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PARTICIPATE IN THIS DISCUSSION.[Dallas Area Partnership to End and Prevent Homelessness Local Government Corporation on February 1, 2024. ]
I'M GONNA TRY TO ADDRESS ALL THREE QUESTIONS, AND I BELIEVE THE FIRST ONE, IS IT USEFUL FOR THE CHC TO BE IN EXISTENCE AND, YES.UM, I'VE BEEN IN THE COMMISSION SINCE THE BEGINNING AND THE FIRST ITERATION, WE WERE MORE OF AN INCUBATOR OF IDEAS.
THE SUBCOMMITTEES WERE VERY ACTIVE.
THE DALLAS CONNECTOR, THE LANDLORD SUBSIDIZED PROGRAM, THE FOUR TRACK, UH, UH, HOUSING, UM, HOMELESS HOUSING STRATEGY THAT OHS HAS ADOPTED.
UM, WE WERE, UH, UH, WE HELPED WITH THE TEMPORARY INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTER ORDINANCE, CHAPTER 45.
UM, AND THEN, UH, WE WERE UNDER DIFFERENT LEADERSHIP THEN.
AND, UM, WE DID, UM, HAVE, WE WERE UNDER A DIFFERENT CHAIR FOR THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, AND I FEEL LIKE WE SORT OF LOST DIRECTION.
UH, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO, UH, RECEIVE COMMUNICATIONS OR FEEDBACK, UH, FROM THE PRIOR CHAIR WHO HAS SINCE RESIGNED.
UH, SO I DO WANNA PUT THAT OUT THERE.
AND I DO RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE WITH COMMISSIONER BROWN ABOUT, UM, THE SUPPORT THAT WE'RE RECEIVING FROM CITY STAFF.
WE ARE RECEIVING A LOT OF CITY STAFF SUPPORT.
I THINK WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS, WAS THE LACK OF COMMUNICATION, UH, FROM THE PRIOR CHAIR.
UM, AS FAR AS WHAT WE CAN DO, UH, IN THE, UH, NEXT PHASE OF THIS COMMISSION, UM, WHAT I HAVE BEEN DOING DURING THIS MORE PASSIVE LAST COUPLE YEARS, UH, I'VE BEEN, UH, REGULARLY IN CONTACT WITH MY COUNCIL MEMBER HELPING, UM, CONSTITUENTS, UH, SEEK HELP FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR HOMELESS RELATED ISSUES.
UM, MONITORING ENCAMPMENTS, PUTTING IN 3 1 1 REQUESTS, HELPING, UM, WITH, UM, RESOLUTIONS THERE.
AND SO, AGAIN, TAKING A LOT OF THE BURDEN AWAY FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBER.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS MORE OF THAT WITH COMMISSIONERS, ALONG WITH US HOSTING, UH, PERHAPS A COUPLE TOWN HALLS THAT WE CAN INVOLVE THE CONSTITUENCIES OF OUR DISTRICT AND FOCUS ON THOSE DISTRICT SPECIFIC NEEDS, WHICH ARE VERY DIFFERENT, UM, ACROSS THE CITY OF DALLAS AND CAN BE SPECIFIC TO CERTAIN DISTRICTS.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US DEVELOP A MORE ENGAGEMENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, ON, UM, GETTING POLICIES THAT THE CITY IS, UM, COMING UP WITH AND, UM, THAT THEY ARE ENACTING AND THAT ARE ONGOING ONGOING.
COMMISSIONER GARNER, THAT'S ABOUT EDUCATE.
ARE THERE, ARE THERE ANY LAST BULLETS OF, YOU'VE GOT SOCIAL MEDIAS AND OTHER ITEMS, OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WANTED TO THROW OUT AS A, A BULLET ITEM? UM, JUST MORE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER.
HELP HELP THE COUNCIL MEMBER FIELD SPECIFIC ISSUES.
UM, AND, UM, I DON'T HAVE OUR ANNUAL REPORT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT WE HAVE SOME BULLETIN ITEMS THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER KLATTEN HOFF HAD, UM, PUT TOGETHER THAT WE ALL, UM, HELPED WITH, UM, THAT I'VE, THAT I DON'T HAVE IN FRONT OF ME THAT I CAN RECOUNT, BUT I'LL SUBMIT THAT TO YOU ONCE THE FINAL REPORT IS IN THE ANNUAL REPORT.
AND I THINK WE'RE READY FOR OUR NEXT ONE ONLINE.
CHAIR, CAN YOU GO AHEAD, UH, ADUR THIS MEETING AND THEN CALL THE D MEETING DALLAS AREA PARTNERSHIP.
WERE THERE ANY OTHER, UM, PARDON ME, COMMISSION MEMBERS FROM THE HOMES COMMISSION? ARE THERE ANY OTHER MEMBERS VIRTUALLY THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FROM THE CITIZENS HOMELESSNESS COMMISSION? PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE YOURSELF AT THIS TIME.
AND SO, UM, SO IN EXTENDING THE MEETING, I MEAN, I'M CERTAINLY ALLOWED TO CONTINUE THE MEETING EVEN THOUGH WE HAD GENERALLY SAID IT WOULD END AT 1230.
UM, I THINK WE'VE GOTTEN ALL OF THE HOMELESS COMMISSION MEMBERS, BUT WE DO NEED YOU TO STAY TO KEEP A QUORUM.
SO ARE THERE ANY DAP MEMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO ANSWER THE SAME SORT OF QUESTIONS? AGAIN, IS IT USEFUL, UM, DO YOU THINK THAT YOU'RE REDUNDANT OR YOU HAVE SOME UNIQUE ROLE OR VOICE AND, UM, CHANGES THAT YOU WERE HOPING TO SEE? WE, OF COURSE, HAD SORT OF A RESET THIS SUMMER AT OUR RETREAT.
UM, I THINK IT'S BEEN OPERATING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY, UM, BUT WOULD LOVE TO OPEN THAT UP.
UM, I JOINED THE DAP UH, I GUESS EARLIER THIS PAST YEAR.
UH, MY BACKGROUND'S IN THE HOTEL BUSINESS IS WHAT I DO.
UM, I DO THINK HAVING SPENT NOW, I'D SAY NOW A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, BOTH MEETING THE ORGANIZATIONS AND, UH, SERVICE PROVIDERS, I HAVEN'T SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH THE CHC OBVIOUSLY, BUT, UM, I DO SEE THAT A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE THESE ORGANIZATIONS WERE FOUNDED.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY DOUBT THAT, UM, HOUSING FORWARD HAS HAD GREAT STRIDES IN TERMS OF, UM, IMPROVING THE COORDINATION BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONS.
THE COC HAS COME A LONG WAY IN TERMS OF, AGAIN, COORDINATING
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BETWEEN THE ORGANIZATIONS.SO I'M, I'M SYMPATHETIC TO THE CALLS FOR THESE ORGANIZATIONS TO BE, UH, UH, SHUT DOWN IN JUST THE SENSE THAT IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE SOME OF THE ORIGINAL, UH, PURPOSES WERE APPLICABLE.
HOWEVER, THE STRUCTURES OF, I THINK, ARE COMPLETELY UNIQUE AND ARE IRREPARABLE BY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
AND SO, UM, THE, THE TWO THINGS THAT COME IN MY MIND IS, ONE, I THINK THAT DAP IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED, ONE, TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THESE ISSUES OF HOMELESSNESS BEYOND THE NORMAL SCOPE OF THE COC AND HOUSING FORWARD, JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE ALIGNED AND UNDERSTANDABLY SO ON HUD DEFINITIONS OF, OF HOMELESSNESS.
AND THAT WE WANT THAT, UH, THE COC AND HOUSING FORD TO GET AS MUCH FEDERAL DOLLARS AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE TO FUND THINGS IN OUR, IN OUR ORGAN, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
HOWEVER, I SAID I REPRESENT THE, THE REAL ESTATE, UH, UH, UH, COMMITTEE.
I, UH, AND SO WE LOOK AT THINGS FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT A MUCH BROADER VIEW, AND I DO THINK DAP CAN PLAY A ROLE IN LOOKING AT DATA, UH, IN AND OUTSIDE OF, UH, OF THAT VIEWPOINT.
THE OTHER THING THAT I THINK, UM, THAT THE DAP CAN DO IS, UM, UH, IS JUST ABILITY THAT WE STRUCTURALLY CAN DO THINGS SUCH AS BUY REAL PROPERTY, SELL REAL PROPERTY, RAISE MONEY, GRANT MONEY, UH, POTENTIALLY TAX.
SO WE HAD A FLEXIBILITY TO DO THINGS THAT OTHER PEOPLE CAN'T AND THAT'S NEVER BEEN USED.
AND WE NEED TO BE CREATIVE IN THINKING ABOUT THAT.
FROM THE CHC STANDPOINT, THE ONLY THING THAT I REALLY, I CAN SEE IS SO UNIQUE TO THEM IS THEIR ABILITY TO POTENTIALLY BE THE VOICE OF THE CITIZENS.
AND EVEN TO YOU, ROBERT, THE VOICE OF, OF THE HOMELESS, THE, THE, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE STREETS.
AND I THINK THAT THAT COULD BE A UNIQUE WAY FOR CHC TO REALLY RE-LOOK AT WHAT IS THE, THE ROLE THAT THEY CAN PLAY IN HELPING THE, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS IS I, I THINK THE VOICE OF THE, OF THE CITIZENS AND THE VOICE OF, UM, THOSE ON THE STREETS.
I'M KEN OLDHAM, THE, UM, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT ASSOCIATION OF GREATER DALLAS.
AND I, I DO SEE A, A A A GREAT BENEFIT TO BOTH ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, I SEE THE CHC AS BEING A LITTLE BIT MORE TACTICAL, UM, AND OUR ROLE IS MUCH MORE STRATEGIC, OBVIOUSLY, AS ROB, YOU KNOW, ALLUDED TO.
I THINK AT THE END OF THE, WELL, I'M NOT GONNA SAY IT WELL, I AM GONNA SAY THAT BECAUSE IT'S THE GREATEST CLICHE IN THE WORLD, BUT, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE, WE, WE JUST HAVE A SUPPLY PROBLEM.
SO I THINK IT'S, IT'S ONE THAT'S ESSENTIALLY GONNA BE MET, UM, WITH SOME TYPE OF CAPITAL CONTRIBUTION.
AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHERE WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THE DAP SIDE, UM, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S, IT COSTS A LOT OF MONEY, UM, TO BUILD HOUSING, AND WE NEED A LOT OF MONEY TO HELP SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.
UM, I CAN SAY, HONESTLY, WHEN I FIRST GOT ON THE, UM, COMMITTEE, I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW KIND OF WHAT
BUT WHEN WE DID THE RETREAT, UM, IT KINDA STREAMLINED SOME THINGS AND KIND OF PUT STUFF IN ORDER TO KIND, LIKE, YOU KNOW, PAINT A PICTURE OF WHAT THIS IS, WHAT IT, WHAT'S THE BENEFIT OF IT.
AND SO IS IT USEFUL? YES, MOST DEFINITELY.
UM, I DO THINK THAT, UM, SINCE THEN, SINCE THE RETREAT, WE, WE PRETTY MUCH FOCUSED ON, WE HAVE A VIEWPOINT OF WHERE WE'RE GOING, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IRON OUT SOME OF THE MECHANICAL THINGS THAT GOES WITH IT, BUT OVERALL, UM, I THINK EVERYTHING IS GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, SO THANK YOU.
I AM ASHLEY BRUNDAGE WITH UNITED WAY, AND ON THE HOUSING FORWARD BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN THE ALL NEIGHBORS BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
UM, I'VE SUBMITTED COMMENTS ON WHAT I THINK ABOUT THE DAP I, UM, AND I'M HAPPY TO RESUBMIT THOSE COMMENTS IF EVERYBODY WANTS TO SEE THOSE.
I DON'T THINK OUR TIME SPENT HERE HAS BEEN USEFUL.
I DON'T THINK WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED ANYTHING.
I THINK WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE A UNIQUE COMMITTEE, COMMISSION GROUP, HOWEVER, WE'VE NEVER DONE IT.
MOST OF OUR, UH, MEETINGS ARE NOT, UM, MET WITH A QUORUM.
MOST OF THE AGENDAS ARE REPETITIVE, SO THERE'S JUST NOT BEEN ANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS SO FAR.
UM, I THINK IF WE ARE NOT GOING TO DISSOLVE THE DAP THAT IT NEEDS TO HAVE SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO FOCUS ON, SIMILARLY TO WHAT CHARLIE WAS SAYING, PREVENTION OR HELPING BUILD UP THE SUPPLY.
UM, YOUR COMMENTS WERE ACTUALLY, UM, ADDED TO, UH, THE MINUTES OF A PRIOR MEETING, SO THEY'RE AVAILABLE.
I'M DAN MITCH KAY, AND I'M ON THE DALLAS ISD SCHOOL BOARD, AND I'M A VERY, UM, RECENT, UM, MEMBER OF THE, OF THE DAP.
UM, AND THE REASON I AGREED TO PARTICIPATE WAS TO
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GAIN, GAIN MORE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT RESOURCES AND WHAT EVERYBODY IN THIS, IN THIS SPACE HAS BEEN DOING, UH, IN, IN, IN WAYS THAT MIGHT, UH, IMPACT OUR STUDENTS.DALLAS, ISD HAS, UH, 4,000 STUDENTS WHO ARE HOMELESS AND, UH, SEVERAL HUNDRED WHO ARE UNSHELTERED AND DALLAS, ISD HAS TAKEN STEPS SOMEWHAT INDEPENDENTLY WITH, UM, FROM, FROM OTHER GOFF GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS.
BUT WORKING WITH NONPROFITS LIKE AFTER EIGHT TO EDUCATE, TO PROVIDE, UM, UH, UH, SHELTER FOR, FOR STUDENTS.
UM, WE, WE DO AN EX UH, WE DO A PROGRAM THAT TRAINS OUR EDUCATORS AND EMPLOYEES TO IDENTIFY STUDENTS WHO ARE HOMELESS.
UM, I, I DO THINK, I DON'T KNOW AS MUCH ABOUT THIS AREA GENERALLY AS MOST OF YOU ON THIS, ON, ON THIS, UM, IN THIS GROUP KNOW, UM, I, I I WILL SAY THAT I, I DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THERE ARE TOOLS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, UM, WITH ADAPT THAT ARE NOT AVAILABLE ELSEWHERE.
AND HA HAVING SERVED ON THE DALLAS ID BOARD FOR, UM, FOR A DECADE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE TOOLS THAT PROVIDE FUNDING AND FINANCING AND, AND, AND TAXPAYER SUPPORT.
AND, UM, AT, AT THIS POINT, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN UTILIZED, UH, IN A, IN THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT I'VE BEEN ON, ON THE BOARD, UH, ON THIS, UH, DAP BOARD.
BUT, UM, I DO THINK IT WOULD BE, UM, UH, A, A, A LITTLE, I, I DON'T WANNA SAY THE WORD RECKLESS, BUT, OR IRRESPONSIBLE, BUT IT WOULD JUST BE GIVING UP IF YOU ABOLISH THE, THE DAP, YOU'D GIVE UP THESE TOOLS THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE, AND A STRUCTURE THAT INCLUDES A, A LOT OF DIFFERENT CONSTITUENCIES WITH, YOU KNOW, SERIOUS PEOPLE ON IT, THAT IT, THAT IT, IT WOULD SEEM TO BE A MISTAKE, UH, TO, IN, IN MY OPINION, TO SAY THAT WE HAVE ONE ENTITY THAT CAN DO THIS, UH, THESE UNIQUE FUNDING AND REAL ESTATE PURCHASING, UH, THINGS THAT OTHERS, UH, YOU KNOW, MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO.
AND TO SAY, WELL, IT'S REDUNDANT.
WELL, YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE CASE AS TO WHY IT'S, IT'S REDUNDANT IF NOBODY ELSE HAS THESE PARTICULAR, UH, POWERS AND AUTHORITIES.
UM, THERESA, WE SKIPPED OVER YOU.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO THEM? YEAH, I THINK THE ONE POINT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE HERE, HAVING BEEN IN WITH THIS GROUP SINCE THE BEGINNING, AND HAVING LIVED IN THE DALLAS AREA SINCE 1975, RECOGNIZING THAT THERE, THERE'S, THERE ARE CYCLES.
THERE'S TIME FOR THINGS TO HAPPEN.
AND WHEN THIS GROUP WAS FORMED, WHAT, UH, EIGHT, NINE YEARS AGO, IT WAS BRINGING TOGETHER A LOT OF THE EXISTING GROUPS THAT WERE BEGINNING TO FORM IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO THAT, I THINK NOW WE'RE AT THE POINT IN TIME WHERE, OKAY, NOW LET'S, LET'S, NOW THAT WE'VE GOT THIS ORGANIZATIONAL PIECE DONE AND FEEL COMFORTABLE IN THE SPACE, OUR, OUR LEARNING, WHAT'S, UH, ABOUT THE, THE HOMELESS COMMUNITY, WHAT'S, WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THEM, WHAT RESOURCES THEY HAVE AVAILABLE, WHAT SOME OF THEIR UNMET NEEDS ARE, I THINK THAT WE ARE NOW AT THAT POINT TO LAUNCH INTO, OKAY, NOW WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT THIS? AND HOW CAN WE DO A BETTER JOB IN, UM, DALLAS CITY, DALLAS COUNTY, AND ALL THE OTHER 25 CITIES TO, UM, ADDRESS THIS PARTICULAR ITEM? BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK ABOUT IS HAVE THINGS CHANGED IN THE HOMELESS COMMUNITY SINCE THIS GROUP HAS COME ABOUT? UM, AND I THINK THERE'S ALMOST A GREATER ACCEPTABILITY OF TALKING ABOUT IT AND TRYING TO ADDRESS IT.
AND SO THAT, THAT NOW IS THAT TIME TO, UM, LOOK AT THE PREVENTION OF IT.
WE NOW HAVE AN IDEA WHAT IT IS, WHO IT IS, WHERE THEY'RE GOING, HOW LONG THEY'VE BEEN THERE.
WE'VE COLLECTED A LOT OF DATA.
UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S TIME TO USE THE UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PARTNERSHIP, WHICH IS THE ABILITY TO RAISE AND MANAGE MONEY, UM, TO AUGMENT, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, AUGMENTING HOUSING, AUGMENTING THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE TO, TO BETTER ADDRESS.
SO I THINK WE'RE AT A GOOD POINT IN HISTORY TO DO THAT.
AND THEN RENITA, ARE THERE ANY OTHER, UM, PEOPLE ONLINE
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MAYBE THAT ARE, I I THINK WE KIND OF SPECIFICALLY WERE ASKING FOR HOMELESS COMMISSION, BUT IF THERE'S ANY DAP MEMBERS THAT WOULD WANNA SAY ANYTHING, IF, IF THERE ANY DALLAS AREA PARTNERSHIP MEMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, GO AHEAD AND RAISE YOUR HAND AND ALLOW THE CHAIR TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU.WE HAVE, UM, COMMISSIONER GLOVER, GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
UM, I AM WAS REALLY EXCITED TO HEAR EVERYBODY'S COMMENTS, UM, PARTICULARLY ABOUT COMMUNITY VOICE, UM, AND WHAT IT MEANS TO WORK TOGETHER ACROSS A, A UNIQUE COMMUNITY CITY COUNTY PARTNERSHIP.
I'LL, IT FEELS LIKE, AS EVERYBODY HAS SAID, THIS WAS STARTED IN A DIFFERENT TIME.
UM, MAYBE THE FOLKS CLOSEST IN COMMUNITIES, UH, BECAUSE OF WORKLOAD AND, AND, YOU KNOW, FOCUS AREA DID NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER THE WAY THEY DO NOW.
HOUSING FORWARD IS IN SUCH AN A DIFFERENT SPOT, LEVERAGING THE WORK AND BRINGING IN THE DOLLARS, UM, TO BE ABLE TO DO EVEN MORE.
I'LL SAY THAT I, I REALLY, WHAT I'M HEARING AND, AND I'M MOST, UM, EXCITED BY IS THIS IDEA THAT THE DAP AND THE CITIZEN HOMELESS COMMISSION, THE CITIZENS HOMELESS COMMISSION, HAS THIS REAL ABILITY TO REFOCUS WHERE WE PUT OUR ENERGY, UM, SO THAT WE ARE ON THAT PREVENTION PIECE.
CHARLIE, YOU MENTIONED IT EARLIER, WHERE WE'RE COMING ALONGSIDE, YOU KNOW, HOUSING FORWARD AND HUD MANDATES ARE, ARE DOING THEIR THING.
AND WE'RE SEEING REDUCTION IN HOMELESSNESS IN OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITY, NOT WHERE WE WANT 'EM TO BE, BUT, BUT ON A TRAJECTORY, UM, IN REDUCTION, SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS.
UM, AND THEN OUR ROLE AS, AS BEING ABLE TO LEVERAGE AND PURCHASING THINGS, UH, LEVERAGE LAND, EXCUSE ME, AND PURCHASING THINGS, WE CAN COME ALONGSIDE FOR THAT PREVENTION PIECE FOR, FOR, FOR GETTING OUR VOICE INTO HOW TO GET THESE AFFORDABLE HOMES BUILT.
UM, SO I, I FEEL A LOT OF EXCITEMENT AROUND THAT AND, AND SEE HOW WE COULD, UM, THERESA, YOU SAID IT, YOU KNOW, ADJUST TRAJECTORY, GET TO THAT, UM, PLACE WHERE WE'RE DOING THAT TYPE OF WORK, UM, YOU KNOW, IN CONJUNCTION IN PARALLEL HOUSING FORWARD ON REDUCING HOMELESSNESS.
AND, YOU KNOW, THIS DAP WORKING ALONGSIDE THE CITIZEN VOICE IN PREVENTION.
UM, I I JUST WANNA SAY, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR SAYING THE EXTRA 15 MINUTES.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND LENDING YOUR OPINION AND VOICE.
UM, PART OF THE BYLAWS OF THE, OH, SORRY, THAT WAS THE ACTUAL END OF YOUR TIME, CELESTE, UM, PART OF THE BYLAWS FOR THE DALLAS AREA PARTNERSHIP, SPECIFICALLY CALL OUT THE CITIZENS HOMELESS COMMISSION AS A GROUP WE SHOULD COLLABORATE WITH.
SO WHILE THIS MAY HAVE BEEN OUR FIRST MEETING, I HOPE IT WON'T BE OUR LAST, WE INTEND TO INVITE YOU BACK ON A REGULAR SCHEDULE IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING AS A GROUP YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME TALK TO US ABOUT.
I THINK WE'RE VERY OPEN TO CALLING A JOINT MEETING AND DOING THIS, WHETHER IT'S, UH, AN ABBREVIATE OR A LONGER, WHATEVER THE ISSUE IS.
I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I KNOW WHAT IT IS TO BE A REGULAR RESIDENT AND SAY, OKAY, I'LL DO IT.
AND THEN LIKE, WHAT HAVE I GOT MYSELF INTO? SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE TIME YOU GIVE.
UM, AND WE'LL BE BACK IN TOUCH.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANNA SUBMIT, LET US KNOW.
WE'LL ADD IT AS PART OF, UM, OUR MINUTES CHAIR.
CICE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME.
I, I JUST, MY PERSPECTIVE ON THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, PARKLAND IS PLUGGED IN IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT AREAS OF THIS WORK.
WE OBVIOUSLY ARE NOT DIRECTLY DOING THE HOMELESSNESS WORK, BUT THERE'S A TON OF OVERLAP IN THE, AND, AND THE SUPPORT THAT WE CAN PROVIDE.
UM, AND WE HAVE REPRESENTATION IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT ARENAS, INCLUDING THE COCI, I HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR THE WORK THAT HOUSING FORWARD HAS DONE.
AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, ASHLEY'S MEMO, UM, UH, I, UH, TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY AND, AND RESPECT AND, AND APPRECIATE THE, THE RECENT SUCCESSES THAT, UM, THAT HAVE COME, CERTAINLY ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
UM, THAT SEEMS TO BE A LARGELY A FACTOR OF KIND OF SPEAKING WITH MORE UNIFIED COMMUNITY VOICE.
AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST, I DO THINK SOME OF OUR WORK HAS BEEN REDUNDANT.
YOU KNOW, I WAS CHAIR IN THE PERFORMANCE MEASURE GROUP AND I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, I WAS IN A POSITION TO DEVELOP PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND WOULD JUST GO STRAIGHT TO ASHLEY'S GROUP TO SAY, YOU KNOW, UPDATE US ON THAT.
AND SO, UM, I CERTAINLY WOULDN'T WANT TO DISCOURAGE, UM, YOU KNOW, PARTICIPATION AMONG PEOPLE WHO WANT TO, UH, DO MORE, UH, WHATEVER THE ROLE IS.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE MAXIMUM COORDINATION AND WITH THE, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THIS AS THEIR FULL-TIME JOBS AND HAVE HAD SUCCESS, UH, LIKE HOUSING FORWARD AND THE CONTINUUM OF CARE.
AND SO I WOULD LOOK TO THOSE GROUP, TO THAT GROUP TO, TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE CAN BEST BE OF ASSISTANCE, UM, AND, UM, UH, AND, AND PROCEED
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THAT WAY.SO HOPEFULLY THAT'S A HELPFUL PERSPECTIVE.
SO I THINK THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS, AND TO BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR TIME, I KNOW THAT WE ONLY BOOKED 30 MINUTES.
AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SAYING YES.
WE DO HAVE CHIEF HURLEY AND COMMISSIONER PEIS ON THE LINE.
WOULD EITHER OF YOU LIKE TO HAVE COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? CHIEF HURLEY, GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
UH, YES, CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YES, WE'RE DOING TWO MINUTES, CHIEF.
AND, AND I'LL BE, I'LL BE BRIEF AS YOUR, AS YOUR LOCAL, UH, POLICE CHIEF MEMBER ON THIS BOARD.
UM, I, I AGREE WITH SOME OF WHAT ASHLEY SAID.
I I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE'VE DONE JUST A LOT.
I GOT ON THIS BOARD LOOKING FOR, UM, SOME SOLUTIONS OR WAY THAT I COULD BE INVOLVED IN HELPING ADDRESS THE LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE TO OUR HOMELESSNESS.
UM, TOO MANY TIMES OUR HOMELESS END UP IN, UM, OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND THAT JUST DOESN'T NEED TO BE THE CASE.
SO I'M LOOKING FOR MORE OF A PROACTIVE, UH, WAY THAT WE CAN, UH, ADDRESS THIS TO GET PEOPLE THE HELP THEY NEED TO GET 'EM THE JOBS THEY NEED, UH, TO, TO SOLVE THESE ISSUES.
UM, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES OUR HANDS ARE TIED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND THIS IS NOT THE HELP THAT OUR NEIGHBORS NEED.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH, TIME.
WE SHOULD PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA.
AND THEN I THINK SHE SAID THERE WAS SOMEBODY ELSE.
I'M SORRY, I DON'T REMEMBER WHO IT WAS.
AH, MIKE, DO YOU WANNA SPEAK FOR TWO MINUTES? YEAH, THAT WOULD BE ME FROM THANK YOU AUTHORITY, MIKE, BUT HE'S, I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD FROM WHAT THE OTHER, UH, PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY SAID.
UH, BUT I'LL ECHO THE POINT OF LOOKING FOR, YOU KNOW, MORE OF A SOLUTION, UH, TRYING TO FIND, YOU KNOW, JUST DETERMINE EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO AND HOW WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT, AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO MEET THE MISSION OF THE GROUP.
UM, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
AND I HOPE THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO EXAMINE THIS ISSUE OF HOUSELESSNESS IN, IN THE COUNTY, THAT WE DO COME UP WITH CONCRETE PLANS, UH, TO, UH, IMPLEMENT.
WELL, IT IS 1250 AND I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN THE MEETING.
I WANNA SAY A SPECIAL THANK YOU AGAIN, CHC MEMBERS FOR BEING HERE.
UM, YOU'RE WELCOME TO STAY IF YOU LIKE.
IF YOU DIDN'T GRAB A LUNCH, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO DO SO, BUT THE MEETING ITSELF IS ADJOURNED AND WE'RE GONNA RECONSTITUTE JUST AS A DALLAS AREA PARTNERSHIP MEETING IN JUST A MOMENT.
I NEED, UH, CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR.
IT IS TWO, UH, 1250, 12:50 PM AND THE CHC MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
I I NEED ALL DALLAS AREA PARTNERSHIP TO STAY ONLINE.
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OKAY, WELL, UM, WE'RE HERE FOR THE SECOND MEETING.TODAY IS FEBRUARY 1ST, AND I'M GONNA CALL TO MEET, TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE DALLAS AREA PARTNERSHIP ON ENDING HOMELESSNESS.
THE FIRST ITEM IS TO ENSURE WE HAVE QUORUM.
WE HAVE ALREADY DONE THAT, SO I'M JUST GOING TO DECLARE A QUORUM PRESENT.
MR. CHIARELLI, YOU DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR THIS MEETING, BUT I DID MENTION IN THE LAST MEETING THAT I'D BE HAPPY TO GIVE YOU ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE TWO MINUTES.
UM, A LOT OF YOU DON'T REMEMBER JAMES DUNN.
HE CAME HERE A FEW YEARS AGO TO CITY COUNCIL.
FEW HOMELESS PEOPLE CAME HERE FOR HOUSING VOUCHERS, GOT A LOT OF PRESS.
I'M DISAPPOINTED YOU BRING UP, YOU DIDN'T BRING UP ANYTHING, WHAT I SAID, AND, AND, UM, IT'S VERY, VERY, UM, I DON'T EVEN WANT TO GET INVOLVED WITH THE HOMELESS, BUT THAT'S WHAT IT SHOWS LIKE TO ME.
YOU DON'T WANNA BE AROUND THE HOMELESS.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY BOTHERSOME TO ME.
I, I'VE DONE THIS FOR 10, 12 YEARS.
I'VE NEVER SEEN ANY HOMELESS PEOPLE COME EXCEPT THE ONES I TRIED TO INVITE.
ALL OF YOU, ALL OF YOU THAT YOU DIDN'T BRING UP, DO YOU WANNA TALK TO THE HOMELESS? TELL 'EM WHAT IT'S LIKE.
COME TO THE MEETINGS THAT WILL BRING IN SOME MONEY BECAUSE ALL OF YOU CAN DO IT.
BUT I DIDN'T SEE ONE PERSON, ONE PERSON WANTS TO GO DOWNSTAIRS AND TALK TO THE HOMELESS WHEN YOU GET THERE TOGETHER, WHY NOT? BUT I'M JUST SAYING, WHAT IS WRONG? WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS 12, 10 YEARS NOW.
ANY HOMELESS PEOPLE EVER COME HERE THAT IS BOTHERSOME TO ME.
OKAY? SO I'M JUST SAYING TO YOU IS, IF YOU WANT TO BE HELPFUL AND BE PRODUCTIVE, YOU GO DOWNSTAIRS TOGETHER, TALK TO THE HOMELESS, TELL 'EM THERE'S COMMITTEES HERE, AND THEY CAN WELCOME AND YOU WANNA LISTEN TO 'EM.
YOU CAN LISTEN TO 'EM DOWNSTAIRS.
ARE YOU SCARED OF? I DON'T KNOW.
BUT IT'S JUST, IT REALLY BOTHERS ME CONTINUALLY THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO HELP THE HOMELESS.
AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.
THEY, THIS PLACE IS ALWAYS EMPTY.
ALWAYS EMPTY EVERY TIME I COME.
THAT SHOWS THERE'S NO INTEREST.
'CAUSE IF YOU DID, YOU CAN GET 'EM DOWN FROM DOWNSTAIRS UP HERE.
YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT THE HOMELESS.
WELL, I JUST HEARD FROM EVERYBODY EXCEPT FOR MAYBE ONE OR TWO PEOPLE.
AND I'M JUST SAYING TO YOU BEFORE I GO, YOU GOT TO DO THAT.
DON'T SIT ON YOUR BUTTS RIGHT HERE.
UM, OUR NEXT ITEM IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES THEY'VE BEEN SENT OUT.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, CORRECTIONS CHANGES? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
WELL, OUR NEXT ITEM IS, UM, IS, IS REALLY A RECAP OF A SPECIAL CALL MEETING FROM THE HOUSING AND HOMELESS SOLUTIONS COMMITTEE OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
IT'S CHAIRED BY MY COLLEAGUE, CHAIRMAN MORENO.
AND, UM, HE'S GRACIOUSLY AGREED TO BE HERE AND SORT OF GIVE US A RECAP OF WHAT THE MEETING WAS, WHAT HAPPENED, WHERE WE STAND.
IT'S A, A BIT SURREAL TO BE ON THIS SIDE OF THE HORSESHOE.
UM, GOES BACK TO, UM, WHEN I WAS ON THE, THE YOUTH COMMISSION AND, AND PRIOR TO THAT.
UH, BEFORE I START, I DO WANT TO THANK OUR CHC, UH, COMMISSIONERS FOR ALL THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION THAT THEY DO.
I DO HAVE A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH MY COMMISSIONER, WHO WE COMMUNICATE, UH, UH, WEEKLY AT LEAST.
AND SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU ALL TODAY REGARDING THE RECENT MEETING ON THE HOMELESS HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS SOLUTIONS COMMITTEE, THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL, WITH THE SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF THE HOPE REPORT.
THAT WAS, THAT WILL INITIATE POLICY DISCUSSIONS, WHICH I ANTICIPATE WILL INFORM FUTURE DECISIONS ON HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
I WANNA THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND YOUR LEADERSHIP WHEN IT COMES TO HELPING SOLVE FOR HOMELESSNESS SOLUTIONS, NOT ONLY HERE FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS, BUT THE COUNTY, THE STATE, AND AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
THIS IS GONNA TAKE US ALL WORKING TOGETHER
[00:30:01]
TO CHANGE POLICY, LEVERAGE OUR DOLLARS, WORKING ON PROJECTS IN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF OUR DISTRICTS.FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW ME, I'M A DALLAS SITE, BORN AND RAISED HERE, A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, AND MY WIFE AND I ARE RAISING OUR DAUGHTER HERE IN THE SAME CITY THAT I GREW UP IN.
I'VE PERSONALLY BEEN IMPACTED BY HOMELESSNESS, LIKE EVERY SINGLE RESIDENT IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
SO WHAT, WHAT I, MY HOPE IS THAT WE TAKE THOSE EXPERIENCES, BUT WE ALSO LEARN FROM OUR UNSHELTERED DIRECTLY AND THAT WE LEARN WHERE OUR SHORT SHORTFALLS ARE.
I WILL NOW GO OVER WHAT HAPPENED IN THE MEETING IN A FEW FOCUS AREAS THAT COME OUT, THAT CAME OUT OF THE MEETING, AND WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS AT THE END.
THE HOUSING AND HOPELESSNESS SOLUTIONS COMMITTEE CONSIST OF MYSELF, CHAIRMAN MENDELSON, VICE CHAIRMAN, MENDELSON, CHAIRMAN ZAIN GRACIE COUNCILWOMAN WILLIS, AND COUNCIL MEMBER WEST.
WE WERE ALSO HONORED TO BE JOINED BY CHAIRWOMAN KATHY STEWART AND COUNCIL MEMBER BASAL DUO.
THE CHAIRS OF THE TASK FORCE PRESENTED THE REPORT AND COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS OF THE AUTHORS FOLLOWING THE PRESENTATION.
GENERALLY, COMMITTEE MEMBERS DO NOT HEAR FROM PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
HOWEVER, WE HAD OVER 30 SPEAKERS SHARE THEIR INPUT ALONG WITH MAYORS FROM SURROUNDING CITIES.
I'VE ALSO RECEIVED THOUSANDS OF EMAILS FROM CONCERNED RESIDENTS, BUSINESS LEADERS, FAITH LEADERS, AND PROVIDERS.
AT THE END OF THE SPECIAL CALL MEETING, I REQUESTED THE CITY STAFF BEGIN INVESTIGATING THE POTENTIAL FOR A SANCTIONED ENCAMPMENT AND SINGLE OCCUPANCY FACILITIES IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS NOT THE ONLY DISCUSS DECISION AND DISCUSSION THAT WILL BE HAD ON THE HOPE REPORT.
I INITIATED ON BRINGING, UH, I INTEND TO BRING THIS ITEM BACK MULTIPLE TIMES AT OUR HHS WORKS TO DEEP TO DEVELOP INTENTIONAL POLICIES.
I DO WANT TO THANK OUR OFFICE OF HOMELESS DIRECTOR AND DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, KIM TOLBERT FOR JOINING ME AND SEVERAL OF MY COLLEAGUES ON A RECENT TRIP TO LOS ANGELES, WHERE WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT INTERMEDIATE HOUSING COULD LOOK LIKE HERE IN DALLAS.
IT'S CLEAR THAT DALLAS MUST ADD OPTIONS ASIDE FROM OUR ONLY HOUSING FIRST APPROACH.
OUR DALLAS STREETS CANNOT BE THE WAITING ROOM.
AS YOU ALL WELL KNOW, HOMELESSNESS IS A COMPLEX PROBLEM, OFTEN RIDDLED WITH COMPLICATED SOLUTIONS.
LEASE SOLUTIONS ARE OFFERED AND IMPLEMENTED BY MANY STAKEHOLDERS, SOMETIMES WITHOUT COORDINATION AT THE LOCAL AND REGIONAL LEVELS.
THE HOPE REPORT ATTEMPTS TO STREAMLINE A RESPONSE TO HOMELESSNESS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS AS WE FACE NEW CHALLENGES EVERY SINGLE DAY.
A LARGE PORTION OF OUR UNSHELTERED POPULATION FACES MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE BARRIERS, WHICH IS COMPLICATED, THE RESPONSE OF AND MECHANISMS THAT WOULD IMPROVE THEIR SOLUTIONS.
ADDITIONALLY, ENFORCEMENT IN THE AREAS OF CONCERN RELATED TO THE HOPE REPORT, AS A NUMBER OF RESTRICTIONS COMPLICATE RESPONSE EFFORTS, REASONABLE, INNOVATIVE, AND HUMANE SOLUTIONS ARE NECESSARY FOR A PROACTIVE APPROACH IN ENDING HOMELESSNESS FOR THOSE RESISTANT TO OUR SERVICES.
A POINT OF PARTICULAR INTEREST FOR THE BOARD MAY BE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE REGIONAL PARTNERS.
HOMELESSNESS CANNOT BE RESOLVED WHEN PARTNERS ARE, UH, SILOED IN THEIR RESPONSES.
I'M ENCOURAGED BY THE WORK OF THIS BODY TO BRING THOSE PARTNERS TOGETHER IN THIS WAY.
AS THE CITY OF DALLAS PURSUES INNOVATIVE POLICYMAKING, I HOPE THAT THIS BODY CAN HELP WITH COORDINATING THOSE EFFORTS FOR A BETTER DALLAS COMMUNITY.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU ALL ON THIS MATTER AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL ON SOLUTIONS.
I LIKE MANY OF YOUR DALLAS SITES, AND I WANT TO ENSURE THAT DALLAS CONTINUES TO THRIVE FOR MY DAUGHTER, WHO'S A FOURTH GENERATION DALLAS SITE, WHILE WELCOMING NEW TRANSPLANTS TO OUR GREAT CITY.
I'M HAPPY TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE AT THIS TIME.
SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS LET EVERYONE THINK ABOUT THOSE VERY IMPACTFUL COMMENTS WHILE WE TAKE A BRIEF FIVE MINUTE RECESS.
UM, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF OUR CHC COMMISSIONERS STILL HERE.
AND, UM, THE IDEA WAS THAT WE MIGHT TAKE A PHOTO TOGETHER.
AND SO I'D INVITE YOU TO JOIN US.
UM, BUT WE'RE GONNA GO RIGHT IN FRONT OF THIS, UM, HORSESHOE, AND WE'LL TAKE A PHOTO OR TWO AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK IN SESSION.
WE'LL BE BACK IN SESSION BY 1 0 7.
[00:38:00]
WHENEVER Y'ALL ARE.OH, WE HAVE SUCH BIG SHIP THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY
IT'S 1 0 7 AND WE'RE BACK IN SESSION.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE, UM, FOR ALLOWING US JUST A QUICK LITTLE RECESS THERE.
UM, SO OUR NEXT SECTION IS FOR ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO ASK QUESTIONS OF CHAIR MORENO.
AND IF YOU JUST WANNA RING IN, UH, HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.
I REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOUR WORDS, UM, AND WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY BECAUSE YOU DO SIT IN A PARTICULAR SEAT AND THUS YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR VANTAGE POINT THAT ADDS TO THE DISCUSSION.
UM, I WAS, THIS IS MORE JUST A POINT OF CURIOSITY.
TALKING ABOUT THE CONTACT THAT YOU HAVE HAD, LETTERS YOU HAVE RECEIVED, ARE THEY MOSTLY FROM HOMELESS PEOPLE OR, OR
[00:40:01]
ARE THEY FROM LIKE ORGANIZATIONAL FOLKS AND AGENCIES AND PEOPLE ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS AS OPPOSED TO EXPERIENCING IT? UH, UH, YES.I WOULD SAY MAJORITY ARE FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE AFFECTED BY HOMELESSNESS, NOT NECESSARILY EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
SO IT'S, UH, UH, PEOPLE IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS OR BUSINESSES THAT, UM, FEEL IMPACTED BY SURE.
YOU KNOW, UH, DISTRICT TWO STRETCHES, UH, EAST AND WEST FROM DALLAS LO FIELD AIRPORT, ALL THE WAY TO FAR EAST DALLAS, INCLUDING THE CBD.
AND SO WE DO HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF BUSINESS OWNERS OR BUSINESS MANAGEMENT GROUPS, UM, THAT, UM, HAVE INTEREST IN HELPING US, UH, HELP US SOLVE THIS, UH, GROWING, UM, UM, HOMELESSNESS, UH, CRISIS THAT WE HAVE.
UH, ALSO AS WELL AS RESIDENTS.
YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD THE, UM, UH, EXPERIENCE WHERE IN MY OWN NEIGHBORHOOD, IN MY OWN DOOR, HAVING SOMEONE COME TO MY DOOR AT 4:00 AM UH, WAKING UP MY FAMILY, UH, TO SOMEONE SLEEPING ON A COUCH AT A OUT A NEIGHBOR'S COUCH THAT WAS THROWN OUT ON, ON THE CURB FOR BULK TRASH.
SO I GET TO, UH, ALSO SHARE THOSE, UH, EXPERIENCES AND, AND WHEN THE INDIVIDUALS ARE CONTACTING OUR OFFICE, I'M ABLE TO RELAY, UH, WITH THEM ON THOSE EXPERIENCES THAT THEY'VE HAD.
BUT WE'VE ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITIES TO INTERACT DIRECTLY WITH OUR UNSHELTERED POPULATION BY GOING DIRECTLY TO THEM.
UM, BECAUSE WE DO KNOW IT CAN BE DIFFICULT FOR, UH, INDIVIDUALS TO MAKE THEIR WAY UP TO CITY HALL OR TO EVEN HAVE THAT TRUST BARRIER THAT HAS BEEN, UH, THAT MIGHT NOT BE THERE.
WHO'S GOT OTHER QUESTIONS, MR. HAYES? SO HOW DO YOU THINK, I GUESS I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.
ONE IS, HOW CAN YOU KNOW, ONE CONSTITUENCY THAT I REPRESENT IS KIND OF ON MORE ON THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY SIDE.
YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY DO HERE? UM, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF, OF HELPING YOU AND SUPPORTING YOU AS YOU'RE TRYING TO BOTH FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT THE PLAN IS AND THEN GO EXECUTE IT.
AND ON THE, ON THE, THE SECOND PART IS WHAT ABOUT THIS PARTNERSHIP? SURE.
YOU KNOW, THE GROUP OF PEOPLE SITTING HERE, WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP YOU IN THAT PROCESS AS YOU'RE TRYING TO DETERMINE THE, THE PATH THE CITY'S GONNA TAKE? SURE.
SO, SO THE FIRST QUESTION, WE NEED INDIVIDUALS, RESIDENTS WHO, UH, ARE IMPACTED BY HOMELESSNESS, BUSINESS OWNERS WHO HAVE THOSE SAME, UH, UM, EXPERIENCES, BUT ALSO, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE HAVE TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
UM, AND THE BEST WAY IS TO COME DOWN TO CITY HALL AND, AND HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK ON, ON THE CONCERNS AND THE ISSUES.
EMAILS ARE GREAT, UH, BUT WHAT I FIND AS WELL IS THAT I HAVE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO SOMETIMES FEEL, UM, THE COMFORT LEVEL IS NOT THERE TO COME PUBLICLY, COME, UH, EXPLAIN THEIR EXPERIENCES BECAUSE THEY MIGHT BE LABELED, UM, AS INHUMANE, OR THEY MIGHT BE LABELED AS SOMEONE WHO ISN'T COMPASSIONATE.
AND SO IT'S TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THAT BALANCE TO GIVE, UH, RESIDENTS THE, UH, THE FLOOR TO SAYING, HEY, WE'RE, WE'RE HERE, WE'RE LISTENING AND, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WANNA DO THIS WITH COMPASSION, AND IT'S OKAY TO SHARE THOSE EXPERIENCES.
SO I, I WOULD, UH, URGE PEOPLE TO COME DOWN TO OUR GENERAL COUNSEL SESSIONS TO VOICE THEIR, THEIR CONCERNS.
AND THEN AGAIN, UH, THE HOPE REPORT OF THOSE WHO HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VIEW THAT, UM, WE PASSED OUT SOME COPIES, AND IF YOU DIDN'T RECEIVE ONE, WE CAN PROVIDE THAT TO YOU ELECTRONICALLY AS WELL.
ASHLEY, DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? YEAH, I DO.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE URGE TO BE ABLE TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
DO YOU KNOW THAT, UM, HOUSING FORWARD IN THE ALL NEIGHBORS COALITION CONVENES THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE LIVING, UM, EITHER THEY PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED IT OR ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ON A REGULAR BASIS, AND THAT YOU COULD GO SPEAK TO THEM VERSUS ASKING THEM TO COME TO CITY HALL, WHICH IS MORE DIFFICULT? NO, I COMPLETELY AGREE.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD ACTUALLY FOLKS THAT HAVE COME UP TO OUR OFFICE, UM, AND UM, THAT CAN BE VERY DAUNTING.
IT CAN BE VERY SCARY FOR SOMEONE TO COME INTO, INTO THIS HUGE CITY FACILITY.
UM, BUT I, BUT I HAVE HAD THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE, UH, APPROACHED US, BUT I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO, UH, TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO VISIT AND, AND GET THAT SCHEDULED FOR SURE.
I'M ALSO CURIOUS TO KNOW WHY YOU ASKED FOR STAFF TO INVESTIGATE SANCTIONED ENCAMPMENTS WHEN I DON'T SEE THOSE MENTIONED SPECIFICALLY IN THE TASK FORCE REPORT.
SO, UH, WE DID HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THREE OF THE CO-AUTHORS TO, UH, PRESENT TO US.
AND, UM, THERE WERE SOME OF THOSE CO-AUTHORS
[00:45:01]
WHO ASKED US TO LOOK AT THAT SPECIFICALLY.AND SO I ALSO WANNA BE CAUTIOUS THAT, UH, BELIEVE THE WORD IS INTERCHANGEABLE.
AND, AND SOMETHING THAT I WANNA START LOOKING AT MORE IS THAT INTERMEDIATE HOUSING.
AND SO, SO THAT'S GONNA BE A FOCAL, UH, KEY CHANGE THAT, THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
AND I THINK THE WORDS ARE, ARE INTERCHANGEABLE.
WHAT, WHAT IS INTERMEDIATE HOUSING? MEANING THEN WHAT I LOOK AT INTERMEDIATE HOUSING IS, UM, AGAIN, IT IS NOT HUMANE TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO BE ON OUR STREETS WHO ARE WAITING FOR HOUSING.
WE HAVE TO FIND A SOLUTION THAT BRINGS PEOPLE INDOORS INTO A, WHETHER IT BE A SMALL SHELTER, UH, THAT IS, HAS THE RESOURCES BUILT AROUND IT.
UM, AGAIN, OUR, OUR STREETS CANNOT BE THE WAITING ROOM.
UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO FIGURE OUT WHICH WORDING WE ARE GOING TO USE.
'CAUSE SANCTION ENCAMPMENTS ARE NOT INDOORS.
UM, I ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE STAFF AND OTHER LEADERS AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES FOCUSED ON FINDING PERMANENT SOLUTIONS FOR FOLKS THAT ARE SLEEPING ON THE STREETS, WHICH WOULD BE THE RAPID REHOUSING AND THE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND NOT INTERMEDIATE HOUSING.
AND THE FOLKS THAT ARE WAITING ARE FOLKS THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO STAFF UP TO HAVE THE OUTREACH GET TO YET.
AND WE HAVE MANY FOLKS WHO DON'T WANT TO GO INTO SOME OF OUR SHELTERS JUST BECAUSE OF THE RULES AND THE REGULATIONS THAT EXIST AROUND THEM.
SO WE COULD ALSO CONSIDER FINDING SHELTER THAT, UM, IS A VERY LOW BARRIER TO ENTRY, BUT ALSO HAS TO BE A SAFE PLACE.
AND, AND THAT JUST GOES TO US COMING UP WITH MORE SOLUTIONS ASIDE FROM OUR ONLY, UM, HOUSING ONLY APPROACH THAT WE'VE HAD.
WELL, I WOULD DISAGREE WITH THAT, BUT, OKAY.
WHO ELSE HAS A QUESTION? IS THERE ANYBODY ONLINE? CHIEF HURLEY, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THIS? UH, NO MA'AM.
OTHER THAN IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU NEED FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT ROLE CAN WE PLAY IN, INTO SOLVING THESE ISSUES? SURE.
YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THAT, UH, THIS IS, UM, SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE DONE WITH, WITH, UH, COMPASSION AND SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO, UH, TO BALANCE.
AND IF THERE IS A CRIME HAPPENING IN OUR ENCAMPMENTS THAT REQUIRE LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM, UH, WE DO NEED THE SUPPORT OF OUR, UH, AGENCIES.
UM, AND, AND YOU HAD A, CAN YOU REPEAT WHAT, ASIDE FROM THE HELP YOU, YOU HAD MENTIONED SOMETHING, WELL, WITH WHAT YOU WERE JUST SAYING, NOW I CAN SPEAK FOR MY AGENT.
ONE OF OUR CORE VALUES IS THAT EVERY PERSON'S BE TREATED WITH LOVE, DIGNITY, AND RESPECT.
THAT IS, THAT IS A BASIC HUMAN NEED.
UM, BUT WHAT I'M ASKING IS, WHAT, WHAT CAN LAW ENFORCEMENT DO? UM, BECAUSE WE ARE, MY OFFICERS ARE ENGAGING WITH, UH, HOMELESS, UH, ON A REGULAR BASIS, AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET THEM THE HELP THAT THEY NEED, BUT WHAT, WHAT MORE CAN WE DO TO HELP, UH, SOMEONE LIKE YOURSELF OR OUR BOARDS TO STEER PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTIONS? WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION CAN WE PASS ALONG? UM, BECAUSE A LOT OF MY OFFICERS, THEY KNOW, UH, SOME OF THESE FOLKS BECAUSE THEY, THEY SEE 'EM ON A REGULAR BASIS.
SO THERE, THERE IS SOME SORT OF TRUST THAT'S BEEN BUILT BETWEEN OFFICERS AND THOSE THAT ARE LIVING ON THE STREETS.
SO, SO ONE, I THINK THERE, WE DO HAVE A GREAT RESOURCE OUT THERE WITH OUR CALLING THAT HAS A, A LITTLE GREEN, UH, UH, BOOK THAT HAS ALL OF THE VARIOUS PROVIDER AND AGENCIES ON WHERE TO SEEK, UM, HELP.
UH, SOMETHING THAT, THAT I DO WANT TO, UH, DO TO HELP LAW ENFORCEMENT THOUGH, IS GET MORE CLARITY ON A PAL AND, AND HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, OUR OFFICERS ARE OUT THERE ENGAGING WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, WHO MIGHT HAVE A MENTAL BREAKDOWN, WHO ARE RUNNING DOWN THE MIDDLE OF OUR, OUR STREET WHO ARE WEARING THREE JACKETS WHEN IT'S A HUNDRED PLUS DEGREES, OR THOSE INDIVIDUALS, UM, WHEN WE DO OPEN OUR INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTERS THAT REFUSE TO GO INTO SHELTER.
UM, AND THERE'S CLEAR, CLEARLY SOMETHING GOING ON.
AND SO I DO WANT TO GET A, A BETTER UNDERSTANDING ON HOW OUR LAW ENFORCEMENTS CAN ENGAGE WITH OUR COUNTY HOSPITALS WHEN IT COMES TO A PAL.
UM, I, I JUST, I, I THINK THERE'S A, A BREAKDOWN HAPPENING.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE, UH, THE QUESTION.
SO IF I MAY FOLLOW UP ON THAT, UM, I WOULD INVITE YOU TO COME, UH, COME VISIT WITH ME BECAUSE IN THE SOUTHEAST, UH, DALLAS REGION, UM, DALLAS COUNTY PROVIDED FUNDING FOR,
[00:50:01]
WE HAVE A RESPONSE TEAM BETWEEN THE CITIES OF SEVILLE, MESQUITE, SUNNYVILLE, AND B SPRINGS, UM, THAT IS AVAILABLE TO OUR OFFICERS FOR, UH, THIS RESPONSE TEAM TO COME OUT, UM, WHEN IT HAS TO DO WITH MENTAL ILLNESS, UH, GETTING FOLKS THE HELP THAT THEY NEED, UM, TO WHERE IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT AN OFFICER IS HAVING TO A PAL SOMEONE.UM, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A DIVERSION.
SO PLEASE, UH, PLEASE COME SEE HOW THIS IS WORKING.
UM, I CAN PUT YOU IN CONTACT WITH THE PERSON ON OUR, UM, RESPONSE TEAM.
UM, SHE'S AN EXCELLENT RESOURCE, UH, FOR JUST THAT QUESTION, SIR.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT AT THIS POINT THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE FIRST RESPONDERS AND PROBABLY OF ANY SEGMENT OF, UM, ALL OF THE, THE AGENCIES, ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE SERVICES TO HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS, THEY ARE THE ONES THAT ARE MOST CONSISTENTLY OUT THERE.
AND I'VE BEEN VERY IMPRESSED THAT IN THE LAST, YOU KNOW, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG CHIEF, BUT PROBABLY THE LAST 10 YEARS, THE AMOUNT OF TRAINING THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS RECEIVED IN, UM, MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES, SO THAT THEY ARE BETTER ABLE TO, UM, TO ADDRESS THE SITUATIONS THAT THEY FIND, THAT THEY FIND ON THE STREET WHEN YOU'RE DOING PATROL AND, YOU KNOW, THINGS ARE HAPPENING.
BUT YOU DO BRING UP AN IN INTERESTING SITUATION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM, HAVING TO HAVE THAT CONNECTION WITH ALL OF THE OTHER PARTNERS.
BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU RUN INTO SOMEBODY ON THE STREET WHO DOES NOT WANT TO GO INTO SHELTER? THEN WHAT DO WE DO? AND THOSE, UH, UH, THEN WE REALLY HAVE TO REACH OUT AND FIGURE OUT WHICH OF THE OTHER PARTNERS MIGHT HAVE THE TOOLS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UM, THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO BE MORE USEFUL IN THOSE SITUATIONS.
IS THAT KIND OF AN, UH, UH, AN ACCURATE ASSESSMENT OF HOW SOME OF THESE THINGS COME TOGETHER? UH, YEAH, COMMISSIONER, AND TO, TO FOLLOW UP ON YOUR, ON YOUR QUESTION AND STATEMENT THERE.
UM, THE MORE RESOURCES THAT YOUR LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRST RESPONDERS, FIREFIGHTERS HAVE, UH, TO DIRECT PEOPLE TO THE HELP THAT THEY NEED.
SO WHEN PEOPLE CALL 9 1 1, THEY DON'T, CITIZENS DON'T HAVE A LIST OF, OH, WELL THIS IS WHAT THE POLICE DO, OR THIS IS WHAT THE POLICE DON'T DO WHEN THEY DIAL 9 1 1, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR HELP.
THEY'RE CALLING HOPE IS WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
UM, SO OUR PHILOSOPHY IS THAT WE WILL DIRECT THEM WHEREVER IT IS THAT THEY NEED.
UM, BUT OFFICERS, ESPECIALLY HERE, WELL NATIONWIDE, THE, THE RESOURCES FOR OFFICERS, THE STAFFING LEVELS, UM, THERE'S SUCH A STRAIN RIGHT NOW WITHIN, UH, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY.
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO RESPOND TO THAT GROSS DEMAND OF CALLS FOR SERVICE, UH, THAT OUR CITIZENS NEED.
AND THEN YOU ADD ON TOP OF IT, UM, CALLS WHERE OFFICERS REALLY DON'T NEED TO BE INVOLVED.
YES, WE MAY NEED TO RESPOND, UH, BECAUSE OF A MINOR CRIME, CRIMINAL TRESPASSING, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
HOWEVER, THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS PERSON NEEDS.
THAT'S NOT THE HELP THEY NEED.
THEY DON'T NEED TO BE IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
SO THE MORE RESOURCES WE CAN GET, LIKE, UH, AS, AS YOU'RE AWARE OF THE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE FOR, UM, OUR SOUTHWEST REGIONAL RESPONSE, THAT RESPONSE GROUP, UM, WITH THE CARES TEAM HAS, HAS BEEN EXTREMELY HELPFUL.
AND NOW THEY'VE EXPANDED OURS TO WHERE, UM, WE CAN UTILIZE THEM TO COME OUT AND ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS.
WELL, I THINK THAT, UM, AS OFTEN HAPPENS, YOU BRING UP SOME VERY INTERESTING POINTS THAT WE PROBABLY NEED TO EXPLORE.
I WOULD LOVE TO LOOK AT HAVING SORT OF A MEETING DEDICATED TO HOW LAW ENFORCEMENT INTERACTS WITH HOMELESSNESS, AND, UM, MAYBE WE CAN WORK TOWARDS SOME ADDITIONAL, UM, SOLUTIONS AND IDEAS THAT MIGHT HELP EVERYONE.
UM, SO GIVEN THE TIME, I'M JUST GONNA SAY IT'S 1 22, WE'RE SORT OF RESERVED FOR ONE 30, AND I WANNA BE RESPECTFUL OF THAT.
UM, I FIRST WANNA SAY IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR CHAIR MORENO, I WANNA GO AHEAD AND TAKE THEM BECAUSE IT IS SPECIAL FOR US TO HAVE 'EM HERE.
UM, BUT IF NOT, THEN I WAS READY TO MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM CHAIR.
[00:55:01]
JUST, I, IF YOU, YOU'LL GIMME ONE MORE MINUTE, PLEASE.UM, I DO WANT TO, UH, THERE WAS A QUESTION EARLIER ABOUT THE, OUR UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS IN OUR DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY UPFRONT.
UM, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO GIVE CREDIT TO OUR, UM, OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS TEAMS WHO HAS, UM, DECOMMISSIONED THAT AREA OF THE LIBRARY.
AND SO WE DO STILL SEE FOLKS OUT THERE DURING, UH, OPERATION HOURS, BUT IN THE EVENING, ONCE THE LIBRARY'S CLOSED, THAT'S AN AREA THAT IS, UH, UH, WE, THAT'S NOT ALLOWED FOR, FOR ENCAMPMENT.
AND SO I WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR THEIR, FOR THEIR EFFORTS, UM, ON, ON, UH, ADDRESSING THE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES IN FRONT OF OUR LIBRARY.
UM, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND LEADING THIS EFFORT.
I, I APPRECIATE HOW YOU, UM, HAVE DUG INTO THIS ISSUE.
SO THE NEXT ITEM WE HAVE IS COST OF HOMELESSNESS AS AN ONGOING TRACKING.
UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE ACTUALLY, SO I'VE PASSED OUT A DOCUMENT, WE'VE GOT AN UPDATED VERSION, SO I'M JUST GONNA HOLD THAT FOR NEXT MONTH SINCE WE HAVE AN UPDATE AND SINCE WE'RE SHORT ON TIME ANYHOW, UM, ALONG WITH THAT DOCUMENT YOU HAVE, UM, WHAT WAS A RED LINE, BUT THE PHOTOCOPY AT THE BLACK LINE VERSION OF, UM, THIS DRAFT OF THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION BYLAWS.
THIS IS WHAT I WAS SAYING LAST MONTH, THAT IT'S PRETTY MESSY.
IT'S JUST SCRATCHING OUT THINGS.
UM, BUT AGAIN, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING IN THERE THAT WOULD SURPRISE YOU, BUT SINCE YOU'RE ONLY JUST GETTING THAT NOW, WHY DON'T WE GIVE YOU TIME TO LOOK AT IT AND IF EVERYONE CAN COME PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT IT IN NEXT MONTH'S MEETING, SINCE THIS MEETING IS REALLY ONLY SUPPOSED TO HAVE SIX MINUTES LEFT, UM, SO WOULD WELCOME ADDITIONAL CHANGES YOU'LL SEE ON A PAGE THAT'S NEAR THE BACK.
UM, IN FACT, IT'S PAGE FOUR WHERE I'VE GOT IT UNDERLINED WHERE THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE SORT OF, UM, FLUSHED OUT A LITTLE BIT.
I'M NOT MARRIED TO THE SUGGESTION.
I WAS JUST TRYING TO GIVE AN IDEA OF HOW THIS COULD WORK, UM, IN REALITY.
SO THE NEXT ITEM IS, UH, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I LEFT TIME FOR THIS, WHICH IS THE SYSTEM PERFORMANCE COMMITTEE.
UM, CHAIR DA DANIELS HAD ASKED THAT THIS BE INCLUDED.
UH, WE HAVE COVERED A LOT OF TERRITORY TODAY, BUT I DID WANNA MAKE NOTE TOO THAT IF A COUPLE OF EVENTS HAVE HAPPENED IN THE VERY RECENT PAST THAT WE MUST AT LEAST BE AWARE OF, AND THAT IS THAT THE PIT COUNT HAPPENED LAST WEEK, LAST THURSDAY NIGHT, AND I, THERE WERE A THOUSAND VOLUNTEERS THERE WHO WENT OUT OVER, UH, DALLAS COUNTY AND CULLEN COUNTY TO COUNT, UH, HOMELESS PEOPLE.
AND WE SHOULD HAVE THAT REPORT, UH, IN APRIL, UM, OVER TIME.
'CAUSE I THINK THIS IS, I THINK THIS IS ABOUT THE SEVENTH OR EIGHTH ONE THAT THE DALLAS AREA HAS DONE.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, IT, IT KIND OF FLUCTUATES A LITTLE BIT, BUT I THINK THAT IT ALSO COINCIDES TOO WITH, UH, WITH THE, THE, THE BIRTH OF THIS ORGANIZATION, THE PARTNERSHIP, YOU KNOW, AND PEOPLE HAVE ASKED, WELL, YOU KNOW, COULD WE STILL BE HERE? UM, WELL, I THINK THAT WE'RE NOW AT THE POINT WHERE BEING ABLE TO GATHER THIS INFORMATION, WE'RE NOW AT ALMOST THAT POINT OF, OF BEING ABLE TO, TO STEP OFF AND, UH, LOOK AT WHAT ARE THE PREVENTIONS, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS? AND I KNOW THAT, UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT, AT LEAST I'M HEADING UP A, A RESEARCH EFFORT TO LOOK AROUND THE COUNTRY.
WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE WORKING IN OTHER, UH, CITIES AND COUNTIES AND AREAS, AND WHICH OF THOSE, UM, ITEMS MIGHT BE APPLICABLE TO, TO US.
UM, ALSO WANTED TO MAKE COMMENT THAT, UH, YESTERDAY THERE WAS THE, UH, MEETING OF THE HOUSING FORWARD ANNUAL PLANNING, AND THAT WAS THE, THE GROUP THAT BETWEEN THE CITY OF DALLAS AND DALLAS COUNTY, WE BOTH PUT IN, YOU KNOW, $25 MILLION PLUS A VARIETY OF OTHER, UH, FUNDING SOURCES.
AND SO THEY HAVE BEEN THE LEAD AGENCY TO, UM, FIRST OF ALL CORRAL THE DATA AND SECOND OF ALL, TO BEGIN TO SEE WHERE THE AREAS THAT, UM, REQUIRE IMMEDIATE FOCUS AND MAKING A NOTE TO THAT.
FOR EXAMPLE, AUSTIN STREET IS THE ORGANIZATION THAT HAS STEPPED UP AND THEY HAVE BECOME THE CENTRAL COMMUNICATION POINT SAYING IT'S, YOU KNOW, GONNA BE 36 DEGREES TONIGHT AND RAINING.
YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE, UH, LOCATIONS THAT ARE OPEN AND THIS IS THEIR CAPACITY IN GETTING THAT WORD OUT TO, UM, THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
SO THAT, UH, THERE HAVE BEEN STEPS MOVING FORWARD.
UM, AS A COMMENT OF SPEAKING WITH A GOOD COUNCIL MEMBER A FEW MOMENTS AGO, NOTHING MOVES AS FAST AS WE WOULD LIKE IT TO.
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THAT THERE ARE NOT BIG, THAT THERE ARE NOT, UH, DISCUSSIONS AND, UH, ITEMS BEING LINED UP TO, UH, KEEP US OR PUT US IN A BETTER POSITION TO COMMUNICATE, TO GATHER THE, THE DATA INFORMATION TO ASSIST IN THAT DATA COLLECTION AND THEN TO, TO USE THAT TO, UH, TO THE ADVANTAGE OF THE, THE, THE WHOLE AREA.SO AS FAR AS WHAT'S GOING ON WITH SYSTEM PERFORMANCE, I MEAN, WE'RE STILL MOVING FORWARD.
NOT FAST ENOUGH, BUT MOVING FORWARD.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT, UM, CHAIRMAN MORENO AND I WENT AND VISITED THE INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTER.
UM, IT IS LED BY AUSTIN STREET.
THEY HAD RESPONDED TO THE, UM, RFP FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS.
WE FUND THAT EFFORT DOESN'T FULLY COVER THEIR COSTS.
UM, OUR CALLING IS ONE OF THE SUBCONTRACTORS.
MANY OF THE OTHER NONPROFITS, UM, FAMILY GATEWAY AND OTHERS, UM, STEP UP SHOWER TRUCKS WERE OUT THERE.
I'D NEVER SEEN THAT ONE BEFORE.
UM, BUT IT IS A ENORMOUS UNDERTAKING.
AND, UM, WE NEED ALL HANDS ON DECK.
MANY OF THE CHURCHES, THE TEXAS BAPTIST MEN, UM, WERE VERY IMPORTANT TO THAT EFFORT.
SO, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS IS WHERE IT TAKES THE WHOLE VILLAGE.
UM, BUT YES, PROFESSIONALLY HAVING THAT LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN WONDERFUL.
UM, AND I THINK FOLKS ARE TIRED.
I THINK THEY'RE TIRED FROM ICLE WEATHER SHELTERING, WHICH IS VERY, VERY TOLLING ON AN EXISTING OPERATION.
UM, AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, QUAN UNITED METHODIST, WONDERFUL PARTNER ALWAYS OPENING THEIR DOOR, UM, BUT THEY ALSO RELY ON VOLUNTEERS A LOT.
SO IF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN, IN BEING PART OF THAT, I KNOW I SPENT, UM, CHRISTMAS EVE ONE NIGHT THERE, UM, WITH FOLKS.
SO ALL THAT TO SAY, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO GET INVOLVED.
I DON'T THINK WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB OF, OF ENGAGING PEOPLE.
I DON'T THINK THAT WE TELL THEM ENOUGH ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING, HOW THEY COULD BE PART OF IT.
I THINK PEOPLE REALLY CARE ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THEY CARE ABOUT IT, WHETHER THEY'RE SEEING SOMEONE WHO'S PANHANDLING OR SOMEBODY WHO'S HOMELESS AND THEY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SAFE AND OKAY.
SO WITH THAT, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR THOUGHTS TODAY.
IT IS ONE 30 AND WE'LL PUT SOME OF THESE ITEMS BACK ON FOR GREATER DISCUSSION NEXT MONTH.