[2. 25-2805A Consideration of appointments to boards and commissions and the evaluation and duties of board and commission members (List of nominees is available in the City Secretary's Office)]

AGENDA ITEM TWO IS CONSIDERATION OF APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

THIS MORNING, YOU HAVE INDIVIDUAL FULL COUNSEL AND AN OFFICER APPOINTMENT.

YOUR OFFICER APPOINTMENT WILL BE SEPARATED AND REQUIRE A SEPARATE VOTE TO ALLOW THE INDIVIDUAL TO BE APPOINTED TO THE BOARD BEFORE BEING APPOINTED OFFICER OF THAT BOARD.

YOUR NOMINEES FOR INDIVIDUAL APPOINTMENT? TO THE ARTS AND CULTURE ADVISORY COMMISSION, MICKEY BRAGALON, IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKMAN.

MISS BRAGALON, MEETS THE VOLUNTEER CULTURAL BOARD EXPERIENCE SPECIAL QUALIFICATION TO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, RACHEL HAYDEN, IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKMAN AND PARKER GRAHAM IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY.

TO THE CITIZEN HOMELESSNESS COMMISSION, DANIEL E ROBEY, IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART.

MR. ROBEY MEETS THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM A FAITH BASED ORGANIZATION SPECIAL QUALIFICATION.

[01:55:02]

TO THE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD ADJUNCT MEMBERS.

ANGEL PONTE IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER WEST, AND ALBERTO RAMOS IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CADENA.

TO THE COMMUNITY POLICE OVERSIGHT BOARD, WALTER HIGGINS IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GRACIE, AND CHAUNCEY V LANDER IS BEEN NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BLAIR.

TO THE DALLAS PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION, VICTOR TOLEDO IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA.

MR. TOLEDO MEETS THE REAL ESTATE LAW SPECIAL QUALIFICATION.

TO THE ETHICS ADVISORY COMMISSION, MARCI HELFIN IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCILMEMBER BOROP.

MISS HELFIN MEETS TO POSSESS A JURISDCTORATE DEGREE SPECIAL QUALIFICATION.

THE HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION BOARD, KEVIN HINTON IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BLAIR TO THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR COMMUNITY CENTER BOARD.

THE TALI LUNEV IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER WEST.

TO THE MUNICIPAL LIBRARY BOARD.

SAM E STAGGS IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER BLAIR, AND CAROL S PINKER IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROTH.

TO THE PARK AND RECREATION BOARD, AON ARGA IS BEING NOMINATED BY MAYOR JOHNSON, TO THE PERMIT AND LICENSE APPEAL BOARD.

LAURA BAYES TORRES IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CADENA, AND ROBERT QUENT IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSON, TO THE SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION, KAREN S ROBERTS IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY.

MISS ROBERTS MEETS THE 55 PLUS YEARS OF AGE SPECIAL QUALIFICATION.

TO THE YOUTH COMMISSION, JASMINE RAMIREZ IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CADENA.

YOU NOMINEES FOR FULL COUNCIL APPOINTMENT.

TO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT ALTERNATE MEMBERS, THOMAS FLEMING IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CADENA, TO THE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD, BRIDGET MITCHELL IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSON, TO THE LANDMARK COMMISSION ALTERNATE MEMBERS.

PAUL ZUBE IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER WEST.

MR. ZUBET MEETS THE ARCHITECT SPECIAL QUALIFICATION, TO THE REINVESTMENT ON THREE BOARD, OCLIFF GATEWAY, HEY SU JAVIER PONCE IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER WEST.

TO THE REINVESTMENT ON SIX BOARD, FARMERS MARKET, LAUREN CARTER IS BEING NOMINATED BY MAYOR POTEM MARINO.

TO THE REINVESTMENT ZONE SEVEN BOARD, SPORTS ANA, HEATHER DANIEL IS BEING NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CADENA.

THESE ARE YOUR NOMINEES, MR. MEYER.

I HEARD A MOTION FOR APPROVAL. SECOND. I HEARD A SECOND, AS WELL, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SAYING NO IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE AYES HAVE IT. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NOMINEES.

THANK YOU, MR. MEYER. NOW, WE WILL MOVE TO YOUR OFFICER APPOINTMENT.

ARUN ARGWAL IS BEING NOMINATED CHAIR OF THE PARK AND RECREATION BOARD BY MAYOR JOHNSON. THIS IS YOUR NOMINEE.

IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE IN FAVOR? SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? THE AYES HAVE IT.

I WOULD LIKE TO NO. FOR THE RECORD, MR. MEYER HAS ABSTAINED FROM VOTING.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. MR. MEYER, YOUR BRIEFING CONTINUES.

[A. 25-3101A Winter Weather Operations]

MADAM CITY MANAGERS, YOUR SHOW.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, EVERYONE.

THANK YOU, MR. MEYER. TODAY, WE HAVE ONE PRESENTATION THAT WE WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU, WHICH IS OUR OPERATIONAL BRIEFING REGARDING THE CITY'S WINTER WEATHER SHELTERING MODEL.

AS YOU KNOW, THIS PROGRAM OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS EVOLVED.

WE STARTED OUT HAVING INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTERS AT THE DALLAS CONVENTION CENTER IN 2019.

WE'VE ALSO UTILIZED HOTEL SHELTERING DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC.

WE'VE HAD MOST RECENTLY OUR SHELTERING OPERATIONS AT FAIR PARK, AND ALSO IN A PARTNERSHIP WITH AUSTIN STREET.

EACH OF THESE DIFFERENT MODELS HAS REALLY TAUGHT US A LOT.

WE'VE LEARNED ABOUT OUR COST.

WE'VE HAD CAPACITY.

WE NOW HAVE CAPACITY DATA.

WE'VE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO LOOK AT THE IMPACT ON STAFFING, AS WELL AS THE OVERALL DEMAND, THAT WE SEE ACROSS THE REGION.

LAST SEASON'S ACTIVATION DEMONSTRATED THAT WE ARE NOW FUNCTIONING AS THE PRIMARY REGIONAL SHELTERING HUB DURING WINTER WEATHER EVENTS.

WE'VE BEEN SERVING MORE PEOPLE.

THAT OUR OWN REPORTED UNSHELTERED, POPULATION HAS, AND OPERATING AT A LEVEL THAT IS TRULY BEYOND THE BUDGET THAT ORIGINALLY WAS ESTABLISHED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THESE ACTIVITIES.

AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE COUNCIL HAS BEEN VERY CLEAR, ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE ALIGN ALL OF OUR CITY OPERATIONS.

WE LOOK AT WAYS TO CONTINUE WITH OUR REDUCTIONS LONG TERM, AND OUR UNSHELTERED POPULATION.

WE ALSO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO BE FISICALLY DISCIPLINED, AS WELL AS MAKING SURE THAT THE USE OF THOSE CITY FACILITIES IS ADEQUATE.

TODAY, WE ARE HERE WITH THE PRESENTATION TO SEEK POLICY DIRECTION FROM THE CITY COUNCIL.

WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD IN FINALIZING OUR UPCOMING WINTER OPERATION PLAN.

WITH THAT IN MIND, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO KEVIN ODEN,

[02:00:03]

THE CURRENT DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND CRISIS RESPONSE, WITH OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR TRAVIS, AS WELL AS OUR CHIEF OF PUBLIC SAFETY CHIEF ARTIST.

THEY WILL WALK YOU THROUGH THE ANALYSIS.

WE'LL DISCUSS OPTIONS AND GIVE YOU OUR CURRENT STAFF RECOMMENDATION. MR. ODIN.

THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER.

I'M PROUD TO BE HERE WITH DIRECTOR KEVIN ODEN, AS WELL AS DEPUTY DIRECTOR TRAVIS HOUSTON TODAY TO TALK ABOUT OUR WINTER OPERATIONS PLAN, AND ALSO TO GET FEEDBACK FROM OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS TODAY AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CONSIDERATIONS.

I'LL TURN IT OVER TODAY TO KEVIN ODEN.

GOOD MORNING, HONORABLE MAYOR, MEMBERS AND MADAM CITY MANAGER.

AGAIN, KEVIN ODEN, WITH THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, AND CRISIS RESPONSE, AND AS ALWAYS THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING INFORMATION TO THE COUNCIL AND IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR FEEDBACK AND POLICY DIRECTION.

YOU SEE SLIDE 2 UP, SO I WILL START THERE.

HERE IS TODAY'S FLOW FOR THE PRESENTATION.

THERE WILL BE A BIT OF PURPOSE, BACKGROUND AND HISTORY, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES, BENCHMARKING WITH PIER CITIES, PROPOSED DIRECTION AND CONSIDERATIONS, AND FINALLY, RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEN TIMELINES AND NEXT STEPS.

I'LL MOVE IN THAT ORDER BEFORE TAKING ANY QUESTIONS AND GAINING FEEDBACK FROM THE CITY COUNCIL.

ON SLIDE THREE, YOU SEE THE PURPOSE.

OUR OBJECTIVE TODAY IS TO SEEK POLICY DIRECTION FROM THE CITY COUNCIL ON WHETHER DALLAS SHOULD CONTINUE OPERATING A CENTRALIZED REGIONAL SUPPORTING SHELTER FOR WINTER WEATHER, OR TO SHIFT TO A SCALABLE PLACE BASED MODEL DESIGNED AROUND DALLAS UNSHELTERED RESIDENTS.

I'M SORRY, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

>> AS A CONTINUATION OF PURPOSE, AND BEFORE WE MOVE INTO THE BACKGROUND AS WELL AS THE TIMELINE, I WANT TO EXPAND ON SOME CONDITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PRODUCED BY THE CURRENT MEGA-SITE MODEL THAT WE'VE DONE IN PAST YEARS.

BECAUSE THEY'RE CORE DRIVERS, THERE'S POLICY QUESTIONS IN FRONT OF US OF REALLY THREE THINGS TO CONSIDER.

FIRST IS FISCAL OVERREACH.

THE FY 2024 ADOPTED ALLOCATION FOR WINTER SHELTERING WAS $978,000 AND THE ACTUAL COST TO EXECUTE THE MODEL WAS $2.9 MILLION, SO A $2 MILLION VARIANCE.

IF REPEATED ANNUALLY, THE COST EXPOSURE IS NOT SUSTAINABLE WITHIN THE CURRENT BUDGET STRUCTURE.

THE SECOND CHALLENGE AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS OPERATIONAL STRAIN.

EACH ACTIVATION REALLY REQUIRES HUNDREDS OF STAFF HOURS ACROSS MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING POLICE FIRE, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, AND CRISIS RESPONSE, AS WELL AS PARKS, CODE COMPLIANCE, TRANSPORTATION, AND PUBLIC WORKS, AS WELL AS CONTRACTED SERVICE PROVIDERS WHO REALLY DO A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK FOR THE CITY.

THERE'S SETUP, THERE'S INTAKE, THERE'S TRANSPORTATION, ONSITE SECURITY, MEDICAL SCREENING, AND DEMOBILIZATION, AND ALL OF THIS OPERATES REALLY AT THE SCALE OF AN EMERGENCY DEPLOYMENT AND NOT A ROUTINE OR LIFE SAFETY SERVICE.

WHEN ALL OF THIS HAPPENS DURING A PROLONGED WINTER EVENT, WE'RE PULLING OPERATIONAL CAPACITY AWAY FROM OUR NORMAL CITYWIDE FUNCTIONS.

THEN THE FINAL AND THIRD CONSIDERATION IS FACILITY AND STRATEGIC CONFLICT.

FAIR PARK IS A REVENUE GENERATING ASSET THAT ALSO HAS SCHEDULED IMPROVEMENTS, RENOVATIONS, AND LONG TERM REDEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS GENERATING REVENUES.

USING THIS FACILITY AS A RECURRING HIGH VOLUME SHELTER, DISPLACES BOOKED EVENTS, DISRUPTS REVENUES, AND CREATES LONG TERM FRICTION WITH FAIR PARK'S BUSINESS MODEL.

IT ALSO CONCENTRATES OVER 1,000 PERSONS AT A SINGLE SITE IN ONE AREA THAT CAN CREATE DOWNSTREAM PUBLIC SAFETY AND NEIGHBORHOOD MANAGEMENT ISSUES.

TAKEN TOGETHER, THESE THREE CONDITIONS ARE THE BASIS FOR TODAY'S POLICY QUESTION THAT WAS ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.

SHOULD WE MAINTAIN THIS REGIONAL MEGA-SITE MODEL WITH ITS CURRENT IMPACT PROFILE OR MOVE TO A DISTRIBUTED DALLAS RESIDENT FOCUS MODEL THAT SCALES ONLY WHEN ACTIVATED.

NEXT SLIDE. WE'LL GET INTO SOME OF THE BACKGROUND AND HISTORY.

THE FIRST CONVERSATIONS RELATED TO INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTERING STARTED IN 2019.

THIS PROGRAM HAS GONE THROUGH MULTIPLE ITERATIONS, BRIEFINGS, AND OPERATIONAL MODELS ALMOST EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

COUNCIL HAS BEEN ENGAGED AT EACH STEP, AND THE CITY HAS REPEATEDLY ADAPTED OUR APPROACH BASED ON COST, CAPACITY, ULTIMATELY COVID, AND LESSONS LEARNED FROM PREVIOUS YEARS.

THE INITIAL MODEL WAS A SINGLE SITE CITY RUN MODEL IN 2019 AT THE CONVENTION CENTER.

WE'VE EXPANDED SINCE THEN, TO THE POINT DURING COVID, WE SHIFTED INTO USING HOTEL SHELTERING AND EMERGENCY USE

[02:05:04]

OF THE CONVENTION CENTER DURING THE WINTER STORM URI AND THEN AFTER THAT, IN THE 2022 YEAR AND SINCE, WE'VE MOVED TO THE FAIR PARK AND AUSTIN STREET SUPPORTED MODEL, AGAIN, FROM 2022 REALLY ONWARD.

ACROSS THAT TIMELINE, THERE HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT BRIEFINGS TO THE HOUSING AND HOMELESS SOLUTIONS COMMITTEE.

THERE HAVE BEEN SOME ORDINANCE CHANGES, INCLUDING THE INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTER ORDINANCE.

THERE HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT STAFFING MODELS, RE-EVALUATIONS OF COST, AND OTHERWISE.

THE MAIN TAKEAWAY FOR THIS SLIDE IS PRETTY SIMPLE.

THIS IS NOT A NEW ISSUE, AND THERE IS A LONG HISTORY OF OPERATIONAL ADJUSTMENTS, AS WELL AS COST ESCALATIONS THAT BRINGS US TO THE POLICY QUESTION THAT'S BEING ASKED TODAY.

NEXT SLIDE. ON THIS SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE CHAPTER 45, THE TEMPORARY INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTER PERMITS FOR NON CITY OPERATORS.

THIS ORDINANCE SETS SAFETY AND PERMITTING STANDARDS, AS WELL AS THE CITY'S ROLE TO REVIEW, ISSUE, AND ENFORCE PERMITS.

THE ORDINANCE DOES NOT OBLIGATE THE CITY TO OPERATE FUND OR STAFF SHELTERS, AND OPERATORS THAT APPLY FOR CHAPTER 45 PERMIT APPLY FOR A TWO YEAR.

THEY SUBMIT FLOOR PLANS AND AN OPERATIONS PLAN TO COVER THEIR STAFFING, INFECTION CONTROL, ACCESSIBILITY, AND CITY COST, AMONG OTHER DETAILS THEY PROVIDE.

FOR CONTEXT IN JANUARY 2025, THERE WAS ONE PERMITTED PARTNER THAT OPERATED 80 BEDS FOR TWO NIGHTS. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THERE'S A FURTHER BACKGROUND FROM LAST WINTER'S YEAR.

THIS SLIDE PROVIDES CONTEXT ON TWO MAJOR ACTIVATION PERIODS, JANUARY 5TH THROUGH THE 13TH AND THEN JANUARY 18TH THROUGH THE 24TH.

COMBINED, THESE TWO ACTIVATION SERVED 4,167 TOTAL SHELTER STAYS, 02,318 OF THOSE WERE IN THE FIRST PERIOD AND AN ADDITIONAL 1,849 IN THE SECOND.

THIS VOLUME, AGAIN, AS WAS MENTIONED, WAS HIGHER THAN THE ENTIRE REPORTED UNSHELTERED POPULATION OF BOTH DALLAS AND COLLIN COUNTY AS PER THE ANNUAL POINT IN TIME COUNT.

FAIR PARK SERVED AS THE PRIMARY MEGA-SITE FOR BOTH OF THESE ACTIVATIONS.

IF WE LOOK AT THE SUPPORTIVE SERVICE OUTCOMES THAT WERE REPORTED, 150 OF THE TOTAL STAYS LED TO SHELTER PLACEMENTS THAT'S 3.6% OF TOTAL STAYS.

THERE WERE 37 DIVERSIONS FROM HOMELESSNESS, THAT'S 0.9%, AND 56 FAMILIES WERE PLACED INTO HOTELS AT THE EXPENSE OF THE FAMILY GATEWAY SHELTER.

THERE WAS NO REPORTED DATA THAT WE WERE ABLE TO REVIEW ON LONG TERM EXITS INTO HOUSING OR LONG TERM STABILIZATION.

SECOND IMPORTANT DATA POINT IS THE TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS.

THIS INCLUDED 220,311 REQUEST, 225 TOTAL PERSONS WERE LOCATED AS A RESULT OF THOSE REQUESTS, BUT ONLY 92 WERE ULTIMATELY TRANSPORTED TO THE SHELTER AND 125 REFUSED TRANSPORTATION TO THE SHELTER.

BASIC ANALYSIS, WE CAN DRAW CONCLUSIONS FROM THIS DATA THAT THE RETURN ON EFFORT IS QUITE LOW COMPARED TO THE OVERALL SCALE OF THE ACTIVATION.

THE PERSONS CONTACTED FOR TRANSPORT, ONLY ABOUT ONE THIRD ACCEPTED TRANSPORT TO SHELTER WITH THE MAJORITY EITHER DECLINING OR COULD NOT BE LOCATED WHEN TRANSPORTATION ARRIVED.

ON THE EXIT SLIDE, THE RATIO IS SIMILAR OUT OF MORE THAN 4,000 TOTAL STAYS, 150 EXITED IN THE SHELTER PLACEMENT, AND LESS THAN 1% TOTAL WERE DIVERTED FROM HOMELESSNESS.

EVEN AT THE FULL OPERATIONAL SCALE, THE SYSTEM IS VERY MUCH ABSORBING A HIGH VOLUME OF PERSONS WHILE PRODUCING PROPORTIONATELY LIMITED STABILIZED OUTCOMES.

STAFFING, AGAIN, FOR THIS OPERATION, REQUIRED RESOURCES FROM FIRE, PARKS, POLICE, TRANSPORTATION, AND PUBLIC WORKS, 311, ANIMAL SERVICES, THE OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS, AND MULTIPLE NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS SO OPERATIONALLY, DYSFUNCTION AS A FULL CITY EMERGENCY DEPLOYMENT FOR NEARLY TWO WEEKS.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. WITH ALL OF THIS OUT OF THE WAY AND CONTEXT PROVIDED, THESE ARE THE GOALS WE SET TO MEET FOR FUTURE OPERATIONS THAT ALIGN WITH THE PAST POLICY DIRECTIONS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

FIRST, WE'RE REHOUSING INITIATIVES.

ALIGNING OUR WINTER OPERATIONS WITH STRATEGIES TO REDUCE UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS AND CONNECT PERSONS TO PERMANENT HOUSING.

SECOND, WAS THE DALLAS STREET RESPONSE, OUR TEAM IN EMCR THAT ADDRESSES ENCAMPMENTS.

[02:10:04]

THIRD IS CONTINUED REGIONAL COORDINATION.

FOURTH IS ASSET STEWARDSHIP, PARTICULARLY THAT OF FAIR PARK AND THEIR REVENUE GENERATING MODEL.

THEN LAST IS FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND THE OBLIGATION TO CONDUCT OUR OPERATIONS WITHIN THE COUNCIL APPROVED BUDGET.

SLIDE 9, PLEASE. HERE'S AN OVERVIEW OF HOW PEER CITIES STRUCTURE THEIR WINTER WEATHER SHELTERING.

A COMMON FACTOR ACROSS AUSTIN, SAN ANTONIO, FORT WORTH, AND HOUSTON IS THAT THEY ALL USE CITY-OWNED FACILITIES.

MOST COMMONLY, PARK AND REC CENTERS, COMMUNITY CENTERS OR AS SAN ANTONIO REFERS TO THEIR AS RESILIENCE HUBS AS THEIR SURGE LOCATIONS DURING WINTER ACTIVATIONS.

NONE OF OUR PEER CITIES STUDIED, OPERATE A SINGLE MEGA SHELTER SITE.

TO GET MORE SPECIFIC, AUSTIN RUNS A CENTRAL INTAKE PROCESS WHERE FOLKS GO TO ONE LOCATION AND THEN ARE DISTRIBUTED ACROSS BOTH CONTRACTED BEDS AND CITY FACILITIES.

SAN ANTONIO RE-PURPOSES THEIR PARK AND RECREATION FACILITIES AS RESILIENCE HUBS, AND THESE ARE OPENED OVERNIGHT AND CLOSED THE FOLLOWING MORNING.

FORT WORTH DOES NOT ACTIVATE CITY STAFF UNLESS THERE IS OVERFLOW BEDS NEEDED, AND WHEN IT DOES, IT USES PARK AND REC GYMS WITH NGO STAFFING THAT'S CONTRACTED.

THEN HOUSTON SUPPLEMENTS THEIR EXISTING SHELTER SPACE BUT IT DOES NOT RUN A LARGE SCALE CITYWIDE MASS SHELTER.

THEY ALSO USE THEIR PARK AND REC FACILITIES.

THE SECOND CONTRAST THAT WE SEE ACROSS THIS BENCHMARKING IS SCALE SO NONE OF THESE CITIES ATTEMPT TO SHELTER A POPULATION EQUAL TO OR LARGER THAN THEIR POINT IN TIME UNSHELTERED COUNT.

ONLY WE ARE DOING THAT CURRENTLY.

OUR JANUARY ACTIVATION AGAIN, SERVED MORE PERSONS THAN OUR ENTIRE PIT COUNT FOR THAT YEAR.

THE TAKEAWAY HERE IS REALLY TWO PARTS.

FIRST IS OUR PEERS ARE RELYING ON NGOS AS WELL AS THEIR PARK AND REC FACILITIES AS TEMPORARY OVERNIGHT SURGE SPACE, AND NONE ARE OPERATING AT A SCALE THAT ATTEMPTS TO FULLY ABSORB THEIR UNSHELTERED POPULATION, LET ALONE THEIR SURROUNDING REGIONS.

SLIDE 10, PLEASE.

HERE'S AN ANALYSIS FURTHER OF OUR BENCHMARKING WITH OUR PEER CITIES.

FIRST IS OBVIOUSLY THE COST CONTROL VERSUS MEGA ACTIVATIONS.

AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WHERE WE WERE WITHIN THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE BUDGET.

LAST YEAR, AND IF WE CONTINUE THIS TREND, WE WILL MAINTAIN A REGIONAL POSTURE THAT KEEPS US ON A HIGHER END COST CURVE THAN WHAT IS ALLOCATED TO US.

SECOND IS A COMMON THEME OF CENTRAL INTAKE WITHOUT UTILIZING A MEGA SHELTER SITE.

THE THIRD COMMONALITY IS USING EVENT-BASED DISTRIBUTED FACILITIES, AND THE ONE THAT I POINT TO MOST IS SAN ANTONIO'S USE OF RESILIENCE HUBS THAT OPEN OVERNIGHT ONLY WHEN NEEDED WITH PARTNERS EXPANDING THEIR CAPACITY WHEN NECESSARY, A RIGHT SIZE SURGE.

FORT WORTH USES OVERFLOW ONLY WHEN THEIR REGULAR BEDS ARE FILLED WITH SHUTTLES AND SAME NIGHT DEMOBILIZATION.

I'LL ADD A BIT OF CONTEXT WITH FORT WORTH, WHAT THEY REPORTED TO US IS THAT THEY ACTIVATED 24 NIGHTS IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY OF LAST YEAR.

THEIR MAX CAPACITY FROM THEIR SHELTERS NEVER EXCEEDED MORE THAN 140 PERSONS FOR ACROSS THOSE NIGHTS.

SLIDE 11, PLEASE.

IN THIS TABLE, THE COUNCIL CAN SEE THAT THE PEER CITY'S EXPERIENCE REALLY SUPPORTS AN EVENT BASED DISTRIBUTED APPROACH THAT PRESERVES LIFE SAFETY, PREVENTS DAYTIME CONGREGATION AT CITY FACILITIES, AND MODERATES COST AND OPERATIONAL DISRUPTION.

SLIDE 12, PLEASE.

ON THIS SLIDE IS A PROPOSED DIRECTION THAT IS A SHIFT FROM THE REGIONAL MEGA SHELTER MODEL TO A LIFE SAFETY MODEL THAT FOCUSES ON DALLAS' UNSHELTERED RESIDENTS, REDUCES OPERATIONAL DISRUPTION AND ALIGNS WITH PAST COUNCIL APPROVED HOMELESSNESS REDUCTION STRATEGIES.

SLIDE 13, PLEASE.

THEN FINALLY, THIS SLIDE PROVIDES CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE COUNCIL AS YOU SET POLICY DIRECTION.

FIRST IS LIFE SAFETY COVERAGE, ENSURING THAT OVERNIGHT CAPACITY DURING OUR ACTIVATIONS, WITHOUT CREATING FULL DAYTIME SERVICE HUBS AT CITY FACILITIES.

SECOND IS OUR FISCAL DISCIPLINE, SO ALIGNING OUR OPERATIONS TO THE ADOPTED BUDGET AND AVOIDING COST OVERRUNS.

THIRD IS OUR OPERATIONAL TEMPO.

[02:15:03]

WHEN WE ACTIVATE THE FAIR PARK SITE, IT IS A MULTI DAY SETUP AS WELL AS DEMOBILIZATION.

HAVING A RAPID SETUP AND DEMOBILIZATION WITH MINIMUM DIVERSION OF CORE CITY SERVICES IS IMPORTANT.

FOURTH IS FACILITY STEWARDSHIP, SO AVOIDING CONFLICTS WITH FAIR PARK REVENUE OPERATIONS, AND PLANNED RENOVATIONS.

FIFTH IS OUR CONTINUED EFFORTS THAT WE'LL NEED TO DO TO COORDINATE WITH NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS, SO DALLAS DOES NOT SERVE AS THE DEFACTO REGIONAL SHELTER, AND THEN FINALLY IS PERFORMANCE ACCOUNTABILITY.

SLIDE 14 WILL BE THEN OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.

BASED ON ALL OF THE PREVIOUS CONSIDERATIONS AND ANALYSIS, WE RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING POLICY DIRECTION AS WELL AS GUARD RAILS.

FIRST IS TO SUPPORT A MODEL SHIFT TO A PLAY BASED APPROACH, CONTRACTING FOR SURGE BEDS AS WELL AS PREPARING UP TO SIX UNPUBLISHED PARK RECREATION SITES OF 100 SPACES EACH FOR OVERNIGHT SURGE ON ACTIVATION NIGHTS ONLY, SO MIRRORING THE SAN ANTONIO MODEL OF RESILIENCE HUBS.

THIRD IS REAFFIRMING THE BUDGET INTENT.

WE MUST OPERATE WITHIN THE $1.2 MILLION ALLOCATION OTHERWISE, WE RISK AGAIN, HAVING TO TAKE FROM OTHER SERVICES OR HAVING COST OVERRUNS FOR THIS OPERATION.

NEXT IS TO ADOPT A COLLABORATIVE REGIONAL STANCE, SO AUTHORIZING STAFF TO FORMALIZE A REGIONAL COLD WEATHER STRATEGY THAT SETS LOCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND AVOIDS DALLAS BECOMING THE REGIONAL SHELTER BY DEFAULT.

NEXT IS MAINTAINING OPERATIONAL GUARD RAILS, AND WE THINK THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.

KEEPING OUR ACTIVATION TRIGGERS, OPERATING IN THE OVERNIGHT, IF WE ARE TO USE THE PARK AND REC SITES IN THE MODEL THAT SAN ANTONIO DOES, NO DAYTIME CONGREGATION.

FILL OUR SURGE SITES USING CITY AND PARTNER TRANSPORTATION RESOURCES AND NOT ALL CALL, FOCUSING ON SITES WITH LIFE SAFETY AND NOT AS FULL ON SOCIAL SERVICE DELIVERY HUBS AND EXECUTING RAPID SETUP AND DEMOBILIZATION AFTER EACH EVENT.

THEN FINALLY, IS HAVING STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT.

REFLECT OUR CHANGES IN POSTURE WITH THE REPORTED 28% REDUCTION IN UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS TO CALIBRATE WINTER CAPACITY BASED TO CURRENT NEED.

THEN SLIDE 15 IS MY FINAL SLIDE ON TIMELINE AND NEXT STEPS.

IN CONCLUSION, WE WOULD REQUEST THE COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATIONS AS THE POLICY DIRECTION, AND IF SO, WE WILL IMMEDIATELY INCORPORATE ALL FEEDBACK THAT WE GET FROM THE COUNCIL TODAY, FINALIZE OUR 2025/26 EMERGENCY WINTER WEATHER SHELTER STRATEGY AND PLAN AND CONTINUED COORDINATION WITH PARTNER AGENCIES AND PROVIDERS.

WE ARE SCHEDULED TO BRING AN ITEM ON DECEMBER 3RD FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL FOR ADDITIONAL BEDS.

THIS IS WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST YEARS AND IS TIED TO THIS PLAN.

THEN ONGOING IS TO COLLABORATE WITH OUR PARTNERS TO IDENTIFY AND PREPARE SITES FOR USE DURING EMERGENCY ACTIVATION, DEVELOP COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORTATION PLANS AS WE SHIFT, IF THE COUNCIL'S WILL IS TO TRANSITION FROM THE FAIR PARK MODEL.

WITH ALL OF THAT SAID.

AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY FROM THE COUNCIL.

I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING YOUR POLICY DIRECTION ON THIS, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS THAT YOU HAVE. THANK YOU AGAIN.

>> MR. BAZAL DO YOUR [INAUDIBLE] FOR FIVE MINUTES FOR THE PUBLIC.

WE ARE ON BRIEFING ITEM A.

>> THANK YOU. MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND FOR YOUR WORK.

I WOULD SAY THAT THIS CHANGE THAT WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED HAS UNDOUBTEDLY SAVE LIVES IN OUR CITY.

BUT WITH THAT SAID, WE'VE ALSO SEEN THAT THERE HAS BEEN STILL LOSS OF LIFE WITH WHAT WE HAVE DONE.

I'M REAL HESITANT TO JUST JUMP TO A MODEL THAT WE HAVE NOT SEEN SUCCESS.

WITH THAT SAID, I'M CURIOUS ON WHAT YOU'RE PRESENTING TODAY WHY YOU WOULD GIVE US A SOLUTION THAT COULD HOUSE OR SHELTER UP TO 900 INDIVIDUALS TOTAL WHEN YOU'RE GIVING US DATA THAT WE'VE CONSISTENTLY GONE OVER THAT NUMBER?

>> YES. THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WOULD CONSIDER ON THAT.

FIRST, WHEN WE'VE OPERATED THE MEGASITE, IT PULLS PEOPLE IN FROM ALL OVER.

YOU SEE THAT IN THE FACT THAT WE'VE EXCEEDED THE POINT AND TIME COUNT, AND I'M NOT GOING TO ADVOCATE THAT THE POINT IN TIME COUNT IS THE END ALL AND BE ALL.

[02:20:02]

BUT WE'RE DEFINITELY AN OUTLIER TO THE PEER CITIES IN THAT WE'RE SHELTERING WAY MORE THAN WHAT THAT REPORTED COUNT IS COMPARED TO OTHERS.

THE SECOND THING IS, LIKE WITH WINTER STORM URI, ACTIVE GOD EVENTS OCCUR, EMERGENCIES OCCUR, AND IF WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO SCALE UP OR PROVIDE OTHER SOLUTIONS, OBVIOUSLY, WE'LL WORK WITH THE CITY MANAGER ON THAT.

THEN THE THIRD IS, WE CONTINUE TO SEE PROGRESS.

THE COUNCIL HAS PUT FORTH A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF FUNDING FOR MOVING FROM STREETS INTO HOUSING, AS WELL AS CONTINUED FUNDING IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET TO DO HOUSING DIRECTLY FROM THE SHELTERS.

ALL OF THAT HAS POINTED TO A 28% REDUCTION OVER TIME IN THE UNSHELTERED COUNT.

WE BELIEVE THAT THAT'S WHERE WE SIT, AND IF WE CAN PROVIDE DIRECT SPACE FOR 900, WITH THE CURRENT AND PLANNED ALLOCATIONS THAT THE COUNCIL HAS PUT IN, WE'LL BE ABLE TO MEET THE DEMAND OF AGAIN, DALLAS' RESIDENTS OF UNSHELTERED.

>> I'M CONFUSED IF YOU'RE SAYING THAT WE'VE HOUSED MORE THAN OUR POINT IN TIME COUNT HAS GIVEN, BUT THAT DOESN'T NEGATE THE FACT THAT THERE WAS CLEARLY A DEMAND AND A NEED THAT IT SERVED.

IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A DELTA OF A FEW HUNDRED PEOPLE, WHERE DO YOU EXPECT THEM TO BE DURING THESE INCLEMENT WEATHER?

>> I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT, WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT TRADITIONALLY ARE AGAIN, IN OTHER CITIES, THEY'RE IN HOSPITALS, THEY'RE UTILIZING OTHER SERVICES, AND THEY'RE COMING IN BECAUSE WE'RE USING FAIR PARTS [OVERLAPPING]

>> I GET WHAT YOU SAY, BUT IF YOU DON'T MIND, KEVIN, JUST ANSWER MY QUESTION.

WHERE DO YOU EXPECT THESE INDIVIDUALS TO GO?

>> I EXPECT US TO WORK WITH THE RECOMMENDATION IN FRONT OF US TO GET AS MANY IN AS WE CAN, TO EXPAND AS NECESSARY, IF WE NEED TO, BUT THEN ALSO FOR ME AND MY TEAM TO WORK AS HARD AS POSSIBLE EVERY SINGLE DAY, THAT IF THERE ARE PLACES WHERE WE CAN FIND OTHER SHELTER SPACES, WHETHER IT'S IN OTHER CITIES, INCREASED CAPACITY AT HOSPITALS, OR WITH THE CHAPTER 45 ORDINANCE, THAT WE PUSH THAT ABSOLUTELY AS HARD AS WE CAN, BECAUSE THOSE ARE OTHER TOOLS THAT ARE WITHIN OUR CONTROL TO WORK WITH.

>> IF WE WERE TO TELL YOU AS A BODY THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO STICK WITH A CENTRALIZED MODEL, AND YOU'RE TELLING US THAT WE'RE HAMSTRUNG BY AN ALLOCATION IN THE BUDGET THAT WAS PASSED.

WHAT IS THE PLAN TO FURNISH THE CENTRALIZED MODEL, IF THAT'S THE FEEDBACK YOU GET FROM THIS COUNCIL?

>> YES. IF THAT'S THE DIRECTION OF THE COUNCIL, I WOULD SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS.

ONE IS, OBVIOUSLY, THE BUDGET IS ONE THING, AND WE WOULD WORK WITH THE CITY MANAGER, THE BUDGET OFFICE, AND OTHERS TO ACCOUNT FOR WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO OPERATE THAT.

MORE IMPORTANTLY, REALLY, TO ME, THAN JUST THE BUDGET IS THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE FAIR PARK TO GENERATE REVENUE TO OPERATE.

I KNOW THAT THERE ARE EVENTS FOR FIFA THAT ARE GOING TO START OPERATING OUT THERE AS SOON AS JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.

WE MAY BE DISRUPTING PLANNED EVENTS OUT THERE BY DOING THAT.

WITH THE CHANGES AT THE CONVENTION CENTER, WE WILL HAVE REALLY LOST THAT AS AN EMERGENCY TYPE SITE.

I WOULD REALLY HAVE TO LOOK AT THE DRAWING BOARD OF WHERE I HAVE THAT LEVEL OF SPACE AVAILABLE TO BE ABLE TO SHELTER THAT MANY PEOPLE.

THOSE ARE CONVERSATIONS WE'RE HAVING TODAY IN OUR NORMAL PORTFOLIO OF EMERGENCY SHELTERING MUCH LESS FOR THE WINTER WEATHER TYPE EVENTS.

>> IF I COULD JUMP IN FOR JUST A SECOND AND THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTIONS, COUNCIL MEMBER [INAUDIBLE] AND THANK YOU TO MR. ODIN AND THE TEAM FOR COMING TODAY WITH WHAT WE'RE PRESENTING.

WE DO UNDERSTAND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT WE WANT TO SAVE PEOPLE'S LIVES.

WE DON'T WANT SITUATIONS WHERE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE LEFT IN THE COLD, AND WE CLEARLY UNDERSTAND THAT IN THESE LAST FEW YEARS, WE'VE OPERATED AT A LEVEL TO WHERE WE'RE SEEING MORE NUMBERS, WHICH WE SEE THAT THERE IS A NEED.

WHAT WE HAVE NOT DONE IS TAKEN THE OPPORTUNITY, IN MY OPINION, TO TRULY WORK WITH OUR OTHER PARTNERS AROUND US AND HOW THEY CAN BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION.

I THINK THEY'VE DEFAULTED TO DALLAS, BECAUSE WE HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB, WHICH IS GOOD.

WE WANT TO DO A GOOD JOB.

BUT WE ARE THINKING ABOUT THIS FROM A SUSTAINABILITY PERSPECTIVE.

WHAT IS IT THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE OTHER PARTNERS UNDERSTAND THE NEED AND THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO COME TO THE TABLE AND BE A PART OF THIS? IF COUNCIL DECIDES THAT YOU WANT US TO CONTINUE WITH THE CENTRALIZED MODEL, AS WE DID LAST YEAR, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE BLOWING THE BUDGET, WE CONTINUE TO FIND WAYS TO TRY TO CLOSE THE GAP.

BUT WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SETTING OURSELVES UP FOR SUCCESS LONG TERM.

[02:25:03]

WE KNOW THAT THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO COME TOGETHER.

WE'VE GOT SOME GREAT EXTERNAL PARTNERS HERE IN DALLAS.

THEY DO A TREMENDOUS JOB DURING THESE TIMES OF THE YEAR OF COMING TO THE TABLE.

THEY'RE PART OF THE PLAN, THE ORGANIZATION AND THE STRUCTURE OF WHAT WE DO IS GREAT.

BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO SEE THAT NOBODY ELSE IS COMING TO THE TABLE AROUND US.

WE WANTED TO LOOK AT WAYS THAT WE COULD BEGIN TO DECENTRALIZE THE MODEL.

STILL, AGAIN, TRYING TO KEEP THAT PRIMARY GOAL IN MIND OF HOW WE SERVE, WE DO IT IN A WAY THAT IS EFFECTIVE, AND IT'S ALSO RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS.

WE'RE REALLY JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH BANDWIDTH WITHIN WHAT WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AVAILABLE.

IF THOSE NUMBERS CONTINUE TO GROW, WHAT I CAN TELL YOU, COUNCILMAN [INAUDIBLE] WE DON'T HAVE A SITE THAT CAN GET US TO ANY GREATER NUMBERS AT THIS TIME, WHETHER WE LOOK AT OTHER CITY FACILITIES, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE STARTING TO LOOK AT A MODEL THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR US TO LOOK AT OUR REC CENTERS AND TRY TO CREATE SOMETHING WHERE IF THOSE NUMBERS CONTINUE TO RISE, WHAT WE'VE SEEN EVERY YEAR, THAT WE HAVE SOME OPTIONS.

WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT ONE LOCATION BETWEEN FAIR PARK OR THE LOCATION THAT WE'VE USED AT AUSTIN STREET IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO TAKE CARE OF THAT DEMAND.

THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY.

BUT THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

>> THANK YOU. THE TWO EXAMPLES THAT WE'VE GOTTEN FROM PEER CITIES THAT HAVE DECENTRALIZED MODELS.

IT LOOKS TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY MORE EXPENSIVE, AND SO BEING SOLD ON SAVING DOLLARS IS NOT REALLY ADDING UP TO ME.

IF Y'ALL COULD MAKE THAT MATH MAKE SENSE.

>> THE MAIN ONE IS HOUSTON THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT, AND THE REPORT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET BOTH OPEN SOURCE, AND THEN SPEAKING WITH HOUSTON WAS ABOUT $6.5 MILLION.

PART OF THAT WAS DUE TO SOME FACILITIES COST THAT THEY HAD IN.

AGAIN, THEY USE, I BELIEVE EIGHT REC CENTERS IS THE NUMBER THAT WE GOT FROM THEM ON THEIR OPERATIONS.

THEIR COST WAS CONSIDERABLY HIGHER.

I WOULD SAY THAT FORT WORTH AND THE MODEL WE'VE STUDIED FROM THEM.

THEY DO EVERYTHING IN THREE REC CENTERS WITH A MAX CAPACITY, I BELIEVE IT'S 300 BEDS EACH FOR $200,000 ANNUALLY.

THERE'S ACTUALLY QUITE A BIT OF COST SAVINGS BELOW WHAT WE'RE BUDGETED IN FORT WORTH.

SAN ANTONIO AND AUSTIN, I BELIEVE ARE PRETTY COMPARABLE TO US AND WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING FOR THIS TYPE OF MODEL FOR THE COST.

BUT AGAIN, IT'S NOT JUST COSTS.

I DEFINITELY DON'T WANT THAT TO BE THE HEADLINE OF OUR PRESENTATION IS WE WANT TO LOOK AT HOW CAN WE GET FOLKS THAT ARE IN THE ENCAMPMENTS TO COME IN MORE? ONE OF THE COLLOQUIAL THINGS WE HEAR ALL THE TIME IS THERE'S A CALCULUS BEING BROUGHT ON WHEN WE'VE USED THE FAIR PARK SITE.

HOW LONG CAN I STAY WHERE I AM WHERE MY STUFF IS, WHERE I KNOW MY STUFF EXISTS? HOW LONG DO I STAY HERE BEFORE IT GETS UNTENABLE FOR ME TO STAY HERE AND MAKE MY WAY TO FAIR PARK? THAT'S BOTH WHAT WE HEAR FROM FOLKS THAT ARE FROM DALLAS PROPER AND THAT COME HERE FROM OTHER LOCALES.

WE BELIEVE YET IF WE'RE ABLE TO FOLLOW WHAT OUR PEER CITIES ARE DOING, WE'RE ABLE TO KEEP PEOPLE CLOSER TO WHERE THEY ARE, PROVIDE FOR THE LIFE SAFETY THAT BRINGS THEM IN, AND THEN CONTINUE TO DO OUTREACH ON THE BACK END TO TRY TO GET THEM INTO HOUSING OR SHELTER OR OTHER TYPES OF OPERATIONS THAT AGAIN CAN BETTER AND IMPACT THEIR LIVES.

>> WITH THAT SAID, WE COULD REWIND TO OUR EXPERIENCE DURING WINTER STORM URI, AND WE WANTED TO CALL SEVERAL OF OUR RESILIENCE CENTERS, BUT THEY WEREN'T VERY RESILIENT.

HOW ARE YOU EXPECTING US TO REACT TO EXTREME WEATHER, LOSS OF POWER, AND WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE AT THESE REC CENTERS THAT WOULD BE DECENTRALIZED?

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION, AND PART OF THE REASON WHY WE SETTLED ON THE SIX TO START WITH, WHICH AGAIN, IS A SCALABLE NUMBER EITHER UP OR DOWN, IS THAT ALIGNS WITH MONEY THAT WAS INVESTED IN THESE PARK AND REC SITES TO BE PLACED ON FULL BACKUP GENERATOR POWER.

THE COUNCIL GRACIOUSLY APPROVED THAT.

THAT WORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED.

ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I'LL SAY THAT HAS BEEN MISSING.

WE TALK A LOT ABOUT SERVING OUR UNSHELTERED, AND I AGREE COMPLETELY WITH THAT.

BUT WE'VE NOT HAD ANY WAY THAT WE CAN HELP FOLKS THAT ARE HOUSED, BUT MAYBE THEY LOSE POWER OR MAYBE AN APARTMENT IS AFFECTED.

WE'VE REALLY, BECAUSE OF THE FAIR PARK MODEL,

[02:30:03]

THAT'S WHERE WE POINTED PEOPLE TO.

WE THINK THIS IS ANOTHER BENEFIT THAT IF WE DO HAVE AREAS WHERE WE NEED TO SERVE ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS, WE CAN USE THIS TYPE OF MODEL AS WELL.

>> I'LL JUST ADD TO THAT, AND I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT PIECE FORWARD.

WHAT WE'VE HEARD BEFORE.

YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, THAT THERE'S NOT, LIKE A WARMING PLACE NEARBY, SOMEBODY'S ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THEY COULD GO.

IF WE CAN FIND A WAY TO WHERE THOSE PEOPLE ARE NOT BEING TOLD THE ONLY PLACE THAT YOU CAN GO IS TO FAIR PARK, MANY OF THEM ARE NOT GOING TO GO.

WE'VE ALSO HAD THAT HAPPEN DURING THE MIDDLE OF OUR SHELTER OPERATIONS AS WELL AS NOT HAVING A PLACE FOR PEOPLE WHETHER IT'S JUST TO GO CHARGE THEIR CELL PHONES, MAKE SURE THEY CAN HEAT UP FOOD.

THERE'S NOT REALLY AN OPTION FOR THEM.

>> THEN MAY I ADD ONE MORE PIECE, JUST AN INTRICACY OF URI.

URI WAS A BIT OF AN OUTLIER AND THAT IT WAS A STATE DISASTER DECLARATION.

TYPICALLY, IN THOSE SCENARIOS, WE'RE LOOKING AT, AGAIN, LARGE SCALE SHELTERING, BUT ALSO THE POSSIBILITY OF FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT FOR OUR COST.

THAT SCENARIO IS A BIT OF INTRICACY BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE FEDERAL COVID DOLLARS AND OTHER THINGS THAT HAD COME IN.

OUR POSITION ON THOSE LARGE DISASTER TYPE EVENTS, THEY'RE SOMEWHAT OF A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION BECAUSE THERE'S A LARGER SCALE, THERE'S A LARGER DURATION.

>> SURE. BUT I THINK WHAT WE LEARNED MOST THAN ANYTHING DURING THAT TIME WAS THAT WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR THOSE, EVEN IF THEY ARE AT BY ONE OFF.

IT WAS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH FOR MANY COMMUNITIES.

AS MUCH OF AN ANOMALY AS THAT SITUATION WAS, I'D HOPE THAT WE WOULD BE PROACTIVE IN MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE BETTER PREPARED.

THE EVENT THAT THAT WERE TO HAPPEN AGAIN.

I'M NOT CONVINCED OF THAT, AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE ARE.

I'VE SEEN ATTEMPTS FOR US TO INVEST IN BETTER INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THESE THAT HAVE ALSO NOT BEEN APPROVED AND COME THROUGH COUNCIL.

LET'S GO BACK TO THIS MODEL OF SIX DIFFERENT REC CENTERS THAT MOST OF WHICH ARE UNIQUELY SITUATED IN THE MIDDLE OF NEIGHBORHOODS.

ONE OF THE BENEFITS I BELIEVE WE HAD AT THE CENTRALIZED LOCATION IN FAIR PARK WAS ALLOWING FOR THERE TO BE A LEVEL OF DIGNITY AND HUMANITY TO THE SERVICES THAT WE WERE PROVIDING, SPECIFICALLY WITH PEOPLE'S PERSONAL BELONGINGS AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE A PLACE TO BE WITH JUST ACTIVATION OVERNIGHT ONLY.

IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN EXPECT FOR ALL SIX OF THE PLACES FOR 100 PEOPLE TO BE KICKED OFF OUT OF THE FACILITIES? THERE ISN'T DISRUPTION AND INTO DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS AND PARTS OF THE CITY WHERE THERE AREN'T SERVICES INSTEAD OF ALLOWING FOR THEM TO HAVE A SPACE TO STAY WARM AND SAFE AT FAIR PARK?

>> THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION AND ONE THAT WE POSED TO ALL OF OUR PEER CITIES WHEN WE SPOKE TO THEM ABOUT THIS.

THE NUMBER 1 THING THAT WE WERE REPORTED BACK TO IS BECAUSE THE LOCATIONS THAT THE PEER CITIES ARE USING ARE MORE CLOSER TO KNOWN ENCAMPMENT SITES AND PEOPLE COME TO THEM, LESS STUFF COMES WITH THEM.

WHEREAS WITH FAIR PARK, WITH FOLKS THAT MAY BE NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, OR WEST, THEY'RE BRINGING A LOT WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE HESITANT FOR ANY LOSS OF PERSONAL PROPERTY AND UNDERSTANDABLE.

THAT'S BEEN THE EXPERIENCE THAT WAS REPORTED TO US BY THE PEERS.

THE SECOND AND WHAT I AGREE WITH YOU IS MORE IMPORTANT IS WHAT THIS OPPORTUNITY GIVES US IS WHEN WE RESET, WHAT OUR PEERS DO IS THEY WORK WITHIN THEIR SYSTEM OF SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS AND THEIR CONTINUUM OF CARE, I SHOULD SAY, TO IDENTIFY IF THERE ARE PLACES DURING THE DAY, OR IF THERE ARE OTHER BEDS OPEN AT NIGHT THAT THEY CAN REDISTRIBUTE FOLKS TO SO THAT IT IS NOT JUST RELEASE PEOPLE INTO NEIGHBORHOODS AND GOOD LUCK BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY A RECIPE FOR FULL SUCCESS, AND WE DO WANT TO SEE PERSONS IMPROVED BASED ON THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH US OR US PROVIDING SERVICE TO THEM DURING THIS TYPE OF OPERATION.

>> WITH THE DECENTRALIZED MODEL VERSUS THE CENTRALIZED MODEL, THERE WAS ONE PLACE.

IT WAS EASY, MULTIPLE PARTNERS GETTING PEOPLE TRANSPORTED TO, AND IT WAS A HUB, IF YOU WILL.

WITH THERE BEING DIFFERENT CAPACITIES AT THESE OTHER LOCATIONS, HOW ARE WE COMMUNICATING THAT TO OUR UNSHELTERED POPULATION?

[02:35:01]

HOW ARE WE COMMUNICATING THAT TO THE TRANSFERRING AND THE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS THAT INEVITABLY WILL BE A PART OF EXECUTING THESE SUCCESSFUL?

>> ABSOLUTELY. WHAT THAT REQUIRES IS US TO DO THE EMERGENCY, PRE-PLANNING, THE COMMUNICATION, WORK WITH ALL OF THE PARTNERS, AS WELL AS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EVENT, WE'RE DOING SOME LEVEL OF DISPATCHING.

WE'VE PROVEN IN THE PAST YEARS THAT WE CAN DO THE DISPATCHING BASED ON WHAT WE'VE DONE, REPORTED TRANSPORTATION REQUEST.

WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE PARTNERS THAT HAVE BETTER WAYS, FRANKLY OF COMMUNICATING WITH THE SERVE POPULATION THAN WE DO.

ORGANIZING HOW WE'RE GOING TO COMMUNICATE, WHAT MESSAGE, WHERE DO WE NEED TO DIRECT FOLKS TO SO THAT THEY CAN GET THE QUICKEST, MOST EFFECTIVE SERVICE.

THAT'S INCUMBENT UPON US SHOULD WE CHANGE OUR MODEL TO DO THAT.

IF WE DON'T CHANGE OUR MODEL, AGAIN, WE WOULD DO THE SAME THING BECAUSE WE WOULD STILL HAVE TO COMMUNICATE TO OUR CLIENTS, WHERE TO GO, WHEN TO BE THERE, HOW TO GET SERVED, ETC.

EITHER WAY, I DON'T SEE THAT AS NECESSARILY SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD CHANGE DEPENDING ON THE POLICY DIRECTION OF THE COUNCIL.

>> JUST BE HONEST, I DON'T LOVE THE IDEA OF THE OVERNIGHT PROGRAMMING ONLY.

THAT'S WHERE I'M REALLY STUCK ON SPECIFICALLY.

AUSTIN STREET SHELTER IS A GREAT PARTNER OF OURS.

IT'S IN DISTRICT 7, AND DURING THEIR EXPANSION, THAT WAS THE BIGGEST POINT OF CONTENTION, WHICH WAS THAT THEY WERE BEING PUSHED ONTO THE STREET DURING THE DAY.

I'LL WAIT FOR SECOND ROUND TO GO FURTHER INTO THAT. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

>> DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM WILLIS.

>> THANK YOU FOR THIS IMPORTANT PRESENTATION AND THE RESEARCH YOU'VE DONE WITH PIER CITIES.

I THINK THAT HELPS FRAME IT UP, CERTAINLY FOR ME.

BUT ONE OF THE NOTES THAT YOU MADE ABOUT FAIR PARK, MEAN LIKE FAIR PARK, AUSTIN STREET CENTER ALSO HAS A SCHEDULE FOR MAJOR RENOVATIONS AND LONG TERM REDEVELOPMENT IN THE THEIR OTHER BUILDING, THE OLD BUILDING, AND I THINK THAT CONFLICTS WITH WHAT'S BEING PRESENTED HERE.

PART OF IT COULD BE SUCCESSFUL.

I SEE MR. ROBEY HAS BEEN LINGERING HERE PROBABLY BECAUSE HE'S VERY INTERESTED IN HOW THIS DISCUSSION GOES.

BUT, I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT NOW BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO, I DON'T WANT TO PUT WORDS IN THE MOUTH, WILL YOU COME TELL US WHAT YOUR PLAN IS STARTING IN 2026, THAT COULD BE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS?

>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS.

AUSTIN STREET CENTER IS PLANNING TO GO THROUGH RENOVATION TO THAT BUILDING.

IT WAS BUILT IN 1992 SO THERE ARE A LOT OF JUST DELAYED MAINTENANCE THAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE, AND WE'RE ALSO HOPING TO PROVIDE SOME EXPANSION SERVICES TO THAT PROPERTY AS WELL.

WE ANTICIPATED THAT TO BEGIN LATER IN THE SPRING, BUT RECENTLY FOUND OUT THAT OUR CONTRACTOR IS REALLY HOPING TO GET IN THERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO NAVIGATE WHAT THE NEEDS OF THE CITY ARE WITH THE DESIRE TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND OUR SERVICES IN THAT BUILDING YEAR ROUND.

THAT CERTAINLY IS A CHALLENGE FOR US.

>> THAT'S PRIVATELY FUNDED.

YOU'VE RAISED MONEY TO UNDERTAKE THIS RENOVATION THAT ULTIMATELY WILL HELP US BY INCREASING YOUR CAPACITY?

>> THAT'S CORRECT. IT'S A COLLECTION OF PRIVATE AND PUBLIC FUNDING, AND WE ARE HOPING TO GET THAT GOING AS SOON AS WE CAN, SO WE CAN EXPAND SERVICES THERE.

>> IF WE HAD A NEED IN JANUARY, FEBRUARY, AS WE DID LAST YEAR OR JUST IN JANUARY, WHAT WOULD OUR PLAN BE ON THIS? SINCE NOW WE KNOW WE'VE GOT FAIR PARK, ACTIVATING FOR FIFA, AND THEY'RE GOING TO UNDERTAKE SOME RENOVATION? WHAT ARE OUR OTHER OPTIONS?

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. NUMBER 1, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS, IF THAT'S THE POLICY DIRECTION OF THE COUNTY, OF THE COUNCIL, WE'RE GOING TO THEN MOVE INTO TACTICS.

OUR TACTICS WILL BE THE SAME AS IF WE WERE PLANNING FOR AN EMERGENCY.

WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT WE CAN TALK TO THAT DO HAVE SPACE.

WE WILL ATTACK THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND SEE WHAT PLANS WE CAN MAKE.

I'LL GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE FROM SAN ANTONIO.

THEY USE A PLACE CALLED CORAZON, WHICH IS A DAY SERVICE CENTER THAT THEIR CITY CONTRACTS WITH TO BECOME A OVERNIGHT SHELTER DURING EVENTS.

WE DO HAVE PLACES LIKE THAT.

I'M HAPPY TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

WHAT IS THE POLICY DIRECTION OF THE COUNCIL THAT WILL DIRECT WHERE WE GO NEXT.

IT COULD BE AN OPTION TO ADD OTHER REC CENTERS OR I'M NOT SURE HOW

[02:40:04]

MANY WE STRENGTHENED AFTER YURI AND ADDED GENERATORS TO.

>> GOOD MORNING, TRAVIS HOUSTON, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND CRISIS RESPONSE.

YES,THERE WERE, I BELIEVE SIX REC CENTERS AND THEN THREE LIBRARIES THAT HAD GENERATORS ADDED TO THEM.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, CITY COUNCIL APPROVED FUNDING TO PURCHASE EIGHT MOBILE GENERATOR AND HVAC SYSTEMS.THIS IS WHEN WE'RE REALLY TRYING IN THE EMERGENCY SITUATION, AND WE JUST NEED TO GET PEOPLE INSIDE BASIC HVAC SERVICES.

IT DOESN'T LIGHT UP THE ENTIRE BUILDING, BUT THERE ARE THOSE OPTIONS AS WELL AND THOSE WERE PURCHASED, SPECIFICALLY AFTER WINTER STORM URI TO HELP US MORE STRATEGICALLY GO TO A CERTAIN LOCATION IF THERE'S A CONCENTRATION OF POWER OUTAGES IN ONE AREA.

>> THAT'S REALLY FOR THE MORE EXTREME.

WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW IF THE TEMPERATURES ARE DROPPING AND WE JUST NEED TO GET PEOPLE INTO A PLACE.

IT MAY NOT BE AS CATASTROPHIC AS THAT WAS WHERE THE GENERATORS HAVE TO BE CALLED INTO ACTION.

>> CORRECT.

>> ANOTHER CONCERN IS IF WE BRING PEOPLE INTO REC CENTERS INTO NEIGHBORHOODS TO THE POINT THAT COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA MADE, WHAT IS THE PLAN, AFTER WE DISCHARGE PEOPLE? BECAUSE TO JUST DISCHARGE THEM INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE RIGHT, MOST OF THESE PEOPLE ARE AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY'RE JUST SPREAD OUT MORE, BUT TO HAVE THEM JUST BE RELEASED IS GOING TO MAKE PASSABLE IMPACT.

>> THERE'S ACTUALLY AN ADVANTAGE TO DECENTRALIZATION WHEN THERE'S DISCHARGE IS THAT WHEN WE LET OUT FROM FAIR PARK, YOU'VE GOT 1,300 PLUS PEOPLE,THAT'S A VERY LARGE LIFT TO MOVE PEOPLE HERE THERE AND EVERYWHERE.

IF WE'RE UTILIZING A DECENTRALIZED MODEL, I CAN BETTER ARRANGE TRANSPORTATION RESOURCES, VANS, ETC TO MOVE PEOPLE BACK TO WHERE THEY CAME FROM, WHILE ALSO STILL CAPTURING THEM IN HMIS, STILL TAGGING FOR OUTREACH TO COME AND WORK WITH THEM.

I THINK THAT THIS ACTUALLY HELPS US ON DEMOBILIZATION AND THERE WAS ACTUALLY A CONVERSATION IN ONE OF THE AUDIT REPORTS RECENTLY THAT TALKED ABOUT WHEN WE WERE RELEASING FOLKS, WE WERE JUST PUTTING THEM ON DART AND MOVING THEM THROUGH AND TO LOOK AT A DIFFERENT WAY OF UTILIZING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO GET PEOPLE BACK.

THAT'S ANOTHER DATA POINT THAT WE LOOKED AT AND HOW WE WOULD COME UP WITH BETTER OPERATING THESE FACILITIES.

>> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GETTING THEM BACK, IT'S GETTING BACK TO WHERE THEY WERE OUTSIDE AND CAMPING OR LIVING.

>> WE DON'T WANT THAT TO BE THE CASE, EVEN WHEN WE'VE OPERATED FAIR PARK, WE'VE GOT A 95% RATE OF RETURN TO THE PREVIOUS UNSHELTERED LIVING ARRANGEMENT.

>> CERTAINLY SPEAKS TO THE NEED FOR MORE ARROWS IN THE QUIVER WITH REGARD TO TRANSITIONAL HOUSING OR OTHER TEMPORARY OPTIONS, BECAUSE MR. ROBEY DID A GREAT JOB ON SOCIAL MEDIA AT THE END OF EACH DAY OR AT THE END OF THE SHELTER WHEN IT WAS LIKE, WE'VE HOUSED THIS MANY AND DIVERTED THIS MANY AND CONNECTED THESE WITH FAMILIES.

CAN YOU HELP ME WITH THIS OTHER 896 I'VE GOT TO TAKE SOMEWHERE? AND SO THAT'S THE CONCERN IS THAT WE STILL NEED AN ANSWER TO THAT.

HOWEVER, FOCUSING ON THIS, IT SEEMS LIKE THIS COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY AT REC CENTERS TO ACTIVATE SOME OTHER HELP.

I FEEL LIKE DOWN AT FAIR PARK, YOU'VE JUST GOT CERTAIN GROUPS HELPING AND SOMETIMES COUNCIL MEMBERS BRING MEALS FOR STAFF, ETC.

TO BE ABLE TO ACTIVATE OUR OWN CITY DRIVEN HOMELESSNESS GROUP, AS WELL AS THOSE IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHO COULD ASSIST WITH MEALS, ETC.

IS THERE A PLAN THAT YOU ALL ARE PUTTING TOGETHER IF THIS IS TO DECENTRALIZED OF HOW A COUNCIL MEMBER AND NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS COULD ACTIVATE?

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. I'M GOING TO HAVE MR. ODIN TO GIVE YOU A DEEPER CONVERSATION OR ANSWER TO IT.

BUT I WANTED TO GO BACK TO SOMETHING YOU SAID A FEW MINUTES AGO ABOUT THE NEED WHEN WE ARE DEACTIVATING ONE OF THE SHELTERS, WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

THE GOAL IS, AS WE HAVE THE INDIVIDUALS, AND WE'RE ABLE TO DO THOSE TOUCH POINTS AND THE PROVIDERS ARE COMING IN, AND WE HAVE A FULL, I WOULD SAY, ECOSYSTEM THAT WORKS AT THOSE SHELTERS.

IT REALLY DOES HELP WITH BEING ABLE TO HOPEFULLY IDENTIFY HOUSING.

CONTINUES TO SHOW US WHERE OUR NUMBERS ARE AND WHAT TYPE OF HOUSING WE NEED, BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY THAT COMES TO THE SHELTER NEEDS THE SAME TYPE.

I THINK YOUR POINTS AROUND HAVING THAT DIVERSITY OF THE DIFFERENT HOUSING TYPES, I THINK IS KEY.

[02:45:02]

PART OF WHY WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THIS DECENTRALIZED MODEL IS THAT WE DO HAVE PEOPLE ACROSS THE CITY THAT OFTENTIMES THEY WANT TO HELP, BUT THEY IN THOSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, THEY DON'T WANT TO MAKE THEIR WAY ALL THE WAY TO FAIR PARK SO MANY OF THEM ARE OFTEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO THEN GET THINGS TO US, WHETHER IT'S CLOTHING, WHETHER IT'S FOOD, THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THEN HOW TO GET THEM TO THE CITY, SO WE CAN GET THEM TO FAIR PARK.

I'M GOING TO LET KEVIN GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT DEEPER ON HOW WE WOULD WORK WITHIN THOSE REC CENTER AREAS TO BE ABLE TO ACTIVATE THOSE COMMUNITY PARTNERS.

>> CORRECT. THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER.

ONE OF THE WAYS THAT THIS ALIGNS WITH OUR NORMAL PROCESSES ON THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SIDE IS THAT FOLLOWING EMERGENCIES, DISASTERS, APARTMENT FIRES, ETC.

WE UTILIZE PARK AND REC CENTERS AS SHELTERS QUITE EXTENSIVELY.

EVEN DURING HURRICANE HARVEY, WE UTILIZED WALNUT HILL REC CENTER, TOMMY ALLEN REC CENTER AND OTHERS, BEFORE WE GOT THE CONVENTION CENTER SET UP.

WE'RE ACTUALLY QUITE GOOD AT USING THOSE SITES FOR SHELTERS.

NOW, LET ME CAVEAT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE SITES AS THE OVERNIGHT WARMING AND NOT THE TRADITIONAL SHELTER SENSE.

BUT WE HAVE THE BANDWIDTH AND THE CAPACITY TO WORK WITH COUNCIL, WORK WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS AND OTHERS THAT IF THERE IS ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, WE CAN PROVIDE WHILE WE HOUSE AND HOST PEOPLE AS OUR GUESTS THAT WE DO THAT.

I FEEL THAT WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN WHILE PROVIDING FOR LIFE SAFETY TO UTILIZE THE GOODWILL OF THE FOLKS HERE IN DALLAS, AND SO WE WELCOME THAT ASSISTANCE.

>> THIS MAY BE MORE FOR CHIEF ARTISTS, BUT ON SLIDE 7, WE TALKED ABOUT THE 125 PEOPLE WHO REFUSED TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO A SITE.

I THINK, COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA TOUCHED ON THE NUMBER OF DEATHS.

DO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM THIS TIME PERIOD FROM EACH OF THESE TWO INCIDENTS?

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION, COUNCILMAN.

AT THIS TIME, I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER IN FRONT OF ME, BUT WE WILL DEFINITELY LOOK FORWARD.

TRYING TO GET FOLKS TO TAKE UP MANTLE TO GO TO SHELTERING IS A CHALLENGE.

SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE RAN INTO FROM DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THIS OPERATION IS NOT ONLY THAT, WHEN WE HAVE A LARGE GATHERING OF FOLKS, WE HAVE INFECTION CONTROL PROBLEMS. FROM MULTIPLE FOLKS GETTING THE FLU, COVID, ETC.. WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS TO MAKE SURE OUR UNSHELTERED POPULATION ARE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE COLD.

ONE THING THAT I DO WANT TO STRESS IS THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY IF WE SEE THAT IT IS DEFINITELY AN EMERGENCY, AND WE NEED TO SCALE UP, WE WILL SCALE UP.

I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THE IDEA OF THE THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD LEAVE INTENTIONALLY ANYBODY OUT IN THE COLD.

THAT'S NOT THE OBJECT OF THIS.

THE OBJECT IS TO LOOK AT SCALABLE WAYS THAT ALLOWS US TO HAVE THESE DIFFERENT OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO BE ABLE TO HELP OUR CHAT TO POPULATION.

>> THEN FINALLY, MS.CITY MANAGER, YOU HAD TOUCHED ON THIS.

WELL, AT THE MEGA CENTER, AND WE'RE GETTING THE HMIS AND ENTRIES, HOW MANY ARE IN DALLAS LIST DALLAS AS THEIR HOME, AND HOW MANY ARE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY, MAYBE OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY? DO WE HAVE A SENSE OF THAT?

>> WE DID LOOK INTO THAT, AND WE ALSO PULLED OUR PIER CITIES ON HOW THEY LOOK AT THAT, AS WELL AS TALKED TO SOME OF OUR PROVIDERS.

JUST MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THERE'S NO CORRELATION TO WHERE A PERSON WAS BEFORE THE DAY OF THE SHELTER TO WHAT MAY SAY ON A DRIVER'S LICENSE OR WHAT THEY REPORT TO YOU.

IT'S JUST SOME OF THE TRANSIENT NATURE OF IT.

BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT WE HAVE FOLKS THAT COME IN FROM ALL OVER.

I'VE SEEN THE CITIES DROPPING FOLKS OFF WHEN I'VE RAN THESE IN THE PAST.

I KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE AND MR. ROE, WE CAN PROBABLY SPEAK TO IT AS WELL, WE'VE HAD ISSUES WHERE HOSPITALS ARE DROPPING FOLKS OFF THAT ARE IN LIMITED, IF ANY SHAPE TO NOT BE IN A HOSPITAL, BUT ARE COMING TO THE MEGA SITE BECAUSE IT'S PUBLICIZED.

IT'S VERY MAGNETIZED TO DRAW PEOPLE IN AND SO IT IS HEAVILY UTILIZED FOR THAT PURPOSE.

>> I THINK THIS HAS GOT TO STOP.

NOW THAT WE CAN TAKE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN NEED, BUT HOW WE EXPLORE WITH SOME OTHER AREAS.

WE'VE OUR LOCATIONS ARE BEING TAKEN OUT OF COMMISSION BECAUSE OF RENOVATIONS TO AN IMPORTANT PARTNERS FACILITY, AND WE NEED THEM TO FAIR PARK, BECAUSE FIFA IS COMING.

WHAT OTHER LOCATIONS ARE OUT THERE WHO DON'T HAVE FIFA COMING,

[02:50:04]

WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP, WHO ARE BRINGING PEOPLE TO THIS SITE? I KNOW THAT WE WANT TO HELP PEOPLE AND ULTIMATELY KEEP THEM SAFE AND ALIVE.

BUT WE TALKED ABOUT THIS MEETING AFTER MEETING YEAR AFTER YEAR, AND THERE ARE PARTNERS WHO COMPLAIN, BUT DON'T HELP US PAY FOR THIS.

>> EXACTLY. AND I THINK WE WANT TO SEND A COUPLE OF MESSAGES.

NUMBER 1, THE VERY FIRST MESSAGE IS THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITY OF THE MODEL THAT WE HAVE BEEN MAINTAINING, AND WE WERE CONTINUING TO TRY TO FIND WAYS TO REFINE IT AND WHAT WE DID NOT WANT TO ASSUME IS THAT NUMBER ONE THAT COUNCIL UNDERSTOOD THE WAY THAT THIS IS OPERATED, WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME DATA, BUT WE ALSO WANT THIS TO SEND A MESSAGE TO OUR STRATEGIC PARTNER CITIES AROUND US THAT WE NEED HELP.

IF THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN DO IT, WHETHER THERE IS ADDITIONAL CAPACITY NEEDS THAT WE CAN TALK WITH THEM ABOUT.

BUT RIGHT NOW, THEY DON'T FEEL THAT THEY EVEN NEED TO DO THAT BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING ALREADY IN DALLAS.

THERE'S NOT AN URGENCY IN MY OPINION FOR THEM TO COME TO THE TABLE AND DO ANYTHING TO SUPPORT THE MODEL.

I THINK WHAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IS THAT WE HAVE TAKEN CARE AND WE'VE COVERED ALL OF OUR BASES.

WE TRULY RESPECT OUR PARTNERS WHO ARE ALREADY DOING OVER AND BEYOND.

BUT WE DO BELIEVE THAT THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN ACTIVATE MORE AND SEND THAT MESSAGE THAT WE NEED YOU TO BE A PART OF THIS STRATEGY, WE NEED YOU TO DO MORE THAN PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION WHERE YOU'RE BRINGING PEOPLE TO US.

BUT HOW DO YOU PROVIDE ALSO SERVICES WITHIN YOUR CITY THAT HELPS US DURING THESE TIMES OF THE YEAR.

WE KNOW THAT, THE TEAM CAME IN A FEW WEEKS AGO AND THEY SAID KIM IS GOING TO GET COLD REALLY, REALLY FAST.

WE GOT TO DO SOMETHING NOW AND SO WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE, IN MY OPINION, WE DON'T HAVE A 2,000, 03,000 PERSON FACILITY RIGHT NOW THAT WE CAN EVEN RUN TO PUT EVERYBODY INTO.

IF WE DON'T HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS NOW, WE'RE TRYING TO BE PROACTIVE, BUT WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO PLAN AHEAD FOR WHAT COULD HAPPEN.

BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AROUND OUR PARTNERS.

>> WELL, RIGHT YOU'VE GOT A LINE HERE FOR KEY CHALLENGES.

THIS IS NOT JUST OURS.

YOU'VE GOT AUSTIN, THE DEMAND AT A CENTRALIZED LOCATION, FORT WORTH, REGIONAL NEED, SAN ANTONIO, DEMAND FROM REGIONAL CITIES.

I KNOW WE'VE ATTEMPTED TO GET FUNDING OR WE'RE TRYING THIS THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE CHANNEL.

I WOULD THINK THAT THIS MAY BE ANOTHER THING TO BRING UP, EVEN IF IT'S JUST FOCUSED ON TEMPORARY INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTERS, THAT WHEN THAT COMES INTO BEING, THERE'S GOT TO BE SOMETHING ACTIVATED, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH THE STATE OR THROUGH THESE OTHER CITIES.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO USE IT, THEN YOU NEED TO HELP US FUND IT.

>> I JUST ADD UNIVERSALLY ACROSS THE OTHER CITIES, WHEN WE SPOKE TO THEM, THEY WERE ALL JEALOUS IN A WAY THAT WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH LIKE IN AUSTIN STREET THAT DID HAVE THEIR SECOND BUILDING AVAILABLE.

THAT'S WHY YOU SEE ALMOST EXCLUSIVE DEMAND ON PARK AND REC CENTERS IN HOUSTON AND FORT WORTH AND OTHERS IS THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A SITE THAT CAN BE AN IMMEDIATE SHELTER, STAND UP FOR THIS PURPOSE AND BE UTILIZED.

THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY CAME UP MULTIPLE TIMES IN OUR DISCUSSION.

>> I'D BE CURIOUS ABOUT A SURVEY OF THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME OTHER CITIES AROUND US WHO HAVE SOME VERY NICE FACILITIES.

I'D BE CURIOUS ABOUT A SURVEY OF THAT AND WHETHER YOU'RE SAYING YOU DON'T HAVE IT OR WHETHER YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE ADAPTABLE.

>> YES, WE'LL CONTINUE THAT CONVERSATION.

WE'VE ALREADY STARTED IT WITH THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CONTACTS OF ALL OF OUR PEER CITIES.

AGAIN, IF IT'S THE POLICY TO DIRECTION OF THE COUNCIL TO CHANGE OUR MODEL, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THIS FROM MANY DIFFERENT TACTICAL ANGLES TO TRY TO MAKE SURE WE'RE SET UP FOR SUCCESS, BUT THEN THE FOLKS THAT WE SERVE ARE ALSO SET UP FOR SUCCESS, AND THAT MAY MEAN THAT OTHER CITIES OR ORGANIZATIONS, NOT TO JUST PUT IT ALL IN CITIES NEED TO HELP BEAR SOME OF THE BRUNT OF THIS.

>> CHAIR STEWART.

>> SORRY, GOT TO GET TO THE MICROPHONE, BUT IT'S ALL BEHIND THE COMPUTER AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.

LET'S START WITH THE 2.9 MILLION.

I JUST NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THAT.

IS THAT A COST THAT WAS BORNE BY SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS OR JUST BY ONE DEPARTMENT?

>> THAT WAS THE TOTAL COST FOR ALL OF THE ACTIVATION, INCLUDING ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS.

>> TRANSPORTATION PARKS, DPD, DFR.

YOU PULLED ALL OF THAT TOGETHER.

>> CORRECT.

>> HE DIDN'T HIT ANY ONE DEPARTMENT.

IT WAS SPREAD OUT.

>> YES. THE PRIMARY HIT THAT WAS REPORTED TO ME AS I LOOKED THROUGH IT AND FOLLOWED UP WITH DEPARTMENTS, WAS THE OFFICE OF HOMELESS SOLUTIONS HAD $1.7 MILLION OF CONTRACTED SERVICES AS WELL AS OVERTIME.

THAT WAS THE LARGEST SINGLE DEPARTMENT.

THAT AGAIN, WAS WAY BEYOND THE ALLOCATED BUDGET FOR THEM.

[02:55:01]

THE OTHER 1.2 MILLION WAS BORN GENERALLY FROM PERSONNEL, STAFFING COST, AND THEN COST TO OPERATE AND MAINTAIN THE BUILDING ITSELF DURING AND AFTER THE ACTIVATION.

>> WHAT ARE THE CONTRACTED SERVICES? HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT WE SPENT THAT LARGE SUM ON PEOPLE, HIRING PEOPLE OR WHAT WAS THAT FOR?

>> PEOPLE AND SERVICES.

THERE WAS FOOD, THERE WAS THE EXISTING AGREEMENT WITH AUSTIN STREET.

THEN THERE WAS A SUB CONTRACTOR OF OUR CALLING THAT ASSISTED AUSTIN STREET AT THE LOCATION.

I BELIEVE THERE WAS CONTRACT SECURITY.

THERE WAS USE OF THE FAIR PARK BUILDING, AND THEN PAYMENTS FOR TRANSPORTATION POST EVENT.

THERE WERE DARK PASSES THAT WERE PROCURED AND UTILIZED.

ALL OF THAT, AGAIN, WAS EITHER CONTRACTED OR PROCURED USING CITY PROCESS.

>> IF I COULD JUST ADD, THAT INCLUDES THE DAY TO DAY CLEANING, THE SANITATION.

IT'S ALL OF THE UPKEEP THAT HAS TO HAPPEN WHILE WE HAVE OUR UNSHELTERED RESIDENTS THERE.

>> LET'S WALK THEN TO TALK THEN ABOUT THE DETAILS OF WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE AT A REC CENTER.

BECAUSE I THINK THERE STILL WILL BE THE NEED FOR CONTRACTED SERVICES.

YOU STILL WILL NEED TO CLEAN THE FACILITY.

WE STILL NEED TO HAVE PEOPLE THERE BRINGING IN FOOD AND OTHER TYPE SERVICES, AND IT AS IT WAS DESCRIBED AT ONE POINT THIS MORNING OR AFTERNOON, WHEREVER WE ARE.

IT LOOKED AS IF THE SERVICE PROVIDERS WOULD ALSO BE MEETING WITH THE HOMELESS PERSONS WHO WERE THERE, AND WORKING TO GET THEM PERHAPS INTO A SHELTER PERMANENTLY OR TO OTHER TYPE OF HOUSING.

IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S AN INTENSIVE AMOUNT OF SERVICE THAT WOULD BE NEEDED AT EACH OF THE SIX REC CENTERS, JUST TO CARE FOR THEM OVERNIGHT, BUT THEN ALSO TO PROVIDE THIS ADDITIONAL OUTREACH TO THEM.

HAVE WE FACTORED OR THOUGHT, HOW DOES THAT?

>> WE HAVE.

>> JUST BECAUSE IT'S SPREAD OUT, I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT COST COMES DOWN.

>> CORRECT.

>> JUST TO REITERATE, THERE'S KIND OF TWO MODELS AS IT RELATES TO REC CENTERS THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PIER CITIES.

THERE'S THE ONE MODEL WHERE THE REC CENTER OPERATES AS A TRADITIONAL SHELTER, CATS, SOCIAL SERVICES, 24 HOUR A DAY TYPE OPERATIONS.

THAT IS WHAT YOU SEE IN HOUSTON, AUSTIN, AND FORT WORTH.

SAN ANTONIO OPERATES A MODEL WITH THEIR COMMUNITY CENTERS WHERE IT'S BASICALLY AN OVERNIGHT WARMING.

THE CENTER STAYS OPEN.

THERE'S LIKE WATER AND OTHER QUICK THINGS, BUT IT'S NOT A FULL BLOWN SHELTER OPERATION LIKE WHAT YOU SEE FOLLOWING AN APARTMENT FIRE OR OTHERWISE.

THAT BRINGS DOWN, NUMBER 1, THE DEMAND ON THE SITE, BUT ALSO THE COST.

I AM CONVINCED BASED ON THE ANALYSIS WE'VE DONE AND WHERE WE MAP THIS ALL OUT, THAT THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS PUT IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL TODAY WILL STAY WITHIN THE $1.2 MILLION BUDGET THAT WAS ALLOCATED TO OUR DEPARTMENT TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS IN THIS UPCOMING WINTER WEATHER YEAR.

>> WELL, I THINK WE DON'T EXACTLY KNOW WHAT OUR WINTER WEATHER WILL BE.

I MEAN, I'M SURE YOU CAN LOOK AN AVERAGE AND ALL OF THAT.

BUT I THINK WHAT WAS DESCRIBED EARLIER, IT SOUNDED TO ME AS IF WE WERE PROVIDING A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF SERVICE AT THE REC CENTER, NOT JUST A WATER BOTTLE AND A WARM PLACE OVERNIGHT.

I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO DEFINE THAT, DESCRIBE THAT.

WE NEED TO GET OUR HANDS AROUND WHAT IS THAT SERVICE GOING TO THAT WE'RE PROVIDING AT THE REC CENTER.

BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A BALANCE.

IF YOU DON'T DO MUCH FOR THEM, THEN THEY STILL HAVE NEEDS, SO THEY WILL LEAVE THE REC CENTER AND HAVE THAT NEED FOR A MEAL FOR A WARM PLACE, JUST BECAUSE THE SUNS COME UP DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S ABOVE 30 DEGREES OR ABOVE 25 DEGREES.

IT'S JUST A MATTER OF, HOW DO I SAY THIS? WE'VE GOT TO DECIDE WHAT SERVICE WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE DURING A WINTER EVENT.

THE REASON WE NEED TO DO THAT IS SO THAT SINCE WE ARE DECENTRALIZING AND WE'RE MOVING THESE PEOPLE OR THEY ARE IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF OUR CITY, THEN I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DO THAT WITHOUT SOME RESOURCES FOR THEM.

OTHERWISE, THEY STILL HAVE THOSE NEEDS,

[03:00:07]

AND YET NOW THEY'RE NOT IN ONE LOCATION, THEY'RE THROUGHOUT THE CITY, WHICH I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU'RE HEADED THIS DIRECTION, AND PERHAPS IT IS BETTER TO DECENTRALIZE.

I THINK WE HAVE PUT THOSE GENERATORS IN.

I KNOW I HAVE ONE AT THE AUDELIA ROAD BRANCH LIBRARY. IT'S HUGE.

I SEE IT AS I LEAVE MY NEIGHBORHOOD, EVERY MORNING, IT'S HUGE.

LET'S SAY THEY WERE AT THE LAKE HIGHLANDS REC CENTER OVERNIGHT? WOULD WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO WALK JUST A BLOCK EAST AND COME, SPEND THE DAY AT THE LIBRARY? I DON'T KNOW.

I JUST I CAN SEE THAT THAT WOULD BE A LOGICAL PATH FOR THEM AND WOULD BE PERFECTLY FINE.

BUT I THINK IT'S EYES WIDE OPEN.

WE REALLY NEED TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE THINKING, AND WHAT OUR PLAN IS AND BE PREPARED FOR THIS CHANGE, WHICH IS NOT NUANCED, IT'S MAJOR, AND HOW THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT THE MOVEMENT AND THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP DURING THAT COLD SPELL.

>> JUST TO QUICKLY RESPOND.

YOU MADE THE BEST POINT IS WE ARE LOOKING FOR DIRECTION FROM THE COUNCIL ON WHAT LEVEL OF SERVICE DO WE WANT TO PROVIDE FOR THIS OPERATION MOVING FORWARD.

WE PROVIDED A RECOMMENDATION, AGAIN, BASED OFF OF FIVE REAL KEY CONSIDERATIONS AND LOOKING AT PAST ACTIONS OF THE COUNCIL, AS WELL AS AGAIN, ALLOCATIONS OF EXPECTATIONS FOR THE FAIR PARK SITE AND BUDGET.

WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR THAT ANSWER FROM THE COUNCIL.

WHAT I WOULD SAY, ALSO, THOUGH, IN RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION IS THAT WE WANT TO SEE OUR SERVICE TO OUR RESIDENTS IF IT IS IN THE RECOMMENDED MODEL TO BE CONTINUOUS WITH OUTREACH AND GET FOLKS OFF OF THE STREET.

THE COUNCIL HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY GENEROUS AND FOLLOWING THE SHELTER TO HOME MODEL AND INVESTING $10 MILLION IN THAT.

WHAT WE WOULD EXPECT TO SEE IS THAT AS THE COUNCIL CONTINUES TO INVEST IN THAT WAY AND CREATE OPENINGS FOR SHELTER BEDS, THAT WE CAN GET PEOPLE INTO SHELTER AND LESSEN THE UNSHELTERED POPULATION ON THE STREET IN FUTURE YEARS.

ALL OF THIS STUFF IS CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER.

THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS, AS I CAME INTO THIS A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, THAT I HAD TO VERY QUICKLY LEARN IS THAT IF THERE IS ANY ONE AREA OF THE HOMELESS SYSTEM THAT IS THE DOOR STUCK, IT CAN GUM UP EVERYTHING ELSE, AND SO WHAT WE'RE BRINGING TO THE COUNCIL TODAY ALSO REFLECTS THE INVESTMENTS THIS COUNCIL HAS MADE AND HOW WE BELIEVE THAT MOVING FORWARD WILL BE CREATING MORE SPACES TO GET FOLKS OFF THE STREET LONGER TERM, WHICH WILL HONESTLY CHANGE SOME OF THE MINDS OF FOLKS THAT SEE SHELTER IS JUST A PLACE YOU GO.

IF THE MINDSET BECOMES SHELTER IS A PLACE I GO FOR A TIME TO GET HOUSED, WE WILL START TO SEE AN INCREASED AMOUNT OF FOLKS GOING INTO SHELTERS AS WELL AS THE BEDS BEING RECYCLED, WHICH SHOULD LOWER THE DEMAND, FRANKLY, FOR WINTER WEATHER TYPE SHELTERING.

>> WELL, THEN I WOULD SUBMIT, MS.CITY MANAGER, WE'VE GOT SOME WORK TO DO BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE HAVE QUITE ARTICULATED WHAT LEVEL OF SERVICE WE'RE THINKING OF PROVIDING DURING THESE PERIODS OF TIME. THANK YOU.

>> CHAIR GRACIE.

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR TIM.

I'LL PICK UP WHERE CHAIR STEWART LEFT OFF JUST IN TERMS OF THE TYPE OF SERVICES THERE BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW I FELT ABOUT THIS.

I THINK I HEARD IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT I'M GOING TO START WITH WAS THIS, I'M NOT GOING TO CALL IT A MISSED OPPORTUNITY, BUT DO WE KNOW WHO THOSE PARTNERS ARE THAT WOULD BE WILLING TO SERVE AS A OVERNIGHT SHELTER OR AS AN EMERGENCY SHELTER? BASED ON THOSE I'M THINKING OF NONPROFITS OR CHURCHES, THEN DO WE HAVE IT DEFINED ON THE TYPE OF EMERGENCY SHELTERS? BECAUSE, FOR EXAMPLE, I KNOW OF, MY CHURCH AS AN EXAMPLE WHEN HURRICANE KATRINA THEY STEPPED IN AND WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY SHELTER FOR SITUATIONS LIKE THAT.

I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY WOULD WANT TO DO OVERNIGHT FOR HOMELESS. I DON'T KNOW.

BUT THERE'S ANOTHER CHURCH IN THE DISTRICT THAT HAS ACTUALLY WANTED TO DO THAT, BUT THEN THEY WERE TOLD THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PROPER I THINK FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

[03:05:02]

I KNOW OF AT LEAST TWO CHURCHES THAT WERE WILLING THAT WANTED TO DO THAT, BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE RIGHT FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM.

I GUESS MY QUESTION IS ONE, DO WE HAVE THESE TYPE OF OVERNIGHT EMERGENCY SHELTERS DEFINED IN TERMS OF THE SERVICES? IF WE DID AN OUTREACH TO THESE NON PROFITS, WE COULD BE VERY CLEAR IN TERMS OF WHAT TYPE OF OVERNIGHT. THAT'S THE FIRST ONE.

THE SECOND ONE IS, HAVE WE LOOKED IN TERMS OF THE COST COMPARISON IN TERMS OF WHERE I THINK SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES WERE GOING IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO DECENTRALIZE VERSUS CREATING A GRANT THAT WOULD HELP BRING SOME OF THE OTHER PARTNERS UP TO CODE SO THEY COULD.

I GUESS I'M GOING TO STOP THERE WITH THOSE FEW QUESTIONS THAT.

>> EXCELLENT EXCELLENT QUESTIONS, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT I ASKED THE TEAM TO GO THROUGH.

WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THE CHAPTER 45 PERMITS AND WHAT DO WE HAVE AVAILABLE? AGAIN, TO BRIEFLY SUMMARIZE, THE POLICY INTENT OF THE COUNCIL BACK IN 2019, 2020 TIME FRAME WAS TO CREATE PERMITS WHERE CHURCHES OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS COULD OPERATE DURING TIMES OF INCLEMENT WEATHER AS EMERGENCY SHELTERS.

YOU ARE CORRECT THAT THERE ARE SOME REQUIREMENTS OF LIFE SAFETY AND FIRE SUPPRESSION AND OTHER THINGS.

IN THE MOST RECENT YEAR, THERE WAS ONLY ONE PERMIT HOLDER THAT OPERATED.

THEY PROVIDE UP TO 80 BEDS, BUT I BELIEVE AT THE TIME OF THEIR CLOSURE, WHICH WAS A COUPLE OF NIGHTS, THEY MOVED 17 PERSONS FROM WHERE THEY WERE TO THE FAIR PARK SITE.

I WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY THRILLED IF WE WERE HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH CHURCHES AND OTHERS OF HOW WE CAN UTILIZE OUR FUNDING TO SEED THAT SHELTER.

I THINK THAT THAT BENEFITS THE CITY.

IT BENEFITS OUR PARTNERS IN THE COC, AND IT DEFINITELY BENEFITS OUR UNSHELTERED NEIGHBORS ON THE STREET.

>> THAT HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, THAT LEVEL OF OUTREACH, NOT IN KIM, BUT THOSE LEVEL OF OUTREACH, HAS THAT HAPPENED?

>> GIVEN WHERE WE'RE AT, SO WE KIND OF INHERITED THIS AT THE BEGINNING OF OCTOBER.

>> FAIR.

>> I'VE ASKED THE TEAM TO START LOOKING AT THOSE, BUT I THINK THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT BE SUCCESSFUL, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ATTACK THAT OVER THE NEXT CALENDAR YEAR TO MAKE THAT A REALITY AND TO REALLY SEE AND BRING THE COUNCIL DATA'S, WE PULLED THIS MANY OF CHURCHES.

THIS IS WHAT OUR RESPONSES WAS, OR THIS IS WHAT THE CAPACITY IS AVAILABLE.

THIS IS THE THINGS THEY ASKED FOR FROM THE CITY.

THEN WE CAN HAVE THAT LEVEL OF POLICY DISCUSSION WITH THE COUNCIL ON, DO WE WANT TO UTILIZE THE FUNDING WE HAVE AVAILABLE FOR THAT PURPOSE? I THINK THAT'S A GREAT POINT.

HOWEVER, WE WERE NOT ABLE TO SENSE IN THE DATA OR THE BENCHMARKING WITH OTHER CITIES THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO PULL THAT OFF, SO THAT ALSO GIVES US A BIT OF A CHALLENGE TO BE THE FIRST TO SEE IF WE CAN FIGURE THAT OUT.

>> THINKING ABOUT ALL OF THESE DISCUSSIONS, EVEN WITH OUR DISCUSSIONS ON THE HOUSING AND HOMELESS SOLUTIONS COMMITTEE AND ALL OF THESE THINGS, ONE LEADS TO ANOTHER.

IF WE'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT THAT, EVEN FROM THIS, NOT TO BE A SINGLE SOLUTION FOR A SINGLE PROBLEM, BUT A SOLUTION TO A STEP THAT MOVES US TO THE NEXT SOLUTION, AND SO FORTH, THAT HELPS US ADDRESS THE WHOLE COLLECTIVE THING.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT MISSING THAT OPPORTUNITY IN TERMS OF HOW WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE WE THROW THIS IDEA OUT, WHICH IS NOT NECESSARILY A BAD IDEA, DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR IT FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, BUT JUST FOR ME, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT MISSING THAT OPPORTUNITY, BECAUSE, AGAIN, I VISITED AT LEAST TWO, ONE OF WHICH IS NOT, WALKING DISTANCE FROM A REC CENTER.

THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CONSIDERING ALL OF THOSE OPTIONS.

>> SORRY, MADAM.

>> NO, GO AHEAD.

>> I WILL BE HAPPY TO GET WITH YOU DIRECTLY AFTER THIS MEETING.

LET'S GET CONTACTS.

WE'LL HEAD DOWN TO WHEREVER WE NEED TO HEAD TO.

THE SAME FOR ALL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

IF THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS, CHURCHES OR OTHERWISE THAT HAVE EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN HELPING THAT WE CAN GET WITH AND WALK THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS AS BEST WE CAN TO BE SUCCESSFUL, WE WOULD GO OUT OF OUR WAY ABSOLUTELY TO DO THAT.

WE HAVE THE RESOURCES AND STAFF TO BE OF ASSISTANCE FOR IF WE CAN THIS WINTER YEAR.

>> THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO ADD, COUNCIL MEMBER GRACIE, IS THAT WE WELCOME THAT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.

WE KNOW A LOT OF CHURCHES COME TO US AND ASK, EVEN IF IT'S JUST THE DONATION OF FOOD, IF THEY COULD PROVIDE ADDITIONAL VOLUNTEERS, EVEN WHEN WE'RE DOING THE MEGA SHELTER.

IF THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN GET THEM INVOLVED AND ENGAGED AND MAYBE EVEN USING THEIR LOCATIONS,

[03:10:02]

WE WELCOME THAT AND WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT FEEDBACK.

I KNOW IT'S DIFFERENT FROM EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT, BUT WE WELCOME THAT. THANK YOU.

>> I CAN'T REMEMBER BY THE NAME

>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR Y'ALL'S WORK IN PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.

I CAN'T REMEMBER IF ALL SAID, HOW MANY REC CENTERS HAVE EMERGENCY GENERATORS?

>> I BELIEVE IT'S SIX.

>> SIX. I WAS ACTUALLY HERE WHEN WE HAD THE UNPLANNED GAS OUTAGE AND ALSO WHEN WINTER STORM URI WAS HERE.

I RECALL THAT THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE, HAD THE GENERATORS INSTALLED IN SOME OF THOSE REC CENTERS.

MY QUESTION IS, I KNOW DURING THAT PLANNED GAS OUTAGE AND ALSO THE WINTER STORM, WE HAD RESIDENTS THAT LIVED NEARBY THAT DID NOT HAVE SHELTER OR HEAT.

I MEAN, I REMEMBER WE HAD TO GET BUSES FOR THEM TO WARM UP.

HOW ARE WE GOING TO PRIORITIZE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY LIVE CLOSE BY TO THE REC CENTERS WITH UNHOUSED THAT MAY NEED SOME OF THESE SERVICES?

>> EXCELLENT QUESTION. TACTICALLY, WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, AND IT'S PROVEN TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THAT SO FAR AS THE DISPATCHING PROCESS IS THAT WE HAVE UTILIZED BOTH THE 311 AND 911 SERVICE.

WE HAVE IN THE PAST, OHS STAFF, NOW, DALLAS STREET RESPONSE, HAVE DONE TRANSPORTATION UP UNTIL A CERTAIN POINT.

THEN IF THE ROADS ARE ICY OR OTHERWISE, DALLAS FIRE RESCUE SUPPLEMENTS OUR STAFF TO DO THAT TRANSPORTATION.

I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE REALLY UNIQUELY QUALIFIED AS A DEPARTMENT TO MANAGE UNPLANNED DISPATCHING OF GO HERE, GO THERE, KNOW WHICH SITES ARE OPEN, AND MOVE FOLKS TO THE BEST LOCATION THAT'S SUITABLE FOR THEM.

>> WE WOULD STILL HAVE A LOCATION THOUGH FOR THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE NEARBY.

FOR INSTANCE, IF WE HAD A PLANNED GAS SITAGE OR WINTER STORM URI?

>> CORRECT. IF YOU LIVE NEAR WEB CHAPEL AND LOMBARDI, I'M NOT GOING TO MOVE YOU TO LIKE ILLINOIS AND OVERTON.

I'M GOING TO TRY TO KEEP YOU IN THE AREA CLOSEST TO YOU SO THAT WE CAN SERVE YOU AGAIN, WHERE YOU LIVE AT.

>> THEN HAVING GROWN UP IN DALLAS, I KNOW THE TEMPS THEY STAY BELOW FREEZING SOMETIME IN NORTH TEXAS DURING THE DAY.

MY DAD ACTUALLY WORKED FOR THE POWER PLANT HERE IN DALLAS, AND SO HE WORKED QUITE A BIT WHENEVER THOSE, WINTER STORMS HAPPENED.

IS THERE A PLAN FOR WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE SHELTERS DURING THE DAYTIME IF THAT DOES OCCUR?

>> CORRECT. I MAY LEAN ON MR. ROBEY TO SPEAK FROM HIS EXPERIENCE ON THIS.

IF WE MOVE AWAY FROM THE MEGA SHELTER CONCEPT.

THAT CONCEPT TAKES UP A TON OF RESOURCES FROM THE CONTINUUM OF CARE.

EVERYBODY IS POURING EVERYTHING THEY'VE GOT INTO THAT ONE LOCATION.

IF WE MOVE TO THIS MORE DECENTRALIZED MODEL, THAT WILL ALLOW OUR SERVICE PROVIDERS TO BE MORE AT HOME BASED AND BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO SERVE RESIDENTS FROM THAT STANDPOINT AS WELL, WHICH IS WHAT WE THINK WILL HELP US DO DAY TO DAY COORDINATION OF WHERE FOLKS CAN MOVE TO BE THE MOST SUCCESSFUL, PARTICULARLY IF THEY'RE UNSHELTERED AND LOOKING FOR STABLE HOUSING SHELTER OR OTHERWISE.

IF YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT, BE MORE THAN APPRECIATIVE.

>> SURE. I MEAN, I THINK, THERE'S SO MUCH TO COMMUNICATE RIGHT NOW.

RIGHT NOW, THE AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY WITH AUSTIN STREET ENDS AT THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR.

I THINK A LOT OF THESE CONVERSATIONS WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL TO HAVE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, BUT AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE'RE A LITTLE BIT LATE TO THE GAME TO BE ABLE TO MAKE AND THINKING ABOUT SOME OF THE PIVOTS AND CHANGES.

I MEAN, I GUESS, ANY OTHER SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, I HAVE ALL THE DATA THAT'S IN FRONT OF ME RIGHT NOW.

THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES WITH OPERATING THE SAME NUMBER OF PEOPLE AT THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE IN A DECENTRALIZED MODEL AT THE SAME NUMBER OF DAYS AND DOING THAT FOR A LESSER COST.

I MEAN, THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE BEING FACED WITH ALL THIS IS JUST HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE WE COMMITTED TO SERVING AND AT WHAT LEVEL OF SERVICE? IT CAN BE DONE MULTIPLE DIFFERENT WAYS, AND I THINK THE SOONER WE GET THAT INPUT, THE BETTER THAT AUSTIN TREE CAN HELP OPERATIONALIZE IT.

>> ONE MORE QUESTION. I THINK AT 20:18, WE PASSED THE ZONING FOR SALVATION ARMY AND RECENTLY HAD THE GROUNDBREAKING.

AS DO WE KNOW WHEN SALVATION ARMY WILL COME ONLINE TO IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE THE WORLD'S LARGEST SALVATION ARMY.

I WOULD IMAGINE THERE'S SOME SERVICES THAT WOULD BE OFFERED FOR AND HOUSED RESIDENTS AS WELL.

>> I APOLOGIZE. I DON'T KNOW THAT.

I BELIEVE I SAW DIRECTOR CROSSLEY OR PASTOR ARMSTRONG,

[03:15:05]

SO MAYBE THEY CAN HELP OR TOTALLY BE HAPPY TO MAKE SURE WE GET YOU THAT ANSWER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER THE BRIEFING.

>> JUST MENTIONING BECAUSE IT COULD BE A RESOURCE FOR US AS WELL.

I KNOW I REMEMBER A FEW YEARS AGO IN DISTRICT 6, WE DID HAVE HOUSE STAY IN AN UNDISCLOSED LOCATION.

IT ACTUALLY WAS NOT A REC CENTER, AND IT WAS KEPT VERY QUIET.

BUT IF I RECALL, I THINK THAT IT'S GOOD THAT ALL ARE LOOKING AT THE DEMOBILIZATION AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, BECAUSE I DO REMEMBER THAT WE HAD SOME ISSUES WITH THAT AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS HAVE ACCESS TO WRAP AROUND SERVICES, WHEREVER THEY ARE, AS WELL.

>> GOOD. CORRECT. AGAIN, I POINT TO A 95% RETURN TO NORMAL STATE, BASED ON THE CURRENT OPERATIONAL MODEL.

I WANT TO SEE THAT INCREASE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

IN FACT, AGAIN, I THINK THAT EVERYONE'S MISSION IN THIS IS TO PUT THE CITY OUT OF BUSINESS OF DOING WINTER WEATHER SHELTERING BECAUSE WE HAVE ADEQUATE PATHWAYS TO HOUSING, ADEQUATE SHELTER BEDS, ETC, EVERYWHERE THROUGH THE SYSTEM.

>> THANK YOU.

>> CHAIRWOMAN ENDELSON.

>> THANK YOU. A LOT OF THIS PRESENTATION IS PREDICATED ON THE IDEA THAT WE'RE PROVIDING A REGIONAL SERVICE, WHAT EVIDENCE DO YOU HAVE OF THAT?

>> AGAIN, I POINT TO THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT IS BEING PROVIDED, LIKE TOTAL COUNTS BEING PROVIDED THAT TIES TO WHEN I LOOK AT THE RETURNS, SO THE 95% RETURN RATE AS WELL AS WE'RE PROVIDING THIS LARGE NUMBER OF SERVICE, BUT WHEN WE ARE BEING ASKED TO TRANSPORT PEOPLE, ONLY 30% OF THEM ARE COMING.

THE OTHER THING I POINT TO IS AGAIN, SOMEWHAT ANECDOTAL, BUT I THINK WE'VE ALL THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS SEN IT IS DROP OFFS FROM OTHER PLACES, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, OTHER GROUPS, ETC THAT ALL PAINT A PICTURE THAT THIS IS HOW WE'RE OPERATING PRESENTLY TODAY.

>> NUMBER 1, I WOULD SAY IT'S EXTREMELY UNUSUAL THAT WE WOULD HAVE SUCH A HIGH NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE NON DUPLICATED MORE THAN OUR SHELTERED COUNT, WHICH IN MY OPINION IS PROOF HOW POORLY DONE OUR POINT IN TIME COUNT IS LOCALLY.

THAT'S NUMBER 1. NUMBER 2, WE DO HAVE OTHERS IN THE REGION THAT ARE PROVIDING WEATHER SHELTERING.

PLANOS SHELTER 150 AT THEIR SALVATION ARMY, ARLINGTON, THEIR LIFE SHELTER, AND THEN THEY DO OVERFLOW AT THEIR SALVATION ARMY.

GARLAND USES THEIR SALVATION ARMY FOR ICL WEATHER SHELTERING, AND DENTON HAS A VERY LARGE [INAUDIBLE] WEATHER SHELTER.

WE'RE CERTAINLY NOT THE ONLY ONES.

WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT, IS IT EVEN APPROPRIATE THAT IN ADDISON WOULD DO THIS WHEN THEIR POINT IN TIME COUNT IS ALMOST ZERO AND THEY HAVE LESS THAN 20,000 RESIDENTS.

THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT SET UP FOR IT. WE ARE.

THIS WHOLE NEED FOR INCLIN WEATHER SHELTERING, THIS IS OUR JOB.

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAPPEN AT CITY HALL THAT I DO NOT THINK ARE ON OUR PLATE.

BUT THIS WAS INSTITUTED BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE LITERALLY FREEZING TO DEATH AND THERE WAS NO CENTRALIZED INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTERING.

WHAT YOU'RE ASKING TO GO BACK TO IS ACTUALLY WHAT WE USED TO DO.

WHEN PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO GO, BECAUSE THERE WASN'T A UNIFIED MESSAGE OF GO TO FAIR PARK, THEY WILL HELP YOU.

IF THIS IS THE COST TO SAVE A LIFE, I'M WILLING TO PAY THAT.

I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COST.

HOUSTON, PER PERSON SERVED, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OVER $8,000, AUSTIN 1,100, FORT WORTH 1,400, SAN ANTONIO JUST OVER 1,000, BUT DALLAS IS 2,200.

I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT OUR COSTS.

WHEN WE WERE TOLD THIS, WE WERE TOLD THE FIRST PLACE WAS NOT GOING TO BE FAIR PARK.

THE FIRST PLACE WAS THE OLD BUILDING OF AUSTIN STREET. DID THAT HAPPEN?

>> THE FIRST YEAR, I BELIEVE IT WAS 2022, THE AUSTIN STREET WAS OPENED FIRST, AND THEN THE FAIR PARK WAS OPENED IN THE TWO YEARS SINCE.

THE FAIR PARK WAS OPENED FIRST AND THEN THE AUSTIN STREET WAS OPENED AS A SECONDARY LOCATION. I WANT TO MAKE SURE.

>> BASED UPON THE WEATHER AND THE NUMBER OF DAYS THAT WE ANTICIPATED BEING INCLEMENT WEATHER, WE'VE MADE PIVOTS BASED UPON THAT INFORMATION.

IF WE ESSENTIALLY, WHEN WE GET TO THE POINT,

[03:20:02]

WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THREE OR MORE DAYS OF INCLEMENT WEATHER, THEN WE KNEW IN ADVANCE THAT AUSTIN STREET WASN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE ADEQUATE CAPACITY.

WE PIVOTED TO GO DIRECTLY TO FAIR PARK WHEN WE ANTICIPATED MULTIPLE DAYS WITH EXTREME WEATHERS IN ORDER TO BE MORE EFFICIENT WITH OUR RESOURCES.

>> I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU DID IT.

IT WAS PROBABLY A REALLY GOOD CALL BECAUSE LOOK AT THE SPACE NEEDS YOU HAD.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT WAS OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY.

CAN YOU RUN THROUGH WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT POSITIONS THAT WERE STAFFING AT FAIR PARK? SECURITY.

>> CORRECT. THERE'S A WHOLE LIST IN THE CONTRACT THAT I WOULD BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE, PROBABLY MORE THAN I CAN LIST OFF THE TOP OF THE LIST.

>> I JUST SECURITY.

HOW MANY SECURITY OFFICERS DID YOU HAVE AT FAIR PARK?

>> WELL, WE HAD ABOUT FOUR DIFFERENT TYPES OF SECURITY AT FAIR PARK.

WE HAD THE FAIR PARK SECURITY THEMSELVES.

THEY HAD AND I DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME, BUT ABOUT HALF A DOZEN PEOPLE OR SO JUST FOR THE SCREENING OF PEOPLE COMING IN.

THEN WE ALSO HAD SECURITY THAT HAD TO MANAGE EVERY EXIT, AND THEN WE ALSO HAD SECURITY TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE DE ESCALATION.

THAT'S NOT INCLUDING THE POLICE CARS THAT WERE TYPICALLY OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING.

>> HOW WILL YOU TAKE THAT NUMBER? I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW.

HOW MANY DO YOU THINK WERE ON SITE AT ANY ONE TIME, DANIEL.

ADDING ALL THOSE SECURITY TOGETHER.

MEANS PROBABLY OVER 20 PEOPLE.

IF YOU HAVE SIX DIFFERENT SITES, HOW MANY ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE AT EACH SITE?

>> THE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD WITH AUSTIN STREET INCLUDES USING THEIR SECURITY IN OUR COST ESTIMATE.

AGAIN, BECAUSE THAT SITE IS PERMANENTLY SET UP AS A SHELTER, IT MAKES SENSE THAT IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL.

FOR THE OTHER SITES, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS HOW DO WE UTILIZE OUR EXISTING CRISIS RESPONSE RESOURCES, INCLUDING THE RIGHT CARE TEAMS TO ASSIST WITH THESE OPERATIONS AT THE SITE.

THAT WOULD INCLUDE POLICE, FIRE, AND SOCIAL WORKERS TO HELP WITH THE OPERATIONS AT THE SITES.

WHEN WE MENTIONED THAT TO OUR PIER CITIES, THEY WERE A BIT SURPRISED THAT WE WOULD DO THAT BECAUSE THEY QUITE FRANKLY DON'T.

THEY UTILIZE MINIMAL, IF ANY SECURITY AT MOST OF THEIR SITES, AND NONE REALLY REPORTED A TREMENDOUS OF DISRUPTION OR DAMAGE TO PROPERTIES WHEN THEY'RE OPERATING PARTICULARLY SAN ANTONIO IN THEIR MODEL THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING TODAY.

>> WELL, HAVING MANAGED A HOMELESS SHELTER, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED SECURITY.

THERE IS NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.

IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE SERVING AREN'T WONDERFUL HUMAN BEINGS, BUT THEY ARE IN CRISIS, AND THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS.

THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE.

INSTEAD OF HAVING YOU HAD A LINE OF FOUR OR FIVE PEOPLE DOING INTAKE FOR HMIS.

YOU DIDN'T HAVE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE 6 AT EVERY PLACE PLUS AT SUN SHIFT.

I'M JUST SAYING, I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE THE STAFF.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THESE APPROPRIATELY STAFFED.

NUMBER 2, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, YOU GOT A HEALTH ISSUE.

HEPATITIS A IS EXTREMELY PREVALENT IN THE UNSHELTERED HOMELESS POPULATION, AND NOW YOU'RE GOING TO PUSH PEOPLE WHO ARE LIKELY CARRIERS.

WE HAD A VERY BIG OUTBREAK HERE IN DALLAS COUNTY.

THEY'VE DONE VARIOUS VACCINATIONS OF THAT TIME, BUT THE POPULATION KEEPS TURNING OVER, AND YOU'RE GOING TO PUT PEOPLE INTO OUR REC CENTERS ALL AROUND TOWN, WHERE OUR YOUNGEST RESIDENTS AND OUR OLDEST RESIDENTS WHO ARE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE FOR GETTING SICK FOR A HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS VERSION ARE GOING TO BE.

I MEAN, THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

THIS WAS ACTUALLY PROPOSED FOR REGULAR HOMELESS SHELTERING IN 2018.

THE COUNCIL HEARD IT, DEBATED IT, TOTALLY SAID NO WAY.

SIXTEEN COMMUNITY MEETINGS THAT SAID NO WAY.

HERE WE GO WITH ANOTHER VERSION OF THE SAME EXACT IDEA.

I'M GOING TO TELL YOU THIS IS A TERRIBLE IDEA.

WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ROBUST SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY IN THEIR MOST VULNERABLE NEED, BUT ALSO AT A PIVOT POINT, BECAUSE YOU MANAGED TO GET THEM OUT OF AN ENCAMPMENT, YOU MANAGED TO GET THEM OFF THE STREET, AND BY HAVING A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT, BY BEING ABLE TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP, YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF HAVING AUSTIN STREET RIGHT THERE.

>> MAYBE YOU CAN COAX THEM INTO SHELTER AND YOU CAN HELP STABILIZE THEM AND HELP THEM THEN GO ON TO HAVE AN INDEPENDENT HEALTHY LIFE.

>> BUT THROWING THEM IN A REC CENTER JUST OVERNIGHT WITH A BOTTLE OF WATER,

[03:25:03]

WHEN THEY WAKE UP IN THE MORNING.

WHERE'S BREAKFAST? BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU ONE OF THOSE REC CENTERS IN DISTRICT 12 IN DENTON COUNTY, THERE'S NOWHERE TO GO.

WHERE'S LUNCH AND DINNER? THERE'S NOWHERE TO GO.

WE HAVE TWO CITY FACILITIES IN DENTON COUNTY.

THEY ARE RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER, A LIBRARY AND A REC CENTER.

WHERE DO YOU WANT THEM TO GO? WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN THERE?

>> I WOULD ADVISE THAT BY DECENTRALIZING, IT GIVES US A BETTER OPPORTUNITY IN THE NEXT MORNING HOURS TO GET FOLKS INTO LONGER TERM SERVICES.

I WOULD SAY THAT THE DATA THAT WE ANALYZE TELLS US THAT AT THE END OF THIS, 95% ARE RETURNING TO AN UNSHELTERED STATUS.

I WOULD SAY THAT, AGAIN, TO THE POINT OF THE PRESENTATION, IF THE COUNCIL'S WILL AND POLICY DIRECTION IS TO DO THE MEGA SHELTER TYPE OPERATION, WE'LL DO IT.

WE'LL MAKE IT HAPPEN, HOWEVER, I WANT TO MAKE THE COUNCIL AWARE THAT IT WILL PROBABLY LEAD TO NEGATIVE OUTCOMES IN OTHER AREAS.

THERE IS NO PERFECT SOLUTION, I BELIEVE, TO ALL OF THIS, BECAUSE WE'RE DOING THIS BECAUSE THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE HAS NEEDS DURING THESE TYPES OF PERIODS OF INCLEMENT WEATHER.

ALL OF THE POINTS YOU'RE MAKING ARE FAIR.

IT'S A MATTER OF WHAT DOES THE COUNCIL'S WILL FOR US TO OPERATE AS THIS WINTER.

>> WELL, MY COLLEAGUES THAT ARE IN THE PASTOR SECTION HERE HAVE A VERY GOOD POINT.

THE FAITH COMMUNITY IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN THIS CONVERSATION, AND WE HAVEN'T DONE THE WORK TO REACH OUT TO THEM AND ASK THEM TO STEP UP.

THE PROBLEM IS WHEN YOU HAVE SEVERE WEATHER, VOLUNTEERS CAN'T SHOW UP EITHER, AND YOU KNOW THAT, AND THAT'S WHY WE ENDED UP HIRING PEOPLE.

DANIEL KNOWS BECAUSE HE DOES THE SAME THING.

WHEN I DID THAT, WE HAD SEVERE WEATHER, I PACKED UP MY STUFF AND I WENT AND SLEPT AT THE SHELTER.

I GUARANTEE YOU PEOPLE ARE DOING THAT ALL ACROSS THE CITY THAT WORK IN THIS INDUSTRY.

I WOULD KISS MY FAMILY GOODBYE AND I WOULD BE STAFF IN CHARGE AT THE SHELTER AND I'D SLEEP THERE.

THAT'S HOW IT WORKS.

IT'S VERY HARD TO ASK A VERY KIND HEARTED 70-YEAR-OLD TO GET IN THEIR CAR AND ICY WEATHER AND COME OUT AND SERVE.

BY THE WAY, THEY NEED SECURITY THERE.

THAT'S ONE SIDE. THE OTHER SIDE IS, I DON'T THINK WE'VE DONE THE WORK TO TALK TO OUR NON-PROFITS.

WE HAVEN'T INVESTED IN OUR EMERGENCY SHELTERS TO EXPAND BEDS.

EVERYTHING HAS BEEN HOUSING FIRST.

NOTHING HAS ADDED TO THE SHELTER BED SITUATION, AND THIS IS THE CRISIS WE'RE IN.

I DO HAVE MORE ROUNDS.

I'LL COME BACK TO THIS.

>> COUNCIL MEMBER ROTH.

>> THANK YOU. THIS IS A TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT ISSUE, AND CERTAINLY, YOU ALL ARE DOING THE BEST YOU CAN AND A GREAT JOB IN TRYING TO ADDRESS IT.

BUT IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT THIS, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE COOPERATION THAT WE WOULD BE HAVING WITH THE COUNTY, WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WITH MAYBE THE PRIVATE YMCAS, AND SOME OF THE OTHER FACILITIES AS WELL AS THE FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN CREATING A TASK FORCE AS SUCH THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO UTILIZE A LOT OF THESE FACILITIES IN CONJUNCTION WITH US SO THAT WE COULD, I'M CONCERNED, AND I APPRECIATE COUNCILMAN MEMBERS MENDELSON'S POINT ABOUT THE SAFETY AND SECURITY, THE HEALTH SITUATIONS IN ALL OF THESE FACILITIES, AND THE ABILITY US TO MANAGE A MULTI-LOCATIONAL FACILITY WITHOUT HAVING OTHER PARTNERS THAT MAY HAVE AN ABSOLUTELY VITAL STAKE IN THIS AS PART OF OUR COMMUNITIES.

I WAS JUST WONDERING IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE USED TO DEVELOP YOUR PLANS AND MADE THOSE CONTACTS TO ALLOW FOR THAT? ALSO FOR FINANCIAL, FOOD, RESOURCES, COOPERATION ALSO.

>> THANK YOU FOR THOSE POINTS AND QUESTIONS.

WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROCESS A LITTLE OVER A MONTH AGO TO BENCHMARK AND FIGURE OUT WHERE WE'RE AT FOR THIS WINTER YEAR, THOSE WERE SOME OF THE FIRST CONVERSATIONS WE HAD NOT, ONLY WITH OUR PEER CITIES, BUT THEN ALSO WITH OUR COUNTY, TRAVIS HAD IT WITH HIS PEER EMERGENCY MANAGERS IN OTHER CITIES THAT DO GET INVOLVED WITH THIS.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE FOUND IS THAT OUR PEER CITIES OPERATE GENERALLY THE SAME WAY DALLAS DOES.

THE CITY HANDLES THE OPERATIONS AND THEY OPERATE THE WAY THEY OPERATE.

[03:30:02]

I THINK THAT FOR THE YEAR '26/27, WE CAN PROBABLY DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY.

WE CAN SPEND ALL THE TIME WE NEED TO DO TO INVEST IN A SUSTAINABLE MODEL FOR THIS THAT DOESN'T PUT ANY OR ALL OF THE BRUNT ON ANY ONE CITY, ONE ORGANIZATION.

WE CAN DISTRIBUTE IT OUT, AND THOSE ARE CONVERSATIONS THAT I WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING WITH THE COUNCIL, AGAIN, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

I THINK WHERE I SIT TODAY THOUGH, IS OUR PLAN FOR THIS WINTER AND THE POLICY DIRECTION OF THE COUNTY, I'M SORRY, THAT'S TWICE I'VE DONE THAT, OF THE COUNCIL, AND HOW DO WE WANT TO SPEND THE FUNDS THAT WERE ALLOCATED TO MY DEPARTMENT, THE 1.2 MILLION IN THE '25/26 YEAR BUDGET.

YOUR POINTS ARE VERY WELL TAKEN, AND THAT LEVEL OF COLLABORATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING OVER THE NEXT YEAR IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY.

I'LL TAKE IT UPON ME AND MY TEAM TO KEEP THE COUNCIL, WHETHER IT'S THE SOLUTIONS COMMITTEE OR OTHERWISE, ON HOW WE'RE ADVANCING THAT TO BUILD THAT CAPACITY.

BUT THE BIG THING WE NEED RIGHT NOW IS THE POLICY DIRECTION FOR THIS UPCOMING WINTER, AND HOW DO WE WANT TO OPERATE IN THIS IMMEDIATE NEAR-TERM FUTURE?

>> COUNCIL MEMBER BLAIR?

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. MY QUESTION, I'M GOING TO START WITH THE PETS.

I KNOW THAT A LOT OF UNSHELTERED RESIDENTS, THEY HAVE THEIR FOUR-LEGGED LOVED ONES WITH THEM.

THEY REFUSE SERVICES BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A PATHWAY FOR THEIR PETS.

IN THIS PROPOSAL, HAVE WE MADE PLANS FOR THAT?

>> YES, MA'AM. WE'LL CONTINUE OUR PARTNERSHIP AND OPERATION WITH DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES AND OTHERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CARING FOR PETS.

THAT WAS A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION THAT WHEN WE WERE POLLING THE PEER CITIES, HOW DO YOU DO THIS WHEN YOU'RE DOING REC CENTERS OR THE LIKE? I THINK THAT ACTUALLY WE'VE DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB IN THE PAST YEARS OF DAS JUST DOING EXEMPLARY JOB, AND SO THAT'S ACTUALLY ONE AREA OF STRENGTH THAT I SEE THAT WE CAN CARRY FORWARD.

>> WHEN YOU SAY DAS IS DOING AN EXEMPLARY JOB IN RE-UNITING THE PETS WITH THE OWNER, THEN IS THE COST THAT WE HAVE TO INCUR FOR DAS ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS COST?

>> I DON'T KNOW THAT WE ACTUALLY WENT INTO THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL, SO I APOLOGIZE.

YOU ACTUALLY JUST BROUGHT UP A GOOD POINT.

I BELIEVE THEIR OVERTIME COST WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR OPERATING AT THE SITES, BUT NOT THE INDIVIDUAL CARE OF ANY PETS EITHER ON SITE OR AT THE MAIN SHELTER LOCATION.

>> DO WE KNOW HOW MANY OF THOSE THAT HAVE REED SERVICE IS BECAUSE THEY ARE UNSECURE ABOUT THE RE-UNITING AFTER THE EXPERIENCE IS OVER WITH? I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE UNSURE, AND THEY PREFER TO STAY WITH THEIR PET SO THEY WILL REFUSE ANY SERVICE AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT TYPE OF YEAR IT IS.

CAN WE NET OUT HOW MUCH OF THAT IS ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS NUMBER?

>> CORRECT. TELLING MYSELF A LITTLE BIT HERE WHEN WE WERE BUILDING THE SLIDE WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT BRIEFINGS AND THINGS, NOT HAVING MUCH OF A LIFE, I WENT BACK AND WATCHED ALL OF THOSE BRIEFINGS.

IT WAS INTERESTING TO WATCH THE EVOLUTION OF THAT DISCUSSION OF PERSON'S PETS BEING A BARRIER TO COMING IN AT THE VERY BEGINNING TO THE DISCUSSION OF, WELL, HERE'S HOW DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES IS OPERATING AND THEY'RE SUPPORTING OPERATIONS, AND FOLKS ARE COMING IN BECAUSE EITHER THERE'S ONSITE SUPPORT FOR THEIR PET OR THERE'S A WAY TO TAKE THE PET TO THE SHELTER AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE RE-UNIFIED.

I THINK OF MY LIST OF PRIORITIES OF THINGS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT IN LINE FOR THIS WINTER YEAR, THAT'S ONE OF THE LOWER PRIORITIES BECAUSE IT HAS OPERATED SUCCESSFULLY IN THE PAST, AND WE'LL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HELP DAS CONTINUE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THAT,

[03:35:04]

NO MATTER WHAT MODEL IS CHOSEN.

>> NEXT THING IS, DO WE KNOW IF OUR INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTERS ALSO INCLUDE THOSE THAT ARE MOST VULNERABLE BUT LIVE INSIDE OF HOMES, BUT WHEN THEY LOSE SERVICES, THEY TOO ARE JUST ONE STEP FROM BEING HOMELESS AND HAVE NO MEANS TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES OR GO TO A HOTEL?

>> CORRECT. WE DO HAVE MORE ANECDOTAL EXPERIENCES OF THAT.

BUT AGAIN, HERE'S WHAT I'LL SAY.

WITH THE MODEL THAT WE'VE OPERATED, THE AUSTIN STREET AND FAIR PARK MODEL, WHEN THE POWER GOES OUT OR IF THERE ARE ISSUES WHERE A PERSON HAS TO LEAVE A HOUSED ENVIRONMENT, THAT IS THE OPTION WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO THEM TO COME TO, IS THE SHELTER.

THOSE PERSONS GO THROUGH THE SAME INTAKE AS ANYONE ELSE.

THEIR NEEDS ARE CAPTURED JUST LIKE ANYONE ELSE.

MY COMMITMENT TO THIS COUNCIL IS, NO MATTER HOW WE OPERATE, WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT HOUSED, UNHOUSED, WHEREVER, MY DEPARTMENT HAS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RESOURCES FOR CRISIS RESPONSE AND MEETING NEEDS.

WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PARTNERS, INCLUDING METRO CARE, THAT'S ONE OF OUR STRONGEST PARTNERS IN THIS SPACE TO BE ABLE TO HELP FOLKS THAT ARE AFFECTED BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE NEED, PARTICULARLY RIGHT NOW IS GROWING, AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SERVE OUR RESIDENTS INDEPENDENT OF WHAT THEIR HOUSE SITUATION IS.

>> CHIEF ORTIS, DO WE KNOW HOW MANY OF THOSE THAT ARE PICKED UP BY YOUR TEAM.

WHETHER THEY BE FIRE AND RESCUE OR PARAMEDIC SERVICES, DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY OF YOUR TEAMS SERVICES ARE AT THE NORM OF WHAT YOU NORMALLY WOULD DO THROUGH INCLEMENT WEATHER?

>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, COUNCILWOMAN.

WE TALK AS A GROUP AS PUBLIC SAFETY.

WE TAKE PUBLIC SAFETY AS A CITY AS A WHOLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LOOK AT IT AS A UNIFIED APPROACH THAT INCLUDES BOTH POLICE, FIRE, AND, OF COURSE, MY OTHER TEAM, EMCR.

WHAT WE DO IS, FIRE HAS DEDICATED A NUMBER OF RESOURCES IN THE PAST WHEN WE HAVE THOSE CALLS, WHICH KEVIN WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER, TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT.

WHEN THE WEATHER IS PRETTY BAD WHEN IT'S ICE ON THE ROAD, USING THOSE VEHICLES TO GO PICK UP FOLKS.

IT'S BEEN IN SOMETIME THE 20S, 30S, PER NIGHT OF THEM GETTING FOLKS TO SHELTERING LOCATIONS.

ALSO POLICE HAS ALSO BROUGHT IN INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE THEY WERE THERE AND ALSO HAVE TAKEN THEM TO THE SHELTER LOCATIONS.

IT'S JUST A UNIFIED EFFORT BY THE PUBLIC SAFETY CONTINGENT TO MAKE SURE WE PRIORITIZE OUR CITY.

WE WANT TO BE THE BEST, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS AND CITIZENS CAN COUNT ON IT.

>> I THINK MY LAST QUESTION IS, IF OUR APPROACH HAS BEEN REGIONAL AND NOT JUST DALLAS-FOCUSSED, ARE WE ABLE TO CAPTURE WHAT PART OF OUR SPEND HAS BEEN OUTSIDE OF THE CITY, AND DO WE HAVE A MECHANISM OR A POLICY THAT ALLOWS US TO GO BACK TO THOSE OTHER AREAS AND RECAPTURE WHAT WE HAVE SPENT?

>> LOGISTICALLY, THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS AND HOW WE OPERATE.

NUMBER 1, I THINK, THE CHALLENGE OF CAPTURING WHERE A PERSON'S FROM, LET'S SAY, IN THE PAST YEARS AT THE FAIR PARK SITE.

I THINK THAT WOULD PUT OUR PARTNERS WHO ARE OPERATING THE SHELTER IN A REALLY DIFFICULT SPOT, BECAUSE THEY LOOK AT THIS AND FAIRLY SO AS A MISSION TO HELP PEOPLE INDEPENDENT OF WHERE THEY COME FROM.

THAT, I THINK, WOULD BE A DIFFICULT CELL TO GET THE PARTNERS THAT OPERATE FOR US TO DO THAT, WHICH WOULD LEAD US TO HAVING TO USE PRIVATE CONTRACTORS TO DO THIS AND HAVING JUST DONE AN ANALYSIS OF OPERATING A SHELTER WITH PRIVATE VENDORS, OUR COSTS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN THAT.

THE SECOND PIECE THAT THEN BECOMES A CHALLENGE IS,

[03:40:02]

HOW DO I REALLY PROVE THAT THIS PERSON HERE IS FROM CITY X, AND THEN I GO TO CITY X AND SAY, "HEY, YOU NEED TO REIMBURSE ME THIS AMOUNT FOR HIM COMING INTO OUR SHELTER." I'VE NOT SEEN A MODEL LIKE THAT THAT OPERATES IN DEFINITELY THE PEER CITIES THAT WE LOOK TO.

WHAT I'LL SAY THAT WE LEARNED FROM THE PEER CITIES AND HOW THEY ARE MITIGATING THAT, FOR INSTANCE, FORT WORTH HAS EVERYONE GO TO ONE LOCATION, AND THEN THEY UTILIZE TRANSPORTATION TO FERRY THEM TO THE SHELTER THAT'S OPEN AND HAS SPACE.

AUSTIN GENERALLY DOES THE SAME THING.

HOUSTON IS A LITTLE BIT MORE OPEN WITH SAYING, "HEY, IF YOU'RE IN THIS AREA, GO HERE, AND IF YOU'RE IN THAT AREA, GO THERE." I THINK THAT WHAT AN UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE OF THE MEGA SHELTER SITE HAS BEEN IS, IT JUST CREATES A HUGE MAGNET, BECAUSE IT'S SO LARGE, BECAUSE IT HAS SO MUCH CAPACITY, AND IT OPERATES DIFFERENTLY THAN ALL OF OUR PEERS, IT JUST CREATES A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO GO TO.

IT'S VERY EASILY ACCESSIBLE.

IT'S RIGHT ON A DART LINE.

IT'S AN EASY PLACE TO GET PEOPLE TO.

IN A VERY SHORT WAY OF ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION, IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO TRY TO TRACK THAT, AND PROBABLY EVEN MORE DIFFICULT IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEEK SOME LEVEL OF REIMBURSEMENT FOR THAT.

MY ADVICE WOULD BE WE LOOK AT THE MODELS THAT OUR PEERS ARE USING AND TRY TO CONTROL THE FLOW INTO PLACES AS BEST WE CAN.

>> WELL, NOW YOU'VE GENERATED A NEW QUESTION FOR ME.

>> ONE OF THE MODELS YOU SAID THAT SOME OF THE CITIES BRING EVERYONE TO ONE LOCATION AND THEN SEND THEM OUT TO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.

IT'S THE EASIER WAY TO CAPTURE WHO YOU'RE REALLY SERVING IN THAT PARTICULAR MODEL.

IT HAS IT'S PROS BUT IT ALSO HAS ITS CONS.

I THINK WHAT I WOULD NEED TO SEE IN ORDER TO MAKE A DECISION ARE PROS AND CONS OF BOTH EITHER WAY.

IF YOU DO IT THE WAY WE'RE DOING IT, WHAT ARE THE PROS AND THE CONS? IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT WHERE YOU'RE HAVING DIFFERENT LOCATION, WHAT ARE THE PROS AND WHAT ARE THE CONS? WHAT ARE THE COST DIFFERENCES TO DO IT EITHER WAY? WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS FROM THOSE APPROACHES? FOR MYSELF, IF I CAN WEIGH OUT THE PROS AND THE CONS FROM DIFFERENT TYPES OF METHODOLOGY, I COULD MAKE A DECISION, WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST POLICY FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS TO USE? THANK YOU.

>> ONE SECOND IF I CAN.

WE'RE GOING TO REFERENCE A SLIDE FOR YOU TO TRY TO AT LEAST HELP WITH.

I BELIEVE SLIDE 13 WILL ASSIST WITH SOME OF THAT, BUT OBVIOUSLY OFFLINE, I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE ANY MORE CONTEXT OR CLARIFICATION.

>> CHAIR RIDLEY.

>> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. SEVERAL THINGS HAVE BECOME APPARENT TO ME LISTENING TO THIS PRESENTATION AND THE DISCUSSION OF MY COLLEAGUES.

THOSE FACTS HAVE LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT WE CANNOT STICK WITH THE STATUS QUO, THAT WE NEED A NEW APPROACH.

FIRST, THAT DALLAS HAS BECOME THE REGION'S DEFAULT PROVIDER.

IT IS UNFAIR THAT DALLAS TAXPAYERS MUST SHOULDER THE ENTIRE OBLIGATION OR A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF IT FOR THE REGION.

THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME OR THE FIRST RESOURCE WHERE THIS HAPPENS.

THE SAME HAPPENS WITH PARKLAND HOSPITAL AS A COUNTY HOSPITAL.

I THINK WE NEED TO REDRESS THAT BALANCE BY SENDING A MESSAGE TO OTHER PEER CITIES WITHIN THE METROPLEX THAT WE WILL NO LONGER BE THE DEFAULT PROVIDER.

AS LONG AS WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE LIMITLESS FUNDING FOR A CENTRALIZED HOMELESS SHELTER, OTHER CITIES ARE GOING TO NOT TAKE ANY INITIATIVE TO DUPLICATE OUR EFFORTS.

THEY'RE GOING TO RELY UPON DALLAS, AND THAT'S THE MESSAGE THAT I THINK WE'VE BEEN SENDING.

WE NEED TO CHANGE THAT MESSAGE.

SECONDLY, THE REGIONAL MODEL MAKES SENSE ON A DECENTRALIZED BASIS LIKE SAN ANTONIO BY REDUCING THE TRAVEL TIMES TO THE SHELTER SO THAT WE

[03:45:04]

CAN FOCUS OUR TRANSPORTATION RESOURCES ON SHORTER TRIPS TO THE DECENTRALIZED INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTERS.

IT ALSO MAKES SENSE THAT IT BE DECENTRALIZED TO AVOID SOME OF THE RISK OF SPREADING DISEASE WHERE THERE'S 1,300 PEOPLE IN ONE FACILITY AT A TIME.

THAT'S A MAJOR CONCERN, PARTICULARLY IN AN ERA WHERE WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH COVID INFECTIONS DURING THE WINTER MONTHS.

AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S APPARENT THAT WE HAVE RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS.

WE DON'T HAVE TWO MILLION DOLLARS OR THREE MILLION DOLLARS IN THIS BUDGET TO SPEND ON THIS ISSUE.

WE HAVE 1.2 MILLION.

WE NEED TO LEARN TO LIVE WITHIN OUR BUDGET.

THAT'S THE AMOUNT THAT WE ALLOCATED AS A COLLECTIVE BODY IN THE 26 BUDGET.

I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US TO GIVE STAFF DIRECTION AS TO HOW WE CAN LIVE WITHIN THAT BUDGET LIMITATION.

WE ALSO HAVE ASSET CONSTRAINTS IN THAT WE HAVE OTHER USES FOR FAIR PARK FOR FIFA.

IF THAT IS A REVENUE GENERATING OPPORTUNITY THAT WE'RE FOREGOING, THAT'S ANOTHER COST THAT HASN'T BEEN CONSIDERED IN THE $2.9 MILLION HERE.

THOSE ARE ALL FACTS THAT I THINK ARE FACING US THAT WE NEED TO DEAL WITH. HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THEM? WELL, I THINK BY REDUCING THE CAPACITY OF THE SYSTEM.

WE WILL BE SENDING A MESSAGE TO OTHER COMMUNITIES, TO NON-PROFITS, TO NGOS, TO FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE NEED THEIR HELP TO ACCOMMODATE HOMELESS PEOPLE DURING THE INCLEMENT WEATHER PERIODS.

I THINK MANY OF THEM WILL BE READY AND WILLING TO STEP IN AND HELP IF WE SEND THAT MESSAGE.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE A SYSTEM THAT CAN ACCOMMODATE NOT JUST THE HOMELESS, BUT ALSO PEOPLE IN THE EVENT OF POWER OUTAGES WHO MAY HAVE HOMES, BUT ARE UNINHABITABLE DURING THIS TIME PERIOD.

I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT CAN BE DONE IN THE SAME REC CENTER FACILITY ACCOMMODATE TWO DIFFERENT POPULATIONS, WHO GETS PRIORITY? HOW DO YOU BALANCE THAT? BUT I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT STAFF NEEDS TO WORK ON.

CONCEPTUALLY, I THINK WE MUST MAKE A CHANGE FROM THE PRESENT SYSTEM.

I THINK THE DECENTRALIZED MODEL HAS A LOT OF MERIT.

IT SEEMS TO WORK IN SAN ANTONIO.

THERE MAY BE DETAILS THAT YOU NEED TO WORK OUT, BUT WE ARE FACED WITH ASSET AND REVENUE CONSTRAINTS THAT WE HAVE TO BE REALISTIC ABOUT, AND THIS SEEMS TO ADDRESS THOSE.

>> COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA.

>> THANK YOU. WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE PEER CITIES.

EXPLAIN TO ME WHY YOU CHOSE THESE PEER CITIES.

>> THEY'RE THE MOST COMPARABLE TO US GOVERNMENTAL WISE, TEMPERATURE WISE.

>> [OVERLAPPING] THEY'RE NOT COMPARABLE TO US TEMPERATURE WISE.

THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M REALLY CONCERNED ON.

I'VE LOOKED THROUGH THE ALMANAC, AND THE CITIES THAT YOU'VE LISTED HERE HAVE LESS THAN 50% OF THE DAYS THAT WE WOULD HAVE BEEN TRIGGERED.

THAT'S IN THE PAST 10 YEARS CONSISTENTLY YEAR OVER YEAR.

I'M CURIOUS WHY WE AREN'T LOOKING AT COMP VALUES OF MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE TO ACTIVATE THEM ON A MUCH MORE FREQUENT BASIS.

THEY'RE SINGLE DIGIT DAYS BELOW FREEZING IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, FOR INSTANCE.

>> I'LL ANSWER THAT THIS WAY, AND I'LL GIVE YOU A VERY SPECIFIC EXAMPLE.

WE LOOKED AT SOME OF THE MORE NORTHERN CITIES.

I FOUND THE MODEL IN CHICAGO THAT I THINK IT HAS SOME MERIT, BUT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO GET TO.

CHICAGO USES THEIR TRANSPORTATION BUSES, PARKS THEM AT CAMPS, AND USE THEM AS MOBILE WARMING SITES.

WE'VE LOOKED AT HOW THAT WOULD OPERATE AND HOW IT WOULD COST.

I THINK IT'S PROBABLY TOO QUICK TO TRY TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT OR TO RECOMMEND THE COUNCIL TO DO THAT NOW.

WE LOOKED AT CITIES SUCH AS PHILADELPHIA AND BOSTON.

THEY HAVE A BIT OF AN ADVANTAGE AND THAT THEY HAVE A BETTER BUILT OUT SYSTEM OF NON-PROFITS AS WELL AS SOME OF THE CITIES ARE RIGHT TO SHELTER, SO THEY HAVE DIFFERENT LAWS ASSOCIATED WITH THEM.

THAT'S WHY WE STUCK WITH THE TEXAS CITIES THAT WE THOUGHT

[03:50:02]

WERE THE BEST ONES TO COMPARE OURSELVES AND OUR [OVERLAPPING].

>> SURE, BUT YOU'RE COMING OPERATIONS AND COST OF OPERATIONS WHEN THEY'VE CLEARLY NOT HAD TO IMPLEMENT THE SAME OPERATIONS IN THIS CITY SO IT'S NOT COMPARABLE.

CITIES LIKE OKLAHOMA CITY OR ALBUQUERQUE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE IN LINE WITH HOW OFTEN THEY HAVE TO ACTIVATE THESE.

I WOULD SAY, IN MY OPINION, WE ARE NOT READY FOR THIS.

I THINK THAT THIS IS A LITTLE BIT PREMATURE FOR US TO GO AND JUST COMPLETELY TAKE AWAY THE MODEL THAT WE'VE SHOWN TO SEE SUCCESSFUL.

I AGREE WITH DOING WHAT WE CAN TO ADDRESS CAPACITY BUT I DON'T BELIEVE OR AGREE WITH THE NOTION THAT WE SHOULD BE SENDING A MESSAGE TO OTHER CITIES WITH PEOPLE'S LIVES AS THE LEVERAGE POINT.

WE'VE SEEN THAT THIS WAS MEETING A DEMAND THAT EXISTS THERE.

YOU'VE COME TO US WITH A HALF BAKED PLAN, QUITE FRANKLY.

THE PLAN TO US DOESN'T EVEN GIVE US A DOLLAR AMOUNT OF WHAT THIS IS GOING TO COST.

I DO BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO BE ASTRONOMICALLY HIGHER THAN WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO SELL IT TO US AT TO BE DECENTRALIZED.

I WOULD THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PHASE INTO, HOPEFULLY, IN FUTURE YEARS, WHEN WE HAVE MORE OF A GRIP ON IT, BUT I THINK THAT WE SHOULD DO THAT WITH CONTINUING TO UTILIZE.

WE'RE IN WINTER MONTHS NOW.

THERE'S NO LEEWAY FOR US.

WE'RE GOING TO BLINK AND THIS INCLEMENT WEATHER IS GOING TO BE HERE.

I KNOW MORE THAN ANYONE IN THIS ROOM THAT NOTHING IS HAPPENING AT FAIR PARK IN THE TIME THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING THROUGH THIS INCLEMENT WEATHER CENTER.

I ALSO WANT JUST AS MUCH AS ANYONE HERE TO SEE THIS ACTIVATED AND UTILIZED AS THE ASSET THAT IT IS.

BUT FOR US TO HAVE TO MAKE A QUICK DECISION, TO ME, IT JUST ISN'T WARRANTED RIGHT NOW.

I'D LIKE TO SEE IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE COULD LOOK AT CONTINUING TO UTILIZE FAIR PARK, LOOKING AT WHAT YOU ALL ARE PRESENTING US, BUT GIVE US A PLAN THAT SHOWS ACTUAL VALUE AND A RETURN ON THAT INVESTMENT.

I THINK THAT GOING FORWARD WITH JUST PULLING THE RUG OUT FROM UNDER A MODEL THAT WORKS TO ONE THAT WE HAVE NO CLUE OF WHAT THE COST IS OR THE LOGISTICS THAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM THE QUESTIONS HERE TODAY IS JUST CART BEFORE THE HORSE, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE IT BE MORE OF A PHASED APPROACH TO IMPLEMENTATION.

>> COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA, DO YOU WANT TO KEEP GOING FOR?

>> I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF THE CITY MANAGER WANTS TO RESPOND.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA.

WE DEFINITELY WANTED TO COME TODAY TO TELL YOU WHERE WE ARE AND GET THE TYPE OF FEEDBACK THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING.

WE DID NOT WANT TO GET IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEATHER PERIOD.

COUNCIL MEMBER REALLY TALKED ABOUT THE FINANCIALS AROUND IT.

IF THE DIRECTION OF THIS BODY TODAY IS THAT YOU'D LIKE FOR US TO IN THIS UPCOMING SEASON, AND WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET TO SOME COLD DAYS HERE VERY SOON, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE COMING THAT WE WILL TAKE THAT DIRECTION, AND WE WILL FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE IT WORK.

I THINK YOU'VE HEARD THE TEAM SAY THAT REPEATEDLY.

IF THE COUNCIL'S DIRECTION IS THAT THEN GOING FORWARD, YOU WANT A PLAN THAT REALLY SHOWS YOU HOW DO WE STAND UP EITHER A HYBRID APPROACH TO HOW WE BEGIN TO LOOK AT THE OPPORTUNITIES TO GET OTHER POTENTIAL PARTNERS TO HAVE BED SPACES AVAILABLE, WE KNOW THAT ONE OF OUR PARTNERS IS GOING THROUGH SOME EXPANSIONS, AND YOU WANT US TO BRING BACK WHAT THAT STRATEGY WOULD LOOK LIKE, WE CAN DEFINITELY DO THAT.

WHAT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE IS THAT WE BROUGHT YOU DATA TO SHOW YOU HOW THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN WORKING, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING TRANSPARENT WITH WHAT WE'RE FACING, AND THE NUMBERS HAVE CONTINUED TO GROW, AND WE KNOW THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY BLOWING THE AMOUNT THAT WAS INCLUDED EVEN IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET.

IF COUNCIL SAYS, KEEP GOING, AND WE WANT THIS MODEL TO STAY INTACT WHILE YOU'RE CONTINUING TO PERFECT IT, FINDING THE OTHER OPTIONS THAT MIGHT BE OUT THERE, WE ARE WILLING TO DO THAT.

WE JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU WHAT WE HAVE TODAY, LET YOU GIVE US THE POLICY DIRECTION SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR FEEDBACK.

>> THANK YOU. WERE YOU OFFERING FOR ME TO DO MY THIRD? THANK YOU.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME HYBRID APPROACH TO THAT.

ONE OF MY BIGGEST CONCERNS IS THE OVERNIGHT ACTIVATION ONLY.

WHEN YOU LOOK BACK AT HISTORICAL DATA, MANY OF THE TIMES WE'VE HAD ACTIVATION, IT'S STILL BELOW OUR TRIGGERED TEMPERATURE WHENEVER WE WOULD BE DISCHARGING FOLKS, IF YOU WILL.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT WE HAVE A PLAN IN FRONT OF US THAT COULD ACCOMPLISH ONLY OVERNIGHT ONLY ACTIVATION.

I JUST BELIEVE THERE'S A LOT MORE DETAILS THAT NEED TO GET WORKED OUT.

I DON'T WANT US TO WORK THEM OUT NOW AND REALIZE WHERE WE FELL SHORT WHEN IT'S DEALING WITH PEOPLE'S LIVES.

[03:55:02]

WE KNOW SOMETHING THAT'S WORKED.

LET'S FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN MAKE ADJUSTMENTS ACCORDINGLY THAT IS HUMANE AND SAFE FOR THOSE WHO WE WE'RE ORIGINALLY INTENDING TO SERVE IN 2019 WHEN WE PASSED THIS CHANGE IN THE CITY. THANK YOU.

>> I JUST WANTED TO MAKE AN ADDITIONAL COMMENT.

I THINK ONE OF THE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'RE HOPING, WHATEVER MODEL THAT IS, WHETHER IT'S A HYBRID OR NOT.

WE DO BELIEVE THAT THERE'S STILL VALUE IN LOOKING AT THE WAYS THAT EVEN THE CURRENT REC CENTERS THAT WE'VE SPENT THAT ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT, HOW DO WE ACTIVATE THOSE IN A WAY THAT WE CAN TRULY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, WHETHER IT'S A WARMING CENTER, WHETHER IT'S FOR ONES THOSE CENTERS BEING WHERE SOMEBODY LOSES POWER, AND THEY NEED A PLACE TO GO OUT, I TALKED ABOUT, HEAT UP THEIR FOOD, CHARGE THEIR PHONES.

DOES THE COUNCIL WANT US TO UTILIZE THE ACTIVATION OF THOSE AS WELL AS WE'RE LOOKING AT RESHAPING THE MODEL? I THINK AGAIN, WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT DIRECTION IS CLEAR. THANK YOU.

>> I WOULD SAY YES TO ANSWER SHORTLY. THANK YOU.

>> CHAIR MENDELSOHN.

>> THANK YOU. DANIEL, YOU'RE THE CONTRACT HOLDER FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTERING.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE OUR CALLINGS ROLE IN THIS PROJECT?

>> WHENEVER INCLEMENT WEATHER IS ACTIVATED BY THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, WE PULL TOGETHER FROM MULTIPLE DIFFERENT VENDOR PARTNERS.

I MENTIONED, WE'LL SOMETIMES HAVE TWO OR THREE DIFFERENT SECURITY COMPANIES THAT ARE INVOLVED.

SHELTER OPERATIONS IS A BIG PART OF THAT.

OUR CALLING IS PROBABLY THE LARGEST OPERATIONAL ROLE, IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT THEY HAVE ON SITE.

SOME OF THIS DEPENDS ON IF WE HAVE ONE SITE ACTIVATED OR MULTIPLE.

TYPICALLY, AUSTIN STREET CENTER IS PROVIDING THE MAJORITY OF THE INTAKE SERVICES.

THEN WE'RE POINT LOGISTICS BETWEEN TRANSPORTATION WITH THE CONNECTOR BUSES THAT RIDE, THE SECURITY, THE FOOD VENDOR, ETC.

BUT OUR CALLING IS THE PRIMARY STAFF THAT'S ON THE GROUND, ESPECIALLY DURING THE DAY WHEN WE HAVE THE LARGEST SITE ACTIVATED, WHICH IS CURRENTLY FAIR PARK.

>> WOULD YOU SAY THAT WAYNE WALKER IS KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT HOW THE SHELTER RUNS AND THE DATA ASSOCIATED WITH IT?

>> YEAH, HE IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH HOW THE OPERATION RUNS.

I THINK IN TERMS OF THE DATA, HE HAS A LOT OF DATA POINTS THAT MAY BE ANECDOTAL.

THEN I KNOW WE SHARE ALL THE DATA THAT COMES OUT OF HMS, WHICH I KNOW HE DOESN'T HAVE IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO, BUT WE'RE TRANSPARENT WITH THOSE NUMBERS.

>> HE JUST SENT A MESSAGE, AND I'VE ASKED HIM TO PUT IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA SO THAT EVERYONE CAN SEE IT.

BUT HE SAYS 80% OF THE 4,000 UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS THAT CAME INTO THE INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTER ARE FROM DALLAS.

DO YOU BELIEVE THAT?

>> YEAH.

>> IF I HAD TO HYPOTHESIZE, WHERE HE'S GETTING THOSE NUMBERS IS TYPICALLY ANY EMERGENCY SHELTER HAS BETWEEN 85-95% OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ACCESSING SERVICES THERE ARE FROM THAT LOCALITY.

I THINK, HE MAY BE USING THAT SAME GENERAL NUMBER TO SPEAK TOWARDS INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTER.

WE DON'T COLLECT THE DATA THAT ALLOWS US TO BE 100% CERTAIN ABOUT WHERE SOMEBODY COMES FROM, BUT I THINK HIS NUMBER IS REASONABLE BE FAIR.

>> WE ALL RECOGNIZE HE ACTUALLY HAS DATA BEYOND OUR COCS, HMIS SYSTEM, CORRECT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> WERE YOU INCLUDED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PLAN?

>> I THINK WE HAD AN EARLY MEETING WHERE IT WAS DISCUSSED, HEY, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE DIFFERENT IDEAS IF WE WERE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY.

WE TALKED ABOUT THAT BRIEFLY.

THERE'S BEEN MAYBE A COUPLE OF FOLLOW UP CONVERSATIONS SINCE THEN.

MY GENERAL ATTITUDE TOWARDS THIS HAS BEEN, HEY, AUSTIN STREET CENTER, IT'S A CONTRACT AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY.

THE CITY TELL US WHAT IT IS YOU WANT US TO DO, AND WE'RE HERE TO GET IT DONE.

AS WE FURTHER INVESTIGATED THE DIFFERENT MODELS, THERE ARE SOME TIMES WE FEEL LIKE, HEY, THIS MODEL IS STRONGER THAN THAT ONE, BUT IT'S EVERY SINGLE WAY HAS DELIBERATE TRADE OFFS.

IT'S REALLY ABOUT, WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT CONCERNS THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS? ARE THEY FINANCIAL? ARE THEY LIFE SAFETY? WHAT IS THE TARGET WE'RE TRYING TO HIT AT? BECAUSE THE MODEL WILL INDICATE, WHICH DIRECTION WE GO WITH THAT INFORMATION.

>> AS A NONPROFIT CEO, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE RESPONSE WOULD BE FROM OTHER HOMELESS NON PROFITS TO HEAR ON NOVEMBER 5 THAT WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO STEP UP AND DO INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTERING THIS WINTER?

>> I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT MOST OF OTHER NONPROFITS ARE GOING TO SAY, WE NEED TO SHELTER AS MANY PEOPLE AS ARE WILLING TO COME TO SHELTER IN ORDER FOR THEIR LIFE SAFETY, WHICH HAS A BUDGETARY COST AND OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES, BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY WOULD ALL SAY.

>> DO YOU THINK THAT THE ONES THAT ARE CAPABLE OF DOING THAT ARE ALREADY DOING IT?

>> YES.

>> THIS IS A RARE INSTANCE THAT COUNCILOR BOWS DO AND, I ACTUALLY AGREE ON THIS, AND I THINK YOU SHOULD CONSIDER THAT.

HE'S TALKING A LOT ABOUT THE COSTS.

I'M GOING TO ALSO SAY,

[04:00:01]

MY INTEREST IS ACTUALLY IN THE LIFE SAFETY ISSUE.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE LITERALLY FREEZE TO DEATH IF WE MAKE THIS DECISION.

I FORGOT TO MENTION IRVING AND GRAND PERRY ALSO, IN ADDITION TO PLANO, ARLINGTON, GARLAND AND DENTON DOING INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTERING.

I HAVE TALKED WITH STAFF IN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE ABOUT PROVIDING FUNDING FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTERING.

THAT CONVERSATION WE'VE HAD TWO OF THEM SO FAR.

IT'S PROGRESSING. IT HASN'T BEEN A NO YET, BUT IT HASN'T BEEN A YES, EITHER.

BUT I AM HAVING THAT CONVERSATION JUST SO YOU KNOW ON THE LEGISLATIVE SIDE THAT THAT'S HAPPENING.

I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY IMPERATIVE THAT WE DIRECT YOU TO ASK PEOPLE WHO COME INTO INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTERING, WHERE THEY SLEPT THE NIGHT BEFORE.

THAT'S THE DOCUMENTATION.

I DON'T CARE IF YOU ORIGINALLY WERE FROM ANOTHER PLACE.

WHERE DID YOU SLEEP THE NIGHT BEFORE? IS WHAT WE WOULD WANT TO KNOW, I THINK I WOULD WANT TO KNOW FOR MAKING DECISIONS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT IN HERE, BUT NOT AS OFTEN, BUT WE HAVE DEFINITELY TALKED ABOUT THIS AT COUNCIL IS THE IMPACT ON PLUMBING WITH HOMELESS SHELTERING, AND YOU JUST ROLLED YOUR EYES AND SMILED.

WE HAD AN ON SITE PLUMBER AT THE INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTER, CORRECT?

>> DEPENDING UPON THE FACILITY, WE DO HAVE TO HAVE SOMEONE FROM FACILITIES WHENEVER WE HAVE AN INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTER AT ANY LOCATION DUE TO PLUMBING CHALLENGES.

>> THE CITY LEARNED THIS THE HARD WAY IN THE CONVENTION CENTER, THE FIRST YEAR WE DID INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTERING.

WHAT WILL BE THE IMPACT ON THE PLUMBING AND ALL THESE REC CENTERS? AND WHAT'S OUR BUDGET TO REPAIR THAT?

>> OUR CONVERSATION INTERNALLY, THAT QUICKLY CAME UP WITH THE TEAM THAT HAD DONE THIS BEFORE, AND HAVING STAFF ON STANDBY TO ASSIST AND RESPOND WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DIDN'T WANT TO SPEND ALL OF OUR MONEY JUST ON ONE AREA OR ANOTHER.

THAT WAS ONE THAT WE PUT IN A BUDGET THAT WE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD MONEY SET ASIDE TO HAVE THAT ON CALL FOR OUR PARK AND REC CENTERS BECAUSE WE WANT THEM TO CONTINUE TO BE OPERATIONAL WHILE SERVING IN THIS LIFE SAFETY ROLE.

>> YOU'RE PUTTING ADDITIONAL MONEY TO PLUMBING AND REC CENTERS BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO PUT THEM AT INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTERING? THAT WAS YOUR IDEA?

>> OF OUR $1.2 MILLION, WE KNEW THAT THERE WOULD NEED TO BE SOME AMOUNT OF MONEY SET ASIDE THAT WOULD TAKE CARE OF ANY DAMAGES OR OTHER THINGS TO BUILDINGS.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE PIECES THAT WE HAD CONSIDERED IN PUTTING THIS RECOMMENDATION TOGETHER.

>> HOW MUCH HAD YOU PUT ASIDE FOR THAT?

>> I THINK IT WAS SOMEWHERE IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT $200,000 SET ASIDE THAT WE KNEW WE WOULD NEED BASED ON PREVIOUS ITERATIONS.

BUT AGAIN, I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF TACTICS AND THINGS THAT WE CAN GET INTO, BUT ULTIMATELY TODAY WAS ABOUT, WHAT IS THE POLICY DIRECTION OF THE COUNCIL? IS IT STICK WITH THE STATUS QUO? IS IT MOVE TO THE RECOMMENDED, OR IS IT SOME HYBRID IN BETWEEN? FROM THERE, WE CAN NAIL DOWN ALL OF THE TACTICS.

>> I HAVE THREE THINGS LEFT TO SAY, I'M HAPPY TO USE MY LAST MINUTE AS WELL AS THESE LAST SECONDS.

YOU HAVE REPEATEDLY USED THE PHRASE CREATING A MAGNET, AND I'M GOING TO SAY THAT IT SHOCKS ME WHEN YOU SAY IT.

WHAT WE'VE DONE IS NOT CREATE A MAGNET.

WE'VE CREATED A MESSAGE THAT IS WORKING TO DIRECT PEOPLE TO HOW TO FIND LIFESAVING CARE.

THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE EFFECTIVELY, AND YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE THAT BY DISPERSING IT.

THIS PLAN CREATES BARRIERS, AND MORE PEOPLE WILL STAY OUTSIDE, THEY'LL SET FIRES AND THEY WILL DIE.

WHEN YOU ASK ABOUT OTHER LOCATIONS, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, FIRST OF ALL, REC CENTERS, I THINK ARE A TERRIBLE IDEA FOR SHELTERING.

BUT AS IT TURNS OUT, OUR CALLING IS SITTING EMPTY.

WE HAVE A BUILDING ON SIEMENS.

WE HAVE A BUILDING THAT'S EMPTY ON HAMPTON.

WE HAVE A BUILDING THAT'S EMPTY ON INDEPENDENCE.

DALLAS LIFE HAS ADDITIONAL CAPACITY THAT WE HAVEN'T CONTRACTED WITH.

WE HAVE A BASEMENT IN THE LIBRARY THAT IS ALMOST NOT UTILIZED.

WE HAVE OTHER CITY PROPERTIES.

IN FACT, WE HAVE OVER 800 CITY PROPERTIES, AND I THINK WE COULD PROBABLY FIND A PLACE TO PUT THEM, AND THE REC CENTERS ARE NOT HOMELESS SHELTERS, AND THEY SHOULDN'T BE USED FOR THAT.

I HAVE OTHER THINGS TO SAY, BUT I KNOW I'M OUT OF TIME, BUT THIS IS POSSIBLY ONE OF THE WORST IDEAS I'VE HEARD SINCE I'VE BEEN ON CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU.

>> DEPUTY MAYOR PROTTO MOLLIS.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND CITY MANAGER, YOU DID BRING UP A GOOD POINT THAT THIS GAVE US A REPORT ON WHERE THINGS HAVE BEEN.

I THINK WE ALL NEEDED TO KNOW THAT.

WE PROBABLY ALL LEARNED A LOT TODAY ABOUT THE STATUS OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED AT THE INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTERS.

BUT I THINK WHAT YOU'RE ALSO HEARING AND WHERE I'M ARRIVING, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR DIRECTION, IT WOULD BE THAT WE DON'T NEED TO VOTE ON ANYTHING ON DECEMBER 3 AS FAR AS A DIFFERENT PROPOSED DIRECTION WOULD BE.

COMING OUT OF THIS, THAT WAS ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IT WAS ABOUT FAIR PARK.

[04:05:02]

WHAT IS THE ACTUAL TIMELINE? IT SOUNDS LIKE A YEAR FROM NOW IT MIGHT BE MORE APPROPRIATE IF WE TOOK A DIFFERENT DIRECTION TO ACTUALLY DO IT VERSUS CHANGING THINGS UP RIGHT NOW AT THE BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER.

THEN LOOKING AT A REGIONAL STRATEGY, JUST HOW THAT WOULD WORK.

IF THERE'S DATA FROM OUR CALLING, I THINK IT COULD BE REALLY HELPFUL TO YOUR CITY TO SHARE SOME OF THAT ABOUT WHAT THE PERCENTAGES ARE SO THAT THAT COULD HELP US SHAPE A REGIONAL STRATEGY.

THAT WOULD BE A NICE THING TO DO.

ONE OF THE MORE CONCERNING THINGS IN THIS WHOLE DECK THAT I DIDN'T CALL OUT THE FIRST TIME IS ON PAGE 11, UNDER LOW EXITS, I SAID THAT 95% RETURN TO UNSHELTERED STATUS AFTER THE EVENT, AND THE REGIONAL MODEL ADDS TO TOTAL OF UNSHELTERED IN DALLAS POST EVENT.

WELL, WE ALREADY HAVE EXAMPLES OF THIS.

IF YOU'RE PICKED UP AT THE COUNTY LINE AND YOU GO TO THE COUNTY JAIL, WHEN YOU'RE DISCHARGED, IT'S INTO DALLAS.

WHEN YOU'RE DISCHARGED FROM PARKLAND, IF YOU COME FROM SOME OTHER PLACE.

I MEAN, NOBODY'S TAKING YOU BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM, YOU'RE DISCHARGED IN DALLAS TEXAS.

WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT, AND I DO THINK IT'S WISE TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO WHETHER IT IS GET A REIMBURSEMENT OR USE THAT INFORMATION TO ASK OTHERS TO HELP CONTRIBUTE TO OUR EFFORTS, LIFESAVING EFFORTS, THEN I THINK WE SHOULD DO THAT.

I LIKE THE IDEA OF EXPLORING OTHER OPTIONS BECAUSE DURING COLD WEATHER, IF THERE ARE POWER OUTAGES, WE DO TELL THE PUBLIC AS A WHOLE, COME TO REC CENTERS, WARM UP, CHARGE YOUR PHONE, DO WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO.

THAT COULD ADD SOME ISSUES.

THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS IN THE CITY'S PORTFOLIO, WE SHOULD DEFINITELY LOOK AT THEM.

IF WE HAVE TO DECLARE SOMETHING AS AN EMERGENCY DURING A CERTAIN TIME TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE SOME BUILDINGS IN WAYS THAT THEY AREN'T NORMALLY USED.

MAYBE WE NEED TO DO THAT.

THEN I AM CONCERNED ABOUT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE A REC CENTER.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT IS THE CONGREGATION BY DAY.

I THINK THE ONE IN THE DISTRICT THAT I REPRESENT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE A PLACE TO GO.

I MEAN, THERE'S REALLY NO PLACE TO WALK TO OR GET TO.

THAT MEANS YOU'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUTSIDE IN THE COLD WEATHER.

I DON'T THINK THIS IS READY FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, BUT I DO APPRECIATE BEING ABLE TO BRING THIS.

I DON'T WANT YOU TO STOP BRINGING US IDEAS.

I FEEL LIKE YOU SHOULD BRING US IDEAS, EVEN IF WE NEED TO CONTINUE THINKING THIS THROUGH, SO I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE THIS AND PUT THIS THOUGHT INTO IT. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION, JUST REMINDING FOLKS AGAIN, WE'RE IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER.

WE ARE FAST APPROACHING COLD WINTER MONTHS.

I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT THE INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTER THROUGHOUT MY TIME ON COUNCIL.

I CAN TELL YOU THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTER WITH THE CENTRALIZED LOCATION.

I'LL ALSO SEE SOME CHALLENGES, AS MY COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY SAID, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN ONE AREA.

SOME OF MY CONCERNS ARE AROUND HEALTH AND WELLNESS.

IF THERE WAS A BREAK OUT OF SOMETHING TRYING TO CONTAIN THAT AND MAKING SURE THAT DISEASES AREN'T SPREADING.

WHEN WE NEED VOLUNTEERS TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE FROM ONE SECTOR OF THE CITY TO DOWNTOWN CAN BE CHALLENGING, THE SAME FOR THOSE THAT ARE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO STAY WARM THAT EVENING.

ALSO LOOK AT THE OPPORTUNITIES.

I'M ALWAYS SOMEONE THAT'S GOING TO SIDE ON OPTIONS.

I WOULD LIKE OUR CITY MANAGER AND OUR TEAM TO GO OUT AND EXPLORE DIFFERENT MODELS, PERHAPS PHASING THIS IN OVER TIME TO SEE WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE, PERHAPS STARTING WITH THREE RECS OR WE CAN DISCUSS THOSE LOGISTICS.

I DO SEE THE LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES WITH INDEPENDENT RECREATION CENTERS DUPLICATING SERVICES.

WITH COST AS WELL.

I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS THERE.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE HAVE OPTIONS AFFORDED TO US SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THE BEST POSSIBLE DECISIONS.

I KNOW THAT THIS TEAM HERE BEFORE US AND ALL THE PROVIDERS THAT ARE THERE TO ASSIST US, WE'RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT LETTING ANYONE FREEZE OUTDOORS.

CITY MANAGER, THAT'S A CHALLENGE TO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING EVERYONE THAT'S WILLING TO COME INDOORS, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT SMOOTHLY AND EFFECTIVELY.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A MODEL THAT TAKES WHAT'S WORKING TODAY,

[04:10:01]

BUT ALSO PERHAPS NEW IDEAS THAT COULD MAKE US A STRONGER SYSTEM.

THANK YOU. WITH THAT, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS BRIEFING. CITY SECRETARY?

>> WELL, I HAVE ONE, BUT I'VE USED UP MY TIME, SO THANK YOU.

>> IF I COULD JUST ADD SOMETHING AT THE VERY END.

IF THERE IS ANY ADDITIONAL INPUT, WE'RE DEFINITELY GOING TO BEGIN THE WORK TO PREPARE, AS WE NORMALLY DO.

IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, OR COMMENTS JUST, PLEASE SHARE THOSE WITH STAFF.

WE WILL COME BACK AND JUST FOLLOW UP WITH A LOT OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE HEARD, A LOT OF THE OTHER DATA POINTS THAT I THINK COUNSEL WANTS TO SEE.

WE CAN STILL PROVIDE THAT TO YOU.

RIGHT NOW, WE WILL NOT PLAN TO HAVE AN ITEM BEFORE YOU AT YOUR DECEMBER MEETING, BUT DEFINITELY WANT TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE WAYS THAT EVEN WE LOOK AT MAYBE A HYBRID APPROACH, THERE'S STILL A FINANCIAL PIECE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COME BACK AND TALK MORE ABOUT.

I WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT I'M BEING VERY CLEAR BASED ON THE DIRECTION THAT I THINK WE GOT AND SOME OF THE WAYS THAT I THINK YOU WANT TO LOOK AT THIS MODEL AND HOW YOU TWEAK IT, WE STILL WILL NEED TO COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT ANY OF THOSE LONG TERM FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS, AND WE'LL DEFINITELY MAKE SURE THAT WE GET IN FRONT OF YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR FEEDBACK.

>> I THINK THAT CONCLUDES OUR BRIEFINGS.

[CLOSED SESSION]

NEXT ITEMS ARE GOING TO BE IN CLOSED SESSION.

FOR ATTORNEY BRIEFINGS, IT IS 11: 42 ON NOVEMBER 5, 2025.

THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING WILL NOW GO INTO CLOSED SESSION UNDER SECTIONS 551.071 OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT ON THE FOLLOWING MATTERS DESCRIBED IN TODAY'S AGENDA, ITEM NUMBER THREE AND FOUR.

>> THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING HAS COMPLETED ITS CLOSED SESSION UNDER SECTION 551.071 OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT AT 3:32 P.M. ON NOVEMBER 5, 2025, AND WE HAVE RETURNED TO OPEN SESSION.

CHAIR, JOHNSON, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED.

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. LAST WEEK, WE HAD A BIRTHDAY.

IT WAS CHAIR KAREN MIDDLETON BIRTHDAY, AND SO WE'RE BRINGING A CAKE TO SING HER A HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

>> GO AHEAD.

>> ONE, HERE TWO.

>> I'M I SINGING WITH OTHERS?

>> YOU GOT THE BEST VOICE I HEARD.

>> I'VE BEEN DRINKING SODA.

WE'RE READY? WHERE'S THE CAKE?

>> IT'S OVER THERE.

>> WE GOT TO GET THE CAKE ALL THE WAY OVER HERE.

>> Y'ALL READY? ONE, TWO, THREE.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR, COUNSEL MIDDLETON.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.

>> MANY MORE.

>> WELL, IT LOOKS DELICIOUS, SO COME SEE ME AFTER.

>> IT IS STRAWBERRY.

>> THANK YOU.

>>THANK YOU.

>> WITH THAT, THE TIME IS 3:33, AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.

Nov 05, 2025 Council Briefing

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