[South Dallas Fair Park Opportunity Fund Regular Meeting on May 18, 2026.]
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ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET ROLLING.
I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS MEETING SOUND DALLAS FOR A OPPORTUNITY BOARD TO ORDER.
THE TIME IS 6:00 PM WE'LL BEGIN WITH A ROLL CALL MYSELF, AMBER JOHNSON PRESENT MR. WINE SIGNS PRESENT.
MS. KIMBERLY SIMS. PRESENT MR. HARRISON BLAIR.
MR. HARRISON, BLAIR CCING ION CCING ION MS. DESTINY KU BAR, DESTINY KU BAR, MS. SHANA WISE, MR. BILL DAWKINS PRESENT MS. AMY FREEMAN, MS. AMY FREEMAN.
MR. TRENT HUGHES PRESENT AND MR. CARL ENRIQUEZ PRESENT.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM APRIL 27TH.
EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A COPY OF THOSE IN THEIR PACKET.
UH, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, FEEDBACK, CHANGES? IF NOT, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? MOTION TO APPROVE.
SO MOVE ENRIQUEZ SECOND BY MR. DAWKINS.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY OPPOSED? HEARING NONE HERE.
NEXT AGENDA ITEM, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
AND, UH, THAT'S PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
UH, NICHOLAS OR HEATHER, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS SIGNED UP FOR THIS EVENING? WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS TODAY.
UH, IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A COUPLE OF, UH, FOLKS JOIN.
UH, SO WE'LL DOUBLE BACK ON THE ROLL CALL AND PAUL'S MOMENTARILY, UH, CALL YOUR NAME.
JUST PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR PRESENCE, MS. AMY FREEMAN, PRESENT.
MS. WISE, CAN YOU FLIP YOUR CAMERA ON PLEASE AS WELL? SHENAE, CAN YOU HEAR US? IF NOT, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL MOVE ON AND WE'LL DOUBLE BACK ONCE YOU, UH, THE, UH, TECHNICAL ISSUES, UH, SORTED ON YOUR END.
SO WE WILL, UH, GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, WHICH IS A BRIEFING FROM THE STAFF ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, JUNE INFORMATION SESSION, UH, THAT'S UPCOMING.
SO, UH, NICHOLAS, UH, I'LL LET YOU GO AHEAD AND TAKE OVER FROM HERE AND WE'LL HOLD ALL OUR QUESTIONS AS USUAL TO THE END.
UM, AND THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, UH, YOU KNOW, FEEL FREE, WE'LL HAVE SOME TIME TO ADDRESS THOSE AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I DON'T HAVE A, A SLIDE FOR THIS, REALLY, D IF YOU WANT TO JUST MOVE TO THE, UH, YEAH, THERE.
UM, SO YEAH, I WANT TO GIVE YOU, UH, A QUICK UPDATE ON THE PLANNING FOR OUR NEXT, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INFO SESSION FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FUND.
THE DATE WE'VE IDENTIFIED IS TUESDAY, JUNE 23RD, 2026.
UH, AND THE TIME WE'VE, UH, IDENTIFIED IS 10:30 AM JUST TRYING TO SWITCH IT UP.
THE LAST ONE WAS IN THE AFTERNOON, SO WE'RE GONNA OPT TO DO A MORNING ONE FOR THIS ONE.
UH, THE LOCATION FOR THE INFO SESSION IS EITHER GOING TO BE THE SOUTH DALLAS CULTURAL CENTER OR THE PARK SOUTH Y UH, WITH FIFA HAPPENING.
THERE ARE SOME CONFLICTS THAT WE DIDN'T ANTICIPATE, AND SO WE'RE STILL IRONING OUT, UH, THOSE DETAILS, BUT THEY SHOULD BE SETTLED BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.
UH, AND THEN WE CAN GET WORKING ON A FLYER.
SO WE'RE CHANGING THE, THE SETUP FOR THIS INFO SESSION JUST A LITTLE BIT FROM THE ONES WE'VE DONE PREVIOUSLY.
AS YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST, UH, WE WERE WORKING TO BRING IN A BANK PARTNER AND OR A TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PARTNER TO TRY TO FILL SOME OF THE GAPS THAT APPLICANTS WERE EXPERIENCING.
UM, WITH THE SECOND INFO SESSION, WE DIDN'T FIND THAT THERE WERE, UH, A LOT OF NEW LEADS THAT CAME IN.
WE FOUND THAT SOME FOLKS WERE GOING TO A, THE INFO SESSION FOR THE SECOND TIME, OR THEY WERE KIND OF CYCLING BACK THROUGH TO GET ACCESS TO RESOURCES.
UM, BUT ONE THING THAT WE DID NOTICE IS WE GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT OTHER TOOLS IN OUR INCENTIVE BOX THAT ARE GEARED TOWARDS SOUTH DALLAS.
AND SO FOR THIS NEXT INFO SESSION, WE'RE GONNA BROADEN THE TOOLS A LITTLE BIT.
THE FOCUS WILL STILL BE ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INFO SESSION FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FUND, BUT WE'RE ALSO GONNA INCLUDE OTHER KIND OF SOUTH DALLAS FO FOCUSED INCENTIVES THAT COULD BE HELPFUL TO SMALL BUSINESSES OR SMALL DEVELOPERS IN SOUTH DALLAS.
AND SO FOR THE PROGRAM FOR THIS NEXT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INFO SESSION, WE'RE GONNA START WITH, UH, A PRESENTATION FROM ABOUT THE PRE-DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE FUND, WHICH YOU'LL BE LEARNING ABOUT A LITTLE BIT LATER IN OUR PRESENTATION.
THE D SEVEN EXTERIOR FACADE PROGRAM, WHICH IS, UH, A PROJECT FOR FROM THE COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN, UM, BASIL'S OFFICE, THE SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WHICH GETS A LOT OF QUESTIONS WHENEVER WE MAKE PRESENTATION,
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SO IT'LL BE GOOD THAT THEY'RE THERE.THAT'S A GRANT BASED INCENTIVE.
AND THEN IT'LL END WITH, UM, OUR PRESENTATION ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FUND.
AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE STAFF THERE FOR EACH ONE OF THE PROGRAMS. SO AFTER WE MAKE THE PRESENTATION, PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO COME UP AND KIND OF TALK WITH US ONE-ON-ONE AND ASK QUESTIONS, AND WE CAN KIND OF, YOU KNOW, HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE THAT WAY.
UM, AND SO THOSE ARE THE PLANS FOR OUR NEXT INFO SESSION.
LIKE I SAID, WE'RE CONFIRMING THE VENUE SHOULD BE CONFIRMED BY THE END OF THIS WEEK, AND THEN WE'LL GET A FLYER GOING AND WE CAN START TO PROMOTE IT.
AND ONCE THAT'S READY TO GO, I WILL SHARE IT WITH THE REST OF THE BOARD SO YOU ALL CAN SHARE IT WITH YOUR AS WELL.
AND THAT'S THE, UH, UPDATE I HAVE FOR THE INFO SESSION.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, COMMENTS OR FEEDBACK? UH, FOR NICHOLAS, UH, ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PIECE FOR THE UPCOMING, UH, I'M SORRY, NICHOLAS, COULD YOU REPEAT THE TIME AGAIN FOR THAT SESSION? 10:30 AM SO JUST TO REPEAT, IT WAS TUESDAY, JUNE 23RD AT 10:30 AM AND IT WILL BE AT EITHER THE CULTURAL CENTER OR THE YMCA, IS THAT CORRECT? RIGHT.
AND AS SOON AS THOSE DETAILS ARE CONFIRMED, I'LL SEND OUT DETAILS TO THE WHOLE BOARD.
SHANA, JUST A QUICK, QUICK NOTE, UH, JUST, JUST FOR THE RECORD, UM, I DID RECEIVE A NOTICE THAT, UH, YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO HEAR.
UM, SO IF YOU WANT TO JUST KEEP TRYING, UH, TO, TO GET ON AND, AND I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S A, A, A LINK ISSUE OR MAYBE PERHAPS YOU CAN TRY FROM YOUR MOBILE PHONE IF YOU'RE ON A, A, A LAPTOP OR A DESKTOP OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, AND WE'LL JUST KEEP MONITORING TO SEE IF YOU'RE ABLE TO, TO, TO GET ON.
SO, BUT WE ARE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WE CAN SEE YOU, WE JUST CAN'T HEAR YOU RIGHT NOW.
WE, WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T SEE OR HEAR, BUT WE ARE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO TO, TO GET ON, BASICALLY.
SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR FEEDBACK FOR NICHOLAS ON THE ECONOMIC OR THE UPCOMING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM? WE'LL JUST CONFIRM THE TIME AND THE DATE, UH, AND THEN WE'LL GET CONFIRMATION ON THE LOCATION, UH, HERE IN THE NEXT, UH, UH, WEEK OR SO.
UH, SHOULD I, CAN YOU HEAR OKAY? OKAY.
SHE CAN HEAR SHE WILL TO, UH, GET HER CAMERA ON, ON THE RECEIPT FROM WHERE I AM.
UH, SHANA, WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE JUST ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR, YOUR PRESENCE.
UH, SO THAT WAS A PERFECT SEGUE TO THE SECOND HALF OF OUR BRIEFING, WHICH WILL BE, DO WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION? YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION? OKAY.
HEARING NONE, UH, WE'LL MOVE ON.
THAT'LL BE A PERFECT SEGUE INTO THE SECOND PART OF OUR BRIEFING THAT WILL BE SHARED BY HEATHER LAP PASKA.
SO, UH, JUST FOR THE FOLKS THAT ARE NEW AND, AND SOME THAT ARE HERE THAT ARE FAMILIAR ALREADY, YOU KNOW, BACK IN 2023, I BELIEVE IT WAS, UH, THERE WAS SORT OF AN EXPANSION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, PROGRAM OPTIONS, UH, TO MAKE IT EASIER AND MORE ACCESSIBLE, UH, FOR MORE PEOPLE.
UH, AS NICHOLAS MENTIONED, THERE WAS ALWAYS A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW DO I GET INVOLVED, UH, IN OBTAINING CITY FUNDS, WHAT'S AVAILABLE, UH, HOW DO I QUALIFY, WHAT DO I QUALIFY FOR? WHAT BUCKET DOES IT FIT IN? UH, AND SO IN AN EFFORT TO TRY TO STREAMLINE SOME OF THAT AND OFFER MORE OPTIONS, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ARRAY OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WERE OFFERED AND WERE STOOD UP FOR THE PURPOSES OF MAKING IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO GET INTO THE PIPELINE AND GET FUNDING THROUGH DIFFERENT BUCKETS.
UH, GIVEN THAT EACH PROGRAM DIDN'T FIT, UH, WITHIN A, A SINGLE FRAMEWORK OF, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THE SOUTH DALLAS INVESTMENT FUND OR THE SOUTH DALLAS FAIR PARK OPPORTUNITY FUND AND THE LIKE.
SO WHAT HEATHER'S GONNA GO OVER IS SHE'S GONNA GO OVER THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, HOW THEY WORK, UH, WHAT THE FUNDING MECHANISMS ARE, HOW PEOPLE QUALIFY, AND THEN THAT WILL BE A PART OF WHAT NICHOLAS WILL BE SHARING AND WHAT WILL BE A PART OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, UPCOMING, UH, INFO SESSION SO THAT PEOPLE HAVE A BETTER SENSE AND A BETTER FEEL OF WHERE TO GO AND, YOU KNOW, HOW WE DIRECT
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THEM.AND SOME, THERE MAY BE OPPORTUNITIES TO OVERLAP TO, TO DO DIFFERENT THINGS, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN IN THAT REGARD.
BUT THIS WILL GIVE EVERYBODY A BETTER OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S AVAILABLE, WHAT'S OUT THERE, UH, HOW PEOPLE CAN GET INVOLVED, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, HOW WE CAN THROUGH OUR FUND LAYER IN, UH, WITH THAT AS WELL.
SO, UH, ONCE AGAIN, YOU'LL PROBABLY HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS, SO PLEASE HOLD THOSE TO THE END OF, OF THE PRESENTATION AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE GET EVERYTHING COVERED.
SO, UH, HEATHER, DO YOU WANNA GO AHEAD AND TAKE OUT FROM THERE? I CAN.
SO, AS THE CHAIR MENTIONED, WE DID A FAIRLY SUBSTANTIAL OVERHAUL TO OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE POLICY IN 2023.
UM, AND CITY COUNCIL APPROVED TO PROVIDE INCENTIVE POLICY THAT WAS DESIGNED TO PROACTIVELY ADDRESS DISPARITIES, MINIMIZE EXISTING INEQUALITIES, AND FOCUS ON HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES AND POPULATION THROUGH PLACE-BASED DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT.
UM, SO THE FIRST THING WE DID TO ESTABLISH THIS WAS TO ESTABLISH NEW TARGET AREAS.
YOU CAN SEE THEM ON THE SCREEN.
WHAT THESE ARE, ARE CENSUS BLOCK GROUPS WHERE THE POVERTY RATE IS 20% OR GREATER, AND THEY ALIGN WITH THE, UM, STATE ENTERPRISE ZONE.
SO IT ALIGNS WITH THE STATE, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, ONE OF THEIR PROGRAMS. UM, THE OTHER THING THAT WE DID IS WE ESTABLISHED NEW PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS THAT OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS WERE COMPLEX, UH, LACKING CERTAINTY TOOK A LONG TIME, AND WERE GEARED TOWARDS BIG DEVELOPERS.
UM, AND THEN WE DID RETAIN OUR EXISTING PROGRAMS LIKE THE TIFF OR THE PIDS, OR NEGOTIATED INCENTIVES FOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, BUT WE ALSO ADDED NEW TOOLS TO KIND OF REFINE OUR TOOLBOX.
UM, SO SOME OF OUR TRADITIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES, AND YOU'LL FIND THESE IN OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE STATE.
WE HAVE CHAPTER THREE 80, WHICH REFERS TO THE PART OF THE TEXAS, UM, LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE THAT IT FALLS UNDER CHAPTER THREE 80.
WE CAN OFFER GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND FUNDING.
UH, WE HAVE A VERY ACTIVE TAX INCREMENT FINANCING DISTRICT PROGRAM.
WE HAVE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS.
WE, UH, WE CAN OFFER TAX ABATEMENTS.
UH, WE HAVE OFFERED SECTION 1 0 8 FINANCING.
WE HAVE AN, WE ARE, WE HAVE AN ACTIVE NEW MARKETS TAX CREDIT PROGRAM.
UM, WE'RE THE ONLY ONE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS TO HAVE ONE AS A CITY.
AND THEN WE ALSO OFFER, UM, FUNDING THROUGH PROPERTY ASSESSMENT CLEAN ENERGY, WHICH IS ACTUALLY COUNTYWIDE.
SO WITH THE NEW INCENTIVE POLICY, WE ALSO MADE SOME CHANGES TO OUR PROGRAMS AND PROCESSES.
SO AS I MENTIONED, WE ESTABLISHED NEW TARGET AREAS.
UH, WE CREATED CHAPTER 3 73 LOANS AND GRANTS, WHICH ALLOWS US TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR NONPROFITS.
UH, WE HAVE A NEW AS OF RIGHT TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM.
WE CREATED AN INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT FUND, WHICH IS NOT A PROGRAM, BUT A FUNDING SOURCE.
UH, WE CREATED A SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WHICH ACTUALLY CAME IN 2025.
AND THEN WE ALSO NOW ARE ALLOWED TO PROVIDE ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL FOR CERTAIN AWARDS.
SO NOT EVERY SMALLER PROJECT HAS TO GO TO CITY COUNCIL.
UH, SO A QUICK SUMMARY OF OUR NEWISH PROGRAMS, FIRST OF ALL IS OUR AS RIGHT TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM.
THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT APPLIES TO PROJECTS THAT ARE IN A TARGET AREA.
UM, AND FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE BETWEEN 2,000,020 5 MILLION, THE APPLICANTS CAN EITHER CHOOSE A 10 YEAR, 90% REAL PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT, OR A FIVE YEAR 90% BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT.
THE APPLICATION IS STRAIGHTFORWARD, IT'S STREAMLINED, THERE'S NO UNDERWRITING REQUIREMENTS.
THE AWARDS ARE MADE BY ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION.
UM, AND THE CONTRACTS ARE ALL STANDARDIZED FORMS. AND WE'VE DONE, I THINK, FOUR PROJECTS UNDER THE AS OF RIGHT PROGRAM SO FAR.
UH, ONE OF OUR SECOND NEW PROGRAMS IS OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, AND THIS PROVIDES GRANT FUNDS TO SUPPORT TWO TYPES OF PROJECTS, UH, THAT SERVE A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PURPOSE.
UM, AND MOST OF THE ONES THAT WE'RE FUNDING AND THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ARE PROJECTS THAT ARE LED BY A COMMUNITY-BASED NONPROFIT DEVELOPER.
UM, AND SO THIS ALLOWS US TO PROVIDE REAL ESTATE GRANTS, ESSENTIALLY TO A REAL ESTATE PROJECT THAT IS $2 MILLION OR HIGHER, THAT IS LOCATED IN A TARGET AREA.
UM, AND FOR PROJECTS THAT HAVE 75% OF THEIR CAPITAL RAISED OR COMMITTED.
SO BASICALLY, IT, UM, PROVIDES A SIMILAR PROGRAM ON THE REAL ESTATE SIDE THAT WE ALREADY HAD ON THE, UM, PROVIDES A SIMILAR PROGRAM ON THE REAL ESTATE SIDE FOR NON-PROFITS THAT WE WERE ALREADY DOING FOR, FOR-PROFIT DEVELOPERS.
IT'S DEFINITELY ONLY IN TARGET AREAS.
UM, BUT WE HAVE FUNDED PROJECTS UNDER OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AS WELL, SUCH AS FOREST THEATER OR, UM, BONTON HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER.
THE NEXT NEW PROGRAM IS OUR PRE-DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE FUND.
UM, AND THIS ONE WAS JUST TWEAKED A LITTLE BIT IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.
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IT'S A CITYWIDE PROGRAM FOR EMERGING DEVELOPERS WITH PROJECTS IN TARGET AREAS WHERE WE CAN PROVIDE PRE-DEVELOPMENT LOANS FOR ELIGIBLE THIRD PARTY DEVELOPMENT COSTS.SO THE MAXIMUM AWARD UNDER THIS IS $50,000.
UM, IT'S SIZED BASED ON WHAT THEY ANTICIPATE THEIR PRE-DEVELOPMENT COSTS WILL BE.
UM, IT IS A LOAN, SO IT IS PAID BACK AND THE LOAN IS INTEREST FREE, AND IT MATURES ON EITHER THE EARLIER OF THE CLOSING DATE OF CONSTRUCTION FINANCING FOR THE PROJECT, OR 12 MONTHS FROM THE DATE OF PAYMENT BY THE CITY.
UM, AND THE LOANS DO NEED TO BE SECURED BY A PERSONAL GUARANTEE OR FIRST, FIRST LIEN ON THE PROPERTY IN ANY EQUIVALENT AMOUNT OF WHATEVER THE LOAN AMOUNT IS.
UM, AND THEN OUR FINAL NEW-ISH PROGRAM IS A SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
AND THIS WAS A PROGRAM THAT WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL IN 2025.
IT'S A CITYWIDE PROGRAM TO PROVIDE GRANT ASSISTANCE TO DALLAS, UM, SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE LOOKING TO GROW OR EXPAND IN DALLAS, UM, AS THEY'RE MOVING INTO PHYSICAL LOCATIONS.
IN A TARGET AREA, THE MINIMUM PROJECT SIZE IS $150,000 IN A NON-TARGET AREA.
UM, THE MINIMUM PROJECT SIZE IS $250,000.
THIS PROGRAM IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR PROJECTS UP TO $2 MILLION.
IF IT'S OVER $2 MILLION, IT WOULD GO INTO THOSE OTHER, UH, SOME OF THE OTHER FUNDS THAT AND PROGRAMS WE TALKED ABOUT.
UM, THE BASE AWARD IS 15% OF THE PROJECT SIZE.
AND SO IN A TARGET AREA, WE CAN AWARD UP TO $300,000 IN A NON-TARGET AREA, WE CAN AWARD UP TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
AND THEN WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY FOR, UM, IF THERE'S A CREATION OF LIVING WAGE JOBS, THEY CAN GET AN ADDITIONAL 10%.
SO THEIR TOTAL AWARD WOULD GO UP TO 25% OF THE TOTAL PROJECT COST.
UM, AND SO IN TARGET AREAS, THEY NEED TO CREATE FIVE, CREATE FIVE OR MORE LIVING WAGE JOBS IN NON-TARGET AREAS, IT'S 10.
UM, AND WITH THAT JOB CREATION, THE MAXIMUM AWARD IN A TARGET AREA GOES UP TO $400,000.
UM, A COUPLE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT ARE OPERATING WITHIN THE SOUTH DALLAS FAIR PARK OPPORTUNITY FUND, UH, SERVICE AREA AS WELL AS DISTRICT SEVEN IS THE GRAND PARK SOUTH TIF DISTRICT, UH, BEGAN IN 20 2005, AND IT'S SET TO EXPIRE IN 2035.
AND TIF FUNDS CAN BE USED FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION, AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
UM, AND THEN A NEW PROGRAM THAT WE JUST LAUNCHED, AND THIS IS A MOUTHFUL, BUT IT'S THE DISTRICT SEVEN EXTERIOR IMPROVEMENT GRANT PROGRAM FOR COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.
UM, IT'S ALLOWED AS A COUNCIL, CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT SPECIFIC SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM.
SO THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR D SEVEN HAD IDENTIFIED FUNDS AND HE WANTED TO, TO HAVE BUSINESSES BE ABLE TO USE THAT FOR EXTERIOR IMPROVEMENTS, LIKE FACADE IMPROVEMENTS, MAYBE A PATIO.
UM, IT CAN BE USED FOR A DA IMPROVEMENTS.
IT CAN BE USED FOR ANYTHING THAT IS A PERMANENT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT TO BE OUTSIDE OF THAT PROJECT.
UH, THE MAXIMUM AWARD IS $50,000, AND THE CITY PARTICIPATION RANGES FROM 50 TO 80%.
CITY FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS SO THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS TO PROVIDE THAT FUNDING FIRST, AND THEN WE REIMBURSE THEM.
UH, BUT THE PROGRAM SUPPORTS NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION, ENCOURAGES PRIVATE INVESTMENT, AND STRENGTHENS SMALL BUSINESS ACTIVITY IN SOUTH DALLAS.
UM, AND THEN THESE ARE THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU SHOULD ALL BE FAMILIAR WITH.
THE, THE SOUTH DALLAS FAIR PARK OPPORTUNITY FUND PROGRAMS, UH, PUT IN A MAP OF THE SERVICE AREA.
AND JUST A REMINDER THAT WE HAVE TWO PROGRAMS. ONE IS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, UH, AND THE OTHER IS THE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, UM, SUPPORTS PROJECTS THAT RESULT IN THE CREATION OF NEW JOBS, RETENTION OF EXISTING JOBS, OR AN INCREASE IN THE SERVICE AREA.
THE FUNDS ARE AWARDED PRIMARILY AS A LOAN WITH BELOW MARKET INTEREST RATES, UH, WITH UP TO 25% OF THE AWARD CAN BE PROVIDED AS A GRANT.
ALL OF THESE PROJECTS DO GO THROUGH AN UNDERWRITING PROCESS.
UM, AND WE HAVE ONE APPLICATION RIGHT NOW THAT WE HAVE AN UNDERWRITING UNDER THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
UM, AND THEN UNDER THE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, THESE ARE GRANTS THAT ARE USED TO SUPPORT SERVICES, UM, THAT EITHER ADDRESS WORKFORCE TRAINING, SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH EDUCATION OUTCOMES, OR PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, AND THEN THE APPLICANT MUST PROVIDE 50%, AT LEAST 50% OF THE PROJECT FUND.
AGAIN, IT'S ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS AND THERE'S $200,000 AVAILABLE ANNUALLY FOR THE PROGRAM.
UM, AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO SHOW A COUPLE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE WORKED ON.
UM, COURSE THEATER IS SUPPOSED TO OPEN IN NOVEMBER OR HAVE THE GROUNDBREAKING IN NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR.
THIS PROJECT RECEIVED, UM, A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GRANT OF $8 MILLION.
UM, AND IT ACTUALLY RECEIVED FUNDING UNDER THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT
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FUND.SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE FUNDING SOURCES THAT WE USED TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT.
MALCOLM'S POINT, UH, RECEIVED FUNDING UNDER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND SOUTH DALLAS FAIR PARK OPPORTUNITY FUND.
THEY HAVE BROKEN GROUND, UM, THEY'RE GOING VERTICAL BASED ON THE UPDATE FROM ANNIE.
SHE ANTICIPATES THEY WILL BE COMPLETE LATER THIS YEAR.
UM, SO SHE, THEY ARE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS ON THAT.
UH, THE PARK SOUTH YMCA IS A PROJECT WE SUPPORTED THROUGH THE NEW MARKETS TAX CREDIT PROGRAM.
AND THE BONTON HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER IS A PROJECT THAT WE SUPPORTED THROUGH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE ONE, UM, DISTRICT SEVEN EXTERIOR IMPROVEMENT AWARD PROJECT PENDING.
WE HAVE ONE PENDING SVAP PROJECT, UM, WHERE THE OFFER LETTER FOR THAT JUST WENT OUT LAST WEEK.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE TWO SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, AWARDS, UM, THAT ARE IN THE SERVICE AREA AS WELL.
SO THERE ARE, THERE IS OTHER ACTIVITY THAT IS NOT JUST THE SOUTH DALLAS FAIR PARK OPPORTUNITY FUND FUNDING THAT IS GOING ON IN THE SERVICE AREA AND IN B SEVEN.
UM, WITH THAT, I WILL STOP THE QUESTIONS.
DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR FEEDBACK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT FUNDING PROGRAMS? UH, OUTLINE, CHAIRMAN.
UM, MS. LECO, I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE FOREST THEATER RECENTLY FUNDED PROJECT I, I MISSED.
YOU SAID, WHICH, WHICH PROGRAMS ARE THE ONES THAT SUPPORTED THAT ONE? YEAH, SO THAT WAS A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GRANT.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON A NEW MARKETS TAX CREDIT AWARD FOR THAT.
UM, ON THE PRE-DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, WHAT'S INCLUDED AS FAR AS PRE-DEVELOPMENT COSTS? IS THERE ANY ACTUAL LIKE, INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IT WOULD COVER ALSO? SO IT CAN BE A AND E IT CAN BE LIKE THE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY, BUT AS FAR AS LIKE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION, NONE OF THAT.
UM, SO DEFINE, I MEAN, IF, IF YOU LIKE GRADING THE DEMO, IT CAN DO NO GRADING, NO, DO NO ACTUAL WORK.
BUT IT CAN GET, YOU KNOW, ALL THE WORK TO GET READY TO ISSUE, PERMIT, ZONING, ALL OF THAT STUFF.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, FEEDBACK? UH, WE HAVE ANY HANDS RAISED ONLINE? ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, FEEDBACK FOR HEATHER? OKAY.
UH, HEATHER, UH, JUST, I'M, I'M JUST GONNA KIND OF GO THROUGH THESE JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND ALL THESE.
UH, AS IT RELATES TO THE, AS OF RIGHT TAX ABATEMENT, UH, PROGRAM, UM, DID YOU SHARE WHAT THE QUALIFICATION CRITERIA FOR THAT IS? UM, YES.
I MEAN, AT THE PROJECT IN A TARGET AREA, NUMBER ONE, UH, NUMBER TWO IS IT HAS TO BE BETWEEN TWO AND 25 MILLION OUTSIDE OF THE REAL ESTATE COST.
SO THE CITY DOESN'T PARTICIPATE IN LIKE THE REAL ESTATE TRANSACTION.
WE'RE PARTICIPATING IN THE NET IMPROVEMENTS FOR THAT.
UM, BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, WE'RE RELATIVELY, YOU KNOW, INDUSTRY AGNOSTIC AS TO WHAT THE FINAL PROJECT IS.
UM, WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE SUPPORTED SOME, YOU KNOW, BUILDINGS AND WE'VE ALSO SUPPORTED THE EQUIPMENT FOR A MANUFACTURING PROJECT.
SO IT CAN, DEPENDING ON IF THEY WANT THE RRP OR THE VPP, UM, THEY CAN, WE CAN PICK, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN DECIDE WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE FOR THEM.
SO IT ALSO WORKS FOR, YOU KNOW, THE REAL ESTATE PROJECT OR IF YOU'RE A TENANT IN THIS SPACE WITH A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN THAT TI TYPE OF ACTIVITY.
UM, ON THE C COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENTS, UM, FUNDING, IS THERE A DOLLAR CAP OR IS THERE A PERCENTAGE CAP THAT'S AVAILABLE? UM, I THINK THE, LET'S SEE, LOOKS LIKE THE, UH, FORCED THEATER PROJECT FELL INTO THAT BUCKET, CORRECT.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BUCKET, YES.
IS THERE, IS THERE A, IS THERE A CAP ON THOSE FUNDS? UH, WHAT ARE THE SOURCE OF THOSE FUNDS? AND IT KIND OF CAN KINDA WALK THROUGH THAT JUST FOR, SO THEY HAVE TO HAVE RAISED AT LEAST 75% OF THEIR FUNDS OR HAVE THAT COMMITTED.
SO THE CITY'S PARTICIPATION WOULD NOT EXCEED 25%.
UM, THE SOURCE OF THE FUNDS IS GONNA DEPEND A LITTLE BIT ON WHAT THE PROJECT IS AND WHERE IT'S LOCATED.
UM, AND WHAT, SO IT WILL PULL FROM WHATEVER WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER WE CAN AWARD FOR THAT PROJECT.
UM, IT ALSO GOES TO UNDERWRITING, SO IT'S WHAT THE UNDERWRITER BELIEVES IS THE ACTUAL GAP.
UM, AND SO IT'S, THERE'S NOT, I DON'T HAVE A SET NUMBER FOR YOU.
I DON'T HAVE A SET PERCENTAGE.
'CAUSE IT IS LOOKED DEAD ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
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BUT IT CANNOT EXCEED 25%.SO, SO NO DOLLAR CAP, BUT IT JUST CAN'T EXCEED 25%, ESSENTIALLY WHAT, WHATEVER THE NUMBER IS, RIGHT, IT'S $10 MILLION THEN, YOU KNOW, TWO AND A HALF MILLION BUCKS BASIC.
UH, SO, UH, FOR THE PRE-DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE FUND, UM, JUST FOR CLARITY, UH, FOR, FOR, UH, CHAIRMAN SIGN'S QUESTION.
SO THAT, THAT BASICALLY COVERS ALL SOFT COSTS, RIGHT? YES, FOR THE MOST PART.
SO I MEAN, FOR, IT WOULD LOOK AT, YOU COULD USE A AND E YOU COULD DO MARKET STUDY, YOU COULD LOOK AT, UM, I MEAN, BASICALLY THE SOFT COSTS THAT YOU NEED TO GET READY.
SO YOU CAN HONESTLY GO IN FOR PERMITTING AND ZONING.
IT'S GENERALLY THE STUFF THAT COMES ON THE VERY FRONT END, UH, THAT PEOPLE MAY NOT WANT TO GO OUT OF POCKET FOR.
IT HAS TO BE A THIRD PARTY ESTIMATE.
IT CAN'T BE, YOU KNOW, WE HAD ONE EXAMPLE WHERE AN ARCHITECT WANTED TO REIMBURSE HIMSELF FOR HIS ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS, AND THAT'S NOT ALLOWED.
LIKE IT HAS TO BE A THIRD PARTY.
UM, AND WE SIZE THE LOAN BASED ON WHAT THEIR ESTIMATES ARE.
UM, AND WE DO VERIFY THAT ALL THE PROJECTS ARE TAKING PLACE IN A TARGET AREA.
AND, UH, FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, UM, DOES THIS PRIMARILY COVER BUILDING RENOVATIONS? UH, I KNOW IT SAYS PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS AS THEY GROW AND MOVING TO PHYSICAL LOCATIONS.
UM, IS THAT, AM I READING THAT THAT, UH, CORRECTLY AND THEN ALSO THERE'S, LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A MECHANISM FOR, UM, THE AWARD TO BE INCREASED BASICALLY BY 10%, UM, IF THERE'S A JOB CREATION COMPONENT, WHETHER IT BE, LET'S CALL IT IN-NETWORK OR OUT, OUT OF NETWORK, RIGHT? UM, CORRECT.
THERE IS THAT PROPER INTERPRETATION OF, SO YES, THE JOB CREATION REQUIREMENT IF IS A 10% BOOST, BASICALLY, UM, IF THEY'RE IN A NON-TARGET AREA, THE MAXIMUM AWARD IS A A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, REGARDLESS OF JOB CREATION OR NOT.
IN A TARGET AREA, THE MAXIMUM AWARD GOES UP TO $400,000 IN A TARGET AREA IS $300,000.
OTHERWISE, IN TERMS OF ELIGIBLE EXPENSES, IT CAN BE THE REAL ESTATE PROJECT.
IT CAN ALSO BE LIKE THE EQUIPMENT, IT CAN'T BE INVENTORY.
UM, BUT IN ONE PROJECT, THE FIRST PROJECT THAT WE'VE COMPLETED IS DALLAS PRINTING AND IT AS A PRINT SHOP, HE HAD VERY HIGH END, YOU KNOW, NEW EQUIPMENT, BIG PRINTING MACHINE.
AND SO THAT WAS PART OF HIS ELIGIBLE PROJECT COST TO SUPPORT HIS SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM GRANT.
SO WE, WE WOULD FUND THE, LIKE IF IT'S A RESTAURANT, WE COULD, YOU, WE COULD COUNT THE STOVES AND LIKE THE SHELVING AND THE STUFF THAT'S MORE PERMANENT AS PART OF THE COST, WE WOULD NOT COUNT THE PO POTS AND PANS AND LIKE THE MENUS UNDERSTOOD CAP CAPITAL EQUIPMENT, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, MY QUESTION ON THE SOUTH, UH, THE GRANT PARK SOUTH TIFF, I, I THINK MY ONLY QUESTION THERE, OR MY ONLY COMMENT THERE, AND I THINK YOU ALREADY KIND OF COVERED THIS AND ANSWERED IT, IS IF, UH, THAT CAN BE COMBINED WITH ANOTHER PROGRAM, OBVIOUSLY THE BIG CHALLENGE IS IT'S, YOU KNOW, INFRASTRUCTURE IN A LOT OF AREAS THAT COULD BENEFIT FROM DEVELOPMENT.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS ARE JUST PROHIBITIVE.
SO, UH, JUST WANTED TO TO, TO CLARIFY THAT, THAT THOSE TIF FUNDS COULD BE ACCESSED IN CONJUNCTION WITH SOME OF THESE OTHER PROGRAMS, INCLUDING OUR FUND, UH, TO GET A PROJECT OFF THE GROUND.
UM, AND FOR DISTRICT SEVEN, UH, THE, UH, EXTERIOR, UH, IMPROVEMENT, UH, PROGRAM, UM, YOU SAID THIS WAS STOOD UP OUT OF COUNCILMAN UA DISTRICT, CORRECT.
WAS THAT JUST DISCRETIONARY FUNDS THAT, THAT THEY HAD THAT EACH KIND OF SET ASIDE, UH, BASICALLY FOR THIS PURPOSE OF, OF BEING ABLE TO GET MONEY OUT THE DOOR, YOU KNOW, QUICKER FOR, YOU KNOW, SMALL THINGS.
AND I, I TAKE IT, THESE ARE ALL ADMINISTRATIVE, YOU KNOW, WHO, WHO DECIDES WHO GETS TO DECIDE, YOU KNOW, IF THAT QUALIFIES, CAN THAT BE DONE ADMINISTRATIVELY OR DOES IT HAVE TO GO THROUGH HIS OFFICE? HOW DOES THAT APPROVAL PROCESS? CORRECT.
SO WHEN WE ADDED SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS TO OUR INCENTIVE POLICY IN 2025, WE CREATED A SMALL COUNCIL DISTRICT SPECIFIC SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM.
UM, AND SO IF A COUNCIL MEMBER IDENTI OR JOINTLY THEY IDENTIFY A DEDICATED SOURCE OF FUNDS AND THEY HAVE A PROGRAM IN MIND, THE CITY, THEY CAN PRESENT THAT OR STAFF PRESENTS IT, YOU KNOW, WE WORK OUT THROUGH A PROGRAM STATEMENT, AND THEN THE PROGRAM STATEMENT GETS CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL.
SO CITY COUNCIL BLESSES THE CONCEPT, THE SHELL OF THE PROGRAM AND THE FUNDING SOURCE BEING CHANGED.
AND THEN WE IMPLEMENT THAT THROUGH ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS, UM, TO THE SPECS OF WHAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S OFFICE WANTED.
[00:30:02]
AND, AND AS IT RELATES TO, TO THE, UH, THAT PROGRAM IS THERE, IS THERE OVERLAP, UH, BETWEEN THAT AND THE SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM? ARE THEY KIND OF SIMILAR? UM, ONE OF THE PRIMARY SEEMS LIKE THE MONEY COULD BE USED FOR THE SAME TYPES OF THINGS, WHICH IS GOOD.I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S, YEAH, I MEAN, BROADER, YOU KNOW, COVERAGE FOR SOMEBODY WHO, YOU KNOW, EITHER WAY MAY MAYBE EVEN QUALIFIES FOR SOMETHING THAT'S, UH, LOW HANGING FOOD FOR 'EM THAT ENHANCE THEIR BUSINESS.
SHORT TERM IS, IS THAT I THINK THEY'RE COMPLIMENTARY.
I DON'T THINK THEY'RE NECESSARILY, WE WOULDN'T LET SOMEBODY USE BOTH NECESSARILY BECAUSE THE SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IS MORE COMPREHENSIVE AND THEY MOST LIKELY WILL HAVE ALREADY ROLLED IN THEIR EXTERIOR IMPROVEMENTS AS PART OF THAT.
AND SO WE WOULDN'T WANNA THEN, YOU KNOW, HAVE IT, WE'VE ALREADY PAID ONCE, WE'RE NOT GONNA PAY AGAIN.
UM, THE IDEA BEHIND THE SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IS REALLY FOR THOSE SMALLER SCALE EXTERIOR IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, IF A PROJECT QUALIFIES UNDER THAT AND IT'S, THE REIMBURSEMENT IS HIGHER THAN IT WOULD BE UNDER SBAP, UM, BECAUSE THE REIMBURSEMENT CAN GO UP TO 80% FOR SMALL PROJECTS AND IT'S REALLY MORE TAILORED FOR SMALLER PROJECTS.
UM, SBAP HAS A MINIMUM THRESHOLD OF $150,000 IN A TARGET AREA, 250,000, NOT IN A TARGET AREA UNDER THE, UM, FACADE, I'M NOT SAYING FACADE, BUT THE FACADE PROGRAM, THE MAXIMUM AWARD IS $50,000.
SO MOST LIKELY THOSE PROJECTS MAX OUT AT A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
SO THEY'RE, IT'S KIND OF DIFFERENT TIERS.
UM, BUT THEY, THE EXPENSES THAT ARE ELIGIBLE UNDER THE FACADE PROGRAM WOULD ALSO BE ELIGIBLE UNDER SBAP IF THEY WERE DOING A GROWTH OR EXPANSION OF THEIR PROJECT.
UM, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY FOR SOUTH DALLAS FAIR PARK OPPORTUNITY FUND, AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO THE LOAN COMPONENT, UH, OF OUR FUND, UH, WE HAVE LARGELY, OR THE UNDERWRITER, I SHOULD SAY LARGELY HAS BROAD DISCRETION IN TERMS OF WHAT INTEREST RATE WE CAN OFFER, UH, FOR SPECIFIC PROJECT, UH, GIVEN A VARIETY OF FACTORS, CORRECT.
UH, TO HELP A PENCIL, THE, THE PROJECT PENCIL, WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE DONE FOR A FEW OTHER PROJECTS, TO, TO, TO GET THEM OFF THE GROUND THAT WERE QUALIFIED FOR FUNDING, BUT THAT FUNDING WAS PROHIBITIVELY EXPENSIVE WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN THAT FROM.
UH, AND SO THEY WERE ABLE TO GET FUNDING FROM US THAT WAS AT A LOWER COST THAT THEN IN TURN HELPED THE PROJECT BE ABLE TO PENCIL IS, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.
SO THERE'S THE, BOTH THE RATE AND THE TERM ARE FLEXIBLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT A PROJECT GOING UNDULY INTO DEBT BECAUSE THEY'RE TAKING OUR MONEY.
SO IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE WILL GET WHEN WE'RE DOING THE UNDERWRITING.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR FEEDBACK, UH, REGARDING ANY OF, UH, THE SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, UH, THAT WE'VE COVERED IN OUTLINE AND ALL THESE WILL BE COVERED AGAIN IN DEPTH AT THE INFORMATION SESSION, UH, BEING HELD BY NICHOLAS ON JUNE 23RD? I BELIEVE IT IS.
UM, I CAN'T SEE ANYBODY ONLINE.
DOES ANYBODY ONLINE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? I DO.
WHO, WHO'S THAT? SHANAE, OH, GO AHEAD MS. WISE.
UM, SO, UM, I HAD A LITTLE BIT OF QUESTION, WELL, ACTUALLY I'M NOT, I'M NOT SURE WHICH I'M KIND OF LISTENING.
IT MIGHT BE THE SMALL BUSINESS KIND OF FALL UNDER THAT GRANT.
BUT MY, UM, QUESTION IS FOR SOUTH FAIR, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF WHERE, THAT'S WHERE I LIVE IN SOUTH DALLAS AND WE HAD BEEN TALKING ABOUT MALCOLM'S POINT, LIKE SINCE EVEN BEFORE COVID.
SO IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO SEE 'EM FINALLY BUILDING OUT.
AND THAT WAS SOMEWHERE WHERE I WAS INTERESTED IN DOING BUSINESS THERE.
THE PROBLEM WITH THE, THE, THE MICRO BUSINESSES IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THAT PROJECT IS THAT THEY'RE JUST BASICALLY SELLING, AND THEY'RE NOT EVEN SELLING, I'LL JUST SAY RENTING A SHELL.
IF I WANTED TO GET A GET MY BUSINESS THERE, I WOULD HAVE TO BUILD IT OUT.
AND SO THAT'S BEEN A LOT OF THE CONCERN, YOU KNOW, FINANCIAL ISSUE WITH TRYING TO GO INTO MALCOLM'S POINT IS BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO YOU NOT GET A CHANCE TO OWN YOUR SPACE, BUT THEN YOU ALSO HAVE TO THEN BUILD IT OUT, WHICH IS KIND OF A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE HEAVY, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO GET MONEY TO BUILD IT OUT.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THEN PAYING THAT MONTHLY FOR ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, BEING, YOU KNOW, IN THEIR, UH, IN THEIR BUILDING.
SO I'M NOT SURE WHICH GRANT WOULD LIKE CONSIDER SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I HEARD YOU SAYING, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL DO HAVE FUNDS AVAILABLE, MAYBE IF IT COMES DOWN TO THE STOVES AND, YOU KNOW, EQUIPMENT AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT TO BUILD OUT.
BUT WHAT A BUILD OUT BE INCLUDED IN THAT? BECAUSE I MEAN, YOU CAN, YOU CAN PUT THESE NECESSARY THINGS INTO THE SPACE FOR A KITCHEN, BUT THE THING, THE HARD PART ABOUT A KITCHEN, OF COURSE THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS THAT IT HAS TO
[00:35:01]
HAVE.SO I JUST WONDER LIKE WHICH GRANT WOULD MAKE MORE SENSE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? UM, I'M NOT GOING IN THERE, I HAD ALREADY DECIDED A LONG TIME AGO, BUT I KNOW THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE NEEDING OVER THERE.
AND SO I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW IF, IF THERE'S A FUNDING SOURCE THAT WILL SUPPORT THAT.
YEAH, THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.
SO THE SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WOULD BE AN OPTION FOR THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE ONLY REQUIREMENT IS FOR IN A TARGET AREA, THE MINIMUM PROJECT SIZE NEEDS TO BE $150,000.
UM, BUT IT IS DESIGNED TO BE EITHER USED BY A TENANT OR AN OWNER.
UM, AND SO IT IS DESIGNED AND YOU CAN USE THE, THE PROJECT SPONSOR CAN USE THE TI BUDGET AS THE MATCH FOR THAT PROGRAM.
SO THE SBAP IS A, A GRANT OF 15% OF THE TOTAL PROJECT COST.
SO THEN IT DOES COME IN AS A REIMBURSEMENT.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, MR. WISE? YES.
UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, SCIENCE, JUST A QUICK FOLLOW UP.
SO OF THESE PROGRAMS, WHICH ONES ARE BY ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS AND WHICH ONES HAVE TO GO TO COUNCIL? SO ANY, IT'S NOT BY PROGRAM.
NECESS AS OF RIGHT IS BY, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION, BY BY PROGRAM.
THE REST OF THEM ARE BY AMOUNT.
SO IT, THE INCENTIVE AWARD IS UNDER A MILLION DOLLARS AND IT'S IN A TARGET AREA.
WE CAN PROCESS IT VIA ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION.
IF IT'S OVER A MILLION DOLLARS, IT NEEDS TO GO TO CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
UM, AND EVERYTHING THAT WE APPROVE BY AA, WE TAKE TO COUNCIL QUARTERLY AS A REPORT.
SO THEY'RE STILL AWARE OF IT, THEY'RE JUST NOT APPROVING IT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR FEEDBACK, UM, FOR MR. PEKA ON THIS REPORT OF THE DIFFERENT FUNDING PROGRAMS AVAILABLE TO SMALL BUSINESSES? MORE QUESTIONS, COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK? HEARING NONE.
SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A COPY OF THE CALENDAR, UH, THE UPCOMING CALENDAR FOR, UH, THE REST OF THIS YEAR.
UH, WELL ACTUALLY FOR THE, THE, THE NEXT, UH, FISCAL YEAR 2027 IN FRONT OF THEM.
AND THESE DATES ARE ALL CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE'VE, UH, YOU KNOW, HISTORICALLY HAD OF HAVING OUR MEETINGS THE LAST MONDAY OF THE MONTH.
AND SO THIS IS JUST THE MEMORIALIZATION OF THAT.
UM, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY OBJECTIONS, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS OR FEEDBACK TO THE PROPOSED DATES THAT SHOWN MR. CHAIR? MAY I CHIME IN WITH THE QUICK YEAH.
TIDBIT OF INFORMATION? I JUST WANT TO NOTE, NOVEMBER 16TH AND MAY 24TH, JUST AS, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, THOSE TWO DATES HAVE BEEN PUSHED BACK, UH, IN NOVEMBER DUE TO THANKSGIVING.
AND THEN IN MAY, I THINK THE, THE LAST MONDAYS ON THE 30TH OR THE 31ST, AND SO THE 24TH IS THE WEEK BEFORE THAT.
SO I JUST WANT YOU TO BE AWARE THOSE ARE JUST A LITTLE BIT EARLIER IN PARTICULAR.
NOVEMBER 16TH IS TWO WEEKS AFTER THE MEETING BEFORE THAT.
AND SO JUST WANNA MAKE YOU ALL AWARE THAT THOSE ARE SOME OF THE CHANGES, UH, IN OUR SCHEDULE.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR FEEDBACK ON THE PROPOSED, UH, DATES LISTED HERE? IF NOT, UH, IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED.
UH, THE CALENDAR'S APPROVED FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 AND THE DATES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, UH, FOR PULLING THESE TOGETHER, UH, NICHOLAS AND HEATHER.
UM, AND SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, UH, WHICH IS OUR LAST ITEM OF THE EVENING, WHICH IS AN UPDATE FROM THE MARKETING SUBCOMMITTEE.
SO, UM, CHAIRMAN ENRIQUEZ, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU, UH, FOR AN UPDATE.
UH, SO THIS, UH, LAST WEEK, THE, UH, MARKETING SUBCOMMITTEE, UH, CONVENED AND, UH, TALK THROUGH, UM, A POTENTIAL, UH, UH, BOARD TOUR COMING THIS FALL.
BEING THAT WE HAVE MANY DIFFERENT NEW, NEW COMMISSIONERS ON THE BOARD.
UM, WE, WITHOUT IT REALLY GOOD TO BE ABLE TO TOUR THE, UM, UH, THE SERVICE AREA AS WE DID A COUPLE OF YEARS BACK.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE BIG DISCUSSION PIECES DURING, DURING OUR MEETING WAS, UH, AN EMPHASIS ON TOURING BUSINESSES THAT MET TWO CRITERIA.
[00:40:01]
ONE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN FUNDED, UM, THROUGH OUR BOARD, AND SECONDLY, HAD SOME SORT OF REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATED TOUR.UM, AS, AS YOU KNOW, WE, WE TEND TO FUND PROGRAMS THAT MIGHT BE, UM, JUST PROGRAMMING AND SOME THAT ACTUALLY HAVE A BRICK AND MORTAR.
UH, SO WE WANTED TO FOCUS MORE SO ON THE BRICK AND MORTAR COMPONENT.
UM, IN PREPARATION FOR, UH, FOR TODAY'S REPORT OUT, UM, STAFF PUT TOGETHER A A LIST OF THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE FUNDED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
UM, YOU'LL SEE IT PROJECTED THERE ON, ON THE SCREEN, UM, UH, AS, AS WE SPEAK.
UM, SO OF THE, UM, FOR THE, FOR THE PROSPECTIVE BOARD TOUR, UH, WE DISCUSSED, UM, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY TOURING, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE, UH, UH, CHAIR, UH, COMMISSIONER FREEMAN, SHE SUGGESTED THE YMCA THAT WE RECENTLY FUNDED AT METRO DALLAS.
UM, WANNA DEFINITELY OPEN IT UP TO THE BOARD TO MAKE SUGGESTIONS IF YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR, UH, PARTICULAR, UH, A BUSINESS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO TOUR, UM, THAT MAYBE ISN'T ON THIS LIST.
UH, BUT WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY FUNDED.
UM, IF YOU COULD, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATE THOSE ITEMS TO EITHER MYSELF OR STAFF NICHOLAS, UM, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR OUR PLANNING FROM A PLANNING STANDPOINT.
UM, BUT WE ARE GONNA FOCUS ON, UM, ABOUT TWO TO THREE ORGANIZATIONS TO, TO TOUR.
UM, AND AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE'RE ONLY GONNA FOCUS ON THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN FUNDED PREVIOUSLY OR APPROVED FOR FUNDING.
UM, IN TERMS OF TIMING, UH, WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT LATE Q3, UM, AND DISCUSSION WITH STAFF DURING OUR, OUR MEETING, UH, STAFF RELAYED THAT SEPTEMBER OR NOVEMBER WOULD, WOULD PROBABLY BE THE BEST TIMEFRAME AS OCTOBER WILL BE BUSY PREPARING FOR THE, UH, PREPARING FOR THE NEXT NOFA RELEASE.
UM, SO THAT BEING SAID, UH, THE, UH, THE FOCUS DATES ARE THE FOLLOWING.
UM, IT IS SEPTEMBER 11TH, SEPTEMBER 18TH, SEPTEMBER 25TH, AND THOSE ARE THE DATES FOR SEPTEMBER.
AND THEN IN NOVEMBER IT'S NOVEMBER 6TH AND NOVEMBER 13TH.
SO THESE ARE THE FIVE DATES THAT WE WOULD NEED TO CHOOSE FROM.
UM, AGAIN, I FOCUSED ON FOUR DATES.
UM, THESE ARE ALL FRIDAYS OF THE MONTH, UM, FOCUSED ON, I'M SORRY, FOCUSED ON THREE DATES IN SEPTEMBER, UM, BEING A SECOND, THIRD, AND FOURTH, UH, FRIDAY.
UM, AND AVOIDED THE FIRST ONE BECAUSE OF, UH, THE PROXIMITY TO LABOR DAY.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IN NOVEMBER BEING THAT, UH, THANKSGIVING IS TOWARDS THE END OF THE MONTH FOLKS ON THE FIRST TWO.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, UH, AGAIN, THIS IS MORE SO A QUESTION FOR STAFF, UM, FOR, FOR SELECTING A DATE, IS THAT A TIMEFRAME THAT WE WOULD NEED? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD NEED TO VOTE ON AS A BOARD OR CAN WE JUST OPEN IT FOR DISCUSSION? YOU CAN REACH AND ANSWER LIKE BY CONSENSUS.
UM, SO DEFINITELY WANNA OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION, UH, FOR THE BROADER BOARD ON THOSE FIVE DATES, AGAIN, NO, UH, SEPTEMBER 11TH, 18TH, AND 25TH.
AND THEN FOR NOVEMBER, UM, THE SIXTH AND THE 13TH, UM, IS THERE ANY SPECIFIC, UH, CONVICTION ON, YOU KNOW, WHICH MONTH SPECIFICALLY OR ANY OF THOSE DATES? I THINK SEPTEMBER IS GOOD.
AND, AND THE THREE AT THE TOP, ARE THOSE THE FOR I'M TRYING TO, TRYING TO, I I'M HAVING A HARD TIME SEEING IT.
UM, YOU NAMED OFF THE SPACES THAT YOU, YOU WERE INTERESTED IN TOURING.
UM, THESE, SO THE, THE ONES THAT ARE PROJECTED, ALL THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE PROJECTED ON THE SCREEN ARE BUSINESSES THAT WE FUNDED.
UM, AND THEY'RE SEPARATED IN DIFFERENT GROUPS BASED ON THE YEAR THAT WE'VE EITHER APPROVED FOR FUNDING OR FUNDED THEM HISTORICALLY SPEAKING.
UM, SO FOR EXAMPLE, IN UH, FISCAL YEAR 24, WE, UH, WE FUNDED MALCOLM'S POINT.
I LOOK LIKE LOVE AND BCL OF D UH, SORRY, BCL OF TEXAS? YES.
I WAS JUST THINKING FOR SEPTEMBER.
MAYBE MALCOLM'S POINT WOULD BE GREAT.
UM, I DON'T SEE THE THEATER OF THE FOREST THEATER ON, ON THERE.
THEIR LAUNCH DATE IS NOVEMBER.
UM, SO MAYBE SEPTEMBER WILL BE GREAT FOR THAT.
THEY ARE DOING TOURS RIGHT NOW, UM, WITH A HARD HAT 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING IS STILL CONSTRUCTION.
UM, AND THEN I HEARD YOU SAY SOMETHING ABOUT PARK SOUTH.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AS WELL, BUT I THE ONLY SEPTEMBER FOR THOSE GO AHEAD.
I JUST SAY THE, THE ONLY DID DID YOU HAVE A TIMEFRAME ON THAT, ON THOSE FRIDAYS? I'M ASSUMING DURING
[00:45:01]
BUSINESS HOURS ONE MORE TIME.'CAUSE YOUR, YOUR MICROPHONE WAS KIND OF A TIMEFRAME.
UM, FOR THE VISITS, IS IT DURING BUSINESS HOURS? YES, IT WILL BE DURING BUSINESS HOURS.
UM, THE FIRST STEP WAS JUST IDENTIFYING WHICH PERSPECTIVE ONES WE WANT TO, TO TOUR.
WE WANNA IDENTIFY ANYWHERE FROM FOUR TO SIX AND THEN KIND OF START WORKING THROUGH WITH THOSE BUSINESSES ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT TIMEFRAME WOULD BE THE IDEAL.
SO THAT WE CAN, WE CAN START AGENDA, CREATE AN AGENDA FOR IT.
BUT YES, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, IT WOULD BE THEIR BUSINESS HOUR.
MR. CHAIR, WOULD IT BE OKAY IF I CHIMED IN? ABSOLUTELY.
JUST TO CLARIFY, UM, I WAS GONNA SAY AS SOON AS YOU KNOW, THE, THE CHAIR, UH, PROVIDES THE, UH, DESIRE TOUR SITES, I'M GONNA BEGIN THE PROCESS OF ACTUALLY REACHING OUT TO THE, TO THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS TO SEE WHAT'S POSSIBLE.
JUST SO EVERYONE KIND OF UNDERSTANDS THE PROCESS THAT'LL HAPPEN.
UM, AND THEN WE CAN START TO BUILD IT OUT FROM THERE.
IN TERMS OF THE DATES THAT I THREW OUT, THE FIVE DIFFERENT DATES, I, I HEAR A SUGGESTION FROM, UH, FROM, UH, MSNA ON FOCUSING IN SEPTEMBER MSNA.
DID YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC DATE IN SEPTEMBER THAT YOU, YOU'D LIKE TO SUGGEST? SO I GUESS THE QUESTION WOULD BE, ARE YOU, 'CAUSE UM, THE ONES THAT I'M THINKING OF OUTSIDE OF THE PARK SOUTH, 'CAUSE OF COURSE PARKS OFFICE DONE, UM, THE OTHER TWO THAT I'M THINKING OF WILL STILL BE IN CONSTRUCTION PHASE.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN DOING, GOING AND KIND OF SEEING WHAT IT WOULD, YOU KNOW, WHAT PROGRESS THEY'VE MADE SO FAR? ARE YOU LOOKING MORE SO FOR BUILDINGS THAT ARE GONNA ALREADY BE OPEN AND AND FUNCTIONING EITHER, HONESTLY.
YOU CAN CAN TOUR A SITE OR WE COULD SEE SOMETHING UP AND RUNNING AND FUNCTIONING.
I THINK THE, THE BIGGER FOCUS IS JUST TO KIND OF GET THE BOARD TOGETHER TO GO AND, YOU KNOW, SEE THE DIFFERENT, UH, SITES IN, UH, IN THE SERVICE AREA THAT WE FUNDED.
YEAH, I THINK THE FOREST, UM, WOULD BE JUST AMAZING.
UM, RIGHT NOW JUST SEEING HOW THEY'VE, HOW YOU CAN SEE THE OLD BUILDING AND ALL OF THE NEW CONSTRUCTION TOGETHER, IT LOOKS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.
I THINK THEY WOULD BE A, I THINK THEY WOULD BE A GREAT TRI SITE.
ANY, ANYBODY OUT THERE? UM, HAVE ANY, ANY SPECIFIC THOUGHTS ON DATES? I CAN CHIME IN.
I THINK, UM, JUST A, JUST A SPECIFIC ONE.
I THINK SEPTEMBER 11TH WORKS FOR ME.
IT DOESN'T CLICK WITH THE FAIR.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE OTHER DATES TO RESCHEDULE IF THAT DOESN'T WORK FOR WHATEVER REASON.
SO I THINK IT JUST GIVES YOU FLEXIBILITY.
I ALSO AGREE WITH THE LOCATIONS.
I'VE TOURED AFTER AIDS EDUCATE PERSONALLY AND I THINK IT'S WORTH SEEING.
THEY CONVERTED AN OLD SCHOOL INTO HOUSING AND UM, LIKE A FOOD BANK AND, AND THEY HAVE COOL PROGRAMMING.
BUT THE, I'D LOVE TO SEE THE THEATER IN
WE ACTUALLY ON OUR LAST FOUR TOUR IN THE FALL 24, WE ACTUALLY TOURED AFTER EIGHT TO EDUCATE.
SOUNDS LIKE SEPTEMBER IS PROBABLY A REALLY GOOD TIMEFRAME.
UM, SO WE CAN FOCUS ON SEPTEMBER AND THEN CIRCLE BACK ON A, ON A SPECIFIC DATE.
UM, IN THE MEANTIME, IF ANYBODY HAS ANY SUGGESTIONS ON, YOU KNOW, PRO PROJECTS THAT WE FUNDED, UM, THAT ARE EITHER ON THIS LIST AS PROJECTED ON THE SCREEN OR NOT ON THAT LIST, UH, DEFINITELY FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO STAFF OR MYSELF, UM, SO THAT WAY WE CAN, WE CAN COMPILE THAT LIST AND START CONNECTING WITH THOSE BUSINESSES.
SO, UH, IF I MAY, JUST, THE THREE THAT I DID HERE, UH, ARE IN THIS MEETING, IS MALCOLM'S POINT, FOREST THEATER AND YMCA? CORRECT.
UM, IN TERMS NEXT STEPS, CHAIRMAN, CHAIRMAN, GO AHEAD.
CHAIRMAN
UM, WE'RE GONNA FOCUS ON TWO TO THREE.
UM, I, I, IDEALLY IT WOULD BE THREE.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, NO, NO LESSON THAN TWO.
UM, SO WHAT KIND OF, IN, IN TERMS OF SOURCING THE BUSINESSES, WE THOUGHT WE WOULD IDENTIFY, YOU KNOW, OUR TOP, TOP FOUR PRIORITY WITH TWO SECONDARY BACKUPS SO THAT WAY WE CAN NARROW DOWN TO THOSE THREE, JUST KIND OF PLAY A NUMBERS GAME FROM THAT STANDPOINT.
UM, BUT YEAH, IT WOULD BE TWO TO THREE BUSINESSES FOR SURE.
ALRIGHT, UM, WELL AGAIN, IN TERMS OF NEXT STEPS, UM, WE'LL IDENTIFY THOSE TOP FOUR, TOP FOUR WITH TWO SECONDARY BACKUPS AND THEN PROVIDE ANOTHER UPDATE ONCE WE HAVE MORE, MORE PROGRESS.
[00:50:03]
ALRIGHT, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR FEEDBACK FOR CHAIRMAN ENRIQUEZ? UM, WITH REGARDS TO THE WORK THAT THE MARKETING SUBCOMMITTEE IS DOING IN, UH, PULLING TOGETHER A, A TOUR FOR THIS FALL? AND ONCE AGAIN, IF ANYBODY HAS ANY IDEAS, UH, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO TO PIPE UP AND, AND UH, SHARE THOSE WITH THE CHAIRMAN.ENRIQUEZ, IF SOMETHING COMES UP AND YOU THINK OF SOMETHING AFTER THE MEETING, UM, OR ANOTHER IDEA WOULD MAYBE, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOMEBODY THAT YOU HAD IN MIND, UH, THAT MAY NOT BE A PART OF, UM, YOU KNOW, MAY NOT BE ON THE RADAR BUT WOULD QUALIFY FOR FUNDING, YOU KNOW, OR WAY OR THE OTHER.
SO YEAH, MAYBE THAT'S A CONSIDERATION AS WELL.
SO, UM, IF THERE ARE OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR FEEDBACK ON, ON THAT ITEM, UM, THERE IS NO OTHER BUSINESS, WHICH I SEE NONE.
UM, IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? I SO MOVED.
SO MOVED BY MS. SIMS. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH EVERYBODY FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION, UH, IN 6 51.
WE WILL SEE YOU ALL NEXT MONTH.