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[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
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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,
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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.
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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,
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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
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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 FROM A CHURCH OR OTHER CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION.
THEY'RE IN THE SAME EXACT SITUATION.
IT'S JUST HOW THE BILL'S BEING PAID.
AND SO IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THEY'RE NOT INCLUDED HERE, THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE PROBLEM IS MUCH, MUCH LARGER THAN WHAT YOU WERE ABLE TO, TO, TO HIT.
SO, UM, I'M GONNA GO TO NUMBER TWO SINCE I I FAIR ENOUGH THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THAT ON PAGE ONE.
PAGE 1314, YOU'RE SHARING THE FACT THAT DALLAS HAS SEEN A SHARP RISE IN THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
AND THE NUMBERS YOU STATED, YOU WERE CITING 2014 WHERE DALLAS ONLY HAD 242 UNSHELTERED HOMELESS, AND THEN 2022 WITH 1300.
SO THIS IS A MASSIVE INCREASE.
BUT THEN YOU GO ON TO SAY THAT THIS IS OUTPACING THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
AND SO MY QUESTION IS, WHY DO YOU THINK THAT WE ARE SEEING A BIGGER INCREASE THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE? AND ISN'T DALLAS TOUTING A 2023 POINT IN TIME COUNT WITH A DECREASE IN HOMELESS SHELTER EVEN THOUGH THE RAW NUMBER OF HOMELESS SHELTER IS ACTUALLY FAR ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE? WELL, THE RAW NUMBER IS NOT ABOVE THE, IS THE RAW NUMBER IS NOT ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
WHAT WE SAID WAS THAT THE GROWTH RATE HAD BEEN A, A, UH, ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
AND WHAT WE DID IN THIS PRESENTATION WAS TRIED TO BREAK THAT DOWN YEAR BY YEAR TO SHOW THAT IT, IT ACTUALLY PEAKED IN 2020 AND THEN THE CURVE STARTED TO BEND.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE FACT IS WE WAY OUTPACED UNTIL, SINCE TILL 2020 AND STARTING IN 2020, WE'VE BEEN DECLINING WHILE THE REST OF THE COUNTRY IS GOING UP.
SO IT DEPENDS WHEN YOU START YOUR FIRST MEASURING POINT, OF COURSE.
BUT IF YOU LOOK JUST YEAR BY YEAR, BY YEAR, BY YEAR, THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING.
AND AGAIN, THOSE ARE PREDICATED ON A POINT IN TIME COUNT, WHICH I THINK EVERYBODY IN THIS INDUSTRY WILL SAY IS NOT A RELIABLE NUMBER.
HOWEVER, IT'S NOT A RELIABLE NUMBER, BUT IT IS A RELIABLE TREND POSSIBLY.
BUT DOES IT MIRROR THE TREND THAT YOU HAVE REPORTED IN HUD EXCHANGE? AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THAT ANSWER.
UM, I'LL, I'LL GO TO MY NEXT QUESTION, WHICH IS THAT YOU'RE CITING STATISTICS ON THE HOMELESS POPULATION THAT INCLUDE 40% SUFFERING FROM MENTAL HEALTH ILLNESS, 32% SUBSTANCE ABUSE, AND 14% BOTH.
SO HOW MANY BEDS DO WE HAVE DEDICATED FOR INPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, INPATIENT ADDICTION RECOVERY SERVICES? HOW MANY ARE AVAILABLE IN THIS SYSTEM? ZERO.
YOU WANT THE TRUTH? THE TRUTH IS ZERO.
WELL, I'M JUST GONNA TELL YOU, I HAD TO INCLUDE THIS AS ONE OF MY THREE BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ASKING THIS QUESTION FOR FOUR YEARS AND I CAN'T GET AN ANSWER.
AND I'M GONNA SAY, IF BETTY SAYS IT, THAT'S PROBABLY THE TRUTH ANSWER.
AND THEN THERE ARE NO FREE BEDS.
AND I WILL SAY THAT'S MY THIRD QUESTION, BUT IF WE GET A SECOND ROUND, I DO HAVE MORE.
NOW, ONE OF THE CAVEATS, UH, IF YOU ALL, I'M SURE YOU GOT THE NEWS WHERE WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SETTLING WITH THE OPIOID, UH, PANDEMIC, THE COUNTY IS GETTING, WHAT, $20 MILLION AND IT'S SPECIFICALLY FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT.
UM, I'M GONNA TRY TO NARROW THIS DOWN REALLY INTO THREE CATEGORIES.
IT'S THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, UH, DECOMMISSION VERSUS CLOSURE, AND THEN THE, THE WORKFORCE SIDE OF THINGS.
AND ON THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SIDE OF THINGS, UH, IT'S REALLY MORE OF A COMMENT THAN A QUESTION IN THAT I'M GLAD THAT THAT IS A FOCUS.
[01:05:01]
AND, AND I HOPE, UH, MR. BROSKI, LIKE YOU SAID, THAT WE, UH, CONTINUE TO SEE THAT TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BECAUSE THAT IS, UH, A CONCERN OF MINE AND DIDN'T SEE IT REALLY GO INTO A LOT OF DETAIL, AS MY COLLEAGUE MENTIONED EARLIER, IN TERMS OF, UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING TO ADDRESS THAT.AND I WAS TALKING TO, UH, MY COLLEAGUE OVER HERE TO THE LEFT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BA ABOUT IT, AND THE HARRIS COUNTY, UH, PROJECT, AND REALLY TRYING TO SEE, AND I'M INTERESTED IN SEEING HOW THE CITY CAN BEGIN PARTNERING MORE AND MORE WITH DALLAS COUNTY.
UM, THERE, AS FAR AS THE DECOMMISSIONING VERSUS THE CLOSURE, REALLY, UH, THE, THE QUESTIONS I HAVE AROUND THAT IS, YOU, YOU RECOMMENDED PRIORITIZING THE VIOLENT, UM, THE VIOLENT AREAS FOR SELECTION OF THE ENCAMPMENTS.
UH, AND WANT TO KNOW, HOW DOES, CONSIDERING THOSE AREAS OF PUBLIC NUISANCE, HOW DID THAT PLAY INTO, INTO THE, INTO THIS FACTOR VERSUS A CLOSURE? OR IS THAT ACTUALLY A CLOSURE, OR WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE THERE? WELL, I THINK, I THINK WHAT WE WERE SAYING WAS THAT IN A PERFECT WORLD, WE WOULDN'T DO CLOSURES.
IN A PERFECT WORLD, WE WOULD HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES THAT WE COULD JUST GO DECOMMISSION ALL THE ENCAMPMENTS AT ONCE.
OF COURSE, WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT IN A, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT IN A WORLD OF UNLIMITED RESOURCES.
UH, ALTHOUGH THE 16 ADDITIONAL OUTREACH WORKERS WILL, WILL REALLY HELP.
BUT WHAT WE'RE SO, IN A PERFECT WORLD, THAT'S WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN AN IMPERFECT WORLD, WHICH IS THE WORLD WE LIVE IN.
UM, YOU, YOU GOTTA PRIORITIZE.
AND WE ARE, YOU KNOW, WE AS A, AS A TASK FORCE, AND AS A COC ARE VERY SENSITIVE TO THE FACT THAT, UH, EVERY, THAT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN DALLAS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT CRIME ASSOCIATED WITH ENCAMPMENTS THAT ABOUT, ABOUT ISSUES OF CLEANLINESS, SANITATION, ET CETERA.
AND SO, WHAT WE'RE SAYING IT, WHAT WE WERE SAYING AS A TASK FORCE WAS, IF YOU'VE GOTTA COME UP WITH A PRIORITY, YOU, YOU GOTTA, YOU'VE GOTTA DO THE ONES THAT, THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE, UH, CAUSING CONSTITUENT COMPLAINTS FIRST.
UM, EVERY HUMAN BEING DESERVES TO BE, YOU KNOW, DESERVES TO BE HOUSED.
UH, WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOTTA FIGURE OUT SOME KIND OF ORDER BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE UNLIMITED RESOURCES.
I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE RIGHT NOW.
UM, FOR Y'ALL'S WORK ON THIS, AND THANK Y'ALL.
UM, AS, AS MENTIONED FOR Y'ALLS WORK PERIOD, UM, I, UH, I THINK THAT HOMELESSNESS IS, IS A, A MULTIFACETED, UM, ISSUE OF COURSE THAT, UH, I, I DON'T KNOW, UM, MANY CITIES DO WELL IN SPREADING THE RESOURCES TO ALL FACETS.
I THINK WE GET BLINDED, UM, OFTEN BY THE DIRECTION THAT WE ARE HEADED AND THE SUCCESSES THAT WE'VE SEEN.
AND, UM, IN THAT, I THINK EVEN THE DATA THAT YOU'VE PROVIDED, IT SHOWS THAT THERE IS A FORGOTTEN POPULATION, UM, IN WITHIN THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION.
UM, Y'ALL HAVE HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD SEVERAL TIMES.
I AM, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THE WORDS LOW BARRIER COME OUT OF YOUR MOUTH, PETER.
UM, I DID TAKE IT AS A RECOMMENDATION.
UM, I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO, UM, BE MORE INTENTIONAL ABOUT THE DATA THAT YOU'VE PROVIDED.
I THINK THAT THE DATA THAT YOU PROVIDED ON THE AMOUNT OF THE POPULATION THAT EXPERIENCES SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND OR MENTAL HEALTH REALLY COINCIDES WITH THE RATIO OF UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS WHO ACCEPT RESOURCES VERSUS THOSE WHO DON'T.
UM, AND THAT MEANS THAT THERE IS A, A, AN ENTIRE POPULATION THAT WE ARE NOT HITTING.
I, I WANT, IF YOU COULD, AND I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM ALL, UH, TO EXPAND ON KIND OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE ON, I, I, I AM A PROPONENT FOR A LOW BARRIER, UM, A SHELTER CONCEPT OF SOME SORT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AND I DID PUT FORTH AN AMENDMENT IN OUR, UM, CURRENT FISCAL YEAR BUDGET TO, UH, GET STARTED ON WHAT I WAS CALLING A SANCTIONED ENCAMPMENT.
I WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR ON THE RECORD THAT WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO WAS ONLY IN REFERENCE TO THE LANGUAGE OF HOUSE BILL 1925.
UM, I WAS NOT ENVISIONING WHAT YOU, UH, UH, DESCRIBED.
JUST TO BE CLEAR, I WAS MORE ENVISIONING YOU DESCRIBING WHAT THEY DESCRIBED AS DIFFERENT.
I'M WITH YOU WITH 19, 19 25 PETER DESCRIBING SOMETHING THAT, I DUNNO WHAT HE DESCRIBED.
WELL, THEY, THEY DID IT IN AUSTIN AND IT WAS A DISASTER.
WELL, AND, AND, AND THAT'S, BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT WHERE I'M GOING, BUT WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS A, IS A HAPPY MEDIUM.
UM, 'CAUSE WHAT YOU'VE DESCRIBED WITH LOW BARRIER, UM, NEEDS BEING MET, UM, BUT NOT THE PERMANENCY OR THE EXPECTATION TO JUMP INTO SOCIETAL NORM, IF YOU WILL.
HOW CAN WE MARRY THOSE TWO CONCEPTS AND FIND SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T, THAT IS SPECIFIC TO THE POPULATION THAT WE'RE NOT SERVING? S SO I, I'M GOING TO, I'M GONNA, UM,
[01:10:01]
I'M GONNA DISAGREE WITH ONE OF THE PREDICATES OF YOUR QUESTION.WE HAVE RESOLVED MULTIPLE ENCAMPMENTS AND, AND HOUSED A LOT OF PEOPLE.
AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE LIVING IN THE ENCAMPMENTS, MANY OF THEM SUFFER FROM, FROM, FROM MENTAL ILLNESS OR SUBSTANCE USE.
96% OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH IN OUR ENCAMPMENT DECOMMISSIONING, HAVE AGREED TO BE HOUSED.
JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE SHELTER RESISTANT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE HOUSING RESISTANT.
AND SOMETIMES YOU CAN START OUT HOUSING RESISTANT AND THROUGH DEVELOPMENT OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OUTREACH WORKERS.
AND THAT'S WHY THESE STREET OUTREACH WORKERS YOU ALL FUNDED ARE SO, SO CRITICAL.
THEY'RE AN AMAZING PEOPLE TO, TO BE ABLE TO CUT THROUGH ALL OF THE EMOTIONAL BARRIERS THAT PEOPLE HAVE PUT UP.
BUT ONCE YOU CUT THROUGH THEM, 96% OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE WORKED WITH HAVE AGREED TO BE HOUSED.
SO I, I FUNDAMENTALLY DISAGREE THAT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST HOUSING RESISTANT.
THEY DON'T WANT CONGREGANT SHELTER.
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, PETER, WE HAVE DATA THAT'S SENT TO US ON A REGULAR BASIS OF THE ENCAMPMENTS.
AND, AND I WOULD DISAGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY THAT WE DON'T HAVE A SHELTER RESISTANT, UH, POPULATION.
WELL, WE DO HAVE A SHELTER RESISTANT, WELL RE RESOURCE RESISTANT AS A WHOLE, MAYBE THE FIRST TIME, MAYBE THE FIRST TIME.
BUT, BUT IT'S A QUESTION OF THE APPROACH AND THE INVESTMENT OF TIME.
UM, I MEAN, WE CAN, THIS IS NOT THE FORUM FOR IT, BUT AT ANOTHER TIME, WE'D BE HAPPY TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, OUR OUR OUTREACH WORKERS AND, AND WE'LL SHARE THE DATA WITH YOU.
UM, THEY MAY BE RESISTANT AT FIRST, BUT ULTIMATELY THE, THE NUMBERS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
96% OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE WE'VE WORKED WITH IN OUR ENCAMPMENT, ENCAMPMENT, DECOMMISSIONING, DO AGREE TO BE HOUSED.
BUT AGAIN, WHEN, WHEN WE SEE THE NUMBERS OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN TOUCHED, UH, ON AN ON, UM, UH, AN ATTEMPTED ABATEMENT, AND WE SEE THOSE WHO HAVE ACCEPTED RESOURCES, UM, TO FOCUS ON THAT 96% STAT THAT YOU'RE MENTIONING TO ME IS EXACTLY PERPETUATING WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US DO DIFFERENT, BECAUSE WE CAN'T GET BLINDED BY WHAT'S WORKING AND IGNORE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THESE OTHER, AND INSANITY, THE DEFINITION, I DON'T HAVE TO GIVE IT TO YOU.
UM, BUT NOT JUST DOING IT OVER AND OVER, BUT PUTTING MORE AND MORE MONEY AT SOME POINT.
WE'VE GOT TO APPROACH THIS AND IN THAT MULTIFACETED MANNER SO THAT WE ARE, UM, EQUALLY EMPHASIZING THE PLACES THAT WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING INSTEAD OF CONTINUING TO BEEF UP WHAT WE ARE.
UM, AND THAT'S WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US BE INNOVATIVE.
AND WE ALREADY ARE LEADING THE TREND, BUT WE ARE LEADING THE TREND WITH A MODEL THAT HAS BEEN PROVEN TO WORK WITH HOUSING FIRST.
BUT WE KNOW THE HOUSING FIRST MODEL ISN'T GOING TO WORK WITH EVERYONE THAT IS UNSHELTERED.
AND WITH THAT SAID, I'D LIKE TO SEE, UM, SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CHAIR ON, WITH, UH, STAFF CHRISTINE AND, AND KIM AND I DO WANT TO SAY ON RECORD, THANK YOU TO, UM, THE AMAZING WORK THAT OUR OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS HAVE, HAVE, UH, HAVE DONE TO GET US TO THIS PLACE.
BUT IF WE CONTINUE DOWN THIS PATH, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE DOWN THIS PATH.
AND AGAIN, AND I, I'D LOVE TO MEET WITH YOU, UH, SEPARATELY, BUT I'D LOVE TO, TO, TO NAIL THAT DOWN WITH THE DATA THAT WE'RE GIVEN FROM THE, UM, ABATEMENTS.
AND IT SEEMS TO CORRELATE PRETTY HAND IN HAND.
SO I, I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF Y'ALL HAD ANY SUGGESTIONS THOUGH, ON HOW, UM, AS, UH, BETTY, MS. BETTY THAT YOU'VE MENTIONED WITH, UM, UH, HOW YOU WEREN'T IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT.
HOW CAN WE CROSS CONCEPTUALIZE A, UM, A PLAN THAT ADDRESSES, UH, THOSE WHO ARE NOT ADDRESSING THAT IS, I GUESS, CONSIDERED TO BE A SANCTIONED ENCAMPMENT PER STATE LEGISLATION, BUT IS ALSO MUCH MORE LOW BARRIER FROM PEOPLE IN THE INDUSTRY? WELL, WHAT I COME FROM TWO PERSPECTIVES.
UM, ONE, HAVING A FAMILY MEMBER WITH A SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROBLEM FOR 30 YEARS, I DON'T NEED NO TELLING ANYBODY A SUBSTANCE ABUSER.
I KNOW WHAT THEY DO WHEN YOU RENTED FIVE DIFFERENT APARTMENTS FOR THAT SAME PERSON, AND THEY TURN ALL THOSE INTO A DRUG HOUSE, YOU DON'T NEED TO BE SCHOOLED BY ANYONE ON WHAT THEY DO IF THEY DON'T GET HELP.
SO THE KEY IS, YOU, IT'S OKAY IF YOU, A SUBSTANCE ABUSER, YOU MOVE HIM FROM THE BRIDGE INTO A, A, A HOUSE APARTMENT, WHEREVER YOU MOVE HIM TO.
IF YOU DON'T TREAT THE ROOT PROBLEM, HE JUST GONNA TAKE THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MOVE IT WHEREVER YOU MOVE HIM.
[01:15:01]
SO I, THE, THE THING THAT, THAT I LIKED ABOUT HOUSE BILL 1925 IS THAT IT GAVE MUNICIPALITIES A COURT PROOF WAY TO HELP TO CLEAN THEIR STREETS OUT.BUT IT HAD SOME DEF SOME DEFINED THINGS THAT THE, THAT THE, UH, PLACE HAD TO HAVE HEALTH SERVICES ON THE BUS LINE.
IT HAD IT, IT HAD DEFINED THINGS THAT THE PLACE HAS HAD.
SO THAT'S, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HOUSTON OR AUSTIN HAS, BUT THE WAY THEY DEFINED IT IN THE BILL ITSELF, IF YOU READ IT, IT'S ALL THE SUPPORTIVE WRAPAROUND SERVICES, IS JUST THAT THEY'RE IN ONE CENTRAL LOCATION.
SO THAT'S WHAT I AGREE WITH, IS HOW IT'S STRUCTURED IN THE BILL.
I'VE NOT VISITED THOSE OTHER PLACES, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE, BUT I KNOW IT'S, IN MY OPINION, IT'S HARDER TO COVER THE WHOLE METROPLEX.
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH WORKERS IN THE WORLD TO COVER EVERYBODY.
AND, AND, AND YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SO I AGREE WITH, I AGREE WITH IT IN SOME SIMILARITY OF WHAT THE BILL SPECIFIES, BUT NOT JUST A, A FREE FOR ALL, UH, OPEN SPACE.
I WOULDN'T SAY OPEN UP FAIR PARK, JUST LET EVERYBODY GO IN THERE WITH A TENT.
NO, THERE HAS TO BE SOME DEFINED, UH, PROGRAMS INSIDE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I AGREED WITH.
BUT I NEVER HAD SEEN THOSE OTHER PLACE.
I MEAN, I, I'VE NOT SEEN THEM.
AND I, COUNCIL MEMBER, I, I, I WOULD AND, AND, AND PETER, YEAH, YOU, YOU'LL WRAP UP ON THAT ONE.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER BAZEL, WE CAN GET TO HIS 'CAUSE.
UM, NO, I, I, UH, JUST WANTED TO HARP ON THAT.
UM, UH, MOST, MORE THAN ANYTHING, I THINK THAT'S MY BIGGEST PRIORITY.
HARRIS CENTER IS A GREAT MODEL.
IT IS MORE TOWARDS JAIL DIVERSION.
AND SO I STILL THINK IT'S SERVING A DIFFERENT POPULATION.
AND I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE US GET SERIOUS AND AGGRESSIVE WITH LOW BARRIER.
I'D LOVE YOUR LEADERSHIP, UH, WITH THE CONTINUUM OF CARE FOR THAT TO NOT BE SOMETHING THAT IS FEARFUL, BUT INSTEAD EMBRACED, UM, AND JUST ADD IT TO THE TOOLBOX THAT Y'ALL ALREADY HAVE THAT'S VERY ROBUST.
UH, AND THAT IS MAKING A BIG DIFFERENCE IN OUR CITY.
UM, CHAIRWOMAN STEWART, I APPRECIATE THE INVITATION TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
I DO WANNA THANK THE TASK FORCE AND MANY OF YOU WHO ARE HERE, I KNOW THAT'S A LOT OF WORK.
UM, AND WE, WE RESPECT WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU'VE SHARED WITH US, AND WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO, TO ACT ON IT.
UM, BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, SO THANK YOU.
UM, BEFORE I GO INTO, INTO MY QUESTIONS, I WANT TO THANK, UH, UH, DANIEL WITH, UH, AUSTIN STREET FOR THE WORK THAT HE'S DONE OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS, ALONGSIDE WITH OUR STAFF HERE WITH, UM, CHRISTINE AND KIM, UH, AND OUR CALLING AS WELL FOR KEEPING THOSE INDIVIDUALS, UM, SAFE DURING THESE, UH, COLD TEMPERATURES.
UM, FORTUNATELY WE STILL HAVE FOLKS WHO, UM, DID NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES OUTSIDE, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
UM, MY FIRST QUESTION IS ON, UH, PAGE FOUR AND FIVE.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE POINT IN TIME COUNT, AND SO I AM WONDERING IF THERE IS A MORE ACCURATE TOOL FOR ASSESSING THE STATE OF HOMELESSNESS IN DALLAS, PERHAPS USING, UH, HMIS OR THE HUD EXCHANGE TO HAVE A MORE ACCURATE INFORMATION.
AND WAS THE NUMBERS FROM THOSE NEW INDIVIDUALS THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE ENTERED INTO THE HMIS SYSTEM? UH, WE, WE DO.
I MEAN, WE DON'T HAVE IT HERE, UH, BUT YEAH, THE HMIS HAS A LOT OF DATA.
I MEAN, ESSENTIALLY WITH HMIS FOR THOSE WHO REPORT IT, WE CAN SAY HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE TOUCHED BY ANY ASPECT OF THE, OF THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM IN ANY GIVEN YEAR.
UM, SOME PEOPLE MAY HAVE BEEN HOMELESS FOR THREE DAYS AND, AND THEY'LL, AND THEY'LL BE THERE.
SO YOU CAN, YOU CAN SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE FELL INTO HOMELESSNESS.
UH, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW SPECIFICALLY IF THEY SHOWED UP AT THE BRIDGE ONE DAY.
THEY'RE GONNA BE, THEY'RE GONNA BE IN HMIS IF THEY RECONCILE WITH FAMILY THE NEXT DAY AND ARE, ARE NO LONGER UNHOUSED, WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A RECORD OF THAT.
THE, THE PIT COUNT IS THE ONLY SNAPSHOT IN TIME.
UH, OTHER, OTHER THAN THAT, IT'S, IT'S OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR.
HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE TOUCHED? ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD? I THINK THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD IS THAT I SAW SOME RECENT, UM, MODELING FROM, UH, FROM OUR HMIS SYSTEM THAT GIVES US,
[01:20:01]
I THINK, A, A GOOD INDICATION OF THE KIND OF DATA THAT WE COULD USE IN THE FUTURE.SO I SAW SOME PRELIMINARY DATA THAT SHOWED, UM, BASED ON THE, THE NUMBERS IN HMIS, HOW MANY WERE NEW, HOW MANY WERE NEW TO HOMELESSNESS, NEW IN THE HMIS SYSTEM, AND HOW MANY WERE RETURNERS, THAT SORT OF THING.
SO I THINK THERE IS MORE ROBUST DATA THAT WE COULD ADD SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT THE POINT IN TIME COUNT AND OTHER DATA.
BUT I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING HOUSING FORWARD IS WORKING ON.
AND, AND I'LL TIE THIS INTO A SECOND QUESTION IS WHO'S ABLE TO SEE THAT HMIS INFORMATION? I KNOW THERE'S SENSITIVE INFORMATION THAT AT TIMES HAS TO BE REDACTED.
UM, BUT WHO CAN ANY RESIDENT LOOK AT THAT CAN, CAN THIS BODY LOOK AT THAT, OUR PROVIDERS? AND THEN HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT AGENCIES ARE PARTICIPATING IN THOSE, UH, PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION WHEN THEY'RE NOT OBLIGATED TO? WELL, THE, THE ONE THING I WANT TO ADD IS THAT THE, THE PIT COUNT IS THE ONLY COUNT THAT COUNTS UNSHELTERED.
SO IF YOU'RE UNSHELTERED, BUT YOU DON'T AVAIL YOURSELF OF ANY OF THE SERVICES IN THE BY, BY ANY HOMELESS SERVICES AGENCIES, THEN YOU WON'T BE CAPTURED IN HMIS.
THE PIT COUNT IS THE ONLY COUNT WE HAVE THAT COUNTS.
UNSHELTERED PEOPLE WHO DON'T, WHO DON'T AC TOUCH OUR SYSTEM SOMEHOW.
UM, I'M SORRY, I'VE FORGOTTEN YOUR QUESTION ALREADY.
UM, NEXT, LAST QUESTION IS ON PAGE EIGHT AND NINE, TALKING ABOUT SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY.
WHAT WOULD WE, AS A CITY NEED TO DO TO AMEND OUR, OUR CODE TO ALLOW SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY? I DON'T, I HAVE NO IDEA.
UH, WE'LL NOW BE GOING INTO THE NEXT, UH, STEP WHERE WE'RE GONNA CALL ON THOSE ADDITIONAL, UH, PUBLIC SPEAK SPEAKERS TO COME OUT.
UH, STAFF WILL BE ANNOUNCING THOSE.
IF YOU DID NOT REGISTER AHEAD OF TIME, WE'RE STILL GOING TO ALLOW YOU TO COME DOWN AND SPEAK, UH, WITHOUT, UH, CO-CHAIRS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
UM, YOU'RE FREE TO STICK AROUND IF YOU WANT, BUT I KNOW THAT Y'ALL HAVE HAD A LONG DAY AS WELL.
AND JUST SO OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS KNOW, AFTER PUBLIC SPEAKING, WE'LL UH, OPEN IT BACK UP FOR COMMENT, UH, AND FOR SUGGESTIONS FOR, FOR STAFF AS WELL.
AS WE BEGIN OUR SPEAKERS, I ASK THAT YOU STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR ADDRESS, UM, THE PURPOSE IS TO REMAIN THE DISCUSSION ON THE HOPE REPORT AS WELL AS YOU ADDRESS ALL OF YOUR PUBLIC COMMENTS TO THE CHAIR.
AND IF YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND CALL MAYBE, UH, FIVE SPEAKERS AT A TIME SO THEY CAN, UH, COME DOWN, PLEASE.
ROBERT CHIARELLI, SWATI JOSHI.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT 12 AND I WORK IN DISTRICT 11, FAR NORTH DALLAS.
I'VE BEEN VOLUNTEERING FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS IN VARIOUS PLACES, INCLUDING THE NORTH DALLAS FOOD BANK, JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES, MANY'S, FRISCO, FAMILY SERVICES, AND SELECT SENIOR SERVICES.
I'M HERE TO SHOW SOLIDARITY WITH THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE AND WITH THE VOLUNTEERS OF DALLAS.
I'M GONNA MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE WE HAD THREE OF THE MOST BRILLIANT SPEAKERS WITH A PLAN.
I MOVED HERE IN 86 AND I LOVED DALLAS BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS A CITY WITH A PLAN AND A CITY THAT WORKED THE PLAN.
AND I SEE THAT NOW WE HAVE THE PLAN, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WE'RE REALLY LACKING IN IS VOLUNTEERS.
AS A BIG VOLUNTEER, I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH.
THE CITY OF DALLAS CAN'T DO THIS ALONE.
WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER, BUILD UNITY WITH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY AND THE CITIZENS OF DALLAS.
WE NEED TO STOP TRIPPING OVER EACH OTHER IN OUR EFFORTS TO HELP PEOPLE IN A MEANINGFUL WAY AND TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER.
WHAT I SEE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING, BUT NOT STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE, THINKING THAT TOSSING A DOLLAR AT THE PANHANDLER GETS THEM OFF THE HOOK AS A CITIZEN AND AS A HUMAN.
MY THOUGHTS ON IMPROVING THE PLANNER AS FOLLOWS, EDUCATE AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN.
GO FOR A HUGE VOLUNTEER PUSH WAY IN ADVANCE.
THIS ROOM SHOULD BE FILLED WITH PEOPLE.
YES, WE NEED TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT.
WE NEED TO GET AS MANY OF THE MEDIAS, THE TVS, THE RADIO STATIONS, EVERYBODY TO SUPPORT US ON THIS
[01:25:01]
RUN.PSAS, WE NEED TO USE ALL FORMS OF SOCIAL MEDIA.
KARA, I HAVE TO LOOK FOR YOUR MESSAGES.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SCATTERED IN PLACES.
IT'S OUT THERE, BUT WE HAVE TO LOOK FOR THEM.
I THINK THAT WE SHOULD USE HOAS TO POST ON THEIR SITES.
GET THE CHURCHES TO ES, EDUCATE AND ASK FOR FREE ADS EVERYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE WE CAN GET 'EM.
EDUCATE THE PEOPLE ON THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HOMELESSNESS AND PANHANDLING AND WHY IT'S A BAD THING TO GIVE PEOPLE ON THE STREETS MONEY.
EXPLAIN AND DESCRIBE THAT, WHAT IT MEANS FOR THEM AS INDIVIDUALS AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR US AS A CITY.
I THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR HELP.
JAMES PORTER, THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN AND COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
MY NAME IS JAMES PORTER AND I LIVE IN OAKLAWN, DALLAS.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE PUBLIC CAMPING ISSUE HERE IN DALLAS.
BOTH OF MY OFFICE UP AT THE GALLERY IN ADDISON.
AND BY MY APARTMENT IN OAKLAWN.
PUBLIC CAMPING HAS BECOME A LARGE ISSUE WALKING FROM MY PLACE OF BUSINESS OR RESIDENCE UNDER THE HIGHWAY TO A RESTAURANT OR EVENT TO BECOME NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE IN RECENT MONTHS.
IN PARTICULAR AT THE OAK LAWN AND DNT UNDERPASS, WHICH I PASS BY MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY GOING TO AND FROM WORK.
THERE'S BEEN THE SAME GROUP OF UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS CAMPING THERE FOR OVER TWO MONTHS, SEEM EVERY DAY.
RECENTLY, THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE ACQUIRED AND STARTED WALKING AROUND WITH TWO VERY LARGE DOGS, ONE OF WHICH I WATCHED WHILE SITTING IN TRAFFIC TRYING TO GO HOME.
CHASE A PEDESTRIAN WHO IS TRYING TO WALK UNDER THE UNDERPASS INTO TRAFFIC AND IN FRONT OF MY CAR.
IT'S COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT THE PUBLIC CAMPING PRE PREVENTION LAWS AT THE CITY AND STATE LEVELS ARE REGULARLY IGNORED HERE IN DALLAS, DALLAS ORDINANCES, SECTION 31 13 AND 31, 13 0.1 PROHIBITS SLEEPING OF CAMPING IN PUBLIC PLACES.
STATE LAW, HP 1925 BANS CAMPING IN PUBLIC PLACES AND REQUIRES CITIES TO ENFORCE LAWS AGAINST CAMPING.
NOW, I'M NOT HERE TO SIMPLY COMPLAIN AND ASK YOU TO MOVE THEM OUT CLEARLY.
COMPASSION IS ALSO PROVIDED FOR IN THESE SAME LAWS.
DALLAS ORDINANCE 13.1, THE ORDINANCE AGAINST CAMPING ALSO REQUIRES AN ORAL AND WRITTEN WARNING BEFORE ANY CITATION OR ARREST IS ISSUED.
1925 ON THE STATE LEVEL REQUIRES OFFICERS TO MAKE A REASONABLE EFFORT TO ADVISE THE CAMPERS OF ALTERNATIVES AND TO CONTACT ANY RELEVANT SERVICE PROVIDERS.
WE'RE SIMPLY NOT ENFORCING THESE TO THE LIMIT IN WHICH THEY NEED TO BE.
DALLAS NEEDS A STRATEGY TO COMPLY WITH ORDINANCE 13.1 AND HP 1925.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE CITY NEEDS A LONG-TERM STRATEGY FOR THESE RESIDENTS.
THIS CITY NEEDS A BOLD AND SINGULARLY ALIGNED FOCAL POINT FOR ALL HOMELESS SERVICES HERE IN DALLAS TO SUPPORT AND UPLIFT THESE INDIVIDUALS.
FRANKLY, THERE'S TOO MANY OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DISPARATE AND THEY NEED TO BE BROUGHT TOGETHER IN SOME CAPACITY.
UM, I JUST HAVE TO SAY THE LADY THAT JUST SPOKE, KARA AND DR.
KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO, TO ME PLEASE.
ALL I'M SAYING TO YOU IS, I USED THE MEETING TO GET MY HOUSING, THE BRIDGE.
IT TOOK ME TWO DAYS TO GET MY HOUSING BECAUSE I KNOW PEOPLE, WHEN I SPOKE IN FROM THE CITY COUNCIL FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS, YOU NEED TO GET THE HOMELESS HERE.
YOU'LL MAKE NATIONAL HEADLINES ON THIS.
THEY GET THE HOMELESS VERY EXCITED BECAUSE YOU SHOW INTEREST IN THE HOMELESS.
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO GO TO THE WEST END.
IS IT BECAUSE THEY SMELL WHATEVER IT IS.
YOU NEED TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW.
OKAY? I'VE BEEN ON TV, NEWSPAPERS.
I GOT MY HOUSING VERY QUICKLY BECAUSE OF THAT.
NOW ALSO, REMEMBER A GUY NAMED JAMES DUNN? REMEMBER THAT NAME? HE BROUGHT 200 HOMELESS PEOPLE TO GET HOUSING AND MADE NA MADE NEWS VERY, VERY QUICKLY.
SO THIS HAPPENED, WHAT, 6, 7, 8 YEARS AGO MAYBE? UM, WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS THAT IF YOU DO THAT, YOU'LL GET THE HOMELESS INTERESTED BECAUSE YOU'RE SHOWING INTEREST WITH THE HOMELESS.
BUT WHEN YOU SAY YOU'LL DRIVE AND SAY YOU'LL SEE 'EM, THAT DOESN'T WORK.
I'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW ME, I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY HERE.
ALL THE PEOPLE I KNOW GAVE UP.
I JUST KNOW TWO OR THREE PEOPLE HERE.
I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS.
BUT PLEASE SHOW YOURSELF TO THE WEST END.
MEET 'EM, AND YOU'LL GET, THEY'LL GET EXCITED.
I DON'T SEE ANYBODY, CITY, COUNCIL, MAYOR, NOBODY, NOBODY.
'CAUSE YOU THINK YOU'RE TOO GOOD FOR THEM.
YOU WANNA GET NEWS, YOU DO THAT IMMEDIATELY.
I DON'T BE, I DON'T BS NOBODY.
I, I WISH I GET MORE TIME TO SPEAK WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AS FAR AS SAVING MONEY
[01:30:01]
TO HOUSE A HOMELESS TEMPORARILY UNTIL THEY GET YOUR HOUSING.THAT I KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND, AND, UM, CARE.
I, I KNOW THESE PEOPLE AND, AND, UH, IT'S JUST, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A LADY THERE.
TO DO HER OWN RESEARCH OR HER OWN YOUR OWN REPORT ABOUT THIS.
BUT DO PLEASE DO THAT IMMEDIATELY.
SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, SIR, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME.
SWATEE JOSHI, DOLORES ROKA, DOLORES ROKA, DOLORES LEVY, SOROKA 48 22 SWISS AVENUE IN DISTRICT TWO.
PROVIDING RESOURCES AND SOLUTIONS FOR HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IS AN EFFORT WE ALL MUST SUPPORT.
EAST DALLAS MAY ACTUALLY BE EXPERIENCING AN INCREASE IN HOMELESSNESS AND ALREADY HAS NUMEROUS HOMELESS AND ADDICTION SOLUTIONS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHERE THE CITY OWNED LAND THAT THE HOPE DOCUMENT IS RECOMMENDING, UH, BE RELEASED.
HOW WILL NEIGHBORING AREAS BE AFFECTED? THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO BE MADE, MADE AWARE OF THE SPECIFIC LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE UTILIZED.
AS STATED IN THE HOPE DOCUMENT, HOMELESS SOLUTIONS MUST BE SHARED ACROSS THE CITY AND NOT JUST CONCENTRATED IN ONE AREA.
I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING WILL BE MET BY THINGS SUCH AS RELAXING, ZONING AND PERMITTING PROCESSES.
LAND BUILDING MATERIALS AND LABOR ALL HAVE A COST, WHICH DOES NOT SEEM TO ADD UP TO DEEPLY AFFORDABLE.
ANY SOLUTIONS NEED TO RESPECT THE SURROUNDING AESTHETICS, HISTORY AND ZONING, DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING OBJECTIVES TO RELAX, ZONING, IMPROVE THE PERMITTING PROCESS, AND ALLOW ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS.
ADUS SOUNDS VERY FAMILIAR TO ME.
SO I I REALLY HAVE TO SAY I'M OPPOSED TO IMPLEMENTING THESE OBJECTIVES BY RIGHT, WHICH IS AN APPROACH ALREADY PROMOTED IN DENSITY, UPZONING, AND FORWARD DALLAS.
LASTLY, THE HOPE REPORT STATES THERE IS NO SUPPLY GAP FOR HOUSEHOLDS MAKING ABOVE 50% A MI, WHICH IS AREA MEDIAN INCOME DENSITY.
UPZONING CLAIMS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
NAMELY THERE'S NOT ENOUGH AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND THAT A GAP IN AFFORDABILITY ALREADY EXISTS.
SO WHAT IS THE REAL ANSWER? I LOOK FORWARD TO MORE HOMELESS SOLUTION DISCUSSIONS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
THE NEXT FIVE SPEAKERS, PLEASE MAKE THEIR WAY DOWN TO THE FIRST ROW.
RHONDA JOHNSON, LEWIS D ETTE, BRAD ANDERSON.
UM, MY ADDRESS IS 4 3 2 1 SYCAMORE STREET.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT I'M BEING ILLEGALLY EVICTED.
I AM AT RISK OF BEING HOMELESS.
I LIVE IN A HISTORIC DWELLING THAT WAS CHANGED, I BELIEVE ILLEGALLY.
UM, I'VE BEEN PAYING EIGHT 90 A MONTH TO STAY THERE.
AND LAST SUMMER, UH, MY LANDLORD CALLED ME TO TELL ME THAT THE PROPERTY WAS BEING SOLD AND THAT MY DOOR WOULD BE GONE SOON.
THAT WAS ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO.
UM, AND NOW I AM DEALING WITH CONSTABLES, KNOCKING ON MY DOOR AND TRYING TO GET ME OUT OF THERE.
BUT NO ONE'S REALLY TELLING ME WHAT THESE VIOLATIONS ARE AND HOW LONG I ACTUALLY HAVE, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE I'M BEING FORCED OUTTA MY
[01:35:01]
PLACE.UM, THIS HAS BEEN MY HOME FOR TWO YEARS.
I ALSO WAS LIKE DENIED PAPERWORK FOR A NEW LEASE.
I TURNED IN MY OLD LEASE EXPECTING A NEW ONE, AND I WAS MET WITH EVICTION PAPERS.
SO I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT DO I NEED TO DO? WHAT KIND OF RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE TO ME? HOW LONG DO I HAVE REALLY BEFORE I'M ON THE STREETS? THANK YOU.
WE'LL HAVE SOMEONE FROM HOUSING, UM, COME DOWN AND SPEAK WITH YOU.
OKAY, MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.
I'M LOUIS ETTE, THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR THE METROPLEX CIVIC AND BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, AND I RESIDE IN DISTRICT 13.
FROM WHAT I HEAR FROM OUR BUSINESS LEADERS AND REALLY ALL THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM, IS WE ALL WANNA SOLVE THE HOMELESSNESS PROBLEM.
THE CITY HAS DONE WELL IN STABILIZING THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING SHELTERED HOMELESSNESS OVER THE PAST DECADE.
HOWEVER, THE UNSHELTERED HOMELESS NUMBERS HAVE RISEN SHARPLY.
AS MR. BRODSKY MENTIONED EARLIER, 58% OF THESE INDIVIDUALS HAD EITHER SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS OR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.
THESE ISSUES SEEM TO BE A MAJOR DRIVER FOR THE 310 DEATHS UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCED IN 2022 WITH 110 BEING ATTRIBUTED TO DRUG OVERDOSES.
NOT TOO LONG AGO, ONE OF MY FRIENDS VISITED DALLAS AND SHE WAS ASSAULTED NEAR THE AMERICAN AIRLINE CENTER BY A HOMELESS WOMAN WHO WAS CLEARLY IN AN ALTERED STATE WHILE WALKING TO SEVEN 11.
THIS INDIVIDUAL THREATENED TO KILL MY FRIEND.
OR THE NEW CONVENTION CENTER WILL SIT EMPTY.
THIS IS WHY SAN FRANCISCO'S CONVENTION BUSINESS HASN'T RETURNED YET, AND WE NOW HAVE LOCAL COMPETITION.
NOW THAT FORT WORTH IS EXPANDING ITS CONVENTION CENTER.
IF I WAS TO SPILL A BOWL OF DRY CEREAL ALL OVER THE FLOOR, WOULD YOU PICK EACH PIECE UP ONE BY ONE? NO.
WE'D SWEEP THE CEREAL ALTOGETHER AND PICK IT UP FROM ONE LOCATION.
THE CURRENT APPROACH TO SERVING THE UNSHELTERED COMMUNITY SEEMS TO BE SCATTERED AND KIND OF ONE AT ONE AT A TIME.
I BELIEVE A ONE STOP SHOP WOULD BE A MORE EFFECTIVE SOLUTION.
MY QUESTION FOR THIS COMMITTEE WAS IN LINE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS'S QUESTIONING AND SPECIFICALLY WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSON ASKED, SHE HAD BEEN ASKING FOR A NUMBER OF AVAILABLE INPATIENT AND OUTPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH BEDS AND ADDICTION SUPPORT BEDS FOR YEARS.
WELL, WE ALL HEARD THE LOUD AND CLEAR ANSWER TONIGHT.
58% OF UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS CURRENTLY NEED THIS TYPE OF SUPPORT.
IT'S CLEAR THAT AN INCREASE IN THOSE ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTIVE HOUSING ENVIRONMENTS WOULD BE A CRITICAL FIRST STEP IN GETTING A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THESE INDIVIDUALS BACK ON THEIR FEET AND PERMANENTLY REHOUSED.
I LIVE AT 44 11 GILBERT, DISTRICT 14.
UH, HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS, OUR COMMUNITY, UH, I BELIEVE IT'S OUR JOB TO HELP THEM SHIFT THEIR PARADIGM TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS OTHER TYPES OF COMMUNITY AVAILABLE TO THEM.
58% OF THE HOMELESS HAVE MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES.
I HEARD PERMANENT SOLUTIONS FROM THE TASK FORCE, AND I HEARD COLLABORATION IS NEEDED FROM THE TASK FORCE.
54 OF EVERY A HUNDRED THOUSAND CONSTRUCTION WORKERS WILL COMMIT SUICIDE.
THAT'S FIVE TIMES MORE THAN A CONSTRUCTION WORKER DYING BY ACCIDENT.
THERE'S A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE IN CONSTRUCTION THAT HELP BUILD THE BRAND NEW STATE OF THE ART.
24, OUR CLUB DALLAS, 24 HOUR CLUB ON ROSS STREET.
IT'S PROVIDING STICKY SOLUTIONS TO THE HOMELESS.
THE CONSTRUCTION EDUCATION FOUNDATION IS HELPING PEOPLE BUILD SKILL SETS.
WE'RE ABOUT TO EMBARK ON A NEW CONVENTION CENTER.
ARTHUR BLANK BUILT A STADIUM IN ATLANTA.
HE PAID $2 MILLION INTO THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE UNDERSERVED TO BRING THOSE PEOPLE INTO AN EDUCATION PROCESS.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT TYPE OF PRIVATE MONEY YET, BUT WE'RE WORKING IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY RIGHT NOW TO BUILD IT.
WHAT CAN YOU DO AS A CITY COUNCIL TO GENERATE AND
[01:40:01]
CONTINUE THE MOMENTUM? I DON'T KNOW, MONEY.LET'S KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
BRIAN, TONY, GOOD EVENING CHAIR AND COMMITTEE.
I'M HERE TODAY REPRESENTING THE DALLAS HOUSING COALITION.
I LEFT MY LIGHT BLUE SHIRT AT HOME, BUT WE'LL BE BACK HERE TOMORROW.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SPEAKING WITH YOU THEN AS WELL.
UH, THE COMMON CHARACTERISTIC, AS MENTIONED, UH, THAT EVERYBODY WHO IS UNHOUSED IS FACING IS A LACK OF HOUSING.
UNTIL WE HOUSE MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE FALLING INTO HOMELESSNESS, WE'RE NEVER GONNA SOLVE THE HOMELESSNESS ISSUE.
STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT HOMELESSNESS IS A HOUSING ISSUE.
THERE'S A DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN CITIES THAT HAVE A HIGH COST OF LIVING AND THEIR RATES OF HOMELESSNESS.
AND RIGHT NOW, DALLAS IS NO LONGER A, UH, LOW COST MARKET.
WE ARE INCREASINGLY A HIGH COST MARKET.
YOU ALL HAVE HEARD A LOT OF THAT DATA, SO IT'S ON THE RECORD.
THE DALLAS HOUSING COALITION DOES SUPPORT THE $35 MILLION BOND REQUEST FOR THE HOMELESSNESS, UH, SOLUTIONS OFFICE AS RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMUNITY BOND TASK FORCE SUBCOMMITTEE.
AND WE KNOW THAT THOSE HIGH HOUSING COSTS AND LOW INCOME ARE DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTING TO PEOPLE BEING VULNERABLE TO HOMELESSNESS, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, A LARGE SIGNIFICANT, UH, LOW INCOME POPULATION.
WE BELIEVE THAT HOUS HOMELESSNESS IS A DIRECT RESULT OF HOW WE CONSTRUCT AND OPERATE OUR CITIES.
THE SOLUTION TO HOMELESSNESS IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THE SPECIFIC STEPS THAT, UH, THIS ARE RECOMMENDED IN THE, UH, REPORT MAKING, CITY OWNED LAND AVAILABLE, WE'RE DOING IT FOR PARKS.
WE SHOULD ALSO BE DOING IT FOR HOUSING.
WE SHOULD BE RELAXING THOSE ZONING REGULATIONS IN THE PRIVATE MARKET, INCLUDING MINIMUM LOT SIZES.
WE SHOULD FAST TRACK AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THE PERMITTING PROCESS AND ALLOW MORE TYPES OF HOUSING OPTIONS.
AND THEN FINALLY, UH, WHICH WE'LL TALK THE MOST ABOUT IS THAT WE NEED THAT BOND FUNDING.
RIGHT NOW, IT'S ABOUT $5 MILLION FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
IN 2017, IT WAS 20 MILLION FOR HOMELESSNESS.
ARE WE TRYING TO GO BACKWARDS OR ARE WE TRYING TO GO FORWARD AS A CITY? HOUSTON HAD A GREAT NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE, UH, BACK IN NOVEMBER.
THEY'VE SUCCEEDED BECAUSE THEY HAVE STRONG POLITICAL LEADERSHIP THAT GATHERS DATA, FOLLOWS EVIDENCE AND HERDS NONPROFITS TOGETHER.
WE SHOULD MODEL THAT APPROACH.
IF WE AGREE, WE'RE WILLING TO INVEST TO END HOMELESSNESS, WE ALSO HAVE TO AGREE THAT WE'RE WILLING TO INVEST TO PREVENT IT.
60 MILLION FOR HOUSING AND 5 MILLION IS NOT ENOUGH.
PLEASE, UH, CONSIDER MORE ALLOCATIONS TOMORROW.
ADRIAN ALARIA, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE FIRST ROW.
7 3 0 6 TOMLINSON RESIDENT OF D 12.
AND MY FAMILY BUSINESS IS IN B 11.
WE'VE BEEN IN DALLAS SINCE 1946.
UH, WE OPENED A SECOND STORE IN FRISCO IN 2019, HAVING STORES IN TWO CITIES, UNDERSCORED WHITE BUSINESSES FAVOR OF THE SUBURBS OVER DALLAS.
SO JAR GEORGE GARDNER'S LIVED AT OUR DALLAS STORE OVER SEVEN YEARS IN OUR SHOPPING CENTER.
I'VE HAD HIM NO TRESPASS MULTIPLE TIMES.
I'VE CALLED OUR HOLLY AND I CALLED 9 1 1.
I CANNOT GET RID OF GEORGE GARDNER.
I'VE OFFERED TO GET HIM HELP, BUT HE REFUSES IT BECAUSE HE DOESN'T WANT TO GO A SHELTER AND HAVE TO FOLLOW THE RULES THERE.
HE'S TOLD ME THAT OVER AND OVER.
I'VE CALLED 9 1 1 MULTIPLE TIMES THIS MONTH TO HAVE ANOTHER PERSON NO TRESPASSED OFF MY PROPERTY.
I'M LUCKY IF THEY SHOW UP OR IF I EVEN GET A CALL BACK.
AND I DON'T BLAME DALLAS'S POLICE.
I KNOW THEY'RE OVERWORKED AND OVERWHELMED WITH EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW.
WE DON'T SEE THESE ISSUES AT OUR FRISCO STORE.
OUR DALLAS STORE BORDERS RICHARDSON AND RICHARDSON IS SENDS THEM BACK TO THE DALLAS SIDE OF THE STREET.
THE HOMELESS PROBLEM IN DALLAS IS OUTTA CONTROL.
YOU KNOW, THE REPORT TONIGHT SAYS THE PROBLEM IS GETTING BETTER, BUT YOU DRIVE DOWN THE HIGHWAY IN DALLAS, IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS THAT THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
IT SHOULDN'T BE A CRIME TO BE HOMELESS, AND WE NEED TO SHOW COMPASSION.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE HOMELESS CAN REFUSE HELP AND SERVICES AND TAKE OVER THE SIDEWALKS AND LOITER AND PRIVATE PROPERTY.
THE CITY HAS TO TAKE ACTION TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE.
MY BOLT TRASH PILE IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE LOOKS LIKE A HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT.
SOMETIMES IF I PUT IT OUT ONE DAY EARLY, CODE ENFORCEMENT WILL MAKE SURE IT IS TAKEN CARE OF.
BUT YOU SEE THE SAME THING UNDER OVERCAST AT THE CITY.
IT'S THERE MONTHS AND MONTHS AND NOBODY SEEMS TO CARE.
WE GOTTA FIND PHONES TO FIND PEOPLE OFF THE STREET WHEN LEAVE THE STREETS.
ENFORCEMENT HAS TO GET THEM REMOVED BASIS.
MY ONLY FEAR IS TO END UP ON PRIVATE PROPERTY IS LIKE OUR CENTER.
WE HAVE PEOPLE PHYSICALLY OR EVEN THEY'RE RUDE TO US, AND WE TRY TO HAVE 'EM LEAVE.
IT'S JUST, IT'S BECOME A PROBLEM.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE TO DEAL THE ISSUE IN PUBLIC SPACES, BUT MAKE SURE THAT'S NOT A BURDEN ON PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNER PEOPLE COURT TO HELP THEM OUT AS WELL.
[01:45:05]
MARK ELLI.THANK YOU CHAIRMAN AND COUNCILMAN FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
UH, MY NAME'S MARK NUNLEY AND, UH, I LIVE, UH, 63 10 JOYCE WAY IN, UM, DISTRICT 13.
UM, I WORK AT A COMPANY HERE IN DALLAS.
UH, I'M ALSO ON, UH, THE, UM, REGIONAL DALLAS REGIONAL CHAMBER.
AND IN THAT REGARD, AND AS PART OF MY EFFORTS, WE FOUND THAT THERE REALLY WAS NOT ACCURATE COUNTS OF HOMELESS.
AND SO WE STARTED A TASK ABOUT, ABOUT A YEAR AGO TO PROVIDE AN ACCURATE COUNT IN THE CBD THAT COULD BE RELIED UPON.
AND IN THAT REGARD, I'VE REACHED OUT TO MY FELLOW DRC BOARD MEMBER DOREEN GRIFFITH, WITH THE MANAGING PARTNER OF GRANT THORNTON PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM.
AND WORKING WITH GRANT THORNTON AND THEIR AUDITING TEAM, WE PUT TOGETHER A REPORT THAT PROVIDES HOMELESS COUNTS IN THE DALLAS CBD AT LEAST MONTHLY.
WE ARE OPEN TO DOING THE REPORT MORE OFTEN, SO WE HAVE VERY SPECIFIC PROCEDURES THAT ARE FOLLOWED.
AND OUR PARTNER AND OUR REPORT IS PARTNERED IN, IN FRONT OF YOU, UH, BETWEEN ASHFORD GROUP OF COMPANIES AND GRANT THORNTON.
WE'VE SHARED OUR REPORT WITH FOLKS AT THE DRC AS WELL AS SEVERAL COUNCILMEN, UM, UM, COUNCILMAN, UM, MARINO AND, UM, MENDELSSOHN.
WE'VE SHARED WITH YOU GUYS AND COUNCILMAN MARINA.
WE'VE APPRECIATED YOUR OFFICE'S, UM, COMMENTS ON OUR REPORT AND WE'VE TRIED TO MAKE IT REALLY MORE, UM, MORE USABLE TO YOU AND EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING.
AND I JUST SENT YOU, I GAVE YOU GUYS A COPY OF OUR LATEST REPORT, UM, AND THIS ONE WAS DONE A FEW WEEKS AGO.
AND YOU CAN SEE, UM, WE'VE, UM, WE, WE LAY IT OUT BY SECTOR SO YOU CAN SEE EXACTLY THE COUNT AT ANY POINT IN TIME AND WHERE THE HOMELESS ARE.
UM, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE HOMELESS ARE IN DISTRICTS 2 0 8 7 AND 2 0 8 2 0 8 8.
UM, AND, UH, WE'RE HAPPY TO MAKE THIS AVAILABLE AT ANY TIME.
STEPHANIE ON FIRST THANK THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER MORENO FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND TO THE ENTIRE COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE AND REPORT IN DEVELOPMENT AT THE DEBU FOUNDATION, WE IDENTIFIED A GAP IN SERVICES PROVIDED AND A NEED FOR HOMELESS OUTREACH SPECIFICALLY.
SO WE PILOTED AN OUTREACH PROGRAM IN 2021 IN THE DEEP L PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
IT WAS SO WELL RECEIVED AND POPULAR AMONGST OUR STAKEHOLDERS AND ACTUALLY ESPECIALLY OUR BUSINESS OWNERS, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO EXPAND ITS SEVENFOLD IN 2022.
BY 2023, WE AVERAGED ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF REQUESTS PER DAY THROUGH OUR CSA PLATFORM RELATED TO INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
IF YOU INCLUDE ENGAGEMENTS DRIVEN BY OUR HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM AND OUR SECURITY TEAM, THAT'S CLOSER TO 10 ENGAGEMENTS DAILY IN 2019 IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
PANHANDLING AND HOMELESSNESS NEXT TO SAFETY WAS THE SECOND BIGGEST ISSUE IDENTIFIED AS A CHALLENGE FACING OUR DISTRICT IN 2022.
IN OUR COMMUNITY SAFETY PLAN LED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MORENO, THE ISSUES AND INCIDENTS RELATED TO INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WAS, AGAIN, THE SECOND MOST CITED SECURITY ISSUE IN DEEP ELLUM.
IN FACT, 70% OF OUR RESPONDENTS SAID IN THAT PLAN THAT THEY HAD DIRECTLY EXPERIENCED AN INCIDENT OR ISSUE INVOLVING AN INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN 2023.
AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE MANY ENGAGEMENTS.
UM, 50% OF OUR REQUESTS ACTUALLY IN CALLS OF SERVICES THROUGH OUR CA PROGRAM ARE CONSISTENTLY INVOLVING INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
SO THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT IMPACTS STAKEHOLDERS, WHETHER RESIDENTS, BUSINESS OWNERS, PROPERTY OWNERS, VISITORS, OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, EXPERIENCE THIS DAILY AND HAVE DONE SO PERSISTENTLY FOR YEARS.
SO I'M ENCOURAGED TODAY, UM, THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS IN THE HARD BALANCE, PARTICULARLY OF SHORT, MIDTERM, AND LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS.
I PARTICULARLY APPRECIATE THE INCREASE IN OUTREACH TEAM MEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR EVERY TIME ONE OF OUR OUTREACH TEAM MEMBERS GOES OUT.
UM, THERE'S ANOTHER 2, 3, 4 INDIVIDUALS THAT COULD USE THEIR SERVICES WAITING A BLOCK OR SO LATER, UM, THAT WE CAN'T GET TO.
SO I HOPE YOU'LL CONTINUE TO EXPLORE THE CHALLENGING TOPICS OF WHERE'S THE IMMEDIATE NEXT STOP WHERE WE BRING INDIVIDUALS.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS.
AGAIN, AT DEF WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO PARTNER AND GROWING OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AND THE ENTIRE CONTINUUM OF CARE TEAM.
AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE TASK FORCE, ROB HAYES.
I RUN A, UH, A HOTEL COMPANY BASED IN DISTRICT 11.
UH, WE OWN HOTELS BOTH WITHIN THE CITY OF DALLAS AND OUTSIDE THE CITY OF DALLAS.
[01:50:01]
ALSO COMMISSIONER ON THE DALLAS AREA PARTNERSHIP TO WHICH I WAS APPOINTED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO BY MAYOR JOHNSON AS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REAL ESTATE COUNCIL HERE IN DALLAS.NONE OF MY COMMENTS TONIGHT ARE OFFICIALLY DAP OR TREK, UH, VIEWPOINTS.
I DO AGREE WITH THE HOPE REPORT WHEN IT STATES THAT DALLAS HAS DISTINCTIVE PROBLEMS, ESPECIALLY WITH UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, QUOTE UNQUOTE UNQUOTE.
I CAN ATTEST THAT THESE DISTINCTIVE PROBLEMS ARE IMPACTING THE AREAS AROUND OUR HOTELS HERE IN THE CITY AND OUR GROWING CONCERN OF OUR GUESTS AND OUR EMPLOYEES.
IN MY TIME AS A MEMBER OF THE DAP, I'VE MET WITH MANY SERVICE PROVIDERS WITHIN THE ALL NEIGHBORS COALITION AND WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CITY, UH, COUNTY HUD HOUSING FORWARD.
AND THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT DALLAS IS DOING A, A MUCH BETTER JOB TODAY TO MAKE PROGRESS ON THIS ISSUE AND BEING MUCH MORE INTEGRATED.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT TWO ISSUES THAT I DON'T BELIEVE ARE RADICALLY COVERED IN THE HOPE REPORT.
THE FIRST IS RELATED TO MAYOR JOHNSON'S QUESTION ONE ON BASELINE NUMBERS.
UH, AS A BUSINESSMAN, I'VE BEEN INCREDIBLY SURPRISED BY THE LACK OF BOTH TRANSPARENCY AND ROBUSTNESS OF THE DATA.
WHEN IT COMES TO SYSTEM PERFORMANCE.
TO MAKE ANY PROGRESS ON AN ISSUE, YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TRACK DATA AND WHOEVER THE NUMBERS THAT ARE TYPICALLY QUOTED IN NEWS ARTICLES, ORGANIZATIONAL PRESENTATIONS, IN MY OPINION, ARE WOEFULLY INADEQUATE HOUSING.
UM, SOME PEOPLE TRACK NUMBERS IN HMIS, SOME PEOPLE TRACK PIT COUNTS AS WE HEARD TONIGHT.
BUT THERE ARE MANY DATA POINTS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT AREN'T BEING CAPTURED FROM COUNTIES, HOSPITALS, POLICE DEPARTMENTS, DEPARTMENTS OF EDUCATION, DOWNTOWN DALLAS, INC, HMIS, MR. NUNLEY'S NUMBERS, UM, ALL OF THIS NEEDS TO BE PUT TOGETHER IN A SINGLE TRANSPARENT LOCATION AND TRACKED REGULARLY FOR ANY PROGRESS TO BE MADE.
UH, LASTLY, MY, UH, ISSUE IS ON THE 11TH QUESTION OF THE MAYOR ABOUT EFFECTIVE MODELS IN OTHER CITIES.
UH, ONE MODEL THAT IS YET TO BE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED IN DALLAS IS TO HAVE A SINGLE LOCATION WHERE MANY, IF NOT ALL SERVICE PROVIDERS ARE LOCATED AND COORDINATED.
MAY THERE MAY EVEN BE CITY PROPERTY THAT THIS COULD BE CITED WITH ALREADY.
UH, THIS CAN PREVENT A LOT OF THE INEFFICIENCIES THAT I HEAR ABOUT MEETING WITH, UM, LOCAL SERVICE PROVIDERS.
I'M HERE TO TELL YOU ABOUT DALLAS 24 HOUR CLUB, SO WE MAY BE A RESOURCE FOR YOU.
UM, THE 24 HOUR CLUB PROVIDES TRANSITIONAL LIVING SUPPORT SERVICES AND ESSENTIAL LIFE SKILLS FOR HOMELESS ALCOHOLICS AND ADDICTS SO THEY CAN EMBRACE LONG-TERM RECOVERY AND BECOME SELF-SUPPORTING MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
UM, EACH YEAR WE HELP OVER 600 INDIVIDUALS GET OFF THE STREETS, GAIN EMPLOYMENT, UM, RECONNECT WITH FAMILY MEMBERS AND RECOVER FROM DRUGS AND ALCOHOL.
IN 20 23, 30 2% OF THOSE 600 INDIVIDUALS, UM, COMPLETED OUR PROGRAM SUCCESSFULLY.
UM, OUR PROGRAM IS LOTS OF STRUCTURE, SUPPORT AND HIGH ACCOUNTABILITY IN A PHASE THREE PHASE PROGRAM, UM, WHERE IT'S A STEP DOWN MODULE.
SO EACH PHASE HAS LESS ACCOUNTABILITY, LESS STRUCTURE, SO THAT THE INDIVIDUALS BECOME SELF-SUPPORTING.
UM, WE HAVE A VARIETY OF WRAPAROUND SKILLS, WHICH I THINK MAKES OUR PROGRAM REALLY UNIQUE.
UM, INTERNALLY WE HAVE A LIFE SKILLS PROGRAM WHERE WE BRING IN MONTHLY SPEAKERS TO TALK ABOUT BASIC THINGS LIKE OPENING CHECKING ACCOUNT, HOW DO YOU BUY A CAR, HOW DO YOU BUILD A BUDGET AND LIVE ON A FINANCIAL BUDGET.
UM, WE OFFER A, WE HAVE A KITCHEN TRAINING PROGRAM WHERE OUR RESIDENTS CAN LEARN CULINARY SKILLS.
WE HAVE A RECOVERY JOB TRAINING PROGRAM IN CASE THEY WANNA WORK IN THE TREATMENT FACILITY.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM TO HELP OUR FEMALE RESIDENTS HEAL FROM TRAUMA, BUILD CONFIDENCE.
UM, ADDITIONALLY WE HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH DALLAS COLLEGE AND TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY WHERE OUR RESIDENTS CAN EARN THEIR EDUCATION FOR FREE ON A SCHOLARSHIP BASE.
UM, AND WE ALSO PROVIDE FREE HEALTHCARE THROUGH THE PARKLAND HOMES UNIT AND FREE DENTAL CARE THROUGH THE GRACE CENTER.
SO NOT ONLY ARE WE HELPING OUR RESIDENTS GET HOUSED AND RECOVER FROM DRUGS AND ALCOHOL, BUT WE'RE HELPING THEM LIVE A LIFE THAT'S SUCCESSFULLY ON THE ROAD.
PD PARKER, SUSAN OWENS, ASHLEY BRUNDAGE, JASON KME, PATRICIA SIMON, DESI TURN TANNER.
PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE FRONT ROW PD PARKER.
I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT ON A PERSON WHEN THEY'RE GONNA COME FROM DIFFERENT THINKING AND PERHAPS SOME FAR THINKING BEYOND WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT.
AND I THINK WHEN YOU DO THAT, YOU ALSO HAVE TO COME WITH SOLUTION.
SO MY MISSION IS PAYING FORWARD WITH KINDNESS.
UH, OUR INTENTION IS WE ARE NOT A NON-PROFIT.
UH, OUR INTENTION WAS TO GO IN WITH MY PARTNER,
[01:55:01]
I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT, TO HELP PEOPLE GET OFF THE STREET IF THEY WANTED TO GET OFF THE STREET.WE'VE CHANGED THAT AND DIRECTION ALMOST ENTIRELY TO TALK ABOUT AND THINK ABOUT THE NEW PEOPLE ON THE STREET AND WHY THEY'RE THERE.
AND WE HAVE DECIDED TO GO UPSTREAM TO FIGURE OUT WHY PEOPLE ARE ON THE STREET TO BEGIN WITH.
BUT WHAT I'VE LEARNED ALONG THE WAY, AND WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT MY PARTNER ZACHARIA, UH, HE WAS ON THE STREET IN FRONT OF OUR CONDO AND I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF NODDING TO HIM ONCE IN A WHILE, SMILING ONCE IN A WHILE, AND SOMETIMES JUST SITTING ON THE BENCH WITH HIM.
AND I WATCHED HIM DECLINE IN HIS HEALTH AND I REALIZED HE WOULD NOT LIVE MUCH LONGER.
SO I TALKED TO MY HUSBAND AND WE SAID, LET'S HELP HIM, LET'S HELP HIM.
BUT I HAVE TO TELL YOU, HELPING HIM WAS EXCRUCIATINGLY HARD.
IT WAS 18 MONTHS TO GET HIM PROCESSED THROUGH 18 MONTHS.
THE GOOD NEWS IS IT WASN'T UNTIL 18 MONTHS THAT HE TRUSTED US AND WE WALKED WITH HIM EVERY DAY, EVERY DAY WE FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO FIND A PLACE TO PLACE SOMEBODY OFF THE STREET WHO WAS NOT HEALTHY OR COULD NOT GET A JOB.
WHAT WE DECIDED IS THAT WE WOULD WORK TOGETHER TO DO WHAT WE COULD TO HELP OTHERS GET OFF.
AND WHAT WE DISCOVERED IS PEOPLE DO NOT WANT TO GET OFF THE STREET FOR ANY NUMBER OF REASONS.
AND SOME OF THE GROUPS YOU HAVE NOT DISCUSSED TONIGHT ARE THE VETS, AND YOU HAVE NOT DISCUSSED THE NEW PEOPLE.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU, EVEN THOUGH MY TIME IS UP FOR YOU TO REALLY LOOK INTO THE VET.
PROGRAM, THE VET PROGRAM USES THE HOTEL YOU TALKED ABOUT IN HOUSTON, 131 ROOMS FOR PERMANENT DWELLING.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING, UM, ME TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
UM, I'VE HAD A TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, UM, SINCE 2003.
UM, AND RIGHT NOW, CURRENTLY, UM, I WE'RE SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT ADDRESS.
SO MY, UH, TRANSITIONAL HOMES ARE IN THE 7 5 2 2 8 ZIP CODE.
UM, WHEN I WAS PREPARING TO PRESENT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNOW WE HAVE A PROBLEM, SO WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE SOLUTION IS.
AND IT WAS INTERESTING, UM, BASED ON WHAT I KNOW WITH, UM, MY ANGEL'S RECOVERY HEALTH PROGRAM.
UM, WE PROBABLY HAVE 35% WHO COME THROUGH THAT HAVE A SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS, AND WE NEED DOCTORS AND HOSPITALS AND THAT KIND OF THING.
IT IT'S BEYOND, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE, WE CAN DO IF WE'RE NOT A PROFESSIONAL.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE AROUND 63% THAT HAVE A DRUG ADDICTION OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROBLEM.
AND WE ARE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO FIX THAT WITHOUT BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION AND CONSEQUENCES.
SO, UM, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT TWO, ABOUT TWO TO 5% THAT ARE JUST POVERTY STRICKEN AND LOST THEIR JOBS.
DON'T HAVE FAMILY TO HELP 'EM.
WE GET 'EM INTO THE HOUSING PROGRAM, THEY'RE ABLE TO GET A JOB AND WE GET 'EM BACK ON THEIR FEET.
UM, THE PROBLEM IS, IS THIS BIG, BIG, UH, NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION AND THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE CONSEQUENCES.
WE JUST CAN'T GIVE THEM, YOU KNOW, THINGS.
THERE WAS A PROGRAM CALLED THE A TR, UH, THAT THE STATE FUNDED THAT MAYBE, UM, WOULD BE GOOD TO LOOK AT.
UM, ANYWAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE TIME AND I THOUGHT TWO MINUTES WAS GONNA BE HARD.
UM, BUT UH, WE ARE HERE TO HELP, UM, IN ANY WAY.
ASHLEY BRUNDAGE, JASON KILMERE CHAIR.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS, UH, THE COMMITTEE HERE.
I LIVE AT 2,500 MCKINNEY AVENUE IN UPTOWN, UH, TO THOSE MEMBERS OF THE TASK FORCE, UH, AND THOSE IN THE FIGHT DAILY, UH, FOR THIS CAUSE.
YOUR TRUE CIVIC LEADERS AND AGAIN, TO THE COUNCIL.
UH, PUBLIC POLICY IMPLEMENTATION IS EXCEPTIONALLY DIFFICULT.
EVERYTHING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS HARD.
SO THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THAT.
UM, THE REPORT THAT WE ARE ALL HERE TO DISCUSS, I THINK VERY INTELLIGENTLY TALKS ABOUT THE CHALLENGE IN ESTABLISHING A BASELINE.
HOW DO WE MEASURE OUR EFFORTS? UM, AND AND WHAT I FEEL REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY IS ABSENT ANY OF THAT BASELINE, UH, IN THE REPORTER IN TONIGHT'S CONVERSATIONS.
WHAT IS THE END STATE HERE THAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? UM, I I DIDN'T HEAR ONE.
UH, THE RAPID REHOUSING INITIATIVE IS TREMENDOUSLY SUCCESSFUL AND MEETS ITS GOAL OF HOUSING.
6,000 PEOPLE BY 2025, THIS CITY'S
[02:00:01]
DIRECTOR, UH, OF THE OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS STILL EXPECTS THE BASELINE IN THE PIT COUNT TO BE ABOUT 4,200 OR SOMEWHERE AROUND THEM.THEY SAID IT'LL BE LARGELY UNCHANGED.
SO WHAT I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND IS WHAT OUTCOME WE ARE HERE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, AND AND WHAT I MIGHT ARGUE IS THAT THE, UM, UH, A SPEAKER I THINK EARLIER AN EXPERT SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE TO ACCELERATE AND KIND OF MAKE MORE EFFICIENT THOSE CURRENT CHANGES.
WE WANNA AVOID A HARD RIGHT TURN.
UM, I MIGHT CAUTION TO THE COUNCIL THAT THE GREATER RISK HERE IS INCREMENTALISM.
UM, AND WHAT I THINK WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE, OR A FEW THINGS.
ONE, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS WILL NOT CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE SOLUTION HERE.
UH, A A, A MINOR CHANGE IN MACROECONOMIC CONDITIONS WILL BE ENOUGH TO WIPE OUT THOSE INVESTMENTS OF, OF, OF 70, 80 MILLION, WHATEVER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I THINK 73 WAS THE NUMBER FOUR, THE RAPID REHOUSING INITIATIVE.
TWO, THE CITY OWNED AND PURCHASED PROPERTIES.
I THINK THERE WAS ONE OF THOSE IN OPERATION PURCHASED WITH PANDEMIC RELIEF FUNDS.
SO LET'S IMAGINE THAT WE DRAMATICALLY INCREASE THAT EFFICIENTLY AND WE SCALE THAT UP.
IT STILL WON'T BE A MAJOR PART OF THE SOLUTION.
UM, THE INDIVIDUAL EARLIER MENTIONED THAT THAT NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE FOR, UH, ON THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THAT ARTICLE READ THIS, HAS BEEN ACHIEVED IN HOUSTON BY COMBINING EFFORTS OF COUNTY AGENCIES, LOCAL SERVICE PROVIDERS, CORPORATIONS, CHARITABLE NONPROFITS.
I ARGUE MAKE THAT COHESIVE RESPONSE REAL AND PHYSICAL.
ESTABLISH A ONE-STOP SHOP PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
TEMPORARY HOUSING, LOW BARRIER OPTIONS, MENTAL HEALTH CARE.
DO IT IN ONE PLACE OUTSIDE YOUR COMMERCIAL CENTER AND DRIVE PEOPLE THERE.
THANK YOU, PATRICIA SIMON, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER MORENO FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND LEADERSHIP AND THE TASK FORCE FOR ITS WORK ON THE HOPE REPORT.
UM, THESE THINGS DON'T COME EASILY AND TAKES A LOT OF WORK.
TWO MINUTES WON'T ADEQUATELY GET ME THE TIME THAT I HAVE IN MY NOTES HERE, SO I'LL SEND YOU ALL AN EMAIL.
UM, I DO WANNA TELL YOU THAT I DID PARTICIPATE IN THE POINT IN TIME COUNT SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
IT WAS EYE-OPENING AND DEVASTATING.
WHAT I SAW WAS A LOT OF THE HOMELESS.
I WAS ASSIGNED THE CITY PLACE AREA, UM, AND WALKING AROUND AT 1:00 AM IN THE COLD LOOKING FOR HOMELESS UNDER BOXES WAS KIND OF SCARY.
UM, A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE WERE DISPLACED FROM THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEY HUNG OUT IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD 'CAUSE THEY COULD SURVIVE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT WAS FAMILIAR TO THEM AND THEY WERE DISPLACED BECAUSE THEIR HOMES WHERE THEY LIVED HAD BEEN TORN DOWN FOR TOWN HOMES.
SO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION WITH SOME OF THESE DEVELOPMENT PLANS YOU GUYS ARE THINKING ABOUT BECAUSE THIS IS DISPLACING PEOPLE.
THE OTHER COMMON DENOMINATOR WAS SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL ILLNESS.
AND I'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE, UH, LIFELONG LEADERS IN HOMELESSNESS.
HOMELESSNESS IS A SYMPTOM OF A BIGGER PROBLEM.
AND BY BUILDING MORE HOUSES, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WE HAVE A BIGGER PROBLEM.
WE'RE PUTTING A BANDAID OVER AN ABSCESS.
THE ANTIBIOTIC IS MENTAL HEALTH.
WE NEED MORE MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES.
WE NEED TO TREAT THE PROBLEM, NOT THE SYMPTOM.
DESI TANNER, DESSI TANNER, JACOB OL GLASER.
UH, I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY THAT IS INVOLVED TONIGHT, UH, THE TASK FORCE AS WELL AS ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE AND THE GRASSROOTS PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME TO SPEAK.
UM, I KNOW THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT EVERYONE CARES A GREAT DEAL ABOUT AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOLVED.
SO, UH, I AM, MY NAME IS JACOB ER.
I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF AN ORGANIZATION CALLED KEEP DALLAS SAFE.
AND TONIGHT I WANNA SPEAK ABOUT THE INEXTRICABLE LINK BETWEEN PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS IN DALLAS.
UH, UNDERSTANDABLY, THE CITY COUNCIL SPEAKS, UH, QUITE A BIT ABOUT THE DECREASE IN OVERALL CRIME IN THE CITY.
HOWEVER, WHAT WE SEE IS THAT THE RESIDENTS OF DALLAS DO NOT FEEL SAFER.
POLL AFTER POLL SHOWS THAT DALLAS RESIDENTS STILL BELIEVE THAT PUBLIC SAFETY IS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE THAT DALLAS FACES.
AT THIS TIME, THE PUBLIC DOESN'T FEEL IT BECAUSE EVERYWHERE THEY LOOK, THERE IS A HOMELESS CAMP OR A VAGRANT CAMP OR SOMEONE PANHANDLING.
I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN SOLVE BOTH OF THESE PROBLEMS TOGETHER.
AND INDEED, I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE TO IN REALITY, THOSE WHO ARE TRULY SUFFERING HOMELESSNESS BECAUSE OF POVERTY OR SOMETHING OUT OF THEIR CONTROL SUFFER BECAUSE THE WILLFULLY HOMELESS, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS VAGRANTS, ARE ALLOWED TO LIVE ON OUR STREETS.
I'M TOLD BY MANY OF THESE PEOPLE THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO GAME THE HOUSING SYSTEM.
AND SO, UH, WHAT I WOULD URGE YOU ALL TO CONSIDER TONIGHT IS SOMETHING THAT OTHERS HAVE MENTIONED.
I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO CENTRALIZE HOMELESS SERVICES IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
SOME HAVE SUGGESTED GOVERNMENT, UH, CITY SANCTIONED SHELTERS OR CAMPS.
[02:05:01]
HAVE SUGGESTED A ONE-STOP SHOP LIKE SAN ANTONIO'S HAVEN FOR HOPE.REGARDLESS, UH, CENTRALIZATION AND REQUIREMENT OF WORK AND SOBRIETY FOR THOSE GOING THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS, UH, WILL SOLVE BOTH OF THESE PROBLEMS. IT'LL ENABLE BETTER ENFORCEMENT OF THE HOMELESS CAMPING BAN IN TEXAS, UH, IN THE CITY.
IF SOMEBODY IS NOT IN THE CENTRAL SERVICE, YOU KNOW THAT THEY ARE EITHER MENTALLY INCAPACITATED IN SOME WAY AND UNABLE TO SEEK SERVICES FOR THEMSELVES OR UNWILLING.
IT'LL MAKE THE PUBLIC FEEL SAFER.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY OF ALL, IT'LL HELP THOSE WHO TRULY, TRULY NEED IT.
THERE ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH RESOURCES IN THIS CITY TO HELP EVERYONE WHO TRULY NEEDS IT.
THIS CONCLUDES OUR, UH, PUBLIC APPEARANCE LIST.
WE'LL NOW OPEN IT UP TO THOSE IN PERSON WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, WHO HAVE NOT REGISTERED AHEAD OF TIME.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, PLEASE COME TO THE FIRST ROW.
HELLO, ED ZARA, 24 0 4 FARRINGTON OVER THE MEDICAL DISTRICT AT STEMMONS.
I BELIEVE I'M THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAS SEEN THE HOMELESS PROBLEM EVERY DAY FOR 23 YEARS.
I OWN OFFICE BUILDINGS, I OFFICE THERE, AND I'VE WITNESSED WHAT STARTED OUT.
THERE'S A FEW PEOPLE UNDER MEDICAL DISTRICT AT STEMMONS INTO FULL FLEDGED ENCAMPMENTS ALL DOWN THE STEMMONS CORRIDOR.
I'M CONSIDERED THE HOME WAS CZAR OF STEMMONS FREEWAY.
IN THESE YEARS, I HAVE LEARNED TRYING TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? SECOND OUTREACH.
MAKE CONTACT WITH THESE PEOPLE.
LET THEM KNOW WHAT SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE.
WHAT DO POSSIBLE EMPLOYERS AND WORKFORCE WHO VISITS THE CITY OF DALLAS, WHAT DO THEY THINK WHEN THEY SEE THESE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS? THE MESSAGE THEY GET IS, THE CITY DOESN'T CARE.
WHY WOULD I MOVE MY BUSINESS TO A PLACE WHERE THE CITY DOESN'T CARE? AND THE MOST IMPORTANT PART IS ENFORCEMENT.
BEING HOMELESS DOESN'T GIVE ANYBODY A FREE CARD NOT TO OBEY THE RULES WE ALL ABIDE BY.
THEY HAVE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THESE ENCAMPMENTS, TRESPASSING, EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON, NOT JUST THE MEDICAL DISTRICT EVERYWHERE.
UM, I JUST, I REPORT WORK WITH THE, I WORK WITH THE HOMELESS SOLUTIONS COMMITTEE.
I SEND EMAILS TO MY COUNCIL, PEOPLE WITH PHOTOGRAPHS THAT I TAKE OF ALL OF THE UNDERPASSES.
I GET NO RESPONSE AND BEEN THE SAME WAY FOR 23 YEARS SINCE I STARTED WITH ANGELA HUNT, MEDICAL DISTRICT CONTRACTOR, PICKUP HAS STOPPED.
EMPIRE CENTRAL, LARGE ENCAMPMENTS, INWOOD, CONSTANT PANHANDLING.
MY QUESTION IS, WHEN ARE WE THE BUSINESS OWNERS, THE WORKFORCE AND TAXPAYERS, GOING TO SEE ANY IMPROVEMENT IN THIS DIRE SITUATION? THANK YOU.
UH, MY NAME'S CARLOS FLORES, DISTRICT TWO.
I HAVE A BUSINESS OFF OF 2,600, UH, NORTH STIMS MEDICAL DISTRICT.
I BELIEVE I SENT YOU AN EMAIL OF SOME PHOTOS OF, UM, OF THE ONGOINGS THAT'S GOING ON THERE.
UM, I'VE CALLED, UH, THE DOCTOR, I MEAN, OFFICER IC, WHICH IS THE NORTHWEST DIVISION REPRESENTATIVE THERE.
UH, I'VE SPOKEN TO MS. UH, THE LADY FROM THE HOME, HOME OFFICE SOLUTION, HOMELESS SOLUTION.
AND, UM, THE ACTUAL PROGRAM IS WORKING.
UM, SHE IS, I'VE MET HER THERE AT TIMES WHERE THEY CLEAN UP THE ENVIRONMENT THERE, OR LIKE THE GUY SAYS, YOU KNOW, AND THEN THEY MOVE RIGHT BACK IN.
SO ALL THEY DO IS THEY, ONCE THEY SEE THE BIG DUMP TRUCK COME IN, THEY SCURRY THEIR STUFF ACROSS THE FREEWAY, AND THEN ONCE THEY LEAVE, THEY SCURRY IT BACK.
SO IT'S, IT'S A WASTE OF TAXPAYERS MONEY.
AND, AND THEN IT DOESN'T GET REVISITED FOR ANOTHER TWO MONTHS.
UM, THE, I THINK, I BELIEVE THAT GAPS NEED TO BE CLOSED BECAUSE THESE INDIVIDUALS KNOW, YOU KNOW, THAT UNDER THE BRIDGE, IT'S OKAY.
I CALL TDOT, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THEY BLAME IT ON CITY OF DALLAS, CITY OF DALLAS BASED ON TDOT.
IT'S JUST SO MANY GAPS IN THIS WHOLE SYSTEM THAT ME AS A BUSINESS OWNER IS GETTING AFFECTED.
UM, I JUST, I CAN'T CONTINUE TO, TO RUN A BUSINESS.
UM, I, I KNOW THAT I'VE HAD CLIENTS THAT HAVE ACTUALLY LIKE
[02:10:01]
SAID, OH, I LOVE YOUR PLACE.BUT OVER THERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S SCARY.
UM, SO, UH, I BELIEVE THAT THINGS NEED TO BE, THINGS NEED TO BE CHANGED.
MORE COMMUNICATION WITH TEXDOT NEEDS TO BE, UH, DONE.
YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW YOU COULD CLEAN UP AN AREA AND NOT FENCE IT IN, SO THEY WON'T COME BACK.
AND I MEAN, IT, SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE AND, AND NEEDS TO BE DONE FAST.
PEOPLE ARE NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT.
UM, CHRIS ACK, I LIVE AT 1 2, 2 3 KINGS HIGHWAY AND COUNCIL MEMBER WEST DISTRICT, A PROUD, PROUD MEMBER OF DISTRICT ONE.
UM, JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO, UH, THE TASK FORCE.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT WAS PUT INTO THIS DOCUMENT.
A LOT OF THINGS WERE POINTED OUT THAT I THINK EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM HAS HEARD BEFORE.
BUT IT REALLY IS A GREAT WAY TO HAVE SOME, UM, CONSISTENCY IN A, IN A DOCUMENT THAT SAYS, HERE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY NEED TO BE LOOKED AT.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS IN THE REPORT TALKS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, POSSIBLY DECOMMISSIONING THE HOMELESS, UH, HOMELESS SOLUTIONS COMMITTEE, AND THEN THAT THE BROADER COMMITTEE AS A FORMER HOMELESS COMMISSIONER, I THINK ELLEN AND I EVEN HAD THAT CONVERSATION AROUND WHAT REALLY THE HOMELESS COMMISSION'S JOB WAS.
AND EVEN WHEN I WAS ON IT WITH COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSSOHN, THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF UNDER SORT OF NOT UNDERSTANDING EXACTLY WHAT, UH, THE DIRECTION OF THAT COMMISSION WAS.
I THINK TAKING A FEW OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, HANDING IT OVER TO THAT COMMISSION, AND ALLOWING THEM TO EXPLORE SOME OPTIONS, AND REALLY ALLOWING THEM TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY, ENGAGE THE HOMELESS COMMUNITY, ENGAGE THE PROVIDERS, ENGAGE THE BUSINESSES, ENGAGE, ENGAGE RESIDENTS TO REALLY TAKE A, A REALLY HARD LOOK AT HOW THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, ALSO THEN JUST FINALLY WANNA SAY THANK YOU, UH, TO OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS AND COUNCILMAN WEST FOR LET'S GET THE MIRAMAR MOVING FORWARD.
AND WE'LL KEEP, UH, WE'LL KEEP MOVING ON THAT.
MY NAME IS DANIEL WAHLBERG, AND I LIVE, UH, ON JUNIOR STREET.
UM, AND I JUST WANNA THANK THE COUNCIL AND, UH, THE COMMITTEE THAT PUT THIS TOGETHER AS EVERYONE ELSE HAS, UH, AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO, UH, IT, IT IS CLEAR AS YOU READ THROUGH THIS, AND AS I HEAR YOU TALK, YOUR COMMITMENT TO TAKING CARE OF, UH, THESE PEOPLE, THAT THESE ARE PEOPLE AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT THAT, UH, FRONT AND CENTER.
AND WITH THAT IN MIND, UM, I JUST, UH, WANTED TO CALL ATTENTION TO ONE OF THE PIECES.
UM, I'M, I THINK IT'S WRITTEN WELL, AND I'M ENCOURAGED BY THE WAY THAT THERE'S DISCUSSION AROUND THE IDEA OF DECOMMISSIONING ENCAMPMENTS AND HOW, AND THE, AND THE APPROACH TO MAKING SURE THAT THE PEOPLE AS THEY'RE DECOMMISSIONING, UH, THOSE ENCAMPMENTS, MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE, UH, THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE HOUSED AND HAVE RESOURCES MADE AVAILABLE TO THEM.
UM, THE, THE PIECE THAT I HAD CONCERN ABOUT AS, AS THAT WAS BEING DISCUSSED WAS THE IDEA OF, UH, FENCING THAT AREA OFF, UH, OR MAKING THOSE AREAS, UM, INACCESSIBLE.
I THINK THE, UM, THE UNINTENDED IMPLICATION THERE IS THAT, UH, HOMELESS PEOPLE ARE NOT WELCOME.
AND I, I WE'RE SEEING EVIDENCE OF THIS IN OTHER SPACES.
UM, I JUST HAVE SEEN THIS RECENTLY IN SOCIAL MEDIA WHERE PEOPLE WERE TALKING ABOUT IN SEATTLE, UH, ALONG A ROADWAY.
UH, THERE'S A, A LARGE GREEN SPACE WHERE THEY HAVE FILLED IT WITH BOULDERS.
THEY SPENT SOMEWHERE IN THE BALLPARK OF LIKE $70,000 ON BOULDERS TO FILL THAT SPACE SO THAT THERE COULDN'T BE, UH, ENCAMPMENTS THERE.
AND THE UNINTENDED, AND, AND, AND, AND, AND I'M SURE PART OF THAT WAS TO KEEP THEM SAFE, BUT THE UNINTENDED MESSAGE WAS THAT HOMELESS ARE NOT WELCOME HERE.
AND I THINK JUST THE, MY, MY THOUGHT IS JUST TO BE CAREFUL THAT HOWEVER WE APPROACH, UH, MOVING PEOPLE INTO SAFER SPACES, UH, THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER THE, THE OTHER MESSAGES THAT WE SEND BY, UM, PREVENTING THEM FROM COMING BACK TO THOSE SPACES.
HOW YOU DOING? MIKE? STAPLE 9 7 18 AMBERLEY DRIVE.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT 10, AND AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN A VERY VOCAL ADVOCATE OF US BEING THE CITY OF DALLAS, STANDING UP 14 SANCTIONED HOMELESS CAMPS.
SOMEONE TALKED ABOUT THE NEED TO, UH, CONGREGATE THESE INDIVIDUALS.
[02:15:01]
UH, UM, HAVEN FOR HOPE.I'M NOT A FAN OF SPENDING 17 MILLION, WHICH WILL MORPH INTO 25 MILLION AND TAKE THREE TO FIVE YEARS.
I'M A FAN OF STANDING UP IN TEMPORARY BUILDINGS, HOMELESS CAMPS THAT WILL SERVICE BETWEEN 90 AND 125, UM, NEIGHBORS THAT WILL HAVE RUNNING WATER, SHOWERS, UH, BATHROOMS, INTERNET, ELECTRICITY, ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED, WHICH IS A STEP UP FROM THEM LIVING UNDERNEATH CENTRAL EXPRESSWAY AT FOREST LANE.
IT'S A STEP UP FOR US BECAUSE NOW OUR INTERSECTIONS ARE CLEAN.
WE DON'T SEE TENTS, WE DON'T SEE SHOPPING CARTS, WE DON'T SEE SLEEPING BAGS, BECAUSE THEY ALL ARE IN A PLACE THAT WE CAN NOW COUNT.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE PIT COUNT, HOW INACCURATE IS THAT PIT COUNT? IF WE PUT EVERYBODY IN 14 SANCTIONED HOMELESS CAMPS, WE KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.
WE CAN COUNT 'EM, WE CAN SERVICE THEM.
WE, THEY CAN SEE HELP BEING PROVIDED, THEIR NEIGHBORS, AND THEY MIGHT JUST SAY, HEY, I GUESS IT'S TIME I STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND I START BEING HELPED.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE, DONE FOR QUITE SOME TIME AGO.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT A LONG-TERM THING.
THIS WOULD BE A THREE YEAR PROGRAM.
GET 'EM IN THERE, GET 'EM HELPED, GET 'EM ON THEIR WAY TO HOUSING AND CALL IT A DAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, CHAIRPERSON, UH, MORENO, I WASN'T GONNA SPEAK THIS EVENING, BUT LISTENING TO EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON, I FELT COMPELLED TO SPEAK.
I THINK, UH, MY NAME'S ADAM KEITH.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT 13 AT 58, 26 GRAMERCY PLACE.
UM, AND I'VE, UH, I, I I, I'VE BEEN, UH, PASSIONATE ABOUT HELPING HOMELESS PEOPLE, UH, AND ALSO WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, SUPPORTING NAMI NATIONAL, UH, MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH AND ALL THAT KIND OF GOOD STUFF, BECAUSE I THINK THEY ARE HAND IN HAND.
I USED TO BE A POLICE OFFICER IN LONDON, SO I'VE DEALT WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
I'VE DEALT WITH HOMELESS PEOPLE, AND NORMALLY IT TAKES A BIT OF COMPASSION.
BUT ONE THING THAT WE'VE GOT NOW THAT I DIDN'T HAVE 30 YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS A POLICE OFFICER IN LONDON WAS, IS TECHNOLOGY.
I KNOW THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS, UNDER THEIR 3 1 1 APP HAVE AN AMAZING APP WHERE, AND, AND ALSO, UH, AN ORGANIZATION CALLED AIR CALLING HAVE AN AMAZING APP ON YOUR PHONE THAT IF YOU'RE DRIVING ALONG AND YOU SEE A HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT OR HOMELESS PERSON, YOU CAN REALLY EASILY REPORT IT, GEOFENCES IT, AND IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY TELL THE CORRECT RESPONDERS WHERE TO GO.
AND MOST PEOPLE IN DALLAS, I CAN GUARANTEE HAVE NEVER HEARD OF OUR CALLING OR THE 3 1 1 APP.
I DUNNO HOW MUCH MONEY IT WOULD COST JUST TO EDUCATE PEOPLE AND TELL 'EM WHAT RESOURCES THEY HAVE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, AND HAVE A GOOD EVENING.
THANKS EVERYONE FOR STICKING WITH US.
WE ARE NOW GOING TO OPEN IT UP FOR COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK FROM OUR COUNCIL, AND WE'LL DO A 5 3 1, UH, SCENARIO.
AND WE WILL START WITH CHAIRWOMAN, UH, MENDEL, UH, VICE CHAIR MIDDLESTON.
WELL, I WROTE 'EM OUT SO THAT I WOULD BE AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE.
THE FIRST ONE IS ABOUT THE URGENCY OF THIS ISSUE.
FIRST, OUR VERY HIGH QUALITY VERIFIED ANNUAL SURVEY OF RESIDENTS SAYS 75% OF OUR RESIDENTS FIND THIS TO BE AN URGENT PROBLEM THAT THE CITY'S FACING.
THEY DON'T NEED THE DATA TO TELL THEM THAT THE HOMELESSNESS IS INCREASING GREATLY IN OUR CITY.
AND OUR EFFORTS ARE NOT ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGE IN THE MANNER THAT REDUCES HOMELESSNESS.
AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ARE IN MISERY.
THERE'S A DANGER IN LIVING OUTSIDE, AND IT'S URGENT FOR US TO ACT TO HELP THEM RETURN TO STABILITY.
THE URGENCY COULDN'T BE STRONGER WHEN WE KNOW WE EXPERIENCED THE DEATH OF 310 PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS IN 2022.
NEARLY ONE PERSON PER DAY IS DYING IN DALLAS.
110 OF THOSE WERE DRUG OVERDOSES.
[02:20:01]
CASE FOR REMOVING AS MANY AS ENCAMPMENTS AS POSSIBLE, AS FAST AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE THIS IS A LIFESAVING EFFORT.THE SECOND ITEM IS THAT, WHILE I SAY THIS FREQUENTLY AS WE DISCUSS AND VOTE ON HOUSING INCENTIVES, I BELIEVE STRONGLY ALL INCENTIVES FOR HOUSING SHOULD BE AT THE 50% OR LOWER A MI.
THIS IS WHERE THE NEED IS, WHICH HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED, AND IT'S WHERE HOUSING WON'T BE BUILT WITHOUT INCENTIVES.
EVERY OTHER ARGUMENT FOR INCENTIVES, 80% UP TO 120% IS COMPLETELY FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE.
NUMBER THREE, THE RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT THE HOMELESS COMMISSION AND THE DALLAS AREA PARTNERSHIP ON HOMELESSNESS.
HAVING SERVED ON BOTH, I WOULD AGREE THAT BOTH NEED SOME CHANGES FROM THE POINT THAT THE REPORT WAS WRITTEN, BUT THEY DON'T.
BUT I WOULD NOT AGREE THAT THEY'RE REDUNDANT OR UNNEEDED.
WE NEED AS MUCH OVERSIGHT AS POSSIBLE IN HOMELESSNESS.
THE DALLAS AREA PARTNERSHIP, UNENDING HOMELESSNESS, IS ALREADY GOING THROUGH A TRANSFORMATION AND DOING SOME REALLY INTERESTING WORK, LIKE A DIVE INTO THE FULL COST OF HOMELESSNESS IN OUR AREA, SOMETHING NO OTHER ORGANIZATION HAS DONE.
AND IT ACTUALLY COULD END UP A SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR SOME OF THE ITEMS LISTED IN THE REPORT THAT WOULD HELP US REDUCE HOMELESSNESS.
IT HAS A UNIQUE ABILITY TO ISSUE DEBT, HOLD LAND, AND OPERATE FACILITIES.
THE LEADERSHIP OF THIS IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION BECAUSE IT'S BY ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO ARE CLOSER TO THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE OF DALLAS.
AS A FORMER VICE CHAIR OF THE CITIZENS HOMELESS COMMISSION, I SUPPORT THIS COMMISSION AS WELL, BUT WOULD LOVE TO SEE A DISCUSSION IN AN UPCOMING AGENDA ITEM ABOUT ITS MISSION AND PURPOSE.
FOUR, THE REPORT DEFINES MANY INEFFICIENT CITY PROCESSES AND CHALLENGES THEY POSE IN DOING BUSINESS.
AS A NONPROFIT, I'M PROUD OF THE REPORT AND THE MEMBERS FOR SAYING THEM OUT LOUD, BECAUSE SOMETIMES FOLKS ARE AFRAID TO PUBLICLY CRITICIZE THE CITY.
AND THE ITEMS YOU MENTIONED ARE LARGELY ONES THAT DON'T NEED TO BE ADDRESSED TO FIX HOMELESSNESS.
THEY'RE A MATTER OF GOOD GOVERNANCE, AND THEY SIMPLY NEED TO BE IMPROVED FOR ALL RESIDENCES AND BUSINESSES, WE MAKE IT FAR TOO DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH THE CITY, AND IT'S SIMPLY NOT UNIQUE TO HOMELESSNESS.
FIVE, I THINK THERE HAVE BEEN MANY STRONG STATEMENTS FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS IN RECENT MEETINGS ABOUT OUR FRUSTRATION WITH THE THREE VACANT PROPERTIES.
WE PURCHASED SOME AS LONG AS THREE YEARS AGO, THAT REMAIN VACANT.
EVEN AS WE HOST PEOPLE IN INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTERS, WHICH I THINK WE'RE GONNA FIND WELL EXCEEDS OVER A THOUSAND PEOPLE.
WE HAVE THESE PEOPLE LIVING ON THE STREET WITH THREE LITERALLY EMPTY BUILDINGS THAT WE PURCHASED SITTING THERE.
WE CAN'T SEEM TO GET IT MOVING.
THERE CAN'T BE ANY STRONGER WORDS FOR OUR EXECUTIVE STAFF THAN TO SAY, PLEASE GET THESE PROJECTS MOVING.
SIX, I'M GLAD TO SEE THE RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE SUPPORT FOR SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY, SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR FOUR YEARS, SHARED HOUSING AND MICRO HOUSING, ALL OF WHICH I STRONGLY SUPPORT.
THIS IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT IS ACTUALLY MISSING IN DALLAS.
RECOMMENDATIONS ONE, TWO, AND THREE ARE ALL ABOUT COUNTY AND STATE, BUT YOU WILL FIND THEM ON THE DRAFT LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM.
I THINK WE INHERENTLY KNOW THESE ARE NEEDED, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE DATA TO SHOW THE EXISTING SITUATION AND THE EXTENT OF THE SOLUTIONS THAT ARE NEEDED.
THE TASK FORCE IS MISSING A RECOMMENDATION, IN MY OPINION, WHICH IS FOR AN ACTUAL PLAN DEVELOPED BY THE COC OR LEAD AGENCY THAT HAS DATA GOALS AND A WAY THAT THEY'RE GONNA MEET THEM.
THIS IS A COMMON PRACTICE ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND JUST ABSOLUTELY MISSING IN DALLAS.
I THINK THERE'S AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION TO BE HAD ABOUT THE ROLE NEIGHBORING CITIES HAVE CAN PLAY IN ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS.
AND I APPRECIATE OUR NEIGHBORING MAYORS COMING OUT TO SPEAK WITH US.
IT'S CLEAR TO ME THAT DALLAS BEARS THE OVERWHELMING RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROVIDING SERVICES IN OUR REGION, AND WE NEED TO SEEK FUNDING FROM THE STATE FOR REIMBURSEMENT.
I'M GONNA SAY THIS LAST ONE, WHICH IS I WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR SOME ADDITIONAL DATA AT AN UPCOMING MEETING.
THEY ARE, ONE, THE NUMBER OF WARNINGS AND CITATIONS GIVEN UNDER ORDINANCE 31.13, OR 31 POINT 13.1.
SORRY, I THINK I MESSED UP THE NUMBERS.
THE NUMBER OF COURT ORDERED MENTAL HEALTH COMMITMENTS A CITY STAFFER HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH, MEANING OHS CODE, D-P-D-D-F-R-O-I-P-S-S OR OTHER, HOW WE CAN USE OPIOID ADDICTION, SETTLEMENT DOLLARS TO PROVIDE ADDICTION SCREENING TREATMENT, SOBER RECOVERY AND SUPPORT SERVICES, AND THE NUMBER OF ACTIVE HOMELESS IN HMIS THE DAY BEFORE THE INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTERING BEGAN, AS WELL AS THE NUMBER TODAY, THE NUMBER OF UNDUPLICATED PEOPLE IN EVERY SHELTER IN DALLAS DURING THIS WEEK'S WEATHER EVENT THAT WERE EXISTING, AND HOW MANY WERE DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER
[02:25:01]
AND THE NUMBER OF UNDUPLICATED PEOPLE SERVED AT EACH SHELTER SITE DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER IN THE PAST WEEK.UM, AND THIS GOES FOR, UH, UM, ALL OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
WITH THOSE QUESTIONS, UH, POSED TO STAFFING, IF YOU CAN PLEASE, UH, SUBMIT THOSE SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE CAPTURE THEM, UM, ACCORDINGLY.
UH, WITH THAT CHAIRMAN, UH, GRACIE, THANK YOU.
UH, AGAIN, I JUST WANNA, UH, AGAIN, THANK, UH, THE COMMITTEE AND THE TASK FORCE FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DID AND THE TIME THAT THEY PUT INTO THIS.
AND, AND AGAIN TO, UH, MS. TOLBERT AND THE, UH, UH, OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS AND ALL OF THE WORK THAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING.
THANK YOU ALL FOR, UH, THAT WORK THERE.
UM, REALLY JUST MORE COMMENTS CENTERED AROUND JUST THAT BEHAVIORAL, UH, HEALTH PIECE.
AND AGAIN, LOOKING FOR MORE OF AN EMPHASIS ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND IN A WAY THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE PROGRESS BEING MADE, JUST LIKE WE'RE, UH, ABLE TO COUNT, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, ARE UNHOUSED.
UM, I WANNA BE ABLE TO, UH, FIND A WAY TO, TO SHOW, UH, UM, HOW WE'RE MEASURING THE IMPACT ON THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AS WELL.
UM, AND AS FAR AS, UH, THE WORKFORCE PIECE, AGAIN, JUST LOOKING AT WAYS, UH, OF HOW THEY ARE MEASURING SUCCESS ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS IN TERMS OF, UH, THE OUTREACH TO THOSE ENCAMPMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THOSE ARE THE, IN, UH, SOME THINGS I'M LOOKING AT SEEING FROM STAFF AS WELL, UM, IN TERMS OF HOW THEY'RE MEASURING THE SUCCESS AND THEY GO OUT, UH, AND, AND, AND REALLY HOW THEY MEASURE THE DECOMMISSIONING OF THESE ENCAMPMENTS VERSUS THE RATE OF, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, BEDS THAT WE HAVE TO PLACE THEM, UH, AS WELL.
AND THANK YOU VERY FOR EVERYONE WHO STUCK AROUND WITH US TONIGHT AND FOR SHARING YOUR PASSION FOR A BETTER SYSTEM.
SO, I, I, MY EYES WERE OPEN TO THE HOMELESSNESS SITUATION IN DALLAS WHEN I WAS IN THIS ROLE, UM, AS CHAIRMAN, UH, BACK IN 2019 ON MY FIRST TERM ON COUNCIL.
AND I REMEMBER WHEN, UM, THE CITY WAS KIND OF PUSHING BACK ON DOING AN INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTER.
AND KARA SAID SHE WAS GONNA OPEN UP CITY HALL TO, UH, WELCOMING PEOPLE WHEN IT GOT DOWN TO BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES IF WE DIDN'T DO SOMETHING, AND STAFF DID IT TO THEIR CREDIT.
AND I SPENT A COUPLE OF DAYS DOWN IN THE INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTER TALKING TO PEOPLE.
AND ONE OF THE MISCONCEPTION I HAD, TWO MISCONCEPTIONS.
ONE WAS THAT YOUR TYPICAL HOMELESS PERSON WAS A PANHANDLER.
YOUR PANHANDLER ARE OFTEN HAVE A HOUSE, AND THEY'RE MAKING A LOT OF MONEY, SO DO NOT GIVE THEM MONEY.
UM, THE SECOND MISCONCEPTION WAS THAT MOST HOMELESS PEOPLE DID NOT WANT TO BE HOUSED.
NOW, PETER, WHEN HE WAS HERE, MENTIONED THAT 96%, I THINK IS THE NUMBER.
HE SAID PEOPLE WANTED TO BE HOUSED, BUT THEY DIDN'T LIKE THE SHELTER.
I KNOW BASIL DO WILL PUSH BACK ON THAT.
UM, MY EXPERIENCE AT LEAST, UM, IN TALKING TO PEOPLE IN THE INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTER, WAS THAT THE MAJORITY OF THEM DID WANT TO FIND HOUSING.
THEY HAD LOST THEIR SAFETY NET, UM, AND DIDN'T, LIKE THE REST OF US IN THE ROOM HERE DIDN'T HAVE FOUR OR FIVE SAFETY NETS TO PROTECT THEM.
THEY, THEY HAD BEEN KICKED OUT OF THEIR HOUSE AND HAD NO MONEY.
THEY, THEIR BOSS DIDN'T PAY 'EM A PAYCHECK OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT THE LAST SAFETY NET THEY HAD HAD FALLEN THROUGH.
AND THEY HAD, THAT WAS ALL THEY HAD WAS THE INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTER.
UM, NOW THERE WERE A FEW THAT WERE SO JUST OUT OF IT, THEY'RE MENTALLY ILL OR ON DRUGS OR WHATEVER.
THEY DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO COMMUNICATE AT ALL.
UM, AND SO I KNOW THAT THAT EXISTS AS WELL, BUT IT WAS SOME MISCONCEPTIONS I LEARNED.
I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
ONE THEME THAT I HEARD TONIGHT FROM OUR SPEAKERS AND FROM COUNSEL IS, WE WANT TO SEE PROGRESS.
ALL OF US IN HERE DO, OR WE WOULDN'T BE HERE AT NINE O'CLOCK AT NIGHT.
UM, WE WANT TO END THE ENCAMPMENTS.
WE DON'T ALL AGREE ON THE PATH TO GET THERE.
FOR ME, WHEN THERE'S DISAGREEMENTS FROM OTHERWISE REASONABLE PEOPLE, UM, I GO WITH THE DATA AND WE'VE HAD COUNCIL MEMBERS TONIGHT MENTION CITIZEN SURVEYS, THE CHILD POVERTY ACTION LAB.
UM, THE DATA THAT I CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IS THE DATA SUPPORTED BY THE TASK FORCE, THE DATA SUPPORTED BY OUR HOUSING COALITION, UM, WHICH IT'S NOT PERFECT, BUT IT'S THE POINT IN TIME COUNT DATA.
AND THAT DATA HAS SHOWN THAT WE HAVE SEEN A DECLINE, UM, SINCE 2020 OF 9.9% ANNUALLY.
THE COUNT COULD BE BETTER, BUT THAT IS A FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED, UM, SYSTEM TRACKED BY HUD TO DO THAT.
I WANT TO IMPROVE IT, BUT IF I DON'T USE THE DATA WE HAVE, I'M JUST PICKING AND CHOOSING PROGRAMS THAT MIGHT WORK.
[02:30:01]
AND SO, GOING WITH THE DATA, WHAT THIS TELLS ME BASED ON THE TASK FORCE'S WORK IS THAT THE COALITION'S WORK IS WORKING.UM, AND IT, THERE'S LIMITS TO WHAT WE, THE CITY CAN DO OUTSIDE OF WHAT HOUSING FORWARD IS DOING FOR US AS A CITY.
UM, WHAT WE CAN DO, I THINK IT WAS CHAIR MENDELSSOHN'S.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS WE CAN FIX FUNCTIONS IN THE CITY THAT ARE NOT WORKING.
WE CAN MAKE IT EASIER FOR OUR NONPROFITS TO DO BUSINESS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS TO GIVE STAFF SOME DIRECTION HERE, AT LEAST FROM ME.
UM, JUST KIND OF WRAP UP MY POINTS IS ON PAGE THREE OF THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GREAT RECOMMENDATIONS.
I FULLY SUPPORT NUMBER ONE AND IT'S NUMBER ONE FOR A REASON ON THIS REPORT.
AND PROVING THE PERMITTING DEPARTMENT, MAKING IT EASIER TO GET PERMITS TO BUILD THINGS, UH, LIKE, LIKE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, BOND MONEY FOR THE, FOR, UH, HOMELESSNESS, UH, DISTRIBUTION OF, OF, UH, DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACROSS ALL DISTRICTS, NOT JUST IN THE SOUTH.
AND RELEASING CITY OWNED LAND FOR DEVELOPMENT OF PROJECTS.
I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT OUR DART, UM, OVER PARKED PARKING LOTS, UM, TO, TO, TO HOUSE FOLKS.
'CAUSE THERE'S IT'S ACCESS TO JOBS ACCESS TO GET ALL OF THE CITY, UM, FROM THE TRAIN, FROM THE TRAINS THERE.
WE'RE ALREADY DOING FIVE OF THOSE IN THE CITY.
UM, RECOMMENDATION NUMBER THREE IS TO DISSOLVE THE CITIZENS' HOMELESSNESS COMMISSION AND THE DAP.
I DON'T KNOW IF I AGREE WITH THE FULL DISSOLUTION, BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TO RE-LOOK AT THE MISSIONS OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.
I LIKE WHAT CHRIS KULAK MENTIONED THAT MAYBE THE CHC COULD HELP US WITH OUTREACH.
MAYBE IT COULD ADDRESS THE NIMBY CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY.
AND I'D LIKE TO SEE STAFF TAKE THAT ON AND RECOMMEND HOW THESE ORGANIZATIONS COULD BE BETTER SERVICED.
TWO MORE, UM, EXPEDITE THE RFP PROCESSES.
UM, I HAD HEARD FROM OUR NONPROFIT PROVIDERS THAT THEY LOSE A LOT OF MONEY GOING THROUGH THE SLOW PROCUREMENT PROCESS IN THE CITY AND MAKING IT WHERE PEOPLE DON'T WANNA BUILD HOUSING AND DO SERVICES FOR US.
WE NEED TO FIX THAT, AND WE NEED TO PAY OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS QUICKLY AND NOT SIT ON THEIR PAYCHECKS BECAUSE THEY'RE STUCK IN A LONG PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT REACH OUT TO ME THROUGH THIS REPORT, AND I JUST ASK STAFF TO ADDRESS THEM.
SO, LAST MONTH I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR NEW HOPE HOUSING, A FEW OF THEIR FACILITIES IN HOUSTON.
IT'S A GREAT PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING MODEL, AND HOPEFULLY THEY WILL COME TO DALLAS.
BUT, UM, IN ASKING QUESTIONS, I MADE AN ASSUMPTION THAT PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, I SAID, HOW, HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE PEOPLE TO ACCLIMATE, YOU KNOW, A WEEK OR TWO? AND I WAS TOLD THAT, UH, NO, IT'S MORE LIKE TWO OR THREE MONTHS.
SO THIS IS WITH A ROOF OVER YOUR HEAD AND A PILLOW, AND A BED AND A MEAL.
AND IT'S TAKING TWO TO THREE MONTHS TO JUST ADJUST FROM LIVING OUTSIDE AND SLEEPING OUTSIDE.
AND SO, I WANNA BE SURE THAT AS WE HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS, WE'RE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE LIVED EXPERIENCES THAT WE HAVE CAN'T REALLY BE OVERLAID.
UM, SOME OF THESE FOLKS WOULD STILL GO OUTSIDE TO SLEEP, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD A ROOM, A BED, A PILLOW.
THEY WOULD STILL, AT NIGHT GO OUTSIDE TO SLEEP ON THE PROPERTY BECAUSE THEY JUST, IT JUST TOOK 'EM A LITTLE WHILE.
ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS, UM, TALKED ABOUT A GOAL, AND I, I THINK THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING GOOD FOR US TO GET MORE FORMAL ABOUT.
BUT IN TALKING WITH HOUSING FORWARD, UH, A GOAL THAT THEY HAD DISCUSSED WAS THAT WHEN A PIT COUNT IS CONDUCTED IN THE FUTURE, AND EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT A HARD NUMBER, IT'S A TREND.
IDEALLY, WE WOULDN'T BE TALKING TO ANYONE WHO HAD BEEN UNHOUSED FOR MORE THAN 90 DAYS.
SO THE IDEA IS TO CLOSE THAT GAP.
THERE WILL STILL BE SITUATIONS THAT OCCUR WITH PEOPLE LOSING A JOB OR OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES.
UM, BUT TO CLOSE THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT SOMEONE IS GOING THROUGH THAT SITUATION IS SOMETHING THAT IS A GOAL THAT WE NEED TO GIVE CONSIDERATION TO.
UM, WITH REGARD TO PERMITTING, I SPOKE TO OUR CHIEF BUILDING.
OFFICIAL LARGE PROJECTS CAN BE PERMITTED IN A FOUR TO SIX MONTH TIMEFRAME.
THEY'VE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS.
UM, BUT ZONING AND PLATING ISSUES HAVE TO BE WORKED OUT BEFORE YOU GO TO GET YOUR PERMIT.
UM, THERE ARE SOME EXPEDIENT PROGRAMS IN THE SINGLE FAMILY REALM, NOT SO MUCH IN MULTI-FAMILY.
I KNOW THERE ARE IDEAS AROUND IT, AND I WOULD ASK THAT CITY STAFF, UM, STUFF ON THE GAS ON THAT ONE.
WE NEED, UH, IF PEOPLE ARE BRINGING HOUSING PROJECTS FORWARD TO US, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE FITTING THE 30 TO 60% A MI, UH, WE NEED TO HAVE THAT SPECIAL TEAM, THAT Q TEAM, MAYBE WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO CREATE A FUND SO THAT THOSE PERMITTING FEES CAN BE MINIMIZED.
UH, SO THAT, THAT'S NOT A HINDRANCE.
UH, I DISAGREE WITH THE RECOMMENDATION ABOUT DISBANDING THE DALLAS AREA PARTNERSHIP AND THE HOMELESSNESS COMMISSION.
[02:35:01]
OF, OF DAP, AND WE NEED THAT HOMELESSNESS COMMISSION CITIZEN PEERS TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT TO SPEAK TO RESIDENTS AND CONVEY THE FACTS AROUND THIS.UM, TO HELP US WITH THE NIMBYISM TO LET THEM KNOW THAT EVERY UNHOUSED PERSON THEY SEE PROBABLY IS COSTING US ABOUT $50,000 IN RESOURCES PER YEAR.
AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE SPEND AGAINST THIS, YOU'VE GOTTA BALANCE IT WITH THAT INFORMATION.
AND WE NEED CITIZENS, UH, THAT WE APPOINT TO HELP US WITH THAT.
UH, I AGREE THAT A PLAN SEEMS TO BE MISSING AROUND THE DATA GOALS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE TACTICS, UH, ON HOW WE CAN ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS.
UM, I APPRECIATE, UM, WELL, LET ME GO BACK AND, AND JUST SAY, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK OF HOUSING FORWARD AND IN HOUSING, UM, 210 PEOPLE A MONTH.
YOU HEAR ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO WORK WITH SOMEONE AND BUILD THEIR TRUST.
BUT I ALSO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR BUSINESS OWNERS WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH THIS IN, UM, VARIOUS WAYS.
AND, UH, THE CONCERNS THAT GIVES THEM AROUND THEIR CITY AND WHAT THEY'RE SEEING.
THIS IS WHY I THINK THE TEMPORARY HOUSING OPTION HAS GOT TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE GIVE SERIOUS CONSIDERATION TO.
THE ISSUE IS WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TO PUT AGAINST THAT.
AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO, TO WORK OUT, IS HOW WE HELP HERE OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR BUSINESS OWNERS, AND ALSO TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE WITHOUT HOUSING THEM UNDER UNDERPASSES AND, AND ON PARKLAND.
UM, BUT WE NEED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THOSE COSTS AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WE CAN HOUSE.
UH, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THAT MAYORS FROM ADJACENT CITIES CAME TO TALK TO US ABOUT SOMETHING WE KNOW ABOUT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED TO THEM AND WORKED WITH THEM.
UM, BUT THE PHILOSOPHY OF JUST HELPING THEM MOVE PEOPLE ALONG IS NOT OKAY.
WE ARE CARRYING THE YOKE, AND BY THAT I MEAN DALLAS, TEXAS, AND OUR TAXPAYERS, THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER ADJACENT COMMUNITIES THAT ARE HELPING WITH THIS ISSUE.
UM, BUT SOME OF THE ONES REPRESENTED TONIGHT HAVEN'T.
AND SO I'M PLEASED IT'S ON OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA TO, UM, INCREASE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR HAVING ADJACENT COMMUNITIES HELP, UM, CITIES WHERE HOMELESSNESS IS CONCENTRATED.
SO I APPRECIATE THE APPEARANCE, BUT OUR EXP EXPECTATION IS GOING TO BE THAT IF IT'S FINANCING OR FUNDING OR HOUSING OR, UM, HIRING MORE OUTREACH WORKERS OR WHATEVER IT IS, WE NEED, WE NEED MORE HELP THAN JUST COMING AND MAKING AN APPEARANCE AT A CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
AND, AND I AGREE THIS HAS TO BE DATA DRIVEN AND WE HAVE TO HAVE A BASELINE TO UNDERSTAND, AND YOU CAN GET MY TIME GOING, UM, TO REALLY BE ABLE TO MEASURE GOALS AND TO BE ABLE TO MEASURE SUCCESS.
UM, I AM A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF DALLAS, AND I CAN TELL YOU THE DATA THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED, I JUST CANNOT AGREE WITH, I SEE MORE UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS ON OUR STREETS THAN EVER BEFORE.
IT'S BEEN STATED THAT THE TIME AND POINT COUNT IS NOT FULLY AN ACCURATE, UH, DEPICTION OF THE HOMELESS WHEREVER THEY ARE CONDUCTED.
AND SO WE HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB.
WE, WE HAVE TO BE LOOKING AT DOING THOSE COUNTS INTERNALLY WITH PARTNERS, UH, ON A WEEKLY, ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
IN ORDER TO GET A, A TRUE PICTURE OF THE DIRECTION THAT THE CITY'S HEADING IN.
WE HAVE TO, UH, LOOK AT THE HMIS IN OUR HUD EXCHANGE, AND WHEN ABLE TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT DATA DIRECTLY SO THAT WE CAN SEE WHAT NUMBERS AND, AND, AND THOSE, THOSE, UH, UPS AND DOWNS, THOSE EBB AND FLOWS OF HOW WE'RE MEASURING IN, IN, IN THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE GOING.
UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH, WE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT ABOUT 40% OF THOSE STRUGGLING WITH HOMELESSNESS HAVE SOME SORT OF MENTAL HEALTH.
AND YET WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT OUR A PAL INTAKE, THE NUMBER IS SO LOW.
AND SO I HAVE TO QUESTION, WHAT, WHAT ARE THOSE EVALUATIONS LOOKING LIKE AT THE COUNTY LEVEL WITH OUR COUNTY HOSPITALS? ARE THEY HAPPENING? 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT I'M TALKING TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY TEAMS AND THEY'RE CONDUCTING THOSE A PALS, BUT THEY'RE BEING DROPPED OFF.
AND, AND I FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT IF THERE IS A, UH, WHERE INDIVIDUALS ARE HARMED TO THEMSELVES OR TO OTHERS, THERE MIGHT NOT BE A PLACE TO SEND THEM.
THEY'RE NOT, NOT BE AN AVAILABLE BED.
AND, AND JUST BECAUSE THAT DOESN'T EXIST DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE GOING THROUGH ON THE EVALUATIONS AND, AND GETTING
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THE INDIVIDUALS, THE MEDICATION AND THE TREATMENT THAT THEY NEED.AND SO, I, I WANT TO BE ABLE TO, UM, WORK WITH THE COUNTY SO THAT WE CAN GET ACCURATE REPORTING AND, AND ACCURATE, UH, UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT A PAL LOOKS LIKE.
WE ARE, WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, UH, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE DOING WELFARE CHECKS.
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE DOING A LOT OF GREAT THINGS HERE AT THIS CITY.
WE ARE, UH, MO MOVING AND IN A DIRECTION THAT IS, IS, UH, POSITIVE, BUT THERE'S STILL STILL MUCH WORK TO BE DONE.
UM, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT MICRO HOUSING.
WE HAVE TO LOOK AT SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY, AND THAT'S GONNA REQUIRE OUR CITY TO LOOK AT OUR ZONING LAWS TO BE ABLE TO, UH, MAKE THOSE CHANGES WHERE, WHERE PERMISSIBLE, AND IT'S GONNA TAKE EACH AND EVERY, UH, ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES TO ACCEPT THESE TYPE OF RESOURCES IN THEIR DISTRICTS, UH, ENCAMPING, UH, ENCAMPMENT DECOMMISSIONING, UM, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTER, WHEN WE ESSENTIALLY SHOULD HAVE ZERO ENCAMPMENTS ACROSS THE CITY.
UM, THE MINUTE THAT WE OPEN UP OUR, OUR INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTERS, WE'RE GONNA SEE A RISE IN THE RECOMMISSIONING OF ENCAMPMENTS.
AND SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING A BETTER JOB OF ADDRESSING THOSE IN A MORE TIMELY MANNER.
UM, AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, I UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION AND THE, THE INCONVENIENCE THAT SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS HAVE TO PUT FUNDING DOLLARS, SECURITY GATES TO PROTECT THEIR PROPERTY.
AND THEN HERE COMES THE CITY AND ISSUE CITATIONS AFTER CITATION FOR AN ISSUE THAT WAS NOT DONE ON, ON THEIR, ON, ON, ON BY THEIR WILLING, THEY'RE, THESE BUSINESS OWNERS ARE PUTTING, UH, CAMERAS OR PUTTING SECURITY GATES, BUT YET THE PROBLEM CONTINUES.
AND SO I, I WANNA SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO PARTNER WITH OUR BUSINESS, UH, COMMUNITY SO THAT THEY'RE NOT, UH, BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR, UM, LITTERED LEFT BEHIND THAT THAT WAS NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.
UH, WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT, UH, NON CONGREGATING SHELTER, AND ONE WAS TO ADD MORE SPACE, ADD MORE BEDS IN THOSE.
BUT THEN WE TALKED ABOUT GOING AWAY FROM THAT MOTTO.
SO I NEED A LITTLE MORE CLARITY FOR, UM, THE, UH, THE CO-CHAIRS TO SEE IN WHICH DIRECTION WE'RE GOING IN THERE.
AND YOU HEARD FROM MY COLLEAGUES, UH, AND I AGREE WITH THEM, THE CHC AND THE DAP HAVE TO STAY IN PLACE.
THEY PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE, BUT WE DO NEED TO GIVE THEM MORE DIRECTION.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR, UH, GOAL, UH, COORDINATED.
WITH THAT, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO ROUND TWO AND WE'LL START WITH CHAIRMAN GRACIE.
UM, JUST AS A MATTER OF, UH, CLARITY TOO, I'VE HEARD THIS, UH, SAID A COUPLE OF TIMES.
SO ONE THING I'D LIKE TO SEE, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE APPROPRIATE PLACE, BUT REALLY A BRIEFING OR SOMETHING THAT SHOWS THE PROCESS.
AND BY THAT I MEAN THE PROCESS FROM, UH, PROCUREMENT ALL THE WAY TO IDENTIFYING THESE DIFFERENT NONPROFITS THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN THESE ECOSYSTEMS, OR INCLUDING THE PAYMENTS, BECAUSE I THINK THEY KEEP HEARING THIS CONFUSION.
I THINK MY COLLEAGUE SAID IT, YOU KNOW, THE PROCUREMENT ARE MAKING THE PAYMENTS AND THE PROCUREMENT AREN'T MAKING THE PAYMENTS.
IT'S THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE MAKING THE PAYMENTS.
SO JUST AS A MATTER OF CLARITY, HOW WE ALL FUNCTION TOGETHER, I THINK I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME SORT OF A VISUAL THAT SHOWS HOW WE ALL INCORPORATE INTO THIS ECOSYSTEM FROM THE CITY'S PROCESS, AS WELL AS ALL OF OUR PARTNERS WITHIN THE, UH, COC, UH, AND HOW WE ALL INTEGRATE INTO THIS SO THAT WE CAN, UH, PROVIDE SOME CLARITY.
SO THAT'S MY LAST FINAL COMMENT.
WELL, I WANTED TO THANK HIM FOR HIS LEADERSHIP ON THE ISSUE.
AND HE LEAVES, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT.
UM, I'LL SAY THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE EXTREMELY CLOSE TO MY HEART.
UM, I SERVED AS THE CHAIR OF THE COLLIN COUNTY HOMELESS COALITION FOR A COUPLE YEARS.
I WAS A STAFF DIRECTOR OF THE LARGEST HOMELESS SHELTER IN COLLIN COUNTY, ONE OF THREE STAFF DIRECTORS.
I SERVED ON THE MAYOR RAWLINGS TASK FORCE ON ENDING HOMELESSNESS.
I WAS THE FIRST VICE CHAIR OF THE CITIZENS HOMELESS COMMISSION HERE IN THE CITY.
I SERVED TWO YEARS ON METRO DALLAS, HOMELESS LEADER, HOMELESS METRO DALLAS, HOMELESS ALLIANCES LEADERSHIP ADVISORY BOARD, AND TWO YEARS ON THE COC.
OUR CONTINUUM OF CARE IS EXTREMELY FOCUSED ON SECURING HUD DOLLARS AND SERVING THE HUD POPULATION AS DEFINED BY HUD.
AND THIS IS ABSOLUTELY WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING.
THEY SHOULD TRY TO ACCESS EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR POSSIBLE AND BRING IT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND USE IT WISELY SO THAT THEY CAN EVEN EXPAND THAT.
SO I COMPLETELY SUPPORT THAT AND WOULD NEVER WANT TO INHIBIT THAT ABILITY.
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ALL WE'RE DOING IN OUR CITY.SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK STAFF TO DO IS BRING BACK A PROPOSAL TO US TO OPEN A SANCTION ENCAMPMENT AVAILABLE FOR ENTRY 24 7.
I'D LIKE THE CENTER TO HAVE A CHECK-IN SYSTEM, WHICH WILL BE ENTERED INTO HMIS AND WILL REMOVE WEAPONS FROM ANYBODY WHO HAS THEM.
I'D LIKE THE SANCTIONED ENCAMPMENT SITE TO OFFER A VARIETY OF HOUSING OPTIONS, INCLUDING A SECTION FOR TENTS AND CAMPERS, BUT ALSO A SECTION FOR FIXED TINY HOMES THAT HAVE CLIMATE CONTROL AND PRIVACY DOORS, ONSITE FOOD AVAILABILITY, TRASH SERVICE, BATHROOMS, SHOWERS AND SECURITY.
THESE SHOULD BE ADOPTABLE BY CHARITABLE GROUPS WHO CAN HELP MAINTAIN AND PROVIDE LINENS AND OTHER CHARITABLE SUPPORT.
I'D LIKE TO SEE ONSITE OFFICE AND CASE MANAGEMENT SPACE FOR ANY QUALIFIED NONPROFIT THAT SERVES THIS POPULATION THAT WOULD COME TO THE SANCTIONED ENCAMPMENT.
I'D LIKE TO SEE 24 7 PROPERTY MANAGEMENT.
I'D ENVISION THE SANCTIONED ENCAMPMENT ACCEPTING ALL PEOPLE LIVING OUTDOORS FROM ANYWHERE IN THE CITY OR POSSIBLY EVEN THE GREATER DALLAS AREA.
I'VE ADVOCATED FOR COMPASSION PLUS ENFORCEMENT, AND I THINK OUR CITIES DEMONSTRATE ENORMOUS COMPASSION, BUT WE'RE FAILING ON EN ON ENFORCEMENT.
ENORMOUS COMPASSION FAILING ON THE ENFORCEMENT.
IT'S CLEAR OUR RESIDENTS ARE ASKING FOR MAJOR CHANGES.
I BELIEVE OUR GOAL SHOULD BE TO GET PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS INTO SHELTER, WHERE THEY CAN BE CONNECTED WITH EVERY SERVICE THEY MAY NEED TO REGAIN STABILITY IN HOUSING.
BUT FOR THOSE WHO REFUSE SHELTER, WE MUST HAVE A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE.
AND OUR CURRENT STANCE OF THE CITY TO ALLOW ENCAMPMENTS IS UNACCEPTABLE.
IT'S DESTRUCTIVE TO OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, QUALITY OF LIFE OF NEARBY RESIDENTS, AND CREATES PUBLIC SAFETY AND PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGES.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT'S CRUEL TO THE PEOPLE LIVING OUTSIDE.
OUR CURRENT STATE OF HOMELESS RESPONSE IN DALLAS IS UNACCEPTABLE, AND I BELIEVE WE CAN AND MUST DO BETTER.
WELL, I'LL, I'LL PICK UP FROM THERE.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO HAVE STAFF RESEARCH A SANCTION ENCAMPMENT, BUT I JUST DON'T THINK WE'VE HEARD MANY SUCCESS STORIES.
IN FACT, THERE HAVE BEEN HORROR STORIES.
AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ENTERTAIN THAT.
WE SHOULD LOOK AT ALL THE, THE OPTIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE, BUT IT SHOULD BE, UH, IT SHOULD BE HONEST AND SHARE, UH, WHAT SOME OF THE EXPERIENCES HAVE BEEN IN AUSTIN AND OTHER PLACES.
NOW, I AGREE WITH THE COMPASSION, BUT WITH ENFORCEMENT, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND ALL THE LEGALITIES AROUND SOME ENFORCEMENT.
AND IN FACT, SOME ENFORCEMENT CAN ACTUALLY HINDER SOMEONE FROM GETTING HOUSING IN THE FUTURE IF THEY'VE GOT A BUNCH OF CITATIONS AND THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RENT AN APARTMENT.
ARE WE JUST PERPETUATING THE PROBLEM VERSUS RESOLVING THE PROBLEM? UM, BUT I DO WANNA GO BACK TO SOME ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
FIRST OF ALL, WITH STAFF, YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T A REGULAR JOB.
YOU HAVE ENORMOUS VARIABLES TO DEAL WITH, UM, INCLUDING COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WELL AS THE POPULATION WE'RE TRYING TO SERVE THAT HAVE ADDICTION ISSUES, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, AND, UM, AND CLEARLY NO EASY ANSWER TO HOW YOU RESOLVE IT.
AND SO I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY WORK VERY HARD.
UM, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES WHO, FOR THE 20 22, 23 BUDGET, UH, AGREED ON, ON KIND OF A SPIRIT OF A MILLION DOLLARS TO BUILD A BENCH OF NONPROFITS, TO EDUCATE THEM AROUND FINANCE AND GOVERNANCE AND HOW TO BECOME STRONGER AND NOT JUST HAVE THE USUAL SUSPECTS OF, OF THE BIG AGENCIES, UH, TO HELP US WITH THIS.
AND I'M PROUD TO REPORT THAT IN OUR COHORT OF 15, UH, OVER 20 HAVE APPLIED FOR THIS FIRST COHORT.
SO WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE CRAVING THIS KIND OF HELP.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOW IT WILL MANIFEST ITSELF IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WHEN VANTAGEPOINT COMES ONLINE, THE CITY WILL HAVE CREATED 640 PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING UNITS.
WE KNOW WE'VE GOT OTHER PROPERTIES THAT, UH, NEED HELP.
UH, SOME OF IT LIES ON THE CITY SIDE OF THE FENCE SOMETIMES.
WE HAVEN'T HELD OUR VENDORS ACCOUNTABLE WHEN THEY HAVEN'T PERFORMED, BUT, UM, WE DO HAVE 640 UNITS THAT WILL BE ONLINE BY MARCH.
UM, I, AND I THINK FINALLY, I, I WAS, I MAY HAVE SEEMED A LITTLE HARD ON THE COUNTY, UM, AND I WANNA THANK THE COUNTY, DALLAS COUNTY FOR THE PROJECTS THEY'VE INVESTED IN AND PARTNERED WITH US ON.
UM, AS YOU LOOK AT THIS, IT'S SUCH A CRITICAL PARTNERSHIP BECAUSE OF THE MENTAL HEALTH, THE ADDICTION, UM, THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.
UM, SO SOME OF THE MOST CRITICAL WORK THAT WE'LL BE DOING AT CITY HALL, I THINK IS AROUND THIS ISSUE.
AND SO I THINK TO, UM, CHAIRS, UH, GRACIE'S POINT, I, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE DEFINED THE PROCESS BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A LOT OF IDEAS HERE, AND CLEARLY WE DON'T AGREE ON ALL OF THEM.
BUT I THINK DEFINING THAT PROCESS
[02:50:01]
AND THEN GETTING TO WORK ON THE SPECIFICS.'CAUSE IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE SPECIFICS, WE CAN'T WORK ON THE FUNDING.
AND IF WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING, WE CAN'T WORK ON THE ACTION.
SO, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT STEP.
UH, BEFORE WE CLOSE, I DO WANT TO GIVE, UH, DEPUTY, UH, CITY MANAGER, UH, KIM TOLBERT AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, CHIME IN IF, IF SHE HAS ANY WORDS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, CHAIR, UH, MORENO AND TO THE VICE CHAIR MIDDLES SON INTO THE ENTIRE, UH, COMMITTEE.
UM, WE ARE, UM, UH, HERE TO ACTUALLY LISTEN TO THE REPORT THAT YOU ALSO RECEIVED.
UM, I WILL, I WILL SAY JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS VERY QUICKLY.
UM, NUMBER ONE, UM, AS YOU HAVE HEARD THROUGHOUT, UM, THIS LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, UM, OUR FOCUS HAS BEEN ON THE COORDINATION OF THE WORK THAT YOU HEARD, UM, AS IT RELATES TO HOUSING FORWARD AND WITH THE ENTIRE COLLABORATIVE, I THINK IT'S BEEN AN IMPORTANT, UH, PRIORITY FOR THE CITY, AND I DO BELIEVE THAT IT HAS GIVEN US A LOT OF THE POSITIVE RESULTS THAT WE ARE SEEING.
UH, IS THERE MORE WORK TO DO? YES, AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO THAT WORK AND WILL DEFINITELY BE LOOKING AT THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE PRESENTED IN THIS REPORT, SOME OF WHICH ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO COMING BACK TO THE, THE, UM, THE HOUSING AND HOMELESS SOLUTIONS COMMITTEE, UM, TO GIVE YOU UPDATES ON A LOT OF THE WORK THAT IS CURRENTLY GOING ON THAT SUPPORTS AND ALIGNS WITH THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
I WOULD ASK THAT A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WERE READ OUT TONIGHT BY INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, AS IT RELATES TO ADDITIONAL DATA, UM, AND ADDITIONAL REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION, IF THAT COULD PLEASE BE SENT TO US IN WRITING.
UH, WE DID, UH, OPERATE WITH THE SKELETON CREW TONIGHT AND STAFF.
I'VE TAKEN AS MANY NOTES AS I COULD POSSIBLY TAKE, BUT THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO KIND OF PRIORITIZE, UH, THOSE REQUESTS AND BE ABLE TO BRING THOSE BACK.
UH, DO LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, OUR FUTURE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'LL HAVE IN IN MARCH, UH, WHEN WE'RE COMING BACK AND GIVING UPDATES ON A LOT OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THE PIPELINE WITH THOSE EXISTING PROPERTIES THAT I KNOW HAS BEEN MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE COMMENTS, AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT OF THE WORK THAT IS UNDERWAY AND THE WORK THAT STAFF IS DOING.
AS WE'VE SEEN IN THIS MEETING, THE HOPE REPORT IS A COMPREHENSIVE DOCUMENT TACKLING THE VARIOUS ISSUES THAT ARE PRESENTED WITH HOMELESSNESS IN OUR CITY.
AS THIS COMMITTEE CONTINUES TO EXPLORE POLICIES TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, I URGE RESIDENTS TO CONTINUE REACHING OUT TO OUR OFFICE, TO MAKING YOUR VOICE HEARD.
CONTINUE SUBMITTING 3 1 1 REQUESTS SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO COLLECT THAT DATA.
3 1 1 IS NOT ALWAYS A PERFECT SYSTEM, BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO EVALUATE HOW THAT COMMUNICATION CAN IMPROVE.
IF YOU TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM TONIGHT'S, IT'S THAT TO NOT, IT, IT IS TONIGHT DOES NOT END THE DISCUSSION, IT'S THE START OF A DISCUSSION.
WE HAVE VERY PASSIONATE PEOPLE IN, IN THIS C ON THIS COMMITTEE WHO ARE READY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE ON THE ISSUES OF THIS COMMITTEE FACES, WE CANNOT DO THE WORK WITHOUT YOUR VOICE.
THESE ISSUES ARE NOT SIMPLE, NOR THEY THIS NOR ARE THEIR SOLUTIONS ARE.
AGAIN, I APPRECIATE STEPS WORK, THE DAILY WORK THAT THEY DO TO HELP OUR CONSTITUENTS WITH THEIR HOMELESS CONCERNS.
HOWEVER, WE MUST ENSURE A MORE ROBUST AND ACTIVE RESPONSE TO THOSE ISSUES TO EMPOWER STAFF TO ACT NEW, ENACT NEW POLICIES.
I ASK CITY STAFF TO, TO DEVELOP SPECIFIC AND DETAILED ACTION PLANS ON HOW SANCTIONED ENCAMPMENTS IN SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY COULD POTENTIALLY COME TO FRUITION IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
I WOULD LIKE THIS BODY TO BE KNOWLEDGEABLE ON THE SPECIFIC STEPS THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED FOR THE CITY TO INFORM THESE IMPORTANT POLICY DISCUSSIONS.
I REQUEST THAT STAFF HAVE THESE ACTIONS PLANS PREPARED BY OUR FEBRUARY MEETING.
TONIGHT, WE WILL GO HOME TO OUR HEATED APARTMENTS, OUR HOUSES WITH OUR HEATED CARS AND COATS ON AS WE DO SO.
I ASK THAT THIS COMMITTEE AND STAFF REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE MANY OF OUR MANY ON OUR STREETS WHO CANNOT HAVE THESE SAME EXPERIENCES.
WE MUST BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT WE HAVE, WHILE ALSO BEING COGNITIVE OF WHAT OTHERS DO NOT HAVE AS WE FULFILL THE TASK BEFORE US.
THE TIME IS NOW 9 0 6 AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.