[00:00:02]
GOOD MORNING. IT IS JUNE 10TH. THE TIME IS 9:08.
[Housing and Homelessness Solutions on June 10, 2025.]
AND WE'RE CALLING THE HOUSING AND HOMELESS SOLUTIONS COMMITTEE MEETING TO ORDER. FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.IS THERE A MOTION? IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECOND.
ANY CORRECTIONS? SEEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
AND WE DO HAVE A 11 A.M. SCHEDULED SPECIAL CALLED MEETING THIS MORNING.
GOOD MORNING CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS CHRISTINE CROSSLEY, OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS DIRECTOR, AND I AM HERE TODAY WITH PRESIDENT AND CEO OF HOUSING FORWARD, A LEAD AGENCY FOR OUR LOCAL CONTINUUM OF CARE, SARAH KHAN. SO IF WE CAN GO TO THE FIRST PRESENTATION SLIDE, THERE WE GO.
WE'RE VERY HAPPY WITH THE SUCCESS THAT'S BEEN MADE OF COURSE WE'RE AWARE I THINK, AS WAS SAID THEN BY BY SARAH, BY SARAH, THAT WE HAVE A LONG WAYS TO GO. SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SHARING THIS INFORMATION WITH EVERYONE.
AND ALSO JUST LOOKING AT THIS AS A RETROSPECTIVE FROM NOW, FROM 21 TO NOW, 2021 TO NOW, EXCUSE ME.
SARAH? CAN YOU HEAR ME? THERE YOU GO. CAN YOU HEAR ME? THANKS FOR HAVING ME BACK. I'M EXCITED TO PRESENT ON SOME OF THE SAME INFORMATION THAT WAS SHARED AT OUR STATE OF HOMELESS, JUST TO LOOK BACK ON WHERE WE'VE BEEN IN TERMS OF OUR SYSTEM TRANSFORMATION, WHERE WE ARE TODAY AND WHERE WE'RE HEADED.
EXCITED TO SEE DANIEL AND DR. WOODY IN THE AUDIENCE, WHO HAVE OBVIOUSLY BEEN CORE PLAYERS IN THAT TRANSFORMATIVE EFFORT THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT TODAY. SO ON THIS FIRST SLIDE, THIS IS JUST ACKNOWLEDGING THAT IN 2021, WE EXAMINED THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
AND WHAT WE LEARNED IS EACH YEAR THERE ARE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE FALLING INTO HOMELESSNESS.
BUT WE HAD INADEQUATE INVESTMENTS AND PATHWAYS OUT OF HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO THOSE INTERVENTIONS, THOSE BUILDINGS FILLED UP.
WE SAW PEOPLE SORT OF OVERFLOWING ONTO OUR STREETS.
AND FROM 2015 TO 2020, WE SAW THAT UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS TRIPLED DURING THAT TIME PERIOD.
AND THERE WAS A 45% INCREASE IN OVERALL HOMELESSNESS.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO IN 2021, WE TRANSFORMED OUR APPROACH BY COMING TOGETHER AND BRINGING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE RESOURCES TOGETHER.
THE CITY OF DALLAS HAS REALLY BEEN CENTRAL TO THAT EFFORT, DRIVING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO REALLY INVEST IN THE HIGHEST IMPACT STRATEGIES THAT ARE COST EFFICIENT AND CAN HELP US MANAGE INCREASES IN INFLOW FROM YEAR TO YEAR, AND SO ON THIS SCREEN, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS WE IMPLEMENTED TWO REALLY IMPORTANT TYPES OF INTERVENTIONS.
ONE IS WE SCALED SYSTEM WIDE DIVERSION. THIS IS AN INTERVENTION THAT WAS PIONEERED IN OUR FAMILY HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM THAT NOW, OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SCALE ACROSS OUR SINGLE ADULT SYSTEM.
THIS IS A REALLY LIGHT TOUCH, LOW COST INTERVENTION WHERE WE HAVE DIVERSION SPECIALISTS AT THE FRONT DOOR OF OUR SYSTEM, INCLUDING AT AUSTIN STREET IN THE BRIDGE. AND THESE DIVERSION SPECIALISTS ARE USING VERY CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING AND A LITTLE BIT OF FLEXIBLE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HOMELESS IMMEDIATELY SOLVE THEIR HOUSING CRISIS.
SO GOING TO LIVE WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS OR TO MEDIATE A PREVIOUS HOUSING SITUATION.
AND WHAT WE LEARNED THIS YEAR BY EXAMINING THE SYSTEM IS THAT INTERVENTION FOR SINGLE ADULTS COST ONE TENTH OF WHAT THE AVERAGE SHELTER STAY COSTS, WHICH MEANS THAT IT HELPS US CURB INFLOW INTO THE SYSTEM, BUT ALSO SERVE MORE PEOPLE BECAUSE IT'S A VERY LOW COST INTERVENTION.
SO WE'VE SCALED THAT. WE'VE ALSO EXPANDED REHOUSING, WHICH IS A COMBINATION OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND CASE MANAGEMENT, AND WRAPAROUND SUPPORT THAT HELPS INDIVIDUALS TRANSITION OUT OF SHELTERS AND BACK INTO PERMANENT HOUSING.
[00:05:08]
WHICH HELPS US AVOID MORE SPIKES IN UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS.NEXT SLIDE. SO THOSE SHIFTS IN INVESTMENTS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE FOURTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR OF REDUCTIONS IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS ON ANY GIVEN NIGHT, WHICH EQUATES TO HOUSING ALMOST 16,000 INDIVIDUALS DURING THAT TIME PERIOD.
WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF CRITICS OF THE POINT IN TIME COUNT FOR GOOD REASON, BUT THE REASON THAT WE USE THIS MEASURE IS THIS MEASURE TELLS US THE DEGREE TO WHICH WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MEET THE ANNUAL NEEDS OF PEOPLE FLOWING INTO THE SYSTEM.
AND I ACTUALLY PROVIDE THAT DATA FOR YOU IN THE APPENDIX.
THE FIRST SLIDE OF THE APPENDIX SHOWS YOU YEAR ON YEAR INCREASES OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR OF THE NUMBER OF NEW PEOPLE COMING INTO THE SYSTEM THAT HAS BEEN MET WITH YEAR ON YEAR INCREASES IN THE NUMBER OF HOUSING PLACEMENTS, WHICH HAS RESULTED IN A NET DECREASE IN HOMELESSNESS ON ANY GIVEN NIGHT.
BUT I THINK WHAT YOU SEE IN THIS CHART IS OUR PROGRESS SLOWED IN 2025, AND THAT'S A REFLECTION OF INCREASES IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE FLOWING IN OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR AND REAL TIME RAPID REHOUSING, REAL TIME FUNDS COMING TO AN END.
SO THANKFULLY, WE'VE ALIGNED THE STREET TO HOME DOLLARS THIS YEAR TO HELP US HOLD AT BAY SPIKES IN UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS, LIKE OTHER COMMUNITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY, ARE SEEING RIGHT NOW.
SO NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. WE SORT OF ALL ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
NOT EVERYONE IS FEELING THE PROGRESS WHEN WE SEE VULNERABLE PEOPLE LIVING OUTSIDE.
AND LAST YEAR AT OUR STATE OF HOMELESS ADDRESS, WE LAUNCHED THE STREET TO HOME INITIATIVE, WHICH REALLY HELPS US ANCHOR TO OUR VALUE AS A COMMUNITY THAT NO ONE SHOULD BE SLEEPING OUTSIDE.
AND THE FIRST PHASE OF THAT EFFORT ATTEMPTS TO ACHIEVE A 50% REDUCTION IN UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS.
SO CONTINUING TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE LIVING ON THE STREETS ON ANY GIVEN DAY, BUT ALSO TO STRATEGICALLY RESOLVE SOME OF THE CITY'S LARGEST ENCAMPMENTS. AND WE STARTED WITH THE DOWNTOWN EFFORT OR, SORRY, THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
AND HISTORICALLY WE HAVEN'T HAD GOOD TOOLS TO DO THAT.
LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES, YOU KNOW, BREAK UP ENCAMPMENTS, WE MOVE PEOPLE ALONG.
SOMETIMES WE EXERCISE THE ABILITY TO TICKET AND ARREST PEOPLE.
BUT WHAT WE'VE LEARNED IS THAT IN THE ABSENCE OF BEING ABLE TO CREATE PATHWAYS OFF THE STREET AND ONLY USING AN ENFORCEMENT ARM, WE ACTUALLY CAN'T BRING THE RESULT THAT THE COMMUNITY IS CALLING ON US FOR, WHICH IS AN ERADICATION OF STREET HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO STREET TO HOME, I THINK, REPRESENTS A SHIFT IN HOW WE TACKLE STREET HOMELESSNESS.
AND PHASE ONE LAUNCHED WITH AN OPERATION DOWNTOWN, WHICH WAS REALLY IN RESPONSE TO GROWING CONCERNS ABOUT STREET HOMELESSNESS AND PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS, REALLY BEING SEEN AS THREATENING ECONOMIC GROWTH AND THE VIBRANCY OF THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
AND IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. ON MAY 20TH, WE DECLARED AN EFFECTIVE END TO STREET HOMELESSNESS DOWNTOWN, WHICH, JUST TO BE VERY CLEAR, DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE WILL NEVER SEE SOMEONE WHO'S HOMELESS IN OUR DOWNTOWN CORE, RIGHT? THIS IS AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THERE WILL BE HOMELESSNESS.
HOWEVER, THE COMMITMENT IS NO ONE WILL BE SLEEPING AND LIVING IN DOWNTOWN.
AND SO THAT IS BEING ROLLED OUT NOW. BUT THIS EFFORT, WE'VE CONTINUED TO EVOLVE THIS STREET TO HOME RESPONSE TO MEET THE GROWING NEED. AND SOME OF THE EVOLUTIONS OF THIS RESPONSE, WE BELIEVE NOW WE HAVE A PACKAGE OF INTERVENTIONS THAT PROVIDE A PROOF POINT FOR HOW WE CAN EFFECTIVELY END STREET HOMELESSNESS INCREMENTALLY ACROSS DALLAS AND COLLIN COUNTY.
AND SO WE SORT OF ARE PULLING OUT THREE REALLY CRITICAL INTERVENTIONS, ONE OF WHICH, KEVIN, IS GOING TO DIG A LITTLE BIT DEEPER IN FROM HIS PERSPECTIVE.
BUT THE FIRST IS WHAT WE LEARNED IS WHEN WE BRING MENTAL HEALTH AND HOUSING SERVICES TOGETHER AND BRING THOSE TO THOSE SERVICES TO THE STREET, WE WERE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE VAST MAJORITY OF INDIVIDUALS DOWNTOWN TO MOVE BACK INTO PERMANENT HOUSING WITH
[00:10:07]
COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES. HOWEVER, WHAT WE SAW IS THERE WAS ANOTHER GROUP WHO WEREN'T READY FOR HOUSING.THERE WERE 20 INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD VERY, VERY SEVERE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND SUBSTANCE USE ISSUES.
AND WHAT WE REALIZED IS WHEN WE TARGETED THIS GEOGRAPHIC AREA, THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO YOU KNOW, IT'S A SMALL GROUP, BUT AN IMPORTANT GROUP WHO WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO ENGAGE IN THE PAST.
BUT WHAT WE I THINK, CAME TO REALIZE THAT IF WE ARE COMMITTED TO ENDING STREET HOMELESSNESS, WE HAVE TO HAVE A SOLUTION FOR THIS GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS.
AND SO THAT PROMPTED HOUSING FORWARD TO LAUNCH A COMPLEX NEEDS WORK GROUP, WHERE WE TESTED FOR THE FIRST TIME, BRINGING HOSPITALS, LAW ENFORCEMENT OUTREACH AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH EXPERTS TO THE TABLE TO LITERALLY WORK THESE CASES ONE BY ONE TO FIND PATHWAYS OFF THE STREET FOR THOSE 20 INDIVIDUALS WHO WE COULDN'T MOVE INTO HOUSING.
AND SO THOSE PATHWAYS OFF THE STREET LOOKED LIKE INPATIENT PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL, LOOKED LIKE SHORT TERM CRISIS RESIDENTIAL MENTAL HEALTH BEDS A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS STABILIZED IN BEDS AND THEN MOVED INTO PERMANENT HOUSING AFTER THAT TIME PERIOD.
BUT IT WAS WORKING EACH OF THOSE 20 CASES ONE BY ONE AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, HAVING PARTNERS OF EVERY SYSTEM THAT ARE INTERACTING WITH THESE INDIVIDUALS, COORDINATED TO CREATE PATHWAYS OFF THE STREET.
AND THIS IS SORT OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS DEMANDING US TO DO, RIGHT TO, TO MANAGE PUBLIC SPACES.
SO BY TARGETING THIS GEOGRAPHIC AREA, HAVING A MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESPONSE SO THAT WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER UNDER KEVIN'S LEADERSHIP SO THAT IF NEW AS NEW PEOPLE ENTER THE DOWNTOWN GEOGRAPHIC AREA, THAT SITE IS MANAGED TO ENSURE THAT IF SOMEONE'S HAVING A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS, WE HAVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ACTIVATED. OBVIOUSLY, IF SOMEONE'S COMMITTING A CRIME, DPD IS ACTIVATED.
IF SOMEONE IS ATTEMPTING TO SLEEP OR LIVE DOWNTOWN NOW, WE CAN TALK ABOUT HOW WE'VE IMMEDIATELY ACTIVATED OUTREACH TO TAKE THOSE FOLKS TO SHELTER, TO THE BRIDGE AND TO AUSTIN STREET, AND TO GET IN THAT RHYTHM OF ENSURING THAT WE'RE NOT LEAVING PEOPLE BEHIND ON THE STREET.
THE THIRD PART OF THIS STRATEGY IS ACCELERATING DIVERSION AND REHOUSING OUT OF SHELTER.
SO WITH ONGOING INVESTMENTS, THAT MEANS THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO BRING MORE PEOPLE INSIDE.
BUT WHAT WE'VE LEARNED IS IN OUR SYSTEM, WE HAVE ABOUT 2400 SHELTER BEDS ACROSS DALLAS COUNTY.
IF WE SERVE ONE PERSON IN EACH OF THOSE BEDS A YEAR, WE CAN ONLY BRING 2400 PEOPLE INSIDE.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO GET WE NEED TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE INVESTING ENOUGH DIVERSION AND REHOUSING IN OUR EXISTING SHELTER SYSTEM, SO THAT THOSE BEDS ALLOW US TO BRING MORE PEOPLE INSIDE.
AND SO IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. AND SO REALLY WHAT WE'RE THINKING IS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SHIFTED TO MOVING AWAY FROM ONLY TARGETING ENCAMPMENT AFTER ENCAMPMENT TO THINKING ABOUT HOW COULD WE TARGET AND MANAGE LARGER PUBLIC SPACES AND GO INCREMENTALLY ACROSS THE COUNTY.
NEXT SLIDE. AND SO AS A NEXT STEP, WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE THE ALIGNED RESOURCES FOR 2025, BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE INTO PHASE 2 IN 2026 TO START TO MODEL. WHAT ARE THE RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS FOR MAINTAINING AN EFFECTIVE END TO HOMELESSNESS DOWNTOWN AND THEN MOVING INTO OTHER HIGH PRIORITY LOCATIONS WHILE ALSO BUILDING A SYSTEM THAT CAN MEET THAT SUSTAINABLE NEED EACH YEAR AND ENSURE THAT WE DON'T BACKSLIDE.
NEXT SLIDE. THE LAST THING I WANTED TO MENTION, I KNOW THAT THERE WAS DISCUSSION DURING THE LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING ABOUT SOME OF THE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROJECTS THAT WE ARE PLANNING FOR AND THAT ARE UNDERWAY.
SAINT JUDE, OAK CLIFF WAS CENTRAL TO THAT CONVERSATION, AND I KNOW THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT DIFFERENT VOUCHERS THAT WERE AVAILABLE FOR THOSE PROJECTS. SO CHRISTINE AND I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF LEVEL SETTING ON THAT ISSUE.
JUST TO CLARIFY ANY QUESTIONS THAT AROSE IN THE LAST HHS MEETING.
[00:15:02]
SO IT REQUIRES US TO HAVE A HOUSING UNIT. AND THAT MEANS EITHER CAPITAL FUNDING FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION OR ACCESS TO A UNIT IN THE PRIVATE MARKET.IT ALSO REQUIRES RENTAL ASSISTANCE, WHICH ARE SUBSIDIES THAT COVER THE COST OF OPERATING A PROPERTY.
AND THEN TWO, IT REQUIRES SUPPORTIVE SERVICES.
AND SO EACH YEAR, HOUSING FORWARD AS THE LEAD AGENCY FOR THE CONTINUUM, OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO WORK WITH THE SYSTEM TO FIGURE OUT WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE TO CREATE AS MANY PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING SLOTS AS POSSIBLE IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
AND SO WE LOOK AT WHAT UNITS ARE AVAILABLE, WHAT RENTAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE, AND WHAT SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE, AND TRY TO HELP THE COMMUNITY PUT THAT PACKAGE TOGETHER TO CREATE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
THERE ARE A VARIETY OF SOURCES FOR EACH OF THOSE.
AND WE REALLY SEE OUR ROLE AS MAXIMIZING ALL OF THOSE SOURCES TO HOUSE AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.
TYPICALLY, WE HAVE TO ACCESS UNITS IN THE PRIVATE MARKET, BUT IN YEARS THAT THERE'S A BUILDING AVAILABLE, THEN WE WOULD ACCESS THAT BUILDING AND PUT THOSE OTHER LEGS OF THE STOOL TOGETHER TO MAKE A PROPERTY.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH JOE, WHO'S IN WHO'S HERE TODAY, TO TAKE THAT PROJECT THROUGH THAT PLANNING, THAT ANNUAL PLANNING PROCESS. THIS STREET TO HOME IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF WHERE WE'VE USED THAT ANNUAL PLANNING PROCESS TO IDENTIFY VOUCHERS ATTACHED TO PRIVATE SECTOR UNITS. AND SO THE SAINT JUDE OAK CLIFF PROPERTY, WHEN WE WERE PUTTING THAT PROPERTY THROUGH THE PLANNING PROCESS, ESSENTIALLY WHAT OCCURRED IS WE APPLIED FOR CONTINUUM OF CARE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES DOLLARS, AND HUD AWARDED US THOSE DOLLARS ON THE CONDITION THAT THERE WOULD BE PROJECT BASED VOUCHERS AVAILABLE FROM OUR LOCAL HOUSING AUTHORITY.
WE HAVE LEARNED, I THINK THAT WAS REPORTED TO Y'ALL LAST TIME THAT OUR HOUSING AUTHORITY WENT INTO WHAT'S CALLED SHORTFALL, WHERE THEY HAVE REACHED THEIR BUDGET AUTHORITY FOR THE YEAR, AND THEY HAVE BEEN DIRECTED BY HUD TO NOT ISSUE ANY ADDITIONAL VOUCHERS UNTIL THEY BALANCE THEIR BUDGET. SO IN THIS SITUATION, AS THE COORDINATING ENTITY, WE'RE WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AND CATHOLIC CHARITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE EXPLORE OTHER AVENUES.
SO ONE IS WE'VE BEEN IN THIS SITUATION BEFORE, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET AN EXCEPTION FROM HUD TO BE ABLE TO ISSUE VOUCHERS ON PROJECTS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY COMMITTED AND THAT ARE WERE AWARDED ON THE BASIS OF SERVICES BEING AVAILABLE.
SO WE'RE WORKING THAT AVENUE TO TRY TO GET AN EXCEPTION FROM HUD IN THIS IN THIS INSTANCE.
IF THAT FAILS, WE ALSO HAVE WE ALSO UNDERSTAND FROM THE COUNTY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE RELEASING AN RFP FOR PROJECT BASED VOUCHERS, WHICH IS ANOTHER AVENUE THAT WE CAN EXPLORE. SO WE'RE WORKING HARD TO SORT OF PUT THOSE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT LEG OF THE STOOL IS AVAILABLE FOR THAT PROJECT.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT PROJECT, OBVIOUSLY TOGETHER FOR A LONG TIME AND HAVE SECURED RESOURCES.
AND SO WE'LL WORK HAND IN HAND WITH THE CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE RESOLVE THAT ISSUE.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU CHAIR. WITH THAT, WE WILL HAND IT BACK OVER TO YOU FOR QUESTIONS.
WHAT IS, AND YOU MENTIONED TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.
HOW DO YOU DEFINE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING IN THIS COMPONENT? WELL, SO I THINK WHAT WHAT I WAS DESCRIBING IS WE HAD LIKE EVERY COMMUNITY ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WE CREATED INTERVENTIONS TO MANAGE THE CRISIS OF HOMELESSNESS.
AND WHAT MANAGING THE CRISIS OF HOMELESSNESS MEANS IS WE NEED BEDS FOR PEOPLE TO SLEEP THAT NIGHT, WHICH IS EMERGENCY SHELTER, OR IN OTHER INSTANCES, HAVING TEMPORARY AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.
BUT WHAT WE LEARNED IS THAT WHEN WE HAVE INVESTMENT IN TEMPORARY SOLUTIONS BUT NOT ADEQUATE INVESTMENT IN PATHWAYS OUT OF HOMELESSNESS, THOSE OBVIOUSLY IF WE HAVE NEW PEOPLE COMING IN, THOSE BUILDINGS FILL UP AND WHEN THEY FILL UP, THEN PEOPLE END UP OVERFLOWING ON THE STREETS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ADEQUATE PATHWAYS TO KEEP UP ON THE TREADMILL WITH THAT INFLOW.
WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGE OF DIVERSIONS THAT HAPPEN IN OUR SHELTERS? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE 70% OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE FALLING INTO HOMELESSNESS CAN BE DIVERTED JUST BECAUSE OF,
[00:20:08]
WE SEE A HIGH NUMBER OF PEOPLE ACTUALLY SELF-RESOLVING OUT OF SHELTERS WITHOUT ANY ASSISTANCE AT ALL.RIGHT NOW, I THINK IN THE FAMILY SYSTEM, I BELIEVE THAT THEY'VE GOTTEN IT CLOSER TO POTENTIALLY WORKING ON A 50% GOAL, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY GET THAT DATA BACK, O UR GOAL IS 70%.
SO LET'S JUST TAKE THE NUMBER 70, THAT OTHER 30%.
IS THERE A REASON THAT THEY'RE NOT CONNECTING WITH RELATIVES? THE REMAINING 30%, THOSE ARE THE FOLKS THAT WE REALLY SEE AS IN NEED OF THOSE SHELTER BEDS.
AND THOSE INTERVENTIONS LOOK LIKE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING OR RAPID REHOUSING, WHERE WE KNOW THIS PERSON DOESN'T HAVE A SAFETY SOCIAL NETWORK IN THE COMMUNITY, WHERE WE COULD ACTUALLY LEVERAGE ASSETS TO GET THEM BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT MEANS WHAT'S USUALLY THE CAUSE OF THAT BREAK? IT CAN BE A VARIETY OF THINGS. IT'S USUALLY PEOPLE WHO, ONCE YOU'RE HOMELESS, THE LONGER YOU'RE HOMELESS, THE LONGER YOU'RE GOING TO BE HOMELESS. MEANING THAT ONCE SOMEONE BECOMES HOMELESS, THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HOMELESS FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY HAVE LOST CONNECTIONS WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS BY WAY OF BEING HOMELESS.
AND SO, SLOWLY AS YOU ARE, REMAIN HOMELESS, EVERYTHING IN YOUR LIFE STARTS TO FALL APART BECAUSE OF JUST OBVIOUSLY THE NATURE OF DEALING WITH YOUR EVERYDAY CRISIS AND SURVIVAL. AND SO WE SEE ISSUES IF THE A LARGE PORTION OF THOSE PEOPLE CAN BE RAPIDLY REHOUSED AND THEY'RE HOMELESS BECAUSE OF ECONOMIC REASONS. BUT THERE'S A SMALLER GROUP WHO ARE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS, WHO ARE STUCK ON OUR STREET BECAUSE OF MENTAL HEALTH, SEVERE SUBSTANCE USE ISSUES. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER THAT REQUIRE CAN WORK ON A NUMBER THAT KIND OF BREAKS THAT DOWN, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
YEAH. SO I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN YOU GUYS FOR THE POINT IN TIME COUNT.
AND SO I WANTED TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT. DO WE KNOW WHAT THE UNIQUE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE SERVED DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTER? SO DANIEL HAS THAT INFORMATION, AND HE'LL BE SHARING THAT WITH YOU.
SO THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF MEASURES RELATED TO HOMELESSNESS.
ONE IS AT A POINT IN TIME AND ONE IS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
SO DANIEL HAS SOME DATA FROM INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTER, THAT WAS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WE SERVED OVER THE COURSE OF, I BELIEVE IT WAS SIX WEEKS, MAYBE 6 OR 9 WEEKS, 6 WEEKS.
AND SO DANIEL HAS THAT DATA THAT I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT HE CAN DELIVER TO YOU.
THAT NUMBER IS OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BE MUCH LARGER THAN WHAT YOU WOULD COUNT AT A POINT IN TIME.
JUST BECAUSE THOSE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING IN AND OUT OF HOMELESSNESS OVER THE COURSE OF 6 WEEKS.
AND DOES THAT NUMBER INCLUDE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE IN SHELTER BEDS THAT ON A ON INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTER NIGHT? YES. SO THE WE ACTUALLY DIDN'T HAVE AN INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTER NIGHT THE NIGHT OF THE POINT IN TIME COUNT.
BUT THE POINT IN TIME IS REALLY THE COMPREHENSIVE MEASURE OF EVERYONE WHO'S IN SHELTER BED.
AND THE QUESTION WAS ON THE NIGHT OF INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTER.
YEAH. WHEN AUSTIN STREET WAS ACTIVATED. YEAH.
THE BRIDGE, ANY OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS, DOES IS THAT NUMBER GET ADDED TO THE OVERALL NUMBER OF THAT NIGHT? IT IT DID NOT. SO ON THE POINT IN TIME COUNT IS ON ONE NIGHT, WHICH IS JANUARY 25TH.
BUT FOR THE INCLEMENT WEATHER, SHELTER OVER A SERIES OF 20 PLUS DAYS, THAT WAS JUST PEOPLE WHO WERE SEEN THERE, THAT WASN'T DURING THE POINT IN TIME COUNT. BUT THE ONE THING I WILL SAY, AND SARAH HAS A REALLY GREAT GRAPHIC IN THE APPENDIX, IS, AS SARAH WAS SAYING, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR ANNUAL TRENDING DATA AND THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT YOU WILL SEE COME INTO HOMELESSNESS AND THEN SELF-RESOLVE WITHIN A GIVEN YEAR, IT'S GOING TO BE MUCH HIGHER WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT OVER A PERIOD OF WEEKS.
BUT DOES THAT MEAN THAT THOSE PEOPLE ARE ALL IN HOMELESSNESS FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR? NO. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE DATA.
WE'RE HAPPY TO MAYBE DO A PRESENTATION ON THAT AT SOME POINT.
[00:25:04]
I DO WANT TO GIVE APPLAUSE TO STREET TO HOME.WE KNOW THAT THIS IS A CITY WIDE EFFORT, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT WHILE THE FOCUS IS DOWNTOWN RIGHT NOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE BRANCHED OUT TO OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.
YOU MENTIONED PRIORITIES. KIND OF AS NEXT STEPS, HOW DO WE DETERMINE WHICH AREAS ARE GOING TO BE A PRIORITY? SO WE LOOK TO THE CITY OF DALLAS, WHO BRINGS ANY INTELLIGENCE ABOUT HIGH RISK ENCAMPMENTS THAT THEY KNOW ABOUT.
AND THAT'S VALIDATED BY OUR COORDINATED OUTREACH, OUR JOINT COORDINATED OUTREACH TEAMS, SO THAT AT ANY GIVEN TIME, WE KNOW WHERE ALL THE ESTABLISHED ENCAMPMENTS ARE IN THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT THE RISK IS RELATED TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, AND JUST THE SHEER CONCENTRATION OF PEOPLE IN A PARTICULAR AREA SO THAT WE CAN PLAN OUT WHERE WE GO NEXT JOINTLY WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND THEN MY FINAL QUESTION IS GOING TO BE HOW OUTREACH IS DONE WHEN WE DO FIND SOMEONE SLEEPING CBD FOR NOW, WE'LL START THERE. AND I KNOW KEVIN'S GOING TO DO HIS PRESENTATION HERE IN A LITTLE BIT, BUT CAN YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR PART WHEN YOU GUYS RUN INTO SOMEONE THAT'S IS SLEEPING DOWNTOWN? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
SO WE SORT OF, AS THE COORDINATING ENTITY COORDINATE WELL, IT'S CALLED COORDINATED OUTREACH, WHERE WE HAVE TEAMS ASSIGNED TO EVERY GEOGRAPHIC AREA IN THE CONTINUUM OF CARE.
AND THE IDEA IS WE STARTED THIS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO HAVE THE SAME PEOPLE HITTING THE SAME GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION CONSISTENTLY SO THAT THEY'RE BUILDING RAPPORT AND MEETING PEOPLE IN THOSE AREAS. AND OBVIOUSLY WE'RE OFFERING SHELTER.
BUT THE NEW TWIST ON THAT IS WE'RE OFFERING SHELTER, BUT WE'RE ALSO STARTING TO IMMEDIATELY GET PEOPLE ON PATHWAYS BACK INTO HOUSING, WHICH MEANS WE'RE DOING WE'RE ASSESSING PEOPLE, WE'RE GETTING THEM INTO HMIS, WE'RE DOING HOUSING, NAVIGATION TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE HAVE IDS, BUT ULTIMATELY WE WANT WE WANT THOSE PEOPLE TO SAY YES TO SHELTER.
AND WE THINK ONE OF THE KEY STRATEGIES OF THOSE THREE THINGS THAT I MENTIONED NEED TO BE REPLICATED IS WE'VE GOT TO START ACCELERATING HOUSING OUT OF SHELTER, BECAUSE WHEN SHELTER BECOMES THE PLACE WHERE YOU GET HOUSED, WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE SAYING, YES, RIGHT, WHO ARE WILLING TO TO KIND OF COME INSIDE.
THANK YOU. I'LL START WITH COUNCILWOMAN WILLIS.
THANK YOU. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE INFLOW THAT IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A BIG NUMBER, AND IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE LETTING UP AND JUST THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO, BECAUSE.
AND WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE, ARE THESE ARE WE.
OR IS THIS RELATED TO WHEN THE JAIL OR THE HOSPITAL PARKLAND DISCHARGE PATIENTS WHO MAY HAVE BEEN PICKED UP AT OTHER PLACES IN THE COUNTY AND BROUGHT THERE, BUT ARE NOT TAKEN BACK TO WHERE THEY CAME FROM.
BUT THEY'RE THEY'RE DISCHARGED IN DALLAS. WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THIS TO? I MEAN, WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, AND IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON THIS, BUT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WE'RE NOT STEMMING THAT TIDE.
YEAH. LOOK, YOU I MEAN, YOU YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.
SO THERE ARE SOME BIG STRUCTURAL ISSUES THAT ARE FEEDING THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
RIGHT. AND THAT ARE THAT ARE CAUSING PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE HOUSING INSTABILITY AND THEN HOMELESSNESS.
I THINK WHERE WE ARE AS A COMMUNITY IS, YES, WE CAN DO MORE TO WE MUST DO MORE TO ADDRESS THE STRUCTURAL ISSUES, WHETHER IT'S INCOMES NOT KEEPING PACE WITH THE HOUSE OF OF HOUSING, ADDRESSING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ISSUES.
THESE BIG STRUCTURAL ISSUES ARE THE THING THAT WILL HELP US TURN OFF THE TAP INTO HOMELESSNESS, AND WE CANNOT TAKE OUR FOOT OFF THE GAS AND IN SOLVING THOSE STRUCTURAL ISSUES.
AND SO I THINK IT'S SORT OF A BOTH AND RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TO SOLVE THOSE BIG STRUCTURAL ISSUES.
AND THIS IS NOT UNIQUE TO DALLAS, THIS IS ACROSS THE ENTIRE NATION.
AND WHILE WE'RE DOING THAT, I THINK WE JUST HAVE AS A COMMUNITY NEED TO REALIZE THAT TO ANSWER THE CALLS FROM THE COMMUNITY TO ENSURE THERE AREN'T PEOPLE ON THE STREET COMES AT AN ANNUAL COST, AND WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY AND OTHER CITIES AND OUR PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MEETING THAT DEMAND YEAR ON YEAR UNTIL WE SOLVE THOSE BIGGER STRUCTURAL ISSUES.
[00:30:03]
ETC.. OKAY. ON SHELTER BEDS AND YOU AND I HAD HAD THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT THE NEED TO TURN THEM OVER FASTER.AND SO AS I'M LISTENING TO YOU, I'M JUST I'M NOT SURE OF EXACTLY WHAT THE PLAN IS THERE.
AND SO YOU ALSO REFERENCED TEMPORARY HOUSING AND YOU KNOW HOW THIS IS ALL FITTING TOGETHER.
I MEAN, I THINK WHAT IS THE PLAN TO HELP US TURN OVER THESE SHELTER BEDS MORE QUICKLY? SO EACH YEAR WE'LL PLAN THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO DO THAT.
THIS YEAR WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FINALLY ALIGN THE STREET TO HOME DOLLARS, THE REMAINING STREET TO HOME DOLLARS FROM THE CITY AND THE COUNTY AND OUR PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS TO TARGET MORE HOUSING PLACEMENTS AT SHELTER TO ENSURE THAT OUR DOWNTOWN SHELTERS ARE TURNING OVER THOSE BEDS MORE QUICKLY.
AND THAT ALLOWS US TO BRING MORE PEOPLE INSIDE.
SO WE'LL GO. WE'RE IN BUDGET PLANNING NOW FOR NEXT YEAR SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO ALIGN RESOURCES TO THAT BEING A MAJOR ONE OF THE THREE STRATEGIES, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT GOING OUT IN ENCAMPMENTS AND TARGETING PEOPLE WHO ARE ESTABLISHED OUTSIDE, BUT IT'S ALSO OUTREACH, ENGAGING FOLKS ON THE STREET AND BRINGING THEM INTO SHELTER. AND THOSE TWO STRATEGIES WORKING TOGETHER TO REALLY ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.
OKAY. AND THEN ALSO, YOU TALKED ABOUT ZONES, HOW THIS IS BEING APPROACHED MORE THAN ENCAMPMENT BY ENCAMPMENT, BUT RATHER LOOKING AT ZONES. AND THEN YOU AND I HAVE ALSO SPOKEN ABOUT THE IDEA ABOUT SOME DECENTRALIZATION AS FAR AS OUTREACH LOCATIONS.
SO I MEAN, I'M SURE VIRTUALLY EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER COULD SAY, YES, I COULD USE ONE OF THOSE.
SO I KNOW I CERTAINLY COULD. AND SO HAS, HAS THERE BEEN A MAP OF THAT YET? AND I THINK IN OUR UPCOMING PRESENTATION THERE'S SOME DISCUSSION AROUND HOTSPOTS AND THAT SORT OF THING. BUT MAYBE IT'S TOO EARLY AND YOU'RE JUST BEGINNING TO THINK THIS WAY.
YEAH. I MEAN, WE WOULD WE DEFINITELY PLAN TO BRING THAT TYPE OF MORE DETAILED PROPOSAL BACK TO YOU ALL AND TO WORK REALLY HAND IN HAND WITH YOU ALL ON WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE. WE'VE, AS I SAID, LEARNED A LOT FROM THE SHIFTS THAT WE'VE MADE TO TARGET THE DOWNTOWN AS OUR FIRST GEOGRAPHIC REGION AND WHAT THAT WHAT THOSE MAIN STRATEGIES LOOK LOOK LIKE AND WHAT THE LEARNINGS ARE.
NOW, I THINK WHAT WE'RE DOING IS APPLYING THAT TO OUR SYSTEM MODELING FOR WHAT THE COST WOULD BE TO TO DO THAT ZONE BY ZONE ACROSS THE COUNTY, SO THAT WE CAN WORK WITH YOU ON WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE AND, AND HOW WE COULD PRIORITIZE.
WELL, AND AS WE LOOK AT OUR PORTFOLIO OF REAL ESTATE AND TALK ABOUT SELLING IT OR JUST MANAGING IT BETTER OR WHATEVER, AND YOU AND I HAVE DISCUSSED BOTH OF YOU, THE VICKERY JUSTICE CENTER, ONLY HALF IS IN USE.
AND THERE'S CERTAINLY THE OPPORTUNITY FOR USING THE OTHER PART OF THIS CITY OWNED BUILDING FOR GREATER PUBLIC BENEFIT AROUND THIS SUBJECT OR, YOU KNOW, FOOD INSECURITY, WHATEVER IT MAY BE.
SO THANK YOU CHAIR. CHAIR WEST. THANK YOU. AND MY APOLOGIES FOR BEING LATE.
I LISTENED ON THE WAY DOWN HERE. I WILL I YOU MENTIONED, SARAH, THAT YOU KNOW, THE RESEARCH IS NOW SHOWING A TIE IN BETWEEN AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND LACK THEREOF IN HOMELESSNESS.
WHAT YOU KNOW, WHAT SHOULD BE OUR NORTH STAR ON AS FAR AS OBTAINING MORE HOUSING YOU KNOW, ON THE LOWER AMI CATEGORIES, MIDDLE HIGHER AMI CATEGORIES TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR MISSION? I MEAN, ULTIMATELY, WE AS I SAID, WE CAN'T TURN OFF THE TAP INTO HOMELESSNESS UNTIL WE SOLVE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS.
IT'S ALL TIED IN. YEAH. AND SO, I MEAN, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF PEOPLE'S INCOMES BEING ABLE TO COVER THE COST OF RENT, WHICH IS NOT THE CASE FOR MANY PEOPLE. I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT EXTREMELY LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS, THERE'S MAYBE 19 RENTAL UNITS THAT ARE AFFORDABLE FOR EVERY 100 HOUSEHOLDS IN THAT CATEGORY.
GOT IT. AND JUST CONTINUING TO BE DATA DRIVEN IN OUR APPROACH I THINK IS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
ABSOLUTELY. SO YOU YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR PRESENTATION THAT YOU HAVE HOUSING.
FORD HAS A HAS NOW EFFECTIVELY ENDED UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS DOWNTOWN, WHICH IS GREAT.
AND THAT MEANS THAT ANYBODY FOUND LIVING OR SLEEPING ON THE STREETS CAN BE HOUSED IN 90 DAYS.
RIGHT? YES. IT MEANS THAT RIGHT NOW WE THE IT'S ACTUALLY WHEN WE SEE SOMEONE, THEY WILL IMMEDIATELY BE TRANSPORTED TO SHELTER AND THEN WE WANT THEM HOUSED. YES, WITHIN 90 DAYS WE WANT THEM IMMEDIATELY HOUSED.
[00:35:03]
IS IT CORRECT THAT ONLY A HANDFUL OF CITIES HAVE ACTUALLY ACHIEVED THIS DESIGNATION FOR THEIR DOWNTOWNS? YEAH. I MEAN, I THINK WHAT IS MOST UNIQUE IS THAT WHAT WHAT DOWNTOWN DEMONSTRATES THAT I THINK IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT IS WE CAN ANSWER THE CALLS FROM OUR COMMUNITY TO BETTER MANAGE OUR PUBLIC SPACES AND HAVE A COMPASSIONATE AND HUMANE RESPONSE TO HOMELESSNESS. WE DON'T HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN BOTH OF THOSE THINGS.WHEN WE PAIR THOSE THINGS TOGETHER, WE CAN ACTIVELY MANAGE OUR PUBLIC SPACES AND REVITALIZE THOSE PUBLIC SPACES, WHILE ALSO PROVIDING RESPONSES TO HOMELESSNESS THAT END HOMELESSNESS FOR THE INDIVIDUALS OUTSIDE.
AND IT'S THE MARRYING OF THOSE TWO THINGS THAT'S VERY UNIQUE RIGHT NOW.
GOT IT. WELL, HOW CAN WE HELP YOU AS A COUNCIL? SO I THINK OBVIOUSLY WE WANT YOUR INSIGHTS AS WE CONTINUE TO PLAN THE NEXT PHASE OF STREET TO HOME, AND WE'RE GOING TO NEED ONGOING RESOURCES. THAT IS NOT JUST THE CITY OF DALLAS REQUEST, THOUGH, THAT THIS IS A REGIONAL RESPONSE WHICH REQUIRES REGIONAL INVESTMENT.
AND SO WE'LL BE WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS, WITH THE COUNTY AND OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE CONTINUUM OF CARE TO BUILD OUT A PLAN THAT THAT ALLOWS US TO BUILD A SYSTEM THAT CAN MANAGE THAT ANNUAL INFLOW THAT I TALKED ABOUT EACH YEAR, SO. CHAIR GRACEY. THANK YOU. YOU ALL PRETTY MUCH ASKED A MAJORITY OF MY QUESTIONS.
SO I'M NOT GOING TO BELABOR THIS, BUT I DO WANT TO, I GUESS, ASK THIS IN THE FORM OF A QUESTION AND SUGGESTION, I SUPPOSE. BUT AS WE START TRANSITIONING AND LOOKING INTO THE OTHER GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS.
AND I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER PRESENTATION.
AND IN OTHER CASES THEY ARE FOUND SLEEPING IN PEOPLE'S BACKYARDS.
IN SITUATIONS LIKE THAT. AND I KNOW THIS IS COMING UP, BUT IN SITUATIONS LIKE THAT, HOW WOULD ALL OF THIS FACTOR IN, AND IS THERE A PLAN FOR PULLING ONE OFFS IN SITUATIONS WHERE THEY'RE LITERALLY FOUND IN BACKYARDS SLEEPING? ARE THERE ONE OFFS FOR RESPONDING TO TO THOSE TYPE OF SITUATIONS EVEN AS WE TRANSITION YOU KNOW, THE STREET TO HOME PHASE? SO I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SAY THAT THAT IS COMING UP IN THE NEXT PRESENTATION.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS HELPING THIS ALL WORK TOGETHER SO BEAUTIFULLY IS SARAH SAID, IS THAT NOW THAT THAT WE AS A CITY HAVE REALLY MOVED INTO JUST THE CLOSURE MAINTENANCE PIECE FOR BOOTS ON THE GROUND.
AND SO AS WE ARE MADE AWARE OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS AS THE CITY AND GOING IN TO TREAT THE IMMEDIATE BOOTS ON THE GROUND PROBLEM OR ISSUE, THEN THEY'RE CALLING IN STREET OUTREACH TO MEET THAT NEED.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THAT'S IT, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU. CHAIR MENDELSOHN. WELL, I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHERE TO START, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I'M HEARING A REPORT ABOUT SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T AT ALL MATCH THE REALITY OF WHAT I SEE AND KNOW.
AND I THINK IT FURTHER ERODES TRUST IN GOVERNMENT.
WHEN WE HAVE THESE KINDS OF BRIEFINGS AND WE SAY THINGS LIKE, THINGS ARE WORKING SO BEAUTIFULLY REGARDING HOMELESSNESS, WHEN IT IS CONSISTENTLY THE NUMBER ONE PROBLEM THAT OUR RESIDENTS IDENTIFY.
I PERSONALLY AM TAKING PHOTOS ALMOST EVERY DAY SENDING THEM TO MANAGEMENT, INCLUDING DOWNTOWN SLEEPING THAT YOU NOW SAY YOU HAVE SOMEHOW OUTRAGEOUSLY DECLARING AN END TO STREET HOMELESSNESS DOWNTOWN, BUT THERE'S LITERALLY TENTS.
SO I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHERE TO START. I DON'T THINK IT'S WORKING BEAUTIFULLY.
THERE'S THIS DECLARATION OF A REDUCTION IN HOMELESSNESS, BUT ALSO A CHERRY PICKING OF WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO COMPARE IT TO IF WE LOOK AT 2012 HOMELESSNESS 3,447, 2013 2,972, 2014 03,314, 2015 3,141. SO WHEN WE SAY THAT WE'RE AT 3,541 IT'S BECAUSE OF ALL THESE GREAT INITIATIVES. I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T THINK SO. I THINK WE JUST KIND OF GOT BACK TO WHERE WE WERE BEFORE COVID, MAYBE.
SO THIS IS A PROBLEMATIC REPORT TO ME. WHAT WE'RE DOING IS NOT WORKING.
[00:40:08]
ADDRESSING DOWNTOWN IS GREAT. THERE'S A HUGE PROBLEM THAT WAS DOWNTOWN.BUT GUESS WHAT? YOU'VE PUSHED ALL THE PEOPLE INTO OTHER DISTRICTS.
I CAN GO BY FRANKFORT AND THE TOLLWAY ANYTIME, ANY DAY.
AND THERE ARE PEOPLE THERE. I CAN DRIVE BY COIT AND LBJ ANYTIME, ANY DAY.
AND AS MUCH AS ANYONE AROUND THIS HORSESHOE WANTS TO SAY IT'S NOT THERE.
I CAN PUT THE PICTURES UP ON TWITTER AGAIN RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT IS.
AND SO THIS IS AGAIN REALLY PROBLEMATIC. I GUESS WE'RE GOING TO CLEAN UP DOWNTOWN FOR FIFA.
SO HAS THE POINT IN TIME COUNT ACTUALLY BEEN PUBLISHED? THE REPORT? SO WE HAVE PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS.
IT SHOULD BE OUT, I BELIEVE, THE END OF THIS WEEK OR NEXT WEEK.
IT'S NOT ON YOUR WEBSITE. SO ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE METHODOLOGY ABOUT THE THE DEEPER DIVE ON THE DATA? WE'VE SEEN CHERRY PICKED FACTS. AND SO I AGAIN, DON'T THINK THIS BRIEFING SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED UNTIL THE REPORT WAS RELEASED.
CHAIR, I THINK THERE'S DATA WE'RE MISSING, AND I THINK YOU ALLUDED TO THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A MONTHLY REPORT ABOUT THE ACTIVITY THAT'S HAPPENING IN HMIS.
SPECIFICALLY, HOW MANY ACTIVE CLIENTS ARE IN HMIS, MEANING A REPORT ON GENDER, AGE GROUPS, THEIR LENGTH OF HOMELESSNESS, THE NUMBER OF TIMES THEY'VE BEEN HOMELESS, IF THEY EXITED CPS, IF THEY EXITED THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, WHAT THEIR FAMILY STATUS IS, WE SHOULD JUST BE GETTING THIS AS REGULAR INFORMATION FROM THE HMIS AND THEN ASKING OUR DEPARTMENT TO MAKE THE CALLS FOR ANYBODY THAT DOESN'T PARTICIPATE IN HMIS, SO WE CAN ADD THAT SHELTER DATA IN. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A REAL UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AS FAR AS THE DATA.
THE PAGE TEN SLIDE YOU HAVE, SARAH, THE INFLOWS.
IS THAT ONLY THROUGH HMIS. SO THIS IS THE MAJORITY WOULD BE HMIS.
YEAH. YEAH. THIS IS LIKE THE NUMBER OF NEW PEOPLE WHO ARE FLOWING IN.
AND THEN WE, I BELIEVE WE WOULD DO ESTIMATES ON ANYONE WHO WE DON'T THINK WE'RE GETTING BASED ON OUR STREET HOMELESSNESS DATA AND THEN FACTORING IN LIKE A PERCENTAGE INCREASE OF FOLKS THAT WE IMAGINE WOULDN'T BE IN HMIS WHO ARE LIVING ON THE STREETS AND WHAT SHELTERS TODAY ARE NOT PARTICIPATING IN HMIS. SO I BELIEVE THE ONLY LARGE SHELTER THAT IS NOT PARTICIPATING IN HMIS WOULD BE UGM BUT I CAN CERTAINLY GET THAT REPORT FOR YOU. THERE ARE SOME TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROVIDERS THAT ARE NOT IN HMIS AS WELL.
THAT'S REALLY WHY THE POINT IN TIME COUNT IS IMPORTANT, BECAUSE WE ACCESS INFORMATION FROM ALL OF THOSE SHELTERS TO GET A POINT IN TIME COUNT. SO WHICH OTHER SHELTERS THAT ARE TRANSITIONAL IN NATURE ARE YOU NOT INCLUDING IN ARE NOT INCLUDED IN HMIS? WE CAN CERTAINLY GET THAT TO YOU, THAT INFORMATION TO YOU.
THANK YOU. THE THE NEXT THING I'M GOING TO SAY IS THAT THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF TIMES THAT WE'VE HAD CITY STAFF SAY THAT THEY'RE DOING OUTREACH, BUT THE PERSON WAS NOT IN HMIS.
AND I WILL SAY CHAIR MORENO, I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE A POLICY THAT IF A CITY OF DALLAS EMPLOYEE IS DOING OUTREACH OR A CITY OF DALLAS FUNDED PERSON IS DOING OUTREACH, EVEN IF THEY CAN ONLY IDENTIFY THE PERSON'S GENDER AND LOCATION, WE NEED TO START BUILDING A RECORD OF WHO WE ARE TALKING TO.
[00:45:04]
THAT ARE NOT BEING IDENTIFIED. AND TO MR. GRACEY'S POINT ALL THROUGH THE CREEKS IN DISTRICT 12, THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE. DISTRICT 11, SAME THING.AND I'LL BET YOU THEY'RE NOT IN THAT SYSTEM. AND SO RIGHT NOW I WILL JUST SAY WE HAVE ONE THE VAST THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR OUTREACH PROVIDERS ARE ON HMIS. AND SO WE BELIEVE THERE ARE MANY, MANY MORE PEOPLE THAN PREVIOUSLY WERE IN HMIS NOW THAT WE'VE ROLLED OUT THE COORDINATED OUTREACH SYSTEM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY, ALL OF ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF BEING A COORDINATED OUTREACH TEAM MEMBER IS THAT YOU WILL BE ENGAGING PEOPLE AND PUTTING THEM INTO HMIS.
SO WE BELIEVE THAT THAT WE'VE STARTED TO RESOLVE THAT ISSUE.
BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, WE STILL HAVE ONE LARGE OUTREACH PROVIDER WHO IS NOT USING HMIS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, AS NEW PEOPLE COME INTO THE SYSTEM, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE'S IN THERE. OKAY.
WELL, THE THING THAT YOU SAID THAT I GOT TO TELL YOU THAT I OBJECT TO MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE IS TO SAY THAT YOU'RE AT THE POINT WHERE YOU'RE JUST MANAGING SPACES AND YOU CAN END HOMELESSNESS AND NOT MOVE PEOPLE PLACE TO PLACE.
AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, PEOPLE ARE MOVING PLACE TO PLACE AND THEY'RE NOT ENDING HOMELESSNESS BECAUSE I CAN IDENTIFY THE SAME PEOPLE, THE SAME THE SAME WOMAN WHO USED TO BE AT COIT AND AND FRANKFURT IS NOW OVER ON ARAPAHOE.
I MEAN, LIKE THE SAME EXACT PEOPLE ARE STILL THERE.
THAT'S NOT TRUE. AND SO I DON'T I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN SO BLATANTLY HAVE THIS KIND OF REPORT.
I THINK WHAT CHAIR MORENO WAS ASKING ABOUT INCLEMENT WEATHER IS THAT WE HEARD REPORTS OF A DAILY COUNT OF OVER 900 PEOPLE BEING SERVED IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, A DAILY. SO IT'S NOT DUPLICATED.
AND THAT'S YOUR REAL STREET HOMELESS NUMBER. AND THAT'S JUST THE ONES DOWNTOWN THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE ONES THAT DIDN'T COME DEFINITELY FROM MY AREA AND OTHERS THAT ARE FARTHER FROM DOWNTOWN. SO I THINK THIS IS A VERY PROBLEMATIC REPORT.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE STREET HOMELESS PROGRAM.
I'D REALLY LIKE TO ACTUALLY HAVE DANIEL ANSWER THE QUESTION, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
YES. DANIEL, YOU COME DOWN. HE'S COMING DOWN.
THANK YOU. AND, CHAIR MIDDLETON, IF YOU'LL REPEAT THE QUESTION JUST TO MAKE SURE HE GOT IT.
YEAH. I HAVEN'T ASKED IT YET. SO HI, DANIEL. TRADITIONALLY, THERE'S A PATH FOR PEOPLE WHO ENTER SHELTER, AND THERE'S AN INCENTIVE THAT IF YOU WORK WITH US AND YOU STABILIZE YOUR LIFE, YOU WILL END UP WITH A VOUCHER AND GET AN APARTMENT.
WOULD YOU SAY THAT'S TRUE? JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE I FOLLOW YOU HERE.
THAT IF YOU END UP ENGAGED WITH OUTREACH, YOU'LL END UP WITH A VOUCHER, WAS THAT YOUR.
YEAH THE GOAL IS TO GET YOU PERMANENTLY, PERMANENTLY HOUSED. AND MANY TIMES YES, THAT'S VOUCHERS, SOMETIMES OTHER INTERVENTIONS. BUT YES, PERMANENTLY HOUSED IS ALWAYS THE GOAL.
SO OF THE PEOPLE WHO YOU HAVE IN SHELTER RIGHT NOW, HOW MANY VOUCHERS DO YOU HAVE FOR THEM.
OH MY GOSH. YEAH. WE ARE VERY WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF VOUCHERS.
SO MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE IN SHELTER ARE NOT CURRENTLY WITH A VOUCHER.
SO THE PROBLEM WITH THE STREET TO HOME PROGRAM IS THAT YOU'RE LOSING VOUCHERS THAT WENT TO SHELTERS TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO STABILIZE AND TRULY END THEIR HOMELESSNESS. AND YOU'RE JUST GETTING THEM OFF THE STREET BECAUSE YOU WANT TO HAVE THAT THAT LOOK OF DOWNTOWN NOT HAVING HOMELESSNESS.
AND WE'RE TAKING PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT STABILIZED AND WE'RE STICKING THEM IN APARTMENTS, AND THEY ARE NOT AS SUCCESSFUL AS SOMEBODY WHO HAS GONE THROUGH ALL OF THE THE WONDERFUL SERVICES THAT AUSTIN STREET AND MANY OTHER SHELTERS OFFER.
I'M NOT SURE WE'RE GIVING THE VOUCHERS TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE.
JUST TO CLARIFY, THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE BEING SERVED BY THE SYSTEM AND STREET TO HOME ARE BEING SERVED OUT OF SHELTERS AND OTHER LOCATIONS ACROSS THE CITY. IT'S A, YOU KNOW, TO THE DOWNTOWN EFFORT HOUSED 257 PEOPLE.
[00:50:03]
BUT THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM TO KEEP UP WITH DEMAND IS HOUSING, ON AVERAGE, YOU KNOW, 300 PEOPLE A MONTH. SO THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM OTHER PLACES.IT'S JUST THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE TO HOUSE, AND WE DO NEED A LOT MORE HOUSING RESOURCES TO GET MOVEMENT. WELL, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS FOR MULTIPLE YEARS WHERE IF YOU'RE TAKING PEOPLE DIRECTLY FROM THE STREET AND PUTTING THEM INTO THE HOUSING, YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. PEOPLE LEAVE THE SHELTER AND THEY GO CAMP OUT ON THE STREET, AND THEN YOU GET A VOUCHER MUCH FASTER THAN IF YOU GO THROUGH THE PROGRAM.
SO LIKE CURRENTLY 75 TO 85% OF OUR FOLKS. SO AUSTIN STREET, I PROBABLY SHOULD START WITH THIS IS BOTH THE LARGEST EMERGENCY SHELTER AS WELL AS THE LARGEST TO MY KNOWLEDGE, I COULD BE OFF BY 1 OR 2, BUT RAPID REHOUSING PROVIDER IN DALLAS AND OUR CURRENT POSITIVE EXIT FROM RAPID REHOUSING ARE APPROXIMATELY 75 TO 85%. SO THAT'S THAT'S THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE THAT WHEN THEY LEAVE RAPID REHOUSING, THEY LEAVE TO A PERMANENT DESTINATION. SO NOW THE QUESTION THEN BECOMES, WELL, HOW LONG ARE YOU TRACKING? RIGHT. IS IT IS IT, YOU KNOW, TWO YEARS, THREE YEARS, EIGHT YEARS.
YOU KNOW, HOW LONG BEFORE WE CONSIDER A NEW HOMELESS NUMBER TO COUNT BUT.
RIGHT. SO IT'S JUST LIKE. SO AS SOON AS IT'S NOT FREE, THEY'RE NOT COUNTED ANYMORE.
SO YEAH, YOU'RE SUCCESSFUL WHILE WE PAY YOUR RENT.
AND THAT IS EXACTLY THE DESIGN OF THE PROGRAM THAT LEADS TO FALSE OUTCOMES.
AND THE REAL QUESTION IS HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT GO INTO RAPID REHOUSING COME BACK INTO HMIS? AND WE HAVE THAT DATA, THAT VERIFY DATA. WE HAVE THAT DATA PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ON OUR ON OUR WEBSITE.
AND THE PUBLIC INFORMATION TRACKS FROM THE POINT IN TIME WHERE THE PERSON HAS STOPPED RECEIVING RENTAL ASSISTANCE WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE RETURNING INTO THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM IN HMIS.
AND THE LATEST ACROSS THE BOARD, I THINK, IS 9% OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HOUSED SINCE 2021 HAVE RETURNED TO HOMELESSNESS, AND WE'RE ACTUALLY OVER AND I'M SORRY THAT'S RETURNED HOMELESSNESS WITHIN OUR SYSTEM.
YOU'RE RIGHT. WHICH IS WHY WE NEED A STATEWIDE DATABASE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MY QUESTIONS. CHAIR MIDDLETON.
WHAT WAS THAT? I JUST SAID I WAS FINISHED WITH MY QUESTIONS.
OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. SO WITH STREET TO HOME, WE HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE.
AND SO I APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN FOCUSED IN THE CBD.
UNFORTUNATELY, THOUGH, I STILL DO SEE INDIVIDUALS.
AND I KNOW THAT'S NOT THE MESSAGING THAT YOU WON'T SEE PEOPLE SLEEPING DOWNTOWN, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO MAINTAINING AN EFFECTIVE END TO DOWNTOWN, HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHO DECLARES THAT? IS THAT A NATIONAL STANDARD? WHAT ARE THE MEASUREMENTS? WHAT ARE THE METRICS WHEN WHEN WE'RE SAYING AN EFFECTIVE END TO HOMELESSNESS DOWNTOWN? WE'RE SAYING THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO HAVING NO ONE SLEEPING OR LIVING IN DOWNTOWN.
AND SO WE THE SHIFT THAT WE MADE IS TARGETING A GEOGRAPHIC AREA USING THOSE THREE STRATEGIES THAT I THAT I TALKED ABOUT TO ENSURE THAT AS NEW PEOPLE, WE'VE HOUSED EVERYBODY OR MOVED PEOPLE ONTO HIGHER LEVELS OF CARE IN THE AREA.
AND IDEALLY, WE WANT TO GET THOSE PEOPLE INTO SHELTER AND HOUSING.
AND SO THE THIRD LEG OF THE STOOL THEN, IS WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE GETTING HOUSED OUT OF THE BRIDGE IN AUSTIN STREET AT A PACE THAT MEANS WE CAN ALWAYS BRING PEOPLE INSIDE. AND THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE A BED AVAILABLE, BUT THAT PEOPLE ARE ALSO MORE WILLING TO SAY YES TO SHELTER WHEN THEY KNOW THAT THAT'S THE PLACE THAT YOU GET HOUSED. THANK YOU. THIS IS FOR OUR CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
EXTRACTING ANY PERSONAL INFORMATION. ARE YOU RECEIVING THE MESSAGE, OR DO WE NEED TO SEND A MEMO REQUESTING THAT INFORMATION? CHAIR THANK YOU, I GOT IT. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM?
[00:55:03]
OKAY. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.AND BEFORE WE MOVE TO ITEM B DOES ITEM C REQUIRE AN ACTION? CHRISTINE, DOES ITEM C REQUIRE AN ACTION? NO CHAIR ITEM C DOES NOT REQUIRE AN ACTION. OKAY.
THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE BEFORE WE WENT ON TO ITEM C.
ALL RIGHT, KEVIN, GO AHEAD. GOOD MORNING, HONORABLE CHAIR MEMBERS AND MADAM CITY MANAGER.
I'M JOINED TODAY BY MY LEADERSHIP TEAM FOR THE DALLAS STREET RESPONSE PROGRAM.
OUR MANAGER OF THE PROGRAM, AS WELL AS THE CITY ACTION STRIKE TEAM, MR. ANDREW ROLLO, OUR FIELD OPERATIONS MANAGER, MR. BARRY DYSON, AND THEN OUR CLOSURE MAINTENANCE MANAGER, MISS LISA RAND.
AND WE'RE HERE TO WALK THE BODY THROUGH A STRATEGY OF HOW WE'RE IMPLEMENTING CITYWIDE THAT REFLECTS BOTH COUNCIL DIRECTION AS WELL AS COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS. AND THAT IS AT THE HEART OF THE DALLAS STREET RESPONSE.
THIS IS A REALIGNMENT THAT IS NOT ENTIRELY THEORETICAL.
MUCH OF WHAT I'M GOING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IS OPERATIONAL.
AND OVER THE LAST 60 DAYS, WE'VE BUILT A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF CAPACITY AND CAPABILITY.
WHAT I WOULD ASK THE BODY TO, TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS PRESENTATION ARE JUST THREE VERY SIMPLE THINGS, ABOVE AND BEYOND ANYTHING ELSE I'M GOING TO SAY IN THE PRESENTATION.
SECONDLY, WE HAVE A STRATEGY THAT HAS THREE DISTINCT PRONGS TO IT THAT WE'RE EXCITED TO CONTINUE BUILDING AROUND AND GETTING BETTER AT IMPLEMENTING THAT FULL STRATEGY DAY BY DAY.
AND THEN FINALLY, I WANT TO GIVE CREDIT TO THIS TEAM AS WELL AS MY ENTIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND THIS TEAM THAT HAS COME IN TO MY DEPARTMENT HAS REALLY EMBRACED THAT CULTURE.
AND WE COULDN'T BE PROUDER OF THE START THAT WE'VE HAD.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL START ON SLIDE TWO OF THE PRESENTATION OVERVIEW.
SO THIS PRESENTATION IS BROKEN DOWN INTO MULTIPLE PARTS.
AS YOU SEE ON THE SLIDE THERE IS A PURPOSE, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, AN OVERVIEW OF THE REALIGNMENT.
I'LL CLOSE THE PRESENTATION WITH WHERE WE ARE IN THE TIMELINE AND WHAT'S NEXT.
MY GOAL IS TO GIVE THIS BODY THE CONFIDENCE THAT THIS TEAM IS BUILT TO DELIVER.
NEXT SLIDE. AT ITS CORE, THE DALLAS STREET RESPONSE PROGRAM IS ABOUT MAKING OUR SERVICES FASTER, MORE COORDINATED AND MORE RESPONSIVE TO COMMUNITY NEEDS.
THIS IS ABOUT BUILDING TRUST WITH THE COUNCIL, WITH RESIDENTS AND WITH STAKEHOLDERS, AS WELL AS THOSE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN OUR CITY. WE'VE REALLY WORKED TO REIMAGINE HOW WE WORK IN THE FIELD SO THAT WE'RE NOT BEING REACTIVE, BUT RATHER WE'RE RESOLVING ISSUES THAT WE COME ACROSS OR ARE REPORTED TO US.
NEXT SLIDE. THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE DALLAS STREET RESPONSE ARE BUILT AROUND FOUR PILLARS.
AND FOURTH, AND PROBABLY MOST CRITICAL TO US IS STRONG PARTNERSHIPS.
TOGETHER, THESE FOUR STRATEGIES ELEVATE HOW WE MANAGE PUBLIC SPACES WHILE IMPROVING HEALTH AND SAFETY OUTCOMES FOR BOTH INDIVIDUALS AS WELL AS OUR RESIDENTS AND THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. NEXT SLIDE. WHAT THIS MEANS IN PRACTICE IS MAINTAINING SAFE AND ORDERLY PUBLIC SPACES THROUGH COORDINATED FIELD WORK, CONSISTENT PRESENCE AND COLLABORATION ACROSS DEPARTMENTS.
[01:00:04]
OFF THE STREETS AND INTO OTHER SERVICES THAT CAN HELP THEM.NEXT SLIDE. WITH THIS REALIGNMENT, THERE ARE MULTIPLE DEPARTMENT ROLES LAID OUT.
SO FIRST IS THE OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS.
SECONDLY IS MY DEPARTMENT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND CRISIS RESPONSE.
AND THEN THIRD IS OUR CONTINUUM OF CARE LEAD AGENCY HOUSING FORWARD.
STARTING ON THE LEFT, THE OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON POLICY, LONG TERM HOUSING STRATEGIES, CONTRACTS AND COMPLIANCE. THE OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS WILL ALSO CONTINUE LEADING COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND EDUCATION EFFORTS THAT ENSURE THAT SYSTEMATIC SOLUTIONS STAY FRONT AND CENTER. IN THE CENTER IS EMCR MY DEPARTMENT, AND WE NOW MANAGE THE OPERATIONAL ARM OF THIS WORK.
HOUSING FORWARD IS REALLY THE BACKBONE OF OUR HOUSING RESPONSE, AND THEY WORK CLOSELY WITH MY TEAM AND DALLAS STREET RESPONSE TO CONNECT UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS TO CARE. THEY ARE ALSO GUIDING FURTHER ACCESS TO MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PATHWAYS FOR THOSE WITH COMPLEX NEEDS.
AND TOGETHER, THIS DIVISION OF LABOR ENSURES THAT WE'RE NOT DUPLICATING WORK.
INSTEAD, WE'RE REALLY ALIGNING OUR ROLES AROUND WHERE WE CAN ALL BEST BE POSITIONED TO DELIVER.
NEXT SLIDE. THE REALIGNMENT OVERVIEW IS WHERE WE HAVE TRANSITIONED THE STREET OUTREACH TEAM FROM THE OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS TO MY DEPARTMENT AGAIN, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND CRISIS RESPONSE TO CENTRALIZE FIELD OPERATIONS UNDER ONE DEPARTMENT.
THIS INCLUDES 23 STAFF IN THE FULL BUDGETARY SUPPORT TO MAKE THIS FUNCTIONAL FROM DAY ONE.
AND THE REALIGNMENT IS ABOUT CLARITY OF MISSION AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND DELIVERY.
AND THE APPROVAL OF THIS REALIGNMENT IS ON YOUR AGENDA TOMORROW FOR FULL COUNCIL CONSIDERATION.
NEXT SLIDE. THIS CHART SHOWS HOW THE TEAM IS STRUCTURED.
MR. ROLLO AT THE END LEADS THE PROGRAM. MISS RAND AND MR. DYSON MANAGE THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS. AROUND THEM ARE A CORE OF DEPARTMENTS THAT RESPOND IN THE FIELD, AND THE KEY PARTNERS WE RELY ON FOR OUTREACH SERVICES AND CLEANUP.
ALL OF THIS IS NOT THEORETICAL WORK. THIS IS THE TEAM THAT'S DOING THE WORK TODAY.
EACH DEPARTMENT SUPPORTING THE DALLAS STREET RESPONSE HAS A CLEARLY DEFINED ROLE, FROM THE MARSHALS AND DALLAS POLICE, PROVIDING ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT TO TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS, HANDLING, CLEANING AND SUPPORTING US ON FENCING AND DATA ANALYTICS, ENSURING THAT WE ARE PERFORMANCE AND EVIDENCE BASED DRIVEN.
NEXT SLIDE. EVERY 311 REQUEST RELATED TO ENCAMPMENTS IS ROUTED THROUGH OUR STRUCTURED PROCESS.
AND I WANT TO WALK YOU THROUGH OVER THE NEXT TWO SLIDES HOW WE'RE ENHANCING THAT PROCESS.
FROM THERE, THE SITE IS EITHER HANDLED THROUGH ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH, ESCALATED TO HOTSPOT STATUS, OR MOVE TOWARDS CLOSURE MAINTENANCE. THIS ALLOWS US TO MATCH RESPONSE TYPE TO SITE CONDITIONS.
AND WE BELIEVE THAT THAT ASSESSMENT AND PRIORITIZATION OF 311 S WILL KIND OF BREAK THE CYCLE THAT WE SEE TODAY WHERE IT'S A FIRST IN AND FIRST OUT MODEL. BY REDESIGNING THE DATA WE GET ON 311, WE CAN FURTHER PRIORITIZE AND GET TO THOSE ENCAMPMENTS.
THAT MAY BE CAUSING THAT MAY CREATE THE MOST RISK FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE START WITH THE INITIAL INTERVENTION, WHERE PARTNER OUTREACH TEAMS MEET INDIVIDUALS WHERE THEY ARE, ASSESS THEIR NEEDS, OFFER SERVICES AND DOCUMENT THE ENGAGEMENT.
IF THERE'S STILL NO VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE, CLOSURE NOTICES ARE ISSUED.
THESE ARE POSTED VISIBLY WITH REMINDERS TO COLLECT BELONGINGS AND SEEK SUPPORT.
THIS IS ABOUT BALANCING BOTH COMPLIANCE AND COMPASSION.
[01:05:04]
AFTER THE NOTICE PERIOD, WE MOVE FROM COMPLIANCE TO CLEANUP.IT IS IMPORTANT TO SAY THAT ENFORCEMENT IS A LAST RESORT AND IS USED IF SAFETY DEMANDS IT.
AT THIS POINT, STAFF AND CONTRACTORS CLEAR THE SITE, OFFER FINAL SERVICES AND DOCUMENT EVERYTHING.
AND THEN WE GO BACK. IN POST CLEANUP MONITORING.
OUR TEAM CHECKS THE SITE REGULARLY, REGULARLY TO PREVENT ENCAMPMENT, AND OUR PRESENCE WE FIND, IS THE KEY TO LONG TERM SUCCESS. AND THEN FINALLY, WE CLOSE THE LOOP WITH LONG TERM FINAL DOCUMENTATION.
EVERY CLEARANCE IS LOGGED IN 311, WE REPORT HOW MANY VISITS WERE MADE, WHAT SERVICES WERE OFFERED, AND WHETHER THE SITE STAYS CLEAR. ONE DATA POINT I WANT TO GIVE THIS BODY IS THAT OUR VOLUME OF 311 REQUEST HAS GONE UP DRASTICALLY SINCE COVID. SO OR RIGHT AFTER COVID, THE 2021 TIME FRAME, WE WERE AVERAGING OR SEEING ABOUT 8,000 SRS RELATED TO HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT. THIS PAST YEAR WE SAW OVER 11,000.
SO THERE'S BEEN ABOUT A 45% INCREASE IN THIS SERVICE REQUEST TYPE.
NEXT SLIDE. I'M EXCITED TO INTRODUCE TO THIS BODY HOTSPOT OPERATIONS.
THESE ARE SHORT TERM INTENSIVE RESPONSES TO HIGH NEED AREAS.
AND THE GOAL FOR HOTSPOTS IS NOT JUST ENFORCEMENT.
IT'S STABILIZATION. OUTREACH AND SERVICES COME FIRST AND ENFORCEMENT IS USED WHEN NECESSARY.
HERE'S A LIVE EXAMPLE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE MAP OF COTTONWOOD PARK.
IN THIS AREA, WE'VE USED THE HOTSPOT MODEL TO BREAK PATTERNS OF RETURN.
WE'VE SEEN IMPROVED COMPLIANCE, CLEANER STREETS, AND A DROP IN CALLS FOR SERVICE.
AND THIS IS THE MODEL WORKING THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO.
SO AS AN EXAMPLE, WITH SOME OF THE WORK WE'VE DONE AND THAT CONTINUES IN THAT AREA THERE WERE THREE DISTINCT ZONES, EACH ZONE REQUIRING DIFFERENT INTERVENTIONS IN ORDER TO GET TO THE END STATE.
WE ARE COMPLETELY TIED TO UTILIZING OBJECTIVE MEASURES TO IDENTIFY THOSE HOTSPOTS AND GETTING TO THOSE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND WORKING THEM THROUGH A MULTI-DISCIPLINE APPROACH, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE PLACES THAT MAGNETIZE BEHAVIORS HAVE TO BE BROKEN AND MANY TIMES, THAT INVOLVES MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS AND MULTIPLE INTERVENTIONS.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. CLOSURE MAINTENANCE IS HOW WE KEEP ENCAMPMENTS FROM COMING BACK.
SO WE REGULARLY, REGULARLY PATROL HIGH RISK SITES CONTINUE TO OFFER ACCESS TO DAY SHELTER, AND AGAIN, ENFORCEMENT IS ONLY USED WHEN NEEDED BASED ON INDIVIDUAL NEEDS AND DISCRETION.
IT'S ABOUT SUSTAINING THE GAINS THAT ARE MADE AND MAINTAINING TRUST BOTH WITH NEARBY RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES AND THE COMMUNITY. AND THIS IS ONLY A VIABLE SOLUTION, I FEEL, DUE TO OUR PARTNERS AT HOUSING FORWARD ENSURING ACCESS TO HOUSING PLACEMENTS FOR ALL PERSONS ON THE FRONT END. DOWNTOWN DALLAS THAT YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT, THIS WAS PART OF PHASE ONE OF THE CLOSURE.
I DO WANT TO SAY THIS ON CLOSURE MAINTENANCE.
THIS IS A EVOLVING PROCESS, AND THE NUMBER ONE LESSON I'VE LEARNED IS IN THIS WORK IS THAT AS SOON AS WE PUT A PLAN ON PAPER, WE'RE ALREADY LOOKING AT WHAT ARE THE TWEAKS WE NEED TO MAKE.
BUT WE'RE STICKING TO THE STRATEGY AND WE'RE ADHERING TO THE CORE VALUES OF THE CLOSURE MAINTENANCE.
AND SINCE WE'VE WORKED DOWNTOWN, I CAN THINK OF THREE DIFFERENT OPERATIONAL CHANGES AND ENHANCEMENTS WE'VE MADE TO THE CLOSURE, INCLUDING ONE THAT STARTED THIS PAST WEEKEND, ONE THAT STARTED THIS MORNING.
AND I'M SURE THERE'S MANY MORE THAT WILL COME.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE PUT RESOURCES IN PLACE IN THAT AREA.
THEY'RE DOING OUTREACH AND ENSURING COMPLIANCE WITH THE PLAN.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. WE'RE TRACKING OUR OUTCOMES WEEKLY.
AND THAT INCLUDES HOW FAST WE RESPOND TO HIGH PRIORITY REQUESTS.
I'VE MENTIONED THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S VERY CRITICAL TO THE TEAM IS THAT WE REALLY PUT PRIORITIZATION BEHIND OUR 311 SO WE CAN HIT THOSE IN, IN THAT TYPE OF OF SYSTEM. HOW LONG ENCAMPMENTS STAY CLOSED, HOW MANY SERVICE OFFERS ARE MADE.
IN OUR TARGETS I FEEL, ARE VERY AMBITIOUS, 90% OF HIGH PRIORITY 311S RESPONDED TO WITHIN 24 HOURS,
[01:10:04]
80% OF OUR HOTSPOTS STAYING CLEAR FOR 30 DAYS.IF THERE'S ONE THING THAT THIS TEAM AND I WE PREACH IS THAT WE'RE NOT ABOUT ACCEPTING COMPLACENCY, WE'RE MEASURING AND REALLY COMPETING WITH OURSELVES ON HOW WE TRACK AND MEASURE ACCOUNTABILITY AND PERFORMANCE.
NEXT SLIDE. AND OUR OUTREACH IS NOT JUST CITY LED.
YOU'VE SEEN YOU SAW THIS IN THE LAST PRESENTATION. WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH HOUSING FORWARD, AS WELL AS THE ALL NEIGHBORS COALITION AND OTHER PARTNERS TO ALIGN MESSAGING SERVICES AND EXPECTATIONS.
THE OVERARCHING GOAL HERE IS TO HAVE A PERSON CENTERED APPROACH THAT RESPECTS INDIVIDUALS WHILE ALSO HAVING A FOCUS ON PROTECTING THE VITALITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE WITHIN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. AND THE LAST SLIDE.
SO OUR IMPLEMENTATION AGAIN IS ACTIVE. THE DALLAS STREET RESPONSE TEAM IS IN PLACE, FIELD OPERATIONS ARE UNDERWAY, AND WE'RE ALREADY TRACKING PROGRESS. YOU'LL BEGIN SEEING THE FIRST ACCOUNTABILITY REPORTS IN THIS QUARTER.
AND IN CLOSING, I'LL JUST SAY WE'RE NOT WAITING FOR RESULTS.
WE'RE EXERTING ALL EFFORT TO DELIVER THEM. I'M HONORED TO BE A PART OF THIS TEAM AND TRULY THE SPECIAL INDIVIDUALS THAT WE'VE BROUGHT INTO OUR DEPARTMENT THAT ARE WORKING DAY AND NIGHT, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK NOW TO ACCOMPLISH THIS VERY AMBITIOUS MISSION.
DIRECTOR ODEN, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND YOUR DEDICATION TO ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY WITH REPORTS FORTHCOMING.
I REALLY SEE THE COMMITMENT FROM YOU AND YOUR TEAM ON THIS, SO I APPRECIATE IT.
AND THANK OUR CITY MANAGER, KIM TOLBERT'S LEADERSHIP FOR THE REALIGNMENT TO ADDRESS WHAT I'M GOING TO CALL ONE OF THE TOP PRIORITIES OF THE, OF THIS COMMITTEE AND OF THIS COUNCIL IN ADDRESSING THE APPROACH TO HOMELESSNESS.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. WITH THAT, I'LL START TO MY LEFT WITH CHAIR GRACEY.
THANK YOU, CHAIR. AND THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION KEVIN.
A COUPLE OF PLACES I WANT TO START. FIRST WITH THE I GUESS THIS IS A STATEMENT FIRST, YOU ALL WILL BE TRACKING THE SUCCESS OF THIS THROUGH YOUR OWN DASHBOARD.
AND WE JUST GOT A PRESENTATION WITH ALL NEIGHBORS KIND OF TRACKING IT IN BOTH COUNCILWOMAN MENDELSOHN CHAIR MORENO BOTH HAVE ALLUDED TO HAVING SOME SORT OF A WEEKLY TRACKING. I JUST WANT TO RECOMMEND THAT YOU ALL COMBINE THESE TOGETHER, NOT JUST COMBINE IT TOGETHER FOR A REPORT, BUT ALSO CONSIDER SOMEHOW COMBINING YOUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES AS WELL SO THAT WE CAN SEE A COLLECTIVE OUTCOME.
LIKE I SEE WHAT YOU HAVE THERE, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S BEEN ANY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT, AGAIN, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR OWN SEPARATE WAYS TO, TO MEASURE THE PERFORMANCE OF THIS, BUT HAVING A CONVERSATION WHERE IT'S BROUGHT TOGETHER TO BE CONSIDERED COLLECTIVELY SO THAT WE CAN SEE. ONE, I THINK IT GIVES YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S NOT ANY OVERLAP OF OF EFFORT FROM THERE, BUT ALSO GETS US THINKING CLEARLY THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS.
HELP ME UNDERSTAND THIS, THIS HIGH PRIORITY. I THINK I SAW THAT ON.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO FIND RIGHT QUICK. THE SLIDE SLIDE NINE.
CAN YOU JUST KIND OF WALK ME THROUGH THAT? YES.
THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION TO YOUR FIRST POINT.
I MEAN, WHERE I CAN SHARE DATA AND WE CAN CONNECT DATA SOURCES TO HOUSING FORWARD OR VICE VERSA, IT'S A NO QUESTIONS ASKED THING. WE WANT TO PUT THINGS IN AN EASILY ACCESSIBLE AND TRANSPARENT WAY THAT WE CAN SHOW THE PROGRESS OF HOUSING FORWARD AND OTHERS, AS WELL AS OURSELVES. SO THAT POINT IS WELL TAKEN.
WHAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT ON AND RESPOND TO ON THE RESPONSE CLASSIFICATION.
SO DESIGNATED PUBLIC PROPERTIES ARE ACTUALLY DEFINED IN DALLAS CITY CODE CHAPTER 3113.
AND THERE ARE CERTAIN PROPERTY TYPES WHERE WE, WE RESPOND TO AND THE, THE ENCAMPMENT HAS TO BE ADDRESSED IN A CERTAIN WAY THAT'S DEFINED AGAIN IN THAT CODE. SO WHEN WE SEE SRS COME IN SO SERVICE REQUEST, IF THEY'RE ON DESIGNATED PUBLIC PROPERTY,
[01:15:06]
THAT WILL INCREASE THE PRIORITIZATION LEVEL THAT WE NEED TO GET TO THAT.AND THAT MAY OR MAY NOT RISE THE LEVEL OF THE PRIORITIZATION.
SO THOSE ARE PLACES WHERE HIGH RISK BEHAVIORS ARE GOING ON, WHERE CRIME MAY BE OCCURRING, WHERE WE RECEIVE REPORTS FROM THE COMMUNITY OR FROM DALLAS POLICE OR OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT WE NEED TO ACT QUICKLY.
AND SO WE TAKE THOSE FOUR THINGS. AND THAT'S HOW WHEN I TALK ABOUT WE WANT TO PRIORITIZE SRS TO GET TO THE ONES THAT ARE THE HIGHEST PRIORITY, THE QUICKEST. THAT'S KIND OF THE MATRIX THAT WE'RE BUILDING WITH THE 311 TEAM TO GET FOR US.
AND WHEN WE START DEMONSTRATING THAT IN THE FORM OF DASHBOARDS AND OTHER PRODUCTS TO THE COMMUNITY, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SEE HOW THAT PRIORITIZATION OF THEIR SR IS WHERE IT'S AT IN THE QUEUE AND THE PROCESS AND TRACK OUR PROGRESS AND HOLD US TO WHAT'S GOING ON. OKAY. WITH THOSE. SO SO JUST FROM A PRACTICAL PERSPECTIVE, HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE STRATEGY ON HOW EFFORTS ARE BEING DONE TO CLEAN UP DOWNTOWN.
I'M ASSUMING THAT WOULD BE A DESIGNATED PUBLIC SPACE.
CORRECT. TECHNICALLY OR BECAUSE. SO WITHIN 31-13 THERE ARE I BELIEVE IT'S CITY HALL PLAZA, THE LIBRARY AS WELL AS THE CONVENTION CENTER ARE TECHNICALLY DESIGNATED PUBLIC PROPERTIES UNDER 31-13.
SO THOSE WOULD FALL INTO THAT CAVEAT. BUT THERE ARE PLACES OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN SUCH AS VACANT UNIMPROVED LOTS, PARK AND REC PROPERTIES THAT ARE CONTROLLED BY THE PARK BOARD AND OTHER PROPERTIES THAT WOULD ALSO FALL UNDER THAT DESIGNATION.
VACANT UNIMPROVED LOTS WOULD CORRECT. THOSE ARE INCLUDED IN THAT SECTION OF THE CITY CODE.
NOT NECESSARILY OWNED BY THE CITY, BUT JUST VACANT UNIMPROVED LOTS.
THEY ARE. THAT WOULD BE OWNED BY THE CITY OF DALLAS.
SO I GUESS WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY'RE ON A PROPERTY I HAD A SITUATION WHERE THERE'S A NEW APARTMENT OWNER IS TRYING TO I THINK I TALKED TO YOU ALL ABOUT THAT TRYING TO THE MONET APARTMENTS, TRYING TO FIX UPGRADE HIS APARTMENTS. MEANWHILE, YOU HAVE FOLKS BREAKING IN, AND THERE'S A FIRE THAT BROKE OUT.
WHAT? IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT? AND THERE'S A WELL, I GUESS THAT WOULD BE IMMEDIATE HAZARD.
IF THERE'S A SITUATION LIKE THAT, HOW WOULD THAT THEN BE ADDRESSED IN THIS PROCESS? YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT. SO IF THE FIELD IS PRIVATELY OWNED OBVIOUSLY WE WOULD DO AN ASSESSMENT TO DOCUMENT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE FIELD.
WE WOULD GO AND DETERMINE WHO THAT IT IS PROPER, THAT IT IS OWNED PRIVATELY, WHO THAT OWNER IS.
AND THEN WE FOLLOW THE STANDARD PROCESS THAT YOU SEE ON SLIDE TEN.
SO PRIVATE PROPERTY OR PUBLIC PROPERTY WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT WE HAVE TOOLS WITHIN OUR CONTROL THAT CAN ADDRESS REPORTS OF ENCAMPMENTS, NO MATTER WHAT PROPERTY TYPE IT IS.
IT'S ON US TO DETERMINE THAT AND THEN WORK FLOW IT FROM THERE.
Y'ALL KNOW MY AREA OVER ON THE INDEPENDENCE TRIANGLES WHAT I CALL IT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE THE THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT'S HAPPENING DOWNTOWN AND THEN IN, YOU KNOW, THE THE, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN.
IT MAY BE A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE OR A DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCE, WHICH IS WHERE I GUESS I WAS GOING WITH MY LINE OF QUESTIONING IN TERMS OF THE STRATEGY, MAKING SURE THAT WHAT'S BEING APPLIED, YOU KNOW, AND, YOU KNOW, BEING SUCCESSFUL DOWNTOWN MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE THE SAME APPROACH THAT NEEDS TO BE APPLIED AS WE EXPAND, AS WELL AS CONSIDERING THAT THERE WILL BE A LOT MORE OF THE THE NON-DESIGNATED PROPERTIES WHERE FOLKS ARE GATHERING, AND IT WILL TAKE A COLLECTIVE EFFORT.
[01:20:03]
SO I JUST DON'T WANT TO LOSE THAT MOMENTUM. AND IT'S WORKED WELL.SO AS WE'RE TRANSITIONING THIS, I DON'T WANT TO LOSE THAT THAT THAT RELATIONSHIP THAT WE'VE HAD.
SO THANK YOU. ALL I'M SAYING THAT PUBLICLY I APPRECIATE Y'ALL, THANKS.
CHAIR MENDELSOHN. WELL I SAID A LOT A LOT LAST TIME.
I 100% AGREE WITH YOUR GOAL AND OBJECTIVE. I HOPE YOU ARE ABLE TO MEET IT.
YOU'RE THE RIGHT PERSON TO LEAD THIS EFFORT. YOU ARE 100% THE RIGHT PERSON.
THE ONLY QUESTION, THOUGH, IS IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO IT.
AND RIGHT NOW IT IS NOT HAPPENING, AT LEAST NOT IN MY DISTRICT.
AND I KNOW I HAVE REPEATEDLY ASKED FOR HELP, ESPECIALLY ALONG THE TOLLWAY, BUT THERE'S LOTS OF BLUE DOTS ON YOUR PRESENTATION BESIDES JUST THE HOTSPOT. I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU'RE PRIORITIZING WHAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. SO IF I'M LOOKING AT AND I'LL ANSWER THAT TWO WAYS.
SO FIRST IS YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. THERE IS A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
AND THERE IS NO TODAY'S PRESENTATION. I FIND IT TO BE MORE OF THIS IS A BIG ELEPHANT TO EAT, IS HOW I WOULD DESCRIBE IT. THERE'S A LOT THAT WE HAVE TO DO AS A TEAM AND AS A DEPARTMENT AND AS A CITY, SO THERE'S NO PUSHBACK THERE. ON OUR 311 THE SLIDE NINE REALLY TALKS ABOUT AND I JUST SPOKE WITH CHAIRMAN GRACEY KIND OF ON HOW WE'RE INCORPORATING PRIORITIZATION INTO THE 311 SO WE CAN GET TO THOSE AREAS THAT POSE THE HIGHEST RISK. AND THAT COULD BE DUE TO AGAIN, THE PROPERTY TYPE, THE BEHAVIORS GOING ON ON THE PROPERTY THE SIZE AND COMPLEXITY OF THE ENCAMPMENT, ETC..
SO THAT WILL REALLY DRIVE HOW WE HANDLE AND MANAGE 311S.
AND WHEN WE IDENTIFY THESE SPACES AGAIN, WE USE OBJECTIVE MEASURES WE'VE USED FOR YEARS THE RISK TERRAIN MODEL FOR IDENTIFYING AREAS AT HIGHEST RISK OF GUN VIOLENCE. WE CAN APPLY THOSE SAME PRINCIPLES OF RISK TERRAIN TO WHERE ARE WE SEEING THE HIGHEST PRIORITIZATION OF SRS? I COULD RUN A GAMUT OF THAT, BUT IN THIS CASE WE WOULD RUN IT FOR THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT.
SR. AND THAT WILL GIVE US THE THE AREAS OF AND THE PROPERTY TYPES THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON FOR THAT HOTSPOT EFFORT. AND SO WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON DEVELOPING THAT MAP.
AND AS PART OF THE CAST PROCESS AND THE DALLAS STREET RESPONSE TEAM WILL WORK ACROSS CITY DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE INTERVENTIONS IN THOSE IDENTIFIED HOT SPOT AREAS WHERE WE HAVE OUTREACH GO OUT FIRST, AND THEN WE HOLD THE CLOSURE ON THE BACK END SO THAT WE CAN GIVE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET INTO SERVICES, HOUSING OR OTHER TYPES OF, OF RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM.
AND THEN FROM THERE WE'LL MAINTAIN PRESENCE, VISIBILITY AND INTERVENTION.
SO I HOPE THAT THAT HELPS ON TWO OF OUR, OUR BIG LEGS THAT WE'LL BE FOCUSED ON.
OKAY. SO I HEAR YOU SAYING, SR. I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, AFTER SIX YEARS OF DIFFERENT HOMELESS INITIATIVES, THE PEOPLE OF DISTRICT 12 ARE REALLY TIRED, AND THEY'RE TIRED OF PUTTING IN SRS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN ADDRESSED.
AND AT THIS POINT, YOU'VE GOT FRANKFORT AND THE TOLLWAY DOWN AS A HOTSPOT.
I'M ASSUMING THAT'S WHAT THE THE DOT IS ON THAT MAP.
BUT WHEN PEOPLE ARE DRIVING BY AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 55,000 CARS PER DAY, AND THEY SEE PEOPLE OPENLY HAVING SEX, OPENLY ENGAGED IN DRUG ACTIVITIES, THEFT DRIVE, RIDING BICYCLES THE WRONG WAY ON THE SERVICE ROAD OF THE TOLLWAY, ALL SORTS OF VERY UNSAVORY AND DIFFICULT ACTIVITIES HAPPENING THERE.
BUT AT THIS POINT, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, THE RESIDENTS ARE SO FED UP AND THEY'RE FED UP OF HEARING THAT HOMELESSNESS IS DECREASING WHEN THEY SEE IT EVERY SINGLE DAY, THEY REPORT IT, IT GETS CLOSED. IT DOES NOT GET ADDRESSED.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO TRULY NEED HELP AND IT'S NOT HAPPENING.
YOU JUST STARTED. I'M NOT COMPLAINING TO YOU ABOUT IT.
[01:25:03]
I'M HOPING YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF IT. BUT SO FAR IT'S NOT.AND THEY'RE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO DO SOMETHING DRAMATIC AT THIS POINT THAN TO DO AN SR.
AND THERE SEEMS TO BE THIS DISCONNECT BETWEEN WHAT WE KEEP SAYING AT THIS MEETING OVER AND OVER AGAIN, ABOUT THE HELP WE NEED IN OUR DISTRICTS TO ADDRESS CONSISTENT, PERVASIVE ENCAMPMENTS.
I'M POSTING THE PICTURES FROM COIT AND LBJ. THIS IS BACK FEBRUARY 10TH THAT Y'ALL SAID THERE'S NO ENCAMPMENT THERE, BUT IT'S STILL THERE. I MEAN, IT'S STILL THERE.
I HOPE YOU WILL. BUT YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN TOLD WHERE THERE'S PROBLEMATIC AREAS.
IF WE NEED TO HAVE THE RESIDENTS DO IT, I GUESS I'LL DO ANOTHER PUSH.
IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE AND IT SHOULDN'T BE THIS WAY.
AND WE'RE ASKING FOR HELP AGAIN. DOWNTOWN HAS BECOME THE FIRST PRIORITY AND WE ALL KNOW WHY.
THE BUSINESSES ARE UPSET. THEY'RE MAKING THREATS OF LEAVING.
WELL GUESS WHAT? FRANKFORT AND THE TOLLWAY. LOTS OF BUSINESSES HAVE LEFT, BUT IT'S NOT THE PRIORITY.
FOR SOME REASON, AND THAT'S GOING TO ERODE OUR TAX BASE.
AND I WOULD DISAGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER GRACEY.
I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE THE SAME REPORT AS HOUSING FORWARD.
THERE'S DIFFERENT LEVELS OF ACCOUNTABILITY. YOU ALL ARE STAFF FOR CITY OF DALLAS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU CHAIR. COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND IT'S DEFINITELY TIME FOR THIS SORT OF PROGRAM TO COME TOGETHER.
AND I'M, YOU KNOW, APPRECIATIVE OF THE TEAM IN FRONT OF US.
AND I TOO THINK THAT THIS IS A GROUP THAT CAN HELP, HELP MOVE THE NEEDLE.
WHAT IS OUR CURRENT NOTICE PERIOD. WHAT'S REQUIRED BY LAW? WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE THERE. I BELIEVE THAT WE OPERATE ON 72 HOUR.
BUT THERE IS 100% A CURE PERIOD, WHERE YOU POST AND GIVE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO VACATE, MOVE INTO SHELTER, ETC.. SO AS I LOOK AT THE TIMELINE, IT LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ENGAGEMENT AND THEN 24 HOURS LATER, MORE ENGAGEMENT. AND THEN THERE'S THE POSTING AND THEN THAT.
SO THAT'S THEN THREE DAYS LATER. SO I'M TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF THIS BECAUSE WHEN RESIDENTS CALL AND THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE CALLED 311, THEY'RE CALLING MY OFFICE.
YOU KNOW, AND THEY'RE JUST NOT SEEING ANYTHING. THAT'S I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, LIKE, WHAT OUR BUILT IN TIME FRAME IS WITH ALSO UNDERSTANDING THAT PEOPLE NEED AN OPPORTUNITY TO.
BUT, I MEAN, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS AROUND THAT AS FAR AS.
SO THE FIRST THING IS WE RECEIVE THE SR AND WE GO OUT AND ASSESS IT.
AND THAT VALIDATES THE PRIORITIZATION. IT MAY RAISE THE PRIORITIZATION LEVEL, IT MAY LOWER IT, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE PUT EYES ON IT. THE OTHER THING THAT I FIND CRITICALLY IMPORTANT IS THAT OUR TEAM THEN CAN CONNECT WITH SARAH'S STAFF AND THE OUTREACH STAFF THAT THEY TALKED ABOUT, THAT THE COUNCIL FUNDS.
THEY ARE EXPERTS AT THE COMPASSIONATE SIDE, THE CONNECTING SIDE AND GETTING PEOPLE IN.
AND SO THAT EXTRA OUTREACH HELPS ONE OF THOSE REALLY SPECIALIZED TEAMS TO COME IN TO CONNECT WITH FOLKS AND TRY TO GET THEM INTO SERVICE. THE CURE PERIOD ONCE A CLOSURE IS POSTED IS ONE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S REQUIRED BY LAW.
BUT THEN ALSO WE DO HAVE TO SCHEDULE AND PUT INTO PLACE THE CLEANING, WHETHER THAT'S THROUGH CODE,
[01:30:07]
THE TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS CLEAN SWEEP TEAM OR OUR PRIVATE VENDORS.SO THERE IS KIND OF A A TIME WHERE WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT PUT ON THE CALENDAR AND SCHEDULED AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAKING THE MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY OF THOSE CLEANUP TEAMS. SO THAT'S THE TIMELINE OF WHY IT IS THE WAY IT IS.
WE ASK THEM TO CALL 311, MAKE THE REPORT, AND THEN THEY'RE NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
THERE'S GOING TO BE OUTREACH, THERE'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER ROUND OF OUTREACH.
SO THIS IS HELPING ME BUILD A PICTURE THAT I CAN THEN SHARE WITH RESIDENTS, BECAUSE WHEN WE LEAVE THEM JUST EMPTY AND THEY DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PLAN IS, WHICH THERE IS VERY MUCH A PLAN HERE. I THINK IT HELPS THEM UNDERSTAND MORE OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THAT THIS ISN'T JUST SNAPPING YOUR FINGERS AND GETTING IT RESOLVED, BUT THIS BRINGS UP SOMETHING ELSE. ON THE NEXT SLIDE ON 11, LET'S TALK ABOUT ENFORCEMENT, BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED THAT IF INDIVIDUALS REFUSE SERVICES OR FAIL TO COMPLY AFTER NOTICES, THEY MAY FACE ENFORCEMENT UNDER CITY CODE. SO TELL ME WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE? BECAUSE WE KNOW WE'VE GOT A CHRONIC POPULATION, AND WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE ENGAGING IN THINGS THAT ARE AGAINST THE LAW OUT IN PUBLIC. SO IF WE HAVE TO TAKE THAT STEP, WHAT IS WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? YES. SO I CERTAINLY WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL AND NOT DIP MY TOE IN OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENTS LIKE TACTICS AND PROCEDURES.
BUT I CAN SPEAK GENERALLY TO HOW WE OPERATE AND WHAT SUCCESSES WE'VE SEEN INITIALLY.
OBVIOUSLY, IF IF THERE ARE VIOLATIONS OF OF EITHER STATE LAW, CITY CODE, OR WHERE ENFORCEMENT CITATION ACTIONS HAVE TO BE TAKEN, THE NUMBER ONE THING IS THAT IT'S DONE BY THE OFFICER'S DISCRETION AND IT'S DONE LAWFULLY AND WITH PROTECTING PEOPLE'S RIGHTS.
SO THAT'S THE FIRST THING. AND THAT'S WHAT WE BUILD ENFORCEMENT BASED OFF OF FROM THERE.
NOW, I AM AWARE OF PLACES THAT WHERE CITATIONS HAVE HAD TO BE ISSUED UNDER STATE LAW OR CITY CODE OR OTHER THINGS BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN NONCOMPLIANCE WITH AREAS WHERE WE'VE CLOSED OFF.
BUT AGAIN, THAT IS DONE WITH NUMBER ONE, COORDINATION WITH DPD, WITH THE MARSHALS, WITH OTHERS.
AND IT'S ALSO DONE WITHIN. AGAIN, MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE DISCRETION OF THE OFFICER VISIBLY SEEING THE OFFENSE AND THEN FOLLOWING THEIR TRAINING AND PROCEDURE. BUT AGAIN, WE IN THE HOTSPOTS, WE WANT TO BUILD IN A PERIOD ON THE FRONT END WHERE THERE IS TIME, MORE SUBSTANTIAL TIME THAN AN SR TO DO OUTREACH AND GET PEOPLE IN.
AND IT WOULDN'T RESPECT THE WORK THAT HOUSING FORWARD AND OUR PARTNERS ARE TRYING TO GET DONE.
SO WE BRING THEM IN ON THE FRONT END, JUST LIKE WE'VE DONE DOWNTOWN.
AND THEN WHEN CLOSURE COMES INTO PLAY WE COORDINATE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT ON HOW THAT WILL WORK AND ENSURE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING AND RESPECTING ALL LAWS AND CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
RIGHT SO IT MAY NOT BE JAIL BECAUSE THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE A LONG STAY.
BECAUSE IF THERE'S REFUSAL OF RESOURCES ON THE FRONT END, IF A CITATION MEANS ACCESS TO COMMUNITY COURT, WHICH HAS ITS OWN PROGRAM, MAYBE WITH MORE GRAVITAS BECAUSE IT'S GOT SOME TEETH, NOT ABOUT A FINE.
BUT OF COURSE, THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, GET SOMEONE TO RESULTS.
SO I'M JUST ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOCK SOMEBODY BACK WHERE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO RENT AN APARTMENT SOMEDAY OR GAIN EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT SOME SORT OF RECORD. SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO DIG INTO. AND I KNOW THAT'S NOT WHAT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT, BUT I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU LISTED IT AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S IN MANY CASES NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
YEAH. SO A QUICK RESPONSE TO THAT YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
[01:35:03]
SO WE HAVE I BELIEVE IT STARTED THERE WAS A MEMORANDUM BY FORMER CHIEF EGO THAT THAT TALKED ABOUT DOING INITIATIVES WITH THE COMMUNITY COURT, WITH THE THE MUNICIPAL COURT DOWNTOWN. THAT WORK HAS CONTINUED.IT HAS NOT STOPPED. AND IF THERE ARE FOLKS THAT COME IN.
THERE ARE PATHWAYS WHERE WE CAN HAVE MY TEAM, WE CAN HAVE MENTAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, WE CAN HAVE THE HOUSING PARTNERS AT THE COURT SO THAT IF THERE ARE CITATIONS, THOSE CAN BE EXPUNGED IF NECESSARY.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO BECOME A FINANCIAL PENALTY, A JAIL PENALTY.
AND THEN ON THE BACK END WITH THE COURT SYSTEM, IF WE CAN BUILD THAT IN AND CONTINUE TO MAKE THAT MACHINE WORK AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE ON THE BACK END, WE HAVE OPTIONS TO GET INTO HOUSING, BEHAVIORAL MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, ETC.. AND SO IT STARTS AND ENDS AT THE SAME PLACE.
AND I'D LOVE TO KNOW IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY FOCUSED OR SPECIALIZED THROUGH THAT COMMUNITY COURT PROGRAM TO SOMEONE WHO IS HOMELESS VERSUS JUST OTHERS WHO MAY RECEIVE CITATIONS AND GO TO THE COMMUNITY COURT. SO MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOOK AT HOW THAT PROGRAM IS DEVELOPED, IF IT EXISTS. I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S SPECIALIZED TO THAT, THAT POPULATION.
LET ME ALSO ASK WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT PUBLIC SPACES, YOU MENTIONED CITY OWNED PROPERTIES, BUT A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT I'M FACING ARE WITH THE TOLLWAY, WITH TXDOT, LBJ EXPRESS AREAS THAT THERE MAY BE SOME OTHER KIND OF AGREEMENT OR, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A THERE'S A REASON THAT THESE PLACES ARE A MAGNET BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE MURKY AND WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IT IS.
NO, THAT'S A FANTASTIC QUESTION. I ACTUALLY HAVE A RELEVANT EXAMPLE FOR YOU ON THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN BROUGHT UP THE AREA OF, OF COIT AND 635 AND SO LAST WEEK I WAS ACTUALLY WITH THE TEAM ON A NUMBER OF CLEANINGS THEY DID IN AND AROUND THAT AREA. WHEN WE WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THAT PARTICULAR PLACE WE WERE ABLE TO DO CLEANINGS ON ONE SIDE OF 635. HOWEVER, TO CLEAN CERTAIN AREAS AT THAT INTERSECTION, THERE WAS GOING TO NEED TO BE LANE CLOSURES. AND SO THE TEAM INSTANTLY GOT WITH THEIR CONTACTS AT TXDOT.
BUT WE CAN'T JUST GO IN THERE AND TAKE ACTION.
WE HAVE WE HAVE TO NOTIFY. WE HAVE TO I MEAN, THE CITY HAS WELL FOR FOR SAFETY PURPOSES WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE CLEANED THAT AREA AND GOTTEN TRUCKS IN THERE AND ALL OF THAT, LIKE IN THE MIDDLE OF A HIGHWAY. SO THAT'S WHY LANE CLOSURES AND THINGS ARE SO IMPORTANT AND WHY WE COORDINATE THAT WITH THEIR BODY TO MAKE SURE THAT IT HAS AS MINIMAL DISRUPTION ON NORMAL FLOW OF OPERATIONS AS POSSIBLE. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHAIR WEST. I THINK EVERYTHING'S BEEN COVERED.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. YOUR 311, SR RESPONSE SLIDES ARE VERY HELPFUL.
WE'RE GOING TO SEND THOSE OUT BECAUSE AS MISS MISS WILLIS MENTIONED EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ON HOW THE PROCESS WORKS AND THAT THERE IS A PROCESS THAT IS WORKING IS REALLY THE, THE I THINK IT'S AT PARAMOUNT FOR US.
SO THANK YOU AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE THIS PROCESS MOVE FORWARD.
KEVIN, AGAIN, THANK YOU. I THINK AS MENTIONED, YOU'RE THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THIS JOB.
OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S A LOT OF COLLABORATION AND VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS WHETHER IT'S OFFICE OF CODE, DPD, OHS, OR THE LIBRARY OR HOUSING FORWARD. AND TO THIS BODY NEEDS TO KNOW WHEN THERE'S A BREAKDOWN IN COMMUNICATION OR A AN EFFORT THAT'S NOT WILLING TO MEET THE PRACTICES THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO IMPLEMENT.
SO PLEASE DO LET US KNOW AND SHARE WITH US WHEN THERE IS SOMETHING THAT'S NOT CONNECTING.
YOU KNOW, FOR ONE, I DON'T SEE THE LIBRARY ON HERE, WHICH I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT.
WITH TXDOT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE DON'T NEED APPROVAL TO GO IN AND ACTUALLY CLEAN UP.
[01:40:04]
IT'S MORE FOR, AS YOU MENTIONED, FOR SAFETY SO WE CAN THE CITY OF DALLAS HAS THE AUTHORITY TO GO ON TO TXDOT PROPERTY TO REMOVE AN ENCAMPMENT.THAT IS THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY. THE CHART ON PAGE SIX IS VERY HELPFUL.
IT SETS THE A LOT OF CLARITY. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THOUGH, WHAT I WANT TO REMIND ALL OUR TEAM IS THAT WE'RE ONE DALLAS, AND IT DOESN'T MATTER, SHOULD NOT MATTER THE WAY A INDIVIDUAL, A RESIDENT AN OFFICE CALLS IN FOR FOR A REQUEST FOR HELP. AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE POINTING OF THE FINGER, THAT IT SHOULD BE THIS DEPARTMENT OR THIS DIVISION WITHIN THAT.
AND SOMETHING THAT I CONTINUE TO SEE IS THE IDENTIFYING THE PRIVATE PUBLIC CITY AREAS.
SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO IDENTIFY IF AN AREA IS PRIVATE OR CITY OF DALLAS OR COUNTY OR TXDOT. WHAT CAN WE PUT IN PLACE IN OUR GIS MAPS TO HAVE MORE ACCURACY? AND THEN AGAIN, A LITTLE BETTER UNDERSTANDING IF THE ENCAMPMENT IS ON PUBLIC PROPERTY VERSUS PRIVATE, THESE ARE THE STEPS, SORT OF A FLOWCHART WITH AN IDEA OF TIME FRAME.
WE KNOW THAT THE TIME FRAME IS GOING TO, TO VARY.
SO AT THE SAME TIME, I DON'T WANT TO SET FALSE HOPES AND EXPECTATIONS.
IT'S GREAT THAT YOU ARE GIVING YOURSELVES A MANDATE TO TRY TO ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING.
AT THE SAME TIME, THOUGH, WHEN THE RESIDENTS GOING BY, WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE A MISTRUST OR YOU KNOW, JUST NOT NOT LIVING UP TO WHAT'S BEFORE US. YEAH, I'LL RESPOND TO THAT AND I'LL, I'LL, YOU KNOW, GIVE KIND OF A, YOU KNOW, MY TRANSPARENT VIEW ON WHERE WE'RE AT AND WHERE I THINK WE NEED TO BE.
FIRST OF ALL, I'M SUPREMELY FORTUNATE AND LUCKY TO HAVE THE EXPERIENCE OF MR. ROLLO LEADING THIS TEAM. HE CAME TO US FROM CODE WORKING IN THEIR INTENSIVE CASE RESOLUTION GROUP.
AND SO HIS EXPERTISE HAS REALLY ALREADY FILTERED INTO THE TEAM OF, OF LOOKING AT THE DALLAS APPRAISAL DISTRICTS MAPS AND THE ET-CETERA TO DO THAT WORK AND INCORPORATE THAT INTO DAILY PROCESS.
IF I WAS A RESIDENT AND I SAW MY SR WAS TRANSFERRED, LIKE IT CAME IN AS A HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT AND THEN THE NEXT TIME I LOOK AT IT, IT SAYS TRANSFERRED CODE. I THINK WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF THE MESSAGING OF WHY AND WHAT THAT MEANS TO THE RESIDENT.
AND THEN THE SAME THING THAT I'VE SEEN WHERE, LET'S SAY, TWO DIFFERENT RESIDENTS ENTER IN AN SR FOR THE SAME LOCATION, GENERALLY ONE OF THEM IS GOING TO BE PEGGED AS DUPLICATE AND CLOSED.
I REMEMBER CONVERSING, I BELIEVE IT WAS WITH, WITH COUNCILMEMBER WILLIS ON AN ISSUE JUST LIKE THAT.
AND SO HOW WE COMMUNICATE TO BOTH RESIDENTS WHAT'S GOING ON, EVEN TO THE ONE WHO'S SR WAS, WAS KIND OF DUPLICATED AND CLOSED IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
AND SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE DON'T HAVE SOLVED YET, BUT THEY'RE CERTAINLY IN MY MIND OF AS WE'RE LOOKING AT EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING WITHIN 311 IMPROVING THAT WORKFLOW IS IMPORTANT TO ME, AND I'M SURE IT'S IMPORTANT TO TO YOU AND CERTAINLY THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE REPORTING.
THANK YOU. I WILL GO TO CHAIR MENDELSOHN FOR ABOUT TWO MINUTES.
ARE THESE NOT HAPPENING SIMULTANEOUSLY? NO, THEY THEY CERTAINLY CAN HAPPEN SIMULTANEOUSLY.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR ONE CLOCK TO HIT ZERO BEFORE THE OTHER ONE STARTS.
SO, ARE THEY HAPPENING SIMULTANEOUSLY? IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN MY EXPERIENCE FROM THIS TEAM COMING ON BOARD AND WORKING, I GUESS, THE WAY I WOULD PHRASE IT, MUCH CLOSER TO THE HOUSING FORWARD STRATEGY OF OF OUTREACH AND ENCAMPMENT.
THE RETURNS I'VE RECEIVED IS THAT THAT COLLABORATION IS CLOSER THAN IT'S EVER BEEN.
[01:45:02]
SO IT'S NOT REALLY A YES OR NO I GUESS. I'M ASKING WHEN YOU FIRST GO OUT AND YOU'RE TRYING TO DO OUTREACH, ARE YOU ALSO GIVING NOTIFICATION OF CLOSURE OR ARE YOU DOING MULTIPLE OUTREACHES, TRYING TO BUILD A RAPPORT AND A RELATIONSHIP, AND THEN YOU EVENTUALLY GIVE UP AND THEN YOU GIVE NOTICE OF ENCLOSURE.LET ME LET ME GIVE YOU THE I ONLY HAVE TWO MINUTES.
YES. I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
IF IT IS AN ENCAMPMENT THAT IS NEAREST A NEIGHBORHOOD, A SCHOOL, A PARK, A DESIGNATED PUBLIC PROPERTY YES WE HAVE TO CLEAR THOSE UP VERY, VERY QUICKLY. AND SO THE TIMELINE ON THOSE IS GOING TO BE MORE COMPRESSED THAN ONE OF THE MAYBE LOWER PRIORITY TYPE SRS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.
OKAY, THIS WHOLE IDEA OF DOING THE CLEANING OF THE ENCAMPMENT, I'LL JUST TELL YOU THAT UP HERE, WE CALL IT THE MAID SERVICE. THE MAID SERVICE IS BACK AT FRANKFURT AND THE TOLLWAY.
THE ENCAMPMENT, THE PEOPLE LEAVE, YOU ALL CLEAR IT, YOU CLEAN IT.
AND THEY WATCH AS YOU DO IT. AND THEN THEY COME BACK LATER THAT NIGHT.
SO THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT IT'S CALLED UP HERE.
WHAT IS BEING DONE TO MANDATE DRUG REHAB AND MENTAL HEALTH CARE.
AND THAT'S KIND OF THE NEXT EVOLUTION. I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE INCLUDED PARTNERS SUCH AS THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AS WELL AS THE THE NORTH TEXAS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AUTHORITY TO ASSIST WITH HOW WE BUILD THOSE AND MANY OTHER PROCESSES INTO SERVING THAT COMPLEX NEEDS GROUP. WELL, SO MY LAST POINT IS GOING TO BE THIS.
YOU TALKED ABOUT THE LAWFULNESS AND THE WAY YOU ARE TRYING TO ADDRESS IT TO ENSURE THAT YOU'RE NOT INFRINGING ON, I GUESS, THE RIGHTS OF SOMEBODY WHO'S HOMELESS.
BUT WHAT SEEMS TO BE MISSING FROM THE DISCUSSION IS THE LAWFULNESS OF ENCAMPMENTS ON PUBLIC LAND THAT IS NOT LAWFUL, THAT IS SPECIFICALLY BARRED BY STATE LAW.
AND SO THE FIRST DAY SOMEBODY IS UNDERNEATH A HIGHWAY OR THEY ARE ALONG OUR CREEKS, THAT IS UNLAWFUL ACTIVITY. AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND. AND THE RESIDENTS DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE ARE NOT ENFORCING THE LAW.
CHAIR MENDELSOHN, I'M GOING TO HAVE STAFF RESPOND BACK TO THAT BY MEMO.
WE'RE ABOUT A FEW MINUTES BEFORE WE HAVE TO CLOSE OUT, AND WE HAVE ONE MORE ITEM.
SO IF STAFF CAN RESPOND TO THAT MEMO, PLEASE.
WE'LL BE MOVING ON TO ITEM D. AND THIS ONE DOES NOT REQUIRE ACTION UNLESS THIS BODY WANTS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT GOES TO COUNCIL REGARDLESS.
I'M SORRY. OH, SORRY. LET'S DO D FIRST JUST. GOOD MORNING CHAIR. THIS IS JUST THE RATIFICATION FOR THE INCLEMENT WEATHER.
SHELTER COSTS COVERED THIS PAST WINTER. WE HAD A HIGHER THAN NORMAL AVERAGE OR WE HAD A HIGHER THAN AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAYS AND SO WE HAD SOME OVERAGES. AND THIS IS GOING FORWARD ON WEDNESDAY JUST TO SEND PAYMENT FOR THOSE INVOICES TO AUSTIN STREET AS THE PROVIDER FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTER.
AND I HAVE DANIEL ROBY WITH ME HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS.
YEAH. SO YOU'RE SAYING TO GET THE INVOICES PAID.
BUT THIS IS THIS HAPPENED QUITE A WHILE AGO, HAS AUSTIN STREET BEEN PAID? AND THIS IS. SO WE'VE BEEN PAYING OUT THE INVOICES AS THEY'VE COME IN OVER SEVERAL MONTHS.
AND SO NOW WE'VE GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE THIS IS THE REMAINDER OF THE INVOICES.
BUT WE HAVE ALSO REACHED THE END OF OUR BUDGET.
SO IT'S IT'S NOT LIKE WE PAID AS MUCH AS WE WE PAID AS THINGS CAME IN.
AND SO NOW WE'RE COMING TO DO THE RATIFICATION FOR THOSE REMAINING INVOICES.
SO HOW LONG IS ARE THESE LAST ONES OUTSTANDING? I MEAN, ARE WE 30 DAYS, 60 DAYS, WHAT'S THE? THE EXPENSES WOULD HAVE BEEN INCURRED IN FEBRUARY THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN MAYBE A LITTLE BIT IN MARCH,
[01:50:03]
BUT MOSTLY MOST OF IT IS FEBRUARY. BUT THEN WE USUALLY OUR SUBMITTAL PROCESS TAKES ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, 60 DAYS OR SO. SO YEAH, WE'RE WE ARE, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY PROBABLY AT ABOUT 90 DAYS OUT AT THIS POINT.WELL, THAT'S THAT'S HARD ON A NONPROFIT I WOULD THINK.
YEAH. IT'S SUBSTANTIAL. I MEAN, WE DEFINITELY HAD TO PULL FROM OUR RESERVES IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE, THE SHELTER THAT WAS NECESSARY DURING THAT TIME. WELL, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE.
I MEAN, I KNOW WE'VE GOT OUR PROCESSES TO GO THROUGH, BUT THAT IS JUST SUCH AN IMPOSITION AND SUCH A VITAL SERVICE, AND WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE WEATHER'S GOING TO YIELD EACH YEAR. SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE US GOING INTO THE NEXT YEAR, LOOK AT SOME SORT OF MECHANISM THAT MIGHT ALLOW ONE OF OUR PARTNERS TO BE PAID IN A MORE TIMELY MANNER.
SO, YOU KNOW, STAFF ARE WORKING AS QUICKLY AS THEY GET THE INVOICES AS WELL.
CHAIR MENDELSOHN ONE MINUTE. THANK YOU. WHAT IS THE DATE OF THE INVOICE? I DON'T HAVE THE DATE OF THE INVOICE IN FRONT OF ME. WE CAN PULL THE SPECIFIC INVOICES FOR YOU.
YEAH, I MEAN, I CAN GO AHEAD. NO. GO AHEAD. I AM PULLING UP THE INFORMATION.
ESSENTIALLY THIS WAS YEAH SO THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR SUBMITTED FOR BOTH MARCH AND APRIL'S DRAWS.
SO WHAT WAS THE DATE? THE DATE THAT WE SUBMITTED THE FOR THE REQUEST? YOU SUBMITTED AN INVOICE ON WHAT DATE? YEAH. I WILL HAVE TO PULL THAT FROM MY STAFF FOR YOU AND WE CAN RESPOND WITH WHAT THE DATES WERE THAT THOSE SPECIFIC INVOICES WERE SENT TO MY STAFF. IN ADDITION TO THE 476,000, ALSO THE DATES FOR THE INVOICES FOR THE 296,000.
YES. WE CAN GET THOSE FOR YOU. AND WILL YOU BE SENDING THIS TO THE FULL COUNCIL OR THE COMMITTEE OR JUST ME? HOW IS THAT GOING TO WORK? TRADITIONALLY, WE WOULD SEND IT BACK BY MEMO TO THE ENTIRETY OF HHS.
OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET TIME TO GET TO ITEM C.
CHAD, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING? OKAY WITH THAT, WE ARE ADJOURNED, [INAUDIBLE] TO START OUR FORECAST.
OKAY, GOOD. THANK YOU CHAIR. I WANTED TO ASK STAFF.
I SEE ONE OF THE ITEMS COMING UP IN SEPTEMBER IS THE GIVE RESPONSIBLY CAMPAIGN, AND I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO SEE US AS WE MOVE TOWARD THAT, RETHINKING WHAT WE CALL THAT CAMPAIGN, BECAUSE THE OBJECTIVE IS ABOUT STOPPING STREET CHARITY.
SO AS WE MOVE TOWARD THAT DATE, I'D LOVE TO SEE IT BE MORE IN LINE WITH THE OBJECTIVE, WHICH IS TO DISRUPT THAT PANHANDLING AND THEN STREET FEEDING. I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT THAT IF WE COULD ADD THAT TO AN UPCOMING FORECAST, BECAUSE I EXPERIENCED SOMETHING ON SATURDAY MORNING WITH PEOPLE BLOCKING STREET LANES, ETC.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO MAGNIFY THAT ISSUE. THANK YOU.
YES, WE'LL DEFINITELY ADD STREET FEEDING. I KNOW OUR ATTORNEYS ARE WORKING ON SOME LANGUAGE, SO ONCE THAT'S PREPARED WE CAN PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA.
WITH THAT IT IS 11:01 AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.