[*A portion of this meeting is without audio.*]
[Veteran Affairs Commission on February 13, 2025.]
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OKAY.[00:18:21]
I CAN'T HEAR ANYTHING.YEAH, IF THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON IN THE ROOM, WE CAN'T HEAR IT.
UM, SO THEY CAN DO IMMEDIATE SCREENINGS WITH THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS TO SEE WHAT RESOURCES THEY'RE, UM, ARE AVAILABLE FOR THAT PERSON, DEPENDING
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ON WHAT THEIR AMOUNT OF SERVICE WAS WITH THE MILITARY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.AND THEN IF THEY'RE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR SERVICES AT THE VA, THEY CAN THEN STILL CONNECT THEM TO THE COMMUNITY RESOURCES, AND THEY'RE STILL PRIORITIZED WITH THE COMMUNITY RESOURCES.
UM, SO THOSE ARE THE STRATEGIES THAT WE'RE UTILIZING TO MAINTAIN THIS EFFECTIVE END, THAT THE COORDINATED OUTREACH TEAMS DO GO TO THE ENCAMPMENTS.
THEY ARE PART OF THAT STREET TO HOME INITIATIVE, WHICH IS ABOUT THE, UM, REHOUSING OF INDIVIDUALS THAT LIVE IN ENCAMPMENTS.
SO, UM, ON THE NEXT SLIDE, I HAVE SOME NUMBERS WE CAN LOOK AT, AND WE UNFORTUNATELY DON'T HAVE ANY OF THE NUMBERS FROM OUR, OUR POINT IN TIME COUNT THAT WE DID ON JANUARY 30TH OF THIS YEAR.
UM, IT'S RUNNING THROUGH AN OUTSIDE SOURCE WHO'S JUST MAKING SURE THAT ALL THE NUMBERS ARE ACCURATE AND THAT WE'RE, UM, NOT OVER COUNTING OR UNDERCOUNTING.
CAN WE MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE? THANK YOU.
SO, IN OUR STREET TO HOME INITIATIVE, WE'VE SERVED 172 INDIVIDUALS IN 2024, THAT'S 172 INDIVIDUALS HOUSED.
AND, UM, I BELIEVE THAT ACTUALLY THE NUMBER THERE IS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR.
UM, SO A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SERVED WITH THIS INITIATIVE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HOUSED.
OF ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE, SIX OF THEM WERE A VETERAN THAT WERE HOUSED WITH THAT INITIATIVE.
UM, THE POINT THAT IS IMPORTANT HERE IS THAT THE REASON THAT NUMBER IS SO SMALL IS BECAUSE THE EFFORTS OF OHS, THE EFFORTS OF OUR COMMUNITY RESOURCES, OF OUR COORDINATED OUTREACH TEAMS OF THE VA WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS TO REACH THE GOAL TO EFFECTIVELY END HOMELESSNESS FOR THIS POPULATION.
AND WE'RE SEEING THE EFFECTS OF THAT, THAT WHEN WE'RE DOING THESE MASSIVE, UM, REHOUSING OF ENCAMPMENTS WITH A STREET TO HOME INITIATIVE, THAT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE A VETERAN IN THOSE, UM, COMMUNITIES IS REALLY SMALL.
SO, UM, THAT'S THE GREAT OUTCOME OF ALL THE EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT FORTH BY THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AROUND THIS WORK.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S GOOD NEWS.
UM, WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THE LAST THING THAT I REALLY WANNA TALK ABOUT HERE IS HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THIS WORK? UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF HOUSING INITIATIVES WITHIN HOUSING FORWARD WITH THE ALL NEIGHBORS COALITION, NOT JUST THE VETERANS INITIATIVE HOUSES A VETERAN, EVERY HOUSING RESOURCE WILL HOUSE A VETERAN BECAUSE THEY ARE PRIORITIZED.
AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE MAINTAIN OUR LEVEL OF FUNDING SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO HOUSE INDIVIDUALS.
UM, SO THAT'S ONE WAY YOU CAN HELP, IS TO SUPPORT THE FUNDING FROM THE CITY OR FROM THE COUNTY TO HELP MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN THE SERVICES WE'RE PROVIDING.
ANOTHER WAY WE CAN HELP OUT IS TO VOLUNTEER WITH OUR ANNUAL POINT IN TIME COUNT.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE COME TO VOLUNTEER, HELP US COUNT SO THAT WE HAVE AN ACCURATE LOOK AT THAT SPECIFIC POINT IN TIME, HOW MANY PEOPLE WE NEED TO SERVE AND PLAN FOR IN THE FUTURE.
ANOTHER WAY IS, UM, OUR VAMC HAS, UH, WHAT'S CALLED A HOMELESS STAND DOWN, AND THAT IS A LARGE EVENT THAT THEY THROW ONCE A YEAR FOR ANY EVENT WHO IS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
THEY ARE CONNECTED WITH RESOURCES, THEY ARE CONNECTED, THEY HAVE FOOD, THEY HAVE CLOTHING, THEY HAVE ANYTHING A VETERAN CAN POSSIBLY NEED OR WANT AT THAT, UM, OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM.
AND SOME WAYS YOU COULD SUPPORT WITH THAT IS TO HELP WITH LIKE THE TASKS OF WHAT I DO, WHICH IS COMING TO HELP SET UP AND TEAR DOWN THE EVENT.
BUT ALSO, THE CITY OF DALLAS HAS RESOURCES FOR A VETERAN.
THEY HAVE AN OFFICE, RIGHT, THAT CAN HELP A VETERAN GET THEIR ID OR CAN HELP THEM WITH SOME TICKETS OR, OR WHATEVER THAT NEED IS.
AND SO HAVING THAT, THOSE PEOPLE COME TO THIS EVENT, HAVING THEM TALK ABOUT WHAT THE CITY OF DALLAS CAN DO TO HELP A VETERAN WHO'S EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
UM, SO THAT'S A WAY YOU CAN HELP OUT.
AND THEN ALSO JUST SPREADING AWARENESS ABOUT THE NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING RESOURCES.
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THE AMOUNT OF, UM, HOW THE AMOUNT OF RENT HAS SKYROCKETED, RIGHT? IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE.WE DO NOT HAVE A LOT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR CITY.
UM, SO IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE ADVOCATE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING SO THAT WHEN PEOPLE ARE IN RAPID HOUSING AND THEY'RE ROLLING OUT OF THAT PROGRAM, THEY CAN MAINTAIN THEIR HOUSING WITH MAYBE THEIR SERVICE CONNECTION FROM THE VA CHECKS, OR MAYBE A DISABILITY CHECK, WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR THEM.
WE NEED PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THEIR HOUSING, EVEN IF IT'S JUST A JOB THAT THEY WORK PART-TIME, RIGHT? WE NEED AFFORDABLE HOUSING AFFORD.
SO THOSE ARE THE WAYS IN WHICH YOU ALL CAN HELP THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE GROUND DOING THE WORK, UM, AND SUPPORT THE VETERANS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
I AM THE, UH, SP SPECIAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR SUPERVISOR FOR THE OFFICE OF HOME SOLUTIONS FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UH, ANOTHER AVENUE IN A SOLUTION, UH, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE VETERANS THAT ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IS THEY HAVE A VETERANS COURT THROUGH THE COMMUNITY COURT.
UH, THEY ARE ARE EQUIPPED WITH A LOT OF RESOURCES.
ONE OF 'EM IS TAKE, TAKING THEM TO TREATMENT FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE, GETTING BACK CONNECTED WITH HOUSING.
UH, THERE'S OTHER BARRIERS THAT WILL HELP TO TACKLE THOSE BARRIERS.
MENTAL HEALTH, UM, JOB TRAINING, IF A PERSON FINDS FOR SIMPLY BEING INCARCERATED IN ONE TIME, IT'S A VETERAN.
THEY HAVE A REENTRY PROGRAM AS WELL.
UM, THE CONTACT, UH, FOR MS, UH, COMMUNITY COURSE AS A WHOLE, HIS NAME IS EUGENE EBONY.
I CAN GIVE HER YOUR, YOU GUYS HEARD INFORMATION, UH, WITH THE VETERANS COURT, UH, HAS, I THINK, BEEN AROUND AT LEAST THREE TO FOUR YEARS.
IT IS A WELL NEEDED RESOURCE FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT WE, UH, SERVE.
IS THAT, IS THAT ANY QUESTIONS? YES.
BROOKVILLE DISTRICTS HAVE OBVIOUS DALLAS DOWN TOWARDS FAIR PARKING, SOUTH DALLAS.
UM, YOU SAID THERE'S AN ANNUAL STAND DOWN WITH THE DALLAS VAMC.
WHEN IS THAT ACTIVITY? WHAT'S THE SPECIFIC TIMELINE? SO THE VA PLANS THAT, IT'S USUALLY AROUND SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER.
IT'S, IT IS WHEN THE WEATHER'S A LITTLE BIT COOLER, IT'S AT THE VA.
UM, AND THEY DO ALL THE MARKETING.
I USUALLY JUST GET AN EMAIL THAT ASKS TO HAVE SUPPORT, BUT WHEN THEY PLAN THAT, I WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO SEND THAT ALONG TO YOU ALL TO MAKE SURE THAT Y'ALL ARE LOOKED INTO.
WE'VE HEARD ABOUT ONCE, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THINGS ARE STILL GOING ON BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A CHANGE IN WASHINGTON.
AND THEN ALSO YOU TALKED ABOUT THE VETERANS COURT.
DID YOU SAY THAT WAS AT THE CITY LEVEL OR OF CORP OR COUNTY COURT CASES? UH, CITY, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS THE ONE WHO SPONSORED THE, THE, UH, VIS COURT.
SO THESE WOULD BE MINOR TRANSGRESSIONS, LIKE LOITERING, ORING OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, UH, CITY CITATIONS.
BUT THEY ARE IN THE, IT, IN ITS INFANT STAGE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S FIVE YEARS, THEY'RE TRYING TO CREATE A FORMAT TO CAPTURE MORE THAN JUST CITY CITATIONS.
UM, THEY WANT TO TRY TIE IN IF A PERSON IS A FELONY, UH, ON PROBATION, BUT HE HAS TO SEEK A CITATION TO TRY TO CAPTURE HIM AS WELL, UM, TO MAKE IT A LITTLE MORE, GIVE A LITTLE MORE TEETH AND A LITTLE MORE INVITING FOR PEOPLE TO, UH, GET ENROLLED TO THEIR COURTS AND RE THE BENEFITS OUT FOR THAT.
IS THERE ANY WAY THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT EXPANDING THAT TO THE COUNTY LEVEL FOR COUNTY COURTS FOR A LITTLE MORE SERIOUS CRIMES? NOT NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW, VIOLENT CRIMES OR ANYTHING, BUT WITH THINGS THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A, UH, A COUNTY LEVEL OFFENSE OR STATE LEVEL OFFENSE, BUT NOTHING LIKE RAPE, MURDER, THAT KIND OF THING.
THAT WOULD BE A QUESTION AND ANSWER FOR, UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
WHAT I CAN DO IS GIVE YOU THEIR INFORMATION AND I'LL GET YOU GUYS IN TOGETHER A COLLABORATE TO FIND OUT WHAT DIRECTION THEY CAN GO.
UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, WHAT IS THE BI BIGGEST OBSTACLE OR, UM, ISSUE THAT YOU COME ACROSS WHILE HELPING VETERANS? UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE, UM, ONE OF THE OBSTACLES THAT WE HAVE PRETTY MUCH IS THEM PLAN TO GET THEIR DUTY TWO 14, UM, WHICH WAS
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A BENEFIT WITH HAVING THAT OUTREACH WORKER THERE FOR US, UH, MAKE A ARTERY RIGHT THEN AND THERE.BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES, UH, WITH THEM AND BEING ABLE TO GET THAT.
ALSO, UH, THE BENEFIT WE HAD WITH THAT CASE MANAGER WAS, UM, THEY WOULD GIVE THEM A PHONE.
AND SO THAT'S AN ISSUE AS WELL.
ONCE, UM, THEY, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY SIGNED UP FOR HUD VASH AND, UH, THE NAME CAME UP, BUT THE OUTREACH WORKER COULDN'T CONTACT IT OR THE PERSON COULDN'T CONTACT IT.
SO WE WERE LOOKING AT, SO PRETTY MUCH ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS, DD TWO 14 AND, UM, PHONE CALL.
SO AGAIN, CONTACT WITH, SO ONCE YOU FEEL YOU GET THAT CASE MANAGER, UM, THAT POSITION FILLED FROM THE VA THEN DON'T PROBABLY HELP WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH, RIGHT? YEAH.
THE, UM, I WILL SAY THE PHONE INITIATIVE, I THINK IS AN ADMINISTRATION LEVEL.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT THAT WAS, UM, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S GONNA BE MAINTAINED, UM, BECAUSE IT WAS TAKEN AWAY AFTER THE PANDEMIC AND THEN WAS RE ALLOTTED.
SO, UM, BUT I WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO HELP CONNECT YOU WITH SOMEONE TO EXPEDITE TRYING TO GET, UH, A CASE MANAGER WITH Y'ALL.
UM, ANOTHER, UM, ISSUE THAT THE VA IS COMING ACROSS IS THE NUMBER OF, UM, THE VETERANS WHO ARE AGING AND WHAT CAN WE DO, UM, FOR THAT SPECIFIC POPULATION.
AND, UH, USING HUD VASH, WHICH IS A PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, BUT MATCHING HUD VASH WITH AN ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY IS THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE MOVING IN TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VETERANS CAN RECEIVE THE LEVEL OF CARE THAT THEY NEED AS THEY AGE.
UM, AND THAT COMES WITH A LEVEL OF COMPLICATIONS.
THEY HAVE TO HAVE MEDICARE, THEY HAVE TO HAVE, UM, SOME AMOUNT OF RENT OR I MEAN, UM, LIKE A CHECK CUT INCOME COMING IN, UM, IN ORDER TO PAY FOR THE RENT IN THAT ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY.
SO THAT'S ALSO A BARRIER TO THE VETERANS WHO ARE AGING, UM, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY HOW TO GIVE THEM THE CARE THAT THEY NEED IN THAT PROCESS.
AND THEN, UM, MY SECOND QUESTION IS THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU, OR LAST YEAR, THE CITY RECEIVED, UH, A TITLE OF HOMELESS, UH, OR, UH, HOMELESSNESS IN VETERANS CITY.
ARE WE STILL ON TRACK TO MEET THE RAPID FOR THIS YEAR? UM, YEAH.
SO THE EFFECTIVE END, UM, TO VETERAN HOMELESSNESS ONCE OBTAINED, YOU HAVE IT
UM, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO CONTINUE TO STRIVE TO, TO OBTAIN THAT, UM, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MAINTAINING THE, UM, METRICS THAT WE WERE TRYING TO MEET.
UM, SO TO CHANGE THE QUESTION, MAYBE TO SAY, ARE WE STILL ON TRACK WITH MAINTAINING THAT END? THE ANSWER IS ABSOLUTELY YES.
EVERY, EVERY NUMBER IS STILL TRENDING DOWN.
HOUSING RESOURCES ARE STILL GOING UP.
UM, SO YEAH, WE HAVEN'T SLOWED DOWN, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE REACHED THE EFFECTIVE END TO VETERAN HOMELESSNESS, WE STILL HAVE MULTIPLE VETS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO THE EFFORTS HAVE NOT, UM, SLOWED.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
AND, UH, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIMME AN ANSWER RIGHT NOW, BUT DO WE HAVE THOSE NUMBERS? WHAT THE PARAMETERS ARE? UM, UH, WHAT THE GOALS? YEAH.
LIKE WHAT THE METRICS ARE OR WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THEM? WELL, WHAT, WHAT THE GOALS ARE.
THE GOALS ARE, UM, TO HOUSE YOUR VETERANS WITHIN 90 DAYS OR LESS, TO HAVE, UM, YOUR OUTFLOWING NUMBER.
SO THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BEING HOUSED TO BE GREATER THAN THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ENTERING INTO YOUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
YOU ALSO WANT THE BINDING LIST TO BE LOW, LIKE THE, THE LIST OF ALL THE VETERANS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
YOU WANT IT TO BE UNDER TWO 50.
THAT'S, I MEAN, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF AN ARBITRARY NUMBER, BUT YOU JUST WANT IT TO BE LOW, NOT, NOT TOO HIGH.
UM, AND SO THOSE ARE KIND OF THE THINGS THAT, WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THE GENERAL HEALTH OF THE INITIATIVE AND HOW, UM, OUR EFFORTS ARE, THOSE ARE, ARE THE THINGS THAT I'M LOOKING AT.
UM, THE LAST ONE IS THAT YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOUR, UM, SHELTER RESOURCES ARE NOT SO FULL THAT IF A VETERAN DOES BECOME HOMELESS, THEY HAVE SOMEWHERE
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TO GO.SO THAT'S THE LAST THING THAT I KIND OF KEEP A PULSE ON.
MR. WALKER, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS THIS BEFORE.
FIRST QUESTION IS DIRECTED FOR BAR.
UM, HOW DID YOU IDENTIFY THESE HOMELESS VETERANS WHEN HE FRIDAY THE NIGHT YOU GO OUT? WELL, WE GO OUT AND WE WILL, YOU KNOW, TALK TO HIM AND ASK HIM QUESTIONS.
SOMETIMES, UM, WE FIND OUT THAT THEY'RE NOT VETERANS WHEN THEY TELL US THAT THEY ARE.
UM, WE'VE HAD PEOPLE THAT, UM, TELL US THAT THEY'RE VETERANS THAT WE'VE HAD TO MAKE A CALL TO, UM, ONE OF THE OUTREACH WORKERS THAT WE NORMALLY WORK WITH.
AND SO SHE WOULD ACTUALLY LOOK UP THE INFORMATION AND, AND IF SHE DIDN'T FIND THE PERSON, UH, WE WOULD ASK THEM CERTAIN QUESTIONS.
UH, WHAT WAS YOUR MOS? AND IF THEY CAN ANSWER, IF THEY COULD ANSWER THAT, WE GOT A GOOD IDEA.
THEY SAID
AND SO, UM, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS.
SO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE ASK WHEN WE GO OUT, AND THEN IT'S THAT
UM, ON THE VOLUNTEER PART, HOW DO YOU COORDINATE THE, UH, YOUR EFFORTS TO, TO COUNT FOR YOUR COUNTY? UH, THE POINT IN TIME COUNT IS COORDINATED BY STAFF AT HOUSING FORWARD, AND I'M GONNA DEFER THE ANSWER TO THIS TO GO TO RAY, BECAUSE THAT'S MORE IN HER WHEELHOUSE.
SO YEAR, THE COUNT, UM, IS USUALLY THE THIRD.
THURSDAY IN JANUARY, UM, THE HOUSING FORWARD STARTS PUTTING OUT VOLUNTEER, UM, NOT REALLY APPLICATIONS, BUT JUST INTEREST USUALLY IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER.
UM, WE'VE ALSO SHARED THAT WITH, UH, CITY COUNCIL WITH A LOT OF OTHER GROUPS, BUT IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE ON OUR WEBSITE.
SO THAT'S THE BEST WAY, UM, TO GET INVOLVED.
ALSO, WE HAVE, UM, DIFFERENT COMMISSIONS.
SO LIKE THE, UM, HOMELESS CITIZENS COMMISSION, UM, THEY SIGN UP AS A GROUP.
YOU GUYS COULD ALSO BE A GROUP, UM, THAT SIGNS UP TOGETHER.
AND, UM, WE'RE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, GET YOU IN YOUR DISTRICT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET TO, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY BE, UM, WHERE IT AFFECTS YOU IN YOUR COMMUNITY THE MOST.
AND THEN ALSO TRY TO SET YOU UP WITH OUTREACH WORKERS WHO ARE NORMALLY OUT THERE, UM, SO THAT YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, GET THAT REAL EXPERIENCE AS WELL AS HELPING US DO A RELIABLE ACCOUNT.
UM, COMMISSIONER AYS, THIS GROUP MAKES ONCE A MONTH.
IS THERE SOME WAY THAT THE OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS COULD PROVIDE US SOME KIND OF FIGURE OF HOW MANY VET HOMELESS VETS THERE ARE ON A MONTHLY? OR IS IT JUST ONCE A YEAR? UM, SO HELP US IN WHAT WE DO.
I'M GONNA LET RAY SPEAK TO THAT AND THEN I MIGHT ADD SOMETHING.
I'M NOT SURE YET WHAT I'M GONNA ADD.
SO I'LL TELL YOU THAT THE EXACT NUMBER IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING.
SO LIKE, LEAH TALKED, DR BY NAME LIST WILL, EVERY SINGLE DAY YOU'RE GETTING IN AND YOU'RE GETTING OUT.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT SOMETIMES IT'S HARD THAT THAT'S WHY WE TALK ABOUT OUR PIT COUNT.
IT'S A, IT'S A POINT IN TIME BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS GOING INTO, YOU KNOW, WHO'S OUT THERE ON THAT DAY IN PARTICULAR IN SHELTER.
SO I'LL JUST SAY THAT IT'S A VERY DYNAMIC NUMBER THAT CHANGES DAY BY DAY.
WELL, JUST LOOKING FOR A NUMBER, YOU KNOW, AVERAGE FOR THE MONTH WAS, AND THAT CAN BE PROVIDED TO OUR STAFF SO THAT IT CAN BE, YOU KNOW, USED, WE CAN SAY ON THE X NUMBER THAT'S ON THE AVERAGE FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY.
THAT MAY HELP US AS WE DISCUSS THINGS.
UM, I'M, I'M THINKING OF A OF TWO THINGS.
UM, WE HAVE A, UM, A WORK GROUP THAT, UM, MEETS WITH MEMBERS OF, OF THE VA AND, AND C COMMUNITY, UM, INDIVIDUALS.
AND WE TALK ABOUT WHAT LIKE THE PRIORITIES ARE FOR, FOR, UM, THE VETERANS INITIATIVE AND WHAT WORK WE'RE GONNA BE DOING IN THOSE MEETINGS.
I DO GO INTO THE DETAILS OF WHAT THE BINDING LIST NUMBER IS LOOKING LIKE, UM, AND, UM, LIKE THE
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RACIAL, UH, PROFILES AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.UM, RACIAL EQUITY TRACKING, WE TALK ABOUT THAT THERE.
SO IF YOU WANTED TO JOIN THAT WORK GROUP, I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO EXTEND THAT INVITATION.
AND THEN THAT WAY EVERY OTHER MONTH YOU COULD GET THAT SNAPSHOT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
ALL WE NEED IS JUST A SNAPSHOT.
UH, I'LL HAVE TO, I'LL HAVE TO ASK A INTERNAL TEAM ABOUT THAT, BUT, UM, I WILL ASK AND, AND I'LL, I'LL LET Y'ALL KNOW.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
NOT, COMMISSIONER COLE DID ENTER INTO THE CHAT IKA INFORMATION ABOUT TEXAS VETERAN COURTS.
UM, COMMISSIONER COLE, DO YOU WANNA, YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF, MAYBE SPEAK TO THAT THERE.
CAN YOU SPEAK COMMISSIONER MICROPHONE? SOME REASON I CAN'T HEAR YOU.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? UH, OKAY.
I MIGHT BE HAVING SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES WITH YOUR MICROPHONE.
UM, IT HAS TO DO WITH MY SPEAKERS.
SO ANYWAY, UH, WE CAN START HEARING THAT BETTER.
HOW'S THAT? IS THAT BETTER? OKAY.
IT STILL SOUNDS, I TURN MY SPEAKERS DOWN.
I CAN'T HEAR WHAT, ALRIGHT, ANYWAY, I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND, AND SPEAK REAL QUICK.
I'VE GOT NO EXPERIENCE COUNTY, MR. CHAIRMAN, MAYBE I CAN, CAN HELP A LITTLE BIT ON THIS.
I I I'M, WHAT I'M GETTING READY TO SAY IS I FOUND THE WEBSITE FOR THE, UH, TEXAS, UH, VETERANS COURT IN DALLAS COUNTY.
IT'S A MENTAL HEALTH AND DRUG COURT THAT WAS SET UP.
I'M JUST PASSING ON THE INFORMATION THAT THERE IS A COURT ALREADY IN DALLAS COUNTY, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER COLE LEAVING ONE TAKE.
I, I'VE GOT QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT BE TOTALLY DIFFERENT, UH, BUT WE'LL SEE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING WITH ASSESSMENT, WELLNESS AND ASSESSMENTS.
DID ANYBODY TALK TO YOU DATA OR INFORMATION ON THE, THE NUMBERS, UH, VETERANS THAT WERE, UH, HOMELESS OR UNSHELTERED? HOLD ON FOR A SECOND.
SOMEONE ONLINE HAS THEIR MICROPHONE TURNED ON AND WE CAN HEAR THE FEEDBACK.
DID ANYBODY RECOGNITION, PERMISSION, HOW CAN YOU ANSWER THE INFORMATION ON, ON HOMELESSNESS PRESENTATIONS? ARE YOU AWARE WELLNESS ASSESSMENT RECORDS TO GET THE INFORMATION? THERE'S A STUDY THAT WE
AND THEY'LL INFORMATION THAT'S TOO EARLY THAT OF INFORMATION.
IF POSSIBLE, I'D LIKE TO GET A GROUP PICTURE JUST BEFORE WE
SO COME UP TO WHERE THE STAR RESULT IS.
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I GET SOME OF THE SOLID FALLS BACK.OH, KIND OF EVERYONE'S VISIBLE.
I THINK, HOW ABOUT NOW THERE'S, SO WAIT, I HAVE THE ECHO OR THEY CAN'T HEAR.
SO THINK YOU DON'T, OKAY, WELL, WELL THIS SHOULD BE BRIEF.
UM, SO I WANTED TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE VETERANS WELLBEING ASSESSMENT.
UM, WE DID HAVE TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE VENDOR, UM, AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET THEM DOWN TO, UH, A PRICE THAT MET OUR BUDGET.
AND SO NOW IT HAS MOVED TOWARDS THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO DRAFT THE CONTRACT.
AND ONCE THE CONTRACT IS SIGNED, THEN WE CAN OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCE THAT THIS IS A VENDOR THAT WE'LL BE MOVING FORWARD WITH.
SO, UM, WE'RE HOPING THAT THIS WILL BE COMPLETED WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS OR SO.
ARE, ARE YOU ABLE TO SAY IF IT WAS UNDER OR OVER THE 100,000 THRESHOLD? IT WAS, IT WAS UNDER THE 100,000 THRESHOLD.
SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO GO TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE, THE, IF IT'S, IF A CONTRACT IS OVER A HUNDRED K, IT HAS TO GO TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
SO THANKFULLY, I SAY THANKFULLY 'CAUSE THAT DOES PROLONG THE PROCESS, BUT THAT'S WHY I THINK AFTER, UH, NOW THAT CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAS IT, THE CONTRACT, UM, IT'LL TAKE ABOUT TWO MONTHS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS?
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OKAY.UM, AND JUST WANTED TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE, THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT THERE CREATING A SCHOLARSHIP.
UM, THE YOUTH COMMISSION IN THE PAST HAS ALSO CREATED A SCHOLARSHIP AND SO WE, UM, WANT TO LEARN FROM THEM HOW THEY CREATED THAT.
UM, THEY'RE, THEY HAVE A NEW STAFF PERSON COORDINATING, SO WE'RE HOPING WE CAN LEARN FROM THEM, UM, WHAT, WHAT THE PROCESS WAS AND BE ABLE TO PRESENT THAT INFORMATION TO YOU.
SO, UM, WE HAVE HAD SOME PRELIMINARY CONVERSATIONS, BUT SINCE THEY ARE A NEW STAFF PERSON, THEY'RE ALSO LEARNING IT AS WELL.
UM, SO WE'RE HOPING THAT BY NEXT MEETING WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION.
AND I THINK THOSE ARE ALL THE UPDATES THAT WE HAVE AS STAFF
SO WE'RE MOVING ON TO NEXT ITEM.
UM, ITEM NUMBER SIX ON AGENDA SCHOLARSHIP ON BEHALF OF DR.
UH, ROBERSON, IF YOU GET THIS, THAT AN UPDATE ON THAT.
ACTUALLY THE OTHER, ARE WE ON, UH, NUMBER SEVEN.
I THOUGHT, UM, I, I GOT CONFUSED.
SO THE NEXT ITEM FOR THE LETTER FOR CITY COUNCIL, UM, THIS WAS ALSO A REQUEST THAT YOU ALL HAD MADE.
SO WE, I THINK HAVE WORKED WITH, UM, CHAIR RYAN MESS AND CO-CHAIR CHARLES ZIS TO DRAFT THIS MEMO FOR IT WOULD BE, UM, GUEST DIRECTED TO CITY COUNCIL.
UM, SO WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW IT AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY EDITS.
I'VE GOT A QUESTION AND AN EDIT ACTUALLY.
UM, IT SAYS HERE, CURRENTLY FIVE OR 10 SEATS REMAIN ON FIFTH.
WE HAVE 15 ON THE COUNT ON THE COMMISSION THOUGH? I THINK SO.
SO WHY WOULD IT BE FIVE OF 10? SHOULDN'T IT BE FIVE OF 15? I THINK SO.
AND ACTUALLY I THINK WE HAVE SEVEN.
YEAH, I'M NOT SURE THAT, YEAH.
WELL, UH, WHAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO, JUST TO CHECK THAT NUMBER MM-HMM
AND THEN MY OTHER COMMENT IS IT SAYS DEARLY RESPECTED MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, I THINK DEARLY IS NOT, I THINK DEAR
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, IF ANY OF YOU KNOW OF ANY VETERANS WOULD LIKE TO SERVE ON THE COMMISSION, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE FROM THE, THE DISTRICT
SO IF YOU KNOW SOMEBODY, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
WE CAN, I WAS GONNA ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
WOULD THAT BE TO BE A, THE THING IS WE NEED TO GET THEM ON, ON THE, ON THE BYLAWS.
I THINK THERE'S ONLY A CERTAIN NUMBER OF VETERANS ALL THAT HAVE TO BE ON COMMISSION.
BUT YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE A VETERAN TO SERVE ON THIS COMMISSION.
AND WE ALL, ALL OF US ARE VETERANS, SO WE, WE MEET THAT THRESHOLD.
THE THING IS THOUGH, WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO AREN'T VETERANS SERVING ON THE VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMISSION, WHICH WAS WHY IT WAS FORMED, BECAUSE VETERANS DIDN'T HAVE A VOICE IN A CITY THIS BIG, WITH AS MANY VETERANS AS WE HAVE, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO BEAT THE BUSHES ENOUGH TO FIND SOMEONE.
THE THING IS, IT NEEDS TO BE ON THE ONUS
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OF THE DISTRICT, UH, COUNCIL PERSON TO FIND SOMEONE IN THEIR DISTRICT.IF THEY DON'T KNOW OF ANYONE WHO'S WILLING TO SERVE, THEN THAT REFLECTS THAT THEY DON'T KNOW THEIR COMMUNITY THAT WELL.
IF THEY TRULY CANNOT FIND SOMEONE FOR ONE OF THESE DISTRICTS, THEN THEY SHOULD BE REACHING OUT TO US TO GET HELP.
BUT WHAT I THINK HAS HAPPENED IS THEY JUST DON'T EVEN KNOW.
AND, AND A GOLD STAR MOTHER, I HONOR THEIR SACRIFICE AND ALL THAT, BUT THEY AREN'T VETERANS AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO SPEAK TO FIND VETERANS.
WELL, I, I ASKED THAT BECAUSE I WANT ALSO SOMEBODY THAT'S COMMITTED TO WHAT WE'RE DOING, YOU KNOW, SO THAT, THAT MEANS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF VETERANS ABOUT, ABOUT THIS COMMISSION, THEY'RE NOT COMING FORWARD.
I DON'T THINK ANYONE'S ASKED THEM.
I THINK WE NEED TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE PROMOTIONAL MAYBE.
UM, SEE IF WE CAN GO TO THE CITY COUNCIL WITH THIS, YOU KNOW, IN PERSON AND MAYBE TALK TO ME AHEAD OF TIME.
CAN WE JUST GO, LET'S DO THAT, THAT COUNTER ME OR SOMEBODY? JUST, JUST GIVE HIM A LETTER FIRST GO ALL.
HELLO? CAN WE HEAR YOU? YOU CAN HEAR ME.
YES, CHARLES A FEW DIFFERENT TIMES.
I BELIEVE I'M PART OF, UH, A DISTRICT.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? NO, WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
WE JUST BARELY CAN, CAN YOU HEAR ME? WHAT'S UP? OKAY.
YOU, YOU CAN ALSO TEXT IT WITHIN THE CHAT IF WE'RE HAVING SOUND ISSUES.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YOU GUYS HEAR ME? IT'S STILL VERY LOUD.
SO, SO GOING BACK TO THE LETTER THEN, WE JUST NEEDED TO AMEND A COUPLE OF WORDS AND THEN GO AHEAD AND JUST SUBMIT IT.
IS THAT, IS THAT WHAT YOUR UNDERSTANDING IS? RIGHT.
SO I GOT, UH, UPDATE THE ADDRESS, UH, DEAR AND, UH, UPDATE THE, OR CORRECT THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE CURRENTLY CERTAINLY SERVING AND THE NUMBER OF SEATS THAT THEY MADE.
ALRIGHT, THE NEXT ONE, THE NEXT ITEM IS, UH, NUMBER, UH, EIGHT, THE BUSINESS CARD, THE DRAFT, CHRISTINE, IS THAT RIGHT? YES.
SO, UM, WE HAVE ASKED OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM TO DESIGN BUSINESS CARDS AND THEY DID CREATE THESE TWO DESIGNS THAT CAN PULL UP ON THE SCREEN.
UM, BASICALLY HAD, WOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, CITY OF DALLAS VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMISSION LISTED AND, UM, PUTTING CITY HALL AS THE ADDRESS AND THEN PUTTING, UH, CONTACT INFORMATION AS WELL AS OUR WEBSITE.
WE WANTED TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY EDITS.
I THINK WE, THEY SUGGESTED RED, WE THOUGHT BLUE WOULD ALSO WORK AS WELL.
SO WANTED TO SEE IF YOU HAD ANY THOUGHTS AND IF YOU WANTED TO, UH, IS THERE, IS THERE ANOTHER EXAMPLE? BECAUSE I'VE GOT THE STATE TWO.
YEAH, ESSENTIALLY THEY'RE THE TWO.
IT, IT'S BASICALLY CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THE CITY OF DALLAS EMPLOYEES BUSINESS CARDS LOOK LIKE.
UM, I GUESS IF THERE ARE ANY EDITS TO THE DESIGN WE COULD BRING BACK, WE WE COULD DO THAT.
IS THE SECOND ONE, THE BACKSIDE OF THE CARD? IS THAT THE BACKSIDE JOAN? CORRECT.
EVERYBODY GET A, A COPY OF THE DRAFT.
PRETTY STANDARD KIND OF CITY OF DALLAS BUSINESS CARD.
[01:00:07]
YEAH, I LIKE IT.DO WE NEED TO TAKE A VOTE OR WE JUST, WELL, I, UH, MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT IT.
IS THERE A PREFERENCE ON THE COLOR? JUST TO MAKE SURE THE BLUE, WHATEVER THE STANDARD SEE THE COLOR IS RIGHT, WHATEVER'S CHEAPER.
YEAH, I MEAN, SERIOUSLY, WE WANNA BE RESPONSIBLE WITH THE CITY'S MONEY.
YOU KNOW, WE COULD GO FANCY PURPLE, BUT THAT MIGHT COST MORE.
SO I WHAT DO Y'ALL'S CARDS LOOK LIKE? THEY GENERALLY HAVE BLUE.
WHATEVER'S TYPICAL WORKS FOR US.
THERE'S A MOTION AND THERE'S SECOND.
ANYBODY ON LINE? OPPOSED? OKAY, BACK BACKING UP JUST A MINUTE.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT THIS LETTER OF MEMORANDUM, UH, WITH CHANGES THE LETTER TO THE COUNCIL ABOUT THE VACANCY.
NO, THANK OH, WE DIDN'T VOTE ON NO, WE DIDN'T VOTE ON IT.
I MADE A, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT.
WE'RE GOING, WE'RE GOING BACK TO ITEM NUMBER.
RIGHT? WE ONE ITEM JUST TO WAIT, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T VOTE ON WHETHER TO NOT TAKE, SO WE'RE GOING BACK TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
THE LETTER, THE LETTER TO CITY COUNCIL.
AND THERE WAS A MOTION, MOTION WAS MADE TO ACCEPT.
SO THE MOTION MADE EXCEPT THAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. CHAIRMAN, ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS IF UH, I MOVE THE ADJOURN? UH, I HAVE EXCUSE, EXCUSE.
WE, THAT'S WHAT I, I SAID THERE ANNOUNCEMENTS.
CAN WE HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS? YEAH, I'LL MAKE 'EM QUICK SO WE GET OUTTA HERE.
ALRIGHT, UH, COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS.
UH, SO AS, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, THAT MEDAL OF HONOR MUSEUM IS OPENING IN ARLINGTON NEXT MONTH ON MARCH, UH, 22ND.
THEY'RE HAVING A CEREMONY THAT DAY FROM SEVEN TILL 10:00 PM I RESERVE 10 TICKETS IF THE COMMISSION IS INTERESTED IN GOING.
SO, UH, WE'LL WORK WITH STAFF ON COURTING THAT, SEE IF WE CAN GET A EVENT OUT THERE.
BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO REPRESENT THE CITY OF DALLAS AND COMMISSION IF WE GO THERE FOR THE GRAND OPENING OF THE MEADOW HONOR MUSEUM.
YEAH, WE'LL GET STAFF CONTACT.
AND, UM, WE COULD EVEN CARPOOL IF YOU WANT BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE TIGHT FOR PARKING IF YOU'VE BEEN OUT THERE.
UM, I WAS JUST AT THE ARLINGTON MUSEUM OF ART NEXT DOOR AND THE MEDAL OF HONOR MUSEUM TOOK MY FAVORITE PARKING SPOT FROM PARKING LOT FOR THE BASEBALL.
BUT IT'S ALSO GONNA BE HIGH SECURITY DEPENDING ON WHO THEY INVITE.
'CAUSE I, YEAH, I'M PRETTY SURE GONNA HAVE A, A DIGNITARIES.
UH, YEAH, SOMEBODY, WELL I'M JUST SERIOUS.
I MEAN, WE MIGHT WANNA CONSIDER CARPOOLING SOME OF US, YOU KNOW, CAR, I WOULDN'T MIND.
YEAH, WE'LL, WE'LL COORDINATE WITH STAFF AND SEE WHAT WE COULD DO TO, UH, CARPOOL OR GET A BAND.
BUT I JUST WANNA SEE WHO WAS INTERESTED IN GOING, 'CAUSE I GOT 10 TICKETS.
UH, ANOTHER ANNOUNCEMENT I WANTED TO HAVE IS THAT, UH, MERCY DOGS THAT CAME LAST MONTH.
I GOT THEM CONNECTED TO THE DIRECTOR OF DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES.
SO NOW THEY'RE COORDINATING ON GETTING INITIATIVE STARTED, UM, TO PROVIDE, UM, SHELTER ANIMALS TO VETERANS IN THE CITY.