[00:00:04]
[Special Housing and Homelessness Solutions on January 18, 2024.]
THE TIME IS SIX 15 ON JANUARY 18TH, AND I'M CALLING THE HOUSING AND HOMELESS SOLUTIONS COMMITTEE.I WANNA THANK EVERYONE FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.
HOMELESSNESS PERSISTS THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
OUR WORK HERE TODAY IS A STANDING COMMITTEE IS EVIDENCE OF THE NEED THAT CONSTITUENTS EXPERIENCE WHEN YOU WALK OR DRIVE OUT OF THIS BUILDING.
DESPITE THE CURRENT ACTIVATION OF INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTERS, YOU MAY SEE HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS CAMPED OUT FRONT.
HOMELESSNESS IS A HUMANITARIAN AND HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERN THAT WE MUST ADDRESS.
BUSINESSES, RESIDENTS, UNSHELTERED, INDIVIDUALS ALIKE SUFFER WHEN OUR UNSHELTERED POPULATION SUFFERS TOO OFTEN, CONSTITUENTS SEE US TALK TO US ABOUT THE SOLUTIONS AND THE POLICY WITHOUT ACTION.
IF THEY SEE ACTION, IT IS EITHER AFTER THE PROBLEM HAS EXASPERATED OR IT FALLS SHORT OF MEANINGFUL CHANGE.
IN FACT, ONE OF THE MOST CONSISTENT AND PERSISTENT CALLS THAT I RECEIVE IN MY OFFICE INVOLVE HOMELESSNESS AND ITS IMPACT.
I WANT US AND OUR STAFF TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OUR CONSTITUENTS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOMELESSNESS.
AND I'M EXCITED TO DO THAT IMPORTANT WORK WITH YOU ALL.
WE MUST EMPOWER AND DIRECT STAFF TO TAKE THE UNPRECEDENTED STEPS TOWARDS A BETTER CITY FOR US ALL.
AS WE DISCUSS THIS REPORT NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.
I ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO FOCUS ON THE END RESULT.
WHEN WE WALK OUTSIDE OR DRIVE TO WORK, WHAT WORLD DO WE WANT TO SEE AROUND US? I WANT TO SEE UNSHELTERED FOLKS RECEIVING THE SUPPORT AND HELP AWAY FROM THE ELEMENTS AND AWAY FROM THE SITUATION IN WHICH THEY COULD ENDANGER EACH OTHER OR OTHER RESIDENTS.
I WANT TO SEE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT HOLISTICALLY IMPROVE UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS' LIVES.
I WANNA SEE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WALKING THROUGH OUR PARKS WITHOUT FEAR OF SOMEONE EXPOSING THEMSELVES OR DEFECATING IN FRONT OF THEM.
WE HAVE WORK TO DO IN OUR CITY.
OUR STAFF WORKS HARD TO SUPPORT OUR CONSTITUENTS EVERY DAY, AND I THANK THEM FOR THAT.
IT'S TIME, IT'S TIME TO RAMP UP THOSE SERVICES AND INDEFINITELY INNOVATION WAYS TO IMPROVE OUR RESPONSES.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND WE'LL START THIS MEETING WITH OUR FIRST THREE REGISTERED SPEAKERS.
I'M THE MAYOR OF FARMERS BRANCH.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME, COUNSEL.
UM, OBVIOUSLY AS YOUR NEIGHBOR TO THE NORTH, WE SHARE ABOUT A SIX AND A HALF MILE, UH, BORDER WITH YOU, WHICH RUNS FROM INWOOD ROAD TO I 35.
AND JUST AS YOU SAID A MOMENT AGO, THIS IS NOT ONLY A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE, THE HOMELESSNESS ISSUE, IT'S PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE, BUT IT'S ALSO A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TRIED TO BE GOOD PARTNERS WITH CITY OF DALLAS AND WORK WITH DALLAS TO, UH, MOVE FOLKS ALONG.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY IT HASN'T ALWAYS WORKED OUT THAT CASE, UH, OR THAT WAY.
WE'VE HAD SEVERAL HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS GET KILLED ON THE I 35 SERVICE ROAD, THE WESTBOUND SERVICE ROAD, UH, THROUGHOUT WHAT IS TECHNICALLY DALLAS, BUT ITS SERVICE ROAD SERVES OUR CITY.
AND SO, UH, I'M HOPING THAT, UH, THROUGH YOUR EFFORTS, WE COULD FIND COMMON GROUND TO WHERE WE CAN BOTH WORK TO MOVE THESE FOLKS ALONG, NOT ONLY, UH, FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT, UH, FIND HOUSING FOR THEM, BUT, UH, FROM A, UH, SANITARY CONDITION BECAUSE THE, THE CONDITION THAT THEY'RE LEAVING, THE UNDERPASSES, UH, TO INWOOD ROAD, UH, MIDWAY ROAD, JOSIE LANE, FORD ROAD, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY DEPLORABLE.
AND THIS IS WHAT OUR RESIDENTS SEE WHEN THEY GO IN YOUR FRONT DOOR TO DALLAS
[00:05:01]
AND WHAT YOUR RESIDENCY, WHEN THEY COME IN OUR FRONT DOOR TO FARMER'S BRANCH.AND SO I'M HOPING THAT, UH, TOGETHER WE CAN FIND A WAY THAT WILL BE MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL TO PUT AN END TO THIS, UH, ONCE AND FOR ALL.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, SPEAK ON, IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC TONIGHT.
UH, AND I REALLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE HARD WORK OF THE HOPE TASK FORCE AND, UH, AND ALL THE STAFF THAT HAVE WORKED, UH, WITH, WITH THEM TO, UH, TO GET TO THIS POINT.
UH, AS THE MAYOR OF ADDISON, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE DEAL WITH ON A DAILY BASIS, AND IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE CONSTANTLY CHASING LIKE EVERY OTHER COMMUNITY.
AND IT'S, AND WE MANAGE OUR SITUATION THE BEST THAT WE CAN.
UH, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WE, WE CONTINUE TO SEE THE, THE IMPACTS OF THE HOMELESSNESS GROWING INTO ADDISON, ESPECIALLY ALONG OUR BORDERS WITH DALLAS AND ALONG THE DALLAS NORTH TOLLWAY.
UH, SPECIFICALLY AT THE TOLLWAY AND ARAPAHOE ROAD INTERSECTION.
UH, THAT'S, THAT'S PATROL THAT'S PATROLLED AND CONTROLLED BY THE CITY OF DALLAS AND THE NT AND D-N-T-T-A.
AND, UH, THERE'S AN ENCAMPMENT STRUCTURE THAT'S BEEN PLACED ON THE SIDEWALK THERE.
IT'S A SAFETY HAZARD AND THE LACK OF A JOINT RESPONSE FROM THE TOLLWAY AND FROM CITY OF DALLAS.
AND THERE'S BEEN NO ACTION OR TIMELINE COMMUNICATED.
AND SIMILARLY, SIMILARLY, UH, AT AT SPRING VALLEY IN THE TOLLWAY, UNDERNEATH THE TOLLWAY, THERE'S BEEN AN ONGOING FRUSTRATION THERE WITH NO ACTION OR TIMELINE COMMUNICATED ON THAT.
AND I WOULD ASSUME THE FARMER'S BRAKES ALSO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR INTERSECTION SINCE THEY HAVE PROPERTY JUST ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE TOLLWAY THERE AS WELL.
WE ALSO HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED WITH THE, WITH A RECURRING ENCAMPMENT SITE ALONG THE WHITE ROCK CREEK, UH, UNDERNEATH THE BELTLINE ROAD, ABOUT A QUARTER MILE WEST OF PRESTON ROAD.
AND THIS ENCAMPMENT WAS ON THE ADDISON SIDE OF THE CREEK.
THEY MOVED TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CREEK, THEN DALLAS MOVED THEM ALONG, MOVED THEM OUT.
UH, BUT THEN THEY ENDED UP MOVING BACK IN.
AND SO IT CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM FOR US GOING FORWARD.
UH, AND IT IS A, IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE FOR ALL OF US, AND IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
AND, AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS SOME, TOWARDS SOME SORT OF SOLUTION.
I KNOW IT'S CHALLENGING, AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO SPEAK TO Y'ALL TONIGHT.
FIRST OFF, THANK YOU ALL FOR FOCUSING ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE.
IT'S, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US.
UH, WE UNDERSTAND THAT LOTS OF POCKETS THROUGHOUT THE, UH, METROPLEX FACING THIS.
I'M GONNA SPEAK TO SPECIFICALLY THE, UH, THE CARROLLTON, UH, VICINITY.
UM, WE HAVE A SECTION OF, OF DALLAS, UH, THE, UH, ROSEMEAD PARK SECTION, WHICH IS A GREEN SPACE.
BUT THE REALITY IS THERE ARE THREE CAMPS IN THERE NOW THAT ARE HOMELESS.
UH, TWO LEADERS IN, IN, UH, SOME MIGRANTS IN THERE.
MANY OF THOSE FOLKS ARE, ARE YOUNGER IN AGE.
UH, MANY OF 'EM DO NOT WANT SUPPORT.
UM, BUT, UH, THAT AREA IN PARTICULAR HAS, HAS, UH, CAUSED, UM, IMPACTS ON CARROLLTON, UH, IN ADDITION TO OUR OWN AREA, RIGHT? AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSON ON IS TO CONTINUE TO WORK THAT BORDER AREA AND, AND WORK THE, UH, HOMELESS.
UH, WE KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD SUCCESS, UH, FROM DALLAS AS WELL AS IN CARROLLTON IN TERMS OF GOING IN AND CLEANING 'EM UP.
THE REALITY THOUGH, IS, IS THOSE RESOURCE OR THOSE HOMELESS ARE SIMPLY DISPLACED.
THEY'RE MOVING, MOVING AND, AND THEY KIND OF CIRCLE AROUND UP TO PLANO, INTO, INTO, UH, FARMER'S BRANCH, INTO, UH, CARROLLTON AND THEN BACK TO ROSEMARY PARK.
SO A PERMANENT SOLUTION HAS TO BE MADE.
YOU KNOW, OUR CALLS ARE, ARE DIRECTED.
WE HAVE, UH, UH, 32 THEFTS, 36 CRIMINAL TRESPASS TIED TO THIS SPECIFIC AREA.
SO IT HAS A CRIMINAL AND PUBLIC SAFETY IMPACT.
UH, WE'VE SHARED SOME OF THIS FOR YOU, UH, WITH OUR, UH, POLICE.
IN ADDITION, WE KNOW THAT SOME OF THESE, UH, HOMELESS ARE ACTUALLY, UH, MIGRATING TO OTHER AREAS LIKE THE KRISPY KREME.
IT'S BECOMING A BIT OF A DRUG, DRUG, UH, TRANSACTION PLACE.
UH, THERE'S A VACATED BANK AT MIDWAY IN, UH, GEORGE BUSH, UH, TURNPIKE.
THE REALITY IS, IS WORKING TOGETHER, WE WE'RE CERTAINLY WILLING TO DO OUR PART.
WE WANNA PARTNER WITH YOU AND, AND, UH, BRING ADDITIONAL, UH, RESOURCES AND, AND EMPHASIS ON THIS.
UH, FROM A CARROLLTON PERSPECTIVE, METROCREST SERVICES IS OUR KEY, UH, POINT OF CONTACT.
UM, I'VE GIVEN YOU SOME STATS.
I'LL JUST SAY THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO FIGHTING THIS.
THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSSOHN.
UM, LANDIS PRICE AND, UH, MAJOR, UH, MARK, UH, MARK, UH, HARRIS OUT OF THE NORTHWEST,
[00:10:01]
UH, OR NORTH CENTRAL, UH, SUBSTATION.AND WITH THAT, I WELCOME OUR CO-CHAIRS OF THE HOPE REPORT, WHO HAVE GREATLY AGREED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS MEETING.
WE HAVE SOME, UH, FOLKS WHO HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY IN, IN THIS, UH, LINE OF WORK TO, TO BRING RESULTS.
AND I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THE HOURS THAT THEY SPENT WORKING ALONGSIDE.
NO, AND IF YOU ALL WANT TO INTRODUCE YOURSELVES, UH, AND MAYBE, UH, THE ROLE THAT YOU PLAYED IN, IN THE CO-AUTHORING OF THIS, UH, REPORT.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TONIGHT.
UH, MY NAME IS, UH, PETER BRODSKY.
I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF FAMILY GATEWAY.
DAVID RE, RETIRED HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR.
UH, SHOULD I LAUNCH INTO OUR PRESENTATION, PLEASE? SURE.
IS THAT BETTER
IT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE HAD TO SPEAK UP.
UM, SO WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO TONIGHT IS, IS WALK YOU THROUGH, UH, A FEW, A FEW SIMPLE THINGS.
UH, WHO WE ARE AS A TASK FORCE, UH, WHAT WE DID AS A TASK FORCE, UH, WHAT OUR KEY FINDINGS WERE AND WHAT OUR KEY RECOMMENDATIONS WERE.
UM, AND SO, UM, WE'LL PRESENT AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THIS IS YOUR MEETING.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO INTERJECT QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE, OR WE CAN, UH, ANSWER THEM AT THE END.
SO THE, THE MAYOR PUT TOGETHER A, A TERRIFIC TACTIC.
AND PETER, I, I'M SORRY, WE'RE GONNA LET Y'ALL GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE PRESENTATION, AND THEN WE'LL GO THROUGH TO QUESTIONS.
UH, THE MAYOR PUT TOGETHER A TASK FORCE THAT WAS DIVERSE, UH, IN, UH, IN AGE, DIVERSE, IN EXPERIENCE, UH, EVERY KIND OF DIVERSITY THAT YOU COULD HAVE.
THE MOST IMPORTANT BEING THE, THE DIVERSITY OF EXPERIENCE.
WE HAD EXPERTS ON HOUSING, EXPERTS ON HOMELESSNESS, UH, EXPERTS ON, UH, ON, UH, MENTAL HEALTH.
UH, WE HAD PEOPLE FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM, THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM, NOWHERE ON THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM.
UH, AND WE, UH, THERE WERE 10 OF US.
WE ALL ENGAGED IN VERY ROBUST DEBATES.
UM, AND IT REALLY, IT WAS A TERRIFIC EXPERIENCE FOR ALL OF US OVER THE COURSE OF THE FOUR MONTHS THAT WE WORKED.
UH, I WON'T READ OUT THE NAMES, BUT I DO WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK EACH AND EVERY MEMBER, UH, OF THE, OF THE TASK FORCE THAT COMMITTED SO MUCH TIME AND EFFORT AND THOUGHT, UH, TO THIS REPORT, ASK THOSE WHO ARE HERE TO STAND.
WOULD THOSE WHO ARE ON THE TA WERE ON THE TASK FORCE? PLEASE STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED.
SO WHAT DID WE DO AS A TASK FORCE? UH, WE HAD OVER 20 HOURS OF MEETINGS OVER FOUR MONTHS.
UM, WE OFTEN, UH, WE WOULD WORK SEPARATELY, EARN PAYERS IN BETWEEN THE MEETINGS, DOING RESEARCH ON VARIOUS TOPICS.
AND THE MEETINGS WERE, WERE USED TO REPORT OUT.
WE INTERVIEWED OVER 20 L LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL EXPERTS, BOTH ON THE ACADEMIC SIDE AND THE PR PRACTITIONER SIDE.
UH, WE RESEARCHED, PRESENTED AND STUDIED DATA OF DALLAS METRO, OTHER METROPOLITAN AREAS, AND THE NATION AS A WHOLE.
UH, AND WE UTILIZED THE EXPERTISE OF TWO NATIONAL RESEARCHERS TO MAKE SURE WE REALLY UNDERSTOOD THE DATA.
I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY WE HAD EXTENSIVE AND VIGOROUS DEBATES ON THE IMPLICATIONS OF OUR FINDING, BUT THE TONE WAS ALWAYS CIVIL AND RESPECTFUL.
AND ULTIMATELY WHAT WE AGREED TO WAS A CONSENSUS REPORT IN WHICH ANY, ANY MEMBER COULD REJECT A RECOMMENDATION THAT HE OR SHE COULD NOT LEND THEIR NAME TO.
UM, AND THAT CAUSED US TO WORK REALLY HARD TO FIND COMMON GROUND, AND WE FOUND A LOT OF COMMON GROUND.
WE SUBMITTED THE REPORT TO MAYOR JOHNSON, UH, SEVEN MONTHS AGO ON JUNE 19TH.
AND, UH, WE'RE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT IT TO YOU TODAY.
UM, SO DO YOU WANNA TAKE THE, UH, THE NEXT ONE? SURE, SURE.
SO WE, UM, DECIDED THAT WE WOULD FOCUS ON THE HUD DEFINITION OF HOMELESSNESS, UM, OF BEING LITERALLY HOMELESS.
SO BEING WITHOUT A, UM, A PLACE TO LIVE AT NIGHT THAT WAS MEANT FOR HUMAN HABITATION, RATHER THAN USE THE MORE BROAD DEFINITION OF HOMELESSNESS THAT, THAT, FOR INSTANCE, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION USES, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES, FOR INSTANCE, FAMILIES WHO MIGHT BE DOUBLED UP IN LIVING WITH OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS WHO MIGHT BE PAYING THEIR OWN WAY IN A HOTEL.
SO WE REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS ON THOSE WHO WERE LITERALLY HOMELESS, UNSHELTERED OUTSIDE, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO WERE SHELTERED.
[00:15:01]
OUR POINT IN TIME COUNT IN THE APPROPRIATE CONTEXT AS SOMETHING THAT WAS DIRECTIONAL AND NOT INTENDED TO REPRESENT THE ENTIRETY OF ALL THE HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY.WE KNOW THAT IT IS USED FOR TRENDING.
WE KNOW THAT HUD GIVES INSTRUCTION ON HOW TO DO THAT POINT IN TIME COUNT, BUT IT WILL NEVER BE THE BE ALL, END ALL, EVERYONE COUNTED IN THAT.
AND SO WE CAME AT THIS FROM A REALISTIC PERSPECTIVE.
SO HERE'S A, A, A, UH, A QUICK SNAPSHOT OF SOME OF THE THINGS WE FOUND.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE GRAPH ON THE LEFT, THAT IS THE NUMBER OF, UH, PEOPLE THAT WERE COUNTED IN THE PIT COUNTS FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS.
AND AGAIN, I WANT TO STRESS IT'S THE TREND OF THIS GRAPH RATHER THAN THE EXACT NUMBERS ON THE GRAPH THAT ARE, THAT ARE IMPORTANT.
UM, AND WHAT YOU CAN SEE IS THAT THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT RISE IN UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS BETWEEN 2014 AND 2020, BUT THAT SINCE 2020, WE HAVE BEGUN TO BEND THE CURVE, UH, AND, AND SEEN A REDUCTION, UH, IN UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS.
UM, IF YOU COMPARE THAT TO THE NATIONAL TREND, WE WERE WAY OUT PACING THE GROWTH IN UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS FOR THE, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE LAST, FOR THE FIRST SEVEN OF THE LAST 10 YEARS.
UH, BUT NATIONALLY, HOMELESSNESS HAS CONTINUED TO GROW.
AND WE'VE BEEN RECOGNIZED BY, UH, BY SEVERAL PUBLICATIONS AS ONE OF THE FEW MARKETS IN THE COUNTRY THAT HAS ACTUALLY BEGUN TO SEE A REDUCTION.
ANOTHER THING WE LOOKED INTO WAS WHY DO, UH, PEOPLE FALL INTO HOMELESSNESS? IT WAS ONE OF THE MAYOR'S, UH, 12 GUIDING QUESTIONS.
AND THE, THE GRAPH ON THE LEFT MAY SEEM OVER, OVER OVERLY SIMPLIFIED.
UH, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE ONLY THING THAT EVERY SINGLE PERSON EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS HAS IN COMMON IS THAT THEY LACK HOUSING.
UM, IT IS OFTEN, OFTEN PORTRAYED THAT EVERYBODY HAS MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS.
EVERYBODY, UH, HAS, UH, HAS DRUG OR SUBSTANCE USE PROBLEMS. BUT IN FACT, UH, OUR DATA SHOWED US THAT, THAT ONLY ABOUT 58% OF PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING FROM EITHER A SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS OR A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.
THAT IS A HUGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
AND I DON'T MEAN TO UNDERSTATE THE PROBLEM.
MANY, MANY PEOPLE NEED MENTAL HEALTH CARE, UH, IN ORDER TO, IN ORDER TO GET THEIR LIVES BACK TOGETHER.
BUT NOT EVERYONE, BUT EVERYBODY, UH, EVERYBODY IS UNHOUSED.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT TEXAS HOUSE BILL 1925, WHICH IS THE PROHIBITION ON CAMPING IN PUBLIC PLACES.
AND SO OUR, ONE OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS WAS THAT THE, THE CITY NEEDS TO HAVE A STRATEGY TO ADDRESS THAT PARTICULAR BAN, THAT CAMPING BAN, BUT IT ALSO NEEDS TO BALANCE BETWEEN SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS.
SO DISPLACING AN ENCAMPMENT, FOR INSTANCE, WITHOUT RESOLVING THE HOMELESSNESS OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS IN AN ENCAMPMENT IS JUST KICKING THE CAN AROUND THE CITY.
AND SO WE WANTED TO MAKE A PARTICULAR NOTE ABOUT THE NEED TO BALANCE THE NEED FOR SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS, AND TO HAVE A METHODICAL APPROACH TO ENCAMPMENT DECOMMISSIONING.
AND WE HEARD ONE OF THE MAYORS SPEAK ABOUT THAT TONIGHT.
AND THEN WE ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT IN THE REPORT THAT WHILE BOTH INTERIM AND LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS ARE NEEDED, SOMETIMES THE INTERIM SOLUTIONS TAKE UP THE MONEY THAT COULD GO TOWARDS LONGER TERM SOLUTIONS.
SO AGAIN, IT HAS TO BE A BALANCED APPROACH.
THERE'S NO ONE MAGIC BULLET, THERE'S NO ONE SINGLE SOLUTION.
THIS REQUIRES A, AN EXTREMELY THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO ADDRESS THIS ON MANY LEVELS.
WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT HOW THE CITY OF DALLAS COULD IMPROVE HOW IT FUNCTIONS IN ORDER TO PROPEL FORWARD SOME OF THE EFFORTS AROUND HOMELESSNESS AND NOTED ISSUES WITH PERMITTING, DUPLICATIVE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES, CUMBERSOME CONTRACTING PRACTICES, AND ALSO CITED, WHICH I KNOW THIS GROUP HAS HEARD RECENTLY FROM THE CHILD POVERTY ACTION LAB, THAT WE ARE SHORT 33,000 UNITS OF DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THOSE WHO MAKE 50% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME ARE BELOW.
SO THIS IS A BIG ISSUE THAT WILL CONTINUE TO DRIVE PEOPLE INTO HOMELESSNESS IF WE DON'T ADDRESS IT.
SO THAT'S, THOSE WERE OUR KEY FINDINGS.
AND NOW WE'LL GO INTO THE RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, PART OF THE REPORT.
THE, THE FIRST THING IS THAT WE, UH,
[00:20:01]
WE DIVIDED THE RECOMMENDATIONS INTO THREE MAJOR AREAS.ONE WAS, WHAT ARE THE TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT SOLUTIONS? AND THESE WERE ACTIONS THAT THE CITY ITSELF CAN TAKE TO INCREASE ACCESS TO SHELTER AND PERMANENT HOUSING.
NUMBER TWO WAS THE ACCELERATION OF STRATEGIES TO DEVELOP LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS AND THE CREATION OF MULTIPLE TYPES OF HOUSING.
AND THE, THE, THE THIRD AREA WAS AN AREA THAT THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE DIRECT CONTROL OVER, BUT CAN ACT AS AN ADVOCATE, UH, PARTICULARLY WITH, UH, FOR THE INCREASED AVAILABILITY OF BEHAVIORAL SELF, UH, HEALTH SERVICES AND INCREASING COLLABORATION.
SO, UM, HERE'S SOME, SOME MORE SPECIFICS ON THE TEMPORARY SHELTER AND PERMANENT HOUSING.
THE FIRST THING IS THAT THE, THE TASK FORCE FELT THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON ENCAMPMENT DECOMMISSIONING.
AND I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT HERE TO DISTINCT, TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN DECOMMISSIONING AND CLOSURE.
SO DECOMMISSIONING OCCURS WHEN THE AGENCIES OF THE CONTINUUM OF CARE WORK WITH THE ENCAMPMENT RESIDENTS FOR FOUR TO EIGHT WEEKS TO GET THEM HOUSED.
AND ON THE DAY OF THE ENCAMPMENT CLOSURE, THEIR HOMELESSNESS HAS ENDED AND EVERYONE IS BROUGHT TO HOUSING.
IT IS TRUE THAT IT IS SOMETIMES TEMPORARY, BUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE TIME WITH OUR ENC UH, ENCAMPMENT DECOMMISSIONING IN OUR CITY, THEY ARE BROUGHT TO PERMANENT HOUSING.
CLOSURE IS WHEN THE CITY OF DALLAS MOVES EVERYONE OUT OF AN ENCAMPMENT, UH, DOES NOT PROVIDE HOUSING.
AND THOSE PEOPLE WILL END UP IN, UH, CAMPING SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SOMETIMES THAT MAY BE NECESSARY.
BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE, THAT THIS COMMITTEE AND THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DECOMMISSIONING AND CLOSURE.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DECOMMISSIONING, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FORM OR WHERE FOLKS GET HOUSED.
IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE REALLY NEED TO INCREASE THE STREET OUTREACH WORKFORCE.
UH, WHEN THIS COMMISSION DECOMMISSIONING EFFORT STARTED, THE, THE, THE, UH, THE BOTTLENECK WAS THE NUMBER OF AVAILABLE, UH, HO HOUSES.
THAT'S NOT THE BOTTLENECK NOW, RIGHT NOW, THE BOTTLENECK IS STREET OUTREACH.
AND WE DO A APPRECIATE VERY MUCH THAT THE BUDGET CALLED FOR, UH, FOR THOSE, UH, ADDITIONAL POSITIONS TO BE FUNDED.
UM, WE NEED TO SUPPORT EXISTING COORDINATION WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND OTHER SERVICES.
'CAUSE IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO HOUSE SOMEONE.
IT'S HOUSING FIRST, BUT NOT HOUSING ONLY.
UH, WE, ONCE FOLKS ARE HOUSED, THEY NEED TO BE WRAPPED AROUND WITH SERVICES.
UM, WE NEED TO, UH, PRIORITIZE ENCAMPMENTS THAT HAVE VIOLENCE, CRIME, AND CONCERNS OF RESIDENTS.
THIS IS A MUCH BETTER AND MORE PERMANENT SOLUTION TO DEALING WITH CONSTITUENT, UH, CONCERNS.
UH, AND THEN MOST IMPORTANTLY, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THE CITY HAS DIRECT CONTROL OVER.
ONCE THE ENCAMPMENT HAS BEEN DECOMMISSIONED, IT NEEDS TO BE FENCED AND MONITORED TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T GET REPOPULATED.
THE, THE MOST FRUSTRATING THING THAT CAN HAPPEN IS ALL THAT WORK TO GET EVERYONE HOUSED.
AND THEN THE NEXT DAY IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT BEING WATCHED OR IT'S NOT BEING FENCED WHERE POSSIBLE.
SO WE ALSO RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY TAKE FURTHER ACTION TO CREATE ALTERNATIVE TEMPORARY HOUSING SOLUTIONS, SHELTER SOLUTIONS.
UM, AN EXAMPLE OF THAT WOULD BE THE USE OF INEXPENSIVE HOTELS OR IN EXPANDING EXISTING SHELTER CAPACITY TO ALLOW THEM TO MAXIMIZE THEIR SPACE.
WE ALSO RECOMMENDED, WHICH I KNOW MANY ON THIS GROUP, HAVE ALSO SAID PUBLICLY, THAT WE NEED TO TAKE A VERY HARD LOOK AT THE BUILDINGS THAT THE CITY PURCHASED THAT ARE SITTING EMPTY, THAT WERE INTENDED FOR HOMELESSNESS, AND EITHER CONSIDER THEM FOR TEMPORARY SOLUTIONS OR FOR MORE PERMANENT HOUSING SOLUTIONS, OR PERHAPS A HYBRID, STARTING WITH A TEMPORARY SOLUTION AND BUILDING TO THE, UM, MORE PERMANENT SOLUTION.
WE WERE HAPPY TO SEE AN RFP COMING OUT AROUND THE MIRAMAR RECENTLY, BUT THAT, THAT FACILITY, FOR INSTANCE, HAS BEEN SITTING EMPTY SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED IN DECEMBER OF 20.
AND SO, UM, WE, WE REALLY WANT THE CITY TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AT HOW TO ACCELERATE THAT PROCESS TO GET THOSE BUILDINGS THAT WERE INVESTED IN FOR HOMELESSNESS TO ACTUALLY RESPOND TO HOMELESSNESS.
WE ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT THE CITY LOOK AT ITS INTERNAL PROCESSES IN EVERY AREA THAT COULD SLOW DOWN THE RESULTS OF ADDRESSING OUR HOMELESS PROBLEM, SUCH AS THE PROCUREMENT PROCESSES, LEGAL PROCESSES, ZONING, PERMITTING, CONTRACTING, AND PAYMENT PROCESSES.
UH, FOR, FOR NON-PROFITS WHO, WHO ARE ENGAGED
[00:25:01]
WITH THE CITY, IT IS AN EXTREMELY CUMBERSOME PROCESS TO WORK WITH THE CITY THAT WE FEEL THE CITY COULD IMPROVE UPON, TO DRAW MORE PARTNERS TO THE TABLE TO HELP ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM.AGAIN, WE WANT THE CITY TO LOOK AT MAXIMIZING THE SPACE IN EXISTING SHELTERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MONEY THAT'S ALREADY BEEN INVESTED IN SHELTERING IS MAXIMIZED.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT SHELTERS THAT WERE COMING ON BOARD, SUCH AS THE SALVATION ARMY SHELTER THAT IS COMING, UH, ON BOARD RAISING ABOUT $120 MILLION WORTH OF PRIVATE FUNDING, AND LOOKED AT HOW THAT PARTICULAR PROPERTY, THE CAPACITY ON THAT PROPERTY, WAS BEING LIMITED, NOT BECAUSE OF THE SPACE, BUT BECAUSE OF THE COMMUNITY AROUND IT, NOT WANTING IT TO BE BIGGER.
AND SO THAT $120 MILLION OF PRIVATE MONEY INVESTMENT SHOULD BE MAXIMIZED AND SPACE UTILIZED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE IT SAFE AND TO BRING MORE PEOPLE IN.
WE ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT THE CITY ENCOURAGE, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE PLACES WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE CONTROL, BUT YOU HAVE AUTHORITY AND YOU HAVE PERSUASION ON YOUR SIDE.
UM, ANYTIME A NONPROFIT GETS CITY FUNDING, COUNTY FUNDING STATE FUNDING, OR FEDERAL FUNDING, WE ARE REQUIRED TO ENTER OUR DATA INTO THE HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM, WHICH GIVES US A RICHER LOOK AT HOW OUR SYSTEM IS RESPONDING.
SO WE HAVE SOME AGENCIES THAT ARE PURELY PRIVATELY FUNDED, AND THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT THAT THEY ENTER THEIR DATA OR SHARE THEIR DATA.
SO WE BELIEVE THIS IS A PLACE THE CITY COULD INFLUENCE PRIVATE FUNDERS TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO LEND THEIR DATA SO THAT WE GET A MORE COMPLETE PICTURE OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE ALSO WANT TO APPLAUD AND, AND ASK FOR A REINVIGORATION OF THE COMMITMENT BY THE CITY TO EITHER HAVE SHELTER FACILITIES OR DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING FACILITIES IN EVERY DISTRICT, SO THAT THIS IS SHARED ACROSS THE COMMUNITY AND NOT ISOLATED IN PARTICULAR AREAS.
WE ALSO CALLED FOR THE ELIMINATION OF DUPLICATIVE COMMITTEES THAT WERE ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT THAT WERE INSTEAD CREATING SOME COMPLEXITY AND REDUNDANCY IN LIGHT OF THE, THE CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE SYSTEM.
SO WHEN, FOR INSTANCE, THE DALLAS AREA PARTNERSHIP AND THE CITIZEN HOMELESSNESS COMMISSION WERE ENVISIONED, WE HAD A WEAKER LEAD AGENCY.
WE NOW HAVE A STRONGER LEAD AGENCY.
WE NOW HAVE A TWO COUNTY-WIDE BOARD THAT OVERSEES THE CONTINUUM OF CARE, WHICH THE CITY SITS ON AND THE COUNTY SITS ON.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE DALLAS AREA PARTNERSHIP THAT HAS REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS AND THE COUNTY OF DALLAS.
AND WE REVIEWED THREE YEARS WORTH OF MINUTES OF THAT, OF THOSE MEETINGS, AND DID NOT FIND ANYTHING UNIQUE ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING AT THE CITY COUNTY MEETING THAT WASN'T ALREADY HAPPENING AT THE, UM, TWO COUNTYWIDE MEETINGS.
AND SO WE LOOKED CLOSELY AT THAT TO SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
WE ALSO NOW HAVE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT ON THE GROUND FROM THE WHITE HOUSE AND THE UNITED STATES, UM, INTER-AGENCY COUNCIL AND HOMELESSNESS.
UH, THIS COMMITTEE HAS EMERGED SINCE THOSE COMMITTEES WERE PUT IN PLACE AND AS WELL AS THE OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS.
SO THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS PUT IN PLACE BEFORE, UM, OR AFTER THOSE, UH, GROUPS WERE PUT IN ORDER.
WE ALSO INTERVIEWED MEMBERS OF THE CITIZEN HOMELESSNESS COMMISSION, WHO WERE CURRENT AND PRIOR MEMBERS TO ASK THEM WHAT THEY THOUGHT, UM, OF HOW THAT GROUP WAS OPERATING.
AND WE SHARED ALL OF THOSE NOTES WITH THE MAYOR.
WE DECIDED NOT TO PUT THEM INTO THE PUBLIC DOCUMENT.
UH, FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, INCLUDED, UH, MAKING CITY OWNED LAND AVAILABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR OTHER ALTERNATIVE, UH, HOUSING OPTIONS, UH, CREATING FASTER AND A LESS EXPENSIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT.
UH, OF COURSE, WHILE MAINTAINING SAFETY, STREAMLINING THE PERMITTING PROCESS, UM, CONSIDERING MORE REGISTERED BOARDING HOMES, GROUP HOMES, SROS, UH, JUST A A BROADER DEFINITION, UH, AND A BROADER ARRAY OF HOUSING OPTIONS.
UH, AND OF COURSE, ALLOCATING, UH, CURRENT AND FUTURE BOND FUNDS TO DRIVE DEVELOPMENT OF DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH ULTIMATELY IS, IS IS THE ONLY SOLUTION, UH, SOLUTION TO HOMELESSNESS TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE DON'T FALL INTO HOMELESSNESS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
UM, ON THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SIDE, UM, WE, YOU KNOW, WE BELIEVE THAT THESE, THESE ARE THINGS THAT THE, THAT THE CITY CAN ENCOURAGE, BUT CAN'T NECESSARILY, UH, MANDATE, UH, ENCOURAGE THAT ALL, UH,
[00:30:01]
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IS, IS, UH, ACCOMPANIED WITH ENHANCED BEHAVIORAL SUPPORT, PRIORITIZE COLLABORATION.UH, WE, WE POINT OUT THE HARRIS CENTER FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AS A MODEL, UH, THAT SHOULD BE FOLLOWED.
WE HAVE A LOT OF TERRIFIC MENTAL HEALTH, UH, AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INSTITUTIONS IN THIS CITY.
UH, THE HARRIS CENTER, I THINK, HAS TAKEN TO THE NEXT LEVEL THE COLLABORATION WITH THE HOMELESS, HOMELESS CONTINUUM OF CARE, UM, AND THEN ADVOCATE FOR INCREASED COUNTY AND STATE SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS OR, UH, OR, OR CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS.
THERE'S JUST NOT A LOT ENOUGH DRUG TREATMENT AVAILABLE FOR FOLKS WHO NEED IT.
AND THAT REALLY CONCLUDES OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, I DO WANNA SAY IN CLOSING, UH, THAT, UH, WHILE OUR THIRD CO-CHAIR, UH, MS. KBRA IS VERY SHY AND RETIRING AND DID NOT WANNA SPEAK IN PUBLIC, I DO WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT SHE WAS NOT THIS QUIET DURING THE MEETINGS, AND THERE WERE SOME VERY VIGOROUS DEBATES THAT WENT ON
PETER, ELLEN, UH, THANK YOU FOR NOT ONLY THIS REPORT, BUT WHAT Y'ALL DO FOR OUR CITY EACH AND EVERY SINGLE DAY.
YOU ALL ARE VERY WELL RESPECTED, UM, RESIDENTS OF OUR CITY AND HAVE DEFINITELY HAD AN IMPACT, AND YOUR FINGERPRINTS ARE ALL OVER OUR CITY.
WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN THE FLOOR UP TO MY COLLEAGUES, UH, TO ASK THREE QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO OUR, TO THE HOPE REPORT, UH, SPECIFICALLY, UH, WE'LL ALLOW, UH, THREE QUESTIONS AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK FOR A COMMENT SECTION.
BUT I WANNA BE RESPECTFUL OF THE CO-CHAIRS TIMES UNTIL WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO THREE QUESTIONS STARTING WITH, UH, CHAIRMAN WEST.
JUST A POINT OF INFORMATION, UM, CHAIR, UH, IS IF WE, I WAS HOPING TO DO MY STATEMENT FIRST.
CAN I DO A QUESTION IN LIEU OF THAT, OR DO YOU CARE? GO, GO AHEAD.
UM, WELL, THANKS FOR THE CHAIR FOR BRINGING THIS TONIGHT.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH TO OUR THREE FANTASTIC PRESENTERS FOR BEING UP HERE, UM, AND TO THE ENTIRE HOPE TASK FORCE FOR YOUR WORK OVER THE MANY MONTHS.
I, I HEARD TONIGHT, WEEKLY, UM, AND A LOT OF TIMES YOU GUYS MET TO PUT THIS REPORT TOGETHER.
UM, WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE AS A CITY TO HAVE HAD SUCH A KNOWLEDGEABLE AND RESPECTED GROUP OF COMMUNITY LEADERS COMMIT SO MUCH TIME TO ADDRESSING THE DALLAS HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE SYSTEM AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ENHANCEMENT.
I'M VERY PLEASED TO LEARN THAT THE TASK FORCE SUPPORTS THE CURRENT COLLECTIVE IMPACT STRUCTURE, UM, OF THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM LED BY THE ALL NEIGHBORS COALITION, UM, OF WHICH, OF COURSE, WE AS A CITY ARE A KEY MEMBER.
THIS CONFIRMS THAT WE, WE HAVE A STRONG FOUNDATION OF BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HOMELESSNESS SUPPORT AND MOVING, AND WE'RE ALL MOVING TOGETHER IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, GENERALLY.
ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME PROBLEMS, WHICH YOU GUYS ADDRESSED.
I'M ALSO PLEASED, UM, THAT THE TASK FORCE, YOU GUYS HAVE PROVIDED A, A LIST OF SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE CAN INITIATE TO ACCELER ACCELERATE THE COALITION'S EFFORTS TO IN HOMELESSNESS IN DALLAS.
AND IT'S VERY GRATIFYING TO KNOW THAT THE CITY HAS ALREADY MADE PROGRESS TOWARDS INCREASING SUPPORT FOR, UH, DECOMMISSIONING ENCAMPMENTS.
UM, I REALLY LIKE PETER, WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT LIKE, YOU KNOW, PRIORITIZING THE, THE, THE CRIME RIDDEN ONES, THE, YOU KNOW, HAVING A PRIORITIZATION SYSTEM SO WE KNOW WHERE TO PUT OUR EFFORTS.
THAT WAS, I, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT UNTIL TONIGHT.
UM, AND AS ELLEN MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN THROUGH THE RINGER AND BACK WITH MY OWN NEIGHBORHOOD ON THE MIRAMAR, AND IT'S NICE TO SEE PROGRESS IN HAVING OUR PROCUREMENT SYSTEM GETTING BETTER.
SO IT'S MY HOPE THAT TODAY'S PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION WILL RESULT IN EVEN GREATER SUPPORT FOR THE CITY AND COALITION'S GOALS FOR 2024 AND FURTHER INTO THE FUTURE.
SO, I'LL, UH, LIMIT IT TO TWO QUESTIONS NOW SINCE I'VE TALKED QUITE A BIT.
UM, THE SLIDE, YOU HAD A SLIDE AND, AND THESE AREN'T NUMBERED, SO I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE IT WAS, BUT AN EARLY SLIDE SHOWING A REDUCTION OF 9.9% ANNUALLY SINCE 2020 IN THE HOMELESSNESS POPULATION BASED ON HUD'S DEFINITION.
UM, SOME OF US WERE HERE WHEN, WHEN THAT STARTED.
AND CAN YOU JUST TELL US GENERALLY WHAT HAPPENED? LIKE, WHAT'S CHANGED? I UNDERTAKE THAT.
SO, UM, YEAH, THAT'S THE, THE COMPOUNDED ANNUAL GROWTH RATE SINCE 2020.
I MEAN, REALLY WHAT HAPPENED, UM, I IS THAT THE, THE CONTINUUM OF CARE AND THE LEAD AGENCY WERE COMPLETELY RECONSTITUTED.
UM, AND, UH, IN, AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF 2021, UH, AND THE COLLECTIVE IMPACT MODEL WAS IMPLEMENTED WITH MUCH MORE FIDELITY.
THE CITY COUNCIL ALLOCATED AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF ARPA FUNDS, WHICH WE THANK YOU FOR,
[00:35:01]
UH, TO ALLOW FOR THE DALLAS REAL-TIME RAPID REHOUSING, UH, PROGRAM, UH, WHICH HIT ITS GOAL OF, OF HOUSING 2,700 PEOPLE IN TWO YEARS.WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE THAT WITHOUT THE CITY COUNCIL'S SUPPORT, WITHOUT DALLAS COUNTY SUPPORT.
UM, BUT IT, IT, IT REALLY IS BECAUSE WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY WITHIN A COLLECTIVE IMPACT MODEL, MUCH, MUCH, MUCH MORE EFFECTIVELY THAN WE EVER HAVE BEEN.
EVERYONE IS ROWING IN THE SAME DIRECTION UNDER A UNIFIED STRATEGY.
THE CITY OF DALLAS HAS BEEN A PHENOMENAL PARTNER.
I WANT TO SHOUT OUT, UH, KIM TOLBERT AND CHRISTINE CROSSLEY, WE'RE ALL TALKING TO EACH OTHER MULTIPLE TIMES A WEEK, UH, SOMETIMES DAILY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS'S STRATEGY AND THE CONTINUUM OF CARE STRATEGY IS ONE STRATEGY.
'CAUSE WE'RE ALL STRONGER TOGETHER.
SECOND QUESTION IS, IF THERE'S JUST AN OVERALL MESSAGE YOU WANT US TO TAKE AWAY FROM TONIGHT, UM, THAT WHAT I'M HEARING FROM THIS REPORT IS WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WORKING, WORKING WITH COALITION, UM, WHAT'S THE MESSAGE WE NEED TO TAKE AWAY FROM TONIGHT, AND THEN HOW DO WE RESPOND TO THE MAYORS AND THESE OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME HERE AND SAID, I'M STILL SEEING PEOPLE ON THE STREET.
I'M STILL SEEING, IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE THE NUMBERS ARE GOING DOWN.
CAN YOU ADDRESS THOSE? CAN I, UH, I'D LOVE YEAH, PLEASE.
IT IS IN MY, IN MY PROFESSIONAL OPINION, IT'S TIME FOR LEADERSHIP TO STAND BEHIND THE PODIUM AND SAY, IT IS NOT HUMANE.
IT IS, THERE'S NOTHING GOOD ABOUT PEOPLE SLEEPING ON THE STREET, AND WE ARE GOING TO CORRECT IT BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY.
NOW, YOU GO TO COURT FOR EVERYTHING ELSE.
WELL, WHEN PEOPLE ARE LOST IN THEIR BEHAVIOR CHANGE AND THEY'VE GIVEN UP ON EVERYTHING, THEY HAVE NO INCENTIVE TO GO AND DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT.
SOMEBODY WITH SOME AUTHORITY IS GOING TO HAVE TO BRING THEM BACK INTO REALITY TO SAY, THIS IS NOT GOOD FOR YOU.
THIS IS NOT THE WAY IT'S MEANT FOR YOU TO LIVE.
YOU SHOULDN'T, EVERY TIME THE TEMPERATURE DRIVE HAS TO OPEN UP PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
SO WE FIRST GOT TO SAY, WE, THIS CULTURE HAS GOT TO CHANGE.
IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO THINK IT'S OKAY TO SLEEP UNDERNEATH THE FREEWAY IN A TENT.
IT'S NOT SAFE, AND IT'S NOT HUMANE.
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BEING SPENT WHEN, IF, IF, IF WE STAND UP AS A GROUP, AS A CITY, AS MAYORS, AND JUST SAY, WE ARE NOT GONNA LET THIS CONTINUE TO HAPPEN IN OUR CITY, YOU GONNA GET SUED.
SO WHAT? FIGHT TO SUED, BUT YOU GOTTA HAVE SOME AUTHORITY TO MAKE PEOPLE DO SOMETHING.
WE CAN'T MAKE THEM GET DRUG TREATMENT.
WE CAN'T MAKE THEM TAKE MENTAL HEALTH MEDICINES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
PLEASE COME INTO MY APARTMENT, PLEASE.
SO WHAT I WANNA SEE YOU DO IS STAND UP AND SAY, LOOK, WE NOT GONNA ALLOW THIS TO CONTINUE IN OUR CITY.
THAT'S WHAT BETTY WANTS TO SEE YOU DO.
AND I WOULD JUST REITERATE SOMETHING I SAID EARLIER, WHICH IS THERE IS NO MAGIC BULLET HERE.
THERE IS NO ONE THING THAT WILL JUST MAGICALLY MAKE IT ALL BETTER.
IT WILL TAKE A COMBINATION OF STRATEGIES, WHICH IS WHY THERE ARE SO MANY OF THEM THAT WE RECOMMENDED IN OUR REPORT.
SO IT'S NOT ONE THING THAT WILL JUST MAGICALLY CHANGE.
WE HAVE TO REALLY INTENTIONALLY GO ABOUT THIS AND INVEST IN MANY DIFFERENT AREAS TO IMPROVE.
I THINK THE ONE, THE ONE MESSAGE, UH, THAT I WOULD GIVE IS, IS, IS JUST THAT THIS IS LONG, HARD, ARDUOUS WORK, AND THERE'S NO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS A NEW FLAVOR DU JOUR ABOUT THIS IS GONNA SOLVE THE PROBLEM THAT'S GONNA SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT, OH, HAVEN FOR HOPE IS THE ANSWER.
NOW THE ANSWER IS TO GET PEOPLE HOUSED.
AND WHAT WE ARE DOING IS SHOWING RESULTS.
THERE ARE A MILLION DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE.
WE'VE TRIED TO LIST THE ONES THAT OUR TASK FORCE AGREED UPON, UH, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO TAKE A HARD RIGHT TURN AND TURN AWAY FROM WHAT SEEMS TO BE SHOWING RESULTS.
AND THERE'LL, THERE'LL BE BUMPS IN THE ROAD, BUT WHAT WE'RE DOING SEEMS TO BE SHOWING RESULTS AND IT'S WORKED IN OTHER COMMUNITIES.
THANK YOU, CHAIRWOMAN, UH, WILLIS,
[00:40:06]
THANK YOU.UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT THIS POOL OF OUR LOCAL AND OTHER EXPERTS HAVE, HAVE PUT TOGETHER.
UH, I KNOW YOU'VE, UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE CONVENED, UM, A LOT TO DISCUSS AND EXPLORE AND DEBATE.
UM, YOU ALREADY HAVE VERY FULL PLATES, BUT, UH, I APPRECIATE YOUR DEDICATION TO THIS.
AND I ALSO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THAT HOUSING MODEL IS WORKING.
UM, MORE PEOPLE ARE BEING HOUSED.
AND WHAT WE HAVE IN THE MEANTIME IS PEOPLE BEING WAREHOUSED UNDER UNDERPASSES AND IN PARKLAND.
AND I KNOW THAT'S FREE IN SOME WAYS, BUT YOU BRING UP THE NEED FOR TEMPORARY SHELTER.
UM, I DON'T LOVE THE SHELTER IDEA.
I'D LOVE TO HAVE MIDDLE GROUND SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE MORE LIKE HOUSING.
BUT I ALSO GET THE POINT THAT WAS RAISED.
I THINK MS. MAGNUS, YOU, YOU MENTIONED THAT, YOU KNOW, BY DOING THAT, YOU'RE TAKING AWAY FROM THE PERMANENT HOUSING OPTIONS.
AND SO TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THOSE DISCUSSIONS, BECAUSE IN YOUR SEATS, I UNDERSTAND STAYING IN THE LANE OF HOUSING BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THESE PEOPLE NEED, BUT LOOKING AT IT FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, THAT MUST BE MORE BROAD AS WE WORK WITH OUR RESIDENTS WHO ARE VERY CONCERNED WHEN THEY SEE PEOPLE WHO ARE UNHOUSED FOR WHATEVER THE REASON IS.
BUT I THINK JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE SEEING THE, THE INHUMANITY OF THAT AND THE CONDITIONS, UM, THAT WE NEED SOMETHING, WE NEED TO GET INTO SOME OF THAT FUNDING, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CARVE OUT PART OF THAT PIE FOR IT.
THE QUESTION IS HOW MUCH, SO CAN YOU ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON WHERE WE CAN GO AND WHAT WE SHOULD DO, EVEN THOUGH I KNOW IT PAINS YOU
TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE TEMPORARY HOUSING ASPECT OF WHAT YOU ALL TALKED ABOUT AND WHAT YOU SEE A PROPORTION BEING THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE.
OKAY, I'LL GO AND THEN HE CAN GO NEXT.
SO I WILL TELL YOU IN THE FAMILY HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM, THAT THERE ARE A FINITE NUMBER OF SHELTER ROOMS AVAILABLE.
AND SO WHAT WE DO IN THE FAMILY SYSTEM, WHICH WE DISCUSSED IN OUR TASK FORCE, IS WE OVERFLOW INTO HOTELS WHEN WE EXCEED CAPACITY.
AND THEN WE DON'T USE THOSE HOTELS WHEN WE DON'T NEED THEM.
SO WE'RE NOT BUILDING SOMETHING PERMANENT.
WE'RE UTILIZING EXISTING SPACE TO SORT OF EXPAND AND CONTRACT.
AND SO THAT IS ONE RECOMMENDATION IN THE REPORT IS THAT WE COULD CONSIDER, UM, USING A MODEL THAT IS NOT A, A PERMANENT BILL, BUT SOMETHING THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO USE SPACE THAT'S AVAILABLE.
UM, THERE ARE ALSO NOTES IN OUR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CALL FOR, UM, ALTERNATIVE TYPES OF HOUSING.
SO WE, WE TEND TO THINK ABOUT SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS OR APARTMENTS, BUT THERE ARE MULTITUDES OF OTHER WAYS TO, TO GET THERE WITH ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS, WITH, UM, BOARDING HOMES WITH SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY.
SO THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO GET TO THAT SORT OF, UM, GETTING PEOPLE OFF THE STREET.
WE ALSO MENTIONED THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT THE CAPACITY CONSTRAINTS ON OUR CURRENT SHELTERS TO SEE ARE WE MAXIMIZING THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'VE ALREADY MADE AS A MUNICIPALITY, AS A COMMUNITY.
PRIVATE MONEY FLOWS INTO SHELTER OPERATIONS ALL THE TIME, MULTIPLE DIFFERENT SHELTERS.
ARE WE MAXIMIZING THAT SPACE OR COULD THERE BE MORE ADDED? WE SEE DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER THAT WE'RE ABLE TO EXPAND, BUT DURING NON INCLEMENT WEATHER TIMES, THOSE PROPERTIES ARE NOT ALLOWED TO EXPAND.
SO THERE'S SOME, THERE'S POTENTIALLY SOME PLACES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE THAT WE COULD USE TO EXPAND INTO ON A TEMPORARY BASIS.
JUST REAL QUICK, DID YOU ALL DO A COST COMPARISON BETWEEN INEXPENSIVE HOTELS AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING? DID YOU KIND OF TAKE A NUMBER? NO, WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME.
WE ONLY HAD FOUR MONTHS TO, TO WORK ON THIS, AND SO WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO DIG INTO THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL.
WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CITY DO THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID AT DALLAS
SO THAT'S WHERE YOU, YOU DOUBLE THE OCCUPANCY FOR, UH, YOU COULD PUT TWO UNRELATED ADULTS IN, IN A UNIT WITH ONE VOUCHER WHERE THEY HAD PROHIBITED UNRELATED ADULTS FROM SHARING A VOUCHER IF THEY WERE NOT RELATED.
SO WE DID GET, GET THAT APPROVAL.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER AREA THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DOUBLE SOME OCCUPANCY.
SO WE NOTED SHARED HOUSING AS ONE SOLUTION IN THERE AS WELL.
[00:45:01]
THE, UH, THE, THE THINGS THAT ELLEN AND BETTY SAID.UH, I'D ALSO ADD, I MEAN, THE, THE HOTEL OPTION IS QUITE EXPENSIVE.
THE CITY DID TRY THAT ONCE, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS FOR SIX WEEKS.
THE, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU CAN ALSO GET INTO THINGS THAT I, THAT I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH, SUCH AS LOW BARRIER SHELTERS.
THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS THAT HAVE DRUG HABITS.
THEY CANNOT GO TO REGULAR CONGREGANT SHELTERS BECAUSE OF THE RULES.
UM, IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GET PEOPLE OFF THE STREET, YOU MAY NEED TO CONSIDER LOW BARRIER SHELTERS WHERE DRUG USE IS ALLOWED.
THAT THAT IS A VERY CONTROVERSIAL IDEA.
UH, I'M NOT, I'M NOT HERE TO RECOMMEND IT, BUT I'M SAYING ON THE MENU OF THINGS, IF YOU, IF, IF THE ANSWER IS WE HAVE TO GET PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS IMMEDIATELY, YOU KNOW, NO MATTER WHAT, THAT MAY BE ONE OF THE MENU OF OPTIONS THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED.
THE ONE THING THAT I REALLY, WE HAD A LOT, IF THERE'S ONE THING WE DEBATED A LOT ABOUT, IT WAS THE SANCTIONED ENCAMPMENT.
AND WHAT WE ENDED UP AGREEING WAS THAT WE ALL HAD DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS OF THE SANCTIONED ENCAMPMENT, BUT EVERY INSTANCE THAT WE SAW OF A, OF A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WERE ENCOURAGED TO GO TO PITCH THEIR TENTS IN ONE PLACE, SORT OF A CORDON THEM OFF AND JUST PUT IT HERE, HAS ENDED UP IN WHAT WAS DESCRIBED BY EVERY SINGLE PLACE WE INTERVIEWED AS A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS.
WHEN YOU CONCENTRATE THAT LEVEL OF MENTAL ILLNESS AND THAT LEVEL OF DRUG USE AND THAT LEVEL OF POVERTY, UH, INTO A PLACE WITH NO ELECTRICITY AND NO RESTROOMS, IT BECOMES THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY.
IT, IT, IT CAN TURN INTO A NIGHTMARE.
THAT IS THE ONE THING THAT I WOULD RECOMMEND NOT BE ON THE TABLE FOR ANY KIND OF TEMPORARY SOLUTION.
THAT MIGHT BE A PREVIEW OF MY NEXT QUESTION.
SO, YOU KNOW, CONSENSUS IS LOVELY, BUT, AND IT MAKES FOR A NICE REPORT SOMETIMES, BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WITH THESE EXPERTS IN THE ROOM IS WHAT DID YOU QUICKLY COALESCE AROUND AND AGREE ON? AND MAYBE THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS YOU QUICKLY AGREED ON, BUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW OH, THAT HE DID NOT, UM, WHAT I, WHAT I SAID WE AGREED ON WAS THAT WE ALL HAD DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS OF SANCTIONED CAMERAS.
WE DIDN'T AGREE ON ANYTHING QUICKLY.
WELL THEN LET ME GO BACK TO WHAT DID YOU, WHAT, IF ANYTHING, DID YOU QUICKLY COALESCE AROUND THAT ALL THESE EXPERTS FEEL LIKE, OH YES, THIS IS THE WAY IN THIS PARTICULAR CATEGORY.
AND THEN WHAT DO YOU FEEL LIKE THERE IS STILL FRICTION ON AS FAR AS NOT REALLY ARRIVING AT CONSENSUS, JUST TO HELP US SORT THROUGH? I THINK THE THING THAT THERE'S STILL FRICTION ON THE, THE, THE BIGGEST DEBATE WAS THE TEMPORARY VERSUS PERMANENT SOLUTION.
UM, MANY PEOPLE ON THE COMMITTEE FELT, WE GOTTA GET PEOPLE OFF THE STREET IMMEDIATELY.
WE GOTTA, WE GOTTA HAVE TEMPORARY SOLUTIONS.
AND MANY PEOPLE ON THE COMMITTEE FELT THAT'S JUST CREATING ANOTHER PIT STOP ON THE WAY.
AND, AND, AND, AND WHY DO THAT? UM, THAT, THAT WAS THE, THAT WAS THE SUBJECT OF A LOT OF DEBATE.
I THINK THE THING THAT WE COALESCED AROUND WAS, WAS THAT WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IS WORKING, AND WE ALSO ALL AGREED THAT IT WAS TOO SLOW, WHICH IS WHY ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WAS REALLY EASY FOR US TO COME TO WAS ASKING THE CITY TO FUND THOSE 16 ADDITIONAL, UH, ADDITIONAL OUTREACH WORKERS.
SO IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE ANYONE WOULD ADD AROUND WHAT YOU CAME TOGETHER ON AND WHAT YOU DISAGREED? WE, WE PRETTY MUCH, IT, IT WAS ONLY TWO OF US.
IT WAS ONLY TWO OF US WHO, UM, WANTED TO MAKE, UH, THE CITY ADHERING TO HOUSE BE A 1925 AS PART OF THE RECOMMENDATION.
SO WE CAREFULLY WORDED WHERE IT SAYS THE CITY WOULD CONSIDER, WHAT DID YOU SAY, PETER? THE CITY WOULD DO SOMETHING.
BUT ANYWAY, IT, SO IT WAS, IT WAS A MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE WANTED SOMETHING, ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE OTHER THAN THE SANCTIONED CAMPSITE, IT'S TWO TO EIGHT.
I FEEL LIKE OTHER COLLEAGUES ARE GONNA GET INTO, UH, 1925.
SO LET ME ASK, YOU KNOW, SO MUCH OF THIS TOUCHES HEALTH RELATED ISSUES.
AND THAT IS NOT UNDER OUR PURVIEW.
AND I'M NOT SENSING AS MUCH OF A DEEP DIVE INTO THAT.
I MEAN, CITY OF DALLAS GENERATES A LOT OF REVENUE FOR DALLAS COUNTY AND WHAT'S GENERATED VERSUS WHAT COMES BACK IS PRETTY DISPROPORTIONATE.
AND WE'VE GOT A CRISIS AND WE NEED HELP, AND HEALTHCARE IS NOT OURS.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME GENERALITIES AROUND THIS ABOUT WE CAN, UM,
[00:50:01]
HELP ADVOCATE, UH, BUT WE ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE CONVENER AROUND THAT.I MEAN, WE CAN STEP IN AND BE THAT, UH, THIS IS WHY I DON'T WANNA GET RID OF DAP.
I THINK WE NEED THIS, I THINK WE NEED TO FOCUS ON IT.
AND I THINK IT'S A NEW DAY FOR DAP, FRANKLY.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL ME, IF YOU WERE TO JUST PULL BACK THE COVER OF THE REPORT AND SPEAK A LITTLE MORE FRANKLY ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE HAPPENING IN TERMS OF WORK AROUND HEALTHCARE, IN TERMS OF, OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, TERMS OF BEHAVIORAL, YEAH.
ALL OF THESE POINTS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, REALLY BIG ROOT CAUSES OR, OR BECOME AN ISSUE BECAUSE OF NOT BEING HOUSED AND HOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LIMITED.
AND, AND JUST EXPLORE THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE FOR ME.
ABOUT WHAT, AS A COUNTY, AS A FORMER DIRECTOR OF DALLAS COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, THE COUNTY, UH, HAS A LOT OF SERVICES THAT OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT ACCESSING.
SO WHEN YOU SAY HEALTHCARE, EVERY TIME ABOUT PARK COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL SYSTEM OR, UH, THE MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM IS, IS, IS UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE, UH, NORTH TEXAS MENTAL HEALTH CORPORATION, BUT THE COUNTY HEALTH FUND THAT, SO I'M NOT SURE WHEN YOU SAY HEALTH, YOU MEAN PHYSICAL HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH OR MENTAL HEALTH? MENTAL HEALTH OR PHYSICAL HEALTH.
WELL, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF MENTALLY ILL HOMELESS PEOPLE, A LOT OF DRUG ADDICTED, HOMELESS PEOPLE, AND WE DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO CARE FOR THEM AND TAKE CARE OF THEM.
WELL, PART OF THE PART, BUT PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THOSE ARE VOLUNTEER.
THAT'S WHAT I SAID IN IN THE BEGINNING, IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, YOU CANNOT MAKE ANYONE GO, YOU CANNOT MAKE THEM GO TO DRUG TREATMENT.
YOU CANNOT MAKE THEM STAY ON A GIVEN NIGHT.
30 PEOPLE GO THROUGH PARKLAND'S, ER WITH A, WITH A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.
29 OF THOSE FOLK WILL BE GIVING A BUS TICKET OUT BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO JURISDICTION TO HOLD THEM.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT, SO THAT, THAT'S A BIG PROBLEM.
BUT YOU KNOW, IF A QUARTER OF THESE PEOPLE SAID, OKAY, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M WILLING TO GO GET THIS CARE, WHERE DO WE PUT THEM? I DON'T, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A PLACE TO EVEN PUT THEM.
SO THIS IS WHAT I'M GETTING AT.
WE, WE HAVE SOMEONE ON THE COMMITTEE WHO'S ON ZOOM, UH, FROM THE, UH, FROM THE MEADOWS MENTAL HEALTH, UM, INSTITUTE.
SO DARRELL, DO YOU WANT TO CHIME IN HERE AND, AND, UH, TRY TO ADDRESS THE COUNCILMAN'S, UH, CONCERNS? YES, THANK YOU SO MUCH PETER.
AND THANK YOU CO-CHAIRS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN YOUR MEETING, UH, VIA ZOOM.
I REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, THE WORK THAT, THAT IN THE DISCUSSION THAT WE'VE HAD.
UM, WHEN I, WHEN I, LIKE, WHEN I THINK ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS, UM, I WORK FOR THE MENTALS MENTAL HEALTH POLICY INSTITUTE.
WE LIKE TO REALLY LOOK AT THIS IN THE LARGER CONTEXT.
ONE IN FIVE OF US HAVE A SEVERE, HAVING, HAVING MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION, UM, AND APPROXIMATELY ONE IN 25 OF US HAVE A SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
HAVING SAID THAT, UM, MOST OF US HAVE A PLACE TO CALL HOME.
WHEN WE LOOK AT, UM, INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT, UM, IN DALLAS AND NORTH TEXAS, THEY ARE, UM, THIS POPULATION, EIGHT IS EIGHT TIMES MORE LIKELY TO HAVE A SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS AND TWO TIMES MORE LIKELY TO HAVE A SUBSTANCE USE CONDITION.
WE MADE THREE MAIN RECOMMENDATIONS AS PART OF THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, UM, UMBRELLA, AND ONE OF THEM WAS TO INCREASE AVAILABILITY OF BEHAVIORAL SUPPORTS IN PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
THERE CURRENTLY, THE SYSTEM IS WORKING RAPIDLY TO ADVANCE ACCESS TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEM THROUGH THE NORTH TEXAS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AUTHORITY AND HOUSING FORWARD AS, UM, UH, MAIN, UM, UM, LEADERS IN THE, IN, IN, IN ENHANCING THE CAPACITY TO BRING VERY ROBUST SPECIALIZED SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WITH DISABILITY, UM, OF, OF NEED.
THE OTHER ONE WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PRIORITIZING THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SYSTEMS AND THAT IS THE JUSTICE SYSTEM, THE EDUCATION SYSTEM, HOMELESS SYSTEMS, AND HEALTHCARE.
OF COURSE, DALLAS HAS A DEFLECTION CENTER THAT IS CURRENTLY UNDERUTILIZED.
ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE DISCUSSED AS A COMMISSION WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DEFLECTION CENTER IS UTILIZED AS A RESPITE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WITH ACUTE NEEDS.
AND THE LAST ONE WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WERE INCREASED RESOURCES FOR SUBSTANCE USE.
AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THAT MAY NOT BE NECESSARILY WITHIN YOUR PURVIEW.
HOWEVER, AS A CONVENER, IT WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE
[00:55:01]
THAT THE NECESSARY PARTNERS ARE BRINGING TOGETHER THE INTEGRATED CARE THAT IS NEEDED FOR THE POPULATION.IT IS A LARGE NUMBER IN COMPARISON TO THE NATIONAL STATISTICS.
IN DALLAS, ABOUT 58% OF INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS HAVE A SUBSTANCE USE OR A MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION.
I THINK IN THE INTEREST OF TIME AND MY COLLEAGUES WHO WOULD LIKE TO, UM, HAVE A CHANCE TO ASK THEIR QUESTIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, ABOUT KNOWING THAT WE NEED RESOURCES AND, AND WANTING TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.
I'M JUST, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE REALITY OF IT AND MAKING IT HAPPEN AND EXPANDING THAT.
LET, LET ME, LET ME TRY THIS TACK.
THERE ACTUALLY ARE, I MEAN, WE ALWAYS NEED MORE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND MORE AND MORE, UH, DRUG TREATMENT.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE, THE NORTH TEXAS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AUTHORITY DOES A GOOD JOB.
WHAT WE HAVEN'T, WHAT WE ARE GETTING MUCH BETTER AT IS COORDINATING THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM WITH THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEM.
AND THAT'S WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE, THAT THIS COLLECTIVE IMPACT MODEL CONTINUES TO GEL.
WE'RE REALLY ONLY TWO YEARS IN THREE YEARS IN, I GUESS, TO, TO WORKING TOGETHER IN SUCH A COORDINATED WAY.
AND ONE OF THE MAIN AREAS FOR FOCUS, RIGHT? FOCUS IN THE COC RIGHT NOW IS BETTER COORDINATING HOMELESS RESPONSE WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.
THEY'VE BEEN COMPLETELY SEPARATE IN THE PAST AND NOW THEY'RE COMING TOGETHER.
SO I, MY MY HOPE AND EXPECTATION IS THAT OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT YEAR, YOU'RE GONNA SEE IMPROVEMENT ON THAT.
IT'S REALLY A QUESTION OF FIGURING OUT HOW TO GET OUR CLIENTS ACCESS.
UM, CHAIRWOMAN, UM, WILLIS, YOU HAD A SPECIFIC ASK, UH, EARLIER, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE CAPTURE THAT SO WE DON'T MIND REPEATING THAT.
I WANTED TO EXPLORE A COST COMPARISON BETWEEN INEXPENSIVE HOTELS VERSUS TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE WE MIGHT HAVE ONE MODEL FROM, UM, THE 1.6 MILLION ACROSS SIX WEEKS THAT YOU MENTIONED.
I HAVE, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT'S ACROSS, BUT WE NEED TO IDENTIFY A POPULATION NUMBER AND THEN WORK OUT A PRO FORMA OR SOMETHING ON THAT.
WITH THAT, WE'LL GO TO, UH, VICE CHAIRMAN MENDELSSOHN.
WELL, I JUST WANNA FIRST START WITH THANKING EVERYONE WHO SERVED ON THIS TASK FORCE.
UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK OUR NEIGHBORING MAYORS.
UM, I THINK IT'S PRETTY REMARKABLE TO HAVE A MAYOR OF ADDISON CARROLLTON AND FARMER'S BRANCH COME AND SPEND THEIR TIME SPEAKING TO US ABOUT HOW OUR CITY'S IMPACTING THEM.
WANNA ESPECIALLY SAY, UM, MAYOR BOCK BEING HERE IN PERSON AMAZING IN YOUR DATA, AND YOU HAVE BEEN A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR ASSISTING IN FAR NORTH DALLAS.
UM, FATTY, MAYBE YOU DIDN'T DO PART OF THE PRESENTATION, BUT I'LL SAY THIS ISN'T YOUR FIRST RODEO, AND I KNOW YOU AND I SERVED TOGETHER ON MAYOR RAWLINGS TASK FORCE ON ENDING HOMELESSNESS, AND THAT'S HOW I GOT TO KNOW YOU.
THE COMMENTS YOU'VE MADE TODAY ARE SPOT ON.
THERE ARE, I, THERE'S NOTHING MORE I COULD AGREE WITH THAN WHAT YOU SAID.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR DECADES OF SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY, YOUR DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND DALLAS HOUSING AUTHORITY.
AND I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU.
I HOPE PEOPLE WILL GO BACK AND RE-LISTEN TO EVERY WORD YOU SAID.
THE, I HAVE ONLY THREE QUESTIONS, AND I HAVE 13 OF THEM WRITTEN DOWN
SO I'M GONNA NOT DO ONE AS A QUESTION, BUT JUST COMMENT ON THE FACT THAT YOU POINT OUT A LOT OF PROBLEMS OF WORKING WITH THE CITY.
UM, FOR INSTANCE, YOU POINT OUT PERMITTING BEING PROBLEMATIC, UM, NEEDED HOUSING FUNDS FOR 50% AREA MEETING INCOME IN LESS RELEASING CITY OWNED LAND AND THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
THERE WERE A NUMBER OF OTHERS THAT YOU MENTIONED, BUT I JUST WANNA SAY THESE ARE NOT UNIQUE TO HOMELESSNESS.
THESE ARE CITYWIDE PROBLEMS. AND SO I THINK IT'S REMARKABLE THAT YOU LISTED THEM IN THERE AND DISTURBING.
SO THE FIRST QUESTION I WANNA ASK YOU IS, IN THE INTRO, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOUR PRIMARY FOCUS IS THE UNSHELTERED HOMELESS.
USING THAT, HER DEFINITION, AND THANK YOU ELLEN, FOR EXPLAINING TO FOLKS WHAT THAT MEANS AND NOT THE BROADER MCKINNEY-VENTO, UM, HOMELESS ASSISTANCE ACT.
BUT THAT ACT WOULD INCLUDE PEOPLE WHO ARE SELF-PAYING FOR MOTELS AND OTHER OTHER KINDS, BOUNCING FRIEND TO FRIEND, UM, OTHER KINDS OF VERY UNSTABLE SITUATIONS.
AND LIKE DALLAS, ISD JUST IN 2022 REPORTED MORE THAN 4,000 STUDENTS WHO GENERALLY HAVE AN ADULT AND SIBLINGS ATTACHED TO THEM THAT ALSO WERE UN HOMELESS.
SO I'M WONDERING, WHEN YOU LOOKED AT THIS, IF YOU CONSIDERED, WELL, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE WE NOT ADDRESSING IN THIS REPORT THAT REALLY ARE HOMELESS OR EXTREMELY UNSTABLY HOUSED? WE DECIDED NOT
[01:00:01]
TO GO THERE BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH AN ENORMOUS PROBLEM WITH THE UNSHELTERED AND THE SHELTERED ALONE.AND, AND I'LL TELL YOU HOW WE ADDRESS THIS IN THE FAMILY SYSTEM, BECAUSE THAT AFFECTS, THAT MCKINNEY-VENTO DEFINITION AFFECTS US.
WE CAN'T GET TO THOSE FAMILIES BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE LIVING IN CARS, SO MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN A HOTEL, BUT NOW THEY'RE OUT OF MONEY, AND SO THEY WILL BECOME.
SO THERE'S SO MANY OF THE OTHER THAT WE CAN'T GET TO THAT POPULATION OF THOSE WHO ARE PERHAPS GOING TO BE HOMELESS IF SOMETHING DOESN'T HAPPEN.
SO THE PROBLEM IS SO LARGE ON THIS SIDE, WE CAN'T GET TO THAT SEGMENT YET.
YEAH, AND JUST, I, I'D ADD, YOU KNOW, THE, THE POPULATION YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT I IS, THAT'S A POPULATION LIVING IN EXTREME POVERTY.
UM, AND THERE ARE LOTS OF METRICS FOR HOW MANY PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS OR LIVING IN EXTREME POVERTY, BUT IT'S ALSO EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO QUANTIFY IF THEY'RE NOT TOUCHING THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
UM, AND SO THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR'S QUESTIONS THAT HE ASKED US TO FOCUS ON, WERE REALLY MOSTLY FOCUSED ON UNSHELTERED, WHICH IS WHY THAT'S HOW WE GEARED THE REPORT, RIGHT? I MEAN, SPECIFICALLY I'LL SAY PEOPLE LIVING IN A HOTEL, THEY ARE CONSIDERED IN THE HUD DEFINITION IF ELLEN'S PAYING FOR IT, BUT THEY'RE NOT CONSIDERED IF THEY'RE PAYING FOR IT THEMSELVES OR PARTIALLY