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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.