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YOU READY TO GET GOING? STAFF? ARE WE, UH, READY TO ROLL? YES, MAYOR.
AND CHAMBERS THAT WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
I DON'T THINK THAT WAS YOUR ISSUE.
I THINK THAT WAS MINE, BUT I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU SAID AGAIN.
AND CHAMBERS MAYOR REALLY AND CHAMBERS.
THIS IS A SPECIAL CARD COUNCIL MEETING TO LOOK AT, UH, HOMELESSNESS, UH, AND ERP SPENDING RELATED MATTERS.
WE'RE DOING THIS, UH, VIRTUALLY, UM, IT IS COLLEAGUES TWO OH FIVE.
WE HAVE UP UNTIL SIX HARD STOP.
THEN I BET WE CAN GO TO SIX IF THAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE COUNCIL.
[1. Discussion on homelessness related issues, including encampments, and potential American Rescue Plan (ARP) spending.]
AS ITEM IS BEFORE, AS OBVIOUSLY POSSIBLE FOR TUESDAY'S WORK SESSION, AS WELL AS SOME ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TO RELATE TO THIS ON THURSDAY AS WELL.UM, BUT WE SCHEDULED THIS AT THEIR REQUEST TO SEVERAL FOLKS THAT WANTED TO HAVE MORE TIME TO GET MORE INFORMATION.
AND THE LIKE, SO HERE WE ARE MANAGER.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU AND DIANA HAVE A PRESENTATION OR ANYTHING YOU WANT TO PRESENT IT TO THE COUNCIL.
WE DO MAYOR GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
AND, UH, AS WAS INDICATED AT OUR LAST TIME WE GATHERED, UH, THE STAFF DID PUT AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA ON THE AGENDA FOR THIS THURSDAY, FOR YOU TO CONTEMPLATE, UH, LOOKING AT ALLOCATING, UH, THE ARP FUNDS THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
AND SO WE WANTED TO REVIEW THE MEMO THAT ACCOMPANIED THAT ITEM, UH, AND THEN, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE OPENING IT UP FOR THE CONTINUED DISCUSSION AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED.
UH, BUT WE DO HAVE A PRESENTATION THAT, UH, BRIEFLY HIGHLIGHTS.
SO WHERE WE'VE THEN, UH, WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW AND THEN, UH, SOME KEY DECISION POINTS FOR THE COUNCIL GOING FORWARD.
SO WITH THAT ALTERNATIVE OVER TO OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AT BENNY NOTE TO START THAT PRESENTATION NOW AT YOU'RE FEELING IT.
UM, I'LL JUST START OFF WITH A HANDFUL OF, UH, BACKGROUND SLIDES BEFORE TURNING IT OVER TO OUR CHIEF ECONOMIC RECOVERY OFFICER, VERONICA
AND GO RIGHT INTO THE NEXT ONE.
SO JUST BY WAY OF BACKGROUND, UM, UM, COUNSEL, UM, ON MARCH 23RD CITY STAFF, UM, PRESENTED AN ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY FRAMEWORK TO YOU.
UM, WE ALSO PRESENTED ON THAT DAY, UH, AN INITIAL PROPOSAL FOR ALLOCATING OUR ALLOCATION OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDING.
UM, THAT SAME WEEK COUNCIL, UM, PUT, UH, ADOPTED A RESOLUTION, UM, UM, ON MARCH 26, 15, YOU ADOPTED THAT RESOLUTION ASKING STAFF TO REVISE THE SPENDING FRAMEWORK THAT WE HAD BROUGHT TO, UM, FORWARD AND TO FOCUS ON FOUR PRIORITY AREAS.
UM, LOOKING FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGES IN EACH OF THOSE AREAS AND THEY WERE HOMELESSNESS EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND WORK PROGRAMS AND FOOD AND HOUSING INSECURITY, UM, UH, STAFF DID THAT WORK.
AND THEN ON MAY 18TH PRESENTED A REVISED AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT SPENDING FRAMEWORK BASED UPON THOSE FOUR PRIORITIES, UM, UM, THAT, THAT SAME WEEK ON MAY 20TH, UH, THERE WAS ANOTHER COUNCIL RESOLUTION DIRECTING, UH, THE CITY MANAGER TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO STABILIZE THE AUSTIN CULTURAL ARTS AND MUSIC COMMUNITIES WITH, UH, FUNDING OF UP TO $25 MILLION.
UM, UH, AS MENTIONED ON JUNE 10TH, THIS THURSDAY, WE HAVE SEVERAL ITEMS ON THE AGENDA RELATED TO ARP, A FUNDING ITEM, 77 AND 78, OUR STAFF ITEMS, UM, TO APPROVE OUR SPENDING FRAMEWORK, UM, FOR THE HRPA FUNDS, UM, AND ALSO TO, UM, APPROPRIATE THE REMAINING, UM, PORTION OF THE
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FIRST YEAR OF FUNDING.UH, YOU'LL RECALL THAT THE AI RPA FUNDS ARE SPREAD ACROSS TWO FISCAL YEARS.
YOU'VE ALREADY TAKEN ACTION TO APPROVE A $44.3 MILLION FOR, UH, UH, IMMEDIATE PUBLIC HEALTH NEEDS AND ANOTHER $500,000 FOR, UM, UM, STAFF TO, UM, UM, UM, HELP THE COMMUNITY, UM, ACCESS OTHER FEDERAL FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
UM, AND THIS ACTION WOULD APPROPRIATE THE REMAINDER OF THE FIRST YEAR FUNDING FROM THE ARP FUNDS.
UH, AGAIN, THOSE ITEMS ARE ON YOUR AGENDA FOR THURSDAY ITEM AT 92 IS AN ITEM FROM COUNCIL, UH, DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO ALLOCATE $2 MILLION OF THE HRPA FUNDS TO NON-PROFIT RELIEF GRANT PROGRAMS. UM, FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUPPORTING AUSTIN AS NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS ENGAGED IN ARTS AND CULTURE, WE COULD GO ON I'M SORRY.
CTM, COULD YOU MOVE A ADVANCE US? I THINK, YEAH, THAT'S THE SLIDE I WAS JUST SPEAKING TO, LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, ONE OF THE ACTIONS ASKED FOR IN, UM, AN EARLY COUNCIL RESOLUTION, THE RESOLUTION, UH, ONE 11, UM, FROM THE, UM, MARCH 25TH AGENDA DIRECTED US TO WORK WITH OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS.
UH, CITY STAFF CONTINUED TO DO THAT.
WE'VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY, AND WE'VE ALSO HAD, UH, VARIOUS MEETINGS WITH OTHER CENTRAL TEXAS JURISDICTIONS, INCLUDING THE SUMMIT TO ADDRESS UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS.
UH, WE HAD A ROUND TABLE CONVERSATION WITH, UH, THE COUNTY, TRAVIS COUNTY AND CENTRAL TEXAS CITIES, A COUPLE OF THOSE, UM, AND WE'VE HAD SPECIAL CALLED JOINT MEETINGS WITH, UH, BETWEEN THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT.
OUR NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 25TH, 2021 WITH LOCAL JURISDICTIONS.
YOU CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THEN SPEAKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR HRPA, UM, FUNDS.
WE RECEIVED A TOTAL OF $188.5 MILLION, UH, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR THESE RESOURCES.
AGAIN, THAT FUNDING COMES IN TWO TRENCHES.
UH, THE FIRST TRAUNCH WE'VE RECEIVED AND MAY OF 2021, AND WE'LL GET THE NEXT ALLOCATION IN MAY OF 2022, UM, EACH TRAUNCH, 50% OF THE TOTAL.
UM, I WON'T GO THROUGH THE WHOLE LIST, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE, UM, HIGH LEVEL ELIGIBLE USES OF FUNDING.
UM, A LOT OF THE SAME TYPES OF THINGS THAT THE CARES ACT FUNDING WAS ALLOWED FOR, UH, SUPPORTING PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE, AS WELL AS ECONOMIC RECOVERY FROM, UH, THE BUSINESS IMPACTS AND, UH, UM, IMPACTS ON INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE PANDEMIC.
UM, ONE NEW FACTOR FOR THE AI RPA IS THE ABILITY TO REPLACE LOST PUBLIC SECTOR REVENUE, WHICH WAS NOT ALLOWED UNDER THE CARES ACT FUNDING AND GO ONTO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO THIS JUST GIVES YOU A SUMMARY OF THE, UH, FISCAL YEAR 21, A RPA LOCATION OF 94.2 MILLION.
I MENTIONED EARLIER THE, UH, THE 44.3 MILLION FOR, UM, THE IMMEDIATE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES THAT ARE NEEDED STILL RELATED TO THE COVID-19 RESPONSE, AS WELL AS $500,000 FOR, UH, THE NAVIGATOR PROGRAM THAT RELIEVES $49.4 MILLION OF THE FISCAL YEAR 21 AMOUNT TO STILL BE ALLOCATED LOOKING AT FISCAL YEAR 21 AND 22, THERE'S A TOTAL OF $143.6 MILLION OF FUNDS TO BE ALLOCATED.
AND IT'S THAT 143.6 MILLION, THE TOTAL AMOUNT WE HAVE REMAINING OF OUR HRPA ALLOCATION, THAT DIRECTOR
UM, NOT INCLUDED IN, IN THE AMOUNTS I'VE TALKED ABOUT SO FAR IS AN ADDITIONAL $22 MILLION FOR EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
UM, WE WILL BE RECEIVING THOSE FUNDS IN FISCAL YEAR 21.
WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED THEM YET, BUT WE DO EXPECT TO RECEIVE THEM.
UM, UM, SOMETIME LATER THIS MONTH AND $11 MILLION, UM, IN FUNDING FOR, UM, FOR ASSISTANCE FOR RESIDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
AGAIN, THOSE ARE, UH, SEPARATE ALLOCATIONS OVER AND ABOVE THE $188.5 MILLION THAT THE CITY RECEIVED.
SO WE CAN GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
AND, UM, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO DIRECT TO DIRECTOR
SO STARTING WITH A, A BACKDROP OF THE PRIORITY AREAS, UH, COUNCIL, AS ED HAD MENTIONED IDENTIFIED FOUR MAIN PRIORITY AREAS, UM, IN REGARDS TO HOW WE ALLOCATE THE REMAINING FUNDS FOR ECONOMIC RECOVERY, THOSE FOUR AREAS WERE HOMELESSNESS,
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EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, OUR JOBS FOR WORKING CLASS AUSTINITES FOOD INSECURITY, AS WELL AS ANY IMMEDIATE RELIEF NEEDS AND PUBLIC HEALTH EXPENSES.AS, AS YOU RECALL, WE, UH, WENT FORWARD AND MET WITH DIFFERENT EXPERTS IN THESE AREAS AND ASKED THEM TO IDENTIFY WHAT THAT TOLL INVESTMENT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE IN THESE AREAS AND THAT TOTAL INVESTMENT, IF WE COULD SOLVE, UH, OUR WORK TOWARDS THE IDEAL, UH, RESULT WOULD CAME TO A TOTAL OF $732 MILLION.
WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF EACH OF THESE PRIORITY AREAS AND MORE DETAILS.
UM, WE'LL START WITH HOMELESSNESS AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO DIRECTOR GRAY.
UH, WHO'S GOING TO WALK THROUGH THESE SLIDE, DIANA COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THIS IS, UM, ESSENTIALLY THIS, THAT SLIDE THAT WE LOOKED AT LAST WEEK ON THURSDAY.
AND, UM, AND AS A SUMMARY OF THE OVERALL INTENDED USES OF FUNDS UNDER, UH, THE SUMMIT TO ADDRESS UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO, UH, AS YOU SEE HERE, THE TOTAL FOR THAT EFFORT OVERALL, UH, PROJECTED COST IS JUST OVER 515 MILLION, UM, WITH ABOUT 222 MILLION THAT WE BELIEVE ARE COMMITTED OR ANTICIPATED, UM, TO DATE FOR A GAP OF 293 MILLION.
WE'RE JUST GOING TO BRIEFLY, UH, GO LINE BY LINE HERE TO SPEAK TO THE TYPES OF EXPENDITURES THAT WE WOULD EXPECT TO SEE IN EACH OF THESE FIVE CATEGORIES.
AND THEN, UH, UH, KIND OF ANSWER QUESTIONS, UH, EITHER NOW, OR PERHAPS WHEN MY DIRECTOR
SO IN CRISIS SERVICES AT WE HAVE HERE OUTREACH AND DIVERSION, DIVERSION BEING A VERY LIGHT TOUCH ASSISTANCE TO HELP PEOPLE FROM FALLING INTO HOMELESSNESS, REALLY WHEN THEY ARE, UM, ESSENTIALLY AT THE FRONT DOOR OF THE SYSTEM AND OUTREACH TO THOSE UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS, UM, TO HELP THEM, UH, CONNECT TO SERVICES, UH, AND TO HOUSING RESOURCES THAT HAVE BEEN DEDICATED TO THEM, YOU WILL KNOW THAT THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE AT THIS TIME, UH, ADDITIONAL SHELTER FOR, UH, DOLLARS FOR DESIGNATED ENCAMPMENTS.
UH, WE KNOW THAT THAT IS A PRIORITY OF OUR COUNCIL, UM, AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THAT COMMUNITY, BUT IT IS NOT PART OF THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET.
THE SECOND, UH, LINE ITEM FOR A TOTAL OF 203 MILLION ARE REALLY THE MEAT AND POTATOES OF OUR WORK, UH, IN REHOUSING PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO THAT IS RAPID REHOUSING, WHICH IS THE SORT OF MEDIUM TERM, UH, HOUSING ASSISTANCE AND SERVICES.
USUALLY UP TO TWO YEARS, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, WHICH IS THAT A LONGER TERM, NON TIME LIMITED ASSISTANCE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING WITH DISABILITIES AND WHO HAVE BEEN CHRONICALLY HOMELESS OR HOMELESS OVER MANY YEARS, AS WELL AS TARGETED PREVENTION FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HOMELESS PREVIOUSLY IN ORDER TO MAKE THOSE SERVICES MORE EFFECTIVE.
WE'RE ALSO PROPOSING FUNDING SERVICES IN SEVERAL KEY AREAS, UH, THAT REALLY DO, UM, SERVE TO HELP PEOPLE STABILIZE US ONCE THEY ARE IN HOUSING AND THEN A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER SERVICES, EMPLOYMENT SERVICES, INCLUDING SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT AND ASSISTANCE, UH, IN ENROLLING IN BENEFITS, UH, ACQUIRING A DISABILITY DESIGNATION IF APPROPRIATE, ET CETERA.
AND AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE SUMMIT AND OUR GOALS, IT IS NOT ONLY, UH, TO SERVE MORE PEOPLE, BUT TO BUILD A SYSTEM THAT IS MORE EFFECTIVE AND MORE EFFICIENT AND HAS MORE CAPACITY TO RESPOND EFFECTIVELY TO THE CHALLENGES IN FRONT OF US.
TO THAT END, WE ARE RECOMMENDING FUNDING FOR, UH, WORKFORCE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, UH, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THROUGH THIS EFFORT, WE WILL NEED TO, UM, SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STAFF, UH, WORKING AT A SERVICE PROVIDING AGENCIES, UH, THAT WE ALSO WANT TO DO SOME OVERALL ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WITH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS WHO MAY NOT HAVE BEEN DEEPLY INVOLVED IN THIS WORK.
UM, AT THIS LEVEL PREVIOUSLY, I PARTICULARLY WITH AN EYE TO IMPROVING OUR EQUITY, UH, UH, OUTCOMES AND REPRESENTATION IN THE FIELD, UH, AND THEN THAT THERE WOULD ALSO BE SOMEBODY FOR DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS AND PLANNING AND SYSTEM MANAGEMENT.
FINALLY, UH, THE $275 MILLION THAT YOU SEE HERE IS CAPITAL INVESTMENT.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS IS, UH, MORE THAN HALF OF THE TOTAL 515 MILLION, BUT OF COURSE THE BENEFITS OF THOSE HAVE $275 MILLION, UH, WOULD BE REALIZED OVER THE 20 YEARS PLUS OF, UH, ANY
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UNITS THAT WE CREATE, UH, THROUGH THE INITIATIVE.I WILL PAUSE THERE AND TURN IT BACK OVER TO JENNIFER YOU.
NEXT AREA OF THE, UH, THE NEXT PRIORITY AREA TO FOCUS ON IS EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE.
THIS TOTAL REQUEST CAME AT 18.7 MILLION, AND THESE REQUESTS ARE BROKEN OUT ON THE SLIDE.
SO THE SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED BY THIS INVESTMENT INCLUDE ADDITIONAL CHILDCARE FUNDING TO ADDRESS FAMILIES CHANGES AND APPOINTMENT STATUS AT $6 MILLION SUSTAIN AND SKILL INNOVATIVE INFRASTRUCTURE TO INCREASE ACCESS TO QUALITY CHILDCARE AT $2.2 MILLION PLAN AND IMPLEMENT SOLUTIONS FOR IDENTIFY GAPS IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING, AND THAT IS AT $2.5 MILLION STABILIZE THE CHILDCARE WORKFORCE AT $1 MILLION NAVIGATION WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IN SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN AT $1.7 MILLION STABILIZED SUPPORT TO YOUNG CHILDREN OUTSIDE OF FULL-TIME CARE AT $0.3 MILLION.
THERE IS ALSO A REQUEST FOR EXPANDING ACCESS TO PUBLIC PRE-K WITH SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING AT $1.5 MILLION, AS WELL AS EXPANDING THE FAMILY CONNECT PROGRAM BY 2001ST FOUR YEAR EVALUATION AT $3.5 MILLION.
THIS BRINGS THE GRAND TOTAL TO $18.7 MILLION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE.
THE NEXT PRIORITY AREA IS JOBS AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
UH, WE, IN OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS LIKE CAPITAL AREA, THE REQUEST WAS FOR AN ADDITIONAL 25 MILLION TO, UH, WORK NOW, WHICH IS THE PROGRAM THAT THEY HAVE UNDERWAY AT THIS TIME AND, AND, UH, PROVIDING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL AS $2 MILLION FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR ACADEMY, WHICH WOULD BE A, AN ACADEMY THAT WORKS SPECIFICALLY AT TRAINING OR DEVELOPING WORKFORCE WITHIN, UH, PUBLIC SECTOR JOBS.
NEXT SLIDE, THE AREA OF FOOD INSECURITY TOTALS $103.6 MILLION.
AND THESE ARE BROKEN INTO A SERIES OF ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING THE RESPONSE TO THE ONGOING FOOD ACCESS NEEDS AT $16 MILLION, PREPARING FOR FOOD ACCESS NEEDS IN ADVANCE OF FUTURE DISASTERS AND DISRUPTIONS AT $5.1 MILLION PLANNING FOR A MORE EQUITABLE AND RESILIENT REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM AT $2 MILLION, INVESTING THE FOOD IN THE FOOD SYSTEM IN WAYS THAT INCREASE FOOD, ACCESS COMMUNITY RESILIENCY AND EQUITABLE PROSPERITY AT $67 MILLION STRENGTHEN THE POWER OF INDIVIDUALS AND HOUSEHOLDS TO PURCHASE FOOD AT $13.5 MILLION.
AND THEN THE ADDITIONAL IMMEDIATE RELIEF NEEDS CATEGORY, UH, AT $68.5 MILLION.
THERE IS THE, UH, REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE, UH, TO PROVIDE A HEALTH CENTER IN QUALITY PARK AT $1.5 MILLION, UH, FULLY FUNDING, OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY PROGRAMS, OUR CULTURAL ARTS FUND HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND, AND LIKE MUSIC FUND THAT WOULD REQUIRE $20 MILLION FINANCIAL RELIEF TO INDIVIDUALS AND HOUSEHOLDS.
SO RISE AND OR RENTAL PROGRAM SIMILAR TO THOSE AT $20 MILLION AND ASSISTANCE TO BUSINESSES AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AT $27 MILLION.
NOW I'M GOING TO TRANSITION, TRANSITIONING TO STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND THIS IS THE INFORMATION THAT WAS PRESENTED, UM, AT YOUR MAY COUNCIL MEETING.
SO THE TOTAL AMOUNT WITH 140.3, 143.6 MILLION, AND THIS, THIS, UH, CHART SHOWS THE STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED THAT WE APPLY THESE FUNDS NEXT SLIDE.
AND HERE'S THE AMOUNT BROKEN DOWN BY FISCAL YEAR AND BY AMOUNTS PER CATEGORY.
SO FOR HOMELESSNESS, UM, THAT WOULD BE A 22.4 MILLION IN 2021 AND 61.6 MILLION IN 2022 OR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF 84 MILLION FOR EMERGENCY SHELTER AND CAPACITY BUILDING.
WE RECOMMEND 4.2 MILLION, UM, IN THE FIRST FISCAL YEAR.
AND THAT BEING THE TOTAL AMOUNT EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE, WE RECOMMENDED A TOTAL OF 7.5 MILLION, 1.3 MILLION AND FISCAL YEAR 21 AND 6.2 MILLION AND FISCAL YEAR 22 JOBS AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
WE RECOMMEND $8 MILLION FOOD INSECURITY.
WE RECOMMEND $2 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR, 21 AND $1 MILLION AND 22 LET'S TOTAL 3 MILLION.
THE COLONY PARK SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER WOULD BE 1.5 MILLION IN 2021 CULTURAL HISTORIC AND MUSIC PROGRAMS. WE RECOMMEND A 10 MILLION TO
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FUND THE FULL 20 MILLION WITH 10 MILLION FROM EACH FISCAL YEAR.UH, AND WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT, UH, 8.8 0.8 MILLION BEING ALLOCATED TOWARDS BRENTON RISE, WHICH, UH, LEAVES, UH, UH, 14.6 MILLION IN CONTINGENCY.
UM, THIS COULD BE USED, UH, FUNDING FOR AN ANTICIPATED HEALTH NEEDS, UH, OR, UH, OTHER COUNCIL PRIORITIES.
AND IT'S LIKE, SO LOOKING AT, UM, THESE ACTUALLY, I'M GONNA TURN THIS BY, AND IF YOU DON'T MIND TAKING THIS SLIDE, I'M GONNA PASS IT ON TO YOU.
SO, AS WE LOOKED AT THE, UM, THE POTENTIAL DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS, UH, OVER FISCAL YEAR OF 21 AND 22, UH, WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS, UM, A CONCENTRATION ON SOME OF THE CORE HOUSING, UH, PROGRAMS, A BIT OF CAPITAL DOLLARS, AND THEN, UH, IN PARTICULAR, THE SYSTEM CAPACITY BUILDING, SO THAT WE WOULD BEGIN TO WORK WITH OUR PROVIDERS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY MAY NEED TO SCALE UP, TO BEGIN BUILDING A SYSTEM THAT WILL HELP THEM ATTRACT AND KEEP AND TRAIN, UH, THE PROFESSIONALS THAT THEY NEED TO DO THE WORK, UH, AND TO, UH, SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF THE SYSTEM OVERALL.
SO IN FISCAL YEAR 21, WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT A TOTAL OF 21.9 MILLION, UH, WITH THE BALANCE COMING IN FISCAL YEAR 22, UH, DIVERSION AND OUTREACH, UH, IS A RELATIVELY SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY.
UM, AND THEN WE WOULD, UH, COME IN BEHIND THAT ALSO WITH SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL SERVICES.
REMEMBER, OF COURSE, THAT THE ASSUMPTION HERE IS THAT SUBSTANTIAL FUNDS ARE COMING IN ON THE PART OF OUR PARTNERS AS WELL.
UM, THE COUNCIL HAS SPOKEN IN PARTICULAR, UH, TO A DESIRE TO PARTNER WITH THE COUNTY, UH, THROUGH THE USE OF THEIR ARP FUNDS, AS WELL AS WITH, UH, PHILANTHROPY.
AND SO THERE WOULD BE SOME FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF, UM, HOW MUCH, UH, ENDED UP IN EACH OF THESE BUCKETS, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT THE AMOUNTS THAT ARE SHOWING IN FISCAL YEAR 21 SET US ON THE BEST COURSE, UH, TOWARD BUILDING, UH, TOWARD SUCCESS OVER THE COURSE OF THE THREE-YEAR
WE CAN GO AHEAD ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND I'LL HAND IT BACK OVER TO RONICA, OR I WILL SPEAK TO THIS SLIDE, PERHAPS.
SO IN ADDITION, WE SPOKE LAST WEEK ABOUT, UH, OUTSIDE OF THE $84 MILLION CONTEMPLATED TO SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE SUMMIT, UH, ADDRESSING THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS AROUND CREATING ADDITIONAL EMERGENCY SHELTER CAPACITY AND, OR DESIGNATED ENCAMPMENTS, UH, PARTICULARLY, UH, IN THE FACE OF OUR ONGOING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CAMPING ORDINANCE.
UM, AS WELL AS AN EARLY INVESTMENT IN, UH, IN SOME OF THE CAPACITY BUILDING WE ALREADY SPOKE TO.
SO THE, THIS IS A $4.2 MILLION, UH, RECOMMENDATION, UM, THAT WOULD BE COMING TO COUNCIL APART FROM THE $84 MILLION THAT WE PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED.
I CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UH, AND LOOKING AT THESE FOR THE REMAINING, UH, PRIORITY AREAS, HOW THE FUNDS COULD BE REFERRED TO AND DALE, UH, IN EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE, THE RECOMMENDATION OF 7.5 MILLION, UM, 1.5 OF THAT CORPORATE TOWARDS ADDITIONAL CHILDCARE FUNDING TO ADDRESS FAMILIES CHANGES IN EMPLOYMENT STATUS.
1.73 COULD BE RECOMMENDED, OR IT COULD GO TOWARDS SUSTAINING AND SCALING INNOVATIVE INFRASTRUCTURE 0.87 WOULD BE, UH, ALLOCATED TOWARDS PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING SOLUTIONS FOR IDENTIFIED GAPS.
HALF-A-MILLION COULD BE ALLOCATED TOWARDS STABILIZING THE CHILDCARE WORKFORCE.
AND 2.9 MILLION COULD BE, UH, FOR TOWARDS STABILIZING, UH, SUPPORT TO YOUNG CHILDREN OUTSIDE OF FULL-TIME CARE.
NEXT SLIDE, IN REGARDS TO, UH, UH, JOBS AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, 8 MILLION, UH, THAT WE RECOMMEND ALLOCATING TOWARDS THIS PRIORITY AREA COULD BE WORK, COULD BE, UH, APPLIED TO WORDS FOR NOW.
THIS IS THE PROGRAM THAT THE CITY AND THE COUNTY HAVE ALREADY SUPPORTED, UH, DURING THE PANDEMIC.
AND, UH, THE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS IS PREPARED TO SCALE UP
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AS NECESSARY.IN REGARDS TO FOOD STUDENT SECURITY, $2 MILLION COULD BE ALLOCATED TOWARDS EMERGENCY FEEDING PROGRAMS, $5 MILLION, I'M SORRY, HALF A MILLION DOLLARS COULD BE RECOMMENDED TOWARDS DEVELOPING A FOOD SYSTEM PLAN AND HALF A MILLION DOLLARS TOWARDS THE SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT OF NON-PROFIT AND COOPERATIVELY OWNED GROCERY STORES.
NEXT SLIDE, IN REGARDS TO THE, UH, IMMEDIATE RELIEF NEEDS, 1.5 COULD GROW TOWARDS CALLING PARKS 20 MILLION TOWARDS THE CULTURAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND MUSIC PROGRAMS, AND, UH, 0.8 MILLION TOWARDS FINANCIAL RELIEF FOR INDIVIDUALS IN HOUSEHOLDS FOR A TOTAL OF 22.3 MILLION NEXT SLIDE.
AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND, UM, AND THIS IS SPECIAL IN THE BEST.
IS THERE A PERSON ON THE, UH, ENCAMPMENT, UH, QUESTION TOO? I DON'T WANT TO JUMP THROUGH, I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF THERE'S ANOTHER PRESENTATION.
NO, THERE'S THERE'S, BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO BRING UP, UH, THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION AS APPROPRIATE.
LET'S GET THE COW TROLLEYS, GIVE PEOPLE A CHANCE TO SPEAK, GREG, YOU WANT TO GO, AND THEN THEY END ACCIDENTS AND IT LOOKED LIKE HE WAS GOING TO HOP IN IS ACTUALLY GOING TO MESS UP JUST REALLY QUICK.
I JUST WANTED TO MENTION, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN, THERE IS A LOT OF BACKUP THAT WE POSTED FOR THIS ITEM AND IT WAS ADDED FAIRLY LATE, BUT WE WERE BUSILY COMPILING IT OVER THE WEEKEND, BUT PRETTY MUCH PREVIOUS RESOLUTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMOS AND REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS FROM STAFF THAT VARIOUS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WE'VE HAD ON THIS TOPIC OVER THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS, UM, PROPOSALS FROM OUR PARTNER AGENCIES, WE'VE LOADED THAT ALL INTO THE BACKUP.
I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT BECAUSE SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD ASKED FOR THE INITIAL ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY FRAMEWORK THAT STAFF HAD PROPOSED BACK IN MARCH, AS WELL AS THE INITIAL, UM, UM, STAFF PROPOSAL FOR ALLOCATING THE HRPA FUNDS, ALL THAT, THOSE, THOSE ITEMS ARE PART OF THE BACKUP.
UM, AND THEN WE HAD A SPECIFIC REQUEST FROM COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO ABOUT, UM, OTHER FUNDING SOURCES SUCH AS THE WALNUT CREEK TEACHERS.
AND WE HAD, WE HAD PROVIDED, UM, BUDGET QUESTION RESPONSES AND MEMORANDUMS IN THE PAST ON THAT.
SO WE'VE INCLUDED, UM, THOSE TWO ITEMS AS WELL IN YOUR BACKUP.
SO JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THERE'S A LOT OF BACKUP INFORMATION, NOT TRYING TO OVERWHELM YOU, BUT JUST TRYING TO PULL ALL THE DIFFERENT DOCUMENTS WE HAVE TOGETHER UNDER ONE UMBRELLA FOR, FOR YOU.
BEFORE I GO INTO MY QUESTION, I DO WANT TO THANK THE STAFF, UM, UH, AND, AND VERONICA AND DIANA FOR ON THIS FRONT, BUT I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT OF STAFF IN THE BACKGROUND THAT HAVE, UH, WORKED IN MARCH TO PUT TOGETHER THAT FIRST RECOMMENDATION.
AND THEN WE DISCUSSED THE RESILIENT ACX I FORGET IF THAT WAS IN MARCH OR APRIL, AND THEN COMING BACK, PUTTING TOGETHER ANOTHER SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MAY.
UH, AND THEN THE LATEST SET OF WORK IN JUNE.
I JUST KNOW THAT IT'S A LOT OF WORK, UM, ON AN IMPORTANT TOPIC.
SO I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL THE STUFF THAT HAD BEEN, UH, WORKING ON THIS, TRYING TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE COUNCIL CAN, CAN FEEL CONFIDENT MOVING FORWARD.
UM, MY QUESTION TO YOU, UH, VERONICA IS ABOUT THAT FIRST MARCH RECOMMENDATION.
WHEN YOU FIRST LAID OUT TO US, UH, THE, THE AMOUNT OF DOLLARS THAT WE SHOULD BE WORKING WITH TO ADDRESS, UH, RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY MOVING FORWARD, YOU INCLUDED, UM, GOING INTO RESERVES, UH, NOT USING TONS OF OUR RESERVES, BUT USING THE AMOUNT OF RESERVES THAT WE HAD ABOVE THE 12% POLICY.
SO I KNOW THAT COUNCIL IS WRESTLING WITH, ON WHAT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH HERE.
IS IT STILL YOUR RECOMMENDATION THAT WE USE SOME AMOUNT OF RESERVES? UM, AS LONG AS WE STAY ABOVE, STAY WITHIN POLICY, ONLY USE THE RESERVES THAT ARE ABOVE THAT PERCENTAGE.
AND THIS IS ED AGAIN, I KNOW THAT WAS DIRECTED TO VERONICA, BUT I'D LIKE TO CHIME IN ON THAT BECAUSE I THINK THAT THE INITIAL FRAMEWORK CAME FROM, UM, OUR INTERIM BUDGET OFFICER AT THE TIME DIANE SILER, UM, WHICH WAS TO INCLUDE RESERVES AS PART OF A BROADER, UM, UM, KIND OF LIKE A COVID SPENDING FRAMEWORK, PART TWO.
UM, THAT WAS BACK IN MARCH, WE WERE COMPILING THAT IN FEBRUARY.
UM, AND THAT WAS OUR, OUR APPROACH AT THE TIME WAS TO INCLUDE A FRAMEWORK PRESENTED A FRAMEWORK, THE COUNCIL THAT INCLUDED THE FEDERAL FUNDS AS WELL AS LOCAL FUNDS, BECAUSE THAT PROVIDED THE MOST FLEXIBILITY FOR ADDRESSING THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS.
UM, WHERE WE ARE TODAY IN JUNE, ROUGHLY A MONTH
[00:30:01]
AHEAD OF, UM, THE CITY MANAGER PRESENTING A BUDGET, A BUDGET PROPOSAL TO YOU, AND GIVEN WHERE WE CURRENTLY ARE WITH THE, THE TRAJECTORY OF THE PANDEMIC AND A VACCINE BEING OUT THERE.AND, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE, UH, FINGERS CROSSED THAT WE'RE IN THE, THE WANING MONTHS AND WEEKS OF THE, OF THE PANDEMIC, OUR RECOMMENDATION TO YOU WOULD BE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT ALLOCATING RESERVES TO BE PART OF YOUR BROADER BUDGET CONVERSATION.
THAT'S, UM, COMING UP IN, IN JULY, UM, WHEN YOU'LL HAVE THE BENEFIT OF, OF ALL THOSE DIFFERENT MOVING PIECES ON THE BUDGET, WHICH CONTINUE TO MOVE AROUND IN DIFFERENT COMPETING PRIORITIES TO, UM, TO THE EXTENT THERE WAS A NEED AND A DESIRE TO ALLOCATE RESERVES, UM, TO, TO WAIT FOR THAT, TO BE PART OF THAT BUDGET CONVERSATION AND KEEP THAT CONVERSATION THIS WEEK FOCUSED ON A RPA WOULD BE OUR RECOMMENDATION.
OKAY, WELL THEN I THINK THE, THE, THE CHALLENGE THAT THAT IMMEDIATELY BRINGS FORWARD IS THAT THE STAFF RECOMMENDED IN MARCH A CERTAIN AMOUNT ON HOMELESSNESS, A CERTAIN AMOUNT ON CHILDCARE, A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF WORKFORCE AND, AND FOR AN INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE RIDES AND RENT.
AND THOSE WERE NOT ONLY BALANCED WITH OUR, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT RESERVES.
UM, AND I THINK PART OF THE CONVERSATION WE SHOULD HAVE TODAY IS WE THEN PASS THE RESILIENCE ATX RESOLUTION ASKING FOR AN INCREASE IN EACH OF THOSE AREAS.
AND, UH, STAFF'S LATEST RECOMMENDATION INCREASES EACH OF THOSE AREAS, BUT THEN DROPS THE, UH, DIRECT ASSISTANCE AND HOUSING DOLLARS BY LIKE 95% FROM 20 MILLION TO LESS THAN 1 MILLION.
UM, AND SO I THINK THAT THAT COULD BE FIXED, UM, AND WE CAN HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR ALL OF THESE THINGS IF WE ENGAGE THE CONVERSATION ON RESERVES NOW.
UM, UM, BUT OTHERWISE WE WILL HAVE PASSED A RESOLUTION ASKING FOR AN INCREASE IN CHILDCARE, FOOD, HOMELESSNESS, WORKFORCE, AND HOUSING, AND HAVE DONE ALL OF THOSE EXCEPTED DROPPED.
ONE OF THEM THAT I THINK IS STILL A CRITICAL NEED.
SO I AM INTERESTED AS THE CONVERSATION EVOLVES FOR US TO FIND OUT HOW WE DON'T.
UM, SO DRASTICALLY DROPPED THAT, UH, THAT NUMBER.
UM, AND WE COULD TALK ABOUT IT IN RESERVES WHERE WE COULD TALK ABOUT IT.
SOME, UH, SOME OTHER WAY I AM OPEN AND INTERESTED IN WHETHER WE TALK ABOUT, UM, SETTING THAT MONEY ASIDE AND THEN FINDING A WAY AND THE BUDGET FOR US, IF IT'S ACTUALLY NOT AS NEEDED AS WE THOUGHT FOR US TO WASH THAT BACK IN.
AND I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER AT NVIDIA ABOUT A WAY TO FIGURE OUT, UM, HOW WE CAN BRIDGE OUR BRIDGE OR POT THERE, BUT ASKED THAT QUESTION COLLEAGUES, BECAUSE IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO KNOW WHAT OUR STARTING NUMBER IS.
I DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE US TOO FAR DOWN A RABBIT HOLE, BUT IT IS IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT JUST THE FEDERAL DOLLARS OR WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FEDERAL DOLLARS, PLUS SOME AMOUNT OF RESERVE, I THINK WILL SHIFT THE AMOUNT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH, UH, THIS WEEK.
AND SO I KNOW THAT THAT'S, ED'S RECOMMENDATION VERONICA.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO CHIME IN, UM, UM, FROM, FROM YOUR OFFICE ASIDE, IF THERE WAS ANYTHING I MISSED, I WOULD JUST ADD THAT I, YOU KNOW, WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH ED AND HIS TEAM ON THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, CERTAINLY WE'RE SEEING THAT THERE'S GREAT NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE'RE CERTAINLY HAPPY TO WORK TO, UH, PRIORITIZE THOSE NEEDS AND ALLOCATE THE DOLLARS ARE THEY'RE IDENTIFIED.
UM, I WANTED TO, UM, ASK, UM, DIANA, UH, TO SPEAK TO NEXT STEPS IN THE PROCESS AND PERHAPS, UM, AND VERONICA NEED TO ALSO, BUT, UM, WHAT WE'RE TALKING, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY IS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID WITH CARES, WHICH WAS, UM, APPROVAL OF OUR INTENT TO USE DOLLARS WITHIN CERTAIN BUCKETS.
UM, AND THAT THERE ARE LATER STEPS IN THE PROCESS IN TERMS OF THE SPECIFICS, UH, ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, APPROVING CONTRACTS AND OTHER ASPECTS OF THE, UH, SPECIFICS.
SO, UM, SO FOR EXAMPLE, WE WILL, SO NOW I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT HOMELESS IN PARTICULAR BECAUSE I'M HEARING THAT ISSUE.
UH, MOST RELATED TO THAT, I THINK THE ISSUE APPLIES TO EVERYTHING THOUGH, BECAUSE THE WAY WE'VE TYPICALLY DONE THINGS IS DESIGNATED A POT OF MONEY WITHOUT KNOWING ALL OF THE DETAILS, BUT HAVING THOSE DETAILS COME BACK TO US, WHICH FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IS APPROPRIATE A WAY TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY WRITING CHECKS TODAY.
WE DON'T DO THAT UNTIL WE, UH, APPROVE CONTRACTS.
SO, UH, WITH REGARD TO, UM, UH, THE DOLLARS, UM, PROPOSED TO, UH, ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS, UH, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON DETAILS IS OF COURSE, TO IDENTIFY WHERE OTHER FUNDS MIGHT BE AVAILABLE AND TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY ARE, UH, TO
[00:35:01]
POTENTIALLY BE ABLE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF ARP FUNDS THAT ARE USED IN THE FUTURE.UH, BUT WE DON'T KNOW THAT YET, AND WE'RE NOT EXPECTED TO KNOW EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS PART OF OUR CONTINUING DUE DILIGENCE.
THE OTHER THING THAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY MAKING A SYSTEMIC CHANGE, UH, TO OUR PROCESS FOR HOMELESSNESS.
SO THAT REQUIRES SOME ADDITIONAL LEVEL OF DETAIL AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS.
AND THEN OF COURSE, ACCOUNTABILITY FOR RESULTS, WHICH WILL REQUIRE SOME DETAILS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE PAYING FOR AND HOW ARE WE MEASURING RESULTS? SO TO MY MIND, I THINK IT WOULD BE, UM, I HAVE SOME SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT OTHER FUNDS, BUT I'LL HOLD THOSE TILL LATER.
MY QUESTION RIGHT NOW IS TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS AT THE POINT AT WHICH WE, YOU KNOW, THIS THURSDAY, HOPEFULLY FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IF WE APPROVE, UM, THESE BUCKETS OF FUNDING FOR ARPA-E, WHICH INCLUDES HOMELESSNESS, THAT WE WERE PROBING THEM AT A LEVEL, AND THEN WE HAVE A NEXT STEP IN THE PROCESS.
AND TO MY MIND, THE NEXT STEP WITH REGARD TO HOMELESSNESS IS, UH, FOR, FOR YOU, UH, DIANA AND OUR STAFF TO RETURN TO US AND SAY, OKAY, WHERE WERE WE SUCCESSFUL WITH THE COMMUNITY LEVEL OF SUPPORT? WHAT DID WE GET IN TERMS OF COUNTY SUPPORT FOR THE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE LARGER VISION OR SUPPORT, UH, AND SUPPORT FROM PHILANTHROPY, PHILANTHROPY, THAT'S ONE POINT.
AND THE OTHER POINT IS WHAT, WHAT ARE THE DETAILS, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF, UM, OF HOW DOLLARS WILL BE SPENT AND HOW WE WILL MEASURE RESULTS AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
SO TO MY MIND, THAT'S AT LEAST A TWO-STEP PROCESS.
MAYBE IT'S A THREE-STEP PROCESS.
SO DIANA, CAN YOU SPEAK TO IT AS MUCH AS YOU UNDERSTAND AT THIS POINT, WHAT YOU WOULD BE THINKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF A PROCESS FOR BRINGING US ADDITIONAL DETAILS FOR BRINGING US APPROVALS THOSE KINDS OF THINGS LIKE WE'VE DONE WITH CARES, CERTAINLY COUNCIL MEMBER, AND, AND THEN I'D LIKE, UM, UH, AND TO, TO STEP IN AND SPEAK A LITTLE MORE SPECIFICALLY TO PROCESS, UH, LESS I MISTAKE.
SO I THINK THAT, UM, IT'S IMPORTANT, UM, THAT OVER THE WEEKEND AND OVER THE LAST WEEK OR SO, UH, SEVERAL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBER OFFICES HAVE BEEN IN CLOSE COMMUNICATION WITH FOLKS FROM THE SUMMIT, REALLY DIGGING INTO SOME OF THE NUMBERS AND, AND CLARIFYING IN SOME CASES WHAT SOME OF THE QUESTIONS ARE, UM, THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ANSWERED.
SO I THINK WE HAVE INCREASING CLARITY ON THAT FRONT.
WE HAVE MUCH OF THAT INFORMATION AND WE'LL BE PROCEEDING TO PACKAGE THAT UP FOR COUNCIL TO REVIEW AS WE MOVE FORWARD, OF COURSE, WITH A $515 MILLION BUDGET.
UM, THERE IS A LOT OF DETAIL THERE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, AS I HAVE UNDERSTOOD THE MESSAGING, UM, FROM COUNCIL, UH, THERE IS AN INTERESTING MOVING FORWARD, BUT ALSO CERTAINLY A, UM, A REAL VALUE PLACED ON DRAWING OUR PARTNERS IN, AND UN-CLARITY ABOUT HOW THE FUNDS WOULD BE UTILIZED.
AND SO A COUPLE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I WOULD ASSUME COUNCIL MIGHT WANT TO CONTEMPLATE THIS WEEK WOULD BE, UH, HOW MUCH WOULD YOU SAY STAFF, YOU MAKE MOVE FORWARD PLANNING, UM, TO, UH, TO PROCURE FOR CERTAIN SERVICES, UH, OR, UM, YOU KNOW, OR GRANTS, UM, ET CETERA.
UM, AND WHAT ARE THE STOPPING POINTS? HOW MUCH WOULD YOU LIKE THE CITY TO SPEND BEFORE WE HAVE A CHECKPOINT AT WHICH TIME YOU WANT TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER COMMITMENTS ON THE TABLE, UM, FROM THE PARTNERS.
AND SO WE'RE CERTAINLY HAPPY TO STRUCTURE THAT WITH YOU.
UH, AND THEN OF COURSE, THIS IS A BLENDING PLAN AND ANYTHING THAT WE WOULD DO WOULD NEED TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL AND FOR AUTHORIZATION IN TERMS OF THE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF ANY CONTRACTS.
SO I WILL STOP THERE AND HAND IT OVER TO ED FOR, FOR, UH, TO CLARIFY, UH, ANY CONFUSION I HAVE CREATED.
I DON'T THINK YOU CREATED ANY CONFUSION.
I WOULD JUST, UM, YOU KNOW, TO SOMEWHAT REPEAT WHAT YOU SAID, THAT JUST MUCH LIKE A BUDGET, OUR BIG BUDGET THAT YOU'RE GOING TO ADOPT AN AUGUST IS, IS A $4 BILLION PLUS SPENDING PLAN.
WE DON'T SPEND ALL THE MONEY DAY ONE.
WE COME BACK TO COUNCIL THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WITH CONTRACTS AND ADDITIONAL SPENDING AUTHORITY TO ALLOCATE THE, OR TO, TO SPEND THE MONEY THAT YOU HAVE APPROPRIATED.
AND CERTAINLY, UM, WHAT'S WHAT WILL BE BEFORE YOU THIS WEEK SHOULD BE LOOKED AT THAT IN THE SAME WAY.
IT'S A SPENDING PLAN, OR WE'VE BEEN CALLING IT A FRAMEWORK HERE.
THIS IS, UM, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET FROM COUNCIL IS DIRECTION ON WHAT THE PLAN IS FOR SPENDING THESE FUNDS OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT THREE MONTHS, SIX MONTHS, NINE MONTHS A YEAR, UM, WE CAN BE PURSUING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE PROGRAMS, BUT THERE CERTAINLY WOULD BE ADDITIONAL ACTIONS REQUIRED BY COUNCIL.
WHETHER THAT'S THE ACQUISITION OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING UNITS
[00:40:01]
CLEARLY WOULD REQUIRE COUNCIL APPROVAL ENTERING INTO CONTRACTS WOULD REQUIRE COUNCIL APPROVAL.BUT, UM, THIS, THIS IS THE PLAN THAT WE WOULD BE PURSUING IN THE FUTURE.
THIS WOULD, UH, DRIVE THINGS, A COUNCIL WORK THAT STAFF WERE TO BRING BACK TO COUNCIL AGAIN, SAME AS WHAT WE DO IN THE REGULAR BUDGET PROCESS.
I WOULD SAY MAYBE ONE NUANCE EXCEPTION TO THAT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY DO, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE URGENT, LIKE RIGHT, THE 44.3 MILLION THAT WE CAME BACK TO YOU WITH SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, THAT WAS RELATED TO OUR, TO THE, TO THE PANDEMIC THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
AND WE REALLY FELT WE NEEDED THOSE DOLLARS ALLOCATED NOW.
AND I THINK THERE'S PARTS OF THE FUNDING HERE THAT WE REALLY DO NEED NOW SOONER THAN LATER, UM, SPECIFICALLY THE, UH, $4.2 MILLION THAT DIANA TALKED ABOUT FOR THE EXPANSION OF OUR SHELTERING, UM, CAPACITY OR FOR DESIGNATED ENCAMPMENTS AND THE FUNDING FOR THE NAVIGATORS, SO THAT WE CAN HELP OUR COMMUNITY, UM, ACCESS ADDITIONAL FEDERAL FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM AS, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
SO THAT MIGHT BE THE ONLY, YOU KNOW, SLIGHT DIFFERENCES THAT THERE ARE SOME THINGS WE REALLY NEED TO MAKE SURE WE GET FUNDING IN PLACE FOR BEFORE COUNCIL GOES ON BREAK, BUT WE CERTAINLY WOULD, UM, IT'D BE IDEAL IF WE COULD GET, UM, FROM THE COUNCIL, UM, SOME CONSENSUS ABOUT WHAT THE SPENDING PLAN THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE US PROCEED WITH IS FOR THE ENTIRE HRPA THAT WOULD HELP US OUT AS WE START CRAFTING OUR, OUR BUDGET RECOMMENDATION.
SO WHAT I'M HEARING THEN IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE, YOU KNOW, TOO MANY ITEMS OR THAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT, UM, MOVING FORWARD WITH IMMEDIATELY, BUT WITH REGARD TO THE LARGER BUCKET FOR HOMELESSNESS AND OTHER BUCKETS, TOO, WE CAN, AS A COUNCIL, ESTABLISH A TIMELINE, UH, WITH YOU ALL ABOUT WHEN WE WANT CHECKPOINTS ALONG THE WAY.
UM, AND WHAT LEVEL OF DETAIL WITH BLOCK ALONG THE WAY BEFORE WE ACTUALLY SIGN OFF ON EXPENDITURES.
SO WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY, DIANE, IS THAT, THAT WE CAN COME BACK WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN PROVIDE YOU WHAT OUR THINKING IS AND WHAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE, UM, AND ALSO CERTAINLY, UH, MAKE THAT CONTINGENT UPON, UH, MIGHT THE AMOUNT EVEN CONTINGENT UPON, UH, THE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATING, UM, COUNTY AND PHILANTHROPY.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO GET MORE SPECIFIC IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE, BUT I'M HEARING THAT AS A, AS A, AS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE FROM A PROCESS STANDPOINT.
SO MY OTHER QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL WAIT FOR OTHERS.
I'VE QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO OTHER FUNDS, YOUR BODY, A CHANCE TO KIND OF TRY TO OPEN KIND OF WHERE THEY'RE, THEY'RE THINKING, AND I'LL GO AROUND AND GIVE EVERYBODY A CHANCE TO DO THAT.
UH, I'M GONNA TAKE THE PREROGATIVE AND, AND, AND SPEAK NEXT.
UM, THE, THE NRP MONEY THAT WE'RE GETTING, UH, THAT CITIES ARE GETTING ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND COUNTIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS PRETTY MUCH, UH, NEVER WAS FORESEEN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO HAVE THAT MUCH CAPITAL, UH, ABILITY GOING TO CITIES AND COUNTIES AND DIFFERENT CITIES AND COUNTIES.
AS WE TALKED ABOUT WHEN WE DID THE RESILIENCY RESOLUTION, UH, ARE TO TREATING IT DIFFERENTLY.
THERE ARE SOME CITIES AND COUNTIES THAT ARE HAVING TO USE IT TO FILL REVENUE GAPS IN THEIR BUDGETS AND AUSTIN, UH, FOR LOTS OF REASONS, UH, IS NOT IN THE SAME POSITION THAT SOME OF THOSE REALLY PRESSED JURISDICTIONS ARE.
UH, AND, AND THAT GIVES US OPPORTUNITIES THAT THOSE, THOSE KINDS OF JURISDICTIONS DON'T HAVE, WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND THE COUNTRY, THERE ARE CITIES AND COUNTIES SOMETIMES JOINING TOGETHER, UH, TO NOT IN THAT POSITION THAT ARE REALLY USING THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS A CHALLENGE THAT, UH, IS LONG STANDING IN THEIR COMMUNITY OR BIG OTHER COMMUNITY.
AND THEY'VE NEVER ACTUALLY BEEN ABLE TO DO WHAT THEY THINK THEY NEED TO DO TO, TO REALLY HANDLE IT.
CAUSE THEY'VE NEVER HAD THE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO WHEN WE CONSIDER THE RESILIENCY RESOLUTION, THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE WERE, THAT'S WHAT WE SAID.
WE WERE LOOKING AT, WHAT CAN WE DO TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS INCREDIBLE UNIQUE MOMENT TO REALLY DO SOMETHING THAT'S TRANSFORMATIONAL, MAYBE TAKE SOMETHING THAT IS A CHALLENGE THAT WILL BE WITH US FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, AND THEN TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE OR PUT IT ON A PATH TO BE TAKEN OFF THE TABLE.
AND WE PASSED THAT RESOLUTION.
AND, AND, UM, I AGREE THAT WITH THAT.
AND THEN WE PASSED THAT, I THINK UNANIMOUSLY AND, AND, AND I, UM, I'M PROUD TO HAVE BEEN PART OF THAT KIND OF APPROACH TO HOW TO USE THE ARP,
[00:45:01]
UH, DOLLARS.WE WOULD ALSO TALK ABOUT BEING REALLY SMART ABOUT THEM TOO, AND TRY TO LEVERAGE THEM, UH, WITH, UH, PARTNERS.
SO WE CAN HAVE THE BIGGEST BANG FOR THE BUCK OR FIND CROSS, UH, UH, PURPOSES, UH, UH, GOALS.
AND SO THAT WE WOULD NEED MORE THAN ONE GOAL WITH A SINGLE SPAND AND, AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
UH, I'VE POSTED ON THE MESSAGE BOARD.
YOU ALL PROBABLY KNOW, BUT FOR ANYBODY WATCHING THIS KIND OF A FRAMEWORK THAT MAKES THEM MODEST TWEAKS, I THINK, TO THE STAFF PROPOSAL, UH, EXCEPT THAT IT ADDS THE CONSIDERATION OF THEIR RESERVES FOR THE HOUSING.
UM, I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND SEE IF THERE'S AN EMERGENCY NEED FOR SOME PORTION OF THAT.
IF WE'RE GOING TO RUN OUT OF THAT MONEY BETWEEN NOW WHEN WE COME BACK, UH, YOU KNOW, SO AT THE VERY LEAST WE MIGHT WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT, AT, AT THAT.
UH, BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, I, I IT'S, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE SAME AS COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHENS, THAT WE'RE REALLY IDENTIFYING POCKETS AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT MORE DETAILED THAT COMES IN.
I SEE THE THINGS WE HAVE TO SPEND RIGHT AWAY.
UM, BUT, BUT I'M ALSO COMFORTABLE ADDING, YOU KNOW, A CHECK-IN POINT AFTER TODAY'S ACTION THAT'S BEFORE CONTRACTS COME BACK, ESPECIALLY WITH RESPECT TO THAT, TO THAT WHOLE LIST IS PART OF THIS, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE VERY CLEAR THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING AT THIS KIND OF SCALE, UH, THAT WE'RE DOING IT AS A PART OF A MUCH LARGER RAISE AND LIFT, UH, AND IN OUR KIND OF GRIEF THAT SCALES CONTINGENT ON, UH, THE WHOLE COMMUNITY SAYING, YES, THIS IS THE PRIORITY.
AND, AND, AND COMING IN, IT'S SIMILAR KINDS OF SCALES IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, CAUSE IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN, THEN I THINK THE WHOLE QUESTION OF FUNDING IN THIS AREA NEEDS TO COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL SO THAT WE CAN HAVE WHAT WE DO THAT IF THE COMMUNITY'S NOT INTERESTED IN, IN RESPONDING AT THAT SCALE.
BUT IF THE COMMUNITY IS NOW, IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOMEBODY TO GO FIRST, UH, AND SAY THAT IF THE COMMUNITY ACTUALLY WANTS TO WORK AT THIS SCALE, AND THEN, AND THEN WE'RE READY TO, TO CONSIDER THAT WE NEED A LOT MORE DETAILS ON WHAT EVERYBODY'S DOING AND GOVERNANCE AND ALL OF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
BUT I THINK IT SENDS SOMETHING THAT WOULD ENABLE US OVER THE NEXT SIX WEEKS TO REALLY ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
AND I THINK THAT IS REAL IMPORTANT IF WE'RE GOING TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT THE CAN BEHAVE IS READY TO DO THIS, YOU KNOW, AS, AS COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO HAS FREQUENTLY POINTED OUT, THERE'S REALLY NOTHING NEW IN THE SUMMIT APPROACH THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE.
AND THE PROPOSALS THAT CAME FROM ECHO AND THE PROPOSALS THAT CAME FROM BARBARA POPPY ABOUT WHAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MISSING IS WE GET THOSE PROPOSALS.
WE LOOK AT THEM AND WE'D SAY, WELL, OKAY, YOU'RE TELLING US WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO GET PEOPLE OFF OUR STREETS AND KEEP THEM OFF OUR STREETS AND BE EQUILIBRIUM.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THOSE DOCUMENTS PRESENT A NUMBER THAT IS SO LARGE.
THERE'S NO WAY FOR US TO REALLY DO THAT.
SO WE HAVEN'T, AND, AND, AND WE GET THOSE REPORTS AND OUR CONSTITUENTS ARE ASKING US, WHY DID YOU ACT ON THE REPORTS THAT YOU GOT? UH, AND THE ANSWER TO THAT IS REALLY SIMPLE.
I THINK FOR ME, IS WE'VE NEVER HAD THE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
WE'VE KNOWN WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO REALLY BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THIS, BUT WE'VE NEVER HAD THE RESOURCES.
SO WE NEVER REALLY HAVE, SO WE'VE NEVER BUILT OUT THE SYSTEM.
UH, ECHO SAID, WE NEEDED THAT.
POPPY SAID WE NEEDED, THE EXPERTS HAVE SAID WE'D NEEDED YOU.
AND, AND I THINK THAT'S THE ANSWER TO THE COMMUNITY QUESTION.
SO WHY IS THIS STILL WITH US? AND, AND, AND SO, AND SO, UM, SO, UH, IN OUR, IN OUR CITY, UH, BY COMING IN AND SENDING THAT KIND OF SIGNAL TO THE COMMUNITY, WE HAVE A CHANCE TO REALLY LEVERAGE THE DOLLARS, UH, IN, IN WAYS THAT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO LEVERAGE ANY OF THE OTHER DOLLARS ON THIS, ON THIS PAGE, UH, AND AS PRESENTED BY THE STAFF, BECAUSE WE'RE ASKING THE COMMUNITY TO COME IN WITH A GREAT AND SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER LIFT, AND I'M COMFORTABLE SAYING, YOU KNOW, LET'S, LET'S SEE IF EVERYBODY'S WILLING TO REALLY PUT BECKS KINDS OF DOLLARS IN THAT BUCKET AND THEN COME BACK TO IS EITHER OF THE COMMUNITY CAN'T OR COME BACK TO US AS YOU BETTER DEFINE, UH, WHAT, WHAT IS INVOLVED IN A SPEND PROGRAM AT THAT, AT THAT LEVEL I'M COMFORTABLE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE BUCKETS, YOU KNOW, SIMILAR TO WHAT STAFF DID WITH, UH, THE, THE MINOR TWEAKS.
AND I POINT OUT THE, UH, THE CHANGES PROPOSED WITH US ADOPTING THIS AND SAYING THAT IF WE CAN FIND ADDITIONAL DOLLARS IN ADDITIONAL PLACES THAT CAN, UH, DISPLACE, UH, THE, THE ARP DOLLARS THAT WE MIGHT BE USING, THAT WE GET THOSE, WE'RE GONNA ASK STAFF
[00:50:01]
TO TRY TO FIND OTHER AREAS SO THAT WE CAN RECLAIM SOME OF THOSE ARP DOLLARS AND REALLOCATE THEM, UH, UH, OTHER PLACES.UM, SO I THINK THAT THAT TODAY, OR ON THURSDAY, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO, TO REALLY SEND KIND OF A HIGH LEVEL MESSAGE.
UH, AND, AND I ASKED MY COLLEAGUES GIVEN WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS AND, AND, AND A COMMUNITY THAT IS ASKING US TO REALLY DO SOMETHING THAT IS MATERIAL, UH, THAT ADDRESSES A CHALLENGE THAT HAS BLED OVER INTO PERCEPTIONS OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND PERCEPTIONS OF, UH, UH, LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND WE REALLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY NOW TO, TO ACT IN A WAY THAT WILL STILL PRESERVE OUR ABILITY TO HELP SHAPE DETAILS, UH, IN THE COMING MONTHS, UH, COLLEAGUES, LASTLY, YOU WANT TO GO? YEAH.
UM, I WANTED TO CHECK IN WITH ED.
I THINK, UM, GREG WAS SAYING SOMETHING ABOUT THE AMOUNT FOR RENT WAS REDUCED, BUT I THINK THAT'S BECAUSE IT WAS OFFSET BY A SIGNIFICANT, UH, PIECE OF DIRECT FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO COULD YOU MAYBE, UM, ADDRESS THAT WITH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WAS, THAT HE WAS LOOKING FOR IS IN FACT FROM WHAT I GATHERED FROM ONE OF THE SCREENS BEING PROVIDED, IT'S JUST COMING DIRECTLY FROM FEDERAL FUNDS FOR SPECIFIC RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
AND THEN I HAD, UH, TWO OTHER QUESTIONS.
WELL, THERE IS, THERE IS A, UM, UM, AN ADDITIONAL $22 MILLION GRANT.
THE CITY IS GOING TO RECEIVE FOR, UH, EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE THAT CAN ONLY BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE.
AND IS THAT WHY THE AMOUNT, THE LATEST ITERATION WAS REDUCED IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE THAT DIRECT FUNDING UP TO ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY? YEAH.
AND, AND NOT LET THAT I LIVED, UM, VERONICA SPEAK TO IT AS WELL.
I, I THINK MORE SO IT WAS FOLLOWING DIRECTION.
WE FELT WE RECEIVED FROM COUNSEL VIA, UM, THE RESOLUTION ONE 11, I THINK, IN, IN MARCH, UM, THAT SPOKE TO REALLY WANTING TO SEE THE ARPA FUNDING PUT MORE TOWARDS TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECTS AND LESS SO TOWARDS EMERGENCY RELIEF PROJECTS, WHICH THAT RE EMERGENCY RELIEF IS WHAT OUR CARE FUNDING WAS REALLY ALL ABOUT.
AND, UH, WHAT WE THOUGHT WE HEARD WAS TO GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION AND LOOK MORE TOWARDS TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECTS.
SO, UM, THAT WAS CERTAINLY PART OF IT, BUT WE ARE CORRECT.
THERE IS $22 MILLION THAT WILL BE ALLOCATED TO RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY WAS AWARE OF THAT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY LOSING IT.
IN FACT, WE COULD POSSIBLY BE FREEING UP SOME MONEY IN ARPA FOR OTHER THINGS, AND STILL MEET THE MARK OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE THAT HAD, UH, HAD ALREADY BEEN ESTABLISHED.
AND I THINK, UM, GREG, YOU HAD SET THE NUMBER I WANTED TO ASK.
WHAT IF I KNOW WE ARE, WE ARE HOPING FOR GOOD RESULTS FROM PHILANTHROPY AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES CONTRIBUTING.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY DON'T WELL, AND I'LL, I'LL TAKE A STAB AT THAT.
I THINK THAT'S WHY WE CALL IT A SPENDING PLAN.
WE CAN PUT FORTH A PLAN BASED UPON CERTAIN ASSUMPTIONS.
AND IF THOSE ASSUMPTIONS DON'T COME TO FRUITION, THEN WE MAY HAVE TO REVISIT IT.
AND I THINK THIS ISN'T OBVIOUSLY DIANA'S AREA OF EXPERTISE, BUT I WOULD SUSPECT IF THOSE OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING DON'T PLAY OUT, THEN WE WOULD WANT TO REVISIT WHAT WE'RE ALLOCATING THAT $84 MILLION TOWARDS, I MEAN, IT MAY STILL GO TO HOMELESSNESS, BUT IT MAY GO TOWARDS DIFFERENT THINGS.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD ANTICIPATE AS WELL.
I THINK THIS ALSO SPEAKS TO THE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHICH FISCAL YEAR IS ALLOCATING TOWARD.
UM, AND I, I DON'T THINK I WAS HEARING DINAH OR, OR STAFF ANYBODY.
I'M PRETTY SURE I'M NOT HEARING ANYBODY SAY THAT WE ARE GOING TO ENCUMBER FUNDS FOR FISCAL 23, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THOSE MONIES.
I MEAN, WE KIND OF KNOW HOW MUCH WE WILL GET, BUT WE ARE SPECIFICALLY ENCUMBERING FOR FISCAL 22, WHICH THEN THE APPROPRIATION ACTION WILL BE, AS ED DESCRIBED IT, WHICH IS WHEN WE GET CONTRACTS.
AND THEN WE APPROVE THOSE CONTRACTS TO ACTUALLY CUT THE CHECK.
IS THAT CORRECT? OR ARE WE ALSO ACTUALLY SETTING OUT SET, UH, GOALS OR ENCUMBRANCES FOR FISCAL 23? AND THEN I WOULD ASK, CAN WE DO THAT LEGALLY OR DO WE EVEN NEED TO FACT, IS THAT IS WORK THAT WOULD BE DONE NEXT YEAR, RIGHT?
[00:55:01]
WELL, YOU CAN CERTAINLY COME UP WITH A PLAN NOW, LET ME JUST A SLIGHT CORRECTION IT'S IT'S FISCAL YEAR 21.SO WE'RE IN FISCAL YEAR 21, AND WE ARE PROPOSING THIS, THIS WEEK ON YOUR JUNE 10TH AGENDA TO APPROPRIATE $49.4 MILLION OF THE ARPA FUNDS TO THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
THAT WOULD BE, UM, EXPENDED OVER THE COURSE OF THIS YEAR.
AND THEN, UM, THE OTHER 94.2 MILLION, WE WON'T EVEN RECEIVE THAT UNTIL MAY OF 2022.
AND SO THAT FUNDING WOULD HAVE TO BE APPROPRIATED AT THAT TIME.
UM, BUT, AND, AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT SAYS YOU CAN'T PLAN FOR THAT IN THE FUTURE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO LAY OUT HERE IS WHAT WOULD BE A PLAN FOR ALL OF THIS MONEY, SOME OF WHICH WE'RE GOING TO, WE ALREADY HAVE.
AND, UH, THE OTHER HALF OF WHICH WE WILL NOT GET UNTIL MAY OF 20, 22, BUT EVEN THOSE FUNDS, EVEN THAT 49.4 MILLION THAT WE'RE ALLOCATING, UM, OR THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO APPROPRIATE ON JUNE 10TH.
UM, THOSE PROGRAMS AND SPENDING WOULD NEED TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL AS WE'RE, YOU KNOW, PREPARED TO ENTER INTO CONTRACTS OR REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS.
HOW, HOW MUCH OF WHAT IS PROPOSED IS ONGOING AND HOW MUCH OF IT IS ONE TIME I HAVE TO SOLVE TO ASSUME IT'S ALL ONE TIME.
YEAH, I MEAN, OUR, OUR, YOU KNOW, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY, UM, THESE FUNDS HAVE TO, THE ARPA FUNDS NEED TO BE EXPENDED BY DECEMBER 31ST OF 2024.
SO IT ALL HAS TO BE, UM, EXPENDED WITH THE IDEA THAT WHEN THESE DOLLARS RUN OUT, PARTICULARLY UNDER A THREE AND A HALF PERCENT REVENUE CAP, UM, THAT WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THOSE PROGRAMS, OR IT WOULD TAKE A FUTURE COUNCIL ACTION TO FIGURE OUT HOW IN THE GENERAL FUND WE'RE GOING TO BUILD IN FUNDING TO CONTINUE THESE PROGRAMS. UM, A LOT OF IT, UM, UH, WILL NEED TO BE ONGOING, PARTICULARLY IN THE HOMELESSNESS ARENA.
A LOT OF THOSE PROGRAMS WILL NEED TO BE, UM, RECURRING IF WE'RE GOING TO OPEN UP PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING UNITS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE UNITS THEMSELVES, OF COURSE, AS A ONE-TIME EXPENDITURE, BUT THE OPERATIONS MAINTENANCE AND WRAPAROUND SERVICES ARE ONGOING.
AND THEN JUST THE LAST TIME I HAVE AT THIS POINT ON THIS, ON THIS ROUND IS, UM, I ASSUME THAT STAFF WILL BE GIVING US, UM, A BALLPARK FIGURE FOR WHAT THE ONGOING COSTS WILL BE, BECAUSE THEY WILL BECOME KIND OF A, UH, PRINCIPLE AROUND WHICH OUR FUTURE BUDGETS, ALL FUTURE COUNCIL BUDGETS WILL HAVE TO BE STRUCTURED, EVEN IF IT MEANS CHANGING THE NUMBERS, I DON'T KNOW, UP DOWN OR WHATEVER, BUT THEY HAVE TO BECOME AS MUCH A PART OF OUR ONGOING SUSTAINED BUDGET DECISION-MAKING AS WE'VE BEEN DOING IT IN THE PAST.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE PART THAT PART REALLY GIVES ME PAUSE.
WHEN I LOOK AT ED, THE FORECAST THAT YOU GAVE US AT THE THREE AND A HALF FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, THAT WAS, I DON'T THINK WE HAD GOTTEN THAT ESTIMATING THE EXPENDITURES HERE OR THE FLIPPED UP SPENDING THAT THIS WILL CAUSE FOR ONGOING SERVICES AND PROGRAMS. AND THAT'S WHY I'M REALLY ENCOURAGED TO HEAR FOLKS TALKING ABOUT BEING DELIBERATE, THOUGHTFUL, AND TAKING TIME TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS, ESPECIALLY IN THE CONTEXT OF FISCAL 22, WHICH IS JUST, WHAT ABOUT SIX WEEKS FROM NOW THAT WILL ACTUALLY START THE PUBLIC PROCESS OF OUR, OF OUR BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND THAT'LL ALSO GIVE US A CHANCE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND GIVE THEM TIME TO OBSERVE IT AND WEIGH INTO WHAT IF, IF THERE'S ANYBODY THINKING ABOUT PASSING SOMETHING ON THE 10TH AND I AM NOT MAYBE ALONE, UH, BUT ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I'M NOT IS BECAUSE I'M PRETTY SURE MY NEIGHBORS NEXT DOOR WHO HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO ME, DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT THIS WILL MEAN, OR THIS CONTAINS.
AND I KNOW THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD AND, AND I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THEM THAT.
UM, AND SO I WOULD URGE US TO CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT, UM, A DELIBERATE PACE, UH, BEING IN TANDEM WITH OUR, UH, BUDGETING WORK THAT STARTS JUST NEXT MONTH AND, UM, CRAFTING A LARGER PICTURE SO THAT WE CAN ALSO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC SO THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING.
HI, HOW'S IT GOING? RECORD A YEAH.
UM, MY BIGGEST CONCERN JUST IN THE PRESENT IS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO CONTRIBUTE MORE TO THE HOMELESSNESS AND, UH, UH, AND IF PEOPLE ARE FACING EVICTION, WE REALLY NEED TO ADDRESS THAT.
SO I WANT TO ADD, ADD, UH, OR WHOEVER CAN ANSWER.
[01:00:01]
UM, IS THERE A POSSIBILITY OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE FUND RUNNING OUT BEFORE WE CAN MAKE A DECISION? WHEN WE COME BACK, I'M LOOKING TO SEE IF, UM, UM, DIRECTOR TRUE LOVE WAS AVAILABLE TO HELP WITH THAT CONVERSATION.I SEE VERONICA SHAKING HER HEAD, NO, A DIRECTOR FOR LOVE HAD A CONFLICT, BUT WE CAN GET THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION NUMBER AND PROVIDE IT TO YOU.
I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT QUESTION ANSWERED BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY, REALLY CONCERNED THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, IF WE CAME UP THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GETTING EVICTED OR EVICTED, THEN WE'RE JUST GOING TO BE HAVING MORE PEOPLE OUT IN THE STREETS.
AND THAT WOULD BE A DISASTER TO HAVE THAT HAPPEN.
WE DO HAVE STAFF IN THE VIRTUAL MOVED OVER, LIKE GETTING TO THAT QUESTION.
DID YOU SAY YOU HAD STAFF MOVING OVER THAT COULD ANSWER THIS QUESTION.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US COUNSEL, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, RODNEY GONZALEZ, TO YOUR KNEPPER, TD JACKMAN WITH THE HOUSING PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
NO, I COULDN'T REALLY HEAR YOU.
CAN YOU HEAR ME JACQUELINE? CAN YOU CANCEL AND JUST SPEAK AND WE CAN UNDERSTAND YOU BETTER PROBABLY.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, BASED UPON DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING PROBABLY THE LAST TWO WEEKS OR SO, WE ARE CURRENTLY, WE HAVE EXPENDED ABOUT 70% OF THE FUNDS OF $24 MILLION FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED FOR EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
UH, WE EXPECT THAT WE WILL ASSESS THEM, SPEND ALL OF THE FUNDS, ALLOCATE ALL OF THE FUNDS BEFORE THE END OF THIS MONTH, BEFORE THE END OF JUNE.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE RECENTLY, WE CHANGED THE PROGRAM SLIGHTLY TO PRIORITIZE HOUSEHOLDS THAT WERE FIVE MONTHS OR MORE BEHIND ON RENT.
AND SO WE HAVE BEEN PROCESSING THOSE HOUSEHOLDS TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM BEING EVICTED, UH, IN LINE WITH THE NEW, UH, ORDER ON EVICTIONS.
AND SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE WAITING.
I'VE BEEN ALSO SPEAKING WITH, UH, THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE TO SEE WHEN THE ADDITIONAL ALLOTMENT OF FUNDS, UH, WILL BE DEPOSITED UNTIL THE CITY BANK ACCOUNT.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE, WE DO ANTICIPATE THAT FUNDS WILL BE DEPLETED BEFORE THE, THIS MONTH.
AND, AND, UH, THAT'S, WHAT'S REALLY CONCERNING TO ME AND TO MY COLLEAGUE, GREG, UH, THAT, UH, THAT WE WILL RUN OUT OF MONEY AND THAT WILL END UP, UH, HAVING PEOPLE EVICTED.
SO I I'LL HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE COULD REALLY TAKE IN CONSIDERATION OF USING SOME FUNDING RIGHT NOW AND THEN REIMBURSED IT BACK WHEN WE GET THE MONEY BACK THEN WHEN WE GET IT FROM THE FED THE 22 MILLION SO THAT WE WON'T HAVE THOSE KINDS OF INCIDENTS TO HAPPEN.
AND IF I CAN ALSO JUST ADD, UM, TO DATE, WE HAVE SERVED, UM, WE HAVE OVER 9,000, ALMOST 10,000 HOUSEHOLDS WHO HAVE APPLIED, AND WE HAVE SERVED, UM, LESS, JUST ABOUT 4,000 OF THOSE WHO HAVE APPLIED FOR ASSISTANCE.
SO YOU REALLY FEEL LIKE THAT, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO RUN OUT AT THE END OF THE, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO RUN OUT AT THE END OF THE MONTH.
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN AFTER THAT? UM, THE PROGRAM WE DID GO ON PAUL'S PREVIOUSLY, UH, WITH OUR OTHER RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, UH, WHEN THE FUNDING WAS DEPLETED, UM, WE JUST PAUSED THE PROGRAMS AND WAITED FOR ADDITIONAL DOLLARS TO BE ALLOCATED.
IF THOSE FUNDS OF, WITH EACH PROGRAM, AFTER THE END OF EACH PROGRAM, WE DID RECEIVE ADDITIONAL FUNDS AND WE WERE ABLE TO PRIORITIZE SOME HOUSEHOLDS THAT REMAINED IN THE PIPELINE.
AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO PRIORITIZE THOSE WITH ADDITIONAL AS ADDITIONAL FUNDING CAME IN.
UH, DOES ANYONE OUT THERE KNOW IF, UH, WHEN THAT'S
[01:05:01]
$22 MILLION, IT'S GOING TO COME IN AND WHEN WILL WE BE ABLE TO START USING IT? I WAS GOING TO SAY, COUNSEL, IT'S CERTAINLY A CLEAR FOLLOW-UP FROM THIS DISCUSSION.AND SO WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATION THE, WE CAN FROM OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, UH, TO HAVE SOME ANSWERS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, HOPEFULLY TOMORROW, BUT, UM, CERTAINLY BY YOUR DECISION-MAKING ON THURSDAY.
AND SO WE'LL GET, WE'LL GET THAT TO YOU AS, AS BEST WE CAN AND AS SOON AS WE CAN AS WELL.
ALL THOSE QUESTIONS WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ALL OF US, FOR THE DELIBERATIONS THIS WEEK.
UM, POS A LOT OF QUESTIONS I WAS THINKING ABOUT, WHICH IS WHEN DOES THE MONEY THAT'S BEEN ALLOCATED RUN OUT? AND I WAS LOOKING AT RISE AND RENT ON THE CITY SITE TODAY AND NOTICED THAT IT WAS VERY MUCH AT, AT THE END OF, UM, OF THE 15 MILLION THAT WAS ALLOTTED FOR RENT 1.0, IF YOU WILL.
UM, I'M ALSO CURIOUS TO KNOW THE DATE OF WHEN THE FEDERAL ASSISTANCE 22 MILLION WILL COME.
JUST SO YOU CAN ADD, ADD THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT AS WELL.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY FIRM COMMITMENTS FROM ANY OF OUR COUNTY PARTNERS? I KNOW SOME OF THE SPREADSHEET TALKED ABOUT AN ASSUMPTION OF A, UH, SOME SORT OF MATCH PER CAPITA, BUT I JUST WASN'T AWARE OF HOW FORMAT WAS OR IF THEY WERE WAITING FOR OUR DIRECTION TO PROVIDE THEIR POTENTIAL COMMITMENTS, WORKFORCE AND CHILDCARE
WE DO HAVE A PRESENTATION THAT WAS MADE TO THE TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT, WHERE STAFF SPOKE TO, UM, WANTING TO CONTINUE SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY HAD BROUGHT FORWARD WITH CARE ZACK FUNDING THAT WERE RUNNING OUT AND THEY WERE GOING TO COME FORWARD TO THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT WITH A PROPOSAL TO CONTINUE SOME OF THEIR, THOSE PROGRAMS. UM, BUT THE, THE, THE DISCUSSION THAT WE'RE HAVING NOW THIS WEEK ABOUT ALLOCATING, COMING UP WITH A SPENDING PLAN FOR THE REMAINDER OF OUR RPA FUNDS.
UM, THE INDICATION FROM THAT PRESENTATION WAS THEY WERE ENVISIONING A PRETTY LENGTHY PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AND, UM, QUITE A BIT MORE DIALOGUE, UM, PERHAPS NOT EVEN COMING BACK UNTIL JANUARY OF 2022 WITH, UM, WITH THEIR PLANS FOR THEIR TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECTS.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING BASED UPON THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS MADE AND CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD WITH THEM.
UM, AND I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY FIRMER COMMITMENTS THAN THAT AT THIS POINT IN TIME FROM TRAVIS COUNTY.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE, UM, JUST WORKING ON SOME OF THE DETAILS OF TIMELINE AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, AND THEN JUST, I JUST WANT TO SAY, I'VE THOUGHT A BIT ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ARP AND TAPPING INTO RESERVES AND I'M, I'M LEERY OF TAPPING INTO RESERVES ONLY BECAUSE THIS YEAR HAS THIS LAST YEAR HAS PROVIDED EMERGENCY AFTER EMERGENCY, AFTER EMERGENCY.
AND I THINK I'M JUST A LITTLE SCARRED BY THAT AND WANT TO BE VERY CAREFUL THAT IF WE'RE MOVING FORWARD, MOVING THROUGH OUR RESERVES OUTSIDE OF A BUDGET TIMELINE, THAT I UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING THAT'S, THAT IT'S GOING TO GO TOWARD AND THE NEED OF IT.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S GREAT NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND IF WE END UP IN A SITUATION WHERE WE NEED RENTAL ASSISTANCE GAP FUNDING TO KEEP THE PROGRAM GOING, SO THAT FOLKS DON'T GET EVICTED, I'M FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT NECESSARY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT THAT GAP IS FILLED, BUT I JUST WANTED TO VOICE IT.
I'VE KIND OF BEEN LEERY OF TAPPING MORE INTO RESERVES, KNOWING, YOU KNOW, WE HIT A POINT WHERE THERE'S ANOTHER EMERGENCY ON TOP OF WHAT WE'RE ALREADY TRYING TO RECOVER FROM, AND WE'RE NOT THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC.
AND SO I'VE JUST BEEN TRYING TO UNDERSTAND OUR TIMELINE, THE FINANCIAL COMPONENTS OF THIS.
AND SO I'VE, I'VE BEEN STRUGGLING A LOT WITH HOW, HOW TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THAT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO VOICE THAT HERE.
SO I, I JUST WANT TO CALL MY COLLEAGUES ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT I POSTED.
UM, FIRST I TO, I WANT TO DO THAT.
I JUST WANT TO CALL MY COLLEAGUES' ATTENTION TO THE MESSAGE BOARD POST.
I, I PUT UP THIS, UM, TODAY IT TALKS ABOUT SEVERAL AREAS WHERE I INTEND TO BRING FORWARD DIRECTION, THAT I HOPE YOU ALL WILL SUPPORT AND IT GETS TO SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD ABOUT.
UM, AND I THINK I'LL TALK ABOUT, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THAT AND KIND OF TALK
[01:10:01]
THROUGH IT.BUT FIRST I'M GOING TO START WITH SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DOCUMENTS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED TODAY.
CAUSE I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR STAFF.
SO, UM, THERE ARE SOME CHANGES BETWEEN THE MEMO THAT WE GOT ON FRIDAY AND THE PRESENTATION WE GOT TODAY, THERE ARE SOME CHANGES AND I JUST WANT TO BE SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING THEM.
SO THE DOCUMENT THAT WE GOT TODAY SAYS EMERGENCY SHELTER AND CAPACITY BUILDING.
IT SEEMS TO TRACK TO WHAT WAS DESCRIBED IN THE MEMO AS PROP B IMPLEMENTATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING.
UM, AND I ASSUME THAT'S THE SAME LINE, BUT COULD YOU CONFIRM THAT? AND THEN COULD SOMEBODY EXPLAIN WHY A $500,000 DECREASE? I CAN, I CAN HANDLE BOTH OF THOSE.
WE THOUGHT THAT THE, THE LATTER TERMINOLOGY EMERGENCY SHELTERS WAS MORE CLEAR WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, WHAT THE NEED WAS.
SO IT WAS JUST TO PROVIDE CLARITY, UH, THE $500,000, UM, CHANGE HAS TO DO WITH, UM, THAT $500,000 IS ALREADY REFLECTED ON SLIDE 19 OF YOUR PRESENTATION FROM TODAY, YOU'LL SEE A LINE UNDER THE ON SLIDE.
19 IS ABOUT THE $84 MILLION US, UH, FOR THE HOMELESSNESS SPENDING FRAMEWORK.
UM, 3.6 MILLION IS FOR SYSTEM CAPACITY BUILDING.
SO THAT $500,000 IS PART OF THAT 3.6 MILLION.
UM, AND SO THAT'S, IT'S NOW SHOWING THERE AS OPPOSED TO, AS PART OF THE FOUR HAD BEEN 4.7 MILLION FOR THE EMERGENCY SHELTERS AND CAPACITY BUILDING.
THE CAPACITY BUILDING IS NOW REFLECTED ON SLIDE 19 AS PART OF THE 3.6.
AND LET ME JUST MAKE SURE I'M SEEING THAT SO CAPACITY.
I NEEDED TO GET BACK TO THAT IN JUST A SECOND.
AND I AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT THE TERMINOLOGY THOUGH.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT IS FUNDED WITHIN THIS CATEGORY COMPARED TO SOME OF THE OTHER CATEGORIES.
AND I WANT TO SPEND A LITTLE TIME REALLY UNDERSTANDING THOSE, UM, ON THE SLIDE 18 FROM TODAY, THIS IS ALSO SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FROM, IT'S NOT DIFFERENT THAN THE AMOUNT, BUT I WOULD, I DON'T KNOW IS WHEN, WHEN IS THE WORKFORCE, WHEN IS THE $5 MILLION THAT'S INCLUDED WITHIN THIS 84? WHEN IS THE, PARDON ME THE $5 MILLION FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INTENDED TO BE EXPENDED DURING YEAR ONE OR TWO? IS IT PART OF THE 22 FOUR, OR IS IT PART OF THE 61 SIX MIGHT BE A DIANA GRAY QUESTION OR WE MIGHT GET BACK TO YOU WITH THAT.
I THINK IT IS A DIANA CURRY PERSON AND I AM JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH SLIDE, UH, SPEAKS TO THAT.
I BELIEVE THAT IS LARGELY, UH, THE SECOND FISCAL YEAR COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, YES, IN FACT, SO I AM LOOKING NOW, I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS SLIDE 19, UM, THAT BREAKS DOWN BY FISCAL YEAR, THE ASK AROUND HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO IF YOU, WHERE YOU SEE OTHER SERVICES, UH, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, SERVICES, EMPLOYMENT, ET CETERA, THAT, UH, WE HAVE $4.8 MILLION HERE HAPPENING IN THE SECOND FISCAL YEAR.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT, BUT WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND GET THOSE CORE SERVICES AND THE GENERAL CAPACITY BUILDING MOVING FIRST, UH, AT PRESENT, IT IS SHOWING IN THE SECOND YEAR.
SO AN AD, WHY IS THERE A CHANGE IN THE CONTINGENCY FROM FRIDAY TO MONDAY? THE CONTINGENCY, I THINK WAS AT 14 NOW IT'S AT 14 SIX.
THAT'S ALL PART OF THAT, THAT SAME $500,000 ISSUE I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
WE REALLY HAD THAT 500,000 FOR CAPACITY BUILDING IN THERE TWICE.
AND WE'VE ALSO REFLECTED IT AS A SEPARATE $500,000.
UM, WE IDENTIFIED THAT JUST ABOUT AN HOUR BEFORE TODAY'S MEETING AND SO WE DECIDED TO MAKE THE CORRECTION.
SO THEN I HAVE SOME GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, AND I THINK THIS IS ALL I'M WORKING OFF LAST WEEK'S PRESENTATION.
WHICH IS NOT A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IN TERMS OF THE NUMBERS.
SO ONE, ONE THING THAT, UM, SO I WAS ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT SAT DOWN AND REVIEWED SOME OF THE MORE DETAILED INFORMATION FROM THE SUMMIT.
AND IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO SAY, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE CONSULTANT AND DIANA GRAY, YOUR WORK AND THE WORK OF, OF SEVERAL OTHERS WHO PULLED THAT TOGETHER.
THERE IS CLEARLY A LOT OF DETAIL
[01:15:01]
INFORMING THE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE TODAY.WE ARE, IN MY OPINION, UH, WE'LL, I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF.
I AM GOING TO NEED MORE DETAILS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF THESE CATEGORIES SO THAT I CAN BE REALLY TRANSPARENT WITH THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT KINDS OF PROGRAMS ARE CONTAINED WITHIN EACH ONE OF THESE AND HOW MANY, WHAT IS OUR EXPECTED, UM, NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS SERVED AND, AND SOME OF THIS I'VE PUT IN MY MESSAGE BOARD POSTS.
SO AMONG OTHER THINGS, UM, I, UH, ONE OF MY EMOTIONS IS GOING TO BE, TO OUTLINE A PROCESS TO COME BACK TO US WITH THAT MORE DETAILED SPENDING PLAN LATER IN THE SUMMER, THAT EXPLAINS, UM, IN THESE NEW INVESTMENTS, AS THE MAYOR SAID, WE'RE REALLY BUILDING ON WE'RE BUILDING ON NUMBER ONE, OUR EXISTING PLAN, BUT ALSO OUR EXISTING INVESTMENTS.
AND, AND I WANT, I WANT TO BE ABLE TO TALK VERY CLEARLY WITH THE COMMUNITY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HERE ARE OUR CURRENT INVESTMENTS IN THESE AREAS, HERE ARE OUR PLANNED INVESTMENTS.
HOW MANY, UM, WHAT IS THE EXPECTED NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT WE HOPE TO, TO SERVE WITH THESE EXPANDED INVESTMENTS TO GET, TO HAVE A FULLER CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT COSTS MIGHT BE, MIGHT BE ACCOMMODATED THROUGH OTHER FUNDING SOURCES, OTHER THAN ARPA, UM, AND TO REALLY BE ABLE TO, TO KIND OF TOUCH BASE WITH THAT MORE EXPANDED, THAT MORE DETAILED FRAMEWORK.
SO I'M NOT REALLY SPEAKING TO THE TIMING OF WHEN WE APPROVE THIS.
I KNOW THAT'S A CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE, BUT REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE END UP DOING THIS WEEK FOR ME, THAT IS, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO URGE US TO, UM, TO PASS IT SOME DIRECTION, COMING BACK WITH THAT SPENDING PLAN.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT COMING BACK WITH, YOU KNOW, THE INDIVIDUAL, UM, ALLOCATIONS TO DIFFERENT INDIVIDUAL OR IN ADVANCE OF THAT.
UM, I THINK WE NEED THAT MORE DETAILED PLAN SO THAT WE CAN BE VERY TRANSPARENT AND CLEAR WITH EVERYONE INVOLVED.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE INVESTING.
THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN CRISIS SERVICES.
THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS INCLUDED IN CORE HOUSING.
UM, BUT AT, AT THIS POINT I THINK OF US, UM, ARE JUST NOT AS FAMILIAR AS WE NEED TO BE.
AND I KNOW THE PUBLIC'S NOT EITHER.
UM, TWO, I'M ALSO GOING TO BE BRINGING FORWARD.
I KNOW DIANA YOU'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON IT MANAGER.
IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME WHETHER YOU HAVE DEPLOYED THE FULL RANGE OF, OF CITY STAFF, UM, REVIEWING THAT WORK THAT YOU WOULD ORDINARILY DO IN MAKING THIS RECOMMENDATION TO US.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, HAVING, UM, SOME OF OUR FINANCIAL STAFF, I MEAN, I WOULD EXPECT THIS TO BE VETTED IN THE SAME WAY ANY OTHER PROPOSAL WOULD BE.
I'M NOT SURE WHETHER THAT'S HAPPENED.
UM, SO HAVING SAID THAT I WOULD LIKE TO, AND THEN THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS I'M GOING TO BE BRINGING FORWARD DIRECTION ON.
AND, AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THOSE LATER, BUT JUST WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS, COULD YOU HELP WALK US THROUGH A COUPLE, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS I HAVE FOR YOU? SO YOU TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CRISIS SERVICES, DIVERSION AND OUTREACH.
WHERE I START TO GET KIND OF CONFUSED IS, IS IN DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN THE CORE HOUSING, THE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS, THE OTHER SERVICES.
AND I'M NOT SURE WHY WE'RE CALLING, WHY ARE WE CALLING IT EMERGENCY SHELTER AND CAPACITY BUILDING? WHAT EXACTLY IS EMERGENCY SHELTER AND CAPACITY BUILDING? SO IS THIS THE FUNDING, THIS 4.2, IS THIS FUNDING FOR, UM, DESIGNATED CAMPING AREAS? IS IT FUNDING FOR SHELTER? IS IT CONTEMPLATED TO BE ANY ONE OF THOSE? SO IF WE COULD KIND OF GO DOWN ONE THAT'S, THAT'S SORT OF WHERE I WOULD START, WHAT EXACTLY IS INCLUDED WITHIN EMERGENCY SHELTER AND CAPACITY BUILDING FOR FORT POINT TOO.
I MEAN, NOT EXACTLY, BUT WHAT'S THE GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THAT.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY, COUNCIL MEMBER, BECAUSE OF THE CORRECTION THAT WE MADE AROUND THAT $500,000, THE LINE ITEM THAT YOU ARE SEEING FOR THE 4.2 SHOULD SIMPLY SAY EMERGENCY SHELTER, THE CAPACITY BUILDING IS ACTUALLY REPRESENTED IN THE FIVE, 100,000 MOVED.
NO, NO, THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
AND WHEN WE SPEAK THEN TO THE EMERGENCY SHELTER, I MEAN, I THINK PROBABLY CRISIS BEDS IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND THE D THE, THE DISTINCTION THERE IS THAT THESE ARE RESOURCES THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR OUR UNSHELTERED POPULATION, PARTICULARLY, UM, AS WE MOVE INTO A MORE ROBUST IMPLEMENTATION OF PROP B, BUT THEY ARE NOT COMMITTED TO HOUSING.
SO THAT WOULD INCLUDE EITHER, UM, IT COULD BE CONVENTIONAL SHELTER, CONGREGATE SHELTER, IT COULD BE NON OR SHELTER AS WE'VE DISCUSSED, POTENTIALLY, UM, CREATING MORE BRIDGE SHELTER, UH, LIKE THE SOUTHBRIDGE SHELTER WE ARE OPENING, UH, SHOULD BE OPENING IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, UH, OR DESIGNATED ENCAMPMENTS, UH, AS WE PURSUE THE VARIOUS, UM, THE VARIOUS POSSIBILITIES THAT WE LAID OUT LAST WEEK,
[01:20:01]
UM, IN THE CONTEXT OF THE DIRECTION COUNCIL GAVE US AROUND DESIGNATED ENCAMPMENTS, BUT ALWAYS KEEPING FRONT AND CENTER.WHAT THAT, WHAT OUR GOAL IS OF COURSE, IS TO GIVE SOME FOLKS A SAFE AND LEGAL PLACE TO BE.
UM, BUT DURING THIS TIME THAT WHEN THEY ARE NOT YET HOUSED, SO THAT IS WHAT THAT IS.
AND THEN, UM, DO YOU WANT ME FROM THEN THERE TO GO TO THE OTHER CATEGORIES WITHIN THE 84 MILLION? UM, YES, BUT MAYBE I COULD ASK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, UM, RESPONSE.
SO ONE THING THAT I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IS THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT CATEGORY, AND WHETHER WE HAVE ANY OTHER FUNDS THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO USE TOWARD THIS.
AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I'M NOT SURE THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO SORT OUT THIS WEEK, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT WE, WE, YOU KNOW, DECIDE TO PROVIDE THAT DIRECTION THIS WEEK.
BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TO SORT IT OUT.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, WHILE OUR CREEK, IT WAS WHEN WE HAD THE CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE ESTIMATED $30 MILLION THAT MIGHT COME IN THROUGH THE WALLER CREEK TOURS.
UM, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, AND WE'VE GOT REALLY THE FUDDLED IN OUR COUNCIL CONVERSATIONS, AND I, AND I'M SORRY, I NEVER CAN REMEMBER WHERE IT LANDED, BUT I KNOW THERE WERE, THERE WERE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, WE COULD USE THAT MONEY FOR CAPITAL INVESTMENTS, SAY IN SHELTER, BUT PERHAPS NOT IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND I THINK WE WERE UNCERTAIN ABOUT WHERE IT LANDED WITH PSH AND OTHERS, BUT WE DON'T NEED TO GET INTO THAT NOW.
BUT, UM, WHAT I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN, IN SEEING IS WITHIN THAT CAPITAL INVESTMENT IS ANY OF THAT EMERGENCY SHELTER, IS IT ALL PSH AND OTHER DEDICATED HOUSING UNITS? I GUESS THAT'S, THAT'S THE FIRST QUESTION? UM, THAT IS, UH, YES, I APOLOGIZE.
THAT IS ALL PERMANENT HOUSING.
THE LION'S SHARE OF IT IS FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING UNITS.
UM, THERE IS, UH, SOME PORTION THAT IS, UH, INTENDED OR ASSUMED TO GO TOWARD SUBSIDIZATION OF THOSE COC SET ASIDE UNITS THROUGH OUR RHD PROGRAM OR RENTAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, UH, AT THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE DEVELOPERS WHO MAY NOT BE CREATING A PURPOSE SPECIFIC OR, OR, UH, HOUSING THAT IS LIMITED TO PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, BUT WHO ARE SETTING ASIDE UNITS, UM, FOR REFERRAL THROUGH THE CONTINUUM OF CARE, UH, RIGHT NOW AS, UH, AN ESTIMATE COUNCIL MEMBER 268 MILLION OF THE TWO 75, UH, ROUGHLY IS, WOULD BE FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
AND THEN THE BALANCE, UH, IS PRESUMED TO, UH, PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR ADDITIONAL, UH, GENERAL COC UNITS.
I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T CATCH YOUR NUMBERS.
SO WE'RE LOOKING, I'M LOOKING AT A TOTAL OF 35,000,035 POINTS LOOKING AT THE CITY'S INVESTMENT.
SO I WOULD HAVE TO DO, TO DO THE MATH THERE COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT, UM, THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR CAPITAL DOLLARS WOULD GO TOWARD, UH, PSH WITH SOME GOING TOWARD CONTINUUM OF CARE UNITS.
UH, OUR HGA OF COURSE ALREADY IS SUPPORTING, UH, SOME CONTINUUM OF CARE UNITS THROUGH OUR NORMAL GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND FINANCING.
SO MY EXPECTATION WOULD BE THAT, OF THAT 35.6 MILLION.
UH, IT WOULD ALMOST ALL BE PSH.
REMEMBER, OF COURSE, THAT THAT IS, YOU KNOW, 35.6 OF A TOTAL OF 275.
WE ARE ANTICIPATING ALMOST, UM, UH, ALMOST A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS COMING IN THROUGH THE STATE THROUGH TAX CREDITS AND THEIR MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT LOAN PROGRAM.
SO WHILE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT MORE NARROW NUMBER, WE ARE CERTAINLY LAYERING SOURCES TO COORDINATE ALL OF THOSE UNITS.
AND I, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THAT, BUT I KNOW ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES ALSO HAS RAISED A GOOD QUESTION ABOUT, ABOUT BREAKING THAT DOWN.
SO I'M GOING TO LET HER TAKE THAT UP.
UM, BUT CAN YOU HELP ME THEN UNDERSTAND? SO UNDER, UM, AGAIN, JUST LOOKING AT SLIDE 19, JUST, IT'S JUST A LITTLE EASIER RIGHT NOW FOR ME TO LOOK AT THE IMMEDIATE ARPA ALLOCATIONS, UM, RATHER THAN OTHER THAN LOOKING AT IT, UM, WITH BOTH THE OTHER CITY FUNDING AND THE OTHER EXTERNAL AND HOPE HOPED FOR EXTERNAL FUNDING.
UM, SO I'M, I'M REALLY LOOKING AT SLIDE 19.
SO ON SLIDE 19, WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT CORE HOUSING PROGRAMS, IT AGAIN, TALKS ABOUT PSH, AND THEN IN OTHER SERVICES, THERE ARE SERVICES THAT I WOULD EXPECT TO BE INCLUDED WITH MPSH BECAUSE, SO, CAN YOU HELP ME DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THESE CATEGORIES, WHAT PSH, IN THE CORE HOUSING PROGRAM, AS DISTINCT FROM THE LAST CATEGORY, AND THEN WHAT ARE THOSE SERVICES IN THREE THAT WOULD NOT BE INCLUDED
[01:25:01]
INTO? YES.SO THE CORE HOUSING SERVICES ARE THE RENTAL SUPPORTS AND THE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES, AS OPPOSED TO THE CREATION OF THE BRICKS AND MORTAR UNITS.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THOSE TWO, UH, CATEGORIES, BECAUSE AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, OF COURSE, WE HAVE A VERY SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT IN THE SHORT TERM PERIOD, BUT THAT PROVIDES US WITH THOSE, UM, DEEPLY AFFORDABLE UNITS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS GOING FORWARD.
SO THAT'S WHY PSH APPEARS IN BOTH PLACES.
UH, AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE, UM, THE ANCILLARY SERVICES.
SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT IN MOST PSH, ANY CASE MANAGER OR ACT TEAM SERVING A PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, UH, TENANT OR CLIENT WILL BE FAMILIAR WITH FOLKS WHO ARE LIVING WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS, RIGHT.
UM, AND, AND HELPING THEM CONNECT TO RESOURCES.
BUT IT IS, WE FREQUENTLY DO HAVE INDIVIDUALS WHO NEED MORE INTENSIVE TREATMENT.
PERHAPS THEY NEED INPATIENT, PERHAPS THEY NEED INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT TREATMENT.
THOSE RESOURCES ARE QUITE SCARCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING HERE IS TO ENSURE THAT THOSE MORE INTENSIVE CLINICAL SERVICES ARE BEEFED UP AND ARE AVAILABLE, UM, TO THIS POPULATION AS A SATISFIED, ESSENTIALLY WE CAN PROVIDE RAPID REHOUSING AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IN THE ABSENCE OF THAT MORE ROBUST CLINICAL AVAILABILITY, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE WILL BE MUCH MORE SUCCESSFUL IF IT IS PRESENT.
UM, AND THEN I WOULD SAY THAT VERY SIMILARLY, UM, UH, EMPLOYMENT SERVICES CASE MANAGERS WORK WITH THEIR CLIENTS, BUT HAVING AN EXPLICIT SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS A WORK CREW.
UM, SO WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A JOB AND THERE IS A STRUCTURE THERE TO SUPPORT PEOPLE AS THEY MOVE INTO EMPLOYMENT AND GAIN THAT WORK EXPERIENCE IS INCREDIBLY VALUABLE.
SIMILARLY, A WHILE CASE MANAGERS WOULD TYPICALLY HELP PEOPLE WITH THEIR BENEFITS.
WE KNOW THAT HAVING HIGHLY TRAINED SPECIALISTS WHO HELP PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR, UM, ACHIEVE THE DESIGNATION OF DISABILITY FOR THOSE BENEFITS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, IS VERY DIFFICULT, UH, REALLY MOVES US FORWARD IN TERMS OF CAPTURING THOSE BENEFITS, NOT JUST FOR THE INDIVIDUAL, BUT FOR THE MEDICAID, UM, BENEFITS THAT ALLOW US TO RECAPTURE FUNDS, UH, THROUGH REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND I, SO I THINK THIS IS THE KIND OF THING I'M HOPING WE CAN, UM, ARTICULATE.
AND THEN YOU ALSO HAD SOME NUMBERS WITH THE FULLER, WITH THE FULLER PLAN THAT I THINK WOULD ALSO REALLY HELP US UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT THE GENERAL KAT BEYOND JUST THESE ONE, ONE LINE CATEGORIES.
LAST QUESTION FOR THE MOMENT THAT I HAVE A ZILLION MORE, BUT THE LAST QUESTION I WANTED TO ASK HERE, THERE IS WORKFORCE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION BUILT INTO SYSTEM CAPACITY BUILDING, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO THAT 5,005 MILLION RATHER WE TALKED ABOUT UNDER WORKFORCE.
UM, SO I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE THERE.
AND I KNOW, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I KNOW I MENTIONED THAT I'M INTERESTED IN THAT MY STAFF AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING WITH, UM, CAPITAL IDEA ABOUT IS, YOU KNOW, HOW WE BUILD THAT 200, HOW WE, HOW WE USE SOME OF OUR WORKFORCE PARTNERS HERE IN THE COMMUNITY TO HELP BUILD THAT OUT.
WOULD I EXPECT TO SEE THAT FUNDING FOR THAT WITHIN SYSTEM CAPACITY, BUILDING WORKFORCE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION DOLLARS, OR IS THAT IN THE, IN THE, UH, JOBS AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT MONEY? LIKE WHERE DOES THAT SHOW UP IS, AND WHAT IS THE $5 MILLION FOR HOMELESSNESS? IS THAT FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, UM, HELPING TO, OR FORMERLY HOMELESS, HELPING CONNECT THEM WITH EMPLOYMENT IS THAT THAT 5 MILLION, AND THIS IS REALLY ABOUT BUILDING OUT AN, UM, A WORKFORCE OF CASE MANAGERS THAT'S RIGHT.
SO THE, THE REFERENCE 5 MILLION, UH, WAS ORIGINALLY ALSO IN THE WORKFORCE ASK IF YOU WILL.
AND SO THAT WAS ANOTHER PLACE THAT WE, WE CLEANED UP TO MAKE SURE WE WEREN'T DUPLICATING.
SO WITHIN THOSE ANCILLARY SERVICES WITH THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES AND THE BENEFITS ENROLLMENT, UM, THAT EMPLOYMENT, UM, UH, ASK IS FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, THE, THERE IS, UM, PART OF THE SYSTEM CAPACITY BUILDING IS FOR WHAT I THINK YOU ARE REFERRING TO IN PARTNERSHIP POTENTIALLY WITH CAPITAL IDEA OR OTHERS IS REALLY, UM, WORKING TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THAT PIPELINE OF QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED, UM, PROFESSIONALS TO WORK WITHIN THIS FIELD, UH, SOCIAL WORKERS, CASE WORKERS, ET CETERA.
UM, AND THAT, THAT ALSO, UM, WILL REQUIRE
[01:30:01]
A CONCERTED EFFORT TO TRAIN, RECRUIT, ET CETERA.SO THAT IS BUILDING THE SYSTEM AS OPPOSED TO BEING A DIRECT SERVICE, WHICH IS WHAT THE SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT, UM, IS FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
SO THEN FOUR TO 4.2 OF THE SUBSTANCE USE OF THE OTHER SERVICES, 4.2 OF THAT IS EMPLOYMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
SO ONLY 0.6 IS THE REST OF THE SERVICES, BUT, BUT REMEMBER THAT THIS IS A SLICE OF THE OVERALL COST.
SO THIS, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS THE CITY'S PORTION.
UM, AND SO IF THE CITY IS WANTING TO EXPLICITLY DEDICATE SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MONEY TOWARD THE, UM, THE SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT PIECE OF IT FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, THEN WE WOULD BE LOOKING TO OTHER SOURCES FOR THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDER, UH, AND, UH, AND BENEFITS ENROLLMENT AND OTHER ANCILLARY COSTS.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY.
UM, I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT DISCUSSION AND I'VE GOT A LOT OF, A LOT OF, UM, THINGS THAT I WANT TO CLARIFY AND ASK.
UM, AND SO I'LL BE AS CLEAR AS I CAN.
UM, I SHARE THE RESERVATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED BY SEVERAL OF MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT THE USE OF RESERVES, UM, IN THE LIGHT OF THE UNCERTAINTY WE HAVE OVER OUR BUDGET AND THE LEGISLATION THAT PASSED.
UM, I REALLY FEEL LIKE WE ARE TO, UM, BE MINDFUL OF OUR RESERVES AND NOT JUMP THE GUN ON THOSE.
UM, I CARE THE, ABOUT THE EVICTIONS, UM, AND WOULD LIKE, AS MY COLLEAGUES HAVE MENTIONED TO UNDERSTAND IF THAT 22 MILLION WILL BE AVAILABLE, UM, SOON ENOUGH TO HELP US TO ADDRESS ANYTHING THAT MAY ARISE.
UM, AGAIN, I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT I WOULD REALLY LOVE SOME MORE, UM, DATA ON THE DEMAND IF WE HAVE IT, UM, IN TALKING WITH ABEL, OR IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT FOR THE SMALLER SCALE HOUSING, IT'S NOT MULTI-FAMILY, THEY ARE NOT ANTICIPATING A HUGE EVICTION CRISIS THAT DOES NOT ACCOUNT THOUGH FOR THE BIG MULTI-FAMILY UNITS AND THE OLD ONES.
AND, BUT, BUT IT'D BE HELPFUL TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THAT IN ANY CASE WE HAVE THE 22 MILLION, BUT IF WE WERE TO MOVE ON THAT I WOULD WANT TO HAVE A BETTER, UM, LAY OF THE LAND.
SO THAT, THAT WE, WE, WE KNOW THAT I WOULD SUPPORT SOMETHING LIKE WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER RENTERIA SUGGESTED.
IF WE NEED A BRIDGE BEFORE THE 22 MILLION, UM, COMES THROUGH.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA.
UM, I WANT TO MAKE MY COLLEAGUES AWARE OF SOME ADDITIONAL PROPOSALS.
I'VE HEARD LOTS OF ENTHUSIASM FOR SUPPORTING, UH, CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT WAS EARLY CHILDHOOD, UM, CHILDCARE OR AFTER-SCHOOL CARE.
UM, AND THERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL PROPOSALS THAT ARE NOT IN THE STAFF, UM, PROPOSAL THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO.
AND I SERVE ON THE JOINT, UM, COMMITTEE WITH AISD AND THE COUNTY, AND ARE SERVING ON A SUB-COMMITTEE ALONG WITH COMMISSIONER TREVELYAN AND ISD, UM, TRUSTEE BOSWELL.
UM, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, UM, UNDERSTANDING THE COUNTY NEEDS AND THE AISD NEEDS WITH RESPECT TO, UM, CHILDCARE AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE THERE.
UM, AND THERE IS A PARALLEL PROPOSAL TO THE DEL VALLEY PROPOSAL, WHICH WOULD EXTEND FULL DAYCARE TO AISD SCHOOLS.
UM, BUT IF YOU WERE TO DO, UM, 15 CLASSROOMS FOR THE THREE YEARS, IT WOULD BE A 2 MILLION, UM, 63,000 ROUGHLY TO DO THAT.
UM, AND THEN THERE IS ANOTHER, UH, PIECE TO THAT ASK THAT WOULD BE FOR, UM, WHAT THEY'RE CALLING, EXPANDING THEIR TWO GEN PROGRAM FOR FAMILIES.
UM, AND THAT WOULD BE THE FOUR 30 OVER THE THREE YEARS.
UM, AND THEN IN ADDITION, THERE ARE A COUPLE PROGRAMS THAT OUR STAFF DID NOT CONSIDER BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT EARLY CHILDHOOD, SO THEY WERE NOT IN THE ZERO TO SIX RANGE.
AND I THINK THAT THEY INTERPRETED, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THEY INTERPRETED OUR DIRECTION TO MEAN ONLY, UM, THE EARLY CHILDHOOD.
UM, SO THERE THERE'S SOME AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS THAT HAVE TO WORK ON THE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS, UM, THAT INTERESTED IN, UM, THAT
[01:35:01]
AMOUNTS TO, I THINK I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S MULTI-YEAR OR JUST ONE YEAR, BUT THERE'S ANOTHER 350,000 IN THERE.UM, THAT'S NOT, UM, COVERED FROM THAT.
UM, AND THE PROPOSAL THAT'S BEFORE US INTRODUCES ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR A GREAT PROGRAM, FAMILY CONNECTS, UM, THAT HAS, UM, THE FOLKS WHO GO AND HELP WHEN, WHEN THERE'S A NEWBORN IN THE HOME, IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM.
IT DOESN'T PROVIDE THE FULL FUNDING.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTY HAS TRADITIONALLY FUNDED, BUT THIS WASN'T PART OF NECESSARILY THE PACKET OF THINGS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT THAT HAD TO DO WITH CHILDCARE.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO DO AT LEAST OUR HALF OF THE PROGRAMS, UM, THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT.
UM, OUR STAFF DID NOT REVIEW THE AISD ONE.
IT WAS NOT BROUGHT BEFORE THEM BECAUSE IT WAS TOO LATE IN THE PROCESS WHEN THEY DID IT.
UM, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON WITH THE COUNTY AND THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THE COUNTY, UM, IS SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
SO I WANTED TO, I WANTED TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS WERE, WERE AWARE OF THAT.
UM, AND I WANTED TO ASK IF YOU COULD, OR CARRIE, IF SOMEONE CAN EXPLAIN TO US HOW THE TIMING OF THIS WILL WORK ACROSS THE FISCAL YEARS, SINCE WE'RE NOT GETTING THE SECOND FISCAL YEAR MONEY TILL MAY, IS THE NOTION THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO SPEND AND UNCOVER AND DO ALL THAT STUFF IF, AS LONG AS IT'S DURING THE FISCAL YEAR AND THAT WE WOULD FLOAT SOMEHOW FLOAT THAT, OR DO WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL WE GET THE MONEY IN MAY TO MAKE ANY OF THE SECOND PILE OF EXPENDITURES? BECAUSE I THINK FOLKS ARE ASSUMING THAT THEY WILL HAVE AUTHORIZATION TO START OCTOBER 1ST ON THESE THINGS, ONCE THERE'S CONTRACTS IN PLACE.
AND I'M JUST WANT TO CLARIFY IF THAT'S IN FACT HOW THIS WORKS.
UM, I THINK THAT WOULD SOMEWHAT BE INFORMED BY WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE 49.4 MILLION OR COUNCIL TO APPROPRIATE THOSE FUNDS.
AND IF THERE WAS A NEED TO, UM, MOVE MORE QUICKLY ON, YOU KNOW, IF WE WERE TO SPEND ALL THAT MONEY AND NEED TO MOVE MORE QUICKLY, I THINK WE COULD COME UP WITH A STRATEGY TO DO SO IN REIMBURSING OURSELVES WITH A SECOND TRAUNCH OF MONEY WHEN IT'S MADE AVAILABLE.
BUT I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE DRIVEN BY HOW QUICKLY THE 49.4 MILLION IS EXPENDED.
CAUSE I THINK, YOU KNOW, AS WE TALK ABOUT THIS, I THINK FOLKS ARE ASSUMING THAT THEY WILL HAVE ACCESS TO AS MONEY STARTING.
I KNOW, FOR INSTANCE, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE BREAKDOWN FOR THE CHILD CAR BEING THE 1.3 AND THEN THE SIX POINT, WHATEVER THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT IT AS IF THEY WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THAT MONEY, YOU KNOW, FAIRLY EARLY ON IN THE FISCAL YEAR.
AND IF THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE CASE, THEN WE REALLY NEED TO KNOW THAT, UM, SO THAT WE CAN ACCORDINGLY, UM, CAUSE OTHERWISE WHAT WE THINK WE'RE FUNDING, WE'RE NOT REALLY FUNDING IN THE TIMEFRAME THAT WE THINK.
AND, UM, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT, BUT LIVE IS WORK ON THAT WE CAN BE READY TO CONTINUE THAT CONVERSATION TOMORROW I'LL, YOU KNOW, CHECK IN WITH OUR CONTROLLER'S OFFICE, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, UM, I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO NOT BE ABLE TO MEET TIMELINES OF NEEDS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF WHEN THE FLOW OF FUNDS ARE GOING TO COME FROM THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
I DON'T THINK THAT'LL BE A CONSTRAINT.
THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO, TO CONFIRM.
UM, SO LIKE THE, I SPENT, UM, A GOOD CHUNK OF TIME OVER THE WEEKEND TALKING THROUGH FINANCIAL MODEL AND APPRECIATE THE WORK AND THE EFFORT, UM, AND THE VISION THAT IS PART OF THE SUMMIT PLAN.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, I LEFT WITH MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, FOR ME, AS I LOOK FORWARD AS, AS TO WHAT WE'RE DOING, I NEED TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE TO MY CONSTITUENTS EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE INVESTING IN AND WHAT WE'RE GETTING AND HOW IT'S DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE'VE DONE THUS FAR AND HOW IT BUILDS ON WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UM, AND UNLESS I CAN MEET THAT TEST, I CANNOT SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY GOING INTO THE HOMELESSNESS SUMMIT.
UM, WE NEED TO HAVE THOSE ANSWERS.
UM, I THINK PHILANTHROPY WOULD NEED TO HAVE THOSE ANSWERS.
I'VE ALREADY TALKED WITH COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND THEY NEED TO HAVE THOSE ANSWERS.
UM, SO I THINK THE SUCCESS OF MOVING FORWARD DEPENDS ON MUCH GREATER CLARITY ON THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
UM, SO W LET ME ASK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS RELATED TO THAT.
I ASKED THESE LAST WEEK, BUT I DON'T FEEL LIKE I HAVE A GOOD HANDLE ON THEM.
UM, EITHER THIS HAS BEEN SET UP THAT WE NEED 515 MILLION THERE'S 221 THAT'S COMMITTED, AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO SPLIT THE BALANCED 100, 100 100 COUNTY CITY PHILANTHROPY.
WELL, I NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT TWO 21 IS AND WHO THAT IS BECAUSE WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY
[01:40:02]
ON HOMELESSNESS EVERY YEAR.AND IF OVER THE COURSE OF THE THREE YEARS, WE'RE SPENDING 200 OF THAT TWO 21.
AND I HAVE NO IDEA BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER.
I'M NOT SURE THAT A HUNDRED IS THE RIGHT NUMBER FOR US.
UM, AND SO I WOULD, YOU KNOW, DIANA, CAN YOU PROVIDE MORE CLARITY ON THAT TWO 21 IT'S BROKEN DOWN, I CAN COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE SPOKE BRIEFLY TO THIS LAST WEEKEND IN PRELIMINARILY.
I TOLD YOU AT THAT TIME, UM, THAT OF THE, UH, 220 MILLION, UH, IT WAS ROUGHLY 40%, THE CITY, 40% STATE, UH, AND THEN 10% SPLIT BETWEEN HOUSING AUTHORITIES AND SOME OTHER SOURCES, UH, AM.
SO THAT, UH, NUMBER FOR THE CITY IS APPROXIMATELY, UH, I BELIEVE $2 MILLION THAT IS CURRENTLY COMMITTED, UH, W UH, CLARIFYING OF COURSE, THAT THESE ARE DOLLARS FOR THE DELTA FOR NEW SERVICES GOING FORWARD, RIGHT? THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE OUR BASELINE OF SERVICES.
UH, AND SO WE SPENT A BIT, A BIT OF TIME.
I APOLOGIZE OVER THE WEEKEND, UH, VETTING THAT LIST OF SOURCES AS WE UNDERSTAND THEM, UH, AND SHOULD BE PREPARED TO PROVIDE THAT TO YOU OR THE DETAIL OF EACH OF THOSE FUNDING SOURCES, WHETHER THEY ARE CURRENTLY COMMITTED OR ANTICIPATED AND WHERE THEY ARE COMING FROM BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.
SO, SO I APPRECIATE THAT WE CAN COUNT SOME OF OUR EXISTING FUNDS TOWARDS THE DELTA, BUT IF WE HAVEN'T, I MEAN, DOES THAT MEAN WE HAVEN'T COMMITTED THOSE FUNDS? AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BE ASKED TO DO ADDITIONAL FUNDS.
HOW DO I UNDERSTAND THAT? CAUSE WE HAVEN'T DONE THE BUDGET YET? NO, I APOLOGIZE IF I WAS NOT CLEAR.
UM, THESE ARE THE EXISTING FUNDS THAT WE WOULD BE COUNTING FOR THAT ARE, FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S SPLIT ABOUT HALF AND HALF, ABOUT $50 MILLION IN CAPITAL THAT THE COUNCIL HAS ALREADY COMMITTED, BUT HAVE NOT YET PRODUCED UNITS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, UH, THE DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE COMMITTED FOR INVESTMENT INTO THE HOTEL CONVERSION, UH, DOLLARS THROUGH OUR RENTAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, UH, ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT ARE SUPPORTING DEALS LIKE A SPIRIT RUTLAND.
SO WE'VE GOT ABOUT $50 MILLION COMMITTED OR ANTICIPATED.
UM, AND ACTUALLY THAT ALSO INCLUDES THE $11 MILLION THAT IS COMING DOWN THROUGH THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT, UH, WHICH IS EXPLICITLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF SERVING PEOPLE, EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, UM, THE, UH, OPERATING THE SERVICES AND RENTS SIDE, THOSE DOLLARS ARE MADE UP OF CURRENTLY THE NEW DOLLARS THAT CAME DOWN BECAUSE OF, UH, THROUGH COVID.
SO OUR EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT FUNDS, UH, TO THE TUNE OF OVER $10 MILLION, THE NEW SIX AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS THAT IS IN THE EIGHT APH BUDGET AS OF THIS FISCAL YEAR AND GOING FORWARD TO THE NEXT TWO YEARS, UM, AS WELL AS THE COMMITMENT, UM, OF FUNDS THROUGH THE HOUSING TRUST FUND FOR ONGOING OPERATIONS OF SOME OF OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO THOSE ARE ALL DOLLARS THAT HAVE BEEN COMMITTED, BUT ARE STILL MAKING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE PIPELINE.
UM, SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS ARE NOW OPERATIONAL, BUT OF COURSE, IN THE CASE OF CAPITAL, WE ARE, WE ARE MOVING TOWARD OCCUPANCY.
UM, DOES THAT HELP CLARIFY IT DOES, I'M GONNA REALLY APPRECIATE IT WHEN YOU CAN HAVE THAT IN WRITING SO THAT I CAN, UM, FOLLOW THE DIFFERENT DIFFERENT TRAILS THERE.
UM, BECAUSE WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON HOMELESSNESS AND ONE OF THE WE HAVE IS BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE A CLEAR ACCOUNTING TO OUR CONSTITUENTS ABOUT A, WHAT WE SPENT, WHAT WE SPENT IT ON B AND YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED WITH THAT MONEY.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S ALL PART OF THIS DISCUSSION AND BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE ANYTHING IF WE WANT TO MAKE THESE INVESTMENTS, UM, ANOTHER PIECE THAT HAS BEEN PUZZLING ME, BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT WHAT ELSE I WOULD LIKE TO SPEND THE MONEY ON, INSTEAD OF HOMELESSNESS, I'M INTERESTED IN SPENDING THAT MONEY ON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, A MUCH LARGER INFUSION INTO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, A INCREASE FOR THE CHILDCARE EARLY CHILDHOOD, AS I JUST MENTIONED, I'M ALSO INTERESTED IN SOME OF THE WORK, UM, THAT KATHY HAS BEEN DOING WITH THE RESILIENCE HUB THAT ALSO CAME OUT OF THE EMERGENCY DELT DECLARATION.
UM, AND TO ME, ALL OF THAT IS PREVENTATIVE AS WELL AS THE 22 MILLION IS PREVENTION, BUT WE DON'T GET CREDIT FOR THAT IN THIS MODEL.
AND YET FOR SO MANY PEOPLE, WE ARE THE ENTITY THAT PROVIDES
[01:45:01]
THAT PREVENTION THAT KEEPS THEM FROM BECOMING HOMELESS AND ENTERING THE SYSTEM IN THE FIRST PLACE.AND I'M NOT SEEING ENOUGH INVESTMENT IN THIS SYSTEM IN PREVENTION AS I'M UNDERSTANDING IT, PLAY OUT.
UM, SO, SO CAN YOU HELP ME, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A PIECE IN THIS SYSTEM FOR TARGETED PREVENTION AND THAT WE HAVE FOLKS WHO BECOME HOMELESS, WHO IF THEY, YOU WANT TO PREVENT THEM FROM BECOMING HOMELESS AGAIN, AND THAT THAT'S A REAL IMPORTANT TARGET FOR US TO MAKE INVESTMENTS ON.
UM, BUT I ALSO CARE ABOUT THE FOLKS THAT, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBER RENTERIA AND CUSTOMER, BECAUSE ARE TALKING ABOUT THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE DON'T GET, GET EVICTED.
AND TO ME THAT'S ALL PART OF OUR HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY.
AND WE ARE SPENDING IN THIS WELL OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS, IF YOU COUNT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING AND, YOU KNOW, AND WE COUNT THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT WE SPEND ON HOMELESSNESS EACH YEAR.
AND SO, I MEAN, UNDERSTAND HOW, HOW THAT WORKS IN YOUR MIND AS OUR HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER AND WHERE THAT PREVENTION FITS AND WHY IT'S NOT PART OF THE MODEL.
AND, AND THIS IS, UH, A BIT COMPLEX.
UM, SO I SHARE YOUR VALUE WITH PREVENTION IN GENERAL AND RENTAL ASSISTANCE IN GENERAL.
AND THERE ARE MANY REASONS THAT RENTAL ASSISTANCE IS IMPORTANT IN ADDITION TO KEEPING PEOPLE FROM BECOMING LITERALLY HOMELESS, RIGHT? BECAUSE THAT RENT BURDEN, UM, CREATES ALL KINDS OF RAMIFICATIONS WITHIN A HOUSEHOLD IN TERMS OF THEIR RESOURCES, UM, FOR THEIR OTHER NEEDS, IN TERMS OF THE FAMILY STABILITY AND EDUCATION, THEY MIGHT BECOME LITERALLY HOMELESS.
THEY MIGHT END UP BEING DOUBLED UP OR END UP IN SUBSTANDARD HOUSING, ET CETERA.
SO I THINK THERE IS VALUE IN THIS OVERALL RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UH, THAT IS, UM, I THINK IN ARGUABLE, BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM ITSELF, IT GETS A LITTLE BIT SLIPPERY BECAUSE AS WE TALK ABOUT THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT LOW-INCOME FAMILIES NEED, UH, WHO MIGHT HAVE HOUSING INSTABILITY, WE BEGIN IT ALMOST ANYTHING WE COULD THEN TALK ABOUT AS PREVENTION, RIGHT? BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY ANY SUPPORTS FOLKS RECEIVE, UH, ASSIST THEM IN THEIR STABILITY BECAUSE THE POPULATION EXPERIENCING RENT BURDEN IS SO LARGE COMPARED TO THE POPULATION THAT WILL EVENTUALLY BECOME HOMELESS, UTILIZING OUR OVERALL, UH, RENTAL ASSISTANCE DOLLARS.
SO SAY OUR 22 LORIANNE OR THE 28 BILLION THAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY AND THINKING OF THAT SQUARELY WITHIN THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM DISTORTS A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE WE REALLY DON'T KNOW WHICH OF THOSE FOLKS MIGHT HAVE BECOME HOMELESS OVERALL.
AND THE NEED IS SO GREAT THAT YOU COULD ALMOST, YOU COULD, YOU COULD SPEND EASILY A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.
IT'S PROBABLY THAT MUCH NEED AND NOT HAVE DONE ANYTHING AS DIRECT WITHIN THIS POPULATION THAT IS ALREADY EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR THAT WE KNOW HAS EXPERIENCED IT BEFORE.
SO TO SOME DEGREE WE DO HAVE, WE DO DRAW A LINE AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO DECIDE WHERE THAT IS, BUT THAT IS WHY THAT IS NOT WITHIN THE MODEL OVERALL IS BECAUSE, UM, IT CAN DISTORT IT AND GETS REALLY CONFUSING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IF WE ARE SPENDING, UM, YOU COULD SPEND EASILY THE 500 MILLION AND POTENTIALLY NOT TOUCH FOLKS WHO ARE ACTUALLY EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
SO THAT'S A, PERHAPS A CLUMSY, UM, UH, DESCRIPTION AND COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT IT IS A DISTINCTION THAT WE MAKE ALWAYS UNDERSTANDING THAT THE TWO ARE JUST INTIMATELY LINKED, RIGHT? AND, AND I GUESS, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, AS A, AS A, AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, WHO HAS TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT HOW TO SPEND THE MONEY, I'M NOT YET CONVINCED BY THE MODEL THAT I'M BETTER OFF SPENDING THAT MONEY IN THE HOMELESS, UM, VERSUS IN THE, WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE PREVENTION.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S THE WORKFORCE OR THE, THE CHILDCARE OR THOSE OTHER OTHER SUPPORTS.
UM, AND THEN TELL ME UNDERSTAND WHAT PORTION OF THIS 515 MILLION IS GOING TO HELP US TO, UM, ADDRESS THE, UM, THE, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROPERTY AND THE CREATION OF THE SHELTER, SO THAT PEOPLE HAVE A LEGAL AND SAFE PLACE TO GO.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY IS CONCERNED ABOUT HOW WE ARE GOING TO IMPLEMENT,
[01:50:01]
UM, PROPERTY AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE THAT SHELTER, UM, AND THE SAFE PLACES.AND I'M NOT SEEING THAT IN THIS SYSTEM EVENTUALLY.
YES, BUT IN THE SHORT RUN, NO, YOU ARE CORRECT THAT THE $515 MILLION BUDGET DOES NOT INCLUDE THE SHELTER RESOURCES.
HAVING SAID THAT THE CITY HAS ALREADY DEDICATED CAPITAL DOLLARS AND OPERATING DOLLARS TO OPEN UP THE SOUTHBRIDGE SHELTER, WHICH WILL HAPPEN IN THE COMING WEEKS, UM, AND PROVIDE SOME, SOME BRIDGE SHELTER.
SOMETIMES WE'RE VERY HOUSING BEFORE $0.2 MILLION, UH, THAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED AS AN IMMEDIATE, UH, UM, BUDGET AMENDMENT, I BELIEVE IS DEDICATED EXPLICITLY TOWARDS THAT SORT OF CRISIS INTERVENTION.
AND AGAIN, I THINK IMPORTANTLY, UH, AS WE MOVED TOWARD THIS WORK, UH, WE ARE ABSOLUTELY INVITING OUR PARTNERS, UH, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE TO WORK WITH US ON THE SIDE OF CREATING MORE PRICES, CAPACITY, FINDING THE CRISIS CAPACITY THAT IS ACCURATE.
IT IS FUNDING, UH, DIVERSION, UH, IN, UH, SPENDING, GETTING PEOPLE OUT OF HOMELESSNESS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND IN A STABLE, UH, MEANS AS POSSIBLE.
AS I MENTIONED IN MY MESSAGE BOARD POSTS, THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS SPENT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO DATE TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS.
I THINK THE MISSION ITSELF IS TREMENDOUSLY WORTHWHILE, BUT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE TO SHOW FOR IT.
I REQUESTED AND REVIEWED AN EXCEL SPREADSHEET FROM STAFF LAST WEEK WITH ALL OF THE HOMELESS SPENDING OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, IT WAS TAKEN ABACK AT THE TOTAL AMOUNTS.
MY OFFICE WILL BE SEEKING CLARITY ON THE OVERALL AMOUNTS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE INVESTING IN AND WHAT THE OUTCOMES ARE TO THE EXTENT THAT WE'RE ABLE, I WOULD HAVE GREATER CONFIDENCE IN THE PROPOSED SPENDING FRAMEWORK HERE.
IF WE HAD AN EXTERNAL EFFICIENCY AUDIT OF THE PAST FIVE YEARS WORTH OF EXPENDITURES AND PROGRAMMING TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHETHER WE'RE USING TAXPAYER DOLLARS, WHICH WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF TO ACHIEVE THE BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME IN THE MOST STREAMLINED WAY POSSIBLE.
MY ANALYSIS IS THAT BY TAKING THE STEP TO COMPLETE A COMPREHENSIVE, EXTERNAL AUDIT OF HOMELESSNESS SPENDING, WE ALSO BE ABLE TO INSTILL GREATER CONFIDENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY, REGIONAL STAKEHOLDERS.
I'VE SPOKEN WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND STAKEHOLDERS, AND THEY, LIKE I DO REMAIN SKEPTICAL ON THE SPENDING WITHOUT A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW EFFECTIVE PREVIOUS SPENDING HAS BEEN.
FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO ECHO MY COLLEAGUES AND CONCERNS ABOUT USING RESERVE MONEY AND I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE CLEAR.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING I CAN SUPPORT.
DOES ANYBODY NOT HAVE A CHAT MAYOR PRO TEM? THANK YOU, JERRY.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY A LOT OF MY QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.
A LOT OF MY CONCERNS HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED.
UM, AND SOME OF THE ONES THAT I REALLY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ARE THE CONCERNS EXPRESSED FROM MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT DIPPING INTO OUR RESERVES.
I ALSO HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT WE'RE LOOKING SPECIFICALLY TO INVEST IN OUR HOMELESSNESS, UM, MITIGATION EFFORTS, UM, MUCH LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER, ALTAR MOM, AND MY MIND'S EYE THAT THE WORD SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT IS AROUND INFRASTRUCTURE AND SORT OF ADDRESSING THE ISSUES THAT FACTOR INTO PEOPLE BECOMING HOMELESS AND PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO BE EMPOWERED ECONOMICALLY.
SO I REALLY LIKED THE IDEA OF US GIVING IT CONSIDERABLY MORE THOUGHT AND THINKING THROUGH HOW DO WE SORT OF FOUR TO FIVE, THE INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, UH, I'M, UH, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUED CONVERSATIONS, BUT AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, I STILL HAVE LOTS OF CONCERNS ABOUT OUR LEVEL OF INVESTMENT.
UM, AND WHAT SPECIFICALLY WE'RE INVESTING IN.
I DON'T KNOW WHO SAID EARLIER, SOMETHING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UM, LIKE HOW DO YOU KNOW WE WERE SUCCESSFUL? OH, RESULTS.
SOMEBODY SAID SOMETHING ABOUT BEING ABLE TO QUANTIFY, ANALYZE AND DETERMINE WHAT OUR RESULTS WERE.
AND IF I'M THINKING, YOU KNOW, ALSO BEING ABLE TO ESTABLISH PROFICIENCY, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND SO I, I JUST HAVE A LOT MORE QUESTIONS AND RECOGNIZE THAT I DON'T WANT TO LOSE AN OPPORTUNITY, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE ONE-TIME FUNDING.
UM, BUT I DEFINITELY DON'T DON'T WANT US TO HAVE ANY REGRETS LATER, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE ONE-TIME FUNDING.
UM, SO THAT SAID SOME OF THE PRIORITIES I'VE HAD, UM, INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMPONENT, THE CHILDCARE COMPONENT.
[01:55:02]
UM, I, I, HAVEN'T HEARD TO DATE ANYBODY TALK ABOUT TRANSPORTATION IN THIS CONVERSATION.UM, WHEN I THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE BARRIERS FOR FOLKS IN SOME OF THE ELEMENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, EXACERBATE, CYCLICAL, POVERTY, OFTENTIMES WHAT'S KEEPING FOLKS FROM GETTING THEIR KIDS TO DAYCARE AND GET INTO JOBS IS TRANSPORTATION.
UM, AND SO I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO INTRODUCE THAT TO THIS CONVERSATION, BUT I CERTAINLY HOPE THAT WE DO AT SOME POINT.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF, IF I MAYBE, UM, AND REPEATING WHAT ANOTHER ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES SAID ABOUT INVESTING IN CREATIVES, BUT THAT'S CERTAINLY A POINT OF PRIORITY AS WELL.
AND THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR SHARING THE LENS THAT Y'ALL ARE USING AND LOOKING AT THIS PROPOSAL.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE LENS THAT I'M USING AS WE CONSIDER THIS FRAMEWORK.
YOU KNOW, WHAT I LEARNED DURING THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, UM, UH, MY COMMUNITY WAS THAT FOR MANY AUSTINITES, THEY WERE NOT SURE AND WERE NOT CLEAR ON WHAT WAS BEING DONE BY AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS AND TO SEEK ACTUAL SOLUTIONS, WHICH AS WE ALL KNOW IS TO CREATE MORE HEALTH HOUSE NEIGHBORS.
AND I SEE THIS AS A MOMENT FOR US TO BE BOLD, AND I HESITATE TO USE THAT WORD BECAUSE IT SHOULDN'T HAVE TO COME TO THIS.
UM, BUT TO USE THIS MOMENT TO FUND THE SYSTEM THAT THE PLAN HAS LAID OUT, THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS CREATED TOGETHER AT THE SUMMIT.
I REALIZED THERE WAS A BLUEPRINT LAID OUT BY CITY COUNCIL, BUT THAT CERTAINLY WAS NOT VERY CLEAR OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE THE PLAN.
NOW WE CAN COMMUNICATE THAT PLAN AND WE CAN SAY, AND WE'RE GOING TO FUND THIS PLAN AND HERE'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.
AND OF COURSE WE'RE SEEKING YOUR SUPPORT AS WELL.
AND SO I, THE WAY I LOOK AT THIS FRAMEWORK IS THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS MOMENT, SEIZE IT, CALL IT FOR WHAT IT IS.
IT'S, IT'S BOTH, UM, A TRANSFORMATIVE POLICY.
AND, BUT IT'S ALSO MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH IS ONE, WE HAVE MANY UNHOUSED BEAVERS WHO ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE A PLACE TO GO IN A FEW MONTHS.
AND SO WE HAVE TO ACT URGENTLY AND PROVIDING ACTUAL TANGIBLE SOLUTIONS.
AND, UM, AND AS MY COLLEAGUES SAID, IT'S ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND I THINK THIS PLAN LAYS OUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF GETTING US TO WHERE WE NEED AND BUILDING OUT THAT SYSTEM.
UM, SO IT'S, IT'S VERY CLEAR TO ME, UM, THE PATHWAY FORWARD, AND I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE THOSE DETAILS ON EXACTLY WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, BUT I THINK IT WOULD, IT WOULD SHOW OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE, WE'RE TAKING ACTION.
WE HAVE A PLAN THAT WAS CREATED BY THE COMMUNITY AND HOW, AND THEN MAKING THAT CALL TO ACTION TO THE COMMUNITY, HOW THEY CAN JOIN US IN THIS EFFORT.
AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING TO OUR, OUR COLLEAGUES, UM, AT TRAVIS COUNTY TO, TO JOIN US IN THIS EFFORT.
UM, AND THEN ALSO JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M APPRECIATIVE OF STAFF'S PROPOSAL ON ADDRESSING THOSE OTHER PRIORITY AREAS THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS PASSED AS PART OF THE RESILIENT ATX RESOLUTION AND ADDRESSING CHILDCARE NEEDS, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, HOUSING INSECURITY, AND FOOD INSECURITY.
UM, CERTAINLY, UM, I'M, I'M EXCITED ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO.
AND I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF TRANSFORMATIVE ELEMENTS THAT WE CAN BRING BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO TALK ABOUT, AND TO REALLY CHANGE CHANGE, UM, THE LANDSCAPE HERE IN AUSTIN, AS WE CREATE MORE RESILIENT SYSTEMS, WE KNOW THAT THIS CAN DEMIC IN THE WINTER STORM, NOT AFFECT EVERYONE EQUALLY, AND WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT INEQUITIES THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO THIS IS A MOMENT FOR US TO BE TRANSFORMATIVE AND ADDRESS THOSE IMMEDIATE NEEDS.
AND SO I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE PROPOSAL, LAID OUT BY MAYOR ADLER ON THE MESSAGE BOARD.
AND I ALSO POSTED MY COMMENTS, UM, TO, TO THAT MESSAGE.
AND SO THAT'S THE LENS I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL TODAY.
UM, YEAH, SO I HAD ANOTHER, A COUPLE OF OTHER QUESTIONS THAT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT AND, AND ALSO JUST ECHO WHAT, UM, WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID, UM, WHAT YOU JUST SAID, UM, COUNSELOR WINTERS, WE HAVE A HUGE OPPORTUNITY HERE.
UM, BUT THAT, AND THAT IS NOT, UH, THIS IS NOT AN EITHER OR IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, I HEAR MY COLLEAGUES ASKING ABOUT DETAILS BECAUSE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF DUE DILIGENCE.
ALSO THE IMPORTANCE OF SHOWING RESULTS, THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND GETTING RESULTS FOR
[02:00:01]
OUR INVESTMENT IN DOLLARS.ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT.
THIS IS NOT AN EITHER, OR WE CAN TAKE A BOLD STEP.
WE CAN, UM, MAKE THIS COMMITMENT TO REALLY MAKE A CHANGE, A TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE, AND WE CAN DO IT IN A VERY RESPONSIBLE WAY.
SO I'D HAVE JUST TWO THINGS I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT FIRST IS, UM, I'M GOING TO BE BRINGING SOME DIRECTION RELATED TO, UM, SPECIFICALLY THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT SERVICES, BUT ALSO RELATED SERVICES LIKE THAT, TO SOME EXTENT THE SOCIAL WORK SOCIAL SERVICES.
UM, I THINK THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO EXPLORE, UM, COLLABORATION WITH OUR HEALTHCARE COMMUNITY.
AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S BEEN DONE TO SOME EXTENT, BUT MANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICAID, OR THEY MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND THE KINDS OF SERVICES THAT ARE PAID FOR INCLUDE SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT, INCLUDING SOCIAL SERVICES.
AND TO SOME EXTENT COULD INCLUDE HOUSING.
SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE CAN, THIS IS A COLLABORATION TO BE BUILT.
UM, AND IT'S NOT STARTING FROM SCRATCH BECAUSE I KNOW THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN WORKING TOGETHER, BUT I WILL BE BRINGING SOME DIRECTION TO TAKE THAT TO A DEEPER LEVEL IN TERMS OF BRAINSTORMING AND WORKING CLOSELY AND COLLABORATIVELY WITH OUR MANAGED CARE ORGANIZATIONS WITH CENTRAL HEALTH, WITH SENDERO TO EXAMINE THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY CAN BRING DOLLARS TO THE TABLE, UH, TO HELP US, UH, IMPROVE SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE GETTING REIMBURSED FOR EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR THAT WE CAN FOR MEDICAID, FOR MEDICARE, WHERE IT APPLIES AND ALSO FOR, UM, THE MAT PROGRAM.
SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP.
I'VE SENT, UH, I, I DID, I WANT TO THANK YOU, DIANA AND ED AND EVERYONE, INCLUDING, UH, THE CONSULTANTS AND VOLUNTEERS, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE GROUP, WORKING ON THE SUMMIT FOR THE FINANCIAL MODEL THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER.
I HAD THE CHANCE ALSO TO LOOK AT THOSE DETAILS.
I THINK IT IS A WELL-THOUGHT-OUT FINANCIAL MODEL.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US ALL TO UNDERSTAND THE ASSUMPTIONS BEHIND IT AND TO MAKE SURE WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THEM, BUT IT DOES.
IT'S A VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT MODEL.
AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT WAS DONE ON THAT.
SO I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME ASSUMPTIONS ALREADY BUILT INTO, UM, INTO THAT MODEL WITH REGARD TO, UM, OTHER PAYER SOURCES.
BUT I WANT TO UNDERSTAND THOSE MORE COMPLETELY.
AND I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY MORE THAT WE CAN DO OVER THE NEXT NUMBER OF MONTHS TO BUILD COLLABORATION THERE.
SO JUST WANTED TO INDICATE I'LL BRING, BE BRINGING SOME DIRECTION IN THAT REGARD.
UM, AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO TALK SOME MORE ABOUT PREVENTION.
I THINK THAT THOSE ARE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS THAT ARE BEING ASKED BECAUSE I, AND I, AND DIANE, I APPRECIATE THE WAY YOU RESPONDED.
AND I'M ALSO HOPEFUL THAT, UM, OUR SYSTEM IN OUR, IN OUR, UH, NOT HOPEFUL, I THINK WE CAN, UH, GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE IDENTIFYING PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY AT RISK FOR HOMELESSNESS, BECAUSE AS YOU MENTIONED, PAYING FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE OR PAYING FOR FOOD ACCESS OR PAYING FOR OTHER KINDS OF SOCIAL SERVICES, DOES NOT NECESSARILY DO ANYTHING TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS.
IF, IF THEY'RE NOT TARGETED, UH, IN THE RIGHT WAY FOR FOLKS WHO ARE ACTUALLY AT RISK FOR BECOMING HOMELESS.
SO I LIKE TO SEE OUR SYSTEM BECOME MORE TARGETED IN THAT WAY.
UM, AND THERE THERE'S THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE TO DO THAT, BUT THAT ALL THE OTHER THING TO REMEMBER IS RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE PEOPLE LIVING ON THE STREETS.
AND SO PUTTING DOLLARS TOWARDS PREVENTION RIGHT NOW IS NOT GOING TO HELP THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY HOMELESS.
AND SO WE, WE NEED TO, TO, TO MY MIND, I SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY, UH, MAKE AN INVESTMENT IN THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE LIVING ON THE STREETS RIGHT NOW, AND TO IMPROVE OUR SYSTEMS. SO WE DON'T HAVE AS MANY PEOPLE LIVING ON THE STREETS IN THE FUTURE, AND THEY DON'T LIVE ON THE STREETS AS WELL.
SO, UM, AND I JUST DON'T THINK ALL THE CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE ARE RAISING A REALLY IMPORTANT CONCERNS, BUT I THINK WE CAN ADDRESS THEM AS A COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK WE CAN COME OUT OF THIS WITH A MUCH BETTER SYSTEM.
AND I THINK WE CAN ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS.
I THINK THAT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME.
I AM PREPARED TO MOVE ON THURSDAY.
I AM PREPARED TO MAKE A COMMITMENT OF DOLLARS, UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE ARE CONTINGENCIES ASSOCIATED WITH IT, UM, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE ALWAYS DO.
UM, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH THE CARES FUND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH OTHER FUNDS.
AND I JUST THINK WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.
I THINK THE QUESTIONS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY IS ASKING ARE IMPORTANT.
[02:05:01]
OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED AND WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT, BUT IT'S DIFFICULT TO SEE AT ALL.AND IT NEEDS TO BE PRESENTED IN A WAY THAT PEOPLE CAN SEE.
SO, UM, SO I GUESS I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE US ALL TO CONTINUE TO ASK THE QUESTIONS AND DIG INTO THE DETAIL BECAUSE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE, UM, THAT WERE AFFECTED.
AND I, I ALSO WANT TO JUST, LET ME JUST ASK THIS QUESTION, DIANA, AND YOU MAY NOT KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS, BUT I KNOW WE RECEIVED A REPORT LAST SUMMER FROM BARB POPPY AS PART OF THE CONSULTANT'S ANALYSIS OF OUR EXISTING SYSTEM, AND THEY HAD SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO MAKE, TO IMPROVE THE SYSTEM.
DO YOU KNOW IF ANY OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AS PART OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW FOR THE VISION PLAN? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, I, UH, WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT, UM, AT SOME TIME AND THEN IN THE FUTURE, BUT IF WE LOOK AT THE HIGH-LEVEL RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE POPPY REPORT, UH, THERE ARE PROCESS RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEN THERE ARE REALLY SORT OF PRODUCTION AND SYSTEM OR RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, AND ALMOST EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE HIGH LEVEL, UM, INVESTMENT AREAS THAT WE ARE TARGETING THROUGH THE SUMMIT.
UH, THERE'S A STRAIGHT LINE THAT CAN BE DRAWN OVER TO THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, AS WELL AS OTHER WORK THAT IS HAPPENING AT THE LEVEL OF THE, UM, WITHIN THE CITY, UH, AND BETWEEN THE CITY AND ECHO ON OTHER IMPORTANT FISHERS.
SO HAPPY TO SUMMARIZE THAT AS WELL, BUT IT'S VERY CONSISTENT.
I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THEY HIGHLIGHTED IS HOW WE COULD BE MORE EFFECTIVE, UH, WITH OUR, WITH OUR CONTRACTING MECHANISMS, UH, AND WITH THE, OUR MEASURES, UH, FOR RESULTS.
AND, UM, SO I, I JUST, I JUST WANT TO SAY, I THINK THAT, UM, I DON'T WANT TO BE THE COMMUNITY THAT CONTINUES TO JUST SAY THAT, THAT, UM, AND I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT ANY OF YOU ALL ARE SAYING THIS, BUT, UM, I DON'T WANT TO BE A COMMUNITY THAT JUST CONTINUES TO MANAGE HOMELESSNESS.
I WANT TO BE A COMMUNITY THAT ACTUALLY SETS A PATH TO ENDING HOMELESSNESS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE NEED IN AUSTIN.
AND I DON'T WANT US TO GET BOGGED DOWN IN SO MANY DETAILS THAT WE CAN'T MOVE FORWARD.
WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A COMMITMENT AND A VISION, AND WE NEED TO PUT IN PLACE THE MECHANISMS TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT COMMITMENT IS EFFECTIVE.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT WE THINK ABOUT COUNCIL MEMBER ASARA THEN COUNCIL MEMBER TOVA WHEN I STARTED OUT MY COMMENTS, I DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE MAKING THE ROUNDS FULLY.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR HERE IN CASE, FOCUSING IN, SEE THE MESSAGE BOARD THAT I COULD SUPPORT THE PATH AS, AS YOU LAID OUT ON THE MESSAGE BOARD TODAY.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT THE COMMITMENTS ON HOMELESSNESS, UM, IS, IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE, BECAUSE I THINK IT ALSO BRINGS OTHER FOLKS TO THE TABLE.
AND I DO BELIEVE, AND I'VE SEEN THAT THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE HAVE MADE WHEN YOU GO AND VISIT AND SEE THEM, THAT THEY DO REALLY REDUCE HOMELESSNESS.
IF WE PUT THIS MUCH RESOURCE BEHIND IT, I THINK WE DRASTICALLY DRASTICALLY REDUCE HOMELESSNESS IN THE CITY.
UM, AS FAR AS THE, UM, MARCH MEMO AND SOME OF THE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER, UM, THE 22 MILLION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAD ALREADY BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.
MY UNDERSTANDING VERY CLEARLY FROM THAT MARCH MEMO IS THAT THERE ALREADY WAS THE 22 MILLION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE STAFF WAS RECOMMENDING ANOTHER 20 IN LOCAL CITY ASSISTANCE FOR RENT RISE SO THAT WE COULD GET TO THAT 40 MILLION PLUS NUMBER.
UM, AND SO, UH, TO ME, THAT IS WHAT THE REALLY CLEARLY WHAT THE STAFF RECOMMENDED ON THEIR FIRST PATH.
UM, I THINK IT'S STILL A MINIMUM OF WHAT WE NEED TO GET DONE.
UM, BECAUSE AS MS JACKMAN MENTIONED, UH, WE HAVE ASSISTANT 4,000 HOUSEHOLDS AND THERE'S 10,000 ON THE LIST.
AND THAT LIST IS ONLY GOING TO GROW AS THE EVICTION MORATORIUM LAPSES, UH, FURTHER HERE IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
AND SO I APPRECIATE FOLKS, UH, UH, FLEXIBILITY OF US SAYING LET'S PUT TOGETHER SOME GAP FUNDING BETWEEN HERE IN JULY, BUT FRANKLY, IT'S, I THINK IT'S REALLY CLEAR ONCE YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS AND THE TRAJECTORY, BUT THE 22 MILLION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL ABSOLUTELY NOT LAST US VERY LONG AND WILL NOT GET US THROUGH THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AS THE ORATORIUM LAPSES.
UM, AND SO IF WE WANT TO WRITE SOMETHING, THAT'S LIKE, IF WE'D ACTUALLY DON'T WIND UP MEETING VERY MUCH OF THIS MONEY, IT GOES BACK INTO RESERVES.
I THINK WE CAN WRITE THAT UP, BUT, UM, BUT I THINK THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S SET ASIDE PLUS SOME ADDITIONAL
[02:10:01]
DOLLARS, UM, IS NECESSARY.ONCE WE LOOK AT, UH, THE TRAJECTORY OF THE FUNDS.
UM, AND MR. VINO KNOW, YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT IN PART, YOU ALL HAD REDUCED THAT ALLOCATION IN RESPONSE TO RESILIENT ADX, UM, THE RESILIENT HDX RESOLUTION DID LE LIST HOUSING INSECURITY AS ONE OF THE PRIORITY AREAS.
SO IS THERE SOMETHING, SOMETHING I'M MISSING? WHAT DID, WHAT WAS ADDED IN RESPONSE TO REAL RESILIENCY, HEX ON HOUSING INSECURITY? WHAT IN THE STAFFS RECOMMEND, YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU TOOK OUT THAT FUNDING, UM, AFTER THE RESOLUTION, BUT IS THERE SOMETHING IN THE RECORD, LATEST RECOMMENDATION THAT ADDRESSES HOUSING INSECURITY AND AN INCREASE IN THAT AREA? UM, I, I'M GOING TO LET VERONICA SPEAK TO WHAT MIGHT BE IN THERE FOR, FOR HOUSING INSECURITY.
I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE, UM, I HAD TO GO BACK AND LOOK IT UP MYSELF, THE MARCH 21ST MEMORANDUM, WHICH WAS STAFF'S INITIAL RECOMMENDATION ON OUR ARP FUND.
THAT IS ONE OF THE BACKUP MATERIALS.
AND, UH, ON PAGE FOUR, THERE'S A TABLE OF WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION WAS ON THAT TIME, JUST, JUST IN CASE THERE WAS ANYBODY WANTS TO GET CLARITY ON WHAT, WHAT, WHAT THOSE NUMBERS, WHAT THOSE NUMBERS WERE.
UM, SO VERONICA, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT THE HOUSING INSECURITY PIECE? WHAT IS IN THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR THAT? AND, AND I DID WANT TO SAY ON THE BROADER, YOU KNOW, THERE'S CLEARLY NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO MEET ALL THE PRIORITIES OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO I THINK IT'S A MATTER OF LOOKING AT THE RESOLUTION, WHICH DID SPEAK TO FOUR PRIORITY AREAS OF HOMELESSNESS, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, CHILDCARE, AND FOOD INSECURITY, I THINK EVEN STATED IN THAT ORDER WITH HOMELESSNESS BEING THE TOP PRIORITY.
AND SO, UM, AND HOUSING INSECURITY THOUGH, IT DID SAY HOUSING INSECURITY.
AND ONE OF THOSE FOUR, IT WAS IN ONE OF THOSE FOUR CATEGORIES, RIGHT.
AND THE TELEPHONE NUMBER, I THINK IT WAS MORE JUST THE TRYING TO BALANCE THE, THE TOTALITY OF THE, UH, OF THE ALLEGATIONS, UM, KNOWING THAT HOMELESSNESS WAS, UH, UH, SO IT WAS THE FIRST PRIORITY WAS THAT, AND KNOWING THAT THAT'S ALSO THE BIGGEST, UH, VERY LARGE REQUESTS AND MISSIONAL CHANGE, AND ALSO KNOWING THAT THERE WERE FEDERAL DOLLARS COMING DOWN FOR, UM, FOR OUR SUCCESS AS WELL.
BUT WE WERE JUST TRYING TO, UM, MAKE OUR BEST RECOMMENDATION ON HOW TO BALANCE THE NEED AND THE DIRECTION.
SO CURRENTLY IN THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR THE RESCUE PLAN DOLLARS, THERE IS, UH, $800,000 FOR HOUSING INSECURITY.
IS THAT RIGHT? THAT IS EVIDENCE THAT'S CORRECT.
AND THAT'S IN ADDITION TO THE OTHER FUNDS THAT, UH, AS MENTIONED IN HIS PRESENTATION, RIGHT? AND SO FOR ME, I JUST, I WOULD HAVE A LOT OF TROUBLE PASSING SOMETHING ON THURSDAY, GIVEN WHAT WE KNOW AND WHAT I HEAR EVERY DAY IN MY, WHEN I GET CALLS FROM CONSTITUENTS ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS, PAYING RENT THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE COVERED JUST THIS BASELINE NEED.
UM, UH, BECAUSE FOR ME, PUSHING FORWARD ON OTHER THINGS WHICH ARE REALLY IMPORTANT AND TRANSFORMATIVE WORK TO DO THAT I WOULD SUPPORT, I THINK WE STILL NEED TO COVER, UH, THE BASELINE ISSUE.
I WANT TO HELP WITH LIVE MUSIC AND THE, I WANT TO HELP, UM, ON OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, BUT I DON'T WANT SOMEBODY TO LOSE THEIR HOME BEFORE THEY CAN GO TO THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM OR BEFORE THEY CAN ENJOY OUR LIFE MUSIC AND ART AND CULTURE.
WE HAVE SOME BASELINE THINGS I FEEL ARE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO COVER.
AND I WOULD THINK THAT I WOULD STRUGGLE A LOT WITH US NOT COVERING THE BASELINE, THE GAP WE MIGHT FACE BETWEEN HERE AND FEDERAL DOLLARS.
BUT EVEN ONCE WE GET THE FEDERAL DOLLARS, IT DOES NOT SEEM BASED ON THIS CURRENT TRAJECTORY THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO KEEP FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN SUFFERING BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC AND LOST INCOME BECAUSE OF IT IN THEIR HOMES, COLLEAGUES AND INSTAGRAM PRAYER TOVO
SO I PUT IN MY MESSAGE BOARD POST A COUPLE OF THE AREAS WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE INCREASED FUNDING.
UM, AND I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP FOR A CONVERSATION.
ONE IS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME, UH, THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR DESCRIBED FOR CHILDCARE.
UM, THERE IS NO MONEY IN THIS, IN THIS, UM, PROPOSAL FRAMEWORK FOR RESILIENCE HUBS.
UM, THAT WAS A RESOLUTION THAT WE PASSED RECENTLY.
THE STAFF ARE SUPPOSED TO COME BACK IN JUNE AND PROVIDE US WITH SOME INFORMATION ABOUT COSTS AND KIND OF WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO GET THOSE PILOTS UP.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS IS I BELIEVE OUR BEST OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY MAKE
[02:15:01]
THOSE INVESTMENTS AND SOME OF THE RESILIENCE WORK THAT WE WILL, WE KNOW WE NEED.SO I DON'T KNOW IF COLLEAGUES HAVE THOUGHTS ON, ON THE INCLUSION OF THAT.
WE NEED AT LEAST A MILLION, AGAIN, THE STAFF HAVEN'T COME FORWARD WITH A REAL CONCRETE ESTIMATE, BUT WE DO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE WILL NEED AT LEAST THAT, UM, THE FOOD ACCESS, UM, FOOD INSECURITY, BUDGET LINE, UM, I'M NOT USING THE RIGHT TERMINOLOGY.
I THINK THE STAFF TERMINOLOGY, I BELIEVE TWO NEED SOME INCREASED FUNDING.
UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE STACKS INCORPORATING SOME OF THE ELEMENTS THAT WERE IN THE FOOD ACCESS, SEVERAL OF THE FOOD ACCESS, UM, ELEMENTS THAT ARE INCLUDED WITHIN OUR RESOLUTION ARE PART OF, PART OF WHAT THE STAFF HAVE PROVIDED FUNDING FOR, INCLUDING THE FOOD SYSTEM PLANNING WORK.
UM, BUT I BELIEVE THAT NUMBER TO BE A BIT LOW.
UH, AND I GUESS I WOULD WELCOME OUR STAFF'S INPUT ON THAT PERHAPS AT TOMORROW'S COUNCIL AT WORK SESSION, IF THEY COULD GIVE US SOME SENSE OF WHERE WE ARE ON THAT.
AND THEN I'D LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
OUR STAFF PROPOSED THAT WE REPLENISH SOME OF THE HOT FUNDING, UM, AS I UNDERSTOOD THEIR PROPOSAL, IT WAS IN THE CATEGORIES OF CULTURAL ARTS AND ALSO, UM, HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND MUSIC MAY, OR YOUR PROPOSAL STRIPS OUT THE PIECE FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
I'M NOT SURE IF, IF ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE HERE, BUT THERE ARE, UM, A COUPLE OF POTENTIAL, OKAY.
THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO VERY SIGNIFICANT HISTORIC STRUCTURES, UM, WITH ABOUT, ABOUT, UM, AND THEIR DISPOSSESSION IS UNCERTAIN.
AND WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS AS A CITY COUNCIL ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT, UM, THERE MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY TO ACQUIRE THOSE.
THERE ARE OTHER FUNDING OPTIONS BEYOND HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUNDING WITHIN HOT, BUT IN THE PAST, THERE'S NOT BEEN A COUNCIL WILL TO INVESTIGATE THOSE.
UM, AND, AND IN PARTICULAR, I'M TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE HISTORIC, UH, SOME OF THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX THAT HAS FLOWED TO THE CONVENTION CENTER AND IS NOW IN RESERVES AWAITING A CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A, A REAL CANDID CONVERSATION ON THE DIOCESE.
UM, IF WE ARE NOT INCLUDING ANY OF THE RECOMMENDED FUNDING FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION WITHIN THE ARPA FUNDING, I WOULD LIKE TO GET A SENSE FROM MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT WHAT, WHETHER THEY WOULD SUPPORT USING SOME OF THE HOT FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN SET ASIDE FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER.
OBVIOUSLY WE CAN'T USE THE 2% THAT IS DESIGNATED FOR CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION, BUT, BUT, UM, I BELIEVE THE, THE OTHER FUNDING IS A POSSIBILITY.
WE HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO TALK ABOUT A REAL ESTATE MATTER TOMORROW.
AND, UM, IT'S RELEVANT TO THAT QUESTION AS WELL.
AND WE'D HAVE TOMORROW'S WORK SESSION, BUT THAT'S, UH, THAT'S THE, THE SUBSTANCE OF THE QUESTION I HAVE FOR YOU.
BUT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER FRONTEND IS, I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT RESILIENCE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW, YOU HAVE SAID YOU'D SUPPORT THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL, BUT THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL DOESN'T INCLUDE THAT MONEY FOR THE RESILIENCE HUBS.
I KNOW OTHERS OF YOU HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT RESILIENCE, HUBS AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO IT AS WELL.
SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY WITHIN THE BUDGET TO FIND THAT FUNDING.
SO IF THERE'S AN INTEREST IN MOVING FORWARD TODAY, OUTSIDE OF WE'RE MOVING FORWARD THIS WEEK OUTSIDE OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, IT CONCERNS ME A BIT BECAUSE WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME UNFUNDED, WE HAVE SOME UNFUNDED NEEDS THAT REALLY ARE ABOUT RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE.
AND IF WE'RE NOT USING THE RESCUE PLAN MONEY TO INVEST IN THOSE, UM, THEN I NEED TO HAVE SOME SENSE OF WHAT OTHER KINDS OF OPTIONS YOU ALL ARE GOING TO SUPPORT.
AND ON THAT NOTE, UM, I'LL JUST CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO ANOTHER PIECE OF MY MESSAGE BOARD POST, WHICH TALKS ABOUT KIND OF RE UM, COMING BACK AT VARIOUS CHECKPOINTS.
AND I TALKED ABOUT THE SPENDING PLAN WITH REGARD TO HOMELESSNESS.
I ALSO THINK WE NEED TO CHECK IN AFTER THE BUDGET SESSION, UM, AND A POTENTIAL REAFFIRMING SLASH REVISION OF OUR SPENDING FRAMEWORK.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF THERE IS AN INTEREST IN MOVING FORWARD TODAY THIS WEEK, UM, IT IS IT, I WOULD, I AM GOING TO ADVOCATE THAT WE HAVE SOME VERY CONCRETE CHECK-IN POINTS WHERE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE FRAMEWORK AND MAKE ANY NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS.
I THINK IT WAS COUNCIL MEMBER.
I THANK YOU, CUSTOMER TO-GO FOR BRINGING UP THE RESILIENCE HUBS.
CERTAINLY I DEFINITELY SUPPORT CREATING RESILIENT HUBS, AND I SEE A PORTION OF THE FOOD INSECURITY, UM, ALLOTMENT THAT WOULD GO, THAT WOULD BE DEDICATED TO THE RESILIENT TIMES, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES
[02:20:01]
TO FOOD ACCESS.UM, SO I WAS THINKING THAT THAT WOULD BE INCLUSIVE, BUT TO YOUR POINT, WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION OF WHAT RESILIENCE HELPS LOOK LIKE AND WHAT WE CAN FUND AS PART OF THE ARPA PROCESS.
AND ALSO AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, BECAUSE WE CERTAINLY, THAT IS A PRIORITY FOR ME AND DISTRICT TWO.
AND I, AND I CERTAINLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I CAN SUPPORT, UM, ANY, ANY WAY POSSIBLE.
UM, THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS AROUND CHILDCARE FUNDING FOR YEAR 21 AND YEAR 22.
AND I THINK CATHERINE WERE ALTERED, BROUGHT THIS UP LAST TIME, UM, FOR POINTING IT OUT.
IS THERE A WAY, I MEAN, I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SEEING IF WE CAN ADD MORE FUNDING TO YOUR 21 TO GET MORE DOLLARS OUT THE DOOR SOONER AND IN PREPARATION FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR, ESPECIALLY KNOWING THAT THIS TRAUNCH OF 49.4 MILLION WOULD BE GOING OUT IN JUNE.
UM, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF STAFF HAS SOME INSIGHT AS TO WHY WE KEPT IT AT THE 1.3 FOR THIS FIRST YEAR, UM, SPENDING OR IF THERE WAS ANY, ANY CHANGE ON IT.
I'LL DO BOTH WITH LOOKING FOR MY NEW BUTTON.
UM, WE, UH, CAN'T REMEMBER, I, I CANNOT THINK OF ANYTHING ON TOP OF MINE, BUT WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH, UM, PUBLIC HEALTH AND CONFIRM IT FOR YOU.
YEAH, BECAUSE I WOULD BE SUPER INTERESTED TO SEE IF WE CAN MOVE MORE OF THAT 6.2 TO THE, TO THIS, TO THIS YEAR.
THEN I THINK IT WAS COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR.
I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION THAT, UM, GREG RAISED AT THE BEGINNING ABOUT WHETHER WE WERE COMFORTABLE USING RESERVES.
UM, I'M NOT SURE THERE'S A MAJORITY THAT IS READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH RESERVES, AND I THINK WE NEED TO GET THAT FIGURED OUT.
AND EVEN IF THERE IS A MAJORITY, I'M NOT SURE GOING FORWARD WITH SIX TO FIVE ON WHETHER TO USE RESERVES AS A WISE STEP FORWARD FOR US AS A COUNCIL.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THE BEST WAY TO DO IT IF IT'S A STRAW POLL OR WHAT, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IF FOLKS ARE COMFORTABLE USING RESERVES, MAYBE THEY CAN RAISE THEIR HAND OR IF THEY'RE NOT COMFORTABLE, I, I DON'T KNOW WHICH WOULD BE THE BETTER WAY THAT YOU'D BE MORE COMFORTABLE WITH MAYOR PROTOCOL WISE.
WE HAVE ITEMS THAT CALL FOR US TO SPEND, UH, IS OUR RESOLUTION IFC WITH RESPECT TO RESERVES.
SO WE KNOW THAT'S GOING TO COME UP FOR, FOR A BOAT.
WE COULD CERTAINLY TALK ABOUT IT DURING WORK SESSION TOMORROW, UM, AND OR PEOPLE CAN GIVE COMMENTS, UH, COMMENTS.
NOW I THINK THIS IS AN EVOLVING CONVERSATION.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT IT'S GOOD FOR THE CONVERSATION TODAY, BUT I THINK IT'S KIND OF THE WEEK.
AND THEN, THEN RELATED TO THAT, I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND, UM, I HAVE A LOT MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SUMMIT ART, BUT I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THE, UM, KIND OF THINKING BEHIND THE CONTINGENCY FOR STAFF.
UM, SO FIRST OF ALL, I CONFIRM FOR OUR 49 MILLION OR WHATEVER THAT WE HAD, OUR 44 MILLION THAT WE HAD FOR THE HEALTH PIECE.
ARE THERE ANY CONTINGENCIES BUILT IN THERE, JOE COUNCILMEMBER? WE DID NOT EXPLICITLY BUILD CONTINGENCY INTO THAT 44.3 MILLION.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF, UM, ACM HAYDEN HOWARD MIGHT WANT TO SPEAK TO IT, BUT MY, MY UNDERSTANDING IS FROM HEALTH THAT RIGHT NOW THEY'RE, THEY'RE TRACKING PRETTY GOOD ON THAT FUNDING AND THEY, THERE MAY BE SOME SAVINGS THERE, BUT WE DIDN'T BUILD A CONTINGENCY EXPLICITLY INTO THE ALLOCATION.
BUT YOU HAD RECOMMENDED, HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE 14.1, WHICH IS ABOUT 10% OF THE REMAINING, UM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF LIKE A DIRECTOR PER SANNIA SET A COUPLE OF TIMES JUST TRYING TO BALANCE COUNCIL PRIORITIES AND DIRECTION WE'VE RECEIVED LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENT RESOLUTIONS.
IF YOU WENT BACK TO THE MARCH, UH, RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF, IT WAS A MUCH LARGER AMOUNT FOR CONTINGENCY, BUT AT THAT TIME WE WERE MUCH MORE LIKE RIGHT IN THE HEAT OF THE PANDEMIC MORE, YOU KNOW, NOW WE'RE THREE MONTHS MOVED ON AND LOOKING AT WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW, IT SEEMS LIKE A SMALLER, A SMALLER CONTINGENCY AMOUNT FEELS PRUDENT TO US, GIVEN WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN REGARDS TO THE TRAJECTORY OF THE PANDEMIC AND WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM OUR,
[02:25:01]
FROM OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT.SO WHAT WAS THE ORIGINAL CONTINGENCY THAT WAS AT 20 SOME? YEAH, LET ME LOOK THAT UP REAL QUICK.
IT WAS ACTUALLY AT 39.2 MILLION WAS THE MARCH RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF FOR CONTINGENCY FUNDING, WHICH WAS ESSENTIALLY 20% OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT.
SO GOING, BUT WE ALSO HAD IN THAT WHOLE, TOTAL, WE HAD A LOT MORE MONEY THAN WE THOUGHT WE WERE GETTING AS WELL.
UM, 195 INSTEAD OF ONE 90, ONE 88.
SO THERE'S 7 MILLION THAT WAS CUT OFF FROM THAT.
I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT FOR MY COLLEAGUES THAT WE'RE NOT LEAVING MUCH OF A CUSHION IN HERE IN TERMS OF CONTINGENCY.
AND IF WE USE OUR RESERVES, THERE'S, THERE'S NOT MUCH THERE THEN THERE, UM, IN TERMS OF, IF WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH ANOTHER GOD-FORBID AND HAVING BEEN THROUGH A YEAR AND A HALF THAT WE HAVE TOGETHER, UM, I'M NOT, I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT'S THE, THE WISEST FISCAL MOOD AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
IT IS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO PULL BACK THE MONEY.
UM, ONCE IT'S BEEN PUT FORWARD IN A FRAMEWORK THAN IT IS, UM, TO ADD IT INTO ADDRESS AND EXPENSE THAT WE NEED TO MAKE AS PART OF OUR BUDGET PROCESS OR KIND OF MOVING, UM, FORWARD.
UM, I WANT TO SEE IF OTHER FOLKS HAVE QUESTIONS AND THEN I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR THE SUMMIT.
OH, THE HARDEST DECISIONS WE HAVE TO MAKE AS A COUNCIL IS WHEN WE'RE ACTUALLY SPENDING DOLLARS AND CHOOSING BETWEEN PRIORITIES.
AND THEN THIS EXERCISE IS NO DIFFERENT THAN THOSE BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY INCREDIBLE NEEDS IN THE, IN THE COMMUNITY AND NEVER ENOUGH RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO, TO, TO ADDRESS THEM.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT I COLLEAGUES ARE SAYING.
AND, AND, AND I DON'T DISAGREE WITH, WITH ANYONE WITH RESPECT TO ANY OF THE PRIORITIES THAT ANYBODY HAS MENTIONED, FRIENDS.
UM, BUT IN A BUDGET PROCESS LIKE THIS, WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO MAKE CHOICES HISTORICALLY THE WAY WE MAKE CHOICES, UH, AS A BODY GOING BACK IN TIME, UH, IS TO TAKE DOLLARS AND TOUCH ON LOTS OF CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY, RECOGNIZING THAT NONE OF OTHER RESOURCES WE'RE PUTTING AGAINST THE BAR REALLY SUFFICIENT TO REALLY ANSWER THOSE CHALLENGES.
UM, BUT WE ARE, WE'RE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE THAT WE, THAT WE HEAR PEOPLE AND HEAR THE NEEDS, AND WE CAN PUT MONEY MONEY AGAINST THAT.
I CONTINUE TO BE, UH, AS SOME OTHERS, LET'S SAY, UH, UH, AN ADVOCATE FOR US ACTUALLY BEING A LOT MORE FOCUSED RIGHT NOW WITH THESE DOLLARS.
THEN WE HAVE WE'VE EVER BEEN IN THE PAST RECOGNIZING THAT THAT IS US BOTH THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A QUANTUM MOVE ON SOMETHING, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT IT ALSO THAT SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE BEEN TOUCHED, UH, ARE THINGS THAT, UH, THAT, THAT DON'T GET TOUCHED.
WHEN I LOOK OUT AT THE COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW, AND THE CONVERSATIONS THAT PEOPLE ARE, HAVING, THE THINGS THAT ARE CAUSING THE MOST ANGST, I BELIEVE IN THE COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW, THE THINGS THAT, UH, WHEN I HEAR FROM PEOPLE ARE THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE WANT US AS A BODY TO ADDRESS MOST IT'S HOMELESSNESS.
AND THEY MAKE SENSE TO ME BECAUSE AS A COMMUNITY, WE'RE DOING SO INCREDIBLY WELL, AND WE HAVE SO MANY RESOURCES TO HAVE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE THAT LEVEL OF, OF, UM, UNFORTUNATE STATUS IS, IS, IS REALLY HARD.
UH, BUT I THINK AS A COMMUNITY WE'VE SAID TO ME, THAT COMMUNITIES COME BACK AND SAYING, PLEASE ADDRESS, PLEASE ADDRESS THIS CHALLENGE, UH, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE TIME AND THE MOMENT THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE IN, EVEN WITH THAT, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, IT'S WAY TOO BIG FOR US.
UH, BUT WHAT WE HAVE IN THIS MOMENT, I THINK IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE DOLLARS IN WAYS WE'VE NEVER LEVERAGED NUMBER FOUR.
AND I THINK THAT THE OPPORTUNITY IS ON HOMELESSNESS TO BRING IN THE FOUNDATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THE BUSINESSES OF OUR COMMUNITY AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS IS A UNIQUE MOMENT IN A UNIQUE ISSUE THAT I THINK REALLY GOES TO THE CHARACTER WHO WE ARE AS A, AS A CITY.
I'M ALSO REAL CONCERNED ABOUT WHERE
[02:30:01]
THE CITY IS, IF WE DON'T DEAL WITH IT'S CHALLENGED NOW, WHILE IT'S STILL AT THE SCALE OF A CHALLENGE THAT WE CAN DEAL WITH.IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE NOT ADDRESSED THIS IN, IN THAT GREAT AWAY, THE CHALLENGE CONTINUES TO GROW, AND MAYBE IT'S NOT AS SEEN AS MUCH.
UH, BUT THEN IT JUST EXPLODES.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DO IF YOU'RE IN LOS ANGELES OR PORTLAND OR SAN FRANCISCO OR SEATTLE, BECAUSE THE SCALE OF THEIR CHALLENGE SO MUCH BIGGER THAN WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
AND WHEN YOU TALK TO THE PEOPLE IN THOSE CITIES AND ASK THEM, WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU HAD DONE EIGHT YEARS AGO, 10 YEARS AGO, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE ARE RELATIVE TO WHERE THEY ARE.
I WISH WE HAD ACTUALLY DEALT WITH IT HAD SCALE OR THE SCALE WAS STILL SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT.
I REALLY DO THINK THIS IS A REAL MOMENT THAT IF WE DON'T DO THIS, I THINK THE PENALTY THAT THE CITY WILL PAY FOR THIS SIX, EIGHT YEARS FROM NOW WILL BE, WILL BE, UH, ENORMOUS, UH, HERE, AND REALLY WANT TO THINK THROUGH A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT, UH, COLLEAGUES HAVE RAISED AND, UH, THE DESK, CAUSE I THINK ALL GOOD AND ARE VALID AND MANY TO THINK THROUGH A LOT OF THEM.
UM, I KNOW RIGHT OFF THE BAT THAT THE THOUGHT OF HAVING A IN, UH, KIND OF CHECK-IN POINTS, UH, IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD SUPPORT, UH, BUILDING IN SOMETHING THAT HAS THE STAFF COMING BACK TO US EARLIER THAN WITH CONTRACTS IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD SUPPORT WITH RESPECT TO THEIR HOMELESSNESS, BECAUSE I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF DETAILS STILL TO BE ENGAGED IN.
UH, I THINK THAT AS WE GET MORE PARTNERS, IF WE GET MORE PARTNERS, UH, INVESTING AT THAT LEVEL, UH, THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO BE, UH, PARTNERS IN, IN THAT CONVERSATION TOO.
UH, BUT I THINK THAT WE REALLY NEED TO SEND A SIGNAL OF THIS WEEK TO THAT COMMUNITY, TO THE LARGER COMMUNITY IN OUR CITY, OUT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO GO TO SCALE, WE ARE, UH, THERE'S ALWAYS THE ISSUE OF WHO GOES FIRST AND THOSE KINDS OF DISCUSSIONS.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO SEE IF YOU HAVE A COMMUNITY, MAKE THE MOVE FIRST.
THEY WANT TO SEE US MAKE MOVERS.
I THINK THAT WE'RE AT A POSITION AND I HAVE OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO, TO BE THE LEADER, TO SUGGEST TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THIS IS THE MOMENT AND THE TIME, AND WE'RE WILLING TO OPERATE AT SCALE.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT COUNTY CARIBBEANS AND I KNOW THAT THEY HAVEN'T MADE ANY, THEY HAVEN'T MET, UH, I'M NOT HEARING WORD THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE PRESENTING A SPENDING PLAN FOR THEM TO CONSIDER, UH, YOU KNOW, A WEEK AFTER WE GO INTO OUR SUMMER SESSION ON JUNE 22ND.
UH, AND THERE MAY BE MORE THE CONVERSATIONS DAN, UH, BY THE BACK OF COUNTY.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO SEND THEM A SIGNAL AS TO WHERE, WHERE WE ARE.
UH, BUT, UH, SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT HAVE COME TO OUR STAFF, OUR STAFF RELIED ON WITH RESPECT TO THE WORKFORCE, UH, PROPOSALS THAT WE GOT REPRESENT THAT, UH, THEY'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COUNTY AND HAVE GIVEN INDICATIONS THAT THEY THINK IT'S BEING FAVORABLY RECEIVED.
UH, SO, UH, GUYS WE'RE REALIZE, BUT THAT'S WAS THE BASIS FOR ME ON WHAT I WAS PUTTING IN FEELING COMFORTABLE WITH, YOU KNOW, PUTTING IN A SHARED ROLE WITH ANIMAL ON WORKFORCE, ALSO WITH CHILDCARE, UM, AND, AND THE PROPOSALS THAT WERE IN THERE, YOU KNOW, FULFILLING, WELL, THE A HUNDRED PERCENT OF WHAT I UNDERSTOOD THE WORKFORCE AND CHILDCARE ASKS TO BE.
I THINK THERE'S BEEN SOME EMAILS HERE THAT HAVE UPDATED THAT BY, UM, A COUPLE MILLION DOLLARS OR SOMETHING, UH, OVER THE LAST WEEK.
UH, AND I WASN'T AWARE OF THAT NOW.
SEE, NOW HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO OBTAIN THAT.
SO I THINK THERE'S POTENTIAL FINE TUNING WORK TO BE DONE IN THAT.
UH, I HEAR, YEAH, THE CONVERSATION ABOUT PREVENTION.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS A BIG PART OF THE CONVERSATION IN THOSE PUBLIC MEETINGS IN THE, IN THE SUMMER CONVERSATIONS WHEN, UH, THEY GOT TO THAT ZOOM CALL WITH, UH, SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE.
UH, UH, AND, AND I HERE WHAT, UH, DIANE IS TELLING US HERE AND HEARD SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE SAY THAT IN THAT CALL, THAT IF WE HAD ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD, WE WOULD BE DOING A LOT MORE AT EVERY STAGE OF THIS PROCESS.
BUT IF YOU HAVE TO PRIORITIZE, UH, YOUR PRIORITIZE ON THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE JUST FALLEN INTO, UH, UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS, TRY TO RESURRECT THEM AND GET THEM BACK AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN, UM, THAT IF YOU HAVE A FORCED CHOICE, UH, AND I THINK WE DO BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY FOR EVERYTHING, UH, THAT THAT'S THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY.
HOPEFULLY WE GET EVEN MORE EFFICIENT AS COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN SAID, WHEN YOU LOOK AT CITIES
[02:35:01]
WHERE THIS IS WORKING WELL, LIKE IN HOUSTON, AND THEY HAVE THEIR BODY THAT AS I UNDERSTAND IT IS SETTING A THREE-YEAR PLAN EVERY YEAR.THEY'RE CONSTANTLY ADJUSTING THEIR PLAN BASED ON WHERE IT IS THAT THEY COULD GET THE BIGGEST BANG FOR THEIR DOLLARS AS THEY, AS THEY MAKE ADJUSTMENTS, UM, MOVING MONEY TOWARD, UH, THE EARLIER ELEMENTS OF THE PROCESS OR MOVING MONEY TOWARD THE BACK END OF THE PROCESS.
AND I WOULD EXPECT THAT WE WOULD BE DOING THE SAME THING.
UH, HERE I AM TRIPLE ON THE HOUSING AND SECURITY MOVING FORWARD WITH, UH, RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
UH, JUST BECAUSE I THINK THAT WE'RE KIND OF UNIQUELY SITUATED AS A CITY BECAUSE WE'VE DONE REALLY WELL ON EVICTIONS, UH, THUS FAR.
AND I THINK THAT PEOPLE WHO LOSE THEIR HOMES ARE MOST DIRECTLY GOING TO END UP EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
UH, SO I SUPPORT US, UM, UH, MOVING FORWARD, UH, WITH THAT, I SEE THE CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING ABOUT RESERVES AND WHAT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT EVERYBODY IS SAYING ON THAT TOO.
AND I ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT IF THE STAFF SAYS THE 10% IS THE RIGHT, UH, HOMELESSNESS, RIGHT.
RESERVE BALANCE, UH, THEN, THEN MOST OF THE THINGS THAT ARE ON THE SPENDING PLAN ARE NOT SUSCEPTIBLE OF A, OF A, UH, A RESERVE COMPONENT, JUST OUR CONTINGENT COMPONENT, RATHER CONTINGENCY BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE SET DOLLARS AND WE SPEND TO THOSE DOLLARS AS OPPOSED TO SPENDING TO THE NEED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE COVID.
UH, IF WE HAD A 10% CONTINGENCY ON THE COVID DOLLARS, THAT WOULD TURN UP ANOTHER FOUR AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
AND WHAT, UH, UM, WHAT I HAD POSTED ONTO THE BOARD, UH, THE CONVERSATION ABOUT RESERVES, UH, AND AGAIN, I'D WANT TO THINK ABOUT THAT TOO.
AND I HEAR THE RESERVATIONS THAT MANY HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE SET A RESERVE POLICY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A RESERVE, AND WE'VE SET THAT, AND WE'VE SAID THAT, UH, AT A, AT A PERCENTAGE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THAT'S WHAT RESERVES ARE FOR, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SPENDING ANY OF THOSE RESERVES.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPENDING MONEY ABOVE AND BEYOND THOSE RESERVES, WHICH TO ME IS DIFFERENT QUESTION THAN SPENDING DOWN THE RESERVES THAT WE HAVE DECIDED IS, IS PRUDENT FOR US TO, TO, TO, TO, TO PUT, TO PUT ASIDE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO, UH, UM, YES.
UH, I DID NOT PUT HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND THE ELEMENTS THAT I LAID OUT, UH, I HEAR THE CONVERSATION THAT I THINK IS GOING TO BE ONGOING THIS WEEK AND OTHERWISE ABOUT MAYBE SOME OPPORTUNITIES THAT, UH, ARE IMPERATIVE BECAUSE THEY MAY BE LOST FROM A TIME BASIS AND BECAUSE ACTUALLY MAKING A GENERATIONAL CHANGE ON HOMELESSNESS AND BEING ABLE TO RESPOND TO WHAT I'M HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY IS SO IMPORTANT TO ME IN SUCH A HIGH PRIORITY.
I'M WILLING TO ENGAGE IN CONVERSATIONS.
I HAVE NOT ENGAGED IN THE PAST WITH RESPECT TO FINDING OPPORTUNITY FOR, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO, TO, UH, TO DO THAT.
I'M GONNA CONCLUDE HERE WITH JUST SAYING THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING TRULY TRANSFORMATIVE AND GENERATIONAL, BUT WE CAN'T DO IT EVERYWHERE.
AND I GO BACK TO THE RESOLUTION THAT WE PASSED WE CAN DO ON HOMELESSNESS.
I HOPE WE GET A SIGNAL THIS WEEK.
WE CAN ACTUALLY WORK ON OVER THE NEXT SIX WEEKS, RECOGNIZING THAT THERE'LL BE CHECKPOINTS IN DETAILS AND LOTS OF OTHER STUFF TO WORK OUT BEFORE WE ACTUALLY WRITE ANY CHECKS.
UM, WE CAN DO SOMETHING TRANSFORMING IN GENERATIONAL ON WORKFORCE.
UH, WE CAN INITIATE THAT ON, ON THE FOOD INSECURITY AND, AND, AND REALLY PROTECT OURSELVES WITH RESPECT TO PEOPLE HAVING, AND BEING ABLE TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES.
AND THAT'S WHAT I SEE THIS OPPORTUNITY AS BEING IT ONCE AND IN NO OTHER TIME BEFORE CHANCE, THAT'S MY KITCHEN, UM, TO, TO BE RESPONSIVE TO SOME OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED, UH, WITH REGARD TO THE RESILIENCE HUB, UM, I AM INTERESTED IN EXPLORING THE EXTENT TO WHICH, UM, AUSTIN ENERGY AND AUSTIN WATER, UH, CAN HELP CONTRIBUTE TO THOSE, UM, RESILIENT RESILIENCE HUBS.
WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE, UH, EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLANS, UH, FOR AUSTIN WATER, FOR EXAMPLE.
AND WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT BUILDING INTO THOSE EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLANS, MECHANISMS FOR WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, REALLY THE GUTS OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH, UH, RESILIENCE HUBS.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S WORTH EXPLORING.
[02:40:01]
SO IN RESPONSE TO COUNCIL MEMBER, TEBOW'S QUESTION WITH REGARD TO THAT, THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE AREAS OF THAT, THAT I WILL BE, UH, LOOKING IN LOOKING TO EXPLORE, BECAUSE I DO AGREE THAT RESILIENCE HUBS IMPORTANT.IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE PASSED ON AND TO MOVE FORWARD WITH.
SO, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S AN AREA I THINK IS WORTH LOOKING AT.
UM, I ALSO AGREE WITH WHAT I ALSO AGREED THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING INTO OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDS, PARTICULAR FOR, IN PARTICULAR FOR HIS, WHERE THE, UM, REALLY CRITICAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROJECTS.
I I'M, I, I AM COMMITTED TO THE, UM, UH, THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
I DO THINK THAT FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT IS REALLY CRITICAL, UM, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THE, I THINK THAT I'M WILLING TO GIVE IT SOME THOUGHT, BUT I DO THINK THAT THE, THE, UM, UH, THAT THE, UH, UM, PROGRAM THAT THE MAYOR LAID OUT ON THE MESSAGE BOARD, I THINK THAT, THAT, UH, FUNDS, UH, THE APPROPRIATE ITEMS AT THE APPROPRIATE LEVELS.
SO I'M PREPARED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THOSE.
I DO THINK THAT, THAT THE RESERVES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE NOT, ARE NOT OUR BASIC LEVEL OF RESERVES.
THESE ARE OVER AND ABOVE WHAT WE HAVE TARGETED AS RESERVES IN THE PAST.
SO I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR THESE NAMES, UH, TO CONSIDER IT, CONSIDER THOSE.
SO I'M PREPARED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THOSE.
YOU CAN'T HEAR ME, COUNCIL MEMBER FRANCIS, COUNCILMAN.
UM, AND JUST TO CONTINUE THAT THREAD OF RESILIENCE HUBS, I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION TOO, UM, ACM, HIDDEN HOWARD, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE INITIAL APH ALLOTMENT TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY, UM, ANY ROOM THERE TO DEDICATE SOME FUNDS TO THE CREATION OF THOSE, THE PILOT RESILIENT HUBS THAT WERE LAID OUT IN THAT RESOLUTION.
AND I'M PARTICULARLY, I'M LOOKING AT THE MISCELLANEOUS LINE ITEM THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE BACKUP AND ON THE MAY 6TH AGENDA.
IT SAYS THAT THERE WAS 2.3, UM, EARMARKED FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN OR MISCELLANEOUS AM, WHICH INCLUDES COMMUNITY SERVICES, DISEASE PREVENTION, HEALTH, EQUITY, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UM, I JUST WANT TO GET A SENSE FROM YOU IF YOU HAVE, UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY INSIGHT AS TO HAVE ALL OF THOSE FUNDS BEEN EXPENDED BY AT ALL, OR IF YOU FORESEE ANY, ANY POTENTIAL THEY ARE FOR US TO EXPLORE PUTTING OUT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE MARKING SOME, SOME FUNDS TOWARDS RESILIENCE HUBS, STEPHANIE HAYDEN, HOWARD ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, UM, AS YOU KNOW, THAT THOSE FUNDS WERE APPROVED IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR.
UM, AND SO THEREFORE THEIR INITIAL FOCUS WAS MAKING SURE, UM, THAT YOU, WE HAD STAFFING IN PLACE, UM, ET CETERA, TO KIND OF CONTINUE THE RESPONSE.
AND SO ESSENTIALLY WE'RE LOOKING AT TWO AND A HALF MONTHS WORTH OF RECOVERY EFFORTS.
UM, STAFF HAVE STARTED, UM, WORKING WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH AGENCIES TO KIND OF LOOK AT THE EQUITY PIECE OF IT.
UM, AS YOU MAY BE AWARE OF STANFORD STARTED TO, TO REALLY LOOK AT, UM, EFFORTS OF ZIP CODES THAT MAY BE AFFECTED, UM, AND NOT HAVE RECEIVED AS MANY VACCINES AS OTHER POPULATIONS.
AND SO YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO OVERLAY THAT WITH EQUITY EFFORTS AS YOU'RE DOING THAT PLANNING, AND THEY'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT NOW.
SO IT WOULD BE DEFINITELY PREMATURE, UM, TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE IF YOU DON'T ALLOW THAT PLAN TO BE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF MOVE FORWARD.
UM, YOU KNOW, NOT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, IN THE FUTURE.
BUT RIGHT NOW THIS IS PREMATURE.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION, CERTAINLY, I THINK, AND I THINK HE COMES FROM HER KITCHEN FOR POINTING OUT AUSTIN WATER AND AUSTIN ENERGY.
I MEAN, THERE'S DEFINITELY A LOT, LOTS OF WAY FOR US TO GET CREATIVE AND HOW WE FIND THE RESILIENCE HUB AND CERTAINLY WANT TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO FIND AND DEDICATE SOME FUNDING TOWARDS THE CREATION OF RESILIENCE HUBS.
IT'S CERTAINLY PART OF, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR EFFORT TO CREATE NOT ONLY A RESILIENT AND STRONGER AUSTIN, BUT TO TRULY ADDRESS SOME OF THE INEQUITIES THAT WE'VE SEEN POP UP AS A RESULT OF THE DISASTERS.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, AUTHOR, I RECOGNIZED, AND COUNCIL MEMBER TOMO.
[02:45:01]
THANK YOU.I HAVE A QUESTION FOR ADD ON THE RESERVES.
UM, SO AS I UNDERSTAND IT, OFTENTIMES WHEN WE HAVE, UM, MONEY TO SPEND ON PRIORITIES, THAT COUNCIL HAS THAT WASN'T PREVIOUSLY FUNDED, YOU KNOW, IN, IN ALL OF OUR PAST BUDGET YEARS, THAT MONEY REALLY COMES FROM WHATEVER IS LEFTOVER IN THE RESERVES ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT WE NEED, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD AND ACCOUNTING FOR THE ADDITIONAL RESERVES THAT ARE REQUIRED IN THE NEXT BUDGET YEAR.
IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH, THAT IS CORRECT.
AND THAT'S ALWAYS A BIG PART OF OUR BUDGET CONVERSATIONS WITH COUNCIL.
WHAT RESERVES DO WE HAVE ABOVE OUR FINANCIAL POLICY THRESHOLD? AND I'M HAVING A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW TO BEST PRIORITIZE THE USE OF THOSE RESERVES.
SO IF WE WERE TO ENCUMBER THOSE RESERVES FOR APPROPRIATE OR WHATEVER THE APPROPRIATE WORD IS FOR, FOR WHAT WE WOULD BE DOING IN THE PROPOSAL, UM, BEFORE US FROM THE MAYOR OR, UM, FROM THE, WHAT WOULD THAT DO TO HOW WE WOULD HAVE TO APPROACH BUDGET? UM, WELL, IF YOU ALLOCATE THE RESERVES THIS WEEK ON, ON, ON JUNE 10TH TO RENTAL ASSISTANCE, AND THAT'LL BE, YOU WON'T HAVE THOSE RESERVES AVAILABLE TO DISCUSS AS PART OF YOUR BUDGET CONVERSATION.
SO, SO WE WOULD BE REALLY CONSTRAINING OUR ABILITY TO FUND A LOT OF COUNCIL PRIORITIES THAT ARE NOT IN THE CURRENT BUDGET MOVING FORWARD.
IT WOULD DEFINITELY BE, YEAH, YOU'D BE MORE CONSTRAINED FOR SURE.
AND THEN WHAT KIND OF CONSTRAINT, I MEAN, IN MY MEETINGS, UM, WITH YOU AND CARRIE OVER THE BUDGET, IT SEEMS LIKE WE ARE EXTREMELY CONSTRAINED, UM, BY THIS BUDGET, GIVEN THE THREE AND A HALF PERCENT, UM, YOU KNOW, BUDGET CAP, ET CETERA.
AND EVEN IF WE WERE TO GO TO EIGHT, WHICH I DON'T SUPPORT, UM, W WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF READING ROOM THIS YEAR AND THE NEXT YEAR, AND MOVING FORWARD, GIVEN THAT THE SYSTEM THAT WE'RE IN, UM, CAN YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT HOW THE RESERVES WOULD HAVE GIVEN US SOME BREATHING ROOM? WELL, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR CHALLENGE WITH THE THREE AND A HALF PERCENT REVENUE CAP HAS TO DO WITH RECURRING EXPENDITURES AND HAVING RECURRING REVENUES SUFFICIENT TO KEEP PACE WITH THE GROWTH IN THOSE RECURRING REVENUES.
UM, THE RESERVES DOESN'T REALLY HELP WITH THAT, RIGHT? THE RESERVES ARE IMPORTANT FROM A, UH, UH, RESILIENCY PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE THINGS LIKE THE WINTER STORM, AND WE HAVE THINGS LIKE A PANDEMIC, THAT WAS A HUGE PART OF OUR ABILITY TO RESPOND AS EFFECTIVELY AS WE HAVE.
SO THERE ARE CERTAINLY IMPORTANT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T REALLY HELP US WITH THE LONG-TERM CHALLENGE WE HAVE OF, OF A THREE AND A HALF PERCENT REVENUE CAP, WHERE OUR REVENUES ARE CONSTRAINED AT A LEVEL WHERE THEY REALLY CAN'T GROW SUFFICIENT TO KEEP PACE WITH OUR GROWTH AND EXPENDITURES, UM, BECAUSE THE RESERVES ARE A ONE-TIME SOURCE OF FUNDING, AND WE DON'T WANT TO USE ONE-TIME REVENUES FOR ONGOING EXPENSES.
UM, I THINK IT'S REALLY, UH, IT'S MORE SO A MATTER FROM STAFF'S PERSPECTIVE OF, UM, COUNCIL WANTING TO MAKE DECISIONS NOW, UM, ABOUT A SIGNIFICANT, SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF RESERVES, YOU KNOW, PRIOR TO HAVING THE BROADER BUDGET PICTURE OF, OF ALL THE DIFFERENT PRIORITIES WE MIGHT BE GETTING FROM DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDER GROUPS OR FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, ON THAT WE'LL HAVE AS PART OF OUR BUDGET PROCESS.
UM, I HAD A QUESTION, I GUESS IT MIGHT BE, I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S FOR, UM, MR. ZINIO OR FOR, UM, HE DARK HAYDEN HOWARD.
UM, THERE WAS A PORTION OF THE NOURISH PROPOSAL, UM, THAT TALKED ABOUT, UM, SOMETHING LIKE 42% OF THE FAMILIES THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR SNAP AND OUR COMMUNITY ARE NOT ACCESSING THAT BENEFIT.
AND THERE WAS A SYSTEM SET UP TO HELP FOLKS TO, TO ACCESS THAT IS THAT PART OF WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING TO BE FUNDED IN THIS 3 MILLION FOR FOOD SECURITY? I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE NOTES.
UM, I DON'T RECALL ANYTHING BEING IN THERE ABOUT THE, UM, ABOUT SNAP BENEFITS.
UM, I KNOW THAT THAT IS SOME WORK THAT WAS CURRENTLY, UM, HAPPENING AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS IN THE PAST.
UM, SO I'LL, I'LL TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THAT, BUT I DON'T RECALL THERE BEING ANYTHING ABOUT SNAP BENEFITS AND THIS IN THIS 3 MILLION.
SO IN THE NURSE PROPOSAL, THERE IS A SECTION THERE THAT DOES THAT.
AND WE CURRENTLY ARE IN A SITUATION WHERE THERE ARE ADDITIONAL, YOU KNOW, SNAP
[02:50:01]
BENEFITS THAT ARE GOING TO FAMILIES.I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LEAD TIME IS FOR, FOR RECEIVING IT, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT IS FUNDING THAT COULD HELP A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITIES THAT, UM, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE CAN IMPROVE THE ACCESS FOR THAT.
UM, THIS IS SLIGHTLY OFF TOPIC, BUT I THINK IT IS RELEVANT.
UM, I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH AUSTIN ENERGY ABOUT THEIR PLANS, UM, FOR, FOR, UH, REINSTATING, UM, DISCONNECTIONS.
AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE THE, THE VERY LONG GLIDE PATH THAT THEY HAVE FOR THAT AND THEIR PROCESS OF CONNECTING UP WITH THEIR CUSTOMERS.
UM, AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FOLKS WHO ARE CALLING ON BEHALF OF AUSTIN ENERGY AND, AND WORKING WITH THOSE CUSTOMERS TO, UM, CONNECT THEM UP WITH FOLKS AT APH OR IN THE APPROPRIATE, UM, DEPARTMENT WHO ARE WORKING ON FOOD SECURITY AND SNAP, UM, TO GET THEM SIGNED UP AT THE SAME TIME THAT THEY'RE WORKING OUT THEIR PAYMENT PLANS, UM, AND THEIR, THEIR RELIEF FROM THE UTILITY BILLS.
UM, WE KNOW THAT THE FOLKS WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH THE UTILITY BILLS ARE LIKELY TO BENEFIT FROM THOSE PROGRAMS IF THEY'RE ELIGIBLE.
AND SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE US, UM, SEE IF WE COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE UNFORTUNATE SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE TO GO BACK INTO THAT SITUATION.
AND, AND AUSTIN ENERGY IS, HAS DEVELOPED A, UH, A VERY THOROUGH APPROACH, UM, TO KIND OF TRY NOT TO LEAVE PEOPLE BEHIND AND GET THEM CONNECTED UP WITH THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED.
AND I THINK THAT THE, AND MY HOPE IS NOT THE WORK THAT THEY DO TO BUILD THAT TRUST WITH THEIR CUSTOMERS AND HELPING THEM, UM, WITH PROVIDING THE RELIEF CAN ALSO ALLOW US TO CONNECT FOLKS WITH OTHER, UM, EFFORTS AND, AND JIVE UP WITH OUR NAVIGATOR SYSTEMS. SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT, UM, MOVE FORWARD POSSIBLE.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS IN TERMS OF, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS FOR ED OR FOR, FOR ACM HAYDEN HOWARD.
UM, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT WHEN WE, THE COVID HEALTH PART OF THIS FUNDING PACKAGE, UM, THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW MUCH TRAVIS COUNTY WOULD BE CONTRIBUTING TOWARDS THOSE FUNDS.
DO WE HAVE A BETTER IDEA AT THIS POINT AS OF TODAY, WE DON'T HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF EXACTLY HOW MUCH THAT FUNDING IS.
UM, STAFF HAVE AUSTIN, PUBLIC HEALTH STAFF HAVE BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS WITH TRAVIS COUNTY.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT IT KIND OF THROUGH, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF WEEKS, AS YOU ARE AWARE, WE HAVE OUR, UM, LOCAL AGREEMENT, UM, WHICH WE WENT THAT ROUTE LAST YEAR TO BE ABLE TO CAPTURE SOME FUNDS BACK TO THE COUNTY, BUT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT, UM, WOULD THERE BE, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER SEPARATE AGREEMENT AS WELL.
SO THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEGUN, BUT TO GIVE YOU AN EXACT DOLLAR AMOUNT, UM, WE'RE NOT AT THAT POINT YET.
I REALLY DO HOPE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO, UM, COME TO AN AGREEMENT WHERE THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE HEALTH COSTS THAT AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH IS UNDERTAKING ON BEHALF OF DALLAS COUNTY AND AUSTIN, UM, THROUGH SOME OF THEIR FUNDING FOR, FOR OUR BUCK.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, HAVE WE, UM, RECEIVED ANY UPDATES FROM FEMALE WITH RESPECT TO THE PROLOGIS AND OUR ABILITY TO GET THOSE FULLY, UM, REIMBURSED AS HAS BEEN DONE IN OTHER CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY, UM, STAFF ARE WORKING ON, UM, PUTTING ALL OF THAT TOGETHER FOR SUBMISSION.
UM, I KNOW ED MAY HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION THAN I, I WILL.
SO I'LL KIND OF, UM, TRANSFER OVER TO YOU JUST KNOW AT THE SAME POINT WHERE, UM, UM, FEMA DECISIONS OR REGIONAL OUR REGION HAS SAID THAT THEY'RE NOT REIMBURSABLE OTHER REGIONS HAVE, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK ON THAT.
I WILL LET THE NEXT PERSON HAVE A TURN I'M THINKING.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER TOBA, THEN COUNCIL COUNCILMEMBER KITCHEN.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO GET TO, AND CAN'T MAKE QUESTIONS ABOUT DESIGNATED ENCAMPMENTS, BUT I DID HAVE SOME ON THAT FRONT TOO.
SO I WANT TO GET CLEAR ON ONE THING IF WE HAVE, UM, THIS IS ACTUALLY A QUESTION ABOUT BACK TO THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
UM, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO GET A SENSE OF, OF HOW MUCH, WHAT THE TOTAL AMOUNT IS, UH, REPRESENTED BY THE 10,000 INDIVIDUALS WHO APPLIED FOR IT, AND MAYBE THAT EXISTS.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE HOUSING COMMITTEE HAD.
AND SO IF SOMEBODY COULD JUST SHARE THAT WITH ME, UM, EITHER NOW OR TOMORROW AT OUR WORK SESSION, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW I'M DOING TO JUST GET A SENSE, YOU KNOW,
[02:55:01]
A SENSE OF THE SCALE.AND I'M CERTAINLY, I'M CERTAINLY GOING TO SUPPORT TO SUPPORT, UM, ALLOCATING MONEY FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
AND IT DOES SEEM LIKE IT HAS TO HAPPEN SOON.
WHAT I'M STRUGGLING WITH IS THE RESERVES QUESTION THOUGH.
I MEAN, I, I AM, I'M GOING TO ERR ON THE SIDE OF MAKING SURE THAT, THAT WE IDENTIFY THOSE FUNDS SOON.
AND IF THAT'S OUR ONLY ALTERNATIVE, THEN I WOULD PROBABLY LIKELY SUPPORT IT.
I WANTED TO ASK OUR STAFF IF THAT'S NOT AN OPTION, OR IF, IF, IF THERE IS NOT A COUNCIL WILL TO PROVIDE FOR THAT FUNDING OUT OF RESERVES, WHAT OTHER OPTIONS MIGHT EXIST? IS THERE AN OPTION? HAVE WE SPENT ALL OUR CONTINGENCY FROM THE CARES FUNDING? I THINK WE HAVE, BUT I JUST WANT TO ASK THAT QUESTION AGAIN BECAUSE I'VE FORGOTTEN THE ANSWER TO IT.
UM, I THINK ONE OTHER OPTION FOR THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER WOULD BE THE CONTINGENCY WE'RE PROPOSING FOR THE ARP FUNDS.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE A BETTER OPTION IF YOU WANT.
I MEAN, IT IS CONTINGENCY FUND AND HAS BEEN MENTIONED ON THIS CALL.
OUR RESERVES ARE CONTINGENCIES FOR WHEN THINGS, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE REASONS WE KEEP THOSE REASONS DON'T GO AS WE EXPECTED OR UNEXPECTED THINGS OCCUR.
UM, I THINK THE, UH, MY RECOMMENDATION, I MEAN, IF THIS IS A PRIORITY FOR THE MAJORITY OF COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD BE TO ALLOCATE SOME OF THE CONTINGENCIES AS A CONTINGENCY.
IF WE DON'T RECEIVE THE $22 MILLION EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE IN TIME TO CONTINUE THOSE, THOSE PROGRAMS, THOSE RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS THAT WE COULD TAP INTO THE ARP CONTINGENCY, THE 14.6 MILLION FOR THAT PURPOSE.
UM, AND THAT WAY YOU COULD STILL HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT ANY RESERVES OVER AND ABOVE THE, A RESERVE THRESHOLD, THE FINANCIAL POLICY THRESHOLD AS PART OF YOUR BUDGET, PERHAPS.
UM, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD OPTION JUST TO CLARIFY THE CONTINGENT.
WHEN YOU SAY WE SPENT ALL OUR CARES FUNDING, WE ALSO SPENT OUR CONTINGENCY.
THAT WAS PART OF THE CARES FUNDING, CORRECT? LIKE IT'S JUST ALL GONE.
AFTER CARE SPONGE FUNDING WAS, UH, DECEMBER 30TH OF 2020, AND WE PULLED DOWN ALL OF OUR FUNDING.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR TELLING US THAT ANSWER AGAIN.
SO I LIKED YOUR SUGGESTION OF POTENTIALLY USING THE CONTINGENCY FUNDING.
THAT'S PART OF RFR RATHER THAN THE RESERVES, UM, TO KIND OF TIDE US OVER UNTIL WE GET TO THE 22 MILLION THAT'S COMING IN A SEPARATE FUNDING STREAM.
AND THEN WE CAN ALSO EVALUATE WHAT THE NEED IS AND WHETHER WE NEED MORE THEN MORE THAN 23 MILLION AND WOULD NEED SOME OF THAT 14.6.
IN ADDITION, I DO SOME TIME BEFORE YOU HAVE TO REALLY LOCK INTO YOUR FUNDING DECISIONS AND IT GIVES US A WAY TO PROVIDE SURE TO GET AT THOSE IMPORTANT RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS CONTINUE UNINTERRUPTED, UM, UNTIL, UNTIL WE CAN HAVE THOSE BROADER DISCUSSIONS AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS.
AND, AND IT IS, I MEAN, THIS IS A CHALLENGE TRYING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT SOME OF THESE NEEDS OUTSIDE OF, OUTSIDE OF OUR BUDGET PROCESS.
UM, BUT I'M, I'M GOING TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE VOTES FALL ON, ON TAKING THIS ISSUE UP TODAY VERSUS, UH, DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS.
SO, UM, I'M GOING TO PROCEED AS IF WE'RE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS THIS WEEK, BUT I DO WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE, THAT WE HAVE SOME CONTINGENCIES THAT WE HAVE SOME PLANS IN PLACE FOR HOW TO, HOW TO BALANCE THOSE DIFFERENT NEEDS AND, AND CHECK IN IF WE NEED TO AND MAKE DIFFERENT DECISIONS AFTER THE BUDGET PROCESS.
SO JUST TO, TO CLOSE THE GAP ON THE RESILIENCE HUBS, I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES.
I DID GO BACK TO THE INFORMATION I HAVE, AND IT'S MY, MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE FEW FOOD SECURITY FOOD INSECURITY LINE IN OUR SPENDING FRAMEWORK IS ALLOCATED TO, OR IS INTENDED FOR EMERGENCY FEEDING NEEDS FOR FOOD SYSTEM PLANNING AND FOR A CO-OP GROCERY STORE.
SO IT DOES NOT INCLUDE MONEY IN THERE FOR RESILIENCE HUBS.
AND I AGREE, UM, THAT AUSTIN ENERGY AND AUSTIN WATER AND THE WATER UTILITY ARE GOOD SOURCES TO LOOK TO FOR SOME OF THE WORK OF THE RESILIENCE HUBS.
BUT AS YOU KNOW, AS I, UM, TRIED TO CONVEY IN THE CONVERSATION AND IN THE RESOLUTION ITSELF, UH, A CRITICAL PART OF THE RESILIENCE HUBS IS REALLY THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PIECE.
AND SO COUNCIL MEMBER FRONTEX THANK YOU FOR ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER THAT APH FUNDING LINE, UM, THAT WE DID THROUGH THE PREVIOUS ALLOCATION OF ARPA WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S, THAT WOULD BE A CHALLENGE, BUT I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO CONVEY IS THAT WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE MONEY FOR THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PIECE, WHICH IS JUST CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF RESILIENCE HUB PLANNING, AND, AND THERE WILL LIKELY BE OTHER KINDS OF EXPENSES FROM CUTS TO BOTTLED WATER, TO OTHER KINDS OF THINGS THAT ARE NOT APPROPRIATE EXPENSES FOR OUR UTILITIES.
AND SO WE REALLY DO NEED, WE DO NEED TO IDENTIFY FUNDING, AND IF WE'RE NOT IDENTIFYING IT IN THIS PROCESS, WE'RE GOING
[03:00:01]
TO HAVE TO WORK HARD TO IDENTIFY IT IN THE BUDGET, OR WE WILL FIND OURSELVES, YOU KNOW, IN A VERY SIMILAR PLACE DURING THE NEXT CRISIS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M, UNFORTUNATELY, I'M PRETTY CERTAIN WE'LL HAVE AT SOME POINT.SO THAT'S THAT ON RESILIENCE HUBS.
NOW I WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THE WALLER CREEK.
SO THIS, THIS KIND OF BLEEDS INTO OUR CONVERSATION TOMORROW ABOUT THE WALLER CREEK.
AND I DID PULL IT FOR TOMORROW.
THANK YOU, ED, FOR INCLUDING AND KATIE AND CASEY AND OTHERS WHO MADE SURE THAT WE HAD THAT WALLER CREEK MEMO ATTACHED TO TODAY'S BACKUP INFORMATION.
SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS, UM, THE WALLER CREEK TERS IS ANTICIPATED, AS I UNDERSTAND, AND REMEMBER OUR PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS IT'S ANTICIPATED TO YIELD ABOUT $30 MILLION AD.
CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHEN AND HOW THAT BECOMES AVAILABLE? UM, SO I, I THINK THE SHORT ANSWER TO THAT IS THAT IT MOST LIKELY BECOMES AVAILABLE LATER IN THE TOURIST PROJECT TIMELINE.
UM, PART OF WHAT WE'RE SAYING IN THOSE MEMORANDUM RESPONSES IS THAT IF IT'S GOING TO BE USED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, AND WE RUN INTO THE SAME RESTRICTIONS AS WE DO A CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATION THAT WE CAN'T ISSUE, NON-VOTER APPROVED DEBT OR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND, AND OUR STATE CONSIDERS AFFORDABLE HOUSING, INCLUDING PSH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO IF WE'RE GOING TO USE, UM, ANY TIFFANI, NOT JUST THE WALNUT CREEK TIF FOR, UM, IF WE WANT TO USE THAT FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE ON A PAY AS YOU GO BASIS.
IN OTHER WORDS, AS THE, AS THE TIF PERFORMS AND MONEY COMES IN AND AFTER DEBT SERVICE ON ANY BONDS THAT HAVE BEEN ISSUED, GOES OUT THE DOOR TO THE EXTENT THERE'S FUNDS LEFT AVAILABLE, THOSE FUNDS COULD BE EXPENDED ON, UM, HOMELESSNESS PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN INCLUDED AS PART OF THE PROJECT, UH, PLAN.
UM, BUT SPECIFICALLY FOR TRYING TO PURCHASE UNITS, IF THAT WAS, UH, WHAT COUNCIL WANTED TO DO, WE'D HAVE TO WAIT LONG ENOUGH SO THAT THERE ENOUGH FUNDS HAD BUILT UP OVER AND ABOVE DEBT SERVICE REQUIREMENTS, UM, SO THAT WE COULD USE THE FUNDS FOR THAT PURPOSE.
THAT'S ONLY FOR FOUR THAT'S ONLY FOR UNITS THAT WOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS PERMANENT HOUSING, NOT FOR CRISIS BEDS, I WOULD ASSUME.
SO THE PORTION THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ABOUT SHELTER AND CRISIS BEDS, I WOULD ASSUME IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ISSUE BONDS FOR UNDER THE TOURS.
THAT WE CAN ISSUE NON-VOTER APPROVED DEAD FOUR, FOUR, FOUR SHELTERS.
IF THAT'S WHAT THEIR PERMANENT USE IS GOING TO BE, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO CONVERT THEM LATER TO AN ALTERNATIVE USAGES SOMETIMES WHAT'S DISCUSSED.
SO I NEED TO TRY TO TAKE YOUR INFORMATION AND THE INFORMATION IN THE MEMO AND PAIR IT WITH WHAT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO DO THIS WEEK, WHICH IS TO SELL THE BONDS FOR THE WALNUT CREEK OR SELL SOME OF THE WALNUT CREEK BONDS, AS I BELIEVE, AND FIGURE OUT IF THERE'S A SOLUTION IN AMONG ANY OF THESE THINGS FOR COMING UP WITH SOME OF THE FUNDING THAT'S IDENTIFIED AS NECESSARY FOR, UM, THE INCREASED, INCREASED, UM, SERVICES AND HOUSING FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
SO MAYBE, MAYBE SOMEONE AMONG OUR STAFF WHO UNDERSTAND ALL THIS BETTER CAN HELP US SORT THAT OUT.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE WATERLOO GREENWAY I'LL JUST PREP THIS FOR TOMORROW, THAT WATERLOO GREENWAY DID PULL DOWN SOME OF THEIR FUNDING EARLY.
AND SO I WOULD, I WONDER IF THAT MIGHT NOT BE A PATHWAY HERE, HAVING SAID THAT I'M REALLY UNCLEAR AND DIANA, MAYBE YOU CAN JUMP IN HERE.
IT, IT DOESN'T APPEAR TO ME THAT THE SUMMIT INCLUDES MUCH IN THE WAY OF EMERGENCY SHELTER.
IS THAT A FAIR AM I UNDERSTANDING THAT CORRECTLY? SO I THINK, UM, CONTEXTUALLY SOME SUMMIT CAME OUT OF CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN, UM, SUMMIT PARTNERS, INCLUDING CHAMBER DAA, AND ECHO, UM, ABOUT TWO PARALLEL THINGS THAT NEEDED TO HAPPEN.
ONE THAT THERE NEEDED TO BE, UM, A CRISIS RESPONSE WE NEEDED TO, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE SOME EXPANSION OF A POTENTIAL SHELTER OR DESIGNATED ENCAMPMENT.
AND THAT, THAT WE ALSO NEEDED THIS MUCH BROADER, UM, MORE INTENTIONAL PLANNING PROCESS.
AND SO WHILE THE $515 MILLION BUDGET, UM, FOCUSES ON PERMANENT HOUSING RESOURCES AND, AND, AND SERVICES AND CAPITAL, UH, THERE IS AN UNDERSTANDING AMONG PARTNERS THAT THERE WILL BE A PARALLEL EFFORT AROUND, UH, AROUND THOSE CRISIS RESOURCES.
SO WE, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE MONEYS AS THE CITY NEW MONEY'S
[03:05:01]
COMMITTED TO, UM, BRIDGE SHELTER, UH, IN THE FORM OF HOW, UH, SOUTHBRIDGE THAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE, IN THE DOLLARS THAT ARE COMMITTED, UH, IN THE FIVE 15.UH, BUT I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT IT IS NOT, UM, SOME OVERSIGHT, UH, IT WAS A FRAMING THAT WAS, THAT WAS CHOSEN.
I THINK THAT'S THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
I THINK AS WE, AS WE MOVE TOWARD OUR DETAILED SPENDING PLAN, IN ADDITION TO UNDERSTANDING WHERE WE'RE CURRENTLY MAKING THOSE INVESTMENTS, AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT EVERY TIME WE TALK ABOUT THIS NEW, UM, INCREASED SPENDING, WE REALLY OWE IT TO OUR COMMUNITY TO DO IT IN THE CONTEXT OF, OF THE SPENDING THAT WE ARE ALREADY DOING.
YOU KNOW, I, I I'M REALLY, UM, I KNOW I, FIRST OF ALL, CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? I KNOW WE GET ASKED THAT 90 TIMES A DAY, BUT I KEEP GETTING TEXTS THAT YOU CAN'T HEAR ME WELL, SO I'M TRYING TO SPEAK UP.
I JUST CAN'T EVEN COUNT ANYMORE.
THE NUMBER OF EMAILS I GET FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ASKING US WHY WE HAVEN'T MADE INVESTMENTS IN ISSUES RELATED TO HOMELESSNESS.
SO I JUST, I WOULD REALLY JUST ASK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SUMMIT PLAN, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NEW SPENDING, INCREASED SPENDING, COULD WE ALWAYS SITUATE IT IN THE CONTEXT OF AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF INVESTMENTS MAYOR? YOU SAID IT WELL EARLIER, IT'S IT.
WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO, UM, SUFFICIENTLY INVEST IN THESE AREAS, BUT WE HAVE MADE INVESTMENTS.
I KNOW THAT'S REALLY HARD FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY SEE THAT WE HAVE NOT YET HOUSED EACH AND EVERY ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORS WHO IS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, BUT I, I JUST REALLY THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE COMMUNICATE CLEARLY WITH OUR, WITH OUR PUBLIC ABOUT IT.
SO WHEN ONE ISSUE THAT I'M HAVING AND TRYING TO, AND TRYING TO THROUGH THE MULTI PAGER, IT'S PROBABLY NOT A ONE-PAGER, BUT THE THREE OR FOUR OR FIVE PAGER THAT I WILL SHARE WITH MY CONSTITUENTS ABOUT OUR FUNDING, BOTH OUR EXISTING FUNDING, HOW THE NEW FUNDING IS BUILDING ON THAT, UM, IS THAT WE REALLY HAVE TO HAVE THAT SHELTER, THAT EMERGENCY SHELTER PIECE BUILT IN AS WELL.
THANKS FOR THAT CLARIFICATION, DIANA, THAT IT'S REALLY INTENDED TO BE OUTSIDE OF.
IT'S INTENDED TO BE OUTSIDE OF THE SUMMIT, UM, PLAN, BUT, BUT IT IS CRITICALLY NECESSARY.
PEOPLE NEED A PLACE TO GO IN CRISIS.
THEY NEED A PLACE TO GO, UM, OTHER WAITING FOR HOUSING.
AND SO WE CAN'T, WHATEVER OUR CITY DOCUMENTS ARE REALLY NEED TO INCLUDE THAT PIECE ALWAYS.
UM, BECAUSE IT DOES SEEM TO ME THAT THE CRISIS SERVICES THAT ARE BUILT INTO THE PLAN JUST ARE NOT GOING TO PROBABLY BE SUFFICIENT.
SO I KNOW THAT WITH OUR ARPA CONVERSATIONS, WE HAVE THAT ADDITIONAL LINE, BUT WHATEVER OUR FULL COMMUNICATIONS PACKAGE IS REALLY NEEDS TO REALLY NEEDS TO INCLUDE THAT PIECE AS WELL.
WE REALLY NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT THAT SPECTRUM FROM EMERGENCY SHELTER TO PERMANENT HOUSING.
I KNOW YOU ARE, BUT AGAIN, I'M JUST TRYING TO TALK THROUGH WHAT I THINK, BUT I THINK WE, WE WILL NEED TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE TO OUR CONSTITUENTS AND TO OTHER FUNDERS.
AND KATHY, I JUST PILE ON TO WHAT YOU WERE SAYING.
THERE'S A CONTINUUM OF HOUSING AND WE HAVE THE, THE ABSOLUTE EMERGENCY CRISIS BEDS AT ONE END, AND WE HAVE THE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AT THE OTHER END.
AND WHILE THE DOLLARS THAT YOU'VE PRESENTED HERE IN THE $515 MILLION OR $300 MILLION PLAN, DOESN'T HAVE THE EMERGENCY CRISIS COMPONENT.
IT DOES HAVE SOME OF THE MIDDLE COMPONENT, WHICH IS PERHAPS SHORT OF THE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING COMPONENT.
AND TO COUNCIL MEMBER TO-GO IS POINT WE'VE KIND OF WRESTLED WITH WHAT WE WERE FINDING IS, AND WE'VE TALKED, WE KNOW WHAT THE RULE IS AT ONE END AND AT THE OTHER END, AND I'M NOT SURE WE REALLY HAVE, HAVE SPENT MUCH TIME TALKING ABOUT IN THE MIDDLE.
AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT MIDDLE COMPONENT IS MUCH MORE LIKE A EMERGENCY CRISIS.
IT'S NOT REALLY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S TRYING TO STAGE PEOPLE SO THAT THEY GET OFF THE STREET.
AND SO THAT THEY'RE NOT IN OUR EMERGENCY ROOMS, AND THEN THERE ARE JAILS AND, AND THE LIFE.
SO I'D LIKE US TO LOOK AT THAT QUESTION AS WE GO INTO TOMORROW'S DEAL AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS THE CAPACITY OR ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO, TO USE THAT FUNDING FOR SOME OF THE HOUSING THAT IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT CONTINUUM.
UH, FURTHER CONVERSATIONS, COLLEAGUES, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER SOMETIMES LOOK AT ONE OF THE SLIDES THAT WAS SHARED WITH THE DECK, UM, FOR THE SUMMIT, IT WAS SHARED WITH US.
[03:10:01]
WELL, IT SAYS IN THE BOTTOM OF IT WORKING DOCUMENT, IT'S PRESENTED APRIL 15TH.I BELIEVE THIS WAS GIVEN TO US A, UM, IT'S WHERE WE GET THE TOTAL CALCULATIONS FOR THE 240 MILLION, UM, OPERATING EXPENSES.
UM, I'M HAVING SOME TROUBLE UNDERSTANDING THE CALCULATIONS.
IT SAYS IT'S 160 MILLION OPERATING EXPENSES FOR THE FULL HOUSE AND THE END.
AND THEN IT SAYS IT'S 26,000 PER PERSON PER YEAR, TIMES 4,000.
UM, AND WHEN I CALCULATE 26,000 PER PERSON PER YEAR, 4,001 YEAR IS 104 MILLION.
AND THEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THREE YEARS.
SO I JUST LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE GOT THE 160 MILLION NUMBER AND WHAT I BELIEVE, I KNOW WHICH SLIDE YOU ARE REFERRING TO COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, ALTHOUGH I'M NOT LOOKING AT IT RIGHT NOW.
UM, I, I THINK THAT WE CAN PROBABLY DO BETTER IN TERMS OF CLARIFYING, UM, WHAT I THINK THAT SLIDE WAS TRYING TO EXPRESS IN A VERY SUCCINCT WAY, WHICH IS THAT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE 3000 PLUS THAT ARE GOING TO BE SERVED WITH MORE ROBUST HOUSING SERVICES, INCLUDING RAPID REHOUSING AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
UM, BUT THERE WILL BE FOLKS ALSO WHO ARE REHOUSED THROUGH RAPID EXIT, UM, OR DIVERSION, WHICH IS VERY SHORT TERM HOUSING SUPPORTS.
SO WE EXPECT MORE THAN 3000 PEOPLE TO BE REHOUSED OVER THAT PERIOD.
UM, SO I THINK THAT THAT PARTICULAR SLIDE WAS ATTEMPTING TO, UM, SPEAK TO, UH, THE PER THE QUOTE UNQUOTE PER PERSON HOUSED COST.
UH, BUT ALSO POINT OUT THAT THE APPARENT COST, THE COST APPEARS TO BE HIGHER BECAUSE IT'S NOT COUNTING ALL OF THE VOTES WHO ARE BEING HOUSED WITH THE LIGHTER TOUCH SERVICES.
IF I WILL GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT, I THINK THAT WE WILL NEED MORE DETAILED THAN WHAT IS PROVIDED, UH, AT THAT SORT OF, UH, LEVEL AT THAT THAT WAS AT THE PLENARY, THE CLOSING PLENARY OF THE PLANNING PROCESS AND THE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN REFINED SINCE THEN, I UNDERSTAND THE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN REFINED, BUT IT'S STILL THE NUMBER THAT'S UNDERLYING THE AMOUNT OF THE FIVE 15.
AND IF THAT IS UNDERESTIMATED BY A COUPLE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS, IF YOU WERE TO LIKE, I NEED TO UNDERS RE SAYING, WE'RE PAYING THE $26,000 FOR 4,000 PEOPLE FOR MORE THAN ONE YEAR, ARE WE, YOU KNOW, DO WE DO IT FOR ONE YEAR AND WE'RE DONE, UM, OR IS IT, YOU KNOW, SOME PORTION OF THOSE GET MORE THAN ONE YEAR, BUT SOME OF THEM MOVE ON OR, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE ASSUMPTION THAT WE'RE MAKING UNDERLYING THAT BECAUSE, UM, I'M NOT FROM THE INFORMATION THAT I HAVE AND I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A WHOLE MODEL.
AND, AND, AND I SAW A LOT OF THE MODEL AND, AND, BUT I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ACCOUNTING FOR THINGS ACCURATELY AND FULLY, AND THAT WE KNOW WHAT, WHAT WE THINK WE'RE ACCOMPLISHING.
SO I'D APPRECIATE SOME FURTHER INFORMATION INSIGHT ON THAT PIECE AND, AND, AND HOW THAT FEEDS IN, UM, WHEN WE HAD OUR CONVERSATION, UM, YESTERDAY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS APPARENT WAS THAT THERE IS A $95 MILLION YEAR FOUR AND YEAR FIVE COSTS THAT WE HAVEN'T ACCOUNTED FOR, WHICH IS IMPORTANT FOR KEEPING THE SYSTEM AT FUNCTIONAL ZERO AFTER THAT DATE.
SO HOW WHO'S ON THE HOOK FOR THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE $95 MILLION SITTING AROUND IN OUR BUDGET.
THAT'S NOT ALREADY TAKEN UP, UM, ELSEWHERE.
SO I THINK PART OF THE WAY THAT THE SUMMIT IS FRAMED IS THAT WE HAVE AN AGGRESSIVE REHOUSING EFFORT OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS, WE ARE SETTING THE COURSE, UH, TOWARD REACHING FUNCTIONAL ZERO.
ESSENTIALLY WHETHER THAT BE IN FIVE OR SEVEN WILL BE EVOLVING.
AS WE UNDERSTAND THE NUMBERS OVER THE COURSE OF THESE THREE YEARS, THERE WILL BE SOURCES IN PLACE.
UM, BECAUSE OF COURSE NOT, NOT ALL OF THE MONEY FOR THE $515 MILLION IS COMING OUT OF ARIBA THAT'S ONE TIME DOLLARS, RIGHT? AND SO THERE WILL BE SOME SUSTAINABLE DOLLARS, WHICH THE CITY ALREADY HAS, UH, IS DEDICATING A PORTION OF ALREADY HAS NEW MONEY IN, BUT YOU ARE RIGHT.
THERE WILL BE A DELTA AT THE END THAT WE WILL HAVE TO LOOK AT.
AND SO THERE ARE, UH, MANY POSSIBLE OUTCOMES, BUT ONE IS THAT, UM, WE LOOKED AT WHICH WARD THAT YOU'RE FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN,
[03:15:01]
IT IS INCUMBENT UPON US DURING THIS PERIOD TO BUILD TO SUSTAINABILITY.AND SO THOSE WOULD INCLUDE CERTAINLY, UM, COULD BE CITY FINANCING MECHANISMS, BUT TO COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN'S POINT, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE BEGIN TO LEVERAGE MEDICAID MUCH MORE ROBUSTLY.
UM, AND THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT WE ARE FOCUSING, THE ARP DOLLARS ON, WE ARE FOCUSING THOSE DOLLARS, NOT ON PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, LET'S SAY WE WOULDN'T USE ANY OF IT THAT WAY, BUT THAT WE, WHILE WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT IN TERMS OF, FOR EXAMPLE, THE RAPID REHOUSING, UM, SERVICES, ET CETERA, IF THOSE FUNDING LEVELS WERE TO DECREASE YEAR OVER YEAR, IT NOT MEAN THAT SOMEONE WOULD, UH, BECOME HOMELESS BECAUSE OF THAT.
WE WOULDN'T STOP PAYING THEIR RENT WHEN WE HAD PROGRAMMATICALLY COMMITTED TO DOING SO.
SO THAT SUSTAINABILITY QUESTION ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT.
I WILL SAY THAT OF THE, UM, I BELIEVE 20 OR SO MILLION THAT WE HAVE ANTICIPATED IN LARGELY COMMITTED AT THIS POINT.
UM, THAT MUCH OF THAT IS PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY RESOURCE.
AND THOSE VOUCHERS ARE FOR PRACTICAL PURPOSES, EVERGREEN.
UH, THEY DO NOT STOP AT THE THREE YEARS.
THEY CONTINUE INTO THE FUTURE FOR THE INDIVIDUALS WHO HOLD THOSE OUTRIGGERS.
SO WE DO HAVE SOME SUSTAINABLE FUNDING SOURCES THAT WE ARE WEAVING INTO THE MODEL OVERALL.
SO I WOULD LOVE MORE DETAIL TO BE ABLE TO, I UNDERSTAND WE DON'T KNOW WHO'S PAYING, YOU KNOW, WHAT OR WHATEVER, BUT I, I, I DO NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT GETS PAID OUT AT THE END, BECAUSE IT'S NOT A SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION.
WE DON'T HAVE A PLAN, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THERE ARE OTHER THINGS WE CAN DO.
I KNOW THAT THE MAYOR HAS MENTIONED TO ME THAT WE COULD CONSIDER SOME KIND OF TRE AND THERE ARE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE, BUT, BUT WE HAVE TO PLAN LIKE, YOU KNOW, AND IF I WAS A PHILANTHROPIST CONSIDERING THIS, I WOULD WANT TO KNOW THIS DETAIL SANTA.
AND I ALSO THINK THAT THE COUNTY IS VERY, VERY CONCERNED.
UM, AS I THINK WE SHOULD BE, UM, USING ONE TIME DOLLARS ON STUFF THAT HAS TO BE, YOU KNOW, RECURRING DOLLARS.
AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE FORTHRIGHT ENOUGH, RIGHT.
ABOUT WHAT, WHAT IS GOING ON HERE.
UM, LAST THING THAT I WOULD JUST WANT TO SAY IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I WAS A SPONSOR OF ONE 11, UM, THE RESILIENT ATX RESOLUTION.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT HEALTH HOMELESSNESS IS A, A KEY, UM, PRIORITY.
UM, BUT I ALSO FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT CHILDCARE AND WORKFORCE AND THE FOOD AND HOUSING INSECURITY ARE AS WELL.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE WE HAVE THE BALANCE, RIGHT.
AND I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL COMMITMENTS OF SOME OF THE OTHER PLAYERS IN HERE AND WOULD FEEL A WHOLE LOT MORE COMFORTABLE, YOU KNOW, COME THURSDAY.
IF I WAS RECEIVING LETTERS FROM PEOPLE IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY SAYING, YEAH, I'M GOING TO STEP UP AND FUND THIS.
I'M JUST WAITING FOR YOU TO FIND IT.
OR IF I HAD, YOU KNOW, REASSURANCE FROM THE COUNTY THAT THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, READY TO STEP UP, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY AND IT WAS A BIG ASK.
IT IS POTENTIALLY TRANSFORMATIONAL.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, THE, THE SEA LEGS FOR, FOR, FOR, FOR BUYING INTO A WHEEL, GO FIRST, YOU KNOW, WE NEED SOME STUFF FLOATING UNDER US TO, TO GET US THERE.
UM, BECAUSE IT'S JUST NOT THERE RIGHT NOW.
UM, WITH THAT BUY-IN, AND, AND SOME OF THAT I THINK IS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE DETAILS OUT THERE.
WE HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT HOW TO COMMUNICATED AND IT'S FOR NO ONE'S FAULT.
WE JUST SET AN ARBITRARY TIME TIMELINE.
UM, AND THAT, THAT IS MAKING ME UNNECESSARILY UNCOMFORTABLE BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A TIMELINE THAT WE HAVE FORCED ON OURSELVES.
SO I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE RESERVES.
UM, SO, UM, UH, SO, AND I THINK THAT, UM, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS, UH, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RESERVES, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, THE AMOUNT OVER THE 12%, CORRECT? YEAH, WELL, UM, I THINK IT WAS IN THE FISCAL YEAR 20 BUDGET COUNCIL ACTUALLY CHANGED THE FINANCIAL POLICY TO 14%, BUT THEN IT WAS THAT SAME YEAR THAT THE PANDEMIC HIT AND CHANGED EVERYTHING.
BUT THAT IS CURRENTLY OUR POLICY IS ACTUALLY TO GET TO 14% HISTORICALLY.
SO HISTORICALLY WE'VE BEEN AT 12%, WE CHANGED IT TO 14%.
[03:20:01]
W WHAT YEAR, LAST BUDGET CYCLE.WE DID THAT IN FISCAL YEAR 20 ON THE HEELS OF THE THREE AND A HALF PERCENT REVENUE CAP.
KNOWING WITH THAT, WITH THAT LIMIT ON OUR REVENUES, WE WERE GOING TO NEED TO HAVE MORE RESILIENCY BUILT INTO OUR RESEARCH OR FOR ECONOMIC DOWNTURNS.
SO THAT'S, I JUST WANTED TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT THAT'S A RELATIVELY NEW, UM, ASPECT OF THE RESERVES.
UM, I DO THINK THAT I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER THOUGH, WHICH WAS, IF I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD IT CORRECTLY WAS TO CONSIDER LOOKING AT THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SORT OF HAVE A DOUBLE LEVEL OF RESERVES IN HERE, BECAUSE WE HAVE RESERVES RELATED TO THE, UM, TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE, IS THAT, IS THAT, IS THAT RIGHT? IS THAT WHAT CHILDREN, I'M NOT EXACTLY SAYING THE OPPOSITE OF THAT IS THAT THE 44.3 MILLION, UM, WAS ALLOCATED TO DIFFERENT PUBLIC HEALTH NEEDS RELATED TO THE PANDEMIC.
WE DID NOT INCLUDE A SEPARATE CONTINGENCY FOR THAT 44.3 MILLION, BUT IN MY RECENT CONVERSATIONS WITH PUBLIC HEALTH STAFF, IS THAT THOSE THEY'RE CURRENTLY TRACKING BELOW THAT EXPENDITURE LEVEL.
DON'T HAVE A CURRENT ESTIMATE FOR YOU, BUT RIGHT NOW THEY'RE THINKING THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME SAVINGS OUT OF THOSE FUNDS.
UM, AND IF THEY DO, WE'D COME BACK TO COUNCIL WITH, UM, WITH THAT AMOUNT AND SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO EX WHERE TO ALLOCATE IT.
SO THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE, WERE THINKING OF WHEN YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THAT MIGHT BE A PLASTIC.
AND THAT'S REALLY THE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAD THAT HIGHER CONTINGENCY AMOUNT, THAT WAS WAY BACK IN MARCH.
WE STILL HAD A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY RELATED TO THE PANDEMIC AND PUBLIC HEALTH NEEDS.
AND RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS THERE'S, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S LESS OF AN URGENCY TO HAVE THAT LARGE CONTINGENT CONTINGENCY AMOUNT, UM, GIVEN HOW THE EXPENDITURES ARE TRACKING.
BUT, BUT THAT SAID THE CONTINGENCY AMOUNT THAT WE'RE PROPOSING IN THIS CURRENT RENDITION OF THE FRAMEWORK IS ALREADY SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER THAN WHAT WE HAD PROPOSED IN MARCH.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO JUST SAY THAT I THINK CONCERNS ABOUT, UM, UH, NOT HAVING COMMITMENTS YET FROM OTHER FOLKS, UH, FROM THE COUNTY OR THE COMMUNITY, OR HAVE ANY HARD COMMITMENTS.
ALTHOUGH I KNOW THERE'S BEEN CONVERSATIONS, I THINK THAT'S NOT NECESSARY FOR US TO HAVE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE CAN BUILD A CONTINGENCY INTO OUR COMMITMENT.
UM, I, I JUST WANT TO REMIND FOLKS, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT SPENDING THIS MONEY.
WE CAN MAKE THAT AMENDMENT SUBJECT TO A CONTINGENCY, WHICH IS THAT WE GET COMMITMENTS FROM THE COUNTY AND FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S, THAT'S A WAY TO HANDLE WHAT HAS BEEN RAISED AS VERY APPROPRIATE CONCERNS, UH, BECAUSE WE WILL WANT TO REVISIT, UM, HOW WE ALLOCATE DOLLARS IF, UM, IF WE DON'T GET THOSE COMMITMENTS, BUT WE'RE NOT SPENDING THOSE DOLLARS NOW.
SO I THINK IT'S VERY APPROPRIATE FOR US TO JUST PUT A CONTINGENCY ON WHAT WE THINK WE'D LIKE TO SEE, UH, GO INTO THIS.
AND I THINK THAT HANDLES THE CONCERN.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO SUGGEST THAT I ALSO WANTED TO SUGGEST, I KNOW WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS IN YEAR FIVE OR YEAR FOUR, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING TOO, TO, TO PUT THAT UP AGAINST IS WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE WE CONTINUE TO HAVE COSTS THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR RIGHT NOW.
SO, SO YES, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT, I MEAN, IN ORDER FOR OUR CHANGE IN THE SYSTEM TO BE EFFECTIVE, WE NEED TO PLAN FOR AND THINK ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE RUN RATE IS AT THE END OF THIS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF MORE SURGE APPROACH.
WHAT'S THE RUN RATE AFTER THAT.
BUT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT WHAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS IS A RUN RATE.
THAT'S LESS THAN WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
AND WE HAVE A RUN RATE RIGHT NOW.
I MEAN, WE ARE AS A COMMUNITY AND AS WELL AS A CITY, WE ARE PAYING QUITE A BIT OF DOLLARS RIGHT NOW.
AND WE DON'T DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
THAT'S DEFINITELY GOING TO CONTINUE.
SO I DON'T THINK WE CAN COMPARE WHAT HAPPENS IN, YOU KNOW, IN THOSE OTHER YEARS AGAINST NOTHING, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT COMPARISON.
SO YOU MIGHT THINK ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE DO THAT KNOW FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE, BUT I JUST, I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE CONVERSATION IN OUR THINKING.
AND THEN THE LAST THING I WOULD JUST SAY TO FOLKS, OR I WOULD JUST, THIS IS THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE THAT I DON'T EXPECT PEOPLE TO RESPOND TO RIGHT NOW, BUT I'D ASKED MY COLLEAGUES TO JUST THINK ABOUT IT.
SO, CAUSE I'M NOT QUITE UNDERSTANDING WHAT PEOPLE ARE THINKING, BUT IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT NOT ADDRESSING OR NOT USING SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS THAT ARE BETWEEN THE 12% AND THE 14% OR, OR THAT WE MAY NOT NEED FOR, UM, REPUBLIC HEALTH, THEN, WHICH OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE YOU ALL THINKING TO REDUCE? BECAUSE THE WAY THAT IT'S BEEN LAID OUT RIGHT NOW IS, UM, WE NEED TO USE SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS IN ORDER TO ADDRESS
[03:25:01]
ALL THESE CONCERNS OR WHICH ONES OF THEM ARE YOU WILLING TO, TO THINK ABOUT AS PART OF THE BUDGET, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, MY TOP PRIORITIES ARE THE HOMELESSNESS AND THERE, THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE.AND THEN I THINK WE NEED TO, OUR COMMITMENT TO MUSIC AND ARTS IS IMPORTANT.
UM, BUT I WOULD WANT EACH OF US TO ANSWER THAT BECAUSE IF WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO START, WE'RE GOING TO, CAN YOU CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, NOT USING RESERVES, THEN WE NEED TO COME UP WITH OTHER WAYS TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES OR JUST SHARE OUR, OUR SHARE WITH EACH OTHER.
YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT WE THINK IS, IS NOT AS IMPORTANT.
SO, SO THAT I DON'T, I'M NOT EXPECTING PEOPLE TO ANSWER THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR A CONVERSATION ON THE MESSAGE BOARD.
YOU COUNCIL MEMBER POOL, I THINK EVER INGRES DID YOU WANT TO TALK AND THEN THE MAYOR PRO TEM.
UM, SO JUST, AND TO RESPOND TO WHAT YOU WERE JUST SAYING ABOUT RESERVES IT'S IT'S, UM, IT'S AN EVEN BIGGER ISSUE.
CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME ALL RIGHT? YES.
THE ISSUE IS EVEN BIGGER WITH JUST THIS YEAR, BECAUSE IF WE TAKE FROM RESERVES AND WE DON'T HAVE IT, IF WE DON'T PUT IT BACK IN AND WE NEED IT, UH, WHEN WE ARE OUTSIDE OF A DISASTER DECLARATION YEAR, WHERE WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE ABILITY TO CONSIDER INCREASING OUR REVENUES ABOVE THREE AND A HALF PERCENT OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR, AND WHEN WE HAVEN'T A, UM, AND WHEN WE HAVEN'T FULLY ABSORBED THE IMPACTS OF HOSPITAL 1925, UM, I THINK WE'RE, WHICH IS WHY I'M, I'M URGING CAUTION.
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS THIS WEEK.
IT IS TEMPTING TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS.
WE, BECAUSE THEN WE DON'T HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS ANYMORE.
WE CAN MOVE ON TO SOMETHING ELSE.
UM, I WOULD QUESTION US ON THAT TEMPTATION.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OUTCOME IS GOING TO BE, SO I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ANYBODY ELSE.
I WANTED TO ASK DIANE BRAY ABOUT AN ITEM, A CALCULATION THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR MEMOS WITH REGARD TO THE SIZE OF IT, THE SIZE OF THE PURCHASE OF LAND THAT WE WOULD NEED, AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN TENTS WHO COULD BE ON THOSE PARCELS.
AND I THINK YOU HAVE IT, I THINK YOU'RE SAYING TWO ACRES FOR 50 PEOPLE, WHICH MAY 25 PEOPLE PER ONE ACRE.
AND I WANTED TO FIND OUT FROM YOU, IF YOU HAD CALCULATED, HOW MANY ACRES OF LAND DO YOU THINK WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE GOING FORWARD JUST AS A STARTING PLACE? UM, IN ORDER TO, UM, OPERATIONALIZE THE ENCAMPMENT STRATEGY, I DID A LITTLE BIT OF NUMBER CRUNCHING MYSELF.
I MEAN, IT WASN'T THAT DIFFICULT, BUT I WANTED TO CHECK IN TO SEE IF YOU HAD LOOKED AT IT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, UH, TO GIVE US A SENSE OF THE SIZE OF THE ACQUISITION THAT WE WOULD NEED TO MAKE.
I THINK IT WOULD DEPEND ON, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE OUT THERE LISTENING, I CAN SEE YOUR NAME, BUT NOT YOUR FACE.
UM, I THINK WE WOULD HAVE TO AGREE ON WHAT THE NUMBER OF HOMELESS PEOPLE WHO WOULD NEED THE IMMEDIATE INTERVENTION OF HOUSING THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE TENTS.
I APOLOGIZE FOR HAVING MY CAMERA OFF COUNSEL NUMBER, I WOULD DEFER ACTUALLY TO, UM, TO DIRECTOR.
IT CAN REALLY MCNEILLY WITH PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT WHO HAS BEEN LEADING OUR EFFORTS AROUND SORT OF THE ASSESSMENT OF THE LAND NEEDS.
AND I KNOW SHE WAS, LET ME JUST STOP YOU RIGHT THERE.
I WASN'T ASKING WHERE THEY WOULD BE OR ANYTHING I WANTED YOU TO TELL US BASED ON THE CALCULATION THAT YOU HAVE IN THE MEMO, UH, THAT I'M JUST SAYING 25 PEOPLE PER ACRE.
WHAT IS YOUR TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT YOU WERE THINKING YOU WOULD HOUSE IN THE ENCAMPMENTS? UM, THE, WE HAD NOT, UM, SETTLED ON A TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE IN ACCOMMODATED, UH, IN DESIGNATED ENCAMPMENTS.
AND I THINK PART OF THAT WAS CERTAINLY AROUND THE FEASIBILITY OF, OF, OF FINDING, UM, VIABLE SITES, BUT ALSO THERE, AS MUCH AS YOUR DISCUSSION GENERALLY TODAY, UH, THERE IS A, UM, A DIFFICULT CONVERSATION ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE INVEST IN THESE TEMPORARY, UH, SITES, UH, VERSUS WHAT WE WERE INVESTING IN THE, IN THE PERMANENT HOUSING RESOURCES.
[03:30:01]
UH, THE 4.2 THAT WAS SET ASIDE OR RECOMMENDED LAST WEEK, UM, WAS NOT, WAS REALLY BASED MORE ON THE MODEL OF LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY UTILIZING A HOTEL GOING FORWARD, BUT OKAY.AND THAT, WASN'T WHAT I WAS ASKING EITHER.
I JUST, I, I WANT, I'M GOING TO SAY 3000 PEOPLE, BECAUSE AT SOME POINT THEY MAY NEED TO HOUSE 3000 PEOPLE AND AT 25 PEOPLE PER ACRE, HOW MANY ACRES ARE WE LOOKING FOR COUNCIL MEMBER? I DO NOT THINK THAT THE WAS MADE THAT WE WOULD HAVE ALL OF THE PEOPLE EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS TODAY, ACCOMMODATED IN DESIGNATED ENCAMPMENTS AT ONCE.
I AGREE AGAIN, I'M, I'M TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF THE SIZE OF THE ASSIGNMENT, CORRECT.
AND I WOULD GIVE YOU THAT ANSWER IF I HAD IT, BUT I DO NOT.
WELL, WE HAVE ABOUT 3000 PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS.
SOME OF THEM ARE ALREADY HOUSED IN SOME FORM OR FASHION, BUT THERE'S ALSO PROBABLY MORE THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVEN'T REALLY ACCOUNTED FOR THEM.
I JUST WANTED TO GET A SENSE OF THE SIZE OF THIS RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE AREN'T GIVING OURSELVES JUST THE SIZE AND THE AMOUNT OF LANES.
AND WHEN I DIVIDE THE 3000 BY THAT 25, I DID 120 ACRES OF LAND.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK MY CALCULATOR WAS WRONG ON THAT.
I WANTED TO MAKE THAT, UM, ALONG WITH THIS OTHER CORRESPONDING, UM, KIND OF METRIC, UM, IF YOU DIVIDE IT INTO SQUARE FEET PER, PER ACRE AND JUST ROUNDED TO 43,000, IT'S, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN 43,000 SQUARE FEET PER ACRE, AND YOU DIVIDE THAT BY, UH, THE 25 PER ACRE, THAT'S ABOUT 1,750 SQUARE FEET PER PERSON.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
THE POINT I'M DRIVING TO HERE, DIANE IS I THINK THAT, THAT THE CALCULATION, THE FOUR PER A HUNDRED ACRES, THE 50 PER TWO ACRES, 25 TO ONE ACRE IS TOO HIGH.
AND I THINK THAT THAT SPECIFIC METRIC, THAT CALCULATION WILL STAND IN OUR WAY OF, OF ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THE LAND AND THE LOCATIONS FOR THE ENCAMPMENTS, BECAUSE WE ARE CALCULATING A, BUT EVEN IF YOU ASSESS A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE FOR SUPPORT SERVICES, NOT EVERY PERSON WOULD HAVE 1700 SQUARE FEET FOR THEIR TENT, BUT THAT IS, I MEAN, A, IN A MODERN OFFICE, THE AMOUNT OF SPACE ALLOCATED FOR AN EMPLOYEE IN A MODERN OFFICE STRUCTURE IS ABOUT A HUNDRED SQUARE FEET, IF YOU'RE LUCKY.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO PUT IT INTO SOME KIND OF A REGULAR ROUTINE FRAME FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
BECAUSE I THINK THAT WE ARE SETTING THAT GOAL TOO HIGH, AND I THINK THAT WILL INHIBIT OUR, UM, BEING ABLE TO SUCCEED IN IT.
UM, AND THEN I WOULD ALSO POINT OUT AT THE SIDEWALKS AROUND CITY HALL, FOLKS ARE CERTAINLY NOT USING 700 1700 SQUARE FEET FOR THEIR SPACE.
THEY ARE PRETTY MUCH RIGHT UP AGAINST ONE ANOTHER, ALMOST TO THE EDGE OF THE SIDEWALKS.
AND I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THERE'S A CERTAIN SENSE OF SECURITY.
THEY ARE THAT THE PEOPLE FEEL, UH, BEING THAT CLOSE TO ONE ANOTHER.
IT'S NOT MY, MY CHOICE OF, UH, PRIMARY HOUSING OBVIOUSLY, BUT WE TWO CAMPING COMPOUNDS AND THEY ARE, THEY TEND TO BE PEOPLE OF LIKE INTERESTS.
AND I THINK THAT THAT ALSO SHOULD BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION THAT PEOPLE ALSO SHOULD BE ABLE TO CREATE THEIR OWN COMMUNITY AND THEIR SOCIAL INTERACTIONS IN WHATEVER LAND WE ARE ABLE TO ACQUIRE FOR THE ENCAMPMENT.
AND THEN I JUST WANT TO DRIVE HOME THE POINT THAT I THINK THAT WE ARE SETTING THE BAR TOO HIGH FOR THE AMOUNT OF LAND THAT WE MIGHT, IF WE'RE EVEN FORTUNATE TO FIND TENANT, WE'LL GO BACK TO THE STEP AND LOOK AT THE DENSITY CALCULATIONS, UM, WITH THAT IN MIND, I THINK THAT'S GREAT.
AND THEN I ALSO WANT TO REITERATE THAT, UH, THE, THE CONCEPT OF HAVING REGIONAL AREAS, UH, SIMILAR TO HAVEN FOR HOPE SIMILAR FOR, UH, FOR THE MOBILE LOAVES AND FISHES, THEY HAVE, ARE RATHER LARGER, UM, AND KIND OF A GENERAL LOCATION THAT PEOPLE GO TO.
AND I THINK WE MIGHT HAVE BETTER SUCCESS IN LOCATING THESE, UM, THESE SITES GIFTS.
IF WE CAN DO THEM KIND OF GEOGRAPHICALLY DISPERSED THE, IF I'M REMEMBERING MY, THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE DID NOT IN FACT ORDAIN
[03:35:01]
THAT EACH DISTRICT WOULD HAVE A SITE THAT WAS GIVEN AS KIND OF A PROXY FOR THE DISPERSION AROUND THE CITY.BUT IF, AGAIN, THAT'S ANOTHER, UM, THAT'S ANOTHER REQUIREMENT THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CAREFUL WHETHER WE'RE USING IT OR NOT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT ALSO INHIBITS OUR ABILITY TO GET SOME SUCCESSES WITH FINDING SOME OF THE PROPERTIES WHERE PEOPLE COULD HAVE THE IMMEDIATE AND TEMPORARY LOCATION FOR, FOR THEIR TENTS.
AND I SEE THAT KIM KIM, DID YOU, HAD YOU THOUGHT TO THE DENSITY FACTOR IN THE, THE NUMBER OF ACRES THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY? YES.
THAT'S PRETTY EXTENSIVE REPEATING.
SO THE, THE, THE, UM, THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE ENTITIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY OPERATING THE STATE RUN ENCAMPMENT AND ALSO FACTORED IN THE FACT THAT, OR AT LEAST THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE DEPARTMENT WOULD, OR THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO INCLUDE PORTABLE RESTROOMS, PORTABLE SHOWERS, OTHER PORTABLE ITEMS THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE ON TO THAT PARTICULAR SPACE.
AND SO WHILE YOU MAY BE LOOKING AT TWO ACRES FOR 50 INDIVIDUALS, IT WOULDN'T BE THE ENTIRE 50 ACRES THAT WOULD BE UTILIZED FOR TENTS, BECAUSE THERE WOULD BE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SPACE THAT WOULD BE UTILIZED AND ALSO WERE THERE.
YEAH, AND ALSO THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION AND I I'LL HAVE TO GO BACK INTO MY FILES, BUT THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION OF HOW MUCH SPACE SHOULD BE IN BETWEEN EACH ENCAMPMENT FOR, UM, AS SAFETY PURPOSES.
AND I CAN RUN, YOU KNOW, AS DIANA SAID, WE CAN RUN THOSE CALCULATIONS FOR YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS, SO THEY CAN HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL AS TO HOW WE CAME UP WITH THOSE SPECIFICS.
AND SO, UM, IF YOU COULD GIVE ME UNTIL TOMORROW, I CAN RUN THOSE TEMPORARY SHEETS.
THERE'S THIS TIME FOR THIS? THE POINT THAT I WANTED TO MAKE IS THAT I THINK THE DENSITY CALCULATION DESERVES A LITTLE ADDITIONAL SCRUTINY SO THAT IT DOESN'T IN AN END UP INADVERTENTLY BECOMING AN OBSTACLE TO US, BEING ABLE TO SUCCEED IN THIS STRATEGY.
NOT THAT WE'RE GOING TO PUT EVERYBODY THERE AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET, YOU KNOW, 2000 SQUARE FEET TO, TO SPREAD OUT IN EACH, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT'S GOT TO IT'S FOR THE ENTIRE SITE AND THERE ARE SUPPORT SERVICES ADMINISTRATION THAT ARE NECESSARY, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO THINK IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH, WHERE IS THE, WHERE IT'S THE FLEX IN THAT SO THAT WE CAN MAKE, UM, UH, REALLY GOOD DECISIONS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD ON SOME OF THIS.
AND THAT'LL ALSO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF COST PER SITE.
I THINK IF WE HAVE MORE, IF WE HAVE A LARGER CONTINGENT PER ACRE THAN WHAT WE'RE CALCULATING ON NOW, WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT.
AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO, UM, TO GET A LITTLE MARGIN.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO BRING OUT, UH, OR I GUESS ASK A QUESTION, COUNCIL MEMBER TOBA, YOU SAID SOMETHING EARLIER ABOUT CHECKPOINTS THAT REALLY INTRIGUES ME.
AND I, I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THAT CONVERSATION AND SORT OF FIGURING OUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, BECAUSE I DO THINK IT HELPS TO RESOLVE SOME OF MY CONCERNS.
UM, AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT, UH, MAY I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT THIS PROCESS, LIKE, UM, I BELIEVE YOU SAID EVOLUTIONARY, UM, BECAUSE EVEN JUST DURING THE COURSE OF THIS CONVERSATION, MORE QUESTIONS HAVE ARISEN FOR ME, BUT THEN SOME OF MY CONCERNS HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED AS WELL.
SO I, I REALLY DO LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONTINUATION OF THE CONVERSATION AND THE EVOLUTION OF IT.
OH, IT DOES A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT HAVE, THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED, UH, THAT I HAVEN'T SPOKEN TO THUS FAR.
I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN ABOUT USING ONE-TIME DOLLARS.
AND I KNOW THAT'S OUR GENERAL PRINCIPLE.
I THINK WHAT SETS THIS APART AND IS DIFFERENT FROM THAT IS WE'RE.
IF WE DO THIS, UH, AT THE HOMELESSNESS, UM, UH, KIND OF, UM, ONCE AND FOREVER OPPORTUNITY, WE HAVE THREE YEARS TO FIGURE THAT OUT, AS OPPOSED TO SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE FIGURING OUT FOUR MONTHS FROM NOW, IF IT WAS A ONE YEAR SPEND.
AND I THINK THAT MAKES THAT APPROPRIATE.
I ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE WHAT THE COST IS.
IF WE DON'T DO THIS AS COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN SAID, NO, I THINK THE LINE ITEM IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES BUDGET TO MAINTAIN ALMOST AS I UNDERSTAND IT, DOESN'T ACTUALLY IMPROVE THEIR SITUATION, WHICH I THINK IS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE IS $1 BILLION IS THE LINE ITEM IN THEIR BUDGET THIS YEAR.
AND, AND WE, WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT GIVING TO THE RESIDENTS AND CITIZENS OF THIS CITY
[03:40:01]
IN SIX TO EIGHT YEARS, THAT KIND OF, OF RESPONSIBILITY.UM, I AGREE WITH WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN SAID, I UNDERSTAND, UH, OR THE DESIRE TO HAVE LETTERS, UH, CAN I A NUMBER AUTHOR AND IT WOULD BE GOOD IF WE DID.
AND I CERTAINLY WOULDN'T STOP ANYBODY FROM, UM, FROM JOINING IN AT THIS POINT.
UH, BUT I THINK MOST LIKELY WE DEAL WITH THAT BY PUTTING IN A CONTINGENCY THAT SAYS, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE WILLING TO DO IF IN FACT PEOPLE WILL STEP FORWARD.
AND IF PEOPLE WON'T STEP FORWARD AT THAT LEVEL, THEN AS ED SAID EARLIER, UH, THE ITEM COMES BACK TO, TO, TO COUNCIL TO CONSIDER, UH, REALLOCATIONS, UH, BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION HERE, OBVIOUSLY THE ISSUES OF OUR SPENDING, EMERGENCY SPENDING, UH, HOMELESSNESS SPENDING RESERVES, APT DOLLARS, ALL, UH, INTERTWINED AND POSSIBLE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT ANY, WITHOUT ANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THEM ALL.
UM, I WILL CONTINUE TO LIBERALLY CONSTRUE.
SO AS TO ALLOW US TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, THIS FULLY IS NEEDED, UH, BOTH TOMORROW AND THURSDAY, UH, INCLUDING, UH, IN TERMS OF THE DIRECTION THAT WE GO.
I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE RESOLUTION WITH RESPECT TO OFFENDING DOESN'T ACTUALLY DIRECT SPENDING.
IT PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK FOR COUNCIL, FOR COUNCIL TO GIVE A FRAMEWORK TO THE STAFF, UH, AND, AND, AND WILL ALLOW US TO, TO BE ABLE TO GIVE DIRECTIONS THAT, UH, ENABLE US TO, TO DEAL WITH THE TOTALITY OF THE INTERTWINED, UM, UH, ISSUES.
ONE THING WE HAVEN'T MENTIONED WITH RESPECT TO THIS KIND OF INVESTMENT IN, IN HOMELESSNESS AND DIANA, MAYBE YOU CAN SPEAK TO THIS.
UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT WOULD BE THE SINGLE LARGEST INVESTMENT THAT WE'VE MADE WITH RESPECT TO MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT IN OUR CITY, UH, WHICH IS, UH, DRASTICALLY UNDERFUNDED AND SUBSTANCE USE ISSUES IN OUR CITY, UH, WITH A, UH, CAPACITY BUILDING AND ADDITIONAL FUNDING ON SUPPORT SERVICES FOR, FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE DEALING WITH THOSE, UH, UH, UH, CHALLENGES.
UM, THE, UM, THERE'S A CONVERSATION THAT, THAT WE HAVE DANCED AROUND AND CONTINUED TO DANCE AROUND, BUT AS COUNCIL MEMBER TOBO HAD SAID SHE WANTED TO, TO RAISE KIND OF THE CONVERSATION ABOUT ENCAMPMENTS, WE REALLY DO NEED TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, UH, SO THAT WE CAN, UH, AND, AND GET ADVICE FROM OUR STAFF ON AND FROM THE MANAGER ON WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE THING TO BE DOING IN THIS? UM, MY HOPE IS THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO TRY TO FIND EMERGENCY SHELTERING FOR 3000 PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, JUST BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE SO EXPENSIVE.
UH, AND, AND QUITE FRANKLY TAKE SO MUCH TIME AND RESOURCES.
IT'S HARD TO, TO, TO LOCATE A HOTEL CONVERSION I'M FROM THE OUTSIDE THAT LOOKS LIKE AN APARTMENT BUILDING.
UH, IT'S GOING TO BE EVEN HARDER TO LOCATE, UH, AND OPEN AIR, UH, SANCTIONED CAMPING AREA, AND THE CITIES THAT HAVE DONE THAT END UP INVESTING ALL THEIR MONEY IN THAT KIND OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND THE NUMBERS CONTINUE TO GROW, AND THEY DON'T GO TO A SYSTEM THAT ACTUALLY LETS THEM REACH EQUILIBRIUM.
SO FROM A POLICY STANDPOINT, THAT SEEMS LIKE THE REALLY WRONG ANSWER WITH PROPOSITION B, UH, AND THE VOTE OF THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK WE HAVE THE OBLIGATION TO, UH, STOP PEOPLE FROM, FROM CAMPING AND TENTING, UH, IN, UH, IN, UH, PUBLIC SPACES.
UH, AND, AND THE MATTER HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH THAT.
I THINK THAT'S GOING TO RESULT IN A LOT OF PEOPLE GOING BACK TO WHERE THEY WERE TWO YEARS AGO.
UM, AND, AND PART OF, I THINK THAT THIS, THE SENTIMENT IN THE ELECTION WAS TO RETURN TO, TO WHERE WE WERE TWO YEARS AGO.
UM, I THINK THAT ONE OF THE REASONS TO, TO DO THE HOMELESSNESS ISSUE IS SO THAT WE CAN GET AS MANY PEOPLE OUT OF THOSE PLACES AS WE CAN, UH, AS RAPIDLY AS WE CAN, UH, INTO SOME KIND OF SYSTEM THAT WILL ACTUALLY ENABLE THEM TO SUSTAIN THEIR LIVES OFF THE STREET.
BUT I ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT IT PROBABLY MEANS A LOT OF PEOPLE, UH, FOR AN INTERIM PERIOD OF TIME ARE GOING TO GO BACK TO DOING WHAT THEY WERE DOING TWO YEARS AGO.
MY HOPE IS, IS THAT WE FIND THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO DO, UM, SANCTIONED CAMPING, OR EMERGENCY HOUSING OR SOMETHING, UH, WITH RESPECT TO, UH, UH, AT THE VERY LEAST THE, THE WOMEN, UH, THAT ARE IN THIS SITUATION, JUST BECAUSE I THINK THAT AS DESCRIBED
[03:45:01]
TO ME AND TO OTHERS, UH, THE LIFE THEY HAVE GOING BACK TO THOSE ENVIRONMENTS IS, IS PRETTY HORRIFIC.UH, BUT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE.
I HOPE THAT, UM, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE DOING THAT KIND OF WORK, BUT THEN, UH, REALLY ACCELERATING OUR EFFORTS TO SET UP SYSTEMS THAT CAN REALLY TAKE PEOPLE OFF OF THE, UH, OFF THE STREETS.
SO WE, WE NEED THAT CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT IS A ENCAMPMENT, UH, PLAN, UH, CAUSE I DON'T THINK THERE'S A REAL UNDERSTANDING YET MEETING OF MINDS AMONG US, OR WITH RESPECT TO ADVICE WE'VE GOTTEN FROM THE STAFF OR WITH RESPECT TO, UH, UH, OPINIONS OR POLICY WE'VE GIVEN TO STAFF ABBY.
OR WE POSTED FOR THAT CONVERSATION AS WELL TOMORROW.
'CAUSE I, I DO THINK WE NEED, YEAH.
THE TIME IS, IS RUNNING OUT FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE GOING TO NEED THAT ALTERNATIVE.
AND SO, UM, I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AND HAD SOME QUESTIONS TO, TO JUMP INTO ON THAT FRONT, BUT I CAN WAIT TILL TOMORROW, IF THAT SEEMS MORE APPROPRIATE.
UM, LET ME JUST SAY THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM FOR COMMENTING ON THE CHECKPOINTS.
UM, PART OF MINE AND I DID, SO THERE WERE THREE, I'LL JUST SAY THERE WERE THREE.
I HAD IDENTIFIED IN MY MESSAGE BOARD POST.
UM, ONE I HAD INDICATED, YOU KNOW, THAT I TOO WANT TO BUILD OUT, I WANT TO BRING FORWARD SOME DIRECTION THAT TALKS ABOUT THE CONTINGENCY ISSUE THAT SEVERAL OF US HAVE ADDRESSED HERE TODAY.
THE THREE CHECKPOINTS THAT I THINK WE, WE NEED TO HAVE ONE IS IN RESPONSE AND THESE ARE THE ONES I'VE OUTLINED IN MY MESSAGE BOARD POSTS, BUT I'M NOT SURE HOW CLEAR IT WAS THAT WE NEED.
WE NEED, UM, AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW, REVISE AND AFFIRM THE SPENDING FAME FRAMEWORK IN RESPONSE TO EXTERNAL FUNDING COMMITMENTS.
I E LIKE ONCE WE HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHICH THOSE, WHICH COMMITMENTS ARE FROM, UM, THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE A TIME TO REVISIT AFTER OR DURING BUDGET.
UM, SO MY SECOND POINT WAS AS BUDGETARY AND OTHER FUNDING PROCESSES MIGHT DEMAND.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF WE GET THROUGH OUR BUDGET PROCESS AND THERE ARE SOME REALLY SIGNIFICANT UNMET NEEDS, WE MAY NOT, WE MAY HAVE TO COME BACK AND REVISIT THIS PROCESS AND IDENTIFY IF WE HAVE MADE FINAL DECISIONS ABOUT OR FINAL.
IF WE HAVE PASSED THE FRAMEWORK THIS WEEK, WE MAY NEED TO COME BACK.
AND THEN THE THIRD BULLET I IDENTIFIED WAS PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE ARPA ALLOCATION FOR YEAR TWO.
UM, BUT I WOULD JUST ASK, ASK, UM, YOU AND OTHERS, LIKE, WHAT ARE THE OTHER, I'M GOING TO DRAFT THAT DIRECTION FOR THOSE DIFFERENT POINTS THAT I PUT IN THE MESSAGE BOARD POST, BUT THERE MIGHT BE OTHER CHECKPOINTS THAT WE WANT TO BUILD IN THERE.
AND SO I JUST LIKE, I DON'T WANT TO THROW THAT OUT TO ALL OF YOU TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT WHAT MIGHT BE THOSE OTHER NATURAL CHECKPOINTS, WHERE WE WANT, WHERE WE WANT TO TAKE A LOOK, YOU KNOW, HAVE IT POSTED FOR COUNCIL OF CONVERSATION, UM, ON A WORK SESSION OR WHATNOT, AND, AND REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT OUR CURRENT SPENDING IS, WHAT OUR CURRENT NEEDS ARE AND WHETHER WE NEED TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS.
THOSE WERE THE THREE THAT I COULD ANTICIPATE, BUT THERE, I'M SURE THERE ARE OTHERS.
UM, AND, AND THEN THE MAYOR PRO TEM.
COUNCIL MEMBER TOBO REALLY APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING ALL THAT TOGETHER.
I DON'T KNOW, NOT SURE WHEN IT SHOULD BE, BUT A CHECKPOINT THAT HAS, UM, COMING BACK TO US, THE ANTICIPATED CONTRACTS, UM, AND SCOPE OF CONTRACTS SO THAT WE COULD DIG INTO THE, WHAT IS THE SCOPE OF SERVICES THAT WE MIGHT EXPECT OF OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS THAT WE MIGHT BE CONTRACTING FOR.
UM, AND THEN, UM, UH, AND ALSO WHAT IS THE SYSTEM THAT WE'RE GOING TO USE TO MEASURE ACCOUNTABILITY? SO I DON'T KNOW WHEN YOU PUT THAT CHECKPOINT IN THERE, YOU, YOU KNOW, BUT MY CONSULT WITH, UM, DIANA ON THAT, BUT I THINK THERE SHOULD BE, UM, A CHECKPOINT FOR THAT SOMEWHERE.
DO YOU JUST QUICKLY TO CLARIFY, LIKE, AS IN, BEFORE THOSE CONTRACTS APPEAR ON OUR AGENDA FOR APPROVAL, MAYBE BEFORE THE RFP OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SOMEWHERE IN THERE, IF YOU THINK COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN ADJUSTED, MY CONCERN WAS GOING TO BE ABOUT, UM, ACCOUNTABILITY.
UM, AND I'LL SAY SPECIFICALLY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IS AFTER OUR, UM, DISBURSEMENT OF CARE, ZACK AND RICE FUNDING, UM, I HEARD SOME ARABLE STORIES ABOUT WASTE, REAL PROBLEMATIC CONCERNS ABOUT WHERE
[03:50:01]
FUNDS WENT AND HOW THEY WERE REGULATED AND, OR THE COMPLETE LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY AFTER FUNDS WERE DISPERSED.AND I JUST, I'M, I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT WE NEED TO HAVE MORE IN THE WAY OF, UH, OVERSIGHT COUNCIL MEMBER, ALTAR AND COLLEAGUES WERE IN OUR LAST, UH, FIVE OR SIX MINUTES ARE OUT THERE.
I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION AND IT'S, YOU CAN SEE FROM THE QUESTIONS THERE, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE STILL NEED TO GET FLESHED OUT.
UM, AND SO I THINK ANY SORT OF CHECKPOINTS, IF WE WERE TO DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD, UM, THIS WEEK WOULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT.
ONE OF THE ONES THAT YOU AND I HAVE DISCUSSED BEFORE KATHY, UM, IS THE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE.
AND I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT THE CHECKPOINT IS BECAUSE IT HAS NEVER BEEN EXPLAINED TO US WHAT GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE COMMITTING THIS AND THERE'S ALL THESE FUNDS, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHO'S LEADING IT AND, AND ALL OF THAT, AND WHO'S MANAGING THE FUNDS AND WHAT WE'RE, UM, DELEGATING AND WHAT WE'RE NOT DELEGATING IS NOT AT ALL CLEAR IF WE TO SUCCEED IN SECURING FUNDING FROM THE COUNTY AND FROM PHILANTHROPY AND MOVE FORWARD.
UM, IT'S NOT FOR SURE, NOT CLEAR TO ME WHAT THAT FIVE 15 ENTITY IS, UM, THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ENTERTAINED IN THE PAST SOME DIFFERENT STRUCTURES.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S PART OF THE UNCERTAINTY RIGHT NOW THAT WE HAVE IN THIS PROCESS.
MY SENSE, JUST TO ADDRESS THAT REAL QUICKLY IS THERE IS NO DETERMINED GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE AND I'M REAL COMFORTABLE MAKING OUR COMMITMENT CONTINGENT ON A GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE THAT THE COUNCIL APPROVES UP.
UM, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THERE'LL BE OTHER PEOPLE TOO, THAT, THAT WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'LL APPROVE THE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE AND I, INCLUDING OTHER POTENTIAL FUNDERS, THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY APPROVE OF THAT.
AND AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE LIVED EXPERIENCE AND THE SERVICE PROVIDERS, UM, BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE IS NO, UH, THERE'S WORK THAT'S BEING INITIATED TO DEVELOP OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE TO CONSIDER.
THERE IS NO ESTABLISHED ONE AND NOR COULD ANYONE EVER BE FOISTED UPON US, UH, OR REQUIRED TO ADOPT.
THAT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE APPROACHED UP.
SO THAT'S ACTUALLY A QUESTION I JUST HAD, NOT EVEN THAT HADN'T OCCURRED TO ME AS WE'RE MAKING THIS DECISION COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER.
UM, WE CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, I HAD BROUGHT, AND THIS COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION TO CREATE A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION TO FOCUS ON ISSUES RELATED TO HOMELESSNESS.
THAT WORK HAS NOT HAPPENED, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY OUT THERE AND THE MANAGER COULD TAKE IT UP, UM, AT ANY POINT, OR I COULD DO ANOTHER ONE ASKING FOR IT TO BE CREATED THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR US TO INVEST BOTH PUBLIC FUNDS AND FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND OTHER PUBLIC PARTNERS TO COME FORWARD AND INVEST IN THOSE INITIATIVES AS WELL.
SO, YOU KNOW, AS I KNOW THAT THERE IS DISCUSSION GOING ON AMONG THE SUMMIT PARTICIPANTS ABOUT WHAT A GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
I'LL JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S INVESTING, IF IT'S PRIMARILY INVESTING, TALKING ABOUT THE INVESTMENT OF PUBLIC DOLLARS, I MEAN, AN LGC WOULD BE ABOUT AS FAR A FIELD AS I WOULD WANT TO GO FROM THE CITY IN TERMS OF MAKING THOSE INVESTMENTS.
BUT LET ME JUST SAY, I WILL, I WILL THINK ABOUT THAT IN COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER.
MAYBE YOU CAN HELP ME WORK ON, ON SOMETHING, UM, ALONG THOSE LINES TO EMBED WITHIN HERE, BUT AT THIS POINT, UM, I'M ASSUMING IF WE'RE APPROVING A FRAMEWORK AND WE'RE HOPING TO GET THIS MONEY MOVING QUICKLY, THAT IT IS THE CITY COUNCIL THAT IS PROVIDING THE GOVERNANCE AND OUR CITY STAFF THAT ARE GOVERNING THOSE CONTRACTS.
SO IT AM I WRONG IN THAT ASSUMPTION? CAUSE THAT, THAT DOES DEFINITELY, THAT WOULD DEFINITELY CHANGE SOME OF MY THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHEN WE'RE DOING IT, YOU NOT INCORRECT COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, I DON'T THINK THAT THIS DOES NOT PRESUME THAT THE CITY WOULD BE HANDING OVER CONTROL OR DECISION-MAKING AUTHORITY OF ANY OF THESE FUNDS AT THIS TIME.
WE CERTAINLY ANTICIPATE A COLLABORATIVE DECISION-MAKING, UM, STRUCTURE OVERALL.
AND I THINK WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT WHILE, UM, WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE OVERALL EFFORT, I COULD SEE SOME POOLING OF FUNDS IN CERTAIN SCENARIOS.
UM, IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO HAVE A SINGLE ENTITY MANAGING ALL OF THE FUNDS FOR US TO BE SUCCESSFUL, UH, IN THE NEVER LIKE THIS.
IT'S JUST THE REALITY OF HOW IT, HOW THE SAUSAGE
[03:55:01]
WILL BE MADE.WE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE STOP.
YOU GET A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK.
UH, TOMORROW WE START WITH THE COUNTY TWO QUICK BRIEFINGS.
COVID WE ALSO GETTING AN UPDATE ON CENSUS, UH, AND THEN WE'LL GO INTO OUR, OUR WORK SESSION, LOTS OF COLD ITEMS, UH, TOMORROW I, AND WITH THAT AIR AT SIX O'CLOCK COLLEAGUES, UH, THIS MEETING IS A CHART.