[Citizen Homeless Commission on June 8, 2023. ]
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WHERE'S MY MUTE IT? UM, TAKE, TAKE IT RIGHT HERE.
I'M GONNA LOG IN ON MY COMPUTER.
WELL JUST LEAVE IT ON AND JUST USE MY COMPUTER, OKAY? MM-HMM.
I JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE CAN HEAR ME.
IT'S, UH, WELL, IT KICKED ME OUT ON THIS MACHINE.
I'M GOING TO EXIT OUT OF THIS.
THEY CAN ON MINE, BUT NOT ON HERS.
MAYBE START RECORDING ON THIS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
WE, WE DO HAVE THE CHAIR HERE.
WHAT'S IN THE PACKAGE? LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU'RE READY TO DO ROLL CALL.
IT'S SOMETHING YOU PROBABLY DID THAT KICKED ME OUT.
YOU WANNA GO AHEAD AND CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER, PLEASE.
UH, YOU CAN HEAR SOME ACKNOWLEDGEMENT IF YOU'RE VIRTUAL.
CAN YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT? YOU CAN HEAR THE CHAIR? YOU CAN HEAR MY VOICE? CAN, CAN HEAR YOU, ANITA, BUT I CANNOT HEAR THE CHAIR.
WE'RE WE'RE GONNA WORK ON THAT.
UM, THE CITIZENS HOMELESSNESS COMMISSION FOR THURSDAY, JUNE THE EIGHTH WILL BE CALLED TO ORDER AT 3:14 PM BY CHAIR KING AND AGENDA SPECIALIST RENITA GRIGGS.
PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE VERBALLY THAT YOU ARE PRESENT, AND PLEASE KEEP YOURSELF AVAILABLE FOR CAMERA VIEWING.
COMMISSIONER WEST COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER WEST BEITA.
I BELIEVE YOU MEAN COMMISSIONER KEYS HERE, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU MEAN.
COMMISSIONER KEYS, ARE YOU PRESENT? PRESENT AND DRIVING.
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OKAY.ARE YOU TRYING TO GIMME A HARD TIME? UH, NO.
NO, I DON'T WANNA GIVE YOU NO DELAY IN RESPONSE.
LET'S MAKE THIS COMMISSIONER OWENS.
COMMISSIONER HAWK HAWK WILL BE ABSENT TODAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COOPERATION, EVERYONE.
WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T HEAR THE, UH, THE SPEAKER THAT MIKE'S NOT PROJECTING VERY WELL.
WE'RE STILL HAVING A TECHNICAL PROBLEM.
I DON'T THINK THEY CAN HEAR THROUGH ANY OF THESE MICS.
I THINK THEY CAN ONLY HEAR THROUGH THE LAPTOP.
I'M HEARING YOU GREAT RIGHT NOW.
WE CAN GET YOU GET YOU HEARD OR GET OURSELVES HEARD THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE ROOM SYSTEM.
CAN, CAN YOU HEAR DIRECTOR CROSLEY RIGHT NOW? OH, NOW.
THEY CAN'T HEAR US THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE ROOM.
I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW I AM HERE.
I GOT KICKED OFF THE SYSTEM FOR SOME REASON, SO I HAD TO CALL BACK IN.
YEAH, I GUESS THAT'S THE ONLY WAY HERE, HUH? CAREFUL
WE GOTTA GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL TODAY, RIGHT HERE.
IS IS THERE ANY PROBLEM YOU GUYS? YEAH.
CAUSE HE'S, HIS PRESENTATION IS NEXT.
AND SO, GUYS, AGAIN, GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE AGAIN.
I HAVE BROUGHT WITH ME MY CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, AMY JANE, WITH ME THIS AFTERNOON.
Y'ALL MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SEE HER, BUT MY HOPE IS THAT I'LL EXTEND AGAIN, MY INVITATION TO FOLKS WHO HAVE NOT BEEN TO THE CAMPUS.
AGAIN, THE BRIDGE, HOMELESS RECOVERY CENTER, 1818 COURSE OF CAN STREET.
IF YOU'VE NOT BEEN, UM, WE ARE ALWAYS WELCOME TO HOST YOU AND ENSURE THAT, UM, THAT YOU AT LEAST GET A OPPORTUNITY TO MEET MEMBERS OF MY LEADERSHIP TEAM AND CERTAINLY TO SEE OUR WORK WITH OUR GUESTS.
I'M HERE, UM, THIS AFTERNOON JUST BRIEFLY TO OFFER AN INVITATION.
UM, BUT I DID BRING WITH ME, YOU ALL JUST NEED TO KNOW, UM, HOW SIGNIFICANT YOUR WORK ON THIS COMMITTEE IS.
THE FACT THAT THE BRIDGE EXISTS OBVIOUSLY, IS A REFLECTION OF YOUR
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LEADERSHIP.UH, THE LEADERSHIP OF THE FOLKS, THE COUNCIL, FOLKS THAT YOU REPRESENT, AND CERTAINLY, UH, THE SUPPORT THAT WE ARE GARNERING IN THE COMMUNITY.
YESTERDAY WE SAW, UM, OVER 550 CITIZENS ON OUR CAMPUS FOR DAY SHELTER SERVICES THAT REFLECTED OVER 2,500 UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL SERVICES THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DELIVER TO OUR GUESTS WHO ON OUR CAMPUS ARE ABOUT A RECOVERY EXPERIENCE FROM HOMELESSNESS.
AND YOU ALL NEED TO KNOW THAT.
I HAVE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT THE NEED FOR NIGHT SHELTER IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AGAIN, OUR REFLECTION OF THAT NEED IS SEEN EVERY EVENING WITH FOLKS IN YOUR VARIOUS DISTRICTS WHO YOU SEE ON THE STREET, SLEEPING IN A WOODED AREA, SLEEPING ON THE CONCRETE.
AND LAST NIGHT, UM, ON OUR CAMPUS, WE HAVE SPACES, DEDICATED SPACES FOR NEARLY 340 FOLKS.
BUT WE OFFERED IN OUR OVERFLOW EXPERIENCE, UH, SHELTER FOR NEARLY 50 ADDITIONAL PEOPLE.
WHICH REFLECTS I THINK THE INCREASING NEED FOR SUPPORT.
BUT AGAIN, I'M HERE THIS AFTERNOON TO MAKE YOU ALL AWARE OF THE BRIDGE HAVING BEEN IN EXISTENCE NOW FOR 15 YEARS.
WE CELEBRATE, CELEBRATED OUR 15 YEAR ANNIVERSARY, UM, ABOUT 10 DAYS AGO.
AND WE, UH, HAVE MADE PLANS FOR A 15 YEAR CELEBRATION.
AND I'VE BROUGHT, UH, COMMISSIONER KING, UH, INVITATIONS FOR EACH OF YOU, UM, TO ATTEND ARE NEEDED FOR YOU TO GET IT ON YOUR CALENDAR EARLY.
OUR, OUR CELEBRATION WILL BE ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH AT 10 IN THE MORNING.
AND SO, UM, I'M A PERSON WHO'S BEING ON PREPARATION, AND SO I KNOW THAT EACH OF YOU WILL, THERE THERE'LL BE NO EXCUSE FOR YOU NOT BEING ON OUR CAMPUS, UM, TO SEE, UM, OUR WORK.
UM, WE'RE IN WE LOW ZOOM CAMPUS.
THEY'LL HAVE NEW DIGS ON OUR CAMPUS.
AND WE'RE ALSO DOING SOME MAJOR WORK, UM, FOR OUR GUESTS IN RESPECT TO RESTROOMS FOR OUR PAVILION, FOR FOLKS IN EMERGENCY SHELTER AT NIGHT.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT FOLKS COMING TO THE CAMPUS, CELEBRATING WITH US 15 YEARS.
I THINK, UH, SERVICES IN RECOVERING FROM HOMELESSNESS TO OUR GUESTS.
AND THEN, UH, TO SHAKE SOME HANDS AND TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE SUPPORT THAT YOU ALL HAVE OFFERED.
AND SO, AGAIN, UH, YOU WILL BE RECEIVING YOUR INVITATION, BUT AGAIN, WE'RE THANKFUL THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING SUCH GREAT WORK IN TERMS OF LEADERSHIP, IN RESPECT TO MAKING HOMELESSNESS RARE, BRIEF, AND NON-RECURRING HERE IN DALLAS.
I WANNA MAKE SURE CAN, CAN EVERYONE HEAR AN EMAIL? YOU CAN'T HEAR ME? NO.
YOU'RE GETTING PICKED UP ON ANGEL, UH, ANGIE'S MIC.
FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE OTHER ONE IS NOT CONNECTED.
EVERYBODY'S GETTING PICKED UP ON ANGIE'S MIC RIGHT NOW.
EVERYONE AT CITY HALL, THEY'RE GONNA BE TOMORROW BE OKAY.
ARE WE READY TO MOVE FORWARD OR ARE YOU STILL TRYING TO, ARE WE JUST HAVING TO MOVE WITH WHAT WE GOT? SO, YES.
AND I GUESS WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE TO WORK THIS WAY.
AND THE, THE SPEAKERS ARE COMING UP TO THE MACHINE.
SOME, DO WE HAVE ANOTHER SPEAKER? YES.
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THEY CAN, EVERYBODY CAN HEAR YOU.THEY CAN HEAR ME THROUGH THIS.
EVERYBODY'S LISTENING IN ON MY COMPUTER.
LET ME GO AHEAD AND SET UP THE, WELL, IF YOU WALK UP TO MY COMPUTER, OTHERWISE EVERYBODY'S FAR AWAY.
ARE YOU GONNA SEND WHO? I'LL TALK TO YOU.
I'LL TALK TO, I'M DOING A PRESENTATION RIGHT NOW ON MARTIN, LET ME SHARE.
SHE JUST WANTED, SHE'S GONNA SEND SOMEBODY WAIT, WAIT, WAIT.
WHERE'S MY WEBINAR? HERE? HELLO? YEAH.
CAN WE, CAN EVERYBODY SEE THE PRESENTATION? YES.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO, UH, BE PRESENTING TODAY.
UM, I AM THE NEW HOMELESS ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY.
UM, WHO AM I? I AM, UM, SIX YEAR DISABLED ARMY VETERAN WHO DEALS WITH CO-OCCURRING DISABILITIES AND HAVE BEEN SOBER FOR SIX YEARS.
I HAVE EXPERIENCED SIX YEARS OF HOMELESSNESS, UH, AND I HAVE OVER 10 YEARS OF PEER SUPPORT EXPERIENCE AS A CERTIFIED MENTAL HEALTH PEER SUPPORT AND RECOVERY PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS.
UM, THE REASON WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT TO ME, BECAUSE I HAVE LIVED THIS LIFE THAT A LOT OF THE HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS ARE GOING THROUGH DAY, DAY TO DAY.
AND I HAVE SEEN THE STRUGGLES THAT, UM, IT TAKES IN ORDER TO GET AROUND THAT CURVE.
UH, WHAT IS THE HOMELESS ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE? EXCUSE ME.
THE HOMELESS ENGAGE INITIATIVE.
OUR MISSION IS TO SMARTLY ENGAGE WITH THE HOMELESS POPULATION WHILE COLLECT, CONNECTING THEM WITH SERVICES AND PROGRAMS THAT CAN IMPROVE THEIR LIVES.
OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO MAXIMIZE THE CAPACITY OF THE LIBRARY AND THE ORGANIZATION'S ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORTS AND PARTNERS BY INCREASING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT COLLABORATION, HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITIES, AND SUCCESSFUL INTERVENTIONS AND SERVICE PROGRAMS. UH, OUR PURPOSE IS TO ENGAGE THE, EXCUSE ME, ENGAGE THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY HOMELESS OR UNHOUSED AND UNRISKED AT-RISK PATRONS.
PROVIDE THEM WITH EMPATHETIC, YET EMPOWERING PUBLIC AND CUSTOMER SERVICE.
CREATE CITYWIDE ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS, PROVIDE HOLISTIC RESOURCES FOR DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY, HOMELESS AND OR UNHOUSED PATRONS.
HOST PRESENTATIONAL FORMS FOR NEIGHBORING SERVICE PROVIDERS.
PROVIDE PROGRAM ACTIVITIES FOR PATRONS TO RE, TO REINFORCE POSITIVE AND CREATIVE TIME MANAGEMENT.
WE HAVE, UH, A LIST OF PROGRAMS THAT WE HOST AT THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY UNDER THE HOMELESS ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE.
UM, ONE OF THE BIGGEST, EXCUSE ME, ONE OF THE BIGGEST, UM, ONE OF THE CORE FUNCTION OF OUR PROGRAMS IS THE HELP DESK.
UH, WE HAVE THE COFFEE IN CONVERSATIONS, ARTFUL FRIDAYS, POOLING AND WARMING STATIONS, THE CARDBOARD PROJECT ON THE BLOCK PODCAST, WHICH WAS KNOWN AS STREET VO STREET VIEW PODCAST, AND IMPLEMENTED A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM AS WELL AS A MOVIE PROGRAM WITH THE HELP DESK.
THE HELP DESK IS ONE OF OUR CORE FUNCTIONS OF THE HOMELESS ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE.
IT ALLOWS AN ACCESS POINT FOR RESOURCES, TROUBLESHOOTING,
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UH, POINTS OF RESEARCH, RE REFERRAL RESOURCE, APPLICATION CHECKPOINTS, JOB ASSISTANCE, PROVIDE PHONE AND INTERNET ACCESS, EMERGENCY SHELTERING AND SUPPLY, HYGIENIC SUPPLY BAGS, ALONG WITH, UM, THE RESEARCH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS SNAP, TANF, WIC, UH, AND, AND THOSE, UH, ORGANIZATIONS FAR AS SOCIAL SECURITY, UH, BENEFITS WITH OUR COFFEE AND CONVERSATIONS.UH, THIS IS WHERE WE HOST OUR WEEKLY FORUMS WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO PREVENT NEW RESOURCE INFORMATION, HOST OPEN FORUMS FOR UNHOUSED AND AT-RISK PATIENTS TO GATHER SUGGESTIONS.
THIS IS HELD EVERY THURSDAY AT TWO O'CLOCK.
THIS IS WHERE THE NEIGHBORING, UH, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS COME IN TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES, UH, FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT DO NOT OR HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO ACCESS THEM.
UM, HOST ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE HOSTS COFFEE AND SNACKS WHILE ENGAGING WITH PA UH, PATRONS ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE AND AVAILABLE SUPPORTS.
THIS IS EMPOWERMENT THROUGH MEANINGFUL INTERACTIONS AND CONVERSATIONS.
OUR ARTFUL FRIDAYS IS EVERY FRIDAY AT 2:00 PM BY THE USE OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION WITH CREATIVE MATERIALS, PAINTINGS, COLORS, DRAWINGS, AND 3D ARTS.
UM, THIS PROGRAM ALLOWED PATRONS A DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT OPTIONS TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES AND THEIR ABILITIES.
WE HAVE WARMING STATIONS, UH, WHICH ALL 30 OF THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARIES, UM, OPEN THEIR DOORS, UH, YEAR ROUND FOR CONTROLLED TEMPERATURE ENVIRONMENTS FOR PATRONS ARE HOMELESS PATRONS, UH, AND WORKING WITH THE OFFICES OF HOME SOLUTIONS, DOING EMERGENCY, UM, EXCUSE ME, UH, INCLEMENT WEATHER SITUATIONS WHEN NOTIFIED.
WE ALSO HAVE PARTNERED WITH THE CARDBOARD PROJECT IN DDI.
I, UH, THIS IS ONE THING I REALLY, REALLY LOVE, UH, BEING THAT WE ARE GOING INTO A MORE DIGITAL AGE.
UH, THE CARDBOARD PROJECT ALLOWS DIGITAL IDENTIFICATION, ACCESS TO EMAILS, UH, VOICEMAIL SETUPS, UM, AND TO CONNECT WITH EMPLOYERS, UH, THIS DIGITAL ACCESS.
THE D P L PROVIDES LAPTOPS AND HOTSPOT BUNDLES.
THIS IS ALSO DISCOUNTED THROUGH AN INTERNET, THROUGH AT AND T, UH, WHICH A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE HOMELESS DOES NOT HAVE ACCESS TO.
SO THIS GIVES THEM ACCESS TO SOME TYPE OF COMMUNICATION ON A DIGITAL SCALE.
ALSO, THEY HELP WITH SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS.
SOLUTIONS, UH, WITH DART FOR AS RIDE SHARING AND, UH, FREE AUTO REPAIRS THAT WORK WITH HOUSING CONNECTIONS, BOTH IMMEDIATE SHELTER SERVICE AND WORKING TOWARD REGULAR HOUSING.
UH, THEY HAVE A WORK READINESS PROGRAM, RESUME REVIEWS, JOB SEARCH ASSISTANCE, AND EMPLOYER CONNECTIONS.
ALSO, WITH THE FINANCIAL LITERACY, WE PARTNERSHIPS WITH BANKS, UH, ACCOMMODATING TO PEOPLE WITH TRANSITIONAL, UH, PARTS OF THEIR LIFE AND CONNECTIONS TO WORKSHOPS WITH LESSON PLANS.
ALSO WITH THE ESSENTIALS ACCESS TO FOOD, CLOTHING, AND CHILDREN'S SERVICES.
THE PODCAST ON THE BLOCK PODCAST IS A 10 EPISODE SEASON, UH, WHICH WE'RE INTERVIEWING THE DPL L HOMELESS PATRONS.
UH, THIS IS WHERE WE HOST ENGAGING CONVERSATION SEGMENTS, HIGHLIGHTING THE NAVIGATION OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, SOCIAL SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES, RESOURCES, AND EXPLORATION OF FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCES.
UM, THIS IS DEALING WITH YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE ON THE STREET, UH, SERVICE YOU HAVE RECEIVED FROM THE HELP DESK STK OR ANY OTHER SERVICES THAT YOU, UH, THAT WE, AND I SAY WE, BECAUSE I'M A PERSON THAT HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY THIS, UH, THAT WE CAN ACCESS OR OUR EXPERIENCES ACCESSING THESE INDIVIDUALS OR THESE ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITIES IMPLEMENTED AS WELL AS A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM.
UH, YOU CAN WORK UP TO FOUR HOURS A WEEK WITH THIS VOLUNTEER PROGRAM.
UH, AFTER CONSTANT, UH, VOLUNTEERING.
WE DO SUPPLY A, UH, LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION FOR JOB APPLICANTS THAT ARE NEEDING SOME TYPE OF VERIFICATION LETTER, UH, FOR AS CHARACTER STATEMENTS.
UH, WITH THIS ALSO, WE, UM, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE FEATURED, UH, ON THE PODCAST, UH, ON THE BLOCK PODCAST TO EXPRESS YOUR OPINIONS AND, UH, YOUR EXPERIENCES OF THOSE.
ALSO, WE HAVE GAMES AND ACTIVITIES.
THE IDEA IS ENGAGEMENT, RIGHT? SO, UH, WITH GAMES AND ACTIVITIES, THIS ALLOWS ENGAGEMENT WITH STAFF AND OTHER PATRONS, WITH ACTIVITIES THAT THE DPL SUPPLIES, SUCH AS CARDS, DOMINOES, PUZZLES, BOARD GAMES, THREE DS, AND COMMUNITY GAMES.
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UH, THIS IS JUST TO NORMALIZE THEM AND MAKE THEM FEEL THAT THEY ARE A PART OF.ALSO, WITH THAT NORMALIZATION, WE HAVE SATURDAY MOVIES EVERY SATURDAY AT ONE TO 3:00 PM.
UH, THE DPL HOMELESS ENGAGEMENT HOSTS DIFFERENT ARRAY ARRAY OF MOVIES FOR ENTERTAINMENT AND PROVIDE SENSE OF NORMALIZATION WITH OUR UNHOUSED PR PATRONS.
UH, THIS ALLOWS A NONINVASIVE ENGAGEMENT THROUGH VISUAL ENTERTAINMENT.
AND LASTLY, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO PRESENT THIS INFORMATION.
UH, WE WORK AS A 2, 2 2 PERSON TEAM.
MYSELF, ALEXANDER GARRETT, AND, UH, AVERY BARNWELL AS, UH, HOMELESS ENGAGEMENT PUBLIC SERVICE SPECIALISTS.
UH, WE DO BELIEVE THAT WORKING TOGETHER WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES THAT LOT OF THOSE WHO NEED IT THE MOST.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M AVAILABLE.
SO I WANNA, I DON'T KNOW WHERE, WHERE, WHERE SHOULD I FOCUS MY
I'M GONNA TRY TO GET THE, THE, UM, SPEAKERS, CAUSE THE LADY TOLD ME TO TRY THIS.
UH, SO FIRSTLY, UH, LET ME THANK YOU MR. GARRETT FOR, FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST A LOT OF EXCELLENT PROGRAMMING AND THINKING AROUND, UH, THE ISSUE.
YOU CAN STAY RIGHT UP HERE WITH US.
CAUSE I, WE'RE GONNA OPEN UP THE FLOOR, IF ANY, IF ANY COMMISSIONERS HAVE QUESTIONS, UH, UH, I WANT THEM TO BE TO, TO PUT 'EM TO YOU.
UM, SO, WELL, UH, WHAT I'M GONNA DO, I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP TO COMMISSIONERS.
UH, I HAVE A, I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS, SO I'M GONNA RESERVE MINE,
I SEE VICE CHAIR OWENS WITH THEIR HAND UP.
I SEE COMMISSIONER GARNER WITH THEIR HAND UP.
SO WE'LL GO TO VICE CHAIR OWENS AND THEN TO COMMISSIONER GARDNER, VICE CHAIR OWENS, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
HOW ARE YOU? I'M WELL, THANK YOU.
YOU WANNA MOVE CLOSER? YOU TOO.
I JUST WANNA SAY, FIRST OF ALL, I APPRECIATE SO MUCH WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING AT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY, AND I, I JUST WANNA CONFIRM, YOU SAID THURSDAY AT 2:00 PM IS THE COFFEE EVENT? YES, MA'AM.
EVERY THURSDAY AT 2:00 PM TWO TO 3:00 PM AND THEN FRI IT'S HELD IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THEN FRIDAY, THE ART EVENT, WHAT TIME IS THAT? THAT STARTS AT TWO, UH, 2:00 PM OKAY.
SO YOU DO A LOT OF PARTNERING.
I HEARD YOU SAY THAT WITH A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
AND HOW LONG WE TRIED SINCE, I'M SORRY.
I, I'M, I JUST AM VERY BRIEF AND TO THE POINT.
I DON'T NECESSARILY, I'M JUST TRYING TO KEEP IT MOVING SO THE OTHER PEOPLE CAN ASK QUESTIONS.
BUT HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN AT THE LIBRARY? UH, I HAVE BEEN WITH THE LIBRARY SINCE APRIL.
MA'AM, I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU IN PERSON.
UM, THANK YOU CHAIR KING, UH, FOR THE FLOOR, AND THANK YOU MR. GARRETT FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I JUST KIND OF WANNA ZOOM OUT SO I HAVE SOME BROAD QUESTIONS.
UM, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE BRIDGE WAS BUILT AS A MEANS TO, UM, SORT OF GIVE THE DALLAS, THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY A BREAK A LITTLE BIT FROM, UM, DAY SHELTER SERVICES.
AND, UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT YOU'RE PRESENTING ARE, OR DAY SHELTER SERVICES, UM, AND YOU STARTED IN APRIL.
DID, WAS THIS, WAS, THIS FELT TO BE A NEED, UM, TO ADD THIS POSITION AND, UH, BECAUSE, UM, THOSE, UH, THE UNHOUSED WEREN'T GOING TO THE BRIDGE.
UM, AND, UH, ALSO, DO YOU FEEL LIKE THIS COMPETES WITH THE DAY SHELTER SERVICES THAT ARE OFFERED BY THE BRIDGE IN ANY WAY? I DO NOT FEEL THAT.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A COMPETITION.
IT IS, FROM MY STANDPOINT, IT'S ALL ABOUT SUPPLYING SERVICES FOR THOSE THAT NEED IT.
UM, YEAH, THAT GOES BACK TO MY, MY QUESTION.
UM, SO THIS IS A NEW POSITION.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THE VOTERS VOTED, VOTED ON THE BRIDGE DAY SHELTER.
UH, THEY BUILT AS A MEANS TO, UM, SORT OF GIVE THOSE SEEKING HOUSING DAY SHELTER SERVICES ALONG WITH CASEWORK, ALONG WITH THE PLACE TO SLEEP.
AND, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE, UM, SOME OF WHAT IS BEING PRESENTED,
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IT APPEARS TO BE DAY SHELTER, YOU KNOW, PROJECTS AND WHATNOT.UM, SO WHAT THIS WAS, THIS FELT TO BE A NEED SO FAR AS MY UNDERSTANDING, THIS POSITION HAS BEEN AVAILABLE, UH, FOR SOME TIME NOW.
UM, I'M JUST, I'M NEW TO THIS POSITION.
SO, UH, I, I DOESN'T, I DO NOT HAVE ALL THE LOGISTICS OF THE DEMAND, UH, FOR THIS POSITION.
I DO KNOW THAT, UH, WE DO WORK WITH THE BRIDGE.
UH, WE DO PARTNER WITH THE BRIDGE IN ASSISTING HOMELESS, UH, PATRONS DUE TO THE FACT THAT MAJORITY OF THE HOMELESS POPULATION, UM, THEY, THAT THIS IS A, A, A GO-TO POINT FOR A LOT OF THE HOMELESS POPULATION ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY, NOT JUST AT THE CITY, UH, DOWNTOWN CITY LIBRARY, BUT ALL 30 BRANCHES DEAL WITH HOMELESSNESS, UHHUH
AND SO THERE HAD TO BEEN, UH, SOME TYPE OF INITIATIVE THAT WE COULD SUPPLY TO SERVICE NOT JUST THIS LOCALIZED AREA, BUT, UH, THE SURROUNDING, UH, COMMUNITY, UH, AS WELL.
SO IS THIS, IS THIS POSITION IN THESE, THIS PROGRAMMING AT EVERY, UH, PUBLIC LIBRARY IN DALLAS, THEN THE HELP DESK PROGRAM IS ONLY, IS AT THE CENTRAL LOCATION? UH, I AM THE HOMELESS ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR FOR ALL OF THE PUBLIC BRANCHES.
SO THEREFORE, I WOULD, I WOULD BE GOING TO THOSE LOCATIONS TO SUPPLY SERVICES AND, UH, REFERRAL INFORMATION FOR THAT STAFF AT THOSE BRANCHES FOR THE UNHOUSED PATRONS OR HOMELESS PATRONS THAT NEED THAT INFORMATION.
SO YOU WOULD JUST BE GOING TO THE OTHER BRANCHES TO INFORM THEM THAT THERE'S PROGRAMMING AT THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY, EVEN THOUGH, UM, THERE ARE HOMELESS SEEKING PROGRAM AT OTHER LIBRARIES ACROSS THE CITY.
I'M, I'M, I'M KIND OF CONFUSED.
THE PROGRAMMING IS JUST AT DOWNTOWN LIBRARY, BUT YOU GO TO THE BRANCHES TO INFORM THEM OF IT.
IS, IS THAT, IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING? NO, WE, WE WORK, WE WORK ON, UH, THE SHAREPOINT, FOR INSTANCE.
UH, ALL THE RESOURCES I GATHER, I SUPPLY THE OTHER LIBRARIES WITH THESE RESOURCES.
ALSO, I TRAIN THE OTHER RES ALL THE STAFF AT THE OTHER BRANCHES IN MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING, CO-OCCURRING DISABILITIES, UM, UH, EXCUSE ME, UH, CORE CARING DISABILITIES AND HOW TO ENGAGE WITH HOMELESS POPULATION DUE TO MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE FROM THAT.
I, I GUESS I'M JUST KIND OF CONFUSED.
UM, I MEAN, I, I THINK THIS IS GREAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT'D BE GREAT IF THESE WERE ALL OFFERED AT ALL THE LIBRARIES, UM, YOU KNOW, ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS IF, IF WE'RE SEEING HOME, UM, YOU KNOW, UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS, UM, GOING TO THE LIBRARY, WHICH I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND.
BUT I THINK IT'S MORE OF A BUDGET ISSUE, UH, WHEN THE HOMELESS ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE WAS STARTED, UH, AND THEY WERE ONLY GIVEN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF BUDGET, SO THEY CAN ONLY DO A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PROGRAMMING AT THE MOST, UH, NEEDED LOCATION.
AND BEING THAT, UH, MAJORITY OF THE HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS, UH, LOCATE IN THE CENTRAL DALLAS LIBRARY LOCATION, UH, I, I GUESS FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, UH, THAT'S WHERE THE STARTING POINT WAS FROM THAT INITIATIVE.
AND NOW WE'RE JUST, WE'RE, WE'RE STARTING TO, TO KIND OF SPREAD OUR WINGS A LITTLE BIT.
UH, WE'RE SEEING MORE INDIVIDUALS, UH, AND THE, THE ENCAMPMENTS ARE BEING CLOSED.
WE HAVE A LOT MORE TRAFFIC OF UNEMPLOYED, UM, EXCUSE UNEMPLOYED, UH, UN UNHOUSED PATRONS THAT COME TO THE DALLAS LIBRARY.
SO, UH, WE JUST DON'T WANT TO JUST LEAVE THEM IN TURMOIL.
WE WANNA BE ABLE TO SUPPLY THEM WITH RESOURCES THAT, UH, COULD GET THEM AHEAD OF THE CURVE SO THAT THEY CAN FEEL LIKE THEY'RE LIVING A NORMAL LIFE AND NOT JUST SECTIONED OFF FROM THE REST OF SOCIETY.
BUT I MEAN, WE ARE, YOU KNOW, THESE COMMISSIONERS REPRESENT EVERY DISTRICT, AND WE CAN ALL ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT HOMELESSNESS IS EVERYWHERE.
IT IS EVERYWHERE ACROSS DALLAS.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ADVO ADVOCATE FOR IS THAT WE DISTRIBUTE THE RESOURCES ALL ACROSS DALLAS RATHER THAN CONCENTRATING IT IN ONE AREA THAT, UM, SEEMS TO JUST SOLELY FOCUS ON ONE AREA WHEN IT IS EVERYWHERE.
AND THERE, THERE IS A NEED FOR, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS EXPANDING THIS PROGRAMMING, THIS PROGRAMMING TO OTHER, UM, AREAS.
BECAUSE WHEN AN ENCAMPMENT CLOSES, IT'S NOT ALWAYS DOWNTOWN.
OR, YOU KNOW, 35 AND, OR, YOU KNOW, UM, DISTRICT EIGHT, DISTRICT THREE.
UM, SO IT WOULD BE, I THINK IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING TO, AND I, I KNOW I DO HEAR THAT YOU SAID THAT IT, THERE'S LACK OF FUNDING.
WE ALL, WE WERE ALL PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
BUT, BUT ANYWAY, THAT WAS, THAT WAS JUST KIND OF THE BASIC OF BASIS OF MY QUESTIONING IS JUST, UM, ONE, IS IT DAY SHELTER SERVICES THAT WE'RE SORT OF PULLING AWAY FROM THE BRIDGE? UM, AND TWO, UM,
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IS THIS, WILL THIS BE ESTABLISHED EVERYWHERE? UM, AND I, I BELIEVE YOU'VE ANS ANSWERED THOSE QUESTIONS, SO I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, MR. GARRETT.THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER.
CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME? CAN YOU HEAR? CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME OKAY? OKAY.
CAN YOU HEAR? WE HAVE TO PATROL BACK OVER IN THE ROOM.
CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME NOW? CAN YOU HEAR ME ON THE MIC? WE COULD ALWAYS HEAR
BUT YEAH, I THINK I'M STILL NEXT CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE LAPTOP FOR YOU TO PICK UP THAT WAY ALSO.
BUT I, I HEAR YOU ON, UH, ANGIE'S STILL ON AN ANGIE'S, UH, LAPTOP IS LIGHTING UP, SO I'M PRETTY SURE THAT'S WHERE THE, HE'S STILL GOING THROUGH THAT.
WE READY FOR BROWN? WE DON'T HEAR YOU ALL ANYMORE.
I'M READY, BUT I DON'T HEAR ANY OF THEM.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? NOW WE CAN.
SO WE'LL STAY LIKE THIS AND JUST TRY TO SNEAK THROUGH THIS.
IT'S JUST LIKE THE TEMPTATIONS, GUYS.
UM, THE FIRST QUESTION IS, THE LONG-TERM PLAN FOR THIS PROJECT IS TO EXPAND SERVICES INTO THE DIFFERENT BRANCHES AROUND THE VARIOUS DISTRICTS, CORRECT? UH, FAR AS I KNOW, YES.
THE, THE PLAN IS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL BRANCHES HAVE, UH, A MIRROR IMAGE OF THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE AT CENTRAL.
THE ONLY THING THEY DO NOT HAVE IS JUST THE HELP DESK ITSELF.
AND IS THE GOAL TO GET A HELP DESK THERE? UH, I CAN FIND THAT INFORMATION OUT FOR YOU, MS. BROWN.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF, IF A, UH, ACTUAL HELP DESK IS GONNA BE AVAILABLE AT THOSE, AT THE VARIOUS LOCATIONS AROUND THE DISTRICTS.
AND THEN ALSO YOU SAID YOU DO ALSO WORK WITH THE BRIDGE, CORRECT? UH, WE, WE DO WORK WITH D D I N AT THE BRIDGE, YES, MA'AM.
AND THEN CAN YOU TELL ME A COUPLE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU WORK WITH THAT YOU PARTNER WITH FOR OUTREACH? SO, UH, OUTREACH, WE JUST, UH, CREATED PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HUMAN IMPACT, UH, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH A CASE MANAGEMENT PEER SUPPORT, UH, PARTNERSHIP, UH, TO HELP, UH, THOSE INDIVIDUALS WITH MORE LONG-TERM, UH, SUPPORT.
UH, WE PARTNER WITH THE AUSTIN STREET HOUSING FORWARD, UH, AS WELL AS THE BRIDGE.
UH, THERE ARE A FEW MORE PARTNERSHIPS, THE CARDBOARD PROJECT, UH, AND PLEASE EXCUSE ME, BECAUSE I'M STILL TRYING TO MAKE MYSELF FAMILIAR WITH, UH, A LOT OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT, UH, WE DO HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH.
UH, SO THOSE ARE SOME AT HAND THAT I KNOW THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH, UH, WEEKLY.
UH, DDI IS ONE OF THOSE AS WELL.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LINK TO YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS.
UH, ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? IF YOU VIRTUAL, IF YOU COULD PUT YOUR VIRTUAL HAND UP, UH, IF COMMISSIONER YOU HAVE ANY COMMENT? OKAY.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONS WHO ARE VIRTUAL WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM.
UM, SO LET ME SAY, FIRSTLY, I COMMEND YOU ON THE, ON THE PROGRAM HERE AND ON THE FOCUS.
AND I THINK THAT YOU ARE PROBABLY VERY UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO BRING VALUE TO THIS IN A WAY THAT YOU MAY NOT SEE ELSEWHERE.
UM, SO I, I THINK THAT I'LL COMMEND YOU ON THAT.
[00:40:15]
I BELIEVE THEY'RE GONE AGAIN.I WAS GONNA SAY, JUST HAPPEN TO MY PHONE.
IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST GOING TO MUTE GUYS ON THE AUTOMATIC.
SO WE'RE HAVING TO KEEP, CONTINUE TO UNMUTE.
UH, BUT, UH, WHAT I'LL SAY IS THAT WHAT, WHAT I'VE SEEN VERY CLEARLY, WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT MAKES SUSTAINABLE RECOVERY, YOU CANNOT SEPARATE OUT THE CREATION OF COMMUNITY FOR THE INDIVIDUAL.
YOU KNOW, THAT HAS TO BE REPLACED IN THEIR LIFE AND HAVE SOME, YOU KNOW, SOME ELEMENT OF, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY THAT THEY CAN RELY ON FOR SUPPORT.
UH, AND SO I THINK THAT THAT'S A LOT OF WHAT IS BEING BROUGHT TO THE TABLE HERE.
I DON'T THINK WE CAN HAVE ENOUGH OF THAT.
UH, WHAT I WILL SAY, I THINK WHAT YOU HEAR FROM COMMISSIONERS, AND WHAT I'LL ALSO ADD TO IS THAT THIS TO ME SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING, I MEAN, I THINK LIBRARIES ARE VERY WELL POSITIONED TO BE A VEHICLE FOR THIS, AND PARTIALLY BECAUSE OF THEIR DISTRIBUTION THROUGHOUT THE CITY, IN COMMUNITIES THAT MAY NOT BE TOUCHED BY OTHER INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE FOCUSED ON THIS.
AND, AND SO THERE'S A CAPACITY IF YOU HAVE THIS PROGRAMMING THROUGHOUT TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE WITH THIS KIND OF ASSISTANCE AND THE CAPACITY THAT THIS HAS.
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE TURN TO THE LIBRARIES ANYWAY, THEY'RE GOING TO THE LIBRARY CAUSE THAT'S A PLACE THAT THEY CAN GO AND THAT'S SOMEWHERE THEY CAN GO AND BE, HAVE SOME PEACE AND QUIET, UH, UH, AT SOME TIME TO THEMSELVES.
SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IT IS A PROPER FACILITATION, ESPECIALLY AS IT'S GROWN THROUGHOUT THE BRANCHES AND AS IT'S LINKED MORE HEAVILY IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OTHER ENTITIES INVOLVED IN RESPONSE.
AND I THINK THAT'S A CRITICAL, SO FOR EXAMPLE, UM, TO THE EXTENT THAT THESE KIND OF EFFORTS ENGAGE, UH, HOMELESS NEIGHBORS WHO, UM, UH, MIGHT OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, BE IN SITUATIONS TOO STRESSFUL TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM ABOUT A RANGE OF THINGS, THIS BECOMES A PLACE FOR, YOU KNOW, H M I S ENTRY CONNECTION.
UH, SO THAT YOU, YOU TALKING TO PEOPLE WHO ARE UNSHELTERED, ARE THEY IN THE SYSTEM? ARE THEY IN A PATHWAY TOWARDS HOUSING? CAN WE MAKE THAT LINKAGE, THAT LINKAGE IS THERE TO BE MADE.
LET'S MAKE SURE WE'RE MAKING IT.
UH, AND ALL OF THE RANGING THINGS.
I THINK ONE THING THAT YOU SPOKE TO THAT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT IS SOME FOCUS ON INCREASING INCOME BECAUSE WE'VE IDENTIFIED OVER YEARS THAT THAT'S A CRITICAL PROBLEM THAT HAS PERSISTED, THAT REALLY IS PREVENTATIVE OF MOVING PEOPLE OUT OF A E L I OR V L I SITUATION.
AND SO CONTINUES TO PROTECT A STRAIN ON HOUSING AND A NEED FOR, FOR SUBSID SUBSID AS OPPOSED TO PUTTING THEM IN A POSITION WHERE THEY CAN BECOME BETTER EARNERS AND WORK THEMSELVES OUT OF THE SITUATION.
SO THAT'S THE KIND OF CONNECTIVITY I SEE.
THE, THE PROGRAMMING, I THINK IS, IS VERY INSIGHTFUL IN TERMS OF THE FOCUS ON THE ISSUES, UH, UH, AT HAND.
AND I THINK CONNECTING EACH ONE OF THOSE PROGRAMS TO THE LONGER TERM FOCUSES ON THESE THINGS THAT WE FIND WITHIN THE RESPONSE SYSTEM IS CRITICAL.
AND AGAIN, THE IMPORTANT PARTNERSHIP, LIKE I SAY, EXCELLENT PARTNERSHIP, HAVING THE BRIDGE TO WORK WITH IN THE DOWNTOWN SITUATION, UH, YOU CAN'T HAVE A BETTER PARTNER.
UH, BUT JUST EXPANDING THAT OUT, YOU KNOW.
AND SO ONE THING I THINK I'LL, I'LL JUST LEAVE ON THE TABLE AND, AND, UH, SUGGEST IS COMMISSIONERS, THIS IS SOMETHING ESPECIALLY WITHIN THE RELATIVE COMMITTEES WHEN IT COMES TO SERVICES, UH, AND WHEN IT COMES TO UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS AND STREET OUTREACH THAT WE CAN LOOK AT HOW CAN THESE THINGS BE EXPANDED UPON? AND, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S AN ISSUE OF BUDGET, THEN WE CAN LOOK AT THAT AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, PROMOTE THAT, THAT EXPANSION THROUGH EXPANSION OF BUDGET OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
I THINK ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN LOOK TO CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE TO SEE, OKAY, SAY WHAT, WELL, YOU KNOW, WHAT OTHER BRANCHES MIGHT THIS KIND OF PROGRAMING BE MOST HELPFUL AT BASE UPON YOU, DOWN YOU IN DOWNTOWN? BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE SO MANY PEOPLE ARE.
SO MANY PEOPLE ALSO IN, IN DISTRICT SEVEN, FOR EXAMPLE, WE CERTAIN SESSIONS OF DISTRICT EIGHT WHERE THEY'RE PREVALENT.
SO LOOKING AT THOSE AREAS WHERE IT WOULD BE MOST APPLIC APPLICABLE TO EXTEND SERVICES TO THOSE BRANCHES BECAUSE OF THE POPULATIONS RIGHT AROUND THERE.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LOVE TO GET DIRECTLY INTO LOOKING AT.
UH, SO I'LL, I'LL, I'LL LEAVE IT THERE TO SAY, I JUST HEAR A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, BENEFICIAL POSSIBILITIES AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY GREAT, YOU KNOW, FOUNDATION TO BUILD UPON.
UH, HERE, I WOULD LOVE TO JUST CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU AND SEE HOW CAN WE BUILD CONNECTIVITY AND LEVERAGE MORE OUT OF THAT.
[00:45:01]
THIS KIND OF PROGRAM AND FOCUS WHILE WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT IT'S INTEGRATED INTO THE OVERALL RESPONSE SYSTEM SO THAT IT'S BENEFITING, UH, SHELTER PROVIDERS AND THE LIKE, UH, BECAUSE THEIR COMMUNICATION IS GOING ON.UH, SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD, I WOULD SAY, AND AGAIN, I, I COMMEND YOU ON, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A LOT FOR, UH, JUST A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME YOU TALKING ABOUT FROM APRIL.
SO I WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, MAYBE WE CAN EVEN LOOK TO THE CALENDAR TO SEE HOW WE CAN REENGAGE.
UH, PERHAPS THERE'LL BE, UH, RE-ENGAGEMENT THROUGH, UH, COMMITTEES.
LIKE I SAY, I CHAIR THE RACIAL EQUITY COMMITTEE.
THERE'S PROBABLY A COUPLE OF SUBJECTS I'D LIKE TO SPEAK WITH YOU ABOUT A COMMITTEE THERE.
SO WE WOULD REACH OUT TO YOU IN THAT REGARD.
AND I WOULD, I WOULD ADVISE, UM, UH, UH, COMMITTEE CHAIRS AS IT MEETS YOUR PURVIEW TO CONSIDER HOW YOU MAY ENGAGE THAT WITHIN YOUR OWN COMMITTEE AGENDAS.
UH, SO THAT'S ALL I GOT ON THAT.
UH, AGAIN, THANKS SO MUCH FOR, FOR COMING AND PROVIDING US THIS INFORMATION.
THANKS FOR DEALING WITH THE TECHNICAL ISSUES OF THE TODAY.
UH, SO WE WORKING THROUGH 'EM AND KEEP KEEPING IT MOVING FORWARD.
ANY COMMISSIONERS WHO HAVE NOT SPOKEN ON THE ITEM, WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM.
COMMISSIONER COFF, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR AND YOU MAY NEED TO COME OVER HERE.
COMMISSIONER, DON'T GET WE, WE, WE SHOULDER TO SHOULDER TODAY.
UH, MR. GARRETT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND I JUST WONDERED, HOW'S THE RESPONSE, UM, FROM THE PATRONS? ARE YOU GETTING A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING IN AND HOW ARE YOU TRYING TO SPREAD THE WORD? DO Y'ALL HAVE A PLAN FOR, IS IT KIND OF WORD OF MOUTH? SO AT THE PRESENT TIME, I AM UPDATING THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES, UH, SHAREPOINT PAGE.
UH, SO THAT ALL, ALL THE INFORMATION THAT IS BEING IMPLEMENTED IS BEING UPDATED.
UM, AS I WORK GOING FORWARD, UH, HOW WE, HOW THEY'RE RESPONDING TO IT, UH, AND OUR COUGHING CONVERSATIONS FROM MY FIRST COUGHING CONVERSATION, WE HAD LIKE 25, IT WENT TO 50 A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, IT WAS 75.
SO THE NUMBERS ARE STILL, STILL GROWING.
UH, THE MORE SERVICE PROVIDERS WE BRING IN AND ALLOW UN THE HOMELESS, UH, POPULATION TO SAY, HEY, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS AVAILABLE.
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS AVAILABLE.
UM, IN THE HOMELESS COMMUNITY RESOURCES TALK, RIGHT? THEY TALK TO EACH OTHER.
AND SO, UM, OF COURSE THEY, THEY WANT THE FREE COFFEE, THEY WANT THE SNACKS.
BUT THEY GET THE BENEFIT OF HAVING, UH, PROACTIVE SERVICES THAT THEY CAN KIND OF JUST DIVE INTO AND SAY, HEY, I WANT TO BETTER MY LIFE.
AND IT'S ALL ABOUT THE POSSIBILITIES.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WITH MORE AND MORE EVERY TIME WE'RE SPREADING AND ONE, ONE DAY AT A TIME, ONE STEP.
UM, AND SO YEAH, THE, THE LAST THING I THINK I, YOU KNOW, MAYBE POINT OUT IS THAT SINCE THERE ARE REGULAR ACTIVITIES, IT MIGHT BE GOOD FOR COMMISSIONERS WHO HAVE TIME DURING THOSE SCHEDULES.
I THINK YOU'RE PROBABLY GONNA ALREADY GET SOME CONTACT
BUT, UH, IT MAY BE ADVISABLE FOR COMMISSIONERS TO GO AND WITNESS SOME OF THE, UH, PROGRAMMING IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
WE DON'T WANT TO STEP ON, YOU KNOW, MAKE ANYBODY FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE.
BUT, UH, IF WE COULD GO TO ONE OF THE COFFEE EVENTS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, SO THEN, YOU KNOW, I, I ALWAYS SAY IT'S BETTER TO SEE FIRSTHAND WHAT'S GOING ON.
UH, BUT WITH THAT KIND OF A GROWTH AND ATTENDANCE, I THINK THAT WILL CONTINUE.
CUZ LIKE I SAID, THE, JUST THE BENEFIT THAT IT'S PROVIDING PEOPLE WHO, YOU GOTTA REMEMBER WE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION ALL THE TIME, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? AND SO THE, JUST THE RELIEF OF STRESS, OF BEING ABLE TO TAKE A LITTLE TIME TO TAKE THEIR FOCUS OFF OF IT AND PUT IT ON THEIR PERSONAL GROWTH, TO JUST PUT IT ON, LETTING ALL THAT STUFF GO FOR A MINUTE, THAT'S PSYCHOLOGICALLY BENEFICIAL IMMENSELY.
SO, UH, SO I, I'LL JUST SAY THAT, THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT MAY BE A GOOD THING FOR COMMISSIONERS TO, TO LOOK AT.
UH, I THINK I SEE COMMISSIONER SI HAN'S HAND.
ARE YOU WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? COMMISSIONER SHAN? YES.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, YEAH, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
FIRST OF ALL, I THINK THE PRESENTATION WAS REALLY WELL DONE.
AND IT'S REALLY NICE TO MEET YOU AND KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
THINK WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT THE, THE LIBRARY HAS ALREADY A HUGE PARTNER WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS.
THEY, UH, WORK AS A SHELTER IN THE WINTER.
UM, WE HAD IT FULL, UH, RECENTLY, UH, THE LAST BIG, UH, FREEZE WE HAD.
AND THEY'RE ONE OF THE PLACES THAT EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT A DESIGNATED SHELTER FOR THAT PURPOSE, IT'S ALWAYS OPEN WITH AIR CONDITIONING IN THE SUMMER.
AND THAT'S A HUGE THING FOR PEOPLE ON THE STREET.
I, I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE BEING OUTSIDE ALL THE TIME IN TEXAS.
IT JUST WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT.
SO, UM, IF THERE'S ANY, UM, RELUCTANCE TO, TO, YOU KNOW, BRING THEM INTO THE FOLD AS AS A DAY SHELTER, I THINK THAT,
[00:50:01]
UM, I, I DON'T THINK IT'S WARRANTED.SO I SORT OF UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM AND AM, AM REALLY HAPPY WITH THE IDEA THAT, UH, THEY CAN JOIN THE CLUB AND, AND HELP US WITH THIS WHOLE OVERALL PROJECT, CUZ WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME TEAM.
UH, ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WHO HAVE NOT SPOKEN? WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? UH, COMMISSIONER SMITH, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
UM, I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES.
REALLY APPRECIATED THE PRESENTATION.
UH, THE QUESTION I HAVE, WHEN I HEARD YOU MENTION FUNDING, UM, ARE YOU SEEKING OR HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO CONNECT WITH EITHER INTERESTED PHILANTHROPISTS OR CORPORATIONS THAT MAY WANT TO HELP EXPAND THE PROGRAM TO OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S, UH, BEEN EXPLORED OR NO, THAT, THAT'S, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I, I HAVE NOT EXPLORED YET.
UM, BEING, BEING A VETERAN, I TRY TO TAKE ONE STEP AT A TIME, MAN, I, I DON'T, I DON'T TRY TO FIGHT TOO MANY BATTLES AT ONE TIME.
AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT'S ON MY PLATE FOR THIS INITIATIVE.
AND, UH, BEING WITH 30 BRANCHES, THERE'S A LOT TO DO.
AND, UH, I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THE RESOURCES I GET ARE QUALITY RESOURCES AND NOT JUST A LARGE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES.
SO, UM, I'M, I'M KIND OF PACING MYSELF WITH THIS PORTION.
I WANNA MAKE SURE I LEARN EVERYTHING I CAN POSSIBLY LEARN SO THAT I CAN PUT MY BEST FOOT FORWARD AND THEN I'LL EXPLORE THOSE OPTIONS.
UM, WHEN I, I, I GUESS I, I, THE, I HAVE PERMISSIONS TO
BUT, UH, WE CAN KIND OF WORK WITH WHAT WE HAVE, BUT WE ALWAYS UP FOR DONATIONS.
UH, I'M A VET MYSELF AND I APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE AND APPRECIATE YOUR, UH, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER SMITH.
AND I WOULD JUST SAY COMMISSIONER SMITH, TO YOUR POINT THAT I, I THINK HE ANSWERED CORRECTLY REGARDING, UH, THE, THE ISSUES THAT HE'S CONTINUED WITH.
UH, BUT I THINK FOR US, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK AT.
UM, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE IDENTIFY, WE NEED TO GET BEHIND AND WE NEED TO RECOMMEND THAT WE NEED TO DO THAT.
SO CERTAINLY I WOULD SAY THAT THAT'S, THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT, THAT WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT IN COMMITTEE AS WE DRIVE AGENDA ITEMS FORWARD.
AND WE, AND WE PREPARE THINGS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL AND STAFF.
UH, THAT'S SOMETHING, UH, ALSO THAT WE CAN, UH, UH, LOOK AT IN THE GENERAL COMMISSION, UH, MEETING IF WE, YOU KNOW, FORM IT INTO AN ITEM THAT ALLOWS US TO PROPERLY ADDRESS IT.
SO I WOULD SAY I, I'M RIGHT WITH WHAT YOU, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU AT.
UH, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE GOTTA, YOU KNOW, VISIT ALONG WITH, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING ANYWHERE WHERE WE SEE IN, YOU KNOW, PROGRAMMING THAT IS HAVING OUTSIZED IMPACT OR ADDRESSING ASPECTS THAT WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN GAPS IN, IN, IN, IN ADDRESSING THE, THE PROBLEMS AND ISSUES.
I THINK WE GOTTA PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO HOW DO WE SHORE THAT KIND OF STUFF UP.
WE NEED MORE OF THE STUFF WE NEED MORE OF, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE GET MORE OF, AND THAT GOES DIRECTLY TO FUNDING AND EXPANDING THAT OUT TO PHILANTHROPY THAT A LOT OF TIMES JUST WANTS DIRECTION IN TERMS OF WHAT ARE YOU ASKING US TO CONTRIBUTE TO, WHAT'S THE BENEFIT OF IT? THAT KIND OF THING.
AND SO I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S DEFINITELY WITHIN OUR PURVIEW TO LOOK AT AND FORMULATE AND RECOMMEND.
UH, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMENT.
COMMISSIONER SMITH AND ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS THAT HAVE NOT SPOKEN, WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM.
UH, WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD CAUSE WE DID START LATE WITH COM.
UH, GARRETT, MR. GARRETT, THANK YOU AGAIN, UH, FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE.
I THINK THAT WE'LL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH YOU.
APPRECIATE IT FAIRLY CONSISTENTLY, A COUPLE DIFFERENT WAYS.
SO WE'LL BE PREPARING FOR THAT.
BUT, UH, I THINK WE DO HAVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION.
WE WILL, WE WILL DEFINITELY LOOK OUT, LOOK TO REACH OUT TO YOU AND SEE HOW WE CAN INCORPORATE.
I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE ONE OF THE THINGS I'M PROBABLY GONNA REACH OUT AND SEE IF YOU'LL JOIN A COMMITTEE MEETING WITH US.
APPRECIATE ON CERTAIN DIFFERENT SPECIFIC FOCUSES.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR HAVING ME.
UM, I BELIEVE WE WEREN'T, WE'RE NOT FOLLOWING THE AGENDA AND WE HAVE NOT DONE A, IF YOU'RE ABOUT TO MENTION THE MEETING MINUTES, THEN YOU, YOU'RE PULLING WORDS OUT OF MY MOUTH, LITERALLY.
SO THAT WAS THAT, WAS THAT THE ISSUE? THE MEETING MINUTES? YES, SIR.
I THINK WE GOT, WE GOT KINDA SIDETRACKED DEALING WITH THE TECHNICAL STUFF AND, AND KIND OF SKIPPED AROUND THERE.
SO THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE WE'RE GOING.
[00:55:01]
UH, SO WE'LL, WE'LL DEAL WITH APPROVAL OF MINUTES AT THIS TIME.UM, LET ME ASK, DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE MAY 11TH, 2023 MEETING? SO MOVED.
I HEAR SOMEBODY WHO IS IT? SO MOVED.
UH, THIS COMMISSIONER SHALENE.
COMMISSIONER SHALENE, THANK YOU FOR THE MOTION.
UH, DO I HAVE A SECOND? I SECOND THE MOTION.
UH, COMMISSIONER SIJA PROVIDES THE SECOND THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER SIJA.
SO IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED, UH, THAT WE VOTE ON THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
I HAVE SOME, UM, SUGGESTIONS ON THE MEETING MINUTES.
UM, I'VE ALREADY, UM, SPOKEN WITH RANITA ABOUT THIS, BUT I BELIEVE THAT, UM, COMMISSIONER BINOWSKI IS LISTED TWICE AS PRESENT AND AS ABSENT.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, EVERYTHING LOOKED GREAT.
AND I DO WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK, UH, RANITA GRIGGS FOR DOING OUTSTANDING WORK ON THE MEETING MINUTES AS USUAL.
I'M GONNA SECOND THAT, THAT COMMENT ON, ON, UH, MS. GRIGGS, UH, EXCELLENT WORK ON MINUTES AND O MANY OTHER THINGS, A MULTITUDE OF OTHER THINGS.
BUT, UH, SO JUST TO UPDATE THAT, THAT THE, THE CHANGE THAT YOU ARE REFERRING TO HAS BEEN MADE.
WE'RE ALL LOOKING AT A EARLIER VERSION.
IT WAS SENT OUT THIS AFTERNOON.
JUST WHEN WE JUST BEGAN THE MEETING.
SO TO I, I WILL SAY THAT YOUR, YOUR CHANGE IS HAS, IS MADE.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S UP TO YOU IF YOU WANNA, I MEAN, TECHNICALLY IF YOU WANNA PULL THE MOTIONAL, I THINK WE VOTE ON, WE WOULD JUST VOTE TO CHANGE IT.
AND, BUT THAT, THAT'S ALREADY BEING DONE.
SO IF, IF IT'S ALREADY DONE, I'LL PULL THE MOTION.
SO, UH, SO THEN WE'RE BACK TO, IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND INTO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
AND AGAIN, I'LL, I'LL JUST REITERATE THAT THE CHANGE THAT COMMISSIONER GARNER PROPERLY BRAIDS UP HAS BEEN ADJUSTED IN THE MOST RECENT, UH, MINUTES THAT WERE SENT OUT RIGHT WHEN WE BEGAN THE MEETING.
UH, SO WITH THAT, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY, SEEING THAT, I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR MAY 11TH, 2023.
HEARING NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES THE MINUTES FOR MAY 11TH, 2023 ARE APPROVED AS MOST RECENTLY SENT.
THIS IS THE CITIZEN HOMELESSNESS COMMISSION COMMITTEE REPORTS.
AND, UH, WE'LL JUST GO THROUGH IN THE ORDER THAT IT'S IN THE AGENDA.
SO FIRST WE HAVE HOUSING WITH COMMITTEE CHAIR, UH, SHALENE, UH, COMMITTEE CHAIR, SHALENE, YOU DO HAVE THE FLOOR.
UM, SO WE MET THIS LAST MONDAY, FOUR TO 5:00 PM WE HAD, UH, MYSELF AND COMMISSIONER JACOB, UH, IN THE MEETING.
AND, UM, WE REVIEWED THE, UH, SUB OBJECTIVES OF OUR COMMITTEE.
COMMISSIONER JACOB HAD NOT SEEN OR RECEIVED, UM, THE DATA INFORMATION THAT WE HAD RECEIVED FROM THE CITY THAT HAD BEEN REQUESTED BACK IN MAY.
UM, SO, UH, WE'RE SENDING THAT WE'VE REQUESTED IT, UH, TO HAVE OUR DATA BROKEN DOWN BY ZIP CODE AS COMMISSIONER GARNER HAD RECOMMENDED, UH, AT OUR LAST MEETING, UH, SO THAT WE COULD, UM, DO A BETTER JOB OF, I GUESS, UH, DISAGGREGATING, UH, THAT DATA.
AND, UM, SURPRISINGLY, WE HAD TWO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, UH, SHOW UP AT OUR, UH, PUBLIC HOUSING COMMITTEE MEETING, WHICH WAS A, A SURPRISE AND, UH, A LOT OF FUN.
TWO STUDENTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, DALLAS THAT WERE INTERESTED IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, WE'RE SITTING IN A CHICK-FIL-A FOUND OUR, UH, AGENDA POSTED ONLINE AND DECIDED TO MOSEY ON OVER AND SIT IN ON OUR COMMITTEE.
UH, SO IT WAS FUN GETTING TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SOLUTIONS FOR, FOR OUR HOMELESS NEIGHBORS.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S MY REPORT.
IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN THOSE.
THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMITTEE, CHALENE, THAT THAT IS, UH, REALLY NICE.
UH, SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT ENGAGEMENT.
UH, SO YEAH, I'LL OPEN UP TO FLORIDA.
ANY COMMISSIONERS WHO HAVE QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FOR, FOR COMMITTEE.
[01:00:06]
A GREAT JOB.YEAH, AND I'LL, I'LL, I'LL SECOND THAT.
UM, I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST AS WE PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ANY ISSUE WITH DATA, UM, YOU KNOW, LET ME KNOW IF THERE'S ANY WAY I CAN HELP WITH THAT.
UM, NEXT UP IS RACIAL EQUITY COMMITTEE.
UM, SO AS COMMITTEE CHAIR, I WILL SAY THAT, THAT, UH, WE DID HOLD OUR MEETING ON THE, UH, FOURTH WEDNESDAY, UH, LAST MONTH.
UM, WE HAD, UH, COMMISSIONER KEYS, COMMISSIONER BROWN, AND MYSELF IN ATTENDANCE.
UM, COMMISSIONER SANTOS, UH, I DO WANNA SAY WE HAVE, I THINK I SAID THIS BEFORE, BUT I JUST WANT TO SEND CONDOLENCES TO YOU AS WELL.
CAUSE I KNOW YOU WERE DEALING WITH A DIFFICULT TIME.
SO WE JUST WANT TO SAY WE, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU'RE IN OUR PRAYERS, AND OF COURSE, WHEN YOU'RE READY, WE'LL CATCH YOU UP ON THE COMMITTEE WORK.
UH, SO NO WORRIES THERE AT ALL.
UM, SO I WILL SAY WE, WE HAD A VERY PRODUCTIVE MEETING, A EXCELLENT CONVERSATION, AND THE FOCUS THAT WE LOOKED AT INITIALLY, WE LOOKED AT, UH, SOME DATA, HOUSING DATA, UH, AT A STATEWIDE LEVEL, UH, FROM, UH, A SOURCE THAT I THINK IS A, IS A GOOD SOURCE WITH A STRONG METHODOLOGY.
AND SO I'LL JUST PREFACE THAT THE FIRST THING WE LOOKED AT IN TERMS OF DATA, UH, WAS BASED UPON WHAT THE, THE DATA STREAM WERE LOOKING AT THAT THERE'S A, THERE'S A INCREDIBLE SHORTAGE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR E L I AND V L I INCOME LEVELS.
AND OF COURSE, I MEAN THAT TO SAY EXTREMELY LOW INCOME AND VERY LOW INCOME.
AND WHEN WE LOOKED AT THIS AT THE, AT IT, AT THE STATE LEVEL, BASED ON THE DATA WE WERE REVIEWING, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A SHORTAGE OF THE NUMBER OF NECESSARY UNITS FOR E L I V L I HOUSING IN THE STATE BEING WELL OVER 600,000 UNITS.
NOW, WE'RE GOING TO F DO FURTHER WORK TO NARROW THAT DOWN TO THE DALLAS AREA, BUT I FULLY EXPECT THAT THE NUMBERS WILL BE HIGHER IN PERCENTAGE, UH, WHEN WE GET TO DALLAS, JUST LIKE THEY WOULD BE IN HOUSTON, ET CETERA.
UH, SO WE SEE THAT EVEN WHEN WE LOOK AT THE STATE LEVEL, WHAT WE IDENTIFIED IN MEETING WAS THAT WE HAVE THIS INCREDIBLE GAP.
SO EVEN IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE EMPLOYED, WHO CURRENTLY HAVE HOUSING, JUST THE NEED FOR AVAILABLE HOUSING FOR THAT, THAT THOSE INCOME BRACKETS WE'RE, WE'RE SEVERELY BEHIND THE CURVE, THAT IS ONLY GOING TO CREATE PRESSURE ON HOUSING SPECIFIC TO HOMELESS NEIGHBORS.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE ENVIRONMENT WITHIN WHICH WE'RE, YOU KNOW, UH, LOOKING AT THE, THE OTHER RELATIVE PROBLEMS. AND WE WENT ON TO LOOK AT THE CITY'S RACIAL EQUITY PLAN IN MORE SPECIFIC DETAIL.
WE LOOKED AT THE SPECIFIC COMPONENTS THAT RELATE EITHER DIRECTLY TO, TO HOMELESSNESS OR INDIRECTLY, AND WHAT SPECIFIC, UM, UH, INDICATORS I WILL SAY.
AND THESE INDICATORS, AGAIN, IF YOU READ THE RACIAL EQUITY PLAN, I THINK THIS DATA GOES THROUGH 2019.
SO THERE'S SOME UPDATE NEEDED THERE.
UH, BUT THERE, THERE ARE MULTIPLE INDICATORS THAT WERE RESEARCHED TO IDENTIFY DISPARITIES AMONGST ALL OF THESE INDICATORS BETWEEN DIFFERENT RACIAL GROUPS.
SO IT BECOMES AN EXCELLENT TOOL TO SEE WHERE SPECIFICALLY, UH, SAY FOR EXAMPLE, HOME LOAN APPROVALS.
THERE'S A DRAMATIC DISPARITY THERE WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT RELATIVE TO RACE.
THERE'S, THERE'S MULTIPLE OTHER FACTORS THAT GO DIRECTLY TO THE ABILITY TO MAINTAIN HOUSING, UH, WHERE WE CAN SEE THOSE DISPARITIES.
SO FROM THE RACIAL EQUITY COMMITTEE PERSPECTIVE, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THAT TO CREATE A MAP AND FOCUS ON THOSE GAPS.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE NEED TO FOCUS EVEN OUTSIDE OF WHAT MIGHT BE DIRECTLY IDENTIFIED FOR OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTION INDICATORS, FOR EXAMPLE.
UH, WE'LL HAVE MORE DETAIL ON THAT AS WE PREPARE REPORT AROUND IT.
UH, I WILL SAY FURTHER, UH, COMMISSIONER BROWN SUGGESTED AT OUR LAST MEETING, UH, THAT WE LOOK AS, AS AN ITEM THAT WE LOOK AT THE LACK OF FUNDING FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN WHEN IT COMES TO HOMELESSNESS.
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WE DID, WE DID BRING THAT FORWARD AS AN ITEM IN COMMITTEE AND HAD A, AT A DISCUSSION, UH, SURROUNDING THAT.AND I THINK THAT, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE CLEARLY I DID, OH, THERE WE GO.
I CAN SEE MYSELF, OH, THAT'S GOOD OR BAD.
UH, SO, BUT WHAT I'LL SAY IS THAT, UH, WE CLEARLY IDENTIFIED, UH, A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT FOCUSES, UH, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, ZEROING IN ON THE NEED FOR FUNDING ON THE LACK THEREOF, UM, AND ON SOLUTIONS FOR THAT.
IN ADDITION, I WOULD SAY THAT, THAT WE HAD ROBUST DISCUSSION AROUND WHAT WE IDENTIFIED AS SOLUTIONS THAT MAY BE WHAT WE'LL SAY AS LOW HANGING FRUIT.
MEANING WHAT PARTICULAR SOLUTIONS CAN WE BRING TO THE TABLE THAT DON'T HAVE A LOT OF OBSTACLE TO BRINGING IT FORWARD THAT CAN BE BENEFICIAL TO, TO THE, THE THINGS THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON.
UH, SO FOR EXAMPLE, WE IDENTIFY CLEARLY THAT, UH, CREDIT IS AN ISSUE THAT YOU SEE A CREDIT APPROVAL WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DISPARITY BETWEEN RACES.
THAT'S SOMETHING WHERE YOU SEE A BIG DISPARITY.
SO WHAT PARTS OF THAT CAN WE ADDRESS, UH, BY SIMPLE EDUCATION, UH, BY SIMPLE CON CONNECTION TO CERTAIN ORGANIZATIONS, UH, BY THAT TYPE OF WORK, UH, TO HELP PEOPLE IN THOSE SITUATIONS BETTER THEIR CREDIT, FOR EXAMPLE, OR IMPROVE THEIR POTENTIAL CHANCES FOR, FOR GETTING APPROVED FOR A RENTAL APPLICATION OR THE LIKE.
UH, AND SO I THINK THAT, UH, AND THAT'S WHY I SAID, I THINK THAT BRINGS TO MIND THE, THE PRESENTATION WE JUST HAD AND INTEGRATING WITH FINDING WE, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT WHERE THOSE THINGS EXIST, HOW THEY COULD BE BETTER INTEGRATED, HOW WE CAN BRING IT FORWARD IN A GREATER WAY.
AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'LL BE SEEING COMING FORWARD FROM THE RACIAL EQUITY COMMITTEE IN TERMS OF RECOMMENDATION TO THE COMMISSION, UH, THAT WE RECOMMEND MOVING FORWARD, PROGRAMMING LIKE THAT.
AND WE'LL COME, WE'LL, WE'LL COME FORWARD WITH SPECIFIC WAYS THAT WE'RE SUGGESTING, UM, AND, AND, AND COMMISSIONERS, UH, UH, WHO ARE IN THAT COMMITTEE WITH ME, COMMISSIONER BROWN, COMMISSIONER KEYS, PLEASE FEEL FREE, UH, IF I'M MISSING ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT YOU BREAK IT UP.
UM, SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THAT COMMITTEE, WE'LL BE DEFINITELY LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN IDENTIFY SPECIFIC PROGRAMS THAT EXIST, UH, THAT WE CAN EXPAND UPON SPECIFIC PROGRAMS THAT MAY NEED TO EXIST THAT THAT CAN BE BROUGHT ABOUT AND WHAT THE PARTNERSHIPS MAY BE FOR THAT, UH, SO THAT WE CAN BRING IT FORWARD IN THE, AS I SAID, IN THE FORM OF RECOMMENDATION.
UM, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE ALSO LOOKED AT WHAT IT'S, I'LL JUST CALL THE HIGHER HANGING FRUIT, MEANING THE, THE, UM, SOLUTION MIXES THAT THEY NEED TO BE BROUGHT FORWARD, BUT MAY BE MORE DIFFICULT TO ADDRESS.
UH, THAT MAY BE RELATIVE TO, AS I WAS SAYING, YOU KNOW, THE INDICATORS, FOR EXAMPLE, ONE INDICATOR WHEN WE LOOK AT AFRICAN-AMERICAN HOMELESSNESS AND SPECIFICALLY HOMELESSNESS FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEN, A AN INDIRECT INDICATOR OR FACTOR IS THE AMOUNT OF POLICING IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN PO UH, COMMUNITIES AND HOW THAT RELATES TO, UH, HIGHER RATES OF INCARCERATION AND RESULTING HIGHER RATES OF EX-OFFENDER EXITING PRISON IN THE HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO HOW DO WE LOOK AT ADDRESSING THAT, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, HOW DO WE BRING MORE RACIAL EQUITY TO THE CIRCUMSTANCE? SO THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT WE WILL BE LOOKING AT.
WE KIND OF IDENTIFIED A PATHWAY THERE.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, UH, ANOTHER MEETING OR TWO, WE'LL HAVE STUFF TO BRING FORWARD TO THE, UH, COMMITTEE IN TERMS OF ACTUAL RECOMMENDATION.
UH, SO I'LL JUST SAY COMMISSIONER KEYS.
UH, COMMISSIONER BROWN, IF YOU GOT ANY OTHER COMMENT.
UH, AND I SEE COMMISSION, KEYSER HAND IS UP, SO WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND, AND MAKE SURE I DIDN'T MISS ANYTHING AND ADD WHATEVER YOU NEED TO, TO THAT COMMISSIONER BROWN AS WELL.
AND THEN OPEN TO THE FLOOR IF ANYBODY HAS QUESTIONS.
YEAH, I WOULD JUST SAY, UM, CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME? UH, YES, I CAN HEAR ME, YES.
UM, ONE JUST THING I'LL ADD, WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, MEETING WITH PRO, UH, SOME, UM, SOME PEOPLE IN THE SPACE, SOME NON-PROFIT, UM, OR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES THAT ARE IN THE SPACE AND HEAR FROM SOME OF OUR AFRICAN AMERICAN, UM, UH, WORKERS IN THE SPACE TO FIND OUT KIND OF THE, SOME NARRATIVES AND PAINT SOME NARRATIVES AROUND WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT THEY'VE SEEN.
AND, UM, I HAVE, UH, GOT US A MEETING TOGETHER WITH ONE OF THOSE GROUPS AND, UH, I'M NOT SURE HOW I PRESENT THAT OR