Mar 11, 2021 Housing and Planning Committee

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ABOUT, UH, THE SPEAKERS.

WHEN, WHEN WILL OUR SPEAKER BE SPEAKING TODAY? OH, THAT'S RIGHT.

WE HAVE A SPEAKER.

WHY DON'T WE JUST TAKE THEM? UM, YOU CAN JUST TAKE THEM UP FIRST.

SO I'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER WE'LL WE'LL HEAR FROM THEM AND, UH, AND THEN GO FROM THERE.

[CALL TO ORDER ]

WELL, THANKS.

Y'ALL UH, I'LL CONVENE THE MEETING NOW.

IT'S 3:34 PM.

UM, GREG KESADA CHAIR OF THE HOUSING AND PLANNING COMMITTEE JOINED HERE BY VICE-CHAIR AND DIDIA ALONG WITH COUNSELING, BRUCE KITCHEN AND THE MAYOR PRO TEM.

UH, WE'RE READING VIRTUALLY.

SO BEFORE WE TAKE

[Citizen Communication: General ]

ARE YOU ABLE TO HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN.

YEAH.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS.

I'M JUST AN OPIATE JOSEPH.

I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS SPECIFICALLY TO YOUR AGENDA ITEMS AS IT RELATES TO ITEM TWO, WHICH IS SPECIFICALLY ANTI-DISPLACEMENT INVESTMENTS.

I JUST HAVE A QUESTION.

IF WHEN YOU GET TO THE ITEM, IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO THE $25 AN HOUR, IT'S ON PAGE SIX OF 13, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW MANY HOURS, WHAT THE INDIVIDUALS ARE EXPECTED TO DO AND WHAT THE DEADLINE IS FOR THEM TO APPLY.

UM, PERHAPS IF YOU HAVE A TOTAL ESTIMATE AS TO HOW MUCH YOU ANTICIPATE PAYING EACH INDIVIDUAL, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL AS WELL.

I WANTED TO ASK SPECIFICALLY, AS IT RELATES TO THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT INVESTMENTS, IF THE EQUITY OFFICE WILL BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION REZONING, I'M SPECIFICALLY REFERRING TO THE BLUE LINE ON RIVERSIDE.

AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE THE UPROOTED ARTHUR'S, AS YOU MAY BE AWARE HEATHER WAY ELIZABETH MUELLER AND JACK WEGMAN, THEY ACTUALLY, UM, PINNED AN ARTICLE ON OCTOBER 23RD, 2019, WHICH WAS SHORTLY AFTER COUNCIL REZONE THAT AREA.

AND THEY BASICALLY SAID IT WAS A FLAWED APPROACH ALONG THE EAST RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE GOLD LINE, EVEN THOUGH THAT'S NOT THE LOCALLY PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE, I'M SPECIFICALLY REFERRING TO AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE HIGHLANDS TO THAT DEVELOPMENT.

WHILE I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT.

YOU SOMETIMES MENTIONED THAT YOU MENTIONED IT LAST WEEK ON MARCH 4TH.

I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE DEVELOPER IN COLLABORATION WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOES NOT WANT LOWER THAN 80% AREA, MEDIAN, FAMILY INCOME THERE, AND YOU JUST PASS AND A BLACK AUSTINITES RESOLUTION.

I JUST WANT TO CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION AT WHEN YOU SAY 80% AREA MEDIAN, FAMILY INCOME THAT ACTUALLY EXCLUDES AFRICAN-AMERICANS, UM, IT'S APPROXIMATELY $54,700 FOR 80% AREA MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME, YOUR REPORT THAT WAS IN THE FEBRUARY, 2021, UH, PACKET FOR THE MINORITY.

UH, CHAMBERS ACTUALLY SAID THAT BLACKS AREN'T APPROXIMATELY 42,422, AND HISPANICS ARE IN ABOUT $50,332.

SO I JUST WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THE DISPARATE IMPACT AND WHILE IT'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND IT'S ON A CORRIDOR, YOU STILL ARE NOT REACHING THE INDIVIDUALS THAT MAY BE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM THAT AREA AS IT RELATES TO THE AREA NORTH OF US, ONE 83, I AM SURE YOU ARE AWARE THAT ASPERO RUTLAND WAS ON THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS AGENDA TODAY, AND IT PASSED WHICH I OPPOSED, BUT I DO WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT MAY BE HELPFUL WHEN YOU HAVE ITEMS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE AND ALSO COUNCIL TO HAVE A MAP OVERLAY.

YOU DO HAVE SOME IN YOUR BACKUP MATERIALS, BUT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO SEE THE AREA MEDIAN, FAMILY INCOME THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THE TYPE OF PROJECTS.

AND LASTLY, I'LL JUST ASK AS IT RELATES TO YOUR RENT PROJECT, WHICH IS, UH, ITEM THREE, UH, IF YOU COULD JUST SHARE WHETHER THE RELIEF OF EMERGENCY NEEDS FOR TENANTS IS SPECIFICALLY GOING TO BE ANOTHER LOTTERY DRAWING.

AND IF SO, WHAT THAT DEADLINE IS.

AND THEN FOR THE VENDORS, THIS IS MY LAST COMMENT.

IT'S ELWYN SOME OTTERS TUNNEL, WHICH IS RECEIVING ADDITIONAL FUNDING.

AND I JUST WANT YOU TO BE AWARE THAT THEY CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THE FUNDING.

UM, BUT AFRICAN-AMERICAN NONPROFITS HAVE NOT RECEIVED FUNDING ON PAR.

AND SO THEY'RE AT LEAST LIKELY TO GO TO HELP WHEN SOME ERIC, DONALD, UM, AND SO I JUST WOULD ASK YOU TO KEEP THAT IN MIND, UH, THEY HELPED WITH THE LOTTERY AND THE RISE, AND ALSO WITH THE RENT ASSISTANCE TOO.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.

AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY COMMENTS.

[00:05:01]

AND WE'LL CERTAINLY HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE POINTS THAT YOU, YOU, OR QUESTIONS THAT YOU'VE MENTIONED AS WE GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU.

[1. Approve the minutes of the July 21, September 8, and November 17, 2020, Housing and Planning Committee meeting. ]

SO CAN I GET A MOTION TO PASS THEM ALONG MOTION FROM MAYOR PRO TEM SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER AT NVIDIA ALL IN FAVOR AND THAT'S UNANIMOUS, UM, EVERYBODY ON, UH, ON THE DICE PASSING ITEM, NUMBER ONE.

[2. Briefing regarding the $300 million Project Connect Anti-Displacement funds. ]

GOOD AFTERNOON.

UM, MY NAME IS ERICA LEEK.

I'M THE DEVELOPMENT OFFICER WITH THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.

UM, WE WANTED TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE ARE RELATED TO THE PROJECTS CONNECT ANTI-DISPLACEMENT.

UM, NEXT SLIDE.

SO WE WILL COVER THE FUNDING AMOUNT OF PROCESS AND PROCESS THE SEQUENCE OF WORKING WITH THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, UM, THE PROJECT CONNECT SEQUENCE PLAN, AND ALSO THE MOST RECENT RESOLUTION REGARDING THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT PLAN.

NEXT SLIDE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, UM, AS PART OF THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS, THERE ARE, WERE $300 MILLION INCLUDED, UM, FROM PROJECT TO CONNECT TAX REVENUE, SPECIFICALLY FOR ANTI-DISPLACEMENT STRATEGIES, INCLUDING ACQUIRING REAL PROPERTY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, TO BE ABLE TO START TO USE THOSE FUNDS.

THERE ARE A FEW STEPS WE NEED TO TAKE.

UM, IN THE MEANTIME, ONE OF THOSE INCLUDES CREATING AN INTER LOCAL AGREEMENT OR GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO IMPLEMENT THOSE STRATEGIES.

AND STAFF IS ALREADY IN, UH, WORKING WITH THE STAFF AT AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP TO DEVELOP THAT GRANT AGREEMENT.

AND WE HOPE TO BRING IT FORWARD TO BOTH THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP AND AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, UM, IN THE COMING WEEKS.

AND THEN AT THE SAME TIME, UM, STAFF FROM A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS ARE WORKING WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND CONSULTANTS TO DEVELOP AN EQUITY ASSESSMENT TOOL.

SO I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT NEXT SLIDE.

SO THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL TEAM THAT IS WORKING ON THE EQUITY TOOL INCLUDES THE EQUITY OFFICE, INNOVATION OFFENSE, OFFICE RESILIENCY, OFFICE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT, AND THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.

UM, AS PART OF THE PROCESS TO DEVELOP THAT TOOL, WE RECOGNIZED THAT WE NEEDED TO DEFINE AN ENVIRONMENT TO ADVANCE EQUITY, UM, SO THAT THE TOOL CAN BE EFFECTIVE.

WE ALSO NEEDED TO WORK WITH RESIDENTS TO CREATE THAT TOOL.

AND THEN, UM, OBVIOUSLY THE, THE FUTURE STEP IS TO IMPLEMENT AND ASSESS THE TOOL NEXT SLIDE.

SO IN TERMS OF THE, UM, THE ENVIRONMENT THAT'S NECESSARY FOR THE TOOL TO BE ABLE TO BE EFFECTIVE, IT NEEDED AN ENVIRONMENT THAT REALLY IS CONDUCIVE TO RECEIVING THAT DATA AND INFORMATION IN THE TOOL.

SO THAT INCLUDES CENTERING THE VALUES OF, AND HAVING SHARED MANDATE FOR RACIAL EQUITY TO IDENTIFY AND CORRECT IMBALANCES TO POWER AND DECISION MAKING STRUCTURES.

AND ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SYSTEMS ARE SET UP TO HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY TO PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY DISPLACEMENT PRESSURE.

NEXT SLIDE.

SO PART OF THE WAY THAT WE ARE BEING ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THAT STRATEGY, TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT WILL MAKE THE TOOL SUCCESSFUL IS BY, UM, RECRUITING PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE VULNERABLE TO DISPLACEMENT TO, TO BE PART OF THE TEAM, TO DEVELOP, UH, TO DEVELOP THE EQUITY TOOL.

SO, UM, WE WILL, THE DISPLACEMENT RISK RISK FACTORS ARE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN GENTRIFYING AREAS.

UM, WE WERE USING UPROOTED MAPS FOR THAT, UM, MAKING LESS THAN 43,000 FOR A YEAR HAD EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS, UM, THAT THEY MIGHT LACK ACCESS TO A PERSONAL VEHICLE,

[00:10:02]

SO WE HAD AN APPLICATION PROCESS WHERE PEOPLE NOTED, UM, WHICH RISK FACTORS THEY HAD, AND THEN THAT SCORING CRITERIA WAS USED TO SELECT 30 RESIDENTS.

UM, THAT BEING PAID, UM, $25 AN HOUR WE'RE ESTIMATING, IT WILL BE APPROXIMATELY 30 HOURS OF WORK, UM, AND THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN SELECTED AND, AND THAT PROCESS IS UNDERWAY.

NEXT SLIDE.

SO IN TERMS OF THE, THE WHOLE PROCESS TO DEVELOP THE EQUITY TOOL, UM, ONE OF THE FIRST STAGES OF THE PROCESS IS TO, TO NORMALIZE THE IDEA OF HAVING THIS EQUITY LENS.

AND SO, UM, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT TRAINING SESSIONS WITH THE CONSULTANTS, UM, THE PARTICIPANT PARTICIPANTS AND CITY AND KAT METRO STAFF TO REALLY TALK ABOUT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO CENTER RACIAL EQUITY IN THE DISCUSSIONS.

AND, UM, SO THAT IS INTENDED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL HAVE THE SAME UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THAT MEANS.

AND ALSO TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW WE DO CENTER THOSE VALUES IN THIS PROCESS.

UM, THE NEXT STEP WILL BE TO WORK ON THE CO-CREATION OF THE ACTUAL TOOL, UM, THAT WILL TAKE PLACE OVER A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT SESSIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND CONSULTANTS TO THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PRIORITIES FOR THE FUNDING? UM, AND WHAT WOULD THE OUTCOMES OF THE USE OF THAT FUNDING NEED TO LOOK LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT OUTCOMES ARE EQUITABLE? AND THEN THE THIRD PHASE IS, UM, IS SPEAKING TO ACCOUNTABILITY AND MAKING SURE THAT THE, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE VULNERABLE TO DISPLACEMENT, UM, ARE THAT WE CITY STAFF ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO THOSE PEOPLE.

SO THAT WILL BE AN ONGOING PROCESS.

NEXT SLIDE.

UM, I KNOW THAT YOU ALL HAVE SEEN VERSIONS OF THIS SLIDE MULTIPLE TIMES.

UM, THIS IS SPEAKING TO, UH, WHAT'S HAPPENING AT VARIOUS PHASES IN THE PROCESS.

UM, IN 2021, WE ARE WORKING ON THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT PROGRAM GRANT AGREEMENT.

AND AS I MENTIONED, WE'RE ALL WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW TO BRING IT TO BOTH, UM, BOSTON TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP AND CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.

NEXT SLIDE.

UM, AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE PROJECT CONNECT, UM, SEQUENCE PLAN, THE LAST LINE OF THIS SLIDE SPEAKS TO, UM, THE SCHEDULE FOR THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT FUNDS.

SO THAT INCLUDES A HUNDRED MILLION, UM, IN THE FIRST THREE YEARS.

AND THEN, UM, UH, THE SECOND 200 MILLION ARE SPREAD OUT ACROSS THE FOLLOWING 10 YEARS, AND NOW I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO ANDY DENIAL WITHOUT IF WE CAN GO ONTO THE NEXT SLIDE.

I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT A VERY RECENT DEVELOPMENT, WHICH LAST MONTH, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE RESOLUTION THAT ACKNOWLEDGED THE CONTRACT WITH THE BUILDERS AND ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WE ARE AWAITING, UM, WELL RISING RENT AGREEMENT WITH BOSTON PARTNERSHIP, AS WELL AS THE DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS THERE ARE CONVENTIONS, BUT RECOGNIZING THAT THERE IS URGENCY, UM, NICE, FAIRLY FAST WITH, AND ACCORDINGLY COUNCIL DIRECTING US TO MAKE AVAILABLE.

MY VERY SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES WITH WHERE EXCITED TO GET STARTED.

SO IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU WANT TO DESCRIBE THOSE TWO, UH, PRIORITIES THAT WE'RE ARTICULATING IN, UM, IN THE RESOLUTION WHERE BOTH LAND ACQUISITION AND PRESERVATION OF EXISTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

AND I'LL START FIRST WITH LAND IS ACHIEVED.

UM, THIS WAS TO PRIORITIZE COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.

SO I HAVE A ONE C THREE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO BE ABLE TO

[00:15:01]

THE FOCUS SHOULD BE ON AREAS THAT ARE VULNERABLE TO DISPLACEMENT AND FOCUS NEEDS TO BE, UM, THE BORDERS.

SO THAT'S ONE FOCUS OF THE 23 NINE.

THE OTHER FOCUS IS PRESERVATION.

SO REALLY BEING ABLE TO STRIKE QUICKLY, PROVIDING US WITH THE FUNDING, WHAT ARE TO FACILITATE THAT TO PRESERVE EXISTING RENTAL OR OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN LARGER SITES.

SO REALLY GREATER THAN IGNORANCE IN FIVE MINUTES, WE WANT TO ENABLE THE CREATION OF COOPERATE PROPERTY.

ONE PARTNER WITH NONPROFITS THAT HAVE DEMONSTRATED STRONG RECORD IN AFFORDABLE COUNSELING.

AGAIN, JUST LIKE LAND ACQUISITION.

WE'RE FOCUSING DIRECTORIES THAT ARE VULNERABLE DISPLACEMENT AND ON PROJECT CAPACITY, OR GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

I CAN TALK ABOUT NEXT STEPS REGARDING THAT RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED AGAIN JUST LAST MONTH WHEN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING PROGRAM GUIDELINES, WHICH MY OUT THE PROGRAM PARAMETERS AND THE PROCESSES FOR NONPROFITS TO BE ABLE TO TAP INTO THIS FUNDING.

UM, WE ARE ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING IN RFQ REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS SO THAT WE CAN REACH CERTIFIED QUALIFIED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.

UM, AND THE FUNDING WOULD BE DEPLOYED, UH, EXCLUSIVELY TO THOSE PRE-CERTIFIED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.

THE REASON FOR THE RFQ PROCESS IS WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO WEIGH THE FUNDING QUICKLY RIGHT NOW, YOU ALL MAY KNOW, AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR OBLIGATION BONDS, WE HAVE A QUARTERLY APPLICATION PROCESS, UM, WHERE ALL OF OUR FUNDING AND WE HAVE HEARD FROM SOME OF OUR NONPROFITS DECLARE A SMALLER AMOUNT PROFIT TIMING THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS ALIGN WITH THE TIMING NECESSARY IN ORDER TO DO SOME RAPID ACQUISITION.

SO WE WANT TO CREATE A SEPARATE AVENUE, UM, FOR THOSE FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE FUNDING.

UM, BUT WE WANT TO CREATE A PROCESS WHERE WE HAVE PRE-CERTIFIED THE ORGANIZATION.

SO WE KNOW THAT THE HORRIFIED THAT THEY HAD THE CAPACITY, IF THEY HAD THE UNDERSTANDING ABOUT, UM, VULNERABILITY MOVIES AND THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT MEANS OF ALIGNING, ALIGNING WITH PORTABILITY ORDERS.

SO THE RFP WILL FOLLOW OUR CURRENT HFC AUSTIN OPERATION POLICIES ADOPTED IN DECEMBER WHEN, AND DEPENDING ON THE LEVEL OF FUNDING, UM, THIS MAY BE ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED, EIGHT H S C UP TO $300,000.

IF IN FACT, UM, FUNDING IS HIGHER THAN 3000 VOLUNTEERS THROUGH THE PROCESS TO COME TO AGENCY FOR GUARANTEED IT IN FULL, UM, OR YOU GO TO THE NEXT NIGHT, WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

IF NOT, YOU NEED TO HAVE THE RFQ RACK READY IN ORDER TO GET BACK OUT ON THE STREET ALREADY BEGAN CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME OF OUR PARTNERS, UM, IN ORDER TO GET A BETTER PAINTING, UM, REQUIREMENTS OR QUALIFICATIONS THAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE.

THANK YOU.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS, COUNCIL ON RED ENTITY AND THEN MARATHONS, AND THEN TELL YOU, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, UH, IS, IS MOST OF THE LAND PURCHASES OR KEEPING THE AFFORDABILITY AND ANTI-DISPLACEMENT, IS THAT ALL GOING TO BE CONCENTRATED ON THE BLUE, THE ORANGE LINE? AND, UM, WHAT'S THE OTHER ONE BEHIND IMPROVEMENT? SO ERICA, PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT NO, THE, UH, WE ARE NOT GEOGRAPHICALLY LIMITED.

OUR LIMITATION FOR THE FEDERAL COMMUNITY ADMINISTRATION IS WE NEED TO BE MIRANDA ACQUISITION WITHIN IDEALLY ONE HALF MILE, BUT THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY TO DO ONE MILE OF A PROJECT CONNECT LINE.

SO THAT COULD BE ANY UPPER ALONE, AND WE ARE NOT LIMITING OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS IN TERMS OF LAND ACQUISITION TO THE BLUE LINE FOR THE ALARMS. THE LIMIT IS VERY

[00:20:01]

GREAT.

THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION THEN COUNCIL MEMBER.

THANK YOU, CHAIR.

I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT ONSITE NUMBER 11.

UM, WE SPOKE SPECIFICALLY TO PRESERVATION AND YOU SAID LARGER UNITS.

UM, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THIS STORM REALLY HAS OUR EXISTING AFFORDABLE, UM, BUT SOMEWHAT OLDER HOUSING STOCK, UH, ESPECIALLY MULTIFAMILY HOUSING STOCK ON MY MIND.

AND SO I JUST OUT, MOST OF MY QUESTIONS ARE ABOUT THAT PRESERVATION EFFORT.

AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY JUST W WHAT DO WE IN THE WAY OF INFRASTRUCTURAL INVESTMENTS? SO THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN THERE HAS BEEN INTEREST FOR YEARS AROUND THE TOPIC OF PRESERVATION, WHICH AS YOU NOTE IS COMPLICATED, BECAUSE A LOT OF OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHETHER IT'S NATURALLY OCCURRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, OR SOME OF OUR OLDER ACTUALLY CREDIT PROPERTY SO OLDER, BUT INCOME RESTRICTED, MAYBE GOING OUT OF THEIR, UH, RESTRICTIONS, UH, REQUIRES A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT.

AND SO WE WOULD ANTICIPATE A PARTNERSHIP WITH AUSTIN HOUSING, FINANCE CORPORATION AND DEVELOPER, OR PARTNER, UM, OF THE PROPERTY.

UM, AND MOST LIKELY FOR MOST OF THESE PROPERTIES THAT WE'RE CONTEMPLATING, IT WOULD INVOLVE RECAPITALIZATION.

WE WOULD NEED TO ASSESS THE LEVEL OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE NECESSARY.

WE NEED TO LOOK AT REFINANCING, PERHAPS, UH, BUYING FOR NEW TAX CREDITS.

SO RE RE SYNDICATING, UM, THE TAX CREDITS.

IT IS A LENGTHY AND COMPLICATED, AND FRANKLY EXPENSIVE PROCESS.

WE RELY HEAVILY NOT JUST ON OUR, WITH FANTASTIC CITY LEGAL FOLKS.

UM, BUT WE ALSO RELY ON OUTSIDE COUNSEL AND OUTSIDE FINANCIAL ADVISORS TO MAKE THESE THINGS HAPPEN.

UM, AND THAT WOULD PRIMARILY BE RELATED TO OUR LARGER, UH, MORE TO MULTI FAMILY PROPERTY.

SO I THINK PROPERTIES IN THE 100 PLUS UNITS, UM, THERE, THERE ARE SOME OPPORTUNITIES WITH SOME OF OUR MID RANGE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT MAY NOT REQUIRE THE SAME AMOUNT OF, UH, RECAPITALIZATION OR INVESTMENTS.

UM, BUT, UH, THERE ARE CHALLENGES WITH THAT BECAUSE THE MARKET CAN OFTEN ACT MORE QUICKLY, UM, THAN WE AS A COMPANY.

I'M SORRY, YOU'RE ON MUTE THERE FOR 10.

THANK YOU.

UM, UH, I APPRECIATE THAT.

AND AS YOU WERE SPEAKING, I JUST KEPT FINDING MYSELF THINKING, YOU KNOW, THE VARYING DEGREES IT'S TEARED, RIGHT? AND YOU SAID MID RANGE, WHICH I HADN'T HEARD BEFORE.

UM, BUT IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.

I THINK FOR ME, AS I'M PUTTING TOGETHER AND DIRECTOR TRUE LOVE IS HELPING ME PUT TOGETHER A LIST OF COMPLEXES THAT ARE TAX CREDIT COMPLEXES THAT ARE INCOME RESTRICTED, YOU KNOW, AS IN BY DISTRICT, BECAUSE WE, WE JUST, WE SUFFERED A LOT OF DAMAGE IN MY DISTRICT.

AND SO THAT TO SAY, WHEN YOU SAY MID RANGE OR WHAT I'M THINKING OF, AS YOU KNOW, SORT OF REALLY THE OLDER OLDEST HOUSING STOCK, IF THERE WERE SOME PARAMETERS FOR DEFINITIONS THERE, I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO GIVE IT TO ME.

NOW, I JUST WONDER IF Y'ALL HAVE SOME THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON.

AND I'M SORRY, WHEN I SAID MID RANGE, I DID NOT MEAN FROM A COST PERSPECTIVE.

I MEANT FROM A SIZE PERSPECTIVE.

SORRY ABOUT THAT.

SO, UM, I, UH, IN MY MIND, BECAUSE THIS IS THE WAY THE CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT OFTEN DIVIDES UP PROPERTIES, I THINK, UH, UM, LESS THAN FIVE UNITS.

SO ONE, ONE TO FOUR UNITS AND THEN THE FIVE TO 50 UNITS, AND THEN 50 AND LARGER, ALTHOUGH WE DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT BETWEEN THAT RANGE.

UM, SO THE LARGER COMPLEXES, WHICH I THINK BASED ON SOME OF OUR COMPETITIONS IN YOUR DISTRICT THAT SUFFERED A LOT OF DAMAGE ARE A LOT OF THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE MAYBE NOT SUBSIDIZED BY US, UM, BUT HAVE BEEN SUBSIDIZED BY HUD GOVERNMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN THE PAST, OR CURRENTLY HAVE A PROJECT BASED VOUCHER ON THEM.

UM, SO WE HAD SOME LIMITED ABILITY, UM, TO INFLUENCE IN THOSE SITUATIONS.

WE HAVE MORE ABILITY TO EXERT INFLUENCE WHEN WE ACTUALLY HAVE SUBSIDIZES PROPERTIES, THEN THOSE WILL BE MOST, UM, THANKS.

I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE, UM, ALLOCATION OF THE 23 MILLION.

UM, AND

[00:25:01]

SO, UM, I KNOW THE LANGUAGE, UH, TALKS ABOUT AREAS VULNERABLE TO PLACEMENT ALONG PROJECT CONNECT, HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT QUARTERS, BUT I WOULD URGE YOU ALL TO PRIORITIZE BECAUSE THE REASON FOR UPFRONTING THE 23 MILLION WAS TO GET AHEAD OF THE CURVE AREAS THAT ARE COMING FIRST.

SO IF, IF, UM, YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW IT'S NOT THAT SPECIFIC IN THE RESOLUTION WE PASSED, CAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO TIE YOUR HANDS, YOU KNOW, TO SEE WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE OUT THERE.

BUT I REALLY WOULD S I, I, I WOULD BE CONCERNED IF WE'RE NOT, IF WE DON'T USE THIS 23 MILLION TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF REALLY TRYING TO PROTECT FOR ANTI-DISPLACEMENT ALONG THOSE LINES THAT ARE COMING UP FIRST, UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS THE IDEA BEHIND UPFRONTING THE 23 MILLION THIS YEAR TO GET A START ON THAT.

SO, UM, SO I I'M, I'M GOING TO WANT A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ABOUT HOW YOU'RE LOOKING AT AREAS AND IN YOUR SELECTION PROCESS, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT, UM, IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO, TO HAVE THAT AS ONE OF YOUR CRITERIA.

I MEAN, NOT, NOT AS A HARD AND FAST CRITERIA, BUT IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE AS PART OF YOUR SELECTION PROCESS, IF YOU'RE TRYING TO DECIDE BETWEEN AREAS, I'M GOING TO LOSE THE PURPOSE OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, THOSE, THAT 300 MILLION IS SUPPOSED TO BE TO HELP WITH ANTI-DISPLACEMENT ALONG THOSE LINES.

SO, UM, SO I UNDERSTAND THERE'LL BE A SCORING TOOL, RIGHT? THAT YOU ALL WILL BE, HOW ARE YOU GONNA, I MEAN, I MEAN, HOW ARE YOU TO DO THAT? SO, UH, OUR PLAN WAS TO DEVELOP A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS, FOR PARTNERS.

UM, AND SO WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT, UM, UH, PRIORITIES.

ONE IS ACQUISITION OF SMALL SITES, WHICH THIS IS REALLY MORE OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS OR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.

UM, MANY OF WHICH ARE NOT PARTICULARLY ACTIVE.

I KNOW INCIDENCE OF FRONT-LOADING, UM, UH, DOLLARS.

THEY'RE NOT PARTICULARLY ACTIVE RIGHT ALONG THE BLUE.

SO WE DON'T WANT TO, WE WANT TO, TO LIMIT THAT WE WANT THEIR ACTIVITY, THEIR PRESERVATION AND ACQUISITION ACTIVITY TO BE, UM, FOCUSED ON AREAS THAT ARE VULNERABLE TO DISPLACEMENT.

UM, BUT I, MAYBE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THESE THINGS.

WELL, I DIDN'T MAKE UP, SORRY.

I SHOULD BE MORE SPECIFIC.

I DIDN'T MEAN NECESSARILY THE BLUE AND ORANGE LINES.

THERE ARE T LINES THAT ARE, THAT ARE HIGH LINES, PLEASANT VALLEY, ALL OF THEM.

AND THERE'S A, AND I THINK THERE'S TWO RIGHT NOW, THE EXPO AND PLEASANT VALLEY THAT ARE FIRST OUT OF THE GATE.

AND THEN OF COURSE THE, UM, ORANGE AND BLUE LINES.

SO I'M JUST SUGGESTING THAT YOU CONSIDER THOSE, WHICH WOULD BE MORE IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF PRIORITY IN TIMELINE.

AND SOME LATER ONES MIGHT BE AGREED.

AGREED.

I UNDERSTAND.

AND HE ASKED THAT WE'LL GO INTO OUR OPTIMIST WHEN WE LOOK AT, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT LATER ABOUT THE 2018 BONDS BEFORE THE DISCUSSION OF A LAND ACQUISITION.

UM, AND WE HAVE BEEN SEEMINGLY IN BEEN TO EVEN BEFORE IT WAS PROJECT CONNECTED, IT WAS JUST THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN.

UM, BUT OUR, OUR LAND ACQUISITION ENSURING THAT OUR LAND ACQUISITION IS ALIGNED WITH PROJECT CONNECT FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE.

SO THAT'S DEFINITELY PLAYS INTO THEN LAST QUESTION, JUST A QUICK ONE CHAIR.

UM, SO WHAT IS YOUR TIMELINE THEN? I'M SORRY FOR, YOU'RE GOING TO DO THE RFQ PROCESS FIRST.

JUST GIVE ME THE CUT TO THE CHASE.

WHAT'S YOUR TIMELINE FOR ACTUALLY MAKING SELECTIONS? SO WE'D LIKE TO GET THE RFQ ON THE STREET IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO, UM, PRE SELECT OUR PARISH AND THEN LET THEM LOOSE INTO THE MARKET.

UM, PROVIDE A, ANY PARAMETERS AND THEN THEY CAN COME TO US FOR RAPID ACQUISITION FUNDING.

UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE ACQUISITIONS OCCURRING THIS SUMMER.

UM, KEEP IN MIND THAT THAT 23 MILLION IS THIS FISCAL YEAR.

UM, SO WE'D CERTAINLY LIKE TO SEE THE FRUITS OF OUR LABOR BY SEPTEMBER 30TH.

I CAN'T GUARANTEE IT.

UM, BUT THEN OF COURSE, OF THE 300 MILLION, A HUNDRED MILLION FRONT LOADED AND THIS FIRST THREE YEARS, UM, SO WE ANTICIPATE ONCE THE EQUITY TOOL HAS DEVELOPED A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF COMMUNITY NEEDS AND BASED ON THE COMMUNITIES FOR PROJECT METHODS, UM, WE'LL BE ABLE TO DEPLOY FUNDING INCLUDING MOST LIKELY WHEN HE GOT POSITION FINALLY, UM, UH, UH, THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND THE EQUITY WORK GUIDED BY THEM.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

[00:30:02]

THANK YOU, CHAIR.

UM, CAN YOU ALL SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SINCE THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT TIMELINES OF A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS TO BE SPENT, WE KNOW THAT LAND COST AND HOUSING PRICES AREN'T GOING DOWN ANY TIME SOON, HAVE YOU GIVEN THOUGHT TO HOW TO GET AHEAD OF THAT MARKET RATE FOR, FOR THOSE ACQUISITIONS, UM, AND HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT EVEN IF YOU COULD ONLY USE A HUNDRED MILLION WITHIN THE FIRST THREE YEARS, HOW TO GET, YOU KNOW, THE MOST, THE MOST BANG FOR THE BUCK, IF YOU WILL, UM, SEEING AS HOW THOSE COSTS ARE ONLY GOING TO BE INCREASING THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, UM, IN TERMS OF JUST LAND ACQUISITION, WHICH KEEP IN MIND THAT THAT IS A PORTION OF THE RIBBON BRITAIN, UM, REALLY THE GOOD NEWS, WHAT ANTI-DISPLACEMENT STRATEGIES THAT HAVE COME AND GET TO BE ENVISIONED, AND REALLY WON'T BE FULLY FLESHED OUT INTO THE BACKROOM, BUT TO LAND ACQUISITIONS SPECIFICALLY.

UM, I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO LEVERAGING OUR OTHER RESOURCES AS A DEPARTMENT, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE GET, UM, A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT AND GROWING AMOUNT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

UM, WE'RE OUR BLOCK GRANT FUNDING, UM, WHICH WOULD HAVE ASKED THE LANE THAT WAS, UM, UM, HAPPENING ACQUISITION.

UM, UH, WE ALSO HAVE A FOUR-STAR GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS TALK ABOUT, WE HAVE A HOUSING TRUST FUND WITH OTHER VERY SPECIFIC FUNDING SOURCES TO ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT IN OUR CONSERVATION DISTRICTS.

SO WE HAVE GEOGRAPHICALLY CONSTRAINED, LOTS OF FUNDING, UM, THAT WE'D LIKE TO LEVERAGE WITH THIS, UH, FUNDING, WHATEVER IS DETERMINED TO BE FOR LAND ACQUISITION, UM, TO BE MORE STRATEGIC WITH OUR FUNDS.

ON TOP OF THAT, I WILL SAY WE HAVE BEEN FAIRLY SUCCESSFUL.

UM, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SOME UPCOMING SUCCESSES WITH PARTNERING WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS WHO HAVE ACCESS, UM, UNDERUTILIZED LAND, UM, IN ADDITION, UM, PARTNERING WITH SOME, UH, OTHER TAXING ENTITIES LIKE AUSTIN, INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT FROM A PROCESS, BUT JUST A PERSONAL ONE TANNAHILL UM, FROM AISD ONE, WHICH ONE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS RIGHT NOW WE'RE PUTTING IT OUT FOR SOLICITATION.

SO WE FEEL LIKE THERE ARE SOME VERY STRATEGIC BASED ON SCALE LANDSCAPES AND STRATEGIC ACQUISITIONS THAT WE WANT TO MAKE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE.

SO I THINK REALLY IT IS ABOUT PARTNERING, LEVERAGING, UM, AND REMEMBER THE GROUND ON OPPORTUNITIES.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

I WAS THINKING THERE WOULD BE AN EASY ANSWER, LIKE SPEND IT ALL UP FRONT, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'VE PUT A LOT INTO HOW THIS IS GOING TO WORK.

WE'RE TRYING TO BE VERY, UM, DILIGENT, THOUGHTFUL, UM, STRATEGIC AND SOMEWHAT CONSERVATIVE THE QUESTION.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

THANK YOU.

OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM.

OKAY.

I KNOW THERE ARE TWO MORE KITCHEN.

YEAH.

I JUST WANT TO KNOW, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, YEARS BACK, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A STRIKE FUND, HAVING PRIVATE INVESTORS TO BE ABLE TO BUY THESE, UH, IN LIKE, UH, TAX CREDITS AND NOT LETTING THEM GO BACK.

UH, DO YOU KNOW WHETHER WE STILL HAVE THAT ORGANIZATION OUT THERE? SO WE DO, UM, THE ORGANIZATION IS A NONPROFIT CALLED AFFORDABLE CENTRAL TEXAS, AND THEY JUST CLOSED ON THEIR FOURTH PROPERTY.

SO THEIR FOCUS WAS NATURALLY OCCURRING, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

UM, THEY CLOSED ON THE FOURTH PROPERTY, WHICH I HAVEN'T SEEN YET, BUT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE LOVELY.

UH, IT'S NEAR THE APPLE CAMPUS IN DISTRICT SIX.

UH, IT BRINGS THEIR ENTIRE PORTFOLIO UP TO, UH, ALMOST 1000 UNITS AND THEY ARE CONTINUING TO GO STRONG.

WE'RE LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTNER WITH, UM, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.

UM, THEY'VE PARTNERED WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN THE PAST, AND WE WOULDN'T AFFORD THAT IN THE FUTURE.

THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR THAT IT'S STILL GOING ON, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT'S GREAT.

AND ANOTHER THING IT'S, UH, I KNOW THAT HERE BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE NON-PROFIT HOUSING, UH, BUILDERS ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH, YOU KNOW, THEY DIDN'T GET VERY, DIDN'T GET AS MUCH MONEY FROM THEIR, LIKE, LEMME LIKE HABITAT.

THEY DIDN'T GET AS MUCH MONEY FROM THEIR NATIONAL ORGANIZATION

[00:35:01]

IS THERE ANY KIND OF WAY OF PROGRAMS THAT WE COULD HELP THOSE KIND OF ORGANIZATIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT BY USING SOME OF THOSE PLANS, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, THAT HAS ZERO NINE YEARS ON FOURTH STREET JUST ACROSS THE STREET FOR AN OPPORTUNITY.

AND IF THEY CAN'T GO THROUGH THEIR PROJECT, IS THERE A WAY THAT WE COULD BUY IT FROM THEM AND MAYBE USE THAT? SO, INTERESTINGLY, UM, WITH THE HELP OF OUR LAW DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE, UM, IN OUR NEW RHODA ODA, SO RENTAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND OWNERSHIP, HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE, BUT NOT A REVERTER CLAUSE, BUT KIND OF LIKE THAT.

LIKE IF THE PROJECT CAN NOT PROCEED, THEN WE CAN GO AHEAD AND PURCHASE LAND, TALKING SECURITY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

WE HAVE NOT DONE THAT IN THE PAST.

UM, BUT I THINK WE ARE VERY OPEN TO DO THAT.

AND WE'LL SAY WITH ALL OF OUR NON-PROFITS, WE WORK CLOSELY WITH, INCLUDING, AS FACULTY HAVE SUPPORTED AND , AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ALL OF THESE FANTASTIC GROUPS.

WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING WITH THEM TO DIVERSIFY THEIR FUNDING SOURCES AND ACCESS ALTERNATIVE FUNDING SOURCES, WHERE ARE A REALLY GOOD POSITION RIGHT NOW, UM, PARTIALLY BECAUSE OF, UM, COVID FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR ACTUALLY, UM, BECAUSE OF SOME INCREASED FUNDING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL FOR OUR NATIONAL HOUSING TRUST FUND, THAT WE ARE GOING TO SEE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FUNDING BECOME AVAILABLE FROM OUR STATE, WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS.

AND WE ARE GOING TO WORK OUR HARDEST TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR NONPROFIT AND FOR-PROFIT PARTNERS CAN TAP INTO THAT, TO MINIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE PUT INTO PROJECTS.

WE WANT TO STRETCH OUR DOLLARS AS OPPOSED TO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

NUMBER ELLIS, STRETCH OUR DOLLARS AS FAR AS POSSIBLE.

UM, SO WE CAN REALLY LEVERAGE AND BE GREAT STEWARDS OF THOSE DOLLARS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR.

TELL US KITCHEN, JUST A VERY QUICK THING.

UM, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THE, THAT THE ILA IS IN PROCESS RIGHT NOW.

UH, THE, THE ONE THAT, UH, SETS OUT THE, UH, ALLOTMENT SCHEDULE FOR THE, UM, 300 MILLION, UH, I FOR 1:00 AM, AM INTERESTED IN SEEING IT UPFRONT AND EVEN MORE THAN IT'S BEING SUGGESTED.

SO, UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO LET Y'ALL KNOW IT'S NOT A DONE DEAL YET.

UH, EXACTLY THE WAY IT IS.

I THINK, I THINK IT'S GREAT.

A HUNDRED MILLION IN THE FIRST THREE YEARS, I THINK NECESSARY.

WHAT CONCERNS ME IS THAT THE REMAINING DOLLARS ARE SPREAD OUT SO MUCH AND MAYBE NOT UPFRONT AND AS MUCH AS, AS I'D LIKE TO SEE AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S POSSIBLE AT THIS POINT.

JUST WANT IT TO MAKE IT CLEAR FOR EVERYBODY THAT THAT'S NOT THOSE THAT THOSE ILS ARE NOT SIGNED YET.

SO THANK YOU.

YEAH.

THAT, UM, WE'LL BE GOING TO THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD NEXT WEEK, AND THEN IT SHOULD BE COMING TO THE FULL COUNCIL ON MARCH 25TH.

YEAH.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

THE

[3. Briefing regarding RENT (Relief of Emergency Needs for Tenants) accomplishments and plans for future emergency rental assistance. ]

YES.

HELLO EVERYBODY.

OKAY.

SO TODAY I JUST REALLY WANT TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE FOR YOU ON, UM, THE LAUNCH OF THE PROGRAM, WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE THIS MONDAY.

UH, BUT BECAUSE WE HAD NOT, UM, PROVIDED AN UPDATE ON THE CLOSEOUT FOR RENT 2.0, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF ITEMS RELATED TO THAT BEFORE WE LAUNCH INTO RENT 3.0, UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO I WANT TO BASICALLY PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF BRIDGE 2.0, AND LOOK AT THE PERFORMANCE HOW WE DID, AND THEN ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO RENT 3.0, UH, MAKING SURE THAT, UH, WE DESIGNED THE PROGRAM FOR EQUITY SO THAT MORE PEOPLE CAN HAVE ACCESS TO THE FUNDING WHO NEED IT.

AND THEN ALSO LOOK AT SOME OF THE FUTURE FUNDING, UH, AND PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO, SO I WANT TO PROVIDE YOU, UH, JUST A RECAP OF RENT.

OVERALL MANY.

THERE ARE MANY SIMILARITIES BETWEEN BOTH PROGRAMS,

[00:40:01]

AND SO THOSE, UH, ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS MAY THE SAME, NO, I'M HIGHLIGHTING 2.0, THEY REMAINED THE SAME BENEFITS FROM 2.0, UH, HOUSEHOLDS COULD RECEIVE UP TO SIX MONTHS OF FULL CONTRACT AT RENT, AND THEN THE RENT PAYMENTS WERE MADE DIRECTLY TO THE LANDLORD OR PROPERTY OWNER.

AND JUST TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES AS WE GO FORWARD TO GRID 3.0, UM, THIS TIME HOUSEHOLDS CAN RECEIVE UP TO 15 MONTHS OF ASSISTANCE.

WE CAN PAY, UM, 12 MONTHS IN A REAR AND, UM, ALSO THREE MONTHS FORWARD.

SO WE HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE MONTH POINT FORWARD THAT WE CAN PAY.

AND THEN ALSO THIS TIME PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION, UNLIKE THE FIRST PROGRAM, NEXT SLIDE.

AND I JUST WANT TO LOOK AT THE PROGRAM FOR WHICH WE RAN FROM AUGUST THROUGH FEBRUARY, 2021.

AND AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, UH, THE GOAL FOR D SPINNING THE CARES FUNDING WAS DECEMBER OF 2020, BUT WE DID ADD ADDITIONAL FUNDING.

UH, WE RECEIVE ADDITIONAL CDBG FUNDING AS WELL AS USE HOUSING TRUST FUNDS.

AND WE WERE ABLE TO SERVE, UH, JUST OVER 500 ADDITIONAL HOUSEHOLDS.

SO THE NUMBERS AND THE STATISTICS THAT YOU SEE HERE ARE BASED UPON BOTH THE PROGRAM THAT WE RAN FROM AUGUST THROUGH DECEMBER, AND THEN THE PROGRAM THAT IS FEEL, UH, WE DIDN'T TAKE ANY ADDITIONAL APPLICATIONS, UH, HOUSEHOLDS WHO HAD SUBMITTED APPLICATIONS, BUT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO FUND THEM BECAUSE WE RAN OUT OF MONEY.

UH, WE WERE ABLE TO SERVE THEM WITH THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS.

AND SO THESE STATISTICS REFLECT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS THAT HAVE BEEN SERVED TO DATE.

AND THIS INFORMATION MIGHT CHANGE SLIGHTLY AS ARE THERE STILL SOME ONGOING ITEMS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, THE MAJORITY OF THE HOUSEHOLDS, UM, THAT WERE SERVICED THROUGH THE PROGRAM HERE ON THIS SLIDE, NEXT SLIDE, AND THIS JUST SHOWS THE DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION OF WHO WAS SERVED THROUGH OUR PROGRAM.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THE VAST MAJORITY OF HOUSEHOLDS SERVED, THERE WERE OVER 2000 HOUSEHOLDS WHERE THERE WERE, UH, HOUSEHOLDS OF ONE OR SELLER.

THE VAST MAJORITY OVER 3000 OF THE HOUSEHOLDS WERE FEMALE HEADED HOUSEHOLDS AND BEING THE DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION, RACIAL DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION, WHICH IS VERY ESSENTIAL.

AND THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TRACKING THIS INFORMATION SO THAT WE KNOW WHO IS BEING SERVICED.

SO, UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT INFORMATION ON, UH, THE GRAPH ON THE TOP.

SO, UH, OVER 38% IDENTIFIED AS LATIN X AND THEN THE NEXT LARGEST, UH, POPULATION WAS 28%.

AND THOSE WERE IDENTIFIED AS WHITE, NEXT HOUSE SLIGHTLY.

AND SO OTHER INFORMATION THAT WE CAPTURED, I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT WE STARTED COLLECTING THE INFORMATION REGARDING, UH, VETERAN STATUS MUCH LATER AFTER WE STARTED THE PROGRAM.

SO THAT'S WHY THAT NUMBER IS SO LOW.

AND WE DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD BE HIGHER OR NOT.

BUT WHEN WE BEGAN TO COLLECT THAT INFORMATION, WE HAD ABOUT 20 PEOPLE THAT IDENTIFIED AS A BEDROOM AND THE NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS WITH CHILDREN, UM, YOU CAN SEE, UM, UH, WITH ONE OR MORE CHILDREN IS LISTED ON THE BOTTOM.

AND SO WE HAD JUST OVER 500 IN EACH OF THE VARIOUS CATEGORIES OF ONE, TWO, THREE, AND WE ARE CERTAINLY GOING TO INCREASE OUR OUTREACH TO HOUSEHOLDS WITH FAMILIES.

AND WE STARTED A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, AISD AND WE WILL, WE PLANTED CONTINUE THAT.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I CERTAINLY LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT, WHICH I THINK IS A SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM WAS THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SERVE AT A 30% MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME.

AND THAT WAS OVER 3000 HOUSEHOLDS THAT FIT IN THAT CATEGORY.

NEXT SLIDE,

[00:45:01]

THANK YOU.

UM, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO, WE WERE ABLE TO, WE CONTINUE TO MEET WITH A NUMBER OF OUR PARTNERS, UM, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE A PROGRAM THAT WAS RESPONSIVE TO THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF THE FAMILIES AND HOUSEHOLDS WITHIN AUSTIN.

WE MET WITH MANY, A CITY LEADERS, UH, COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND WHERE, WHERE WE COULD AND WHAT WE COULD, WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, WELL TWEAK THE PROGRAM.

AND SO THIS IS WHY I FEEL WITH EACH ITERATION OF THE RIP PROGRAM, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, UH, APPROVE IT, IMPROVE THE PROGRAM.

UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I CERTAINLY THINK WILL HELP IS THE LANDLORD, UH, HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY, LANDLORDS HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO INITIATE AN APPLICATION.

SO, UH, ONCE EITHER PARTY A TENANT OR A LANDLORD, UH, STARTS THE APPLICATION AND SUBMITS AN APPLICATION, THE OTHER PARTNER WILL BE, UM, IDENTIFIED OR NOTIFIED SO THAT THEY CAN START THEIR, UH, APPLICATION PROCESS.

AND THAT WAS ONE, THE CHALLENGE WITH GETTING FUNDING OUT QUICKLY BEFORE IS WAITING ON ANOTHER PARTY OR THE LANDLORD TO BE RESPONSIVE.

AND SO WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO WAIT FOR A TENANT, UM, IN ORDER TO START THE, UH, OR INITIATE, UM, AN APPLICATION WITH A LANDLORD.

WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH MANY, UH, COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN REDUCE AS MANY BARRIERS TO APPLICATIONS.

UM, IN RESPONSE TO MS. JOSEPH'S QUESTION, UH, SHE MENTIONED, UH, WE ARE PARTNERING WITH ELWIN.

WE DO, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE PARTNER WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES ON THE GROUND.

UM, BUT WE DO UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO EXPAND THAT OUTREACH TO VARIOUS, UM, COMMUNITIES.

AND SO ONE OF OUR CONTRACTS FOR THIS PROGRAM IS WITH A DECENT COMMUNICATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF REALLY, UM, GET DOING A BETTER REACH WITH THE, UH, WITHIN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY.

UH, THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO BE ACCOUNTABLE, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE CAPTURING DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION, AND IT IS VERY TARGETED PRIORITIZING HOUSEHOLDS AT 30% AMI, AND WE'RE TARGETING THREE, UH, POPULATIONS PRIMARILY OR PRIORITY POPULATIONS, HOUSEHOLDS AT 30%.

AM I PERSONS WHO HAVE BEEN UNEMPLOYED WITHIN THE LAST 90 DAYS, AND THEN ALSO, UH, PERSONS IN HOUSEHOLDS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS.

AND THE OTHER THING THAT WE LIKE ABOUT THE PROGRAM, UH, IT ALLOWS FOR UP TO 12 MONTHS OF BACK PAYMENT OF RENT.

AND SO A PROGRAM WITH SUSTAINED FUNDING WILL ALLOW HOUSEHOLDS, MORE HOUSEHOLDS, MORE FAMILIES TO BECOME STABILIZED AS, UM, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY THEY CAN MOVE ON TO OTHER CHALLENGES THAT THEY MIGHT FACE WITH THE ONGOING PANDEMIC.

AND RENT IS ONE THING THAT MIGHT BE COVERED SHOULD BE COVERED AS A RESULT OF THIS NEXT SLIDE.

OKAY.

AND, UH, BRIEFLY, YES, I'D LIKE TO LOOK AT OUR CURRENT PROGRAM, AS I SHARED, THE PROGRAM WILL OPEN ON MARCH 15TH.

AND SO, UH, WE'RE HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT, UH, WE RECEIVED $29 MILLION IN FUNDING FROM THE US TREASURY DEPARTMENT.

UH, AS I SHARE, WE WILL PRIORITIZE UNEMPLOYED PERSONS.

THAT IS THE PRIORITY OF FROM THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT ASSISTANCE.

ALSO PRIORITIZES, UH, PERSONS UNDER 50%, UM, AMI UNTIL THE ASSISTANCE, UH, IS AVAILABLE UNDER THIS PROGRAM.

HOWEVER, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH AUSTIN ENERGY.

AND SO WHEN, UM, HOUSEHOLDS SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATION, THEY CAN CHECK A BOX, LETTING US KNOW THAT THEY WOULD LIKE THEM, IF THEY'RE OKAY WITH US SHARING INFORMATION WITH AUSTIN ENERGY, UH, THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER VERIFICATION PROCESS, BUT, UM, WE WILL BE ABLE TO CONNECT THEM, UH, WITH AUSTIN ENERGY AND THEY WILL DO THE VERIFICATION WITH NO ADDITIONAL, UM, DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED AND THEY WILL PAY THE UTILITY BILLS FOR AUSTIN ENERGY CUSTOMERS.

AND SO WE FEEL LIKE, UH, WE HAVE DESIGNED A MUCH MORE STREAMLINED APPLICATION PROCESS REMOVING, UM, SOME OF THE PREVIOUS, UM, BURDENS, UM, THAT PEOPLE HAD WITH, UM, WITH THE DOCUMENTATION

[00:50:01]

I WOULD SAY GREATER GUIDANCE FROM THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF WHAT IS ALLOWABLE FOR THIS PROGRAM.

NEXT SLIDE.

AND WE ARE CONTINUING OUT OUR TENANT STABILIZATION PROGRAMS IN ADDITION, DIRECT RENTAL ASSISTANCE.

UH, WE HAVE LAUNCHED A PROGRAM THAT I BELONG TO AN AWESOME PROGRAM WITH ELBA AND SOMATA TUNNEL, AND THAT WILL ALLOW US TO, UM, HANDLE NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENTS, UH, WHICH WILL BE HANDLED BETWEEN A PARTNERSHIP WITH EL BREON AND TEXAS REAL, UH, GRAND, A LEGAL AID, AS WELL AS, UH, THERE IS FUNDING IN THERE FOR MOVING IN STORAGE IN THE, UH, EVENT THAT PEOPLE ARE FACED WITH EVICTION AS THE ONLY OPTION.

UM, THEN THERE IS FUNDING AVAILABLE THROUGH THAT CONTRACT THAT CAN HELP SUPPORT THAT.

UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, LBN IS ALSO, UM, LEADING THE TEXAS EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR A CONTRACT THAT THE CITY HAS WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS.

AND THAT ONE IS FOCUSED ON EVICTION, UH, DIVERGENCE.

SO THEY'LL BE HELPING WITH THAT.

AND THEN AUSTIN TENANT'S COUNCIL, WE HAVE EXPANDED OR HAD ANOTHER CONTRACT, WHICH WILL ALLOW A FUNDING THEY'VE HAD INCREASE IN, UM, A NEED FOR TELEPHONE SERVICES.

THEY'VE HAD TO INCREASE THEIR STAFFING AS WELL.

UM, THEY'VE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT, SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN CALLS.

SO THROUGH THE TENANT AND LANDLORD, UH, MEDIATION AND PHONE COUNSELING SERVICES, UH, THEY WILL, UH, WE HAVE EXPANDED OR ADDED A NEW CONTRACT TO HELP HOUSEHOLDS IMPACTED BY COVID-19 NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

I THINK THAT'S IT.

YEAH, THAT SHOULD BE IT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. JACQUELINE OR THE OTHER STAFF? AND SO JUST TO REITERATE, THE APPLICATIONS ARE OPENING BACK UP MARCH 15TH, IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.

YES.

AND I ASSUME YOU'LL GET US ALL GOOD INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN SHARE THAT SHARE THAT APPLE.

YES, YOU SHOULD BE RECEIVING A MEMO TOMORROW WITH ALL THE DETAILS.

GREAT.

THANK YOU.

THERE'S A MEMO KIND OF, THAT'S GOING TO THE FULL COUNCIL THAT SHOULD BE GOING ON ACTUALLY TODAY.

AND THEN, UM, AND THEN THERE'S THE USUAL, UM, PRESS MARKETING KIND OF INFORMATION THAT WILL BE COMING OUT AS WELL TODAY.

SO, UM, ALL WELL IN ADVANCE OF WHEN WE HAVE OUR PRESS CONFERENCE AND KIND OF OFFICIALLY LAUNCH, AND THEN THIS, UH, PROGRAMMING IS BASED ON PRIOR FEDERAL FUNDING AND CITY FUNDS.

UH, THIS DOESN'T COUNT THE, UH, FUNDING THAT LIKELY IS COMING OUR WAY FROM WHAT CONGRESS JUST AUTOMIZED CORRECT.

SO THE FUNDING COMING THROUGH THE US TREASURY FOR EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UM, THOSE DOLLARS ARE, ARE NEW AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL ASSESSING THERE.

THERE'S ACTUALLY SOME INTERESTING OPPORTUNITIES BEYOND, UM, EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE THAT WILL BE HOPEFULLY COMING.

THAT WILL BE KIND OF IN THE VEIN OF HELPING FOLKS WITH THEIR HOUSING SITUATIONS.

AND SO WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS FOLKS TO PREPARE SOME IMAGES TO DIGEST WHAT CONGRESS JUST PASSED AND TO GET MORE INFORMATION OUT ABOUT, WELL, UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS.

I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS OF EVICTIONS FILED, UH, ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY, AUSTIN AND MINNEAPOLIS ARE, ARE REALLY LEADING THE WAY AMONGST, UH, BIGGER CITIES, KEEPING EVICTION FILINGS LOW, UH, AND BEING ABLE TO NOT JUST PREVENT THE EVICTIONS, BUT HELP PEOPLE CLEAR THE BACKGROUNDS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE GETTING THIS MONEY OUT.

UM, I HOPE THAT WE MAKE SURE TO CONTINUE TO PAIR OUR RULES WITH, UH, WITH DOLLARS SO THAT WE DON'T HIT A WAVE OF EVICTION FILINGS EVER, AND, UH, AND MANAGED TO KEEP EVERYBODY IN THEIR HOMES.

SO AS WE LOOK THROUGH WHAT'S COMING AND THE NEXT BILL, UH, AND WHAT WE HAVE NOW, I THINK WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE WE FIND A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT AT THAT, THAT WE KEEP THE EVICTIONS AS LOW AS WE HAVE, UM, BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY HAVE HAD FEWER EVICTIONS FILED DURING THE PANDEMIC THAN WE DID BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.

AND I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT THING THAT WE'VE MANAGED TO ACHIEVE AS A, AS AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY.