAL COURT.
WE SUPPORTED IT BACK IN THE LATE NINETIES.
DOWNTOWN ALLIANCE SUPPORTED THE, THE CREATION OF THE, OF THE, WHAT WAS THEN THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT, WHICH IS NOW THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT.
THIS IS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE THAT NEED SERVICES NEED HELP, NEED HOUSING AND CARE THAT THEY MAY NOT ACCESS OTHERWISE, WILL HAVE THESE CASES HEARD.
THAT OFTEN IS A PORTAL FOR THEM TO ENGAGE IN THE HELPFUL SERVICES THAT THEY NEED.
AND SO THIS IS NOT ABOUT BEING HEAVY HANDED, IT'S ABOUT MAINTAINING A SEMBLANCE OF ORDER IN THE STREET.
AND I WOULD ALSO REPORT TO YOU THAT IN OUR FEBRUARY, 2026 DOWNTOWN USER SURVEY, TO WHICH WE HAD MORE THAN 700 RESPONDED, 706 TO BE EXACT, 69% OF RESPONDENTS SAY THAT THEY DID NOT FEEL SAFE DOWNTOWN BECAUSE OF THE PERCEPTION OF SAFETY CREATED BY BEING AGGRESSIVELY SOLICITED OR SEEING PEOPLE WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROBLEMS ON THE STREET.
AND SO ALL OF THE POSITIONS THAT YOU'VE SEEN, UH, RELATE TO HELPING TO RESPOND TO WHAT WE BELIEVE IS DETRIMENTAL, UH, PARTICULARLY TO OUR VISITOR INDUSTRY, UH, TO BUSINESSES OPERATING EFFECTIVELY, UH, TO OUR RESIDENTS.
AND SO, UH, WE BELIEVE THAT THESE POSITIONS WILL HELP TO ADDRESS THE, THE IMPORTANT NEEDS OF PEOPLE IN CRISIS, BUT ALSO MAINTAIN SEMBLANCE OF ORDER IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN WITHOUT BEING HEAVY HANDED POLICE WISE.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ADDRESS QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
AND I MUST SAY, I'M REALLY HAPPY TO HEAR THAT 91% NUMBER, BECAUSE AS A DOWNTOWN RESIDENT, IT DEFINITELY MATTERS TO ME.
UH, AND I MIGHT, I MIGHT HAVE CUT, CUT MATT SHORT HERE.
YEAH, I WAS, UH, THE SECOND HALF OF OUR PRESENTATION, I, I, I WANTED TO KINDA WALK THROUGH HOW WE'RE APPROACHING THIS FROM A COMMUNITY, UH, UH, SORT OF STRATEGY OVERVIEW.
AS BILL WAS WALKING THROUGH THOSE FIVE, UH, POSITIONS, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE, DAA, UH, STAFF DID NOT CREATE THESE POSITIONS SORT OF AT A THIN AIR.
UH, A NUMBER OF THOSE POSITIONS WERE INFORMED, WHETHER THROUGH CLINICAL, IN, IN INFORMED, OR THROUGH PROVIDER INFORMED.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AS AN ORGANIZATION, UH, THE GOAL IS REALLY TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES.
AND, AND, AND WHAT WE'VE CURRENTLY BEEN GOING THROUGH IS GETTING THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE DOWNTOWN, I, I, I COMMONLY SAY, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE, THE, THE UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS DOWN, UH, A HOMELESS DOWNTOWN.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT SORT OF A, UH, A, A VENN DIAGRAM OF, OF, OF SORT OF TREATMENT RESISTANT, UH, OR SHELTER RESISTANT, EXCUSE ME, MAY BE SUFFERING FROM A LONG-TERM UNTREATED MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE, UH, MAY AND COMMONLY HAS A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, THOSE, THERE IS NO MORE VENN DIAGRAM.
[00:45:01]
YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAVE THE MOST COMPLEX CASES, WHICH TAKES A VERY COMPLEX AND, AND, AND, AND THOROUGH, UH, STRATEGY.SO OUR, OUR STRATEGY IS LOOKING AT NOT ONLY JUST FOCUSING ON SORT OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THEIR ROLE, BUT ALSO THE STATE OF TEXAS, UH, AT THE LEGISLATURE.
AND THEN YOU'LL SEE SORT OF FOR OUR, OUR STRATEGY RIGHT NOW AS OUR COALITION IS HAVING, YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF BUSINESS, UH, UH, ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS PARKS, UH, CENTRAL HEALTH, UH, DOWNTOWN, UH, UH, AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
UM, WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO, TO GET AS MANY VOICES AT THE TABLE, WHETHER IT'S IN SUPPORT OF ALL FIVE OF THESE POLICY POSITIONS OR IN SUPPORT OF A HANDFUL OF THOSE, DEPENDING ON WHAT, WHAT, UM, WHAT, UH, AREA OF REMIT THAT THESE ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDE.
SO RIGHT NOW, WE'RE, WE'RE CURRENTLY IN OUR STAKEHOLDER BOARD PRESENTATIONS PHASE.
SO WE'VE, BILL AND I HAVE BEEN, HAVE BEEN DOING A, A BIT OF A ROAD SHOW COMING TO Y'ALL, AS WELL AS, AS SPEAKING TO OTHER BOARDS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO TALK ABOUT, NOT ONLY JUST TALK ABOUT THE WORK WE'RE DOING, BUT REALLY SOLICITING FEEDBACK.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE ALL WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT JUST ARE YOU ADVOCATING OR SUPPORTING US, BUT ARE YOU INFORMED? AND SO, I, I THINK EVEN, EVEN IF, IF AN ORGANIZATION IS MAYBE NOT, UH, FULLY ON BOARD WHAT WE'RE DOING, WE WANT THEM, THEM TO BE AWARE OF, OF THE WORK WE'RE DOING AND HELP SPREAD THE WORD.
SO AS WE BEGIN TO ROLL THIS OUT IN THE FALL, UH, THIS FALL, AND AS WELL AS BILL MENTIONED THE LEGISLATURE, WE'VE BEEN MEETING WITH THE, WITH, WITH LEG.
I WAS AT THE STATE CAPITOL THIS MORNING, MEETING WITH LEGISLATORS ON THIS ISSUE IS, UH, TO KEEP, UH, MONTHLY UPDATES GOING, WHICH, UM, A NUMBER OF Y'ALL ON THIS, UH, ON THIS COMMISSION RECEIVE, UH, INFORMATION FROM US AS FAR AS WHAT'S GOING ON.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UH, SIMILAR TO WHAT, WHAT DIRECTOR STONE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, COMING BACK WHEN Y'ALL WOULD LIKE INFORMATION, WE'D BE HAPPY TO, AS I'LL GET TO LATER IN THE SLIDES, SOME OF THE METRICS WE'RE GONNA BE TRACKING INTERNALLY, BUT WE'D BE HAPPY TO COME PRESENT TO Y'ALL, WHETHER QUARTERLY OR IF SOMETHING POPS UP.
WE CAN COME WHENEVER Y'ALL WOULD LIKE.
SO, RELATIVE TO POSITION STATEMENT ONE, WHAT WE, WHAT WE DID NOT WANT TO HAPPEN IS, IS TO HAVE THESE FIVE POSITIONS APPROVED BY OUR BOARD.
UM, MAYBE CHECK A FEW OF THOSE OFF AND SAY, WE'RE DONE.
AS, AS Y'ALL WELL KNOW, THIS, THE ISSUE OF UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH OR SOMETHING, IT'S SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT, IT DOES NOT HAVE AN END DATE.
UM, WHILE WE MIGHT HAVE, WE MAY HAVE CHECK MARKS ALONG THE TIMELINE, UM, WE, THIS IS A CONTINUAL WORK, SO WE ARE PROVIDING METRICS AND TRACKING THAT WE WILL WE'LL BE KEEPING INTERNALLY, AS I MENTIONED.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE ON THOSE POLICIES AND ACTIONS, IT'S NOT JUST, UH, GETTING CITY AND COUNTY BUDGET OR HAVING CENTRAL HEALTH PROVIDE, UH, UH, NEW FUNDING IN THEIR BUDGET.
BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, UH, THE COUNTY'S MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION PILOT, UH, UH, PHASE ONE DESIGN.
WE HAVE, UH, PLANNING FOR ADDITIONAL SHELTER BEDS, AS BILL MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, ONE BED FOR EVERY FIVE PERSON NEEDING A BED, AS WELL AS NEW SHELTERING CAMPUS PLANNING POSITIONS TWO AND THREE ARE, ARE, ARE REALLY, UH, FOCUSED ON THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
SO, AS BILL MENTIONED, THESE, THESE, WE REALLY NEED THESE, THE STATE LEGISLATIVE, UH, STATUTE ADJUSTMENTS FOR US TO MAKE, FOR US TO MAKE THIS WORK.
UM, SO WE REALLY LASER FOCUS ON THE LEGISLATURE AS WELL AS THE APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS.
UM, SO WE WILL BE UTILIZING SOME OF OUR MORE, UH, OUR BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE IN OUR COALITION TO BE, UH, DROPPING.
UH, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE LEGISLATURE, YOU CAN DROP A CARD, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY SAYING YOU SUPPORT OR, OR, OR DO NOT SUPPORT SOMETHING.
TESTIMONY, EMAILS, MEETINGS WITH LEGISLATORS, LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND IT'S REALLY, UH, I SHOULD USE THIS, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, THIS IS, UH, AS BEEN MENTIONED, THERE'S 17 ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE, THE NO WRONG DOOR, WHICH POSITION STATEMENTS TWO AND THREE, UH, ADDRESS.
WE'RE IN A TIME WHERE I THINK SOMETIMES WHEN YOU GO TO LEGISLATURE, IF YOU, IF THEY'RE LOOKING TO SOLVE A PROBLEM AND YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR OWN SOLUTION FOR YOUR COMMUNITY, THEY WILL TELL YOU, UH, WHAT THE SOLUTION IS.
AND WE HAD A, A TREMENDOUS TIME, UH, IN, IN OUR COMMUNITY WHERE WE HAVE 17 ORGANIZATIONS THAT CROSSED THE SPECTRUM FROM A SERVICE PROVIDER TO, TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
US BEING ABLE TO GO TO LEGISLATURE AS A COALITION WITH COUNTY, CITY, A HOSPITAL DISTRICT, UH, JUSTICE, UH, CRIMINAL JUSTICE, UH, AREA, THAT IS HUGELY IMPORTANT.
THE SECOND PIECE OF THIS TOOL, OF COURSE, IS THE FUNDING.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, OUR, OUR COUNTY, OUR CITY, UH, CENTRAL HEALTH HAVE PUT, UH, MONEY, UH, TOWARDS, UH, PROVIDING, UH, PSYCHIATRIC TREATMENT BEDS AS WELL AS STEP DOWN BEDS AND COORDINATED HANDOFFS.
BUT WITHOUT STATE BEING PART OF THAT, THAT FINANCIAL PIE, UH, WE MAY FALL SHORT.
AND WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO HAPPEN IS IN AN ALREADY STRETCHED BUDGET, UH, UH, UH, CLIMATE THAT WE HAVE, IS THAT THE STATE IS NOT PROVIDING, UH, FUNDING AS WELL.
SO THAT, THAT'S ANOTHER PIECE THAT WE'RE LASER FOCUSED ON.
AND, AND WE'LL BE, WE'D BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE YOU UPDATES AS A LEGISLATURE, UM, UH, COMES TO TOWN IN JANUARY.
UH, STATEMENTS FOUR AND FIVE, UH, ARE, ARE, UH, REALLY AROUND AS, AS BILL MENTIONED, THE PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE TECHNICALLY CHECKED, UH, QUARTERLY PATROL OF 9%, BUT WE ALSO, UH, WANT, UH, THE, THE, THE NEXT PIECE THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS THAT INCREASED ENFORCEMENT AND INVISIBLE PD PRESENCE.
[00:50:01]
FOR US IS TRACKING, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, THE, THE METRICS FOR US IS, ARE WE GETTING LOWER CALLS FOR SERVICE BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED ENFORCEMENT? UM, A LOT OF TIMES OUR AMBASSADORS DO PROVIDE OUR SAFETY AMBASSADOR TEAM DOES, DOES PROVIDE, UM, ASSISTANCE AS WELL AS NOTIFYING SOMEONE IF THEY'RE VIOLATING AN ORDINANCE, WHICH I BELIEVE LAST TIME I REMEMBER, WE HAVE ABOUT A 90% COMPLIANCE RATE.BUT A, BUT WE COULD ALSO HAVE THOSE AMBASSADORS GO DOING OTHER SERVICES FOR US.
SO IF WE'RE GETTING, UM, IF THERE'S AN INCREASE IN ENFORCEMENT FROM FROM A PD, THEN THERE SHOULD BE A, UH, LOWER KNEE, UH, UH, A DECREASE IN OUR, UH, SAFETY AMBASSADORS, UH, REQUESTING COMPLIANCE.
UM, AND THEN OUR NEXT STEPS, SO DISREGARD, I FORGOT TO TAKE THE ENDORSEMENT PARTNERSHIP OFF, BUT REALLY IS COMING TO TALK TO YOU GUYS AS WELL AS TALKING WITH OUR DOWNTOWN, UH, AFFINITY GROUPS, WHICH WE HAD OUR DOWNTOWN COMMERCIAL BROKERS, AS WELL AS, UH, HOTEL PROPERTY OWNERS, UM, BUSINESSES.
AND THEN WE'RE DOING OUR BRIEFINGS, UH, FOR OTHER SOCIAL SERVICE BOARDS.
BUT WE'D BE HAPPY TO, UH, ANSWER ANY QUESTION.
IF IT'S A TOUGH ONE, I'M GONNA GIVE IT TO BILL.
COMMISSIONER PEDO, UH, FIRST, THANK YOU BOTH.
UM, YOUR, YOUR INITIATIVES DOWNTOWN CONTINUE TO BE REMARKABLE, AND YOU, YOU'RE DOING GREAT WORK.
UM, YOU KNOW, I ATTENDED, UM, REPRESENTING OLD AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, YOUR BREAKFAST FOR, UM, NO WRONG DOOR INITIATIVE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS INDICATED THEN AND SINCE I, I'VE HAD, UH, DATA GIVEN THAT IT'S BEEN, UM, A SUCCESS OUT THE GATE.
UM, BUT OUR COUNCIL MEMBER ATTENDED OUR LAST BOARD MEETING AND INDICATED THAT WITH HIS SUCCESS, THERE HAS, UM, BEEN SOME ISSUE WITH LEGALITY OF, UM, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUAL STAKEHOLDERS SIGNING UP FOR THIS PROGRAM.
CITY LEGAL HAS STEPPED IN, HAS HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT IT, AND I DON'T HAVE THE SPECIFICS ON THAT.
UM, HAS THAT BEEN AN ISSUE? WILL IT CONTINUE BEING AN ISSUE, UH, AS A STUMBLING BLOCK TO THIS SUCCESS? THANKS, COMMISSIONER PTO.
UM, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
AT TOMORROW CITY COUNCIL MEETING, THERE WILL BE FURTHER DISCUSSION ON NO WRONG DOOR.
IT WAS DISCUSSED AT THE OCTOBER 6TH COUNCIL WORK SESSION, AND THERE'S ACTUALLY A, A COUNCIL RESOLUTION PROPOSED, UH, THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED AT TOMORROW'S COUNCIL MEETING.
SO I DON'T WANNA PREEMPT THAT.
WHAT I THINK IS MOST IMPORTANT IN RELATION TO YOUR QUESTION IS TO, TO STATE THE FACT THAT, AND I, AND I REPRESENT THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE AS PART OF THE COALITION.
I'VE BEEN IN ALL OF THE PLANNING MEETINGS, OR NEARLY EVERY ONE SINCE IT BEGAN.
UM, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, OTHERS ARE ALL INVOLVED IN THIS WORK.
UM, IT TOOK MONTHS TIME, MONTHS AND MONTHS TIME BEFORE ALL THE PARTNERS AGREED TO THE TERMS OF AN MOU THAT THEY'RE ALL NOW PART OF.
AND I CAN ASSURE YOU, ESPECIALLY OUR DISTRICT OR COUNTY ATTORNEY, WOULD NOT HAVE AGREED TO THAT IF THEY FELT THAT THERE WAS ANY CONCERN THAT SOMEONE'S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS WERE BEING VIOLATED.
AND SO, AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO PREEMPT THIS DISCUSSION AT TOMORROW'S COUNCIL MEETING, BUT I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT.
AND AGAIN, UM, THE, THIS WORK, UM, THE, THE, THE MOUS THAT EVERYONE HAS SIGNED ONTO, UH, INCLUDE INTEGRAL CARE, OUR LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY, CENTRAL HEALTH COUNTY, AND DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND OTHERS.
SO, UM, SO I, I THINK THAT WHILE THOSE CONCERNS MAY NOT BE UNFOUNDED, IT'S, IT, IT WAS INDICATED AT THE OCTOBER 6TH WORK SESSION THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE, OR, OR HOPEFULLY PROCEDURES IN PLACE THAT WILL AVOID THAT.
AND SO I THINK THAT YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT TOMORROW.
THAT MIGHT BE BETTER INFORMATIVE TO YOU.
BUT, UM, BUT I THINK THAT, UH, WITH THE PARTNERS INVOLVED, IF THERE WAS ANY CONCERN AMONG THEM THAT SOMEONE'S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS WERE A QUESTIONED, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE SIGNED ON THOSE MOUS.
AND IT, AGAIN, IT TOOK MONTHS TO HONE THEM TO A POINT WHERE EVERYONE WAS WILLING TO AGREE.
I CAN'T IMAGINE EITHER CENTRAL HEALTH OR, UH, JOSE HARZA AGREEING TO VIOLATE ANYBODY'S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.
SO, ANDY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS ONLINE? COMMISSIONER, SORRY.
UM, THANK, UH, THIS IS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, COMMISSIONER BERNHARDT.
UM, I WAS CURIOUS IN TERMS OF REQUESTS FOR FUNDING FROM THE STATE LEGISLATURE, UM, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME WHAT'S SORT OF UNDER THIS UMBRELLA OF, UH, THE NO WRONG DOOR, UH, PROGRAM IF, UH, EXPANDING MEDICAID, WHICH, YOU KNOW, REQUIRES A 10%, UM, PAYMENT FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS TO GET, DRAW DOWN A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE MEDICAID FUNDS AND WOULD ENABLE UNHOUSED FOLKS TO ACCESS CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY TREATMENT AND ALL SORTS OF EXPANDED MEDICAL SERVICES AND WOULD BE A HUGE BOOST TO CENTRAL HEALTH.
UM, IF THAT'S PART OF THE AGENDA,
[00:55:02]
I DON'T, I, THE EXPANDING MEDI MEDICARE, UH, MED MEDICAID HAS NOT BEEN PART OF THIS AGENDA SPECIFICALLY, UH, WHATEVER THE SOURCE OF THOSE FUNDINGS MIGHT BE ABLE TO BECOME, I DON'T KNOW AT THIS TIME.UH, BUT THAT TO ME IS IN MY, IN MY, UH, KNOWLEDGE TO MY KNOWLEDGE HAS NOT BEEN PART OF WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED TO THE STATE.
UH, I THINK THAT WHAT, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AS PART OF THIS COALITION AND OTHERS ACROSS THE STATE AS WELL, ARE TRYING TO DO IS TO IMPRESS UPON THE STATE THE NEED FOR STATE FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE CRISIS CARE AND STEP DOWN SERVICES THAT ARE NEEDED.
AND IT'S UP TO THE LEGISLATURE TO DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF THOSE FUNDS.
AND, AND, AND, UH, TO YOUR POINT ABOUT THE, UH, WHAT'S UNDER THE UMBRELLA.
SO THE, THE FUNDING WOULD REALLY BE FOR A CRISIS CARE CENTER THAT, THAT, UM, WOULD, WOULD HOUSE A LOT OF THE, THE PSYCHIATRIC BEDS AS WELL AS WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR THESE FOLKS, OR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TREATMENT.
UM, FROM A FUNDING LEVEL, THERE HAS BEEN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HAVING A, UH, A, A BUDGETARY APPROPRIATION DIRECTLY FROM THE STATE.
UM, BUT YET TO, TO, TO BILL'S POINT, WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT ANY SORT OF MEDICAID EXPANSION.
OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, I, I, I'M, I LIKE TO BE A BACKSEAT POLITICAL SCIENTIST, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LEGISLATURE'S GONNA LOOK LIKE.
BUT THERE, YOU KNOW, THAT COULD BE RIGHT, YOU KNOW, AN OPPORTUNITY IN THE FUTURE.
I GUESS I, THE ONLY REASON I RAISE IT IS THAT HAVING LOBBIED THE LEGISLATURE FOR 15 YEARS, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL OF WHICH WAS UNDER THIS RELATIVELY SIMILAR POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT, I DON'T SEE THEM EVER GIVING THE COUNTIES OR THE CITIES ENOUGH MONEY TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE WRAPAROUND SERVICES DIRECTLY FROM THE STATE BUDGET ON THE SCALE THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO REALLY HAVE A SERIOUS IMPACT ON THE PROBLEM.
AND ALTHOUGH, UH, EXPANDING MEDICAID HAS BEEN, UH, YOU KNOW, POLITICALLY TOXIC BECAUSE GOD FORBID WE GIVE OBAMA, UM, YOU KNOW, ANY KIND OF A POLITICAL VICTORY, EVEN THOUGH HE HASN'T BEEN PRESIDENT FOR 15 YEARS, UM, THE, IT IS THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES TO LOW INCOME PEOPLE, UH, WITH THE STATE NOT HAVING TO FRONT MOST OF THE MONEY SINCE 90% WOULD COME FROM THE FEDS
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER BTA? YEP.
AND MATT, I'VE OBVIOUSLY, I'VE ENJOYED WORKING WITH YOU FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, AND, UH, BILL, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE GUIDANCE, UH, YOU GAVE US EARLIER THIS YEAR AROUND UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS OF THE DOWNTOWN AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
UM, AND I KNOW I SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD, BUT I, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, UH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OUR MUSICIANS OF SERVICE INDUSTRY, OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WORKING DOWNTOWN, I THINK THE EXPANSION OF A DOWNTOWN AMBASSADOR, UH, PROGRAM REALLY DOES SOUND LIKE A KEY SERVICE, UH, THAT CAN, CAN HELP.
SO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE DIDN'T GET EXACTLY WHAT WE WANTED, UH, AS FAR AS THE, THE BUDGET, UH, RECOMMENDATION THIS YEAR, BUT OUR, HOW DO YOU GUYS FORESEE US BEING ABLE TO HELP YOU AS FAR AS EXPANSION OF THAT SERVICE AND SOME OF THESE OTHER, UH, AREAS? UH, I'M SORRY, SIR.
AS FAR AS THE EXPANSION OF THE AMBASSADOR SERVICES, THAT'S CORRECT.
UH, I, I MEAN, I, YOUR EXPRESSION OF SUPPORT BEHIND THE PROGRAM IS, IS REALLY, REALLY CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
I, I GUESS I WOULD START AND MAYBE END WITH THAT.
UH, UH, IT'S, IT'S CERTAINLY OUR MOST VISIBLE PROGRAM, UH, BAR NONE.
UH, AND, AND WHILE IT IS OUR MOST VISIBLE PROGRAM, WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT PROBABLY THE GREATEST VALUE THAT OUR ORGANIZATION BRINGS IS, IS OUR ADVOCACY WORK.
BUT LET'S FACE IT, THE RED SHIRTS AND THE FLUORESCENT YELLOW SAFETY TEAM, UH, SHIRTS THAT ARE OUT THERE EVERY DAY IS WHAT PEOPLE SEE AND, AND OFTEN ASSOCIATE WITH US.
AND SO, ABSOLUTELY, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, THAT REMAINS THE, UH, LARGEST SINGLE EXPENSE LINE ITEM IN OUR BUDGET ANNUALLY IS SIGNIFICANT.
UM, OVERALL, OUR, OUR, OUR WORK, AS I SAID EARLIER, TOWARDS SAFETY AND HOMELESSNESS, REPRESENTS MORE THAN 50% OF OUR BUDGET.
AND THE BOARD IS, IS COMMITTED TO CONTINUING, UH, PRIORITIZING THE CLEAN AND SAFE AND HOMELESS INITIATIVES.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IF THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO REASONABLY EXPAND THOSE AND TO, TO FIND FUNDING RESOURCES TO DO THAT, UH, WE ARE CERTAINLY OPEN TO THAT AND, AND SUPPORTING, UH, SAY FOR EXAMPLE, THE NEED FOR, UH, SAFETY ESCORTS FOR MUSICIANS, FOR EXAMPLE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? HEARING NONE.
I'M GONNA SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
IT'S REALLY ALWAYS GOOD TO HEAR FROM YOU.
AND WE, I COULDN'T IMAGINE DOWNTOWN WITHOUT YOU.
THE WORK THAT YOU DO IS SO CRITICAL.
[4. Presentation regarding an overview of the Sobering Center, its services, and areas for Downtown Commission support. [Ashley Branscum, Program Manager, The Sobering Center] ]
GONNA HEAR A PRESENTATION FROM, UH, ASHLEY BRANSCOMB OF THE SOBERING CENTER.HI EVERYONE, I'M ASHLYN BRANSCOMB.
[01:00:01]
AT THE SOBERING CENTER.UH, THAT MEANS I GET THE PRIVILEGE OF LEADING OUR HARDWORKING CLINICAL TEAM MADE UP OF, YOU KNOW, SOCIAL WORKERS, FOLKS WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE, UM, DOING THE REALLY HARD WORK OF TAKING CARE OF FOLKS.
UM, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING US.
AND OUR CEO LAURA LEBLANC SENDS HER REGARDS.
WE'RE A SMALL TEAM, AND SO WE HAD TO DIVIDE AND CONQUER THIS EVENING.
SHE'S AT A BOARD MEETING UP THE STREET, AND YOU GUYS GOT ME.
UM, I'M GONNA KIND OF BREEZE THROUGH SOME OF THESE SLIDES BECAUSE I FIND THAT MOST FOLKS JUST HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS FOR ME.
AND SO TO BE CONSIDERATE OF FOLKS TIME, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO GET TO THOSE.
SO THE MISSION OF THE SOBERING CENTER IS TO ENHANCE PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY BY PROVIDING A SAFE PLACE FOR PUBLICLY INTOXICATED INDIVIDUALS TO SOBER UP AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM OR JAIL, AND WHERE APPROPRIATE PROVIDER BRIDGE TO RECOVERY.
SINCE OUR INCEPTION IN 2018, WE'VE SERVED MORE THAN 16,000 FOLKS.
UH, WE'RE KIND OF IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING OUR FISCAL YEAR DATA BACK.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE IN FY 26, WE'RE GONNA HAVE SERVED A LITTLE BIT OVER 3,600 PEOPLE, WHICH WILL BE A RECORD BREAKING YEAR FOR US, WHICH MEANS UTILIZATION OF THE CENTER IS UP, WHICH IS A GOOD THING FOR US.
THAT MEANS FOLKS, UM, KNOW THE RESOURCES OUT THERE AND AVAILABLE TO THEM.
AND THEN THERE'S SOME PHOTOS KIND OF ON THE SIDE OF WHAT THE DORMS LOOK LIKE AND SOME THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, THIS IS SOME BENEFITS OF THE CENTER, RIGHT? SO THERE'S NO JAIL OR EMERGENCY ROOM INVOLVED.
THERE'S NO CITATION FINES OR MEDICAL BILLS INVOLVED WITH OUR SERVICES.
THAT INCLUDES AN AMBULANCE RIDE IF SOMEBODY IS TRANSPORTED BY EMS, WITH, WHICH IS A HUGE DEAL FOR PEOPLE SINCE, UH, THE AMBULANCE BILL CAN OFTENTIMES BE, YOU KNOW, AS COSTLY AS THE HOSPITAL BILL, THERE'S NO COST FOR OUR SERVICES AT ALL.
SO WE'RE NOT BILLING FOR INSURANCE SOBER AND CARE IS NOT A BILLABLE SERVICE.
AND SO, UM, ANYBODY CAN ACCESS OUR SERVICES.
WE'RE OPEN 24 HOURS, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, UM, 3 6 5.
SO ANYTIME SOMEBODY NEEDS US, WE'RE AVAILABLE TO THEM.
UH, WE DO OCCASIONALLY CLOSE FOR LIKE SOMETHING LIKE A STAFF TRAINING, BUT WE KNOW THE COMMUNITY'S IMPACTED.
AND SO WE PLAN THOSE, WE COORDINATE WITH PARTNERS, WE DO ALL THAT.
IF WE'RE GONNA BE UNAVAILABLE TO FOLKS, WE'RE A COMPLETELY CONFIDENTIAL FACILITY, SO WE'RE HIPAA COMPLIANT THE SAME WAY A HOSPITAL IS.
WE DON'T NOTIFY ANYONE OF A CLIENT'S ADMISSION WITHOUT CONSENT OR A SUBPOENA, UM, IF NECESSARY.
AND THEN WE'RE CONNECTING FOLKS TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND OTHER SERVICES.
AND SO I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR PROGRAMMING HERE IN A SECOND.
BUT WE DO HAVE A PROGRAM WHERE IF SOMEONE IS SEEKING TREATMENT, THEY CAN ACTUALLY STAY AT THE CENTER FOR SEVERAL DAYS WHILE THEY GET CONNECTED TO CARE.
UM, AND THEN WE WILL ASSIST FOLKS WITH TRANSPORTATION, TRANSPORTING THEM HOME.
SO THAT'S EITHER VIA UBER OR IF THEY'RE CALLING A FRIEND, WHATEVER IT IS, WE NEED TO GET THEM BACK TO WHERE THEY'RE GOING.
THESE ARE THE ADMISSION CRITERIA.
UH, SO IT'S 18 YEARS OR OLDER.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE MISS PROBABLY A SUBSET OF FOLKS BY NOT TAKING PROBABLY 17.
BUT ONCE YOU START TAKING FOLKS KIND OF UNDER THAT AGE, IT GETS A LITTLE BIT COMPLICATED.
AND SO WE HAVEN'T BEEN DOING THAT.
UM, SUSPECTED ALCOHOL OR DRUG INTOXICATION.
SO AN OFFICER OR SOMEBODY ON SCENE DOESN'T HAVE TO KNOW IF SOMEONE'S USING, UM, WHICH IS HELPFUL, RIGHT? BECAUSE FOLKS MAY NOT BE ADMITTING TO USE IN FRONT OF SOMEONE IN A UNIFORM.
BUT ONCE THEY GET IN FRONT OF MY STAFF, UM, WE CAN START HAVING SOME CONVERSATIONS.
NO LARGE UNTREATED LACERATIONS, NO SEIZURE WITHIN THE LAST 24 HOURS, NO SIGNS OF A GI BLEED.
UM, THOSE ARE ALL VERY MEDICAL, RIGHT? SO WE HAVE A TEAM WITH EMTS, BUT WE DON'T HAVE KIND OF THE SAME TOOLS THAT AS A HOSPITAL.
AND SO I LIKE TO TELL REFERRAL PARTNERS, I'M ASKING YOU FOR THE STUFF YOU CAN SEE WITH YOUR EYES, AND THEN YOU CAN GET THEM IN FRONT OF OUR MEDIC AND WE CAN START TO DETERMINE MEDICAL SAFETY WITH VITALS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, AND THEN WE DO TAKE SUICIDAL AND HOMICIDAL IDEATION NOW IF THEY ARE CLEARED BY A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL.
SO IF SOMEBODY IS COMING FROM SOMEWHERE LIKE PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY SERVICES OR DELL SETON AND HAS SEEN A PROVIDER, OR IF SOMEONE IS EXPRESSING SI OR HI AT INTAKE, WE CAN CONSULT WITH INTERVAL CARE VIA C3 AND THEN MAKE SURE THAT IT'S SAFE FOR SOMEBODY TO STAY WITH US.
UM, WE FIND OFTENTIMES THAT FOLKS ARE, UH, SAFE TO STAY, AND THEN IF THEY'RE NOT, WE CAN DO SOME SAFETY PLANNING AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF CARE FOR THEM IS.
AND THESE ARE KIND OF OUR STAGES OF CARE.
SO A CLIENT IS REFERRED OR TRANSPORTED TO THE CENTER BY LAW ENFORCEMENT, EMS OR OTHER REFERRAL PARTNERS.
SO WE HAVE A GROWING LIST OF AROUND SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 90 AND A HUNDRED COMMUNITY REFERRAL PARTNERS.
UM, THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO US BECAUSE IT USED TO BE THAT LIGHTS AND SIRENS WERE THE ONLY WAY SOMEONE COULD GET INTO THE CENTER.
UM, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE PLENTY OF REASONS WHY CERTAIN COMMUNITIES WOULDN'T WANT TO ENGAGE KIND OF A FIRST RESPONDER.
AND SO THE MORE FOLKS THAT I HAVE ON THE LIST, THE MORE AVAILABLE OUR SERVICES ARE TO FOLKS.
UM, AND SO THAT LIST CONSISTS OF, YOU KNOW, OTHER NONPROFITS WORKING WITH FOLKS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, SOBER LIVINGS, TREATMENT CENTERS.
UM, THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT CAN REFER TO US, LIKE REALLY JUST A BROAD SCOPE OF FOLKS WHO MAY BE ENGAGING WITH PUBLICLY INTOXICATED FOLKS.
UM, AND THEN, LIKE I SAID, NO PI CITATION, NO FINES ASSOCIATED WITH ANY OF THAT.
[01:05:01]
DO THAT SCREENING TO ENSURE THAT IT'S SAFE FOR THE CLIENT TO SERVE UP OUR CARE.SO SOMETIMES SOMEONE COMES TO INTAKE AND YOU FIGURE OUT THAT THEIR BLOOD SUGAR IS 400 AND THEY NEED A HOSPITAL THAT, OR MAYBE THEY HAD A HEAD INJURY OR WHATEVER IT IS.
UM, AND SO OUR MEDIC IS ABLE TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION.
UM, WE DO HAVE AN ON-CALL DOCTOR, SO WE HAVE OUR OWN MEDICAL DIRECTOR.
AND SO, UH, OUR EMTS ARE ABLE TO CONSULT WITH A DOCTOR IF THEY HAVE SOME SORT OF QUESTION OR PERHAPS ARE JUST LIKE, WELL, THIS PERSON'S HEART RATE IS ELEVATED, BUT ALSO THEY WERE USING A STIMULANT SO THAT ALL OF THAT KIND OF TRACKS.
SO THEY HAVE SOMEBODY TO TALK THAT THROUGH WITH.
UM, AND THEN MY TEAM, SO OUR RECOVERY SUPPORT SPECIALIST WILL MONITOR THE CLIENT AND KIND OF CONTINUE TO ASSESS THEIR NEEDS AS THEY SOBER UP.
SO WE ARE TAKING VITALS FOR FOLKS JUST ASSESSING FOR MEDICAL SAFETY AND KIND OF DETERMINING WHAT THEIR GOALS ARE.
AND THEN A COUNSELOR WILL CONDUCT AN ASSESSMENT.
SO WE'RE USING THE AUDIT AND THE DAS.
THOSE ARE CONSIDERED TO KIND OF BE THE GOLD STANDARD FOR SUBSTANCE USE SCREENINGS.
UM, AND BASED ON THE RESULT OF THAT ASSESSMENT, IT'S REALLY KIND OF GUIDES THE CONVERSATION.
SO IF YOU'RE SCORING LOW RISK, LET'S SAY, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU WERE IN TOWN FOR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, YOU LIVE OUT OF STATE AND YOU JUST HAD ENTIRELY TOO MUCH FUN ENJOYING ALL OF THE THINGS OUR CITY HAS TO OFFER.
THAT CONVERSATION LOOKS A LITTLE BIT MORE LIKE, THIS IS WHAT A STANDARD DRINK.
IS THIS HOW YOU IS, HOW YOU PACE YOURSELF.
LIKE HOW DO WE KEEP YOU SAFE WHEN YOU ENGAGE IN SUBSTANCE USE MOVING FORWARD? UM, OR MAYBE SOMEONE ISN'T WILLING TO CHANGE HOW THEY'RE USING SUBSTANCES YET WE'RE PROVIDING KIND OF THAT HARM RE CO HARM REDUCTION CONVERSATION OF LIKE, THIS IS HOW WE KEEP YOU SAFE.
UM, AND THEN FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE SCORING MODERATE TO HIGH RISK, WE'RE HAVING A CONVERSATION THAT LOOKS A LITTLE BIT MORE LIKE, HOW DOES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL? HOW IS THAT SHOWING UP IN YOUR LIFE? ARE YOU WILLING TO MAKE ANY CHANGES RIGHT NOW? UM, AND IF THE CHANGE IS I WOULD LIKE TO GO TO TREATMENT, THEN THAT'S WHERE, UM, OUR HOLDOVER PROGRAM COMES IN.
AND SO FOLKS ARE ABLE TO STAY WITH US ON OUR FRESHLY RENOVATED SECOND FLOOR, UM, AND SEEK SERVICES THERE.
AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY UP THERE IS ABOUT A WEEK.
UM, BUT AS LONG AS SOMEBODY IS WILLING TO ENGAGE IN THE PROCESS OF SEEKING TREATMENT, WE'RE NOT TURNING FOLKS OUT ON THE STREET WITHOUT A PLAN.
UM, AND SO THAT PROGRAM STARTED AS A PILOT AND THEN WE KIND OF REALIZED, OH, THIS IS WORKING.
AND THAT WAS WHEN WE DECIDED WE NEEDED TO RENOVATE THE WHOLE BUILDING AND MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
ARE THERE QUESTIONS FOR ME? ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER VEDO? WELL, I DO THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, BUT SAY YOU HAVE SOMEONE COMING IN TO THE CENTER AND, UM, THEY'RE INTOXICATED, BUT THEY MAY HAVE OTHER SUBSTANCES ON THEIR PERSON.
SO HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH, UH, THOSE SITUATIONS? YEAH, SO IF SOMEBODY COMES IN AND WE FIND SUBSTANCES ON PERSON, UH, WE ACTUALLY JUST CALL 3 1 1 AND A PD WILL SEND AN OFFICER TO COME OUT AND DISPOSE OF THOSE FOR US.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
I KNOW SOMEBODY WHO WENT THROUGH YOUR PROGRAM AND HAS BEEN SOBER NOW FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, SO YOU GUYS DO A GOOD JOB.
WE DON'T OFTEN GET TO HEAR WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR FOLKS AFTER THE FACT.
AND SO THAT'S, IT'S INCREDIBLE.
JUST SEEMS LIKE AN INCREDIBLY WELL THOUGHT OUT AND WELL EXECUTED PROGRAM.
ANYBODY ONLINE HAVE ANYTHING? ALL RIGHT.
WELL I THINK WE'RE GONNA LET YOU GO AND GET BACK TO YOUR LIFE AND WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE AND WE REALLY THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
AND IF YOU EVER WANNA COME SEE US, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO TOURS OR, UM, IF YOU WANNA SEE SOME MORE DATA OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, JUST LET US KNOW.
AND IF YOU NEED ANYTHING, YOU LET US KNOW.
[5. Approve the Downtown Commission 2027 Annual Meeting Schedule. ]
APPROVING THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION ANNUAL MEETING SCHEDULE.UH, YOU CAN SEE IT'S ON THE NEXT PAGE.
I DIDN'T SEE ANY PARTICULAR PROBLEMS WITH IT.
UM, SO I'M GONNA MOVE THAT WE APPROVE IT.
ANY OPPOSED? UH, AND WE TABLED
[6. Approve a recommendation regarding pedicab policies. ]
THE RECOMMENDATION ON PETTY CAB POLICIES BECAUSE IT WAS JUST TOO PRESCRIPTIVE AND EVERYTHING FOR THE KIND OF THINGS THAT WE DO.AND NEITHER, UH, CHAIR ISHMAEL OR MYSELF AT THE TIME TO WORDSMITH IT THIS WEEK.
SO THAT WILL COME BACK TO US NEXT MONTH.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ]
SO NOW FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, HOUSTON, WE WANT HER ON THE SCHEDULE FOR NEXT MONTH.UM, DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY COMMISSIONER BTA? YEAH, UH, JUST YESTERDAY, UM, MY ORGANIZATION AND SEVERAL OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT, DID SOLVE FOUR $5 PARKING FOR MUSICIANS, UH, WORKING DOWNTOWN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH METROPOLIS PARKING.
UH, I WOULD LOVE TO INVITE THEM TO COME DO A PRESENTATION ON THIS PROGRAM NEXT MONTH, IF POSSIBLE.
[01:10:01]
PETER, I HAD REQUESTED AT SOME POINT, AND I THINK THAT THE AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN WORKING WITH YOU ON, UH, SCHEDULING A PRESENTATION ON THE VISION FOR THE HISTORY CENTER CAMPUS.HE HAS PUSHED IT OFF A COUPLE OF TIMES.
UM, IF YOU COULD LIGHT A FIRE UNDER HIM, WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM HIM.
UH, ANYTHING ELSE? WELL, THEN I'M GONNA CALL FOR ADJOURNMENT.
IT IS, UM, 6 42 AND EVERYBODY HAVE A GOOD EVENING.