[Call to Order]
[00:00:15]
NO ONE OBJECTS I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL A MEETING ORDER.WELL, WE GET, AS WE ALWAYS DO WITH THE PURPOSE, THE PURPOSE OF THE BOARD IS TO ADVISE THE COUNCIL AND THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO SERVE THE POOR IN THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON FEDERALIST.
[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
SHOULD HAVE THE MINUTES FROM OUR JULY 15TH MEETING.IF YOU'LL JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO LOOK AT THAT.
AND IF YOU SEE ANY CHANGES, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
AND IF THERE AREN'T ANY, WE'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER WOODS.
WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER COSTA, ALL IN FAVOR.
SAY I HAVE APPROVED IN THE MINUTES.
[2A. Presentation on Home Repair Program (Austin Home Repair Coalition and Neighborhood Housing and Community Development [NHCD] staff).]
ITEM TWO, A NEW BUSINESS PRESENTATION ON HOME REPAIR PROGRAM, AUSTIN HOME REPAIR COALITION, NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING.I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO SET, UH, PERHAPS SOME, UH, EXTRA EXPECTATIONS AROUND, UH, UH, JUST LOWER ON THE AGENDA.
I KNOW THAT THERE IS A POTENTIAL DISCUSSION AND ACTION AROUND POTENTIAL, UH, UM, OFFICERS.
UM, UH, YOU LET US KNOW KIND OF, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS ARE, UH, UM, IN THIS MEETING AND WHAT YOU THINK WE MAY BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH? UM, YEAH, I THINK, I THINK WE COULD PROBABLY GET THROUGH THIS AGENDA.
UH, I KNOW EVERYBODY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO STAY ON THE ENTIRE TIME, SO IN ORDER TO TAKE ACTION, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST EIGHT ON, ON THE CALL.
UM, AND SO I DON'T REMEMBER DISCUSSING IN OUR LAST MEETING, ANYTHING ABOUT ELECTIONS FOR OFFICERS.
SO MY, MY THOUGHT IS THE FAIREST THING THAT WE COULD DO THERE IS TO JUST SIMPLY MAKE EVERYONE AWARE THAT THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO AND POTENTIALLY PUSH THAT TO THE NEXT MEETING.
SO THAT FOLKS WHO MAY WANT TO RUN OR CONSIDER RUNNING CAN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO, UM, MORE THAN JUST, UH, SEEING IT ON THE AGENDA RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, THAT WOULD BE MY SUGGESTION, BUT OF COURSE WE ACT AS A BODY.
SO, UM, WE CAN TAKE THAT UP LATER, BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN HOPEFULLY GET THERE AS MUCH AS THIS AS POSSIBLE SO THAT WE TAKE ACTION THAT WE CAN, WE CAN, UH, HAVE A, HAVE A VOTE THAT COUNTS.
CAUSE WE WE'LL WE'LL WE'LL NEED TO MAKE SURE WE, UH, OBSERVE THE QUORUM RULES PROMOTING, UH, BUT AT LEAST IN A NEW BUSINESS, UH, IT'S MOSTLY JUST DISCUSSION AND NO ACTION.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD BE OKAY TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD IF NO ONE ELSE HAS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AND STAFF CAN TAKE IT AWAY.
I DID JUST SAY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS AND CAN TAKE IT AWAY.
SO IS IT THAT THE GAL ON THE PHONE BEFORE I GET STARTED THIS ASSOCIATION BRAND, OKAY.
I'M GOING TO ASSUME SHE'S NOT ON THE PHONE AND I'VE BEEN TO THE PRESENTATION OFF, BUT IT WAS LIKE, HI, ELLA TEESHA.
I REALLY, I WAS KICKING IT OFF AND THEN I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO LATISHA, BUT WANTED TO DEFINITELY FULFILL MY OBLIGATION IN MY ROLE.
[00:05:01]
SAY, UM, REALLY WE'RE TRIAGING THIS DISCUSSION AND THIS WAS BORN FROM OUR LAST MONTH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION MEETING WHERE, UH, WE IDENTIFIED FUNDING THAT WOULD BE, UM, PUT TOWARD WORD AND ANOTHER ACTIVITY, WHICH IS HOMELESSNESS ACQUISITION, UM, SPECIFICALLY.AND THAT LED TO A NUMBER OF DISCUSSION POINTS FOR HOME REPAIR.
CAUSE SOME OF THE DOLLARS WOULD BE COMING FROM HOME REPAIR AND THE, UH, THE DESIRE TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION AROUND OUR HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS, HOW WE WERE FUNDING THOSE THIS YEAR AND SPECIFICALLY IMPACT, UM, BY, UH, COVID-19 ON SOME OF THE HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS WAS ALSO A STRONG DESIRE OF DISCUSSION.
SO, UM, INTERESTINGLY I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, CHARLES KLOTMAN WHO HAS BEEN A LEADERSHIP VOICE IN THE HOME REPAIR COALITION FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
AND WE INVITED HIM TO BE A PART OF THIS DISCUSSION BECAUSE WE FELT THAT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ONE OF OUR SUBRECIPIENTS OF FUNDING AND A CONTRACTOR WITH, UH, THAT TRUE BOOTS ON THE GROUND EXPERIENCE, WORKING WITH THE CLIENTS DURING THIS, UM, VERY, YOU KNOW, A SPECIFIC TIME DURING THE PANDEMIC WAS AN IMPORTANT VOICE FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
SO WHAT YOU WILL SEE IS, UH, LATISHA BROWN, WHO IS ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MANAGERS WHO OVERSEES OUR HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS WILL PROVIDE A PRESENTATION ON THE HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS OFFERED BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICE.
AND THEN YOU WILL SEE CHARLES KLOTMAN TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE RELATIONSHIP AS THE CONTRACTOR OF DOLLARS, GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND FUNDS AND THE, THE IMPACT COVID-19 HAS HAVING AND SOME OF THE WORK THAT MEALS ON WHEELS AND MORE IS DOING IN THIS SPACE.
AND THEN WE ARE GOING TO OFFER IT UP TO JULIA CAMPBELL, WHO IS GOING TO PROVIDE SOME REALLY GREAT INFORMATION ABOUT OUR STRATEGIES UNDERWAY SPECIFICALLY WITH MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS AND HOW WE BELIEVE THAT THAT WILL BE VERY RESPONSIVE AND TIMELY AND RELEVANT IN THIS PANDEMIC ERA THAT WE'RE IN.
SO I OFFER IT UP TO LATISHA AND THEN THE THREE OF US WILL BE AVAILABLE CHAIRMAN AND COMMISSIONERS, FOLLOWING THE PRESENTATION FOR ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS AND LATITIA TAKE IT AWAY.
AGAIN, REBECCA STATED I AM, THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS ANY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND AUSTIN HAVE BEEN FINANCE CORPORATION, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MANAGER.
I OVERSEE THE CLIENT SERVICES AND CONSTRUCTION DIVISION, BUT THE DEPARTMENT WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR APPLICATION IN INTAKE AND DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY FOR OUR CLIENTS.
THE CONSTRUCTION STAFF IS RESPONSIBLE FOR INSPECTIONS AND CONSTRUCTION OVERSIGHT.
UH, WOULD YOU TAKE ME TO SLIDE NUMBER THREE SO I CAN, UM, PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE DIFFERENT HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS? SO SLIDE NUMBER THREE, OVERVIEW OF NACD IS HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS. WE HAVE OUR HOME REPAIR LOAN PROGRAM, THAT PROGRAM.
WE HAVE 15 IN PROGRESS WITH ACCOMPLISHED SIX.
THAT PROGRAM PROVIDES UP TO $75,000 IN REPAIRS FOR MAJOR SYSTEMS, ELECTRICAL PLUMBING FOUNDATION ROOFING IN THE VISIT.
WE DETERMINED THAT 75,000 IS NOT FEASIBLE TO INVEST IN THE PROPERTY.
WE DO HAVE A RECONSTRUCTION COMPONENT TO THAT PROGRAM WHERE WE CAN PROVIDE UP TO $130,000 TOWARDS RECONSTRUCTION OF THE, THIS IS THE ONLY HOME REPAIR PROGRAM THAT WE ADMINISTER THAT HAD A, THAT COMES IN THE FORM OF A LOAN WHERE WE PLACE A LIEN AGAINST THE PROPERTY.
IT DOESN'T REQUIRE MONTHLY PAYMENTS, BUT AGAIN, THERE'S A LIEN ON THE PROPERTY.
SO ARCHITECTURAL BARRIER REMOVAL PROGRAM FOR HOME OWNERS, THAT GOAL IS 80.
UH, WE HAVE 29 IN PROGRESS AND WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED EIGHT.
WE PROVIDE UP TO $15,000 IN REPAIRS, UH, FOR THAT PROGRAM TO REMOVE BARRIERS FROM THE HOME.
UM, IN ORDER FOR ELDERLY AND DISABLED ARE JUST ELDERLY AND DISABLED POPULATION, UM, IN AN EFFORT FOR THEM TO AGE IN PLACE, STAY IN THEIR HOMES.
WE MADE MODIFICATIONS LIKE TUB TO SHOWER CONVERSIONS, PROVIDE RAMPS.
WE HAVE THAT SAME PROGRAM FOR RENTERS.
WE HAVE A GOAL OF A SEVEN, WE'VE GOT ONE IN PROGRESS AND WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED ONE.
AND AGAIN, IT'S TO REMOVE BARRIERS IN THE HOME.
[00:10:02]
WE HAVE OUR MINOR HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS. THESE ARE FOUR MINOR HOME REPAIRS THAT POSE AN IMMEDIATE IMMEDIATE THREAT.SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, CODE COMES OUT, THERE'S A CODE VIOLATION.
THEY HAVE TO SHUT OFF UTILITIES.
THE CITY WILL GO OUT AND PROVIDE UP TO $5,000 IN ASSISTANCE.
IN ORDER THEY GET THE, UM, UTILITY, UH, BACK ON THE GOAL FOR THAT, UH, 200 IS 205.
WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED 82 THAT WE HAVE OUR GOAL REPAIR PROGRAM WHERE WE PROVIDE UP TO $20,000 TO REMOVE HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARDS FROM THE PROPERTY.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE MAJORITY OF OUR GRANT PROGRAMS THAT OUR LOAN PROGRAM, WE DO NOT PROVIDE COSMETICS.
SO IN THIS CASE YOU HAVE A CARPET IT'S RIPPED.
WE CAN REPLACE THAT CARPET BECAUSE IT'S A TRIP HAZARD.
SO THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF, UM, SO WE DO THOSE TYPES OF REPAIRS UNDER THAT PROGRAM.
I WANT TO, I WANTED TO BRING THE IMPROV ADDRESS INFORMATION FORTH TO THE COMMISSION BECAUSE OF THE, BECAUSE OF WHERE WE ARE ON THE GOALS.
WE HAVE NOT ACCOMPLISHED A LOT, BUT I WANT TO YOU TO GET A PICTURE OF WHAT WE HAVE IN PROGRESS.
AND THIS IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE IMPACT THAT COVID HAS HAD ON OUR SERVICES.
UH, LET'S SEE, SLIDE NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH SLIDE NUMBER FOUR, IT'S AUSTIN AREA, MEDIUM FAMILY INCOME.
MOST OF OUR PROGRAMS, ALL OF THE PROGRAMS THAT I'VE MENTIONED, IT'S 80% MEDIUM FAMILY INCOME, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITION OF, FOR EVERYONE OVER THE AGE OF 18 INCOME IS CONSIDERED THE HALF WHOLE INCOME CANNOT EXCEED 75, SEVENTY EIGHT THOUSAND SEVENTY EIGHT THOUSAND AND ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS.
IF YOU WILL MOVE FORWARD, MOVING FORWARD TO SLIDE NUMBER FIVE WITH A PIE CHART, THAT WOULD BE GOOD.
SO ON THE PIE CHART, WHAT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IS WHAT REALLY SENDS OUT.
AND THAT IS THAT WE ARE PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO THE CHORUS.
OUR LOW IS OF THE LOW TO MODERATE INCOME POPULATION, WHICH IS ZERO TO 30% MEDIUM FAMILY INCOME.
IT'S ON FOUR OF OUR PROGRAMS. YOU HAVE MORE PEOPLE, UH, THAT ARE ZERO TO 30%.
THAT'S, UH, WHAT WE SEE AND WHAT WE TYPICALLY HISTORICALLY HAD SEEN FOR ABR, UH, MIGHTA, HEART REPAIR, AND GO REPAIR THE ETHNICITY.
WE, UM, I MEAN, I BELIEVE THAT, UM, IT'S A GOOD, NICE ON THE, UH, ON THE ETHNICITY, ON THE ABR.
I NOTICED THAT IT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT AFRICAN AMERICAN ABR RENTER, BUT THAT'S ONLY ONE CLIENT.
SO I WANTED TO, UH, BRING THAT OUT.
SO WE'VE MODIFIED OUR SERVICES DURING THE SHUTDOWN, UH, RESPECTING THAT STAFF HAVE TO WEAR MASKS.
WE'RE NOT DOING HOME VISITS, LIKE GOING IN, SITTING DOWN, HELPING, UH, ACCOMMODATING PEOPLE WITH THE APPLICATION ON, ON THEIR HOME SITE.
WE WILL GO PICK UP INFORMATION.
WE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS ONLINE.
UH, WE'RE ALLOWING PEOPLE TO FAX EMAIL OR DROP OFF THEIR APPLICATIONS.
AND MOST OF OUR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, ALSO THE CONSTRUCTION STAFF OR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS ANY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
WE ARE DOING MORE INTERIOR WORK.
I MEAN, WE'RE DOING MORE EXTERIOR WORK THAN WE ARE INTERIOR WORK.
SO WHEN YOU SEE THE IMPACT, UH, LET ME TELL YOU WHAT THIS, SO WHEN YOU SEE IN PROGRESS ON SLIDE, NUMBER THREE, OVERVIEW OF NACD IS HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS. WHEN WE SAY IN PROGRESS, THOSE ARE PROJECTS THAT ARE UNDERWAY, BUT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO COMPLETE THEM BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF THEM, WE HAVE NOT DONE THE INTERIOR WORK.
SO WE'RE GETTING BACK UP TO, UP TO SPEED ON THE INTERIOR WORK, PRACTICING, UM, YOU SAFE, UH, SAFE ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROGRAM.
AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO ONE OF OUR PARTNER AGENCIES,
[00:15:01]
MEALS ON WHEELS AND MORE TRUST CATLIN.CHARLES, WE CAN HEAR YOU JUST FINE.
IF YOU WOULD SHIFT TO SLIDE NUMBER SIX, WHERE IT SAYS MEALS ON WHEELS, CENTRAL TEXAS THAT'LL HELP IN MATH MEAN HE SPOKE.
HE MAY HAVE PUT HIMSELF BACK ON MUTE OR SOMETHING, BUT I'M ON THE SLIDE NOW.
CAN WE HEAR ME NOW? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
UM, SO, UM, THE HOUSE WE'RE LOOKING FOR, I'M CHARLES KLOTMAN WITH MEALS ON WHEELS, CENTRAL TEXAS.
I'M VICE PRESIDENT FOR HOME REPAIR OF THE HOUSE.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS THE HOUSE ON THE CORNER OF THIRD.
AND ROBERT MARTINEZ, A HOUSE HAS BEEN UNDER DISREPAIR FOR MANY YEARS AND, UH, WE FINALLY WERE ABLE TO FIX IT JUST THIS PAST YEAR.
SO IT'S ONE OF THE MANY THAT BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES THAT WE, UM, SENT TO NACD SHOWING THEM WHAT WE HAVE DONE WHEN WE FINISH A HOUSE AND GO REPAIR.
UM, LET ME GIVE YOU A LITTLE HISTORY OF THE, UH, PROGRAM.
UH, THE GUT REPAIR PROGRAM WAS, UH, FUNDED BY THE ORIGINAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING BONDS 2006, BUT IT WASN'T BEGAN UNTIL 2009 FISCAL YEAR, 2009 10.
UM, WHEN WE FINALLY GOT A FAVORABLE OPINION FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY USE AFFORDABLE BOND MONEY ON HOME OWNERSHIP.
SO, UM, UH, WE STARTED TO GO REPAIR PROGRAM.
THEN IT WAS ROUGHLY FUNDED ABOUT $2 MILLION EACH YEAR.
UM, UNTIL WE PASS THE 2018 BONDS AND THEN THE LAST YEAR IT WAS $4 MILLION OF THIS.
AND THEN COVID IT, AS YOU CAN SEE THE PROGRESS PROBLEMS, WE WOULD NORMALLY BE ALMOST OUT, UH, OUT OF FUNDING BY NOW.
BUT BECAUSE OF THIS, WE HAD A MARCH AND APRIL, WE WERE ALMOST AT A STANDSTILL AND FINALLY FIGURED OUT WAYS OF MAKING IT WORK.
AND, UM, SO, UH, THIS NEXT YEAR, NEXT FUNDING YEAR, WE ARE, UH, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE $6 MILLION IN THE BUDGET TO SPEND FOR GO REPAIR.
SO, UH, WE ARE DOING WHAT THE PEOPLE VOTED FOR THAT WERE HELPING, UH, ELDERLY AND LOW INCOME PEOPLE STAY IN THEIR HOME, WHICH MOST OF OUR CLIENTS ARE ELDERLY BECAUSE BY DEFAULT, UH, BE A LOW INCOME HOMEOWNER, YOU'VE HAD TO BE THERE WHILE HE HAD TO BUY IT BACK IN THE FORTIES AND FIFTIES, SIXTIES, MAYBE, UM, TO BE ABLE TO STILL HAVE IT.
AND, UH, WE'RE TRYING TO FIX THESE HOMES.
SO PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO KNOW THAT IF THEY CAN STAY IN AGE PLACE, GENERALLY OUR RENOVATION, REMODELS, UH, REPAIRS BASICALLY, UH, DON'T AFFECT THEIR TAXES BECAUSE THEY ARE JUST THAT THEY'RE, UH, MAINTENANCE AND THEY'RE NOT, UH, ADDITIONS OR RENOVATIONS, SO IT DOESN'T AFFECT THEIR TAXES.
SO THE TAXES AS EXORBITANT AS THEY ARE, WILL NOT GO UP.
UM, THIS, UH, GUT REPAIR PROGRAM.
IT'S JUST A LITTLE ASIDE HERE WAS A LOT OF, IT WAS IN A GREAT WAY, GERMINATED BY FORMAL FORMER CHAIR OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, JOHNNY LUMON WHO UNFORTUNATELY FOR ALL OF US IN AUSTIN PASSED AWAY SATURDAY NIGHT OR SUNDAY MORNING.
UM, COMMISSIONER POLYP HAS BEEN THERE FROM THE BEGINNING, AGAIN, ONE OF THE ORIGINATORS AND BACKERS OF THIS PROGRAM TO FINALLY HELP PEOPLE STAY.
SO, UM, THANKS TO YOU ALL FOR CONTINUED LEGACY OF SUPPORTING THE POOR AND, AND, UH, HELPLESS WITHIN THE CITY.
AND, UM, TOGETHER WE, WE GET IT DONE.
UH, THE COVID ISSUES THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH OR FIGHT, YOU KNOW, ORIGINALLY IT WAS TOTALLY SHUT DOWN AND THEN DEVELOPMENT CAME UP WITH WORKABLE RULES ON HOW CONSTRUCTION WOULD CONTINUE
[00:20:01]
AFTER THAT WAS DECIDED.AND THEN, UM, SO HE STAYED ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSES FOR ABOUT A MONTH.
AND THEN WE FIGURED A WAY AS, AS THINGS RELAXED, JUST A LITTLE BIT, WE WERE ABLE TO DO WORK AROUND WHERE WE COULD ACTUALLY WORK WITHIN THE HOUSE BY, UH, REMOVING THE HOMEOWNER FOR THE DAY OR FOR SEASON AND GO IN AND RENOVATE THEIR BATHROOM, WHATEVER THE COST MAY BE, THE SUB FLOOR FLOORING, WHATEVER WE WERE INSIDE THE HOUSE FOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, WHATEVER IT WAS GETTING IN AND GET OUT.
AND, UH, THAT'S QUITE COME BACK IN.
UH, WE'VE HAD NO ISSUES AT ALL.
UM, WE'VE GOT 20 PROJECTS GOING AS WE SPEAK.
UM, IT'S ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT.
I STILL DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER AND NOW WE'RE MOVING RIGHT ALONG THE NEED.
DOESN'T STOP JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE OTHER ISSUES.
SO WE HAVEN'T STOPPED BECAUSE OF THE NEED AND STOPPED WE'VE.
UH, ONE MORE, A LITTLE ASIDE WE HAVE FROM THE BEGINNING PARTNERED WITH EVERY OTHER NONPROFIT, THERE ARE SEVEN NONPROFITS, BY THE WAY, I'M SORRY.
I LEFT THIS PART OUT SEVEN NONPROFITS THAT HAD MINISTER.
OUR CONTRACT IS LATISHA, WAS SAYING, UH, THE GUT REPAIR PROGRAM.
UM, WE ALL HAVE A, IT'S A RESERVATION SYSTEM.
BASICALLY THE MONEY IS ALL PUT IN ONE BIG BUCKET.
AND WHEN WE HAVE A CLIENT THAT'S ELIGIBLE, WE SUBMIT THAT CLIENT, UH, PROJECT FOR APPROVAL.
ONCE IT'S APPROVED, THEY ALLOCATE, UM, $20,000 FOR THE REPAIR, THAT HOUSE.
ONCE WE'RE FINISHED, WE INVOICE THE CITY, WHAT WE'VE PAID THE CONTRACTOR AND THEY REIMBURSE US.
SO ALL SEVEN NONPROFITS, IT'S URBAN LEAGUE, EASTER SEALS, UH, UH, ACT INTERFAX IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
UH, LET'S SEE REBUILDING TOGETHER HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, US, AND PROBABLY LET SOMEBODY OUT VERBALLY.
SO, UM, UH, WE ALL DO WHAT WE DO AND IN SOMEWHAT OF A DIFFERENT WAY, A MAJORITY OF US HIRE CONTRACTORS TO DO EVERYTHING.
SO THERE'S A ONE YEAR WARRANTY AND THE PEOPLE ARE TREATED WITH RESPECT AND HONOR AS IT SHOULD BE.
UH, WE PARTNER WITH NACD EVERY CHANCE WE CAN, UH, LIKE WE'LL GO IN AND DO THE HOME REPAIR AND, UH, REFER THE ARCHITECTURE BARRIER, REMOVAL THE ABR OVER TO THEM SO THEY CAN COME IN.
SO IT ACTUALLY SPREADS THE MONEY THAT WE CAN SPEND ON THE HOUSE EVEN FURTHER.
UM, AND, UH, ONE DAY WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO IT SIMULTANEOUSLY AS WE CAN BOTH WORK TOGETHER OR HOWEVER IT WORKS OUT.
OR WE CAN BOTH WORK IN THE HOUSE AT THE SAME TIME, UNDER THE SAME PERMITS AND DO EVERYTHING.
SO THE HOMEOWNER'S NOT DISTURBED TWICE.
SO IT'S WORKING, IT'S VERY WORKING VERY WELL.
UH, NACD IS TWEAK THE PROGRAM A LITTLE BIT.
AND AS WE STARTED OFF AT 5,000 PER HOUSE, AND IT WENT TO 10,000 AND IT STAYED AT 15,000 FOR YEARS AND, UH, BECAUSE OF INFLATION AND JUST WAY THINGS COSTS 20,000 IS WHAT WAS JUST PASSED LAST YEAR.
SO THIS FIRST YEAR WE'VE HAD 20,000 PER HOUSE.
IT'S BEEN VERY NICE, VERY EFFECTIVE, BEEN VERY USEFUL.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT TO WHOMEVER.
WHO'S TAKEN OVER LAURA THAT YOU MEET AGAIN.
YOU'RE WELL, ON YOUR WAY, GO AHEAD.
HELLO, CHAIR OF COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS JULIA CAMPBELL, PUBLIC INFORMATION AND MARKETING MANAGER WITH NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
I'LL ASK, UH, QUICKLY DANIEL, IF YOU'LL ADVANCE TO SLIDE EIGHT OVERVIEW OF MARKETING STRATEGY TO GET US CAUGHT UP.
AND WHILE YOU'RE DOING THAT, UM, I HAVE NOT YET HAD THE PLEASURE OF ADDRESSING THIS COMMISSION.
I STARTED IN THIS ROLE, THIS DEPARTMENT IN DECEMBER OF 2019 AND WAS TASKED WITH BUILDING UP NEW COMMUNICATION PILLARS, UM, THAT EDUCATE AND AMPLIFY AND INFORM PEOPLE ABOUT PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES IN THIS DEPARTMENT TO INCLUDE BROADLY MARKETING, PUBLIC INFORMATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
SO DURING MY SHORT TENURE IN THE DEPARTMENT, WHILE ADMITTEDLY A NUMBER OF PRIORITIES HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AND COVID-19 HAS DEFINITELY MAGNIFIED THE WORK IN THIS DEPARTMENT, IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE CLIENT SERVICES PROGRAMS NEEDED A REFRESH REBOOT, AND CERTAINLY INCREASED RESOURCES TO REACH PEOPLE IN AUSTIN IN NEED OF THESE REALLY IMPORTANT REPAIR PROGRAMS. SO FIRST STEP THERE, WE IDENTIFIED
[00:25:01]
PERSONAS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF PEOPLE, REAL PEOPLE, OF COURSE, WHO NEED HOMEWORK CARE PROGRAMS, HOW DO THEY BEHAVE? HOW DO THEY BEHAVE IN A PANDEMIC? WHERE DO THEY GET THEIR INFORMATION? AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, HOW CAN WE USE A NEW MARKETING CAMPAIGN AND STRATEGY TO BUILD TRUST AND RECOGNITION THAT DRIVES ACCESS TO THESE REPAIR PROGRAMS? SO, FIRST THINGS FIRST, WE UPDATED OUR MARKETING MATERIAL CONTENT AND DESIGN TO BE EASY, TO UNDERSTAND ACTIONABLE AND PART OF A LARGER COHESIVE DESIGN.SO IT WAS RECOGNIZABLE AND CREDIBLE.
AND OF COURSE WE INCLUDED THE CONTENT.
WE'LL BE INCLUDING CONTENT IN THE PROVIDED TOP FIVE LANGUAGES SPOKEN IN AUSTIN, NOT INCLUDES ENGLISH, SPANISH, CHINESE, BOTH SIMPLIFIED IN TRADITIONAL AS WELL AS HINDI AS A VIETNAMESE NEXT STEP WAS TO IDENTIFY KEY COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
SO OBVIOUSLY MEALS ON WHEELS, OFTEN AREA URBAN LEAGUE.
YOU'VE HEARD THOSE SEVERAL TIMES TODAY.
UM, AND IN ADDITION, THE COMMUNITY ADVANCEMENT NETWORK, OR CAN, WHICH MANY OF YOU, IF NOT, ALL OF YOU ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH UTS HOUSING HUB AND TRAVIS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT OR KEY CAD CHIP CROSS PROMOTE AND CONNECT WITH POTENTIAL CLIENTS.
AND THEN FINALLY WE INCREASED OUR MARKETING PLATFORMS AND CHANNELS.
SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS WHEN WE IDENTIFY A CAMPAIGN TO ACHIEVE ONE GOAL, WE LOOK ACROSS OUR PROGRAM DELIVERY TO FIND OTHERS WE CAN CONNECT IT TO.
AND SO THIS EXPANDS THE PROGRAM REACH, IT STRETCHES OUR LIMITED MARKETING BUDGET DOLLARS AND CREATES A COHESIVE MESSAGE TO THE WIDER PUBLIC.
IF YOU'LL ADVANCE TO THE NEXT SLIDE TITLED INTEGRATED MARKETING CAMPAIGN.
SO THE AUSTIN IS MY HOME CAMPAIGN IS THE FIRST OF OUR INTEGRATED MARKETING STRATEGIES.
IT'S AN EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN, WHICH HAS EVOLVED FROM A CIU ARE, UM, FROM COUNCIL OR COUNCIL ITEM THAT AIM TO EDUCATE AUSTIN HOMEOWNERS ABOUT PREDATORY REAL ESTATE PRACTICES THAT PUT PRESSURE ON ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES, HOMEOWNERS.
WE KNEW FOR EXAMPLE, THAT PEOPLE ARE BEING PUT IN THE POSITION TO CONSIDER SELLING THEIR HOME THROUGH A HOUSE FLIPPER OFTEN WITH UNFAVORABLE TERMS, BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY BURDENED WITH COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH HOME OWNERSHIP.
SO WE KNIT THIS CAMPAIGN TOGETHER WITH THE CLIENT SERVICES PROGRAM SOLUTION, SUCH AS THE ARCHITECTURE BARRIER REMOVAL PROGRAM.
YOU HEARD LATISHA ADDRESS AND THE MINOR HOME REPAIR PROGRAM AS WELL.
WE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY HERE TO REFRESH ALL OF THOSE MATERIALS AS ONE AND MAKES THE CAMPAIGN ACTIONABLE.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES.
SO COUPLE WEEKS, THESE OUTREACH EFFORTS ALSO ALLOWED US TO LEVERAGE THE RELATIVELY MODEST $25,000 MARKETING BUDGET TIED TO THE COUNCIL ITEM TO DRIVE TRAFFIC TOWARDS THOSE HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS. THOSE SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES INCLUDE OF COURSE, PRESS COVERAGE, WIRE PRODUCTION, SOCIAL MEDIA PAY PER CLICK AD OUTDOOR SIGNAGE, UM, RADIO.
AND THEN OF COURSE, PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE COMMUNITY ORG WE JUST MENTIONED, AND THEN TRANSLATED MATERIALS AS WELL AS, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING THAT LANGUAGE AS WRITTEN AND ACCESSIBLE LANGUAGE SCREEN READER CAPABLE.
AND OF COURSE, UM, AT A, UH, GENERALLY, UH, CONSUMED READING LEVEL AT A SEVENTH GRADE, WHICH IS OUR CITIES AT BEST PRACTICE.
WE'RE ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING SOME SHORT VIDEOS.
UM, THE FIRST OF WHICH IN PRODUCTION IS FOR THE MINOR HOME REPAIR PROGRAM AND THERE WILL BE OTHERS IN THE FUTURE, UM, WHICH WILL INCLUDE MORE INFORMATION ON SIMPLIFYING, UM, ACCESS TO TAX EXEMPTIONS AND OTHER RELIEF PROGRAMS THAT CAN HELP THE SAME.
AND THEN FINALLY, UM, WE WILL BE WORKING WITH
SO, UM, FINALLY, I'LL, I'LL CLOSE WITH A, WITH A PLEA AND AN OPENING, UM, FOR THIS COMMISSION IS ACCESS TO THE NETWORK, UM, WITH THIS CAMPAIGN THAT WE'LL BE KICKING OFF IN AUGUST AND EARLY SEPTEMBER.
THIS IS A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW OUR REPORT, OUR APPROACH AT A HIGH LEVEL, AND ALSO SOLICIT FOR YOUR INPUT AND SUPPORT FOR THE CAMPAIGNS DISTRIBUTION PARTNERSHIP.
AND WITH THAT, IF YOU'LL TURN TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I BELIEVE THAT THE SIGNALS ARE AVAILABILITY FOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO REBECCA TO PROBABLY FACILITATE OUR CHAIR FOR QUESTIONS.
SO CHAIRMAN, UM, WE ARE ALL AVAILABLE.
UM, CHARLES HAD INDICATED THAT HE WOULD HANG ON AS WELL IN THE EVENT
[00:30:01]
THAT THERE WAS QUESTIONS THAT, UH, WAS APPROPRIATE FOR OUR PARTNER TO ANSWER, BUT WE ARE AVAILABLE AND WE RECOGNIZE THESE VIRTUAL MEETINGS DO HAVE TIME CONSTRAINTS.SO PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL OF US ARE ALSO AVAILABLE IF THERE IS A DESIRE TO INDIVIDUALLY REACH OUT, BUT WE DO DEFER TO YOU AND ARE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
UM, AS I SAID, LAST MEETING, I CAN SEE EVERYBODY ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE BUTTONS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN, YOU SHOULD SEE, UH, THE THREE DOTS NEXT TO THE LITTLE LOOKS LIKE A LITTLE PERSON.
AND NEXT TO THAT IS THREE DOTS FOR LIKE ADDITIONAL, AND YOU SHOULD SEE A RAISE HAND FEATURE THERE.
SO IF WE COULD USE THAT DURING THE MEETINGS, THAT WAY I CAN MAKE SURE THAT IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR YOU WANT TO SPEAK THAT I CAN RECOGNIZE YOU OTHERWISE, I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SEE THAT YOU HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, IF YOU CAN'T FIND THAT, PLEASE JUST LET ME KNOW AND, AND SPEAK UP.
AND WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE YOUR QUESTION THAT WAY OR MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN HELP YOU FIND THAT.
UH, SO WITH THAT, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HOME REPAIR PRESENTATION THAT WE JUST RECEIVED? I'LL GIVE IT, UM, 15 SECONDS OR SO FOR PEOPLE TO FUND, RAISE HAND OR TO SPEAK UP.
AND OF COURSE, UH, AS STAFF JUST STATED, UM, REBECCA SAID THAT THEY WILL BE AVAILABLE TO TAKE QUESTIONS AT ANY TIME AFTER.
SO IF YOU THINK OF SOMETHING AND YOU, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS LATER, YES.
I DON'T SEE A RAISED HAND IN MY FOUR ICONS HERE.
UM, SO THIS CAME UP BECAUSE WHEN WE, UH, WHEN THE STAFF ASKED FOR OUR COMMENTS ON THE ACTION PLAN, WE FOUND THAT SOME OF OUR TRADITIONALLY HAVE DOLLARS AVAILABLE FOR HOME REPAIR WERE BEING REPROGRAMMED BECAUSE THE CITY HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO SPEND THEM BECAUSE, UM, THE PANDEMIC KIND OF ALTERING OUR APPROACH TO CONSTRUCTION.
AND I HAD A QUESTION THEN THAT WE REORIENT THE PROGRAM SO THAT WE WERE DOING SOME MORE EXPENSIVE THINGS LIKE, UH, ARCHITECTURAL BARRIER REMOVAL, RAMPS, REALLY EXPENSIVE.
COULD WE EMPHASIZE RAMPS? THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S DONE ON THE EXTERIOR AND COST MORE.
SO MAYBE IT WOULD FIT BETTER IN OUR CURRENT SITUATION.
SIMILARLY, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.
AND IT'S KIND OF QUESTION TO YOU WHETHER THIS UNDERSTANDING IS RIGHT THAT A FEW YEARS AGO, THE CITY SWITCHED WHEN A ROOF LEAK OR REPLACING THE ENTIRE ROOF TO JUST REPLACING THE AREA THAT WAS LEAKING.
SO IF WE'RE DOING THAT, MAYBE IT'S A GOOD TIME TO GO BACK TO DOING THE WHOLE ROOF.
SO COMMISSIONER, I DON'T DISAGREE AT ALL.
I THINK JUST AS OUR RESPONSE TO MARKET CONDITIONS NEEDS TO BE, AS IT RELATES TO OUR INVESTMENTS, OUR PROGRAMS NEED TO BE JUST AS AGILE.
I WOULD DEFER AND WOULD WANT, UM, BOTH CHARLES AND LATITIA TO WEIGH IN AS IT RELATES TO OUR PROGRAM.
AND, UH, REALLY GET THAT PERSPECTIVE OF PARTNERS WHO ARE DOING THE WORK IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, FROM OUR SUB-RECIPIENT.
CHARLES, DO YOU WANT TO EXPAND ON ANY OF THAT CURRENTLY? SURE.
MA'AM UM, YEAH, I THINK THAT, I AGREE WITH THE, THE ROOF, UH, ASSESSMENT, UH, THE GOOD NEWS OF GETTING THAT ROOF PATCHED IT'S, UH, THE CONTRACTOR THAT DOES THE MINOR HOME REPAIR URBAN LEAGUE, UM, CAN REACT FASTER THAN WE CAN WITH THE GUT REPAIR PROGRAM BECAUSE OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS AND THE VETTING FOR THEIR INCOME AND PROPERTY TAXES AND JUST THE DIFFERENT HURDLES THAT ARE THERE FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE FUND.
UM, BUT, UH, ONCE THEY GET IT PATCHED, WE CAN COME AND REPLACE IT.
SO WITH THE GUT REPAIR PROGRAM, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE, WE STRIKE THESE THINGS WITH THE MINOR HOME REPAIR FIRST, AND THEN THE MAJOR HOME REPAIRS SECOND, AND AGAIN, MAJOR HOME REPAIR CAN ALSO DO RAMPS, BUT WE TRY WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS TO DEFER THOSE OVER TO NACD SO THEY CAN USE THEIR CDBG FUNDING NOW FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS FISCAL.
THAT PROBABLY WON'T BE THE CASE SINCE WE, WE RE OBLIGATED THE MONEY ELSEWHERE WHERE IT CAN BE USED.
I THINK IT WAS A WISE MOVE, YOU KNOW, TO, TO REPURPOSE THE MONEY.
AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A PROPONENT OF EITHER USE IT OR LOSE IT, YOU KNOW, THAT THE PEOPLE THAT VOTED FOR MONEY TO BE SPENT TO HELP PEOPLE IF YOU'RE NOT DOING IT, GIVE IT BACK.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I JUST WANT TO BE SURE TO REEMPHASIZE IS, UH, THE DOLLARS THAT ARE BEING REPURPOSED ARE DOLLARS THAT ARE CARRY FORWARD.
[00:35:01]
PROGRAM BUDGET DOLLARS CURRENTLY, AS WELL AS THOSE DOLLARS TO MAKE THE PROGRAM WHOLE NEXT FISCAL YEAR ARE INTACT.UM, SO I JUST WANT TO BE SURE AND REAFFIRM THAT THE, THE DOLLARS IN THE CONTRACT CURRENTLY FOR URBAN LEAGUE AND THOSE THAT ARE SUPPORTING THE GO REPAIR PROGRAMS ARE INTACT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD WANT THIS COMMISSION TO KNOW, AND AT THE LEADERSHIP OF, UH, PRIOR COMMISSIONER, LAMONE, I REALLY TRULY APPRECIATE, UM, RECOGNIZING THE MEMORY AND THE WORK OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, UH, WHEN HE SERVED AS CHAIR, IT, IT, THE HOME REPAIR COALITION, WHICH REALLY WAS SEATED, UH, OF, YOU KNOW, SO MANY OF THE ADVOCACY AT THAT TIME HAS NOW GROWN TO A, UM, I WON'T EVEN SAY THE MEMBERSHIP COMPOSITION NUMBER.
IT'S AN INCREDIBLE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT MEET ON A REGULAR BASIS.
UH, LATISHA BROWN IS OUR REPRESENTATIVE AT THE TABLE EACH TIME THOSE MEETINGS OCCUR.
AND, UH, THAT IS PART OF THE STRENGTH OF THE REFERRAL PROGRAM.
AND SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I KNOW LATISHA AND I ARE HEARING, UH, WE'LL CERTAINLY TAKE NOTE AND MAKE THAT AN ACTIVE CONVERSATION AT THE HOME REPAIR COALITION.
UM, SO ANYTIME THERE IS A REFERRAL NEED THERE, THAT IS, UH, THE SPACE AND THE FORUM THAT THAT CAN DEFINITELY TAKE PLACE.
CHAIRMAN, WERE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UM, I DON'T SEE ANY COMMISSIONERS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS I CAN ACTUALLY SAY? YEAH, I REALLY JUST WANTED TO GET A COUPLE OF CLARIFICATIONS, UM, FOR THE GOALS FOR EACH OF THE DIFFERENT REPAIR PRO PROGRAMS, ONE, ARE THEY SET ON A CALENDAR YEAR BASIS, AND THEN ARE THEY TERMINATE BASED ON PREVIOUS YEAR'S OBJECTIVES OR WHAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED IN YEARS PRIOR? AND THEN I SAW ON THE PRESENTATION THAT THE OUTREACH STRATEGY FOR GETTING PUBLIC TO BE AWARE OF THE PROGRAM, UM, THE NEW, THE NEW INTEGRATED PROGRAM STARTED IN AUGUST WAS THIS YEAR.
UH, AND SO I GUESS I JUST WANTED TO SEE, LIKE HOW WAS, WHAT WAS THE STRATEGY PRIOR TO THAT AND IF IT HAD ANY NOTICEABLE EFFECT.
SO THE, THE GOALS DO CHANGE, UH, PERIODICALLY WHEN FUNDING IS INCREASED.
SO HISTORICALLY FOR EXAMPLE, THE GO, THE GO REPAIR PROGRAM, UH, WAS FUNDED WITH, UM, DOLLARS FROM THE, UH, PRIOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND PROGRAM.
WHAT WE SAW WITH 2018 REFERENDUM.
AND NOW THE EXECUTION OF THE PROGRAM CURRENTLY IS A HIGHER INVESTMENT IN THE GO REPAIR PROGRAM.
SO WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO INCREASE THE, UH, GOAL OR THE PROJECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
IF THE FUNDING IS STAYING THE SAME, WE TYPICALLY WILL NOT INCREASE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
AND SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE CAN CERTAINLY POINT YOU TO, AND I'M HAPPY TO RESEARCH OSCILLATE IT.
UM, IT IS THE, ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES WITH THE PROPOSED GOAL THAT IS GOING TO BE A PART OF IT WAS PRIOR, PRIOR BACKUP ON THE REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION ON JULY 30TH.
SO IT IS THERE AND WE ARE ALSO UPLOADING THAT IT'S A CHART, IT'S A VERY FRIENDLY CHART.
WE'RE HAPPY TO RESEARCHGATE THAT.
AND THERE, YOU CAN SEE THE INVESTMENT AMOUNT AND, UH, THE PROJECTED GOALS FOR EACH, BUT IT IS TYPICALLY DRIVEN BY THE INVESTMENT AMOUNT.
CAN YOU ASK THE SECOND QUESTION? SURE.
JUST, UM, SORT OF THE INTEGRATED, UM, OUTREACH EFFORT.
IT'S AT LEAST FOR ME TO SEE ON THE, ON THE SLIDE PRESENTATION THAT THE TIMELINE FOR IT WAS AUGUST OF THIS YEAR.
SO I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF THAT, IF, I GUESS, WHAT WAS THE STRATEGY PRIOR TO THAT? LIKE FOR, IF THIS, IF THE GOALS WE HAVE RIGHT NOW WERE SET IN JANUARY, WHAT WAS OUTREACH PRIOR TO PRIOR TO AUGUST? HAS THERE BEEN ANY GOOD? THANK YOU.
I'M GOING TO LET, UH, LATITIA TALK THAT THROUGH PRIOR.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT ONE OF THE FIRST PRIORITIES THAT WE HAD WITH BRINGING, UM, A LOT OF THE RESOURCES TO BEAR, WHICH IS WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE THIS FISCAL YEAR, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO HIRE A PUBLIC INFORMATION MANAGER IN DECEMBER AND
[00:40:01]
WITH THAT RECRUITMENT AND A REORGANIZATION, WE HAVE BROUGHT WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENTAL GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE, A TEAM OF, UM, COMMUNICATIONS PROFESSIONALS, WHICH REALLY, I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT ON THIS BECAUSE IT IS, IT IS SOMETHING THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN WANTING TO ACHIEVE FOR QUITE SOME TIME.SO WE HAVE THE EXPERTISE TO LEAD NOW, A TEAM, AND WE HAVE A MARKETING CONSULTANT, PROFESSIONAL AND MEDIA RELATIONS PROFESSIONAL, AND WE ALSO HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD LIAISON TOGETHER.
NOW THEY HAVE FORMED OUR COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION AND, UH, ONE OF THE FIRST PRIORITIES WAS REALLY REINVISIONING AND CREATING A MARKETING STRATEGY FOR OUR PROGRAMS. I'M GOING TO LET LATISHA AS WELL AS JULIA WEIGH IN ON WHAT WAS DONE PRIOR.
WHAT I WOULD SAY AT A HIGH LEVEL IS IT WAS, UH, IT WAS MISSING THE COMPREHENSIVE TALENT INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH IS WHAT WE HAVE NOW, WHICH REALLY CONNECTS FROM, UM, THE, THE ABILITY TO ENVISION A TRUE MARKETING STRATEGY IN HOUSE THAT IS VERY TAILORED TO NOT ONLY WHAT OUR SUBRECIPIENTS ARE EXPERIENCING, BUT OUR CLIENTS ARE EXPERIENCING.
AND, UM, AND IT REALLY PULLS TOGETHER A LOT MORE ROBUST RESOURCES AROUND THAT.
BUT LATISHA, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU TO BE VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT, UH, OUTREACH STRATEGIES WERE DONE PRIOR, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY I KNOW YOUR TEAM WAS VERY ACTIVE IN THAT SPACE.
THANK YOU, REBECCA DISCIPLINE, KESHA BRAND AGAIN.
SO WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE HOME REPAIR COALITION, UH, DO HAVE STAFF FROM OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS LIKE AUSTIN ENERGY CODE.
UH, TRAVIS COUNTY IS PRESENT IN THOSE MEETINGS.
WE TALK, WE DID A LOT OF REFERRALS AMONGST THE GROUP.
WE HAVE THE GREEN AND HEALTHY HOME IMPACT, UH, STATEMENT THAT WE SIGNED IN 2013.
AND THAT IS, UH, IT WAS SIGNED STATING THAT WE WILL ALL WORK TOGETHER.
WE WILL HAVE A REFERRAL PROCESS AND WE WILL TRY TO BE IN THE HOME AT THE SAME TIME IN THE BED THAT APPLIED WAS RECEIVING MULTIPLE SERVICES FROM MULTIPLE PROGRAMS. AS IT RELATES TO THE MARKETING, WE HAD A NEIGHBORHOOD LIAISON WHO WAS DEDICATED TO OUTREACH.
NOW WE HAVE, WE'VE ELEVATED THAT POSITION.
THE POSITION IS A PART OF THE MARKETING TEAM, WHICH HAS MORE OF A CORPORATE APPEARANCE.
AND, UH, LIKE I STATED, A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IS CONSISTENT ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT AND THAT'S THE KIND OF PLATFORM THAT THEY KIND OF MOVING FORWARD NOW.
BUT BEFORE WE HAD THE NEIGHBORHOOD LIAISON RESPONSIBLE FOR DISTRIBUTING INFORMATION TO COMMUNITY CENTERS, UH, WE WOULD ATTEND CHURCH EVENTS, UH, DIFFERENT COMMUNITY BIZ.
UM, UM, SO WE WOULD MAKE HAVING AN APPEARANCE AT THE SCHOOLS DOING PTA AND THINGS LIKE THAT IN ORDER TO MARKET THE PROGRAM.
AND WE ALSO DID ADVERTISEMENTS ON UNIVISION AS WELL AS KCI.
AND I WANTED TO, UM, LET YOU KNOW OUR PROGRAMS, OUR PROGRAMS OPERATE ON A FISCAL YEAR FROM OCTOBER THROUGH, UH, EXCEPT, UH, SEPTEMBER 30TH OF THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
I THINK I HEARD YOU ASK ABOUT THE YEAR.
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT? NO, THAT'S VERY HELPFUL.
I GUESS FROM LAST, FROM LAST MONTH'S DISCUSSION, THERE WAS A CONCERN THAT DOLLARS WERE NOT BEING IMPLEMENTED EFFECTIVELY, OR THAT THERE WOULD BE A RISK OF HOMEOWNERS LOSING THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET HOME REPAIRS IF, IF THE FUNDS WERE MOVED.
AND I JUST WAS CURIOUS IF PART OF THE, IF PART OF THE REASONING WAS BECAUSE PEOPLE JUST WERE UNAWARE OF IT.
AND IF THAT WAS THE CASE, WHY, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THAT WASN'T THE CASE.
HASN'T BEEN REALLY THE IMPEDIMENT TO FUNDS GETTING SPENT SO MUCH JUST BEING ABLE TO GET INSIDE THE HOMES BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.
IS THAT ACCURATE? I WOULD SAY THAT THAT'S AN ACCURATE STATEMENT.
COMMISSIONERS, WHICH WE'LL PROBABLY MOVE ALONG, UH, GIVEN THE TIME.
I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER HANDS, BUT I CAN'T, AGAIN, I CAN'T SEE EVERYONE.
UM, SO IF WE CAN MOVE ALONG TO ITEM TWO B WE HAVE 40 MINUTES LEFT IN THE MEETING.
[2B. Update on Action Plan Process (NHCD staff).]
UPDATE ON THE ACTION PLAN PROCESS FROM, UH, NACD STAFF, GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONERS.[00:45:01]
THIS IS ERICA LEAK DEVELOPMENT OFFICER WITH NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE A VERY QUICK UPDATE ABOUT THE ACTION PLAN.
UM, AS YOU MAY REMEMBER, IT WAS SLATED TO BE, UH, ADOPTED BY THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL ON THE JULY 30TH CITY COUNCIL AGENDA.
UM, BUT WE FOUND OUT THAT MORNING FROM HUD THAT THEY, UM, THAT THEY PROVIDED ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE, UM, THAT RESULTED IN NOT EXTENDING THE COMMUNITY INPUT PERIOD.
SO WE'LL ACTUALLY BE CONSIDERED FOR APPROVAL ON AUGUST 27TH.
SO WE JUST WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE OF THAT CHANGE IN CASE YOU SAW IT ON THE AGENDA AND MORE CURIOUS WHY THAT HAPPENED.
SO THAT'S THE FULL UPDATE FOR THAT? GOT IT.
UH, ASSUMING THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS SEEING NO HANDS, UH, WE'LL
[2C. Discussion on Reimagining Public Safety and Police funding.]
MOVE ON TO, UH, ITEM TWO C DISCUSSION ON RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY AND POLICE FUNDING.UM, THE ITEM WE, WE TRY TO BRING UP A COUPLE OF TIMES.
UM, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME ACTION FROM COUNCIL, SO, UH, I DON'T SEE ANYTHING.
IS THERE A STAFF PROMPT FOR THIS, OR IS THERE ANY, ANY QUICK UPDATE FROM, FROM STAFF THAT WE SHOULD GET? FIRST QUESTION TO STAFF.
SO COMMISSIONER, THIS IS ERICA LEAK AGAIN, AND WE DO NOT HAVE A PRESENTATION ABOUT WHAT WE DID PROVIDE A AND BACKUP WAS JUST A SUMMARY OF THE BUDGET.
UM, AND THIS IS THE SUMMARY THAT WAS TAKEN FROM THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
AND IT TALKS ABOUT THE REDUCTION IN AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT FUNDING BY APPROXIMATELY 20 MILLION, UH, THE MOVEMENT TO HAVE A NUMBER OF APD FUNCTIONS TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS, UM, CREATING A RE-IMAGINED SAFETY RE-IMAGINED SAFETY FUND THAT MOVES, UM, FUNDING TO BE DELIVERED OUTSIDE OF AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND THERE ARE SOME, A FEW MORE SPECIFICS ON THE SECOND PAGE OF THAT.
SO, UM, WE WANTED TO PROVIDE THE INFORMATION AND THEN THIS IS REALLY JUST A, UM, A SPACE FOR YOU ALL TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THIS ITEM.
UM, SO, AND, AND, UM, I'M LOOKING AT THE OTHER AGENDA ITEMS WE HAVE, UM, BASICALLY OUR REGULAR CSBG AND THEN ANY POTENTIAL TO DRIVE.
SO I JUST WANT TO BUDGET SOME TIME FOR THIS ITEM.
LOOKS LIKE WE ACTUALLY HAVE, UH, SOME TIME TO DISCUSS THIS COMMISSIONER AS IF, IF YOU WANT TO, UH, WANT TO CHIME IN ON, ON, ON THE ISSUE.
UM, HERE, I MEAN, MY THOUGHTS INITIALLY ARE, UH, IF THE CITY IS CREATING THIS TYPE OF FUND, UM, I MEAN, I JUST FELT LIKE THIS IS RIGHT IN OUR ALLEY, UM, TO, TO DECIDE OR TO GIVE A SUGGESTION ON HOW THAT THOSE FUNDS MIGHT BE BETTER USED, UH, AND TRACKED GIVEN THE POLITICAL FALLOUT.
THAT'S ALREADY STARTING TO HAPPEN AT THE STATE LEVEL WITH THE GOVERNOR, BASICALLY SAYING HE'S GOING TO, UH, STRIP FUNDING FROM CITIES, UH, AND, AND REMOVE THE ABILITY FOR CITIES TO, UH, RAISE, UH, PROPERTY TAXES IF THEY DO REALLOCATE FUNDS FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO NATURALLY THIS HAS BECOME A VERY ISSUE.
SO, UM, I WANT TO OPEN THE FLOOR TO MEMBERS WHO MIGHT HAVE A DISCUSSION POINTS ON THIS.
I'M SURE WE ALL HAVE STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT IT.
UM, MY THOUGHT WOULD BE, UH, FOR US AS A COMMISSION TO POTENTIALLY PUT A RESOLUTION TOGETHER, UM, AND TALK ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I THINK THAT THE, YOU KNOW, WHILE THE CITY IS BEING USED AS SORT OF A POLITICAL PUNCHING BAG, I THINK THE COMMUNITIES WE REPRESENT ARE THE ONES THAT ARE GOING TO BE MOST EFFECTED AND HAVE BEEN MOST EFFECTED BY OVER POLICING OR THE TYPE OF POLICING THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENED.
UH, AND, AND COULD BE THE BENEFICIARY OF ANY NEW FUNDS THAT ARE MOVED
[00:50:01]
TO SOME OF THESE SOCIAL SERVICES.UM, SO DO WE, NEW COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT A RESOLUTION REGARDING THE FUTURE OF, OF THESE FUNDS AS THE CITY DECIDES TO MOVE THESE AROUND? DOES THAT SOUND LIKE SOMETHING THE COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO DO? UM, THIS IS DISCUSSION ONLY, SO NO ACTION WAS GOING TO BE TAKEN TODAY, BUT IT CAN BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD TAKE UPSTATE NEXT MEETING AND DECIDE WE'RE GOING TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL OR SAY WE APPLIED WHAT THE COUNCIL IS DOING.
I FEEL LIKE IF WE WERE IN PERSON, WE'D PROBABLY HAVE A LITTLE MORE INTERACTION ON THIS, BUT IT'S A LITTLE HARD FOR ME TO, TO SEE.
SO IF FOLKS ARE HAVING TROUBLE FINDING THE, RAISE YOUR HAND FEATURE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SPEAK UP.
AND WE'LL JUST RECOGNIZE YOU ONE AT A TIME, COMMISSIONER MICHAEL COLLIVER COMMISSIONER TO OF OUR PLEASE.
UH, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY ONE THING THAT, UH, AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, THE CITY COUNCIL DOES NOT HAVE, UH, NO RIGHT TO, UM, THEY FIND, UH, POLICEMAN, EVEN THOUGH PUBLIC OUTREACH IS ON TOP OF IT, ABOUT THE SITUATION.
BUT IF YOU NOTICE, UH, WHICH YOU DEFUNDING A, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT COMPANIES, ESPECIALLY THE APD, YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE CRIMINALS IS GONE TO DO OVERTAKE OF THE CITY.
AND THEN WHAT THE CITIZENS THAT ARE OUT HERE NOW HAVE TO PROTECT THEMSELVES.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT SOME, SOME NUMBERS TO PUT THIS INTO CONTEXT, YOU KNOW, I'M ABOUT 1% OF ALL THE CALLS TO NINE ONE, ONE ARE APPARENTLY ARMED RESPONSE TO VIOLENT CRIMES.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA CERTAINLY ISN'T TO TAKE AWAY POLICE ABILITY TO RESPOND TO VIOLENT CRIME ISSUES.
I THINK THAT THE POINT IS TO NOT HAVE POLICE ALSO HAVE TO SERVE ALL THESE OTHER FUNCTIONS THAT ARE TYPICALLY ARE BETTER DONE BY SOMEBODY WHO'S TRAINED PROFESSIONALLY TO HANDLE THOSE TYPES OF ISSUES, WHETHER IT BE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, HOMELESSNESS ISSUES, UH, OR THINGS LIKE THAT THAT MIGHT BE BETTER SERVED BY SOCIAL WORKER OR SOMEBODY WHO CAN CONNECT THEM WITH THE CORRECT, UH, SOCIAL SERVICE, AS OPPOSED TO, UH, ARRESTING THEM OR ESCALATING THE SITUATION, UM, BEYOND, UH, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER THING TO KEEP IN MIND, I THINK IS THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT FUNDING WAS ABOUT $434 MILLION, UH, WHICH AUSTIN HAVING JUST CROSSED A MILLION PEOPLE MEANS THAT WE'RE ABOUT $434 PER RESIDENT IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS HOW MUCH WE FUND A POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND I LOOKED AT SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS, CITIES AND HOW THEY FUND THEIR POLICE.
UM, AND NO, NONE OF THE CITIES THAT I LOOKED UP EVEN FUNDS THEIR POLICE DEPARTMENTS AT THREE OVER $300 PER RESIDENT.
SO I THINK A LOT OF THE, THE, IT SEEMS TO BE, TO ME A LOT OF ABOUT THE NEEDS, THE LANGUAGE OF DEFUNDING, UH, WHICH, UM, AS FAR AS I'VE SEEN, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS USE THAT LANGUAGE, BUT I COULD BE WRONG.
OF COURSE, I DON'T KNOW, BUT I THINK WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING IS WE'RE REALLOCATING THOSE FUNDS TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND TRYING TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE SOCIAL ISSUES, UH, THROUGH PROGRAMS THAT ARE MORE APPROPRIATE.
UM, SO I DON'T THINK ANYBODY PROBABLY DISAGREES WITH YOU THAT IF YOU CALL THE POLICE BECAUSE OF THERE'S, YOU, YOU ACTUALLY NEED POLICE THAT YOU WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO SHOW UP, BUT ALSO A CHAIRMAN, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT TOO, EVEN IF THEY DON'T, AND THEN THERE'S BUDGET BUDGET THAT THEY HAVE PROPOSED TAKE A FEW MILLIONS FROM THERE AND PUT IT INTO NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING WHERE WE CAN DO FIX UP AND EVERYTHING AND HAVE MORE FUNDS.
I THINK THE SENIORS AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT'S A MODERATE INCOME WILL BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND THE CONDITIONS THAT IS GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD SUGGESTION.
AND YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE OTHER SERVICES THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT HELP IMPROVE NEIGHBORHOODS AND KEEP THEM INTACT.
UM, IT'S PROBABLY A BETTER, UM, A BETTER RESPONSE AND BETTER USE IF WE COULD SUPPLEMENT SOME OF THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES, FOR INSTANCE, THAT ARE IN THE HOMELESS.
[00:55:01]
UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE DOING THE, THE, THE RAPID REHOUSING AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND THOSE KINDS OF SERVICES, IF WE COULD SUPPORT THOSE, UM, AS OPPOSED TO JUST LETTING PEOPLE REMAIN HOMELESS OR NOT GIVING THEM THE, THE, THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THEY NEED, AND THEY ENDED UP BACK ON THE STREET AND THEN WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT OUR POLICE ARE BEING USED FOR TO, TO MOVE THEM AROUND OR TO, UH, ENGAGE WITH THEM IN A WAY THAT'S NOT PRODUCTIVE.UM, SO, WELL, I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THE POINT IF, IF FOLKS DON'T REALLY WANT TO ENGAGE ON THIS ISSUE, OR WE DON'T REALLY, UM, ARE NOT FEELING AS A COMMISSION THAT WE WANT TO SPEAK OUT TO COUNCIL, THEN WE CERTAINLY DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT.
I HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION, WHICH IS THERE ANY INTEREST AT ALL IN FORMING A WORKING GROUP TO KIND OF, UM, SPEND SOME TIME ON WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING? UM, IS THERE, OR IS THERE SOMEONE, UM, FROM THE CITY WHO IS ALREADY DOING THIS, WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SPEAKING TO US AT THE NEXT MEETING STAFF? UM, HI, THIS IS ERIC, IS SARAH CLIQUE.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT A, WELL, I, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THE SPECIFIC ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
UM, WE CAN LOOK INTO IT AND GET BACK TO YOU IF DESIRED.
UM, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA THOUGH.
COMMISSIONER WOODS, UM, A WORKING GROUP.
UM, OF COURSE THE GOOD THING ABOUT A WORKING GROUP IS THAT YOU CAN MEET ON YOUR OWN TIME, UM, WITHOUT ANY, YOU KNOW, SPECIAL, UM, CALL.
UM, AND THEN AS LONG AS WE DON'T HAVE A QUORUM, UM, I THINK WE'RE FINE TO MEET YOU.
YOU CAN INVITE ANYONE, YOU CAN INVITE, UH, FOLKS FROM THE SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVEMENT WHO KIND OF LED THIS FROM THE COMMUNITY AND, AND SEE WHAT RESOURCES THEY MIGHT HAVE.
THEY MIGHT WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS.
UH, THERE MAY BE FOLKS FROM OTHER COMMISSIONS WHO MIGHT WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS, UH, THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, MAYBE ONE, UM, AND, AND, AND PUT, PERHAPS SOMEBODY ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION.
UH, I THINK CREATING A WORKING GROUP, UH, WITH, WITH INPUT FROM THEM, UH, CAN BE, UH, CAN BE PRETTY USEFUL AND POWERFUL, UM, FUNCTION, IF, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PURSUE THAT, I WOULD CERTAINLY THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
DO WE HAVE AT LEAST TWO MEMBERS WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN A WORKING GROUP WITH COMMISSIONER WOODS? DO WE HAVE ANOTHER, THIS IS COMMISSIONER SLOAN.
I, UM, GOT KICKED OFF OF THE ONLINE PLATFORM, SO I CAN'T SEE EITHER, BUT I WOULD DEFINITELY BE INTERESTED IN JUST A SECOND.
THE IDEA OF HAVING SOMEONE FROM STAFF, UM, MAYBE BE ABLE TO GIVE US MORE INFORMATION.
I THINK THAT WE COULD PLAY A PRETTY CRITICAL ROLE IN COMMUNITY BASED, UM, UNDERSTANDING INSTEAD OF REACTION TO MAYBE SOME OF THE VERBIAGE THAT CAME UP PREVIOUSLY, IF WE ARE WELL EQUIPPED TO RESPOND AND ESPECIALLY TO RESPOND IN HOW THIS WOULD AFFECT THE WORK THAT WE DO HERE.
UM, SO STAFF, UH, CAN YOU REFRESH MY MEMORY OR OUR MEMORY ON HOW WE SHOULD GO ABOUT ESTABLISHING A WORKING GROUP, BUT IN TERMS OF, UM, UH, TIME, IS THAT JUST SOMETHING COMMISSIONERS CAN DO OFFLINE AND, AND SORT OF SET UP A TIME THAT WORKS FOR EVERYBODY TO TALK ABOUT IT FURTHER? YEP.
FEEL YOU'LL NEED TO STATE WHO IS ON THE WORKING GROUP, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THE WORKING GROUP MEMBERS THEMSELVES CAN DETERMINE WHEN TO MEET.
SO IF, IF PEOPLE COULD NOTE, IF THEY ARE INTERESTED IN BEING PART OF THE WORKING GROUP NOW, AND WE GET THAT IN A MINUTE, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
UM, UH, COMMISSIONER ACOSTA, WERE YOU ABOUT TO SAY SOMETHING YOU JUST PUMPED WITH THEM? YEAH, JUST THAT I ALSO AM INTERESTED IN THIS WORKING GROUP AND IS PERSONALLY I SUPPORTED THIS EFFORT.
I THINK THIS IS A VERY GOOD MOVE TO REALLOCATE RESOURCES AWAY FROM A SINGLE ENTITY TO MORE SPECIALIZED GROUPS THAT CAN HELP OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK A BETTER WAY, IT'S USING MORE TOOLS IN OUR TOOLBOX AND JUST A SINGLE
[01:00:01]
AGENCY THAT HAS HAD A HISTORY OF, YOU KNOW, IF NOT VIOLENT RESPONSE, MAYBE NOT PROPER RESPONSE.SO I THINK THIS IS A GOOD MOVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, FOR OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, AND DEFINITELY FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE IN IT.
UM, BUT I THINK PART OF THE TROUBLE I HAVE WITH THE SETTING UP OR CREATING A RESOLUTION OR THIS COMMITTEE OR COMMISSION PUTTING A RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE COUNCIL ALREADY VOTED, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, THAT'S TOTALLY ON US FOR NOT DISCUSSING THIS SOONER OR FROM NOT GETTING THE WORD OUT.
BUT I THINK PART OF IT IS JUST, WE SHOULD TRY, I THINK, IN THE FUTURE BE MORE PROACTIVE ON COUNCIL AGENDA.
AND I THINK THIS HAS BEEN A CALL IN THE PAST BEFORE IS THAT WE WANT TO TRY AND KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ADVANCED, LIKE WHAT CAL, WHAT COUNCIL HAS ON ITS DOCKETS.
THAT WAY WE CAN DISCUSS BEFOREHAND, MAYBE HAVE THIS DISCUSSION THAT WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW A COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE THE VOTE WOULD HAPPEN.
THAT WAY WE CAN VOTE ON A RESOLUTION FOR RECOMMENDATION BEFORE ANYTHING HAPPENED BEFORE ANYTHING ACTIONABLE HAPPENS LIKE COUNCIL.
UM, SO AGAIN, DEFINITELY INTERESTED IN THE WORKING GROUP AND WHATEVER DECISIONS ARE MADE.
I THINK WE COULD DEFINITELY HAVE A SAY IN IT OR SHOULD HAVE A SAY IN IT, UH, CAUSE THIS, I UNDERSTAND THAT SOMETHING LIKE 20 MILLION WAS HOW IT REALLOCATED FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, BUT THERE'S ANOTHER, THERE'S ANOTHER SEVERAL CHUNKS OF THAT.
120 MILLION IT'LL BE DOUBLED DOWN OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.
SO I THINK THAT THERE'S, THERE'S DEFINITELY TIME TO BE INFLUENTIAL IN THE PROCESS, I THINK YEAH.
THAT THE OVERALL CONCEPT AS, AS, AS STARTED.
SO, UM, BUT YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT'S ALSO PART OF SHAPING THE NARRATIVE BECAUSE I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO COME UNDER FIRE OVER THE NARRATIVE.
IF, IF THERE ISN'T SOMEONE ELSE OUT THERE WHO CAN SAY, ACTUALLY THIS IS GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE USING OUR COMMUNITY, UH, TO SAY, OH, WHAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS DOING IS GOING TO HURT ALL THESE PEOPLE.
AND THEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY.
LIKE YOU SAYING, ACTUALLY I SUPPORTED THIS.
UH, THESE ARE BETTER, THERE ARE BETTER WAYS TO DO WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
UM, AND SO I THINK, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE, YOU KNOW, THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE WE REPRESENT CONTINUES TO BE REPRESENTED, EVEN IF THIS COUNCIL HAS ALREADY MADE ITS AN INITIAL MOVE.
UM, BECAUSE ONCE JANUARY HITS, UH, YOU KNOW, IF, UH, YOU KNOW, AS THE GOVERNOR OR HASN'T BEEN TALKING ABOUT DOING THINGS, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN UNTIL JANUARY THE STATE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO COME AND TRY TO BRING THE HAMMER AND BASH AUSTIN IN THE MOVE THAT WE'RE MAKING, UH, AND COULD HAVE A HUGE RIPPLE EFFECT THROUGHOUT OUR CITY AND ACROSS OUR STATE.
UM, IF WE DON'T SORT OF BUILD A KIND OF SUPPORT, UH, IN, IN SORT OF CHANGE THE NARRATIVE AROUND WHAT'S HAPPENING.
SO I DO THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE A PART OF.
UH, SO I THINK WHAT IS, SO IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT THERE'S SUPPORT FOR WORKING GROUP, UM, OBVIOUSLY THERE WASN'T EVER GOING TO BE AN ACTION TAKEN TODAY ANYWAY, SO I, UH, SO FOR THE RECORD FOR STAFF, UM, I HAVE, UH, SLOAN WOODS ACOSTA AND MYSELF, UH, DESOLTEL INTERESTED IN THIS WORKING GROUP.
YOU CAN SEE, BUT, UH, TARA, OKAY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW IT CHOOSES TO DO, I CAN SAY, BUT, UH, I CAN NOT SEE THAT.
SO YOU, YOU SAID, UH, COMMISSIONER YOUNG AND THEN ALSO YES, SIR.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE CAPACITY AT THIS TIME TO JOIN THE WORKING GROUP.
IT WAS MORE RAISING HAND ON A COMMENT.
PUSH THE YOUNG, I THINK YOU WERE FIRST TO GO AHEAD.
PUT THE COMMENT ABOUT THE, THE, I BELIEVE IT WAS AFTER THE RETREAT AND I'M NOT SURE, BUT IT'S CONDITIONAL MORTALI I THINK HE MADE MENTION OF US TRYING TO GET AHEAD OF THE CURVE OF THE COUNCIL'S AGENDA SO WE CAN VOTE THEMSELF OR WE CAN SPEAK ON IT, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT EVER WENT AHEAD ON ANY OF THE THING.
UM, AND I AM THE POSTER CHILD FOR, I DON'T WANT TO SAY WHAT'S WRONG WITH AUSTIN, BUT SOME ISSUES OF AUSTIN.
SO I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO GIVE SOME INSIGHT.
AND, UH, I DID HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION, BUT I'LL HOLD FOR THAT.
CAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S, IT'S PASSED AS MY HAND WAS RAISED A LONG TIME AGO, UH, COMMERCIAL AND TOWER, UH, COMMISSIONER.
UM, I WAS JUST GOING TO MENTION, AS FAR AS THE WORKING GROUP, I KNOW THAT THE, UM, AFRICAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSION AND LGBTQ AND I BELIEVE THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSIONS WERE WORKING ON A RESOLUTION.
I KNOW SOME OF US TRY TO DO THAT THIS LAST TIME BEFORE LAST MONTH'S COMMISSION.
UM, BUT I THINK IT WAS RURAL AT CAPACITY,
[01:05:01]
BUT IF IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, USEFUL TO JOIN IN ON THAT EFFORT AND THE WORK THAT THEY'RE ALREADY DOING OR CONTINUE DOING, UM, JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT THEY'D BE GOOD TO CONNECT WITH FOR THAT WORKING GROUP.UM, MO YOU KNOW, THE LESS WE WORK IN ISOLATION, I THINK PROBABLY THE BETTER FOR THE OVERALL EFFORT.
AND, AND THEN IT COULD BE A SITUATION WHERE THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION BOTH, UH, MAYBE COME OUT WITH A JOINT STATEMENT OR RESOLUTION.
UM, BECAUSE I DO THINK AS, LIKE I SAID, WE MOVED CLOSER TO THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO SPEAK UP ON THIS BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTINUE TO USE IT.
COMMISSIONER, PLEASE INCLUDE ANOTHER QUICK NOTE.
THEY DID, UM, PUT FORWARD A RESOLUTION TOGETHER ON THAT.
SO THAT MIGHT BE USEFUL THAT ALREADY LOOK AT MOVING FORWARD.
AND, UH, COMMISSIONER YOUNG, DID YOU HAVE INTEREST IN BEING IN THE WORKING GROUP OR, OR YOU WERE JUST RAISING YOUR HAND TO, UH, TO HAVE YOUR QUESTION ANSWERED? I THINK I'M STAYING FOR THE MOMENT.
WELL, WE HAVE 20 MINUTES LEFT, SO I FEEL LIKE WE'VE KIND OF GOTTEN TO A STOPPING POINT IN THIS DISCUSSION.
LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GONNA REACH OUT TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, UH, TAKE A LOOK AT THEIR RESOLUTION.
UM, THERE IS WILL FOR A WORKING GROUP AMONGST SEVERAL OF THE COMMISSIONERS AND, UM, AND I BELIEVE, UM, FOR FEATURE DENY ITEMS, WE MIGHT DISCUSS HAVING SOMEONE FROM THE CITY COME TALK TO US ABOUT IT.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE WAS SOME WELFARE THAT, UH, SO WHEN WE GET TO THAT, UH, JUNE ITEM, WE CAN DISCUSS THAT.
UM, SO MOVING ON TO HIS HAND UP AGAIN, I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER YOUNG.
YEAH, SINCE WE HAVE A LITTLE TIME, I JUST WANT TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION EARLIER.
COMMISSIONER PAUL ASKED ABOUT THE ROOF REPAIR AND I BELIEVE SOMEONE SAID THAT THEY WILL GO AHEAD AND REPAIR THE ROOF LEAK AND THEN COME BACK AND REPLACE THE ROOF.
IS THAT UNDERSTANDING? I'LL MAKE A COMMENT ON THAT, A CHILD, A YOUNG LINE.
UM, I'VE BEEN, I OVERSEE THE MODERN HOLLY PAIR PROGRAM WHERE WE PROVIDE UP TO $5,000 TO ADDRESS REPAIRS THAT POSE AN IMMEDIATE THREAT IF THERE IS A LEAKING ROOF.
AND WE KNOW THAT THE $5,000 CANNOT REPLACE THE ENTIRE ROOF.
THERE IS A CHANCE THAT WE WILL PATCH THE ROOF OR A TEMPORARY FIX, AND THEY RUN THE PURSE IN AND THEN TAKE THE PERSON THROUGH A DIFFERENT PROGRAM IN ORDER TO REPLACE THE WHOLE GROUP.
[3. OLD BUSINESS]
I THINK WE CAN GO MOVE ON TO, UM, SO THIS, THIS IS, THIS IS THE POINT OF MEETING WHERE WE WOULD BE DOING, UH, ELECTIONS.UH, I KNOW STAFF IS SAYING THAT THEY WOULD LIKE OUR ELECTIONS THAT HAPPEN TODAY.
UM, BUT I KNOW THIS MIGHT BE THE FIRST TIME MEMBERS ARE HEARING THAT THERE'S, UH, OFFICER ELECTIONS AND SOME MEMBERS HAVE ALREADY FALLEN OFF THE CALL OR HAVE NOT BEEN ON THE CALL TODAY.
AND SO, UM, IT WOULD SEEM FAIR TO ME TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT IN ADVANCE SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO RUN OR FIND SOMEONE TO SUPPORT OR EVEN JUST BE AWARE.
SO, UM, BUT AGAIN, UP TO THE BODY ON WHAT WE DECIDED TO DO.
UM, SO I GUESS I'LL JUST ASK STAFF, IS IT OKAY? I KNOW WE STILL HAVE TO DO OUR, UH, CSBG, UM, ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
UM, WHAT WHAT'S, WHAT'S SORT OF YOUR, YOUR, YOUR LAST BIT OF ADVICE HERE ON THE, ON THE ELECTIONS FOR OFFICERS? UH, THIS IS ERIC
UM, WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CSBG PRESENTATION.
UM, AND THEN IF THERE'S TIME REMAINING, PERHAPS YOU COULD RETURN TO THE ELECTION.
[4. COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT (CSBG)]
A PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION ON CSBG, UH, WITH YVONNE MEYER, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN[01:10:01]
AND COMMISSIONERS.UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME I'M, UH, PRESENTING IN BEHALF OF ANGEL SAN BRANO, OUR UNIT MANAGER WHO COULD NOT BE WITH US TODAY.
UM, WE'LL LOOK AT SLIDE ONE, WHICH, UH, OUTLINES THE, UH, BASIC NEEDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH OUR, UH, PROGRAM.
AND I THINK MOST OF YOU ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH THESE, UH, WITH THESE SERVICES.
IF YOU LOOK DOWN TO THE BOTTOM AT THE SPREADSHEET, UH, THE BOTTOM OF SLIDE ONE, UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT OUR BUDGET IS ON TASK AND, UH, WE ARE ON TARGET TO EXPEND OUR MONIES, UM, PAY ATTENTION TO OTHER, UH, WE ARE GOING TO BE, UH, PURCHASING $5,000 IN BUS PASSES AND GIFT CARDS TO BE USED TOWARDS OUR CASE MANAGEMENT CLIENTS, WHO WE WORK WITH TOWARDS TRANSITIONING OUT OF POVERTY.
AND IF YOU'LL MOVE ON TO SLIDE TWO, UH, WHICH IS ENTITLED AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT ON COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN.
AND, UM, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO FOCUS ON ARE TWO ITEMS, UH, AT THE VERY TOP, UH, TRANSITION OUT OF POVERTY GOAL.
OUR GOAL IS TO TRANSITION 43 PERSONS CLIENTS OUT OF POVERTY.
AND AT THIS POINT WE HAVE ACHIEVED 23 PERSONS, UM, WITH TRANSITIONS OUT OF POVERTY, 10, 10 PERSONS OUT OF THE 23 HAVE ACTUALLY TAKEN PLACE, UH, DURING THE PATENT DEMEC PERIOD.
AND THEN IF YOU LOOK, UH, DOWN TO THE OUTCOME DESCRIPTION OF HOUSEHOLDS WHO AVOIDED EVICTION, UH, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE ARE TARGETED FOR 500 AND WE HAVE ALREADY ACHIEVED 662 HOUSEHOLDS TO ASSIST MOVING OUT OF, UH, AVOIDING EVICTION.
UM, LET'S GO DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THAT SLIDE, UH, THE LAST PARAGRAPH, AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, GIVE UPDATES ON EACH ITEM IN REGARDS TO NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES, UNIT VACANCIES.
UM, OUR TOP CANDIDATES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR THE ROADS WITH SARAH GOSA NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER AND THE EAST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS.
UM, WE HAVE A CLEARANCE TO ACCEPT, UH, MONIQUE FLUKER, UH, FOR THE POSITION OF MANAGER AT THE ROSEWOOD SARAGOSSA NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER AT THIS TIME.
SO SHE'LL BE, SHE'LL BEGIN HER, UM, HER NEW POSITION IN THE END OF AUGUST.
AND THEN IF YOU GO TO SLIDE THREE, PLEASE, YEAH, WE'LL MOVE ON TO NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES.
AND, UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE A FOOD PANTRY LOCATED IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS AND TO, UM, TO MANAGE, UH, CONTINUED FOOD, UH, ASSISTANCE TODAY WE ARE THIS WEEK, I SHOULD SAY, WE BEGAN A, UM, A PIVOT TO FOOD PANTRY DRIVE UP OR CURB SERVICE IS WHAT WE ARE, UH, REFERRING TO, UM, DISTRIBUTING FOOD COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, JUST GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE HERE AT SOUTH AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, WE, UH, SERVED THIS MORNING, UM, 39 HOUSEHOLDS OR 139% WITH, UH, FOOD.
SO, UH, WAS OUR FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH THE CURBSIDE AND IT WORKED OUT, IT WORKED OUT SUCCESSFULLY AND OUR OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS WILL FOLLOW SUIT.
UH, NUMBER THREE, UH, LOOKING AT THE CARES ACT CSBG FUNDING.
UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON THE SOLICITATION PROCESS TO IDENTIFY BENDER, TO BE OUR FISCAL AGENT AND FOR CSBG DISCRETIONARY FUNDING.
[01:15:02]
UM, WE HAVE FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF 53,900 IN DISCRETIONARY FUNDS WITH A DEADLINE OF, UM, PROVIDING THOSE FUNDS TO PERSONS IN NEED OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE.AND THAT DEADLINE IS AUGUST 31ST AT THIS POINT.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE ALMOST EXPENDED THAT, UM, ASSISTANCE.
UH, SO FAR WE HAVE HELPED 75 PERSONS OR 23 HOUSEHOLDS, AND WE ARE AT $39,708, UH, OF THAT MONEY'S BEING USED TOWARDS THE 53,900.
SO, UM, I FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT THOSE MONIES WILL BE EXPENDED.
WE WILL MEET THE DEADLINE BY AUGUST 31ST IN HELPING, UH, PERSONS IN NEED WITH THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
NUMBER FIVE, UM, AUSTIN ENERGY PLUS ONE PROGRAM.
WE CONTINUE TO ASSIST PEOPLE WITH, UH, ELECTRICAL ASSISTANCE.
AND THEN FINALLY ON THAT SAME SLIDE NUMBER SIX NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER IMPROVEMENTS, THE MONTOPOLIS RECREATION AND COMMUNITY CENTER WILL BE COMPLETED IN SEPTEMBER.
UH, THERE WILL BE A VIRTUAL RIBBON CUTTING IN SEPTEMBER, AND, UH, EACH OF YOU WILL BE INVITED TO THAT TO ATTEND VIRTUALLY.
AND IF YOU MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDES, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT ONE.
UH, YOU'LL SEE, UH, PICTURES OF THE, UM, BEAUTIFUL MONTOPOLIS RECREATION COMMUNITY CENTER THAT HAS, UH, HAS BEEN FOR THE COMMUNITY YOUTH.
AND THOSE ARE ON SLIDES FOUR AND FIVE.
AND THEN FINALLY THE DEPTH SPRINGS PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITY.
UM, THEY HAVE ACQUIRED A OFFICIAL ADDRESS AT 58, 11 PALO BLANCO LANE.
AND, UH, WE DON'T HAVE A SUCCESS STORY AT THIS TIME, EVEN THOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSES, MANY SUCCESSES.
UM, SO I'M SURE ANGEL, UH, WILL PRESENT THAT THE NEXT MONTH.
AND, UH, THAT IS THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
UH, LET'S SAY THESE PICTURES LOOK PRETTY SUCCESSFUL.
UH, COMMISSIONERS AGAIN, I CAN'T SEE ANY HANDS.
SO FEEL, JUST SPEAK UP IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, LET'S SEE SOME SPINNING CIRCLES COULD BE MY INTERNET, BUT, UM, I DON'T SEE ANY HANDS, SO, UM, OKAY.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
SO, UM, DO WE WANT TO DISCUSS FUTURE
[5. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
AGENDA ITEMS? UM, WAS IT COMMISSIONER OTERO? DID YOU, UM, DID YOU MAKE A SUGGESTION REGARDING THE POLICING, UH, FOR THE NEXT MEETING? I DON'T KNOW IF IT NEEDS TO BE A POINT OF, UM, DISCUSSION.I CAN JUST EMAIL THE PO THE POLICY OR THE RESOLUTION AND CONNECT TWO COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE ALREADY WORKING ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
UM, BUT I DID HAVE, UH, LAST MONTH REQUESTED, UM, METRO GIVING A PRESENTATION ON ANTI-DISPLACEMENT EFFORTS ON PROJECT CONNECT.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE TIME TO GET INTO THAT NEXT MONTH.
YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THE LAST AGENDA SETTING MEETING, CAUSE I WAS TRYING TO FIT IT ONTO THIS AGENDA AND THEY THOUGHT THAT IT PROBABLY WOULD BE BEST TO TRY TO DO AT THE, IN THE SEPTEMBER MEETING.
[01:20:01]
SHOULD NOTE THAT, UM, THAT LET'S, LET'S GO AHEAD AND PUT THAT, UM, THEN THE ITEM FOR NEXT MEETING, MR. CHAIR.I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THAT THE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE FOR SPENDING THE MONEY, IF THE BOMBS PASS, I'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT A COMMITTEE IT'S COMPOSED OF AN ENGINEER.
I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT IT IS, BUT THERE'S, THERE'S NOT ONE THAT DIRECTLY IS AN EXPERT OR REPRESENTS LOW INCOME PEOPLE'S INTERESTS IN THE GOVERNING BODY.
SO I THINK IT WOULD, I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THE COMMISSION TO HEAR ABOUT THAT AND SEE IF THERE WOULDN'T BE A ROLE MAYBE FOR THE CTC, BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO HAVE THE RIGHT COMPOSITION TO HAVE SOME KIND OF RELATIONSHIP.
YOU THINK THAT SOUNDS LIKE ONE AGENDA ITEM OR TWO AGENDA ITEMS, UM, STAFF WHO WOULD JUST WANT TO ROLL THOSE IN TOGETHER, SOMEBODY FROM CAP METRO, COME SPEAK TO US ABOUT THE, I THINK THEY'RE RELATED.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE THEY COULD BE ONE AGENDA ITEM.
UM, UM, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
I WOULD, UH, MAYBE THE OVERALL GENERAL JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT AND THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AS PART OF THE GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE THAT YOU WERE REFERRING TO COMMISSIONER POPS.
SO WE GET, UM, A FULL REVIEW ON WHAT THEY HAVE PLANNED WITH PROJECT CONNECT GOVERNANCE.
THANKS FOR ADDING THE RIGHT TERMINOLOGY.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT UP TEAMWORK, RIGHT.
THAT'S JUST BEEN PUT ON THE BALLOT.
SO, UM, WELL COMMISSIONERS, IF WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TOP OF MIND, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF STAFF, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING, OBVIOUSLY WE'LL HAVE TO DO THE ELECTIONS, BUT ARE THERE, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING FORWARD TO FOR NEXT COMMISSION MEETING THAT YOU THINK WILL MAKE ITS WAY ONTO THE AGENDA? OR IS THERE ANYTHING OBLIGATORY THAT WE TIME WISE, TIMING WISE, THIS IS ERIC LINK.
I'M NOT CERTAIN OF ANYTHING AT PRESENT, UM, ABOUT, WELL OBVIOUSLY, UH, WHAT, YOU KNOW, IF SOMETHING COMES UP EXCELLENT.
WELL, UM, EVERYONE, UH, AS ALWAYS, UM, KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO MYSELF OR STAFF, UH, WITH ANY AGENDA ITEMS THAT COME UP.
THAT'S HOW, UH, COMMISSIONER THOROUGH, UM, INITIALLY BROUGHT THIS UP AND WE JUST, YOU KNOW, FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS HAD SOME OBLIGATORY THINGS THAT WE JUST COULDN'T, UH, REMOVED FROM THE CALENDAR.
SO NOW THAT, THAT SEEMS LIKE WE'VE, WE'VE FREED UP A LITTLE BIT.
IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT, THAT COMES UP IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, UH, FEEL FREE TO SHOOT THAT TO MYSELF OR STAFF.
UM, AND THEN WE WILL ENTERTAIN PUTTING THAT ON THE NEXT AGENDA.
UM, IF THAT IS ALL, THEN I WILL CALL THE MEETING ADJOURNED