ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TODAY IS OCTOBER 7TH.
[Special Called Housing and Homelessness Solutions on October 7, 2025. ]
[00:00:03]
IT'S 1:12. I CALL TO ORDER THE HOUSING AND COMMITTEE MEETING, WHICH IS BEING RECORDED. WANT TO START WITH APPROVAL OF OUR PRIOR MINUTES.THIS WAS UNDER MAYOR PRO TEM MORENO'S DIRECTION, BUT IT WAS FROM THE JUNE 10TH, 2025 MEETING.
ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS TO THOSE MINUTES? MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
SECOND. OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. THERE'S NO CHANGES.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU. WELL, TODAY WE HAVE THREE BRIEFING ITEMS. BUT I FIRST WANT TO JUST SAY WELCOME TO THE NEW COMMITTEE.
THIS IS OUR FIRST COMMITTEE MEETING OF THIS TERM.
I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO THOR ERICKSON.
THOR, YOU WANT TO SAY HELLO AND YOUR TITLE? HI.
GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M THOR ERICKSON. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.
THANK YOU. WELL, CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT NEW JOB.
WE WOULD BASICALLY CALL HIM THE HOUSING DIRECTOR.
AND THEN JAMES ARMSTRONG WILL BE JOINING US, AND CAN YOU TELL US HIS START DATE? YES. JAMES ARMSTRONG WILL START ON NOVEMBER THE 3RD.
OKAY. WELL, FOLKS, THAT'S WHO WE WILL BE WORKING WITH CLOSELY.
OKAY, WELL, I THINK THAT WE WILL PROBABLY HAVE SOME NICE WORDS FOR HER WHEN THAT TIME COMES.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THINGS ARE CHANGING AT CITY HALL, AND SHE HAS BEEN A LONG TIME VOICE FOR HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS, AND HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE HER. SO I WANT TO START WITH READING THE CHARGE FROM THE MAYOR FOR THE COMMITTEE.
WHEN HE DOES THE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS, HE ALSO PROVIDES PRIORITY WORK FOR THE COMMITTEE.
AND JUST TO SORT OF LEVEL SET WHAT THE HOUSING AND HOMELESS SOLUTIONS POLICY PRIORITIES ARE, AS ASSIGNED BY THE MAYOR, IT SAYS, EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES TO FURTHER REDUCE REGULATORY BARRIERS TO HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.
DEVELOP POLICIES TO ADDRESS PERSISTENT HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS CHALLENGES, INCLUDING OPEN DRUG USE, CAMPING, LOITERING AND SQUATTING IN PUBLIC SPACES, AND TO ASSIST INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE A DANGER TO THEMSELVES OR TO OTHERS DUE TO A SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS, INCLUDING THROUGH OUTPATIENT TREATMENT, CIVIL COMMITMENT, OR PLACEMENT IN APPROPRIATE CARE FACILITIES.
SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTOOD THIS IS WHAT OUR CHARGES, AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT INCLUDES DEALING WITH THE REGULAR ISSUES OF HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS, BUT ALSO SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVEN'T NECESSARILY WORKED REALLY HARD ON OR FOCUSED ON.
SO THE PURPOSE OF TODAY'S MEETING IS A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING.
WE'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED ONE.
IS TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL HOMELESS OPTIONS FOUND IN OTHER COMMUNITIES.
THE GOAL IS TO UNDERSTAND THE PROS AND CONS OF EACH.
SO WE'LL EVENTUALLY BE ABLE TO HAVE A POLICY DISCUSSION.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE BRIEFINGS WITH ADDITIONAL MODELS NOT FOUND IN DALLAS.
FOR TODAY'S BRIEFINGS, I'VE ASKED THE PROVIDERS TO SPEND JUST TEN, NO MORE THAN 15 MINUTES SHARING ABOUT THEIR PROGRAM, AND WE'VE BUDGETED NO MORE THAN 30 MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS FOR EACH PRESENTATION.
DALLAS IS AMERICA'S LARGEST CITY WITHOUT A HOMELESS HOSPICE PROGRAM, AND I REALLY WANT TO COMMEND VNA FOR STEPPING UP TO ADDRESS THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE. IT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT BOTH IN THE CITIZENS HOMELESSNESS COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS OUR HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS COMMITTEE FOR MORE THAN TEN YEARS.
AND THIS MODEL, WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR, IS THAT THE CITY DID NOT CONVEY A BUILDING, AND THE CITY HASN'T MADE ANY FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. VNA HAS TAKEN THIS ON THEIR OWN WITH PARTNERS THAT I THINK THEY'LL TALK ABOUT.
SO OUR PRESENTATION TODAY IS GOING TO BE FROM CHRIS CULAK, THE NEW CEO OF VNA.
AND CHRIS, WE'RE REALLY PROUD TO HAVE YOU HERE.
[00:05:02]
COMMISSION. SO WE REALLY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.AND JUST MAKE SURE TO MOVE THAT MICROPHONE REALLY CLOSE.
I REMEMBER. SO THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN, THANK YOU, COMMITTEE, FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HOMELESS HOSPICE HOUSE OR THE CONCEPT THAT THE VISITING NURSE ASSOCIATION IS BRINGING TO DALLAS AND NORTH TEXAS.
FIRST SLIDE PLEASE. SO JUST TO GIVE A CONTEXT OF THE VISITING NURSE ASSOCIATION, WE ARE A 91 YEAR OLD HEALTHCARE AND SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCY.
WE HAVE BEEN IN OUR REGION FOR THAT LONG, PROVIDING CARE ON A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
BUT CURRENTLY TODAY, WE'RE REALLY TWO MAIN PROGRAMS. ONE, WE ARE THE MEALS ON WHEELS PROVIDER FOR DALLAS, ROCKWALL AND DENTON COUNTIES.
WE PROVIDE MEALS TO CLIENTS THAT LIVE IN THOSE COUNTIES, AND WE SERVE ABOUT 5400 HOMEBOUND SENIORS EACH DAY WITH THAT PROGRAM, AS WELL AS WE MAKE ABOUT ANOTHER 1500 TO 2000 MEALS EACH DAY FOR SENIOR CENTER PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT DALLAS COUNTY, AND IT'S ABOUT ANOTHER 2000 MEALS. SO REALLY, EACH DAY OUR KITCHEN IS MAKING ABOUT 7000+ MEALS A DAY THAT WE DELIVER, AND OR FEED TO SENIORS THAT LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THE SECOND PIECE OF WHO VISITING NURSE ASSOCIATION IS, AND REALLY, IT'S QUITE LARGER THAN THE MEALS PROGRAM, WHICH IS ONE OF THE LARGEST IN THE COUNTRY, IS OUR PALLIATIVE HOSPICE AND PEDIATRIC HOSPICE PROGRAM.
WE COVER ALL OF NORTH TEXAS WITH THAT SERVICE.
WE HAVE AN OFFICE HERE IN DALLAS. WE HAVE ONE IN KAUFMAN FOR EAST TEXAS, COLLIN, DENTON COUNTIES, AND THEN A NEW OFFICE IN FORT WORTH. AND WE HAVE ABOUT 315 TO 320 PATIENTS ON SERVICE EACH DAY WITH HOSPICE CARE AND ABOUT 105 OR SO PATIENTS ON PALLIATIVE CARE, WHICH IS KIND OF A PRECURSOR TO HOSPICE.
SO AS COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN MENTIONED, WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT THE IDEA.
LET'S SEE, HOW DO I MOVE THE. OH, JUST SAY IT.
WE DIDN'T COME UP WITH THIS. IT IS A CONCEPT THAT IS DONE AROUND THE COUNTRY.
HOWEVER, IT'S NOT DONE HERE IN NORTH TEXAS. AND IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE.
IT IS A ASSISTED LIVING THAT WILL PROVIDE CARE TO PEOPLE THAT NEED A PLACE TO LIVE WHEN THEY'RE SEEKING OR NEEDING END OF LIFE CARE WHEN THEY DO NOT HAVE A PLACE TO CALL HOME.
AND SO IT IS MOSTLY OUR HOMELESS NEIGHBORS. IT IS PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO GO FROM, SAY, THE HOSPITAL OR A NURSING HOME OR A CLINICAL SETTING, OR EVEN IN THEIR OWN HOME WHEN THEY NEED HOSPICE CARE.
THIS IS THE PLACE FOR THAT TO HAPPEN. THE IDEA OF THIS IS REALLY BORN OUT OF THE FACT THAT VNA´S SORT OF MISSION IS REALLY AROUND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW BEST DO WE MEET THE DEMAND OF CLIENTS AND SENIORS IN NORTH TEXAS.
AND WHEN WE SEE A SERVICE THAT'S NOT PROVIDED, AND IT FITS WITHIN OUR SORT OF REALM OF WHAT WE DO, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE DECIDED TO DO. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
GOTTA HAVE MY READING GLASSES ON, SEE HERE. THE IDEA OF THIS, AGAIN, WILL BE THAT IT'LL BE A SMALL ASSISTED LIVING PROGRAM THAT WE WILL USE ONE OF THE HOMES IN THE WILSON HISTORIC DISTRICT.
PETER MILLER AND THE MEADOWS FOUNDATION. WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM FOR ABOUT A YEAR ON THIS, AND WE HAVE NOW SIGNED A LEASE FOR ONE OF THE SMALL HOMES IN THE WILSON HISTORIC DISTRICT.
WE WILL DO RENOVATIONS TO THAT. WE WILL THEN RAISE DOLLARS THAT NOT ONLY COVER THE RENOVATIONS, BUT WE'LL RAISE DOLLARS THAT WILL COVER SORT OF THE OPERATIONS OF THE HOME ITSELF IN PERPETUITY.
AND SO WE'RE IN THE BEGINNING STAGES OF THAT.
AND AGAIN, THE IDEA WOULD BE THAT WE WILL RENOVATE THAT AND ALLOW PEOPLE TO COME AND STAY THERE THAT NEED END OF LIFE SERVICES, BUT DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO CALL HOME. WE WILL BE RENOVATING IT TO THE SPECULATIONS OR SPECS SO THAT IT CAN BE LICENSED AS AN ASSISTED LIVING.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE THAT DESIGNATION.
[00:10:03]
NEXT SLIDE. KIND OF GONE THROUGH MOST OF THIS, SO LET'S GO TO THE NEXT ONE AFTER THAT.THIS IS JUST A. IT'S KIND OF THE BEGINNING DRAWINGS FOR ARCHITECTS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH.
THIS IS A SHOWING YOU THE SIZE OF THE HOME. IT'S A SMALL FACILITY.
IT'LL HAVE FIVE ROOMS, FIVE DESIGNATED ROOMS FOR INDIVIDUALS TO LIVE IN.
THOSE CLINICIANS WILL COME IN AND OUT OF THIS FACILITY LIKE IT'S THE PERSON'S HOME.
WE WILL THEN OPERATE THIS AS THAT ASSISTED LIVING, WHERE WE'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE PEOPLE WITH 24 HOUR CARE, BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH MEAL SERVICE, ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD RECEIVE IN AN ASSISTED LIVING, BUT YET AT THIS SMALLER SCALE. NEXT STEPS. NEXT SLIDE.
SO WHERE WE ARE NOW IS WE'VE SIGNED A LEASE WITH THE MEADOWS FOUNDATION.
WE HAVE BEGUN FUNDRAISING. OUR GOAL IS TO RAISE ABOUT $5 MILLION AGAIN TO COVER BOTH RENOVATIONS, WHICH ISN'T AS MUCH AS WE WOULD NEED IF WE WERE GOING TO BUILD SOMETHING FROM GROUND UP.
AND THEN FOR REALLY TO COVER THE OPERATIONS OF THE HOME FOR THE NEXT, SAY, 5 TO 10 YEARS.
WE'VE ALREADY RAISED CLOSE TO A MILLION. WE'RE ON OUR WAY TO MEETING THE FIRST PORT OF BENCHMARK THAT WE HAVE FOR OURSELVES AND WILL MOST LIKELY BEGIN RENOVATIONS IN THE HOME, PROBABLY FIRST OR SECOND QUARTER OF 26, WITH HOPES OF OPENING IN LATE 26 OR EARLY 27.
AND THAT WAY WE CAN HAVE THIS THING UP AND RUNNING QUICKER THAN WE HAD SORT OF INITIALLY THOUGHT, SO. AND COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN, THAT IS MY SLIDES.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANYONE ON THE COMMITTEE.
WELL, YOU DID GREAT. YOU HAD EIGHT MINUTES LEFT.
EIGHT MINUTES LEFT, OKAY. OKAY. SO COMMITTEE, WHO'S GOT QUESTIONS FOR MR. CULAK? MAYOR PRO TEM MORENO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE SERVICE THAT Y'ALL DO EACH AND EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME OUT AND PASS THE MEALS OUT.
SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT Y'ALL DO. WHAT'S THE PLANNED CAPACITY FOR THE SPACE AT THE WILSON DISTRICT? SO IT'LL HAVE THE CAPACITY TO HOLD FIVE CLIENTS OR FIVE PATIENTS.
SO IT'S FIVE DIFFERENT ROOMS AT THAT FACILITY.
AND THEN MIGHT BE JUMPING AHEAD A LITTLE BIT HERE.
BUT HAVE YOU GUYS LOOKED AT ANY OBSTACLES FROM THE CITY PERHAPS ON ZONING? I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE. IF IT'S A NURSING HOME TYPE OF ZONING THAT YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE PUTTING FORWARD FOR LIVING QUARTERS.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT. YEP.
WE'VE LOOKED AT ALL OF THOSE THINGS. WE'VE ACTUALLY ALREADY.
AS WE KNOW, THE MEADOWS FOUNDATION HAS DONE A MARVELOUS JOB OF TAKING CARE OF THAT PROPERTY.
PERFECT. YES, SIR. AND CAN YOU TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE.
HOW SOMEONE WILL FIND OUT ABOUT YOU GUYS AND THE INTAKE PROCESS.
YES. SO CURRENTLY WE RECEIVE PROBABLY 150 REFERRALS A YEAR FOR SOMEONE THAT WOULD FIT THIS MODEL, MEANING THAT THEY NEED END OF LIFE CARE SERVICES, BUT YET DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE OR DON'T HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE.
SO MOST OF OUR HOSPICE CLIENTS COME TO US THROUGH REFERRALS THROUGH A CLINICIAN.
IT HAS TO BE A DOCTOR THAT SORT OF PRESCRIBES THAT THIS PERSON NEEDS END OF LIFE CARE SERVICES.
AND SO IT'LL COME THE SAME WAY AS ANY OF OUR CURRENT HOSPICE PATIENTS COME TO US.
BUT LIKE I SAID, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND WE HAVE ABOUT 150 OR SO A YEAR THAT GET REFERRED TO US, THAT WE HAVE TO FIND ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO PROVIDE THEM WITH CARE OR ALTERNATIVE HOUSING OPTIONS.
THIS WILL ADDRESS THAT IN THE SENSE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT FACILITY OURSELVES.
AND WHEN PEOPLE GET REFERRED TO US IF THEY WANT TO COME, WHICH AGAIN, WE THEY HAVE TO CHOOSE TO BE THERE, THEN WE'LL HAVE SPACE AVAILABLE. AND YOU MENTIONED SOME SOCIAL SERVICES.
CAN YOU ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON WHAT THOSE OFFERINGS WOULD BE? YEAH. SO FOR, WHEN SOMEONE'S ON HOSPICE CARE, THEY'RE PROVIDED WITH NOT ONLY CLINICIANS BUT THEY'RE PROVIDED WITH AIDES.
THEY'RE PROVIDED WITH SOCIAL SERVICE, CHAPLAINS.
THE WHOLE KIND OF WRAPAROUND SERVICES YOU WOULD BE PROVIDED AS A HOSPICE PATIENT.
[00:15:01]
ALSO, WE WILL BEGIN AND WE'VE ALREADY TALKED TO A LOT OF OUR PARTNERS IN THE HOMELESS SPACE AROUND PROVIDING ADDITIONAL SERVICES THAT MIGHT BE NEEDED.AND SO THE IDEA FOR US TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE CLINICAL SIDE OF THINGS, BUT THEN ALSO TO BE ABLE TO PARTNER WITH GROUPS THAT WORK WITH THESE CLIENTELE ON A DAILY BASIS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE EVEN ADDITIONAL SERVICES IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BUILT INTO THE MODEL.
IT'S A TWO STORY HOME. SO OF COURSE, YOU CAN ONLY PROVIDE SERVICES ON THE FIRST STORY.
IT'S A HOME THAT'S 100 AND I THINK 40 YEARS OLD.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUT AN ELEVATOR IN IT. PLUS, MEADOWS PROBABLY WOULDN'T LET US, BUT WE DIDN'T DECIDE TO DO THAT. SO THERE'S A SECOND STORY WITH A LOT OF OFFICE SPACE. AND SO ONE OF OUR IDEAS AND THOUGHTS IS TO ALLOW OTHER AGENCIES TO COME IN AND USE THAT OFFICE SPACE, SO THEN THEY CAN COME IN AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND SERVICES TO THE PATIENTS WE CARE THERE.
OKAY. SO YOU MENTIONED THE NUMBER OF 150. WHAT DO YOU FEEL IS THE REAL NUMBER THAT'S NEEDED TO ADDRESS? OH GOSH. DALLAS. YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
THE CHALLENGE FOR A LOT OF THESE PATIENTS WILL BE THAT WHEN WE HAVE LOOKED AT NOT ONLY THE 150, BUT WE'VE LOOKED AT SORT OF LENGTH OF STAY FOR THOSE CLIENTS.
THEY WON'T HAVE PEOPLE STAYING THERE FOR FOR MONTHS ON END.
BUT WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY THE DEMAND YET OTHER THAN OUR OWN NUMBERS UNTIL WE ACTUALLY OPEN.
AND WHEN WE OPEN THE FACILITY AND WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE.
WE ALREADY HAVE TONS OF PARTNERS IN THE HEALTHCARE WORLD THAT ARE WAITING FOR US TO DO THIS, BECAUSE THEY HAVE PEOPLE TO REFER TO US. WE THINK THAT NUMBER IS PROBABLY TWICE TO THREE TIMES THAT.
SO OUR IDEA WITH THIS FACILITY IS TO REALLY. IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO PILOT BECAUSE MEADOWS IS GIVING US THE HOME AND THEY'RE PROVIDING US WITH A BUNCH OF OTHER FREE SERVICES THAT WE CAN RUN THIS FOR, SAY, 5 TO 10 YEARS OR FIVE YEARS AND REALIZE, OKAY, WE NEED A BIGGER SPACE.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS CONCEPT ACROSS THE COUNTRY, MOST HOSPICE HOMES ARE BETWEEN 5 AND 10 BEDS.
AND SO WE FIT KIND OF RIGHT WITHIN THAT WHEELHOUSE.
THANK YOU. THAT WAS HELPFUL. YES. LAST QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS, WHAT OTHER OPTIONS DO OUR HOMELESS POPULATIONS HAVE WHEN THIS SERVICE IS NOT BEING MET TODAY? THEY DON'T. AND THAT'S A BIG CHALLENGE.
AND SO A LOT OF THEM. WE DO TRY TO PROVIDE CARE TO FOLKS.
A LOT OF TIMES WE WILL WORK WITH THE HOSPITAL SOCIAL WORKERS TO TRY TO FIND THEM A PLACE TO LIVE.
MAYBE IT'S WITH A FAMILY MEMBER, MAYBE IT'S WITHIN A NURSING HOME SPACE OF SOME KIND.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO DO THAT. SO THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE A DEDICATED OPTION.
THEY HAVE OPTIONS, BUT THERE'S CHALLENGES IN MEETING THOSE THINGS.
WE DO AND HAVE PROVIDED CARE TO PEOPLE THAT ARE STILL ON THE STREETS AND WILL MEET THEM AT LOCATIONS CLOSE TO WHERE THEY LIVE AND PROVIDE THEM WITH HOSPICE CARE SERVICES WHILE THEY LIVE ON THE STREETS, WHICH IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.
SO TO SAY THERE'S OPTIONS THAT ARE DEDICATED OPTIONS, THERE'S NOT.
SOMEONE'S WITH THEM IN THOSE LAST DAYS OF THEIR LIFE.
SO THANK YOU. CHAIR MENDELSOHN, THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
YOU WERE MENTIONING THERE'S FIVE BEDROOMS, AND SO YOU'RE EXPECTING TO SERVE FIVE CLIENTS.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE IF THE NEED WARRANTS, YOU MIGHT MAKE THE ROOM SEMI-PRIVATE AND PUT TWO PEOPLE IN THERE? GOOD QUESTION. SO ONE OF THE OPTIONS WE HAVE IS THE HOME COMES WITH ONE OF THE CARRIAGE HOUSES.
THEY'RE SMALL ENOUGH NOW TO WHERE REALLY, IT'D BE HARD TO PUT TWO PEOPLE IN THOSE ROOMS. AND SO THE IDEA WOULD THEN UTILIZE THE SPACE WE HAVE, WE WOULD JUST HAVE TO KIND OF RENOVATE THAT AS WELL.
BUT WE'LL GET THERE, AND THERE'S A CHANCE THAT WE GET THERE PROBABLY SOONER THAN WE THINK.
WE JUST WE JUST HAVE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE OPEN.
SO YOU GAVE A STATISTIC ABOUT EXPECTING PEOPLE WOULD STAY LESS THAN 30 DAYS.
[00:20:08]
SIX MONTHS OR LESS. SIX MONTHS. THANK YOU. AND SO ARE YOU GOING TO TRY TO PRIORITIZE PEOPLE WHO ARE CLOSER TO END OF LIFE, OR HOW IS THAT GOING TO WORK. REALLY, THE PRIORITIZATION WILL HAPPEN IS PEOPLE THAT ARE REFERRED TO US THAT HAVE NO PLACE TO LIVE.THAT'S THE FIRST PRIORITY. AND SO THAT IS OUR HOMELESS POPULATION.
THE SECOND PRIORITIZATION WOULD BE PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO GO HOME TO.
THIS IS A FREE SERVICE TO THEM. THEY WON'T BE PAYING ANY RENT HERE.
THEY WON'T BE PAYING ANY COST TO LIVE THERE. AND SO IT'LL BE BASED ON THOSE KIND OF PRIORITIES.
AND WE FEEL LIKE THAT, BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE ABOUT 150 OR SO REFERRALS A YEAR.
WE KNOW THAT FIVE BEDS IS SMALL, BUT WE THINK WE CAN KEEP THOSE FULL.
IT COULD BE THAT ONCE IT'S OPEN, THAT LENGTH OF STAY CHANGES, IT MAY GROW, RIGHT? BECAUSE PEOPLE MAY SAY, OKAY, THEY´RE IN A HOSPITAL SETTING AND HEAR ABOUT THIS OR KNOW THIS IS AVAILABLE.
THAT MAY CHANGE, BUT THE CURRENT SORT OF LENGTH OF STAY IS LESS THAN 30 DAYS FOR PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE REFERRED TO THIS HOSPICE HOUSE, THE WAY IN WHICH THEY ARE NOW. AND ARE YOU INTENDING TO HAVE STAFF THERE 24/7, OR WILL IT BE PEOPLE COMING IN AND OUT? SO THE HOME ITSELF WILL HAVE STAFF 24 HOURS A DAY.
THE CLINICIANS WILL COME IN AND OUT. THE PEOPLE PROVIDING HOSPICE CARE WILL COME IN AND OUT, JUST LIKE THEY WOULD COME IN AND OUT OF OUR OWN HOME. BUT WE WOULD HAVE STAFF AVAILABLE TO SORT OF TAKE CARE OF THOSE FOLKS WHILE THEY'RE IN THE HOME ITSELF, PROVIDING THEM WITH ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING TYPE OF THINGS, FOOD AND HELPING THEM WITH MEDICATION OR HELPING THEM GET UP AND MOVE AROUND.
BUT THE CLINICAL SIDE WILL COME IN AND OUT. BUT YES, WE'LL HAVE 24 HOUR STAFF THERE.
SO I KNOW YOUR PROGRAM DOES PROVIDE SO MANY RESOURCES WHEN ANYBODY IS PART OF HOSPICE.
BUT SO IN THIS SCENARIO YOU MAY HAVE CLIENTS WHO DON'T HAVE APPROPRIATE CLOTHING.
RIGHT. OBVIOUSLY BETTING THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
AND SO YOU'RE INTENDING TO PROVIDE ALL OF THAT.
PART OF THE IDEA OF RAISING DOLLARS UPFRONT TO COVER OPERATIONAL COSTS, THOSE THINGS ARE BUILT IN.
WE DON'T WANT IT TO BE A BARRIER FOR SOMEONE IF THEY WANT TO COME, THAT THEY NEED THOSE THINGS.
AND SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE ON THE FLY PROVIDE THAT.
WHAT IS INTERESTING ABOUT HOSPICE CARE IS THAT EACH OF THE CLIENTS WILL RECEIVE THE TYPE OF SORT OF A MEDICAL BED AND THE TYPE OF EQUIPMENT AND FURNITURE THAT THEY NEED, AS WE WOULD AT HOME IF YOU'RE ON HOSPICE CARE.
SO IF YOU'RE ON HOSPICE WITH AN ORGANIZATION AND YOU NEED A MEDICAL BED OR YOU NEED OTHER THINGS, THAT HOSPICE PROVIDES THAT SERVICE, WE'LL BE PROVIDING THAT TO OURSELVES IN THIS FACILITY.
AND SO YOU'RE RIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN, WE HAVE SORT OF SET ASIDE THE ABILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE CLOTHING OR SHEETS OR ANY OF THE SORT OF THINGS THEY MIGHT NEED.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WERE JUST SPEAKING WITH MAYOR PRO TEM ABOUT PROVIDING HOSPICE SERVICES ON THE STREET TO PEOPLE WHO ARE IN ENCAMPMENTS OR IN THEIR CARS, IT REMINDED ME OF A PHOTO I'VE SEEN AT YOUR OFFICE OF A VNA NURSE DELIVERING A BABY IN THE FIELDS.
YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME. OH, YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER BLAIR HAS A QUESTION FOR YOU. YES, MA'AM. YOU DID SAY THAT YOU WOULD BE PROVIDING PALLIATIVE CARE AS WELL AS A TRANSITORY. SO WE PROVIDE PALLIATIVE CARE AS A TRANSITORY SERVICE NOW.
IN THIS HOME, IT WILL BE PRIMARILY FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE ON HOSPICE CARE.
SO THERE WON'T BE ANY PALLIATIVE CARE OPPORTUNITIES HERE? PROBABLY NOT. THERE MIGHT BE. AGAIN, THE INTENT IS TO PROVIDE HOSPICE SERVICES BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN THAT'S THE GREATEST NEED. PALLIATIVE, WE CAN DO THAT.
SO IF YOU'RE ON PALLIATIVE YOU CAN CONTINUE TO SEEK CURATIVE TREATMENT.
WHEN YOU COME TO HOSPICE CARE, YOU ARE UNDER OUR CARE.
AND SO THE INTENT OF THIS HOME, BASED ON THE MODELS AROUND THE COUNTRY, BASED ON THE DATA THAT WE'VE DONE, IS TO REALLY PROVIDE HOSPICE CARE SERVICES. TO SAY WE WON'T PROVIDE PALLIATIVE CARE THERE, I CAN'T SAY YET, BUT I THINK FOR THE MOST PART, OUR INTENTION IS TO DO HOSPICE.
[00:25:04]
IF SOMEONE DOES NEED PALLIATIVE CARE, AND IT IS, IT WOULD FIT THAT FACILITY, THEN WE WOULD CERTAINLY CONSIDER THAT IF WE HAD THE SPACE.THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHRIS.
THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU, VNA, FOR STEPPING UP TO THIS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OKAY, WELL, NEXT ITEM.
I HAD SOME QUESTIONS. I HAD SOME QUESTIONS. I'M SORRY.
WE WERE NOT RECOGNIZING PEOPLE WHO WERE VIRTUAL.
THANK YOU. OUR NEXT IS FROM PALLET. AND SO WE'VE GOT PATRICK ST.
MARY HERE. IF YOU WANT TO COME AND SIT EXACTLY WHERE MR. CULAK WAS, THAT'D BE GREAT. MANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE TOURED PALLET COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES OFTEN WITH OUR NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES PARTNER.
WE'VE SEEN PALLET HOMES AT VARIOUS CONFERENCES AND IN EXHIBIT HALLS.
WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING HOW PALLET COMMUNITIES COME TO BE, HOW THEY'RE BEING OPERATED AND MANAGED, HOW YOU THINK IT'S GOING IN OTHER COMMUNITIES AND HOW YOU COULD POTENTIALLY SEE THAT WORKING IN DALLAS.
SO, PATRICK, NICE TO WELCOME YOU AND LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.
THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION. SO MY NAME IS PATRICK ST.
MARY, AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING PALLET SHELTER.
WE KNOW THAT CONGREGATE SHELTERS HAVE UNIQUE CHALLENGES.
SAFETY, SANITATION, BARRIERS SUCH AS SOBRIETY AND NOT ALLOWING PETS.
THAT'S WHY PALLET CREATED A MODEL THAT BREAKS DOWN THOSE BARRIERS AND PROVIDES RESIDENTS WITH THE SAFETY AND DIGNITY THEY NEED IN ORDER TO REHABILITATE AND MOVE ON TO EITHER REUNIFICATION OR PERMANENT HOUSING. WE ALL KNOW THAT PERMANENT HOUSING SHOULD BE THE ULTIMATE GOAL, AND OUR MODEL IS A STEP TOWARDS THAT DIRECTION.
TODAY, PALLET EMPLOYS OVER 100 PEOPLE, THE MAJORITY OF WHOM HAVE HAD LIVED EXPERIENCE WITH EITHER INCARCERATION OR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND HOMELESSNESS. THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE HELPED DESIGN BOTH THE SHELTERS WE PRODUCE AND THE MODEL IN WHICH THEY ARE SET UP.
SO IN OUR WORKFORCE MODEL, INDIVIDUALS WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE OF HOMELESSNESS ARE HIRED TO WORK ON OUR PRODUCTION LINE, LEARNING REAL MANUFACTURING SKILLS THAT THEY CAN THEN TAKE TO OTHER COMPANIES FOR LONG TERM EMPLOYMENT ONCE THEY GRADUATE FROM OUR PROGRAM.
AND TO THAT, OUR CEO, AMY, TOLD ME YESTERDAY THAT I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE ARE STRONGLY CONSIDERING MOVING OUR WORKFORCE MODEL AND OUR MANUFACTURING TO TEXAS IN 2026. TO DATE, PALLET HAS BUILT OVER 100 COMMUNITIES IN 21 STATES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA, OPERATED BY OVER 70 UNIQUE SERVICE PROVIDERS, PRODUCING INCREDIBLE RESULTS AND SUCCESSFULLY MOVING PEOPLE FROM THE STREETS INTO PERMANENT HOUSING. SOME STATISTICS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
THE CITY OF VANCOUVER OPENED ITS FIRST PALLET SAFE STAY COMMUNITY IN 2021, AND THE FOLLOWING YEAR, THE NUMBER OF POLICE VISITS WITHIN A 500 FOOT RADIUS OF THE VILLAGE DROPPED BY NEARLY 30%.
THE NUMBER OF CRIMES REPORTED IN THE CITY OF DENVER, COLORADO, ROSE FROM 2020 TO 2021.
BUT IN THE SIX SAFE OUTDOOR SPACE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HOSTED TEMPORARY HOMES FOR UNHOUSED PEOPLE, CRIME WENT DOWN. WHILE THE CRIME RATE ROSE SIGNIFICANTLY IN LOS ANGELES FROM 2020 TO 2021, THE AREAS WITHIN A QUARTER MILE OF TEN PALLET VILLAGES SAW ON AVERAGE, A NEARLY 25% DECREASE IN CRIME.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO COST EFFICIENCY. OUR TEMPORARY MODEL IS SIGNIFICANTLY CHEAPER THAN USING HOTELS AND MOTELS. IN A STUDY FROM NEW YORK CITY, IT COST THE CITY $2.8 MILLION TO HOUSE 50 PEOPLE IN HOTELS IN A YEAR.
TO CONTRAST THAT, A PALLET SHELTER VILLAGE COST $1.2 MILLION AS A ONE TIME COST.
AND THE UNITS CAN BE UTILIZED FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES. THEY CAN BE TAKEN DOWN, PUT IN STORAGE, AND PUT BACK UP AT A LATER DATE. IN THE UNCOMPENSATED CARE MODEL, IT COST AN AVERAGE OF $3,800 FOR AN EMERGENCY ROOM NIGHT FOR ONE INDIVIDUAL. IN CONTRAST, NIGHTLY PER PERSON COSTS CAN VARY IN A PALLET VILLAGE, WITH AN AVERAGE COST OF $91 PER NIGHT PER INDIVIDUAL.
[00:30:03]
ONE VILLAGE RECENTLY OPENED IN TAMPA, FLORIDA, WHICH IS THE LARGEST PALLET SITE IN THE COUNTRY, HAS A NIGHTLY COST DOWN TO $25 PER NIGHT PER INDIVIDUAL.AND PALLET CAN HELP THE CITY OF DALLAS WITH METHODS OF HOW TO KEEP COSTS DOWN.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. ALL PALLET PRODUCTS ARE OPEN CONSTRUCTION WITH ALL PARTS EXPOSED OR EXPOSABLE FOR LOCAL INSPECTION, MAKING ADOPTION FASTER, EASIER, AND MORE COST EFFICIENT.
PALLET ALSO HAS THE ABILITY TO USE TOOLS THROUGH ZILLOW TO FIND LOCATIONS FOR VILLAGE SITES.
A STUDY IN SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO, SHOWED THAT PRIOR TO IMPLEMENTATION OF A PALLET VILLAGE, IT WAS COSTING LAW ENFORCEMENT $14 MILLION TO DEAL WITH THE HOMELESS POPULATION EACH YEAR. THESE COSTS WERE ALL BUT ELIMINATED WITH IMPLEMENTATION OF A $1.2 MILLION, 50 UNIT PALLET SHELTER VILLAGE.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. REGULATORY PATHWAYS. WE HAVE A LETTER FROM THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGISTRATION, WHICH HELPED US GREATLY CUT THROUGH RED TAPE IN OUR RECENTLY OPENED VILLAGE IN AMARILLO, TEXAS.
AND WE CAN USE THIS LETTER TO HELP DALLAS WELL.
WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.
TO REITERATE, OUR COMPANY IS STRONGLY CONSIDERING MOVING OUR PRODUCTION TO TEXAS IN 2026, AND THIS WILL MEAN THAT PALLET SHELTERS WILL BE A PRODUCT MADE FOR TEXANS BY TEXANS IN TEXAS. WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO OPEN FOR QUESTIONS.
OKAY. GREAT JOB. YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GOOD JOB KEEPING THE TIME FRAME.
SO STARTING WITH COMMITTEE MEMBERS, WHO'S GOT ANY QUESTIONS? MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
CAN YOU REMIND ME WHAT THE AVERAGE SIZE OF EACH COMMUNITY IS? IT VARIES. THE SMALLEST COMMUNITIES WE HAVE ARE SIX UNITS.
YOU KNOW, I FEEL THAT THE CITY POTENTIALLY WOULD BE ABLE TO ASSIST WITH SOME OF THE UPFRONT COSTS, BUT THE OPERATING DOLLARS ARE REALLY WHAT CONCERNS ME.
AND SO ARE THESE CITIES RUNNING THE FACILITIES DAY TO DAY, OR ARE THERE MANAGEMENT GROUPS THAT ARE DOING THE FACILITATION OF SERVICES? THEY'RE USUALLY NOT FOR PROFITS THAT ARE RUNNING THE SITES THEMSELVES, RUNNING SERVICES THAT CAN BE CATHOLIC CHARITIES, UNITED WAY. IT JUST VARIES FROM CITY TO CITY.
OKAY. AND SO ONE THING YOU DIDN'T MENTION WAS, YOU MENTIONED THE COST OF THE PALLET HOMES.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE LAND WHERE THESE TINY HOME COMMUNITIES ARE GOING? ARE THEY PRIVATE PROPERTIES? ARE THEY PUBLIC PROPERTIES? WHAT ARE WE SEEING? THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION. IT VARIES.
IT CAN BE A MIXTURE OF BOTH. THESE SITES CAN BE PUT UP IN STRANGE LOCATIONS.
I DON'T THINK I HAVE THAT SLIDE HERE, BUT WE'VE UTILIZED SOME LAND IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, AS AN EXAMPLE THAT WAS CONSIDERED NOT USABLE FOR REALLY ANYTHING IN BETWEEN FREEWAYS.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO PUT UP A VILLAGE THERE. AND THAT'S BEEN A SUCCESSFUL MODEL. AND SO WHAT IS THE AVERAGE OPERATING COST TO RUN THESE COMMUNITIES? THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION. AND I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU RIGHT NOW, SO I'LL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
AND SO WHERE ARE YOU GUYS IN TEXAS CURRENTLY? WE ARE IN AMARILLO, TEXAS. THAT'S THE MOST RECENT SITE THAT WE OPENED.
AND BEYOND THAT, I'LL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT AS WELL.
AND AS FAR AS OTHER CITIES, WHETHER IN TEXAS OR AROUND THE COUNTRY, ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT I HEAR IS ZONING REGULATION AND BUILDINGS THAT ARE NOT ATTACHED WITH A FOUNDATION TO THE GROUND.
AND SO, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT OUR ZONING.
[00:35:06]
REGULATIONS. AND SO THE OTHER SAFETY CONCERN THAT I HAVE IS, WE DO HAVE HIGH WINDS HERE IN NORTH TEXAS.CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DURABILITY AND ASSURANCE THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING INSIDE THESE PALLETS ARE GOING TO BE SAFE FROM ELEMENTS FROM THE WIND, MAKING SURE THAT THEY CAN SECURE WITH LOCK? YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE VERY VULNERABLE IN HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS.
AND SO WHAT DOES THIS ADD TO SECURITY FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS? THAT'S A VERY GOOD POINT. THESE UNITS ARE BUILT TO BE VERY DURABLE. THEY'RE MADE OF NON-ORGANIC MATERIALS. THEY ARE WIND RATED.
AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE A SITE THAT OPENED EARLIER THIS YEAR IN AMARILLO, TEXAS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER BLAIR. THANK YOU.
CHAIR, I'M GOING TO CONTINUE ON, GUESS WHAT, THE ZONING.
WHEN I SAW THE MAKEUP OF THIS, HOW DO YOU PROPOSE THAT THERE ARE HEALTH CARE FACILITIES IN EACH ONE OF THESE PALLETS? I ONLY SAW ONE EXAMPLE THAT HAD ONE, WHICH WOULD HAVE MEANT YOU WOULD HAVE NEEDED WASTEWATER AND STORMWATER IN ORDER TO PUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT THERE. YES, WE DO NEED BOTH OF THOSE THINGS.
THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT DESIGNS. BUT THAT'S ONE WAY THAT IT CAN BE DONE.
SO WHEN YOU SAID THAT, IN TAMPA, THERE'S TWO THAT'S YOUR LARGEST LOCATION.
IT IS. 200. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT IS THE MAKEUP OF THE.
WHAT KIND OF PALLETS DO YOU HAVE AT THAT LOCATION? WE HAVE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT UNITS. ONE IS A 70 SQUARE FOOT MODEL THAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR ONE INDIVIDUAL.
WE ALSO HAVE 120 SQUARE FOOT UNIT WHICH CAN HOUSE TWO INDIVIDUALS.
SO IT'S A MIXTURE OF BOTH. SO, IN THE ONE YOU SAID THAT IS IN AMARILLO CAN WITHSTAND THE HIGH WINDS. I BELIEVE THAT LAST I CHECKED IT, HUD HAS A STANDARD OF 100MPH FOR SEVEN SECONDS, WOULD EACH ONE OF THESE PALLETS BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND THAT TYPE OF WIND VELOCITY FOR THAT PERIOD OF TIME? I BELIEVE SO.
OKAY. AND I GUESS THE SAME THING WOULD APPLY WHEN, WITH THE KITCHEN FACILITIES FOR THEM TO EAT, OR HOW WOULD YOU PROPOSE THAT FOOD BE BROUGHT INTO THEM? AND WHO'S GOING TO BEAR THE COST OF THAT? YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
OFTENTIMES, THE COMMUNITY ROOM CAN BE USED FOR FOOD DISTRIBUTION.
WE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE A KITCHEN UNIT OURSELVES.
BUT LIKE I SAID, THEY CAN BE USED FOR FOOD DISTRIBUTION.
OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER GRACEY.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
THIS IS FASCINATING. MY COLLEAGUES ASKED A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS I WAS, YOU KNOW, FORMULATING.
I THINK IT WAS, I SAW A COMPARISON OF ABOUT 1.3 COMPARED TO 2 MILLION TO DO THIS, AND I THINK IT WAS 1.3 FOR 50 HOMES OR 50 OF THESE HOMES. DOES THAT INCLUDE INSTALLATION SET UP AND ALL OF THAT? WAS THAT. WHAT ALL DOES THAT INCLUDE, OR IS THAT JUST THE COST OF THE ACTUAL PRODUCT? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET FOR SITES RUN ABOUT $1.5 MILLION PER YEAR FOR EVERY 100 INDIVIDUALS.
SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME, SORRY. 1.5 MILLION A YEAR FOR EVERY 100 PEOPLE.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AND SIMILARLY, YOU SAID NONPROFITS COME IN TYPICALLY TO MANAGE AND OPERATE THOSE? YES. HAVE THERE BEEN ANY THAT HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL? NOT THAT I KNOW OF. AND I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE AN UGLY QUESTION OR SET YOU UP OR ANYTHING.
I'M JUST. IF THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE THINKING ABOUT, WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE BEST PRACTICES THAT WE COULD BE THINKING ABOUT TO PREVENT WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THOSE THAT DID NOT, THAT WEREN'T SUCCESSFUL? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. OUR DIGNITY STANDARDS ARE VERY IMPORTANT, AND WE DEMAND THAT ON SITE HYGIENE
[00:40:05]
SOLUTIONS ARE PROVIDED AS PART OF THESE SHELTER UNITS.SECURITY IS PROVIDED, ACCESS TO FOOD, TRANSPORTATION AND ON SITE WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
THOSE ARE ALL NECESSARY FOR A SUCCESSFUL SITE.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. OH, AND THEN IN TERMS OF. I KNOW YOU MENTIONED A COUPLE TIMES OF POTENTIALLY RELOCATING HERE TO TEXAS, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF NUMBER OF JOBS? WHAT DOES THAT FOOTPRINT LOOK LIKE FOR AN OPERATION LIKE THAT? YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. OUR MANUFACTURING RIGHT NOW IS UP IN WASHINGTON STATE, JUST NORTH OF SEATTLE, AND WE EMPLOY ABOUT 100 PEOPLE THAT HAVE LIVED EXPERIENCE, BEEN INCARCERATED, BEEN ON DRUGS, AND ARE TRYING TO TRANSITION OUT OF THAT.
WE PROVIDE THEM WITH A HOUSING CONNECTOR. WE WORK WITH THEM FOR WHOLE PERSON WELLNESS.
SO WE'VE SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITIONED HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THROUGH OUR PROGRAM.
YEAH, I'D LOVE TO GET A COPY OF THAT. ABSOLUTELY.
THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN WILLIS, DID YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? SURE. THANK YOU, CHAIR, FOR ALLOWING ME TO JOIN AND MAKE SOME COMMENTS AND ASK SOME QUESTIONS.
AND I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION AND YOU BEING HERE TODAY. I BELIEVE EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER TAKES THE ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS SERIOUSLY AND UNDERSTANDS THAT THE ISSUE IMPACTS BOTH OUR UNHOUSED AND OUR HOUSED NEIGHBORS. I ALSO THINK THERE IS AN AGREEMENT THAT OUR SHELTER BEDS ARE ONE OF THE IMPORTANT TOOLS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST HOMELESSNESS.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE MOST OF US ALSO THINK OUR GOAL IS TO GET PEOPLE PERMANENTLY OFF THE STREETS, NOT JUST TEMPORARILY OFF THE STREETS, BUT I KNOW THIS IS AN OPTION THAT A LOT OF US ARE INTERESTED IN.
SO ONE QUESTION I JUST ASKED, DIRECTOR ERICKSON, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO CLARIFY ON THE RECORD, IF YOU WOULD, IS WHETHER FEDERAL FUNDS CAN BE USED FOR TEMPORARY HOUSING SOLUTIONS, BECAUSE I KNOW IN THE PAST THEY COULDN'T.
BUT THAT HAS CHANGED NOW, RIGHT? THANK YOU. IT HAS NOT CHANGED.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. SO OUR CDBG FUNDS AND OUR HOME FUNDS STILL HAVE ALL OF THE RESTRICTIONS WITH IT. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS LOOKING AT NEW SOURCES OF FUNDS FOR DIFFERENT HOUSING SOLUTIONS, TEMPORARY MODELS, MANUFACTURED HOUSING MODELS. SO THERE HAVE BEEN SOME DIFFERENT RELEASES COME OUT RECENTLY LOOKING FOR DIRECT OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDERS, AS WELL AS OTHER THINGS THAT WE EXPECT TO COME OUT THROUGH NEW PROGRAMS. SO USE OF FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM IS CONTINGENT ON THE BUDGET BEING PASSED, AND THAT, WHAT YOU JUST MENTIONED, MAKING IT INTO THE FEDERAL PACKAGE, RIGHT? THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING. BUT THE CURRENT PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER STILL HAVE THEIR SAME RULES, WE'VE NOT SEEN ANYTHING THAT WAS CHANGING CDBG OR HOME RULES RIGHT NOW, BUT WE DO ANTICIPATE OTHER FUNDING COMING OUT, MAYBE THROUGH OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES THAT MIGHT BE DIRECTED AT THIS ISSUE.
OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THEN I HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
SO YOU MENTIONED THAT HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE TRANSITIONED THROUGH YOUR PALLET HOMES.
DO YOU HAVE A NUMBER OF, LIKE WHAT'S THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF PEOPLE SERVED IN ALL YOUR FACILITIES? I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
I DO KNOW THAT SOME OF OUR MORE SUCCESSFUL SITES SEE STATISTICS, AROUND 60%, OF THE PEOPLE THAT GO THROUGH THE PROGRAM, TRANSITION FROM LIVING ON THE STREETS INTO PERMANENT HOUSING.
SO THIS IS JUST A STEP IN THAT DIRECTION. OKAY.
YOU ANSWERED MY NEXT QUESTION. WHAT'S THE AVERAGE DURATION STAY PER RESIDENT? WE RECOMMEND LESS THAN A YEAR, SO IT'S USUALLY AROUND SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR.
OKAY. AND YOU SAID 60% TYPICALLY END UP IN PERMANENT HOUSING? I BELIEVE THAT IT'S SOMEWHERE AROUND 60% FOR OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL SITES.
OKAY. AND SO THAT THE END GOAL IS TO GET THEM OUT, NOT KEEP THEM ON YOUR SITE PERMANENTLY? ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. THESE PALLET SHELTERS SHOULD NEVER BE CONSIDERED PERMANENT HOUSING. THEY'RE JUST A STEP TOWARDS COMING FROM THE STREETS AND MOVING INTO MORE PERMANENT MODELS.
ARE RESIDENTS ALLOWED TO BRING IN DRUGS. IT REALLY DEPENDS.
WE HAVE LOW BARRIER SITES WHERE THEY THEY DEPOSIT THEIR DRUGS OR PARAPHERNALIA OR WHATEVER THEY HAVE AT THE DOOR, AND THEY SECURE THEM IN A LOCKBOX. THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO, I BELIEVE I'LL SPEAK TO AMARILLO.
I BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO BRING ANYTHING ON SITE, BUT THEY HAVE TO LEAVE IT AT THE FRONT DESK, AND NOT USE WHILE THEY'RE ON SITE. AND SECURITY IS THERE AS WELL.
SO DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? SO, THERE IS FULL TIME SECURITY ON THE SITE? THERE IS FULL TIME SECURITY. OKAY, AND HOW MANY SECURITY GUARDS PER PERSON DO YOU BUDGET? I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT. I'M SORRY. WHAT TYPES OF FULL TIME SERVICES DO YOU HAVE AVAILABLE FOR THE RESIDENTS WHO STAY WITH YOU? IT DEPENDS FROM SITE TO SITE, BUT THERE IS OFTENTIMES A WORKFORCE ASSISTANCE DRUG USE COUNSELING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
[00:45:02]
OKAY. WHO DETERMINES IF THAT'S PRESENT? IS THAT THE NONPROFIT THAT ENDS UP RUNNING IT? IT'S EITHER THAT OR THE CITY. OR THE CITY? YEAH.WOULD DO THAT. OKAY. AND I MAY HAVE MISSED THIS QUESTION IF THIS CAME UP EARLIER.
ARE THE PALLET SHELTERS AIR CONDITIONED AND HEATED? THEY ARE. YES. OKAY, GREAT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
AND ONE IS THE SUCCESS RATE. I THINK THAT'S VERY CRITICAL.
AND SO THOSE WHO ARE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS ON OUR STREETS, WHAT'S THE ADVANTAGE OF GOING INTO A PALLET HOME VERSUS GOING DIRECTLY INTO A PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING? OFTENTIMES, PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE NEED A COOLING OFF PERIOD TIME TO START ADDRESSING THE ISSUES THAT THEY HAVE.
THERE'S A REASON THAT THESE NON-CONGREGATE SHELTERS ARE MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN CONGREGATE SHELTERS.
AND THAT FEELING OF SAFETY WILL HELP THEM BE ABLE TO START TACKLING THE DEMONS THAT THEY HAVE.
BUT I ALSO DO FEEL THAT A LOT OF WORK CAN BE DONE IN THESE, WHAT I CALL TRANSITIONAL LIVING SPACES.
SO THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. I TOTALLY AGREE. PERMANENT HOUSING SHOULD ALWAYS BE THE END GOAL.
EXCELLENT. OKAY, WELL, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
ARE THESE UNITS FEMA APPROVED? I'LL HAVE TO FIND AN ANSWER FOR THAT.
SORRY, I DON'T HAVE ONE. AND TELL ME ABOUT BEDBUGS.
THIS IS A BIG HOMELESS SHELTER ISSUE. DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR SHELTERS ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO BEDBUGS OR NOT? I KNOW THAT THEY'RE. THE BUILDINGS ARE MADE OUT OF NON-ORGANIC MATERIALS, SO THEY CAN THEY CAN STAND UP TO A LOT OF WEAR AND TEAR.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT GO THROUGH THESE UNITS YOU KNOW, CAN URINATE AND THINGS LIKE THAT THESE UNITS CAN BASICALLY BE EMPTIED AND HOSED OUT. SO I HAVE NOT HEARD ABOUT BEDBUGS BEING A PARTICULAR ISSUE, BUT I BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD BE VERY EASY TO EMPTY THE UNIT OUT COMPLETELY AND FUMIGATE IT AND PUT A NEW BED IN BASICALLY. OKAY, SO TALK TO ME AGAIN ABOUT THE FOUNDATIONS.
I THINK THIS IS WHERE MAYOR PRO TEM WAS GOING.
I'VE SEEN IT WHEN IT WAS ON AN ABANDONED PARKING LOT, SO IT WAS SORT OF UNSTEADY CONCRETE.
AND I GUESS THAT WAS THEN ANCHORED INTO THE GROUND FROM THERE.
IS THAT HOW THAT WOULD HAVE WORKED? I BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE HOW IT WOULD WORK.
YEAH. THESE DO HAVE ANCHOR ANCHORING ABILITY, BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ON DIRT.
RIGHT. YOU NEED THEM TO BE ON SOME SORT OF SETTLED CONCRETE OR BASE.
THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO IT. THEY HAVE BEEN PUT ON DIRT BEFORE, SO IT JUST DEPENDS.
BUT MOST COMMONLY THEY ARE PUT ON LIKE A CONCRETE OR AN OLD PARKING LOT TYPE OF AREA.
AND WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE SMALLEST COMMUNITY OF PALLET HOMES THAT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL VERSUS THE 200 UNIT ONE? YEAH, I THINK THE MODEL CAN BE SCALED UP, BUT THE SMALLEST VILLAGE WE HAVE, I BELIEVE, IS SIX UNITS. SIX INDIVIDUAL SLEEPING UNITS, ONE HYGIENE UNIT WITH BATHROOM AND A COMMUNITY ROOM.
SO IT CAN BE FAIRLY SMALL, BUT IT CAN ABSOLUTELY BE SCALED UP TO 50, 100, 150.
AND HAVE YOU SEEN IT AS A MODEL WHERE A FAITH COMMUNITY MIGHT ALLOW IT ON THEIR PROPERTY AND, AND THEN HELP MANAGE THAT SITE. I HAVE YEAH, THAT HAS HAPPENED.
IN MANY OF OUR VILLAGES THE ONE I MENTIONED IN AMARILLO IS RUN BY A LOCAL FAITH ORGANIZATION.
SO. OKAY. MY NEXT QUESTION IS, HAVE YOU GONE INTO A COMMUNITY WHERE THERE WASN'T ALREADY A NONPROFIT THAT WAS SAYING, HEY, WE'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN DOING THIS, BUT WE NEED Y'ALL TO BUY THE PALLET HOMES FOR US TO OPERATE, WHERE MAYBE THE COMMUNITY WAS INTERESTED IN PERHAPS PURSUING IT, BUT THEY HADN'T ACTUALLY SET UP PARTNERS YET.
SO TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE. ON YOUR SLIDE 33, YOU'VE GOT THE PRODUCT LINE WITH THE HOUSING UNITS, RIGHT? THE SINGLE AND THE DOUBLE. AND THEN YOU HAVE AN EN SUITE, BUT THEN YOU HAVE THE SERVICE UNITS,
[00:50:06]
RIGHT? THE COMMUNITY ROOM, THE LAUNDRY, THE HALF BATH AND THE TWO STALL HYGIENE.AND WHAT'S THE RATIO THERE, LIKE FOR EVERY SINGLE BED YOU NEED THIS MANY BATHROOMS. LIKE, DO YOU HAVE ANY KIND OF FIGURE? WE DO. SURE.
COMMUNITY ROOMS CAN BE UTILIZED FOR MANY DIFFERENT RESOURCES.
AND THEN DO YOU OFTEN SEE ALSO JUST MAYBE AN AWNING THAT'S OPEN AIR WHERE PEOPLE CAN CONGREGATE? YEAH, THAT'S VERY COMMON. THE AMARILLO SITE HAS AN OPEN AIR AREA WITH AN AWNING THAT PEOPLE CAN CONGREGATE AND KIND OF SOCIALIZE.
OKAY. SO THOSE ARE ALL OF MY QUESTIONS. I WILL JUST SAY THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LIKED WHEN I HAVE TOURED THIS IS THAT THERE DOES SEEM TO BE A STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY AMONGST THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING THERE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THEM STEPPING UP TO NOT JUST FOCUS ON THEMSELVES, BUT TO HELP EACH OTHER.
AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GREAT RECOVERY AND STABILIZATION INDICATOR.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, Y'ALL? OKAY. WE'RE DOING GREAT ON TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY, WELL, OUR THIRD AND FINAL PRESENTATION IS BY NONE OTHER THAN OUR VERY OWN WAYNE WALKER, WHO IS THE CEO OF OUR CALLING. OUR CALLING IS OUR LARGEST DAYTIME CONGREGATE SERVICE OPERATOR FOR HOMELESS FOLKS. AND THEY ALSO SUBCONTRACT DOING OUR INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTERING.
THEY DO IN A VERY, VERY IMPRESSIVE OUTREACH PROGRAM THROUGHOUT ALL OF DALLAS COUNTY.
AND REALLY, I THINK WHAT THEY'RE MOST NOTED FOR IS THEIR TECHNOLOGY AND DATA.
AND WE'D LOVE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT IT IS, HOW IT WORKS, HOW IT'S GOING.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR HAVING ME TODAY. SO I WANT TO START BY JUST SHARING WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR CALLING, KIND OF WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE DO. I THINK THAT PUTS CONTEXT INTO THIS DISCUSSION.
SO OUR VISION IS FOR ALL NEIGHBORS TO BE IN A HEALTHY COMMUNITY.
I THINK THAT'S A LOT MORE IMPORTANT THAN HOUSING. OUR VISION IS FOR ALL NEIGHBORS TO BE IN HEALTHY COMMUNITY, AND WE MEASURE THAT BY PEOPLE BEING CARED FOR, WITH DIGNITY AND CONNECTED WITH INTENTIONALITY.
THAT'S JUST WHO WE ARE. WE DON'T REQUIRE ANYONE TO BELIEVE A CERTAIN WAY, PRAY A CERTAIN WAY, DO A CERTAIN THING. WE'RE HERE JUST TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR.
BECAUSE OF OUR FAITH, WE'RE INSPIRED TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS.
OUR TECHNOLOGY, AS CHAIR MEMBER MENDELSOHN COMMENTED ON, IS USED IN EVERY STATE IN THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW, INCLUDING PLACES IN MEXICO AND CANADA AND PLACES IN EUROPE.
WE WORK WITH HUMAN TRAFFICKING, SEX TRAFFICKING, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FAMILIES, INDIVIDUALS, TEENS, RUNAWAYS, FAMILIES WITH MULTIPLE KIDS, MULTIGENERATIONAL FAMILIES, INDIVIDUALS UNSHELTERED THROUGHOUT DALLAS COUNTY.
PRIMARILY OUR FOCUS ARE FOLKS THAT ARE NOT IN SHELTERS.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE SEE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN DIRE MEDICAL NEEDS, DROPPED OFF DOWNTOWN, DROPPED OFF IN DIFFERENT FACILITIES.
WE PRODUCE THOSE LITTLE GREEN BOOKS AROUND TOWN THAT YOU'VE SEEN.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE APP, WHICH IS USED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
OUR DOWNTOWN FACILITY IS A ZERO BARRIER NAVIGATION CENTER.
IT'S 100% ZERO BARRIER. THE ONLY THING KEEPING YOU OUT IS DOOR AND I'LL OPEN IT FOR YOU.
SO WE WELCOME ANYBODY OF ANY CHALLENGE, ANYTHING THEY'RE CARRYING IN THEIR POCKETS.
WE'RE JUST GOING TO WELCOME PEOPLE IN AND CARE FOR THEM REALLY, REALLY WELL. AND SO WE, AGAIN, THIS IS A CONTEXT TO US BUILDING THIS COMMUNITY, IS TO BE ABLE TO CARE FOR PEOPLE WHEN THEY WALK IN.
I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN IN THE BUSINESS OF SERVING THOUSANDS OF MEALS A WEEK DURING, WHEN WE WERE OPERATING THE LARGEST INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTER IN THE STATE OF TEXAS EARLIER THIS YEAR, WE WERE IN THE BUSINESS OF PROVIDING MULTIPLE THOUSANDS OF MEALS A DAY.
[00:55:05]
SO AGAIN, THIS IS VERY RELEVANT TO THIS COMMUNITY ASPECT.WE HAVE OVER 15 PARTNER AGENCIES THAT ACTUALLY SERVE IN OUR FACILITY AT OUR CALLING.
SO WE HAVE MULTIPLE MEDICAL PROVIDERS THERE. WE HAVE MULTIPLE MENTAL HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS.
WE HAVE PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES. WE HAVE SEX TRAUMA SPECIALISTS.
WE HAVE COUNSELORS THERE. WE HAVE ID SERVICES.
WE HAVE, PEOPLE CAN SIGN UP TO GET ON THE HOUSING LIST.
PEOPLE CAN SIGN UP TO SIGN UP FOR FOOD STAMPS.
BUT WHEN PEOPLE COME IN, THE PRIMARY THING THEY NEED IS RELATIONSHIP. SO WE'RE IN THE RELATIONSHIP BUSINESS. WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR A LONG TIME. AND AS WE DO THAT, AS COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSOHN SAID, WE USE A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY TO CAPTURE A TON OF DATA.
WE NOW CAN USE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, AND WE'VE BEEN USING IT FOR QUITE A WHILE TO ANALYZE OVER 100 DIFFERENT DATA POINTS ON INDIVIDUALS TO FIGURE OUT THEIR BEST EXIT PLAN AND EXIT STRATEGY. AND SO HELPING THEM THEN ACCOMPLISH THAT GOAL, GET INTO HOUSING, GETTING INTO A NURSING HOME, GETTING INTO A BOARDING HOME, GETTING INTO A SHELTER PARTNER THAT HAS CAS ENTRY POINTS, GETTING INTO REHAB DETOX IS SOMETHING WE GET TO DO EVERY SINGLE DAY.
OF THE PEOPLE WE WORK WITH IN THE COMMUNITY, WE SEE ABOUT 50% OF THEM WILL SELF RESOLVE, MEANING THAT THEY WILL GET OFF THE STREETS WITH VERY LITTLE HELP. BEYOND THAT, WE SEE ABOUT 25% OF THE COMMUNITY THAT NEED A SHORT TERM STAY.
THEY NEED A SHELTER, THEY NEED A REHAB, THEY NEED A DETOX.
BUT THEN WE HAVE THE LAST 25% THAT NEED LONG TERM CARE.
SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE CARED FOR YOUR AGING PARENTS, THIS IS WHO I'M TALKING ABOUT.
THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW HOW TO CARE FOR AN AGING RELATIVE, THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
25% OF OUR POPULATION THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH ALL OVER THE CITY OF DALLAS HAVE LONG TERM CARE NEEDS, AND OF THOSE, A PERCENTAGE OF THEM NEED HOSPICE CARE DESPERATELY.
WE HELP PEOPLE GET OFF THE STREETS, A LOT OF THEM.
LAST YEAR, 1376 TIMES. AND AS OF TODAY, WE HAVE EXCEEDED THAT NUMBER FOR THIS YEAR.
SO BY THE END OF THE YEAR WE'LL BE WELL OVER 1500.
AND I THINK THAT'S PRETTY AWESOME. I THINK ANY ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS WITH THE HOMELESS COMMUNITY, YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY GETTING PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS AND THEY'RE STAYING OFF THE STREETS. BUT AS WE WORK WITH THAT COMMUNITY AND WE GET THEM OFF THE STREETS, AGAIN, WE GET PEOPLE INTO STABILIZATION PROGRAMS. WE CONNECT PEOPLE WITH SHELTER TO HOUSING PROGRAMS AND WHERE THEY'RE THEY CONNECT WITH CAS PARTNERS.
WE GET PEOPLE INTO REHABS, DETOXES ALL OVER THE COMMUNITY AND ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
WE WORK WITH AGAIN, LIKE SEX TRAFFICKING VICTIMS. THE BEST SEX TRAFFICKING RECOVERY CENTERS ARE NOT IN DALLAS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GET PEOPLE TO THE BEST PLACE WE CAN.
AGAIN, IF YOUR CHILD WAS HOMELESS AND WE WORK WITH LOTS OF FAMILIES WHOSE CHILDREN ARE HOMELESS, YOU WOULD WANT US TO GET THEM IN THE BEST PLACE POSSIBLE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. SO AND AS WE DO THAT, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT WE CAN'T GET OFF THE STREETS, ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT NO ONE WILL TAKE. THERE'S ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT NO LIVING BY YOURSELF AND ANY KIND OF HOUSING UNIT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE. MANY OF THOSE ARE PEOPLE WE MET AT INCLEMENT WEATHER.
OVER 4000 UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS THAT CAME IN OVER THE FEW WEEKS THAT WE HAD IT OPEN AT FAIR PARK.
NOW, THAT ONLY REPRESENTED ABOUT 15 TO 20% OF THE PEOPLE WE INVITED.
BUT STILL, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE IN DESPERATE NEED.
MANY OF THOSE THAT NEED THE KIND OF CARE THAT YOUR AGING PARENTS WILL NEED.
MANY OF THOSE THAT NEEDED CARE FOR THE ELDERLY.
LONG TERM CARE. PEOPLE WITH CANCER. PEOPLE WITH SEVERE DISABILITIES.
PEOPLE WITH NOT ONLY AN AMPUTATION, BUT MULTIPLE AMPUTATIONS.
SO WE STARTED THIS PROGRAM A FEW YEARS AGO RESEARCHING THIS AND RAISING MONEY.
WE HAVE VISITED AND RESEARCHED, I THINK, NOW CLOSE TO 75 TINY HOME COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, MANY THAT WERE MENTIONED HERE TODAY, WE'VE BEEN TO, WE'VE VISITED OR WE'VE TALKED TO THEIR STAFF. YOU KNOW, WE KNOW AMY, THE CEO OF PALLET SHELTER, REALLY WELL.
HOWEVER, WRAPAROUND SUPPORT SERVICES ARE REALLY CHALLENGING IF YOU CAN'T GET TO THEM.
AND SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ALL THE SERVICES PEOPLE NEED IN ONE SINGULAR LOCATION.
THEY WON'T HAVE TO GET ON A BUS AND GO ACROSS TOWN TO GET A PHARMACEUTICAL, THEIR MEDS REFILLED.
[01:00:04]
THEY WON'T HAVE TO GET ON A BUS AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO CARRY 40 POUNDS OF FOOD FROM A FOOD PANTRY BACK TO THEIR HOME.THEY WON'T HAVE TO GET ON THE BUS TO EVEN MEET WITH THE VA.
SO WE WILL BE PROVIDING ALL THE RESOURCES THAT INDIVIDUALS NEED ON THE SAME PIECE OF PROPERTY.
SO WE WILL HAVE A CAFETERIA ON SITE SERVING THREE MEALS A DAY AND A GROCERY STORE AND A COFFEE SHOP, AND A PLACE OF WORSHIP, AND A PLACE FOR PARTNERS AND AGENCIES TO MEET AND COUNSELING SUPPORT SERVICES TO HAPPEN, ALL WITHIN A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF PROPERTY. NOW, IF YOU'VE BEEN TO OUR CALLING, WHICH I KNOW SOME OF YOU HAVE, AND WE WANT TO WELCOME THE REST OF YOU TO COME VISIT OUR FACILITY, WE HAVE BUILT A FACILITY DESIGNED FOR DAY SERVICES.
REALLY, THAT'S WHAT IT'S FOR. AND IT'S DESIGNED TO BE OPENING AND WELCOMING TO ALL.
AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BUILD ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE ON THIS PROPERTY.
NOW THE FIRST NEIGHBORHOOD WHICH WILL GO LIVE THIS YEAR, HOMES ARE IN PLACE RIGHT NOW.
WE WILL BE PROVIDING SERVICES, SCRAMBLING THROUGH PORTABLE BUILDINGS AND MAKING IT HAPPEN.
WE'RE PRETTY SCRAPPY. WE CAN FIGURE STUFF OUT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE PROVIDING THESE SERVICES ON SITE, EVEN 24 HOUR A DAY CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS SPECIFICALLY FOR THOSE WITH LONG TERM CARE NEEDS.
SO AS WE'RE EVEN WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THE COC, THOSE THAT ARE IN HOUSING RECOGNIZE MANY OF THEM HAVE INDIVIDUALS IN THEIR HOMES THAT CANNOT SELF CARE, CANNOT TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES.
AND THE TRADITIONAL PSH SUPPORT SERVICE MODEL, WHICH HAS A CASE MANAGER VISITING ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH OR SOMETIMES ONCE A WEEK ON SOME GREAT PARTNERS, IS NOT GOING TO BE SUFFICIENT FOR THOSE WITH LONG TERM CARE NEEDS.
AND SO WE ARE PROVIDING A 24 HOUR SUPPORT SERVICE SITE FOR THEM.
SO THIS THE IS INTERIOR OF ONE OF OUR HOMES ON SITE.
BUT IT HAS A SEPARATE BEDROOM. IT HAS A SEPARATE BATHROOM, IT'S GOT A FULL KITCHEN, WASHER, DRYER, YOU KNOW, DISHWASHER, ALL THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED TO GIVE SOMEONE THE DIGNITY TO BE ABLE TO CARE FOR THEMSELVES.
IF THEY WANT TO COOK IN THEIR OWN UNIT, THEY CAN.
NOW, WHAT WE'RE BUILDING EVENTUALLY WILL BE A 500 HOME, TINY HOME COMMUNITY.
WE'VE RAISED THE FIRST $16 MILLION FOR PHASE ONE, AND AGAIN, THAT WILL OPEN THIS YEAR.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO OPEN IN NOVEMBER. I WAS JUST TOLD BY OUR CONSTRUCTION CREWS, NOW THERE'LL BE SOME DELAYS AND IT MIGHT BE TILL DECEMBER, BUT WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN WORK THAT OUT. BUT IT WILL BE OPEN THIS YEAR AND IT'LL BE THE FIRST PHASE, WHICH IS JUST ONE OF THOSE 25 HOME NEIGHBORHOODS.
THIS PROJECT IS DESIGNED FOR THOSE THAT HAVE CHRONIC NEEDS.
THOSE THAT NEED SUPPORTED INDEPENDENT LIVING, ASSISTED LIVING, AND EVEN IN-HOME HOSPICE CARE.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN PARTNERING WITH ALL THOSE AGENCIES TO PROVIDE THOSE SUPPORT SERVICES.
SO I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. IF YOU CAN WORK AT WALMART, THIS ISN'T FOR YOU.
IF YOU CAN GET A JOB DOWN THE STREET IN A WAREHOUSE, WE CAN GET YOU OFF THE STREETS TODAY.
WE CAN GET YOU OFF THE STREETS TODAY. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS, WE CAN GET HER OFF THE STREETS TODAY. SEX TRAFFICKING VICTIMS, GET HER OFF THE STREETS TODAY. BUT SOME ON THE AGE OF MY MOM, WHO'S NOW 77, WHERE SHE CAN'T DRIVE DOWN THE STREET AND SHE COULDN'T CARRY BOXES OF FOOD FROM A FOOD PANTRY, AND SHE FALLS ON A REGULAR BASIS, LIVING ALONE IN AN APARTMENT, EVEN SOME OF OUR GREAT, GREAT PSH PARTNERS IN TOWN WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE SUFFICIENT CARE THAT THEY WOULD NEED.
SO WE HAVE TO BUILD THIS TINY HOME COMMUNITY.
WE WILL BE OPENING, AGAIN, IN NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER.
WE'LL SEE HOW HARD I CAN ARM WRESTLE THESE GUYS, BUT IT WILL BE OPEN THIS YEAR FOR OUR FIRST PHASE.
NOW AGAIN, THIS IS 25 HOMES AND SO WE HAVE 475 MORE TO BE ABLE TO FUND AND BUILD.
BUT UNTIL THEN, UNTIL DALLAS CAN FIGURE OUT THE NEED OF THIS IS BEYOND EVEN JUST THIS HORSESHOE, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER AND SUPPORT IT.
[01:05:08]
SO 500 HOMES IN ELLIS COUNTY, IT'S LESS THAN 30 MINUTES FROM HERE AT CITY HALL.ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. GREAT PRESENTATION. I GUESS I'LL START.
MAYOR PRO TEM, WE HAVE STARTED WITH YOU THE OTHER TWO.
SO WHY DON'T WE JUST KEEP GOING DOWN THE SAME LINE? SO FIRST, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR WHAT YOU AND YOUR ORGANIZATION DO EVERY NOVEMBER THROUGH FEBRUARY WITH INCLEMENT WEATHER.
IT'S SO IMPORTANT, THE WORK THAT YOU DO. SO YOU TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR CURRENT MODEL, WHICH IS MORE OF A DAY SERVICE. WHEN DID YOU FIGURE OUT THAT WE WERE MISSING A PIECE TO SOLVING HOMELESSNESS? ASIDE FROM THE DAY SERVICES THAT YOU'RE DOING TODAY.
25 YEARS AGO, WHEN I STARTED WALKING THE STREETS OF DALLAS WORKING WITH PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, I USED TO FEED PEOPLE OUT OF MY TRUCK IN FRONT OF CITY HALL.
IN FACT, THE BIG ARCH IN FRONT OF THE CITY HALL.
THIS WAS BEFORE THE BRIDGE WAS BUILT. WE RECOGNIZED EVEN AT THE OLD DAY RESOURCE CENTER AT 901 SOUTH ERVAY YEARS AGO, THAT THERE WAS NOT SUFFICIENT PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO GO THAT HAVE SERVICE NEEDS.
AND AGAIN, NOW WE HAVE DATA FROM EVERY CITY IN THE COUNTRY.
DOCTOR [INAUDIBLE] GAVE A GREAT PRESENTATION AT A MEETING YESTERDAY.
THEY HAVE OVERFLOW BEDS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH ROOM.
AUSTIN STREET CENTER HAS OVERFLOW SPACE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH ROOM, AND THEY HAVE ABOUT 30 PEOPLE IN THEIR LOBBY, AND THEY HAVE ABOUT 75 SLEEPING WITHIN TWO BLOCKS OF THEIR FACILITY BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH ROOM.
I THINK ANYONE LOOKING AT THE SYSTEM WOULD RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S A HUGE NEED.
NOW, TO ME, I'M CONVICTED TO LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL I'VE GOT, AND LOVE MY NEIGHBOR AS MYSELF.
AND WHEN I LOOK AT THAT, I HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WOULD I WANT IF I WERE ON THE STREETS.
NOW, I'VE BEEN WITH SO MANY FAMILIES LOOKING FOR THEIR CHILDREN, LOOKING FOR THEIR MOM, LOOKING FOR THEIR DAD, AND RECOGNIZING THAT THIS NEED EXISTS. WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
AND THAT'S NOT GOING TO STOP AS LONG AS I'M IN THIS SEAT. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FIND THOSE NEEDS AND CREATE WAYS TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS. YEAH. SO CHAIR MENDELSOHN MENTIONED A LOT ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU DO AROUND DATA.
HERE AT THIS BUILDING, WE HAVE A WHOLE DEPARTMENT DEDICATED TO DATA ANALYTICS.
YOU MENTIONED A NUMBER. I BELIEVE YOU SAID 4000 VISITS DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTER? 4000 UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE WERE CHECKED IN THROUGH HMIS SYSTEM AT FAIR PARK.
OKAY. AND SO YET WE LOOK AT OUR POINT IN TIME COUNT THAT SAYS 3541 INDIVIDUALS.
IT'S JUST THAT ONE TIME. IT'S LIKE, IF I ASKED YOU TO TELL ME HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN YOUR COUNCIL DISTRICT, DRIVE AROUND, YOU'VE GOT TWO HOURS TO COUNT. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO COUNT THEM, ALL RIGHT? AND THE POINT IN TIME IS DESIGNED TO BE AN IMPORTANT TOOL FOR HUD.
AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT TOOL FOR FUNDING, BUT IT'S NOT DESIGNED TO BE A CORRECT CENSUS.
YEARS AGO WE USED TO COUNT OVER SEVEN DAYS, 24 HOURS A DAY.
I THINK THIS YEAR THEY COUNTED OVER LIKE TWO HOURS.
BUT WE ALSO NEED TO RECOGNIZE THERE'S OVER 5000 HOMELESS KIDS REPORTED THROUGH DISD ALONE.
NOW, THEY FOLLOW UNDER A DIFFERENT DEFINITION OF HOMELESSNESS UNDER THE MCKINNEY-VENTO ACT, BUT THEY'RE STILL HOMELESS, RIGHT? THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS ARE ON THESE STREETS EVERY DAY.
AND I'M NOT HERE TO CHALLENGE ANYONE'S DATA OR ANYONE'S NUMBERS.
I'M JUST SAYING, LOOK, WHEN WE WALK AROUND DOWNTOWN AND I GET TEXT MESSAGES FROM EVEN SOME OF YOU THAT SAY, HEY, LOOK AT ALL THESE PEOPLE. WE JUST KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING BIG BECAUSE THE NUMBERS ARE GROWING FASTER THAN THEY'VE EVER GROWN.
TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR CHRONICALLY HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS.
[01:10:01]
WELL, I'M NOT FAMILIAR AGAIN, WITH DATA AND STATISTICS FOR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.WE HAVE ABOUT AN 85% SUCCESS RATE OF PEOPLE RECEIVING OUR SERVICES AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS.
LAST YEAR, WE GOT OVER 50 PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS THAT HAD BEEN HOMELESS FOR OVER TEN YEARS, RIGHT? AND THAT TAKES LONG TERM INVESTMENT. BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN ANALYZE TEN YEARS OF CASE NOTES IN SECONDS AND GIVE US A SUMMARY BASED ON STATISTICS AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO GET SOMEONE OFF THE STREETS. SO FOR US, AGAIN, WE HAVE OVER 85% SUCCESS RATE ON MEETING PEOPLE AND BUILDING LONG TERM RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM.
AND SO IT'S A COMMUNITY AND COLLABORATIVE APPROACH, AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL OPPORTUNITY.
I WISH WE HAD MORE STREET OUTREACH FOLKS ALL OVER THE COMMUNITY.
OUR TEAMS ARE OUT EVERY SINGLE DAY. WE'LL VISIT OVER 4000 LOCATIONS IN DALLAS COUNTY ALONE, BUT WE NEED MANY, MANY MORE. HOW MANY LOCATIONS? WE'LL VISIT OVER 4000 LOCATIONS IN DALLAS COUNTY.
DALLAS COUNTY IS OVER 900MI². OKAY. LAST QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU WISH YOU COULD DO THIS IN DALLAS. BUT THIS BUILDING HAS BEEN A BARRIER.
HOW DO WE ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER TO SAY WE NEED MORE OF THESE SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE CITY, NOT JUST IN ONE CONCENTRATED AREA? I THINK WE NEED TO CONSIDER THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SERVE AS NEIGHBORS.
I THINK IF YOUR NEIGHBOR WAS HURTING, YOU WOULD SHOW UP AND SERVE THEM.
BUT IF WE DON'T LOOK AT THEM AS NEIGHBORS, BUT WE LOOK AT THEM AS PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED AND NOT PEOPLE TO BE REDEEMED, THAT WE WILL NEVER MOVE FORWARD. THESE ARE PEOPLE CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD WHO DESPERATELY NEED US TO SHOW UP AND DO HARD THINGS.
AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. SO WHAT WILL IT TAKE? IT WILL TAKE COURAGE. IT WILL TAKE COURAGE FROM YOU TO VOTE AND DO THE RIGHT THING, REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY SQUEAKY WHEELS ARE ON THE FENCE. IT WILL TAKE COURAGE FROM PEOPLE FUNDING WISE TO BE ABLE TO INVEST.
OUR HOMES, AND I DIDN'T SHOW YOU A PICTURE OF THEM, BUT ARE OVER 500FT².
AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL HOME WITH A PORCH ON IT, ON A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF LAND, REALLY DESIGNED TO SHOW DIGNITY IN A KIND OF PLACE YOU WOULD WANT TO LIVE. AGAIN, IF WE TREAT PEOPLE AND CALL PEOPLE NEIGHBORS.
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. AND I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THAT NEXT JOURNEY AND A STEP FURTHER.
SO THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER BLAIR. YES. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
DO YOU HAVE A COST OR ESTIMATED COST PER YEAR PER RESIDENT THAT YOU HAVE GONE FROM, AT REACHING THEM ON THE STREET, BRING THEM INTO YOUR FACILITY AND GETTING THEM TO THE PROPER FULL TIME HOUSING? YES. I CAN GET YOU THOSE NUMBERS.
AND HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR THAT TO HAPPEN? FOR SOME PEOPLE, IT'S THE DAY WE MEET THEM. WE HAD A FAMILY WITH A SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD, AN ADULT.
18 YEAR OLD SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD WHICH NO FAMILY SHELTER WILL TAKE A ADULT CHILD.
THEY HAD EIGHT KIDS. WHAT IT TOOK FROM THEM IS A FLIGHTS.
EMERGENCY FLIGHTS NEXT DAY TO A STATE FAR, FAR AWAY FROM HERE.
WE CONNECTED TO THEIR FAMILY. THEY HAD ROOM FOR THEM.
THEY WERE WILLING AND WELCOMING TO TAKE THEM IN.
WE CONNECTED THEM TO LOCAL PARTNERS IN THEIR HOME STATE.
WE CONNECTED TO OTHER NONPROFITS THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE LONGER TERM SUPPORT SERVICES, BUT TO MAKE SURE THEY HAD PLACES TO GO, AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET THEM OFF THE STREETS THAT DAY FOR $700 A PERSON FOR EIGHT PEOPLE TO GET THEM OFF THE STREETS, TO FLY THEM TO ANOTHER STATE, RIGHT? SOMETIMES IT'S AN EASY FIX. WHEN WE WORK WITH A SEX TRAFFICKING INDIVIDUAL, WE WILL FIND THE BEST PLACE WE CAN SEND HER.
WE DON'T CARE HOW MUCH IT COSTS. WE'LL PAY FOR IT. IF IT WERE YOUR DAUGHTER, THAT'S WHAT YOU'D WANT.
[01:15:01]
SO THAT'S WHAT WE DO. AND SO, SEX TRAFFICKING OF INDIVIDUALS.THAT'S WHAT I WOULD WANT IF IT WAS MY DAUGHTER. YOU DO WHATEVER IT TAKES, HOWEVER MUCH IT COSTS TO GET HER THE BEST PLACE YOU CAN. AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO. WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND THAT'S VERY COMMENDABLE.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE TYPE OF SERVICES.
SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND YOU TALK ABOUT THE ONE TIME PERSON, HOW ABOUT THE AVERAGE PERSON THAT YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE A NUMEROUS AMOUNT OF WRAPAROUND SERVICES BEFORE YOU CAN GET THEM PREPARED TO BE OFF THE STREET AND INTO PERMANENT HOUSING. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? IT LOOKS DIFFERENT BASED ON DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHICS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IT LOOKS DIFFERENT FROM SOMEONE THAT'S IN THEIR 20S, DIFFERENT FOR SOMEONE IN THEIR 60S, RIGHT? ALSO LOOKS DIFFERENT FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE DIFFERENT ETHNICITIES AND OTHER CHALLENGES IN LIFE.
SOME PEOPLE WITH ON THE SCHIZOAFFECTIVE DISORDER SPECTRUM, IT LOOKS VERY DIFFERENT THAN SOMEONE WHO'S STRUGGLING WITH ALCOHOL OR SOMEONE WHO JUST LOST HIS JOB. TWO WEEKS AGO, I MET A GUY WHO WAS 32 YEARS OLD USING THE GI BILL IN ARLINGTON AS A STUDENT AT UTA.
HIS MOTHER DIED, SO HE DRAINED HIS BANK ACCOUNT TO PAY FOR HER FUNERAL.
AND THEN UTA CHANGED SOME RULES AND SO HIS TUITION BILLS WENT UP.
THE VA WASN'T CHANGING THE AMOUNT THEY WERE PAYING FOR IT.
HE GOT LAID OFF AT WORK AS WELL. HE WAS A MARKETING PROFESSIONAL, AND IMMEDIATELY HE'S HOMELESS.
AND SOMETIMES IT'S EXTREMELY CHALLENGING PROCESS.
SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S AN AVERAGE. BUT IF YOU WANT I CAN SEND EACH OF YOU SOME BREAKDOWN DEMOGRAPHICALLY OF WHAT IT TAKES, WHAT OUR AVERAGES ARE. THAT WOULD BE NICE, JUST TO SEE ON AVERAGE ON A LONG TERM BASIS FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS A MENTAL DEFICIENCY OR INCAPACITATED.
AND THEN THOSE THAT ARE, LIKE YOU SAID, SELF TRAFFICKED, THEY HAVE NEEDS THAT WILL BE LONG LASTING WHICH ARE QUITE DIFFERENT FROM SOMEONE ELSE. AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOUR DATA AS TO WHAT IT TAKES.
I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER GRACEY.
THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO YOUR EVOLUTION.
AND TO SEE THE EVOLUTION FROM WHEN I FIRST MET YOU TO NOW SEEING THIS BEAUTIFUL DEVELOPMENT.
I JUST WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS. THE RESOURCES THAT YOU'VE CONTINUED TO PROVIDE, THE GREEN BOOK AND THE APP THAT CONTINUES TO TRACK ALL OF THAT, AND HOW YOU'VE CONTINUED TO JUST BE OBEDIENT QUITE HONESTLY, AND THEN DO IT WITH SUCH INTENSITY IS SOMETHING I'VE ALWAYS APPRECIATED ABOUT YOU.
SO I JUST WANTED TO JUST PUBLICLY COMMEND YOU FOR HOW YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO, DESPITE EVEN COMING DOWN HERE TO CITY HALL, EVOLVE THE ORGANIZATION AND THE CALLING OF WHAT YOU'VE BEEN ASSIGNED TO DO.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU HOW YOU SERVE AND GOD BLESS ALL THE WORK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO, SIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? SURE.
AND I HAD THE. IT WAS LIKE REALLY EARLY IN MY FIRST TERM.
I THINK IT WAS PRE-COVID. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO YOUR FACILITY AND I STILL HAVE A PICTURE OF THE CHART YOU DREW ON YOUR WHITEBOARD, WHEN YOU EDUCATED ME ON THE REALITY OF THE HOMELESS POPULATION AND JUST, YOU KNOW, WHO WAS OUT THERE AND WHO WAS READY FOR SERVICES AND WHO WASN'T.
WAS THAT ALL PRIVATELY FUNDRAISED? YES. SO WHAT WAS PROVIDED, ZONING, I GUESS BY THE CITY OR COUNTY? WE'RE AN UNINCORPORATED LAND. SO AS WE'VE RESEARCHED DIFFERENT TINY HOME COMMUNITIES, ONE IN PARTICULAR, WE'VE ALL BEEN TO COMMUNITY FIRST IN AUSTIN. THEY CHEATED WHEN THEY BUILT IT BECAUSE THEY BUILT IT OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN ON UNINCORPORATED LAND WHICH DID NOT REQUIRE ZONING. AND SO LEARNING FROM OUR PEERS, WE DID THE SAME THING.
WE'RE AN UNINCORPORATED LAND EAST OF FERRIS, BUT TOTALLY UNINCORPORATED.
WE DON'T NEED ANY ZONING. YOU'RE AVOIDING THE BUREAUCRATIC HURDLES, RIGHT?
[01:20:03]
YOU MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, LIKE, WAYS WE CAN BE HELPFUL BY TAKING COURAGEOUS VOTES.AND BY, I MEAN, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING IN MIND FOR THAT? I MEAN, AS A COUNCIL WE'RE TAKING VOTES ALL THE TIME.
WE HAVE DIFFERENT PROPOSALS THAT ARE UP HERE.
LIKE, DO YOU HAVE A VISION FOR HOW THE CITY CAN BE A BETTER PARTNER AND A BETTER LEADER IN THE WORLD OF HOMELESSNESS? I DO. NOT A TRICK QUESTION.
I DO. I THINK THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE BEST HAD OVER A CUP OF COFFEE THOUGH, RIGHT? RATHER THAN SITTING HERE AT A HORSESHOE. HOWEVER, I WOULD SAY, I'M GOING TO REPEAT WHAT I SAID EARLIER.
THIS IS SOMEONE'S MOTHER. THIS IS SOMEONE'S COUSIN.
AND AS WE LOOK AT INDIVIDUALS AS NEIGHBORS, NOT AS PROBLEMS. OFFICE OF HOME SOLUTIONS, BEFORE IT WAS CALLED THE OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS, IT WAS PART OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES.
IT WAS IN THE SAME DEPARTMENT AS ANIMAL CONTROL.
AND SO I WOULD SAY AGAIN, I'D LOVE TO HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE WITH EACH OF YOU AND SIT AND TALK.
MANY OF YOU HAVE FRIENDS THAT HAVE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES FROM MENTAL HEALTH CARE PERSPECTIVE, MAYBE A SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDER. NOW, MOST OF HOMELESSNESS IS NOT MENTAL HEALTH CARE.
MOST HOMELESSNESS IS NOT CAUSED BY MENTAL HEALTH CARE OR ADDICTION.
HOWEVER, WE KNOW OFTEN THAT FOLLOWS ALONG THE PATH.
AND SO WHEN YOU THINK OF CARING FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR'S FRIEND, YOUR NEIGHBOR'S CHILD, WE WANT TO MOVE IN WAYS THAT BRING THE HUMAN BACK IN OUR HUMAN SERVICES, THAT WE CAN THINK OF PEOPLE AS WE WOULD.
AS JESUS SAID, LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF, RIGHT? AND AGAIN, IF YOU JUST LOOK AT JESUS AS A HISTORICAL FIGURE, THAT'S A PRETTY AWESOME THING TO SAY.
TO LOVE YOUR NEIGHBORS AS YOURSELF. AS YOURSELF IS IMPORTANT, WHAT WOULD YOU WANT IF YOU WERE THERE? AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE COURAGEOUS ENOUGH TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE OUR WEAKEST, OUR MOST CHALLENGING, OUR MOST VULNERABLE NEIGHBORS.
SO LIKE MAYBE COMING INTO CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOMELESSNESS WITH THAT MINDSET TO START WITH, SORT OF LIKE FRAME YOUR MIND UP. THAT'S GREAT.
AND THEN I JUST. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A CORRECTION OR IF I WROTE THIS DOWN WRONG, BUT I HAD HEARD THAT I GOT A TEXT THAT FAMILY GATEWAY ACTUALLY DOES TAKE CHILDREN OVER THE AGE OF 13. AND ALSO DISABLED INDIVIDUALS IN FAMILIES WHO ARE OVER 18.
YES. AND WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH ELLEN. SHE'S GREAT.
SOME CASES THEY TAKE, AND ACTUALLY WE HAD OVER 78 CHILDREN AT OUR FACILITY LAST MONTH.
OH WOW. THE FAMILIES WITH KIDS THAT CAME IN. RIGHT.
AND WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH THEM ON A DAILY BASIS.
THEY ARE AMAZING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU CHAIR.
AND SO THANK YOU, CHAIR MENDELSOHN FOR DOING THAT.
ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. WELL, I'VE GOT A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
SO OUR ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS ARE VERY SIGNIFICANT.
IT'S REALLY LONG, NOT OF WHAT YOU CAN DO, BUT WHAT YOU CAN'T DO, RIGHT? WE'RE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE LONG TERM CARE NEEDS.
SO OUR ELIGIBILITY ARE THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT CANNOT SELF CARE.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE THAT POSSIBLY HAVE COGNITIVE OR PHYSICAL DISABILITIES.
SO IT'S THAT SELF CARE ELIGIBILITY MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
BUT YOU'RE NOT ACTUALLY PROVIDING MEDICAL CARE TO PEOPLE, CORRECT? SO WE HAVE MEDICAL PARTNERS THAT WILL BE COMING ON SITE JUST LIKE WE DO AT OUR CALLING.
SO SOME OF THEM WILL BE HOME HEALTH THERE. WE HAVE MEDICAL PROVIDERS.
OUR NEXT PHASE IS BUILDING OUR CLINIC ON SITE AS WELL.
EXCELLENT. AND WE'RE NOT BUILDING A NURSING HOME, RIGHT? THIS IS NOT AN ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY.
WELL, I HAVE A FEELING YOU MAY BE REFERRING SOME PEOPLE OVER TO VNA FOR THEIR.
[01:25:02]
WE DO.BUT FIRST, CAN YOU ACTUALLY EMAIL US THAT PRESENTATION? I'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO POST IT ON THE WEBSITE. YES.
WOULD YOU KNOW HOW MANY ARE ACTUALLY WITHIN THE CITY OF DALLAS? I CAN GET THAT FOR YOU. WE CAN GEO SHAPE THE WHOLE COUNTY AND FIGURE OUT HOW MANY ARE THERE.
THANK YOU. MAYOR PRO TEM MENTIONED THIS AS WELL.
BUT YET OUR POINT IN TIME COUNT IS ABOUT 3500 INDIVIDUALS.
SO I'M WONDERING IF YOU HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF HOMELESS IN DALLAS IS.
SO FROM THE HMIS SYSTEM, DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER FROM JANUARY 5TH THROUGH FEBRUARY 19TH OF 2025, 4085 EXACT UNDUPLICATED INDIVIDUALS CAME IN FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER SERVICES.
THOUSANDS. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS TODAY? I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER ANY MORE THAN YOU GUYS WOULD KNOW HOW MANY EXACT PEOPLE ARE IN YOUR DISTRICT.
BUT I CAN LOOK AT SOME OF THE MARKERS THAT TELL US THAT IT'S ON THE RISE.
I KNOW THAT OUR PARTNERS ARE SEEING MORE INDIVIDUALS THAN THEY'VE EVER SEEN.
I KNOW THAT THEY'RE BUSTING AT THE SEAMS WITH OVERFLOW SPACES, AND WE NEED MORE BEDS IMMEDIATELY.
I'D LOVE TO GET EVERYBODY A HOUSE. I THINK IT MIGHT BE EASIER AND FASTER TO GET THEM A PALLET SHELTER, OR GET THEM IN A SHELTER. IN ANY KIND OF SITUATION, THE GOAL IS TO GET PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS.
AND I THINK YOU'RE HITTING ON THE COMMENT THAT YOU MADE THAT THE DATA DOESN'T MATCH, RIGHT? EVERY SHELTER IS TELLING ME WE'RE FULL. WE'RE NOT JUST FULL, WE'RE USING OVERFLOW SPACE.
BUT THEN WE HAVE A LEAD AGENCY AND COC THAT ARE SAYING HOMELESSNESS IS GOING DOWN.
HOW CAN BOTH THOSE THINGS BE TRUE? I CAN SPEAK FROM WHAT I SEE AND WHAT OUR ORGANIZATION SEES, RIGHT? I KNOW THAT EVERYBODY LOOKS AT THINGS FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES, SO I'M NOT HERE TO LOOK AT OUR DATA AND SAY IT'S BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE'S DATA.
BECAUSE YOU FIX THE PROBLEM, IT'S OVER, RIGHT? YOU DON'T NEED OUR SUPPORT ANYMORE. SO FOR ME, AGAIN, I'M NOT TRYING TO SAY THAT THE SKY IS FALLING, RIGHT? BUT I AM TELLING YOU THAT PEOPLE ARE FALLING.
PEOPLE ARE FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS. PEOPLE ARE ON THE STREETS.
WE DON'T NEED A SINGULAR FACILITY. TO ME, I THINK THAT'S CRAZY.
THE ONLY SOCIAL SERVICE WHERE WE PUT EVERYTHING IN ONE FACILITY IS CALLED THE COUNTY JAIL.
THAT IF YOU REALLY WANT TO BE GRACIOUS AND KIND TO PEOPLE, WE SPREAD THEM OUT THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. BUT HAVING THOSE SERVICES IN NEED, I MEAN, WE WORK WITH EVERY POLICE DEPARTMENT, 26 CITIES WITH POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN DALLAS COUNTY, I BELIEVE. AND AS WE WORK WITH ALL THOSE POLICE DEPARTMENTS, WE DON'T SEE ANY OF THEM THAT'S SEEING A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN HOMELESSNESS IN THEIR AREAS. IT'S JUST CONTINUING TO GROW. WELL THANK YOU.
I DON'T HAVE THAT DATA EITHER, RIGHT? AND I DON'T SEEM TO BE ABLE TO GET DEFINITIVE DATA.
BUT WHAT I DO HEAR IS SHELTER AFTER SHELTER TELLING ME THIS IS THE MOST WE'VE EVER SERVED.
WE HAD THE BRIDGE SAYING A THOUSAND MORE THAN WE DID THE YEAR BEFORE.
BUT THEN I ALSO HAVE PEOPLE SAYING WE'RE REDUCING HOMELESSNESS.
YOU AND I HAVE WORKED IN THIS SPACE TOGETHER PROFESSIONALLY, WHERE WE HAVE SAT THROUGH PRESENTATIONS WHERE WE WILL END HOMELESSNESS BY X DATE, AND BY NOW WE WOULD HAVE ENDED IT THREE TIMES OVER.
SO THAT CLEARLY DIDN'T HAPPEN. WAYNE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HEART AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK.
YOU ARE AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR CONTINUUM.
BEFORE WE ADJOURN THE MEETING, I JUST WANT TO ADDRESS SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT TODAY THAN IT HAS BEEN FOR ANY OF THE COMMITTEES I'VE SERVED ON SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL. AND IF I CAN ASK OUR CITY ATTORNEYS TO TAKE TO THE MICROPHONE.
[01:30:03]
WHAT HAPPENED IS THE CITY COUNCIL CHANGED ITS RULES OF PROCEDURE, SAYING THAT FOR A COUNCIL MEMBER TO BE COUNTED PRESENT, THEY HAD TO BE IN PERSON. AND SO THAT'S WHY I DID NOT OFFER ANYBODY WHO IS VIRTUAL TO ASK QUESTIONS.IF YOU COULD JUST TELL US HOW THAT'S WORKING AND WHY.
YES, OF COURSE. IS THIS ON? YEP. GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M HANNAH PEACOCK, ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY. SO, LIKE THE CHAIR SAID, THE RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR THE CITY COUNCIL WERE LAST AMENDED ON AUGUST 27TH. SO I'M GOING TO READ RULE 9.3 C, WHICH STATES THAT ONLY MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE WHO ARE PHYSICALLY PRESENT AT THE LOCATION SPECIFIED IN THE POSTED MEETING NOTICE, OR ARE APPEARING BY VIDEO CONFERENCE DUE TO OFFICIAL CITY BUSINESS AT THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL, WILL BE CONSIDERED IN ATTENDANCE AT THE MEETING.
SHE WAS ON PERSONAL LEAVE. SO THAT IS WHY SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO PARTICIPATE.
SO WITH THAT, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING AT OUR FIRST MEETING, A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING.
AND IT'S NOW 2:43 AND THIS MEETING'S ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.