[Council 2024 Capital Bond Program CBTF Meeting on August 22, 2023.]
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WE CONVENED DALLAS COMMUNITY BOND TASK FORCE MEETING TO ORDER.
WELCOME YOU ALL GOOD TO SEE GREAT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION TODAY.
WITH THAT, OUR FIRST POINT ON AGENDA, UH, APPROVAL OF MEETINGS FROM JULY 31ST AND AUGUST 15.
DO I HAVE A MOTION MR. DICK? DO I HAVE A MOTION? UH, MR. DICKIES SECONDED BY MR. CONNOR.
ANY, UH, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
WE MOVE TO OUR SECOND POINT REVIEW OF, UH, CB UH, COMMUNITY TASK FORCE POLL ALLOCATION.
UM, SO ONE OF THE SPREADSHEETS THAT WAS PROVIDED TO YOU, UH, IT'S THIS LONG ONE RIGHT HERE.
UH, IT SHOWS, UM, AN ALLOCATION POLL.
UM, SO IT, IT WAS ASKED, UM, TO GET, UM, UH, A PULSE OF WHERE THE COMMITTEES WERE AT WITH RECOMMENDED, UH, ALLOCATIONS.
UH, IT'S ESSENTIALLY THE SAME POLL THAT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC RIGHT NOW, UM, TO GO OUT AND, UH, YOU KNOW, PUT FUNDING WHERE, WHERE YOU THINK IT IS.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS NOT A SCIENTIFIC POLL, UM, BUT IT IS, UH, IT'S JUST AN INDICATION BY, UH, BY SUBCOMMITTEE, BY, UH, TASK FORCE, UH, ON, ON AVERAGES OF WHERE, UH, FOLKS FEEL THAT, UH, DOLLARS SHOULD BE PROGRAMMED.
SO, UM, WE'LL OPEN UP TO ANY QUESTIONS IF, IF ANY OF YOU HAVE ANY, BUT THIS IS MORE JUST TO SERVE AS ANOTHER DATA POINT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UH, WITH THE FINAL PROPOSITION FUNDING LEVELS.
SO JUST, JUST TO REINFORCE WHAT YOU HAVE, THIS IS JUST A DATA POINT BETWEEN DIFFERENT SUBCOMMITTEES BOND TASK FORCE GIVING AVERAGES SIMILAR TO WHAT CITY MANAGER HAD, UH, THAT HE DID IT WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS AND ALL RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT, SIR.
ANY QUESTIONS, UH, ABOUT THIS, PLEASE? UH, MR. CONNOR? YEAH, MR. PEREZ, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ARE WE, ARE WE GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THIS AGAIN? UM, I JUST FELT THIS WAS A LITTLE PREMATURE.
UM, WE STILL HAVE SUBCOMMITTEES MEETING AND THERE'S, FOR INSTANCE, I KNOW PARKS IS COMING OUT WITH A FULL ALLOCATION OF IF WE NEED 350 MILLION, THIS IS EXACTLY HOW THAT MONEY'S GONNA BE SPENT.
CAN THIS BE DONE AGAIN AS WE GET FURTHER INTO THE PROCESS? AND IF YOU DON'T MIND, MR. PEREZ, I WILL INTERVENE.
MR. CONNOR? YES, IT WILL BE, BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY A VERY RAW DATA, CORRECT? IT'S BEEN DONE WITHOUT MUCH KNOWLEDGE, AND THERE ARE CERTAIN BLOCKS WHICH NEEDS TO BE IN THE ALLOCATION ALSO, WHICH ARE 50 MILLION BLOCKS AND ALL.
SO I THINK WITH LITTLE MORE GUIDANCE, THIS WILL BE DONE.
THIS IS JUST A VERY RAW DATA, JUST VERY INDICATED, BUT YOU'RE VERY RIGHT.
IT'LL BE DONE AGAIN ONCE WITH MORE INFORMATION FROM SUBCOMMITTEES, AND I THINK WE'LL DO IT BEFORE WE START OUR FINAL DELIBERATIONS.
UH, ANY WITH NO MORE QUESTIONS SINCE WE HAVE SO MANY VISITORS? WE'LL MOVE IT TO THE NEXT POINT ON AGENDA OVERVIEW OF AUGUST 16, COUNCIL BRIEFING AND MR. CHAIR.
UH, AGAIN, UM, UH, WHAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS A COPY OF THE PRESENTATION, THE 2024, UM, BOND PROGRAM UPDATE THAT WAS PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL LAST WEEK.
UH, SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE, UM, THE DISCUSSION OF EQUITY.
UM, SOME OF IT INCLUDES THE REMAINDER OF THE, UH, CALENDAR OR, UM, YEAH, THE DEVELOPMENT CALENDAR FOR THE 2024 BOND PROGRAM.
UM, AND THEN ALSO, UH, CAME OUTTA THE DISCUSSION, UH, WAS A MAY VERSUS NOVEMBER, UH, ELECTION.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, THERE, THERE SHOULDN'T BE A WHOLE LOT OF, UH, NEW INFORMATION.
UM, UH, AND ALSO TOO, I WILL NOTE, UM, THERE WAS, UH, UM, ACTUALLY, UH, HISTORICAL INFORMATION ON, UH, THE PREVIOUS BOND PROGRAMS, HOW THEY WERE BROKEN OUT BY PROPOSITION AND ALSO BY, UH, COUNCIL DISTRICT.
UM, AND THOSE WERE THE BIG, THOSE WERE THE BIG ITEMS WITHIN THIS BRIEFING.
AND WE'RE OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANY OF YOU MAY HAVE.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE? UH, I WITH NONE, UH, UH, AGAIN, UH, THANK YOU MR. PEREZ.
THIS AGAIN IS GOOD INFORMATION.
ANY COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS YOU THINK, UH, FROM THIS WHOLE BRIEFING? UH, UH, YES.
UM, MR. CHAIR, WE ALSO DID, UM, DISCUSS THE BOND CAPACITY OF $1.1 BILLION.
UM, AND SO, UM, THERE WAS SOME QUESTIONS AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD, UH, GO FOR THE FULL 1.1 OR IF WE SHOULD SAVE SOMETHING BACK.
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AND SO, UM, THAT, THOSE ARE PROBABLY ONGOING DISCUSSIONS THAT, THAT, UH, COUNCIL, UH, WILL HAVE US CONSIDER.UH, AND WAS THERE A TIMELINE WHEN THEY WILL BE DECIDING ON THE CAPACITY, MR. PEREZ? SO THE, THE BIG STICKING POINT, SIR, WAS, UM, THE, UH, POLICE PENSION.
UM, AND SO WE'RE SUPPOSED TO GET, THE CITY IS SUPPOSED TO GET BACK, UM, WHAT OUR, UH, OBLIGATION TO THAT SHOULD BE, UH, BY THE END OF THE YEAR, UH, NOVEMBER TIMEFRAME.
UM, AND SO, UH, THAT WAS, UM, THAT WAS PROBABLY THE ONE OF THE LARGEST FACTORS AS TO DETERMINE, UM, WHAT OUR OVERALL CAPACITY WITH ME.
AND, UH, MR. DICKEY, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
I JUST HAD A QUESTION ON, UM, PAGE FOUR.
ON THE UPDATED BOND CAPACITY, UM, UNDER PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES FOR POLICE, THERE'S THIS VAST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT REQUEST AND THE PROPOSED AMOUNT.
UH, DEPARTMENT REQUESTS 270 MILLION, PROPOSED FIVE AND A HALF MILLION.
CAN YOU JUST TELL ME OR EXPLAIN WHAT, WHAT THAT'S, WHAT'S, WHAT'S THAT ABOUT OR WHAT IT MEANS? THE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT REQUESTED 270 MILLION AND IT'S BEEN PROPOSED TO GIVE THEM FIVE AND A HALF.
THAT'S SUCH A BIG GAP OF JUST, YOU KNOW, HAVE ANY SENSE OF HOW THAT HAPPENED.
UM, SO, UH, AGAIN, SIR, AS NOTED, OVERALL, ALL THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE REQUESTED $2.3 BILLION, AND SO WE HAVE A BILLION.
SO, UH, I MEAN, WE HAD TO LOOK AT HOW WE PRIORITIZE THINGS.
A BIG PORTION, IF YOU NOTE, UM, THE PUBLIC, UH, THE POLICE ACADEMY IS TAKING ABOUT $50 MILLION.
SO, I MEAN, IF WE'RE LOOKING OVERALL PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, I MEAN, UH, A BIG PORTION, UH, OF THAT IS BEING, UH, POTENTIALLY EARMARKED OR PROGRAM FOR THE POLICE ACADEMY.
SO THAT IT'S REALLY, AGAIN, JUST A MATTER OF HOW WE, UH, LOOK AT THE OVERALL NEED VERSUS THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.
NOW, MR. PEREZ, WITH THAT, UH, UH, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE KEY INITIATIVE IN THIS PROCESS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WILL MAKE US DECIDE.
SO WE THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING HERE, AND WITH THAT, WE START OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS, MR. PEREZ.
THE COMMUNITY BOND TASK FORCE WILL NOW HEAR IS 58 REGISTERED SPEAKERS.
WE HAVE VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON SPEAKERS TONIGHT, INDIVIDUALS WILL BE GIVEN ONE MINUTE AND 30 SECONDS TO SPEAK FOR THOSE IN-PERSON SPEAKERS, YOU WILL NOTICE THE TIMER ON THE MONITOR IN FRONT OF YOU WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP.
PLEASE STOP FOR THOSE VIRTUAL SPEAKERS.
I WILL ANNOUNCE WHEN YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH OUR FIRST SPEAKER, JOYCE THOMPSON AND MADAM SECRETARY, WHILE SHE COMES ON THE FLOOR, I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT SAM COS, VANNA HAMMOND AND TIFFANY YOUNG, THEY ARE PRESENT VIRTUALLY.
SO IF YOU ARE FROM THOSE DISTRICTS, THEY ARE LISTENING TO YOU, I HAVE PERMISSION TO ASK.
UH, WE WILL HAVE STAFF TAKE IT FROM, YEAH, THANK YOU.
UM, SO WHAT I'M HERE IN REGARDS TO IS THERE IS A ROADWAY BEHIND MY PROPERTY, AND IT IS GRAVEL, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT PAVED.
UM, IT IS ACTUALLY CONSISTS OF A 19 FOOT 0.18 STREET AND A 10 FOOT ALLEY.
SO IT'S TOTAL A 29 FOOT WIDE ROADWAY.
UM, IT'S THE ONLY ALLEY IN THE WHOLE OAK LAWN AREA THAT I CAN PERSONALLY FIND THAT IS NOT PAVED.
UM, IN THE 27 YEARS THAT I'VE OWNED MY PROPERTY, THE CONDITION OF THIS AREA HA, GOES CONSTANTLY FROM BEING FAIRLY OKAY GRAVEL TO BEING MUD WITH DEEP RUTS OWNERS WHO HAVE GARAGES OFF THIS STREET AND ALLEY END UP PUTTING BOARDS OUT TO TRY TO ACCESS THEIR GARAGES.
AND THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT MY PHOTO'S SHOWING.
THIS ROADWAY IS ALSO USED BY SANITATION, AND EVERY TIME IT RAINS, IT BECOMES AN ISSUE FOR THEM.
AND OFTEN THEY STOP COLLECTING AND
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PICKING UP TRASH BECAUSE THEIR VEHICLES WILL GET STUCK IN THE ALLEYWAY.THIS THEN MAKES THE HOMELESS COME IN BECAUSE THE TRASH HAS NOT BEEN PICKED UP, AND THEN THE NEXT THING WE KNOW, THEY'RE CAMPING THERE.
SO IT HAS JUST BEEN THIS ONGOING CYCLE THAT I'VE WATCHED OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
THE INTERESTING THING IS, PART OF THAT ALLEYWAY IS ACTUALLY A STREET THAT WAS DEDICATED IN 1890, AND THIS IS A LITTLE CONFUSING BECAUSE IT IS A STRANGE STREET, BUT IT WAS NAMED STRANGE, AND IT'S NAMED AFTER DAVE.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, IT IS A STREET.
UM, I AM REQUESTING THAT IT BE PAVED AND, UM, I'M REQUESTING THAT WE MAINTAIN THE NAME OF STRANGE STREET IN THAT AREA FOR ITS HISTORY.
AND, AND THANK ALL OF YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SCOTT SAVAGE.
HOW'S IT GOING? I'M SCOTT SAVAGE.
I, UH, LIVE IN MIDWAY HOLLOW, 38 51, DISTRICT SIX.
I'M CALLING ABOUT THE, UH, BEACHWOOD SWAMP ALLEY OF DOOM.
SIMILAR TO THIS LADY EXCEPTS MY ALLEY.
I'VE GOT, UH, CITY REQUEST RECORDS FROM, UH, 2012 WITH 22 REQUESTS ABOUT THE ALLEY NEEDING TO BE REGRADED RE GRAVELED, LEVELED OUT SOMETHING BECAUSE THIS THING HAS A HUMP IN IT.
KELLY STEVENS FROM PUBLIC WORKS HAS HELPED ME OUT A LOT ON THIS LAST YEAR, BEEN OUT AND SAID, IT'S UP TO ME TO BRING THIS UP.
IT WAS NOT EVEN ON THE NEEDS LIST.
I'M HERE TO SAY, HEY, WE NEED THIS THING DONE.
IT AFFECTS 10 HOUSES ON, UM, VALLEY RIDGE AND BEACHWOOD.
SAME THING LIKE THIS, UH, PREVIOUS LADY.
IT'S JUST, IT JUST BECOMES A RUTT, RUTTED OUT MESS AND IT JUST, AND IT'S BLOCKED.
THE INCREASED MOISTURE CAUSES US TO HAVE TO MAINTAIN IT DUE TO EXCESS VEGETATION, WHICH JUST ABSOLUTELY GETS OUTTA CONTROL.
WE GET EXTRA LOTS OF VERMIN, LOTS OF RATS AND CATS AND RACCOONS DOWN THE ALLEY.
LEMME TELL YOU, UH, HOMELESS PEOPLE DO GET IN THERE AS WELL AND CAMP OUT TOWARDS THE END.
LOT OF STOLEN GOODS, GOODS GET DUMPED IN THE ALLEY AS WELL.
SO MY LAKE LOCATION'S MIDWAY HOLLOW.
AGAIN, IT DRAINS LIKE THREE MAJOR STREETS, A PAVED ALLEY ACROSS THE WAY.
I HAVE A POWERPOINT THAT I GAVE MIRANDA, UH, THAT Y'ALL SHOULD HAVE WITH, UH, PICTURES OF THAT TO SHOW WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE VERSUS WHAT WE HAVE ON THE LAST PAGE.
BUT PAGE FOUR WILL SHOW YOU 22, UH, INCIDENCES OF REQUESTS FOR THIS FOR MULTIPLE THINGS AND WITH DOCUMENTATION OF OUTCOMES AS WELL, AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
I REALLY WOULD LIKE Y'ALL TO CONSIDER PLACING THIS ON THERE, UM, BECAUSE IT'S JUST BEEN A HEADACHE AND IT'S A DEVELOPED AREA, REALLY NICE NEIGHBORHOOD, A LOT OF MCMANSIONS AND THE DEVELOPMENTS HAS CAUSED, CAUSED EXCESS RUNOFF TO ACCUMULATE IN MY ALLEY, WHICH BECOMES A SWAMP.
AGAIN, I APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S TIME AND CONSIDERATION FOR THIS MATTER.
UM, NEXT WE HAVE A VIRTUAL SPEAKER.
MS. KRISTEN HANAL, DO YOU MEAN CHRISTINE HOPKINS? UH, I HAVE HAN OLD.
IS YOUR ADDRESS ON BIFF DRIVE? NO, THAT'S NOT ME.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS IN PERSON, JENNIFER MALLOW.
BRADLEY WATERS AND AFTER MR. WATERS WILL BE TRAVIS HUGHES.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT NINE, AND I RISE TO SPEAK FOR PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
I'M AN ARCHITECT SPECIALIZING IN LIBRARIES AND DESIGN 70 WORLDWIDE, MOST COMMONLY PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN THE UNITED STATES.
ALL BRANCH LIBRARIES IN DALLAS SHOULD MEET THE 18,000 SQUARE FOOT MINIMUM STANDARDS ESTABLISHED, UH, OVER THE PAST DECADE.
SO ALL COMMUNITIES HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO EXCEPTIONAL LIBRARY SERVICE.
I HAVE DEVELOPED A CONCEPTUAL DESIGN FOR PRESTON ROYAL LIBRARY, WHICH PROVES IT CAN BE RENOVATED AND EXPANDED TO 18,000, PRESERVING ALL 23 LIVE OAK TREES ON SITE, AND ALL DONE BY GUTTING THE EXISTING BUILDING, REMOVING ANY HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, AND ACCOMMODATING MODERN INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGHOUT.
FOR A NET ZERO ENERGY CONSUMPTION PROJECT IN LINE WITH RECENT NATURAL NATIONAL PROJECT COST FIGURES FOR PUBLIC LIBRARIES THAT OPENED IN 2022, THE PRESS AND ROYAL LAW PROJECT WILL PROBABLY COST $14.4 MILLION, UH, ESCALATED TO MIDPOINT OF CONSTRUCTION IN FISCAL YEAR 26 27.
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UH, A GREAT INVESTMENT, UH, PER THE UT UH, AUSTIN STUDY, WHICH YOU HAVE A COPY OF, OR, UH, THAT SHOWS FOUR POINT, I MEAN, SORRY, $4 AND 64 CENTS OF RETURN ON EVERY DOLLAR SPENT FOR TEXAS PUBLIC LIBRARIES.UM, AS VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FRIENDS OF PRESTON ROYAL LIBRARY, I ASK THAT YOU, UH, ALLOCATE $13 MILLION FROM COMING AND, UH, UH, $13 MILLION FROM PAST AND NEW, UH, CITY BONDS.
AND IN CLOSING, I'D POINT OUT THAT, UH, IN ADDITION TO PROXIMATE RESIDENCE, PRESTON ROYAL'S CLIENTELE INCLUDES THE LIKES OF CHILDCARE AND LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS WHO WORK IN THE AREA BUT CANNOT GET HOME IN TIME TO USE THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARIES.
OKAY, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BECCA KLUM KLUM.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE DALLAS BICYCLE COALITION.
I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE TO FUND THE DALLAS BIKE PLAN, WHICH SHOULD PASS CITY COUNCIL BY THE END OF THE YEAR WITH THE BOND.
I'VE ALSO, UH, JUST CAME FROM THE STREETS COMMITTEE TO SHARE THIS SAME MESSAGE.
UM, AUSTIN IN 2020 PUT 40 MILLION TO BIKEWAYS, 65 MILLION IN THIS IS IN THEIR BOND, UM, TO VISION ZERO 80 MILLION TO URBAN TRAILS HOUSTON PASSED, UH, JUST LAST YEAR, 50 MILLION FOR MULTIMODAL TRANSIT AND 50 MILLION FOR VISION ZERO.
SO THESE ARE NOT SMALL NUMBERS,
WE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE AND WE JUST NEED THE FUNDING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
UM, I JUST WANNA FINISH AND SAY THAT WHEN I RIDE MY BIKE TO WORK OR I RIDE MY BIKE TO PICK UP GROCERIES OR MEET A FRIEND, YOUR DRIVE GETS A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
YOUR AIR GETS CLEANER AND MY LIGHTER, UH, ROAD, UH, RIDE SAVES THE CITY MONEY THROUGH REDUCED WEAR AND TEAR ON THE, THE ROADS.
SO YOU NEVER HAVE TO RIDE A BIKE, YOU NEVER HAVE TO STEP FOOT ON A SCOOTER FOR YOU PERSONALLY TO BENEFIT FROM THIS INVESTMENT.
UM, PLEASE FUND THE BIKE PLAN WITH THE BOND.
UH, MIRANDA HAS A HANDOUT SHE WILL GIVE EACH OF YOU.
WE APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'RE DOING ON THIS TASK FORCE, AND I WANT TO, UH, RECOGNIZE THE GROUP OF NEIGHBORS THAT CAME DOWN TO LEND SUPPORT TO OUR REQUEST THIS EVENING.
MY NAME IS SIM TROTTER AND I LIVE AT, UH, 79 6 6 FALL MEADOW LANE IN THE SPRING CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD OF FAR NORTH DALLAS, DISTRICT 11 OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
WE MOVED TO THIS ADDRESS IN SPRING IN 1973.
IT WAS AN ATTRACTIVE NEIGHBORHOOD THEN AND HAS AGED GRACEFULLY OVER TIME, BUT OUR DIRTY LITTLE SECRET LIES BEHIND THE HOUSES, AND THAT'S OUR ALLEY BUILT IN 1966, NEVER REPLACED, BUT OFTEN MACGYVER.
IT LOST ITS ATTRACTIVENESS AND FUNCTIONALITY YEARS AGO.
THE OLD ROAD BASE IS ONLY EIGHT FEET WIDE, TWO FEET MORE NARROW THAN TODAY'S STANDARDS.
TRUCKS HAVE LEFT DEEP RUTS ALONG BOTH SIDES OF THE PAVEMENT.
GARAGES AND OUR PART OF TOWN ARE ALL BUILT BEHIND THE HOUSES.
SO ALL THE, THE ONLY WAY FOR OUR 26 RESIDENT FAMILIES TO COME AND GO IS VIA THAT ALLEY.
DITTO CITY TRASH AND RECYCLING TRUCKS AND OTHER COMMERCIAL VEHICLES AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CRIME PATROL ALL USE THE ALLEY.
DOZENS OF POTHOLES HAVE BEEN FILLED, PATCHED, REFILLED IN LAYERS OF ASPHALT, SANDWICHED IN HERE AND THERE, BUT THE END RESULT IS A HORRIBLE MESS.
NEIGHBOR ALLEN KING TOOK SOME PHOTOS, WHICH WE HANDED TO YOU THAT HAND OUT AND GIVE YOU A VISUAL OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, EXCEPT YOU CAN'T FEEL THE BUMPS TODAY.
90% OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIES HAVE BEEN REPLACED.
OUR OWN ALLEY WAS PARTIALLY REPLACED.
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IS YOUR TIME THE ONLY WEST END? THE PROJECT ENDED THERE AT THE EAST END.WE HAVE NOW WAITED 16 YEARS TO FINISH THE PROJECT.
PLEASE HELP US, WE ASK IF THIS ALLEY BE INCLUDED ON THE UPCOMING BOND ISSUE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LISA MARSHALL, FOLLOWED BY KYLE OGDEN.
I RESIDE IN DISTRICT 13 TODAY I STAND BEFORE YOU TO SHARE A STORY OF RESILIENCE AND A CALL FOR ACTION.
IN APRIL OF 2022, I INTRODUCED TO THE CITY COUNCIL TWO INDIVIDUALS WHOSE LIVES SHED LIGHT ON A HARSH REALITY.
MANY FACE IN DALLAS HECTOR, A 49 YEAR OLD BLIND MAN AND ALICIA'S 70 YEAR OLD DIABETIC WERE TRAPPED IN A CYCLE OF HOUSING INSECURITY AND DESPAIR.
THESE TWO WERE FORCED TO ENDURE RAT INFESTED SLUM APARTMENTS PAYING SIX 50 A MONTH, THEIR ONLY OPTION WITH A MONTHLY SS SS D I CHECK OF 1200.
THEIR SITUATION WORSENED, PUSHING THEM INTO HOMELESSNESS, AND I PLEADED WITH OUR CITY FOR ASSISTANCE.
THE SAD TRUTH WAS THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING WAS AN ILLUSION FOR THEM.
THEIR JOURNEY HAS BEEN MARKED BY MULTIPLE RELOCATIONS, EACH WITH CHALLENGES LEAVING BEHIND A DREADFUL $700 MONTHLY BOARDING HOME.
THEY TRANSITION TO A CRAMPED SHARED EFFICIENCY APARTMENT AT $750 EACH.
HOWEVER, THE TURMOIL CONTINUES WITH THE PROPERTY SOON TO BE SOLD.
HECTOR FACES HOMELESSNESS AGAIN BY SEPTEMBER 15TH WHILE WE MANAGED TO SECURE A NEW D H A PROPERTY APARTMENT.
FOR ALICIA, THE COST IS STAGGERING, 10 50 A MONTH ON HER $1,200 A MONTH CHECK.
IT'S A SMALL PART OF A BIGGER PROBLEM.
HECTOR, ALICIA, AND YOUNG ADULTS LEAVING FOSTER CARE REFLECT A CONCERNING SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS.
YOU HOLD THE POWER TO ENCOURAGE CHANGE TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF DESPAIR, ALLOCATING A MERE FRACTION JUST 200 MILLION OF THE BOND TOWARDS LOW INCOME HOUSING.
THAT IS YOUR TIME, CAN MAKE AN IMMEASURABLE DIFFERENCE.
WE JUST ASK THAT YOU DO THE RIGHT THING AND MAKE THIS COMMUNITY A MORE COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY FOR ALL.
I'M KYLE OGDEN, PRESENT, C E O OF THE THANKSGIVING FOUNDATION.
AND MIRANDA HAS A HANDOUT FOR YOU HERE.
UH, WE'RE PLANNING A MAJOR PROJECT TO CREATE A THANKSGIVING DISTRICT IN AND AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF THANKSGIVING SQUARE TO INCLUDE TAKING IN THE LANE OF BOTH PACIFIC AVENUE AND IRV A WE PLAN TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE IN THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION TO POSITION THE THANKSGIVING CULTURAL DISTRICT AT THE CENTER OF DALLAS' CULTURAL JOURNEY TOWARDS A RICH, INCLUSIVE, PLURALISTIC COMMUNITY.
TO THAT END, WE'VE ENGAGED THE ARCHITECTURE FIRM GINSLER, THE SAME FIRM THAT CREATED THE AT AND T DISTRICT TO HELP US PLAN A FABULOUS PLACE AND EXPERIENCE.
WHAT WILL DISTINGUISH THE THANKSGIVING DISTRICT IS THE THEME OF INCLUSION AND BELONGING.
THE NEW SQUARE WILL ATTRACT SUBURBAN AND OUT-OF-TOWN CULTURAL TOURISTS AND WILL BE A MAGNETIC NEIGHBORHOOD AMENITY.
THE DISTRICT WILL BE AT THE CENTER OF A PLAN TO MAKE DALLAS THE PLACE WHERE EVERY PERSON HAS A GENUINE OPPORTUNITY AND A VIABLE PATHWAY TO THRIVE AND FLOURISH.
THE DISTRICT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE WALKABILITY OF DOWNTOWN DALLAS, PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF A CONVERSION OF THE 1600 BLOCK OF PACIFIC AVENUE TO A CURBLESS PEDESTRIAN, FIRST EUROPEAN STYLE SQUARE, WHERE CARS ARE SUBORDINATE AND RESTRICTED TO LOW SPEEDS.
WE NEED THE CITY'S FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO MAKE THE DISTRICT A REALITY, AND I ASK YOU TO CONSIDER THE ADVANTAGES OF OUR PROJECT.
WE ARE PROPOSING TO RAISE $2 FROM PRIVATE PHILANTHROPY FOR EVERY $1 PUBLIC FUNDING PROVIDED OUR PROJECT WILL RAISE PROPERTY VALUES AND DRAMATICALLY INCREASE THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUES.
THE INCREASED VISITOR ACTIVITY WILL ALSO CREATE A NEW SALES TAX REVENUE FOR THE CITY.
IN OTHER WORDS, OUR PROJECT WILL PAY FOR ITSELF, URGE YOU TO STUDY AND UNDERSTAND THE FINANCIAL IMPACT THAT CLYDE WARREN PARK AND AT AND T PLAZA HAVE HAD ON DOWNTOWN INCREASING COUNTS AND SPENDINGS AND, AND AS WELL AS ELEVATING PROPERTY VALUES AND THE ASSOCIATED TAX RECORD REVENUES.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NICK POLLS FOLLOW, FOLLOWED BY SAMUEL MOR DEMEYER MORTIMER.
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I AM CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MIDTOWN IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, A PID, UH, IN DISTRICT 13.AND I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR A COUPLE PROJECTS, UM, A COUPLE MOBILITY PROJECTS IN OUR DISTRICT THAT WE BELIEVE WOULD BE GREATLY ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE DISTRICT AND THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
THE FIRST OF WHICH IS, UM, AN EXPANSION, AN EXTENSION RATHER OF SHADY BROOK, UM, NORTH FROM PARK LANE UP TO RIDGECREST ROAD WHERE IT WOULD MEET HOLLY HILL.
UH, ESSENTIALLY CREATING ONE ROAD COMBINING SHADY BROOK AND HOLLY HILL.
UH, SHADY BROOK IS ESSENTIALLY THE VICKERY NEIGHBORHOOD'S ACCESS TO NORTHWEST HIGHWAY BECAUSE, UH, GREENVILLE AVENUE DOESN'T CROSS NORTHWEST HIGHWAY AND UM, THEREFORE ALSO 75.
UM, AND THIS PROJECT IS PRETTY, UM, IS PRETTY INTEGRAL FOR THE RECONFIGURATION OF THE FIVE POINTS INTERSECTION, WHICH IS A PROJECT THAT IS, HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
AND THE SECOND PROJECT I'M ADVOCATING FOR IS A BIKE OR SHARED USE TRAIL, UM, IN AN ENCORE PROPERTY FROM NORTHWEST HIGHWAY AT THE SOUTH ALL THE WAY NORTH TO MEET THE SOPAC TRAIL NEAR WHERE THE NORTH HAVEN TRAIL BRIDGE IS CURRENTLY BEING BUILT ACROSS 75.
THIS ENCORE PROPERTY SPANS ALL THE WAY DOWN FROM WHERE IT WOULD MEET THE SOPAC TRAIL, THE TOP TO THE SOUTH END MEETING THE UNIVERSITY CROSSING TRAIL, AND WOULD FIT IN PERFECTLY TO DALLAS GREATER BIKE NETWORK.
PLEASE CONSIDER THESE PROJECTS.
I WAS HERE LAST WEEK TO ADVOCATE FOR PARKS AND TRAILS, SPECIFICALLY THE SANTA FE TRAIL, WHO I REPRESENT AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE TRAILS FRIENDS GROUP.
THIS WEEK I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT A DIFFERENT TYPE OF TRAIL, A PROPOSED CULTURAL TRAIL THAT WOULD CONNECT DALLAS THREE STATE RECOGNIZED CULTURAL DISTRICTS, THE DALLAS ARTS DISTRICT, DEEP ELLUM AND FAIR PARK, ANCHORED BY CULTURAL ASSETS THAT ALREADY EXIST IN OUR CITY.
BRIDGING THEM TOGETHER WOULD SERVE MANY INTERESTS.
NUMBER ONE, IT WOULD STIMULATE EXISTING DEVELOPMENT, TRANSPORTATION, AND TRAIL CORRIDORS.
NUMBER TWO, IT WOULD PROVIDE ADDITIONAL STITCHING AND BRIDGING OF DISTRICTS THAT ARE NOT ALTOGETHER DISPARATE, BUT OFTEN ARE STRUCTURALLY OR PERCEPTIVELY IMPEDED.
NUMBER THREE, IT HAS CLEAR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM POTENTIAL.
PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, HOWEVER, BY AGGREGATING AND CURATING DALLAS'S EXTENSIVE CULTURAL ASSETS UNDER SUCH A PROGRAM, EACH INDIVIDUAL SITE WILL BENEFIT FROM THE CONTEXT PROVIDED BY THE CONGLOMERATE WHOLE FUNCTIONALLY SPEAKING, YES, THE CULTURAL TRAIL WILL START AS A LINE ON A PIECE OF PAPER WOULD BE SUPPLEMENTED BY STRATEGIC CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS ALONG ITS ROUTE TO SERVE THE INTENDED GOALS, DOLLARS, NUMBERS, YARDS OF CONCRETE, ET CETERA.
BUT THE PHYSICAL SITE AND THE CONTEXT ARE CULTURAL ASSETS, ASSETS, UH, THEY EXIST AND THEY'RE AUGMENTED BY THE UNSEEN SITE, THE IDEAS, THE HISTORY, THE CULTURAL PRACTICES PARTICULAR OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.
BY LINKING THESE ASSETS TOGETHER, THAT LEGACY BECOMES MORE TANGIBLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO DALLAS' CITIZENS AND VISITORS ALIKE.
BY MAKING CONNECTIONS LIKE THIS, DALLAS WOULD BE REMISS TO DELAY BRIDGING ITS EXTENSIVE CULTURAL HISTORY INTO A FORMALIZED TRAIL, AND I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT IT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS VIRTUAL MS. CHRISTINE HOPKINS.
I AM A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE WEST OAK CLIFF COALITION IN DISTRICT ONE, AND OUR GOAL IS TO PREVENT DISPLACEMENT OF THE LARGELY LATINO POPULATION IN DISTRICT ONE FROM PRESSURES OF GENTRIFICATION AND RISING PROPERTY TAXES.
AND I AM HERE TO ADVOCATE, FIRST OF ALL FOR THE DALLAS HOUSING COALITION'S PLATFORM OF MAKING SURE THAT THIS BOND SUPPORTS THE 2023 DALLAS HOUSING POLICY AND RACIAL EQUITY PLAN BY INVESTING AT LEAST $200 MILLION, IF NOT MORE, IN TRULY ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ANTI DISPLACEMENT PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
SECONDLY, I WANNA SPECIFICALLY ADVOCATE THAT ENOUGH MONEY GETS SET ASIDE EITHER BY DISTRICT, UH, DISCRETIONARY FUNDS OR IN THE HOUSING, UH, ALLOCATION FOR ANTI DISPLACEMENT PROGRAMS FOR THERE TO BE AT LEAST $2 MILLION SET ASIDE FOR A TARGETED HOME IMPROVEMENT AND REPAIR PROGRAM FOR OAK CLIFF WEST DALLAS GOT A $2 MILLION PROGRAM TO HELP SENIORS, DISABLED AND LOW INCOME RESIDENTS STAY IN THEIR HOME.
WE IN OAK CLIFF HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANY OF THAT ASSISTANCE, AND RIGHT NOW THE HIP
[00:30:01]
PROGRAM THAT THE CITY DOES HAVE THAT'S FUNDED BY FEDERAL FUNDS IS WOEFULLY INADEQUATE AND LEADS TO A YEARLY HUNGER GAME STYLE APPLICATION PROCESS WHERE ONLY 30 RESIDENTS ACROSS ALL 14 DISTRICTS ARE SERVED APPROXIMATELY ON AN ANNUAL BASIS BASIS.WE, UM, ARE LEFT IN OAK CLIFF TO START GOFUNDME FOR DISABLED AND ELDERLY NEIGHBORS.
MS. HOPKINS, THAT IS YOUR TIME.
DON'T HAVE CONDITIONING AND NEED ELECTRICAL PANELS UPDATED.
WE PLEAD WITH THE CITY TO PUT ITS MONEY WHERE ITS MOUTH IS WITH THE RACIAL EQUITY PLAN IN 2023 DALLAS HOUSING POLICY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS AARON GLOVER, FOLLOWED BY A VIRTUAL SPEAKER, JASON HABEL.
I'M AARON GLOVER, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE WRITER'S GARRETT, A LITERARY NONPROFIT LOCATED IN DISTRICT ONE.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE DOZENS OF ORGANIZATIONS AND NEARLY 27,000 INDIVIDUALS WHO USE AND DO BUSINESS IN CITY OWNED ARTS AND CULTURAL FACILITIES, AS WELL AS THE MILLIONS OF ATTENDEES AND VISITORS WHO BRING OVER A BILLION DOLLARS IN REVENUE TO THE CITY EVERY YEAR, ASKING THAT YOU ALLOT THE REQUESTED 6% OF BOND FUNDS TOWARDS THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE, A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF WHICH WILL BE USED TOWARDS CRITICAL MAINTENANCE, REPAIR, AND ESSENTIAL UPDATES TO CITY-OWNED FACILITIES.
THE CITY OF DALLAS, ITS SPACES AND BUILDINGS ARE OUR HOME.
IT IS WHERE WE WORK, PLAY, AND LIVE FOR MANY OF US.
THE IDEA OF THE CITY, THIS CITY, OUR CITY, BRINGS A FEELING OF PRIDE AND SATISFACTION.
IF COMPANY IS COMING TO OUR HOUSE, WHETHER IT'S OUR FAMILIES, OUR NEIGHBORS, OR VISITORS FROM OTHER PLACES, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S A FUNCTIONAL, ACCESSIBLE BATHROOM.
WE CAN'T HOST, WE CAN'T BE THE HOSTS.
WE KNOW WE ARE IF THE HOUSE HAS A LEAKING ROOF OR IF ELECTRICAL WIRING PUTS THE HOUSE AND EVERYONE IN IT IN DANGER.
THESE ARE, BY THE WAY, ACTUAL EXAMPLES OF FACILITY PROBLEMS THAT WILL FI BE FIXED WITH THE BOND FUNDING.
THIS CITY, THESE FACILITIES ARE OURS.
WE SIGNED THE MORTGAGE AND WE ARE PAYING THE TAXES.
LET'S MAKE SURE OUR HOME IS SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE AND SHOWCASE THE INCREDIBLE ARTS AND CULTURE THE CITY HAS TO OFFER.
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR SUPPORTING THE 6% OF THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE FUNDING, AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR ATTENTION TONIGHT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS VIRTUAL JASON HABO.
UH, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY.
UM, MY FAMILY JUST RECENTLY MOVED HERE FROM CHICAGO AND, AND CHICAGO IS A TRULY BEAUTIFUL CITY, UH, IN LARGE PART, UH, BECAUSE IT'S MADE A TREMENDOUS COMMITMENT TO ITS PARKS, GREEN SPACES AND GREEN SPACES.
UH, AS WE MOVE HERE TO DALLAS AND THEY'RE SAILING IN, WE REALLY JUST WANNA SEE THAT LEVEL OF COMMITMENT CARRIED FORWARD.
AND SO I ASK THAT THE CITY COUNCIL TEAM HEAVILY CONSIDER THE COMMITMENT INVESTMENT, UH, TO THE PARK INFRASTRUCTURE HERE IN DALLAS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BRIAN TONY, FOLLOWED BY KEVIN MORIARTY.
HI, I'M KEVIN MORIARTY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF DALLAS THEATER CENTER.
ALL OF US IN THE ARTS COMMUNITY STAND TOGETHER IN SUPPORT OF THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURES REQUEST FOR BOND FUNDING AT THE THEATER CENTER.
WE PRODUCE PLAYS IN TWO CITY OWNED BUILDINGS, THE KALITA HUMPHREYS THEATER, AND THE WILEY THEATER.
THE KALITA HAS SUFFERED FROM A LACK OF CITY RESOURCES FOR YEARS.
HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING, PLUMBING AUDIENCE SAFETY ARE ALL GRAVE CONCERNS.
THE WILEY'S A NEWER BUILDING, BUT IT ALSO HAS SIGNIFICANT NEEDS.
UH, THIS SUMMER, UH, WE'VE BEEN PLAGUED BY, UH, ELEVATORS THAT CONTINUALLY BREAK DOWN.
WE HAD AN EVENT, UH, TWO MONTHS AGO IN WHICH ALL OF THE ELEVATORS WERE, UH, UH, BROKEN.
AND, UH, INDIVIDUALS WERE UNABLE TO NAVIGATE THE BUILDING AND PARTICIPATE IN THE EVENT.
PREVENTING PEOPLE WHO ARE MOBILITY CHALLENGED FROM EXPERIENCING THE ARTS IS SHAMEFUL.
ALL OF US, UH, ADVOCATING FOR THE BOND FUNDING FOR CULTURAL FACILITIES, UH, UH, BELIEVE IN THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ARTS AND WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE MONEY ISN'T FOR NEW BUILDINGS OR COSMETIC FIXES.
IT'S SIMPLY TO REPAIR WHAT'S BROKEN AND SLOW DOWN THE DETERIORATION OF SOME OF DALLAS'S MOST VISIBLE
[00:35:01]
BUILDINGS.AS ARTS ORGANIZATIONS WILL STAND UP AND CARRY THE BURDEN OF RAISING FUNDS TO CREATE ARTS AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR OUR COMMUNITY, EVEN IN THESE DIFFICULT TIMES, BUT WE NEED THE CITY TO DO ITS PART FOR CULTURAL FACILITIES THAT IT OWNS AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR.
TOGETHER WE CAN SERVE THE PEOPLE OF DALLAS.
I'M THE ORGANIZER WITH THE DALLAS HOUSING COALITION.
I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF GETTING TO MEET YOU ALL AND LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING THOSE.
I WANTED TO START OFF WITH ONE SPECIFIC CONCERN THAT I'VE HEARD IN MY MEETINGS IS THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THE $200 MILLION THAT THE DALLAS HOUSE HOUSING COALITION IS REQUESTING FOR THIS BOND FOR HOUSING WOULD GO.
THE SUBCOMMITTEE UPSTAIRS IS MEETING.
THEY'RE GONNA COME WITH THOSE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS, AND WE ARE HERE AS AN A WATCHDOG ORGANIZATION TO CONTINUE HOLD THE CITY ACCOUNTABLE TO ITS NEW HOUSING POLICY ADOPTED FOR 2033 AND OUR NEW HOUSING DEPARTMENT STAFF AND LEADERS THERE.
Y'ALL SEEM TO RESPOND TO VISUAL AIDS PRETTY WELL LAST TIME, SO I ALSO BROUGHT A FEW OF MY OWN REAL QUICKLY.
IT WAS BUILT WITH INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING, $2 MILLION NOW CREATED OVER 50 NEW HOMEOWNERS IN THE BOTTOM.
WESTMORELAND STATION IS A $8 MILLION INVESTMENT.
CREATED 233 UNITS FOR 80% A M I WITH ONSITE AMENITIES AND CLOSE TO TRANSIT.
GOT OUR DI THIS IS A HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION PURCHASED PROPERTY.
IT HAS 225 MIXED INCOME WORKFORCE HOUSING UNITS IN THE OAK LAWN AREA.
PURCHASED WITH FUNDS FROM THE HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, PALLADIUM REDBIRD HELP TO REVITALIZE, UH, REDBIRD MALL.
AND WE HAVE OVER 150 MEMBERS NOW, UH, WHO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
WHO CANNOT BE HERE TODAY, THE PEOPLE WHO DO NOT YET LIVE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, BUT WANT TO AND EVERYONE ELSE IN THIS ROOM TODAY WHO HAS SHELTER AND THEY WANT THEIR CHILDREN, PARENTS, FAMILIES, AND FRIENDS TO NOT ONLY LIVE IN DALLAS, BUT TO THRIVE IN THE FUTURE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LILY WEISS, FOLLOWED BY RICHARD HARP.
I'M LILY WEISS SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE DALLAS ARTS DISTRICT, DISTRICT 14.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU ARE DOING TOWARD THE 2024 BOND.
THERE IS A TREMENDOUS NEED FOR INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT IN THE ARTS DISTRICT, MUCH OF WHICH DATES BACK TO THE ORIGINAL SUZAKI PLAN.
FORTUNATELY, THE CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED OUR NEW CONNECT MASTER PLAN IN 2021.
THIS REQUEST SPECIFICALLY WORKS TOWARD OUR PRIORITY OBJECTIVES.
IN THAT PLAN, ONE OF THESE GOALS IS TO REINVIGORATE FLORA STREET AS THE CULTURAL CORE OF THE DISTRICT AND TO CREATE A SAFE, A D A ACCESSIBLE PEDESTRIAN CONNECTION.
IN FACT, IF YOU TRY TO GUIDE A WHEELCHAIR THROUGH THESE AREAS OR A STROLLER, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE SMALL SQUARE PAVERS NO LONGER REQUIRED IN THE CONNECT MASTER PLAN AND THE EXTREME VERTICAL MISALIGNMENTS THAT CREATE A SAFETY ISSUE.
WE INITIALLY SUBMITTED A SUBSTANTIALLY LAR LARGER REQUEST, BUT HAVE AMENDED OUR ASKS TO PRIORITIZE AND FOCUS ON THE GOAL OF CRITICAL NEEDS, ACKNOWLEDGING THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER NEEDS ACROSS THE CITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS IMPORTANT INVESTMENT OF $8.5 MILLION IN CITYWIDE STREETS AND INFRASTRUCTURE BOND FUNDS IN THE DALLAS ARTS DISTRICT, WHICH INCLUDES 1.5 FOR OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY SIDEWALKS.
AND IN 10 SECONDS, I WANT TO WEAR MY ART SUPPORTER HAT.
PLEASE SUPPORT THE CRITICAL ARTS FACILITIES FUNDING.
I APPRECIATE WHAT, UH, WHAT Y'ALL DO.
THIS, UH, TASK FORCE AND I UNDERSTAND HOW DIFFICULT IT IS.
I HAVE SOME UNDERSTANDING OF IT.
[00:40:01]
UH, I LIVE IN DISTRICT 11.I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR ALLEY AT IT'S SPRING CREEK.
IT'S THE, UH, PROJECT NUMBER PBO 7 6 1 7.
IT'S THE COMMON ALLEY BETWEEN FALL MEADOW AND BRIAR RIDGE AND SPRING CREEK.
IT WAS BUILT IN 1966 AND IT 60 YEARS OLD.
IT'S NO LONGER ARE, YOU'RE NO LONGER ABLE TO TRAVEL THROUGH THE ALLEY WITHOUT DAMAGING IT WITH THE, UH, GARBAGE AND RECYCLE TRUCKS, UH, BECAUSE OF ITS EIGHT FOOT WIDTH AND IT'S BEEN DETERIORATED BY CONSTANT TRAFFIC.
SOME OF THE CONSTANT TRAFFIC IS THE, UH, RESIDENCE THAT LIVE THERE.
IT'S A REAR ENTRY, UH, RESIDENCES.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY MEANS WE HAVE TO PARK AT OUR HOUSES.
UM, I HAVE SOME PICTURE TWO IS GOING OVER THE, UH, OR HOW IT PALMS WATER.
I SEE THAT AS A PROBLEM IN THAT, UH, TERMITES AND THINGS ARE UNDESIRABLE.
THINGS ARE ATTACHED, ATTRACTED TO IT, UH, THAT THE, AGAIN, THERE'S FAILED EDGES ALL THE WAY DOWN, CREATING RUTS AND A PATCHWORK QUILT OF ASPHALT OVER CONCRETE.
JENNIFER SCRIPPS, FOLLOWED BY BRENDA SCHNITZER.
GOOD EVENING CHAIR AGARWAL AND MEMBERS OF THE BOND TASK FORCE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE ON SUCH A CRITICALLY IMPORTANT PROGRAM FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY.
MY NAME IS JENNIFER SCRIPPS AND I HAVE THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS THE PRESIDENT AND C E O OF DOWNTOWN DALLAS, INC.
THE LEADING ADVOCATE AND CHAMPION FOR OUR CITY'S CORE FOR THE LAST 65 YEARS.
DDI I'S STRATEGIC 360 PLAN APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY BY CITY COUNCIL IN 2017, LAYS OUT THREE PRIORITIES, ADVANCING URBAN MOBILITY, BUILDING COMPLETE NEIGHBORHOODS, AND PROMOTING GREAT PLACEMAKING.
WE URGE YOU TO LOOK AT DOWNTOWN AS A CITYWIDE ASSET THAT EVERYONE SHOULD BE CHAMPIONING.
CONSIDER THAT IN THE LA LATE NINETIES WE HAD ONLY A COUPLE OF HUNDRED DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS.
TODAY WE HAVE 15,000 DOWNTOWN HAS ADDED GREEN SPACE MUCH FASTER THAN THE REST OF THE CITY, AND NOW HAS 20 ACRES OF CONCRETE THAT ARE NOW PARKS.
WE HAVE 40 PREVIOUSLY EMPTY VACANT OFFICE BUILDINGS NOW RESIDENTIAL AND HOTEL USES.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, OUR TAX BASE HAS GROWN FROM 565 MILLION IN 2005 TO 5.9 BILLION IN 2001.
IN SHORT, AN INVESTMENT IN DOWNTOWN INFRASTRUCTURE HAS A HIGH R O I INVEST IN OUR ARTS.
TAKE CARE OF YOUR ASSETS IN THE ARTS DISTRICT, THE CENTRAL LIBRARY, AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT MAKE DOWNTOWN A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WENT TO LIVE, WORK AND INVEST.
WE NEED THE CITY TO CONTINUE TO FUND THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO KEEP US ON AN UPWARD TRAJECTORY.
HELLO, MY NAME IS BRENDA EWING SCHNITZER AND I'VE WORKED IN DALLAS FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK YOU TO INVEST IN THE CREATION AND MAINTENANCE OF HOUSING THAT IS AFFORDABLE AND ATTAINABLE FOR OUR HARDEST WORKING AND MOST VULNERABLE NEIGHBORS IN DALLAS.
AT THE ZERO TO 50% A M I, WE NEED A CONTINUUM OF RESOURCES TO HELP PEOPLE STAY HOUSED AND BECOME HOUSED.
I'M ALSO HERE TO ASK YOU TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN HOMELESSNESS SERVICES THROUGH O H S'S OUTLINE OF FUNDS TO UPDATE THE BRIDGES 15 YEAR OLD FACILITY AND TO PRIORITIZE MORE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING WITH WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR THOSE WHO ARE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS.
ONLY WITH THESE TWO ITEMS BEING PRIORITIZED WILL WE MAKE AN IMPACT ON HOMELESSNESS AND KEEPING THE MOST VULNERABLE AND WORKING POOR HOUSED.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE STEWPOT, A MINISTRY OF FIRST PRESBYTERIAN OF DALLAS, AND I KNOW FIRSTHAND OUR CITY MUST SOLVE THE GROWING HOUSING NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THIS SEVERE HOMELESSNESS THAT OCCURS BECAUSE OF A LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES NEEDED FOR RESOURCES NEEDED FOR THOSE MOST AT RISK.
[00:45:01]
HOMELESS, BUT HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES WHO ARE HOUSED, BUT LIVING IN POVERTY WHERE ALMOST ALL OF THEIR PAYCHECK GOES TO RENT.DALLAS HAS ALREADY BECOME AN UNAFFORDABLE FOR MANY RESIDENTS AND MANY RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN DISPLACED FROM THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
PLEASE SUPPORT THE 35 MILLION IN FUNDS TO UPDATE THE 15 YEAR OLD FACILITY AT THE BRIDGE AND TO PROVIDE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AS WELL AS THE 200 MILLION IN FUNDS TO INVEST IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THOSE WHO ARE MOST FORMAL.
NEXT WE HAVE WARREN TTA, FOLLOWED BY MAGGIE PARKER.
I'M THE C E O OF THE AT T PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AND OUR CAMPUS IS INCLUDED AS PART OF THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURES PROPOSAL FOR THE 2024 BOND PROGRAM.
THE SPACES THAT WE OPERATE FOR THE CITY INCLUDE THE ICONIC WIND SPEAR OPERA HOUSE, THE WILEY THEATER, STRAUSS SQUARE TWO FLEXIBLE BLACK BOX THEATER, SALMONS PARK, A CAFE TWO UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGES, AND WE ALSO CARE FOR THE CITY'S SIDEWALKS SURROUNDING THE CENTER.
THIS PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP'S BEEN A SUCCESSFUL MODEL FOR THE ARTS COMMUNITY AND FOR THE CITY.
THE CITY, THE CENTER HAS CHANGED.
THE FACE OF DOWNTOWN HELPED COMPLETE THE DECADES OLD VISION FOR THE DALLAS ARTS DISTRICT, BUT THIS YEAR THESE VENUES WILL BE 15 YEARS OLD.
TO KEEP THE DOORS OPEN, WE WILL NEED TO INVEST TO MAINTAIN, REPAIR AND UPDATE OUR FACILITIES.
THIS INCLUDES THINGS LIKE HVAC ROOFS, SECURITY TECHNOLOGY, ELEVATORS, AND MUCH, MUCH MORE.
LAST YEAR WE DID A THOROUGH ASSESSMENT OF THE NEEDS, UM, AND ESTIMATED CAPITAL EXPENDITURES OF OVER $21 MILLION.
WE'VE ASKED THE CITY TO PARTICIPATE FOR 13 AND A HALF MILLION ACROSS ALL OF OUR FACILITIES.
THE CENTER IS BRINGING $7 MILLION TO THE TABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT.
THAT'S MONEY THAT WE'RE ALREADY SPENDING FOR THINGS THAT ARE BREAKING TODAY.
THIS IS A COLLABORATIVE PROJECT THAT WE NEED TO DO TOGETHER.
SO TO REINFORCE, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT BUILDING NEW FACILITIES.
THIS IS ABOUT MAINTENANCE AND INDEED THIS IS THE SAME ACROSS ALL OF OUR COLLEAGUES, UM, THAT THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE HAS PROPOSED IN ITS REQUEST.
WE STRONGLY SUPPORT THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE RECEIVING THE 6% ALLOCATION FROM THE BOND TO SUPPORT ALL OF THE 15 FACILITIES, UM, THAT ARE OWNED BY THE CITY THROUGH THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE.
I COME HERE WEARING MANY HATS, BUT FIRST AND FOREMOST, I'M A REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER WITH MY COMPANY IN YVONNE NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, AND ACTUALLY BUILT ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT BRIAN TALKED ABOUT IN THE BOTTOM NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, ACCESS TO ATTAINABLE HOUSING IS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONCERN FOR US ALL REGARDLESS OF YOUR INCOME.
AND WE WANT TO CON, WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE IN THIS CITY WHO CONTRIBUTES TO THIS CITY CAN LIVE HERE AND HAVE ACCESS TO THAT HOUSING.
I SEE THIS DAILY IN MY REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT WORK.
UM, SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED IN THE BOTTOM WHERE BOND DOLLARS HELP SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT ALSO AFFORDABLE HOUSING FROM COUNCILWOMAN ARNOLD'S DISCRETIONARY DOLLARS.
WE WERE ABLE TO PLACE TWO HOMEOWNERS, UM, AT THE BEGINNING TO SELL THEM A HOME FOR $230,000.
BUT THAT HOUSE APPRAISED FOR 350.
THAT'S A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN EQUITY ON DAY ONE USING DIRECT BOND DOLLARS.
SECONDLY, I HAVE A PROJECT IN THE EDUCATION CORRIDOR NEAR U N T DALLAS, UM, IN THIS AREA.
THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE GROWN UP IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND ARE REALLY LOOKING TO PURCHASE HOMES AND REMAIN IN THIS AREA, BUT CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO LIVE HERE.
AND SO, UM, WE REALLY, WHILE WE SEE A LOT OF ROLLING HILLS AND A LOT OF BEAUTIFUL TREES, INFRASTRUCTURE IS A HUGE NEED IN ORDER TO MAKE HOUSING AFFORDABLE IN THIS AREA.
SO WHAT CAN WE DO? WE NEED TO SUPPORT THE HOUSING, HOUSING, UH, LINE ITEM IN THE BOND AT THE MAX LEVEL OF 200 MILLION FOR ALL LEVELS OF HOUSING.
UM, BOTH THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, THOSE TO THOSE AT 120% OF A M I RENTAL FOR SALE, NEW CONSTRUCTION AND REHAB ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE THE PRIMARY SUBSIDY OUTSIDE OF TAX CREDIT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRODUCTION.
IT'S TIME FOR DALLAS TO STEP UP.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LESLIE RUG.
MY NAME IS LESLIE SHARIS VINK AND I STAND IN SUPPORT OF THE DALLAS HOUSING COALITION'S REQUEST OF $200 MILLION.
A HOUSEHOLD NEEDS $135,000 IN ANNUAL INCOME TO AFFORD
[00:50:02]
A AVERAGE PRICED HOUSE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS THAT MAKES THAT OUT OF REACH FOR MOST RESIDENTS AND RENTERS FAIR? NO BETTER.IF YOU MAKE A MINIMUM WAGE, YOU HAVE TO WORK 143 HOURS EVERY SINGLE WEEK IN ORDER TO AFFORD A MODERATE TWO BEDROOM APARTMENT HERE IN DALLAS.
A COUPLE OTHER FIGURES FOR YOU.
THAT'S THE STARTING SALARY FOR THE DALLAS POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS.
THE AVERAGE SALARY OF A CITY OF DALLAS, NINE ONE ONE CALL OPERATOR, 61 TO $76,000.
THE SALARY RANGE FOR NEW D I S D TEACHERS.
WHERE DO THESE PEOPLE LIVE? THE REALITY IS MOST OF THESE PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD TO WORK AND LIVE IN OUR CITY.
HOUSING STAFF HAS INDICATED IF DALLAS TARGETS ONLY 20% OF THE U UNITS THAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW ACROSS THE METROPLEX THAT COSTS $4 BILLION AND STUDIES SHOW WE NEED AT LEAST 10% OF THOSE DOLLARS COMING FROM PUBLIC FUNDING.
THAT'S 400 MILLION AND WE'RE ONLY ASKING THAT YOU GUYS USE HALF OF THAT 200 MILLION FROM THE CURRENT BOND IN ORDER TO MAKE A MEANINGFUL STEP FORWARD IN ADDRESSING AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR WORKING INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN OUR CITY THAT WE'RE OTHERWISE GOING TO LIVE.
LOSE TO THE SUBURBS WHERE THEY CAN MAKE MONEY LIVE BY THEIR HOUSE, LIVE BY WHERE THEY WORK, AND DO IT MUCH CHEAPER.
I'M CHRIS HEIN BAUGH WITH THE AT AND T PERFORMING ARTS CENTER.
WHEN I MOVED HERE IN 2000, I WAS A REPORTER AT CHANNEL EIGHT AND ONE OF THE EARLY STORIES I COVERED WAS OF BOEING LOOKING FOR A NEW HOME.
AND DALLAS WORKED HARD TO GET IT, BUT BOEING WENT TO CHICAGO AND ONE KEY REASON WAS THE LACK OF CULTURAL AMENITIES DOWNTOWN.
IT FUELED THE EFFORT TO FINISH THE ARTS DISTRICT, GET THE LATINO CULTURAL CENTER BUILT AND MORE.
FAST FORWARD TO 2008 NOW I WAS CHIEF OF STAFF TO MAYOR TOM LEOPARD AT AND T WAS LOOKING FOR A NEW HOME.
BY THEN, THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER WAS WELL UNDERWAY.
THE N OPENED OTHER ARTS AMENITIES AS WELL AND AT AND T CHOSE DALLAS.
DALLAS IS A SHINING EXAMPLE OF HOW CULTURE CAN DRIVE CHANGE, ATTRACT CORPORATE TALENT, UH, CORPORATE RELOCATIONS, TALENT TOURISM, IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE, NOT JUST DOWNTOWN, BUT ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT LIKE ANY SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS, YOU MUST REINVEST IN YOUR FACILITIES OR YOUR COMPETITORS WILL PASS YOU BY.
THE COLONY, FOR INSTANCE, HAS BUILT A NEW ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX CALLED SCAPE.
FRISCO IS TRYING TO BUILD ITS OWN PERFORMING ART CENTER.
THEY HAVE FIGURED OUT THAT ART AND CULTURE ARE CRITICAL INGREDIENTS FOR THE SECRET SAUCE FOR DALLAS'S SUCCESS, BUT IT DOESN'T WORK IF WE LET OUR BUILDINGS GO TO POT.
WE MUST REINVEST IN OUR ASSETS AT LEAST, AT LEAST 6% OF THE BOND FOR CULTURAL FACILITIES.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
UH, MY NAME IS MEGAN HARRIS AND I AM, UH, NOT ONLY A NATIVE DALLAS SITE, BUT I AM ALSO A, UM, AN ARTS ADVOCATE AND I CURRENTLY WORK AT KAMIA THEATER.
UM, THE CITY OF DALLAS OWNS A LARGE NUMBER OF QUALITY ARTS AND CULTURE VENUES, AND THESE ARE WORKHOUSE FACILITIES THAT HANDLE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF VISITS EACH YEAR FROM EVERY CORNER OF OUR CITY.
THEY GENERATE JOBS, TOURISM, ECONOMIC IMPACT, AND TAX REVENUE.
AND LIKE SOME OF MY OTHER ARTS ADVOCATE COLLEAGUES HAVE BEEN SAYING, WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR 6% OF THE BOND PROGRAM TO BE DEDICATED, UM, TO MAIN MAINTAINING, UH, ALL OF OUR, ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS.
AND UM, JUST TO NOTE, THE LAST SIGNIFICANT CULTURAL, UH, FACILITIES PIECE IN A BOND PROGRAM WAS 17 YEARS AGO, UH, WHICH WAS 2006.
UH, IN 2017, THE ARTS COMMUNITY WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT A SIGNIFICANT YEAR FOR CULTURAL FACILITIES AND THAT WE NEEDED TO WAIT, UH, FOR THE 2022 PROGRAM, WHICH HAS SINCE BEEN DELAYED TO THIS YEAR, UH, OR TO 2024.
UM, THESE UNIQUE BUILDINGS, THEY HAVE UNIQUE NEEDS.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, THE LATINO CULTURAL CENTER, WHICH IS THE INSTITUTION THAT KAMIA USES, UH, FOR OUR PRIMARY PERFORMANCES, IS A CRITICAL GATHERING SPACE FOR OUR LATINX COMMUNITY AND IS IN NEED OF CRITICAL REPAIRS.
UM, WE'VE ALL HEARD THE SAYING THAT DALLAS IS GOOD AT BUILDING NEW THINGS, BUT IT'S NOT GOOD AT TAKING CARE OF THEM.
UH, WE SPENT DECADES IGNORING FAIR PARK AND NOW WE'RE SPENDING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OVER ANOTHER DECADE TO GET CAUGHT UP AND WE WOULD LIKE TO ADVOCATE THAT WE NOT REPEAT THESE SAME MISTAKES WITH OUR ARTS AND CULTURE VENUES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
[00:55:04]
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS THOMAS MCILROY.I'M QUINCY ROBERTS, OWNER OF THE ROBERTS TRUCKING COMPANY, A FIRM THAT HAS SERVED DALLAS FOR THE LAST 40 YEARS.
I'M ALSO THE BOARD CHAIR OF THE DALLAS OPERA.
OUR HOME IS IN THE WIND SPEAR OPERA HOUSE, WHICH NEXT YEAR WILL MARK 15 YEARS SINCE ITS OPENING.
IT'S AN ICONIC SHOWCASE FOR OUR CITY.
PERFORMANCES ATTRACT AUDIENCES FROM EVERY CORNER OF DALLAS AND TOURISTS FROM ALL OVER THE GLOBE, AND IT'S A WORKHORSE OF A BUILDING.
THERE MAY BE PERFORMANCES, REHEARSALS, SETS BEING BUILT, MEETINGS AND EVENTS, AND THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS COME THROUGH THE WIND SPEAR EACH YEAR FOR OUR ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAMS. BUT MOST OF ITS CRITICAL SYSTEMS ARE AT THE END OF ITS LIFE.
HVAC ELEVATORS, ROOFING TECHNOLOGY THAT RUNS THE LIGHTING BOARDS, RIGGING, LIFTING, SET PIECES, AND WITH MORE EXTREME WEATHER WORK IS NEEDED TO PROTECT THE BUILDING ENVELOPE.
THIS WORK CANNOT BE KICKED DOWN THE ROAD TO ANOTHER BOND PROGRAM.
THE WIND SPEAR SHOULDN'T BE FALLING APART BEFORE THE CITY STEPS IN WITH BOND FUNDS.
THIS WHOLE BOND PROGRAM IS ABOUT TAKING CARE OF WHAT WE GOT.
THAT'S WHY THE DALLAS OPERA IS FULLY BEHIND THE BOND PACKAGE PRESENTED BY THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE.
AND WE'RE ASKING FOR AT LEAST 6% OF THE TOTAL BOND PACKAGE FOR CULTURAL PER CULTURAL FACILITIES AT LEAST 6%.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS THERESA BOND, FOLLOWED BY DERA BRENT.
MY NAME IS THERESA BOND AND I VOLUNTEER AT THE BATHHOUSE CULTURAL CENTER.
I AM HERE TO SUPPORT THE REQUEST OF THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE THAT THEY HAVE PROPOSED FOR FUNDING THE CRITICAL DEFERRED MAINTENANCE OF ITS FACILITIES IN THE UPCOMING BOND ISSUE ACCORDING TO THE CURRENT CULTURAL PLAN.
THE CITIZENS OF DALLAS SAID THEY WANTED ACCESSIBLE CULTURAL FACILITIES IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD WITH DIVERSITY INCLUSION.
THE PLAN IS WORKING CONGRATULATIONS, AND IT'S REALLY WORKING AT PLACES LIKE THE BATHHOUSE CULTURAL CENTER.
WE SEE OVER 40,000 VISITS EVERY YEAR.
IT IS VIBRANT AND BUSY WITH ALL AGES AND ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE.
IT PROVIDES A PLACE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO GATHER AND IT HAS A POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR NEIGHBORS.
THE BATHHOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1930.
THE ORIGINAL BUILDERS COULD NEVER HAVE IMAGINED THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC THIS BUILDING HAS SEEN.
OUR CULTURAL FACILITY PROVIDES JOBS FOR ARTISTS, PERFORMANCE SPACE, EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, AND IT SETS FOR PUBLIC EVENTS.
PEOPLE STOP TO SHOP AND EAT AT OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
I WAS HERE LAST WEEK AT THE CRITICAL FACILITIES PRESENTATION TO SEE HOW LITTLE THE ARTS FACILITIES HAVE RECEIVED IN PAST BOND ISSUES.
I STAND IN AGREEMENT WITH THE O A C IN ASKING FOR 6%.
PLEASE SUPPORT FUNDING DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, NOT NEW BUILDING, BUT DEFERRED MAINTENANCE FOR OUR CULTURAL FACILITIES.
IT IS WELL WORTH THE INVESTMENT FOR BOTH THE ECONOMIC RETURN THESE FACILITIES PROVIDE TO OUR COMMUNITIES AND FOR THE POSITIVE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT PROVIDES FOR ALL OF US AS CITIZENS.
MY NAME IS MARIA VALENZUELA AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ASK YOU TO SUPPORT THE 24 MILLION WHITE ROCK HILLS RECREATION CENTER ON THE BOND PROGRAM.
MY NEIGHBORS AND I HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED BY THE CITY FOR DECADES CONTINUING TO PASS US BY WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING A RECREATION CENTER FUNDED ON THE BOND PROGRAM TIME AGAIN, WE ARE OVERLOOKED.
WHAT OTHER RECEIVE PROGRAMS THAT A RECREATION CENTER PROVIDES? WHY THE PARK DEPARTMENT HAS RECOGNIZED A GAP IN RECREATION CENTER SERVICES IN OUR COMMUNITY SINCE 1998, THE CITY HAS ALREADY INVESTED
[01:00:01]
10 MILLION IN BRICK CONSTRUCTION COSTS.THIS ALONG WITH TRAILS AND PRIVATE MIX INCOME HOUSING HAS RESULTED IN 65 MILLION INVESTED IN THIS AREA.
YET THE LAND LIES VACANT WHILE OUR COMMUNITY WAITS.
THE NEEDS ARE GREAT IN OUR ECONOMICALLY AND ETHNICALLY DIVERSE COMMUNITY.
THE CITY SAYS THEY ARE COMMITTED TO EQUITY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
WHAT IS EQUITABLE? AND JUST ABOUT FORGETTING OUR NEIGHBORS IN FAR EAST DALLAS.
YOU HAVE SOME GREEN PACKAGES, GREEN FOLDERS WITH MORE INFORMATION ABOUT A RECREATION CENTER.
I RESIDE IN THE, UH, ELLO SENIOR APARTMENTS, UH, IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
I AM HERE TO ASK THE BOND COMMITTEE TO PLACE THE WHITE ROCK HILLS RECREATION CENTER ON THE BOND PROGRAM.
THIS RECREATION CENTER WILL SERVE CITY COUNCIL.
DISTRICTS TWO, SEVEN, AND NINE ALL HAVE LARGE SENIOR POPULATIONS, YET THERE ARE NO RESOURCES FOR US.
WE LEARNED THAT A SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER THAT WAS TO BE BUILT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS FALLEN THROUGH LEAVING US WITH NO PLACE TO GO.
FOR DECADES, CITIZENS OF THE LOWER FERGUSON ROAD CORRIDOR HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKED BY THE CITY.
WE HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED, A RECREATION CENTER AND LIBRARY.
WERE FIRST IDENTIFIED AS NEEDED AMENITIES BACK IN 1995.
THE LIBRARY HAS BEEN BUILT AND WE'RE GRATEFUL AND ENJOYING IT MIGHTILY, BUT WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR THE RECREATION CENTER.
THE INFORMATION PACKET YOU RECEIVED, UH, RECAPS THE HISTORY OF THE WORK ALREADY INVESTED IN DEVELOPING, UM, THIS RECREATION CENTER AND LAND HAS BEEN BUILT, I MEAN BOUGHT YEAR AFTER YEAR BOND ELECTION AFTER BOND ELECTION.
DESPITE THE GAP IN RECREATION SERVICES, OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN BYPASSED.
PLEASE DO NOT OVERLOOK US AGAIN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SUSAN HOPPER, FOLLOWED BY TAMMY ERICS.
HELLO, MY NAME IS SUSAN HOPPER AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT TWO.
OUR COMMUNITY IS ASKING YOU TO PLACE THE WHITE ROCK HILLS RECREATION CENTER ON THE 2024 BOND.
THE STORY OF OUR COMMUNITY'S 28 YEAR QUEST FOR A RECREATION CENTER IS A TALE OF TWO CITIES ON ONE SIDE OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS.
WEALTHY, HIGHLY EDUCATED FAMILIES LIVE IN STATELY HOMES OVERLOOKING WHITE ROCK LAKE.
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE REC OF OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS ARE MIXED INCOME COMMUNITIES COMPRISED OF STABLE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND A TRANSIENT MULTI-FAMILY POPULATION.
OUR COMMUNITY IS 68% MINORITY WITH HIGH POVERTY CENSUS TRACKS.
OUR ZIP CODE AS A 4.8 ON A FIVE POINT SCALE ON THE COMMUNITY NEEDS INDEX.
THE HIGHER THE SCORE, THE GREATER THE NEED.
OUR COMMUNITY QUALIFIES AS CERTIFIED FOOD, CHILDCARE AND INFRASTRUCTURE DESERTS.
BUILDING THE WHITE ROCK CENTER'S.
THE WHITE ROCK HILLS RECREATION CENTER WILL SPUR ECONOMIC GROWTH AND BE THE FINAL PHASE TO FULLY DEVELOP OUR COMMUNITY.
OUR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES DESERVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES THAT OTHERS IN THE CITY RECEIVE.
HELLO, MY NAME IS TAMMY DERRICKS, PRESIDENT OF THE FIVE MILE NEIGHBORHOOD
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ASSOCIATION DISTRICT EIGHT.THE COMMUNITY HAS CONCERNS ABOUT A CEMETERY LOCATED AT 31 25 PERSIMMON ROAD, DALLAS, TEXAS 7 5 2 4 1, ALSO KNOWN AS PERSIMMON ROAD CEMETERY.
DCA HAS THE ABOVE ADDRESS LISTED AS A CEMETERY AND OWNED BY THE CITY OF DALLAS.
HOWEVER, THE RESPONSIBILITY FALLS ON PARKS AND RECREATION.
SAYS CEMETERY IS ASSOCIATED WITHIN THE JOHN B RICHEST PLATT ABSTRACT 11 92 6 8 7 8.
THERE IS A REASON IT WAS PUT ON THE JOHN B RICHEST PLATT.
COULD IT BE BECAUSE IT WAS A BURIAL GROUND FOR THE MILLER ENSLAVED PEOPLE? THE MILLER ENSLAVED PEOPLE WERE GRANTED A PARCEL OF LAND BY RICHARD M GANO TO HAY MILLER.
JUNE 8TH, 1889 PIONEER WAS WILLIAM BROWN MILLER.
THE GOAL IS TO HAVE 31 27 PERSIMMON ROAD, ALSO KNOWN AS PERSIMMON ROAD CEMETERY, DESIGNATED AS HISTORICAL.
THE NEXT SUCCESSFUL YEAR TO HAVE A HISTORICAL MARKER PLACED AND TO EVENTUALLY HAVE THAT PLACE DESIGNATED AS A MEMORIAL SITE, PLEASE DEDICATE FUNDS TO THAT UNFORGOTTEN PLOT OF LAND.
NEXT WE HAVE TIMOTHY CUREL, FOLLOWED BY LORIS.
I'M LAURA SANTON BECKELS, DIRECTOR OF KELS DANCE AND COMPANY.
WE ARE A COMMUNITY PARTNER WITH THE SOUTH DALLAS CULTURE CENTER, WHICH IS A PART OF THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE.
AND WE SUPPORT THE 6% OR MORE THAT HAS BEEN ALLOCATED TEMPORARILY SO FAR TO THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE.
IT'S DEDICATED TO FACILITIES THAT NEED THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT NEED REPAIR THAT SO THEY CAN GO IN.
UM, THE REHEARSE, THE THEATER AT THE SOUTH EL CULTURAL CENTER NEEDS THE MOST WORK.
THERE'S BEEN NO ACTUAL IMPROVEMENT SINCE THE RENOVATION IN 2 0 7.
A WRONG AC UNIT HAS BEEN INSTALLED.
SO A NOISY DEHUMIDIFIER HAS BEEN USED EXCEPT FOR PERFORMANCES AND SINCE COVID, THE SINKS IN THE BATHROOMS GIVE USERS A BIG SPLASH.
SENDING WATER SPILLING ONTO CLOTHING AND THE COUNTER, IT ALL NEEDS IMPROVEMENT.
THIS IS ONE PARTICULAR FACILITY WHERE WE REHEARSE AND PERFORM.
ONCE AGAIN, UH, IT ALL NEEDS IMPROVEMENT AT THIS TIME, BUT ONCE AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO SUPPORT THE 6% OF THE BOND PACKAGE THAT O C A IS REQUESTING.
AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS VIRTUAL MITCHELL BOONE.
UH, I'M REVEREND MITCHELL BOONE, SENIOR MINISTER AT FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF DALLAS AND, UH, IN THE ARTS DISTRICT.
MY FAMILY AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT NINE AND I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE REQUEST FROM THE OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS.
THE REQUEST SUBMITTED ADDRESSES TWO PRIMARY NEEDS THAT EXIST IN OUR CITY, EMERGENCY SHELTER AND PERMANENT SUPPORT OF HOUSING.
EXPANDING THE BRIDGES CAPACITY IS A NECESSITY FOR OUR NEIGHBORS WHO EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS.
OUR CITY SPENDING AND BOND PROGRAMS MUST CARE FOR THE MOST MARGINALIZED IN OUR MIDST.
WHILE OUR GAP IN EMERGENCY SHELTERS CONTINUES TO BE COVERED BY FAITH COMMUNITIES ACROSS OUR CITY,
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THE NEED CONTINUES TO GROW.IT'S VITAL THAT THE CITY INVESTS IN ITS OWN PROPERTY AND PRIORITIZE EMERGENCY SHELTERING.
THE O H S REQUEST ALSO ADDRESSES REAL NEEDS FOR PERMANENT HOUSING.
THE TRUTH IS THAT THE ANSWER TO OUR NEIGHBORS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IS HOUSING 99.9% OF OS H'S.
OH S'S 2014 BOND FUNDING HAVE BEEN SPENT AND REAL RESULTS HAVE FOLLOWED FAILING TO FUND REAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR MOST VULNERABLE.
NOT ONLY PUTS LIVES AT RISK, BUT REDUCES OUR MORAL STANDING AND LIMITS OUR ABILITY, OUR ABILITY TO LEAD IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
PLEASE DO ALL YOU CAN TO ENSURE OUR CITY HAS ALL IT NEEDS TO CARE FOR OUR NEIGHBORS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVID WOODY, FOLLOWED BY ALAN REOR.
DAVID WOODY II, PRESIDENT AND C E O OF THE BRIDGE HOMELESS RECOVERY CENTER AT 1818 CORSICANA STREET.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE BOND PROGRAM ITEM RELATED TO THE OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS, INCLUDING SUPPORT FOR RENOVATION AND CAPITAL INVESTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY OF DALLAS ASSET KNOWN AS THE BRIDGE AND FOR RESOURCES FOR SUPPORT OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROJECT.
ESTABLISHED BY THE OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS, THE BRIDGE HAS COMPLETED INTAKE ASSESSMENTS ON OVER 325 CITIZENS.
NEW TO HOMELESSNESS EACH OF THE LAST FIVE MONTHS.
IN ADDITION, WE ARE OFFERING OVERFLOW NIGHT SHELTER TO OVER 55 CITIZENS LOOKING FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY IN THE EVENING.
AFTER 15 YEARS OF HEAVY USE, THE CITY WOULD, THAT THE CITY WOULD CONSIDER TAKING CARE OF WHAT MIGHT QUE BE DESCRIBED AS DEFERRED MAINTENANCE ITEMS ACROSS THE CAMPUS ENHANCES THE EFFICIENCY WITH WHICH WE ENSURE THAT GUEST BASIC NEEDS ARE MET AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTEMPLATE AND EXIT FROM HOMELESSNESS IS ACHIEVED.
RESOURCES ALLOWING THE BRIDGE TO TAKE EVEN BETTER CARE OF THE OVERFLOW GUESTS THROUGH RENOVATION OF UNUSED SPACE WITHIN OUR CAMPUS FOOTPRINT WILL SERVE TO ALLOW THE BRIDGE TO APPROPRIATELY HOST MORE THAN DOUBLE THE GUESTS WE OFFER OVERFLOW NIGHT SHELTER TO AT THIS TIME.
FINALLY, A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF ANY STRATEGY FOR GETTING GUESTS.
WE SERVE HOUSED AS HAVING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AVAILABLE.
THE OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS ASK INCLUDES RESOURCES TO SUSTAIN MORE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING ACROSS THE CITY OF DALLAS.
THANK YOU FOR SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING KEEPING INCLUDED IN THE FINAL BOND PACKAGE FUNDING REQUESTED BY THE OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS, ALAN RAYOR, RAYOR, ROBERT HOWARD, JOHN BOT FOR THANK YOU.
I KNOW, I KNOW Y'ALL GET PAID THE BIG BUCKS.
UM, I JUST WANNA ADVOCATE FOR, UH, UH, PARKS.
THIS BOND PACKAGE, UH, HAS, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THE CITY NEEDS AND I THINK THAT, UM, IF YOU LOOK BACK AT THE D N A OF THIS CITY, IT WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED AROUND PARKS WITH THE ORIGINAL KESSLER PLANT.
THAT'S WHAT OUR STREETS WERE ORIGINALLY DESIGNED AROUND.
AND OUR RESERVOIR AT WHITE ROCK LAKE, WHICH IS GONNA HAVE A SIGNIFICANT BILL TO COME TO WHEN WE DREDGE IT AT AN ESTIMATED $85 MILLION THAT WILL PROBABLY NOT COME FROM THE STATE, THAT WILL NOT COME FROM THE FEDS AND MOST LIKELY WON'T COME FROM ANOTHER BOND AREA BECAUSE IT'S DESIGNATED FROM BY T C E Q AS A, AS A RESIDENTIAL PARK.
SO A LOT OF THIS MONEY FOR THE BOND NEEDS TO GO TO THE PARKS ONCE MORE.
UM, AS FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE FORENSIC SANTA FE TRAIL, I'VE SEEN WHAT THE TRAILS HAVE DONE FOR THIS CITY.
THEY, UH, THEY GOT ALL THE MONEY AND ALL THE ATTENTION.
WE COULDN'T GET ANYTHING DONE ON THE, THE SANTA FE TRAIL, BUT NOW WE'RE SEEING DEVELOPMENT, WHAT THAT TRAIL IS DOING FOR DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S BRINGING IN ALL THESE ISSUES THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH NOW WITH EQUITY AND HOUSING THAT'S ATTRACTING ALL OF THAT, AND A TAX BASE THAT WILL, WILL TAKE CARE OF OUR FUTURE IF
[01:15:01]
WE FUND OUR PARKS.THEY MAINTAIN THOSE TRAILS, THEY MAINTAIN Y ROCK LAKE FUN PARKS AND THIS BOND PROGRAM.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS VIRTUAL ANITA NUNES.
MY NAME IS ANITA NUNEZ AND I'M A RESIDENT OF OLD LAKE HIGHLANDS IN CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT.
I REPRESENT WORKERS' DEFENSE PROJECT, UM, WHICH IS A MEMBER OF THE DALLAS HOUSING COALITION.
I'M SPEAKING, UH, TONIGHT TO ASK DALLAS TO INVEST IN HOUSING IN OUR 2024 BOND PROGRAM, UM, AND DEDICATE $200 MILLION TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND PRESERVATION OF ATTAINABLE HOUSING.
I BELIEVE THAT HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT AND EVERYONE IS ENTITLED TO SAFE, DIGNIFIED, AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, THE PRICE TO OWN OR RENT A HOME IN DALLAS IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY UNATTAINABLE, AND THIS IS CAUSING DISPLACEMENT, HOMELESSNESS, AND MANY OTHER PROBLEMS THAT AFFECT NOT JUST INDIVIDUALS, BUT THE CITY OF DALLAS ITSELF.
UM, DALLAS NEEDS A HUNDRED THOUSAND NEW OR REFURBISHED HOUSES, UM, TO MEET, UH, BY 2020, BY 2033 TO MEET OUR HOUSING DEMANDS.
UM, HISTORICALLY, DALLAS HAS FAILED TO PRIORITIZE INVESTING IN HOUSING, BUT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT, TO CORRECT THIS IN THE 2024 BOND PROGRAM.
IT'S TIME FOR DALLAS TO STEP UP AND INVEST IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TER KALE, FOLLOWED BY ROBERT KENT.
SHE HER MANAGING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AT ECHO THEATER.
WE HAVE PRESENTED 25 YEARS OF LIVE THEATER AT THE CITY OF DALLAS'S, BEAUTIFUL BATHHOUSE CULTURAL CENTER, A LITTLE GEM IN WHITE ROCK LAKE PARK.
SADLY, I CAN ATTEST THAT THE PAST 17 YEARS OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, OF TAKING THEIR TOLL ON OUR BELOVED BATHHOUSE, UH, AS I STOOD ONE NIGHT ON THE MAGICAL BACK PORCH OF THE DALLAS, UH, BA BATHHOUSE, THE ENJOYING THE SUNSET, THE VIEW OF OUR BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN.
UM, I WAS DISCUSSING THE MANY NEEDS OF THE BUILDING WITH ONE OF THE STAFF MEMBERS AND HOW COULD WE EVER AFFORD TO GET EVERYTHING FIXED THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, AND AS IF ON QUEUE A SECTION OF THE BUILDING'S ORIGINAL RAILING CRUMBLED AND FELL OFF AT OUR FEET.
WHILE THAT WOULD'VE MADE FOR GOOD COMEDY ON STAGE, IT IS NO LAUGHING MATTER.
DALLAS CLAIMS IT'S AN ART CITY, AND SOMETIMES I WONDER IF THAT'S ALL HAT NO CATTLE.
I'M HERE TO ASK THAT YOU VOTE TO INCLUDE 6% OF THE 2024 BOND TO SUPPORT THE UPKEEP OF THE CITY'S BEAUTIFUL CULTURAL FACILITIES.
THEY BELONG TO EVERYONE, AND WE HAVE 10 TICKETS TO EVERY SHOW, SO IF YOU'VE NEVER COME TO A SHOW AT THE BATHHOUSE, YOU JUST LET ME KNOW.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, AND PLEASE VOTE FOR THAT 6%.
MY NAME IS ROBERT KENT AND I'M THE TEXAS STATE DIRECTOR FOR TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND AND ALSO A TRUSTEE WITH THE DALLAS PARKS COALITION.
THESE TWO ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORT THE PARK DEPARTMENT'S PROPOSAL FOR $398 MILLION IN BOND FUNDING.
AND CONSIDERING ALL THE WONDERFUL PROJECTS WE'VE HEARD ABOUT TONIGHT FROM ALL THESE WONDERFUL PARK ADVOCATES, WE KNOW THAT THAT IS NOT ENOUGH.
I'D LIKE TO FOCUS MY COMMENTS TONIGHT ON THREE AREAS, CLIMATE, FAMILIES, AND ECONOMIC IMPACT.
IT'S 7:51 PM AND IT'S STILL OVER A HUNDRED DEGREES OUTSIDE.
WE'RE ON TRACK TO HAVE THE HOTTEST SUMMER IN MORE THAN 40 YEARS, AND SADLY, THIS MAY BE THE COOLEST SUMMER IN THE NEXT 40 YEARS.
THE GOOD NEWS IS WE KNOW THAT NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE ADEQUATE PARK SPACE ARE UP TO SIX DEGREES FAHRENHEIT COOLER THAN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DON'T HAVE PARKS.
THE HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT BENEFITS OF PARKS ARE WELL KNOWN, ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN, AND YET OUR RESEARCH FINDS THAT NEARLY 99,000 CHILDREN IN DALLAS DO NOT HAVE A PARK WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF HOME PARK'S.
ONE OF THE BEST ECONOMIC DRIVERS FOR THE CITY, AND EVERY $1 INVESTED IN OUR PARK SYSTEM GENERATES $7 IN ECONOMIC IMPACT IN THE FORM OF HEALTHCARE COST SAVINGS, TOURISM, AND SUPPORT FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
HAVING A WORLD-CLASS PARK SYSTEM WITHIN IS WITHIN OUR REACH IF WE ONLY HAVE THE VISION.
IN FACT, WE ONLY NEED TO LOOK TO OUR NEIGHBOR TO THE NORTH IN PLANO THAT SPENDS NEARLY TWICE ON THEIR PARK SYSTEM WHAT WE DO HERE IN
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DALLAS, AND WITH EVERY CORPORATE RELOCATION AND EVERY FAMILY THAT GOES TO PLANO AND DOESN'T COME TO DALLAS, WE'RE FEELING THAT IMPACT THE PARK'S PROPOSITION IS ABOUT SO MUCH MORE THAN PLAYGROUNDS AND TRAILS.IT'LL HELP OUR CITY PREPARE FOR THE CLIMATE CRISIS, HELP THE NEXT GENERATION GROW UP STRONG AND HEALTHY AND DRIVE EQUITABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GILBERT GERST.
MY NAME IS GILBERT GERSH, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BANKING AT BANK OF TEXAS, AND I'M ALSO THE BOARD CHAIR FOR THE DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATER.
THE DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATER WAS FOUNDED IN 1976 AND IS THE OLDEST CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING PROFESSIONAL DANCE COMPANY IN DALLAS.
OUR PERFORMANCE HOME IS THE WILEY THEATER AT AT AND T PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, AND OUR OFFICER'S EDUCATION CENTER AND REHEARSAL SPACES ARE THE HISTORICAL MORAL IN Y M C A IN THE ARTS DISTRICT.
BOTH VENUES ARE OWNED BY THE CITY OF DALLAS AND PART OF THE CULTURAL FACILITIES PACKAGE PROPOSED BY THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE, A PACKAGE FOCUS ON TAKING CARE OF WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE.
FOR INSTANCE, THE WILEY THEATER HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR ALMOST 15 YEARS.
MAJOR SYSTEM, H V A C A, UH, ROOF IT OR, OR PAST THEIR LIFE CYCLE.
THERE'S, THERE'S MAJOR MAINTENANCE THAT NEED THAT CAN'T BE PUT OFF UNTIL 2029, UM, AND WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE MONEY WITHIN OUR OWN BUDGETS TO, TO COVER THOSE, AND WE'RE ASKING THE CITY TO HELP US AND SUPPORT THAT THROUGH THEIR, THROUGH THEIR BOND PACKAGE.
THE DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATER WAS BUILT IN 1930.
WE HAVE SOME MAJOR WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, BRICKWORK, TERRACOTTA ROOF.
WE PAY FOR WHAT WE CAN OUT OF OUR OPERATING BUDGET, BUT IT'S MORE THAN WE CAN HANDLE.
SO WE ASK FOR THE CITY SUPPORT FOR THE FOR 14 OTHER FACILITIES.
AND KNOWING THAT THE ARTS DOES BRING REVENUE TO THE CITY, UH, IT IT BOOSTS PROPERTY VALUES, BRINGS STUDENTS EDUCATION, IMPROVES THE QUALITY OF LIFE, AND WE ASK YOU TO SUPPORT THE 6% FOR THE BOND FOR THE ARTS AND CULTURE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JAY ZAKI, FOLLOWED BY EVO LINEBERRY.
I'M A DISTRICT TWO RESIDENT AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF BOND FUNDING FOR THE TRINITY RIVER AUDUBON CENTER, WHICH WE CALL TRACK FOR SHORT, WHICH IS IN DISTRICT EIGHT.
IN CASE ANYONE'S NOT FAMILIAR, UH, TRACK IS A 120 ACRE SITE IN SOUTH SOUTH DALLAS.
THAT WAS AN ILLEGAL DUMPING GROUND, WHICH SOME HAVE CHARACTERIZED AS THE LARGEST ILLEGAL LANDFILL OPERATION IN TEXAS HISTORY.
FORTUNATELY, THE SITE HAS BEEN REMEDIATED AND RESTORED AS NATURAL HABITAT.
UM, WHERE, AND I CHECKED THIS JUST BEFORE I GOT IN THE CAR.
AS OF THIS AFTERNOON EXACTLY 1029 UNIQUE SPECIES OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED ON TRACKS FIVE MILES OF TRAILS, UM, NOT INCLUDING STUDENTS TRACK AVERAGES, 20,000 VISITORS EACH YEAR, MAKING IT AN EVENT DESTINATION IN THE SOUTH DALLAS AREA.
IN THAT VEIN TRACK HAS RECENTLY CEASED COLLECTING ADMISSION FEES IN AN EFFORT TO REMOVE ANY BARRIERS TO ACCESS AND TO FURTHER INCREASE, UH, VISITS.
UM, CRUCIALLY RELEVANT TO TODAY'S, UH, BOND ASKED, UH, TRACK SERVES AS AN EDUCATIONAL HUB FOR DALLAS YOUTH SINCE 2008, ROUGHLY 2,223,000 VISITS HAVE STUDENTS HAVE VISITED TRACK.
A MAJORITY OF THOSE BEING FROM D I SS D TRACK IS REQUESTING 4.3 MILLION IN BOND FUNDING TO REPAIR AND UPDATE EDUCATIONAL EXHIBITS.
NEARLY HALF OF ALL OF THE EXHIBITS ARE CURRENTLY BROKEN AND THE OTHER HALF REQUIRE UPDATES TO REMAIN USEFUL TO STUDENTS.
IN ADDITION TO EXHIBIT REPAIR AND REFRESH, THE OUTDOOR LEARNING AREA HAS BEEN SEVERELY DAMAGED AND IT'S UNUSABLE DUE TO PLUMBING ISSUES AND INTERFERENCE FROM WILDLIFE BOND FUNDING WILL HELP ENSURE THE CONTINUED FUNCTION OF THE FACILITY AND ITS UTILITY TO STUDENTS AND THE PUBLIC.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
HELLO, MY NAME IS EVO SADOWSKI.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT NINE AND I'M ALSO HERE TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR, UM, ALLOCATING MORE FUNDING TOWARDS OUR PARK DEPARTMENT, SPECIFICALLY TO THE TRINITY RIVER AUDUBON CENTER.
I FIRST WENT TO TRACK AS PART OF A MASTER NATURALIST TRAINING PROGRAM AND HAVE CONTINUED MY INVOLVEMENT THERE FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
NOT ONLY DOES IT HOLD A BEAUTIFUL STORY OF JUSTICE RESTORATION AND HEALING, IT CONTINUES TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF OUR CITY IN A MYRIAD OF WAYS.
IT IS, IT IS A SAFE HAVEN FOR A COMMUNITY THAT HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED AS WELL AS THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT THAT HAS RAPIDLY DISAPPEARING ALL AROUND US.
THEY HAVE SEEN OVER A QUARTER MILLION KIDS COME THROUGH THEIR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING AS WELL AS BEEN A HUB FOR RESEARCH AND HIGHER ED.
I CAN GIVE TESTAMENT TO HOW SCRUPULOUS THIS ORGANIZATION
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IS IN ENSURING THAT FUNDING IS DIRECTED TO COMMUNITY IMPACT IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE, WHICH IS WHY I HAVE NO HESITATION IN ASKING FOR THE FULL 4.3 MILLION TO FIX AND REPAIR THE FACILITY.TRACK HAS NOT, WAS NOT INCLUDED IN CITY'S PREVIOUS, PREVIOUS BOND, AND THE EDUCATION HALL HAS DETERIORATED SUBSTANTIALLY.
THIS AREA ACCOUNTS FOR OVER HALF OF THE EDUCATION SPACE AT TRACK, BUT DAMAGE AND DYSFUNCTION HAS RENDERED IT COMPLETELY USELESS.
THE OVERHAUL OF THE SPACE WILL ENSURE THAT THE EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING THAT TRACK HAS EXPANDED WILL CONTINUE, AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY EVENTS AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT HAVE BEEN FORGED THROUGH THEIR INCREDIBLE STAFF.
IT'S IMPERATIVE TO ALLOCATE MORE FUNDING TO OUR PARKS AS THE YEARS.
THESE ARE THE BUILDING BLOCKS FOR THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH OF OUR CITY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JEANETTE MONIER.
OH, WE'VE GOT A LATE SUB FOR JEANETTE.
I'M ALSO SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE TEXAS TREES FOUNDATION FOR JEANETTE.
AGAIN, THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND ENERGY THAT YOU'VE INVESTED, UH, ON BEHALF OF OUR CITY, UH, WITH THIS EFFORT.
UM, I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU TONIGHT ABOUT A PROJECT IN THE SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL DISTRICT.
IT'S THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE INTERCHANGE OF INWOOD AND HARRY HINES BOULEVARD.
UM, THE MEDICAL DISTRICT IS AN ENORMOUS REGIONAL ASSET AND ECONOMIC ENGINE FOR A CITY.
UM, THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 3 MILLION CLINICAL VISITS TO THE INSTITUTION IN, IN THE DISTRICT EVERY YEAR.
UH, THERE ARE 37,000 EMPLOYEES REPRESENTING EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT, UM, THAT COME TO WORK HERE EVERY DAY, MAKING IT THE SECOND LARGEST, UH, JOBS CENTER OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN.
AND THIS PROJECT IS, IT'S LISTED AS A PERSPECTIVE PARTNERSHIP PROJECT, BUT IT'S, IT'S ALSO A CURRENT PARTNERSHIP PROJECT, UM, THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY AND COG, UH, SINCE 2017 ON, UM, THE TREES FOUNDATION HAS FULLY FUNDED, UH, THE 30% DESIGN FOR THE ENTIRE CORRIDOR OF HARRY HEINZ IN THE MEDICAL DISTRICT, INCLUDING THIS INTERCHANGE.
UM, THERE IS ALSO FUNDING TO CARRY THE FIRST PHASE OF WORK, UH, SOUTH OF THE INTERCHANGE TO CONSTRUCTION.
UM, AND SO THIS IS REALLY ABOUT CONTINUING AND PROTECTING THAT INVESTMENT, UM, AND KEEPING THE MOMENTUM GOING ON THE PROJECT TO TAKE, UM, PUBLIC FUNDS AND AGAIN, LEVERAGE ADDITIONAL PRIVATE DOLLARS.
UH, THE TREES FOUNDATION HAS COMMITTED TO, UH, RAISE FUNDS TO THE DESIGN, THE AMENITIES, UH, AS WELL AS USE THE BALANCE OF THE, THE BOND DOLLARS TO LEVERAGE ADDITIONAL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FUNDS FOR CONSTRUCTION.
SO, UH, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, A CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LAUREL BUSH, FOLLOWED BY AISHA WARREN.
MY NAME IS LAUREL BUSH AND I'M REPRESENTING THE DALLAS MUSEUM OF ART AS A BOARD MEMBER AND CHAIR OF THE D M A JUNIOR ASSOCIATES.
TONIGHT, WE JOIN OUR PARTNERS TO REQUEST A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN EXISTING ARTS AND CULTURE FACILITIES ACROSS DALLAS, INCLUDING OUR OWN CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS.
CITY FUNDS ARE NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE ART AND OUR CARE STAFF AND VISITORS.
THE CITY OF DALLAS OWNS A D M A FACILITY AND A PORTION OF OUR COLLECTION.
WE'RE ONE OF THE TOP 10 ART MUSEUMS IN THE COUNTRY, PUTTING DALLAS ON THE MAP ACROSS THE GLOBE.
THE D M A PROVIDES FREE GENERAL ADMISSION AND FREE EDUCATION PROGRAMS ON SITE AND IN NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGHOUT DALLAS.
AND ADDITION TO GRANT FUNDING, WE DO ALL OF THIS THANKS TO PRIVATE FUNDING, INCLUDING RESTRICTED, RESTRICTED ENDOWMENTS DEDICATED TO THINGS LIKE SALARIES, COLLECTION, ACQUISITIONS AND PROGRAMMING TO CONTINUE THE WORK WE DO.
THE CITY'S 40 YEAR OLD BUILDING NEEDS MAJOR MAINTENANCE TO PROTECT ITS WORLD-CLASS ART COLLECTION VISITORS AND STAFF.
THESE ITEMS INCLUDE A NEW FIRE CONTROL SYSTEM, HUMIDITY CONTROL, WATERPROOFING TO SEAL ROOF LEAKS, BALLISTIC GLASS AND SECURITY FILM ON WINDOWS AND DOORS.
WE RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR 36 MILLION IN BOND FUNDS TO ADDRESS THESE CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIRS AND UPGRADES.
WE ARE PREPARED TO MATCH THE FUNDS THREE TO ONE THROUGH A ROUGHLY $175 MILLION DONOR FUNDED CAMPAIGN TO RENOVATE THE MUSEUM.
I'M HERE TONIGHT SIMPLY ASKING YOU TO HELP US PREVENT AVOIDABLE DISASTERS THAT COULD JEOPARDIZE LIVES AND THE PRICELESS ART IN OUR CARE.
I'M THE FOUNDER AND C E O OF PRAXIS STRATEGIC CONSULTING.
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I'M HERE AS MY, UH, POSITION AS THE TEXAS ADVISORY BOARD CHAIR FOR THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND.I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR PARKS.
AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF DALLAS IS GREAT AT MAKING PLANS AND NOT AS STRONG AT DELIVERING THEM.
ONE SUCH PLAN AS THE BAROLO PLAN ADOPTED IN 1944, WHICH RESULTED IN NUMEROUS DESTINATION TRAILS IN NORTH DALLAS, INCLUDING WHITE ROCK.
THE PLAN INCLUDED A GREEN BELT FOLLOWING FIVE MILE CREEK AND OAK CLIFF, WHICH WAS NEVER IMPLEMENTED.
HAVING GROWN UP IN GLEN OAKS, IN OAK CLIFF IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO FIVE MILE CREEK, I WAS UNAWARE OF THE NATURAL BEAUTY LITERALLY IN MY BACKYARD.
AS A CITY, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY CONNECT AND INTEGRATE THIS PART OF OAK CLIFF TO THE REST OF THE CITY'S EXISTING TRAIL SYSTEM.
THE TRUST REPUBLIC LAND IS REQUESTING $7 MILLION THROUGH THE BOND TO FUND THE FIVE MILE GREEN BELT, WHICH WILL BE MATCHED THROUGH PRIVATE PHILANTHROPY, STATE FEDERAL GRANTS RESULTING IN AN R O I RETURN OF FOUR TO ONE.
WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRULY CONNECT, INTEGRATE, AND EQUITABLY IMPLEMENT AN 80 YEAR OLD PLAN.
SERVING AND CONNECTING ALL OF DALLAS EXISTING TRAILS IN NORTH DALLAS WILL TRULY LOOP SOUTH AND INCLUDE DISTRICT FOUR, DISTRICT EIGHT AND DISTRICT THREE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS AUGUSTINE OMO, FOLLOWED BY MARIA MARIE EAR EARLY THE GOOD EVENING.
I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF DALLAS FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS.
17 OF THOSE HAVE BEEN AT 6 0 7 WEST CANTY STREET.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR VOLUNTEERISM, YOUR SERVICE TO THE BOND TASK FORCE.
AS A VOLUNTEER ARTS COMMISSIONER FOR DISTRICT ONE, I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO GIVE OF YOUR TIME IN THE SERVICE TO DALLAS RESIDENTS.
I'M HERE TODAY AS A MEMBER OF OUR LOCAL ARTS ADVOCACY GROUP.
FOR THOSE WHO MAY REMEMBER THE ARTS DID NOT RECEIVE ANY FUNDING IN THE LAST BOND PACKAGE.
AND AS MY COLLEAGUE MEGAN HARRIS WITH KAMIA REMINDED YOU IT WAS 2017, THAT IT WAS 2022.
THE LAST SIGNIFICANT CULTURAL FACILITIES PIECE IN THE BOND PROGRAM WAS 17 YEARS AGO.
WE ARE NOT USING BOND MONEY TO BUILD ANYTHING NEW, SO I WILL FIND OTHER WAYS TO GET OUR BELOVED OAK CLIFF CULTURAL CENTER, A NEW HOME.
LET'S USE AT LEAST, AT LEAST 6% OF THE TOTAL BOND TO GO BACK INTO FIXING WHAT NEEDS FIXING.
PLEASE HELP US ACHIEVE THE WORLD CLASS CITY STATUS THAT SO MANY OF US STRIVE FOR.
THE ARTS ARE AMONG THE PRIMARY DRIVERS TO MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
THE ARTS SPUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, GENERATE TAX REVENUE, SUPPORT, THOUSANDS OF JOBS ATTRACT TOURISM, AND IN SOME CASES HELP TO RELOCATE COMPANIES.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO US AS WE ALL EXPRESS OUR NEED TO BUILD A STRONGER DALLAS.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SERVICE, UM, TO OUR SKATEBOARDERS, OUR PARK, OUR BOOK NERDS.
I ALSO HEAR YOU AND SUPPORT YOU AS WELL.
HELLO, MY NAME IS MARIE EARLY AND I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR DALLAS PARKS IN THE UPCOMING 2024 CAPITAL BOND PROGRAM.
IN PREPARATION FOR WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY TONIGHT, I DID SOME ONLINE RESEARCH AND GOOGLED ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF CITY PARKS.
WHILE THE ADVANTAGES ARE PLENTY, THE DISADVANTAGES ARE FEW.
THE ONE THAT I NOTICED AGAIN AND AGAIN WAS THAT CITY PARKS SOMETIMES ARE TOO CROWDED TO ME.
THAT SAID, IT ALL PARKS ARE LOVED AND UTILIZED BY THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE.
THEY ARE ESSENTIAL TO OUR ECONOMY, OUR ECOSYSTEM, OUR HEALTH AND WELLBEING INDIVIDUALLY AND AS A WHOLE.
WE HEARD FROM WAYNE SMITH LAST WEEK THAT IN 2016 DALLAS PARKS RETURNED A TOTAL OF $678 MILLION TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY ADJUSTING FOR INFLATION.
THAT NUMBER EQUATES TO APPROXIMATELY $851 MILLION THIS YEAR ALONE.
AND BY 2033, THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT FROM DALLAS PARKS WILL BE OVER A BILLION DOLLARS.
CONSIDERING ALL OF THE INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITY AND CITYWIDE BENEFITS, I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE ALLOCATE THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF FUNDING FROM THE 2024 BOND PROGRAM TO DALLAS PARKS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR SERVICE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOSEPH DINGMAN.
I AM CO-FOUNDER AND TREASURER PRESENTLY OF A COMMUNITY-BASED, UH, HOUSING CORPORATION CALLED
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THE CATHOLIC HOUSING INITIATIVE.WE'RE NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE CHURCH OR CATHOLIC CHARITIES AS OFTEN WE ARE, BUT, BUT WE'RE A COMMUNITY-BASED WITH OUR OWN BOARD.
THIS ORGANIZATION HAS 1100 MULTIFAMILY UNITS IN DALLAS COUNTY.
IT HAS, UH, 230 ADDITIONAL UNITS IN DEVELOPMENT IN OAK CLIFF.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'RE BUILDING HOMES IN TWO SITES.
UH, ONE OF MY FANS WAS, UH, TAMMY DEREK, WHO LIVES IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE WE'RE BUILDING APPROXIMATELY ON THEIR HOMES TODAY, AND WE BELIEVE IN HOME OWNERSHIP.
IN ADDITION TO ALL THIS, WE HAVE TWO ST.
THESE ARE VERY HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING SITES, UH, ONE ON FOREST LANE, ONE AT KU AND L B J.
AND UH, YOU'LL BE PLEASED TO KNOW THAT TODAY WE CLOSED THE PURCHASE OF A THIRD PROPERTY THAT WILL BECOME THE THIRD ST.
AND I GOTTA TELL YOU, THE THIRD PROPERTY WAS FUNDED IN PART WITH CITY HOUSING ASSISTANCE.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING DOESN'T COME NATURALLY, THE MARKET DOESN'T PROVIDE IT.
WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT HOW TO GET IT FUNDED.
WE'RE NOT HERE TO DEBATE WHETHER OR NOT IT OCCURS NATURALLY, IT DOESN'T.
SO I URGE YOUR SUPPORT OF THE FULL $35 MILLION FOR THE OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS ALLOCATION.
THAT'LL BE, THAT'LL PROVIDE, UH, HIGHLY NEEDED.
THAT IS YOUR TIME, UH, UH, RECOVERY FOR THE BRIDGE.
IT'LL ALSO PROVIDE APPROXIMATELY, UH, 300, 400 MORE PERMANENT SORT OF HOUSING UNITS.
AND IN CLOSING, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE HOOK.
IN CLOSING, UM, I SUPPORT ALSO THE 200 MILLION FOR THE, UM, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING BOND AS RECOMMENDED BY THE DALLAS HOUSING COALITION, OF WHICH WE'RE A MEMBER.
BY THE WAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ERIC MCPHERSON, FOLLOWED BY MELANIE FERGUSON.
HELLO, MY NAME IS ERIC MCPHERSON AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT THE PARKS BOARD RECEIVING MAXIMUM FUNDING IN THE UPCOMING BOND PACKAGE.
AND I'M SPECIFICALLY ASKING FOR THE MAXIMUM FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT AT ORBITER PARK OFF ROYAL LANE IN DISTRICT 10.
I'VE LIVED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ADJACENT TO ORBITER PARK FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR NOW WITH MY WIFE, 16 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER AND OUR TWO-YEAR-OLD DOG.
LIKE MANY IN OUR AREA, WE SIMPLY LOVE GOING FOR WALKS AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND ESPECIALLY LOVE THE IMPROMPTU MEETINGS THAT RESULT WITH OUR NEIGHBORS, HELPING US BUILD THOSE CONNECTIONS, BUILD FRIENDSHIPS IN THE OVERALL COMMUNITY.
FOR SOME OF OUR WALKING LOOPS, WE STOP BY ORBITER PARK.
AND WHILE THE FIELD AND THE TENNIS COURTS ARE REALLY NICE, WE'VE IN FACT USED THE FIELD FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, EASTER EGG HUNT THIS SPRING.
THERE'S JUST NOT A LOT THERE TO KEEP US THERE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
SO IT REALLY DOES RESULT IN JUST STOPPING BY ON ONE OF OUR WALKS, INVESTING IN, UH, OR WITH MANY YOUNG FAMILIES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, INVESTING IN ORBITER PARK WITH PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, LIGHTING AN ENTRANCE OFF OF, UH, ROYAL.
IT WOULD REALLY MAKE IT MORE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD DESTINATION AND CREATE A NATURAL PLACE TO FURTHER BUILD OUT OUR COMMUNITY, A PLACE FOR KIDS TO REQUEST TO GO TO WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE AND JUST OVERALL ENHANCE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND IT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
MELANIE FERGUSON, DIRECTOR OF THE DALLAS WATER COMMONS, WHICH IS A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND D W U.
AS DALLAS AND THE REGION DOUBLES IN POPULATION, EVERY ACRE OF COMMON PUBLIC SPACE BECOMES A VITAL STRONGHOLD FOR THE FUTURE VIBRANCY OF OUR CITY.
AS MY COLLEAGUES HAVE AND WILL SHARE, ESTABLISHING PARKS AND NATURAL PLACES OF BEAUTY WILL BECOME MORE AND MORE IMPORTANT.
IMAGINE NEW YORK WITHOUT ITS FORESIGHT TO ESTABLISH CENTRAL PARK.
EVEN MORE ESSENTIAL TO THE FUTURE OF CITIES IS THE SOMETIMES VISIBLE, BUT OFTEN INVISIBLE INFRASTRUCTURE OF WATER THAT IMPACTS US ALL DAILY.
DALLAS HAS BECOME A, A LEADER IN WATER CONSCIOUSNESS FOR TEXAS AND BEYOND THROUGH THE DALLAS WATER COMMONS, A PARK THAT WILL LINK DOWNTOWN WITH THE GREAT TRINITY FOREST ADJACENCY VIA, UH, THE REMEDIATED ORIGINAL PATH OF THE TRINITY RIVER TO
[01:40:01]
THE EAST OF THE LEVEES.ITS NEW CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS, ITS URBAN WATER LAB AND LIVING CLASSROOM.
THE WATER COMMONS WILL POLISH WATER BEFORE IT ENTERS THE TRINITY RIVER POSITIVELY IMPACTING EVERYONE DOWNSTREAM AND HOPEFULLY INSPIRING BEST PRACTICES FOR CITIES UPSTREAM WHOSE DEVELOPMENT AND PERMITTING PRACTICES IMPACT HOW OUR CREEKS, STREETS, AND RIVER BASIN FLOOD DOWNSTREAM.
THE NORTHERNMOST GEM AND A STRING OF SOUTHERN DALLAS IMPACT PROJECTS, THE DALLAS WATER COMMONS FURTHERS THE RIPPLE EFFECTS OF WISE WATER ACTION DONE NOW, THE WETLANDS FOUNDATION EXISTS TO LEVERAGE WHAT THE CITY CANNOT DO ALONE AND WILL MAINTAIN THE DEDICATED PARK IN PERPETUITY ONCE BUILT.
BUT TO GET IT DONE AND TO DO IT RIGHT, THE CITY'S FUNDS FOR GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ARE KEY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHRIS DENNY, FOLLOWED BY CARRIE DUCKETT.
I'M ON STAFF WITH THE TURTLE CREEK CONSERVANCY.
UH, WE ARE THE GROUP CHARGED WITH CONSERVING TURTLE CREEK PARK AND WE ARE PART OF THE DALLAS PARKS COALITION AND WE CALL ON THE CITY OF DALLAS TO INVEST IN PARKS, TRAILS, AND GREEN SPACES.
DURING THE 2024 BOND PROGRAM, WE SUPPORT THE FULL $350 MILLION BOND PACKAGE, 35% FOR PARKS, PARKS, TRAILS, AND OPEN SPACES CREATE HEALTHIER AND HAPPIER COMMUNITIES THAT ALSO SUPPORT ECONOMIC GROWTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY.
THEY DRIVE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, QUALITY OF LIFE, AND ROBUST COMMUNITY PARKS, TRAILS AND OPEN GREEN SPACES MAKE DALLAS GREENER AND GREATER.
HOWEVER, SOME OF OUR PARKS ARE OLDER THAN THE CITY OF DALLAS AS IN TURTLE CREEK PARK, UH, AND WE DO NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY THAT OTHER NEWER PARKS HAVE WITH PID OPPORTUNITIES.
SO I WOULD REQUEST THAT YOU STRONGLY CONSIDER SUPPORTING ALL OF OUR PARK INITIATIVES IN THE BOND PROGRAM SO THAT ALL OF THE PARKS, WHETHER THEY BE A BRAND NEW PARK OR AN OLDER PARK LIKE TURTLE CREEK PARK, RECEIVE UH, SUPPORT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I'M LESS THAN A MONTH AWAY, LORD WILLING FROM BEING A FATHER, UH, WHICH IS PRETTY SCARY AS I'M SURE MANY OF YOU KNOW.
AND I'M A NEIGHBOR AND THAT'S WHAT I CAME TO TALK ABOUT TODAY.
BRIAN SAID, Y'ALL ARE VISUAL FOLKS, SO I'LL REMIND YOU OF A SITE THAT YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN TODAY OF TRAFFIC CONGESTION BECAUSE THERE ARE TOO MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS WHO LEAVE THEIR WORK IN DALLAS AND DRIVE 40 MINUTES HOME BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THEY CAN FIND AN AFFORDABLE PLACE TO LIVE AND PERHAPS MORE POIGNANTLY OR REMIND YOU OF THE SITES AS YOU ENTERED THIS VERY BUILDING TODAY OF OUR NEIGHBORS WHO CALL DALLAS HOME BUT DON'T HAVE A SAFE AND AFFORDABLE PLACE TO LIVE, MUCH LESS SPEAK AT A PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL THE REQUESTS YOU'VE HEARD TODAY AND WILL HEAR ARE WORTHY CAUSES, BUT NONE OF THEM PRODUCE THE ECONOMIC MULTIPLIER AND ROOFS THAT ARE PREREQUISITE TO EN JOIN THE LIBRARIES AND SIDEWALKS AND PUBLIC PARKS THAT WE ALL WANT.
HOUSING ON THE OTHER HAND, TOUCHES EACH OF THESE AREAS AND A $200 MILLION INVESTMENT WOULD ONLY COVER A FRACTION OF THE NEED FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT IT IS THE BARE MINIMUM BECAUSE EVERY ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORS DESERVES A PLACE TO CALL HOME.
WELL, I WILL SEE IF I CAN CLOSE THIS OUT.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING ON AN IMPOSSIBLE JOB.
THE CITY OF DALLAS IS AN ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE AND THE BEST STATE IN THE COUNTRY AS WELL AS THE PROSPEROUS COUNTRY IN THE WHOLE WORLD.
BUT WE'RE AT RISK OF A SERIOUS PROBLEM.
THE PERILS OF SAN FRANCISCO AND LOS ANGELES ARE REALLY RIGHT AT OUR HEELS.
THERE'S GONNA BE A LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND AN INCREASED NUMBER OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING.
SO I'M HERE TO ASK FOR $200 MILLION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS WELL AS $35 MILLION FOR HOMELESS SPECIFIC SERVICES.
SO MUCH OF WHICH IS GONNA GO TO THE UNSHELTERED AND THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT THE MOST.
[01:45:01]
AS A CITY, WE GET THE RESULTS OF WHAT WE DESIGN AND WE DESIGN BASED UPON WHERE WE CHOOSE TO INVEST OR WHERE WE DON'T INVEST.AND THERE'S 33,000 UNITS THAT WE DON'T HAVE FOR THOSE WHO ARE 50% BELOW A M I AND THAT'S EXPECTED TO GROW TO 83,000 AS YOU PROBABLY WELL KNOW, AND THIS IS CONTROVERSIAL, UH, TO SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, DESPITE MY FRIENDS MR. KENT, WHO I GREW UP WITH, DO WE REALLY WANNA INVEST TWO TIMES AS MUCH IN PARKS WHEN WE KNOW THAT WE'RE JUST GONNA FILL 'EM WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS? AND THAT'S A LEGITIMATE QUESTION.
IS THAT REALLY WHAT WE WANT TO DO? UM, SO LET ME PROVIDE AN ENCOURAGEMENT.
OUR CHARACTER IS DETERMINED BY HOW WE TREAT THE MOST VULNERABLE.
SO WHAT TYPE OF CITY DO WE WANT TO BE? MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE.
LET'S NOT AVOID AN INVESTMENT AND THEN TURN TO CHARITIES LIKE AUSTIN STREET AND OTHER PARTNERS AND EXPECT US TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS BY OURSELVES.
NEIGHBORS LIKE AUSTIN HAVE INVESTED OVER A BILLION DOLLARS IN BOND.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHERE WE LIVE, WORK AND INVEST.
LET'S MAKE IT A PLACE WHERE WE ALL CAN LIVE, WORK, AND INVEST.
WE'VE MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS, BUT WE CAN'T GET ALL THE WAY WITHOUT YOUR HELP.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR SPEAKERS FOR THE NIGHT, MR. CHAIR.
AGAIN, IT WAS SUCH A DIVERSE, UH, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND REALLY HELPS THIS TASK FORCE, UH, TO THINK, YOU KNOW, WITH SO MANY NEEDS THAT HOW, HOW TO PRIORITIZE.
SO THIS INPUT TREMENDOUSLY HELP HOW WE TAKE OUR NEXT STEP.
UH, OUR NEXT MEETING WE WILL BE HAVING COMMUNITY INPUT, SO PLEASE ENCOURAGE YOUR FRIENDS TO SIGN UP FOR THAT BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AND WE CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR SPENDING YOUR TIME TO GIVE YOUR OPINIONS WITH THAT.
UH, IT'S EIGHT 19 AND WE, UH, THERE IS NO OTHER BUSINESS.
MR. PEREZ? YEAH, WE EIGHT 19 AND WE CONCLUDE OUR BOND TASK FORCE, UH, MEETING.