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[Senior Affairs Commission on August 19, 2024.]
MEETING TO ORDER.I THINK, UH, THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT ARE MISSING IS, UH, MARY WILLIAMS, BOTH.
I THINK WE'VE GOT EVERYBODY HERE.
WE'VE GOT A, I THINK WE'LL HAVE AN INTERESTING MEETING TODAY.
THE, UH, FIRST ITEM I NEED TO DEAL WITH IS, UH, ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS SHOULD HEAR FROM OUTSIDE.
UH, COULD WE GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE JUNE 17TH MEETING? SO MOVE.
UH, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR CORRECTIONS TO BE MADE TO THE MINUTES THAT WERE DISTRIBUTED? I, I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, THE MINUTES CONTAINED THE, UH, MINORITY REPORT AND THE MINORITY REPORT ENDS WITH THE TERM WE, INSTEAD OF I, SO I'LL SEE IF I GET THE, I'M GONNA HAVE TO TALK TO PETER IN THE MINUTES.
IT WAS ATTACHED TO THE END OF MINUTES.
I DIDN'T SAY I THANK, SO MOVING DOES LET ME, WERE THERE ANY OTHER, THAT'S ALL I HAVE ISSUES.
WELL, I JUST A COMMENT THAT IF THAT IS THE WAY IT ENDED, THEN DO WE NEED TO VOTE FOR CHANGE? BECAUSE IT WASN'T UNTIL WE JUST ASKING.
I HAVE UP THEN I, ME, UH, CONCLUSION, PRIORITIZING THE APPOINTMENT OF LGTQ, SENIOR LIAISON ESTABLISHING THE CITY FUND, UH, IS NEEDED FOR DIVERSITY INCLUSION, COMPREHENSIVE.
AND IT SAYS WE STRONGLY URGE THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER AND ADOPT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT IT IS ONLY FROM PORSCHE.
UH, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS IS ON THAT THEN.
I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S BEEN DISTRIBUTED THAT, YEAH.
UM, ONE MONTH, AND I'M SORRY, THIS WASN'T ON THE MINUTES.
IT WAS ON THE FUNDING DOCUMENTARY.
SO LET'S, LET'S MOVE BACK TO THE MINUTES.
YEAH, I, THAT'S WHY I WAS CONFUSED.
UM, NO OTHER COMMENTS ABOUT THE MINUTES.
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES, SAY AYE OR WAIVE OR WHATEVER.
UM, ALL ANYBODY OPPOSED MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
WE'RE SLOWLY BUT SLOWLY GETTING BACK INTO, UH, ACTION AFTER TAKING JULY OFF AND HAVING A, A MEETING IN AUGUST.
THE ONLY THING THAT, UH, OTHER THAN THE NORMAL REMINDERS THAT EVERYBODY GOT FROM MAC KYLE ABOUT, UH, ON THE MEETING, NOTICE IF YOU'RE ONLINE, YOU NEED TO BE VISIBLE AT ALL TIMES, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, YOUR AUDIO HAS TO WORK.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE ONLY OTHER THING I WANT TO DO IS KIND OF AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE STAND WITH THE, UH, WITH THE LISTENING SESSIONS.
WE'VE COMPLETED FOUR AT THIS POINT, AND WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE ON THURSDAY OF THIS WEEK, UM, THAT'S COMING UP THAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE IS GONNA BE, BE, IT'S THE D SEVEN MEETING IS, UH, THIS ON THE 26TH.
UH, IT'S GONNA BE HELD IN THE EVENING INSTEAD OF, UH, DURING THE DAY BETWEEN SIX AND 8:00 PM AT THE MLK REC CENTER.
AND, UH, WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS AS WE GO THROUGH THESE.
I'D MAKE ONE GENERAL COMMENT SO FAR IN THESE LISTENING SESSIONS.
UH, I THINK THEY'VE ALL BEEN PRODUCTIVE.
I THINK THEY'VE ALL GOTTEN INFORMATION AND THAT'S OF SOME VALUE TO US.
AND I THINK THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ATTENDED THEM FELT LIKE IT WAS YOU LISTENED TO, AND THAT IT WORKED OUT PRETTY WELL.
WHAT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT PRIMARILY
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IS THAT THE PEOPLE THAT WE KNOW ARE NOT GETTING SERVED AND ARE AT THE LOWEST END OF THE INCOME SPECTRUM ARE NOT PART OF THE AUDIENCE.THAT'S NOT WHO WE'RE REACHING IN THESE THINGS.
AND I'M NOT SURE THERE'S A WHOLE LOT YOU CAN DO ABOUT THAT IN THIS FORMAT, BUT IT IS SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND THAT WE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK FOR SOME ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO GET, TO GET INFORMATION FROM SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE.
UH, THIS WEEK, EARLIER THIS WEEK, UH, GARCIA WAS ALSO AT THE SESSION, THE SENIOR SOURCE HOSTED A NATIONAL SESSION THAT WAS CONDUCTED BY THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE COMMUNITY LIVING, WHICH IS A FEDERAL, UH, AGENCY.
THEY'RE WORKING ON A, UM, THE FIRST EVER, I BELIEVE IS WHAT THEY DESCRIBED FIRST EVER NATIONAL PLAN FOR THE, ON THE AGING AND GETTING READY FOR THE 10 YEAR CYCLE, UH, WHITE HOUSE NEXT IN 2026, I BELIEVE THERE'S GONNA BE A, UH, A WHITE HOUSE SESSION THAT THEY WANT TO HAVE THIS PLAN READY FOR.
AND, AND, UH, THAT THEY HAD KIND OF A, THEY HAD A MUCH MORE PROFESSIONAL, THEY ACTUALLY PAID PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE, IN THE LISTENING SESSION AS, AS A, UH, A HUNDRED BUCKS OR $125 OR SOMETHING.
BUT THEY HAD, THEY HAD VERY PROFESSIONAL, UH, LEADERS.
AND THE ONE OF THE OBSERVATION I'VE GOT THAT AS COMPARED TO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS THE BREAKOUT SESSIONS ARE IN WHERE IT WAS IN A QUITE ENOUGH ENVIRONMENT WHERE YOU COULD ACTUALLY HAVE A CONVERSATION AND HEAR EVERYBODY.
AND WE HAVEN'T REALLY BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT VERY WELL WITH THE WAY THAT WE'VE DONE THE BREAKOUT SESSIONS, NOT OURS.
AND THE, BUT THE INTERESTING THING TO ME WAS THAT THE OUTPUT THAT CAME OUT OF THOSE SESSIONS WAS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME KINDS OF THINGS WE'VE BEEN HEARING AT OURS.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, PROBLEMS WITH LOW INCOME HOUSING, UH, PROBLEMS WITH, UH, EMPLOYMENT.
EMPLOYMENT TOOK A, IN THE, IN THE GROUP THAT I OBSERVED, UM, THE EMPLOYMENT PIECE WAS REALLY PEOPLE IN THE EARLY SIXTIES WHO HAD BEEN LAID OFF FROM THEIR JOB AND HAD BEEN UNABLE TO GET IT, FIND ANOTHER JOB.
OR IN ONE CASE IT WAS LIKE, UH, BEEN TRYING TO GET A JOB FOR ALMOST NINE MONTHS AND JUST COULDN'T, COULDN'T GET ANY TRACTION.
UH, SO I THINK THAT THAT'S, THAT WAS INTERESTING TO ME.
BUT IT WAS INTERESTING THAT IT VALIDATED.
I THINK THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE'RE HEARING ARE PRETTY REPRESENTATIVE AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LEADING THE SESSIONS, UM, WERE DOING THESE SOLICITING SECTIONS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
AND THE, THE ONLY PLACES THAT WAS DIFFERENT SEEMS TO BE IN THE RURAL LOCATIONS, WHICH IS UNDERSTANDABLE.
THEY, THEY HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH EVEN LESS RESOURCES IN GENERAL, BUT IT WAS, IT WAS, I THINK IT VALIDATED WHAT WE'RE DOING.
BUT I THINK IT ALSO VALIDATED, WE NEED TO FIND WAYS TO GET GOOD INFORMATION ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE, WHO ARE NOT REPRESENTED, UH, AS WE GO DOWN THE PATH.
ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOU HEARING THE SAME THING, BUT THERE'S PROBLEMS BUT NO SOLUTIONS, EVEN WITH THESE PRETTY NICE HUNDRED $45 PAYING PEOPLE.
WHAT WAS THE SOLUTIONS FOR SOME OF THEIR PROBLEMS? I DON'T STILL SOUND LIKE I'M HEARING COMMUNICATION AND NOT GETTING A WORD TO WELL, FOR THE PEOPLE THAT SHOWED UP AT THESE SESSIONS MM-HMM.
MOST OF THEM HAD TRANSPORTATION.
UH, AND SO TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING WERE NOT HUGE ISSUES TO THEM INDIVIDUALLY OTHER THAN THE, OTHER THAN THE ESCALATING COSTS OF OWNING A HOUSE.
WERE TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
HOME REPAIR ISSUES WAS, WAS TALKED ABOUT, BE GREAT.
UH, ASSISTANCE WITH EMPLOYMENT WAS SOMETHING THAT, THAT CAME UP.
SO I THINK THERE ARE EXISTING PROGRAMS TO HELP MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE NAVIGATE IT.
BUT IN SOME CASES, LIKE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH WILL HEAR BOARD FROM THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AND, AND AS, AS TODAY MEETING GOES ON, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY KNOWS THAT THERE'S ANY SOLUTIONS TO A LOT OF THESE THINGS.
THEY FIGURE YOU'RE NOT INSTANTLY GONNA COME UP WITH LOW INCOME HOUSING IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD.
WELL, I JUST WON'T THROW THIS OUT FOR FOOD.
A THOUGHT AS AN EDUCATOR, AND I GET TO WHAT YOU SAID IN THE BEGINNING, MOST OF THE TIME
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WHEN THE PEOPLE THAT REALLY NEED THE HELP DON'T SHOW UP, LIKE IN EDUCATION TO CHILDREN, THE ONLY PARENTS IS PROBABLY GONNA BE THERE ARE THE PARENTS THAT'S INVOLVED, OR THE CHILDREN ARE SELLING.SO THE OTHERS, THEY DON'T SHOW UP IN NO OLD HOUSE.
I'M JUST LISTENING TO SEE HOW CAN WE GET THOSE, UH, PEOPLE THAT PROBABLY NOT GONNA COME.
SO IT'S, I THINK IT'S JUST GONNA BE BASELINE, THAT'S ALL.
PEOPLE THAT DON'T NEED THE BRANDS THAT DON'T NEED IT, BECAUSE ME, THE ONES WHO NEED, BECAUSE THE KIDS DISRUPTED, THEY GONNA SHOW UP ONE, ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK WILL BE INTERESTING, VERNA'S MEETING IS GONNA BE HELD AT THE CHURCH.
AND, AND, AND I, I THINK THAT IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE A MORE DIVERSE GROUP OF ATTENDEE HERE BEING I HAPPY LOCATION ILL, THAT WE WILL, BUT WE ARE DOING THINGS SOMEWHAT DIFFERENTLY.
AND SOMETIMES WHEN YOU DO THINGS SOMEWHAT DIFFERENTLY, YOU GET A DIFFERENT RESULT.
AND OUR GOAL IS TO, TO REACH THOSE PERSONS THAT WOULD NOT AUTOMATICALLY COME OUT.
UNLESS THERE'S A ONE, THERE'S CARROTS.
AND SO WE ARE PROVIDING SOME CARROT.
AND SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL BRING, BRING OUT THE ONES, THE ONES THAT WOULD NOT COME BECAUSE YOU, I REALLY NEED TO GO AND HEAR THIS.
WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA DO THAT.
JUST LIKE WE HAVE A LOT OF KIDS THAT IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE PARENTS THAT GOT THEM UP OUT OR THEY DIDN'T WANT GET OUT AND GET OUT SO CLOSE TO THEIR FRIENDS, THEY WOULD WAKE.
I SAY I HAVE, SO MR. CARPEN TYSON HAVE HANDS UP.
UM, I KNOW, I KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO SEE THERE.
UM, SO THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE, UM, IS PEOPLE SIGNED IN RIGHT WHEN THEY ATTENDED.
UM, WAS THERE ANY FOLLOW UP, UH, AT ALL? AND I THINK, THINK DAVID MAY BE ASKING A SIMILAR QUESTION.
THE LAST SESSION, MINE'S JUST A FOLLOW UP.
FOLLOW UP AGAIN TO THOSE MEETINGS WE'VE ALREADY HAD, IF I UNDERSTOOD IT CORRECTLY.
AT THIS POINT, THERE'S NO SPECIFIC FOLLOW UP.
I THINK, I THINK WHAT WE'RE GONNA WIND UP DOING AT THE END OF THIS YEAR IS HAVING A WRAP UP THAT INCLUDE AS PART OF OUR ANNUAL REPORT, WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THESE LISTENING SESSIONS THAT WERE HELD AND WHAT WE LEARNED AND, AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
BUT IN TERMS OF WHERE WE GO NEXT WITH IT, UH, UH, I DON'T THINK THAT, I DON'T THINK THERE'S NOTHING CONCERNED ABOUT CONCERN ABOUT
UH, I'M THINKING LIKE, EVEN THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING.
SO THE ONE WE, BECAUSE WE COLLECTED ALL THEIR INFORMATION AND THEIR EMAIL ADDRESSES.
THE COUNCIL, DIDN'T WE DO THAT? THE COUNCIL, THE COUNCIL OFFICE, UH, COLLECTED THE CONTACT INFORMATION.
SO SHOULD I ASK THEM THIS QUESTION ABOUT FOLLOW UP? YEAH.
JUST EVEN, YOU KNOW, SO GLAD YOU CAME.
WELL, I THINK, I THINK AT LEAST SOME OF THE COMMISSIONER OF THE COUNCIL PEOPLE HAVE FOLLOWED UP WITH THANK YOUS FOR PARTICIPATING IN, IN THAT TYPE OF THING.
AND I THINK THAT THE PEOPLE WHO WERE IN ATTENDANCE, UH, NOW KNOW THAT THERE IS A COUNCIL OFFICE AND THEY MET SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE IN THE COUNCIL OFFICE.
AND IT IS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE AVAILABLE TO HELP IF NEED BE.
AND I THINK THAT WAS PRETTY CLEAR TO PEOPLE.
I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH THE COUNCIL.
ALSO, UM, REQUEST DAVID, DAVID, DAVID, I THINK YOU'RE MUTED.
CAN YOU HEAR US? CAN I CAN HEAR YOU.
ASKING, COULD YOU HEAR ME? I CAN'T HEAR YOU.
CAN YOU TURN UP YOUR VOLUME? OKAY.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MOVE ON.
BUT THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO SHOW UP IN PERSON BEGINNING.
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YES, I CAN SEE YOU, BUT I CAN'T HEAR YOU.I, I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF ANYBODY CAN SHARE ANY SPECIAL PLACES FOR THEM DISTRIBUTING THIS INFORMATION.
YOU KNOW, THE FOCUS, FOCUS IS ON THOSE THAT REALLY MOST NEED HELP.
YOU KNOW, DISTRICT 14, I GOTTA REALLY FIGURE OUT WHERE, WHERE TO GET THIS INFORMATION OUT.
I'D LIKE YOU TO EITHER SHOW UP NOW OR SEND THEM TO ME.
VERY, VERY, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S PLACE IES.
WE GOING TO, UH, AREAS, WE HAVE SEVERAL PLACES WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY WHERE THEY PROVIDE FOOD.
WE CARRY THOSE, THOSE THAT ARE MOBILE.
YOU, I THINK, UH, I, I SEND OUT A NOTICE EACH WEEK FOR, UH, PERSONS THAT ARE IN NEED OF FOOD AND WHERE THE FOOD DRIVES ARE.
IN THE AREA, UH, THRIFT STORE.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, MY LOCAL STORE'S, THE WHOLE THING, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THAT ON THE OTHER ONE THAT YOU HAVE IN THERE.
AND, AND, AND OUR, OUR, OUR DISTRICT IS ONE THAT IS QUITE, UM, IS DIVERSE.
FROM THE LOWER SPECTRUM, ALL THE WAY UP AS FAR TO ADULTS.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO KIND OF PICK AND CHOOSE.
WELL, AND WE, AND DISTRICT 14 IS VERY DIVERSE ALSO, BUT I'M TRYING TO GET TO THOSE SPOTS THAT ARE HARDER.
WHAT ELSE? DON'T HAVE TO MOVE WELL.
UH, ONE THING WE FOUND IS THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE SAYS, WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S ON THE INTERNET.
WELL, THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE NOT REACHING ARE PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE COMPUTERS, AND THERE'S JUST NO WAY.
SO WE STARTED LEAVING INFORMATION AT THE LIBRARY BECAUSE SOME OF THE GRANDMOTHERS WILL COME AND TAKE THE GRANDKIDS TO THE READING SESSIONS THEY HAVE THERE.
AND WE'RE DOING IT AT THE PARKS, THE REC CENTERS.
AND I'VE ENCOURAGE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION TO SPEAK TO YOUR NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR WHO YOU DON'T SEE COME OUTSIDE, BUT YOU KNOW, THE NEIGHBOR'S THERE AND YOU KNOW, IT HELPS, HELPS YOU KNOW, TO SAY HELLO TO YOUR NEIGHBOR.
AND DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS INFORMATION? YEAH.
THAT'S, I'M JUST GONNA SAY, I'M GONNA BACK ON THE PARKS AND RACE.
I'M A PART OF ELOISE LUNDY IN THE BOTTOM.
AND WE HAVE LIKE, HER AND SINGING DEALS AND OTHER, BUT INFORMATION IN DIFFERENT REC CENTERS, I GUARANTEE YOU TO GET OUT.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT, PLEASE.
IN OUR DISTRICT DISTRICT EIGHT, WE HAVE, UH, A COMMUNITY COALITION, WHICH WAS STARTED BY, UH, OUR COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN, UH, MAYOR PRO ATKINS.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHY I AM CALLING SOMEBODY ELSE.
ANYHOW, UH, IT'S MADE UP OF NEIGHBORHOOD COALITION.
IT'S A NEIGHBORHOOD, A COMMUNITY COALITION, BUT IT'S MADE UP OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, ASSOCIATIONS.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION PRESIDENTS PARTICIPATE.
WE SEND OUT INFORMATION PRIOR TO OUR COMMUNITY MEETING, WHICH IS EVERY MONTH WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY COALITION.
WE HAVE ESTABLISHED SUBCOMMITTEES THAT DEAL WITH INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEMS THAT, THAT SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY PEOPLE HAVE SAID THAT THEY HAVE.
AND WE ACT AS A LIAISON BETWEEN THEM AND THE CITY OF DALLAS TO HELP THEM FIND THE, UH, UH, CORRECT RESOURCES, SERVICES, DEPARTMENTS, WHATEVER, TO GET, UH, THINGS RESOLVED THAT WAY.
WE DO REACH PEOPLE THAT NORMALLY, UH, NOT, WOULD NOT COME TO A MEETING.
WE REACH PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE INTERNET.
'CAUSE WE HAVE HEARD THAT IT'S SEVERAL OF OUR MEETINGS.
HOW DO I GET INTERNET? AND, AND WHEN THE CITY OF DALLAS WAS SPONSORING THOSE FREE HOOKUPS AND THINGS, WE HELPED A LOT OF PEOPLE TO DO THAT.
BUT THE COMMUNITY COALITION HAS REALLY WORKED.
AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S MADE UP OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEMBERS AND WE COME TOGETHER AND THEY'RE ALL AGES, UM, ALL BACKGROUNDS OUR SOCIOECONOMICS.
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AND IT REALLY WORKS.AND I, I THINK I MENTIONED TO YOU ALL, UH, AT THE LAST MEETING HOW, UH, WE WENT OUT TO SAND BRANCH, WHICH IS AN UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITY WITHIN SEAVILLE, WHICH IS A PART OF CITY OF DALLAS.
BUT THEY HAVE NO RUNNING WATER.
THEY HAVE ELECTRICITY, THEY HAVE WELLS, BUT THE WELLS ARE CONTAMINATED BECAUSE THE CITY OF DALLAS BUILT A WASTE STREAM AND PLANNED FAIR.
AND SO WE CARRIED CITY OF DALLAS INFORMATION TO THEM.
WE CARRIED HEALTH RESOURCE INFORMATION TO THEM.
I CARRIED, UH, DEMENTIA AND ALZHEIMER'S, UM, INFORMATION TO THEM.
AND THEY WERE VERY GRATEFUL, VERY APPRECIATIVE.
AND WE DO THAT IN OUR DISTRICT.
ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN THIS TO MEETINGS THAT WERE ORGANIZED OF THESE PEOPLE? WHAT WOULD YOU REPEAT THAT PLEASE? ARE, ARE YOU PERSONALLY TAKING THE INFORMATION TO MEETINGS THAT SOMEBODY ORGANIZED FOR THESE PEOPLE OR DID YOU ORGANIZE THOSE MEETINGS? SOMEBODY IS MAYOR PRO TEM TENNELL ATKINS.
AND WITHIN OUR DISTRICT, COUNCILMAN ATKINS HAS THE COMMUNITY COALITION.
WE MEET AT HIS OFFICE EVERY MONTH AND IT IS MADE UP OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
HE APPOINTED THESE TWO LADIES TO OVERSEE IT.
BUT THOSE TWO LADIES OVERSEE IT AND IT IS MADE UP OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION PEOPLE.
AND WE DO, WE DO THINGS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I WAS JUST USING THAT AS A MODEL FOR ANYBODY ELSE THAT MIGHT WANT TO TRY SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WE NEED TO MOVE ON WITH OUR AGENDA AT THIS POINT.
UM, UNDER NEW BUSINESS, UH, HOMELESSNESS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP, UH, MANY TIMES AT THE COMMISSION MEETINGS OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN ON.
UH, AND WE NEVER REALLY HAD ANYBODY WHO'S ACTUALLY WORKING ON THE HOMELESS, UH, ISSUES AND PROBLEMS IN THE CITY PRESENT TO US IN THE TIME THAT I'VE BEEN ON THE THING.
SO, UM, SARAH KHAN, WHO'S PRESIDENT OF THE HOUSING FORWARD, I THINK IS GOING TO PRESENT TO US TODAY.
AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEIR POINT OF VIEW AS IT RELATES TO HOMELESSNESS AND HOW IT'S AFFECTING SENIORS.
WELL, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT.
I, UM, WAS PROMOTED INTO THIS NEO ROLE OF JANUARY, AND I DON'T ANY CHANCE TO COME VISIT WITH YOU ALL.
SO HOPEFULLY THIS IS THE FIRST OF MANY CONVERSATIONS.
YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, HOMELESSNESS AMONG OLDER ADULTS IS A GROWING PROBLEM NATURALLY.
AND SO AS WE CONTINUE ON THE SLIDE TO CREATE SOLUTIONS TO THAT PROBLEM AND ADAPT CURRENT SOLUTIONS TO THAT PROBLEM, WE'LL, WE'D LOVE TO STAY IN TOUCH AND CONTINUE TO COME BACK TO THIS GROUP TO GET YOUR INSIGHTS.
SO HOPING TODAY IS THE FIRST OF, OF MANY CONVERSATIONS, BUT IF YOU GO TO ACTUALLY SKIP TWO SLIDES DOWN SLIDE.
SO, HOUSING FORD IS THE LEAD AGENCY FOR THE ALL NEIGHBORS COALITION, WHICH IS A COALITION OF ABOUT 150 ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE WORKING COLLABORATIVELY SOLVE HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO HOUSING FORWARD IS THE BACKBONE AGENCY FOR THE COALITION, WHICH SPANS BOTH DALLAS AND COLLIN COUNTIES, WHICH MEANS THAT WE REALLY LEAD IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIES TO END HOMELESSNESS ACROSS BOTH COUNTIES AND PROVIDE BACKBONE SUPPORT TO ALL OF THOSE SERVICE PROVIDERS AND PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS WHO ARE REALLY INVESTED IN THAT MISSION TO END HOMELESSNESS ACROSS THE COUNTIES.
SO WE, UM, BETWEEN 2015 AND 2021, THE, UH, SECTOR OF HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM PROVIDERS, UM, AND REALLY THE COALITION AS A WHOLE, ALL OF OUR AGENCIES AND ALL OF OUR PARTNERS WERE DOING REALLY, REALLY GREAT WORK.
UM, BUT PRIOR TO 2021, WE WERE ALL SORT OF DOING THAT GREAT WORK IN SILOS.
AND WHAT THAT MEANT IS WE WERE ALL COMPETING FOR FUNDING.
WE WERE ALL, UM, TRYING TO SOLVE HOMELESSNESS FOR THE PERSON IN FRONT OF US, ONE PERSON AT A TIME, BUT THERE REALLY WASN'T A STRONG LEAD AGENCY BRINGING EVERYONE TOGETHER AROUND A COMMON VISION.
AND SO THAT CHANGED IN 2021, UM, WHERE HOUSING BOARD WAS BORN, WHERE A NEW ITERATION OF THE METRO DALLAS HOMELESS ALLIANCE WAS OUR PREVIOUS NAME AND HOUSING BOARD, UM, HAS REALLY DONE A LOT OF WORK TO BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER AROUND
[00:25:01]
A SHARED VISION AND SOME COMMON GOALS, AND TO REALLY HAVE ALL OF OUR PARTNERS AT THE TABLE, UM, LOOKING AT THE EVIDENCE BASE AND DESIGNING A HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM, EXIT PATHWAYS FOR EACH OF THE KEY POPULATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY, OLDER PEOPLE, OUR, A KEY POPULATION THAT SPANS ACROSS ALL OF THESE SUBPOPULATIONS.AND SO, UM, IF YOU GO TO, YES, THIS SLIDE.
SO SINCE 2021, SINCE WE DID OUR SYSTEM TRANSFORMATION, UM, WE HAVE BEEN SEEING THE TRENDS GO, UH, IN THE OTHER DIRECTION.
SO BETWEEN 2015 AND 20, UH, 21, WE HAD DEMAND FOR HOMELESS SERVICES INCREASING, AND WE WERE SORT OF MEETING THAT DEMAND WITH TEMPORARY SOLUTIONS IN EMERGENCY SHELTER, BUT WE CONTINUED TO INADEQUATELY INVEST IN REHOUSING EXITS FROM HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO BETWEEN 2015 AND 2021, WE SAW THIS HUGE SPIKE UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS, WHICH YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN TRIPLED.
AND HOMELESSNESS AS A WHOLE, UM, GREW BY 45%.
SO IN 2021, PART OF OUR SYSTEM TRANSFORMATION WAS SAYING, HOW DO WE INVEST MORE IN THE THINGS THAT HELP PEOPLE EXIT HOMELESSNESS? AND LET'S SCALE THAT, SCALE, THOSE RESOURCES, THE PUBLIC SECTOR AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR CAME TOGETHER, UM, LIKE NEVER BEFORE.
THE DALLAS COUNTY, THE CITY OF DALLAS AND OUR PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS INVESTED IN EXPANDING HOUSING INITIATIVES.
AND WE HAVE STARTED TO SEE THAT TREND COME DOWN.
SO SINCE 2021, HOMELESSNESS OVERALL HAS DECREASED BY 19% UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS, AS YOU SEE ON THE GRAPH, DECREASED BY 24%.
AND WE DID THAT BY OUR SYSTEM, THAT HOUSE NOW OVER 12,000 INDIVIDUALS SINCE THAT TIME PERIOD, INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES.
AND SO THIS YEAR WAS THE LOWEST COUNT, UM, IN NEARLY A DECADE.
AND NOT EVERYONE IS FEELING THAT PROGRESS BECAUSE I THINK WE STILL, AS YOU SEE, HAVE A LOT OF VISIBLE HOMELESSNESS.
WE STILL HAVE WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE SLEEPING ON THE STREETS, LITERALLY WITH NO SHELTER AT ALL IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO WE ARE SORT OF, UM, ON A MISSION TO CONTINUE THIS PROGRESS AND TO REALLY GET DOWN TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE AS A COMMUNITY.
I THINK WE ALL AGREE IT'S STILL UNACCEPTABLE, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS TO HAVE THAT MANY PEOPLE WHO LITERALLY DON'T HAVE SHELTER.
UM, AND WHEN WE LOOK AT DATA ON OLDER ADULTS, UH, ABOUT 318 OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE LITERALLY LIVING WITHOUT SHELTER ARE, UM, OVER THE AGE OF 55.
AND I'LL GO INTO THAT DATA IN A LITTLE BIT IN IN A SECOND.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UH,
SO I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT NATIONAL TRENDS.
IT'S PROVIDE A SNAPSHOT, BUT THIS YEAR AND LAST YEAR, THE FIRST YEARS THAT HUD HAS ACTUALLY HAD US COLLECT DATA, UM, IN MORE, UM, ACROSS AGE CATEGORIES, WE USED TO JUST COLLECT DATA ON INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE OVER 18.
AND SO NOW, OR SORRY, OVER 24.
SO NOW WE HAVE MORE DISCRETE AGE CATEGORIES FOR THE FIRST TIME.
AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO, I THINK, MORE EFFECTIVELY TRACK TRENDS THAT WAY FOR THE AGE GROUP THAT'S 55 AND OVER.
AND WE HAVE THAT BROKEN DOWN BY, UH, 55 TO 64 AND 65 AND UP.
BUT NATIONALLY, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF RESEARCH ON THIS TOPIC IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.
UM, AND WE KNOW THAT IN 2023, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NATIONAL DATA, THAT 20% OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WERE OLDER THAN 55.
OUR PERCENTAGES ARE A LITTLE HIGHER HERE IN DALLAS IN COLOR, NINE OR 28% OF OUR POPULATION IS AGE 55 OR OLDER.
AND THIS DATA IS FROM OUR POINT IN TIME COUNT, WHICH IS THE DATA THAT WE USE TO GATHER
IT'S WHEN WE COUNT HOMELESSNESS ON A SINGLE NIGHT TO, TO BASICALLY BE ABLE TO SAY ON ANY GIVEN NIGHT HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
UM, NATIONALLY WE KNOW THAT ONE IN FOUR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS OR AT THE AGE OF 55.
UM, AND WHEN WE LOOK AT OTHER RISK FACTORS, UM, PEOPLE WHO ARE 55 AND OLDER ARE THE HIGHEST GROUP OF THOSE WHO ARE SEVERELY COST BURDENED, WHICH MEANS THAT YOU'RE PAYING MORE THAN 50% OF YOUR INCOME TOWARDS YOUR HOUSING COSTS.
UH, AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DATA NATIONALLY, OR SORRY, LOCALLY, WE KNOW THAT, UM, I'M SORRY IT'S NOT ON THE SLIDE.
WE KNOW THAT THERE WERE, UH, THIS YEAR IN 2024, 1070 PEOPLE COUNTED WHO WERE AGES 55 AND OLDER WHO WERE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OF THAT GROUP, 30% OF THOSE WERE LITERALLY UNSHELTERED WITHOUT ANY SHELTER AT ALL, LIVING OUTSIDE.
AND THAT NUMBER IS 318 INDIVIDUALS WHO WE COUNTED.
SO ABOUT 30% OF THE TOTAL POPULATION IS LIVING WITHOUT ANY SHELTER AT ALL.
UM, THE, UM, I THINK IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WHAT WE KNOW IS HAPPENING ON THE NATIONAL SCENE IS THE RESEARCH
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TELLS US THAT, UM, THAT OLDER PEOPLE WHO ARE OLDER THAN 65, THAT COHORT WILL TRIPLE BY 2030.UM, WHICH FOLLOWS OBVIOUSLY THE POPULATION TRENDS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN EXAMINING FOR QUITE A LONG TIME.
AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE SUBPOPULATIONS THAT NATIONAL DATA IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T HAVE NECESSARILY THE AGE CATEGORIES BROKEN DOWN UP UNTIL THIS YEAR, WE KNOW THAT THOSE TRENDS WILL, UM, WILL CARRY OUT IN THE POPULATION EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AS WELL.
SO IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, EXCUSE ME.
WAS THAT, THAT THE, THE TRIPLING WAS THE NUMBER HOMELESS PEOPLE OF THAT AGE OVER 65 TRIPLE OR THE POPULATION IS A TOTAL, THIS IS THE, IN 2019, THIS, THIS IS A BIG STUDY THAT DENNIS COL HAINE, WHO IS OUR LEAD RESEARCHER IN THE HOMELESSNESS SPACE DID.
AND IT INDICATED THAT THE POPULATION OF THOSE OLDER THAN 65 WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WILL LIKELY TRIPLE BETWEEN THEN AND, AND 20, 30,000 YEARS AGO.
SO WE'RE SEEING THIS HUGE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLES WHO ARE OVER 65 WHO ARE, WHO ARE GOING TO BE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
SO OUR, OUR POPULATION AS A WHOLE IS STARTING TO TREND OLDER, UM, WHICH I THINK LEADS INTO THESE CHALLENGES.
A FEW OF THE CHALLENGES THAT THIS GROUP IS FACING, AS YOU GUYS HAVE JUST BEEN TALKING ABOUT, IS WE HAVE THIS SHORTFALL OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING PAIRED WITH STAGNANT INCOMES.
AND YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THAT DATA, JUST THAT, THAT THE, UM, THE INCREMENTAL INCREASES THAT WE'VE SEEN IN SSI BENEFITS OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS JUST HAVE NOT KEPT PACE ANYWHERE NEAR PACE WITH THE COST OF HOUSING.
UM, THE NATIONAL RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THE AVERAGE SS I BENEFIT, UM, FOR THE COHORT WE'RE LOOKING AT WAS LIKE $554 A MONTH, AND THE AVERAGE RENT WAS $1,700 A MONTH.
SO WE HAVE A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO A, IS CONTRIBUTING A LOT OF THEIR INCOME TOWARDS HOUSING COSTS, BUT OF THAT REMAINING INCOME AS HEALTH, UM, NEEDS INCREASE.
THEN YOU ALSO HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE UNDERINSURED WITH A LOT OF THEIR REMAINING RESOURCES GOING TO HEALTH CRISES, WHICH IS JUST THE PERFECT STORM OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE DATA.
MORE PEOPLE JUST EITHER BEING PUSHED TO THE BRINK OF HOMELESSNESS OR EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
UM, WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE ODDS OF BECOMING HOMELESS ARE HIGHER FOR BLACK HOUSEHOLDS BECAUSE OF HISTORIC AND PRESENT DAY RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION ACROSS SEVERAL SYSTEMS. AND WHEN WE BREAK THAT DATA DOWN LOCALLY, UM, WE KNOW THAT 18% OF THE GENERAL POPULATION ACROSS DALLAS AND COG COUNTY, WHO IS OVER 60, UM, IDENTIFY AS BLACK, BUT 53% OF THE HOMELESS POPULATION, JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF THE, UM, DISPARITY THE RACIAL DISPARITIES.
AND THAT'S BOTH PEOPLE WHO ARE FLOWING INTO HOMELESSNESS AND PEOPLE GETTING STUCK IN HOMELESSNESS.
SO THERE'S JUST DEFINITELY DESPERATE IMPACTS FROM, UH, THOSE OTHER SYSTEMS AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THOSE OTHER SYSTEMS, PARTICULARLY THE HOUSING CREDIT AND JOB MARKETS, BOTH HISTORICAL AND PRESENT DAY, UM, BIAS IN THOSE SYSTEMS. UH, PREMATURE AGING IS THE OTHER BIG CHALLENGE.
SO THERE IS A LOT OF RESEARCH CONSISTENTLY TO SHOW THAT, UM, PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN THEIR FIFTIES ARE FOUND TO HAVE CONDITIONS GER GERIATRIC CONDITIONS OR CONDITIONS OF, UM, MEMORY LOSS FALLS, FUNCTIONAL IMPAIRMENT, UM, COMPARED TO SOMEONE WHO'S IN THEIR SEVENTIES.
AND SO THERE IS JUST THIS ACCELERATING AGING THAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU'RE LIVING OUTSIDE.
SO WHEN SOMEONE WHO'S PRESENTING AS 50, THEY ARE PRESENTING OFTEN WITH HEALTH NEEDS OF SOMEONE WHO'S IN THEIR SEVENTIES OR EIGHTIES.
AND THEN THAT, THAT NUMBER'S EVEN MORE SKEWED WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE UNSHELTERED POPULATION, WHICH THANKFULLY IN OUR COMMUNITY, A SMALLER GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE OLDER WHO ARE ON THE STREET, BUT THAT POPULATION IS AGING EVEN FASTER.
UM, OBVIOUSLY, UM, CHRONIC DISEASE AND CON COMPLEX ISSUES THAT GO UNTREATED FOR MANY YEARS IS A HUGE CHALLENGE AMONG THIS OLDER POPULATION.
THE LONGER PEOPLE ARE ON THE STREETS, THE MORE COMPLEX THEIR HEALTH CONDITIONS, UM, GET.
SO FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE AGING INTO OLDER HOMELESSNESS ON THE STREET, THAT'S COMING WITH A MYRIAD OF JUST HIGHER LEVEL MEETS.
UM, AND THEN THE, THE OTHER BARRIER THAT'S NOT ON HERE IS JUST THE HIGH BARRIER TO NURSING, NURSING, UM, NURSING CARE OR PALLIATIVE CARE.
NURSING HOME LEVEL CARE IS OFTEN A BARRIER FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, WHETHER IT BECAUSE OF TRANSPORTATION OR LACK OF INSURANCE OR BEING UNDERINSURED.
UM, NOT HAVING HOUSING MAKES IT ALSO VERY DIFFICULT TO RECEIVE THE LEVEL OF CARE THAT YOU NEED, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, AND JUST DISCRIMINATION AND STIGMA AMONG THAT POPULATION.
[00:35:01]
ACCESS INTO THOSE, UH, THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THAT PROVIDE A HIGHER LEVEL OF CARE.AND SO THE LAST SLIDE, I JUST WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TWO PATHWAYS INTO OLDER HOMELESSNESS AND THEN SOME OF THE, UM, SOLUTIONS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AS A SECTOR.
THERE ARE TWO MAIN PATHWAYS, RIGHT? ONE IS A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE GROWING OLDER AND AGING ON THE STREET.
SO THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE LITERALLY HAVE BEEN HOMELESS FOR A LONG, LONG ENOUGH PERIOD OF TIME WHERE YOU'RE, THEY'RE AGING INTO LONG-TERM HOMELESSNESS, OR SORRY, AGING INTO BEING AN OLDER ADULT ON THE STREET.
THE OTHER PATHWAY IS PEOPLE WHO ARE FINDING THEMSELVES HOMELESS, UM, IN THEIR OLD AGE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
AND BECAUSE OF ALL THE REASONS THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT FOR THAT FIRST GROUP, WE ARE THINKING OF, WE, WE ARE GETTING BETTER AT REALLY TARGETING PEOPLE WITH PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING RESOURCES.
SO OUR COMMUNITY IS REALLY PRIORITIZING GETTING PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING TO PEOPLE THAT NEED IT THE MOST, WHICH IS HOUSING WITH AN ONGOING LONG-TERM SUBSIDY TO ENSURE THAT THE TENANTS OF THAT HOUSING ARE NOT PAYING ANY MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME, UM, FOR THE RENT.
WHICH MEANS IF YOU HAVE NO INCOME OR YOU'RE NOT HOOKED UP TO BENEFITS, YOU WOULD PAY NOTHING UNTIL YOU ARE.
AND THEN THAT IS PAIRED WITH WRAPAROUND BEHAVIORAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTHCARE THAT CAN BE BROUGHT TO THE PERSON IN THEIR HOME, UM, WITH AN OPTION TO SCALE UP TO A HIGHER, HIGHER LEVEL OF CARE AS NEEDED FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED, YOU KNOW, MORE, UM, A NURSING ROOM LEVEL OF NURSING HOME LEVEL OF CARE.
UM, THE SECOND PATHWAY IS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE FINDING THEMSELVES HOMELESS FOR THE FIRST TIME.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET BETTER AT REALLY CAPTURING PEOPLE ON DAY ONE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE STAYS AND HOMELESSNESS ARE AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE TO REALLY AVOID ALL OF THE TRAUMA AND THE BAD THINGS THAT HAPPEN WHEN PEOPLE HAVE EXTENDED SPACE IN HOMELESSNESS.
SO IT'S THIS RAPID EXIT MODEL TO SAY, HOW CAN WE IDENTIFY YOU QUICKLY AND GET YOU BACK INTO PERMANENT HOUSING WITH A RANGE OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF SUBSIDIES? SO WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S A SHALLOW SUBSIDY THAT MIGHT LAST A LONG TIME, BUT IT'S JUST ENOUGH MONEY SO THAT YOUR SSI, THE MATH WORKS FOR THE INCOME THAT YOU HAVE COMING IN.
UM, BUT DEFINITELY A SUBSIDY THAT CAN SUPPORT PEOPLE TO PAY THEIR RENTS.
AND THEN CASE MANAGEMENT TO HELP PEOPLE LINK INTO COMMUNITY-BASED HOMELESS WITH MORE COMPLEX NEEDS, HAVING MORE WRAPAROUND CARE ATTACHED TO PERMANENT HOUSING UNITS.
AND THEN FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST NEWLY HOMELESS, CAPTURING THEM EARLY AND THROUGH SOME CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING, REALLY FIGURING OUT WHAT IS THE LONG-TERM MOST STABLE SOLUTION FOR THAT PERSON IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND IF NOT A CASE MANAGER THAT CAN IDENTIFY OTHER OPTIONS FOR SOMEONE WHILE THEY'RE GETTING THEIR RENT COVERED.
SO THAT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS, MAYBE HEAR IF Y'ALL HAVE OTHER IDEAS.
UM, DIALYSIS INSTITUTING AND THE BUDGET, A $3 FEE ON OUR SANITATION AND A DOLLAR OF THAT IS GOING TO HOMELESSNESS.
BUT THAT'S ENCAMPMENT CLEANUP.
IS THAT, IS THAT A BEST PRACTICE? I'VE GOT A COUPLE BEST PRACTICES.
YOU'VE GOT FRISCO AND MCKINNEY, KIND OF THE BENCHMARKS UP THERE IN NORTH.
WHAT, HOW DOES THAT FIT WITH OTHER CITIES? YEAH, I MEAN, WE'RE GONNA BE PAYING $3 A MONTH MORE ALL CITIZENS ON THEIR SANITATION BILL.
AND I UNDERSTAND A DOLLAR THAT'S GOING TO ENCAMPMENT HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT IMPROVEMENT MAINTENANCE.
AND THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THAT ELEMENT IS THE CITY OF DALLAS AND HOUSING FLORIDA PARTNERSHIP WITH, UM, DEI FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA IS EXECUTING, IMPLEMENTING A STREET TO HOME ENCAMPMENT RESPONSE MODEL.
AND SO WE'RE WORKING IN A COORDINATED WAY TO BRING THOSE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING RESOURCES DIRECTLY TO PEOPLE WHO ARE OUTSIDE.
AND WE DO, AS I MENTIONED, HAVE OLDER PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING OUTSIDE IN ENCAMPMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN HOMELESS FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
AND THE IDEA IS WE WANNA CLOSE THOSE ENCAMPMENTS BY OFFERING EVERYONE LIVING IN THOSE AREAS, PERMANENT HOUSING PATHWAYS.
SO WE'RE BRINGING HEALTHCARE REHOUSING ASSISTANCE DIRECTLY ON SITE AND MOVING THEM TO THE HOUSING.
AND THEN THE CITY IS SUPPORTING US IN CLEANING THOSE AREAS AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY REMAIN COVID.
SO IF I UNDERSTAND YOU CORRECTLY, YOU'RE MOVING 'EM STREET TO HOUSE.
ALL HOUSING WITH SERVICES YET.
BUT THEY WOULDN'T BE, BECAUSE I DIDN'T SEEM TO NOTICE AS MANY TODAY YEAH.
COMING IN, BUT OKAY, WE'VE JUST HOUSED.
SO THESE WOULD BE SANCTIONED ENCAMPMENTS.
NO, I THINK WHAT WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS OF THOSE SITES THAT STILL EXIST AND POP UP, THE WAY THAT WE WANNA RESOLVE THOSE ENCAMPMENTS IS BY HOUSING PEOPLE AND GIVING THEM SUPPORT SUPPORTIVE SERVICES.
AND SO WE'RE WORKING IN COORDINATION AS THE REHOUSING SYSTEM TO WORK WITH THE CITY TO IDENTIFY THOSE LOCATIONS THAT ARE PROBLEMATIC WITH HIGHER CONCENTRATIONS OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING
[00:40:01]
HOMELESSNESS.LIKE THE LIBRARY WE'RE GOING IN, WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE, UH, WE SUPPORT PEOPLE TO MOVE BACK INTO HOUSING AND CONNECT WITH WRAPAROUND SUPPORT.
AND THEN THE CITY IS SUPPORTING US IN KEEPING THOSE AREAS CLEAN AFTER WE'VE HOUSED EVERYBODY IN THE LOCATION.
NEXT ONE WOULD BE TINY HOUSES.
ARE THOSE BEING UTILIZED OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S A PERMANENT NATURE? ARE THEY TOO SMALL AFRAID SOMEBODY'S GONNA JACK 'EM UP AND HAUL 'EM AWAY?
WE NEED EVERY KIND OF PERMANENT HOUSING.
DO OTHER CITIES UTILIZE THAT? YEAH, YOU KNOW, I, I, UM, HAVE RELOCATED HERE FROM ATLANTA AND WE HAVE A VERY SUCCESSFUL PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING COMMUNITY THAT'S WITH SHIPPING CONTAINERS AND THEY WERE ABLE TO PUT THAT UP IN FOUR MONTHS.
AND IT'S WRAPPED WITH SUPPORTIVE SERVICES.
PEOPLE HAVE THEIR OWN UNITS, THEIR OWN BATHROOMS, THEIR OWN KIND OF EFFICIENCY UNIT AND ARE, UM, AND, AND IT'S GOING GREAT.
IT'S BEEN IN OPERATION NOW FOR OVER A YEAR.
AND SO I THINK IT'S GONNA TAKE THOSE SORTS OF INNOVATIONS, UM, TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE PERMANENT HOUSING.
WE'RE ACCESSING A LOT OF PRIVATE SECTOR UNITS, SO WE HAVE A LANDLORD ENGAGEMENT TEAM OF ABOUT FIVE STAFF WHO ALL THEY DO IS SEARCH FOR AVAILABLE UNITS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE CAN HELP PEOPLE MOVE BACK INTO.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT ALL FRONTS FOR HOUSING FOR SURE.
HEY, CAN YOU HEAR ME WORK? SO I WAS, I WAS WONDERING, I JUST WANTED TALK QUESTION INTO THE CHAIR.
WE'VE LOST IT, DAVID, OVER 55.
WHAT PERCENT IS THAT OF THE TOTAL? IS THAT JUST ENDOW LOCALLY? YEAH, WE HAVE ABOUT 27 TOTAL.
I CAN GET YOU THE EXACT NUMBER.
AND THEN THIS IS 1070 OVER 55.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO LOOK.
I ALWAYS HAD US DO IT THE LAST WEEK IN JANUARY, WHICH IS WHEN THE MOST PEOPLE ARE GOING INTO SHELTER.
SO WE TRY TO CAPTURE THE MOST PEOPLE.
SO WE HAVE AN UNSHELTERED AND A SHELTER.
YEAH, WE GOT A LOT VOLUNTEERS, ASSISTANT WORKERS THAT PULL THAT OFF.
WHERE, WHERE IS MOST OF THE FUNDING FOR THIS REHOUSING EFFORT COMING FROM? IT'S A MIX.
SO THE, THE SUSTAINABLE, THE, THE BULK OF THE SUSTAINABLE DOLLARS COMES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT'S SUPPLEMENTED BY THE CITY OF DALLAS, UM, DALLAS COUNTY.
AND THEN ALL OF THE CITIES REALLY ACROSS DALLAS AND COLLIN COUNTY HAVE SOME LEVEL OF TARGETED PROGRAMS THAT ARE GOING INTO THESE STRATEGIES.
BUT I THINK THROUGH OUR TRANSFORMATION, WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO IS SAY, LET'S DECIDE WHAT WE WANNA DO AND BRING OUR DOLLARS TOGETHER, BECAUSE WHEN WE ALL FUNDED DIFFERENT PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO SCALE.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE CHANGE.
BUT THE, THE BULK OF THE SUSTAINABLE DOLLARS COMES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
WE'VE ALSO HAD OUR PRIVATE COMMUNITY STEP UP AND MATCH THE LOCAL DOLLARS IN A HUGE WAY OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, WHICH HAS BEEN JUST REALLY A BEAUTIFUL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO GET THIS TRANSFORMATION UNDERWAY AND GET US MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I HAVE A, A QUESTION ABOUT SOME MEDIA COVERAGE THAT I'VE FOLLOWED RECENTLY ON THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY AND HOW KIND OF LOOKING UPSTREAM FROM WHAT CAUSES HOMELESSNESS.
THEY'VE DONE THINGS LIKE START, UH, TENANTS UNION, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY A GROUP OF TENANTS WHO ARE UNIONIZING TO EFFECTIVELY EXERT SOME POWER OVER CORPORATIONS AND IN SOME CASES CITY GOVERNMENT, STATE GOVERNMENT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY POINTED OUT WAS THAT URBAN REDEVELOPMENT IN CERTAIN CASES, ACTUALLY CAUSES HOMELESSNESS BECAUSE THESE DEVELOPMENTS COME IN, IN SOME CASES FUNDED BY CITIES AND STATES AND ACTUALLY DRIVE HOMELESSNESS BECAUSE THE INDIVIDUALS WERE LIVING THERE BEFORE.
SO MY QUESTION IS, HOW BIG OF AN ISSUE IS THAT IN THE CITY OF DALLAS IN TERMS OF KIND OF COMPETING PRIORITIES DEVELOPMENT, BUT THEN THAT DRIVES A LEVEL OF HOMELESSNESS AND CHALLENGES FOR ESPECIALLY SENIORS? YEAH, I MEAN, THE RESEARCH IS PRETTY CLEAR THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE, THE RATES THAT HOMELESSNESS FOLLOW THE COST OF HOUSING
AND SO ANYWHERE THAT YOU HAVE RISING HOUSING COSTS, YOU'RE, IT'S, IS VERY HARD TO TURN OFF THE TAP INTO HOMELESSNESS.
AND I THINK THAT IS CLEARLY A MUCH BIGGER ISSUE THAT WE NEED TO SOLVE IN DALLAS AND IN EVERY MAJOR CITY.
I THINK ACROSS THE NATION IS HOW
[00:45:01]
ARE WE GONNA SOLVE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS? AND I THINK AS A HOMELESS SERVICES SYSTEM, WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS WE, WE'RE NOT GONNA TURN OFF THE TAP UNTIL WE SOLVE THAT CRISIS, BUT WE CAN'T WAIT.WE CAN STILL REDUCE HOMELESSNESS AND MAKE SURE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO LIVE OUTSIDE THROUGH SUBSIDIES AND OTHER WORKAROUNDS WHILE WE'RE SOLVING THAT BIGGER ISSUE.
DEBBIE, CAN YOU GET YOUR HAND UP? YES.
I, UM, HEARD THE MAYOR SAY AT, UM, A MEETING SOMETIME EARLIER THIS YEAR OR LATTER PART OF LAST YEAR THAT DALLAS HAD AN INFLUX OF NEW APARTMENTS BEING BUILT AND WE, THEIR APARTMENTS, THEIR APARTMENTS, SOMEBODY ELSE IS ON SOMEBODY ELSE'S ON MUTE.
AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES ME ECHO CODE.
ANYHOW, THE MAYOR SAID THAT WE HAD AN INFLUX OF NEW APARTMENTS BEING BUILT AND THERE ARE APARTMENTS EVERYWHERE I KNOW OVER HERE IN OUR AREA.
AND, AND THE DEVELOPERS AND THE INVESTORS ARE COMING IN AND, AND OUR COUNCILMEN IS REALLY ON TOP OF IT AND VERY MUCH OPPOSED TO IT COMING IN, SENDING POSTCARDS TO SENIOR CITIZENS OFFERING TO BUY THEIR HOUSES.
THEY DON'T GIVE THEM ENOUGH TO RELOCATE, BUT THEY TAKE THAT PROPERTY THAT THIS HOUSE WAS ON AND THEY BUILD TWO, UH, TRIPLEXES, DUPLEXES, WHATEVER THE TRIPLEXES AND DUPLEXES THAT THEY BUILD, THE PERSONS THAT LIVED IN THAT AREA BEFORE CAN'T AFFORD IT.
THEN THOSE TRIPLEXES AND DUPLEXES BRING UP THE PROPERTY VALUE.
ONE OF THE, UH, LOCAL NEWS STATIONS INTERVIEWED ONE OF THE DEVELOPERS AND THE, IN THE INTERVIEW THIS PERSON WAS SAYING, WELL, WE'RE BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT THE AWARD AFFORDABLE IS RELATIVE TO HIM CHARGING WHAT HE WAS CHARGING A MONTH FOR RENT WAS OKAY, BUT A PERSON ON A FIXED INCOME COULDN'T AFFORD TO STAY IN HIS DEVELOPMENT.
HIS APARTMENTS, HIS COMPLEXES, HIS DUPLEXES, HIS TRIPLEXES.
PART OF THE PROBLEM IS JUST THAT AMERICANS ARE GREEDY AND EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE.
AND THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE GREEDY ARE NOT THINKING THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE ON THE LOWER END OF THE FOOD CHAIN THAT HAVE TO SURVIVE TOO.
SO PART OF IT IS, IS JUST BEING GREEDY.
AND I THINK THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS, THESE PEOPLE THAT COME TO THE CITY OF DALLAS AND ASK TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING, IF THEY WERE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND MADE SURE THAT WHAT THEY BILL, THAT THEY CHARGE AN AFFORDABLE AMOUNT FOR RENT, THAT WOULD SOLVE A LOT OF THE PROBLEMS. A LOT OF THE PROBLEMS. THAT'S MY 2 CENTS IN, IN SPEAKING ABOUT, UH, CAUSES FOR HOMELESSNESS.
I JUST WANTED TO THROW THIS OUT.
WE HAD, OH, I GUESS A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, AND I STILL SEE HER HIERARCHICALLY, UH, AN ELDERLY WOMAN THAT'S HOMELESS.
AND IN TALKING WITH HER, SOMEHOW HER NAME WAS TAKEN OFF OF A DE AND THE HOUSE, HER HOME WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM HER.
AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, SHE'S HOMELESS AND SO I'M JUST SUPPOSED, AS A RESULT OF TALKING WITH HER, WE ARE GONNA START CONDUCTING STUDY SESSIONS ON WILLS AND TRUST AND PROBATE AND JUST KNOWING WHAT IT IS THAT YOU NEED TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT NO ONE CAN COME IN, YOU KNOW, AND TAKE YOUR, YOUR HOME PROGRAM.
THE, THE SENIOR
I'M SORRY, GUARDIANSHIP GUARDIANSHIPS TOO, ESPECIALLY FOR SENIORS WHO DON'T HAVE EXTENDED FAMILY.
SO THERE, THERE, THERE'S A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE TRYING TO DO THAT PROACTIVELY.
UH, I WANTED TO ASK YOU, HOW DO YOU PICK THE ENCAMPMENT AREAS? SO THE ENCAMPMENTS THAT WE'RE CLOSING ARE REALLY PRIORITIZED BASED ON PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, NEEDS MORE WHERE THERE'S JUST THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HOMELESS FOR THE LONGEST PERIODS OF TIME.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, THE, OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE ARE CALLING IN SOME OF THOSE SITES THROUGH 3 1 1 OR JUST THROUGH OUR OUTREACH TEAMS IDENTIFYING THOSE SITES AND UM, AND OBVIOUSLY THOSE THAT POSE A PUBLIC HEALTH RISK TO EITHER THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE LIVING THERE OR TO THE COMMUNITY, UM, BECOME A TOP PRIORITY.
HAVE, I WON'T SPEAK ON MY DAMN HEAD.
I MADE A SURVEY, WEST DALLAS FOR THEM BIG OLD HOMES, THEY HAD BILLS.
THEY, THEY GIVE ME PEOPLE TO SELL OUT WHEN THEY SELL OUT.
THEY PUT HOMES IN THERE BECAUSE NO $100 5,000 A MONTH AND THEY GOT A LOT OF VACANCIES OVER THERE AND THEY STILL BUILD IT, STILL BUILDING IT, AND SOME PEOPLE ARE WAITING TO GET THEIR HOUSE TO DOWN AND REBUILD THROUGH THE CITY AND THEY HAVEN'T GOT IT.
THEY'VE BEEN ON AT LIST THREE YEARS.
[00:50:01]
THEM TO TRY TO BUY THEIR HOUSE FROM, BECAUSE THEY WAITING ON THE CITY TO DO WHAT THEY SAID THEY WERE GONNA DO AND THEY DONE TURNED IN ALL THEY BABIES.SO THEY END UP JUST GIVING UP AND GOING ON TO THE APARTMENT TO SET IT IN AND LATER, SOONER OR LATER THEY GONNA BE HOMELESS.
THEY TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT THAT, IT'S ALL OVER WEST DALLAS.
IT'S ALL OVER DOWN A BIG OLD HOUSE.
SO, UM, SARAH, UM, THERE WAS A HOTEL MOTEL, UM, ON FORT WORTH AVENUE THAT WAS PURCHASED BY THE CITY A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WITH THE THOUGHT OF TURNING IT INTO A HOME FOR RECOVERY.
IT WAS A MEN'S DORMITORY IS ABOUT ALL I REALLY KNOW.
NOW I'M FINDING OUT THAT IT'S NOT REALLY EVEN ZONED CORRECTLY.
WE, IT REDEVELOPING NEW PROPERTY TAKES A LONG TIME, BUT THEN WHEN YOU'RE ALSO COMBATING COMMUNITIES WHO DON'T WANT THOSE PROPERTIES IN THEIR COMMUNITY, THAT LENGTH, THE TIME THAT IT TAKES PROJECTS TO GET OFF THE GROUND.
SO WHILE WE'RE HELPING TO COORDINATE RESOURCES FOR THOSE TYPES OF PROJECTS, WE ALSO HAVE TO SIMULTANEOUSLY BE PLACING PEOPLE IN VACANT UNITS THAT WE CAN FIND AND, YOU KNOW, ATTACHING SUPPORT PACKAGES TO THOSE UNITS.
AND SO WE'RE WORKING BOTH OF THOSE STRATEGIES AT THE SAME TIME.
UM, BUT YES, I THINK AS WE CONTINUE TO, UH, IDENTIFY MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR REDEVELOPING AND, AND CREATING PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, UM, WE WILL ALSO, YOU KNOW, HAVE THE RIGHT PARTNERS AT THE TABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE RESOURCES IDENTIFIED FOR OPERATING SUBSIDIES, SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, AND ATTACHED TO THOSE UNITS AT THE FRONT END OF, OF THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT.
WELL ACTUALLY, IF THAT'S THE END, I JUST WANNA SAY I HAVE FOLLOWED THE PROBLEM WITH HOMELESSNESS FOR A LONG TIME.
I MEAN, MY, MY CHURCH FEEDS THE HOMELESS AND MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS ALWAYS VULNER AND I REALLY DO ADMIRE AND RESPECT THE CHANGES IN THE, THE CREATIVE SOLUTIONS.
I MEAN, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE, BUT THAT'S HOW IT IS.
AND I'M REALLY ALARMED THAT IT'S GONNA GET WORSE INSTEAD OF BETTER.
SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO IN YOUR HARD WORK.
I'M GONNA TAKE ONE MORE STAB AT DAVID AND SEE IF HE CAN GET IN.
AUSTIN, YOU TALKING? HE'S NOT, NO, HE'S JUST LOOKING.
DEBBIE, CAN YOU HEAR ME? CAN YOU HEAR ME? OKAY, SO PLEASE.
I'M ON THE, YOU THERE? I'M BEING, I'M BEING MUTED BY THE SYSTEM, BUT AT, AT ANY RATE, I WAS GOING TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT HAMILTON PARK COMMUNITY IS, IS SEEING SOME OF THESE THINGS HAPPEN AS WELL WITH, UH, INVESTORS COMING IN AND BUYING OUT THE HOME FROM THE SENIORS? SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CITY IS DOING AS A WHOLE TO CALENDAR SOME OF THAT, OR IF THAT'S JUST THE COST.
I, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE ANYBODY BUT IT.
DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN HAMILTON PARK? THERE WAS A NEWS STORY THIS WEEK ABOUT IT.
WELL, THAT, THAT SOUNDS LIKE A QUESTION THAT'S BETTER DIRECTED TO SOMEONE FROM THE POLICY POSITION IN THEIR HOUSING DEPARTMENT, BUT NOT NECESSARILY DURING THEIR SPECIFIC BRIEFING TODAY, BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE THEY'RE PREPARED TO SPEAK TO THAT TOPIC.
SO I'M, I WANNA THANK YOU SARAH FOR BEING HERE AND REALLY APPRECIATE INSIGHTS AND WE WILL HAVE YOU THERE.
NEXT UP IS, UH, JESSICA, WHO'S GOING TO GIVE US AN UPDATE
[00:55:01]
ON THE CITY'S BUDGET PROCESS, PEERS.UM, JESSICA G I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE.
UM, BEFORE I START, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FOLKS WE HAVE REPRESENTING OTHER DEPARTMENTS HERE, PARTIALLY BECAUSE I WANNA MAKE SURE I AM AWARE OF WHO'S HERE FOR WHEN WE GET TO THAT PORTION, BUT ALSO I WANNA MAKE SURE Y'ALL ARE AWARE.
SO I KNOW WE HAVE HOUSING AND CAN WE, WOULD YOU MIND STEPPING UP AND JUST INTRODUCING YOURSELF? UM, JUANITA ORTIZ, I'M ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AND SANITATION SERVICES.
SHANNON M DOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
LINDSEY WRITER PARK AND RECREATION SENIOR PROGRAM DIVISION.
I THINK THAT JASMINE IS JASMINE ONLINE FROM HOUSING.
ARE YOU ABLE TO HEAR ME? ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS REPRESENTED HERE.
UM, THE FOLKS CENTER, MOST LIKELY TO GET YOUR QUESTIONS,
UM, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED ON AN OVERVIEW OF JUST THE SENIOR PROGRAMS IN MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS IN THE FY 25 BUDGET AS PROPOSED CURRENTLY.
SO, SO LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS PRESENTATION IS TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON INITIATIVES FROM 2024, UM, TO PROVIDE A QUICK UPDATE ON THE TIMELINE FOR THE CITY'S BUDGET PROCESS, THEN TO GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF THAT, WHICH IS INCLUDED IN FY 25 AND GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS QUESTIONS TO THE DEPARTMENTS ABOUT THAT.
MOVING ON, UM, WE ARE UNDER A NEW INTERIM CITY MANAGER, KIMBERLY WEISER TOLBERT, AND SHE HAS ESTABLISHED, UM, A NEW KIND OF, UH, STRUCTURAL OR SET OF GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR OUR OPERATIONS.
UH, SO, UH, YOU'LL SEE HERE WE HAVE OUR CORE VALUES.
WE HAVE OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES, CONNECT, COLLABORATE, COMMUNICATE, AND A FOUNDATIONAL STRUCTURE.
SO OUR, UH, OUR TEAM IS NOW STRUCTURED UNDER THIS FOUNDATIONAL STRUCTURE OF SAFE, VIBRANT, GROW, LIVABLE, SUSTAINABLE FISCALLY SOUND AND CORE, UM, AND OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE IS FALLING WITHIN THE VIBRANT, UH, COMMUNITIES, UH, PORTFOLIO.
SO, UM, MOVING ON, I WILL SAY THAT, UM, THERE ARE MANY DEPARTMENTS, OF COURSE YOU ALL KNOW THIS, THAT ADMINISTER PROGRAMS THAT ARE IMPACTING, THAT ARE SERVING, THAT ARE EXCLUSIVELY SERVING OR PRIMARILY SERVING OLDER ADULTS.
UM, MAYBE BASED ON WHAT THE SERVICE IS AND NEEDS OR SOMETIMES IT'S JUST, UH, IT JUST ENDS UP THAT WAY.
BUT FOR EXAMPLE, WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A OVERREPRESENTATION I THINK OF OLDER ADULTS IN, IN SOME OF THE HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS. THERE'S A LOT OF OLDER ADULTS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH THAT.
UM, WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH INTENTIONAL FROM A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS.
SO, UM, DPD DALLAS FIRE AND RESCUE, OUR, UH, PUBLIC WORKS, WHICH IS NOW TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS WITH THIS, UH, UPDATED STRUCTURE, UM, SANITATION.
AND OF COURSE WE ACTUALLY HAVE SOMEBODY HERE FROM THAT DEPARTMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE FREQUENTLY INTERACTING WITH OLDER ADULTS, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THE, THEIR NEEDS AND WATER SHARE.
UH, THE CO COMPLIANCE TEAM AND OF COURSE THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE OCC, OUR DEPARTMENT NOW OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE AND EMPOWERMENT, UM, THE PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARIES, UM, EACH ACTUALLY HAVE PROGRAMMING THAT ARE SPECIFIC OR EXCLUSIVE TO SENIORS AND OLDER ADULTS AS WELL.
SO, MOVING ON A QUICK UPDATE ON SOME OF THE FY 24 INITIATIVES.
UM, SOME THINGS THAT, UH, WERE RECOMMENDED AND WERE ABLE TO BE INTEGRATED INTO THE BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR.
OF COURSE, THE FUNDING FOR THE AGE-FRIENDLY OFFICER POSITION, I'M VERY EXCITED TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT ONE HAS BEEN, HAS BEEN TAKEN UP AND YOU CAN SEE HER SOMEWHERE, RIGHT THERE.
VISUAL EVIDENCE OF HER EXISTENCE ARE WONDERFUL AGE-FRIENDLY OFFICER, UH, TABITHA.
UM, AND SO WE'RE SO EXCITED TO HAVE HER HERE.
UM, I KNOW SHE'S GONNA GIVE A QUICK UPDATE OF SOME OF HER INITIAL CONVERSATION AND OBSERVATION SHORTLY.
UH, ONE TIME CONSULTING RESOURCES EXCITED ON THIS ONE TOO.
SO THIS IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE AUTHORIZED BY CITY COUNCIL.
A CONTRACT WITH A FIRM CALLED GUIDEHOUSE INCORPORATED IS GOING TO BE AUTHORIZED BY CITY COUNCIL IN THE COMING WEEKS.
UM, WE ACTUALLY BROUGHT THAT ITEM TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE JUST THIS MORNING TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF THE FORTHCOMING PROCUREMENT ITEMS SO THAT THEY WOULD, YOU KNOW, BE READY TO SUPPORT IT.
UM, A TYPICAL WAY THAT WE TAKE ITEMS TO COUNCILS, WE TYPICALLY GO THROUGH THE APPROPRIATE COUNCIL COMMITTEE, UM, TO MAKE THEM AWARE OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES A FULL SCALE BRIEFING, SOMETIMES JUST AN UPDATE MEMO TO
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LET THEM KNOW THAT IT'S COMING.UH, WE LIKE ALL OF OUR ITEMS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE SUPPORT OF, UH, ONE OF THE RESPECTIVE COUNCIL COMMITTEES.
SO WE ACTUALLY, UH, WERE ABLE TO PRI PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THAT, UM, TO THIS MORNING AND OF COURSE HAVE THEIR SUPPORT TO MOVE THAT FORWARD TO FULL COUNCIL.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED THAT THAT WILL BE LAUNCHING QUITE SOON.
UM, ADDITIONALLY THERE WAS SOME INVESTMENT IN FUNDING FOR SOME SENIOR PROGRAMS WITH THE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
UM, AND UH, THAT WORK HAS HAS BEEN HAPPENING AND YOU CAN OF COURSE, UH, ASK SOME QUESTIONS OF OUR REPRESENTATIVE FROM THAT DEPARTMENT, UM, IF YOU'D LIKE TO.
UH, BUT THE PROGRAMMING IS UNDERWAY.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE HOME REPAIR PROGRAM.
SO, UM, I BELIEVE THAT JASMINE IS GOING TO ACTUALLY BE GIVING A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPDATE ON THE HOME REPAIR PROGRAM AS WE'RE GONNA BE MOVING INTO A, THE APPLICATION STAGE FOR THAT.
I THINK LIKE TODAY OR TOMORROW, LIKE IN THE COMING DAYS, THE APPLICATION OFFICIALLY OPENS AND SHE'LL TELL YOU ALL ABOUT THAT.
SO THAT'S THE UPDATE ON THE 2024 INITIATIVES.
WE ARE MOVING FORWARD ACROSS THE BOARD, UH, FOR BUDGET PROCESS FOR 2025.
SO NOW I WANNA KIND OF TALK YOU THROUGH HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE.
UM, AND SO INITIAL BUDGET TOWN HALLS, UH, TOOK PLACE EARLIER THIS YEAR.
SO THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD A SERIES OF BUDGET TOWN HALLS DURING MARCH OF THE YEAR.
SO WE HAD THEM IN MARCH OF 2024.
UM, AND THEN AN INITIAL PUBLIC HEARING, UM, AT THE COUNCIL, WHICH JUST ALLOWS AND INVITES PEOPLE TO SPEAK ON A TOPIC.
UM, SO THAT'S HAD PLACE IN MAY.
SO BETWEEN MARCH AND MAY, THERE WERE SOME TOWN HALLS AND PUBLIC HEARINGS.
UM, THAT KIND OF LEADS UP TO A LOT OF PREPARATORY WORK GOING ON INTERNALLY.
UM, OF COURSE THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU ALL HAVE PROVIDED, ALL THE CONVERSATIONS GOING ON, DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, WORKING ON THEIR BUDGETS, WORKING WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND OUR CITY LEADERSHIP TO ULTIMATELY COME UP WITH WHAT OUR CITY MANAGER THEN PUTS FORWARD AS THE CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED BUDGET.
AND THAT WAS RELEASED ON AUGUST 13TH, 2024.
UM, SO BEGINNING ON AUGUST 15TH, I THINK THAT WAS LAST TUESDAY.
I THINK I HAVE THE DATE WRONG ON THAT.
I THINK IT WAS RELEASED ON THE FRIDAY.
UM, BUT BEGINNING ON AUGUST 15TH, JUST THIS PAST WEEK, UH, THE TOWN HALLS MEETING STARTED, UM, I PERSONALLY ATTENDED THE TOWN HALL MEETING IN DISTRICT NINE.
UM, I KNOW THAT OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, I THINK WAS IN THE ONE IN DISTRICT ONE AND WE HAD FOLKS, UH, MAYBE AT DISTRICT SEVEN, I THINK WE HAD SOMEBODY AT DISTRICT SEVEN.
UM, AND SO THERE'S TOWN HALL MEETINGS ALMOST EVERY NIGHT.
I THINK THERE'S AT LEAST ONE OR TWO TONIGHT.
THERE'LL BE SEVERAL TOMORROW NIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY ON WEDNESDAY.
I THINK THERE ARE SEVERAL ON THURSDAY.
UM, AND THEN EVEN ON SATURDAY WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE DOING ENGAGEMENT AT SOME EXISTING KIND OF LARGE SCALE PUBLIC EVENTS.
THERE'S A EVENT GOING ON AT THE LIBRARY, UM, AND THERE'S GONNA BE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY AND THERE'S GONNA BE, UM, REPRESENTATIVES THERE.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL ALSO HAVE FOLKS AT CUS AT KLE BOARD PARK FOR A LARGE EVENT THAT'S TAKING PLACE THERE.
SO REALLY TRYING TO DO A LOT MORE OF THE ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT.
UM, MOVING ON ON WEDNESDAY OF THIS WEEK IS A BUDGET WORKSHOP, SO OH YEAH, SORRY.
YEAH, THE BUDGET WORKSHOP, THE, THE FULL BUDGET WORKSHOP WAS THE 13TH.
THIS WEEK'S BUDGET WORKSHOP IS GOING TO BE FOCUSED ON DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, DALLAS FIRE RESCUE AND THE BENEFITS OVERVIEW OF IT FOR EMPLOYEE HEALTH BENEFITS.
SO IT WILL HAVE A CONVERSATION AT THE BUDGET AT LARGE, BUT REALLY FOCUSED ON THOSE CORE TOPICS.
UM, AND THESE, UH, BUDGET WORKSHOPS ARE, UM, THOSE ARE THE MEETINGS OF OUR CITY COUNCIL WHERE THEY'RE BRIEFED ON THE BUDGET AND SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF THE BUDGET.
AND OF COURSE THERE'S ALWAYS OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS AND ASK QUESTIONS, ET CETERA.
UM, SO ON THE 28TH IS A BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING.
UM, SO THAT IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH, I MEAN, THERE ARE STATE LAWS THAT LAY OUT EXACTLY HOW WE HAVE TO DO THAT, BUT WE DO HAVE TO HAVE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF BUDGET, PUBLIC HEARINGS.
UM, THOSE ARE THE ACTUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO COME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND SPEAK ON, UM, THE BUDGET AND SPEAK ON THEIR, YOU KNOW, PERSPECTIVE AND SHARE, UM, SPECIFICALLY WITHIN THAT TOPIC.
UM, FROM THERE ON SEPTEMBER 4TH IS A BUDGET WORKSHOP RELATED TO AMENDMENTS.
SO, UM, OUR CITY COUNCIL, OF COURSE, THEY RECEIVED THIS BUDGET, UM, FROM OUR CITY MANAGER.
THERE'S CONVERSATIONS, UM, A LOT OF FEEDBACK, THE TOWN HALL MEETINGS HEARING A LOT.
AND THEN, UM, THERE'S ALWAYS SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS OR ADJUSTMENTS TO THAT RECOMMENDED BUDGET.
SO THOSE WILL BE DISCUSSED, UM, ON SEPTEMBER 4TH, AND THEN ON SEPTEMBER 4TH, ALSO, AFTER THAT DISCUSSION WOULD BE TO ADOPT THE BUDGET ON FIRST READING.
SO THE BUDGET HAS TO BE ADOPTED ON TWO READINGS, THE FIRST READING AND THEN THE FINAL READING.
SO THE FIRST READING HAS TO TAKE PLACE ON THAT DATE.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE TO ADOPT THE TAX RATE.
UM, AND SO THAT TAX RATE, UM, OF COURSE IS
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THE REVENUE SIDE THAT HAS TO MATCH UP WITH THE BUDGET.SO ALL OF THESE THINGS HAVE TO HAPPEN IN THIS STEP BY STEP SEQUENTIAL ORDER, CAREFULLY MANAGED.
UM, AND SO THE TAX RATE AND THE BUDGET FINAL READING ADOPTION IS SEPTEMBER 18TH, 2024, UM, AT ITS CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
AND OF COURSE, THE FISCAL YEAR FOR 2025 BEGAN ON OCTOBER 1ST, 2024.
AND NOW I WANNA BRING UP SOME AREAS OF INTEREST, UM, FOR THE, UH, FY 25, THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.
UH, SO FIRST, UH, YOU MAY BE AWARE, UM, BUT IN JUNE, UM, CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZED, UH, THE INCREASE OF THE, UH, AGE 65 OR A DISABILITY, UM, HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
SO THAT IS INCREASING FROM 1 39, 400 TO 1 53, 400, UH, FOR THE TAX YEAR.
THAT'LL GO INTO EFFECT ON OCTOBER 1ST.
SO THEN IT WOULD ACTUALLY TAKE PLACE FOR THAT NEXT TAX YEAR.
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE, OUR STAFF IS BEING MAINTAINED, UM, HOWEVER, UH, AS WELL AS THE FUNDING FOR SENIOR EMPLOYMENT AND FOR SENIOR OMBUDSMAN.
AND I KNOW THAT WE WANT TO HAVE SOME FURTHER CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE SENIOR EMPLOYMENT APPROACH, UM, FOR THE, FOR FUTURE YEARS.
AND I'M HOPING THAT OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND, UH, WILL HELP US GUIDE THAT AS WELL.
UM, AND ADDITIONALLY, UH, A $100,000 WOULD BE FOR A PROGRAM TO ADDRESS SENIOR FOOD INSECURITY.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S COME OUT OF THE STACK A COUPLE OF TIMES, IS, UH, TO LOOK AT SOMETHING TO TRY TO ADDRESS SENIOR FOOD INSECURITY.
UH, SO WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING TO TRY TO DO SOMETHING SPECIFICALLY TO SUPPORT OR ADDRESS THAT NEED, UM, IN SUPPORT, SORT OF A THOUGHTFUL WAY.
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM, THAT PROGRAM HAS BEEN A MULTI-YEAR FEDERAL GRANT THAT IS COMING TO AN END THIS FALL.
UM, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT PROGRAM BECAUSE IT DOES REQUIRE LOCAL FUNDING, UM, AND THE CITY'S NOT ABLE TO INCLUDE THAT FUNDING.
UM, AND THE, UM, THEN, AND YOU KNOW, IN WORKING WITH JART, THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO, OR, UM, TO CON INCLUDE THAT FUNDING.
SO WHAT WILL HAPPEN THERE, UM, IS JART HAS A PROCESS BY WHICH THEY MANAGE, UM, TRANSITIONS OF PROGRAMS, AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO, UM, GO THROUGH THEIR PROCESS WHERE THEY HAVE TO KIND OF REVIEW, UM, WHETHER OR NOT TO MAINTAIN THE PROGRAM OR WHETHER THEY NEED TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS.
AND THAT ALL HAS TO GO, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THEIR BOARD AND THROUGH A WHOLE VARIETY OF APPROVALS.
UM, SO IN THE MEANTIME, NOTHING WILL REALLY CHANGE WITH THAT BECAUSE THEY CAN'T, THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW THEIR OWN PROCESS.
THEY CANNOT END A PROGRAM, UM, WITHOUT FOLLOWING THAT PROCESS.
SO THEY'LL FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THAT PROCESS.
AND, UM, ULTIMATELY, UM, WOULD BE WORKING WITH EVERY CLIENT, UH, REACHING OUT AND ADVISING THEM IF THAT PROGRAM WAS GOING TO COME TO AN END, OR WHEN THAT MIGHT BE, AND HELPING THEM TO TRANSITION TO, YOU KNOW, OTHER OPTIONS.
I DO WANNA SAY THAT THE SENIOR TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM PARTNERSHIP WITH DART, UM, AND N CT COG, UM, AGAIN, WAS FEDERAL FUNDS THAT CAME BACK WAY BACK IN 2019.
THE TRANSPORTATION AND TRANSIT SYSTEM WAS VERY DIFFERENT AT THAT POINT.
UM, AND SO I KNOW THAT A LOT OF CHANGES HAVE TAKEN PLACE THERE.
UM, SO TO SPEAK TO THAT, I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE, THAT, THAT FEDERAL GRANT IS OVER, AND SO THEREFORE WE HAVE NO NEED TO, AND WE WILL NOT CONTINUE TO MATCH FOR THAT FEDERAL GRANT IN OUR BUDGET, AND WE CANNOT CONTINUE THAT SERVICE IN THAT WAY.
JESSICA, UM, SPECIFICALLY WHAT TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS WILL GO AWAY FROM THAT FUNDING? SO IS THAT THE RIDER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM? YEAH, SO THE TITLE OF THE PROGRAM IN DART PORTFOLIO IS WRITER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
WHAT THE CITY MATCHED FEDERAL FUNDING ALLOWS FOR IS THAT, IS FOR THE, UM, ON DEMAND SERVICE PROGRAM WHERE THEY ARE ABLE TO SCHEDULE THE RIDES USING KIND OF THAT ON DEMAND TRANSIT OPTION.
AND THE FUNDING WAS ACTUALLY PROVIDING A MATCH TO THE FUNDS THAT GO INTO THEIR ACCOUNT.
SO I CAN'T SAY I, I'M NOT FROM DART, I CANNOT SPEAK BROADLY ABOUT THE WRITER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OVER OVERALL, HOWEVER, THE CITY HAD BEEN ABLE TO GET FEDERAL FUNDS TO SUPPORT THAT PROGRAM, SPECIFICALLY FOR AGE 65 PLUS, AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN THE CITY OF DALLAS EXCLUSIVELY.
SO THAT'S WHAT THE FEDERAL GRANTS PROVIDED FOR.
SO YOU, SO PERHAPS THE PARATRANSIT IS STILL YES, NO, NO, NO.
THIS IS NOT, UM, IMPACTING PARATRANSIT.
UM, AND AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO LIKE GO TOO FAR INTO SPEAKING ABOUT ARTS PROGRAMS AS I'M NOT A DAR REPRESENTATIVE.
I CAN REALLY ONLY TALK TO THAT CONTACT, BUT I, YEAH, I, THE, IT IS NOT PARATRANSIT THAT OUR GRANT IS SUPPORTING.
IT WAS THIS OTHER OPTION, PARATRANSIT.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE'S, I DON'T KNOW OF ANY CHANGES THAT ARE GOING ON WITH PARATRANSIT, BUT I, I ALSO DON'T WANNA SAY WHAT I, YOU
[01:10:01]
KNOW, THAT THERE AREN'T OR ARE, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT DART IS, YOU KNOW, GOING THROUGH THEIR, YOU KNOW, PROCESS, UM, AS AN AGENCY AS WELL.AND, AND, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE CONFRONTED WITH REDUCTIONS RE FROM THE NUMBER OF THEIR CITIES.
SO THEY'RE, IT'S NOT GONNA BE AN EASY PROCESS TO SOMETHING'S, SOMETHING'S GONNA HAVE TO GIVE SOMEWHERE.
AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE WE, YOU KNOW, COULDN'T FIND, YOU KNOW, FEDERAL FUNDS THAT COULD COVER THE COSTS FULLY.
SO WILL THAT PROGRAM END OR WILL THAT PROGRAM CONTINUE UNTIL DART GOES THROUGH THAT PROCESS? AND HOW LONG IS THAT PROCESS? SO IT WOULD CONTINUE UNTIL DART COULD GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
MY UNDERSTANDING FROM OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH DART IS THAT ANY PROGRAM OR SERVICE LINE THAT THEY HAVE, IF THEY'RE GONNA MAKE THAT, YOU KNOW, ANY TYPE OF A CHANGE SUCH AS TRANSITIONING AWAY FROM A PROGRAM OR ADDING SOMETHING NEW, THEY HAVE TO GO, UH, THROUGH A SERIES OF APPROVALS.
UM, ULTIMATELY I BELIEVE THAT THEIR BOARD HAS TO APPROVE IT AS WELL.
UM, AND THEY HAVE TO PUT TOGETHER KIND OF A TIMELINE OR CLOSE OUT.
I CAN'T REALLY SPEAK TO THE EXACT TIMEFRAME, BUT I DO KNOW WHEN THEY KIND OF LAID IT OUT AS AN EXAMPLE, IT WAS MONTHS, MANY MONTHS AT LEAST.
SO THE CONTRACT MAY BE ENDING.
THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE SERVICE IS ENDING IMMEDIATELY.
IT DOES MEAN THAT THEY'RE GONNA LOOK AT THE SERVICE AS A POTENTIAL THING THAT THEY MAY NEED TO END.
AND THEY, THEY ARE NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF, THEY DON'T AN ANTICIPATE BEING ABLE TO PUT THE MONEY INTO SPECIFICALLY THAT PROGRAM TO CONTINUE OF WORK.
BUT, BUT WHAT WILL END IS THE CITY FUNDING OF THAT AS IF THE END OF THIS FISCAL, UM, THE END OF THIS MONTH, IT WILL TECHNICALLY, IT'LL END AT THE END OF RUNOUT, LIKE WHEN IT RUNS OUT, BECAUSE WE'RE AT LIKE THE VERY END OF IT.
I THINK THE CONTRACT GOES THROUGH LIKE NOVEMBER.
UM, BUT THAT, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE SERVICE STOPS ON NOVEMBER 30TH, THE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY DART AND COG STOPS, BUT THE SERVICE THEN TRANSITIONS FOR DART TO HANDLE, YOU KNOW, THE POTENTIAL PROGRAM CLOSURE OR PROGRAM TRANSITION IN THE WAY THAT THEY DO THAT IN THEIR OWN PROCESS.
BUT THEY PAID FOR ANY REMAINING TIME AFTER THAT.
'CAUSE THE CITY BUDGET WILL, I, I SUPPOSE WE HAVE TO JUST ASSUME THAT THEY DO.
UM, THE OTHER COMPONENT THAT, UM, IS NOT CONTINUING AS PLANNED FOR 2025 IS THE DENTAL PROGRAM.
NOW YOU ALL KNOW THAT THAT PROGRAM HAS ALWAYS HAD, UM, SOME PUSHBACK.
UM, AND SO WE ARE HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME EXTERNAL ENTITIES ABOUT THE POTENTIAL TO, UH, TRANSITION, UH, THE SERVICES TO ANOTHER PARTNER.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UM, COMMITMENTS.
I CAN'T SAY THAT X, Y, Z ENTITY IS GOING TO FUND OR THAT THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE THE SERVICE UP, BUT WE DO KNOW, UM, THAT, UM, DALLAS COUNTY DOES HAVE, UM, SOME, SOME DENTAL PROGRAMS THROUGH PARKLAND THAT ARE GOING ON, AND WE'RE LEARNING MORE ABOUT THOSE, AND WE'RE GOING TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
NOW, THAT'S ANOTHER CONTRACT WHERE THE TIMELINE DOESN'T MATCH THE FISCAL YEAR EXACTLY.
SO IT'S ACTUALLY, WE'LL CONTINUE WELL PAST, UM, SEPTEMBER 30TH THAT THE, THE ANNUAL YEAR FOR THAT WOULD END.
UM, AND SO WE'LL CERTAINLY, UH, KEEP YOU AWARE AND POSTED AS WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO, UM, TO TRY TO, I MEAN, WE'RE EVEN SEEING IF THERE'S PHILANTHROPIC FUNDING OUT THERE THAT MAYBE WE COULD DRAW DOWN ON.
UM, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES TO MAKE SURE THAT EVEN THOUGH THE CITY CANNOT COMMIT TO CONTINUING TO FUND THAT THE SERVICE COULD CONTINUE.
NOW, ON THOSE PROGRAMS, WE WERE PROVIDING FUNDING TO TWO LOCATIONS THAT WE WERE ONLY A SMALL PART OF WHAT THEY DO HERE.
SO PRESUMABLY A SENIOR OR ANY OTHER CITIZEN COULD GO TO THOSE CONTINUE GOING TO THOSE SITES JUST WOULDN'T BE SUPPORTED BY THE CITY.
YEAH, I I, I DON'T, IT'S NOT GOING TO CAUSE THE CLOSURE OF THE SITES.
RIGHT? SO THE, THOSE DENTAL CLINICS, THEY'RE, THEY EXIST AND THEY CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SERVICES.
I'M SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE ANYTHING FUNDING MEANS THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SCALE UP CAPACITY.
UM, AND OURS, OF COURSE, IS FOR HIS SENIORS SPECIFICALLY.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT ENSURED THAT THE SENIORS WERE ABLE TO KIND OF GET IN AND GET SERVED.
UM, BUT THEY DO HAVE OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING.
I DON'T KNOW ALL OF THEM, BUT DEBBIE, OH, I WAS GONNA ASK THE SAME QUESTION THAT YOU DID, BECAUSE MY CONCERN
[01:15:01]
WAS, UH, IF THE CLINICS WERE GOING TO CLOSE COMPLETELY, THAT WOULD, YOU ANSWERED MY QUESTION.WELL, YOU ASKED THE QUESTION I WAS GONNA ANSWER.
OUR, OUR FUNDING WAS DEFINITELY JUST KIND OF A PORTION.
THEY, THESE ARE LARGE SCALE CLINICS.
UM, THEY'RE LIKE THE DENTAL EDUCATION.
THE, YES, IT'S TIED INTO THE DENTAL EDUCATION SCHOOL.
UM, SO MOVING ON, UM, PARKS AND RECREATION.
SO, UM, WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVE OF, OBVIOUSLY LINDSAY'S HERE FROM THAT DEPARTMENT TO, UH, SPEAK TO THAT.
UM, BUT THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, CONTINUING TO SERVE AS A GATHERING PLACE.
THEY HAVE TARGETED SENIOR PROGRAMMING AT ALL OF THEIR SITES IN SOME WAY.
UM, AND OF COURSE THAT ASAP PROGRAM.
UM, WE HAVE OUR LIBRARIES NOW, UM, THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, GOING THROUGH SOME TOUGH, UH, SOME TOUGH ADJUSTMENTS, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE GOING TO MAINTAIN THE EXPANDED SERVICE HOURS.
SO LAST YEAR THEY WERE ABLE TO EXPAND THEIR SERVICE HOURS.
SO THEY'RE MAINTAINING THAT AND THEY'RE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE LIVE, UH, THE SENIOR PROGRAMS. UM, AND I DON'T REALLY WANNA TAKE MUCH TAKE ANYTHING ELSE FROM YOU ON THAT, SO I'LL LET YOU SPEAK TO THAT.
BUT THERE, UM, THERE IS, UH, YOU MAY HAVE HEARD, UM, A PROPOSED CLOSURE THAT IS GOING TO BE IMPACTED IN ORDER TO ENABLE 'EM TO DO THOSE OTHER THINGS AND CONTINUE THAT CITYWIDE.
UM, AND THEN PUBLIC WORKS, UH, THEY PROVIDED AN UPDATE AND REALLY THEY HIGHLIGHTED THAT THE 2024 BOND INCLUDES FUNDS FOR THE SIDEWALK REPLACEMENT PROGRAM.
AND SO I'LL JUST REMIND YOU THAT, UM, IN THAT PROGRAM, SENIORS ARE ACTUALLY ELIGIBLE FOR A HUNDRED PERCENT COVERAGE.
UM, SO TYPICALLY IT'S A 50 50 MATCH, SO SENIORS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A HUNDRED PERCENT COVERAGE.
THAT'S NOT FY 25 BUDGET, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT.
SO I WENT AHEAD AND PUT IT IN THERE AS AN AREA OF INTEREST.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I JUST WANTED TO OPEN IT UP FOR Q AND A WITH THE MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE HERE.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT'S COMING, UM, FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, AND IF WE HAVE A QUESTION FOR A DEPARTMENT WHO'S NOT HERE, UM, AND ABLE TO TAKE THE QUESTION, THEN I WILL, WE CAN KIND OF COLLECT THAT AND SHARE IT.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A LOT MORE PEOPLE ON THERE THAN I SAW EARLIER.
SO MAYBE WE HAVE OTHER, ARE THERE ANY DEPARTMENTS ONLINE THAT I DID NOT, DIDN'T, DIDN'T INTRODUCE AT THE OUTSET OF THIS BRIEFING? JESSICA, THIS IS DEBBIE AUSTIN.
BEFORE YOU, UH, INVITE THEM TO SPEAK, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, PLEASE.
AT THE CLOSE OF THE LAST MEETING, YOU SAID THAT, UH, YOU WERE GOING TO CUT OUR BUDGET, AND I TOOK THAT TO MEAN THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION'S BUDGET WAS NOT, WAS THAT NOT WHAT YOU WERE REFERRING TO? YOU DIDN'T ELABORATE? I DON'T NEED A CHECK.
I THINK THAT WE, THERE WAS A QUESTION THAT CAME UP AT THE CLOSE OF THE LAST MEETING, AND I BELIEVE THAT WE SPOKE TO THE FACT THAT MOST OR ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS WERE PROPOSING DEPARTMENT LEVEL BUDGET IMPACT.
SO IN THIS CASE, THAT PART OF THAT DEPARTMENT LEVEL BUDGET IMPACT IS ACTUALLY SEEN IN THE NON-CON CONTINUATION OF THOSE TWO SERVICES THAT I MENTIONED.
UM, BUT OF COURSE, WE ALSO HAVE THE ADDED SERVICE, UH, FOCUSING ON THE FOOD INSECURITY FOR SENIORS.
SO, UM, THAT'S NOT SPECIFIC TO THE, THE COMMISSION, BUT IT IS, UM, PART OF THE OVERALL, UM, OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE BUDGET REDUCTION.
I WAS, I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE I, I CLEARLY REMEMBER YOU SAYING THERE ARE, THERE ARE GOING TO BE CUTS TO YOUR BUDGET, SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT MEANT OVERALL OR US SPECIFICALLY AS A COMMISSION.
NO, IT, THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARES BUDGET OVERALL HAS BEEN, HAS SOME BUDGET REDUCTIONS, ALMOST EVERY DEPARTMENT DOES.
UM, THERE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF EXCEPTIONS TO THAT, AND YOU CAN PROBABLY GUESS YOU KNOW, WHERE THOSE ARE.
BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, MOST OF OUR DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY HAVE SOME LEVEL OF BUDGET REDUCTION BECAUSE WE ARE FACING FOR FY 25, UH, WE HAVE A CAP IN TERMS OF THE REVENUE BASED ON SOME LEGISLATION AT THE STATE LEVEL, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO SOME OF THE REVENUE THAT CAN BE COLLECTED IN VARIOUS FORMS. AND SO, UM, WE CANNOT COLLECT MORE THAN A CERTAIN LEVEL OF REVENUE, AND THAT LEADS TO A BUDGETARY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FY 25 OR 24 AND FY 25.
AND SO BECAUSE OF THAT, WE ALREADY KNOW THAT OUR BUDGET FOR FY 25 AS A CITY IS APPROXIMATELY 30 TO $8 MILLION LESS THAN THAT, WHICH, UH, WAS FOR FY 24.
AND THAT IS BASED ON THOSE CAPS IN REVENUES.
AND SO WE HAVE TO ESTABLISH A BUDGET AS WELL AS THE TAX RATES THAT WOULD MATCH US TO THE MAXIMUM ALLOWED AMOUNT THAT WE'RE
[01:20:01]
LEGALLY ALLOWED TO COLLECT.DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? WELL, I THINK THAT YOU ANSWERED MY QUESTION SOMEWHERE IN ALL OF THAT, BUT MY QUESTION WAS BASICALLY, UH, WHETHER OR NOT THE STATEMENT REFERRED TO THE COMMISSION OR THE OVERALL SENIOR AFFAIRS, I MEAN, SENIOR SERVICES, SO THANK YOU.
NO, IT'S RELATED TO THE OVERALL DEPARTMENT REALLY, I THINK IS WHAT THAT STATEMENT DID.
AND SO, UM, BUT NOT NOTHING SPECIFICALLY TO THE COMMISSION.
CHRIS GRAY QUESTIONS, CHRIS? YES.
CHRISTOPHER GRAY IS WITH THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER.
ARE YOU INTRODUCING YOURSELF? YES.
OR DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? NO, JU JUST, UH, INTRODUCING HERSELF.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT Y'ALL KNOW WE WERE HERE.
AND I HAVE MY COLLEAGUE ISABEL CAMACHO WITH US AS WELL.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE FROM A CITY DEPARTMENT THAT'S ONLINE THAT I DID NOT INTRODUCE EARLIER? I KNOW WHO'S IN THE ROOM.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I DIDN'T, JASMINE.
SO JASMINE, SO JASMINE'S ONLINE, UM, AND ALSO, UM, MY, MY BOSS, UH, OMERA IS ONLINE AS WELL, SO I KNOW SHE'S HERE.
UH, JUST KIND KEEPING TABS AND WATCHING AND OBSERVING OUR CONVERSATIONS AS WELL.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT WE'VE GOT ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, YOU ALL KNOW WHO'S HERE, SO, UM, YEAH.
THE BIGGEST HEARTBURN I'M HEARING.
IT'S TRASH CONTAINERS OUT TO THE STREET, AND WE'RE ALL, WE'VE ALWAYS, ALWAYS HAD, UNFORTUNATELY I CAN'T, IS THAT A, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH A FEE OF COMPLETE, UM, IT'S A DONE, I MEAN, I'VE KIND OF DRAWN THE LINE, I'VE GOTTEN SOME PUSHBACK THAT YOU'LL NEVER SEE ALLEYS AGAIN PICKED UP.
NOW WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR SENIOR OR THERE? SOME MOVE OVER.
TO BE, WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR SENIORS WHO LITERALLY CAN'T MOVE THOSE TWO LARGE CONTAINERS OUT IN THE STREET? SORRY.
SO THAT YOU'RE VISIBLE ON THE CAMERA.
YEAH, FOR THOSE WHO ARE HERE VIRTUALLY SO THAT THEY CAN SEE YOU ALL THAT FUN.
AND I HAVE A FOLLOW UP, BUT LET'S DO THIS MORE IMPORTANT.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE BRING TO THE COUNCIL, UM, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE EFFICIENCIES WOULD BE IF WE WENT TO THE ALLEY, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN CONFIRMED OR APPROVED.
UH, WE ARE STILL KIND OF IN THE STUDY PHASE.
WE HAVE A CONSULTANT THAT'S LOOKING AT HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST TO BE PROVIDING SERVICES IN THE ALLEY.
UM, THAT'S DUE AT THE END OF AUGUST, BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER.
UH, BUT REALLY IT'S, AT THIS POINT, IT'S JUST THE DISCUSSION.
MY QUICK FOLLOW ON IS THE $3 EXTRA FEE YES.
NOW, WOULD THAT NOT HELP DIVERT SOME OF THAT TO PEOPLE IN NEED DETAIL? I MEAN, SO THE $3 FEE IS NOT NECESSARILY, UM, A SANITATION FEE.
IT'S AN ENVIRONMENTAL FEE, UM, THAT IS, IS ALLOWED BY SIG LAW FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MANDATES.
SO WE CAN ONLY USE IT FOR VERY SPECIFIC THINGS.
UM, SO IT'S NOT GOING TO THE SANITATION GENERAL FUND, IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE ITS OWN OPERATING FUND THAT'S GONNA FUND SOME ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES.
WELL, PRETTY MUCH FOR THE, IF WE HAVE A SUPER STORM, AGAIN, THE CLEANUP PART OF IT, THE, UH, DOLLAR UP, IT'S GOING FOR HOMELESS EACH.
SO THERE'S SEVERAL DIFFERENT ITEMS THAT IT'S INTENDED TO FUND.
UH, ONE IS THE STORM RESERVE FUND.
SO RIGHT NOW, EVERY YEAR WE PUT ASIDE 400,000, BUT JUST IN COMPARISON, THIS CURRENT STORM THAT WE ADDRESSED WAS 8.7 MILLION.
SO, UM, SO THAT'S FOR THAT RESERVE.
BUT THERE'S ALSO, UM, SOME ZERO WASTE INITIATIVES, THE ENCAMPMENT CLEANUP THAT WE DISCUSSED EARLIER.
SO MAINTAINING OR INCREASING THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY MAINTENANCE THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
UM, SO THERE'S SEVERAL DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT IT'S GONNA HELP, BUT IT HAS TO BE TIME FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MANDATES.
WELL, I JUST, AND THIS ISN'T MY ONLY QUESTION, BUT FOR SANITATION, THERE IS A, YOU HAVE A PROGRAM CURRENTLY THAT WILL HELP THOSE THAT ARE NOT YES.
MOVE THEIR TRASH BIN EITHER TO THE FRONT OR THE BACK, RIGHT? YEAH, IT'S CALLED, THERE'S ALREADY A PROGRAM.
I NEED TO BE IN MY YOGA CLASS.
I'M GETTING BEAT UP AT HARRY APPLICATION.
YEAH, SO THERE'S A, IT'S CALLED HELPING HANDS PROGRAM.
SO THERE'S A PROGRAM WHERE YOU CAN PAY, UH, TO HAVE THE CART MOVED IF YOU DON'T QUALIFY.
[01:25:01]
BASICALLY DOES THAT SERVICE FOR FREE.UM, WE GO OUT, WE AGREE ON THE LOCATION FROM WHERE WE CAN GO GET YOUR CARTS AND BRING THEM OUT FOR YOU AND PUT IT BACK.
UM, THERE'S CERTAIN CRITERIA, UH, MAINLY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OR IMPAIRMENTS THAT THEY CAN'T GO OUT AND DO IT THEMSELVES, AND THERE'S NOBODY IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD THAT CAN.
UM, SO THAT PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE.
UM, MY QUESTION IS, IS THERE ANY CON CON CONSIDERATION BEING GIVEN TO THOSE AREAS THAT ARE, BUT I'M ON A HILL.
THERE'S, THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE CONSIDERATIONS.
IT'S NEVER GONNA BE ZERO ALLEYS WHATSOEVER.
UM, IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE LOCATION.
THERE'S JUST SOME ALLEYS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, SIX FEET WIDE AND OUR TRUCKS ARE 15 FEET WIDE, SO FEEDING THEM DOWN THERE CAUSES A LOT OF DAMAGE.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE STAFF THAT WALKS BEHIND THE TRUCK AND THEIR, THEIR SAFETY IS A CONCERN TOO.
UM, BUT WE WON'T, EVERY BLOCK WOULD HAVE TO BE KIND OF DETERMINED ON ITS OWN.
AND THAT'S PART OF THAT STUDY.
UH, BUT IT WOULD NEVER GO TO, UM, COMPLETE AUDIT SERVICE.
AND WOULD THAT BE A, AN APPEAL PROCESS? UH, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T REALLY CREATED THE PROCESS YET.
I MEAN, CURRENTLY IF THERE'S A SPECIFIC ALLEY OUT THERE THAT HAS ISSUES THAT OUR STAFF SAYING, HEY, WE CAN'T GET DOWN THIS ALLEY, OR IT'S CLOSED FOR CONSTRUCTION.
UM, WE'LL HAVE A MEETING WITH THE RESIDENTS.
THERE'S A, A CALL THAT WE SET UP FOR EVERYONE TO, YOU KNOW, VOICE THEIR OPINION AND TO DISCUSS IT.
UM, SO WE DO THAT NOW ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
NOT NECESSARILY AN APPEAL, BUT IT'S A, IT'S DEFINITELY A LOT OF, UH, YOU KNOW, NOTIFICATION AND CONVERSATION WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD BEFORE WE IMPLEMENT A CHANGE.
I JUST WANTED TO COMPLIMENT YOUR BULK PICKUP.
WE FINALLY GOT OURS PICKED UP LAST WEEK.
AND I UNDERSTAND EVERYBODY WAS WAITING, BUT THOSE GUYS WERE RIGHT.
THEY PICKED LIMBS FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET THAT HAD MISSED THE TRUCK.
THEY CAME UP BEHIND AND EVERYTHING.
AND OUR NEIGHBORS WERE VERY HAPPY ABOUT, OUR DIRECTOR COULDN'T BE HERE BECAUSE HE WAS BRIEFING THE COUNCIL EARLIER ON, OR THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE ON OUR RESPONSE.
UM, PART OF THE, THE ISSUE IS THAT, LIKE I SAID, IT WAS $8.7 MILLION.
WE ARE SEEKING FEMA REIMBURSEMENT.
UM, NO REIMBURSEMENTS UP TO 75%, BUT THOSE ARE VERY STRINGENT REQUIREMENTS WHERE WE CAN ONLY PICK UP STORM RELATED DEBRIS.
SO WE CAN'T PICK UP, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE REFRIGERATOR, MICROWAVE, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE HAD TO PUT THAT PROGRAM ON HOLD WHILE WE PICKED UP ALL THE BULK TRASH AND THEN, OR ALL THE
SO WE'RE HOPING THAT WE'RE BACK ON TRACK.
UM, IT'S GONNA TAKE SOME TIME, BUT, UM, I THINK FOR THE MOST PART THEY'RE PRETTY, YEAH.
IF THERE'S SOME AREAS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO WRITE 'EM DOWN.
AND YOUR DEPARTMENT HAS, THANK YOU.
JESSICA, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? I, I, I WANNA ASK MS. RIDER.
UH, FIRST, I, I HAVE BEEN CONTACTED BY MY COUNCILMAN AND MY CONSTITUENTS ABOUT, AS YOU KNOW, THE CHAIR YOGA PROGRAM.
AND NOW I UNDERSTOOD FROM OUR PARK BOARD, IT IS HUNDRED, I MEAN IT, THE FUNDING IS SECURE FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
WE HAVEN'T LOST ANY FUNDING FOR THE SENIOR PROGRAM DIVISION THIS YEAR.
I'VE BEEN A MEETING WITH MR. JENKINS RECENTLY AND I BRAGGED ON YOU ALL.
WE APPRECIATE Y'ALL SUPPORT TREMENDOUSLY.
AND COMING OUT TO OUR EVENTS, I'VE SEEN LOTS OF PEOPLE COME OUT TO OUR EVENTS THE OVER THE LAST YEAR SINCE I'VE BEEN IN, SO THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT.
COME BLESS TO THE FATHER'S DAY.
SO ARE THERE, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT OTHER COMPONENTS OF THAT? 'CAUSE AS YOU KNOW, HOUSING HAS IT DUR OWN KIND OF BRIEFING ON THE AGENDA.
ANY OF THESE OTHER, I'M GONNA LET 'EM GO, SO, OKAY.
YOU JEFF HERE, ARE YOU GONNA STICKING AROUND FOR A WHILE? YEAH, I'LL BE HERE.
I WAS GONNA, I NEED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT OTHER THING.
[01:30:09]
PETER, THIS IS DEBBIE AUSTIN.THE NEW, THE NEW PERSON, THE AGE FRIENDLY OFFICER THAT YOU ALL HAVE HIRED, THAT, THAT JESSICA HAS HIRED.
IS THAT PERSON GOING TO BE, UH, DISSEMINATING INFORMATION TO US ABOUT EVENTS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT AFFECT OR WOULD BE, UH, INFORMATIONAL TO US? JUST COMMISSIONERS? SHE'S ACTUALLY ON THE AGENDA IMMEDIATELY AFTER HOUSING, SO.
SO YEAH, SHE, SHE'LL DEFINITELY BE, UH, HELPING US TO TAKE A LOOK AT, UM, A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS, INCLUDING HOW WE SHARE AND DISSEMINATE INFORMATION, UM, BOTH TO THE SAC AND JUST ALSO AT LARGE AND BROADLY.
UM, ALSO THE STRATEGIC PLANNING WORK THAT'S GONNA BE GOING ON.
UM, WE'RE HOPING, AND WE HAVE, WE WROTE IN SOME REALLY SPECIFIC, UH, UH, PIECES INTO THE SCOPE OF WORK TO REALLY DIG INTO, UM, COMMUNICATIONS AND LOOKING AT OUR, AT OUR, YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENT AND REALLY THE CITY AT LARGE, THE WAY THAT WE'RE COMMUNICATING WITH OLDER ADULTS AND WHAT TYPES OF THINGS WE COULD DO TO IMPROVE THAT.
UM, AND ALSO AS A BIT OF AN ASIDE, UM, WE, THE, THERE HAVE BEEN, UM, THIS BUDGET PROCESS AND JUST WITH OUR NEW CITY LEADERSHIP, UM, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME KIND OF REALIGNMENTS AND READJUSTMENTS OF THE WAY CER SOME DEPARTMENTS ARE KIND OF STRUCTURED.
UM, AND SO THERE HAVE BEEN SOME DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE MAYBE BEEN KIND OF REALIGNED OR COMBINED INTO KIND OF LARGER SCALE DEPARTMENTS WITH SOME KEY STRATEGIES.
UM, AND ONE OF DEPARTMENT THAT'S ACTUALLY BEING IMPACTED, UM, IS WE'RE NOW GONNA HAVE A COMMUNICATIONS AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, SO, UM, DEPARTMENT.
AND SO THAT'S GONNA HAVE A WHOLE KIND OF CUSTOMER, UH, FACING COMMUNICATIONS, OUTREACH, UM, AND AS WELL AS KIND OF RECEIVING INPUT AND FEEDBACK AS WELL.
AND SO I AM NOT NECESSARILY PREPARED TO SPEAK TO THE SPECIFICS OF THAT, BUT I HAVE ALREADY REACHED OUT TO, UH, THE LEADERSHIP OF THAT DEPARTMENT.
AND SHARON AND I HAD TALKED ABOUT POTENTIALLY HAVING A FUTURE, UM, STAFF COMMUNITY OR SESSION, UM, THAT WOULD INVOLVE, UH, THOSE FOLKS, UM, ONCE WE GET INTO THE NEW YEAR AT SOME POINT, UH, TO TALK MORE ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND THEY'RE GONNA BE WORKING ON AN UPDATED COMMUNICATIONS PLAN FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS AS A WHOLE.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO REALLY FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN IMPROVE AND DO BETTER WHEN IT COMES TO REACHING OUT AND COMMUNICATING WITH OLDER ADULTS, ADULTS ABOUT A VARIETY OF THINGS.
SO, JASMINE, ARE YOU ONLINE HERE? GOOD AFTERNOON.
ARE YOU ALL ABLE TO HEAR ME? YES.
I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S BETTER FOR ME TO SHARE MY SCREEN OR IF SOMEBODY'S LIKE HOSTING THIS, WOULD IT BE BETTER FOR ME? DID EVERYBODY PRINT UP ANY SLIDES THAT WERE SENT TO US? THIS WAS MORE OF THE SHARE.
GIMME JUST ONE SECOND TO PULL IT UP.
AND SO YEAH, I, UM, THIS IS MY SECOND OR THIRD MEETING.
I'M WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
UM, I'M GOING TO GO OVER PRETTY QUICKLY.
THE HOME REPAIR SLIDES, THE SAME CONTENT THAT WE'VE BEEN PRESENTING TO THE PUBLIC, UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU GUYS AN IDEA OF WHAT PEOPLE NEED TO APPLY.
AND THEN, YES, APPLICATION'S OPEN TODAY.
SO THAT'S PARTIALLY PART OF MY REASON FOR BEING ONLINE, JUST IN CASE.
AND I'M TRIPLET TASKING, TRYING TO STAY ON TOP OF THINGS.
UM, BUT APPLICATIONS OPEN TODAY AND THEY'RE OPEN THROUGH AUGUST 30TH.
SO PEOPLE HAVE TWO WEEKS TO APPLY THIS YEAR.
AND HOW WAS THAT, UM, COMMUNICATED TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE? SO WE'VE BEEN DOING QUITE A BIT.
WE, SO WE STARTED ENGAGEMENT WORKSHOPS ON JULY 15TH, AND THOSE WORKSHOPS WERE, UM, MADE PUBLIC THROUGH A MEMO TO MCC AND, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL STAFF.
UM, WE ALSO DID DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH EACH COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
WE DID, UM, SORT OF LIKE DEPARTMENT TO DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATIONS TO HELP GET THIS INFORMATION OUT THROUGH OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
SO WE MET WITH 3 1 1 SO THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO SHARE THE SAME MESSAGING TO ANYBODY CALLING 3 1 1.
SO ALL OF THE LIBRARY STAFF WAS TRAINED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON SO THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP PRINT, UM, MATERIALS AT LIBRARIES IF PEOPLE CAME IN.
WE HOSTED WORKSHOPS AT THE REC CENTERS.
WE HOSTED ENGLISH AND SPANISH WORKSHOPS, UM, FOR ABOUT FIVE WEEKS TO PRESENT
[01:35:01]
ON HOW TO FILL OUT THE APPLICATION AND THE PROCESS FOR APPLICATIONS AND ALL OF THAT.SO, UM, WE ALSO MADE THE SMALL INVITE ONLY CALL FOR LIKE SERVICE PROVIDERS.
SO ANY, ANY PEOPLE THAT WORK DIRECTLY WITH RESIDENTS, UM, OF VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
WE INVITED THEM AND, AND SHARED THE INFORMATION DIRECTLY WITH THEM.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SEE WHO ON ECHO.
UM, SO YEAH, WE TRIED TO, YOU KNOW, SHARE IT THROUGH OUR OWN, UM, NETWORKS.
WE MESSAGE OF COURSE, LIKE OUR OWN, UM, LISTSERVS AND STUFF.
WE DID VIDEOS, WE DID THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENTS PODCAST TAP IN DALLAS.
UM, SO WE DID OUR OWN MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS, BUT WE ALSO LEANED ON OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND COMMUNITY SERVICE PROVIDERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO HELP GET THE WORD OUT.
I OKAY, WE'LL WE'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND GO.
UM, SO THIS IS A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE CONTENT.
HOW DID YOU COMMUNICATE WITH THE SENIOR CENTERS? UH, SO WE DID DIRECTLY WITH THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE AND, UM, AND LET ME SEE, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE ACTUAL CENTERS THEMSELVES OUTSIDE OF EMAILING, IF THEY'RE PART OF OUR, UM, GROUPS LIKE OUR, OUR LISTSERVS OUTSIDE OF EMAILING, WE MOSTLY MET WITH THE, THE, UM, OCC STAFF THAT WORK WITH SENIOR SERVICES.
WE HAD EXTRA WORKSHOPS AT THE COMMUNITY CENTERS, YOU SAID? YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
SO WE, WE ALSO HAD WORKSHOPS IN THE COMMUNITIES, AT THE CENTERS, AT REC CENTERS OR LIBRARIES.
WE DID EVERY DISTRICTS AND THEN FOUR OR FIVE ADDITIONAL ONES.
UM, SO WE'LL, WE'LL RUN THROUGH THIS PRETTY QUICKLY 'CAUSE I THINK MOST OF THE TIME YOU ALL MIGHT WANNA DO LIKE Q AND A OR DISCUSSION.
SO I'LL DO A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM.
IT, IT'S, UH, $24,000 IN A FORGIVABLE LOAN.
SO THAT IS A CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEARS.
THIS YEAR THE MAXIMUM FUNDING PER HOUSEHOLD IS $24,000.
AND THE PROGRAM COVERS MAJOR SYSTEMS REPAIR.
SO WE KIND OF SCALED BACK SO THAT WE CAN SERVE MORE PEOPLE, BE MORE EFFICIENT.
THE BULK OF THE REPAIRS THAT WE ARE FOCUSING ON ARE GONNA BE MAJOR SYSTEMS. SO THEY'RE GONNA BE THINGS LIKE REPLACING OR INSTALLING CENTRAL HEATER AIR, DOING ELECTRICAL REWIRE OR ELECTRICAL REPAIRS FOR THE HOME, REPLACING THE PLUMBING, DOING THE ROOF OR ANY SORT OF EXTERIOR, UM, REPORTS TO SUPPORT THE ROOF.
AND THEN OF COURSE ACCESSIBILITY REPAIRS.
SO IF SOMEBODY REQUESTS LIKE BATHROOM MODIFICATION, WIDENING DOORWAYS, UM, MAKING THE BATHROOM ACCESSIBLE OR THE ENTRIES TO THE HOME ACCESSIBLE, WE CAN DO THAT.
SO AS I WAS SAYING, THE WORKSHOPS WE STARTED JULY 15TH.
UM, WE JUST WRAPPED OUR WORKSHOPS ON FRIDAY.
APPLICATIONS OPEN TODAY, THEY'RE OPEN THROUGH AUGUST 30TH.
SO PEOPLE HAVE TWO WEEKS ROUGHLY TO APPLY.
WE ARE HERE DAILY FROM EIGHT TO FIVE.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO AN EMAIL OPTION, WHICH I'LL COVER IN THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, AND THEN WE ANTICIPATE DOING DATA ENTRY THROUGH OCTOBER.
SO PUTTING ALL THE APPLICATIONS IN AND WE WILL BE CANCELING ANY PEOPLE THAT ARE INCOMPLETE, YOU KNOW, DOING ANY SORT OF COMMUNICATIONS FOR THOSE THAT DID NOT TURN INTO COMPLETE APPLICATION IN THAT TIME.
UM, SO THIS IS, IS BASICALLY AN OVERVIEW HOW TO APPLY.
IF YOU ATTENDED THE WORKSHOPS, THAT WOULD'VE BEEN STEP ONE.
WE ALSO HAVE VIDEOS STILL AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE.
WE ARE STILL MEETING WITH PEOPLE TOO.
IF THEY REACH OUT TO MEET WITH US DIRECTLY, THEN YOU WOULD COMPLETE AN APPLICATION.
SO THE APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE, SO DALLAS CITY HALL.COM/HIP COPIES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE AT THE LIBRARIES.
AGAIN, WE MET WITH ALL OF THE LIBRARIES AND PROVIDED THEM WITH THE INFORMATION.
THEY CAN ALSO HELP PRINT OUT COPIES.
AND THEN WE HAVE COPIES HERE AT CITY HALL IF FOR AN ACCOMMODATION, SOMEONE CAN'T MAKE IT HERE, WE CAN ALSO MAIL A COPY DIRECTLY TO THE RESIDENTS.
APPLICATIONS AGAIN ARE OPEN 19TH THROUGH THE 30TH, 8:00 AM TO 5:00 PM IS THE OPTION TO TURN IT IN HERE AT CITY HALL.
SO YOU WOULD COME DURING OFFICE HOURS.
WE HAVE A WALKUP WINDOW ON THE SECOND FLOOR ACROSS FROM THE WATER DEPARTMENT WHERE PEOPLE CAN, UM, TURN THEIR APPLICATIONS IN DIRECTLY TO HOUSING STAFF.
SO PEOPLE WHO ARE TECH SAVVY OR WANT TO DO IT THIS WAY, IT'S A LITTLE BIT EASIER.
UM, ALSO MORE FLEXIBLE HOURS, RIGHT? SO YOU CAN EMAIL HIP@DALLAS.GOV.
UM, EITHER WAY YOU ARE RECEIVING A RECEIPT CONFIRMING APPLICATION WAS RECEIVED WITH YOUR CASE NUMBER, YOU KNOW, PROOF THAT YOU APPLIED.
SO HERE'S THE FOUR DOCUMENTS YOU WOULD NEED OR ANYONE WOULD NEED TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION.
FIRST THINGS FIRST, THE APPLICATION.
SO YOU NEED THE APPLICATION COMPLETELY FILLED OUT, FRONT TO BACK, UM, COPIES OF DRIVER'S LICENSE OR IDS FOR ALL THE ADULTS IN THE HOUSEHOLD.
SOCIAL SECURITY CARDS OR PERMANENT RESIDENT CARDS FOR EVERY PERSON IN THE HOUSEHOLD.
AND THEN A COPY OF THE PROOF OF OWNERSHIP.
SO THE PROPERTY DEED, THAT'S ALL THEY'RE TURNING IN AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION.
SO ELIGIBILITY, THIS PROGRAM'S OPEN TO ALL HOUSEHOLDS HERE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS THAT ARE AT 80% OR
[01:40:01]
BELOW OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME.SO THIS IS THE, THE INCOME THRESHOLDS ON THE SCREEN.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU'RE A FAMILY OF FOUR, SO FOUR PEOPLE IN THE HOUSEHOLD, THE MAX INCOME WOULD BE 88,250.
THAT'S HOW YOU READ THIS CHART.
UM, ONE PERSON IN THE HOUSEHOLD IS 61,800.
ALSO, ALSO THE APPLICANT MUST BE CURRENT ON THEIR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS.
SO AT THE POINT THAT THEY'RE SELECTED TO MOVE FORWARD, WE'RE VERIFYING THAT THEY ARE NOT IN DEFAULT OR THAT THERE'S ANY RISK OF BEING IN DEFAULTS, UM, FOR THEIR MORTGAGE.
THEY ALSO MUST BE CURRENT ON THEIR PROPERTY TAXES.
SO WE'RE CHECKING THEIR PROPERTY TAXES BALANCE.
IF THEY'RE NOT CURRENT, THEY MUST BE IN A PAYMENT PLAN, PAYING ON A PAYMENT PLAN FOR THE PROPERTY TAXES.
AND THEN PRIORITY IN ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS IS GIVEN TO THOSE WHO'VE NEVER RECEIVED ASSISTANCE BEFORE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'LL GET INTO HOW APPLICANTS ARE SELECTED, BUT PRIORITY IS GIVEN TO THOSE WHO'VE NEVER RECEIVED HELP.
AND THEN IF A PERSON APPLIES AND THEY'RE STILL IN THEIR AFFORDABILITY PERIOD FOR A PREVIOUS PROGRAM, THEY ARE NOT ELIGIBLE.
SO SOMEBODY RECEIVED HIP, MAJOR HOME REPAIR, $80,000 IN THE LAST TWO OR THREE YEARS, AND THEY'RE STILL FINISHING OUT THEIR AFFORDABILITY PERIOD.
THEY CANNOT RECEIVE ASSISTANCE AT THIS TIME.
SO WE'RE TAKING APPLICATIONS IN AUGUST 19TH THROUGH 30TH.
AND THEN AFTER UM, LABOR DAY, WE COME BACK AND WE'LL START GOING THROUGH APPLICATIONS.
WE'RE GONNA START DOING DATA ENTRY AT THAT TIME.
INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL BE CANCELED.
SO IF APPLICANTS APPLY WITHOUT THE FOUR DOCUMENTS THEY NEED TO BE CONSIDERED COMPLETE, THEY WOULD RECEIVE A CANCELLATION NOTICE DURING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER TO OCTOBER.
THAT'S WHAT WE ANTICIPATE, UM, NEEDING FOR DATA ENTRY.
THEN ALL THE COMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL BE UPLOADED AND STORED IN OUR SYSTEM AND THEY WILL BE USED TO SERVE RESIDENTS OVER THE NEXT YEAR.
SO PEOPLE CAN BE SERVED INTO 2025.
AT ANY TIME THAT WE RECEIVE FUNDING, WE WILL BE GOING BACK TO THE APPLICATIONS THAT WE GOT IN AUGUST TO DO RANDOM SELECTIONS AND PICK PEOPLE TO MOVE, MOVE FORWARD.
SO THIS IS AN EXAMPLE AND IT IS JUST AN EXAMPLE, BUT, YOU KNOW, MONEY COMES AND GOES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
WE MIGHT GET ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN ALWAYS MAKE FUNDING AVAILABLE.
SO AT ANY POINT IN THE YEAR, FUNDING BECOMES AVAILABLE.
THIS IS HOW APPLICATIONS WILL BE SELECTED, RIGHT? SO WE SAY WE HAVE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AND WE'VE GOT, UM, THIS MESSAGING THAT WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE SENIORS AND WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE THOSE NEEDING ACCESSIBILITY REPAIRS.
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS WE WOULD GO TO OUR SYSTEM WHERE WE STORE ALL OF OUR COMPLETED APPLICATIONS AND WE CAN PULL OUT USING WHAT ALL, YOU KNOW, ALL THE DATA THAT'S COLLECTED IN THE APPLICATION.
WE CAN PULL OUT ALL THE APPLICATIONS THAT ARE SENIORS AND GIVE THEM ONE ENTRY TO A POOL.
AND THEN IF THEY SAY PRIORITIZE THOSE NEEDING ACCESSIBILITY REPAIRS, WE CAN FILTER OUT ALL THE APPLICATIONS THAT REQUESTED ACCESSIBILITY REPAIRS, GIVE THEM TWO ENTRIES, GIVE YOU KNOW, GIVE THEM AN ADDITIONAL ENTRY INTO THE POOL.
AND THEN WE BASICALLY SHAKE IT UP AND PICK IT OUT LIKE A RANDOM SELECTION.
WE WOULD PICK OUT HOWEVER MANY PEOPLE WE HAVE OR NEED TO PULL TO BE ABLE TO SPEND DOWN THE FUNDING.
SO FOR THIS EXAMPLE, A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS WAS GIVEN, SO ROUGHLY FOUR PEOPLE AT THAT TIME.
WE WOULD REACH OUT TO THESE, THESE RESIDENTS AND REQUEST ALL THE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS THEY NEED TO QUALIFY FOR THE PROGRAM AND TO MOVE FORWARD, WHICH WE GO INTO ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, WHEN THEY'RE, THEY'RE CONTACTED TO MOVE FORWARD, WE MIGHT COLLECT OR WE WILL COLLECT THEIR INCOME CERTIFYING DOCUMENTS.
SO THINGS LIKE PAYCHECK STUBS, THEIR, UM, INCOME, IF THEY RECEIVE SUPPLEMENTAL INCOME, PROOF OF WHATEVER THEIR YEARLY AWARD IS, UM, IF THEY RECEIVE UNEMPLOYMENT, PROOF OF UNEMPLOYMENT, IF THEY'RE SELF-EMPLOYED, TAX RETURNS.
SO WE'RE VERIFYING THEIR INCOME.
AND THEN WE ALSO COLLECT ALL THE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS FROM THE HOUSEHOLD.
SO THAT WOULD BE LIKE BIRTH CERTIFICATES, IF THERE ARE ANY MINORS IN THE HOUSEHOLD.
IF THERE'S ANY SORT OF, UM, ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS NEEDED TO SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, THE OWNERSHIP.
UM, MAYBE DIVORCE DECREE AFFIDAVIT OF HEIRSHIP.
WE ALSO REQUEST PROOF OF THE PAYMENT PLAN FOR TAXES IF ONE'S IN PLACE.
UM, MORTGAGE STATEMENTS, HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE, THE ONE THING, HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE, 'CAUSE THIS IS ALWAYS A QUESTION, WE DO REQUEST IT AT THE TIME THAT THEY'RE SELECTED TO MOVE FORWARD.
IF SOMEONE CANNOT BE INSURED, WE REQUEST PROOF THAT THEY CANNOT BE INSURED.
AND THEN THOSE REASONS, SO LIKE THEY CAN'T BE INSURED BECAUSE THEY NEED A ROOF OR THEY CAN'T BE INSURED BECAUSE THEY NEED SOME SORT OF WORK ON THEIR HOME.
WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE THOSE AS PART OF THE PROGRAM SO THAT WAY WE'RE LEAVING THEM IN A POSITION WHERE THEY CAN GET INSURANCE.
SO THE NEXT STEPS WOULD BE TO GET AN APPLICATION, GET YOUR HANDS ON AN APPLICATION.
WE HAVE SOME HERE IN THE OFFICE, IF Y'ALL ARE AT CITY HALL TODAY, SWING BY, WE CAN PUT A PACKET TOGETHER FOR YOU WITH SOME FLYERS AND SOME APPS, UM, GET 'EM OUT AND PEOPLE NEED TO START WORKING ON PULLING ALL THEIR DOCUMENTS TOGETHER AND THEN SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATION BETWEEN AUGUST 19TH AND AUGUST 30TH.
AGAIN, THEY CAN APPLY IN PERSON AT CITY HALL OR VIA EMAIL.
AND THEN THAT'S OUR, OUR FRONT DESK NUMBER AND OUR EMAIL, UM, HERE ON THE SCREEN
[01:45:01]
SO YOU CAN REACH OUT TO US, UM, WITH ANY QUESTIONS.UH, IF I'M TRYING TO GET A HANDLE ON HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU HAVE BUDGETED FUNDS TO ACTUALLY HELP? IF, IF EVERYBODY GOT THE FULL $24,000 MAXIMUM, HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD THAT REPRESENT BASED ON WHAT YOUR BUDGETED FUNDS ARE? SO I WILL SAY EVERY YEAR WE GET ROUGHLY, UM, ROUGHLY 3 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING THROUGH CDBG FUNDING.
UM, SO WITH THOSE ESTIMATES, WE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE BETWEEN 1 25, 1 35, SOMEWHERE IN THERE.
UM, WE DO HAVE ADDITIONAL SOURCES THAT ARE STILL KIND OF AT PLAY FROM LAST YEAR.
UM, SO SOME OF THAT WAS LIKE THE MILLION THAT WAS GIVEN FOR SENIOR HOME REPAIR.
UM, AND THEN MONEY COMES AND GOES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
SO I'LL SAY AT LEAST 150 AND PROBABLY MORE AS ADDITIONAL RESOURCES BECOME AVAILABLE.
I AND JASMINE, HOW MANY PEOPLE APPLY? LIKE, SO WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE 125, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF, IS THAT, OF THE TOTAL NUMBER HAVE APPLIED? LIKE AS AN EXAMPLE FOR LAST YEAR? YEAH.
SO LAST YEAR WHEN WE DID SENIOR HOME REPAIR, WE TOOK IN ROUGHLY LIKE 800 APPLICATIONS.
SO YEAH, ONE FIFTH, ONE SIXTH.
UM, WE, IN PREVIOUS YEARS, WE'VE TAKEN LIKE A THOUSAND APPLICATIONS.
UM, I THINK THIS YEAR, TODAY ALONE, I THINK WE'VE TAKEN ALMOST 150, MAYBE JUST PASSING 150.
ARE ROOFS INCLUDED IN THESE REPAIRS? SO IT'S GONNA BE THINGS LIKE MAJOR SYSTEMS, MAJOR SYSTEMS THAT CAN BE HVAC.
SO INSTALLING ESSENTIAL HEAT AND AIR OR REPLACING OR REPAIRING THAT SYSTEM, DOING PLUMBING REPAIRS.
SO REDOING ALL THE PLUMBING FOR THE HOUSE OR ANY MAJOR PLUMBING NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE.
SO REWIRING THE STRUCTURE, DOING BOXES, THAT KIND OF THING.
UH, ROOF REPAIRS AND ANY EXTERIOR CLADDING THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THE ROOF REPAIRS.
SO LIKE IF THEY HAD A TREE THAT HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, IN THEIR ROOF OR FELL THROUGH, THEN WE COULD DO SOME OF THE SIDE SIDING THAT WE NEED TO SUPPORT THE ROOF.
SO MODIFYING A BATHROOM IF THEY NEED A STEP IN SHOWER, UM, WIDENING DOORWAYS FOR EXAMPLE.
UH, WHAT IF A PERSON HAS DEFERRED THEIR PROPERTY TAXES? ARE THEY ELIGIBLE FOR ASSISTANCE SO THEY CANNOT HAVE IT DEFERRED WITH A BALANCE? NO.
I WOULD, I DIDN'T, I WASN'T AWARE OF THESE WORKSHOPS.
YOU DID, DID YOU DO ANY IN, IN DISTRICT 14 AND ANY IN DISTRICT TWO? AND IF SO, WHERE? WE DID DO DISTRICT 14 AND DISTRICT TWO, I KNOW DISTRICT 14 WAS OL AND LET ME TELL YOU WHERE DISTRICT TWO WAS.
I'D LOVE TO GO IF YOU DID IT IN DISTRICT 10 AS WELL.
YOU DID WOULD IT? JOHNSON SAID NEVERMIND.
IT'S OUR, SO FOR DISTRICT TWO, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.
AND DISTRICT 10, YOU ALSO HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
LAKE HIGHLAND NORTH WAS DISTRICT 10, DISTRICT TWO WAS CAPABLE, DISTRICT TWO WAS CAPABLE.
SO THERE IS A SENIOR CENTER AT THE WILLOUGHBY JOHNSON COMMUNITY CENTER, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I WAS SPECIFICALLY ASKING, SIR, YOU'RE SO YES.
THAT YOU DID NOT DO THAT AT A SENIOR CENTER THAT IS, UM, LOCATED AT THE WILL JOHNSON COMMUNITY CENTER.
CAN THAT BE CORRECT? JOHNSON JOHNSON? NO.
UM, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? CAN IT BE CORRECT? CAN IT BE DONE? UM, SO RIGHT NOW AG ONE MIGHT BE DIFFICULT, BUT IF YOU WANT TO FOLLOW UP VIA EMAIL, WE CAN SEE IF WE, IF THERE'S LIKE ANY REGULARLY PLANNED MEETINGS ALREADY GOING ON, IF WE CAN MAYBE TAG LONGER, COME OUT TO ONE OF THEM, UM, THAT MIGHT BE AN OPTION.
ADDING SOME THAT WE HOST OURSELVES AND LIKE DOING THE MARKETING AND STUFF LIKE THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE DIFFICULT AT THIS POINT.
BUT MY TEAM IS AVAILABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY MEETINGS THAT ARE ALREADY BEING HELD AND BRING OUT MATERIALS.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ANY COUNCIL MEETINGS THAT ARE ALREADY GOING ON OR THE SENIOR CENTER FOR EXAMPLE, WE COULD, WE COULD COME OUT.
AND I WILL SAY WE'RE ALSO AT THE BUDGET TOWN HALLS AND, AND WE REGULARLY
[01:50:01]
PARTICIPATE IN EVENTS, YOU KNOW, THROWN BY THE CITY OR OTHER DISTRICTS.UM, SO WE ARE GOING TO THOSE WITH HOME REPAIR MATERIALS IN HAND TO HELP SPREAD THE WORD TOO.
WE'RE RUNNING LATE, BUT, UH,
UM, TABITHA TAYLOR, UM, CITY OF DALLAS AGE FRIENDLY OFFICER.
AND UM, I WILL SAY THE LAST TIME I SPOKE WITH YOU ON, I DIDN'T QUITE HAVE THE EMAIL ADDRESS, BUT I HAVE ONE TODAY.
YOU KNOW, THERE IS SOME PROGRESS THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE.
UM, I'M HERE TO PROVIDE A VERY BRIEF, BRIEF, UM, OVERVIEW OF WHAT HAS TAKEN PLACE, UM, OVER THE PAST 60 DAYS OR SO.
AND SO I HAVE CATEGORIZED, UM, AND I HAVE A SHORT LITTLE ONE PAGER, BUT IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THAT, UM, INTO THREE AREAS.
AND SO WHEN I FIRST STARTED, I KNEW FOR SURE THAT ALTHOUGH I HAVE DONE ALLY WORK, THAT EACH AREA WOULD BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT, RIGHT? SOME NUANCES TO A DIFFERENT AREA.
AND SO WITH THAT SAID, FOR THE FIRST 30 DAYS, I TOOK TIME TO UNDERSTAND, UM, WHAT ARE THE CAVEATS HERE IN THE DALLAS AREA, UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS, UM, THAT I MUST ACHIEVE.
AND SO WITH THAT SAID, I HAD LOOKED THAT INTO SOME KEY PRIORITIES AND ACTION ITEMS THAT YOU ALL CAN EXPECT.
I HAVE DONE MANY TRAININGS OVER THE PAST 60 DAYS.
UM, SOME THAT TOOK JUST ABOUT A DAY, BUT WE GOT THROUGH THAT.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, I HAVE REVIEWED OUR DEPARTMENT, SO THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE AND, UM, OUR RESPECTIVE DIVISION ALONG WITH THAT, LEARNING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT WE DO AS A DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND SO WHAT CAME OUT OF THAT AS WELL IS NOT JUST TEAM MEETINGS, BUT THEN ALSO PLANNING.
UM, AND SO THE NEXT BUCKET THAT I HAVE TAKING TIME TO REALLY REVIEW IS TO ASSESS.
UM, ALTHOUGH THAT WE KNOW, UM, WE HAVE A AGE-FRIENDLY ACTION PLAN, THERE IS SOME AREAS THAT I KNOW COMING IN THAT I WOULD NEED TO REVIEW AND HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING ON, UM, TO MOVE US FORWARD WITH OUR PROCESS OF IMPROVEMENT.
UM, AND WITH THAT SAID, WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT THOSE.
JESSICA WENT OVER, WENT OVER THOSE TODAY AS WE HAVE NOW SECURED OUR VENDOR, UM, WHAT THAT STRATEGIC DIRECTION IS GONNA LOOK LIKE IN THAT PLAN, UM, AREA SUCH AS COMMUNICATION AND WHAT METHODS ARE WE NOT UTILIZING TO REACH THOSE WHO MAY HAVE MOBILITY ISSUES OR MAYBE HOMEBOUND JUST AS AN EXAMPLE.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, I'VE HAD THE HONOR NOW TO MEET SEVERAL OF OUR AGE FRIENDLY PARTNERS.
UM, AND ALONG WITH THAT I'M STILL WORKING TO MEET WITH THOSE WITHIN OUR CITY, SO OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
UM, AND AS WE BEGAN TO LOOK AT THAT, WE THOUGHT IT'LL BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO REINTRODUCE OUR INTER INTERDEPARTMENTAL MEETINGS, UM, AS IT RELATES TO AGE FRIENDLY.
AND SO LOOKING AT THOSE PRIORITY AREAS, UH, WE HEARD FROM, UH, HOUSING TODAY, WE HEARD FROM PARKS AND RECS TODAY.
AND LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN COME TOGETHER TO CONTINUE TO BREAK DOWN THOSE SILOS AND TO WORK TOGETHER MOST MORE COHESIVELY.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WITHIN THE NEXT, I WOULD SAY A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THE 60 DAY, 90 DAY PERIOD, WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE FOR ME IS CONTINUING TO LOOK AT OUR BUDGET.
AND SO WE KNOW THAT WE'RE ALREADY IN BUDGET SEASON, BUT THEN AFTER WE RETRIEVE THOSE FUNDS, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR WHAT WE NEED TO DO AS A DIVISION? UM, AS IT RELATES TO AGE FRIENDLY, I TALKED ABOUT COMMUNICATION.
WELL, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE THAT STRATEGIC PLAN, WHAT FUNDING DO WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT? WHAT METHODS ARE WE GOING TO USE TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE REACHING, UM, OLDER ADULTS? NOT JUST THAT, BUT OTHER THINGS.
WHAT DO WE NEED TO ALLOCATE FUNDING FOR? UM, AND LOOKING AT WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE AND WHAT CAN BE DONE, MAYBE MAYBE THE NEXT FISCAL CYCLE, BUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO, UM, PRIORITIZE THOSE.
AND THEN LASTLY, UM, WITHIN THE 90 DAY PERIOD, I DO HOPE TO HAVE THE AGE-FRIENDLY INTERDEPARTMENTAL MEETING.
AND SO WE TALKED ABOUT THE PLAYING OF THAT, BUT ACTUALLY BRINGING EVERYONE TO THE TABLE, UM, FOR ME TO HEAR EXACTLY FROM THEIR DEPARTMENTS WHERE THEY SEE THEMSELVES.
UM, ONE THING WE WANT TO ENSURE WITH OUR AGE-FRIENDLY COMMUNITY IS THAT EVERYONE HAS A PART RIGHT TO PLAY.
AND SOMETIMES THERE ARE DEPARTMENTS THAT FEEL AS IF, UM, THEY DON'T HAVE THOSE, UM, FUNDED OLDER ADULT PROGRAMMING AND SOMETIMES THEY FEEL LIKE THEY DON'T PLAY THE PART, BUT WE WANT THIS TO BE MODELED JUST AS IF WE LOOK THROUGH IN AN EQUITY LENS.
THERE SHOULD ALSO BE AN AGE FRIENDLY LENS AT EVERY DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE CITY OF VALLEY DALLAS TAKES ON.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE FOR YOU ALL TODAY.
UM, FEEL FREE TO ASK ME, UM, QUESTIONS AND IF I CAN ANSWER THOSE.
I DO HAVE THE LOVELY MIRACLE AND JESSICA STILL IN THE ROOM, SO FIRE AWAY AND THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[01:55:01]
YOU MENTIONED A VENDOR.I AGE FRIENDLY, STRATEGIC STRATEGIC PLAN AR WHO IS, SO WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY A VENDOR? SO I WAS JUST SAYING WE HAVE TO SECURE THE CONTRACTS, SO WE GUIDEHOUSE AS THE CONTRACTOR THAT WILL BE WORKING WITH US FOR THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
YEAH, THAT'S THE, WHEN I WAS PROVIDING THE UPDATE AND I SPOKE TO THE Y 24 INITIATIVE FOR THE SENIOR SERVICES STRATEGIC PLAN.
THAT'S WHAT SHE'S REFERRING TO THE CONTRACTOR FOR THAT.
SO, UH, SHE USED THE TERM VENDOR, BUT WE, WE USE THAT TERM.
SO WE SAY THE CONTRACTOR EITHER WAY.
AND PLEASE FORGIVE ME, THERE IS LINGO WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT I'M STILL TRYING TO GET RID OF.
UM, THAT DIFFERS SOME FROM DALLAS.
UM, CERTAINLY YOU BRING YOUR EXPERIENCE WORKING FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO THE CITY OF DALLAS.
ARE THERE OTHER WAYS OF LEVERAGING BEST PRACTICES IN OTHER BIG CITIES LIKE DALLAS THAT ARE OUT THERE? ARE THERE ORGANIZATIONS? ARE THERE CONFERENCES, ANYTHING ELSE WHERE WE CAN LEARN WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING REALLY WELL? BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TO DENVER, WE JUST HAVE TO POTENTIALLY COPY SOME REALLY GOOD PRACTICES.
SO ARE THERE FORUM FOR YOU TO LEARN FROM? MM-HMM.
SO WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL TO HAVE THE UNDER AN UMBRELLA, UM, WITH AGE-FRIENDLY LIVABLE COMMUNITIES UNDER A A RP.
AND SO TYPICALLY ONCE A MONTH THEY BRING ALL OF OUR AGE-FRIENDLY LEADERS TOGETHER FOR US TO LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER, UM, FOR US TO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND VIA A PLATFORM.
SO I'VE HAD A, AN HONOR TO SIT ON MANY OF THOSE PANELS AND TO COMMUNICATE, UM, AND PLATFORMS TO COMMUNICATE WITH OTHER AGE-FRIENDLY LEADERS TO SEE IF THIS IS KIND OF SOMETHING THAT IS THE CULTURE OF OUR PARTICULAR CITY OR IF THIS DIFFERS RIGHT.
AND WE SEE THAT THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT VERY CONSISTENT ALL ACROSS THE BOARD.
UM, SUCH AS FUNDING, UM, SUCH AS HOUSING, ET CETERA.
AND SO YES, THOSE TYPE OF RESOURCES DO, UH, THEY DO THIS.
ANYTHING ELSE? I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, HI TABITHA, NICE TO MEET YOU AND WELCOME.
I WANTED TO ASK YOU, UM, MY QUESTION ALL ALONG HAS BEEN WHEN YOU ALL RECEIVE INFORMATION FLYERS, UM, CONTACTED BY, UM, DIFFERENT ORGANIZATION SERVICES AND RESOURCES ABOUT SENIOR EVENTS OR SENIOR ACTIVITIES, ARE YOU GONNA RELAY THAT MESSAGE TO US OR THAT INFORMATION TO US SO THAT WE CAN DECIDE IF WE WANT TO PARTICIPATE? BECAUSE ME, MYSELF, WHEN I ATTEND, UH, RESOURCE FAIRS AND EVENTS LIKE THAT, I USUALLY INTERVIEW THE VENDORS TO SEE WHAT THEY HAVE TO OFFER AND IF IT WOULD BE A BENEFIT TO THE SENIORS IN MY DISTRICT.
SO KNOWING WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND US IS VERY HELPFUL.
SO ARE YOU GONNA BE THAT CENTER POINT? SO WE'RE NOT, SO I'M NOT QUITE SURE THAT
IN ADDITION TO THAT, IN YOUR PACKET, THERE IS A LIST OF, UM, OPPORTUNITIES, UM, THAT'S HAPPENING OR HAS, HAS HAPPENED, UM, AROUND THE AREA.
AND SO I AM GOING TO DEFER THAT TO MIRACLE WHEN SHE SPEAKS, UM, TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE INSIGHT ON THAT.
UM, BUT I WILL SAY WE HAVE LOOKED AT OTHER, UM, OPTIONS, I GUESS AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO ALLOW US TO HAVE LIKE A ONE-STOP SHOP THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO HAVE A LIST OF, UM, EVENTS AROUND OUR AREAS AND EVEN OFFERINGS FOR OLDER ADULTS.
UM, I'M IN THE PROCESS OF REVIEWING THAT NOW.
THERE WAS A VENDOR OR ACTUALLY A CONTRACTOR IN AUSTIN THAT OFFERED THOSE SERVICES, BUT THAT IS NO LONGER EXISTING.
SO I'M LOOKING TO SEE IF THERE MAY BE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT.
YEAH, I JUST WANNA GO TO THAT QUESTION REALLY QUICK.
UM, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WHAT WE HAVE, UM, GOTTEN VARIED FEEDBACK WHEN WE SEND THINGS, WE'VE BEEN ADVISED THAT WE'RE MAYBE DOING IT TOO MUCH AND THEN WE TRIED TO PUT IT KIND OF TOGETHER AND THEN MAYBE IT'S NOT ENOUGH.
AND SO I THINK THAT WE REALLY, UM, IT MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL TO HAVE A KIND OF A CONVERSATION ABOUT LIKE THE PREFERRED FREQUENCY OF THOSE TYPES OF COMMUNICATIONS, UM, MOVING FORWARD SO THAT WE CAN FIGURE THAT OUT.
UM, BECAUSE IN THE PAST I THINK MACKAY SENT EVERYTHING THAT HE RECEIVED AND THEN SOME PEOPLE HAD EXPRESSED THAT THEY FELT A LITTLE BIT OVERWHELMED BY THE VOLUME OF EMAILS.
SO, UM, DEFINITELY, AND I KNOW TABITHA CAN HELP US WITH THAT, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT WHAT SHE REFERENCED ABOUT KIND OF HAVING ONE STOP REPOSITORY TYPE OPPORTUNITY PLACE WOULD HELP A LOT BECAUSE THEN, UM, WE, WE CAN MAYBE REGULARLY SHARE A REMINDER TO CHECK IT OUT OR SOMETHING BIG IS COMING UP, BUT OTHERWISE YOU CAN KEEP AN EYE ON IT.
SO, BUT IN THE SHORTER TERM, UNTIL WE FIGURE THAT PIECE OUT, MAYBE WE CAN HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS IN THE FUTURE, IN THE FUTURE MEETING ABOUT THE PREFERRED FREQUENCY AND CONSISTENCY OF COMMUNICATIONS.
I THINK WE DISCUSSED THAT AT ONE TIME AND HE SAID WE WANTED TO SEE UPDATED
[02:00:01]
INFORMATION.I, I KNOW THAT THINGS CHANGE, LEADERS CHANGE TIMES CHANGE, BUT, UH, IN THE PAST WHEN I JOINED THIS COMMISSION THAT UH, THAT KIND OF INFORMATION WAS READILY AVAILABLE AND SUPPLIED TO US AS IT OCCURRED.
AND THEN WE HAD THE OPTION AS ADULTS TO CHOOSE WHETHER OR NOT WE WANTED TO ATTEND OR PARTICIPATE, UH, TO KNOW ABOUT THE EXISTENCE OF ORGANIZATIONS AND SERVICES AROUND, UH, EVEN TO VOLUNTEER IN OUR SPARE TIME TO SOME AGENCIES LIKE THE SENIOR SOURCE ALZHEIMER'S AND, AND PARKINSON'S SOCIETY, DIFFERENT THINGS.
BUT IF YOU DON'T KNOW THEN YOU DON'T KNOW.
SO EDUCATION IS, EDUCATION IS A, IS UH, IS VERY VALUABLE AND IGNORANCE IS NOT GOOD.
AND IN ORDER FOR US TO SERVE OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR DISTRICTS, WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S AVAILABLE.
I GET CALLS FROM MY COUNCILMAN'S OFFICE ALL THE TIME, UH, COMMISSIONER AUSTIN, DO YOU KNOW WHERE SOMEBODY MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO THIS? AND A LOT OF TIMES THEY CAN GET THAT INFORMATION, SOME INFORMATION FROM UH, CITY DEPARTMENTS.
BUT MY COUNCILMAN STILL, UH, ASKED ME BECAUSE I'M HIS COMMISSIONER, I'M HIS SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSIONER AND HE JUST THINKS I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY FOR SENIORS AND I DO TOO.
AND IT HAS BEEN DONE IN THE PAST AND IT, IT, A SPECIAL PERSON WASN'T HIRED AND IT'S NOT A LOT.
IF YOU GET AN EMAIL FROM A, UM, SOMEBODY THAT SAYS WE'RE HAVING A SENIOR FAIR FORWARD IT, JUST CLICK ON FORWARD AND FORWARD IT TO EVERYBODY AND COPY EVERYBODY'S EMAIL AND, AND SEND IT TO 'EM.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A BIG DEAL.
IT'S JUST TRYING TO GET INFORMATION.
MY JOB IS TO HELP THE SENIORS IN MY DISTRICT AND THAT'S ALL I'M TRYING TO DO.
AND IF I CAN HELP SENIORS IN DALLAS AS A WHOLE, I'LL DO THAT TOO.
BUT I JUST WANT THE INFORMATION.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND REVISIT OUR COMMUNICATIONS AND I THINK, UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE RECEIVING ALL OF THEM BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING OUT AROUND EVENTS AND SO LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT SOMEHOW MISSING SOMEONE.
DAVID, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
GIVEN THAT WE'RE OVER HALF OVER OUR, I MOVE THAT WE AUR THIS MEETING RIGHT NOW.