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[Veteran Affairs Commission on May 9, 2024.]
TODAY'S MAY THE NINTH.AND SO, UH, FIRST THING WE'LL DO IS WE'LL GET STARTED WITH THE, UH, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE OF ALLEGIANCE, MAYOR THE REPUBLIC.
NEXT ITEM, WE'RE GONNA DO THE ROLL CALL FOR THE COMMISSIONERS.
AND SO COMMISSIONER EAR IS HERE.
HERE, COMMISSIONER PRESIDIO, PRESENT, COMMISSIONER ROBESON ROBINSON.
COMMISSIONER GAYLORD SHERMAN, PRESENT, AND MS. GAYLAND, I'M SORRY, GAYLORD.
DOMINIQUE HASKET, COMMISSIONER DOMINIQUE HASKET.
COMMISSIONER RAMOS, COMMISSIONER STEVEN T. RAMOS, COMMISSIONER CHASE HERE.
COMMISSIONER COLE, PRESENT, COMMISSIONER RAY A SMITH, COMMISSIONER RAY A SMITH, AND COMMISSIONER PETER G. SMITH HERE.
FIRST ITEM ON AGENDA IS GONNA BE THE, UH, THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING ON THE APRIL.
WELL, IT WAS A SPECIAL MEETING ON APRIL THE 25TH, AND GIVE Y'ALL A FEW MINUTES TO, TO, UH, GO OVER THAT AND, AND BE AWARE THAT THOSE WERE SOME, UH, SUGGESTIONS OF MOTIONS MADE.
SO, SO LOOK TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS, UH, WHAT YOU WANTED TO SEE.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I HAVE ONE QUESTION MORE OF THE STAFF THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
UH, DID THE, DID THAT RESOLUTION GO TO THE COMMITTEE THAT, SO THE, THE WORKFORCE EDUCATION EQUITY COMMITTEE MEETING IS TO, UH, NEXT WEEK? YEAH.
AND THE WAY THAT IT'S GOING TO BE PRESENTED IS THAT IT'LL BE SUMMARIZED ALONG WITH THE FEEDBACK THAT WAS RECEIVED FROM THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS.
UM, AND I, I HAD SENT OUT AN EMAIL WITH SOME DETAILS, UH, ABOUT THAT.
BUT THAT MEETING IS ON THE 19TH, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
13TH 13, YOU SAID THE 13TH? 13TH, YES.
SO, UH, YOU ALSO SAID, I THINK IN THOSE, THAT EMAIL THAT THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO, UH, TESTIMONY, SO TO SPEAK, NO PRESENTATIONS.
SO I, I HAD TO CLARIFY BECAUSE I THINK MAYBE I, UH, OVERP SPOKE AND, UH, IT TURNS OUT THAT THEY GENERALLY DON'T HAVE LIKE A BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN WHOEVER THERE IS OF, OF THE PUBLIC, RATHER, IT'S PRESENTATIONS FROM WHOEVER IT IS OF DEPARTMENTS, UH, TO THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, BUT IF ANYTHING, UH, CHRISTINA WHO IS HERE MAY BETTER BE ABLE TO CLARIFY.
I'LL ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE CHAIR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SCHULTZ, WHO OVERSEES THAT COMMITTEE.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, SHE, SHE MAY RECOGNIZE THAT US COMMISSIONERS ATTEND, AND, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING SHE WON'T, BUT IT'S UP TO HER ULTIMATELY TO MAKE NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT I, THE REASON I ASK IS I'M HAP I'M HAPPY TO GO DOWN AND WATCH THE COMMITTEE, UH, ON BEHALF OF THIS COMMISSION TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH OUR RESOLUTION, IF THAT'S OKAY WITH THE CHAIRMAN.
THAT WAS COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER CHASE, UM, AND I FORGOT TO MENTION, UH, MAKE SURE THAT YOU, UH, MENTION YOUR NAME AND YOUR DISTRICT SO IT'LL BE CLEAR, BECAUSE WE'LL BE, WE'RE BEING RECORDED.
AND I HAVEN'T, UH, KEPT UP THAT VERY WELL.
SO, AGAIN, WE WILL, UH, THIS IS COMMISSIONER CHASE.
WE HAVEN'T, WE HAVEN'T, UH, UH, MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON
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NEXT MONDAY, AND I DON'T THINK WE NEED A, A RESOLUTION AT ALL, OR EVEN IN THE MINUTES FOR ME TO SAY, I'LL BE THERE AND WATCH OVER THE RESOLUTION, IF THAT'S OKAY WITH EVERYBODY.I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT REQUIRES A VOTE.
I MAKE A MO REQUIRE A VOTE OR MOTION, SO, SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
THE MOTION'S BEEN MADE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES, AND IT'S BEEN SECOND.
SO NOW WE HAVE OUR GUEST, UH, I DON'T KNOW, UH, WHO, WHO WANTS TO START THOUGH, BUT YOU KNOW, Y'ALL, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO START YOUR, YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, UM, IT'S A VETERANS COMMUNITY PROJECT.
UM, I, I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THESE, THESE, THESE, UH, IS OR ITEMS, BUT, UH, I THINK YOU'LL, YOU'LL GIVE US A, A BETTER STORY OR A BETTER OUTLOOK ON WHAT, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.
I THINK ACTUALLY, UH, WE'RE GONNA START WITH A BRIEF VIDEO BECAUSE IT GIVES A REALLY GREAT ORIENTATION TO THE ORGANIZATION, AND THEN I'LL, UH, I'LL COME BACK UP AND, AND CONTINUE ON WITH THE PRESENTATION.
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ALL RIGHT.UH, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE VIDEO, MY NAME IS BRIAN MEYER.
I'M ONE OF THE CO-FOUNDERS AND THE CEO OF VETERANS COMMUNITY PROJECT.
BUT I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE WORTHWHILE, AND THIS IS NOT IN THE PRESENTATION, UH, TO, TO JUST GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF MORE ABOUT MY BACKGROUND AND BACKGROUND OF THE ORGANIZATION BRIEFLY.
UH, SO I WAS IN THE MARINE CORPS FROM 2001, 2006, DEPLOYED IRAQ TWICE.
UH, AFTER I GOT OUTTA THE MARINE CORPS, UH, LIKE SO MANY OTHER VETERANS, I, I HAD MY OWN STRUGGLES.
UH, THOSE STRUGGLES FOR ME CULMINATED A POINT IN TIME IN MY LIFE WHERE I WAS STANDING IN FRONT OF A JUDGE AND THIS JUDGE IS TELLING ME, HEY, YOU CAN GO ENROLL IN COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
YOU CAN GET SOME COUNSELING, OR, I'M GONNA STICK YOU IN JAIL FOR A LITTLE BIT.
I WAS ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
GOT ENROLLED IN COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
FAST FORWARD A NUMBER OF YEARS, UH, HAD MY MBA WAS GETTING READY TO GRADUATE LAW SCHOOL, AND I WAS SITTING DOWN, I WAS ASKED TO DELIVER THE COMMENCEMENT SPEECH AT OUR LAW SCHOOL GRADUATION.
AND I WAS SITTING DOWN, I WAS WRITING THAT SPEECH AND REALIZING AT A CERTAIN POINT IN TIME, STANDING IN FRONT OF THAT JUDGE, A STEP LEFT A STEP, RIGHT? I'M A VERY DIFFERENT PERSON, SO I WANNA DO SOMETHING TO GIVE BACK TO OTHER VETERANS WHO MAYBE DIDN'T GET THE SAME OPPORTUNITY.
SO, ACTUALLY STARTED NONPROFIT, FOCUSED AROUND GETTING VETERANS FREE LEGAL SERVICES.
BUT THROUGH THAT WORK, IT REALLY OPENED MY EYES TO THE ISSUES AROUND VETERAN HOMELESSNESS.
MEANING WE ALL KNOW, YOU ALL KNOW, UH, IT'S AN ISSUE.
VETERANS ARE OVERREPRESENTED IN THE HOMELESS POPULATION.
I KNEW ALL THAT, BUT I DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BARRIERS CHALLENGES WERE FROM INDIVIDUAL AND SYSTEMATIC LEVELS.
LUCKILY FOR ME, I MET A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE AROUND THE KANSAS CITY AREA, INCLUDING SOME COUNCIL PEOPLE, ONE OF WHICH IS HERE WITH ME TODAY.
SOME OTHER GUYS WHO ARE NOW THE CO-FOUNDERS OF THE ORGANIZATION.
ALL VETS ALL WANNA DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
SO WE CAME UP WITH THIS IDEA FOR VETERANS COMMUNITY PROJECT TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, OFFERING WRAPAROUND CASE MANAGEMENT ON SITE TO WORK WITH THESE INDIVIDUALS EVERY DAY, GET 'EM BACK ON THEIR FEET, ADDRESS THOSE UNDER ISSUES OF HOMELESSNESS, AND THEN FIND 'EM THAT LONG-TERM PERMANENT HOUSING SOLUTION.
WELL, IT WAS ABOUT THE SUMMER 2016, ME AND THE OTHER CO-FOUNDERS REALIZED IF WE WANT THIS TO BE ANY MORE THAN A GOOD IDEA ON A PIECE OF PAPER, WE GOTTA BE THE FIRST ONES TO GO ALL IN.
SO THAT SUMMER MEETING, THE OTHER CO-FOUNDERS ALL QUIT OUR FULL-TIME JOBS.
I LEFT MY LAW FIRM, AND WE STARTED WORKING OUT OF EACH OTHER'S KITCHENS EVERY DAY, PULLING TOGETHER WHATEVER FUNDS WE COULD.
AND THAT'S HOW WE GOT THE FIRST VILLAGE STOOD
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UP IN KANSAS CITY.AND I'LL KIND OF TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT LATER, BUT TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I NEVER ANTICIPATED THAT I'D BE STANDING HERE OR ANY OTHER CITY.
I JUST WANTED TO DO SOMETHING REALLY GOOD FOR KANSAS CITY.
BUT WE STARTED HAVING THAT SUCCESS AND THEN LOOKED AT OURSELVES AND SAID, WELL, WE HAVE AN ABILITY TO HELP.
DOESN'T THAT KIND OF CONFER A DUTY TO TRY? SO SOME OF THE INFORMATION IN THIS SLIDE, I WASN'T SURE IF WE'D BE ABLE TO PLAY THE VIDEO, SO IT'S, UH, IT'S DUPLICATIVE.
SO I'LL, I'LL, I'LL JUST KIND OF MOVE THROUGH IT.
I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT PRESUME TO EDUCATE THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE ABOUT HOMELESS ISSUES HERE IN DALLAS.
I JUST WANTED TO HAVE A SLIDE.
THERE IS A, IS A BENCHMARK, AND, UH, I ALSO DO UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT THAT INCREASE LAST YEAR OVER THIS YEAR WAS PROBABLY DUE BECAUSE THERE WAS A SHARP DECREASE ONE YEAR.
BUT THIS IS ACTUALLY MORE KIND OF THE, THE AVERAGE YEAR OVER YEAR FOR, FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
UM, YOU GUYS KNOW ALL THIS STUFF.
SOME OF THIS WAS ADDRESSED IN IT, SO WE CAN MOVE, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON DOWN.
SO, AGAIN, I GAVE YOU GUYS THE BACKGROUND OF THE ORGANIZATION.
WE'RE A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION FOUNDED BY A HANDFUL OF COMBAT VETS IN KANSAS CITY.
UM, I THINK WHAT I WANT TO DO IS KIND OF MOVE TO THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF WHAT WE DO, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK I NEED TO HARP AND, AND, AND, AND BRING UP THE IMPORTANCE OF ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE WITH, WITH THIS GROUP.
SO, IF POSSIBLE, COULD WE GO AHEAD AND JUST JUMP DOWN TO ABOUT SLIDE SEVEN, OR I'M SORRY, NINE.
SO YOU GUYS SAW THIS IN THE VIDEO.
I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT, BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE HEAR THAT WORD, TINY HOME, SOMETHING COMES TO THEIR MIND, RIGHT? THEY, THEY HAVE A PREDETERMINED, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THIS NORMALLY THE THING OF THAT THING ON WHEELS OR, YOU KNOW, PALLET SHELTERS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
FOR US AS VETERANS, WE DID NOT BELIEVE THAT THAT WAS UP TO THE DIGNITY LEVEL STANDARDS THAT WE WANTED FOR OTHER VETERANS.
SO OUR HOMES HERE ARE BUILT SLAB ON GRADE.
THEY'RE STICK BUILT, THEY'RE CONNECTED TO CITY UTILITIES.
THEY MEET EVERY MODERN BUILDING CODE AND STANDARD.
THAT BIG COMMERCIAL FACILITY RIGHT THERE, THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT ALL WORK.
THAT'S WHERE THE CASE MANAGERS WORK OUT OF EVERY SINGLE DAY.
SO, NOT ONLY DOES THAT HOUSE, ALL THE CASE MANAGER OFFICES, THERE'S A LARGE GATHERING SPACE, COMMERCIAL KITCHEN, MEDICAL CLINIC, DENTAL CLINIC, VETERINARY CLINIC, UH, AND ACTUALLY THAT ONE HAS A KIND OF TECHNOLOGY CENTER IN IT AS WELL.
IF WE COULD GO ONE MORE SIDE, I WANNA TELL, UH, I WANNA TELL YOU GUYS THOUGH, WHY WE WENT WITH THE TINY HOME MODEL, RIGHT? UH, AGAIN, BEING A VETERAN, HAVING MY OWN STRUGGLES, ALL THE OTHER CO-FOUNDERS WERE THE SAME WAY.
WE DIDN'T PRESUME TO KNOW WHY VETERANS WERE OUT ON THE STREET, WHY THEY WERE HOMELESS, OR WHY, HEY, UH, THAT SHELTER HAS AN AVAILABLE BED.
WHY AREN'T YOU TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT? OR, THAT PROGRAM OVER THERE HAS SOME AVAILABILITY.
WHY AREN'T YOU, YOU KNOW, ACCESSING THOSE SERVICES? THROUGH THAT FEEDBACK, I, I CAN KIND OF BOIL IT ALL DOWN TO THREE MAIN THINGS, UH, PEOPLE, PROPERTY AND PETS.
SO PEOPLE, WHO AM I GONNA BE AROUND, RIGHT? WHAT, WHAT'S THE COMMUNITY AROUND ME GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, UH, STRANGERS, I, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT POPULATION MIGHT BE IN THAT SHELTER OR THAT GROUP LIVING FACILITY, UH, PROPERTY.
AM I SECURING MY PHYSICAL PROPERTY AND MY PERSONAL PROPERTY, RIGHT? A LOT OF THESE GROUP LIVING SITUATIONS, THINGS LIKE THAT, UNFORTUNATELY, THEFT, VIOLENCE, UH, TEND, TEND TO INCREASE.
AND THE LAST ONE, WHICH IS A SEVERELY OVERLOOKED ONE, IS PETS, RIGHT? WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH MY ANIMAL IF, IF, IF I ENTER INTO THAT FACILITY? THE TINY HOME IMMEDIATELY FIXES ALL THREE OF THOSE, EVERYBODY TO YOUR LEFT AND YOUR RIGHT IS A VETERAN.
SO YOU HAVE SOME CONNECTION OF SHARED EXPERIENCES.
YOUR PHYSICAL PROPERTY IS SAFE, YOUR PERSONAL PROPERTY IS SAFE.
YOU HAVE A FRONT DOOR THAT LOCKS.
YOU HAVE YOUR OWN BATHROOM, YOUR OWN KITCHENETTE.
NOT ONLY THAT, YOU HAVE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES RIGHT THERE ON SITE.
YOUR CASE MANAGER WORKS THERE EVERY SINGLE DAY, SO THEY'RE THERE IF YOU NEED THEM AT ANY POINT IN TIME.
AND THEN OF COURSE, PETS, THE TINY HOME ITSELF, UH, UH, ALLOWS FOR PETS.
I'M SO USED TO HAVING THE CLICKER GUYS.
IT'S KIND OF THROWING ME OFF HERE.
THESE ARE, THESE ARE JUST SOME VISUALS BECAUSE I, I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO JUST KIND OF SEE IT ALL FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES.
UM, IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO BUILD
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SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD WANNA LIVE NEXT TO OURSELVES.UH, THIS, THIS ONE'S IMPORTANT FOR ME THOUGH.
VCP IS A LOT OF THINGS, BUT WE'RE NOT A MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY.
WE'RE NOT A SHELTER, AND WE'RE NOT A BANDAID.
IT'S A LONG-TERM PERMANENT FIX THAT TAKES A LOT OF HARD WORK TO DO.
THERE ARE ALREADY INCREDIBLE MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS OUT THERE.
THERE'S ALREADY PEOPLE OPERATING SHELTER.
WE'RE NOT HERE TO REPLACE, WE ARE HERE TO COMPLIMENT WHAT THEY'RE ALREADY DOING AND, AND BE ANOTHER PART OF THE OVERALL SOLUTION, RIGHT? WE CAN GO ON, UH, I'LL LET YOU GUYS ALLOW YOU GUYS TO SEE THE INSIDE OF THE HOMES THEMSELVES.
MOST OF THESE HOMES RANGE FROM 240 SQUARE FEET TO 360.
UH, THE 360 SQUARE FOOT ONES ARE WHAT WE CALL OUR FAMILY UNITS.
UM, MEANING THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THAT INDIVIDUAL IS, UH, YOU KNOW, HOMELESS WITH A FAMILY, WE'RE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT MORE THAN, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT.
WHAT HAPPENS IS, UH, WE HAVE A VETERAN MOVE IN, AND BECAUSE THEY HAVE THAT FRONT DOOR THAT LOCKS THAT PRIVATE BATHROOM, THE INDIVIDUALIZED SPACE, AND THE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES ON SITE, ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY'RE STARTING TO GET, UH, CUSTODY AND VISITATION RIGHTS BACK AND, YOU KNOW, FAMILY MEMBERS THAT THEY'VE BEEN DISPLACED FROM FOR HOWEVER MANY YEARS, YOU KNOW, COMING TO VISIT AND HANG OUT.
SO, OFTENTIMES, IF THAT'S THE SITUATION, WE'LL, WE'LL PLACE THAT VETERAN IN A FAMILY UNIT.
I KIND OF HIT ON THIS EARLIER, BUT I, I DO BELIEVE THAT INVESTING IN THE CORRECT INFRASTRUCTURE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS INVESTING IN THE RIGHT PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT FOR IT.
YOU KNOW, I KIND OF HIT ON THE ISSUES ON THE, UH, THE FEEDBACK AROUND WHY INDIVIDUALS MAY BE RELUCTANT TO ENGAGE IN SOME OF THESE OTHER FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND EVERYTHING WE'VE DONE HAS BEEN TAILORED TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS.
SO THIS IS SOME OF, UH, SOME, SOME OF THE STATS WE'RE KIND OF PROUD OF HERE.
AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAYS, UH, VETERANS LIVE IN THE VILLAGE, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, RIGHT NOW, OUR, UH, SWEET SPOT IS MORE ABOUT 14 TO 16 MONTHS, THE ONE THAT WE PROMOTE ALL THE TIME, RIGHT? I JUST WANNA REINFORCE IT, EVEN THOUGH I SAID IT IN THE VIDEO.
YOU KNOW, MOST TRANSITIONAL LIVING FACILITIES, SHELTERS, THINGS LIKE THAT, UH, IF THEY'RE TRANSITIONING 25% OF THE PEOPLE THEY'RE WORKING WITH INTO SOME SORT OF LONG-TERM PERMANENT HOUSING SOLUTION, IT'S A REALLY GOOD YEAR FOR THEM.
UH, EVER SINCE WE'VE OPENED ACROSS THE BOARD, 85% OF ALL VETERANS WE'VE EVER WORKED WITH HAVE FOUND THAT LONG-TERM PERMANENT HOUSING SOLUTION.
NOW, THAT'S, THAT'S AVERAGE ACROSS ALL SITES.
I AM REALLY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT LAST YEAR, OUR, OUR FLAGSHIP KANSAS CITY, 95% OF ALL THE VETERANS THEY WORKED WITH FOUND LONG-TERM PERMANENT HOUSING SOLUTION.
SO WE, WE SAW WORK TO DO, WE WANT TO GET BETTER, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE PROUD OF THAT.
AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S NOT JUST THE HOUSE ITSELF, RIGHT? THE HOUSE IS THE PLATFORM TO DELIVER THE SERVICES, BUT TO GIVE YOU GUYS A LITTLE BIT OF INSIGHT, WE CREATE CASE MANAGEMENT PLANS AROUND EACH INDIVIDUAL'S NEED.
NOT EVERYBODY'S HOMELESS FOR THE SAME REASONS, RIGHT? BUT WE DO BASE IT OFF FIVE PILLARS.
SO UP HERE ARE THE FIVE DIFFERENT PILLARS, HEALTH AND WELLBEING, INCOME STABILITY, FISCAL UNDERSTANDING, EDUCATION, TRAINING, NETWORK OF SUPPORT.
WE ASSESS THESE INDIVIDUALS IN A AND BASICALLY ASSIGN A POINT SCALE ONE TO 10 WITH INSIDE EACH, EACH OF THE FIVE PILLARS.
FROM THAT, WE GET AN AGGREGATE SCORE, WHICH WE CALL OUR PERMANENT HOUSING READINESS SCORE.
WE'VE LEARNED OVER TIME THAT ONCE INDIVIDUALS HIT A CERTAIN PERMANENT HOUSING READINESS SCORE, THAT THEY'RE MORE THAN LIKELY GONNA BE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABLE WHEN THEY MOVE OUT, AND THAT'S WHEN WE START TO LOOK FOR THEIR NEXT LONG-TERM SOLUTION.
I ALWAYS LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THIS BECAUSE COMMUNITIES IN OUR MIDDLE NAME FOR A REASON, WE'RE HERE, NOT JUST TO, UH, RECONNECT VETERANS BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY, BUT TO RECONNECT THE COMMUNITY TO VETERANS, RIGHT? I, I, I THINK EVERYBODY IN GENERAL HAS THAT GOODWILL AND WANTS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE, BUT SO OFTEN AT AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL, THEY SAY, WELL, VETERAN HOMELESSNESS JUST SEEMS LIKE TOO LARGE OF AN ISSUE FOR ME TO TACKLE AT MY LEVEL, RIGHT? THAT'S A FEDERAL ISSUE.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE HANDLED OUTSIDE OF ME.
WHAT WE SAY IS, NO, WE CAN COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY, AS A MUNICIPALITY AND FIX IT IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT ON SOMEBODY ELSE TO GET THAT DONE,
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IS JUST LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, UH, ALL THE THINGS WE DO.AGAIN, THERE'S SO MANY GREAT OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS OUT THERE DOING GREAT WORK.
YES, WE EMPLOY THE CASE MANAGERS, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO A LOT OF THE OTHER SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, WE'RE JUST WORKING WITH OTHER EXISTING AGENCIES AND WE'RE BRINGING THEM IN.
EARLIER I MENTIONED MEDICAL SUITE, DENTAL SUITE, VETERINARY CLINIC, BUT WE DON'T EMPLOY DENTISTS, DOCTORS, VETERINARIANS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE GO FIND THEM IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE WILLING TO GIVE BACK AND THEN GIVE THEM THE FACILITY TO COME IN AND DONATE THEIR SERVICES, NOT ONLY PRIVATELY, BUT OTHER SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES.
I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS REAL QUICK BECAUSE, UH, I, I FEEL VERY FORTUNATE TO EVEN BE HERE AND, AND PRESENT TO YOU AND, AND MAKE YOU AWARE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
BUT WHEN WE STARTED IN 2016, WE WERE IN, UH, KANSAS CITY, UH, WITH THAT 85% SUCCESS RATE.
A LOT OF OTHER CITIES STARTED REACHING OUT TO US AND ACTIVELY RECRUITING US.
SO THAT'S HOW WE EXPANDED, RIGHT? IT'S JUST ONE, I'M JUST MAYBE GETTING AHEAD OF A QUESTION HERE.
PEOPLE WILL ASK ME, YOU KNOW, HOW DID YOU CHOOSE THOSE LOCATIONS? WELL, HONESTLY, THEY CHOSE US.
NOT ONLY THAT, BECAUSE THE NEED IS EVERYWHERE, BUT THE SCALE OF THE NEED IS DIFFERENT.
WE JUST TAILOR THE SIZE OF THE VILLAGE TO THE NEED OF EACH COMMUNITY.
SO WE'RE OBVIOUSLY IN KANSAS CITY, THAT'S ALSO WHERE THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE ORGANIZATION IS, ST.
LOUIS, SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA, BOULDER COUNTY, COLORADO.
WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING IN OKLAHOMA CITY, MILWAUKEE, AND MOST RECENTLY, GLENDALE, WHICH IS, UH, GONNA SERVE THE GREATER PHOENIX, ARIZONA.
UH, AGAIN, I FEEL FORTUNATE TO STAY HERE BECAUSE THOSE RED DOTS THERE.
UM, LONG BEFORE WE EVER MET
UH, THAT'S, THAT'S FOR MANY DIFFERENT REASONS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO, JUST WANTED TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT THAT WITH YOU GUYS.
I'VE PROBABLY GONE WAY OVER MY TIME, HAVE NOT TALKED ABOUT EVERYTHING I'M SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT, BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT WE HAD QUESTION AND ANSWER TIME SET UP, WHICH I USUALLY FIND TO BE THE MOST PRODUCTIVE, BECAUSE OUT OF ALL THE THINGS I SAID, CERTAIN THINGS ARE GONNA BE OF INTEREST TO CERTAIN PEOPLE, OTHER THINGS AREN'T.
AND I MIGHT NOT HAVE ADDRESSED THINGS THAT YOU'RE REALLY WANTING TO, TO KIND OF ASK ME ABOUT ANYWAY.
SO, UH, IF IT'S OKAY AT, AT THIS TIME, I CAN KIND OF OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
MR. CHAIRMAN? UH, CAN I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS? GOT THE FLOOR.
I HAD A COUPLE OF KIND OF BASIC QUESTIONS.
FIRST, YOU SAID IN KANSAS CITY, YOU, UM, SEIZED THE INITIATIVE YOURSELF AND MM-HMM,
I GUESS WHAT WOULD, WHAT WAS, WHAT DID YOU HAVE, HOW MUCH DID YOU HAVE TO RAISE TO DO THAT FIRST PROJECT? AND I ALSO, WHAT'S THE SIZE OF THAT PROJECT? YEAH, UH, GREAT QUESTION.
SO THE LAND WAS PURCHASED FOR $500 IN THE CITY.
UH, SO THERE WASN'T A, A, A GREAT LAND EXPENSE THERE.
THE SIZE OF THE PROJECT IS 49 HOMES.
THE COMMERCIAL BUILDING IS 5,000 SQUARE FEET.
THAT PROJECT WE RAISED BETWEEN SIX AND A HALF AND $7 MILLION FOR THE FIRST ONE, I HAVE TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, AT THAT VERY EARLY STAGE, IT WAS ME AND A HANDFUL OF OTHER GUYS THAT WERE KIND OF RUNNING AROUND LIKE FIRE, UM, AND MAYBE WEREN'T TRACKING ALL OF OUR EXPENSES THE WAY THAT WE DO NOW.
SO I, I WISH I COULD BE A LITTLE MORE ACCURATE ON THE FIRST VILLAGE, BUT WAS IT, UH, PRIVATE CONTRIBUTIONS OR WAS THERE, UH, STATE OR FEDERAL FUNDING? NO.
SO THIS IS, UH, TH THIS IS THE POINT THAT I WAS GONNA WAIT UNTIL THE QUESTION I ANSWER THE HIGHLIGHT, BECAUSE IT, IT, IT DRAWS OUT QUESTIONS.
ONE OF THE VERY UNIQUE THINGS ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION IS WE, WE HAVE TO DATE PRIVATELY, OR I'LL SAY IT DIFFERENTLY, WE HAVE STAYED AWAY FROM ALL FEDERAL DOLLARS.
I'VE BEEN OFFERED HUD DOLLARS.
UH, THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THE STRINGS THAT GET ATTACHED TO 'EM WILL AFFECT THE PROGRAMMATIC WAY THAT WE GO ABOUT THINGS, RIGHT? SO THINGS LIKE, WE KEEP OUR CASE MANAGER RATIO SMALLER.
UH, WE DON'T PUT A HARD CAP ON HOW LONG SOMEBODY CAN STAY THERE.
UH, THERE, THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO WE GENERALLY, ESPECIALLY THE FIRST COUPLE VILLAGES, PRIVATELY FUNDRAISED EVERYTHING.
NOW WE HAVE MOVED INTO ACCEPTING STATE AND COUNTY DOLLARS BECAUSE THEY GENERALLY WILL NOT AFFECT OUR PROGRAMMING.
SO IS THERE A BASIC, HAVE YOU, HAVE YOU STUDIED DALLAS ENOUGH TO KNOW WHAT IT WOULD COST TO DO DALLAS? WHAT, WHAT DO YOU WANNA DO IN DALLAS? WELL, IT, IT WOULD BE TO BE, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I THINK THAT DALLAS MIGHT
[00:30:01]
BE A PLACE THAT WOULD DO SOMETHING THAT I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, I MENTIONED KANSAS CITY'S 49 HOMES.I THINK THAT IF, IF YOU BUILT A COMMUNITY OVER 50 HOMES, YOU WOULD LOSE ONE OF THE ASPECTS THAT MAKES US GREAT, WHICH IS THE COMMUNITY.
SO YOU, YOU, THE BUILD, THE LARGEST YOU'D WANT TO BUILD IS AROUND 50, BUT THERE ARE COMMUNITIES, ST.
LOUIS MIGHT BE ONE AS WELL, THAT WOULD PROBABLY NEED TWO FACILITIES IN A SHARED SERVICES CENTER, COST OF A SINGLE FACILITY.
IF I WAS JUST, I, I HAVE NOT DONE, UH, UH, ENOUGH RESEARCH TO, TO ACTUALLY FIGURE IT OUT.
BUT IF I WAS GONNA POINT, I PROBABLY POINT AROUND THE $15 MILLION MARK, BUT THAT'S ALSO MARKET RATE, AND THAT'S HOW I HAVE TO PLAN EVERYTHING.
BUT WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE THAT CONTRACTORS, SUPPLIERS, VOLUNTEERISM, THINGS LIKE THAT SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE OUR COSTS AT THE END OF THE DAY.
SO, I GOT ONE OR TWO MORE QUICK QUESTIONS.
ONE, UM, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR, UH, UH, RESIDENTS ARE OVER THE AGE OF 60, LET'S SAY THE MAJORITY OF OUR RESIDENT, LIKE THE MAJORITY ARE OVER, SO YOU'RE KIND OF HITTING THAT 60 PLUS, BUT THAT MAJORITY IS JUST SLIGHTLY ABOVE 50%, AND IT'S STARTING TO DECLINE.
WE'RE STARTING TO SEE, UM, A LOT OF VETERANS FROM MY ERA, OR IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN, START TO COME THROUGH THE DOOR.
MY LAST, UH, IS REALLY A COMMENT ON THAT, IS THAT I THINK DALLAS, UH, DOESN'T HAVE A REPUTATION FOR BEING PRETTY EASY TO DEAL WITH IN TERMS OF TINY HOUSING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS,
UH, UM, PRE, UH, JUAN CRITO, DISTRICT TWO, UM, SO WHAT KIND OF MARKETING GOES INTO, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO ADVERTISE THE SERVICES THAT YOU PROVIDE? UM, AND WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, PROVIDING HOUSING FOR THESE VETERANS, UM, DO YOU GUYS GO INTO THE STREETS OR DO YOU GUYS PUT UP BILLBOARDS? WHAT KIND OF MARKETING GOES INTO THAT? YEAH, GREAT QUESTION.
UM, ALL, ALL OF THE ABOVE, WHAT YOU SAID, AND A LITTLE BIT MORE.
SO WE HAVE, UM, SPECIFIC PROGRAMMING AROUND WHAT WE CALL OUTREACH.
SO IT'S NOT ONLY OUTREACH DIRECTLY INTO CAMPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT IT'S OUTREACH TO THE OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS, THE CONTINUUM OF CARE, WORKING WITH THEM, WORKING WITH THE VA, SPREADING THE MESSAGE THERE.
WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY PUT UP BILLBOARDS AND MARKETS BEFORE, UM, JUST TO MAKE THE, THE INDIVIDUAL UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE AVAILABLE FOR THEM.
UH, BUT NOT ONLY THAT, WE GOTTA DO A LITTLE ADDITIONAL MARKETING AND EDUCATION ON IT, BECAUSE MANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS, UM, ARE, ARE, ARE WEARY OF THOSE, THOSE TYPES OF PROMISES WHEN WE TELL THEM, HEY, YOU'RE GONNA STAY HERE FOR FREE.
THERE'S NO RENT, YOU'RE NOT PAYING UTILITIES, YOU'RE NOT PAYING FOR CASE MANAGEMENT.
YOUR JOB IS TO WORK THE CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
IT'S, IT'S, SOMETIMES IT TAKES A LITTLE MORE UNDERSTANDING THAN WHAT THEY'RE TRADITIONALLY USED TO.
AND ALSO THE FACT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO SERVE ANY VETERAN WHO'S EVER TAKEN AN OATH TO SERVE OUR COUNTRY.
WE'RE NOT CONFINED BY THE VA DEFINITIONS OF VETERAN.
WE CAN LITERALLY WORK WITH ANYONE TO INCLUDE NATIONAL GUARD, WHICH IS A VERY OVERLOOKED VETERAN POPULATION.
AND I HAVE A SECOND QUESTION FOR THAT.
OH, WHAT'S THE VACANCY RATE FOR THESE TINY HOMES? ARE THEY ALWAYS A HUNDRED PERCENT, 90%? WHAT ARE WE LOOKING? WE TRY, WE STRIVE TO KEEP IT AT ABOUT 85%.
NOW, THAT'S NOT BECAUSE OF DEMAND NECESSARILY.
IT'S SO THAT WE HAVE UNITS TO BE RESPONSIVE TO EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, ONE PERSON WHO WENT THROUGH OUR PROGRAM WHO'S NOW ACTUALLY A, A, A DONOR TO OUR PROGRAM, WHICH IS, IS VERY INTERESTING.
UM, HE WAS A 80-YEAR-OLD KOREAN WAR VET.
UH, HIS HOUSE BURNED DOWN AND HE WENT FROM HOME OWNERSHIP OVERNIGHT TO HOMELESS WITH A DOG.
AND HE HAD SOME HEALTH CONCERNS.
HE CAME IN TO SEE US, AND LUCKILY, BECAUSE OF HOW WE OPERATE, UH, OUR CASE MANAGERS DIDN'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR A PROCESS.
THEY WERE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THE SITUATION.
AND THAT NIGHT, WALKED HIM DOWN, PUT HIM IN A TINY HOME, AND THEN THE NEXT DAY STARTED TO WORK WITH HIM, UH, TO, TO GET HIM BACK ON HIS FEET.
SO WE, WE TRIED TO, I, I WOULD NOT HESITATE TO FILL IT IF THE SITUATION CALL CALLED FOR IT, BUT INTERNALLY WE TRY TO KEEP IT AROUND 85%.
UM, THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE.
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR COMING TO DALLAS AND GIVING THIS WONDERFUL PRESENTATION.
UM, AS A RECENT VETERAN THAT TRANSITION ABOUT LESS THAN FIVE YEARS AGO, I KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO FIND HOUSING, GET ALL THE SERVICES.
UM, BUT YEAH, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT, GREAT IDEA.
AND THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE, CO COMM, COMMISSIONER AERS,
[00:35:01]
MY QUESTION IS HOW DOES THIS, HOW DOES THIS GET STARTED? HOW DO YOU GET INVITED? COME TO DALLAS, FOR EXAMPLE.IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT EVERYWHERE, BUT THE, THE THREE CORE TENETS OF HOW OF WHEN WE GO TO A NEW CITY, WHAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT, IT'S LAND, SOME LEVEL OF MUNICIPAL SUPPORT.
BECAUSE IF, IF, IF THE CITY DOESN'T WANT US, THEN, YOU KNOW, WE, IT, IT'S A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
WE, WE WANNA WORK WITH THEM AND THEN PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT.
SO, YOU KNOW, FOR INSTANCE, UH, WE, WE HAD SOME, SOME GREAT PEOPLE ON THE PHILANTHROPIC SIDE FROM DALLAS, UH, THAT, THAT HAVE A LEVEL OF INTEREST IN IT.
SO WE WANTED TO EN ENGAGE IN THAT.
AND I WILL, I WILL BE CLEAR, THIS IS, UM, I'M GONNA BE HONEST, THIS IS MY FIRST TRIP DOWN HERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN THE VERY EARLY STAGES, BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE LOCALLY THAT ARE CHAMPIONING FOR US AND, AND DOING THE WORK.
UH, COMMISSIONER COLE, BECAUSE THAT'S COMMISSIONER COLE, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO GET IT DONE.
COMMISSIONER CHASE, UH, COMMISSIONER COLE HAS THE FLOOR
I ALWAYS ASK MY QUESTIONS ANYWAY.
UH, COMMISSIONER COLE, QUICK QUESTION ON, UM, AND, AND THE FOLLOW THROUGHS ON THAT.
I UNDERSTAND THE IDEA OF THE PROPERTY HAS TO DO WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS, UM, AND OR YOU PULL IN THE COUNTY.
ANYBODY ELSE THAT'S, HAS ANY INTEREST TO IT? WHEN YOU, AND YOU TALK ABOUT LOCAL CHARITIES, OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE HERE, THERE, THERE ARE CONSORTIUMS OF LOCAL CHARITIES THAT YOU CAN JUST GO TO ONE PERSON AND GET TO ALL OF THEM.
UM, I NOTICED THAT YOUR NUMBERS ALL COME FROM THE VA SUPPORT HOUSING PROGRAM AT A HUD.
UM, AND, AND I'M, I WAS CURIOUS AS TO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT TRANSITIONING TO, TO SINGLE, YOU KNOW, TO THEIR OWN HOME, ARE YOU USING, ARE YOU USING THE, THE VA TRANSITIONING OUT OF HUD TO HELP 'EM WITH THAT? OR IS IT IT IS TOTALLY LOCAL OR BECAUSE NOW THAT THEY HAVE AN ADDRESS AND CAN HAVE A JOB THAT THEY CAN SEND, YOU KNOW, I CAN FIND THE PERSON, WHICH IS USUALLY THE ISSUE, UH, AWAY FROM MENTAL ILLNESS AND OR ANY KIND OF, OF, UH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE.
UM, IS THAT, IS THAT HOW IT KIND OF WORKS ITSELF OUT, OR, YOU KNOW, UH, IT IS A GREAT QUESTION.
EVERYBODY'S LONG-TERM PERMANENT HOUSING SOLUTION LOOKS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY, MEANING THAT, THAT'S PART OF THE, THE TAILOR MADE PART OF THE, UH, THE CASE MANAGEMENT PLAN.
SOME PEOPLE WILL MOVE IN WITH US AND IT'LL BECOME APPARENT THAT THEY NEED SOME LEVEL OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES.
SO WE WORK TO FIND THEM A PERMANENT HOUSING FACILITY.
UH, SOME PEOPLE MAY ACCESS THEIR VA BENEFITS, ESPECIALLY WE SEE A LOT OF OUR INDIVIDUALS WHEN THEY TRANSITION OUT, THEY'RE ACTUALLY ACCESSING THEIR VA HOME LOANS BECAUSE AS PART OF, UH, THE, THE PROCESS, IT, IT MAY SOUND COUNTERINTUITIVE, BUT WE DO AN EVALUATION OF PEOPLE'S EMPLOYMENT.
UH, WE DO AN EVALUATION TO UNDERSTAND IF THEY'RE UNDER UNDEREMPLOYED, IF THEY'RE NOT MAXIMIZING THEIR EARNING CAPABILITY.
AND IF SO, WE'LL ACTUALLY, UH, HAVE THEM QUIT THEIR JOB AND WE'LL WORK TO FIND 'EM A JOB THAT IS, YOU KNOW, TO THE LEVEL THAT THEY NEED AND OR PROVIDE THEM TRAINING SO THAT THEY HAVE A JOB THAT PROVIDES THEM THE TYPE OF INCOME STABILITY THAT THEY DON'T NEED TO RELY ON, LIKE HUD VASH VOUCHERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE, YOU KNOW, MORE MARKET RATE, STABLE INCOME.
UM, AND WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE PEOPLE MOVE OUT INTO HOME OWNERSHIP.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'VE GOT A COUPLE.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, UH, YEAH, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR COMING AND, UH, DOING THIS PRESENTATION.
IT'S, UH, IT'S DIFFICULT FOR US AS A COMMISSION THAT, YOU KNOW, TO KIND OF KEEP OUR ISSUES AS VETERANS SEPARATE FROM ALL THE REST OF THE DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY.
UH, TONIGHT ACTUALLY, THERE'S A, A CITY PLANNING, UH, COMMITTEE MEETING.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNEW ABOUT THAT AND THAT'S WHY YOU'RE HERE, OR, BUT THERE'S A PLAN FOR DALLAS THAT'S, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
AND PART OF THAT PLAN IS THE HOMELESSNESS AND VETERANS ARE, ARE A VULNERABLE GROUP, AND THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A SEPARATE GROUP.
AND, AND I DON'T SEE ANYTHING IN THESE, THESE PLANS THAT, UH, EN EN ENGAGE US AS VETERANS.
SO WHAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE PRESENT PRESENTING, UH, I THINK IDENTIFIES THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, UH, MY OLDEST SON WAS IN IRAQ AND, AND FALLUJAH, AND HE'S A MARINE, STILL A MARINE
I, I, I MIGHT'VE, I MIGHT'VE PICKED HIM UP OR DROPPED HIM OFF IN A HELICOPTER.
'CAUSE I WAS THERE FOR FALLUJAH.
THAT WAS, UH, THE YOUNGEST IS THE ARMY.
BUT THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE YOUNG PEOPLE.
AND YOU KNOW, YOUR PROGRAM FROM WHEN YOU SET ABOUT THE GENTLEMAN THAT HAD THE EMERGENCY, THAT'S A GREAT IDEA THAT YOU HAVE THAT ROOM, THAT SPACE AND CAPABILITY TO TAKE IN, UH, YOU KNOW, A SENIOR VETERAN.
AND THEN YOU STILL HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF MAYBE A
[00:40:01]
20, 21-YEAR-OLD THAT'S OUT, UM, THAT, THAT NEEDS, THAT, THAT TRANS TRANSITIONAL, UH, HOUSING WHERE THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY GET BACK INTO CIVILIAN LIFE.'CAUSE I HEARD ONE, ONE OF THE VETERANS SAY THAT, UH, THERE'S NO TRANSITION.
YEAH, I KNOW THE MILITARY AND THE NAVY, THEY GIVE YOU ALMOST A WHOLE MONTH OF JUST, YOU KNOW, MEETINGS AND STUFF, YOU KNOW, TO GET BACK INTO THE CIVILIAN WORLD ONCE I WAS RETIRING AND, AND IT REALLY DIDN'T, IT DIDN'T MATCH ANYTHING I WAS DOING.
BUT, UH, I, I'M GLAD THAT YOU HAVE THAT, THAT WRAPAROUND SERVICES, UH, DO THEY ALL WORK WITH A WORKFORCE SOLUTION OR ANY KIND OF GROUP LIKE THAT, THAT, YEAH, SO WE, WE HAVE, UH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ASPECTS OF IT.
UM, WE, UH, DO, YOU KNOW, WE BRING IN OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO HELP DO, DO JOB TRAINING.
WE GENERALLY SET UP NETWORKS WITH EMPLOYERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN HIRING VETERANS.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, PART OF, PART OF OUR BENEFIT TO THAT EMPLOYER IS WE SAY, WELL, IF THIS INDIVIDUAL IS HAVING ANY SORT OF ISSUES, HERE'S THE NUMBER TO HIS CASE MANAGER.
YOU KNOW, IF HE DOESN'T SHOW UP FOR WORK OR IS ALL HIS CASE MANAGER, HIS CASE MANAGER IS GONNA GO KNOCK ON THE DOOR AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, SO IT IS, IT, IT IS PART OF IT.
AND YEAH, WE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF YOU, YOU HIT ON SOMETHING THAT I, I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD HIGHLIGHT THE ABILITY TO, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN FULLY VA OR HUD FUNDED.
AND I SHOULD NOTE THAT WE ARE TRYING TO USE SOME HUD FUNDING IN THE ST.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN, YOU KNOW, MEET WITHOUT JEOPARDIZING OUR PROGRAMMING, UM, ALLOWS US TO WORK WITH THE INDIVIDUAL BEFORE THEY BECOME STREET HOMELESS.
YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY TRANSITIONS OUT AND THEY DON'T HAVE STABILITY, WELL LET'S BRING 'EM IN AND START WORKING WITH THEM BEFORE THEY GO DOWN THAT PATH.
UNFORTUNATELY, HUD'S DEFINITION OF HOMELESS IS YOU'RE EITHER STREET HOMELESS OR THAT'S ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW, UH, SO WE, WE WORK WITH ALL LEVELS OF IT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ONLINE? I DON'T SEE ANYONE WITH THEIR HANDS.
KEEP US INFORMED ABOUT YOUR PROGRESS AS FAR AS LETTING US KNOW WHETHER YOUR PROGRESS AS FAR AS BEING WELCOMED HERE IN DALLAS,
WELL, IF, IF IT'S ACCEPTABLE, UM, I COULD GRAB YOUR CONTACT INFORMATIONS AND, UH, I'M, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO SEND, UH, GROUP UPDATES, YOU KNOW, A AS THINGS PROGRESS.
AND THEN YOU WOULD ALSO HAVE MY DIRECT CONTACT, SO YOU COULD GET AHOLD OF ME FOR, FOR ANY REASON AS WELL.
FOLLOWING UP ON THAT JUST A BIT, UH, YOU'RE IN DALLAS BECAUSE YOU HAVE SOME POTENTIAL DONORS.
IS THAT KIND OF WHAT I UNDERSTOOD LITTLE BIT? YEAH.
WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON IT.
THERE'S, THERE'S A GROUP, THERE'S A GROUP OF SUPPORTERS RIGHT BEHIND ME, AND THEY'RE NOT A GROUP OF SUPPORTERS FOR NO REASON.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE HELPING CHAMPION THINGS ON OUR BEHALF HERE.
WELL, IT, I THINK AS YOU MAKE PROGRESS, THAT'D BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW.
'CAUSE WHILE THIS COMMISSION DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF POWER, WE DO HAVE SOME INFLUENCE AND WE KNOW PEOPLE TOO.
SO MAYBE THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL ALONG THE WAY.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT, I'M SURE.
I'M COMMISSIONER BIRDWELL, UH, DIANE BIRDWELL FROM DISTRICT SEVEN.
MR. BIRDWELL ON, YEAH, I'M UPSIDE DOWN 'CAUSE I'M USING THE WRONG CAMERA, BUT JUST
ANYWAY, I, I CAME IN LATE ON YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION AND I APOLOGIZE, BUT I'M A TEACHER AND I HAD TO WAIT TILL THEY WENT TO LUNCH.
ANYWAY, I'VE HEARD ABOUT YOUR PROGRAM IN KANSAS BECAUSE A FRIEND OF MINE FROM HIGH SCHOOL IS A VETERAN UP THERE.
AND HE WAS, HE'S WORKED ON THAT AS A VOLUNTEER WITH Y'ALL, I BELIEVE.
AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT HERE IN DALLAS, OR AT LEAST IN ONE OF OUR SUBURBS.
SEE, THAT'S WHAT I'M AFRAID OF SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, BEING A DALLAS RESIDENT, I'M ALSO A DALLAS COUNTY RESIDENT, SO I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S THE CITY OR THE COUNTY THAT WOULD BE THE DRIVER ON HELPING TO GET THIS CREATED, BECAUSE WE ARE PRETTY MUCH BUILT OUT.
BUT THERE MIGHT BE A PLACE FOR US TO DO THAT.
AND I, UH, SINCE I'M NOT THERE IN PERSON, IF AFTER THE MEETING YOU WANNA ASK, UH,
PLEASE SHARE THAT WITH HIM SINCE I'M NOT THERE IN PERSON.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP UP WITH WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING HERE IN DALLAS, BECAUSE I'LL BE RETIRING AS A TEACHER NEXT MONTH, AND I'LL HAVE MORE TIME, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE IT COME TO FRUITION.
UH, WELL THANK, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR, UH, THE, THE KIND WORDS OF SUPPORT.
AND YOU ALSO GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIT ON SOMETHING THAT I PROBABLY, UH, GLAZED OVER REALLY QUICKLY, WHICH IS, WE ARE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT THE FACT WE USE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A HABITAT FOR HUMANITY MODEL WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDING THESE.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO BRING IN PROFESSIONALS TO DO THE INFRASTRUCTURE, BUILD THE COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS.
[00:45:01]
IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR US THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME OUT AND PUT THEIR HANDS ON THE PROJECT AND HAVE OWNERSHIP OVER THE FACT THAT THEY ARE HELPING VETERANS IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND, AND REALLY HAVE THAT SENSE OF PRIDE, YOU KNOW? UH, AND, AND, AND ALSO IT'S GREAT EDUCATIONAL TIME FOR US AND THINGS LIKE THAT.SO THAT'S A HUGE COMPONENT OF IT.
I, I JUST, I OCCURRED TO ME, HAS, HAS HABITAT FOR HUMANITY EVER FOCUSED ON A VETERAN'S HOUSING PROJECT, OR HAVE YOU APPROACHED THEM TO DO THAT? I'VE WORKED ON HABITAT A LOT AND JUST, I'M NOT SURE WHY I HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT THAT WOULD BE A GREAT PROJECT FOR THEM.
SO WE, WE'VE WORKED WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY IN DIFFERENT CITIES IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
FOR INSTANCE, IN KANSAS CITY, THEY RESERVE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF HOUSES FOR PEOPLE THAT TRANSITION OUT OF OUR PROGRAM.
UH, THE BOULDER COUNTY COLORADO PROJECT, WE'RE ACTUALLY SHARING A PLOT OF LAND, UH, WITH THEM.
UM, I STOLE MY PROJECT MANAGER FROM HABITAT FROM HUMANITY
UM, BUT ONE OF, UH, TO, TO BE QUITE HONEST, AND IT, THIS IS ANOTHER THING THAT MAKES US A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY KIND OF OPERATES IN A, UM, CHAPTER, AFFILIATE FRANCHISE MODEL.
AND I, AND THIS IS ACTUALLY PROBABLY A A REALLY GOOD POINT BECAUSE IT CONTRIBUTES TO OUR EFFECTIVENESS.
UM, ALL OF THE SITES ARE MANAGED AND RAN OUT OF THE KANSAS CITY LOCATION.
SO WHAT WE DO IS WE BACKEND SUPPORT AND CENTRALIZE ALL THE HR, ACCOUNTING, LEGAL, COMPLIANCE, TRAINING, SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE, PROGRAMMATIC EVALUATION, DATABASE ADMINISTRATION.
WE CENTRALIZE THAT SO THE TEAMS IN THE CITIES CAN FOCUS ON THE CORE WORK, AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO HAVE ACCOUNTANTS ON STAFF AND SOCIAL MEDIA PEOPLE AND ALL THAT.
ONE, AGAIN, IT'S THE HARDER WAY TO GO ABOUT IT.
BUT WHAT IT ALLOWS US TO DO IS SAY, HEY, YOU'RE NOT PERFORMING AT THE RIGHT STANDARD.
WELL, WE DON'T HAVE A CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIP.
SO I CAN GO IN AND SAY, HEY, YOU'RE NOT UP TO STANDARD.
WE'RE GONNA MAKE SOME CHANGES HERE.
A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT IN THE KIND OF CHAPTER, CHAPTER AFFILIATE MODEL.
SO IT'S, IT'S HARD TO GET 'EM ALL ON THE SAME PAGE, WHEREAS US SHOOT US AN EMAIL AND WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN WHEREVER WE WANT.
I, I WAS POINTING AT, UH, COMMISSIONER CHASE, UM, A QUESTION JUST CAME INTO MY MIND, UH, PROPERTIES.
SO YOU BUILD HOMES OR DO YOU ALSO, UH, USE, UH, PROPERTIES FROM THE CITIES? UH, I KNOW THE MIRAMAR MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE USED, THE MIRAMAR, AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER PROJECT, UH, 29, 29 HAMPTON, THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH THOSE PROPERTIES.
UH, THE CITY PURCHASED THEM AND, UH, AND THEY JUST PURCHASED THEM.
SO, SO IS THAT SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL COULD WORK WITH, OR IS THAT OH, UH, ABSOLUTE, ABSOLUTELY.
PROPERTY ACQUISITION LOOKS VERY DIFFERENT EVERYWHERE.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE GOAL, AND IT'S ONE OF THE BIG HURDLES, IS TO FIND THE RIGHT PROPERTY, THE RIGHT PIECE OF LAND, RIGHT? WE NEED TO BE CLOSE TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
UH, WE, WE DON'T WANT TO BE SO FAR AWAY FROM THE VA THAT THAT'S A, A BURDENSOME FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO DO ACCESS THE VA.
UH, BUT IT LOOKS DIFFERENTLY, YOU KNOW, UH, KANSAS CITY, IT, IT, IT CAME FROM THE CITY, ST.
LOUIS, THE, THE CITY, THE CITY OWNED PROPERTIES, THE COUNTY OWNED PROPERTIES.
WE BOUGHT THE PRIVATELY HELD ONES, COMBINED 'EM WITH THE CITY AND COUNTY PROPERTIES, AND GOT ENOUGH ROOM.
BOULDER COUNTY, UH, A, UH, A DEVELOPER DONATED THE LAND BECAUSE IT OFFSET HIS AFFORDABLE HOUSING CREDITS BY DONATING THE LAND TO US.
SO WE JUST, WE GET CREATIVE HOW WE GO ABOUT IT.
I'VE GOT SOME MORE QUESTIONS AFTER, AFTER WE'RE FINISHED.
YEAH, I'LL, I'LL TALK TO Y'ALL LATER, BUT, BUT, UH, ABSOLUTELY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, AGAIN, GREAT PRESENTATION, A LOT OF INFORMATION.
WHY DON'T YOU INTRODUCE THE REST OF THE PEOPLE WHO
SHE WAS, UH, IN OFFICE AT THE TIME THAT A HANDFUL OF, UH, WORKED UP VETS, WALKED INTO CITY HALL AND SAID, HEY, WE HAVE THIS CRAZY IDEA.
UH, AND SHE REALLY HELPED CHAMPION IT FOR US.
AND, AND SHE'S STILL INVOLVED AND HELPED CHAMPION THINGS.
SO I THINK SHE HAD ONE OR TWO THINGS SHE MIGHT WANT TO CONTRIBUTE THAT I OVERLOOKED.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR HAVING US.
THIS WAS A GREAT PLEASURE FOR US.
UM, A COUPLE OF THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO ADD IS WE HAVE OTHER, UH, VETERAN SERVICES.
WE HAVE AN OUTREACH CENTER WHERE ANY VETERAN CAN COME.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO LIVE AT THE VILLAGE.
WE HAVE A, A FOOD PANTRY ONCE A MONTH, SO THEY CAN COME AND GET GROCERIES, THEY CAN COME IN, GET PET FOOD, THEY CAN COME AND GET WHATEVER THEIR NEEDS MIGHT BE.
AND THEN THEY CAN COME IF, UH, I KNOW BRIAN AS AN ATTORNEY HAS HELPED A LOT OF VETERANS, UM,
[00:50:01]
REVERSE THEIR, UH, DISHONORABLE DISCHARGES TO HONORABLE SO THEY CAN GET THEIR, UM, THEIR MILITARY BENEFITS.SO THAT'S ONE SERVICE WE PROVIDE.
IT'S AMAZING WHAT, WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN KANSAS CITY, AND IT IS A COMMUNITY PROJECT.
THERE ARE SCOUT GROUPS OUT THERE MOWING THE GRASS, AND THERE ARE, UH, BUSINESSES THAT SEND THEIR, THEIR, UH, EMPLOYEES OUT FOR A DAY TO CLEAN THINGS UP, OR, UM, AND I WILL TELL YOU, WHEN WE WERE PAINTING THOSE HOUSES, PATRICK MAHOMES CAME OUT AND PAINTED A HOUSE WITH ME.
SO I JUST HAVE TO PUT THAT IN
SO IT TRULY IS A COMMUNITY PROJECT.
THE CHIEFS, THE ROYALS, THE ALL OF THEM COME OUT AND HELP.
AND, UM, YOU WILL SEE A MEDIA BLITZ LIKE YOU'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE WHEN THIS BEGINS TO HAPPEN, BECAUSE IT'S A GOOD THING.
PEOPLE LIKE TO GIVE THEIR MONEY TO WHAT SOMETHING THEY CAN SEE.
I MEAN, WE PROVIDE EVERYTHING FOR THEM WHEN THEY MOVE OUT TO, IF AND WHEN THEY MOVE OUT, THEY TAKE EVERYTHING WITH THEM.
THEY TAKE THE APPLIANCES, THE FURNITURE, EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THERE.
WE HAVE ONE GROUP OF LADIES THAT QUILT QUILTS, AND WE'VE GOT QUILTS IN THERE.
WE GOT MORE QUILTS, AND YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH.
BUT WE'VE GOT QUILTS IN EVERY HOME AND ARTWORK.
WE HAVE VETS THAT DO ARTWORK, AND WE USE THAT TO DECORATE THE, EVERY, EVERY, UH, HOUSE HAS A TELEVISION.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S INCREDIBLE.
WE WANTED HOUSES WITH DIGNITY, AND WE GOT IT.
AND WHEN YVETTE MOVES, WE GOT THE HOUSE AND WE START ALL OVER AGAIN.
WE HAVE A SITE ON AMAZON WHERE WE JUST PUT OUT TO OUR, UH, OUR HUGE GROUP SAYING, WE NEED THIS, THIS, THIS, THIS, AND THIS.
AND THE, THE BOXES JUST KEEP, JUST COME.
THEY JUST KEEP COMING EVERY DAY.
SO IT'S, IT'S TRULY A COMMUNITY EFFORT AND THE COMMUNITY'S PROUD AND THEY LIKE TO BE INVOLVED.
AND THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR HELP, FOR LETTING US COME.
UH, AND ACTUALLY, ORIGINALLY I'M FROM KILGORE, SO, UH, THIS IS HOME FOR ME.
SO
UH, AND, AND, UH, PLEASE STICK AROUND.
I I'LL, I I'M NOT RUNNING OUT THE DOOR.
EVERYBODY HERE, EVERYBODY, UH, ONLINE FOR JUST ALLOWING US TO COME DOWN AND, AND PRESENT AND LOOK FORWARD TO SPEAKING WITH EVERYBODY MORE.
WE GOT A FEW MINUTES LEFT FOR THAT.
SO ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONER BIRDWELL FOR THE INVITATION TO HER, UH, UH, MEET AND GREET THE, THE HEROES THAT, THAT WAS, THAT WAS REALLY, UH, EMOTIONAL MEETING, UH, SPEAKING TO THOSE YOUNG ROTC OR TO THOSE YOUNG STUDENTS.
IT WASN'T JUST ROTC, BUT THE YOUNG STUDENTS.
AND I, I, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ALL MIDDLE SCHOOLS, WE SHOULD START IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS, BUT, YOU KNOW, DEVELOP, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPING A OR PLANTING A SEED.
BUT THANK YOU, THAT'S ANYBODY HAS ANY, UH, ANNOUNCEMENTS OR YOU'RE, YOU'RE WELCOME.
I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF TRANSITIONING CLASSES, BUT I HEARD YOU THANKING ME, SO HANG ON.
BUT I'M GLAD FOR, WE HAD FOUR COMMISSIONERS, ME AND THREE OTHERS THERE, AND I REALLY WANNA THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING THERE AT OPERATION MEDIA HERO.
UM, GOSH, I HAD ANOTHER ANNOUNCEMENT, I BELIEVE.
OKAY, WELL, OH, UM, TONIGHT, UH, FOR ALL THE COMMISSIONERS TONIGHT IS THE, THE CPC PLANNING, UH, UH, MEETING, UH, THAT THEY'RE GONNA DISCUSS THE FORWARD DALLAS PLAN.
YOU KNOW, WE JUST HAD A BOND, A BOND, UH, ELECTION THAT PASSED.
AND, UH, THERE'S MONEY FOR, FOR HOMELESSNESS AND HOME OR HOUSING.
SO, UH, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING Y'ALL MIGHT WANNA, YOU KNOW, LISTEN IN ON OR, OR MAYBE CATCH, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT OF IT.
SO THAT'S JUST AN ANNOUNCEMENT.
CHAIR, CHAIR, I HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT IF IT'S OKAY TOO.
I HAVE FOR YOU FROM THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
UM, FOR THOSE WHO HAD SIGNED UP FOR THE APPRECIATION LUNCHEON, I HAVE, UH, A CERTIFICATE.
AND THEN I ALSO HAVE LANYARDS FOR ALL OF YOU.
SO BEFORE YOU LEAVE, JUST COME, COME BY.
I CAN MAKE SURE I PASS THOSE ON TO YOU, PLEASE.
ANYBODY ELSE? ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? WELL, IT'S A LITTLE EARLY.
[00:55:01]
ALTHOUGH WE'RE JUST GONNA ADJOURN.AND NOW, UM, IT'S 1258 AND UH, THIS MEETING'S ADJOURNED.