THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. IT IS 9:02. I CALL THE MEETING OF THE WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND EQUITY
[Workforce-Education and Equity on February 10, 2025.]
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COMMITTEE IN SESSION. IT IS FEBRUARY THE 10TH, 2024.IT'S IMPORTANT TO COLLABORATE, CONSULT, AND SOMETIMES EVEN ADVISE ON WAYS WE CAN COLLABORATE AND IMPROVE OUR SERVICES, OUR PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES TO BENEFIT RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF DALLAS.
WE WANT TO UNDERSCORE THE FACT THAT WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO IMPROVING RESOURCES, OPPORTUNITIES, ACCESS SERVICES, PROGRAMS FOR ALL RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH THE GREATEST NEED AND SO WE THANK ALL OF YOU, WHETHER YOU'RE ONLINE, THOSE WHO ARE LISTENING HERE WITH US HERE IN THE IN NEAR HERE AND NEAR CLOSE TO THE HORSESHOE.
WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. BUT TODAY, AS WE FOCUS ON THE INSTITUTIONS AND THE PARTNERSHIPS, OUR COMMITMENT IS THIS. TODAY, WE WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW WE CAN FURTHER GROW, EQUIP, AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR WORKFORCE. ADDRESS EDUCATIONAL NEEDS NOT ONLY OF STUDENTS, BUT ADULTS, RANGING FROM SCHOOL NEEDS TO CITY SERVICES AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM, AND TO ENSURE RESIDENTS HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE, ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO THRIVE IN OUR CITY.
TODAY'S AGENDA INCLUDES DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE UPDATES FROM THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE AND EMPOWERMENT AND ANCHOR INSTITUTION AT&T CORPORATION COMMUNICATIONS, AND 311 WORK OF REACHING DIVERSE COMMUNITIES.
AN UPDATE FROM THE GROWING PORTFOLIO ON CLOSING DISPARITIES AS IT REGARDS TO THE DEPARTMENTAL PROGRESS MEASURES, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER SEDILLO PEREIRA WILL SHARE THE VISION AND COLLABORATIVE VALUE IN THE CITY MANAGER'S ORGANIZING CONSTRUCT OF PORTFOLIO, AND WE WILL HAVE A MEMORANDUM BRIEFING UPDATE ON THE UPSKILLING PILOT PROGRAMS NON UNIFORMED SECURITY OFFICERS. WE ARE, OF COURSE, VERY EXCITED TODAY TO BE ABLE TO COME HERE EVEN THOUGH IT IS RAINING TODAY, AND IT SEEMS TO KIND OF DRAG SOME OF OUR SPIRITS.
BUT TO CITY MANAGER, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND THOSE WHO ARE HERE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE TODAY THAT WE GET THROUGH THE HIGH POINTS AND WE DON'T WANT TO BELABOR ANY POINTS. WE WANT TO GIVE A OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO WEIGH IN.
BUT IN ORDER TO ORDER TO RESPECT TIME. TODAY, I WANT TO CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE THE MEMORANDUM BRIEFING THAT WE HAVE ON UPSKILLING PILOT PROGRAMS, NON UNIFORMED SECURITY OFFICERS. WE ASKED COUNCIL MEMBERS, COMMITTEE MEMBERS AS WELL LAST MONTH TO WEIGH IN IF THEY HAD PARTICULAR QUESTIONS.
WE WILL ALSO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INSIGHT IN ADDITION TO THIS MEETING, AS TO THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH FAIR, JUST TRANSPARENCY IN MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING THE NEEDS AS IT RELATES TO UPSKILLING AND THE OPPORTUNITIES.
AND SO THAT WITH THAT BEING SAID, IN ADDITION TO THAT, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DO AT LEAST ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT WE ARE CELEBRATING THIS MONTH, AT THIS TIME, THE HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE.
AND WE SALUTE ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE WORKED THROUGHOUT THE CITY, THROUGHOUT THIS NATION, TO MAKE DALLAS WHAT IT IS IN TERMS OF PROVIDING PROJECTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO HAVE PROJECTS SUCH AS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT TODAY WITH TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND BROADBAND.
SO I DID WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSCORED THAT.
WITH THAT BEING SAID ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER SEDILLIO PEREIRA, WE'RE READY FOR YOU.
AND I GUESS THAT WOULD BE GOOD. THANK YOU, CHAIRWOMAN SCHULTZ.
IT WOULD BE GOOD TO CALL FOR THE MINUTES THAT WE HAVE HERE.
SO LET ME I WAS JUST ALL EXCITED ABOUT TRYING TO GET THINGS DONE HERE, AND SO THE MEETING DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MEETINGS FROM THE MEETING? THE MINUTES FROM THE WORKFORCE EDUCATION EQUITY COMMITTEE.
SO MOVED. THANK YOU. I WAS AS PRINTED. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY CHAIR RIDLEY AND SECOND BY CHAIR SCHULTZ.
AND ANY OBJECTIONS? NO ADDITIONS, NO PROBLEMS. THAT'S GOOD. THEN IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD TRANSITION TO MOVE TO OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
WHAT IS WRONG TODAY? LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S THE RAIN.
IT'S THE RAIN. AND I'M JUST WANTING TO GET THROUGH THIS.
ROBUST. THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN RIDLEY. YOU HAVE A SECONDED.
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ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THERE'S NO OPPOSITION. TODAY IS ALL ABOUT MOVING FORWARD.THANK YOU, LIZ CEDILLO-PEREIRA. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
THANK YOU. MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. I THANK YOU FOR THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND WANTED TO SHARE THAT THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE HAS A NUMBER OF EVENTS THAT THEY'RE HIGHLIGHTING ON OUR WEBSITE FOR THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE IN AND ENJOY THE RICH HERITAGE OF AFRICAN AMERICANS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THE HISTORY OF, OF BLACK HISTORY IN OUR CITY AND NATIONALLY.
TODAY WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON DIGITAL ACCESS AND BROADBAND.
AND WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE GOOD WORK OF OUR ANCHOR INSTITUTIONS LIKE AT&T.
THEY'RE WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND OTHER PARTNERS TO WORK TO ENSURE THAT TOGETHER, WE CAN BRIDGE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AND ENSURING THAT OUR RESIDENTS HAVE THE ACCESS TO INTERNET THAT WE NEED TO SUCCEED AND THRIVE.
SO I'D LIKE TO INVITE LISA SHERROD TO COME AND PROVIDE THIS BRIEFING.
SHE IS THE ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT OF EXTERNAL AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS AT AT&T.
AND THEREAFTER, WE'LL HAVE A BRIEFING FROM OUR CITY TEAM AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE COMMENTS AND INSIGHTS THE COMMITTEE HAS RELATED TO THE PARTNERSHIPS, MAYBE WHERE THEY MIGHT SEE GAPS AND WHERE WE CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER.
THANK YOU. AND PASSING THE MIC TO MISS SHERROD.
GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU. IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE TO BE HERE.
AGAIN, I'M LISA SHERRARD, ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT FOR EXTERNAL AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS FOR AT&T.
I AM HONORED AND DELIGHTED TO BE WELCOMED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON AT&T WORK HERE IN DALLAS.
AS MANY OF YOU ALL KNOW, THE HEADQUARTERS IS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, AND WE'RE ALWAYS GLAD TO SEE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF COME OVER TO OUR DISCOVERY DISTRICT. THE CITY HOLDS A SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE TO OUR COMPANY AND OUR EMPLOYEES, AND WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL TO BE A PART OF THE DALLAS COMMUNITY.
I BELIEVE THE DECK IS UP AND WE CAN AND CAN MOVE OVER TO OUR FIRST PAGE.
THANK YOU. SO HERE WE'VE GOT A FEW SNAPSHOTS OF VARIOUS EVENTS THAT WE'VE HAD HERE LOCALLY.
SO WE HAD THAT OPENING IN MAY, AND I'M REALLY PROUD THAT DALLAS HAS FIVE CONNECTED LEARNING CENTERS, WHICH I'LL SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT LATER.
BUT THAT WAS OUR FIFTH ONE, AND WE'VE GOT A SIXTH ONE COMING ONLINE THIS YEAR FOR 2025.
YOU WILL SEE ALSO IN WEST DALLAS. WE'VE GOT COUNCIL MEMBER NARVAEZ STAFF REPRESENTING THERE.
AND REALLY, REALLY DELIGHTED TO HAVE THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER CEDILLO AND COUNCIL MEMBER RESENDEZ OVER IN PLEASANT GROVE LAST MONTH WHERE WE KICKED OFF OUR FIRST LAPTOP EVENT WHERE WE HAD SO MANY REALLY GREAT FAMILIES OUT, COMING OUT TO GET LAPTOPS.
AGAIN, MORE PICTURES. AT THE BOTTOM THERE WE SEE COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN AND COUNCILMEMBER WILLIS AND COUNCILMEMBER SCHULTZ OVER AT FAMILY GATEWAY FOR ONE OF OUR OF OUR CONNECTED LEARNING CENTER EVENTS, AND A FEW OTHER, SENATOR WEST AND A FEW OTHERS. SO JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT AND SPOTLIGHT SOME OF THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER AND I KNOW WE HAD SOME OTHERS FROM THE FOR CLIFF EVENT, WHICH HAPPENED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO FOR THAT OPENING AS WELL.
SO WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO LET'S GET INTO AT&T INVESTING IN DALLAS COMMUNITIES.
WE HAVE MORE THAN INVESTED MORE THAN $5.9 BILLION IN OUR NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE DALLAS FORT WORTH ARLINGTON COMMUNITY FROM 2019 TO 2023, TO CONNECT MORE PEOPLE OF THAT.
WELL OVER 70% OF AT&T FIBER COVER IS COVERED IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
THIS IS JUST AT&T FIBER. YOU ALL KNOW THAT FOR OVER 144 YEARS, AT&T HAS INVESTED IN OUR TEXAS COMMUNITY COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS FOR OUR LOCAL PEOPLE AND OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
FROM 2019 TO 2023, WE INVESTED MORE THAN $12.6 BILLION IN OUR TEXAS NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE.
FOR DFW ALONE THAT AREA, THAT NUMBER INCLUDES MORE THAN $5.9 BILLION DURING THE SAME TIME FRAME.
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TWO BILLION OF THAT IS FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS ALONE.AND IN SOUTHERN DALLAS, THAT NUMBER IS WELL OVER 80% OF AT&T FIBER COVERAGE.
YOU'LL ALSO SEE THE THE MAP HERE. THIS IS THE FCC MAP THAT SHOWS ALMOST 100% RESIDENTIAL COVERAGE, WITH SPEEDS OF 120 DOWN AND 20 UP, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT 100% ALSO INCLUDES OTHER PROVIDERS.
SO DALLAS LOOKS VERY, VERY WELL AS FAR AS A FIBER RICH CITY.
SPEED IS IMPORTANT. WHEN YOU HEAR US TALK ABOUT 100 UP AND 20 DOWN BECAUSE A FAMILY OF FOUR CAN MAXIMIZE INTERNET CONNECTION DOING HOMEWORK, VIDEO APPLICATIONS AND MANY OTHER ACTIVITIES.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO YOU MAY HAVE SEEN A LITTLE AD WE'VE GOT ABOUT THE AT&T GUARANTEE.
SO IN ADDITION TO OUR ONGOING INVESTMENTS IN OUR NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE, WE'VE ALSO RECENTLY UNVEILED THE FIRST AND FIRST AND ONLY CUSTOMER FIRST PROMISE FOR BOTH OUR WIRELESS AND FIBER NETWORKS. IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL THE DETAILS IN THIS SETTING, BUT IN SHORT, AT&T IS LEVELING UP THE INDUSTRY WITH A BOLD GUARANTEE TO OUR CUSTOMERS, PROMISING AN ELEVATED EXPERIENCE FOCUSED ON CONNECTIVITY THAT THEY CAN DEPEND ON DEALS THEY WANT AND THE PROMPT FRIENDLY SERVICE THEY DESERVE.
I CAN TELL YOU WEEKLY I GET A CHANCE TO TALK TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER STAFFS OR DIRECTLY, SOMETIMES WITH YOU ALL, AND WE CERTAINLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE THAT. IF THERE ARE OTHER SERVICE MATTERS THAT COME UP FOR YOUR RESIDENTS, AND YOU CAN ALSO FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS AT ATT.COM/GUARANTEE.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO LET'S DIG INTO THIS. ADDRESSING BARRIERS TO CONNECTIVITY.
I KIND OF LIKE TO LOOK AT THIS AS A THREE LEGGED STOOL OF ACCESS, AFFORDABILITY AND ADOPTION.
THOSE ARE YOUR BIGGEST AREAS OF WHERE YOU HAVE THE BARRIERS TO CONNECTION.
SO AT AT&T WE START OFF WE HAVE OUR ACCESS WHICH IS OUR LOW COST PROGRAM.
SO ACCESS FROM AT&T. THAT IS ONE PATH THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THIS BARRIER.
ALSO I MENTIONED OUR INVESTMENT IN THE LAPTOPS AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT.
WHEN WE DO THESE DEVICE DISTRIBUTIONS AS ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND COUNCIL MEMBER RESENDEZ SAW THOSE LAPTOPS ARE GIVEN WITH TECHNICAL TWO YEAR TECHNICAL SUPPORT. SO FOR FAMILIES WHO HAVE THESE DEVICES, IF THEY EVER HAVE ISSUES, THEY ALSO HAVE THIS SUPPORT AS WELL.
DIGITAL LITERACY WE'VE WORKED AND SUPPORTED THE PROGRAM WITH JEN SANDERS, WHO IS HERE AS WELL, THE DALLAS INNOVATION ALLIANCE, REALLY FOCUSING ON REACHING FAMILIES WITH DIGITAL LITERACY SUPPORT.
WE'LL HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT SOME OF THOSE AREAS, LIKE BACHMAN LAKE, WHICH HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS IN SOME OF THIS DIGITAL LITERACY WORK. OUR CONNECTED LEARNING CENTERS ALSO, WHICH ARE REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT, THEY SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
SO WE'LL ALSO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ACP PROGRAM WHICH IS WE KNOW HAS HAD AN IMPACT ON YOUR CONSTITUENTS AS WELL, WHICH HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED. WE WILL WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER ON.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. OKAY. SO AS WE TALK ABOUT ADDRESSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE A BIG PART OF WHAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT WAS AS THE ACP WOUND DOWN, WE HAVE KEPT OUR PREVIOUSLY ACP ENROLLED CUSTOMERS INFORMED AND PROVIDED TEMPORARY OFFERS AS THEY ADJUSTED, PAYING THEIR BILL WITHOUT THE BENEFIT.
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WE'VE TASKED OUR FEDERAL LOBBY TEAM TO ADVOCATE FOR THE EXTENSION OF THIS PROGRAM.REGRETTABLY, IT HAS NOT BEEN REFUNDED. WE DID SEE A DROP OFF IN THOSE NUMBERS ONCE THE PROGRAM DISCONTINUED, BUT EVEN THOUGH ACP HAS GONE AWAY, OUR COMMITMENT HAS NOT, AND IT IS DEMONSTRATED THROUGH OUR ACCESS PROGRAM, WHICH IS, AS I MENTIONED, A HEAVILY DISCOUNTED PROGRAM.
ACCESS FROM AT&T MAKES THE INTERNET MORE AFFORDABLE FOR CUSTOMERS BY PROVIDING QUALITY, HOUSE QUALITY HOUSEHOLDS WITH HIGH SPEED INTERNET FOR $30 A MONTH ON SPEEDS UP TO 100 MEGABITS. THIS SERVICE INCLUDES WI-FI AND INSTALLATION WITH NO EQUIPMENT FEES, NO DEPOSIT, AND NO ANNUAL CONTRACT. IN ADDITION, ANY QUALIFIED CUSTOMER WHOSE MAX SPEED AVAILABLE IS UNDER 50 MEGABITS CAN GET ACCESS FOR $15 A MONTH. WE'VE BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF ADVOCATING FOR A FAIR AND SUSTAINABLE LONG TERM APPROACH TO FUNDING INTERNET AFFORDABILITY PROGRAMS FOR LOW INCOME AMERICANS, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO OFFER AFFORDABLE BROADBAND OPTIONS TO HELP EQUIP MORE DALLAS HOUSEHOLDS TO THE FUTURE.
SO LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OUR CONNECTED LEARNING CENTERS.
WE'VE OPENED FIVE THROUGHOUT, AND WE'VE PARTNERED WITH OTHER NON-PROFITS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THESE CENTERS PROVIDE FREE RESOURCES FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, INCLUDING HIGH SPEED INTERNET, COMPUTERS, TRAINING AND MENTORING. WE ALSO HAVE WORKED WITH COMUDOTP WHO HELPS US SOURCE AND PROVIDE FREE REFURBISHED COMPUTERS AND DIGITAL RESOURCES TO THE COMMUNITY AND MEMBERS IN NEED.
I'M PROUD TO SAY IN 2024, WE DISTRIBUTED NEARLY 5000 COMPUTERS TO DALLAS STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.
WE ALSO CONTRIBUTED $2 MILLION TO THE UNITED WAY OF METROPOLITAN DALLAS FOR DIGITAL LITERACY, TRAINING AND DEVICE DISTRIBUTIONS. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ALSO HAVE A MYRIAD OF FREE ONLINE RESOURCES AVAILABLE, INCLUDING THE ACHIEVERY AND AT&T CONNECTED LEARNING.
I WANT TO THANK MANY OF YOU IN THIS ROOM, OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO STOOD TO THE SIDE OF US, THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND HELPING US GET THE WORD OUT TO THE.
YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND ATTENDING OUR EVENTS. WE'RE REALLY, REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THIS COLLABORATION.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO WE'VE ALSO COMMITTED TO CONTRIBUTING DOLLARS TO SUPPORT OUR DIGITAL DIVIDE AND LITERACY PROGRAM AT ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE CITY AND THE STATE.
FROM 2021 TO 2023, WE CONTRIBUTED MORE THAN $26.6 MILLION THROUGH GIVING PROGRAMS IN TEXAS, INCLUDING SEVERAL RIGHT HERE IN THE DALLAS AREA.
YOU'LL SEE THIS PICTURE THAT WE TOOK THAT WAS OVER IN SOUTH DALLAS AND NOW IS STEW POT.
ALSO, WE'VE PROVIDED I MENTIONED DALLAS INNOVATION ALLIANCE FOR THE DIGITAL AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
VOICE OF HOPE MINISTRIES TO SUPPORT DIGITAL LITERACY FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH.
AND THE WILKINSON CENTER'S, EXCUSE ME. ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES LOW INCOME AGED ADULTS AGES 17 UP TO 60 PLUS WITH A COMPUTER AND BASIC DIGITAL SKILLS TRAINING. IN ADDITION, WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON AGING TO PROVIDE DIGITAL LITERACY AND CYBER SECURITY TRAININGS AT SOME OF THE DALLAS COUNTY SENIOR CENTERS THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY.
THESE WORKSHOPS WILL COVER EVERYTHING FROM TECHNOLOGY BASICS TO ONLINE SAFETY, INCLUDING TIPS TO RECOGNIZE AND AVOID FRAUD AND SCAMS. WE'RE HONORED TO PLAY A SMALL PART IN SUPPORTING THESE ALREADY EXISTING ORGANIZATIONS AS THEY CONTINUE TO SERVE THEIR CLIENTS AND COMMUNITIES. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO ANOTHER AREA THAT IMPACTS SERVICE IS COPPER THEFT.
THIS HAS BEEN A MAJOR ISSUE, AND I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER ARNOLD AND THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR LEADERSHIP ON THIS ON THIS VERY, VERY CRITICAL ISSUE. AS YOU'LL SEE, THESE ARE JUST SOME OF SOME OF THE HEADLINES THAT HAVE COME OUT IN THE NEWS ABOUT THE DIFFERENT INCIDENTS THAT HAVE
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TAKEN PLACE THROUGHOUT DALLAS. THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE THAT IS LIMITED TO ONE PART OF DALLAS.THIS HAPPENS THROUGHOUT, FRANKLY, THE COUNTRY AND CERTAINLY IN NORTH TEXAS.
AS YOU AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS SLIDE, ONE OF WHICH COUNCIL MEMBER ARNOLD RECENTLY PROVIDED A VERY POWERFUL OP-ED WHERE WE'VE SEEN DEMONSTRATING HOW WE'VE SEEN THIS SURGE IN COPPER THEFTS IN THE DFW AREA.
AT&T HAS AND IS CONTINUING TO WORK CLOSELY WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS, LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND STATE ELECTED OFFICIALS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF COPPER THEFT AND FIBER VANDALISM. LAST FALL, WE ANNOUNCED A $10,000 REWARD FOR INFORMATION THAT LEADS TO ARREST AND CONVICTION FOR COPPER THEFT CABLES. WE ALSO HOSTED A SHOW AND TELL WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT TO WALK THEM THROUGH WHAT CABLE THEFTS LOOK LIKE AND HOW WE CAN BETTER COLLABORATE ON THE ISSUE. WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR A LEGISLATIVE SOLUTION.
SO AT&T IS BRINGING DRAFTING LEGISLATION AND THE LESSONS LEARNED HERE IN DALLAS TO SENATOR PHIL KING, WHO WILL BE CHAMPIONING THE LEGISLATION ON THIS ISSUE DURING THE 89TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. VERY GOOD PRESENTATION, AND I WANT TO GO.
COULD YOU JUST GO TALK ABOUT TWO THINGS? FIRST, ONE IS WHAT IS THE ACTUAL DROP OFF RATE FROM THE ACP? WHAT HAS IT BEEN? YOU GOT PUSH YOUR BUTTON AGAIN? I'M SORRY. SORRY. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? FROM A RECENT PEW STUDY IN LAST JULY, 13% OF ACP RESIDENTS HAD ALREADY CANCELED THEIR INTERNET SERVICE AND 12% PLANNED TO DO SO WITHIN THE NEXT THREE MONTHS.
DID YOU SAY 83%? NO 53. 53%. SO IS THAT SAY IT'S 50% IF YOU GO JULY AND THEN NOW NO, THAT'S 25%. AND THEN BUT 50 ARE SAYING THEY'RE GOING THAT IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE? SO COULD YOU TALK ABOUT. I KNOW THAT THE ACP WAS GIVING THE SUBSIDIES.
SO WHAT IS SO WHAT IS THE AMOUNT THEN THAT THAT AT&T IS DOING? AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HELP THOSE FOLKS SINCE OUR GOVERNMENT IS LETTING US DOWN? SURE. SO WE HAVE OUR 30 MOUNT 30 AND $30 A MONTH DISCOUNT.
SO THAT IS THE DISCOUNTED RATE THROUGH OUR ACCESS PROGRAM, WHICH IS AT&T.
IT COST US MORE TO ACTUALLY OFFER THIS PROGRAM FOR THE 30 MONTH RATE.
BUT THAT IS OUR ACCESS PROGRAM THAT WE OFFER.
SO FOR ALREADY LOSING THEM AT THAT RATE BECAUSE THAT WAS THE ACP, HOW IS THAT GOING TO HELP? BECAUSE THEY ALREADY SAID THEY CAN'T AFFORD EVEN WITH THAT.
SO WE'RE GOING TO LOSE OVER 50% IS WHAT YOU'RE ESTIMATING REGARDLESS OF YOUR SUBSIDY.
IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH, I MEAN IT UNFORTUNATELY WE WILL DEFINITELY SEE PEOPLE DROP OFF MORE.
BUT WE WE'RE COMMITTED TO STILL OFFERING THIS AT THIS DISCOUNTED RATE.
FOR US, BECAUSE IT, IT ACTUALLY COST US MORE TO BE ABLE TO OFFER THIS AS A, AS A DISCOUNTED RATE.
SO DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT? WELL, I THINK JEN SANDERS AND I WITH DALLAS INNOVATION ALLIANCE, SHE'S GOING TO PRESENT A LITTLE BIT LATER.
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COME IN BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OF THE FEAR OF THIS.I THINK THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR STAKEHOLDERS LIKE YOURSELVES TO BE ABLE TO PROMOTE AND EXPLAIN THAT THIS IS STILL VERY IMPORTANT AND ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME OUT AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE PROGRAMS. SO LET ME SEE IF I GET THIS STRAIGHT. SO AT&T AND OTHERS WERE STRONGLY DISCOURAGING THE CITY FROM PUTTING IN OUR OWN FIBER, WHICH WOULD ENABLE PEOPLE TO ACCESS IT MORE. BUT WE'RE GOING TO LOSE OVER 50% OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ACCESSING IT THROUGH AT&T, AND PROBABLY EVEN MORE WITH SPECTRUM AND OTHERS TO WITHOUT HAVING THAT FIBER.
THE CITY'S FIBER, RIGHT. SO WE'RE GOING TO LOSE WHAT IS THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT THAT IF WE GO TO THAT 50 OR EVEN THE 25%, WHAT IS THE ACTUAL HARD NUMBER OF PEOPLE AT 25% OF YOUR ACP RECIPIENTS? THAT'S PROPRIETARY. SO I, I DON'T HAVE THAT PHYSICAL NUMBER FOR YOU.
THIS IS FROM A PEW STUDY. GOTCHA. SO BUT OF THE PEOPLE EVEN THE 25% IS PEW.
I'LL ASK THEM, SO HOW DO YOU WHAT IS AT&T PLANNING ON DOING? BECAUSE IF WE HAVE AN ENTIRE GENERATION OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO UNDERSTANDING OR USE OF THE INTERNET, WHAT ARE YOU ALL GOING TO DO IN TERMS OF CUSTOMER ACQUISITION FOR THE FUTURE? WELL, I THINK IT'S WE'RE ALREADY DEMONSTRATING THAT WITH OUR COMMITMENT, WITH THE AMOUNT OF FIBER THAT WE HAVE, OUR COMMITMENT TO THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, THE CONNECTED LEARNING CENTERS, WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH OUR DEVICE DISTRIBUTIONS, OUR INVESTMENT ON DIGITAL LITERACY. THOSE ARE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT AREAS THAT THREE PRONGED STOOL THAT I TALKED ABOUT, ABOUT HOW WE ARE ADDRESSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE HERE IN DALLAS, IN NORTH TEXAS AND AROUND THE COUNTRY.
OKAY. AND THEN I JUST I HAVE. WHAT IS THE CORRELATION? WE GET REQUESTS ALL THE TIME FOR CELL TOWERS.
AND I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD YOU COULD JUST GIVE ME THE CORRELATION, I UNDERSTAND.
I KNOW THAT CELLS ARE FOR PHONES, I GET THAT, BUT IF PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO LIVE OFF OF THEIR PHONES BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD THE INTERNET, HOW ARE YOU SAYING THAT WE'LL PROBABLY END UP WITH MORE REQUESTS THAN FOR EVEN MORE CELL COVERAGE? DO YOU THINK? SURE. I MEAN, CELL COVERAGE IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
IT'S AN ALTERNATIVE, IF YOU WILL. FIBER IS CERTAINLY THE BEST COVERAGE YOU CAN HAVE.
RIGHT. BUT PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD IT. SO PUTTING THAT ASIDE. SO NOW THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO RELY ON WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT MORE AIRWAVES OUT THERE BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD WHAT IS AVAILABLE UNDERGROUND. AND THAT IS A IT'S A FEDERAL PRIORITY OF OURS AND YOU HEAR US TALK ABOUT THE NEED FOR MORE SPECTRUM, WHICH IS MORE OF THAT BANDWIDTH FOR WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY.
OKAY. THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ONLINE? I DON'T SEE ANY HANDS ONLINE.
WHAT I WILL SAY, IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, THAT MEANS YOU'VE DONE A VERY GOOD JOB.
OR EITHER WE ARE STILL KIND OF SLOW TO PROCESS OR WE KNOW EVERYTHING.
BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE BEFORE WE MOVE ON THAT WE GIVE SOME CLARITY.
AND OF COURSE ESTABLISH THIS WHOLE NOTION OF ON NOW WITH THE INTERNET, WITH THE FIBER AND COPPER THEFT THAT'S WREAKING HAVOC ACROSS THE NATION. COULD YOU JUST KIND OF EXCUSE ME? TALK TO ME.
SOMETIMES QUESTIONS HAVE COME UP FROM THE COMMUNITY, AND THEY'RE TELLING ME, WELL, WHY CAN'T WE NEED TO HAVE OUR LINES BURIED UNDERGROUND? DOES THAT, WOULD THAT POSSIBLY OFFSET SOME OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW? POSSIBLY. BUT I'LL BE HONEST. I MEAN, THESE THIEVES HAVE GOTTEN VERY CREATIVE AND ACTUALLY HAVE GONE UNDERGROUND.
SO THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY A SOLUTION, TO BE HONEST.
MISS ARNOLD. AS YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT LENGTH.
AND AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO PUBLICLY COMMEND YOU FOR BEING SUCH A CHAMPION ON THE COPPER THEFT.
YOU REALLY, YOU KNOW, GETTING DOWN INTO THE WEEDS ON THIS.
I KNOW YOU WERE IN AUSTIN RECENTLY. SO WE REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU.
BUT THIS IS THIS IS A MAJOR CRISIS. AND YOU KNOW, IT HAS WE GET HIT AN AVERAGE OF 20 TIMES A WEEK, AND IT'S COSTLY FOR US STATEWIDE. THIS COST US AT LEAST $7 MILLION.
AND SO, FOR 2024 THIS REALLY HIT US. AND NOT JUST US.
YOU CAN TALK TO OUR COMPETITORS. I'M SURE CHARTER AND OTHERS WILL TELL YOU THE SAME THING.
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WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THEM. IT'S A MAJOR ISSUE.AND IT DOESN'T EVEN DEMONSTRATE THE TRUE COST OF WHAT WE TAKE A HIT ON WHEN YOU FACTOR IN THE LABOR, REPAIRS. BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING, WHAT IT DOES TO OUR CUSTOMERS AND THAT IS THE PRIORITY FOR US IS WHY WE ARE TAKING SUCH A BIG, BIG ISSUE HERE IN AUSTIN TO TRY TO COME UP WITH A LEGISLATIVE SOLUTION AS WELL.
SO, AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING ON LEGISLATION THAT WOULD BAN THE POSSESSION OF THE TELECOM FACILITIES UNLESS AUTHORIZED, BAN THE SALE FROM BUSINESS TO BUSINESS, UNLESS AUTHORIZED, AND ALSO ENHANCE THE PENALTIES.
AND SO, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE CERTAINLY HOPE THAT YOU AND THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL CONTINUE TO BE A GREAT VOICE FOR US IN DALLAS, BECAUSE DALLAS IS IT'S BEEN SUCH A MAJOR GROUNDSWELL OF THIS ACTIVITY.
I KNOW THAT WE'RE STILL IN A LEARNING PROCESS BECAUSE INDIVIDUALS REALLY WHEN THEIR INTERNET GOES OUT, THEY HAVE NO IDEA. WHAT'S GOING ON. SO AUTOMATICALLY THEIR MIND DOES NOT GO TO CALL THE POLICE.
SO WE KNOW WE MUST CONTINUE TO EDUCATE IN TERMS OF NOW BEGINNING TO LOOK TO SEE THE CUTS IN THE LINES AS THEY FALL, THOSE KIND OF NODES, WHAT I CALL THAT ARE DANGLING MAKING SURE THAT THEY CONTINUE TO KIND OF LOOK FOR SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY AROUND THOSE POLES, BECAUSE ONCE THEY CLIMB ON THE POLES AND CUT, WHAT SOME HAVE EXPERIENCED IN NEIGHBORHOODS IS THAT THE CUT, ONCE IT'S CUT, ALSO CAN IMPACT THE ELECTRICAL WIRES, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY OTHER LINES ON THAT POLE.
SO COULD YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SECURITY AND WHAT HOW YOU ALL ARE, ESPECIALLY AROUND YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH ARRESTING SOME OF THESE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE SETTING UP THESE NETWORKS SO THAT WE CAN ESTABLISH ONLINE THAT YOU DO HAVE A SECURITY TEAM? YES. AND WE KNOW THAT DPD IS WEIGHING IN, BUT WE DO NEED TO ESTABLISH THE FACT THAT IF IT'S CALLED IN, SOMETIMES THERE MAY NOT BE A PRIORITY ONE CALL.
SO COULD YOU JUST EXPAND ON THAT FOR A FEW MINUTES? SURE. SO AND AS YOU KNOW, MISS ARNOLD, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT LENGTH, BUT I BROUGHT THIS FLIER TOO, SO AND I CAN SHARE THIS WITH YOU. BUT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF WAYS.
WE HAVE AN ASSET PROTECTION TEAM, WHICH IS AT&T SECURITY TEAM THAT WORKS CLOSELY WITH DPD.
RIGHT. THIS FLIER TALKS ABOUT WHAT IS IT THAT YOU DO IT.
THIS IS A CRIME. THIS TO POSSESS STOLEN COPPER.
IT SHOWS YOU JUST AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
HERE'S A NUMBER TO REPORT IT TO. SO ABSOLUTELY CALL DPD.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE OUR OWN INTERNAL DEPARTMENT THAT THAT WORKS CLOSELY.
SO I CAN CERTAINLY LEAVE THIS WITH YOU AS WELL.
WELL, I HAVE THAT. I KNOW THAT WHAT WE'RE GETTING IS FROM OUR COMMUNITY.
WHAT TO DO. SO IF THEY CALL NINE CALL THE POLICE.
I WANT THEM TO ALSO KNOW THAT IT HELPS WITH, WITH YOUR, YOUR SECURITY AS WELL, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME FOLKS WHO HAVE SOME COMMON FOOTPRINTS AND THUMB PRINTS ON THESE POLES. THIS IS A CRISIS.
BUT WE CANNOT UNDER UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF LETTING THE COMMUNITY KNOW.
SO I KNOW THERE ARE SOME WHO WILL BE LISTENING ONLINE AS WE TALK.
YES, MA'AM. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND ONE OTHER THING I'LL MENTION IS WE WILL ALSO SHARE.
WE HAVE A PSA WITH DPS. THAT'S HIGHLIGHTING AND THIS IS A STATEWIDE PSA.
SO WE CAN ALSO SHARE THAT WITH YOU. I THINK IT'D BE GREAT FOR YOU ALL TO BE ABLE TO CIRCULATE THAT AMONGST YOUR CONSTITUENTS, BECAUSE IT HELPS TO, TO SPREAD THE MESSAGE ABOUT WHAT YOU WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING.
ALL RIGHT. SO WE'LL GET THAT WITH COMMS ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
MADAM CHAIR, I DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS. WE CAN BE OFF OF THAT.
JUST A MOMENT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET THAT INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN SHARE THAT AS WELL.
I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY, VERY HELPFUL. YES. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN. BLACKMON, COULD YOU GIVE ME JUST A FEW SECONDS? I'VE ALREADY BEEN TOLD THAT YOU ARE ONLINE WITH QUESTIONS. I WANT TO MAKE SURE. I THINK WE'RE KIND OF IN SLOW TIME.
IT SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE KIND OF FROZEN. SO WE'RE GOOD THERE.
ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME. COUNCILWOMAN BLACKMON.
YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS? YES. THANKS, LISA, FOR COMING IN.
[00:35:04]
SO I DO HAVE A QUESTION ON SLIDE THREE BECAUSE THAT YOU THAT WAS A BIG BROADER REGIONAL LOOK AT FIVERR. IS THERE A WAY TO GET IT REALLY SEGMENTED OUT OR IS THAT ALL PROPRIETARY AS WELL? WELL THIS IS AN FCC MAP. SO YOU COULD CERTAINLY YOU KNOW IF THERE'S A CERTAIN AREA.SURE. ARE WE STILL BEHIND? SURE. WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT.
IF YOU ALL HAVE, IF ANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY, COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKMON, WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT YOUR DISTRICT SPECIFICALLY.
OKAY. AND THEN SECONDLY, IF PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE ARE DROPPING.
YOU'VE GOT THE FIBER, BUT PEOPLE ARE DROPPING OFF FROM UTILIZING IT.
THEN TELL ME, WHAT IS OUR STRATEGY? MAYBE IT'S THE CITY, BUT IF WE'RE TRYING TO CONNECT THE DEVICE, WE'RE TRYING TO ELIMINATE THAT DIVIDE. IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE ACTUALLY CREATING ANOTHER DIVIDE JUST AT A LATER DATE.
HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE STILL HAVE PEOPLE CONNECTED BECAUSE THEY CAN'T WORK FROM HOME, THEY CAN'T DO HOMEWORK, THEY CAN'T PROBABLY EVEN GET ON, YOU KNOW, A FIRE STICK IF THEY DON'T HAVE THAT.
AND SO I'M JUST KIND OF CURIOUS ON YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOW DO WE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE INVESTED IF WE'VE MADE THIS INVESTMENT, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE TAPPING INTO THAT INVESTMENT AT A BROAD IN A BROAD SENSE, AND THEN ALSO TO THEN IF THEY ARE STEALING THE COPPER AND THEY'RE NOT EVEN ACCESSING IT THEN.
HOW IS THAT? I MEAN, HOW ARE WE? HOW ARE WE HELPING THE HOMEOWNER, THE INDIVIDUAL, THE FAMILY UNIT? SURE. IT'S A GREAT QUESTION. COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKMON. AND I MEAN, I THINK THE BIGGEST THING IS, IS, IS THE EDUCATION PIECE AND WHAT EVEN WHAT MS. ARNOLD HAS SAID ABOUT EVEN ON THE COPPER THEFT POINT IS, I MEAN, WE HAVE TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO RESIDENTS, WHETHER IT'S ABOUT DIGITAL LITERACY, THE LAPTOP EVENTS ANYTHING THAT'S GOING TO HELP REINFORCE WHAT IS AVAILABLE AND IF THERE ARE AREAS WHERE THERE ARE GAPS, WE NEED TO KNOW THAT.
IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP AND THE COLLABORATION.
THAT'S WHY PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS ARE SO IMPORTANT.
THERE ARE AREAS WHERE AT&T IS A PRIVATE CORPORATION.
WE'VE MADE THIS PRIVATE INVESTMENT. HOW IS IT THAT WE CAN WORK WITH THE CITY? IN THE COUNTY AS WELL TO SHORE UP ANY AREAS THAT NEED TO BE SHORED UP.
OKAY. SO WE AS A CITY NEED TO IDENTIFY THOSE AREAS WHERE IT'S WHERE OF OPPORTUNITY.
AND THEN WORK WITH YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT ACCESS IS THERE BECAUSE.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU GIVE PEOPLE LAPTOPS THAT'S GREAT. BUT IF THEY CAN'T ACCESS.
FIBER, THEN IT'S ALMOST LIKE WHAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING THEIR YOU KNOW, HOTSPOTS, WHICH IS NOT A REALLY GOOD WAY OF WORKING EITHER.
AND SO THAT THAT'S MY THING IS IF WE WANT TO BUILD OUT OUR CITY AND WE WANT TO.
CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO JUST THAT.
MAYBE NOT AT THE AT THE $30 LEVEL A MONTH, OR THAT'S WHAT Y'ALL GIVE NOW.
BUT EVEN YOU KNOW, THAT WAY THEY CAN ACCESS IT.
BECAUSE WE SAW THAT DURING COVID, THE DIVIDE IS REAL AND WE DON'T WANT TO EXACERBATE IT ANYMORE.
YOU KNOW, WITH COPPER THEFT OR HIGHER COSTS OR WHATNOT OR WHATNOT.
SO THAT THAT'S JUST MY FEELINGS IS THAT WE NEED TO BE A PARTNER AND WE NEED TO MAINTAIN IT AND LOVE THE, THE MONEY AND THE AND THE, THE LAPTOPS. BUT I THINK THAT THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE GOT TO GET THEM ON THE INFORMATION HIGHWAY THROUGH THE INTERNET.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER ONLINE THAT I DON'T SEE.
SO LET ME JUST WRAP IT UP BY SAYING THIS IF THERE ARE NO OTHER AT THE HORSESHOE.
IN TERMS OF THE EDUCATION PIECE, I THANK YOU ALL, OF COURSE.
BUT WE ALSO THANK OUR MEDIA PARTNERS BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN SLOWLY BEEN GETTING THIS INFORMATION OUT.
BUT THOSE LITTLE SNAPSHOTS FOLKS DON'T REALLY THEY'RE NOT CONNECTING THE DOTS.
BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT I THINK WAS MENTIONED HOUSEHOLDS.
[00:40:06]
HOME, THE SYSTEM IS LOCKED DOWN AND THAT THAT CURRICULUM IS NOT IMPLEMENTED THAT DAY.YOUR SENIOR CITIZENS THAT MAY HAVE A LIFELINE, THAT MAY BE DISCONNECTED.
YOU LOOK AT THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO DEPEND ON THE EV STATIONS DOWN THE ROAD.
SOME OF IT'S VERY LITTLE I UNDERSTAND FIBER THERE, BUT THEY ARE ALSO STEALING AND DISRUPTING THOSE SYSTEMS. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CITY SIDE, TRAFFIC LIGHTS ARE BEING DISENGAGED BECAUSE OF THE BECAUSE OF THIS ACTIVITY.
SO WE DON'T WANT TO SEE SOME OF OUR MAJOR STATIONS BEING IMPACTED, WHETHER THEIR HOSPITALS, THEIR PIZZA PLACES, WHETHER THEIR GROCERY STORES, ALL OF THESE THINGS CAN BE IMPACTED.
SENATOR WEST IS HAS AGREED, I BELIEVE, TO GO AHEAD AND TRY TO TAKE THIS BILL THROUGH.
AND THAT WAS PART OF OUR CONVERSATION LAST WEEK.
SO THIS IS A COMPLEX BUT VERY WELL ORGANIZED NETWORK, I UNDERSTAND.
AND SOME FOLKS THAT YOU THINK WOULD NOT BE A PART OF THE NETWORK, THEY ARE PART OF THE NETWORK FROM, I UNDERSTAND, EVEN FROM THE HOMELESS POPULATION WHERE THEY ARE ACTUALLY HIRING LOOKOUTS FOR HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE THERE.
THEY'RE HIRING PEOPLE TO USE THEIR TRUCKS. SO, IT'S A LOT GOING ON.
BUT I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE CAN WE CAN GET OUT OF THIS THIS CONVERSATION THIS MORNING, AS I KIND OF ELABORATE ON IT MORE, I WILL ASK THROUGH MEMO, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER OF ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS TO PROVIDE US WITH MAYBE AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT THEY'RE GETTING FROM THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. BECAUSE IN TERMS OF EMAILS, BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING A FEW THAT HAVE WRITTEN US AND SOME OF IT IS REPETITIVE.
AND SO WE WILL PUT THAT OUT SO THAT WE CAN BRING THAT BACK AND PERHAPS DO AN UPDATE.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE PROGRESS UNLESS WE REALLY ANALYZE THIS. BECAUSE IF YOU'RE LOSING PEOPLE AND YOU'RE LOSING THEM, NOT TENS BUT TENS, A THOUSAND, YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT A THOUSAND PEOPLE WE MAY BE LOSING.
IS THAT CORRECT? OH, I DIDN'T GIVE THAT NUMBER.
OKAY, WELL, I THOUGHT I HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT LOSING PEOPLE DISCONNECTED FROM THE SERVICE. WHAT WAS THAT? QUICKLY. THAT WAS THE 53% WHO SAID THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD THEIR THAT WAS FROM A PEW STUDY. SO THEY CAN'T DO WHAT NOW? PAY THEIR INTERNET SERVICE. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE THEM IF THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY.
SO WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN DO WHAT OUR VISION IS, IS TO INCLUDE EVERYONE.
SO THEY'RE HERE. THEY'RE CONNECTED. BECAUSE THIS IS THE PROTOCOL OF WHICH WE LIVE.
AND MANY OF THESE, THE GENERATIONS HAVE BEEN BORN AND BRED, RAISED ON THIS TECHNOLOGY.
AND SO AS WE MOVE GENERATIONALLY, WE NEED TO HAVE THAT SOLUTION AND THAT CONVERSATION.
AND I KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO SOLVE EVERYTHING, BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ON RECORD FOR AT LEAST NUMBER ONE, ASKING COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THEIR INPUT ON WHAT THEY'RE GETTING FROM THEIR COMMUNITIES TO WHERE WE ARE AS A CITY, WHERE WE CAN DO IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT WE KNOW THAT WE WILL BE LOSING FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR IT WILL BE WILL BE REPACKAGED.
AND HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE MOST MARGINALIZED OF THESE COMMUNITIES? COUNCILWOMAN SCHULTZ ALSO MENTIONED ABOUT THE CELL TOWERS, AND THAT'S ALWAYS A VERY INTERESTING CONVERSATION. IT HAS BEEN FOR YEARS BECAUSE THERE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN COMMUNITIES THAT ARE ALWAYS GETTING THE LAST OF THE GS.
SO IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, I THOUGHT THIS WAS VERY IMPORTANT.
I KNOW THAT THAT I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THAT MY COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO WRITE AND ASK US FOR HELP, AND I HOPE THAT THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE GETTING THAT DOCUMENTATION AS WELL, AND THEY CAN SHARE WITH US.
SO WITH NOTHING ELSE BEING SAID, IT IS 9:46. WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO GET YOU OUT OF THE HOT SEAT FOR A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, BUT THIS IS SO IMPORTANT AND THANK YOU SO MUCH AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO LISTEN FROM YOU AS WELL AS SENATOR WEST'S OFFICE.
THANK YOU. WE'RE READY FOR THE NEXT BRIEFING, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU THANK YOU AGAIN, MISS SHERROD.
AND WE ARE DOUBLING UP TODAY ON OUR DIGITAL EFFORTS, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE SPOKEN AND AS WE HAVE HEARD DURING BUDGET TIME, THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUING THESE EFFORTS AS BEST WE CAN IN PARTNERSHIP IN TANDEM WITH OUR ANCHOR INSTITUTIONS,
[00:45:04]
PRIVATE SECTOR, ETC.. SO I WANT TO CALL THE TEAM WHO'S GOING TO BE BRIEFING TODAY ON DIGITAL ACCESS.JESSICA GALLISHAW IS NOT HERE TODAY, BUT SHE HAS CRUZ CORREA, PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE AND EMPOWERMENT, ALONG WITH ESTEFANIA RAMIREZ, OUR DIGITAL EQUITY COORDINATOR, ALSO IN ASSISI, AND OUR COMMUNITY PARTNER, MISS JENNIFER SANDERS, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DIGITAL INNOVATION ALLIANCE.
AND I THINK THAT SOME OF THE QUESTIONS OR THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN POSED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS, MAYBE WE CAN SHED SOME ADDITIONAL LIGHT ON WHAT WE'RE SEEING AS A TEAM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M PASSING IT OFF TO MR. CORREA.
VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC OF DIGITAL ACCESS.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO TODAY WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING OVER A FEW DIFFERENT AREAS OF DIGITAL ACCESS.
THE DIGITAL ACCESS WILL BE UNDER THE FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT DIVISION.
THIS IS JUST TO KIND OF LET YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THAT IS LOCATED WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
NEXT SLIDE. SO IN 2020, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE PANDEMIC REALLY HIGHLIGHTED THE, THE ISSUE OF DIGITAL ACCESS. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE ARE SOME STATISTICS JUST KIND OF SHOWING WHERE TEXAS IS AND WHERE THE CITY OF DALLAS IS WHEN IN REGARDS TO SOME OF THOSE STATISTICS.
IN 2020 AS WELL. DISD INITIATED OPERATION CONNECTIVITY.
ON AUGUST 4TH, 2021, COUNCIL WAS BRIEFED ON THE BROADBAND DIGITAL EQUITY STRATEGIC PLAN.
THE DALLAS COUNTY FIBER AND DIGITAL EQUITY STRATEGIC PLAN ALSO NOTED THAT 25% OF DALLAS COUNTY HOUSEHOLDS EARNING LESS THAN 50,000 DO NOT OWN A COMPUTER AND DIGITAL EQUIPMENT. ONE THIRD OF DISD HOUSEHOLDS LACKED INTERNET ACCESS.
AND THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF ATLANTA AND NATIONAL SKILLS COALITION CREATED A REPORT CALLED THE CLOSING THE DIGITAL SKILLS DIVIDE THE PAYOFF FOR WORKERS, BUSINESS, AND THE ECONOMY.
IN THAT REPORT, IT INDICATES THAT 92% OF ALL JOB ADS REQUIRE DIGITAL SKILLS AT THE MOMENT.
AND AS YOU AS YOU WOULD IMAGINE IN THE FUTURE, IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE HIGHER. AND 23% HIGHER OF INDIVIDUALS WITH THE WITH THE DIGITAL SKILL SET ARE ABLE TO EARN HIGHER INCOME ON AVERAGE FROM JOBS THAT HAVE AT LEAST ONE DIGITAL SKILL SET.
NEXT SLIDE. SO DIGITAL ACCESS IS A KEY DRIVER OF ECONOMIC MOBILITY.
ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, HIGH SPEED BROADBAND AND DIGITAL EQUIPMENT ENABLES INDIVIDUALS TO PURSUE BETTER JOBS, EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE AND FINANCIAL STABILITY.
PURSUING DIGITAL ACCESS INITIATIVES IN THE CONTEXT OF ECONOMIC MOBILITY IS A HOLISTIC APPROACH BECAUSE IT ADDRESSES IT ADDRESSES INTERCONNECTED FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE AN INDIVIDUAL'S ABILITY TO SUCCEED IN THE MODERN ECONOMY.
AND SO ON. THIS SLIDE RIGHT HERE, YOU CAN SEE A TENTATIVE MISSION STATEMENT AND VISION STATEMENT FOR THE WORK THAT THE DIGITAL ACCESS TEAM IS, IS, IS WORKING ON. AND THAT'S SO THE MISSION STATEMENT IS TO SUPPORT AND COLLABORATE ON INITIATIVES, PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT INCREASE AND EXPAND RESIDENT ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY AND DIGITAL RESOURCES, EMPOWERING THEM TO NAVIGATE THEIR ENVIRONMENT, ENGAGE WITH THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS EFFECTIVELY.
[00:50:05]
AND SO WE ARE GETTING FEEDBACK AROUND THAT MISSION STATEMENT AND VISION STATEMENT.SOME MAY SAY THAT THE VISION STATEMENT IS NOT BROAD ENOUGH.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO THE STRATEGIC ANCHORS THAT THE DIGITAL ACCESS TEAM IS REALLY WORKING ON IS BASED OFF OF THE ALIGNMENT WITH THE TEXAS DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY PLAN.
THAT'S THE STATE'S BROADBAND PLAN. THE TEXAS STATE BROADBAND PLAN ALIGNS WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS DIGITAL ACCESS PLAN, WHICH IS ALIGNING WITH WHAT OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES ARE WITHIN THE WORK THAT WE ACCOMPLISH.
BOTH STRATEGIC PLANS PRIORITIZE BROADBAND EXPANSION, INFRASTRUCTURE AND RESIDENT AFFORDABILITY, DIGITAL LITERACY, AND DEVICE ACCESS. THERE'S ALSO A VERY STRONG MUNICIPAL FOCUS ON DIGITAL ACCESS.
SO THIS IS REALLY ALL THE WORK THAT'S ALREADY BEEN COMPLETED TO DATE.
AND THE FOCUS THAT YOU, THAT YOU PUT ON THIS.
ONE OF THOSE EXAMPLES WOULD INCLUDE THE COMMUNITY WI-FI PROGRAM THAT CONNECTED THE TOP TEN MOST DISCONNECTED ZIP CODES IN DALLAS, WHICH IS STILL ONGOING. ANOTHER PROJECT THAT COULD BE LOOKED AT IS THE RED CLOUD PROJECT IN PLEASANT GROVE.
AND ONE OF THOSE PROGRAMS IS A HOTSPOT LENDING PROGRAM THAT WAS WITHIN THE LIBRARY SYSTEM.
AND THE OTHER ONE IS THE OBVIOUSLY, THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM THAT WAS THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT THE CITY WAS OBVIOUSLY WORKING REALLY HARD TO GET AS MANY FOLKS SIGNED UP ON. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND SO AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE RIGHT HERE GIVES YOU THE AMOUNT OF INDIVIDUALS THE SORRY. THE THE AMOUNT OF INDIVIDUALS, HOUSEHOLDS THAT ACTUALLY SIGNED UP FOR THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM. I DO WANT TO MAKE NOTE THAT THIS SLIDE IS ACTUALLY SOME OF THE TOP LINE NUMBERS ARE A LITTLE OUTDATED.
AND SO THERE IS A NEW SLIDE THAT HAS SLIGHTLY UPDATED NUMBERS.
SO IF WE WANTED TO GET A ROUGH ESTIMATE OF HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS ARE GOING TO BE LOSING INTERNET ACCESS BASED OFF THE PEW CHARITABLE INFORMATION THAT WE JUST RECEIVED THROUGH THE AT&T REPRESENTATIVE.
AND SO THIS IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF A GREAT PROGRAM THAT WAS REALLY HELPING HOUSEHOLDS.
AND FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT WE DON'T KNOW. IT'S NO LONGER AVAILABLE.
THIS BUT THE ACP PROGRAM DID LAUNCH IN DECEMBER 31ST AND IT WAS OPERATIONAL UNTIL JUNE 1ST OF 2024.
BUT BECAUSE OF ITS, BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT IT, YOU KNOW, WENT AWAY SOONER THAN WE THOUGHT.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND SO I'D LIKE TO WELCOME OUR DALLAS INNOVATION PARTNER JEN SANDERS, TO GO AHEAD AND SPEAK ABOUT THE DIGITAL NAVIGATORS PROGRAM THAT IS CURRENTLY ONGOING.
HI. GOOD MORNING. FIRST, THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME HERE.
I'M EXTREMELY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE DO, OBVIOUSLY.
AND PEOPLE ASK WHAT MY PERSONAL MISSION IS AND IT'S TO WORK MYSELF OUT OF A JOB.
THERE'S PLENTY THERE'S PLENTY OF THINGS TO WORK TO SOLVE.
AND I WOULD LOVE IF THIS PROGRAM IS NO LONGER NECESSARY.
SO YOU KNOW, WE'VE JUST REALLY QUICKLY THE FIRST INSTANCE THAT I REALLY UNDERSTOOD WHAT IT MEANS OR REALLY SAW BECAUSE I'M BLESSED THAT HAVE NOT LACKED INTERNET, YOU KNOW.
EXCUSE ME. COULD YOU COME UP A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE MIC, I THINK IS WHAT I'M HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME UNDERSTANDING, YOU SEE? YEAH. HERE WE GO. IT'S EMBARRASSING THAT I'M SOFT SPOKEN, EVEN WITH A MICROPHONE, I APOLOGIZE. SO FOR ME PERSONALLY, IN 2014, I WAS I WAS DOING SOME WORK WITH, WITH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AT LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL.
AND ONE MORNING THIS YOUNG LADY CAME IN VERY, VERY STRESSED ON HER CELL PHONE.
AND I SAID, WHAT'S GOING ON, KIARA, WHAT? YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN I HELP WITH?
[00:55:03]
AND SHE SAID, I HAVE TO FINISH MY COLLEGE ESSAY BECAUSE IT'S DUE TODAY.AND SO, YOU KNOW, JUST THE SHOCK OF THAT AND REALLY NOT HAVING RECOGNIZED WHAT THAT MEANT TO NOT HAVE IN-HOME INTERNET ACCESS, SHE WAS I SAID I WOULD HAVE SO MANY TYPOS, I DON'T THINK I WOULD HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED IN THAT SITUATION.
AND SO THAT REALLY RANG HOME. SHE DID GET A FULL RIDE TO UT AUSTIN AND IS IN LAW SCHOOL NOW, JUST BY THE WAY. BUT YOU KNOW, SO THAT REALLY CLICKED.
SO WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK PRE-PANDEMIC, I GUESS IS THE POINT AND LEARNED ALONG THE WAY.
WHAT ARE THE LAYERS THAT WE NEED TO SOLVE FOR? AS SHARED ALREADY IN TERMS OF THE THREE LEGS OF THE STOOL, YOU NEED ACCESS, YOU NEED AFFORDABILITY, YOU NEED DEVICES, AND YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW TO USE IT.
SO WITHOUT THOSE FOUR PIECES, WE'RE NOT TRULY TACKLING THE TACKLING THE CHALLENGE HERE.
AND SO, WE WERE BLESSED IN IN 2022 TO HAVE BEEN AWARDED THE DIGITAL NAVIGATOR PROGRAM GRANT.
HAVE BEEN EXECUTING THAT SINCE MARCH OF 2023.
JUST IN THIS SECOND YEAR OF THE GRANT, WHICH BEGAN IN JULY OF THIS OF, OH MY GOSH, IT'S 25, IN JULY OF 2024, WE'VE SERVED OVER 5500 PEOPLE, AND THOSE ARE UNIQUE HOUSEHOLDS.
WE CURRENTLY EMPLOY 18 DIFFERENT DIGITAL AMBASSADORS.
THOSE ARE THE HEART OF OUR PROGRAM. THEY'RE PROVIDING DIRECT SERVICES ACROSS THE CITY.
AND I REALIZED I SENT IT. OH, NO WE FIXED IT.
SO CURRENTLY SERVING IN 12 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, ALL OF OUR SITES AND PROGRAM LOCATIONS AND CURRICULUM, INCLUDING OUR DIGITAL SKILLS CURRICULUM, ARE DONE AT MINIMUM IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH IN COMMUNITIES SUCH AS VICKERY MEADOW, WE SERVE RESIDENTS IN BURMESE AND FARSI AND SWAHILI AND KOREAN AND VIETNAMESE.
AND WE'RE REALLY, REALLY PROUD OF THAT. FOR SOME OF THE RESIDENTS IN THESE COMMUNITIES, IT'S THE FIRST TIME THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO RECEIVE DIRECT SERVICE ON GETTING A JOB IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE. AND SO THERE'S THERE'S SOME REALLY PROFOUND IMPACT AND STORIES FROM OUR AMBASSADORS ON THE GROUND THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS LIKE THOSE WITH AT&T, THE LIBRARY, OUR COMMUNITY ANCHOR SITES AND OTHER FORMS OF LOTTERIES AND RAFFLES AND LEARN TO EARN PROGRAM FOR OUR DIGITAL SKILLS PARTICIPANTS.
IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, WE'VE DISTRIBUTED MORE OR PROVIDED ACCESS TO MORE THAN 1600 PEOPLE THROUGH LAPTOP ACCESS OF VARIOUS FORMS AND CURRENTLY HAVE HOSTED OVER 220 DIGITAL SKILLS WORKSHOPS.
THOSE ARE INDIVIDUAL WORKSHOPS WITH OVER 1000 UNIQUE PARTICIPANTS, AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE BEEN FINDING IN TERMS OF MONTHLY REPEAT VISITORS TO OUR COMMUNITY, ANCHOR SITES AND PROGRAMS. WE'RE AVERAGING ABOUT 70 A MONTH OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FRAMEWORK.
THE DIGITAL NAVIGATORS PROGRAM WAS STARTED IN 2020 BY THE NATIONAL DIGITAL INCLUSION ALLIANCE.
THEY ARE THE GOLD STANDARD. THEY'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK SINCE 2015 ON BOTH THE POLICY SIDE AND A DIRECT SUPPORT TO COMMUNITIES AND THE DIGITAL NAVIGATORS PROGRAM. THIS KIND OF LIKE GRAY BOX, SO IT HANDLES ALL FOUR OF THOSE PRIMARY PILLARS.
IT HANDLES ALL THE BASICS. HERE'S THE FOUNDATION.
AND BUILDING ON TOP OF THAT IN 2020 HAD A HYPOTHESIS OF IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO NAVIGATE ON THE INTERNET START YOU KNOW CREATE AN EMAIL UNDERSTAND THOSE BASIC NAVIGATIONS. BUT THERE'S SO MUCH MORE.
AND WE KNOW THIS THAT'S AVAILABLE ONLINE AND YOU CAN DO ONLY ONLINE TODAY.
AND SO WHICH BASIC NAVIGATION DOESN'T ALWAYS GET RESIDENTS ALL THE WAY THERE.
AND SO WE REALLY THOUGHT, WHAT IF WE BUILT A PROGRAM THAT GOES FURTHER IN NAVIGATING ALL THE WAY FROM THE BASICS TO PROVISION OF THAT, OF THAT HIGHER PAYING JOB PROVISION ALL THE WAY THROUGH GRADUATION, THROUGH ONLINE LEARNING.
AND SO WHEN WE DEVELOPED CONNECTED DALLAS, WE REALLY LOOKED AT.
WE INTERVIEWED 13 ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY AND REALLY WANTED TO DESIGN THIS, BOTH FOR RESIDENTS AND FOR SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT NEEDED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IN HELPING THEIR CLIENTS NAVIGATE DURING COVID. YOU KNOW, 15 TO 20% OF ADMINISTRATORS TIME AT A DOCTOR'S OFFICE WAS SPENT TRYING TO HELP RESIDENTS CONNECT TO TELEHEALTH APPOINTMENTS, TO TROUBLESHOOTING, AND TO RESCHEDULING THOSE THAT WERE MISSED DUE TO AN INABILITY TO HAVE THOSE TELEHEALTH APPOINTMENTS. SO REGARDLESS, WE BUILT 13 DIFFERENT MODULES SO THAT WE COULD HELP NAVIGATE AND CROSS-TRAIN ACROSS EVERYTHING FROM HEALTH CARE, EMPLOYMENT, ONLINE SAFETY, SPECIFIC RESOURCES TAILORED TO SENIORS AND VETERANS,
[01:00:07]
AND SEVERAL MORE ONLINE SHOPPING WHICH THERE'S A REALLY NEAT STORY FROM LAST WEEK SPECIFIC TO THAT.SO KIND OF THE OVERARCHING IS THIS IS HOW IT WORKS.
WE PROVIDE SERVICES VIA EVERY METHOD THAT RESIDENTS CAN ACCESS IT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF IF FOLKS ARE ABLE TO SELF NAVIGATE THE WEBSITE IS VERY COMPREHENSIVE. THAT'S ALSO FOR WHERE NONPROFITS CAN COME AND GET THE INFORMATION AND ONLINE TUTORIALS THEY NEED TO PASS ON TO THEIR CLIENTS. WE HAVE A DIRECT PHONE LINE, DIRECT TEXT.
WE HAVE THESE BRICK AND MORTAR WALK IN LOCATIONS CALLED COMMUNITY ANCHOR SITES IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE HAVE A TRAIN THE TRAINER PROGRAM WHERE WE CAN EMPOWER OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER THESE RESOURCES AND INCREASE THE IMPACT AND THE REACH OF THIS ABILITY TO NAVIGATE. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
AND SO THOSE COMMUNITY ANCHOR SITES THAT WE MENTIONED, VERY SIMILAR MODEL TO THE CONNECTED LEARNING CENTERS, WE OUTFIT A BRICK AND MORTAR LOCATION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A COMMUNITY NONPROFIT.
IT'S A COMPUTER LAB THAT CAN BE USED ANYTIME, WHETHER WE'RE STAFFING OR NOT.
WE JUST REOPENED AT THE STEWPOT TWO WEEKS AGO AFTER THE TRANSITION FROM CITY SQUARE TO THE STEWPOT.
BACHMAN LAKE TOGETHER, VICKERY MEADOW YOUTH DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION AND WE OPERATE AT MINIMUM WEEKLY SERVICE LOCATIONS AT THREE DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARIES, AS WELL AS THE DALLAS BETHLEHEM CENTER, AND ARE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THAT MODEL OF HOW DO WE PROVIDE REGULAR, CONSISTENT, YOU KNOW, RELIABLE TO THE COMMUNITY SERVICES AT LEAST ONE DAY A WEEK? WHICH WE FOUND TO BE REALLY, REALLY IMPACTFUL AT A KIND OF A MODULAR LEVEL.
AS OUR RESOURCES ALLOW. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND SO THERE ARE MANY, MANY STORIES OF, OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS.
SO WE AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DEVELOP SPECIFIC CURRICULUM IN RESPONSE TO COMMUNITY REQUESTS.
ACROSS THE CITY. AND THAT INCLUDES YOU KNOW, SOME PLANNING WORK WE'RE DOING AT FOR OAK CLIFF.
THAT INCLUDES THOSE IN WEST DALLAS AT BROTHER BILL'S.
AND DALLAS BETHLEHEM CENTER WE'RE FOCUSING ON OUR DIGITAL AMBASSADORS HAVE ALL BEEN CERTIFIED VIA THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS PROGRAM TO DIRECTLY ENROLL IN TEXAS BENEFITS. SO WE'RE ABLE TO SUPPORT IN SUPPORT IN THAT WAY.
AND SO EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IS DIFFERENT AS WE KNOW AND WE REALLY ADAPT AS WE LEARN MORE.
BUT AT BACHMAN LAKE TOGETHER, ONE OF THE PRIMARY REQUESTS THAT PARENTS BROUGHT TO US IS ONE HELPS ENROLLING THEIR KIDS IN PRE-K ENROLLMENT, WHICH ONLINE WAS CONFUSING TO THEM.
AND SO WE HAD, YOU KNOW, DEDICATED WORKSHOPS ON A WEEKLY OR SOMETIMES MORE THAN WEEKLY BASIS TO DIRECTLY SUPPORT FAMILIES IN THAT PROCESS, WHICH COULD TAKE 45 MINUTES FOR A SINGLE FAMILY TO GET THROUGH.
ALSO USING THE POWERSCHOOL APP IS THE ABILITY TO REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW THEIR CHILD WAS DOING, COMMUNICATE WITH TEACHERS, GET ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE SCHOOL WHICH WAS THE MOST CENTRALIZED PLACE TO GET IT, AND NAVIGATING IT WAS A WAS A LARGE CHALLENGE.
SO WE NOW HAVE A DIGITAL SKILLS WORKSHOP SPECIFICALLY FOR POWERSCHOOL AND HOW TO ENGAGE WITH YOUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATORS AND TEACHERS. AND SO, YOU KNOW THE DIGITAL AMBASSADORS COULD WORK WITH AN INDIVIDUAL FROM 15 MINUTES TO AN HOUR AND A HALF AT SOME SITES, DEPENDING ON THE NEEDS AND THE STARTING POINT OF THAT RESIDENT.
NEXT SLIDE. AND WITH THAT I'LL, I'LL HAND IT BACK OFF TO TALK ABOUT DIGITAL INCLUSION WEEK.
HI. GOOD MORNING COUNCIL. MY NAME IS ESTEFANIA RAMIREZ AND I'M THE DIGITAL EQUITY COORDINATOR.
SO I WILL BE DISCUSSING OTHER DIGITAL ACCESS CITY INITIATIVES.
[01:05:10]
COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE EFFORTS TO BRIDGE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.IT HIGHLIGHTS OUR WORK AND THE IMPACT OF OUR WORK TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO DIGITAL SKILLS AND TECHNOLOGY, AND I WORK WITH OUR CITY'S COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT TO CREATE A CITY WIDE CALENDAR TO INCLUDE EVENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY AND OUR PARTNERS, LIKE THE DALLAS INNOVATION ALLIANCE. AND WITH OUR CITY LIBRARIES, DIGITAL SKILLS CLASSES, WHICH INCLUDES COMPUTER CLASSES, RESUME BUILDING WORKSHOPS AND ONE ON ONE TECH HELP.
AND ALSO WE HOST WITH OUR PARTNERS THE GET CONNECTED DALLAS EVENT.
AND FOR EXAMPLE, LAST YEAR IT WAS HELD AT OAK CLIFF.
FOR OAK CLIFF AND FEATURED WORKSHOPS SUCH AS ROBOT, A ROBOT PETTING ZOO, A BEAT MAKING WORKSHOP, AND A DIGITAL AND DIGITAL SKILLS SESSIONS. WE ALSO HAD 720 PLUS ATTENDEES AND 300 OF THEM GAINED NEW SKILLS DURING THIS EVENT. AND LAST YEAR MARKED THE CITY'S SECOND DIGITAL EQUITY ART CHALLENGE, WHICH WE ORGANIZED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE AND DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY.
AND WE HAD ATTENDEES PARTICIPATE IN A LIVE VOTE TO CHOOSE FIRST PLACE AMONG OUR FIVE ENTRIES.
AND WE, AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE PROGRAMING ACROSS THE CITY EVERY DAY THROUGHOUT THAT WEEK.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO THE J-PAL RESEARCH GRANT, WE'RE EXCITED TO SHARE THAT WE WERE AWARDED A $50,000 GRANT FROM J-PAL NORTH AMERICA, BASED AT MIT, TO SUPPORT THE EVALUATION OF OUR DIGITAL NAVIGATORS PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DALLAS INNOVATION ALLIANCE, IN ORDER TO TO EVALUATE ITS IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE ARE GOING TO RECEIVE TECHNICAL SUPPORT, AND WE ARE DEVELOPING A RANDOMIZED EVALUATION TO ASSESS HOW DIGITAL ACCESS INFLUENCES ECONOMIC MOBILITY AND IMPROVE THE LIVELIHOOD OF DALLAS RESIDENTS. WE ARE ALSO WORKING.
WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF FINALIZING THE AWARD, AND WE ARE IMPLEMENTING THE EVALUATION AND IMPLEMENTING THE EVALUATION IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, AND WE WILL PROVIDE DATA POINTS TO INFORM FUTURE POLICY DECISIONS AND IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM.
SO JUST FOCUS AREAS OF THE EVALUATION WILL EVALUATION WILL INCLUDE DIGITAL ACCESS AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY, AND THE LIVELIHOOD IMPROVEMENT OF DALLAS RESIDENTS BY GAINING DIGITAL SKILLS TRAININGS THROUGH OUR PROGRAM AND DIFFERENT OTHER ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND SOME OF THE JUST AWARDS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FOR JUST THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
MOST RECENTLY THE US DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION, THE NTIA HAS RECOMMENDED AWARDING THE CITY OF DALLAS AND $11.1 MILLION GRANT TO BRIDGE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.
THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST HIGHEST AWARDS GRANTED IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND THIS GRANT APPLICATION, THE CITY SERVED AS A LEAD APPLICANT IN A COALITION OF THREE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND NONPROFITS, SO THREE OTHER PARTNERS JOINED OUR APPLICATION.
THE GRANT WILL BE AWARDED OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS TO ACCELERATE AND CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS AND ENSURE THAT ALL DALLAS RESIDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE INTERNET DEVICES AND DIGITAL SKILLS TRAININGS. AND LASTLY, THE CITY OF DALLAS HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AS THE 2024 DIGITAL INCLUSION VISIONARY TRAILBLAZER BY THE NATIONAL DIGITAL INCLUSION ALLIANCE INDIA FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR.
DALLAS IS ONE OF THE 60 MUNICIPALITIES NATIONWIDE TO RECEIVE THIS DISTINCTION, AND THIS IS JUST REAFFIRMING OUR LEADERSHIP IN DIGITAL ACCESS, AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO SET THE EXAMPLE FOR OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO FOLLOW.
AND THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND SO SPEAKING ON THE NTIA GRANT THAT WE RECEIVED OR WE WERE RECOMMENDED FOR.
[01:10:08]
I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A HIGHLIGHT OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING TO ROLL OUT WITH THOSE GRANT FUNDS.AND SO ON THIS SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE IS BROADBAND DIRECT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
KNOWING THAT THE ACP PROGRAM IS NO LONGER. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE CITY OF DALLAS RESIDENTS WITH ACCESS TO INTERNET AND BEING ABLE TO HELP THEM AFFORD THAT ACCESS. AND SO THE BROADBAND DIRECT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WILL BE ALLOCATED ROUGHLY AROUND $900,000 THROUGHOUT THOSE FOUR YEARS EACH. THE WAY WE PERCEIVE THAT TO BE, THE WAY WE WILL ROLL THAT OUT WILL BE THE HOUSEHOLD WILL HAVE A $600 CAP ON A PER YEAR BASIS TO UTILIZE SPECIFICALLY FOR INTERNET ACCESS.
THE NEXT PROGRAM IS THE REIMAGINE AND CONNECT PROGRAM THAT IS FOR OLDER ADULTS.
WHERE WE ARE AIMS TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OLDER ADULTS IN DALLAS THROUGH THE USE OF VIRTUAL REALITY TECHNOLOGY. THIS PROGRAM IS FOCUSED ON BOTH HOMEBOUND AND ACTIVE OLDER ADULTS, PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOCIAL INTERACTION, CIVIC PARTICIPATION, WHILE ALSO ACTUALLY ADOPTING NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT COULD HELP IMPROVE THEIR LIVELIHOOD.
AND SO THAT GRANT RIGHT THERE, I MEAN, THAT PROGRAM RIGHT THERE IS GOING TO BE ALLOCATED AROUND 250,000 WHICH WILL START IN YEAR TWO, THREE AND FOUR OF THAT GRANT. THE NEXT ONE IS FOR THE MARTIN LUTHER KING COMPUTER LAB.
THE MARTIN LUTHER KING CENTER IS A COMMUNITY STAPLE IN THE FAIR PARK SOUTH DALLAS AREA.
THIS COMMUNITY CENTER HOUSES VARIOUS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE ESSENTIAL PROGRAMS AND SERVICES LIKE FOOD PANTRY DISTRIBUTIONS, REENTRY PROGRAMS FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT SERVICES, AND OTHERS AVAILABLE AT AVAILABLE AT NO COST TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO A DIGITAL ACCESS LAB WOULD PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY AN UP TO DATE FACILITY THAT WOULD BE USED TO SERVE COVERED POPULATIONS FOR THE PURPOSE OF SEEKING EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, ENROLLMENT ENHANCING DIGITAL LITERACY SKILLS.
THE NEXT PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE A CONTINUATION OF CONNECTED DALLAS, THE DIGITAL NAVIGATORS PROGRAM, OF WHICH YOU JUST HEARD HEARD OF. THAT WOULD BE THE BULK OF WHAT THIS GRANT WOULD BE FOR BECAUSE IT WOULD OFFER THAT FOR THE FOR THE FOLLOWING FOUR YEARS.
THE CONNECTED PROGRAM. THE CONNECTED DALLAS PROGRAM IS FUNDED THROUGH JUNE 30TH OF 2025.
AND THAT IS FUNDED FOR 1.2 MILLION. THAT IS A REENTRY PROGRAM THAT IS GEARED FOR MEN AND WOMEN WITHIN THE DALLAS AREA THAT ARE DEVELOPING AND TO HELP THEM DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT CAREER PATHWAYS TO ENHANCE INDEPENDENT LIVING AND FINANCIAL STABILITY, AND TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM.
WITHIN THAT, WITHIN THAT POPULATION. AND THE LAST ONE IS GOING TO BE THE TEXAS DIGITAL PATHWAYS PROGRAM WITH VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA FOR AN APPROXIMATION OF 1.3 MILLION. AND THAT PROGRAM, RIGHT THERE IS A DIGITAL LITERACY PROGRAM THAT OFFERS FREE COMPUTER CLASSES WHERE RECENTLY ARRIVED REFUGEES AND OTHER QUALIFYING MIGRANTS CAN DEVELOP THEIR DIGITAL SKILLS.
THE CURRICULUM ITSELF WOULD BE IN A DIGITAL CREATED IN A DIGITAL PLATFORM AND GEARED TOWARDS INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE IMMIGRANTS OR OF THAT BACKGROUND. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
MAYBE YOU CAN SUMMARIZE RIGHT HERE AND THEN WE CAN CLOSE FOR QUESTIONS.
ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. SO AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN WE HAVE CREATED SIX DIGITAL ACCESS STRATEGIC GOALS THAT WE BELIEVE ARE IN LINE WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS DIGITAL BROADBAND STRATEGIC PLAN. AND SO ALL OF THESE GOALS ARE WHAT WE THINK TO BE REASONABLE AND ACHIEVABLE WITH THE CURRENT AND ANTICIPATED RESOURCES AND TOOLS THAT ARE GOING TO BE AVAILABLE TO US IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. CHAIR SCHULTZ.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M GOING TO START AT THE END, AND I APPRECIATE THIS VERY MUCH. IT'S EXTREMELY HELPFUL. AND IT'S SOMETHING I'M VERY, VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT. COULD YOU GET US JUST IN A MEMO THAT BREAKDOWN THAT YOU SHARED WITH US OVER THE FOUR YEARS? BECAUSE IF I DID MY MATH RIGHT, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'LL BE HELPING ABOUT 7375 PEOPLE A YEAR OVER FOUR YEARS WITH THE SUBSIDY PROGRAM.
[01:15:06]
AND SO I WANT TO SEE MAYBE THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK WITH OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS OR OTHERS TO MAYBE MATCH SOME OF THAT.WE CAN SET A GOAL TOGETHER IF WE'RE GOING TO LOSE 63,000 PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE IN 375 A YEAR.
LIKE, HOW DOES THAT ALL WORK? SO IF WE COULD SEE A MEMO ON THE ACTUAL ACCESS PIECE AND WHERE WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES, GIVEN THE LOSS THAT YOU ALL ARE ANTICIPATING THE NEXT QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS THIS IS OUR FOR OUR OWN CITY STAFF AGAIN, IT COULD BE A MEMO. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ANSWERED RIGHT NOW. BUT WHAT DOES IN TERMS OF THE LAPTOPS THAT YOU ALL GAVE AWAY, YOU KNOW, DO WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO A CITY WIDE EFFORT ON THE USE LAPTOPS? MAYBE WE COULD GET THEM SCREENED, YOU KNOW, SCRAPED, CLEANED AND EVEN OUR OWN CITY.
THE OTHER QUESTION IS ON THE 210 PAGE PLAN THAT WAS DEVELOPED FIVE YEARS AGO, I WAS WONDERING IF WE COULD GET METRICS ON THE STEPS, THE FIVE STEPS THAT WERE GIVEN IN THAT THE SKILLS TRAINING FOR 5000, THE ACCESS.
AND THEN MY FINAL COMMENT, AND I KNOW I'M JUST SORT OF BOMBING YOU WITH ALL OF THIS STUFF RIGHT NOW, BUT I AM TRYING TO BE MINDFUL OF OUR TIME. AND THAT IS I THINK YOU ASKED FOR OUR INSIGHT ON YOUR VISION, YOUR MISSION AND VISION, AND I JUST WANT TO SHARE THAT GENERALLY ON THE ON THE VISION.
IT'S WHAT CHANGE DO YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD? RIGHT. THAT'S THE VISION FOR THIS. AND SO IF THE VISION FOR THIS IS THAT IT'S TOOLS AND RESOURCES THAT ARE ACCESSED, LET'S TAKE A STEP BACK FOR A SECOND AND JUST SAY, IS THAT REALLY WHAT WE WANT OUR VISION TO BE, OR DO WE WANT OUR VISION TO BE SOMETHING BIGGER.
RIGHT. AND A LITTLE BIT MORE IMPACTFUL. AND THEN THAT IDEA OF USING THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES BE ONE OF THE STRATEGIES THAT'S IN THERE, RATHER THAN YOUR BIG VISION.
YOUR BIG VISION IS THAT ALL THESE WOMEN WHO ARE NOW WORKING ON THEIR PHONES GO TO LAW SCHOOL, RIGHT? THAT'S THE BIG VISION. IS THAT BECAUSE OF THE SERVICES THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS IS ACCESSING, PARTNERING ALL THOSE WORDS, OUR RESIDENTS ARE NOT LEFT BEHIND AS THEY ARE CURRENTLY BEING THE SIXTH WORST CITY.
RIGHT? I MEAN, EVERYBODY WE SHOULD BE. THIS IS NOT A MOMENT OF PRIDE FOR US AT ALL RIGHT NOW, AND WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT TALKING ABOUT HOW WE WANT TO REDUCE CRIME AND ALL THOSE THINGS.
BUT IF WE TAKE AWAY ALL THE TOOLS, ALL THE OPPORTUNITY TOOLS THAT WE COULD BE DOING AS A CITY TO HELP PEOPLE NOT HAVE OPTIONS LIKE CRIMES, NOT EVEN ON THEIR IT'S NOT EVEN ON THEIR RADAR BECAUSE THEY HAVE EVERYTHING THEY NEED NOT TO DO THAT. THAT SHOULD BE OUR VISION, RIGHT? AND SO WE HAVE A I THINK WE HAVE A OUR YOU KNOW, OUR MAYOR EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME.
AND WE KNOW THAT OUR CHIEF OF POLICE, YOU KNOW, USED TO SAY ALL THE TIME, IF YOU WANT TO GET RID OF CRIME, GET RID OF POVERTY. WELL, WE GET RID OF POVERTY BY CREATING OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE.
RIGHT. SO, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT FOR A MOMENT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE I DON'T SEE AROUND THE HORSESHOE IN THE VIRTUAL WORLD, A VIRTUAL SPHERE. REALLY BRIEFLY, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU.
MR. CHAIR. RESENDEZ, I CAN YOU SPEAK UP A LITTLE BIT? I THINK THAT YOU KIND OF MUFFLED A LITTLE BIT.
THANKS. OKAY. THANK YOU. I HOPE EVERYBODY CAN HEAR ME.
WELL, I JUST WANTED TO ECHO A LOT OF WHAT VICE CHAIR SCHULTZ JUST SAID.
I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE RECENT GRANT THAT THE CITY.
EXCUSE ME CHAIR RESENDEZ AS WE'VE LOST YOUR VISUAL.
[01:20:04]
SO THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU. OKAY.YOU'RE KIND OF GOING IN AND OUT WITH US. THANK YOU.
COUNCILWOMAN CHAIRMAN SCHULTZ RAISED SOME VERY GOOD ISSUES.
BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE HEADLINES AND I'M JUST KIND OF WEIGHING IN ON WHAT SHE'S SAYING.
IF WE HAVE SOME STATS THAT SAY WE'RE NOT DOING WELL WITH THE COMMUNICATION AND CONNECTIVITY, BUT THEN YOU SEE HEADLINES THAT ARE SAYING, OH, DALLAS IS THE PERFECT PLACE TO LIVE.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE SOME CONFLICTS HERE THAT WE NEED TO RESOLVE.
SO NO ONE COULD EVER CHALLENGE US IN TERMS OF HOW IT IS THAT EVERYONE IS TRYING TO GET TO DALLAS.
SO, WE'RE THE NUMBER ONE CITY. AND THEN YOU TURN AROUND AND WE DIG DEEPER TO FIND OUT THAT, WELL, WE CAN'T COMMUNICATE. SENIORS DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE EQUIPMENT TO COMMUNICATE.
THAT DISCONNECT PREVENTS THEM FROM DOING THAT, BECAUSE IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE MARKETS THAT PROVIDE THOSE THINGS THAT THEY NEED, THAT BECOMES A CHALLENGE.
AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT JUST HOLISTICALLY, JUST EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE NOW IS BASED ON THE PREMISE OF ANY PLACE, ANY TIME AND ANYWHERE. SO ARE WE REALLY LIVING UP TO THAT? SO YOU CONTINUE TO DO YOUR WORK? I'M EXCITED ALWAYS ABOUT THE WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY, BECAUSE THAT IS PART OF WHAT I WAS EDUCATED IN AND TRAINED IN.
AND SO I STAYED COMMITTED TO RESOLVING OR TRYING TO RESOLVE THOSE ISSUES.
THAT'S WITH THIS DIRECT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. DOES THAT BECOME A BUDGET ITEM FOR US AS A CITY? NO, THAT THAT WOULD JUST BE THROUGH THE NTIA GRANT FUNDS RECEIVED ONLY STRICTLY UTILIZING JUST THOSE FUNDS.
WHERE ARE YOU GETTING THE GRANT FUNDS FROM? IT'S A FEDERAL GRANT CHAIR.
SO IT'S A FEDERAL GRANT. IS IT ALREADY IN THE PIPELINE OR YOU'RE EXPECTING TO GET IT? WE ARE ANTICIPATING RECEIVING. THE ANTICIPATION MAY BRING ABOUT SOME FRUSTRATION AND SOME HESITATION ABOUT WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO GET IT FROM.
YOU MAY HAVE TO HAVE A BACKUP PLAN, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE KNOW WHAT THE SIGNALS ARE SAYING TO US.
SO, WE DON'T WANT TO GIVE FOLKS HOPE. AND THEN THEY REALIZE HOPE IS NOT ALIVE.
SO THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. THE OTHER PIECE AROUND THE STATEMENT THAT WAS MADE ABOUT EQUIPMENT, WHEN YOU'RE GIVING OUT THE EQUIPMENT. ARE YOU, HOW ARE YOU WEIGHING IN WITH SENIORS, OR DO WE HAVE ANY YOU KNOW, ANY GIVEAWAYS TO SENIOR REC CENTERS. AND SO YOU'RE GETTING WHEN I SAY SENIORS, I'M GOING TO QUALIFY THAT.
SENIORS, I'VE GOT I'VE GOT MISS JEANETTE WEEDEN, IN MY MIND WAS A SENIOR IN THIS ELDERLY.
I ALWAYS TRY TO THROW THAT OUT THERE. OLDER ADULTS.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? OLDER ADULTS. HOW ARE WE ADVANCING OUR AGE FRIENDLY EFFORTS? YES. SO AGE WISE, SERIOUSLY, THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO GO TO THE RECREATION CENTERS, MOST OF THE TIME, THEY ARE GOING TO BE 65 YEARS AND OLDER. ALL RIGHT.
WE'LL PUT IT THAT WAY. SO ARE YOU TARGETING ANY OF THOSE NUMBERS FOR THOSE SEASONED USE CITIZENS? SPECIFICALLY FOR THE EQUIPMENT GIVEAWAY? YES.
JEN. WELL, ABSOLUTELY. AND SO AND I WOULD ALSO DEFER BACK TO THE PROGRAM AND PARTNERSHIP THAT AT&T HAS WITH COMPETE APP, WHICH IS THE BULK OF THE DEVICE GIVEAWAY PIECE.
WE DO WORK WITH SENIOR CENTERS AND WE HAVE SENIOR FOCUSED SKILLS.
SO THE ACCESS PIECE VERY MUCH SO. ALL RIGHT. SO I WOULD LIKE ARE YOU IN? DO YOU KNOW RIGHT OFF THE BAT IF YOU'RE IN THE SOUTHERN SECTOR, WHERE ARE YOU WORKING WITH THE SENIORS.
WE'RE TALKING TO SINGING HILLS RIGHT NOW ABOUT THE SENIOR SINGING HILLS REC CENTER FOR THE SENIOR POPULATION IN THE PROGRAMING THAT THAT IS THERE ON A REGULAR BASIS.
I DIDN'T HEAR WHAT YOU WORKING WHERE? WE'RE PLANNING WITH SINGING HILLS RIGHT NOW.
SINGING. SINGING HILLS. OH SINGING HILLS. I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND.
ALL RIGHT, SO LET US TALK ABOUT PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR.
DOES THAT RING A BELL? ALL RIGHT. WHAT. HOW DOES IT RING A BELL.
ALL RIGHT. SO THE REASON WHY I ASK THAT IS BECAUSE.
AND UNFORTUNATELY FOR US, THE MEDIA WAS THERE.
[01:25:01]
AND GUESS WHAT? WE COULDN'T EVEN DO A CONNECTION WITH THE HOTSPOT.I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE UPGRADED THAT AT ALL, BUT I DID WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT I'M VERY CONSCIENTIOUS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE TRANSPARENCY AND THE MARKETING.
SO HOW ARE YOU MARKETING THESE OPPORTUNITIES IN SOME OF THESE AREAS THAT ARE MARGINALIZED? AND SO WHO RUN THE WHO RUN DAY TO DAY WITH BEING DISCONNECTED? SO IT'S A COMBINATION OF DIFFERENT WAYS OBVIOUSLY.
AND SO WE HAVE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE KEEP IN TOUCH WITH AND COMMUNICATE MONTHLY AS OUR PROGRAMING CHANGES, WE GO IN. THIS IS PART OF OUR STRATEGY AND HOW WE LOCATE THE POP UP AWARENESS EVENTS.
OR SOMETIMES IT'S SPECIFIC JOB SKILLS TRAINING.
AND SO, WE REALLY MAKE AN EFFORT TO SCATTER THOSE.
WE'VE DONE THOSE AND IN ALL 14 COUNCIL DISTRICTS AND 60 ZIP CODES.
AND SO IT'S A COMBINATION. IT'S VERY MUCH ON THE GROUND.
SOCIAL MEDIA AND THROUGH OUR KIND OF WEB OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
OKAY. SO THIS IS WHAT I SAID BECAUSE I KNOW I'M PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT.
I WANT TO FOLLOW UP WITH THIS ON AND PROBABLY IN APRIL, MARCH OR APRIL.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I'M LOOKING AT THE NOTES AND THE TIME.
POVERTY? I KNOW SOME WOULD ALWAYS LIKE TO. SOME WOULD SAY, AND I'VE HEARD THIS BEFORE, IS THAT OFTENTIMES POVERTY, AN IMPOVERISHED CONDITION, CAN CONTRIBUTE TO CRIME.
AND SOMETIMES THAT WORKS AND IS TRUE AND SOMETIMES IT'S NOT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE OF THOSE REACTIONS THAT I HAVE BECAUSE I WAS ONE OF THOSE.
AND I KNOW IF I TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT I WAS BORN WEALTHY WITH A WEALTHY FAMILY I WOULD HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT I'M NOT TELLING YOU THE TRUTH HERE.
I WAS ONE OF THOSE WHO WAS BORN IN A ZIP CODE THAT BASICALLY SAID WE WERE ALL GOING TO GROW UP TO BE CRIMINALS, SO I HAVEN'T QUITE MADE IT TO THAT MARK YET. BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT NOT ALL IMPOVERISHED NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE THOSE NEGATIVE STATS, BUT THEY DO HAVE STATS WHEN THEY FEEL DISCONNECTED.
AND SO WHEN WE FAIL TO INVEST IN THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON NOW WITH MANY OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
THEY SOME OF THEM GET FRUSTRATED AND THEY TRY TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO SURVIVE.
AND IT'S ALL ABOUT SURVIVING. I DID WANT TO MAKE SURE WE PUT THAT ON THE RECORD.
WE DO UNDERSTAND POVERTY AND WE UNDERSTAND POOR AND WE UNDERSTAND POOR.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL QUITE UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL KNOW THAT I'M ONE OF THOSE THAT GREW UP ON THE EAST SIDE, AND WE HAD PARENTS THAT WORKED AND WE STRUGGLED TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
AND THAT'S WHY I CONTINUE TO SPEAK ON IT. AND THAT'S WHY I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO SPEAK ON THIS CONNECTION THAT WE KNOW NOW THAT THE PROTOCOL IS THAT WE MUST HAVE IN ORDER FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SURVIVE AS WE CONTINUE TO SEE COMMUNITIES SUCH AS THE AS THE ONES WE REPRESENT, THAT ARE OVERLOOKED WHEN IT COMES TO INVESTMENTS, FOR FRESH OPPORTUNITIES, FOR FRESH, WHETHER IT'S FRESH MEAT, FRESH VEGETABLES, JUST OPPORTUNITIES. AND SO WE HAVE NOW HAVE TO GO ONLINE TO ORDER.
ORDER SO THAT WE CAN HAVE CABBAGE ORDER SO THAT WE CAN HAVE LETTUCE ORDER SO WE HAVE FRUITS.
AND SO I DID WANT TO WRAP UP BY SAYING THAT. SO WE'LL FOLLOW UP ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
AND SO THAT BRINGS US UP TO THE NEXT POINT. ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU, CHAIR. AND MAY I JUST SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A NUMBER OF POINTS THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS BROUGHT FOR OUR AWARENESS AND ASKING FOR INFORMATION. AND I KNOW THAT THIS IS A BIG, A BIG PRIORITY FOR THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE THE CITY MANAGER WOULD LIKE TO BRING THIS BRIEFING TO FULL COUNCIL. SO THAT WE CAN GET EVERYONE'S INPUT ON WHERE WE'RE GOING AS A CITY.
RELATED TO OUR DIGITAL STRATEGY. SO I'M ASKING, CHAIR, IF WE COULD BRING SOME OF THIS INFORMATION BACK TO THAT FULL COUNCIL BRIEFING, AND WE'LL BE READY WITH THAT DATA AND THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT.
MOVING ON TO THE TO THE NEXT BRIEFING. THIS BRIEFING USUALLY TAKES ABOUT AT LEAST 40 MINUTES, BUT I WILL ASK THE TEAM TO JOIN US. AND MAYBE WE CAN USE OUR ACCELERATED VOICES AND JUST GO THROUGH THE HEAVY HIGHLIGHTS.
[01:30:09]
THE IMPORTANT DATA ASKING ALL OF THE DEPARTMENT LEADS TO JOIN AT THE TABLE SO THAT WE CAN GET THIS GOING.AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE OUR INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION, MR. HAI TRAN, WHO SERVES AS OUR ETHICS OFFICER AT THE CITY AND IS TAKING ON THIS NEW ROLE TO KEEP GOING WITH OUR WITH OUR EFFORTS AND TO ADVANCE OUR EFFORTS.
AND SO I WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO FOR YOU TO SEE HIM, TO CONNECT WITH HIM.
AND I'M SURE HE'LL BE REACHING OUT TO YOU IN HIS EXPANDED CAPACITY.
THANK YOU, MR. TRAN. AND I'M TURNING IT OVER TO YOU AND THE BRIEFING TEAM.
THANK YOU, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER LIZ. AND THANK YOU, CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, FOR YOUR CONTINUING SUPPORT AND COMMITMENT OF OUR WORK.
IT IS MY PLEASURE AND HONOR TO BE HERE. IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, WE ARE GOING TO SKIP THE FIRST COUPLE OF SLIDES BECAUSE YOU HAVE SEEN THOSE SLIDES BEFORE, BUT WE ARE HAPPY TO GO BACK TO THOSE SLIDES IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS STARTING WITH SLIDE FIVE.
JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW OF NUMBERS. SO ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE CIRCLE, THE RATIO EQUITY PLAN HAS A TOTAL OF 214 DEPARTMENT PROGRESS MEASURES OR DPMS. AND OUT OF THOSE TWO 1430 MEASURES BELONG TO THE GROWING PORTFOLIO.
HALF OF THOSE 30 HAVE BEEN COMPLETED THROUGH 2024, AND THE ENTIRE TEAM TODAY IS HERE TO PRESENT TO YOU OUR PROGRESS AND IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY. WE START WITH EMILY, THE DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.
GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. EMILY LIU, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.
THERE ARE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THERE ARE TWO PARTS THAT I CAN PRESENT.
THE FIRST ONE IS THAT THE PROGRESS REPORT BASICALLY ON PAST MEASURES THAT EITHER HAVE ACCOMPLISHED OR ONGOING, BUT I'M GOING THROUGH THOSE PROBABLY VERY QUICKLY DUE TO THE TIME.
I WOULD LIKE TO FOCUS MORE ON THE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN THE FUTURE.
SO THE NEXT FOUR SLIDES IS TALKING ABOUT THE PAST PROGRESS AND ONGOING.
CAN WE GO AHEAD AND JUST HEAR IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE BEFORE I PRESENT THE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT. EMILY, I'M SORRY. EXCUSE ME. WE USUALLY RESERVE QUESTIONS FOR THE END.
SO IF YOU COULD JUST GIVE US HIGH LEVEL, THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL. THANK YOU.
OKAY. SO WHEN THIS WAS DEVELOPED, THE DEPARTMENT WAS ACTUALLY HOUSED IN THREE DEPARTMENT THAT IS PLANNING URBAN DESIGN, HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND ALSO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
SO ALL THESE MEASURES ARE COMPILED BASED ON THOSE THREE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AT THE TIME.
BASICALLY, A LOT OF THESE ARE RELATED TO THE INCREASE.
THE ABILITY TO SERVE RESIDENTS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS EXPERIENCE MAINLY FROM EQUITY PERSPECTIVE.
IS WE LOOK AT EACH ONE OF THESE, WE BELIEVE THEY HAVE EITHER BE ACCOMPLISHED OR ALREADY ONGOING.
THERE ARE QUITE A FEW THINGS RELATED TO TRAINING WHICH WILL CONTINUE TO DO.
WE DO HAVE A TRAINING TEAM NOW. WE DO ONGOING TRAINING.
THEY ALSO BOARD AND COMMISSION APPOINTMENT. THIS IS SOMETHING I KNOW IS A CITY COUNCIL AUTHORITY.
WHAT WE CAN DO IS IF WE FIND SOMEBODY REALLY QUALIFIED FOR ONE OF THE BOARD, ALSO LIVED IN MARGINALIZED COMMUNITY, WE CAN MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION TO YOU. BUT OUR GOAL IS REALLY JUST RECOMMENDATION, OF COURSE, IS YOUR AUTHORITY TO APPOINT BOARD, COMMISSION AND COMMITTEES.
WE HAVE MADE A LOT OF EFFORT TRYING TO TRAIN OUR BOARD, COMMISSION AND COMMITTEE, ALSO WORKING WITH DIFFERENT BOARD, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE HELP FOR EXAMPLE PRESERVATION DALLAS WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THEM TO IDENTIFY CERTAIN AREAS THAT NOT REPRESENTED CURRENTLY OR SOME PROJECT IN THE MARGINALIZED COMMUNITY.
[01:35:04]
PARKING, FOR EXAMPLE, IS ALSO ONE OF THE MEASURES THAT WERE BROUGHT UP IN EARLY YEARS.WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING ON THAT. PARKING IS SOMETHING THAT HAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT IMPACTS NOT JUST FOR THE DESIGN PERSPECTIVE, BUT ALSO FROM BASICALLY THE PERMITTING PROCESS, LIKE IT'S THE, THE PARKING IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT WOULD REALLY NEED A LOT OF TIME FOR STAFF TO REVIEW AND PROCESS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE RESIDENTIAL PERMITTING LIKE LISTED HERE WE HAD THAT PRESENTATION ABOUT THREE, THREE WEEKS AGO, CITY COUNCIL THE OFFICE YOU KNOW, THE PORTION DEALING WITH PERMITTING HAS SIGNIFICANTLY STREAMLINED FOR RESIDENTIAL, FOR EXAMPLE, IT WAS VERY, VERY LENGTHY TO RIGHT NOW FOR THIS YEAR IS EIGHT DAYS YOU KNOW, MEDIUM PERMITTING DAYS. SO THOSE HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
IT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
IF NOT, I'M GOING TO GO TO THE FIFTH SLIDE. PLEASE HOLD ON ONE SECOND.
WELL, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE WAY THAT SHE'S ROLLING IT OUT, BUT.
SO I WON'T FORGET ON SLIDE SIX. WOULD YOU PUT A STAR HERE WHERE IT SAYS WORK WITH MCC TO ADDRESS THE CITY ZONING ORDINANCE RULES AND THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS PIECE. DID YOU SAY SLIDE SIX? NO, THE SLIDE THAT YOU'RE ON THE REPRESENTATION IN GOVERNMENT SLIDE.
YEAH THAT'S SIX. YEAH. THAT'S SIX. YES. OKAY.
SLIDE SIX. WHAT'S THE QUESTION AGAIN. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO GET YOU TO PUT A LITTLE STAR IN THERE.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE I HAVE THIS QUESTION PUT HERE FOR YOU.
AND WE CAN TALK OFFLINE BEFORE I BRING IT BACK.
THERE'S A CONCERN THAT I HAVE AS WE TALK, AND IT DIDN'T BRING IT UP THEN.
COMMITTEE THAT THE COMMISSION ACTUALLY CAN APPOINT ADVISORY MEMBERS.
AND SO I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS IN TERMS OF IT MAY NOT BE UNETHICAL, BUT WE UNDERSTAND AND WANT TO KIND OF GET INTO THAT, THAT WHEN SOME OF THESE MEMBERS ARE APPOINTED, THEY ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE ADVICE TO THE COMMISSIONERS, BUT THEN THEY ALSO SERVE AS BUILDERS AND DEVELOPERS WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM SOME OF THE ADVICE IF TAKEN.
AND WITH SOME OF MY COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON THE LOOK, DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO YOU OFFLINE IF YOU WANT.
THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS I CAN GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO SLIDE.
NUMBER FIVE ON MY SIDE. WHAT'S NEXT. PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT PLEASE.
NEXT TEN. OH TEN OVERALL. SLIDE TEN PLEASE. SLIDE TEN PLEASE.
YES. YES. HERE WE GO. SO THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE LOOKING AT IN THE FUTURE.
WHAT WE THINK WE THE DEPARTMENT IS WORKING ON RELATED TO THE SUBJECT.
ONE OF THE FIRST NUMBER ONE IS REVISE THE BUILDING CODE.
THAT'S ONE THING. RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH ACTUALLY COUNCILMAN RIDLEY ON THIS, LOOKING AT THE BUILDING CODES, AS WE SAY. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON.
SO THOSE ARE THE TWO THINGS WE BELIEVE WILL REALLY HELP SMALLER DEVELOPERS AND DEVELOPERS FROM THE MARGINALIZED COMMUNITY TO GET INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT FIELD. SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT AND SOMETHING WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING ON AS WE SPEAK.
SO THE NEXT BULLET POINT IS REALLY PRESERVE DALLAS.
[01:40:07]
MAKE SURE WE WORK ON THE DIVERSE COMMUNITY, MARGINALIZED COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION.AND ALSO THE THIRD ONE SINCE THE FORWARD DALLAS HAS APPROVED.
WE'RE WORKING WITH A LOT OF RECOMMENDATIONS IN THERE.
ONE OF THEM IS AUTHORIZED HEARING INVOLVING THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AREA.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IS A PRIORITY AS PART OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF FORWARD DALLAS 2.0.
I THINK THE GOOD THING ABOUT SELLER NOT ONLY WILL IMPROVE EFFICIENCY, IT WILL ALSO HELP INCREASE THE TRANSPARENCY, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR DEPARTMENT. ANOTHER ONE IS DIGITIZING.
SO IT WILL ALLOW US TO ACCEPT ALL APPLICATIONS IN DIGITAL FORM.
BUT GOING BACKWARDS, WE ARE TRYING TO DIGITIZE A LOT OF HISTORIC INFORMATION.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE FILES WE ALREADY TOLD THE METRO CITY COUNCIL THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.
WE HEARD A LOT OF REQUESTS FROM CITY COUNCIL AND FROM MANY DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.
THIS YEAR IS TO FOCUS, STREAMLINE THE ZONING PROCESS.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING INTO THE POSSIBILITIES OF DOING DOUBLE NOTICE RIGHT NOW.
CPC AND CITY COUNCIL MEETING. THEY ARE NOTICE DIFFERENTLY.
IT TAKES A LOT OF EFFORT, TIME AND ALSO JUST COST WISE TOO.
SO, WE ARE EXPLORING THE POSSIBILITY OF DOING DOUBLE NOTICE.
OF COURSE WE WILL CONTINUE OUR ENGAGEMENT THIS YEAR.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE ZONING CODE REFORM, WHICH ALSO INVOLVES A LOT OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE INTENTIONAL TO ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY, WHO TRADITIONALLY HAS NOT BEEN SITTING AT THE TABLE AND NOT REALLY GETTING INVOLVED. SO THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO BE INTENTIONAL.
THOSE ARE BIG KIND OF OUTLINE OUR FUTURE IN THIS YEAR AND BEYOND.
HI. THOR ERICKSON. OH. YES, MA'AM. SINCE YOU'VE BEEN ENGAGING QUESTIONS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT, WE MIGHT AS WELL GO AHEAD AND CHANGE IT UP ON WHAT MISS LOU JUST SAID.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MY ONLY QUESTION WAS WHERE THIS RELATES TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN AS WELL. SO AND AGAIN, YOU CAN GET BACK TO US, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF THAT IN TERMS OF HOUSING, TRYING HOUSING PRESERVATION AS PART OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN.
YES. THAT'S SOMETHING WE ALSO NEED TO BE INTENTIONAL.
WE WILL BE HAPPY TO ELABORATE ON ELABORATE ON THAT LATER.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THIS IS ALL GREAT WORK. I HAVE A QUESTION, PLEASE.
IF WE'RE DOING A SEGMENT IN THE SEGMENTS, I'M WELL KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? I DIDN'T SEE HER HAND, SO I'M GOING LIKE SHE'S BEHIND.
YOU'RE FREEZING. BUT THAT'S FINE. I'M GLAD I HEAR YOUR VOICE.
COUNCILWOMAN BLACKMON WANTS TO HAVE A QUESTION WITH YOU.
WE'RE READY. SO THAT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STREAMLINING THE ZONING REVIEW.
DO WE HAVE ANY TIMELINE FOR THAT? IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT.
JUST KIND OF CURIOUS ON WHERE IT IS IN THE PROCESS.
YES. THAT IS THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY THIS YEAR IN TERMS OF STREAMLINING.
LAST YEAR, YOU ALREADY SEE WE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED THE REVIEW TIME FOR PERMITTING.
SO THIS YEAR IS THE ZONING WE ACTUALLY ALREADY HAVE GOT THAT STARTED.
I THINK WE ALREADY STARTED A FEW CASES DOING DOUBLE NOTICE AS A TEST.
BUT IN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS, I WILL SAY THE SECOND QUARTER OF THIS OF THIS YEAR THAT'S GOING TO BE.
CAN YOU KEEP US UPDATED? YES, ABSOLUTELY. OKAY.
OKAY. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD A TIMELINE.
SO APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. JUST TO PIGGYBACK QUICKLY ON SLIDE TEN, MISS LOU, THAT YOU WERE PRESENTING FROM WANT TO MAKE SURE WE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PRESERVING THE DIVERSE HISTORY.
WOULD YOU PLEASE JUST WRITE THIS NAME DOWN SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT DONALD PAYTON? HE'S A PART OF THAT CULTURAL PIECE THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING. I DON'T THINK Y'ALL HAVE BEEN DOING AN INTENSE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM,
[01:45:04]
BUT HE'S ONE OF THOSE I WANT TO TAP IN WITH HIS CULTURE AND ECONOMIC FUTURE CONVERSATIONS.ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE SECOND BULLET POINT ON PAGE TEN? PAGE TEN, SLIDE TEN. PRESERVING DALLAS DIVERSE HISTORY AND THE CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC FUTURE.
OKAY, JUST PENCIL HIS NAME IN THERE AS WE TALK ABOUT THAT MOVING FORWARD.
AND THAT WAY WE CAN FOLLOW UP EVEN IN OUR MEETING.
SO, WE CAN MAKE SURE YOU TAP BRING THAT PERSON IN.
AND I'M CONNECTING DOTS BECAUSE HE'S ONE OF THE KEYS TO PRESERVATION OF INFORMATION, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO 10TH STREET AND SOME OF OUR HISTORY THAT'S NOT BEING CAPTURED IF INDEED, WE'RE GOING TO REACH THIS GOAL.
YES, YES, I'M TAKING NOTES. YES. ALL RIGHT. AND SO THAT WAS THE MAIN THING I WANTED TO PUT IN HERE.
SO I'M FINE WITH MOVING AROUND LIKE THIS BECAUSE WE ARE RESTRICTED WITH TIME I UNDERSTAND THAT.
SO WE JUST HAVE TO GO WITH THE FLOW. I THINK WE CAN HANDLE IT. ALRIGHT.
WHO'S NEXT? THANK YOU. WE'LL BE THOROUGH WITH MR. THOR. YES, MA'AM. I'LL BE THOROUGH. OH, I APPRECIATE YOU SAYING THAT.
THOR ERICKSON, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. ON SLIDE 11, WE SHOW SOME PICTURES. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SHOW THAT THE WORK WE DO IS ABOUT THE RESIDENTS OF THIS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, RIGHT THROUGH OUR HOME REPAIR PROGRAMS, OUR HOMEBUYER PROGRAMS, OUR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, AND HOW OUR STAFF WORKS TO ENGAGE RESIDENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR WORK IS ALIGNED WITH THE GOALS THAT CITY COUNCIL SETS ON SLIDE 12. WE'VE HAD THREE PRIORITY AREAS THAT WERE DUE WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THE RACIAL EQUITY PLAN AND THE HOUSING POLICY. THEY REALLY ALIGN NICELY IN TERMS OF THE TIMELINE AND IMPLEMENTATION WORK.
SO ONE OF OUR BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN APRIL OF 2023 WAS THE APPROVAL OF OUR NEW DALLAS HOUSING POLICY 2033, WHICH SET A TEN YEAR VISION FOR OUR PRESERVATION AND PRODUCTION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE CITY.
AND WITH THAT CAME THE NEED TO LOOK AT OUR PROGRAMS, TO LOOK AT THE BENEFIT AND BURDEN OF THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE IN ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO FOR THE CITY. AND SO ONE OF OUR GOALS WAS TO LOOK AT THREE POLICY AMENDMENTS.
WE MADE THE AMENDMENTS TO OUR HOME REPAIR PROGRAM, OUR LAND BANK OR LAND TRANSFER PROGRAM, AND OUR NEW CONSTRUCTION OR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM TO MORE ALIGN WITH OUR FUNDING NEEDS AND ALIGNMENT OF OUR PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES.
THEY'LL BE BRIEFING HOUSING COMMITTEE THIS MONTH ON THAT TOOLKIT.
AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH MANY OF THE LEADERS AT THIS TABLE AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO LOOK AT WHAT DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS CAN DO OR ARE ALREADY DOING TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TOOLKIT, BECAUSE IT'S NOT A HOUSING DEPARTMENT ALONE INITIATIVE.
THERE'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THERE'S PLANNING POTENTIAL.
THERE'S OFFICE OF EQUITY INCLUSION, COMMUNITY CARE, OFFICE OF HOMELESSNESS SOLUTIONS ARE ALL PART OF WORKING TOGETHER TO WORK ON DISPLACEMENT ISSUES IN THE CITY. SLIDE 13. OUR HOUSING ACTION PLAN THAT WAS UNVEILED IN DECEMBER OF 2024 TOLD US WE HAVE TWO MAIN HOUSING NEEDS IN THE CITY. ONE PRODUCE MORE UNITS SERVING FAMILIES LESS THAN 50% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME AND PRODUCE MORE HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. AND SO OUR PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS ARE ALIGNED AROUND THOSE TWO GOALS IN THE CITY, MAKING SURE THAT WE DON'T INADVERTENTLY WORK ON DISPLACEMENT MECHANISMS. WE DON'T CONCENTRATE POVERTY. WE'RE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT OUR INVESTMENT AREAS.
WE WORK ACROSS DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND STRATEGIC WAYS TO UPLIFT ALL OF THIS WORK.
AND BEYOND THIS IS IMPLEMENTING OUR HOUSING ACTION PLAN THROUGH OUR HOUSING POLICY.
WITH THAT, MY PRESENTATION IS OVER. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. ON IN THE VIRTUAL SPACE. ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE NONE FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS BLACKMON OR RESENDEZ FROM THE VIRTUAL SPACE ONLINE, I MEAN AROUND THE HORSESHOE.
I DIDN'T SEE YOUR LIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
AND I THINK WE HAVE TWO FIRE STATIONS THAT ARE IN THE BOND PROGRAM.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HAS BEEN SERIOUSLY DISCUSSED, BUT I THINK IT'S TIME TO SERIOUSLY DISCUSS IT.
SO HAS THERE BEEN ANYTHING AROUND THAT WITH REGARD TO THE FIRE STATIONS EXPLORED.
[01:50:02]
YEAH, I'LL PASS THAT TO KEVIN. KEVIN SPATH, INTERIM DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.AND I'M GOING TO LOOK AT ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER DONZELL.
SO THERE IS A PROCESS INTERNALLY. MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS ARE ASSISTING AND SUPPORTING THE LIBRARY DEPARTMENT TO FACILITATE, I THINK, SOME UPCOMING RFP PROCESSES THAT WOULD SEEK TO ATTRACT A MIXED USE PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT WITH LIBRARY COMPONENTS IN THEM AND HOUSING. BUT I DON'T KNOW THE STATUS OF IT, THAT MIGHT BE A DONZELL QUESTION.
WELL, THAT ONE I KNOW MORE ABOUT, BECAUSE ONE OF THEM'S MINE.
SO I'VE BEEN PUSHING THAT. BUT I MEAN, WHEN IT WAS BROUGHT UP AROUND THE FIRE STATIONS, THAT JUST KIND OF SEEMED LIKE A BLINDING GLIMPSE, THE OBVIOUS. I MEAN, WE ALSO HAVE OUR FIREFIGHTERS WHO NEED HOUSING AND MEDICS, ET CETERA.
SO I JUST WANT TO BE SURE THAT AS WE ARE LOOKING AT ANY NEW CONSTRUCTION COMING FROM A BOND PROJECT THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING HOW WE COULD MAKE THAT HAPPEN, AND IF WE COULD GO AND STUDY WHAT SOME OTHER CITIES ARE DOING AND, YOU KNOW, USE THAT AS A TEMPLATE.
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. DONZELL GIBSON, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS THAT WE'RE IN UNCHARTERED WATERS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A FIRE STATION REDEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD INCLUDE HOUSING AS WELL AS THESE LIBRARY OPPORTUNITIES THAT CBRE IS ALREADY HELPING US WITH.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE STILL HAVE A LOT TO LEARN AND A LOT TO PROCESS ON OUR SIDE BECAUSE, AGAIN, THESE ARE NEW INITIATIVES FOR US. AND AS WE BENCHMARK THESE OPPORTUNITIES WITH OTHERS THAT HAVE ALREADY GONE THIS DIRECTION, WE'LL BRING RECOMMENDATIONS BACK TO THIS BODY SO THAT YOU GUYS CAN VET THAT WITH US TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MAKING SOME SOUND DECISIONS.
WELL, IF IT'S ALREADY A CITY PROJECT THAT'S NOT ON THE TAX ROLLS.
I LOVE THE IDEA OF THIS AND I LOVE THE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY HAVE.
THEY'VE GOT FUNDS THEY CAN ISSUE BONDS OR HFC CAN ISSUE BONDS.
AND SO IT JUST SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE FOUND HER AROUND SOMETIMES WITH PLANS AND IT JUST DOESN'T ALWAYS GEL WHEN WE CONTROL A LOT OF THIS, BUT DEFINITELY HAVE TO HAVE A PRIVATE PARTNER IN THERE BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO RUN THIS. YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO MAKE SOME THINGS MOVE ON HOUSING A LITTLE FASTER.
AND LIKE ON THE LOMBARDI STATION, WE DON'T NEED A WHOLE LOT MORE OF AFFORDABILITY AROUND THERE.
SO THIS COULD BE THE WAY TO INTRODUCE MARKET RATE OVER THERE.
SO I JUST WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE REALLY CONSIDERING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN WHEN IT COMES TO A PROJECT THAT WE ALREADY HAVE BOND DOLLARS FOR AND WILL BE SINKING COST IN, AND HOW WE BRING IN WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AS A PROGRESS MEASURE IN MORE INCOME HOUSING, LOWER INCOME HOUSING BELOW 50%. AMI. I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU THE CHARGE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND FOLLOWING UP IT UP ON PAGE 12.
BLIGHT IS A VERY TRUE STATEMENT. I WANT TO ALSO PUT ON YOUR LIST AS WE TALK ABOUT THE LAND BANK PROGRAMS AND SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE HAVING. IT WAS REPORTED TO ME ANYWAY THAT IT'S A LAPSE IN TIME SOMETIMES WHEN THE FOR THE TRANSACTION TO GET THAT THE RESIDENT OF THAT OWNER INTO THE HOUSE WHEN THEY'VE GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS.
AND SO WE'VE GOTTEN A COUPLE OF CALLS FROM REALTORS WHO SAID, LISTEN, WHATEVER FOR WHATEVER THE PROCESS IS DOING IS HOLDING UP SOME OF OUR BUYERS. WE'RE PREVENTING THEM FROM GETTING IN THE HOUSE.
AND SO THEN THE REALTORS ARE TELLING US THEY HAVE TO PUT THEM IN A HOTEL OR SOME ALTERNATIVE PLACE BECAUSE THEY WILL HAVE SOLD, WILL HAVE HAD TO HAD TO HAVE LEFT THEIR APARTMENTS OR WHAT HAVE YOU, AND NOW THEY'RE BASICALLY HOMELESS. SO YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE CONVERSATION MR. THOR? YEAH. FAMILIAR. AND THE LAND BANK TEAM AND LAND TRANSFER TEAM, THEY'RE WORKING ON THEIR PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS ACROSS THE BOARD, BOTH INTERNALLY AND THE EXTERNAL STUFF. SO, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE AWARE OF AND IS BEING ADDRESSED AND HOLISTICALLY AS WE WRAP THIS UP TOO.
AND I WANT TO TRY TO BE AS SUCCINCT AS POSSIBLE, EVEN WHAT CHAIRWOMAN IS SPEAKING OF, WILLIS, ALL OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, EVEN WITH THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, DENZEL, IT'S A PROCESS.
I CALL HIM DENZEL AND ITS DONZEL. IT'S A PROCESS.
AND THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT KILL US A LOT OF TIMES, YOU KNOW, IT JUST SEEMS IT TAKES SO LONG AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET WE'RE TRYING TO BE RESPONSIVE AND FOLKS DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND.
IT'S A PROCESS. AND I DO KNOW THAT IF GIVEN THE SUPPORT YOU ALL CAN REACH THOSE CREATIVE GOALS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO, TO DO HOUSING AND WHAT HAVE YOU, BUT I THINK IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO KEEP REITERATING THE FACT THAT IT'S A PROCESS.
[01:55:06]
SO THAT'S PART OF MY ANGST WHEN I'M TRYING TO WORK WITH SENIORS AND THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SUPPORT.SO WITH THAT, WHO'S NEXT? AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS AROUND HERE.
I DON'T SEE ANY LIGHTS. YES. JACKIE JUSTICE, CONVENTION AND EVENTS SERVICES.
LET'S SEE. AND AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE, WE HAVE A FEW SNIPS HERE.
THE FIRST PHOTO IS OF THE 2024 INTERNSHIP PROGRAM.
AND THEY WERE VISITING LOVE FIELD. AND DURING THAT PROGRAM, THEY EACH SPENT THE INTERNS COLLECTIVELY TOURED, YOU KNOW, OVER TEN DIFFERENT PARTNER GROUPS AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
SO HERE THEY ARE AT LOVE FIELD, TOURING THE TOWER.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE A SNIP OF, AS OF JANUARY 2025, OUR MWBE COMMITMENTS.
AND THEN JUST SOME OF THE KIND OF WONDERFUL HEADLINES REGARDING SOME OF THAT PROCUREMENT.
NEXT SLIDE. AS CES WORKED THROUGH OUR EQUITY INDICATORS THIS LAST YEAR, IT BECAME PRETTY CLEAR THAT OUR ACCESS TO THE TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY PRESENTED ONE OF THE BEST OPPORTUNITIES FOR US BECAUSE OUR GOALS WERE ALIGNED THERE.
WE'RE VERY INTERTWINED, OBVIOUSLY, WITH THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY.
THEREFORE, WE KIND OF RECALIBRATED OUR MEASURES TO SPECIFICALLY FOCUS ON THE HOSPITALITY WORKFORCE AND IMPROVE ACCESS TO ENTRY BY ESTABLISHING SOME NEW RECRUITMENT GOALS ESPECIALLY AROUND LATINOS, FEMALE STUDENTS AND AFRICAN AMERICANS.
FOR THE FOR OUR CONVENTION CENTER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM.
WITHIN THE MASTER PLAN PROCUREMENTS AS YOU KIND OF SAW IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE CES HAS TAKEN A HARD LINE LOOK AT THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS AND MADE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO ADVANCE EQUITY AMONG OUR DISADVANTAGED BUSINESSES AND WOMEN, AND THIS HAS RESULTED IN A VERY HIGH PERCENTAGE OF OVERALL MWBE PARTICIPATION.
NEXT SLIDE. AND THE NEXT SLIDE. AND AS WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE SORRY THERE TOO. WE WILL BE PUTTING A MORE PUBLIC DASHBOARD ON OUR WEBSITE FOR THE MWBE PROCUREMENTS.
WE'LL BE IMPLEMENTING OUR OCIP AND ROCIP PROGRAMS. AND WE WILL BE WORKING ON OUR EXECUTIVE WORKFORCE PIPELINE, ALONG WITH OUR FIFA WORLD CUP ENGAGEMENT PLAN.
THANK YOU. IS THERE A FINAL COMMENT FROM YOUR TEAM? IS THAT IT? ALL RIGHT. SO THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU ALL.
THANK YOU FOR THIS. BUT THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.
SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ON THAT. AND THEN MEMBERS IF YOU WILL, YOU HAVE A MEMO THAT SPEAKS TO UPSKILLING PILOT PROGRAM. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE RESPONSIVE TO WHAT WE POSTED THAT IT DEALS WITH, THAT I DON'T WANT TO LET GO BECAUSE IT DOES IMPACT OUR AGENDA, OUR MISSION, AND OUR VISION ON OFFICERS AND HOW THEY'RE PAID.
THE NEWLY HIRED OFFICERS, AS THEY COME IN, THERE'S A CONCERN AND QUESTIONS AROUND THE NEWLY HIRED OFFICERS MAKING MORE THAN THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE WHO ARE TENURED, SO TO SPEAK. WHAT TYPE OF PAY ANALYSIS IS CONDUCTED TO ENSURE THERE'S EQUITY IN TERMS OF INCOME? WHAT ARE THE DISPARITIES IN THESE PAY SCALES.
AND WHAT SYSTEM IS USED TO EVALUATE PAY LEVELS AND GRADES FOR OFFICERS? AND SO HOLISTICALLY, THIS WHOLE AGENDA SPEAKS TO WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITIES AS WE TALK ABOUT UPSCALING AND TRANSPARENCY.
SO, CHAIR, I MEAN, I'M SORRY, VICE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
THERE IS A NEED TO RESPOND, BE RESPONSIVE TO THIS ISSUE AS IT AS WE TALK ABOUT IT AND WE WANT TO WALK IT WE WANT TO TALK IT AND BE HONEST ABOUT WHERE WE ARE. AND SO THESE TWO, WE WILL GET WITH YOU ALL ABOUT HOW WE CAN BRING THESE ITEMS BACK TO COMMITTEE MEMBERS, IF THERE'S NO PROBLEM WITH THAT. SO YOU ALL WILL UNDERSTAND REALLY WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND I KNOW WE HAVE QUITE A BIT GOING ON WITH ALL OF THE COMMITTEES AND AGENDAS THAT WE HAVE.
BUT WE ALWAYS HAVE TO HAVE THESE PEOPLE ISSUES UP FRONT AND BE TRANSPARENT.
[02:00:01]
BY. SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTOOD WHAT'S GOING ON TODAY.AS WE RUSHED THROUGH TO RESPECT THE TIME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE OTHER COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
BUT I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR PLANNING, SO I WON'T TALK TOO MUCH LONGER AS WE TALK ABOUT THIS IN OUR PLANNING SESSION, ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO BOOK OUR NEXT CONVERSATION PIECES.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, COMMENT EITHER AROUND THE HORSESHOE ON THE VIRTUAL IN THE VIRTUAL WORLD, I DON'T SEE ANY. IT IS NOW 11:02 THE MEETING OF THE WEE COMMITTEE, WORKFORCE, EDUCATION AND EQUITY IS NOW ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE TODAY. ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER PERIERA.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.