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[Housing and Homelessness Solutions on February 23, 2026. ]
OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE FEBRUARY 10TH, 2026 COMMITTEE MEETING.IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED. SECOND.
AND IS THERE ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS OR CHANGES? OKAY. WELL, HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AYE. OKAY. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. OUR FIRST ITEM IS AGENDA ITEM A, AND VERNA JONES FROM UNDER ONE ROOF IS GOING TO PRESENT AT OUR NEXT MEETING. WE HAVE ANOTHER MEETING THAT WE'RE ALSO GOING TO SWITCH ANOTHER AGENDA ITEM, ITEM E, THAT'LL ALSO BE NEXT MEETING. AND HOPEFULLY THIS WILL ALLOW US TO GET THROUGH OUR AGENDA.
I KNOW MANY PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE 12:00 FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING.
SO OUR FIRST ITEM UP IS THE OTHER ONES FOUNDATION.
THIS IS. SO WE'RE NOT HEARING E. IT'S GOING TO BE NEXT NEXT MONTH RIGHT.
A AND E WE'RE GOING TO POSTPONE TO NEXT MONTH.
AND HERE WE GO. WE'VE GOT THE PRESENTATION UP.
AND IS LIZ BAKER WITH US? I BELIEVE THEY'RE JOINING ONLINE IF YOU DON'T SEE THEM NOW.
OKAY. OKAY. WELL, THEY'RE GOING TO JOIN ONLINE.
WE'RE NOT CONNECTED YET, BUT I DO SEE OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM.
PASTOR SIMMONS IS HERE. SO WHY DON'T WE GO AHEAD AND START WITH C.
AND WE'LL COME BACK TO B WHEN THEY'RE ON. YES.
C EVER COME UP ON THE I DIDN'T SEE IT AS OF SATURDAY ON AVAILABLE FOR US TO PREVIEW BEFORE THIS MEETING. OKAY. IT WAS NEVER. IT NEVER CAME UP.
OKAY. SO THE QUESTION IS, IF THE PRESENTATION HAD BEEN POSTED, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT. SO PRESENTATIONS DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE TO BE POSTED.
AND I BELIEVE IT WAS SENT OVER EITHER FRIDAY AFTERNOON OR SATURDAY.
BUT CHRIS, WHY DON'T YOU COME ON DOWN? WE'RE SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU WITH US.
ACTUALLY, MAYBE THERE IS NO PRESENTATION THAT MAYBE.
ALL RIGHT. GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT.
GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INVITING ME OUT TO BE TODAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE DO AT CORNERSTONE BAPTIST CHURCH AND THE CORNERSTONE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, WHERE I SERVE AS THE LEADER OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.
I WANT TO BEGIN BY JUST SAYING THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE, FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SHOULDER THE COMPLEXITY OF THIS CITY AND THE ONGOING EFFORTS TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING INSTABILITY IN DALLAS.
AND THESE ARE NOT ABSTRACT ISSUES FOR US. THEY ARE NOT STATISTICS.
THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR CHURCH MEMBERS, OUR CHILDREN'S CLASSMATES, AND THE FAMILIES WHO LIVE ON OUR BLOCKS AROUND OUR CAMPUS.
WE STAYED BECAUSE THE NEIGHBORHOOD REALLY DID MATTER, AND OVER TIME WE LEARNED SOMETHING IMPORTANT THAT CHARITY ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH AND POLICY ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH. WHAT IS NEEDED IS PRESENCE, PARTNERSHIP, AND A PATHWAY TO STABILITY.
AND SO THIS CONVICTION LED US TO FORM, BACK IN 1996, THE CORNERSTONE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, WHICH EXISTS TO DO WHAT CHURCHES ALONE CANNOT DO, AND THAT IS TO DEVELOP HOUSING, TO STEWARD LAND, TO PARTNER WITH FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, TO CREATE A LONG TERM COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE WHILE REMAINING DEEPLY ROOTED IN RELATIONSHIPS AND TRUST. AND SO FOR US, FAITH IS NOT SEPARATED FROM OUR HOUSING OR HOMELESSNESS.
IT SHAPES OUR APPROACH AND OUR BELIEF THAT INDIVIDUALS DESERVE DIGNITY AND DIGNITY REQUIRES STABILITY IN PARTICULARLY STABLE HOUSING. SO CORNERSTONE OWNS PROPERTY IN SOUTH DALLAS, AND INSTEAD OF VIEWING THE LAND
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THAT WE OWN AS SOMETHING TO PROTECT OR TO MONETIZE FOR OURSELVES, WE CHOSE TO USE IT AS A COMMUNITY ASSET.AND THIS DECISION HAS BEGUN SHAPING EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.
WE THINK WHEN WE THINK ABOUT HOMELESSNESS THEY OFTEN INDIVIDUALS OFTENTIMES THINK OF AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE, SUCH AS SHELTERS AND SHORT TERM SOLUTIONS AND CRISIS INTERVENTION.
AND THESE ARE CERTAINLY IMPORTANT. AND THE CITY DOES NEED THEM.
BUT AT CORNERSTONE, WE WANTED TO FOCUS HEAVILY ON PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION.
AND SO MOST PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS WERE HOUSED BEFORE THEY BECAME HOMELESS.
AND THIS MEANS THAT REAL WORK IS NEEDED AND STOPPING IT BEFORE THE FALL TOWARDS HOMELESSNESS BEGINS.
AND SO OUR EMPHASIS AND PRIORITIES AT CORNERSTONE HAS BEEN AROUND FAMILIES THAT ARE ON THE EDGE OF DISPLACEMENT, WORKING WITH YOUNG MOTHERS WHO ARE HOMELESS AND PREGNANT, WORKING WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE RETURNING TO THE COMMUNITY FROM INCARCERATION, AND THEN WORKING WITH PEOPLE WHO SIMPLY CANNOT KEEP UP WITH THE RAISING HOUSING COST.
AND SO LET ME BRIEFLY HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES OUR APPROACH A LITTLE DIFFERENT IN WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE EFFECTIVE FOR US AT CORNERSTONE. WE BELIEVE WE ARE PLACE BASED. AND INSTEAD OF PARACHUTING INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WE ARE REALLY EMBEDDED IN THE SOUTH DALLAS FAIR PARK COMMUNITY.
WHEN WE DEVELOP HOUSING, WE ARE STILL THERE AFTER THE RIBBON CUTTING IS DONE.
WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR RESIDENTS, HELPING TO RESOLVE CONFLICT AND ENSURING STABILITY.
SECOND, WE INTEGRATE SERVICES WITH OUR HOUSING THROUGH OUR CHURCH PARTNERS.
RESIDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO MENTORING TO PARENTING CLASSES, FINANCIAL LITERACY, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT, YOUTH PROGRAMING, PASTORAL CARE. WHEN WHEN WHEN WHEN REQUESTED.
AND HOUSING IS THE FOUNDATION. BUT OUR COMMUNITY IS OUR STRUCTURE IN WHICH WE WORK.
THE THIRD THING THAT WE ARE REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT IS LEVERAGING PARTNERSHIPS.
WE WORK WITH BANKS. WE WORK WITH DEVELOPERS FOUNDATIONS, OUR CITY DEPARTMENT.
AND OUR ROLE IS TO NOT REPLACE THE CITY, BUT REALLY TO COME ALONGSIDE TO COMPLIMENT BUILDING TRUST, USING OUR LAND AND LONG TERM ACCOUNTABILITY. BRINGING THAT TO THE TABLE.
WE BELIEVE THAT OUR FAITH BASED MODEL IS WORKING FOR US.
WE ARE THERE, AS MENTIONED, EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK.
WE KNOW OUR INDIVIDUALS BY NAME. WE REALIZE THAT WHEN AN ISSUE COMES UP WITH PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, THEY OFTENTIMES EVEN TURN TO US BEFORE EVEN CALLING THE THE CITY.
AND SO, AS WE MENTIONED, ALTHOUGH HOMELESSNESS IS A REALITY AND IS GROWING IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE SEE INDIVIDUALS SLEEPING AROUND OUR CAMPUS WE SEE FAMILIES DOUBLING UP.
WE SEE PEOPLE CYCLING ON COUCHES, SHELTERS AND STREETS.
WE WORK WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO WE FEED THROUGH OUR KITCHEN.
WE HAVE A BIKE SHOP WHERE THEY CAN EARN A BIKE, SO TO HELP WITH THEIR TRANSPORTATION NEEDS AND ALL KIND OF HEALTH FAIRS TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OUR HOMELESS IN THE COMMUNITY. BUT WE BELIEVE THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD AND HAVE A LASTING IMPACT RELATED TO THE HOMELESS ISSUE, THAT HOLMES IS THE REALLY SOLUTION TO HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SHARE TODAY.
WELL, PASTOR SIMMONS, I INVITED YOU FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.
ONE YOU AND I HAVE WORKED TOGETHER FOR A VERY LONG TIME, WAY BEFORE COUNCIL IN THE NONPROFIT SIDE OF THINGS, BUT ALSO BECAUSE YOUR FAITH BASED APPROACH IS WORKING IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE HOUSING ROUNDTABLE, HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS ROUNDTABLE FOR THE FAITH COMMUNITY.
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IT'LL BE APRIL 30TH FOR THE COMMITTEE TO TO MARK ON THEIR CALENDARS AND HOPING THAT YOU'LL BE ONE OF OUR PRESENTERS.SO, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS YOU'D LIKE TO ASK HIM? I'M GOING TO START DOWN WITH BAZALDUA AND WE'LL WORK THIS WAY. IS THAT RIGHT? I, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REALLY.
IT'S ONE MODEL THAT I THINK ISN'T NECESSARILY EMULATED OFTEN IN OUR CITY.
I THINK THAT THE WORKING IN SILOS THING IS SOMETHING THAT ORGANIZATIONS USUALLY DO, AND THAT'S ONE THAT CORNERSTONE DOES REALLY WELL, IS BREAKING DOWN THOSE SILOS AND FIGURING OUT WHERE GAPS CAN BE CLOSED IN.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT AND YOUR UNWAVERING WORK FOR THE COMMUNITY.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU MAKE IT SO EASY FOR US AND ALLOWING US TO REALLY PARTNER WITH SOME GREAT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN SOUTH DALLAS TO MOVE THE TRAJECTORY, TO MOVE THE NEEDLE FORWARD IN MAKING AN IMPACT IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, PASTOR SIMMONS.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. COUNCILMEMBER GRACEY.
PASTOR SIMMONS AGAIN I JUST WANT TO ECHO THE COMMENTS, AND I KNOW YOU'VE HEARD AND I'VE SHARED TO YOU BOTH PUBLICLY AND PRIVATELY, BUT THIS IS AN HONOR TO SAY THIS, AT THIS, IN THIS, AT THIS HORSESHOE PUBLICLY TO SAY THAT I'VE KNOWN YOU FOR A WHILE, AND I'VE BOTH SERVED WITH YOU AND VOLUNTEERED IN YOUR ORGANIZATIONS, ALL OF THEM.
AND I GIVE MY CLOTHES ANNUALLY TO, TO THEIR. SO JUST I JUST APPRECIATE AGAIN CHAIRWOMAN MENDELSOHN SAID IT HOW YOU SERVE HOLISTICALLY. YOU DON'T TELL MY PASTOR, BUT YOU ARE ONE OF MY FAVORITE PASTORS.
AND I'VE NEVER HEARD YOU PREACH, TO BE HONEST.
BUT I ENJOY AGAIN, SEEING HOW YOU SERVE THE COMMUNITY IN A HOLISTIC APPROACH.
SELFLESSLY. AND WE APPRECIATE THAT. AND WE APPRECIATE BOTH HOW YOU PARTNER WITH NOT JUST THE CITY OF DALLAS, BUT ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS IN AND AROUND THE COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU FOR HOW YOU SERVE, SIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILMEMBER BLAIR.
AND I KNOW YOU I KNOW NO CORNERSTONE. I'VE KNOWN CORNERSTONE.
I DON'T KNOW YOU. YOU PER SE, BUT I'VE WORKED WITH CORNERSTONE FOR OVER A DECADE.
OH. AND YOU, YOUR FAITH BASED, HOLISTIC APPROACH IS MUCH LIKE A FAITH BASED, HOLISTIC APPROACH THAT I WITNESSED THIS SATURDAY AT ONE OF THE CHURCHES IN DISTRICT EIGHT.
I REALLY WOULD LOVE FOR THE TWO OF YOU TO TO TALK.
OKAY. BECAUSE HOLISTICALLY, WE'RE DOING YOU'RE DOING THE SAME THING, BUT YOU'RE DOING IT IN A SILO.
I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT ON APRIL THE 30TH THAT YOU'RE GOING TO THAT CHAIR, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A FAITH BASED ROUNDTABLE WHERE ALL OF THOSE FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS CAN COME TOGETHER AND SHARE HOW THEY'RE OPERATING AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO FIND SOME SYNERGIES AND SOME WAYS TO PARTNER SO THAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING CAN BE CAN BE DONE ON A GRANDER SCALE. BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY OF YOU, INCLUDING OUR CHURCH, AND I'M GOING TO TELL ON YOU THAT THAT DO THE SAME THING. AND IF WE CAN CAN IDENTIFY IT, DOCUMENT IT AND THEN MARKET IT, THEN WE WILL BE DOING A BETTER THING FOR WITHIN THE CITY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCILMEMBER. MAYOR PRO TEM.
THANK YOU CHAIR. GOOD MORNING. PASTOR SIMMONS, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO. I'M JUST CURIOUS, ARE THERE CURRENTLY ANY HINDRANCES THAT THE CITY HAS ON ORDINANCES OR SETBACKS THAT PREVENT YOU FROM DOING THE WORK THAT YOU DO EVERY SINGLE DAY.
OR COULD YOU BE DOING MORE? FOR EXAMPLE, DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER, SHELTERING DURING PERHAPS ADDITIONAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES ON YOUR PROPERTY? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE HURDLES THAT THE CITY HAS TODAY THAT WOULD MAKE YOUR JOB EASIER TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE DOING THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AND HELPING MORE INDIVIDUALS? SO ONE THING IS THAT WE I OFTEN TELL TIMES TELL PEOPLE IS I DIDN'T LEARN ANYTHING ABOUT THIS IN SEMINARY.
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SO THAT'S WHY PARTNERSHIPS ARE SO IMPORTANT FOR US.I MEAN, WE'VE COME ACROSS THINGS LIKE PD FIVE, 95 AND SOME OF THE OTHER CHALLENGES, BUT THANKFULLY, THE CITY OF DALLAS HAS SOME GREAT PARTNERS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK ALONGSIDE OF THAT HAS BEEN ABLE TO HELP US TO MANEUVER A LOT OF THOSE THINGS LIKE THE URBAN LAND INSTITUTE, THE REAL ESTATE COUNCIL, AND A NUMBER OF OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE HELPED US.
AND SO I THINK IT WOULD BE A HINDRANCE AND A CHALLENGE IF I WAS DOING IT ON MY OWN.
BUT THANKFULLY WE HAVE THESE PARTNERS WHO ARE ABLE TO COME ALONGSIDE OF US, WHO HAVE THE EXPERTISE TO BRING TO THE TABLE TO MAKE IT A SMOOTH TRANSITION AND HELP US TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO GET ACCOMPLISHED. AMAZING.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU CHAIR. THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM.
YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK. WE APPRECIATE IT.
APPRECIATE THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY.
SO I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR YOU. YES, MA'AM.
SO YOU HAVE A NUMBER OF LAND HOLDINGS. I KNOW YOU HAVE SOME APARTMENTS.
I KNOW YOU HAVE SOME HOUSES WHERE YOU'RE DOING PROGRAMMATIC THINGS.
CAN YOU ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? YES.
WE DO HAVE WE THE CHURCH OWNS ABOUT 49 PROPERTIES IN SOUTH DALLAS, AND WE'RE STILL IN LAND ACQUISITION MODE TO PURCHASE ADDITIONAL PROPERTIES TO HOPEFULLY BRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO THE COMMUNITY. TWO MAIN PROGRAMS THAT WE DO.
ONE IS FOR INDIVIDUALS COMING OUT OF INCARCERATION BACK TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS PART OF OUR TRINITY RESTORATION PROGRAM, WHERE WE HAVE A FIRST PHASE FOR ABOUT 30 GUYS.
BUT ACROSS OUR CAMPUS WITH APARTMENTS, WE HAVE ABOUT 120 GUYS THAT WE HOUSE.
AND THEN IN THE PROCESS OF RENOVATING A FACILITY THAT WILL ALLOW US TO MOVE FROM GIRLS WHO ARE JUST HOMELESS AND PREGNANT TO FAMILIES IN A SUITE BASED APPROACH. AND SO WE ARE STILL PURCHASING APARTMENT COMPLEXES, DOING RENOVATIONS ON THOSE.
WE'RE WORKING WITH ENTERPRISE FOUNDATION. THANKFULLY, WE'RE ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITIES FOUNDATION THAT HAS MADE A RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THEY WILL BE INVESTING DOLLARS INTO INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACROSS THE CITY.
AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO LEVERAGE ALL OF THESE RESOURCES TO BRING IT TO BEAR ON THIS PARTICULAR COMMUNITY SO THAT WE CAN HAVE TRANSFORMATION IN COMMUNITIES SO THAT URBAN RENEWAL DOES NOT HAVE TO EQUAL URBAN REMOVAL OF MANY OF THOSE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN THERE A LONG TIME.
SO I REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE RENOVATING THE HISTORIC HOUSE FOR THE PREGNANT WOMEN.
AND THERE'S A COUPLE OTHER HOUSES IN THAT ROW.
YES. ARE ALL OF THEM BEING UTILIZED NOW? ALL OF THEM BEING UTILIZED NOW? AND YES. AND SO WE HAVE ONE, LIKE I SAID, THAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION FOR US TO BE WE JUST HAVE THE SUP.
AND SO THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH FOR GRANTING THAT.
BUT IT WILL ALLOW US THEN TO ASSIST MOTHERS WHO HAVE MORE THAN ONE CHILD.
BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE REALIZED WITH THE REVERSAL OF ONE ROE VERSUS WADE, THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE HAVING ABORTIONS WHERE MOTHERS WHO HAD MULTIPLE CHILDREN AND COULD NOT AFFORD ANOTHER CHILD. SO THIS ALLOWS US TO ASSIST THOSE FAMILIES.
OKAY. AND SO WITH THE VARIOUS LAND HOLDINGS AND PROJECTS YOU HAVE, WHICH LIKE EVERY TIME I'VE HEARD ABOUT IT, IT'S VERY IMPRESSIVE. LIKE YOU'RE A VERY BIG LANDHOLDER IN SOUTHERN DALLAS.
DO YOU FIND THAT YOU NEED HELP TO BE ABLE TO DO MORE AND YOU'RE STUCK FOR MONEY? OR LIKE YOU'VE GOT AS MANY PROJECTS AS YOU CAN HANDLE AND YOU'RE JUST METHODICALLY ROLLING THEM OUT.
OR YOU FIND THAT YOUR BEST FINANCING AND PARTNERSHIPS ARE OUTSIDE THE CITY.
I MEAN, YES, I THINK THAT, YEAH. SO WE CAN ALWAYS USE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, ALWAYS CAN USE MONEY.
COULD ALWAYS USE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT RESOURCES THE CITY HAS, BECAUSE WE FOUND A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE DOING THINGS AND WE'RE MAKING IT HARDER ON OURSELVES. IF WE KNEW HOW WE COULD LEVERAGE RESOURCES OF THE CITY TO BRING TO BEAR ON THAT COMMUNITY, IT WOULD MAKE THE JOB A WHOLE LOT EASIER. SO TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
WE'VE DID A STRATEGIC PLAN AND HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HOPEFULLY HIRE SOME INDIVIDUALS THAT CAN COME TO THE TABLE TO HELP US TO BE ON THE GROUND, TO HELP US TO FIGURE OUT WHAT RESOURCES THE CITY HAS AVAILABLE THAT CAN BE DEPLOYED INTO THAT PARTICULAR COMMUNITY.
WELL, I THINK WE CAN HELP CONNECT YOU WITH THAT. OKAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. ARE THERE ANY OTHER FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS? NO. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU ALL DO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OKAY, SO GOING BACK TO ITEM B DO WE HAVE LIZ ONLINE.
EXCELLENT. SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD BRING HER UP ON THE SCREEN.
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THERE WE GO. WE'VE GOT THE POWERPOINT UP LIZ.WANT TO WELCOME YOU. LIZ BAKER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE OTHER ONES FOUNDATION.
THIS IS LOCATED IN AUSTIN, AND THEY RUN WHAT HAD BEEN THE FIRST SANCTIONED ENCAMPMENT IN TEXAS.
GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
MY NAME IS ELIZABETH BAKER. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE OTHER ONES FOUNDATION.
AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU GUYS WANT TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW OUR ESPERANZA COMMUNITY STARTED AND WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS THAT GO INTO IT? SO I'M, I'M GOING TO IF YOU GUYS ARE READY TO START, I'M GOING TO JUMP IN.
WE ARE GO RIGHT AHEAD. OKAY. GREAT. SO SO I'M GOING TO START WITH OUR MISSION AND VISION.
WE ARE A FAIRLY YOUNG NONPROFIT. WE WERE FOUNDED IN 2017.
AND OUR MISSION IS STRICTLY HOMELESS SERVICES AND MORE SPECIFICALLY TO USE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AS A PATHWAY OUT OF HOMELESSNESS. SO OUR FLAGSHIP PROGRAM WAS A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, TRANSITIONAL JOBS VERY LOW BARRIER IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY TO CLEAN UP OUR GREEN SPACES AND PARKS. I'M SORRY, I'M NOT SURE THE YOU CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
BUT ONE THING THAT SETS US APART IS OUR FOCUS ON COMMUNITY.
OUR VALUES THAT THAT LEAD US TO BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE HAVE AUTONOMY AND THEY HAVE POTENTIAL TO DO MORE THAN WHAT OUR COMMUNITY WAS WAS GIVING THEM OPPORTUNITY TO DO.
SO WE'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ARE AN ASSET TO OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH IS WHERE OUR FLAGSHIP PROGRAM CAME TO BE AND TO HELPS BRIDGE THE DIVIDE BETWEEN HOMELESSNESS AND PEOPLE NOT JUST EXITING HOMELESSNESS AND INTO HOUSING, BUT BECOMING CONTRIBUTING AND ENGAGED MEMBERS OF THEIR COMMUNITY.
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THAT CONTEXT.
WE DO CONTINUE TO RUN OUR TRANSITIONAL JOBS PROGRAM CALLED WORKFORCE FIRST.
WE HAVE A VOCATIONAL SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM ON OUR SHELTER PROPERTY.
THAT IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF OUR PROJECT, AND THAT'S IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND GOODWILL OF CENTRAL TEXAS TO BRING JOB READINESS TRAINING, SKILLS TRADES CLASSES AND FINANCIAL LITERACY, COMPUTER LITERACY, ALL THOSE SORTS OF THINGS. AND THEN WE DO HAVE ALSO ATTACHED TO OUR SHELTER A DIVERSION PROGRAM TO MAKE SURE THAT NOBODY IS ENTERED INTO A SHELTER WHEN A LOWER INTENSITY OF SERVICE CAN RESOLVE THEIR HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO IN THOSE SITUATIONS, WE MAKE CONNECTIONS TO FAMILY OR FRIENDS THAT MAY NOT BE IN THE LOCAL AREA, TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN RECONNECT TO THAT NATURAL SUPPORT SYSTEM AND REGAIN HOUSING WITH MINIMAL INTERVENTION. NEXT SLIDE. OKAY, SO NOW YOU ACTUALLY BROUGHT ME HERE, WHICH IS THE ESPERANZA COMMUNITY.
SO THE ESPERANZA COMMUNITY IS A 200 BED TRANSITIONAL SHELTER IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN, AS YOU HAD MENTIONED IN THAT THAT THIS STEMMED FROM THE STATE'S FIRST SANCTIONED HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2019 BY THE GOVERNOR.
WE THE THE SITE HAVING STARTED IN 2019, WITHIN 18 MONTHS HAD OVER 200 PEOPLE ON A SEVEN ACRE PARKING LOT. THERE WAS VERY LITTLE INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND SERVICES WERE SOMEWHAT. DISCONNECTED. THERE WASN'T REALLY A LOT OF COORDINATION.
SO THE OTHER ONES FOUNDATION STEPPED IN. IN 2021, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO TO SERVE AS A SERVICE COORDINATOR AND OPERATOR OF THE SITE.
BUT GENERALLY, WHAT THIS EMERGENCY SHELTER DOES IS IT IS NON-CONGREGATE SHELTERS.
IT GIVES PEOPLE PRIVACY AND SECURITY. WE PROVIDE WRAPAROUND CASE MANAGEMENT AT A CASELOAD OF 1 TO 25, ALONG WITH OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SERVICE ARRAY AND ONSITE SERVICES BROUGHT BY VARIOUS COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
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AND GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. SO THIS IS WHAT THE PROPERTY LOOKED LIKE IN 2019 WHEN IT OPENED UP.THERE WERE TENTS, MAKESHIFT SHELTERS. WE HAD PORTA POTTIES ON SITE.
A THREE MRE MEALS A DAY WERE PROVIDED WITH BOTTLED WATER.
THERE WAS MINIMAL RUNNING WATER MINIMAL ELECTRICITY.
AND SO AS I SAID, IN 2021, THE OTHER ONES FOUNDATION STEPPED IN AND WAS GIVEN A RIGHT OF WAY AGREEMENT WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO SERVE AS A SERVICE COORDINATOR ON THE SITE.
WE STARTED TO BRING IN SOME MEDICAL PARTNERS, PSYCHIATRIC CARE PARTNERS AND OTHERS TO HELP OUT THE 200 FOLKS THAT WERE STAYING ON THE SITE. WITH THE THE ISSUANCE OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT THE OTHER ONES FOUNDATION WAS AWARDED OPERATING FUNDS. SO THEN WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO BRING ALONG CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES AND START MOVING PEOPLE INTO HOUSING.
YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. AND SO BETWEEN THEN AND NOW, WE HAVE COMPLETELY RENOVATED THE SITE. WE NOW HAVE 200 NON-CONGREGATE SHELTER UNITS.
WE HAVE SIX RESTROOM FACILITIES, WHICH EACH HAVE FOUR PRIVATE RESTROOM STALLS AND A NUMBER OF OFFICES AND SPACE FOR CO-LOCATED PARTNERS. NEXT SLIDE.
AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD WE JUST IN DECEMBER WERE AWARDED FUNDS TO EXPAND THIS PROJECT USING HOME ARP NON-CONGREGATE SHELTER CONSTRUCTION FUNDS. SO IN 2029 TO WE'LL HAVE CONSTRUCTED AN ADDITIONAL 225 FREESTANDING CABINS AS WELL AS 100 INDOOR APARTMENT STYLE UNITS IN THE HEADQUARTER BUILDING THAT YOU SEE ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND CORNER OF THAT PHOTO.
SO WE'LL BE EXPANDING TO A TOTAL OF 525 UNITS OF TRANSITIONAL SHELTER.
NEXT SLIDE. AND THIS VOLUME ALLOWS FOR EFFICIENCY AND EFFICACY.
WE'RE ABLE TO BRING AN ECONOMY OF SCALE THAT ALLOWS US TO BRING MORE VOLUME AND SPECIALIZATION AND SERVICES, THINGS LIKE MEDICAL CARE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICES AND SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT.
NEXT SLIDE. SO I'LL GO INTO KIND OF HIGH LEVEL LOGIC AROUND HOW OUR PROGRAMING IS DESIGNED.
I MENTIONED WE HAVE A 1 TO 25 CASE MANAGEMENT RATIO.
WE HAVE A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM. AGAIN, ROOTED IN OUR VALUES OF BUILDING COMMUNITY THAT HAS ACTIVITIES, GROUPS, EDUCATION AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AND THEN JUST CHECKS ON FOLKS EACH DAY TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE SAFE AND HAVE THEIR BASIC NEEDS MET.
AND THEN WE HAVE 24 OVER SEVEN SAFETY AND SECURITY.
THE PROPERTY IS IS GATED AND MONITORED. AND THEN WHAT I REALLY, YOU KNOW, THE, THE LONG TERM GOALS THAT WE'RE SHOOTING FOR IN THIS PROJECT ARE THAT FOLKS ARE GETTING STABLE HOUSING, THEY'RE ACHIEVING FINANCIAL STABILITY. THEY HAVE SELF-SUFFICIENCY TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THOSE THINGS WITH MINIMAL SUPPORT.
AND THEN WE WANT TO DEVELOP THAT COMMUNITY, NOT JUST HERE AT THE ESPERANZA COMMUNITY, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GIVING THEM THE SKILLS TO BUILD THAT COMMUNITY OUT OF HERE AND IN THEIR PERMANENT LOCATION. SO THAT MEANS SECURING A JOB.
IT MEANS GETTING CONNECTED TO THEIR LOCAL AA ANY CHAPTER.
IT MEANS LEARNING TO TO ENGAGE WITH THEIR NEIGHBORS, WITH THEIR PROPERTY OWNERS, WITH THEIR, THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY. NOW, ONE OF THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE TO HIGHLIGHT ON THIS PAGE IS THAT THIS SORT OF PROJECT IS ONLY AS SUCCESSFUL AS THE SYSTEM THAT IT'S OPERATING IN.
THE THE HOUSING STOCK MUST BE AVAILABLE IN ORDER TO ALLOW FOR THAT THROUGHPUT THERE NEEDS TO BE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. SO ALL OF THESE PARTNERSHIPS ARE CRITICAL TO ENSURING THE SUCCESS OF THE PROJECT.
[00:30:04]
YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE THESE COMPONENTS.NEXT SLIDE. SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE OUTCOMES THAT WE HAVE.
SO AS AN ORGANIZATION, WE'VE SERVED 619 PEOPLE IN 2025, WITH 183 OF THOSE EXITING TO STABLE HOUSING. NEXT SLIDE. THE ESPERANZA COMMUNITY SPECIFICALLY SERVED 209 CLIENTS WITH 100 BEDS.
THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT FROM OUR CURRENT SHELTER SYSTEM, WHICH TENDS TO HAVE A SUCCESS RATE OF ABOUT 25%, WHICH IS COMPARABLE TO NATIONAL DATA AS WELL.
NEXT SLIDE. SO AS I MENTIONED ABOUT THIS PROJECT ONLY BEING AS SUCCESSFUL AS THE REST OF THE SYSTEM IT OPERATES IN, THAT'S ALSO THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT ARE WILLING TO COME ON SITE.
SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTER AND OUR LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY, WHERE THEY BRING SERVICES ON SITE. SO WE HAVE A CLINIC THAT THEY OPERATE OUT OF.
THE MAJORITY OF OUR CLIENTS PARTICIPATE IN THE MEDICAL CARE THAT IS OFFERED.
A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE ENGAGE IN THE PSYCHIATRIC CARE, AND THOSE ARE SERVICES AND SUPPORTS THAT CARRY WITH THEM AFTER THEY LEAVE THE SHELTER. WE ALSO HAVE A MEDICATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM ON SITE THAT HELPS FOLKS WHO ARE MAYBE STRUGGLING A LITTLE BIT MORE WITH MAINTAINING THEIR MEDICATION REGIMEN AND FOLLOWING THEIR DOCTOR'S ORDERS.
NEXT SLIDE. SO OUR SAFETY AND SECURITY TEAM OPERATES 24 OVER SEVEN. THEY ARE TRAINED AND MANAGED INTERNALLY TO OUR ORGANIZATION AND ARE A HUGE PART TO OUR SUCCESS.
SO WE ARE AN EMERGENCY SHELTER. AS WE GROW, THE EMERGENCIES OCCUR.
THEY ALWAYS WILL. OUR TEAM, WITH THEIR TRAUMA INFORMED CARE TRAINING AND CRISIS RESPONSE TRAINING, ARE ABLE TO REDUCE THE NEED FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES BY OVER 3,030%.
GENERALLY ACROSS ACROSS ALL SORTS OF SITUATIONS.
SO THIS IS ACTUALLY THIS 36% IS EMERGENT HIGH RISK SITUATIONS.
THEY'RE ABLE TO TO DIVERT THOSE THOSE INSTANCES FROM CALLING 911.
THERE ARE MANY OTHER LOWER RISK SITUATIONS THAT ARE PREVENTED COMPLETELY OR HANDLED COMPLETELY WITHOUT CRISIS INTERVENTION. NEXT SLIDE. AND SO OUR SKILL CENTER THIS IS REGARDING THE INTEGRATION OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INTO EMERGENCY SHELTER HELPING PEOPLE REGAIN STABILITY, DIGNITY AND INDEPENDENCE. THIS IS ONE OF OUR NEWEST COMPONENTS TO THE PROJECT.
YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. AND SO I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND CENTRAL TEXAS GOODWILL TO BRING IN HVAC TRAINING, JOB READINESS TRAINING, GED CLASSES, FINANCIAL LITERACY, COMPUTER LITERACY TO HELP PEOPLE THINK ABOUT A NEW PATH OUT OF HOMELESSNESS AS WE APPROACH A LANDSCAPE IN OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM, WHICH IS VERY RESOURCE SCARCE VOUCHER SCARCE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVE PATHWAYS OUT OF HOMELESSNESS THAT INCLUDE THE ABILITY TO SELF-SUSTAIN HOUSING WITHOUT SUBSIDY.
SO WE'RE REALLY LEANING INTO THAT WORK AND HAVE SEEN A LOT OF SUCCESS.
OUR CLIENTS ARE DRIVEN AND MOTIVATED. YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO THIS IS OUR OUR PILOT YEAR. THIS IS OUR FIRST YEAR.
SO IN 2025 WE HAD 360 CLIENTS ENGAGE IN OUR VARIOUS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. 31 OF THOSE PEOPLE OBTAINED PERMANENT EMPLOYMENT SO FAR.
[00:35:04]
USES SOCIAL ENTERPRISE MODELS TO TO GET PEOPLE READY TO GO BACK TO WORK.AND THEN THEY MOVE THROUGH MORE INTENSIVE TRAINING LIKE HVAC, PLUMBING, AUTO MECHANIC TRAINING IN ORDER TO GET THOSE MARKETABLE SKILLS OUT IN THE IN THE JOB MARKET. SO NEXT SLIDE. THAT'S THAT'S I'M NOT YOU CAN SKIP THIS SLIDE. I FEEL LIKE I TALKED ABOUT THAT ENOUGH.
ALL RIGHT. SO THOSE ARE ALL THE SLIDES I HAVE FOR YOU.
BUT I'M SURE MANY OF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OF THOSE THAT YOU HAVE.
AND BEFORE WE DO QUESTIONS, CAN YOU JUST TOUCH ON YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH TEXDOT? YES. SO WE HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH TEXDOT AROUND OUTREACH WHEN THERE WERE A LOT OF ENCAMPMENT SWEEPS OCCURRING IN AUSTIN. AND AS, AS WE CAME ON SITE ONTO THE ESPERANZA COMMUNITY PROPERTY, THAT RELATIONSHIP REALLY FLOURISHED.
SO WE STARTED WITH A RIGHT OF WAY AGREEMENT. THEN WE WE HAVE A LEASE.
AND WE ACTUALLY JUST EXPANDED THAT LEASE TO A 50 YEAR LEASE ON A TOTAL OF 14 ACRES.
AND TEXDOT IS A IS A GREAT PARTNER IN CONSTRUCTION AS WELL, BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MANY RESOURCES.
WE'RE ALSO SELF IS TEX-DOT. SURPLUS LAND. CORRECT? YES. OKAY. AND SO ONGOING. THEY'RE HELPING YOU WITH VARIOUS CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
IS THAT REALLY THEIR RELATIONSHIP TODAY? YES.
THAT'S THAT'S THE PRIMARY RELATIONSHIP TODAY.
SO THE THE SITE WAS A IT WAS A TRUCK DEPOT, A TECH STOCK SERVICE YARD.
THE PROPERTY NEXT DOOR THAT WE WILL BE EXPANDING TO OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS WAS ACTUALLY A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT THEY PURCHASED FOR THE THE PURPOSE OF THIS EXPANSION. THEY DIDN'T PREVIOUSLY OWN IT, BUT I CAN SAY THAT TEX-DOT IS INTERESTED IN OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO UTILIZE THEIR, THEIR PROPERTIES THAT ARE SITTING VACANT CURRENTLY.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MAYOR PRO TEM, YOU AND I TOURED THIS PROPERTY TOGETHER.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO START? DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
SO, YEAH, I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR THIS SITE MULTIPLE TIMES WITH A NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I WANT TO START OFF BY JUST THANKING YOU ALL FOR FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
AND CAN CAN YOU PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR DEFINITIONS OF EMERGENCY SHELTER AND TRANSITIONAL SHELTER? YEAH. SO THE I, I CAN GIVE YOU MY PERSONAL DEFINITION, WHICH EMERGENCY SHELTER IT AND I WILL CLARIFY BECAUSE IT IS NOT CLEARLY DEFINED BY HUD AT THIS POINT OF WHAT TRANSITIONAL SHELTER IS, I WOULD SAY THE MORE CLEAR DEFINITION IS BETWEEN CONGREGATE AND NON-CONGREGATE SHELTER.
SO CONGREGATE SHELTER BEING THOSE THAT ARE MORE BUNK STYLE TYPES OF SHELTER TRADITIONALLY HAD ARE MANAGED BY NIGHT, WHO IS OCCUPYING THE BED EACH NIGHT.
NON-CONGREGATE SHELTER IS REQUIRES MORE INTENTIONALITY IN THE INTAKE AND REFERRAL PROCESS BECAUSE GENERALLY FOLKS TEND TO STAY LONGER. THEY'RE NOT STAYING FOR JUST A NIGHT.
WE'RE ENROLLING THEM, ANTICIPATING MONTHS OF SERVICE DELIVERY FOLLOWING THAT ADMISSION.
THANK YOU. LOOK, I REALLY BELIEVE IN THE MODEL OF TRANSITIONAL SHELTER AND EMERGENCY SHELTER.
WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COC IN THE AUSTIN AREA? AND THEIR AT LEAST HERE IN DALLAS. WE HAVE A STRONG POSITION OF A HOUSING FIRST MODEL.
AND SO JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHAT THE RELATIONSHIP IS WITH THE COC UP IN AUSTIN.
YES. WE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COC I ACTUALLY SERVE ON THEIR THEIR COCK BOARD, THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL. SO THE THERE ARE CERTAINLY SOME TENSION RIGHT NOW AROUND THE HOUSING FIRST MODEL AND, AND WHAT WHAT LIES AHEAD BASED ON RECENT HUD RECOMMENDATIONS GENERALLY,
[00:40:05]
THE RELATIONSHIP ESPERANZA IS AN ASSET TO THE COMMUNITY.AND WE HAVE ROUGHLY 15, OTHER 1500 OTHER SHELTER BEDS IN AUSTIN.
AND SO OUR COC IS FULLY BOUGHT IN ON THE NEED TO SPECIALIZE AND DIVERSIFY OUR HOW WE UTILIZE THE SHELTER MODEL THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR LOW BARRIER EMERGENCY SHELTER THAT PEOPLE CAN CALL AND THEY CAN GET A BED ON ANY NIGHT OF THE WEEK.
BUT THAT THERE IS ALSO A NEED TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE THE COMMUNITY AND THE INTENSITY OF SERVICE THAT IS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO MOVE THEM FROM HOMELESSNESS INTO HOUSING AND THAT THERE HAS BEEN A POPULATION THAT I REFER TO AS THE MIDDLE THIRD.
RIGHT. YOU HAVE ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO NEED LIGHT TOUCH INTERVENTIONS LIKE PREVENTION SERVICES, AND THEY'RE BACK WITH FAMILY OR IN A STABLE PLACE.
AND THEN YOU HAVE FOLKS WHO ARE IN THE MIDDLE WHO NEED INTENSIVE SUPPORTS, BUT THEIR INTENSIVE SUPPORTS ARE WILL HELP THEM ACHIEVE FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE LONG TERM. THANK YOU.
YOU MENTIONED A COUPLE STATS. FOR 41% SUCCESS RATE.
AT ESPERANZA VERSUS 25%. I JUST DIDN'T CATCH WHAT WAS THE 25% SUCCESS RATE? THE 25% SUCCESS RATE IS OTHER LOCAL SHELTERS IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
CAN YOU REPEAT THAT? THAT IS OTHER LOCAL SHELTERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
GOT IT. AND SO YOU GUYS ARE NOT JUST PROVIDING SHELTERING.
YOU GUYS ARE PROVIDING WRAPAROUND SERVICES SO THAT PEOPLE ARE HOPEFULLY GOING TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL ONCE THEY EXIT THE PROGRAM. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY.
AND THEN. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEAR HERE IN DALLAS A LOT IS THAT OUR, OUR SHELTER RESISTANCE OR OUR MORE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS WHO WHAT I HEAR IS PEOPLE REFUSE SERVICE UNTIL PERMANENT HOUSING OR STABLE HOUSING IS READY. HAVE YOU FOUND THAT TO BE TRUE IN AUSTIN.
AND HOW ARE YOU MANAGING THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS? YEAH. SO WE WE ABSOLUTELY SEE THAT ALL THE TIME.
THE THE DIFFERENCE IN OUR SHELTER MODEL IS THAT NON-CONGREGATE UNIT WITH A PLACE THAT PEOPLE CAN KEEP THEIR BELONGINGS SAFE, THEY CAN LOCK, LOCK A UNIT AND FEEL SAFE AT NIGHT.
THEY CAN HAVE THEIR OWN PRIVATE SPACE AND AUTONOMY.
AND IT ALSO PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP THE INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS THAT FOLKS ARE OFTEN HAVING TO DEVELOP IN THOSE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF PERMANENT HOUSING.
SO WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR OWN INDIVIDUAL LOCKABLE UNIT, IT IS INSPECTED EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS AND IT IS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A JANITORIAL SERVICE THAT COMES AROUND AND BRINGS THOSE CLEANING SUPPLIES AND WILL PROVIDE TRAINING TO INDIVIDUALS IN THEIR UNITS ABOUT HOW TO KEEP THEIR SPACE CLEAN AND HYGIENIC. AND AND DEVELOP THOSE SKILLS EARLY.
WE ALSO HAVE INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS CLASSES AROUND NUTRITION, SHOPPING, BUDGET MANAGEMENT, ALL THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE KIND OF BEING BEING DROPPED INTO VERY QUICKLY WITH THE PERMANENT HOUSING VOUCHER SYSTEM, THE WAY OURS HAS BEEN OPERATING ANYWAY. RIGHT.
SO WE FOUND CLIENTS REALLY ENGAGE IN THAT. YEAH.
THANK YOU. DO YOU ALL STILL HAVE THE STATE SANCTIONED ENCAMPMENT? IN PLACE? WHERE WAS THAT? ONLY WHEN THE TENTS WERE ON SITE.
YEAH, WE WE DO NOT HAVE ANY ANY TENSOR ENCAMPMENTS ANYMORE.
OKAY. SO DO Y'ALL STILL HAVE. IS THE STATE SANCTIONED ENCAMPMENT STILL NEEDED TO DO WHAT Y'ALL ARE DOING DAY TO DAY, OR WAS THAT JUST FOR THE BEGINNING PART? THAT WAS JUST THE BEGINNING.
[00:45:05]
YEAH. THEY THERE HAS BEEN CONVERSATION AROUND DOING SMALLER ENCAMPMENTS.I THINK THE REALITY WAS THAT THE ENCAMPMENT WAS TOO LARGE TO BE SAFELY MANAGED.
SO THERE'S BEEN CONVERSATION ABOUT DOING SMALLER ENCAMPMENTS AT TIMES THROUGHOUT THE CITY, BUT NOTHING HAS COME TO FRUITION. AND MY MY FINAL QUESTION IS LEADS JUST TO THAT IS YOU'RE GEARING UP FOR 521 INDIVIDUALS. HOW DID YOU ALL ARRIVE TO THAT NUMBER, AND WHAT'S THE RIGHT SIZE AND SCALE TO HAVE A HEALTHY CAMPUS? YEAH. SO WE ARRIVED AT THAT NUMBER REALLY AROUND DENSITY.
HOW DO WE KEEP THE INTEGRITY OF OUR PROGRAM WHILE TRYING TO GET AS MANY SHELTER UNITS ON SITE? AND THE REASON THAT WE WANT TO INCREASE THAT DENSITY IS BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMY OF SCALE OF SUPPORTIVE SERVICES.
AND SO AND SO WE WE HAVE OUR MODEL OUR, OUR SITE PLAN BROKEN UP INTO NEIGHBORHOODS TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY COMMUNITY.
SO WE HAVE CLUSTERS OF 25 TO 30 SHELTER UNITS, EACH ONE WHICH IS ASSIGNED A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STAFF THAT WILL FACILITATE GROUPS AND ACTIVITIES TO BRING THAT COMMUNITY TOGETHER. AND AND RETAIN THAT THAT HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT.
THANK YOU. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK.
I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR YOUR CAMPUS AND HAD ALL MY QUESTIONS ANSWERED AT THAT TIME.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. VICE CHAIR BLAIR. THANK YOU.
I ONLY. EXCUSE ME. OH, I'M LOOKING FOR DOWN THERE.
SHE'S ONLINE. THE ONLY THING I REALLY WANT TO ASK IS YOUR DEFINITION OF.
AND HOW YOU PROVIDE CONGREGATE VERSUS NON-CONGREGATE SERVICES.
ARE THEY, BY DEFINITION, ONE OF THE DEFINITIONS THAT COULD BE FOR SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR THE MORE MATURE POPULATION? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING OR ARE YOU USING CONGREGATE FOR THE WHOLE ENTIRE POPULATION THAT YOU SERVE? CAN YOU CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT YOU MEAN BY MORE MATURE POPULATION, ELDERLY.
YES. SO SO WE HAVE WE ONLY DO NON-CONGREGATE SHELTER.
WE DO NOT HAVE A CONGREGATE SHELTER ON SITE. SO THAT IS FOR EVERYBODY THAT WE SERVE.
WE FIND IT TO BE VERY VALUABLE, NOT ONLY FOR FOR FOLKS OF A HIGHER AGE, BUT ALSO OUR YOUTH TO REALLY GIVE THEM THAT DIGNITY. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I COULD GO THROUGH A NUMBER OF SUBPOPULATIONS AND THE BENEFIT OF HAVING NON-CONGREGATE SHELTER.
YOU HAVE FOLKS YOU KNOW, WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS THAT MAY EXPERIENCE PARANOIA, ANXIETY, DIFFICULTY AND CROWDS. IT REALLY GIVES THAT THAT DIGNIFIED AND SAFE SPACE FOR PEOPLE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER GRACEY. SURE.
AND THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION. AGAIN, I CAN APPRECIATE THE THE CONCEPT AND THE MODEL.
CAN YOU TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT. AND AGAIN I WAS IN AND OUT.
SO I DO APOLOGIZE IF YOU'VE ALREADY SAID THIS, BUT HOW DID THIS COME TO BE.
SO IT STARTED OUT IT AS THE STATE SANCTIONED HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT.
AND WHEN THAT BECAME UNTENABLE, UNSAFE, AND THE RESOURCES BECAME AVAILABLE, WE WORKED WITH TEXDOT TO SECURE THE THE APPROVALS TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES TO THE PROPERTY.
SO IT WAS IT WAS EVOLVED AROUND KIND OF AN EXISTING ENCAMPMENT.
IS THAT WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING? AND THEN YOU BROUGHT IN THE THE SERVICES ESSENTIALLY, AND REALLY IMPROVE THE REALLY EVEN THE AVAILABLE HOUSING, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, THEIR LIVING CONDITIONS BY BRINGING IN THE TEMPORARY HOUSING AND THINGS LIKE THAT ALONG WITH THE SERVICES.
HOW LONG DID THAT TAKE? SO WE STARTED CONSTRUCTION IN 2021 USING STRICTLY PHILANTHROPIC FUNDS, AND THAT WENT ON FOR TWO YEARS. AND THEN THE COUNTY CAME IN WITH SOME CAPITAL FUNDS THAT MOVED THE PROJECT ALONG MUCH FASTER.
SO WE ARE ACTUALLY FINISHING UP OUR LAST UNITS TO OPEN EARLY SUMMER IN THAT SAME AREA.
NOW, ARE YOU ARE YOU DID I HEAR ARE YOU ALL LOOKING TO EXPAND AND TALK TO ME ABOUT THAT STRATEGY? BOTH WHERE AND AND WHAT TYPE OF ENGAGEMENT ARE YOU DOING WITH THE COMMUNITY?
[00:50:05]
YEAH. SO WE HAVE CURRENTLY WE HAVE 200 SHELTER UNITS.AND WE WILL BE EXPANDING TO 525 UNITS OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
WE TEX-DOT HAS PURCHASED THE PROPERTY DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO US, AN ADDITIONAL SEVEN AND A HALF ACRES, WHERE WE WILL BUILD AN ADDITIONAL 325 UNITS. WHAT WHAT TYPE OF INDUSTRY IS AROUND WHERE YOU'RE BUILDING? WE'RE WE ARE ESPECIALLY WITH THE WORKFORCE THING BECAUSE THAT'S FASCINATING TO ME.
YEAH, YEAH. SO WE ARE PRIMARILY AN INDUSTRIAL AREA.
ONE SIDE OF US IS A A HOME MANUFACTURER LIKE A MANUFACTURED HOME WAREHOUSE.
THERE IS A RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY WITHIN ABOUT THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA.
I WANTED TO ASK IF YOU COULD TALK. YOU MENTIONED THE LOW TO NO BARRIER TYPE MODEL, AND YOU HAVE A PRETTY EVEN SPLIT, IT LOOKS LIKE, ON THOSE WHO REQUIRE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO HOW THE COEXISTENCE OF THOSE WHO NEED MORE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCE, HOW YOU HAVE SOUGHT THE NECESSARY RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THAT? BUT THEN THE COEXISTENCE OF, SHELTER SPACE FOR THOSE WHO NEED MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES AND THOSE WHO DON'T.
YEAH. SO SO OUR LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY IS IS OF COURSE, AN IMPORTANT PLAYER IN, IN OUR PARTNERSHIPS. SO THEY'RE ON SITE REGULARLY BOTH.
THEY'RE COMMUNITY BASED TEAM. AND THEN THEY BRING A MOBILE VAN OUT TO DO INTAKES AND ASSESSMENTS.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S A VITAL RESOURCE. AND THEN HAVING STAFF INTERNALLY TO HELP MAKE SURE THAT THOSE DOCTOR'S ORDERS, PRESCRIPTIONS AND ALL OF THAT ARE ARE HAPPENING AND THE REGIMENS ARE BEING FOLLOWED IS IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT AS WELL.
BUT IN TERMS OF CREATING A HEALTHY COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT WITH POPULATIONS OF FOLKS WHO MAY HAVE A SEVERE, PERSISTENT MENTAL ILLNESS AND OTHERS THAT DON'T, I MEAN, THESE FOLKS ARE THEY'RE COHABITATING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
AND SO SO WE FIND IT TO, TO NOT BE MUCH OF AN ISSUE, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, WHEN WE DO HAVE UNIQUE NEEDS WE TRAIN, WE EDUCATE AND TRAIN, JUST LIKE WE WOULD OUR STAFF OR COMMUNITY PARTNER AROUND YOU KNOW, HOW TO HOW TO INTERACT WITH SOMEBODY WHO MIGHT BE IN A PSYCHIATRIC CRISIS, HOW TO KEEP YOURSELF SAFE, HOW TO KEEP THEM SAFE.
AND THAT DOES CREATE SOME BARRIERS FOR FOR CERTAIN GROUP OF CLIENTELE.
AND SO THAT'S WHY ON OUR EXPANSION PROJECT, WE HAVE INCLUDED INTERIOR, MORE APARTMENT STYLE UNITS THAT CAN BE MORE SUPPORTED AND BETTER MONITORED THAT KIND OF HAVE HAVE OFFICES STRATEGICALLY PLACED ON THE RESIDENTIAL FLOOR TO PROVIDE MORE HANDS ON SUPPORT FOR THOSE FOLKS.
THANK YOU. AND WHEN IT COMES TO THE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER WHAT DO YOU HAVE ANY THIRD PARTY PARTNERS FOR HARM REDUCTION? DO YOU ALL OFFER AMNESTY? LOCKERS THERE? WHAT IS YOUR YOUR LEVEL OF BARRIER TO THOSE UNDER THE INFLUENCE? AND DO YOU HAVE MEDICAL ASSISTED TREATMENT? ON SITE.
AND IS THAT ADMINISTERED FROM YOU ALL OR FROM A THIRD PARTY? AS WELL. YEAH. SO WE DO HAVE HARM REDUCTION PARTNERSHIPS WITH PEER, A PEER RECOVERY
[00:55:07]
SERVICE HERE IN AUSTIN. THEY'RE CO-LOCATED ON SITE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 9 TO 5.WE ALSO HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT.
WE DO NOT PROVIDE IT ON SITE. THE OTHER ONES FOUNDATION IS NOT A SUBSTANCE USE PROVIDER.
SO WE WE CONTRACT OR PARTNER FOR ALL OF THOSE SERVICES.
HOW WE HANDLE SUBSTANCE USE IN OUR PROGRAM IS WE WE DO NOT SEARCH OUR CLIENTS BELONGINGS.
WE ROUTE OUR INTERACTIONS AND INTERVENTIONS ON BEHAVIOR.
AND SO IS THE BEHAVIOR OF AN INDIVIDUAL A RISK TO THEMSELVES OR SOMEONE ELSE OR TO THE SAFETY OF THE COMMUNITY? AND IF SO, THEN WE ADDRESS IT AT THAT POINT. THAT'S GREAT.
THANK YOU. AND ARE KIND OF SPEAKING TO WHERE IT ALL CAME FROM.
COUNCIL MEMBER GRACEY MENTIONED, WAS THERE AN ORGANIC DRAW TO THIS LOCATION TO HAVE.
EVOLVED TO BE THE STATE'S ONLY SANCTIONED. WHAT WAS THE DRIVING FORCE FOR THE GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION TO HAVE THAT CONCENTRATION? OF OF UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS AT THE TIME, WAS THAT WAS THAT ORGANIC OR WAS THAT MORE PUSHED FROM THE POWERS TO BE TO, TO BE IN THAT LOCATION? YEAH. I COULDN'T TELL YOU.
THAT WAS DEFINITELY MORE OF A DECISION MADE BETWEEN TEXDOT AND THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.
WAS WAS THOUGHT TO BE MORE MORE ACCESSIBLE. BUT IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT THIS, THIS CONCEPT DIDN'T COME BECAUSE THE AREA, IT DIDN'T COME TO AN AREA THAT HAD A NEED.
IT CREATED AN AREA TO FILL A NEED IN ANOTHER LOCATION.
IS THAT ACCURATE TO SAY THAT IS ACCURATE? OKAY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU.
I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR FUNDING SOURCES.
YEAH. HAPPY TO. SO AS I MENTIONED, THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS IT STARTED PHILANTHROPICALLY.
SO THIS WAS NOT THE STATE'S PLAN. THIS WAS THE OTHER ONE'S PLAN TO TO BUILD A NON-CONGREGATE SHELTER AS OPPOSED TO RETAINING A A SANCTIONED ENCAMPMENT. SO IT BEGAN PHILANTHROPICALLY. THE COUNTY STEPPED IN FOR THOSE CAPITAL.
THEY CAME IN ABOUT 30%. CAPITAL CITY CAME IN ABOUT 10% CAPITAL.
AND THEN THE REMAINING WAS PHILANTHROPICALLY FUNDED MOVING FORWARD.
AND. I'M SORRY. WELL, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY SO FOR, LET'S SAY, THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
WHERE WOULD YOU FIND YOUR LARGEST POTS OF REVENUE? THE CITY IS CURRENTLY OUR LARGEST PARTNER, SO UP UNTIL THIS YEAR, OUR OPERATING FUNDS WERE PRIMARILY FUNDED THROUGH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS. THEIR ARPA FUNDS. AS THAT WOUND DOWN OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR, WE'VE SHIFTED TO TO CITY FUNDS, PRIMARILY WITH ALSO KEY PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTER, WHERE THEY UTILIZE SOME OF OUR BEDS TO AS, AS A TRANSITION FROM THE MEDICAL, THEIR MEDICAL RESPITE PROGRAM. AND WOULD YOU MIND ME ASKING THE DOLLAR AMOUNT OR THE PERCENTAGE THAT THE CITY IS CONTRIBUTING? YES. SO CURRENTLY, OUR ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET FOR FOR 200 BEDS IS 6 MILLION, AND THE CITY BRINGS JUST SHY OF 50% OF THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND LET ME ASK YOU THIS QUESTION.
IN YOUR SMALLER COMMUNITIES OF YOUR 25 TO 30 INDIVIDUAL UNITS, ARE YOU PLACING PEOPLE THAT ARE OF SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCE OR IS IT RANDOM OF. I HAVE AN OPENING HERE.
I'M GOING TO PUT OUR NEXT PERSON THERE AT THIS JUNCTURE.
IT'S RANDOM. AS WE GROW IN SCALE, IT WILL GET MORE INTENTIONAL.
SO WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE FOLKS WORK IN SIMILAR SECTORS OR WITH SIMILAR EMPLOYERS.
[01:00:05]
AND THEN WE'RE ABLE TO CONCENTRATE SOME MORE INTENTIONAL SERVICES, BUT THAT'S YET TO BE SEEN.WE'RE STILL A FEW YEARS OUT FROM THAT. AND THEN SOME OF YOUR WORKFORCE IS ON SITE.
CORRECT. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT? YEAH.
SO WE OFFER A TWO TRANSITIONAL JOBS PROGRAMS. ONE IS, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, OFF SITE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S PARKS DEPARTMENT.
THE OTHER IS JUST ENSURING THE ONGOING OPERATIONS OF OUR EMERGENCY SHELTER.
SO RESIDENTS HERE CAN ENROLL IN OUR TRANSITIONAL JOBS PROGRAM AND CHOOSE A A SECTOR OF WORK THAT THEY THINK THEY WOULD LIKE TO DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS AND OBTAIN EMPLOYMENT IN THE FUTURE.
AND THAT'S OUR FOOD DELIVERY. SO WE HAVE PRE-PACKED PREPACKAGED AND PREPARED MEALS DAILY.
AND SO THEY DO THAT FOOD DISTRIBUTION AND GET FOOD HANDLERS CERTIFICATIONS.
AND, AND WE HAVE A EMPLOYMENT PATHWAY FOR THEM FROM THERE.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE JANITORIAL WORK, LANDSCAPING WORK, GENERAL MAINTENANCE, WHERE WE TEAM THEM UP WITH OUR, OUR FACILITIES TEAM AND A NUMBER OF OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT GIVE PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD THOSE, THOSE EARLY JOB REENTRY SKILLS WHILE ALSO MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR SHELTER OPERATIONS.
GREAT. AND FOLKS THAT COME TO YOU, THIS IS NOT A WALK UP SHELTER, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. HOW ARE YOU RECEIVING, FOLKS? ARE REFERRALS PRIMARILY COME FROM OUTREACH PROVIDERS? WE WILL GET OCCASIONALLY REFERRALS FROM OTHER EMERGENCY SHELTERS OF FOLKS THAT ARE NOT REALLY ABLE TO TO HANDLE A CONGREGATE SETTING AND WOULD BE A BETTER FIT FOR US OR FOLKS WHO ARE READY TO ENGAGE IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
AND THEY'LL ALSO GET REFERRED TO US. AND THEN, LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE DO HAVE A SPECIAL REFERRAL PATHWAY FOR OUR LOCAL MEDICAL RESPITE PROGRAM TO ENSURE THAT FOLKS ARE DISCHARGED BACK TO THE STREET.
OUR ACCEPTANCE. SO OUR SCREENING IS, IS FAIRLY MINIMAL.
WE'RE SCREENING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN MANAGE THEIR ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING, THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO KEEP THEMSELVES SAFE IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO MOBILIZE AROUND THE COMMUNITY AND THAT THEY AGREE TO THE PROGRAM PROGRAM RULES.
GREAT. AND I'D LIKE TO JUST GO BACK TO THE OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS.
WHAT ARE YOU DEFINING AS SUCCESS? HOW ARE YOU MEASURING THAT? AND DO YOU LET ME START WITH THAT? BUT THE SECOND PART I'M GOING TO ASK YOU IS, DO YOU THINK THAT THE SAME STANDARDS BEING USED ACROSS THE AUSTIN, THE GREATER AUSTIN AREA? YEAH, WE USE SIMILAR STANDARDS TO WHAT OUR THE REST OF OUR COMMUNITY CONSIDERS TO BE SUCCESSFUL, WHICH TO US IS NOT ONLY HOUSING PLACEMENTS BUT HOUSING RETENTION.
SOME THERE ARE SOME METRICS AROUND BED UTILIZATION THAT WE ALSO FOLLOW.
SO WE TRY TO KEEP BOTH A 95% OCCUPANCY RATE AT ALL TIMES, WHICH IS A CHALLENGE IN NON-CONGREGATE SHELTER TO DO THOSE TURNOVERS AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SOMEBODY MOVING IN TO THAT, THAT UNIT QUICKLY.
AND THEN INCOME ATTAINMENT AGAIN, A PRETTY STANDARD COMMUNITY METRIC TO FOR, FOR PROJECTS.
THEY'RE NOT CONTACTING YOU ANYMORE. DO YOU THEN CONSIDER THAT A SUCCESS IF YOU DON'T FIND THEM IN MIS? OR DO YOU SAY THEY PROBABLY WENT OFF THE GRID BECAUSE THEY HAVE LOST HOUSING? THE WAY THAT THE REPORT FUNCTIONS IN MIS IS THAT IT WILL ONLY GIVE US THE DATA BASED ON IF THEY'VE HAD A CONTACT WITH THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM AGAIN.
SO WE WOULD WE ACCORDING TO MIS, WE WOULD COUNT THAT AS A SUCCESS.
[01:05:05]
IN DALLAS, WE DO HAVE ONE PIECE OF TEXTILE. TEXTILE PROPERTY THAT'S SURPLUS.BUT THAT'S OUR ONLY ONE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE, LIZ. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. YEAH.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO BRIEFING ITEM D, WHICH IS THE PALLET SHELTER PROGRAM.
AND WE HAPPEN TO HAVE THE CEO, AMY KING, TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT WITH US.
WELCOME, EVERYONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? ALRIGHT. YES. WONDERFUL. GREAT.
SO IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THAT'D BE GREAT.
PERFECT. SO AS YOU'RE PROBABLY FAMILIAR, MUCH LIKE THE MODEL THAT LIZ JUST DESCRIBED TO YOU, PALETTE DOES VERY SIMILAR THING. BUT I WANT TO BE EXTRA CLEAR, AS YOU ALREADY AWARE, PALETTE IS A MANUFACTURER OF A PRODUCT AND A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION. WE ARE NOT A SERVICE PROVIDER. SO WE PARTNER WITH FOLKS LIKE LIZ AND WHO PROVIDE SERVICES LIKE LIZ DOES IN OTHER CITIES.
TO TO SET UP THESE TYPES OF SITES AROUND THE COUNTRY.
BUT WE ARE NOT THE ONES WHO PROVIDE SERVICES.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT REALLY CLEAR. WE ARE THE LEADER IN NON-CONGREGATE EMERGENCY SHELTER.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE 146 VILLAGES THAT ARE ACTIVELY DEPLOYED ACROSS THE US.
WE'RE IN 29 STATES AND THREE PROVINCES IN CANADA.
AND WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING IN 136 CITIES ACROSS THE US AS WELL.
SO WE DO HAVE ONE ACTIVE SITE IN TEXAS. IT'S IN AMARILLO.
AND THEN WE'VE PARTNERED WITH TEMPLE, TEXAS AS WELL, ALTHOUGH THAT SITE IS NOT UP AND RUNNING YET.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION, YOU'VE JUST HEARD ABOUT THIS, SO I WON'T BELABOR THIS MUCH, BUT THE WAY THE MODEL WORKS IS REALLY TO PROVIDE THIS INTERIM SOLUTION THAT SITS BETWEEN LIVING AND UNMANAGED ENCAMPMENTS AND MOVING ON TO PERMANENT HOUSING, AS LIZ DESCRIBED. WE HAVE ALSO SEEN THROUGH OUR DATA COLLECTION ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT THERE IS A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL POPULATION OF FOLKS WHO NEED TIME TO STABILIZE AND ENGAGE WITH SERVICE PROVIDERS BEFORE THEY MOVE ON TO PERMANENT HOUSING.
CERTAINLY THERE ARE FOLKS WHO DO WELL IMMEDIATELY PLACED INTO PERMANENT HOUSING, BUT THERE'S A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT POPULATION OF FOLKS WHO HAVE UNTREATED MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE ISSUES WHO DO NEED MORE STABILIZING TIME IN THESE TYPES OF COMMUNITIES.
AND THEY'RE REALLY THEY CAN BE QUICK AND EASY AND COST EFFICIENT TO SET UP.
THEY CAN ALSO BE OVERENGINEERED AND TOO EXPENSIVE.
AND WE'RE HERE TO HELP YOU MINIMIZE THOSE COSTS AND TIME CHALLENGES.
BUT I WON'T GO INTO ALL THE DETAIL HERE. YOU GUYS HAVE THIS TO READ.
SO NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THE NEXT SLIDE KIND OF SHOWS MORE ABOUT WHY THIS MODEL WORKS.
AND YOU JUST HEARD A LOT ABOUT THIS AND HOW IT'S WORKING IN AUSTIN.
IT CAN BE FAST AND LOW COST. THIS IS HIGHLY SCALABLE.
ASSUMING YOU HAVE ACCESS TO LAND, WHICH IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING AT THAT.
WE DO HAVE VERY HIGH ACCEPTANCE RATES. SO SIMILAR TO WHAT LIZ DESCRIBED, WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IS TRADITIONALLY SERVICE AVERSE INDIVIDUALS WILL ACCEPT NON-CONGREGATE SOLUTIONS IN MASS. AND WE'VE HAD GREAT SUCCESS GETTING FOLKS TO COME INSIDE BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE SAME BED EVERY NIGHT.
BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE CONCERN THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE KICKED OUT IN THE MORNING.
AND SO THIS ALLOWS PEOPLE A PLACE THAT THEY KNOW IS THEIRS, WHERE THEY CAN BRING THEIR THINGS.
THEY CAN STAY WITH A PARTNER SHOULD THEY CHOOSE TO DO THAT, BRING THEIR PET AND THEY HAVE A PLACE THAT'S THEIRS FOR THE PERIOD OF TIME THAT THEY NEED TO REALLY STABILIZE. AND THAT IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE HOUSING FIRST MODEL, IN THE SENSE THAT PEOPLE ARE OFFERED THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR A CONSISTENT BED, REGARDLESS OF ACHIEVING THAT THROUGH CERTAIN MEASURES.
[01:10:05]
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE SEEN. THE SITES THAT PALLET DEPLOYS ARE TEMPORARY IN NATURE.SO THEY CAN BE SET UP FOR VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
OR WE HAVE SITES THAT HAVE BEEN UP FOR TEN YEARS, BUT THE PEOPLE ARE CYCLING THROUGH.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE A NUMBER OF PARTNERS. HOUSING CONNECTOR IS ONE THAT'S ALSO WORKING IN AUSTIN AND IN OTHER COMMUNITIES IN TEXAS WHERE THEY CAN HELP FOLKS FROM PALLET VILLAGES OR TEMPORARY INTERIM SHELTER COMMUNITIES TO FIND PLACEMENT IN MARKET RATE APARTMENTS.
AND THEY'LL SUBSIDIZE THE RISK OF THAT. SO NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO A COUPLE THINGS TO BE AWARE OF. AGAIN, IN LIGHT OF THE UPCOMING EVENT THAT'S COMING TO YOUR CITY.
SO WE ARE ACTIVELY PARTNERING WITH A COUPLE DIFFERENT WORLD CUP HOST CITIES.
A LOT OF THOSE SPECIFICATIONS WITHIN THE CONTRACT FOCUS IN ON SPECIFIC POPULATIONS.
WHAT HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN DONE IN THE US AND ACTUALLY GLOBALLY FOR EVENTS SUCH AS THIS IS PEOPLE GET PUT IN HOTEL ROOMS TEMPORARILY FOR THE EVENT. AND THE PURPOSE HERE AND WHAT'S TYPICALLY BEEN DONE IS COMMUNITIES AND CITIES WILL SAY, LET'S CLEAN UP OUR STREETS, LET'S ADDRESS PUBLIC SAFETY. LET'S GET PEOPLE A PLACE TO STAY.
THEY GET FUNDING TO DO SO. THEY'LL PUT PEOPLE IN HOTELS DURING THE COURSE OF THAT EVENT, IN ORDER FOR THE STREETS TO APPEAR CLEAN AND THEN EVICT THOSE RESIDENTS BACK TO THE STREETS WHEN THE EVENT ENDS. WHAT WE'VE SEEN THROUGH DATA COLLECTION OF THAT MODEL IS THIS IS INCREDIBLY DISRUPTIVE AND ACTUALLY EXACERBATES AND MAKES THE PROBLEM WORSE FOR THOSE DISPLACED POPULATIONS. BECAUSE IT'S IT'S A TEMPORARY LENGTH OF STAY.
IT REALLY STRAINS LOCAL ECONOMIES, ESPECIALLY IN CONNECTION WITH THIS EVENT.
YOU WANT HOTEL ROOMS TO REMAIN OPEN FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING FOR THE EVENT.
AND IT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE. AND SO WE HAVE SOME DATA HERE AROUND AS AN EXAMPLE IN NEW YORK CITY, ONE YEAR OF PROVIDING 50 PEOPLE WITH HOTEL ROOMS FOR A YEAR, PLUS THE SERVICES THEY NEEDED WAS ALMOST $6 MILLION.
SO WE HAVE LOTS OF DATA, AGAIN FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON WHAT AVERAGE SITES COST IN TERMS OF SERVICE MODELS AS WELL AS CONSTRUCTION, AND I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THOSE WITH YOU IF HELPFUL.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE HAVE A COUPLE CITIES, TWO CITIES RIGHT NOW THAT ARE ACTIVELY PURSUING WHAT WE'RE CALLING WORLD CUP SITES. AND THE IDEA HERE IS, AGAIN, TO PROVIDE A MORE MEANINGFUL AND SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION, USE THE EVENT AS A CATALYZING FACTOR TO GET PHILANTHROPIC AND CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP, GET THESE SITES UP AND RUNNING.
BUT THIS IS A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO COME AND BE FOR HOWEVER LONG YOU NEED THEM TO BE THERE.
SO IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA, WE'RE WORKING ON AT LEAST ONE SITE.
THAT SITE WILL BE UP AND RUNNING BY JUNE. AND THEN SAME WITH SEATTLE IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO A COUPLE OF THINGS. OH, YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN OUR MODEL BEFORE.
BUT JUST WANT TO SHARE AGAIN, THIS IS KIND OF WHAT THE MODEL LOOKS LIKE CAN BE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU SAW FROM TUF, BUT OUR UNITS ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT LOOKING.
OUR PRODUCT STANDS UP IN AN HOUR, SO THESE ASSEMBLE IN AN HOUR.
THEY GET PUT ON SITE QUICKLY. THEY CAN BE QUICK.
IT CANNOT BE QUICK DEPENDING ON HOW YOU ENGINEER THE SITE.
AND AGAIN, I HAVE A FULL TEAM OF STAFF WHO WILL HELP AS CIVIL ENGINEERS AND FOLKS WHO WILL HELP WITH SITE SELECTION, SITE DESIGN, SERVICE PROVIDER, CONNECTION, WHATEVER YOU NEED.
SO IT CAN BE, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER MODEL MAKES SENSE FOR YOU.
AND WE'RE HAPPY TO HELP YOU CREATE A PLAN THAT FITS YOUR CITY THE BEST.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. A COUPLE OF THE BIGGEST BENEFITS OF WORKING WITH PALETTE.
AGAIN, JUST AS A REMINDER, WE ARE A RAPID INNOVATOR.
[01:15:03]
WE ARE HAPPY TO DO THAT. HAPPY TO ENGAGE IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU.WE ARE A DUAL PURPOSE ORGANIZATION. WE ALSO ARE FIRST AND FOREMOST WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
SO THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR STAFF AT PALETTE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE EXITING HOMELESSNESS AND THE JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND WE ARE TEACHING AND TRAINING THEM IN MANUFACTURING AND CONSTRUCTION TRADES.
WE ARE ACTIVELY IN CONVERSATION WITH A PARTNER IN DALLAS RIGHT NOW ABOUT THE POTENTIAL TO OPEN A SECONDARY PRODUCTION PLANT IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, PROVIDING JOBS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED THEM IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
WE PAY LIVING WAGES. WE EXPOSE PEOPLE TO 22 DIFFERENT TRADES AND THEN HELP THEM GET PLACEMENT INTO CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFACTURING WORK AS THEY EXIT OUR COHORT MODEL, AND WE BRING IN COHORTS EVERY YEAR. SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW THIS WORKS.
SO AGAIN ONE DAY A WEEK FOLKS GO TO SCHOOL. THEY GET EXPOSED TO 22 DIFFERENT TRADES.
THEY GET BASIC MATH, BASIC SAFETY TRAINING, YOU KNOW, FORKLIFT CERTIFICATION, A LOT OF THINGS THAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD IN THEIR CAREER IN THE TRADES. AND THE GOAL IS TO BUILD A MORE ROBUST CONSTRUCTION WORKFORCE SO THAT WE CAN BUILD MORE PERMANENT HOUSING IN THIS COUNTRY AND EXPOSE MORE PEOPLE TO THE CONSTRUCTION TRADES. SO AND PEOPLE GET PAID WHILE THEY GO TO THAT TRAINING.
AND THEN THEY GET PAID FOUR DAYS A WEEK TO WORK IN THE SHOP WITH US.
SO SO THAT'S HOW ALL OF THIS WORKS AGAIN? WE ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN PARTNERING WITH YOU, AND WE'RE TALKING TO HOUSTON AS WELL. JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE ABOUT THE POTENTIAL TO PARTNER WITH THEM AROUND THE WORLD CUP OPPORTUNITY.
SO LAST SLIDE IS JUST A QUESTION SLIDE, BUT HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
AND SHARE MORE ABOUT THE CITIES WE'RE PARTNERING WITH IF THAT'S USEFUL TO YOU. GREAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, AMY. I'M GOING TO GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER GRACEY.
TALK TO ME ABOUT THE WORKFORCE AGAIN. ARE THOSE NORMALLY THE PEOPLE THAT GO THROUGH THE WORKFORCE? ARE THEY THE FOLKS THAT ARE LIVING IN THE HOMES, OR ARE THEY OTHER FOLKS AROUND? AND IF THEY'RE NOT THE FOLKS, I SEE YOU SHAKING YOUR HEAD, WHY WOULDN'T THEY BE? AND THE REASON I'M ASKING THAT IS BECAUSE, AGAIN, WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF TOUR YOU KNOW, OUR DISTRICT AND, AND, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT SOME OF THE ENCAMPMENTS, THEY'VE BEEN VERY INNOVATIVE IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY DO IN TERMS OF HOW THEY BUILD THEIR SHELTERS, WHETHER IT'S IN THE WOODS, WHETHER IT'S IN THE CREEKS, AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS, WHICH SHOWS THAT THEY HAVE SOME APTITUDE TO, TO, TO LEARN. SO I'M WONDERING IF THERE HAS BEEN ANY DISCUSSION AROUND DRIVING THEM TOWARDS BUILDING THEIR OWN AND GETTING THEM INTO THESE TYPE OF SKILLS? YEAH. FANTASTIC QUESTION.
SO WE PRODUCE IN EVERETT, WASHINGTON. WE'RE JUST DOWN THE ROAD FROM BOEING. THAT'S WHERE THE JOB WHERE WE MANUFACTURE AND FABRICATE THE PANELS THAT YOU SEE HERE, THOSE PANELS THEN SHIP OUT TO SITE IN TRUCKS.
BUT THAT'S A SHORT TERM, QUICK SETUP TIME. IT'S NOT A CONSISTENT JOB.
PALATE PRODUCES A PRODUCT. WE SHIP IT TO SITE.
WE DO NOT MANAGE THE SITES. AND SO THERE IS A LOT OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT THAT HAPPENS ON THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR SITES, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PARTNERS AND THE SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT ARE OPERATING THOSE SITES.
THOSE ARE NOT PALLET JOBS. THEY ARE PROVIDED BY THE RESIDENTIAL OPERATOR THAT'S THERE.
AND SO WE SOMETIMES THEY'LL HIRE PEOPLE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO DO MAINTENANCE AND CLEANING.
BUT THAT'S NOT UP TO US. THE CITIES DECIDE HOW THAT GETS DONE.
WE'RE HAPPY TO PARTNER TO HELP CREATE A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PLAN WITH YOU.
WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH THAT, BUT IN OUR SITES RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE PRODUCTION HAPPENING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. BUT DIDN'T YOU SAY YOU WERE OPENING ONE IN DALLAS? YEAH, WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT RIGHT NOW. WE ARE ACTIVELY TALKING TO A PARTNER, A PROVIDER TO USE PART OF THEIR SHOP TO OPEN THAT, BUT IT'S NOT OPEN RIGHT NOW. UNDERSTOOD. OKAY.
YEAH. WELL, THIS IS SOMETHING I'D LIKE US TO CONTINUE TO EXPLORE BECAUSE AGAIN, IT MAKES SENSE. AND AND AGAIN, I KNOW THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, SEPARATE COMPANIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT AGAIN, AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WORKFORCE AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO TO DO WITH THE RESOURCES THAT THEY HAVE, THE LIMITED RESOURCES THAT THEY HAVE SUGGEST SOME INNOVATION.
AND I THINK, AGAIN, WITH SOME SOME TRAINING, UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU ALL ARE NOT SERVICE PROVIDERS, BUT I THINK YOU COULD SERVE AS A NETWORK TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO JOBS. SO THANK YOU.
[01:20:02]
ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA.THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I'M A BIG SUPPORTER OF Y'ALL'S MODEL. THANK YOU.
WHEN YOU DISCUSSED A COUPLE OF CITIES, AND I KNOW ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE'VE HAD IN IN IMPLEMENTING AND EXECUTING A MODEL WITH YOU ALL IS THE USE OF BOND FUNDS AND IT BEING TEMPORARY SHELTERS. I KNOW THAT YOU ALL HAVE SOME BUILT IN FOUNDATIONS AND SOME OF YOUR MODELS THAT YOU HAVE THE UNIT MODELS THAT YOU HAVE. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHO IS FUNDING THE UNITS IN ATLANTA AND SEATTLE? ABSENT OF ANY BOND FUNDS AND HOW YOU'VE WORKED AROUND THAT IN THE PAST? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES THAT MUNICIPAL PARTNERS HAVE USED.
HUD FUNDING. THE MAJORITY OF HUD FUNDING IS AN ELIGIBLE FUNDING SOURCE FOR PALETTE MODELS.
SO CDBG FUNDS, ESG, ARPA, CARES ACT. ANY OF THOSE, IF YOU HAVE THEM CAN BE USED FOR PALETTE.
THE COC FUNDS THAT ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE. AS YOU ALL KNOW, THERE WAS A LOT OF TURMOIL AROUND THAT.
BUT I THINK IN THE FUTURE CCOC FUNDS WILL BE MORE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS TYPE OF MODEL AS WELL.
THAT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS THERE IS AN INTERESTING RULE AROUND.
FOUNDATIONS. AND I THINK IT'S BEEN BYPASSED IN OTHER PLACES LIKE AMARILLO.
WE DO IN VERY INTENTIONALLY, AS YOU MENTIONED, BUILD THE FOUNDATIONAL STRUCTURE INTO THE PRODUCT.
THAT WAY YOU CAN USE THAT PROPERTY FOR PERMANENT CONSTRUCTION LATER.
RIGHT. THIS IS A TEMPORARY PRODUCT. YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, HAVE IT UP FOR TEN YEARS.
AS I MENTIONED, SOME CITIES DO THAT, BUT THE PEOPLE CYCLE THROUGH.
BUT THE GOAL ULTIMATELY IS FOR US TO WORK OURSELVES OUT OF A JOB AND FOR YOU TO GET PEOPLE MOVING THROUGH AND INTO SOMETHING MORE PERMANENT, AND THEN TURN THAT SITE INTO SOMETHING ELSE IN THE FUTURE.
SO WE DON'T WANT YOU TO HAVE TO INVEST IN PERMANENT FOUNDATIONS AND THINGS.
THESE UNITS, HOWEVER, ARE STAKED INTO THE GROUND TO MEET WIND RATINGS.
WE HAVE SITES IN TAMPA, FLORIDA THAT WERE HIT BY HURRICANE SELINA.
NO DAMAGE, NO ISSUES, NO PROBLEM. PEOPLE ACTUALLY SHELTERED IN PLACE INSIDE THEIR UNITS.
THEY WERE PERFECTLY SAFE AND FINE. SO THAT'S THESE MEET STRUCTURAL REQUIREMENTS WITHOUT HAVING TO HAVE A FOUNDATION THAT'S ANTIQUATED CODE THAT YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN HELP YOU GET AROUND BASICALLY.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT HELPS ADDRESS YOUR QUESTION. BUT FUNDING WISE.
OH REAL QUICK I'LL SAY TWO. IN ATLANTA AND SEATTLE THERE'S A PARTNERSHIP OF MUNICIPAL FUNDS.
AND THEN THERE'S CORPORATE AND PHILANTHROPIC SPONSORSHIP AS WELL. SO IT'S A BLEND OF THE TWO.
SO I HELP WITH THEM WITH FUNDRAISING. MAYOR DICKENS ACTUALLY DID ALL OF HIS OWN FUNDRAISING.
WE PROVIDED THEM A BUNCH OF INFORMATION TO FUNDRAISE WITH.
AND THEN HE DID HIS OWN FUNDRAISING. AND THEN IN SEATTLE, WE ARE PARTNERING WITH A NUMBER OF TECH COMPANIES TO HELP THEM IDENTIFY FUNDING SOURCES TO HELP SUBSIDIZE OPERATING COSTS FOR THESE SITES LONG TERM.
THANK YOU. THAT DOES ANSWER MY QUESTION. I WOULD LIKE TO SCHEDULE TIME, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
I'M GOING TO GET YOUR YOUR INFORMATION AND REACH OUT.
YEAH. I YOU MENTIONED I THAT WE WANT TO WORK OURSELVES OUT OF THE JOB, ETCETERA.
SO I'D LIKE TO SEE HOW YOU'VE WORKED THROUGH THAT WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.
THANK YOU. YEAH. HAPPY TO HELP. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.
THANK YOU. CHAIR. GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. I LOOK FORWARD TO REALLY JUST.
LOOK, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS AROUND THIS CHAIR, AND I THINK THE MAJORITY OF THIS COMMITTEE AND THIS COUNCIL WANT TO LOOK AT THINGS OUTSIDE OF JUST THE HOUSING FIRST MODEL.
AND SO MY CHALLENGE REALLY TO OUR CITY MANAGER AND TO YOU, CHAIR IS GETTING AN ACTION ITEM.
ON A MODEL LIKE THIS THAT WILL BRING SOMETHING FORWARD.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF YEARS OF DISCUSSION WITH NO NEW MODELS OR NEW WAYS OUTSIDE OF JUST HOUSING FIRST. THANK YOU.
AS YOU KNOW THIS IS ACTUALLY NOT EVEN OUR FIRST PALETTE PRESENTATION.
AND I'VE BROUGHT MANY DIFFERENT PRESENTATIONS THAT ARE NEW WAYS TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS.
SOME ARE HOUSING RELATED INCLUDING SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY, WHICH IS, AGAIN, A COMPLETELY MISSING CATEGORY FROM OUR CITY THAT WOULD PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUPPORTIVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO A POPULATION THAT DESPERATELY NEEDS IT.
[01:25:06]
WHEN YOU WERE CHAIR, WE ACTUALLY HAD THIS DISCUSSION.I DO BELIEVE THERE ARE SOME FUNDING SOURCES THAT HAVE NOW BEEN IDENTIFIED THAT WERE NOT PREVIOUSLY, AND I'M HOPING THAT NEXT MONTH, HAVING HEARD A PLETHORA OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THINGS WE COULD DO, THAT WE WILL COME TO SOME CONSENSUS ON WHAT WE WILL DIRECT STAFF TO DO.
AND SO THAT'S MY INTENTION AND THAT'S STARTING WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP AS CHAIR AND THE CONTINUATION.
AND I AGREE WITH YOU WHOLEHEARTEDLY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MISS KING. AS MAYOR PRO TEM ALLUDED TO, WE'VE TOURED MANY SITES IN LOS ANGELES AND OTHER OTHER IN ATLANTA AND OTHER PLACES, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU SHARING THAT SOME PEOPLE NEED THE TIME TO STABILIZE, AND I THINK IT'S EASY FROM THE OUTSIDE IN TO SAY A SHELTER IS THE ANSWER. AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS THE ANSWER, BECAUSE BEING IN A PLACE WHERE 200 PEOPLE AROUND YOU ARE IN CRISIS IS IS NOT EXACTLY SETTLING OR STABILIZING. AND SO WHAT I'VE SEEN, AND YOU ALSO ALLUDED TO THE ACCESS TO COMMUNITY ASPECT, WHICH IS KIND OF RECENTERING TO BRING PEOPLE BACK HOME TO WHO THEY ARE.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PURSUING LEVERAGING FIFA YOU KNOW, ALL OF THAT IS WERE YOU SAYING THERE'S SOME PRIVATE OPPORTUNITIES IN WORK IN DALLAS WHERE THAT'S HAPPENING? I MEAN, IT'S GOING TO BE AT OUR DOORSTEP IN A JUST A FEW SHORT MONTHS.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THE SHIP HAS SAILED FOR DALLAS.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE HAPPY TO PARTNER WITH YOU ON THAT.
AND THEN BEYOND THAT, AND I'M GOING TO BE VERY FRANK HERE.
SO IT'S VERY POSSIBLE WE CAN BUILD 40 SHELTERS A WEEK OUT OF OUR FACILITY IN EVERETT.
I CAN GET THEM BUILT FOR YOU IN TIME. THE CHALLENGE WILL BE ON YOUR SIDE IN TERMS OF GETTING CITY OR GETTING LAND SELECTED AND GETTING PERMITTING DONE, WHICH AGAIN, MY TEAM WILL HELP YOU WITH. BUT ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S UP TO YOU GUYS.
IF WE CAN KIND OF GET THROUGH SOME OF THE BARRIERS THAT ARE TYPICALLY THERE.
BUT WE SHOULD START THAT WORK NOW IF WE THINK WE WANT TO DO THAT.
I WILL SAY TOO, WE HAVE SOME PARTNERS IN DALLAS.
ONE OF THEM IS JP, A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY THAT JP STAFF HAVE OFFERED TO BUILD IN DALLAS AT COST.
AND AND SUPPORT THE INFRASTRUCTURE SIDE BECAUSE WE DON'T DO THAT WE'LL PROVIDE THE PRODUCT.
BUT THEN IF YOU NEED TO DO ANY WORK ON THE PROPERTY RELATED TO PLUMBING, ELECTRICAL, ALL OF THAT WHICH YOU WILL THEY SAID THEY OFFERED TO DO THAT AT COST AND, AND BE A PARTNER. AND THEY'RE FAMILIAR WITH OUR PRODUCT AND OUR MODEL.
SO LET ME KNOW IF THAT'S HELPFUL. I'M HAPPY TO LEVERAGE OUR RELATIONSHIPS TO HELP GET THIS DONE BY JUNE, IF THAT'S OF INTEREST TO YOU. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
SO I WOULD HOPE THAT WE COULD MOVE FORWARD ON THAT WITH STAFF AND DIRECT STAFF TO BRING SOMETHING BACK TO US, MR. CHAIR SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE THAT WOULD BE.
AND I KNOW THAT THINGS HAVE BEEN IN THE WORKS.
I'VE HEARD DISCUSSION FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS NOW, AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO LAND ON SOMETHING.
AND IF THIS IS PHILOSOPHICALLY SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO FORMALIZE, I THINK THERE'S BEEN A SHIFT IN, IN THINKING ABOUT ALL OF THE ARROWS WE NEED TO HAVE IN OUR QUIVER TO GET PEOPLE OFF THE STREET AND BACK ON THE PATH TO BEING THE BEST PERSON THEY CAN AND WANT TO BE. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. YEAH. THANK YOU.
THERE IS A LOT OF INFORMATION OUT THERE ABOUT PELLET BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR A DECADE NOW.
AND A LOT OF THAT INFORMATION IS VERY OUTDATED.
SO AS AN EXAMPLE, IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, OUR VERY FIRST SITE WAS INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE BECAUSE, FRANKLY, THE CITY OVERENGINEERED THE SITE AND WANTED ALL THESE THINGS DONE THAT WERE UNNECESSARY AND INVESTED IN VERY EXPENSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE.
TODAY WE'RE DOING SITES IN LA FOR $20,000 A DOOR, ALL IN TOTAL COST.
SO IT IS POSSIBLE TO DO THIS VERY CHEAPLY. AND AGAIN, MY TEAM IS FREE OF CHARGE TO YOU.
[01:30:01]
WE'RE HAPPY TO HELP. WE JUST NEED TO WE NEED YOUR HELP AND AUTHORITY TO COME TO THE TABLE AND CONTRIBUTE, AND WE CAN MAKE THIS FAST AND COST EFFICIENT.I WOULD ADD TO WHAT I JUST SAID ABOUT IDENTIFYING PIECE OF LAND IS ALSO THE OPERATIONAL DOLLARS.
THAT'S THE CRITICAL PART. WE ACTUALLY CAN FIND THE HARDSCAPE DOLLARS.
IT'S MORE ABOUT HOW DO YOU HAVE THE ONGOING OPERATIONS.
I DO THINK THAT WITH THIS BEING THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE THAT DALLAS RESIDENTS HAVE IDENTIFIED AS THEIR TOP CONCERN, AND I HAVE HEARD IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THERE IS WILL PHILANTHROPIC WILL AS WELL.
SO THAT IS WHAT I WOULD BE LOOKING FOR SOME IDEAS ON.
AND I'M SURE YOU'VE GOT SOME BEST PRACTICES YOU COULD SHARE AROUND THAT AS WELL.
WE SHARED A FLIER THAT WE'RE USING IN OTHER CITIES.
WE SHARED THAT WITH YOU. HOPEFULLY YOU WERE ABLE TO SEE THAT. BUT WE HAVE A PHILANTHROPY ENGAGEMENT DECK AS WELL. AND PALATE CAN SERVE AS A CATALYST TO RAISE MONEY AND SUPPORT OPERATING. OR WE CAN BROKER CONNECTIONS TO PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY DIRECTLY TO YOU OR TO THE SERVICE PROVIDER.
SO IN WHATEVER WAY BEST SERVES YOUR NEEDS, WE'RE HAPPY TO PARTICIPATE ON THAT SIDE AS WELL.
SO I KNOW I WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE THAT CHAIR.
THANK YOU. OKAY. SO ONE OF THE PARTS YOU OUTLINED, A SERIES OF THINGS, THE SITE GETTING THE UNITS THEMSELVES BUILT PERMITTING. BUT THE ONE YOU LEFT OFF IS THE OPERATIONS.
AND THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A NONPROFIT PARTNER WHO CAN OPERATE IT.
YOU AND I HAVE SPOKEN MANY, MANY TIMES, AND IN FACT, YOU PROVIDED A LIST OF POSSIBLE OPERATORS THAT ARE SITUATED IN TEXAS AND OUTSIDE THAT COULD POTENTIALLY COME IN. WHAT I'M HEARING IS A WILL OF THIS BODY, WHICH I'M JUST GOING TO SAY THIS COMMITTEE HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN VERY UNIFIED. BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE'S A COALESCING AROUND THIS IDEA.
FRANKLY, THERE IS A COALESCING ABOUT IT. WHEN YOU WERE CHAIR MAYOR PRO TEM, AND IT GOT IT GOT STUCK.
AND SO THERE'S NO VOTE NEEDED HERE. BUT IS IS THERE ANYONE WHO'S FEELING THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE SHOULD IMMEDIATELY PURSUE? OR IS OR IS THAT. YES, WE SHOULD IMMEDIATELY BE PURSUING THIS.
I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR BRINGING THE NECESSARY ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE.
QUITE FRANKLY, MADAM CHAIR. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN STUCK.
I THINK THAT IT IS HIGHLIGHTED A LEVEL OF COMPLACENCY FROM OUR CITY STAFF TO NOT THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX, DESPITE THAT BEING A CLEAR DIRECTIVE FROM OUR COUNCIL.
I HAVE PERSONALLY DONE LEGWORK TO FIND LOCATIONS OF LAND IN MY DISTRICT.
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THE ATTENTION. I HOPE THAT WE'RE SENDING A CLEAR MESSAGE TO STAFF TO GET MOVING AND SO THAT WE DON'T SPEND ANOTHER TWO YEARS JUST TALKING ABOUT DOING SOMETHING. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER. THERE IS ACTUALLY A SITE THAT IS IN YOUR DISTRICT THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED.
IT WOULD BE COST FREE TO US. I'VE TALKED TO VARIOUS PEOPLE IN LEADERSHIP WHO WOULD OFFER IT TO US.
I'VE DRIVEN IT MULTIPLE TIMES. I THINK THERE WOULD BE NO NEIGHBORHOOD ISSUE.
I'VE DONE THE SAME. AND I'VE EVEN TALKED TO NEARBY RESIDENTS ABOUT WHAT COULD BE DONE THERE.
AND THERE'S GOING TO NEVER BE A PERFECT SITE THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO HEAR ANY OPPOSITION FROM.
BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A GREAT SITE FOR US TO WORK AS A PROOF OF CONCEPT, TYPE OF MODEL.
AND I'M HAPPY TO CHAMPION AND GO AGAINST YOU KNOW, THE GRAIN IF, IF YOU WILL, IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE THAT PROOF OF CONCEPT TO BE WILLING TO SHOW FOR. SO I THINK THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE EXACT SAME ONE OVER OFF ILLINOIS AND 310 BY 45, THE TEXDOT LOCATION. I'M I'M HAPPY TO EXPLORE THAT FURTHER AND WOULD LOVE TO SEE US HAVE SOMETHING OUT OF THE BOX OVER THERE IN THAT AREA.
WELL, PERHAPS WE SHOULD HAVE AN OFFLINE CONVERSATION. YES.
MISS KING, I OFTEN GO TO CALIFORNIA, TO THE LA AREA.
AND I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE A LOCATION IN THE INGLEWOOD AREA, IS THAT CORRECT? OR THERE WAS A LOCATION THAT WAS OPERATING IN INGLEWOOD AREA?
[01:35:02]
YEAH, WE HAVE 15 SITES IN LA. SO PROBABLY I'M SORRY, I DON'T KNOW ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AREAS THAT THEY'RE IN ANYMORE.OKAY. CAN WE COMMUNICATE OFFLINE? IS THAT POSSIBLE? BECAUSE I, WHEN I TRAVEL TO LA, I WOULD LOVE TO GO AND HAVE A LOOK.
AND I DO TRAVEL THERE OFTEN TO, TO SEE HOW THEY'RE OPERATING THEIR LOCATIONS THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE CENTERED IN AND THE CONDITIONS OF, OF EACH SITE OR MULTIPLE SITES.
THANK YOU. YEAH, I'M HAPPY TO. YEAH. I'M HAPPY TO CONNECT ANYBODY WHO'D LIKE TO WITH WITH AMY I'LL TELL YOU THAT I'VE BEEN TO SEVERAL SITES. THEY'RE ALL A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
IT'S VERY SPECIFIC, BASED ON THE SHAPE OF THE LAND.
THE OPERATOR, SOME OF THEM PAINT THEIR UNITS AND MAKE THEM VERY PERSONAL AND KIND OF FUN WITH FLOWERS AND WHATEVER OTHERS LEAVE THEM THE STARK WHITE COLOR. AND FRANKLY, THAT PROVIDES SORT OF A FRESHNESS IN A CLEANLINESS THAT IS NOT UNATTRACTIVE.
BUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING THAT IS VERY ATTRACTIVE TO ME IS PROVIDING THAT PLACE WHERE PEOPLE AGAIN, KNOW THEY HAVE A PLACE TO RETURN. THEY CAN LOCK THEIR ITEMS IN THERE AND NOT BE TOTING THEM AROUND OR WORRIED THAT THEY'LL BE STOLEN.
THERE'S A SENSE OF COMMUNITY. THERE'S AN OPTION BESIDES THE SHELTERS THAT WE HAVE, WHICH ARE REALLY DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB, BUT THEY ARE AT CAPACITY AND THEY'RE NOT THE ONLY ANSWER THAT'S AVAILABLE.
AND SO WE JUST HAVE TO ADD TO THE VARIETY OF RESOURCES WE HAVE BOTH ON HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS.
AND IN THIS CASE, YOU KNOW, SO MANY OF US HAVE SEEN WHETHER IT'S PALLET OR OTHER PROVIDERS WHERE THIS IS ACTUALLY SOLVING AN ISSUE AND WE'VE NOT EVEN EXPLORED IT. SO THANK YOU.
I THINK STAFF IS HEARING THE OVERWHELMING SUPPORT TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.
LIZ, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'RE ABLE TO SPEAK ON THIS, BUT WOULD THIS BE SOMETHING THAT GIVEN THE TIME FRAME AND THAT HOMELESSNESS IS AN EMERGENCY, WOULD IT BE ABLE TO BE DONE AS A SOLE SOURCE PROCUREMENT? WOULD IT BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE DONE THROUGH NONPROFIT? HOW HOW COULD THIS BE MANAGED? THANK YOU. CHAIR LIZ CITY WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
AND THOSE ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT I'M WRITING DOWN ABOUT RELATED TO TIMELINE AND THE URGENCY OF IT.
CITY MANAGER RELATED TO THIS AND SEE IF IT WOULD BE FEASIBLE IN THE TIME FRAME THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, IF IT IS FIFA RELATED. WELL, LOOK, HERE'S THE REALITY.
IT WAS TO GET PEOPLE OFF THE STREET, JUST AS EVERY OTHER COMMUNITY DOES.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. AND IT'S GOING TO BE WITH OUTCOME MEASURES THAT DO NOT FIT WHAT IS STANDARD MEANING TO JUST SAY, OH, THEY DIDN'T HAPPEN TO SHOW BACK UP ON THIS.
SO THEREFORE THEY MUST BE A SUCCESS WHEN ACTUALLY THEY'RE DOWN BY THE RIVER AND NOBODY KNOWS.
IT IS OUTRAGEOUS. SO LET'S DO SOMETHING REAL.
LET'S ACTUALLY HELP PEOPLE GET TO STABILITY AND FIND THEIR WAY BACK TO EITHER SELF-SUPPORTING OR TO A WAY WHERE THEY CAN BE PART OF THE SYSTEM, WHERE THEY HAVE SUPPORT, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE AGENCY TO TO LIVE A MEANINGFUL LIFE.
AND SO THANK YOU, CHAIR. I'D LOVE TO SET UP A MEETING.
WE'LL ASK COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA TO PLEASE BE THERE.
WE'LL ASK TEXDOT TO BE THERE. LAST PROCUREMENT TO BE THERE.
AND LET'S NOT HAVE THE CITY HALL ANSWER OF. WELL, WE CAN'T DO IT IN TIME.
IT'S TOO HARD BECAUSE WE CAN DO THIS. THANK YOU.
SO NOTED. THAT TOOK A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME THAN I WAS ACTUALLY EXPECTING.
THERE'S A FANTASTIC PRESENTATION ON F. AARON.
I'M GOING TO MOVE IT AFTER G. IF WE HAVE TIME, WE'LL DO IT TODAY.
IF NOT, WE'LL POP IT TO NEXT MONTH. WE ALMOST HAVE NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA FULLY, FULLY OUTLINED.
BUT IT'S A REALLY, REALLY GOOD PRESENTATION. AND THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THAT INFORMATION TOGETHER.
[01:40:02]
SO I'D SAY TO THE COMMITTEE, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND LOOK AT IT NOW AND THEN LET'S WE MAY END UP BRIEFING IT NEXT MONTH.BUT G IS SO ESSENTIAL. AND IT'S 1041 AT THIS TIME.
SO WITH THAT THOR AND JAMES COME ON DOWN AND LET'S, LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT ITEM, WHICH IS COMING TO THE COUNCIL LATER THIS WEEK.
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. CHAIR. COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THOR ERICKSON, DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT.
JOINING ME TODAY IS DEPUTY DIRECTOR JAMES ARMSTRONG AND GENERAL MANAGER OF THE DALLAS HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION AND DALLAS PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION AARON ALQUINTO THE DALLAS HOUSING RESOURCE CATALOG IS THE DOCUMENT WHERE ALL HOUSING PROGRAMS LIVE.
LIKE THE DALLAS HOMEBUYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, THE HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION, AND THE HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROGRAM STATEMENTS.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PRESENTATION TODAY IS TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THOSE FOUR PROGRAMS, WHICH ARE THE RESULT OF MANY CONVERSATIONS THAT STEM FROM CITY COUNCIL REQUESTS TO STREAMLINE APPLICATIONS, OUTSOURCE PROGRAMS, AND CONTINUE TO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT AND COMPLIANCE TO HOUSING PROGRAMS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. TODAY WE'LL DISCUSS THE FOUR PROGRAM STATEMENTS, SPECIFICALLY THE HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROGRAM STATEMENT, WHICH IS AN APPLICATION CRITERIA FOR THOSE APPLYING FOR RESOLUTIONS OF SUPPORT OR RESOLUTIONS OF NO OBJECTION FOR THEIR LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT APPLICATIONS TO THE STATE. THE HOMEBUYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, THE HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, AND PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATIONS PROGRAM STATEMENTS STEMMING FROM THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF PLUS OF COUNCIL CONVERSATIONS AND FEEDBACK. I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO JAMES NOW TO WALK US THROUGH THE FIRST TWO PROGRAMS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU THOR. THE FIRST PROGRAM FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IS THE HOUSING TAX.
I'M SORRY. NEXT SLIDE. IS THE HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROGRAM STATEMENT.
SO THE CURRENT STATEMENT GIVES GENERAL GUIDANCE TO DEVELOPERS SEEKING RESOLUTIONS OF SUPPORT FOR THE 9% LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX, CREDIT PRODUCT OR RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION FOR THE 4% LIHTC APPLICATION TO THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS.
THE CURRENT LANGUAGE HEAVILY RELIES ON THE CURRENT LANGUAGE.
LANGUAGE HEAVILY RELIES ON THESE STATES QUALIFIED ACTION PLAN, WHICH USES VERY TECHNICAL LANGUAGE COMMINGLES THE 9% AND 4% APPLICATION PROCESS, AND OVERALL THE STATEMENT JUST NEEDS TO BE SIMPLIFIED.
NEXT SLIDE. WHAT YOU'LL SEE ON THIS SLIDE IS CURRENT PROGRAM AND PROPOSED PROGRAM.
SO AS I SAID, THE CURRENT PROGRAM STATEMENT COMBINES THE 4% RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT, THE 9% RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT AND THE 4% RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION IS HIGHLY TECHNICAL AND HAS APPLICATION CRITERIA AND POLICY RATHER THAN A GUIDING DOCUMENT.
IF YOU LOOK JUST BELOW THE PROPOSED PROGRAM STATEMENT DOES A COUPLE OF THINGS.
IT GIVES GUIDANCE ON APPLICATION TIMELINES AND CURRENT CALENDAR FOR STAFF REVIEW.
AND IT REALLY SETS THE STANDARD FOR PROJECT TYPE AND AREAS WITH GREATER THAN 20% POVERTY.
LASTLY, AS YOUR FEEDBACK FROM OUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING, WE'VE ADDED A REQUIREMENT THAT THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER BE NOTIFIED PRIOR TO THE DEVELOPER SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION. TO RECAP, THIS AMENDMENT IS MOSTLY FOR CLARIFYING TO CLARIFY ON HOW TO APPLY FOR THE RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT, RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION, AND MOVES THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OUT OF THE STATEMENT AND REFERS BACK TO THE QUALIFIED ACTION PLAN.
NEXT SLIDE. THE SECOND AMENDMENT IS TO OUR DALLAS HOMEBUYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
WHAT WE KNOW IS THE MEDIAN SALES PRICE FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IN DALLAS IS AROUND 370,000, WITH THE MEDIAN SALARIES BEING WELL BELOW THE REQUIRED LEVEL OF INCOME FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP.
IT LITERALLY FILLS THAT GAP UP TO ABOUT $50,000.
NEXT SLIDE. SO THE AMENDMENT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TODAY WILL ALLOW DEHAP TO BE OUTSOURCED.
[01:45:03]
WE KNOW THAT THAT HAS BEEN A DIRECTIVE FROM THIS BODY TO LOOK AT HOW TO CREATE A MORE EFFICIENT HOUSING.COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT OFFICE AS THE PROGRAM STATEMENT IS SILENT ON THE ISSUE.
WE'RE ADDING THAT THAT THAT LANGUAGE TO THE AMENDMENT.
AND SO ESSENTIALLY WE'RE LOOKING AT ALIGNING LEAN REQUIREMENTS WITH HOME RULE.
I'LL COVER THE BACKGROUND ON ACTIVITY TODAY AND HAND IT OFF TO MR. QUINTO TO DISCUSS THE CURRENT PORTFOLIOS OF BOTH CORPORATIONS, AND THEN DISCUSS THE AMENDMENTS BEING PRESENTED FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
NEXT SLIDE. THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, CITY COUNCIL HAS BROUGHT FORTH DIFFERENT QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CORPORATION, THE PUBLIC PURPOSE, THE FINANCIAL IMPACT TO THE CITY, THE DELIVERY ON UNITS TO ADDRESS OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS.
AND AS THESE PORTFOLIOS STARTED TO GROW, SO DO THE QUESTIONS.
IN 2019 AN AMENDMENT TO THE BYLAWS OF THE HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION WERE APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL, WHICH ALLOWED FOR A MORE CLEAR APPLICATION PROCESS.
SOME GENERAL ADJUSTMENTS TO THE BOARD SEATS AND AND TERMS, AND SINCE THEN, THE HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION HAS COMPLETED 29 TOTAL PROJECTS, WITH ONLY NINE OF THOSE BEING COMPLETED BEFORE THE AMENDMENT.
FOR OVER 4000 UNITS AND HAS EIGHT UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
ON OCTOBER 29TH OF 2024, AFTER A COUPLE YEARS OF QUESTIONS ON EACH INDIVIDUAL ITEM, THE PREVIOUS HOUSING DEPARTMENT STAFF WORKED ON A PRESENTATION TO THIS BODY, HOUSING AND HOMELESS SOLUTIONS COMMITTEE, TO DISCUSS BOTH CORPORATIONS.
THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE COMPLIANCE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IS AT THAT TIME, THE STAFF FOR THE CORPORATIONS WERE STILL EMBEDDED IN THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, AND OVER THAT TIME, STAFF HAVE NOW BEEN HIRED BY THOSE CORPORATIONS.
AND THERE'S A SEPARATION OF DUTIES BETWEEN THE DEVELOPERS APPLYING TO THE CORPORATIONS FOR THEIR INITIAL APPROVAL AND WHAT THAT STAFF IS TO OVERSEE IN THAT APPLICATION PROCESS. AND THEN THE SECOND HAND PROCESS OF HOUSING STAFF REVIEWING THOSE APPLICATIONS AND GETTING THEM AGENDA READY TO BRIEF TO HOUSING AND HOMELESS SOLUTIONS COMMITTEE, AND THEN ULTIMATELY TO CITY COUNCIL FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
SO THE ROLES ARE SEPARATE, ON PURPOSE AND BY DESIGN, BUT NOTHING WAS WRITTEN DOWN TO DESCRIBE THAT.
AND SO FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THESE PROGRAM STATEMENTS THAT DEFINE THE THE COMPLIANCE DUTIES, THE THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, THE USES OF REVENUE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THOR. AARON QUINTO HERE, GENERAL MANAGER OF THE DALLAS HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION AND THE PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION. I APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TO HELP THAW OUT HERE WITH THIS THIS EXPLANATION OF OF WHAT WE DO.
AND AS HE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE WERE PREVIOUSLY HOUSED WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
AS WE'VE GROWN RAPIDLY OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO SO MUCH.
AND SO THAT'S THAT'S BEEN A PRETTY RAPID EXPANSION OVER THE LAST.
CALL IT FIVE YEARS. AND WE ATTRIBUTE THIS, YOU KNOW, BOTH TO CITY COUNCIL, TO CITY STAFF, AS WELL AS A VERY SKILLED AND VERY DEDICATED BOARD THAT YOU ALL HAVE APPOINTED.
AND SO WE'VE APPRECIATED THAT PROGRESS. AND THEN WITH THE PFC SIDE, YOU KNOW, FROM ITS ITS BIRTH IN ABOUT 2020, THEY'VE DONE ABOUT 20 PLUS PROPERTIES AND IT'S BEEN QUITE SUCCESSFUL.
AND AS YOU'LL NOTE, NONE OF THOSE PROPERTIES ARE WERE EXISTING PROPERTIES.
[01:50:06]
PROGRAM. AND IT'S BEEN RECOGNIZED THROUGHOUT THE STATE.AND I'VE HAD MANY PEOPLE TELL ME, FROM DEVELOPERS TO BANKERS TO OTHER CITY, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, HEY, WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING IN DALLAS? LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT. AND SO WE'VE BEEN PROUD TO TO BE ABLE TO BE A PART OF THIS.
AND SO I APPRECIATE THE HELP OF ALL YOU GUYS TO DO THIS.
DO YOU WANT TO GO ON THIS SLIDE? OKAY. SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT AMIS AND WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, WHICH POPULATION EACH CORPORATION SERVES, FOR THE MOST PART THE HFC WILL SERVE A LOWER INCOME POPULATION.
THEY FOCUS ON THOSE EARNING LESS THAN 60% OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
AND THEN THE OTHER HALF, WHICH ARE THEY'RE RESTRICTED TO THOSE EARNING LESS THAN 80%.
AMI AND THEN THERE'S A, THERE'S A SMALL SECTION EARNING LESS THAN 60% AMI AS WELL.
SO TRADITIONALLY, ANY OF OUR PROPERTIES ARE REQUIRED TO ACCEPT VOUCHERS IF THOSE RESIDENTS QUALIFY.
AND SO YOU'LL SEE VOUCHER RESIDENTS AT BOTH HFC AND PFC PROPERTIES.
AND THAT ALLOWS US TO REACH EVEN THOSE VERY LOW INCOME FOLKS DOWN TO, YOU KNOW, THE 30% LEVEL, THOSE WHO ARE IN MOST NEED. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE VERY MOST PROUD OF AS WELL.
GOING ON, YOU'LL SEE THE THE PORTFOLIO IN THE MAP.
WE TRY TO SPREAD IT OUT AS WIDELY THROUGHOUT THE CITY AS POSSIBLE.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT NEEDS IN EVERY PORTION OF THE CITY, RIGHT.
THE NEEDS OF DISTRICT 11 AND 12 ARE NOT THE SAME AS THE NEEDS OF DISTRICT 6 OR 4 OR 3 OR 2.
SO THE GOAL HERE AND THE BOARD HAS STATED THIS IS TO GET HOUSING WHERE IT'S NEEDED MOST.
AND SO YOU'LL SEE DATA ALL OVER AS WHAT IS NEEDED, WHERE WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT'S IT'S VERY HARD TO PINPOINT EXACTLY WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDS, EXACTLY WHAT UNIT TYPE.
NOW THE BOARDS DO A VERY GOOD JOB OF VETTING THESE PROJECTS, RIGHT.
YOU GUYS ALWAYS SAY, HEY, WE HARDLY EVER DISAPPROVE ANY OF THESE.
AND SO WE DON'T WANT TO WASTE YOUR TIME. WE DON'T WANT TO WASTE DEVELOPERS TIME OR LENDERS TIME.
THOSE PROJECTS THAT DON'T MEET THESE QUALIFICATIONS NEVER MAKE IT TO THIS POINT, RIGHT? BUT OF THOSE THAT HAVE, YOU CAN SEE THEY'RE PRETTY DISPERSED THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND YOU'LL SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, TO TO CREATE A DEED RESTRICTED PROPERTY, TO HAVE A RENT RESTRICTED PROPERTY, YOU JUST CAN'T PAY DOWN THE LOANS NEEDED TO FINANCE A PROPERTY.
IF YOU HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT YOU CAN COLLECT.
AND THAT'S THAT'S JUST THE NATURE OF IT. AND SO WHAT DO WE DO? WE TRY TO SUBSIDIZE IT EITHER THROUGH TAX EXEMPTIONS OR THROUGH OTHER, OTHER TYPES OF PUBLIC FINANCING THAT CAN HELP US TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS.
ALL RIGHT. LOOKING AT THE PFC PORTFOLIO IN PARTICULAR, THERE'S 12 COMPLETE EIGHT UNDER CONSTRUCTION, SEVEN IN THE PIPELINE. YOU CAN SEE 15 OF THE 19 ARE IN HIGHER INCOME AREAS.
AND THIS IS THIS IS KIND OF A I THINK IT'S THE BEST USE OF THESE PROJECTS, BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID CONCENTRATIONS OF POVERTY, THE BEST POSSIBLE TOOL TO FINANCE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THESE HIGH OPPORTUNITY AREAS.
YES, YOU BRING A LITTLE LESS AFFORDABILITY, BUT YOU DO BRING AFFORDABILITY NOW.
OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, TO TRY TO DO A LIGHT PROJECT IN A VERY HIGH OPPORTUNITY AREA.
IT'S JUST ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE UNLESS YOU HAVE VERY, VERY HIGH SUBSIDIES.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU GET INTO THESE QUESTIONS OF, IS IT WORTH THE INVESTMENT TO GET A LIMITED AMOUNT OF UNITS JUST IN ONE AREA? RIGHT. AND SO I THINK THE PFC REALLY MARRIES THOSE TWO TYPES OF STRATEGIES.
AND SO BY BY SHOEHORNING IN SOME MARKET RATE UNITS WITH THESE, THESE AFFORDABLE UNITS, YOU'RE ABLE TO INSERT SOME VERY GOOD QUALITY, AFFORDABLE UNITS INTO VERY HIGH OPPORTUNITY AREAS.
THANK YOU AARON. OH THANK THANKS AARON. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
AS AARON WAS MENTIONING, THE CORPORATIONS HAVE PRODUCED ABOUT 15,000 UNITS TO DATE INCLUDING SOME THAT ARE COMING UNDER CONSTRUCTION TO REFRAME OUR HOUSING CHALLENGES IN DALLAS. WE'RE SHORT SOME 40,000 UNITS FOR HOUSEHOLDS THAT MAKE UNDER $58,000 A YEAR FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR.
[01:55:07]
THAT'S REALLY THOSE UNDER 50% AMI UNITS. THE CORPORATIONS ARE SET TO SERVE A HIGHER INCOME BRACKET TYPICALLY, ALTHOUGH THAT THEY DO GO DEEPER IN SOME INSTANCES, AND THEY CAN, BASED UPON WHERE THEY ARE OR THROUGH THE USE OF VOUCHERS.WE HAVE OTHER OPTIONS IN OUR PORTFOLIO TO ADDRESS THAT.
THAT'S REALLY THAT STARTS TO BE MORE OF THE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING WORK.
WE HAVE HOMEOWNERSHIP CHALLENGES IN THE CITY.
ABOUT 61% OF OUR FAMILIES ARE RENTERS. THERE ARE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE WHO COULD BE WHO CAN AFFORD TO BECOME HOMEOWNERS IF THE HOMEOWNERSHIP STOCK WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY CHOSE TO BUY RIGHT NOW. AND WE HAVE A GENERAL GOAL TO CONTINUE TO PRODUCE AT LEAST 7000 ATTAINABLE AFFORDABLE UNITS A YEAR AND 35 HOMEOWNERSHIP UNITS A YEAR. THIS STARTS TO ATTACK OUR HOUSING CHALLENGES.
IT DOESN'T FULLY SOLVE IT BECAUSE OF INCOME DISPARITIES, CONTINUED MARKET CHANGES, INTEREST RATES, CONSTRUCTION COSTS INTEREST RATE CHANGES. SO THERE'S A THERE'S A THERE'S A VARIETY OF ASPECTS AROUND THE ISSUE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT ALL HAVE TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO THE PROGRAM STATEMENTS AS PRESENTED AND DRAFTED GO BACK ONE SLIDE PLEASE. THERE WE GO. HAVE A LOT IN COMMON. THIS SLIDE TALKS ABOUT THAT.
THEY WILL REQUIRE BOTH THE CORPORATIONS TO HAVE WRITTEN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR BOTH CORPORATIONS, WHICH HELPED THEM SAY, HERE'S THE APPLICATIONS THAT WE WILL TAKE BASED UPON THE PRIORITIZATION LANGUAGE.
HERE'S WHAT WE MEAN BY SOME OF THE TERMS THAT ARE LISTED.
WE'LL WORK WITH THE CORPORATIONS TO DEFINE THOSE.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE CORPORATIONS, AS INSTRUMENTALITIES OF THE CITY, STILL HAVE SOME ROLE IN ADJUSTING THEIR APPLICATION CRITERIA TO ADJUST TO MARKET CONDITIONS AND CHANGES THAT WE MAY SEE FOR THOSE APPLICATIONS COMING FORWARD.
WE ALSO MONITOR LONG TERM AFFORDABILITY. SO WHEN THESE PROJECTS ARE COMPLETED, OUR TEAM ON LONG TERM COMPLIANCE WILL DO YEARLY BY REGULAR DESK REVIEWS AND LOOK AT LEASE UP FILES FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THE PROGRAM TERMS. SO THAT'S AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF THIS. THE CORPORATION STAFF DOES THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT COMPLIANCE, MAKING SURE THAT THE PROJECT THAT WAS APPROVED IS BUILT AND FOLLOWS ALL OF THE LOCAL STANDARDS.
WE ADDED IN THAT THE CORPORATION REVENUE CAN BE USED TO COVER BOTH THE CORPORATE AND CITY ADMINISTRATION FOR THOSE DUTIES THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO HANDLE ON THESE PROJECTS, AS WELL AS SUPPORTING THINGS LIKE THE DALLAS HOUSING OPPORTUNITY FUND FOR DIRECT INVESTMENT, OR INVESTING IN OTHER FUNDS THAT SUPPORT AFFORDABLE OR ATTAINABLE HOUSING IN THE CITY.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THE PRIORITIZATION SET FORTH FOR THE HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION IS TO DELIVER ON REHABBING OR PRESERVING AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON PROPERTIES WITH EXPIRING DEED RESTRICTIONS, OR TO FOCUS ON PROPERTIES AND AREAS WITH LESS THAN 20% OF THE RESIDENTS LIVING IN POVERTY. WHEN A PROJECT DOES NOT PRIORITIZE THIS AND IS IN A RECAP AREA OR IN AN AREA WITH MORE THAN 20% POVERTY, THEN A TWO THIRDS VOTE OF COUNCIL IS REQUIRED FOR THAT DEVELOPMENT TO SEEK CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL.
REDEVELOPMENT OF AN EXISTING LOW INCOME PROPERTY A PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT COULD ADDRESS SLUM AND BLIGHT, URBAN NUISANCE, ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION OR OTHER PUBLIC BENEFIT AS DETERMINED BY COUNCIL.
IT SHOULD BE LOCATED WITHIN OR ADJACENT TO CENSUS TRACTS, WITH RAPIDLY DECREASING PROPERTY LEVELS OR RAPID INCREASE IN APPRAISED VALUE OF RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE. TO RECAP, THE HFCS ARE REALLY GOOD TO PRIORITIZE THEM IN THE HIGHER OPPORTUNITY AREAS OR TO FOCUS ON THOSE EXPIRING DEED RESTRICTED UNITS. AND IF THEY'RE GOING TO SEEK WAIVERS IN THE HIGH POVERTY AREAS OR RECAP, THEN THEY NEED TO RECEIVE TWO THIRDS COUNCIL VOTE FOR CONSIDERATION DURING THOSE HIGH TECH APPLICATIONS FOR THE DALLAS PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION,
[02:00:02]
IT'S INCENTIVIZING NEW CONSTRUCTION WITH MARKET RATE UNITS WHERE THERE'S MORE THAN 20% OF PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY, OR RATHER, WHERE THE RESIDENTIAL APPRAISED VALUE IS HIGHER THAN AVERAGE TO BRING AFFORDABLE UNITS TO THOSE AREAS.ANYTIME A PROJECT IS PROPOSED THAT IS CURRENTLY OCCUPIED THAT UNDER A PFC STRUCTURE WOULD REMOVE THAT BUILDING FROM THE PROPERTY TAXES, THEN TWO THIRDS COUNCIL VOTE IS REQUIRED FOR THAT CONSIDERATION.
SO TO RECAP, THE PFCS ARE REALLY GOOD AT BRINGING AFFORDABLE UNITS TO A HIGHER POVERTY AREAS BECAUSE IT BRINGS A MARKET RATE PRODUCT THERE, EVEN IF THAT MARKET RATE IS REALLY CLOSE TO THE 80% RATE AT THE FIRST COUPLE YEARS OF APPROVAL.
THE ANTICIPATED ECONOMIC GROWTH OF THOSE AREAS WILL SEE MARKET RATE UNITS GROW OVER TIME, BUT ENSURES THAT AFFORDABLE UNITS ARE THERE AS THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS MAY BECOME GO THROUGH GENTRIFICATION. IT'S ALSO BRINGING AFFORDABLE UNITS TO AREAS THAT HAVE ALREADY GENTRIFIED.
THE AREAS THAT ARE HARDER TO BRING AFFORDABLE UNITS TO IS SAID THAT THIS SHOULD BE A PRIORITY OF US TO BRING AFFORDABLE UNITS WHERE THEY'RE HARD, MARKET RATE UNITS WERE HARD AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVERYTHING THAT THE PFC AND HFC HAVE TO OFFER.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO WHILE THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS ARE PRESENTED AS STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION FOR CONSIDERATION, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THERE'S NOT TOTAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE DIFFERENT BOARDS.
STAFF MAINTAIN THAT DALLAS HOUSING NEEDS ARE KNOWN AT THE HISTORY OF DEVELOPMENT IS KNOWN, AND THAT WE BOTH NEED ALL THE AFFORDABLE UNITS WE CAN GET, BUT WE HAVE TO SCREEN FOR CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY AND WORK ON DEALS THAT CAN BENEFIT NEIGHBORHOODS MORE THAN WE'VE EVER HAD TO BEFORE.
THE BOARD CONTENDS THAT HAVING STAFF SIT AS EX OFFICIO MEMBERS WILL CREATE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
THERE NEEDS TO BE CLEAR CUT RULES LAID OUT TO PREVENT ALL PARTIES FROM ANY PERCEIVED OR REAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST, BUT ALLOW STAFF TO BE ABLE TO WEIGH IN ON PROJECTS TO REINFORCE POLICY.
TO BE JOINING EXECUTIVE SESSION TO HEAR ABOUT ANY POTENTIAL LEGAL ISSUES WITH PROJECTS, AND CONTINUE TO CONTEND THAT THERE IS NO NEED FOR STAFF TO SIT IN OR WEIGH IN ON ANY STAFFING CONSIDERATIONS.
FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. THE LAST ITEM THAT WAS PRESENTED IS A QUESTION THAT SHOULD BE THERE, A CAP ON A NUMBER OF PROJECTS FOR EXEMPTIONS.
STAFF DEFERRED BACK TO CITY COUNCIL TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION.
THE REVENUE FOREGONE IS BASED UPON THE APPRAISED VALUE OF THAT LAND BEFORE CONSTRUCTION HAPPENS ON PFC AND HFC, AND THAT IS THE ACTUAL EXEMPTIONS FOREGONE. THE THE ITEMS PRESENTED IN CITY COUNCIL SHOW A POST-CONSTRUCTION VALUATION OF CONSTRUCTION COSTS, WHICH COULD BE THE AMOUNT FOREGONE.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AS STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL, ALL FOUR AMENDMENTS SPECIFICALLY TO CARA TO CLARIFY THE PROCESS FOR HOUSING TAX CREDITS AND TO ALLOW FOR ADMINISTRATION TO OUTSOURCE THE DALLAS HOMEBUYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
ESTABLISH COMPLIANCE FUNCTIONS PRIORITIES. LOCATIONS FOR THE CORPORATION.
ASSIGN A SEAT ON EACH BOARD OF STAFF IS EX OFFICIO AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON THE USE OF REVENUE.
AND I AGREE WITH MADAM CHAIR ON THIS ONE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU. I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS DIGGING INTO SOME THINGS THAT I DON'T THINK WERE CALLED OUT IN THE PRESENTATION, BUT CAN YOU ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT TIFF BOARDS? I THINK THIS IS ON PAGE 71. SO DOES THIS GIVE A TIFF BOARD THE ABILITY TO DENY A PROJECT OR JUST WEIGH IN ON IT? TELL ME MORE ABOUT THAT. YEAH. THANK YOU. SO WHEN A PROPERTY THAT IS CURRENTLY OCCUPIED AND IS PERFORMING IN THAT TIFF DISTRICT, IF THAT PROPERTY IS LOOKING TO REMOVE ITSELF FROM THAT TIFF BOARD AND THEN ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE PFC FOR TAX EXEMPTIONS, WE DO NEED TO ALERT THAT TIFF BOARD OF THAT POTENTIAL IMPACT TO THAT TIFF DISTRICT.
[02:05:05]
SO THE TIF BOARD SHOULD HAVE A WAY TO DISCUSS THAT PROJECT.THEY DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO DENY, BUT THEY CAN SAY THAT THEY OPPOSE THE REMOVAL OF THIS.
ULTIMATELY, THAT WILL BE FOR CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION.
SO WHAT IS THE TOOL THEY WOULD USE? JUST A MEMO POSITION PAPER.
AND THEN ANY SORT OF CONVERSATION THAT COMES OUT OF THAT IN TERMS OF AN APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION COULD BE RECAPPED IN A STATEMENT OR A MEMO THAT COMES OUT OF THAT. OKAY. AND THEN I'M LOOKING ON PAGE 6768.
AND THIS IS JUST ABOUT THE HAVING 90% OF UNITS AS AFFORDABLE AT 80% OR LESS OF AMI.
THAT SEEMS LIKE A VERY HIGH BAR. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? I'LL HAVE AN ANSWER THAT, PLEASE. YES. THOR TOLD ME THIS MORNING.
NOW, THE HFC BY STATUTE REQUIRES 90% OF THE UNITS BE RESTRICTED, BUT THAT'S AT 140% AMI OR BELOW.
THAT'S A THAT'S AN EXISTING STATE STATUTE. WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER THAT NOW.
OKAY. IN THE INTEREST OF LETTING OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS SPEAK, I DO HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT THE EX OFFICIO ROLE, BUT I HAVE A FEELING THAT MAY BE ADDRESSED BY ANOTHER COLLEAGUE.
SO THANK YOU. MAYOR PRO TEM THANK YOU. CHAIR.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE UPDATE AND THE INFORMATION.
SO THE QUESTION IS, IS THERE A STATUTORY MINIMUM TERM OF 30 YEARS OR 60 YEARS FOR HFC OR FCS? THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. SO ON HFC OUR STATUTORY MINIMUM AFFORDABILITY IS IS IT'S DIRECTED BY THE STATE AT 30 YEARS A MINIMUM A MINIMUM. SO DOES THAT MEAN THESE PROJECTS IN THEORY COULD BE BETWEEN ONE YEAR AND 30 YEARS.
IF IF THE TAX EXEMPTION REMAINS IN PLACE AND ALL OF THE BENEFITS FROM THE TAX EXEMPT BONDS THAT THEY USE FOR FINANCING, AS WELL AS THE TAX CREDITS ARE TO BE FULLY UTILIZED BY THE DEVELOPER, THAT MINIMUM WILL HAVE TO BE COMPLIED WITH.
SO THAT'S A MINIMUM OF 30 YEARS. ANYTHING LESS THAN THAT, THEY WOULD HAVE TO CLAW BACK ANY SORT OF TAX BENEFITS THAT WERE ATTRIBUTED TO THAT PROPERTY. OKAY. AND SO HELP ME UNDERSTAND. YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS DEFINITELY ABOUT AFFORDABILITY AND TRYING TO GET AS MANY UNITS TO BE AFFORDABLE. BUT DO WE ALSO WEIGH IN THE INVESTMENT IN A PROJECT. SO, YOU KNOW, I SEE SOME PROJECTS THAT AND I'M JUST GOING TO MAKE UP SOME NUMBERS HERE THAT ARE INVESTING $1 MILLION VERSUS SOME NEW CONSTRUCTIONS THAT ARE UPWARDS OF 50, $60 MILLION AND UP. BUT YET IT SEEMS LIKE BOTH PROJECTS GET THE MAXIMUM EXEMPTION.
AND SO HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHY SOME PROJECTS THAT ARE ARE INVESTING VERY LITTLE VERSUS SOME THAT ARE INVESTING NEW CONSTRUCTION GROUND UP, ARE GETTING THE SAME EXEMPTIONS. SO I'LL START.
THE STATES PROVIDED NO DIRECT GUIDANCE ON CERTAIN THRESHOLDS OF INVESTMENT OR REHAB, INVESTMENT OR TOTAL BANK LOAN NEEDED TO FINANCE THAT PROJECT IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE TAX EXEMPTION STATUS. SO AS WE FOLLOW ALL THE GUIDANCE FROM THE STATE CHAPTERS ON THE TERM LIMITS OF THESE IT'S REALLY UP TO THAT GUIDANCE TO SET THE STAGE FOR WHAT THESE PROJECTS ARE ALLOWED BY, RIGHT AT THE STATE LEVEL. OKAY. AND SO, CHAIR, I MEAN, I'M NOT SURE IF THESE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE SHOULD PERHAPS LOOK AT DURING LEGISLATIVE SESSION ON STANDING ON SOME POSITIONS FOR, FOR THE CITY.
MAKE A NOTE. WE'LL BE LOOKING FOR LEGISLATIVE ITEMS SOON.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. BLAIR. I WANT.
THANK YOU. CHAIR. I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE PFC PORTFOLIO IN THE VERY BEGINNING WITH THE MAPS, WHERE YOU'RE WHERE IT SAYS THAT YOU HAVE CONSTRUCTION, COMPLETION AND PIPELINE.
[02:10:05]
THE GOLD IS AN AREA, AS I READ THIS MAP FOR THE FOR BOTH PFC.AND H LET ME SEE. MAKE SURE I'M RIGHT. YES, HFC AND PFC SHOWS THAT THERE IS A HIGHER LEVEL OF GOLD IN CERTAIN AREAS OF THE CITY.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY? YEAH, THE GOLD. AND I'M SORRY IT MISSED MY LEGEND.
I KNOW BETTER. THE GOLD ON THESE MAPS ARE THE AREAS OF CENSUS TRACTS WITH 20% POVERTY OR GREATER.
AND SO THAT'S JUST A CENSUS TRACT FACT THAT WE LOOK FOR IN THE HOUSING AND HOMELESS OR HOUSING AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT DEPARTMENT WHEN WE ARE SCREENING APPLICATIONS, IF THEY ARE IN OR OUT OF A CENSUS TRACT WITH 20% POVERTY.
THAT'S THE BASE MAP WE LOOK FOR, FOR PROJECTS.
OKAY, SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE GOLD IS THE POORER AREAS OF THE CITY AS OPPOSED TO THOSE THAT AREN'T IN GOLD? CORRECT? THEY HAVE A HIGHER LEVEL OF POVERTY.
YES, MA'AM. SO AND YOU'RE SAYING THAT IN THE WAY THAT YOU, YOU LOOK TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF PFC, OFC HOUSING IS WHEN YOU LOOK AT AREAS THAT HAVE LESS THAN 20% OF, OF OF POVERTY IN THAT AREA OF THE CITY. CORRECT. THAT'S CORRECT.
SO THAT MEANS THEN THE WAY THIS THE WAY THAT THIS POLICY IS WRITTEN AND EXECUTED, IT'S THAT THE THE CONCENTRATION OF OF SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IN AN ALREADY IMPOVERISHED COMMUNITY AREA.
CORRECT. NOT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, BUT HOUSING THAT'S RESERVED AT THE PFC LEVEL.
50% OF THOSE UNITS WOULD BE MARKET RATE IN THOSE AREAS AND IN THE HFC, IF THE IF A PROJECT IS PRESENTED IN THOSE AREAS, THEN IT WOULD NEED TO BE ADDRESSING THE DEED RESTRICTED UNITS THAT ARE EXPIRING OR ADDRESSING A SPECIAL POPULATION LIKE SENIOR HOUSING OR ADDRESSING SLUM BLIGHT, ENVIRONMENTAL NUISANCE IN THOSE AREAS.
SO LET ME LET ME ASK YOU TO RESTATE THAT VERY A MORE SUCCINCT THE WAY THESE MAPS ARE WRITTEN OR LOOKED AT THE THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE EXECUTION OF DEVELOPMENT OF PFC.
HFC HOUSING IS IS LOOKING TO BE MORE SUPPORTIVE IN THE AREAS ON THIS MAP THAT ARE GOLD, CORRECT? JUST YES OR NO? JUST YES OR NO? YES FOR PFC. AND WHAT ABOUT FOR HFC? NO FOR HFC. AND WHY IS IT NO WHEN THE MAP IS GOLD? WELL, THE MAP IS SHOWING YOU THE HIGH POVERTY AREAS.
THE PROGRAM LANGUAGE FOR HFC SAYS WE WOULD PRIORITIZE THE AREAS NOT IN GOLD FOR HFC PROJECTS.
SO OKAY. SO. YOU SO THE HFC WOULD LOOK AT THIS AND SAY THESE THESE THESE THIS IS STILL A GREAT AREA TO PUT IN THIS TYPE OF SUPPORTIVE HOUSING CORRECT.
YES OR NO. I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU MEAN BY SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
THAT TYPICALLY MEANS THERE'S A HOMELESS POPULATION.
SO UNDER HFC. THAT'S STILL LOW INCOME RIGHT? THE HFC IS PRIMARILY 90% OF THE UNITS ARE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. YES. OKAY. SO LET ME CHANGE FROM SUPPORTIVE TO AFFORDABLE.
SO IN HFC AND PFC THE GOLD AREAS ARE AFFORDABLE.
AND AND CHANGE THE TERMINOLOGY FROM SUPPORTIVE TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
CORRECT. CORRECT. OKAY. SO AND IN BECAUSE YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS AT AND SAYING THAT THE GOLD AREAS ARE THE AREAS THAT THAT ARE HAVE A GREATER CONCENTRATION OF OF OF AMI RESIDENTS THAT ARE LESS THAN 20% OF THE AMI.
CORRECT? NOT CORRECT. OKAY. SO THAT MEANS THAT IF WE ARE LOOKING AT THESE MAP AND YOU'RE SAYING THIS IS WHAT THE AREA THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONCENTRATE OR YOU WOULD FIRST LOOK AT TO PUT IN HFC AND PFC HOUSING, THEN WOULD THAT NOT THEN CONCENTRATE ALREADY POVERTY IN THE AREAS THAT ARE ALREADY IMPOVERISHED.
[02:15:04]
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. AGAIN TO CLARIFY THE HFC BY THE WAY WE WROTE THIS.THE PRIORITIZATION IS NOT IN THE IN THE GOLDEN AREAS.
THE HFC WOULD BE IN THE AREAS OF NOT HIGHER POVERTY.
OKAY. SO YOU'VE COMPLETED HFC AND BUT OKAY SO WE'RE LOOKING AT YOUR GREEN DOTS IN THE IN ON THE PAGE. FOR HFC. THERE IS A HIGHER NUMBER OF GREEN DOTS IN STILL IN THE IMPOVERISHED COMMUNITIES.
YES MA'AM. BY BY THE NATURE OF THE LAST 40 YEARS, SINCE 1984.
WHAT WE'VE MAPPED HERE IS THE PORTFOLIO OF THE HSC PROJECTS.
SO IF WE WANT TO CHANGE THOSE DYNAMICS, BECAUSE I HEAR ON A, ON A, ON A REGULAR BASIS, THE SOUTHERN AREA OF DALLAS ONLY PRO ONLY SUPPORTS 15% OF THE CITY'S AVAILABLE FINANCING OR I SHOULD SAY TAX BASE. THEN TO DO WHAT? TO CONTINUE OPERATING IN IN WITH PFC, HFC IN THE AREAS OF THE CITY THAT ONLY PROVIDES 20% OF THE ARMY, THAT WOULD STILL THEN CONCENTRATE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN A NEIGHBOR IN COMMUNITIES THAT NEED MORE MARKET RATE, CAN WE CAN WE SAY THAT? YES, THAT CAN BE SAID. AND THE PROGRAM STATEMENTS STILL SAY THAT THE PFC PROJECT, WHICH BRINGS 50% OF THOSE MARKET RATES, IS ALLOWED IN THE HIGHER POVERTY AREAS BECAUSE IT'S BRINGING THE MARKET RATE UNITS TO THOSE AREAS.
OKAY. SO THEN LET ME ASK ANOTHER QUESTION. WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF 50% MARKET RATE DEVELOPMENTS HAVE YOU GUYS DONE IN THE LAST 20 YEARS IN THOSE AREAS THAT ARE ALREADY IMPOVERISHED? SO IF YOU TURN TO THE PFC MAP, THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, THE PFC HAS ONLY BEEN A CORPORATION SINCE 2020, AND UNDER THIS CORPORATION, 51% OF THE UNITS ARE MARKET RATE.
SO THESE PROJECTS ARE THE ONES THAT BRING THAT 50% MARKET RATE TO THE MARKETS AND IS MAPPED HERE, SHOWING YOU THAT PORTFOLIO. SO LOOKING AT YOUR MAPS, LOOKING AT THE CONCENTRATION OF WHERE THE ARMY IS, YOU HAVE MORE YOU HAVE A GREATER NUMBER OF 20% LESS AM I THAN IT IF WE ARE.
IF WE ARE TRYING TO CHANGE THOSE DYNAMICS, WOULD THAT NOT MEAN THAT WE NEED LESS AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND NOT MORE? SO I THINK AS A AS A CITY, WE NEED MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACROSS ALL ARMY GROUPS AND THESE AREAS OF 20% POVERTY. WE WE NEED TO BRING MARKET RATE UNITS TO THOSE AREAS.
SO WE NEED TO BRING MORE MARKET RATE TO THE AREAS THAT HAVE LESS THAN 20%.
IF WE WANT TO CHANGE THE DYNAMICS OF THE OF THE CITY SO THAT THE CITY ALL LOOKS THE SAME AND HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE IN WHAT WHAT VALUE IT HAS TO DALLAS ECONOMICALLY, EQUALLY SO, MEANING WE COULD ALL BE AT 100% OR 85%, OR 100% OF THE TAX BASE.
AM I CORRECT? CORRECT. OKAY. SO IF WE ARE TRYING TO AND IF THIS IF WE HAVE THE AREA OF THE CITY THAT HAS THE MOST LAND MASS THAT IS DEVELOPABLE, WOULD IT NOT THEN STAND TO REASON THAT WE WOULD WANT TO PUT IN MORE MARKET RATE, AS OPPOSED TO MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING? YES, I THINK BY POLICY DECISION AND GOAL THAT IS COMPLETELY IN LINE WITH WHAT'S NEEDED.
AND I KNOW I'M NOT TRYING TO BE CONTENTIOUS. I'M JUST TRYING.
I'M JUST TRYING TO GET ONE FOR ME, A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND FOR MY COMMUNITY THAT COMES TO ME AND SAYS, HOW COME YOU'RE DOING THIS? AND WHAT I WHEN I TELL THEM THIS IS THE POLICY THAT THE CITY HAS OPPOSED TO WHAT IS THE NEEDS MY COMMUNITY HAS, BECAUSE WHAT MY COMMUNITY NEEDS AND WHAT THE POLICY HAS ARE,
[02:20:01]
ARE DIAMETRICALLY DIAMETRICALLY IN OPPOSITION TO EACH OTHER.AND IF WE ARE LOOKING TO BE EQUAL AND HOW WE SUPPORT THE CITY FINANCIALLY FROM A TAX PERSPECTIVE, A PROPERTY TAX PERSPECTIVE, WE NEED TO STOP AND PUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN AREAS THAT ARE HAVE NO GOLD IN IT. IS THAT NOT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND THAT IS THE POLICY DIRECTION OF THIS AS WELL.
GREAT. AND AND I'M IN I'M I'M SUPPORT I'M TRYING TO GET THE WHOLE THE WHOLE CITY TO TO SEE WHAT I SEE AND TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I UNDERSTAND AND TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO DO.
SO AS I AND I'M SHARING WITH MY COLLEAGUES HERE, WHEN I SEE SUPPORTED, WHEN I SEE AFFORDABLE HOUSING APPLICATIONS COME BEFORE ME, WHILE I'M GOING TO SAY NO. OKAY. SO THAT BECAUSE I HAVE A HIGH CONCENTRATION IN MY COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTHEAST, THAT THAT IS ALREADY AT 20% OR BELOW, AM I? IF I NEED TO CHANGE THOSE DYNAMICS, I NEED TO DO A DIFFERENT TYPE OF HOUSING THAT WILL ALLOW ME TO DO SO. CORRECT. CORRECT.
THANK YOU. SO NOW I THINK I GOT ALL OF THAT DONE.
WHEN WE SAY THE STATE STATUTE SAYS THAT 140% OF AMI MUST HAVE HAVE 90% OF OF WELL, I DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND THAT. HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU SAID AT THAT POINT.
YES. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER BLAIR. SO THE STATE STATUTE THAT AUTHORIZES THE HFC TO OWN PROPERTY, IT REQUIRES CERTAIN THINGS. AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF THE HFC GOES AND BUILDS A PROPERTY 100 UNITS, THE STATE REQUIRES THAT AT LEAST 90 OF THOSE UNITS ARE RESTRICTED TO HOUSEHOLDS EARNING 140% AMI OR BELOW.
THAT'S JUST THE BASELINE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT.
NOW, OBVIOUSLY, HIGHER REQUIREMENTS ARE IMPOSED BY BOTH THE BOARD AND THE CITY COUNCIL, BUT THAT'S JUST THE MINIMUM BASELINE THAT HAS TO COMPLY WITH STATE STATUTE TO HAVE A LEGAL TAX EXEMPTION THERE. AND THEN I AGREE WITH WHAT WAS SAID.
WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS, THAT WE SHOULD BE VERY VOCAL IN WHAT WE NEED TO HAVE THAT STATE STATUTE REPRESENT IN ORDER TO BE MORE SUPPORTIVE FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
CAN CAN YOU ALSO THEN TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED? AND I DON'T KNOW IF I, IF I HEARD IT CORRECT, BUT CAN THE CAN STAFF CHANGE THE 80% OF AMI I TO A LOWER PERCENTAGE AS TIME GOES ON IN THAT IN THOSE PROPERTIES AT 80% OF AMI, ONCE THE PROPERTY IS PURCHASED, THESE DEED RESTRICTIONS, THEIR DEED RESTRICTIONS.
SO THEY GO ALONG WITH THE OWNERSHIP. SO TO REFORM THAT, YOU WOULD HAVE TO GO WITH ANOTHER CITY RESOLUTION AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO REFINANCE AND BASICALLY CHANGE THE OWNERSHIP AND CHANGE THE DEED RESTRICTIONS ON THE PROPERTY.
SO, SO OKAY, SO IF I HAVE A PIECE OF PROPERTY, I'M, I'M MAKING THIS REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY AT A LOWER LEVEL. SO BECAUSE I KNOW MY MY RESIDENTS ARE LISTENING AND THEY'RE GOING TO COME BACK AND ASK ME 1001 QUESTION IF I DON'T GET IT AT A LEVEL THAT WE ALL UNDERSTAND, I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THEM.
SO HERE IS THE QUESTION IF IF A IF SOMEONE COMES IN, PUTS IN A BRAND NEW LIGHT TECH OR WHATEVER AND IT HAS A PERCENTAGE OF 80%. AM I WONDERFUL IN THE FIRST FIVE, TEN YEARS, 20 YEARS, WHATEVER THAT CONTRACT SAYS IT IS. AND THEN AS. AND THEN IT. THEN THE BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE NEW APPLICANT. THEY CHANGED HANDS. THEY CAN CHANGE THAT 80% TO ANYTHING THAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO CONTINUE FACILITATING THAT PROCESS, THAT PROJECT, THAT PROPERTY. CORRECT. YES. IF THERE IS A NEW PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY, THERE WILL THEN BE A NEW DEED RESTRICTED RESTRICTION RECORDED WITH THAT PURCHASE. AND DOES THAT COME BACK TO CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL OR IS IT JUST A.
[02:25:06]
IN THAT CASE, YES. THAT WOULD COME BACK TO CITY COUNCIL. IT STARTS THAT WHOLE PROCESS OVER AGAIN. THEY HAVE TO GO TO THOSE BOARDS AND TALK THROUGH. THAT PROJECT IS GOING TO BE IT HAS TO BE UNDERWRITTEN. IT HAS TO GO THROUGH ALL THE STEPS ALL OVER AGAIN.AND THEN WE BRING IT BACK FOR YOUR THE BRIEFING AND THEN FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND AND I WOULD I WOULD ADD COUNCIL MEMBER BLAIR IF YOUR IF YOUR DISTRICT WOULD LIKE TO HAVE KIND OF A TOWN HALL AND BE EXPLAIN ALL THIS, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO BRING MYSELF AND STAFF OVER AND REALLY DIVE INTO THIS AS MUCH AS THEY WOULD LIKE, AND I WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT. JUST I THINK WE'LL DO THAT PROBABLY IN EITHER SUMMER INTO SUMMER BEGINNING, BECAUSE I THINK WE ALREADY, BUT WE HAVE OUR FIRESIDE CHATS AND BOTH SIDES CAN DO THAT.
AND I THINK MY, MY CHAIR HERE SAYS I'VE ASKED ENOUGH QUESTIONS FOR THE MOMENT, BUT TRUST ME, I KNOW WHO YOU ARE. I KNOW WHERE YOU ARE, AND I'LL COME ASK YOU SOME MORE.
WELL, I'LL SAY THIS TO THE COUNCIL. OBVIOUSLY THIS ITEM IS ON OUR WEDNESDAY AGENDA.
IF WE FIND THAT WE HAVE TOO MANY QUESTIONS AND INPUT AND WE NEED TO DELAY IT.
SO, COUNCIL MEMBER GRACEY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO? YEAH. THANK YOU. AND I'M GLAD YOU SAID THAT, BECAUSE I DO SAY, AND I DON'T WANT TO POO POO ON THIS PRESENTATION BECAUSE YOU ALL DID DO THE WORK AND YOU CAME BACK, WHICH, OF COURSE OPENS UP MORE QUESTIONS FOR THEIR OBVIOUSLY WEDNESDAY IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE.
JUST KIND OF FOLLOWING UP ON, ON MY COLLEAGUE.
COUNCILWOMAN. BLAIR'S LINE OF QUESTIONING WITH THIS MAP AND THE YELLOW.
RIGHT. AND ALL OF THE YELLOW THAT'S DOWN THERE, BASED ON WHAT HER LINE OF QUESTIONING AND BASED ON THESE PRESENTATIONS, IF I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THE ITEM ON WEDNESDAY THAT WAS DENIED ESSENTIALLY WOULD HAVE MEANT THAT THAT WAS A LOW INCOME PRODUCT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PLACED IN A NON YELLOW AREA WITHIN DISTRICT THREE.
IS THAT CORRECT? SO ON WEDNESDAY NO ITEM HAS BEEN DENIED YET.
IT'S STILL ON AGENDA FOR CONSIDERATION. HOWEVER.
THE LOCATION. NO, NO, NO, I'M SORRY FOR THE ONE.
I'M SORRY. TWO WEEKS AGO IN DISTRICT THREE, THE ITEM.
THE LITTLE ITEM. I SEE THE PREVIOUS ONE. YES, THAT'S.
THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, YOU SCARE ME.
WE'RE JUST GOING TO TURN A WHOLE DIFFERENT DIRECTION. I HAVE ITEMS COMING UP ON AGENDA AND IT WAS IN THE FUTURE TENSE, SO. GOT IT. UNDERSTOOD. SO WHAT I'M SAYING THERE IS SO TO THAT EXTENT THAT WOULD HAVE PUT A LOW INCOME PRODUCT IN A NON YELLOW AREA.
RIGHT. AND THE REASON I'M ASKING YOU JUST SAID YES.
THE REASON I'M ASKING THAT NOW IS AT THE RATE OF ALL OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS, BOTH PFC, WHICH I'M A FAN OF, BY THE WAY, AND THE HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION PRODUCTS.
AT THE RATE THAT YOU'VE CURRENTLY LISTED IN HERE, HAVE YOU RAN ANY PROJECTIONS TO DETERMINE HOW QUICKLY ALL OF SOUTHERN DALLAS WOULD BE YELLOW? BECAUSE THAT IS THE FEAR. SO REALLY, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT HERE.
WE'VE HEARD COMMENTS ABOUT NOT IN MY BACKYARD AND ALL OF THAT.
BUT WHAT THE WAY IT IS, THE WAY IT IS PROPOSED NOW, IT WOULD MEAN IT WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE RATE OF YELLOW IS GOING TO OCCUR FASTER IN SOUTHERN DALLAS THAN IT IS IN NORTH DALLAS, WHICH THEN PUTS US IN A COMPROMISING SITUATION FROM AN ECONOMIC, FROM A GROCERY STORE, FROM A CRIME, FROM ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND I GUESS I'M GOING TO STOP THERE AND GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND, BECAUSE I HAVE SOME FOLLOW UP. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. SO THE OFFICE OF HOUSING COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT IS NOT EQUIPPED TO DO ECONOMIC MODELING INTO THE FUTURE OF WHAT OUR DEMOGRAPHICS MIGHT BE, THE CHANGES, WHAT WE HAVE SEEN FROM CENSUS LAST.
AND I KNOW THAT, BY THE WAY, CONTINUES TO CHANGE.
OKAY. I DO KNOW THAT, BY THE WAY, AND I DON'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT I JUST I WANT TO MAKE A POINT BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET THESE NARRATIVES RIGHT IN THAT I KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T DO THAT, BUT JUST JUST LOOKING AT IT, THEORETICALLY, IT JUST SHOWS BASED ON HOW THIS IS WRITTEN, THAT IT WOULD END UP BASED ON WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED, WHAT YOU JUST MAPPED OUT, AND BASED ON KIND OF WHAT THE POLICY SAYS, IT WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE REST OF THIS WOULD BECOME YELLOW BASED ON ALL OF THE PREEMPTIVE STATEMENTS THAT WERE MADE ABOUT WHY IT COULDN'T BE DONE IN NORTH DALLAS. YEAH. I THINK THE ONE THING I WOULD SAY IS THAT IF WE'RE LOOKING AT ONE PROJECT CHANGING A CENSUS TRACK UP OR DOWN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IN OUR STATEMENTS IS TELL YOU THE PERCENT OF THE CURRENT CENSUS TRACK.
[02:30:03]
TRACKS AND ITS LEVEL OF POVERTY. AND SO CAN ONE PROJECT TURN A CENSUS TRACK TO BE MORE LOW INCOME.IT SURELY CAN, ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S OTHER NO ECONOMIC ACTIVITY THAT'S PROJECTED IN THAT AREA OR OTHER MARKET RATE DEVELOPERS, WHICH IS PART OF, YOU KNOW, YOUR PLAN TO TO INCREASE THAT MARKET RATE, THE DEVELOPERS TO COME AND DEVELOP ALONGSIDE OF THIS.
WHAT WE'VE SEEN FROM THESE PROJECTS FROM PFC, HFC, TRADITIONAL LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT, IS THAT THEY'RE OFTEN EARLY IN COMMUNITIES BECAUSE THEY RECEIVE THE THE TAX EQUITY, YOU KNOW, THE FINANCING FROM A AN INVESTMENT FUND THAT'S ON PURPOSE, TRYING TO BRING INFUSING PROJECTS INTO AREAS WITH HIGH POVERTY IN ORDER TO SHOW THAT DEVELOPMENT CAN HAPPEN, THAT CRIME CAN BE REDUCED, THAT.
SO THERE'S A LOT THAT'S PUT IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS THAT OFTEN ALLOWS THE MARKET RATE DEVELOPERS TO COME ALONGSIDE OF THAT IS THAT NEXT YEAR IS THAT 20 YEARS FROM NOW, IT ALL JUST DEPENDS ON THOSE CENSUS TRACKS AND AND THROW IT BASED ON EVERYTHING YOU JUST SAID.
HERE WE ARE ABOUT 30 YEARS LATER AND WE STILL LOOK THE SAME.
SO THAT'S THAT'S MY POINT IN THAT. SO AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND THE MODEL.
AND THEN WHEN WE TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT OTHERWISE.
SO AGAIN, I'M NOT DEBATING THIS. LET ME GET TO, TO SOME, SOME QUESTIONS HERE.
ONE HOW DO YOU DEFINE JUST THE HIGH POVERTY AREA? HOW IS THAT DEFINED GEOGRAPHICALLY? IT'S A CENSUS TRACT.
SO MORE THAN LIKE 20% OF THE RESIDENTS IN THAT AREA EARN THEIR HOUSEHOLDS EARN LESS THAN THE 30% THRESHOLD, WHICH IS RIGHT AROUND THAT $50,000 MARK FOR THAT HOUSEHOLD OF A FAMILY OF FOUR.
OKAY, BASED ON EVERYTHING I JUST SAID, DO YOU THINK THE WAY THIS IS CURRENTLY PROPOSED, WHAT MECHANISMS? LET ME ASK IT THAT WAY. WHAT MECHANISMS ARE IN PLACE TO PREVENT OUR CONCERN OF FURTHER TURNING THIS MAP YELLOW IN SOUTHERN DALLAS? THANK YOU. I THINK THAT BRINGING THE HFCS INTO THE HIGHER OPPORTUNITY AREAS IS A STRONG RECOMMENDATION THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM DIFFERENT COUNCIL MEMBERS.
NOW YOU HAVE SOME NON YELLOW IN YOUR AREA. THE ASSUMPTION THAT THOSE ARE WEAK MARKETS, THOUGH SHOULD BE LOOKED AT ON AN INDIVIDUAL CENSUS TRACK BECAUSE JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE IN SOUTHERN DALLAS DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE'S NOT HIGH EARNERS THERE AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITY THERE.
THERE IS ALSO NEEDED. SO THE HFC DOES THE TWO THINGS.
IT SHOULD BE IN THE AREAS WHERE THERE'S HIGHER THAN NORMAL RESIDENTIAL VALUE, THE AREAS THAT HAVE ALREADY GENTRIFIED AND OR THE HIGH POVERTY AREAS TO BRING THOSE MARKET RATE UNITS THERE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO BY RIGHT BY THIS IS THE GUIDANCE AND THE PROGRAM STATEMENTS.
YOU ALL APPOINT BOARD MEMBERS TO BOTH THE HFC AND PFC.
AND SO THOSE BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD BE ECHOING THE SENTIMENTS AS YOU ALL AS COUNCIL.
AND WE SHOULD BE GIVING GUIDANCE TO THE GENERAL MANAGER ABOUT THAT APPLICATION CRITERIA TO ENSURE THAT THE DEVELOPERS WHO ARE COMING FORWARD WITH APPLICATIONS FOR THESE INCENTIVES ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH YOUR VISIONS FOR YOUR DIFFERENT COUNCIL DISTRICTS, AND THAT THE APPLICATION MATERIAL REFLECTS THAT.
OKAY. YEAH. I WOULD ECHO WHAT THOR JUST SAID.
NOW, IT'S OUR POLICY. THE FIRST TIME A DEVELOPER COMES TO ME WITH A PROJECT, I WOULD SAY.
HAVE YOU SPOKEN TO THE LOCAL COUNCIL MEMBER? HAVE YOU REACHED OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
IF IT'S A NO, I SAY, WELL, GO TALK TO HIM AND THEN LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS NOW.
THIS WAS THE CASE. MAYBE ONE IN JESSIE'S DISTRICT.
BUT THAT WAS BEFORE I WAS THERE AT THE PFC. NOW, THIS IS OUR POLICY, RIGHT? WE DO NOT WANT TO DO ANYTHING THAT YOU ALL DO NOT WANT.
LIKE, THAT'S THAT'S MY BIGGEST NIGHTMARE, IS TO ENCOURAGE A DEVELOPER TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WHICH IS VERY ONEROUS. HONESTLY, IT'S THREE MEETINGS WITH THE HFC OR PFC, AT LEAST TWO WITH Y'ALL, AND A LITANY OF OTHER PUBLIC MEETINGS, AS WELL AS TRYING TO GET FINANCING.
HEY, AARON, LET'S, LET'S COOL DOWN ON, ON THIS AREA OF TOWN OR WHATNOT, BUT YOU KNOW, WE WE DON'T GET EVERYTHING RIGHT, BUT WE'RE TRYING OUR BEST TO TO BE REFLECTIVE OF WHAT THE WILL OF THE COUNCIL IS UNDERSTOOD.
[02:35:05]
AND I CAN APPRECIATE THAT. NOW I HAVE JUST A COUPLE MORE STATEMENTS AND I'LL BE DONE.MADAM CHAIR, THE LAST ONE. I GUESS WHAT'S MISSING FROM HERE IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OWNERSHIP.
AND AGAIN, THE FRUSTRATION, THE FRUSTRATION THAT MANY OF YOU KNOW, COLLEAGUES IN SOUTHERN DALLAS PARTICULARLY SHARE ARE WE GET MORE LOW INCOME ON TOP OF OLD, BAD, POORLY MANAGED, CRIME RIDDEN, LOW INCOME, AND THEN THAT BECOMES THE SOLUTION.
SO NOW WE HAVE OLDER LOW INCOME WITH NEWER LOW INCOME, WHICH IS FINE.
BUT THERE'S NOTHING THERE'S NO PLAN FOR THIS.
AND AGAIN, WHAT I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR IS A SOLID PLAN.
AND MY SUGGESTION IS IF WE COULD USE SOME OF THIS REVENUE, WHETHER IT'S FROM THE ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT FUNDS AND THE PFC AND ALL OF THAT TO STAND UP SOME FORM OF A CONDO DEVELOPMENT SO THAT SOME OF THESE LOW INCOME PROPERTIES COULD BE CONVERTED TO CONDOS THAT ARE THAT COULD BE AFFORDABLE TOWNHOMES, CONDOS, WHATEVER, SO THAT THEY COULD BE SOMETHING THAT'S OWNERSHIP.
WE WANT TO CREATE OWNERSHIP IN. THE BEST WAY TO DO IT TO ME IS CONVERTING SOME OF THOSE OLD, OUTDATED PROPERTIES INTO OWNERSHIP AFFORDABLE OWNERSHIP.
WE CAN'T ALWAYS AFFORD A HOME, A SINGLE FAMILY HOME, BUT A CONDO IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD THINK ABOUT. I REALIZE THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY A MODEL IN DALLAS, AND THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS TO WORK THROUGH.
BUT AGAIN, WE SAY WE'RE THE NINTH LARGEST, SO LET'S THINK THROUGH IT LIKE WE ARE THE NINTH LARGEST CITY, PLEASE. YEAH. THANK YOU. WE HEAR YOU ON THAT.
YOU KNOW, THE PFC HAS A ROOM FOR THAT IN THEIR MODEL, ESPECIALLY THROUGH USE OF REVENUE.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WE'RE EXPLORING AS THE AS THE STAFF BECOME, YOU KNOW, FULLY EMBEDDED IN THE, THE GOVERNING STRUCTURE OF BOTH CORPORATIONS.
THERE'S ROOMS TO GROW ON THAT. AND THE, THE LARGER STRATEGY IS IN THE HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS FRAMEWORK, WHICH WE STARTED OUT PREVIOUSLY. AND SO THESE ARE TWO OF THE TOOLS IN THE INCENTIVE TOOLBOX TO ADDRESS HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AND ATTAINABILITY ACROSS THE SPECTRUM. AND YOU'LL SEE MORE OF THAT PLANNED FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP DEVELOP IN THE LARGER FRAMEWORK, BUT NOT NECESSARILY ASKING THESE CORPORATIONS TO TRY TO SOLVE ALL OF OUR HOUSING NEEDS FOR US.
UNDERSTOOD. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA.
I DO WANT TO POINT OUT OUR NEXT MEETING IS MARCH 24TH.
AND SO AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT, WE COULD POTENTIALLY MOVE THIS BACK.
WOULD YOU THEN ENVISION IT GOING TO COUNCIL MARCH 25TH, OR WOULD THAT THEN GO TO APRIL? HAVE YOU HAVE YOU LOOKED FOR IT ON THE CALENDAR? NOT AT THIS MOMENT, BUT WE'RE WAITING AND LISTENING TO SEE THE WILL OF THE THE COMMITTEE.
AND I DO THINK THERE'S BEEN A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT SHIFT IN THE MINDSET OF MANY OF THE MEMBERS.
SO, I MEAN, I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
YEAH. YEAH. AND, CHAIR, IF THERE'S A MOTION ON WEDNESDAY TO TO DELAY, I WOULD ASK IF THERE IS I WOULD ASK THAT THE DAP PORTION BE APPROVED BECAUSE WE CAN SEPARATE THOSE ITEMS. SO THAT WAY WE ARE ALLOWED TO OUTSOURCE THAT PROGRAM.
IF THERE'S CONSENSUS AROUND THE DAP PROGRAM AMENDMENT, OF COURSE.
OKAY. WELL, SO I GUESS WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY IS THAT BECAUSE I'M STARTING WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE ON THE COMMITTEE, AND I'D LIKE TO CONTINUE WITH THAT. I'M NOT SURE WE'RE GOING TO GET TO THE NON COMMITTEE MEMBERS, BUT CERTAINLY WILL FOR THIS NEXT MEETING. AND I MIGHT NEED TO CALL A SPECIAL CALL.
I'M SORRY THAT I KEEP DOING THAT BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF TOPICS.
AND I KNOW I SAID IT AND I DID IT BECAUSE I THINK EVERYBODY IS INTERESTED IN THIS TOPIC.
IT'S CORE TO WHAT WE DO HERE. AND IT HITS EVERY DIFFERENT SECTION, NOT JUST OF OUR CITY, BUT OF WHAT WE DO IN TERMS OF FINANCES AND HOW PEOPLE LIVE. SO WITH THAT, I DO WANT TO CALL ON COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA GO NEXT.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I THINK THE DISCUSSION IS GOOD.
I DON'T NECESSARILY LOVE THAT POTENTIAL DELAYS IN THE PROCESS.
[02:40:02]
I DO THINK THAT YOU'VE MADE A GOOD POINT. I WOULD, I WOULD ARGUE THAT WE WOULD HAVE THE DEMAND OF MEMBERS TO, TO DO THIS AT A FULL COUNCIL BRIEFING. AND THAT WOULD ALSO HELP THE.THE HINDRANCE OF BEING ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD ON OTHER COMMITTEE STUFF.
IF THIS WAS WAS MOVED TO A FULL COUNCIL, I WOULD SUPPORT THAT.
BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO JUST HOPEFULLY ADDRESS THESE ISSUES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
I WANT TO JUST ADDRESS SOME OF THE AS SOMEONE ALSO WHO REPRESENTS SOUTHERN DALLAS AND IS EXTREMELY CONCERNED WITH THE CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY, I THINK THAT WE'VE REALLY CONFLATED SOME TOPICS HERE, AND WE CONTINUE TO USE THE WORD LOW INCOME WITH AFFORDABILITY INTERCHANGEABLY, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT IS ACCURATE.
THE TOOLS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE TODAY WITH PFC AND HFC PROGRAMMATIC STATEMENTS TO ME, ARE ACTUALLY MEANT TO HELP MITIGATE WHAT HAS BEEN TRADITIONALLY USED AS THE ONLY TOOL, WHICH IS LOW INCOME.
SO I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU ALL TO PLEASE HELP US DECIPHER THE DIFFERENCE IN THAT AFFORDABILITY AND THAT OF LOW INCOME AND A TRADITIONAL PROJECT OF A 9%. FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT THE BANDS THAT THAT WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF AND WHAT THOSE INCOME LEVELS LOOK LIKE VERSUS THAT OF A 50% MARKET RATE, AND EVEN WITH WHAT THE THE INCOME BANDS COULD LOOK LIKE IN A TYPICAL MAKEUP.
BUT I'D LIKE TO CAN YOU QUANTIFY THAT IN INCOME NUMBERS? SURE. THANKS. I'LL START. SO BOTH THE 4% AND THE 9% TAX CREDIT PROGRAMS, THEY'RE DEDICATED TO FAMILIES LESS THAN 60% AMI.
THAT'S GENERALLY WHAT'S APPROVED. NOW THERE ARE SOME FLUCTUATION.
SOME LIKE 10% OF THOSE CAN GO A LITTLE BIT HIGHER, BUT THEY'RE TYPICALLY RESERVED FOR THAT 60% AMI AND BELOW THE PFC ALLOWS US TO DO MARKET RATE. AND THAT'S GOING TO DEPEND ON WHATEVER THAT DEVELOPMENT CAN EARN IN THAT AREA.
AS WE KNOW, SOME OF THE MARKETS IN AROUND THE SOUTHERN SECTOR, DEMAND LOWER RENTS RIGHT NOW THAN THEY DO, EVEN IF THEY'RE NEW CONSTRUCTION. AND SO, YOU SEE, A LOT OF THE PFC AGENDA ITEMS HAVE THE MARKET RATE, THE 80%, 60%. IT'S ONLY LIKE 40, $5,000 DIFFERENCES, SOMETIMES NOTHING.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE THE PROJECTED DEMAND OF WHAT SOMEONE WILL PAY IN THAT AREA IS LOWER.
JUST GIVEN THE THE CURRENT CONDITION OF SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
NOW, OVER TIME, THAT MARKET RATE CAN BE AS HIGH AS IT CAN EARN.
AND THAT'S THE LONG TERM PROJECTION THAT MANY OF THE DEVELOPERS ARE BANKING ON TO ENSURE THAT OVER THAT FIVE, SEVEN, TEN YEAR MARK, THEY START TO EARN MORE REVENUE, MORE CASH FLOW STARTS TO COME IN, AND A PERCENTAGE OF THAT OBVIOUSLY GOES BACK TO THE CORPORATIONS AS THOSE DEVELOPMENTS CAN CASH FLOW MORE REGULARLY.
A FAMILY OF FOUR FOR 80%. AMI IS RIGHT AROUND THAT $90,000 MARK, A FAMILY OF FOUR FOR 60%.
AMI IS RIGHT AROUND THAT $50,000 MARK. AND SO THE THE RENTS ARE BASED UPON THAT INCOME AND SET YEARLY BY HUD'S THRESHOLD OF WHAT, 60 OR 80% RENTER CAN PAY FOR THEIR RENT BASED ON 30% OF THEIR INCOME GOING TO THEIR RENT.
THANK YOU. I JUST I JUST THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO DIFFERENTIATE THESE.
I THINK IT'S GOOD POINTS THAT WERE MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER GRACEY AND MISS BLAIR AS WELL.
THE I HAVE SOME OF THE SAME CONCERNS, BUT I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE ALMOST MATHEMATICALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE PROJECTS THAT I'VE SEEN COME UP WITH HFC AND PFC AS THE FINANCING TOOLS TO PERPETUATE OR EVEN MORE FURTHER, THE THE CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY THAT WE IF IF A TRADITIONAL AND THE AVERAGE PFC OR HFC DEAL THAT HAS COME BEFORE US WAS PUT SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF A CENSUS TRACT THAT WAS IDENTIFIED AS A LOW POVERTY, IT WOULD IN FACT INCREASE THE HOUSEHOLD INCOMES FOR THAT CENSUS TRACTS. ISN'T THAT ACCURATE? SO THERE IS SOME VALIDITY TO THAT.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE THE THRESHOLD OF POVERTY AT 30%, AMI IN THESE CORPORATIONS NOT NECESSARILY OFFERING 30% UNITS YOU'RE NOT FURTHER CONCENTRATING THOSE UNDER THE POVERTY LINE. BUT THAT CENSUS TRACT STILL HAS AN ABUNDANCE OF FOLKS THAT ARE EARNING LESS THAN 80% AMI.
AND SO THERE ARE LOW TO MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS WITHIN THOSE CENSUS TRACTS.
THERE JUST HAPPENS TO BE MORE THAT ARE AT THE VERY, VERY LOW INCOME SIDE OF THAT SPECTRUM.
SO BY THE NATURE OF APPLYING A HFC PROJECT, THAT'S 100% AFFORDABLE UNITS IN THAT AREA.
YEAH, YOU'RE AT RISK OF FURTHER CONCENTRATING POVERTY BECAUSE THAT'S BECAUSE THEY ACCEPT VOUCHERS.
AND THE VOUCHER HOLDERS WILL BE THOSE DEEPER ARMY UNITS, AND THEY DO GET A VOUCHER TO OFFSET THE COST OF THE RENT, OF COURSE. BUT WE'RE ALWAYS CONCERNED ABOUT FURTHER CONCENTRATING POVERTY.
[02:45:03]
AND THAT'S WHY WE LOOK AT THAT 20% THRESHOLD.NOW THE QUALIFIED ACTION PLAN AND EVERYTHING SUCH THAT THRESHOLD OF ANALYSIS AT 40%.
HOWEVER, THROUGH THE HISTORY OF DALLAS, FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS, WE'VE APPLIED A 20% LOOK AT THE THRESHOLD OF WHAT WE LOOK FOR BECAUSE OF OUR HISTORY AND BECAUSE OF THE PLACEMENT OF SOME, SOME UNITS.
AND SO WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THAT THRESHOLD OF 20% IN THIS POLICY STATEMENT.
I WOULD SAY THIS IS ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT THE BOARD AND THE CITY STAFF DISAGREE ON.
KIND OF THE THE EVALUATIONS OF THESE DATA POINTS.
RIGHT. AND IT'S LIKE YOU SAID, IF THERE IS AN AREA OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE AT 30% AMI.
WHAT IS THAT INCOME AREA OR WHAT'S THAT INCOME LEVEL? RIGHT AROUND THE $20,000 MARK. BUT IF WE'RE PROVIDING UNITS AT A 60% AMI, WHICH RIGHT HERE FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR IS AROUND $70,000 A YEAR.
IS THAT CONTRIBUTING TO FURTHER BLIGHT IN THAT IN THAT COMMUNITY? IT'S UP FOR DEBATE, RIGHT? OBVIOUSLY, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT FEELS ONE WAY, THE BOARD FEELS ANOTHER WAY. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE NEED YOU ALL TO TO REALLY I'M SORRY.
SO I'M GOING TO INTERRUPT. IT'S 1147. AND WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH JUST THE HOMEBUYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ON WEDNESDAY. AND SO I'M WONDERING IF WE CAN PAUSE FOR THE OTHER ITEMS AND JUST FOCUS ON THE HOMEBUYER ASSISTANCE, WHICH I THINK WE PROBABLY CAN TAKE CARE OF. WOULD YOU HAVE SPECIFIC ITEMS ON THAT THAT YOU'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT? NO, I DIDN'T NECESSARILY WANT MY QUESTIONING TO GET LIMITED IN SCOPE VERSUS THAT OF THE OTHER MEMBERS.
I KNOW BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION FOR ANOTHER BRIEFING.
OKAY. AND I WILL CALL ON YOU FIRST. YOU WILL HAVE AS MUCH TIME AS YOU'D LIKE.
OKAY. SO SO THAT'S FAIR ENOUGH THEN. ARE THERE OTHER PEOPLE WHO THINK, ACTUALLY, LET'S DELAY THE WHOLE THING AND NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH THE HOMEBUYER ASSISTANCE? IS THERE ANYBODY WHO'S CONCERNED WITH MOVING FORWARD WITH HOMEBUYER? CLEARLY COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA WOULD LIKE TO PAUSE. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO'D LIKE TO PAUSE ON THAT, OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE HOMEBUYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ON WEDNESDAY? IN WHICH CASE, YOU KNOW, IN OUR REMAINING TEN MINUTES, I'D LIKE TO SEE IF THERE'S COMMENTS ON THAT SPECIFICALLY.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO CONTINUE TO HAVE MY QUESTIONS AND THEN BE DONE.
AND I'M NOT I DON'T HAVE MUCH MORE. I JUST WANT TO AT LEAST BE ABLE TO ROUND OUT TO A POINT, MADAM CHAIR. WELL, YOU'RE WELCOME TO DO THAT.
THERE ARE THREE OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO HAVEN'T ASKED ANY QUESTIONS, AND THEN PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ON THE COMMITTEE, SO THE CONVERSATION'S NOT COMPLETE. THIS ITEM IS NOT COMPLETE.
FOR OUR MEETING, IT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GO FORWARD ON WEDNESDAY.
WE'LL HOLD IT FOR EITHER A SPECIAL CALLED OR THE MARCH MEETING.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT OFFLINE. ARE YOU GUYS OKAY? IF WE'RE NOT MOVING FORWARD WITH HOME BUYER ASSISTANCE, IT DOES CREATE A SLIGHT ADMINISTRATIVE CHALLENGE.
OF COURSE, NOT PRESUMING THAT THEIR SUPPORT FOR OUTSOURCING THAT CONTRACT ON THE 25TH, BUT A DELAY WILL CONTINUE TO DELAY THAT VENDOR, AND IT DOES HAVE FEDERAL FUNDING TIED TO IT. SO IDEAL SITUATION IS NOT TO DELAY ON THAT PROGRAM IF THERE'S CONSENSUS AROUND SUPPORT.
AND THE CHALLENGE THEY HAVE IS THAT THERE'S HOME BUYERS THAT ARE IN THE IN THE PIPELINE OR THAT THAT'S RIGHT, THAT THAT ARE READY TO BECOME HOME BUYERS. AND WE PUT A TEMPORARY PAUSE ON CONTINUE TO ADMINISTRATIVELY RUN THAT UNTIL WE CAN GET A VENDOR ONBOARDED.
NOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THAT. BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE MORE WE CONTINUE INTO THAT, THE MORE IMPACT THEIR CONTRACT MIGHT HAVE FOR THIS FIRST YEAR.
AND I'LL JUST POINT OUT THAT BECAUSE OF OUR MARCH CALENDAR, WE ONLY HAVE AN AGENDA MEETING, ONE MEETING, AND IT'S AT THE END OF THE MONTH.
I THINK IT'S THE 25TH. SO I JUST LIKE, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A CHAIR AND MAKE A MOTION, IF I MAY, TO MOVE THAT ONE FORWARD. BECAUSE OF THE PENDING APPLICATIONS AND KNOWING, UNDERSTANDING HOW HARD IT IS TO GET APPLICANTS THROUGH THE SECOND.
OKAY. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS SPECIFIC TO THAT PROGRAM? OKAY. I'M VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF OUTSOURCING THAT.
I KNOW THAT, MADAM CHAIR. YES, I THINK THERE'S A MOTION IN A SECOND.
YEAH, I'M MAKING COMMENTS, WHICH IS APPROPRIATE.
[02:50:03]
WELL, I YOU DIDN'T ASK FOR ANY DISCUSSION. YOU ASKED FOR SPECIFIC QUESTIONS OF DEHAP, SO I DIDN'T CHIME IN BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE ADDRESSING THE MOTION.OKAY. WELL, I DO HAVE DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION.
GREAT. I WILL CALL ON YOU NEXT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
AND I'M NOT SURE CITIES ARE WELL SUITED TO ADMINISTER IT.
SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU HAVE LOOKED TO OUTSOURCE IT.
I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY SOME OTHER THINGS WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO OUTSOURCE, BUT THAT ONE SPECIFICALLY I THINK WILL BENEFIT A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS WHO WE WANT TO BECOME HOMEOWNERS. COUNCIL MEMBER BAZALDUA. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
I DO SUPPORT MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS. AND I UNDERSTAND THIS IS ESSENTIALLY SEPARATING THE QUESTION.
I JUST PROCEDURALLY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF I KNOW THAT THE CHAIR HAS EXPRESSED WANTING TO HAVE OFFLINE CONVERSATIONS ON WHAT TO MOVE NEXT, AND I WOULD ASK IF WE COULD AT LEAST HAVE PARLIAMENTARY GUIDANCE ON IF THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
IF THE I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE PROHIBITED ONCE ADJOURNMENT FROM PUTTING THIS TO A FULL COUNCIL, IF THAT'S THE WILL OF THIS BODY TO MOVE FORWARD INSTEAD OF A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING.
AND THOSE WERE THE OPTIONS THAT OUR CHAIR HAS MENTIONED.
DEHAP WOULD WE THEN NOT HAVE A PROCEDURAL OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THAT WITHOUT ANY ACTION OF THIS COMMITTEE? I DON'T KNOW THAT THE CHAIR COULD UNILATERALLY PULL IT FROM THE COMMITTEE. I'M SORRY.
I'M NOT PULLING IT FROM THE COMMITTEE. WHAT I'M NOT IT'S NOT AN IT'S NOT ACCUSATORY.
I'M JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE OUR. SO MY INTENT IS IT'S NOT ABOUT YOUR INTENT.
IT'S I'M ASKING WHAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO.
LEGAL QUESTION. YES. PARLIAMENTARY. PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION.
ATTORNEYS NEED TO SPEAK UP. GOOD MORNING. HANNAH PEACOCK, ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY.
CAN YOU CLARIFY WHAT THE SPECIFIC QUESTION IS FOR THE ATTORNEYS RIGHT NOW? RIGHT NOW, WE ARE DISCUSSING ONE PORTION OF AN AGENDA ITEM THAT HAS BEEN NOTICED ALL TOGETHER.
SO ESSENTIALLY, WE'RE SEPARATING THE QUESTION. THE CHAIR SAID SHE WAS GOING TO HAVE DISCUSSION WITH STAFF OFFLINE TO DISCUSS WHETHER OR NOT WE WERE GOING TO BRING THIS BACK AT A FULL COUNCIL, OR AT A POTENTIAL SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF THIS COMMITTEE.
IF WE HAVE NOT TAKEN ANY ACTION ON THE PORTION OF THIS AGENDA ITEM THAT WE'VE LEFT BEHIND BECAUSE WE'RE SEPARATING JUST THE DEHAT PROGRAM, IS THERE THE ABILITY AT THAT POINT FOR THE CHAIR TO THEN MAKE THE DECISION TO BRING IT TO FULL COUNCIL, OR WOULD WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION TODAY THAT WOULD ESSENTIALLY DISCHARGE IT FROM THE COMMITTEE LEVEL AND ALLOW FOR US TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION AT FULL COUNCIL, OR WOULD WE BE BOUND TO KEEP IT AT THE COMMITTEE LEVEL UNTIL ACTION WAS TAKEN? OKAY. THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING. I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.
SO THIS ITEM IS CURRENTLY POSTED ON THE AGENDA FOR WEDNESDAY.
SO THIS ITEM WOULD GO FORWARD WITH ALL FOUR PROGRAM STATEMENTS UP FOR CONSIDERATION.
NOW AT THAT POINT AT THE COUNCIL MEETING, THE COUNCIL COULD VOTE TO DIVIDE THE QUESTION, SEPARATE SEPARATE OUT ANY OF THE STATEMENTS THAT, YOU KNOW THEY WANT TO APPROVE ON THAT DAY AND APPROVE THOSE AND THEN DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH THE OTHER ONES.
SO SO WHAT WHAT WOULD WHAT WOULD OCCUR WITH THE REMAINING ITEMS THAT WERE NOT THAT WERE SEPARATED FROM? WE COULD THEN DIRECT ON WEDNESDAY WHAT THAT WOULD WHERE THAT WOULD BE BRIEFED TO NEXT.
JUST ONE MOMENT PLEASE. SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO THEY WOULD MOVE TO DEFER IT.
IT'S BASED ON IT'S KIND OF DEPENDENT ON WHATEVER THEY NEED TO DO WITH IT. THANK YOU I APOLOGIZE.
SO IT'S, I GUESS DEPENDENT ON WHAT THE WHAT THE MOTION IS AT COUNCIL.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU COULD MOVE TO DEFER THEM AND THEN VOTE ON THAT TO A CERTAIN DATE.
PERFECT. BUT IF RIGHT NOW THE MOTION IS ON THE FLOOR ONLY ADDRESSING ONE OF THERE, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE IT DOUBLE NOTICE TO HAVE ALL FOUR ITEMS ON OUR WEDNESDAY AGENDA. ARE WE? ARE WE HAMSTRINGING OURSELVES? OR SHOULD THE ACTUAL MOTION ON THE FLOOR TODAY TO CONSIDER BE THE ENTIRE ITEM AS IT'S PUT ON THE AGENDA FOR WEDNESDAY, AND THEN US DEAL WITH PROCEDURAL PROCEDURAL MOTIONS ON WEDNESDAY? BEFORE THE PORTION OF TODAY'S ITEM THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS JUST SPLIT IT TOLD HIM.
[02:55:01]
UP ALL FOUR ITEMS, EVEN IF IT'S TO DEFER IT BACK, EVEN IF IT'S TO DEFER IT BACK SO I CAN WITHDRAW IT.YEAH. OKAY. SO WHAT WHAT'S BEING DISCUSSED IS IF THE MOTION SHOULD BE WITHDRAWN SO THAT WE CAN JUST PROCEDURALLY TAKE CARE OF THIS ON WEDNESDAY, WHICH SEEMS LIKE A GOOD IDEA. ARE YOU WILLING TO WITHDRAW YOUR MOTION? ARE YOU WILLING TO WITHDRAW THE SECOND? SECOND.
SECOND OKAY, I WITHDRAW. SO WITH THAT ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE D HAPP PROGRAM, THE THE HOMEBUYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO ASK IN COMMITTEE? OF COURSE. YOU'RE WELCOME TO ASK THEM ON WEDNESDAY AS WELL.
NO. OKAY. SO WITH THAT IT IS 1157. THERE ARE SOME OTHER INTERESTING ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA.
SOME OF THEM ARE UPCOMING ITEMS FOR WEDNESDAY.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO JUST GIVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
IF ANYBODY HAS A QUESTION ON ITEM I THAT'S UPCOMING FROM MARCH 25TH BY THE MARCH 25TH.
OKAY. THEN SKIP IT BECAUSE WE'LL WE'LL HIT IT IN MARCH.
UNLESS WE HAVE A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING WHEN WE MIGHT HIT IT THEN.
SO WITH THAT, IT IS 1157 AND THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.