[ 2024 Equity Symposium on January 12, 2024]
[00:00:03]
HOW ARE YOU DOING TODAY? EVERYONE LOOKS SO NICE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TO THIS MEANINGFUL EVENT.
AND THANK YOU FOR COMING ON THIS FREEZING DAY.
UM, WE ARE, UH, GONNA GET STARTED RIGHT NOW.
UH, WELCOME TO THE FIFTH ANNUAL EQUITY INDICATORS SYMPOSIUM AND TO PAUL QUINN COLLEGE, THIS BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS.
MY NAME IS TRAN, THE ETHICS OFFICER AT THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UH, IT IS MY HONOR AND PLEASURE TO BE YOUR MC FOR TODAY'S EVENTS.
UH, EQUITY IS SOMETHING REALLY NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART.
I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT IT AND I KNOW ALL OF YOU DO TOO.
SO THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO GET STARTED.
UH, FIRST OFF, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE, UH, PASTOR MOSS, WHO WILL GIVE US THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
IT'S JAY ES STONE GOLD, JAMIE MOSS CHI INGA, UM, IDO, UH, DALLAS INDIAN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, UM, AND MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA AND, UH, DUCK CREEK.
WHAT I'VE SAID TO YOU TODAY IN MY LANGUAGE, WHICH IS FROM THE MUSKOGEE CREEK NATION, IS THAT, HELLO, HOW ARE YOU? MY NAME IS JAMIE MOSS AND I AM FROM MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA.
AND I GO TO CHURCH HERE IN DALLAS, UH, TEXAS, AT DALLAS INDIAN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.
I AM HERE LIVING IN DALLAS NOW IN THIS AREA, BUT I'M ORIGINALLY FROM OKLAHOMA.
TODAY I WANT TO READ TO YOU THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FOR OUR, UH, OUR NATIVE AMERICAN, OUR AMERICAN INDIAN AND INDIGENOUS CULTURES.
STANDING ON THIS SOIL, WE CAN HEAR THE ECHOES OF THE FORGOTTEN.
CAN WE HEAR THE ECHOES OF THE FORGOTTEN ANCESTORS? THEIR WHISPERS MINGLE WITH THE SHOUTS FOR JUSTICE WEAVING A TAPESTRY OF OF YEARNING AND RESPONSIBILITY.
WE SEEK MEDICINE FOR OUR ROOTS AS WE SEEK THAT.
WE MUST ALSO TEND TO THE ROOTS OF THE LAND, REMEMBERING ITS ORIGINAL STEWARDS AND HONORING THE COMPLEX PAINFUL TAPESTRY OF THE PAST.
RECOGNIZING THE HISTORICAL INJUSTICE OF THE STOLEN LAND.
WE STAND ON THE TRADITIONAL TERRITORIES OF THE CATOS, THE COMANCHES, THE CHIS AND OTHERS.
WE EXTEND OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO THE STEWARDS OF THIS LAND PAST AND PRESENT WHOSE KNOWLEDGE AND CARE INSPIRE US WITH HUMILITY AND OPENNESS.
WE COMMIT TO LEARN FROM THEIR LEGACY AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE HEALING OF THIS SHARED SOIL.
CAN YOU HEAR THE ECHOES OF FORGOTTEN ANCESTORS? CAN YOU HEAR THEIR WHISPERS? AMERICAN INDIAN COUNTRY HOLDS A DEEP RESPECT FOR THE LAND, ITS LIFE GETTING, GIVING NUTRIENTS AND THE NATURAL RESOURCES THAT HAVE SUSTAINED GENERATIONS PAST AND PRESENT AND WILL CONTINUE INTO THE FUTURE.
WE HONOR OUR MOTHER EARTH FOR HER BEAUTY AND RECOGNIZE THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF ALL LIVING THINGS.
WE ALSO REMEMBER THE WATERWAYS THAT HAVE NOT SERVED TO AS DIVISIVE ENTITIES OR BOUNDARIES, BUT AS VIBRANT PATHWAYS OF CONNECTION AND TRADE.
THEY WHISPER STORIES OF THE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS LONG BEFORE THE CITY OF DALLAS ROSE UPON OUR ANCESTRAL LANDS.
CAN YOU HEAR THE ECHOES? DO YOU HEAR THE WHISPERS? THE DEVELOPMENT OF DALLAS DEEPLY INTERTWINED WITH THE HISTORY OF THE CATO PEOPLE COMPELS US TO CONFRONT THE PAINFUL REALITIES OF THE PAST.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE INJUSTICES FACED BY AMERICAN INDIAN COMMUNITIES AND THE FORCED LABOR AND ENSLAVEMENT OF PEOPLE RECOGNIZING THEIR SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS
[00:05:01]
TO THE LAND AND THE CULTURE.EVEN THE NAME TEXAS CARRIES ECHOES OF THIS SHARED HISTORY DERIVED FROM THE CATTO WORD FOR FRIEND OR ALLY.
IT REMINDS US OF THE POTENTIAL FOR COLLABORATION AND UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN PEOPLES THE POTENTIAL TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS AS OURSELVES.
CAN YOU HEAR THE ECHOES? CAN YOU HEAR THE WHISPERS? MOVING FORWARD IN AN ENDEAVOR TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF HISTORY, LAND AND LIFE, LET US HONOR THE LEGACY OF THIS LAND.
NOT JUST WITH WORDS, BUT WITH ACTIONS.
WE CAN COMMIT TO LEARNING FROM THE PAST, ENGAGING IN RESPECTFUL DIALOGUE WITH AMERICAN INDIAN COMMUNITIES AND STRIVING FOR A FUTURE THAT CELEBRATES THE RICH TAPESTRIES OF CULTURE WOVEN INTO THE VERY FABRIC OF THIS PLACE.
THEN AND ONLY THEN CAN WE STAND AS A CHRISTIAN NATION PROCLAIMING THE WORDS OF OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, DECLARING FREEDOM AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
LISTEN TO THE ECHOES AND HEAR THE WHISPERS.
THIS IS THE ETHNIC STUDY OF CONSCIOUSNESS TOWARD EQUALITY AND EQUITY OF AMERICAN INDIANS IN DALLAS.
THAT IS WHY WE HAVE A LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
UM, IT IS MY HONOR TO INTRODUCE TO YOU OUR THREE EX EXTREME SPEAKERS.
TODAY WE HAVE MR. TC BRANICK, THE CITY MANAGER OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UH, DR. MICHAEL SORELL, PRESIDENT OF PAUL QUINN COLLEGE.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THE HONORABLE JANIE SCHULTZ, DISTRICT 11 COUNCIL MEMBER AND CHAIR OF WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND EQUITY COMMITTEE.
I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME MR. TC.
SORELL, PRESIDENT OF PUBLIC COLLEGE.
ALRIGHT, SO PAUL QUINN COLLEGE IS A HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE.
HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES COME FROM THE BLACK CHURCH TRADITION.
THE BLACK CHURCH TRADITION IS A CALL AND RESPONSE TRADITION, WHICH MEANS WHEN I SAY SOMETHING TO YOU, I EXPECT YOU TO SAY SOMETHING BACK TO ME WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN A CATHOLIC RESPONSE.
AND LET ME JUST SAY BEFORE, I AM PICKETED BY MY FRIENDS IN THE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY.
I WENT TO CATHOLIC SCHOOLS FROM FIFTH GRADE TO 12TH GRADE.
MY KNEES STILL HAVE NOT RECOVERED FROM THE KNEELING AND STANDING UP.
ALRIGHT, SO I AM SPEAKING OF SOMETHING IN WHICH I KNOW MY POINT IS WE'VE GOTTA HAVE A BETTER RESPONSE THAN THAT EARLY IN THE MORNING.
NOW THIS IS YOUR FAULT FOR NOT CHECKING THE FINE PRINT IN THE BLACK CHURCH.
WE PASSED THE OFFERING PLATE
SO YOU ALL NOW ARE EXPECTED TO BE DONORS TO PAUL QUINN COLLEGE.
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE QUINN EYE NATION.
I AM THRILLED TO HAVE YOU ALL HERE.
TO ALL OF THE OFFICIALS AND THE DIGNITARIES, THANK YOU FOR MAKING YOUR WAY TO PAUL QUINN COLLEGE.
WE DO NOT TAKE IT FOR GRANTED WHEN PEOPLE MAKE A CONSCIOUS DECISION TO SPEND THEIR TIME WITH US.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'LL NOTICE TODAY IS THERE SEEMS TO BE A LACK OF COLLEGE STUDENTS ON CAMPUS.
THAT IS TRUE BECAUSE THEY DON'T COME BACK TILL THIS WEEKEND.
WE SEND OUR STUDENTS HOME AT THANKSGIVING AND THEY COME BACK THE WEEKEND OF MLK.
WE DO THIS BECAUSE 75 TO 80% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE PELL GRANT STUDENTS.
AND PELL GRANT STUDENTS ARE STUDENTS WHO REALLY PAY ATTENTION TO THE ECONOMICS OF LIFE, RIGHT? MORE SO THAN OTHER PEOPLE.
WHY WOULD WE REMIND THEM OF WHAT THEY DON'T HAVE AND ASK THEM TO GO HOME TWICE, ONCE AT THANKSGIVING AND THEN RIGHT AGAIN TWO
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WEEKS LATER FOR CHRISTMAS, THAT PUTS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PRESSURE ON PEOPLE'S FAMILIES AND REMINDS THEM ONCE AGAIN OF THE LIVES OF SCARCITY THAT THEY HAVE BEEN FORCED TO LIVE.AND THE REALITY OF IT IS THIS.
AND WE ALL HERE WENT TO SCHOOL, AT LEAST FOR A LITTLE BIT.
WHAT DO YOU DO THE TWO WEEKS AFTER THANKSGIVING EXCEPT STRESS OUT OVER FINALS, RIGHT? SO WHEN WE, WHEN WE CHANGED THAT, IT TURNED OUT THE PEOPLE WHO WERE THE HAPPIEST ABOUT IT WERE THE FACULTY
SO THE REASON YOU DON'T SEE COLLEGE STUDENTS IS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT HERE.
ALRIGHT? BUT YOU WILL SEE STUDENTS FROM THE TWO HIGH SCHOOLS THAT ARE ON OUR CAMPUS, HANS GLOBAL PREP, WHICH IS RIGHT ACROSS THE WAY THERE, A SIXTH THROUGH 12TH GRADE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE ACADEMY, WHICH WE ARE THRILLED TO HAVE ON OUR CAMPUS.
AND KIPP OAK CLIFF ACADEMY, WHICH IS A CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH IS RIGHT OUT THAT DOOR, WHICH WE'RE ALSO THRILLED TO HAVE ON OUR CAMPUS.
SO WE DON'T SUBSCRIBE TO THIS IDEA THAT PEOPLE OF LIKE-MINDED INTERESTS HAVE TO BE SEPARATED.
ALRIGHT? AND I WAS TOUCHED BY THE CONVERSATION AROUND THE ECHOES OF THE PAST.
I AM SPENDING A LOT OF TIME WORKING ON A SERMON I HAVE TO GIVE THIS WEEKEND ON TRAUMA.
AND TRAUMA IS IN ESSENCE THE ECHOES OF THE PAST.
AND IT'S THE ECHOES OF THE PAST THAT WE HAVE NOT FIGURED OUT HOW TO MOVE ON FROM.
AND WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT HOW WE DEAL WITH OUR ECHOES OF THE PAST BECAUSE THEY CAN EITHER LIBERATE US OR THEY CAN ENSLAVE US.
ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I LOVE US HOSTING THIS CONFERENCE, AND I LOVE THE WORK THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS AND THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE IS DOING AROUND THIS ISSUE, IS BECAUSE THIS IS HOW YOU MOVE ON.
YOU MOVE ON THROUGH ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
YOU MOVE ON THROUGH TEACHING, THROUGH MAKING SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY, NOT REWRITING THE PARTS YOU DON'T LIKE.
OKAY? SEE, SOME OF YOU HAVE TO BE POLITICALLY CONCERNED.
ALRIGHT? I DON'T HAVE TO BE RIGHT.
WE CANNOT DEAL WITH THE IDEA OF EQUITY WHEN WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE INVESTED IN ERASING THE PART OF OUR HISTORY THAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT EQUITY FOR.
I PROMISE YOU, IF YOU ARE AT THIS CONFERENCE, PEOPLE ALREADY KNOW WHERE YOU STAND AND, ALRIGHT, SO IF YOU ARE BEING QUIET BECAUSE YOU ARE ON A COVERT MISSION BUSTED, WE KNOW, WE KNOW THAT ISN'T RIGHT.
BUT SEE, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS.
IT'S THE BANALITY OF EVIL WHEN WE ARE FACED OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE SO COMMITTED TO WRONG, THAT THEY BEAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMMITTED TO RIGHT DOWN AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMMITTED TO RIGHT BECOME QUIET BECAUSE AT THEIR CORE, THEY ARE GOOD PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIKE TO FIGHT, RIGHT? THERE IS A STRONG CO CORRELATION BETWEEN GOOD PEOPLE AND THE RELUCTANCE TO FIGHT WELL, I'M HERE TO TELL YOU, IF YOU DON'T FIGHT, THE BAD PEOPLE WIN.
RIGHT? THIS CONFERENCE IS HAVING TO BE HELD BECAUSE BAD PEOPLE WON FOR FAR TOO LONG.
SO WHILE YOU ARE SITTING HERE AND WHILE YOU ARE LISTENING TO THE AMAZING PROGRAM LIZ AND EVERYONE ELSE PUT TOGETHER, I NEED YOU TO ASK YOURSELVES, WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO FIGHT FOR? AND HOW ARE YOU WILLING TO FIGHT? BECAUSE THERE IS NO COMFORT IN FIGHTING.
YOU MUST STEP TO AN UNCOMFORTABLE SPACE, AN UNCOMFORTABLE PLACE, AND YOU MUST BE WILLING TO DO IT FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
OTHERWISE, WE WILL HAVE CONFERENCES LIKE THIS WHERE WE TALK ABOUT HOW WE MISSED IT.
BECAUSE SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW, THAT'S NOT OUR FAULT.
BUT WHAT HAPPENS TOMORROW IS, AND IF OUR CHILDREN ARE HAVING CONFERENCES ON EQUITY BASED UPON THE FACT THAT PEOPLE STOP TEACHING AMERICAN HISTORY AND THAT'S ALL IT IS, IT'S AMERICAN HISTORY, THEN WE FAILED.
AND WE ARE NOT IN THE FAILURE BUSINESS.
YOU DID NOT GET UP THIS EARLY, COME DOWN TO THIS CAMPUS BECAUSE YOU SAID, I AM COMMITTED TO FAILURE.
YOU'RE HERE BECAUSE YOU'RE COMMITTED TO WINNING.
[00:15:01]
GO, TAKE MY SEAT, I JUST NEED YOU TO REMEMBER IN ESSENCE WHY WE ARE HERE.WHAT WE ARE HERE TO DO, WHAT WE ARE CHARGED TO DO.
WE ARE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN JUSTICE.
WE ARE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN EACH OTHER.
BUT TO DO SO, WE MUST BECOME SOMETHING ELSE.
PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO ENGAGE IN A SUSTAINED FIGHT FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME SO THAT THE VOICES OF RIGHT ARE NOT OVERRUN BY THE VOICES OF WRONG.
AND IF YOU'RE NOT SURE HOW TO DO THAT, ENROLL IN PAUL QUINN COLLEGE IS WHAT WE DO EVERY DAY.
WE TEACH OUR STUDENTS THIS CONCEPT OF WE OVER ME, THE NEEDS OF A COMMUNITY SUPERSEDE THE WANTS OF AN INDIVIDUAL AT PAUL QUINN, THANK YOU AT PAUL QUINN COLLEGE.
YOU DO NOT GET TO IGNORE THE FACT THAT WE STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF PEOPLE WHO MADE ENORMOUS SACRIFICES.
SACRIFICES THAT WE SHOULD NEVER HAVE TO MAKE.
WE ARE LEGACIES WHO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ECHOES OF THE PAST TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON'T BECOME OUR FUTURE.
WELCOME TO PAUL QUINN, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING ALL OF YOU MANY, MANY TIMES AGAIN, TAKE CARE.
AND NOW, NOT JUST ANYONE, CITY MANAGER, NOT JUST THE AVERAGE CITY MANAGER IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
I AM HONORED, I AM HUMBLED, I AM EXCITED TO PRESENT NOT JUST YOUR CITY MANAGER, OUR CITY MANAGER, THE BEST CITY MANAGER IN THESE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
TC BROAD NEXT, THE CITY MANAGER OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.
GET ON YOUR FEET, GET ON YOUR FEET FOR TC.
YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU KNOW, LET, FIRST OF ALL, LEMME SAY THIS.
WE SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO HI WHEN HE FIRST SAID, LET ME GO FIRST, RIGHT? HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW THE GREAT DR.
RELL UP HERE, RIGHT? I HAD TO MOVE THE MIC DOWN.
I STRAINED MY ARM JUST TO GET MY MIC DOWN.
I NEED TO GET YOU TO INTRODUCE ME ALL THE TIME.
I I I I'M READY TO GO SHOOT SOME BASKETS RIGHT NOW.
WELL, I WOULD JUST SAY THIS, THIS IS HOW MANY OF THESE SYMPOSIUMS HAVE WE HAD? 2, 3, 4, 5, 5.
I THINK I'VE BEEN HERE FOR ALL THOSE FIVE.
NOW TO SAY THAT MEANS I'VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME.
I GUESS, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING ON SEVEN YEARS THIS FEBRUARY AND THIS SYMPOSIUM AND THE WORK THAT OUR TEAMS HAVE BEEN DOING AROUND EQUITY, I WILL TELL YOU HAVE MEANT A GREAT DEAL OF PRIDE TO ME, UH, TO DO THE TYPE OF WORK THAT SHOULD COME NATURAL.
BUT IN THIS COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY IF YOU THINK ABOUT WHERE WE'RE STANDING TODAY IS NEEDED AND LONG OVERDUE, AND THE CONVERSATIONS WE'RE HAVING NOW SHOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPENING, UH, WITH EARNEST MANY, MANY MOONS AGO BECAUSE THE CRIES AND TEARS HAVE BEEN EQUALLY SHED THAT LONG IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND SO BEFORE I GET STARTED WITH MY PREPARED REMARKS, I, I WANT TO ONE, ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK UH, A FEW PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY, UH, BEYOND MY STAFF, BUT TO START WITH IS THE COUNCIL REPRESENTATION IN THE ROOM.
AND I WANT TO THANK RIGHT OFF THE BAT, UH, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER CASEY THOMAS, UH, FOR HIS LEADERSHIP ON THIS JOURNEY AND ACTUALLY GETTING US STARTED AND HAVING THE CITY REALLY PUT A STAKE IN THE GROUND AND ACTUALLY USE THE WORD EQUITY, UNDERSTAND THE WORD EQUITY, AND THEN EVOLVE TO HARMONIZE THE UNDERSTANDING OF IT, TO ACTUALLY PUT IT INTO PRACTICE AND TO POLICY AND MAKE IT A STANDARD FOR HOW WE APPROACH DEVELOPING ANYTHING WE DO FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO HOUSING TO OUR ROADS AND STREETS AND HOW
[00:20:01]
WE APPROACH IT REALLY HAS AN UNDERCARRIAGE OF EQUITY AND HIS SUPPORT FOR US LEADING IN THAT SPACE, I THINK HAS GOTTEN US THE ATTENTION, NOT JUST FROM FOLK IN THE ROOM, BUT FROM PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY WHO WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO REALLY MAKE IT A REAL CONVERSATION AND NOT JUST A CHECK THE BOX KIND OF A DISCUSSION.AND THEN THE PERSON WHO PICKED UP, I THINK THE BATON AND HAS BEEN RUNNING WITH IT, UH, NOT LIKE A TRACK STAR, BUT LIKE SHE DONE ALREADY WON THE RACE, THE HONORABLE JANIE SCHULTZ FROM DISTRICT 11, THE CHAIR OF OUR WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND EQUITY.
AND I WILL TELL YOU, THINGS ARE A LOT DIFFERENT AROUND, WHETHER IT'S THE DISCUSSION OR JUST THE ACTIONABLE STEPS AROUND EQUITY, THEY ARE CALLING ON US ALMOST EVERY MONTH TO REALLY SHOW AND PROVE WHAT WE'RE DOING TO ADVANCE IT AND NOT JUST SAY WE'RE GOING TO DO THINGS THAT I THINK FOLK WOULD PROBABLY SAY.
THAT HAS BEEN THE HISTORY OF A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE GONE ON IN DALLAS.
WE'VE CREATED A LOT OF GREAT PLANS, HAD A LOT OF GREAT THOUGHT AROUND DOING GOOD THINGS AND SAY WE'RE GOING TO DO A LOT AND THEN ACTUALLY DON'T ACTUALLY DO IT.
AND IT LEAVES A LASTING EFFECT OF PEOPLE'S DISSATISFACTION AND OR EXPECTATION FROM A CITY.
UH, AND THEN THEY DON'T STAND UP AS DR.
RELL SAID, AND YOU WANT TO KEEP FIGHTING 'CAUSE FOLK JUST QUIT ON THEM IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIGHT.
AND SO AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR EFFORTS.
'CAUSE WITHOUT OUR COUNCIL ACTUALLY ONE WANTING TO BETTER UNDERSTAND IT AND MAKE SURE EVERYBODY ELSE DOESN'T, EVERYBODY CAN THRIVE THROUGHOUT THIS COMMUNITY, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THIS WORK.
AND SO I HAVE THE BEST JOB IN THE COUNTRY AS A CITY MANAGER, PARTICULARLY AROUND EQUITY.
'CAUSE MY COUNCIL AND POLICY LEADERS AREN'T AFRAID TO STAND UP AND TALK ABOUT IT.
SO CAN WE GIVE THEM A HAND? I WANT TO THANK ALSO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, LIZ IL PERRETA AND HER TEAM, DR. LINDSAY WILSON AND HER STAFF FOR COORDINATING, UH, THIS EVENT.
AND IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT TODAY.
I THINK FOR THEM, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A LOVE, UH, AND A PASSION, UH, FOR THEM.
AND I DON'T HAVE TO TO, TO GET ON THEM AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT EQUITY AND SAY WE NEED TO DO MORE BECAUSE THEY'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO OUTRUN ME AND, AND DO THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO DO AS WELL AS THINGS THAT FOLK DON'T EVEN ASK THEM TO DO AROUND THIS.
AND SO DALLAS HAS HAD QUITE A BIT OF HISTORY, BUT WE'VE GOT SO MUCH MORE WORK TO DO.
THE ADOPTION OF THE RACIAL EQUITY PLAN, IN MY MIND WAS JUST A BEGINNING POINT TO CATALYZING ALL OF THE THINGS AND THOUGHTS AND THE WHISPERS THAT I'VE HEARD, UH, AND THE CONVERSATIONS AROUND WHAT WE NEEDED TO BE FOCUSED ON.
AND I THINK AS WE'VE ADVANCED THAT PLAN AND PLAN TO DO IT GOING FURTHER, THE EQUITY INDICATORS, WHICH HAS BEEN REALLY THE FOUNDATION OF THIS WORK, TODAY'S CONVERSATIONS AND THE DATA AND THE REVELATIONS OF ANY KIND OF PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE TODAY, HOPEFULLY WILL RESONATE WITH PEOPLE.
ONE THAT WE STILL HAVE MORE WORK TO DO, BUT WE'RE TRYING AND WE'RE ADVANCING AND WE'RE NOT, AGAIN, SHYING AWAY FROM CALLING OUT WHERE THINGS NEED TO BE BETTER.
THERE'S AN EXPECTATION THAT DALLAS IS SUPPOSED TO LEAD IN THIS SPACE.
WE ARE THE BIG DOG, RIGHT? AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES IN OUR REGION ARE DOING.
UH, BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE AS DALLAS GOES, THIS REGION GOES.
AND IF WE CAN LEAD, UH, WITH EQUITY AND DO THINGS THAT ALLOW FOLKS TO SEE THAT THE THINGS THAT THEY MAY SAY OR NOT GET TO SAY ABOUT CERTAIN PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY HERE, I'D SAY FOR YOU IT'S A RECOGNITION OF IF WE'RE ROLLING UP OUR SLEEVES HERE, MAYBE THEY NEED TO ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES AS WELL AND DO THIS KIND OF WORK.
I WILL SAY I MISSED A FEW PEOPLE, UH, PARTICULARLY OUR ELECTED.
I DON'T SEE 'EM IN THE AUDIENCE, BUT I UNDERSTAND.
I WANT TO THANK AND ACKNOWLEDGE COUNCIL MEMBER ZARIN GRACIE, WHO I THINK IS IN THE ROOM.
DISTRICT THREE COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND I'M GONNA SAY THIS OUT LOUD, I DON'T REALLY, I GET TO SAY IT A LOT, BUT IN MY FAVORITE AND MOST BELOVED COUNCIL WOMAN, DEPUTY MAYOR PROTON, CAROLYN KING ARNOLD, I THINK IS IN THE ROOM.
WHERE, WHERE'S SHE AT? OKAY, NOW I THOUGHT I FELT BETTER IMMEDIATELY.
FOR SOME REASON I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS BECAUSE SHE WALKED IN THE ROOM.
I FELT I FELT A LITTLE BETTER.
UH, BUT, UH, WE ALL, UH, OR DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, COUNCILWOMAN ARNOLD, I'M NOT GONNA SPEND TOO
[00:25:01]
MUCH TIME UP HERE.I WOULD SAY THIS WORK HAS GOTTEN THE ATTENTION OF A LOT OF FOLK AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I'M EXCITED TO LISTEN AND SPEND SOME TIME HEARING FROM, UH, OUR, UH, HONORABLE PRINCIPAL, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY MCCAIN TODAY.
CAN WE GIVE HER A ROUND OF APPLAUSE? NOW? SHE STIRRED IT UP HERE BEFORE SHE WENT OFF TO WASHINGTON.
SO I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR WHAT SHE'S GOING TO SHARE WITH US TODAY ABOUT HOW THEY'RE GOING TO ASSIST US TO CONTINUE TO ELEVATE, UH, THIS WORK IN EQUITY.
UH, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT FIRESIDE CHAT.
AND SO AGAIN, HAVING BEEN HERE SEVEN YEARS, I'M ON 21 IN CITY MANAGER YEARS, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
BUT I AM COMMITTED IN LOVE ONE THIS CITY.
BUT MY FOCUS SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, QUITE HONESTLY, UH, 'CAUSE DALLAS IS GOING TO TAKE CARE OF DALLAS AND THIS ENGINE JUST KEEPS GOING.
AND I THINK FOLKS SEEN THAT IN SOME CASES THE ENGINE'S ACTUALLY BEEN IN A VEHICLE THAT'S RAN OVER THEM AND THEIR COMMUNITY.
BUT MY FOCUS AND COMMITMENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN, AND THE NUMBER ONE REASON, QUITE HONESTLY, THAT I DESIRE TO COME AND WORK FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS IS TO DO THIS KIND OF WORK IN THE AREAS, IN THE SPACES AS I'VE BECOME TO KNOW IT SOUTH OF I 30, WHERE IT TAKES A SPECIAL KIND OF COMMITMENT AND RESOLVE TO NOT BE PUSHED BACKWARDS WHEN YOU WANT TO MOVE AN ADVANCE FOLK FORWARD THAT HAVE NEVER HAD PEOPLE TRYING TO MOVE THEM FORWARD AND THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR KIDS.
AND SO THIS WORK IS IMPORTANT TO ME, BUT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT WHAT I'M DOING AS THE CITY MANAGER.
IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO ME EVEN IF I WASN'T THE CITY MANAGER.
IT'S THE REASON I BECAME A CITY MANAGER, IS TO BE IN A POSITION TO ELEVATE AND DO WORK TO MAKE PEOPLE BELIEVE IN GOVERNMENT, AND MAKE GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN GOVERNMENT DO THE RIGHT THINGS EVEN WHEN THEY DON'T WANT TO OR DOESN'T BENEFIT PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE THEM.
AND SO I WILL SAY, FIRST OF ALL, THANK Y'ALL FOR SHOWING UP TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR SHOWING UP EVERY DAY TO TALK ABOUT EQUITY AND MAKING LIVES BETTER FOR THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR CITY COUNCIL AND MY TEAM.
AND SOMETIMES WHEN IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE WE GET IT OR WE ARE NOT DOING WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING THE WAY YOU WOULD LIKE IT TO BE DONE, PLEASE KNOW THAT THE VALUES OF SERVICE THAT I'VE TRIED TO EMBED IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IN OUR CITY INFRASTRUCTURE ARE PREDICATED ON DOING THE WORK FOR FOLK WHO DO NOT OFTEN HAVE A VOICE WHO ARE NOT HEARD OR SEEN, BUT THE EVERYDAY THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO LOOK AT WHEN THEY LOOK OUT THEIR WINDOWS OF THEIR HOMES, IF THEY'RE EVEN BLESSED TO HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE, THAT THINGS NEED TO BE BETTER.
AND THINGS THAT SHOW UP IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS SHOULD NOT BE MORE PREVALENT BECAUSE IT'S IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT THE THINGS THAT THEY WANT IN LIFE, PROBABLY NOT EVEN FOR THEM, BUT FOR THEIR KIDS, THAT THE CITY IS AT THE TABLE AND BRINGING PEOPLE IN TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW TO MAKE THOSE DREAMS AND THOUGHTS AND THE BASIC THINGS THAT THEY WOULD THINK THAT THEY DESERVE TO MAKE THEM A REALITY AND PULL THEM CLOSER TO REACHING THE DREAMS AND EXPECTATIONS SO THAT THEIR KIDS AND FAMILIES HAVE A BETTER DAY.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ATTENDING TODAY.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD, UH, TO THE FIRESIDE CHAT AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO EVERYBODY WALKING AWAY FROM HERE MORE ENERGIZED AND MORE COMMITTED TO HELP US DO THIS WORK AND BRING PEOPLE INTO THE FOLD TO CREATE ALLIES TO DO THE WORK AT A BROADER LEVEL.
GOD BLESS YOU AND HAVE A GREAT MORNING.
I WANNA THANK OUR GREAT CITY MANAGER, TC BROAD.
I WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR BEING HERE AND THE ENTIRE STAFF OF THE OFFICE OF EQUITY INCLUSION, AS WELL AS MY PARTNER IN CRIME, LIZ SIO PEREIRA.
UM, I'M HONORED TO BE IN YOUR PRESENCE AND I WANNA THANK PAUL QUINN COLLEGE FOR HOSTING THIS EVENT AS WELL AS LEADING IN SO MANY
[00:30:01]
WAYS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.MORNING AND WELCOME TO THE FIFTH ANNUAL EQUITY INDICATORS SYMPOSIUM.
I'M JANIE SCHULTZ, COUNCIL MEMBER FROM DISTRICT 11 AND CHAIR OF THE WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND EQUITY COMMITTEE.
I WANNA APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE FOR HAVING TO LEAVE EARLY.
I HAVE A FAMILY MATTER I HAVE TO ATTEND TO.
FIRST, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR JOINING TODAY'S EVENT.
THE BROAD SPAN OF ATTENDEES TODAY TRULY SPEAKS TO DALLAS'S COLLECTIVE GOAL OF BEING THE MOST EQUITABLE CITY IN THE UNITED STATES.
WE WILL TAKE ALL THE STEPS NECESSARY TO REACH THAT OBJECTIVE BECAUSE AS WE MOVE TOWARD THE GOAL LINE, WE WILL SEE MORE AND MORE OF OUR RESIDENTS HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE.
SO HOW DO WE MEASURE OUR PROGRESS TOWARD BECOMING THE MOST EQUITABLE CITY? THIS IS WHERE THE EQUITY INDICATORS REPORT COMES IN.
IT'S OUR SCOREBOARD, IT'S OUR EQUITY SCOREBOARD.
THERE'S GONNA BE A NEW DASHBOARD THAT'LL ENABLE YOU TO REALLY FOLLOW THAT.
WE'VE ALREADY USED THIS INFORMATION, HOWEVER, TO GUIDE THE RACIAL EQUITY PLAN ITSELF TO SERVE AS A RESOURCE ACROSS ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS TO SUPPORT THEM ON IDENTIFYING THE UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES IN THEIR WORK, FROM SANITATION TO CODE COMPLIANCE, TO POLICING, TO OUR OUTREACH, EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, AS WELL AS OFFERING POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY MAKE TO ME AND MY COLLEAGUES ON THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL.
AND I WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUES TODAY FOR BEING HERE.
AND THOSE OF YOU WHO I KNOW, A COUPLE OF YOU ARE ONLINE AS WELL.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, WE USE THE EQUITY ISSUE, THE EQUITY INDICATOR OF COMMUTE TIME FROM PLEASANT GROVE AND OTHER PARTS OF SOUTHERN DALLAS.
AND THAT INFORMED OUR DECISION FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION OF I 3 45.
WE'RE ACTIVELY MAKING STRIDES IN INFUSING EQUITY PRINCIPLES INTO EVERY FACET OF CITY GOVERNMENT.
FROM THE UPCOMING BOND PROGRAM TO OUR DETAILED BUDGETING PROCESSES, EQUITY IS BECOMING THE BACKBONE OF OUR DECISION MAKING ACROSS THE CITY.
AS THE EQUITY INDICATORS BECOME OUR BIBLE, WE WILL BE ABLE TO BECOME MORE AND MORE NIMBLE AND ADEPT AT USING THEM FULLY.
AS OUR CITY MANAGER SAID, WE'RE STILL, THIS IS A NEW TOOL THAT WE'RE USING AND IT'S GOING TO EVOLVE AND CHANGE.
AND WE WANT OUR COMMUNITY TO BE AS PATIENT WITH US AS WE LEARN HOW TO USE THIS MORE AND MORE THIS YEAR, THE BUDGET WILL INCLUDE NOT ONLY AN EQUITY BOX CHECK, LIKE DID WE, DOES THIS HAVE AN EQUITY INDICATOR, BUT SPECIFIC INDICATORS WILL BE IDENTIFIED THROUGH DEPARTMENTAL INVESTMENTS.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE WHICH NEEDLES ARE MOVING AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE GOOD FINANCIAL DECISIONS AS A RESULT.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT POLICIES PLAY A KEY FACTOR IN THE INEQUITIES THAT WE SEE TODAY, AND WE MUST HAVE INTENTIONAL POLICIES TO ADDRESS THOSE DISPARITIES.
THE JOURNEY TOWARD BECOMING THE MOST EQUITABLE CITY IN THE UNITED STATES IS NEVER ENDING BY DESIGN.
WHILE WE'VE ACHIEVED SIGNIFICANT RESULTS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT EMBEDDING EQUITY INTO THE CITY'S FRAMEWORK IS AN EVOLVING PROCESS REQUIRING PERSISTENT PATIENCE, TRUST, EFFORT, AND ADAPTATION.
AS WE LEARN MORE AND MORE THROUGH THIS WORK, WE WILL LEARN NEW WAYS OF DOING OUR OWN WORK.
THE NEXT PHASE INVOLVES DEVELOPING A ROBUST BUSINESS CASE FOR RACIAL EQUITY.
THIS WILL HIGHLIGHT NOT ONLY THE MORAL IMPERATIVE OF SOCIAL JUSTICE, BUT ALSO UNDERLINE THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF A MORE EQUITABLE SOCIETY.
IMAGINE THE IMPACT ON OUR LOCAL GDP IF BLACK AND BROWN INCOMES MATCH THOSE OF THE LOCAL WHITE POPULATION ACROSS THE CITY.
WE'RE COMMITTED TO ENGAGING WITH BUSINESSES, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND KEY STAKEHOLDERS IN THIS CASE TO BUILD THIS CASE.
SHOWCASING THE TANGIBLE BENEFITS OF RACIAL EQUITY FOR ALL.
THAT REPORT WILL BE OUT BEFORE THE SUMMER.
FINALLY, THIS WORK ALLOWS US TO COLLABORATE MORE STRATEGICALLY WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, NONPROFITS, AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS THE PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY AROUND THOSE INDICATORS THAT THEY HAVE EITHER DIRECT CONTROL OR INFLUENCE OVER.
THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING ME ON YOUR TEAM.
AND THANK YOU FOR FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT, THE RIGHT FIGHT.
UM, CAN WE HAVE ANOTHER ROUTE OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR AMAZING SPEAKERS, PLEASE, DR.
[00:35:01]
CHAT.UM, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME MS. LIZ, CITY, PEREIRA, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER OF THE CITY OF DALLAS, THE HONORABLE MS. DIMITRIA MCCAIN
PRINCIPAL, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY, REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, HUD.
I'LL BE CAREFUL WITH WHAT I SAY.
ONCE YOU GET IT ADJUSTED, IT WORKS WELL.
WHEN'S DIAZ? MY NAME IS MARY ELIZABETH RA OR LIZ AMONG MY FRIENDS.
AND I AM AMONG FRIENDS AS, AS A PASTOR, WELL ACKNOWLEDGED.
THE WORD TEXAS ARISE FROM FRIENDSHIP, UH, PASTOR OR PRESIDENT, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL HIM.
RELL ALSO MENTIONED THE NOTION OF BROTHERHOOD, SISTERHOOD, FRIENDSHIP, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT IN THIS EQUITY SPACE.
AND, UM, AND I THINK AFTER FIVE YEARS OF OVERSEEING AND WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNITY TO PUT ON THIS CONFERENCE WITH OUR, OUR PARTNERS AT PAUL QUINN, THAT, UH, WE DEVELOPED SOME, SOME GOOD SOLID FRIENDSHIPS, SOME GREAT RELATIONSHIPS, AND THOSE, AND THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, RIGHT? IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY OR COMFORTABLE OR EVEN FRIENDLY IF YOU WILL.
UH, BUT THEY ARE THE HARD CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE AT OUR CITY SO THAT WE CAN, AS OUR CITY MANAGER EXPRESSED, MOVE ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES FORWARD.
AND CERTAINLY WE COULDN'T DO THIS WORK WITHOUT OUR POLICY MAKERS.
SO AGAIN, I WANT TO REITERATE THE THANKS TO OUR MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, OUR LEADERS OF THE WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND EQUITY COMMITTEE, WHO HAVE, WHO ARE SPENDING TIME, PRECIOUS TIME THAT THEY HAVE HERE, AS WELL AS OUR, OUR COUNTY PARTNERSHIPS.
WOULD YOU STAND UP, COMMISSIONER DANIELS AND BE WELCOME.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS, BUT IF YOU ARE, CAN YOU RAISE YOUR HAND SO THAT WE CAN ACKNOWLEDGE YOU AND YOUR WORK? UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
IT'S JUST A THRILL, UH, TO BE HERE.
WELL, LET ME, LET ME SEE IF I GOT THE ACRONYM RIGHT.
THE PRINCIPAL, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY, DIMITRI MCCAIN.
LET'S JOIN IN A WELCOME FOR WE ARE.
SO, WE'RE SO BLESSED, REALLY TO WELCOME YOU BACK TO DALLAS.
COME ON, LET'S GIVE HER A WELCOME FROM DALLAS.
SHE'S A HOME GIRL ALL THE WAY IN FROM DC LAST NIGHT.
I WAS SUPER WORRIED 'CAUSE SHE WAS BACK AND FORTH AND I WAS WORRIED NOT ABOUT HER, BUT ABOUT OUR, UH, AIRLINE SYSTEM.
AND, UM, AND SHE MADE IT BACK.
SO WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOU TO BE HERE AND JUST EXCITED ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SHARE.
WE WE'RE MOVING INTO NOW THE SUBSTANTIVE COMPONENT OF WHERE WE'RE FOCUSING, UH, FOR THIS SYMPOSIUM, WHICH IS HOUSING.
AND I THINK A FEW PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN THAT, UH, POLICY AREA HERE, WOULD YOU SAY? YEAH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE BAROMETER IS, BUT I THINK THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE CAME TO HEAR ABOUT WHAT, WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THE HOUSING SPACE? HOW ARE WE GOING TO EMBED EQUITY? UM, WE HAVE OUR POLICY MAKERS HERE WHO JUST WENT THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING, UH, HOUSING 2030, WHICH IS OUR COMPREHENSIVE HOUSING PLAN.
AND NOW WE HAVE A LEADER AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF OUR GOVERNMENT, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HERE, WHO CAN GIVE US THAT 30,000 VIEW, UH, OF WHAT IT'S LIKE TO DEVELOP HOUSING, UM, FOR, FOR NOT ONLY A CITY OR A STATE, UM, BUT THE WHOLE NATION.
SO, UH, I WANNA START BY JUST SAYING THAT
[00:40:01]
THEY CHOSE THE RIGHT PERSON TO REPRESENT IN DC OH, YOU'RE VERY KIND.LISTEN, IF I MAY, I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, I JUST WANNA LIFT UP, UH, PAUL QUINN COLLEGE.
RELL AND EVERYTHING HE'S DOING.
'CAUSE LEMME TELL YOU SOMETHING.
MY ROOMMATE AND I, FRESHMAN YEAR WERE NOT PELL GRANDE STUDENTS, BUT WE COULD NOT COME HOME.
I WENT TO SCHOOL IN NEW YORK FROM OAK CLIFF WENT SCHOOL IN NEW YORK.
WE BORROWED CEREAL AND PEANUT BUTTER FROM THE CAFETERIA DURING SPRING BREAK,
BECAUSE WE COULD NOT FLY BACK HOME, UM, DURING SPRING BREAK WHILE OUR CLASSMATES WERE GOING OFF TO SKI TRIPS AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
SORELL AND EVERYTHING HE'S DOING FOR THE STUDENTS HERE.
THAT'S HOW YOU EMBED EQUITY, RIGHT? AND, AND IT, AND IT TAKES SOME INTENTIONALITY, BUT I'M HAVING TRIGGERS NOW OF, UH, RAMEN NOODLES.
UM, UH, SERIOUSLY, IT, IT, IT WAS, AND I, AND WE STAYED, THE LATINO STUDENTS STAYED, UH, ON THE EAST COAST BECAUSE WE COULDN'T GET BACK BOTH WAYS.
AND SO, UM, WE HAD, WE, WE, YOU KNOW, YOU MAKE DEW AND WE HAD A PACHANGA, WE HAD A, A FESTIVAL DURING THANKSGIVING, SO IT WAS CALLED THE EAST COAST CHICA STUDENT FORUM.
AND THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE REMEMBER, RIGHT? YEARS AND YEARS LATER THAT BUILD RELATIONSHIPS IN THIS, UM, IN TIMES OF, OF A RESILIENCE BUILDING AS YOU WILL.
UM, SO YES, SHE IS THE FAIR HOUSING AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT AS THE FHEO.
HONORABLE MCCAIN ASSISTS HUD'S EFFORT TO ELIMINATE HOUSING DISCRIMINATION, PROMOTE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, AND ACHIEVE DIVERSE INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES.
BIG, IMPORTANT, AUDACIOUS WORK, AND I'M SURE IS NOT EASY, UM, AS AS YOU'RE DEALING WITH IT AT, AT YOUR LEVELS.
BUT BEFORE JOINING HUD, UM, AS A, AN APPOINTED OFFICIAL IN THIS ADMINISTRATION, UM, SHE WORKED YEARS, UH, AS DEVELOPING HER EXPERTISE IN THE AREA OF HOUSING AS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES.
UH, ICP, UH, ANYBODY KNOW ABOUT ICP? IT'S A LOCAL NONPROFIT AND WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE THEM IN OUR CITY.
AND SHE, UH, WAS A, A FIERCE ADVOCATE, IF YOU WILL, AT THE, AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
AND, UH, BEFORE THAT, SERVED AS A STAFF ATTORNEY FOR NEIGHBORHOOD LEGAL SERVICES IN DC ASSIGNED TO THE SOUTHEAST OFFICE, WHERE HER PORTFOLIO PRIMARILY INCLUDED LANDLORD TENANT MATTERS AND LOWER INCOME RENTERS AND PRIVATE AND PUBLIC HOUSING.
AND SHE HAS TAUGHT AS AN ADJUNCT PROFESSOR IN THIS AREA OF HER EXPERTISE, FAIR HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS.
UM, SHE DID HER UNDERGRADUATE WORK AT COPPIN STATE UNIVERSITY.
NO, SHE SERVED AS A, UM, AS A, A PROFESSOR AT COPPIN STATE UNIVERSITY.
AND SHE ATTENDED, EXCUSE ME, SHE ATTENDED HOWARD LAW SCHOOL AND YOUR UNDERGRADUATE WAS N-Y-U-N-Y-U, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY.
SO, UM, ALL THIS DEVELOPED EXPERTISE, I THINK HAS PREPARED HER FOR THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.
AND I'D LIKE TO, OH, EXCUSE ME.
SHE'S ALSO DALLAS ALUMNI CHAPTER OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED.
I THINK WE'VE GOT SOME MEMBERS HERE.
ANY DELTAS? ANY DELTAS? UM,
WE HAVE DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEMP.
UM, ONE, ONE DAY BEFORE FOUNDER'S DAY.
JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST HEAR, GIVE IT UP FOR THE DELTA DAVIS SORORITY INCORPORATED.
I WAS WELCOMED BY THAT BIG BANNER AS WE CAME IN, UM, THIS MORNING.
SO IT'S JUST AN HONOR FOR US TO BE HERE IN HBCU.
UM, AND, AND WE HAVE, WE HAVE FOUND OUR HOME HERE, UH, AS YOU SAY, BECAUSE WE, WE ARE TALKING THE SAME LANGUAGE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MAKING PLACES MORE INCLUSIVE, UH, MORE DIVERSE AND MORE EQUITABLE.
SO OUR CHAT, WE'RE GONNA GET TO IT RIGHT NOW, IS ALL ABOUT HOW FAIR HOUSING PLAYS A ROLE IN RA RACIAL EQUITY.
AND WE'RE HOPING THAT OUR, OUR PARTICIPANTS HERE TODAY WILL, WILL LEARN FROM YOU AS YOU TALK ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT HOUSING DISCRIMINATION, HOW DO WE ERADICATE IT? HOW DO WE ADVANCE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AT THE SAME TIME? AND WHAT IS THE WORK OF, OF ALL OF US TO, UH, FOSTER INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES TO MAKE A MORE EQUITABLE DALLAS, CAN YOU OPEN UP WITH SOME REMARKS ABOUT THAT? UM, PETE AS MCCAIN? UH, WELL I THINK, I THINK WHAT YOU, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME JUST SAY SINCE I UNDERSTAND THIS IS BEING STREAMED AND RECORDED, UH, FOR OUR PEOPLE WHO MAY BE WATCHING WHO ARE VISUALLY IMPAIRED, I'M IN LARGE FRAME AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN WEARING A RED JACKET, A MEDIUM-SIZED AFRO, UM, SIT, SIT IT SEATED NEXT TO LIZ, WHO'S WEARING A LIGHT BLUE SUIT.
UM, SO OUR OFFICE, UM, IS ALL ABOUT FAIR HOUSING.
WE HAVE SEVEN PROTECTED CLASSES UNDER THE FAIR HOUSING ACT.
I JUST ALWAYS WANNA TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PAUSE THE LEVEL SET, WHICH INCLUDES SEVEN PROTECTED CLASSES OF RACE, NATIONAL ORIGIN, COLOR, RELIGION, SEX, INCLUDING GENDER IDENTITY AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION, DISABILITY AND FAMILIAL STATUS.
[00:45:01]
SO I JUST WANNA LEVEL SET THERE.SO WE DO A BROAD RANGE OF THINGS AS IT RELATES TO OUR PROTECTED CLASSES, UM, ABOUT WHICH WE DEAL, DEAL, YOU READ OUR MISSION STATEMENT, BUT I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT EVEN FURTHER.
UH, IT'S A THREEFOLD MISSION STATEMENT FOR THE OFFICE OF FAIR HOUSING AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, WHICH IS TO ELIMINATE HOUSING DISCRIMINATION.
I'M NOT SURE THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT TOTALLY IN OUR LIFETIME, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE STRIVE TO DO.
UM, I'VE GOT FOLKS FROM HUD, FROM OUR HUD OFFICE HERE, RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF ME, IF THE HUD FOLKS COULD JUST STAND UP.
WE HAVE 64 OFFICES AROUND THE COUNTRY.
AND, AND SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT.
UM, CANDACE VALENZUELA, SHE'S OUR REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR FOR TEXAS.
AND THE, AND THE, AND THE REGION SIX IS WHERE WE ARE, REGION SIX.
UM, AND OTHER STAFF MEMBERS ARE HERE AS WELL.
AND SO THIS WORK HAPPENS DAILY.
WE'VE GOT AN FHEO IN MY PARTICULAR OFFICE.
WE'VE GOT JUST OVER, UH, 500 FOLKS WHO WORK ON THIS STUFF TO ELIMINATE HOUSING DISCRIMINATION.
WE TAKE CASES ON A REGULAR BASIS.
UM, THE SECOND PRONG TO THAT MISSION, AS YOU MENTIONED, IS TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.
AND I WAS SO HAPPY TO SEE MY DEAR FRIEND JANIE SCHULTZ LIFT UP THE ISSUE OF WHAT WOULD WE LOOK LIKE? WHAT WOULD OUR COMMUNITIES LOOK LIKE IF WE ACTUALLY HAD ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE, NO MATTER THEIR COLOR, NO MATTER THEIR RACE, NO MATTER THEIR ABILITY, RIGHT? PHYSICAL OR MENTAL HEALTH WISE.
UM, AND ALSO OUR THIRD PIECE IS TO ACHIEVE, ACTUALLY ACHIEVE AND NOT JUST TALK ABOUT IT, ACHIEVE DIVERSE INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES, WHICH I DON'T THINK WE'VE ACHIEVED THAT YET.
LIKE I SAID, WE'VE GOT TROOPS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
THANK YOU TO MY FAIR HOUSING TEAM WHO'S HERE AS WELL, WHO DO THAT WORK.
UM, AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT WE DO, BUT WE KIND OF ARE ARRANGED IN, IN, IN A PARTICULAR WAY.
SO WE DO EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.
'CAUSE IF YOU DON'T KNOW YOUR RIGHTS, THEN THEY'RE GONNA TRAMPLED UPON, RIGHT? SO WE DO EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ON A REGULAR BASIS.
AND I CAN TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE LATER TOO.
I DON'T WANNA GO A LITTLE MORE IN DEPTH 'CAUSE THAT'S A PRIORITY.
UM, AND WE ALSO, UM, TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS ARE, ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE MANY LAWS THAT WE ENFORCE, NOT JUST THE FAIR HOUSING ACT FOLKS.
THAT'S A A, A BROAD PORTFOLIO.
AND WE TEND TO UNDERSTAND SOME OF THEM BECAUSE OUR, OUR CITY IS A FA FAIR HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM PARTICIPANT WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP, UM, ALONGSIDE OF HUD IN THAT MISSION.
AND, UH, AND IT IS CHALLENGING AND, UM, AND WE LOOK TO GUIDANCE FROM HUD, UH, AS WE'RE TRYING TO ADMINISTER AND INVESTIGATE THESE CASES.
AND, AND WE TEND TO SEE DISCRIMINATION PLAY ITSELF OUT AT A VERY GROUND LEVEL, UM, IN PEOPLE'S DAILY LIVES.
AND, UM, AND THAT'S, UH, AN UPHILL BATTLE.
BUT AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO UNDER THAT WE NEED TO TAKE ON.
UH, BECAUSE IF, IF WE DID, WE DON'T THEN AND WE GIVE UP, THEN, THEN WE'LL NEVER GET TO THOSE MISSION STATEMENTS THAT YOU'RE DISCUSSING.
AND SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR YOU, FOR YOUR TEAM, FOR YOUR WORK, UM, AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL? WHAT DOES HOUSING EQUITY LOOK LIKE AND, AND WHY IS IT, DO YOU BELIEVE IT VITAL TO ADVANCE THIS WORK AND ALSO INTEGRATE EQUITY? BECAUSE THAT HAS BEEN, AS WE HAVE NOTICED, INTEGRATED INTO THE WORK OF, UH, HUD.
YEAH, IT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
UM, AND SO HOUSING EQUITY IS NOT A TERM THAT WE USUALLY DEAL WITH.
WE USUALLY DEAL WITH RACIAL EQUITY AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND JUST SO FOLKS UNDERSTAND, ONE WEEK INTO PRESIDENT BIDEN'S, UM, UM, TERM, VERY FIRST YEAR, 2021, HE CAME OUT WITH AN EXECUTIVE ORDER SPECIFICALLY ON RACIAL EQUITY.
ALL THOSE PROTECTED CLASSES THAT I JUST MENTIONED, INCLUDING PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN UNDERSERVED, INCLUDING RURAL AREAS AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
AND SO THAT HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT OF OUR NORTH STAR IS THAT EXECUTIVE ORDER, RIGHT? AND SO RACIAL EQUITY IS SO IMPORTANT THAT ACTUALLY JUST LAST YEAR IN FEBRUARY, UM, HE ISSUED A SECOND EXECUTIVE ORDER REAFFIRMING RIGHT.
BUT ALSO IN THOSE EXECUTIVE ORDERS, HE MAKES CLEAR THE BIDEN HARRISON ADMINISTRATION MAKES CLEAR THAT WE GOT TO THIS PLACE BECAUSE OF GOVERNMENTAL ACTION.
FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL ACTION GOT US TO THE PLACE WE ARE.
SO IT'S GONNA TAKE, WE HEARD THE WORD INTENTIONALITY EARLIER.
IT'S GONNA TAKE INTENTIONALITY FROM
[00:50:01]
SOME OF THOSE SAME PLAYERS, FROM PEOPLE LIKE YOU IN THE COMMUNITY, FROM EVERYBODY TO DIG US OUT OF THE HOLE THAT WE'RE IN.SO WHETHER WE GET TO A PLACE OF EQUITY WHERE EVERYBODY HAS THE SAME OPPORTUNITY, THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH OPPORTUNITY AND POTENTIAL HAS BEEN LOST OVER THESE DECADES.
HUNDREDS OF YEARS BECAUSE PEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE EQUITY.
BE IT RACIAL EQUITY, NATIONAL ORIGIN EQUITY, L-G-B-T-Q EQUITY, LOTS OF POTENTIAL IS LOST WHEN WE DON'T HAVE IT.
WHAT WE COULD BE, AND I'LL SAY AS A SIDE NOTE TOO, WHEN ARE WE GONNA LIVE UP TO OUR COUNTRY'S ASPIRATIONS? SO, THANK YOU.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU SAY A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW THE, UH, ADMINISTRATION'S GUIDANCE REALLY IMPACTS A FEDERAL DEPARTMENT'S WORK? HOW DO YOU OPERATIONALIZE THAT, THAT, UH, ASPIRATIONAL? OOH, LET ME TELL YOU COMPONENT
UM, SO, SO WE HAVE OUR MISSION WITHIN THE FAIR HOUSING OFFICE, AND THEN HUD HAS THIS MISSION, RIGHT? AND WE HAVE THE ADMINISTRATION, WHITE HOUSE'S, UH, DIRECTIVES, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR LONGSTANDING STATUTES LIKE THE FAIR HOUSING ACT, WHAT HAVE YOU.
AND SO, UM, SO WE DO ALL OF OUR WORK, YOU KNOW, WITHIN OUR SILOS, BUT ALSO THERE'S A REAL ALL OF GOVERNMENT APPROACH TO UNDER THE BIDEN HARRIS ADMINISTRATION WHERE WE ARE CONSTANTLY, UM, INVOLVED IN INTERAGENCY MEETINGS BECAUSE THIS EQUITY STUFF IS NOT JUST A HOUSING THING, IT'S NOT JUST A TRANSPORTATION THING.
IT'S ALL OF THESE, THESE, THESE ASPECTS OF OUR LIVES AND OF OUR, OUR LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS.
AND SO WE'RE CONSTANTLY, UM, HAVING INTERAGENCY MEETINGS WITH, I HAVE PEERS OVER AT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, I HAVE PEERS AT DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS.
DOJ FOR INSTANCE, UM, A RECENT MEETING I WENT TO WEDNESDAY WHEN I HAD TO SPEAK, UH, ABOUT OUR WORK AT HUD WAS AN INTER-AGENCY MEETING WAS REGARDING AI AND, AND, AND, AND HOW THAT INTERSECTS WITH CIVIL RIGHTS.
RIGHT? AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO ALL COME TOGETHER, WORK IN OUR DIFFERENT SILOS, BUT COMING TOGETHER AS ALL OF GOVERNMENT TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE ISSUES ARE CONNECTED, RIGHT? WHEN WE THINK ABOUT, THERE'S A GRANT WE HAVE OUT RIGHT NOW, UM, THRIVING COMMUNITIES TO HELP PEOPLE BUILD CAPACITY AS IT RELATES TO, TO, TO TO CLIMATE AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.
UM, THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF HUD WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, MAKING SURE THAT FUNDS AS IT RELATES TO ALL THESE NEW FUNDS THAT ARE COMING OUT FOR INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE'RE NOT REPEATING WHAT WAS DONE IN THE 1950S, RIGHT.
WITH WHAT WAS CALLED, WHAT'S TERM NEGRO REMOVAL.
RIGHT? YOU BUILD THE HIGHWAYS THROUGH NEIGHBORHOODS, RIGHT? AND YOU BREAK UP NEIGHBORHOODS, NEIGHBORHOODS OF COLOR, RIGHT? AND SO WORKING TOGETHER IN THAT WAY IS SUPER IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, SO THE TRANSPORTATION FOLKS NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE HOUSING FOLKS ARE DOING.
IS THAT A BRAND NEW RELATIONSHIP THAT COMES OUT OF THIS EQUITY FRAMEWORK? OR IS THAT BEEN A PRE-EXISTING, DO YOU THINK? I CAN'T SPEAK TO WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE THIS CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.
I CAN'T SPEAK TO IT, BUT I THINK NOW WITH THIS ADMINISTRATION, THERE'S, WE'VE BEEN VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT HAVING THOSE, THOSE KINDS OF MEETINGS WITH EACH OTHER.
AND, AND WE KNOW THAT YOU BROUGHT WITH YOU A VAST AMOUNT OF, OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE IN THE AREA OF HOUSING FAIR HOUSING.
UM, JUST BACKGROUND IN LAW, BACKGROUND IN POLICY, IN YOUR CURRENT ROLE, YOU'RE FOCUSING ON THE ADMINISTRATION, AS YOU SAID, OF OF AFFORDING YOUR, YOUR GOALS, BUT ALSO ON, ON POLICY.
AND YOU MENTIONED THAT GOVERNMENT PARTICIPATED IN SOME OF THE DECISIONS, MANY OF THE DECISIONS WHERE WE ARE NOW, UH, SEEING CONSEQUENCES AND OUTCOMES RELATED TO DISPARITIES.
AND SO WE RECOGNIZE THAT IN OUR OFFICE OF EQUITY INCLUSION, THE HISTORIC POLICIES SUCH AS REDLINING HAVE HAD, AND, UH, AN OUTCOME CREATING DISPARITIES, PARTICULARLY AROUND, AROUND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR OR HISPANIC HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES, UH, AS WE CALL IT IN THE REP.
WOULD YOU SHARE FROM, FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, HOW H HOW HOUSING IMPACTS PEOPLE'S LIVES? UH, SECRETARY FUDGE, WHO IS OUR LEADER, UM, WHO ALLOWS US TO BE TRUE TO OURSELVES AND HAS BROUGHT A DIVERSE STAFF, UM, INTO HUD, UM, FROM THE POINTEE PERSPECTIVE, UM, ALWAYS TALKS ABOUT HOW HOUSING IS REALLY THE FULCRUM, RIGHT? YOU DON'T HAVE A ROOF OVER YOUR HEAD THAT'S GONNA IMPACT A WHOLE LOT OF ASPECTS OF YOUR LIFE, RIGHT? SO TO HAVE A SECURE, SAFE PLACE WHERE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY CAN LIVE AND THRIVE IS CRITICAL, RIGHT? AND LEMME JUST GIVE YOU, UM, SOME EXAMPLES OF HOW HOUSING DISCRIMINATION ACTUALLY, UM, NEGATIVELY HAS IMPACTED SOME LIVES AND SOME WORK THAT, THAT OUR, OUR FAIR HOUSING FOLKS HAVE TRIED TO DO AROUND THE COUNTRY.
WE DO COMPLIANCE ENFORCEMENT, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, ON THE ENFORCEMENT SIDE.
SO WE'VE GOT A POLICY, RIGHT? THE BIG POLICY, THE STATUTE FAIR HOUSING TITLE SIX AND CIVIL RIGHTS ACT IN 1964, UM, 5 0 4, THE
[00:55:01]
REHABILITATION ACT IN 1973.UM, WE'VE GOT ALL OF THESE POLICIES, RIGHT? UM, AND SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN HONORED IN THE, IN THE BREACH AND NOBODY'S ENFORCED THEM PROPERLY, BUT WHEN YOU DO ENFORCE THEM, YOU IMPACT LIVES THIS WAY.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, THROUGH ENFORCEMENT IN 2023, FISCAL 2023, WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, THROUGH THE CASES WE'VE MANAGED, UH, COME OUT ABOUT $8 MILLION IN VARIOUS CLIENT, UM, VARIOUS OF OUR, OF OUR COMPLAINANTS, UH, FUNDS, COMPENSATORY FUNDS THROUGH, UH, SOME CASES THAT WE'VE HANDLED.
UM, BUT MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE CASES WE'VE HANDLED.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE FINANCIAL ASPECTS THAT, THAT COMPLAINANTS HAVE RECEIVED AFTER RESOLUTION ARE THE PUBLIC INTEREST RELIEF THAT WE'VE GOTTEN.
RIGHT? SO THERE'S FINANCIAL RELIEF AND THERE'S PUBLIC INTEREST RELIEF.
AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UM, IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, FOR INSTANCE, WE HAD A, A COMPLEX THAT JUST SIMPLY WOULD NOT MARKET TO PEOPLE OF COLOR 500 UNIT COMPLEX, RIGHT? IT'S A CASE WE HANDLED.
UM, AND SO THERE'S A $500,000 RELIEF COMPENSATION FOR THOSE FAMILIES WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THAT.
BUT THEN THERE'S A POLICY, RIGHT, WHERE THEY HAVE TO CHANGE THEIR MARKETING PROCEDURES, AND IT MEANS THAT PEOPLE NOW CAN ACTUALLY LIVE IN THIS PLACE THAT THEY WANTED TO LIVE.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE, OKLAHOMA NOT FAR FROM HERE, UM, WHERE WE HAD A LANDLORD WHO ALLOWED RACIAL HARASSMENT OF TENANTS, RIGHT? RIGHT.
UM, THAT RACIAL HARASSMENT OF TENANTS WENT ON AND ON AND ON.
CAN YOU IMAGINE LIVING SOMEPLACE? YOU'RE IN A RENTER, YOU LIVE SOMEPLACE AND YOU'VE GOTTA DEAL WITH SOMEBODY RACIALLY HARASSING YOU AND NOBODY DOES ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
WHAT DOES THAT DO TO YOUR MENTAL HEALTH, RIGHT? WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOW DOES THIS IMPACT PEOPLE, RIGHT? AND SO WE CONCILIATED AND RESOLVED THAT CASE AND, AND THAT THAT LANDLORD HAS GOT SOME THINGS THAT HE HAS TO DO ON THE PUBLIC INTEREST SIDE.
THE FOLKS WHO WERE IMPACTED WE'RE FINANCIALLY, UH, COMPENSATED.
AND THEN IN, IN THE SPACE OF HOME OWNERSHIP, LET'S SAY YOU OWN A HOME, YOU WANNA SECURE YOUR HOME, YOU WANT TO PULL OUT THE, THE FINANCIAL BENEFITS OF THAT HOME.
YOU'VE GOT SOME, A COMPANY THAT COMES TO YOU THAT SAYS, I'M GONNA HELP YOU OUT.
BUT IN HELPING YOU OUT, AND YOU'RE TARGETING ACTUALLY BLACK CARIBBEAN FOLKS, UM, IN HELPING YOU OUT, YOU END UP SIGNING PAPERS THAT BASICALLY GIVE AWAY THE RIGHTS TO YOUR HOME DOWN THE LINE, RIGHT? SO THERE'S MAJOR MORTGAGE FRAUD, UM, THAT TOOK PLACE.
SO ALL OF A SUDDEN YOUR HOME IS LIKE PULLED OUT FROM UNDER YOU, RIGHT.
SO, I MEAN, THESE ARE REAL PEOPLE WITH REAL LIVES AND REAL PROBLEMS THAT COME TO US WITH THEIR ISSUES.
AND THIS IS JUST FEW OF THE EXAMPLES.
WELL, WHO'S TAKING THESE CASES IF YOU DIDN'T EXIST? WELL, NOT ME PERSONALLY.
SHE IS
WELL, I MEAN, UNDER THE FAIR HOUSING ACT, YOU CAN ALWAYS BRING A CASE, UH, THROUGH PRIVATE LITIGATION UHHUH, BUT THE FAIR HOUSING ACT WAS CREATED SO THAT YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO TRY TO AFFORD AN ATTORNEY SO THAT YOU COULD DO THIS.
AND SO WE TAKE CASES, UM, IF THERE IS A, A, AN ORGANIZATION LIKE YOURS, OUR FAIR HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, CITY OF DALLAS HAS A FAIR HOUSE, IS A ONE OF OUR, UH, WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH CITY OF DALLAS FOR THEIR FAIR HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
WE HAVE AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS FOR THEIR FAIR HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
SO IF YOU, IF YOU LIVE IN A COMMUNITY WITH ONE OF THOSE, WE CALL THEM FAPS, UM, THEN THE CASE WOULD COME TO US AND THEN WE WOULD REFER THEM OUT SO THEY COULD BE HANDLED MORE LOCALLY.
UM, BUT OTHERWISE PEOPLE WOULD HAVE TO SCRAMBLE AND SEE IF THEY HAD THE FUNDS TO FIND A PRIVATE ATTORNEY TO BRING THEIR FAIR HOUSING CASES, WHICH IS NOT AN EASY THING TO DO.
AND, AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS, AND TO BUILD ON WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THAT, THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED AS GUIDANCE ADMINISTRATION, HUD HAS BEEN CLEAR THAT ABOUT AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, ABOUT CENTERING AND BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT, ABOUT THAT AND USING AN INDIVIDUAL'S LIVED EXPERIENCE, UH, TO DRIVE POLICY WORK.
CAN YOU SHARE SOME ABOUT WHAT THAT PROCESS LOOKS LIKE AND, AND HOW THAT PROCESS IMPACTS THE WORK? THIS IS, UH, SECRETARY FLEDGE BELIEVES IN, IN, IN SPEAKING TO PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCES.
UM, LIZ HAS HER LIFE EXPERIENCE, I HAVE MY LIFE EXPERIENCE.
WE, WE, THE TWO OF US SIT UP HERE AND MAKE SOME POLICY.
AND WE DON'T EVEN TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION SOMEBODY, SOMEBODY WHO HAS AN EXPERIENCE THAT'S TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM OURS OR SOMETHING WE READ WHEN WE WERE IN LAW SCHOOL.
THAT'S JUST NOT THE WAY THINGS POLICY SHOULD BE HANDLED.
POLICIES SHOULD BE HANDLED BY LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST DIRECT, DIRECTLY IMPACTED.
AND WE CALL THEM PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERTISE.
RIGHT? AND SO, ACTUALLY OUR SECRETARY CREATED A SPECIFIC POSITION, DR. RUTH JONES NICHOLS, UM, IS HER SENIOR ADVISOR ON STRATEGIC ENGAGEMENT.
UM, AND SHE'S BEEN DOING A FABULOUS JOB.
WHEN I SAY THAT APPOINTEES COME WITH HER OWN LIVED EXPERIENCE, SHE COMES WITH HER OWN LIVED EXPERIENCE
[01:00:01]
AS WELL.UM, AND HAS HANDLED THIS POSITION MASTERFULLY.
SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF LISTENING SESSIONS THAT THE SECRETARY HAS DONE, UM, THROUGH DR. RUTH JONES NICHOLS, WHEN PEOPLE HAVE COME INTO THE OFFICE, UM, TENANTS HAVE COME INTO THE OFFICE TO MEET AND TALK.
UM, MY OFFICE HAVE, HAVE HAD TENANTS MEET WITH THEM.
I TELL YOU, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PART OF THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY DON'T PLAY.
I I HAVE HAD LISTENING SESSIONS OUTDOORS IN THE RAIN WHEN THEY HAVE SHOWN UP IN FULL FORCE WHEELCHAIRS, WALKERS AND ALL, THEY DON'T PLAY.
BUT WE GO OUT AND WE LISTEN TO THEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS, RIGHT? RIGHT.
UM, I'VE HAD, UH, FOLKS WHO ARE HOUSING SECTION EIGHT HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER HOLDERS WHO WANT TO LIVE IN AREAS THAT ARE NOT TRADITIONALLY PLACES WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN STEERED TO LIVE, WHO ACTUALLY WANT TO LIVE IN HIGHER INCOME TYPE OF AREAS, PLACES THAT HAVE MORE RESOURCES, PLACES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN DUMPED ON BY ACTIONS OF, OF GOVERNMENT AND WHAT HAVE YOU IN PRIVATE INDUSTRY.
UM, BEEN LISTENING TO THEM AND SOME OF THEIR ISSUES.
UM, I'VE HAD PEOPLE WHO HAVE, ARE REENTERING SOCIETY WHO HAVE COME TO US TO TALK ABOUT HOW THEY CAN'T GET HOUSING BECAUSE PERHAPS THEY HAD AN INTERSECTION WITH THE CRIMINAL INJUSTICE SYSTEM.
AND SO WE TALK TO THOSE KIND OF FOLKS AS WE SET, TRY TO SET POLICY, UM, AND MAKE DECISIONS.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT, UM, IT'S CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT FOR ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT TO DO THAT SO THAT YOU KNOW WHAT THE REAL PROBLEMS ARE.
THE CITY MANAGER ADDED AS A VALUE OF SERVICE IN THIS PAST YEAR ENGAGEMENT AND, AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, IN REAL LIFE.
AND, AND WE, WE PUT THIS EQUITY INDICATOR SYMPOSIUM TOGETHER WITH OUR COMMUNITY, UH, BEFORE THE RACIAL EQUITY PLAN EXISTED, BECAUSE WE WANTED TO SHARE THIS DATA.
AND, AND IT'S ONE THING TO HAVE DATA, BUT IT'S ANOTHER THING TO, TO HAVE IT BE RELATABLE AND TO SPEAK TO PEOPLE'S LIVED EXPERIENCE.
AND, AND SO I JUST TO YOUR POINT, WANTED TO INVITE OUR PARTICIPANTS HERE TODAY.
IF YOU'RE HERE TO, TO REACH OUT, IF YOU'RE A A CITY OF DALLAS STAFF, WOULD YOU PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND? YEAH.
LET US KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOUR EXPERIENCE IS IN, IN INTERACTING, WHAT KIND OF SERVICES WE'RE DELIVERING.
AND THIS IS INTENTIONALLY DESIGNED SO THAT WE COULD EVERY YEAR TALK ABOUT OUR EQUITY INDICATORS TOGETHER, HOW WE'RE DOING OUR WORK.
THAT, THAT'S REALLY EXCITING TO HEAR.
I MEAN, BECAUSE IT'S MORE THAN JUST, OKAY, WE'RE GONNA SIT HERE AND, AND HAVE THIS MEETING AND HEAR YOU AND NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
NOBODY'S EVEN TAKING NOTES ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
SO IT'S EXCITING TO HEAR THAT.
AND, AND WE HAVE BEEN, WE'RE IN, WE'RE IN A GROWTH MODE, RIGHT.
AND SO YOUR WORK INFLUENCES AND INSPIRES OURS.
YOU KNOW, WE, UH, ADDED THROUGH COUNCIL INPUT AND COMMUNITY INPUT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE INDICATORS TO THIS EQUITY INDICATOR REPORT THIS YEAR WE DIDN'T PREVIOUSLY HAVE THEM.
AND, UM, FOR OUR 2023 EQUITY INDICATORS REPORT, THERE'LL BE SEVERAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOW EJ ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE INTERACTS WITH FAIR HOUSING.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT EVERYBODY AT HUD KNOWS I'M FROM TEXAS.
'CAUSE I'M ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT BEING FROM TEXAS.
THERE'S ABOUT, THERE ARE ABOUT FIVE OF, OF US WHO ARE APPOINTEES AND WE ALL KIND OF LIKE MAKE SURE, PARTICULARLY, YOU KNOW, WITH FOOTBALL, BASEBALL, THOSE KIND THINGS COME UP.
BUT I MAS ONE LAST NIGHT, GO MAS
I JUST WANNA SAY THAT WITHOUT ME SAYING ANYTHING.
SOMEBODY CAME TO ME AND SAID, HEY, DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE CITY OF DALLAS EQUITY INDICATOR WORK? AND SO I JUST WANT TO, UH, LIFT UP THAT WORK TO LET YOU KNOW THAT IT'S BEING NOTICED IN THE HALLS OF HUD.
UM, SO IN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, UM, SO EVERYBODY KNOWS, I ASSUME EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT THE FAIR HOUSING ACT, WHICH, YOU KNOW, REALLY WAS ADOPTED BY CONGRESS ONE WEEK AFTER THE ASSASSINATION OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING.
HE'D BEEN FIGHTING FOR IT FOREVER.
AND THEY FINALLY GOT IT OVER THE HUMP, UH, DURING ALL THE UPRISINGS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
AND SO THE FAIR HOUSING ACT IS CRITICAL.
THE FAIR HOUSING ACT GAVE US THE STATUTORY AUTHORITY TO EXIST AS AN OFFICE.
UM, BUT WE HAVE LOTS OF OTHER STATUTES THAT WE HAVE TO IMPLEMENT, INCLUDING TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, WHICH A LOT OF OUR FOREFATHERS AND FOREMOTHERS FOUGHT FOR.
AND THIS IS ACTUALLY THE ANNIVERSARY OF IT.
'CAUSE IT'S LIKE 19 64, 20 24.
AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? TITLE SIX SPEAKS TO, UM, UH, UH, MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S NO DISCRIMINATION ALONG RACIAL NATIONAL ORIGIN LINES FOR FOLKS WHO RECEIVE FEDERAL ASSISTANCE.
AND SO MOST OF OUR BIG CITIES, ALL OF OUR STATES RECEIVE FEDERAL ASSISTANCE.
AND SO THEIR PROGRAMS MUST COMPLY AND CAN'T DISCRIMINATE.
[01:05:01]
HOW I THINK, UM, SOME OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE RECENTLY.I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT OUR TEAM CAME OUT WITH THE CONCILIATION AGAINST THE CITY OF CHICAGO, UM, DURING MY TENURE.
UM, REALLY PROUD OF THE WORK WE DID THERE.
AND SO, LEMME JUST QUICKLY, IF I COULD SAY WHAT THAT WAS ABOUT.
UM, WE LOOKED AT, AT CITY OF CHICAGO THROUGH A TITLE SIX LENS.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE CITY OF CHICAGO THROUGH THE LENS OF SECTION 1 0 9 OF THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 1974, BECAUSE THE CITY HAD VOTED AND IT MADE A DECISION TO MOVE A FACTORY, WHICH HAD ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS FROM A WHITE NEIGHBORHOOD TO A BLACK AND BROWN NEIGHBORHOOD.
OKAY? UM, AND THAT PARTICULAR BLACK AND BROWN NEIGHBORHOOD WAS ALREADY OVERBURDENED WITH ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
UM, AND SO AND SO DOING THAT, UH, THAT CAME TO OUR ATTENTION THROUGH THREE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY, UH, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCES, RIGHT? PEOPLE WHO LIVED THERE.
AND SO OUR, OUR OFFICE HANDLED THAT SITUATION.
WE CAME OUT WITH A LETTER, WITH LETTER OF FINDINGS.
WE CAME OUT WITH A LETTER OF DETERMINATION.
UM, NOT, WE CAME WITH A LETTER OF FINDINGS, FINDING THAT THAT WAS PROBLEMATIC.
AND SO OUR OFFICE WAS ABLE TO RESOLVE THAT MATTER.
AND WHAT'S, WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT IS WHEN WE RESOLVE THINGS, IS AGAIN, THE PUBLIC INTEREST RELIEF, WHICH MEANS NOW THAT THE CITY OF CHICAGO MUST INCLUDE THE COMMUNITY WHEN MAKING THESE TYPES OF DECISIONS, THAT'S ONE.
IT ALSO REQUIRES THAT CITY TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH ASSESSMENT, RIGHT? THREE, IT REQUIRES THE CITY TO USE THAT COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH ASSESSMENT WHEN MAKING FUTURE DECISIONS AS IT RELATES TO THESE TYPES OF THINGS THAT IMPACT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND, AND THAT'S NOT THE TYPE OF RESOLUTION OR CASE THAT WE'VE HANDLED IN ANY RECENT TIME PAST.
I ASKED AROUND, THEY'RE LIKE, NO, WE HAVEN'T DONE THIS.
AND SO I'M SUPER PROUD OF OUR TEAM.
I JUST WANNA GIVE OUR HUD TEAM, UH, A SHOUT OUT FOR THAT.
AND SO, SO IF YOU'RE LIVING AT A PLACE THAT'S GOT THESE KIND OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, THEN THAT'S A PROBLEM.
THAT'S AN IMPACT ON YOUR HOUSING, RIGHT? UM, SO WE DID THAT, LIKE I SAID, UNDER TITLE VI AND UNDER SECTION SECTION 1 0 9.
THAT'S A NOT EVERY DAY WE WOULD THINK ABOUT FAIR HOUSING INVOLVING THEMSELVES OR GETTING INVOLVED IN CASES THAT ARE, THAT STRICTLY HAD, UH, AN IMPACT ON EJ CONCERNS.
AND, AND I JUST WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY JUST THINKS ABOUT EPA WHEN THEY THINK OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, RIGHT? BUT REALLY, THERE'S JUSTICE FOR THE JUSTICE 40 CAME OUT, AND IT'S REALLY KIND OF AN ALL OF GOVERNMENT APPROACH TO ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
SO WE'RE NOT JUST LEAVING IT AT THE DOOR OF THE EPA, UM, IT IMPACTS A LOT OF PARTS OF GOVERNMENT.
SO I JUST HAVE THE SHOUT OUT TO OUR OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND SUSTAINABILITY THAT, THAT LEADS THAT EFFORT FOR OUR CITY.
UH, WE WERE JUST RECENTLY NOTICED THAT WE'RE NO LONGER UNDER THE FEDERAL CONSENT DECREE FOR, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION IN THE PAST.
SO, AND FOR 15 YEARS AROUND THAT TIME.
SO, UM, SHOUT OUT TO CITY OF DALLAS.
NOBODY LIKES FEDERAL OVERSIGHT OVER
THAT, AND SHOWING US HOW THE WORK IS INTERSECTIONAL.
AND, AND SO, UH, WE'RE GETTING TO THE, OUR LAST QUESTION, BUT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF, OF FROM WHERE YOU SIT ERADICATING HOUSING DISCRIMINATION FROM A NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE.
WHAT ARE THE TWO SPECIFIC THINGS THAT YOU THINK DALLAS SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON TO ELIMINATE DISCRIMINATION? MAYBE IT'S A PERSON IN THEIR DAILY LIVES, YOU KNOW, CAN DO SOMETHING, UH, TO MAKE A CHANGE OR, UH, THE CITY ITSELF, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, THE COUNTY.
WELL, I CAN, IN WHERE I SIT AS PART OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UM, WE TRY TO MAKE A POINT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYTHING'S LOCAL.
SO, SO NOT FROM A, FROM A NATIONAL AND FEDERAL PERSPECTIVE, I CAN'T SAY WHAT DALLAS SHOULD OR SHOULDN'T DO, BUT I WOULD SAY THAT, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO WHAT WE DISCUSSED EARLIER, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE SOME OF THE WORK YOU'RE DOING IS THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TYPES OF PIECES.
UM, THAT'S HUGELY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IN, YOU KNOW, TOWN A RURAL AMERICA, CITY B CITY OF DALLAS OR CHICAGO OR WHEREVER, UM, IT'S GONNA BE DIFFERENT, RIGHT? BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, UM, PARTICULARLY IF YOU'RE TAKING OUR MONEY
UM, PART OF THAT FAIR HOUSING ACT THE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW TOO MUCH ABOUT IS A PROVISION CALLED AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING.
RIGHT? UM, AFFIRMATIVELY, FURTHER FAIR HOUSING MEANS DOING MORE THAN SIMPLY AVOIDING DISCRIMINATION.
IT MEANS TAKING AN ACTIVE STEP.
[01:10:01]
WORD AFFIRMATIVE, RIGHT? TAKING AN ACTIVE STEP TOWARDS FAIR HOUSING IN 2021, UM, UH, UH, HUD CAME OUT WITH AN INTERIM FINAL RULE, REINSTATING THE REQUIREMENT FOR FOLKS WHO GET OUR FUNDING TO CERTIFY THAT THEY ARE AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING.UM, AND SO THAT WE TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY.
AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S, THAT'S GOTTA TAKE PLACE, UM, TO ALL OF OUR GRANTEES, ALL OF OUR CDB GRANTEES.
ALL OF OUR PUBLIC HOUSING AGENCIES MUST CERTIFY TO THAT.
WE ALSO SAID THAT IF, IF, IF, UH, COMMUNITIES WANT TO VOLUNTARILY GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF FAIR HOUSING PLANNING, THEY CAN DO THAT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS KINDA TAKEN AWAY DURING THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.
SO THAT WAS REINSTATED IN 2021.
UM, SO WITH THAT, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS, AND, AND LIKE I SAID, EVERYTHING HAS TO BE LOCAL, SO I'M NOT GONNA ANSWER YOUR QUESTION SPECIFICALLY.
BUT IN DOING THAT, WE'VE PUT TOGETHER SOME TOOLS.
WE'VE PUT TOGETHER A FAIR HOUSING PLANNING KIT THAT COMMUNITIES CAN USE.
AND THAT'S NOT JUST FOR THE CITIES TO USE, THAT'S FOR FOLKS LIKE YOU, PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY TO TAKE A LOOK AT.
UM, IT'S A FAIR HOUSING PLANNING TOOLKIT THAT WE HAVE FOR PEOPLE TO USE.
WE ALSO HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER TOOLKITS TOO, HUD WIDE, NOT JUST FHL HUD WIDE.
WE HAVE AN LGBTQI PLUS TOOLKIT FOR FOLKS TO TAKE A LOOK AT.
'CAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NOT EVERYBODY IS EXPERT AT WHAT THE ISSUES ARE AND HOW TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES.
AND THERE'S ALSO, UH, ON THE HUD WEBSITE, A HOUSING MOBILITY TOOLKIT.
WHAT IS THE HOUSING MOBILITY? WHAT IS HOUSING MOBILITY? HOUSING MOBILITY IS, UM, HELPING SECTION EIGHT VOUCHER HOLDERS WHO WANT TO LIVE IN OTHER TYPES OF NEIGHBORHOODS THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, SO THAT THEY CAN MOVE TO, WELL-RESOURCED AREAS.
SO WE HAVE SOME TOOLKITS ONLINE SO THAT PEOPLE CAN GET LOCAL, RIGHT? SO THAT WE'RE NOT TELLING COMMUNITY A, B, AND C WHAT TO DO, BUT WE ARE SAYING, YOU NEED TO ABIDE BY THESE STATUTORY PROVISIONS.
SO, AND THEY MEAN SOMETHING TO THIS CITY.
UM, WE HAVE INCLUDED WITHIN THE RACIAL EQUITY PLAN, A BIG AUDACIOUS GOAL TO WORK TOWARD FAIR HOUSING FOR ALL, AND WITHIN IT, CREATING SOME OPPORTUNITIES OR SOME, SOME CITY FUNDS TO ADVANCE A FAIR HOUSING PLAN.
SO WE'RE USING THAT TOOLKIT GOOD, RIGHT? TO ADVANCE THAT PLANNING PROCESS, WORKING INTERDEPARTMENTALLY WITH OUR HOUSING AND OUR COMMUNITY, ET CETERA.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE RESOURCES.
UH, AS, AS WE'RE SHIFTING INTO MY FINAL QUESTION, I DID WANNA GET YOU ON THE RECORD THAT YOU ARE COMING BACK TO DALLAS, TEXAS AFTER YOU STARTED
I WANNA SAY I HAVE NEVER LEFT.
I JUST DROVE HERE THIS MORNING FROM MY HOUSE.
I AM NOT A RESIDENT OF, OF THE DALLAS GC AREA.
WE LOVE THAT YOU'RE STILL AND WILL BE A CITY OF DALLAS RESIDENT.
AND, UM, SHANNON ADAMS. WHERE ARE YOU FROM? OUR, YES, OUR LIBRARIAN FROM DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY.
LET'S GIVE A HAND FOR SHANNON.
AS SHE MAKES HER WAY, NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, YOU'D JUST BE INCREDIBLY SURPRISED, MAYBE NOT BY THE TALENTS THAT WE HAVE WITHIN OUR CITY, UH, FAMILY.
UH, SHE'S AL NOT ONLY IS SHE A LIBRARIAN, SHE'S ALSO A CHILDREN'S BOOK AUTHOR.
AND, UH, YEAH, I'D GIVE IT UP FOR SHANNON.
SHE WROTE THIS BOOK CALLED SOCIAL JUSTICE AT STORY TIME, BECAUSE SHE SPECIALIZES IN CHILDREN'S BOOKS AND, AND IN WORKING WITH CHILDREN.
SO OUR LAST QUESTION, AS, AS SHANNON MAKES HER WAY TO DELIVER A SPECIAL COPY OF THIS BOOK FOR YOU, DEPUTY PRINCIPAL ASSESSMENT, ASSISTANT SECRETARY, IS WE'VE LEARNED A FUN FACT ABOUT YOU AND, AND WHICH WAS IF YOU WRITE AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY ABOUT YOURSELF, IT WOULD BE A CHILDREN'S BOOK IN THE TITLE OF FUZZY HEAD.
GIRLS CAN
ALL RIGHT, WELL, THAT'S JUST, JUST SO FOLKS KNOW.
WE HAVE, UH, HUD TABLE TALKS, FAIR HOUSING VIDEOS ONLINE.
UM, AND SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST QUESTIONS ASKED OF ME WHEN I ARRIVED AT HUD.
UM, AND SO I SAY FUZZY HIT GIRLS CAN BECAUSE, UM, WHILE I GREW UP IN DALLAS AROUND A LOT OF INCREDIBLE PEOPLE, INCLUDING MY PARENTS, BOTH CIVIL, I WOULD SAY CIVIL SERVANTS, MY MOTHER WORKED FOR DSD, RETIRED FROM DSD, MY FATHER RETIRED FROM THE DALLAS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT, UM, AND ALL OF THEIR PEERS AND ALL OF MY MOM'S DELTA FRIENDS, OR JUST MY NEIGHBORHOODS, MY CHURCH MEMBERS, INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLE MENTORS IN MY LIFE.
SO I NEVER HAD THIS, THIS CONCEPT OF THERE'S, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT I COULDN'T DO UNTIL I FINISHED HIGH SCHOOL AND LEFT HOME AND CAME ACROSS PEOPLE OF OTHER SKIN COLORS AND OTHER GENDERS.
UM, I ACTUALLY WAS, UM, BEFORE MY CURRENT CAREER, I WAS IN A
[01:15:01]
UNION.UM, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY DURING UNION NEGOTIATIONS TO ENTER A ROOM AND, AND THE ATTORNEY FOR THE UNION.
AND I FOUND IT VERY FASCINATING.
I WAS VERY INTERESTED, THIS IS WELL BEFORE I EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT GONNA LAW SCHOOL.
AND I ASKED THEM LIKE, OKAY, SO HOW DO YOU GET INTO THIS LINE OF WORK? AND IN A VERY CONDESCENDING WAY, THIS WHITE MALE, OH, IT'S A LOT OF HARD WORK.
UM, AND SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF THE KIND OF THINGS THAT AT LEAST PEOPLE IN MY POSITION, PEOPLE MY COLOR AND MY GENDER FACE.
UM, AND SO I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, DUDE, YOU DON'T KNOW WHO I AM, IS WHAT I'M SAYING IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD.
UM, DON'T KNOW WHERE HE IS RIGHT NOW, REALLY DOESN'T MATTER.
BUT, UH, I'M NOT SURE THAT HE WOULD EVER BE HIRED AS PRINCIPAL, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HU
I WOULD SAY FUSSY HEAD GIRLS CAN
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING HERE TODAY.
UM, THIS BOOK IS ACTUALLY, IT'S NOT A PICTURE BOOK.
THIS IS A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR EDUCATORS AND TEACHERS, UM, PARENTS, EVEN JUST A GUIDELINE FOR HELPING CHILDREN TO BE SOCIALLY AWARE, EMPATHETIC AND CONFIDENT.
UM, JUST PROMOTING IT'S SOCIAL JUSTICE AS STORY TIME PROMOTING INCLUSIVE CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS. SO BRINGING ALL THOSE TOPICS THAT YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, UM, AGE, RACE, RELIGION, GENDER, ALL OF THOSE THINGS TO A COMFORTABLE PLACE WHERE KIDS ARE ACTUALLY ABLE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.
PARENTS ARE ABLE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH CHILDREN, OR EVEN EDUCATORS ARE ABLE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH CHILDREN AS WELL AS THE GUIDE ON KNOWING HOW TO PRESENT THOSE STORY TIMES.
PLEASE, YOU HAVE TO SIGN IT FOR ME.
ONE LAST WARM WELCOME TO RDS, OUR PA THANK YOU GUYS.
I FEEL REALLY INSPIRED AND MOVED.
HONORABLE MS. MCCAIN AND A CM, LIZ.
ALRIGHT, EVERYBODY, UM, I THINK WE ALL DESERVE A SMALL BREAK.
SO, UM, THE NEXT FIVE MINUTES WILL BE YOUR BREAK.
FEEL FREE TO STAND UP, STRETCH, GET SOME COFFEE, GO THROUGH THE EXIT DOOR OVER THERE, TURN LEFT FOR THE RESTROOM, AND TURN RIGHT FOR REFRESHMENT.
ALRIGHT, EVERYBODY PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEATS.
THANK, UM, JUST A QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT.
ONE OF OUR GUESTS LOST A PIECE OF DIAMOND ON A RING PIECE OF DIAMOND, SO IF YOU SEE SOMETHING SPARKLY, PLEASE BRING IT TO THE PODIUM.
I WILL SAFEGUARD IT FOR HER PIECE OF DIAMOND.
ALRIGHT, EVERYBODY PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEAT.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A REALLY EXCITING ACTIVITY COMING UP.
ALRIGHT, EVERYBODY, WE'RE GETTING STARTED RIGHT NOW.
OKAY, OUR NEXT EXCITING ACTIVITY, VERY HANDS-ON VERY INTERACTIVE.
[01:20:01]
IT'S ACTUALLY ABOUT THE MYSTERY BOX IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR TABLE THAT YOU HAVE BEEN WONDERING ABOUT SINCE YOU CAME HERE.THAT MYSTERY BOX IS OUR QUALITY OF LIFE ACTIVITY.
SO EVERYBODY GET BACK TO YOUR SEAT.
IT'S GONNA BE A REALLY COOL ACTIVITY.
UM, EVERYONE PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEAT,
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WE HAVE INTERPRETATION SERVICES.
ONE-ON-ONE, UM, IN SPANISH IN THE BACK.
YEP, IT'S RIGHT IN THE BACK CORNER RIGHT THERE.
UM, IF YOU NEED INTERPRETATION, SEEN AS INTERPRETATION AND ESPAN.
SO, UM, THIS IS MY FAVORITE ACTIVITY IS THE QUALITY OF LIVE ACTIVITY, UH, THAT WILL BE LED BY THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
UM, THIS ACTIVITY REALLY SHED LIGHT ON THE LASTING EFFECTS OF HISTORICAL AND CURRENT HOUSING POLICIES THAT STILL SHAPE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR VARIOUS COMMUNITIES.
UNTIL TODAY FOR, UM, THIS SESSION WILL BE LED BY MS. CHANEL WILLIAMS, UH, THAT WILL GUIDE US THROUGH HOW YOU CAN PLAY THIS GAME COMING UP.
HOW WE DOING? FEELING REFRESHED.
OKAY, SO WE'RE GONNA, UM, GET INTO IT.
SO, UH, FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANNA SAY THE GOAL OF THIS ACTIVITY IS TO EXPLORE HOW HISTORICAL AND CURRENT POLICIES HAVE SHAPED HOUSING DISPARITIES IN SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES.
THIS ACTIVITY ENCOURAGES A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHALLENGES RELATED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO, IN FRONT OF YOU, AT YOUR TABLE, THERE ARE THESE NICE BLUE BOXES THAT SAY CITY OF DALLAS.
AND IF YOU OPEN IT UP, YOU'LL SEE ENVELOPES IN THERE.
SO GO AHEAD AND OPEN IT AND YOU'LL FIND, UM, ENVELOPES.
THERE'S GOING TO BE, UH, LABELED RED RESIDENT IN RED, RESIDENT IN BLUE, YELLOW, AND GREEN.
AND THESE COLORS REPRESENT THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE NEIGHBORHOOD YOUR PLAYER WILL RESIDE IN.
IF THERE ARE EMPTY SEATS AT YOUR TABLES, I WILL KINDLY REQUEST IF YOU JOIN A TABLE THAT, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, LET'S, LET'S ALL BE FRIENDS.
SO IF YOU CAN JOIN A TABLE WITH OTHER EMPTY SEATS, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
SO THAT WAY WE CAN GET A FULL, UM, OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY THE ACTIVITY.
SO IF ONCE YOU HAVE YOUR FOLDER, I'LL GIVE YOU ALL A FEW SECONDS.
IS EVERYONE AT A TABLE? WE, IF THERE'S, WE HAVE TWO MORE SEATS AVAILABLE.
SO INSIDE OF YOUR ENVELOPE, IF YOU OPEN IT UP, YOU SHOULD SEE THIS MAP, WHICH IS ALSO DISPLAYED ON THE POWERPOINT.
YOU SHOULD SEE THIS MAP ONCE YOU OPEN UP YOUR ENVELOPE.
THIS MAP IS CALLED THE HOMEOWNER'S LOAN CORPORATION MAP.
DOES EVERYONE SEE THAT? I THINK.
RELL SAID IT EARLIER, WE NEED FEEDBACK.
SO IS EVERYONE FOLLOWING ME? YES.
SO DOES EVERYONE SEE THIS MAP? YES.
SO THIS MAP, UM, WAS USED IN THE 1930S, UM, BY THE HOMEOWNER LOANS CORPORATION, AND THEY USED A SYSTEM TO CATEGORIZE, UH, MAPS INFLUENCING INVESTMENT DECISIONS AND CONTRIBUTING TO RACIAL DISCRIMINATION.
THEY WOULD RANK NEIGHBORHOODS BASED ON MORTGAGE LENDING RISK.
SO APPRAISERS WOULD GRADE AREAS FROM A TO D WITH COLORS REPRESENTING THE
[01:25:01]
DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATION, GREEN, YELLOW, BLUE AND RED BANKS BACKED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REFUSE LOANS TO AREAS WITH THE LOWEST GRADES, MAKING IT CHALLENGING FOR CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS TO BECOME HOMEOWNERS.SO, WHO IS FAMILIAR WITH RED LINING? GREAT.
SO WE'RE KIND OF TALKING ABOUT THAT.
SO DO YOU WANNA GO AHEAD JUST TO DO A BRIEF RECAP? HAVE ANYONE HEARD OF GREEN LINE? OKAY.
SO IF EVERYONE'S FAMILIAR WITH RED LINING, SO THERE'S OTHER CATEGORIES, GREEN, RED, BLUE, AND YELLOW.
SO, GREEN LINE REFERS TO TYPE A AND TYPE A.
NEIGHBORHOODS WERE HISTORICALLY PERCEIVED AS THE BEST, TYPICALLY INHABITED BY WHITE NON-HISPANIC INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSMEN.
LENDERS CONSIDERED THESE AREAS SAFEST FOR FINANCIAL INVESTMENTS, OFFERING RESIDENTS THE ADVANTAGE OF LOW INTEREST MORTGAGES.
IN THESE AREAS, YOU WOULD HAVE, UM, PLENTY OF, UH, DIFFERENT BUSINESSES, HEALTHCARE FACILITIES, CHURCHES, AMENITIES, AND QUALITY SCHOOLS.
NOW, BLUE LINE, WHICH IS CONSIDERED STILL DESIRABLE, IS ONE GRADE LOWER THAN THE GREEN.
AND THESE WERE, THESE NEIGHBORHOODS WERE CONSIDERED STABLE WITH LOW POPULATION OF NON-WHITE RESIDENTS MOVING IN.
RESIDENTS COULD BENEFIT FROM LOW INTEREST RATES FROM LENDERS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO SCHOOLS, BUSINESSES, CHURCHES, AND HEALTHCARE FACILITIES.
BLUE LINE NEIGHBORHOODS WERE GENERALLY WELL DEVELOPED AND FEATURED MINIMUM, UH, BUILDING VACANCIES.
NOW YELLOW LINE, THIS IS WHEN WE START GOING DOWN.
THIS IS CONSIDERED C UM, ALSO DEFINITELY DECLINING WITH THE PREDOMINANTLY WORKING CLASS POPULATION THAT BORDERED AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITIES.
LENDERS DEEMED THESE AREAS TOO RISKY TO ENSURE RESULTING IN UNDERDEVELOPMENT AND VACANT BUILDINGS.
SO IN COMPARISON TO BLUE AND GREEN, WITH A LOT OF BUSINESSES AND BUILDINGS AND THRIVING, THIS IS WHEN WE START TO SEE A LOT OF VACANCIES AND DISINVESTMENT.
NEIGHBORHOODS MARKED IN YELLOW, TYPICALLY FEATURED SUFFICIENT TRANSPORTATION, UNPAVED STREETS, INDUSTRIAL PLANTS, OLDER PROPERTIES, SCHOOLS IN SOME BUSINESSES.
AND HERE WE ARE TO THE RED LINE, AND I SAW A LOT OF HANDS, SO YOU ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH THIS.
SO THIS WAS CONSIDERED TYPE D UH, DEEMED HAZARDOUS OR HIGH RISK FOR MORTGAGE LENDING, UH, AND OTHER SERVICES.
REDLINE NEIGHBORHOODS WERE, UH, PRIMARILY POPULATED BY RESIDENTS OF COLOR WHO ENCOUNTERED DISCRIMINATION FROM LENDERS THROUGH INFLATED INTEREST RATES OR ALTOGETHER LOAN DENIALS.
THE HISTORICAL PRACTICES HAVE RESULTED IN DISPARITIES IN INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORTATION, EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, AND ACCESS TO BASIC SERVICES LIKE BANKING AND JOBS WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO IN THIS, UM, ACTIVITY, YOU ARE ALL ASSIGNED A NEIGHBORHOOD BASED ON THESE CATEGORIES.
SO SOME OF YOU WILL HAVE, UH, WILL RESIDE IN THE GREEN NEIGHBORHOOD.
SOME OF YOU WILL RESIDE IN RED, YELLOW, AND BLUE.
THERE ARE TWO PLA UH, TWO PEOPLE WITH LIVING IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD.
BUT YOU'LL FACE DIFFERENT SITUATIONS.
ON CARD THREE, IT'S A, THERE'S ANOTHER CARD LIKE THIS, AND IT'S LABELED THREE.
YOU'LL SEE YOUR PLAYER PROFILE BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY START THE ACTIVITY, GO AROUND YOUR TABLE AND YOU READ OUT LOUD YOUR PLAYER PROFILE.
SO YOUR TABLE IS FAMILIAR WITH YOUR, UH, PLAYER.
SO IT HAS HOW MUCH YOU START OFF WITH.
UM, AND A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT WHO YOUR PLAYER IS.
NOW THERE IS ANOTHER FOLDER, UM, TITLED BANKER.
THE BANKER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COLLECTING AND DISTRIBUTING THE MONEY TO ALL OF THE PLAYERS BASED ON THE SCENARIOS.
PLAYERS WILL GO AROUND THE TABLE AND READ THE, UH, READ THEIR SCENARIO CARDS.
YOU SHOULD SEE A STACK OF CARDS IN YOUR FOLDER.
I SEE A FEW OF YOU ALREADY LOOKING AT 'EM,
UM, MAKE SURE YOU KEEP IT IN THE ORDER THAT THEY ARE PUT IN.
SO YOU'RE GONNA START OFF WITH EDUCATION.
EVERYONE AT THE TABLE IS GONNA READ THEIR EDUCATION CARD, AND THEN YOU WILL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT CARD, WHICH IS ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES.
NOW ON THOSE CARDS YOU WILL SEE, UM, A DATA POINT.
SO THERE'S GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT'S IN QUOTATION.
THIS DATA IS PULLED DIRECTLY FROM OUR 2023, UM, INDICATORS REPORT.
THIS IS HOW WE SHAPE THE ACTUAL SCENARIO.
SO THIS INFORMATION IS REAL LIFE, UM, CHALLENGES THAT SOME INDIVIDUALS MAY BE FACING CURRENTLY.
SO YOU'RE GONNA READ THAT FIRST.
THEN YOU WILL TURN AROUND ON THE OTHER, UH, SIDE, AND YOU WILL READ YOUR SCENARIO CARD.
SOME, UM, CARDS, YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY MONEY AND SOME YOU WILL BE GAINING MONEY.
AND THAT IS WHERE THE BANKER COMES INTO PLACE.
UM, PARTICIPANTS, AS I MENTIONED, YOU'LL READ, UH, ONE OF THE CARDS ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
AFTER THE ACTIVITY, THERE IS A SHEET LIKE THIS,
[01:30:01]
AND THIS IS CALLED THE POST ACTIVITY DEBRIEF.YOU'LL TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO, UM, REFLECT ON YOUR PLAYER'S JOURNEY, UM, REFLECT IF THERE'S ANY SOLUTIONS THAT YOUR PLAYER COULD HAVE, UM, WENT, UH, HAD ACCESS TO, UM, AND WHAT, WHAT YOU BASICALLY COULD HAVE IMPROVED OR HOW COULD THEY HAVE IMPROVED THEIR SITUATION.
AND SO THEN WE WILL COME TOGETHER AS A GROUP AND KIND OF DISCUSS THAT.
IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, UH, STAFF WILL WALK AROUND TO HELP ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
ALRIGHT, GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
[02:04:07]
TOM?[02:04:07]
CHECK[02:04:07]
EVERYBODY.[02:04:08]
TIME[02:04:08]
CHECK.[02:04:09]
UM, WE HAVE FIVE MORE MINUTES LEFT.[02:07:46]
LOT OF PEOPLE UHHUH, AND SO I KNOW, UM, UHHUH, SO MAYBE WE CAN GET STARTED.YEAH, YOU CAN PROBABLY JUST KIND OF, AND I CAN GET, I CAN KIND OF TAKE PERSONAL.
ALRIGHT, EVERYBODY, WELCOME BACK.
EVERYONE PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEAT.
ALL RIGHT EVERYBODY, WELCOME BACK, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
SO, I JUST WANNA MAKE A QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT, A QUICK DISCLAIMER.
UM, THE INTENTION BEHIND THIS ACTIVITY WAS NOT TO BE, UH, TOO TAXING.
UM, AND SO IF ANYONE, UM, UH, WHILE ENGAGING IN THIS ACTIVITY, IF THERE WAS ANY, UH, FEELINGS, UM, WITH THIS WE DO, WE WILL KIND OF APOLOGIZE OR, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, THE GOAL BEHIND THIS WAS JUST TO REALLY
[02:10:01]
GET YOU ALL TO THINK ABOUT HOW, UM, HISTORIC POLICIES PLAY A ROLE IN, UH, THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT RESIDENTS MAY FACE, UM, BACK THEN AND CURRENTLY TODAY.SO, JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
UM, AND THEN I WILL TURN IT OVER TO HI, TO CONCLUDE THE ACTIVITY.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR PLAYING THE GAME.
UH, WE HOPE THAT YOU HAVE FUN AND THAT YOU, YEAH.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT, UM, FOR YOUR INTERACTION, AND WE HOPE THAT YOU GET TO BOND WITH FOLKS AT YOUR TABLE.
SO, UH, ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF TODAY'S EVENT IS NETWORKING, RIGHT? AND RELATIONSHIPS.
SO, UM, WE ARE GONNA HAVE A SOCIAL SECTION LATER TODAY WHERE YOU CAN TALK TO ALL THE WONDERFUL FOLKS HERE.
AND, UH, WE JUST WANT TO DEBRIEF ON THE ACTIVITY THAT YOU JUST TOOK PART IN.
SO, UM, WHAT DID YOU THINK? YOU KNOW, IS THERE ANY FEEDBACK, ANY AHA MOMENTS, ANY REALIZATION, ANY LESSONS LEARNED, ANY SOLUTIONS THAT YOU WOULD PROVIDE? RAISE YOUR HAND.
WE'RE GONNA GO AROUND WITH A MICROPHONE.
SO, YES, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THESE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES BEFORE? SOMETIMES THEY'RE CALLED POVERTY SIMULATORS, SOMETIMES THEY'RE CALLED SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OR SOCIAL DRIVERS OF HEALTH ACTIVITIES.
UH, IDEAL STATEMENT WOULD'VE HAD THE DISCLAIMER AHEAD OF TIME.
I KNOW SOME PEOPLE AT OUR TABLE WERE GETTING VERY STRESSED.
IT BROUGHT BACK SOME PAINFUL MEMORIES.
UM, SO I HOPE YOU ALL ARE DOING SOME, SOME SELF-CARE, IF THAT RESONATES WITH YOU OR RESONATES WITH YOUR, WITH YOUR UPBRINGING OR FAMILIAL BACKGROUND.
UM, I KNOW FOR US WHAT WE QUICKLY LEARNED VERY LIKE FROM THE GET GO THAT THE BLUE ZONES HAD ALL THE THINGS, RIGHT? THEY DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF STRUGGLES, THEY DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF WORRIES.
THEY HAD ALL THE ACCESS, THEY HAD ALL THE CARE.
UM, AS SOMEBODY THAT HAD TO PLAY FOR SOMEBODY THAT WAS IN A RED ZONE, I ALSO VERY QUICKLY REALIZED THAT IT WAS NOT GONNA LOOK TOO WELL FOR ME.
I, I THINK I ENDED THE GAME WITH A COUPLE HUNDRED DOLLARS TO MY NAME.
SO I THINK THIS WAS ENLIGHTENING.
I LOVE THE WAY THAT YOU ALL POSITIONED THIS AROUND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
I LIKE TO SEE THAT THE CITY IS SHAPING THAT AND BUILDING IT INTO THE PLAN.
I KNOW THAT MY EMPLOYER ALSO HAS AN INVESTED INTEREST IN LOOKING AT, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE WHERE WE ARE, UM, AS A FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION.
UM, I HOPE THAT YOU ALL GOT AS MUCH OUT OF IT AS WE DID.
I ENJOYED THE DYNAMICS, THE DISCUSSION AND UNDERSTANDING EACH OTHER'S STRUGGLES.
AND REALLY, WE DID TALK ABOUT OUR BACKGROUNDS AND HOW THIS BROUGHT UP SOME STUFF.
COULD YOU SAY YOUR NAME, PLEASE? OH, ASHLEY RODRIGUEZ.
IT'S KIND OF FUNNY HOW SOME OF THESE CARDS RESEMBLED THE LIVELIHOODS OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN THIS GAME.
THAT EVEN THOUGH WE'RE ALL SITTING AT THE SAME TABLE IN THIS ONE COMMUNITY, BUT THE DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS THAT WERE REPRESENTED, SOME OF THE AGES MATCHED, SOME OF THE INCOMES MATCHED.
SO IT WAS, UH, FUN AND UNIQUE.
I'M CANDACE WICKS, VICE CHAIR OF THE MARTIN LUTHER KING, UH, COMMUNITY CENTER ADVISORY BOARD.
IT WAS A PLEASURE TO BE THE BANKER.
AS A RETIRED SCHOOL TEACHER, I WAS VERY HAPPY TO TAKE MONEY AND NOT HAVE TO GIVE IT AWAY.
I UNDERSTOOD THAT THE PEOPLE THAT HAD THE RED CARDS, EVEN THE, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE THE POOREST, THEY HAD TO GIVE ME THE MOST MONEY.
AND SO I KNOW THAT WAS A STRUGGLE FOR A FEW OF THEM, AND THEY DELAYED ON PAYING ME, BUT I HAD TO BE INSISTENT ABOUT GETTING MY MONEY.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO MAKE A SUGGESTION.
CAN THE CITY OF DALLAS PROVIDE THIS TO DALLAS ISD? BECAUSE THIS GAME CAN ACTUALLY BE USED IN THE CLASSROOMS AS PART OF CURRICULUM.
SO IF THERE'S ANYBODY HERE IN EDUCATION FOR DALLAS, ISD, OR ANY OF THE CHARTER SCHOOLS, THIS WILL BE A EXCELLENT ACTIVITY YES.
SO THAT STUDENTS WILL LEARN AND HAVE A REALISTIC, YOU KNOW, REALISTIC EXPERIENCE ON WHAT IT IS TO REALLY BE GROWN.
BECAUSE OUR CHILDREN WANNA RUSH AND BE ADULTS.
SO THERE ARE SOME, YOU KNOW, SOME THINGS THAT WE NEED TO LEARN AS CHILDREN BEFORE WE BECOME ADULTS.
AND ONE OF THOSE THINGS IS THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE AND PAY BILLS AND PAY TAXES AND SO FORTH.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER THAT AS A RECOMMENDATION.
[02:15:01]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.UM, YEAH, WE DO HOPE THAT YOU BRING FORWARD THIS ACTIVITY AND SHARE IT WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION.
UM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE, YOU KNOW, INSTRUCTION, YOU KNOW THE FORMAT OF THE GAME, REACH OUT TO EQUITY@DALLAS.GOV.
UH, MY NAME IS MARY LOU PARIS AND I'M WITH SONIS.
UM, UH, I FOUND IT VERY INTERESTING THAT AROUND OUR TABLE AND, AND WE, YOU KNOW, I, WHEN THE, UH, THEY WERE HAVING THE FIRESIDE CHAT, UH, ONE OF THE, THE PHRASES WAS LIVED EXPERIENCES WHILE A LOT OF THAT WAS HAPPENING HERE.
SO WE COULD, WE COULD RELATE TO THE FOOD DESERTS, FINANCIAL DESERTS, UH, AND NOT PLANNING FOR EXPENSES.
SO, AND BACK TO WHAT THE EDUCATOR, UH, THE RETIRED TEACHER OVER THERE, I AGREE WITH HER 100% THAT WE NEED TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN TO BE MORE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, UH, RESPONSIBLE AND HAVE SOME KIND OF IMPLEMENT SOME KIND OF, UH, FINANCIAL PLANNING SO THAT THEY WON'T REPEAT A LOT OF THE, UH, THE MISTAKES THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE, ARE, UH, WE, WE MAY HAVE.
KIMBERLY BANKS, COMMUNITIES, FOUNDATION OF TEXAS.
IF THERE WAS A SOLUTION CARD, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE ONE THAT OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OTHERS AT THE TABLE TO PROVIDE EITHER A GIFT OR A LOAN TO SOMEONE IN NEED.
SECONDARILY, IT'S NOT JUST CHILDREN WHO NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THESE SCENARIOS ARE ABOUT.
IT'S NOT LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY THAT PUTS PEOPLE IN SITUATIONS WHERE THEY HAVE LESS.
THE REASON THEY HAVE LESS IS BECAUSE THE SYSTEM WORKS AS DESIGNED.
SO TEACHERS NEED TO LEARN AS WELL AS STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS.
BUT I'M NOT THINKING WE NEED TO TEACH KIDS THAT RESPONSIBILITY.
YOU CAN'T OVERCOME WHEN, WHEN YOU CAN'T SEE OVER THE HILL IN FRONT OF YOU.
UM, I'M GLAD YOU HAD FUN AND I'M GLAD YOU LEARNED A LOT.
UH, WE ARE NOW COMING UP, UM, TO OUR PANEL OF ACCESS TO SECURE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
BEFORE THAT, HOWEVER, I DO WANT TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO GRAB LUNCH.
SO IF YOU WOULD GO TO THE EXIT OVER THERE AND TURN RIGHT.
UH, WE HAVE SALAD, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, SANDWICHES, BEEF, TURKEY, HAM, AND VEGGIE.
UM, BEFORE YOU GO, PLEASE PUT YOUR CARDS BACK IN THE BOX SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO REUSE THOSE BOXES.
WE'RE GOING TO RECONVENE IN 15 MINUTES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION.
UM, THIS NEXT TOPIC IS GONNA BE SUPER EDUCATIONAL AND ENLIGHTENING.
I AM SUPER HONORED TO INTRODUCE OUR VERY OWN DR. LINDSAY WILSON.
DR. WILSON IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION AT THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UH, OUR PANELISTS ARE MS. CODA, REO GAZA, THE DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH AND DATA AT EVERY TEXAN.
MR. RAUL REYES, COALITION COORDINATOR OF THE DALLAS AREA DRUG PREVENTION PARTNERSHIP SOUTH, AH, SORRY.
CHRISTIAN MARCUS IS TAKING RAUL'S PLACE RIGHT NOW.
WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
HOW ARE WE DOING? OH, NOW I, I, I, I THINK WE HAD A LITTLE MORE ENERGY THIS MORNING,
I KNOW WE'RE EATING AND WE DON'T WANNA SPIT ON OUR NEIGHBORS, BUT LET'S TRY IT AGAIN.
SO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.
[02:20:01]
FOR, UH, BEING AN AMAZING MC, I WANNA TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY JUST FIRST TO SHARE MY APPRECIATION FOR YOU ALL JOINING US FOR OUR FIFTH EQUITY INDICATOR SYMPOSIUM.I WANNA SHARE GRATITUDE FOR THE OEI TEAM AND THE AMAZING WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE TO PULL THIS EVENT TOGETHER AND THE ACTIVITY THAT YOU ALL JUST HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN, RIGHT? ONE OF THE MAIN TAKEAWAYS FROM THAT ACTIVITY IS RECOGNIZING JUST HOW SYSTEMIC THE INEQUITIES THAT WE EXPERIENCE HERE IN DALLAS AND WHAT WE KNOW IS HAPPENING NATIONALLY ARE.
RIGHT? AND SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE INDICATORS THAT WE SEE IN THE EQUITY INDICATORS REPORT, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO REMEMBER THAT IT IS NOT BECAUSE OF A BEHAVIORAL, RIGHT? IT'S NOT A BEHAVIOR OF A CERTAIN COMMUNITY OR POPULATION, BUT REALLY THE WAYS IN WHICH HISTORIC AND IN SOME CASES, CURRENT POLICIES, PRACTICES, AND AND PROCEDURES HAVE SET UP INEQUITIES AND, AND REALLY REINFORCING THOSE.
AND SO, AS I MENTIONED, I GET TO SHARE SPACE TODAY WITH CHRISTIAN COTA AND THOR FROM, UM, FOR OUR, UH, CURRENT PANEL ACCESS TO SECURE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND REALLY WHAT THIS PANEL WILL DO IS IT WILL EXPLORE THE CRITICAL ROLE THAT HOUSING ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY PLAYS IN THE ADVANCEMENT OF RACIAL EQUITY.
WE'LL CENTER IT IN OUR KEY CORNERSTONES OF EQUITY FOR MUNICIPALITIES, WHICH IS INCLUSIVE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WHICH WE'VE HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT RIGHT NOW.
IT'S BEEN A, IT'S BEEN A THEME.
SO ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THE IMPORTANCE OF DISAGGREGATED DATA, AND THEN ACCOUNTABILITY FOR EQUITY EFFORTS.
SO IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO HAVE GOOD INTENTIONS.
WE HAVE TO ACTUALLY ANALYZE THE IMPACT OF THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING TO ADDRESS RACIAL EQUITY.
AND SO REALLY TO START OFF, IF I CAN START WITH CHRISTIAN, WITH SOME INTRODUCTIONS, IF YOU CAN TAKE A MOMENT TO JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND THE WAYS IN WHICH YOU SEE YOURSELF SHOWING UP IN THAT FRAMEWORK AROUND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, EITHER DATA AND OR ACCOUNTABILITY EFFORTS.
WELL, THANK YOU GUYS ALL FOR BEING HERE.
AGAIN, MY NAME IS CHRISTIAN MARQUEZ.
I'M A HUD CERTIFIED COUNSELOR WITH DALLAS AREA HABITAT.
I ALSO DO SOME CONSULTING ON THE SITE.
SO I ACTUALLY GOT THE PRIVILEGE TO WORK IN CASINOS WITH NEEDLES THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS AND THE WORK THAT ROSA PARKS DID, UH, MS. ROSA DID OVER THERE IN WEST DALLAS.
UM, DEFINITELY THANK YOU GUYS ALL FOR BEING HERE AGAIN.
UH, I'VE BEEN IN CORPORATE AMERICA MY WHOLE LIFE, BUT WORKED IN NON-PROFIT IN MY SPARE TIME, UH, SINCE I WAS 18.
SO A LITTLE BIT OVER 12, 13 YEARS, IF YOU GUYS DO THE MATH.
UM, AND SO DEFINITELY I BELIEVE IN ACCOUNTABILITY.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN DALLAS, TEXAS, SOUTHEAST DALLAS, PLEASANT GROVE.
UM, BUT YEAH, UH, MY GOAL HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO BE THE LEADERS THAT WE DIDN'T SEE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHEN I WAS GROWING UP.
AND SO I THINK THAT IS ONE REASON WHY I'M SO INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY, RIGHT? AND REACHING OUT TO THE CITY TO, FOR-PROFIT, NON-PROFIT, UH, PARTNERS TO WORK TO ADVANCE OUR MISSION, RIGHT? ESPECIALLY NOT ONLY IN HOUSING, BUT FINANCIAL LITERACY, EDUCATION, AND HEALTH.
SO, THANK YOU GUYS FOR HAVING ME.
I AM THE DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH AND DATA FOR EVERY TEXAN.
EVERY TEXAN IS A NON-PROFIT, NON-PARTISAN ORGANIZATION, UM, WHERE WE ENVISION A TEXAS WHERE FOLKS FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS, UM, ARE ABLE TO FULFILL THEIR FULL, UH, POTENTIAL AND CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COMMUNITY AT EVERY TEXAN.
WE BELIEVE THAT SOCIAL JUSTICE REQUIRES PUBLIC POLICY.
SO WE'RE AT THE LEGISLATURE, WE'RE AT THE SPECIAL SESSIONS.
WE'RE, UH, OUT IN THE COMMUNITY WORKING WITH PARTNERS, ADVOCATING FOR PUBLIC POLICY THAT ADVANCES, UH, EQUITY.
AND, UH, WE PRIMARILY FOCUS ON THREE WITHIN, WITHIN THE REALM OF HEALTH AND FOOD JUSTICE, EDUCATION, IMMIGRATION, UM, AND, UH, TAX, UH, TAX POLICY AS WELL.
UH, AND IN MY ROLE, I DRIVE THE RESEARCH AND DATA THAT WE BELIEVE PUBLIC POLICY SHOULD LEAN INTO AND USE, UH, AS A DIRECTOR OR DIRECTIVE.
UM, AND SO THE PART OF THE ROLE THAT, OR THE ROLE THAT WE PLAY WHEN IT COMES TO HOUSING, UM, AND AFFORDABLE
[02:25:01]
HOUSING, WE BELIEVE IS IN THE ADVOCACY PIECE AND THE DATA TRANSPARENCY, HIGHLIGHTING WHERE THOSE DISPARITIES EXIST.UM, AND, UH, REALLY HAPPY, HAPPY TO BE HERE.
NOT, NOT ORIGINALLY FROM DALLAS, ORIGINALLY FROM ELLO, UH, THE BORDER.
UH, SO REALLY EXCITED TO, TO BE HERE THIS MORNING.
I AM ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING.
UH, I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE AT THE CITY, UH, FOR PUTTING ON THIS, THIS SUMMIT TODAY AND INVITING ME TO, TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT.
I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING IN THIS ROOM AND, AND HELPING US MAKE US ALL BETTER.
UM, I, I HAVE THE HONOR OF WORKING IN THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT WHERE WE HAVE A NEW HOUSING POLICY CALLED THE DALLAS HOUSING POLICY 2033.
UH, AND IT REALLY CAME, UM, OUT OF A, A RACIAL EQUITY AUDIT THAT WAS, UH, PUT FORTH BY CITY COUNCIL, LED BY COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS AT THE TIME, TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE HOUSING POLICY WE HAD THAT WAS CREATED IN 2018 TO UNDERSTAND, UH, THE BENEFITS AND BURDENS OF THAT POLICY AND WHAT IT WAS DOING, UH, TO, TO FOLKS, UH, WITHIN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UH, SO WE HIRED SOME REALLY GREAT CONSULTANTS TO LEAD US THROUGH THAT RACIAL EQUITY AUDIT AND UNDERSTAND THAT THE POLICY WAS REALLY A CATALOG OF PROGRAMS AND, AND THINGS THAT WE COULD BE DOING WITH FEDERAL AND LOCAL FUNDS.
BUT IT DIDN'T REALLY TAKE A STANCE ON WHERE WE SHOULD WORK, HOW WE SHOULD WORK OR ADDRESS ANY OF THE HISTORICAL, UM, ISSUES THAT OUR CITY FACES OR OUR COUNTRY FACES.
AND SO OUR, OUR NEW POLICY IS OUTLINED AROUND SEVEN PILLARS OF HOUSING EQUITY.
THAT CALLS FOR US TO IDENTIFY AREAS THAT WE COULD TARGET TO REALLY CONCENTRATE ON THOSE HISTORICAL DISPARITIES.
WE WOULD'VE A CITYWIDE EFFORT FOR PRESERVING AND PRODUCING HOUSING.
WE WOULD BE MORE COLLABORATIVE WITH OUR COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
WE'D HAVE AN EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN CAMPAIGN TO UNDERSTAND THOSE HISTORICAL DISPARITIES IN OUR CURRENT CONDITIONS.
UM, AND THEN MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE WOULD DO EVERYTHING WITH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
SO THE FOUNDATION OF THE NEW POLICY WAS WRAPPED IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND SO HAS BEEN OUR MOST RECENT EFFORTS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE POLICY, WHICH I'LL GET INTO A LITTLE BIT LATER.
UH, BUT PERSONALLY, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK IN SOME CAPACITY, WORKING IN THE COMMUNITY DESIGN SPACE, WORKED WITH NONPROFITS FOR ABOUT 25 YEARS, AND I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY STARTING MY FIFTH YEAR NOW.
UH, AND SO THIS IS A, A CHALLENGE IN MY CAREER TO WORK IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND TO BE ABLE TO CARRY OUT, UH, EQUITY WORK.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION TODAY.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE ARE IN FOR A INSIGHTFUL DISCUSSION.
CODA, IF I CAN START WITH YOU, RIGHT.
UM, YOU AND EVERY TEXAN HAVE BEEN TRUE PARTNERS FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS AND OUR EQUITY JOURNEY, SPECIFICALLY WITH THE EQUITY INDICATORS REPORT THAT WAS FIRST RELEASED IN 2019.
WE KNOW NATIONALLY IT'S BEEN REPORTED BY RESIDENTS THAT THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A RISING CONCERN.
IN FACT, OCTOBER, 2021, ABOUT HALF TO 49% TO BE EXACT, SAID THAT THIS WAS A MAJOR PROBLEM WHERE THEY LIVE, WHICH THE 49% WAS UP 10% POINTS FROM 2018.
CAN YOU SHARE SOME OF THE LOCAL DATA SURROUNDING HOUSING AND THE UPDATED 2023 EQUITY INDICATORS REPORT, SPECIFICALLY SPEAKING TO SOME TRENDS THAT YOU'VE EITHER OBSERVED AS IT REGARDS TO HOUSING AND EQUITIES HERE IN DALLAS? YEAH, A ABSOLUTELY.
THE EQUITY INDICATORS REPORT, UM, IS IT, IT'S, IT SORT OF HAS THIS NESTED APPROACH WHERE THERE ARE SIX THEMES, AND WITHIN EACH THEME WE LOOK AT A VARIETY OF TOPICS.
AND WITHIN EACH TOPIC, WE DRILL DOWN TO WHAT WE CALL THE DATA INDICATORS.
SO THIS IS THE RAW HARD, THE, THE DATA THAT IS REPRESENTING WHAT THE DISPARITIES ARE THAT EXIST WITHIN EVERY TOPIC.
UM, WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND INFRASTRUCTURE THEME OF THE EQUITY INDICATORS REPORT, THERE ARE TWO TOPICS IN PARTICULAR THAT SPEAK TO WHY.
ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY AND AFFORDABILITY.
UM, ONE IS ACCESS TO HOUSING, AND THE OTHER IS HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AND SERVICES.
UM, WHAT WE'VE LEARNED WITH THIS MOST RECENT REPORT, UM, WHICH WILL BE COMING OUT SOON, IS THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE ACCESS TO HOUSING, UH, TOPIC, THE SCORE DID NOT CHANGE.
SO THIS IS, THIS MEANS THAT WE DIDN'T MAKE PROGRESS TOWARDS CLOSING THE DISPARITIES FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS, BUT WE ALSO DIDN'T, UH, SO WE DIDN'T MAKE POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE CHANGE.
UM, AND WHAT WE KNOW BASED ON, AGAIN, THE DATA AND THE EI REPORT, IS THAT, UH, THE SCORE ACTUALLY DECREASED FOR HOUSING, FOR THE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AND SERVICES TOPIC.
[02:30:01]
THERE'S AN INDICATOR IN THE REPORT, IT'S THE HOUSING COST INDICATOR.AND I BELIEVE YOU, YOU HAVE, UH, UH, UH, UH, HANDOUT IN YOUR, IN YOUR REPORT, IN YOUR FOLDER, I'M SORRY.
UM, THE HOUSING COST BURDEN INDICATOR HAD THE LARGEST SCORE DECREASE, UH, BETWEEN THE YEARS WITHIN THIS THEME.
UM, SO BASICALLY WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT THERE, ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE INDICATIVE OF, NUMBER ONE, THAT STRUCTURAL CHANGE DOES TAKE TIME.
NUMBER TWO, THAT THERE IS MORE WORK TO BE DONE WHEN IT COMES TO HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AND SERVICES AND ACCESS TO HOUSING.
UM, FOR THE ACCESS TO HOUSING TOPIC, THERE'S THREE INDICATORS THAT WE GATHER DATA TO HELP US DETERMINE WHAT THIS IS GONNA SCORE ON, ON A SCALE FROM ONE TO 100.
AND ONE OF THOSE IS HOME OWNERSHIP, THE OTHER ONE IS EVICTION, AND THE LAST ONE IS THE, UM, HOME LOAN DENIALS.
UM, AND ACROSS EACH OF THOSE INDICATORS, UM, WE DIDN'T, WE, WE SAW RATIOS THAT WERE TROUBLING FOR THE MOST ADVANTAGED AND LEAST ADVANTAGE GROUPS.
UM, AND, UH, AND JUST LET YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION COMING FROM THE EQUITY INDICATORS REPORT INSIGHTFUL, UM, WHEN WE GET DOWN DRILLING DOWN TO THE INDICATORS THEMSELVES.
AND I THINK THAT THAT REALLY SPEAKS TO THE IMPORTANCE OF DISAGGREGATED DATA AS WE'RE ON THIS JOURNEY TO ADDRESS, UH, RACIAL EQUITY HERE IN DALLAS.
PARTICULARLY BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT DATA THAT IS BROKEN DOWN BY RACE, ETHNICITY, AND OTHER INTERSECTING IDENTITIES TRULY SHOWS US WHO IS BEING DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED.
RIGHT? AND SO, AS YOU SPEAK TO, UH, HOME DENIALS, WHICH WE KNOW, UM, WE SEE QUITE A BIT OF MEDIA AROUND WHO IS STILL BEING DENIED HOMES REGARDLESS OF THEIR, GOT SOME STATIC.
I MIGHT HAVE TO SHARE A MIC WITH YOU.
OH, IS THAT OKAY? YOU, SHARON? IS KAREN.
UM, BUT WE, WE KNOW THAT THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF, OF, OF, IT WAS YOUR MIC, MAYBE.
SO, OKAY, I'M GONNA SCOOT OVER.
BUT THERE'S A QUIET, QUITE A BIT OF ATTENTION AROUND HOME DENIALS, PARTICULARLY FOR OUR BLACK COMMUNITY AND, UH, OTHER, UH, OTHER, UH, BIPOC COMMUNITIES, REGARDLESS OF REALLY THE INCOME AND THE WAYS IN WHICH THAT IMPACTS HOME OWNERSHIP.
UH, ANY OTHER HIGHLIGHTS AROUND DISAGGREGATED DATA AND JUST HOW IMPORTANT IT IS? YEAH.
I, I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT FOR, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE REPORT.
ANOTHER TOPIC IS THE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AND SERVICES TOPIC.
AND THERE'S THREE PRIMARY INDICATORS.
THIS IS THE, AGAIN, DRILLING DOWN TO WHERE WE'RE GETTING THE DATA FROM TO DETERMINE THE CITY'S OVERALL SCORE WITHIN THAT TOPIC.
HOUSING COST BURDEN, INTERNET ACCESS, AND UTILITY EXPENSES.
WHAT WE SAW FOR THE HOUSING COST BURDEN INDICATOR WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS BURDEN, WHICH IS THE RATIO, UH, BETWEEN THE PERCENTAGE BETWEEN WHAT WE CALL THE MOST ADVANTAGE AND LEAST ADVANTAGE GROUPS.
UM, IN THIS CASE, WE LOOKED AT BLACK AND WHITE HOUSEHOLDS WITH THE HOUSING COSTS THAT EXCEED 30%.
WE SAW THAT IT'S ALMOST, IT'S OVER TWICE, UH, AS HIGH FOR BLACK, UH, RESIDENTS OF DALLAS THAN IT IS FOR, FOR WHITE RESIDENTS OF DALLAS.
AND THAT THAT NUMBER DECREASED, THAT SCORE DECREASED BETWEEN OUR BASELINE YEAR AND OUR COMPARISON YEAR.
SAME THING ACROSS THE OTHER INDICATORS THAT MADE UP THIS TOPIC.
UM, UH, UTILITY EXPENSES AS WELL.
IT GOT, WE SAW THAT IT GOT WORSE OVER THE, THE PERIOD OF THE TWO YEARS.
THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THOSE HIGHLIGHTS.
ALL RIGHT, CHRISTIAN, WELL, FIRST THANK YOU AGAIN FOR JOINING US.
THERE'S A SAYING THAT IF YOU STAY READY, YOU NEVER GOTTA GET READY.
AND SO WE APPRECIATE YOU JOINING, UH, THE PANEL, UM, AROUND THIS CONVERSATION.
AND SO, COTA REALLY HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE NUMBERS, RIGHT? BUT AS WE KNOW, WHAT IS CRITICALLY, UH, IMPORTANT IS THE ACTUAL LIVED EXPERTISE OF THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THE DISPARITIES THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN THE REPORT, AND THE ONES THAT, UH, ARE NOT EXPERIENCING THE DISPARITIES, THAT ARE THE DISPARITIES THAT ARE NOT HIGHLIGHTED IN THE REPORT.
AND SO, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT NUMBERS, NUMBERS THAT ARE IMPORTANT, IT'S, BUT IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO AMPLIFY THE VOICES OF THE COMMUNITIES IMPACTED.
YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY AND
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AS REALLY A GRASSROOTS ORGANIZER AROUND SEVERAL AREAS, INCLUDING HOUSING CHALLENGES, GIVEN YOUR ACTIVE COMMUNITY ROLE AND YOUR EXPERTISE, RIGHT? WE ALL KNOW NOW WE'RE NOT GONNA SAY EXPERIENCE.WE'RE GONNA SHIFT THAT TO EXPERTISE.
CAN YOU SHARE WITH US YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE IMPACT OF HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY AND HIGHLIGHTS THAT YOU'VE HEARD SPECIFICALLY FROM THE COMMUNITY? YES.
WELL, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING ME.
UM, DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE, WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO BE HERE WITHOUT, UH, LIKE I SAID, UNIDOS AND DEFINITELY THEIR MISSION OF PRESERVATION THROUGH EDUCATION, RIGHT? AND SO I COULDN'T GET STARTED WITHOUT SAYING, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, RIGHT? OR SOMEONE BE ABLE TO LIVE IN AFFORDABLE, UH, UNIT FOR RENT OR OWNING.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT, THAT'S 30% OF YOUR INCOME WHEN THE FINANCIAL BANKS OR WHEN YOU RECEIVE A LOAN.
WHAT THAT MEANS, JUST SO THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE, IS YOUR GROSS MONTHLY INCOME TIMES 30%, RIGHT? SO THAT IS WHAT WE CALL AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, WE KNOW HERE IN, IN CITY OF DALLAS, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE LAST, I BELIEVE THE REPORT JUST CAME OUT IN 2016, THAT SINCE THEN HOUSING APPRECIATION HAS BEEN OF ABOUT 80 TO 85%.
SO IF YOU GUYS DO THE MATH, THAT'S ABOUT EIGHT TO 10%, UH, A YEAR ON AVERAGE TO GIVE YOU GUYS DATA ON AVERAGE OR HOW SHOULD APPRECIATE BETWEEN TWO TO 4%.
AND OF COURSE, WITH COVID AND INTEREST RATES, OF COURSE, YOU GUYS KNOW HOW THAT IS.
AND THEN WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BEING IN TEXAS, NO STATE TAXES THAT ALSO RAISED IT AS WELL.
AND SO, DEFINITELY FOR ME, EDUCATION PLAYS A BIG ROLE, RIGHT? AND SO HOW DO YOU DO THAT? WELL, MOST OF THE TIME IT'S GETTING TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS, RIGHT? AND SO IN WEST DALLAS, FOR EXAMPLE, I, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE LAST MONTH TO DO A CANVAS GRASSROOTS ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES, RIGHT? SO IT'S PEOPLE THAT ALREADY HOMEOWNERS, WELL, THANKFULLY WE HAD URBAN DATA LABS DO A LOT OF DATA-DRIVEN INFORMATION FOR US.
SO WE KNEW WHAT PROPERTY OWNERS, UM, DIDN'T HAVE OR HAVEN'T COMPLETED THEIR, UM, PROPERTY TAX HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
AND SO WE KNEW THAT A LOT OF TIMES THEY GET PREED ON IN THOSE COMMUNITIES, RIGHT? AND SO OUR GOAL WAS TO SAY, HEY, WE'RE GONNA HELP YOU GUYS DO YOUR HOMESTEAD FOR FREE, RIGHT? THAT SAVES PEOPLE ON AVERAGE BETWEEN 500 TO $2,000.
AND SO JUST FINDING WAYS TO BE UNIQUE AND HELP, RIGHT? AND SO HAVING PARTNERS, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE TPC THAT'S REACHED OUT AND SAID, HEY, WE WANT TO FUND SOME OF YOU GUYS' WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE A PARK AND WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD A PARK, BUT WE DON'T UNDERSTAND HOUSING.
WE DON'T UNDERSTAND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE CASE OF, YOU KNOW, BRINGING JOBS OUTSIDE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO IT'S WORKING TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO BRING THAT ACCESS HOUSING AND BETTER PAYING JOBS TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE DO THAT.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT AND, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF RECOGNIZING THAT IT'S REALLY TWOFOLDS, RIGHT? AND SO WE REALLY FOCUS ON THE POLICY PIECES THAT HAVE, UM, HISTORICALLY AND, AND CURRENTLY AND NEGATIVELY IMPACTED, UH, COMMUNITIES, BUT AROUND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THERE IS ALSO A, UH, EDUCATION OR INFORMING AND PEACE, RIGHT, AROUND THE RESOURCES THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT SOME COMMUNITIES ARE AWARE OF AND ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF.
BECAUSE I KNOW I CAN USE AN EXTRA $2,000.
CAN ANYONE ELSE IN THIS ROOM? NO.
SO EVERYBODY ELSE I'M GONNA GO ASK YOU AFTER
SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
UM, AND WE CAN'T HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT RACIAL EQUITY WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT POLICY.
AND I KNOW THOR, UH, ACKNOWLEDGED FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, CASEY THOMAS, I DON'T THINK YOU WERE SITTING IN YOUR CHAIR.
SO JUST AGAIN, WANNA APPRECIATE NOT ONLY THE CALL FOR THE RACIAL EQUITY AUDIT TO THE HOUSING POLICY, RIGHT? BECAUSE AGAIN, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SYSTEMIC ISSUES, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE ROOT CAUSES IN LIEU OF TRYING TO FIND, UH, PROGRAMS, UH, TO ADDRESS WHAT'S REALLY, UH, ROOT, ROOT SYSTEMIC ISSUES.
AND SO WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID, THOR, YOU GOT THE NEXT QUESTION.
UM, AND, AND SO AS WE'RE THINKING, AND AS YOU INTRODUCED US SLIGHTLY TO THAT DALLAS HOUSING 2033, WHICH IS WHAT ABOUT A YEAR OLD NOW, JUST ABOUT JUST ABOUT A YEAR OLD NOW, CAN YOU SHARE A LITTLE MORE ABOUT HOW THAT POLICY WILL INTENTIONALLY, UH, ADDRESS ACCESS PARTICULARLY TO SOME OF WHAT CODA MAY HAVE HIGHLIGHTED AROUND THE DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT ON COMMUNITIES? YEAH, THANK YOU.
UH, PILLAR, PILLAR, ONE OF THE HOUSING POLICY CALLS FOR US TO CREATE EQUITY STRATEGY TARGET AREAS, UH, TO USE A DATA-DRIVEN PROCESS TO UNDERSTAND THE, HIS HISTORICAL DISPARITIES AND THEN CREATE STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS THEM.
SO WHAT WE DID WITH A CONSULTANT IS WE TOOK THE RACIAL EQUITY ATLAS, THE DATA FROM, UH, WHAT CODE HAS
[02:40:01]
BEEN DOING.AND WE, WE PARTNERED THAT WITH THE MARKET VALUE ANALYSIS.
A MARKET VALUE ANALYSIS LOOKS AT THE MARKET STRENGTH OF OUR CITY AND DIVIDES OUR CITY BASED UPON, UM, ITS, ITS MARKET STRENGTH, WHAT THE HOME SALES ARE GOING FOR, HOW MANY CODE VIOLATIONS.
THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS THAT GO INTO THIS ALGORITHM THAT, THAT TELLS US THE STRENGTH OF THE DIFFERENT AREAS OF OUR CITY.
THE TOP AREAS OF OUR CITY MIGHT HAVE A PRICE POINT OF A AVERAGE SALE PRICE OF 1.6 MILLION, WHERE THE, THE LOWER MARKETS WILL BE 160,000.
AND THAT JUST SHOWS YOU THE, THE RANGE OF HOME SALES THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY.
WELL, FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN WE DID THAT STUDY, THE LOWER END WAS AN AVERAGE OF 60,000, AND THE UPPER END WAS 1.2 MILLION.
SO OUR ENTIRE CITY HAS LIFTED UP IN VALUE OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, PRETTY EXTREMELY.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THAT ACCESS TO HOME OWNERSHIP CONTINUES TO BE MORE OUT OF TOUCH FOR OUR LOW TO MODERATE INCOME HOMEOWNERS, AS THE MEDIAN SALES PRICE OF HOMES HAVE RISEN, BUT THE INCOMES HAVEN'T NECESSARILY CAUGHT UP.
AND SO WHEN WE TAKE THE, THE RACIAL EQUITY ATLAS AND THE MARKET STRENGTH, AND WE PUT THEM TOGETHER, WE CREATED A HOUSING ATLAS THAT SHOWS US THE MARKET STRENGTH AND HISTORICAL EQUITY ISSUES IN A, IN A WAY THAT CAN SHOW US WHERE WE COULD TARGET OUR INVESTMENTS IN HOUSING FROM BOTH OUR FEDERAL FUNDS AND OUR LOCAL FUNDS IN A MORE CONCENTRATED MANNER.
SO WE HAVE DONE THAT ANALYSIS AND, UH, NEXT WEEK, ON JANUARY 22ND, OR IN TWO WEEKS, WE'LL BE BRIEFING HOUSING COMMITTEE, UH, ON THAT ANALYSIS.
AND SOME OF THE FINDINGS, UH, TO AID WITH THAT.
IT WAS A DATA-DRIVEN EXERCISE, BUT IT WAS WRAPPED AROUND WITH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
WE HAD TELEPHONE TOWN HALLS IN-PERSON MEETINGS, ONLINE MEETINGS, FOCUS GROUPS.
AND WE REACHED JUST ABOUT 4,000 PEOPLE THROUGH THAT EFFORT OVER, OVER THE COURSE OF A MONTH.
AND A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS JUST LISTENED IN AND HEARD THE MESSAGE OF WHAT WE ARE DOING.
UH, BUT A LOT OF THEM TOOK ACTION.
UH, OF THOSE 4,000, ABOUT 700 OF THEM TOOK A SURVEY AND ACTUALLY GAVE US FEEDBACK ON HOUSING NEEDS.
AND WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE THAT DATA AND THAT RESEARCH AND WORK THAT INTO OUR UPDATED COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THIS NEXT YEAR AS WELL, SHOWING WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM PEOPLE IN A MORE CURRENT WAY IN TERMS OF HOUSING NEEDS, UH, AND IT, AND WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT OUR POLICIES ARE ALIGNED WITH WHAT WE'RE HEARING AND WHERE PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT THOSE ARE THE HOUSING ISSUES THAT THEY HAVE.
AND SO AS WE CONTINUE TO ROLL OUT THOSE TARGET AREAS, WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THOSE AREAS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS IN THOSE AREAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE UNDERSTANDING WHAT TYPE OF HOUSING IS NEEDED, WHAT INTERVENTIONS ARE NEEDED, WHAT ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TACTICS ARE NEEDED, AND BE ABLE TO CREATE STRATEGIES WITH OURSELVES, LOCAL PARTNERS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO ADDRESS IT.
'CAUSE THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT CANNOT ADDRESS IT ALL BY OURSELVES.
OUR MAIN MISSION IS TO INVEST IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING BY PRESERVING OR BUILDING NEW, WHERE OTHER DEPARTMENTS CAN BRING ALL OF THOSE OTHER SERVICES THAT ARE NEEDED AND OTHER, OTHER AGENCIES CAN PARTNER WITH US TO, TO BRING THOSE, UH, SERVICES TO AREAS WHERE WE, WE CAN ALL WORK IN A MORE CONCENTRATED MANNER.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING, UH, THE, THAT PILLAR SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT THE WAYS IN WHICH YOU HAVE, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO LEAN INTO THE EXPERTISE OF THE, THE COMMUNITY AND THOSE WHO ARE IMPACTED BY THE DISPARITIES.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK WENT AROUND ON YOUR TABLES WAS A NO CARD.
AND SO WE WILL BE ASKING, UH, IF YOU HAVE A, A QUESTION, UM, WE WILL BE OPENING IT UP TO AUDIENCE.
BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, UH, IN OUR LAST ACTIVITY WE TALKED ABOUT REDLINING AND THE IMPACTS FROM VARIOUS ENTITIES, INCLUSIVE OF GOVERNMENT, BANKS, AND OTHER, OTHER ENTITIES.
I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL SOME ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES THAT YOU THINK IS CRITICAL TO INVEST, UH, IN THE COMMUNITIES AND REALLY HOW WE CAN TRACK, UM, THE IMPACT ON COMMUNITIES.
UM, DEFINITELY I WOULDN'T FORGOT TO MENTION, UH, I HAVE A PEER WITH ME AND WITH ARY HABITAT.
SHE, HER ROLE MELISSA IS E MANING BLACK HOME OWNERSHIP.
WE KNOW THAT THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING GOING ON.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH ME.
UM, GOING BACK INTO THAT, WE ACTUALLY HAD A GREAT DISCUSSION IN OUR TABLE AND WE KIND OF HIT ON IT, HEY, WE KNEW THIS HAPPENED IN THE THIRTIES AND FORTIES, BUT IT'S AFFECTING US NOW, RIGHT? SO IS THERE A WAY WE CAN USE MAYBE NEW DATA AND, AND, AND WHATEVER THE SOURCE? AND MY THING WAS, EVERYONE KNOWS ABOUT EDUCATION, RIGHT? EVERYONE WE'RE TRYING TO GET EDUCATION AND WORKSHOPS AND DO ALL THIS GOOD STUFF.
BUT IT NEEDS TO BE TAILORED TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK THE REASON WHY WE STILL BRING THIS UP SO MUCH IS BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, WE ARE HERE BECAUSE WE KNOW ABOUT IT, OR WE UNDERSTAND OR WE WORK IN THE INDUSTRY, BUT WE KNOW EVERYONE ELSE THAT'S NOT HERE DOES NOT, RIGHT? AND SO I THINK IT'S A STARTING POINT FOR US TO ALL HAVE THE SAME FUNDAMENTALS AND GO FROM THERE.
UM, DEFINITELY THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT ABOUT MY, UM, 2 CENTS, BUT DEFINITELY WANT TO HEAR WHAT THO AND CODY HAD TO SAY.
YEAH, I'LL, I'LL JUST ADD TO THAT.
AND, AND WE, WE WERE AT THE SAME TABLE WITH THE REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION.
UM, AND, UH, YEAH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, AS A RESEARCHER,
[02:45:01]
WHAT HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY CONCERNING FOR ME IS THE LACK OF DATA TRANSPARENCY.SO I THINK THAT DATA TRANSPARENCY IS GONNA BE ONE OF THE KEY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY.
UM, I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE SUPER CRITICAL.
OPEN DATA, UM, PLATFORMS THAT MAKE DATA ACCESSIBLE, HOUSING DATA ACCESSIBLE, NOT JUST TO RESEARCHERS LIKE MYSELF, BUT THAT ALSO MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, UM, BECAUSE KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.
UM, AND SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AT WHERE AT EVERY TEXAN WE TAKE RESEARCH AND DATA TO, TO HELP SHAPE POLICY, UH, BUT WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC AUDIENCE.
WE ALSO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY AND GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION TO HELP INFORM THOSE POLICIES.
BUT THEN TO TRANSLATE ALL OF THIS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DATA AND THE POLICY TO EVERYDAY LIVES, UM, AND HOW THAT'S GONNA AFFECT THEM WHEN IT COMES TO HOUSING, WHEN IT COMES TO EDUCATION AND IMMIGRATION.
SO I THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IN TERMS OF ACCOUNTABILITY, THAT'S ONE REALLY IMPORTANT, UM, AREA.
UH, ONE, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON, WE, WE PREVIOUSLY HAD WHAT WAS CALLED A HOUSING POLICY TASK FORCE.
THIS WAS A GROUP OF RESIDENTS WHO WOULD COME TOGETHER AND LISTEN TO US TALK ABOUT POLICIES AND, AND, AND APPROACHES TO WORK AND GIVE US FEEDBACK.
AND IT WAS A REALLY NICE RESIDENT SORT OF SOUNDING BOARD.
UM, OVER TIME THAT EVOLVED OVER 600 PLUS PEOPLE AND MORE OF A LISTSERV OR WE'LL CALL MEETINGS AND JUST GATHER GENERAL FEEDBACK.
BUT WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR CONSULTANT RIGHT NOW TO REVAMP THAT, UH, TO BE MORE OF, UM, UH, A SELECTED, APPOINTED, UM, TYPE OF STRUCTURE.
SO WE'LL HAVE MAYBE 12 TO 14 PEOPLE ON IT.
UH, THAT WILL BE, UH, SOME RESIDENTS WITH EXPERTISE IN THOSE TARGET AREAS.
SOME FOLKS THAT HAVE HOUSING EXPERTISE FROM ONE OF THE SECTORS THAT TOUCHES HOUSING, UH, AND REALLY BE FOLKS THAT WANT TO BE MORE ENGAGED WITH US, CAN GIVE US MORE ADVICE, CRITIQUE, BE A SOUNDING BOARD TO MAKE SURE WHAT WE'RE DOING RESONATES WITH WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
UM, AND, AND THAT THAT TASK FORCE IS SOMETHING THAT WILL START TO BE ROLLED OUT OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS WHERE WE WILL HAVE AN APPLICATION FOR PEOPLE TO APPLY TO BE PART OF IT.
WE WE ANTICIPATE A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT, WANT TO BE PART OF IT.
UH, WE WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S A MANAGEABLE SIZE FOR THE DEPARTMENT WHERE WE CAN, UH, GET REAL HONEST FEEDBACK AND HAVE GOOD DIALOGUE AND BE ABLE TO USE THAT, UM, THAT AS A SOUNDING BOARD FOR HOW WE CONTINUE TO DO WORK.
UH, AND I THINK HAVING THAT RESIDENT ACCESS AND, AND ACCESS TO, TO STAFF THAT ARE WORKING ON POLICIES IS REALLY STRONG.
UH, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE OUR, OUR PUBLIC MEETINGS ON BOTH VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON, UH, HYBRID SETUPS.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO ADVERTISE THROUGH OUR LISTSERV SO PEOPLE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UH, AND BY THE END OF, UH, THIS YEAR, WE SHOULD HAVE A LIVE DASHBOARD GO UP.
WE'RE WORKING WITH, UH, OUR DATA BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE GROUP IN THE DEPARTMENT, IN THE CITY TO HELP US PUT OUR DATA, UH, AND ON A PUBLIC DASHBOARD TO SHOW WHERE WE'RE INVESTING AND WHAT TYPE OF WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE COUNCIL LEVEL AND WHO WE'RE SERVING.
AND SO, UM, RIGHT NOW WE PUT THAT IN JUST, YOU KNOW, REPORTS THAT GO TO HOUSING COMMITTEE EVERY MONTH, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING TO MAKE THAT MORE TRANSPARENT AS YOU CALLED, UH, TO SHOWCASE LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING AND TO SHOW WHERE OUR PRODUCTION IS AND TO, AND TO CONTINUE TO SAY, HERE'S WHAT MONEY WE HAVE AND HERE'S WHERE IT'S GOING.
AND, UH, BE ABLE TO GET FEEDBACK THAT WAY.
SO THREE TAKEAWAYS I GOT WAS REALLY TAILORING IT TO THE COMMUNITY TRANSPARENCY, BOTH IN DATA AND WHAT WE'RE DOING, UM, ALONGSIDE THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO I, I GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR THE AUDIENCE, BUT PRIOR TO THAT QUESTION, UH, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE FOR YOU ALL, UM, IS WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS DO YOU HAVE, UH, TO PRESERVE THE CULTURAL INTEGRITY AND COMMUNITIES AS WE ARE, AS WE'RE WORKING TO ADDRESS HOUSING INEQUITIES, RIGHT.
TO REALLY, UM, PREVENT DISPLACEMENT? SO I'M DEFINITELY GONNA SAY I DO NOT HAVE ALL THE SOLUTIONS.
UM, BUT THE FIRST SOLUTION FOR ME WOULD BE DEFINITELY WE HAD TO, UM, INVEST IN OURSELVES, RIGHT? I DEFINITELY BELIEVE THAT WE ARE CAPABLE OF KNOWING WHAT'S GOING ON AND BEING THE LEADERS THAT WE WANT TO SEE IN THE FUTURE OR IN TOMORROW'S IN AT THE NEXT GENERATION.
AND SO, FOR EXAMPLE, ONE THING THAT I TELL A LOT OF THE CLIENTS THAT I WORK WITH AND THE NONPROFITS THAT I ASSIST AND HELP IS THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE HOMEOWNERS ALREADY.
SO HOW DO WE KEEP 'EM IN THEIR HOME, RIGHT? IS IT TEACHING 'EM HOW TO HAVE THE RIGHT BANKING PRODUCTS, MAYBE HOW TO INVEST PROPERLY, RIGHT? HOW TO BUDGET.
UM, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT FINANCIAL LITERACY.
'CAUSE ONE THING IS THAT THE IDENTITY OF A COMMUNITY IS DEFINITELY THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE, RIGHT? BUT IF NOW THEIR PROPERTY TAXES IS GOING UP TWO TIMES OR THREE TIMES WHAT THEY PAID LAST YEAR, AND THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THE SKILLSET, OR THEY'RE RETIRED, THEY MIGHT NOT PAY FOR IT.
SO WHAT THEY DO, THEY HAVE TO SELL THEIR HOME.
AND AT THAT POINT, THAT'S CAUSING SOCIAL ECONOMIC ISSUES THAT WE
[02:50:01]
ARE NOT AWARE OF OR ECONOMIC, UM, FINANCIAL ISSUES.AND I THINK THAT'S JUST ONE WAY, UH, DEFINITELY GETTING INVOLVED.
AND I THINK CROSS INTEGRATING, RIGHT? NON-PROFITS AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING, AND THEN MUNICIPALITY.
AND ALSO FOR-PROFIT INDUSTRIES, AGAIN, WE'RE, IT'S GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE AND WE HAVE TO BE OKAY WITH MAKING MISTAKES, BUT ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALL THINKING ABOUT NEW SOLUTIONS AND NOT TRYING TO DO WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.
AND TO A THO MENTIONED ONE THING THAT IF YOU GUYS DON'T KNOW ME, A FEW OF YOU GUYS DO.
UM, I, I LIKE TO CALL PEOPLE OUT, BUT LUCKILY RECENTLY I'VE BEEN MATURING AND THEY SAY, HEY, IT'S NOT CALLING OUT.
RIGHT? HOW ARE WE WORKING TOGETHER? BECAUSE IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT, MY FAULT, THEIR FAULT.
WE ALL WILL SUFFER OR STRUGGLE TOGETHER.
SO JUST FIGURE IT OUT TOGETHER.
REAL QUICK, I'D, I'D LIKE TO LIFT UP THE, UM, THE PLANNING AND URBAN, UH, DESIGN, UH, TEAM, THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION TEAM IN GENERAL.
THEY, THEY'VE WORKED WITH A CONSULTANT ON A HISTORIC UPDATE ON HOW WE LOOK PAST JUST ARCHITECTURE.
UH, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PROMISE IN WHAT THAT'S GONNA GONNA DO FOR OUR CITY.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CULTURE AND PLACE.
UH, I THINK A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH, WITH PEOPLE, BUT IT HAS TO DO WITH OUR URBAN DESIGN AS WELL.
IT HAS TO DO WITH HAVING REALLY AWESOME PLACES IN DALLAS THAT ARE UNIQUE TO, TO THE PEOPLE WHO FIRST SETTLED AND THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO LIVE THERE.
AND TO FIND WAYS TO BE, UH, HAVE COMMON SPACES AND TO WELCOME PEOPLE AS THEY MOVE TO OUR CITY.
OR WE CAN, UH, INVITE THEM TO OUR CITY AND UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE CONTINUE TO MOVE AND PEOPLE CONTINUE TO SETTLE.
AND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME NEIGHBORHOODS IN DALLAS WHERE THERE'S BEEN TRADITIONS OF FAMILY AFTER FAMILY STAYING IN THOSE AREAS AND IN SOME AREAS THAT ARE COMPLETELY TRANSIENT.
BUT AS WE, WE THINK ABOUT WHEN WE BUILD NEW AND WHAT WE WANT OUT OF OUR STANDARDS FOR OUR CITY, WE REALLY NEED TO TURN TO OUR, OUR PLANNING TEAM AND OUR DEVELOPMENT TEAMS IN THE CITY TO ENCOURAGE BETTER DESIGN AND ENCOURAGE DESIGN THAT IS ABOUT PEOPLE AND PRIORITIZES PEOPLE AND CREATES NEIGHBORHOODS AND PLACES THAT PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE IN, CAN AFFORD TO LIVE IN AND CELEBRATE ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE.
AND I THINK THAT KIND OF TRANSCENDS MORE THAN US, BUT IT TALKS ABOUT WHAT THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN OUR CITY ARE DOING TO TALK ABOUT DISPLACEMENT AND CULTURE AND BEING WELCOMING.
UH, BUT I, I THINK IT FUNDAMENTALLY STARTS WITH THE, THE DESIGN OF THOSE PLACES AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU, YOU FEEL WELCOME IN THOSE PLACES.
AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE COOL AND VIBRANT AND JUST BE GREAT NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND I'LL JUST BRIEFLY ADD THAT I THINK THERE'S A HOST OF STRATEGIES FOR, FOR THINGS LIKE THIS WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CULTURAL, CULTURAL INTEGRITY OF OUR COMMUNITIES WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CLOSING, UM, OR DECREASING THE RACIAL, UM, AND ECONOMIC, UM, GAP.
BUT I THINK PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS ENSURING THAT WHATEVER HOST OF STRATEGIES WE EMPLOY, THAT THEY ARE ROOTED IN THE VOICES OF OUR COMMUNITY, BECAUSE IT'S NEVER A ONE SIZE FITS ALL SOLUTION.
AND A COMMUNITY HAS THEIR UNIQUE IDENTITY.
THEY ALSO HAVE THEIR UNIQUE NEEDS.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, IF WE LEAD WITH THAT, THEN WE'RE LIKELY TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL IN HELPING MOVE THINGS, UM, FORWARD.
AND IF I CAN JUST ADD ON, AS CHRIS CHRISTIAN MENTIONED, THAT IS THE QUESTION THAT WE SEE MANY CITIES REALLY GRAPPLING WITH.
AND SO, UM, WE SLOTTED A, A NETWORKING HOUR.
AND SO KEEP THAT QUESTION ON THE TOP OF MIND.
AND SO AS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT HOW WE NEED TO LEAN IN TO VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS TO HAVE THESE TYPES OF CONVERSATIONS AROUND, UM, PREVENTING DISPLACEMENT, UH, IT'S GONNA BE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR, FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UM, WE GOT OUR FIRST AUDIENCE QUESTION.
UH, COTA THIS QUESTION WILL BE COMING TO YOU,
UH, WAS THE IMPACT, UH, WAS THE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC CONSIDERED IN THE 2023 EQUITY INDICATORS REPORT? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
UM, WE ARE, WE SOURCED OUR DATA FROM THE, UM, FROM A NATIONAL REPUTABLE SOURCE.
UM, AND SO THAT IS ACCOUNTED FOR.
UM, THE FACT IS THAT A, THE PANDEMIC HAPPENED, WE HAD A MORATORIUM IN PLACE AND THAT WAS TAKEN AWAY.
UM, SO WE SAW IN THE, IN, YOU KNOW, IN MY HEAD I'M LOOKING AT A LINE GRAPH
UM, SO, SO WE DID SEE THAT, UH, THE, THE EFFECT THAT THAT HAD.
UM, AND I THINK, HOWEVER, OVER TIME, WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS A SETTLING BACK INTO A TREND THAT IS ALL TOO FAMILIAR AND UNFORTUNATE.
UM, BECAUSE, UH, AGAIN, WHAT WE HAD WAS A STOP GUARD, UM, BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.
OUR NEXT QUESTION, AUDIENCE QUESTION IS COMING TO YOU, OR IF YOU COULD, AND YOU HIGHLIGHTED SOME, SO IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE OF DALLAS'S OR IT COULD BE OPEN TO THE ENTIRE PANEL, IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE OF DALLAS'S POLICIES TO
[02:55:01]
INCREASE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY, WHAT WOULD IT BE? YEAH, I THINK IT'S A GOOD QUESTION TOO.I HEAR THE AUDIENCE SAYING GOOD QUESTION IF Y'ALL WANNA ANSWER IT,
SO, SO CHANGING AFFORDABILITY IS, IS DIFFICULT.
UM, MOSTLY 'CAUSE WE DON'T, WE DON'T GET TO CONTROL THE COST OF HOUSES.
WE DON'T GET TO CONTROL HOW MUCH HOMES ARE SOLD FOR.
WE DON'T GET TO CONTROL HOW MUCH HOMES ARE RENTED FOR UNLESS WE INVEST IN THEM.
AND THEN, AND THEN WE HAVE CONTROL ON THAT.
SO WHEN WE, WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR BUDGET EVERY YEAR AND WE PUT ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS TO HOME BUYER ASSISTANCE, UH, AND THE AVERAGE BUYER, UM, WILL GET UP TO $50,000.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T SERVE A WHOLE LOT OF HOMEOWNERS EVERY YEAR, OUR NEW HOMEOWNERS.
UM, AND THAT'S SOMETIMES BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH HOUSING STOCK BEING SOLD AT A PRICE POINT THAT THEY CAN AFFORD.
SO THE RATIOS DON'T REALLY MATCH.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID THIS LAST YEAR IS WE CHANGED OUR POLICY AT THE FRONT END RATIO TO GO TO 35% RATHER THAN 30.
UM, AND THAT, THAT ALLOWS FOR, UH, PEOPLE TO TAKE ON A LITTLE BIT MORE DEBT.
BUT THEN IT GETS INTO THE CONVERSATION ARE, ARE THEY STILL HOUSING COST BURDENED AT 35% VERSUS 30? AND SO WE REALLY HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT THIS IS GONNA DO, UM, TO, TO HOMEOWNERS.
AND WHILE MOST INSTANT BANKING INSTITUTIONS WILL SAY 35% IS STILL MANAGEABLE, AND THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, LIKE MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT GIVING A, A SUBPRIME LOAN OR EVERYTHING, UH, WE DO WANT TO BE AWARE ANYTIME WE'RE, WE'RE UPPING THAT FRONT END RATIO, IT MEANS WE'RE DIPPING INTO THAT TRADITIONAL NOTION OF 30% BEING A HOUSING COST BURDEN.
BUT IT DOES ALLOW THEM TO QUALIFY FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE HOME, UH, WHICH IS NEEDED.
WHEN THE HOUSING PRICE POINTS ARE SO HIGH, THE INTEREST RATES ARE HIGH.
AND SO WHAT, WHAT I WOULD SAY IN TERMS OF POLICY IS MORE FUNDING THAT CAN ALLOW US TO OFFER HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, UH, WHERE WE CAN INVEST IN DEVELOPERS TO, FOR SUBSIDIES OR WITH OUR HOME BUYER ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED.
SO IT'S NOT REALLY A NECESSARILY A POLICY THING.
IT CONTINUES TO BE A, A FUNDING THING AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR POLICIES ARE RIGHT SIZED TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP HOUSING UNITS THAT ARE AFFORDABLE AND PEOPLE CAN GET THEM, UH, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
SO I THINK TWO MORE QUESTIONS.
UM, CHRISTIAN, THIS IS COMING TOWARDS YOU.
BEYOND ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY TO SECURE HOUSING RESIDENTS IN SOUTHERN DALLAS AND SOME NORTHERN EXPERIENCE DISCRIMINATION IN THE FORM OF POOR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, IE PLUMBING ISSUES OR UNADDRESSED REPAIRS.
WHAT CAN COMMUNITY MEMBERS DO TO WORK TOWARDS OVERCOMING THIS ISSUE? SO THERE'S A FEW THINGS YOU CAN DO.
UM, AND THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE TO BE STRATEGIC, RIGHT? AND SO ONE THING IS USUALLY THE INVENTORY THAT THOR'S TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT? IF SOMEONE CANNOT AFFORD A $200,000 HOUSE, COULD THEY ONLY MAKE 35, 40,000? YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN THEY DO? USUALLY THESE TYPE OF PROPERTIES ARE, IS THE ONLY THING THEY CAN'T QUALIFY FOR, RIGHT? BUT IF ANYONE'S BOUGHT A HOUSE IN THE LAST YEAR, WHO'S BOUGHT A HOUSE IN THE LAST YEAR OR TWO? ANYONE, OR TRIED TO BUY A HOUSE? HOW MANY HANDS? PUT YOUR HAND UP HIGH, SIR.
OKAY, SO NOT A FEW, BUT, SO WE HAVE A FEW, OKAY.
HOW MANY GUYS ARE HOMEOWNERS? HOW MANY HOMEOWNERS IN THE HOUSE? ALL RIGHT, COOL.
YOU GUYS ARE DOING GOOD AND CONGRATS.
UM, BUT THE ISSUE WITH THAT IS BEING SAID IS, SO AT THAT POINT IT COMES INTO DO I CONTINUE TO RENT OR DO I TRY TO FIND SOMETHING THAT'S AFFORDABLE? RIGHT? SOME BANKS DON'T EVEN OFFER LOANS ANYMORE IF IT, THE LOAN'S NOT AT A HUNDRED OR 150, 150,000, RIGHT? AND SO THEY JUST GET PLACED OUT.
NOW WHEN IT COMES TO THINGS LIKE, UH, MAP, RIGHT? MECHANICAL, ELECTRIC, PLUMBING, UH, ROOF FOUNDATION, ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.
UM, I THINK COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THE BEST WAY THEY CAN DO IS DO THINGS LIKE THE CDCS, RIGHT? SO WE HAVE SOUTH FAIR, UM, CDC, WE HAVE, UH, THAT AREA HABITAT.
WE HAVE BUILDERS OF HOPE, SERVICE OF HOPE, A FEW OTHER NONPROFITS THAT ARE DOING LITTLE MASS SCALE, RIGHT? I WOULD ENCOURAGE SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS OR A COMMUNITY LEADER TO MAKE A NONPROFIT THAT CAN MAYBE, YOU KNOW, FUND THAT HOUSE THAT SAY, HEY, BUY THAT HOME AND THEN WE'LL GIVE YOU GUYS THE OPTION TO GET A LOAN FROM US AND PAY IT BACK, RIGHT? TO FIX THESE ISSUES.
ALSO, ONE THING THAT I DID AT HABITAT, I I PILOTED OUR PROGRAM FOR REPAIR.
UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SAY, OH, WELL YOU NEED 30 TO $60,000 TO FIX A HOME.
IF YOU KNOW THE PEOPLE, IF YOU TALK TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE AND YOU ACTUALLY MEETING AND HAVING CONNECTIONS AND HAVING THAT BOOK OF BUSINESS, YOU GET, YOU CAN GET A GOOD INSPECTOR THAT MAYBE DROPS HIS PRICE 'CAUSE HE KNOWS THAT WE'RE DOING IT FOR THE COMMUNITY AND NOT FOR PROFIT.
UM, ALSO WORKING WITH CONTRACTORS, GETTING THE RIGHT BIDS, MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE CERTIFIED AND THEY, THEY'RE LICENSED.
AND OF COURSE YOU HAVE YOUR MLU GOOD TO GO, SO THERE'S UNIQUE PROCESSES THAT CAN BE DONE.
I JUST DO RECOMMEND THAT YOU GUYS THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX OR USER NETWORK TO ASK, HEY, DO YOU GUYS KNOW SOMEONE THAT DOES PLUMBING? DO YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE KNOWS
[03:00:01]
SOMEONE THAT DOES SOMETHING, RIGHT? AND SO SAYING, HEY, I'M AN EXPERT IN THIS, BUT I THINK YOU'RE AN EXPERT IN THAT.HOW CAN WE GET THIS DONE AND GET THIS TO THE FINISH LINE? SO THAT'S JUST A COUPLE WAYS TO DO IT.
AND THANK YOU FOR REMINDING US OF THE IMPORTANCE OF NETWORKING, RIGHT.
SO, UM, YOU GUYS HAVE LIVENED UP.
YOU MUST HAVE HAD YOUR, YOUR SUITES BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE WE GOT EIGHT MORE QUESTIONS.
AND UNFORTUNATELY WE CAN'T TAKE EIGHT QUESTIONS.
SO THIS WILL BE OUR LAST QUESTION, UM, AND, AND I'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE ENTIRE PANEL.
UM, AND THIS QUESTION ACTUALLY IS COMING FROM OUR, OUR SPECIAL GUEST FROM ALABAMA WHO CAME ALL THE WAY DOWN, UM, TO, TO JOIN US AT THE EQUITY INDICATORS REPORT.
SO THANK YOU TO DOROTHY AND AND HER TEAM.
UH, THE, THE, UH, SO THE QUESTION IS, WHAT BARRIER REDUCTION INITIATIVES ARE IN PLACE ARE TO COME RELATED TO THE MIDDLE MISSING HOUSING? I'LL START.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF DEBATE ON DENSITY.
AND AS OUR, AS OUR CITY CONTINUES TO, TO CHANGE OR EVOLVE, THERE'S CONVERSATIONS AROUND WHERE DENSITY WOULD BE MORE SUPPORTIVE AND WHERE IT WON'T BE.
AND I'M SURE EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM BY ME JUST SAYING THAT D WORD HAS A, HAS A REACTION, AND THAT'S OKAY, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE HAVE TO START THESE CONVERSATIONS.
WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE DESIGN OF OUR CITY.
WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE HOUSING IN OUR CITY, AND WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IT WILL MEAN TO, TO CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEONE TO BE A HOMEOWNER AND RENT PART OF THEIR HOME.
UH, WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT COULD YOU HAVE TWO HOMES THAT ARE ON ONE PARCEL THAT TWO PEOPLE OWN? WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT CAN YOU OWN AN APARTMENT OR MORE, UH, CONDO OPTIONS THAT ARE STACKED AND NOT JUST SIDE BY SIDE.
WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT HOUSING TYPOLOGIES THAT PEOPLE WANT BECAUSE PEOPLE'S LIVES ARE ALL DIFFERENT.
I, I COULD GO THROUGH A SERIES OF QUESTIONS AND YOU WOULD ALL RAISE YOUR DIFFERENT HANDS ON HOW MANY KIDS YOU HAVE OR YOUR, YOU KNOW, YOUR SITUATION, YOU'RE SINGLE, YOU'RE MARRIED, OR YOU HAVE MORE, UH, DO YOUR IN-LAWS LIVE WITH, WITH YOU.
LIKE, MIND YOU, RIGHT? EVERYBODY'S FAMILY IS, IS DIFFERENT AND EVERYBODY'S HOUSING NEEDS ARE DIFFERENT.
AND THERE'S NOT A HOUSE FOR EVERYBODY, EVERYWHERE THAT PEOPLE WANNA LIVE.
AND SO, AS WE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS, UM, WE HAVE TO TALK AND HEAR EACH OTHER AND UNDERSTAND THE FEARS THAT COME WITH THAT, UNDERSTAND THAT OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME WITH THAT, AND UNDERSTAND WHERE WE CAN TRY THESE THINGS.
UH, BUT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TALK WITH EACH OTHER AND LISTEN AND BE PATIENT AND UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS MULTIPLE NEEDS IN THE CITY.
AND HAVING MULTIPLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO BUY OR OWN OR RENT AND WHERE WE WANNA LIVE IS PART OF THAT CONVERSATION.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? NO.
WELL GIVE, HELP ME IN GIVEN A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO OUR PANELISTS, CHRISTIAN CODA AND THOR.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR THE QUESTIONS.
UM, WE HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO USE THOSE QUESTIONS DURING OUR NETWORKING TIME AND ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, WILLIS, UH, JOINED US.
HELLO,
I DIDN'T MEAN TO COME IN AT THE WRONG SPOT, BUT I DID WANT TO, UH, TO JOIN DR. WILSON IN THANKING OUR PANEL, CHRISTIAN CODA AND THOR FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE AS EXPERTS IN THIS AREA, AS WELL AS TO PRESENT YOU WITH AN OFFICIAL CHALLENGE COIN FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE.
UH, WE TAKE THESE CHALLENGE COINS SERIOUSLY BECAUSE THEY DEPICTS ONE OF OUR GREAT DALLAS SITES IN HISTORY OF DALLAS.
ANYBODY HEARD OF ANDERSON BONNER? AND I AGREE.
LET'S HEAR IT FROM MR. BONNER'S BONNER'S MEMORY.
UH, MR. BONNER WAS BORN INTO SLAVERY IN 1832, AND HE DIED IN 1920 AS ONE OF DALLAS'S GREATEST LANDOWNERS.
AND, UH, WITHIN TWO YEARS, IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, UH, THE DALLAS CITY OF DALLAS OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE HAS RECOGNIZED MR. BONNER WITH A PUBLIC ART PIECE IN MS. JANIE SCHULTZ'S DISTRICT.
SO WE INVITE YOU TO, UH, TO CHECK IT OUT IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY.
BUT I DID WANT TO PRESENT YOU WITH THE CHALLENGE COIN DEPICTING THE FACE OF MR. BONNER AND WHAT HE MEANS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
I, I ALSO WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO, TO THANK JESSICA GALLISHAW, THE DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE,
[03:05:01]
WHO, WITH HER TEAM THANK YOU, HAS BEEN ORGANIZING SUCH A WONDERFUL WEEK OF EVENTS TO ARISE AND PURSUE THE LEGACY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION IS, IS THRILLED THAT WE COULD BE A, A PART A COMPONENT OF MLK WEEK, UH, THROUGH OUR EQUITY INDICATOR SYMPOSIUM.
BUT WE DID WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT DUE TO ENGLAND WEATHER WE'LL HAVE, WE WILL HAVE TO POSTPONE THE PARADE FROM MONDAY TO THE FOLLOWING SATURDAY AT 9:00 AM.
SO IF YOU'RE WITH THE OFFICE OF, UH, COMMUNITY CARE, CAN YOU JUST RAISE YOUR HAND SO THAT WE CAN ACKNOWLEDGE YOU ALONGSIDE OUR MLK ADVISORY BOARD, OUR MLK ADVISORY BOARD IN THE HOUSE, AND ALL OF OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE HERE TODAY.
CAN YOU RAISE YOUR HANDS FOR BEING PRESENT? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE COULDN'T DO OUR WORK WITHOUT YOU, MS. TAYLOR.
AND, UM, WITH THAT, I WILL NOW TURN IT BACK OVER TO THE PROGRAM AND PROVIDE YOU THE CHALLENGE COIN.
OH, TODAY IS ME AND MIKE'S ARE NOT HAVING A GOOD DAY TODAY.
ALL RIGHT, WELL, WHEN I STARTED THIS ORIGINALLY, I WAS SUPPOSED TO, UM, UH, GIVE THESE REMARKS TO YOU ALL, UM, DURING YOUR LUNCH.
SO I'M GONNA SKIP THE PART WHERE I'M TELLING YOU TO ENJOY YOUR LUNCH, BUT CONTINUE TO ENJOY THE COMPANY.
UM, UH, I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY NOW TO PROVIDE YOU ALL WITH AN UPDATE ON, UH, AN OVERVIEW OF THE SOON TO BE RELEASED 2023 EQUITY INDICATORS REPORT.
UM, AGAIN, MY NAME IS CO REO GARZA.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH AND DATA, UH, AT EVERY TEXAN.
UM, WE'RE KNOWN FOR PRACTICAL DATA-DRIVEN POLICY SOLUTIONS.
UM, AND WE USE HIGH QUALITY DATA, UH, COLLECTED FROM CREDIBLE SOURCES.
UH, WE LOVE THE US CENSUS, UM,
AND WE HAVE A TEAM OF, UM, PRIMARILY, UM, OH, UH, WOMEN, UH, ANALYSTS, DATA ANALYSTS WHO, UH, LEAD THIS WORK AT OUR ORGANIZATION AND WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF, OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND WE'RE ESPECIALLY PROUD OF OUR PARTNERSHIP HERE WITH THE CITY OF, OF DALLAS.
SO I'M GONNA WALK YOU THROUGH SOME HIGHLIGHTS.
UM, FIRST, AS A PARTNER WITH THE CITY, JUST REALLY WANNA SHARE HOW EXCITED WE ARE TO SEE THE CITY CONTINUE TO PUSH EVEN HARDER, UM, AS IT REGARDS TO EQUITY IN THE CITY.
AND THE INCORPORATION OF A NEW THEME, WHICH YOU SEE DOWN THERE, AND YOU SHOULD HAVE ON A ONE PAGER, WHICH IS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
AND THAT WAS AN ANSWER, AN ANSWER TO THE CALL THAT WAS PUT FORWARD, UH, FUNDAMENTALLY BY THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE'RE NOW LOOKING AT SIX NEW THEMES, WHEREIN THE LAST REPORT THERE WERE FIVE.
UM, SO I'M GONNA SHARE, UH, A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE THEME VERY SHORTLY.
UM, BUT AS IT REGARDS TO THE OVERALL SCORE OF THE CITY, UM, DALLAS HAD A SCORE OF 41 POINT 17 OUT OF A HUNDRED.
SO, UM, IN, IN THE BASELINE YEAR, SO YEAR ONE.
SO WE LOOK AT, WE LOOK AT ONE BA, WHAT WE CALL BASELINE YEAR, AND THEN WE COMPARE IT OVER TIME TO WHAT WE CALL A COMPARISON YEAR.
AND THIS REPORT IS 2022 TO 2023.
AS A REMINDER FOR THOSE WHO MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN, UM, THIS REPORT IN THIS REPORT, A SCORE OF 100 REPRESENTS NO DISPARITY.
SO THE HIGHER THE SCORE, THE CLOSER WE ARE, UM, TO CLOSING THOSE DISPARITIES.
SO THE COMPARISON YEAR, THE SECOND YEAR FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS IN THE 2023 REPORT, UH, IS A 42.65.
SO THIS ACTUALLY REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF 1.46.
THIS INCREASE IS ACTUALLY HIGHER THAN THE INCREASE WE SAW IN THE 2019 REPORT BETWEEN THOSE YEARS.
NOW, UM, WE ARE NOT, WE, WE DON'T COMPARE, UH, NECESSARILY, UH, SIDE BY SIDE BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY FACTORS, BUT IT ALLOWS US TO LOOK AT TRENDS OVER TIME, UM, TO PUT THE 2023 NUMBERS INTO CONTEXT.
UH, LOOKING AT THE 2019 REPORT, UM, THE BASELINE YEAR SCORE THEN WAS A 38.75, AND THEIR COMPARISON SCORE WAS 39.77.
SO ESSENTIALLY 20 23, 42 0.6 5, 20 19, 39 0.7.
UM, SO, AND, UH, NOW LET'S LOOK AT, YOU SHOULD HAVE AGAIN IN ON YOUR
[03:10:01]
SHEET, UM, I'M JUST GONNA RUN THROUGH WHAT WE CALL THE MOST PRONOUNCED DISPARITIES WE SAW IN THIS REPORT.THERE'S FIVE THEMES AMONG THE FIVE THEMES WHERE WE SAW THE MOST PRONOUNCED DISPARITIES.
THIS IS WHAT THE NUMBERS AND THE DATA IS TELLING US IS IN THE JUSTICE AND GOVERNMENT TOPIC AND THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY TOPIC.
UM, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT, WHERE WE SAW THE MOST EQUITABLE SCORES, UH, WAS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, THEME THAT ACTUALLY REFLECTS THE SAME THING THAT WE FOUND IN THE 2019 REPORT.
NEIGHBORHOODS AND INFRASTRUCTURE AS A THEME CONTINUES TO BE THE MOST EQUITABLE AND THE MOST PRONOUNCED DISPARITIES PERSIST WITHIN THE JUSTICE AND GOVERNMENT THEME.
SO JUST A LITTLE TINY PREVIEW, UH, BETWEEN THE THEMES, UM, OVERALL, RIGHT? SO WE'VE GOT SIX, WE'VE GOT SIX THEMES.
WITHIN THESE THEMES, WE'VE GOT TOPICS.
WITHIN THOSE TOPICS, WE HAVE DIFFERENT INDICATORS, UH, WITHIN THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, UH, THEME THE, THE POVERTY TOPIC SCORE, DECREASED MEANING INCREASED DISPARITY, UH, MAINLY DUE TO THE CHILD AND SENIOR POVERTY INDICATORS.
UM, IN, WITHIN THE EDUCATION THEME, THE EARLY EDUCATION AND ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL EDUC, UH, TOPICS EXPERIENCED DECREASING SCORES, UH, AGAIN, MEANING INCREASING DISPARITY, UM, IN THE BASELINE AND COMPARISON YEARS, UH, WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND INFRASTRUCTURE THEME, WHICH IS AGAIN, THE MOST EQUITABLE THEME ACROSS THE BOARD, ONLY ONE TOPIC SHOWED, UH, A DECREASE IN SCORE.
UM, BUT THAT, HOWEVER, THAT, UH, TOPIC, THE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AND SERVICES REPRESENTED THE THIRD LARGEST DECREASE, UH, ACROSS ALL TOPICS WITHIN THE JUSTICE AND GOVERNMENT THEME.
THE LAW ENFORCEMENT THEME SAW A DECREASING SCORE.
UM, AND AMONG THE, WITHIN THE ENTIRE REPORT, UM, OF ALL THE TOPICS WITHIN THE ENTIRE REPORT, THE VICTIMIZATION TOPIC HAD THE LOWEST SCORES IN THE BASELINE AND COMPARISON YEAR.
IN THE 2019 REPORT, WE SAW THAT SAME INDICATOR, ALONG WITH, UM, OH, AND I'LL GO TO PUBLIC HEALTH HERE SHORTLY.
UH, THIS, THAT, THAT IT, THAT IT RANKS LOW, UM, IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH THEME.
UH, TWO TOPICS, THE MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH AND ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, UM, SAW DECREASING SCORES BETWEEN THE YEARS.
BUT WHEN IN, IN SOME, OR IN, WHEN WE, WHEN WE BRING THOSE TOPIC SCORES TOGETHER, ALL THEMES, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, BECAUSE IT WAS A BASELINE SETTING YEAR, ACTUALLY SAW AN INCREASE BETWEEN THE, THE BASELINE AND COMPARISON YEAR.
SO FROM 2022 TO 2023, UM, AS MENTIONED EARLIER, THE CITY OF DALLAS, UH, LISTENED TO THE COMMUNITY AND INCORPORATED A NEW THEME, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, UM, INTO THIS REPORT.
THIS THEME INCORPORATES FOUR BRAND NEW INDICATORS.
SO TO MEASURE PROGRESS TOWARDS EQUITY OR TOWARDS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, WE LOOK AT THE EPAS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE SCREEN AND WE DEVELOPED A MEAN SCORE.
WE LOOK AT TREE CANOPY COVERAGE, SOLAR ACCESSIBILITY, AND FOOD ACCESS.
UM, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE HIGHLIGHTS THAT HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES OFTEN BEAR THE BRUNT OF ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS.
SO THIS THEME, UM, IS GOING TO BECOME CRITICALLY, UH, IMPORTANT IN THE YEARS TO COME.
SO NOW THAT YOU HAVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE REPORT, I INVITE YOU TO FOLLOW THE WORK, UH, AT THE QR CODE ON YOUR HANDOUTS AND THE CITY OF DALLAS, UH, OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION WEBSITE, UM, SO THAT YOU CAN BE ONE OF THE FIRST TO HAVE YOUR HANDS ON THE REPORT AS SOON IT'S, AS SOON AS IT'S RELEASED.
UM, I JUST WANNA VERY QUICKLY THANK, UM, THE CITY OF DALLAS FOR ITS UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, UM, AND, UH, THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION, DR. WILSON AND DR.
RAINEY FOR THEIR PARTNERSHIP AND COMMITMENT TO EQUITY.
UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING THE RESULTS OF THIS REPORT WITH YOU ALL.
THAT WAS, UH, SUPER HELPFUL AND EDUCATIONAL.
HOW ARE YOU FEELING? GOOD? YEAH.
SO WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK.
UM, AGAIN, REFRESHMENT TO YOUR RIGHT RESTROOM TO YOUR LEFT.
WE ARE GOING TO RECONVENE AFTER FIVE MINUTES.
ALRIGHT, EVERYONE, WELCOME BACK.
[03:15:01]
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED PARTICIPATION AND ATTENTION.UM, BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH OUR PANEL, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE ESTEEM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GABE WILLIS, WHO WILL GIVE US THE PROCLAMATION.
SORRY TO JOIN YOU LATE, BUT I DID NOT WANNA MISS THE HOUSING DISCUSSION AT ALL.
SO, UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS NEXT PANEL.
UM, BUT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT DAY.
UH, LAST YEAR I ALSO HAD THIS DUTY, SO IT'S REALLY MY PRIVILEGE AND HONOR TO BE HERE TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION FROM MAYOR JOHNSON.
WHEREAS THE WK KELLOGG FOUNDATION IS HOSTING THE 2024 NATIONAL DAY OF RACIAL HEALING.
AND WHEREAS THE NATIONAL DAY OF RACIAL HEALING IS AN ANNUAL OBSERVANCE CREATED TO COMBAT THE EFFECTS OF HATE AND BUILD GREATER APPRECIATION FOR OUR SHARED HUMANITY BY HELPING TO FORM A SOCIETY WHERE ALL PEOPLE CAN THRIVE.
WHEREAS THE CITY OF DALLAS AFFIRMS THAT ALL PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF RACE, ETHNIC, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, RELIGION, SKIN COLOR OR PHYSICAL TRAITS, DESERVE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE WELLBEING IN DALLAS AND TO BE FULL PARTICIPANTS IN OUR DEMOCRACY.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF DALLAS IS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING RACIAL HEALING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND ADDRESSING THE HISTORIC AND PRESENT DAY HARMS OF RACISM, AND WHEREAS TO FURTHER THIS GOAL, THE CITY OF DALLAS ESTABLISHED THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION, AND IT'S NOT GOING ANYWHERE.
DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED A COMMUNITY DRIVEN RACIAL EQUITY PLAN, PROVIDING A FRAMEWORK FOR HOW THE CITY CAN BETTER SERVE OUR RESIDENTS.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ERIC L. JOHNSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DALLAS DO HEREBY PROCLAIM JANUARY 16TH, 2024.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS.
ALRIGHT, IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU OUR ESTEEM PANEL, THE HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE PANEL THAT WILL BE LED BY MS. MARSHA GUT.
THREE, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF NETWORK STRATEGIES FROM THE GOVERNMENT ALLIANCE ON RACE AND EQUITY OR GARE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE, MARSHA.
OUR PANELISTS INCLUDE, UM, GENESIS GINO, CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE CITY MANAGER AND THE RESILIENCE OFFICER OF THE CITY OF DALLAS, JAMES ARMSTRONG, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE BUILDERS OF HOPE, AS WELL AS ANDREA GILLIS, INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING AND URBAN DESIGN DEPARTMENT AT THE CITY OF DALLAS.
THANK YOU HIGH AND THANK YOU TO THE CITY OF DALLAS, TO THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION TO ITS PARTNERS AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY FOR HAVING THE GOVERNMENT ALLIANCE ON RACE AND EQUITY AT RACE FORWARD HERE.
UM, I AM MARSHA GUTHRIE AS ED, I'M THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR NETWORK STRATEGIES.
SO WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE FRONT FACING ARM OF GEAR, UM, ENGAGING WITH OUR OVER 400 PLUS PRACTITIONER NETWORK ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SO I BRING YOU GREETINGS ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE GOVERNMENT ALLIANCE, UM, NETWORK OF WHICH DALLAS HAS BEEN A PROUD MEMBER SINCE 2018, AND REALLY, REALLY EXCITED TO BE, UM, MOVING.
I'M KIND OF SHIFTING, SO I'M JUST GONNA TELL YOU A COUPLE OF THINGS.
YOU HAVE TO BE LISTENING TO YOUR AUDIENCE.
YOU HAVE TO BE FULLY ENGAGED WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND BE READY TO PIVOT IF YOU NEED BE.
SO IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT YOUR FLYER, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT WE HAD MODERATOR WONDERFUL CARLOS EVANS, AND CARLOS COULD NOT BE WITH US THIS AFTERNOON.
SO I WAS ASKED TO MOVE FROM PANELIST TO MODERATOR AND TO KIND OF PLAY BOTH ROLES.
SO BEFORE YOU GET AN OPPORTUNITY HERE FROM OUR ESTEEMED PANEL, YOU'RE GONNA HEAR A COUPLE OF REMARKS FROM ME AS I, UM, HELP TO KIND OF MAKE THE LINKAGE BETWEEN GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE MOMENT.
AND SO I WANNA TALK ABOUT THOSE THINGS FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM JAMES AND ANDREA AND GENESIS.
AND SO ALL THROUGHOUT TODAY WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THAT THE THINGS THAT WE ARE FADING AND FIGHT FIGHTING IN OUR COMMUNITIES DID NOT JUST GET HERE.
THEY DIDN'T HAPPEN BY HA HAPPENSTANCE.
PUBLIC POLICY, OFTENTIMES DRIVEN BY INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT, ARE DECADES LONG HISTORICAL CHALLENGES THAT WE ARE STILL FIGHTING PRESENT DAY.
AND SO WE, THE, THE BIDEN HARRIS ADMINISTRATION HAS BROUGHT FORWARD A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN THIS MOMENT AROUND INFRASTRUCTURE.
YOU CANNOT GO IN A GOVERNMENT JURISDICTION WHEN FOLKS ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP
[03:20:01]
BETWEEN OUR CITIES IN TERMS OF THEIR INTERNAL CAPACITIES AND WHAT IS BEING EXPERIENCED IN TERMS OF THE WELLBEING CONDITION BY OUR COMMUNITIES, PARTICULARLY COMMUNITIES OF CO COLOR, LOW WEALTH COMMUNITIES, AND BLACK AND BROWN, UM, CITIZENS.AND SO WE AT GARE KNOW THAT THIS IS ALSO A OPPORTUNE MOMENT.
IT IS A MOMENT WHERE WE CAN BE DEALING MANY YEARS LATER WITH GENERATIONAL DIVESTMENTS BECAUSE WE'VE DONE THE SAME THINGS THE SAME WAY.
WE'VE USED OLD APPROACHES ON NEW, MORE COMPLEX SOCIAL ISSUES.
OR WE COULD TAKE A STANCE AND SAY, HOW ARE WE REDEFINING IN THIS MOMENT GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO CREATE THE TYPES OF CONDITIONS THAT ALLOWS FOR WEALTH BUILDING, THAT ALLOWS FOR VISIBILITY, THAT ALLOWS FOR HEALTH AND PROSPERITIES FOR ALL COMMUNITIES WHERE ALL COMMUNITIES HAVE THRIVE, CAN THRIVE, PARTICULARLY HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.
AND SO IT'S WITH THAT CONTEXT THAT I SHARE WITH YOU THESE REMARKS ABOUT WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO REALLY CHANGE THE LANDSCAPE.
AND SO THESE ARE NATIONAL TRENDS.
THE DATA THAT WAS JUST SHARED, REPRESENTED DALLAS, BUT IT REPRESENTS MANY CITIES OF LIKE SIZE OF LIKE ORIENTATION WITH SOME OF THE SAME COMPLEX CHALLENGES THAT YOU ALL ARE FACING IN YOUR COMMUNITIES.
AND SO I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF A NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE COHORT IN THE LAST YEAR, WHICH GENESIS WAS ONE OF THE FIRST, UM, UH, COHORT MEMBERS THAT WE HAD.
WE'RE HOPING TO LAUNCH A SECOND ONE, UM, IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
AND SO WE'RE THINKING ABOUT WHAT IS THIS RESPONSIBILITY FOR INTEGRATING PUBLIC POLICY THAT REALLY CHANGES NOT JUST THE RIGHT NOW, BUT CHANGES THE FUTURE SO OUR COMMUNITIES CAN REALLY ACCESS THE WEALTH AND RESOURCES THAT WE TALK ABOUT.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY WANNA NAME BEFORE I INVITE MY PANELISTS TO SHARE THEIR PERSPECTIVES IS WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT? COME ON, I, I, I NEED, I'M LIKE DR.
SEE, WATER, ROADS, SEWER, TRANSPORTATION, BRIDGES, WHAT ELSE? HIGHWAYS.
DO YOU ALL THINK ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE AS PEOPLE? I CHALLENGE YOU TO ADJUST THE LENS IN WHICH WE'RE THINKING ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE.
IF WE BEGIN TO CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE AS PHYSICAL BRICKS AND MORTAR, THE THINGS THAT WE, THE BUILDINGS, THE ROADS, UM, THE ENERGY SYSTEMS, THE SEWAGE SYSTEMS, WE WILL MISS THE CRITICAL COMPONENT WHICH IS ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE AS PEOPLE.
AND THAT THE INVESTMENT IS ABOUT THE PEOPLE.
THE INVESTMENT ISN'T ABOUT HOW BEAUTIFUL YOUR TRANSPORTATION PATHWAYS ARE.
IF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ENGAGED IN THOSE TRANSPORTATION PATHWAYS DO NOT EXPERIENCE THE FULL INVESTMENT OF THAT OPPORTUNITY, WE'VE MISSED THE BOAT.
SO THINK ABOUT INVESTMENT INFRASTRUCTURE AS PEOPLE.
THESE ARE ONE OF THE CRITICAL PRINCIPLES THAT I BRING TO YOU ON BEHALF OF COMMUNITIES.
FIRST, AS WE ARE PIVOTING THE WAY THAT WE THINK ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE RESPONSIBILITY, THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE YOUR COMMUNITIES THIRSTING FOR THEIR OLD SELF-DETERMINATION.
HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? ALL COMMUNITIES HAS A RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION.
AND SO YOUR PUBLIC POLICY NEEDS TO CENTER THOSE MOST HARM AND THEY NEED TO BE A PART OF NOT JUST THE DATA IN THE WAYS THAT YOU TRIM IT AS WE HAVE THESE TYPES OF CONVERSATIONS, BUT THEY NEED TO BE ACTIVELY A PART OF YOUR SOLUTION TABLES.
AND SO THOSE ARE MY REMARKS THAT I WOULD'VE SHARED AS I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THE CHANGE IN PUBLIC POLICY AND SOME OF THE NATIONAL CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE HAVING.
UM, BUT RIGHT NOW I WANNA GET INTO THE PANEL BECAUSE THEY HAVE SOME INCREDIBLE INSIGHTS TO SHARE AND WE CAN KIND OF GO BACK AND FORTH.
SO I'M GONNA START WITH ANDREA.
SO I JUST ADVISE FOLKS TO THINK ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE IN TERMS OF THINKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE, IS IMPACTED BY TRADITIONAL, UM, DEFINITIONS OF INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO AS PEOPLE THINK ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE AND ITS CONNECTIONS TO THE RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISPARITIES THAT WE SEE, SEE TODAY, WE KNOW THAT ONE COMPONENT TO THIS IS ZONING.
WHILE ONE MAY NOT THINK ABOUT ZONING UPFRONT, IT IS A KEY CORNERSTONE OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE EQUITY AND IT IS VITAL.
CAN YOU SHARE SOME OF THE ZONING CHALLENGES DALLAS IS FACING TODAY?
[03:25:03]
THANK YOU EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.UM, I AM THE INTERIM DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND URBAN DESIGN.
SO LARGELY WHAT WE DO IS THE LONG RANGE PLANNING, THE 20 YEAR PLANNING, BUT THEN WE ALSO DO THE SHORT TERM ZONING.
AND AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, IN DALLAS, IT IS EXTREMELY COMPLEX.
ZONING IN AND OF ITSELF IS COMPLEX, BUT ZONING IN DALLAS IS EVEN MORE SO COMPLEX.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT ONE OF THE BIGGEST BARRIERS FROM A ZONING PERSPECTIVE IS THAT WE HAVEN'T SPENT ENOUGH TIME STRATEGICALLY PLANNING AND ENGAGING WITH COMMUNITY AHEAD OF THE ZONING.
SO WE HAVEN'T LOOKED AT, WE AREN'T GOOD PREDICTORS OF WHERE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS TO GO BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T DONE THE COMPREHENSIVE AND STRATEGIC PLANNING AHEAD OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT MAY COME IN OR NOT COME IN BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT STRATEGIC PLANNING.
AND PART OF WHAT OUR COMMITMENT IS, AND WHAT I THINK IS SO CRITICAL IS FROM A PLANNING PERSPECTIVE IS ALSO AND SHOULD BE TIED TO THE ENGAGEMENT PIECE, RIGHT? BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE TALKING AT THE BEGINNING, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT ALL THIS FUNDING, FUNDING, WE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, THE STATE LEVEL, THE LOCAL LEVEL, BUT WHO HAS THE VOICE IN THAT FUNDING AND WHERE IT'S, WHERE IT'S GETTING DIRECTED.
SO IN MY WORLD, FROM LAND USE AND PLANNING, PART OF WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS BE MUCH MORE STRATEGIC ABOUT WHERE WE'RE PLANNING FOR THIS GROWTH, FOLLOW IT UP WITH THE ZONING SO THAT IT IS MORE COMPREHENSIVE AND STRATEGIC.
AND IN PART, AS PART OF THAT PLANNING, MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ENGAGING WITH FOLKS SO THAT THEY FULLY UNDERSTAND AND KNOW WHEN, WHAT THE TIMING IS OF THAT FUNDING, WHEN TO ASK FOR IT AND BE PREPARED FOR IT.
SO I HEARD YOU TALK ABOUT FRONTLINE COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS, RIGHT? THAT CENTER COMMUNITY WISDOM, THAT ZONING IS A COMPLEX ISSUE, BUT IF YOU KIND OF THE WAY THAT YOU ENGAGE WITH IT, YOU COULD ULTIMATELY END UP WITH DIFFERENT RESULTS.
SO I WANNA MOVE TO JAMES HAVING HEARD THAT AS YOU'RE REPRESENTING A NONPROFIT BUILDERS OF HOPE AND THAT YOU EXPERIENCE HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTURE FROM A DIFFERENT VANTAGE POINT AND ITS CONNECTIONS TO RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISPARITIES.
AND SO WE JUST TALKED ABOUT A KEY COMPONENT OF ZONING, BUT WHAT ARE YOUR FUNDAMENTAL RULES WHEN IT COMES TO THE DESIGN OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING? YOU TALK ABOUT THREE RULES, PROVIDE US A LITTLE HISTORY ABOUT THOSE RULES AND THIS VANTAGE POINT THAT YOU'RE TAKING TOWARDS THIS COMPLEX ISSUE.
YEAH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE INVITATION.
UM, MY APOLOGIES FOR THE LUMBERJACK OUTFIT.
I'VE BEEN IN THE AIRPORT SINCE THREE THIS MORNING TRYING TO GET HERE.
UM, SO YOU ASKED ABOUT THE DESIGN OF THE HOMES, WHICH IS MORE SO DRILLED DOWN INTO WHAT WE DO.
WE, WE, I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF LEADING BUILDERS OF HOPE, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
WE DON'T JUST BUILD HOMES, WE BUILD COMMUNITIES.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE PRINCIPLES AT THE MICRO LEVEL, IT HAS EVERYTHING TO, TO DO WITH THE PRINCIPLES AT THE MACRO LEVEL.
AND THOSE PRINCIPLES ARE THIS, NUMBER ONE, YOU HAVE TO BE INTENTIONAL AND IN, IN WAYS THAT OUR CITY HAS PLANNED BEFORE AND STRUCTURED NEIGHBORHOODS, WE HAVE NOT BEEN INTENTIONAL.
WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE LIVE IN A CAPITALISTIC SOCIETY.
IN A CAPITALISTIC SOCIETY, SOMEBODY HAS TO BE POOR, RIGHT? AND SO IF WE ARE REINFORCING THESE IDEOLOGIES, UM, THEN WE'RE NOT BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT HOW CAN WE ASSURE THAT EVERYONE HAS THE SAME ACCESS, THAT EVERYONE HAS THE SAME QUALITY OF LIFE, RIGHT? WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE AND EQUITIES, UM, IT, IT BASICALLY IS DENYING KNOW, BLACK AND BROWN FAMILIES THIS IDEA THAT EVERYONE HA SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO A DECENT QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND SO THAT IS THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE THAT YOU HAVE TO BE INTENTIONAL IN WHAT YOU BUILD.
NOT JUST BUILD, BUT YOU HAVE TO BE INTENTIONAL.
YOU HAVE TO BE INTENTIONAL IN A, IN A WAY THAT YOU ARE ASSURE THAT COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY LEFT OUT OF THE PROCESS, INTENTIONALLY LEFT OUT OF THE PROCESS, THAT THEY ARE NOT ONLY IN THE PROCESS, THEY'RE NOT ONLY INCLUDED IN THE PROCESS, BUT THEY'RE DRIVING THE PROCESS, RIGHT? IT'S NOT JUST TO SAY, HEY, WE, WE, WE GOT THEIR COMMENTS AT THE LATTER END OF THE DISCUSSION.
NO, THE COMMUNITY HAS TO DRIVE THE PROCESS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, INVESTMENT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, AT BUILDERS OF HOPE, THAT'S
[03:30:01]
WHAT WE DO.UM, AND OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLE AND OUR VISION IS THAT ALL COMMUNITIES ARE INVOLVED AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF WHAT THEY WANT THEIR COMMUNITY TO BE LIKE, RIGHT? UM, THAT THEY THANK YOU.
HE, HE'S FROM WEST DALLAS, SO THAT'S WHY I GOT THAT HAND CLAP
BUT, BUT YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THIS BECAUSE, UH, IT OFTEN, IT, IT, IT AMAZES ME THAT SOMETIMES WE ARE BEWILDERED BY THE LACK OF GROWTH IN SOUTHERN, IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR.
BUT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT, UH, THE INTENTIONALITY OF WITHHOLDING INVESTMENTS IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR FOR SO LONG IN OUR CITY, EXPECTING GROWTH IN AN AREA THAT HAS BEEN INTENTIONALLY EXCLUDED FROM PRIVATE INVESTMENT IS LIKE EXPECTING A ROSE TO THRIVE ONCE IT'S BEEN PICKED FROM THE THO FROM THE VINE, RIGHT? IT'S GONNA DIE.
AND THAT'S WHAT OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING.
AND SO WE HAVE TO BE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT IT.
AND IF YOU WERE TO SAY WHAT IS THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE OF WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE DO IT, WHETHER IT'S OUR AFFORDABLE HOME PROJECTS IN SOUTH DALLAS AND WEST DALLAS AND FARMER'S BRANCH, WHETHER IT'S OUR CITYWIDE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT PROJECT, WHETHER IT'S OUR WEST DALLAS COMMUNITY VISION PLAN OR OUR MILL CITY PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVE, IT'S ALL ABOUT BEING INTENTIONAL, MAKING SURE THAT YOU TAKE THE TIME AND YOU INCLUDE THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN A WAY THAT THEY ARE DRIVING THE PROCESS AND NOT JUST PART OF THE PROCESS.
UM, AGAIN, PROACTIVE COLLABORATION WITH YOUR COMMUNITIES INFRASTRUCTURE AS THE ACTUAL PEOPLE WHO WILL BE ULTIMATELY LIVING WITH THE RESULTS OF THE DECISIONS THAT ARE GETTING MADE, WHETHER THEY'RE GETTING MADE AT THE GOVERNMENT LEVEL OR BY NONPROFITS.
AND SO I HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION FOR YOU, JAMES, BUT I'M GONNA COME BACK TO THAT BECAUSE I WANNA BRING IN GENESIS AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR, UM, FROM HER.
AND SO FIRST, CONGRATULATIONS ON LEADING DALLAS'S DIGITAL EQUITY EFFORTS, WHICH WE UNDERSTAND IS VITAL TO RESIDENTS QUALITY OF LIFE, PARTICULARLY THOSE LIVING IN DISADVANTAGE HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.
AND WHEN PEOPLE THINK ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS, AGAIN, DIGITAL EQUITY MAY NOT BE THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO THEIR MINDS.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HOUSING AND OTHER, UM, PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE THINGS, BUT CAN YOU BREAK DOWN FOR US THE CORRELATION BETWEEN THIS CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE HAVING ON INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE IMPACTS OF DIGITAL EQUITY? YES, THANK YOU.
UM, SO YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING, CHIEF OF STAFF RESILIENCE OFFICER, WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO WITH DIGITAL EQUITY? RIGHT? AS CHIEF OF STAFF, I HAVE THE HONOR OF HAVING THE CATCHALL KIND OF, UM, PORTFOLIO.
AND SO THAT INCLUDES THE BROADBAND AND DIGITAL EQUITY STRATEGIC PLAN.
UM, AND SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE CORRELATION OF DIGITAL EQUITY AND HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE, FIRST I WANNA ASK YOU WHO I, I'M PREDOMINANTLY, HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE BELOW I, 30 PEOPLE IN THE ROOM BELOW I 30? OKAY, FOR THOSE WHO RAISE THEIR HANDS, CAN YOU FOR SURE SAY YOU HAVE HIGH SPEED INTERNET? NO.
RIGHT? SO DO YOU PAY MORE THAN 50 OR $60 FOR YOUR SO-CALLED HIGH SPEED INTERNET.
WE PAY MORE FOR LESS, RIGHT? AND THAT SEEMS, WE KNOW THAT THAT HAPPENS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, THAT GOES TO THE LACK OF INFRASTRUCTURE, MEANING FIBER NETWORK IN THE GROUND.
AND WHETHER THAT'S THE PRIVATE SECTOR OR THE PUBLIC SECTOR MAKING THAT INVESTMENT, THERE IS JUST A LACK OF THAT.
AND SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED DURING COVID, PEOPLE STAYED HOME, RIGHT? HAD TO WORK FROM HOME, GO TO SCHOOL, FROM HOME.
BUT WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THAT INTERNET, THAT CAPABILITY IN YOUR HOME BECAUSE YOU HAVE LIKE THE WORST OF THE WORST INTERNET, OR YOU JUST DON'T EVEN HAVE IT TO BEGIN WITH IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, THEN YOU HAVE, YOU COULDN'T SAFELY DISTANCE YOURSELVES, RIGHT? DURING THE PANDEMIC, YOU ARE SITTING IN PARKING LOTS.
YOU ARE IN, UM, YOU ARE IN, IN THE PARKS TRYING TO CAPTURE OUR OWN WIFI AT OUR LIBRARIES.
AND SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT HOUSING, IT'S NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, OH, WELL YOU SHOULD, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET INTERNET IN THAT HOME.
WELL, WE ALSO HAVE TO ENABLE AND ALLOW FOR FIBER TO BE BUILT IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND HAVE THAT CONNECTION.
AND RIGHT NOW, SO THE CITY IS CURRENTLY IN THIS PROCESS OF, UM, PROCURING FOR OUR MIDDLE MILE.
AND WE WILL, WE HAVE NO DESIRE TO BE AN INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER AS A CITY.
BUT WHAT I SAY IS WE WANT TO BE AN ENABLER.
WE'RE BUILDING THAT, THAT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ALLOWS FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO THEN BUILD THAT LAST MILE TO MAKE IT TO YOUR HOME SO THAT IN THEIR MIND THEY'RE NO LONGER, OH, IT'S NOT PROFITABLE TO COME TO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
WELL, HOW CAN YOU SAY IT'S NOT PROFITABLE IF THE CITY ALREADY BUILT THAT MIDDLE MILE THERE? ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS CONNECT THE HOME TO THAT, THAT THAT INFRASTRUCTURE, RIGHT? AND SO
[03:35:01]
WHAT IS THEN THE BUSINESS CASE FOR THEM? BECAUSE IF THE BUSINESS CASE FOR THEM RIGHT NOW IS THAT I CAN'T MAKE THE PROFIT OFF OF THAT HOME BECAUSE I CAN'T CHARGE $90 FOR A HUNDRED UP, UH, AND 50 DOWN, RIGHT? BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE ONLY GETTING 25 3, LET'S BE REALISTIC.AND THEY'RE STILL CHARGING US 60 $90 FOR, SO-CALLED HIGH SPEED INTERNET.
WHAT IS THEIR PROFIT MOTIVE? AND SO IF WE BUILD AND ENABLE THAT MIDDLE MILE, THERE'S NO LONGER THAT CONVERSATION OF THERE'S NO PROFIT DRIVEN THERE.
SO I THINK ABOUT, AND THEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE, UH, CONNECTION WITH THE VALUE OF YOUR HOMES.
IF YOU LIVE IN A SINGLE FAMILY HOME AND YOU'RE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WITH HIGH SPEED INTERNET, PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO, YOUR HOUSE WILL BE PRICED DIFFERENTLY THAN A HOME THAT IS NOT CONNECTED, RIGHT? I AM SURE IF YOU ARE RESEARCHING HOMES AND NEIGHBORHOODS, OH, IS THIS A SERVICEABLE AREA? I'M SURE, UH, A LEADING ISP NETWORK WILL SAY THAT YES, WE SERVICE 99.9% OF THIS CITY.
UM, IF YOU GO TO, UH, AND YOU SEE WHERE DO THEY SERVE YOU, ENTER YOUR ADDRESS, RIGHT? SO YOU THINK ABOUT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT GO INTO WHERE PEOPLE DECIDE WHERE THEY WANNA BUY A HOME OR WHERE THEY WANNA RENT A A, UM, A UNIT IS HIGH SPEED INTERNET GOING TO BE AVAILABLE? AND SO WE THINK ABOUT THAT IN TERMS OF HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE VALUE OF PEOPLE'S HOMES AND COMPACTING ALL THE OTHER DECISIONS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE IN TERMS OF, UM, WHAT CONSTITUTES AS INFRASTRUCTURE.
THANKS GENESIS, AS YOU CAN SEE, WHILE WE HAD HER IN THE COHORT.
AGAIN, BECAUSE INFRASTRUCTURE IS MORE THAN JUST THE WAYS THAT WE'VE NORMALLY THOUGHT OF, THOUGHT OF THEM.
SO I WAS SO FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE I HAD MY CARDS RIGHT AND THAT I SAID THE PIECES THAT I NEEDED TO SAY, Y'ALL KNOW WHAT? I FORGOT TO HAVE THE PEOPLE SAY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEMSELVES BEFORE THEY JUMPED INTO THEIR QUESTION.
SO AS I BRING IT BACK IN ANDREA TO UH, KIND OF ADDRESS THE FORWARD DALLAS PLAN FROM HER ROLE IN PLANNING IN URBAN DESIGN HERE WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS, ANDREA, IF YOU COULD JUST TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING IN THE PLANNING AND URBAN DESIGN AREA AND THEN, UM, THE WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING AS IT RELATES TO THE NEW DALLAS FORWARD PLAN AND SOME OF THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES THAT YOU ALL ARE WRESTLING WITH AND HOW IT COMPARES TO WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OTHER CITIES.
SO TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND THEN YOU CAN KIND OF SHARE WITH US ABOUT DALLAS FORWARD.
'CAUSE I'M SUPER CURIOUS,
UM, WE HAVE A MEETING AND ENGAGING FOR CLOSE TO TWO YEARS NOW.
ACTUALLY, IT'S PROBABLY BEEN A LITTLE BIT OVER TWO YEARS.
UM, SO I AM A PLANNER, UM, BUT A PLANNER WHO FOCUSES ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND I, IT WAS, IT'S SURPRISING SOMETIMES WHEN I HEAR FROM PEOPLE THAT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY THINK THAT PLANNERS DO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UM, AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT IT IS ROOTED.
WE NEED TO PLAN WITH PEOPLE ALONGSIDE OF PEOPLE.
AND IT IS, IT IS A 100% PART, IT'S A PARTNERSHIP.
I HAVE SKILLS THAT MAYBE RESIDENTS DON'T HAVE.
RESIDENTS DEFINITELY HAVE SKILLS I DON'T HAVE.
SO WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO ADVANCE OUR COMMUNITIES.
UM, SO A BIG PART OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IN, UM, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, THE PLANNING AND URBAN URBAN DESIGN DEPARTMENT OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS IS WORKING ON FORWARD DALLAS.
IT'S A CITYWIDE COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN.
THAT IS A BIG DIFFERENCE FROM ACROSS THE NATION.
MOST MAJOR CITIES, MOST SMALL CITIES HAVE A LAND USE PLAN.
AND WHAT WE WOULD NORMALLY BE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW IS AN UPDATE TO OUR LAND USE PLAN.
BUT WE'RE WORKING ON OUR FIRST CITYWIDE LAND USE PLAN.
AND WHAT THAT IS, IS THINKING ABOUT WHERE WE GROW AS A CITY OVER THE NEXT 10 TO 20 YEARS WHERE WE DON'T GROW, RIGHT? WE ALWAYS THINK ABOUT GROWTH, BUT THEN WE ALSO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHERE WE PRESERVE.
AND WE HAVE TO BE VERY, VERY, AS JAMES SAID, INTENTIONAL ABOUT THAT AND THOUGHTFUL ABOUT IT.
BECAUSE GETTING BACK TO INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S SO CRITICAL TO INFRASTRUCTURE, WE CAN'T KEEP DOING PIECEMEAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS OR JUST WHERE DEVELOPMENT IS ALREADY OCCURRING AND WE KNOW WHERE IT CAN BE FINANCED.
THAT'S WHERE WE PUT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE HAVE TO BE THINKING ABOUT IT MORE GLOBALLY, MORE EQUITABLY.
AND IDEALLY AT THIS POINT, AND THROUGH FORWARD DALLAS, WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO IS REALLY THINK ABOUT THE AREAS THAT MAYBE HAVEN'T BEEN PLANNED IN THE PAST.
IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T HAVE PLANS IN DALLAS, WE HAVE A TON OF PLANS IN DALLAS, BUT WE JUST DON'T HAVE THEM ALL OVER.
OR WE ONLY HAVE THEM IN CERTAIN AREAS, OR WE ONLY HAVE THEM WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY BACKING IN CERTAIN AREAS.
[03:40:01]
SO WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO THROUGH FORWARD DALLAS IS YES, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE CITY, BUT WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO FOCUS ON AREAS THAT HAVEN'T NECESSARILY BEEN PART OF THE CONVERSATION IN THE PAST AND REALLY TALKING ABOUT.SO IT'S BEEN PART, THE REASON WHY WE'VE HAD TWO YEARS OF ENGAGEMENT IS BECAUSE SO MUCH OF IT IS THE INITIAL EDUCATION SO THAT EVERYBODY HAS A BASELINE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SAME KIND OF INFORMATION, BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF IT TOO.
YOU KNOW, EVERY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE COME DOWN TO CITY HALL, THEY KNOW WHAT TO SAY TO GET SOMETHING, THEY KNOW WHAT TO SAY TO GET THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
A LOT OF COMMUNITIES DON'T KNOW THE WORDS, DON'T KNOW HOW TO GRAB ONTO THAT.
SO THAT IS A BIG PART OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO THROUGH FORWARD DALLAS, IS TO BRIDGE THAT GAP AND THEN MOVE THROUGH AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE TOPICS THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE WAS BROUGHT UP EARLIER AS A PLANNER IN MY, YOU KNOW, AS I GO OUT AND DO COMPREHENSIVE PLANS, WOULD THAT HAVE BEEN THE BIGGEST TOPIC OF CONVERSATION FOR MY COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN? PROBABLY NOT IF I WAS DOING IT ON MY OWN AS A PLANNER, BUT THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT HAS BEEN ONE OF OUR BIGGEST TOPIC AREAS IS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND HOW OUR LAND USE PLAN ADDRESSES THOSE ECONOMIC DISPAR OR THOSE ENVIRONMENTAL DISPARITIES THAT WE'VE SEEN HISTORICALLY AND HOW ZONING AND LAND USE HAVE PLAYED A PART IN THAT.
AND THEN THE, OBVIOUSLY THE BIG TOPIC OF CONVERSATION TOO IS HOUSING, HOUSING CHOICE, HOUSING OPPORTUNITY.
AND AGAIN, LOOKING AT THAT EQUITABLY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WILL SAY THAT WE'RE DOING DIFFERENTLY AND THAT WE'RE, IT'S WE'RE HAVING, AND THOR MENTIONED THIS IN THE LAST PANEL, IT'S HARD CONVERSATIONS, BUT IT'S A CONVERSATION THAT NEEDED TO BE HAD.
AND YOU KNOW, IT WAS, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS FROM A REDLINING PERSPECTIVE, THAT WE WERE GOING OUT TO WEST DALLAS AND TO SOUTH DALLAS AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OUR RESIDENTIAL LAND USES AND HOW WE LOOK AT THEM AND HOW WE ACCOMMODATE MORE HOUSING IN THE FUTURE.
HOW THE ENTIRE CITY ACCOMMODATES MORE HOUSING IN THE FUTURE.
AND WEST DALLAS AND SOUTH DALLAS WERE SAYING, WELL, WHY DOES IT LOOK LIKE WE MAYBE NEED TO ACCOMMODATE MORE DENSITY THAN THESE OTHER SINGLE FAMILY AREAS? ISN'T THAT JUST ANOTHER FORM OF REDLINING YOU'RE SAYING PUT IT ALL HERE, BUT NOT HERE.
SO REALLY WE STARTED AND WE HAD, WE SHIFTED THE RECOMMENDATIONS SO THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE SAME WAY.
WE ALL NEED TO ACCOMMODATE MORE HOUSING IN THE SAME WAY.
YOU DON'T GET ONE LAND USE AND YOU DON'T GET ANOTHER LAND USE JUST BECAUSE IT'S A DIFFERENT TYPE OF SINGLE FAMILY.
SO WE'VE BEEN HEARING THAT A LOT OF THAT IS JUST SPENDING A LOT OF TIME IN AREAS WE HAVEN'T TRADITIONALLY SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN.
UM, SO I THINK THAT'S BEEN CRITICAL TO THE PIECE OF FORWARD DALLAS.
AGAIN, I WILL SAY IT'S NOT A PERFECT PLAN AND THERE'S STILL A LOT OF PROCESS YET LEFT TO GO, BUT I THINK WE'VE MADE A LOT OF HEADWAY AND WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF REALLY IMPORTANT FEEDBACK AND CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM TO THE WAY THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THINGS, WHICH HAS BEEN ULTIMATELY VERY HELPFUL TO THIS PLAN.
UM, IT, IT'S SO INCREDIBLE TO HEAR THE FACT THAT YOU STARTED THIS PROCESS TWO YEARS AGO AND KIND OF GOING DOWN A ROAD AND YOU SAID, PAUSING AND THINKING ABOUT THE PLANNERS AREN'T THE ONLY ONES RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT THE FUTURE OF DALLAS LOOKS LIKE.
LOTS OF OTHER STAKEHOLDERS NEED TO BE AT THE TABLE.
THEIR VOICES NEED TO BE HEARD.
YOU NEED OTHER PEOPLE TO CHECK YOUR OWN BLIND SPOTS.
TOO MANY OF US WHO WORK IN GOVERNMENT, PARTICULARLY IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WHICH I SPENT 15 YEARS OF MY CAREER, OLDER THAN WHAT YOU THINK I KNOW, UM, ARE IN OFFICES TALKING TO OURSELVES ABOUT THE THINGS WE WANT TO DO AND ALL THE GRAND IDEAS THAT WE HAVE.
AND WE NEED TO CREATE MORE INTEGRATIVE, MORE, UM, BRIDGED PATHWAYS WITH OTHER FOLKS WHO ARE NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO DAY TO DAY.
NOBODY TRYING TO BE LIKE ALL UP IN YOUR BUSINESS, BUT SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA LET PEOPLE BE ALL UP IN YOUR BUSINESS IF YOU'RE REALLY CENTERING COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL CHANGE.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA INVITE JAMES TO COME BACK TO TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, BUILDERS OF HOPE AND HIS OWN WORK, BUT ALSO TO TALK ABOUT THIS IDEA THAT, UH, ANDREA STARTED TO TALK.
SHE SAID, WE ARE HAVING THE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHERE DO WE GROW AND WHERE DO WE PRESERVE.
AND SO WE KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN LINGERING IMPACTS OF DISPLACEMENT, OF HISTORICAL DISINVESTMENT, OF STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, RIGHT? AS YOU TALK ABOUT HOW RACIAL AND ETHNIC EQUITY DISPARITIES IMPACTS SPECIFICALLY IN INFRASTRUCTURE, THE POLICY
[03:45:01]
DECISIONS HAS LED TO STRUCTURAL VIOLENCE THAT MANY OF THESE COMMUNITIES CANNOT RECOVER FROM.THEY DIDN'T JUST STOP RECOVERING BECAUSE OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
THEY WERE ALREADY DISADVANTAGED BEFORE THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
THEY WERE NOT READY TO HANDLE THE ISSUES THAT THE PANDEMIC BROUGHT WITH THEM AND ARE STILL RECOVERING FROM THOSE ISSUES TODAY.
MOST OFTEN IT'S OUR NONPROFITS, THE VEHICLES THROUGH WHICH GOVERNMENT DOES ITS WORK THAT HAS TO HELP TO CLEAN THESE THINGS UP IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
SO IF YOU CAN JUST SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THESE LINGERING IMPACTS OF RACIALLY EXCLUSIONARY POLICY AND WHAT YOU ARE SEEING, HOW AND HOW THAT IMPACTS THE WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING.
SO, UM, POLICY HAS THE POTENTIAL OF BEING THE DOG THAT BARKS, BUT NO BITE.
UM, AND WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE IS NOT A MECHANISM TO MONITOR THE POLICY THAT HAS PASSED.
RONNIE WAS JUST SAYING IT, WE ARE, I LOVE OUR CITY, BUT WE HAVE A HISTORY OF PASSING POLICY BUT NOT ENFORCING IT AND THEREBY JUST REINFORCING THE SYSTEMS OF, OF INEQUALITY.
AND SO WE HAVE TO BE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT NOT ONLY CHANGING POLICY, BUT MAKING SURE THAT PRACTICES ARE ALSO CHANGED, RIGHT? NOT JUST POLICY, BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THOSE PRACTICES AND PRACTICES HAVE EVERYTHING TO DO WITH PRIORITY.
WHAT DO WE PRIORITIZE AS A CITY? IT'S SEEN IN THE WAY THAT WE DO BUSINESS AS A CITY.
IT'S SEEN IN OUR PRACTICES WHENEVER WE SIDE WITH PRIVATE DEVELOPERS OVER NEIGHBORHOOD SELF DETERMINATION THAT TELLS OUR PRACTICE, RIGHT? WHENEVER WE SAY, LOOK AT THE OLD LADY WHO, WHO HAD TO STRUGGLE TO GET DOWN TO CITY HALL TO SPEAK UP AGAINST, UH, UH, THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S COMING TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE SAY, WE DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU AND WE'RE GONNA GROW OUR TAX BASE THAT SPEAKS TO OUR PRACTICES.
AND WE AS A CITY, WE HAVE TO HAVE AN AWAKENING ON WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US.
IF WE WANT TO BE THIS INCLUSIVE, THIS EQUITABLE, THIS GLORIOUS CITY, THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CHANGE THOSE PRACTICES THAT ARE SO ROOTED.
WAY BACK WHEN, WHEN DALLAS WAS REDLINED AND YOU HAD ALL OF THESE DISPARITIES IN THESE BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES.
AND IT'S GONNA TAKE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM THAT SAYS THAT I'M GOING TO BE SOMEBODY THAT ENFORCED PRACTICES OF EQUALITY.
RIGHT? AND SO WE, THANKS TO COUNCILMAN CASEY THOMAS I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S GOTTEN RECOGNITION YET, BUT, UM, IN HIS, UH, EFFORT TO PUSH THIS RACIAL EQUITY, I ALSO WANNA MAKE MENTION EVERY TIME SHE'S IN THE ROOM, I HAVE TO MAKE MENTION BECAUSE WHEN I TELL YOU SHE IS A FIGHTER FOR JUSTICE COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS GAY WILLIS, SHE, SHE, SHE'S THE TRUTH.
UM, BUT, BUT WE, WE, WE RECOGNIZED, AND THIS REALLY CAME FROM OUR WORK IN WEST DALLAS.
UH, MY MENTOR IS HERE, UM, RONNIE MEES, UM, AND LEGACY WEST DALLAS, UH, UH, LEADER.
WE GOT TIRED OF GOING DOWN THE CITY HALL FIGHTING THESE DEVELOPERS AND WE SAID THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY.
SO WE BROUGHT FORTH THE WEST DALLAS VISION PLAN, WE BROUGHT FORTH THIS ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TOOLKIT, ADOPTING, UH, UH, INITIATIVES THAT WERE DONE IN OTHER MAJOR CITIES LIKE AUSTIN AND SAN ANTONIO THAT HAVE THESE TOOLKITS SO THAT WHEN THEY DO PASS POLICY, THAT IT'S SEEN THROUGH AN ANTI-DISPLACEMENT LENS.
GET THAT IT'S THE POLICY THAT IS PASSED, BUT IT'S PASSED THROUGH AN ANTI-DISPLACEMENT LENS SO THAT PRACTICES CAN FOLLOW.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IN OUR CITY.
WE'RE PASSING THIS ANTI DISPLACEMENT TOOLKIT.
WE'RE GONNA RELEASE IT IN MARCH.
UM, WE ALREADY HAVE FIVE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT SHOWCASE DIFFERENT PROFILES OF DISPLACEMENT.
WE'VE ALREADY SEEN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE MOST AT RISK OF DISPLACEMENT.
WE ALREADY HAVE THAT DATA AND WE'RE GONNA BE RELEASING IT IN MARCH, HOPEFULLY, SO THAT THE CITY CAN BE INFORMED AND NEIGHBORHOODS LEADERS CAN BE EMPOWERED ON HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE SEE IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN, STATE AND THOMAS SHORT, NORTH DALLAS IS WHAT MY GRANDPARENTS USED TO CALL IT.
LITTLE MEXICO WEST DALLAS, HAMILTON PARK, UM, THE NEIGHBORHOOD BY LOVEVILLE AIRPORT, UM, ELM THICKETT.
AND IF WE ARE NOT INTENTIONAL AS A CITY, WE WILL BE A CITY JUST LIKE SAN FRANCISCO, WHERE TRACES OF BLACK AND BROWN FAMILIES ARE WIPED OUT AND REPLACED WITH BIG PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE HAVE TO DETERMINE IF THAT'S WHAT WE WANT OUR CITY TO BE.
AND I DIDN'T EVEN SET HIM UP
I MET HIM JUST BEFORE WE WALKED ON THE STAGE.
SO, I MEAN, I THINK THAT MESSAGE THAT JAMES JUST DROPPED IS REALLY
[03:50:01]
WHEN I TALKED ABOUT INVESTMENT IN FOLKS, PEOPLE AS INFRASTRUCTURE BRIDGING, UM, CROSS COLLABORATION, HONORING SELF-DETERMINATION ABOUT PEOPLE HELPING TO IDENTIFY THEIR OWN NEEDS AND HOW THEY SOLVE THOSE THINGS.AND SO YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU ARE THE CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE CITY MANAGER AND THE RESILIENCE OFFICER HERE AT THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND I KNOW YOU ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE GLOBAL IMPACTS OF DIGITAL DIVIDE AND HOW THIS IMPACTS INFRASTRUCTURE.
BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND, UM, HOW IS DALLAS THINKING ABOUT THE CRITICAL JUNCTURE THAT YOU ALL ARE AS A CITY, KNOWING THAT THERE IS TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS COMING FORTH TO CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
TRILLION WITH A T BY THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION THAT ARE, THAT IS OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS EXPECTED TO GET ROLLED OUT IN MONUMENTAL PLANS THAT WILL CHANGE THE LANDSCAPE OF OUR COMMUNITIES FOR GENERATIONS.
FOLKS WON'T LIKE IT WHEN IT'S HAPPENING 'CAUSE IT'S GONNA MEAN A LOT OF UPROOTING IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND IN YOUR TRAFFIC ROUTE TO WORK.
BUT YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN WILL EXPERIENCE A DIFFERENT DALLAS AND MR. ARMSTRONG JUST CALLED FOR, IT CAN BE A DALLAS.
THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AS WE SIT HERE IN JANUARY, 2024 AND JANUARY, 2054.
SO HOW ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT NURTURING AND CULTIVATING ALL OF THE CULTURE, ALL OF THE RICHNESS OF DALLAS SO THAT YOU DON'T BECOME A CITY THAT'S LIKE SO MANY OTHER CITIES WITHOUT IDENTITY? AND THEN YOU CAN DROP IN SOMETHING ABOUT DIGITAL DIVIDE.
I, I THINK ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT I COME OUT OF THE TRANSFORMATIVE JUSTICE INFRASTRUCTURE FELLOWSHIP, GOTTA PUT A PLUG IN FOR THAT, AND FOR MY GREAT, UM, UH, LEADER FOR THE FELLOWSHIP IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE WAY WE POSITION OURSELVES AS, UM, CITY LEADERS, RIGHT? SO THE COHORT WAS MADE OF CITY, UM, LEADERS AT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF THE ORGANIZATION KNOWING THAT WE HAD THE ABILITY TO MAKE AN IMPACT USING THE SAME DOLLARS THAT MARSHA IS TALKING ABOUT.
BUT REALLY CALLING TO QUESTION AND UNDERSTANDING OUR POSITIONALITY AND HAVING THAT REFLEXIVITY, IF YOU'RE A RESEARCHER, YOU KNOW, REFLEXIVITY IS LIKE UNDERSTANDING WHERE YOU ARE AS A RESEARCHER AND HOW THAT IMPACTS THEN YOUR DATA, YOUR ANALYSIS, AND YOUR, UM, AND WHAT YOU REPORT OUT.
SO THAT'S THE SAME THING AS WE AS, UM, CITY OR GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, RIGHT? HOW, WHAT IS OUR LENS? HOW ARE WE VIEWING THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY? AND HOW IMPORTANT THEN IS THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND CENTERING OUR COMMUNITY IN THE WORK THAT WE DO? I THINK THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SIX MONTH FELLOWSHIP IS LIKE, WHERE IS COMMUNITY IN THIS, RIGHT? AND IF YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THE MONEY THAT IS AVAILABLE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, UM, THE BIDEN HARRIS ADMINISTRATION HAS DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB AT CALLING FOR PARTNERSHIPS AND REALLY ASKING COMMUNITIES THAT QUESTION OF WHERE ARE THOSE MOST DISADVANTAGED AND MOST DISPLACED COMMUNITIES? HOW ARE, HOW ARE THEY AS PART OF YOUR APPLICATION? I THINK WE'RE DOING A GREAT JOB AT, UM, AT THE CITY OF REALLY STEPPING ASIDE BECAUSE WE KNOW EVEN SOME OF THOSE APPLI UH, THOSE FUNDING APPLICATIONS, THE CITY CAN'T SERVE AS THE LEAD APPLICANT.
YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO TAKE A BACK SEAT.
AND THAT IS A VERY INTENTIONAL APPROACH I THINK THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS DONE.
UM, MOST RECENTLY I WAS TALKING TO, UM, I THINK IT WAS THE ST.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE GOING FOR AN EPA GRANT.
LIKE, OKAY, BUT WE'RE LEADING IT.
AND, UM, BECAUSE THEY ARE THE COMMUNITY, RIGHT? THEY REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO BEING VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT HOW WE APPROACH THIS FUNDING AND THEN WHAT IS OUR ROLE AS WELL.
AND I WILL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, ADDING THE, THE, THE DIGITAL DIVIDE FUNDING THAT IS AVAILABLE.
UM, SO WE'RE AT THE TAIL END OF UTILIZING THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN DOLLARS, UH, THAT EXPIRES IN 2026.
WELL, IT EXPIRES THIS YEAR, BUT WE HAVE UNTIL 2026 TO SPEND IT.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE, THE MONEY THAT IS NOW AVAILABLE IS COMING FROM THE STATE LEVEL, FROM THE, UH, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT FILTERS THROUGH THE STATE LEVEL.
AND THE QUESTION IS, HOW HAVE WE, UM, CENTERED COMMUNITY VOICE IN RECOGNIZING UNDERSTANDING WHAT ARE OUR NEEDS? AND SO WE'VE BEEN VERY INTENTIONAL AT THE STATE LEVEL, YOU KNOW, PUSHING THEM FOR THEIR OWN.
THEY RECENTLY DEVELOPED A PLAN OR PUT OUT A PLAN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND ONLY MADE IT AVAILABLE IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH.
LIKE THERE ARE AT LEAST 40 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES SPOKEN IN THIS STATE.
AND CALLING THAT OUT AND ASKING THEM, YOU'RE NOT EVEN GONNA TRANSLATE.
SO THE PLAN'S NOT TRANSLATED RIGHT? IT, AND THEN WE HAD A SURVEY EARLIER THIS YEAR, STILL NOT AVAILABLE IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES, AND THEY ONLY TRANSLATED IT TOWARDS THE TAIL END.
[03:55:01]
IT TELLS YOU ABOUT LIKE HOW WE CAN HOLD THE STATE ACCOUNTABLE SO THAT WE TOO HERE IN DALLAS CAN GET THAT FEDERAL FUNDING.AND SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT, UM, THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE MONEY COMING DOWN AND WHAT WE AS DALLAS, THE MIND SHIFT WE NEED TO MAKE IS THAT BEING CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET OR, UM, INTERNET CONNECTIONS ARE NO LONGER A LUXURY, RIGHT? LIKE, THINK ABOUT IT AS A UTILITY, SIMILAR AS HOW WE INVEST MONEY IN OUR SEWER, IN OUR WATER PIPES, IN OUR ELECTRIC IN, WELL, NOT IN THE STATE 'CAUSE WE'RE CAUGHT, BUT ELECTRICITY, RIGHT? IN OUR ELECTRIC GRID.
UM, WE NEED TO MAKE THOSE INVESTMENTS AND SEE IT AS A UTILITY AND NOT AS SOMETHING NICE TO HAVE THAT ONLY PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD IT CAN HAVE IT.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S THE GLOBAL MIND SHIFT THAT'S HAPPENING.
I, I, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD THE FORTUNE OF BEING ABLE TO TALK TO COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE GLOBE BECAUSE I WORK, UH, I'M ALSO PART OF A, UH, GLOBAL STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THE RE RESILIENT CITIES NETWORK.
AND THEY'VE ALREADY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LIKE, YEAH, I DON'T GET WHAT THE US' PROBLEM IS WITH JUST, YOU KNOW, GIVING INTERNET.
AND I'M LIKE, YEAH, WE'RE KIND OF LIKE YOURS BEHIND YOU GUYS, BUT YOU KNOW, IN EUROPE, AND I'VE HAD THE CHANCE TO, UM, SEE THIS IN BARCELONA AND FIRSTHAND LIKE PUBLIC WIFI, RIGHT? IT'S JUST READILY AVAILABLE IS LIKE, YOU'RE NO LONGER JUST GOING UP TO THE COUNTER ASKING, OH, WHAT'S YOUR WIFI PASSWORD? NO, IT'S LIKE, YOU WANT GET CONNECTED ONCE IN ENTIRE, THE ENTIRE CITY YOU ARE CONNECTED.
IT WAS A REALLY INTERESTING EXPERIENCE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
BUT HERE, IT, LIKE, YOU HAVE TO BEG SOMEBODY FOR A WIFI PASSWORD TO JUST GET CONNECTED.
UM, SO YEAH, SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, A MIND SHIFT IN SEEING THE INTERNET AS A, UM, UTILITY AND NO LONGER AS A LUXURY LUXURY ITEM.
AND THEN ALSO WHAT IS, UM, OUR ROLE AS GOVERNMENT IN ACCESSING THESE DOLLARS AND OUR REFLEXIVITY AND SELF-AWARENESS OF TAKING THAT BACKSEAT AND LET BEING COMMITTEE COMMUNITY LED, COMMUNITY DRIVEN.
SO SOUNDS LIKE THE CITY IS STILL LOOKING FOR PARTNERSHIPS.
THERE'S DOLLARS TO BE SPENT, AND AGAIN, WE CAN EITHER LEAD OR WE CAN WAIT FOR THINGS TO HAPPEN.
SO BIG COMPANIES, BIG CONTRACTING COMPANIES, PARTICULARLY WITH SOME OF THIS INFRASTRUCTURE MONEY, THEY'RE GONNA COME TO THE TABLE.
SO BUILDING LOCAL COMMUNITY CAPACITY IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT SO THAT YOU CAN BE READY TO COMPETE IN THESE MARKETS FOR WHEN THESE DOLLARS ARE GETTING PUT ON THE STREET.
SO JUST REMEMBER THAT, THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS CAN'T DO ALL OF THESE THINGS.
IT NEEDS ITS PUBLIC PARTNERS TO HELP TO, TO BE ABLE TO DO THOSE THINGS ALONGSIDE THEM.
SO WE'RE GETTING READY TO WRAP UP OUR PANEL AND I WANNA ASK A QUESTION THAT CAME FROM THE AUDIENCE, BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY WE WILL NOT HAVE TIME FOR ADDITIONAL AUDIENCE QUESTIONS, BUT I WANT TO DIRECT THIS QUESTION TO OUR PLANNER ON THE GROUP.
THERE WAS A QUESTION THAT SAID, AND THEN I HAVE A FINAL QUESTION FOR EACH OF YOU SPEAK TO EQUITY REGARDING THE CREATION OF HOMES WITH MODIFICATIONS FOR DISABLED CITIZENS.
HOW ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT THAT AS YOU THINK ABOUT THE FORWARD DALLAS PLANS OR OTHER PLANS THAT YOU MAY HAVE? SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S ON A SCALE THAT'S SMALLER THAN FORWARD DALLAS.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THERE IS A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO, TO SEAMLESSLY ALLOW THOSE ACCOMMODATIONS WHILE STILL HAVING GOOD DESIGN AND IT FIT WITHIN A NEIGHBORHOOD CONTEXT.
I DON'T SEE THEM AS BEING MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.
AND I SEE THAT THAT IS ABSOLUTELY SOMETHING THAT IS, IS FEASIBLE TO DO.
AND I THINK THERE PROBABLY WAS SOME FOLKS STILL AROUND FROM THE PREVIOUS PANEL THAT COULD ALSO, UM, IN THE NETWORKING HOUR PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL INSIGHTS AS TO THE QUESTION THAT WAS, UM, WAS RAISED FROM THE AUDIENCE.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO STICK AROUND FOR THE NETWORKING HOUR AND ASK THOSE QUESTIONS.
SO AS I BRING THIS PANEL TO A CLOSE, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK EACH OF YOU, AS WE THINK ABOUT THIS PANEL IS ENTITLED HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE AND IN THE CONTEXT OF HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE AND ITS CORRELATION IN RELATIONSHIP TO RACIAL AND ETHNIC EQUITY DISPARITIES AND THE, AND THE DEEPENING OF SAID DISPARITIES.
SO CAN EACH OF YOU HIGHLIGHT HOW YOU THINK WE SHOULD FOCUS OUR EFFORTS THAT DECONSTRUCT RACISM THROUGH POLICIES, PRACTICES, AND INVESTMENT? AND HOW DO WE DO THAT TO PRESERVE THE CULTURAL INTEGRITY IN OUR COMMUNITIES, PREVENT DISPLACEMENT, GENTRIFICATION IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, DECREASE RACIAL AND ECONOMIC SEGREGATION, AND I WOULD ADD, BUILD WEALTH.
'CAUSE BUILDING WEALTH IS WHAT ALLOWS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE TO LAST.
AND I'M GONNA GO IN THE OPPOSITE DI DIRECTION.
SO I'M GONNA ASK GENESIS, CAN YOU TELL US YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOW WE CAN DECONSTRUCT
[04:00:01]
RACISM THROUGH OUR POLICIES, PRACTICES, AND INVESTMENTS? AND THEN WE'LL GO DOWN THE LINE.SO MARCIA DID, DIDN'T PLANT ME ON THIS PANEL.
I DON'T THINK WE PLANNED IT, BUT I'M ALSO NOT A PLANT TO LIKE, UM, TALK ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP SO MUCH.
BUT I, I WILL SAY THAT THE FELLOWSHIP DID REALLY HELP ME UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE HISTORICAL, UM, ALL OF THE WAYS IN WHICH HISTORICAL POLICIES CONTRIBUTED TO THE INEQUITIES THAT WE HAVE TODAY, RIGHT? SO MAPPING THAT OUT FOR US.
UM, AND SO I THINK FOR US DALLAS AS AN ORGANIZATION, UM, ALWAYS RECOGNIZING OR, UM, ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS OF HOW ARE OUR POLICIES, YOU KNOW, DISPLACING, WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS AND BURDENS, UM, AS WE DEVELOP POLICIES OR AS WE IMPLEMENT POLICIES, UM, AND NOT JUST IMPLEMENTING FOR THE SAKE OF IMPLEMENTING.
AND THAT REALLY GOING BACK TO THAT REFLEXIVITY AS, UM, POLICY MAKERS AS ADMINISTRATORS.
THEN ALSO, UM, CONTINUING THAT, YOU KNOW, TRANSPARENCY IN OUR ACCOUNTABILITY.
I THINK OUR EQUITY INDICATORS REPORT IS A TRUE ACCOUNTABILITY TYPE MEASURE OF ALWAYS HOLDING US, YOU KNOW, HOLDING THAT UP AND SAYING, OKAY, HOW HAVE YOU PROGRESSED? OR HOW HAVE YOU, YOU KNOW, UH, GONE BACKWARDS.
AND SO REALLY CONTINUING ON THIS PATH FOR US OF, UM, YOU KNOW, THE TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND REFLEXIVITY AS AN ORGANIZATION.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF CATCHING UP TO DO, RIGHT? UM, IT IS WITHOUT, UH, A DOUBT THAT BLACK AND BROWN FAMILIES WERE EXCLUDED FROM THE OPPORTUNITY, THE, THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN WEALTH IN AMERICAN HISTORY, RIGHT? AND THAT'S THROUGH HOME OWNERSHIP.
UM, WHEN I TRANSITIONED FROM, UH, BANKING TO NONPROFIT, UH, WORK, I WAS VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT NOT DUPLICATING OTHER EFFORTS THAT EXISTED IN OUR CITY, RIGHT? WE ALREADY HAD ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDED SHELTER, AND IT'S NOT ENOUGH JUST TO PROVIDE SHELTER BECAUSE HOME OWNERSHIP IN THIS HISTORY IN OUR COUNTRY HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE OPPORTUNITY FOR FAMILIES TO GAIN WEALTH.
THAT'S WHY WE CALL IT THE AMERICAN DREAM.
YOU GET A HOME, THE HOME APPRECIATES IN VALUE, YOU CAN GET THAT VALUE, YOU CAN PAY FOR YOUR KIDS' EDUCATION, YOU CAN TURN IT, GET A BIGGER HOME.
THAT'S THE AMERICAN WAY TO GAIN WEALTH.
BLACK AND BROWN FAMILIES WERE EXCLUDED FROM THAT.
NOT ONLY WERE THEY EXCLUDED FROM IT, BUT WHEN, WHEN YOU THINK OF IN TERMS OF DISPLACEMENT, IT WAS STOLEN FROM THEM.
WE LOOK AT NEIGHBORHOODS AND WE'VE DONE THIS, WE'VE, UH, UH, WORKING WITH, UH, PROFESSOR, UM, WHO, WHO, UH, DEALS WITH LAND, UH, LOSS, AND JUST HOW CAN YOU QUANTIFY THE WEALTH THAT HAS BEEN LOST FROM BLACK AND BROWN FAMILIES IN OUR CITY? THAT IS TO SAY THAT IF BLACK AND BROWN FAMILIES STILL EXISTED IN NORTH DALLAS OR IN HAMILTON PARK, HOW WEALTHY WOULD THOSE FAMILIES BE IF THEY WERE ABLE TO REMAIN IN PLACE, RIGHT? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, RIGHT? AND SO THE BOH MODEL SEEKS TO CORRECT THAT.
ON AVERAGE, OUR HOMEOWNERS WALK IN WITH $60,000 OF EQUITY ON DAY ONE, DAY ONE IN WEST DALLAS ALONE.
OUR HOMEOWNERS ARE WALKING IN WITH $200,000 OF EQUITY IN WEST DALLAS.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO WERE ONCE DISPLACED IN WEST DALLAS AND ARE NOW ABLE TO BUY A HOME IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THE MARKET HAS SAID YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE HERE.
WE HAVE TO RECREATE THAT MODEL, RIGHT? WE HAVE TO RECREATE THAT MODEL FOR TEACHERS, FOR NURSES, FOR PEOPLE WHO MAKE UP THE BACKBONE OF OUR SOCIETY THAT MAKE OUR CITY WORK.
WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM THE ABILITY TO CREATE WEALTH THROUGH HOME OWNERSHIP.
ANOTHER WAY, I BELIEVE IN PLANNING NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDS A PLAN, NOT ONLY A PLAN, BUT A NEIGHBORHOOD BACKED, APPROVED, EVEN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY APPROVED PLAN, SO THAT NEIGHBORS CAN BE EMPOWERED TO REALLY SHAPE THE FUTURE OF WHAT THEY WANT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD TO LOOK LIKE.
SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PLAN, YOU HAVE TO HAVE HOMEOWNER OWNERSHIP THAT ENFORCES, UH, WEALTH CREATION.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE, THE, THE ONE OF THE RULES THAT, UH, ONE OF THE POLICIES THAT ARE COMING OUT OF OUR ANTI DISPLACEMENT, UM, INITIATIVE IS THIS IDEA OF THIS PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FUND IN WEST DALLAS ALONE.
UM, I REMEMBER, UH, FAMILY IN LADA CAME TO ME AND THEY SAID, OUR 15-YEAR-OLD KID HAS TO GET OFF WORK AND GO TO WORK, GET OFF OF SCHOOL, AND GO TO WORK TO PAY OFF PROPERTY TAXES.
THAT SET WITH ME FOR ABOUT A WEEK.
I COULD NOT SLEEP THAT I LIVE IN A CITY WHERE KIDS HAVE TO WORK SO THAT PARENTS CAN AFFORD THEIR PROPERTY TAXES, RIGHT? SO WE ARE ANNOUNCING HERE IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS, AND THIS IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DREX OSO, I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S HERE, I SAW HIM EARLIER WITH THE DALLAS FOUNDATION, BUT
[04:05:01]
WE ARE ANNOUNCING ONE OF THE FIRST PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FUNDS IN THE CITY.THIS WILL ALLOW LEGACY RESIDENTS TO APPLY FOR GRANTS TO PLAY, PAY INCREMENTAL INCREASES IN THEIR PROPERTY TAXES, SO LEG LEGACY RESIDENTS CAN STAY IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO TO ASSURE THAT OUR BLACK AND BROWN FAMILIES ARE, REMAIN IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AND THAT THEY TAKE PART IN THE ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION THAT'S HAPPENING, RIGHT? NOT JUST ABILITY TO STAY, BUT ALL OF THIS DEVELOPMENT THAT'S HAPPENING, ALL OF THIS WEALTH THAT'S COMING INTO MY NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY SHOULD BE FIRST IN LINE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT, UH, WEALTH, UH, REVITALIZATION.
SO I'LL KEEP MINE PRETTY SHORT BECAUSE MY WOR MY WORLD IS LAND USE AND ZONING.
SO I THINK WE'VE ALL ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HISTORICALLY WE HAVE, WE HAVE RACIST LAND USE AND ZONING POLICIES ON THE BOOKS.
THEY HAVE SEPARATED COMMUNITIES, THEY HAVE PUSHED PEOPLE OUT.
THEY HAVE NOT ALLOWED PEOPLE TO BUILD THAT WEALTH.
UM, AND SO WHAT MY CHARGE IS AND WHAT MY BIGGEST RESPONSIBILITY IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT PERPETUATING THOSE SAME POLICIES, THAT WE ARE MAKING CHANGE, THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT LAND USE AND ZONING DIFFERENTLY.
THAT WE REALIZE THAT IT IS NOT ONE SIZE FITS ALL THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS AN EQUITY LENS WITH ANY PROPOSALS THAT COME OUT FROM A LAND USE AND ZONING PERSPECTIVE.
AND WE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL AND THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THOSE PROPOSALS.
HELP ME TO GIVE IT UP FOR GENESIS, JAMES AND ANDREA, PLEASE.
UM, AND FOR THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT IS HAPPENING HERE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.
I THINK WE HAVE A SLIDE THAT IS GOING TO FLASH HOPEFULLY BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT ALLIANCE ON RACE AND EQUITY.
I'M HERE WITH MY COLLEAGUE LENORE WYATT.
WE ARE COMING BACK, WE WILL BE HERE IN MAY.
WE ARE HAVING A SOUTHERN REGIONAL THAT'LL BE HOSTED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS.
WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW WE DRIVE FORWARD SUSTAINABLE CHANGE FOR OUR CITIES LEADING WITH RACIAL EQUITY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US, AND GOOD AFTERNOON.
THANK YOU, MARSHA, AND SUCH AN HONOR TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT TO YOU AN ANDERSON BONNER CHALLENGE COIN.
WE APPRECIATE YOU DROPPING SOME GEMS WITH US.
AND, UH, I HAVE TO JUST GIVE A SHOUT OUT BECAUSE MR. ARMSTRONG DID MENTION WEST DALLAS AND LITTLE MEXICO.
YOU DID SUCH A GREAT JOB AT BEING MODERATOR.
WE SHOULD HAVE YOU MODERATE EVERY EVENT.
DO YOU GUYS AGREE? I LOVE THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE HELPED US, UH, PUT THIS AMAZING EVENT TOGETHER.
UM, NO ONE DEPARTMENT CAN DO IT ALONE.
SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN THANKING THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION OUTREACH AND MARKETING, THE EXPRESS BUSINESS CENTER, THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, AS WELL AS THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CO-CHAIR FOR THE AMAZING COMMUNITY ARTIST PROGRAM OR CAP, UM, WHOSE PERFORMANCE WE WILL HEAR TODAY BY THE ROB HOBERT JAZZ GROUP.
UM, SO WE ARE GETTING CLOSE TO THE END OF OUR, UM, OF OUR EVENT HERE.
AND, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE CHRISTINA DASILVA FROM THE WELCOMING COMMUNITIES AND IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS, UH, THE CITY OF DALLAS TO GIVE THE CLOSING REMARKS.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU GUYS, BUT I WAS NOT EXPECTING TO DO THIS MUCH MATH.
UM, HAD A LOT OF HELP FROM MY TEAM THOUGH.
UM, SO FIRST OFF, I WANNA SAY, UH, MY NAME IS CHRISTINA DESILVA.
I'M WITH THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION, WELCOMING COMMUNITIES AND IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS DIVISION.
AND FIRST I WANNA SAY THIS HAS BEEN AN INSPIRING OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN, IN, IN A HUGE ROOM OF LIVING EXPERTISE, AS WAS SAID EARLIER, AND, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT WAS CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE THAT,
[04:10:01]
YOU KNOW, WE'VE ONLY EMAILED BEFORE, OR MAYBE IT WAS SOMEBODY THAT I'VE MET THAT WAS NEW, IT WAS REALLY EXCITING.I HOPE YOU'VE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCE.
SO YEAH, DR. WILSON, IF I WANNA COME UP TOO, BUT YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE.
WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL BOTH FOR THE, ALL OF THE PANELISTS, BUT ALSO FOR OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, OUR CITY LEADERS, AND EVERYONE WHO HAS JOINED US.
JUST THINKING ABOUT THREE TAKEAWAYS, REALLY FROM THAT LAST PANEL, RIGHT AROUND INTERNET BEING A NECESSITY, HOW DO WE MONITOR POLICY, RIGHT? THE CHANGES IN OUR PRACTICES REALLY HIGHLIGHTS WHAT IS IMPORTANT FOR US AND WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO, TO HEAR SOME TAKEAWAYS FROM THE AUDIENCE.
AND SO, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE WANTS TO SHARE ONE OR TWO THINGS THAT THEY MAY BE TAKING AWAY TODAY.
DON'T RAISE YOUR HAND AT ONCE.
THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION, UH, TO KEVIN.
UM, MY MAIN, UH, TAKEAWAY OR, OR SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ALREADY BEEN WORKING ON IS, ESPECIALLY IN WEST DALLAS, AND I WANT TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS IN SOUTH DALLAS AS, UH, THE PRESERVATION OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH EDUCATION.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CHANGING OUR, OUR MODEL.
WE'RE CHANGING A LITTLE BIT OF THE VISION THAT WAS CREATED BY ROSA LOPEZ ALMOST 30 YEARS AGO, UH, FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
YOU KNOW, WHAT'S AFFORDABLE TO SOME, AND I THINK YOU USED THAT WITH, WITH THE 30% OR A, A HOME, YOU KNOW, OF YOUR INCOME.
SO ANYWAY, THE PRESERVATION AND EDUCATION OF OUR COMMUNITIES IS WHAT'S GONNA KEEP US PRESERVED, UM, WHETHER IT'S, UH, BUILDINGS OR, OR, UH, NSOS, UH, JUST DIFFERENT ORDINANCES AND POLICIES THAT, UH, WE NEED TO ENFORCE.
AND AS WE'RE LOOKING FOR OUR NEXT PERSON TO SHARE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE, AT THE CITY OF DALLAS, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ENGAGEMENT, WE REALLY TALK ABOUT IT BEING MULTIFACET, RIGHT? AND SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT COMPONENTS, WHETHER IT'S ABOUT INFORMING OR COLLABORATING, UM, CONSULTING, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, MAKING SHARED DECISIONS.
OH, HOW, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY.
I'M SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF JBJ MANAGEMENT.
WE'RE THE PRESENTING SPONSOR FOR MLK WEEKEND.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, FIRST OF ALL.
UH, THE SECOND PART OF THAT IS I RUN OUR EQUITY COMPLIANCE DIVISION.
PART OF WHAT I'VE, I, I'VE LEARNED AND, AND, UM, HAVE BEEN LEARNING IS THAT WE ACTUALLY NEED MORE MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES IN GENERAL.
SO, SO THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE AN EMPLOYEE IS GONNA BE AVAILABLE FOR YOU AT ANY POINT IN TIME, BUT TO TAKE A RISK ON YOURSELF AND, AND BET ON YOURSELF, UH, YOUR, YOUR ABILITY TO OPEN A BUSINESS OR BE IN A LEADERSHIP POSITION IN GENERAL, WHETHER THAT'S GOING TO BE, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE GET OUT AND VOTE OR RUNNING FOR OFFICE OR FINDING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUR, YOU, YOU TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE ACTUAL KEY DECISION MAKING POWER IS GONNA BE SO IMPORTANT.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I, I UNDERSTAND AND HAVE BEEN LEARNING AND, UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT HIGHLIGHT AND THE MLK SPONSORSHIP.
ALSO, WANNA HIGHLIGHT JUST ANOTHER RESOURCE WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS, AND THAT'S THE SMALL BUSINESS CENTER.
AND SO IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE SMALL BI BUSINESS CENTER WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS, WE ENCOURAGE YOU, UM, TO EITHER GO ONLINE AND OR JUST REACH OUT TO THE CITY OF DALLAS.
HELLO, MY NAME IS CAMILLE MYERS AND I'M A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST WITH PARKLAND HOSPITAL, AND I'M ASSIGNED TO PART OF THE SOUTH OAK CLIFF AREA.
AND MY BIG TAKEAWAY FROM THIS TODAY IS, UM, SO HAPPY TO SEE THAT THE CITY HAS INCLUDED ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND ITS EQUITY INDICATORS, BECAUSE WE DO KNOW THAT THAT IMPACTS EVERYTHING FROM HEALTHCARE TO THE OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE.
SO THIS HAS BEEN A VERY INFORMATIVE EVENT AND, UM, I'M APPRECIATIVE AND GLAD I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND.
I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF THIS AREA, UM, AND IN DALLAS, I'M VERY PROUD OF IT AND A GRADUATE OF PAUL QUINN COLLEGE.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, TO LET YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE, I'M HEARING SO MUCH ABOUT ALLOWING THE COMMUNITY TO TELL YOU WHAT IT NEEDS AND TO BE A PART OF THE DECISION MAKING.
AND I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU, EVEN OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN HIGHLAND HILLS, BISHOP HEIGHTS ALT, SO THAT'S THIS AREA RIGHT HERE.
UM, AS WELL AS THE STUDENTS HERE AT PAUL QUINN COLLEGE.
WE WANT THEM TO CONTINUE BEING A PART OF THESE CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE GONE, THEY STILL HAVE TO CARRY IT ON.
WE DON'T WANT IT TO GO BACKWARDS.
[04:15:01]
THAT.I'M NOT TRYING TO STAY ON JUST THIS SIDE, SO I NEED SOME HANDS UP.
I DO COMMUNITY RELATIONS FOR TRINITY PARK CONSERVANCY.
AND, UM, A FEW OF THE TAKEAWAYS THAT I, THAT I, I CAN SAY, UM, I JUST ENJOYED WAS, UH, JUST I'M, I'M A BIG BELIEVER AND, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF TALENT IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND JUST HEARING IT, UM, I'M ALWAYS SAYING, UM, WHEN, WHEN WE NEED, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT EXPERTISE, YOU KNOW, LIVED EXPERIENCES, AND IT JUST IS, I WAS HAPPY TO HEAR THE ECHO TODAY, THROUGHOUT THE DAY THAT, HEY, WE HAVE A LOT OF TALENT WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES IF YOU'RE IN THOSE POSITIONS TO HIRE, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE TO LOOK INTO OUR COMMUNITIES BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF TALENT THERE.
AND A SECOND BIGGEST WORD I THINK I HAVE HEARD EVERY PANEL SAY IS INTENT TO BEING INTENTIONAL.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BUILDING A PROJECT, WE'RE TRYING TO BE VERY INTENTIONAL IN WHAT WE'RE DOING IN OUR COMMUNITIES, WHAT WE'RE WORKING WITH.
AND I THINK THAT'S, IT'S GOOD TO HEAR THAT FROM ALL THE PANELISTS AS WELL.
SO HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY, SHANNON HENDRICKS.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT HEART HOUSE AND VICKERY MEADOW.
RELL SAID AT THE BEGINNING HAS REALLY RESONATED WITH ME THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE DAY.
UM, WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST ISN'T OUR FAULT, BUT WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FUTURE IS, AND IT IT DEPENDS ON EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US BEING INTENTIONAL, MOVING THAT NEEDLE FORWARD AND PLANTING THE SEEDS WITH THE NEXT GENERATION, THAT THEY CONTINUE THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING HERE IN THIS ROOM.
AND IT, AND THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT EVENT, AND SO HAPPY TO BE HERE AND MAKE NEW ACQUAINTANCES.
WE APPRECIATE YOU, YOU GETTING ALL YOUR STEPS IN TODAY,
I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I'M SO HAPPY AND BLESSED, UH, THAT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THIS, UM, THIS SYMPOSIUM.
I'VE LEARNED A LOT AND, UH, AS, AS WORKING IN MY COMMUNITY FOR MANY YEARS IN WEST DALLAS.
AND NOW I, UM, WELL, WE ALWAYS SAY THAT I HAVE A DUAL RESIDENCE, UH, RESIDENCE WITH, UH, WEST OAKCLIFF AND WEST DALLAS.
I'M A WEST, WEST DALLAS, GENERATIONAL, UM, UH, UH, RESIDENT.
BUT I AM EXCITED ABOUT WHAT I'VE LEARNED HERE TODAY BECAUSE THERE ARE TIMES WHERE I, WE JUST, YOU KNOW, WE JUST WANNA GIVE UP BECAUSE WE'RE ALWAYS FIGHTING, WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO CITY HALL, WHETHER IT'S ONE TOPIC OR ANOTHER, AND ZONING IS UP THERE, NUMBER ONE.
UH, SO I AM EXCITED ABOUT GOING BACK TO MY COMMUNITY, TO BOTH SIDES, WEST OAK CLIFF AND WEST DALLAS, TO LET 'EM KNOW THAT THERE IS HOPE.
AND I'M JUST SO, UH, IT'S, IT'S POSITIVE, YOU KNOW, GOT A LOT OF POSITIVES OUT OF HERE.
ALL THE, THE PANELS, THE MEMBERS OF THE PANELS ON, ON HOW YOU ARE THE CITY OF DALLAS IS, IS REACHING OUT TO LISTENING TO A COMMUNITY.
AND I HOPE THAT IT, THAT, THAT REMAINS BECAUSE THEY, THEY NEED TO COME TO THE SOURCE AND LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT LIVE THESE EXPERIENCES.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU AND I'M VERY GLAD THAT I WAS HERE TODAY.
WELL, WE'RE GLAD THAT YOU JOINED US.
AND NOW AS WE CONCLUDE, UH, THE EQUITY INDICATOR SYMPOSIUM, WE KNOW THE CONVERSATION DOESN'T STOP, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE CONTINUE TO TAKE ACTIONABLE STEPS.
UH, CHRISTINA INTRODUCED HERSELF ALREADY, BUT WE HAVE SOME REALLY EXCITING NEWS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH ALL OF YOU.
SO, UM, FIRST I WANNA SHARE IT.
THE CITY OF DALLAS HAS BEEN SELECTED TO HOST WHAT'S CALLED THE WELCOMING INTERACTIVE CONFERENCE.
THIS IS AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY THAT'S HAPPENING APRIL 10TH THROUGH THE 12TH.
IT IS AN ANNUAL CONFERENCE THAT HIGHLIGHTS SUCCESSFUL PRACTICES AND INSPIRING STORIES ABOUT IMMIGRANT INCLUSION.
WE'RE GONNA BE DISCUSSING PROGRAMS, POLICIES AND PARTNERSHIPS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP, AND MORE.
SO ATTENDEES WILL BE ABLE TO LEARN, UM, ABOUT LOCAL INNOVATIONS FROM PEER COMMUNITIES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.
THIS IS A GLOBAL CONFERENCE, SO WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE DALLAS BEING SELECTED TO HOST IT.
THIS A UPCOMING APRIL, AND THERE'S A QR CODE THAT GOES DIRECTLY TO THE REGISTRATION SITE WHERE YOU CAN LEARN, UM, MORE ABOUT THIS CONFERENCE.
WE ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT AGAIN THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS HAS BEEN, UH, UH, SELECTED TO HOST THE SOUTHERN REGIONAL CONVENING WITH THE GOVERNMENT ALLIANCE ON RACE AND EQUITY.
AND SO I'LL PASS IT OVER TO MARSHA AGAIN TO GIVE US A HIGHLIGHT ON THAT.
ALRIGHT, SO WE WILL BE BACK, AS I SAID, FOR GOVERNING FOR RACIAL JUSTICE, THE GARETH SOUTHERN REGIONAL MEETING THAT WILL INCLUDE DALLAS AND MANY OF THE JURISDICTIONS THAT WE HAVE, UM, IN OUR NETWORK
[04:20:01]
ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS, AS WELL AS STATES ACROSS THE SOUTH.IT WILL BE HAPPENING AT THE RENAISSANCE HOTEL IN DALLAS, MAY 14TH THROUGH THE 16TH.
AND LOOKOUT REGISTRATION WILL BE OPEN IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.
SO WE WILL MAKE SURE TO SHARE THAT WITH OUR PARTNERS HERE AT CITY OF DALLAS.
AND WE HOPE TO HAVE THOSE OF YOU WHO WORK IN GOVERNMENT AND GOVERNMENT ADJACENT NETWORKS AND YOUR PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY JOIN US FOR THIS IMPORTANT CONVENING AND CONVERSATION.
AND YES, WE HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT, UH, WE ALL HOLD MANY IDENTITIES.
SO THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION REALLY TAKES AN INTERSECTIONAL APPROACH.
STAYING CONNECTED IS VITAL FOR THE SUCCESS OF OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORTS, AND WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE THESE CONVERSATIONS AND THE WORK OF EQUITY, UH, THROUGH YOUR CHANNELS BEYOND TODAY, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS OR FUTURE SYMPOSIUM SOCIAL MEDIA.
LET'S REALLY KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING.
ACTUALLY, ONE OF THE THINGS I DID WANNA SHARE WITH YOU ALL IS THAT WE DO HAVE SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES THAT YOU CAN LIKE, AND FOLLOW US.
DALLAS CITY, OEI, AGAIN, IT'S DALLAS CITY, OEI.
YOU CAN FOLLOW US AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE INFORMATION ABOUT THE GAR SYMPOSIUM.
THERE'S ALSO A WELCOMING INTERACTIVE, WHEN OTHER INTERESTING OPPORTUNITY THAT'S ALSO BEEN PUBLISHED IS THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR AN ARTIST, A LOCAL ARTIST THAT CAN HELP US WITH AN ENGAGING, UM, ART ACTIVITY FOR THE WELCOMING INTERACTIVE.
WE'RE LOOKING TO FIND A LOCAL ARTIST.
THERE WOULD BE A $5,000 COMPENSATION.
SO IF YOU CAN HELP US FIND SOMEONE THAT YOU THINK IS TALENTED AND WOULD BE INTERESTED, LOOK US UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
YOU'LL FIND THE APPLICATION THERE.
AND THEN I'LL END WITH A COUPLE OF THINGS.
YOU KNOW, WE THINK WE'RE GETTING PRETTY FANCY HERE AT THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
SO WE HAD SOME BOXES WITH OE, KEY OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION, BUT WE ALSO HAD SOME QR CODES, RIGHT? AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT, AND IF I CAN JUST, UM, GIVE MY GREAT GRATITUDE TO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, LIZIO PEREIRA IN THE 2019 EQUITY INDICATORS REPORT, SHE WAS CLEAR THAT THAT REPORT WASN'T GONNA SIT ON THE SHELF.
AND SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE AT THE CITY OF DALLAS, SHE HAS ENSURED THAT IT HAS NOT SAT ON THE SHELF.
AND SO THE EQUITY INDICATORS, ALL OF THE, UM, THE INDICATORS THAT WE DISCUSSED TODAY, AGAIN, WAS USED TO DRIVE THE CITY'S FIRST RACIAL EQUITY PLAN ACROSS ALL 42 OF OUR DEPARTMENTS.
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR DEPARTMENTS HAVE PROGRESS MEASURES, WHICH MAKES IT, UH, REALLY INTENTIONAL FOR US TO GO TO DEPARTMENTS AND SAY, HEY, HOW ARE WE DOING WITH THESE MEASURES? AND OR ARE THERE, ARE THERE WAYS TO COLLABORATE? SOME OF THE WAYS THAT THE 2019 EQUITY INDICATORS REPORT HAS BEEN USED AS COUNCIL MEMBER SCHULTZ SHARED TODAY IS THROUGH POLICY DECISIONS.
THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION IS ONE OF FIVE CITIES THAT DOES, UH, BUDGETING FOR EQUITY ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, AND IT'S DRIVEN BY OUR EQUITY INDICATORS REPORT, RIGHT? AND SO, THE TIME THAT ALL OF YOU SPENT HERE TODAY, I JUST WANNA REASSURE YOU THROUGH MY DIRECT LEADERSHIP THAT THESE INDICATORS DON'T JUST GO SOMEWHERE FOR US TO SAY, OKAY, SEE YOU NEXT JANUARY.
IT DRIVES ALL THAT WE DO ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.
I DON'T THINK I MISSED ANYTHING OTHER THAN I AM EXCITED THAT WE HAVE, SORRY.
WE HAVE THE ROBERT, UH, HOLBERT GROUP JOINING US, UH, TODAY FOR OUR NETWORKING HOUR.
AND DID I MISS ANYTHING? CHRISTINA, HELP ME OUT.
IT'S TIME TO NETWORK AND, UH, ENJOY THIS BEAUTIFUL, SUNNY, BUT MAYBE CHILLY AFTERNOON.
SO THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR ATTENDING.
UH, JUST ONE HOUSEKEEPING ITEM.
UH, WHEN YOU LEAVE, PLEASE LEAVE YOUR NAME TAG THIS LITTLE THING RIGHT HERE IN THE BOX, BUT PLEASE FEEL FREE TO KEEP IT FOR NOW FOR THE SOCIAL NETWORKING EVENT SO PEOPLE KNOW YOUR NAME.
PEOPLE DO, WE DO WANNA ANNOUNCE THAT THERE ARE A FEW LUNCHES LEFT OVER, SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO IN THE BACK AND GRAB ONE FOR YOURSELF OR A, A FRIEND OF YOURS, PLEASE DO SO.