Apr 13, 2022 Public Health Committee

[CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:04]

HERE ARE THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE.

AND I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AT 9:33 AM.

WE'RE GOING TO GET STARTED, UH, WITH

[Public Communication]

RAVELLO IS MS. ROBELLO HERE.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

WELL, NOT SEEING THAT SPEAKER, WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT

[1. Approve the minutes of the Public Health Committee meeting on March 9,2022. ]

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? VICE CHAIR OF QUINTUS MOVES APPROVAL COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, SECOND SET ALL IN FAVOR.

THAT IS UNANIMOUS ON THE DAYAS WITH MAYOR ADLER AND COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER, MADISON OFF THE DIOCESE.

AND SO COLLEAGUES NEXT, WE HAVE A DISCUSSION REGARDING THE SOBERING CENTER APPOINTMENTS.

AND SO FOR THIS, WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO A VERY BRIEF EXECUTIVE SESSION AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK OUT.

UM, OUR ORDER OF BUSINESS TODAY AFTER WE HANDLE THAT AGENDA ITEM IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO START WITH OUR BRIEFING AND OUR DISCUSSION ON ISSUES RELATED TO HOMELESSNESS.

AND THEN WE WILL MOVE INTO OUR DISCUSSION OF, UM, EARLY CHILDHOOD INVESTMENTS.

SO THANKS TO ALL OF, ALL OF OUR STAFF AND OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE TO PARTICIPATE.

SO

[2. Discussion and possible action regarding the selection of the City's appointee to the Sobering Center Local Government Corporation Board of Directors. ]

THE COMMITTEE WILL DISCUSS PERSONNEL MATTERS RELATED TO THE DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE SELECTION OF THE CITY'S APPOINTEE TO THE SOBERING CENTER, LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION, BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION ON THE ITEM ANNOUNCED HEARING AND SEEING NONE, THE COMMITTEE WILL NOW GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 9 34? I THINK TODAY

[3. Briefing and discussion on issues related to homelessness.]

SO WE HAVE TYPICALLY BEEN BRIEFING COUNSEL MONTHLY ON THIS.

WE DID NOT BRIEF LAST MONTH.

SO, UH, THE UPDATE I'M GIVING TODAY ENCOMPASSES THE ACTIVITIES OF THE LAST TWO MONTHS.

SINCE THAT TIME, WE HAVE RESOLVED AN ADDITIONAL TWO ENCAMPMENTS, ONE, UH, WEST BOLDEN CREEK, UH, UM, UH, ALONG THE CREEK BED AND THE RAILROAD TRACK THERE NEAR BUTLER PARK AND, UM, IN THE ST JOHN'S NEIGHBORHOOD ADJACENT TO, AND PARTIALLY IN THE ST JOHN'S NEIGHBORHOOD PARK, UH, FROM THOSE TWO ENCAMPMENTS, WE RELOCATED A TOTAL OF 65 UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS INTO OUR TWO BRIDGE SHELTERS.

UH, AND IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS, WE HAVE PLACED AN ADDITIONAL 26 INDIVIDUALS INTO PERMANENT HOUSING THROUGH OUR RAPID REHOUSING PROGRAM.

SO THEY ARE NOW IN THEIR OWN APARTMENTS.

UH, I THINK ALSO IMPORTANTLY, WE'RE PLEASED TO REPORT THAT WE HAVE HIRED OUR PERMANENT PROGRAM SUPERVISOR FOR THE NORTH BRIDGE SHELTER, UH, WHO STARTED ON MONDAY.

AND WE ALSO HAVE OUR POSITION POSTED FOR A PROGRAM MANAGER, ONE WHO WOULD BE HANDLING REALLY THE FRONT END OF THE HEAL INITIATIVE, ASSESSING ENCAMPMENTS, COORDINATING, UM, OUTREACH, AND, UM, AND THE PROCESS OF MOVING FOLKS INTO SHELTER.

ONCE THOSE CAMP ENCAMPMENTS ARE IDENTIFIED AS PRIORITIES FOR THE HEAL INITIATIVE.

NEXT SLIDE.

UM, AS YOU MAY RECALL, THE GOAL THAT COUNCIL SET FOR US FOR FISCAL YEAR 22, UH, WAS TO RELOCATE A TOTAL OF 200 INDIVIDUALS FROM UNSHELTERED ENCAMPMENTS INTO, UH, INTO BRIDGE SHELTER, CONNECTED TO HOUSING RESOURCES THROUGH THE END OF MARCH.

SO PRECISELY REALLY AT THE MIDPOINT OF THE FISCAL YEAR, UH, WE HAD RELOCATED 99 FOLKS.

SO WE WERE ONE PERSON SHORT OF THAT AS, UH, EXACTLY 50%.

SO WE ARE ON TARGET AT THIS TIME.

AND SINCE THE HEAL INITIATIVE WAS INITIATED, UH, AND OUR FIRST ENCAMPMENT RESOLUTION, WHICH TOOK PLACE IN JUNE OF 2021, WE HAVE RELOCATED 247 INDIVIDUALS.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COUNCIL HAS ASKED US TO TRACK, UM, IN PARTICULAR IS, UH, OUR, OUR DEMOGRAPHICS AROUND PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN RELOCATED WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON, UM, UH, RACE EQUITY, BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME CONCERN THAT BY, UH, TARGETING ENCAMPMENTS, WE MIGHT DISPROPORTIONATELY SERVE ONE GROUP OVER THE OTHER.

UH, AND OF COURSE WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON OUR, UM, UH, AFRICAN-AMERICAN, UH, CITIZENS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS SINCE THEY ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY HOMELESSNESS.

UH, WE HAVE BEEN TRACKING VERY CLOSELY, UH, TO THE POPULATION WITHIN THAT

[00:05:01]

WE DO STILL HAVE QUESTIONS, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE.

SOME OF OUR NEW STAFF WORK ON AROUND THE HISPANIC AND LATIN X POPULATION.

WE THINK THAT THERE IS, UH, SOME, UH, DESEGREGATION WE NEED TO DO AROUND RACE VERSUS ETHNICITY, BECAUSE OF COURSE, IN SOME CASES WE, YOU KNOW, WHITE, UH, IS REPORTED TO UNDER RACE AND HISPANIC OR LATIN X SHOULD BE CATEGORIZED UNDER ETHNICITY, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL BE LOOKING AT BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT DOES SHOW US, UH, SLIGHTLY, UM, SERVING SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THE POPULATION IN THE, UH, OF THE POPULATION EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.

UH, WE HAVE A FAIRLY EVEN, UH, AGE DISTRIBUTION.

WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THAT COMPARED TO THE AGE OF POPULATION EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.

I WOULD SAY THAT WE DO A TREND OLDER, BUT PARTIALLY THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S UNCOMMON THAT WE FIND, UH, CHILDREN IN ENCAMPMENTS.

AND OF COURSE THEY, UH, CAN, UH, COMPRISE A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF OUR OVERALL HOMELESS POPULATION.

NEXT SLIDE.

UH, OUR SHELTER ACCEPTANCE RATE REMAINS HIGH AT 90%.

SO THAT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF FOLKS WHO ARE OFFERED A TRANSFER INTO SHELTER, UH, AND CONNECTION TO BRIDGE HOUSING.

UH, OUR CURRENT, UH, BRIDGE SHELTER CENSUS AT THE END OF THE MONTH WAS 111.

AND A COUPLE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE ARE TRACKING, UM, IS MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE COMPLETED THEIR COORDINATED ASSESSMENT.

THERE IS A TIME ELEMENT HERE THAT I WANT TO DISCUSS.

SO WE HOPE THAT WHEN PEOPLE THAT PEOPLE HAVE COORDINATED ASSESSMENT, EVEN WHEN THEY ARE EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS, RIGHT.

BUT WE KNOW THAT'S NOT ALWAYS TRUE.

AND SO IT IS ONE OF THE FIRST TASKS THAT WE HAVE IF SOMEONE TRANSFERS INTO SHELTER AND HAS NOT YET HAD A COORDINATED ASSESSMENT, WE THEN MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S COMPLETED QUICKLY.

REMEMBER THAT AT THE TIME OF THESE NUMBERS, WE ACTUALLY RELOCATED AN ENCAMPMENT IN THE LAST WEEK OF MARCH.

AND SO, UM, MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE DID COME IN WITH A COORDINATED ASSESSMENT ASSESSMENT, BUT THAT 10% YOU SEE SHOULD BE A CORRESPONDING TO THAT LAST ENCAMPMENT RELOCATED AND IN THE SAME WAY, THE ENROLLMENT IN A PERMANENT HOUSING PROGRAM.

SO PEOPLE COME INTO SHELTER, THEY'RE REFERRED TO OUR SERVICE PROVIDERS, PREDOMINANTLY FAMILY ELDER CARE AT THIS TIME.

AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT REFERRAL AND ENROLLMENT HAPPENS FAIRLY QUICKLY.

WE DID HAVE SOME LAG TOWARD THE BIG, IN THE BEGINNING OF THE INITIATIVE.

UH, WE'RE AT 65%.

AND, UH, OUR LAST ENCAMPMENT RELOCATION WAS I THINK, AROUND 35 PEOPLE.

SO THAT'S MOSTLY THOSE FOLKS WITH SOME PEOPLE FROM PROBABLY THE PREVIOUSLY RELOCATION THAT WE STILL NEED TO GET ENROLLED, AND WE EXPECT THAT TO HAPPEN IN THE COMING WEEKS.

WE CAN, UH, MOVE THE SLIDE BOARD PLEASE.

UH, ON THE PERMANENT HOUSING EFFORTS SIDE, I MENTIONED FAMILY ELDER CARE, WHO IS OUR MAIN RAPID REHOUSING PROVIDER AT THIS TIME INTEGRAL CARE.

WE ALSO HAVE A SMALL CONTRACT WITH INTEGRAL CARE.

WE HAVE REHOUSED A TOTAL OF 58 INDIVIDUALS TO DATE, UH, AND THERE ARE 70, UH, ADDITIONAL INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ENROLLED IN A HOUSING PROGRAM, A RAPID REHOUSING PROGRAM AND SEEKING THEIR UNIT, GETTING THEIR DOCUMENTS IN ORDER, ET CETERA.

UM, I'LL REMIND YOU THAT WHEN WE SPOKE TO THAT SORT OF, UM, THE, THE NEED TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE GET ENROLLED IN A HOUSING PROGRAM QUICKLY, THAT COUNCIL, UM, IN APPROVING THE ARPA SPENDING FRAMEWORK, ASKED US TO SET ASIDE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR HEAL, UH, IN THAT.

SO OUR CURRENT, UH, THERE IS A HOUSING STABILITY SOLICITATION THAT WENT OUT THROUGH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, ON JANUARY 31ST, I BELIEVE, UH, IN THAT THERE WAS AN OVERALL $38 MILLION FOR RAPID REHOUSING AND OF THAT 6 MILLION IS SET ASIDE FOR THE HEAL INITIATIVE.

THOSE PROPOSALS ARE IN, THEY ARE CURRENTLY BEING EVALUATED.

UM, AND I BELIEVE THE TIMELINE IS THAT BY THE END OF THE MONTH OR EARLY NEXT, WE WOULD HAVE IDENTIFIED ARE OUR INTENDED, UH, VENDORS UNDER THAT SOLICITATION WITH A TARGET FOR, UH, JULY CONTRACT EXECUTION.

NEXT SLIDE.

AND I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.

COLLEAGUES QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU, MS. GRAY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER QUINTUS.

THANK YOU.

UM, JUST A QUICK QUESTION THAT I HAD FOR THE 38 MILLION THAT WE HAVE, YOU'RE MARKED FOR THE RAPID REHOUSING.

HOW MANY, WHAT IS THE CAPACITY WE THINK THAT THAT WILL YIELD FOR US IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO MOVE PEOPLE INTO I'M GOING TO CHALLENGE MY, UH, MY MATH SKILLS, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER.

SO LET ME THINK ABOUT THAT.

I'LL, UM, TH WE, WE LOOK AT A, ROUGHLY $27,000 A YEAR,

[00:10:01]

AND SO I NEED TO DO THAT QUICK MATH, BUT I THINK, UH, WE'RE PROBABLY TALKING NOW.

I'M NOT GOING TO ANSWER YOU, LET ME, LET ME BACK TO, IF I, IF I GIVE YOU A NUMBER OF WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BE WRONG, UM, WOULD YOU MIND REPEATING YOUR QUESTION? YES.

WITH THAT 38 MILLION THAT'S EARMARKED FOR RAPID REHOUSING, HOW MANY DO WE ANTICIPATE COULD BE REHOUSED WITH THAT $2 MS. GRAY, THANK YOU FOR GETTING BACK TO US ON THAT.

UM, AND THAT'S ALL IN ONE TRAUNCH, RIGHT? THAT 38 MILLION, OR IS THAT DIVIDED WE'RE DEPENDING ON WHAT THE PROPOSALS LOOK LIKE.

I MEAN, THIS WAS A VERY SUBSTANTIAL SUM OF MONEY, RIGHT.

UM, AND WE ARE ALSO, UH, IN PARALLEL WORKING WITH SOME ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE BUILDING CAPACITY.

CURRENTLY, WE HAVE ANTICIPATED THAT IT COULD BE POSSIBLE THAT WE DON'T EXHAUST ALL OF THOSE FUNDS IN THIS FIRST SOLICITATION.

UM, AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, WE WOULD RERELEASE LATER.

UM, AND WAS YOUR QUESTION ABOUT WHEN YOU SAID TRAUNCH, WERE YOU SPEAKING TO THE TRAUNCH OF AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN AT DOLLARS OR, UH, THIS IS SPECIFIC TO THE 38 MILLION, BUT, UM, NOW THAT YOU MENTIONED IT, I AM CURIOUS.

SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE INITIALLY ANTICIPATED, ACCEPTING THAT TRAUNCH OF FUNDS, I THINK IN FEBRUARY OR MARCH OF THIS YEAR, IT HAS BEEN DELAYED.

AND SO WE WON'T, YOU KNOW, MY ASSUMPTION IS, UH, MOST OF THE FUNDS RELATED TO HOMELESSNESS, WE'RE IN THE SECOND TRAUNCH OF THE OVERALL SPENDING FRAMEWORK.

SO, UH, I BELIEVE, AND WE'LL, YOU KNOW, UH, CERTAINLY ACCEPT CORRECTION FROM BUDGET OR CONTRACTING IF NEEDED THAT WE WOULD NEED AS A CITY TO ACCEPT THOSE FUNDS BEFORE WE WERE ABLE TO ISSUE THE CONTRACTS.

RIGHT.

AND ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT HAVE COME ONLINE FROM THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION REGARDING HOMELESSNESS THAT WE WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR? SO THERE ARE FUNDS THAT HAVE COME A COUPLE COME TO MIND.

ONE IS THAT THE HOME ARPA DOLLARS, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AS PART OF OUR OVERALL FRAMEWORK AND DISCUSSED YESTERDAY AT THE HOUSING COMMITTEE WAS IN THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, BUT IT WAS A DIRECT ALLOCATION TO HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENTS, UH, AND THAT'S $11.4 MILLION.

SO, UM, WE, UH, HOUSING AND PLANNING IS IN THE PROCESS OF, UH, FORMALLY REQUESTING THOSE FUNDS AND LAYING OUT THEIR PLAN FOR USING THEM.

SO WE WOULD ANTICIPATE THOSE FUNDS, I BELIEVE BEING ACTUALLY RECEIVED IN THE FALL, ERIC AND RESCUE PLAN ACT ALSO PROVIDED SOME ADDITIONAL VOUCHERS THROUGH OUR HOUSING AUTHORITIES, WHICH WE'VE BEEN LEVERAGING.

UM, THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT COME TO MIND RIGHT NOW, COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT WONDERFUL.

THANK YOU, PENS MEMBER KITCHEN.

THANK YOU.

AND ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR JUST AMAZING WORK WITH HEAL.

VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.

UM, SO ONE QUESTION THEN I JUST HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.

SO, UM, THE, IN THE ENROLLMENT, IN THE PERMANENT HOUSING PROGRAM, WHICH I THINK IS AT 65% NOW, AND YOU EXPLAINED WHY, SO I I'M ASSUMING THAT WE SHOULD BE RUNNING AT A HUNDRED PERCENT ALL THE TIME.

WELL, I WOULD SAY, LET ME, LET ME CLARIFY.

I DON'T MEAN AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE COMING IN, BUT I GUESS WHAT I MEAN IS A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE THAT IN THAT COME IN THROUGH THE BRIDGE SHELTER SHOULD BE ENROLLED IN A, IN A HOUSING PROGRAM.

THAT'S CORRECT.

OKAY.

UM, AND THEN GOING FROM A HOUSING PROGRAM INTO SOME SORT OF PERMANENT HOUSING, A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THOSE THAT COME THROUGH HEAL SHOULD HAVE DOLLARS ATTACHED TO THEM TO GO ON TO, UM, THERE, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S, WHAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR THEM IN TERMS OF APPROPRIATE, UH, PERMANENT HOUSING, RIGHT? YES.

AND THANK YOU.

MAY I CLARIFY MEMBER, I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP BECAUSE WHEN I SAY ENROLLED IN A HOUSING PROGRAM, THAT MEANS THAT THERE ARE DOLLARS ATTACHED TO THEM AND AVAILABLE TO THEM FOR THAT ONGOING RENTAL.

OKAY.

SO THE, SO, SO HELP US UNDERSTAND.

AND I, I TH I, YOU KNOW, I COULD NAME SOME REASONS, BUT JUST FOR ALL OF US AND FOR THE PUBLIC, WHAT IS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THAT TIME BETWEEN THEM ACTUALLY BEING IN THE BRIDGE SHELTER, ENROLLED IN A HOUSING PROGRAM AND THEN ENDING UP IN THEIR, IN THEIR PLACE? CORRECT.

IN OTHER WORDS, WHY IS THERE A TIME DIFFERENCE IN WHAT IS HAPPENING? SO, I MEAN, THERE ARE SOME PROCESS THINGS THAT HAPPEN THERE IN TERMS OF GETTING THEIR, THEIR DOCUMENTS IN PLACE, UM, YOU KNOW, FIGURING OUT OF COURSE, WHAT KIND OF WHAT THEIR HOUSING PLAN IS, AS WELL AS, UH, WHAT OTHER NEEDS THEY MIGHT HAVE THEIR CASE MANAGERS ARE WORKING WITH THEM.

BUT I WOULD SAY THE SINGLE MOST, UM, IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTOR TO THE TIME BETWEEN ENROLLMENT AND MOVING INTO A UNIT IS JUST FINDING THAT UNIT, RIGHT.

UM, AND APPLYING FOR, AND BEING ACCEPTED AS A TENANT.

UH, WE HAVE PROVIDERS WHO, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPED RELATIONSHIPS WITH LANDLORDS OVER

[00:15:01]

AND IT'S ALWAYS, OF COURSE BEEN, UH, QUITE A CHALLENGE BECAUSE OUR TENANTS COME WITH NON-TRADITIONAL PROFILES IN TERMS OF THEIR JOB HISTORY, THEIR CREDIT, YOU KNOW, ET CETERA.

OBVIOUSLY THEIR INCOMES ARE VERY, VERY LOW.

UH, THE RECENT CHANGES IN THE RENTAL MARKET HAVE HAD A VERY IMPORTANT IMPACT ON HOW LONG IT'S TAKING US TO FIND UNITS.

AND SO, UH, ON A SEPARATE TRACK, WE ARE MOVING SOME FO TO HELP WITH ADDITIONAL LANDLORD INCENTIVES, UH, YOU KNOW, DOUBLE DEPOSITS, THAT KIND OF THING.

UM, BUT THAT IS A HUGE CHALLENGE THAT WE'RE WE'RE ENCOUNTERING RIGHT NOW.

AND OUR TIME WHEN WE HAD FOLKS IN PRO LODGES, VERY SIMILAR POPULATION, WE WERE AVERAGING AROUND 90 DAYS FROM ENROLLMENT TO HOUSING.

I MEAN, WE WOULD HAVE LIKED TO SEE IN THAT COMPRESSED TO SAY 60, BUT INSTEAD WE ARE SEEING THE TIME EXTENDING FROM THAT SORT OF AVERAGE OF 90 DAYS AT PRESENT.

OKAY.

SO THAT'S NOT BECAUSE THERE'S NOT MONEY AT, IN OTHER WORDS, THEY'VE GOT MONEY TO PAY, UH, FOR, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL HAS MONEY TO PAY FOR A UNIT.

THE PROBLEM IS FINDING A UNIT, RIGHT? IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT BECAUSE THERE'S UNITS OUT THERE THAT WE CAN'T AFFORD.

RIGHT.

IT'S JUST THAT THERE AREN'T UNITS OUT THERE.

SO THERE ARE S THERE, THERE IS SOMETHING TO THE AFFORDABILITY BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SOME LIMITS AS TO THE AMOUNT OF, OF RENT WE CAN PAY, YOU CAN IMAGINE.

UM, BUT IT IS LARGELY YES, FINDING THOSE UNITS THAT SORT OF FALL WITHIN WHAT WE WOULD CONSIDER A RENT REASONABLE LEVEL.

UH, AND THEN, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, UH, AT PRESENT LANDLORDS REALLY DO HAVE A LOT OF CHOICE AND A LOT OF COMPETITION FOR EVERY SINGLE UNIT.

AND THAT'S BEING EXPERIENCED, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE POPULATION OF PEOPLE, LOOKING FOR RENTAL HOUSING, YOU KNOW, WITH A HISTORY OF HOMELESSNESS OR NOT.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

UH, AGAIN, I WANT TO EXPRESS APPRECIATION FOR THE WAY THAT YOU'RE ROLLING OUT THE HEAL PROGRAM.

UM, OBVIOUSLY HE ISSUE IN OUR COMMUNITY AS PEOPLE LOOK AROUND AND SEE PEOPLE INTENSE, AND THEY WANT US TO BE DOING AS A COMMUNITY, UH, TO BE DOING A BETTER JOB.

UH, AND WE SHOULD NEVER BE SATISFIED AS LONG AS WE SEE PEOPLE IN TENTS, WE NEED TO GET THEM OUT OF TENTS AND INTO BETTER, SAFER PLACES, UH, WITH THE SERVICES THAT THEY, THAT THEY NEED.

SO I APPRECIATE THIS WORK, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S TAKING A LONG TIME, UH, TO DO THIS.

PEOPLE WOULD LIKE, AND I WOULD LIKE US JUST TO BE ABLE TO DO IT OVERNIGHT, NOT GONNA WORK THAT WAY.

COURSE IT TOOK US A LONG TIME TO GET HERE.

IT'S GONNA TAKE A WHILE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT.

AND, UH, I APPRECIATE THAT.

WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT A KIND OF, UH, A THREE-YEAR TIMEFRAME TIMEFRAME UNDER THE FINDING HOME ATX TO REALLY BE ABLE TO MOVE THROUGH THE HEAL PROCESS, TO GET PEOPLE, UM, AND GET, UH, ALMOST EVERYBODY, UH, INTO A BETTER PLACE.

AND HAVEN'T DONE A SYSTEM THAT OPERATES, UH, AT THAT KIND OF EQUILIBRIUM POINT.

UM, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE HARD BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, BECAUSE WE SEE THE NEED AND WANT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

UM, I APPRECIATE THAT.

WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO IS HARD, ESPECIALLY IN A MARKET WITH RAPIDLY RISING HOUSING PRICES AND LIMITED SUPPLY.

UH, BUT THAT'S WHY HOMELESSNESS IS A CHALLENGE FOR US THAT IF WE DON'T FIX NOW OR IS GOING TO OVERWHELM US IN SIX TO EIGHT YEARS FOR THE POSTER CHILD FOR A RISING HOUSING COSTS AND LESSENING SUPPLY, WHICH IS ONE OF THE SINGLE BIGGEST DRIVERS FOR EXPANDING POPULATIONS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.

SO I APPRECIATE THE WORK, WE JUST HAVE TO STAY STEADY, UM, AND, UH, MAKE SURE THAT THEY EMERGENCY STUFF WE'RE DOING IS AT SCALE TO THE OTHER PARTS OF THE SYSTEM, SO THAT WE MOVE SOMEONE INTO AN EMERGENCY SHELTER, BUT ALSO HAVE THEM ON A TRACK AS HEALED AS INTO ACTUAL HOUSING.

SO I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING.

I WE'RE, WE'RE HEARING A LITTLE BIT INCREASED, UH, UH, COMMUNICATION FROM PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE, UH, APPLAUDING OUR ABILITY TO BEGIN TO, TO CLOSE DOWN SOME ENCAMPMENTS AND MOVE PEOPLE INTO HOUSING THAT ARE ANNOUNCING PEOPLE MOVING BACK INTO THOSE SAME PLACES.

UH, AND ONE OF THE TENANTS IN HERE WAS THAT WHEN WE CLEARED A PLACE, THAT WOULD BE A PLACE THAT WE WOULD NOT BE HAVING PEOPLE MOVE BACK TO.

CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT FOR A SECOND? SURE.

AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO, UM, REMIND FOLKS THAT, UH, CITYWIDE OF THE ENCAMPMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN CLEARED HEAL IS A S IS A SMALL MINORITY OF THOSE, RIGHT? MOST OF THE ENCAMPMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN CLEARED HAVE BEEN CLEARED WITHOUT DIRECT ACCESS TO SHELTER AND HOUSING.

AND WHAT WE REALLY WANT IS TO SEE THAT PROPORTION INCREASE.

UM, SO MOST OF THE ENCAMPMENTS THAT HAVE

[00:20:01]

NOW THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT HASN'T HAPPENED AT ALL, OR IT WON'T CONTINUE TO HAPPEN.

AND IT IS A CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING WITH OUR PUBLIC SPACE PARTNERS, KIND OF LOOKING AT THEIR RESOURCES, THE STAFF AVAILABLE TO DO THIS WORK AND HOW WE BALANCE GOING INTO NEW ENCAMPMENTS, YOU KNOW, INTERVENING IN, UM, OR EXCUSE ME, GOING INTO EXISTING ENCAMPMENTS AND IMBALANCING THE ENERGY THAT IT TAKES TO ENSURE THAT THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN RESOLVED STAY THAT WAY.

OKAY.

SO I GUESS WE'RE, AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND TOO.

AND I APPRECIATE YOU POINTING THAT OUT, THAT, THAT, THAT WE ARE INTERVENING IN, IN CAMERAS IN TWO DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. THERE'S THE HEAL PROGRAM, WHICH IS WHEN WE INTERVENE, WE'RE PUTTING PEOPLE ON A HOUSING TRACK, THEY'RE BEING MOVED OUT AND THOSE PEOPLE, MOST OF THEM ARE STAYING OFF THE STREETS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE HOUSING PROCESS.

WE ALSO HAVE SUMMER CAMP BEDS THAT WE'RE INTERVENING IN JUST PURSUANT TO THE, THE PROPOSITION THAT WAS PASSED THAT SAID THAT WE WOULD INTERVENE IN ENCAMPMENTS, BUT WHEN WE INTERVENE IN CAMPUS AND CLOSE THEM DOWN WITHOUT THE HOUSING COMPONENT OF THAT, UM, THOSE ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE REOCCUPIED.

OKAY.

I UNDERSTAND WHY THAT HAPPENS.

PLEASE CONTINUE THE WORK, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO TRY TO BUILD OUT THIS THREE-YEAR PROGRAM TO, TO GET US TO A REALLY GOOD PLACE AND, UH, APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'RE DOING.

THANK YOU.

YEAH.

SOME QUESTIONS.

AND THEN WE'LL CIRCLE BACK AROUND TO YOU COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.

UM, YES.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR THIS REALLY, FOR THE TREMENDOUS WORK, THE TREMENDOUS RESULTS AND THE PRESENTATION, AND CONTINUING TO BRIEF OUR, OUR COMMITTEE, UM, ON THESE ISSUES, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS AND THEN ONE THAT SORT OF CIRCLES BACK AROUND TO WHAT MAYOR ADLER WAS ASKING ABOUT.

SO WITH REGARD TO THE HILL, UM, DEMOGRAPHICS ON PAGE FOUR, I I'M AFRAID I MISSED THE INTRO TO WHAT YOU SAID ARE THOSE THE OVERALL HEEL THAT'S DEMOGRAPHICS, OR JUST THE ONES FROM THE LAST TWO OVERALL.

AND WOULD YOU SAY THAT THE LAST TWO, YOU DID COMMENT SPECIFICALLY ON THE LAST TWO, AND I WASN'T SURE THAT I CAPTURED WHAT, WHETHER THAT, WHETHER THE LAST TWO WERE IN LINE WITH THIS, OR YOU WERE JUST SAYING THESE INCLUDED THE LAST, I THINK THAT THE NUMBERS HAVE SHIFTED A BIT NOT DRAMATICALLY BECAUSE OF COURSE THAT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, ONLY ABOUT 15% OF THE OVERALL FOLKS SERVED.

UM, WE DO SEE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT DIFFERENCES BY ENCAMPMENT.

ABSOLUTELY.

UH, BUT OVERALL THE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN TRACKING RELATIVELY CONSISTENTLY.

WE DID HAVE A SLIGHTLY LOWER ACCEPTANCE RATE AT ONE OF OUR LAST TWO ENCAMPMENTS, IF YOU'LL RECALL.

UM, AND I WOULDN'T NECESSARILY EXPECT YOU TO REMEMBER THE NUMBER, BUT WE HAD BEEN RUNNING AT ABOUT A 93% ACCEPTANCE RATE.

AND SO WE HAD A SLIGHTLY LOWER IN AN ENCAMPMENT THAT HAD BEEN IN PLACE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

UM, SO WE'RE STILL AT 90, WHICH IS STILL VERY ROBUST, I THINK.

YEAH, I DO TOO.

AND I THINK THAT REALLY, THAT REALLY HELPS ANSWER ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC A LOT.

RIGHT.

UM, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SHARE WHICH ENCAMPMENT THAT WAS BOLDEN CREEK? THAT'S VERY INTERESTING.

UM, AND THAT LEADS TO ONE OF MY, ONE OF MY QUESTIONS.

SO IN THAT AREA, WE ALSO HAD, UM, AFTER THE ENCAMPMENT WAS, AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS WERE HOUSED THROUGH HEAL, THERE WAS ACTUALLY A FIRE VERY CLOSE TO THAT AREA.

WAS IT IN THE SAME AREA OF THE ENCAMPMENT? AND DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT WHETHER, WHETHER IT WAS INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD RETURNED TO THAT AREA OR SOME OTHER, I, I D I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM AFT AS TO THE CAUSE OF THAT FIRE.

SO I THINK I WOULD WANT TO DEFER TO THEM FOR DETAILS ON THAT FRONT.

SO I, I KNOW THAT WE'VE SENT OFF SOME QUESTIONS TO VARIOUS FOLKS ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE WE'VE GOTTEN QUESTIONS OURSELVES ABOUT, FROM NEIGHBORS ABOUT WHAT, WHAT HAPPENED THERE.

UM, I KNOW THAT THERE IS SOMETIMES A PERIOD AND IN IN FACT WE HAD BEEN NOTIFIED THAT THERE WOULD BE A PERIOD OF SEVERAL WEEKS BEFORE THAT ENCAMPMENT WAS CLEARED, EVEN AFTER INDIVIDUALS CORRECT.

UM, HAD BEEN, HAD BEEN HOUSED IN BRIDGE SHELTER.

AND SO I, I DON'T KNOW, I BELIEVE IT FELL WITHIN THAT PERIOD.

SO TO YOUR, YOU KNOW, TO THE POINT THAT YOU WERE RAISING MAYOR ABOUT WHAT WE DO WITH ENCAMPMENTS AFTERWARD, IT WOULD SEEM TO ME, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS AN ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE ABOUT WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT AND HOW SOON THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN BECAUSE IT, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW, BUT I DO KNOW, I MEAN, WHAT I DO KNOW, UM, AS OBSERVABLE FACT IS THAT THERE WAS A FIRE IN THAT ENCAMPMENT AREA VERY, VERY SOON, I THINK WITHIN A WEEK, UM, AFTER THAT ENCAMPMENT, AFTER THOSE INDIVIDUALS WERE HOUSED THROUGH HEAL.

SO, UM, AND, AND THAT KIND OF LEADS ME TO MY NEXT QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE HAVE CHARGED THE MANAGER WITH REALLY DEVELOPING THAT STREAMLINED PUBLIC SPACE TEAM SO THAT IT'S NOT JUST FALLING ON THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, UH, TO MANAGE A LOT OF THAT WHEN IT'S ON PARKLAND AND IT'S NOT JUST FALLING

[00:25:01]

I'VE HAD SEVERAL SITUATIONS RECENTLY WHERE WE'RE, UM, UM, WELL, LET ME JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST ONE SITUATION WHERE THE PARKS DEPARTMENT RESPONDED, BUT THEY DIDN'T INVOLVE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHICH NEEDED TO BE RESPONDED, NEEDED TO BE INVOLVED IN THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE LEVEL OF RISK.

AND SO WE'RE REALLY IN NEED OF THAT.

JUDY, CAN YOU GIVE US A TIMELINE FOR SURE.

SO, UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY HAVE WORK GROUPS WORKING ON THAT FRONT AND ABSOLUTELY INCLUDES PARD AFD, APD, UM, UH, RESOURCE RECOVERY, PUBLIC WORKS, ALL OF THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS THAT MAY TOUCH IN A SUBSTANTIAL WAY, A PARTICULAR LOCATION EITHER BECAUSE THEY'RE THE LANDHOLDING DEPARTMENT, OR BECAUSE THERE ARE SERVICES, CLEANUP SERVICES, ET CETERA, THAT MIGHT BE NEEDED ON THE SITE.

AND SO THE, THE SEQUENCING QUESTION IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT.

UM, WE KNOW, AND IN MOST CASES WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO A CLEANUP, UM, OF THE SITE VERY SOON AFTER EITHER HEAL RELOCATION OR ENFORCEMENT HAS OCCURRED.

BUT, YOU KNOW, AS I'VE REPORTED TO COUNCIL PREVIOUSLY WHERE WE ARE STRAINING THE RESOURCES OF THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, UH, AND, AND SO I THINK THAT, UM, I WANT TO, UH, CHECK WITH, UH, OPM OFFICE OF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT.

WE MAY BE ABLE TO GIVE AN UPDATE.

I DON'T THINK WE'LL BE FINISHED, UH, BY MAY, BUT I THINK THAT WE WOULD BE IN A POSITION TO GIVE COUNCIL A SENSE OF WHERE WE ARE, WE'RE WORKING ON A SIMILAR PRIORITIZATION, UH, THAT AS THAT, THAT WE'VE USED WITH HEAL BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF ENCAMPMENTS.

AND SO IN TERMS OF IDENTIFYING THOSE ENCAMPMENTS WHERE WE REALLY NEED TO BRING ALL OF THE RESOURCES OF THE ENTERPRISE TO, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A WAY, UM, TO, TO TRIAGE THOSE AND MAKE DECISIONS.

AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER OF THE PRIMARY TASKS OF THE GROUP THAT IS WORKING.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I DO THINK IT, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT.

AND I WOULD ASK MAYOR IF WE COULD HAVE AN UPDATE ABOUT THAT AT OUR WORK SESSION, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WE NEED TO PROBABLY DO BETTER AS COUNCIL OFFICES IS COMMUNICATING WITH THE, IT'S NOT ALWAYS CLEAR WHO TO COMMUNICATE WITH.

YOU KNOW, WE COMMUNICATE IN MY OFFICE A LOT THROUGH THE CALF PROCESS BECAUSE WE HAVE JUST VOLUMES OF CONSTITUENT EMAILS COMING IN ALL THE TIME ABOUT OFFENSIVE ISSUES.

AND SO THAT'S KIND OF THE MOST TIME EFFICIENT WAY FOR US TO COMMUNICATE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IN IT, IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE THAT I'M DESCRIBING WHERE WE HAD REPORTS THAT THERE, THAT THERE WERE, UM, INDIVIDUALS WITH GASOLINE IN AN AREA WHERE IT COULD BE PRONE TO FIRE AND THEY, AND THEY HAD WITNESSED, UM, GASOLINE.

RIGHT.

UM, WHAT'S THE WORD CANS.

THANK YOU.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE COMMUNICATED WITH PART WHEN PERHAPS WE SHOULD HAVE COMMUNICATED WITH FIRE, BUT WE NEED, I THINK THE COUNCIL GENERALLY NEEDS TO SORT OF HAVE TO KNOW WHO THE ONE STOP SHOP IS.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO BE COMMUNICATING WITH YOU BECAUSE I THINK YOU HAVE A RANGE OF ISSUES TO DEAL WITH, AND MAYBE YOU'RE NOT THE FIRST AND I DO ON THOSE ISSUES, BUT WE DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHO THE FIRST CALL IS.

TONS OF HOPE TO DO IS TO MAKE IT A LOT CLEARER KIND OF WHAT THAT INFORMATION FLOW SHOULD LOOK LIKE.

OKAY, GREAT.

WELL, I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT AND THEN I THINK I HAVE ONE LAST QUICK QUESTION.

SO BACK TO THE, OH, YOU'RE ASKING FOR KIND OF A BRIEFING ON, ON WHERE COUNSELING AND COMMUNITY SHOULD GO IN THAT INFORMATION FLOW.

UM, REALLY ASKING THE MANAGER TO REPORT BACK ON THE PROCESS OF THIS STREAM ON WHERE WE ARE IN THE STREAMLINING OF THE PROCESS OF MANAGING THIS.

AND, AND, AND AS A PART OF THAT, WHAT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES DO YOU NEED? YOU KNOW, WE DO, WE DO HAVE OUTSIDE CONTRACTS, AS I KNOW, ALL OF US KNOW, UM, TO HELP WITH THOSE ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS, ARE THOSE DOING THE JOB OR ARE WE STILL, AS YOU MENTIONED, STRAINING THE RESOURCES OF ALL OF OUR INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I KNOW THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR A LONG TIME IS HOW TO STREAMLINE THAT PROCESS AND WITH AN INTERDEPARTMENTAL APPROACH.

AND I THINK WE NEED AN UPDATE ON KIND OF WHERE THEY ARE AND HOW, HOW QUICKLY THAT WILL REALLY BE IN PLACE, WHICH WILL TELL US KIND OF HOW, HOW, AND WHO WE NEED TO COMMUNICATE WITH AS COUNCIL, THE PROCESS OF WHAT YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ACTUALLY GET THE BRIEFING THAT WE, THAT WE WANT.

SO ARE YOU ASKING FOR KIND OF A REPORT ON, ON A CAMPSITE INTERVENTION GENERALLY AND HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS? ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A MORE SPECIFIC INFORMATION FLOW KIND OF IN THIS PARTICULAR CHALLENGE, FOR EXAMPLE, AND, AND, AND HOW THOSE ARE BEING RESOLVED AND HOW DOES THE COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY RAISE THEM MORE OF THE FORMER? I THINK THERE WAS A PRESENTATION THAT I THINK WE HAD MAYBE HERE OR IN OUR LAST BIG WORK SESSION, MAYBE IT WAS IN OUR LAST BIG WORK SESSION CONVERSATION.

AND THERE WERE SEVERAL PAGES ABOUT THE STREAMLINED PUBLIC PROCESS, I'M SORRY, THE STREAMLINED PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT TEAM AND IT'S THAT, BUT I THINK WE REALLY NEED, YEAH, COULD, COULD I, COULD I, WHILE Y'ALL WERE TALKING ABOUT, I THINK IT'S A, AND SO MAYOR AND ASKING FOR THAT, UH, BRIEFING, UM, I AGREE WITH WHAT, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TOBA WAS ASKING FOR.

I THINK IT WILL BE IMPORTANT TO, UH, DIFFERENTIATE

[00:30:02]

AND, UM, I THINK THAT ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES FOR THAT IS IT'S MULTIPLE CHALLENGES, BUT WHEN, WHEN WE GET, WHEN WE GET A BRIEFING ON THIS, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THE TWO, BECAUSE THEY ARE DIFFERENT.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS TO UNDERSTAND AS PART OF THIS, ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES IN THE PLACE-MAKING PIECE, AND BY PLACEMAKING, WHAT I MEAN IS NOT JUST CLEAN UP, I'M TALKING ABOUT HOW IS THAT PLACE RECONFIGURED, SO THAT IT IS A, UH, A MORE OF AN COMMUNITY ASSET IN TERMS OF ITS USE.

AND PART OF OUR CHALLENGES WITH PLACEMAKING HAVE BEEN, AND I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH ATD ON PLACE-MAKING AS, AS WELL AS WITH, UM, THAT DIANA SHOP PART OF THE CHALLENGE, THERE IS, UM, BOTH A CHALLENGE AND AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE NEED TO TAKE SOME MORE ADVANTAGE OF, OR FIGURE OUT HOW TO IS THAT A NUMBER OF THOSE LOCATIONS ARE NOT OUR PROPERTY.

THEY ARE UNDER OVERPASSES AND THEY ARE TECH STOCK CONTROL PROPERTY.

SO TXDOT HAS SOME CHALLENGES IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY CAN, UM, AUTHORIZE.

AND SO I THINK THAT SOME EFFORTS IN THERE I'D LOVE YOUR ASSISTANCE WITH THIS AND YOURS TOO, COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO PART OF OUR CHALLENGE IS, IS WORKING WITH TXDOT TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE WE'RE, WHERE THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THEY WANT TO BE PARTNERS, BUT WHERE THEY CAN BE MORE PARTNERS WITH US WITH HEAL IN PARTICULAR, SO THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH A PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING THE HEAL LOCATIONS, UM, OFFERING FOLKS BRIDGE SHELTER, OFFERING THEM HOUSING, BUT AT THE SAME TIME ALSO DOING THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN THAT LOCATION SO THAT IT BECOMES PLACEMAKING NOT JUST CLEAN UP.

SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE, I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT'S A HELPFUL DISTINCTION.

I WOULD SAY IT PROBABLY DEPENDS ON THE ENCAMPMENT, YOU KNOW, IN ONE OF THE HILL LOCATIONS THAT WE JUST DISCUSSED THE WEST BOLDEN CREEK GREENBELT.

I'M NOT SURE, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK IN THAT ERA, THAT THE SOLUTION TO THAT IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S REALLY CLEAN UP IN THAT AREA OR BECAUSE IT'S, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, A GREEN BELT RATHER THAN AN OVERPASS, BUT IN ANY CASE, I THINK THAT'S A VERY HELPFUL DISTINCTION.

AND WE CAN ADD, PLEASE INCORPORATE THAT AS WELL.

LET ME SPEAK TO THAT FOR A SECOND.

UH, GREENBELTS ARE, PLACEMAKING ALSO, SO IN THE TERMS THAT I'M USING YOU RIDE, I MEAN, IT'S A DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT SET OF, UM, SET OF SOLUTIONS AND IT'S DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THE GREENBELT, BUT IT STILL PLAYS MAKING SURE, I GUESS I'M JUST POINTING OUT THAT IT IS, IT IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE DIFFERENT AND THE PARTNERS ARE GOING TO BE DIFFERENT AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.

IT'S REALLY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IN THIS CASE.

THE COMMUNITY HAS TAKEN ON A LOT OF THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR, FOR THAT GREEN BELT AND, AND REALLY IT IS MORE OF A CLEANUP AND, UH, FIGURING OUT HOW TO KEEP FOLKS FROM COMING BACK TO THAT AREA, UM, THAN IT MIGHT BE AT AN, AT AN UNDERPASS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

WELL, BUT WHEN I USE THE TERM PLACEMAKING, I AM, WHAT I MEAN IS NOT JUST A CLEANUP.

WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS THINKING ABOUT HOW THE SPACE IS USED.

I TOTALLY, I WE'RE IN VIOLENT AGREEMENT, NEVER KITCHEN.

I JUST I'M POINTING OUT THAT IT'S GOING, THAT THE SOLUTIONS ARE GOING TO BE DIFFERENT IN DIFFERENT.

I MEAN, OUR HEAL LOCATIONS HAVE BEEN JUST VERY, VERY DIFFERENT KINDS OF PLACES.

UM, WELL, I I'VE HAD HEALED LOCATIONS IN THE GREENBELT TOO, SO, UM, SO I, I GET WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, SO, OKAY.

SO LET ME, UM, MOVE ON TO MY LAST QUESTION.

AND THEN I THINK I SAW THAT THERE WERE A COUPLE OF OTHER QUESTIONS AND WE'RE, UH, RATHER BEHIND AND WE'D HAVE A LENGTHY CHILDCARE PRESENTATION COMING UP.

SO, UM, LET ME JUST ASK MY QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THE BRIDGE SHELTER OPERATIONS AND THE COORDINATED ASSESSMENT.

SO TO BE CLEAR, SO I UNDERSTAND THE NUMBERS THAT WERE BEING PRESENTED.

DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF HOW MANY, WHAT THE PERCENTAGE, OR COULD YOU PROVIDE US WITH THE PERCENTAGE WHO HAD PARTICIPATED IN COORDINATED ASSESSMENT BEFORE THEY PARTICIPATED IN HEAL? IS THAT A NUMBER YOU COULD PROVIDE US WITH? IT'S NOT A NUMBER I HAVE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I THINK THAT WE CAN, UM, WE CAN EITHER LOOK AT WHAT WE KNOW OR CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE CAN BEGIN TO TRACK GOING FORWARD.

YEAH, THAT WOULD BE INTERESTING.

JUST TO KNOW HOW, HOW MANY OF THE INDIVIDUALS IN ENCAMPMENTS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH ARE, ARE ALREADY, AND I THINK THAT CLEARS MY QUESTION, COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.

I THINK I SAW YOUR HAND UP AND THAT.

NO, NO, THAT'S ALL.

I JUST, I WANTED TO, UM, MY, MY, MY, I WANTED TO COMMENT ON THE PLACE BANK AND I ALREADY DID THAT, SO.

[00:35:02]

WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU TO YOUR TEAM.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR WORK.

OKAY.

[4. Briefing on American Rescue Plan Act funds for early childhood investments and pending unmet needs.]

AND FOR THIS, WE HAVE OUR DIRECTOR DIRECTOR STIRRUP.

UM, WE'RE JOINED BY MAYOR PRO TEM ALTAR.

THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING AT THIS POINT.

AND OUR PRESENTATION IS GOING TO BE DELIVERED BY CATHY MCMORRIS.

SO IF YOU WOULD, AS YOU COME UP, UM, IDENTIFY IF YOU WOULD INTRODUCE YOURSELF.

THANK YOU.

AND WE HAVE COLLEAGUES.

WE HAVE ALLOCATED ABOUT 30 MINUTES FOR THIS ITEM.

GREAT, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER AND GOOD MORNING MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

UM, I W I'M DONNA SUNDSTROM WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, AND I'M ONE OF THE ASSISTANT DIRECTORS.

AND ALSO JOINING ME IS CATHY MCMORRIS.

WHO'S THE VICE-PRESIDENT AT UNITED WAY, AND ALSO REPRESENTING SUCCESS BY SIX COALITION, AND ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE WE HAVE TWO OTHER CRITICAL STAFF WITHIN AUSTIN, PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, UM, CINDY GOMEZ AND RACHEL, RACHEL FARLEY, WHO REALLY FOCUS AND REALLY HELP US MOVE THIS WORK FORWARD.

AND THEN ALSO BROOKE FREELAND WITH THE UNITED WAY, I'D LIKE TO SAY, UM, WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO PROVIDE A, A BRIEFING, A SHORT BRIEFING ON THE AMERICAN RESCUE ACT INVESTMENTS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD.

BUT FIRST I WANT TO JUST SAY THANK YOU TO RECOGNIZING THE NEEDS, AND ALSO PRIORITIZING THIS AREA.

WE WERE EXCITED.

UM, WE WERE ASKED LAST MONTH TO REPRESENT CITY OF AUSTIN AT THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES CONFERENCE AND REALLY HIGHLIGHTING THIS SUPPORT.

AND THEY RECOGNIZE THAT AS BEING A LEADER IN THE COUNTRY OF SEEING THIS AREA BEING PRIORITIZED.

AND SO WE WERE PROBABLY DOING THAT, BUT IT WOULDN'T BE, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THE SUPPORT OF CEDAR CITY LEADERSHIP COUNTY IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO ONE TO START OFF WITH, WITH THE ADDRESSING GAPS IN CHILDCARE FOR FAMILIES, AND THIS IS THROUGH THE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS CAPITAL AREA CONTRACT THAT HAS BEEN EXECUTED THAT HAS WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS SERVICES, OUR WORKFORCE BOARD IN THE AREA.

AND SO IT WAS INVESTING INTO PROVIDING DIRECT CHILDCARE FOR FAMILIES AND ADDITIONAL SEATS THAT COULD PREVENT CHILDCARE DISRUPTIONS AND ALSO MOVE CHILDREN OFF THE WAIT LIST.

AND THEN INTO CARE.

CURRENTLY WE HAVE ABOUT 1700 CHILDREN WHO ARE ON THE WAIT LIST FOR CHILDCARE SCHOLARSHIPS.

ALSO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE ALSO IDENTIFIED THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES, UM, TO REALLY PROACTIVELY ENGAGE WITH FAMILIES WHO WERE ON THE WAIT LIST IN HAVING A NAVIGATOR STAFF THAT CAN REALLY WORK WITH THE FAMILIES TO SEE IF ANY OF THEIR, UM, ANY OF THE CHILDREN WHO WERE ON THE, ON THE SCHOLARSHIP, WAIT LIST WOULD ALSO QUALIFY FOR SOME OTHER PROGRAMS THAT MIGHT HAVE SEATS AVAILABLE, AND WE CAN MOVE THEM INTO THEM QUICKLY INSTEAD OF THEM REMAINING ON THE WAIT LIST AND JUST NOT UNDERSTANDING HOW TO ACCESS SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS. SO WE REALLY TRYING TO LEVERAGE THAT COORDINATION OF CARE, UM, BY SOME FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT NAVIGATOR STAFF THAT CAN REALLY WORK PROACTIVELY FAMILIES.

NEXT SIDE, PLEASE ALSO INCLUDED IN THE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS CAPITAL AREA CONTRACT IS RECOGNIZING THE CHILDCARE ESSENTIAL WORKERS THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC AND THROUGHOUT COVID.

WE ALL KNOW THAT CHILDCARE IS PART OF THE CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND MANY CENTERS AND CHILDCARE STAFF REMAINED OPEN.

AND THIS IS RECOGNIZING THOSE CHILDCARE STAFF THAT IT PERFORMED IN-PERSON THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC AT A HEIGHTENED RISK TO THEMSELVES.

YEAH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

WE'LL TOUCH A LITTLE BIT ON STABILIZING THE CHILDCARE WORKFORCE, THE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, AND REALLY TRYING TO PROVIDE THEM THAT PREMIUM PAY IS AN EFFORT FOR RETENTION OF STAFF.

AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT IN ONGOING CHALLENGES OF CHILDCARE AND THE CHILDCARE SECTOR A LITTLE BIT LATER IN THE PRESENTATION, BUT THESE ARE SOME OF THE EFFORTS OF JUST TRYING TO RETAIN STOPPING.

CAUSE IT'S A CRITICAL CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW THAT THEY'RE FACING.

AND WE'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE STATISTICS A LITTLE BIT LATER.

ANOTHER PART OF STABILIZING THE CHILDCARE WORKFORCE THROUGH THESE INVESTMENTS IS THROUGH PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDCARE EDUCATORS TO FURTHER

[00:40:01]

AND THIS IS THROUGH THE TEACH EARLY CHILDHOOD, TEXAS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

THIS IS LEVERAGING, UM, SOME STATE DOLLARS, BUT THEN THIS IS PROVIDING THE ADDITIONAL WRAPPER WRAP AROUND SUPPORTS THAT THE STATE DOES NOT COVER AND REALLY SUPPORTING THOSE STAFF TO FURTHER THEIR EDUCATION, WHICH IN TURN REALLY, UM, CAN INCREASE THEIR PAY AND THEN ALSO HELP RETAIN THOSE STAFF IN THE FIELD.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

AND THEN STABILIZING PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN.

UH, THESE, UM, THIS EFFORT WITH ANY BABY CAN, IS ALSO AS A RETENTION TO, FOR STAFF WHO ARE PROVIDING DIRECT FACE-TO-FACE SERVICES AND WHO I CONTINUE TO DO THAT THROUGHOUT THE, THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC, AND ALSO REALLY TRYING TO ENHANCE THE OUTREACH PROGRAM AND BRINGING THOSE TO PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS, UM, AND REALLY TRYING TO ENGAGE THEM, GET THOSE FAMILIES BACK ENGAGED WITH READY FAMILIES, COLLABORATIVE, NEXT SLIDE.

AND THEN ANOTHER INVESTMENT IS WITH THE FULL DAY PRE-K.

AND SO THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT, TWO DIFFERENT INVESTMENTS THAT ARE BEING MADE FROM THE RECOMMENDATIONS BROUGHT FORWARD IN THAT IS THROUGH DEL VALLEY ISD OF THE DUAL LANGUAGE FULL DAY PRE-K AND THAT IS UNDERWAY.

UM, AND THERE'S ABOUT 53 STUDENTS WHO ARE CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN THOSE PROGRAMS AND THAT'S EXPANDING ACCESS FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES THAT DON'T QUALIFY BASED ON STATE INCOME, ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES, AND CAN'T AFFORD TUITION BASED PRE-K.

AND THEN ALSO FOR AUSTIN ISD TO EXPAND FULL DAY PRE-K THREE.

AND SO THAT IS PENDING COUNCIL APPROVAL COMING UP, UM, ON MAY 19TH.

AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT OPENING UP THOSE ADDITIONAL CLASSROOMS IN THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.

AND THE NEXT SLIDE, ANOTHER PART OF THE INVESTMENTS IS WITH THE FAMILY CONNECTS FAMILY CONNECTS AS A SHORT EVIDENCE-BASED SHORT-TERM NURSE HOME VISITING PROGRAM.

THAT IS A UNIVERSAL PROGRAM OF OFFERING A NURSE VISIT FOR FAMILIES THAT DELIVER RIGHT NOW, IT'S AT ST.

DAVID'S SOUTH AUSTIN MEDICAL CENTER AND OFFERING THEM A NURSE VISIT ABOUT THREE WEEKS POSTPARTUM AND RECOGNIZING THAT ALL FAMILIES, UM, HAVE CHALLENGES WHEN THEY HAVE A NEW BABY COMING HOME.

AND, UM, THROUGH THESE SERVICES, WE'RE ABLE TO CONNECT THEM TO OTHER RESOURCES, PROVIDE ASSESSMENT EDUCATION ON SITE.

SO WITH THIS FUNDING THAT'S UNDERWAY, WE'RE ABLE TO EXPAND SERVICES INTO ASCENSION SETON, MAINE.

AND SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT PARTNERSHIP AND BEING ABLE TO EXPAND THOSE, UM, THOSE SERVICES TO THOSE FAMILIES THAT DELIVER AT THAT HOSPITAL.

ANOTHER SEGMENT THAT IT HELPS US, UM, WITH THE FAMILY CONNECTS IS PROVIDING DATA AND LOCAL DATA THAT REALLY FOCUSES ON OUTCOMES AND THE EMPHASIS OF RETURN ON INVESTMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, REALLY LOOKING FORWARD IN SUSTAINABILITY AND POTENTIAL BRINGING HEALTHCARE PAYERS ON BOARD OF SUPPORTING, SUPPORTING THIS PROGRAM.

AND SO THIS DAY, THIS EVALUATION WE'RE REALLY HELPING GETTING THAT LOCAL DATA.

IT IS EVIDENCE-BASED.

SO THERE'S ALREADY, UM, THE EVIDENCE-BASED STUDIES NATIONALLY, BUT THEN BRINGING IT TO MORE OF THE LOCAL LEVEL.

AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO CATHY TO TALK MORE SPECIFICALLY INTO THE UNITED WAYS PROGRAMS. THANK YOU, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.

SUNDSTROM GOOD MORNING.

AND, UM, I WANTED TO ECHO, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF CENTRUMS SINCERE THANKS FOR YOUR INVESTMENTS, UM, IN THIS CRITICAL SECTOR.

AND ALSO JUST NOTE AS, AS WE LOOK AT THE EXPANSE OF SLIDES, UM, THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO CAPTURE THAT YOU HAVE INVESTED IN THE ENTIRE EARLY CHILDHOOD ECOSYSTEM AND THEN INVESTING IN CERTAIN AREAS WITHOUT OTHERS CAN HAVE DESTABILIZING EFFECTS ON THE WHOLE SYSTEM.

SO IT'S GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.

UM, I ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AS A SEGUE FROM THE CONVERSATION ABOUT HOMELESSNESS TO IDENTIFY THAT CHILDCARE'S A SINGLE GREATEST COST TO FAMILIES IN AUSTIN BEHIND HOUSING, AND THAT ACCESS TO CHILDCARE CAN ENABLE FAMILIES TO WORK AND STAY IN THEIR HOME SAFELY.

UM, I'M GONNA START WITH DISCUSSING ON THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, THE INVESTMENT TO, UM, INTO OUR PRE-K PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.

THIS WAS AN INVESTMENT THROUGH A CONTRACT WITH UNITED WAY FOR GREATER AUSTIN.

AND NEXT SLIDE, IT'S KIND OF, UM, THIS IS A SUPPORT TO CONTINUE AND EXPAND A PROGRAM THAT IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT ENABLES US TO LEVERAGE STATE PRE-K

[00:45:01]

UM, SINCE 2019, WE HAVE CO-ENROLLED.

AND THAT MEANS ADDING TO THE ENROLLMENT OF AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH IS ALSO A PRIORITY 804 PRE-K ADDITIONAL PRE-K STUDENTS AND LEVERAGE ALMOST $3 MILLION INTO COMMUNITY-BASED CHILDCARE CENTERS AND THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY COULDN'T ACCESS.