[00:00:01]
COWBOY I'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
[CALL TO ORDER]
IT IS TWO OR 3:00 PM.I AM NOW CALLING TO ORDER THIS MEETING OF THE CITY.
COUNCIL IS PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
I AM CHAIR OF COUNCIL, VIRGINIA FLANAGAN.
WE HAVE A PREMIER POTSDAM CARISSA COUNCIL MEMBER, HARBOR, MADISON COUNCIL MEMBER.
COSAR ALSO HER MEMBERS OF PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE ALSO JOINING US.
AND I ASSUME MORE OF OUR COLLEAGUES WILL JOIN US.
WE GO ON COUNCIL MEMBER, KITCHEN ACCOUNTS, MOTHER ELLIS, ALSO WITH US.
UM, I THINK WE'RE ALL, ALL OF US WHO ARE CURRENTLY VISIBLE ARE PRETTY OLD HAT AT THE WEBEX NOW, BUT WE'VE GOT A HANDFUL OF PRESENTERS JOINING US FOR THIS CONVERSATION TODAY.
SO JUST AS A REMINDER, AS A TECHNOLOGY CHECK, UH, I AM THE HOST OF THE MEETING.
IF YOU FORGET TO MEET YOURSELF, PLEASE DON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY, OR THAT HELPS KEEP OUR AUDIO GOING.
UM, I WILL MOVE FOLKS INTO THE VISIBLE NEEDING WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN TO SPEAK ON THE DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF OUR TOPIC TODAY.
AND, UH, WE'LL MOVE YOU BACK OUT INTO THE ATTENDEE LIST.
UH, AS IT GOES, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, SHORTER, I'LL KEEP YOU ON FOR THE WHOLE MEETING.
AND SO IF YOU SEE FOLKS THAT NEED TO BE BROUGHT IN AND I HAVEN'T BROUGHT THEM IN, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I WILL PULL THEM OVER FROM THE OTHER SIDE.
COUNCIL MEMBER TOBO HAS JOINED US.
SO WE HAVE TWO ITEMS, OUR CUSTOMER ALTAR.
I SEE YOU JOINED THIS AS LIKE, GIVE ME MY CHECK.
SO WE ARE, WE HAVE TWO ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA TODAY.
OUR FIRST ITEM IS A PRESENTATION ON HOMELESSNESS.
UM, I JUST WANT TO PREFACE THIS BY SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN AS A COUNCIL, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD ON THIS TOPIC.
WE'VE HAD MANY DIFFERENT MEETINGS ON THIS ISSUE OVER THE LAST YEAR, A YEAR AND A HALF.
UH, AND FOR SOME OF US EVEN MUCH LONGER THAN THAT GOING BACK, UH, MANY, MANY YEARS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE IN A SITUATION NOW THAT I FELT IT NECESSARY TO BRING IT TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AND WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY GOING TO BE A JOINT MEETING OF THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE AND HOUSING AND PLANNING COMMITTEE IS, BUT OUR LAW DEPARTMENTS THOUGHT THAT WAS GOING TO BE A TRICKY DOMA PROCESS.
SO WE ENDED UP JUST ROLLING IT BACK TO A PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING FOR LEGAL PURPOSES.
BUT I KNOW THE ENTIRE COUNCIL IS AS HOW, AS WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY FOCUSED ON ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE.
UH, THERE HAS BEEN SUCH A TON.
THERE'S BEEN SUCH SO MUCH WORK THAT'S BEEN GOING ON ON THE STAFF SIDE AND BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC AND BECAUSE OF OTHER ISSUES THAT HAVE DOMINATED OUR COUNCIL AGENDAS, UM, I'M HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC THAT THEY'RE NOT SEEING AND HEARING AS MUCH ON THIS TOPIC FROM US AS THEY'VE BEEN BEFORE.
AND SO THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY I WANTED TO BRING THIS UP.
UM, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, BEING IN AN ELECTION YEAR AND AN ELECTION CYCLE THAT AFFORDS MANY OF US, AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO THE PUBLIC, UH, MANY PARTS OF THE PUBLIC, WE DON'T NORMALLY GET TO TALK TO FOLKS WHO DON'T ALWAYS SHOW UP TO MEETINGS.
AND CERTAINLY IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, UH, HAVE AS MUCH, IF NOT MORE ZOOM FATIGUE THAN THE REST OF US DO.
AND MAYBE AREN'T JUMPING INTO VIRTUAL MEETINGS AS MUCH AS THEY MIGHT'VE SHOWN UP IN PERSON TO MEETINGS.
SO TODAY THE OBJECTIVE HERE IS TO LET STAFF RUN THROUGH THE SYSTEM THAT WE'RE BUILDING TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS.
AND AS WE ALL KNOW, IT FALLS INTO TWO KIND OF THESE THREE BUCKETS OF PUBLIC HEALTH, HOUSING, AND SAFETY.
AND, AND I WANTED TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION SO THAT WE COULD IN THE FUTURE HAVE MULTIPLE COUNCIL COMMITTEES FOCUSING ON THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE SYSTEM THAT DESERVE THAT TYPE OF FOCUS.
I THINK IT'S ALSO FAIR TO SAY THAT OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE IN ADDRESSING THIS, THIS, THIS ECONOMIC HEALTH AND SAFETY CRISIS, UH, THE PUBLIC SAFETY PIECE MIGHT BE THE SMALLEST OF THE THREE IT'S.
IT'S DEFINITELY A LOT OF WORK ON HOUSING AND HEALTH, BUT THIS IS A PLACE WHERE I THINK THE COMMUNITY IS HEARING ALL OF THESE ISSUES WITHIN THE SAME VOICE.
I THINK, TO LEVERAGE THIS MOMENT, TO MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC CAN SEE EXACTLY WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE DOING AND THAT US AS COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN ALSO BE REFRESHED ON WHAT THE STAFF IS UP TO AND WHERE WE MAY WANT TO FOCUS OUR ADDITIONAL EFFORTS RELATED TO OVERSIGHT AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THE, THE ABILITY TO, TO PUSH HARDER IN CERTAIN AREAS.
UM, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF SPEAKERS FROM THE STAFF TO GO, AND I WANT TO HAVE, UM, OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER SHORTER REVIEW THIS, BUT BEFORE WE BE BEGAN, SINCE THIS WAS ORIGINALLY A TRI LATERAL COMMITTEE MEETING, WOULD A COUNSELOR, BARBARA MADISON OR COUNSELOR, BECAUSE I LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING.
AND THEN I'LL OF COURSE RECOGNIZE THAT THE COUNSELOR TELLS HER BARBARA MADISON.
[00:05:01]
GOTCHA.I'M YELLING HAVE TO FORGIVE ME.
I'M JUST GETTING SET UP IN MY EYE.
UM, AND SO A COUPLE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO DISCUSS, AND I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE BRING UP FOR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE, UM, UH, ALONG THESE LINES, UM, A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WANTED TO BRING UP AND THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO REALLY JUST GETTING A MORE ROBUST DIALOGUE AROUND, I HAVE TO DO WITH SORT OF THE HISTORY OF HOMELESSNESS, LIKE REALLY TALKING ABOUT HOW WE GOT HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE, I THINK WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, THE DIALOGUE I'M CERTAIN, UM, UH, CHEERFUL.
AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE OUT AND HAVING THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO TALK TO PEOPLE YOU OTHERWISE, WOULDN'T TALK TO, YOU HEAR SORT OF THIS GENERAL NARRATIVE THAT THE OTHERNESS OF IT ALL, YOU KNOW, LIKE PEOPLE NOT REALLY THINKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE WE'RE DISCUSSING AS HUMANS, AS THEIR NEIGHBORS, AS PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP AS PEOPLE WHO, YOU KNOW, THE SYSTEM HAD FAILED.
UM, AND SO I'VE BEEN TRYING TO BRING IT BACK TO THAT, UH, LEVEL OF CONVERSATION WITHOUT THE HUMAN SERVICES.
AND, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HOPE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO IS REALLY JUST TALK ABOUT, UM, SORT OF HOW WE GOT HERE WITH THE REMOVAL OF PUBLIC HOUSING.
YOU KNOW, YOU THINK ABOUT THE URBAN RENEWAL PROCESS, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF AFFORDABLE UNITS WERE REMOVED BY WAY OF THAT PROCESS AND THEN NEVER REPLACED EVERYONE.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, HOUSING INSECURE SINCE THE EIGHTIES, YOU KNOW, AND, AND PRIOR TO DURING, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS SORT OF CONCEPT AROUND URBAN RENEWAL, THE OTHER THING, UM, AND I MAY HAVE MENTIONED THIS TO YOU BEFORE MY MOM WORKED AT, AT AUSTIN STATE HOSPITAL.
SO IN A LOT OF WAYS I GREW UP ON THE ASH CAMPUS, UM, JUST KIND OF WANDERING ABOUT AND DOING MY THING AND RECOGNIZING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHERE IT WAS THEN AND WHERE IT IS NOW.
UM, THE ASH CAMPUS WAS THIS REALLY ROBUST, YOU KNOW, FULLY FUNCTIONAL CAMPUS WHERE PEOPLE WERE GETTING EVERYTHING FROM JUST SORT OF, YOU KNOW, LIMITED OUTPATIENT MEDICATION MONITORING TO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO WERE UNFIT TO STAND TRIAL BECAUSE OF, UM, YOU KNOW, SORT OF CRIMINAL INSANITY AND, YOU KNOW, AND THEN EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN, INCLUDING INTENSE OUTPATIENT AND MEDICATION MONITORING, AND JUST LOOKING AT IT NOW AND SEEING WHAT IT DOES NOW, THE FUNCTION THAT IT SERVES NOW AND SEEING HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE NOT GETTING THE SERVICES THAT THEY OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE PERCEIVED AND THINKING THROUGH WHAT, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS FOR A PLACE LIKE THAT? YOU KNOW, A SYSTEM LIKE THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A PRESENTATION RECENTLY WHERE ULTIMATELY THE PRESENTATION TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, JUST HOW LITTLE WE HAVE IN THE WAY OF RESOURCES FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND, OR MENTAL ILLNESS.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE ANY PLACES, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WAS A HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
WE WERE GETTING A PRESENTATION FROM THE SOBERING CENTER FOLKS.
UM, AND IT IT'S, THAT'S HOW I HOPE TO SEE THIS CONVERSATION GO, LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW WE LANDED IN A PLACE WHERE SO MANY PEOPLE IN OUR CITY, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE VISIBLE NOW, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST RESPONDER FRIENDS OF MINE WHO TALK ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT THEY SEE THAT ARE VISIBLE NOW, THEY'VE BEEN SEEING THEM IN THE WOODS FOR 30 YEARS.
LIKE THEY, THEY KNOW THESE PEOPLE BY NAME.
IT'S NOT THAT THEY RECENTLY BECAME HOMELESS.
UM, SO JUST, UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE US BE ABLE TO ADDRESS HOW WE GOT HERE, WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE MISSING IN THE WAY OF RESOURCES, AND THEN HOW DO WE, YOU KNOW, DIG OURSELVES OUT OF WHERE WE ARE, YOU KNOW, AND, AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, DO SO IN A WAY THAT WE'RE RECOGNIZING THAT THESE ARE HUMAN BEINGS WHO THE SYSTEM HAS FAILED, AND IT'S OUR OBLIGATION, OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PUTTING SYSTEMS IN PLACE THAT, THAT WORKED BETTER FOR MORE PEOPLE.
SO THAT'S SORT OF WHAT I HOPE TO EXTRACT FROM THIS AND, AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE BACK TO THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE.
AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD REMINDER FOR STAFF AND YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION IS TO BE SURE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING.
NOBODY IS SATISFIED WITH A SCENARIO WHERE FOLKS ARE SLEEPING ON THE STREET, OR THAT THAT'S THE ONLY OPTION LEFT TO THEM.
UH, AND, AND WE WANT TO BE REALLY CLEAR WITH THE PUBLIC, NOT JUST WHAT WE'RE DOING, BUT WHAT WE KNOW WE STILL NEED TO DO AND HOW, AND WHEN WE'RE GOING TO GET THERE.
I THINK THAT'S THE PUBLIC KNOWS, AS I TALKED TO FOLKS THAT IT'S, IT'S A COMPLICATED ISSUE, EVEN FOLKS WHO DON'T AGREE WITH SOME OF OUR APPROACH HAVE TO AT LEAST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
AND SO BEING DIRECT AND HONEST WITH THE PUBLIC ABOUT THAT ARE THINGS IMPORTANT, OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING? I THINK YOU ALL HAVE BOTH, UM, BOTH COVERED QUITE A BIT OF IT.
I MEAN, I THINK ULTIMATELY WHILE OUR COMMITTEES COULD HANDLE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THIS, ULTIMATELY IT IS SO CLEAR THAT IF, UM, IF WE WANT TO ACTUALLY ADDRESS THE ISSUE THAT HOUSING AND SERVICES ARE THE THING THAT ARE GOING TO ADDRESS THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE CHALLENGES, UM, OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, FROM A PUBLIC FIRST, FROM A PUBLIC SAFETY PERSPECTIVE, THERE IS NOTHING LESS SAFE, REALLY FOR A PERSON.
THEN, THEN HAVING NOWHERE TO GO AND SLEEPING ON THE STREET.
IT IS, IT IS ONE OF THE LEAST SAFE CONDITIONS A PERSON CAN, CAN PUT THEMSELVES IN.
[00:10:01]
TO, UH, AND USUALLY, I MEAN, I, I WAS PROBABLY A POOR CHOICE OF WORDS AS FAR AS PUT THEMSELVES IN IT'S THE MOST, IT'S A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION FOR A PERSON TO BE IN.SO, UM, SO, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST FROM, UH, FROM BEING THE HOUSING COMMITTEE CHAIR, BUT ACTUALLY JUST FROM, UM, FROM LOOKING AT THE EVIDENCE, UM, IF WE WANT TO ADDRESS THE PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES, THEN THE BEST THING WE CAN DO IS TO, IS TO WORK REALLY DILIGENTLY, TO GET FOLKS HOUSED AND THEN GET THE SERVICES TO THOSE FOLKS TO KEEP PEOPLE HOUSED.
UM, AND, AND, UH, I'M GLAD THAT THAT'S THE APPROACH THAT WE'RE, WE'RE ALL TAKING.
UM, AS WE LOOK AT THE, AS WE TRY TO TACKLE A REALLY, REALLY HARD ISSUE, WE KNOW OBVIOUSLY SHELTER CAPACITY HAS BEEN CUT BY THE PANDEMIC.
WE KNOW, UM, IT IS EVEN MORE DANGEROUS TO BE A PERSON EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS DURING THIS PANDEMIC.
AND SO I'M GLAD THAT OUR STAFF ARE WORKING REALLY HARD, UM, AND THIS REALLY IMPOSSIBLE TIME, BUT I'M GLAD I, I APPRECIATE YOU HAVING A MEETING FOR, FOR US TO GET AN UPDATE OUT TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHERE THINGS STAND, ANY OTHER OTHER HAS JOINED US AS WELL.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER SHORTER BEGINS COUNCILMEMBER KITCHEN? UM, YES, I, I APPRECIATE ALL THE, UM, I APPRECIATE WHAT EVERYBODY HAS SAID AND I, I SHARE THOSE SENTIMENTS.
UM, I WOULD JUST ADD ONE OTHER THING IS THAT, UM, I WANNA TO THANK OUR STAFF AND THANK ACM SHORTER, UH, FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING.
I THINK IT'S ONE ASPECT OF THIS THAT, UH, WILL BE INTERESTING TO TALK ABOUT IS, WELL, NOT JUST INTERESTING, BUT VERY IMPORTANT PIECE OF THIS IS THE, UM, IS THE INTERACTION BETWEEN NEIGHBORS AND FOLKS, UM, THAT ARE LIVING IN NEARBY, UH, ENCAMPMENTS.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF GOOD WORK THEN RECENTLY, AND, UH, RECENTLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH ACM SHORTER AND SOME, UH, UH, ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, TO REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW THAT NEIGHBORHOOD COULD, UM, COULD, COULD HANDLE THE ISSUES THAT THEY WERE DEALING WITH IN A WAY THAT WAS HELPFUL TO THE FOLKS THAT WERE LIVING IN A NEARBY IN CAMP.
SO I THINK THAT THAT KIND OF WORK IS, UM, IS WORK THAT WE ALL NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT TOO.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE BOTTOM LINE FOR ME, AND I THINK FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US IS THAT IT'S JUST SIMPLY NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO, UM, TO HAVE A CITY WHERE PEOPLE HAVE TO LIVE UNDER BRIDGES, UM, AND IN, IN DITCHES AND IN PARKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, IT'S, WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR EYE ON THE BALL, CONTINUE TO DO THAT, WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, UM, TO GET TO A POINT WHERE WE ARE REACHING EFFECTIVE ZERO.
AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE IN THE PAST.
I APPRECIATE THE WORK THE MAYOR DID ON EFFECTIVE ZERO FOR VETERANS ON THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE AROUND, UM, DONE AROUND, UM, OUR YOUTH.
UM, IT'S A BIG, IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT RESOURCES, BUT I KNOW WE CAN DO IT AS A CITY AND IT'S JUST NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR US, NOT.
SO, UM, JUST WANTED TO ADD THOSE COMMENTS FROM THE TOTAL.
UM, AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER FLANAGAN FOR TALKING ABOUT THE ORIGINS OF THE MEETING AND THE FACT THAT IT WAS ORIGINALLY CONCEIVED AS A JOINT MEETING.
I THINK IT'S REALLY CRITICAL THAT WE CONTINUE TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS, NOT FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, HAD THIS BEEN WITHIN THE SCOPE THAT WE CONSIDERED BACK WHEN WE MADE THE CHANGES FROM, IN JUNE CHANGING, UM, THE JUDICIAL COMMITTEE TO PUBLIC SAFETY OF HOMELESSNESS HAD FALLEN WITHIN THAT.
I WOULD HAVE EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS THERE.
UM, SO I'LL JUST, YOU KNOW, SHARE, SHARE NOW AS, AS I THINK MY STAFF HAVE WITH YOURS, THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
I THINK THAT THESE CONVERSATIONS AROUND HOMELESSNESS TAKE PLACE, UM, WITHIN OUR PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE OR HOUSING COMMITTEE OR AT OUR WORK SESSIONS.
MAYBE WE HAVE NOT BEEN HAVING REGULAR BRIEFINGS ABOUT MORE GENERAL HOMELESSNESS PLANS LATELY IN OUR WORK SESSION IN PART BECAUSE THE CONVERSATIONS ARE GOING ON IN DIFFERENT PLACES AND PERHAPS IT'S TIME TO DO THAT AGAIN.
CAUSE I THINK THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A STRONG PUBLIC INTEREST AND THAT'S ANOTHER GOOD IMAGE YOU DO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
UM, I WANT TO JUST ALSO CALL TODAY ATTENTION TO THE PUBLIC.
I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF US ARE HEARING, UM, QUESTIONS AND IDEAS AND OTHER THINGS REGARDING HOMELESSNESS AND SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
WE ARE HAVING UPDATES REGULARLY WITHIN OUR COCONUT BRIEFINGS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE AT OUR WORK SESSION, BUT I ALSO WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT THERE'S A SOCIAL SERVICE CABINET THAT FOUR OF US, UM, SERVE ON AND THAT MEETS REGULARLY AS WELL.
AND WE'VE BEEN HAVING KIND OF MORE INTENSE BRIEFINGS IN THAT SESSION ABOUT PARTICULARLY HOW OUR STAFF ARE RESPONDING TO THE PANDEMICS.
SO I EXPECT WE'LL HEAR SOME OF THAT INFORMATION TOO, BUT I DON'T WANT PEOPLE IN THAT IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO THINK THAT DURING THIS PERIOD OF THE PANDEMIC
[00:15:01]
THERE HASN'T BEEN, YOU KNOW, KIND OF ONGOING FOCUS, DEFINITELY OF OUR STAFF WHO ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED AND HAVE RESPONDED TREMENDOUSLY ARE REALLY A MODEL FOR THE NATION IN TERMS OF HOW THEY RESPONDED TO PROVIDE SERVICES AND SAFE HOUSING FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO AREN'T MOST AT RISK, UM, AND ARE, ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.SO THANK YOU, UM, WITH OUR DINNER CONVERSATION TODAY, JUST REAL BRIEFLY, UH, UH, MADAME CHAIR, CHAIR AND CHAIR.
THIS IS A WONDERFUL TIME AND I'M WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS, UH, THE CHALLENGE OF HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT SO MANY PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT IN OUR CITY.
UH, THIS CITY I THINK IS, IS SO SINGULARLY FOCUSED ON ENDING HOMELESSNESS, UH, THE VALUE, THE CULTURE IN OUR CITY CALLS FOR US TO DO THIS, WE'VE DEMONSTRATED WITH VETERANS AND THE CHILDREN THAT IT CAN BE DONE.
UH, WE NEED TO SCALE IT AND ACTUALLY GET IT DONE.
I THINK THAT OUR STAFF IS DOING, UH, AN INCREDIBLE JOB, UH, JOINED WITH STAKEHOLDERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, LIKE, UH, ECHO AND KERATITIS FRONT STEPS AND THE ARCH AND SALVATION ARMY.
WE ARE POISED TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO END HOMELESSNESS AND THAT'S EXCITING CAUSE IT'S A, IT'S A BIG LIFT.
UM, THAT SAID, UH, AS WE, AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THIS DIRECTION, UH, AND AS WE GET THAT DONE, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO DO IT IN A WAY THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN SEE, UH, BECAUSE I THINK THE COMMUNITY IS READY TO JOIN AND RECOGNIZE THAT NOBODY SHOULD BE SLEEPING IN A TENT AROUND THE CORNER.
EVERYBODY SHOULD BE HOUSED IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT THE, I THINK IT'S, IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US, ALL OF US TO BE ABLE TO, TO, TO TOUCH BASE WITH THE COMMUNITY SO THAT THEY CAN SEE THE PROGRESS IS BEING MADE SO THEY CAN SEE THE PLAN AND THE PATH AND THE ARC THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE IN, THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE FOLLOWING SO THAT EVERYBODY SHARES IN THE SUCCESSES AND ALSO IN THE, IN THE, IN THE COMFORT IN REALIZING THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO GET THERE.
SO THIS MEETING, UH, PULLING TOGETHER SUCH AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO TOUCH BASE WITH THE COMMUNITY SO THAT THEY CAN SEE EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON.
UH, AND I WOULD URGE US AS WE REFINE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR US TO END HOMELESSNESS IN OUR CITY, UH, THAT WE ALSO SPEND THE TIME MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE MANAGING THE SHARED PUBLIC SPACES AND REPORTING BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY, UH, IN A REAL TIME WAY.
UH, SO THAT THE COMMUNITY IS WITH US AS WE DO THIS WORK, UH, AS I GO AROUND THE COMMUNITY, I AM, AM CONSTANTLY BEING, UH, UH, UH, REAFFIRMED THAT THIS IS A COMMUNITY THAT WANTS TO END HOMELESSNESS AND WE'RE GOING TO GET THERE.
I'M GOING TO BE BRIEF CAUSE I SHARE A LOT OF THE THOUGHTS THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ALREADY EXPRESSED AND THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER FLANAGAN FOR CONVENING IN OUR STAFF FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT'S BEEN GOING ON.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK THAT AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.
IF THE STAFF CAN MAKE SURE, UM, TO CLARIFY FOR THE PUBLIC, HOW WE ARE TARGETING OUR, UM, RESOURCES, UH, THE MAYOR HAS MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH VETERANS AND YOUTH HOMELESSNESS.
UM, BUT I THINK OUR MOTEL CONVERSION STRATEGY REALLY COMES OUT OF ANOTHER DIRECTION WHERE WE ARE TARGETING AND THAT, UM, AND I THINK THERE'S SOME CONFUSION OUT THERE IN THE PUBLIC THAT I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, UM, FOR US TO ADDRESS, UM, AND ALSO WANT TO UNDERSCORE THE NEED FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC SPACES, UM, IS IMPROVED.
UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF VERY LEGITIMATE CONCERNS OUT THERE THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS BOTH FOR THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO LIVE NEARBY.
UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE STAFF'S PLANS FOR INTERDEPARTMENTAL COOPERATION IN THAT REGARD.
I KNOW THAT THAT'S IN PROGRESS AND TALKING WITH YOU IN DETAIL ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND, AND I THINK THAT THOSE, THOSE TWO THINGS WHERE ARE PLACES WHERE I THINK THE COMMUNITY WOULD BENEFIT FOR SOME GREATER CLARITY ON OUR STRATEGY.
MAY I PROTECT? I JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY REITERATE WHAT, UM, COUNSEL FOR HARPER MADISON BROUGHT UP ABOUT THE HISTORY.
UM, IT MADE ME THINK OF, UM, UH, THE OBAMA TOOLKIT ON HOUSING.
AND I FEEL LIKE IF YOU LOOK THAT UP, IT GIVES A REALLY NEAT OVERVIEW OF THE HISTORY OF, YOU KNOW, ZONING AND
[00:20:01]
HOW IT, IT HAS IT PUT US IN A PLACE THAT HAS REQUIRED US TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY.SO I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS THINKING THAT THAT WOULD BE KIND OF NEAT IF THERE WAS A AUSTIN HOMELESSNESS TOOLKIT WHERE WE GIVE A HISTORY OF ALL THE, YOU KNOW, FAILED POLICIES, NOT, NOT CITY, YOU KNOW, UM, CLOSING THE, THE STATE HOSPITAL, ALL THESE THINGS HAVE, HAVE PUT US IN THIS POSITION AND I'LL JUST REITERATE, LIKE I'VE SAID IT IN THE PAST, WHEN I WAS A FIREFIGHTER, WE WOULD GO TO MEDICAL CALLS IN THE GREEN BELT AND THAT WAS ALMOST 20 YEARS AGO.
SO, UM, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THIS ISN'T A NEW PROBLEM.
AND, AND AS PEOPLE ARE JUST COMING INTO THIS CONVERSATION, UM, IT WOULD BE NICE FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE HISTORY AND THE THINGS THAT HAVE LED US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
I SHARE SO MUCH OF THESE SENTIMENTS THAT MY COLLEAGUES ARE SPEAKING ABOUT, AND I'M EXCITED THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION TODAY TO SHOW THE PUBLIC, ALL OF THE WORK THAT IS GOING INTO IT, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WHEN I'M HEARING IS A LOT OF PEOPLE WANTING TO KNOW HOW THEY CAN HELP AND WHERE IT IS THAT THEIR ASSISTANCE COULD BEST BE UTILIZED.
IF THEY'RE IN A POSITION WHERE THEY CAN VOLUNTEER OR DONATE OR WORK WITH A PARTNER OR THE CITY.
AND SO I'M EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO SHOW THIS TO THE PUBLIC SO THAT THERE'S A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF ALL THE HARD WORK THAT OUR OFFICES AND THE CITY STAFF HAVE BEEN DOING OVER THESE PAST FEW WEEKS, MONTHS AND YEARS.
ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, BRINGING IN, UH, THREE OF YOUR NEXT SPEAKERS.
UM, LET US LET THE STAFF MAKE ITS WAY THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, UH, WITHOUT QUESTIONS, WE'LL SORT OF OUR QUESTIONS TO THE END, MR. PRIVATE, TAKE IT AWAY.
[1. Briefing and discussion on issues related to homelessness including public safety, housing and provision of public services.]
UH, MR. CHAIR, UH, MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBER, CHRIS SHORTER ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT HOME HOMELESS RESPONSE IN AUSTIN.I KNOW IT HAS BEEN AWHILE WHEN WE HAVE ACTUALLY SAID IT TODAY, SINCE WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU IN THE PUBLIC AND TALK ABOUT OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM AND THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE AND IS BEING DONE.
SO AGAIN, REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, MR. CHAIR, THE ABILITY AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK, UM, JUST THE TEAM WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, PARTICULARLY, UM, BELLA CARMEN, THE INTERIM SERVICES OFFICER FOR HER JUST CONTINUED EFFORTS TO COORDINATE AND COMMUNICATE AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR PARTNERS ARE AWARE AND, AND THAT WE ARE AWARE OF WHAT OUR PARTNERS ARE DOING.
ALL OF THE STAFF WE'VE BEEN APH, UH, AND REALLY THE TEAM ACROSS THE CITY, UH, JUST THANKLESS WORK IN CONTINUED WORK, UH, AS WE WILL SEE THROUGHOUT THIS PRESENTATION HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE, AND ALSO THING THAT MONICA WHO IS ON THE LINE AND THE TEAM AT ECHO WHO, UM, WHO HAVE BEEN, UM, ARE JUST EXTREMELY DEDICATED AND HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH US AND, AND, AND, UH, THROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC, UH, TO RESPOND TO COVID-19, BUT ALSO TO CONTINUE TO DO OTHER GREAT WORK THAT OUR TEAMS DO EVERY DAY.
UH, AND SO TO THEIR PROVIDERS WHO WERE UNSURE, SOME OF THEM ARE WATCHING THANK YOU FOR WE'LL WORK, UH, AND, UH, AND HOPE TO SEE SOME OF THAT REFLECTED IN THE PRESENTATION TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR PAUL, PULL THE SLIDES UP.
WE CAN ADVANCE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS QUICKLY OVER THE AGENDA.
THIS IS A VERY COMPREHENSIVE, UH, AGENDA.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL GO THROUGH IT AND HAVE TIME AT THE END FOR QUESTIONS, BUT HOPEFULLY ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS, ESPECIALLY THOSE THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR OPENING THAT YOU WANTED TO HEAR.
I COULD, MANY OF THOSE THINGS WE ACTUALLY HAVE COVERED IN OUR, IN OUR REMARKS.
UH, SO THAT SAID, WELL, WE'RE GONNA START WITH, UH, REALLY, UH, UH, AN OVERVIEW OF THE HOMELESSNESS FRAMEWORK.
THIS FRAMEWORK WON'T BE WARRANTED TO ANY, ANY OF YOU AND CERTAINLY TO THE PUBLIC WE HAVE FOR THE LAST FEW OPPORTUNITIES YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU, UM, SHOWED IN DISPLAY REALLY THIS PUZZLE PIECE OF A HIGH FUNCTIONING, UH, HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM AND WHAT THAT SYSTEM LOOKS LIKE.
UH, IT WAS INTRODUCED TO US BY THE HOME, BY OUR CONSULTANT TEAM.
AND, UH, MATT DOHERTY IS GOING TO TALK A BIT ABOUT, UH, ABOUT THE FRAMEWORK AND HOW WE, UH, HOW WE LOOK IN TERMS OF RESPONSE TODAY, BASED ON THAT FRAMEWORK, WE'LL THEN MOVE INTO, UH, INVESTING IN RESULTS IMPLEMENTATION.
SO WE'LL HAVE STEPHANIE PEYTON TALK ABOUT PERFORMANCE BASED CONTRACTING AND THE CITY AND ECHO
[00:25:01]
COORDINATION, UH, AROUND MOU RFAS AND CONTRACTS.UM, THAT MALIKA WILL THEN, UH, COME IN AND TALK ABOUT THE THREE COMPOSITION AND PRIORITIES.
WE TALKED A BIT ABOUT THE BEFORE, BUT I'M HAPPY TO HAVE MATT AND LUCA JOIN US NOT TO TALK ABOUT, THEN WE'LL GO RIGHT INTO OUR PRIORITY AREA UPDATES.
AND SO WE'LL HAVE, WE'LL START WITH BUILDING TRUE LOVE, TALK ABOUT HOUSING AND TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON OUR, UH, ON OUR HOUSING PROGRAMS, I WILL THEN HAVE, UM, MICHELLE MILES AND VALDEZ TALK ABOUT HOMELESS SERVICES AND THE SORT OF BASIC NEEDS SERVICES THAT ARE HAPPENING EVERYDAY IN THE CITY, A LOWER FALSE WITHIN A START PRICE AND GIVE AN UPDATE ON COMMUNICATIONS AND ALL OF THE OUTREACH WORK THAT'S BEING DONE FROM A COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE.
UH, WE'LL THEN HAVE ASSISTANT CHIEF CHACONE, ANDY POP, MEISTER, UH, TALK A BIT ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY AND GIVING UPDATES THERE.
AND THEN FINALLY, UH, KIN SNIPES WILL PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT.
UM, STEPHANIE HAYDEN WILL THEN COME IN IN TERMS OF RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN NEAR TERM ACTIONS, UH, AND TALK ABOUT SYSTEM-WIDE PARTNERSHIPS, UH, IN CITY INVESTMENTS.
SO HOPEFULLY THERE WILL BE ABLE TO ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS, UH, HOUSE NUMBER ALL TOO, THAT YOU BROUGHT FORWARD IN TERMS OF OUR OUTPATIENT.
UH, AND THEN FINALLY, UH, UH, CARRIE O'CONNOR, WE'LL TALK A BIT ABOUT MY PAST, UH, PROGRAM AND I WILL WRAP UP WITH, UH, SOME OF THE NEAR TERM ACTIONS WE'VE TAKEN AROUND PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT.
SO AGAIN, A VERY HEALTHY AGENDA, VERY COMPREHENSIVE WE'LL MOVE THROUGH AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
HOPEFULLY HAVE TIME FOR QUESTIONS, FOR THINGS THAT WERE NOT ANSWERED DURING, DURING THE SLIDE DURING THE PRESENTATION ITSELF.
SO THAT SLED SAID YOU COULD ADVANCE, UH, AS, AS I MENTIONED AT THE TOP OF THE CALL, UM, IN SPITE OF, AND IN SOME CASES, BECAUSE OF THIS PANDEMIC, UH, WE HAVE BEEN AS A, AS A SYSTEM, BOTH WITHIN OUR GOVERNMENT AND OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND PROVIDERS HAVE BEEN WORKING TO DO WHAT WE ALWAYS DO.
AND THAT IS, UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE SERVING THE POPULATION OF FOLKS, RESIDENTS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND LOSS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME HAVE BEEN RESPONDING TO WHAT IS BEEN, UM, THIS INTERSECTION OF HOMELESSNESS AND A COVID-19 OR AN EMERGENCY SITUATION.
AND SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO FIRST IS REALLY GIVE YOU A SENSE OF IN SPITE OF ALL OF THAT, SOME OF THE PROGRESS THAT IS IN HAS BEEN MADE UNTIL THE NEXT SLIDE.
AND SO MANY OF YOU KNOW, THAT CURRENTLY THERE ARE 29 VIOLET BAG LOCATIONS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
NEXT SLIDE OF THOSE 29 KIOSKS 22 WERE CREATED RCC ESTABLISHED IN 2020.
WE ALSO HAVE 37 CLIENTS AT OUR VIOLET KEEPSAKE SELF SAFE STORAGE FACILITY, WHICH IS OPEN AGAIN IN 2020, AND IS UNLIKE PREVIOUS EFFORTS.
I'VE SEEN SOME AMAZING PROGRESS IN USE FROM OUR RESIDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
NEXT SLIDE, HAPPY TO SAY THAT 530 RESIDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS HAD ACCESS TO TEMPORARY EMERGENCY SHELTER AT COLE LODGE IN 2020 DURING THIS PANDEMIC.
THE NUMBER IS GROWING 1,387 INDIVIDUALS HAVE MOVED IN, EXITED OUT, MOVED THROUGH AND EXITED OUR HOMELESS SYSTEM.
AND I'M HAPPY TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT THAT A BIT MORE AND BEEN VERY HAPPY TO HAVE MATT MELISSA ON THE LINE TO GIVE CONTEXT AS WELL.
AND THEN A NUMBER THAT MANY OF, YOU KNOW, 500,000 PLUS MEALS HAVE BEEN SERVED TO INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS THROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC.
A HUGE TESTAMENT TO YOU AS COUNCIL MEMBERS TO HAVE WHERE WE FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE NECESSARY FUNDING AND SUPPORT TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES.
SO AGAIN, A HOMELESSNESS, JUST A SNAPSHOT WHERE YOU'RE AT SOME OF THE MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE IN LINE'S PERSPECTIVE BY THE RESPONSES, UH, EFFORTS BEING MADE BY CITY STAFF.
[00:30:01]
WELL, NOW I HAND IT OFF TO A MAJORITY WHO WILL TALK A BIT ABOUT OUR HOMELESSNESS FRAMEWORK, MATTHEW.GREAT, THANK YOU, CHRIS MAYOR CHAIR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS IS LAYING ON HER TO HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE TO MEET AND SPEAK WITH YOU ALL AND HAPPY TO HAVE TIME TO JOIN IT WITH STAFF IN THIS PRESENTATION.
SO WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO JUST DO A QUICK OVERVIEW REMINDER OF KIND OF THE FRAMEWORK THAT, UH, INCREASINGLY THE CITY ECHO, OTHER PARTNERS ARE THINKING ABOUT THE WORK AND THE WAY TO RESPOND TO HOMELESSNESS, SYSTEMICALLY AND SYSTEMATICALLY.
AND SO REALLY THINKING ABOUT THIS WORK IS HAVING FOUR DISTINCT, BUT INTERSECTING COMPONENTS, UM, AND RECOGNIZING THAT THERE'S RESPONSIBILITY FOR WORK AND THAT CUTS ACROSS MANY DIFFERENT SYSTEMS AND SECTORS, AND DO THINK THAT THIS FRAMEWORK PROVIDES A, AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO BOTH THINK AND RESPOND AND PLAN THE STRATEGIES, BUT ALSO TO TALK AND COMMUNICATE ABOUT THE WORK AND TO HELP THE PUBLIC THINK THROUGH WHAT ELEMENT OF WORK IS BEING TACKLED THROUGH DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.
AND WHAT ARE THE OUTCOMES THAT, THAT KIND OF WORK MIGHT BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.
UM, FURTHER THE INVESTING FOR RESULTS REPORTS THAT, UH, WE'VE SPOKEN SEVERAL TIMES ALONG THE WAY ABOUT USE THIS FRAMEWORK TO HELP THINK THROUGH THE NATURE OF THE RESPONSE THAT NEEDS TO BE STRENGTHENED FOR THE COMMUNITY AND ORGANIZED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTIVITIES USING THIS FRAMEWORK.
IT HAS FOUR ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS JUST GOING TO VERY QUICKLY GO THROUGH THOSE FIRST ELEMENT FOCUSES ON REDUCING INFLOW, SORT OF REDUCING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING CRISES AND FALLING INTO HOMELESSNESS EVERY YEAR.
UM, FOCUSED OFTENTIMES THIS WORK REALLY INVOLVES WORK WELL OUTSIDE OF THE HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE SYSTEM THAT OUR OTHER PUBLIC SYSTEMS, OTHER PROGRAMS THAT CAN BE MORE ATTENTIVE TO THE NEEDS THAT PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING AROUND HOUSING STABILITY CAN INTERVENE TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS WHILE PEOPLE ARE BEING SERVED BY THEIR SYSTEMS ARE EXITING THOSE SYSTEMS. I THINK THIS I'M GETTING BACK TO SOME OF THE EARLIER CONVERSATION.
THIS IS PART OF WHERE SOME OF THE, THE HISTORY AND POLICY AND FAILURES OF THESE SYSTEMS TO ADDRESS HOUSING NEEDS RESULTS IN EXPERIENCES OF HOMELESSNESS.
AND IT'S ALSO IN THIS AREA OF WORK, I'D ESPECIALLY HIGHLIGHT THAT MANY TIMES THE RACIAL INEQUITIES THAT WE SEE AMONG PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ARE THE RESULTS OF INEQUITIES WITHIN THESE SYSTEMS. AND A LACK OF ATTENDANCE IN THIS TO HOUSING NEEDS FOR PEOPLE WHILE THEY'RE RECEIVING SERVICES THROUGH THESE SYSTEMS. THE SECOND TWO ELEMENTS OF THE SYSTEM ARE VERY CLOSELY INTERRELATED CRISIS RESPONSE AND HOUSING STABILIZATION WITH CRISIS RESPONSE, REALLY FOCUSING ON IDENTIFYING PEOPLE, EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND ADDRESSING THEIR IMMEDIATE NEEDS.
THEIR IMMEDIATE HEALTH AND SAFETY NEEDS THEIR NEED FOR SHELTER, THEIR NEED FOR ACCESS TO FOOD, THEIR NEED FOR ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE.
UM, WITH HOUSING STABILIZATION, REALLY BEING THE ELEMENT OF THE SYSTEM THAT FOCUSES ON EXITING PEOPLE FROM HOMELESSNESS, BUT NEEDING TO BALANCE THOSE TWO INTERVENTIONS SO THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING PEOPLE'S IMMEDIATE NEEDS WHILE ALSO PUTTING THEM ON A PATHWAY FOR EXITS OUT OF HOMELESSNESS THAT ARE LASTING AND SUCCESSFUL HERE, I WOULD HIGHLIGHT THAT, UM, THE WORK OF THE CITY AND ESPECIALLY AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, BUT ALSO OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS AND THE WORK OF THE CONTINUUM OF CARE.
AND THAT GOES LEADERSHIP OF THE CONTINUUM OF CARE REALLY HAVE SHARED AND JOINT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS, THESE ELEMENTS OF THIS SYSTEM, UM, AND SHARE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAKING SURE THERE'S A STRONG CRISIS RESPONSE SYSTEM AND A STRONG FOCUS ON HOUSING STABILIZATION AND STRONG OUTCOMES IN THAT AREA.
AND THEN THE FINAL AREA THAT FINAL COMPONENT IS ON INCLUSIVE PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT.
UM, SEVERAL OF YOU HAVE ALREADY RAISED ISSUES AROUND THIS ALREADY, BUT REALLY TRYING TO BALANCE THE, THE NEEDS FOR EVERYBODY IN THE PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO HAVE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO PUBLIC SPACES, BUT ALSO TO ADDRESS THE IMPACTS THAT PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS MAY BE HAVING ON PUBLIC SPACES, BUT IN AN INCLUSIVE PERSON CENTERED WAY THAT FOCUSES ON THEIR ONGOING NEEDS FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY AND PROTECTIVE MEASURES ON WHILE CRISIS RESPONSE AND HOUSING STABILIZATION SYSTEMS RESPOND TO THOSE NEEDS.
SO THIS SLIDE VISUALIZE AS MANY OF THE THINGS THAT YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR UPDATES AND REPORTS ABOUT FROM STAFF TO FOLLOW AND HOW TO THINK ABOUT ORGANIZING THEM WITHIN THIS FRAMEWORK OF WHAT ELEMENT OF THE RESPONSE TO HOMELESSNESS DOES DO DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THIS WORK FALL INTO, I THINK, AGAIN, IT'S A HELPFUL WAY TO BOTH PLAN FOR WHERE MORE WORK NEEDS TO HAPPEN ALONG THIS FRAMEWORK, BUT ALSO TO COMMUNICATE THE WIDE ARRAY OF STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES THAT ARE UNDERWAY AND THE DIFFERENT ROLES THAT THOSE ACTIVITIES AND STRATEGIES ARE PLAYING WITHIN THIS COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE TO HOMELESSNESS THAT'S BEING BUILT AND CONSTRUCTED.
UM, SO I THINK PART OF THE INTENT OF THIS SLIDE IS MERELY TO HELP ORGANIZE AND SHOW THE VAST ARRAY OF ACTIVITIES THAT ARE UNDERWAY, BUT ALSO HOW THOSE ACTIVITIES KNIT TOGETHER INTO A SYSTEMIC APPROACH, UM, THAT OVER TIME CAN BUILD THE STRONGER SYSTEM
[00:35:01]
FOR REDUCING AND IN HOMELESSNESS IN YOUR COMMUNITY.THERE'S ONLY A FEW THINGS, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION ON HERE.
SO I'M CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO RUN THROUGH ALL OF THE PROGRAMS AND STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES THAT ARE UNDERWAY HERE, BUT I WANNA JUST HIGHLIGHT A FEW THINGS.
FOR INSTANCE, THE COVID-19 RESPONSE CLEARLY SPANS ACROSS BOTH CRISIS RESPONSE AND HOUSING STABILIZATION.
AND I THINK EARLY IN THE RESPONSE, REALLY THE PRIMARY FOCUS BEING ON CRISIS RESPONSE AND THE HEALTH AND SAFETY AND PROTECTING PEOPLE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, BUT NOW INCREASINGLY FOCUSED ALSO ON THE HOUSING STABILIZATION NEEDS OF PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE ENTERED PRO LODGES ARE BEING SERVED THROUGH OTHER SYSTEMS. SO THAT WE'RE BALANCING BOTH OF THOSE THINGS, EVEN WITHIN THE COVID-19 RESPONSE AND THE PRO LODGES KIND OF CROSS BOTH OF THOSE, OF PROVIDING THE PROTECTIVE, BUT INCREASINGLY ALSO HAVING RESOURCES TO EXIT PEOPLE SUCCESSFULLY FROM THE PRO LODGES.
AND THEN I WOULD ALSO JUST HIGHLIGHT THAT SOME OF THE ELEMENTS OF THE WORK YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR TODAY REALLY ARE ABOUT THE SYSTEM OVERALL AND REALLY UNDERPIN WORK ACROSS ALL OF THESE AREAS, INCLUDING THE WORK AROUND STRENGTHENING CONTRACT PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES, AND THE WORK THAT'S UNDERWAY TO REALLY STRENGTHEN THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND ECHO AND TO GET TO GREATER CLARITY ON ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY AREAS IN WHICH THERE ARE SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES FOR BOTH THE CITY AND ECHO AND THE CONTINUUM OF CARE.
UM, AND THEN YOU'LL HEAR A LOT ABOUT SOME OF THE WORK RELATED TO PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT AND SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES UNDERWAY IN THAT AREA.
SO AGAIN, JUST TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE THINK THROUGH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT WORK UNDERWAY IN A, IN A WAY TO SEE IT AS A SYSTEMIC APPROACH OF PUTTING PIECING TOGETHER, BUT ALL OF THE PIECES OF THE PUZZLE THAT BUILD A COMPREHENSIVE AND EFFECTIVE SYSTEM FOR RESPONDING TO HOMELESSNESS.
NOW I'M GOING TO TURN IT TO MATT MALIKA FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ECHO.
WHO'S GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE COVID-19 RESPONSE AND SOME OF THE TEAM STRUCTURES THAT ARE IN PLACE I'LL GET HELP LEAD AND MATTERS FACTORS ROUNDS.
GREAT, MATTHEW, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND I WANT TO ALSO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS, UM, THE COMMITTEE TODAY AND THE THANK, UH, OUR PARTNERS AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND ALL THE WORK THAT'S GONE INTO TRYING TO HELP AND PROTECT PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS DURING THE PANDEMIC.
AND I WANT TO ALSO THINK, UM, MATTHEW DOHERTY FOR HIS, UM, YOU KNOW, HIS PASSION AND HISTORY OF WORK AND ALSO ALL THE WORK, UH, COORDINATING US HERE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT HE'S DONE HAS BEEN, UM, OF, UH, REALLY FANTASTIC.
AND I THINK, UH, HELPED US PUT A FRAMEWORK TOGETHER.
THAT'S GOING TO BE IMPACTFUL FOR YEARS TO COME.
UH, YOU CAN ADVANCE THE SLIDE PLEASE.
SO I'M GOING TO GO OVER, UM, THE, UM, THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM, WHICH IS A TEAM THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER, UM, IN RESPONSE TO, UM, THE PANDEMIC.
UH, COVID-19 I THINK, AS WE ALL KNOW, THE PANDEMIC IS HIGHLIGHTED NOW MORE THAN EVER, WHY ACCESS TO QUALITY AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HEALTHCARE SHOULD BE HUMAN RIGHTS.
AND UNTIL WE ARE GUARANTEEING THOSE RIGHTS FOR EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE GOING TO BE ADDRESSING, UM, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY NEEDS OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
UM, CERTAINLY UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS.
SO, UM, PLEASE ADVANCE THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO IF YOU KNEW RIGHT AWAY, VERY QUICKLY AFTER THE PANDEMIC HIT THAT IT WAS DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTING PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS BECAUSE OF THEIR LACK OR INABILITY OR LACK OF ACCESS, THE THINGS THAT WOULD KEEP, UM, THAT WE KNOW TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE, UM, FROM COVID.
SO THAT'S THE ABILITY TO SOCIAL DISTANCE, UM, AND TO QUARANTINE, IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS OR ARE SYMPTOMATIC, UM, ACCESS TO HYGIENE AND HAND WASHING AND, UM, YOU KNOW, QUALITY AFFORDABLE FOOD AND ALL THE THINGS THAT, UM, MANY OF US TAKE FOR GRANTED SO QUICKLY, WE, UH, WORKED, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN AND ECHO WORKED WITH THE, UM, MANY OF THE CITY CONSULTANTS AT THE TIME TO STAND UP, UM, THIS IMPLEMENTATION STRUCTURE.
YOU HEAR THAT YOU SEE ON THE SLIDE.
SO THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM IS A, A TEAM THAT'S COMPOSED OF LEADERSHIP, UM, AT THE CITY MANAGER LEVEL, UM, AND AT ECHO AND THE WORK OF THE GROUP IS TO HELP TO STRATEGIZE AND MOVE FORWARD THE WORK OF THE IMPLEMENTATION TEAMS AND THE OVERALL STRATEGY, UH, UM, AROUND THE PANDEMIC RESPONSE, UM, FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, CURRENTLY THERE ARE FOUR IMPLEMENTATION TEAMS THAT THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM IS, UM, OVERSEEING, AND THAT'S THE HOTEL MOTEL IMPLEMENTATION TEAM OR THE, UM, UM, THAT DEALS WITH IT SERVICES AND OPERATIONS PROVIDED THAT THE PRO LODGES, UH, THE EMERGENCY SHELTER AND UNSHELTERED IMPLEMENTATION TEAM, WHICH WAS, UM, REALLY FOCUSED ON THE INITIAL RESPONSE
[00:40:01]
TO, UM, GET FOLKS ASSESSED, UM, THAT WERE EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS AND REFERRED TO PROTECTIVE LODGING IF THEY FIT THE CRITERIA FOR REFERRAL, AND THEN ALSO HELPING THE EMERGENCY SHELTER, UM, PROVIDERS, UM, PROVIDE SAFE, UH, UM, RE-IMAGINED AND, UH, EMERGENCY SHELTER GIVEN THAT CONGREGATE SHELTER SPACE, UH, AS WE ALL KNOW, IS NOT, UM, WAS NOT THE SAFEST, UM, DURING A PANDEMIC, THERE'S ALSO THE FUNDING STRATEGIES IMPLEMENTATION TEAM.AND THIS TEAM IS FOCUSED ON LOOKING AT HOW TO GET THE FUNDS THAT ARE COMING INTO OUR COMMUNITY, UM, FOR THE KOGAN RESPONSE, UM, ALLOCATED AND, UM, ENCUMBERED AND HOW TO GET THE MONEY OUT THE DOOR, UM, TO SERVE PEOPLE, EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, AND TO HAVE ITS GREATEST IMPACT.
AND THEN THE REHOUSING STRATEGIES IMPLEMENTATION TEAM IS THE TEAM THAT'S LOOKING AT, HOW EXACTLY ARE WE GOING TO BE MOVING PEOPLE OUT OF THE PRO LODGES AND INTO PERMANENT HOUSING OPTIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY? SO, UH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT SORT OF A NEXUS POINT WITH SOME OF THE TEAMS AS WE'RE MOVING FROM.
UM, AS MATTHEW SAID, FROM MANAGING IT AS A CRISIS TO MANAGING IT AND BEING PROACTIVE WITH OUR HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES, UH, MOVING PEOPLE OUT OF THE NON CONGREGATE SHELTER SPACE AND INTO PERMANENT HOUSING OPTIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THESE TEAMS ARE STARTING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A NEW FUNCTION AND ROLE, AND THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS TO, TO REDEFINE AND REIMAGINE SOME OF THE TEAMS, ME SORT OF REFOCUS THEIR CHARGES, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
SO, UH, SOME OF THESE TEAMS WILL TAKE ON A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT ITERATION, UM, OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, AS WE START TO, UM, WORK REALLY HARD AND DILIGENTLY ON, UM, WORK, UM, PUTTING THE FUNDS THAT ARE COMING IN THROUGH THE STIMULUS, THE CARES ACT FUNDING IN PLAY IN OUR COMMUNITY AND HAVING THE GREAT GREATEST IMPACT ON, UM, ON PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AT HIGH RISK OF COVID.
SO I BELIEVE RIGHT NOW, UM, I'M GOING TO BE PASSING IT OFF TO DIRECTOR HAYDEN OR, UM, SOME MORE UPDATES ON THE COVERT RESPONSE, AND I'LL BE BACK TO DISCUSS T3 IN JUST A MINUTE.
I'M STEPHANIE HAYDEN, DIRECTOR OF BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND, UM, I KNOW EARLIER TODAY, UM, ACM, SHORTER, RECOGNIZED, UH, BELLA CARMEN.
AND, UM, AND SO I AM SITTING IN FOR HER TODAY AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE HER LEADERSHIP.
UM, DURING THIS TIME, UH, SHE HAS DONE AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB DURING THIS PROCESS.
UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, UM, WE ARE CONTINUING TO BE IN A MIDDLE OF A, UH, COBIT RESPONSE.
AND, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY THOUGHT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US IS TO HAVE AN ASSET IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, WHICH IS OUR ISOLATION FACILITY.
AND SO THIS IS A FACILITY WHERE INDIVIDUALS CAN ISOLATE, UM, OR QUARANTINE.
SO EITHER WHILE THEY ARE WAITING, UM, TO, TO TEST WAITING OR WAITING FOR RESULTS, UM, OR AFTER THEY HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE CORONAVIRUS INDIVIDUALS, UM, THEY NEED THE ISOLATION OR QUARANTINE WE'LL BE ABLE TO USE THIS FACILITY, BUT WE HAVE ALSO SET UP PROTECTIVE LODGES.
AND SO THESE PROTECTIVE LODGES ARE FOR, UM, HIGH RISK INDIVIDUALS AND WE ARE USING GUIDANCE, UM, FROM THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL TO, UM, PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PROTECTIVE LODGING FOR INDIVIDUALS.
CURRENTLY WE HAVE FIVE PROLOGIS THAT ARE OPEN, UM, I'LL OR AT NEAR CAPACITY.
UM, SO WE HAVE ROUGHLY ABOUT 320, UM, GUESTS THAT ARE THERE.
UM, AND WE IT'S BEEN A, IT'S BEEN A ONE STOP SHOP.
SO INDIVIDUALS, UM, WE PROVIDED FOOD, WE, UH, PROVIDED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SUPPORT.
UM, WE'VE HAD CASE MANAGERS FROM OUR VARIOUS PARTNERS, UM, THAT HAVE COME IN AND TO WORK WITH, UM, INDIVIDUALS TO CASE MANAGE THEM.
UM, WE HAD FOLKS COME IN TO ASSIST FOLKS TO, UH, REGISTER TO VOTE.
AND, UM, WE'RE ALSO GOING TO PROVIDE SOME FOOD VACCINES WHILE THEY ARE THERE.
UM, TODAY WE ARE, I'M REALLY EXCITED BECAUSE AS OF TODAY, UH, 42 INDIVIDUALS HAVE EXITED FROM THE PROTECTIVE LODGES INTO PERMANENT HOUSING,
[00:45:02]
AS FAR AS TESTING.UM, WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY CARE AND THEY'LL MEDICAL SCHOOL, AND WE ARE PROVIDING, UH, PERIODIC TESTING FOR A PERSON'S EXPERIENCE IN HOMELESSNESS, UM, AND THE SERVICE PROVIDERS.
AND SO, UM, WE'VE TESTED OVER 728, UM, INDIVIDUALS, UM, HAVE TESTED, UM, WHAT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT A 0.5%, UM, INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE TESTED POSITIVE.
WE CONTINUE TO, UM, TEST AT THE, UM, ART, UM, AT THE CLINIC THAT IS LOCATED AT, UM, THE ARTS THERE.
AND THEN WE HAVE SEVERAL LOCATIONS ACROSS THE CITY THAT, UM, THAT WE ARE TESTING NOW THAT TESTING IS FOR, UM, INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE SYMPTOMATIC AND ARE SYMPTOMATIC.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, WITH OUR LAST BIT OF TESTING, WHERE THERE WAS A HUNDRED INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE TESTED IN A DOWNTOWN AREA, THERE WAS ONE INDIVIDUAL THAT, THAT TESTED POSITIVE.
UM, AS MATT STATED EARLIER WITH OUR, UH, WITH OUR CARES FUNDING, WE HAVE OUR, UM, EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANTS THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH, WHICH HAS ALLOWED US TO, UM, PROVIDE THAT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE EXITING, UM, THE PRO LODGES, AS WELL AS, UM, BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME TARGETED, UM, FUNDING TO ADDITIONAL INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE AT THE, UM, PROTECTIVE LODGES.
OUR DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT, UM, IS PROVIDING SOME CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES AS WELL AS, UM, OUR, UH, SALVATION ARMY FOR INSTEPS.
UM, AND, UM, TAS ARE SOME OF OUR PARTNERS THAT ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH US IN ORDER TO, UM, ENSURE PLACEMENTS ARE MADE.
OUR FOLKS ARE CONTINUING TO DO OUTREACH ACROSS THE CITY, UM, INCLUDING OUR, UM, OUR PATH, UM, FOLKS THAT ARE, ARE EMPLOYED ABOUT UNIVERSAL CARE, OUR HOST TEAM, AND, UM, OUR GROUPS ARE PROVIDING SOME EMPLOYMENT SERVICES AT THIS POINT.
UM, I WILL TURN IT BACK OVER TO FOR SHORTER.
I'M PROBABLY NOT SAYING THE RIGHT PERSON WHO'S NEXT AFTER ME.
NO, YOU STEPHANIE ANN TASTIC, LET'S GET TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A NAT, LEEKA TALK A BIT ABOUT BRI AND THEN STEPHANIE, YOU CAN JUMP BACK IN TO THANK YOU.
SO I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE P THREE, UM, INITIATIVE THAT, UH, WAS HIGHLIGHTED IN A PREVIOUS SLIDE, UM, THAT MATTHEW DOHERTY SPOKE ON, BUT REALLY WHAT'S BEEN PUT TOGETHER TO ADDRESS, UM, THE NEEDS OF, UM, OUR NEED TO SCALE UP CAPACITY IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH ALL THE NEW DOLLARS THAT HAVE COME IN.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE LOOKED TO THIS, UH, P THREE INITIATIVE TO TAKE ON THE TASK OF, UM, WORKING, UM, TO IDENTIFY NEEDS, UM, THROUGH THE PROVIDERS OF HOW TO GET THIS MONEY OUT QUICKLY, WHAT INNER PROGRAM INTERVENTIONS WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON AND WHAT THE NEEDS ARE FROM THE PROVIDER COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO BEST ADDRESS AND GET, GET MONEY OUT, UM, TO THEM SO THEY CAN SCALE UP THEIR PROGRAMS. SO THE P THREE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP IS A GROUP THAT IS CO CONVENED BY ECHO IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT HAS LEADERSHIP FROM, UM, MANY OF THE LOCAL SERVICE PROVIDERS, AS WELL AS THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE.
SO WE HAVE CARROT TOSS, LIFEWORKS, THE SALVATION ARMY FRONT STEPS, AND, UM, IN VOCARE, AS WELL AS, UM, THE DAA, UM, AS PART OF THAT GROUP.
AND THE CHARGE OF THAT GROUP IS TO TRY TO FOCUS ON, UM, HOW TO SCALE UP AND PROVIDE MORE ROBUST, UH, PROGRAMMING, UM, THAT ENDS PEOPLE'S HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UH, HOUSING PROGRAMS, UM, THAT, UM, WORKED IN PEOPLE'S HOMELESSNESS, WE LOOK AT PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
WE LOOK AT RAPID REHOUSING, WE LOOK AT DIVERSION AND WE LOOK AT EMERGENCY SHELTER AS, AS OPTIONS ACROSS THE CONTINUUM.
AND, UM, THIS GROUP IS LOOKING TO ADDRESS HOW TO BUILD CAPACITY IN THOSE AREAS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, THE FIRST AREA THAT THIS GROUP CHOSE TO ADDRESS IS THROUGH RAPID REHOUSING.
UM, AND THAT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT WE HAVE, UM, UH, ABOUT 10 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS OF RAPID REHOUSING MONEY THROUGH THE ESG CARES ACT.
THAT'S BOTH MONEY FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THROUGH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS THAT NEEDS
[00:50:01]
TO BE RFP OUT TO OUR PROVIDERS AND, UM, USE TO END HOMELESSNESS AMONGST PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPACTED EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND IMPACTED BY COVID.AND SO THAT IS A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF NEW MONEY TO OUR COMMUNITY, UM, THAT I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF COMMUNITIES ARE FACING, HOW DO YOU GET THAT MONEY OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY? HOW DO YOU DO IT WELL? UM, HOW DO YOU HELP PROVIDERS IN THE COMMUNITY SCALE UP THE RESOURCES, THE SERVICES THAT THEY'RE ALREADY THERE TO PROVIDE TO CREATE NEW CAPACITY IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO THAT IS THE FIRST TASK, UM, THAT THIS GROUP HAS, HAS TAKEN ON AND MORE, I THINK, THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
UH, BRINGING THIS GROUP TOGETHER HAS BEEN, UH, YOU KNOW, BENEFICIAL FROM, UH, FOR, FOR ALL OF OUR PROVIDERS AND ECHO IN THE CITY TO BE TOGETHER, TO REALLY DEFINE THE ROLES OF ECHO IN THE CITY.
UM, AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER WITH THE PROVIDERS AND GET THEM THE RESOURCES THEY NEED AND HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY, BECAUSE IT'S THE PROVIDERS, UM, THE SERVICE PROVIDERS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE GOING TO END HOMELESSNESS AND ECHO IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AS A PARTNERSHIP NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE THERE TO HELP THEM SCAFFOLD THE PROGRAMMING OUT, UM, THAT WE'RE THERE TO PROVIDE RESOURCES AND THAT WE'RE THERE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT IN A MEANINGFUL WAY.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS GROUP HAS BEEN BROUGHT TOGETHER TO DO.
AND THIS GROUP IS ALSO GOING TO BE LOOKING AT DIVERSION AND, UH, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IN THE NEAR FUTURE AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY IMPACT, UM, THE HOUSING STABILIZATION COMPONENT OF THE FOUR PUZZLE PIECE SYSTEM THAT, UM, MATTHEW PRESENTED ON EARLIER IN, UM, IN THE PRESENTATION AND THAT, THAT COMPONENT, AS YOU ALL KNOW, IS CRUCIAL TO, UM, TO ENDING HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY, BRINGING THE RIGHT HOUSING AND THE RIGHT SERVICES TO, UM, TO PEOPLE, UM, TO END THEIR HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT THAT GROUP IS FOCUSED ON.
UM, THE RAPID REHOUSING GROUP IS MEETING WEEKLY.
NOW, I BELIEVE, AND THE P THREE GROUP COMES TOGETHER, UM, ONCE A WEEK TO, UM, TO SORT OF WORK OUT, UM, THE HIGH LEVEL VISION FOR OUR HOUSING STABILIZATION COMPONENT, UM, OF OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
AND I'M GOING TO PASS IT BACK TO DIRECTOR HAYDEN, UM, WHO I BELIEVE IS GOING TO GO THROUGH PERFORMANCE BASED CONTRACTING CITY OF AUSTIN AND ECHO COORDINATION, RFA CONTRACTS, AND MOU, AND THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER.
UM, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, HAS BEEN MANAGING, UM, NEW AND ONGOING CONTRACTS WITH OVER ABOUT 20 ORGANIZATIONS AND THEY'RE ON A CONTINUUM.
SO WHETHER IT'S HOMELESS PREVENTION, UM, OUTREACH NAVIGATION, EMERGENCY SHELTER, RAPID REHOUSING, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, SUPPORTIVE EMPLOYMENT, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, AND OTHER SERVICES, UM, TO OUR NEIGHBORS THAT ARE EXPERIENCED IN HOMELESSNESS.
UM, ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WAS PERFORMANCE BASED CONTRACTING.
AND SO AS OUR STAFF, UM, CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS, UM, WE ARE GOING TO PLAN AND IMPLEMENT A PILOT PROJECT.
AND SO WITH THIS PILOT PROJECT, WE ARE GOING, UM, DO A, UM, ENGAGEMENT PROCESS WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY, UM, TO INFORM US OF THE, UM, PROBIOTIC COMMUNITY ABOUT OUR PLANS TO DO THIS PROCESS, AND THEN COLLECT THAT INFORMATION FROM THEM AS A PART OF THE WORK WE'RE GOING TO ALSO DO SOME ADDITIONAL, UM, RESEARCH.
AND THEN FROM THERE WE'RE GOING TO, UM, START THE PILOT PROCESS.
THIS GIVES US TIME TO, UM, TO, TO RUN THE PILOT, BUT IT ALSO WILL ALLOW US AN OPPORTUNITY TO ANALYZE IN, UM, REPORT, UM, AND PROVIDE A REPORT BACK TO, UM, SYDNEY MANAGEMENT, AS WELL AS MAYOR AND COUNCIL, OUR, UM, OUR SOLICITATION.
UM, WE'VE, WE'VE PUSHED IT BACK A YEAR.
UM, AND WE ADJUSTED IT BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, BUT THIS WILL ALLOW US THE TIME TO, TO IMPLEMENT AND MOVE THE PILOT THROUGH, GATHER THAT INFORMATION FROM THAT.
AND THEN, UM, FROM THERE, THE NEW CONTRACTS WOULD START OCTOBER OF 20, 22, AS FAR AS OUR, UM, INVESTING FOR RESULTS.
UM, WE HAVE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE CITY AND ECO TO REALLY CLARIFY OUR ROLES.
WE, UM, ESTABLISH A POLICY FOR SYSTEMS DESIGN.
UM, WE HAVE, UM, LOOKED AT, UH, A STRATEGIC PROCESS TO, FOR UNSHELTERED,
[00:55:01]
UM, AND ENCAMPMENTS WE'VE CONTINUED TO COLLECT AND ANALYZE DATA TO INFORM, UM, FURTHER SYSTEM REFINEMENTS.AND THEN THE COMMUNICATION WITH HOMELESSNESS ASSISTANT, UM, HAS REALLY BEEN, UM, HAS MOVED TO THE NEXT LEVEL IN ORDER FOR US TO PROVIDE THOSE PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, THAT INFORMATION.
UM, WE HAVE, UM, STARTED COORDINATING A FUNDING AND PROGRAM DESIGN EFFORT OR RAPID REHOUSING AND PREVENTION SERVICES WE'VE USED, UM, OUR CARES ACT ESG AND OUR CDBG FUNDS.
AND WE ISSUED TWO JOINT COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS.
UM, WE ARE FINALIZING A CONTRACT, UH, FOR, UH, FOR ECHO, UM, TO CONTINUE TO SERVE AS OUR CONTINUUM OF CARE LI AGENCY AND HMI S DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR.
UM, AND THEY'VE SERVED IN THAT ROLE, UH, FOR QUITE SOME TIME, BUT WE WANT THE CONTRACT TO BE MORE, UM, REFLECTIVE OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER TO NEGOTIATE.
UM, THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT, WE'RE WORKING ON AN MOU TO ESTABLISH, UM, AGREED UPON ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR GREATER COORDINATION, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND TRANSPARENCY.
UM, AS YOU MAY KNOW, WITH THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER OF THAT POSITION MOVED OVER TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UM, WE HAVE ESTABLISHED A HOMELESS SERVICES DIVISION AND WITHIN THAT DIVISION, WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE PROVIDING SUPPORT, UM, AND WORKING IN THE VARIOUS AREAS, UM, TO ASSIST THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER.
UM, WE ARE WORKING WITH A RECRUITER TO HIRE THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER.
UM, WE PLAN TO CONDUCT INTERVIEWS, UM, NEXT MONTH AND WE WILL HIRE A PERSON, UM, THAT WILL MOVE INTO THAT ROLE JUST AS A REMINDER.
UM, WE KNOW THAT A, UM, A POSITION WHERE THE INDIVIDUAL HAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF COORDINATION ACROSS THE CITY.
HOWEVER, UM, AS YOU'LL SEE LATER IN OUR PRESENTATION, WE STILL HAVE, UM, SIGNIFICANT LEAVES ACROSS THE CITY THAT ALL COME TOGETHER TO BE SUPPORTIVE TO THIS HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE.
UM, AND THAT, UM, COMPLETES MY SECTION FOR NOW.
AND I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO CHRIS.
THANK YOU, UH, DIRECTOR ADEN, UH, AS WE MOVE OUR PRIORITY LEADS IN AND WHO MOVE STEPHANIE, MATT, AND MATTHEW OUT, JUST WANT TO REALLY REMIND THE LISTENING AUDIENCE AND CERTAINLY, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT BASED ON JUST A FEW SLIDES AGO, OUR DISCUSSION AROUND THE INVESTING IN RESULTS WITH THEM, ALL THE WORK THAT THE CONSULTANT THAT THESE ELEMENTS ARE VERY CORE, UH, TO, UH, TO US IMPLEMENTING THAT WORK.
SO WE ARE, WE ARE TRULY BUILDING A SYSTEM THAT HAS THE CAPACITY TO SERVE OUR HOMELESS POPULATION AND TRULY MAKE HOMELESSNESS IN AUSTIN RARE REFUND.
NONRECURRING UH, DO WE HAVE OUR PRIORITY REASON AT THIS POINT? I THINK I'M NOT SURE IF CHRIS AND I'M HERE SLIDE GOOD AFTERNOON, ROSY.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE CITY'S HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
I'M GOING TO BRIEF YOU ON A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ITEMS, STARTING WITH OUR TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, UH, HOUSING AND PLANNING.
WE'LL BE EXECUTING A NEW CONTRACT FOR TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE WITH HAKA, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN DECEMBER OF 2020 AND THE PAST WE'VE HAD, WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE CONTRACTS WITH HAKA TO ADMINISTER OUR TVRA PROGRAM, BUT IN THE NEW FISCAL YEAR, WE ARE COMBINING YEAR.
WE ARE COMBINING THESE INTO ONE CONTRACT FOR EFFICIENCY.
THE $1.1 MILLION CONTRACT WILL SERVE APPROXIMATELY 85 HOUSEHOLDS.
THESE HOUSEHOLDS WILL, WILL BE REFERRED BY AGENCIES, SUCH AS THE SALVATION ARMY CARA TOSS, AND WILL PRIORITIZE HOUSEHOLDS COMING THROUGH THE COORDINATED ENTRY SYSTEM.
THE EXISTING CONTRACTS WILL BE EXTENDED THROUGH THE END OF NOVEMBER WITH THE NEW CONTRACT BEGINNING DECEMBER 1ST.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF OUR PARTNERSHIPS, UM, THAT THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAS ENTERED INTO WITH RESPECT TO ENDING HOMELESSNESS.
UM, WE HAVE EXISTING CONTRACTS WITH ECHO, WITH FAMILY ELDERCARE AND WITH HAKA.
UH, THESE CONSISTED OF THE TVRA CONTRACTS THAT I JUST SPOKE
[01:00:01]
ABOUT, UH, A LOW BARRIER PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING RENTAL VOUCHER CONTRACT, AS WELL AS A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONSULTING CONTRACT WITH ECHO.AND WE RECENTLY EXECUTED A NEW CONTRACT WITH FAMILY ELDER CARE TO ADMINISTER $1 MILLION OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT COVID FUNDS TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO HOUSEHOLDS AT RISK OF HOMELANDS HOMELESSNESS AS A RESULT OF COVID-19.
AND IN ADDITION, WE WERE PLANNING FOR A LOCAL HOUSING VOUCHER PROGRAM, WHICH I WILL DISCUSS MORE IN A FEW MINUTES.
WE REGULARLY COLLABORATE WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS HEALTH AND OTHER AGENCIES, SUCH AS FAMILY ELDER CARE CARE, TOSS, FRONT STEPS, AND, AND, AND OTHERS IN REGARDS TO COVID-19 PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING AND OUR HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT STAFF AND AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH ARE MEMBERS OF ECHO'S, UH, MEMBERSHIP COUNCIL.
I WANTED TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE MOTEL CONVERSION STRATEGY.
UM, HOUSING AND PLANNING IS WORKING WITH THE OFFICE OF REAL ESTATE SERVICES IN HEALTH TO IDENTIFY EXISTING HOTEL PROPERTIES THAT CAN BE CONVERTED INTO HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES.
THE PROCESS INCLUDES PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION DUE DILIGENCE AND PURCHASE NEGOTIATION.
A FORMER RODEWAY INN HOTEL WAS PURCHASED IN MAY OF 2020.
IT'S LOCATED ON THE ACCESS ROAD OF
AND RENOVATION BEGAN SOON AFTER PURCHASE.
AND THE HOTELS NOW FUNCTIONING AS PROLOGUE FIVE HOUSING HOMELESS THAT ARE AT RISK TO CONTRACT THE COVID VIRUS, A SECOND HOTEL THAT COUNTRY INN AND SUITES CLOSED LAST WEEK.
THE HOTEL, WHICH INCLUDES 75 ROOMS IS LOCATED IN DISTRICT FOUR.
THE PROPERTY WILL REMAIN EFFECTIVE AS A PROLOGUE FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE TO SIX MONTHS TO FACILITATE THE TRANSITION TO PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR THAT FACILITY.
A THIRD HOTEL IN NORTHWEST AUSTIN IS IN THE DUE DILIGENCE PHASE.
AND FINAL DECISION TO PURCHASE WILL FOLLOW SHORTLY, UH, AFTER WE COMPLETE OUR DUE DILIGENCE.
AND SO MORE INFORMATION WILL COME TO THE FULL COUNCIL, AS THAT GETS FURTHER, ALONG IN THE PROCESS, WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR RENTAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
THAT'S THE RHODA ACRONYM THERE ON YOUR SLIDE? UM, ONE PROJECT THAT WE'RE PARTICULARLY EXCITED ABOUT IS, UH, THE SPIRO AT RUTLAND SPIRO AUSTIN AT RUTLAND, UM, AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION AUTHORIZED A LOAN IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 2.5 MILLION FOR A MULTIFAMILY RENTAL DEVELOPMENT TO BE KNOWN AS A SPARROW AT RUTLAND TO BE LOCATED OR NEAR 1934 RUTLAND DRIVE.
THE PROJECT WILL BE DEVELOPED, UH, BY A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN KERATOSIS AUSTIN AND THE PACINO GROUP, CARITAS OF AUSTIN HAS A MISSION TO PREVENT IN HOMELESSNESS IN AUSTIN.
AND FOR THE LAST 14 YEARS HAS OPERATED SUPPORTIVE HOUSING THROUGH VARIOUS LEASING PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS THE CITY.
THE CASINO GROUP IS A NATIONAL DEVELOPER OF MISSION-DRIVEN HOUSING, WHICH 23 ACTIVE PROJECTS IN 12 STATES, INCLUDING 18 SUPPORTIVE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS, AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION WILL BE UTILIZED FOR DEVELOPMENT COSTS OF A, OF 171 UNITS OF DEEPLY AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING.
THIS PROJECT WILL HELP ADVANCE THE CITY'S GOAL OF INCREASING HOUSING STOCK AVAILABLE FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, AS WELL AS RAPID REHOUSING PROGRAMS. 100, ONE OF THE APARTMENTS WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR HOUSEHOLDS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AS REFERRED BY ECHO, UH, AND OF THOSE UNITS, 44 WILL BE RESTRICTED TO INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING LONGTERM HOMELESSNESS.
27 UNITS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR HOUSEHOLDS EARNING AT OR BELOW 30% MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME, AND 117 WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR HOUSEHOLDS EARNING BELOW 40%.
MFI 27 UNITS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT 50 50% MFI AND ALL UNITS WILL BE EFFICIENCY, APARTMENTS.
THE DEVELOPERS WILL BE PURSUING LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDITS AND CONSTRUCTION WILL OPTIMALLY BEGIN IN LATE 2021 WITH UNITS BECOMING AVAILABLE IN 2022, 2023.
I WANTED TO UPDATE, UH, THE COMMITTEE ON OUR LOCAL HOUSING VOUCHER AS PART OF THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENTS.
FISCAL YEAR 20 2021 BUDGET CITY COUNCIL APPROVED, UM, 3.6 MILLION FOR A LOCAL HOUSING VOUCHER PROGRAM THROUGH OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND HOUSING IMPLANTING STAFF IS WORKING WITH A CONSULTANT AND STAKEHOLDERS TO CREATE A PROGRAM THAT WILL WORK SEAMLESSLY WITH LOCAL HOMELESSNESS EFFORTS AND BEST LEVERAGE EXISTING FINANCING PROGRAMS, SUCH AS LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDITS.
IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THE LOCAL HOUSING VOUCHER WILL PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT SUFFICIENT FUNDING EACH YEAR FOR BETWEEN 250 AND 300 PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
THE LOCAL HOUSING VOUCHER WILL BE STRUCTURED AS A PROJECT BASED SUBSIDY THAT WILL BE DEDICATED TO HOUSING THAT PROVIDES ONGOING SOCIAL SERVICES AND A LOW BARRIER, NO BARRIER ENVIRONMENT SERVING THE HIGHEST PRIORITY AND VID INDIVIDUALS THROUGH THE COORDINATED ENTRY SYSTEM.
AND IT'S ANTICIPATED THAT THIS WILL COME THAT THE FIRST LOCAL HOUSING VOUCHER CONTRACT WILL COME OR WILL COME FORWARD IN DECEMBER OF 2020, A FEW OTHER HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE RECENTLY LAUNCHED, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE SECOND PHASE OF OUR RENT RELIEF OF EMERGENCY NEEDS FOR TENANTS PROGRAM.
THIS PROGRAM IS PROVIDING RENTAL SUPPORT FOR LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS WHO HAVE BEEN FINANCIALLY IMPACTED BY COVID-19 TO DATE.
[01:05:01]
THERE HAVE BEEN NEARLY 5,400 COMPLETED APPLICATIONS AND APPLICANTS REPORTED AVERAGE CURRENT INCOME OF 14,639, UH, $14,000 TO $14,639 OF APPLICANTS.TO DATE MORE THAN 77% ARE EXTREMELY LOW EARNING, LESS THAN 30% OF THE AREA, MEDIAN, FAMILY INCOME, THE PROGRAMS, EVICTION PREVENTION SERVICES SUCH AS INCREASED LANDLORD TENANT MEDIATION AND LEGAL REPRESENTATION IN COURT PROCEEDINGS WILL BE CRUCIAL TOOLS ENSURING THAT AUSTINITES DON'T FACE THE MOUNTING WAVE OF, OF EVICTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PREDICTED CONTRACTS WILL BE IN PLACE FOR THESE EVICTION PREVENTION SERVICES THIS MONTH.
AND THE RENT PROGRAM WILL PROVE TO BE IMPACTFUL IN THE CITY'S EFFORT TO STABILIZE TENANTS AND PREVENT FAMILIES FROM MOVING INTO HOMELESSNESS.
AND THEN LASTLY, UM, DIRECTOR HIGDON ALREADY MENTIONED SOME OF THIS, BUT I WANTED TO, TO REITERATE, UM, THAT, UH, THE, IN ADDITION TO CONTINUING TO MANAGE THE PROLOGUE IN ISOLATION OR LODGES AND ISOLATION FACILITIES, APH IS ADMINISTERING OUR ESG CARES DOLLARS.
AS PART OF THE CARES ACT, 4 BILLION WAS INCLUDED NATIONWIDE FOR EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANTS THROUGH THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF THE FIRST ALLOCATION OF 2.3 MILLION IN CITY COUNCIL APPROVED ACCEPTANCE OF THIS GRANT TO PREVENT, PREPARE FOR, AND RESPOND TO CORONAVIRUS AMONG INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO ARE HOMELESSNESS OR RECEIVING HOMELESSNESS ASSISTANCE AND TO SUPPORT ADDITIONAL HOMELESS ASSISTANCE AND HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION ACTIVITIES TO MITIGATE THE IMPACTS CREATED BY CORONAVIRUS.
THE STATE OF TEXAS WAS ALSO NOTIFIED OF A FIRST ROUND ALLOCATION THROUGH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS AND DESIGNATED A LITTLE OVER A MILLION DOLLARS FOR HOMELESS SERVICES TO AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY, THROUGH THE ENDING COMMUNITY, HOMELESSNESS COALITION, AS CORE AS THE COORDINATING ENTITY, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND ECHO RELEASED A RECENT JOINT SOLICITATION FOR RAPID REHOUSING SERVICES TARGETED FOR GUESTS AT THE PROLOGUE AND CITY AND STATE CONTRACTS ARE BEING FINALIZED WITH SERVICE PROVIDERS.
PROGRAM STAFF ARE BEING HIRED AND SERVICES WILL BEGIN IN THE COMING WEEKS ON JULY 22ND HAD ANNOUNCED A SECOND WAVE OF ESG FUNDING AND THE AMOUNT OF 10.8 MILLION TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND HAD RELEASED REQUIREMENTS AND GUIDANCE FOR THESE, FOR THIS FUNDING ON SEPTEMBER 1ST AND PLANNING CONTINUES TO BE UNDERWAY FOR THESE FUNDS.
AND THAT'S THE COMPLETION OF THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENTS OVERVIEW TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MICHELLE MILES START US OUT, ACTING OUT GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
I AM THE ACTING PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE SERVICES DIVISION, AND I WILL BE PROVIDING UPDATES.
YOU BEING A PART OF INITIATIVE AS A COVID-19 FOOD ACCESS ISSUES THAT RESULTED FROM THE IMPACTS OF COVID-19 ON PEOPLE EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS, AS MENTIONED EARLIER IN THE PRESENTATION, MORE THAN HALF, HALF A MILLION MEALS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO OUR UNSHELTERED NEIGHBORS, THESE CONSISTENT PAIRED AND SHELF STABLE MEALS, THE HOMELESS SERVICES DIVISION PARTNERED WITH MULTIPLE CITY DEPARTMENTS, TRAVIS COUNTY CONSTABLES PRECINCT, THREE LOCAL NONPROFITS, FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS, AND VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS TO GET FOOD OUT TO THE ENTIRE HOMELESS COMMUNITY THAT YOU INITIATIVE USE TWO STRATEGIES FOR PROVIDING PREPARED MEALS.
UM, THAT WENT TO AREAS THAT GOVERNMENT PROVIDED MEALS FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, PRE PANDEMIC, BUT WE EXPERIENCE SERVICE INTERRUPTIONS, COMMUNITY PARTNERS ALSO DELIVERED MEALS TO COMMUNITY, TO PEOPLE LIVING IN ENCAMPMENTS.
AND THESE ARE THE SHELF STABLE MEAL BAGS, AND EACH MEAL BAG CONTAINS SEVEN DAYS OF PROVISIONS WHERE PEOPLE TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO ADHERE TO APPROPRIATE HEALTH GUIDELINES TO AT THE TIME SHELTER PHASE, AND ALSO LIMIT THE SPREAD BY REDUCING INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER PEOPLE.
IN ADDITION TO THE FOOD PROVIDED WATER WAS PROVIDED TOILET PAPER, THINGS, COVERINGS, HYGIENE, ITEMS, HEALTH, AND OTHER INFORMATION ON MATERIAL AND PET FOOD AS NEEDED FOR, UM, OUR PETS UTILIZED TO SHELF STABLE MEAL PROVIDERS, CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK INITIALLY FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF MONTHS, AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY WHAT WE ARE PARTNERED WITH CISCO THROUGH A CONTRACT WITH ALSO PULLED ACCOUNT PREPARED MEALS ARE PROVIDED BY REPRESENTATION FOODS.
AND MORE RECENTLY WE PIVOTED TO WORKING WITH GOOD WORKS AUSTIN ON LOCAL NONPROFIT THAT WORKS TO ENSURE THAT LOCAL RESTAURANTS ARE KEEPING PEOPLE WORKING AND THEY PAY A LIVING WAGE OF $15 AN HOUR.
WE ALSO WORKED WITH THE ARTS AUSTIN TO ENSURE THAT THE FOOD PROVIDED
[01:10:01]
WOULD MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR UNSHELTERED NEIGHBORS REGARDING SAFE PARKING WE'RE EXPLORING SAFE PARKING OPTIONS, THE HOMELESS SERVICES DIVISION, ALONG WITH THE OFFICE OF DESIGN AND DELIVERY WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, MET WITH THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM SAFE PARKS, FROM SAFE PARKING COME, NEW BEGINNINGS, SAFE PARKING AND COUNSELING CENTER, SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA, THE SAFE PARKING MODEL THAT THEY UTILIZE.UM, IT'S MORE OF A STEALTHY MODEL.
UH, THEY PARTNER WITH THE COUNTY, THEY'RE THE CITY AND LOCAL CHURCHES AND PRIVATE ENTITIES TO GET A SMALL PORTION OF PARKING SPACES AVAILABLE IN THEIR PARKING LOTS.
AND FOR THIS PROGRAM, ALL THE CARS HAVE TO BE REGISTERED IN WORKING ORDER AND INDIVIDUALS HAVE ACCESS TO CHASE MANAGEMENT.
AND THERE'S ALSO ROVING SECURITY THAT GO WITH THE TWO LOCATIONS.
WHAT WE'VE NOTICED RECENTLY IS THAT THERE HAVE BEEN, UM, SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, WHO ARE SLEEPING, UM, IN THEIR CARS WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND DURING THE CENSUS, IT WAS IDENTIFIED THAT 60 INDIVIDUALS WERE SLEEPING VERSUS 60 PEOPLE.
60 CARS WERE, UM, IDENTIFIED AS, UH, PERTAINING TO PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS REGARDING EQUITY.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND ECHO PARTICIPATED IN A FIVE WEEK HUD SPONSOR SYSTEM PERFORMANCE INTENSIVE WORKSHOP.
AND DURING THIS WORKSHOP, WE PICKED A CERTAIN AREA TO STUDY AND, UH, AUSTIN, WE PICKED EQUITY AND THE COORDINATED ENTRY, UM, COORDINATED ENTRY EQUITY ISSUES WERE BEING, WAS BEING INVESTIGATED PREVIOUSLY BY THE CONTINUING OF FINTECH, THE PRIVATE CONTINUUM OF CARE ME.
UM, BUT WE TOOK A DEEPER DIVE INTO LOOKING AT THE WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN SLICE AND DICE THE DATA REGARDING EQUITY ISSUES AND COORDINATED ENTRY, THE HOMELESS SERVICES DIVISION AT MORE SEEKING AND MORE EQUITABLE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM USING DATA DRIVEN SOLUTION AND NOT ONLY AT COORDINATED ENTRY, BUT DURING, THROUGH THE DIFFERENT INTERCEPT POINTS WITHIN THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM, BECAUSE EQUITY ISSUES OCCUR AT EVERY ENTRY POINT.
AND WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE, THAT COULD CONTRIBUTE TO, UM, CAUSING INEQUITIES WITHIN OUR SYSTEM REGARDING THE PROLOGIS.
THE PROLOGIS, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, IS WORKING ON, UM, HOUSING EFFORTS WITHIN THE GUESTS FOR THE GUEST AND THAT THE PRIVILEGES, UM, WE ARE HOLDING THREE MEETINGS A WEEK, UH, TO DISCUSS HOUSING INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THEIR PROGRAM EDGES.
AND WE'RE UTILIZING A BY NAME LIST, UM, IS COMPRISED OF MULTIPLE SERVICE PROVIDERS, UM, WORKING COLLABORATIVELY TO COME UP WITH STRATEGIES, TO FIND STABLE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE AT THE PRO LODGES REGARDING OUTREACH INTEGRAL CARE'S PATH OUTREACH TEAM HAS EXPANDED DUE TO NEW FUNDING THE PAST TWO YEARS FOR FOUR ADDITIONAL TEAM MEMBERS, WHICH IS VERY NEEDED FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS A LOT MORE HOMELESS OUTREACH PROVIDERS, UH, THROUGH THE WORK OF THE EAT INITIATIVE, OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT IDENTIFIED, UM, THE NEED FOR MORE ROBUST OUTREACH EFFORTS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
THE HOMELESS SERVICES DIVISION IS, IS PARTNERING WITH ECHO TO DISCUSS AND HAVING AUSTIN'S OUTREACH STRATEGY TO DEVELOP A COMMUNITY WIDE INITIATIVE, TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY LEADING TO ENDING HOMELESSNESS REGARDING OUR COLD WEATHER SHELTER PLANNING.
UM, MOST OF OUR COLD WEATHER, THE BROTHERS SHELTER PARTNERS, UM, UM, ARE NOT ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN COLD WEATHER SHELTERING THIS YEAR, DUE TO THE NATURE OF COVID-19 ALLOW THE PARTNERS, OUR CHURCHES, FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS, AND A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS WHO VOLUNTEER FOR, UH, TO WORK AT THE CHURCHES, AFRICA, WHETHER SHELTERING ARE OLDER ADULTS WITH HEALTH ISSUES, AND THIS PUTS THEM AT HIGHER RISK FOR NEGATIVE HEALTH OUTCOMES.
AND THEY CONTRACT COVID-19 AS A RESULT.
ALSO PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, HAS BEEN CONVENING EQUAL WEATHER SHELTER PLANNING MEETINGS, AND ON AN ORGANIZATION CALLED AUSTIN MUTUAL AID HAS AGREED TO FILL THE GAP AND PROVIDE COORDINATION, UM, MANPOWER TO, UM, SO THAT WE CAN ACTIVATE COLD WEATHER SHELTERING WHEN NEEDED DURING THE WINTER MONTHS.
IN ADDITION, UH, ALAMO DRAFT HOUSE HAS OFFERED SPACE TO SERVE AS A CENTRAL HUB, UH, FOR
[01:15:01]
WAREHOUSING THE ITEMS NEEDED FOR COLD WEATHER SHELTERING, UH, BLANKETS, UH, COTS, FOOD, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, THE ARCH AND FRONT STEPS IN THE ARCH, THE ARCH, WHICH IS ALSO CURRENT STEPS, UH, AND SALVATION ARMY WILL CONTINUE PARTICIPATING IN THE COLD WEATHER SHELTERING AND PLANNING REGARDING FLU IMMUNIZATIONS, AS EVERYONE KNOWS, IS VERY IMPORTANT, UH, UH, FOR FLU IMMUNIZATIONS THIS YEAR IN PARTICULAR BECAUSE OF COVID-19 AND, UH, POSSIBLE COMPOUNDING EFFECTS OF BEING INFECTED WITH THE FLU, AS WELL AS COVID-19 AS A RESULT, THE HOMELESS SERVICES DIVISION IS PARTNERING WITH HEALTHCARE FOR THE HOMELESS, UM, COMMUNITY BACK TO PAWNS, A GROUP OF COMMUNITY CARE, UM, TO DEVELOP SOME HUMANIZATION, UH, CLINICS FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, WE'RE TARGETING THE PRO LODGES, THE ARCH, THE SALVAGE SALVATION ARMY SUNRISE CHURCH, AND OTHER LOCATIONS TO BE DETERMINED.SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP AND WORKING TOGETHER, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR HOMELESS NEIGHBORS RECEIVING LU IMMUNIZATIONS AND THE FLU IMMUNIZATIONS WILL ALSO BE MADE AVAILABLE TO STAFF MEMBERS AS WELL REGARDING CAPACITY BUILDING.
UH, THE CITY HAS SEEN VERY FEW AGENCIES APPLY FOR FUNDS AND RECENT COMPETITIONS.
SO APH DEVELOPED A BRIEF SURVEY TO GAUGE INTEREST SURVEY RESPONSES FROM 45 PLUS SERVICE PROVIDERS, FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS, NONPROFITS, AND OTHER GROUPS INDICATE AN INTEREST IN PARTNERING WITH THE CITY TO PROVIDE ONE OR MORE TYPES OF HOMELESS SERVICES.
CITY STAFF WILL BE REACHING OUT TO THE PROVIDERS TO GAUGE THEIR INTEREST FURTHER AWESOME PUBLIC HEALTH PARTNERED WITH SEVERAL CITY DEPARTMENTS, COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO SUPPORT THE 2020 CENSUS NOW OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
THIS WAS A LONG A PLANNING EFFORT.
AND, UM, WE, THE GOAL WAS TO TRY TO GET A COMPLETE COUNT OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS SO THAT WE CAN GET FUNDING FROM THE GOVERNMENT, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AS WELL AS ECHO ARE PARTNERING TO, UM, LOOK INTO CAPACITY BUILDING EFFORTS FOR THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
AND THERE IS GOING TO BE A CAPACITY BUILDING GROUP.
THAT'S GOING TO BE HOUSED WITHIN A PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM STRUCTURE, THE AREAS OF INTEREST FOR THIS GROUP TO BE PRETTY BROAD AND DIVERSE.
UM, CAUSE THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT WAYS THAT CAPACITY COULD BE IMPACTED AND NOT NECESSARILY IN THE SAME WAYS THAT WE TRADITIONALLY THINK OF.
UH, BUT SOME AREAS OF INTEREST WOULD BE RAPID REHOUSING AS MATT THAT MENTIONED EARLIER PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING ONBOARDING, UM, NEW HOUSING UNITS FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE LOW BARRIER.
UM, LOOKING AT THINGS AS THAT SUCH AS MASTER LEASING, UM, IMPROVING AND INCREASING BEST PRACTICE TRAINING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING CASE MANAGEMENT OR HOMELESS ENGAGEMENT WORK SO THAT WE'RE UTILIZING THE BEST PRACTICES, UM, TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE MAKING THOSE CONNECTIONS AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE FIERCE AT HOMELESSNESS, TO GET THEM TO ENGAGE IN A HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
WE'LL BE LOOKING AT HOMELESS PREVENTION AND OVERALL PHILOSOPHY TOWARDS ENDING HOMELESSNESS AND ITERATING THAT, THAT KNOWLEDGE AS WELL AS, UM, PARTNER, BUT OUR COMMUNITY AGENCIES TO ENSURE, UM, THAT IS IMPLEMENTED.
AND THAT IS THE END OF MY PRESENTATION.
I'M GOING TO PICK IT BACK TO CHRIS.
DID YOU WANT TO JUMP IN NOW? I AM HERE.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? UH, GOOD AFTERNOON
[2. Briefing and discussion concerning facilities for the Downtown Austin Community Court.]
COUNCIL MEMBERS.UM, MY NAME IS PETER VALDEZ AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT.
UH, THE UPDATES THAT WE HAVE REGARDING OUR SERVICES ARE THE FOLLOWING.
UM, SINCE COVID BEGAN THAT, UH, WE HAVE BEEN OPERATIONAL THE ENTIRE TIME, UH, WE WERE DESIGNATED AS ESSENTIAL.
UM, SO WE'VE CONTINUED TO PROVIDE OUR SERVICES, UM, TO THE POPULATION THAT WE MOSTLY SERVE, WHICH ARE INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
UM, OUR INTENSIVE CASE MANAGERS HAVE MAINTAINED THEIR CASE LOADS WITH INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE ALL THEY WERE ALREADY WORKING WITH PRIOR TO COVID-19.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID IN ORDER TO CONTINUE, UM, COMMUNICATING
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WITH THOSE CLIENTS WITHOUT PUTTING ANYBODY AT RISK WAS, UH, CONNECTING THEM A CELL PHONE.SO WE PURCHASED CELL PHONES FOR ANYBODY THAT WAS ALREADY IN CASE MANAGEMENT WHEN COVID-19 BEGAN, UM, AGAIN, SO THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN THAT COMMUNICATION WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS, UM, AND THEY CAN, UM, CONTINUE TO WORK ON THEIR STABILITY.
UH, EVEN THOUGH A LOT OF SERVICES, UH, WERE, WERE CLOSED, WE WERE STILL ABLE TO WORK ON SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT THEY NEEDED IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR HOUSING PLAN AND HOUSING APPLICATIONS.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, UH, OUR INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT GROUP TOOK ON INDIVIDUALS FROM THE PRO LODGES FROM THE PROTECTIVE LODGES, UH, EARLY ON, UH, WHEN, ONCE THE PROTECTIVE LODGES WERE ESTABLISHED, UH, WE TOOK ON 36, UH, INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE DESIGNATED AS HIGH RISK, UM, AND STARTED WORKING WITH THEIR HOUSING PLANS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.
UM, AFTER THEY WERE ADMITTED INTO THE PROTECTIVE LODGES, WE ALSO ASSISTED, UH, THE SALVATION ARMY OR OUR ASSISTING THE SALVATION ARMY, UH, FRONT STEPS AND INTEGRAL CARE WITH A GROUP OF 67 INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE DESIGNATED AS LOW RISK, BUT WE'RE AT THE PROTECTIVE LUNCHES AS WELL.
UH, WE PROVIDED SOME FUNDING TO HELP THEM, UM, MOVE INTO HOUSING AS WELL.
UM, THE GOAL FOR BOTH THE HIGH RISK AND THE LOW RISK GROUPS WERE TO MOVE THEM INTO HOUSING, AS OPPOSED TO HAVING THEM GO BACK TO, UH, CONGREGATE SHELTER OR, UH, OR BACK ON THE STREET.
SO, UM, WE ARE CONTINUING, CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THOSE TWO GROUPS AND ASSISTING WITH THOSE HOUSING PLANS AS WELL.
UM, IN AUGUST, AUGUST 17TH, WE MOVED OUR TRIAGE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO THE PSORIASIS BRANCH LIBRARY.
UM, WE DECIDED TO DO THAT BECAUSE, UM, AT OUR, AT OUR MAIN FACILITY ON SEVEN 19 EAST SIXTH STREET, UH, WE WERE NOT ABLE TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE LINING UP EVERY DAY, UH, TO GET ASSISTANCE IN CONNECTION TO SERVICES.
UM, AND THERE WERE, THERE WERE SITUATIONS THAT WERE STARTING TO OCCUR WITH THE PEOPLE WAITING IN LINE, UH, BECAUSE IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER.
UH, PEOPLE WERE HAVING TO WAIT FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME.
SO WE REACHED OUT TO THE OFFICE OF REAL ESTATE AND ASKED THEM IF WE COULD FIND A TEMPORARY LOCATION, UH, THAT CAN HELP US BRING PEOPLE INSIDE TO WAIT FOR SERVICES, AS OPPOSED TO HAVING THEM WAIT OUTSIDE IN LINE.
AND, UH, THEY CONNECTED ME TO ROOSEVELT WEEKS W UH, THE DIRECTOR OF THE LIBRARIES AND HE, UH, GRACIOUSLY OFFERED ASSISTANCE.
UH, WE PICKED THE THERESE BRANCH LIBRARY SPECIFICALLY, UH, BECAUSE OF ITS PROXIMITY TO OUR MAIN FACILITY ON THESE SIXTH STREET.
AND, UM, AND ALSO BECAUSE THERE IS A DIRECT BUS LINE AS WELL.
UM, SO SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE, UM, THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT WE WERE SEEING ON AVERAGE DAILY AT OUR MAIN FACILITY HAS INCREASED FROM 20 PEOPLE A DAY TO 50 PEOPLE A DAY.
UM, AND WE'VE HAD ALMOST 5,000 INTERACTIONS WITH INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS SINCE, UM, MARCH, UH, WHEN THE COVERT EVENT STARTED, I FRAME IT AS INTERACTIONS BECAUSE SOME OF THESE INDIVIDUALS COME IN MULTIPLE TIMES A WEEK.
SO THERE ARE DUPLICATE INDIVIDUALS WITH THAT WITHIN THAT 5,000 NUMBER.
NEVERTHELESS, WE HAVE HAD ALMOST 5,000 INTERACTIONS SINCE MARCH.
UH, THE UNFORTUNATE THING IS THAT WE STILL HAVE, WE'RE STILL MAINTAINING A WAIT LIST FOR INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT, UH, BECAUSE WE'RE PRIORITIZING, UH, REFERRALS FROM THE HOST TEAM.
AND NOW ALSO FROM THE PROTECTIVE LODGES, ANYBODY THAT WALKS IN TO THE PSORIASIS BRANCH LIBRARY ASKING FOR INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT IS HAVING TO BE PLACED ON A WAITLIST.
UM, CURRENTLY IT'S JUST ABOVE 200 PEOPLE.
SO, UM, AGAIN, UNFORTUNATELY SINCE WE'RE NOT ABLE TO SERVE THEM IMMEDIATELY, WHEN WE DO HAVE A, UM, A CASE MANAGER AVAILABLE TO ASSIST THEM, IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT TO REENGAGE THEM.
UM, WHICH IS AGAIN, THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING THAT ABILITY WHEN THEY'RE ASKING
[01:25:01]
FOR THE HELP, UM, OUR STAFF, UH, SPECIFICALLY ROBERT KINGDOM AND LAURA WILLIAMSON CONTINUE TO, UH, ORGANIZE AND FACILITATE THE AUSTIN HOMELESSNESS ADVISORY COUNCIL.THEY CONTINUE TO SURVEY, UH, THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE PART OF THAT COUNCIL AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS CONTINUE TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO, UH, OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS AND OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, THAT MAY IMPACT, UM, THEM SPECIFICALLY, UM, BASED ON THEIR POLICIES OR PROCEDURES.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, UH, IN TERMS OF IN HOW SERVICES, UH, JUDGE COFFEE ESTABLISHED VIRTUAL DOCKETS AROUND SEPTEMBER, UH, THESE VIRTUAL DOCKETS ARE AVAILABLE TO ANYBODY THAT, THAT IS WILLING TO, UH, HANDLE THEIR CLASSROOM MISDEMEANORS VIA A VIRTUAL DOCKET.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DEVELOP THE ABILITY TO HELP INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS CONNECT WITH JUDGE COFFEE, BE A VIRTUAL DOCKET, BUT THAT'S THE NEXT PHASE OF THAT PROCESS WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON ESTABLISHING THAT PROTOCOL SO THAT INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS CAN ALSO ADDRESS THEIR CASES VIRTUALLY, UH, SINCE MARCH, UH, MANY OF OUR CASE MANAGEMENT STAFF HAD ASSISTED WITH THE EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER, A BAD MANAGEMENT TEAM, THEY STAFFED THAT BED MANAGEMENT TEAM.
UM, AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THEY WERE ASSESSING AND DETERMINING WHO WOULD GET INTO THOSE PROTECTIVE LODGES.
UM, AND ONCE THEY DETERMINED THAT SOMEBODY WAS APPROPRIATE FOR ADMISSION, THEY WOULD COORDINATE TRANSPORTATION AND FACILITATE THAT ADMISSION.
WE'VE STARTED TO PHASE OUR CASE MANAGERS OUT OF THE BED MANAGEMENT TEAM SO THAT THEY CAN BEGIN WORKING WITH THEIR CLIENTS MORE INTENSIVELY.
UM, AGAIN, WE HAVE, UH, ALMOST 140 INDIVIDUALS CURRENTLY AND CASE MANAGEMENT.
SO, UM, THE BED MANAGEMENT TEAM IS NOW GOING TO BE STAFFED BY, UH, EMPLOYEES FROM THE MUNICIPAL COURT.
UM, SO THAT, AGAIN, WE CAN HAVE OUR CASE MANAGERS BEGIN TO WORK WITH THEIR CLIENTS, UH, ON OUR 140 PERSON CASELOAD.
UM, AGAIN, ROBERT KING, UM, HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING THE PROTECTIVE LODGES AND IMPLEMENTING, UH, THE PROTECTIVE LODGES FOR THE CITY.
UM, HE IS OUR COURT OPERATIONS MANAGER AND WAS REASSIGNED TO EMERGENCY OPERATIONS EARLY ON INTO THIS EVENT.
UM, AND HE'S DONE AN AMAZING JOB, UH, SUPERVISING THOSE LODGES AND ALSO STAFFING THOSE LIVES.
UM, OUR PARKS GROUNDS, TRUE LEADERS WHO TYPICALLY, UM, CONDUCT COMMUNITY SERVICE, UH, WORK CREWS, UH, ARE, ARE CURRENTLY STAFFED AT THE, UH, PROTECTIVE LODGES.
SO THEY ARE HELPING AND ROBERT, UM, AT THOSE LODGES.
AND, UM, AND THEN LASTLY, UH, DIRECTOR HAYDEN ALREADY MENTIONED THAT WE ARE HIRING SIX ADDITIONAL HOUSING FOCUS CASE MANAGEMENT, STAFF MEMBERS, UM, FIVE CASE MANAGERS AND ONE SUPERVISOR THAT WILL BE ASSIGNED TO EACH OF THE PROTECTIVE LODGES TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE INDIVIDUALS IN THOSE LODGES AND, UM, AND GET THEM HOUSED WITH THE FUNDING THAT WAS PROVIDED TO, UH, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
UM, WE HAVE ALREADY, UH, MADE OFFERS TO FIVE INDIVIDUALS.
UM, WE'RE STILL TRYING TO RECRUIT ONE ADDITIONAL INDIVIDUAL, UH, BUT WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE THOSE POSITIONS IN PLACE BY NOVEMBER 1ST.
HOW ARE YOU ON THE LINE? AND I JUST WANT TO GIVE A QUICK ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FOR ALL THE WORK THAT LAUREN DID PUTTING ON THE SLIDE DECK TOGETHER AND WORKING WITH ALL OF THE VARIOUS INTERNAL STAFF, MAKE SURE THAT THIS WAS NOT CONCISE.
AND GOOD AFTERNOON, MARY MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND LAURA FOSS COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE.
THANKS AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT ON THE COMMUNICATION EFFORTS ON HOMELESSNESS, THE HOMELESSNESS ISSUE IN OUR CITY, AND ALSO ON COMMUNICATIONS FOR THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
[01:30:01]
OF ALL, TALK ABOUT THE DASHBOARD AND DATA COLLABORATION.WE'VE MET WITH EIGHT COUNCIL OFFICES, UH, TO GET GARNER FEEDBACK ON THE LAUNCH OF THE DASHBOARD THAT OCCURRED LAST AUGUST.
UH, WE HAVE THREE COUNCIL OFFICES REMAINING AND THEY ARE ALL SCHEDULED AND ON THE CALENDAR.
SO WE'RE EXCITED TO GET FEEDBACK FROM THE REMAINING THREE COUNCIL OFFICES.
WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF GREAT FEEDBACK AND SOME PATTERNS ARE STARTING TO EMERGE FROM THE FEEDBACK, AND WE ARE TAKING THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS TO HEART, INCLUDING CREATING MORE, A MORE DYNAMIC EXPERIENCE AND, UM, DATA THAT CAN BE UPDATED MORE FREQUENTLY TO THAT END.
ONE THING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IS COLLABORATING WITH VARIOUS BUSINESS PROCESS CONSULTANTS, GEOSPATIAL ANALYSTS, AND DATA ANALYSTS ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION TO LEVERAGE MORE OF THE DATA THAT IS ALREADY BEING COLLECTED AND MARRY THAT TO OUR PUBLIC FACING DASHBOARD.
UM, WE'D LIKE TO OFFER TO MEET ONCE AGAIN WITH EACH OF YOUR COUNCIL OFFICES TO, UH, PROPOSE THESE NEW, UM, MOSTLY INTERNAL DATA SETS, UH, AND THEN AGAIN, TO MARRY THEM TO OUR PUBLIC FACING DASHBOARD.
UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE, UH, FOR THE NEXT ITERATION OF THE DASHBOARD TO PROVIDE MORE CONTEXT, DEPTH AND DEPTH WITH LINKS, TO STORIES AND PICTURES AND VIDEOS AS COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER, MADISON, UH, MENTIONED AT THE TOP OF THIS MEETING, ADDING A MORE HUMAN ELEMENT AND INSTEAD OF THE VERY STATISTICAL COLD ELEMENT THAT A TRADITIONAL DASHBOARD SHOWS, UM, SO WE WOULD LIKE TO ADD MORE THREE DIMENSIONALITY, UH, AND HIGHLIGHT THE, THE FACT THAT THESE ARE INDEED NOT JUST STATISTICS, BUT EACH, EACH NUMBER IS A PERSON WHO IS IN CRISIS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WE'RE ALSO MEETING WITH X EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDER GROUPS AND CONTINUING TO GET FEEDBACK ON USABILITY OF THE CURRENT ITERATION OF THE DASHBOARD.
AND THEN ALSO FEEDBACK ON WHAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE NEXT ITERATION OF THE BASKETBALL.
SECONDLY, WE ARE EXPLORING THE IDEA OF SENDING OUT A, UH, PUBLIC, UH, POLL TO GARNER PUBLIC OPINION, TO GET A BENCHMARK, UH, AND REALLY A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF PUBLIC SENTIMENT ON THE ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS ACROSS THE CITY.
AS WE ALL KNOW, UH, THERE ARE SOME STRONG OPINIONS ON THIS ISSUE.
AND SO OUR GOAL IS TO GET A GOOD SAMPLING OF WHAT THE SENTIMENT IS, UH, NOT JUST FROM, UM, OUR FULLY ENGAGED CONSTITUENTS, BUT ALSO FROM, UM, UH, A BROADER SAMPLING ACROSS THE CITY TO GET A GOOD BENCHMARK OF WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY.
WE HAVE A DRAFT POLL AND WE'RE, UM, RESEARCHING DIFFERENT WAYS TO EXECUTE THE IDEA OF SENDING THE BLACK HOLE.
THIRDLY, WE ARE CREATING A VALUES BASED COMMUNICATION TRAINING AROUND HOMELESSNESS, AND THE GOAL THERE IS TO BUILD THE SKILLS AND VOCABULARY TO IMPROVE AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT, UM, WITH VALUES BASED COMMUNICATION.
SO THERE ARE MANY, MANY ITEMS THAT MAKE UP A CULTURE.
UH, SOME OF THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT ARE RITUAL LANGUAGE AND RELATIONSHIPS.
AND SO OUR THINKING IS BUILDING IN THE LANGUAGE OF VALUES WILL, UM, CREATE BETTER INTERPERSONAL REACTIONS WITHOUT OUR ADVOCATES, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, LEADERS.
AND OF COURSE OUR NEIGHBORS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AS WELL.
AND, UH, WE, WE HOPE THAT THIS BUILDS COOPERATION AND BUY-IN, UH, INTO THE, ARE THE OPERATIONS AND PROGRAMS AND CUTS DOWN ON SOME OF THE OPERA, UH, OPPOSITION.
AND LASTLY, UM, WE HOPE THAT IT WILL BUILD TRUST THROUGH CONSISTENT, CLEAR, TRANSPARENT COMMUNICATION THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
I THINK I'VE MENTIONED THIS TO THIS GROUP BEFORE, BUT WE HAVE FOUR STATED VALUES AROUND HOMELESSNESS.
THEY ARE HEALTH AND SAFETY, COMPASSION, COMMUNITY, AND TRANSPARENCY.
WE'RE WORKING WITH APD ON DEVELOPING THIS VALUES BASED CURRICULUM, AND WE WILL BE PROVIDING THE TRAINING TO THE DISTRICT REPS, THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, PUBLIC WORKS AWESOME, PUBLIC HEALTH AND CODE OF ALL ALSO EXPRESSED INTEREST IN RECEIVING THE CHANNEL FOURTHLY.
WE ARE CREATING A SERIES OF ISSUES BASED ONE PAGERS TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS TO OUR CONSTITUENCY.
ALSO, AS YOU KNOW, THERE IS, UM, A GREAT VARIABILITY IN THE, IN TERMS OF THE SOPHISTICATION OF, OF OUR CONSTITUENCIES CONSTITUENCIES, UNDERSTANDING OF THIS VERY, VERY COMPLEX ISSUE.
SO, ESPECIALLY AS WE GEAR UP TO, UH, THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WE HOPE TO HAVE SOME, SOME
[01:35:01]
VALUABLE ONE, ONE PAGERS, UH, NOT ONLY FOR OUR CONSTITUENCY, BUT ALSO FOR LEADERSHIP, SOME IDEAS THAT WE HAVE IN TERMS OF THESE ONE PAGERS INCLUDE, UH, WHY IS THIS A SYSTEMS APPROACH IMPORTANT? AND WHAT IS A CRISIS RESPONSE SYSTEM? WHY IS WHAT IS HOUSING FIRST AND WHY DOES IT WORK, UH, INFORMATION ABOUT PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT, ET CETERA, WHO ARE CURRENTLY, WE HAD ALREADY CREATED ONE ON THE CLEAN CITY STRATEGY, BUT IT IS DATED.AND WE SHOULD BE FINISHING THAT WITH A NEW VERSION OF THE CLEAN CITY STRATEGY.
ONE FEATURE UP SHORTLY, AND ALSO AS COVERT ALLOWS, WE WILL RESUME OUR STRATEGY OF CREATING EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS ON HOMELESSNESS AS WELL.
YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT WE HAD PLANS TO CREATE SOME EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS IN THIS SPACE, RIGHT, AS COVID HIP.
SO WE HAD TO PRESS PAUSE ON THAT EFFORT, LET US COVE.
IT ALLOWS WITH HIM TO PICK THOSE UP AS WELL.
THEN DOWN ON THE BOTTOM LEFT OF YOUR SLIDE, UH, SINCE 1975, THE WEEK BEFORE THANKSGIVING HAS BEEN HUNGER AND HOMELESS AWARENESS WEEK, UH, ORGANIZATIONS, UM, ACROSS THE NATION NONPROFITS, CHURCHES, AND COMMUNITIES, UH, DRAW ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE RELATED TO THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN, IN EACH COMMUNITY COMMUNITY.
AND AS I MENTIONED, IT IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED PROGRAM.
THERE'S USUALLY A NIGHT WHERE PEOPLE SLEEP OUTSIDE, UH, THAT WILL NOT BE HAPPENING THIS YEAR.
AND SO INSTEAD OF THAT, OUR PLAN IS, UH, THIS IS STILL IN THE WORKS, BUT OUR CURRENT PLAN IS TO HAVE A SERIES OF THREE VIRTUAL PANELS.
UH, AND THE WE'RE WORKING TITLES AS WE COORDINATE THEM ARE AS FOLLOWS HOMELESSNESS AND AUSTIN UNDERSTANDING THE CRISIS AND HOW WE GOT HERE, HOMELESS, HOMELESSNESS, AND AUSTIN, WHAT'S HAPPENING, SHARING THE OVERARCHING STRATEGIES THAT MAKE HOMELESSNESS RARE, BRIEF AND NON-REOCCURRING, AND THEN THIRDLY, HOMELESSNESS IN AUSTIN PARTNERSHIPS, COLLABORATIONS.
AND WHAT'S NEXT, AS I MENTIONED, THESE ARE STILL IN THE PLANNING PHASES.
AND PART OF THE PLAN IS TO REACH OUT TO SOME OF YOUR OFFICES, ESPECIALLY THE SOCIAL SERVICES CABINET, TO GET FEEDBACK AS WE ARE STILL IN THE PLANNING PHASES OF THESE PANELS.
AND THEN THE SECOND, UH, LITTLE HANDSHAKE, UM, ICON.
WE CONTINUE TO, UM, MEET WITH OUR EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS PROFESSIONALS AND OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS.
AND THAT MEETING HAPPENS WEEKLY AND CONTINUES TO ADD VALUE.
UH, SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE MEET WITH WEEKLY ARE ECHO FAMILY, ELDER FAMILY, ELDER CARE, INTEGRAL CARE, SALVATION, ARMY LIFEWORKS, FRONT STEPS, CHARACTER LOSS OF AUSTIN, AND THE OTHER ONE'S FOUNDATION AMONG OTHERS.
UH, AND WE COULD CONTINUE TO COORDINATE ON LANGUAGE AND MESSAGING AND, UM, AWARENESS AND OTHER CAMPAIGNS, SOCIAL MEDIA PRESS RELEASES, ET CETERA.
WE THINK IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR CONTINUUM OF CARE, AS WELL AS, UH, ORGANIZATIONS OUTSIDE OF THE CONTINUUM OF CARE, TO SPEAK WITH ONE VOICE, UH, AND SHOW THE COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE INDEED COLLABORATING.
AND, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK GOING ON IN THIS SPACE PEN.
ULTIMATELY, UH, THE FIELD GUIDE, WE ARE COLLABORATING WITH THE OFFICE OF DESIGN AND DELIVERY ON WE'RE CALLING IT A FIELD GUIDE.
WE ARE ALLOWING THE PRODUCT TO INTRODUCE ITSELF TO US.
UH, BUT THE IDEA IS TO HAVE A, UM, A REPOSITORY OR A PRODUCT OF EVERGREEN INFORMATION THAT IS HELPFUL FOR THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, COVID AND WELLNESS INFORMATION, LET ME PAUSE AND SAY, WE'RE HOPING THAT COVID IS AN EVERGREEN, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO BE WITH US FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE, SADLY.
UM, SO IT WILL HAVE INFORMATION ON WHAT TO DO IF, IF YOU GET SICK AND HOW TO MITIGATE THE SPREAD OF THE DISEASE, BUT ALSO THINGS LIKE WILD WILDFIRE PREVENTION LEAVE, NO TRACE PRINCIPLES, OTHER THINGS THAT ARE EVERGREEN.
UM, AND WE'RE COLLABORATING WITH, UH, THE PARTNER GROUP.
WE'VE ALSO HEARD FROM THE, GOTTEN SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE AUSTIN HOMELESS ADVISORY COUNCIL, AND JUST AS A PERSONAL NOTE OF PRIVILEGE.
UM, I HEARD, WELL, I GUESS IT'S A PERSONAL NOTE OF PRIVILEGE FROM MARTIN JANE CARR, WHO TOLD ME THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION.
HE HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH, UM, THESE, UH, SURVEYS THAT WE SEND TO THE AUSTIN ADVISORY COUNCIL.
FROM TIME TO TIME, I'VE SEEN SIX OR SEVEN, HE'S SEEN A COUPLE OF DOZEN AND HE LET ME KNOW THAT, UM, THE HOMELESS ADVISORY COUNCIL WROTE MORE ON THIS TOPIC THAN THEY HAD ON ANY OTHER TOPIC.
AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PIECE, THIS COLLATERAL OR PRODUCT, WHATEVER IT MAY BE.
UM, AND W THE REASON WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, WE WANT IT TO BE, UM, BOTH AS SOMETHING VIRTUAL, BUT ALSO SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN HOLD, BUT THEN ALSO
[01:40:01]
WON'T BECOME TRASH.AND SO, UH, WE'LL BOTH HAVE VALUABLE INFORMATION INSIDE OF IT THAT, AS I MENTIONED IS EVERGREEN, BUT BE STURDY TO, TO, UM, WITH WITHSTAND THE, THE OUTSIDE ELEMENTS, UH, AS I MENTIONED, SO WE'VE RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM AUSTIN, UH, HOMELESS ADVISORY COUNCIL, FRONTLINE SERVICE PROVIDERS, PARTNERS, AND OUR FELLOW CITY OF AUSTIN DEPARTMENTS WERE COLLECTING THE CONTENT.
AND, UM, WE'LL CALL THROUGH THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SPEAKING WITH, WITH ONE TONE.
AND, UM, AS I, AS I SAID, LET THAT PRODUCT COME UP AND INTRODUCE ITSELF TO US, AND THEN, UM, MOVE INTO PRODUCTION WITH THAT.
AND THEN MOVING TO THE LAST TOPIC.
UH, I SIT ON THE HOMELESS, UM, TASK FORCE AND THE HOMELESS LEAGUE TEAM CONTINUED TO SUPPORT THE COVID RESPONSE.
I ALSO SIT ON THE JOINT INFORMATION SYSTEM.
UM, SO I COLLABORATE WITH, UH, THE, THE TASK FORCE AND THOSE IN THE JOINT INFORMATION SYSTEM ON GETTING INFORMATION OUT TO THIS VERY DIFFICULT TO REACH AUDIENCE.
UM, I MAY HAVE MENTIONED THIS TO THIS GROUP, BUT IT'S WORTH SAYING AGAIN, A PRE COVID OUR CHARGE, THE WAY THAT WE LOOKED AT OUR CHARGE WAS TO SPEAK TO WHAT THE CITY WAS DOING ON THE ISSUE AND TALK TO OUR CONSTITUENCY ABOUT WHAT THE CITY WAS DOING, UH, IN TERMS OF SUPPORTING THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AROUND PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT AND CRISIS RESPONSE, ET CETERA, ONCE COVID HIT, WE SWITCHED OUR FOCUS ENTIRELY TO OUR AUDIENCE, REALLY SOLELY BEING THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, UH, TO LET THEM KNOW HOW TO STAY SAFE AND MEET NEEDS AND ACCESS SERVICES DURING, UM, A GLOBAL PANDEMIC AND, UM, HAPPILY WE'VE, AS STEPHANIE MENTIONED AT THE TOP TOP OF THE MEETING GOAL, THE PERCENTAGE OF HOMELESSNESS, THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WHO HAVE CONTRACTED THE DISEASES AS FAR LESS THAN THE GENERAL PUBLIC PERCENTAGE ALLOWS.
UM, AND SO THAT, THAT WAS OUR GOAL IS COMMUNICATING TO, TO THAT CONSTITUENCY ON HOW TO STAY SAFE SINCE WE'VE SET UP A NUMBER OF SYSTEMS AND THEN GOTTEN THEM GOING, INCLUDING THE TEXTING SYSTEM, UH, TEXTING THOSE, EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ABOUT, UM, UH, INFORMATION ON HOW TO MEET THOSE NEEDS AND ACCESS SERVICES.
UH, NOW THOSE SYSTEMS ARE SET UP WHERE WE'RE SWITCHING OUR FOCUS, UM, BACK TO DOING BOTH SIMULTANEOUSLY.
SO CONTINUING TO, TO, TO COMMUNICATE TO THE AUDIENCE OF THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, AND THEN BACK TO TALKING ABOUT WHAT THE CITY IS DOING, UH, AROUND THE ISSUE, WHICH I KNOW THIS BODY IS VERY INTERESTED IN.
UM, AND, AND THAT I BELIEVE IS THE END OF MY, AND I THINK I'M GOING TO TEXT THAT TO CHIEF CONE WITH AN OH, CHRIS, I BEG YOUR PARDON.
AS WE BEGIN TO KIND OF PREPARE TO HEAR OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY UPDATE AND FINALLY PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT UPDATE BY WAY OF PRIORITY AREAS.
I KNOW WE ARE THERE JUST AS A LOT OF CONTENT HERE, AND A LOT OF WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE, BUT WE ARE GETTING SHORT ON TIME.
AND I CERTAINLY WANT TO LEAVE ENOUGH TIME, UH, CHAIR FLANAGAN FOR QUESTIONS.
UH, SO I'M ASKING THE TEAM TO MOVE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE GOOGLE CONTENT SO THAT WE CAN, UH, SO THAT WE HAVE AT LEAST SOME TIME FOR QUESTIONS.
UH, ASSISTANT CHIEF CHICAGO, FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN.
UM, CHAIR, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, NEVER AS A COUNCIL JOE ON WITH AUSTIN POLICE HERE, APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME FRONT OF YOU AND TALK ABOUT THIS ISSUE FROM A PUBLIC SAFETY PERSPECTIVE MYSELF AND SHE FOUGHT MY SIR, WE'LL BE, UM, TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE AREA OF PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, AS A POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR MISSION IS TO, UH, KEEP THE COMMUNITY SAFE AND THAT INCLUDES ALL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THOSE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
SO I WANT TO JUST KIND OF COUCH, UM, THE BEGINNING OF MY COMMENTS, WHICH WILL BE BRIEF TO, UH, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE, THERE MIGHT BE QUESTIONS, UH, TOWARDS THE END AND CERTAINLY WANT TO LEAVE TIME FOR THAT ON TWO DIFFERENT FRONTS.
UH, THE FIRST BEING, UH, WHAT THE ACTUAL KIND OF STATISTICS AND JUST THE DATA LOOKS LIKE, AND THEN WHAT IS APD DOING, UM, TO, UH, TO MITIGATE THOSE, UH, THOSE NUMBERS? UM, SO IT JUST IN PREPARATION, UH, HAD OUR RESEARCH AND PLANNING DIVISION HOLE, UM, WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS OF, UH, CRIMES OR THAT CRIMINAL ACTIVITY THAT INVOLVES INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, EITHER AS A SUSPECT OR A VICTIM FROM JANUARY THROUGH SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR,
[01:45:01]
AS WELL AS THE SAME TIME PERIOD FROM 2019 TO DO A COMPARISON.AND WHAT WE SAW, UM, IS THAT, UM, THERE REALLY HAS NOT BEEN, UM, ANY BIG CHANGE IN EITHER DIRECTION, EITHER A RISE OR A FALL IN THOSE NUMBERS.
UH, REALLY LARGELY THEY REMAINED FLAT.
UM, AND AS IN YEARS PAST, UH, WE CONTINUE TO SEE INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, DISPROPORTIONATELY OVERREPRESENTED IN OVERALL, UH, CRIMINAL ACTIVITY IN OUR CITY.
SO, UH, TO MITIGATE THAT, MITIGATE THOSE NUMBERS, APD IS PARTNERING, UH, ON A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT FRONTS, UM, FOR OUTREACH OR EDUCATION, UH, SERVICE NEED IDENTIFICATION AND ENROLLMENT, UM, AND THEN PARTNERING WITH DIFFERENT CRIMINAL JUSTICE PARTNERS, INCLUDING, UH, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT, WHICH YOU HEARD FROM JUST A SHORT WHILE AGO TO PROVIDE ALTERNATIVE OUTCOMES TO OUR INCARCERATION, WHEREVER IT'S APPROPRIATE.
UH, THE MOST VISIBLE OF THOSE EFFORTS IS OUR HOST TEAM, WHICH CHIEF HOFFMEISTER, UH, WE'LL BE DISCUSSING HERE SHORTLY.
UM, AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND LET HIM GO AHEAD AND TALK ABOUT THE, UH, THOSE EFFORTS, BUT APD HAS MEMBERS ON THAT TEAM.
UM, IN ADDITION, UH, WE'RE WORKING IN THE AREA OF MENTAL HEALTH AND MENTAL ILLNESS, UM, TO, UH, TO PROVIDE SOME BETTER OUTCOMES AS YOU KNOW, UM, MENTAL ILLNESS AND HOMELESSNESS INTERSECT ALL THE TIME.
AND, UM, AND SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING THROUGH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT EFFORTS TO SEE HOW WE CAN, UH, HELP IMPROVE THOSE OUTCOMES.
UM, OUR CRISIS CALL DIVERSION PROGRAM HAS BEEN, UH, IMPLEMENTED AND IN PROGRESS SINCE DECEMBER OF 2019.
AND WE'RE STARTING TO SEE SOME GOOD MOVEMENT ON, UM, ON DIVERTING, UM, THOSE CALLS AT INTERCEPT ZERO IN THAT, ON THAT SEQUENTIAL INTERCEPT MODEL, UH, SO THAT WE CAN, UM, GET PEOPLE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, WHO MIGHT BE HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, UH, THE HELP THAT THEY NEED FROM A MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIAN, RATHER THAN A POLICE OFFICER HAVING TO SHOW UP ON THE SCENE.
UH, WE ALSO PARTICIPATE IN THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, A GROUP OF, UH, IT'S A MULTI DISCIPLINARY GROUP THAT'S PUT TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH ALTERNATIVE OUTCOMES, UH, TO INCARCERATION FOR THOSE THAT ARE LIVING WITH MENTAL ILLNESS.
SO, UM, THOSE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF THE, YOU KNOW, A FEW OF THAT REALLY OF THE EFFORTS THAT APD IS PARTNERING IN.
UM, THE LARGEST COMPLICATING FACTOR OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS BY FAR HAS BEEN COVID.
UM, BUT WE'VE HAD TO HAVE PERSONNEL ASSIGNED TO COVET RELATED FACILITIES AS SECURITY, UH, AS WELL AS A NARROWING OF THE OPTIONS FOR OFFICERS, UM, FOR ANY KIND OF ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS DUE TO COVID RESTRICTIONS, UM, THAT I WANTING TO KEEP THIS KIND OF BRIEF, I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND STOP THERE AND TURN IT OVER TO CHIEF HOFFMEISTER.
SO HE CAN TALK ABOUT EMS AND HOSTS, AND I WILL HANG ON FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYONE MIGHT HAVE.
THANK YOU FOR NEW CHAIR, UH, AND, UH, FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS, MAYOR, UH, ANY HOFFMEISTER ASSISTANT CHIEF WITH EMS. UM, THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME TO, UH, TO, UH, GO AHEAD AND PROVIDE AN UPDATE AND INFORMATION ON OUR PARTICULAR EFFORTS.
UM, JUST LIKE, UH, CHIEF CHICANA HAD MENTIONED, I'M GOING TO, I'M GOING TO FIRST JUST SPEAK TO NUMBERS THAT ARE JUST EMS NINE ONE, ONE RESPONSE SPECIFIC, UH, AND NOT RELATED TO HOSTS.
SO AS FAR AS EMS, UM, UH, EFFORTS OR, OR, OR RESPONSES RELATED TO THOSE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, THE NUMBERS ARE PRETTY FLAT, UM, FROM, FROM FYI 1819 INTO FYI, 1920, THERE'S ABOUT 500 CALLED DIFFERENCE OR SO, UM, SO THERE HASN'T BEEN A DRAMATIC OR EVEN SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN CALLS WITH THE DATA THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE, UH, TO THAT REFLECTS LIKE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN RESPONSES TO THOSE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
UM, WHEN I COMPARED, UH, THE TWO YEARS, THE SAME AREAS, UH, WITHIN THE CITY ARE STILL THE CR YOU KNOW, REMAINED THE IMPACTED ABOUT THE SAME, UH, THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND THE SEVEN EIGHT SEVEN ZERO ONE ZIP CODE.
UM, CERTAINLY HAS THE LARGEST PORTION OF INCIDENTS, UH, INVOLVING PERSONS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WITH A FEW OTHERS IN THE EAST, SOUTHEAST AND IN NORTH CENTRAL AREAS, UH, NORTHEAST PARTS OF TOWN, UM, IS AS IT RELATES TO EMS SPECIFIC HIGHLIGHTS, UM, WE HAD A FEW DIFFERENT, UM, UH,
[01:50:01]
PARTICULAR EVENTS AND DEVELOPMENTS OVER THE YEAR, LIKE CHIEF YUKON HAD MENTIONED, UH, COVID-19 CERTAINLY HAD A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON OUR OPERATIONS, ESPECIALLY IN THE FIELD, UH, AND AS IT RELATES TO AMBULANCE RESPONSES, UM, BUT AS IT RELATES TO THOSE RESPONSES AND THOSE THAT WE SERVE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF REALLY, UH, VERY BENEFICIAL, UH, DEVELOPMENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.UM, ONE WAS, UM, THERE WAS A, UH, WE ADDED A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT AT PA, UH, THAT WORKS THROUGH THE OFFICE OF THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR.
HE WAS, UH, HE WAS BROUGHT ON BOARD LAST SUMMER, I BELIEVE.
AND SINCE THEN HAS BEEN EXPLORING, UH, WHAT OPTIONS EXIST IN TERMS OF DELIVERING NON-EMERGENT CARE THAT CAN PREVENT SOMEBODY FROM, UM, HAVING TO BE TRANSPORTED TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND CONNECTING THEM WITH, UH, BETTER ONGOING CARE, SOME CALLS HE'S ABLE TO DISPOSITION RIGHT THERE IN THE FIELD.
AND, UM, AND THEN HE, HE ALSO PROVIDES FOLLOWUP CARE WHEN HE'S AVAILABLE.
SO OVER THE LAST YEAR HE'S BEEN, UM, KIND OF EXPLORING WHAT, WHAT SITUATIONS ARE BEST SUITED FOR THAT PARTICULAR ROLE.
AND HE'S DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB, UH, THAT POSITION WAS SOLIDIFIED IN THIS MOST IN THIS CURRENT BUDGET.
AND WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, THE, UH, OUR COLLABORATIVE CARE COMMUNICATION CENTER OR C4, UH, WAS IMPLEMENTED, UM, WOW.
BACK IN IS NOW PROVIDING DIRECT SERVICE OR DIRECT SUPPORT TO TEAM MEMBERS ON HOST CHP FIELD AMBULANCES.
AND WHAT THAT PROVIDES IS, IS, IS A CENTRAL POINT OF INFORMATION THAT, UH, PROVIDERS IN THE FIELD CAN ACCESS.
AND WE CAN LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, REAL TIME NAVIGATION, IF THEY NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT'S AVAILABLE IN TERMS OF APPOINTMENTS OR A LOCATION THAT CAN TAKE AN INDIVIDUAL FOR, YOU KNOW, SOME SORT OF NON-EMERGENT, UH, EMERGENCY OR A HEALTH RELATED ISSUE.
THEY CAN COORDINATE THAT OVER THE PHONE WHILE THE PERSON IN THE FIELD FOCUSES ON THE PERSON.
UM, AND THEN AGAIN, ONE THING THAT WAS A LIMITING FACTOR IN TERMS OF, UM, IN TERMS OF THE EMS RESPONSE WAS A COMMUNITY HEALTH PARAMEDICS WERE STRETCHED, UM, INTO A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT AREAS.
AND WE'RE PARTNERED UP WITH, UH, WITH DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
SO THEY WORKED WITH, UH, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT, UM, UH, NON-GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES AS WELL.
THEY WORKED IN THE ISO FACT, THEY WORKED, UH, IN OUR CALL CENTER.
AND SO THEY WERE STRETCHED INTO DIFFERENT AREAS, BUT THOSE, THOSE CHPS THAT WERE DEDICATED TO HOMELESSNESS REMAINED IN THOSE PARTICULAR ROLES, SERVING THOSE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
UM, THAT'S GOING TO CONCLUDE MY HIGHLIGHTS IN TERMS OF JUST THE EMS RESPONSES.
AND I'M GOING TO TRANSITION LISTEN TO A QUICK UPDATE ON, UM, INFORMATION RELATED TO HOST IN THAT, THAT COLLABORATIVE EFFORT THAT INVOLVES EMS, APD, COMMUNITY COURTS, INTEGRAL CARE.
UM, SO THE NUMBERS THIS YEAR DO REFLECT OVERALL THE UNIQUE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT WE, UM, THAT WE SERVED.
AND I, IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I THINK IT PROVIDES, UH, A BRIEF UPDATE.
UM, SO WE DID, UH, WE DID SERVE A TOTAL OF 913 INDIVIDUALS THAT IS DOWN A BIT FROM THE YEAR BEFORE, BUT WHEN I LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS TO SEE WHAT, UH, WHAT COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE CAUSED THAT OVID STRUCK RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE, THE, UH, BUSIEST TIME OF YEAR FOR HOSTS.
AND SO THEY SAW A SIGNIFICANT DROP IN THOSE THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO ENGAGE BECAUSE OF THEY HAD, BECAUSE OF THEIR EFFORTS THAT HAD TO PIVOT TOWARDS, UM, THE COVID-19 RESPONSE.
UH, THEY DID MAKE, YOU KNOW, NEARLY, UH, 5,000, JUST, JUST A COUPLE SHIVE, UH, UH, 2,500, UM, FIELD CONTACTS.
AND THAT WAS IMPORTANT DURING THE COVID RESPONSE, BECAUSE FOR SOME INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, THESE WERE THE ONLY SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT WERE ABLE TO GO OUT IN THE FIELD AND ACTUALLY MEET WITH THE INDIVIDUALS AND TRY TO ADDRESS WHAT THEY COULD.
UH, AND WE, THE TEAM MET A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT NEEDS THAT ARE INVOLVED, MEDICAL CARE, UH, COORDINATED ASSESSMENTS FOR ACCESS TO HOUSING, SHELTER SERVICES, PEER SUPPORT, IDS, TRANSPORTATION, YOU NAME IT.
UM, THEY, UH, MET NEEDS ABOUT 2,900 TIMES THIS LAST YEAR, 2,900 TIMES, WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT.
AND THAT STRETCHES EVERYTHING FROM GETTING PEOPLE ENROLLED IN CASE MANAGEMENT, GETTING THEM INTO HOUSING, GETTING THEM INTO DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS, PROVIDING MEDICAL CARE IN THE FIELD, ADDRESSING WHATEVER SPECIFIC NEED THAT PERSON MAY HAVE.
UM, WE DID DIVERT A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS.
THIS WAS UP SLIGHTLY FROM THE YEAR BEFORE, AND, UH, WE'VE DIVERTED, UH, INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ABOUT 270
[01:55:01]
TIMES THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.THIS WAS UP A BIT, UM, AND THAT PREVENTED UTILIZATION OF DIFFERENT SERVICES LIKE OUR JAIL HOSPITAL, PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALIZATIONS, AND THE TEAM WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE DIRECT SUPPORT IN, IN REAL TIME, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE OFFICERS THAT WERE, UM, THAT ARE WORKING IN THOSE, UH, THOSE, UH, AREAS THAT ARE IMPACTED BY, UH, THE ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO WE'RE SEEING A BETTER, UH, QUITE AN UPTICK IN THAT DIRECT RESPONSE.
COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS, MOVE TO A DIFFERENT SLIDE HERE.
REMIND ME, UM, SO, SO, UM, I HAVE A PERSONAL SLIDE THAT I'M TAKING SOME CUES FROM HERE, BUT, UM, UH, SO COVID-19, LIKE I SAID, IT DID HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON THE TEAM.
THEY HAD TO PIVOT FROM A ADDRESSING, YOU KNOW, GETTING PEOPLE INTO HOMES AND TO HOUSING, GETTING THEM INTO CASE MANAGEMENT, THOSE, THOSE THINGS THAT TAKE A LOT OF TIME, IT REALLY HAD TO PIVOT INTO A REALLY EMERGENT NEEDS.
UH, THERE WERE INDIVIDUALS THAT THERE WAS NOWHERE FOR THEM TO GET FOOD.
UM, SO THEY, THE TEAM WAS ADDRESSING WE'RE ADDRESSING THOSE ISSUES AND HAD TO SHIFT INTO A MODE THAT WAS REALLY TO PROTECT INDIVIDUALS AND PROVIDE EDUCATION AND SUPPLIES SOMETIMES THAT PROTECTED THEM FROM COVID-19 INFECTION.
UM, AND SOME CO UH, SOME MEMBERS OF THE HOST TEAM FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AT VARIOUS TIMES, WERE PULLED FROM THOSE ASSIGNMENTS TO GO ADDRESS OTHER ISSUES OR WORK IN OTHER AREAS, INCLUDING WORKING AT THE PRO LODGES OR, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO, HAVING TO, UH, POTENTIALLY BE PULLED BECAUSE OF STAFFING SHORTAGES FOR, UH, THOSE THAT WERE, YOU KNOW, HAD BEEN INFECTED IN THEIR OWN ORGANIZATIONS.
SO, UM, SO CERTAINLY, UH, IT DID ABSOLUTELY AFFECT IT DOES.
UM, I MENTIONED EARLIER WE DID SEE A DROP IN, UH, UNDUPLICATED CLIENTS THAT WE SERVE, UH, BECAUSE OF THE COVID, UH, RESPONSE.
WE DID ACTUALLY A VERY PROUD OF THIS.
WE DID INCREASE, UM, MEDICAL CARE DELIVERED TO THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS BY 70%, UM, BECAUSE WE EXPANDED OUR PARTNERSHIP AND SOLIDIFIED OUR PARTNERSHIP FURTHER WITH COMMUNITY CARE STREET MED TEAM.
UH, AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO SET UP A SCHEDULE THAT'S, UM, WHERE WE PARTNER UP WITH ONE OF THEIR PROVIDERS TO GO OUT AND, AND DELIVER HEALTHCARE TO THOSE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS RIGHT THERE FIELD.
UH, AND WE ADDED THE PHYSICIAN, AN ASSISTANT TO PA TO THE OFFICE OF THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR THAT WORKS DIRECTLY WITH CHP.
UH, AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAD ABOUT A 13% INCREASE IN DIVERSIONS FROM PLACES LIKE THE JAIL AND HOSPITAL AND IN, UH, IN PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALIZATION.
AND THEN TO ROUND OUT THIS PARTICULAR PART OF THE UPDATE.
UM, LIKE I SAID, WE, WE, THIS, THE HOST TEAM HAD TO PIVOT VERY QUICKLY ON VERY SHORT ORDER AND DEAL WITH SOME THINGS THAT THEY HAD NEVER DEALT WITH BEFORE.
AND THEY ASSISTED, YOU KNOW, APH, THEY ASSISTED EOC, UH, IN OPERATIONS AT THE PRO LODGES AND ICE EFFECT.
THEY WORKED WITH VARIOUS MEMBERS OF COMMUNITY, INCLUDING ECHO OF LIBRARY, YOU NAME IT.
UM, AND THEY WERE, THEY WERE DIRECTLY PROVIDING THINGS LIKE EDUCATION, CERTAIN PREVENTATIVE SUPPLIES, UM, CERTAIN BITS OF INFORMATION, SO THAT WE COULD KEEP INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, SAFE FROM COVID TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO IMPLEMENTED, UM, THE USE OF ART GIS AND STARTED EXPLORING WAYS THAT WE CAN LOOK AND SEE WHERE DEMAND IS FOR THESE TYPES OF SERVICES.
AND THEN BE ABLE TO SHOW WHERE THAT THE TEAM HAS BEEN FOCUSING THEIR EFFORTS IN RESPONSE TO THAT DEMAND.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M GOING TO TURN IT BACK OVER TO ACM SHORTER, AND, UH, I'LL BE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS ANSWERED THE NEXT SLIDE, PRACTICE SNIPES TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON PUBLIC SPACE, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
UM, IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I WILL OFFER A SPEEDY VERSION OF MY REPORT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T UNDERSCORE ENOUGH HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR ALL OF THE CITY DEPARTMENTS TO WORK TOGETHER ON THIS EFFORT IN KEEPING OUR PUBLIC SPACES CLEAN.
AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT I'M SEEING JUST THAT HERE IN AUSTIN, OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS ARE WORKING TOGETHER AND A LOT OF RESOURCES TO MAXIMIZE THE IMPACT OF CLEANING SERVICES IN OUR PUBLIC SPACES, MORE AND MORE, WE'RE USING A DATA DRIVEN APPROACH TO DEVELOPING, UM, STRATEGIES FOR CLEAN UP, UH, WE'RE DEVELOPING NEW TOOLS.
UM, THE LATEST ONE IS A TOOL THAT WILL BE USED TO IDENTIFY COVERAGE GAPS.
UM, EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS HAS USUALLY A DEFINED AREA IN WHICH THEY CLEAN, AND THEN WE KNOW WE HAVE GAPS AND WE WANT TO FIND OUT WHERE THOSE ARE, UH, STRATEGICALLY AND SYSTEMATICALLY AND NOT JUST KIND OF RELY ON OLD KNOWLEDGE.
UM, THIS WILL ALSO ALLOW US TO DIRECT DEPARTMENT AGENCIES, FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE WHO WANT TO HELP OUT OR GROUPS THAT WANT TO COME IN AND ASSIST TO THOSE
[02:00:01]
AREAS BASED ON THE SIZE OF THEIR GROUPS OR THEIR SKILL SETS OR, OR TECHNICAL ABILITIES TO PROVIDE SERVICES.UH, IN SOME OF THOSE AREAS, THE OVERALL GOAL IS TO BECOME LESS REACTIVE IN OUR APPROACH AND TO CREATE A MORE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WILL ALLOW US TO BE ROUTINE AND HOW WE APPROACH THE WORK.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, PUBLIC WORKS, UH, UM, IS, AND WATERSHEDS HAVE LARGE SPACES THAT THEY'RE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN THE CLEANUP.
UM, AND ALSO WATERSHEDS PUBLIC WORKS IS CLEANING RIGHT NOW, AS WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, UM, AT 62 UNDER PAST LOCATIONS, UM, THEY HAVE CLEANED, UH, DURING THIS PERIOD 832 SITES THIS YEAR, UM, 495, TONS OF DEBRIS HAVE BEEN REMOVED OR ABOUT 990,000 POUNDS.
THEY'VE COLLECTED 1,186 PILOT BAGS.
AND ANOTHER THING THAT THEY'RE DOING WHEN THEY GO OUT IS, UH, ESPECIALLY DURING THE COBIT PERIOD HERE IS, UH, PLAYING A ROLE IN HELPING TO PROVIDE A PROTECTION FOR PEOPLE BY PROVIDING GLOVES AND MASKS.
THEY PROVIDED 830 PAIRS OF GLOVES FOR FOLKS AND 563 MASKS.
AGAIN, WATERSHED CONTINUES TO DO WORK THROUGHOUT THEIR PROPERTIES.
UH, RECENTLY THAT THEY'VE DONE CLEANUPS AT, UH, EAST RIVERSIDE WINCH AND CREEK BUTTERMILK BRANCH, WEST BOLDEN, A LITTLE WALNUT CREEK, UH, WEST BREAKER SLAUGHTER, AND ALONG THE EAST RIVERSIDE, UH, TRAIL, UH, OUTFALL, EXCUSE ME, EAST RIVERSIDE OUTFALL.
UM, PART IS CONTINUING TO DO WORK ON THEIR PROPERTIES AS WELL.
UM, THEY'RE WORKING, IDENTIFY CAMPS ON THEIR PROPERTIES USING THREE ONE, ONE DATA.
UM, THIS YEAR THEY'VE VISITED 295 CAMPS AND REMOVE 129 TONS OF DEBRIS OR 250,000 POUNDS.
UH, AIR HAS COLLECTED 77 TONS OR 154,000 POUNDS THROUGH THE VIOLET BAG PROGRAM.
UM, IT SEEMS SHORTER, TALKED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER ABOUT THE, THAT KEEPS SAFE STORAGE PROGRAM.
ONE OF THE THINGS I LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ABOUT THAT PROGRAM IS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HIRE A PERSON WHO IS NOW FORMERLY HOMELESS TO WORK THAT PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THIS INDIVIDUAL, WE WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN ABLE TO, UH, ENHANCE THE PROGRAM.
THE PROGRAM IS A LOT BETTER NOW THAN WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO HAS LIVED EXPERIENCE AS A HOMELESS PERSON, INFORMING US ON HOW WE CAN TWEAK THE PROGRAM AND MAKE IT BETTER.
SO IT'S BEEN A WIN FOR BOTH SIDES GOING FORWARD.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO HIRE THOSE, UH, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE EITHER HOMELESS OR TRANSITIONING IN THE HOUSING.
UM, WE'RE ALSO CURRENTLY EXPLORING OTHER OPTIONS OR OPPORTUNITIES FOR CREATING STORAGE THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AND REALLY FOCUSING RIGHT NOW ON STORAGE OF SOME OF OUR PROLOGUE, UH, LOCATIONS.
UM, AND SO OVERALL I THINK, UM, THE, THE EFFORT HAS HAS IMPROVED, UH, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO GET BETTER AND BETTER AS WE GO ALONG, UH, ACM SHORTER.
WE'LL MOVE TO ADVANCE TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND WE'LL MOVE QUICKLY THROUGH STEPHANIE TO ABBREVIATE HER PRESENTATION, TO, UH, TO FOCUS IN ON THE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PIECE.
AND THEN WE'LL MOVE RIGHT INTO HARRY O'CONNOR'S PRESENTATION.
AND WE'LL BE WRAPPING UP AFTER THAT WITH OUR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING STRATEGY.
DIANA GRAY IS OUR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING CONSULTANT.
UM, AND SHE IS, UM, DEVELOPING THE STRATEGY.
THE TWO YOU'VE WORKED WITH HER IN THE PAST, UM, TO DEVELOP THE INITIAL STRATEGY.
OUR GOAL IS TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS MODEL, UM, THAT WAS FORMERLY PAY FOR SUCCESS.
WE'RE CALLING IT PAY FOR SUCCESS, UM, ALTERNATIVE.
AND, UM, THE PLAN IS THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO TARGET, UM, UP TO 250 INDIVIDUALS.
UM, IT'D BE A FOUR TO FIVE YEAR PROJECT, UM, AND IT WILL HAVE WRAP AROUND SERVICES AND OUTCOME BASED IN DATA DRIVEN.
AND WE WILL DEFINITELY, UM, EVALUATE THAT PROGRAM SO MORE WITH PAY FOR SUCCESS, UM, WILL BE COMING SOON.
I'LL TRANSITION OVER TO CARRIE O'CONNOR AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IF YOU COULD PROCEED TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
MY PAST PROJECT IS A DENSE DIGITAL IDENTITY STORAGE, UH, SOLUTION.
UM, IT'S MEANT TO ADDRESS A FRICTION POINT IN SERVICE DELIVERY, AND IT WAS FIRST RAISED TO OUR ATTENTION THROUGH THE HUMMUS STREET TEAM TO
[02:05:01]
ATTEMPT THIS PROJECT WITH A GRANT FROM THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION.AND OVER THE YEARS, WE'VE COLLABORATED WITH ALL OF THESE GROUPS AND THE SLIDE NEXT NEXT, THE NEXT SLIDE TALKS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE SOLVING FOR.
AND SINCE THE RETREAT TEAM WE'VE FOUND THAT THE 60% OF THEIR CLIENTS WERE NOT HAVING AN ID, UM, WHEN THEY WERE TRYING TO ACCESS AT LEAST 13 VITAL SERVICES, THE OTHER ONES FOUNDATION HAS FOUND THAT 70 TO 80% OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS LACK ONE OR MORE KEY DOCUMENT.
AND THE PRE COVID FACT IS THAT IT CAN TAKE A CLIENT TWO TO FOUR WEEKS TO REPLACE A DOCUMENT, BUT SINCE COVERT HAS FLOATED A LOT OF SERVICE DELIVERY, AND A LOT OF THESE RECORDS OFFICES, IT CAN BE TAKING A LOT LONGER FOR PEOPLE TO REPLACE MISSING DOCUMENTS, HIDDEN COSTS.
UM, IN 2017, WHEN WE INITIATED THE GRANT APPLICATION, THE DOWNTOWN COURT AND THE TRINITY CENTER, UH, ESTIMATED THAT THEY SPENT 20,000 ANNUALLY ON DOCUMENT REPLACEMENT, AND ONE STAFF FROM THE OTHER ONES FOUNDATION RECORDED THAT THEY SPENT EIGHT HOURS PER WEEK, HELPING CLIENTS ACQUIRE REACQUIRE DOCUMENTS, WHICH ADDS UP TO OVER 1200 HOURS PER YEAR, AND THROUGH THE HOMELESSNESS ADVISORY COUNCIL, UM, AND OTHERS THAT WE'VE INTERVIEWED THE NEIGHBORS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS SO THAT IT WOULD GIVE THEM MORE AGENCY AND CONTROL AND LESS WORRY.
AND THAT THE SMALL ACT OF A DIGITAL ID CAN SAVE LIVES.
NEXT SLIDE, THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF USERS ON THIS PLATFORM.
UM, WE HAVE A DOCUMENT HELPER, A CASE MANAGER, A FAMILY MEMBER, A NOTARY, OR SOMEONE WHO, UM, HELPS CLIENTS WITH DOCUMENTS.
AND THE DOCUMENT OWNER DOCUMENT OWNER HAS FULL AUTONOMY OVER HOW THEIR DOCUMENTS ARE FILED AND STORED WHO THEY'RE SHARED WITH.
AND IF THEY'RE SHARED AT ALL NEXT SLIDE, THE PLATFORM FACILITATES THE DOCUMENT JOURNEY OF UPLOADING AND EITHER THE PERSON WHO IS THE DOCUMENT OWNER CAN UPLOAD THEMSELVES, OR THEY CAN RECEIVE HELP FROM A HELPER.
UM, IT FACILITATES NOTARIZATION, UH, SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE A CERTIFIED COPY OF THIS DOCUMENT, UH, ENCRYPTED, STORAGE, SHARING, AND VERIFICATION OF A PARTICULAR DOCUMENTS, LEGITIMACY.
AS AN EXAMPLE OF STORING, UM, A DOCUMENT HERE, THIS IS A SCREENSHOT OF STORING A BIRTH CERTIFICATE.
UM, NEXT SLIDE, WHEN THESE DOCUMENTS ARE STORED, THEY'RE SECURELY ENCRYPTED.
SO THE ORIGINAL FILE IS ENCRYPTED IN THE BROWSER BEFORE IT IS UPLOADED AND BEFORE TO STORED IN THE DATABASE.
SO WHEN SOMEONE'S IDENTITY DOCUMENT IS STORED IN A DATABASE, YOU MIGHT CONSIDER IT LIKE AN ENCRYPTED BLOB.
UM, THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE PLATFORM CAN NOT ACCESS THIS DOCUMENT.
THE ONLY WAY TO ACCESS IT IS IF YOU HAVE THE KEY AND ONLY THE DOCUMENT OWNER HAS THE KEY NEXT SLIDE, WHETHER IT'S WITH A FAMILY MEMBER OR A CASE MANAGER, UM, MY PAST WILL ALLOW FOR DOCUMENTS IN TO HELP PEOPLE NAVIGATE, UH, SERVICES.
AND YOU CAN SEE HERE IN THE SCREENSHOT THAT THE DOCUMENT OWNER CAN SET A TIME LIMIT FOR HOW LONG DOCUMENT IS SHARED.
I GET TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE AUTONOMY AND CONTROL OVER THEIR OWN DOCUMENTS.
IT'S NOT NECESSARY TO HAVE THESE DOCUMENTS.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE FACILITATED, UM, THE ACT OF, OF NOTARIZING THESE DOCUMENTS.
UM, IF YOU'D GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, ONCE THOSE DOCUMENTS ARE NOTARIZED, IF YOU HAVE BEEN THE RECIPIENT OF ONE OF THESE DOCUMENTS, YOU CAN GO TO A VERIFICATION SITE, WHICH WOULD HOLD THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE NOTARY, THE SIGNATURE, THE DATE OF THE TRANSACTION, AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT DOCUMENT IS IN FACT, THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS THAT WAS UPLOADED.
ONE OF THE CHALLENGING PROSPECTS OF THIS PLATFORM IS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND, AND HOW THEY ARRIVE AT THIS PLATFORM.
EVERYBODY IS DIFFERENT LOGGING IN REQUIRES WHAT YOU HAVE, WHO, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU KNOW, AND WHAT YOU ARE.
AND SO THERE'S MULTIPLE WAYS TO LOG IN.
AND NEXT SLIDE, I CAN SHOW YOU HOW WE HAVE MADE THIS ACCESSIBLE.
OFTENTIMES HAVING SECURITY VERSUS ACCESSIBILITY IS A TRADE OFF THAT'S REALLY HARD TO DO.
BUT IN THIS CASE, WHEN YOU'RE ONBOARDED TO THE PLATFORM, THE DOCUMENT OWNERS RECEIVE A SHORT QUIZ THAT SAYS, HOW HARD IS IT FOR YOU TO REMEMBER PASSWORDS, TO REMEMBER ANSWERS TO SECURITY QUESTIONS? DO YOU HAVE ACCESS TO A DEVICE WITH A CAMERA? HOW OFTEN DO YOU FIND YOURSELF LOSING YOUR PHONE AND HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT BIOMETRICS? ARE YOU COMFORTABLE USING BIOMETRICS? AND AS AFTER ANSWERING THAT QUIZ, THEY WILL GET RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A COUPLE OF LOGIN POSSIBILITIES THAT MEETS THEM WHERE THEY ARE.
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WE'VE BEEN DOING USER TESTING WITH PEOPLE, EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS FROM THE HOMELESSNESS ADVISORY COUNCIL, AS WELL AS RESIDENTS OF THE PRO LODGE AND RESIDENTS OF A CAMP AROUND.SO WITH THE OTHER ONE'S FOUNDATION, AND THESE ARE, BUT A FEW QUOTES FROM PEOPLE, UH, EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY WOULD FIND SUCH A PLATFORM VALUABLE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, SOMEONE SAID IS, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A LIMIT ON SOCIAL SECURITY CARDS THAT YOU CAN RECEIVE IN YOUR LIFETIME.
MOST OF US WOULD NEVER REACH THAT NUMBER EVEN REMOTELY, BUT IF YOU'RE LIVING ON THE STREETS, GETTING THAT THEY'RE GETTING TO 10 LOS SECURITY CARDS IS ACTUALLY FAIRLY POSSIBLE.
SO FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS, THEY CAN HOLD ONTO THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY CARD, UM, AND HAVE POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS, UH, GIVE THEM EMPLOYMENT WITHOUT HAVING A LOT OF BARRIERS.
UM, OUR NEXT STEP WILL BE FINISHED WITH THE GRANT NOW, WORKING TO STABILIZE, NOT EVERYTHING IS OPEN SOURCE AND PUTTING ON A LEARNING LOG TO FIND THE COST STRUCTURE.
CURRENTLY TECHNOLOGY STRUCTURE IS $900 FOR 10,000 USERS, BUT WE DID NOT GET PLATED HUMAN RESOURCE COST OF MANAGING THE PLATFORM, WHICH IS WHAT WE'LL DO WITH THE LEARNING WATCH.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR COLLABORATORS, UH, WITH OUR PARTNERS ON WORKING OUT THE GOVERNANCE OF THIS, UH, OF THIS PLATFORM AND HOW TO WORK OUR WAY TO A LIVE LAUNCH.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL BE COMPLETING A REPORT FOR THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION ARE, THEIR SLIDES ARE AVAILABLE FOR BACKUP, BUT ARE NOT INTENDED FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR EVERYONE WHO PRESENTED, I WILL SAY IN TERMS OF THE NEAR TERM ACTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT, WE HAVE TALKED THROUGH MUCH OF THE ACTIONABLE ITEMS, AND I'M HAPPY TO CERTAINLY ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT ALSO CONTINUE TO MEET INDIVIDUALLY WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AROUND PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT.
WE'D HAVE TAKEN UP QUITE A BIT OF TIME, AND SO CERTAINLY WANT TO WANT TO WRAP UP AND OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS.
BUT I DO WANT TO SAY TO THE PUBLIC AND CERTAINLY TO COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CHAIR, AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE IS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF WORK HAPPENING EVERY DAY ACROSS OUR CITY GOVERNMENTS, BUT CERTAINLY OUTSIDE OF OUR GOVERNMENT AS WELL TO SERVE OUR POPULATION.
AND SO, UH, I'M, I'M GOING TO PAUSE NOW AND SORT OF SHARE, TURN IT OVER TO YOU FOR, UH, FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
AND THANKS TO ALL OF THE STAFF FOR THEIR PRESENTATIONS.
PROBABLY WE HAVE ONE OTHER ITEM AND JUST AS A TIME CHECK.
SO IF WE CAN'T, WE CAN KEEP OUR, OUR, OUR QUESTION TIME TO MAYBE 25, 30 MINUTES.
UM, AND KNOWING THAT THE INTENTION HERE IS TO CONTINUE THESE CONVERSATIONS IN MULTIPLE COUNCIL COMMITTEES.
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO DEEP DIVE TOO MUCH, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN HAVE SOME HIGH LEVEL CONVERSATIONS.
THE, THE TWO THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE, OR AT LEAST THE ONE OVERARCHING THING THAT I WOULD LIKE STAFF TO ADDRESS.
AND CHRIS, I DON'T KNOW WHICH STAFF MEMBER OR OUR CONSULTANTS WHO I BROUGHT BACK IN OR, OR, OR MR. MALIQUE, WHO I BROUGHT BACK IN FOR ME, ULTIMATELY IT LOOKS LIKE A FULLY FUNCTIONING RESPONSE SYSTEM IS TO FIND A PLAN OF HOW TO ADDRESS THIS CRISIS IS DEFINED.
THE UNANSWERED QUESTION FOR ME IS SCALE, HOW, HOW MUCH MORE OF THIS DO WE NEED? ARE WE 20% OF THE WAY THERE, 40% OF THE WAY THERE, 60% OF THE WAY THERE? HOW MANY YEARS OF WORK DO WE THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT AS WHAT I TALKED TO THE COMMUNITY, WHEN I TALK TO CONSTITUENTS, EVERYONE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME THAN IT IS COMPLICATED, BUT THEY WANT A BETTER INDICATION ON THE PACE OF CHANGE.
AND THEN THERE'S A SUBTEXT TO THAT, WHICH IS WHAT AM I GOING TO STOP HAVING TO SEE IT, WHICH I KNOW IS A GROSS WAY TO PUT IT, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO PUT IT THAT WAY.
AND I DON'T THINK IT'S AN UNFAIR QUESTION, JEN, CAN WE TALK ABOUT SCALE AND TIME WHO ARE NOT? I ACTUALLY WILL ASK MATT DOHERTY AND NEPHEW, MATT MULLICA TO JUMP IN, BUT WE ARE INVESTING IN RESULTS REPORT.
DID DEFINE A VERY CLEAR ROADMAP IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF HOUSING, THE NUMBER OF DAYS NEEDED PER HOUSING TYPE.
AND SO WE KNOW CLEARLY IN WHAT YOU SAW EARLIER IN THE PRESENTATION, IN TERMS OF THE VARIOUS PROGRAMS THAT FIT INTO THAT PUZZLE PIECE, THAT WE ARE DEFINING AS OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM, UM, THAT, THAT ULTIMATELY WE ARE, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
WE ARE CERTAINLY ESTABLISHING THE GROUNDWORK AND THE FOUNDATION FOR VERY STRONG SYSTEM, BUT IT IS GOING TO TAKE YEARS FOR
[02:15:01]
US TO BUILD THE NUMBER OF HOUSING OPTIONS THAT WE ACTUALLY NEED TO HAVE THE KIND OF SYSTEM WITH THE CAPACITY TO MOVE OUT OF QUICKLY OUT OF A HOMELESS SITUATION AND INTO A HOUSED STATUS, UM, NAT THROUGH DORY OR THAT ONE WEEK.I'M NOT SURE IF YOU WANTED TO ADD TO THAT SHARE.
UM, I, YOU KNOW, I CAN JUST SAY TO THIS, LIKE THERE ARE, THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO REALLY IMPACT OUR ABILITY, UM, TO PROVIDE US, UM, YOU KNOW, A MORE FOCUSED TIMELINE.
ONE OF THOSE THINGS IS HOW WELL ARE WE ABLE TO STOP THE INFLOWS FROM, UH, OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM INTO, UM, HOMELESSNESS.
AND I THINK IF YOU, IF YOU WANT TO GO BACK AND TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY, YOU KNOW, YOU HEARD, UM, COUNCILMEMBER HARPER, MADISON, AND, UH, PRO TEM GARZA TALK ABOUT WHAT COULD WE DO OR WHAT HAS BEEN DONE AND TO GET US TO THIS POINT.
WELL, THE MASSIVE DISINVESTMENT ON A FEDERAL LEVEL, IN THE EIGHTIES AND NINETIES, AND SOME OTHER AREAS OF WHERE WE STOPPED BUILDING PUBLIC HOUSING, WE STOPPED, WE STOPPED INCENTIVIZING PRIVATE, UM, OWNERSHIP TO BUILD AND SUSTAIN, UM, PUBLIC HOUSING AND SECTION EIGHT HOUSING.
AND LIKE ALL OF THOSE DISINVESTMENT HAVE LET US, YOU KNOW, THEN THE, UM, THE MOVE TO DEINSTITUTIONALIZE, UM, HAAS, UM, MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE TREATMENT, UM, HOSPITALS, UM, AND NOT PROVIDE HOUSING AT THE END, BUT GO TO COMMUNITY BASED MENTAL HEALTH CARE, BUT NOT ACTUALLY PROVIDE THOSE FOLKS WITH A PLACE TO BE TAKE AWAY THEIR PLACE TO BE AND NOT PROVIDE THEM THAT OTHER ONE.
SO WE NEED TO REALLY FOCUS ON THE REDUCING INFLOWS, PART OF THE INVESTING FOR RESULTS REPORT AND ENSURE THAT WE CAN PUT A TOURNIQUET ON PEOPLE, FLOWING INTO THE SYSTEM AND EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND REALLY CREATE SOME ROBUST PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR SYSTEM, OUR INSTITUTIONS, IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN STOP THAT FROM HAPPENING.
AND THEN OF COURSE YOU CAN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT COVID IS GOING TO HAVE ON HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE HOUSING INSECURE BASED ON LOSING THEIR JOBS.
UM, AND ONCE THE EVICTION MORATORIUM IS UP, WE NEED RENT RELIEF ON A FEDERAL LEVEL THERE, UM, IN ORDER TO REALLY, BUT ALL THOSE THINGS BEING SAID, UM, YOU KNOW, WE STILL SHOW A DEFICIT IN OUR COMMUNITY OF, OF SEVERAL THOUSAND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND RAPID REHOUSING UNITS.
WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS BUILDING THE SCAFFOLDING AND DOING THE WORK TO STAND UP A SYSTEM THAT CAN, THAT CAN HANDLE, UM, WHEN WE HAVE A FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION THAT'S READY TO PRIORITIZE HOMELESSNESS AND PUMP MONEY INTO OUR LOCAL SYSTEMS, WE WILL BE ABLE TO HANDLE THAT INFLUX OF FUNDING, UM, TO, TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS IN A MORE SYSTEMIC LEVEL HERE.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
AND THEN OF COURSE USE THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE ON A LOCAL, UM, ON THE LOCAL LEVEL, CERTAINLY FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN INVESTMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS, AS WE HAVE CARES ZACK FUNDING NOW TO START TO MOVE TOWARDS, UM, REDUCING THE NUMBER OF UNSHELTERED HOME, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS, BUT REALLY BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE FALLING IN FROM THESE VARIOUS SYSTEMS THAT BECOMES A DIFFICULT, UM, IN MY ESTIMATION BECOMES A DIFFICULT ANSWER, UM, TO GIVE, AND THIS IS MATTHEW DOG JUST ADD AS CHRIS REFERENCED, THE INVESTING FOR RESULTS REPORT DID FORECAST WHAT WOULD NEED TO BE IN PLACE FOR AN OPTIMAL SYSTEM AND MADE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MODEST INVESTMENTS TO START TO BUILD TOWARDS THAT SYSTEM THAT MODELING DOES NEED TO BE REGULARLY UPDATED AND REFINED WITH BETTER DATA.
AND AS CONDITIONS CHANGE, AMANDA KNOWS THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MATT AND HIS TEAM ARE WORKING ON AS WELL AS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A MORE DYNAMIC MODELING.
I DO WORRY ABOUT TRYING TO PROVIDE A, A FIXED ANSWER ABOUT WHERE 20% OF THE WAY THERE, BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE CHANGING CONDITIONS THAT MATT WAS JUST DESCRIBING.
THAT'S VERY EASY TO GET LOCKED IN ON A SPECIFIC NUMBER WITHOUT TRACKING THE CHANGES THAT ARE IMPACTING THINGS.
UM, BUT I THINK WE CAN PROBABLY STEP BACK A LITTLE BIT AND, AND DO A LITTLE BIT MORE CALCULATION OF, OF THESE GAPS WHAT'S IN, WHAT'S IN THE PIPELINE AND WHAT ELSE NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN ORDER TO GET TO AT LEAST THOSE INITIAL PROJECTIONS LIKE YOU GUYS, COLLEAGUES THERE.
I JUST THINK A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS FIRST IS AN IMPRESSIVE AMOUNT OF WORK BEING DONE.
THIS IS A TERRIFIC CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE, AND SO MANY THINGS HAPPENING ON SO MANY DIFFERENT PLACES, I THINK REALLY DOES CONVEY THE, THE MAGNITUDE OF THE CHALLENGE AS WELL AS EVERYTHING THAT'S BEING DONE.
UH, AND I, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
AND WHEN WE GET IT UP AS A LINK, IT'S SOMETHING I'M GOING TO BE SENDING OUT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE ASKING THE QUESTION AS TO
[02:20:01]
WHAT IT IS THAT'S, THAT'S BEING DONE.AND I THINK THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A REALLY IMPORTANT PRESENTATION BECAUSE THAT LINK IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE SET UP THAT SAD.
THERE NEEDS TO BE A BETTER ANSWER TO THE QUESTION THAT YOU MAY ASK.
UH, AND WE HAVE A COMMUNITY, I THINK THAT IS WITH US, UH, WANTING TO, TO ACTUALLY END HOMELESSNESS IN THE CITY.
UH, AND WE'RE GOING TO GET PERMISSION TO DO THAT WORK RECOGNIZING IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF RESOURCES AND IT'S GONNA TAKE A LOT OF TIME ONLY TO THE DEGREE THAT THE COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING, UH, AND, AND, AND SEES PROGRESS.
THAT'S KIND OF THE PERMISSION WE GET FROM THE COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE IN, UH, WE KNOW THAT SHORT TERM, THERE ARE SOME VOICES IN THE COMMUNITY THAT, THAT WE'RE A PULL UP SHORT.
I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT THAT MEANS.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT SAY, AS JIMMY SAID, I DON'T WANT TO SEE THIS ANYMORE, FIX IT, OR WHAT FIX IT MEANS OTHER THAN ENDING, ENDING, ENDING HOMELESSNESS.
UH, THERE SEEMS TO BE EVERYBODY IN THE CITY AGREED THAT WE CANNOT SOLVE THIS BY SENDING PEOPLE BACK TO THE WOODS AND BACK TO THE CREEKS.
IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT, THEN WHAT IS IT THAT WE DO? AND THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE RAISING THEIR HAND AND SAYING, JUST FIX IT, GET THESE PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS AND PUT THEM INTO, INTO HOMES.
WELL, I UNDERSTAND THAT, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
BUT THE CHALLENGE THAT YOU HAVE EXPLAINED TO THE COMMUNITY IS THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT AND IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN OVER TIME.
SO WITHOUT COMING UP WITH A SPECIFIC SCHEDULE, THERE'S GOTTA BE A WAY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE BETTER TO THE COMMUNITY, THE PATH WE NEED TO FOLLOW THE SCALE OF THAT CHALLENGE, AND THE FACT THAT IT'S GOING TO GOING TO TAKE TIME.
UH, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION BETTER.
UH, WE HAVE TO DO A BETTER WITH, UH, AND THEN THE OTHER, THE OTHER ANSWER IS, OKAY, WE WANT TO DO THAT.
BUT WHAT DO I DO ABOUT THE, THE, THE, THE SHARED PUBLIC SPACES? WE NEED TO FIND, UH, THE RIGHT BALANCE IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, WITH RESPECT TO MANAGING THE SHARED PUBLIC SPACES THAT WE HAVE, ALL THOSE THINGS FOR A COMMUNITY THAT I BELIEVE IS, IS REALLY WILLING TO SPEND THE RESOURCES AND THE TIME TO ACTUALLY END HOMELESSNESS, BUT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE DEMONSTRATE TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE A PRAC AND THAT WE CAN RESPOND TO IMMEDIATE NEEDS AND CONCERNS AS WELL.
UH, I LIKE THE PRESENTATION, UH, CHECKING WITH THE COMMUNITY, DOING THAT KIND OF WORK, TO REALLY ENGAGE IN A POLLING KIND OF WAY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS IT THAT IS, UH, DRIVING THE COMMUNITY, WHERE ARE THOSE CONCERNS? NOT ONLY WITH THOSE ENGAGED IN OUR PROCESS, BUT THE COMMUNITY GENERALLY, SO THAT WE CAN IN FACT DO THAT.
WE ARE DOING GREAT WORK, BUT WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE PERMISSION.
THE COMMUNITY IS GIVING US TO DO THAT WORK.
AND THAT'S GONNA REQUIRE US, I THINK, TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO THE IMMEDIATE QUESTIONS THAT ARE BIG RAISE AND DO A BETTER JOB OF COMMUNICATING WHAT THE PATH IS, A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK.
MATTHEW, MATTHEW, CHRIS, VELA, EVERYBODY.
UH, I AM CONFIDENT THAT IF WE CAN ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS FOR THE COMMUNITY, WE'LL CONTINUE TO GET THE PERMISSION NECESSARY FOR US TO GET THIS JOB DONE.
UM, I, I AGREE WITH MOST OF WHAT THE MAYOR SAID, I GUESS I'M JUST, I BELIEVE IT'S ALSO OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS LEADERS AND, AND HAVING THE BULLY PULPIT TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO EMPHASIZE THAT IT IS NOT JUST THE CITY'S PROBLEM TO SOLVE.
AND I KNOW YOU DID NOT, YOU DIDN'T WEREN'T, YOU WEREN'T SAYING THAT IT WAS THE MAYOR, BUT I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO EMPHASIZE THAT.
AND SO WHEN I GET ASKED THAT QUESTION, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN IS THIS GOING TO BE FIXED? WHAT ELSE ARE YOU DOING? I SAY, WHEN WE HAVE A COUNTRY THAT TRULY BELIEVES THAT HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT, AND HEALTHCARE IS A HUMAN, RIGHT.
AND I WAS JUST, UH, I WAS ON A HOUSING POUNDING OF THE DAY.
AND I, I PUT THIS UP ON THE BACK OF MY, UM, YOU KNOW, BEHIND ME.
AND I JUST, I HAVE TO, I HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO KEEP EMPHASIZING THAT.
CAUSE IF WE, IF WE PUSH OUR STAFF TO COME UP WITH A TIMELINE, I FEEL LIKE WE'RE SETTING THEM UP FOR FAILURE.
IF WE DON'T AT THE SAME TIME, SAY WE NEED HELP FROM OUR STATE.
WE NEED A STATE THAT VALUES HOUSING AS A HUMAN, RIGHT.
WE NEED STATE LEADERS THAT DO THAT.
AND WE NEED FEDERAL LEADERS BECAUSE WE ARE, WE ARE, WE CONTINUE TO BE THE LAST RESORT TO SALT.
THE CITY CONTINUES TO BE THE LAST DOOR TO SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS. AND WE, WITH SUCH LIMITED TOOLS THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN.
[02:25:02]
THIS WAS A REALLY COMPREHENSIVE PRESENTATION.IT'S GREAT TO SEE THE WORK THAT WE WERE DOING.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S SO MUCH MORE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE JUST, THE LAST COUPLE COUNCIL MEETINGS, WE'VE HAD SPEAKERS VERY ANGRY AT US BECAUSE OF, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE RESTAURANTS ARE CLOSING AND BUSINESSES ARE CLOSING, THEN CITY COUNCIL, WHY HAVEN'T YOU THIS? AND HOW DARE YOU, YOU KNOW, NOT FIX THIS.
I UNDERSTAND PEOPLE LOOK TO THEIR CITY LEADERS, UM, FOR HELP, BUT I JUST, I, I CAN'T EMPHASIZE ENOUGH HOW WE ALL NEED TO KEEP IT, BESIDES THAT WE NEED STATE HELP.
UM, AND MAYBE THAT'S PART OF THE, THIS TIMELINE THAT WE CREATE AND SAY, HERE'S WHEN WE SOLVE IT, WHEN THE STATE, YOU KNOW, GIVES US MORE MONEY FOR HOUSING, WHEN THE STATE EXPANDS MEDICAID, WHEN THE STATE LIKE THESE ARE ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN BEFORE WE CAN TRULY HOLISTICALLY, UH, MEET THIS CHALLENGE WELL SAID, MAYOR PRO TEM.
AND I, AND I DO THINK THAT IS EXACTLY THE TYPE OF INFORMATION THAT NEEDS TO BE PUT OUT.
UM, IT'S NOT, IT IS NOT A SIMPLE ANSWER AS, AS, UH, MR. MULLIGAN, MR. JODY SAID, AND I THINK A, A DEFINITION OF A WELL FUNCTIONING SYSTEM HAS TO BE REALLY CLEAR ABOUT THE ROLE THE STATE IS CURRENTLY PLAYING AND EXACERBATING THAT SYSTEM AS HELL'S NUMBER HOPPER, MADISON TALKED ABOUT THE STATE HOSPITAL AND WHAT WE TALK ABOUT AND, AND WHAT THE COUNTY'S ROLE IS IN TERMS OF RECIDIVISM AND PEOPLE EXITING THE JAIL.
AND THEN THE FEDERAL INVESTMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN REDUCED YEAR OVER YEAR, OVER YEAR ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND BEING REALLY CLEAR WITH THE PUBLIC, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONLY TWO WEEKS TO THE ELECTION.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW THAT FOLKS ARE REALLY BEING ASKED TO ARE ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS WHEN THEY GO TO VOTE FOR THEIR CONGRESS PEOPLE AND THEIR STATE REPS AND THEIR STATE SENATORS, IF THEY GET TO VOTE FOR YOUR STATE SENATOR.
BUT THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF QUESTIONS THAT VOTERS NEED TO BE ASKING OF, OF ANYONE WHO'S RUNNING FOR OFFICE IS HOW SERIOUS ARE YOU, BUT ACTUALLY SOLVING THIS PROBLEM, OTHER QUESTIONS, COLLEAGUES THAT'S WHERE WE'RE TROUBLE.
I KNOW, UM, I COULD CERTAINLY MAKE SOME GENERAL COMMENTS ABOUT THE ISSUE, BUT, BUT HAVING HEARD, UM, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN TWO HOURS OF PRESENTATIONS, I ACTUALLY HAVE JUST A SLEW OF QUESTIONS ABOUT SOME OF THE CONTENT.
AND SO I'M JUST GOING TO DIVE INTO WHAT OF THOSE I THINK CAN BE, CAN BE ANSWERED QUICKLY.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, THANKS VERY MUCH.
AND I JUST WANT TO APPRECIATE AS ALWAYS, UM, THE TREMENDOUS WORK OF OUR STAFF ALL THE TIME.
I REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE TO OUR, TO THE LISTENING PUBLIC, THAT OUR STAFF HAVE WORKED HARD AND EFFECTIVELY FOR A LONG TIME ON ISSUES RELATED TO HOMELESSNESS.
AND I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT UNTIL EVERY INDIVIDUAL IN THIS CITY HAS A SAFE AND STABLE PLACE TO CALL HOME, UM, THAT WE'RE, THAT WE, THAT WE WILL KITCHEN YOU AS A CITY AND AS A COMMUNITY TO HAVE ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
AND SO WHILE SAYING THAT, I DO WANT TO APPRECIATE REALLY THE GREAT WORK OF OUR STAFF.
UM, A COUPLE OF THE INITIATIVES THAT WE HEARD ABOUT TODAY THAT I THINK HAVEN'T BEEN COVERED IN THE PAST, UH, ARE THE, MY PAST PROGRAM, WHICH IS VERY EXCITING.
AND THERE, THE VIOLET STORAGE PROGRAM AT HEALTH SOUTH, WHICH ARE, ARE, ARE BOTH SUCH NEEDED, SUCH NEEDED NEW ADDITIONS, BUT THANKS TO THE CONTINUED CURRENT WORK, MARKUP THE DAC AND, AND ARE HOSTING THEM.
AND OTHERS ARE REALLY, AGAIN, THE GREAT WORK YOU WERE DOING BEFORE THE PENTATONIC AND MANUAL EFFORTS.
UM, TO CLARIFY THE DECK FIVE CASE MANAGERS PLUS THE SUPERVISOR, UM, I ASSUME THIS IS A QUESTION FOR PEOPLE.
DOES I LOOK BACK AT THE MEMO? IT SOUNDS LIKE THOSE ARE TWO YEAR GRANT POSITIONS.
AND I JUST WANTED TO VERIFY THAT I GUESS CHAIR ARE, ARE ALL THE STAFF WHO WERE PRESENTING, MOVING BACK AND FORTH.
CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION PLEASE? SURE.
UM, THE FIVE K THE SUPERVISOR THAT YOU WERE IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING, I LOOK BACK AT THE MEMO THAT YOU SENT ON NINE 11 AND I JUST FROM THE PRESENTATION AND THE MEMO, ARE THESE PERMANENT POSITIONS, OR ARE THESE TO YOUR GRANDPARENTS? THESE ARE GRANT FUNDED POSITIONS.
IT IS IT IS THAT THE TIME PERIOD? TWO YEARS? YEAH.
I BELIEVE THEY'RE FUNDED THROUGH JULY OF 2022.
AND SO THOSE, THOSE, THESE MANAGERS WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE INDIVIDUALS ON THE PRO LODGES.
AND THEN ONCE, ONCE HOUSING PLANS, UM, HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THEM, OR IS THE THOUGHT THAT THEIR SHIFTS TO WORKING WITH THEY WILL, THEY WON'T.
[02:30:01]
YOU KNOW, THERE'LL BE WRAPPED UP WITH THE INDIVIDUALS FROM THE PROLOGUE JUST TO USE OUR, UM, OUR PROGRAM IS GOING TO TARGET THE MOST ACUTE INDIVIDUALS FROM THE PER LODGES.SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S GOING TO TAKE A WHILE TO GET THEM STABILIZED.
I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'LL TAKE THE TWO YEARS, BUT WE ARE GOING TO FOLLOW THEM AS LONG AS WE POSSIBLY CAN, IF BY CHANCE THEY ARE ABLE TO TAKE ON ADDITIONAL CLIENTS BECAUSE THOSE CLIENTS HAVE, HAVE STABILIZED ENOUGH.
UH, WE WILL DO THAT AS WELL, SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO, UM, DEF DEFINITELY UTILIZE THAT RESOURCE AS MUCH AS I POSSIBLY CAN.
THANKS AGAIN, FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU DO.
AND OF COURSE, MY THANKS TO LAURA AS THE LIST, ROBERT KENYON AND THE OTHER STAFF.
MY NEXT QUESTION RELATES TO THE, UH, I FORGOTTEN NOW WHO PRESENTED THIS INFORMATION ABOUT THE KOCH BROTHERS, THE COLD WEATHER SHELTER PLAN.
UH, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE CHANGES BECAUSE OF COVID AND THE, IT WASN'T CLEAR TO ME WHETHER FACILITIES HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED.
I THINK I HEARD THEIR FACILITIES HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED, BUT I WASN'T CLEAR ON WHICH, WHICH THOSE WERE SO LIKE, IT GETS THEM THE APPROPRIATE STAFF MEMBER TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION REC CENTERS, REC CENTERS.
IT'S THAT ONE PIECE OF INFORMATION.
UM, AND I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY THAT THE AUSTIN MUTUAL RATE IS A NEW, IT'S GOING TO BE OUR NEW PARTNER IN THAT SORT OF STAFFING.
UM, AND WHERE WOULD I HAVE THOUGHT, HAVE THEY DONE THIS SORT OF WORK BEFORE? ARE THEY EVOLVING FROM ANOTHER ORGANIZATION? WHAT'S THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH THIS WORK, YOUR EXPERIENCES, PROVIDING SERVICES TO PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, KIND OF WHAT THEY DO.
AND SO THEY, THEY, IT, JEN, WHENEVER WHATEVER IS NEEDED.
AND SO WE'RE MAPPING OUT THE SCOPE OF WORK NOW TO DESCRIBE THAT, TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE'S ON THE SAME PAGE AND WE IDENTIFY THE EXACT WORK THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
AND WILL THAT BE, UM, A CONTRACT WITH THEM IN A PAID POSITION OR ARE THEY A VOLUNTEER OR VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION WILL BE MOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT ADDITIONAL INFO.
UM, I THINK I HAVE A NEXT QUICK QUESTION FOR CARRIE ABOUT MY PAST PROJECT, AND THEN I WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE DIRECTOR WITH REGARD TO SOME OF THE PRO LODGES AND THE HOTEL MOTEL STRATEGY.
AND THEN I THINK THAT'LL WRAP UP MY, I KNOW I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS, BUT THAT'LL DO IT FOR TODAY.
UM, CARRIE, MY QUESTION, I HEARD YOU MENTIONED A COST AND I MISSED WHAT THAT WAS.
AND I, I ALSO HEARD YOU SAY SOMETHING ABOUT FURTHER SLIDES ARE AVAILABLE.
I WASN'T SURE WHERE THOSE WERE AVAILABLE.
THOSE WERE THAT EMAIL THAT WAS SENT OUT, OR IF THAT'S IN ANOTHER PLACE THAT WE NEEDED TO REQUEST IT FROM YOU.
SO THE TECHNOLOGY, IT SOUNDED SO LOW.
THE TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE IS VERY MINIMAL.
UM, ALTHOUGH THE TECHNOLOGICAL ARCHITECTURE THAT WE PUT INTO PLACE, UH, WAS, WAS VERY INNOVATIVE.
THE TEAM THAT WE HIRED, UM, THAT ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON AND ENABLED US TO HIRE, IT WAS AMAZING.
UM, AND THEY WORKED TO DESIGN A SYSTEM THAT COULD, THAT COULD COST THAT LITTLE.
UM, THAT DOES NOT COUNT FOR, YOU KNOW, SORT OF ADMIN, THE PERSONNEL COSTS OF ADMINISTRATING THOSE PLATFORM.
UM, SO WE'RE GOING TO BE MAKING THOSE CALCULATIONS IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
WELL, THAT'S STILL, UM, EXTRAORDINARY.
I MEAN, IT JUST REALLY MADE SUCH AN IMPORTANT NEED AND IT'S REALLY COST EFFECTIVE EVEN ONCE THE STAFF ARE FACTORED IN, AS YOU SAID, TRINITY, BUDGET'S ABOUT 20,000.
I KNOW WE HAVE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ALSO, UM, ALLOCATING COSTS OR DOCUMENTED PLACEMENT.
SO THAT'S REALLY, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S WONDERFUL.
AND THEN I GUESS MY LAST BODY OF QUESTIONS ARE, ARE QUICK WINS ALSO FOR DOCTOR TO LOVE ABOUT THE HOTEL MOTEL STRATEGY.
I WAS KIND OF CATCHING WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE TRANSITION FROM THE PROLOGIS.
SO THE ROADWAY IN THE RENOVATIONS HAVE HAPPENED.
IT'S BEING UTILIZED AS PRETTY MUCH.
CAN YOU REMIND ME IF THE RENOVATION INCLUDED PUTTING IN SINKS OR THE OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE THEY NEEDED TO BE USED AS PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING? NOT AT THIS TIME, WE ANTICIPATE THAT THIS FACILITY, BECAUSE WE HAD THE FLEXIBILITY, UM, RE RECALL THAT WE, WE ACQUIRED THE PROPERTY WITH, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, BLOCK GRANTS, NOT GEO BONDS.
[02:35:01]
AND SO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO USE THAT, UM, AS SHELTER SPACE OR TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, NOT STRICTLY STRAIGHT CORN IN SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.AND SO BASED ON THE LENGTH OF TIME, IT WOULD TAKE TO MAKE THOSE RENOVATIONS TO ADD THE SECOND SINKS AND, UH, THE COST OF THAT WE'RE OPTING TO KEEP IT AS MORE OF A TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AT THIS TIME.
UM, SO WE'RE NOT ANTICIPATING INSTALLING THOSE THAT SECOND LEVEL OF SINKS OR THAT, THAT MORE EXTENDED, UM, REHAB TO THE FACILITY.
IT JUST DIDN'T MAKE SENSE CONSIDERING THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO HAVE STILL THAT TYPE OF HOUSING, UH, IN A LONGER TERM.
AND THEN THE, UM, COUNTRY YET IS BEING USED AS A PROLOGUE.
YOU SAID FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS AND YEAH, SECOND SICK AND IT'S IT'S YES, IT WILL REQUIRE MUCH LESS REHAB TO BE READY TO, TO TRANSITION INTO PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
I JUST, SOME SLIGHT SLIGHT WORK, UM, TO, TO FIX SOME THINGS LIKE LEAKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I MEAN, IT'S NOTHING, NOTHING MAJOR BY ANY STRETCH OF IMAGINATION.
UM, AND SO IT'S, WE'RE, UH, MAINTAINING IT IN ITS SPACE AS PROLOGUE BECAUSE IN ORDER TO TRANSITION IT TO PERMANENT HOUSING, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO EXIT EVERYBODY OUT OF THAT.
AND SO WE'RE TAKING THE TIME THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAPPENS SMOOTHLY.
UM, AND SO WE DO ANTICIPATE THAT IT WILL TAKE PROBABLY THREE TO SIX MONTHS AT LEAST TO GET THAT TRANSITION DONE, KNOWING THAT WE WON'T HAVE TO DO MAJOR CONSTRUCTION OR REHAB THERE.
UM, JUST SOME, SOME MINOR THINGS.
SORRY, WHAT WAS THE RENOVATION? WHAT WERE YOU ESTIMATING AS A RE WHAT WERE YOU ESTIMATING IN TERMS OF THE RENOVATION? THERE WAS A CONTINUUM IN TERMS OF, THERE'S A COUPLE OF LIKE, THERE'S SOME, SOME AC UNITS THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED.
SO I DON'T HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF ME.
I KNOW THAT IT'S NOT, I KNOW THAT IT'S MINOR AND WE'RE WORKING ON THE TIMEFRAME THAT IT WOULD TAKE TO DO THAT.
UM, AND I THINK IT'S MOSTLY EXTERIOR TO THE FACILITY, NOT EVEN, YOU KNOW, HITTING THE INTERIOR ROOMS. SO THE SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS WAS FOR TRANSITIONING THE GUESTS WHO WERE STAYING THERE.
IS THERE A POSSIBILITY OF, OF DOING A PORTION OF IT WHILE RENOVATING ANOTHER PORTION SO THAT RESIDENTS CAN ALTER REMIND WITH DIFFERENT ROOMS OR NO, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL FIGURED OUT.
UM, THAT'S PART OF THE PLANNING THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.
UM, AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT MINOR REHAB WE NEED TO DO AT THE FACILITY, UH, AND, AND HOW THAT MIGHT BE PHASED AND WHAT IMPACT IT MIGHT HAVE, UH, TO THE RESIDENTS THERE.
AND IT MIGHT BE MINIMAL IMPACT.
I ANTICIPATE BASED ON WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, IT SHOULD BE MINIMAL.
UM, BUT THAT'S ALL BEING PLANNED OUT SO THAT WE DON'T, WE DID JUST CLOSE ON THAT PROPERTY LAST WEEK.
AND IT'S GREAT TO HAVE THAT WITHIN THE INVENTORY.
I JUST WONDERED IF THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY FOR KEEPING THEM SHIPPING, SHIPPING, AT LEAST A LARGE NUMBER OF THEM ON SITE SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO IDENTIFY WHERE YOU ALL DON'T HAVE TO IDENTIFY HOUSING FOR THEM.
IF I'M OUT, KNOWING THAT, KNOWING THAT IT WILL BE AVAILABLE.
AND THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER PROPERTY YOU REFERENCED THAT IS IN NORTHWEST AUSTIN.
AND, UM, AND THAT YOU ARE COMPLETING DUE DILIGENCE OR RECOMMENDED, IS THAT IS CORRECT.
IS THAT ONE THAT HAS THE DOUBLE, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? CORRECT.
THAT ONE IS IN, AS I, AS I RECALL, IT'S A NEWER PROPERTY AND IT SHOULD ALSO NEED LITTLE TO NO REHAB.
AND IT WOULD BE ALSO, UM, USED AS KIND OF A MORE PERMANENT, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR INDIVIDUALS.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE UTILIZING AS A PROLOGUE RIGHT NOW.
SO I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT AS ASSUMING WE MOVED TO PURCHASE ON IT, THAT IT WOULD MOVE MORE DIRECTLY INTO PSH RATHER THAN IT STOPPING IN PROLOGUE WORLD.
I WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT I'M SORRY, COUNCIL MEMBER, COULD YOU REPEAT YOUR QUESTION? I LOST THE BUILDING.
YOU GUYS WERE TALKING ABOUT THERE AT THE END.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT A DIFFERENT ONE.
IT'S A THIRD HOTEL THAT WE'RE IN.
I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, ASK THE QUESTION ABOUT THE ADDITIONAL SLIDES.
THOSE ARE OBVIOUSLY DECK AND WHEN THAT GOES OUT, THOSE SLIDES SHOULD BE AVAILABLE.
ANY, ANY FINAL COMMENTS ON THIS BEFORE WE GO TO MORE OR LESS ITEM? THANK YOU, JERRY.
IT'S A, IT'S A COMMENT, DAN, A QUESTION, AND I THINK THIS ONE IS FOR LARA.
UM, SO JUST IN THINKING ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS, UM, I, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AND I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW WE WOULD GO ABOUT ADDRESSING IT.
SO, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW WHEN I WAS TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HISTORICALLY
[02:40:01]
HOW WE ARRIVED HERE, UM, SPECIFICALLY SINCE THE EIGHTIES, BUT I WANT TO GO LIKE WAY BACK, LIKE TO THE 1880S AND TALK ABOUT, UM, FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THERE'S THIS REALLY GREAT FREDERICK DOUGLAS QUOTE, UM, HE SAYS, UM, YOU MAY HAVE EMANCIPATED US.YOU HAVE, UM, OR YOU SAY, YOU HAVE EMANCIPATED US.
YOU HAVE, AND I THANK YOU FOR IT, BUT WHAT IS YOUR EMANCIPATION? BUT WHEN YOU TURN US LOOSE, YOU GAVE US NO ACRES.
YOU TURNED US LOOSE TO THE SKY, INTO THE STORM, TO THE WHIRLWIND AND WORSE.
UM, YOU TURNED US LOOSE TO THE WRATH OF OUR INFURIATED MASTERS.
UM, THIS QUOTE RESONATES WITH ME IF, FOR NO OTHER REASON WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE REGIONAL, LIKE THE ORIGINS OF HOMELESSNESS AND POVERTY.
AND I THINK WHERE THIS INTERSECTS WITH MODERN DAY POLICING, BEING THE DIRECT, UM, UH, MANIFESTATION OF, YOU KNOW, SLAVERY ERA, SLAVE PATROLS, UM, THAT'S HOW POLICING WAS BORN.
AND THAT'S HOW, YOU KNOW, FREE LABOR WAS, WAS PRODUCED OUTSIDE OF LEGAL SLAVERY.
AND SO I THINK SOME OF THIS CONVERSATION AROUND HOMELESSNESS, IT REALLY DOES GO WAY, WAY BACK, UM, WHEN PEOPLE WERE EMANCIPATED TO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING OR THEY DID INHERIT LANDS THAT WERE PROMPTLY STOLEN AND THEN THEY WERE HOMELESS AGAIN.
AND SO I THINK I WOULD LIKE VERY MUCH TO, TO REALLY DIG INTO THAT.
I DON'T, I DON'T WANT US TO GLOSS OVER IT A LITTLE BIT, CAUSE IT REALLY IS THE ORIGINS OF WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
AND SO I'M JUST CURIOUS, LIKE HOW WOULD WE GO ABOUT COMMUNICATING THAT IN A WAY THAT WE REALLY FORCE PEOPLE'S HAND AND RECOGNIZING, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S WAY TOO EASY FOR PEOPLE TO MAKE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, SHITLESS PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT JOBS AND WHO DON'T WANT HOUSES AND, AND REALLY NOT RECOGNIZE WHERE A LOT OF THIS, MOST OF THIS STARTED.
I, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION LOOKS LIKE TODAY, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT ACTUALLY HAVING TO GO THROUGH A COMPREHENSIVE HISTORY LESSON, GIVEN THAT WE DON'T LEARN THESE THINGS.
AND, UM, IN OUR SCHOOLS, HOW, WHAT WOULD THAT EVEN LOOK LIKE FROM A COMMUNICATION PERSPECTIVE? AND I DON'T KNOW THAT I'M EVEN ASKING YOU TO ANSWER THE QUESTION TODAY.
I JUST WANT IT TO GET IT ON YOUR RADAR.
LIKE WHEN I'M TALKING ABOUT HISTORY, I MEAN, WAY BACK HISTORY, BECAUSE IT STARTED THERE.
SO JUST TO, JUST TO GET IT ON YOUR RADAR, THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS I'D LIKE TO BE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE.
I THINK IT REALLY WOULD HELP A LOT OF PEOPLE TO SORT OF SHIFT THEIR ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT HOW PEOPLE FIND THEMSELVES HOMELESS.
IF I CAN MEET YOU HALFWAY, JUST FOR AN IDEA THAT I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT FOR AWHILE, WE ARE NINE SHORT YEARS AWAY FROM THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1921 THING.
AND SO I THINK THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS SOME WORK TO DO TO, UM, TO, TO MEET THAT DATE WITH SOMETHING, UH, WITH HEFT.
AND, UM, AND, AND SO I'M, I'M HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT GOING BACK EVEN FURTHER THAN THAT, FOR SURE, BUT SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN ON MY MIND FOR, FOR A COUPLE YEARS NOW BACK WHEN THE SPIRIT OF EAST AUSTIN IS, WAS AN INITIATIVE THAT, UM, UH, THAT WAS THE INITIATIVE, UM, WILL TALKING TO COUNCIL OFFICES ABOUT MARKING THAT, THAT DATE, UM, IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATIONS AND, AND OTHER THINGS.
UH, BUT I WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO TALK TO YOU FURTHER ABOUT THAT.
I MIGHT ALSO SUGGEST CHRIS THAT MAYBE THERE'S A ROLE FOR THE LIBRARY DEPARTMENT AND THE HISTORY CENTER TO PLAY IN THAT CONVERSATION.
THERE COULD BE CURRICULUM DEVELOP.
THERE COULD BE, YOU KNOW, ONE DAY THINGS THAT WE PARTNER WITH AISD AND OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS ON, LIKE THEN MAYBE SOME OPPORTUNITY AS WELL.
I WAS TRACKING THAT ONE AS, AS THE DISCUSSION WAS HAPPENING.
THAT'S WHAT, I'M IT JUST A VERY QUICK COMMENT, UM, THAT I MEANT TO, OR A QUESTION THAT I MEANT TO ASK EARLIER ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS AND I JUST, UM, WASN'T SURE ABOUT WHETHER, WHETHER YOU USING A PARTICULAR, UM, BODY OF INFORMATION IN TERMS OF HELPING FRAME THE COMMUNICATIONS, AND YOU MAY BE AWARE OF IT, THAT FRAMEWORKS, UM, THE FRAMEWORKS INSTITUTE IS SOMETHING THAT I KNOW WAS RECOMMENDED AND MENTIONED TO ME BY SOME INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS AS BEING A VERY IMPORTANT, VERY IMPORTANT WAY TO TALK ABOUT HOMELESSNESS AND VERY PERSON CENTERED.
AND I THINK, UH, ALIGNS WITH YOUR VALUE CENTERED APPROACH THAT YOU REFERENCED.
SO I DON'T, AGAIN, I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT IN THE EVENT, THAT FRAMEWORKS IS, IS SOMETHING THAT WE AGREE ON A VALUE WITH.
YOU'RE NOT ALREADY I'M FINISHED WITH THAT AUDIO COMMUNICATIONS.
ALRIGHT, WELL, I'M GONNA MOVE US ALONG.
THANK YOU, CHRIS STAFF, EVERYONE WHO PRESENTED TODAY, THIS IS REALLY HELPFUL INFORMATION, NEW INFORMATION TO SOME OF US, I THINK, TO SEND IN TERMS OF THE BREADTH OF THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE.
[02:45:01]
THE LAST CONVERSATION, I THINK MY COLLEAGUES WHO CHAIR OTHER COMMITTEES WILL FIND VERSIONS OF THIS AND PIECES OF THIS TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON.WE WILL CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT THE SMALL PORTION OF THIS THAT IS ACTUALLY ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.
UH, AND WE'RE GOING TO TRANSITION NOW INTO OUR NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS THE INTERSECTION MOST SPECIFICALLY OF HOMELESSNESS AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND OUR DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY COURT.
SO CHRIS, ANY FINAL SENTENCE YOU WANT TO SAY BEFORE I TRANSITIONED THIS OVER THERE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE TIME THAT YOU ALL HAVE GIVEN TO THIS PRESENTATION THIS AFTERNOON.
I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THE SUPPORT TO CONTINUE TO BUILD THE SYSTEM.
BRINGING IN ALEX SCALE FROM REAL ESTATE, AND IF ALEX, DO YOU, WHO ELSE WANT YOU TO BE BRINGING INTO THIS? WE HAVE A COUPLE JUST BACKUP IN CASE THERE'S ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS WITH IS A DOOR CHECK AND, UM, UH, PAUL MENDOZA.
I'M GOING TO BRING UP YOUR PRESENTATION NOW.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, ALEX GALE, THE INTERIM OFFICER FOR THE OFFICE OF REAL ESTATE SERVICES TODAY.
UM, WE WANTED TO DO A PRESENTATION.
I KNOW, UH, WE ARE RUNNING A LITTLE LOW ON TIME, SO I'LL TRY TO WALK THROUGH IT, UH, BUT WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT A RESOLUTION REGARDING THE RELOCATION OF DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT.
AND I SEE A SPELLING ERROR ON THERE AND I'D PROBABLY DOES FOR THAT, UM, RESOLUTION, UH, TWO, TWO ZERO 1-802-ONE-FIVE DASH OH 48.
IF YOU WANT TO MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, BASICALLY HAVE THREE ITEMS. THE ONE I WANTED TO TALK TO TODAY IS WHAT I TALKED ABOUT IS THE RELOCATION OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT, OR OTHERWISE KNOWN AS DAC MUST BE LOCATED NEAR TRANSIT LINE WITHIN THE GEOGRAPHICAL BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY CODE INCLUDE PARKING OPTIONS FOR STAFF AND JURORS, AS WELL AS VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT FOR COMMUNITY SERVICES AND INCLUDES SPACE PLANNING FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF CO LOCATING WITH MUNICIPAL COURT WINDOWS AND ADDITIONAL SERVICES FOR THE POPULATIONS SERVE.
SO JUST A QUICK RECAP OF A DAX CURRENT SPACE THAT SEVEN 19 EAST SIXTH STREET, THEY ARE CURRENTLY IN 4,900 SQUARE FEET OF SPACE, WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY LEASED IN 2001.
UH, IT WAS ORIGINALLY ALLOCATED FOR 15 EMPLOYEES AT THAT TIME.
THE LEASE IS APPROXIMATELY A LITTLE OVER $10,000 PER MONTH, WHICH EQUATES TO ROUGHLY $122,000 ANNUALLY.
IN ADDITION TO THE LEASE WE DO CURRENTLY LEASE 20 PARKING SPACES AT ABOUT $157 PER MONTH PER SPACE, WHICH COMES OUT IT'S A LITTLE UNDER $40,000 ANNUALLY ON TOP OF THE RENT FOR THE SPACE.
THE LEASE HAS EXPIRED AS OF MAY 24 20.
UH, ALTHOUGH THE LANDLORD HAS AGREED TO ALLOW US TO BASICALLY LEASE THE SPACE MONTH TO MONTH.
W I THINK, UH, PETE HAD, HAD TALKED WITH YOU ALL IN THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION ABOUT THE CURRENT, UH, FULL TIME EMPLOYEE ACCOUNT.
THERE'S 38 FULL TIME EMPLOYEES.
UH, BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, THEY ALSO NEED STANDS FOR TWO SECURITY GUARDS TO POLICE OFFICERS AND A PROSECUTOR.
UH, AND JUST TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CURRENT CONDITIONS, I THINK MOST OF YOU, IF NOT, ALL OF YOU ARE AWARE OF THE CURRENT CONDITIONS, UH, THEY DEFINITELY, UH, THERE'S SOME PEST ISSUES THERE.
THERE'S BEEN SOME, SEVERAL OCCURRENCES OF RACCOONS, UH, FALLING THROUGH THE CEILING.
UM, THERE'S DEFINITELY NOT SPACE TO ALLOW FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING AT THIS CURRENT COVID-19 SPACE.
AND THE CURRENT PUBLIC RESTROOM HAS TO, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH SECURE SPACE TO ACTUALLY ACCESS THE PUBLIC RESTROOM.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, PETE AND JUDGE COFFEE AND FEES ON CAN DEFINITELY SPEAK TO THE CURRENT CONDITIONS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A QUICK HIGHLIGHT OF THOSE CURRENT CONDITIONS.
UH, THE NEXT SLIDE IS JUST A DISCUSSION OF WHAT WE DID WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT OPTIONS, CONSIDERING THE RELOCATION FOR DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT.
[02:50:01]
UM, THE PREVIOUS YEAR, THE PREDECESSOR, THE JUDICIAL COMMITTEE BACK IN MAY, I THINK OF 2020, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT THESE, UH, SO WE LOOKED AT THE LIBRARY, THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE FOLK LIBRARY.WE TOOK A LOOK AT THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING AND FOR BOTH OF THOSE FACILITIES, WE TAPPED INTO OUR, UH, OFFICE OF THE CITY ARCHITECTURE ARCHITECT WITH, UH, OUR PUBLIC WORKS OFFICE AND THEY HELPED DO A FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS ON THOSE TWO FACILITIES.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT ACQUIRING OR BUILDING A FACILITY, UH, EITHER A STANDALONE OR TO CO-LOCATED WITH OTHER SERVICES IN DOWNTOWN AREA.
WE LOOKED AT A POTENTIAL TO DO A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, UM, BUILD OR PURCHASE OF A FACILITY.
UM, THAT ONE WE, WE DIDN'T PURSUE BECAUSE OF NOT KNOWING IF, IF REALLY THE BANKS AND THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY IS READY TO MOVE, TO MOVE FORWARD ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND THEN OF COURSE, A LEASE WITH A LEASE TO PURCHASE OF A SPACE AS A POTENTIAL OPTION AS WELL.
UM, SO FIRST, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL REMEMBER, BUT, BUT I DID SEND DOWN, I THINK, I THINK I SENT OUT A MEMO TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL BACK IN SEPTEMBER 17TH OF 2020, UH, ABOUT OUR PURSUIT AND LOOKING FOR SPACE FOR DAC WITHIN THAT MEMO ON THE 17TH, WE DID INCLUDE THE FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS THAT THE OFFICE OF THE CITY ARCHITECT DID HELP PROVIDE WITH THAT.
I JUST TOOK THE PROS AND CONS OF THE FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS THAT THEY PROVIDED FOR THE FIRST FLOOR OF FALL.
AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, THE PROS OF THE SIDE IT'S WITHIN THE JURISDICTION, IT'S DOWNTOWN AND SOMEONE BY THE CITY AND AVAILABLE FOR USE, UM, THE MCCOMBS AND IT'S THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE WAS A 2018 BOND TO USE AS THE ARCHIVAL USE FOR THE AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER.
THE FIRST FLOOR OF, UH, THE FALL AS A MEET DECK NEEDS, THERE'S PARKING ISSUES.
UM, THERE'S ACCESSIBILITY TO THE SITE, DO THE MINIMUM MINIMAL ONSITE PARKING AS WELL AS SOME SECURITY ISSUES AND MAJOR UPGRADES TO THE MECHANICAL ENGINEERING AND PLUMBING SYSTEMS AND COMPONENTS SLIDE.
UH, SO THIS IS THE SAME THING, MUNICIPAL BUILDING, WHICH IS THE OLD CITY HALL, UM, THAT MANY OF YOU WERE AWARE OF THE PROS.
SIMILARLY, IT'S WITHIN THE JURISDICTION, IT'S DOWNTOWN, IT'S OWNED BY THE CITY, UH, AND, AND THIS SPACE DOES ACTUALLY HAVE THE REQUIRED AND THAT SQUARE FEET AVAILABLE.
UH, AND IT IS OF COURSE, AVAILABLE FOR CITY STAFF, IF WE ARE ABLE TO RELOCATE THE INDIVIDUALS IN THAT SPACE.
SO THERE CURRENTLY IS A CURRENT USE, UM, WITH THE, THE PURCHASER'S OFFICE AND, UM, AND OTHER FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUPS THAT ARE CURRENTLY USING THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING.
THEY'RE SOME OF THE CONS SAME THING.
PARKING IS, THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH THIS SITE.
UM, SO DOORS AND RAMPS WOULD NEED TO BE, UH, EQUIPMENT, THIS FACILITY, UH, TOTAL INTERIOR DEMOLITION TO REMOVE THE EXISTING ASSESSES.
THE LEND MATERIALS WOULD BE REQUIRED.
AND THEN THE EXISTING MEP MECHANICAL ELECTRICAL AND PLUMBING SYSTEMS WOULD BE NEEDED TO BE REMOVED AND REWORKED.
SO FOR THOSE PURPOSES, WE, WE DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO MOVE FORWARD DOWN THAT PATH.
AND THAT'S EXPLAINED IN THAT MEMO ON THE 17TH.
SO WHAT WE HAVE LINED UP IS BRINGING TO COUNCIL A, THE LEASE THAT WE HAD ACTUALLY BEEN PURSUING, UH, OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, WE WOULD LIKE TO BRING THAT ON THE NOVEMBER 12TH COUNCIL, UH, MEETING AGENDA FOR COUNCIL TO CONSIDER, UM, SOME OF THE JUST QUICK BULLET POINTS OF THIS FACILITY THAT WE WOULD BE BRINGING AS A LEASES THAT'S APPROXIMATELY 30,000 SQUARE FEET WITH AMENITIES, AND WOULD BE A THREE STORY BUILDING, UM, WITH POTENTIALLY 45 UNDERGROUND PARKING SPACES FOR STAFF AND, UM, CLIENTS THERE WOULD BE ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND THE CITY SHUTTLE, UH, IT WOULD BE A 10 YEAR LEASE WITH AN OPTION TO PURCHASE AFTER THE INITIAL 10 YEAR TERM.
AND FOR SOME REASON WE CHOSE NOT TO, OR FOR SOME REASON, IF WE JUST CHOSE NOT TO PURCHASE, WE WOULD HAVE AN OPTION TO EXTEND FOR AN ADDITIONAL 10 YEARS, THE, THE COST FOR THE ENTIRE LEASE, INCLUDING ALL OF THE BUILD OUT, UH, FOR THAT FACILITY WOULD BE ROUGHLY $21 MILLION OVER THAT FIRST 10 YEAR TERM.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE COST PER SQUARE FOOT ANNUALLY FOR THAT FIRST YEAR AND HOW THERE'S A 2% ANNUAL INCREASE.
[02:55:01]
SO THAT'S JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHAT THAT LEASE THAT WE'RE PLANNING TO BRING ON THE 12TH WOULD LOOK LIKE AND WHAT WE WOULD BE ASKING COUNCIL ACTION FOR.UH, THE NEXT SLIDE IS JUST SOME CONCEPTUALS BASED ON THE WORK THAT, UM, JUDGE COFFEE AND PETE VALDEZ HAVE DONE WITH LANDLORD WITH OUR OFFICE, UH, AND WORKING ON DOING SOME DESIGN WORK OF THE FACILITY.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE CONCEPTUAL DESIGN, ALL NEW CONSTRUCTION WITH A MODERN DESIGN, UM, UH, THAT WE WOULD WANT TO BRING.
AND JUST, JUST ONE THING TO NOTE AS THIS LITTLE SECTION ON EAST SECOND, UH, I KNOW, UM, IT VALDEZ AND MENTIONED IN THE PREVIOUS, UM, PRESENTATION ABOUT THEY ARE CURRENTLY USING THE TERAZA LIBRARY, AND THIS IS ROUGHLY, UM, TWO BLOCKS FROM THE THRACE LIBRARY.
AND SO FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THEY ARE GETTING JUST AS MUCH IF NOT MORE CLIENTS UTILIZING THAT SPACE, UH, AT THE TERAZOSIN.
AND SO THIS IS NOT FAR FROM ONE LOCATION AS WELL.
THE NEXT SLIDE IS JUST SOME FLOOR PLANS.
LIKE I SAID, THIS WOULD BE A THREE STORY FACILITY.
SO THE FIRST FLOOR IS THE TOP LEFT, THE SECOND FLOOR TOP, RIGHT.
AND THEN THE THIRD FLOOR IN THE BOTTOM, BUT YOU CAN SEE ON THE TOP LEFT FLOOR PLAN, THE ENTRY IS KIND OF AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT OF THAT FIRST FLOOR PLAN, UH, HOW YOU WOULD WORK, HOW YOU GET INTO THE FACILITY, GO THROUGH A SECURITY, UH, AND BE ABLE TO ACCESS, UM, THE COURTROOMS, THE LOBBY, THE WAITING AREA, AND THEN A SECURED SPACE, OF COURSE, BEHIND THAT, BEHIND THOSE WALLS, GETTING UP TO THE SECOND AND THIRD FLOORS FOR THE STAFF JUDGES OFFICE AND MEETING ROOMS AS WELL.
SO QUICK TIMELINE OVERVIEW OF WHAT, WHAT THIS WOULD LOOK LIKE IF WE DID MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS LISA, OF COURSE, IT'S ON, WE WOULD PLAN TO HAVE IT ON THE NOVEMBER 12TH AGENDA.
WE WOULD HOPEFULLY EXECUTE THE LEASE AGREEMENT IN DECEMBER.
UM, NEXT, I'M SORRY, DECEMBER OF 2020, THE, THE, UH, LANDLORD, UM, OWNER WOULD SECURE PERMITTING, HOPEFULLY IN JANUARY, 2010, AND THEN WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT, BECAUSE THIS IS A FULL BUILD OUT OF ESSENTIALLY A NEW FACILITY RIGHT NOW.
IT'S JUST A ONE STORY BUILDING.
AND SO THIS WOULD TAKE A FULL BUILD OUT OF FIRST, SECOND, THIRD FLOOR, IT'S 12 TO 18 MONTHS.
AND SO WE DID GO WITH THE 18 MONTH TIMELINE FOR JUNE 22ND WITH A MOVE MOVE IN BY JULY, 2022.
UM, SO JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHAT THAT TIMELINE WOULD LOOK LIKE IF WE DID MOVE FORWARD AS PLANNED WITH THIS LEASE AGREEMENT.
AND THEN JUST AS A ADDITIONAL BACKUP OF THE JURISDICTIONAL MAP, SHOWING THE CURRENT LOCATION ON SIXTH STREET, AND THEN WHERE THIS LEASE LOCATION WOULD BE ON EAST SECOND STREET COLLEAGUES QUESTIONS FOR REAL ESTATE OR FOR PEOPLE COMES FROM BECAUSE ARE SO I, I CAN STRUGGLE WITH, WITH THIS IDEA, UM, FOR ME THOUGH, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND WE NEED TO ADD NEW CITY BUILDINGS AS WE'RE GROWING CITY WITH GROWING NEEDS AND GROWING STAFF.
UM, AND THOSE BUILDINGS DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE IN THE CORE DOWNTOWN AREA.
IT DOES MAKE SENSE, AND THIS IS WHAT IS REQUIRED TO BE DOWNTOWN OR AS CLOSE TO IT AS WE CAN.
WHAT I STRUGGLE WITH IN THE FEASIBILITY STUDY THAT YOU PRESENTED IS THAT IT WOULD COST US A GOOD CHUNK OF MONEY TO RENOVATE THE FAULT OR A GOOD CHUNK OF MONEY TO RENOVATE THE OLD CITY HALL.
UM, BUT SINCE THOSE BUILDINGS ARE NEVER GOING TO BE TORN DOWN BECAUSE THEY'RE HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND THEY'RE GREAT BUILDINGS, UH, SO NOBODY'S TALKING ABOUT TEARING THEM DOWN WHEN, WHEN IS IT RIGHT FOR THE CITY TO RENOVATE THOSE SO THAT THEY'RE MODERN AND GOOD FOR PEOPLE TO WORK IN? I MEAN, THAT MAKES SENSE.
LIKE WE'RE GONNA RENOVATE THOSE THINGS, THOSE BUILDINGS EVENTUALLY, UNLESS WE JUST WANT THEM TO BE TOTALLY LESS.
WE WANT TO TOTALLY NEGLECT SOME OF THE CITY'S OLDEST ASSETS.
SO WHEN IS IT APPROPRIATE TO RENOVATE THOSE BUILDINGS? WHAT USE IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR US TO RE TO RENOVATE THOSE BUILDINGS FOR THAT? THAT'S THE THING I'M STRUGGLING WITH IS IF IT WAS A BUILDING THAT MAYBE HAS REACHED THE END OF ITS USEFUL LIFE, THAT MAYBE IT'S NOT WORTH THE EXTRA EXPENSE RENOVATING IT, BUT MY ASSUMPTIONS WERE EVENTUALLY GOING TO RENOVATE THE OLD CITY HALL AND THESE IN BUILDINGS.
I THINK, UM, THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD WANT TO KEEP, YOU KNOW, LONGTERM
[03:00:01]
FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, RIGHT? LIKE I AGREE THAT THERE THERE'S A PATH WHERE WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT BUILDING, UM, CAN BE USED FOR.I KNOW THERE'S, THERE'S BEEN A MULTITUDE OF DIFFERENT, UH, TYPES OF USES THAT IT COULD BE USED FOR.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW, I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT WITH A LITTLE COUNCIL MEMBER, AND I KNOW I'VE TALKED WITH OTHER OFFICES AS WELL ABOUT, ABOUT SOME OF THOSE OTHER USES.
UM, AND I THINK IT'S PART OF THIS OVERALL, THIS OVERARCHING CONVERSATION ABOUT ALL OUR FACILITIES.
I KNOW WE HAVE DIRECTIONS ON, UM, RUNNING FROM LANE, WE'RE WORKING ON ONE TEXAS CENTER.
UM, THERE'S OTHER PROPERTIES THAT, YOU KNOW, HAVE REACHED THEIR, THEIR USEFUL LIVES.
UH, AND WE'RE WORKING ON TRYING TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL AND SAY, HERE'S THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW? I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TO WHAT THE USE OF THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING IS IN THE FUTURE, BUT I THINK THERE IS, LIKE YOU SAID, THEY USE FOR THAT.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER RIGHT NOW, BUT I AGREE THAT GETTING AN ANSWER TO THAT, AS WELL AS ALL THE OTHER FACILITIES WITHIN THE CITY BACK TO COUNCIL AND PROVIDING SOME RECOMMENDATIONS OF WHAT WE SEE, BUT ALSO WORKING WITH YOUR OFFICES TO GET YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL, FROM WHAT THOSE FACILITIES ARE, WHAT THOSE BUILDINGS CAN BE USED FOR, UH, IF NOT WORKING WITH EDD AND THE COUNTY.
WELL, IT'S LIKE ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS FOR NOT USING THAT FUNDING FOR THIS WAS BECAUSE IT MIGHT BE EXPENSIVE, BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT'S AN EXPENSE WE'RE GOING TO INCUR SOONER OR LATER, NO MATTER WHAT IS TO RENOVATE THAT BUILDING.
AND SO IT'S HARD FOR ME TO SAY THAT THAT'S MORE EXPENSIVE OTHER OPTIONS BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT AT SOME POINT SOON.
I MEAN, THAT'S DEFINITELY ONE OF THE THINGS, THE EXPENSE FOR IT.
I THINK PARKING KIND OF BIG ITEM THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT DIDN'T SEEM FEASIBLE FOR IT AS WELL AS THE TIMING.
SO THE TIMING TO DO THE RENOVATIONS, THE COST TO DO THE RENOVATIONS, AND THEN THE ISSUE FOR THE PARKING, I THINK PUSHED US AWAY OF SAYING THE CURRENT PENCIL BACK.
AND I KNOW THERE'S A COST TO GO LEASE A FACILITY AS WELL, RIGHT? LIKE I KNOW THAT'S A LARGE COST THAT WE'RE BRINGING TO COUNCIL, UH, POTENTIALLY FOR THAT LEASE.
UM, BUT I THINK FOR THE, THE TIMING, THE PARKING, UH, AND THE COST IS WHERE I THINK WE WEREN'T READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH GOING DOWN THAT PATH FOR DEC.
BECAUSE OF THE TIMING ISSUE, YOU HAVE TO MOVE THE STAFF THAT IS IN THERE OUT, FIND THEM A PLACE TO GO RENOVATE THE BUILDING AND MOVE PEOPLE IN.
AND YOU'RE SAYING THAT TAKES MUCH LONGER THAN 2020 TO CORRECT IT.
IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ME BETWEEN HERE AND D A BENEFIT HOW MUCH THAT WOULD TAKE, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH ALEX, I THINK YOU AND I KEEP FIGHTING THAT NEW BUTTON, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER RUNNING HIS HOUSE.
DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT ON THIS? THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, CAUSE OUR, YOUR QUESTION IS A VERY VALID QUESTION OF THE BOAT BUILDINGS.
THEY'RE BOTH BEAUTIFUL ASSETS OF THE CITY AND WHAT ALEX IS PRESENTING ISN'T NECESSARILY TERRIBLY, UH, THOUGHT ON NOT UTILIZING BOTH BUILDINGS, BUT UTILIZING THEM FOR THIS SPECIFIC PURPOSE.
UM, IN THE PAST, THE WAY THAT WE'VE APPROACHED FORMER CITY BUILDINGS SAID, UH, ARE CHANGING IT'S SERIES.
WE TYPICALLY WILL GO FORWARD WITH SOME SORT OF PLAN TO FIGURE OUT AND YOU KNOW, WHAT WE CAN USE TO SPEND ON THESE FOUR HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY, WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THOSE BUILDINGS.
UM, AND THEN COME BACK TO COUNCIL WITH KIND OF A RANGE OF OPTIONS OF HOW TO USE THOSE BUILDINGS, WHAT THE COSTS ENTAILS, WHAT THE TIME CONSIDERATIONS ARE, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND SO JUST TO SUPPORT WHAT ALEX HAD SAID, WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY TALKING ABOUT THAT.
WE CAN'T EVER USE THESE BUILDINGS, BUT THE QUESTION IN FRONT OF US IS WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD USE THESE BUILDINGS FOR THIS PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
AND SO WE TALKED WITH PUBLIC WORKS.
IT DIDN'T SEEM RIGHT, BUT WE CERTAINLY ARE OPEN TO HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT JUST BROADLY, HOW CAN WE REPURPOSE THOSE, THOSE FACILITIES AND WHAT MIGHT WE USE SOME FOR? AND I WOULD JUST ADD TO COUNCILMAN KOSSAR'S THOUGHTS ON THIS.
WHEN I LOOK AT THE CONS THAT ARE LISTED PARKING AND ACCESSIBILITY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, THOSE ARE EITHER, AND THEN, THEN THE
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BUILDING ISSUES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SOLVE FOR THAT, NO MATTER WHAT.AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A BUILDING LOCATION, WHICH IS PROXIMATE TO OUR BUSIEST AND MOST WELL-SERVED TRANSIT CORRIDOR.
SO I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT PARKING IS A LIMITATION BECAUSE THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST SERVED AREAS WITH TRANSIT.
AND THE OTHER ISSUES ARE ISSUES THAT WOULD BE PRESENT NO MATTER WHAT POTENTIAL USE WAS PROPOSED ACCESSIBILITY WOULD BE A PROBLEM AS BEST AS, I MEAN, THAT KIND OF STUFF.
I'M A LITTLE, I'M A LITTLE CONVINCED, A LITTLE, A LITTLE, A LITTLE CONVINCED BY THE AMOUNT OF TIME, BUT IF IT'S 18 TO 24 MONTHS TO BUILD A BUILDING FROM SCRATCH, I'M NOT HEARING WHAT THAT COMPETING ISSUE IS.
UM, LET'S, LET'S JUST KIND OF WHERE MY HEAD IS AT ON THIS AND TOMMY'S, AND I WE'RE 10 MINUTES OVER AND YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THAT BUGS ME, BUT I WILL, UH, UH, HOPEFULLY IF THERE ARE OTHER QUESTIONS WE CAN GET THEM ANSWERED QUICKLY, WE ARE NOT TAKING ACTION ON THIS ITEM TODAY.
THIS WAS AN INFORMATION ITEM FROM STAFF.
UM, AND, AND, UH, MS. VALDEZ, MS. MENDOZA, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR, UH, BRINGING THIS TO THE COMMITTEE AND ALLOWING US TO PUT IT ON THE MEETING TODAY.
I THINK SOME OF US ARE GOING TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION AFTERWARDS AND FIGURE OUT WHAT WE THINK THE BEST PATH FORWARD IS.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE END OF OUR AGENDA TODAY, COLLEAGUES? UM, YEAH, I WOULD ASK, I THINK THIS IS A VERY INTERESTING CONVERSATION.
I WOULD ASK IF THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS STILL GOING AROUND THE THOUGHT, UM, THAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAT, THAT THAT'D BE MADE KNOWN TO THE MANY PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY WHO HAVE WEIGHED IN, ON, ON THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING THE COMMITMENT TO THE VOTERS WHO SUPPORTED THOSE BONDS.
SO LET'S, LET'S PENCIL IN AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT IT AT THE WORK SESSION SO THAT THOSE STAKEHOLDERS UNDERSTAND WHETHER THERE'S A DIFFERENT PROPOSAL COMING IN.
I UNDERSTOOD COUNCIL MEMBER, CASARA YOUR COMMENTS TO REALLY BE ABOUT THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING.
AND I'M NOT SURE WHETHER, WHETHER THAT IS, UM, AND I THOUGHT THOSE WERE VERY INTERESTING AND VALID CONSIDERATIONS, BUT IF THERE IS STILL AN INTEREST IN CONTINUING TO PURSUE THE FOC, I WOULD APPRECIATE, UM, AND I'M SURE OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY WOULD APPRECIATE A HEADS UP SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A FULL CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.
THERE WAS NO INTEREST FROM ME, THE CONS ON THE FALL COME ABOUT THE LACK OF SPACE ON THE FIRST FLOOR, CLOSES THE DOOR ON THAT AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.
I WOULD WELCOME IF ANYONE ELSE HAS THOUGHTS ON IT THIS TIME I'M HAPPY TO CHIME IN THERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT WE SHOULD STILL A HUNDRED PERCENT MEET WHAT IT WAS THAT WE SAID IN THE BALLOT PROPOSITION.
SO I THINK THAT FOLKS HAVING SOMETIMES RAISED THE QUESTION, ARE WE GOING TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN THE BALLOT PROPOSITION? I'VE ALWAYS SAID, NO, THE QUESTION IS, WAS THERE AN ADDITIONAL, IS THERE ENOUGH ADDITIONAL SPACE THAT WASN'T THE CONTEMPLATING, THE BALLOT PROPOSITION FOR DAC OR SOME COMPONENTS OF THE DECK? IT SEEMS LIKE THE ANSWER IS NOT THE WHOLE DECK BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH ROOM.
UM, I HAVEN'T ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT, UH, COMPONENTS OF IT, UM, UH, FILLING INTO ANY SPACE THAT WASN'T COMMITTED IN THE, FOR THE VOTER COMPOSITION.
I MEAN, WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION IN A FULLER WAY THAN IT WAS, YOU KNOW, THEY DO HAVE SPACE NEEDS FOR THE ENTIRE FACILITY, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, BUT AGAIN, IF IT'S A MOOT POINT, WE DON'T NEED TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, BUT IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S STILL AN INTEREST IN CONSIDERING FOR THAT PRACTICE FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH IT.
MY UNDERSTANDING OF THIS, UH, YOU GUYS WERE A TOPO IS THE SAME AS COUNCIL MEMBER FLANAGAN'S.
UH, SO, UH, I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THE COURSE THAT WE'RE OVER ON AT THIS POINT.
I WILL SAY THAT THAT OTHER BUILDING IS JUST ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS.
AND, AND I WANT US TO FIND A USE, UH, TO, TO BE ABLE TO USE THAT.
UH, AND IT'S SUCH A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING THAT HAVING SOMETHING THAT RELATES CULTURALLY OR SOMETHING THAT RELATES TO THAT PART OF OUR CITY, I THINK WOULD BE PHENOMENAL.
SO THAT, THAT BECOMES A VERY PUBLICLY USED SPACE.
ONE OF THE PRETTIEST STRUCTURES, I THINK WE HAVE, ALRIGHT, SORRY TO CUT YOU OFF FROM THERE.
I TOOK 13 MINUTES OF YOUR TIME AWAY.
UH, THIS MEETING OF THE PUBLIC COMMITTEE IS ADJOURNED.